Welcome to this Project!

This blog was conceived on the 8th August 2008,hence its title. 8 is the number of new beginnings, which was also the prophetic declaration over the Church through various prophets in 2008.

On,Now,To the Third Level is not some elite form of Christianity. It is God's Norm. Watchman Nee would have called it the Normal Christian Life. Others in time past called it brokenness. We call it life. Rob Rufus explains in "Taking Away The Veil" that Christ has opened the way through to God for us. We can live there.

Why bother using the phrase "Third Level"? Because there are 3 places in God's Tabernacle. And there are 3 stages of growth in 1 John 2. More than this, historically and corporately we have known forgiveness by grace. Then from 1906 onward the Church has known a charismatic empowering by grace. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and supernatural manifestations.

But what we are now saying is we can live full-time to God's glory and in God's glory. There are keys of faith to each stage and in these last days God has been revealing the grace keys to this final level....a level that has had the Veil Taken Away.

It is the level that is the full realisation of the New Covenant in Christ's Blood, but also the life that God promised when He said "The Knowledge of the Glory of God shall cover the Earth as the Waters Cover the Sea".

A FULL LIST OF SUBJECT LABELS CAN BE FOUND LISTED ALPHABETICALLY AT THE BASE OF THIS PAGE.


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A look back on all of our reporting of the Delphi murders since 2017
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A group of children pose for a group photo under the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on the 75th anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong Il, at Mansudae hill in Pyongyang, Feb. 16, 2017.

It is widely known that the North Korean regime goes to extraordinary lengths to keep the majority of North Koreans from learning too much about the situation abroad and the lives of people in other countries. Unless they belong to a tiny elite, North Koreans cannot travel overseas freely, cannot read newspapers and magazines from foreign countries, and cannot listen to foreign broadcasts. The Internet, a symbol of our information age, is banned in North Korea as well.

All these restrictions are relatively well known. However, the North Korean regime does not merely isolate North Koreans from the outside world, but also seeks to isolate them from North Korea's own past. Common North Koreans have virtually no opportunity to learn about North Korean history.

If you visit a North Korean library now, you will not be able to see the official newspapers (such as, say, Rodong Sinmun) published in the 1970s and 1980s  unless you have a proper security clearance, of course. Most books, published before the early 1990s, are also kept under strict control, in the special sections of larger libraries where only trusted people with formal security clearances are allowed to peruse such texts.

This isolation, closely resembling the famous Orwellian dystopia of 1984, looks somewhat bizarre, but it is actually easy to understand. The authorities believe that North Koreans need to know only what their government allows them to know about their country's past. Of course, this permissible vision of history is only remotely related to what actually happened and can be described as largely an invention of North Korean propagandists.

Admittedly, many other countries and political regimes use history as a handmaiden of propaganda and indoctrination. However, in most cases the people still had at least a theoretical chance to learn real history. They could read books representing alternative views or even access primary materials on such topics. However, North Koreans do not have such opportunities.

Let's take just one example. Had North Koreans been allowed to read official newspapers from the 1950s, then they would know that at the time Kim Il Sung was always presented as merely one of many of North Korea's leaders. Apart from him, the newspapers mentioned other leaders  like, say, Kim Du-bong, Pak Hon-young or Pak Chang-ok. All of them were eventually purged, after being accused of treason and espionage. However, in the old newspapers, one can see that Kim Il Sung himself praised these people, calling them outstanding revolutionaries'.

If North Koreans find out about this, they may suspect that these alleged traitors were actually victims of political quarrels, not spies. This is indeed the case, but the North Korean government does not want its people to have such dangerous ideas and see Kim Il Sung not as a heaven-sent genius, but merely a successful and crafty politician who outmaneuvered his rivals to get supreme power.

Foreign policy can also look confusing to a North Korean if he or she is allowed to read old books and newspapers.

Until the late 1950s, North Korea claimed that in 1945 Korea was liberated by the Soviet troops, while Kim Il Sungs forces were seldom if ever mentioned. Of course, in those days the official media praised the Soviet Union at the time and described it as a liberator. In the early 1960s, the line changed: the North Korean media began to criticize the Soviet Union and praise China, while references to the Soviets role in liberation all but disappeared. From the late 1960s, it was claimed that the country was liberated by the glorious fighters of Kim Il Sung who allegedly defeated the Japanese Empire more or less single-handedly. This claim survived for decades, but the praise for China disappeared quite soon.

If ordinary North Koreans are allowed to know this, many of them will not believe the official history created by the North Korean propagandists to reinforce the regime. That is exactly the reason why North Korean authorities are trying to control the past. If history is kept under lock and key, it is easier for the government to control people.
The exiled former head of Cambodias opposition party on Friday urged the international community to help ensure free and fair elections in his country, saying Prime Minister Hun Sens government is seeking to eliminate its competition ahead of polls later this year.



In an opinion article in the Phnom Penh Post, Sam Rainsy, who resigned as longstanding Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) president last month, described an atmosphere of fear and intimidation facing the opposition as it prepares for commune and general elections set for June 2017 and July 2018, respectively.



We know the upcoming elections cannot and will not be free with the current atmosphere of fear and intimidation, as evidenced by the increasing number of arrests and imprisonments of government critics, said the former opposition leader.



Please help ensure, at least, that the elections are fair enough to include the participation of the only opposition party represented in Parliament: the CNRP, he said.



Under fallacious pretexts, the government of Hun Senwhose ruling party has dominated Cambodias political landscape for 38 yearsis seeking to dissolve the CNRP in order to avoid electoral competition.



Sam Rainsy has been in exile since late 2015 after his conviction on charges of defamation that supporters say were questionable rulings by a court system beholden to Hun Sen.



He resigned as CNRP chief in February in order to preserve the party in the face of a new law that bars anyone convicted of a crime from holding the top offices in a political party.



The law, which was approved by the National Assembly on Feb. 20, passed with 66 votes by the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP), despite a CNRP boycott of parliament in protest. The law is expected to be signed for final approval early next week.



The CNRP has meanwhile named acting leader Kem Sokha as party president. The party also named Eng Chhai Eang, Mu Sochau and Pol Ham as vice presidents.



New law



On Friday, CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann told RFAs Khmer Service that the CPP seeks to prevent the opposition from standing in the countrys upcoming elections by adopting the political party law.



This new law is narrowing the activities of political parties, instead of making it easier for them to do things like participate in the election, he said.



But ruling party spokesman Sok Eysan told RFA that the CPP has no intention of dissolving political parties and said the government was working to ensure a smooth election process ahead of the two polls.



He dismissed Sam Rainsys appeal as meaningless because the former opposition leader is no longer head of the CNRP.Sam Rainsys only concern is self-promotion because he doesnt want the public to forget him, Sok Eysan said.



He is adrift in the ocean and there is no way for him to return to his party, which has found a new president, so bye bye to Sam Rainsy.



Amid the back and forth, head of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) Kul Panha reminded all stakeholders Friday that the Paris Peace Accords of Oct. 23, 1991which ended the Cambodian-Vietnamese Warguarantees all parties the right to freely compete in Cambodias elections according to democratic principles.



But despite this provision, the opposition remains wary.



A version of the new political party law approved earlier this week by Cambodias Senate contained an amended Article 44, which allows the state to dismantle any political parties deemed secessionist or subversivea provision ordered by Hun Sen.



Hun Sen last week warned that he would deploy the military against any political party seeking to overthrow his government.



Reported by Vuthy Tha for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sarada Taing. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.



CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story erroneously stated that the National Assembly approved the bill on Feb. 20 with 44 votes by the CPP.
China has quietly issued a ban on tour groups to South Korea and Japan amid an ongoing row over Seoul's planned deployment of U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system, travel agents confirmed to RFA on .



"We don't currently have any tour groups going to South Korea," an employee who answered the phone at one of the Beijing-based travel agents contacted by RFA confirmed, echoing the responses of the others.



"Actually, we're not sending groups to South Korea or Japan at the moment," the employee said.



Other travel industry sources said tours that had been long-booked would go ahead. However, no new tours would be offered to the two destinations, a favorite among Chinese tourists looking for shopping trips.



But others said there had been a cancellation across the board.



"They've all been canceled, the whole lot," an employee at a second Beijing travel agency said. "From , we're not taking bookings for tours [to those destinations]."



"If people had already booked, then we will be issuing refunds where appropriate, according to the Travel Agency Contract law," the employee said.



Asked how long the ban would last, the employee said: "I don't know."



But the ban may only be partial. Several travel agencies in the southern city of Shenzhen said they hadn't received any such notification on .



"We haven't received any notification that we can't send tour groups there," the employee said. "Sometimes there are breaking political developments that result in these situations, and we have to do what the government tells us."



"There has been talk of boycotts in the past; for example, there are problems with Malaysian Airlines, but later on we were allowed to go and the ban was lifted," he said.



North Korean missile threat

South Korea has said it and the United States aim to make the THAAD system operational by the end of the year, in a bid to counter the North Korean missile threat.



But China says the system, with its long-range radar, is a threat to China's own security and will do nothing to help resolve tensions with North Korea.



Hong Kong-based political analyst Chung Lok-wai told RFA that tensions with South Korea are continuing to escalate, and that South Korean goods are also being targeted for boycotts.



"I think Beijing is seeking to put pressure on South Korea through a number of unofficial channels at the moment," Chung said. "This travel ban on South Korea has never been an official policy, and travel agencies represent an unofficial diplomatic response [to THAAD]."



"South Korea relies on mainland China for a lot of [income], so they can apply pressure on them in all sorts of ways over time," he said. "It's possible that this could add up to a huge impact on bilateral cooperation in the future."



China's Foreign Ministry on has also protested over large-scale joint military exercises between South Korean and U.S. troops this week, code-named Foal Eagle.



The exercises came after the launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea on Feb. 12.



"We have noted the reports and have already expressed serious concern via diplomatic channels to the relevant sides," spokesman Geng Shuang told journalists in Beijing on .



"Maintaining the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia accords with the interests of all sides and is all parties' responsibility," he said.



Reported by Ding Wenqi for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Goh Fung for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Chinese paramilitary police patrol Tiananmen Square ahead of the annual sessions of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, and National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body, in Beijing, Feb. 28, 2017.

Authorities in the Chinese capital sealed off Tiananmen Square on Friday after an attempted suicide bid outside the central government's complaints office ahead of the annual parliament, petitioners told RFA.

"It happened yesterday morning at about 9 o'clock," petitioner He Yazhen from the northern city of Tangshan told RFA. "It was a suicide attempt, but I don't know the outcome," she said.

"I got here this morning and someone else has a video that I will send to you," he said.

The video showed a young man in a purple jacket standing outside the complaints office surrounded by empty barriers where petitioners usually line up to register.

The man, who was holding an object to the base of his throat and gesticulating at police officers, was a petitioner, according to the eyewitness who shot the footage on her cell phone.

Police then begin shouting at bystanders to move away from the main, clearing the crowd back to around 50 meters' distance and preventing them from coming closer.

"There's a young lad there with a knife at the gates of the State Council complaints office," the owner of the cell phone can be heard saying on the soundtrack. "They are trying to prevent any news from getting out."

"He was probably left with no other option," she says.

Tang Xinbo, a petitioner from the northern port city of Tianjin, said he sympathized with the man's desperation.

"He must have been left with nowhere else to go and just didn't want to live anymore," Tang said.

He said many petitioners are left feeling that life is no longer worth living in the face of repeated failures to have their grievances heard.

"There is no social justice any more these days, and ordinary people are being pushed to the point where they are at a total dead end, so they commit suicide," Tang said.

"People are in despair; I think we'll see a lot more of this in future," he said.

Police and interceptors

The man's protest came as Beijing gears up for annual sessions of its parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), which opens on Sunday, and its advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which opened on Friday.

He Yazhen said that thousands of petitioners were lining up once more outside the complaints department of the State Council, China's cabinet, and that some had tried to gather on Tiananmen Square, ready for the CPPCC opening in the Great Hall of the People opposite.

But police and "interceptors" sent by local governments to escort petitioners back to their hometowns had sealed off the area, she said.

"I am standing on the eastern side of Tiananmen Square right now, and there are interceptors everywhere," He said. "There are about 1,000 of them."

"Tiananmen Square is now under total security lockdown, so you can only get past using the sidewalks on the [east and west] sides," she said. "The CPPCC opening ceremony is at 3 p.m. today."

Petitionersordinary Chinese people with complaints against the government ranging from forced eviction and loss of land to development to deaths, disappearances, mistreatment of loved ones in custody, and unpaid pensionsattempt to make the journey to Beijing ahead of major political events in a bid to put pressure on local officials to resolve their grievances.

Many never make it, and are placed under house arrest or taken on enforced "vacations" for the duration of the event. Some are detained by police and interceptors on trains, buses and in the street, or in raids on the Beijing's "petitioner villages."

Beijing petitioner Yan Chunfeng said security on the streets of the capital was tight ahead of the parliamentary sessions.

"Wherever you walk on the streets there are checkpoints at every intersection," Yan said. "They are doing spot checks of people at the Southern Railway Station ... and there are plainclothes police everywhere."

"Sometimes the police go into the hotels, which was how [rights activists] Sun Dongsheng and Wu Jixin were caught. They were taken away," she said.

"A lot of petitioners are sleeping out on the streets ... They are all coming here for the parliament, hoping to catch the attention of their leaders," she said.

Escorted home by officials

Those who do are often caught outside government complaints offices and directly escorted home, or taken to unofficial detention centers on the outskirts of the city by the busload, before being sent home.

Fujian petitioner Lu Zuoyu spoke to RFA under escort back to her hometown on Friday.

"I am currently being escorted home by officials from my local government, who have no warrant to detain or search me," Lu said.

"They were carrying out searches; they suddenly came into the room where I was staying," she said.

"I was taken by them from my room, then we were taken to the Jujingzhuang detention center and then the local government officials came to take me back," Lu said.

"They put us on a bus with more than 20 people ... there were two or three of those buses [to Jiujingzhuang] yesterday evening," she said.

"There was nowhere to sleep inside Jiujingzhuang and they locked us up in there until the next morning," she said.

Many petitioners complain of beatings, illegal detention in "black jails" or "legal study centers" and other forms of official harassment after they return home, while reports have emerged of petitioners who die en route, while in the custody of police or interceptors.

Petitioners Wang Shetao and Li Xiaocui, of Luoyang's Liangzhai village, reportedly burned to death in murky circumstances in January after a fire at a police station, official media reported.

Later the same month, Heilongjiang petitioner Li Naiqiu said she was picked up by interceptors from Taihe city and escorted back to her hometown from the unofficial detention center at Majialou on Jan. 22.

On the trip home, she was handcuffed and beaten up by the officials, who also kicked her in the abdomen, putting her unborn baby at risk, she told RFA at the time.

Deaths and "disappearances" in unofficial detention centers, or "black jails," are also not uncommon, but evidence of police wrong-doing is hard to come by when the authorities typically refuse to allow independent autopsies.

Reported by Qiao Long and Yang Fan for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wong Lok-to for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Malaysian authorities are seriously considering expelling North Koreas ambassador and another diplomat from the reclusive states embassy in Kuala Lumpur over potential links to the murder of Kim Jong Uns estranged half-brother, two Malaysian government sources told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.

A proposal to declare Ambassador Kang Chol and second secretary Hyon Kwang Song persona non grata has been put forth in high government circles and is under consideration, the sources said, speaking on condition their names not be revealed.

Kang Chol openly criticized Malaysian investigations into the death of Kim Jong Nam while Hyong Kwang Song is wanted by police for questioning over the murder at a Malaysian airport outside Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 13.

Two reasons have been cited for the proposed expulsion of the two North Korean diplomats possible involvement in the assassination of Kim Jong Nam and revelations that North Korea was making Malaysia a base for arms dealing in violation of international sanctions  the sources said.

No final decision yet, but we are discussing with the Foreign Ministry, one source told BenarNews.

Kim Jong Nam died within 15 to 20 minutes after VX, a lethal, internationally banned nerve agent, was smeared on his face by two women, according to findings.

A heavy price

Malaysia is among a small list of countries with close relations with the hardline communist regime in Pyongyang, which is under global sanctions over its illegal nuclear weapons drives and ballistic missile launches, the latest of which took place on Feb. 12.

Those ties have been shaken by the killing of Kim Jong Nam on Malaysian soil, with Kuala Lumpur already recalling its ambassador to Pyongyang and canceling visa-free entry to Malaysia for North Korean nationals beginning Monday.

Earlier this week, Malaysian authorities said they were aware of two North-Korean controlled companies that, according to a Reuters report, were using a Malaysian front company to sell battlefield radio equipment in violation of U.N. sanctions.

The two companies were being struck-off or removed from a registry of business entities in the country, Malaysias Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said in a statement.

On Friday, Malaysia rebutted the latest attempt by North Korea to reject its findings that the deadly XV nerve agent had been used in the killing.

The ministry strongly condemns the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

At a press conference Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi issued an apparent warning to Ambassador Kang Chol, who twice lashed out against Malaysian officials for their handling of the investigation.

If the rebukes keep coming from the ambassador, he will pay a heavy price, Zahid said. As an ambassador, although the script is coming from a source that only he knows, he must respect our law, ethics and culture here. Diplomacy must be respected.

Malaysian police said they are seeking seven North Korean nationals in connection with the killing, but four of them have returned to North Korea, while three are still in Malaysia, including second secretary Hyon.

Negative perceptions

Legal experts warned that taking action against diplomats could have serious consequences.

Malaysia has two options, lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri told BenarNews: asking North Korea to cancel the second secretarys immunity so he can be arrested, or declaring him persona non grata  thereby kicking him out of the country.

Any action taken will invite aggressive reaction from the North Korea. Malaysia, however, will face a negative perception from its own citizens and international community if it fails to seek justice for the deceased and his family, he said.

In other words, will Malaysia want to be labeled as a country willing to ignore justice because of its fear against North Korea?

Yusmadi Yusuf, another legal expert, said the persona non grata tactic should be the last option.

At this stage it is not advisable. It will create further tension," he said.

This is a crime issue, not a diplomatic issue, he said. We have to find a middle path to communicate better and address their concern. We have not exhausted our diplomatic engagement with them.

Meanwhile, Malaysian police on Friday issued an arrest warrant for North Korean airline Air Koryo employee Kim Uk Il, 37, one of three North Korean nationals wanted in connection with the crime who is still thought to be in Malaysia.

It also released and deported Ri Jong Chol, the only North Korean in custody to date, citing lack of evidence in the murder case along with immigration violations.

On Wednesday, two Southeast Asian women who allegedly smeared the toxin on Kims face were charged with murder.

North Korea sent a special delegation to Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday seeking to claim the body it has never identified as Kim Jong Nam and repair fraying bilateral ties.

Malaysia has so far refused to hand over the victims body. On Feb. 19, Malaysian police said they were giving Kim Jong Nams next of kin two weeks to come forward and positively identify the body, a time frame that expires on Sunday.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
North Korean national Ri Jong Chol (C) is escorted with a heavy police presence as he leaves police headquarters in Sepang, Malaysia, March 3, 2017.

Malaysia said Friday it was working closely with chemical weapons authorities in The Hague on its claim that Kim Jong Nam was killed by VX nerve agent.

The announcement came a day after a North Korean diplomat rejected Malaysias toxicology report and suggested that international chemical experts were questioning its findings.

[T]he Ministry is in close contact with the OPCW regarding the recent incident and the latter has provided the Malaysian authority with some technical materials that have been requested to assist in its investigation, a statement by Malaysias Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The Netherlands-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has further indicated its commitment to provide further assistance as required, the statement said.

Pyongyang on Thursday has asked the Malaysian government to send samples of the substance found on the body of Kim Jong Nam for verification by the OPCW.

Ri Tong Il, a North Korean diplomat heading a special delegation to Kuala Lumpur, rejected Malaysias toxicology report saying the North Korean man had died of a heart attack.

He said international experts were unanimously asking how two women who have been charged with murder in Kims death could have smeared the highly toxic substance on his face and survived.

And there is another unanimous request by international chemical experts, that in case it is true that it was used, then the samples should be sent to OPCW's office, it went on to say.

And in case it is proved by the two separate international laboratories, with the same conclusion, then they should come to identify who is the one who made it.

Banned

The foreign ministry statement stressed that Malaysia had fully cooperated and complied with OPCW regulations.

Malaysia does not produce, stockpile, import, export or use any Schedule 1 toxic chemicals including VX, and has made annual declarations to that effect to the OPCW, it said.

Authorities are investigating how the banned substance was brought into Malaysia, Malaysian top cop Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters recently.

The foreign ministry expressed alarm over the use of a substance that the U.N. lists as a weapon of mass destruction on Malaysian soil.

The Ministry strongly condemns the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public, it said.

Suspect released

South Korean officials have accused North Korean agents of masterminding the murder of Kim Jong Nam. His brother Kim Jong Un allegedly had a standing order for his assassination fearing he could be used in any overthrow of his brutal regime.

Reuters news agency had quoted U.S. government sources as saying that Washington strongly believes that North Korean agents murdered the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The only North Korean arrested to date in connection with the assassination was transferred to the Immigration Department on Friday morning, according to a police official. He was expected to be deported later in the day.

Malaysian Attorney General Mohamed Apandi Ali on Thursday announced that Ri Jong Chol would be released due to lack of evidence, then deported on immigration violations.

His 14-day remand expired Friday; two days after a pair of Southeast Asian women were charged with murder in the attack. Malaysian police are looking for at least seven other North Korean suspects.

The two women allegedly accosted Kim Jong Nam and smeared VX nerve agent on his face as he was preparing to board a flight to Macau from Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 on Feb. 13.

On the day of the murder, Ri drove four North Korean men to a Kuala Lumpur-area airport, a senior Malaysian government official close to the investigation told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.

Those four men are the ones listed on charge sheets released by police Wednesday as accomplices in the murder, the source said. But they left Malaysia later that day and returned to North Korea, according to police.

He was here and supposed to work at a local company but never worked even for a single day at the company, the source said of Ri, adding that his family would also be deported.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
More than a year after Myanmars National League for Democracy swept national elections in the formerly military-ruled country, bringing an end to government by generals or by army-backed civilians, security forces remain outside effective civilian control, the U.S. State Department said in a report released on Friday.



Human rights abuses in China meanwhile continued unabated through last year, with a new law requiring the registration of foreign NGOs further limiting the space for civil society in the communist-ruled country, according to the Departments Human Rights Report for 2016.



Despite improvements in the exercise of freedom of speech and assembly in Myanmar following the forming of an NLD government in March 2016, civilian authorities did not maintain effective control over the security forces, leading to the deaths of civilians in conflict zones, the State Department said.



Meanwhile, more than 120,000 Muslim Rohingya remain displaced in camps in Myanmars western Rakhine state, with a further 30,000 driven from their homes by security operations following armed attacks by Muslim militants on border guard posts in October.



Reports of torture also surfaced throughout the year, as security forces subjected both citizens and stateless persons to harsh interrogation techniques designed to intimidate, including severe beatings and deprivation of food, water, and sleep.



As in previous years, authorities took little action to investigate incidents or punish alleged perpetrators, the State Department said.



Human rights problems persisted in other areas, too, the State Department said, pointing to incidents of rape and forced labor, politically motivated arrests, conflicts over land, and harassment of journalists.



Conditions in prisons and labor camps remained harsh, according to the report.



Authorities across Myanmar meanwhile arrested and jailed citizens in some cases for openly criticizing the government, generally under the charges of protesting without a permit or violating national security laws.



Many individuals in urban areas, however, reported far greater freedom of speech and expression than in previous years, the State Department said.



Severe violations in China



Meanwhile in China, human rights violations remained severe throughout the year, the State Department said in its report.



Citizens had limited forms of redress against official abuse, including extrajudicial killings, torture, illegal detentions at unofficial black jails, and coerced confessions. Human rights lawyers, journalists, writers, and petitioners were also jailed and harassed, the State Department said.



Civil society organizations already watched closely by authorities have meanwhile been further restricted in their activities by a new law limiting contacts with foreign NGOs, according to the report.



The law places foreign NGOs operating in China under the supervision of Chinas Ministry of Public Security, a move indicating that authorities consider such groups a national security threat, the State Department said.



Although the law was not scheduled to go into effect until January 1, 2017, many foreign NGOs and their domestic partners began to curtail operations before the years end, citing concerns over the laws vaguely worded provisions.



As a result, an already limited space for civil society was further constrained, the State Department said.
Yanghee Lee (center R), the UN's special rapporteur on Myanmar, is escorted through Sein Pan Myaing village near the town of Maungdaw in western Myanmar's Rakhine state, Jan. 20, 2017.

Thirteen international human rights groups on Friday issued a joint statement backing a United Nations call for an international inquiry commission to investigate rights abuses in Myanmars Rakhine state.

The statement, endorsed by organizations such as Amnesty International, Fortify Rights, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, and Burma Campaign UK, cited attacks on minority Rohingya Muslims in three townships in northern Rakhine state where security forces carried out a four-month clearance operation following deadly attacks on border guard posts on Oct. 9.

The security sweep displaced nearly 100,000 Rohingya, about 73,000 of whom fled to safety in neighboring Bangladesh where they accused the security forces of extrajudicial killings, torture, rape, and arson.

The organizations said they support calls for the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry or similar international mechanism to investigate, at a minimum, alleged and apparent serious human rights violations and abuses in Rakhine state, Myanmar.

The rights groups also said that various commissions set up in Myanmar have failed to address and rectify the current crisis.

Panels set up by the Myanmar army and the Home Affairs Ministry lacked independence and impartiality because they are made up of military officers and high-ranking police, they said.

The groups also criticized the 11-member commission appointed by the Rakhine state parliament for not probing the human rights violations against the Rohingya, about 1.1 million of whom live in Rakhine where they are denied citizenship and other basic rights.

They also blasted the 13-member investigation commission set up by President Htin Kyaw to look into reports of abuse during the recent crackdown for dismissing claims of misconduct by Myanmar security forces.

A government-appointed advisory commission on Rakhine state, led by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan, has not been tasked with investigating human rights abuses in Rakhine, and an earlier commission set up in August 2012 to look into communal violence between Muslims and Buddhists failed to hold anyone accountable, the groups said.

Given the inability or unwillingness of these commissions to establish facts and hold perpetrators accountable, and the fact that national judicial and law enforcements lack both the independence and technical capacity to deal with such situations, we see no credible or effective alternative to a Commission of Inquiry, or similar international mechanism to address and begin the process of effectively finding and verifying the truth of what has happened, and ensuring justice and accountability for human rights violations and abuses committed, the letter said.

The Myanmar government has not yet issued a response to the U.N. and the international rights groups.

On release of the joint statement, Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director of New York-based Human Rights Watch, which also signed the letter, said: The U.N. and its member states need to stand up against the brutal scorched-earth tactics, and the killings and sexual violence that the Burma Army and police have inflicted on Rohingya villagers in northern Rakhine state.

Yanghee Lee (C), the UN's special rapporteur on Myanmar, arrives for a press conference in Yangon, Jan. 20, 2017. Credit: AFP Lee calls for action

The letter came a day after Yanghee Lee, the U.N. rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, appealed to the U.N. Human Rights Council to form a commission of inquirythe U.N.s highest-level probeto examine abuses in northern Rakhine state, Agence France-Presse reported.

In a report she submitted to the council, Lee urged the body to set up a COI to investigate the systematic, structural, and institutional discrimination in policy, law and practice, as well long-standing persecution, against the Rohingya and other minorities in Rakhine state, according to AFP.

Lee wants the commission to examine human rights violations in Rakhine from 2012 to the present.

In January, Lee completed a 12-day mission to Myanmar during which she stopped in villages in Rakhines Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships, which were under security lockdown until mid-February, to talk with Muslim leaders and residents.

She was denied access to other areas of the state because for security reasons, she said.

Last month, Lee visited the Bangladeshs capital Dhaka to discuss the crisis with government officials and visit Rohingya refugee camps in the southeastern part of the country where about 73,000 Rohingya who fled violence in northern Rakhine now live.

Meanwhile, fallout from the security operations continues to affect residents in northern Rakhine.

The State Counselors Office said Friday that an official named Marinnu from Kyikanpyin village in Maungdaw was found murderedthe latest in a series of killings of administrators and residents in Maungdaw, one of the locations of the border guard attacks of Oct. 9.

He was taken from his home at about 12 a.m. on Wednesday, and his corpse was found the next day, the announcement said. An investigation is under way.

In January, the bodies of three Muslim villagers were discovered in shallow graves about 500 meters west of Padakah village in Maungdaw after police received an anonymous phone call.

The corpses of another three men were discovered in one week alone in December.

The decapitated body of Shuna Mya, a Muslim from Ngakhura village, was found floating in a river last Dec. 22, a day after he had spoken with reporters on a government-guided visit to the area where some local residents alleged that atrocities had been committed by security forces.

A few days later, a 28-year-old Muslim named Rawphi, who was an administrator in Yedwingyun village and had been preforming administrative duties for security forces, was found dead with knife wounds.

On Dec. 29, the body of a third Muslim man identified as Sirazuhut from Wet Kyein village was found near a creek. The former ward administrator in Badakar village had been working with local authorities on regional development activities.

It is believed that the men were targeted because they were said to have collaborated with authorities as they continue to try to round up Rohingya militants involved in the border guard post attacks.

Reported by Min Thein Aung for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Sailor Vladimir Shalayev died of heart failure shortly after returning from a Russian naval mission off the coast of Syria. His mother, Vera Shalayeva, is now engaged in a legal battle with the military, which denies that Shalayev served in a combat mission and refuses to grant the payment that Shalayeva says her family deserves. (Yekaterina Ponomareva, Current Time TV)
BAKU -- An Azerbaijani blogger known for reports seeking to document corruption has been convicted of libel and sentenced to two years in prison.

A court in Baku convicted Mehman Huseynov of libel on March 3 for statements he made about police.

Huseynov and his lawyer Elcin Sadiqov said the verdict and sentence are politically motivated.

Huseynov was detained on January 9 and found guilty the following day of resisting police.

Police filed libel charges against Huseynov after he said on January 10 that officers had beaten him and demanded he stop his anticorruption activities.

In December and January, Huseynov had posted photographs of luxury homes he alleged belonged to government officials and lawmakers.

Human rights groups accuse long-ruling President Ilham Aliyev's government of fabricating criminal cases to stifle dissent and media freedom in the oil-producing Caspian Sea country.
Authorities in Baku say Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will make a two-day official visit to Russia starting on March 7.

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Mammadyarov planned to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ilyas Umakhanov, deputy head of the Federation Council upper house of parliament, during his visit.

Mammadyarov's talks with Lavrov are expected to focus on recent clashes along the front lines between Baku's forces and ethnic Armenian separatist fighters in Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Five Azerbaijani soldiers were killed there on February 25 and at least one Armenia-backed separatist fighter was killed on March 1.

Both sides blame each other for violations of a fragile cease-fire.

Mammadyarov also is scheduled to speak during his Moscow visit at the Russian Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Academy and to take part in the opening of an exhibition marking the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Russia -- which is celebrated on April 4.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed the dates and itinerary of Mammadyarov's visit.

With reporting by Turan, TASS, and Interfax
MINSK -- A teenager charged with attacking shoppers at a mall in Minsk and killing one woman with a chainsaw has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, the maximum term for a minor in Belarus.

In a March 3 decision, the Maskva District Court found 17-year-old Ulad Kazakevich guilty of murder with extreme violence, attempted murder, and the infliction of injuries. He was sentenced the same day.

Kazakevich was arrested on October 8 after police say he used a chainsaw and an ax to attack four women in the New Europe shopping mall in the former Soviet republic's capital.

One woman was killed and two were injured, while a fourth woman targeted in the attack escaped unharmed.

Kazakevich pleaded guilty.

Investigators said he suffered from psychological problems, but the court ruled that he was fit for trial.

Relatives of the victims called for a change in legislation that limits prison terms for minors to 15 years, saying Kazakevich deserved a more severe sentence.

Adults convicted of murder can be sentenced to death in Belarus, the only country in Europe that practices the death penalty.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has called upon Georgia's Supreme Court to temporarily suspend a ruling that would hand over a popular independent television station to an owner with alleged ties to the government.

Georgia's Justice Ministry said a letter confirming the decision of the European court was received on March 3 by lawyers from Rustavi-2 TV, a popular station known for reports that are critical of the government in Tbilisi.

Georgia's Supreme Court ruled late on March 2 that Rustavi-2 TV should be returned to former co-owner Kibar Khalvashi.

The ruling angered government opponents in Georgia and caused concern in the West about freedom of the media in the former Soviet republic.

The ECHR letter of March 3 says that "the enforcement of the Supreme Court's decision" of March 2 "should be suspended and that the authorities should abstain from interfering" in any manner with the "editorial policy" of Rustavi-2 TV.

The letter also describes the ECHR ruling as an "interim measure [that] is granted temporarily" until March 8.

The ECHR describes "interim measures" as an "urgent measure which, according to the Court's well-established practice, apply only where there is an imminent risk of irreparable harm."

The ECHR says it grants requests for an interim measure "only on an exceptional basis, when the applicant would otherwise face a real risk of serious and irreversible harm."

WATCH: Rally For Pro-Opposition Georgian TV Station

Demonstrators who have been protesting the Georgian Supreme Court's ruling were cheering on the streets of Tbilisi after the head of Rustavi-2 TV, Nika Gvaramia, announced the ECHR's decision.

Hundreds of protesters rallied outside the Supreme Court in Tbilisi on March 2 to protest its ruling and then moved to Rustavi-2's headquarters, where some continued their rally on March 3.

The demonstrators claim the Georgian court's decision was made to help the authorities in Tbilisi silence criticism.

Khalvashi contends that the Georgian authorities under former President Mikheil Saakashvili forced him to sell the station at an undervalued price.

Opposition politicians charge that billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who founded the Georgian Dream coalition and served as prime minister for a year, was behind the court ruling.

Georgian Dream defeated Saakashvili's party in an election in 2012 and strengthened its hold on power in another ballot in October 2016.

No one was available at the ECHR in Strasbourg late on March 3 to comment about the letter

Georgia is one of 47 members of the ECHR, which was established in 1959 and bases its rulings on the European Convention on Human Rights of 1950.

The U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi had said the court ruling "could effectively limit the access of opposition voices to Georgian broadcast media."

"We urge the Georgian government to take steps to ensure that the media environment remains free, open, and pluralistic," the embassy's March 2 statement said.

"Disappointing move & huge blow to media pluralism in #Georgia," Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) media-freedom representative Dunja Mijatovic said on Twitter.

On March 3, Mijatovic urged the Georgian authorities to "ensure media independence and pluralism" following the ruling, according to a statement.

Rustavi-2 "must continue to enjoy full independence and fulfill its professional activity in the public interest," Mijatovic said. "Possible attempts to influence the editorial policy of Rustavi-2...would seriously undermine the pluralistic media environment."

With reporting by Ron Synovitz and Mark Najarian
Kazakhstan's parliament has given preliminary approval to legislation that would amend the Central Asian country's constitution, curtailing some presidential powers and redistributing them to government ministers and lawmakers.

President Nursultan Nazarbaev, who has endorsed the changes, must also sign the amendments once they pass a second and final reading, which may come as early as March 6.

The 76-year-old Nazarbaev, the only communist-era leader who still holds power in a former Soviet republic, proposed amending the constitution to give government ministers more power and responsibilities to manage social and economic development in oil-rich Kazakhstan.

He has said parliament's control over the government would be increased through the amendments, by giving lawmakers the authority to hold a "vote of no confidence" on a sitting cabinet.

The moves have spurred speculation that they may be aimed at facilitating an eventual political transition.

Devolving some presidential powers would make it easier for Kazakhstan's political elite to manage a succession by splitting key roles between different figures rather than allowing one successor to concentrate power in his or her hands.

When he announced plans for the changes on January 25, he said the president's role would become that of a "supreme arbiter."

With reporting by Reuters
Two pro-Russian opposition leaders in Montenegro who recently had their parliamentary immunity stripped have written to White House senior adviser Steve Bannon, seeking his help to halt the Balkan country's bid to join NATO.

The Associated Press reported on March 3 that opposition lawmakers Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic had written a letter to Bannon telling him that the U.S. Senate should vote against Montenegro's accession.

AP said the letter alleged the Obama administration had given "false facts" about Montenegro's readiness to join the alliance in a report to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in September 2016.

The letter claimed Montenegro had not met conditions for membership and was not able to ensure its own security.

The two urged Bannon to get a "clear picture" of the situation before final approval is granted.

"Montenegrin society does not have a unique attitude regarding the admission to NATO as falsely alleged by the former administration in Washington," the letter said.

"In reality, Montenegro does not meet the criteria for admission to the Euro-Atlantic alliance because it cannot ensure its own internal stability and democratic system," the letter claimed.

Mandic and Knezevic did not explain why they had addressed the senior White House adviser rather than members of the U.S. Senate with their claim.

Their letter was written on behalf of the Democratic Front, a coalition of opposition parties in Montenegro.

The two did not say if they would be willing to support a NATO bid at a later date.

On February 15, Montenegro's parliament stripped Mandic and Knezevic of their immunity over allegations they were involved in an alleged foiled election-day plot to overthrow the government and block Podgorica's NATO membership bid.

After an arrest warrant was issued by a special prosecutor, Montenegro's state prosecutor overruled the order -- saying Mandic and Knezevic did not have to be placed under arrest pending further investigation.

Russia opposes Podgorica's NATO membership bid.

With reporting by AP, AFP, and Balkan Insight
Senior military officials from Russia and NATO have held their first direct talks since the Western alliance cut military contacts with Russia three years ago over the Kremlin's interference in Ukraine.

Russia's Defense Ministry said NATO Military Committee Chairman Petr Pavel spoke with Russia's military chief of staff, Valery Gerasimov, by telephone on March 3 about the prospects for restarting cooperation, how to prevent accidental altercations between military forces, and other pressing security issues.

NATO headquarters in Brussels confirmed that the telephone conversation took place.

A NATO spokesman said that "the two generals agreed that they would remain in contact."

The phone conversation followed a meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, on February 16 between Gerasimov and U.S. General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Pentagon said Dunford's talks with Gerasimov focused on "the current state of U.S.-Russian military relations and the importance of consistent and clear military-to-military communication to prevent miscalculation and potential crises."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Dunford's meeting with Gerasimov as an important "bilateral" attempt by a NATO ally to "develop lines of communications and develop the dialogue with Russia."

NATO has been ratcheting up its troop presence in Poland and its three Baltic member states in response to their concerns about Russian aggression since Moscow's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014 and its support for Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

In a statement on March 3, Russia's Defense Ministry said Gerasimov expressed concern to the head of NATO's Military Committee about "the significant increased military activity of the alliance near the Russian border."

The ministry said both sides "confirmed the need for mutual steps to reduce tension and stabilize the situation in Europe."

Despite substantial evidence of Russian military support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, Moscow continues to deny charges by NATO, the government in Kyiv, the United States, and other Western governments that Russia has sent troops and weaponry to bolster separatist forces there.

The European Union, the United States, and other countries have imposed sanctions on Russia over its role in the conflict, as well as for its seizure and annexation of Crimea.

While military contacts had been severed between Russia and NATO over the issue, diplomats and government officials from the two sides have continued to meet.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, and TASS
The Kremlin says that U.S. plans to boost defense spending will not affect Russia unless they change the "strategic balances" between the former Cold War foes.

The remarks from Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman on March 3 came as Moscow watches closely to see how U.S. foreign and defense policies unfold under President Donald Trump.

On February 27, Trump announced he will seek to increase defense spending by about $54 billion, or almost 10 percent, as part of a big buildup to compensate for what he said was a depleted military.

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, called the spending plans "an internal matter for the United States."

"This has nothing to do with us as long as their increasing defense spending does not violate the current strategic balances," Peskov said.

Peskov said on March 1 that Russia was waiting with "patience" for indications about the future course of Washington's policy toward Moscow.

Trump strongly suggested during his campaign that he would seek to mend badly strained relations with Moscow, and expressed hope that the two countries could cooperate more closely against Islamic State and other extremist groups.

But Peskov said on March 3 that there had yet to be any substantive talks between the two countries on how to cooperate in the fight against terrorism or crises such as the conflict in Syria.

"There has not been any advance in terms of...true cooperation in the war on terror, and it is regretful," Peskov said, adding that one reason may be that Trump's administration had been in power for just over a month.

Based on reporting by TASS and Reuters
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has rejected Turkey's allegations that forces within the government in Germany are working to prevent Turkish leaders from campaigning there for a "yes" vote in next month's referendum to expand President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers.

The allegations were levelled earlier on March 3 by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu after local authorities in the southwestern German town of Gaggenau scrapped a rally to popularize the referendum by Turkey's justice minister, Bekir Bozdag.

Authorities cited a lack of sufficient space as the reason.

The city of Cologne also blocked an event where Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybecki was to speak on March 5.

Merkel, speaking on March 3 on a trip to Tunisia, said public gatherings were approved or rejected at a local level in Germany.

Decisions were made "by municipalities, and as a matter of principle, we apply freedom of expression in Germany," Merkel said.

Cavusoglu earlier said German forces "don't want Turkish leaders to campaign because they are working for 'no' votes."

"They want to prevent [the creation] of a strong Turkey," he said.

Meanwhile, authorities in Gaggenau said the town hall received a bomb threat by phone early on March 3 after the cancelation of the rally was announced.

Mayor Michael Pfeiffer told German television he did not know with certainty if there was a direct link between the cancelation and the bomb threat.

"We presume this at the moment, but we don't know for sure," Pfeiffer said.

The dispute comes amid worsening relations between the two countries over the detention in Turkey of journalist Deniz Yucel on February 27.

A dual Turkish and German citizen, Yucel is a correspondent for the German daily Die Welt. He was arrested pending trial over accusations of terrorist propaganda and inciting hatred.

Merkel defended Germany's criticism of Yucel's arrest, saying, "I also think that it was right of us to criticize any restrictions on press freedom."

Earlier this week, Turkey's Foreign Ministry criticized Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz after he said on February 27 that Erdogan was "not welcome" to hold campaign events in Austria.

Kurz said that such events would "increase friction" in Austria and prevent the integration of a 360,000-strong minority of Turkish origin.

EU candidate Turkey's relations with the 28-member bloc have also soured considerably following a failed coup last summer and a subsequent crackdown by Turkish authorities which resulted in more than 125,000 people in Turkey being fired or detained.

The European Parliament in November passed a nonbinding resolution calling on the EU "to initiate a temporary freeze" on admission talks with Ankara until "disproportionate measures under the state of emergency in Turkey are lifted."

That prompted an angry reaction from Erdogan, who warned that Turkey could throw open its borders to illegal migrants trying to get to Europe.

In March 2016, Turkey and the EU agreed a deal for Ankara to halt the flow of migrants to Europe.

Under the deal, EU leaders pledged billions in aid to Ankara, fast-track visa conditions, and possible new impetus for EU membership talks.

Turkey hosts at least 2.7 million Syrian refugees. Thousands of migrants from other countries -- including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria --also use Turkey as a transit route to reach Europe.

With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
KYIV -- The grainy, livestreamed video shot on a smartphone from an eastern Ukrainian redoubt shows a ragtag group of a dozen or so middle-aged men in fatigues huddled around a steaming pot of something resembling soup.

"Tell us, who's sponsoring this meal?" a voice off camera asks the cook, rattling off the names of Russia's president and Ukrainian oligarchs seen as critical of Kyiv.

"It's people who want to help our movement," counters the cook, "and who support Ukraine."

But the truth is, no one really seems to know.

So tensions continue to rise in eastern Ukraine as the frequently armed activists ratchet up their makeshift blockade to divide separatist-controlled territory from the rest of the country nearly three years after the onset of violence.

And more than a month into their campaign, the "blockaders" -- on the surface, a motley crew of staunchly pro-Kyiv activists and military veterans, some armed -- have shown no signs of backing down. They are installing new barriers and checkpoints on an almost weekly basis that slow traffic and interrupt the flow of goods across the front line of a conflict that has killed at least 9,750 people.

They are demanding that Kyiv stop a perceived "trade in blood" that helps the breakaway groups finance their self-proclaimed "people's republics" in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Doing so, they argue, could force cash-strapped Moscow to foot a heavier bill to sustain its alleged intervention in those places and ease the burden on Kyiv at the same time.

The Ukrainian government opposes the blockaders' stand, but law enforcement and the military are hesitant to disperse them by force and risk images of the authorities beating on military heroes. The result is a standstill in nearly all rail traffic and crucial shipments of coal to fuel power plants and heavy industry across the country, which despite the warring sides' differences had continued almost unimpeded until early this year.

Already the blockade has led to the Ukrainian energy system being placed under a state of emergency.

In at least one case, it has spurred a bloody brawl. On February 28, a group of club- and chainsaw-wielding men attacked the blockaders, leaving one of them hospitalized with a broken leg. Dozens were arrested. The blockaders believe they were goons hired by the coal industry to disperse them.

And on March 3, the month-old blockade was met with a pledge in kind by the Russia-backed side. Donetsk separatist leader Aleksandr Zakharchenko, whose fighters already issue dubious "passports" and are trying to convert to the Russian ruble, vowed to "cut all ties with Ukraine."

Who's Behind Blockade?

With only "a little more than 100 men" among the blockaders, according to Semen Semenchenko, a lawmaker and former volunteer-battalion commander who supports the blockade and is the voice behind the livestreamed video, many have questioned the initiative's grassroots narrative. In particular, they question how it has managed to force Kyiv's hand so quickly with seemingly little financial support.

Details are murky. But some activists, experts, and government officials see the hands of oligarchs -- some regarded as pro-Russian and others who have personal and professional beefs with the authorities -- in the blockade. They range from an ally of ousted pro-Russian ex-President Viktor Yanukovych to wealthy businessmen who have butted heads with the government that came to power amid the Euromaidan pro-Western unrest in 2014. Still others suspect Moscow and an increasingly assertive President Vladimir Putin.

But there is no proverbial smoking gun.

Timothy Ash, a London-based economist who follows emerging Europe, warned after a recent visit to Kyiv that the blockade was "beginning to suit many different interests and is developing a dynamic of its own which may be hard to stop."

"There may also be some oligarchic point settling under way in all of this as well," Ash said, "which adds its own dynamic which may not always be that easy to read."

'No Compromise'

What is known is that volunteers are receiving some donations from supportive citizens around Ukraine via electronic deposit. In a phone interview with RFE/RL on March 3, Semenchenko insisted the blockade movement was purely grassroots and operating on a shoestring: "The guys are living in tents."

The blockaders have a virtual command center with more than 25,000 followers where they solicit contributions, advertise bank-transfer information, and publish video dispatches from their strongholds.

Semenchenko's livestreamed videos, like the interview with the cook, are most often shared there. In several of the videos, men tell Semenchenko they were compelled to join the blockade effort by their own belief that separatist-controlled swaths should be cut off from the rest of Ukraine.

The government has publicly opposed the blockade, and warned of the economic and financial consequences of it -- replacement coal, possibly from Russia, could be expensive and tens of thousands of jobs could be lost.

But some officials in Kyiv have signaled support for such ring-fencing.

In December, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov urged a complete cutoff of the separatist-held areas of Donetsk and Luhansk from the rest of Ukraine. Turchynov, a wartime acting president in 2014, later clarified that no such steps should be taken without the approval of the current president, Petro Poroshenko.

Shortly afterward, veterans set up the first blockades, stopping trains crisscrossing the front line, erecting tent camps atop the tracks, and in some places welding wagon wheels to them.

Today, they sit defiantly inside pop-up encampments surrounded by razor wire. They say they won't move until their demands are met.

"When the head of the government forbids, by law, any trade transactions with the enemy, when all [Ukrainian] prisoners are released, and when the occupied territories are, by law, named as 'occupied' -- only then will the blockade be lifted," Semenchenko said.

"There will be no compromise."
Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti says he is in constant contact with international security authorities to ensure stability in Kosovo as more ethnic Serb police officers in the north of country resigned.



Kurti said on November 6 after a rally by ethnic Serbs in the streets of North Mitrovica that the security situation in Kosovo was threatened by various criminalized individuals and groups, but said that during his time in office, we have made great progress in the fight against crime and corruption."



He added that the rule of law goes hand in hand with peace and security and cannot be threatened, adding that authorities do not distinguish criminals on the basis of ethnicity, but only on the basis of their criminal acts."



When asked about the decision on November 5 by the Serbian List party to leave Kosovo's institutions, Kurti repeated his call that Kosovo Serbs refrain from doing so.



"I once again I invite all Serb citizens of our country to not abandon institutions, not to resign, not to leave their jobs, because there would be less service for the people," he said.



Kurti has blamed Belgrade for seeking to destabilize Kosovo by supporting the ethnic Serbs in their boycott of state institutions.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on November 5 that the withdrawal of Kosovo Serbs from Kosovo institutions "is not a solution to the current disputes" and it has the potential to further escalate tensions.



A statement from the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo released to RFE/RL's Balkan Service late on November 6 said the United States agrees with the European Union that the recent developments around relations between Kosovo and Serbia "are of great concern and put important progress achieved in the EU-facilitated Dialogue at risk.



"The Kosovan Serbs' withdrawal from Kosovan institutions is not a solution to the current disputes and has the potential to further escalate the tensions on the ground," the statement added. "All involved must take steps to reduce tensions and ensure peace and stability on the ground."



The Serb officers who resigned on November 6 submitted written resignations to the police station in North Mitrovica. One of the policemen told RFE/RL that the officers only submitted their resignations in writing but had not yet turned in their uniforms and weapons. However, he said this will follow in the coming days.



Numerous media outlets reported that the police officers took off their uniforms as part of the wider Serb movement to withdraw from institutions in Kosovo touched off by a move to implement a mandate on the conversion of vehicle license plates.



A statement from the Kosovar police force said it was aware that Serb police officers had abandoned their posts and that some have handed over police equipment.



The rally by ethnic Serbs in North Mitrovica on November 6 came a day after Serbs there said they would quit their posts in state institutions to protest against the use of license plates issued by Pristina.

Following a meeting of Serb political representatives in the north of Kosovo on November 5, the minister of communities and returns, Goran Rakic, said he was resigning from his post in the Pristina government.



He told reporters that fellow representatives of the Serb minority in the north had also quit their jobs in municipal administrations, the courts, police, and the parliament and government in Pristina.



Rakic said they would not consider returning unless Pristina abolishes the order for them to switch their old car license plates, which date to the 1990s when Kosovo was a part of Serbia, to Kosovo state plates.



Addressing the rally on November 6, Rakic accused Kosovo government authorities of not respecting international law and agreements negotiated in Brussels.



Rakic has called on the protesters "not to fall for provocations and to continue the fight with peaceful and democratic means."



The license-plate measure took effect on November 1, and Kosovo authorities said enforcement would be gradual.

The U.S. Embassy statement reiterated the U.S. position that the Kosovar authorities should extend the process of converting vehicle license plates and suspend any punitive actions until the license plates issue can be resolved through dialogue.

Many ethnic Serbs in Kosovo refuse to recognize the countrys independence from Serbia, which it declared in 2008.



The European Union has told Kosovo and Serbia that they must normalize ties if they want to advance toward membership in the 27-nation bloc.

With reporting by dpa, AP, and AFP
A new U.S. State Department report says human rights in Russia continue to be "significantly and negatively" affected by Moscow's "purported annexation" of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula and its support for separatist fighters in eastern Ukraine.

The March 3 report is the first human rights report from the State Department to be released since President Donald Trump took office on January 20, and the first to be produced under Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

The report, an annual examination of human rights practices of nearly 200 countries, has particularly harsh words for Russia -- which contrasts with Trump's largely conciliatory rhetoric toward Moscow and his reluctance to speak publicly about human rights concerns, either in Russia or elsewhere in the world.

In the Russia section of the lengthy report, the State Department says Moscow continues to train, equip, and supply pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.

It says that "numerous fighters" from Russia have joined the separatists.

"Credible observers attributed thousands of civilian deaths and injuries, as well as widespread abuses, to Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine's Donbas region, and to Russian occupation authorities in Crimea," the report says.

It also cites politically motivated arrests, detentions, and trials of Ukrainian citizens in Russia.

The report also criticizes restrictions on political participation and freedom of expression, assembly, and the media.

"The government passed repressive laws and selectively employed existing ones to harass, discredit, prosecute, imprison, detain, fine, and suppress individuals and organizations critical of the government," it says.

"Authorities especially targeted individuals and organizations that professed support for the government of Ukraine or opposed the Russian government's activities in Ukraine."

In Ukraine, the report says the most significant human rights abuses were related to the conflict and "occupation" in the separatist-controlled parts of the eastern Donbas region.

"Russian-backed separatists in Donbas engaged in abductions, torture, and unlawful detention, employed child soldiers, stifled dissent, and restricted humanitarian aid," it says.

It also says that, to a lesser extent, abuses by government forces were also reported.

More than 9,750 people have been killed since fighting broke out in eastern Ukraine in March 2014 between the Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces.

On the Kyiv government, the U.S. State Department report says there are problems within the Ukrainian judicial system that are impairing human rights. "The government generally failed to take adequate steps to prosecute or punish most officials who committed abuses, resulting in a climate of impunity," it says.

It adds that watchdog groups and the United Nations saw "significant deficiencies" when it came to investigations into human rights abuses committed by government security forces.

The State Department report does not include comparisons or rankings of the countries that it studied.

A senior official in Trump's administration said the report was not a policy statement.

Marco Rubio, a Republican senator from Florida, criticized Tillerson for breaking with tradition and not being present during the unveiling of the report. "For 1st time in a long time @StateDept #humanrights report will not be presented by Secretary of State. I hope they reconsider," he wrote on his Twitter account.

A senior administration official said the report, signed by Tillerson, spoke for itself and that Tillerson spoke clearly about his concerns for human rights during his confirmation hearings.
An Uzbek court has upheld an additional five-year prison sentence for Agzam Farmonov, a long-jailed human rights activist whose 2006 extortion conviction was widely seen as politically motivated.

Defense lawyer Abdurahman Tashanov told RFE/RL on March 2 that the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan's Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakistan rejected an appeal against the five-year extension of Farmonov's prison term.

The ruling went against a trend in which courts in the tightly controlled Central Asian country have freed inmates in politically charged cases when their sentences expire, departed from the long-common practice of extending prison terms.

Farmonov, 39, was convicted and sentenced to 9 1/2 years in jail in 2006. He led a branch of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan in the eastern Sirdaryo region at the time of his arrest, which supporters say was groundless punishment for his activism.

Weeks before he was due for release in 2016, his prison term was extended by five years and 26 days for what the authorities said was "bad behavior while in custody."
Images of an employee at an Uzbek nursery school wielding a knife in front of toddlers, and rumors that the state facility moonlighted as a brothel have led to multiple arrests and firings.

A government official in Uzbekistan's southern Surkhondaryo Province, where CCTV images reportedly captured the alleged abuses at school N10 in the Denov district, told RFE/RL's Uzbek Service on condition of anonymity that the head of Denov's education department and an official who oversees the Surkhondaryo Province's preschools were dismissed this week.

Surkhondaryo law enforcement agencies, meanwhile, have reported that in the wake of the scandal that erupted over the footage shot in November that two preschool teachers and two guards at N10 have each been sentenced to three years in prison, while a third teacher was given a two-year sentence.

Overall, nearly 20 people have been dismissed since the CCTV footage emerged, according to officials.*

One video, dated November 18, 2016, shows a woman punishing children for allegedly failing to memorize poetry and accusing children of telling their parents what goes on at N10.

"I'll cut off your tongue," she says.

"I didn't tell them anything, auntie," a sobbing child pleads.

The woman continues threatening the child with the knife while two nearby teachers laugh and push other children toward the woman.

Authorities recorded the incident after surveillance cameras were installed in several nursery schools in the province following allegations that some were being used as brothels, according to an employee at the Surkhondaryo prosecutor's office.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said additional criminal cases had been opened and that court trials were still ongoing.

Surkhondaryo parents attending the trials have expressed concern that N10's director has been allowed to continue her work.

"Two of my grandchildren go to that nursery," one man told RFE/RL's Uzbek Service. "One of them is shown in the video.... I couldn't watch the video till the end."

The man lamented that parents would dismiss their children's reluctance to go the nursery school as a "tantrum."

"Besides, children were afraid to complain to their parents because they knew they would be punished by the teachers for doing so," the grandparent said. He suggested that many of the children have been traumatized by the abuse.

"Some have developed speech problems, some started wetting themselves," he said.

Written by Farangis Najibullah with reporting by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service and local media

* This story has been corrected to say that 20 people have been dismissed, not arrested, since the CCTV footage emerged.
Russia's ambassador to the United States met with a number of aides to U.S. President Donald Trump during the election campaign last year besides current Attorney General Jeff Sessions, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, the White House and U.S. media reports said on March 2.

The Trump campaign's contacts with Russia are under investigation by both the FBI and committees of Congress.

Kushner met with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak in December at the Trump Tower in New York, which was Trump's transition headquarters, for what the White House called a "brief courtesy meeting" that included Michael Flynn, who was later named Trump's national security adviser.

Flynn was forced out last month because he misled Vice President Mike Pence about his repeated telephone conversations with Kislyak.

Also, the Associated Press and USA Today reported that Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, spoke with Kislyak at the same Heritage Foundation event where Sessions spoke to the ambassador last summer.

Kislyak was one of several foreign diplomats who attended the Heritage Foundation event on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last July.

Page said he "never did anything improper in my activities related to Russia" during the campaign.

USA Today reported that J.D. Gordon, who was the Trump campaign's director of national security, also met with Kislyak at the convention.

Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and USA Today


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A DeForest man will be spending the next three years in prison following sentencing in two cases totaling 30 counts of possession of child pornography.

Brett Berryman, 27, appeared in Columbia County Circuit Court on Wednesday for sentencing in two cases of possession of child pornography in Dane and Columbia counties in November 2015 and January 2016. He could have sentenced to up to 100 years in prison.

The parties arrived in court with a mostly joint recommendation, as defense attorney John Jurek explained, with a basic agreement in which Berryman would enter a plea of no contest to four counts, with the other 26 counts dismissed, but read into the record, with a sentence of six years  three years in prison and three years of extended supervision.

Its quite clear from reading these criminal complaints that this is an extremely serious crime and it is not a victimless crime, said Assistant District Attorney Clifford Burdon, in arguments regarding the details of the sentence, such as a request from the state that Berryman be given lifetime placement on the sex offender registry and to have no online access over the course of his sentence. When you look at the images that Mr. Berryman had in his possession, you can tell that these are children that have gone through some very serious consequences and will be living with them for the rest of their lives.

Following an investigation by the state Division of Criminal Investigations in July 2015, an exploitative website was connected to Berrymans email address and a phone number with a 608 area code.

On July 16, investigators met Berryman and took his computer and cell phone for analysis. Berrymans computer was reported to contain about 100 pictures of prepubescent and early pubescent girls in sexually explicit situations.

In the 1990 Supreme Court case of Osborne v. Ohio, the court ruled that child pornography was not protected by First Amendment rights on the basis that the possession of such images allows for the existence of the market that encourages continued exploitation of the victims.

What makes this more egregious and unsettling is that when he was caught through his internet access, said Burdon, referring to Berrymans same-day release on $2,000 cash bond, that wasnt enough to stop him. Once he was released from custody, he continued in Dane County to possess more of these images  and some of the things in these complaints are just unspeakable.

Adding to the concern, Burdon said, is that Berryman was at the time working as a school janitor, though there has been no accusation of inappropriate actions toward any children he was in contact with through work.

It looks like he has a support system here and that is a wonderful thing because he is going to need that, Burdon said as four family members sat on the bench behind the defense table. What he has, I believe, is a sickness and I am not a professional in the field of psychology, but it is a really dangerous sickness.

Jurek agreed with Burdons description of Berrymans condition as a sickness, saying, It is an inclination and disposition that I dont understand and Im not sure that Brett understands it either.

When given a chance to speak for himself, Berryman gave a brief summary: Im sorry, I really let my family down. .

Judge W. Andrew Voigt told Berryman that the situation would likely be different if they were only discussing his Columbia County case.

If your statement to law enforcement in Dane County that you obtained the additional computer AFTER the arrest in this case, Voigt said, this means this wasnt a bad day where you were having bad thoughts and did a search. The arrest in the Columbia County case did not affect you the way I would of hoped.

The gulf between what you have experienced (in county jail) and what you will experience in the Wisconsin prison system is probably unimaginable to you, said Voigt. The court is well aware that the prison experience for someone with convictions like yours, probably is going to be different from someone who went to prison for different convictions. My guess is that you wont be particularly popular.

Although Voigt has the option of giving a sentence of more than a lifetime in prison and allowing society to have nothing more to do with Berryman, thats not the business this court should be in  we can do better, said Voigt.

Voigt sentenced Berryman to three years in state prison followed by three years of extended supervision with no access to an internet connection.

Use the time, said Voigt. Show your family, show society that the counseling was not just lip service.
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The Dane County Medical Examiners Office has identified the man fatally shot outside an East Side gas station early Wednesday as David D. Edwards, 31, of Madison.

Witnesses described a gunman walking up to a car parked at the Mobil gas station at 3019 E. Washington Ave. around 2 a.m. and firing multiple shots into the car, hitting Edwards, who was in the drivers seat, several times, police said.

Edwards then sped off down East Washington Avenue, eventually losing consciousness, police said. A 23-year-old Madison man who was a passenger steered the car until it crashed into the Comfort Inn and Suites Hotel, about three miles away at 4822 E. Washington Ave.

Rashedia Johnson, also of Madison, said she and Edwards were engaged. The couple have three children together: Derick, 9, David Jr., 4, and Dylan, 3 months.

Johnson said Edwards was a lovable and caring father who took care of her and their children. She called him a peacemaker.

He didnt like others arguing, Johnson said. He would tell them, Lets be as one.

Johnson also said Edwards had lots of style, or as he was saying, swag.

Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain said Thursday that police had not yet established a motive or suspects in the shooting.

He said at this point, the shooting does not appear to be related to others that have happened in the area recently, including a Feb. 19 shooting incident at the BP gas station, 4222 E. Washington Ave. Four people were injured in that incident.
Virginia will take temporary control of a portion of Bank Street during the next four General Assembly sessions under a scaled-back plan included in the state budget the legislature adopted last week.

The budget provision will give the state control of a three-block stretch of the city street on the south side of Capitol Square, but only when the legislature is meeting in its temporary home in the adjacent Pocahontas Building while a new General Assembly Building is built at the top of Capitol Hill.

Under the plan, the state will close off a short portion of Bank Street entirely to vehicle traffic  from the Commonwealth Park Suites Hotel to North 10th Street  to create a temporary pedestrian plaza between the Pocahontas building on the south side of the street and the main entrance to the Virginia Capitol on the north.

The street also will become one way  from east to west  between 12th and 10th streets, with one travel lane next to the Capitol converted to an expanded pedestrian walkway under the modified plan, based on a state consultants report on safety and security measures necessary during legislative sessions next year through 2021.

In our opinion, this option presents a reasonable balance between pedestrian safety and security ... and allows a modest amount of traffic flow to remain active on parts of Bank Street while the General Assembly is in session, states the report by Commonwealth Architects, a Richmond firm hired by the Virginia Department of General Services.

The study  and the resulting budget provision  reassured Richmond officials that the state wont make any permanent changes to the street, which carries more than 4,000 vehicles a day during assembly sessions and serves as a critical link in the citys new plans to expand bicycle and pedestrian access to Capitol Square.

The plan will allow the state to erect temporary barricades and other traffic controls after Dec. 1 and remove them in two weeks after the end of the legislative session.

We all recognize the challenges and the security concerns that are there, Capitol Police Chief Anthony S. Steve Pike said. I think this is a reasonable compromise.

John Buturla, Richmond deputy chief administrative officer for operations, said we obviously understand their need.

Buturla said the plan also will not hinder the citys own initiatives along Bank Street, which include widening the sidewalk along Capitol Square and extending a bike lane from the end of the Virginia Capital Trail in Shockoe Bottom.

Our projects are consistent with what they are trying to do in the short term while a new General Assembly Building is being constructed, he said.

The plan to replace the General Assembly Building  a deteriorating patchwork of four buildings stitched together in 1976  will move the legislature and a host of year-round agencies down Capitol Hill to the Pocahontas Building, between Bank and East Main Streets.

Capitol Police will have to secure two entrances  one on Main and the other on Bank. While in session, the assembly will use three committee rooms in Pocahontas and two in the Capitols underground extension built in 2007 below the South Portico.

The temporary relocation of the General (Assembly) Building occupants to the Pocahontas Building and the enhanced use of the Capitol Extension for operations potentially will expose a large number of people to increased security and safety risks, the Commonwealth report states. This is especially true during the General Assembly session.
Chesterfield County police have arrested a man in connection to seven recent incidents of indecent exposure in the Midlothian area.

Police said Randolph C. Jordan III, 30, of the 15900 block of Ruffin Lane in Amelia County, was arrested and charged Thursday with seven counts of indecent exposure. The incidents occurred in large retail parking lots on Perimeter Drive, Hancock Village Street off Hull Street Road and the 800 block of Charter Colony Parkway, police said Friday.

In each incident a male suspect was seen masturbating in a silver sedan, police said, adding that the car was missing one or both plates in some of the incidents.
A dozen people have qualified for consideration to fill the 3rd District School Board seat vacated by Del. Jeffrey M. Bourne, who resigned his post as board chairman in February upon his election to the state General Assembly.

It took lawyers and school officials several days to vet applicants to represent the citys North Side, and five hopefuls did not make the cut. Officials could not verify that two lived in the district, and three more submitted their paperwork after the 4:30 p.m. deadline on Monday.

Whoever is selected to fill the spot could face tough choices in the 10 months ahead, said Bourne, who now represents the 71st District in the state House of Delegates. A special election to fill out the remaining three years of the term is slated for November.

Richmond Public Schools faces a bunch of very difficult challenges ahead, Bourne said. Weve got to rezone, we might have to consolidate some school buildings and rethink how we do transportation; all of these things are necessary to build the system we need, but they are not wildly popular issues.

Among the candidates who will be considered are a former School Board member; a former candidate for City Council; teachers; the founder of Alchemy Coffee; and a deputy clerk at Richmonds Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.

The qualified candidates are:

Tanya Arney

, a consultant and professor with a clinical background in anatomic pathology who holds a doctorate in biomedical science/bioethics from Loyola University in Chicago.

Hassan Fountain Sr

., founder of the Foundation for Youth, which advocates for child literacy through the installation of community libraries, and a logistical lead operator for Coca-Cola Consolidated. Fountain studied business management at Bryant & Stratton College and challenged incumbent Chris Hilbert for the 3rd District City Council seat last November.

Kenya Gibson

, a marketing strategist, public education advocate and vice president of a Parent Teacher Organization. Gibson holds a masters degree in architecture from Yale University.

Patrick R. Hanes

, a partner at Williams Mullen; co-chair of the firms white collar and investigations practice group; and adjunct professor at the Washington and Lee University School of Law.

Joann Henry

, director of the adult nonprofit education center Dream Academy and retired Richmond Public Schools teacher. Henry served as assistant principal of Armstrong High School from 2004 to 2009 and holds a doctorate in education leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

Lathaniel Kirts

, a clerk for Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Kirts received a doctorate in divinity from Virginia Union University and worked with at-risk youth through Intercept Youth Services.

David Lambert

, optical director at American Eye Center/Optical Sensations; business strategist and former Title 1 math and reading tutor at Richmond Public Schools. Lambert is a graduate of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia and received a bachelors degree from Howard University.

Cindy Menz-Erb

led two nonprofits in New York City with responsibilities that included budget management, program evaluation, fundraising and staff oversight. Her work in New York involved seeking equity and justice in public schools and in low-income communities. Menz-Erb holds a masters in community development from North Park University.

Norma Murdoch-Kitt

, a licensed clinical psychologist and former Richmond School Board member. Murdoch-Kitt states in her application that she would not seek election to the post in November.

Robert Peck

, a teacher at Henrico County Public Schools and director of the Center for Leadership, Government and Global Economics at one of the systems specialty centers.

Hilary Scribner

, a former teacher who now owns and operates a small business in Richmond. Scribner holds a masters degree in education from Loyola Marymount University.

Eric Spivack

, founder of Alchemy Coffee; former national manager for sales operations at Altria. Spivack obtained a bachelors in marketing from the University of Minnesota.

School administrators said they could not verify that applicants Melissa Cuba and Patricia Fishback lived in the 3rd District. Applications from Angela Cason, Laura Douglas Frye and Stephanie Walker were submitted after the deadline, school officials said.

A public hearing on the appointment is scheduled for 8 p.m. March 13 in the 17th-floor meeting room at City Hall. The board is slated to vote for its new addition the following week.

Bourne, who was first elected to the board in 2013 and was the only incumbent re-elected last November, said he has been impressed with the newcomers.
The Henrico County Division of Fire said improperly discarded smoking material caused the two-alarm fire at the Tuckernuck Trail Apartments early Friday that displaced 21 residents and killed one pet.

Fire crews responded to a call in the 3200 block of St. Martin's Trail, near Tucker High School, at approximately 1:45 a.m., and firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from a second floor roof. A second alarm was requested and crews started evacuating residents.

The fire was under control in about 90 minutes, the fire department said.

According to the Henrico County Division of Fire, 12 apartments were left uninhabitable by the blaze, which displaced 20 adults and one child, along with a number of cats and dogs. One cat died in the fire.

Personnel from the Henrico Office of Emergency Management, as well as the American Red Cross, were on scene to assist the displaced residents.
Virginia has become ground zero for the transgender rights movement with the case of Gavin Grimm, the Gloucester County High School student whose case is before the U.S. Supreme Court.

A couple of years ago, when Grimm needed support, his parents drove him to Richmond for meetings at ROSMY, a support group for LGBT youths that has since changed its name to Side by Side.

On Sunday, Side by Side, in conjunction with the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, Equality Virginia and the Nationz Foundation, will lead a Richmond town hall forum on Title IX and supporting transgender youths.

Ted Lewis, executive director of Side by Side, said the organization has received numerous questions from youths and parents concerned about the Trump administrations decision to rescind transgender student protection guidelines put in place during the Obama administration.

We wanted to provide an opportunity for those youth and families to ask questions, and to learn what the law says and to what extent transgender youths are protected, Lewis said.

Lewis hopes the forum will provide an opportunity for those in attendance to be more visibly supportive of transgender youth in our community, knowing that transgender youth need our support now more than ever.

These are dynamic times for the transgender community, in ways positive and negative. Side by Side, whose history dates back 25 years, has seen a 100 percent increase in the number of young people who have sought support over the past three years, Lewis said. In a change as of last July, a majority of its youths  52 percent  are transgender.

Lewis attributes the rise to youths having the ability and the language to describe who they are. Previously, they had to struggle in silence, but now they have the language.

One of those young people was Grimm, who would come to Richmond because theres nothing between Gloucester and here in the way of support for transgender youths, Lewis said.

Braden Butka, a senior at Manchester High School in Chesterfield County, has met Grimm. Butka, 18, will be among the speakers at Sundays town hall.

As a transgender student, Butka was initially uncomfortable using the boys or girls restroom. The school made an accommodation for him to use a unisex bathroom  not unlike the gender-neutral bathroom that alienated Grimm in Gloucester.

It was frustrating to have to go out of my way during the school day to use the bathroom when there was one right across from the classroom, Butka said.

Ultimately, he was allowed to use the boys bathroom at Manchester, a school he describes as very open and accepting to everybody.

As for the case of Grimm, I think its really awesome. The voice of a teenager, a kid, can be really powerful, Butka said. I applaud him for it. It takes a lot of courage to do the things hes doing right now.

In April, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Title IX protects the right of transgender students to use sex-segregated facilities consistent with their gender identity. The Supreme Court issued an emergency stay to stop Grimm from using the boys restroom at his school before deciding in October to review the decision of the 4th Circuit, which is based in Richmond.

Gail Deady, The Secular Society Womens Rights Legal Fellow of the ACLU of Virginia, said the withdrawal of the Obama administrations guidelines sends a terrible message but doesnt change the law and it doesnt undo protections for transgender students under Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education.

It does mean the Justice Department will not proactively protect transgender students and is less likely to investigate schools that discriminate against them, she said. That means that groups like the ACLU and other attorneys will have to step in to enforce existing law.

At Sundays town hall, shell explain to the youths what their legal rights are and what resources they have in advocating for themselves at school.

Oral arguments in the Grimm case are scheduled for March 28. This week, the Human Rights Campaign announced that 53 corporations  including Amazon, Apple, IBM and Microsoft  filed a brief in support of Grimm and his mother, Deirdre, in their legal battle with the Gloucester School Board.

The corporations are concerned about the stigmatizing and degrading effects of the School Boards policy restricting access to public school restrooms for transgender youth, and argue that such policies could hurt businesses, employees and customers and undermine their ability to build and maintain the diverse and inclusive workplaces that are essential to the success of their companies.

As civil rights for gays and lesbians have taken flight, transgender people still face considerable headwinds. As Lewis points out, states and municipalities are more likely to provide protections for sexual orientation than for gender identity. Transgender youths are significantly more likely to attempt suicide than their lesbian, gay and bisexual peers, whose suicide attempt rates far exceed that of heterosexual youths, Lewis said. Meanwhile, transgender women of color  particularly black transgender women  are targets of violence.

Side by Side has three full-time and two part-time staff members serving locations in Richmond, Charlottesville and Petersburg, as well as an in-house clinician on contract who sees students and parents eight hours a week free of charge.

With much higher levels of acute crisis among youths either hospitalized or with suicide ideations, Side by Side is looking to bring in more staff as early as next week, Lewis said.

But the Side by Side director says not all the news is bad. Were also seeing a lot of our allies step up in new and wonderful ways.

The organization has seen a big increase in people calling to volunteer, Lewis said. We hope that continues as we hopefully move to good times.
Former State Inspector General June Jennings, who was ousted recently by the General Assembly for her offices failure to thoroughly investigate the death of a mentally ill inmate, has been appointed to a new role in Gov. Terry McAuliffes administration.

McAuliffe on Friday appointed Jennings to fill a vacant position as deputy secretary of finance. She will serve under Secretary of Finance Ric Brown and alongside Gina Burgin, another deputy.

The position Jennings is filling had been vacant for months, said Brian Coy, McAuliffes spokesman.

Junes experience as an accountant and state government auditor will make her a valuable asset to the Secretary of Finances office, Coy said.

Deputy secretaries are not subject to the approval of the General Assembly, Coy said.

In February, the General Assembly voted to approve all but one of McAuliffes hundreds of appointees.

Jennings was excluded, lawmakers said, because her office failed to get to the bottom of Jamycheal Mitchells death at Hampton Roads Regional Jail in August 2015. A mentally ill Portsmouth resident, Mitchell lost 46 pounds behind bars and died of extreme weight loss and heart problems.

Jennings maintained that her office did not have the authority to investigate jails.

Del. Robert B. Bell, R-Albemarle, who led the charge for Jennings ouster, disagreed with her assessment, but said even if that was the case, her office should have tried to dig deeper into the medical records kept by the private company that contracted with the jail to provide health care to inmates.

Bell said he wanted Jennings to be replaced with someone more suited to conducting death investigations.

She may be wonderful for other positions, he said from the floor of the House of Delegates in February. But its clear from the evidence in front of us shes not right for this position.

He declined to comment on Jennings new appointment Friday afternoon.

Prior to joining the Office of the State Inspector General, Jennings worked for the Virginia Department of Corrections as inspector general and internal audit director, according to the governors office.

Jennings, a native of Chesterfield County, is a certified public accountant who graduated from Radford University with a bachelor of science in accounting.
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State Sen. Bryce E. Reeves, a candidate for lieutenant governor, wants a judge to allow his lawyers to question and review documents of a campaign rivals neighbors and two Republican activists.

The legal move is part of the Republicans quest to pinpoint who is responsible for an email alleging he had an affair with a campaign aide.

In court filings in a Stafford County civil lawsuit in which he is the plaintiff, Reeves filed subpoenas last month seeking to question James and Lisa Gable, who are Fauquier County neighbors of state Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel, a GOP rival for lieutenant governor; and activists Ronald Hedlund of Glen Allen and Waverly Woods of Virginia Beach.

A Reeves court filing said Hedlund and Woods have knowledge about the email that was sent about him and that they repeated the false and defamatory allegation that Senator Reeves had engaged in an extramarital affair with one of his campaign aides.

Hedlund and Woods responded, through an attorney, that they dont have relevant information and that Reeves was abusing the civil discovery process to harass them.

The three presiding judges on the Stafford Circuit Court in late February notified Chief Judge J. Overton Harris that they wanted to be recused from the case.

The Supreme Court of Virginia will appoint a judge to handle it.

Reeves is an insurance agent from Spotsylvania County. Vogel is a campaign finance and election lawyer from Upperville. Del. Glenn R. Davis Jr., R-Virginia Beach, also is running in the June 13 GOP primary.

The intrigue over the September email to several Reeves supporters has created personal tension between Reeves and Vogel as they seek the nomination for the statewide office.

The sender of the email from staffordforfreedom@gmail.com was listed as Martha McDaniel.

Reeves has supplied the email to reporters. The email said people around the commonwealth have repeatedly talked about Reeves carrying on an open and obvious adulterous relationship with his campaign staffer and constant companion.

Upset by the email and saying the allegation was false, Reeves  a former undercover police officer in Prince William County  filed the defamation lawsuit in October against Martha McDaniel.

He couldnt find a person by that name, but through the lawsuit he issued subpoenas to communications companies to find out who sent the email.

Vogel said in January that she was the target of a political stunt that involved someone using the open internet accessible from my neighborhood to send what evidence shows to be two emails from a person named Martha.

Reeves offered to pay for a third-party forensic expert to investigate, but Vogel didnt accept the offer. And in January, Vogel accused Reeves of trying to force her out of the race in December over the email.

In a Feb. 21 court filing, Reevess attorneys wrote that he believes Martha McDaniel may be fictitious and that the neighbors, Woods and Hedlund, each has relevant knowledge regarding Senator Reeves claims in this case.

Reeves wants a judge to order James and Lisa Gable to turn over, among other things, documents about their electronic devices and wireless internet; their whereabouts on certain dates; and certain emails, voicemails or texts they exchanged with Vogel and her husband or the Vogel campaign since Jan. 1, 2016, as well as records of any pay or benefits given to them by the Vogels or the Vogel campaign since then.

He wants Hedlund and Woods to turn over similar records.

Senator Reeves is serious about getting to the bottom of who has published these false and defamatory allegations against him, Reeves attorney, Libby Locke, said in an email Thursday.

We are having a hard time understanding why Jill Vogel has continued to refuse to respond to our offer to have an independent third party perform a digital forensic analysis to determine if the Vogels were, in fact, hacked.

Reeves has not sued Vogel.

Vogel campaign manager Pat Trueman said in an email: We had nothing to do with this and these innocent campaign supporters have just been harassed for being supporters. They have recently been very outspoken about his negative campaign tactics and its a way to go after them. ... This is an abuse of the legal process and violates the rules of civil procedure in Virginia, and is done merely for political gain.
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NEWPORT NEWS  Speaking in a packed hangar aboard the U.S. Navys newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, President Donald Trump on Thursday vowed to launch a great rebuilding of American military power.

Trump traveled to Virginias Newport News Shipbuilding facility Thursday afternoon to highlight his recent proposal to boost military spending by $54 billion and reiterate his call for a major expansion of the naval fleet. Speaking aboard the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford  the Navys newest nuclear-powered warship, which Trump celebrated as a monument of American might  the president vowed to invest billions of dollars in new vessels, fighter jets and other weapons of war to modernize what he has long decried as a depleted defense fleet.

We will give our military the tools you need to prevent war and, if required, to fight war and to do only one thing, Trump said to a few thousand sailors, shipbuilders and other officials. You know what that is. Win. Win! Were going to start winning again.

Hopefully, its power we dont have to use, Trump said. But if we do, theyre in big, big trouble.

Making a dramatic entrance to the speech venue after touring the ship and meeting with officials above, Trump rode the carriers massive aircraft elevator down to the hangar level. Wearing an olive-green bomber jacket he had received after arriving on the ship, Trump also swapped out his iconic red hat for the navy-blue cap worn by the nearly completed ships crew.

Its a great-looking hat, Trump said. Just like this is a great-looking ship.

Trumps 15-minute speech, delivered to an audience made up of Navy personnel and the workers who helped build the vessel, stuck closely to his nationalist message. The president drew perhaps the biggest cheer when he said there will be more ships to build.

American ships will sail the seas. American planes will soar the skies. American workers will build our fleets, Trump said. And Americas military will ensure that even through the darkest nights, a bright and glowing sun will always shine on our nation and on our people.

The Gerald R. Ford carrier, which has been under construction since 2009, is expected to be commissioned this summer.

Trump was joined onstage by Susan Ford Bales, the daughter of former President Gerald Ford and the ships ceremonial sponsor.

To those who threaten our homeland or our liberties, let the word go forth, Ford Bales said. Very soon 100,000 tons of the most powerful warship ever known will report for duty to her commander-in-chief.

Trump marveled at the scale and sophistication of the vessel, which he said houses 4,500 personnel and 70 aircraft.

What a place, he said. It really feels like a place. You stand on that deck and you feel like youre standing on a very big piece of land. But this is better than land.

The ship was named after the late 38th president, who served in the Navy during World War II aboard a combat ship in the Pacific.

The president offered few specifics on his proposed military buildup or how he intends to pay for it. The Navy currently has 274 deployable battle force ships. Trump has called for expanding the fleet to 350.

Rep. Robert Bobby Scott, a Democrat whose 3rd District includes the Newport News shipyard, said in a statement that he welcomes Trumps call for increased shipbuilding but hopes to see more concrete details.

So far, all Ive heard is that he intends to cut taxes, raise defense spending, and propose draconian cuts to non-defense discretionary spending, Scott said. That means deep cuts to programs that support education, rebuild our infrastructure, ensure clean air and water, and protect workplace safety and public health.

Shipyard workers who attended the speech said they were excited by Trumps visit and his assurances that there will be more work to come.

Its an honor for him to come see the blue-collar guys who put the ships together, said David Waterfield, 50, of Suffolk, an electrician who has worked at the shipyard for 31 years. Most of us give 110 percent. Were glad to know that its appreciated.

Show me the money, said Donald Jones, a 60-year-old sheet metal mechanic from Portsmouth. Were glad hes here.

Were behind, said Karen Harding, a 50-year-old inspector in the shipyard foundry. And hes going to bring us into the future.

The Washington Post contributed to this report.
CHARLOTTESVILLE  After criticism, Rep. Tom Garrett, R-Buckingham, is changing the ticket distribution method for his in-person town hall in Charlottesville later this month.

According to a news release posted to his Twitter account Friday, tickets for the event, still set for March 31 in Garrett Hall at the University of Virginias Frank D. Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, will be distributed through a lottery overseen and operated by a nonpartisan organization separate from Garretts office to maximize inclusion, diversity and convenience.

Details about the lottery will be released March 20, according to the statement, and no submissions will be accepted until that date.

According to Garrett spokesman Andrew Griffin, the event is still limited to 135 attendees.

The release also said local political organizations will no longer be involved with ticket distribution.

That aspect of the event was criticized by area Democrats, who said that they were not asked in advance to distribute tickets and that they did not agree to do so.

Griffin said earlier in the week that those unaffiliated with a political party were more than welcome to call their local units they most identify with and request tickets.

David Singerman of Indivisible Charlottesville, a recently formed political advocacy group, said Friday that while the group was glad that Garrett changed the ticket plan, the 135 limit is still totally inadequate for the thousands of people in Charlottesville and across the district who clearly have questions for him. He should move his event to a venue that will let him hear the concerns of as many people as possible.

A release sent Monday specified ground rules for the event, banning signs , cheering, clapping, booing and chanting .

All questions will be addressed to the moderator/congressman and not to other attendees. All questions and answers will be respectful and professional. No topic is off limits, a release from the congressman said.

A town hall meeting held without Garrett by Indivisible Charlottesville drew at least a thousand people last Sunday.

Garrett, who held Facebook Live events in previous weeks, announced plans to hold two in-person town halls a few days prior to that event.

Garrett was unable to attend Indivisible Charlottesvilles gathering because he was in Germany fulfilling his responsibilities to both the House Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security committees, according to spokesman Griffin.

To accommodate his travel schedule  he was scheduled to return from Germany that Saturday  the town hall was moved to Sunday, but Garrett still did not attend.

There is an empty seat in a Sudanese prison because I did my job, Garrett said in a text message to The (Lynchburg) News & Advance Wednesday , discussing his diplomatic efforts in Germany on behalf of a formerly imprisoned Czech national.

Another in-person town hall is planned for May 9 in Moneta. Details for that event have not been announced.
Brooks was born in Liberia in 1928 and grew up there, but came to the U.S. as a young woman to pursue higher education. She graduated in 1949 from Shaw University in North Carolina with an undergraduate degree in social sciences, and then, in 1952, earned both a law degree and a master's degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin. She also completed graduate work at the University College Law School of London, Liberia University, Shaw University, and Howard University.

Brooks served as counsellor-at-law to the Supreme Court of Liberia; as assistant attorney general of Liberia; as vice president and later president of the International Federation of Women Lawyers; as a professor of law at Liberia University; and as vice president of the National Liberian Political and Social Movement. She was Liberia's delegate to the United Nations General Assembly for many years, and was the first African woman  and second woman ever  to be elected president of the Assembly, where she presided over the 24th session (1969-1970). After her death in 2007, Brooks was praised by Liberia's president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her courage, determination, and commitment to service.
An uncertain climate for international trade makes state-led trade missions like a just-announced trip to Mexico in June all the more important, business and state officials say.

Officials with Spee-Dee Packaging Machinery Inc., a maker of food packaging equipment in Sturtevant, are glad they did it, along with six other businesses, in February 2016. After the company tried unsuccessfully on its own to tap markets in Mexico, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.-organized trip helped it connect with new customers, which Spee-Dee hopes will soon yield orders.

Spee-Dee remains optimistic despite pledges by President Donald Trump and newly appointed Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to overhaul established trade pacts including the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which proponents say eased restrictions on the flow of goods between the U.S., Mexico and Canada since 1994, resulting in cheaper products for consumers.

Opponents contend, however, that trade agreements like NAFTA have led to U.S. job losses as American companies moved production offshore, seeking lower labor costs.

Richard Laforest, export manager for Spee-Dee, is aware that existing trade agreements with Mexico may change, but until something is in place, its still business as usual for him and his company.

He sees plenty of opportunity in Mexico and South America and plans to do business there despite the uncertainty about what might happen with NAFTA.

Were not too concerned about it right now, but that could change if those agreements are renegotiated, Laforest said. Right now our products can go to Mexico duty-free, but until something is in place, its hard to determine what the impact will be.

Open dialogue

State officials and other regional business leaders share this sentiment and believe keeping dialogue open with Mexico and Canada, the top two destinations for Wisconsin-made products, is crucial to preserve business relations.

WEDCs trade mission to Mexico, which will be led by Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, is set for June 11-16.

Kleefisch said past trade missions to Mexico  which imported Wisconsin products worth more than $3 billion in 2016  have proved successful. Kleefisch said if NAFTA is altered, there is no doubt Wisconsin will be affected.

Trade treaties should not detract from our states ability to forge trade ties, she said.

If the federal government does decide to impose new tariffs on imports, it may be seen as a violation of rules outlined in the nations membership in the World Trade Organization, said Mark Copelovitch, an associate professor of political science and public affairs at UW-Madison.

It is almost certain, were we to adopt Trumps trade policies, that the worlds other major economies would initiate a series of WTO disputes against the U.S., Copelovitch said. Were we to lose those disputes, as seems likely, then those other countries would be able to impose retaliatory tariffs against U.S. exports until we removed illegal policies.

He said even if state-led trade missions had a positive effect on Wisconsin exports, those benefits likely would be offset by the costs of the Trump administrations policies, should they be implemented.

Opportune time

Despite the uncertainty, Wisconsin businesses including Spee-Dee are moving ahead with plans to tap overseas markets.

Laforest said WEDC works with trade officials in Mexico, who helped set up meetings with potential customers for Spee-Dee. Those initial contacts opened dialogue and led to follow-up conversations and eventually proposal requests from Mexican businesses, Laforest said.

Were still working on a number of leads from the 2016 trip, he said. As a result of last years trip, a number of those, we think theres a good chance within the next 12 months some of those (leads) will become orders.

Paul Jadin, president of the Madison Region Economic Partnership, said continuing the trade mission to Mexico is more important than ever, especially with the uncertainty surrounding existing trade agreements.

Its an opportune time for the state to have these trade trips because as states, we want to nurture the relationships weve established, he said. When our neighbors to the north and south experience frustration with the administration, we have to keep communication open to maintain those relationships.

WEDC spokesman Mark Maley said the states trade visits to Mexico help Wisconsin businesses find new markets for their products. They also can encourage Mexican businesses to invest here and increase collaboration in areas of strength in Wisconsin and need in Mexico, such as advanced manufacturing, water technology and beverage production and processing.

They also can provide guidance to businesses new to exporting, said Buckley Brinkman, executive director and CEO of the Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing and Productivity.

There are always people who will be concerned about going on a trade mission or perhaps looking for a reason not to export, Brinkman said. The U.S. may be the largest market in the world, however 95 percent of the world market is outside the U.S., so companies that decide not to export are turning their back on the largest growth opportunities for their organizations.
The story of the Hillsville courthouse tragedy has become a legend in the oral history and mountain lore of Virginia. Books, pamphlets, newspaper articles, plays, academic studies and historical research publications have reviewed and analyzed the event over the course of more than 100 years.

On Sunday, March 12, the Carroll County Historical Society welcomes Howard G. Sadler, who will present an examination of this historic incident titled The Last Witness  A Story of Friendship and Trust. The event takes place at 2 p.m. at the Carroll County Courthouse, 515 N. Main St., in Hillsville.

The Last Witness is a unique view into the lives of Judge Thornton Lemmon Massie and his friend and confidant, Howard Cecil Gilmer of Pulaski, and the tragic events of March 14, 1912, that changed the lives of those involved forever.

Attendees are in for an unusual afternoon, learning about Judge Massie and his life, and gaining insights about the tragedy through the judges own words and from those who were there that fateful day.

There will be a chance to read trial testimony and see photographic evidence, as visitors are exposed to actual documents, introduced at trial, which have remained unseen since those days.

The program will also cover information about the years after the event, and the ironies that tragedy often leaves in its wake.

For more information, call 276-728-4113 or email carrollmuseum@yahoo.com.

For more information, call 276-728-4113 or email carrollmuseum@yahoo.com.

The Roanoke Times
Quinney was a member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians. She grew up in New York with a passion for education, attending some of the best boarding schools in the area. She moved to the Kaukauna area of Wisconsin during the mass removal and migration of native peoples from New York in 1827. A year after arriving, Quinney opened a school  the first one in Wisconsin that did not charge an enrollment fee. She taught both Native and white children, many who could not have attended school if there had been a fee, and had forty to fifty children in her class at a time. She moved to Missouri for a time because of her husband's work, but after his death, she moved back to Stockbridge, Wisconsin, and lived there until her death in 1885.
The James River Association and its partners commend the Virginia General Assembly for passing Senate Bill 1196 and House Bill 1454, patroned by Senator Creigh Deeds and Delegate Terry Austin respectively. The bills extend the Scenic River designation on the Upper James River from 14 miles to 59 miles. The bill still has to be signed into law by the governor.

The 59 miles of the James River being designated flows through Botetourt and Rockbridge Counties, and includes the Towns of Buchanan and Glasgow. The Scenic River designation complements the recently extended Upper James River Water Trail, a 63 mile recreational blueway beginning at the confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture Rivers and terminating at Snowden.

The Upper James River Water Trail is a significant community asset and the new Scenic River designation celebrates exceptional scenic resources along the trail," Rob Campbell, Upper James Community Conservationist for the James River Association, stated.

This is an exciting time for Botetourt County as we recognize and take pride in the James River, said Jack Leffel, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and neighbor to the James River. The river is special, and the Virginia Scenic River designation will help protect the beauty of the James for generations to come.

Residents and visitors alike treasure the recreation and scenery along the James River. With a focus on water activities and increased access to the James, Rockbridge Regional Tourism will market our tourism products to attract outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels, said Jean Clark, Director of Tourism for Lexington & the Rockbridge Area Tourism. Connecting those visitors seeking unspoiled natural beauty to cultural and historic amenities creates a substantial economic impact for our communities. Partnerships between residents, local governments and the state resulting in the Scenic River designation will ensure the James River will be protected for the enjoyment of future generations.

The Virginia Scenic Rivers Program, which began in 1970 when the Virginia General Assembly passed the Virginia State Scenic River Act, identifies, recognizes and provides a level of protection to rivers with significant scenic, historic, recreational, and natural values. Scenic River designations do not impact existing land uses.

Submitted by:

Justin Doyle

Community Conservation Manager

James River Association
Sirleaf was born in Monrovia, capital of the West African country of Liberia. She came to Wisconsin in 1961 with her husband, who studied at UW-Madison, and earned a degree in accounting at Madison Business College. Upon returning to Liberia, she worked in the Ministry of Finance. Later, after she and her husband divorced, she continued her studies in the U.S., first in economics at the University of Colorado and then a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University. Sirleaf returned to Liberia, where she became assistant finance minister and then deputy finance minister. Finally appointed finance minister in 1979, Sirleaf was the first woman in Liberia ever to hold the position. But when a coup d'etat killed many of the leaders of the administration in 1980, she fled the country. She returned to Liberia briefly in 1985 to attempt a run for vice president, but was arrested and forced to flee again.
If somebody asked you to finance a low-budget reenactment of the TV phenomenon Game of Thrones starring a rag-tag troupe of stage actors, would you laugh?

Alex Jarrett hopes you would. Jarrett is an original producer of Graeme of Thrones, a parody of the HBO sensation Game of Thrones that has garnered 38 Primetime Emmy Awards and tens of millions of fans. The take-off Graeme of Thrones  where it is a comically bumbling but exuberant actor named Graeme and his cohorts who hope to wow theater crowds with their own version of the TV saga  comes to the Overture Centers Capitol Theater at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Graeme of Thrones is a show within a show with a British sensibility about it, said Jarrett, who helped launch the first production in Londons West End in late 2015. Its often likened to Monty Python  it has that sort of a sense of humor.

Theater critics in Chicago and Toronto were not kind to the unauthorized parody when it toured to those cities last fall. A review from its recent appearance in St. Louis called the show heavy on slapstick.

But Graeme of Thrones has won positive response on social media and was a hit among audiences in Australia, where it also recently toured, Jarrett said.

Using rickety props and over-the-top acting, Graeme (Ali Brice, who also played Graeme in the original U.K. production) joins forces with his old school crush Bryony (Libby Northedge, also of the U.K. cast) and his best friend Paul (Michael Condron) to try to convince investors to back a 19-hour stage version of Game of Thrones.

The conceit itself is amusing, considering that the authentic Game of Thrones has run for 60 episodes to acclaim around the world. The fantasy drama has complex plot lines, high production values and a large ensemble, with action set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos.

Graemes scheme does not go exactly as planned. But Graeme of Thrones offers inside jokes for diehard Game of Thrones fans, along with zany antics and slapstick humor, Condron said.

We are essentially three clowns, he explained by phone while the show made a stop in St. Louis. Theres no straight man in this. Its easy to look at Paul as the joke character. But as Libby has pointed out, her character Bryony is as much a clown as anybody. She believes that shes really absolutely brilliant at everything shes doing, but the jokes on her  because shes rubbish.

Condron appeared as the character Bowen Marsh in season five of Game of Thrones and was sadly executed in season six, the actor said.

Though Condron was born in Toronto when his parents lived there for a short time, he grew up in Northern Ireland and calls himself a Belfast boy. Like his fellow cast members, he works in a range of media.

I love working in the theater. You get a real buzz out of the theater that you dont sometimes necessarily get working on something for a movie or TV  the immediate buzz isnt there, he said.

But at the same time, when you do something like Game of Thrones and see the size and scale of it, and how hard people work, and the size of the operation, its pretty mind blowing.

For its Australian performances, Graeme of Thrones was tightened and now runs about 95 minutes without intermission, Condron said.

Theres something for everybody in this. Theres silly props and theres slapstick stuff, he said. Its like 90 minutes of madness, really.
If it seems like the Memorial Unions been getting remodeled for years, it has. The first phase of the reconstruction started in the summer of 2012.

While the final phases, involving the buildings core, are still underway, the modern updates to the cafeteria, Der Rathskeller and the Daily Scoop ice cream shop, were unveiled in mid-January.

Ill let other people argue about whether the new areas look better, but the changes certainly freshen the place up.

What was called Lakefront Cafeteria when I was at UW-Madison in the late 1980s, had more recently been Lakefront on Langdon, and offered four stations selling reasonably priced Mexican, Asian, pizza and wraps.

Those offerings were narrowed to just Italian street food when the space was recently turned into Strada.

Strada uses the same formula as most other new restaurants catering to college students: meals that can be easily customized. Here those meals are limited to two items: quick-cooking, 10-inch, Neapolitan-style pizzas ($7.25) and piadinas ($6.25), which are flatbread wraps, with the flatbread like a thick tortilla.

The thing about these piadinas is that thin spaghetti is stuffed inside all five of the signature models. There is, of course, the option to build your own and leave out the pasta.

Lance Baldus, assistant director of restaurants at the Union, said putting angel hair pasta  cappellini, really  in the piadinas is how its done in Italy. Strada uses thin spaghetti instead because it is easier to get, he said.

In any case, vegetarians will appreciate the bella alla griglia version, the only signature piadina made without meat. It has an inspired combination of grilled portobello mushrooms and peppers, tomatoes, spinach, arugula, and mozzarella with lots of red pepper pesto. I was skeptical, but the noodles actually worked well with the other ingredients.

The pizza, while fine, didnt stand out. It has a crisp, flavorful crust and a small amount of cheese. The pesto pie had two types of pesto: A base of red pepper pesto, and areas of basil pesto on top. It also held small pieces of Italian sausage and mushrooms. Grilled red and yellow peppers made it pretty.

A side salad ($3.50) seemed disappointing when we got it. But the balsamic turned out to be thick and creamy, and it, along with a pile of romaine and butterhead lettuce that come from a greenhouse in Belleville, was a pleasure.

Theres seating at Strada, but most students take their food into what is now called Lakeview Lounge. The enormous seating area has upgraded to more contemporary furniture, but still offers its same exquisite views of Lake Mendota.

Meanwhile, in Der Rathskeller, the food-service area has a different layout. It no longer has an open kitchen, but a window where cooks can pass food out. It still serves burgers and fries, along with wraps, salads, soups and grilled cheese sandwiches. There are also more appetizer choices than before.

Baldus said the idea is to appeal not just to students, but to the families that come through on weekends.

Carte, next door, doesnt have seating like Strada does, but offers quick, reasonably priced sandwiches ($5.75), salads ($6/$8) and soups ($3/$3.50). The sandwiches  there are four kinds  are already made and sit in a chilled case. After you select one, it goes into a high-speed convection oven and then into a panini press. It is baked first to save time, Baldus said.

The Mona Lisa with fresh mozzarella, pesto, basil and tomatoes comes on sourdough bread. Balsamic vinegar gives it moisture, as well as a nice, sweet quality.

The chicken bacon ranch with Babcock Dairy baby Swiss and avocado on multigrain bread fared less well, even though the chicken was thick and juicy. The avocado was the closest thing it had to a condiment, since the ranch dressing was missing.

A bowl of housemade beef mushroom barley soup was the only real disappointment. Although it featured tender chunks of meat and lots of mushrooms and barley, it had a plain broth that lacked depth.

The best news is that with all of the changes at the Union  more than $105 million worth so far  the fudge bottom pie from the old cafeteria remains. Its available at the Daily Scoop, which mainly serves up Babcock ice cream.

Its price seems left over from the cafeteria days, too. At $2.05 a slice, its a great deal. Even though its half whipped cream, the pie still has that great crumbly crust, that fantastic custard filling, and that all-important layer of chocolate fudge.
Washinawatok was a member of the Menominee Nation. At age 14, she joined the movement to re-establish the Menominee as a federally recognized tribe. Three years later, she traveled to New York City as an intern with the International Indian Treaty Council, which monitors Indian rights in the Western hemisphere. After graduating from high school in 1975, Washinawatok attended the University of Wisconsin and then the University of Havana, Cuba. She helped found the Indigenous Women's Network (IWN) in the 1980s, and worked for the indigenous philanthropy organization Fund of the Four Directions, which named her executive director in 1998. During that time, she served as a committee chairperson for the UN's International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples and was an active member of the Indigenous Initiative for Peace. She also lectured worldwide on indigenous rights and co-produced the documentary film WARRIOR.
OF ALL the stories of heroism and bravery during the First World War, few are as remarkable as that of Bertha Mould. Michael Upton reports on one of Rotherhams unsung war heroes ...

A BLOUSE made from a blanket, an ox-drawn cart for an ambulance and a death-defying climb over an icy girder across a raging stream  the wartime exploits of Bertha Mould would make Florence Nightingale or even Indiana Jones blanch.

But the astonishing story of this little-known Rotherham volunteer will finally be given public recognition this year as domestic violence charity Rotherham Rise plans to feature her in a project recognising some of the towns greatest women.

We delved through the archives of the Advertiser to uncover details of Berthas astonishing bravery as related in an article June 1938, which also focused on the medical marvels efforts to recruit new members for Rotherhams Womens Legion branch.

Members of the Rotherham and Sheffield branches, the Advertiser reported, were expected to take part in the Territorial Army display in Whirlow Park the following week.

But the paper said just three recruits for the Legion had come forward in six weeks, which it described as dismal and deplorable for an area where services of its members would be needed probably more than in any other part of the country.

The disappointing response from Rotherham could not be due to lack of leadership, the paper said, for it is hard to imagine a more inspiring leader than Mrs Mould, who is one of the Divisional Commandants for Yorkshire.

It went on: Mrs Mould has had a very thorough experience of warfare and has no illusions about it.

Through her experience she realises the vital necessity of the establishment of an efficient Womens Legion before the outbreak of any hostilities.

The Advertiser did its bit to inspire more recruits by relating her 21-year service.

In 1915, when she was only 17 years of age, she went out to Serbia as an ambulance driver attached to Dr Elsie Inglis (pictured below), who started the Scottish Womens Hospitals, the Advertiser said.

When the Serbian Retreat took place in that year, Mrs Moulds ambulance was blown up and she struggled on with her work with the aid of a wagon drawn by oxen.

Then she was captured by the Germans and for two weeks and practically no food and nowhere to sleep.

With Dr Inglis and two other ambulance drivers, she was forced to work as a sanitary inspector, cleaning up the terrible conditions existing at that time.

Later, Mrs Mould did nursing work in a Serbian hospital.

Owing to the extreme scarcity of food, it was only possible to have one meal a day, and on Christmas Day a present of three loaves of bread was shared among 15 persons.

Once, Mrs Mould had to crawl on an iron girder covered with ice over a raging stream in order to get back to hospital after the bridge over the stream had broken down.

Mrs Mould was dressed in a blouse made from a blanket, a skirt and some Serbian sandals, and when the American Consul saved her from being interned in Austria, the first thing he did was to provide her with some proper clothes.

When Mrs Mould returned to England, she found he was too young for service, as an age limit of 21 had been fixed, but the Womens Legion had been formed and she immediately joined.

These and other experiences have not damped Mrs Moulds spirit  they have quickened it as should the story of her adventures inspire other young women to be ready to play their part should the necessity arise.

The only way they can be ready to do the work they will be called upon to do is to enlist in the Womens Legion and so receive the necessary training.

Womens Legion members were needed to volunteer to train as auxiliaries for the Defence Forces, the Advertiser said, where they would work as drivers and in clerical capacities to free up men for military service.

Training was given at Mrs Moulds home at The Grange, Kimberworth, as ARP and car maintenance lectures and evening classes.

With Mrs C. Spafford of The Mount, Sheffield, the Advertiser said, Mrs Mould is sparing no effort in an earnest endeavour to achieve and maintain a hundred per cent organisation in Yorkshire.

Scottish Hospitals records recount that Bertha was born Bertha Louisa Madan was born in Didsbury near Manchester in 1896 to Charles and Bertha Madan.

Of her war service, they read: She was employed as a driver and was often responsible for chauffeuring Dr Elsie Inglis from town to town.

After Belgrade fell in October 1915, the hospital was moved south and the men were forced into accommodated that was run down, filthy and cold.

The hospital was known as The Zoo due to the cramped and unpleasant conditions.

Bertha and her colleagues were said to have spent three months working in extreme conditions with starving exhausted men before they were repatriated.

The records recount: On the 12th of February, 1916, the women were greeted by cheering crowds but for most of these stoic women all their thoughts were of the Serbs they left behind.

Seven years after the war, Bertha married Gilbert Edward Mould, of Thundercliffe Grange, Kimberworth, at St Josephs Church in Wath.

She died in Norfolk in 1956 aged 59.

Rotherham Rise chief executive Sue Wynne said: I came across Berthas story when I was researching for inspirational, historical women of Rotherham what an incredible woman.

I was immediately intrigued by what Bertha had achieved.

Women nurses and doctors who went to Serbia in 1915 are still remembered their today.

They have been recognised by the people of Serbia for the contribution they made in very desperate times and there are even Streets named after some of the women that went to Serbia.

I am interested in finding out about woman who have connections with Rotherham and who have gone onto to do things that have been inspiring, done the unexpected, or have made a difference.

The women in the First World War have largely been ignored for their contributions, although I sense that there is renewed interest about womens roles and identities in the war efforts, which are complex and sometimes misunderstood.

Female doctors and nurses from Britain who went to Serbia were called angels and saints.

Rotherham Rise will be working towards celebrating the life of Bertha and other Rotherham women in the near future at the womens centre in Main Street.

We hope this will include a talk about Bertha.

If you have any information that you would like to share about Bertha or other women of achievement, email newsdesk@rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk.
Polished diamond imports to the U.S. were almost flat last year, recent government data showed.

Inbound shipments slipped 0.3 percent to $23.03 billion in 2016. By volume, imports declined 2.6 percent to 10.8 million carats, while the average price increased 2.4 percent to $2,126 per carat.

Polished imports from India jumped 17 percent to $8.62 billion, while shipments from Hong Kong and China grew 14 percent to $1.55 billion. These increases cancelled out a 15-percent slide in imports from Israel, which reached $7.08 billion  causing the Middle East nation, which had long been the lead exporter to the U.S., to lose that status to India. Belgiums exports to the U.S., meanwhile, dropped 11 percent to $3.29 billion.

Polished exports climbed 2.9 percent to $18.85 billion, while net polished imports, the difference between imports and exports, fell 12 percent to $4.18 billion.

Meanwhile, rough imports jumped to $860 million from $305 million in the previous year. Rough exports increased to $607 million from $193 million in 2015. Net rough imports grew to $253 million from $112 million.

The U.S. net diamond account, calculated as total rough and polished imports minus total exports, slid 9 percent to $4.43 billion.




Canadian diamond mine Gahcho Kue, the worlds largest new diamond mine in the past 13 years, officially began commercial production on March 2, De Beers said.

The mine, a joint venture with De Beers group owning 51% and Mountain Province Diamonds 49%, is expected to produce about 54 million carats of rough diamonds over its lifetime.

"Today marks a significant landmark for De Beers in Canada as Gahcho Kue becomes an important contributor to the groups global production," said De Beers CEO Bruce Cleaver.

The mine exploits three kimberlite pipes in an open-cast operation. The fly-in, fly-out remote mine site is about 280km northeast of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada.

Gahcho Kue will employ approximately 530 people on a full-time basis.



Alex Shishlo, Editor of the Rough&Polished European Bureau in Brussels




HRD Antwerp has offered its diamond grading services to participants of the Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show at the AsiaWorld-Expo, says a report in JNA.

A demonstration of HRD Antwerps M-Screen+ Automated Melee Screening Device will also be held during the show.

The device, described as HRD Antwerps super-fast screening device, automatically feeds, screens and sorts round diamonds from 0.005 carat to 0.20 carat at a speed of three diamonds per second. Depending on the size of the stones and the size of the batch, the speed can be as high as a staggering 15,000 diamonds per hour, noted HRD Antwerp.

The company is also offering a discounted price for its D-Screen, which it said is the worlds most compact diamond screening device.



Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished




India's gold jewellery exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) declined by a massive 56 per cent in January 2017 due to a 5 per cent import duty levied by the UAE government effective January 1.

India's gold jewellery exports to the UAE at $148.1 mn for January 2017 is down from $334.08 mn for the corresponding month last year.

Global customers in Dubai were enjoying tax relief on gold jewellery purchases. Hence, leading gold jewellery manufacturing countries in the world were routing their export consignments through Dubai. Following 5 per cent import duty levy, shipment of gold ornaments to Dubai declined dramatically from all over the world including India.



Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough &Polished




Fast food restaurant chain Wendy's pulled spicy chicken nuggets from its menu at stores across the US without telling anyone. The company reportedly said the nuggets are available at select cities, even though they didn't name any.

The spicy nuggets had become a full-time menu item around 2010.

Wendy's customers are finding its hard to accept the loss of the flavor-packed chicken snacks. In the social media, some are threatening to boycott the brand altogether, while others state their disappointment.

Consumerist reported that as of Wednesday afternoon, around 1,500 people had signed a Change.org petition calling for the return of the spicy chicken nuggets.

An official representative of the fast food chain reportedly said, "Wendy's Spicy Chicken Nuggets are available in select cities across the country, and the traditional Chicken Nuggets are still available at all Wendy's restaurants. Customers who are fans of Spicy Chicken Nuggets can opt for our Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Wendy's also recently added an Asiago Ranch Chicken Club that can be ordered Grilled, Spicy or Homestyle."

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Insurer Swiss Life Group (SZLMY.PK,SLHN.VX) reported that its net profit for fiscal year 2016 increased to 926 million Swiss francs from 878 million francs in the prior year.

Adjusted profit from operations rose by 5% to 1.402 billion francs. The fee result rose by 14% to 396 million francs. The risk result came to 388 million francs, down about 2% from the prior year.

Swiss Life posted a 9% fall in premiums in local currency to 17.4 billion francs in 2016 (minus 8% in Swiss francs). This was primarily a result of the continuing focus on profitability and capital efficiency. The Group grew its fee income in local currency by 3% to 1.4 billion francs(plus 5% in Swiss francs).

Swiss Life said it is making good progress towards all its goals under "Swiss Life 2018".

Jorg Arnold will take over as the new CEO Germany and member of the Corporate Executive Board of the Swiss Life Group from 1 July 2017. He will re place Markus Leibundgut, who was nominated CEO of Swiss Life Switzerland with effect from 1 April 2017.

At the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on 25 April 2017, the Board of Directors will propose an increase in the dividend in the form of a withholding tax-free distribution from the capital contribution reserves of 11.00 francs per share, compared to 8.50 francs per share.

Wolf Becke (born 1947) will resign from the Swiss Life Board of Directors at the next Annual General Meeting, due to having reached the statutory age limit. Stefan Loacker (born 1969) will be proposed to the shareholders for election to the Board of Directors.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
One of four Chilean men charged last year with using credit cards stolen from purses and wallets as part of a traveling theft ring was sentenced to two years in prison Friday after pleading no contest to multiple counts of identity theft.

Miguel A. Carrasco-Gomez, 47, who is already serving a prison sentence for similar activity in Milwaukee County, told Dane County Circuit Judge Stephen Ehlke through a Spanish interpreter that he hoped for forgiveness for what he had done.

A criminal complaint filed in July charged that Carrasco-Gomez and three other men were involved in the theft of a womans wallet on March 12, 2016, from Panera Bread on Junction Road. They quickly used the credit cards in her wallet to buy $41,630 in iTunes gift cards at Madison-area Target stores.

Assistant District Attorney Paul Humphrey said authorities have the iTunes cards and are trying to figure out a way to recover their value to refund the credit card companies. But Carrasco-Gomez will be responsible for paying back the money individually or collectively with the other men under conditions of his sentence.

In addition to Milwaukee County, Carrasco-Gomez also faces charges for similar crimes in Eau Claire County, and he and other members of the group have been charged in other states for essentially the same activity.

One other member of the group has been sentenced to probation for his role in the Fitchburg theft, and two others still have not yet appeared in Dane County to face charges here. As of July, when the Dane County charges were filed, all four were in custody in jails in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois.
BayWa AG (BYWG), a German wholesaler and retailer of industrial and agricultural goods, announced Friday preliminary fiscal 2016 results, reporting earnings before interest and tax or EBIT of 144.7 million euros, lower than last year's 158.1 million euros.

The company said the persistently difficult agricultural in the past year pushed down earnings.

However, BayWa's revenues increased slightly to 15.3 billion euros from 14.9 billion euros a year ago.

The Fruit and Energy units once again developed particularly well in the reporting year. The building materials business also developed positively. By contrast, agricultural trade was significantly influenced in 2016 by the situation on global agricultural markets, which remained tense.

Klaus Josef Lutz, Chief Executive Officer of BayWa, took an optimistic view of the current financial year. "The positive prospects overall, in agricultural trade as well, lead us to expect significant increases in earnings again in 2017," Lutz said.

Further, the Board of Management would propose to the Supervisory Board keeping the Group's dividend stable and paying 0.85 euros per share - the same dividend paid for 2015.

BayWa will publish detailed figures on March 30.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
U.S. forces conducted a series of precision strikes in Yemen against the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula terrorist organization Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said.

In a statement, Davis said more than 20 strikes targeted militants, equipment and infrastructure in the Yemeni governorates of Abyan, Al Bayda and Shabwah.

Conducted in partnership with Yemen's government, the strikes were coordinated with President Abd Rabuh Mansur Hadi, Davis said.

The strikes will degrade the terrorist group's ability to coordinate external terror attacks and will limit its ability to use territory seized from Yemen's legitimate government as a safe space for terror plotting, the spokesman said, adding that targets of the strikes included militants, equipment, infrastructure, heavy weapons systems and fighting positions.

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has taken advantage of ungoverned spaces in Yemen to plot, direct, and inspire terror attacks against the United States and its allies, and U.S. forces will continue to work with Yemen's government to defeat the organization and deny it the ability to operate in Yemen, Davis said.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political News
President Donald Trump took to Twitter once again Friday to lash out at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., accusing the Democratic leader of hypocrisy.

Trump tweeted an old picture of Schumer eating doughnuts with Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggested there should be an investigation of the Senator's ties to Russia.

"We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite!" Trump tweeted.

The tweet from Trump comes as Schumer has called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign following revelations of meetings with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. during the presidential campaign.

Schumer has also urged Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Responding to Trump's tweet, Schumer noted that his meeting with Putin took place in 2003 in full view of the press and the public.

Schumer said he would happily talk about his contact with Putin and his associates and questioned whether Trump and his team would do the same.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
A Milwaukee man convicted of drug dealing has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Terrence Jackson, 31, was sentenced in federal court in Madison on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge William Conley. Jackson pleaded guilty in November to charges of conspiring to distribute heroin.

Jackson was the second of four drug dealers sentenced for their involvement in selling heroin in central Wisconsin.

His two brothers, Charles Hall, 32, and Hurley Jackson, and a fourth man, DeWight Williams, 38, all of Milwaukee, were arrested and convicted for conspiring to sell heroin.

Hall was sentenced to eight years in prison, Williams and Hurley Jackson are to be sentenced in April.

Conley gave a 15-year sentence to Terrence Jackson because he said Jackson was a "manager or supervisor" of criminal activity and his criminal history suggested a long sentence was necessary to protect the public.
Madison Street in Beaver Dam will be thick with cops Saturday night, hoping to prevent a repeat of a prolonged dispute at a local establishment two weeks ago that involved dozens of people with gang affiliations and sparked a shooting in Madison.

The Dodge County Sheriffs Office and the Beaver Dam Police Department will put officers on the streets from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. after getting credible information that another party is on tap at Pops Eatery, 1102 Madison St.  the same place where a party got out of hand on Feb. 18, resulting in fights and numerous arrests and citations.

This event is reported to have the same individuals who were involved in the incident on Feb. 18, said Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt.

Schmidt said the State Patrol will assist in the effort to keep the peace.

The disturbance two weeks ago tied up police for about six hours in Beaver Dam and outlying areas, especially along Highway 151 heading to Madison.

When the party broke up in Beaver Dam, dozens of participants drove to Madison, where a second disturbance took place early Feb. 19 at a BP gas station at 4222 E. Washington Ave., Schmidt said.

In the Madison disturbance, four men were shot by people with at least three weapons. None of the men suffered life-threatening injuries.

While Dodge County and Beaver Dam authorities are planning to watch the party, Beaver Dam police plan a heavy presence in the area of Pops Eatery, and the State Patrol will also be on the lookout, officials said.

We will work with the Dodge County Sheriffs Office to keep the area safe, Beaver Dam police said. Our colleagues with the Sheriffs Office share our stance that drugs, fights and otherwise disorderly behavior will not be tolerated in our community.

Madison police said they have no plans for extra measures.

The Feb. 18 party in Beaver Dam resulted in 23 traffic stops, 10 citations, 21 warnings and four arrests.

While there wasnt gunfire in Beaver Dam, police believe the partygoers had weapons as the shootout in Madison allegedly involved the same people who were in Beaver Dam.

A show of force in Beaver Dam is Schmidts way of keeping the public safe.

Due to the criminal activity that took place in the Madison Street area, the Sheriffs Office is taking proactive measures to keep the public safe from individuals involved in drugs, weapons and violent criminal activity, Schmidt said.

It is our hope that by being proactive with our enforcement efforts, and by notifying the public of our efforts ahead of time, these types of activities will be avoided, arrests will not need to be made and we can keep the citizens and visitors of Dodge County safe, Schmidt said.
Quick Links SACI Facebook :

SACI Instagram: Statement on Diversity and Inclusion e South African Chemical Institute The South African Chemical Institute is committed to diversity and inclusivity in chemical sciences. The Institute opposes discriminatory acts or threats based on race, ethnicity, citizenship, culture, language, disability, age, religious or spiritual beliefs, political opinion, gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation and economic class. The Institute is dedicated (i) to endorsing excellence and scientific credibility across chemical sciences conducted in academic, industrial, and governmental institutions, and (ii) to nurturing the values of diversity, inclusivity, and equity in the chemical sciences in South Africa. Hence, SACI will continue to play a leading role in assuring the professional competence and integrity of chemists and fostering international collaboration whilst upholding inclusivity and diversity. Statement on Sexual Harassment e South African Chemical Institute The South African Chemical Institute will not permit any kind of sexual harassment (physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct) in the Institute or at events organised by or related to the Institute. The Institute is committed to and fully supports environments that are free of any form of unfair discrimination and harassment, including gender-based violence. Allegations of any form of sexual harassment will be dealt with seriously, expeditiously, sensitively and confidentially. Statement from SACI Council on tertiary training in chemistry as a result of disruptions to the 2020 academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the professional body representing the interests of all chemists in South Africa, we recognise the challenges that the current COVID-19 crisis presents to all our members in academia, research and industry. We also acknowledge the challenges the current situation presents to our tertiary institutions and specifically the challenges presented by moving to online teaching. We applaud the efforts of all our members who work at tertiary institutions who have adapted and innovated to ensure that we can continue as far as possible with our teaching and learning of chemistry even when on campus face-to-face contact is not possible. Our tertiary institutions play a critical role in not only training the next generation of chemists, but they are also tasked with the important responsibility of ensuring that many people from other professions and disciplines are trained in the fundamental principles of chemistry. We reaffirm our belief that this training is essential, as chemistry is one of the central sciences. Key to this training is the practical component and laboratory based skills development. While we accept that this critical component of our training is not possible under the current situation, we strongly urge that plans be put in place to preserve this component of training as part of the curriculum as far as possible. In some cases, virtual laboratory tools can facilitate learning, but we believe that in laboratory practical training particularly for senior level courses should be preserved. SACI strongly recommends that at least a critical minimum practical experience should form part of the plans to complete the 2020 academic year at our tertiary institutions. We believe that this is essential to preserve the validity and integrity of the academic training programmes in chemistry. Latest Updates: Pay your SACI membership fees with SnapScan SACI Ties, Scarfs and T-shirts Periodic table ties and ladies scarfs R130 each. Periodic table T Shirt Short sleeve R180, Long sleeve R200 Please contact head office to place orders. There is also a courier charge of R150 per order for delivery.


Honouring veterans, CBRM council meeting highlight this week in Cape Breton

SYDNEY  During this Remembrance Week, we honour our veterans  those who died in battle, those who are still with us, and those who have passed away in the intervening years. Ceremonies to mark the end of the First and Second world wars, the Korean ...
Seven people were arrested, including four on alleged drug charges, at a house believed to be used for drug trafficking and raided by law enforcement officials Wednesday morning in Waupun.

Police and the Dodge County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at 9 N. State St., allegedly finding heroin, methamphetamine, prescription drugs and drug paraphernalia, according to the Fond du Lac Reporter.

Those arrested on drug charges include a 54-year-old man, a 51-year-old woman, a 26-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman, the Reporter said.

The other three arrests were for a warrant and probation holds, the Reporter said.
Here are 3 things to think about for Kansas mens basketballs opener

The No. 5 Jayhawks are opening their season Monday. Its the start of their run to try and defend their national championship this past season.
A 29-year-old Watertown man was killed and a 52-year-old Watertown man injured Thursday morning in a two-vehicle crash in Jefferson County.

The crash happened at about 6:30 a.m. on Highway CW east of North Street in the town of Ixonia, the Sheriff's Office said.

Juan Cruz Reyes suffered fatal injuries while Bruce Pine suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

According to the report, Cruz Reyes was driving east on Highway CW when his car slid on icy pavement and crossed the center line, hitting a westbound Jeep driven by Pine.

Both drivers were the only occupants of their vehicles. They were taken to Aurora Hospital, with the Jefferson County Medical Examiner's Office called to the hospital to investigate Cruz Reyes' death.

The crash remains under investigation.
Dear Editor,

Re: Development Plans for Savaii

I testify that what Mepaelo has said is so true.

We from the island of Savaii can feel this coming. Another bit of a laugh added to many laughs at Stuis previous/current fagogo.

This time, the Clowns feet sweat in his cold office and early bird introducing his election campaign through development plans for Savaii and wishing Savaii could have a new look at its town in the next 5 years. Next Election? Why not Yesterday? Why not NOW?

Thats how slow you are Mr. Folafola; developments for my beautiful island of Savaii must be done way back then, in the last 15 or more years.

Sao ai lesi kala foi lega, ua loomakua a si koeaiga.

What is good for Upolu is good for Savaii, is a thief of time, no need, untrusted and aikalafu statement that no one ever wants to hear. One word to describe todays leaders is selfish. That statement only has a meaning when Lana Afioga ia Tofilau Eti Alesana was a PM. He worked for two islands like solving simultaneous equations; cant solve the problem and get the final answer without each equation contribution.

Tuilaepa tried to prove it and he got it all wrong.

But let me tell you from the north side of the Mountain View why Mr Clown wanted to keep entertaining.

1. Looking back the whole time Mr Folafola being a Dictator, he always trying to do flashy things on election periods ONLY to attract/collect fools voted/voting for his crew and support his political party so that he can keep going. Voters who were tapped in $$$ and voted for HRPP are the first ones to cry out of poor, slaves at costs, unemployment and facing so many sufferings in the country. By 2020 election, Savaiis unwanted colourful town is his target. NO, because YOURE NOT A MAN OF LOVE. Samoa knows your fruits.

2. Mr Clown turned to Mr Anger when Salelologa solved the puzzle by rejecting Chinese set-up business on customary lands of the village. Mr Anger knew that Salelologa is the core part of Savaii, but now his dear Chinese got rejected from one of his many targeted areas because more than half of Upolus customary lands were sold without knowing. Do you and your HRPP feels like building a flashy town in Salelologa and trying stealing peoples land to pay for your debt can solve the issue? NO. E le valea uma vale o Samoa. Good on Siumu also on banning Chinese shops in their village. Who/Where other men amongst you? Yes, we need visionary villages like Salelologa and Siumu; once Mr Clown stops entertaining, in reality, volcanoes starting erode and were like people running everywhere. Yes, taste the bitterness of the fruits.

3. Taxes in your pockets and Debts created by you and your party must pay off first. Do you feels like setting up more Chinese shops and collect taxes from both business and customary land owners can minimize debts? NO. As long youre true to yourself and the country can makes all the difference. The country must know how much yous pocketed from different source of income because you are accountable and must for that. You live of those fruits.

For myself, if one of Gatoaitele Malifa or Palusalue or Fiu (from Sili) was saying about this development, I would support and trust one of them. But for someone with a poor attitude running the country like his own like Mr Dictator, is just like a barking dog (his own words) barking to and fro.

If you want taro, just tell the country you want some taro instead of asking taamu but needing taro so bad.

E tuu faafeagai mea uma, afai o loo feola fiafia tagata ile olaga nei i ni auala piopio, ou te tautino atu o loo faatali mai tiga e le gata mo i latou. Ua latou iloa lava o latou taunuuga ma ua silafia e le Tama oi le Lagi lena mea.

So its time to show repentance while have time; first to God and the country that are truly suffer during your time.

T.V
A prisoner who attempted to rape a Norwegian woman who was making her way back down from the Robert Louis Stevenson tomb atop Mt. Vaea has been sentenced to three more years in jail.

Daniel Vailopa was sentenced by Justice Tafaoimalo Leilani Tuala-Warren two weeks ago. The defendant was represented by Alalatoa Rosella Viane-Papalii while Fuifui Ioane was the prosecutor.

The defendant was found guilty of attempted sexual violation and theft in relation to an incident back in 2015. The woman, whose name is suppressed, was working for the United Nations Development Programme office at Matautu.

In sentencing, Justice Tafaomalo said the ordeal was violent and terrifying in nature for the victim. This is her ruling in full:





SENTENCE

The charges

The accused appears for sentence on one charge of attempted sexual violation contrary to section 53 (1) of the Crimes Act 2013 which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment and one charge of theft pursuant to sections 161 and 165(b) which carries a maximum penalty of 7 years imprisonment.

Through Counsel he vacated his not guilty pleas on 4 October 2016 and these were substituted with guilty pleas.





The offending

The Prosecution summary of facts admitted by the accused says that Sunday 31 August 2015, the accused and several other prisoners escaped from Tafaigata Prison. They then went up Mount Vaea and stayed the night at an abandoned house.

On Tuesday 2 September 2015, the victim went for a hike up Mount Vaea between 9 am-10 am. As she made her way up, she meet the accused, two of his fellow prisoners and a palagi man coming down the mountain. The victim then continued on her way while the accused told his two fellow prisoners to let the palagi man pass and for them to rest. Not long after the palagi man passed, the accused persuaded his two fellow prisoners to join him in going after the victim. His fellow prisoners advised him against it but he insisted they go after the victim.

Meanwhile the victim had reached the top and headed back down the mountain. As she was running back, she came across the accused walking up towards her and he tried to block the way. The victim walked past the accused and the accused chased after her. When he caught up to her, he held her hand tightly. The victim tried to run away from him but he held on to her and started touching her waist and tried to kiss her. The victim resisted. The accused grabbed her by the waist with one hand and her neck with the other hand. The victim struggled while the accused was trying to pull down her pants and kiss her. He was telling her to have sex with him. As the victim struggled, her cell phone slipped from her hand and this caught the attention of the accused who tried to look for the phone. The victim screamed for help and the accused released her. She then ran down as fast as she could. The matter was reported to Police and Police apprehended the accused as he was walking down the mountain at Moamoa.





The accused

The accused is 24 years old. His previous pre-sentence reports say he was raised by his natural parents and was educated to Year 11. There was nothing in the previous pre-sentence reports to indicate that his life would take this course given his stable family life.

He is currently serving a term of imprisonment which according to the accused ends in July 2017 for an escape charge.

In 2013, his mother expressed her disappointment in the accused to Probation. However she remained supportive of him.

He has 15 previous convictions from 2004 to 2015, for the offences of possession of narcotics (3), theft (4), threatening words (1), receiving stolen properties (1), drunkenness (1), escape (4), and assault(1). I note the previous conviction card may be incomplete given his sentence for his most recent escape charge is not included.





The victim

The statement from the victim tells of the impact the offending has had on her life. As a keen runner, she is now afraid to carry out this important activity which she has enjoyed for years as a means of meditation and strength.

She tells of the first few weeks after the offending as being the worse. She became oversensitive to noises and would break down crying. She was not able to stay home alone.

She considers herself lucky to have gotten away but the fear has remained with her, even after leaving Samoa to return home. Even now she cannot walk alone in the dark or catch taxis alone because of her fear of being attacked again.

The events of 2 August 2015 have changed her life forever. The trauma of the events is still fresh in her mind, a year later.

It is safe to say that she will never be the same again.





Aggravating features of the offending

This sentencing is delivered under the new Sentencing Act 2016. Section 7 specifies the aggravating factors which the Court must take into account in sentencing, as they apply to a particular case.

The first aggravating feature is that this offending involved actual physical violence in that the accused chased after the victim, caught her, held the victims hand, grabbed her waist and neck, and tried to pull down her pants. He also tried to kiss her. She was struggling against him. It was violence of a moderate level as the victim managed to get away but still of a terrifying nature.

The offending was also planned by the accused. He saw an opportunity, planned how to use it to his advantage and took active steps to pursue the victim. This is premeditated and predatory behaviour.

Another aggravating feature is the vulnerability of the victim. She was alone on a hike and he knew she was alone.

The impact of the offending on the victim is also an aggravating factor. It has resulted in some real fears and insecurities in the victim which have affected her life and her lifestyle.

There is no doubt that this offending on the victim who is a foreigner also has negative impacts on the image of Samoa as a country to visit.

Aggravating features relating to the offender

It is an aggravating features relating to the offender that he has a significant number previous convictions. Sapolu CJ in Police v Fuiono [2011] WSSC 83 (26 July 2011) cited the case of R v Casey [1931] NZLR 594 which guides me today in determining the part played by previous convictions in todays sentencing. Sir Michael Meyers CJ in that case said;

The Court should always be careful to see if the sentence of a prisoner who has been previously convicted is not increased merely because of those previous convictions. If a sentence were increased merely on that ground it would result in the prisoner being, in effect, sentenced again for an offence which he has already expiated. We agree that the sentence passed ought to bear some relation to the intrinsic nature of the offence and gravity of the crime.

But it by no means follows that previous convictions must be ignored. It is necessary to take them into consideration, because the character of the offender frequently affects the questions of the nature and gravity of the crime and a prisoners previous conviction are involved in the question of his character. Further the previous convictions of a prisoner may indicate a predilection to commit the particular type of offence of which he is convicted, in which case it is the duty of the Court, for the protection of the public, to take then into consideration and lengthen the period of confinement accordingly.

It is also now contained in section 7(1) (j) of the Sentencing Act 2016 that one of the aggravating factors to be taken into account by the Court is the number, seriousness, date, relevance and nature of any previous convictions of the defendant and any convictions for which the defendant is being sentenced or otherwise dealt with at the same time.

In the case of the accused, his previous convictions show his disrespect and disregard for the law. It appears that with this offending, that falls within sexual offending, he has now surpassed his previous offending in terms of seriousness of the offence. It calls for the Court to consider the protection of the public as a paramount consideration.

It is also aggravating that this offending by the accused took place when he was still subject to a sentence and had escaped from custody.(section 7(1)(c) Sentencing Act 2016)

Mitigating Factors

Section 7(2) of the Sentencing Act 2016 provides for mitigating factors.

I find the belated guilty plea by the accused the only mitigating factor in favour of the accused. Defence Counsel rightly concedes this.

Discussion

Prosecution submits that the appropriate starting point is 7 years imprisonment for the lead offence of attempted sexual violation and 2 years for the offence of theft.

Defence Counsel submits that the appropriate starting sentence should be lower for the attempted sexual violation charge given the distinguishable facts of the case of Police v Tofilau [2014] WSSC 24 (11 July 2014) relied upon by the Prosecution in submitting their 7 years starting point. There were more aggravating features in the Tofilau case, the most notable being a breach of trust and the age difference between the victim and the offender, the victim being 17 years old. The offender was a taxi driver and the victim was a passenger in his taxi. I agree in this regard with Defence Counsel.

I acknowledge Defence Counsels submissions that the accused was at a tender age of 15 years when he first offended. I hasten to add that had he received some form of rehabilitation at that early stage, his life may have taken a different course.

Defence Counsel also conveys his remorse but I have real doubts about that.

Attempted sexual violation is a very serious offence. Sapolu CJ said of this offence in Police v Soisoi [2013] WSSC 51 (24 June 2013);

Attempted sexual violation is one of the many new offences introduced by Parliament. It is the modern version of the old offence of attempted rape. But the new offence carries a higher maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. The new maximum obviously reflects Parliaments concern at the increase in violent sexual offending in this country and represents its attempt to address the problem. The Courts are bound to recognise this concern and give effect to Parliaments intent. Indeed this is the very essence of the role of the Court.

It is an offence which falls within sexual offending. Vaai J in Police v Sivai [2015] WSSC 57 (26 May 2015) says;

In considering sentence for sexual offending the primary consideration must be retribution and deterrence, to punish the offender, to deter the offender and other like -minded people from offending and re-offending, and to convey societys denunciation of such conduct.

I am required to take into account the degree of culpability of the accused in determining an appropriate sentence. In assessing his culpability, I take into account the aggravating features of the offending. It involved actual physical violence although at a moderate level and the victim was able to get away. It took place in a secluded place where the accused saw an opportunity and planned his offending to get the victim alone. The victim was in fact alone and had to endure a terrifying experience which has had a lasting negative impact on her.

Given these features, I assess his culpability to be relatively high.

Considering all the circumstances, there is no question an imprisonment penalty is called for. It is required in order to hold the accused accountable for harm done to the victim, to denounce his conduct and to protect society from the accused. These considerations take precedence over rehabilitation of the accused given the seriousness of this offending.

However may I say this to the accused. You have led a life of crime which has landed you in prison so many times. There must be times when you want to live as a free man and enjoy being in society. However that will never happen as long as you offend and hurt others. The Court will not hesitate to send you back to prison to protect the community from you. The choice as to the life you want is yours alone to make. You will be sent to prison today however when you are released you will still be a young man and will have the rest of your life. This is something to think about.

Having regard therefore to the aggravating features of the offending, I will take 4 years imprisonment as a starting point for sentence. I will then add 1 year for the aggravating features relating to him. This increases the starting point to 5 years imprisonment.

I will then deduct 25 % or 1 year and 3 months for his belated guilty plea.

The Court reserves the right to be merciful in all its sentences. I deduct 3 months for this. I do this because this is a young man who has made many bad choices in his life but who has the ability to be a law abiding person.

The result

The accused is convicted of attempted sexual violation and sentenced to 3 years and 6 months imprisonment.

The accused is convicted of theft and sentenced to 1 year imprisonment.

Both sentences to be served concurrently.

This sentence will commence immediately after his serves his current term of imprisonment.

The name of the victim is permanently suppressed.

Justice Tafaoimalo Tuala Warren
A trail used for years  legally and illegally  by hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians is about to reopen to the public.

The historic Stowe Trail, a 3.4 mile-long corridor traversing Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and the Miramar area, is expected to open sometime in April. The trail links the southern edge of Goodan Ranch Sycamore Canyon Preserve to the cities of Santee and Poway.

An exact date has not been set for the opening because there are still some details that need to be taken care of, and the trail is still off-limits, said U.S. Marine Capt. Kurt Stahl, a public affairs officer.

We dont want anybody getting out there prematurely, Stahl said. We have to protect the integrity of the boundaries on the base.

A permitting process, including background checks, is being developed by the Marine Corps and will be required annually. Details are expected to be announced soon.

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This month, community volunteers will work alongside Marines moving brush to block off arterial routes that will be decommissioned, getting the designated trail ready for use.

The trail between Goodan Ranch and Santee was identified as a survey road by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors back in 1886. Then, the Stowe Trail was a vital transportation link connecting Poway to Santee and El Cajon.

Decades ago, the military absorbed the section of the trail, cutting off legal access. But an agreement by several entities, spearheaded by county Supervisor Dianne Jacob, has finally resolved the land-use issues.

Opening up this historic trail to the community represents a huge victory for the public, including those of us who have fought for access for decades, Jacob said.

The groups involved:

The Marines who took over the area from the Navy in 1997

The county of San Diego County

The cities of Santee, Poway and San Diego

Developers Pardee Homes (Castlerock) and HomeFed Corporation (Fanita Ranch)

Susie Murphy, executive director of the San Diego Mountain Biking Association, said other local elected officials also took up the cause, including Congressman Duncan Hunter, Congressman Scott Peters, San Diego City Councilman Scott Sherman and Santee Councilman Brian Jones.

Jones and the Santee City Council last week gave the final approval necessary for the creation and opening of a temporary easement to allow access to the trail.

The trail temporarily will start at the north side of Fanita Parkway at Ganley Road, head north and follow the western property line belonging to HomeFed.

Community Services Director Bill Maertz said that the HomeFed easement wont be needed once the Castlerock development across from West Hills High opens. A trailhead will be open on its premises.

Grading for Castlerock began last July but an opening date for the development is still unknown.

Maertz noted that the east side of the military base includes gun ranges where more than 9,000 Marines go for annual rifle and pistol qualifications.

Signs will be placed along the trail to keep people safely within legal boundaries. Other arterial trails will be closed, said Kevin Loomis, president of the board of directors of the mountain biking association.

This is one of the most exciting things we have on our plate, Loomis told the Santee City Council.

Loomis likened the trail opening to a vertabra  the C-4 in the back  and said the Stowe Trail connects everything.

He was one of several mountain bikers who thanked the city of Santee for its part in getting the trail reopened.

For years, people traversed the trails without issue, but things changed in 1997 when the Marines took over Miramar Naval Air Station. No Trespassing signs were erected on a section of the trail that crosses the bases eastern edge, and the Marines began patrolling it to keep people out.

During a weekend in January 2016, Marines issued tickets to 50 people for trespassing on federal land and impounded 45 bikes and three motorcycles.

This deal will actually make it a possibility for cyclists, trail runners, hikers and equestrians who live (in those areas) to to get to their property legally for the first time, cyclist Gardner Grady said. I look forward to being on that trail once again.

The Marines have shared a website to get a permit for access to the Stowe Trail here: miramar.marines.mil/Resources/StoweTrail/
Aspiring circus performers and urban ninja warriors have a new place to hone their skills in North County.

On Monday, De Leon Dynamics opened in Vistas industrial park off La Mirada Drive. The 4,000-square-foot gymnasium will offer classes in aerial silks, hoop and trapeze as well as an an urban ninja workout room where gymnast-athletes can climb, swing, swoop and flip to their hearts content.

The Vista gym, at 2575 Fortune Way, is the second opened by Victor and Nicole Flores, a Poway couple who have worked as gymnasts and circus performers for more than 20 years. Their first De Leon Dynamics gym opened two years ago in Carmel Mountain Ranch.

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De Leon Dynamics

Hours: 4 to 7 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for now. As classes grow, hours will expand to 4 to 8 p.m. weekdays, 9 a..m to noon Saturdays.

Where: 2575 Fortune Way, Suite B, Vista.

Phone: (858) 521-8053

Online: deleondynamics.com

Nicole Flores, 36, said the Vista gym will offer four-week sessions to customers ranging in age from 3 to adult. The majority of the companys clientele are children ages 8 to 13, but she said the preschool classes often have waiting lists. She has also had many adults in their 50s and 60s who come in with the goal of fulfilling their lifelong dream of performing on a trapeze.

The Floreses both grew up in San Diego, where they first met in their teens when she was a top high school gymnast and he was an elite athlete who was awarded a gymnastics scholarship at a university in Ohio.

When he was injured in a motorcycle accident and lost his scholarship, he decided to stay in San Diego to attend college. Their paths crossed again when they were both performing circus-style gymnastics at local theme parks (she was at Legoland California in Carlsbad and he was at SeaWorld San Diego).

Eventually the couple both found work in SeaWorlds Cirque de la Mer show and then moved into performing at corporate events. Eventually they opened their own corporate events company, De Leon Productions, a name connected to a previous partnership.

As the years passed, and they married and had two children, Nicole said they wanted to find a more stable and long-term source of income, since performing can be sporadic and hard on the body as you age.

Thats when they came up with the idea of opening their own gym. Nicole runs the business, develops the childrens programs and creates routines. Victor, 41, focuses more on training and working with the gyms competitive athletes. He also still performs regularly in corporate shows.

Maren Hibbard, 8, practices her ariel straps skills at De Leon Dynamics, a fitness gym that teaches children and adults circus skills like trapeze, straps, bars and aerial silks. (Nancee E. Lewis / San Diego Union-Tribune)

The couple say circus skills and urban ninja/parkour training have exploded in popularity for two reasons: the rise of Cirque du Soleil, the Montreal-born animal-free acrobatics circus, and Youtube, where viewers can watch thousands of videos of ultra-fit men and women leaping from buildings, jumping over fences and swinging on ropes and bars.

Nicole said she and Victor have applied the progressive training structure of gymnastics to circus and urban sports, so theres less risk of injury from failed stunts. Children spend a lot of time doing skills training on the mats before theyre ever allowed to get up in the air.

De Leon Dynamics offers classes in four aerial arts: silks (the long fabric sashes suspended from the gyms 22-foot ceiling), the aerial hammock (silk looped in a teardrop shape), the lyra (an aerial hoop) and the static trapeze. There are also tumbling classes for preschoolers. Within a month, the gym will open its urban ninja room where teens and adults can practice whats known as full body strength training on jungle gym-like bars, rings and other devices.

The Vista gym will host its grand opening event from 2 to 5 p.m. March 18, where the couple will offer tours, mini-classes, sign-up specials and performances by the gyms demo team.

The demo team  a group of 25 competitive youth athletes ages 8 to 15  all started as beginners when the first gym opened in 2014. Earlier this month, the team won five medals at VivaFest, an international variety acts competition in Las Vegas.

The Floreses would like to see their new Vista gym grow to the same size as their original gym, which has about 200 regular customers. Classes are taught in four-week sessions priced by age and number of visits. A once-a-week session costs from $68 to $84 a month. Visiting four times a week ranges from $220-$275.

Victor said that while tumbling through the air wrapped in strips of silks may seem an unlikely workout, its much tougher than it looks.

The beauty of this progressive training is its functional fitness, he said. The skills you learn in flexibility, balance and strength are stuff you can use in everyday life.

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
Heres how members of Wisconsins congressional delegation voted on major issues this week.

Note: Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, did not vote. By custom, the speaker does not vote except in rare circumstances.

HOUSE

Review of Presidential Tax Returns: The House on Monday killed, 229-185, a Democratic push for the Ways and Means Committee to review President Donald Trumps tax returns for 2006 through 2015 and report its findings to the full House in a check for any information on financial conflicts of interest and ties to Russians. A yes vote was to kill the motion.

Voting yes: James Sensenbrenner, R-5, Glenn Grothman, R-6, Sean Duffy, R-7, Mike Gallagher, R-8

Voting no: Mark Pocan, D-2, Ron Kind, D-3, Gwen Moore, D-4

Commission to Prune Regulations: The House on Wednesday voted, 240-185, to set up a commission with subpoena powers and a $6 million annual budget to review federal regulations and target for repeal those seen as outdated and too costly. A yes vote was to pass a GOP bill (HR 998) aimed mainly at repealing federal regulations on U.S. companies.

Voting yes: Sensenbrenner, Grothman, Duffy, Gallagher

Voting no: Pocan, Kind, Moore

Presidential Conflicts of Interest: The House on Wednesday refused, 190-235, to exempt from the reach of HR 998 (above) any regulations aimed at preventing financial conflicts of interest by employees and officials of the executive branch, including President Trump. A yes vote was to adopt the Democratic motion.

Voting yes: Pocan, Kind, Moore

Voting no: Sensenbrenner, Grothman, Duffy, Gallagher

Clampdown on Regulations: The House on Thursday voted, 246-176, to impose new transparency and disclosure obligations, including Internet postings, on federal agencies as they gather public comments on proposed new regulations. A yes vote was to send the bill (HR 1004) to the Senate.

Voting yes: Sensenbrenner, Grothman, Duffy, Gallagher

Voting no: Pocan, Kind, Moore

Transparency for Presidential Finances: The House on Thursday defeated, 189-232, an attempt by Democrats to hold Trump to the same transparency and disclosure standards in his personal finances as HR 1004 (above) would require of federal agencies as they develop new regulations. A yes vote was to adopt the Democratic motion.

Voting yes: Pocan, Kind, Moore

Voting no: Sensenbrenner, Grothman, Duffy, Gallagher

Oversight of Independent Agencies: The House on Wednesday voted, 241-184, to require independent federal agencies, for the first time, to submit proposed regulations to review by the White Houses Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. A yes vote was to send HR 1009 to the Senate.

Voting yes: Sensenbrenner, Grothman, Duffy, Gallagher

Voting no: Pocan, Kind, Moore

Office of Government Ethics: The House on Wednesday defeated, 193-234, a Democratic bid to exempt the Office of Government Ethics, an independent agency, from the reach of HR 1009 (above). The office was created in 1978 in response to the Watergate scandal. A yes vote backed the motion.

Voting yes: Pocan, Kind, Moore

Voting no: Sensenbrenner, Grothman, Duffy, Gallagher

Worker Injury Records: The House on Wednesday killed, 231-191, a rule on the length of time companies must keep updated worker injury records for review by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. A yes vote backed retention for six months rather than the five years set by the rule. (HJ Res 83)

Voting yes: Sensenbrenner, Grothman, Duffy, Gallagher

Voting no: Pocan, Kind, Moore

SENATE

Wilbur Ross Confirmation: The Senate on Monday confirmed, 72-27, Wilbur L. Ross as the 40th U.S. secretary of commerce. Ross, 79, became a billionaire by restructuring troubled firms in fields such as textiles and coal, often sending jobs abroad and utilizing foreign trade deals he now will help to rewrite. A yes vote was to confirm Ross.

Voting yes: Ron Johnson, R

Voting no: Tammy Baldwin, D

Ryan Zinke Confirmation: The Senate on Wednesday confirmed, 68-31, Ryan Zinke, 55, a GOP congressman from Montana, as the 52nd U.S. secretary of the interior. A yes vote backed Zinke over criticism of his anti-environment voting record and support of expanded oil and gas drilling on federal land.

Voting yes: Johnson

Voting no: Baldwin

Ben Carson Confirmation: The Senate on Thursday confirmed, 58-41, Ben Carson, 65, a retired neurosurgeon and former GOP presidential candidate, as secretary of housing and urban development. A yes vote backed Carson over objections to putting a newcomer to government who questions the social safety-net in charge of HUDs $47 billion annual budget and 8,300 employees.

Voting yes: Johnson

Voting no: Baldwin

Rick Perry Confirmation: The Senate on Thursday voted, 62-37, to confirm Rick Perry, a former Texas governor, as secretary of the Department of Energy. Perry, 67, now leads a department he wanted to eliminate when he ran in GOP presidential primaries in 2012. A yes vote was to confirm Perry.

Voting yes: Johnson

Voting no: Baldwin

KEY VOTES AHEAD

In the week of March 6, the House will debate the 2017 military budget and could take up a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The Senate will vote on Cabinet appointees.

 Thomas Voting Reports
This weekend, koi fish enthusiasts from all over Southern California will gather in Del Mar for the San Diego Koi Clubs 30th annual show and competition. Yet as prized as these oversize jewel-toned fish may be among collectors, a small segment of this scaly population fall between societys cracks.

These are the vagabond koi, fish whove been abandoned, neglected, orphaned by an owners death or whove become too numerous or costly to maintain. Fortunately for the homeless fish, they have a protector.

Over the past three years, Jerry Myers of Lakeside has rescued nearly 3,000 koi from ponds around the county and, in most cases, found them new homes. This weekend, Myers will host a Vagabond Koi booth at the show with 150 young fish available for adoption.

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30th Annual San Diego Koi Show

When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 4. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday March 5.

Where: Del Mar Fairgrounds Activity Center, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar

Admission: Free. Parking is $13.

Details: koiclubofsandiego.org, vagabondkoi.org

The koi rescue group is just Myers latest cause. Before that, he ran an Australian shepherd rescue organization. Born into an overcrowded home in New York 62 years ago, Myers and several siblings were moved to a Catholic youth home, where he lived from ages 9 to 15. The experience of losing his family and home left a permanent impression on him and a desire to help others in need.

Im kind of an odd character, said Myers, who edits the koi clubs newsletter. If I see an animal in trouble. I have to help it. I guess Ive just got a heart for animals.

Vagabond Koi got its start in 2014, when Myers was working as an administrator at a medical office. A patient called in and asked if anybody would like some baby koi. Myers and his wife, Diane Conger, live on a 1.5-acre property where hes maintained his own koi pond for 18 years.

Jerry Myers runs a koi sanctuary at his ranch in Lakeside. Over the past three years, he has rescued and re-homed nearly 3,000 San Diego County koi. (John Gastaldo / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Figuring they had the room in their pond to help out, he drove out, netted the fish and brought them home with the goal of sharing them with other club members.

Then in May 2014, the Cocos Fire swept through the Harmony Grove Spiritualist Association and destroyed much of the community. The pastors home was gutted and the fish in his koi pond were suffocating in the ash-choked water. Cal Fire and San Diego Humane Society officials tracked down Myers for help.

He cleaned, stabilized and aerated the pond, built a new holding tank on his own property and then with the help of club members, netted and moved all of the surviving the fish to Lakeside for safe-keeping.

When the pastor decided against rebuilding five months later, he gave Myers permission to find new homes for the fish. Myers gave away all but one, who he calls Lady Matilda.

Mike Poyner, an attorney in Mission Hills who serves with Myers on the Koi Clubs volunteer committee, said the fire awakened a giving spirit in Myers.

Jerry has a very caring heart and hes a man of action. When he sees something wrong, its like instead of cursing the darkness he lights a candle, Poyner said. He has unlimited energy and an unlimited desire to respond when someone needs help.

There are many reasons people give up their koi. The fish can live up to 100 years and outlive their owners; the cost for electricity and water bills may become too expensive; or the fish may spawn and overwhelm the pond with babies. But the most common reason is the fish can grow from three inches to a foot in length in just a year, and homeowners either buy too many starter fish or their pond isnt big enough to accommodate the adults.

After news reports aired about the Harmony Grove fish rescue, Myers could barely keep up with demand for his free services. He went from one in-ground pond for his personal collection of 30 fish to a peak of 14 ponds, and his electric bill rose from $300 to $1,100 a month.

Eventually he installed solar panels to cut his power bills, started a nonprofit to accept public donations and found a company that donates up to 100 pounds of feed pellets every month.

These days, with donations and a part-time job maintaining koi ponds for three corporate and private customers, he said hes finally breaking even.

Myers now has about 300 fish in six ponds on his property. His new rule is to arrange a new adoptive home for rescued koi before he ever collects them, so they dont have to endure the trauma of being moved twice. Places that received rescued koi include the Catamaran Resort, the Bahia Resort Hotel, the Deer Park Monastery in Escondido and the Mission San Antonio in Pala.

Not everyone who wants to adopt a koi can have one. Sometimes well-meaning homeowners attempt to rescue koi on their own and dont realize the danger of mixing fish with different immunities, or they mistakenly put the fish in tap water, which has chlorine that will burn their gills and kill them.

Myers said he likes to re-home fish with homeowners who have some experience raising koi. He requires a 1,000- to 1,200-gallon pond for three fish. He wants the pond to be properly filtered, free of harmful bacteria and reasonably safe from predators like herons and raccoons.

Myers doesnt charge for his services or the fish, though he asks for a donation to cover equipment and expenses. The adoptable fish hell have at the Koi Show this weekend will be $20 each, with all proceeds benefiting Vagabond Koi. Hell also have a booth of artwork and other merchandise donated by club members. All sale proceeds will benefit the charity.

Although Myers has become well-known in the koi community for rescuing fish and helping homeowners rebuild their ponds, he generally shies away from publicity, which Poyner said is typical of his humble nature.

Jerry has become the Johnny Appleseed of koi, planting homeless koi on ponds all over San Diego County, Poyner said. He never boasts about his accomplishments and he makes a friend out of every person he meets.

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
A mixed-use project with 106 apartments got the all-clear this week from the Carlsbad City Council for construction on Carlsbad Village Drive just west of Interstate 5, a key entrance to the city.

Part of the 2.23-acre site is vacant, where a Chevron service station was razed years ago, and the rest is an aging Dennys Restaurant that will be demolished to make way for the Carlsbad Village Lofts development.

This will make a very nice gateway project for the city, Councilman Michael Schumacher said just before the council unanimously approved the project Tuesday. We are seeing a nice blend in the Village of some old and some new, and I think this project contributes nicely to the new.

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Construction is expected to begin in about a year and take roughly 18 months to complete, said the projects applicant, Evan Gerber of the San Diego-based Gerber Group.

Several people at Tuesdays meeting praised the buildings design and its adherence to smart growth principles. The location is near public transportation, with easy pedestrian access, and nearby jobs, retail shops, parks and other services needed by residents.

Though the project is close to Interstate 5, its designed to shield residents from traffic noise, with an access hallway to serve as a sound barrier between the apartments and the freeway, Gerber said.

One downtown resident objected to the increased traffic the project would bring, but a traffic expert said there will be only a slight increase over the daily trips now generated by the Dennys.

Plans call for three retail shops, a small office and one live-work apartment on the ground floor. All the parking for the project is included on the site, with most of it, 173 spaces, in an underground structure.

The upper three stories will have one-, two- and three-bedroom rental apartments, with a rooftop deck, all served by an elevator. The residential lobby will be at the northwest corner of the building.

Also included will be 16 apartments designated for qualified low-income residents.

The architectural style of the building is described as an incorporation of two different styles of California Craftsman, with the southern portion topped by a butterfly roof thats lowest in the center and pitched up on the sides.

It also incorporates solar panels and solar hot water heaters in efforts to conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gases.

The buildings height reaches 45 feet, which is the citys limit for the village, and two features  the butterfly roof and the top of the elevator shaft  extend above the limit.

In January the city Planning Commission, concerned about the height of the 59-foot elevator shaft, asked Gerber and his staff to look for ways to lower it. The teams architect, Doug Austin, said Tuesday they could only lower it a little more than one foot, but any more than that would be unsafe.

Councilman Keith Blackburn said the height creep is a concern, but its outweighed by the projects many benefits.

That entrance of our city has looked very poorly for so long, Blackburn said, and the building is going to be a great addition.

The site is historically significant to Carlsbad. Before the gas station was built there, that lot was home to one of Carlsbads early mayors, Jane Sonneman, in a house built about 1919.

philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @phildiehl
The Imperial Beach City Council voted Wednesday to extend its emergency ordinance that temporarily suspends commercial non-medical marijuana activities in the city.

The ordinance prohibits cultivation, possession, manufacturing, distribution and delivery and the sale of marijuana for recreational use.

It also prohibits personal outdoor growing of marijuana plants at private residences, unless its cultivation is for medical purposes and not prohibited by the citys code.

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During the initial moratorium, city staff members studied the regulation of non-medical marijuana uses, including how other cities in the state have regulated non-medical marijuana, and looked at public opinion on uses in other jurisdictions.

The extension allows city staff to continue its research.

Its effective for 10 months and 15 days and begins immediately. The city can extend the ordinance twice to run for a maximum of two years.

Council members voted Feb. 1 to enact the emergency ordinance. It was set to expire March 17 without the extension.

In addition to extending the ordinance, the City Council created a temporary marijuana committee, comprised of Councilwoman Lorie Bragg and Councilman Mark West.

The committee will evaluate land use considerations, meet with individuals and groups for and against non-medical uses, hold at least one community meeting for input, and ultimately compile all the information and present it to the council.

While Imperial Beach currently prohibits medical marijuana dispensaries, cooperatives and collectives as well as cultivation, it allows primary caregivers to grow medical marijuana for qualified patients.

Last November, California voters passed Proposition 64, legalizing the use of recreational marijuana by adults 21 and older.

The measure allows for certain local control over non-medical marijuana commercial activities, including a prohibition on such uses. It also allows cities to regulate the cultivation of marijuana outdoors and limits indoor cultivation to six plants for each adult in a private residence.

Currently El Cajon, National City, Poway, San Diego and San Marcos and the county have approved similar moratoriums.
The joy will always outweigh the struggles...grab the world and get what you need from it.

Those are words of advice from the chief nursing officer at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center to new moms who are having a difficult time.

Christine Basiliere worked her way up the ladder at the hospital over nearly three decades, beginning as a labor and delivery nurse out of college.

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This unit has always been my heart, Basiliere said. I always knew I was lucky to have this job. Its amazing to watch a baby be born and be part of that experience.

On Feb. 21, the maternity unit celebrated its 25th anniversary and the birth of nearly 80,000 babies.

About 3,000 babies are delivered each year at Sharp Chula Vista, with anywhere from two to 15 babies born each day, Sharp hospital officials said.

Last week, Linda Dominguez, 40, made a surprise visit to the maternity unit with her 22-year-old son Christian.

Its because of Chrissy that I became a nurse, Dominguez said.

She met Basiliere 22 years ago going into labor as a scared, single 18-year-old.

Leading up to her delivery, Dominguez said shed been judged by people for getting pregnant at such a young age and out of wedlock.

I felt the discrimination, people looking at me, she said.

But she wasnt judged by Basiliere.

Her bedside manner was just the best, Dominguez said.

One doctor told Dominguez after two hours of pushing that he was going to perform a C-section if she couldnt perform.

Chrissy was the one that said, its OK you can do this.

Christian was born at 9 a.m. on May 27, 1994.

Dominguez said it was the way Basiliere treated her that inspired her to pursue a career in nursing.

That was when I knew, I want to do what she does, Dominguez said. I want (other) people to feel the way she made me feel.

Today Dominguez works 12-hour shifts as a licensed vocational nurse at the Veteran Affairs Medical Center, caring for paralyzed veterans with spinal cord injuries.

Dominguez said her patients fight over her.

I love it, and I know (Basiliere) has a lot to do with that. Dominguez said. I try to comfort them because some of these guys dont have anyone.

Dominguez said shes giving herself five years to become a registered nurse.

Basiliere said she believes being an inspiration is what all nurses hope for, but you dont always know that it happened.

Its beautiful to see, she said. And I feel really lucky.

Christian Sin recalled as a child how his mother struggled to support him and other siblings who came along.

Dominguez was raising three children while she was going to school and working two jobs.

Today she has four kids of her own and two stepdaughters.

Just seeing how much she did for me and the girls...it was never easy, but she was able to provide for us, Sin said.

It was because of that struggle that Sin recognized early on the importance of education.

Hes currently going to school for technical theater and makes short films.

The thing I always try to tell them is to work hard, Dominguez said. You cant be lazy. Otherwise youre not going to get anywhere.
Folks who declare that only a herd of wild horses could drag them to a concert of new  or even new-ish  music should have been climbing into their saddles on Wednesday evening to tie up at UC San Diegos Conrad Prebys Concert Hall.

They would have been lucky to grab one of the few remaining seats as Palimpsest  UCSDs resident new music ensemble  took the stage to perform music that bookended three decades: Penthode by Elliott Carter, Gyorgy Ligetis Piano Concerto  both from 1985  and the world premiere of UCSD music doctoral candidate Tobin Chodos Accord in the Corral, finished just last year.

Chodos Accord is a witty, subversively comic, meditation on the fertilizing power of dissent, and the deadening sterility of manufactured accord. Every sound in this piece is American  from the cowboy brashness of the opening, where the corral of the title encloses a frisky herd of horses running at full tilt in every gait you can think of (trotting, cantering, galloping) to the drunken tootling of a really bad dance band toward the end, before the horses decide theyve had enough and break out to celebrate the benefits of a little anarchy.

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Of this kind of new music, we cant have too much.

Carters rarely heard Penthode amplified into a special occasion by conductor Aleck Karis brief talk-with-excerpts preceding the performance. This short glimpse opened pathways into a layered interior and made a beneficial difference in the audiences experience. This is music of beautiful, astonishing paradox: Carters magic is that the whole of the piece both unfolds and is at the same time completely present in a structural sense from the first notes. To say that the players gave a masterly performance is to understate their achievement. Salutes all around. It would be difficult to imagine that Penthode was played any better at its July 1985 premiere in London, led by Pierre Boulez.

Ligetis music is being performed more recently, mainly on recital programs, where young pianists seem to have re-discovered the virtues of music that is both challenging (not conventionally melodic, always rhythmically complex) and beautiful.

But his Piano Concerto (started in 1985, finished in 1988) stands as a lonely monument, widely acclaimed and little heard. One only had to watch the stage Wednesday night to know why. This is fiendishly difficult music, requiring the accompanying ensemble to match the virtuosity of the pianist, or be lost in the backwash of a piece that starts like a jet plane and retains a fast inner pulse even when it seems to be slow. The soloist was pianist Todd Moellenberg, also a doctoral degree candidate at UCSD. Elegantly lean, sartorially adventurous, and completely undaunted by a piano part that is, I think, actually beyond human capability, he left not a note under the keyboard. Dynamite.

I have not mentioned individual players, and we cannot omit them, every single one an important soloist at some point. As they appeared in Penthode: Michael Matsuno (piccolo/alto flute), Sarah Skuster (oboe/English horn), Michiko Ogawa (clarinet/E-flat clarinet), Madison Greenstone (bass/contrabass clarinet), David Savage (bassoon), Jane Zwerneman (horn), Stephanie Richards (trumpet), Rachel Allen (trumpet), Eric Starr (trombone), Bryan Smith (tuba), Dan King (percussion), Ben Rempel (percussion), Sean Dowgray (percussion), Kyle Adam Blair (piano), Tasha Smith Godinez (harp), Erik Carlson (violin), Batya MacAdam-Somer (violin), Travis Maril (viola), T.J. Borden (cello), Judith Hamann (cello), Matthew Kline (double bass).

Keep your horse and saddle handy. You dont want to miss another one of these.

Overton is a freelance writer.
With the Navys blessing, both the Coronado Unified School District and city officials will stop participating in the increasingly elaborate funeral processions to honor SEALs and other sailors killed overseas.

The move comes after discussions between the City of Coronado, school leaders and Capt. Scott T. Mulvehill, commander of the sprawling Naval Base Coronado on North Island.

Although more than 3,000 students participated in the events and the processions snaked from the base through the citys streets on the way to national cemeteries in Miramar and Fort Rosecrans, many pupils had become traumatized by thoughts of their own deployed parents dying overseas, and city leaders fear potential terror attacks, officials said.

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Everyones heart was in the right place. Were just saying that pragmatically  from our standpoint worrying about the safety of the community, and the school district worrying about the safety and the psyches of their students  we had to come up with a different plan, said Coronado City Manager Blair King. Our concern is communicating that with the public. Were no less supportive than we ever have been, but we just cant keep continue to have these types of processions.

It became clear to me, after my conversations with officials from the City of Coronado, that ensuring security and safety for all of our students and the residents of Coronado throughout the procession was an incredibly difficult task for our Coronado Police Department, said school district superintendent Karl Mueller.

The son of a Marine and grandson of a sailor who fought in World War II, Mueller said that the schools lacked enough counselors before and after the processions to offer emotional support to children who became worried about their fates of their parents overseas.

Coronados King said that the processions ballooned after 2010. They started as informal but patriotic gatherings of Coronado residents  often after short notice from Navy commanders on North Island  but became mass media affairs with procession routes printed ahead of time, with thousands of outsiders crowding onto the island.

In terms of a target, were publicizing a SEAL military funeral and that information is being picked up by national news outlets, King said. We cant control who comes here.

The discussions between city, school and Navy officials appear to have picked up speed after the Nov. 1 procession to honor Chief Petty Officer Jason C. Finan, 34, an explosive ordnance disposal technician who died fighting Islamic State militants in Iraq.

The school district had posted the entire student body  more than a third of whom are the children of military members  along the procession route, with more than 2,000 standing solemnly along Sixth Street.

That echoed the May 13th parade for Chief Special Warfare Operator Charles Keating IV. The 31-year-old SEAL died while repelling a ferocious onslaught by masses of Islamic State attackers in Iraq.

Before that, student participation appeared to be sporadic, Mueller said. He counted only three events over the past eight years in which the entire study body turned out.

Weve had no pushback, but there have been a few members of our community who have expressed disappointment because they thought it was a good moment for reflection and added dignity to the procession, Mueller said. That being said, when were able to articulate the why behind the decision, everyone understands.

The San Diego Union-Tribune canvassed school districts and municipal officials in other military towns nationwide and found that Coronado seems to be unique how it handles processions.

Staffers at the Indian River Central School District outside Fort Drum in New York, the Killeen Independent School District near the sprawling Texas base of Fort Hood and the Anchorage School District serving Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson said that they never converted armed forces funerals into mandatory school events.

Even Mokapu Elementary School on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, home to the Marines Third Infantry Regiment, has not participated in funeral processions.

Educators told the Union-Tribune that they shared Muellers concerns about how small children would mentally process these tragedies and suggested that those discussions were best conducted by military parents and their commanders, not teachers and administrators.

That perspective was echoed by Navy leaders on North Island.

The practice started from a good place, but when we learned that young students were being traumatized by these events we wanted to show the city and school district that we could enjoy the same level of patriotism through other programs, said Sandra DeMunnik, spokeswoman for Navy Base Coronado.

DeMunnik pointed to other projects that occur annually both on base and in town, including SEAL-sponsored training for Junior ROTC cadets, the school districts Bring a Vet to Work Day and field trips that immerse pupils in the Navy experience on North Island.

We dont question their patriotism in any way, DeMunnik said. We have great relationships with Coronado and other surrounding communities and their school districts. We all want the same thing.

The reaction of everyone here was pretty much the same  why are we doing this? Why are we sending the message that the only time we care is when someone comes home to be buried? We love to see people lining the streets to honor our fallen sailors, but we didnt want to send a message that it was the only way to welcome service members home.

Coronados King said that city police would continue to escort processions through town to the national cemeteries, but the patrolmen will take the fastest and most efficient route.

Were as patriotic as ever and will continue to be as patriotic as ever, and well still encourage individual citizens to do whatever they feel right to do, King said. Were going to get our big ladder truck and fly the flag off of that, but we expect it to be a direct route and it will go back to what it was in 2010 and 2011  much lower key and indigenous to Coronado.

Military Videos  On Now D-Day paratrooper from Coronado jumps again in France  at age 96 On Now Remembering war's fallen, one name at a time On Now In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II 1:43 On Now Video: Navy's newest vessel sails into San Diego and a new future in surface warfare On Now Video: U.S. Navy files homicide charges over warship collisions On Now Stopping Marine hazing On Now Video: U.S. Navy Air Crew Grounded After Creating Vulgar Sky Drawing On Now Navy says Asia Pacific ship collisions were avoidable On Now Hundreds of recruits get sick at Marine boot camp On Now Cutler Dawson Talks Navy Federal

cprine@sduniontribune.com
In this weeks Back Story, staff writer Jeanette Steele discusses todays San Diego In Depth cover story about the campaign to wean military veterans off prescription painkillers, following a national epidemic of addiction.

Q: Why focus on this topic regarding veterans?

A: I write about veterans, but my special focus is Iraq and Afghanistan combat vets because so many were stationed in San Diego County and remain here after leaving uniform.

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I knew that prescription painkiller abuse was a national problem. But I didnt know until this reporting that veterans are a special case, particularly post-Sept. 11 vets.

The amount of mental and physical injury and chronic pain that they report upon returning home has made them likely to get prescriptions for drugs such as oxycodone and the like.

Q: What was the hardest part of this story to get?

A: It was fairly easy to pile up interviews with experts who described the whys and wherefores of new safety protocols for these opioid-based drugs. But I knew we had to find someone whose life was touched by this addiction. That was hard.

It took several weeks of calls and pestering, but I finally found two recent veterans who fit the description. One was initially willing, but then his concern won out. He was anxious that he might be forever branded as a former addict if he appeared in the story.

Luckily, I also discovered Jeremy Thomas, the former Camp Pendleton Marine featured in the piece.

Jeremys life has progressed to a place that he is willing to discuss his story, in the hope that it will help others. He is only 25, and his journey from young, war-bound Marine to addict and criminal happened in the space of just a few years. The pace of it is stunning.

After a lot of hard work and loss, he has regained a somewhat normal life. He lives in a house with roommates and his dog, Ella, and is attending college. We are really fortunate to have him in the story.

Q: Did anything about this topic surprise you?

A: I didnt know the history of how the painkiller epidemic started. I just assumed that doctors had always prescribed drugs such as oxycodone. The business story  and criminal case  behind the marketing of OxyContin are eye-opening.

Also, I think its interesting that the medical community now sees its own culpability. I asked one VA doctor in an interview if he and other doctors feel chagrined about their past prescribing practices. He said, simply, yes.

Q: How did you get the veterans beat?

A: By accident! I joined the paper in June 2001, just prior to the Sept. 11 attacks. My part-time assignment as a Marine Corps reporter became full time, and later I covered the Navy and added veterans.

World War II and Vietnam war veterans shaped the course American history after they returned home. How the Iraq and Afghanistan generation will make its mark, thats a subject I find fascinating.

Military Videos  On Now D-Day paratrooper from Coronado jumps again in France  at age 96 On Now Remembering war's fallen, one name at a time On Now In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II 1:43 On Now Video: Navy's newest vessel sails into San Diego and a new future in surface warfare On Now Video: U.S. Navy files homicide charges over warship collisions On Now Stopping Marine hazing On Now Video: U.S. Navy Air Crew Grounded After Creating Vulgar Sky Drawing On Now Navy says Asia Pacific ship collisions were avoidable On Now Hundreds of recruits get sick at Marine boot camp On Now Cutler Dawson Talks Navy Federal

jen.steele@sduniontribune.com

Facebook: U-T Military

Twitter: @jensteeley
Several dozen Camp Pendleton Marines and sailors representing various units were honored for outstanding service at the Oceanside Chamber of Commerces annual Enlisted Recognition Reception on Feb. 23 at the Veterans Association of North County.

Among the awardees were Marine of the Year and Sailor of the Year picked by unit commanders for their top performance.

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The Oceanside Chambers Military Spouse of the Year, Suzan Simon, was also announced with finalists Leigh Thoman and Toni Stinson.

Congressman Darrell Issa, R-Vista, addressed the troops along with keynote speaker Col. John R. Polidoro Jr., commanding officer of Headquarters and Support Battalion at Camp Pendleton.

The 36 awardees were presented with plaques from the Oceanside Chamber and certificates from Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood, Supervisor Bill Horn, Assemblyman Rocky Chavez, state Sen. Pat Bates and Issa.

The Oceanside Chambers Military Affairs Committee established the Enlisted Recognition Program in 2001 as a way for the business community to recognize the excellence of the local enlisted personnel, said Chamber CEO Scott Ashton.
A push to scrap requirements to run public notices in newspapers pits Gov. Scott Walker, who says the move would bring government into the 21st century, against critics who say it would hurt the publics right to know.

Walker, in his proposal for the states 2017-2019 budget, offers what he describes as a government reform measure affecting legal requirements for printing, mailing and publishing public notices.

It would give state and local agencies the option to publish certain public notices on their websites instead of in a local newspaper. Some lawmakers are offering a separate bill that would extend an online-only publishing option just to local governments.

Proponents say the measures would save money for taxpayers while updating how government disseminates information in the digital age. Walker spokesman Tom Evenson said in a statement that the governors proposal would modernize government services, create efficiencies, and cost savings for taxpayers.

More people are sharing more information digitally every day, and government should be expected to keep up with these basic technological advancements, Evenson said.

Critics say the changes would be a blow to the publics ability to learn about government business. Beth Bennett, executive director of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, said the internet  far from being what birthed these proposals  is only the latest means some are using toward the end of jettisoning newspapers as independent stewards of public information.

Way before the internet was an issue, it was just a cost issue, Bennett said. Thats the reason that newspapers were entrusted (with public notices)  so government doesnt have to report on itself.

Thats what this legislation would do: it would allow government to report on itself.

Not all public notices are affected by the proposed changes. Walkers plan would not apply to notices of upcoming public meetings or hearings, or to court-ordered notices for foreclosure and unclaimed property, according to the newspaper association.

Types of notices that would be affected include so-called proceedings notices of public meeting minutes, budgets and ordinances. Current law generally requires governmental units to print such notices in a newspaper published in the affected jurisdiction. The Wisconsin Newspaper Association collects and publishes all public notices online at the wisconsinpublicnotices.org website.

Sen. Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, and Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac, are sponsoring companion bills that would give the online-only publishing option to local governments.

The proposals are part of a national effort to roll back publishing requirements for public notices. At least 12 states are considering legislation that would move all or most of their official notices from newspapers to websites operated or controlled by government units, the Public Notice Resource Center reported last month.

Local government advocacy groups are among the supporters of the Stroebel-Thiesfeldt bill. Dan Rossmiller, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, said it could results in cost savings for districts, albeit on a scale that is not huge. The issue is more about local control, he said.

Our intent, really, is to let school boards decide how they want to distribute the information, Rossmiller said.

Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling, of La Crosse, has spoken out against Walkers proposed changes.

The Legislature should remove this policy change from the budget and force Gov. Walker to explain why he wants to limit public oversight, Shilling said in a statement.

State Rep. Todd Novak is uniquely positioned to address the issue, having served both as a newspaper editor for 25 years and as mayor of Dodgeville.

In a recent Wisconsin State Journal op-ed piece, Novak, R-Dodgeville, argued against Walkers proposed changes. Novak said they could cause particular harm in parts of rural Wisconsin, where he wrote that newspapers are the lifeblood of a community and sometimes the only convenient source of information.

By allowing the electronic option, we are cutting off a source of information to our constituents, our taxpayers and the people who hold us accountable, Novak wrote. At this time, the savings obtained by not publishing notices does not outweigh the publics right to know.

The Legislature should remove this policy change from the budget and force Gov. Walker to explain why he wants to limit public oversight.

Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling of La Crosse
The crisis over the last few weeks at Oroville Dam was about how to handle large amounts of water flowing into the lake with both of the reservoirs spillways damaged.

But there also was a seismic element at play as well. As Lake Oroville swung from being at 41% of capacity to 101% in just two months, scientists are asking whether the filling of the reservoir at the fastest rate in at least a generation can produce a damaging earthquake.

No one knows for certain, but the question has been a source of debate since shortly after the nations tallest dam was built, and a magnitude 5.7 earthquake occurred that some believe was related to an unprecedented lowering and rise of reservoir levels. Moreover, two small were detected last month soon after Lake Oroville began rushing over its emergency spillway.

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About a day and a half after officials ordered mass evacuations of more than 100,000 people downstream of Oroville Dam  fearing the collapse of a hillside eroded by the overflowing lake  two tiny temblors were recorded. They struck in the early hours of Valentines Day, just before 3 a.m.: a magnitude 0.8, and then a 1.0.

Those earthquakes were so small a human wouldnt be able to feel them at the surface. But given how close they were to the dam, and the relationship between some man-made reservoirs and earthquakes, researchers gave the temblors special attention.

Its obviously something that needs to be carefully monitored, U.S. Geological Survey research geophysicist Justin Rubinstein said of the need to carefully monitor dam sites for human-triggered earthquakes.

But in general, when you see seismicity induced by reservoirs, its generally sort of in the beginning of the lifetime of the dam, Rubinstein said.

Thats what some scientists believed happened at this reservoir in 1975, seven years after Oroville Dam was completed.

Lake Oroville had been filled before. What made the winter of 1974-75 unusual was that water levels had to be reduced to their lowest level since the reservoir was first filled to repair intakes to the hydroelectric power plant.

Months later, there was an unprecedented refilling of the lake that ended in June 1975.

Then the earthquakes started.

Instead of fewer than five earthquakes a month in a zone within 25 miles from the dam, as had been the case for the previous year, June and July suddenly saw more than 10 earthquakes each month.

Then the largest earthquake in the sequence hit: a magnitude 5.7 on Aug. 1, 1975. It was strong enough to crack plaster and walls in Oroville and was felt as far away as San Francisco and Sacramento, where the Capitols dome suffered minor damage. The 50-person staff of Treasurer Jesse Unruh was ordered to evacuate its office.

That August became a banner month for earthquakes around Oroville Dam  more than 3,000 temblors were recorded, before fading to more than 700 a month later and over 100 by October.

Not all scientists agree that the earthquakes were triggered by human activity. But two state seismologists who authored a study in the journal California Geology offered an argument that the events were influenced by the operations of the man-made reservoir.

That Oroville earthquake was similar to a well-established example of a human-triggered quake seen after the construction of the Koyna Dam in western India in 1962. The major burst of seismicity did not occur upon initial filling, but occurred several years later following an unprecedented seasonal refilling in each case, wrote authors Tousson Toppozada and Paul Morrison Jr., who respectively worked for the California Division of Mines and Geology and the California Department of Water Resources.

The Koyna Dam is believed to be related to a magnitude 6.2 earthquake in 1967, which killed 200 people.

There is other well-established evidence for reservoir-caused earthquakes, Rubinstein said, such as the construction of Hoover Dam and the filling of Lake Mead. People started feeling earthquakes in an area with no historical seismicity, he said.

Other cases have been more controversial. Some independent scientists have said the 2008 magnitude 7.9 earthquake in China, which killed nearly 90,000 people, was linked to the filling of the reservoir behind the newly built Zipingpu Dam. Chinese authorities have argued vigorously that the dam was not the cause, said Ross Stein, an earthquake expert and founder of the website temblor.net.

Severe drought conditions are evident as hundreds of houseboats are dwarfed by steep banks showing the water level down 160 feet from the high-water mark at Bidwell Canyon Marina on Lake Oroville on June 21, 2014. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Lake Oroville once was the poster child of the California drought. In late 2015, the lake dipped to 26% capacity but began its recovery about a year ago, reaching a high of 96% capacity in May before being drawn down in the summer and fall.

What made this winter catch the eye of scientists, however, was how suddenly the reservoir filled up. Last year, it took five months to fill Lake Oroville; this winter, it took only two months.

Orovilles Valentines Day earthquakes have not been followed by additional, increasingly larger earthquakes. That makes it improbable that the microquakes would be the first dominoes in a lead-up to a damaging future earthquake, Rubinstein said.

By all accounts, the situation does not in any way look alarming, Stein said. But we recognize in the earthquake business that things dont look alarming until the earthquake occurs.

Indeed, the 1971 Sylmar earthquake and 1994 Northridge earthquakes came as surprises, said Peggy Hellweg, operations manager at the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory.

Anywhere in California, an earthquake could happen, and I would not be extremely surprised, Hellweg said.

There are two ways a reservoir can cause an earthquake. A rapid filling or emptying of a lake can change the weight pushing on a fault, which can make an earthquake more likely, said Bill Leith, acting associate director on natural hazards at the USGS.

Especially for a reservoir as large as Oroville, its a huge weight on the crust thats basically being pulled up and down on an annual cycle. So it wouldnt be surprising if there were earthquakes associated with that, Leith said. The rapid filling, I just think it increases the risk.  I would expect that a rapid rise or a rapid fall in the water level would be much more likely to trigger earthquakes.

On the other hand, Lake Oroville has been dealing with seasonal changes in water levels for nearly half a century, and for the most part, it has been seismically quiet. It appears to be a relatively stable system, Leith said.

The second way a reservoir can cause an earthquake is from added pressure. Water trickling deep into the earth can increase pressure underground that makes it easier for faults to move, according to seismologist Lucy Jones.

The pressure in the water sort of pushes the fault back apart, Jones said. The added water pressure underground essentially unclamps a fault  like loosening a vice that keeps two blocks of rocks stuck together  in a way that makes it easier for the earth to move.

It can take years for water to filter down into the deep crevices of the earth and add fluid pressure around the fault, Leith said. The dramatic fluctuation in reservoir levels in 1975 may have been the trigger point for the earthquake that year.

The adding of water deep underground also is what is causing human-induced earthquakes in Oklahoma and southern Kansas, as added fluid pressure unclamps the fault and triggers earthquakes, Leith said.

The 1975 Oroville quake may have released much of the seismic stress that had accumulated in the area. But I wouldnt put my reputation on that  just because its impossible to know whether there are faults nearby that are close to failure, Leith said.

This is a problem that we have everywhere where there are human-induced earthquakes, Leith said.

Its possible there is a fault on the brink of failure in the Oroville area. Even a seasonal change in reservoir levels could be the trigger that unlocks an earthquake.

We dont have ways of measuring how close to failure the faults are, Leith said. Its one of the challenges of seismology.

The California Department of Water Resources latest assessment of Oroville Dam indicates it would be stable under the current predicted level of seismic shaking, a statement from the agency said. The closest known fault is the Cleveland Hill fault, which ends about three miles southeast of the dam.

The states latest seismic evaluation of the dam, completed in 2014, said the dam is not in need of a retrofit. Even if a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck about three miles southeast of the dam, the dam would move up to 10 inches, which is minimal considering the dams giant size, the state concluded.

Other dams regulated by the state have been identified as in need in seismic retrofit, and are either in the planning process, undergoing construction or have had strengthening completed. They include Perris Dam in Riverside County, Calaveras and San Pablo dams in Alameda County, and Anderson, Calero and Guadalupe dams in Santa Clara County.

Chart source: California Geology

Chart source: California Department of Water Resources

ron.lin@latimes.com

@ronlin

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A Mexican businessman who as a member of the Sinaloa cartel was indicted on drug smuggling charges in 1995, was sentenced to 97 months in prison Friday.

Antonio Reynoso Gonzalez, 72, will actually spend less than five years in federal prison because he was given credit for 40 months of time served, including jail in Mexico while awaiting extradition to the U.S. That lowers his remaining prison time to 57 months.

The elderly Reynoso was one of 23 people indicted in 1995 for smuggling drugs. The indictment listed Joaquin El Chapo Guzman as the leader.

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Guzman went on to become the most notorious cartel leader in Mexico for more than a decade, evading capture at first and then escaping twice from custody, before being extradited to the U.S. this year. He is awaiting trial in New York.

Reynoso played a more minor role. His family had owned a food importing business in Los Angeles, according to court records, which Guzman used to add a veneer of legitimacy to his drug smuggling work.

In his plea agreement reached in November, Reynoso admitted paying to lease a warehouse in Mexico, knowing that it would be used to store drugs. He also admitted arranging for an 858-pound shipment of cocaine from Los Angeles to Chicago in 1994.

After the 1995 indictment Reynoso lived openly in Mexico for years, irking U.S drug enforcement officials. He was arrested on Nov. 30, 2013, in Mexico City. About two years later, in October 2015, he was extradited to the U.S.

In court Friday, Reynoso apologized for his conduct as his wife, three adult children and other family members looked on silently. His lawyer, Paul Turner, said his health has deteriorated over the past several years, and that he has heart disease

Reynoso earned the nickname The Engineer for his role pioneering one of the first large-scale, cross-border drug tunnels constructed underneath the U.S-Mexico border in 1993.

The tunnel began in Tijuana and ended just short of an Otay Mesa warehouse that Reynoso and his two brothers had purchased.

Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
A San Diego federal judge on Thursday tentatively approved the U.S. governments offer to pay $1 million to the children of a Mexican man who died after being beaten and shot with a Taser at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, ending seven years of litigation in the lawsuit that has brought national attention to use of force at the border.

The settlement, after attorney fees, will be dispersed among the five children of Anastasio Hernandez Rojas, including his 10-year-old son and daughter who appeared in court. The San Diego fifth-graders were 3 when their father was killed following the confrontation on May 28, 2010.

This agreement is not justice, said Hernandez Rojas common-law wife, Maria Puga, at a news conference following the hearing. My husbands life does not have a price. The decision had to be taken and it was difficult. We had to turn the page.

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The settlement required a judges approval because two of the children are minors.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Louisa Porter delayed signing the final order until she is certain the funds didnt need to go through probate.

I hope you use the funds so you can have a good life going forward, Porter told the two 10-year-olds, adding it is what their father would want. He came to this country to improve his life, and hed like to see your lives improved by virtue of all the sacrifices he made for you.

Attorneys for the government were not required to appear in court Thursday, and they didnt. A spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in San Diego declined to discuss the settlement and directed The San Diego Union-Tribune to the Department of Justice. The U.S. Attorneys Office in Phoenix, which handled the case, also declined to make a statement.

The case has shined a spotlight on use of force at the border and the lack of transparency at CBP, the nations largest law enforcement agency, which includes Border Patrol.

Because of the familys persistence, CBPs use-of-force manual was made public and studies were launched looking at the issue, said Pedro Rios, director of the U.S.-Mexico Border Program at American Friends Service Committee, an immigrant rights group in San Diego.

The family and immigration rights activists said the fight for justice at the border is far from over, especially in light of President Donald Trumps push to hire 5,000 additional Border Patrol agents and 10,000 immigration agents to increase border security.

Remember, in this case not only did agents take a life, but they attempted to destroy evidence, they dispersed witnesses, said attorney Andrea Guerrero, co-chair of the Southern Border Communities Coalition, a group of 60 immigration-rights organizations from San Diego to Brownsville, Texas.

We are at a crossroads.  Congress has the power of the purse. Congress has the power to exercise some level of accountability right now by conditioning any funding to this agency with meaningful oversight, accountability and transparency.

Attorney Eugene Iredale, who represented the family, said the case highlights the critical need for public awareness and involvement to prevent brutality. He lauded the two witnesses who stopped to record the beating on their cellphones  video that was shared around the world.

A judge has approved the U.S. governments offer to pay $1 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit involving the beating and Tasering of Anastasio Hernandez Rojas which will be divided between his two children.

Unfortunately the attitude that was so prevalent in what happened to Anastasio has now received a renaissance because of a new administration, Iredale said.

Hernandez Rojas, who had lived and worked in the U.S. illegally since he was 15, had just crossed illegally near Otay Mesa with his brother when they were caught by Border Patrol agents.

At a Border Patrol station, an agent told him to throw away a water jug then slapped it out of Hernandez Rojas hand when he appeared to misunderstand the command, according to the lawsuit. The agent threw him against a wall and kicked his legs apart, hitting metal pins in Hernandez Rojas ankle from a previous injury, the lawsuit said.

Hernandez Rojas requested medical attention and told a supervisor he had been roughed up but was ignored, according to the suit.

Authorities decided to send him back to Mexico immediately and took him to the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The agents took off his handcuffs and Hernandez Rojas put his arms down instead of behind his head, prompting the agents to try to restrain him. Hernandez Rojas fought their efforts, and two Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents rushed over to join in the struggle. They hit Hernandez Rojas with batons, held him face down on the ground and handcuffed him again, according to the lawsuit. Another agent kneeled on his back.

During the struggle, Hernandez Rojas can be heard on a witnesses video pleading for help and asking why are they treating him like an animal.

Hernandez Rojas again resisted efforts to get him into the vehicle to book him into custody, authorities said. More backup arrived, including several CBP officers. One shot him with a Taser and others held him face down and grabbed his legs.

They discovered that Hernandez Rojas had stopped breathing. He was taken to a hospital and put on a ventilator for two days before dying.

An autopsy concluded he had died of a heart attack and it listed numerous contributing factors, including methamphetamine intoxication, heart disease, the Taser shocks, the physical exertion and restraints. The autopsy stated he would not have died if he hadnt been under the influence of drugs, the Justice Department said.

Federal agencies, including the Justice Department and FBI, investigated the death but found there was not enough evidence to justify criminal charges against any of the 12 agents or officers involved. Iredale said there have been no sanctions against the agents or officers.

Its an embarrassment to this agency to continue to have the 12 agents working, the agents who killed my husband, said Puga, 46, who lives in San Diego with four of her children.

While this litigation is now over, there is still a pending complaint accusing the U.S. government of failing to properly investigate and prosecute the death before the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, an autonomous judicial body in Washington, D.C.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
Federal officials in the United States and Mexico announced on Thursday a joint investigation into a sewage spill in the Tijuana River that has polluted South County beaches as far north as Coronado  and which now looks to have been intentional as some elected leaders in San Diego suspected.

The U.S. and Mexican commissioners of the International Boundary and Water Commission said Thursday that the inquiry would look into when the spill occurred, the amount of sewage involved and why the agency and the public werent notified of the incident sooner. A binational working group will submit a report within 30 days.

We need to make sure the commission receives timely and accurate information when there are sewage spills in one country that affect the other, said U.S. Commissioner Edward Drusina in a statement.

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The decision comes as a growing number of officials in the U.S. have called for a probe into why sewage spewed into the river in Mexico, flowing north into the Pacific Ocean without any notification from authorities south of the border.

This historic and unprecedented binational investigation is necessary so that we can make sure this type of spill never happens again and start to build in accountability into binational environmental monitoring for the Tijuana River, said Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina, who has spearheaded the effort to bring attention to the spill.

Other elected officials who joined to call for an official inquiry included San Diego Councilman David Alvarez, Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey, Rep. Scott Peters and Rep. Juan Vargas. Dave Gibson, executive officer of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, also urged federal officials to look into issue.

Last week, the U.S. side of the International Boundary and Water Commission reported that an estimated 143 million gallons of the sewage had been discharged into the river starting on Feb. 6 and lasting for 17 days. However, in Thursdays statement, the agency said the duration and size of the spill have yet to be confirmed.

According to a document from Baja Californias State Public Service Commission, obtained Thursday by the Union-Tribune, the agency admitted to allowing wastewater to flow into the river but said that those diversions lasted only four days.

The statement, which was received through the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana, said that a wastewater collector collapsed near the confluence of the Alamar and Tijuana rivers and that the agency conducted repairs between Feb. 1 and Feb. 4, at which time is was necessary to allow wastewater to flow into the river.

No explanation was given as to why U.S. officials were not notified about the spill. The Mexican agency has said it will respond to The San Diego Union-Tribunes requests for comment but has yet to do so.

Hundreds of angry residents packed a public meeting on Thursday night held by the U. S. side of the International Boundary and Water Commission.

Tempers were running hot and a number of people the crowd began speaking out of turn. The issue that has long plagued the beaches of South County and the pent up frustration was palpable.

The report will cost taxpayers how much money to tell us what we already knew? said Imperial Beach resident Erik MacKenzie, 47, speaking over several people on the panel. We can walk to the beach and see the pollution and smell the pollution.

Steve Smullen, operations manager for the San Diego field office of the water commission, reassured the rowdy gathering that the commission would look into the issue. There are differing accounts regarding when the problem began, when repairs were completed, the amount of sewage that spilled, the period when sewage was flowing into the river, whether there was one event or multiple events that contributed, he said.

Because of the differences in the accounts, its important to investigate to determine what actually happened, he added.

Once residents had settled down, several elected officials spoke, including Carlsbad City Councilwoman Cori Schumacher, who said she drove two hours to attend the meeting. As a former resident of South County, she said the issue was very important to her.

My cousin surfed the Tijuana Sloughs and nearly lost his eye because bacteria crept into his optic nerve and nearly ate away at it, and also ate away at his skull and nearly got to his brain, she told the crowd. So what youre talking about here has very large personal relevance to me.

This amount of sewage spill is massive, she added. You can do something about it. The most powerful thing is being able to impact your elected officials.

A sign warns of sewage contaminated ocean waters on a beach on March 1, 2017, in Coronado, Calif. Coronado and Imperial Beach waters remain closed to swimmers and surfers after more than 140 million gallons of raw sewage spilled into the Tijuana River, according to a report. (Gregory Bull / AP Photo)

Starting in early February, residents started reported foul smells at shorelines from the border to Imperial Beach and eventually Coronado.

While cross-border sewage spills of a few million gallons are routine for the region  especially when heavy rains flood Tijuanas sewer system  this may have been one of largest such events in the past two decades, according to officials with the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board.

By comparison, there were 13 separate discharges in January and February of 2016 that spilled a total of about 27.6 million gallons of sewage, according to a monthly report from the regional water board.

Depending on how much of the sewage is flushed out to sea by recent storms, toxic materials may persist along the regions beaches into the spring and summer, according to the regional water board. South County beaches have been closed because of run-off pollution generated by rainfall.

San Diego Countys Department of Environmental Health expanded an existing beach closure on Tuesday because of sewage. The closure now includes the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Imperial Beach, the Silver Strand and Coronado.

Officials said warning signs will remain along the shorelines of those sites until the ocean is safe for recreational use.

Governments in Mexico and the U.S. have spent billions in taxpayer dollars to clean up sewage and other contamination in the river, including construction of several wastewater treatment plants in Tijuana.

Those efforts have made a significant difference, according to the water quality board. In the 1980s and 1990s, as much as 14 million gallons of sewage a day routinely flowed in the river into San Diego County, the agency said.

Twitter: @jemersmith

Phone: (619) 293-2234

Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com
Authorities investigating recent bomb threats against Jewish institutions across the country arrested a former journalist on Friday morning and said he was behind at least some of the threats, including one in San Diego, as part of a campaign to harass a woman.

According to the federal criminal complaint against 31-year-old Juan Thompson, he sent an email to the Jewish Community Center in San Diego on Feb. 20 that defamed his ex-girlfriend and claimed she put a bomb in the center to kill as many Jews asap.

This arrest appears to be the first made in response to a wave of bomb threats at Jewish centers and schools across the country. Headstones have also been vandalized at Jewish cemeteries in Missouri, Pennsylvania and, most recently, Upstate New York.

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The bomb threats against Jewish centers and schools in January and February brought the total number of incidents to 100 across dozens of states, according to the Jewish Community Center Association of North America.

The Jewish Community Center in University City was last targeted on Monday in the fifth wave of fake threats nationwide.

This threatening behavior, arriving at a time of increased anxiety over anti-Semitism, has prompted repeated frenzied evacuations and forced people to scramble from schools, offices and daycares, sometimes pushing cribs carrying young children.

Last month, a bomb threat was called in to the Anti-Defamation Leagues headquarters in New York. Police said that a search did not turn up a bomb.

The FBI arrested Thompson on Friday morning in St. Louis, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Southern District of New York.

In San Diego, the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center and the regional office of the Anti-Defimation League applauded law enforcement efforts that led to Thompsons arrest.

The FBI is making this a priority, and that is good to know for the Jewish community, said Tammy Gillies, regional director for the Anti-Defamation League in San Diego.

Gillies said she hopes Thompsons arrest sends a strong message against hate crimes while bringing some peace of mind to Jewish communities.

In a statement, Michael Cohen, executive director for center in University City, said his facility will continue to be prepared to respond to any other future threats.

While these threats are being investigated, we remain vigilant, continue to take numerous security measures and are committed to the security and safety of our community above all else, he said.

Thompson is a journalist who was fired from the Intercept for fabricating quotes and misled colleagues in order to cover his tracks. In an editors note last year, the publication said Thompson had engaged in a pattern of deception and wrote that he created fake email accounts to impersonate people.

We were horrified to learn this morning that Juan Thompson, a former employee of The Intercept, has been arrested in connection with bomb threats against the ADL and multiple Jewish Community Centers in addition to cyberstalking, Charlotte Greensit, the Intercepts managing editor, said in a statement Friday. These actions are heinous and should be fully investigated and prosecuted.

Greensit said Thompson worked there from November 2014 until he was fired in January 2016.

Thompson was charged with cyberstalking for allegedly communicating at least eight threats to Jewish Community Centers as part of a sustained campaign of harassment targeting a woman. He is expected to appear in federal court later Friday.

The woman and Thompson had been in a romantic relationship, and after their relationship ended, he began sending defamatory emails and faxes to her workplace, making false reports of criminal activity by her and making threats to the Jewish centers in her name. Authorities also said some of his threats were made in his own name as a way to show the woman was trying to frame him.

According to the criminal complaint, in the San Diego threat, Thompsons email indicated his former girlfriend used to live in San Diego. She is from nyc and lived in San Diego before nyc... Ask her acquaintances she hates jews.

The complaint also points to his Twitter page, where he rails on his ex-girlfriend as a nasty nasty/racist #whitegirl. In one tweet, Thompson accused the woman of harassing and threatening him before saying she had framed him for a bomb threat to a Jewish Community Center.

Thompsons page also expresses disdain for President Donald Trump and white people generally. Trump earlier this week condemned the anti-Semitic threats and vandalism, his second such condemnation, but in a meeting with attorneys general he also questioned who was behind it and apparently suggested that it may have been the work of his political opponents.

Trump said that while the threats were reprehensible, sometimes its the reverse, according to two attorneys general at the meeting. He had also said last month that some bigoted sentiments were expressed by his opponents and it wont be my people, but will be done to make his supporters look bad.

The ADL said Friday it was told by law enforcement officials that the arrest was made in the case of a bomb threat against its offices as well as several other facilities.

The New York Police Department confirmed that an arrest was made and referred further questions to the FBI. The bureau did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The defendant allegedly caused havoc, expending hundreds of hours of police and law enforcement resources to respond and investigate these threats, James ONeill, the New York police commissioner, said in a statement. We will continue to pursue those who peddle fear, making false claims about serious crimes.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly recently pledged added support to Jewish communities after unacceptable and escalating threats and actual harassment directed at faith-based communities around the country, with a particular focus on threats to Jewish Community Centers.

In a statement, Kelly had said he was directing the agency to heighten our outreach and support to enhance public safety. As part of that, a branch of Homeland Security spoke with executive directors of the JCC association to offer more help with training and protective measures, he said.

Thompson was arrested in St. Louis, where the community was shaken after more than 150 headstones at a Jewish cemetery in suburban University City, Mo., were toppled or damaged. The complaint against him does not mention the cemetery vandalism or tie him to it.

On Thursday, the ADL said that at least 16 headstones were toppled by a cemetery in Rochester, N.Y., that it said has been used by the Jewish community there for nearly a century.

A number of headstones were recently vandalized and toppled over at Waad Hakolel Cemetery in Rochester, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D, said in a statement. Given the wave of bomb threats targeting Jewish community centers and disturbing vandalism at Jewish cemeteries nationwide, I am directing the state police to immediately launch a full investigation into this matter.
Environmentalists and animal advocates are seeking to halt San Diegos longtime practice of killing rats, crows, gulls and other predators of two endangered bird species that mate in Mission Bay Park.

They say less lethal methods, such as improved fencing and better maintenance of habitats for the endangered birds, could be more effective at protecting them and cost taxpayers less money.

They also say city and federal officials havent adequately studied the consequences of killing so many predators since the program began in 1991, analyzed whether environmental changes in the last 25 years might make new approaches more effective, or evaluated the risks for nearby domestic pets.

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City officials say they are required to protect the birds by the federal Endangered Species Act and that their predator management program was carefully developed in the 1990s with help from state and federal wildlife agencies and UC San Diego.

Concerns about the program prompted the San Diego Sierra Club, the San Diego Humane Society and nonprofit San Diego Animal Advocates to file papers this winter seeking to force further analysis before the program can continue.

RELATED: Proposals unveiled for transforming part of Mission Bay Park

The City Council is scheduled to vote on Tuesday whether to allow the program to move forward or halt it, which could jeopardize the endangered birds mating season that begins in April.

Its the first time in the 25-year history of the program that anyone has sought to block it, city officials said.

While federal efforts to protect species by killing their predators are often controversial, environmental groups typically focus only on efforts to kill so-called high-level predators like bobcats and mountain lions.

Its much less common for there to be controversy over government efforts to kill lower-level predators like the crows, rats, squirrels and snakes that threaten the two endangered birds: the California least tern and the light-footed Ridgways rail.

Environmentalists say its crucial to protect the two birds and their habitat because both play crucial roles in the local ecosystem, including preventing erosion, shrinking carbon emissions and reducing rises in sea level.

The papers filed by the environmentalists and animal advocates contend the citys predator management program in Mission Bay Park is not exempt from analysis required under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The city declared the program exempt from that law in December, as it has done each year for more than two decades, because the law grants exemptions to programs where regulatory agencies are using legally approved methods to protect the environment.

The Sierra Clubs appeal of the citys declaration contends that efforts to protect the environment that involve killing predators do not qualify under that exemption.

The appeal, written by club wildlife committee chair Renee Owens, stresses that the Sierra Club supports protecting the two endangered birds.

It is important to note that in no way do we disagree with what appear to be the ultimate goals of this project: specifically to aid in the recovery of endangered species, Owens wrote.

But the letter says the lack of environmental review creates doubts whether the program is having success, has been updated to include the best available science, and is a cost-effective use of the limited resources the city has to protect endangered species.

The letter also mentions anecdotal reports that hawks, owls and falcons have been captured or killed as part of the program.

And it urges more transparency about the program and thorough analysis of alternate approaches.

We do not approve of the prioritizing of projects that use conservation funds to maximize killing and removal of native species if and when other methods of prevention, including better site restoration, habitat and land procurement, fencing and other methods of deterrence could all be strategies not being fully implemented, Owens wrote.

The appeal filed by San Diego Animal Advocates focuses on the risk the program creates for domestic pets.

The setting of animal traps does not protect the environment or its natural resources, wrote Jane Cartmill, the groups leader. Some of the traps are baited with cat food, which actually lures both feral and domestic cats from nearby housing into the Least Tern habitat  an action in direct conflict with the stated goal of the project.

Cartmills letter also says the public should be given more information about the program so they can make better decisions.

The logic of killing members of many species in the attempt to protect individuals of two species is questionable at best, she wrote. The public should be able to evaluate whether there is a need for this project at all.

The Humane Societys appeal says simply that killing predators is not acceptable.

Suggesting we trap and kill one group of wildlife to save another is contrary to the mission of San Diegos oldest nonprofit, and not the answer, wrote Gary Weitzman, the societys chief executive. San Diego is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, and its our job to keep it that way.

In response to the appeals, city senior planner Myra Herrmann stressed that the program follows criteria established by several sets of approved rules and regulations.

The project is done in accordance with the Mission Bay Park Natural Resources Management Plan, Mission Bay Park Master Plan, the citys Environmentally Sensitive Lands Regulations in the San Diego Land Development Code, and the citys Multiple Species Conservation Plan, all of which were developed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Herrmann wrote.

Rebecca Schwartz-Lesberg, conservation director for the San Diego Audubon Society, said lobbying for alternative methods makes sense, but that killing predators is sometimes necessary.

Non-lethal predator control such as fences, hazing and trapping/relocating predators is best whenever possible, she said. When that fails, some predators are taken lethally and there are strict guidelines to make sure animals do not suffer. Its done only when the survival of endangered species depends on this.

Schwartz said that because development by humans has taken away natural nesting areas for the birds and left them with much smaller and more precarious nesting areas, its harder to preserve these species without killing predators.

The real problem sprouts from humans over developing and depleting precious habitats causing species to become endangered, she said.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Thursday that he will recuse himself from any investigations related to the 2016 presidential campaign, including any Russian interference.

The announcement comes a day after The Washington Post revealed that Sessions twice met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and did not disclose that fact to Congress during his confirmation hearing.

At that hearing, Sessions was asked what he would do if he learned of any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of the 2016 campaign, and said, I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.

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Democrats had been calling for weeks for Sessions to step away from the investigation, though he had resisted pressures to do so. On Thursday, some high-level Republicans joined in saying the former senator should recuse himself.

In a statement issued Wednesday night, Sessions said he never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false. A spokeswoman confirmed his meetings with Kislyak but said there was nothing misleading about what Sessions said to Congress.

The spokeswoman, Sarah Isgur Flores, said Sessions did not meet with Kislyak as a Trump supporter, but rather, in his capacity as a member of the Armed Services Committee. One meeting was in September; the other in July, when Sessions was approached after an event on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention.

President Trump said Thursday that he has total confidence in Sessions, who has come under fire for not disclosing his contacts with the Russian ambassador during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Speaking aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford in Newport News, Va., Trump told reporters that he was not aware of Sessionss contact with the Russian ambassador. Trump also said that Sessions probably testified truthfully during his confirmation hearing last month before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Asked earlier Thursday whether Sessions should recuse himself, Trump added: I dont think so.

But several top Republican lawmakers believe Sessions should recuse himself from ongoing investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election, including potential contacts between Trump campaign officials and associates and Russian officials.

The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Sessions met twice with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in 2016. When asked during his confirmation hearing about what he would do as attorney general if there were contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russian authorities, Sessions answered by saying that he had not been in contact with Russian officials during the campaign.

The meetings occurred during the height of concerns about Russian interference in the U.S. election and at a time when Sessions was a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, as well as a top Trump surrogate and adviser.

Democrats called on Sessions to resign, and several said he had perjured himself in his confirmation hearing. The swift response among some Republicans, although more muted, signaled increasing concern about the potential political fallout.

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) tweeted early Thursday that AG Sessions should clarify his testimony and recuse himself.

Chaffetz later told reporters: Lets let him clarify his statement, and I do think he should recuse himself. Asked whether his committee would investigate the matter, he said, There are things we are looking at.

Other calls for Sessions to step down came from across the GOP spectrum. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine,, who formally introduced Sessions at his confirmation hearing, said he should recuse himself from ongoing probes of Russian involvement. So did Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, who is held in high regard at the White House.

Republican Reps. Darrell Issa, R-Vista,, Raul R. Labrador, R-Idaho, and Barbara Comstock, R-Va. agreed. Comstock, who represents a swing district in Northern Virginia and is a former Justice Department official, said that Sessions needs to clarify any misconceptions from his confirmation hearing on the matter.

The episode marks the second time in Trumps nascent administration when the truthfulness of one of its top officials has come under scrutiny. In February, Trump fired his national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, after The Washington Post reported that he had not fully disclosed his contacts with Russian officials.

According to Justice Department officials, Sessions met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice in 2016, including a private meeting in September in his office.

In a statement following the revelations, Sessions denied that he had met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. He added: I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false.

On Thursday morning, Sessions told NBC News, I have said whenever its appropriate, I will recuse myself. Theres no doubt about that.

And White House press secretary Sean Spicer pushed back against calls for Sessions to recuse himself, telling Fox News, He was 100 percent straight with the [Judiciary] committee, and I think that people who are choosing to play partisan politics with this should be ashamed of themselves.

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis.. also noted that ongoing investigations have found no evidence that an American or a person in the Trump campaign was involved or working with the Russians.

Should he recuse himself? I think he answered that question this morning, Ryan told reporters during his weekly news conference. If he himself is the subject of an investigation, of course he would. If he is not, I dont see any purpose or reason for doing this.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) shared conflicting views on Sessions during back-to-back television interviews Thursday. Asked whether Sessions should recuse himself, he told MSNBCs Morning Joe, I think the trust of the American people  you recuse yourself in these situations, yes.

But McCarthy later told Fox News: Im not calling on him to recuse himself. I was asked on Morning Joe if he needs to recuse himself as going forward. As you just heard, Attorney General Sessions said he would recuse himself going forward  appropriate, and thats all my answer was.

Sessions has focused his response to the allegations on the substance of his conversations with Kislyak, which he said did not include talk about the campaign.

Many Democrats considered that a direct contradiction of Sessionss testimony in January, when he told Sen. Al Franken, R-Minn., that he had not spoken to Russian officials.

But Sen. Lindsey O. Graham, R-S.C., who considers Sessions a close friend, said, I dont think Jeff Sessions is a liar and argued that Sessions had not misled the Judiciary Committee because all of the questions were about campaign contacts.

But Sessions does owe it, quite frankly, to all of us to tell us what he talked about with Kislyak, Graham said.

Fallout from Sessions statements came as FBI Director James B. Comey made a previously scheduled visit to Capitol Hill to meet with the House Intelligence Committee. But Comey was once again unwilling to confirm whether the FBI is exploring ties between Trump campaign officials and the Russian government, according to Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.), the committees top Democrat.

We cant do a complete job unless the director is willing to discuss anything that they are investigating, Schiff said. At this point we know less than a fraction of what the FBI knows.

But Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the committees chairman, said Comey was very upfront with lawmakers.

Theres a lot more information  the FBI and intelligence agencies need to provide to our committees to aid ongoing congressional investigations, Nunes said. He added that he had no reason to believe that any information would be withheld from his committee.

Nunes also refused to call for Sessionss resignation, describing that outcry as a disagreement between the attorney general and some United States senators.

Senators who deal regularly with defense, foreign affairs or intelligence matters often meet with foreign officials. But as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sessions was less likely to meet with foreign ambassadors than foreign military leaders. The Post has spoken to all senators who served on the armed services panel in 2016. All of them said they had not met with Kislyak last year.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker,R-Tenn, said he met with Kislyak in 2016, but in the earlier part of the year before the presidential campaign intensified.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer D-N.Y., agreed Thursday that theres nothing unusual about lawmakers interacting with foreign diplomats but said that Sessions must be removed from any oversight of investigations of Russias alleged interference.

It would be of Alice in Wonderland quality if this administration were to sanction him to investigate himself, Schumer told reporters as he joined other top Democrats in calling on Sessions to resign.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement released late Wednesday that Sessions is not fit to serve as the top law enforcement officer of our country. On Thursday, more than 100 House Democrats followed suit. Every Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee also called for a criminal investigation of Sessionss comments during his confirmation hearing.

In an acknowledgment that Sessions is unlikely to step down, Schumer and other Democrats focused mostly on ensuring impartial investigations of Russian meddling in U.S. elections.

Better for the country if he resigns, but lets get an investigation going, he said.

Schumer also said that the Justice Departments inspector general should investigate whether Sessions made any attempts to thwart any ongoing Russia-related investigations. If lawmakers were not satisfied with the choice of independent counsel, Democrats would seek to revive an expired independent counsel law, but would rewrite it to empower a three-judge panel like the D.C. Circuit Court  not the attorney general  to appoint the special prosecutor.

Some Democratic senators called on Sessions to appear again before the Judiciary Committee to explain his relationship and conversations with Russian officials under oath. Others are encouraging congressional tax-writing committees to use their authority to review Trumps tax returns for any sign of Russian connections.

Demirjian, OKeefe, Horwitz and Zapotosky write for the Washington Post.
Three men forced a purse out of a womans hands at San Diego State after a Stevie Nicks concert Thursday night, university police said Friday.

The trio confronted the victim, who is not an SDSU student, in a parking lot just south of Viejas Arena around 11:30 p.m. Two of the men pushed her to the ground while one of them snatched her purse, police said.

The woman had been looking for a friend who also attended the Stevie Nicks concert at Viejas Areana, police Lt. Ronald Broussard said.

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She reported the robbery Friday.

The woman said the suspects were Latino men in their 30s. Two of them were described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, with average builds. One was wearing a green pullover sweater and jeans, and the second was wearing a black hoodie and jeans. The third suspect was said to be 5 feet 10 inches, either bald or with short hair, wearing a gray T-shirt and jeans.

Anyone with information was asked to call SDSU police at (619) 594-1991 or Crime Stoppers at (619) 235-8477.

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Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield on Thursday morning showed just how sticky the investigation into Russias alleged involvement in the 2016 election has become for some Republicans.

I think the trust of the American people, you recuse yourself in these situations, yes, McCarthy said on left-leaning MSNBCs Morning Joe when asked if Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions should recuse himself from investigations into the election allegations. The evening before, a Washington Post story showed he did not disclose meetings with the Russian ambassador when asked about them during his Senate confirmation hearing.

In the next hour, the Republican McCarthy was on right-leaning Fox & Friends, saying he never called on Sessions to relinquish control. McCarthy said the attorney general should just clarify what happened.

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Im not calling on him to recuse himself . Its amazing how people spin things so quickly, McCarthy said. Its amazing how this story comes out right after a great speech by this president, the timing. In his role as senator, hes going to meet with a lot of ambassadors. Thats his job.

By days end, Sessions had indeed recused himself from investigations into the presidential election won by his boss, Republican President Trump. But Californias 14 Congressional Republicans, half of whom are facing potentially tight battles to keep their seats in 2018, remained split  or noticeably silent  on what to do about Sessions.

Californias two Democratic senators and dozens of the states 38 Democratic House members quickly called on Sessions to recuse himself from Justice Department investigations into Russias election meddling, with many going further and saying he needs to resign. Even centrist Democrats like San Diegos Rep. Scott Peters said Sessions should resign.

Just four of Californias Republican House members called for Sessions to recuse himself on Thursday.

A week ago, Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista suggested Sessions should recuse himself, and added a special prosecutor could be necessary, during an appearance on HBOs Real Time With Bill Maher. On Thursday, he made sure everyone knew he was ahead of the pack  at least within the GOP.

The news breaking overnight reaffirms what I called for in an interview last Friday, that we need an independent review by a credible third party and that Attorney General Sessions should recuse himself from any investigation into Russia, Issa said in a statement. We need a clear-eyed view of what the Russians actually did so that all Americans can have faith in our institutions.

Later Thursday, Republican Reps. Ed Royce of Fullerton, Mimi Walters of Irvine and Steve Knight of Santa Clarita joined Issa, but only in his call for Sessions to recuse himself.

The four are among the seven Republican-held California districts national Democrats plan to target in 2018. Voters in each of the districts picked Hillary Clinton for president, and Issa won his ninth term with just 1,600 more votes than his challenger. Others, like McCarthy, are in districts that solidly voted for Trump, but have been encountering big protests at their town halls and offices, many focused on Trump and the GOPs plan to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.

Some of them are facing the most heated confrontations in their districts in years, and urging Sessions to recuse himself may be the first steps theyre taking to distance themselves from a president who is very unpopular in California.

Reps. Tom McClintock of Elk Grove, David Valadao of Hanford, Jeff Denham of Turlock and Paul Cook of Yucca Valley, did not respond to requests for their thoughts on Sessions.

Valadao and Denham are on Democrats target list in 2018. Though Clinton won their districts, theyve consistently won reelection and may not be too concerned. McClintock and Cook represent solidly red seats, although Cook faced a challenge from tea party favorite Tim Donnelly, a former state assemblyman, in the primary.

Another target for Democrats is Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, who represents a coastal Orange County district that went for Clinton. But hes also well established in his district, a well-known Russia dove and is unimpressed by the Sessions kerfuffle.

Big deal! Sessions is one of the most honorable figures on the Washington political scene. There is absolutely nothing wrong with him, as a senator or a campaign adviser, to have met briefly with the Russian ambassador to understand issues that might confront the next administration, he said in a statement, explaining that Sessions might not have understood the questions asked about his Russia contacts during the confirmation hearing.

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), who chairs the House intelligence committee, would not say during a news conference Thursday morning if he thought Sessions should relinquish control over an investigation. Nunes was a member of Trumps transition team and, with a solidly Republican district, has for months been tempering expectations about the investigation into Russias role in the election.

I have no idea, because we have no idea what  what he did or didnt do. So I think its up to the attorney general to talk to the senators if theres some disagreement there, Nunes told reporters.

Republican Duncan Hunter of Alpine, who was rumored as a potential cabinet candidate and is also from a safe Republican district, took the strongest stance in defense of Sessions: He accused the Democrats of being on a political witch hunt against Trump and his administration, saying that Sessions, who was a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee before he became attorney general, had every right to meet with the Russian ambassador.

Hunter suspects Sessions failure to disclose the meeting during his confirmation hearing was either an unconscious mistake or a misunderstanding. The attorney general likely interpreted the question to be about whether he met with the Russian ambassador on behalf of the Trump campaign, Hunter said.

I dont think he needs to recuse himself, but if he decides to just to calm everyone fears, thats fine too, Hunter said in a telephone interview.

Even with Sessions recusal, Californias vulnerable Republicans are likely to continue to feel pressure on the Russia investigation.

Rep. Adam Schiff of Burbank, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, appeared at the news conference midday Thursday with Nunes and had a decidedly different take than his fellow committee leader, saying for the first time that a special prosecutor should be appointed. Thats a step beyond simple recusal, which still allows Sessions deputy to be involved in the case. Later in the day, Schiff called on Sessions to resign.

After reviewing Attorney General Sessions testimony during his confirmation hearing and his statements this afternoon, I have come to the reluctant conclusion that the Attorney General should step down, Schiff said in a statement. As a Senator, Mr. Sessions demanded complete and truthful testimony by those appearing before him for confirmation, and I do not believe he met his own rigorous standard.

With that, Schiff joined a chorus of other Democratic voices  including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and Sen. Kamala Harris  who are still calling for the attorney general to step down.

phil.willon@latimes.com

Twitter: @philwillon

ALSO

Sessions says he will step aside from Russia investigation

Who is Sergey Kislyak, and how did he become the hottest meeting ticket in Washington?

Sessions contact with Russian ambassador during campaign sparks an uproar

UPDATES:

5:41 p.m.: This article was updated with additional response and other details.

This article was originally published at 2:45 p.m.
JANESVILLE  Vice President Mike Pence sought to project Republican unity and progress with U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan on Friday, visiting Ryans hometown to publicly predict President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans will act swiftly to create jobs and remake the U.S. health care system.

A crowd of at least 200 employees listened to Pence speak at a Blains Farm & Fleet distribution center. The vice president also met with local business leaders there Friday.

Pences appearance came amid allegations of dishonesty dogging Trumps attorney general and reports of infighting among Capitol Hill Republicans over how to repeal the health care law.

Late Thursday, Pence faced national blowback from a report that showed he, as Indiana governor, routinely used private email to discuss sensitive official business, a practice for which he and Trump savaged Democrat Hillary Clinton during the presidential campaign.

But on Friday, Pences focus was on describing a White House working purposefully and in concert with GOP allies. Shared aims include bolstering the economy, repealing and replacing former President Barack Obamas health care law and building up the U.S. military, he said.

Pence said Trumps administration and Congress soon will begin repealing the health care law and replace it with, in Pences words, something that actually works and lowers the cost of health insurance for every American.

Its just going to start happening in just a few days, Pence vowed. Let me make you a promise: the Obamacare nightmare is about to end.

Pence also acknowledged the ferocious blowback facing the Trump administration from Democrats, protesters and other critics.

Were hearing from plenty who want to stick with the status quo, Pence said. But trust me, whatever challenges face us today, were going to stay in the promise-keeping business.

President Trump is going to deliver on this moment for the people of the United States of America.

Trump will spur economic growth, in part, by enacting the biggest package of tax relief since the days of Ronald Reagan, Pence said.

He emphasized early executive actions by Trump that Pence said already are creating jobs, such as authorizing construction of oil and gas pipelines, cutting regulations on businesses and cracking down on illegal immigration.

Fridays joint appearance by Ryan, Pence and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, in particular, seemed intended to signal cooperation on the health care front. Grassroots conservatives view repeal of the health care law as one of the  if not the  central promises Republicans must fulfill now that theyre in power.

Ryan reportedly told congressional Republicans on Thursday that the U.S. House will hold a vote on an Obamacare alternative in three weeks.

The replacement health coverage system will be rooted in individual freedom and personal responsibility, Pence pledged Friday.

One of the most popular provisions of Obamas law prevents people with pre-existing health conditions from being denied health coverage.

Pence said the replacement plan will ensure Americans struggling with pre-existing conditions have access to the coverage and the care that they need.

Pence also made a point of thanking the audience for the fact that Wisconsin, which voted Democratic in the previous seven presidential contests, voted for the Republican Trump in November.
Open-government advocates claimed a victory Thursday when the California Supreme Court handed down a unanimous decision that texts and emails sent by public employees regarding official business are public records even if they are sent through personal devices or email accounts.

Local lawyers said there would almost certainly be continuing legal battles about where the line should be drawn when searching private communications for messages under the California Public Records Act or CPRA. The ruling gives only suggestions and guidelines for how government agencies should balance the privacy of employees against the publics right to know.

The whole purpose of CPRA is to ensure transparency in government activities, the court ruled. If public officials could evade the law simply by clicking into a different email account, or communicating through a personal device, sensitive information could routinely evade public scrutiny.

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The case involves San Jose resident Ted Smith, who sought to see emails and texts of City Council members but was rejected because the communication took place on personal devices and accounts.

The justices said that such communications must be disclosed to the public if they relate in some substantive way to the conduct of the publics business.

For example, an email to a spouse complaining that a co-worker is an idiot probably wouldnt be a public record, the court said, but an email to a supervisor reporting a co-workers mismanagement of a project probably would have to be disclosed.

Local public officials and attorneys said Thursday that the ruling made into law something they have tried and failed for years to accomplish at the local level.

This is exactly the policy that Californians Aware and I have been asking the City Council to adopt for the last four years, City Councilman David Alvarez said in a statement Thursday. Due to the fierce resistance Ive experienced at City Hall in making this city policy, the public has missed out on true transparency for years. I am hopeful that the council will quickly adopt a policy I plan to propose that implements this court ruling.

Local governments throughout the state have expressed concerns that broad requests for information would be costly and might invade the privacy rights of workers.

Former Councilwoman Donna Frye said she thought a lot of the resistance to releasing communications on private platforms, at least in the City of San Diego, had to do with some officials desire to keep the public from knowing what they were doing.

Some public officials deliberately set out to avoid having to turn over records, whether it was something as simple as it would embarrass the hell out of them, or sometimes it was just, I dont need to tell you what Im doing; its none of your business.

One particularly good thing about Thursdays ruling is that it includes guidelines for how governments can comply with the public records laws without undue invasion of privacy, said Jodi Cleesattle, an attorney and member of the Society of Professional Journalists Freedom of Information Committee.

For instance, it allows an agency to direct an employee to search his or her own private emails in response to a records request  rather than have another government official do so.

The good thing for the agencies is, its not this parade of horribles where they have to do this Big Brother search of everybodys blackberry or iPhone, Cleesattle said.

The courts ruling suggested government agencies could uphold their legal duty to the public without undue invasion of employees privacy by adopting policies that reduce the likelihood of public records being held in employees private accounts.

For example, the ruling said, agencies might require that employees use or copy their government accounts for all communications touching on public business.

It noted that federal agency employees must follow such procedures to ensure compliance with the federal Freedom of Information Act.

The practice has held up in San Diego County Superior Court, where City Attorney Jan Goldsmith was sued over public matters discussed in his Yahoo account. Goldsmith was sued after he denied a records request for his personal emails about city business, saying they werent public documents because they werent maintained by the city.

The judge ruled that Goldsmiths practice of copying or forwarding emails to his city account when they concerned public business was acceptable, Goldsmith said.

Im pleased to see the Supreme Court make this ruling because thats what I did, Goldsmith said Thursday. I did what the California Supreme Court said thats what you should do. Just make sure its always in the agencys public account.

One of the rulings key points is saying that governments have a right to employees private emails about the publics business, regardless of whether the account where theyre stored is public or private, said Daniel Shinoff, an attorney with the San Diego law firm Artiano Shinoff.

The firm has represented dozens of school districts in San Diego County and has maintained private emails about public business arent subject to the California Public Records Act because the district does not have actual or constructive possession over any such private account.

The ruling could be a game-changer, Shinoff said.

Previous precedent and the way the statute appears to be written is that for it to be a public record it has to be in possession of the entity, Shinoff said.

The argument that writings held in an employees personal account are beyond the reach of the agency and fall outside the California Public Records Act did not hold up in the California Supreme Court.

The ruling is blunt in its addressing that issue, saying, The argument fails.

Public agencies have possession of the records if they have a right to control them, either directly or through another person, such as employee, the ruling said. The agency has a responsibility to make reasonable efforts to obtain them, which could include directing an employee to conduct a search and provide responsive records to the agency.

From a public policy perspective, the courts decision seemed wise, Shinoff said. And it changes things profoundly, he said.

morgan.cook@sduniontribune.com
Every American knows that if you want to spend more than you earn, you either must liquidate some assets or you must borrow. And if you have been borrowing a lot, stopping will result in much less consumption.

Which is why it boggles the mind that experts in Washington D.C., including the presidents economic adviser Peter Navarro, fail to understand this fundamental principle as it applies to tariffs and border taxes. What they advocate  tariffs, currency adjustments, and other protectionist measures  is no different from Sisyphus pushing a rock up the hill only to have it roll back on top of him.

Trumps protectionists believe that by closing the trade gap and bringing manufacturing back, the U.S. will grow. Navarros argument was presented in a Trump policy paper written with new Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Scoring The Trump Economic Plan.

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Suppose the U.S. had been able to completely eliminate its roughly $500 billion 2015 trade deficit through a combination of increased exports and decreased imports rather than simply closing its borders to trade. This would have resulted in a one-time gain of 3.38 real GDP points and a real GDP growth rate that year of 5.97 percent.

This is so far off the mark that it begs explaining why.

Trump claims China is a currency manipulator. Lets suppose he convinces China to increase the value of the yuan. Presumably a yuan of higher value would make American goods less expensive for Chinese and Chinese goods more expensive for Americans. And a tariff on Chinese goods would presumably make them more expensive, discouraging imports. But trades realities would complicate those plans.

Chinas purchases of American goods and services are mostly airplanes, machinery, earth-moving equipment, food, scrap and education. Will the Chinese buy more airplanes if they are less expensive? Perhaps, but not many; its hard to integrate airplanes into an airline. Earth-moving equipment? That depends much more on Chinas infrastructure needs  and not that much on Caterpillars price. Food? Yes, the Chinese will buy more, but that in turn will drive up food prices for Americans.

The point: It would take a very large increase in prices to bring trade back in balance from the Chinese side.

But couldnt we sell consumer goods to Chinese households that they do not as yet buy? Yes, but in practice, for Chinese households to buy more goods, they would have to reduce their savings. That wont be easy. China does not have the social safety net of the United States. So Chinese families save for retirement, to care for their parents, to pay for their childs education and for marriage. No matter how cheap North Carolina furniture is in Shanghai, Trump is trumped by the prospect of a grandchild.

What, you ask, about the U.S. purchases of Chinese goods? Yes, were the yuan to appreciate, these goods would become more expensive and we would purchase less. But a rise in the yuan would make textiles, toys and electronics from Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Bangladesh  all countries with lower labor costs than China  more attractive. We would not close the trade deficit  we would just make U.S. consumers pay to cover the costs of moving factories into Southeast Asia.

Simply put, tariffs or currency changes are only going to produce marginal changes to the trade deficit because you cannot tweet away the fundamental problem: Americans do not save enough.

U.S. households on average save a bit over 5.5 percent of their disposable income. Add corporate savings and tax collections, and you have 18 percent of GDP available for investment and government spending. Investment accounts for most of that 18 percent  approximately $3.1 trillion. The rest is government.

And the rest is not enough to pay for all federal purchases and transfers. In fact, the U.S. is more than $400 billion short annually of the money it needs for federal spending. Where do we get that money? From people who sell more than they consume  like the Chinese. If we didnt have a trade deficit, we couldnt cover our spending.

Remember Navarros argument. He says that economic growth will solve our problems  and cover the deficit. To achieve an additional $1 trillion of private saving to cover a $1 trillion deficit by 2023, GDP would need to double. That would require a sustained growth rate of 10.2 percent. Ludicrous.

Is there another way? Yes, you could, like Argentina, raise tariffs to make imports prohibitively expensive, disrupting globally dependent industries and sending the economy into a tailspin.

Appropriate economic policy is to institute long-term reforms boosting domestic saving and reducing the federal deficit. Bellicosity and tariff mongering are not long-term reform. They are an exercise in futility.

Nickelsburg is an economist at UCLA Anderson School of Management. He wrote this Zocalo Public Square.
The U.S. has started becoming a country of protesters once again, largely in response to the proposed policies and rhetoric of President Donald Trump. In response, citing the ostensible grounds of disorderliness and manipulation, Republican lawmakers have introduced bills to curb protesting in at least 17 states, with possibly more to come. I dont approve, and if you dont either I have a sorry message for you: This trend has been the bipartisan thrust of American policy since the 1970s.

For decades, weve restricted protests to protect safety and public order, but an important part of our democracy has eroded, namely the constitutional right to public assembly. I outline this history in my new book, The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream; it is just one of many examples of how Americans are giving up their former dynamism for greater security, and to the possible long-run detriment of society.

These days, there exists a mini-industry of protest planners, comparable to wedding or convention planners. They will help you coordinate with the police, set up stages and sound systems in the approved manner, and clean up after the event. A major protest is a bureaucratized event, accompanied by professional teams of public relations and media management. The right to assembly has not been banished; its simply been limited, and made more difficult and expensive. At the margin that will limit the number and diversity of protests.

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To understand how we got to this point, consider the chaos of public protests from the 1960s and early 1970s. The 1968 to 1975 period saw more instances of anti-government violence than any time since the American Civil War, and eventually state and local governments decided that they would regulate protests more closely.

Take the famed Selma civil-rights marchers of 1965, when the protesters had obtained the legal right, through petition, to conduct a 52-mile, five-day march down an interstate highway. Of course, that blocked the highway and inconvenienced many motorists and truckers. Americas NIMBY mentality would most likely prevent a comparable event today.

Starting in the 1970s, the federal courts began to assert that public spaces are not automatically fair game for marches and demonstrations, and so local governments have sought to please the users of such facilities rather than marchers and protesters. For instance, during the 2004 Democratic National Convention, numerous would-be demonstrators ended up being confined to a demonstration zone, which one federal judge described as analogous to Piranesis etchings of a prison. The zone was ringed by barricades, fences and coiled razor wire.

Or take the Occupy Wall Street movement in 2011, which was in large part defanged by the authorities of the city of New York. Rather than opting for outright confrontation, and perhaps some publicity victories for the protesters, authorities waited for the winter to shut down the encampment. The city police also surrounded the main protest site, Zuccotti Park, with their cars and set up a watchtower to keep a vigil. Barricades were placed to keep pedestrians away from the site, and passers-by were encouraged to keep moving.

Washington is in some ways more restrictive yet. The National Park Service controls about 25 percent of the city, including many of the focal spots. If a protest is expected to be of any note, the organizers will be required to meet with the Park Police and possibly the Capitol Police to plan it out, accompanied by lawyers in many cases. Further complications arise if the Secret Service is involved, and virtually any protest can be stifled or shut down altogether by invoking national security or terrorism fears.

Universities have changed a great deal, too. After the invasion of Cambodia and the shootings at Kent State University in May 1970, almost 4 million students demonstrated and 536 schools shut down, with protests erupting on more than 1,250 campuses. During that single month of May, there were 95 instances of bombings and arson on college campuses alone, and 30 ROTC buildings were burned or bombed. Today, a campus protest is very often about demands for safe spaces rather than political revolution. That shift makes for a much more pleasant and productive campus life, but there are lingering suspicions that millennial students do not (yet?) understand the urgency of the times they live in.

The excesses of the 1960s and 70s are familiar, and the increasingly peaceful nature of American society has benefited virtually all of us. Still, I cant help but wonder what has been lost. Surely there is a happy medium. Because American crime has come down, most likely the violence of protests would have fallen, too. Could we not have kept public demonstrations and protests more alive as a vital and nonbureaucratized tradition?

For a long time, most people ignored this issue, but I wonder if it wont start to seem urgent once again.

Cowen is a Bloomberg View columnist. He is a professor of economics at George Mason University and writes for the blog Marginal Revolution. His books include Average Is Over: Powering America Beyond the Age of the Great Stagnation.
When people ask me about the scariest moment of a 39-year military career, theyre surprised when I tell them it hasnt happened yet.

On March 10, Ill hang up the Air Force uniform Ive worn my entire adult life. Stepping away from people and an institution Ive grown to love and respect is as scary as anything Ive faced.

That isnt to say the world isnt dangerous. It always has been and always will be.

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When I entered the Air Force, we confronted the Soviet Union against a nuclear backdrop.

Tensions within Iran increased as the shahs grip on power weakened, and terrorism was a popular tactic for extremists of all stripes.

Our friends in the Pacific worried about what China and North Korea might do next to threaten their security.

Fast forward to 2017, and while some of the actors and settings have changed, our adversaries desire to do whatever they can to challenge American interests have not.

Despite this steady but evolving threat, what has helped me sleep well most nights is my faith in Americas airmen. The men and women Ive served with have always been there, the backbone of everything our military does.

The advantage that air power gives the U.S., the ability to go wherever we need to go and hold anything our enemies value at risk, is what makes Americas military the most powerful fighting force on the planet.

Helping our airmen maintain their edge requires a fierce commitment to innovation and rejection of the status quo.

As a major in the late 1980s I flew fighters at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, the home of the Air Forces most advanced tactical training programs, the Air Force Weapons School and Red Flag exercises.

This substantial investment in our readiness produced airmen who are the global experts in air, space and cyber warfare. Nellis is now the place where our allies come to fly and learn with the best. Even our most advanced training continues to change, though, as our crews hone more of their skills through virtual reality or virtual inputs to live missions.

During Operation Desert Storm, nearly 92 percent of the munitions we dropped were so-called dumb bombs. Now we use weapons so precise that the idea of mistake-free warfare is an expectation among some of our friends and the public.

As a young officer, I kept our enemies in check from locations around the world. While thousands of airmen still deploy overseas, advances in communication technology and remotely piloted aircraft mean that many others sustain the hectic pace of wartime operations from their home bases.

Like the threats we face, changes in military technology are disruptive.

Current and potential adversaries focus on countering our air power advantage, so staying ahead of them can be expensive. An appreciation for our capabilities often drives an insatiable demand for air power that runs our people ragged.

We have to develop different rules and operational concepts that account for what technology now allows us to do. We need to do better at recruiting and retaining people who know how to use these tools.

Despite all this, I retire confident in the Air Forces ability to ride the wave of technological change and keep America on top by using our greatest advantage: the way airmen think.

Since 1947, airmen have been breaking barriers and changing the way we approach military and intelligence operations. We wont accept it cant be done as an answer.

During my last visit to our bases in the Middle East, I met Airman 1st Class Sarah Pawlak, a member of our security forces who enlisted in 2014 after attending my alma mater, Granite Hills High School in El Cajon. She graduated exactly 40 years after me.

I took this coincidence as one final example of a lesson Ive learned over four decades in uniform. The daughters and sons of El Cajon and communities across this nation will continue to serve and succeed if we give them the resources they need and the quality of life theyve earned.

If our leaders keep faith with Sarah and her fellow airmen, they will continue to amaze us. For 70 years theyve overcome every challenge the world has thrown at them and only grown stronger.

I dont retire with worries about the Air Forces future. As always, Americas airmen will be there with our soldiers, sailors, marines, and Coast Guardsmen to protect this nation.

Lets continue to be there for our airmen by taking care of them and their families.

Carlisle is the commander of the U.S. Air Forces Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, and is a native of El Cajon.
The word genome is nearing its 100th birthday. A combination of the German word for gene (gene) and the Greek suffix for body (ome), it was first used in a 1920 botany textbook to describe the entire chromosome set of a given species.

Its surprising that the word is so old because its not a word many of us heard in school. In most schools, teachings about genetics are fairly limited and provide only a basic introduction to the chemical structure of DNA and Mendelian inheritance patterns. Its unfortunate that there arent more educational resources directed toward genetics and genomics, especially in San Diego, because this is a field that is critically important to continuing our regions legacy of scientific innovation, contributing to responsible science policymaking and to the continued growth of our local economy.

Today, genomics is being used to answer a wide range of scientific questions and provide improvements to human health and the human experience in many ways. Data from genome sequencing or genotyping can help identify those at highest risk for cancer and the best treatments for those who are diagnosed with the disease. It can identify the underlying causes of many rare genetic diseases. DNA is used for solving crimes, detecting the sources of foodborne illness, controlling outbreaks of infectious diseases, and the list goes on and on.

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To continue this innovation, we need people with a range of skill sets who understand genetics, can work with genomic data, and can translate it into patient care.

As we think about some of the biggest science policy questions of our time, genetics plays a critical role. Responsible policy-making will require policymakers and society to understand genomics to answer big questions whose decisions have great potential to impact society. There are so many policy questions that hinge on genomics.

Should genetic tools like CRISPR be used to modify species of pests like mosquitoes and ticks in order to prevent the spread of diseases like malaria, Zika and Lyme?

Is it ethical to use mitochondrial DNA from a donor egg, nuclear DNA from a mothers egg and a sperm to prevent mitochondrial disease in a baby?

Should we modify food crops and animal species to enable them to thrive in areas of the world whose climates are changing?

Our collective decision-making should rely in good science.

And then theres the matter of our regional heritage of innovation and ensuring the ongoing success of the genomics powerhouses that helped San Diego earn its reputation as the genomics capital of the world.

According to CONNECTs most recent San Diego Innovation Report, in 2015, there were 82 new life sciences companies created in San Diego, undoubtedly many of them genomics companies. With the pioneers of genomic research and medicine like J. Craig Venter, Eric Topol, Stephen Kingsmore, Rob Knight and others choosing to make San Diego home, we have all the makings of success. But where will companies like Illumina, Human Longevity Inc., Epic Sciences, Trovagene and others be without a robust pipeline of workers who understand genomics?

Since STEM disciplines, understanding and talent are so fundamental to our success, Illumina has been quietly funding programs aimed at increasing genomic literacy in San Diego for years. Weve leveraged the generosity of our employees to lend their time and talent to hosting student visits to our UTC headquarters, hosting hundreds of students over the past few years to spark an interest in the power of the genome to change our lives. Our desire to ensure these programs grow and continue led us to establish the Illumina Foundation last year and were proud that it is this year the presenting sponsor of the Biocom Institute Festival of Science and Engineering, San Diego, which kicks off with EXPO Day at Petco Park on Saturday and continues with events throughout the county through March 12.

We hope that our ongoing commitment to growing genomic literacy in the communities where we live and work will not only help create 21st-century jobs in San Diego, but also continue to drive scientific breakthroughs and innovation here and around the globe. Together, by engaging in genomics, its social impacts and the opportunities it creates  we have the potential to dramatically improve human health and the human condition as we step forward into the future.

DeSouza is president and CEO of Illumina.
The Trump administrations plans on immigration, climate change, U.S. relations with Mexico and more have prompted strenuous criticism from high-profile California politicians and promises of vigorous opposition  including, when necessary, court fights.

Now this pattern is playing out again in response to remarks from White House press secretary Sean Spicer and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions that indicate the Trump administration will reverse course from the Obama administration and object to eight states moves to decriminalize marijuana use by adults. On Nov. 8, California became one of the eight when voters passed Proposition 64. A recent Los Angeles Times story quoted state Attorney General Xavier Becerra and other officials vowing to enforce the states law.

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But in taking on President Trump, the state needs to pick its fights carefully and not waste time and money on doomed posturing. When it comes to federal drug laws, judicial history offers little reason to think Californias defense of Proposition 64 could win. This history includes a past fight over marijuana between our state and the federal government.

California passed Proposition 215 in 1996, allowing for the medical use of marijuana. After George W. Bush replaced Bill Clinton in the White House in 2001, his administration abandoned the Clinton Justice Departments view that medical marijuana should have an exemption from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), a key provision of a sweeping drug law enacted in 1970. After federal agents raided Diane Monsons home near Oroville in 2002 and seized and destroyed the physician-approved pot she was growing to use as medicine, Monson and Angel Raich  another Northern California woman who used marijuana with a doctors approval  sued U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. After the women lost at the trial court level and won on appeal, Raich v. Gonzales was taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2005, six justices  including four liberals  sided with the federal government.

The question before us ... is not whether it is wise to enforce the statute in these circumstances; rather, it is whether Congress power to regulate interstate markets for medicinal substances encompasses the portions of those markets that are supplied with drugs produced and consumed locally, Justice John Paul Stevens wrote in the majority opinion. Well-settled law controls our answer. The CSA is a valid exercise of federal power, even as applied to the troubling facts of this case.

The three dissenting justices  all conservatives  did not argue that states should be allowed to exempt themselves from provisions of the 1970 drug law. Instead, they narrowly held that Congress should not be able to prescribe non-commercial conduct by using the Commerce Clause of the Constitution.

Since Proposition 64 very much involves commercial conduct, there is nothing in the dissents that offers hope for the propositions defenders in a court fight. But there is sage advice in Stevens majority opinion: Americans who want to change federal marijuana laws should use the democratic process, in which the voices of voters allied with these respondents may one day be heard in the halls of Congress.

The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board endorsed Proposition 64 and believes it would be a mistake for the Trump administration to drop the Obama administrations decision to let states try a different approach with marijuana. But we have no illusions that state law can supersede federal law  if the feds are in enforcement mode. Nor should Gov. Jerry Brown or Attorney General Becerra.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: UTOpinion
The coastal cities in southern San Diego County have long appeared to maintain solid, cooperative relations with the city of Tijuana and the state of Baja California. This is what makes Mexican officials failure to warn local cities of a massive Tijuana River sewage spill that they knew was happening and that lasted 18 days so baffling  and so grossly unacceptable.

According to U.S. officials with the International Boundary and Water Commission, a joint U.S.-Mexico agency, an estimated 143 million gallons of raw sewage poured into the river from Feb. 6 to Feb. 23 while repairs were made to a major sewer pipe. Local water authorities say this was done without explanation or advance notice. It led to fouling of Pacific waters from the Mexican coast adjacent to Tijuana all the way north to Coronado and created substantial health risks for ocean and beach users.

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On Thursday, the U.S. and Mexican members of the International Boundary and Water Commission announced they would jointly investigate this debacle  both how it came to happen and why affected communities werent notified.

Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina called this a historic and unprecedented binational investigation and expressed hope that the inquiry can make sure this type of spill never happens again. That should be everyones hope.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: UTOpinion
A Mexican congressman who scaled the border wall that separates San Diego from Tijuana and sat on it is getting plenty of attention for it.

Photos and video of Braulio Guerras stunt atop the metal fence have been shared hundreds of times since being posted on Wednesday.

Guerra is a representative of the state of Queretaro, who, according to his government web page, was involved with national defense up until last year, and is currently a member of a commission on climate change.

On Wednesday, his message was to point out why President Donald Trumps plan to improve border security with improved walls is the wrong move.

I climbed the wall with the United States, he wrote on Twitter.

Then he tweeted directly at Trump to say its absurd and unnecessary to spend money on a project that is damaging to U.S.-Mexican relations or what he specifically called being good neighbors.

Building a wall to keep out unauthorized immigrants from Mexico was a campaign promise of Trumps repeated again and again, and plans to start construction are already underway. But that didnt stop Guerra from trying to prove the wall wont help.

He also shared a video he took up on top of the fence the next day, in which he said I was able to scale it, climb it, and sit myself right here.

Its easy, and it shows how unnecessary this project, this political rhetoric from Donald Trump is.

Some who saw the posts on Twitter thought the stunt was a little much, including one woman who basically said he needs to get back to work.

Others were more supportive.

Did you think this was a good move by Guerra? Politics aside, it was a pretty daring thing to do, although no evidence of how he actually got up there or down was shared on social media.

Hmm.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin
The arrest of a Missouri man suspected of making a series of bomb threats against Jewish Community Centers, including one in La Jolla, set off angry chatter and political debate after details of the federal complaint against him were made public on Friday.

Juan Thompson, a 31-year-old resident of St. Louis, was arrested Friday morning and accused of cyberstalking and making criminal bomb threats against at least eight Jewish Community Centers, according to the federal complaint. News reports identified him as a former reporter who had been fired from the online news organization, The Intercept, for multiple instances of fabricating sources and quotes in his articles.

Federal investigators do not believe Thompson is responsible for all the bomb threats  there have been more than 100 this year  across a dozen states. The complaint says the email sent to the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla on Feb. 20 said there was a bomb in the center  to kill as many Jews asap. (Read the full complaint at the bottom of this story.)

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Since it started in January, the series of threats has sparked a national outcry and nervousness in the Jewish community. Investigators said Thompsons threats were part of a sustained campaign of harassment targeting a woman.

After the arrest, Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt expressed appreciation for law enforcements efforts.

.@FBI,@NYPDnews,@nyspolice informed us arrest made in #bombthreat vs ADL & several other #Jewish institutions. Thx to them for amazing work  Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) March 3, 2017

The investigation into the other threats against Jewish centers and vandalism in least two Jewish cemeteries is continuing, investigators said. Fridays arrest led to angry chatter among supporters of Donald Trump, who last month was criticized for not condemning the anti-Semitic threats soon enough, and a sense of disbelief among journalists who once called Thompson a colleague.

Some people quickly zeroed in on the contents of Thompsons Twitter feed, where his last three tweets are about the Secret Service and a bomb threat he says someone else sent in his name.

#JuanThompson, arrested for threats to Jewish Community Centers. Sorry MSM, not a Trump supporter. pic.twitter.com/uncZXpLByt  Jim (@SilverTown_707) March 3, 2017

Let's see if liberal media types report that

1. #JuanThompson is a liberal media type

2. Trump was absolutely right about it being a hoax  Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) March 3, 2017

The Intercept, which covers topics from national security to politics, issued a statement about Thompsons employment on Friday. It said Thompson was fired after it was discovered he had fabricated sources and quotes in some of his articles including a high-profile one about a cousin of convicted Charleston, South Carolina, shooter Dylan Roof that the Intercept no longer stands by because members of Roofs family do not know of a cousin Thompson included in it.

Statement from Intercept editor @betsyreed2 on Juan Thompson pic.twitter.com/3QQJ551CrA  Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) March 3, 2017

Because of Thompsons former ties to journalism, many people within the profession expressed a range of reactions, from disbelief to disappointment. One of the prominent founders of The Intercept, journalist Glenn Greenwald, said media organizations should not be held responsible for the actions of former employees.

It'd be odd if journalists want to create a standard that media orgs (or anyone) are responsible for actions of ex-employees in perpetuity https://t.co/ikheZOJAHV  Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) March 3, 2017

News outlets (like any other business) sometimes hire bad people. Dont blame @theintercept for bomb threats. They fired the guy a year ago  Eli Lake (@EliLake) March 3, 2017

Juan Thompson continues to drag down journalism even though he's not a journalist anymore.  Michael DeVault (@michaeldevault) March 3, 2017

Juan Thompson and I spoke to @jarrettmurphy in 2015 about objectivity vs. fairness in journalism for @BRICTV. He seemed so cool. Stunned.  Derrick Clifton (@DerrickClifton) March 3, 2017

The same folks who were intent on labeling Glenn Greenwald a left-wing blogger have no compunction calling Juan Thompson a journalist.  A.P. Joyce (@AndrewPaulJoyce) March 3, 2017

Have some thoughts to share?

Join me in a conversation: Shoot me a private email with your thoughts or ideas on a different approach to this story. As always, you can also send us a tweet.

Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @RunGomez
A free activity in 4S Ranch for middle school students is among a wide range of options to spark an interest in science in local youths.

Imagination Innovation will be offered by Cymer/ASML from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 11 at the companys facility at 17075 Thornmint Court in 4S Ranch. It is for middle school students. Parents must register their children by March 10 at tinyurl.com/Cymer-Imagine17. Admission is free.

There will be five stations where science, technology, engineering, arts and math  STEAM  concepts will be taught using fun, hands-on activities and experiments.

The local offering is among more than 50 events and presentations planned throughout San Diego County in conjunction with the ninth annual Biocom Institute Festival of Science & Engineering San Diego presented by the Illumina Foundation. Most events are free and open to the public, geared toward K-12 students or adults 21 and older.

Organizers said that last year around 65,000 youths, parents, scientists, educators and community members participated in the festival and this year that number is expected to exceed 70,000.

The festival week, which goes from March 5 to 12, will launch this Saturday with Expo Day in Petco Park, 100 Park Blvd. in downtown San Diego. Admission is free for the event that goes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The March 4 Expo Day will offer interactive, hands-on science, technology, engineering and math exhibits geared toward students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Organizers said more than 24,000 people attended the expo last year.

Some of the expos highlights will include a meet and greet with actors from the new Power Rangers movie, such as Naomi Scott (Pink Ranger) and Ludi Lin (Black Ranger). They will meet with fans from 2 to 4 p.m. A mobile science lab dubbed The Curiosity Cube will offer an opportunity to learn how DNA works by having attendees build a custom microbe by using a 3-D printer.

In the Pre-K Zone there will be activities for children under 5 years, while TEDXKids@El Cajon will feature inventive ideas from older children. Westview High School students will be among those sharing their ideas as winners in the Bright Idea Society contest, while those of all ages interested in entymology, nano tech, artificial intelligence, genomics, oceanography and astronomy can participate in activities led by the League of Extraordinary Scientists.

For a complete list of festival activities, go to lovestemsd.org.

Email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com
Parents enrolling their kids in either four-year-old or five-year-old kindergarten this upcoming school year will be welcomed at all district elementary schools in Madison on Monday for kindergarten enrollment day.

The Madison Metropolitan School District said on Friday parents can save some time by starting the enrollment process online at www.mmsd.org/enroll.

The enrollment day is for families who have not previously had children attending a 4K school. The enrollment period at each location is from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday.

4K for 2017-18 is open to all children who live within the school district and will be four years old on or before Sept. 1. Students outside of the school district may also open enroll into the district to participate in the program.

4K is offered as a half-day program at more than 50 elementary schools, early care and education centers in the Madison district. It is free and students can be registered at any available site.

5K enrollment is only for families who have a child who hasn't been in a Madison 4K program. Families whose children are in 4K do not need to register again, and only need to attend their child's enrollment date at the school in August.

5K is open to children living in the district who turn five years old on or before Sept. 1.
I would like to give your readers a personal observation from my point of view as a demonstrator for the Indivisible Ramona and a Duncan Hunter guest of his Deputy Chief of Staff Michael Harrison.

I arrived at the second Tuesday meeting that was held in Rep. Duncan Hunters El Cajon office with about five other guests. Mr. Harrison was very gracious and treated the meeting as seriously as we did in addressing our questions and our requests. At the end of the meeting there were points that needed answers and Mr. Harrison said he could have them for us the next meeting, which was this last Tuesday.

He did have answers for us, not the ones we were hoping for, but he did follow through. During these indoor meetings demonstrations were taking place on the city sidewalks in front of the little strip mall where Rep. Hunters office is located. By the way, it is located down from an Asian massage parlor, hookah salon and across the street from a porn shop, probably the worst place to locate an office as dignified as a Congressmans office.

We returned the next Thursday as a massive group of people throughout the 50th Congressional District that was organized by several Indivisible groups and Moveon.org from what I hear. When we all arrived we found a note on the locked door of the office warning that Congressman Hunter has ordered no more meetings because it disrupted business, people hanging out in the parking lot did the same. There was a complaint of video taping inside the office, which not one of our group witnessed and we were aware of the policy.

It was a complete turnaround, what we all thought was a very thoughtful and generous effort on Mr. Harrisons part to meet with us to a description of a very disruptive and rude mob. At the end of our meeting on the third Tuesday we all thanked Harrison for his professionalism and attention, which ended in a sincere ovation from the large group outside of the office.

Flash forward to this last Friday, Feb. 24, which we got word from Hunters office that a town hall meeting will take place on March 11 at the Ramona Mainstage. This seem to be a victory to all Indivisible groups that all the hard work and public demonstrations worked.

To remind fellow Ramona residents that the Ramona Mainstage is the meeting place for the Ramona TEAd Party. I have attended several of their monthly meetings just to keep informed and have walked away each time with a very unique impression of what goes on in the minds of these people who go there. Number one I have noticed is their minds are made up, about whatever it is, they are made up and you can bet there is somebody there that it is making it up for them. My last visit was this Saturday, Feb. 25, the day before our Indivisible group meets at the Ramona Public Library.

The Ramona TEAd meeting before the main topic was about the Hunter town hall meeting on March 11. The main speaker was describing the Indivisible Ramona group as part of a national movement to Resist the Trump Agenda, and that is basically true to a point. On the list of Action Items it gave the general website www.indivisibleguide.com and then a request for members to go to our meeting because We need intel, referring to the military term intelligence.

I feel these people think they are at war with their Ramona neighbors. With all empathy I think they are afraid that the Indivisible group is at war with them. The host said, If somebody wants to play detective and go to the meeting at the library, that would help.

The discussion then came to the town hall. Duncan Hunter chose the Ramona Mainstage for several reasons. It is the headquarters for the TEA Party, there is only enough room there to safely seat approximately 400 people. Knowing that there are going to be maybe twice as much as that, there will be an overflow outside on the sidewalk, which is going to be controlled by law enforcement, as they must maintain safety for all pedestrians because it will overflow into the street. As the host of the TEAd meeting said that all that we (Indivisible groups) do is agitate and cause trouble, I am sure that the crowd the TEAd people draw will of course live up to their reputation also.

So where am I going with all this?

The last thing the host of the Ramona TEAd meeting said was Listen people. They are coming into our house (Ramona Mainstage). This is our home and we must protect it. Congressman Duncan Hunter in my opinion is clever. He picked that venue for only one reason, because he is afraid. He is afraid to meet his constituents. Who he thinks his constituents are are the people that come to the Ramona Mainstage, or the Intermountain Republican Women Federated or maybe a few hand-picked veterans at the local VFW (of which I am a member).

He is afraid to meet his constituents. The artists that teach our children beauty within themselves, teachers that are struggling to bring the test scores up from an embarrassing outcome. The winemakers, farmers, self-employed and stand-alone business owners. The Hispanic neighbors that are now afraid to be rousted by ICE, because the rumors flow rampantly through that community. His constituents children that are now being bullied by children of the emboldened Trump supporters that adopted his abusive model toward women, Mexicans, the handicapped, African Americans and veterans that were POWs. Im hearing and reading about Christians I know that have completely forgotten Christs example of being our brothers keeper, non-violent resistance against injustices. Love thy neighbor has certain ethnic and religious restrictions to it. Watching the First Amendment of the Constitution slowly being disintegrated before our very eyes on TV, and because Trump is doing it all, thats OK?

Duncan Hunter, you have to listen and listen good. Even though you published that Trump is doing everything right, you better snap out of it and realize you do not work for Donald Trump. You do not work for the TEA Party, or the Defense industry, although they pay you generously, and you are not above the law. When I needed $40,000 to pay off my student loan before Sallie Mae almost took my home, I didnt have a campaign fund to steal money from. If I did I would be in jail, even if I did try and pay it back.

So, Ramona citizens and the constituents of the 50th Congressional District are going to change your choice of venue to one of the schools in the area, which we are willing to pay for, not your Ramona Mainstage, which is being paid by your cronies. When we get the venue, please show up for work.

Pierre Beauregard is a Ramona resident.
Congressman responds to meeting requests

Id like to thank Duncan Hunter for agreeing to hold a town hall meeting in Ramona on Saturday, March 11, 10 a.m., at the Ramona Mainstage. It is very vital to our community that we have our civic concerns addressed.

I have attended several peaceful rallies at Hunters office, most recently, Feb. 21, hundreds of people requesting a meeting with Hunter in a vocal yet calm manner. Im so very grateful that our strong message was received and we now have a response to our request for a meeting.

Hopefully the Mainstage will be a neutral venue with enough space for the many people wishing to attend.

Protecting and preserving our civil liberties.

Janice Reich

Ramona

School auditorium better suited for Hunter meeting

I understand that Duncan Hunter has scheduled a town hall meeting for the 11th of March.

This is great. Im sure a lot of people would like to hear his position on so many of the issues and changes that are currently happening to our country.

However, Im wondering how the venue was chosen? The Ramona Mainstage is a small intimate setting with seating for approximately 100 people. And some of the seating have their backs toward the stage.

Wouldnt it be more appropriate to hold this town hall at one of the school auditoriums, where there is more room, better parking, and would allow a greater number of people to participate?

David Baker

Ramona

Hear the voices of constituents

Many Ramona residents, including myself, along with numerous other Democrats and Republicans throughout San Diego County have made dozens of requests for Duncan Hunter to meet with us in a town hall forum. So far our pleas for communication with him to express concerns about the current Republican administration have not been answered.

What is the cost of our democracy when open-minded communication ceases to exist? I am asking Representative Hunter to keep his mind open and to fulfill his obligation to hear the voices of his district constituents.

Deborah Rosasco

Ramona

Town hall meeting would be helpful

Given the many important issues facing our great nation, it would be very helpful if our congressman, Duncan Hunter, comes to Ramona for a town hall meeting.

Walt Sindewald

Ramona

Representing us or the president?

Re: Mike Harrisons Sentinel commentary, Feb. 22, 2017, Hunter supports America.

All said and done the courts found that Mr. Trumps original immigration order was unconstitutional. When that happened our Congressman Duncan Hunter should have reversed himself and demanded that Trump immediately rescind the order. But instead Hunters people issued endless variations of how the order was poorly launched, inconveniencing only a few, etc., etc. Green card holders were being held at airports and border crossings, a violation of their constitutional rights. Still Hunter held his support for Trump, not those protected by the Constitution.

Apparently Hunters support for America includes a willingness to infringe on the rights of certain people. Perhaps Hunter should publicly list policies that infringe on peoples rights that he is willing to support, and the ones he doesnt so we can all be clear of what to expect.

I stand my ground that Duncan Hunter and other GOP Congressmen need to decide: Do they represent us all, or the person heading the executive branch?

Dave Patterson

Ramona
Not bad for an accidental archaeologist.

Geoffrey Braswell, a UC San Diego anthropology professor, was leading a team digging in a collapsed tomb on a hilltop in southern Belize when they discovered a ceremonial jade pendant that may alter our understanding of the Maya, the ancient empire that flourished from the years 250 to 900 in Mexico and Central America and left behind major accomplishments in architecture, math, writing, agriculture and calendar-making.

The pendant itself is unusual. At 7.4 inches wide and 4.1 inches high, its the second largest piece of carved jade from Belize and one of the biggest ever legally excavated anywhere in the Maya area. Its also the only one with historical text on one side, 30 hieroglyphs that tell a story about the king who wore it, his family, and the rituals he performed to bless his largely agrarian community with favorable weather.

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But where the pendant was found, undisturbed by looters, in a small community miles away from any major cities, could be even more significant for what it reveals about the movement of royalty, about strategic alliances, and about how the Maya tried to adapt as climate instability threatened their empire.

It was, according to Braswell, like finding the Hope Diamond in Peoria instead of New York.

He recently wrote two articles for scholarly journals about the pendant, which was unearthed in 2015 and now sits alongside other national treasures in a Belize bank vault.

Braswell, 52, has been at UC San Diego for 13 years. He started his college studies in math but couldnt see spending the rest of his days pushing numbers around. He took a year off, traveled to Peru and came back excited to study the Inca. Except his school didnt have anything on the Inca.

They did, however, have some Maya courses.

I wish I could say I had a plan as a child to do this kind of work, but Im more of an accidental archaeologist, he said.

But it wasnt happenstance that sent him to Nim Li Punit, the excavation site in the Toledo District of Belize. Its in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, on a ridge near the present-day village of Indian Creek. The ancient settlement, which was probably inhabited from the years 150 to 850, was a distant outpost of the empire, more than 250 miles south of the famous Chichen Itzen in Mexico. That remoteness is what attracted Braswell.

Frontiers are where everything interesting happens, where new trends develop, he said.

Chasing the wind

The locals had known about the site for a long time, but archaeologists didnt pay attention until oil prospectors came across ruins in 1976. A government official named the site Nim Li Punit, which translates as the Hat is Big, a reference to the head dress worn by a figure on one of the two-dozen carved limestone columns, or stelae, found there.

Braswell has led two major digs at the site, in 2012 and 2015, in what is known as the Palace Plaza area. His team has excavated two structures, one believed to be a council house and the other a royal residence, both thought to have been in use for four centuries. Theyve also found some of the oldest known pottery pieces in southern Belize.

Outside the royal residence, under a couple of capstones, they found a small collapsed tomb. During a dig there in 2015, Braswell was working alongside a local resident, a modern-day Maya. It was hot, 100 degrees, and humid. They worked slowly, layer by layer, with hand trowels and brushes. The other guy mused out loud about finding a piece of jade, which the Maya even today believe have certain magical powers. Braswell said he wanted to find something with some history written on it.

A few minutes later they unearthed an artifact that fulfilled both wishes: the pendant.

After almost two years of research and consultation with other archaeologists and hieroglyph experts, Braswell believes the pendant would have been worn on a kings chest during religious ceremonies that involved the burning and scattering of incense. The glyphs on the back show it was first used for that purpose in 672 by a king named Janaab Ohl Kinich.

Two of the limestone stelae from Nim Li Punit have carved figures wearing a similar-looking pendant during scattering rituals. One of those figures was carved almost 50 years after the pendant was first used, the other almost 60 years after. That suggests the pendant was something important and precious, something lasting.

The pendant was carved into the shape of a T, which corresponds to the Maya glyph ik, meaning wind or breath. Theres also a T etched on the front. To Braswell, that indicates it was used in rituals aimed at influencing the god of wind, thought to bring the monsoons so important to crops.

These kinds of artifacts are often buried with royalty, but there was no body in the tomb. Was it designed for another purpose? Braswell thinks the date of the cavern, constructed in around 800, is significant.

At that time, Maya kingdoms in Belize and Guatemala were collapsing. Populations plummeted. Within a generation of the tombs dedication, Nim Li Punit and other villages in southern Belize were abandoned.

One theory blames climate instability and its impact on the viability of the food supply. The whole tomb, then, may have been some kind of attempt to change the weather with offerings. Inside it, in addition to the pendant, Braswells team found a clay pot, maybe a drum, that has on its front a bird-beaked figure.

Its a wind god.

Solving a puzzle

In his spare time, Braswell likes reading mystery novels and solving crosswords, which isnt surprising because archaeology can feel at times like a mystery and a puzzle. The difference is, you get to construct the narrative, you get to make the puzzle, consistent with the available evidence, he said.

Part of the puzzle with the jade pendant is how it wound up in Nim Li Punit. Its a large piece, elaborately carved  the kind of thing scholars would expect to see in a major Maya city, not an outpost. Was it stolen? A spoil of some kind of conquest? A gift? Or did the king bring it with him from somewhere else, establishing a new dynasty?

The hieroglyphs on the back, translated by Braswells German research partner, Christian Prager, provide information about the kings mother and father, including where they were from  not Nim Li Punit. Theres also a suggestion in the writing of ties between the king and Caracol, a large and powerful Maya city that would have been many days walk away through rain forests and across mountains.

That has Braswell wondering about previously unknown political alliances and the movement of royalty through the empire.

He hopes to go back to Belize next month under the auspices of the Scripps Center for Marine Archaeology, a joint venture between UC San Diegos anthropology department and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Hed like to look for river settlements that may connect Nim Li Punit with ancient Caribbean Sea coastal villages, perhaps revealing something about how the Maya empire evolved, spread, and disappeared.

We live in a constantly changing world, Braswell said. If we want to learn how to adapt to changes in our environment, the past can teach us.

john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com
The conflict between Egypts ruling military and pro-democracy protesters isnt just on the streets of Cairo, its on the walls as well, as graffiti artists from each side duel it out with spray paint and stencils.

Earlier this month, supporters of the ruling generals painted over part of the largest and most famous antimilitary graffiti pieces in the capital.

The militarys supporters then made a 15-minute video using footage posted by two young men stenciling pro-revolution graffiti and wearing Guy Fawkes masks, the grinning face made famous by the movie V for Vendetta. In an attempt mock the revolutionary street art, the military supporters declared in their video, The police, military and people are one hand, and, The military is a red line.

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They posted the video online, calling themselves the Badr Battalion and describing themselves as distinguished Egyptian youth who are against the spies and traitors that burn Egypt.

It was an ironic turnabout, with backers of the authorities picking up the renegade street art medium of revolutionary youth.

During the regime of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt had almost no graffiti on the walls of its cities. But when the uprising against Mubaraks rule erupted a year ago, there was an explosion of the art.

Taking control of the streets was critical for the thousands of Egyptians who eventually overthrew the countrys authoritarian leader. The battle continues to be fought by graffiti artists who support the countrys military rulers and those who want them to relinquish power.

Since Mubaraks fall on Feb. 11, graffiti is everywhere in Cairo and other cities, proclaiming the goals of the revolution and mocking the regime. Graffiti artists have continued to work, using walls, buildings, bridges and sidewalks as a canvas to denounce the generals who took power after Mubarak as new dictators and to press the revolutions demands.

Usually anti-military graffiti has a short lifetime before it is quickly painted over or defaced with black spray paint. And just as quickly the artists put up more.

The graffito that pro-military supporters painted over had survived remarkably long. Mohamed Fahmy, known by his pseudonym Ganzeer, put it up in May under a bridge. It depicts a military tank with its turret aimed at a boy on his bike who balances on his head one of the wooden racks that are traditionally used to deliver bread - though instead of bread, hes carrying a city. It was a symbolic reference to revolutionary youth who care for the nation, heading into a collision with the generals.

Quickly after it was partially stenciled over, a new graffiti was up, depicting the countrys military leader as a large snake with a bloody corpse coming out of his mouth.

Graffiti has turned into perhaps the most fertile artistic expression of Egypts uprising, shifting rapidly to keep up with events. Faces of protesters killed or arrested in crackdowns are common subjects - and as soon as a new one falls, his face is ubiquitous nearly the next day.

The face of Khaled Said, a young man whose beating death at the hands of police officers in 2010 helped fuel the anti-Mubarak uprising, even appeared briefly on the walls of the Interior Ministry, the daunting security headquarters that few would dare even approach in the past.

Other pieces mock members of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the council of generals that is now in power, or figures from Mubaraks regime.

When a police officer was captured on an Internet video shooting at the eyes of protesters during clashes, his image immediately dotted walls, urging people to find the Eye-Sniper.

State television is another frequent target because it has become the mouthpiece for the militarys proclamations that protesters are vandals, thugs and part of a plot to throw Egypt into chaos. One graffito shows the word Occupy written in the shape of the State TV building. Stickers plastered on walls show the words Go down to the street emerging from a television set, a message to the so-called Couch Party, people who sit and watch the protests on TV.

Its about a message in the street. It reaches the poor, the rich, the trash collector, the taxi driver, graffiti artist Karim Gouda said. Most of these people are away from the Internet and the social networking world so its a way to reach them.

Not everyone is receptive. Gouda said he was accosted by residents as he put up posters depicting a rotting face with the words open your eyes before its too late in the impoverished Cairo district of Sayeda Zeinab. They accused him of trying to create civil strife and of trying to encourage Egypts Christian minority to take over from the Muslim majority. Such accusations about activists were rife at the time after an October protest by Christians in Cairo, which was crushed by soldiers, killing more than 20.

The residents tore down Goudas posters and chased him out of the neighborhood.

Under Mubaraks nearly 30-year rule, political expression on the streets was repressed by his powerful police forces. Once every five years, parliamentary elections would see the country littered with posters for elections that always favored the ruling party. Billboards advertising a lifestyle that only a privileged few could afford for companies whose owners were often closely affiliated with the regime towered over the sprawling slums of Cairo, a bustling city of some 18 million people.

Its liberating to see, blogger Soraya Morayef said of the proliferation of street art.

Morayef, who has dedicated her blog Suzeeinthecity to documenting graffiti artists work, said the street art reflects what happened in the whole country.

The fear barrier was broken, she said.

---

Soraya Morayefs blog on graffiti: https://suzeeinthecity.wordpress.com/
City: Racine

County: Racine

Olympia Brown was the first woman to be ordained a minister in the U.S. and was president of Wisconsin's Woman Suffrage Association for 28 years.

Brown was born in a log cabin in Prairie Ronde, Michigan. After being educated locally, she began teaching school at age 15, then searched for a college that would admit her. Refused entrance to the University of Michigan because she was a woman, she attended Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts for a year, and went on to receive her bachelor's degree from Antioch College in Ohio in 1860. She then searched for a divinity school to accept her and was admitted to St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. Brown was among the first women to graduate from college in the U.S., and she became the first woman minister in the U.S. in 1863 when she was ordained in the Universalist Church.
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Fifty years ago, Americans looked into deep space and saw it as place worth planting a flag. The space race galvanized the country, igniting a nationalistic fervor to beat the Russians to the moon that captured the imaginations of adults and children alike.

But that all seems so retrograde now. Buffeted by rising costs and waning public interest, we humans largely have left the stars to satellites, robots and Hollywood scriptwriters.

There hasnt been a manned mission beyond low-Earth orbit since the final Apollo moon landing in 1972. NASAs last manned U.S. mission anywhere happened way back in 2011, when the Obama administration scrapped the space shuttle program. Since then, astronauts have been hitching rides to the International Space Station aboard Russian spacecraft.

Thats not an America first philosophy.

Perhaps, then, its merely a sign of these resurgent nationalistic times that talk of sending people into deep space is once again in vogue. Or maybe its a sudden desire of wealthy Silicon Valley entrepreneurs to escape a planet that, once again, seems too consumed with feuding and tribalism and navel-gazing over borders.

Either way, a renewed space race  this one shaping up between multinational corporations and governments  is an exciting distraction and could do a lot to sow unity around the world through the common language of science.

President Donald Trumps administration has been pushing NASA to accelerate the timeline of a trip around the moon, long planned for 2021. A rocket, dubbed the Space Launch System, and a capsule, Orion, would carry astronauts around the moon. The U.S., Trump said in his inaugural address, is ready to unlock the mysteries of space.

In that, he has a like-minded ally in Elon Musk, the entrepreneur who is determined to launch a manned mission to colonize Mars in the coming years to ensure that humans become an interplanetary species.

In the meantime, Musk said Monday, his company SpaceX has taken on a high-stakes side project: ferrying two wealthy tourists to the moon and back. The weeklong journey, which could happen next year, would take the unidentified pair past the lunar surface and outward before the spacecraft surrenders to the pull of gravity and heads back to Earth.

All told, the trip would cover between 300,000 and 400,000 miles. And because we all know that, in space, no one can hear you scream, there are certainly risks.

Until SpaceX, only the Russian government has agreed to bring tourists to space  seven of them who have paid tens of millions of dollars to fly on Soyuz rockets to the International Space Station. The trip around the moon would be much farther.

Musk says the two would-be space tourists are coming into this with their eyes open. But so far, the spacecraft that would carry them  SpaceXs Dragon 2 capsule and Falcon Heavy rocket  are years behind schedule and havent even flown yet. Still, in classic, swaggering space race fashion, Musk isnt too worried.

This should be a really exciting mission, he told The Associated Press, that hopefully gets the world really excited about sending people into deep space again.

Indeed, its time America set its sights a little higher.
Adelaide, Australia -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/02/2017 -- The famous jewellery brand Juvite, highly valued by fashionistas around the world, is getting closer to its prospective buyers. Previously available in boutiques and jewellery stores, Juvite sterling silver jewellery is now presented to retail customers on the Internet. The Australian owned online jewellery store Trezoro Jewellery offers a wide range of Juvite products for women seeking to emphasise their distinct and unique style.



Juvite statement rings, earrings, and pendants are meticulously crafted from 925 sterling silver and decorated with natural gemstones. But not only the excellent quality makes it stand apart  the key difference is in the design. Unusual and intricate, bright and conspicuous, it is remembered forever at first glance.



The brand's designer Igor Kontorsky is not a public person. He does not give interviews and has no social media accounts. It may seem unusual in the age obsessed with online communications, but just one look at the brand's booth at trade exhibitions flooded with wholesale buyers from around the world, and it becomes clear that additional marketing effort is simply not required.



However, Igor made an exception for Trezoro Jewellery and kindly agreed to answer several questions about the history of the brand, his background, his creative plans and inspirations. Brand followers will be delighted to get to know the process of creating products. Igor provides a detailed answer to the question how an idea is born and how it takes shape - first in wax, then in silver.



The text of this exclusive interview with Igor is published on Trezoro Jewellery's blog.



About Trezoro Jewellery

Trezoro Jewellery is a young and rapidly growing company that offers a wide range of jewellery in silver and natural stones to online customers. A distinctive feature of the products presented in the store is an unusual design and wide assortment of styles from romantic to provocative. All products are of the highest quality and carry a year's warranty. Free shipping in Australia and New Zealand, and delivery worldwide is available.



Contact:

Natalie Taylor

Company: Trezoro Jewellery

Tel +61 490 374 618

Address: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Email: Natalie.taylor@trezoro.com.au

Website: https://trezorojewellery.com.au
Canyon Rim, UT -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/03/2017 -- Stephen Hopkins was from Hampshire, England. He married his first wife, Mary, and resided in the parish of Hursley, Hampshire. They had three (3) children: Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles; all baptized there. It has long been claimed that the Hopkins family was from Wortley, Gloucester, but this was disproven in 1998 with the discovery of his true origins in Hursley.



http://mayflowerhistory.com/hopkins-stephen/



Stephen Hopkins went with the ship Sea Venture on a voyage to Jamestown, Virginia in 1609 as a minister's clerk, but the ship wrecked in the "Isle of Devils" (Bermuda). Stranded on an island for ten months, the passengers and crew survived on turtles, birds, and wild pigs. Six months into the castaway, Stephen Hopkins and several others organized a mutiny against the current governor. The mutiny was discovered and Stephen was sentenced to death. However, he pleaded with sorrow and tears. "So penitent he was, and made so much moan, alleging the ruin of his wife and children in this his trespass, as it wrought in the hearts of all the better sorts of the company." He managed to get his sentence commuted. Eventually the castaways built a small ship and sailed themselves to Jamestown. How long Stephen remained in Jamestown is not known. However, while he was gone, his wife Mary died. She was buried in Hursley on 9 May 1613, and left behind a probate estate which mentions her children Elizabeth, Constance and Giles.



Stephen was back in England by 1617, when he married Elizabeth Fisher, but apparently had every intention of bringing his family back to Virginia. Their first child, Damaris, was born about 1618. In 1620, Stephen Hopkins brought his wife and children Constance, Giles, and Damaris on the Mayflower (child Elizabeth apparently had died). Stephen was a fairly active member of the Pilgrim group shortly after arrival, perhaps a result of his being one of the few individuals who had been to Virginia previously. He was a part of all the early exploring missions, and was used as an "expert" on Native Americans for the first few contacts. While out exploring, Stephen recognized and identified an Indian deer trap. And when Samoset walked into Plymouth and welcomed the English, he was housed in Stephen Hopkins' house for the night. Stephen was also sent on several of the ambassadorial missions to meet with the various Indian groups in the region.



Stephen was an assistant to the governor through 1636, and volunteered for the Pequot War of 1637 but was never called to serve. By the late 1630s, however, Stephen began to occasionally run afoul of the Plymouth authorities, as he apparently opened up a shop and served alcohol. In 1636 he got into a fight with John Tisdale and seriously wounded him. In 1637, he was fined for allowing drinking and shuffleboard playing on Sunday. Early the next year he was fined for allowing people to drink excessively in his house: guest William Reynolds was fined, but the others were acquitted. In 1638 he was twice fined for selling beer at twice the actual value, and in 1639 he was fined for selling a looking glass for twice what it would cost if bought in the Bay Colony. Also in 1638, Stephen Hopkins' maidservant got pregnant from Arthur Peach, who was subsequently executed for murdering an Indian. The Plymouth Court ruled he was financially responsible for her and her child for the next two years (the amount remaining on her term of service). Stephen, in contempt of court, threw Dorothy out of his household and refused to provide for her, so the court committed him to custody. John Holmes stepped in and purchased Dorothy's remaining two years of service from him: agreeing to support her and child.



Stephen died in 1644, and made out a will, asking to be buried near his wife, and naming his surviving children.



BAPTISM: 30 April 1581 at Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England, son of John and Elizabeth (Williams) Hopkins.

FIRST MARRIAGE: Mary, possibly the daughter of Robert and Joan (Machell) Kent of Hursley, co. Hampshire, prior to 1604.

SECOND MARRIAGE: Elizabeth Fisher on 19 February 1617/8 at St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel, co. Middlesex, England.

CHILDREN (by Mary): Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles.

CHILDREN (by Elizabeth): Damaris, Oceanus, Caleb, Deborah, Damaris, Ruth, and Elizabeth.

DNA HAPLOGROUP: R1b-M269



Contact Adam Green!

c: 801-809-7766

e: g3president@comcast.net



Canyon Rim, UTAH General Society of Mayflower Descendant, Adam Paul Green (Ancestor Stephen Hopkins / Gen.No. 86,723) Declares New Geneology Resource Website for Local Enthusiasts http://www.mychocolatepod.com/



The Pilgrims did not leave behind any lists of the items they brought with them on the Mayflower, but historians have used a provision list put together by Captain John Smith (of Pocahontas fame) to take an educated guess. However, in 2012, Caleb Johnson, Simon Neal, and Jeremy Bangs started transcribing and studying a rare manuscript (a page of which is here illustrated) in the possession of the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, that was written by one of the investors in the Pilgrims' joint-stock company. This manuscript actually contains several lists of suggested provisions the colonists should bring with them. It is the closest thing we can get to a list of what the Pilgrims would have actually brought.



A summary of some of the key items on the provision lists: http://mayflowerhistory.com/pilgrim-history/



-Food and Drink: Biscuit, beer, salt, (dried) beef, salt pork, oats, peas, wheat, butter, sweet oil, mustard seed, ling or cod fish, "good cheese", vinegar, aqua-vitae, rice, bacon, cider.



-Clothing: Monmouth cap, falling bands, shirts, waistcoat, suit of canvas, suit of cloth, Irish stockings, 4 pairs of shoes, garters. Slippers, plain shoes, little shoes, French soles, sewing needles.



-Bedding: Canvas sheets, bolster "filled with good straw", rug and blankets.



-Arms: Light armor (complete), fowling piece, snaphance, sword, belt, bandoleer, powder horn, 20 pounds of powder, 60 pounds of shot.



-Household: Iron pot, kettle, frying pan, gridiron, two skillets, spit, platters, dishes, spoons of wood, napkins, towels, soap, hand mill, mortar and pestle.



-Tools: Broad hoes, narrow hoes, broad axe, felling axe, steel handsaw, whipsaw, hammers, shovels, spades, augers, chisels, gimlets, hatchets, grinding stone, nails, locks for doors.



The Mayflower was hired in London, and sailed from London to Southampton in July 1620 to begin loading food and supplies for the voyage--much of which was purchased at Southampton. The Pilgrims were mostly still living in the city of Leiden, in the Netherlands. They hired a ship called the Speedwell to take them from Delfshaven, the Netherlands, to Southampton, England, to meet up with the Mayflower. The two ships planned to sail together to Northern Virginia. The Speedwell departed Delfthaven on July 22, and arrived at Southampton, where they found the Mayflower waiting for them. The Speedwell had been leaking on her voyage from the Netherlands to England, though, so they spent the next week patching her up.



On August 5, the two ships finally set sail for America. But the Speedwell began leaking again, so they pulled into the town of Dartmouth for repairs, arriving there about August 12. The Speedwell was patched up again, and the two ships again set sail for America about August 21. After the two ships had sailed about 300 miles out to sea, the Speedwell again began to leak. Frustrated with the enormous amount of time lost, and their inability to fix the Speedwell so that it could be sea-worthy, they returned to Plymouth, England, and made the decision to leave the Speedwell behind. The Mayflower would go to America alone. The cargo on the Speedwell was transferred over to the Mayflower; some of the passengers were so tired and disappointed with all the problems that they quit and went home. Others crammed themselves onto the already very crowded Mayflower.



Finally, on September 6, the Mayflower departed from Plymouth, England, and headed for America. By the time the Pilgrims had left England, they had already been living onboard the ships for nearly a month and a half. The voyage itself across the Atlantic Ocean took 66 days, from their departure on September 6, until Cape Cod was sighted on 9 November 1620. The first half of the voyage went fairly smoothly, the only major problem was sea-sickness. But by October, they began encountering a number of Atlantic storms that made the voyage treacherous. Several times, the wind was so strong they had to just drift where the weather took them; it was not safe to use the ship's sails. The Pilgrims intended to land in Northern Virginia, which at the time included the region as far north as the Hudson River in the modern State of New York. The Hudson River, in fact, was their originally intended destination. They had received good reports on this region while in the Netherlands. All things considered, the Mayflower was almost right on target, missing the Hudson River by just a few degrees.



As the Mayflower approached land, the crew spotted Cape Cod just as the sun rose on November 9. The Pilgrims decided to head south, to the mouth of the Hudson River in New York, where they intended to make their plantation. However, as the Mayflower headed south, it encountered some very rough seas, and nearly shipwrecked. The Pilgrims then decided, rather than risk another attempt to go south they would just stay and explore Cape Cod. They turned back north, rounded the tip, and anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbor. The Pilgrims would spend the next month and a half exploring Cape Cod, trying to decide where they would build their plantation. On December 25, 1620, they had finally decided upon Plymouth, and began construction of their first buildings.



Adam Paul Green was born to a multi-talented beauty queen Mother and a Father who, in addition to being a US Army Spy and a Counter-Intelligence Special Agent, was also a highly accomplished entrepreneur. Adam was taught at a young age that, in both life and business, loyalty is a requirement for success. He's had the honor of working directly with his father in several of the family businesses. In fact, this is where he learned crucial entrepreneurial skills and honed his talents with international business strategies and venture capitalism. http://www.AdamPaulGreen.com, http://www.ImAdamGreen.com



Adam earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in International Business and Marketing from the University of Utah. He was hand-picked by the President of the University's renowned School of Business to compete with dozens of other ambitious nationwide-graduates for the opportunity to secure a lucrative job within a prestigious Fortune 100 company. http://www.Twitter.com/AdamPaulGreen



http://www.ImAdamGreen.com



Adam's hard work and creativity helped him land this job of a lifetime. He obtained incredible business experience there and spent years innovating, improving processes and setting sales records. Although this dream job in Traditional Corporate America was a fun challenge for him, and something he truly enjoyed mastering, Adam's natural entrepreneurial spirit kept nudging him to do something more significant with his time and talents. http://www.MyChocolatePod.com, http://www.Facebook.com/AdamPaulGreen



Since 2001, Adam has been involved in the Health and Wellness Industry as a successful Entrepreneur, Broker, Product Developer and Manufacturer of Cosmeceutical products. During his career, he has worked with some of the most recognizable Fortune 500 businesses along with many top international Network Marketing companies. Adam has consistently proven his unique ability to help his clients achieve their goals through creative Distribution-Channel Placement, innovative Product Development and custom Manufacturing. Adam currently owns three profitable businesses.



http://www.ImAdamGreen.com



Admittedly, Adam was not initially a fan of Network Marketing. He did not understand the business model because it was new to him. However, once he learned that the REAL focus of Direct Sales is to help average people get a taste of entrepreneurialism --- with minimal risk and at a low cost --- Adam was absolutely convinced of the potential with Multi-Level Marketing.



http://www.ImAdamGreen.com



About MayflowerHistory.com

MayflowerHistory.com, the Internet's most complete and accurate website dealing with the Mayflower passengers and the history of the Pilgrims and early Plymouth Colony. The website was first created back in 1994 (when the web was still mostly text!) as a simple, but complete, passenger list of the Mayflower. It has grown over the past twenty years as the author, historian Caleb Johnson, has researched and compiled material.



http://mayflowerhistory.com
Carlsbad, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/03/2017 -- Stephen Hopkins was from Hampshire, England. He married his first wife, Mary, and resided in the parish of Hursley, Hampshire. They had three (3) children: Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles; all baptized there. It has long been claimed that the Hopkins family was from Wortley, Gloucester, but this was disproven in 1998 with the discovery of his true origins in Hursley.



http://mayflowerhistory.com/hopkins-stephen/



Stephen Hopkins went with the ship Sea Venture on a voyage to Jamestown, Virginia in 1609 as a minister's clerk, but the ship wrecked in the "Isle of Devils" (Bermuda). Stranded on an island for ten months, the passengers and crew survived on turtles, birds, and wild pigs. Six months into the castaway, Stephen Hopkins and several others organized a mutiny against the current governor. The mutiny was discovered and Stephen was sentenced to death. However, he pleaded with sorrow and tears. "So penitent he was, and made so much moan, alleging the ruin of his wife and children in this his trespass, as it wrought in the hearts of all the better sorts of the company." He managed to get his sentence commuted. Eventually the castaways built a small ship and sailed themselves to Jamestown. How long Stephen remained in Jamestown is not known. However, while he was gone, his wife Mary died. She was buried in Hursley on 9 May 1613, and left behind a probate estate which mentions her children Elizabeth, Constance and Giles.



Stephen was back in England by 1617, when he married Elizabeth Fisher, but apparently had every intention of bringing his family back to Virginia. Their first child, Damaris, was born about 1618. In 1620, Stephen Hopkins brought his wife and children Constance, Giles, and Damaris on the Mayflower (child Elizabeth apparently had died). Stephen was a fairly active member of the Pilgrim group shortly after arrival, perhaps a result of his being one of the few individuals who had been to Virginia previously. He was a part of all the early exploring missions, and was used as an "expert" on Native Americans for the first few contacts. While out exploring, Stephen recognized and identified an Indian deer trap. And when Samoset walked into Plymouth and welcomed the English, he was housed in Stephen Hopkins' house for the night. Stephen was also sent on several of the ambassadorial missions to meet with the various Indian groups in the region.



Stephen was an assistant to the governor through 1636, and volunteered for the Pequot War of 1637 but was never called to serve. By the late 1630s, however, Stephen began to occasionally run afoul of the Plymouth authorities, as he apparently opened up a shop and served alcohol. In 1636 he got into a fight with John Tisdale and seriously wounded him. In 1637, he was fined for allowing drinking and shuffleboard playing on Sunday. Early the next year he was fined for allowing people to drink excessively in his house: guest William Reynolds was fined, but the others were acquitted. In 1638 he was twice fined for selling beer at twice the actual value, and in 1639 he was fined for selling a looking glass for twice what it would cost if bought in the Bay Colony. Also in 1638, Stephen Hopkins' maidservant got pregnant from Arthur Peach, who was subsequently executed for murdering an Indian. The Plymouth Court ruled he was financially responsible for her and her child for the next two years (the amount remaining on her term of service). Stephen, in contempt of court, threw Dorothy out of his household and refused to provide for her, so the court committed him to custody. John Holmes stepped in and purchased Dorothy's remaining two years of service from him: agreeing to support her and child.



Stephen died in 1644, and made out a will, asking to be buried near his wife, and naming his surviving children.



BAPTISM: 30 April 1581 at Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England, son of John and Elizabeth (Williams) Hopkins.

FIRST MARRIAGE: Mary, possibly the daughter of Robert and Joan (Machell) Kent of Hursley, co. Hampshire, prior to 1604.

SECOND MARRIAGE: Elizabeth Fisher on 19 February 1617/8 at St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel, co. Middlesex, England.

CHILDREN (by Mary): Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles.

CHILDREN (by Elizabeth): Damaris, Oceanus, Caleb, Deborah, Damaris, Ruth, and Elizabeth.

DNA HAPLOGROUP: R1b-M269



Contact Adam Green!

c: 801-809-7766

e: g3president@comcast.net



Carlsbad, CA General Society of Mayflower Descendant, Adam Paul Green (Ancestor Stephen Hopkins / Gen.No. 86,723) Introduces New Geneology Asset Website for Local Enthusiasts http://www.mychocolatepod.com/



Women of Early Plymouth: Governor William Bradford reported that the Pilgrims were worried that the "weak bodies of women" would not be able to withstand the rigors of a trans-Atlantic voyage and the construction of a colony. Prior to the Mayflower, very few English women had made the voyage across the ocean.



Sir Walter Raleigh's Roanoke colony arrived in Virginia in 1587, and amongst those 120 colonists there were 17 women: a baby girl, Virginia Dare, was born after arrival. When re-supply ships came from England, they could not relocate the people. The colony had mysteriously disappeared, and was never seen again. The Jamestown Colony was founded in 1607, but relatively few women had yet made the voyage and taken up residence there.



The Pilgrim husband, as head of the household, had an important and difficult decision to make. Building a colony would be hard on a woman's "weaker body." It might be safer and healthier to leave her behind, and have her come later once the houses were built, and the general safety and successfulness of the colony were better established. But that could be several years. Could he live several years without his wife? How strong was his wife anyway, could she really handle it? Was it right to put your wife's life in danger in this manner?



As the Mayflower left England for America, there were 18 adult women on-board. Three of them, Elizabeth Hopkins, Susanna White, and Mary Allerton, were actually in their last trimester of a pregnancy. All the adult women on the Mayflower were married; there were no single women--although there were a few teenage girls nearing marriageable age.



While no women would die during the Mayflower's voyage, life after arrival proved extremely difficult. In fact, 78% of the women would die the first winter, a far higher percentage than for men or children. Dorothy Bradford was the first woman to die, and the only woman who died in the month of December. While many of the men, including her husband, were out exploring on Cape Cod, she accidentally fell off the Mayflower into the bitter cold waters of Provincetown Harbor. Most of the women's death dates were not recorded, but we do know that Rose Standish died on January 29, Mary Allerton died on February 25, and Elizabeth Winslow died on March 24. Most of the women died in February and March.



The extremely high mortality rate among women is probably explainable by the fact the men were out in the fresh air, felling trees, building structures and drinking fresh New England water; while the women were confined to the damp, filthy and crowded quarters offered by the Mayflower, where disease would have spread much more quickly. The two-month voyage was long enough; the women, however, remained living on the ship for an additional four months while the men built storehouses and living quarters on shore. Many of the sick were no doubt cared for on-board the ship by the women, increasing their exposure to colds and pneumonias. William Mullins died on February 21, apparently on-board the Mayflower since his will was witnessed by the ship's captain and ship's surgeon. His wife Alice and son Joseph had not yet died, but it wasn't too long before they did, orphaning their teenage daughter Priscilla in the New World.



Only five women survived the first winter. One of the five survivors, Mrs. Katherine Carver, died in May of a "broken heart," her husband John having died of sunstroke a month earlier. Weak bodies or not, by the time of the famous "Thanksgiving," there were only four women left to care for the Colony's fifty surviving men and children. The four women were Eleanor Billington, Elizabeth Hopkins, Mary Brewster, and Susanna (White) Winslow.



http://mayflowerhistory.com/women



Master Christopher Jones and several business partners purchased the ship Mayflower about 1607. Its origins prior to that remain uncertain. Its first documented voyage of record was to Trondheim, Norway, in 1609. Andrew Pawling hired the ship to take a cargo of London goods to Norway, sell them off, and buy Norway goods (lumber, tar, and fish) to return back to England. Unfortunately on the return voyage, the Mayflower encountered a severe North Sea storm and the master and crew were forced to toss most of Pawlings goods overboard to lighten the ship. The home of Master Christopher Jones: Harwich, co. Essex, England.



http://mayflowerhistory.com/



Following that, Christopher Jones seems to have stuck with safer trading routes. The Mayflower made numerous trips primarily to Bordeaux, France, returning to London with cargoes of French wine, Cognac, vinegar, and salt. The Mayflower could freight about 180 tons of cargo. The Mayflower also made occasional voyages to other ports, including once to Malaga, Spain, and twice to Hamburg, Germany.



Upon returning from a voyage to Bordeaux, France, in May 1620, the Mayflower and master Christopher Jones were hired to take the Pilgrims to Northern Virginia. This was the first recorded trans-Atlantic voyage for both ship and master, though Christopher Jones had several crewmembers, including pilot and master's mates John Clarke and Robert Coppin, who had been to the New World before.



The Mayflower was supposed to accompany another ship, the Speedwell, to America, but the Speedwell proved too leaky for the voyage so the Mayflower proceeded alone. Departing on 6 September 1620, the ship was at sea for 66 days, arriving November 9. The ship and crew overwintered with the Pilgrims and departed back for England on 5 April 1621, arriving back to England on May 6.



Christopher Jones took the ship out for a few more trading runs, but he died a couple of years later in March 1621/2. The ship was appraised for probate purposes in May 1624, and was referred to as being "in ruins." It was only valued at 128 pounds sterling, and was almost certainly broken up and sold off as scrap.



The Pilgrims did not leave behind any lists of the items they brought with them on the Mayflower, but historians have used a provision list put together by Captain John Smith (of Pocahontas fame) to take an educated guess. However, in 2012, Caleb Johnson, Simon Neal, and Jeremy Bangs started transcribing and studying a rare manuscript (a page of which is here illustrated) in the possession of the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, that was written by one of the investors in the Pilgrims' joint-stock company. This manuscript actually contains several lists of suggested provisions the colonists should bring with them. It is the closest thing we can get to a list of what the Pilgrims would have actually brought.



A summary of some of the key items on the provision lists: http://mayflowerhistory.com/pilgrim-history/



-Food and Drink: Biscuit, beer, salt, (dried) beef, salt pork, oats, peas, wheat, butter, sweet oil, mustard seed, ling or cod fish, "good cheese", vinegar, aqua-vitae, rice, bacon, cider.



-Clothing: Monmouth cap, falling bands, shirts, waistcoat, suit of canvas, suit of cloth, Irish stockings, 4 pairs of shoes, garters. Slippers, plain shoes, little shoes, French soles, sewing needles.



-Bedding: Canvas sheets, bolster "filled with good straw", rug and blankets.



-Arms: Light armor (complete), fowling piece, snaphance, sword, belt, bandoleer, powder horn, 20 pounds of powder, 60 pounds of shot.



-Household: Iron pot, kettle, frying pan, gridiron, two skillets, spit, platters, dishes, spoons of wood, napkins, towels, soap, hand mill, mortar and pestle.



-Tools: Broad hoes, narrow hoes, broad axe, felling axe, steel handsaw, whipsaw, hammers, shovels, spades, augers, chisels, gimlets, hatchets, grinding stone, nails, locks for doors.



Adam Paul Green was born to a multi-talented beauty queen Mother and a Father who, in addition to being a US Army Spy and a Counter-Intelligence Special Agent, was also a highly accomplished entrepreneur. Adam was taught at a young age that, in both life and business, loyalty is a requirement for success. He's had the honor of working directly with his father in several of the family businesses. In fact, this is where he learned crucial entrepreneurial skills and honed his talents with international business strategies and venture capitalism. http://www.AdamPaulGreen.com, http://www.ImAdamGreen.com



Adam earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in International Business and Marketing from the University of Utah. He was hand-picked by the President of the University's renowned School of Business to compete with dozens of other ambitious nationwide-graduates for the opportunity to secure a lucrative job within a prestigious Fortune 100 company. http://www.Twitter.com/AdamPaulGreen



http://www.ImAdamGreen.com



Adam's hard work and creativity helped him land this job of a lifetime. He obtained incredible business experience there and spent years innovating, improving processes and setting sales records. Although this dream job in Traditional Corporate America was a fun challenge for him, and something he truly enjoyed mastering, Adam's natural entrepreneurial spirit kept nudging him to do something more significant with his time and talents. http://www.MyChocolatePod.com, http://www.Facebook.com/AdamPaulGreen



Since 2001, Adam has been involved in the Health and Wellness Industry as a successful Entrepreneur, Broker, Product Developer and Manufacturer of Cosmeceutical products. During his career, he has worked with some of the most recognizable Fortune 500 businesses along with many top international Network Marketing companies. Adam has consistently proven his unique ability to help his clients achieve their goals through creative Distribution-Channel Placement, innovative Product Development and custom Manufacturing. Adam currently owns three profitable businesses.



http://www.ImAdamGreen.com



Admittedly, Adam was not initially a fan of Network Marketing. He did not understand the business model because it was new to him. However, once he learned that the REAL focus of Direct Sales is to help average people get a taste of entrepreneurialism --- with minimal risk and at a low cost --- Adam was absolutely convinced of the potential with Multi-Level Marketing.



http://www.ImAdamGreen.com



About MayflowerHistory.com

MayflowerHistory.com, the Internet's most complete and accurate website dealing with the Mayflower passengers and the history of the Pilgrims and early Plymouth Colony. The website was first created back in 1994 (when the web was still mostly text!) as a simple, but complete, passenger list of the Mayflower. It has grown over the past twenty years as the author, historian Caleb Johnson, has researched and compiled material.



http://mayflowerhistory.com
Teton Village, WY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/03/2017 -- After reviewing new and growing evidence on health risks of wireless radiation, the Maryland State Children's Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council (CEHPAC) issued a Report advising the Department of Education to recommend local school districts reduce classroom wireless radiation exposures by providing wired-rather than wireless-internet connections. CEHPAC's health experts include Governor appointed pediatricians, Maryland State House/Senate appointees and representatives of the Department of Education and Department of Health. Theodora Scarato, MSW, of the Environmental Health Trust, first brought the issue to the Council's attention three years ago, in February of 2014. The Council cited the recent US National Toxicology Program (NTP) findings of increased rates of rare malignant cancers in animals, as well as children's unique vulnerability to the radiation in their recommendations to minimize exposure.



Several countries, such as France, Israel and Cyprus, already have protective measures minimizing school wireless radiation exposures as national policy. However, CEHPAC's action to issue recommendations to reduce classroom wireless exposures is the first of its kind by an expert state body in the United States.



The Children's Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council recommends:



1. "The Maryland State Department of Education should recommend that local school systems consider using wired devices" "WiFi can be turned off" and instead "a wired local area network (LAN) can provide a reliable and secure form of networking...without any microwave electromagnetic field exposure."



2. New construction and renovations: "If a new classroom is to be built, or electrical work is to be carried out in an existing classroom, network cables can be added at the same time, providing wired (not wireless) network access with minimal extra cost and time."



3. The Maryland State Department of Education should recommend that local school systems use strategies to minimize exposures: "Have children place devices on desks to serve as barrier between the device and children's bodies; Locate laptops in the classroom in a way that keeps pupil heads as far away from the laptop screens (where the antennas are) as practicable; Consider using screens designed to reduce eyestrain; Consider using a switch to shut down the router when it is not in use."



4. "The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene should provide suggestions to the public on ways to reduce exposure: Sit away from WiFi routers, especially when people are using it to access the internet. Turn off the wireless on your laptop when you are not using it. Turn off WiFi on smartphones and tablets when not surfing the web. Switch tablets to airplane mode to play games or watch videos stored on the device."



5. "The General Assembly should consider funding education and research on electromagnetic radiation and health as schools add WiFi to classrooms."



6. The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene should "ask the United States Department of Health and Human Services to formally petition the FCC to revisit the exposure limit to ensure it is protective of children's health and that it relies on current science."



7. The Report should be shared with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Communications Commission, Maryland State Department of Education and Maryland General Assembly.



"While this report focused on WiFi radiation in schools, there are additional concerns about mobile phones and cell phone towers. CEHPAC plans to look at these broader issues over the next year," the CEHPAC Council Report states.



"Our children's healthy future rests on the responsible actions of today," stated Scarato. "21st century learning should include 21st century science," Scarato pointed to research that found wireless alters brain development in addition to increasing cancer. "Corded non-wireless connections in school are an important part of a safe and healthy school environment, respecting not only our children but also the teachers and staff."



Referring to the fact that US wireless public exposure limits were set in 1996, without testing for long term safety, the CEHPAC Council Report also stated that, "decades-old standards need updating in light of new science." Such statements are in line with the American Academy of Pediatrics, which has also called for a regulatory review and states that children's brains are less mature and can absorb proportionately twice the wireless radiation as an adult because of children's thinner skulls that contain more fluid.



"If you plan to watch a movie on your device, first download it, then switch to airplane mode while you watch in order to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure," recommends the American Academy of Pediatrics as part of its "Ten Tips on Cell Phone Radiation."



In response to the 2016 NTP study findings of a cancer link, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Consumer Reports, Obstetricians and several Medical Associations issued recommendations to reduce cell phone and wireless exposures to children. The American Academy of Pediatrics has also repeatedly called on the United States government to strengthen wireless exposure regulations to protect children and pregnant women.



The Council heard testimony from health organizations and from parents who reside in multiple counties in the State of Maryland, including Montgomery County, Prince Georges County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County and Howard County. The Council also received hundreds of pages of expert scientific material and comments prior to the final Report, which the Council has posted on their website.



"Parents have a right to know if there is an environmental hazard in the classroom and actions that can be taken to reduce exposure. The stakes are so high for our children, yet we are way behind what has been happening around the world. Over 20 countries have taken steps and in some cases passed legislation to protect their youngest and most vulnerable citizens and it is time we do the same for ours," stated Montgomery County parent Laura Simon, pointing to countries like France, Cyprus and Israel.



"I was shocked to learn no government health agency had reviewed the issue from a health and safety standpoint considering how fast WiFi was being installed in schools across the State." Scarato described the process of how she brought the health issue of children's exposures to wireless in schools to Maryland State agencies almost three years ago, by first writing letters of concern about the school radiation exposures.



Dr. Sharfstein, then Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health, initially responded to Scarato's concern by stating, "It is fair to say there are legitimate questions about the long-term health implications of microwave radiation" and that the Department of Health "would be interested in the advice and counsel of groups such as the Children's Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council."



Scarato pointed out that the Education Department representative on the Council voted in favor of the CEHPAC recommendations to reduce wireless exposures. The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) also had responded to Scarato's initial concerns by referring her to CEHPAC, which "exists for the purpose of identifying environmental hazards that may affect children's health and recommending solutions to those hazards."



Medical researchers are pointing to an array of psychological, emotional and physiological health issues screens pose to children at the same time that schools are integrating wireless networks and one to one device initiatives into classrooms.



In 2017, Maryland lawmakers heard testimony on Bill HB866, a first in the nation bill to create uniform screen safety guidelines for screen use in public schools "to protect children from the documented health hazards posed by daily use of digital devices." In response to wireless radiation health concerns, many schools worldwide are replacing wireless systems with wired systems, and limiting time children spend on screens.



LINKS



WiFi Radiation in Schools in Maryland: Final Report of the Maryland Children's Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council

http://phpa.dhmh.maryland.gov/OEHFP/EH/Shared%20Documents/CEHPAC/MD_CEHPAC_SchoolWiFi_022017_final.pdf



Letters from Physicians on Wireless Health Risks in Public Comments

http://phpa.dhmh.maryland.gov/OEHFP/EH/Shared%20Documents/CEHPAC/Doctor%20Letters%20on%20Wi-Fi%20In%20School%20%20Full%20Compilation%20.pdf



Maryland State Children's Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council Website

http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/26excom/html/08childe.html



Local/State/National and International Policy action on Wireless and Children

http://ehtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/International-Policy-Precautionary-Actions-on-Wireless-Radiation.pdf



American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)



Letter from the AAP in Support of the Cell Phone Right to Know Act

http://ehtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/aap_support_letter_cell_phone_right_to_know_act.pdf



American Academy of Pediatrics Website: Cell Phone Radiation & Children's Health

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/all-around/Pages/Cell-Phone-Radiation-Childrens-Health.aspx



Testimony to the Maryland State Children's Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2TxgdaZ0lgCbxVEVe30_BOe1v1Klu1w0



Testimony to Maryland State Board of Education

https://youtu.be/XGhhtuvnqCs



Testimony of a High School Student in Montgomery County about this issue to the State Board of Education https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnRGRnboXBg
Blue Bell, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/03/2017 -- Those who are followed by a criminal record may be struggling to assimilate back into society. With employers, landlords, financial lenders, and others having eyes on history records, it makes life very difficult for a recovering convict. Instead of suffering day-to-day, it is recommended by the Law Office of Edwin L. Guyer to consider expungement in Pennsylvania right away.



Expungement is the removal of evidence from a criminal record, meaning the slate will be wiped clean. There will be no public record that the information ever existed, and the data that could be used against those who have a criminal record will be eliminated. However, the information related to the arrest is not destroyed completely, and is preserved merely for judicial access in the case of another arrest or sentence in the future. Background checks or anything similar will not reveal an expunged record, allowing those with a previous record to have a fresh start.



In the state of Pennsylvania, those who qualify for expungement are those who are at least 70 years old with at least 10 years from their release without any arrests. Others who qualify are certain juveniles where sufficient time has passed since their discharge, and those with a summary offense without an arrest in five years. Also, if no disposition of the original prosecution has occurred within 18 months of the arrest and no action is pending, expungement may be a viable option.



Those who are looking to have their criminal record expunged or are looking for a DUI lawyer in PA, is encouraged to contact Edwin L. Guyer immediately by reaching him at: 215-542-9333 or eggylaw@gmail.com.



About Edwin L. Guyer

For over 30 years, Edwin L. Guyer has been establishing himself with a reputation to help drivers keep their licenses. He has been guarding the potential for their future after being charged with a DUI, underage drinking, or any other criminal offense in Pennsylvania. Since 1975, the law offices of Edwin L. Guyer have become confident in their aggressive and skillful approach to insure the futures of those charged, so that they may turn over a new leaf.



Learn more by visiting: http://www.paduilawyer.com/
According to a new study published in the journal PLoS Genetics, dwindling populations created a mutational meltdown in the genomes of the last wooly mammoths, which had survived on Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean until about 3,700 years ago.

Woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius) were among the most common large herbivores in North America, Siberia, and Beringia during the Pleistocene and early Holocene. However warming climates and human predation led to extinction on the mainland roughly 10,000 years ago.

Lone isolated island populations persisted out of human reach until roughly 3,700 years ago when the species finally went extinct.

In the new study, University of California-Berkeley researchers Dr. Rebekah Rogers and Dr. Montgomery Slatkin compared existing genomes from a mainland mammoth that dates back to 45,000 years ago, when the animal was plentiful, to one that lived about 4,300 years ago on Wrangel Island, an isolated island in the Arctic Ocean that was separated from the mainland by rising sea levels about 12,000 years ago.

One specimen is derived from the Siberian mainland at Oimyakon, dated to 45,000 years ago. This sample comes from a time when mammoth populations were plentiful, with estimated effective population size of 13,000 individuals, the scientists explained.

The second specimen is from Wrangel Island off the north Siberian coast. This sample from 4,300 years ago represents one of the last known mammoth specimens. This individual comes from a small population estimated to contain roughly 300 individuals.

These two specimens offer the rare chance to explore the ways the genome responds to pre-extinction population dynamics.

The analysis showed that the Wrangel Island mammoth had accumulated multiple harmful mutations in its genome, which interfered with gene functions.

The animals had lost many olfactory receptors, which detect odors, as well as urinary proteins, which can impact social status and mate choice.

The genome also revealed that the Wrangel Island mammoth had specific mutations that likely created an unusual translucent satin coat.

We observe an excess of detrimental mutations, consistent with genomic meltdown in woolly mammoths on Wrangel Island just prior to extinction, Dr. Rogers and Dr. Slatkin said.

We observe an excess of deletions, an increase in the proportion of deletions affecting gene sequences, and an excess of premature stop codons in response to evolution under low effective population sizes. Large numbers of olfactory receptors appear to have loss of function mutations in the island mammoth.

We also observe two independent loss of function mutations at the FOXQ1 locus, likely conferring a satin coat in this unusual woolly mammoth.

For those interested in wooly mammoth de-extinction, this study demonstrates that some mammoth genomes carry an overabundance of negative mutations.

The work also offers a warning to conservationists: preserving a small group of isolated animals is not sufficient to stop negative effects of inbreeding and genomic meltdown.

_____

R.L. Rogers & M. Slatkin. 2017. Excess of genomic defects in a woolly mammoth on Wrangel island. PLoS Genet 13 (3): e1006601; doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006601
The House Government Operations Committee decided to kill the SB56 bill for humane killing of animals, which proposed abolishing the use of carbon monoxide gas chambers in animal shelters and instead rely only on poison injections to euthanize animals. The bill had earlier passed the Senate with 19-7 votes and support of animal lovers.

However, the bill was rejected after a 4-4 verdict in the Operations Committee. The bill was opposed by Jim Tracey, Utah County Sheriff, who testified that elimination of the choice of using gas chambers may create a havoc while handling wild animals. He further explained that handling these animals and euthanizing them with injections may pose health risks for the staff, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Pete Knudson, Senator, R-Brigham City, who was the sponsor of the said bill, tried to gather support by exemplifying the case of non-usage of gas chambers in Davis County animal control shelter. However, Sheriff Tracey opposed it by saying that administering injections every time to kill an animal may affect the mental health of the officers, and it seems his argument was supported by half of the committee members.

According to a recent published Nature article, every year commercial pest controllers and government agents capture and kill hundreds of racoons, rabbits and wolves in the name of human safety and protecting the agricultural yield. It was also highlighted that the use of gas chambers and coagulant-based poisons is inhumane and these animals should also be given the same consideration that is given while euthanizing domestic animals.

Sara Dubois, chief scientific officer, British Columbia Society, who works for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Vancouver, Canada, proposed a new set of guidelines that should be adhered to while killing non-native pest and feral animals. The guidelines that were published in the Conservation Biology journal are mostly similar to the ones already followed by the American Veterinary Medical Association but had a few modifications in it.

Many believe that the topic of humane killing of animals is itself controversial. Abolishing the use of gas chambers and using coagulant-based poisons may be more humane to the animals. However, they may come with potential health risks to children and pet animals, especially in the event of accidental ingestion. As of now, finding a more humane way of killing animals without compromising the physical and mental health of human beings is yet to be discovered.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva is conducting an ongoing study of extreme weather and climate conditions around the world now. It discovered that the temperature of Antarctica reached the soaring 63.5 degrees Fahrenheit (17.5 degrees Celsius) in 2015.

Furthermore, the highest on record for the temperature of the Antarctic region was peaked at 67.6 degrees Fahrenheit on Jan. 30, 1982, at Signy Research Station on Antarctica's Signy Island. On the other hand, WMO found that the warmest temperature in the continent itself including the continent and its nearby islands was about 63.5 degrees Fahrenheit on March 24, 2015, at the Argentine Esperanza Base research station, according to CBS News.

Meanwhile, in the Antarctic Plateau, the highest temperature reached 19.4 degrees Fahrenheit at the Automatic Weather Station on the Adelie Coast on Dec. 28, 1980. WMO stated that these high temperatures are a large departure from the continent's lowest recorded temperature of -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit at Vostok Station on July 21, 1983.

These temperatures of Antarctica are alarming. Antarctica's ice sheet has 90 percent of the world's freshwater. This means if the ice sheet were to melt, it would trigger ice loss and would raise sea level by about 200 feet.

Meanwhile, Jamin Greenbaum, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Texas institute for Geophysics, said that the warming can be felt in Antarctica as he just visited Antarctica a few weeks ago. He further said that he had seen so much surface meltwater and described it as remarkable. On the other hand, he added that meltwater is alarming because it can lead to the rapid retreat of coastal ice as well as sea level rise.

Michael Sparrow, a polar expert with the WMO co-sponsored World Climate Research Program, explained that the Antarctic and the Arctic are poorly covered in terms of weather observations and forecasts, even though both play an important role in driving climate and ocean patterns and in sea level rise. He further explained that the verification of maximum and minimum temperatures helps them to build up a picture of the weather and climate in one of the Earth's final frontiers, as noted by Engadget.
Lego has just released a new set called "Women of NASA." The new set consists of five figurines of the five women of NASA, who have played critical roles in the history of the U.S. space program. They are the mathematician and space scientist Katherine Johnson, computer scientist Margaret Hamilton, astronomer Nancy Grace Roman, astronaut, physicist and educator Sally Ride and astronaut and physician Mae Jemison.

The new set will available in the late 2017 or early 2018. It was designed by U.S. science writer Maia Weinstock, who won the Lego Ideas competition. The Danish toy company has chosen this idea when it received about 10,000 public votes, according to BBC News.

Ms. Weinstock said that the reaction was overwhelming. She further said that messages of congratulations and excitement at the prospect of this set being on store shelves have been pouring in. Ms. Weinstock is a deputy editor of MIT News at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, according to CBS News.

Lego stated that Maia Weinstock's Women of NASA project was a way for her to celebrate accomplished women in the STEM professions. It further stated that it is truly excited to be able to introduce Maia's Women of NASA for its inspirational value as well as build and play experience.

The new set will also include a mini space shuttle, the Hubble Space Telescope, instruments used to gauge trajectories for the Mercury and Apollo missions and a famous photo of the reams of code that helped land astronauts on the Moon in 1969. The company is now working on the final product design, pricing and availability for the new "Women of NASA" set.
A group of visitors violently stoned to death a crocodile at a zoo in Tunisia. They threw stones at the animal's head that caused the death of the crocodile.

Amor Ennaifer, a vet at the Belvedere Zoo, said that the reptile died after it was struck on the head by two large rocks on Tuesday. "It's terrible, you cannot imagine what animals endure from some visitors."

"You cannot imagine what animals endure from some visitors" - Zoos are no place for animals! #DontBuyTheTicket https://t.co/VkjWQqgS4x  FONDATION B. BARDOT (@FBB_World) March 2, 2017

She also said that citizens leave waste and plastic bags and they also throw stones at lions and hippos. Even though the zoo had signs and guards, these are not enough, particularly during school holidays. Ennaifer added that there are more than 150 species in the zoos and they cannot put a guard in front of each cage. She urges people to be aware of the need to respect animals, as noted by The Guardian.

The municipality of Tunis posted the gruesome pictures of the attack on Facebook. It denounced the act as a "savage behavior." In the picture, it showed the animal oozing with blood and a big rock beside it. The management of the zoo blamed the zoo visitors for a violent and catastrophic incident.

Meanwhile, Fox News reports that this incident occurred also at the National Zoo in El Salvador. The beloved hippopotamus named Gustavito was attacked with metal bars, knives and rocks, too. Apparently, the hippo died.

These cause controversies on the behavior of zoo visitors as well as the littering around the zoo. Concerned citizens are urging visitors to respect animals as well as their environment.
LAKE CITY, S.C.  Lake City High School senior Jeremy Evans has been named a recipient of the Coca-Cola Scholars Scholarship. Evans received an email from the Coca-Cola Foundation Wednesday informing him that he is one of 150 recipients of the Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship, a four-year renewable scholarship worth $20,000 per year.

I was so ecstatic, Evans said. It is really unbelievable.

Evans said he was told notifications would be sent Friday, and getting an email while at work Wednesday with the subject line Status Update at first made him think the email was to inform him that he was not selected to receive the scholarship.

I was afraid to look at it at first, he said.

Evans was named a semifinalist in January. From the semifinalists, 250 regional finalists were selected to participate in a 20-minute interview with a Regional Interview Committee, comprised of a foundation staff member and previous Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship recipients.

The Coca-Cola company flew Evans and other regional finalists to Atlanta for the interview.

It was supposed to be a 20-minute interview, but it actually lasted 30 minutes, so I felt like it went well, he said.

Evans will return to Atlanta April 19 for four days where he will attend a banquet for scholarship recipients and will have the opportunity to meet previous scholarship recipients.

Im so excited to be able to meet the people behind the program, Evans said.

As a premier scholarship provider, we recognize our role in helping young people achieve their college goals, said Mark Davis, president of the foundation. The economy continues to affect many students ability to attend the college of their choice, so it is critical we continue to stay the course. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation received nearly 86,000 applications this year, and the Semifinalists are truly some of the most accomplished students in the country.

Scholarship recipients are selected based on academic excellence, leadership and service demonstrated in school and community activities.

Evans said he plans to attend either Coastal Carolina University or Appalachian State University and major in biology with plans to attend medical school and specialize in oncology. Both universities have offered him tuition incentives to attend. Evans said ASU offered a full academic scholarship pending an interview at the university, but that interview was scheduled for the same day as his interview for the Coca-Cola Scholars Program. Evans said he hopes to be able to reschedule his scholarship interview at ASU.

In addition to tuition incentives, Evans said Coastal Carolina told him with his dual credits earned through Lake City Highs Early College program in partnership with Florence-Darlington Technical College, he will be only one course shy of entering the university as a sophomore. As a result, Evans said university officials told him he could complete his pre-med coursework and earn a masters degree in business administration in four years.

Evans is active in extracurricular activities at Lake City High School as well as in the community while maintaining a 4.8 GPA. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club and participates in the schools Teacher Cadet program. He also was selected as one of 24 participants for the Junior Leadership Program of Florence County, a nine-month program for rising sophomore and juniors. The program dedicates one day a month to learning about a certain aspect of the community and incorporates site visits and team-building exercises.

Evans also serves as president of Dramatic Coffee Beans, an interactive drama club that provides a way for teenagers to discuss issues in their community. During the summers, Evans volunteers at St. Joseph of the Pines, an assisted living facility in Southern Pines, N.C.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a joint effort of Coca-Cola Bottlers across America and The Coca Cola Company, is one of the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship programs of its kind in the United States. The program recognizes a diverse group of extraordinary high school seniors who have demonstrated academic and civic excellence in their schools and communities.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation was created in 1986 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Coca Cola and to establish a legacy for the education of tomorrows leaders through college scholarships.
Francis Marion University honored Michael A. Blue (85) as its 2017 Outstanding Alumnus at the universitys annual Alumni Awards Gala.

Blue was one of five FMU alums honored at the March 2 event held at the FMU Performing Arts Center in downtown Florence.

Blue earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from FMU and proceeded to teach at Marion High School from 1986 to 2011. He is the Bishop at Door of Hope Church in Marion and has served as the Presiding Prelate of the Christian Covenant Fellowship of Ministries since 2000.

Judge Melissa J. Buckhannon received the Professional Industry Achievement Award in Public Service and Law. Buckhannon graduated from Francis Marion University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree. She is currently a judge on the South Carolina Family Court Bench. Before her ascension to the bench, Buckhannon practiced law in Horry County from 1995 until 2014. While a student at FMU, she was a member of the Pi Gamma Mu and Pi Sigma Alpha honor societies.

John P. Sweeney received the Benjamin Wall Ingram III Young Alumni Award. Sweeney is a 2009 graduate of FMU, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mass Communication. Sweeney is currently the director of business development at the North Eastern Strategic Alliance in Florence. As a student at FMU, he was president of the Student Media Association and a member of the Model United Nations.

Dr. John M. Kirby, Jr. received the Professional Industry Achievement Award in Education and Arts. Kirby graduated from FMU in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree and again in 1979 with a Masters Degree in Elementary Education. Kirby has served the Latta School District in Dillon County since 1985, and most notably as the districts superintendent for the past 27 years.

Michael Youssef received an award of Special Recognition. Youssef graduated from Francis Marion University in 2015 with a Political Science degree. He is currently an account manager at ADP in Florence. In 2016, he was named President of the Hispanic Business Resource Group at ADP and elected President of the Toastmaster Club at ADP, and in 2017, he became a United States citizen.
ATLANTA  Jeremy Evans must have felt as if he won the lottery Wednesday when he received an email from the Coca-Cola Foundation informing him that he is one of 150 recipients of the Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship, a four-year renewable scholarship worth $20,000 per year.

I was so ecstatic, said the Lake City High School senior. It is really unbelievable.

Evans said he was told notifications would be sent Friday, and getting an email while at work Wednesday with the subject line Status Update at first made him think the email was to inform him that he was not selected to receive the scholarship. I was afraid to look at it at first, he said.

Evans was named a semifinalist in January. From the semifinalists, 250 regional finalists were selected to participate in a 20-minute interview with a Regional Interview Committee, comprised of a foundation staff member and previous Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship recipients.

Coca-Cola flew Evans and other regional finalists to Atlanta for the interview. It was supposed to be a 20-minute interview, but it actually lasted 30 minutes, so I felt like it went well, he said.

Evans will return to Atlanta April 19 for four days where he will attend a banquet for scholarship recipients and will have the opportunity to meet previous scholarship recipients. Im so excited to be able to meet the people behind the program, he said.

As a premier scholarship provider, we recognize our role in helping young people achieve their college goals, said Mark Davis, President of the Foundation. The economy continues to affect many students ability to attend the college of their choice, so it is critical we continue to stay the course. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation received nearly 86,000 applications this year, and the Semifinalists are truly some of the most accomplished students in the country.

Scholarship recipients are selected based on academic excellence, leadership and service demonstrated in school and community activities.

Evans said he plans to attend either Coastal Carolina University or Appalachian State University and major in biology with plans to attend medical school and specialize in oncology. Both universities have offered him tuition incentives to attend. Evans said ASU offered a full academic scholarship pending an interview at the university, but that interview was scheduled for the same day as his interview for the Coca-Cola Scholars Program. Evans said he hopes to be able to reschedule his scholarship interview at ASU.

In addition to tuition incentives, Evans said Coastal Carolina told him with his dual credits earned through Lake City Highs Early College program in partnership with Florence-Darlington Technical College, he will be only one course shy of entering the university as a sophomore. As a result, Evans said university officials told him he could complete his pre-med coursework and earn a masters degree in business administration in four years.

Evans is active in extracurricular activities at Lake City High School as well as in the community while maintaining a 4.8 GPA. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club and participates in the schools Teacher Cadet program. He also was selected as one of 24 participants for the Junior Leadership Program of Florence County, a nine-month program for rising sophomore and juniors. The program dedicates one day a month to learning about a certain aspect of the community and incorporates site visits and team-building exercises.

Evans also serves as president of Dramatic Coffee Beans, an interactive drama club that provides a way for teenagers to discuss issues in their community. During the summers, Evans volunteers at St. Joseph of the Pines, an assisted living facility in Southern Pines, NC.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a joint effort of Coca-Cola Bottlers across America and The Coca Cola Company, is one of the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship programs of its kind in the United States. The program recognizes a diverse group of extraordinary high school seniors who have demonstrated academic and civic excellence in their schools and communities.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation was created in 1986 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Coca Cola and to establish a legacy for the education of tomorrows leaders through college scholarships.
FLORENCE, S.C. -- The National Park Service Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program will host a limited-space meeting March 25 to kick off the establishment of a friends group for the Lynches River.

The Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau is honored to work with the National Parks Service in this project to build awareness of our natural resources. The Friends of the SC Revolutionary Rivers group will be the foundation for increasing stewardship and conservation of the 60 miles of Lynches River designated as a National Recreation Trail, said Holly Beaumier, director of the Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The National Park Service awarded a grant to the Florence CVB for community assistance in a program that supports successful partnerships with communities across America in achieving their conservation and outdoor recreation visions.

The grant helps the South Carolina Revolutionary Rivers project, which is a fun and educational river trail that highlights the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution and offers paddlers a unique experience of following the scenic river to the cypress and tupelo-laden stomping grounds of Revolutionary War hero General Francis Marion.

"Recently designated by the National Park Service as a National Recreation Trail, the SC Revolutionary Rivers Trail (Lynches River) is one of South Carolina's greatest jewels. Even though the Lynches River is rich in history, wildlife and natural beauty, the river is missing one thing, a support or friends group. March 25 is the day that we begin creating that group. If interested, please attend for a day of discovery, fun and fellowship," said Bill Lane, South Carolina/North Carolina Project Manager with the National Park Service.

"Behind every successful Water Trail is a strong friends or nonprofit support group. This group serves as the marketing, fund raising, stewardship and educational outreach arm of the Water Trail, Lane said.

The meeting space is limited. To reserve your space, call the Florence County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 843-664-0330.
FLORENCE, S.C.  An iconic mural depicting the 1031 train on the Bo Smith building at the corner North Irby and Evans streets in downtown Florence has been permanently removed.

Contractors are beginning redevelopment on the building in preparation for Carolina Banks $4.5 million relocation and expansion project.

Carolina Bank plans to add a third floor to the building as it shifts to the new downtown location. Bank officials have said in past interviews there is a desire to return the building back to its original state, which includes stone and windows on the ground floor.

The mural was painted by Hartsville artist Elvis Hatchell in the mid-1980s. Hatchell also painted the old mural of The Champion passenger train, infamously misspelled as The Champon, in 1994. That mural was removed in 2013.

The Atlantic Coast Line 1031 train was used for freight and passenger services in Florence during the early to mid-1900s.

In 1959 the 1031 train was placed on display in Florence, behind the passenger station adjacent to the rail yards  now the CSX railyard. The city of Florence donated the 1031 to the North Carolina Transportation Museum in 1994 for historical restoration.
When the Korean Development Bank pulled support for Hanjin in August last year the line filed for insolvency within 24 hours leaving $14bn worth of cargo stranded around the world. Yes, the warning signs were there that a potential collapse of Hanjin Line could occur. However, nobody really thought that South Korea would allow the worlds seventh largest carrier to go bust, Doyle said a speech to the TPM Conference 2017 in Long Beach.

He said that government-supported companies such as Hanjin left a lot to be concerned about, and warned that similar scenarios continue to play out in terms of state backing in the global liner industry.

We are seeing once again government financed entities stepping in to prop-up liner companies. These include the South Korean-supported Korea Shipping Company, Korea Development Bank, Export-Import Bank of Korea, and the Korea Asset Management Corporation, Doyle stated.

We are also reading about the National Development Bank of the Taiwan Government and Taiwans Ministry of Transport and Communication.

He said that alliance members must ensure that cargo goes where it is meant to noting that only one third of the boxes onboard a containership may actually belong to the line operating it.

We need safeguards. Upcoming new alliances should be jointly responsible for their partner lines. You get limited antitrust immunity to form alliances and you need to make sure the shipping public is treated fairly, he said.

The responsibility is to get the ship into port and get it unloaded, get the empties on board and get the ship back out to sea. The industry needs to investigate options such as insurance contracts or pooled funds to protect shippers from the fallout of a carrier collapse.

THE Alliance, which starts operation on 1 April, is creating an emergency fund in the event of a Hanjin style bankruptcy among its members. Doyle has previously called on 2M and the Ocean Alliance to adopt a similar mechanism.

Read all the background to the Hanjin Shipping bankruptcy on our timeline
The Baltic Dry Index, (BDI) started the week strong, having rolled through eight consecutive days of winning streaks to 878 points on Monday. Then, the index scaled down, dropping 19 points on Tuesday before bouncing back to 871 points on Wednesday.

To be the fair, BDI has been on the ascendancy since Valentines Day with baseline at 685 points before being pushed by the power of love towards its current 870 points level. However, this love affair might be losing steam as more market uncertainty lies ahead in March 2017.

The lack of market direction may partly attributed to Chinas National People Congress meeting during the first week of the March, where the Politburo members will chart the countrys economic outlook with more than a tinge of environment protectionism.

Ahead of the meeting, the Chinese authority has imposed industrial output cut near Beijing, where the congress will be held, to improve air quality. In particular, the authority has implemented a 50% cut in sintering production in Tangshan from 1 March till 15 March 2017, affecting the demand of seaborne steel-making commodities like iron ore and coking coal.

Thus, shipping freight rates linked to these commodities took a beating due to the expected lower imports as well as holidays observed in major shipping countries.

Capesizes came under came under pressure on Monday after another quiet day on physicals and holidays in Brazil, Greece and Taiwan, said a FIS FFA broker based in Asia. March and Q2 lost most value as traders felt the momentum on physicals had potentially faltered.

Thus, he felt the softer rates reflected the loss of confidence by some traders while the market fundamentals remained largely intact.

Since then, capesizes had slipped from $9,133 on Monday to $7,893 on Wednesday after a loss over of $1,240. Technically, the rates have entered into a corrective mode after last weeks bullish sessions. As such, Cape Q2 futures are likely to have short term support of between $10,509 and $9,157, with longer term trend support holding above $ 8,500.

In contrast, other freight rates thrived as capes fell, with panamax continuing its bullish charge since Monday where holidays in shipping countries hampered futures trading. Panamax continued its bullish tone on 1 Mar 2017 as prompt periods saw further gains in a busy morning session with March pushing up to $10,000 and Q2 to $10,350. Added the FIS broker.

By Wednesday, the panamax time charter average rates were recorded at $8,366, up $606 from $7,760 posted on Monday.

Similar bullish trends were seen in supramax rates as well, which had a softer start at $8,547 on Monday before ended at $8,707 on Wednesday, booking a gain of $160. Handysize rates also matched the uptrend, and posted $6,609 on Wednesday, up $210 since Monday.

For a moment, the current freight market seems to resemble the world of force and secrecy in the same way that the Western media views the Chinas National People Congress. But sooner or later, it will reveal itself, bringing market clarity to traders in due time.
SapKencana said that the deals were done through its various units with various operating units of Malaysian national oil company, Petronas or its units. These include SapuraKencana TL Offshore (SKTLO) being awarded a one-year umbrella contract by Petronas for the provision of Pan Malaysia Transportation and Installation of Offshore Facilities.

The work consists of transportation and installation of platform, structures and pipelines and its associated works.

SKTLO has also been awarded a five-month contract for the provision of Engineering, Decommissioning, Procurement, Construction, Installation and Commissioning for the Sepat Mobile Offshore Production Unit Stabilisation and Repair Works by Petronas E&P unit by Petronas Carigali.

Meanwhile SapuraKencana HL was awarded a 33-month contract by by Petronas Carigali for the provision of procurement, construction and commissioning (PCC) of Full Well Stream Air Cooler Module on its Central Processing Platform NC3CP-A.

SapuraKencana HL was also awarded a nine-month contract by PCPP Operating Company for the provision of engineering, preparation, removal and disposal for the Dana and D30 facilities decommissioning project.

SapKencana did not disclose the value of each individual contract.
Way back in 2015, NASA's New Horizon's mission flew by the dwarf planet, Pluto. At the time, scientists felt they had this planet figured out. But the images and accompanying data they got from the mission completely blew their minds.

Since 2006 when the International Astronomical Union updated their classification of the word "planet" there's been a huge debate in the public, and in the scientific community, about the fate of dwarf planets. The IAU says a planet has to be a sun-orbiting body that is massive enough to be round, and will have cleared its orbit -- meaning nothing gets in the way as it goes around the sun.

But now, a new paper purports to change everything when it comes to planetary classification. The paper, published in Lunar and Planetary Science, declares a planet as a round body that's never undergone fusion, and has less mass than a star. That's it. This means, Pluto would be planet again-- But it would also bring along Ceres, Eris, Makemake and Haumea... as well as 97 other objects.

Read More:

Seeker: Behind the Push to Get Pluto Its Planetary Groove Back

Science Alert: NASA Scientists Have Proposed a New Definition of Planets, and Pluto Could Soon Be Back

Space.com: Should Pluto Be a Planet After All? Experts Weigh In
South Africa's Department of Environmental Affairs announced this week that it will allow 800 captive-bred lion skeletons to be exported every year. It's an attempt, the agency said, to cap the supply of a commodity that has grown exponentially since it was legalized in 2007.

Conservation groups were quick to denounce the plan, claiming it has no basis in science and could, perversely, lead to an increase in black market demand for wild lions.

"There's a new market and new evidence of wild lions being killed for their body parts," said Paul Funston, the senior director of the lion program at Panthera, a global, wild cat conservation organization. "That was something we didn't see in time gone by, but now we are seeing a sharp increase in lions being killed just to harvest body parts."

Ninety percent of lion carcasses in the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique had their skull, teeth, and claws removed last year, according to Panthera. In Namibia, 42 percent of killed lions had their heads, feet, tails, skins, and claws removed - a phenomenon that didn't occur during a similar killing spate in 2014.

"We strongly urge South Africa to take into account the wider impact of the captive lion bone trade beyond its borders," Debbie Banks of the Environmental Investigation Agency, said in a statement.

RELATED: Elephant Numbers in 'Sanctuary' Collapse by 80 Percent Due to Poaching

The 800-skeleton quota is the latest in a series of efforts to control the lion bone trade, which has been promoted by the government and some conservationists as an alternative to the heavily regulated tiger bone products popular in China and Southeast Asia, especially Laos and Vietnam. International efforts at protecting tigers and other large charismatic Asian cats have become - inadvertently - a factor in the growth of the lion bone industry.

Prevailing opinion is that rising Asian affluence is driving demand for tiger products, such as "tiger bone wine," which is considered a health remedy for rheumatism and arthritis, among other ailments. As the tiger trade came under international scutiny, dealers turned to other large cats, like lions, as a viable, legal alternative.

When the hunting of captive-bred lions was legalized in South Africa in 2007, it was done under the auspices of wild lion conservation. By allowing hunters to kill captive-bred lions, the government believed it could effectively remove pressure on wild populations. The lion bone trade surged shortly thereafter, as a secondary market to the hunting of captive-bred lions.

Wild lion populations have been severely depleted across Africa, with only 20,000 remaining from some 30,000 reported two decades ago, according to Panthera. There are now more than 9,100 lions in South Africa, about a third roaming in the wild, according to figures compiled by Traffic, a wildlife monitoring group. In 2013, South Africa reported 5,800 captive-bred lions, a number that has nearly doubled since 2005.

Until 2007 the export of live lions and lion parts was an "unremarkable blip" in global wildlife trade, according to report by Traffic. From 2008, however, the quantities exported increased almost six-fold. Between 2014 and 2016, South Africa legally exported an estimated 1,300 lion skeletons each year.

In response to public backlash to the proposed quota, the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) reiterated that the measures were intended to protect wild lions.

"One of the main concerns is that lion bones may be illegally sourced from wild lion populations if the trade in the bones originating from captive bred lions is prohibited," the department said in a statement. "A well-regulated trade will enable the Department to monitor a number of issues relating to the trade, including the possible impact on the wild populations."

But as the number of captive-bred carcasses exported from South Africa continues to rise, according to Funston, so does the incidence of wild lions illegally harvested for parts that could be sold on the legal market, or "white" market.

"White market trade stimulates black market trade," Panthera's Funston said. "As soon as you legitimize trade, then there are people that want to take part, and they're drawn in."

And that is why Panthera is calling for a total prohibition on captive lion breeding and its secondary markets, such as hunting and the export of lion skeletons.

RELATED: Big Cats, Wild Dogs Surprisingly Get Along in India

Last year, citing a declining lion population across much of Africa, conservation groups tried to improve lion protections by urging nations to agree to a complete ban on trade in wild- or captive-bred lion parts. The effort failed, though, and current international regulations allow for exports if government scientists declare the trade won't be detrimental to the survival of a species.

While the DEA maintains the 800-skeleton quota was based on an assessment of the previous year's trade data, they are now reviewing public comment on the issue, promising that no lion bone exports will be authorized until the quota has been fully implemented.

"Even if that quota is 100, we're concerned that this trade, and new form of market, stands to hurt wild populations," said Funston. "We believe the South African government has fueled this market, and we're afraid this could be repeated across other countries without South Africa's resources to spend on management."

WATCH: An Unusual Donkey Safari from the Desert to the Sea in Cabo.
US President Donald Trump is pressing forward with plans to turbo-boost America's carbon economy by slashing environmental regulations and opening up millions of acres of protected federal lands to development by oil, gas and coal interests.

But while independent economists cast doubt on Trump's ability to revive the coal industry, American crude oil production and exports may hit fresh records under his administration - so long as prices stay firm.

Oil exports from the United States are booming, with volumes exceeding a million barrels a day in February. Some government and private forecasts now suggest North America will begin exporting more energy than it imports in less than a decade - in what would be a fundamental shift for the U.S. role in global markets.

"If the Trump administration opens up all federal lands, we could see a significant increase in oil," said Robert Godby, an associate professor at the University of Wyoming and director of the Center for Energy Economics and Public Policy. "But only if international prices don't suddenly collapse again. And that's a big if, because that's out of our control."

To be sure, economists believe market forces will be the determining factor of US oil output, including both global prices and the cost of drilling. But as president, Trump "will encourage oil development, permit pipelines, reduce corporate profit taxes, and generally make US oil more competitive," wrote analysts at ESAI Energy LLC in a research note.

This focus on boosting American oil comes alongside a reversal of Obama-era initiatives to counter climate change, including plans to slash the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency to $6.1 billion from $8 billion and reduce staff to 12,000 from 15,000, according to recent press reports, while pulling back from a policy to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

Unleashing a fresh gusher of American crude would help push the planet closer to exceeding the global "carbon budget," or the amount of carbon dioxide that can enter the atmosphere before temperatures rise more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels - a point at which, scientists say, truly bad things are more likely to happen.

"The fact is there's more oil on Earth than we can produce, if we don't want to cook the planet," said energy economist Philip Verleger, president of the consultancy PKVerliger. "We're going to have a situation where most people who still have oil get into a race to produce it, before there's no room for it. From an environmental point of view this is horrible - really horrible."

In order to keep global temperature increase below 2C, the world can continue to produce greenhouse gases at current rates for about 20 years from 2017, according to a recent paper by the Global Carbon Project, a research group that releases an annual publication tracking carbon emissions. The time limit will be shorter if carbon emissions rise.

RELATED: The Twilight of American Coal and the Rise of Renewables

Trump's energy plan, posted to the White House web site, cites an estimated "$50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, especially those on federal lands that the American people own."

The document claims that reversing Obama-era climate and energy policies could boost US wages by $30 billion over 7 years - although it makes no mention of renewable energy, where jobs are growing, or of climate change.

About 43 percent of America's 29 billion barrels of oil reserves lie in territory controlled by the federal government, according to data from the US Bureau of Land Management. As of 2014, there were 113 million acres of onshore federal lands open for oil and gas development, with 166 million acres off limits.

Trump's point man on the question of opening federal lands to energy producers will be Ryan Zinke, the former congressman from Montana who was approved by the Senate Wednesday to become US Secretary of the Interior in a 68-to-31 vote.

Zinke will oversee a department managing one-fifth of the surface area of the United States, and has a record of opposing the sale of federal lands while supporting fossil fuel development on them. He has said he believes humanity has "an influence" on climate change, but environmentalists spoke out against his confirmation.

Trump campaigned hard on bringing back coal mining jobs, and his "America First Energy Plan" pledges support for coal, gas, and oil indiscriminately.

But even in pure economic terms, Trump's plan appears to be at odds with itself.

Supporting both coal and natural gas is a contradiction, economists say, because the two compete as a fuel source for electricity generation.

Cheaper, cleaner natural gas poses a bigger threat to coal than the Obama-era regulations Trump has vowed to repeal, according to economists.

"The 'war on coal' wasn't declared by the Obama administration - it was declared by natural gas," said Godby. "The one thing I'd bet money on is that there won't be a renaissance in coal."

"The president has committed to embracing shale gas," Adele Morris, senior fellow and policy director at the Brookings Institution, told a recent forum on Trump's energy policies in Washington DC. "That's going to do nothing but reinforce the low price of gas and its effect on coal as its primary competitor in the power market."

Oil, however, may be another story.

RELATED: Here's Why the US Nuclear Industry Is in Jeopardy

American crude oil production nearly doubled in the decade before Trump took office, thanks largely to advanced production techniques like fracking, in which drillers blast sand and chemical-laced water into tight rock formations in order to unlock oil or natural gas in places like Pennsylvania, Texas, North Dakota, and Montana.

As a result, under former President Barack Obama, the United States became the world's top producer of combined oil and natural gas - well ahead of Russia or Saudi Arabia.

US oil production dipped after global prices collapsed in 2014, but has been rising again in the wake of a recent production cut by OPEC, the group of oil exporting countries that includes Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

Days after Trump became president, the US Energy Information Agency (EIA) forecast US crude oil production would rise from 8.9 million barrels per day in 2016 to 9.0 million barrels per day in 2017, before rising further to 9.5 million barrels per day in 2018.

The EIA, America's government energy statistics agency, said in January that the United States could be exporting more energy than it imports by 2026 - or sooner if prices rise. The US has been a net energy importer since 1953.

Oil major ExxonMobil recently forecast that North American energy exports will surpass imports by 2025.

American crude oil exports were banned for 40 years following an Arab oil embargo in the early 1970s that raised fears about energy dependence. But the shale production revolution of the past decade finally spurred Washington to end the moratorium in December 2015 - prompting a surge in sales abroad.

In January, Goldman Sachs said that the US was sending more crude oil and refined products to Latin America than it was receiving for the first time.

While a great deal depends on market forces and the details of policy, this much appears certain: The Trump administration intends to do its utmost to boost American fossil fuels, and has shown little inclination to limit the resulting greenhouse gasses. Taken together, those policies present a significant new challenge to international efforts to combat climate change.

WATCH: The Difference Between Global Warming and Climate Change
Press Release

March 3, 2017 HONTIVEROS TO DUTERTE: YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DECLARE WHO AMONG FILIPINOS HAVE NO HUMANITY *Latest statement of Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros President Rodrigo Duterte has no right and authority to declare who among the Filipino people "have no humanity." President Duterte was elected as chief executive to run a country according to the basic tenets of human rights, he must do that towards all citizens without exception. President Duterte must understand that humanity and/or the right to human dignity is inviolable. This government must respect and safeguard the dignity of the human person; the right of each and everyone to human dignity is the basis of many inalienable rights and the foundation of freedom, justice and peace. President Duterte's war on drugs is not based on the people's right to human dignity. It is inhumane, abusive, and corrupt. It kills many innocent lives and leaves hundreds of orphans in its wake. Its actors are protected from accountability. It is distorted into murder in the guise of law enforcement. It is distorted into a war against humanity, a war against law and order, a war against freedom, justice and peace. I believe that is the message of the latest reports released by the Human Rights Watch and the United Nations' International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). If President Duterte is determined to address the country's problem with crimes and illegal drug trafficking, he should subscribe to proper and modern law enforcement. This includes the protection of human rights and observance of the rule of law, and the promotion of public health strategies against substance abuse. Across the world, this has been proven the best approach to crime and illegal drugs. He should understand that crime is rooted in inequality and poverty, and to address social issues is to get to the root of crime. An efficient, fair and effective justice system is a better deterrent against crime, and our justice system will only succeed if the officials at its helm are not assailed by corruption scandals. There are no shortcuts in a democracy.
Press Release

March 3, 2017 TODAY IS NATIONAL HOMESCHOOL DAY,

A DAY FOR BETTER EDUCATION: PANGILINAN "There is no school equal to a decent home and no teacher equal to a virtuous parent" - Mahatma Gandhi MANILA -- In support for the Filipino homeschooling community, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan has filed Resolution 308 expressing the Senate's full support in the celebration of the first National Homeschool Day today, March 3, 2017. "Ang daming panahong naaaksaya sa trapik paroo't parito sa iskwela. Meron pa minsan nam-bu-bully. Magandang option ang homeschooling sa bata at magulang. Nagbibigay ito ng isang secure at hassle-free environment para maging free thinkers ang mga bata na nakatutok sa kaalaman at hindi lang sa matataas na grado (A lot of time is wasted in traffic going to and from schools. Bullying has also become a serious issue. Homeschooling is a good option for both parents and children. It can provide a secure and hassle-free environment where children become independent thinkers and focus on learning and not merely getting high grades)," said Pangilinan. Noting that "this year's theme is 'Building Up the Philippines, One Family at a Time,' the Liberal Party president said that homeschooling is also a good way to nation-building. "We believe that if we are to shape our nation, we will have to shape first our communities, and if we are to shape our communities, we have to shape our families," Pangilinan added. The senator also stressed the need to craft a law for homeschooling in the country. "As the movement for homeschooling in the country grows, we see a need to institutionalize this alternative mode of education: One that would set guidelines for a homeschooling program that ensures that children get to have the quality education they deserve," Pangilinan said. "Pag nakita nating lumalaki ang ating mga anak na balansyado, nakakamit ang kanilang pangarap, may kumpyansa sa sarili at sa kanilang puwang sa komunidad, yan ang pinakamagandang regalo ng nanay at tatay sa kanilang mga anak. Yan ang inaasam ng homeschooling. Yan ang inaasam natin (Seeing our children as they grow up well-balanced, achieving because they love what they do, and self-confident and assured that they have a place in the community, I think, is the best gift that a mother and father would want to have for their children. That is the goal of homeschooling. That is our goal)," he added.
Press Release

March 3, 2017 KIKO TO KOKO: PLEASE RETURN SENATE SECURITY FOR SEN. LEILA MANILA - Liberal Party president Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Friday asked Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III to return the Senate security of detained Senator Leila de Lima in Camp Crame. "Dapat nag-negotiate na makalapit ang OSSAA, hindi yung 50 meters away (There should have been negotiations for the Office of the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms to come closer, and not be 50 meters away)," Pangilinan said. On Wednesday night, Pimentel told Senate reporters that Senate security personnel has been removed from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center where de Lima is detained, as they were posted far from her cell and were thus "useless." It was learned that the OSSAA personnel were pulled out Monday. The Liberal Party believes that De Lima has been arrested and detained to silence her as she has been a fierce critic of President Duterte from her time as chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights during the Arroyo administration. The government accused her of profiting from the drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison during her time as justice secretary, and filed non-bailable charges against her. The Liberal Party has called her arrest illegal as the evidence was weak, due process was not met, and the regional trial courts, including the one that issued the warrant, did not have jurisdiction over the cases filed against her. De Lima has repeatedy denied the drug charges saying they were part of efforts of President Duterte to exact revenge against her for her sharp criticism of his policies, particularly the bloody war on drugs. The Liberal Party also expressed concern for her safety under government detention, citing how Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., a drug suspect, was killed by police officers in a detention center before dawn on Nov. 5, and South Korean businessman Jee Ick-Joo, who was kidnapped on Oct. 18 last year, was later found dead within the grounds of Camp Crame, the PNP headquarters. Senate President Pimentel said De Lima's work at the Senate will continue despite her detention.
A Vietnamese-American billionaire donated $5 million Wednesday to San Joses flood relief fund, one of the largest private philanthropic donations in the citys history.

Kieu Hoang, who has made much of his fortune through Shanghai RAAS Blood Products, an international firm that researches and manufactures blood and plasma-derived medical products, was the 214th richest person in the United States in 2016, according to Forbes.

Hoang, whose estimated net worth is $2.8 billion, also owns a winery in Napa Valley, as well as a ranch in Los Angeles, Forbes reported.

He handed the oversized check to San Joses mayor, Sam Liccardo, at an announcement with city officials.

The seven-figure donation brings the total raised for the flood fund to more than $6 million, said David Low, a spokesman for the mayors office.

The money will prioritize relief and assistance to flood victims more severely impacted by flooding along the Coyote Creek last week, Low said in a statement.

An initial city estimate for the flood damage caused by Coyote Creek overflowing its banks and surging through a series of San Jose neighborhoods was $73 million, with $50 million of damages estimated specifically for private property.

More than 14,000 homes were evacuated, sending thousands of residents fleeing for makeshift shelters on higher ground, with many saying the first time they were warned of the severity of the floods was when firefighters in rescue boats began motoring through the swollen streets of their neighborhoods.

A friend of Hoangs, Chieu Van, the co-founder of San Jose-based Lees Sandwiches, connected Hoang with city leaders, according to the mayors office.

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.

The flood relief fund will dispense funds to nonprofits  that have not been identified yet  to handle a variety of recovery-related functions, Low said. Those include funds to intake and assess displaced victims and offer emergency money for housing needs.

The city also plans to directly administer funds to some of its worst off residents, including paying for rental subsidies, hotel vouchers, work equipment car repairs and other needs.

Michael Bodley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @michael_bodley
Traffic on Highway 101 in Palo Alto was snarled Friday as road crews shut down multiple lanes to inspect and repair damage to an overpass caused late Thursday when it was rammed by a dump truck rolling down the freeway with its hydraulic payload raised, officials said.

Two southbound lanes on Highway 101 and one westbound lane on Embarcadero Road overpass were expected to remain closed until at least 3 p.m. as Caltrans crews repair a crack in the overpass that was caused by the crash, said Officer Art Montiel of the California Highway Patrol.
Santa Clara Police Department

An administrator at a youth shelter and former Boy Scout leader has been arrested for possession of child pornography in Santa Clara, officials said Thursday.

David Bruce Lang, 63, was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on Thursday after child pornography was found on his home computer, officials and coworkers said.
Rallies and protest events are a part of political life in the Bay Area. Heres a roundup of whats happening in the next few weeks.

Saturday

Trump opposition meeting: An afternoon of workshops and training on various actions that protesters can take to oppose President Trumps agenda. The training is from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Mission High School, 3750 18th St., San Francisco. Attendees must register online at https://www.facebook.com/ events/457725081252418/.

Pro-Trump march: One of several scheduled events nationwide to support President Trump. The march is from 2 to 6 p.m. and will begin at the Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, 2151 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley.

Sunday

Peace gathering: To denounce an incident in Kansas last week in which a man allegedly shot two natives of India and a third man after telling the Indian men to get out of my country. One of the Indian men died. The gathering is from 1 to 4 p.m. at Lytton Plaza, 200 University Ave., Palo Alto.

Tuesday

Meeting on gun violence: A new-member meeting hosted by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense. The meeting is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at a private residence. RSVP to LizNaughtonMoore@gmail.com.

Wednesday

Day Without Women strike: The organizers behind the Womens March on Washington are calling for a general strike to show what a day without women would look like.

Womens Demonstration: A gathering to promote womens rights on the day of the womens strike. The event is from 5 to 9 p.m. at Frank Ogawa Plaza, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland. Details to come.

Town hall: For International Womens Day, join womens advocates to speak about womens rights and the disparate challenges women still face. The event is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the World Affairs Auditorium, 312 Sutter St., Suite 200, San Francisco. Tickets available at https://www.worldaffairs.org/event-calendar/event/1696.

Thursday

Discussion on executive orders: UC Berkeley law professors will discuss the scope of the presidents authority on executive orders, such as one calling for a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. The event is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the World Affairs Auditorium, 312 Sutter St., San Francisco.

Discussion on climate change: Hosted by the Lamorinda Democratic Club, the discussion will focus on local effects and actions. The event is from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Lafayette library, 3491 Mount Diablo Blvd.

March 10

Standing Rock march: A march and rally calling for President Trump to meet with tribal leaders before continuing work on the Dakota Access Pipeline. The event is from 5 to 9 p.m. outside the San Francisco Federal Building, 90 Seventh St.

March 13

Postcard party: A campaign to send 1 million postcards to President Trump on issues including womens rights, religious freedom, immigration and economic security. The event is from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Booksmith, 1644 Haight St., San Francisco. RSVP to the Postcard Party at Booksmith event page on Facebook.

March 14

Anti-Trump protest: Members of the tech community are expected to rally on Pi Day in protest of President Trump. The rally is from 2 to 6 p.m. at 250 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto.
San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who has worked for environmental nonprofit groups for three decades, was appointed Thursday to the California Coastal Commission, an agency racked by dissension over the past year after the firing of its executive director.

Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon appointed Peskin to fill the commission seat representing the North Coast and Central Coast, which was vacated by former Marin County Supervisor Steve Kinsey, who retired.

The commission, widely considered one of the most powerful and effective coastal-protection agencies in the country, was created by voter initiative in 1972 to regulate development and protect the coastline.

I am honored, delighted and excited, Peskin said. Our coast is under a tremendous amount of pressure. There are a whole slew of issues related to sea-level rise and I look forward to being at the cutting edge on all those matters.

The naming of Peskin comes less than a month after commissioners chose Jack Ainsworth, a staffer on the commission for 29 years, as the executive director. That announcement, on Feb. 10, came exactly one year after his predecessor, Charles Lester, was ousted, causing an outcry among environmentalists and others who accused the agency of selling out to developers and Malibu millionaires.

Lesters opponents on the board cited poor outreach to minority communities and a lack of diversity on the 163-member staff as reasons for his dismissal. Since firing Lester, the commission board has come under fire for meeting with lobbyists before making important decisions.

Peskins appointment was supported by the the Sierra Club, the Board of Supervisors and state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco. Wiener said Thursday that the two had not always been on the same side of local issues, but he praised Peskin for his hard work, attention to detail and passion for environmental protection.

Supervisor Peskin has always been a strong environmentalist, and Im confident he will be a staunch defender of our coastline as a member of the Coastal Commission, Wiener said. Its as important as ever to have strong, engaged coastal commissioners who can keep the commission on track.

Peskin served on the Trust for Public Land in the 1980s and was western regional director of the American Land Conservancy from 1990 to 1993. He is currently president of Great Basin Land & Water, a small nonprofit organization focused on protecting water quality in the Truckee River. He is also a member of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, a state planning and regulatory agency.

Peskin said he will resign his position on the board of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District so he can dedicate more time to the Coastal Commission, which he acknowledged is in the midst of some tumult. He will represent an area that includes Marin, San Francisco and Sonoma counties.

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.

I feel like I am coming in at exactly the right time after the dust has settled, he said. The commission is now in the forefront of everybodys mind, and my job is to create relationships with the other members and staff. My background as a lifelong environmentalist is abundantly clear.

The Coastal Commission is charged with carrying out environmentally sustainable planning and science-based regulation of development along the coast. It has 12 voting members and three nonvoting members who are appointed by the governor, the Senate Rules Committee and the speaker of the Assembly.

Peskin will receive $50 for the monthly meetings and $12.50 for every hour, up to eight, that he needs to prepare for meetings.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite
Googles plans for a futuristic campus in Mountain Views North Bayshore area could take another step toward reality next week.

The Mountain View City Council will discuss Tuesday whether it will grant Google permits to create its Charleston East campus that will be open to its employees and the public. Google envisions having a canopied 595,000 square foot two-story office building on the 18.6 acre property.

The structure would be unlike any office building in the Silicon Valley, made up of separate roof panels, held up by a grid of poles, according to a city report released on Friday. Vertical glass curtain walls would enclose the structure on all four sides, further allowing the inside to be illuminated by natural light, the report said.

Google employees would use offices on the first and second stories of the building. Members of the public would be able to walk through a pathway from dawn to dusk on the first floor, with retail and cafes nearby, the city report said. Renderings from Google included in the report show members of the community doing Tai-chi and a green loop for bicyclists and pedestrians. In the southeast part of the Charleston East campus, near Shoreline Boulevard and Charleston Road, Google plans on having a two-acre public plaza for food trucks and events like performances and outdoor markets, the report said.

Googles presence in Mountain View is simply so strong that it cant be a fortress that shuts away nature, that shuts away its neighbors, said architect Bjarke Ingels, whose firm is a consultant on Googles campus project, in a video about the space. It really needs to become a neighborhood in Mountain View.

But as part of its new campus plans, Google plans to remove 196 heritage trees, which requires city approval. Google says it will plant 392 trees, including oak, willow and buckeye trees, to replace the ones that will be removed. The shift in trees will cause a reduction in tree canopy coverage. Currently, there is about 12 percent tree canopy coverage and that will drop to 3 percent at the time of planting, the report said. But 15 years later, the tree canopy coverage is expected to grow to 30 percent, the report said.

The new project will generate roughly $3 million in additional property tax revenue for the shoreline community, the report said. The project will also pay the city $14.9 million in a housing impact fee and $17.9 million that will go to transportation improvements in North Bayshore, the report said. Google will also pay $250,000 to the city related to its North Bayshore Precise Plan and environmental impact report.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Google says Charleston East will have 1,200 parking spaces. On Tuesday, the council will also discuss whether to extend Googles lease on parking spaces at the Shoreline Amphitheatre to serve as temporary spaces while the project is being developed. Google and Live Nation are seeking to extend a lease on parking spaces at the Shoreline Amphitheatre from Dec. 13, 2017 to the end of 2020. If the city council approves this, Google says it will pay the City of Mountain View a one-time sum of $600,000 and annual rent of $2.25 million for renting the two parking lots. If Google is granted occupancy on its new Charleston East campus before the end of 2020, the $600,000 payment would go toward the rent on the parking lots. In addition, Google says it will restrict parking for Charleston East on its property at 2171 Landings Drive and other Google property near Charleston East campus.

Wendy Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: wlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thewendylee
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Attorneys for a man on trial in the kidnapping and slaying of South Bay teenager Sierra LaMar tried to poke holes in the prosecutions case Thursday by raising the possibility that DNA from a person unconnected to a killing can show up at a crime scene.

While cross-examining Santa Clara County criminologist Michele Bell, an attorney for defendant Antolin Garcia-Torres, 25, asked about a local killing in which an innocent mans DNA was found on the victim.

But when defense attorney Bicka Barlow started to ask Bell about the old murder case, prosecutor David Boyd quickly requested a sidebar with the judge, who later instructed the Santa Clara County jury to disregard Barlows line of questioning.

Barlow did not get the chance to mention what San Jose murder case she was referring to. But in 2013, 26-year-old San Jose resident Lukis Anderson was charged with murdering Monte Sereno millionaire Raveesh Ravi Kumra and then was freed from jail after more than five months.

Although Andersons DNA was found on the victims body, he was eventually cleared after it was proved that he was drunk and unconscious at a hospital at the time of the slaying.

Andersons DNA was transferred to Kumras fingernails after the same two paramedics who treated Anderson for intoxication at a San Jose liquor store took the emergency call at Kumras mansion hours later, according to Santa Clara County prosecutors.

But there are several key differences between Andersons and Garcia-Torres cases, most notably the fact that Anderson had an indisputable alibi, proved by hospital records. Garcia-Torres alleges he was fishing alone at the time 15-year-old Sierra disappeared on March 16, 2012.

Although the body of Sierra  presumed dead by authorities  has not been found, her phone was discovered in a field less than a mile from her home a day after she vanished. The next day, her purse and the clothes she was believed to be wearing when she left home were spotted a short distance from where her phone was found.

The prosecutions strongest piece of evidence is the strand of Sierras hair found on rope in Garcia-Torres Volkswagen Jetta. The defense has tried to cast doubt on the origin of the hair, citing a months-long gap between when the rope was recovered and the hair was found by investigators.

Criminalists with the Santa Clara County crime lab found three DNA profiles on Sierras jeans: one belonging to Sierra, one believed to be Garcia-Torres and a third from an unknown contributor.

Garcia-Torres could face the death penalty if convicted of Sierras abduction and murder. He is also being tried on charges he attempted to kidnap and carjack three women at Morgan Hill Safeways in 2009. One of the sites was a Safeway where Garcia-Torres worked.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
At the Oscars earlier this week, when host Jimmy Kimmel made fun of the names of actor Mahershala Ali and tourist Yulree Chun, I couldnt help but think of the times Id been teased as a kid. My last name inspired howls and hoots, a way for bullies to tell me that I was different, that I was somehow less than American.

When I got married, it would have been the perfect opportunity to change my last name to my husbands Serbian one. But Id spent years building my byline, and I didnt want to give up the name or the heritage my father had passed down to me.

An increasing number of newly married women are forgoing the tradition. Nationally, about 20 percent of women who married in recent years kept their last names, a study suggests. Thats compared with the 18 percent who kept their maiden name in the 1990s, and 14 percent in the 80s. Another 10 percent hyphenate their names or use their maiden name professionally. Among my closest female friends from college  who married later, after graduate school and after they established their careers  many kept their maiden names, trends reflected in the study.

Ive heard of couples, both gay and straight, who adopt a new surname to define themselves as a unit after getting married. Some women keep their maiden name at work, but officially, on their license and at their childrens school, they have another identity. To me, it felt like straddling, trying to have it both ways. I also wondered if taking my husbands last name might confuse others, because it would mask my ethnic identity.

Years ago, I arranged an interview by phone. When I showed up, the source couldnt hide his shock. He thought my last name was spelled Waugh like the British writer Evelyn Waugh, and hed imagined a different picture of me. I could see the wheels grinding in his head: Oh  shes Asian. If I changed my last name to my husbands, that dissonance would happen again and again.

A friend told me about a Chinese American woman who faced the similar ethnic conundrum when she married her non-Chinese husband. She took her husbands name but switched her first name to something Chinese  the name her parents had given her or another one, I didnt know. If Id adopted that strategy and taken my husbands surname and replaced Vanessa with Tien-Fong (my Chinese name), we joked that I would have the perfect moniker for NPR, in line with Sylvia Poggioli and Snigdha Prakash, radio correspondents with tongue-twisting, mellifluous appellations.

Jokes aside, a recent study found that job applicants with Asian surnames faced discrimination. Job applicants in Canada with names of Indian, Pakistani or Chinese origin were 28 percent less likely to get called in for an interview, compared with those with Anglo names, even when the qualifications were the same.

Companies surveyed were concerned that applicants with Asian surnames would have language problems, according to Jeffrey G. Reitz, a sociologist at the University of Toronto. In addition, employers were concerned about the prospects risk of failure, and getting blamed for that failure. He noted that its possible many employers harbored implicit bias  an unconscious negative association for minorities.

Thats infuriating. It doesnt matter if you were born here, if you majored in English or if you devoted yourself to the writing craft; if your name comes off as foreign, you may end up getting turned away. Another study found that Asian job candidates in the United States were twice as likely to get a call back if they changed their names and excluded race-based honors and organizations (a finding that held true for African Americans, too).

Could changing my last name have helped my career, in the past and in the future? These studies seem to suggest that it would. And no doubt, sharing a last name among my husband, my twins, and me could make life simpler. More than once, Ive pictured scenarios at the airport or at the hospital where I had to plead with an official that I was mother to the twins though we didnt have the same last name.

Were you born in America? Gege asked the other day. Was he trying to figure out why I had a different last name from him, his brother, and his father? I wondered if the presidents proposed border wall and immigration ban had seeped into his consciousness. Or perhaps the question stemmed from his obsession with the movie Cars 2, with its international cast of race cars in the colors of their flag  Francesco Bernoulli from Italy, Shu Todoroki from Japan, and the all-American hero Lightning McQueen in red.

Yes, I said. Grandma Hua was born in China. But were all American.

Keeping my last name is about my identity, my ambitions. The twins will have their own. Their middle names incorporate part of my last name: Huajian, which means glorious health and Huaren, glorious kindness. A gift from my late father, who lived long enough to cuddle them in his lap and to make plans for vacations he never got to take with them.

I miss my father every day, but when I see certain mannerisms in the twins  when I stroke the elfin ears on Didi, and when I brush the cowlicks swirling on the back of Geges head  my father and our familys name lives on.

Vanessa Huas column appears Fridays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.com
Soko, the 4-year-old international business based in San Franciscos Potrero Hill neighborhood, is usually described as a jewelry company. I got interested in it because thats only partly true.

Soko does, indeed, sell jewelry. Since that jewelry is both affordable and high-quality, this description might be more than enough for the companys clients, which include big companies like Nordstrom as well as local boutiques like San Franciscos Azalea and Berkeleys Erica Tanov.

Soko was launched by three women  two Americans, Gwendolyn Floyd and Ella Peinovich, and one Kenyan, Catherine Mahugu. Its easy to imagine three women launching a successful international jewelry business.

If its a little less easy to imagine three women launching a successful international technology company, well, blame Silicon Valley.

Dont blame Soko, which has developed a technological platform that is, in my opinion, even more important than what the companys currently selling.

Wed all been working in Kenya, doing international development, computer science, these totally different fields, Floyd, who is 37, told me. We would go to markets and talk to local artisans who had tremendous products but no way to access a bigger market. People think the Internet is everywhere, but its not.

What is everywhere, even in countries with spotty Internet access, is the mobile phone. So the three women decided to gather a factorys worth of small-scale artisans by using what they already had: mobile phones.

High-speed production from small artisans using only mobile phones, ethical practices, big international clients  Soko had a big dream. The founders spent 2 years building a technology platform before they sold a single piece of jewelry.

Now that theyve gotten it right, they could help shift the course of retail.

The artisans we met in Kenya are entrepreneurs; they didnt want to be involved with a small-scale fair-trade business, Floyd said. So we knew from the beginning that we had to create something that would be big. Ethical fast fashion, if you will.

Heres how it works. When Soko gets an order of, say, 2,500 choker necklaces, the Soko team in the U.S. and Kenya looks through a database of 2,500 artisan profiles to determine who would be best to fill the particular demands of that order.

Artisans receive their assignments through their mobile phones. Because each artisan is handling a manageable assignment, the company can produce the order in the same time a large factory would  Soko routinely fills orders of 2,500 necklaces within two weeks, just as an H&M or a Zara would.

After their work has been examined, accepted and shipped from Kenya, the artisans get payments through their phones, too.

Once theyve been with us for two months, the average artisan is making enough products to send all of her kids to school, to feed her family three times a day and to save a little money, too, Floyd said. Weve also developed asset financing, so the more experienced artisans can buy machinery as they increase their orders.

But the key  both for the artisans themselves and for the idea of an ethical production model  is that Soko doesnt use factories. All the artisans are working from home or in small workshops close to their homes. Theyre using recycled or upcycled materials, too.

That means less pollution, less worker abuse, and  for their woman-dominated artisan community  the chance to earn a good living without leaving their families.

All this, and did I mention the products are great, too?

Im like a lot of consumers, in the sense that I love the idea of ethical items created by artisans in developing nations, but I run far away from anything that looks as if it might be paired with a hemp shirt and Teva sandals. So I felt a little dread when I first stepped into Sokos showroom.

But that dread dissipated as soon as I saw the pieces, which are clean and modern, mostly made of a satisfyingly chunky brass. Pretty soon the marketing representative was asking sweetly if I wouldnt mind returning the jewelry Id draped around my neck and wrists.

I gave it back with a sniff, understanding how Soko sold $2 million worth of jewelry in its second selling year and is on track to sell $4 million this year. Floyd, a former industrial designer, designs all of the jewelry herself and is planning to hire a design team later this year.

It was really important to all of us to create designs that had cultural integrity but could still appeal to shoppers everywhere, Floyd said. Like I said, these artisans want to succeed, and they know that means learning how to make all kinds of products.

Future plans include expanding into new product categories, including handbags and home goods, as well as new countries. Were moving into Ethiopia and Uganda this year, and were really interested in India. Who wouldnt want ethical fine jewelry for reasonable prices?

Who indeed?

Caille Millner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cmillner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @caillemillner

Sokos showroom is at 10 Arkansas St. in San Francisco. Their online shop is https://shopsoko.com
Decades of allowing transgender students, park visitors and government workers to use restrooms that fit their gender identity show that fears of sexual predators and invasion of privacy are unfounded, San Francisco and 30 other local governments said Thursday in a filing with the U.S. Supreme Court.

Wrapping discrimination in a cloak of fear doesnt protect anyone, San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said in a statement announcing the court brief. Other signers included Santa Clara County and the cities of Vallejo and Santa Cruz, along with New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles.

The court is scheduled to hear arguments March 28 on whether a federal law banning sex discrimination in public education applies to transgender students.

Former President Barack Obamas administration had filed arguments in support of a 17-year-old transgender student in Virginia, Gavin Grimm, who challenged his districts restroom policy, and had advised school districts nationwide to respect transgender youths restroom choice.

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But President Trumps administration has withdrawn both the court filing and Obamas nationwide advisory. The Virginia district has asked the court to delay the hearing for at least a month to give the administration time to submit its own arguments.

More for you Lois Kolkhorst says Texas bathroom proposal 'very different'...

The local governments filing cited San Franciscos experience under its own laws, including a 1993 ballot measure that banned discrimination against transgender city employees, and other actions affecting schools and public parks.

The city parks department has not received any complaints arising out of a transgender person using a restroom or other sex-segregated facility, or any complaints of a sexual predator falsely asserting a gender identity in order to gain access to a restroom, the local governments lawyers said. Nor have the San Francisco Sheriffs Department or Police Department heard any such complaints, they added.

Since the first such ordinance was passed in Minneapolis in 1975, the brief said, more than 200 local governments nationwide have adopted transgender protections and have experienced none of the imagined horribles forecast by opponents.

Other briefs supporting the Virginia transgender student were filed by 80 school districts, including the San Francisco Unified School District.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
Facing growing criticism following revelations that he did not disclose speaking with on two occasions Russias ambassador to the United States, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday that he would recuse himself from any investigations related to the 2016 campaign.

That includes federal investigations into Russian interference with the U.S. presidential election. The Washington Post first reported that Sessions had twice met with Sergey Kislyak, Russias U.S. ambassador.

Let me be clear, Sessions told reporters at an afternoon news conference. I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign.

A number of politicians  including Sen. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, the House minority leader  had accused the attorney general of lying under oath during his Senate confirmation hearing and demanded his resignation.

There is nothing unusual about a sitting senator, as Sessions was at the time, meeting with a foreign ambassador, but his close ties to the Trump campaign led to criticism that he could have been discussing campaign issues with the Russians.

At Sessions January confirmation hearing, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., asked the then-nominee whether he had any contact with Russian officials. Sessions said he had not.

Thursday, Sessions said his reply to Franken was honest and correct as I understood it at the time.

During the news conference, Sessions noted:

He thought Franken was asking specifically about whether he had talked to Russian officials about the campaign.

He said I appreciate that some have taken his response as a false comment, but added that that was not his intent and not correct.

Of his Sept. 8 meeting with Kislyak, he said he did not remember a lot of what was discussed, but added that the two had made small talk, such as Sessions going to Russia with a church group in 1991. He added that somehow the subject of Ukraine came up in that meeting.

The Chronicle has reported on the controversy surrounding Sessions contacts with Russian officials. Here are some links:

Thursday morning, Sessions said that allegations that he had discussed campaign issues with the ambassador were unbelievable and false.

Responding to shouted questions from reporters, Trump said there was no reason Sessions should recuse himself.

Pelosi and other Democrats urged Sessions to resign when the news broke.

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare and chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, rejected calls from his fellow Republicans for a special prosecutor to investigate ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Michael Bodley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @michael_bodley
A 30-year-old man stole an ice cream truck in Fairfield Thursday morning, but didnt get far before crashing into the fence of a nearby home, police said.

Vallejo resident Tony Antwan Walker was arrested following the heist of the refrigerated truck, which occurred before 10 a.m. on the 700 block of Capricorn Circle.
State Assemblywoman Catharine Baker is a rare bird: a living, breathing Bay Area Republican elected representative in a sea of Democratic blue.

So at a time when town halls hosted by GOP politicians around the country have become the go-to venue for unleashing fury on the Trump administration and its policies, you would think that a Baker town hall would attract at least a bit of that wrath and protest.

But that was not the case at San Ramon City Hall on Thursday night.

In a display of bipartisan civility not seen much these days, Baker, the Republican from San Ramon, and Democratic State Sen. Steve Glazer of Orinda joined forces to give their Tri Valley constituency the latest news from the state Capitol. With more than 300 people in attendance  half of them watching on a screen in the buildings rotunda  the political odd couple of Contra Costa County talked about higher education, infrastructure, transportation, water storage, transgender rights, BART, high speed rail, health care and DNA testing.

What they didnt talk about, at least directly, was the man who could have a dramatic impact on all those issues: President Trump. Baker said that while attendance at her town hall meetings has doubled since Trump was elected, her constituents dont seem to hold her responsible for what comes out of Trumps mouth and administration.

I dont think you saw any of that here, Baker said afterwards. The real focus here is on exactly what it should be: what should we be doing, regardless of party, to improve the lives of people in this community. Its not are you toeing the line? What does your party say about this or that?

Republicans, with the exception of Baker, have not done well in the Bay Area over the last decade. The state Senate has 27 Democrats and 13 Republicans, but no Republicans from the Bay Area. The Assembly is made up of 55 Democrats and 25 Republicans, and only one, Baker, is from the Bay Area. None of the 14 California Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives is from the Bay Area.

And even in her own district, Baker is a minority. Republicans make up just 31 percent of her 16th Assembly District, compared with 39 percent Democrats. Trump got trounced in Contra Costa County, which covers much of the district, garnering 24.5 percent of the vote, compared with 67.5 for Hillary Clinton.

It might have helped that Baker did not endorse Trump and condemned him after audio tapes surfaced in which the president was heard bragging that he forces himself on women. I took a stand early and publicly not to support Donald Trump, and it lost me supporters, she said at the time. The most recent revelations of his taped statements about women re-affirm my stance not to vote for Trump. As a mother and a woman, I find his statements disgusting.

But while Glazer and Baker have different party affiliations, they agree on most things. Of the 1,210 bills that made it to both the Assembly and Senate for votes in 2016, Glazer and Baker voted the same 88 percent of the time. They both are unpopular with teachers unions because they support charter schools. They are both on the outs with BART workers because they think public transportation workers, like police officers and firefighters, should not be able to go out on strike.

Transit is an essential service  its not a luxury, said Glazer at the town hall.

They both said they want infrastructure investment, but not waste. They both said high speed rail between San Francisco and Los Angeles is a waste of money. They both back Bakers legislation that would ensure that BART bond money is spent on system capital improvements, not administrative costs.

If we are taking money from you in the name of transportation, it needs to go to roads and infrastructure, Baker told the audience.

Perhaps out of politeness, audience members seemed to tread lightly around Bakers affiliation with the party of Trump. She was asked about the likely dismantling of the Environmental Protection Agencys greenhouse gas reduction efforts by new EPA head Scott Pruitt.

I was one of the only members of my party to support climate change and greenhouse gas reductions standards, she said. We need to blaze ahead ourselves as best we can.

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 another break with the Trump administration, Baker also said she supports the right of transgender people to use whatever public facilities they feel comfortable using.

Several attendees showed up with signs that revealed their anti-Trump positions. Peggy Kroll of Danville had a sign saying Invest In People Not Jails. Connie Chilba of Moraga held a sign in support of Senate Bill 54, the California Values Act, which would prevent local and state public resources from aiding federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement in deportation actions.

Chilba said she was very concerned about the hate and fear we are living under and appreciated the bipartisanship Glazer and Baker had on display. This kind of reaching across the aisle is an example for the rest of the county.

The joint town hall was the eighth in a series, and Glazer said they would keep doing them.

Our political world is getting pretty polarized, said Glazer. It seems like people are getting in their corners and are more interested in fighting than finding common ground.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @SFJKDineen
Alameda County Sheriffs Office / Alameda County Sheriffs Office

Hundreds of law enforcement officers from an assortment of agencies across California are expected to attend the funeral Friday of Michael Foley, the Alameda County Sheriffs Office Deputy killed while working at an East Bay Jail.

The 60-year-old Foleys funeral  who officials say died when another deputy accidentally ran him over in the parking lot of Santa Rita Jail in Dublin Feb. 22  is scheduled for 11 a.m. in Concord.
Emails and text messages by state and local government employees about government business are public records even if theyre sent to or from personal phones, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

If public officials could evade the law simply by clicking into a different email account, or communicating through a personal device, sensitive information could routinely evade public scrutiny, Justice Carol Corrigan said in the 7-0 decision.

The ruling overturns a lower-court decision that would have allowed the city of San Jose to withhold messages sent by the mayor and City Council members on their personal electronic devices. The high court said Californias public-records law applies to all communications by officials or government workers about public affairs.

That doesnt mean all communications from state and local government employees must be disclosed, Corrigan said  for example, a workers email to a spouse about an incompetent co-worker would probably remain private, while the same message to a supervisor might involve the publics business. A city could also redact, or withhold, private language in emails before releasing them, she said, and local governments can adopt procedures for employees to search their own files for relevant information.

The ruling was a victory for news organizations and others seeking broader public access to state and local government records.

The courts decision respects the publics strong right to know what is going on with public business, and it should defeat efforts to evade public scrutiny by conducting public business on so-called private electronic devices, said attorney Karl Olson, who filed arguments on behalf of the California Newspaper Publishers Association and other media groups and publishers, including Hearst Corp., which owns The Chronicle.

The court noted that the 1968 California Public Records Act defines records that are prepared, owned, used or retained by any state or local agency as public documents. A state appeals court ruled in 2014 that the law did not cover employees personal accounts, but Corrigan said the government is responsible for any records prepared by one of its employees as part of official business.

San Jose City Attorney Rick Doyle, whose office argued against release of the messages, said he didnt think the law was as clear as the ruling portrayed it. But he said he welcomed the courts guidance for local governments to ask employees to examine their files for public records and to train them in distinguishing public from private communications.

In 2010, a year after the case arose, Doyle said, San Jose began requiring its mayor and 10 City Council members to turn over all records of communications on personal devices about city business. Its one thing to do it for 11 people and another thing for 5,000 employees, he said.

Thursdays case is City of San Jose vs. Superior Court, S218066.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@egelko

The ruling can be viewed here: www.courts.ca.gov/opinions/documents/S218066.PDF.
The only thing better than San Francisco is data about San Francisco. It can help shed light on this often confounding city, debunk conventional wisdom and, occasionally, confirm what we believe to be true.

Three new founts of data  two polls and a study  contain interesting nuggets: San Franciscans are much more optimistic about the city than they were just five months ago. Despite what some of their representatives at City Hall claim, theyre very supportive of navigation centers for homeless people in their neighborhoods.

And, in a real eye-opener, San Franciscos economy is booming, but its African American residents are employed in such low numbers, we beat out only Detroit on that measure.

First, the good news. A poll commissioned by San Franciscos Committee on Jobs and conducted by EMC Research in the first week of February found that 42 percent of San Franciscans say the city is headed in the right direction, up from 24 percent in September. Conversely, 41 percent say the city is on the wrong track, down from 58 percent.

What has changed in those five months? Not a lot  except of course, the leader of our country. The theory goes that San Franciscans appreciate their city more now that theres such a stark contrast to the White House.

I think people are realizing that things here in San Francisco arent so bad now that there are some real threats to us from outside San Francisco, said Chris Wright, executive director of the Committee on Jobs, an association of business leaders.

The online poll surveyed 631 registered voters and found there are still plenty of complaints about city life. When asked to name the most important problems facing San Francisco, respondents cited homelessness, the cost of living, housing and transportation most often.

That sounded right to the San Franciscans who were sipping coffee at the aptly named Progressive Grounds coffee shop in Bernal Heights the other morning.

Arthur Weiss, 32, works for a nonprofit and shares a home with five artists. He said he moved from Baltimore eight years ago to be weird and queer and live my life. He said hes angry that so many low- and middle-income people are being pushed out of the city, but also adores the progressive values here, especially compared with the national political landscape.

As much as I lament the old San Francisco, Im thankful to live here, he said. Its still the only place Id want to be.

The Chamber of Commerce also has a new poll out, and its findings on navigation centers could prod some city supervisors to finally accept the modern, welcoming homeless shelters in their districts.

The telephone poll surveyed 502 registered voters last month and was conducted by David Binder Research. The majority of respondents in all 11 districts said theyd support a navigation center in their neighborhood. Support ranged from 55.4 percent in District Seven (West of Twin Peaks) to 85.2 percent in District Six (the Tenderloin and South of Market).

Of the five centers that are up and running or planned, two are in District Six, one is in District Nine and two are in District 10.

Supervisor Jeff Sheehy said in January he wouldnt support one in District Eight (the Castro, Noe Valley and Glen Park.)

I dont think it would be appropriate, he said then. Now that the poll shows 81 percent of his constituents would support a center in their neighborhood, has his answer changed?

Im not opposed to them in principle. What I dont think is a great strategy is putting them in a neighborhood where people really dont want to have them, Sheehy said. I think its great news District Eight is so supportive of having navigation centers in the district.

He said he would like to see a proposed location and hold community meetings to gauge support.

Supervisor Norman Yee, who represents District Seven, said last year he couldnt think of any potential sites in his district. He still isnt convinced.

People will say yes until its two blocks away from them, and thats the problem, Yee said. Theres no ideal place in District Seven, to be truthful.

Lastly, the Brookings Institution is out with a riveting, yet depressing, look at San Francisco employment rates. The report looks specifically at rates of employment of adults ages 18 to 64. Some of those adults arent working because they are students, early retirees, stay-at-home parents, in jail, disabled or for some other reason. But it also includes those who are unsuccessfully looking for work, and is considered a good indication of the citys economic strength.

Overall, 79 percent of San Franciscos working-age adults are employed. But the division between whites and blacks is the biggest of any major city in the country. Eighty-four percent of white people are employed, and only 53 percent of black people are. In the latter category, San Francisco fares better than only Detroit at 50 percent.

Its striking isnt it? asked Martha Ross, a researcher who helped compile the report. San Francisco does have, overall, one of the highest employment rates, but it leaves out this disparity.

Sure enough, as I was looking at these numbers, the Board of Supervisors was honoring African American residents for Black History Month. Omorede Hamilton, a 35-year-old outreach worker with the Street Violence Intervention Project, was honored by Supervisor London Breed.

He said the employment numbers are terrible but not surprising. In a city that once had a thriving African American population, the percentage of residents who are black has shrunk to 5.7 percent. Hamilton said African American families who could afford it have left the city, and those who remain are largely public-housing residents without the education and job training to work in technology or other growing job sectors.

The center of everything is poverty, he said.

Hamilton is one of those African Americans who has left San Francisco. Though he still works in the city, he and his wife live in Daly City.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Tuesday and Friday. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions finally gets it. As the nations top cop and early Donald Trump supporter, hes the wrong person to investigate Russian meddling in last falls presidential election.

Hes officially recusing himself from a vital and needed investigation into the reported interference perceived as benefiting his boss in the White House.

Its an overdue outcome that barely quells an uproar over Sessions evasive conduct. His recusal wouldnt have happened without the day-before disclosure that he failed to mention two face-to-face encounters with Russias ambassador during the campaign. Sessions was asked directly about Moscow contacts at his confirmation hearing and denied hed had any.

In his mind, Sessions did nothing wrong. The meetings were tame events that had nothing to do with the campaign and werent worth mentioning, he says. But that easy explanation isnt convincing, not when the then-senator was a major Trump backer and Russian intelligence agencies were reportedly operating on behalf of the Republican candidate. Any hint of contact deserved to be disclosed, not brushed off.

Should more damning details of the meetings emerge, it would be time for him to depart. Lying and misleading behavior cant be tolerated, especially by the nations top cop.

Sessions is promising he wont oversee an investigation of the Russia issue by his department. A better solution would be to remove the Justice Department entirely with a special prosecutor from the outside who could operate free of suspicion or control.

Sessions decision will mollify his congressional Republican home team, which wanted him to step away from the inquiry even though President Trump had stuck by him. Democrats also want him gone from the Russian investigation, with others, notably House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Kamala Harris, demanding that he quit. Sen. Dianne Feinstein had pushed Sessions to recuse himself or resign. Just days after Trumps relatively peaceable address Congress, the political temperature has shot up.

Its the latest episode that undercuts the Trump administrations credibility. Michael Flynn was ousted as national security adviser just weeks into the job for misleading the public and reportedly Vice President Mike Pence on discussing sanctions with Russias envoy. Now, Sessions joins that list by maintaining his innocence while retreating from a political mess. There needs to be a thorough look at Russias role in the presidential campaign, but dont count on the White House to get to the bottom of it.
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Hamilton begins with a question from Aaron Burr  How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in the Caribbean by Providence, impoverished, in squalor, grow up to be a hero and a scholar?

The musical answers that question in two hours and 45 minutes.

But theres another question that Hamiltons producer, Jeffrey Seller, still cant answer. Why has the show that opens in the Orpheum Theatre on Friday, March 10, been such a success?

He shook his head. I was going to ask you, or the mother of the girl from Columbia, S.C., who wants the music for her bat mitzvah theme, even though shes never seen Hamilton, or the 80-year-old guy who likes history, he said.

For me, its another one of my children whom I love and whom I nurtured, and whom I brought up, and I brought them all up the same way, he said, speaking of hits that hes produced, like Rent and In the Heights, except this show became the biggest show in Broadway history.

The answer, said Seller, is that he has no answer: My hypothesis is no better or worse than yours.

The day we spoke, the Hamilton cast of the national tour was rehearsing on 42nd Street, down the block from The Lion King.

Ill be damned if youre gonna get senior citizens into The Lion King, said Seller. We are the first show that genuinely hits everyone.

Hamilton is for all of us.

In rehearsal, the Hamilton ensemble was fine-tuning Thomas Jeffersons return from Paris to the U.S. after the revolution. Singing Whatd I Miss?, a clueless Jefferson is feted by a dancing chorus.

The scene was one of the few that didnt require Michael Luwoye, who plays Hamilton. He was down the hall, eating lunch.

Luwoye, all of 26, is African American, with a fearsome beard that lends itself to a scowl or swagger. He also has a huge smile. His parents are African immigrants from Nigeria, engineers who raised him in Huntsville, Ala.

The San Francisco production wont be his first time onstage as Hamilton. Lowoye has alternated on Broadway in the part since last fall. Hes the fifth person to be cast in the role written and created by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

We all play it so differently, the four others before me. All their performances are sort of in mine, he said.

The closest Luwoye has been to the Bay Area is San Diego, where he once auditioned at the La Jolla Playhouse. He doesnt know the San Francisco audience, but he does know the expectations that the crowd he can see from the stage brings to every performance.

I wait until My Shot, the shows rousing song about getting an opportunity and seizing it, thats usually when everybody is engaged and waiting to see what happens there, especially when Im on, because nobody really knows who I am, he said, laughing.

Its the moment where the listening heightens, said Luwoye, who has also played Burr in the production, and its, Can we trust you with this part, with this thing that weve listened to over and over and over again, and obsessed with friends, and learned all the lyrics?

Hes watched that audience mouth the shows lyrics  all the time, everybodys doing it. Theyre performing for us as well.

The bar is set high; and Luwoye hadnt thought of acting as a career until he was a junior in college. I was going to be a composer for Nintendo. I had to be coerced by my professors at school into moving to New York. Broadway was not on my radar at all, he said.

Nor was Alexander Hamilton before he heard about the play, which taught Luwoye to balance the interests of history and drama.

As an actor, when it comes to doing a show that is a representation of history, that is combining many different things that are true to tell the story, I prefer to avoid the concrete facts, because thats not the story were telling, he said. Theres a lot that Ive learned now, but I still try to keep that in a pocket, away from the show, away from the relationships in the show that didnt happen in reality.

All the Sons of Liberty didnt meet in a New York tavern, and they werent rapping.

Stepping into the most prominent role in American theater right now, Luwoye had never played a white man onstage before. His only experience playing Shakespeare was Othello.

He shrugged. I never really think about it on a skin-color basis. I dont know what it is to be a white man. I could never portray that. But I know how to express shame, I know how to express love, I know how to express insecurities when other people arent thinking that you can do it.

And he knows the immigrant story thats central to Hamilton.

Theres a lot of parallels with how Ive defined my journey, he said. I put a lot of myself into my performances every time Ive had the opportunity to go onstage with the Broadway company. There is something about having to assert yourself all the time, when no one knows who you are, when someone can take your culture and say thats all you are.

Luwoye thought of the November night Vice President-elect Mike Pence saw the show, after Donald Trumps anti-immigrant message won the election. It was freaking electrifying. When Pence came to the show, you could see how it galvanized everybody to react. I loved that. Not only did you have people who are against Pence, but you had people who were in full support, standing up, clapping. Thats what this is. Everybody in this audience can be here, he said.

And that, said Jeffrey Seller, is the Hamilton phenomenon. What Rent caused was Hamilton to be able to happen. It opened up Broadway to stories and characters and risks that heretofore were not acceptable on Broadway.

And Hamilton? I dont believe that there is a Broadway musical that has enlivened our sense of country in such a positive way.

That said, Seller wasnt ready to let his shows positive portrait of America stand outside politics. Its a story for all of what makes America so great right now, a story of why we have so much to protect and so many reasons to resist the totalitarian impulses of the people that are running Washington today, he said.

David DArcy is a New York freelance writer.

Hamilton: Musical. By Lin-Manuel Miranda. Directed by Thomas Kail. Friday, March 10-Aug. 5. $100-$524, subject to change. Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market St., S.F. (888) 746-1799. www.shnsf.com

To see a PBS News Hour report on Hamilton: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAiEVjW-GNA

To see Lin-Manuel Miranda performing Hamilton at a White House Poetry Jam in 2009: www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8_ARd4oKiI

To see Joshua Henry (who plays Aaron Burr in the S.F. production) give a little preview of One Last Time: www.facebook.com/HamiltonMusical/videos/1625204647506406/
Why frame art when you can wear it? Increasingly, collaborative-minded fashion designers are working with painters and illustrators on vibrant textiles that double as collectible prints. Locally, the movement is led by Gravel & Gold and Nooworks, well-known Mission boutiques rounding out their eye-catching in-house collections with partnerships between the owners and artists they admire. Their graphically rich textiles become flattering silhouettes  including leggings, dresses, jumpsuits and quilted jackets  that interweave San Franciscos fashion and art scenes.

We cant all buy art, so to be able to support an artist and a small business with a $100 purchase makes people really happy and its good for the community, says Nooworks owner Jennifer DAngelo, who released limited-edition lines with multidisciplinary artist Jenny Sharaf, folk artist Spirit Speak Tarot, and Magic Maker Dreamweaver (a.k.a. watercolorist Shannon Taylor). Having the limited-edition component makes it special, says DAngelo. Its more like a piece of art.

Nooworks, which opened on Valencia Street in 2009, specializes in wild rock n roll prints. Gravel & Gold, launched one year earlier, has become a hub for whimsical designs as well as a holistic haven for a variety of small-batch products. Both shops set bold fashion standards in San Francisco and beyond, selling their popular designs in-house and through wholesalers.

Amber Lundy Leigh

Although Gravel & Gold owners Holly Samuelsen and Tomra Palmer focus on modern silhouettes, their textile designs are influenced by 20th century Vienna collective Wiener Werkstatte and the British Omega Workshops, along with midcentury Finnish textile design. Were always looking back, particularly at the last century moving toward modernism, Samuelsen says.

Gravel & Gold recently collaborated with Portland, Ore., painter Rainen Knecht on Night Landscape, a line of abstract shapes in rich blues and gold that launched in the fall. Knecht says Night Landscape started as a gouache painting of an obscured cabin on a lake. I like the idea of the print seeming very graphic and turning out to be a place that has a feeling, she says.

While the fashion industry has a long history of treating textiles like canvases, the trend has bloomed in the past few years. It spans national names such as Dusen Dusen and Rachel Comey and local labels, including Nooworks collaborator Rainbow Kimono, Maker & Mineral, FluffyCo, and See Sun. Most of these Bay Area designers, including Gravel & Gold, show at West Coast Craft. Paulina Nassar, creative director of the craft fair, says the recent surge in imaginative textiles comes from a strong interest in clothing thats thoughtfully designed, dyed, painted or produced.

Were absolutely seeing a growing number of clothing designers creating their own textiles, she says, both in the West Coast and beyond. Gravel & Golds Boobs print is a ubiquitous marker of this local trend, having been featured in Refinery29 and Design Sponge and turned into everything from T-shirts to pillowcases, greeting cards and a reusable Baggu bag.

San Franciscos Zoo-Ink has been producing hand-screened fabrics for a national clientele since 1972. Founder Alan Grinberg says hes seen a bump in limited-run, hand-printed textiles in recent years, which he attributes to the DIY and Made in America movements and the popularity of digital printing. Although Zoo-Ink doesnt do digital printing, Grinberg says that some companies who start with this technique will come to us for a higher-quality product. It has encouraged small businesses to design their own fabric.

The cost of DIY textiles isnt cheap, especially since both Nooworks and Gravel & Gold hire local sewing factories where workers are paid a living wage. DAngelo says she has to order a minimum of 1,000 yards and pay for each color when working with her Los Angeles printer. You have to really like the design, she says. The financial risk comes with great reward, though, for customers who crave one-of-a-kind looks and for the designers fostering these creative collectives.

I want to make the stuff thats almost too weird to make, DAngelo says, but were a small company, so we can make it.

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.

Jennifer Maerz is a freelance writer. Email: style@sfchronicle.com

Shops

Nooworks: 395 Valencia St., S.F. www.nooworks.com.

Gravel & Gold: 3266 21st St., S.F. https://gravelandgold.com.
Behold the delicious paradox: Upscale contemporary restaurants are mastering down-home dishes to make their balance sheets and diners hearts whole. Many of their best offerings satisfy both bellies and minds. Heart, history, home cooking (without dish washing or house guests), happening on a single plate.

In Monterey County, contemporary and comfort are goose-down-pillow bedfellows  in that rich, slow-cooked and high-calorie reality, taste buds (and nap time) win.

Comfort food is not a trend. Its the furthest and most-fattening thing from it. Its how tradition, reinterpreted thoughtfully, works best: Foods are familiar but different, basic but brilliant, like Grandmas best while still something she wouldnt expect.

Here are some great ways to navigate that duality on the Monterey Peninsula.

Mark C. Anderson is a freelance writer. Email: travel@sfchronicle.com

Crema Pacific Grove

Behind the soft-on-the-eyes Victorian facade in Pacific Grove hides one of Monterey Countys heaviest comfort-food hitters. Chef-owner Tami Aceves stacks the menu with rib-stickers like bacon-cheddar biscuits and gravy and chicken-fried steak and eggs, and the biggest slugger is the buttermilk-fried chicken and Belgian waffle with gravy. Aceves has been perfecting the slow-simmered spicy sausage gravy for 20 years. Her team worked on the chicken recipe for months. The uber-light waffle took a few more. We want people to crave, she says. Thats what were striving for.

481 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove, (831) 324-0347, http://cremapg.com . Coffee shop: 7 a.m -4 p.m. daily; restaurant: 9 a.m-noon brunch, noon-3 p.m. lunch Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. weekends, closed Tuesdays.

Cultura Comida y Bebida

The newest form of local comfort comes from one of the oldest venues in Carmel (the former Jack Londons Pub), and from far-older places (ancient civilization). Therein lies one of the many benefits of comfort food; here it happens best by way of executive chef Michelle Estigoy. Her dexterity with plates like squash-blossom quesadillas hails from a balance of upscale execution (Sierra Mar) and old-school understanding (her grandma). The favorites involve street tacos with rotating delicacies like black-molee pork and caldo de pollo in the style her abuela taught her. Maximum belly love, though, with a side of excitement, arrives en fuego tableside with the queso fundido laced with mezcal and smoked chorizo. Like any family-fed comfort food, its best shared.

Dolores between Fifth and Sixth, Carmel, (831) 250-7005, www.culturacarmel.com, 5 p.m.- midnight Monday-Tuesday, 11:30 a.m.-midnight (or later) Thursday-Sunday, closed Wednesday.

Montrio Bistro

When a guy is so into one of the best comfort food items created (English bacon) that he starts his own company inspired by it (Bakers Bacon), its a safe bet satisfaction awaits at his kitchen (Montereys Montrio). Tony Baker cooks and teaches across the Western Hemisphere, thanks to his meat-smoking, artichoke-cooking and eco-restaurant IQ. More importantly, he focuses on stuff like duck-confit popcorn, 48-hour bacon with bacon-almond butter and chunky bacon poutine  and a 40-ounce prime rib-eye steak coated in chermoula butter. For England-born Baker, the definition of a comfort is a familiar food that brings on the warm feelings of family, childhood or occasions with friends  something authentic, making them as Mum did. His mac n cheese represents the best in the region, thanks to an intuition for melty-ness, in this case fontina and emmental with a Italian grana padano finish, layered on top of thicker-than-macaroni fresh-made ziti pasta.

414 Calle Principal, Monterey, (831) 648-8880, www.montrio.com, 4:30-10 p.m. daily

Lucia Restaurant & Bar

Its almost like hes messing with us. After the chicken and biscuits and brisket, on top of the braised chicken and the thyme-roasted venison, it seems Cal Stamenov is daring diners to say, OK, youve gone too far. Too much. Heres a better idea: Keep going. He should keep doing what hes been doing for decades, interpreting the best from foragers and farmers for eaters who want their comfort with a touch of challenging. Enter his latest opus, the Sonoma duck burger with foie gras and black truffle mustard. I was yearning to put these two favorites together once the state law (banning foie gras) was reversed, he says. This is a perfect French pairing  the whole of the animal, delicious, fatty and fabulous. On comfort food like his gourmet grilled cheeses and French onion soup, he says: Its all about the lingering scent that reminds us of home and those great slow-cooked foods  anything with complex flavor that takes a long time to create.

415 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley, (831) 658-3595, www.bernarduslodge.com . Breakfast: 7 -11 a.m., lunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., dinner: 5-9 p.m. daily, brunch: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

Restaurant 1833

Executive Chef Mikey Adams built much of his menu around comfort classics elevated to an intriguing place without sacrificing accessibility or indulgence. Take his creamed greens, a bitter-earthy-spicy blend of dandelion, mustard and chard leafage that cut the richness of a garlic cream made from garlic cloves triple blanched, roasted, caramelized and cooked down until it becomes a paste. The ultimate temptation, though, is something less all-American: his short-rib goulash, inspired by the happiest meal he can remember, thanks to a Hungarian friend. He braises the rib, then crusts it with brown butter once  slow- and low-like  and then again to order, with house-made bow-tie pasta and a horseradish-creme fraiche cloud marshmallow-like creation on top. Like a big warm hug, he says.

500 Hartnell St., Monterey, (831) 643-1833, www.restaurant1833.com. 6-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, until 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, closed on Monday (bar hours differ).

Roux Carmel Valley

The restaurant named appropriately after a sauce base burst on the scene with a whats-richer-than-rich blood sausage-caramelized onion-goat cheese skillet that cemented its sudden presence in Carmel Valleys increasingly dense dining scene. That dish returns next season, and in the meantime there is plenty to satisfy, like the pan-roasted chicken with chanterelles and the herb-and-pork-sausage-stuffed rabbit loin. But the most mammoth wallop hails from the smallest scale, the chorizo mini-corn dogs. Comfort food, according to French chef/co-owner Fabrice Roux, is about just enjoying it. Its very simple, he says, tasting good and looking good. It makes you happy.

Roux Carmel Valley, 6 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley, (831) 659-5020, www.rouxcarmel.com . Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., brunch: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, dinner: 5-10 p.m. Monday-Sunday, closed Wednesday.

Tarpys Roadhouse

Grits can be hard to come by in coastal California. The shrimp and grits here  grits done with Anson Mills artisan grains, cream, fromage blanc and sea salt  are hard to forget. Chef Todd Fisher calls them guaranteed to change your life, and your opinion of grits. He too prays at the primary altar of comfort food, fried chicken, engineering a recipe to honor the classic fowl he and his kitchen finalized after testing different brines, buttermilks, almond milks and even miso soup. The acting version works with sweet tea brine, buttermilk and cornmeal treatment  and a dry spice blend.

2999 Monterey Salinas Hwy., Monterey, (831) 647-1444, www.tarpys.com. 11:30 a.m-9 p.m. daily, until 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
Rallies and protest events are a part of political life in the Bay Area. Heres a roundup of whats happening in the next few weeks.

Saturday

Trump opposition meeting: An afternoon of workshops and training on various actions that protesters can take to oppose President Trumps agenda. The training is from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Mission High School, 3750 18th St., San Francisco. Attendees must register online at https://www.facebook.com/ events/457725081252418 .

Pro-Trump march: One of several scheduled events nationwide to support President Trump. The march is from 2 to 6 p.m. and will begin at the Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, 2151 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley.

Sunday

Peace gathering: To denounce an incident in Kansas last week in which a man allegedly shot two natives of India and a third man after telling the Indian men to get out of my country. One of the Indian men died. The gathering is from 1 to 4 p.m. at Lytton Plaza, 200 University Ave., Palo Alto.

Tuesday

Meeting on gun violence: A new-member meeting hosted by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense. The meeting is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at a private residence. RSVP to LizNaughtonMoore@gmail.com .

Wednesday

Day Without Women strike: The organizers behind the Womens March on Washington are calling for a general strike to show what a day without women would look like.

Womens Demonstration: A gathering to promote womens rights on the day of the womens strike. The event is from 5 to 9 p.m. at Frank Ogawa Plaza, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland. https://www.facebook.com/events/1289337677802574/ .

Town hall: For International Womens Day, join womens advocates to speak about womens rights and the disparate challenges women still face. The event is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the World Affairs Auditorium, 312 Sutter St., Suite 200, San Francisco. Tickets available at https://www.worldaffairs.org/event-calendar/event/1696 .

Thursday

Discussion on executive orders: UC Berkeley law professors will discuss the scope of the presidents authority on executive orders, such as one calling for a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. The event is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the World Affairs Auditorium, 312 Sutter St., San Francisco.

Discussion on climate change: Hosted by the Lamorinda Democratic Club, the discussion will focus on local effects and actions. The event is from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Lafayette library, 3491 Mount Diablo Blvd.

Friday

Standing Rock march: A march and rally calling for President Trump to meet with tribal leaders before continuing work on the Dakota Access Pipeline. The event is from 5 to 9 p.m. outside the San Francisco Federal Building, 90 Seventh St.

March 13

Postcard party: A campaign to send 1 million postcards to President Trump on issues including womens rights, religious freedom, immigration and economic security. The event is from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Booksmith, 1644 Haight St., San Francisco. RSVP to the Postcard Party at Booksmith event page on Facebook.

March 14

Anti-Trump rally: Members of the tech community are expected to rally on Pi Day in protest of President Trump. The rally is from 2 to 6 p.m. at 250 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto.

March 15

Call for secure elections: A meet-up with the San Francisco Elections Commission, 6 p.m. at City Hall, Room 408, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place.
San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who has worked for environmental nonprofit groups for three decades, was appointed Thursday to the California Coastal Commission, an agency racked by dissension over the past year after the firing of its executive director.

Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon appointed Peskin to fill the commission seat representing the North Coast and Central Coast, which was vacated by former Marin County Supervisor Steve Kinsey, who retired.

The commission, widely considered one of the most powerful and effective coastal-protection agencies in the country, was created by voter initiative in 1972 to regulate development and protect the coastline.

I am honored, delighted and excited, Peskin said. Our coast is under a tremendous amount of pressure. There are a whole slew of issues related to sea-level rise and I look forward to being at the cutting edge on all those matters.

The naming of Peskin comes less than a month after commissioners chose Jack Ainsworth, a staffer on the commission for 29 years, as the executive director. That announcement, on Feb. 10, came exactly one year after his predecessor, Charles Lester, was ousted, causing an outcry among environmentalists and others who accused the agency of selling out to developers and Malibu millionaires.

Lesters opponents on the board cited poor outreach to minority communities and a lack of diversity on the 163-member staff as reasons for his dismissal. Since firing Lester, the commission board has come under fire for meeting with lobbyists before making important decisions.

Peskins appointment was supported by the the Sierra Club, the Board of Supervisors and state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco. Wiener said Thursday that the two had not always been on the same side of local issues, but he praised Peskin for his hard work, attention to detail and passion for environmental protection.

Supervisor Peskin has always been a strong environmentalist, and Im confident he will be a staunch defender of our coastline as a member of the Coastal Commission, Wiener said. Its as important as ever to have strong, engaged coastal commissioners who can keep the commission on track.

Peskin served on the Trust for Public Land in the 1980s and was western regional director of the American Land Conservancy from 1990 to 1993. He is currently president of Great Basin Land & Water, a small nonprofit organization focused on protecting water quality in the Truckee River. He is also a member of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, a state planning and regulatory agency.

Peskin said he will resign his position on the board of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District so he can dedicate more time to the Coastal Commission, which he acknowledged is in the midst of some tumult. He will represent an area that includes Marin, San Francisco and Sonoma counties.

I feel like I am coming in at exactly the right time after the dust has settled, he said. The commission is now in the forefront of everybodys mind, and my job is to create relationships with the other members and staff. My background as a lifelong environmentalist is abundantly clear.

The Coastal Commission is charged with carrying out environmentally sustainable planning and science-based regulation of development along the coast. It has 12 voting members and three nonvoting members who are appointed by the governor, the Senate Rules Committee and the speaker of the Assembly.

Peskin will receive $50 for the monthly meetings and $12.50 for every hour, up to eight, that he needs to prepare for meetings.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite
For millions of workers who attend frequent meetings, the ritual gatherings often can feel like a waste of time.

People find meetings generally to be unpleasant, said Aimee Kane, associate professor of management at Duquesne Universitys Palumbo Donahue School of Business. Meetings can be notorious for wasting time.

But it doesnt have to be that way.

Because of diverse backgrounds and ideas, discussing problems and goals in a group setting can be a valuable way to get things done. Too often, meetings fall apart because they arent structured correctly, experts say.

For starters, they should have a clear purpose thats communicated to participants in advance so everyone has time to prepare, Kane said.

Its also important to use techniques to encourage equal participation, such as calling on everyone in the room in turn. Otherwise, Because of rank or personality, one person might dominate the meeting, she said.

Nisha Nair, clinical assistant professor of business administration at the University of Pittsburghs Katz Graduate School of Business, advocates brain writing, in which all participants write ideas on index cards that are then circulated to the group.

The technique helps counteract group think, or the desire to maintain anonymity in groups, which tends to stop people from speaking up and sharing their true opinions, she said.

Brain writing forces everyone to be engaged and generates more ideas, she said.

Its also helpful to write ideas on a board so people remember them, and then rank them, Kane said. That way, You see what people really prefer, not just who is talking the loudest.

In general, meeting face-to-face will be more productive than conference calls or email discussions, which are prone to misunderstandings, Kane said.

Its also important to reduce the frequency of meetings by handling simple tasks outside of the room. For example, use email to circulate information or get people to sign off on a project, she said.

I think the frustration with meetings has to do with the limitations of the human mind to process information and do it in a social setting, Kane said. Thats why when we structure them, we get better results.

For trade-show producer Berny Dohrmann, the most critical ingredient is setting up a system of rewards to recognize employees contributions.

Too many meetings are organized around punishment  Sales are down and we have to get them up or you are fired, said Dohrmann, who knows a bit about punishment, having spent 18 months in federal prison in the mid-1990s in connection with a defaulted junk bond.

Find ways to use praise and recognition (for performers) and others will conform to get the praise, said Dohrmann, who for nearly 30 years has been running CEO Space, a Florida conference and networking company for business owners.

They will like coming to meetings because they like showing results and know they will get recognized.

Patricia Sabatini is a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer
Uber has for years engaged in a worldwide program to deceive authorities in markets where its low-cost ride-hailing service was being resisted by law enforcement, or in some instances, had been outright banned.

The program, which involves a tool called Greyball, uses data collected from Ubers app and other techniques to identify and circumvent officials. Uber used these to evade authorities in cities such as Paris, Boston and Las Vegas, and in countries including Australia, China, South Korea and Italy.

Greyball was part of a broader program called violation of terms of service, which Uber created to root out people it thought were using or targeting its service improperly. The program, including the Greyball tool, began as early as 2014 and remains in use today, predominantly outside the United States. Greyball was approved by Ubers legal team.

Greyball and the broader program were described to the New York Times by four current and former Uber employees, who also provided documents. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because the tools and their use are confidential and because of fear of retaliation from the company.

Ubers use of Greyball was recorded on video in late 2014, when Erich England, a code enforcement inspector for Portland, Ore., tried to catch an Uber car downtown as part of a sting operation against the company.

Uber had just started its ride-hailing service in Portland without seeking permission from the city, which later declared the service illegal. To build a case against the company, officers like England posed as riders, opening the Uber app to hail a car and watching as the miniature vehicles on the screen wound their way toward him.

But unknown to England and other authorities, some of the digital cars they saw in their Uber apps were never there at all. The Uber drivers they were able to hail also quickly canceled. That was because Uber had tagged England and his colleagues  essentially Greyballing them as city officials  based on data collected from its app and through other techniques. Uber then served up a fake version of its app that was populated with ghost cars, to evade capture.

This program denies ride requests to users who are violating our terms of service, Uber said, whether thats people aiming to physically harm drivers, competitors looking to disrupt our operations, or opponents who collude with officials on secret stings meant to entrap drivers.

Uber, which lets people hail rides from a smartphone app, operates several kinds of services, including a luxury Black Car one in which drivers are commercially licensed. But one Uber service that many regulators have had problems with is the companys lower-cost service, known as UberX in the United States.

People who have passed a cursory background check and vehicle inspection can become an UberX driver quickly. Many cities declared the service illegal.

Thats because the ability to summon a noncommercial driver  which is how UberX drivers who use their private vehicles are typically categorized  often had no regulation. When Uber barreled into new markets, it capitalized on the lack of rules to quickly enlist UberX drivers, who were not commercially licensed, and put them to work before regulators could prohibit them from doing so.

After authorities caught up, the company and officials generally clashed  Uber has run into legal hurdles with UberX in Austin, Texas; Tampa, Fla.; and Philadelphia as well as internationally. Eventually, the two sides would come to an agreement, and regulators would develop a legal framework for the low-cost service.

That approach has been costly. Law enforcement officials in some cities have impounded cars or ticketed UberX drivers. Uber would generally pick up those costs, and has estimated thousands of dollars in lost revenue for every vehicle impounded and ticket dispensed.

This is where Greyball came in. When Uber moved into a new city, it appointed a general manager, who would try to identify enforcement officers.

One method involved drawing a perimeter around authorities offices on a digital map of the city that Uber monitored. The company watched which people frequently opened and closed the app around that location, which signified that the user might be associated with city agencies.

There were a dozen or so signifiers that Uber employees could use to assess whether users were new riders or very likely city officials.

If those clues were not enough to confirm a users identity, Uber employees would search social media profiles and other information online. Once a user was identified as law enforcement, the rider was tagged with a small piece of code.

When a tagged officer called a car, Uber could scramble a set of ghost cars inside a fake version of the app, or show no cars available at all. If a driver accidentally picked up an officer, Uber occasionally called the driver with instructions to end the ride.

Employees said the practices and tools were partly born out of safety measures for drivers. In France, Kenya and India, for instance, taxi companies and workers targeted and attacked new Uber drivers.

Greyball was used initially to scramble the locations of UberX drivers to prevent competitors from finding them. Uber said that remains the primary use of the tool today.

But as Uber moved into new markets, its engineers saw that those same techniques and tools could also be used for evading law enforcement. The engineers created a list of tactics and distributed it to general managers in more than a dozen countries across five continents.

At least 50 to 60 people at Uber knew about Greyball, and some had qualms about whether it was ethical or legal. Greyball was approved by Ubers legal team, headed by Salle Yoo, the general counsel. Ryan Graves, a senior vice president and board member, was also aware of the program.

Yoo and Graves did not respond to a request for comment.

Greyball could be considered a violation of the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, or possibly intentional obstruction of justice, depending on local laws and jurisdictions, said Peter Henning, a law professor at Wayne State University who also writes for the New York Times.

Mike Isaac is a New York Times writer.
After soaring monthly bills from Pacific Gas and Electric Co. this winter prompted a public outcry, California utility regulators said Thursday that they will consider tweaking natural gas rates to ease the pain.

The California Public Utilities Commission, which sets rates for the states three big utilities, said it will consider ways to prevent future spikes in monthly gas bills. In particular, the commission may adjust the baseline  a figure that represents a portion of an average residential customers monthly gas usage  that is used to calculate rates.

The move came one day after state Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, issued a report examining the likely causes of this winters high bills. He also suggested steps the commission could take, such as changing the baseline during winter months.

Hill represents San Bruno, site of the deadly 2010 explosion of a PG&E gas pipeline, and he has been a fierce critic of both PG&E and the commission. And yet, the commission on Thursday praised his suggestions.

There are many solid recommendations in Senator Hills report, the commission said. We will review the report closely to determine the best way to implement appropriate measures, such as adjusting the winter baseline.

Hills report largely echoes PG&Es explanation for the rising bills, with some additions.

Following the San Bruno explosion, the commission authorized PG&E to increase its natural gas rates to pay for upgrades to the companys sprawling gas pipeline network. The most recent rate hike of 13 percent took effect in August but attracted scant notice, since most Californians use little gas during the summer.

That changed when the winter proved to be colder and wetter than the last. In addition, wholesale natural gas prices are higher than last year.

Hills report, however, also highlighted another possible cause.

Rates for both electricity and gas are calculated using a baseline, a figure meant to represent a portion of a typical customers monthly usage. Customers are charged a higher rate when their usage exceeds the baseline.

According to Hill, the baseline used by PG&E with the commissions approval was lower in December and January than required by state law. As a result, PG&E customers often found themselves paying the higher rate. Even if they used only 20 percent more gas in January than they did in the same month last year, their bill could be 40 percent higher, according to the report.

The research showed that the most vulnerable are being hit the hardest at a time when they need heating the most, Hill said in a statement accompanying the report. PG&E and the Public Utilities Commission need to prioritize customer heating needs in a way I have not yet seen.

PG&E spokesman Donald Cutler said the utility will study Hills report. All of the utilitys rates, he said, had been developed with the full involvement and approval of the commission.

But of course we understand that any changes to a customers rate that result in an higher than expected bill are frustrating, and we are here to help our customers take control of their energy use and manage costs, Cutler wrote in an email.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
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Bathrooms are rarely listed as a highlight on Yelp.

Most reviews on the site and mobile app dont even mention the bathrooms, and the few that do stick to the basics: clean, well-stocked, open to customers only.

But as the issue of bathrooms, and who can use them, has percolated to the fore of political debate and public discourse, Yelp has decided to allow consumers and business owners to chime in.

On Friday, the business-review firm added a feature that notes whether restaurants and shops have gender-neutral restrooms, which Yelp defines as a locking, single-stall bathroom.

Gender-neutral bathrooms have been growing in popularity as government agencies have attempted to regulate bathroom access. Some insist that transgender people use the bathroom that correlates not to their gender identity, but to the sex they were assigned at birth, while others mandate their right to choose.

Yelp, which offers employees access to gender-neutral restrooms at its San Francisco headquarters and other offices, said it will rely on business owners reporting on their facilities and customer reviews.

We will begin asking users who check into or review businesses like restaurants and boutiques if those establishments offer restrooms that are gender neutral, Yelp wrote in an announcement Friday.

Thursday, Yelp said it will join a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Gavin Grimm, a 17-year-old transgender student whose case against a Virginia school board is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court March 28.

More than 50 other tech companies, including Apple, Airbnb, PayPal, Salesforce and Twitter, have signed onto the amicus brief, which emphasizes the companies opposition to laws that restrict bathroom use.

The participating companies share core values of equality, respect and dignity for all people, regardless of their gender identity, the brief states. Many (tech firms) employ and/or serve transgender people, and all ... are concerned about the stigmatizing and degrading effects of the policy.

The filing drew a derisive response from Kerri Kupec, a lawyer for the Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious conservative nonprofit that supports the Gloucester County School Board.

Big business shouldnt be advocating for boys to share the girls locker rooms and showers  and vice versa  in our public schools, Kupec said.

More for you SF tells high court theres nothing to fear from trans restrooms

Rachel Williams, Yelps chief diversity officer, said there is some concern among Yelp employees that businesses may interpret the option to disclose their bathroom status as political, though it is Yelps hope that business owners view it largely as an opportunity to attract more customers.

We asked ourselves, Is this going to signal to business owners that they have to share what their politics are? she said. When we say Yelp is a place where we want people to connect with great local business, we mean all people and we mean all businesses. ... But we are hopeful that people see this in a positive way.

Support of transgender rights and so-called bathroom-bill legislation has split largely down partisan lines.

About half of U.S. adults (51 percent) believe that transgender people should be allowed to use public bathrooms that correspond to the gender with which they presently identify, according to a 2016 study by the Pew Research Center. But almost as many, about 46 percent, believe transgender people should use the restrooms that match the sex they were assigned at birth.

Last month, President Trump rescinded Obama-era guidance that allowed transgender students in public schools to use bathrooms that corresponded with their gender identities. Trump has insisted the issue should be decided by the states, where policies differ greatly.

Yelps feature will be available to all users in the U.S.

Employees were really inspired by (Grimm) to do something to support inclusivity for all people. Thats what sparked it, said Williams. Everyone around me was so touched by this situation and wanted to do something tangible.

San Francisco Chronicle

staff writer Bob Egelko

contributed to this report.

Marissa Lang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mlang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Marissa_Jae
James Steidl / James Steidl / ST

Two members of the Latin King Gang from Fresno were sentenced Thursday to a combined 13 years in prison for forcing a 22-year-old woman and a 15-year-old girl into prostitution, prosecutors said.

Sammy David Estrada, 25, and Carlos Raymond Martinez, 20, were driving in Santa Rosa with the two women they were pimping on Dec. 12, when they got into an accident and fled, according to the Sonoma County District Attorneys Office.
Evan Sernoffsky / Evan Sernoffsky

A 26-year-old San Francisco man was arrested in Sacramento for allegedly shooting to death a man in Fairfield, police said Friday.

Domingo Howard was arrested around 5 p.m. Thursday on suspicion of killing Jose Jimenez Jr., 25, of Suisun City, Fairfield Police Department officials said.
Recent rains and just plain old age resulted in the closing of Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge in Big Sur. Thanks to C.P. for alerting me to Kurt Mayer, owner of the Big Sur Deli and Tap House, who denies that hes a neighborhood hero.

His store is on the south side of the bridge, but for a short time before it was closed, people were allowed to walk across it, said Mayer. As long as it was open, he continued, he and his son and a couple of their friends used a wheelbarrow to drag supplies  food, necessities, newspapers  across the bridge. Mayer had a truck on the other side to pick it up.
An arrest was made in connection with several incidents in the string of recent threats to Jewish Community Centers and Anti-Defamation League offices across the nation, including in the Bay Area, officials said Friday.

Juan Thompson, a 31-year-old St. Louis resident, was charged with cyberstalking after authorities said he attempted to intimidate an ex-girlfriend by calling in threats to at least eight Jewish Community Centers, according to a federal complaint.

The FBI linked Thompson to threats against several Jewish institutions in New York City, a Jewish school in Michigan, and the Jewish Community Center in San Diego  to which he sent an email saying his former partner hates Jewish people and planted bombs to kill as many Jews asap.

We are relieved and gratified that the FBI has made an arrest in these cases. We applaud law enforcements unwavering effort to resolve this matter, said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL. We look forward to the quick resolution of the remaining open cases.

The announcement of the arrest comes after the ADL office on Market Street in San Francisco was evacuated on Monday after it received a bomb threat similar to those made at other Jewish institutions across the country. A second threat was made by phone to the Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto on the same day. No bombs were found in either location and it remains under investigation whether Thompson is linked to those threats, as well as others in the Bay Area.

We are certainly not going to cut corners. We are going to take (the threats) very seriously and pass that information on. Everybody wants to solve it, said Sgt. Wayne Benitez with the Palo Alto Police Department.

A recording of the phoned-in threat to the JCC in Palo Alto was sent to the FBI, but Benitez added that the voice on the line may have been computer generated.

Thompson is a former reporter for the news website the Intercept and was fired in January 2016 for fabricating quotes in his stories and creating fake email accounts to impersonate people. He wrote articles on criminal justice and breaking news  most notably concocting sources in a story on Dylann Roof, the gunman convicted of killing nine people at a historic African American church in Charleston, S.C.

We are horrified to learn this morning that Juan Thompson, a former employee of The Intercept, has been arrested in connection with bomb threats against the ADL and multiple Jewish Community Centers in addition to cyberstalking. These actions are heinous and should be fully investigated and prosecuted, the Intercept said in a statement.

On Tuesday night, President Trump condemned the threats against Jewish Community Centers and the recent desecration of Jewish cemeteries during his address to a joint session of Congress, saying that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.

Thompsons harassment began in July 2016, when his romantic relationship ended, according to the FBI. Since then, he sent defamatory emails and faxes to the victims employers, fabricated reports of criminal activity and made threats to at least eight Jewish Community Centers in the victims name, the complaint said.

He also made threats in his own name claiming that his victim was attempting to frame him.

A Twitter account believed to belong to Thompson showed that he tweeted at the FBI multiple times saying he was being harassed by his former partner.

On Feb. 27, he tweeted, Another week, another round of threats against Jewish ppl. In the middle of the day, you know whos at a JCC? Kids. KIDS.

William Sweeney Jr., FBI assistant director-in-charge of the bureaus Philadelphia field office, said in a statement, Thompsons alleged pattern of harassment not only involved the defamation of his female victim, but his threats intimidated an entire community. The FBI and our partners take these crimes seriously.

Since January, there have been at least 100 incidents at 81 Jewish Community Centers and Jewish day schools in 33 states and two Canadian provinces, according to the JCC Association of North America. Besides the threats made Monday against the ADL office in San Francisco and the JCC in Palo Alto, others were called in on Jan. 18 to the JCCs in San Rafael and Foster City that prompted school evacuations.

A number of Jewish cemeteries have also been vandalized throughout the country, including in St. Louis, Philadelphia and Rochester, N.Y.

If convicted, Thompson faces five years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Warren is leading the prosecution, which is being handled by the Department of Justices Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit and the General Crimes Unit.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
ATLANTA  Amid a surge of bomb threats and vandalism at Jewish institutions nationwide, members of Atlantas Jewish community have felt a familiar wave of apprehension about what may come next.

Because all of that, and worse, has happened in the city before.

Six decades ago, during the turmoil of the civil rights era, 50 sticks of dynamite blasted a hole in Atlantas largest synagogue. A generation earlier, in 1915, Jewish businessman Leo Frank was lynched during a wave of anti-Semitism.

Some fear that history is once again arcing toward the viperous climate that set the stage for the earlier violence.

It's heartbreaking to see the attacks and threats and desecration of Jewish cemeteries in recent days, said playwright Jimmy Maize, whose play The Temple Bombing is onstage this month at Atlantas Alliance Theatre. I have to say that writing this play feels too much like history repeating itself.

His play, which addresses anti-Semitism, fear and courage through the drama of the 1958 explosion, was inspired by a book by Atlanta author Melissa Fay Greene.

"We learned over several decades the power of hate speech," Greene said. "It can lead to people being harmed and killed."

This past weekend, more than 100 headstones were discovered toppled or damaged at a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia. In New York, a Rochester cemetery was targeted this week in the latest in a string of anti-Semitic incidents around the county.

In Indiana, an apparent gunshot fired into a synagogue Tuesday has drawn the attention of the FBI. And Jewish community centers and schools in several states also have been targets of recent bomb scares.

Atlanta has played a prominent role in American Jewish life since the late 1800s. Jewish immigrants began some of its most successful businesses, according to the Institute of Southern Jewish Life.

Jewish businessmen gained respect and became community leaders. But their success also led to anti-Semitism from Southerners who felt left behind by the changing economy, said Stuart Rockoff, the former historian for the Institute of Southern Jewish Life.

In the late 1940s, Rabbi Jacob Rothschild at The Temple in Atlanta began speaking out against racial injustice in Atlanta, said his son, William Rothschild. Some believe that made the synagogue a target for extremists. The bomb struck Oct. 12, 1958. No one was injured.

Jeff Martin is an Associated Press writer.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Arkansas has taken a first step toward celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. on the third Monday in January and moving its Robert E. Lee holiday to the fall.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Thursday made the unusual move of testifying before a legislative committee. He says that King should be celebrated separately for his civil rights accomplishments and that Lee fought for the wrong side in the Civil War.

Hutchinson told the panel about discovering that his great-great grandfather fought for the Confederacy during the war.

Theres one part of this education bill that creates some controversy and that is separating the holiday of Robert E. Lee and Martin Luther King. I support this both from the standpoint of what is said should be taught in our public schools about the history, about the leadership, about the individuals, both in the Civil War era, but also in the civil rights era. And I support this because from the Civil War until 1947, we did just fine without a state holiday for Robert E. Lee, Hutchinson said to the committee.

The Republican governor said celebrating Kings contributions to the country is a recognition that deserves its own day. He said the bill proposed by Republican state Sen. David Wallace does not diminish life and work of other people in history.

Having a slave owners birthday celebrated on that same day is not right, and we need to make this right, Wallace said.

Arkansas is one of three states to recognize King and Lee on the same day. Alabama and Mississippi also do so.

King and Lee both have January birthdays.

Under the bill approved Thursday in a voice vote by the Senate Education Committee, Arkansas Lee holiday would be moved to the second Saturday in October, the month in which Lee died. The bill also sets requirements for what is taught about civil rights and the Civil War.

The measure will now go before the full Senate.

Republican state Sen. Blake Johnson was critical of separating the dual holiday.

This separation is just like segregation whenever we do this action, in my opinion. The best healing that we can have as a state or nation is integration of ideas, Johnson said.

Johnson said the integration of King and Lees histories are important to the healing process.

Two years ago, a similar proposal to remove Lee failed before a House Committee.

Tafi Mukunyadzi is an Associated Press writer.
LINCOLN, Neb.  Authorities on Friday identified two inmates who were killed in a riot at a Nebraska prison where a similar deadly incident occurred two years ago.

Corrections officials said 39-year-old Damon Fitzgerald and 31-year-old Michael Galindo died in the Thursday revolt at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution, but they didnt say how they died.

Any loss of life is tragic, Scott Frakes, the Department of Corrections director, said in a statement. The (prison) staff handled the situation extremely well, which limited the incident to a small number of participants and minimal damage.

The riot involved about 40 inmates who refused to return to their cells in a unit that houses 128 prisoners. Galindo was serving a sentence of 12 to 21 years on robbery and other charges. Fitzgerald was sentenced to hundreds of years in prison for crimes including sexual assault.

Corrections Department spokeswoman Dawn-Renee Smith said the incident began around 1 p.m., when staff members reported a fire in a yard connected to one of the housing units. Smith said the inmates refused to return to their cells.

Smith said the unit was secured around 4:30 p.m. and wasnt extensively damaged despite fires that were set inside it. The Nebraska State Patrol and state fire marshal are investigating.

Some lawmakers accused prison officials of trying to downplay the incident at the prison, where two inmates were killed in a May 2015 revolt that caused millions of dollars in damage and prompted demands for upgrades and better staffing. Prison officials have insisted that it wasnt a riot and they stressed that the public outside the prison was never in danger.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska said the latest incident illustrates the lingering problems in the state prison system.

Grant Schulte is an Associated Press writer.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va.  President Trump pledged to boost defense spending as he basked in the nations military might aboard a next-generation aircraft carrier Thursday.

Wearing an olive green military jacket and blue ball cap, Trump vowed to mount one of the largest defense spending increases in history.

Hopefully its power we dont have to use, but if we do, theyre in big, big trouble, Trump said.

Trump spoke from the Gerald R. Ford, a $12.9 billion warship that is expected to be commissioned this year after cost overruns and delays. He touted his spending plans, saying he would provide the finest equipment in the world and give the military the tools you need to prevent war.

The president also toured the carrier and met with sailors and military leaders. He saluted the sailors as he arrived on the carrier.

During his trip to Newport News, Trump was joined aboard Air Force One by Defense Secretary James Mattis.

A draft budget plan released this week by the White House would add $54 billion to the Pentagons projected budget, a 10 percent increase. The U.S. currently spends more than half trillion dollars on defense, more than the next seven countries combined.

To keep America safe, we must provide the men and women of the United States military with the tools they need to prevent war, Trump said in his address to Congress on Tuesday night.

Trump, in his 2016 campaign, repeatedly pledged to rebuild what he called the nations depleted military and told supporters at Regent University in Virginia Beach in October that the regions naval installations would be right at the center of the action with the building of new ships.

He often argued that the U.S. military is too small to accomplish its missions and pledged to put the Navy on track to increase its active-duty fleet to 350 ships, compared to the current Navy plan of growing from 272 ships to 308 sometime after 2020.

The PCU Gerald R. Ford CVN 78, located at Newport News Shipbuilding, is the first of the Navys next generation of aircraft carriers and is expected to accommodate some 2,600 sailors.

Trumps speech to a joint session of Congress, his first as president, repeated his past calls for repealing the defense sequester, or across-the-board budget cuts instituted by Congress. He will need the repeal to achieve the kinds of increased defense spending that he is seeking.

Ken Thomas is an Associated Press writer.
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Hear by. Hearby. Hereby.

The third time was the charm for President Trump on Twitter Friday afternoon, as he took three tweets over a span of 15 minutes to land on the correct spelling of hereby in calling for an investigation of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for her own meeting with the Russian ambassador to the United States.

In an interview with Politico earlier Friday, Pelosi, D-San Francisco, claimed she had never met with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States, now in center of allegations he met with Trump advisers during the presidential campaign. Russian officials have been accused of meddling in the election to help Trump win.

Not with this Russian ambassador, no, Pelosi told Politicos Playbook roundup when asked if she had ever met with Kislyak.

But Politico has since uncovered a file photo from Pelosis 2010 meeting with then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that shows Kislyak  described in a Washington Post profile as quiet, careful, rumpled and portly  seated across the table from Pelosi.

A spokesman for Pelosi told Politico that of course what Pelosi meant was that she never had a one-on-one meeting with Kislyak.

Trump, tweeting from his personal Twitter account the day after his U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from investigations involving Russian involvement in the presidential campaign, seized on the Pelosi-Kislyak revelation and linked to the Politico piece in his call for an investigation.

Earlier Friday, Trump tweeted a 2003 photo of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it, Trumps tweet finally said after deleting two earlier posts in which he had trouble spelling the word hereby.

In the photo Schumer and Putin, the two men are smiling over doughnuts. Schumer noted in a tweet that the meeting occurred in public and in full view of the press.

Schumer added on Twitter that the doughnuts in question were Krispy Kreme.

The Chronicle has written about ties between Kislyak and American politicians before. Here are some links:

Sessions recuses himself from Russia investigations

Pelosi accuses Sessions of lying under oath

Pelosi, other Dems urge Sessions to resign over his contact with Russians

Michael Bodley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @michael_bodley
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President Trumps prayers werent answered. Or maybe they were.

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Friday that he will terminate himself from hosting Celebrity Apprentice. The one-time Mr. Universe bodybuilder said the baggage resulting from Trumps ascendance from the boardroom to the White House was too heavy for him to lift the show out of a slump.

Schwarzeneggers decision came a month after Trump asked attendees at the National Prayer Breakfast to pray for the Terminator star amid low ratings.

I loved every second of working with NBC and Mark Burnett, the shows producer, Schwarzenegger said in a statement released through his representative, Daniel Ketchell. Everyone  from the celebrities to the crew to the marketing department  was a straight 10, and I would absolutely work with all of them again on a show that doesn't have this baggage.

In an interview with Empire magazine published Friday, Schwarzenegger said Trumps involvement as an executive producer on the reality show turned off viewers and sponsors, leading him to quit.

Even if asked [to do it again] I would decline, Schwarzenegger told Empire. With Trump being involved in the show, people have a bad taste and dont want to participate as a spectator or as a sponsor or in any other way support the show. Its a very divisive period now and I think this show got caught up in all that division.

Trump and Schwarzenegger had spent months exchanging jabs over the show, which Schwarzenegger took over after campaign duties prevented Trump from hosting.

At the Feb. 2 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C., Trump highlighted the drop in ratings since he was replaced.

They hired a big, big movie star  Arnold Schwarzenegger  to take my place. And we know how that turned out, Trump said. The ratings went right down the tubes. Its been a total disaster... I want to just pray for Arnold if we can.

Schwarzenegger quickly responded in a video posted to Twitter.

Hey Donald, I have a great idea. Why dont we switch jobs? he said. You take over TV, because youre such an expert in ratings, and I take over your job, and then people can finally sleep comfortably again, hm?

Trump seemed to support Schwarzenegger at one point during his candidacy. When the new host announcement came in September 2015, he tweeted, Congrats to my friend @Schwarzenegger who is doing next seasons Celebrity Apprentice. He'll be great & will raise lots of $ for charity.

But on Jan. 6, Trump criticized the new hosts ratings, saying Schwarzenegger got swamped, and calling himself, DJT, a ratings machine.

Schwarzenegger responded: I wish you the best of luck and I hope you'll work for ALL of the American people as aggressively as you worked for your ratings.

The Chronicle has published several articles on the friendship-turned-feud between Trump and Schwarzenegger. Here are some links:

 Trump update: President trashes Schwarzeneggers TV ratings

 Trump can't say 'Hasta la vista' to 'Celebrity Apprentice'

 Trump trolls Schwarzenegger over 'Celebrity Apprentice' ratings

 Trump, Schwarzenegger are only celebrity-deep similar

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
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SACRAMENTO  For years, state health officials kept secret a set of guidelines meant to inform the public about the risks associated with cell phone use and the best practices to avoid potential harm.

On Thursday, the California Department of Public Health released the guidelines, which advise cell phone users to keep the devices away from their bodies, keep calls short and to use the speaker phone on lengthy calls. The guidelines were released only after a Sacramento Superior Court judge indicated she would order them to be disclosed, and after The Chronicle told the state it was publishing a news story about the case.

The health departments lawyers had argued in court that the guidelines were never formally approved by the agency and that releasing them to the public would cause unnecessary panic.

The two-page suggestions, which have been written and revised over the past seven years, are based on studies that suggest that long-term cell phone use may increase the risk of brain cancer and other health problems, according to the document, which includes a stamp saying it is a draft and not for public release.

This could have perhaps saved some lives if it had been published by the department seven years ago, said Joel Moskowitz, a public health researcher at UC Berkeley, who sued the public health department last year after his requests for the guidelines were repeatedly denied in 2014.

The guidelines detail the effect of electromagnetic fields, or EMFs, put out by cell phones. Everything from watches to X-ray machines generate different levels of EMFs. Cell phones, according to the guidelines, release about the same relatively weak EMFs as microwave ovens, but because they are used more frequently and kept close to the body, they can affect nearby cells and tissues.

EMFs can pass deeper into a childs brain than an adults, the guidelines say. The brain is still developing through the teen years, which may make children and teens more sensitive to EMF exposure.

The guidelines suggest limiting cell phone use by children and teens to texting, important calls and emergencies. Pregnant women are also at risk for increased exposure, the document says. It says people can lower their exposure by using speaker phone or a headset and not sleeping with the device or carrying it in a pocket unless it is turned off.

The guidelines are relatively similar to those released by the Connecticut Department of Public Health in 2015.

Moskowitz said the public deserves to know if the guidelines were withheld for political reasons or due to industry interference.

Its disconcerting it has taken so long to issue this, he said. And still, they are making it clear this isnt their official position.

The California public health department said in a statement Thursday that it stopped working on the guidelines because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued national guidance on the same subject in 2014. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more research is needed before we know if using cell phones cause health effects.

Attorney Lisa Tillman, a deputy attorney general at the state Department of Justice who represented the public health department in the case, said the state agency is not required to warn the public of health risks that have not been proven.

We dont want to disseminate information about something that hasnt been established as a health hazard, Tillman said at the court hearing in Sacramento last Friday.

But at the hearing, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Shelleyanne Chang said the department  which is charged with protecting the public health  has an obligation to inform the public of its findings. Chang said she found it pretty astounding that a public health department would argue that it doesnt have to release public health information gathered by its own scientists.

While Chang issued a tentative ruling last week indicating she would order the document released, she had 90 days to make a final ruling.

Environmental health experts like Dr. Devra Davis, a Wyoming epidemiologist and toxicologist, have argued for years that there needs to be more public awareness about the potential dangers of cell phone radiation.

Cell phones carry warnings, but they are often hard to find. For example, the iPhone has a legal disclaimer regarding radio frequency exposure that says the device should be carried at least 5 mm away from your body to ensure exposure levels remain at or below the as-tested levels. That warning is buried in the settings of each cell phone. Davis group, Environmental Health Trust, has a website called showthefineprint.org that helps users find the warnings on their cell phones and urges manufacturers to put the information where users can find it.

But, warning labels about potential health impacts of cell phones have been strongly opposed by the wireless industry. After Berkeley adopted a city ordinance in 2015 requiring cell phone retailers to warn customers about potential health impacts, an industry group, CTIA-The Wireless Association, sought a court order barring the disclosure.

Last year, a federal judge ruled in favor of the city ordinance, which tells customers that carrying switched-on phones too close to their bodies might expose them to radiation levels higher than recommended by federal guidelines.

In 2013, CTIA used the courts to block San Francisco from requiring retailers to tell customers that their cell phones could expose them to dangerous, possibly cancer-causing radiation. The city dropped its ordinance after a federal appeals court barred its enforcement.

A CTIA spokesman said the guidelines released Thursday by the public health department appear to be contradicted by the consensus of the scientific community. The Chronicle shared the guidelines with the spokesman, who declined to be named in the story. CTIA said numerous organizations and health experts have shown no known health risk to radiation emitted from cell phones.

This may be why the state itself described the document as a work in progress that is subject to revisions, the spokesman wrote.

Moskowitz said at least 10 peer-reviewed studies have looked at the long-term use of cell phones and that many of those found an increased risk of brain tumors. He said other studies have found links between sperm damage in men when they keep their cell phones in their pockets near their testis as well as reproductive health effects in women.

The World Health Organization says the electromagnetic fields produced by cell phones are possibly cancer-causing, but notes that to date, no adverse health effects have been established as being caused by mobile phone use.

Moskowitz said the public health departments research is particularly important because children are using cell phones at far younger ages. He said he was pleasantly surprised to see the health department cover the impact of cell phone radiation on children in its guidelines.

Their exposure over a lifetime will be much greater than the generations studied previously, he said.

Claudia Polsky, director of the Environmental Law Clinic at UC Berkeley, who is representing Moskowitz in the case, said the public health departments arguments for not releasing the document were irresponsible given the health impacts of sitting on such critical information. Polsky was unhappy the health department released the guidelines with a disclaimer across the document indicating its a draft and not for public release when the judge is likely to rule that the guidelines were not a draft, and must be publicly released.

The agency has jumped the gun and stamped new lettering in huge dark letters across the face of the document so as to make it virtually illegible, Polsky said.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff

writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
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Being an adult is hard. Cooking, cleaning, paying for things  all while balancing a robust social life and trying to make it to work on-time.

Growing up is further complicated in this 0n-demand economy. With the press of a button, you can get groceries delivered or your clothes laundered.

Of course, with ease comes ignorance, and many millennials could use a helping hand when it comes to basic life skills, like taxes, cooking, and oil changing.

Taking pity on the young and the helpless, an Oregon library is offering an Adulting 101 class to teach millennials basic life how-to's.

The series of monthly classes offered at North Bend Public Library began with a session on "Bare Essential Cooking," covering easy recipes and dorm room cooking.

"We learned how to make a quesadilla with an iron and also how to cook with a coffeemaker," said Teresa Lucas, assistant director of library services. After the cooking lesson, Lucas taught attendees how to comparison shop and stock up on sale items.

"These are all valuable skills that we assume people know, but they don't," Lucas said, who explained that she learned many of these "life hacks" when she was in high school. Her kids, on the other hand, left school with only the "basic survival skills."

Forthcoming lessons include basic financial skills, how to get a job, and tips for living with roommates.

The next class, on "Financial Know-how," is March 18. Learn more on the library's website.

Read Michelle Robertsons latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.
The deconstruction of the administrative state will not be televised.

Donald Trump is eager to look like a man of action, pulling the levers of government and redirecting the ship of state. The president has had a photo op to reinforce this narrative nearly every day since taking office. A steady procession of guests, from steelworkers to congressmen and the presidents of historically black colleges, has flanked him as he rolled back environmental protections, took aim at Dodd-Frank and killed the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Ever the showman, Trump even postponed his second attempt at a travel ban, which had been scheduled for Wednesday, so that it could get a news cycle to itself.

With that in mind, it should speak volumes when Trump does not invite camera crews into the Oval Office to film him taking action. Three recent examples illustrate this:

MAKING IT EASIER FOR MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE TO GET GUNS:

On Tuesday, Trump participated in a flashy photo op to sign two feel-good resolutions. The "Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act" authorizes the National Science Foundation to encourage females to become entrepreneurs. The "Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers Women Act" says NASA should urge young girls to study science. Neither of these measures provides even one dollar to help advance these worthy aims, which is why they passed Congress unanimously by voice votes.

During a lunch with the anchors from all the major networks, meanwhile, Trump suggested that he could get behind a grand bargain to enact comprehensive immigration reform. This turned out to be a big head fake, but it nonetheless dominated the conversation during the run-up to his maiden speech before a joint session of Congress that evening.

While the press corps was distracted and the cable channels aired footage of Trump surrounded by a bipartisan group of smiling women, behind closed doors and with no fanfare the president quietly signed a measure that killed a regulation enacted by the Obama administration to tighten gun background checks.

The rule required the Social Security Administration to send over the names of people who receive government checks for being mentally disabled and others who have been deemed unable to handle their own financial affairs to the FBI office that runs the national background check database. This is a universe of about 75,000 people.

More for you Trump Today: President rolls back Obama-era gun regulations

The National Rifle Association says the rule curtails the Second Amendment rights of these people and persuaded GOP leadership to use the Congressional Review Act to undo it. Under the Constitution, Trump had 10 days to sign off. By waiting until the day before the deadline to do so, when there were so many big stories in the mix, he ensured it got minimal coverage.

In a normal time, with a conventional president, undoing this regulation would have been front-page news. Trump's move would have sparked a national conversation about the country's continuing failure to seriously address both gun violence and mental illness. Major publications would have run deeper stories about how flawed the national background check system is five years after the massacre at Sandy Hook, with an emphasis on the gun lobby's role in keeping it that way.

But in the current news environment, with the Trump administration running a blitzkrieg offense and the attorney general embattled for concealing secret meetings with the Russian ambassador while under oath before Congress, it's very hard for anyone to stay on top of everything. Not only does the media have limited bandwidth, but cable producers are always reluctant to give much airtime to issues that don't have obvious visuals. (Three White House spokeswomen did not respond to a request for comment about the decision to sign the gun measure off camera.)

CHANGING THE DOJ LINE OF SUCCESSION:

On the same day that Jeff Sessions was sworn in, Trump quietly signed an executive order to change the order of succession at the Justice Department if the attorney general resigns.

It was significant because the president had just fired Sally Yates as acting AG after she wouldn't defend his travel ban. As he was entitled to do, Trump went outside the official order of succession to elevate Dana Boente, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to replace her. A week before his term ended, Barack Obama had (also without fanfare) changed the order of succession to remove Boente from the list.

Because the Senate hasn't yet confirmed Trump's nominee for deputy AG, Boente is now serving in that role on an acting basis. Sessions' recusal himself from overseeing the FBI's Russia investigation means it will be handled by Boente.

In an indication that they didn't want to draw attention to this, it's worth noting that Trump signed three other orders in front of reporters immediately after Sessions was sworn in. Each was noncontroversial: One would "break the back of the criminal cartels that have spread across our nation and are destroying the blood of our youth," the president told the assembled press pool. The other would create a "task force on reducing violent crime," he said. And the third would instruct DOJ to implement a plan to stop crime against law enforcement officers.

Basically no one noticed Trump's fourth order. A USA Today reporter noticed that it was dated on a Thursday but didn't appear on an official web site that lists such actions until Friday. The White House didn't explain the discrepancy.

REMOVING TRANSGENDER PROTECTIONS:

Last week, the Trump administration revoked federal guidelines specifying that transgender students have the right to use public school restrooms that match their gender identity. It is one of the most significant social policy shifts ushered in by the new president during his first 40 days, which means it was too big of a deal to bury.

But the White House kept the president himself as far away from it as possible, describing it in a statement as "a joint decision made . . . by the Department of Justice and the Department of Education."

Anyone who knows anything about how government works knows that nothing like this happens without sign-off at the highest levels. In this case, Sessions and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos had been at loggerheads regarding timing and specific language. So others were involved.

The president could also have had the two department heads come into the Oval Office and made a statement with them behind him, or he could have made a show of signing the memorandum himself. Or he could have even tweeted about it. He didn't.

CONSIDERING TRUMP'S MOTIVES:

-- The president, a registered Democrat from 2001 to 2009, is not naturally a movement conservative. He knows he must cater to his base, but you can tell that he's sometimes uncomfortable with it. And it's very clear that he would prefer his legacy to be more about jobs and the economy than the culture wars.

There is also little to suggest that Trump is an authentic or in any way committed social conservative. "I'm very pro-choice," he said in 1999, before changing his position on abortion. Just last April, he came out against North Carolina's bathroom law as a solution in search of a problem. "They're paying a big price. And there's a lot of problems," he said at the time, before later backing off under pressure. "Leave it the way it is." Upsetting the religious right, Trump also said after the election that gay marriage is "settled" law after the Supreme Court's decision.

Trump's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared, both top advisers, also tend to be extremely uneasy with the kinds of socially divisive executive actions that will offend their 30-something liberal socialite friends in Manhattan, whose cocktail parties they want to continue getting invited to. They killed a draft executive order that would have dramatically expanded the rights of people, businesses and organizations of faith to opt out of laws or activities that violate their religion, such as same-sex wedding ceremonies.

OBSESSED WITH APPEARANCES:

-- Every White House cares about optics, of course. Communications professionals always try to manipulate press coverage. They give as much exposure as possible to good news and dump bad news on Friday nights when people are checking out for the weekend. They hand out some scooplets to favored reporters at friendly outlets to get the spin they want on them. When there's a lot happening, they disclose uncomfortable or embarrassing stuff that they don't want to get much attention. This is how every modern administration works, and it is the duty of White House reporters to resist getting played, no matter who is in power.

-- Trump, though, cares more about showmanship than any modern president, at least since Mike Deaver worked in the White House during Ronald Reagan's first term. That's why he routinely talks as if he is directing a movie instead of leading a country. It's why he complained privately to several people about Sean Spicer's ill-fitting suit after his press secretary's disastrous debut in the briefing room. Speaking to a group of governors at the White House earlier this week, Trump pointed out Mike Pence. "He's a real talent," the president said. "And he is central casting, do we agree? Central casting!"

As he picked his Cabinet, Trump constantly told aides that he wanted his secretaries to look the part. He reportedly thought Rex Tillerson looked like a diplomat. He loved that James Mattis's nickname is "Mad Dog" (even though the retired general doesn't like being called that). "I see my generals," Trump said during the lunch right after the inauguration. "These are central casting. If I'm doing a movie, I'd pick you general, General Mattis."

Trump's signature showmanship was on display Thursday during his visit to Newport News, Virginia. He helicoptered onto the deck of the Navy's newest nuclear-powered warship to try building support for a major hike in military spending. He wore a red "USA" cap to keep his hair from blowing in the wind when he got off Marine One and then changed into a Navy cap and put on a special green jacket. The president, alongside Mattis, descended in an external elevator built to move planes up and down and emerged to the roar of the crowd. "I have no idea how it looks, but I think it looks good," Trump told the crowd. "This is a great-looking hat, just like this is a great-looking ship!"

You might also recall how Trump, who still has an executive producer credit on "The Celebrity Apprentice," treated his Supreme Court rollout like a reality TV spectacle. As he introduced Neil Gorsuch to the nation in prime time, he ad-libbed with a smile: "So was that a surprise? Was it!?"
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Bethany Lutheran Videos at Each Live Worship Service

Such is the contrast between the Bible of the old and the Bible of the new theologies. That there are compromise systems between the twoor at any rate attempts at a compromise  is certainly true; but it is impossible to effect a compromise between systems fundamentally and essentially at variance. This is a case of either  or, Delitzsch was right when he maintained that a deep chasm existed between the old and the new theology, and this chasm exists because there is a chasm between the Bible of the old and the Bible of the new theologies. In one word, the Scriptures of the one is the Bible without God; the Scriptures of the other is the Bible of and with God.

The Bible Of The Old And The Bible Of The New Theology. By Rev. Professor George H. Schodde, Ph. D., Columbus, O. in Loy, ed. The Columbus Theological Magazine. Vol. 18, 1898. LutheranLibrary.org
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions used political funds  not official Senate funds  for his travel expenses to the Republican Convention in Cleveland last July, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Sessions met with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak at a Heritage Foundation event during the convention, the Journal reported, citing an unnamed person who attended the event.

The use of political funds instead of legislative funds is an important distinction because the Trump administration maintains that Session was acting only in his role as a then-U.S. senator when he talked to Kislyak.

Sessions had been serving as chairman of Mr. Trump's National Security Advisory Committee for more than four months when he met with Kislyak during the convention.

Larry Noble, general counsel at the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan advocacy group, told the Journal that Sessions likely used his campaign account, rather than official Senate funds, because as a senior adviser to the Trump campaign it would have been difficult to argue that he wasn't attending the convention for any political purpose.

"If he was truly there solely as a member of the Armed Services Committee, then he could've used his legislative account," Noble said.

Democratic lawmakers have called on Sessions to resign after he failed to disclose his contacts with Kislyak during his Senate confirmation hearing to become attorney general.

Session insisted that his answers to questions from Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) were "honest and correct" based on his understanding.

After the disclosure that Sessions met with the Russian envoy at the convention and then later at his Senate office in Washington, Sessions said he would recuse himself from any probe related to the 2016 campaign.
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There is a silver lining to the election of Donald Trump  even to one of Hillary Clintons close friends and major donors.

We paid a terrible price. But here we are. Were together. Were organized. There is a silver lining, Susie Tompkins Buell said Thursday before the start of an annual fundraiser for NARAL Pro-Choice America in San Francisco. Buell is a San Francisco philanthropist and co-founder of the Esprit clothing company.

Last year, NARALs 21st annual Power of Choice Luncheon drew 600 people. In another sign of how Trumps election has energized progressives, 900 people  mostly women, including Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wife of Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom  packed a Fairmont Hotel ballroom Thursday for the 22nd edition, raising $1 million for the organization.

Business has been booming for NARAL, formerly known as the National Abortion Rights Action League, since the election. The organization, along with Planned Parenthood, is on the front lines of womens health issues.

NARAL has attracted more than 400,000 new members since election day, pushing its rolls to well over 1 million. And while the organization declined to release specific numbers, a spokesman said it has seen a 300 percent increase in money raised per week after the election compared with before Trumps win.

Much of that support is rooted in anxiety about what the new administration might do to change womens access to health services, and not just to abortion.

Jennifer Wechsler, who has attended the fundraiser for years, said her college-age daughter and her friends have been stockpiling birth control pills, fearful of what a Republican-controlled Congress that wants to defund Planned Parenthood might want to do next.

I think there is a lot of fear out there, said Wechsler, who lives in Sausalito. And women want to take it into their own hands.

Tulin Acikalin has long supported abortion rights, but this was the first year she attended the fundraiser. It is one of several things the San Francisco attorney is doing, mostly along the lines of offering her legal expertise to those who need help.

Basically, anyone who is not a straight white man is seeing their rights challenged, Acikalin said. You have to take action to defend yourself and others.

The way to keep the energy from Januarys huge Womens March going is to keep our finger on the pulse of what people are saying, said Ilyse Hogue, a former San Francisco activist who now leads NARAL. The energy is organic. Its real.

Just as the event was happening, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from overseeing investigations involving Russia and interactions with the Trump campaign. Hogue pointed out that her organization has long opposed Sessions for voting against the Violence Against Women Act and failing to condemn what were seen as misogynistic statements by Trump during the campaign.

We always know whats bad for women, is bad for everyone, Hogue said. Women are canaries in the coal mine.

Buell, like Hogue, is done mourning the November loss. Now, like many progressive funders and organizers, she is trying to figure out where to direct the street energy.

This is such a unique moment in our history. Nobody expected what happened, Buell said. But what happened has given us such an incredible force, an opportunity to do good things.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
Spirit Airlines, a budget airline for those who are used to traveling with just the essentials, is holding a one-day flash sale on Friday, March 3, ending at 11:59 p.m.

It's a crazy good deal, but as with all things airlines, there's a catch. In this case, there are a few. For starters, you can only use the deal on a flight taking off on a Tuesday or Wednesday between March 14 and April 11, and some routes, unfortunately, are excluded from the promotion. (However, it appears that no routes from the San Francisco/Oakland area fall into this category.)

Second, and this is a big one, the deal doesn't apply to any of the additional fees tacked onto the flight. That's important because Spirit adds more to your tab for all sorts of things: seat assignments, carry-on bags, checked bags, and even for checking in at the airport as opposed to online ahead of time.

Lastly, the "99 percent off" deal doesn't exactly equate to 99 percent, though it's pretty close. The base listing fare includes the Passenger Usage Fee (whatever that is), costing up to $17.99 each way, and the DOT Unintended Consequences Fee, which is $4 each way. The discount isn't applied towards either of these.

Let me demonstrate: in a test run of booking a flight between Oakland International and O'Hare in Chicago, the full base price before the add-ons is $359.20, but that includes $35.98 in Passenger Usage Fees and $7.44 in DOT fee. Once you subtract those fees from the base fare, you can apply the 99 percent discount to the $315.78 that remains.

That means the resulting price of your flight is roughly $3, though you'll still have to pay for your bags, seats, and taxes. That can really add up  and in this case, it does, with a carry-on bag, a checked bag, and all the other fees adding up to over $280. So is it really a good deal?

Maybe not. A search for a last-minute flight on another airline between the same destinations at similar hours yields ticket prices on airlines like Delta and American that are actually comparable. If you don't check a bag, it could be worth the flash sale booking, but if not, you may want to spend your cash elsewhere.
Four people were taken to the hospital after an elderly driver slammed her Subaru Forester throughand intothe popular Jambo Cafe just before lunch Thursday.

"I can't believe how lucky we were," manager Vince Onchaga told SFR. "It's just before our busy time." Onchaga was standing behind the bar in the restaurant's front room when the car came crashing through the front window, plowed into several tables and came to rest just a few feet from him.

Vince Onchaga was standing at the bar a few feet from where the car came to rest.Matt Grubs

Santa Fe police say none of the injuries are immediately life-threatening. They include broken legs and a sore back. The driver, a woman police say was in her 80s, was at Christus St. Vincent hospital for observation on Thursday afternoon.

"There's no way she should have been driving," said Santa Fe Police Sgt. Chris McCord, lead investigator in the crash.

Police think the woman was disoriented. Kitchen manager Swaleh Obo agreed.

"All the employees were running out the back door," Obo said, "and I ran to the front to see what happened. She was still in the car, sitting there with her foot on the accelerator and her hands on the steering wheel." Obo took the woman out of the car and switched off the ignition.

Police say the woman driving this Subaru backed into two cars before driving into Jambo. Matt Grubs

Bill Ramsay and his wife were eating lunch inside the restaurant when the car crashed through the next room. The couple is vacationing from Lincoln, Nebraska, and they were meeting friends at Jambo.

"I just had my first sip of beer," Ramsay told SFR while standing outside the restaurant. "It's probably still on the table."

The Ramsays and their friends hustled out the back door along with the kitchen workers. They walked around the front of the Cerrillos Road shopping center to see the damage. Ramsay was not expecting to count his car, parked a good 50 feet away from the restaurant, among the casualties.

"She hit me hard enough to push my car into this car next to it," he said, gesturing to the marks his tires left as the Subaru slid it sideways into the Infiniti sedan parked beside him.

"It sounded like an explosion," said Loretta Brand. The Infiniti belongs to her daughter, Melissa Sanchez. The pair was up from Albuquerque for the day, shopping at the Payless ShoeSource next door. "Everybody all along the front of the shopping center ran out to see what happened. I think people worried the car might explode."

Police estimate the damage to the building to be at least $20,000.

Santa Fe has seen several such crashes in recent years, the most serious of which killed three people when Rachel Ruiz drove her truck into the Concentra urgent care clinic in the shopping center at 720 St. Michaels Dr. in March 2006. In December 2014, Joey Cano told police he was trying to use his cell phone when he plowed into the Pizza 9 at 1965 Cerrillos Rd. No one was injured in that crash. During Spanish Market last year, the passenger in a Chevy Traverse was killed when the driver slammed into a wall of the parking lot next to the Lensic Theater in Downtown.

Jambo owners posted on its Facebook page that they plan to serve lunch Friday from a food truck parked in front of the restaurant.









Santa Fe Reporter
Thank you for the warm welcome! I love reading your emails, keep 'em coming.

Now that the Oscars are out of the way, Best Pic flub and all (congrats, Moonlight!), we can move on to the next big award of the year: The James Beard Awards!

This year, three local chefs are in the semi-finals. Martin Rios of Restaurant Martin in Santa Fe, and Jonathan Perno of Los Poblanos in Albuquerque are both nominated for the regional Best Chef: Southwest award.

Colin Shane at Arroyo Vino is featured in the Rising Star Chef of the Year category. The Rising Star award is for a chef who is 30 years of age or younger and is seen as being someone who could impact the industry in years to come.

The short list of finalists will be announced March 15, with the final awards coming on May 1st. Good luck to all the nominees. Make sure to cross your fingers that we bring home the gold to New Mexico!

Speaking of Arroyo Vino; their family meal prix fixe nights are back for 2017. The menu for this week's looks delicious: charcoal roasted beet salad, Thai-style Brussels sprouts, cedar plank Atlantic salmon and meyer lemon tart for dessert. It's tomorrow, so get on this NOW.

When: 5 pm Thursday March 2

Cost per person: $39

Reservations: 983-2100

To celebrate women and creativity, Edible Magazine is hosting two of their pop-up dinners this month. The first event is "A Place at the Table." At 6:30 pm Tuesday, March 7 at Heidi's Jam Factory (3427 Vassar Drive, Albuquerque), chef Carrie Eagle will present a dinner that explores all the senses. This event will feature performances by Maryse Lapierre and Aimee Conlee. This event costs $75, so make reservations HERE.

The second pop-up will be "The Art of Conversation" at 6:30 pm Sunday, March 19 at the Savory Spice Shop (225 Galisteo St.) in downtown Santa Fe for $70. An eight-course tasting menu created by Kate Wheeler, Allison Ramirez, Jen DePalo and Stephanie Cameron will be served in the midst of Savory's shelves of spices. Make reservations HERE.

Both events will feature ceramics by Maggie Mae Beyeler, Jen DePaolo, Lauren Karle Ceramics and Betsy Williams. All pieces will be used to serve food, and also available for purchase at the event.

Last summer, Xzavian Cookbey started Freezie Fresh as a small hand cart. He could be seen in the parking lots of La Montanita Co-op or Whole Foods serving his take on Thai rolled ice cream. If you've never had it, you're missing out. A base of custard is poured into a chilled pan. Flavors are blended into the custard and once the mixture freezes it's rolled into curls. It is the height of ice cream perfection.

This summer Xzavian wants to expand into a full ice cream truck. The catch is that he needs our help to get him there. Head over to his Indiegogo campaign to help him bring his dreams to life. And of course we get to eat the ice cream, so ... These are our dreams too. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook to know where he'll be setting up next.



What news do you want to see in this newsletter? We want to hear from you! Let us know! Email thefork@sfreporter.com

Santa Fe Reporter
Gov Promises Gas Tax Veto

Looking for desperately needed revenue, the Senate okayed a 10-cent-per-gallon gas tax hike. Along with an increase in diesel tax and the tax paid with the purchase of a new vehicle, the package would raise about $180 million annually. But Susana Martinez won't sign it. Her spokesman took to Twitter to offer 140 characters worth of analysis, ending with: "She will veto it." She'll likely win, too, because Democrats don't appear to have the votes to override a veto.

Into the Light

State senators approved a bill that would set the stage for New Mexico to effectively be on Daylight Saving Time

. The measure has been sponsored for several years running by Sen. Cliff Pirtle, who says the switch to and from Daylight Saving Time jacks with our biorhythms and is generally dangerous. Technically, New Mexico would become part of the Central Time Zone.

No Mor(atorium)

The state House of Representatives failed to pass a proposed moratorium on charter schools, with the bill failing on a

, with three Democrats joining Republicans in opposition. It would have banned new charter schools until January 1, 2020. It seems unlikely the governor would have signed the measure.

Lunch Crunch

Several diners at Santa Fe's popular Jambo Cafe were injuredthree seriously enough to go to the hospitalwhen an elderly woman in a Subaru

the glass front of the restaurant and drove about 20 feet inside. Police say she likely mistook the gas pedal for the brake and panicked, backing full speed into a car outside the cafe before gunning the engine and driving into the restaurant. Lunch will be served in a

outside the restaurant today.

House Panel Blocks 'Born Alive' Anti-Abortion Bill

After two hours of intense testimony, the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee tabled a bill that would have required physicians performing abortions to provide life-saving care if an abortion resulted in an infant who had a heartbeat, umbilical pulse or muscle movement. Failure to do so would be a

, punishable by life in prison. Controversy has swirled around the term "born alive," with proponents saying it describes cases such as those of Kermit Gosnell, the Philadelphia doctor who botched three abortions that resulted in the death of infants. Opponents say the Gosnell case is the only such example.

Pot Possession Could Be Simply (a) Fine

Fifty bucks. That's what Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, thinks possessing up to a half-ounce of marijuana should cost if the law catches up with you. The state Senate agreed,

to criminal law. Cervantes says his bill will ease pressure on courts and jails across the state. It probably does not put pressure on Gov. Susana Martinez, who seems like she'll have the veto pen at the ready.

Nature Smokers

Long ago and in a fit of existential angst, the Word purchased a pack of American Spirit cigarettes. "Oh," the gas station cashier said with a wry grin, "you're one of those nature smokers." It would appear that's exactly what the Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company wanted him to say (so really he's not so clever). Court

the cigarette maker has to drop the terms "natural" and "additive-free" from its labeling and advertising material as part of a deal with the FDA. The company, which owner Reynolds American calls a top-10 super-premium brand, has seven months to make the changes.

MVD Emissions Change Costs Thousands of Drivers

When the state stopped using registration-reminder post cards to tell Albuquerque area drivers to get an emissions test, it seems a whole lot of people forgot. More than 3,500 of them have had their registrations suspended

. For some reason, the state opted to send a separate letter that either never arrived, was never actually sent, or looked too much like junk mail and ended up in the trash.

Thanks for reading! The Word is going to set its clocks ahead this Saturday as practice for either the New Time Order or normal Daylight Saving (which is March 12).

Subscribe to the Morning Word at sfreporter.com/signup

Santa Fe Reporter
The Commerce Commission has rejected an application by insurer Aon New Zealand to buy the fire sprinkler and alarm inspection business of Fire Protection Inspection Services, saying it would have given the merged entity a dominant grip on the country's sprinkler inspectors.

The regulator wasn't satisfied Aon's acquisition wouldn't substantially reduce competition, as it involved New Zealand's two biggest sprinkler firms and would see most of nation's sprinkler inspectors being employed by one company. The commission said it wasn't satisfied smaller regional players would have been able to act as a constraint on the dominant player or that new inspectors could enter the market in a timely manner.

"There are currently a limited number of competitors that provide sprinkler inspection services in many areas in New Zealand," commission chair Mark Berry said in a statement. "We were concerned that this proposed merger would have therefore eroded choice, which could have led to higher prices or lower quality services."

The competition regulator last week turned down a bid by pay-TV operator Sky Network Television to merge with telecommunications firm Vodafone New Zealand last week. Of the 19 clearance decisions made since the start of 2015, the regulator has turned down three and put conditions on two other approvals.

Aon made the application to buy the businesses in November, which it said would give the insurer access to Fire Protection Inspection Services' staff and create more opportunities to sell complementary services.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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New Zealand shares dipped, with Sky Network Television weaker after its merger with Vodafone NZ was denied, while A2 Milk Co and Synlait Milk gained on a closer supply deal.

The S&P/NZX50 Index dropped 14.97 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,160.86. Within the index, 25 stocks fell, 16 rose, and nine were unchanged. Turnover was $134.8 million.

Sky Network Television was the worst performer, down 2.7 percent to $3.61. Port of Tauranga dropped 2.3 percent to $4.29 and Stride Property declined 2.2 percent to $1.80.

Kiwi Property Group dropped 0.4 percent to $1.415, and NPT was unchanged at 63 cents. Negotiations between Kiwi Property Group and NPT over a property deal are progressing constructively but taking longer than expected, with a shareholder meeting now planned for April, NPT says. If the Kiwi Property transaction is backed by NPT shareholders, it would expand the company's portfolio to $400 million from its current $170 million, and more than double distributable income to $16.8 million by 2020 from an expected $5.8 million in the 2017 financial year.

Comvita was the best performer, up 2.4 percent to $7.67.

A2 Milk Co gained 1.3 percent to $2.40, while Synlait Milk rose 4.5 percent to $3.24. A2 has bought an 8.2 percent stake in Synlait at a small premium, building on an existing supply agreement between the milk marketer and dairy processor.

Sydney-headquartered A2 bought 14.6 million shares at $3.275 apiece from Dutch dairy processor Royal FrieslandCampina, a 5.6 percent premium to yesterday's closing price of $3.10 and 3 percent premium to the one-month volume weighted average price. The Dutch company, which counts Fonterra Cooperative boss Theo Spierings as alumni, took a stake in Synlait when it went public in 2013 buying shares at $2.20 apiece in the float, but signalled a change of tack in the investment when it didn't acquire further stock in last year's capital raising.

"They're confirming the partnership a bit more, that's good news for both parties really and they've both picked up on the back of it," said Grant Davies, investment advisor at Hamilton Hindin Greene, "Synlait does a lot of the processing for the formula that goes to China, a big part of A2's growth in the long term is going to come through that avenue. Having said that, A2 use local processors and local cows in the UK and Australia where they sell fresh milk, so they're not completely tied to Synlait but it helps both companies to have a strong partner working together to export their product."

Restaurant Brands New Zealand rose 0.4 percent to $5.35. It says it has gained approval from Yum! Brands, the parent company of Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, to acquire the only franchisee for those stores in Hawaii but the time taken for sign-off means full-year profit was at the lower end of guidance.

Settlement is expected in the next two weeks, the Auckland-based company said in a statement. The delay means profit excluding non-trading items in the year ended Feb. 27 was at the lower end of the company's guidance of $30 million to $32 million, it said.

Outside the benchmark index, Tower was unchanged at $1.32. ASX-listed insurer Suncorp Group said its proposed takeover of the NZX-listed general insurer would be "unlikely to materially change the competitive dynamic" in New Zealand. The offer, worth a total $219.3 million, trumps a $197 million deal already on the table and backed by Tower's board and major shareholders Salt Funds Management and Accident Compensation Corp to sell to Canada's Fairfax Financial Holdings at $1.17 apiece.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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The price of milk powder, New Zealand's key commodity export, is expected to fall on the GlobalDairyTrade platform next week after improved weather conditions prompted Fonterra Cooperative Group to increase the amount of product it's offering.

Whole milk powder futures for March last traded at US$2,980 a tonne on the NZX, 5.7 percent below the equivalent price at the last GDT, while skim milk powder futures fell 12 percent to US$2,290 a tonne. That implies milk powder prices will fall about 7 percent at Tuesday night's auction, said AgriHQ senior dairy analyst Susan Kilsby.

Fonterra, the world's largest dairy exporter, said yesterday it would lift the volume of whole milk powder and skim milk powder offered in coming auctions on the GDT platform by about 25,000 tonnes as more favourable weather meant it collected more milk than expected from its farmer suppliers. The dairy giant lifted the volume of skim milk powder for next week's auction by 49 percent for product that ships in May and June, and increased the volume of whole milk powder by 6.1 percent for product shipped from April through June.

"Fonterra yesterday said it would put out more product than the market was expecting," said AgriHQ's Kilsby. "That reflects that this season's milk production is now expected to be more than what was previously accounted for."

Kilsby said AgriHQ's pasture growth index showed conditions in dairy regions have been substantially better than last year and also better than the long-run average for this time of the year.

She noted that strong global demand for milk fat products such as butter and AMF meant Fonterra was likely to sell those products to customers outside of the GDT, whereas weaker demand for skim milk powder meant it would be sold on the auction platform.

Fonterra last week kept its forecast farmgate payout to its farmer suppliers at $6 per kilogram of milk solids for this season, citing the rebalancing of demand and supply which led to a slump in dairy prices last year and said it expects those prices to either stay stable or gradually increase.

Traders have pulled back their expectations for next season, with milk price futures on the NZX recently falling 10 cents to $6/kgMS.

"The futures market is indicating there is no increase in milk price next year relative to where Fonterra's current forecast is for this year," Kilsby said.

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Mark Warminger's trial for stock market manipulation will be closely scrutinised by securities law practitioners and has been a good test of the law, says one expert, describing it as "a very expensive way to teach ethics and good conduct".

The High Court today found Warminger manipulated the New Zealand stock market in two trades in 2014. However, the judge rejected another eight alleged instances claimed by the Financial Markets Authority. The trial was brought by the FMA, which claimed Warminger breached the Securities Markets Act by placing small trades on-market in one direction, followed by large off-market trades in the opposite direction in order to set the price, rather than for a genuine purpose.

Warminger was working as a portfolio manager for Milford Asset Management at the time of the breaches and has been on leave while the court action has proceeded.

Roger Wallis, a Chapman Tripp partner focusing on corporate and securities law who has followed and written extensively about the case, said the judgment had been keenly awaited and both parties would be considering whether to appeal.

"The FMA really only needed to win one" instance of a breach, Wallis said. "They just took a representative set of instances. The case is really about testing the law to better inform the market, unfortunately at the expense of Mr Warminger.

"Our initial view is that the case does helpfully do that - it sets a clearer picture for the market as a whole on what constitutes manipulation versus a good trading strategy. It was pretty hard for Warminger to explain being on both the buy side and the sell side at the same time."

Wallis said the case was never about the FMA wanting to put Warminger in jail nor to hand out a significant fine, but would be carefully studied here and in the UK and Australia, which have similar market regulation regimes.

"These cases dont come up very often. The FMA has been a little bit hamstrung in this area because of this case," Wallis said. "The NZX currently has a paper out on conduct in the market so its quite timely. It is a very expensive way to teach ethics and good conduct but it gives clarity where the boundaries are."

The local market is particularly susceptible to concentration of ownership, with relatively few broking firms and relatively few stocks that institutions actively trade, opening it up to allegations of manipulation, Wallis said.

"There are unique features in the New Zealand market. Once you get past the top 10 to 20 stocks, some of the stocks on the NZX dont get traded that frequently. It is quite common for reasonable volumes to be traded off-market and reported to the market. Other markets are much deeper."

The only people likely to seek compensation would be people in the market for A2 Milk Co and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare shares on the day, Wallis said. The FMA will reflect on whether it wishes to appeal the eight remaining breaches and Warminger will consider whether to appeal the two. If one appeals, the other would likely cross-appeal, Wallis said.

Warminger and his lawyers have said he is disappointed, but it would be inappropriate to comment further, while the FMA's chief executive Rob Everett said the watchdog is pleased with the outcome but needs more time to consider what it means more broadly for conduct within local markets.

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Retail NZ said a proposed crackdown on tax avoidance by multinational companies doesn't go far enough while EY New Zealand said the reforms as a whole will make it tougher to do business in New Zealand.

Finance Minister Steven Joyce and Revenue Minister Judith Collins today presented three consultation papers proposing new measures to strengthen New Zealands rules for taxing large multinationals.

"Multinationals provide many benefits for the New Zealand economy, and the government is committed to making New Zealand an attractive place for them to do business. However, this does not mean rewarding firms that are aggressive in attempting to flout the current rules," the ministers said.

Companies including the Alphabet-owned Google, Facebook and Apple have been criticised for booking profits in low-tax jurisdictions and the huge reduction in tax owed prompted the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development to call for a worldwide crackdown on that kind of behaviour.

The three papers focus on concerns about multinationals booking profits from their New Zealand sales offshore, even though these sales are driven by New Zealand- based staff, preventing multinationals using interest payments to shift profits offshore, and implementing New Zealands entrance into an international convention for aligning double tax agreements with OECD recommendations.

Submissions on the consultation document on implementing the international convention are open until April 7. Submissions on the other two are open until April 18. Ministers will consider final proposals arising from the documents later in the year, Collins said in a speech to the International Fiscal Association today.

She said Inland Revenue had advised her that up to $300 million a year in tax was being lost, possibly more, under current rules.

EY New Zealand executive director David Snell said he was reassured by the "measured approach" in the speech by Collins and that most corporates actually pay the right amount of tax. He noted the package is "powerful" and places new Zealand at the forefront of implementing BEPS, along with Australia and the UK.

However, he also questioned whether there was a "case for action" as the evidence wasn't there concerning multinational company avoidance "that would justify reform." He also said "reforms taken as a whole will make it tougher to do business in New Zealand." He noted that tax administration power for Inland Revenue will increase compliance costs and disputes for cross-border businesses, there is more uncertainty around the tax base and more tax interest deductibility restrictions will put up the cost of doing business here.

Retail NZ said it was disappointed that the proposed crackdown on tax avoidance by multinational companies hasnt included moves to require firms to register for GST if they are selling goods to New Zealand customers.

The government is moving today to collect between $200 and $300 million that big multinational firms are sending off to tax havens, but the government is also missing out on at least another $200 million because it does not require foreign firms to register for GST when selling to Kiwis, Greg Harford, Retail NZs general manager public affairs said.

Foreign retailers are operating in New Zealand today and doing significant amounts of business online without paying New Zealand tax. Many are massive global firms - some have annual turnover close to the size of the whole New Zealand economy. Our government should be requiring retailers to register for GST, just like domestic retailers are required to," said Harford.

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(updates to add comment from Warminger's lawyer, Milford Asset Management in lede paragraph, paragraphs 4-8)

Former Milford Asset Management portfolio manager Mark Warminger is "disappointed" the High Court found he manipulated the New Zealand stock market in two trades in 2014, however, the judge rejected the remaining eight instances argued by the Financial Markets Authority.

The trial was brought by the FMA, which claimed Warminger breached the Securities Markets Act by placing small trades on market in one direction, followed by large off-market trades in the opposite direction in order to set the price rather than for a genuine purpose.

Chief High Court Judge Geoffrey Venning said he was satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Warminger manipulated the market in relation to Fisher & Paykel Healthcare on May 27, 2014, and A2 Milk Co on July 9, 2014, but the FMA had failed to prove the remaining eight claims, which included two other trades of A2 in January and August 2014. The FMA also failed in its claims that Warminger manipulated the market in shares of Restaurant Brands, Sky Network Television, Xero, Wynyard Group and Skellerup Holdings over 2014.

Marc Corlett QC, one of Mark Warminger's lawyers, said in a statement that his client was "obviously disappointed" by the findings.

"However, it would be inappropriate to comment further until we have worked through the judgment and what it means for Mr Warminger," Corlett said. "Consequently, neither Mr Warminger nor counsel will be making further comment at this point in time."

Milford Asset Management's Bryan Gaynor said the company had no comment to make as it had just received the judgment. In a note to clients today, Milford said the decision had no impact on their funds and that the firm wasn't involved in the proceedings having reached a settlement with the FMA in 2015.

"This was a long and technical case for the industry and we note both parties have the right to appeal the decision," it said. "As a result of our growth Milford has had a programme of upgrading systems and processes since April 2013, including implementing in 2015 a world class system and a centralised dealing team which separates the purchase and sale of individual company securities from portfolio management responsibilities."

Justice Venning has asked the lawyers to file a joint memorandum about the financial penalty the court should impose. The maximum penalty for a breach of the law is the greater of the consideration for the transaction, three times the amount of gain made or loss avoided, or $1 million.

"There is a common theme to the defence case on this and other transactions to the effect of 'why would Mr Warminger engage in such behaviour and place his career at risk for either a very limited or even nil financial benefit to himself?'," the judge said in his verdict. "The FMA does not have to prove a motive. But Mr Warmingers evidence, both in what he said and also how he answered questions as well as the evidence of Mr Gaynor provides some insight. Mr Warminger is a goal-driven individual. He is motivated by personal performance, the performance of the funds under his management and the targets he has to meet."

"Mr Warminger has been very successful in a performance-driven industry. He was the INFINZ fund manager of the year for three years preceding 2014. He was used to success and took pride in being on the winning side of a deal. His personality provides some explanation why he would engage in such activity," Justice Venning said.

FMA chief executive Rob Everett said the watchdog is pleased with the outcome.

"Market manipulation threatens our core objective of promoting fair, efficient and transparent financial markets. For investors to participate confidently in our markets we need to target and respond to misconduct," Everett said. "That is what this case was about. In terms of the broader consequences for conduct within our markets, we need to review and fully consider the judgement before making further comment."

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ASX-listed insurer Suncorp Group said its proposed takeover of NZX-listed general insurer Tower would be "unlikely to materially change the competitive dynamic" in New Zealand.

Last month Suncorp, whose New Zealand brands include Vero Insurance and Asteron Life, bought 18.8 million Tower shares at $1.30 apiece and has made a "non-binding indicative proposal" to Tower's board to buy the insurer at the same price, it said. The offer, worth a total $219.3 million, trumps a $197 million deal already on the table and backed by Tower's board and major shareholders Salt Funds Management and Accident Compensation Corp to sell to Canada's Fairfax Financial Holdings at $1.17 apiece.

In its notice seeking clearance for the deal, Suncorp said the two are complementary businesses, but not each others' closest competitors. Given that Tower has approximately a 5 percent share of the general insurance market in New Zealand the "degree of market share aggregation that would arise from the transaction is low," it said. According to the notice, Suncorp's New Zealand brands have a 25 percent share. The market is dominated by IAG, which holds 45 percent and will remain the largest insurer by a "substantial margin," it said.

The New Zealand insurance market is characterized by a "proliferation of strong competitors", with at least a dozen strong players, according to Suncorp. It also said there is a high likelihood of entry and expansion in both the commercial and personal insurance markets.

It argued that "added efficiencies" stemming from deal will allow the merged entity to "continue to deliver competitive products and services into market."

When Suncorp made the offer Tower chairman Michael Stiassny told shareholders to carefully assess the offers in front of them and to seek their own professional advice before making any decisions and reiterated that all policies were unaffected.

Tower posted a loss of $22.3 million in the September 2016 year as lingering claims from the Canterbury quakes were taking longer and were more expensive to settle. Last year it said it would corral those claims into a separate entity called RunOff, and suspended its annual dividend to preserve capital for the new company. It was also weighing up funding options or finding partners to help with the split.

Tower shares last traded at $1.32 and have lost 12.5 percent over the past year.

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Former Milford Asset Management portfolio manager Mark Warminger manipulated the New Zealand stock market in two trades in 2014, but there wasn't enough evidence for the remaining eight instances argued by the Financial Markets Authority, the High Court has found.

The trial was brought by the FMA, which claimed Warminger breached the Securities Markets Act by placing small trades on market in one direction, followed by large off-market trades in the opposite direction in order to set the price rather than for a genuine purpose.

Chief High Court Judge Geoffrey Venning said he was satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Warminger manipulated the market in relation to Fisher & Paykel Healthcare on May 27, 2014, and A2 Milk Co on July 9, 2014, but the FMA had failed to prove the remaining eight claims, which included two other trades of A2 in January and August 2014. The FMA aalso failed in its claims that Warminger manipulated the market in shares of Restaurant Brands, Sky Network Television, Xero, Wynyard Group and Skellerup Holdings over 2014.

"There is a common theme to the defence case on this and other transactions to the effect of 'why would Mr Warminger engage in such behaviour and place his career at risk for either a very limited or even nil financial benefit to himself?'," the judge said in his verdict. "The FMA does not have to prove a motive. But Mr Warmingers evidence, both in what he said and also how he answered questions as well as the evidence of Mr (Brian) Gaynor provides some insight. Mr Warminger is a goal-driven individual. He is motivated by personal performance, the performance of the funds under his management and the targets he has to meet."

"Mr Warminger has been very successful in a performance-driven industry. He was the INFINZ fund manager of the year for three years preceding 2014. He was used to success and took pride in being on the winning side of a deal. His personality provides some explanation why he would engage in such activity," Justice Venning said.

The judge has asked the lawyers to file a joint memorandum about the financial penalty the court should impose. The maximum penalty for a breach of the law is the greater of the consideration for the transaction, three times the amount of gain made or loss avoided, or $1 million.

FMA chief executive Rob Everett said the watchdog is pleased with the outcome.

"Market manipulation threatens our core objective of promoting fair, efficient and transparent financial markets. For investors to participate confidently in our markets we need to target and respond to misconduct," Everett said. "That is what this case was about. In terms of the broader consequences for conduct within our markets, we need to review and fully consider the judgement before making further comment."

Milford said in a note to clients today that the decision had no impact on their funds and that the firm wasn't involved in the proceedings having reached a settlement with the FMA in 2015.

"This was a long and technical case for the industry and we note both parties have the right to appeal the decision," it said.

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NEW DELHI: Emerging transformation of the country's energy sector will be discussed at the India Smart Grid Week, scheduled from March 7, that will be attended by power sector experts from 50 countries.

The third edition of the event, spanning over four days, will also witness bilateral workshops with the EU, Canada, Sweden and US on smart grid technology.

More than 200 internationally acclaimed experts in the field of energy, policymakers, technology providers, academia and researchers will take part in the event to be held at the Manekshaw Centre here.



The topics of discussion include advanced solutions for grid modernisation, FDI in smart infrastructure, e-mobility and future of transportation and renewable energy integration.



Smart grids have emerged as a key enabling infrastructure to develop smart solutions to resolve India's energy woes, said Reji Kumar Pillai, president of India Smart Grid Forum.



The initiative is supported by several ministries including power, NITI Aayog as well as several other international agencies.

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NEW DELHI: Japanese companies are keen to invest in India's food processing sector especially in fruits, vegetables and spices, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said today.



Badal, who is on a three-day visit to Tokyo leading an industry body CII delegation, today met Japanese Agriculture Minister Ken Saito to discuss ways to improve bilateral trade between the two countries.

She highlighted the opportunities that India offers in the food processing sector.

Badal also met top officials of Japanese food companies.



"We had positive interaction. The Japanese government and companies are keen to strengthen ties in the food processing sector. They are looking for more business opportunities in India," Badal told PTI over phone from Tokyo.



Japan, the fourth largest investor in India, is presently sourcing sea food from India. It is now keen to invest in the processing of fruits and vegetables as well as spices and make India a prospective base and export hub, she said.



"One of the Japanese firm engaged in manufacturing of tomato paste wants to become a global leader and is looking at India for sourcing the commodity in huge quantity," she added.



Badal met officials of companies such as Marubeni Corporation, Isetan Misukoshi Holdings, Housefoods Corporation, Japan Association of Refrigerated Warehouses, Mitsui Foods, Royal Host and Kohyo Company, Nissin Foods, Yakult and Fuji Oil Holdings.

A Japanese delegation is expected to participate in the forthcoming World Food Fair here in November this year and explore business opportunities in India, she added.



With low food processing level in India, Badal sought cooperation and partnership from Japanese companies in the area of technology.



"Japan is more keen to source agriculture produce from India which are non-genetically modified," Badal said.



The minister said there is huge potential for Japanese investment in India's food processing sector as only 12 firms out of 380 food companies have presence in the country.

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Update: Juan Thompson from St Louis has been charged in connection with threats made to at least eight Jewish community centers nationwide and the Anti-Defamation League's headquarters in New York City.

According to a complaint, the threats were made to harass a former girlfriend. The caller used the victim's name while making some of the threats.

Click here for an updated version of this story.

---

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Anti-Defamation League announced that an arrest has been made in connection with bomb threats made against that organization and other Jewish institutions.

The FBI, the NYPD and the New York State Police informed the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of the arrest, according to the Twitter feed of Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL.

The threats against the Staten Island JCCs are not specifically mentioned, although the NYPD initially said that our borough was the only one in New York City that received such scares.
JCC.jpg

Monday's bomb threat forced the evacuation of the Jewish Community Center in Sea View. (Advance file photo)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - After more than 30 Jewish Community Centers around the country received call-in bomb threats this week, the Federal Communications Commission on Friday granted Sen. Charles Schumer's request that Jewish organizations that feel targeted be allowed to trace threatening calls.

The Joan & Alan Bernikow Jewish Community Center on Manor Road in Sea View was one of 31 around the country that received a threatening phone call Monday.

It was evacuated and was searched for a bomb. There was nothing threatening found and the JCC reopened a few hours later.

According to the JCC Association of North America, on Monday there were 31 incidents of bomb threats called into 23 JCCs and eight Jewish day schools in Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington state and Calgary, Canada.

Schumer wrote a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, asking for a waiver from telecommunications regulations that prohibits someone receiving a call from tracing a caller when the caller has blocked their information.

The FCC granted the emergency, temporary waiver for JCCs and similar Jewish organizations while a permanent change is considered. It extends to the telecommunications carriers that serve the JCCs.

The temporary waiver issued Friday remains in effect until the FCC determines whether it should be made permanent.

In the temporary waiver order, Alison Kutler, chief of Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau for the FCC, writes, "We find that the recent phone threats documented in the Schumer letter and in public press reports pose a new, grave, and immediate danger to the 'safety of life and property' of a specific category of call recipients (JCCs), and that the public interest would be served by a tailored waiver that both will help JCCs and local law enforcement address the threats in real time while also continuing to protect the privacy of lawful callers."

Applauding the FCC's grant of his request, Schumer noted that one person has already been arrested in connection with the bomb threats earlier this week.

"All communities and entities targeted by intimidation and fear deserve access to all of the tools needed to ensure these criminals are brought to justice," Schumer said. "I stand united with the members of the Jewish community in Westchester, on Long Island, in Staten Island -- and with every community across America targeted by hate -- against fear, intolerance and intimidation."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- A St. Louis man is charged with cyberstalking after he was arrested for making threats against Jewish organizations nationwide, authorities said.

Juan Thompson, 31, allegedly made at least eight threats against Jewish schools and community centers as part of a campaign to harass an ex-girlfriend, according to the federal complaint.

After their romantic relationship ended, Thompson made the threats to the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish community centers in his name and the woman's name, officials said. He also allegedly sent defamatory faxes and emails to her employer and made false reports about her criminal activity.

The threats against the Staten Island JCCs are not specifically mentioned in the complaint, and a law enforcement source said the investigation into those incidents still remains open at this time.



Ruth Lasser, the spokeswoman for the JCC on Staten Island, said she was unaware if the threats against the borough locations are part of this case.

"Everyone deserves to be free from fear and discrimination based on religion, race, or ethnicity; that is fundamental to who we are as a nation," said U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. "Threats of violence targeting people and places based on religion or race -whatever the motivation - are unacceptable, un-American, and criminal."

The threats against Jewish organizations began in January and February of this year.

On Feb. 21, Thompson allegedly sent an email to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) stating the victim's name and birthdate and that she is behind the threats made against the Jews, according to the complaint.

"She lives in NYC and making more bomb threats tomorrow," the email said, authorities allege.

The following day, the ADL received an anonymous call saying there was a bomb in the New York office and it would be detonated within one hour, said the complaint.

Thompson also allegedly made threats to Jewish organizations in San Diego and Dallas in the victim's name, officials said.

The defendant used his own name to make bomb threats against the Jewish History Museum in Manhattan, Jewish schools in Michigan and Manhattan and the JCC in Manhattan, according to the complaint.

"Juan Thompson put two bombs in the office of the Jewish center today. He wants to create Jewish newtown tomorrow," the email to the Manhattan JCC said, according to the complaint.
The way of the empty hands The Simi Valley Shotokan Karate Dojo recently hosted a two-day seminar at Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District headquarters featuring a trio of karate experts. The Oct. 22 seminar was...

Slide into winter fun at SnowFest The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District is bringing snow to Simi Valley. SnowFest will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun., Nov. 6 at Rancho Madera Community...
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"When we use the word sanctuary, we have to be very careful that we're not holding out false hope. We wouldn't want to say, 'Stay here, we'll protect you,'" he said, explaining that he's not sure churches can legally guarantee protection to people who might move into a church building, or that federal agents would necessarily respect the boundaries of a church as a place that they cannot enter. "With separation of church and state, the church really does not have the right to say, 'You come in this building and the law doesn't apply to you.' But we do want to say we'll be a voice for you."
There's a thought provoking juxtaposition happening in a corner of the Australian War Memorial. Within the exhibition For Country, For Nation, which highlights the contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have made in the service of Australia, is a newly acquired painting which makes you question why they ever would.

Memorial director Dr Brendan Nelson unveiled Ruby Plains Massacre 1 on Friday, a striking painting by Rover Thomas which depicts the aftermath of an incident in which the Ruby Plains Station owner shot dead several Aboriginal men in retaliation for killing a bullock.

Australian War Memorial director Dr Brendan Nelson and Squadron Leader Gary Oakley at the unveiling of Ruby Plains Massacre 1. Credit:karleen minney

The first thought is to ask why such a painting even has a place in the Australian War Memorial, given it has no obvious military connection.

"I want people to reflect on this painting and then turn around and and view For Country, For Nation and ask questions about why the Aboriginal people wanted to fight," Dr Nelson said.
If you're thinking of entering Fashions on the Field at the Black Opal Stakes on Sunday, you might want to set up an Instagram account first.

You'll need to impress social media savvy judge Jemma Mrdak, author of the popular A Stylish Moment fashion blog and leader of a tribe of 12,000 style-obsessed Instagrammers.

Online style influencer Jemma Mrdak with Siberian Rose. Jemma is a new judge for the Fashions on the Field competition at the Black Opal Stakes this Sunday. Credit:Rohan Thomson

At just 24, Jemma said she brings a "young, creative flair" to judging and is looking for entrants to divert from the traditional 'dress and fascinator' combination to structured suits and leather headpieces.

"I'm looking for someone who's not afraid to wear something unique and little bit different," Jemma said.
In 2011 nearly 60 Indonesian teenage boys were incarcerated in adult jails throughout Australia for their involvement in human trafficking.

These boys were told stories that they would be working on sightseeing boats, offered more money than their families would see in a lifetime. Instead they found themselves working on asylum seeker boats, only to be intercepted by the Australian Navy and charged with people smuggling. Many of them spent more than two years in jail.

Age of Bones is a new Australian-Indonesian production inspired by the story of the 60 Indonesian boys wrongfully imprisoned in Australia for working on refugee boats. Credit:Sarah Walker

When Darwin playwright Sandra Thibodeaux heard of their plight she knew she had the makings of a good story.

"At the time a big media issue was live cattle exports to Indonesia, there was a huge uproar about that," she said.
Education minister Yvette Berry says the ACT government will not wait for the findings of a royal commission to re-examine how it regulates non-government schools.

On Friday, Ms Berry told a committee hearing she was still waiting for the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra-Goulburn to explain how an ex-priest stood down over inappropriately touching a child came to live next to two primary schools.

Minister for Education Yvette Berry. Credit:Karleen Minney

"There's an expectation from the government and the community that this incident should not have occurred particularly given the conversation we're having with the royal commission's investigations," Ms Berry said.

"We've asked for an explanation from the archdiocese on Tuesday and we're still waiting for a response about how this could occur and how it did occur."
Elizabeth Kikkert at ACT parliamentary hearings: "It's not safe school, it's safe sex". She is with, from left, Labor's Chris Steel, the Liberals' Andrew Wall and Labotrs Michael Pettersson.

"Is it illegal or is it breaking the law if you perform sexual intercourse underage?" Mrs Kikkert asked education officials at parliamentary hearings on Friday.

Liberal Elizabeth Kikkert has questioned the Safe Schools program in ACT schools, asking why children are not being taught instead that it is illegal to have sex before 16.

Liberal politician Elizabeth Kikkert. Credit:Jamila Toderas

"I'm pretty sure it is [illegal]," Mrs Kikkert shot back. "So what I'm trying to get at is why is the Safe Schools program teaching safe sex to underage kids? Why don't we teach them that this is breaking the law first. I think we have it all backwards."

The ACT is developing its own Safe Schools program to help LGTBIQ children and children coming to terms with diverse sexuality after the federal government backed away from its national program. The ACT material, funded by $100,000 added to the budget this year, will be ready for schools in term 3.

There was confusion at Friday's hearings about whether Canberra teachers are teaching the Safe Schools program in their classrooms, with officials saying the program was not delivered in classrooms, but later conceding they couldn't be sure what individual schools did with it.

Mrs Kikkert asked if parents could choose whether their child took part in the Safe Schools program, to which the Education Directorate's head of policy, Jacinta Evans, said there was no need to opt in or out because the program provided individual support for students and advice for schools on how to help students. It was not a program delivered in classrooms, but was material available to schools, she said.
A $35 million redevelopment of the St Christopher's Cathedral precinct in Manuka is nearing completion.

The project will bring together a range of Catholic services, including the diocesan headquarters. It features two three-storey office buildings, 44 independent living units and a 111-space underground carpark.

A stylised balcony view from Marian place of the St Christopher's precinct development in Manuka.

The units are on sale to buyers aged 55 and over, with prices ranging from $470,000 to $950,000.

If the sale prices are fully realised, the church will recoup $32.435 million.
"Mel's passing on October 1, 2016 has been quickly followed by important family celebrations, such as her and Scott's second wedding anniversary (in November), then Christmas quickly followed by Mel's birthday in early January, the birthdays of her two siblings (also in January) and the birthday of her first born, Emma, last month. Each event has been particularly poignant as Mel's absence has been keenly felt. Each day in fact invokes Mel's memory and with it a feeling of sadness and loss in the pit of one's stomach. I have reflected on Mel's five-year battle with breast cancer. I realise now just how much she must have suffered, both physically and emotionally. In addition to the life-threatening nature of the disease itself, Mel also had to cope with the toxic effects of the treatment she had to endure in the hope her life might be spared long enough so that she could be beside Scott and see her two little girls reach adulthood. Sadly, this was not to be but we take some comfort in our belief she is in a better place now pain free. Despite the physical and emotional trauma involved, Mel tended to shield us from realising the full impact of what she was enduring as she was not one to complain, even in the last month or so spent at home with Coral and I, with intermittent stays in hospital. When asked each morning how she felt, Mel would say to me she was "OK". Seeing she was not at all well, I changed tack and instead rephrased my question by asking her to describe her condition as compared with a day, say some days before, when she had been clearly so very unwell. Mel answered, "about the same, Dad". My heart aches anew when I recall these exchanges. Mel experienced only a relatively short period of apparent remission and the very occasional test result that suggested the cancer had not spread. Otherwise, the progress of the disease was unrelenting, with the latter stages of Mel's life a battle to achieve a tolerable balance between maintaining a quality of life that sufficiently offset the deleterious effects of the disease and her treatment. Once it was found some 6 months or so before she passed away the cancer had spread into her liver, Mel's battle became a daily challenge with the quality of life in progressive, and rapid decline, particularly in the last month or so of her life.

Using Mel's experience as an example, both Coral and I consider the invaluable research work being undertaken by Professor Rao and her dedicated team offer real hope of significant ground breaking improvements in the treatment of women with metastatic breast cancer, hopefully with much less suffering. Mel's treatment effectively commenced with the surgical removal of her left breast. This was followed by a course of interventions over time that relied on chemotherapy and radiation treatment to contain the disease. Chemotherapy was usually accompanied by particularly nasty side effects, such as nausea and exhaustion. This required offsetting medication and blood transfusions so Mel could function and have a reasonable quality of life. Added to this regime, Mel underwent a regular round of tests so that her Oncologist could detect a trend that enabled him to establish the effectiveness of the treatment and to assess the disease's progress. Tests included CT scans that involve the use of a dye that can impact on the kidneys, an additional burden on a body already under siege having to fight a life-threatening disease as well as coping with the debilitating treatments of chemotherapy. In addition, before each round of tests, usually every 3 months, brought with it mounting anxiety for Mel, Scott and the family as the day for the test approached. Like other women today, Mel commenced chemotherapy uncertain and with no assurance it would work. The test being developed by Professor Rao and her team is aimed to establish the likelihood of whether a proposed course of chemotherapy is likely to work even before any treatment begins. This same test could also be used as an early warning system to establish soon after a woman's treatment has begun whether the treatment prescribed is working or not. In addition to reducing the need for women to have to undergo the many tests Mel had to endure following chemotherapy, the community stands to profit too from these tests as there are significant savings that could be made from the early cessation of ineffective treatment and the reduction in the use of current post-treatment tests. When Mel reached the stage when she could no longer tolerate chemotherapy, Professor Rao and her team postulated using Mel's blood that she may respond positively to treatment involving immunotherapy. This was supported by subsequent tests to be the case, with the first test results very encouraging, but Mel's liver was so compromised by this time that she passed away shortly after only two treatments with immunotherapy.

Professor Rao and her team continue to investigate based on Mel's experience the likely effectiveness of combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. This on-going research offers women not only the possibility of a better response but also a reduction in the debilitating side effects associated with using chemotherapy alone that Mel so stoically endured until she found she could no longer tolerate it. However, immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer is still experimental and is not available on the PBS. Anyone wishing to access this treatment, as in Mel's case, must find the funds to do so. Professor Rao and her team are also in the process of developing drugs that in laboratory trials suggest they can be very effective in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. These trials are now moving towards clinical development Loading Mel recognised the significant benefits offered to women in her position by the research being undertaken by Professor Rao and her team. Despite the debilitating effects of her disease and the treatments, Mel continued until the end of her life to involve herself in fund raising efforts in support of this ground-breaking research work. We continue to support, together with Scott, our relatives and Mel's close friends, fund raising efforts for this work, such as the film night on 16 March 2017, to honour our precious and courageous daughter's memory and in the shared hope offered by the work of Professor Rao and her team that women with metastatic breast cancer will not have to suffer like Mel suffered.
Reforms recommended by a 2015 review into Canberra's school system are months behind schedule while others deemed met fail to meet the expectations set in the review.

The Schools for All program was introduced by the ACT government in 2015 in the wake of national outrage at a 10-year-old boy with autism being locked in a cage at a Canberra school.

The cage in a Canberra school which led to the independent review.

The program was to implement changes recommended by the review after the ACT government agreed to all 50, allowing better oversight of schools in the ACT as well as better resources for schools, parents and children with complex needs or behavioural problems.

Part of a three-year rollout expected to be completed by 2018, the fourth-quarter report showed some of the recommendations sit nine months behind schedule on self-imposed and revised deadlines.
Life insurance providers have revealed that some doctors are voluntarily sharing their patients' entire medical histories, even though they've only asked for information relevant to a claim.

Commonwealth Bank, ANZ and Westpac-owned BT Financial Group were among the big players that fronted a joint parliamentary inquiry into the life insurance industry in Canberra on Friday.

CBA launches spring property deals Credit:Michel O'Sullivan

MLC Life Insurance revealed it had started obtaining consent from new customers to access their full medical records from their doctor, though it conceded they probably weren't aware of it.

"Now they probably don't know that they've consented and I can see because it's in the contract that I'm sure many of them don't fully read," said its CEO David Hackett.
NAB's chief executive has refused to be drawn on the remuneration of its most recent high-profile executive appointee, former NSW premier Mike Baird.

Chief executive Andrew Thorburn ducked questions on Mr Baird's remuneration package as the former premier prepares to start work next month.

Labor MP Madeleine King asked Mr Thorburn to comment on claims the salary could be as high as $2 million.

"Can you not disclose it now  It's been reported in the media that it is about $2 million?" Ms King asked at a parliamentary hearing on Friday.
It's a good news day for chocolate lovers: Prices for chocolate are set to fall as the world cocoa market shifts from a deficit to the largest surplus in six years, according to the International Cocoa Organisation.

Global production will top demand by 264,000 metric tons in the 2016-17 season, which started in October the London-based group said on Tuesday in a report. The deficit was 196,000 tons in the preceding year.

World output is seen rising almost 15 per cent to 4.55 million tons in the current season, with gains in Ivory Coast, the top grower, as well as in Ghana, Indonesia and Ecuador. In contrast, worldwide grinding of cocoa beans -- a measure of demand -- will rise just 2.9 per cent to 4.24 million tons, the group said.

The shift in the supply and demand dynamics of the cocoa market has weighed on prices in the past 12 months. Cocoa futures have slumped about 35 per cent in New York over the period.
Bunnings has warned its suppliers to prepare for a major expansion after the hardware behemoth swooped on 11 former Masters Home Improvement stores across Australia and announced plans to open nine new stores across NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

The transformation of the Masters sites has piqued the interest of the competition watchdog but only in relation to the four Masters sites that represent new trading locations for the Bunnings network.

Seven of the Masters stores slated for transformation are in suburbs where there is already a Bunnings warehouse and the chain is shutting these stores and moving into the revamped Masters premises.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said there were only a handful of new stores, most of them were "swaps" from current Bunnings stores.
It's common for a literally unbelievably bad quarterly figure to be followed by an unbelievably good one. New business investment spending grew by almost 2 per cent. That's partly because of catch-up  work that couldn't be done in the first quarter because of, say, bad weather, is caught up with in the second. But also because of the laws of arithmetic. If we compare the December quarter with the weak September quarter, we get an increase of 1.1 per cent. But compare it with the quarter before that and the increase is only 0.6 per cent. The rate of real GDP growth over the year to December  2.4 per cent  is closer to the rate at which we're likely to actually be travelling, but even that may be on the light side.

One suspiciously strong aspect of the accounts in the December quarter was growth in consumer spending of 0.9 per cent. With the rise in wages so small, and only modest growth in employment, household disposable (that is, after-tax) income grew by only 0.2 per cent in nominal terms. So how could consumer spending have grown so strongly? Since, by definition, income equals consumption plus saving, the statisticians assume households must have reduced their rate of saving.

Wealth effect The national accounts show the household saving ratio peaking at almost 10 per cent of household disposable income at the end of 2011, then falling almost continuously since then, taking a big drop in the December quarter to reach a little over 5 per cent. If that's really happened and isn't just the product of some misestimate of income or consumption (or both), it's probably explained by a "wealth effect"  people in Melbourne and Sydney, seeing the value of their homes shooting up, feel wealthier and so decide they don't need to save as much and can spend more. The next bit of apparent good news is that new business investment spending grew by almost 2 per cent. This, believe it or not, included an increase in mining investment, plus a stronger-than-usual increase in non-mining investment. The former is likely to be just a blip as mining investment continues to fall back to normal, post-boom levels; the latter is an encouraging sign that the rest of business is getting on with the rest of their lives.

Illustration: Glen Le Lievre. The last bit of good news in the accounts is that our terms of trade  the prices we receive for our exports compared with the prices we pay for our imports  improved by 9 per cent during the quarter, taking the improvement for the year to almost 16 per cent. This is mainly because, after falling sharply since their peak 2011, coal and iron ore prices rose over most of last year. This is important for several reasons. An improvement in our terms of trade increases our real income  since the same quantity of our exports now buys an increased quantity of imports. "Real net national disposable income per person"  a better measure of living standards than real GDP per person  increased 2.5 per cent in the quarter to be 5.3 per cent higher over the year.

Many people noticed that company profits (the profits share of GDP) leapt by 16.5 per cent in nominal terms during the quarter, whereas the nation's wages bill (the wages share of GDP) fell by a nominal 0.5 per cent. Why the disparity? Mainly because of the huge boost to mining company profits from the jump in export prices. Mining a winner Not to worry. If the economy works the way the textbook says, this gain to miners should flow through the economy, causing higher wages and higher tax payments. This latter likelihood is shown in the fact that nominal (as opposed to real) GDP grew 3 per cent in the quarter to be 6.1 per cent higher through the year.

This is great news for the Treasurer because we pay taxes (and everything else) in nominal dollars, not real dollars. Last word goes to Shane Oliver, of AMP Capital, who says there are seven reasons to be upbeat about the outlook for the economy. "Thanks to a more flexible economy, Australia is on track to take out the Netherlands for the longest period without a recession. South-east Australia is continuing to perform well. "The great mining investment unwind is near the bottom. The surge in resource export volumes has more to go. "National income is rising again. Public investment is strong and there are signs of life in non-mining investment. Growth is on track to return to near 3 per cent this year," Oliver concludes.
Australia's collective wellbeing grew at more than twice the rate of the economy last year.

The Fairfax-Lateral Economics wellbeing index - which provides a broader measure of national welfare than traditional economic figures - rose 5.8 per cent in 2016. That compares with annual gross domestic product growth of 2.4 per cent revealed by official figures on Wednesday.

The wellbeing index adjusts GDP to take into account changes in knowhow, health, work life, social inequality and environmental degradation to put a dollar figure on Australia's collective wellbeing.

It showed the value of national wellbeing increased by $22.15 billion during 2016.
Mexico's biggest cement maker said it would be willing to provide supplies for the US border wall proposed by President Donald Trump, ending months in which the company declined to comment on the potential project.

Cemex would offer a price quote to any contractors looking to buy cement for the barrier, Chairman Rogelio Zambrano told Reforma newspaper. With plants on both sides of the border, Cemex would be well positioned to compete for building-materials contracts.

During Trump's first address to Congress late Tuesday, he renewed a promise to kick off construction of a "great, great wall" on the southern border. The project, which is estimated to cost $US15 billion ($19.9 billion) or more, has roiled US relations with Mexico, and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto cancelled a trip to Washington earlier this year after Trump vowed to make Mexico pay for the wall.

Cemex climbed 4.3 per cent to 17.74 pesos at 11:18 a.m. in Mexico City after advancing as much as 4.6 per cent for the biggest intraday gain in a month.
Turnbull has been a strong voice of national cohesion, as any Australian leader should be. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Husic's question was rhetorical, which is just as well as Shorten had no answer except to criticise Fahour's salary again while restating the principle of religious non-discrimination. Husic won the warm support of his colleagues. A number later commented to him along the lines of "I hadn't thought of it that way". But neither had Malcolm Turnbull. And Husic's casual accusation that the Prime Minister is prepared to persecute Muslims for political advantage is unfair. Husic was understandably upset. With Labor's Anne Aly, he is one of only two Muslims in the Parliament. He does not trade on the novelty of his "diversity". He rarely brings up his faith. He refuses to be defined by his religion and concentrates on his job as shadow minister for the digital economy and employment. This week, however, was exceptional. He was feeling hurt and depressed at the apparent persecution of Fahour, at the constant conservative agitation to liberalise hate speech laws despite the staunch opposition of every major ethnic community in the country, and then there was Bob Katter.

The big-hatted bigot from North Queensland got to his feet in the House in question time on Wednesday and, trading on the news of the arrest of a suspected terrorist in the town of Young, put this question to Immigration Minister Peter Dutton: "The Daily Telegraph in October 2014 reported that Young in NSW is the unofficial Muslim capital of the outback. With a population of 7000, Arabic is the second language, and it is home to 400 Middle Easterners. Yesterday, Haisem Zahab from Young was arrested on allegations of assisting ISIS to develop long-range missiles. Last week, the Federation of Islamic Councils' president reportedly stated domestic violence is 'the last resort'. "Will the minister listen to his own backbench and the US and ban visa holders from North Africa and the countries between Greece and India, exempting, of course, persecuted minorities, namely Sikhs, Jews and Christians  persecuted or not!" It seems to be heyday for the hatemongers. Pauline Hanson's One Nation calls for a ban on Muslim immigrants. Katter's Australia Party wants the same thing by a different name. Jacqui Lambie is antagonistic to Muslims. Cory Bernardi and the Nationals' George Christensen blow the dog-whistle of anti-Islam. As prime minister, Tony Abbott implied that Australia's Muslim leadership lacks loyalty to the country. Last week Abbott called for a cut to the immigration intake, though he didn't hint at any racial or religious exclusion; he framed it as a way to ease pressure on housing prices.

But Malcolm Turnbull is not among these ranks. Two key points. First, Ed Husic couldn't have known, but Turnbull did, in fact, flag Ahmed Fahour's provocatively large salary years ago. When he was communications minister, Turnbull privately warned the chairman of Australia Post, John Stanhope, that Fahour's pay was out of line. But it's the board's job to set the chief executive's pay and Turnbull left it to Stanhope. The chairman evidently didn't take the warning seriously. Second, contrary to being any sort of Islamophobe, Turnbull has been a firm defender of Muslim Australians, just as he has been a firm friend of Jewish Australians. Indeed, a leading figure in Sydney's Muslim community, Dr Jamal Rifi, said that on taking the prime ministership Turnbull had taken community relations a "quantum leap" ahead. President of the Lebanese Muslim Association Samier Dandan said Turnbull's leadership on social cohesion had "invigorated the community" into doing more to tackle the problem of extremism and terrorism.

Turnbull has been a strong voice of national cohesion, as any Australian leader should be. Four out of 10 of us were born overseas or have at least one parent who was. Racial and religious co-existence and co-operation are in Australia's deepest national interest. Racial or religious strife in such a country would be national suicide. So what did Peter Dutton say in response to the crank Katter on the floor of the House? It will surprise those who've dismissed Dutton as a xenophobe to learn that he replied: "It is important to point out that the vast majority of people are working hard in the community and supporting, for example, the abattoir that can only stay open because of the local Muslim population. "It provides support to local farmers and to the local economy. They are hardworking people. They are doing the right thing. Like 99 per cent of people from the Islamic community in this country, they are doing the right thing. Where we find the one per cent and where the one per cent are doing the wrong thing  people who seek to do harm to our country  we will come down on them hard ... "We will stamp out ISIL. We will stamp out those people who seek to do us harm. We are not going to change our migration program, because we have one of the best border protection systems in the world. That has been acknowledged by many countries. We have been able to deal with threats as they present at our border.

"We have stopped boats, and we have been able to stop threats at our border. We will not step back from the tough decisions that we have had to make, because they are in our national interest; that point needs to be recognised as well." Dutton did take Katter's invitation to chide the president of Australia's Federation of Islamic Councils, Keysar Trad. Trad had said on Sky News that under an Islamic hadith, or a report of Mohammed's teachings, that a husband should hit his wife as "a last resort". Trad seemed to be endorsing this concept. He later apologised and said that "it is never OK to hit a woman". Dutton told the House that "if you come to our country you abide by our laws and one of the things that sets us apart from many other nations is our respect of women". Point for point, Dutton addressed the fundamentals of Australia's national interests. He defended law-abiding Muslim immigrants, welcomed their contribution, committed to protecting the country from criminals and terrorists, reaffirmed the immigration program as a national asset, and stated the equality of men and women in Australian culture as well as in our law. Dutton was also demonstrating a political interest. He knows that Australia's rising temptation to racism is occurring on the political Right, and that the Right of politics has to deal with it.

The immigration minister knows that the Liberal Party cannot appease racial and religious hatred. If it does, it will be consumed. If the Coalition seems to be condoning a Muslim hate-fest, it will license its more reckless supporters to vote One Nation, while losing its legitimacy with the great centre of the Australian population. The real task for the Coalition is to deal with the problems of extremist Islamism, while advancing the core Australian commitment to mutual respect, regardless of race, religion or gender. That is the responsible Right's formula for winning the political contest with the fringe. That way, the Coalition can offer solutions to real problems and hope for the future. The hate-mongers offer no solutions, only a bleak self-perpetuating cycle of hate, division and violence. Husic is right to worry about the rising racism on the fringe of Australian politics. We all should. But he's wrong to think that the government is on the brink of surrendering to Hanson's hatred. It's in vogue these days with the rise of angry, nationalist populism, to quote the William Yeats poem The Second Coming: "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed." In Australia the centre is being tested but, so far, at least, it is holding.
Maybe men are just too emotional to make good leaders: if the past week in politics is anything to go on, it seems they have difficulty mastering their anger, resentment and jealousy, and resisting the emotional surges that cause them to forget national interest in favour of self-interest.

Sound sexist? It is. It is also a line of argument female leaders have fought since the days of Joan of Arc.

A constant theme of my fellow columnist Julia Baird's excellent biography of Queen Victoria is the certainty of the men around her that her fits of emotion, dubbed "combustibles" by her husband Albert, made her less than fit to govern.

The logic was that Victoria's femininity, not to mention her frequent pregnancies, made her emotional and irrational  liabilities when the sober and hyper-rational business of government was at hand.
Turnbull government MP Warren Entsch is prepared to lose his seat defending the Fair Work Commission's controversial decision to recommend reducing Sunday penalty rate cuts.

Mr Entsch, the member for Leichhardt in Queensland, said the Coalition had to stand and fight back against Labor's penalty rates campaign.

Fellow Queensland MP George Christensen, who holds Dawson, said there was "no doubt" the independent commission's decision, which the Coalition has struggled to defend, could cost him his seat at the next election. He has called for government intervention.

The comments come after a difficult week for the Turnbull government. The issue has dominated the political agenda in Canberra as Labor and the unions have mounted a WorkChoices-style campaign.
MacGibbon at the Australian Federal Police's High Tech Crime Centre in 2004. Credit:Nicole Emanuel "What are the historical, geographic, political and other drivers that lead to behaviours? I was involved in organised crime stuff for a long time and If you look at the heroin trade you can look at it as a historical and political thing as much as you can a criminal thing." Joining the AFP also flicked a switch: "I took a real puritanical view about being politically active. Because the police, in my view, can't be active politically and be in a regulatory position ... and I've maintained that since then." Alastair MacGibbon in 2004. Credit:Robert Rough Across a 15-year career with the AFP he held roles across the organisation, country and world. His shift towards cybercrime started as a liaison officer in Washington DC, assisting Australian and American authorities on transnational cases. Returning home, he headed up the newly created Australian High Tech Crime Centre, a response to growing concern by federal and state police forces about the growth of online crime. Then came his first stints in the private sector, at eBay and running a handful of small businesses. In 2015, MacGibbon returned to government's warm embrace as the country's first children's eSafety commissioner.

In May 2016, the boy from Cronulla was handpicked by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to spearhead cultural change within government, across the business world and among the greater public. It's an unusually  and intentionally  public facing role for an adviser in the public service. Alastair MacGibbon is evangelical about the power of the internet. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen They ain't no hacktivists, they're just crooks He finds himself at the apex of a $230 million cyber-security strategy. Hacking and unsettling online activity have entered the public consciousness since the Russian interference with the US election, high-profile corporate hacks and, in Australia, the census debacle and attacks by foreign intelligence on government infrastructure. Theft of intellectual property is creating corporate and political havoc around the world. "I'm driving for a dramatic change in the way we run cyber-security in government and in corporates and in our private lives. I need revolutionary change in the way we view that. And if you want to make revolutionary change, you can't be risk-averse. Whether that risk means me losing my job or whatever, I'll wear it. I sound like a wanker but I believe in this stuff. And I'll proselytise about it and I will do it. If people don't like what I do, they can get rid of me."

Based at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, MacGibbon is a regular visitor to the Prime Minister's office in Parliament House. He has a good relationship with Turnbull and ministerial staff he works with have affectionately dubbed him "Al Mac". He describes his mission as "remarkably beautiful", and refers to public servants in glowing terms, but thinks working in the system sometimes feels like running in sand. To the "pragmatic revolutionary", the conservative stability of the public service is its greatest strength and greatest weakness. Along with the new Ambassador for Cyber Affairs, Tobias Feakin, at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, there are now two disruptive "outsiders" shaping and communicating government cyber-policy. They work closely with Paul Taloni, the director of secretive electronic intelligence agency the Australian Signals Directorate, and Dan Tehan, the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cyber Security. "It's important to have someone who's not a politician, with the technical expertise but articulate as well, to get out there and explain the threats," one government source says. "Alastair likes to shake things up and he looks at the whole system very differently. That's one of the reasons the PM likes him." Tehan says he shares MacGibbon's "bias for action" and emphasis on collaboration and transparency.

And while MacGibbon has a strict aversion to partisanship, he clearly maintains a fascination with pure politics and holds a deeply held philosophical view about the world, especially the internet that connects it. "Somehow with consumer electronics and internet services, we've taken the view that it's totally anarchic  you can't enforce social values and you just take it or leave it. I don't believe it. I subscribe to this concept of an online civil society," he says. Regularly deploying metaphors to make a point, he believes online behaviour and misbehaviour should be treated the same as offline activities: the rights of the individual should be protected and harmful individuals stopped. "I think we vacated that field without even having the fight. And I want to have that fight." Following the Snowden revelations about US government surveillance and the Australian government's expansion of its ability to access personal metadata, people are sceptical of the government poking around in the internet. But MacGibbon sees a role for it and backs the courts, media and public to keep overreach in check. It's the same as living freely in our regular offline lives, he says, where there are an awful lot of laws. He regards issue-motivated hackers with disdain: "They ain't no hacktivists, they're just crooks."
Although the commonly-dispensed career advice would have you believe otherwise, women don't need fixing. Of course, that hasn't stopped us flocking to professional events aimed at helping us to drag ourselves out from under the gender paywall.

International Women's Day events in particular usually get a good roll-up: a panel discussion at a large corporate head office in Sydney scheduled for March 8 recently sold out in days and attracted an audience of 180.

The hard work of analysing and addressing gender barriers is still seen as women's business. Credit:AMC

But the fact there's still so much demand for discussions about workplace diversity and tips for making it through the jungle tells us the picture for women in paid work hasn't shifted nearly as much as expected even 10 years ago.

Women continue to need these opportunities to put some context around what they are experiencing and learn how others have coped because many workplaces are hanging onto stubbornly male breadwinner norms.
They say that robots will one day rule us all, but as a sex worker I always thought I had found the one job that wouldn't see me replaced by a machine. Until last week, that is, when a paper released in academic journal Futures hypothesised that by 2050, Amsterdam's top sex-on-premises venue will be a licensed, award-winning brothel  staffed entirely by androids.

Offering everything from massage to lapdances to penetrative sex, the robo-workers will come in all shapes and sizes and vary in age, ethnicity, and "sexual features", although it should be noted that the 'most popular' worker will be a tall Russian blonde named Irina. (It seems that even on these modern horizons, beauty standards haven't changed much.) An all-inclusive service provided by a worker will set you back around $10,000, and it should be noted that out of concern for your hygiene, each android will be "regularly flushed for human fluids". Well, consider me turned on already!

They say that robots will one day rule us all, but as a sex worker I always thought I had the one job that wouldn't see me replaced by a machine, writes Kate Iselin.

Maybe more worrying than this strange, eroticised example of the uncanny valley is the circumstances that have caused the need for a parlour run by robots. The paper theorises that within the next fifty years, an unsustainable level of human trafficking in the sex industry coupled with a emerging mutant strain of HIV will have led sex tourists and punters to seek out a new, "guilt-free" way to get their thrills. Enter 'Yub-Yum', which will even win awards for technology and innovation, such is its promise.

It's a concept that I find strangely offensive; and not just because the thought of putting my genitals in the literal hands of a robot (have you SEEN those things?) makes me want to cross my legs and never open them again.
Are you a feminist? Do you believe women are human beings and deserve to be treated as such? That women deserve all the same rights and liberties bestowed upon men? If so, then you are a feminist, or so all the feminists keep insisting.

Despite the simplicity and obviousness of the dictionary definition of feminism, and despite years of working at feminist non-profits and decades of advocacy, I am disowning the label. If you asked me today if I am a feminist I would not only say no, I would say no with a sneer.

Jessa Crispin is done with the f-word, but not for the reason most give for rejecting the label.

Don't worrythis is not where I insist I am not a feminist because I am afraid of being mistaken for one of those hairy-legged, angry, man-hating feminists that are drawn up like bogeymen by men and women alike. Nor will I now reassure you of my approachability, my reasonable nature, my heteronormativity, my love of men and my sexual availabilitydespite the fact that this disclaimer appears to be a prerequisite for all feminist writing published in the last fifteen years.

If anything, that poseI am harmless, I am toothless, you can f--- meis why I find myself rejecting the feminist label: All these bad feminists, all these Talmudic "can you be a feminist and still have a bikini wax?" discussions. All these reassurances to their (male) audiences that they don't want too much, won't go too far"We don't know what Andrea Dworkin was on about either! Trust us." All these feminists giving blowjobs like it's missionary work.
The number of Medicare-funded circumcisions in the ACT is continuing to fall, according to Department of Human Services data. Just 162 of the procedures were performed in the ACT in 2016, of the 19,140 undertaken Australia-wide.

Historical data reveals the total number performed each year was falling in every state and territory but general practitioners are able to provide circumcision services and there is no health department register of those that perform it.

Ling Fam, Alexandra Fogg, Oliver Siiteri and Associate Professor David Croaker. Credit:Jay Cronan

Since there was no Medicare rebate support for non-medical circumcision services, ANU Medical School Associate Professor Dr David Croaker has had his views on the procedure tested.

"Anglo-Saxon Australians will sometimes come in demanding circumcisions for their boys, for no particular reason, other than they think it's a good thing," he said.
The Prime Minister's Digital Transformation Office was "locked out" of helping with Centrelink's robo-debt, the former head of the agency says.

Paul Shetler, who was handpicked by Mr Turnbull to lead the government's technological revolution, says he and his colleagues first heard about the automatically generated debt program in the media.

Locked out: former Chief Digital Officer Paul Shetler. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

Mr Shetler has been an outspoken critic of the federal government's tech efforts since he resigned in November, just weeks after his agency was restructured and his job downsized.

The renamed Digital Transformation Agency has since been called in to try to get the robo-debt program back on track.
An alleged Chinese drug syndicate operating in Sydney has been dismantled and two men arrested after authorities raided 10 homes across the city's south-west this week and allegedly seized more than 300 kilograms of the precursor drug ephedrine.

Police say the seized drugs, the biggest haul of its kind in Australian Border Force (ABF) history, could be used to manufacture 240 kilograms of the drug ice, with an estimated street value of $240 million.

The drugs were concealed in items posted from China and Hong Kong to Sydney, police say. Credit:NSW Police

The drugs were allegedly hidden in items including car radiators, coolers, aluminium rods and wall hangings.

The items were sent from China and Hong Kong to properties in Sydney's south-west over the past year, police say.
The two boys at the centre of an alleged attempted double drowning were "snatched" by their mother soon after her release from jail, lawyers for the boys' grandparents have claimed in an explosive letter to the Department of Community Corrections.

The legal letter was sent after the children had been allegedly taken from their grandmother's care but before the tragedy unfolded on the banks of the Murray River, which has left the younger boy missing feared drowned and the older boy in a serious condition in hospital.

"We are instructed that our client holds the Department of Community Corrections and the Police responsible for the present situation for their lack of communication and support in essentially off-loading the housing of her daughter to our client. They have further exposed our client to violence and physical harm."

The department "failed to advise" the grandmother of her daughter's "mental decline" and did not "take steps to protect our client and her grandchildren", the lawyers said.
The Queensland coroner has found a young prisoner should not have been in the same facility as a murderous inmate, who savagely killed him in an unprovoked and apparently random attack.

Coroner Terry Ryan also found Leonard Raymond Gordon's death could have been prevented if equipment had not been left in a prison exercise yard.

Leonard Raymond Gordon was murdered in a Maryborough Correctional Centre exercise yard. Credit:Andrew Meares

Gordon, 22, was murdered in a Maryborough Correctional Centre exercise yard on October 9, 2012, in a surprise, violent attack with a metal handlebar just two days before he was due to be released.

That inmate, Gregory George Glebow, was already serving time for murder and told a prison psychologist he committed the violent act so as to be moved out of the MCC, where he had been involved in ongoing conflict with fellow prisoners.
Hefty fines have been handed to a north Queensland hotel and Gold Coast strip club, after the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services found them to have breached fire safety regulations.

A fine of $30,000 was handed to the owner of Surfers Paradise strip club Hollywood Showgirls and Lounge Bar, who also manages apartments in the building, after QFES officers found fire alarms had been disabled and fire doors blocked during several inspections.

A Gold Coast strip club was hit with a $30,000 fine after QFES officers found fire alarms had been disabled and fire doors blocked during several inspectors. Credit:Hollywood Showgirls & Lounge Bar

The building occupier was convicted of 25 charges, fined and had a conviction recorded.

Meanwhile, Magnum's Hotel in Airlie Beach, 150 kilometres north of Mackay, was hit with a $42,500 for disabling fire alarms.
Carina Aloni moved into her timber terrace house, "Verona", in Sussex Street at West End in 1999 after shifting from Sweden to Brisbane for love.

She has raised two children, remodelled the backyard, "squeezed in" as her "family grew up" but found the compact size never hindered her family's development.

Highgate Hill's Carina Aloni outside her terrace house. Credit:Tony Moore

"They loved it, they loved the diversity of different people in the street," Ms Aloni said.

She is about to move on as the family moves, but reflects favourably on a planner's suggestion that modern Brisbane once again embrace the "terrace house" on small blocks as house and land prices increase.
Several members of the Tiba family have been convicted of serious violent offences - including Bassam Tiba for the manslaughter of Richard Haddara - and drug crime.

He remains in a stable condition in the Royal Melbourne.

It is understood Omar Tiba, 27, from Coolaroo, was shot when an unknown gunman got out of the car and started firing.

A man shot by a balaclava-clad gunman at Campbellfield shopping plaza on Tuesday was a member of a north-west crime family.

A wave of violence was allegedly connected to a family feud between the Tiba, Haddara and Chaouk families several years ago.

Armed crime detectives are still investigating the motive behind Tuesday night's shooting. The gunman and up to three associates are still at large.

Up to four men in a white or cream car drove up to the victim in the Campbellfield Plaza car park about 9.30pm on Tuesday before one got out and started firing, Detective Inspector Steve Clark said.

A shopping centre security guard heard gun shots, ran outside and found the man lying on the ground with at least three gunshot wounds, Channel Nine reported.

"He heard some shooting, he ran down to see what it was, and he saw a man on the ground, bleeding," the security guard's colleague, Thomas Yoannis, said.
A father who lost control of his car after he swerved to avoid a kangaroo has been hailed a hero after pulling his children from the wreckage.

Police say the man's four-wheel drive was travelling east along the Western Freeway in Wendouree, Ballarat, at around 3am when the driver allegedly veered off the road when a kangaroo ran into its path.

The vehicle on the railway line at Wendouree. Credit:Heidi Murphy / 3AW

The driver lost control of the car and ran down an embankment onto a railway line several hundred metres away, landing on its roof.

A passing train driver raised the alarm.
Stephen Bradley, who was found guilty of one of Victoria's longest-running cold case murders, is pushing for a lower prison term, arguing he was young and immature when he killed Michelle Buckingham.

Bradley was 22 when he fatally stabbed the 16-year-old in 1983, after she refused to have sex with him.

Stephen James Bradley, right. Credit:Ray Sizer

It was not until 2015 that he was convicted and sentenced to 27 years' imprisonment for her murder, with a non-parole period of 21 years.

Police re-opened their investigation into the girl's death after a series of articles about the cold case in the Shepparton News led Bradley's brother-in-law Norm Gribble to come forward as a key witness.
More than 40 years on, sex abuse victims of a predatory Melbourne school teacher have seen him finally jailed for his crimes  but they believe more victims are out there.

Paul James Bussey, 70, was jailed on Friday for three years and three months for abusing several boys, most of whom were his students, during the 1970s.

The former teacher abused many boys during school camping trips.

The former headmaster pleaded guilty to three counts of wilful exposure and five of indecent assault of a male under 16.

Outside court, his victims said the sentence wasn't harsh enough.
The Catholic Church's Melbourne Archdiocese has rejected a recommendation that it extend its internal compensation scheme to secondary victims of child sexual abuse, including parents and children of victims.

Survivors of clergy abuse have long criticised the scheme  established by Cardinal George Pell in 1996  for failing to properly compensate them for life-long trauma and in some cases adding to it. They also say that the church awards greater compensation when victims launch lawsuits.

The internal compensation scheme was established by Cardinal George Pell in 1996. Credit:Riccardo De Luca

Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart announced in April 2014 that he had appointed former Federal Court judge Donnell Ryan, QC, to review the Melbourne Response, the church's internal compensation scheme for victims, while giving evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Despite receiving Mr Ryan's report four months later, the archdiocese only tendered its recommendations to the royal commission last week.
Two men have made a miraculous escape after the car they were in crashed into a power pole with such force it split the vehicle in two in Melbourne's east.

The white Ford Falcon was driving south on Springvale Road, Donvale just after 1am on Saturday when it clipped another car, left the road and smashed into a power pole between Beryl Street and Lindsay Avenue.

Two men managed to escape without serious injuries despite the damage to the car they were in. Credit:Patrick Herve

The Falcon broke in two but remarkably the 22-year-old Broadmeadows driver was uninjured while his passenger, a 34-year-old Nunawading man, was taken to the Royal Melbourne hospital with chest injuries in a serious but stable condition.

The driver and passenger of the second car that was clipped were unharmed.
Underworld boss Rocco Arico will spend at least the next decade in prison after a judge branded him a "complete outlaw", a "violent and dangerous man" and a high-level drug trafficker who sought to "profit from the weakness and addiction of others".

County Court Judge Geoffrey Chettle sentenced the 38-year-old to 14 years prison, with a minimum of 10 years to be served before parole, for seven counts of extortion, drug trafficking, violence and weapons offences.

Underworld boss Rocco Arico. Credit:Jason South

Arico, a citizen of Italy whose family emigrated to Australia when he was 9 months old, is almost certain to be deported by immigration authorities after serving his sentence.

"You have exhibited absolutely no remorse," Judge Chettle said. "You were not a rehabilitated man when you were released from prison in 2008. You are a drug dealer and standover man."
A 36-year-old man who killed a mother and injured her two children in a car crash while he was drunk and speeding has been jailed for more than four years.

Teck Chai Lim had been been drinking with workmates on January 8 last year before he drove along Mirrabooka Avenue in Landsdale, clipping kerbs and hitting a light pole and a guard rail as he swerved and struggled to maintain control of the vehicle.

Pip Haigh sadly died in the crash while son Corey was injured. Credit:Pip Haigh/Facebook

His car's rear bumper was half hanging off and dragging along the road when he sped up to about 83km/h and crashed head-on into the car driven by Philippa Kylie Haigh, who died from her injuries.

Her 10-year-old daughter Savannah and 18-month-old son Corey were also hurt.
A man who committed the "inhumane" rape of a woman at a caravan park in WA's Mid West last year - whilst on bail - has been jailed for 12 years.

A District Court Judge said the attack carried out by Daniel Joshua Ward last year ranked as one of the worst he'd seen.

court

When comparing other similar type cases in court on Thursday, Judge Philip McCann said: "I'm dealing with the worst case today."

The fact Ward was on bail at the time of the rape is sure to raise further questions about the strength of the state's bail laws and if the attack could have been prevented.
A man accused of stealing a car from a driveway in East Victoria Park with a three-year-old boy in the back seat has been charged three months after the incident sparked an unprecedented manhunt around Perth.

Joseph, 3, went missing on December 2 when his family's Suburu Impreza was stolen from their driveway around 1.50pm as his parents were unpacking the car after returning from a holiday.

Images released by police of the stolen car and Joseph during the desperate two hour search. Credit:WA Police

According to police, the "opportunistic" offender saw the vehicle had been left running and jumped in and reversed it through the properties' closed gate.

Joseph was asleep in his car seat at the time.
A second pro-Liberal billboard has been erected on a prominent Perth building owned by embattled City of Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi with husband Joe.

Ms Scaffidi has previously claimed no affiliation with any political party but a massive state election campaign billboard of Liberal candidate for Mt Lawley Michael Sutherland now sits below that of another Liberal campaigner Eleni Evangel, a former City of Perth councillor under Ms Scaffidi.

The two billboards on the Edward Street building, near Claisebrook Station, would attract the attention of thousands of motorists and train passengers travelling adjacent along the Graham Farmer freeway each day.

Local advertisers value each banner at around $4000 but the two Liberal candidates are receiving the privilege for free.
"Growing is the easy part, selling is the hardest," Mr Shapland said, describing in a nutshell the tyrannies of distance and economics that often throttle WA's agricultural sector. Yet despite these hard realities, the President of the Royal Agricultural Society of WA Rob Wilson says the future is bright for WA's farmers. "The agricultural sector is facing somewhat of a renaissance, with both the settling of the mining sector in WA and the demand for quality produce from both local markets and also from our Asian neighbours," he said. "However, the agricultural sector is still to realise its potential and in order to do so needs to become more cohesive and united." Rain follows the plough

Like mining, agriculture is one of WA's primary industries and (climate willing) will always be with us. But unlike mining, which has declined in recent years, WAFarmers Chief Executive Officer Stephen Brown points out that agriculture in the west is growing fast. "Agriculture and food is a significant and growing sector with an increasing contribution to the WA economy  the value at the farm gate has risen from $5.4 billion to $8.6 billion (2.6 per cent to 3.3 per cent) of the WA economy in four years. "And through ever-increasing domestic and international interest and investment, the sector is expected to double its current contribution of $8.6 billion per annum in the next 12 years." Bathgate Farm grows heirloom potato varieties in its rich, peaty soil. Credit:David Allan-Petale

Wine, beer, milk, cheese, beef, lamb, pork, wheat and grains, fruits and vegetables, seafood and superfoods. The consensus in the industry is that WA is very well placed right now for an agricultural acceleration driven by increasing demand for high quality produce in Asia and also over east. The key, according to Rob Wilson from RASWA, is to encourage WA growers to focus on high end products then work together to get them to market. "WA nor Australia will ever be able to compete on price, as international markets where wages are significantly less than Australia, will always prove to be more price competitive," he said. "Growing Asian market demand, particularly for quality produce, will present a golden opportunity and if the sector can work together it may be able to maximise the affluent growth from these markets."

Work together, grow together So that's the promise of the future - big profits from selling high quality produce to Asian markets and the east coast. But to do that, Mr Wilson said any future WA government needs to first focus on getting local supply right - doing things like creating better transport links and incentives to get produce from growers like the Shaplands from farm to table, then sending it far and away. Marron ceviche at Garrison Restaurant, Albany. Credit:David Allan-Petale "Providing support to the agricultural sector and farming is critical and failing to do so will result in diminished farming activity across the state, as farmers find it more and more difficult to generate a worthwhile ROI. Farming families and communities will disappear as a consequence.

"Failing to capture the attention and business of the Asian markets will result in the long term loss of this market and associated opportunities. "A farming community that does not work together will face the inability of scale as required by the Asian markets." Keeping it local Finally, WAFarmers CEO Stephen Brown wants more support at the ground level for farmers to keep them in the industry whether there's fallow times or bumper crops. "The average age of farmers in Australia is approximately 58 years, so industry needs to work to connect with the young people and ensure there are plenty of long-term opportunities for them to flourish.

"Given agriculture is WA's second major export industry, with up to 80 per cent of its agricultural production exported, and that it represents about 10 per cent of the state's economy, we must work hard to keep this momentum going to strengthen our economic value and stimulate our workforce." ECU attracts scores of international students. Credit:David Allan-Petale Now let's switch to the final sector in our series on WA's economic future - education. Putting bums on seats Schools and students are a big focus for both sides of the political divide as they campaign ahead of the state election on March 11, each side promising extra spending and better outcomes.

But beyond hoovering up taxpayers dollars and improving our own children's futures, WA's education sector also makes quite a bit of money - $1.39Billion p/a according to Study Perth, a peak body for promoting WA to international students. There are around 59,000 international student enrolments each year in WA, with each student adding their spending power to the local economy. It's a valuable sector - but Study WA's Executive Director Mike Ryan says it could be worth even more to WA's economy if we promote our state at a higher level. "International education numbers for new commencements in WA at YTD Nov 2017 are growing at around 8.6% compared with this time last year," he said. "This is lower than the Commencement growth in eastern Australia which is 9.8% and so WA continues to struggle to retain its market share which now sits at 7.8%."

"We need increased funding and resources to compete more effectively with other states who are keen to expand their student numbers, have committed additional resource to do so and who routinely outspend us in the critical arena of marketing and digital media. "The latter is the new battleground for the hearts and minds of young people as they consider where to go for the education." Come for the education, stay for the lifestyle When international students come to WA, they pay their school fees, rent and other expenses, and can also venture further afield as tourists, often with their visiting families in tow. And WA is a very popular place for international students to come, with the big four universities in Perth - UWA, ECU, Curtin and Murdoch - taking significant numbers of overseas pupils, boosting their coffers, class lists and reputations all at the same time.

Perth attracts tens of thousands of international students each year. Credit:Stefan Gosatti To Mr Ryan, the benefits of this influx of foreign brains are axiomatic. "International students do not take places of West Australian students at schools, college and university. Additional services for international students will help make Perth and WA a more 'student-friendly' and welcoming city," he said. "If this action is not taken, WA will continue to see its market share of this sector decline as other states have already ramped up their investment in promoting their proposition offshore. "This will mean lower income for the WA Treasury, fewer tourists from visiting family and friends and therefore fewer jobs in WA."

Selling WA as the place to study There is an opportunity for Perth to become a first choice place for students - particularly from Asian nations - to come and study and work and boost the economy. Mr Ryan reckons promotion is the key to bringing more in. "With our university, school and college institutions, we need to develop a stronger WA and Perth brand penetration of the China market because China (along with India) will remain the major source market of Higher Education international students for the English-speaking world in the foreseeable future. Loading
If the lower vehicle numbers were correct this casts doubt over patronage, and therefore economic viability, of the toll road; a crucial issue given the east coast's recent toll road experiences. Brisbane Airport Link operator BrisConnections collapsed in 2013 with more than $1 billion debt. Receivers sued Arup, the traffic forecaster, over allegedly misleading forecasts. It settled in 2015. Sydney's Lane Cove tunnel failed swiftly after opening, with the traffic forecasters settling for reportedly $50-$100 million. The Australian Financial Review described it as "revealing the unreliability of forecasting for toll roads", a practice Fairfax Media went further to describe as a "dark art". If toll revenues are insufficient to meet availability payments, the Western Australian government is responsible for meeting the shortfall.

Brisbane's Clem7 operator went under in 2012, two years after opening, after the tunnel carried only a quarter of the traffic volume forecast by Aecom. Aecom has paid settlements of $121 and $280 million after a class action and no longer forecasts Australian toll road traffic after the payouts. 2014 estimates show 14.585 trucks to be clogging the endpoint of Roe Highway if Roe 8 not built - a big leap. Aecom is, however, a member of the Roe 8 consortium and authored both the 2011 report and the final infrastructure plan for Roe 8 in 2016. Independent urban strategy consultant Mike Mouritz said he believed the FOI documents showed that Main Roads WA misused land use data to suggest a doubling of system usage within 20 years.

The adjunct Professor at Curtin University questioned whether this was reasonable, especially given economy-wide indicators by 2014 that WA was sliding into recession. "It's impossible for all that area to get that development by 2031," he said. "This is clearly a gross misuse of the data and the model." He said an independent review of transport modelling tools in Perth undertaken in 2014 by University of WA researchers found the need for investment in a new model. 2011 modelling shows 76,200 vehicles to use wetlands section of Roe 8.

He also said it was unclear whether the model accounted for "demand inducement", the name given to the phenomena in which traffic rises to meet the availability a new road presents. "My view is that the model is past its use-by date, there is no clarity on the assumption, and there was no peer review," Professor Mouritz said. "Staff have either been put in the position to cross the boundary of their professional ethics, or the system is stuffed." But if the higher traffic forecasts for Roe 8 in the 2014 model are correct, there is another problem: that by 2031 the road will be carrying nearly 30 per cent more vehicles than it was designed for. University of WA acoustic physicist Shane Chambers said the 2011 environmental review was a statutory document and this would render the current build illegal from a planning perspective.

"There is no way to mitigate noise from that change in traffic without a substantial redesign," he said. 2014 modelling shows 96,000 vehicles to use wetlands section of Roe 8. "That means different placement of noise walls, which means that the cut and envelope of the road needs to change, sinking the road deeper, not even putting the road through that section of the Coolbellup woodlands and introducing a tunnel in that section." He said he believed the discrepancy was a classic case of project "gold-plating" to justify higher cost. A ministerial condition of environmental approval was that design and height of noise walls were to be finalised in the 2016 infrastructure plan before works commenced. This plan, released in November, states no change in noise wall heights from those based on the 2011 model.

The documents reveal the enormous pressure placed on federal Department of Infrastructure and state Main Roads staff to assemble traffic forecasts for a major infrastructure project already awarded funding - the reverse of normal proceedings. They worked into the night so state and federal ministers could meet and shake hands on Roe 8 before their respective budget announcements in May 2014. On April 2, 2014, five weeks out from WA's state budget release, public servants learned then-Assistant Infrastructure Minister Jamie Briggs and then-WA Transport Minister Dean Nalder were due to meet the following Tuesday, April 8. Analysis of leap in truck estimates in 2011 and 2014 documents. Credit:Shane Chambers Mr Nalder wrote asking if the federal government could confirm funding by April 4 so the project could be included in the state budget.

"A key part of the viability of this project ... will be its capacity to maximise tolling revenue," Department of Infrastructure staff told Main Roads staff. Later, they warned that an external consultant's analysis suggested existing Heavy Vehicle charging mechanisms WA had in place "may not be feasible." By April 15, federal staff were pushing hard to get traffic data. On receiving it they flew to Perth to discuss, flying home on Good Friday "given the timelines we are working to are so tight." The documents suggest Main Road staff fed a demand-led traffic model a scenario of "ultimate development" in Perth's southern suburbs by 2031, despite a public servant's caveat that this might not occur until 2051 and that "volumes could be an over-estimate." He gave a refined estimate six days later he said was "more representative" of what was expected for 2031, repeated that this development might not occur until 2051, and the refinement was marginal, from 100,000 total vehicles to the 96,000 mentioned above.

The documents suggest planning went ahead with that modelling. On Friday, May 2, six days out from the state budget, Department of Infrastructure staff and Main Roads staff were exchanging documents for both ministers to brush up on before a Monday discussion, though the ministers were told "more analysis and investigations are needed before we go down one path or another". On May 12, the day before the federal budget announcement, a Main Roads staffer emailed: "Is it possible to get an idea of the Commonwealth cash flows for the Perth Freight Link project before tomorrows' budget announcement please?" Main Roads received the information the next day, after the official announcement. Two days later, a Main Roads employee pleaded for more information, saying: "as you might have expected the Commonwealth Budget announcement last night has generated a lot of interest regarding the Perth Freight Link."

"I have a meeting with our Transport Minister first thing Friday morning and it would be great if I can get it before then," he said. In Parliament a week after the announcement, Mr Nalder told the opposition: "When the federal government offers us $925 million and our component is $260 million, we would be crazy to not try to find a way to do that." The business case for Infrastructure Australia was completed that December. Main Roads remained tight-lipped when contacted for comment. "The modelling undertaken by MRWA for Roe 8 and Roe 9 is accurate and based on established practice for major road projects," a spokeswoman said. These revelations coincide with a federal Department of Infrastructure executive telling a Senate estimates committee hearing on Monday that a business case for the Roe 9 project, stage two of Perth Freight Link, had not yet been received.
Labor has promised to provide a platform for more micro-festivals across Western Australia if it wins this month's state election.

Leader Mark McGowan pledged to make it easier for existing venues to host pop-up bars for short periods in small spaces such as laneways, streets, streetscapes, parks and open spaces.

Micro festivals like the Night Noodle Markets will be encouraged if Labor wins the election. Credit:Cole Bennetts

"One of the great complaints by venues across the state is how hard it is to set up a festival on land surrounding existing venues," he said.

"We've consulted with the industry, the industry would love to see this happen, they want to see the red tape removed."
The Dalai Lama has joined Pope Francis in calling for Myanmar Buddhists to end violence against Rohingya Muslims in what the United Nations says amounts to ethnic cleansing and possibly crimes against humanity.

The Tibetan Buddhist leader revealed he has privately communicated with Myanmar's de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi "to use her influence to bring about a peaceful resolution to this problem".

The Dalai Lama is keen to meet US President-elect Donald Trump. Credit:AP

The Dalai Lama made the appeal in written comments that will be read at the first hearing of the Permanent People's Tribunal on Myanmar at London's Queen Mary University on March 6 and 7.

"All the world's major religions convey a message of peace and compassion, so it is especially saddening when we hear of violence being used in the name of religion like the very unfortunate events concerning the Muslim community in Burma [Myanmar]," he wrote, referring to the plight of more than 1 million Rohingya living in Rakhine state on Myanmar's western coast.
Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller continued the campaign's effort to distance itself from Page, telling an investigative reporter for Yahoo News that Page "has no role" and adding, "We are not aware of any of his activities, past or present."

September 24, 2016

Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign's rapid response director, gives ABC News an almost identical statement to Miller's. "He has no role," Cheung said. "We are not aware of any of his activities, past or present."

September 25, 2016

Kellyanne Conway, being interviewed by CNN's Jake Tapper, denied the campaign had any links to Page at all. "He's certainly not part of the campaign that I'm running, meaning we don't have him -- we have a number of people, fabulous people, men and women, as part of our national security and foreign policy team. And he's not among them at Trump Tower." Asked whether Page had contact with any Kremlin officials, Conway said, "If he's doing that, he's certainly not doing it with the permission or knowledge of the campaign, the activities that you described." She goes on to add: "He is certainly not authorised to do that."
Brussels: The European Parliament has called for Americans to be forced to apply for visas before visiting Europe, stepping up pressure to resolve a long-running transatlantic dispute.

The European Commission stressed on Thursday it was pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the row in a move that could hurt Europe's tourism sector.

Imposing visa requirements on Americans could hurt tourism in Europe. Credit:Getty Images

Washington refuses to grant visa-free access to people from four east European states - former Communist countries Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania - as well as Cyprus, while those from the other 23 member states can enter using the US visa-waiver program. EU rules call for equal treatment for all EU citizens.

Commission officials noted a planned EU-US ministerial meeting on June 15 to try and resolve the issue, which has been running since 2014. The EU executive already allowed a deadline for a solution to pass nearly a year ago, without taking action.
New York: A disgraced former journalist made eight bomb threats to Jewish organisations across the United States, including one in which he called for a "Jewish Newtown," posing as an ex-girlfriend to retaliate after she had broken up with him, US prosecutors said on Friday.

Juan Thompson, 31, was taken into custody on Friday morning in St. Louis, the first arrest to result from a federal investigation into a surge of threats against Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) and schools that has rattled American Jews.

Authorities are examining more than 100 threats made against JCCs by phone in five waves this year, which appear to be unrelated to the Thompson allegations. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey met with Jewish leaders on Friday morning to discuss the ongoing investigation.


Paris: In a clear show of its disapproval, the European Parliament has voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of Marine Le Pen, leader of the French far-right National Front, in a criminal case involving graphic photographs she posted on Twitter of acts of violence by the Islamic State.

In December 2015, Le Pen, a deputy in the European Parliament, posted three images, including one of the decapitated body of a US journalist, James Foley, who was killed by Islamic State militants in 2014.

French prosecutors accused Le Pen, who is a candidate in France's presidential election, of the crime of "dissemination of violent images," for which she could face up to three years in prison if tried and convicted.

Le Pen said at the time that she had posted the photographs as a protest against a French television and radio journalist who had likened her far-right party to the Islamic State.
GREAT BAY(DCOMM):--- Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), announces that the Government Parking Lot in Simpson Bay (Kim Sha Beach) has been reserved for the Heineken Regatta as of Saturday, March 4 at 8.00am to Monday, March 6 at 8.00AM.

All unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owners expense. Ministry VROMI apologizes for any inconveniences this may cause.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Last week a meeting of Parliament in Curacao got out of hand and one of the Members of Parliament physically hit another member in the face. The Member of Parliament that was hit filed a complaint with the police and the hitting parliamentarian was taken into custody for questioning.

As reported in an article in the Daily Herald on 25th of February, the Parliamentarian, who was reacting to remarks about a corruption investigation which she was a suspect, has announced her resignation, apologizing to the electorate for her unacceptable behavior. The Member of Parliament got angry over remarks with respect to, for her, a very emotional issue.

As far as known to the SHTA, this is the first time in the history of the islands of the former Netherlands Antilles that a politician has placed the respect for Parliament above self-interest. Parliament as our legislative body needs to demand the utmost respect in our Country which is one of the cornerstones of our democracy. The respect evaporates rather quickly when Members of Parliament who have misbehaved badly remain as a sitting Member of Parliament as if nothing has happened. Consequently, this development signals a considerable improvement of the future overall quality of Government for the island of Curacao. SHTA hopes that the article in the Daily Herald on 25th of February in which the Member of Parliament announced her resignation also instills the required respect for the House of Parliament of St. Maarten in our own Honorable Members of Parliament

The Sint Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association is dedicated to bringing quality to all aspects of life on St. Maarten by promoting sustainable economic development for its members in cooperation with the social partners and the creation of a fair marketplace. For more information, please contact our office at 542-0108 or visit our website at www.shta.com
HPE Announces Details for Completion of Spin-Off and Merger of its Enterprise Services Business

PALO ALTO, CA  (Marketwired)  03/02/17  Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) (HPE) today announced that its Board of Directors has set a record date of March 20, 2017 for the proposed spin-off of its enterprise services business, referred to as Everett SpinCo, Inc. (Everett).

Under the terms of the spin-off, HPE will distribute on a pro rata basis all of the shares of Everett common stock it holds to HPE shareholders entitled to receive stock in the spin-off as of the record date. As previously announced, immediately following the spin-off, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Everett will merge with and into Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), whereby the separate corporate existence of the wholly-owned subsidiary will cease, and CSC will continue as the surviving company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Everett.

In the merger, CSC stockholders will receive one share of Everett common stock for every one share of CSC common stock held immediately prior to the merger. Stockholders of Everett immediately prior to the merger will continue to hold the shares of Everett common stock they received in the spin-off.

The new combined company will be renamed DXC Technology (DXC).

Immediately following the merger, approximately 50.1% of the outstanding shares of DXC common stock is expected to be held by pre-merger HPE stockholders and approximately 49.9% of the outstanding shares of DXC common stock is expected to be issued to pre-merger CSC stockholders, in each case excluding any overlaps in pre-transaction stockholder bases.

HPE has been advised by the New York Stock Exchange (the NYSE) that beginning prior to the spin-off and continuing through the business day immediately preceding the closing date of the merger (or continuing through the closing date if the merger closes after the close of trading in HPE common stock and CSC common stock on the NYSE on the closing date), there will be two markets in HPE common stock on the New York Stock Exchange: a regular way market and an ex-distribution market. During this period of two-way trading in HPE common stock, an HPE stockholder can also sell the right to Everett common stock that will be received with the spin-off. Everett common stock will be listed under the symbol DXC prior to the merger.

Outlined below are the trading options that will be available to HPE stockholders prior to the closing of the merger.

HPE

If, during the period of two-way trading, an HPE stockholder sells shares of HPE common stock in the regular way market (under HPEs NYSE symbol, HPE), the stockholder will sell both shares of HPE common stock and the right to receive shares of Everett common stock in the spin-off.

HPE WI

If, during the period of two-way trading, an HPE stockholder sells shares of HPE common stock in the ex-distribution market (under the temporary NYSE symbol HPE WI), the HPE stockholder will sell only shares of HPE common stock and will retain the right to receive shares of Everett common stock in the spin-off.

DXC WI

An HPE stockholder also has the option of selling the right to receive shares of Everett common stock in the spin-off while retaining shares of HPE common stock. This option will be available under the temporary NYSE symbol DXC WI.

Trades under the symbols HPE WI and DXC WI will settle after the closing date of the merger. If the merger is not completed, all trades under these temporary symbols will be cancelled.

In all cases, investors should consult with their financial advisors regarding the specific implications of selling shares of their HPE common stock or the right to receive shares of Everett common stock in the spin-off on or before the closing date of the merger.

Additional details about the spin-off and the merger may be found in Everetts Form 10, which includes an information statement filed as Exhibit 99.1, available at .

HPE is an industry-leading technology company that enables customers to go further, faster. With the industrys most comprehensive portfolio, spanning the cloud to the data center to workplace applications, our technology and services help customers around the world make IT more efficient, more productive and more secure.

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of Hewlett Packard Enterprise could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of Hewlett Packard Enterprise for future operations; other statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the possibility that expected benefits may not materialize as expected and other risks that are described in Hewlett Packard Enterprises filings with the SEC, including but not limited to the risks described in Hewlett Packard Enterprises Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Hewlett Packard Enterprise assumes no obligation and does not intend to update any forward-looking statements.

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. In connection with the proposed merger, CSC has filed with the SEC a proxy statement/prospectus-information statement which will be sent to the CSC shareholders in connection with their vote required in connection with the merger. In addition, Everett has filed a registration statement in connection with its separation from Hewlett Packard Enterprise and a registration statement with respect to shares of Everett common stock to be issued in the merger, both of which registration statements include the proxy statement/prospectus-information statement. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS-INFORMATION STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CSC, EVERETT AND THE MERGER. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain these materials and other documents filed with the SEC free of charge from the SECs website, . These documents can also be obtained free of charge from the respective companies by directing a written request to Hewlett Packard Enterprise at Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, 3000 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, California 94304, Attention: Investor Relations, or by calling (650) 857-2246.

Editorial contact

Hewlett Packard Enterprise
CORRECTION  Savvius, Inc.

WALNUT CREEK, CA  (Marketwired)  03/02/17  In the news release, Savvius Makes Upgrading From Riverbed Cascade and SteelHead to Savvius Omnipliance Easy, issued earlier today by Savvius, Inc., we are advised by the company that the name should have been SteelCentral rather than SteelHead as originally issued. Complete corrected text follows.

Savvius Makes Upgrading From Riverbed Cascade and SteelCentral to Savvius Omnipliance Easy

Riverbed Cascade and SteelCentral users are invited to receive tens of thousands of dollars toward the next-generation Savvius Omnipliance, including on-site deployment and three years of maintenance

WALNUT CREEK, CA  Mar 02, 2017  Savvius, Inc., a leader in actionable forensics solutions for network performance and security, today announced a trade-up program for users of old, end-of-life, or under-performing appliances from Riverbed Technology, Inc. The offer includes generous trade-in credits and attractive discounts on new next-generation Savvius Omnipliance solutions. All next-generation Omnipliances come with on-site deployment and a standard three-year maintenance package that includes 24-hour worldwide support at no additional cost. Full details of the offer can be found here. ().

Last year our NetScout InfiniStream trade-in program was a resounding success, said Larry Zulch, President and CEO of Savvius. This year we wanted to give Riverbed users the opportunity to see what a difference it makes to manage network performance issues with a true enterprise-class solution. Now that Riverbed has announced that many of their products are end of life, we wanted to give their users a higher-performance and more economical alternative.

Savvius Omnipliance represents the industrys top-performing packet-capture solution at every level from backbone networks and data centers to each node in distributed organizations, even small branch offices. Network engineers and IT teams gain enterprise-class network visibility, application performance analysis, and performance diagnostics on multi-segment and multi-location networks. Each Omnipliance comes complete with award-winning Omnipeek software for faster, more useful insight. With rack-mounted, portable, and Wi-Fi enabled models, Omnipliance provides expert troubleshooting and instant analysis of captured data, making it ideal for short- and long-term evaluation of network and application performance.

Savvius is offering up to $53,000 in trade-in value for eligible appliances that include most Riverbed Cascade and SteelCentral models. The program starts today and is valid for orders placed through June 15th, 2017. For details, visit this page () or contact Savvius for details. If you would like a free, no-obligation evaluation of Savvius Omnipliance in your enterprise, register online , or arrange an interactive, one-on-one live demo .

Savvius Omnipliance is a packet capture appliance for network visibility, application performance analysis, and network performance diagnostics. With a variety of appliances for 1G, 10G, and 40G networks, as well as a version for WLAN packet capture and a portable all-in-one device, there is an Omnipliance for every enterprise need.

Savvius offers a range of powerful software and appliance products that automate the collection of critical network data for network forensics in security investigations and for network and application visibility and performance diagnostics. Savvius products are trusted by network and security professionals at over 6,000 companies in 60 countries around the world. Visit for information about Savvius Omnipliance, Savvius Omnipeek, Savvius Vigil, and Savvius Insight, and to learn about Savvius technology and channel partners.

Mark Chisholm

+1-253-444-5477

Susie Taylor

+44-788-608-9041
When photography was invented in France in the 1820s, some artists predicted  even feared  that it would in time take the place of painting. That didnt happen, but photographers around the world consistently have recorded images that reveal...
90% of customers have power restored after Saturday outages

As of 10 a.m. Sunday, 6,100 customers in the South Bend area remained without power. Most will be restored Sunday, but some won't be until Monday.
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.
Artist's illustration of SpaceX's Dragon capsule headed toward the moon. The company aims to launch two paying passengers on a lunar fly-around mission in late 2018.

A lot will have to go right for SpaceX to meet its ambitious moon-mission timetable, experts say.

On Monday (Feb. 27), SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk announced that the company plans to launch two paying customers on a weeklong trip around the moon before the end of 2018.

Astronauts first saw the moon's far side way back in 1968, but the antiquity of that achievement shouldn't fool anyone into thinking that SpaceX's proposed mission will be easy, said Wayne Hale, a former manager of NASA's space shuttle program. [SpaceX to the Moon - 2018 a Lofty Goal? (Video)]

"Even with today's technology, it's still an extraordinarily difficult, extraordinarily dangerous task to undertake, period  I don't care who you are," said Hale, who retired from NASA in 2010 and now serves as director of human spaceflight at the Colorado-based engineering company Special Aerospace Services.

Artist's illustration of SpaceX's Dragon capsule headed toward the moon. The company aims to launch two paying passengers on a lunar fly-around mission in late 2018. (Image credit: SpaceX/NASA/edited by @SteveSpaleta)

SpaceX could pull off a crewed lunar loop eventually, Hale said, but he's skeptical that the mission will happen next year.

"I think their schedule is so aggressive as to not be believable," he told Space.com.

"I wish them the best of luck, and I certainly hope they succeed," Hale added. "But as a taxpayer, I'm glad there's no tax money involved in this."

SpaceX will use its Dragon V2 crew capsule and Falcon Heavy rocket on the lunar mission. But the Falcon Heavy has not launched yet  its maiden flight is currently scheduled to take place sometime this summer  and Dragon V2 is still in development as well. Indeed, SpaceX has not launched a crewed mission of any kind to date, Hale pointed out.

SpaceX is getting Dragon V2 ready to carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS), under a multibillion-dollar contract with NASA. The first crewed ISS flight will come in mid-2018 if current schedules hold, Musk said Monday during a teleconference with reporters. (These ISS missions will employ SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, not the Falcon Heavy.)

"I would feel much more positive about their program if they had already demonstrated human spaceflight on their Dragon V2 capsule, and if they had already received approval from NASA, according to the safety standards that NASA has set out for the transportation of American astronauts to the International Space Station," Hale said. "But they've done neither of those things to date."

The baseline ISS-bound Dragon V2 will also have to be modified for a lunar mission, Hale said. A capsule that flies around the moon will need a more robust communications system and a more capable heat shield than a craft that just goes to low Earth orbit and back, he noted. (During Monday's teleconference, Musk said that communications modifications will indeed be necessary for the lunar fly-around, but he added that the baseline Dragon V2's heat shield is "quite massively overdesigned" and can handle the higher-velocity re-entry of a moon mission.) [SpaceX's Crew Dragon Spacecraft in Pictures]

Getting Dragon V2 and the Falcon Heavy up and running in time for a 2018 lunar-mission liftoff will indeed be challenging, said Phil Larson, a former space policy adviser to President Barack Obama who went to work for SpaceX and is now at the University of Colorado Boulder's engineering school. But "challenging" is a far cry from "impossible," he stressed.

"I think Elon has confirmed before that he doesn't put out dates that aren't technically feasible," Larson told Space.com.

And a slight delay wouldn't exactly be the end of the world, he added.

"Even if the 2018 mission goal results in a 2019 mission, it would still be historic," Larson said. "It's not like a couple months' difference would change the magnitude of this mission that much."

Musk tends to set ambitious timelines, Larson added. SpaceX doesn't always hit those timelines, but the company has a track record of accomplishing things that have never been done before. In 2010, for example, SpaceX became the first private entity to launch a spacecraft (a robotic Dragon cargo capsule) to Earth orbit and bring it back to the ground in one piece. (The company has since done this many times with the cargo Dragon, which regularly visits the ISS on uncrewed resupply runs for NASA.)

And SpaceX has landed the first stage of the two-stage Falcon 9 eight separate times during orbital missions, as part of the company's quest to develop reusable rockets. Nobody else has done this even once. (Blue Origin, the company run by Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos, has pulled off five rocket landings, but all of those occurred during suborbital test flights.)

Fully and rapidly reusable rockets are a key part of SpaceX's vision for colonizing Mars  Musk's grandest ambition, and his stated reason for founding SpaceX back in 2002. And the lunar fly-around mission could be a step along that path, giving the company important experience in deep space, Larson said.

"For a company that's looking to help lead the way to the Red Planet, this is a totally logical technical step to take," he said.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
A Soyuz spacecraft being prepared for an ISS mission last year. A NASA deal with Boeing gives the space agency access to up to five additional Soyuz seats, including three in 2019.

WASHINGTON  NASA has quietly signed a contract with Boeing for up to five additional Soyuz seats to provide for both additional U.S. crewmembers on the International Space Station and margin for commercial crew delays.

NASA made the deal in a modification to the Vehicle Sustaining Engineering Contract the agency has with Boeing for ISS operations. Other than the formal contract modification notification, posted Feb. 21, NASA did not announce the agreement beyond a statement published without fanfare on the agency's website.

The agreement covers two Soyuz seats on flights in the fall of 2017 and spring of 2018, with the option for three seats on Soyuz flights in 2019. The total value of the contract modification, including the optional seats, is $373.5 million, or an average of $74.7 million per seat. NASA's most recent contract with the Russian state space corporation Roscosmos for six Soyuz seats on 2018 missions has an average per-seat price of $81.7 million.

NASA disclosed in a Jan. 17 procurement filing that it was evaluating an unsolicited proposal from Boeing for the Soyuz seats. Boeing obtained the seats from Russian company RSC Energia as part of a settlement between the two companies for a legal dispute involving Sea Launch. Boeing won a judgment of more than $320 million against Energia from a federal court in May 2016, but subsequent legal filings indicated that the two companies were negotiating a settlement.

The procurement filing was a procedural step before NASA and Boeing could begin negotiations for the sole-source contract. In mid-February, Boeing officials said negotiations with NASA for the Soyuz seats were ongoing.

The near-term seats take advantage of open seats on Soyuz flights created after Roscosmos announced plans to temporarily reduce the size of its crew from three to two people, a move that takes effect in April. An additional U.S. crewmember, NASA claims, can result in a 50 percent increase in overall crew time for research on the ISS. NASA has planned to add an additional crewmember once commercial crew vehicles, capable of carrying four or more people at a time, entered service.

NASA has not disclosed who will fly to the station on those two near-term Soyuz seats. "Crew assignments are going through the standard process that all [ISS] Expedition assignments follow," NASA spokesman Dan Huot said Feb. 27. "Once that process has been completed, we'll announce the assignments."

The compressed timeframe would likely limit the available astronauts for those near-term seats to those who are already training or have recently completed training as backups for missions, or those who have recently flown missions themselves. Crew selections are typically made a year or more in advance of the missions: on Jan. 4, NASA announced that astronauts Drew Feustel and Jeanette Epps would fly to the ISS in March and May of 2018, respectively.

The options for three seats in 2019 provide a cushion for NASA to ensure access to the ISS should commercial crew vehicles under development by Boeing and SpaceX suffer delays. "Although both commercial crew vehicles are on track right now to start flying in 2019, it seemed to us it might make sense to NASA to have some insurance just in case," John Elbon, vice president and general manager of space exploration at Boeing, said in a Jan. 17 interview.

A U.S. Government Accountability Office report Feb. 16 concluded that Boeing and SpaceX were likely to suffer additional delays in the development of their commercial crew vehicles, delaying their NASA certification from the second half of 2018 until 2019. NASA, in a response to the report, said it was developing a contingency plan for ISS access that would be completed by March 13.

Since the report, executives with both Boeing and SpaceX have argued that their vehicles remain on schedule for test flights planned for late this year through the middle of 2018. SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk reiterated plans to fly NASA astronauts in 2018 during a Feb. 27 conference call with reporters to discuss his company's plan to send two people on a circumlunar mission in late 2018, a mission he said would fly after SpaceX's first crewed missions to the ISS.

A potential gap in access had concerned NASA and its advisors, given that it was too late using traditional procurement methods for NASA to purchase Soyuz seats directly from Roscosmos for 2019 missions. The Boeing deal has relieved at some of those people.

"It was good to assure accessibility to ISS and take some schedule pressure off, as it was being perceived, on commercial crew," said James Bagian, a member of the NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, during a Feb. 23 meeting of the panel at the Kennedy Space Center, alluding to the Boeing deal. "While we want commercial crew to proceed with all due haste, we don't want schedule to have unnecessary pressure that could compromise safety."

This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry.
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The 73-year-old served as secretary of defense from 2001 to 2005 in the administration of George W. Bush and was considered the architect of the Iraq War in 2003.

Although Republicans in Congress are still standing behind President Donald Trump as criticism grows of Russian interference into the election, a growing number of prominent Republicans are bucking the party line.
Brussels, March 02, 2017 (SPS) - The European Union (EU) should fulfil its commitments regarding humanitarian aid to Sahrawi refugees, said the Euro-MP Enrique Guerrero Salom.

In a written question to the European Commission, the Euro-MP said that the "unprecedented withdrawal" of EU aid to Sahrawi refugees in 2016 has resulted in "a significant gap in basic humanitarian needs in the five camps that host thousands of Sahrawis."

He added that the current situation was due mainly to the "lack of analysis and specific response to humanitarian needs (...) as well as to the drastic cuts in funding and in the number of refugees receiving aid."

According to the European Community Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), the European Commission gave 9 million to improve the living conditions of Sahrawi refugees in 2016, against 10 million in the past years.

In this regard, the Euro-MP urged the European Commission to explain this change, especially as it defined the situation of Sahrawi refugees as a "forgotten crisis" because "it receives little funding and attention from the international community."

"Will the Commission explain why, when many of the elements of the Sahrawi crisis remain unchanged, it has gone from being considered a severe forgotten in 2011, the only one of its kind in 2014, down to seventh in the list of forgotten crises in 2016?," he wondered.

The EU considers itself as one of the leading donors to Sahrawi refugees, "from 1993 to 1916, the European Commission provided 222 million in humanitarian aid," said the ECHO. SPS

125/090/700
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Disney World, New York City and Cancun do not make this list of travel hotspots.

Instead, with its new breakdown of the top trending locales for the 2017 spring break season, Stamford-based travel firm Kayak used the trove of more than 1 billion travel searches conducted annually on its digital platforms to see which destinations saw the greatest increase in interest in the past year.

If we just look at pure volume, the leaders would be places like Florida, Mexico, which doesnt tell a very interesting story, because it doesnt change much year over year, said David Solomito, Kayaks vice president of North American marketing. Were always trying to see how we can mine our data in the most effective way possible, so that it will shed insights and provide useful information.

Among Connecticut users, Christchurch, New Zealand ranked as the No.1 trending destination. Nutmeg State users searches done between June 2016 and January 2017 for flights to the city between March 3 and April 17 of this year spiked by 210 percent compared with the number of searches done for travel to the same destination in the same time frame in 2016.

A city of about 370,000 on the east coast of New Zealands South Island, Christchurch has staged a striking turnaround since it was devastated by a 2011 earthquake that killed 185.

Among the five reasons for travelers to put a visit to Christchurch on their bucket list, the citys tourism website lists thriving arts and culinary scenes and the citys proximity to mountains and beaches.

If you are looking for a quirky and inspiring place, Christchurch will not disappoint, reads an excerpt from the website. After recovering from a devastating earthquake, the city is being rebuilt from scratch. The new, emerging city is modern, greener and more creative than ever before.

Growing numbers of flights and decreasing fares drive the spikes in searches for the top trending destinations, according to Solomito.

But with even more routes, Connecticut travelers cannot exactly fit a trip to Christchurch into a long weekend. A typical journey could involve a six-hour flight from New York to Los Angeles, followed by a 15-hour trek from the west coast to Sydney, Australia, and then a three-hour final leg from Sydney to Christchurch. The lowest round-trip fares from New York to Christchurch offered Friday on Kayak totaled around $1,400.

A message left for New Zealands tourism office was not returned.

The Hawaiian island of Maui ranked as the top trending spring-break destination in the most states  a total of 21 that includes Nutmeg State neighbors such as New York and Massachusetts. Havana, Cuba also placed as the No.1 trending place in several states.

Kayak executives said that they are keen to share their spring-break findings through their website and social-media accounts.

Social media has really changed the travel game, especially when it comes to the top trending destinations, Solomito said. We see people sharing all the time with friends and family.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott
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STAMFORD  The Board of Education voted Thursday to hire a new company to run the citys public school facilities, ending a nearly two-decade relationship with an embattled contractor.

The panel voted 7-0 to award a 27-month contract to ABM, a publicly traded company with thousands of clients around the world. Board members Jackie Heftman and Betsy Allyn did not attend the special meeting.

The job was long held by AFB Construction Management, a Trumbull-based firm run by CEO Al Barbarotta, who is under local and FBI investigation since last spring. Authorities are looking into whether he used his companys position as facilities director to extort money from another city contractor.

AFB had been the sole bidder on facilities work in the district for at least a decade. This year, it was joined by at least four others.

The contract will run from April 1 through June 30, 2019, with an option to extend it by one year. Texas-based ABM will receive $138,000 for the three remaining months of this fiscal year, $553,000 for the 2017-18 year and $562,000 for 2018-19.

AFBs last long-term contract with the district cost about $742,000 over a year. However, the district has been renewing a monthly agreement with AFB since its three-month contract expired in October. The short-term deals, which cost Stamford taxpayers about $57,000 a month, were designed to give the board time to evaluate other options.

In a prepared statement, Superintendent Earl Kim thanked AFB and its staff for their longtime partnership with the district.

They have many accomplishments to their credit, including maintaining facilities in a time of significantly reduced spending, assisting with the effort to secure grant funding for the New School at Strawberry Hill, managing costs and enhancing revenues, he said. I have the utmost confidence in the process taken to select ABM and I am sure they will serve our schools well. I look forward to welcoming them to our community and working with them going forward.

ABM did not return requests for comment. As of Thursday, the company has posted three Stamford job openings on its website  director of facilities, custodial manager and part-time executive director of facilities.

ABM has about $5 billion in revenues, more than 100,000 employees and more than 300 offices throughout the U.S. and other countries, according to its website. It provides services to schools, hospitals, commercial buildings, manufacturing plants, airports and other properties.

Barbarotta did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday evening. AFBs second-in-command in Stamford, Richard Lyons, declined to comment for this story.

The vote means the board is scratching the possibility of running the school facilities internally. The districts original plan was to review both options and present them to the board, but an in-house viability plan was never presented at a public meeting.

Kim, who joined the board in several closed-door discussions in recent weeks, said there was a review of the in-house alternative, but ABM came out as the most cost-effective option among all the bids and a potential in-house plan.

We went with the best value, he said, noting hiring staff to run the department internally would add benefit expenses and other costs.

ABM, which was the lowest bidder after negotiations, can provide greater support and tools to identify and anticipate repair needs in the citys aging school buildings, Kim said.

Because they have a back office that supports 20,000 other clients, theyre able to do it at a marginal cost, he said. We need to figure out how to squeeze more repair, maintenance and capital projects out of each dollar that we spend.

ABM will manage 21 school buildings and nearly 300 acres of grounds in Stamford.

Board President Geoff Alswanger also read a brief statement during the meeti ng.

After a thorough needs analysis and a comprehensive RFP process, the separate City of Stamford (and) Stamford Public Schools selection committee recommended ABM for this important role in our district, he said. The board is confident in the selection committees integrity and commitment to making the best decision for our schools at this time.

Since 2013, Barbarottas firm has been dropped from West Haven Public Schools, Trumbull Public Schools and the City of Stamford.

After getting long-term contracts with Stamford Public Schools for more than 15 years, the companys latest three-year extension was reverted to a one-year deal in 2015 after critics accused AFB of failing to have a consistent presence at school buildings and hiring part-time workers with spotty attendance records and no background checks.

The federal investigation into Barbarottas business dealings now encompasses three others municipalities  Trumbull, New Haven and West Haven.

noliveira@stamfordadvocate.

com; 203-964-2265, @olivnelson
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HARTFORD  College graduates could save $6 million a year in income taxes under a Democratic proposal to offer incentives to retain Connecticuts best and brightest young adults.

Democratic leaders on Friday asked the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee to approve the bill, which could provide incentives to as many as 60,000 students a year, whose tax breaks would be based on their incomes during their five years of eligibility after obtaining undergraduate, graduate, or law degrees.

For Chris Kantor, a junior at Sacred Heart University, the legislation could entice him to stay in Connecticut rather than return to his hometown of Eastchester, N.Y. I really enjoyed the opportunity to study and live in Connecticut, said Kantor, who is a legislative aide in the General Assembly this semester.

Upon my graduation, I would really love to work in the state, Kantor said. Finding a job and place to live in this uncertain job market, to no ones surprise, is very difficult and overwhelming, particularly for students who are facing students loans and tuition costs. With this bill, the extra income that I would be able to keep would give me the ability to save a lot more for my future.

Its about retaining the highly educated workforce that really has been on display over many years in Connecticut, said Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin. During that time, as theyre offsetting their income tax, they could pay down student loans. They could make investments in either property, motor vehicles, or other areas.

Rep. Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, co-chairman of the Finance Committee, said during an afternoon news conference that his day job is working as a development office at Trinity College, where he sees class after class of smart, accomplished student graduate.

I know that we lose our students to New York and Boston, like a lot of things we lose to New York and Boston, Rojas told reporters. This is far more of an affordable place to live. While still expensive, people its cheaper than New York and Boston. So how do we incentive those young minds, those aspiring engineers, those aspiring scientists who want to make Connecticut their home, fill the jobs that need to be filled and make their home here and help to grow our economy?

The news conference in the offices of House Democrats occurred the day after Democrats pushed for support to exempt all Social Security benefits from state income taxes.

kdixon@ctpost.com;

Student debt

Nationwide total: $13 trillion owed by 44 million students and former students.

Average debt: $37,000

Source: The Federal Reserve Bank
HARTFORD  Connecticuts U.S. senators on Friday charged that while President Donald Trump has been making big promises about infrastructure improvements, there is little evidence of a plan emerging from the White House.

In fact, Trumps promises to buy American are already falling by the wayside, with the recent revelation that the controversial Keystone pipeline will not use American steel.

The specific promises he makes in these speeches are not true, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said during a morning news conference in the state Capitol complex. And it becomes difficult to hold him to his word when what hes saying doesnt turn out to be true and theres no legislative proposals to back up these promises.

Trumps address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday was filled with apparently empty promises and vacuous platitudes without real specifics according to Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

What we are waiting to see is whether there will be specifics, said Blumenthal, who like Murphy is a Connecticut Democrat.

Blumenthal agrees with Trump on the need for a trillion-dollar infrastructure investment.

There is no question that this nation needs to rebuild its roads and bridges and ports and airports and, yes, its VA facilities and broadband, Blumenthal said. But it has to be done in the right way, through public investment, a public-private partnership that avoids giveaways and special breaks to the Wall Street investors and to the special interests that President Trumps nominees reflect and represent in their positions and their past activities.

Murphy said that if majority Republicans and the president want to make the Affordable Care Act better instead of repealing it, Democrats will work with them. I have submitted to the president five executive actions that he could take today to create thousands of jobs through better enforcement of the buy-America law, he said. I have heard nothing back from the president on those proposals. At this point in President Trumps administration, he has yet to submit a single legislative proposal to Congress.
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SOUTHBURY  President Donald Trump supporters from across Connecticut are being invited to march in Southbury this Saturday as part of nationwide March4Trump rallies.

Beginning at Southford Falls State Park at 1 p.m., the marchers will complete a 2-mile circle on routes 188 and 67 before returning to the park. Sisters Kathryn Dennen and Dorothy Aiksnoras-Vallee, who also hosted a DeploraBall the night before the inauguration, said they set up the Connecticut rally after seeing plans for March4Trump in Washington, D.C., on Twitter.

It was time to show some patriotism and solidarity, Dennen said. Its important to revisit American patriotism that weve kind of lost and show respect for the office of the president.

So far, 143 marchers have said on Facebook that they will go to the rally. More than 10,000 people turned out for a Womens March in Hartford the day after Trumps inauguration to protest his policies, while other rallies were held throughout the state, and thousands of Connecticut people traveled to a similar rally in New York City and the main Washington march that drew a crowd estimated at more than 500,000 people.

Some of the March4Trump participants, Dennen said, are traveling several hours to join. The event will feature a horse-drawn carriage and special guests, including Republican Oxford selectmen, Republican state Rep. David Labriola and the newly elected District 32 state Sen. Eric Berthel.

The Connecticut rally is one of 49 March4Trump events that are being planned across 33 states this weekend.

President Trump has thankfully set a new course, and no matter your race, creed, color, gender, orientation, age, or anything else traitors exploit to divide, We The People are one, the organizers said on their website. Come show your support for him, each other, and our country.

Dennen, who works as an independent financial advisor, said she was never very politically active until this past election season. Her and her sisters Oxford Jan. 19 DeploraBall, which was part of a nationwide inaugural celebration, sold out with about 165 people in attendence. Dennen also went to a rally in New Hampshire the night before the election.

DeploraBall is a play on a statement Hillary Clinton made during her unsuccessful campaign against Trump that a portion of his supporters were a basketful of deplorables who embraced racism and xenophobia.

Dennen said she has been impressed with Trumps ability to keep his campaign promises since taking office. Dennen hopes the March4Trump event will bring unity.

We want to spread positivity and happiness and celebrate our country, she said. Its not negative, its positive. Were moving forward.

Staff writer Cedar Attanasio contributed to this report. aquinn@newstimes.com
Culture is how things get done in an organization. That's why it's critically important to get right. More entrepreneurs are realizing this and making great strides in building high-performance cultures. They're finding it's easier to manage for the culture you want when most of your employees are in one place.

All the flexibility in today's business structures poses some unique challenges. What about your dispersed employees working in the field, at home and in satellite offices? How can you keep them engaged?

Not surprisingly, instilling corporate culture in employees outside headquarters requires a blend of high-tech communication and personal interaction.

1. Use technology.

Technology is a convenient way to continuously emphasize culture and corporate vision. Both are crucial to get your entire team on the same page. Technology also is a means to encourage employees to collaborate across distances and organizational boundaries. Video, email, conference calls, instant messaging, collaboration software and other technologies are necessary tools in your arsenal.

Phil Nardone, president and CEO of integrated marketing and PR agency PAN Communications, recommends several technologies to keep remote workers involved in the culture.

We are living in a virtual age where face-to-face communication can occur anywhere at any time, with tools like Zoom and Skype for Business making it easier and faster to form trusting relationships with coworkers, Nardone says. In a cross-office environment, use virtual staff meetings to announce prevalent company information to everyone at once and utilize communication dashboards such as Namely (the HR platform), for daily updates. At PAN, our weekly happy hours are hosted via videoconferencing tools, and employees stay connected by sharing the PAN Snapchat password to snap daily happenings in our office locations.

Related: 5 High-Tech Tools to Benefit Remote Workers

Gene Austin, CEO of Bazaarvoice, also uses videoconferencing to unite global employees across his smart network of consumers, brands and retailers.

We utilize videoconferencing technology on a daily basis, and not just for day-to-day meetings with our remote colleagues, Austin says. We host a global staff meeting for the entire company every other week that all of our remote offices access via video technology. We extend many of our company traditions beyond our headquarters as well. For example, during these staff meetings, we highlight major workplace successes, introduce new hires at every office location and celebrate milestone anniversaries over video.

Related: 5 Easy Ways to Get New Employees Up to Speed

2. Get face to face.

While technology is indispensable, there's no substitute for in-person interactions. Taking the time to travel to employee offices for face-to-face meetings can build credibility, camaraderie and engagement.

Shawn Jenkins, CEO of cloud-based benefits management software Benefitfocus, leads personal-culture sessions each year with his staff. We did a summer of culture last year. We had over 40 meetings in different offices in groups of 40 to 50 people, max. We just talked about culture like a family. You could do that in one big video or a speech at a conference, but I find even if it takes you 40 meetings versus 1, that personal interaction helps me learn and listen and see whats important.

Related: Why You Should Ditch the Keyboard and Meet in Person Instead

You also can manage by walking around. It's a great way to get to know your employees, hear their ideas and learn about small issues before they escalate and become bigger ones. People want to like their leaders, but they can do that only if they have some personal connection. Spending time with your employees in informal settings will do much to drive this connection.

Bazaarvoice CEO Austin stresses the entire leadership team must be available and visible to the whole company. His executive team goes on an annual road show, traveling to each location to share business updates and answer employee questions.

Related: This Office Has a Bar -- But Staff Don't Go There Just to Drink

3. Write often.

Sharing your thoughts in writing is another way to align the team with your vision and build trust. Benefitfocus CEO Jenkins writes regular emails and blogs for his employee audience. Social media can be an outlet, as well. A quick Twitter tweet or Facebook post can help employees feel more informed in an immediate and up-to-date fashion.

In the article, Why CEOs Need Social Media, global communications marketing firm Edelman recommends four types of content:

Posts on company culture

Employee spotlights and profiles

Personal aspects of your life

Industry insights and advice

Related: 5 Lessons to Learn from T-Mobile CEO John Legere

Culture is a social construct, not a process that can be engineered or a spreadsheet that can be analyzed. It takes a lot of work, but actively reinforcing culture among your remote employees builds a more connected and productive team.

See how businesses of all sizes are getting culture right:

Related:



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
WESTPORT  Allegations claiming school officials grabbed and shook a student complaining of harassment are part of two federal investigations into town schools.

The investigations, opened on

Nov. 9 by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, focus on allegations of racial and sexual discrimination found under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education confirmed the inquiries.

Michael Iacurci, an attorney representing two Westport families, said a civil lawsuit is also forthcoming against the Board of Education.

Eventually, there will be a complaint filed by families in town against the Westport school system, Iacurci said. There would be a number of grounds ... one of the grounds would include violations of Connecticuts current bullying laws. Connecticut has an anti-bullying statute in place, but there are other causes of action for the suit. There has been no decision on the exact moment to file the lawsuit.

Iacurci said his clients would be seeking damages for suffering.

So whether it includes an apology, or some specific acts by the school or some sort of monetary damages, those are all on the table for some sort of resolution, he said. Were not looking for one particular thing; were looking for justice for the damage thats been incurred. The lawsuit would not be limited to the Westport Board of Education.

More Information Federal investigations in surrounding towns Fairfield Board of Education: Two open investigations Investigation opened: 8/9/2013 - possible disability-related discrimination (free appropriate public education (FAPE)) Investigation opened: 9/20/2016 - possible disability-related discrimination (FAPE; retaliation; harassment) Darien Board of Education: one open investigation Investigation opened: 5/23/2016 - possible disability-related discrimination (accessibility of online course, distance learning, website, remote application) Wilton Board of Education: four open investigations Investigation opened: 12/15/2014 - possible disability-related discrimination (evaluation and placement; retaliation) Investigation opened: 11/7/2016 - possible disability-related discrimination (placement procedures; adoption of grievance procedures) Investigation opened: 11/7/2016 - possible disability-related discrimination (adoption of grievance procedures; designation of responsible employee; retaliation) Investigation opened: 12/13/2016 - possible disability-related discrimination (placement procedures) Ridgefield School District: one open investigation Investigation opened: 7/15/2013 - possible disability-related discrimination (placement procedures); Title IX (sexual harassment - gender stereotyping; different treatment/exclusion/denial of benefits/other) No open investigations: Bridgeport Board of Education; Greenwich Board of Education; Weston Board of Education Reported bullying incidents for 2015-16 school year Greenwich School District: 7 New Britain School District: 10 New Canaan School District: Data suppressed Norwalk School District: 10 Ridgefield School District: Data suppressed Wilton School District: Data suppressed Regional School District 9: Data suppressed Westport School District: 8 2015-16 was an outlier for Westport. Since 2012, the Westport School District has seen 10 bullying incidents. See More Collapse

A partially redacted letter  addressed to the Board of Education from the Office for Civil Rights obtained by the Westport News  outlines allegations a school principal and a guidance counselor grabbed and shook a student.

Specifically, you alleged that the Board retaliated against the Student as follows: the principal and guidance counselor grabbed the Student and shook him during a conversation about his complaints of harassment; the Board issued a two-day in school suspension to the student; the Board issued a two-day out of school suspension to the Student; the Board prohibited you from communicating directly with the Board regarding the Student; and the Board proposed to send the Student to a different school based on the Boards suggestion that the student has a disability.

It also alleges ... peers subjected him to harassing behavior ... including calling the Student derogatory names based on his race and sex, and that the Board failed to respond appropriately.

When asked about the investigations, Superintendent of Schools Colleen Palmer declined to comment.

In a Jan. 31 interview, Palmer said, I am aware of some complaints that have come in. I just dont know the status.

Michael Gordon, chairman of the Westport Board of Education, said: the board does not comment on investigations of school district employees.

@chrismmarquette; cmarquette@bcnnew.com
T he boss of Google UK has admitted the web giant needs to do more to prevent advertisers unwittingly funding terrorism.

Ronan Harris said agencies want to choose where to advertise, but argued that the distribution chains have become quite complex.

Im not sure weve done a good enough job of getting the balance right between making sure we give everybody the maximum choice in this and educating all the people down through the distribution chain, he said at yesterdays annual Deloitte and Enders media conference.

Its an area were working on closely with the ad and agency community.

Big brands were revealed last month to have unknowingly advertised on extremist videos on Google-owned YouTube, inadvertently funding terrorism. Google shares YouTube ad revenues with video publishers.

Harris, who moved from Dublin to London last year to run Googles UK and Ireland division, added: Weve got a huge responsibility to make sure were helping to root out truly offensive content online. We also have to make sure that we protect the principles of free speech.

Harris also said Google was working hard to tackle fake news.
T he City, Britains biggest taxpayer and contributor of 176 billion a year to the economy, is more at risk from Brexit than any other industry.

Yet Downing Street refuses to voice meaningful support for the countrys greatest economic success.

You can see why: there are few votes in supporting the banks that brought the economy to its knees so recently.

But the regulatory environment has changed beyond all measure since the casino days of 2007.

Banks and insurers are safer than theyve been for decades. My worry is that, if the public continues to loathe the Citys banks, it will be hard for the government to justify compromises elsewhere that may be needed to protect them.

Number 10 must show leadership by talking up the Square Miles employment, opportunity and wealth creation.

From there, it can explain to the public why it must make the City the key battleground in the Brexit negotiations and head off populist complaints of pandering to bonus bankers.

Greg Clark, the business minister, acknowledged the Citys importance to the economy in his speech to the Lord Mayors dinner last night, but the penguin suits at Mansion House are not the audience to whom the government needs to preach.

Its time for ministers, and Theresa May, to start loudly supporting the City through the News at Ten and the Daily Mail.

Rolet-coaster ride

Would the real Xavier Rolet please step forward? On Sunday night, the London Stock Exchange issued a harshly worded rebuke to Brussels over its unreasonable demands around the Deutsche Borse mergers Italian Problem. The deal looked dead.

Yet today, he returns to sweetness and light, talking up how he and his colleagues are still working towards pulling it off.

But if this week has taught us anything, surely its that only the deluded would think the tie-up will happen, given the opposition in so many quarters.

Rolet, an excellent CEO until the Deutsche debacle, now plans to extend his time in office. Shareholders and the board might have other ideas.
L ondon Stock Exchange chief Xavier Rolet today committed his future to the business as his 24 billion mega-merger with Deutsche Borse neared collapse.

The 57-year-old Frenchman, who was due to step down after the deal, said he is willing to stay on if the deal were to fall over but said the decision was out of his hands.

In the event this transaction does not successfuly conclude, we are back to square one and I am back in the seat, he said.

We have worked incredibly hard and at no point did we neglect our clients. It looks like my retirement has been postponed. Ultimately the decision is not ours.

The takeover saga spiralled into chaos this week after the LSE said it was unlikely to clear EU competition hurdles as it refused to sell an Italian trading unit MTS.

The move has raised questions about why LSE would refuse to comply, given that MTS accounts for only 7% of its revenues.

Rolet said he was keener to preserve the Stock Exchanges giant Italian business, which would have been undermined by hiving out part of it, rather than sell the division.

We care about our Italian assets  we have worked so hard on them. Its not just about MTS, its about 25% of our operating profits. We love our Italian colleagues.

The exhange gave shareholders, wary of the deals collapse, a sop today by raising its full-year dividend by a more-than-expected 20% today to 43.2p. Total income was up 17% to 1.7 billion. Shares were flat  up 14p, or 0.5%, at 3129p.

The LSE and Deutsche Borse have been at loggerheads over where the merged entitys holding company should be located amid pressure from German MPs to move to Frankfurt.

Deutsche Borse in recent weeks proposed a joint holding company with headquarters in London and Frankfurt, a suggestion the LSE refused to consider.

Rolet hit out at the political jostling over the location of the exchange and said the deal had been carefully calibrated to ensure there was an equal split of power across Europe.

Politicians in Deutsche Borses home state of Hesse have demanded a headquarters in Frankfurt whereas British Eurosceptic MPs called for the deal to end over fears it would transfer too much power to Germany after Brexit.

Hatred is rising everywhere across the world and what you can do against this much hatred is try to offer entrepreneurs and companies access to capital. This is a merger of equals  it is not a takeover. Its not a critical mass move from one place to another. None of these things can be changed because you no longer have a balanced merger of equals and we revert to the traditional European passion for shifting things across the borders.
E verything I first learned about sex came from a childrens encyclopaedia, a film and a lesson in school. The encyclopaedia, which I puzzled over when I was 11, illustrated the process of human reproduction as a Heath Robinson machine. It had springs and pistons, with gnomes working to make sure the moving parts stayed lubricated. It was clean and colourful and really rather functional, and so long as the gnomes did not strike and the pistons kept pumping it seemed quite possible to manufacture humans without unpleasantness or mess.

The film was Basic Instinct. Taped off the telly onto VHS, certain scenes inevitably ended up grainier than others. I am not sure how helpful it was. On the one hand, it suggested there would come a point in life when hot women simply stopped wearing underwear. On the other, there would clearly always be a danger they might try and kill you with an icepick. Only one of these has since proven to be the case.

School was little better. Sex first came up in biology. The teacher asked each student to call out a different term for the male sexual parts. There were 33 of us and eventually someone had to say winky. Everybody shrieked with laughter, one of the girls stuck a rubber johnny on a banana and the boys acted cocksure, unconvincingly. That was that, and in retrospect it is a surprise so many of my classmates are now parents and so few are on the nonce register.

This week the Government said it wants all schools (not just those controlled by local authorities) to teach children about sex. Some parents have protested but the Government is right.

Around half a million cases of sexually transmitted infections are reported in England each year. Young people account for more than 50 per cent of all diagnoses of chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhoea and genital warts. Teenage pregnancy rates are falling but the UK still has one of the highest in Europe. Since the Government  and therefore the taxpayer  is the primary guarantor and provider of public health and social services, it would be insanely negligent for it not to try to teach its way out of this mess.

The urgency is not just statistical: it is cultural. My teens were characterised by a lack of information about sex. The pornification of popular culture was so undeveloped that the TV programme The Word was considered shocking.

Today the opposite is true. You do not have to be Mary Whitehouse to observe that sexual imagery is everywhere. My five-year-old walks around singing Anaconda by Nicky Minaj, which she knows from daytime radio. Although she thinks the refrain Oh my gosh/ Look at her butt is an amusing adjunct to her favoured poo-wee-toilet school of comedy, this is in fact a song about men with big penises preferring women with large buttocks, and it wont be too long before she figures that out.

It is futile to unwish the sexing up of society, or to hope that children will not eventually find some online porn sub-category and start to work things out from an unhelpful source. The answer is education, and education is in schools. Any parents too prissy to accept that are letting their kids down.

Theresa May has a fair point:crunch time needs to be over

Theresa May has given up crisps for Lent. Id hoped she would give up Brexit but this is even better, because people eating crisps  the crunching, the crumbs, the horrid stench of cheesy salt  is abominable. So the Prime Minister is setting an example to the nation.

Pleasingly, Theatreland is already following her lead. The Harold Pinter Theatre has forbidden eating during performances of Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, a request made, in its words, out of consideration for the actors and fellow audience members.

Now London must prove that it remains the most forward-thinking, respectable and cultured city in Europe by outlawing this grotesque practice everywhere  on trains, on Tubes, in bus shelters, public buildings and all places of work.

Lets do this quickly before another city with trendy aspirations gets there first: Amsterdam, say. Or Hull.

Thats the wonder of Wolverine

Logan - Trailer 2

Hugh Jackmans final big-screen turn as Wolverine is out today in Logan. Its the end of a small cinematic era.

Ive enjoyed talking to Jackman over the years about his process for beefing up to play the character, with techniques including waking up in the night to guzzle muscle-building shakes and pumping iron to the sound of power rock by bands such as Godsmack.

So farewell, Wolverine. Whey protein manufacturers and film nerds will miss you.

* The berks who oversee the Oscars ceremony say the people who caused the amusing Best Picture envelope mix-up on Sunday are banned for ever.

Can you imagine anything pettier and more pompous? An overhyped, deathless, self-obsessed and boring circle-jerk of an event, this year devoted even more time than usual to puffing smoke up the tailpipes of average films. It was enlivened by a harmless mistake that provided the only interesting event of the night and subsequently led to the best PR that the stuffy, racist academy has had for years.

So now they are going to sack the people responsible. Well done, Oscars organisers. Well. Done.
T he campaign group Transparency International has issued a report today suggesting that up to four in five London properties in some of the most prominent luxury developments are bought by investors from abroad. In some, there appear to be no British owners at all. Significantly, of these foreign owners, about 40 per cent of them are from countries with a high corruption rating, suggesting  not for the first time  that London property investment may be used for money-laundering.

The number of developments the group scrutinised was small  14, or 2,066 homes. Even if the developers had made every effort to sell the flats there, they are so expensive it is unlikely they would have found British buyers apart from the affordable element in the new developments. These flats are neither numerous enough nor cheap enough to solve the London housing crisis. What is more, we should guard against any suggestion that foreign ownership of London property is either unwelcome or inherently suspect. This is an open city, and that means foreigners will buy homes here.

What is problematic is when homes are bought purely for investment purposes and their owners do not use them. There is something offensive about the spectacle of unlit, unused houses in some of the most attractive parts of London  unused because their owners do not live there  when so many people yearn for a home of their own. And the problem becomes impossible to ignore when some developers do not even offer their homes for sale in London first before marketing them abroad.

The immediate priority is to curb money-laundering. The reports authors are right to repeat calls for greater transparency in the market so it is possible to find out the beneficial ownership of companies buying homes. It also calls for the robust enforcement of the unexplained wealth orders in the new Criminal Finances Bill.

As for the general issue of luxury developments used as a form of overseas investment, it would help if property taxation were changed to penalise under-occupancy and encourages sales. The discrepancy between business rates and council tax on properties at the top of the market is now absurd. We should be encouraging both renting and a more liquid property market, perhaps by slashing stamp duty. The problems with London housing are wider than foreign ownership.

Recruiting mothers

The mobile phone company Vodafone has launched a programme to recruit 1,000 workers worldwide over three years from people who have taken a career break . The scheme is open to men as well as women, but the majority will be women who have taken time from their careers to have, and look after, children. Half of the new jobs will be in managerial positions. The company acknowledges that it will have to adapt working practices to help the recruits, chiefly by allowing flexible hours. Its a good move. In a jobs market that is reaching full capacity, employers will have to be more imaginative in their recruitment and retention policies, including hiring and keeping older staff and encouraging the recruitment of individuals with family commitments. Not to do so is a waste of skills.

...and recruiting Bond

Spies have long been immortalised on film. Now MI6 is turning the tables by launching an advertising campaign in cinemas to recruit the next generation of agents. Its good to see MI6 is casting its net wide. The challenges faced by the security agencies are such that we need the best from all walks of life to keep us safe.
Jonathan Anderson is a designer who revels in the unconventional. From the moment guests attending his show in Paris this morning stepped into a blacked out catwalk space devoid of all light, it was clear that his latest offering was to be no exception.

Dodging pools of water and hanging orchids, attendees relied on light from their mobile phones to guide them to their seats.

Their reward was a collection which confirmed why the Northern Irish designer is considered among the fashion worlds brilliant innovators.

Continuing with his mission to modernise the 170-year-old luxury Spanish house Loewe, Anderson conjured up a visual feast for the eyes with a collection which typically, fused his intellectual brand of creativity with a luxury ideology.

EPA

Never content with creating around just one concept, every look brought with it a new set of ideas, from the checkerboard cocktail dresses to the Loewe branded fair-isle knits and toy plane necklaces.

Craftsmanship was the thread that wove this collection together. Raw, unfinished hems featured on tailoring, while half-and-half coats and dresses spliced together from a mishmash of fabrics looked fresh from the cutting room floor.

For Anderson, who's extracurricular interests currently extends to curator of a fashion and sculpture exhibition at the renowned Hepworth Gallery, art has always played a key role in his collections for both Loewe and his eponymous line, shown at London Fashion Week.

This was a collection designed to be considered at leisure - to be studied in detail in order to appreciate its finer details, such as the rhinestone-encrusted trousers which shimmered beneath a sheer overlay or the basketweave silk which was crafted into blouses.

Commercially savvy Anderson was also careful not to forget that this was a collection which must translate into retail too.

Butter soft leather shirt dresses, precision tailoring and flattering bias-cut skirts were among the most sellable items on offer. As for the handbags upon which the luxury leatherwear brand was founded, next season's must-haves include intarsia knit-trim totes and oversized huggable clutches.
E nglish National Ballet star Isabelle Brouwers says she experienced the true joy her art can bring during a visit to a school for orphaned children in the biggest slum in Africa.

The 21-year-old taught ballet to the children at Spurgeons Academy in the Kiberia slum in Nairobi, Kenya, which is home to 1.5 million people who live in an area of one square mile. The school educates over 400 orphaned and HIV-positive children, tries to find them adoptive families and provides them with support. Every Wednesday, pupils do extra-curricular activities, with one option being ballet.

Brouwers, who lives in London but was born in Bonn, Germany, visited the school twice in January and February  teaching ballet on dirt floors. The star, who has danced in Swan Lake and The Nutcracker with The Royal Ballet and is preparing for a role at Sadlers Wells with the ENB, spoke of the huge power dance had on the childrens lives.

She told the Standard: It really touched me personally that even in such desperate and desolate conditions ballet can bring so much true joy. It amazed me that the simple act of dancing could bring so much happiness. It was so touching to see. See them dancing with big smiles on their faces and being so happy, it made me truly understand the huge power of my art form.

Huge power: Isabelle Brouwers teaches dance at Spurgeons Academy in the Kiberia slum in Nairobi / Nigel Norrington

Brouwers found out about the school, which is funded by UK charities GlobalCare and The CRED Foundation, after seeing a video about it online. She said: The Spurgeons Academy is an incredible school in the most densely populated slum in Africa which gives children the chance to be taken in by a foster family and most importantly an education which nurtures the students academically and creatively. Every Wednesday they do extra-curricular activities with the children as they dont want them to have just a basic bread-and-butter education.

The childrens joy of dance was evident in the video, but it was heart-wrenching to see them having to train in such desperate conditions. It made me realise how fortunate I was to grow up with all the resources to make my dream of becoming a dancer a reality.

With the backing of ENBs Artistic Director Tamara Rojo, who helped her gather an incredible amount of dancewear and shoe donations, Brouwers travelled to the slum.

She is planning to return to the school in the future, adding: I dont get much holiday but as soon as I do, I will.

cred.org.uk/spurgeons-academy
D ame Helen Mirren has revealed she wants to return to the London stage  but ideally not in the West End.

The actress, 71, last appeared in theatreland four years ago, when she played the Queen in The Audience at the Gielgud. Next time, she would like to try a smaller venue.

At some time in the future I would love to do another play in London, not necessarily in the West End, she said. I love the idea of doing it in a small theatre elsewhere. London theatre is where I started and it has a very precious place in my life and my history.

She auditioned for the National Youth Theatre at 18 and two years later was playing Cleopatra in the NYT production of Antony And Cleopatra at the Old Vic. She said: I love the [Theatre Royal] Haymarket and the Aldwych which are my two favourite theatres in the West End but outside I havent got a favourite. It would be good to try somewhere different. She starred in Collected Stories at the Haymarket in 1999 and has appeared at the Aldwych several times.

Her performance in The Audience won her an Evening Standard Theatre Award and an Olivier, as well as a Tony for the Broadway transfer. She also has an Oscar and a Golden Globe to her name. But despite her success Dame Helen, an ambassador for The Princes Trust, revealed she became an actress partly to deal with low self-confidence. She said: I think thats a case for a lot of actors. People think we are the most confident people but the opposite is very true. By hiding behind a character and someone elses words you can deal with life.

Certainly for quite a long period of time in my life I would just find it so difficult to walk into a room with people in it. I think I used to have panic attacks actually. She spoke as she launched a campaign by the youth charity and LOreal to combat self-doubt. The three-year programme, called All Worth It, aims to help 10,000 young people turn self-doubt into selfworth through mentoring.

Dame Helen advised young people to deal with self-doubt by trying to enjoy the moment and realising that everyone else suffered from it. Asked how she got over her own anxiety issues, she said: I just gutted it out, I didnt have an organisation like The Princes Trust to come to, I just kept doggedly going and one of the great things as you grow up is those things drop away.
T oday, 8 March, marks International Womens Day and the ways to celebrate girl power this year are aplenty.

From the WOW Festival at Southbank Centre to talks, workshops and comedy performance, theres lots of ways to laud lady power in London. But what about celebrating on social media?

From the internet's most inspiring female artists, activists and influencers, below are some accounts guaranteed to lift you up:

The Wing

The Wing is actually a female-only shared working space in Brooklyn but there's nothing dry and 9-5 about their Instagram feed.

A mixture of humorous, important kick-ass memes and quotes (that sit alongside some dreamy interior shots of the space) - this will make you 'get-up and go' each day.

Mari Andrew

Mari Andrew's illustrations of everyday life and feelings are well-worth following.

Observing what so many don't, her drawings are relatable, endearing and often reassuring. Previously a writer, she started illustrating at the age of 28 when she was going through a difficult time. Three years and almost 800 thousand followers later, her first book is due to be released (this month).

Paris Lees

Journalist, presenter and Trans activist Paris Lees is a fierce campaigner for human rights. She's had a remarkable journey - from being bullied at school to spending time in prison and becoming the first openly Trans model to feature in British Vogue - her no B.S. approach to life will inspire you daily.

VC London

This group of female bikers are redefining the stereotype of women on motorbikes. The three friends operate out of an east London motorbike workshop, organising womens-only classes and offering advice to first-time female riders.



Setting up an Instagram and calling ourselves VC was a way to document a few friends just having fun riding and wrenching our motorbikes, VC-er Gemma Harrison told us last year.

Petra Collins

Although this 25-year-old Canadian photographer has quickly taken her dreamy teenage portraiture to high fashion (she shot editorials for the likes of Vogue, Allure and CR Fashion Book), her Instagram still remains true to her young feminist roots. All of the young women she shoots are her muses, and appear hyper-feminine, glowing and natural. Even the images she previously shot of Kim Kardashian have a dreamlike aesthetic.

I just really love [photography] so much, Collins told the New Yorker. Even holding the camera and looking through it makes me happy.

Nefarious Skate Crew

Come hang is their mantra, and it shows. This all-girl skateboarding collective supports female skaters of all experience levels, and serves as a platform to develop that encouragement. Their posts will make you want to grab a board and do it too.

Kate Bingaman-Burt

She doodles. She paints. She teaches. What doesnt this Portland, Oregon-based illustrator do? This Instagram account follows the projects of commercial artist and graphic design professor Bingaman-Burt as she draws, leads workshops across the U.S. and inspires young people to bring more art into their lives.

A highlight? The time she drew every daily purchase over the course of eight years. Thats nearly 3,000 drawings. Inspiring, right?

Tatyana Fazlalizadeh

Fazlalizadeh is a New York-based illustrator and muralist, who recently created the Stop Telling Women to Smile Series to address gender-based street harassment. She pastes portraits of women with captions aimed at men outside in public places around New York. Her impact on tackling street harassment has travelled far and wide, taking on international locations like Paris and Mexico City. 

Grace Timothy

Beauty journalist and author of Mum Face, Grace Timothy, is refreshingly honest about both the highs and lows of motherhood. Not shying away from the sleepless nights, stress and body changes - she offers messages that are applicable to all of her followers whether they're mothers or not.

Tess Holliday

Plus-size model, beauty blogger and mum Tess Holliday has done it all. Shes modelled for Vogue, done dozens of television and print interviews and now even has a clothing line under her name.

But Hollidays Instagram is more than just glitz and glamour - its a peek into her more vulnerable side. She posts teary-eyed selfies after she stays up all night with her new baby, fashion shoots with products that donate to charity and, of course, posts that promote her Eff Your Beauty Standards campaign. For cute baby pictures and a whole lot of body positivity, Hollidays account is a cant-miss.

Lula Hyers

Hyers art represents everything a young, teenage feminist might aspire towards. Its bold, brave and pushes boundaries with every single post. The 21-year-old New York-based artist posts videos and photos of her friends, who often pose nude, kissing or dancing in their undergarments. Hyers is a voice for queer youth as well, and promotes other women to explore their sexualities and sense of self, just as Hyers does. Her Instagram features people of all races, sexualities and genders, which allows for a unifying discourse in the comments on her posts.

I really like knowing I can look back and see my friends in a particular moment, whether theyre laughing or crying or doing drugs, she told New York Times Live. I can see them shaving their head or going through a break up. Were all going through this shared experience of growing up, even though were not always on the same page.

Laura Medalia

This self-proclaimed Coder Girl brings style to software engineering through her Instagram account and blog. She mixes fashion with coding, and posts about her daily life as a computer virus-kicking ninja who happens to wear leopard print Chelsea boots.

Medalia inspires girls interested in computer science by proving that the male-dominated field doesnt have to be that way. Additionally, her punny captions are worth a click through. Think: Mac and cheese (her laptop next to a hunk of cheddar), or computer lab (a photo of her laptop alongside her adorable labrador retriever!)
Y ouve probably seen the story about the Cambridge college thats had to give its menu an overhaul after some students complained that some dishes in their college canteen were not authentic enough. One half-Jamaican student felt that no self-respecting Jamaican Stew would contain beef and mango, while another student of North African origin was equally concerned about the cauliflower, date and tofu tagine with Tunisian Rice.

Now the colleges catering team, accused of that most heinous of present-day crimes  cultural misrepresentation - have egg on their faces and have gone back to the drawing board (and, presumably, the chopping board) to have a long hard look at the ethnic food theyre serving up to their sensitive young charges at the Buttery Dining Hall of Pembroke College.

As it happens, I think I can help them here because Ive done a bit of digging and found that the beef and mango Jamaican Stew sounds suspiciously similar to a recipe on the BBC website by Simon Rimmer, a TV chef who runs a restaurant in Manchester, and whose recipe may anger you if you come from north of the border, containing as it does a Scotch bonnet.

At any rate, do not confuse it with this recipe for Cauliflower and Date Tagine with Tunisian Pilaff which the Pembroke caterers may possibly have glanced at. Even a novice at home might manage to adapt it to include tofu, though why anyone would want to include tofu in any sort of dish is another question, and one to which I may return at a later date.

Pembroke, you may remember, is the alma mater of the young fellow who thought it would be a hilarious jape to burn a 20 note in front of a homeless person the other day. But thats old news, unless his point was to prove that he was not only rich, but also well fed, and partial to foreign food to boot  as long as its authentic. Who knows? I can reveal, however, that students have encouragingly raised almost 3,700 for homeless people in Cambridge in direct response to the idiotic and insulting behaviour of Ronald Coyne, a young man for whom the term chinless wonder could have been expressly invented.

But enough of that. Im here to have a look at the food crisis at Pembroke, though Im a little confused about the exact nature of the problem. Is it that the dishes are insufficiently authentic? Or merely that they have been given the wrong name? Anyway, who is the arbiter of authenticity when it comes to judging ethnic cuisine? And, most importantly of all, should all ethnic dishes come with a trigger warning?

Or, to put it another way (and you may be ahead of me here): so what?

Im aware that one earnest young fellow feels that the mis-labelling of some dishes on the heavily subsidised college menu (the Jamaican Stew is just 4 a portion) represents precisely the sort of micro-aggression that young people of colour have to endure on a daily basis. The thin end of the wedge, if you like: the wedge in question being, perhaps, made of Cajun sweet potato, or Neapolitan pizza. But that might itself be an inauthentic wedge  indeed a racist wedge  if the person at the thin end of it were, perhaps, from Naples or a French-speaking district of Louisiana, and judged it to be inauthentic due to the application of the wrong sort of mozzarella or the incorrect piquancy of blackening seasoning.

And then where would we be?

Well, wed probably be at Pembroke, which is not only a very wealthy and exclusive seat of learning, to which only the very brightest are admitted, following a complicated selection process involving examinations and interviews, but also the oldest surviving college (est.1347) at the fourth-oldest university in the world. Its founder, Marie de St Pol, was in fact French, and therefore would have been well placed to judge the authenticity of any baguettes or onion soup that might have been served back in the 14th century at the canteen. But not the croissant, which was not invented until the 19th century  by an Austrian. As was, believe it or not, the Danish Pastry. Her husband, meanwhile, may have had something to say about the Welsh rarebit, since he was the Earl of Pembroke.

The fact is there is no such thing as an authentic recipe for anything and Britain has acquired, at least since the end of World War Two, the most catholic cuisine in the world. Its decades now since Chicken Tikka Masala was declared (by Robin Cook) the national dish of England, but if you remember, his reasoning was not only that it was the most popular dish we have, but because it represented a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences  not least because its not an authentic Indian dish in the first place, but was allegedly invented in Glasgow, by a Pakistani chef, who had the bright (pun intended) idea of coating chunks of chicken tikka in a creamy orange gravy.

It is now the second-most popular dish for British people to cook at home, by which I have a strong feeling that they mean proper British ready meals from a proper British supermarket, warmed up in a proper British microwave. Its beaten only by something called a Chinese stir-fry, a term that I feel convinced will open another can of worms, although not literally of course  it would be macro-aggressive to suggest that  and might not be instantly recognisable to a visitor from, say, Beijing or Shanghai. I guess Ill never know. Even the famous Roast Beef of Old England, immortalised by Hogarth and Fielding, was probably brought over by the Italians  remnants have been found in Roman remains beneath the City of London.

History, sadly, does not relate whether or not they brought Yorkshire pudding over from Naples but Yorkshire Pudding, like Worcestershire Sauce and Scotch Eggs and Welsh Rarebits, is just a name. And names, just like cuisines, change and evolve all the time. During the Danish cartoon controversy of 2006, for example, when you may recall there was some trouble over an animated depiction of the Prophet, several religious groups in Iran decided to change the name of their favourite Danish (or Austrian) pastries to "Roses of the Prophet Muhammad".

The history of the world tells us that most countries have been occupied by a succession of invading powers, bringing with them their own customs and food, and leaving a mark on the cuisine and culture even when they have departed or been unceremoniously sent back to where they came from. I mean Britain is a nation of Anglo-Saxons isnt it, which means that (whisper it quietly to the nearest Brexiteer) weve got Danish and German roots, and we were conquered by the Romans and then the Normans, leaving a legacy of Italian and French culture. Its probably why we like pizza so much, and enjoy wine and cheese; perhaps our love of sausages dates back to those Saxons from Germany and as for the Danes, you have to look no further than those Danish pastries (even if theyre really Austrian).

Im sure weve all been to a supermarket with a Mexican chicken sandwich. I imagine its vaguely spicy and probably contains avocado and beans but I wouldnt expect to find one in Mexico. And weve become too sophisticated for sandwiches now, so our Mexican chicken is probably inside a wrap or a panino. And yes, you read that right: Im sorry, but panini is Italian for sandwiches  more than one - though I have been reluctantly forced to accept that you are no more likely to hear a Londoner asking for a panino than you are to hear one requesting two cappuccini or espressi in a coffee shop. Unless that Londoner is me, in which case youll probably be able to identify me from the groaning of my mortified children.

Anyway, despite our meagre contribution to global cuisine (warm beer, fishnchips), Im sure were not immune to cultural misrepresentation ourselves. Imagine being at university in America and ordering a Full English Breakfast from the college menu (I know, Trumps probably made that illegal, but use your imagination), only to find it contains a waffle or a pancake instead of the traditional slice of fried bread. Or perhaps youre at college in Germany and find your Full English contains a lurid pink frankfurter rather than a proper British banger.

Well, we wont have to put up with any more of that nonsense by the end of March, will we.


T heres a cowboy waiting outside my room. Kitted out in a checked shirt, jeans and a Stetson, he introduces himself as Miguel, and soon were clip-clopping away in a horse-drawn cart.

Trinidad, in southern Cuba, is more than just a photogenic, Unesco-listed town (though it is that, too). Its surrounded by natural attractions; within just a few kilometres are some of the countrys best beaches, with sweeping hills and valleys ripe for exploring.

Were dropped off near the edge of town, and Miguel gets our group of wannabe cowboys saddled up. Only one hand, he says, as I reach for the reins; the other holds on to a metal handle on the saddle  something Im thankful for once I realise I have no control over my horses speed.

We ride along a dusty trail, through scrubby meadows and palm-dotted woodland, stopping en route at a grass-roofed open-air bar serving refreshing cups of sugar-cane juice. We ride a little further before dismounting again, and making the short walk to El Pilon. Its dry season, so this normally impressive waterfall isnt much more than a trickle, but it flows into a pair of beautiful natural rock pools, framed by caves and forest. I clamber into the cool, dark water, with cigar smoke and the sound of acoustic guitar drifting over from the makeshift bar nearby.

Arriving back in Trinidad in the late afternoon, the sun is starting to slip down behind the colourful Spanish colonial houses, and I walk slowly back to my homestay, slightly bruised from a day in the saddle.

Its two decades since Cubas casas particulares (private homes) scheme was introduced, allowing locals to rent out their spare rooms to tourists. They offer a sharp contrast to the state-run hotels, which, while often grand, tend to come with rather indifferent service (They know they will always have a job, so they have no reason to try, one Cuban tells me). Until last year, when rules were relaxed, it was illegal to own a private business, but as running a casa particular is considered self-employment, the scheme has been a great way for Cubans to boost their incomes, which, according to official figures, average about 20 a month.

Saddle up on Miguels tours / Alamy Stock Photo

Casas, meanwhile, are a cross between a B&B and a family home: you get your own key but you might also hang out with your hosts. On practically every street in Trinidad or Old Havana youll spot at least one of the schemes blue signs, and with so much competition, owners often come up with a USP. At Casa El Ceramista (The Potters House), where Im staying, host Alexey will show you how to throw a pot on his wheel  the walls are decorated with his clay creations.

The next day I take a tour of the towns historic centre with Roxy, whose parents run another casa. Having grown up in Trinidad, shes full of local insight, like where to find the best views (the top of the tower at Museo Lucha Contra Bandidos) and the most unusual night out (Disco Ayala, a club in a spectacular natural cave).

30 places to visit before you turn 30 1 /41 30 places to visit before you turn 30 Click through our gallery to discover the places you should visit before you turn 30... Shutterstock 1. Bali Highland panoramas, scenic waterfalls, open blue skies, golden sunsets and awesome sunrises across the coastline. Theres a reason why people say that Bali stirs the soul.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Explore temples and palaces, go river rafting, sign up to a surf school, volunteer at an orangutan sanctuary, take a yoga class in the mountains and party all night. Best of all, its cheap - so youll be able to live like a king on a fortnights trip here. Stephan Stansfield/Flickr 2. Island hopping in Greece If youve never made it to Greece, then schedule in some time to discover its lesser-known islands by boat. Go to big-hitters Santorini, Crete and Rhodes and and discover little-known gems Astypalea and Tinos.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because you can explore whitewashed cubic houses, lie on white hot sands, take a dip in the bath water-warm Aegean. Shutterstock / Mikhail Gnatkovsk 3. Myanmar Until fairly recently, Myanmar was off limits to wanderlust Westerners. But after five decades of military rule, Asias formerly Junta-controlled diamond in the rough has finally opened its crystal shores to nirvana-seekers.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Unsullied beaches, ancient Pagan temples and incredibly cheap prices make Burma the perfect holiday spot for cash-strapped travellers in their 20s. Joe Connor 4. Ibiza No surprises here - the Island that never sleeps has long been one of the hottest places to play for people in their 20s. This hedonistic paradise is a lure for British clubbers drawn in by sun, sand and world-class DJs.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because nowhere does sunset chilling quite like Ibiza. Shutterstock / FP media 5. Croatia Ancient walled towns, dreamy deep-blue seascapes, an unrivaled festival scene and guaranteed good weather. Whats not to love about Croatia?



Why go here before you turn 30?



Visit festival and wellness island Obonjan, go fun-seeking at Sonus, take a Game of Thrones tour, go white-water rafting, stroll around the museums in Zagreb or simply spend your days enjoying cocktail after cocktail on the beach. Angus Webster 6.Toronto, Canada Forget Williamsburg, hipsters looking for a cultural injection should make a beeline for Canadas largest city for art, food and dive bars by the dozen.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Ethnic enclaves, a bustling food scene and cool designer stays - there are plenty of reasons to discover Toronto. Shutterstock / njene 7. Pammukale, Turkey Pamukkale is actually Turkish for cotton castle, which accurately sums up this amazing display of natural hot water pools in Denizli Province. The city is famous for its travertines - terraces of dazzling white carbonate minerals left by the flowing water that tourists can bathe in.



Why go here before you turn 30?



It'll make for one stunning Instagram. Shutterstock / Copycat37 8. Backpack through Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is one of the most accessible regions for the novice traveller - thanks to its mix of volcanoes, rainforests, rice fields, beaches and coral reefs. Some popular stops include Chiang Mai in Thailand, Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Laos, Hanoi in Vietnam.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Explore thousand-year-old Hindu ruins, rave on the beach, attend a Buddhist ceremony at dawn and hike through the jungle looking for wildlife. The possibilities are endless. Shutterstock / Lena Serditova 9. Costa Rica Theres plenty of time for gentle package holidays in your later years. This tiny Central American oasis is a twenty-somethings playground of wild beaches, rocky points, volcanoes, reefs, rare wildlife and spectacular rainforests.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because you can learn how to surf on the Nicoya peninsula, try truly amazing Costa Rican coffee, learn to speak Spanish, get lost on a hike in a rainforest, go white water rafting at Turrialba and see real life sloths, monkeys, crocodiles, ocelots and toucans. Autentico Adventures Costa Rica/Flickr 10. Tiger's Nest Monastery, Bhutan William and Kate put this remote kingdom on the map earlier this year, and a trip here isnt complete without paying a visit the the Tigers Nest Monastery. Believed to be the birthplace of Bhuddism, the Monastery has been a place of pilgrimage since it was built in 1692.



Why go here before you turn 30?



The temple complex clings to a cliff, a dizzying 3120 meters above the sea level on the side of the upper Paro valley. If you want to take in the stunning views of blue pines and rhododendrons youll need fearless stamina to hike to the top. Paula Bronstein/Getty Images 11. Songkran Festival, Thailand Songkran festival, or the Thai New Year, is three days of nonstop revelry. Its celebrated across the country, with locals and tourists gathering in the streets with super soakers, water balloons and buckets of water one almighty water fight.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because who doesnt love a water fight? AFP/Getty Images 12. Banff, Canada This resort town is one of Canada's most popular tourist destinations, known for its mountainous surroundings and hot springs. A visit here offers the chance to experience the spectacular Canadian Rocky Mountains and glacier-fed lakes, bull elk and brown bear sightings, and small-town charm like no other.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because its some of the finest mountain scenery youll find on the planet. Shutterstock / Songquan Deng 13. Norway Picturesque fjords, magical mountains, quaint coastal towns and the possibility of spotting the Northern Lights makes Norway a tempting trip for those on the hunt for natural beauty.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Visit trendy Oslo, discover magical lesser-known towns, stand on a gravity-defying boulder, sail around the fjords, stay in a fishermans cottage you may even spot a polar bear. Shutterstock / Carsten Pasternac 14. Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, California Rising nearly 5,000 feet above Yosemite Valley and 8,800 feet above sea level, Half Dome is one of the greatest hiking challenges a traveller can undertake. This granite dome sits at the eastern end of one of Americas most spectacular national parks.



Why go here before you turn 30?



The terrain is dramatic, the scenery is amazing, and its probably the single most iconic thing you can do in California. Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images 15. Iceland This Nordic island nation isnt far from the UK, but packs in astonishing natural phenomena and take-your-breath-away landscapes.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Contemporary cuisine, Lord of the Rings-esque lands, stargazing, endless hours of daylight and geothermal springs. Its hard to narrow it down. Shutterstock / pranodhm 16. The Inca Trail, Peru The Inca Trail is by far the most famous trek in South America. In just 26 miles it manages to combine beautiful mountain scenery, lush cloud-forest, subtropical jungle and, of course, a stunning mix of Inca paving stones, ruins and tunnels.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because the final destination of the trail just cannot be beaten: Machu Picchu, the mysterious "Lost City of the Incas". Brent Stirton/Getty Images 17. Manchester, UK The capital of The North might not strike as the most exotic of travel destination, but its giving London a run for its money thanks to a wealth of music and art history, smart fine dining restaurants, hipster neighbourhoods and a swathe of cool new boutique hotels.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because it's only 2 hours away by train from the capital. Shutterstock / Tupungato 18. India The food alone is enough of a draw to India, but throw in palm-fringed beaches, one of the seven wonders of the world, forts, mosques, monuments and ancient ruins, and you have a holiday on that ticks all the boxes on your hands.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because youll want leave enough room to come back again and again over your lifetime. Shutterstock / LukaKikina 19. Berlin Edgy, cool and creative, Berlin is one of the worlds best cities for boutique shopping, brilliantly offbeat nights out and hipster hangouts.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because its one of Europes most exciting cities. Shutterstock / Claudio Divizia 20. Melbourne, Australia Whether youre looking to party, simply kick-back on a beach or sample some of the best brunch in the world, Melbourne offers it all to young travellers and backpackers.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Australias coolest capital holds all kinds of attractions for people in their 20s, from bars and boutiques to clubs and cafes. Shutterstock / GagliardiImages 21. New Zealand Undoubtedly one of the most spectacular places on earth, New Zealand is home to some incredibly unspoilt scenery. Make sure to take a decent camera, because stunning national parks and reserves make up a third of its land.



Why go here before you turn 30?



When else can you spend a whole month hiking its natural peaks and troughs? Gareth Richman 22. Carnival, Rio de Janeiro Forget Notting Hill carnival: once a year, several million travellers descend on Rio to enjoy four days of parades and partying at the beginning of Lent.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Who wouldnt want to be part of the biggest street party on the planet? Raphael Dias/Getty Images 23. The Great Wall of China As the famous Chinese saying goes, 'he who does not reach the Great Wall is not a true man'. This great engineering marvel winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, stretching across over 13,000 miles.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because your 20s arent just for partying and frolicking... AFP/Getty Images 24. Burning Man Festival, Nevada Every year, tens of thousands of people gather in Nevadas Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, a temporary festival of art, hedonism and self-expression.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because its the most outrageous festival of all: alongside meditation and yoga theres spanking classes, orgies, and naked foam parties. Chances are, youll only want to get involved when youre young enough not to regret it. Duncan Rawlinson/Flickr 25. Antelope Canyon, Arizona Located just outside of Page, in the heart of Navajo Country, Antelope may just be the most photographed slot canyon in the world - thanks to its awe-inspiring, sandstone formations.



Why go here before you turn 30?



The celestial light beams in the canyon make this place completely unforgettable and unmissable. AFP/Getty Images 26. Pacific Coast Highway, California The PCH is a road trip-lovers dream, with its winding ribbon roads that meander alongside the crashing Cali coast from Carmel to Morro Bay. The 123-mile route takes in Big Sur and the much photographed Bixby Bridge, as well as five hours of cliff-hugging open road.



Why go here before you turn 30?



The all-American road has been voted one of the top motorcycle rides in the U.S - its basically the drive of a lifetime, but youll enjoy the freedom most on two wheels. Howard Ignatius/Flickr 27. Bosnia & Herzegovina Turquoise rivers, medieval castles and tumbling waterfalls. It sounds like something out of a fairytale, but the craggily beautiful lands of Bosnia and Herzegovina are real - and theyre one of Europes best kept secrets.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because there are few places in the world where you can enjoy hiking, beautiful countryside, rafting and swimming, inner-city bridge jumping and skiing all within one country. Shutterstock 28. Tokyo, Japan Japans busy capital shouldnt be overlooked - as well as providing endless Instagram opportunities, it manages to pack in both the ultramodern and the traditional - from neon-lit skyscrapers to historic temples.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because you can sleep in a capsule, walk across the beautiful Tokyo bay, spend hours in an multi-storey arcade, slurp down some heavenly ramen and spend hours strolling through the brightly-lit streets. Shutterstock 29. Osea Island, Essex On Osea Island, they know how to throw a party. Located in the middle of Essexs Blackwater Estuary, the private island  which is only accessible by boat, helicopter or car at low tide  boasts four and a half miles of its own beaches and coastline perfect for social gatherings.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because you can throw the most incredible weekend parties here. Alamy Stock Photo 30. Las Vegas, Nevada Live like a celebrity for amongst the glitz and glitter of one of the worlds most famous strips.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Win big at a casino, take in a cirque production, party all night, go four-wheeling in the surrounding national parks just make sure you dont accidentally get hitched. Shutterstock / Don Mammoser

Tourism is booming in Cuba, thanks in part to the US easing its rules for visiting  a move that may be reversed by President Trump. For now, though, new businesses are springing up to cater to the growing number of travellers, and among them is Bar Cafe El Mago. With its white-washed walls and quirky reclaimed furniture, it wouldnt look out of place in Hackney or Brooklyn, though like the casas particulares, its also someones home; the delicious coffee is made in the family kitchen.

Mariesela's homestay in Habana / Jose A. Rey

Soon its time for me to move on to Havana, and a five-hour cab ride in a gorgeous, if somewhat rickety, Fifties Buick leads me to my next casa. Mariselas apartment, part of a grand old townhouse in the capitals Vedado neighbourhood, is decorated in every colour of the rainbow, and Marisela chooses her clothes to match.

I cant leave Cuba without a stroll around Habana Vieja (Old Havana), whose pristine streets are the citys most photographed, so the next day I head over in another old taxi. Winding between a series of pretty squares, I take in the imposing baroque cathedral and moated fort before finding myself outside Hotel Ambos Mundos.

Most Havana establishments trumpet even the most tenuous connection to Ernest Hemingway, who lived here in the 1930s, but Ambos Mundos is bona fide  the writer rented a room in the hotel for seven years. So I decide to stop for a drink in the Art Deco lobby bar. Unsure of what Papa would have ordered, I opt for a coffee spiked with rum. Its a potent, not entirely pleasant, concoction, but as I sit back in my chair, the sound of jazz piano drifting over me, it feels like little has changed since Hemingway drank here  even if he preferred a mojito.

Details: Cuba

Nicola Trup travelled with Homestay.com, which offers doubles at Alexeys in Trinidad (bit.ly/ThePotter) from 24, B&B, and doubles at Mariselas in Havana (bit.ly/MariselaColores) from 31, B&B. Virgin Atlantic (virgin-atlantic.com) flies from Gatwick to Havana.

travel2cuba.co.uk
A cafe owner who was exposed as a 150,000 benefits cheat when she was caught on camera singing and dancing to Mariah Carey has been jailed for 18 months.

Lisa White, 56, claimed she could barely walk and needed an oxygen tank for breathing support, pretending she needed help dressing herself and could not lift up pots and pans.

But in reality she was touring the world on luxury cruises with the profits of her benefits scam, and ran two thriving seaside cafe businesses.

Investigators caught her on camera serving plates of food to customers, loading goods into her car, and walking unaided at the seaside.

Lisa White claimed she could barely walk and needed an oxygen tank for breathing support

Following her arrest, they discovered footage of her swinging her arms around and singing along to Mariah Carey hit All I Want For Christmas is You in the kitchen cafe.

White had been paying her carer's allowance to her husband Andrew, also 56, who worked alongside her in the cafes and joined her on the luxury cruises, taking a 28-day trip to the Caribbean even after her initial arrest.

She was caught after footage emerged of her singing and dancing to All I Want For Christmas by Mariah Carey

At Inner London crown court, White sobbed uncontrollably in the dock as Judge Tudor Owen sentenced her to 18 months in prison.

Her husband Andrew was given a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years for his part in the scam.

"Everything you did was cheating", said the judge.

She was jailed for 18 months and her husband given a suspended sentence

"I've no doubt you are sorry you were caught but I'm not entirely convinced the remorse is genuine, not least because even after you were arrested and enquiries began you then went on a cruise.

"You were cruising round the Caribbean no doubt full of remorse - of course not."

Looking at the video footage of White dancing and "having a wonderful old time", he commented: "I'm sure she was having a good time, getting money for nothing."

"It's not a victimless crime, it's not government money", the judge added. "It's our money - those of us who pay."

The couple, who had both previously worked for Camden Council, briefly embraced as White was led to the cells, followed by her belongings packed into designer Bric's luggage.

Prosecutor James Fletcher said White was entitled to disability benefits but her health drastically improved after she underwent a gastric band operation in November 2005.

"This ultimately made her significantly better, her medical conditions improved but she didn't tell the authorities about that", he said.

She continued claiming money for disabled people who are "virtually unable to walk" and told authorities she needed care "day and night".

White even put on an elaborate charade at the Woolwich Centre, struggling with a walking stick, as she submitted a bogus application for disability housing.

Covert footage showed White working unaided at the beachside Bandstand kiosk in Broadstairs, Kent, pulling a trolley loaded up with goods at a cash and carry strolling through Marks and Spencer in Bluewater shopping centre, and serving plates of food to customers.

Lisa White ran two successful business while claiming 150k in benefits fraudulently

The film of her singing and dancing to Mariah Carey was shot at their other business, the White House cafe, also in Broadstairs.

White claimed that she was living with her mother in Eltham, falsely claiming benefits from Greenwich council, but she was actually living with her husband in a flat overlooking the beach in Broadstairs.

"The money wasn't being spent in the way it was meant to be spent", said Mr Fletcher, telling the court the total was 151,933.

"Mr and Mrs White were frequent customers of luxury cruises."

He said they had spent thousands on a five-day trip on the QE2 in 2006, they travelled from the Mediterranean for 21 days in 2012, took a 5,500 trip on the Oceana cruise liner in 2015 and travelled to New York and the Carribbean on the Queen Mary 2 later the same year.

When she was arrested, White maintained the charade that she could not walk without aid, demanding that she could get her walking stick and moving "very slowly" to the police car.

The couple stayed silent in interview but pleaded guilty on the first day of their trial, last December.

White pleaded guilty to nine fraud charges, three counts of failing to notify changes in circumstance, and one charge of money laundering.

Her husband pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting fraud by false representation, and acquiring criminal property.

The court heard he worked in the education sector for Camden Council, and was a governor at St Joseph's Primary School in Greenwich prior to his conviction.

Councillor Maureen OMara, from Greenwich Council, said: Mrs White presented herself as a severely disabled woman, needing daily care with everyday tasks, and was making full use of all the benefits available to her.

"She was not genuinely in need. Indeed, she carried out a deliberate and sustained fraud, stealing a staggering amount of money  money meant for people who are genuinely in need. She fully deserves this sentence, and the criminal record that will now follow her."
A man has been found guilty of knifing a teenager to death in broad daylight outside a primary school in north London.

Champion Ganda, 17, died after he was stabbed 11 times in a street fight in Forest Gate in May 2013, a court heard.

Paramedics fought to save Mr Gandas life performing emergency surgery in the street but he was pronounced dead at the scene on Sandringham Road shortly before 3pm.

Amani Lynch, 20, of Vanguard Close, Canning Town, was found guilty of manslaughter at the Old Bailey on Friday.

Amani Lynch has been found guilty of manslaughter at the Old Bailey / Met Police

He was also found guilty of wounding, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, Champions best friend who was 16 at the time.

The court heard how on the day of the killing Lynch, who was 16 at the time, had taken a cab to Forest Gate shortly before 2pm.

On arriving in the neighbourhood he reportedly spotted Champion, who was from Romford, and his friend in nearby Ratcliff Road.

The jury heard how Lynch started walking toward the pair, before chasing after them when they ran off.

But Champion and his friend then reportedly turned back to confront Lynch and a fight broke out involving weapons including belts, a hammer and a knife.

The jury heard how Champion managed to stagger several yards before collapsing after being stabbed 11 times in the head, chest, arms and legs.

His friend was also stabbed in the legs and chest and required emergency surgery which saved his life.

Lynch reportedly made off from the scene in the cab which he had kept waiting in St Dunstans Road.

Later that afternoon he visited a fast food restaurant in Barking Road where was overheard boasting about a stabbing and a bloody knife, the jury heard.

Lynch will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on March 24.

Two other men, Devante Clifford, 21, of Lawrence Street, Newham and Marvin Simos, 20, of Claremond Close, North Woolwich were found not guilty on all accounts.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams, from the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "This was a brutal, senseless and totally unnecessary attack on a young man on the verge of adulthood, and the ferocity of that attack meant Champion had little chance of survival.

It has devastated his family and it is only good fortune and the skills of NHS staff that prevented a second death that day.

"This incident happened right outside a primary school in broad daylight and terrified those who witnessed it. It was the result of petty gang rivalry and ended with tragic consequences."
A n investigation has been launched after a banner promoting an LGBTQ festival was daubed with the word 'shame' in an apparent homophobic hate crime.

Staff at the JW3 Jewish Community Centre in north-west London were left horrified after discovering the defaced banner.

The advert was in place to promote the centre's GAYW3 festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality.

But on Thursday morning the banner was found daubed with homophobic graffiti.

Security footage from the Finchley Road centre in the early hours of the morning shows a lone vandal targeting the sign with two cans of spray paint at just before 4am.

The centre is on Finchley Road in Camden. / Raymond Simonson

Whats sad is I had hoped it was some drunk just walking past, the CEO of JW3, Raymond Simonson, said.

But no, this is someone we see from quite a distance away coming purposefully with two cans of spray paint in their pockets, looking furtively around.

Someone knows its there and has seen it and is coming purposefully in the cover of night.

Unfortunately for them it was windy so the thing itself looks like something my children might have done when they were about two.

Transformed: The idea was born to add the letters UNA and D. / Raymond Simonson

But they managed to write the word shame, which is really upsetting. Its a strong statement.

The Jewish community centre, which runs around 180 events a week including Hebrew classes and talks from public figures, said the message goes against the centres values of tolerance and inclusion.

But instead of removing the sign, staff at the centre decided to transform it into a positive message.

I have got people who work here, gay, straight, Jewish, non-Jewish, English, European, its a real United Nations here, Mr Simonson told the Standard.

People were really upset about it. This is a hate crime against a fellow human being. We are in an era now where hatred and intolerance now seems to be at a real peak.

Unashamed: The banner now carries a new message. / Raymond Simonson

Our decision was what to do about the banner. Some said we have to take it down because you cant let people see the word shame on it.

Im refusing to take down the banner. So what can we do? One of the brilliant programmers here, Claire, said we could write unashamed and everyone straight away said thats great. I said thats brilliant, we are doing it.

I went and found a pot of paint and went out with another colleague with a paintbrush and did it.

The community centre head said the response has been phenomenal, uniting all members of the community including Rabbis and several Holocaust survivors who called it "disgusting".

The Met Police said they were called at just before 4pm on Thursday to reports of criminal damage.

It is reported that the word shame was sprayed on banners advertising an event for the gay community, a spokeswoman said.

It is being treated as a homophobic hate crime. No arrests have been made. Enquiries continue.

The Metropolitan Police Service is committed to tackling hate crime in all its forms, and has long since recognised the impact of hate crime on communities and the hidden nature of this crime, which remains largely under reported.
A dangerous man who snatched a teenage girl from the streets of east London and violently raped her in the back of his car has been jailed for 21 years.

Khurran Rehman, 29, grabbed his 16-year-old victim by the wrists and threatened to stab her if she did not get in his car in broad daylight in East Road, Stratford, in July last year.

The teenager tried to escape but Rehman threatened her again and forced her into the vehicle.

He drove off and parked in nearby Elmgreen Close where he subjected the young girl to a prolonged and serious sex assault, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

His victim begged him to stop but Rehman continually threatened to stab her.

The attacker then demanded the girls phone number and ordered her to keep quiet about the attack before throwing her out of the car, the court was told.

As he drove off, Rehman hurled 10 at his terrified victim.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, contacted police immediately and was harassed by Rehman over the phone as she spoke with detectives.

He was found guilty of three counts of rape and kidnap on December 13 last year following a six-day trial.

Rehman was jailed for 21 years at the same court on Friday.

DC Spencer Thomas said: "Khurram Rehman is a very dangerous man who kidnapped and raped a girl he pulled off the street.

He poses a significant risk to women and I am pleased that today he has received this custodial sentence. The police have a responsibility to protect the public from this kind of individual.

"I would like to pay tribute to the victim who had the courage to quickly report this distressing assault to police, and attend court to give evidence against Rehman.

I hope that today's sentence gives the victim and her family a measure of comfort and closure."
A north west London hip-hop fan has been hit with a 5,000 penalty after repeatedly blasting out expletive-ridden Chris Brown hit Loyal at deafening volume.

Mandu Ukpong made life a misery for the residents of Yeoman Court in Pinner Road, Harrow, by cranking out loud music at all hours of the day.

When environmental health officers from Harrow council arrived at his door, they could hear the Chris Brown smash playing on a loop.

Despite knocking at the door there was no answer as the song, which includes explicit lyrics boasting about the size of stars manhood, boomed out of his speakers.

Officers later had to return to the property with a court warrant, seizing his hi-fi equipment and cutting off the grating sound of Mr Brown - notorious for beating up former girlfriend Rhianna.

Mr Ukpong had fallen foul of the councils environmental health team before, notching up a history of complaints about noise emanating from his flat.

Neighbours had complained the bass from his speakers was so strong it forced children to flee their bedrooms and sleep in the living room instead.

In his defence, Mr Ukpong told Willesden Magistrates Court his life had been made a living hell by the sound of stomping feet from his upstairs neighbours.

But, last month, the court fined him 2,000 for breaching a Noise Abatement Notice, ordered him to pay 2,975 costs and issued a 100 victim surcharge.

Speaking afterwards Cllr Graham Henson, cabinet member for environment, crime and community safety, said: We all have to tolerate noises we dont like but theres no excuse for this.

We gave Mr Ukpong a chance to be quiet but he continued to make trouble and now its cost him a lot of green.
T he mother of a bike mechanic stabbed to death in Islington today issued a stark warning to parents about knife crime as she revealed the heartbreak of switching off her sons life support.

Jonathan McPhillips, 28, was stabbed in the heart in what police describe as a motiveless attack in the early hours of Saturday morning, staggering 200 yards along Upper Street before collapsing in front of cocktail bar Be At One.

The father-of two young daughters, known to friends as JJ, spent three days in hospital fighting for his life before his mother Michelle had to make the decision to turn off his life support machine.

Speaking outside Jonathans grandmothers house in Milner Square, Islington, Mrs McPhillips issued a plea for witnesses to come forward to police to help catch the killer.

She said: Somebody out there made a decision to take someones life.

"The only people who are going to stop this are the people who can help me make examples of those responsible by putting them where they deserve to be.

Michelle McPhillips has told of her heartbreak at the loss of her son

Every mother in Islington needs to be aware when their children goes out, whether they are eight or 18-years-old, they may not come home due to a knife crime.

She said Jonathan was treated by paramedics at the scene of the stabbing and then spent three days in hospital fighting to stay alive.

He had to have his heart restarted four times, he survived that. He was stabbed in the heart, just below the heart and lungs, she said.

The only thing they didnt do is switch my sons heart off. I had to make that decision to do that.

Jonathan, the tenth person to die from knife crime in London this year, was attacked in a clash between two groups of men at around midnight in Upper Street.

One report suggested he was protecting a friend who had been ambushed by a gang.

A 17-year-old boy was injured and found in a pool of blood outside Town Hall by police. He is now recovering from his injuries.

Mrs McPhillips said: The police have no witnesses at the moment, so we are appealing for witnesses to come forward to help piece together whatever happened last night and see if anyone saw who stabbed my son.

He was my only child, thats whats killing me, he was my only one.

Ms McPhillips said her son, an Arsenal fan, had nothing to do with gangs and was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Detectives were returning to the scene in Islington today in a further bid to speak to witnesses. There have been no arrests.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams, who is leading the murder hunt, said : At this early stage this appears to be motiveless attack and we have established that Jonathan was in the company of seven or eight friends out enjoying the evening.

"The group was approached by six or seven males, an altercation occurred and Jonathan was fatally stabbed.

The Upper Street area is usually very busy on a Friday night into the weekend, and we know that there were a number of people out and about who would have seen the altercation or the stabbing.

"I am urging anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information to come forward.

Anyone with information should call the incident room on 020 8345 3775 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A passenger allegedly tried to smuggled 600,000 endangered live eels onto a plane from Heathrow.

The slipper customers, bound for Hong Kong, were spotted hidden under a load of chilled fish at Heathrow Airport.

Border Force officials arrested a man, 64, in Chessington for alleged customs offences and he was bailed until August.

The 200kg of European "glass" eels would be worth around 1.2m on the black market.

Glass Eels are a prized delicacy in the Far East

The haul was shipped back to Spain, where the fish came from.

There is a total EU ban on their export and they are now considered a prized delicacy in the Far East.

Grant Miller, of the Border Force's Heathrow team, said: "This was a significant seizure, the first of its kind for this type of species at export in the UK."

The eels have been a threatened species as numbers have declined by 90 per cent since the 1970s.
P olice have issued images of five men wanted in connection with a brutal homophobic attack after a Valentine's Day dinner.

Phil Poole, 35, and boyfriend Zbynek Zatloukal, 26, were travelling on a London-bound train from Reading when they were set upon by a group of men.

Mr Poole told the Standard the group yelled a homophobic slur at Mr Zatloukal while Mr Poole slept on his shoulder after the pair missed their stop at Maidenhead.

He claimed he was awoken near Ealing Broadway by a punch to his face at around 1.05am on February 15.

Mr Poole was left with severe cuts and bruises and was knocked unconscious in the horrific subsequent attack which saw them hit and kicked repeatedly despite trying to get away.

Victim: Phil Poole

His partner suffered a suspected broken eye socket and had his front teeth knocked out.

British Transport Police have now released CCTV stills of five people they want to trace over the incident, which took place on a Reading to London Paddington service.

Investigating officer PC Peter Taylor said: This was a very nasty assault committed by a group of men who attacked two other men while they were sleeping on the train.

The victims believe the motivation for the attack was that the offenders thought they were gay.

Phil Poole (left) was attacked on a train with his boyfriend Zbynek Zatloukal

Describing the attack, Mr Poole told the Standard: I cant really remember much about what happened because I was in such shock when I woke up.

I managed to get up and stumble down the carriageway but then they followed me.

Im not a violent person at all. Ive never even been punched so I didnt even know how to defend myself."

PC Taylor said: Hate crime such as this will absolutely not be tolerated by British Transport Police.

I would like to speak to anyone who recognises the men shown in the CCTV images as they may have information which could help with the investigation.

Anyone with information should call police on 0800 40 50 40 or text information to 61016 quoting reference number 30 15/2/17.
P olice are investigating the death of a boy aged seven after an operation at the UKs biggest private childrens hospital, the Standard can reveal.

Patient James Dwerryhouse suffered a catastrophic brain injury at the Portland Hospital as a result of cardiac arrest after equipment monitoring his breathing was turned off for almost three hours overnight.

He died in a hospice when life support was withdrawn the following day.

His parents Marguerite and John today spoke publicly for the first time about Jamess death last August as they launched legal action against hospital owners HCA Healthcare.

The hospital in Great Portland Street was where Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were born. Celebrities including Victoria Beckham, Liz Hurley and Claudia Schiffer have also chosen it for childbirth.

James had been admitted for a routine operation on his bowel on August 25 and was recovering in intensive care.

He had enjoyed a FaceTime session with his brothers and sisters from his hospital bed and was in good spirits when his father left him in the early hours. A serious incident report drawn up by the hospital reveals that monitoring equipment was switched off at 1.15am and not turned back on until nearly 4am, by which time James had suffered cardiac arrest.

James died after surgery at the Portland / Alamy

He had sleep apnoea  potentially life-threatening interruptions in breathing while asleep  and was found unresponsive by night staff.

Mrs Dwerryhouse said: It has been heart-breaking. James had health issues and needed a lot of health support in his life but he was full of life, cheeky, funny, happy and occasionally mischievous, like all little boys.

Only days earlier hed been to summer club  chasing around, up and down slides, having a great time.

He wasnt a fragile boy at all, he wasnt poorly and he certainly wasnt a boy who was at risk of dying. This was a routine operation, which had been a complete success.

We still dont know the full truth. We know the police have been looking into the matter and now we also have solicitors acting on our behalf, so hopefully we will get there in the end. We need to for James.

Till now weve been very quiet and even people close to us have been unaware of how James was let down and why he died. People need to know, though, and we need to know exactly what happened that night.

According to the serious incident report, nursing staff removed the monitoring equipment without consulting senior colleagues.

CCTV footage suggests that staff, who were looking after six children on the unit, took longer breaks than were permitted, the report claims.

It says they failed to document properly their observations of James, turned off alarms when reconnecting his monitoring equipment and may have taken 20 minutes to summon a resuscitation crash team.

The cause of death, it adds, appears to be the removal of vital signs monitoring between 1.15am and 3.58am, as this resulted in the inability to be alerted to a suspected deterioration in the childs respiratory condition and reducing oxygen saturations.

The report addressed claims the family had asked for the monitoring equipment to be removed  which they deny  stating that in all cases the patients clinical needs remain priority above parental wishes.

The Westminster coroner is awaiting the outcome of the police investigation before holding an inquest.

Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp, from Hudgell solicitors, said there had been a totally unacceptable lack of clarity about what happened.

Loss: James Dwerryhouse meeting Buzz Lightyear with parents Margueritte and John

She added: What cannot be disputed in this case is that a huge, unforgivable error was made in that Jamess monitoring equipment was turned off when it should have remained on at all times. Had the equipment remained on, no matter what other things were happening that night on the intensive care unit, staff would have been immediately alerted to any danger.

The unit was not understaffed or over capacity, therefore there seems to be no excuse for what happened.

To leave a child who is in the intensive care unit because he has a known condition such as sleep apnoea un- monitored is almost beyond belief.

Portland Hospital said: We send our deepest sympathy to the family of James Dwerryhouse. We are cooperating with all investigations and we are unable to comment further until they are completed.

Scotland Yard said: Officers were called to a central London hospital after the death of a boy aged seven. Westminster CID are undertaking inquiries on behalf of the coroner.
T he unexploded World War Two bomb which forced more than 50 residents to leave their homes in north west London has been defused, police said.

The army weapon disposal experts successfully neutralised the huge German aircraft bomb at 7.30pm on Friday.

The device was then loaded into a lorry and driven away from Brondesbury Park at 8.30pm.

Scotland Yard said all residents have since been allowed to return home and all cordons have been lifted.

Soldiers inspect the bomb / Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA

Hundreds of pupils from Marylebone Boys School and Malorees junior and infants schools were evacuated as well as many residents after the 500lb device was unearthed at a building site on Thursday morning.

Captain Steve Glover, senior technical officer for explosive ordnance disposal, told the Standard the operation had gone "really well".

He said: "We are looking to start work on the neutralisation of the fuses this afternoon.

"It will then take a couple of hours to soak it and make sure it's all safe before we start moving it out."

WWII bomb found in Brondesbury Park

Captain Glover revealed that the dustbin-sized bomb, dropped in 1940 during the Blitz, had two fuses which needed to be neutralised.

He would not confirm how dangerous the bomb could be, but admitted such devices "are designed to cause maximum disruption".

He insisted there was no danger to the public and that after the fuses were neutralised the bomb was no more than "a big lump of metal".

"There was a very very tiny chance of it going off but we will not take risks with people's lives which is why we worked with the authorities to clear the area," he said.

"This operation has been complicated by the fact it's a very urban area.

"It's impossible to say how much damage it could do."

Soldiers worked throughout the night to try to defuse the bomb / Sgt Rupert Frere

A police cordon remained in place on The Avenue on Friday and pupils at the nearby schools were given the day off.

Brent Council set up a rest centre at nearby St Martin's Church for those evacuated from their homes.

Mick Gallagher, borough commander for Brent, today revealed he and many of the officers involved in the operation knew what to do after finding a similar bomb at Wembley stadium two years ago.

He said: "A lot of the officers, including myself, have got experience in dealing with this even though it is very unusual."

He said that the bomb was expected to be removed and taken to an undisclosed location outside of London this afternoon to be safely detonated.

The bomb has been described as 'dustbin sized' / Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright

"We are very much being guided by the army and bomb disposal experts on this," he said.

"But my view is that we have it contained.

"It has been there since 1940 but it is still dangerous enough to want to evacuate residents as a precaution.

"We are sure the schools will be back on Monday. The kids won't be getting another day off unfortunately for them".

The army is taking the bomb to the countryside to safely dispose of it / Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright

Some 50 residents were put up at a nearby Holiday Inn last night, where free dominos pizza was laid on. About half of them were children and there were also two dogs. Others stayed with friends and Family.

The bomb was found by construction workers preparing to build 74 new apartments for developer Regal Homes.

The firm said it was assisting the services in whatever way it could.

Soldiers measure the bomb / Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright

Roxanne Landripet, who was evacuated on Thursday and spent the night at her sister's house, said she had been informed she may be able to return home at 6pm this evening.

Another evacuated resident called Amy said: "It's not a great way to spend a Friday and possibly a weekend but it's what had to be done.

"They gave each person ten minutes to collect our belongings and waited for us.

The student added: "I felt that it was a little over dramatic that such a big area had to be evacuated but I'm glad they found the bomb and it was kind of them to offer shelter for us."

Superintendent Nigel Quantrell of Brent police said: "I would like to thank the local community for their support over the two days of this operation.

"Their co-operation, and especially their patience, has been invaluable in enabling the police, the Army and other partners, including the London Borough of Brent, to deal with this incident safely."
O n the 176 bus from Elephant and Castle to Dulwich, two black teenagers started brawling on the upper deck over a mobile phone.

One punched the other in the face - but while the other passengers shrank back, Kwame Ocloo jumped in and stopped the fight before it escalated.

The potential for petty disputes to spiral among black youths, sometimes fatally, alarmed Kwame, and as a school governor he had noticed another trend: All I heard at governor meetings was how black children were failing to meet national targets and other ethnic minorities like the Chinese were doing better. I got fed up. I decided - enough speeches, time for action.

So in 2007 he founded the Youth Learning Network - one of hundreds of grassroots projects backed with 5 million the Standards Dispossessed Fund has received from Comic Relief, whose Red Nose Appeal the newspaper is once again supporting this year.

The learning network, a parent-led charity, supports the resolution of disputes and offers supplementary Saturday classes for black and minority ethnic children.

Kwame with young people and parents participating in the scheme / Lucy Young

In 10 years it has helped more than 500 re-engage with their studies and more than 70 per cent have gone on to pass their GCSEs, with many taking up places at universities such as Imperial College and Cambridge.

A father of six, and governor of two Southwark schools, Kwame runs the charity as an unpaid volunteer. So why is he so passionate about helping other peoples children?

I was brought up in rural Ghana where it wasnt just the responsibility of your parents to bring you up, but the whole village, he said.

My children have all gone to university, but I look at other peoples children as my children as well.

Sometimes this attitude gets him into trouble. I used to frequent a sandwich shop next to Peckham Academy and when I saw students there after 8.45am I would tap my watch at them and say, Youre supposed to be in school, does your mother know youre here?

Community project: The school offers extra classes for BME children / Lucy Young

After a few weeks they would see me and shout, Grandads coming and hastily leave, he laughed. I became this self-appointed policeman. I only stopped because my wife told me I wasnt living in a village in Ghana. I did it because I believe in community.

Kwame has a history as an activist, having been deported almost 30 years ago by Jerry Rawlings who took power in Ghana in a coup detat.

I was general secretary of Ghanas largest trade union and a high-profile thorn in the side of the government, he said.

I was often interviewed by the BBC World Service and twice I was arrested and beaten up. The third time I was told to leave because they were going to kill me.

He arrived in 1989 as an exile aged 34, moved into a council flat in Southwark and rebuilt his life, working for a trade union that has since merged with Unite.

Kwame said the network was built on principles he holds dear: Discipline and strict timekeeping ... Children come on Saturdays for half an hour of help with homework, but English and maths classes start promptly at 1pm and if they are late without a good excuse, they get sent home.

"I used to be the letter writer for my grandfathers in my village and I could be called at 4am and if I was late I got punished. I learned the importance of timekeeping and respecting others.

"We also make sure the children dress properly. I dont want to see pants hanging halfway down their bottom and I dont allow mobile phones in class.

The Youth Learning Network is one of 340 projects tackling inequality that the Dispossessed Fund has supported with cash from Comic Relief in the past five years.

This year the Standard and Comic Relief aim to raise even more money for inspirational groups addressing poverty and social exclusion.

The 14,486 grant from the Dispossessed Fund has been a lifeline, said Kwame, 62. Parents pay 50 a month for their children to attend our classes, but many cant afford to pay a penny and we never turn anyone away.

The grant pays for hall hire and the project co-ordinator and we pay six teachers 20 an hour, so we could not operate this programme without it.

The Standard visited on a Saturday when 25 children and parents were attending a careers seminar at the church hall next to Goose Green in East Dulwich.

There were questions about how to become a stockbroker. Afterwards, when a 13-year-old took a call from a friend to meet on the common, Kwame was adamant: No. From here you go straight home. I will call your parents to check.

The students seem to appreciate his fierce care. Jordan Opoku-Baah, 13, said that when his father brought him there two years ago he couldnt read: I was missing a lot of classes at school because I couldnt even read the timetable. I was falling behind and getting a bad attitude, he said.

Now I have learned to read and my dad is shocked at how my learning has improved. I feel very proud of myself. What has made the difference? He smiled nervously. Kwame showed me the Youth Offending Unit on the other side of Goose Green and told me that if I didnt take school seriously Id end up there.

For Kwame, these are not idle threats. A 2014 report by the Runnymede Trust revealed that more young black men are in prison in Britain today than are attending university.

Another student, Sophia Bekoe, 13, added: Kwame is strict but encouraging. If he sees you not performing, he will find out whats happening and get you back on track. I am top of my class at school because of this place.

One of the things Kwame is proudest of is the trip in which he takes the children to Ghana with tickets provided free by British Airways: I take them to my village and show them where I went to school under the mango tree.

"I tell them how we used to carry our desk and chair to the tree every day.

One girl we took was in a Brixton gang and in trouble with the police. The Ghana trip changed her life. She left the gang and ended up studying law at Cambridge.

The aim of the trip, he said, is to show black Britons a country where black people are in positions of responsibility. Many children in the village have no electricity and use the bush for a toilet, yet they have more aspirations than the children from London, who arrive feeling hard done by.

"At Youth Learning Network, we get children to understand how much they have in London. And we get them to see that if they study well, the sky is the limit.
A row erupted today after a council named a prestigious new London address after a supporter of fascist leader Oswald Mosley.

Wandsworth borough leaders were urged by an MP to think again about naming a luxury apartment block after aviation pioneer Sir Edwin Alliott Verdon Roe, who died in 1958.

Although Verdon Roe is revered as probably the first Englishman to make a successful powered flight in Britain, his reputation was tarnished by membership of Mosleys British Union of Fascists, whose gangs of Blackshirts intimidated Londons Jewish community in the Thirties.

The 80-apartment Verdon Roe House is being built on the site of the historic Ram brewery by Shanghai-based developer Greenland.

Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan called on the council to rename it. She said: In Wandsworth we pride ourselves on having a cohesive community where everyone is welcome. It would send the wrong message at a time when hate crimes have risen to name such an important new building after a well-known fascist.

Verdon Roe began his first biplane in a stables in Wandsworth, successfully flying it briefly on June 8, 1908 at Brooklands. The next year he flew a triplane at Chingford. He then founded A.V. Roe Aircraft Co  later Avro, maker of the Lancaster bomber. He joined the British Union of Fascists in 1934 to a fanfare in the fascist journal, Blackshirt.

Dr Steven Woodbridge, senior lecturer in history at Kingston University, said: I can see why some people would feel uncomfortable. Even during the Second World War, he was contributing articles to the publications of extreme Right parties. I think his views would be abhorrent to people today. There was a definite strand of anti-Semitism in his thinking and outlook.

Wandsworth council said: This name has been put forward by the developer. Sir Edwin Alliott Verdon Roe was suggested due to his historic connection to the local area and the location of his nearby aircraft workshop.

Greenland said it suggested the name because Verdon Roe was already honoured by a green plaque at his original workshop. It said: Wandsworth council has the final decision on all names.
A former Bond girl is hoping to be elected as a Conservative councillor in north London.

Catherine McQueen, who starred in Die Another Day with Pierce Brosnans Bond, is to stand in the ward of Camden Town with Primrose Hill.

The Scottish ex-model and actress wants to clean up the areas streets and crack down on crime, anti-social behaviour and drugs, the Times reported.

The 38-year-old Tory hopeful appeared in a minor role as a Russian model in the 2002 Bond film and has also modelled for photo shoots in magazines Marie Claire, Elle, FHM, GQ and Tatler.

The 38-year-old studied at City University after beginning her modelling career aged 16. / Getty Images

She will be one of the Conservative partys candidates to contest the north London seat, which currently has three Labour council representatives.

Best James Bond 007 Girls - In pictures 1 /46 Best James Bond 007 Girls - In pictures Lea Seydoux Lea Seydoux played femme fatale Madeline Swann - the daughter of Bond's arch nemesis Mr White - in Spectre. Severine Berenice Marlohe played the anti-heroine Bond girl Severine in Skyfall alongside Daniel Craig Eve Moneypenny Naomie Harris' character Eve Moneypenny oozed grace and confidence in Skyfall Honey Ryder Ursula Andress' Honey Ryder in Dr No is the original 007 girl and possibly the one with the best body. She paved the way for Halle Berry's sea scene in Die Another Day Pussy Galore Honor Blackman may have been the oldest Bond girl but she will go down as one of the most memorable Giacinta 'Jinx' Johnson Halle Berry is remembered for that famous walking out of the sea shot as Giacinta 'Jinx' Johnson in Die Another Day Solange Dimitrios Caterina Murino played Solange Dimitrios who was seduced by Bond and then killed by Le Chiffre in Casino Royale Monica Bellucci The Italian actress starred alongside Daniel Craig as James Bond in the 24th installment in the spy franchise: Spectre. She played Lucia Sciarra and is the oldest actress to play a 'Bond girl'. Camille Montes Olga Kurylenko played Brazillian Camille Montes who helped Bond defeat Greene and the oil companies in Quantum of Solace Strawberry Fields Bond getting to know Agent Strawberry Fields (Gemma Arterton) in Quantum of Solace Vesper Lynd Eva Green had the girl-next-door beauty as the intelligent agent, Vesper Lynd - Bond's primary love interest in Casino Royale Paris Carver Teri played Paris Carver alongside Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies. After a sensual love scene with Bond, she is killed by her husband Elliot Carver Elektra King Sophie played Elektra King in The World Is Not Enough, an oil heiress who Bond was under orders to protect at all costs Dr Christmas Jones Denise played Dr Christmas Jones in The World Is Not Enough , but despite her enviable figure she was voted the worst Bond girl of all time Natalya Fyodorovna Simonova Izabella played the courageous and highly intelligent Natalya Fyodorovna Simonova in Golden Eye Pam Bouvier Carey's character Pam Bouvier in Licence to Kill isn't the most popular Bond Girl but her role marked the changing face of Bond girls Kara Milovy Kara Milovy was played by Maryam d'Abo, a Czech cellist who is slightly gullible Stacey Sutton Played by Tanya Roberts, after getting rescued by Bond, Stacey Sutton shares a shower with the 007 agent Octopussy Octopussy (Maud Adams) sailed into the sunset with Bond at the end of Octopussy For Your Eyes Only Caroline "Tula" Cossey was the first and only Bond girl to be played by a trans woman. She starred alongside Roger Moore in For Your Eyes Only Dr. Holly Goodhead Lois Chiles played spy, Dr. Holly Goodhead in Moonraker with Roger Moore Major Anya Amasova Barbara Bach played agent Amasova in The Spy Who Loved Me where Bond managed to convince Anya to not kill him, but to join him in bed instead Naomi Played by Caroline Munro, Naomi subtly flirts with Bond and clearly enjoys the game they play where she tries to kill Bond Andrea Anders and Mary Goodnight Andrea Anders and Mary Goodnight in The Man With The Golden Gun Rosie Carver Rosie Carver was played by Gloria Hendry in Live And Let Die. She wasn't the most able agent, but had a killer figure Solitaire Jane Seymour played Solitaire, a psychic tarot reader who Bond offered a pack of lovers cards to in an attempt to seduce her Tiffany Case Jill St. John played Tiffany in Diamonds Are Forever alongside Sean Connery Tracy Di Vicenzo Tracy is played by Diana Rig in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Tracy may be the one woman that Bond truly loved after their pair grew close over time Helga Brandt Helga Brandt was played by Karin Dor in You Only Live Twice. The racy red head tries to seduce Bond before attempting to kill him Kissy Suzuki Mie Hama played Kissy in You Only Live Twice. It takes Bond time to win Kissy around Dominique 'Domino' Derval Dominique was played by Claudine Auger in Thunderball. She first met Bond while underwater in scuba gear Nurse Patricia Fearing The English actress starred as Nurse Patricia Fearing opposite Sean Connery Jill Masterson Jill Masterson was played by Shirley Eaton alongside Sean Connery as Bond Dink Little is known about Dink, played by Margaret Nolan, as she had very limited screen time Tatiana Romanova Played by Daniela Bianchi in From Russia With Love, Bond describes her as "the most beautiful girl I have ever seen"

"I'm living with my son in what should be a residential area, but when I tell people that Camden Town is a residential area they can't believe what I'm saying, she told the Camden New Journal.

Catherine McQueen in Bond film Die Another Die

You have people late at night running through the streets screaming, p**sing in the streets, throwing up. And then in the day you get drug pushers."

Ms McQueen was born in Edinburgh and began modelling aged 16 before completing a degree in Law and Business from City University.

She has had acting roles in The Bill and Judge John Deed on top of touring as a DJ in clubs across the US and in Hollywood.
A n explosion at "London's oldest strip club" in Soho has sparked a mass evacuation in central London.

Emergency services taped-off part of Shaftesbury Avenue, around 5.30pm on Friday following a "gas or electricity explosion" in the men's toilets of the Windmill Club in Archer Street.

The venue, based in the old Windmill theatre, is described online as the oldest and most iconic strip club in London and claims to have started showcasing strip and nude dancing in the 1930s when nowhere else in London had done so.

A worker at the club told the Standard: I was in the office when I heard the bang come from the gents' toilet. According to the fire brigade it came from the toilets, something to do with the heating system.

'Iconic club': Emergency services taped off swathes of Soho / Gulsen Burak

I was in the office which is two rooms away at the time. Thank God I wasnt there. I called my manager to call the fire brigade.

Its an old building, it used to be a theatre. Downstairs the basement is a mess. Im still in shock. The fire brigade has told me we have to go.

'Huge bang': Swathes of Soho have been closed off / Twitter/@SamHodges

The assistant manager of a jewellery store in nearby Great Windmill Street said she was in the store with two customers when she heard the bang.

She told the Standard: I ran out of the shop to see what had happened. I heard a bang and then saw the smoke coming from the ground and out of the ventilation system of the Windmill nightclub.

The pavement broke so I guess the explosion happened underneath the ground.

The 35-year-old said: The police and fire brigade are still here and the road is closed so no customers can come to the shop.

She added: The couple who were in the store left because they got scared. Most people werent too worried though they started filming and taking photos.

Police cordon: Nearby offices and shops were evacuated / Nick Edell

Andrew Wildman, from Essex, was walking past the club when smoke began to pour from the pavement outside.

He said: We arrived just before 6pm and there were lots and lots and police and many vans.

A woman came out of the Windmill and said that there had been an explosion in the basement.

Aftermath of explosion at Soho strip club

The pavement outside had been blown up and there was a little bit of smoke coming out.

The police started to cordon off the street and move people away.

Pictures posted on social media showed a police cordon in place opposite the popular Rainforest Cafe.

Witness Nick Edell wrote on Twitter: "Explosion on Rupert Street and the office has been evacuated. That's one way to end the week."

Stephan Macdonald wrote on Twitter: OMG just had a gas explosion go off next to us in Soho.

Whole street has been evacuated now.

Other users described the scene as chaotic.

Transport for London said the area, popular with tourists and theatre-goers, had been closed-off as part of a major emergency services incident.

Scotland Yard confirmed officers had been called to reports of an explosion.

No one is believed to have been injured.

Emergency response: The explosion reportedly happened in the male toilets of 'London's oldest and most iconic strip club' / Nick Edell

A spokesman said: Police were called at 5.30pm on Friday, March 3 to reports of a small explosion at premises in Archer Street, W1.

The explosion has caused some damage to the pavement outside the building.

Local road closures are in place while the LFB assess the scene.

Pedestrians and motorists are advised to avoid the area.

The incident is not being treated as terrorist related.

Shaftesbury Avenue and Great Windmill Street reopened shortly after 8pm.
H undreds more residents of a leafy north London suburb face being forced from their homes over the weekend as Army explosive experts prepare to disarm a 500lb Second World War bomb unearthed by builders.

An exclusion zone around the construction site in Queens Park, north-west London, is expected to be widened by an extra 300 metres today amid fears work to disable the dustbin-size device could take several days.

Around 50 residents in The Avenue, where detached properties sell for 2million, were told to leave their homes at 11.30am yesterday following the discovery.

Many spent the day in a council-run rest centre before being moved to a local Holiday Inn, where Dominos pizzas were laid on.

WW2 Bomb found in Christchurch Avenue, London 1 /16 WW2 Bomb found in Christchurch Avenue, London An army team examines the WWII bomb which was discovered on a building site in Brent, north-west London Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA The dig operation to make the bomb safe could last for several days Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright Police at the scene of an unexploded World War II bomb today in Brondsbury, North London Jeremy Selwyn British Army Bomb Disposal Experts deal with the enormous explosive device Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright The bomb, pictured by London Fire Brigade workers, shortly after it was discovered on the building site London Fire Brigade The Army's Royal Engineer bomb disposal experts worked through the night with the emergency services to make it safe Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright Homes in the area have been evacuated and a large cordon has been set up Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright The Army's Royal Engineer bomb disposal experts dig around the bomb Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright A close-up of the WWII bomb shows its huge size Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright It was discovered under the site of a major property development MoD/Crown Copyright/PA It is feared it could take several days before the area is safe again Sgt Rupert Frere Police at the scene of an unexploded World War II bomb today in Brondsbury, North London Tom Powell

They were briefly allowed back into the exclusion zone to collect clothes and emergency supplies.

Two army demolitions experts examine the bomb ((Rupert Frere for the British Army)) / Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA

Councillor Carol Shaw, for Brondesbury Park ward, said: The construction firm have been told that it might not be clear for three days as a specific part is needed to safely detonate the bomb.

Its a major operation and it could be very dangerous, which is worrying.

The dig operation to make the bomb safe could last for several days / Rupert Frere/MoD/Crown Copyright

Dhiren Patel, a PhD student at Imperial College whose family was evacuated from Christchurch Avenue, told the Standard: Weve all been sent to the Holiday Inn. You can see many kids in their school uniforms at the reception here  its a strange scene.

Its pretty frightening to know we had a 500lb bomb a couple of doors away.

The 26-year-old added: Weve been given a range of answers about when we can go back home, from tomorrow afternoon to a few days.

The device was uncovered on a site being developed into 74 luxury flats by Regal Homes.

Moa Taylor Hodin, 22, who lives in a block of flats backing onto the site, said: The police knocked on the door and told my boyfriend he had to evacuate. Hes a musician so he just grabbed his guitar for his gig and left.

The couple returned to the flat at 9pm to collect some belongings before going to stay with her boyfriends family nearby.

The bomb, pictured by London Fire Brigade workers, shortly after it was discovered on the building site / London Fire Brigade

The charity worker added: You dont really want to stay somewhere that might blow up at any time.

A spokesman for Regal Homes said: Excavations on site at The Avenue, Queens Park, have unearthed an object of concern.

The health and safety of our team and our neighbours is of course our primary consideration and Regal Homes is cooperating fully with the authorities who are investigating the situation.

Superintendent Nigel Quantrell of Brent council, said: We are working very hard resolve the situation. The publics understanding and cooperation is deeply appreciated.
T heresa May today fired the opening salvo in what could be the next Scottish independence battle by hailing the United Kingdom as the worlds greatest family of nations.

The Prime Minister promised more devolution to give Scots powers to run their own affairs, and said the pooling of risk and resources between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland had made everyone better off. With Brexit emerging as the likely trigger for SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon to demand a second independence referendum, Mrs May admitted leaving the EU could bring unintended consequences.

But she insisted there was a positive, optimistic and passionate case to stay together.

Mrs May said it would also give Scots a chance to increase trade with emerging markets  including a push of Scottish whisky in the vast and lucrative Indian market. After Brexit, its potential for growth in exports across the world is immense, she said of the 5 billion whisky industry.

But within the EU, Scotch whisky faces a tariff of 150 per cent for selling to India. And Scotch whisky, the worlds pre-eminent spirit, has just a one per cent share of the Indian market.

Nicola Sturgeon insists she is not bluffing about second Scottish independence referendum

But Mrs May acknowledged that Brexit required a careful overhaul of decision-making in the British Isles to ensure that the Union was not pulled apart.

In short, we must avoid any unintended consequences for the coherence and integrity of a devolved United Kingdom as a result of our leaving the EU, she said.

In a speech designed to counter head-on Ms Sturgeons moves towards another independence referendum, Mrs May said she would adopt a new collective responsibility that meant every decision must be taken with the Union in mind.

She struck a positive tone, in contrast with the Project Fear of David Camerons campaign, saying: Together we form the worlds greatest family of nations. It is written in our collective achievements, both at home and in the world.

She criticised Ms Sturgeon for tunnel vision nationalism and playing politics as though it were a game. It is in the interest of everyone in our country that we seize those opportunities and make a success of what lies ahead.

Mrs May said the pooling and sharing of risks and resources between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were a benefit to all, from the banks bailout to meeting welfare payments when North Sea oil prices plunged.

Sir John Major criticises Theresa May's Brexit strategy

Earlier, a senior SNP MP, Stephen Gethins, refused on BBC radio to say if the nationalists would try to call a second referendum. He said Mrs Mays decision to leave the European single market was straining relations.

If the UK Government rejects a perfectly reasonable compromise ... Then we really need to consider our options, he said. Scottish Secretary David Mundell hit back: What we see are synthetic grievances ... Brexit has been just another excuse for talking about independence.
T he growth of Londons ageing population has inspired the launch today of a three-year programme to tackle discrimination and improve services.

The London branch of charity Age UK is today launching Age Allies - which aims to link the private and public sectors to help counter age discrimination and improve the experiences of older people.

The charity is now calling for Londoners aged over 50 with views on ageism and insights into what improvements might be made to attend focus groups that will shape the Age Allies project - which is being funded by the City Bridge Trust.

Paul Goulden, Chief Executive, Age UK London, said he hoped the project will help make London a great place to grow older.

He added: Ageism is sadly prevalent in society but we are very excited about the prospect of partnering with businesses and organisations in London to combat the stigma of growing old.

According to Age UK London data, there are 2.2 million people aged over 50 and 980,000 people aged over 65 in the capital. There are 130,000 people aged over 85 in London, which is expected to increase by 38 per cent in the next decade.

For more information and to register to take part please visit www.ageuklondon.org.uk or call 020 7820 6770.
A former policy aide to Gordon Brown has lost a landmark divorce case, in the latest stage of proceedings which have taken in three countries over five years.

A judge in London ruled yesterday that a divorce granted to the British woman in the UK was not valid and instead recognised a divorce made four years earlier in Dubai.

Afsana Lachaux claimed she had been attacked, degraded, stalked and spied on by her husband, French aerospace engineer Bruno Lachaux.

She claimed Mr Lachaux had sought a divorce and custody of their six-year-old son Louis under Sharia law in the United Arab Emirates.

However, at the High Court in London, Mr Justice Mostyn dismissed Mrs Lachauxs case and said she had lied during a four-day hearing. He found the Dubai divorce was valid and dismissed Mrs Lachauxs claims of coercion, saying she gave as good as she got.

The judge also found that Mr Lachaux had lied and that he had snooped in order to access Mrs Lachauxs emails and texts  but said he preferred his account of a confrontation at the family home.

Louis is now in his fathers custody in Dubai and his mother has been granted limited contact.

The judge warned Mr Lachaux he could still order him to bring the boy to the UK if Mrs Lachaux was cut out of his life and urged the couple to set aside their differences. The pair met in India in 2008 and married two years later at a ceremony in London but relations quickly soured. Mrs Lachaux claimed she was being controlled by her spouse but the judge said: The mother was a free spirit, doing exactly what she wanted, where she wanted, with whom she wanted.

It is a far cry from the case of grinding depression and coercive control painted in her carefully prepared witness statements.

He also found that Mrs Lachaux had attempted to sabotage her husbands job, saying: It is plain to me that the mothers strategy was to obtain the dismissal of the father so that  he would be deported. The judge found that both parties had invaded each others privacy during the dispute.

He concluded both parties have told me lies from the witness box, although the mothers lies have been more extensive than those of the father.

The judge ruled that Louis was lawfully removed from Mrs Lachaux following his disappearance for 19 months. He added that her suspended sentence for kidnapping was lenient in the circumstances and also concluded that he did not accept Mrs Lachaux was a victim of abuse, threats and violence from the father.

He went on: I do not accept that she was fearful of him. I do not accept that her complaints were not investigated or taken seriously by the police and the court. I do not accept that she was mistreated by the police.

I do not accept that she was trapped in Dubai as a result of travel bans or confiscation of her passport. I do not accept that she did not have notice of the divorce proceedings or the opportunity to participate in them.

I do not accept that the proceed- ings were unfair. The mother was not divorced on traditional Islamic grounds and Sharia judges did not steal her son.

He said it was true Mrs Lachaux has been denied access to her son.

The father failed to promote the relationship between mother and Louis, added the judge. However, that failure must be set against the mothers conduct.

I have made strong findings against both parties. They should act as a form of closure between them.

I reiterate that Louis wellbeing will be seriously compromised if he does not have a meaningful relationship with each of his parents.

The judge ruled that the Dubai divorce was valid and a subsequent English divorce was invalid.

A spokesman for Mrs Lachaux said: Although she is disappointed with the judgment she is pleased that Mr Justice Mostyn recognised it is vitally important for Louis to have a relationship with both parents as he grows up.

Mr Lachaux said the judgment had vindicated him and he was looking forward to supporting his son in re-building the boys relationship with his mother.

He also referred to ongoing libel claims he has brought against various publishers, including the Evening Standard, who reported Mrs Lachauxs allegations. He said he intends to continue these actions.
T he full extent of hate crime in London around the time of the EU referendum vote is revealed today.

The most detailed analysis yet shows for the first time that a surge in 999 calls about such crimes started about two weeks before the vote for Brexit on June 23 last year and lasted until the end of September.

Every one of the 17 weeks saw an increase in hate crime reports on the previous year, and in only three weeks was the rise less than 10 per cent.

Amnesty International today linked the surge to the toxic language used about migrants and refugees during the referendum campaign.

Met police figures released to the Standard after Freedom of Information requests reveal there were 4,727 emergency calls about hate crime from the second week of June to the end of September, a 24 per cent increase on the same period in 2015.

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In the fortnight leading up to the poll, there were 540 999 calls about hate crime  up 22 per cent on the previous year.

The week with the highest number of reports last year, 378, started on July 18, four weeks after the EU vote and days after an Islamist terrorist killed 86 people in a truck attack in Nice.

Hate crimes are those where victims are targeted because of their race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability.

The borough with the most reported hate crimes during the 17-week spike was Westminster, with 334 calls, followed by Newham with 221. Police say the number of incidents has returned to average levels.

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Kerry Moscogiuri, Amnesty International UKs director of campaigns, said: These figures bear out that divisive political campaigning last summer gave licence to the expression of discriminatory views in a way we havent seen for decades.

We had witnessed negative and toxic language being used in debates on refugees and migrant rights.

The London Mayor election and the EU referendum brought some of this to the surface, but an insidious narrative has been developing for much longer.

There needs to be a much stronger message from all quarters of the political establishment that racially charged and demonising language is totally unacceptable in modern Britain.

Mike Ainsworth, director of London services at Stop Hate UK, said: There needs to be greater emphasis on training in handling victims immediately, effectively and with emotional understanding.

Last month National Police Chiefs lead on hate crime, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, gave three reasons for the rise to the Commons home affairs committee.

He said: One, increased awareness, two, people reporting stuff that pre-referendum they wouldnt have reported because they werent aware to do it, or just hadnt got the courage, and thirdly, the prevalence of increased actual offending.

"We think it was a combination of all three.

A Met spokeswoman said there were 900 specialist officers across London dedicated to investigating hate crime.
G raffiti artist Banksy has opened a hotel with the worst views in the world in the West Bank.

The Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem was unveiled in a surprise announcement on Friday.

Rooms at the guesthouse, which overlooks the West Bank separation barrier, will be available to book from March 11.

The venture has been termed a hotel, protest and art all in one from artist Banksy whose work has previously aimed to bring Israelis and Palestinians together, the Guardian reported.

Banksy's The Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem. / AFP/Getty Images

A preview of the hotel unveiled to journalists on Friday showed the nine rooms  the cheapest of which costs $30, or around 24 a night  decorated with the artists satirical work.

One room, nicknamed Banksys room, features a king-sized bed with artwork showing a Palestinian and Israeli in a pillow fight above the bed. The hotel also features a presidential suite and a museum.

The aim is to bring visitors to the historic city of Bethlehem, whose economy has suffered since war damaged its tourism economy.

Banksys latest venture follows Dismaland, a sinister amusement park which was opened in Weston-super-Mare in 2015.

The Banksy hotel boasts 'the worst view in the world'. / AFP/Getty Images

In the past Banksy, whose identity remains shrouded in mystery, has decorated the West Bank separation barrier with pieces of artwork including a painting of a girl pulled upward by balloons.

Last year, he is believed to have sneaked into Gaza to draw four street murals, including one on a metal door that depicted the Greek goddess Niobe cowering against the rubble of a destroyed house.

The artist's satirical stencils - rats, kissing policemen, riot police with yellow smiley faces - first appeared on walls in Bristol before spreading to London and then around the world.

His artwork comments on war, child poverty and the environment.

Additional reporting by AP.
T he father of a five-year-old boy today told of the terrifying moment his sons toe was ripped off after his rubber Crocs shoe got stuck in an escalator at a luxury hotel in Dubai.

Stanley Wood was on holiday with his parents Helen and Ben and his seven-year-old sister when the accident happened.

His father told how he had to pull the youngster to safety as the family arrived back at their home in Chiselhurst, southeast London, after an extended stay in hospital in the Gulf emirate.

He said: We were going down and he started screaming, my wife was holding his hand and shouting that he was stuck. His foot had just gripped like a tyre to the metal of the side.

Stanley recovers in hospital

As we went down his foot was going further and further in and I had to yank him out. His bone was exposed and there was blood everywhere. It just gobbled his foot up.

The family were on holiday for Stanleys birthday which he was forced to spend in hospital after undergoing surgery.

Mrs Wood said in a Facebook post campaigning for awareness of the risks of soft rubber sandals and escalators: We were not aware of the dangers as it has not been widely publicised and now we think it needs to be something that is more commonly known.

The boy's shoe wedged down the side of the escalator

Mr Wood added: He is being so brave but he shouldnt have gone through that. We dont want any other parents to go through what we did. He thinks his toe is going to grow back like milk teeth, we havent the heart to tell him. You dont lose a big toe and go back to normal.

Whilst we were waiting on him in hospital we just kept doing research and found out this has happened for years to kids all over - its gutting.

Crocs, which is based in Colorado in the US, did not respond to a request for comment.
D onald Trump has axed a regulation blocking sales of guns to up to 75,000 mentally ill people.

The US President signed a measure into law this week, rescinding a rule from Barack Obamas administration which was introduced after the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting in which 20 students were killed.

That regulation had required records of some mentally ill people who received disability benefits to be reported to the FBI for background checking.

It would have meant those people were placed on a database determining whether or not they could buy a gun.

Senators voted down the Obama regulation by a vote of 57 to 43 last month, with President Trump signing that decision into law on Tuesday, NPR reported.

Republicans had argued the rule infringed Second Amendment rights while the National Rifle Association also spoke out against it.

Democrats laugh at Trump

However, Senator Chris Murphy, who represents Connecticut where the Sandy Hook massacre took place, slammed colleagues for failing to stop dangerous people from buying a firearm.

He said: "We know that people with serious mental illness in this country can go buy a very powerful weapon and do great damage with it.

If you can't manage your own financial affairs, how can we expect that you're going to be a responsible steward of a dangerous, lethal firearm?"
P resident Donald Trump accused his political opponents of conducting a witch hunt as he defended his embattled attorney general Jeff Sessions over claims he lied to US lawmakers about his contacts with a Russian envoy.

Mr Trump spoke out as Vice President Mike Pence became embroiled in a potential scandal amid reports he used a personal email account to discuss sensitive security issues when he was governor of Indiana.

In the presidential campaign, Mr Pence was among Hillary Clintons fiercest critics when she was found to have used her private email server while she was US Secretary of State.

Now he will face heavy scrutiny over his use of an AOL email account, especially as it was reportedly hacked last summer.

The president came out with guns blazing for his attorney general.

Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional, Mr Trump said in a statement he later tweeted.

This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win. The Democrats are overplaying their hand.

They lost the election and now, they have lost their grip on reality.

The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!

Mr Sessions hoped to ride out the storm by recusing himself from the Russiagate probe.

Appearing on Fox News last night, the attorney general said he only met Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice and they did not discuss the presidential campaign.

He said it did not occur to mention his meetings with the Russian diplomat during his confirmation hearings.

Mr Trump had yet to comment today on the email allegations involving his deputy.

According to the Indianapolis Star, Mr Pence used his personal AOL email to discuss everything from the security gates at the governors mansion and the states response to terrorist attacks.

A scammer hacked into the account last summer and circulated an email claiming incorrectly that Mr Pence and his wife had been attacked and robbed in the Philippines.

Meanwhile Mr Trump sparked anger on social media from military veterans by wearing a flight jacket and an admirals cap during a visit to a new aircraft carrier in Virginia. Trump, who received five deferments from the Vietnam war draft, was given the outfit by the crew of the Gerard R. Ford.

As a Veteran watching a 5 time draft-dodging COWARD saluting a Marine guard is the epitome of HYPOCRISY Impeach this cowardly b****** NOW!!!, tweeted Chuck Williams.
A huge row has broken out in the European Parliament after a Polish MEP shocked members with his sexist remarks.

Speaking during a debate on equal pay on Thursday Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke told members he thought women should be paid less than men.

He told the parliament: And of course women must earn less than men. They are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent, they must earn less. Thats all.

In video footage of the speech Mr Korwin-Mikke becomes visibly more defiant as he continued his diatribe against the female sex.

As he goes on shocked gasps can be heard from other members of parliament in the background.

Responding to his comments Iratxe Garcia Perez, an MEP from Spain, told Mr Korwin-Mikke whether he likes it or not women have the same rights as men.

She told the parliament: Look, according to your theory. I should not have the right to be here, as a member of this parliament.

And I know it hurts you, I know it hurts and worries you that today women can sit in this house and represent European citizens with the same rights as you.

European citizens with the same rights as you. I am here to defend all European women from men like you.

The Polish MEP suffered a backlash on social media with people describing him as "sexist" and his comments "appalling".

Mikael Maes posted on Twitter: "Appalling comments of sexism made by @JkmMikke in the @Europarl_EN"

Wioletta Miczek wrote: "Our Polish 'hero' Shame #misogyny"

Safia Yasin wrote on Facebook: "He lost it! He needs to retire ASAP. Old Dinosaur."
P olice are investigating whether a young Indian woman was burnt alive on her own funeral pyre after doctors declared she was dead.

Rachna Sisodia, 21, was pulled from the flames after family members arrived and insisted she was still alive.

Her family are now accusing her husband and his relatives of raping and murdering her.

The student had previously been declared dead from a lung infection on Sunday at a hospital in Noida near Delhi.

Her husband Devesh Chaudhary, 23, took the body for cremation the following day.

However, police claimed the woman had died during the funeral due to shock caused by being burnt alive, the Hindustan Times reported.

A post-mortem examination found ash in her windpipe and lungs, apparently showing she had been alive when she was put on the pyre.

One hospital official told the paper: "This happens when someone is burnt alive.

"The particles go inside with the breath. If a person is dead, such particles cannot reach the lungs and the windpipe.

Mr Chaudhary, who is now being hunted by police, insisted he was innocent.
T he accountants responsible for the Oscars Best Picture blunder have been given bodyguards after reportedly receiving death threats.

Brian Cullinan and Martha Ruiz of Pricewaterhouse Coopers, whose envelope mix-up caused La La Land to be announced instead of Moonlight during Sundays ceremony, are thought to have beefed up their security in the wake of the incident.

TMZ reports that the pair are in such fear for their lives, their bosses have hired security to protect them.

According to the report, Cullinan and Ruiz are concerned about the security of their families after photos of their respective houses were posted online.

Oscars 2017: Moonlight wins Best Picture Oscar after error

Earlier this week the Academys president, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, confirmed that the pair wouldnt be working at the Oscars again.

They have one job to do. One job to do. Obviously there was a distraction, she told AP.

Cullinan is thought to have been the person who handed the wrong envelope to presenter Warren Beatty before he went on stage on Sunday night.

Academy Awards 2017 Oscars Winners - In pictures 1 /25 Academy Awards 2017 Oscars Winners - In pictures Emma Stone poses with her Oscar for Best Actress for her role in "La La Land" Lucas Jackson/Reuters Mahershala Ali, for Moonlight and Best Actress Emma Stone for La La Land, hold their Oscars Lucas Jackson/Reuters Best Supporting Actor winner Mahershala Ali (L-R), Best Supporting Actress winner Viola Davis, Best Actress winner Emma Stone and Best Actor winner Casey Affleck pose with their Oscars Lucas Jackson/Reuters Casey Affleck reacts as he accepts the Oscar for Best Actor Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Viola Davis poses with the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images irector Barry Jenkins holds the Oscar as Moonlight wins Best Picture Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Damien Chazelle poses in the press room with the award for best director for "La La Land" at the Oscars Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Barry Jenkins hugs Mahershala Ali with his award Lucas Jackson/Reuters Casey Affleck with the award for Actor in a Leading Role for Manchester by the Sea in the press room at the 89th Academy Awards Ian West/PA Mahershala Ali, winner of the award for Actor in a Supporting Role for 'Moonlight' Paul Buck/EPA Writer/director Kenneth Lonergan accepts the Best Original Screenplay award for 'Manchester by the Sea' from actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon onstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards Christopher Polk/Getty Images Actor Hailee Steinfeld, co-directors Byron Howard and Rich Moore and producer Clark Spencer, winners of the Best Animated Feature Film award for 'Zootopia' and actor Gael Garcia Bernal pose in the press room during the 89th Annual Academy Awards Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Salma Hayek (left) and David Oyelowo (right) present Kristof Deak and Anna Udvardy with the award for Best Live Action Short film for Sing the press room at the 89th Academy Awards Ian West/PA Katherine Johnson poses with Ezra Edelman (right) and Caroline Waterlow (left) with the award for Best Documentary Feature for O.J.: Made in America in the press room at the 89th Academy Awards Ian West/PA Actor David Oyelowo, producer Joanna Natasegara and director Orlando von Einsiedel, winners of Best Documentary Short Subject for 'The White Helmets' and actor Salma Hayek pose in the press room during the 89th Annual Academy Awards Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Sound mixers Peter Grace, Robert Mackenzie, Kevin O'Connell and Andy Wright, winners of the Best Sound Mixing award for 'Hacksaw Ridge' pose in the press room during the 89th Oscars Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images Makeup artists Giorgio Gregorini, Alessandro Bertolazzi and Christopher Nelson, winners of the Best Makeup and Hairstyling award for 'Suicide Squad' Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Former NASA scientist Firouz Naderi (L) and engineer/astronaut Anousheh Ansari pose with the Best Foreign Language Film award for 'The Salesman' on behalf of director Asghar Farhadi Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Costume Designer Colleen Atwood, winner of the Best Costume Design award for 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

The Hollyood star opened the duplicate envelope for Best Actress instead of Best Picture before handing it to co-presenter Faye Dunaway.

Insisting that Beatty wasnt to blame, Isaacs said: Warren, he took charge there. He took charge of a situation that he did not create.

In a statement, Pricewaterhouse Coopers said: PwC takes full responsibility for the series of mistakes and breaches of established protocols during last nights Oscars.

PwC partner Brian Cullinan mistakenly handed the back-up envelope for Actress in a Leading Role instead of the envelope for Best Picture to presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway.

Once the error occurred, protocols for correcting it were not followed through quickly enough by Mr. Cullinan or his partner.
H aving come up with an extremely successful brand of gloom pop on her first album, New Zealand youngster Lorde is making her return promising to make you DANCE. Her new single, Green Light, is online now.

Furious Nottingham duo Sleaford Mods have more bite-sized bile on offer with a new album, English Tapas, out today. The minimal synth-punk of the single, BHS, takes a pop at Sir Philip Green in a video on YouTube now.

LA pop pair Electric Guest have quite the guestlist on their second album. Plural, out today, features vocals from Haim, Joanna Newsom and Justin Young of The Vaccines. Dear to Me, starring the Haim sisters, is the one that has a video on YouTube.

With a second album and a Village Underground show coming in a couple of months, leftfield electronic duo Sylvan Esso have just unveiled a strong new song with a striking, growling synth line. Die Young has a video on YouTube now.

Just before Bob Dylan releases another covers album, rootsy youngsters Whitney have covered a Dylan song. Their impressive take on Tonight Ill Be Staying Here With You, from Dylans Nashville Skyline album, was recorded live in the studio for Spotifys Singles series.
New Delhi, Mar 3 (IBNS): Emphasising that India has always been at the forefront of conservation of wildlife, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Anil Madhav Dave, said that common people too had been protecting the forests and wildlife even before India got its independence.

Addressing the World Wildlife Day celebrations at the National Zoological Park on Friday, Dave said that the number of lions in Gir stands at 522.

India has the highest number of tigers in the world and other species such as one-horned rhinoceros. Conservation of wildlife is our collective responsibility and duty," the Minister added.

He also urged the gathering to fight all obstacles to wildlife conservation.

Earlier, a symbolic ceremonial burning of the seized wildlife articles was organized at the National Zoological Park to mark the occasion.

Some of the articles incinerated include  100 leopard skin, 5 tiger skin, 2 lion skin, 1451 snakes skin, 10 elephant tusks and 30 kg tiger bones. The articles will continue to burn for three days. A committee has been formed to oversee the burning.

State Governments have also been requested to organize inviolable programmes, including symbolic incineration of seized wildlife articles on the occasion. The theme for this years celebration of World Wildlife Day is Listen to the Young Voices.

The Government has been providing financial assistance to State Governments to supplement their share for the purpose of habitat improvement and conservation of wildlife. Some of the assistance is through dedicated Projects, namely, Project Tiger and Project Elephant.

The budgetary allocation for wildlife conservation has been enhanced from Rs. 346.38 crore in 2015-16, Rs. 475 crore in 2016-17 and Rs. 522.50 crore for 2017-18.

Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, in association with Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, National Zoological Park, National Museum of Natural History, Environmental Information System (ENVIS), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), TRAFFIC, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) and Sulabh International organised various competitions for school/ college students including Divyang students at the National Zoological Park.

Films on different aspects of wildlife conservation and illegal trade are also being screened since Feb 27 at the Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jor Bagh, New Delhi, for school students to raise awareness among them regarding the importance of wildlife conservation.

Image:http://nzpnewdelhi.gov.in/
London, Mar 3 (IBNS): A new project led by a researcher from the University of Leicester is supporting the conservation of river and forest habitats in Indonesia - which are vital to the survival of a number of rare species of animal including orangutans and native fish.

Sara Thornton, a PhD student from the University of Leicester Department of Geography, has been investigating tropical peat-swamp forests (TPSF) in Sabangau in Indonesia - tropical forests where waterlogged soils hinder the decomposition of organic materials such as fallen leaves and even whole trees.

TPSFs are important habitats for freshwater fish species, which are an important source of livelihood and protein for many of the communities living by the rivers and forests of Borneo.

TPSFs are also vital to our global climate balance, storing significant amounts of carbon in their soils.

However, they are under threat from logging, palm oil, drainage and fire, which threatens the ecosystem and puts the survival of many species of animal at risk.

Sara explained: The degradation of TPSF habitats not only impacts the future survival of the endangered orangutan, but also the freshwater fish that are so important to local communities that depend on the forest and water habitats for their livelihoods.

It is therefore essential to improve our understanding of these wetland habitats, their importance for community livelihoods and cultures, and ultimately find ways of promoting conservation alongside community development.

As part of the project, Sara, working with local research assistants and facilitators, took an interdisciplinary approach in order to understand the socio-ecological system of Sabangau.

They conducted the first in-depth surveys of the fish and water in the Sabangau area, identifying 48 fish species, bringing the total species count to 54 species when including known fish in the area.

Their findings suggest that Sabangau is a notable area for peat-swamp forest fish diversity.

The researchers also conducted interviews and focus groups in two local communities: Kereng Bangkirai (situated near to the intact Sabangau peat-swamp forest) and Taruna Jaya (situated in an area of severely degraded peatland), exploring their perceptions of environmental change on their lives and livelihood.

Fish were considered in both locations to be the most important species of animal to peoples lives and the communities showed strong spiritual beliefs related to fish and the river in the Sabangau area.

Using collected data on water quality - which included pH, water temperature, water depths, dissolved oxygen levels, and nutrient levels - the researchers are now able to recommend improvements for future fish sampling in the area, and they now have a baseline to understand longer-term changes in the wetland ecosystem with future surveys.

Sara added: While fish may not be the most charismatic of TPSF species like great-apes or felids, they provide one of the clearest faunal links between people, livelihoods and their environment.

In areas with high dependence on fish for livelihoods, fish research and conservation projects could be a great opportunity to increase the relevance of environmental research to local communities and thereby potentially increasing local support for conservation projects.

Professor Sue Page from the University of Leicester Department of Geography, who is one of Sara's PhD supervisors, has herself spent much time carrying out research in the peat swamp forests of Southeast Asia.

Professor Page commented: Sara's photographs capture perfectly the feeling of enjoyment, relief and satisfaction on reaching the end of a long, hot, tiring but successful day of field work as well as highlight the importance of conservation projects such as these.

The partners for the project were: the Borneo Nature Foundation (BNF) and the Centre for International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatland (CIMTROP) based at the University of Palangka Raya.
Srinagar, Mar 3 (IBNS) : A civilian was reportedly killed and a CRPF jawan injured when militants hurled a grenade at security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district .

According to reports, the grenade was hurled at the security forces posted in the Murran Chowk area.

The civilian, who died in the explosion, was identified as Mohammad Ayoub Wani.

The injured CRPF constable, Daljit Kiran, has been rushed to hospital.

A manhunt has been launched in the area following the incident.
Henry Clay Sr. ran for president three times and lost all three times but he is listed as one of Americas best Senators. President Abraham Lincoln called him my ideal of a great man, even though he was a slave owner.

What made him great was his ability to find compromise and get things done.

The plantation owner from Kentucky served in the United States Senate, in the House of Representatives and as Secretary of State from 1811-1852.

He was a master and working across the aisle and was called the Great Pacificator.

We need a Henry Clay, Sr. today.

In the world of politics, no one gets their way 100 percent of the time. Instead, there must be a civil meeting somewhere between the polar opposites.

The majority of Americans are somewhere in the middle, however the noise makers, in both parties and in the White House, tend to be on the polar extremes. Out there they demand their way or no way. They see comprise as selling out, but it is not. It is how our government works.

The majority of Americans want our leaders to work together and find middle ground. In a 2013 Gallup poll, 53 percent of Americans said they believed leaders should compromise rather than stick to principles. Only 25 percent, said, dont compromise.

There are issues I dont want my leaders to give an inch on, but for anything to get done; they will have to give at least an inch. At that point I can grumble, but I also need to be thankful for a deal that is livable, though not perfect in my book.

As a new year begins in Washington D.C. and Lincoln, Nebraska, we need to demand our leaders learn from Henry Clay Sr.

If we continue down this my way or no way path, if we refuse to work together and hold our ground at all cost, this great nation will crumble under our own stubborn selfish feet.

Democrats and Republicans must look past their own agendas. We must look to what is best for America.

Tuesday night, during President Donald Trumps first address to a joint session of Congress, he spoke of working together. Team work is key for making America great again.

Will we ever agree on everything? No, but we can battle it out and find some middle ground both sides can live with. One side may not be able to say, We won, but together we can move things forward. Together, we can accomplish great things as a nation, but to do so it will require compromise.

Today, we need Henry Clay Sr. like leadership on both sides of the aisle.
New Delhi, Mar 3 (IBNS): Uion Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Friday that India and Nepal share share deep-rooted historical, cultural and religious ties, which have enabled extensive cooperation in trade and economic fields between the two countries.

The Finance Minister represented India at the Nepal Investment Summit 2017 held at Kathmandu on March 2 and 3, 2017.

While addressing the Summit, the Union Minister said that India and Nepal have wide ranging engagement in trade and investment and that Nepal is well poised to attract further FDI from India by creation of a conducive legal and regulatory framework.

India is Nepals largest partner in trade and investment with more than two-third of Nepals trade being with India and India accounting for nearly 40% of total FDI in Nepal, the minister said.

The two countries have open border, grant national treatment to each others citizens and millions of Nepali citizens live and work in India.

The Indian minister pointed out that Nepal has several important sectors such as hydropower, transmission lines, road and rail networks, health, education, tourism, irrigation etc in which it can attract Indian investments. India is ready to invest in the projects of Kathmandu-Nijgadh fast track road, second international airport at Nijgadh, Koshi High Dam etc.

During his official visit, the Union Minister of Finance called on the President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime MinisterPushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda.

Jaitley also held meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Nepal Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Industry Minister Nabindra Raj Joshi.

In his bilateral meetings, the Union Minister of Finance conveyed Indias abiding commitment to partner with Nepal in meeting its aspirations for socio-economic growth.

Recalling the construction of several Integrated Check Posts, rail links, Hulaki roads, schools, health posts, etc with Indian assistance, Arun Jaitley stated that India stands ready to make available more soft loans for new infrastructure projects which would enable Nepal grow at a fast pace.

In order to address the issue of high trade deficit, Jaitley suggested that Nepal may expand its export basket by attracting more Indian investment in export-oriented industries. Further, the early completion of power projects like Upper Karnali and Arun-III, Nepal would be able to export electricity to India.

He urged that the issues of forest land and land acquisition which have delayed the projects should be resolved at the earliest.

The Nepali leaders thanked Arun Jaitley for Indias development assistance and highly appreciated Indias assistance for post-earthquake reconstruction of Nepal.

Deputy PM Mahara in particular thanked the Government of India for facilitating export of nearly 380 MW of electricity throughout this winter which has enabled several regions of Nepal become free of load-shedding.

The two countries now have transmission lines for trade of nearly 500 MW of electricity, which would increase to over 750 MW by mid-2017.

Image: PIB Twitter
After closing its downtown location in February 2015 due to high rent and utility costs, the Iredell Choral Society Resale Shop survived as a two-day vendor at the I-40 Flea & Farmers Market.

This Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Iredell Choral Society will celebrate the grand opening of the shops new location at 833 N. Center St., Statesville.

ICS was founded as a group of friends singing for the community in 2010. The group started an outreach program in 2013 after raising $1,300 for Levine Childrens Hospital in Charlotte and realizing it could raise funds and assist the community.

In 2015, the ICS Back-to-

School Drive drew more than 1,500 guests, according to Joshua McCrary, the societys director.

Throughout the year, families who have lost their homes in fires or other disasters, or are just in dire need of basic items, are sent to our organization and told to pick out anything they want, McCrary said. McCrary said the group was unable to choose its hours at the flea market location.

Forced to turn away donations because of limited space, the group has searched for a new location to allow it to better serve the community. The current location costs more than ever before, but its 4,500-square-foot space offers plenty of overflow storage for donations in contrast to the former downtown locations 2,500 square feet.

We have the highest overhead of any of (the past) locations, McCrary said, but we have faith and confidence that once the community realizes were back in swing, theres nowhere to go but up.

About the ICS Resale Shop grand opening

The grand opening event will provide the opportunity to ride the Amazin Blazin Firetruck. There will be free hot dogs and a 50 percent discount on clothing. Several vendors will attend, said Iredell Choral Society director Joshua McCrary.

Community vendors at the new location include Jamberry Nails, Paparazzi Jewelry, MJs Jams & Jellies, Boltz Beverage Bar, Snapsisters, Tupperware and Girl Scout cookies (through Girl Scout Troop 2455).

For more information, call McCrary at 704-380-0548.
Lucknow, Mar 3 (IBNS): Campaigning for the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a festival around the assembly polls in order to free the state from the Congress,Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party rules.

"Elections in Uttar Pradesh has turned into an 'Utsav' of freeing the state from misrule of SP, BSP, Congress," Modi said.

Addressing a campaign in Mirzapur in the state,he said: "UP elections are about giving opportunities to the state's youth, ensuring safety of people, all round progress of poor."

Attacking the Samajwadi Party rule in the state, the Prime Minister said: "When Mulayam Singh ji was the Chief Minister of UP, he promised opening up of two new bridges, but why is it that they aren't made yet."

He said the north Indian state has scope of tourism development.

Prime Minister Modi was campaigning in the state for the seventh and final phase of the elections in which 40 Assembly constituencies will go to polls on Mar 8.
With one hand holding a bottle of champagne and the other an oversized certificate declaring him the winner of $1 million from Publishers Clearing House, Bruce Saunders stood on the front porch of his western Davie County Monday and rattled off a list of things he plans spend his spend money on  medical bills, fixing his lawnmower and helping family members.
An innovative concept called human ecology, implemented in Norway for the rehabilitation of prisoners could be implemented in Cluj by the governor of South Correctional Services from the country of fjords, Arne Kvernvik Nilsen.

Arne Kvernvik Nilsen is in Cluj-Napoca these days, where he held a conference on Thursday about his concept of human ecology within the event Human-Animal Interaction Day, held at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of UBB (Babes Bolyai University). Another purpose of his visit is to have meetings and discussions about the project he would like to run here. The idea behind this concept is to use nature, but also principles from a series of humanities and social sciences to turn prisoners from criminals and killers into responsible human beings, who once released, can cope with society, and not relapse or inspire fear.

Arne Kvernvik Nilsen tested his ideas in a project that has been running for about ten years in Bastoy, Norway, on an island with a prison, wherein prisoners don't stay in cells, but in cottages, as in a camp, cook for themselves two meals a day, with dinner being served, work and live together as in a small village.

"By human ecology we understand how people interact among themselves but also with nature, the environment, they become part of something. There is only one place in Norway where we have introduced this concept, in Bastoy and there, the theory is not only to keep a prisoner who perpetrated a crime and is behind bars, but how he is treated by the prison warden, by the guards, whether the former is respected or not, how he is supported or, on the contrary, pushed to the ground. It is about inducing the idea that they are responsible for their own life, for their actions, but also to help them discover who they really are," explained the governor.

The main idea of this concept of human ecology, Nilsen explained, is that if you treat people like animals they will become animals, and if you treat them as human beings, then they will behave as such.

Arne Nilsen Kvernvik collaborated with Romania at the implementation of a similar project in Grindu Tataru, in the Danube Delta, where a prison has been functioning since 2015 and which emulates a Bastoy Prison model. Romanian prisoners live here in wood, brick and reed houses, which they built themselves and can work outdoors, where they interact among themselves, and with different animals.

"In 2008 I was contacted by a representative of ANP (National Penitentiaries Administration) from Romania who invited me to develop the project from Tataru in the Danube Delta, funded through Norwegian grants, and adapted to Romanian realities. I strongly believe that Romania should not copy anything from Norway or from another country, but to learn from the others' experience. It was the most exciting project I've been involved in in the last 25 years, it has been full of challenges. I have met wonderful people in the prison system and in NGOs, people who believe in what they do, but it has been a political challenge in order for it to be carried on," said Nilsen.

Asked what he thought about the prison system in Romania, Arne Kvernvik Nilsen said he has visited several prisons in his life and that he has seen worse things than he saw here, but he believes that Romania's biggest challenge is related to the way it prepares the prisoner to return to society, who in Norway is supported upon release by a whole system of services that back him up to try to make a living in an honest way.

He also emphasized the idea that a crime is committed because something went wrong within society, because people do not commit crimes without reason or without a context.

"In Romania I have met people who stole because they did not have food. How we live our lives has consequences for us. It's not just about the prison system itself, but about society," Nilsen further said.

agerpres.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Teodor Melescanu on Thursday talked with the ambassador of Kazakhstan to Romania, Daulet Batrashev and a KazMunayGas company's delegation about the wish to find a solution so the company would continue its activity in Romania, says a release by the relevant ministry (MAE) sent to AGERPRES.

During the meeting, the sides addressed the economic relationship between Romania and Kazakhstan, stressing on the bilateral cooperation in energy.

Minister Teodor Melescanu expressed his appreciation for the interest shown by Kazakhstan to be a solid partner to Romania in achieving its objective to diversify sources and energy supply routes in the Black Sea Basin. He also emphasised the potential of Kazakhstan to become an important natural gas supplier in the development of European energy projects.

The parties highlighted the importance of developing Romania's energy infrastructure so as to contribute to assuring the energy security, the source adds.

During talks, it surfaced the wish to identify a mutually advantageous solution for the KazMunayGas company to continue its activity in Romania, with the express observance of the law, the MAE release specifies.

The KazMunayGas delegation was headed by the company's Deputy Chairman of Management Board, Berlibayev Daniyar.
New Delhi, Mar 3 (IBNS): The airport authority has put all exit point on high alert after media reports claimed that Uttar Pradesh Minister, who is facing rape charges, is planning to flee.

This comes after Prajapati has gone "missing" with police closing in on him following a Supreme Court directive in connection with a rape case.

According to reports, the UP police on Tuesday searched two of Prajapati's official residences at Hazaratganj in Lucknow, but could not find him.

It is being assumed that he has gone undeground.

On Friday, media reports claimed that Prajapati is trying to fly aboard to escape form the situation.

The apex court had earlier asked the Government to take action against the controversial Minister.

Prajapati was last seen in Amethi, where he is contesting on the Samajwadi Party ticket in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections.

He is the candidate of the Samajwadi Party from Amethi.

He has been charged in a gang-rape case.
The rap on St. Louis biotech industry is that all of its startups are years away from selling products, with no big success stories yet.

Dont tell that to Ed Weinstein, co-founder and chief executive of Canopy Biosciences. Canopy is launching its first product just months after being founded, and it expects to quickly achieve profitability. Moreover, Weinstein has already achieved the kind of lucrative exit thats rare in St. Louis.

The exit was Sage Labs, which provided genetically modified rats and other animals to medical researchers. It was spun out of Sigma-Aldrich in 2013 and sold to a British company 18 months later for $48 million.

David Smoller, Sages CEO, and Weinstein, its president, joined the BioGenerator, a St. Louis entity that nurtures and invests in fledgling life-sciences companies, as entrepreneurs in residence. Their goal was to find research-tools businesses that, like Sage, could make money quickly.

They found plenty of interesting technologies, but no single one big enough to build a company around. By last fall, they hit on a strategy: License enough promising products and they could build a miniature version of Sigma-Aldrich, the research-chemicals powerhouse thats now part of Millipore Sigma.

There were a lot of interesting things out there in the research space, and if we brought them together we thought we could make something out of it, explained Crystal Winkeler, a former BioGenerator staffer who is Canopys co-founder and chief operating officer. There was an interesting enough pipeline out there to raise capital around.

Charlie Bolten, a BioGenerator vice president, said Canopy flipped the usual St. Louis model on its head. Instead of starting with a promising drug or other technology and raising money to hire a team, Canopy started with an experienced team and raised money to license technologies.

Canopy specializes in tools for genetic engineering, molecular biology and personalized medicine. Its first product, licensed from Washington University, is a chemical kit that allows scientists to fine-tune a gene theyre interested in.

Key research on the technology, called Tunr, was just published in January. Canopy already had it under license and will introduce Tunr next month at a cancer research conference.

Canopy plans to introduce two more products within a couple of months.

The key to our success is not just commercializing something but doing it rapidly, Weinstein said.

Canopys four-person team is based in the shared BioGenerator Labs space on Forest Park Avenue. Its hiring two sales people, and Weinstein said the business could grow rapidly as revenue started coming in.

Sage was two of us, and it grew to 50 people at two locations within five years or so, he said. We can certainly grow just as quickly or even faster with Canopy.

For the startups that BioGenerator backs, the biggest challenges are hiring experienced management and raising capital. With Smoller as chairman and Weinstein as CEO, Canopy started with an abundance of the former and raised $900,000 from angel investors.

BioGenerator itself committed $1.1 million, the most it has ever invested in a newly formed company.

Its a big bet for us, Bolten explained. In St. Louis, weve done well, but we need to do better. It can take a long time to raise small amounts of money here, but we need to challenge ourselves to be bolder when we see a strong opportunity.

Canopy is a test of that bold strategy. If it succeeds, maybe folks will stop saying that St. Louis biotech sector is long on promise but short on results.
Srinagar, Mar 3 (IBNS): A fierce encounter is underway between security forces and militants in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Friday, official said .

According to reports, acting on tip of information, Army and special operation group of Kashmir Police launched a cordon and search operation in the village Chillipora in Shopian this evening.

Reports said three militants are holed up inside a house and a gun battle is on.

Last week, three soldiers were killed while five soldiers including two officers were injured in the attack in Shopian District.

Earlier in the day, a civilian was killed and four other people were injured in a grenade attack in the busy market place of neighbouring Pulwama district.

According to reports, the grenade was hurled at the security forces posted in the Murran Chowk area.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
HARRISBURG, Pa.  For some residents of this small city, there was something familiar about Foxconns recently announced plan to hire up to 50,000 U.S. workers, one of the many hiring pledges from companies rounded up by President Donald Trump in the first weeks of his administration.

The only difference was the scale.

In 2013, Foxconns chairman sent a jolt through this state capital when he said his company  best known for making Apple iPhones in China  would invest $30 million and hire 500 workers for a new high-tech factory in central Pennsylvania.

Locals were giddy. Foxconn had a small office there, but this seemed like the start of an entire new industry. Pennsylvanias governor boasted about the deal. The Brookings Institution think tank hailed Foxconns decision as a sign of U.S. manufacturings strength.

But the factory was never built. The jobs never came. It just seemed to fade to black after the announcement, recalled a local official.

It was the start of a mystery, created by a chief executive known to promise projects all over the world that never quite pan out. Yet few people seem to notice. Foxconn and others continue to get credit for deals that never take place. In December, Pennsylvanias economic development staff was still touting the $30 million factory that never was.

What happened in Harrisburg provides a skeptical lens for viewing the waves of corporate investment promises being used by Trump as evidence that he is following through on his campaign pledge to reinvigorate U.S. manufacturing.

Im delivering on everything we promised, Trump said Thursday during a meeting with manufacturing executives at the White House, noting how firms have announced new hiring and factories. People are saying theyve never seen so much happen in 30 days of a presidency.

Foxconn, for example, announced shortly after Trumps election that it plans to invest $7 billion and hire up to 50,000 workers in the United States. Such a hiring spree would catapult Foxconn from a couple of thousand U.S. workers to a major employer on par with Chrysler.

Other companies, too, including SoftBank, Alibaba, Intel and IBM, have loudly announced their intentions to invest in the United States  all with price tags in the billions of dollars and the promise of tens of thousands of jobs  much to Trumps delight.

Foxconn is going to spend a tremendous amount of money on building a massive plant, Trump said the day after the investment was revealed, and probably more than one.

But, as Harrisburg learned, the gulf between these eye-popping announcements and reality can be huge  and frequently overlooked.

They are scrambling to look good, said Mark Selden, senior research associate at Cornell Universitys East Asian program. Its a sign of the pressure that Trump is placing on everyone in the world to deliver on his agenda.

Along for the ride

Companies tend to view these announcements as an opening bid in a negotiation, said Alberto Moel, a senior analyst with Bernstein Research in Hong Kong. Firms know politicians like the splashy headlines. And if everything falls into place  the business climate improves, they extract enough concessions such as tax breaks and free land  they might be able to make it happen.

It actually puts the onus on the U.S. in a way, Moel said. They are saying: Im along for the ride. Heres my proposal.

If the deal falls apart, as it often does, no one is going to talk about it.

The government themselves arent going to remind you of that, Trump has no intention of helping you remember that, Moel said. Whats the downside?

Trump is far from alone in using corporate announcements as political backdrops. Its why ribbon-cuttings and ceremonial shovels exist.

In 2012, former President Barack Obama visited a new $5 billion Intel computer chip plant in Chandler, Ariz., citing it as an example of an America that is within our reach. But the facility, known as Fab 42, was never completed. Last month, Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich stood in the Oval Office with Trump to announce a $7 billion investment  essentially, Fab 42 was back on track, with a new price tag and a new president. Trump tweeted his praise.

Even before he was sworn in, it was clear Trump placed greater importance on these job announcements than past administrations.

Among the first signs came in December when Tokyo-based SoftBanks chief executive, Masayoshi Son, stood with the president-elect to announce a plan to invest $50 billion and create 50,000 new U.S. jobs.

Two days after Trumps inauguration, Foxconn chief executive Terry Gou told reporters in Taiwan that his company planned to spend $7 billion on a U.S. factory to make computer displays. It wasnt iPhones  which Trump has said he wants to be Made in the USA  but Gou said the factory could create 30,000 to 50,000 U.S. jobs. Details were few, but one clue seized on was the presence of a Pennsylvania state trade representative at Gous talk.

Foxconn said in a statement that it is exploring a potential investment that would represent an expansion of our current U.S. operations. But the company could not confirm the number of jobs that might be created.

Foxconn is a coveted hardware manufacturer because of its size. Last year, it reported $136 billion in revenue. It has more than 1 million employees, most in China. A single factory making iPhones or LCD screens can employ tens of thousands of workers. When Foxconn says it will invest in a new plant, the decision can transform a region. Thats why countries all over the world are eager to lure Foxconn to their shores.

Gou, Foxconns founder, for years has described the United States as a must-go market.

Empty promises?

In 2014, as the Pennsylvania deal was quietly dying, Gou teased the opening of an LCD display factory in the States. His company talked with officials in Colorado and Arizona. Nothing happened.

That same year, the company signed a letter of intent to invest up to $1 billion in Indonesia. That investment still has not occurred.

Foxconn said it would invest $5 billion over five years in India as part of an ambitious expansion in 2014. The deal would create up to 50,000 jobs, Gou said. But Foxconns investment in India has amounted to only a small fraction of what it promised.

Similar results were seen in Vietnam, where Foxconn committed to a $5 billion investment in 2007, and in Brazil, where Foxconn spoke of a $10 billion plan in 2011. The company made its first major foray in Vietnam only last year. In Brazil, Foxconn has an iPhone factory, but its investment has fallen far short of expectations.

Theres a pattern here, said Moel, the analyst.

Gous plans for Harrisburg were revealed in 2013 while he was in the United States on a tour with other Taiwanese business officials to, in part, drum up support for Taiwans bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, known as TPP. (Coincidentally, Trump pulled the United States out of the trade treaty in his first days in office.)

It was a surprise when Gou said Foxconn planned to invest $30 million over two years in a factory to make technology equipment and servers. Gou noted his companys history in Harrisburg. He said the goal was to create high-precision, high-tech, high value-added manufacturing in the U.S.

There was this intense buzz, recalled David Black, president of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber.

Lots of us were excited by the opportunity, said Bub Manning, who at the time co-owned a local construction firm. Anytime something of that size comes along in central Pennsylvania, thats a big deal.

For years, Foxconn has maintained an office with about 50 workers in Harrisburg, a hub of the computer connector industry. The office is in an old brick warehouse. On a recent visit, the building was filled by a half-empty warren of cubicles. A worker declined to comment to a reporter . According to local government officials, Foxconn has not done any permitted alterations to the building in 15 years.

Manning recalled how his firm tried to chase down information about the planned $30 million factory.

It felt like I was grabbing Jell-O. It never got any traction, Manning said.

The $30 million factory faded from view.

Phantom factories

And yet, none of this has stopped the praise for Foxconns investment in Pennsylvania. Recent stories have referred to the phantom factory as a sign of Foxconns U.S. beachhead. A state economic development official wrote about Foxconns $30 million factory as evidence of foreign companies that operate in the Keystone State. (The piece was fixed after The Washington Post inquired about it.)

State officials toured potential sites with Foxconn representatives, the state Department of Community and Economic Development said in a statement. Unfortunately, a project did not come to fruition. Foxconn attributed the failure to material changes to the business and operating climate at that time.

Feeling burned by the fate of the $30 million factory, some in Harrisburg are cautious about getting their hopes up again.

We learned something from that, said Black of the Harrisburg chamber.

But, Manning said, it would be hard to not be seduced by the size of Foxconns ambition, real or not.

If you smelled a project like that, he said, youd get excited even though you know better.
There have been no adult psychiatric hospital beds in St. Francois County for more than a year now, but that may soon change.

A behavioral health provider is seeking approval to open Bridge Tree Behavioral Hospital in Farmington, a 16-bed in-patient psychiatric unit for adults.

For $833,000, Vicky Winick, president of Mineral Area Community Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center , wants to renovate a current facility at 510 West Pine Street for what would technically be considered a hospital.

Area behavioral health advocates are excited about the news.

Candy Zarcone, president of the St. Francois County Mental Health Board, said the lack of beds for patients with mental health issues had put a strain on area health providers, law enforcement and families of patients in need.

Patients who need mental health care are either forced to wait in the emergency department for days while an inpatient psychiatric bed opens up somewhere else in the state, or they go without care, Zarcone said.

And sometimes, they end up in the county jail, said Dennis Smith, vice president of the mental health board and administrator for the St. Francois County jail.

When families dont have options, they end up here, Smith said of the jail.

In the last year, he said, more individuals who he believes needed further mental health evaluations have been brought to the jail. A lack of resources meant those individuals were released without being evaluated, he said.

And getting patients to an open psychiatric bed is an issue.

Smith said usually it fell to law enforcement or the local ambulance service to transport them there.

It takes an ambulance and crew out of our county for a long period of time, Zarcone said.

The lack of adult psychiatric beds stems from BJC HealthCares decision to get rid of the beds at the end of 2015 after purchasing its only hospital rival in St. Francois County, Mineral Area Regional Medical Center.

Mineral Area Regional Medical Center had a 10-bed unit that did not make the move when the facility was closed and services were transferred to BJCs Parkland Health Center.

Currently, Mercy Hospital Jefferson, in Crystal City, is the closest facility with adult psychiatric beds. Thats about 40 miles from Farmington.

Mercy officials say they have experienced an increased demand for mental health services since the closure of the unit in Farmington.

Theyre currently working on plans to add beds for adolescents and have already expanded oupatient services, hospital spokesman John Winkleman said.

There are only 2,071 psychiatric beds in the state of Missouri with 6 million residents. Its unclear how many of those psychiatric beds are for adults.

Zarcone believes only a fraction are for adults, while the rest are for children or seniors. Seniors hospital stays are typically paid by Medicare, which in general pays more than Medicaid, the state health insurance for the poor.

Many who received hospital psychiatric services in 2015 were Medicaid members, according to data from the Missouri Hospital Association.

In 2015, Missouri hospitals treated nearly 86,000 unique Missouri patients for mental health disorders or substance abuse, an MHA report states. These patients averaged 3.9 visits each.

Combined, Medicaid and uninsured patients accounted for 52 percent of visits for mental diseases and disorders, 65 percent of visits for substance abuse and induced mental disorders, and 16 percent of the total population in Missouri.

Winick, president of Mineral Area CPRC, who is seeking approval for the project, did not return repeated calls for comment.
About 15 years ago, death rates among middle-aged white Americans stopped falling and started to climb. It was an unprecedented reversal for a modern industrialized country, and we still don't fully understand why it happened.

The researchers who sounded the alarm  Princeton economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton  pointed to rising rates of suicide, drug overdose and alcoholism as possible clues. These so-called diseases of despair can't fully explain why the death rate has stopped improving, but they do hint at an underlying cause: a growing sense of overall malaise about their lives.

"Whatever it is these people are unhappy, they're left behind, some of their jobs have gone away, they're worse off than their parents were, they're worried about opportunities for their kids," Deaton told Business Insider at the World Economic Forum in January.

Recent research has illuminated an aspect of this puzzle: the connection between economic distress and certain kinds of self-destructive health behaviors.

It's well-known that deaths from opioid overdoses, which quadrupled among white people since 1999, have become a crisis in their own right. The rise of prescription painkillers enabled the opioid epidemic, but the economy may have also played a role, according to a new study from economists at the University of Indiana and the University of Virginia.

In a draft of their research released Monday, Alex Hollingsworth, Christopher J. Ruhm and Kosali Simon find that rates of opioid deaths grew faster in countries where the unemployment rate climbed faster than average. They analyzed health records from 1999 to 2014, comparing how overdose rates changed in places where the unemployment rate ticked upward unexpectedly, and places where it ticked downward unexpectedly.

A one percentage-point increase in the unemployment rate, above and beyond the trend, was associated with an approximate 3.6 percent increase in the rate of fatal opioid overdoses, and a 7 percent increase in emergency room visits related to opioid overdoses. (The data on emergency room visits was scarcer, limited to five states: Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, and New Jersey.)

Because of the way the study was designed, it couldn't measure the overall effect of national changes in the economy, like the Great Recession and the subsequent recovery. Instead, the research tells us that places that weathered the Great Recession more gracefully were better able to resist the opioid epidemic, while places that suffered during the Great Recession were harder hit by opioid deaths.

This is more surprising than it seems. As Ruhm points out, alcohol use actually behaves the opposite way. People tend to buy less alcohol in bad times, and more alcohol in good times. In fact, there's a well-documented correlation between economic growth and higher death rates. When the economy is booming, people tend to behave in more risky ways, and pollution also increases. When the economy is in recession, both those risk factors abate.

Ruhm was one of the first to point out this relationship back in 2000. But in the United States, at least, it seems recessions are no longer saving as many lives as in the past. Ruhm and his colleagues believe the explanation might lie in the rising incidence of opioid addiction and suicide, which both tend to spike during stressful times. And, while overall alcohol use doesn't increase during an economic downturn, researchers have found that people are more likely to engage in binge drinking.

Another piece of evidence for this view comes from economists Justin Pierce of the Federal Reserve Board and Peter Schott of Yale. In a November working paper, these researchers analyzed the health consequences of the increased trade with China in the early 2000s. In places where trade caused unemployment to spike, the researchers found higher rates of death by suicide and drug overdose  mostly among whites, and particularly white men.

Meanwhile, the rate of fatal heart attacks actually decreased in places with more unemployment, a pattern that has also been observed in other countries. Researchers believe that unemployment, even if it is more psychologically stressful, is at least not as taxing on the heart.

"We've known for a while now that, although physical health often improves when times get bad, mental health often gets worse," Ruhm said. "And there are complicated pathways between depression, pain and anxiety  they're all pretty closely related to each other in ways I don't think we fully understand."

Ruhm believes that the opioid epidemic is connected to larger problems of mental health. "Before we had the explosion of these opioid analgesics, you just kind of lived with your problems" he said. "Now, we have lots of reason to believe that people may be turning to opioids as a reflection of their bad mental health."

Clarifying these kinds of connections  between physical, mental, and economic well-being  will be important because they will guide the actions that doctors and politicians will take.

The underlying forces driving people to dangerous behaviors in the first place need further examination, these researchers say.

Meanwhile, in countries such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom, the death rate has been declining. Back in the early 1990s, middle-aged people in the United States and the U.K. had similar death rates. Now, middle-aged Americans are 50 percent more likely to die than their U.K. counterparts.

This doesn't have to do with drugs at all  in both countries, cancer and heart disease are the top killers among the middle-aged. But somehow, people in the U.K. have just gotten better at surviving.
WASHINGTON  In October, the administration of President Barack Obama said it would probe the long-time practice by some airlines of preventing travel websites from showing fares. It also said it was looking into the possibility of requiring airlines to require transparency in airline baggage and other fees.

On Friday, the administration of President Donald Trump postponed action on the Obama administration move  a decision that immediately drew praise from the airline industry.

In a notice on Friday, the U.S. Department of Transportation said it is suspending a public comment period on the review of the practices to "allow the presidents appointees the opportunity to review and consider this action."

Airlines generated $3.8 billion in baggage fees in 2015 and the Obama administration said in October it was formally exploring requiring airlines and ticket agents to provide consumers with prices that include service fees for baggage and other services alongside fares at points of sale.

Separately, the Trump administration is also extending the compliance date for a new regulation requiring reporting of data for mishandled baggage and wheelchairs in aircraft cargo compartments for one year  until Jan. 1, 2019.

Airlines for America, the industry trade group representing American Airlines Group Inc., United Continental Holdings Inc., Southwest Airlines Co. and others, praised the decision.

"Todays action is a common sense measure reinforcing that the airline industry is capable of making the decisions that best serve our customers, our employees and the communities we serve," the airlines' group chief executive Nicholas Calio said in a statement.

The group added the "airline industry operates under 13,000 regulations across 13 agencies, many of which are outdated, obsolete and in need of reform."

Trump met with airline chief executives last month and asked them to identify regulatory hurdles preventing job growth in the industry.

A study commissioned by a travel agencies' trade group, the Travel Technology Association, in 2014 found that restricting the ability to comparison-shop would result in ticket prices increasing more than 11 percent.
ST. LOUIS  A jury here Friday rejected a womans claims that her longtime use of baby powder made by Johnson & Johnson contributed to her ovarian cancer.

The 11-1 Circuit Court verdict in favor of Johnson & Johnson follows three earlier St. Louis jury verdicts totaling $197 million against the company last year. About 2,000 state and federal lawsuits are pending.

Nora Daniels, 55, of Columbia, Tenn., sued Johnson & Johnson and Imerys Talc, a J&Js talcum powder supplier. Daniels, a mother of two, used Johnson & Johnsons talcum powder from 1978 to 2013, when she was diagnosed with ovarian and uterine cancer.

The case began Feb. 6, and the jury began deliberations Thursday afternoon.

Daniels attorney, Jim Onder, said Fridays verdict, while disappointing, helps define what cases should and shouldnt be compensated. Onder said he thought the difference between this trial and the three others that favored plaintiffs was that the jury thought talcum powder did not contribute to her specific type of ovarian cancer.

Youve got to respect the process, he said. He said the next talcum powder trials in St. Louis were scheduled for April and June.

In a statement Friday, Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman Carol Goodrich said the company sympathized with ovarian cancer patients.

The jurys decision is consistent with the science, research, clinical evidence and decades of studies by medical experts around the world that continue to support the safety of cosmetic talc, the statement said. It also noted two cases thrown out of New Jersey state court last fall after a judge found inadequate scientific evidence for the suits claims.

Imerys also praised the jurys verdict for following the science that establishes the safety of talc, according to a statement attributed to Imerys spokeswoman Gwen Myers. Imerys sympathizes with women suffering from ovarian cancer and hopes that the scientific communitys efforts will continue to be directed toward finding the true causes of this terrible disease.

Juror Luke Wilson, 34, of St. Louis, said the jury did not think evidence linking talcum powder with ovarian cancer was strong enough to require Johnson & Johnson to put warning labels on its products.

The lone dissenting juror, George Stair, 76, of St. Louis, disagreed, saying, I think there was enough [evidence], but obviously I didnt carry the day. I wish we could have sent a message to Johnson & Johnson to put a warning on the product label.

St. Louis juries in the earlier cases found that Johnson & Johnson failed to warn the public of studies linking its talc-containing products such as Shower-to-Shower and Johnsons Baby Powder to ovarian cancer.

All four cases were handled by the Onder Law Firm of Webster Groves, which has advertised nationwide for ovarian cancer patients who suspect baby powder may be linked to their disease.

As a result of the verdicts, a pro-business lobbying group in December labeled the citys circuit court as the nations most unfair jurisdiction for civil lawsuits. Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican, has pledged to alter the states legal landscape as part of a pro-business push favored by the GOP-controlled House and Senate.

In October, a St. Louis jury awarded $70 million to a woman in California who used talcum powder regularly for years and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012. In May, a jury here ordered the company to pay $55 million to a survivor in South Dakota. In February 2016, a jury awarded $72 million to relatives of a woman from Alabama who died of ovarian cancer.

The verdict in October was the first and only to find Imerys Talc at fault.

Talcum powder products contain the mineral talc, which can absorb moisture and prevent chafing and rash. It is used in eye shadow, blush and some chewing gums as well as baby powder. Some talc naturally contains asbestos, which is known to cause lung cancer. Asbestos has been removed from household talcum products since the 1970s.

The American Cancer Society states that research into talc and ovarian cancer is ongoing and that until more information is available, people concerned about using talcum powder may want to avoid or limit their use of consumer products that contain it.
American farmers continued planting more genetically engineered crops this year, surprising some industry experts who expected farmers to back away from some biotech crops amid complaints of high seed prices and reports of growing weed resistance.

This spring the percentage of genetically engineered soy, corn and cotton rose, helping push total planting of all three crops up over last year and lifting soy to record-breaking levels and corn to near-record breaking levels.

According to a report issued last week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farmers cited good weather conditions in the spring planting season as the primary reason for the overall increases.

For some analysts, however, the biotech figures were unexpected. Since the first biotech crops were commercialized in 1996, planting of biotech soy, corn and cotton have climbed consistently. But last year acreage of biotech soybeans dropped by 1 percent, making 2009 the first year farmers appeared to be backing away from biotech soy varieties, a trend many agricultural analysts expected to continue.

"I think there were two reasons why," said Neil Harl, a professor of economics at Iowa State University. "One was the rapid run-up in cost (of seeds). The second was resistance by weeds to glyphosate."

More than 90 percent of the soybeans grown in the U.S. are genetically engineered to withstand applications of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, the country's top-selling herbicide. Creve Coeur-based seed giant Monsanto owns the technology in the majority of the country's soybeans and also manufactures Roundup. The two products work in tandem.

But in the past few years, the weeds that glyphosate kills have been cropping up in farm fields, particularly in the South. And the price of soybean seeds has risen sharply  more than 100 percent since 2001, according to federal figures. That has made some farmers turn away from biotech varieties or think about doing so, seed dealers and farmers say.

"Farmers have balked because they say it's just too high," said Grover Shannon, a professor of soybean genetics at the University of Missouri's Delta Center. "They're charging this big price and the product doesn't work as well."

Monsanto concedes that it may have been overly optimistic about Roundup's efficacy over the long term. Now the company is recommending residual herbicides, including a product for cotton and soybeans called Warrant that the company launched last week for the 2011 season.

The company also said it was giving farmers the option of buying a non-treated version of its new generation of soybean, called Roundup Ready 2 Yield. This could lower the cost and attract more farmers as they make their seed purchases this fall  something that could boost the biotech acreage even higher next year.

In the meantime, this year's rise in biotech acreage comes as welcome news for the world's largest seed company. The biotech giant became the subject late last year of a Department of Justice investigation into anti-competitive behavior. Late last month, the attorney general of West Virginia accused the company of claiming that Roundup Ready 2 Yield performs better than it actually does.

Monsanto has long countered by saying that its licensing practices, which allow hundreds of companies to sell seeds with Monsanto-developed traits, give more farmers access to its technologies. The company has also stood by its testing showing that its new soybeans yielded more than 7 percent over competitors'.

Still, researchers at public universities say they are continuing to work on developing conventional seed varieties to fulfill what they believe could be growing demand.
Whether meat will be allowed for St. Louis Catholics on St. Patricks Day is being determined on a plate-by-plate basis.

The Irish holiday is on March 17, which happens to fall on a Lenten Friday  a day when Catholics are not allowed to eat meat.

Historically, bishops have granted dispensation from the meatless rule, which would stop revelers from partaking in the holidays traditional corned beef dinners.

This year, Archbishop Robert J. Carlson has decided that such dispensation will be granted only to those who specifically petition his office, an archdiocesan spokeswoman said.

The dispensation will be granted if the archbishop finds that the event merits the special action, the spokeswoman said.

For example, in a letter Wednesday to the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Carlson responded to a request from order president John Wilson, who sought dispensation for those attending the corned beef dinner at St. James the Greater church in the Dogtown neighborhood of south St. Louis.

With this letter, I give you permission to serve meat, and I would ask that you would inform the Catholics present that they have been granted a dispensation if they choose to use it, the letter states.

Carlson also decrees that any Catholic who is granted dispensation and uses it must then refrain from eating meat on one day during the six days following March 17.

Nationwide, several major dioceses have announced diocese-wide dispensations, including Baltimore; New York; Milwaukee; Minneapolis; Atlanta; and Omaha, Neb., the Catholic Free Press reports.

In Missouri, the Jefferson City diocese already has a carnivorous pass for March 17.
Jean Huelsing received an urgent text from a former camper late at night more than a year after they had all returned home.

Im really worried, Jean, the teenager wrote. She was concerned about a friend she had made during the four-week residential health and fitness camp in Imperial. They kept in touch once camp ended, but the camper had been depressed recently.

Im not able to get a hold of him, she wrote to Huelsing, a registered nurse who founded and runs Camp Jump Start. Can you help?

Huelsing immediately called the childs parents and suggested counseling to help the withdrawn teen. She knows the friendships formed between the campers can be a lifeline to children struggling with their weight who may feel isolated or have been bullied in their schools. Its not the first time former campers have reached out to her when theyve been worried about a peer.

There have always been the lasting memories from a summer camp experience and stories of lifelong friendships  even marriages  that happen years after the summer has past. But, the rise of technology that makes keeping in touch and tracking down people easier than ever has also made some camp relationships a larger part of day-to-day life after camp ends.

Amy Koncar, a senior at Fontbonne University, has also seen the lasting impacts of summer camp. She attended Camp Kesem for five summers as a child. Its a weeklong camp offered at more than a hundred locations nationwide for children who have a parent diagnosed with cancer. Koncars father had been diagnosed with ambulatory cancer when she was in fifth grade in Chicago. Her father has been in remission for 11 years, and the camp was a huge source of support for her.

When Koncar was in high school, she received a Facebook message from a former Camp Kesem counselor, whose mother had recently been diagnosed with cancer. The former counselor found herself in the same position as the campers she had known years ago. She reached out to the community for support, and they responded in kind.

When Koncar came to college in St. Louis, she had hoped to become a counselor at Camp Kesem, but her university did not host a chapter. So, she contacted a former camper at St. Louis University she had known as a child. Koncar offered to help with the SLU chapter, and her former campmate found a way to get her on the counseling staff for their program.

They have been camp counselors together for three years now, and this will be Koncars final summer attending Camp Kesem.

Its been a really big part of my life, she said.

Huelsing has also witnessed the lasting power of the bonds forged by children who have spent weeks of delving into the emotional side of their eating habits, along with participating in all the regular camp activities. Huelsing saw an interaction between a former camper and some school peers pop up on Facebook. The peers were bullying him in such a brutal way that Huelsing wasnt sure if she should call the police or his parents first.

Then, a former camper intervened before she had a chance to. The friend responded to the taunting social media posts by saying they were not good kids and need to be defriended right away.

Beyond friendships, the experience in a common camp culture can reinforce values and identity in a powerful way.

In 2011, researchers published a study about the long-term impact of Jewish overnight camp. About 70,000 children attended overnight Jewish camps in 2010, the report said.

The goal of the research was to compare the Jewish attitudes and behaviors of adults who had attended these camp as children with those of adults who had not attended.

In other words, 20, 30 or 40 years after attending camp, do we find the marker of camp attendance on the ways that adult Jews think, feel and act about being Jewish? the authors wrote.

They found that camp attendance was associated with an increased likelihood of adult participation and identification in every one of the 13 areas they probed. The experience increases the likelihood of an adults Jewish engagement ranging from their emotional attachment to Israel to lighting Shabbat candles to donating to Jewish federations.

The bonding experience of camp not only builds a long-lasting taste and yearning for community; it also creates habits of Jewish practice, the study reported.

Koncar, who found a sense of community among other children whose parents were fighting cancer, said its hard to put into words the impact the camp experiences had on her. As a child, camp was simply a week of fun for her. As an adult, she realizes how important it was.

I know that nine summers of camp will go with me for the rest of my life, she said.
ST. LOUIS  A discredited former St. Louis journalist launched a series of copycat bomb threats at Jewish organizations across the country as part of an effort to harass an ex-girlfriend, federal prosecutors said Friday.

Juan M. Thompson, 31, was arrested Friday morning on a cyberstalking charge after being accused of a bizarre, monthslong campaign. It culminated with emailed bomb threats to Jewish community centers, schools, a museum and other organizations on eight days in January and February, using either his ex-girlfriends name or his own, a federal criminal complaint says. He would later publicly claim on social media that she was trying to falsely implicate him, the complaint says.

In January and February alone, 100 bomb threats were received at Jewish Community Centers and schools at 81 locations in 33 states and two Canadian provinces, the JCC Association of North America said on Feb. 27.

University City Police Lt. Fredrick Lemons said detectives would question Thompson about the headstones toppled at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery last month but declined to say whether he was considered a suspect.

Thompson appeared briefly Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis . He was shackled at the wrists and ankles.

Thompson conferred with the assistant federal public defender appointed to his case, Lucille Liggett, before the hearing began. At the start of the hearing, Liggett did not concede that her client was Thompson, saying he was entitled to an identity hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Marcus said FBI agents had identified Thompson as the man being sought and arrested by them, and U.S. Magistrate Judge David Noce referred to Thompson by name for the rest of the hearing.

Asked by Noce whether he had money for a private attorney, Thompson said that he had a little money but I also have a large family.

Noce told him that he would keep Liggett on the case until a private attorney was hired.

Noce told Thompson that he would next appear in court Wednesday for the identity hearing, a detention hearing, a preliminary examination and a hearing to discuss Thompsons transfer to New York to face charges.

His family declined to comment after the hearing, saying the assembled reporters knew more than they did about the case. One unidentified man later spoke up for Thompsons lack of any prior criminal record, telling reporters, Not a jaywalking ticket, not a traffic ticket.

Liggett declined to comment, as did Marcus, who referred a reporter to prosecutors in New York.

The criminal complaint was filed in U.S. District Court for the southern district of New York.

In a statement accompanying news of the arrest, Preet Bharara, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said, Threats of violence targeting people and places based on religion or race  whatever the motivation  are unacceptable, un-American, and criminal. We are committed to pursuing and prosecuting those who foment fear and hate through such criminal threats.

Thompsons alleged threats are among dozens that have been received in recent months by Jewish organizations around the country.

Thompson made news a year ago when he was fired by the online magazine The Intercept for a variety of ethical breaches including using fabricated quotes.

The campaign of anonymous emails was familiar to some St. Louis-area journalists.

Thompsons fraudulent reporting was the subject of an in-depth story in February 2016 by Riverfront Times reporter Doyle Murphy.

In November, area reporters, including two from the Post-Dispatch, received an anonymous email from a woman claiming that Murphy had committed a crime against her in 2001. The woman did not respond to replies from reporters, and there was no evidence to back up the claim.

On Friday, Murphy described in a news story a campaign of additional harassment by Thompson, and said that he had contacted St. Louis police, who were already working on the ex-girlfriends case.

In a phone interview Friday, Murphy called the experience a nightmare.

St. Louis police acknowledged assisting with the investigation, but referred other questions to the FBI.

The arrest Friday came just over seven months after Thompson and the New York woman broke up, the criminal complaint says. The two had a relationship, but she ended it, the complaint says.

The woman could not immediately be reached for comment.

The day after the breakup, the executive director of her company received an email from someone claiming to be a producer with a national news organization, claiming that the woman had been pulled over for DUI and was being sued for spreading a sexually transmitted disease, the complaint says.

Over the next few weeks, the woman received texts and emails from a Thompson friend and relative, falsely claiming that he had been robbed, shot and was now dying and was also the victim of a computer hacker who was responsible for her harassment, the complaint says.

For the next several months, the woman, co-workers and a board member of her company received emails that investigators would later trace to Thompson. Some claimed she had an STD. Others threatened to release nude photos of her.

In October, someone falsely reported seeing child porn on the womans phone.

A New York police detective spoke on Nov. 22 to someone claiming to be Thompson, and Thompson again claimed to have been hacked. The detective told Thompson that his conduct must stop and to leave the woman alone, the complaint says.

But on Jan. 28, a Jewish history museum in Manhattan received an anonymous email claiming Thompson had put two bombs in the museum, the complaint says.

On Feb. 1, a Jewish school in Farmington Hills, Mich., and a Jewish school in Manhattan received threats saying Thompson had placed two bombs in each location and was eager for a Jewish newtown, the FBI said, an apparent reference to the 2012 fatal shooting of 20 students and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut.

Around Feb. 7, a Jewish community center in Manhattan received an emailed bomb threat from an anonymous email account, that said, Juan Thompson put two bombs in the office of the Jewish center today, again mentioning a Jewish newtown.

The threats then began naming Thompsons ex, the complaint says.

On Feb. 20, the JCC in San Diego received an email claiming the woman had planted a bomb in hopes of killing as many Jews asap.

Around Feb. 21, the Anti-Defamation League received a threat emailed to its midtown Manhattan office indicating that Thompsons ex-girlfriend is behind the bomb threats against jews. She lives in nyc and is making more bomb threats tomorrow. The Council on American-Islamic Relations also received an email saying that the woman put a bomb in the Jewish center in Dallas.

The next day, the ADL received a phone call claiming that explosive material had been placed in the ADLs midtown Manhattan office.

Thompsons Twitter account was also used to accuse the ex-girlfriend of the JCC threats and claim that she was framing him.

On Feb. 24, a tweet said that the woman even sent a bomb threat in my name to a Jewish center, which was odd given her antisemitic statements. I got a visit from the FBI. So now Im battling the racist FBI and this vile, evil, racist white woman.

He also claimed to have been visited by agents of the Secret Service who asked about his tweets because an awful white woman reported him.

On Feb. 27, when another wave of threats came in, Thompson tweeted: Another week, another round of threats against Jewish ppl. In the middle of the day, you know whos at a JCC? Kids. KIDS. Thompson is not accused of making any threats that day.

His Twitter feed is rife with talk of race and politics, and a purported recent trip to Cuba. He is critical of the media, the rich, former President Barack Obama and current President Donald Trump. Back in December, he also had claimed that he would run for mayor of St. Louis. He said on Twitter that he would fight my damn heart out for working class ppl.
New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): Bringing together a diverse array of partners to communicate the Sustainable Development Goals was a key focus on day two Global Festival of Ideas for Sustainable Development, a aplayablea United Nations conference that aims to chart a new way of thinking on addressing some of the worldas most complex development challenges.

We have to make the world aware of this [] agenda that is definitely going to transform the planet and that is going to ensure that no one is left behind, Cristina Gallach, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, told the Festival.

The more we communicate about the SDGs and make people aware of the agenda, the more the governments will be accountable and will ensure that it is implemented, she added.

The UN Department headed by Gallach, Department of Public Information, is the organizations entity tasked with informing the wider world on the SDGs and ensuring that the 17 goals are known and understood.

To that end, 17 icons  each with a designated bright colour, short name phrase and single image  have been created to illustrate each Global Goal.

The icons have also been translated in over 50 languages, from Czech to Bahasa Indonesia, and the number is growing.

Going local

This localization is important to allow people around the globe take ownership of their development agenda, said the senior UN official.

There are a lot of communications that need to be done locally in the different languages people speak locally on a daily basis she explained.

Going local also helps people on the ground feel that that work is being done, so local governments have to implement and local media have to monitor what goes on, added Gallach.

Youths are the best allies

The UN has also placed a particular focus on youth with regards to the SDGs and considers a key partner in the achievement of the Goals.

[The youth] are aware the planet is not going well and they might inherit something really bad so they want to be part of the transformation, said Gallach, adding: They know the goals will be achieved when they are adults, when they will be at the peak of their lives.

The senior UN official also underscored the importance of forging partnerships in the achievement of the SDGs, as well as in communicating them. In addition to the SDG icons  designed in partnership with Jakob Trollback, working with Project Everyone  other examples include the branding of the Mexico city metro and a rap song about the Goals in collaboration with Flocabulary, which uses educational hip-hop music to engage with students.

The more we communicate the more we will harvest for partnerships [and] this agenda cannot be implements without very strong partnerships stressed Gallach.

The Global Festival of Ideas, the first in a series of annual forums, is hosted by the UN SDG Action Campaign in partnership with the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) with the support of the German Government.

Source: www.justearthnews.com
ST. LOUIS  Seven members of the Downtown Taliban street gang were arrested Wednesday and Thursday after being indicted on a charge of conspiring to deal heroin.

U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan said Thursday that members of the St. Louis-area group were also responsible for some of the rolling gunbattles in St. Louis in recent months, and that the seven were indicted earlier than planned to prevent retaliatory violence for the recent murder of a member of the gang.

The indictment, handed down Wednesday but sealed until the arrestees appeared in court Thursday afternoon, says that members of other street gangs formed the Taliban to deal heroin. Buyers would call certain phone numbers, and Taliban members would arrange a specific time and place to sell heroin to numerous people all at one time, the indictment says. Taliban members also made individual sales, the indictment says.

The indictment says Eric Anthony Calicutt Jr., 31, was the primary source of heroin. Louis Calvin Morris Jr., 34, then mixed it with cutting agents and placed it into capsules, and Damian Markel Lewis, 22, provided it to street-level dealers and users, the indictment says.

Caseame A. Willis, 24; Carlos D. Bell Jr., 20; Malik Purdon, 24; and Darnell Clark Jr., 23, are accused of being those dealers.

Each faces a heroin distribution conspiracy charge and Morris also faces a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. All are scheduled to plead not guilty next week.

The gang members used handguns and rifles with high-capacity magazines during their drug dealing and were involved in shootings with other gangs and rival factions, the indictment says.

Lewis brother, Michael A. Lewis, was killed recently outside the Pink Slip, a nightclub in Brooklyn, Callahan said. Lewis funeral is Friday, Assistant Federal Public Defender Melissa Goymerac said in court. She declined to comment after the hearings.

A Brooklyn police staffer referred a reporters questions about the shooting to the police chief, but said he was out of the office until Monday.

Callahan said the indictment represents part of a longer, ongoing investigation ... into competing heroin gangs.

The Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating the group in October 2015, according to court documents. Those documents say that the group also was a rap group.

Then-St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce also mentioned the Taliban in a 2015 St. Louis Public Radio interview in which she mentioned a teen who had several Taliban friends fatally shot.
Vu Le believes that if his father could have taken his cancer treatments he would be alive today but because he was beaten in an alley and left for dead his weakened body just couldnt hold on.

He now wants charges upgraded to murder in his fathers death.

His father, Huan Le, 65, a shopkeeper on Cherokee Street, died Feb. 24 and was laid to rest at Fee Fee Cemetery in Bridgeton on Friday.

The senior Le suffered from cancer, and the brutal beating he suffered left him too weak for treatment.

Danny Barnett, 34, of the 3400 block of Iowa Avenue, was charged with second-degree robbery in the attack. He was ordered held with cash-only bail set at $20,000.

Police say Barnett attacked Huan Le in an alley near Cherokee and Ohio Avenue, not far from where Barnett lives, shortly before noon on Oct. 25, 2016.

Huan Le owned a retail business at Cherokee and Ohio.

Huan Le had been walking for exercise because he recently had finished the first round of chemotherapy, according to his son David Le. The older man came to America in 1979 as a refugee from Vietnam.

Barnett punched Huan Le and knocked him to the ground, and then took cash and credit cards, police said in court documents.

Le had broken bones and was in critical condition after the attack.

His whole entire face was fractured, Vu Le said of the attack. All his teeth were loose and had to be surgically taken out.

Susan Ryan, a spokeswoman for the St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office, said her department was reviewing the charges.

She said she could not comment on whether the charges would be upgraded to murder.

My father was getting chemo on the day he got attacked, Vu Le said. He was going to be scanned later that day to find out the extent of it.

But instead, he encountered Barnett in an alley.

Vu Le said that his father spent two weeks in a rehabilitation center after being released from the hospital. He became too weak to continue chemo, Le said.

He could barely eat, he said. He was down to 98 pounds. My father lost a lot of weight. He used to be 160 pounds. He lost a lot of weight after the assault. I think it contributed to his death.

I want justice for my father, he said. I want the perpetrator to do his time. My father cant go to court to face his perpetrator. He cant even say that you wronged me. You caused a lot of hurt to my family. My father cant say those things.

Vu Le, 43, of St. Ann, said his parents had been married for 45 years.

The only way justice can be served is if the perpetrator serves his term to the maximum, he said. My mother cries every night. She misses her husband. They have been through thick and thin. The last nine months my mother was by my fathers side.

The family is devastated, Vu Le said.

I never wanted to be the poster child for a victim of a senseless crime like this, he said. I cannot stand back and let my fathers voice be in vain.
JEFFERSON CITY  Following a Missouri Supreme Court decision to uphold St. Louis minimum wage increase, legislators in Jefferson City have filed bills that would pre-empt the ordinance and prohibit any that might follow in its wake.

The ruling this week gave city lawmakers and low-wage workers cause to celebrate, but business organizations are lamenting the effect it could have on their efforts to compete, when nearby communities, without the higher wage, can offer cheaper goods and services.

In court, lawyers for St. Louis argued that because the cost of living in cities is significantly higher than other areas of the state, local officials should be able to raise the wage to meet the needs of their own municipalities.

The people of St. Louis need to be able to afford groceries for their families and a roof over their heads, said Aldermanic President Lewis Reed after the ruling. Increasing our minimum wage means empowering more people to make the best decisions for their family, about retirement, going back to school or having children.

But a higher minimum wage could also force businesses to cut workers or hours, or hire fewer employees to offset the change, said Rep. Jason Chipman, R-Steelville, who is sponsoring one of the bills.

That could lead to a downturn for the St. Louis economy, which has a statewide impact, he argued.

Were going to look out for the welfare of all cities in our state, Chipman told the Post-Dispatch.

Sen. Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, filed a similar bill in the Senate. He contends that a standard minimum wage gives businesses certainty and consistency when they set up shop in Missouri.

One municipality having a different minimum wage sets a precedent that would allow different municipalities across the state to have different minimum wages, Hegeman said.

Kansas City lawmakers are also pursuing a higher minimum wage  now, with a greater sense of urgency.

This bill does not prevent business owners from offering higher wages in a competitive environment, Hegeman said.

Hearings on the House proposals have already been set for Monday. Chipmans bill contains an emergency clause, meaning if it passes both chambers and is signed by the governor, it will take effect immediately.

Were going to get this done in a decent time frame to ensure that businesses dont have an interruption to their operations, Chipman said.

Maggie Crane, a spokeswoman for St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, said the fast-tracked bills amounted to "gamesmanship."

"(The Legislature) passed one bill and gave us a deadline. We made it. We litigated to the MO Supreme Court  and won  and now they're looking to flex their muscle again," Crane said. "Their priorities seem out of whack."

Crane suggested state lawmakers consider raising the minimum wage statewide, if they want a consistent standard.

"Inflation has far out-paced the minimum wage in this state and across this country," Crane said.

Abortion Sanctuary cities

State lawmakers are also fighting to keep abortion sanctuary cities out of the Show-Me state, motivated again by a controversial change to a St. Louis ordinance.

A term more typically used to describe cities friendly to immigrants, recently, conservative organizations and politicians have condemned cities with policies protecting reproductive rights as sanctuaries for abortion.

One such policy was signed into law in St. Louis earlier this month, as Slay and city aldermen approved a bill banning employers and landlords from discriminating against women who have had an abortion, use contraceptives or are pregnant.

Its a move that has drawn ire from GOP state legislators who vehemently oppose abortion, and Republican Gov. Eric Greitens, who recently promised to lead the fight against the change.

You can always count on me to protect the most vulnerable, the lives of the unborn, Greitens said during a Lincoln Days event in Springfield, Mo., last week. Thats why youve seen weve taken a strong position that we will not allow St. Louis, Mo., to become an abortion sanctuary city. Not on my watch.

Some lawmakers are pushing measures that would effectively nullify the updated ordinance on the grounds that it inhibits the First Amendment rights of alternatives to abortion agencies, or clinics that counsel women against abortions.

Others took a more direct approach. Under another bill, no city or municipality in Missouri would be able to add reproductive rights to its local discrimination ordinance.

Sponsoring Rep. Phil Christofanelli, R-St. Peters, has said outright that he wants the bill to counteract the law in St. Louis.

The city of St. Louis has failed in governments chief design through an awful and ill-advised ordinance that would force pro-life property owners to accommodate abortion facilities, Christofanelli said in a statement.

Anti-abortion advocates, including the Archdiocese of St. Louis, have expressed similar fears that the city bill would mean punishment and fines for religious organizations that dont want to hire those who dont share their beliefs.

We have reached a sad point in our history when religious institutions could face legal action for failing to employ and promote abortion advocates, Christofanelli said.

To respond to the anti-abortion bills, Slay took to Twitter.

Apparently, the appetite for local control in Jeff City is much less when a municipality actually wants to control something, Slay tweeted.
(c) 2017, The Washington Post.

The information that was posted on the Iowa Senate Republican's website used to suggest that Mark Chelgren, a state lawmaker, held a business degree.

But that wasn't exactly the case, according to NBC News and other media outlets, which this week reported that Chelgren instead held a certificate for a training program for the chain restaurant Sizzler.

Still, Chelgren - a Republican who represents the Iowa Senate's 41st District in the southeastern part of the state - told the Associated Press that he didn't mean to mislead people.

"I know they've changed that, because apparently a degree and a certificate are different," Chelgren told AP. "And I'm okay with their change, but there was never any intent at all to mislead anyone."

NBC News reported this week that Chelgren's biography on the website had changed, removing the information about the degree. According to an image posted by the network, information on the site had previously indicated that Chelgren had a degree in business management from Forbco Management school.

The problem, NBC reported, was that Forbco Management isn't included as an accredited institution on the National Center for Education Statistics' list. The network reviewed records and reported that the only Forbco Management in the state of California "is a company that used to operate a Sizzler steakhouse in Torrance, California."

"This was a management course he took when he worked for Sizzler, kind of like Hamburger University at McDonald's," Ed Failor Jr., chief of staff for the Iowa Senate majority leader, told NBC News. "He got a certificate."

The biographical information that is posted to the Iowa State Republicans site comes from submitted biographies, Failor told The Washington Post on Thursday.

"Senators get elected, there's not an interview process or anything, they get elected," he said. "And they submit their bios."

Chelgren did not immediately respond to an email from The Post on Thursday. He told the Associated Press that a clerk initially gave information to Senate Republicans, but said he also reviewed it.

"It was given to me to approve and I thought it was adequate," he told the wire service.

Here's what he told AP about the confusion:

"Chelgren said Thursday he had not thought there was much difference between a degree and a certificate. He said he worked at a Southern California Sizzler in the 1980s, when he was about 19.

" ' I didn't see a difference when I did the review, didn't worry about,' he said.

"Chelgren said he doesn't mind that the information about him now has been changed."

Chelgren told the Des Moines Register that the school ran "ran Sizzler restaurants and a few other different restaurants." He said he spent a few months in the training so that he could be promoted.

"I had to take their school and their classes and they gave me their degree - as they termed it - and I have used that terminology," he told the newspaper. "I was told, 'Well, it is probably better terminology to say 'certificate,' " so regardless of however they want to do it, that is the semantics (NBC News is) arguing."

Chelgren made headlines this month as the author of Senate File 288, proposed legislation that seeks to "require partisan balance" of faculty members who work at higher-ed institutions that are governed by the Iowa Board of Regents, according to its text.

Those schools include the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa.

Under the proposed bill, a job candidate who is seeking a position as a professor or instructor would not be hired if his or her political party affiliation on their hire date would "cause the percentage of the faculty belonging to one political party to exceed by ten percent the percentage of the faculty belonging to the other political party," the text states.

The state commissioner of elections would turn over voter registration records to the Board of Regents-governed universities each year, the bill states.

"The Board of Regents is opposed to the bill," spokesman Josh Lehman said in an email to The Post. "We expect our universities to hire the most qualified faculty to teach our students, and we believe in diversity of thought."
Palmyra, Mar 3 (IBNS): The Syrian Army has captured Palmyra city from the militant group ISIS, media reports said.

"Army units establish control over the archaeological Citadel of (Tadmur) Palmyra, the Communications Hill to the west of Palmyra city and the Dedeman Palmyra to the south of the city after inflicting heavy losses upon ISIS terrorists," SANA news agency reported.

According to media reports, Syrian army had earlier entered Tadmur and recovered it from the militant group.

Palmyra is an ancient Semitic city in present-day Homs Governorate, Syria.

Image: Wikimedia Commons
London, Mar 3 (IBNS): The NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller will travel to London on Monday.

Gottemoeller will attend the Security and Defence 2017 Conference hosted by Chatham House, where she will deliver a keynote speech entitled Effective Multilateralism: How NATO adapts to meet changing security challenges, read the NATO website.

During her visit, the Deputy Secretary General will meet the Vice Chief of Defence Staff, General Sir Gordon Messenger, and the Minister of State for Europe and the Americas at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the Alan Duncan.



Gottemoeller will also pay a visit to the National Cyber Security Centre.

Image:Wikimedia commons
As we have since July 2006, each Friday well post our sampling of cigar news and other items of interest from the week. Below is our latest, which is the 520th in the series.

1) An interview with Las Vegas cigar impresario Michael Frey explores how his endeavors evolved Sin Citys cigar scene from a handful of small shops along the Strip to the home of destination cigar locales including Casa Fuente, Rhumbar, and the recently opened Montecristo Cigar Bar at Caesars Palace. He also talks about his latest project, a renovation of his Cigarbox shop just off the Strip, which includes an updated lounge and bar.

2) In his first month in office, President Trump has taken a critical pose towards new agency regulations passed during the Obama years and an executive order demanding agencies evaluate their rules, which would include the FDAs cigar regulation. The sweeping order directs every federal agency to establish a task force to ensure each has a team to research all regulations and take aim at those deemed burdensome to the U.S. economy and designate regulatory reform officers within 60 days and must report on the progress within 90 days The order says agencies should seek to repeal regulations that inhibit job creation, are ineffective, impose costs that exceed benefits, or create a serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with regulatory initiatives and policies.'

3) The Cause of Action Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group committed to ensuring that government decision-making is open, honest, and fair, filed an amicus friend of the court brief backing the DC Circuit federal lawsuit filed by cigar trade groups challenging the FDAs cigar rules that went into effect last August. Common sense appears to be dead at the FDA, CoA spokesman Patrick Massari said in a statement. The brief notes: The sheer costs of FDAs regulation will be so high that smaller, family-owned businesses will no longer be able to comply. The tradition of premium, hand-rolled cigars handed down by generations will turn into a corporate mill. This, as detailed above, will lead to higher prices, reduced choice and quality, and the curtailment of innovation in the market. The FDAs cynical nod to cost-benefit analysis fails for many reasons, including its tunnel vision and inability to consider the cost to consumers, producers, and retailers.

4) Inside the Industry: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trusts Steve Saka announced this week that two of his cigars will be arriving soon at retailers across the country. Umbagog has already been released in very limited numbers but will be arriving in larger numbers in the second week this month. Umbagog is a more affordable cigar using a Broadleaf wrapper that doesnt make the grade for Mi Querida. A week later, Muestra de Saka Exclusivo (6 x 52) will be shipping to over 120 retailers. Muestra de Saka is a Nicaraguan puro featuring tobacco from all four Nicaraguan growing regions: Jalapa, Condega, Ometepe, and Esteli.

5) From the Archives: Our focus at StogieGuys.com is (obviously) cigars, but many cigar smokers also enjoy pipes. If you are looking for an introduction to pipes, check out this interview with Brian Levine of the Pipes Magazine Radio Show. He discusses how the show came about, his favorite pipes, and some tips for a beginner starting to explore the sometimes intimidating world of pipes and pipe tobacco.

6) Deal of the Week: We recommend Bespoke Post, a monthly collection of awesome items delivered to your door for just $45. Available boxes include fine bar accessories, shaving kits, wine, workout gear, coffee kits, and more. You can skip or purchase every month. Sign up today and youll be able to get the March shipment.

The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Las Vegas Weekly
New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): In the wake of a high-profile conviction of a mastermind who murdered and dismembered a woman with albinism, a United Nations independent expert is calling for additional oversight of traditional healers who use body parts in witchcraft rituals and so-called medicines.



Presenting a report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by people with albinism, Ikponwosa Ero, said the demand for the body parts of people with albinism for the purposes of witchcraft rituals, or in traditional medicine known as muti or juju, has led to the existence of a clandestine market for body parts operating at regional, national and international levels.

The issue is further complicated by the lack of effective oversight over the practice of traditional healers, the secrecy that often surrounds witchcraft rituals and the absence of clear national policies on the issue, Ero said.

She called for a twin-track approach that would urgently address the trafficking of body parts from people with albinism, while also demystifying the misbeliefs about albinism.

At least 600 attacks and violations of rights of people with albinism have been reported in 27 countries, the majority in the past six years, according to information from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Among the attacks was the kidnapping and killing of a 20-year-old woman in South Africa. Ero welcomed on Friday the conviction of the mastermind in the attack, whose body parts were collected to be used by witch doctors.

Too often, only middlemen and hired hands are arrested or prosecuted, Ero said. This sentence from the High Court of South Africa is particularly important as it condemns the man who organized and recruited persons for the crime.

Ero is the first Independent Expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor, report and advise on the situation of those worldwide who have albinism.

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.

UN Photo/Marie Frechon.

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Jonathan Merchant on CCTV

WARWICKSHIRE Police is appealing for the public's help to trace a man who has been reported missing in Warwick this morning, Friday 3rd March.

Jonathan Merchant, aged 34, was last seen leaving Warwick Hospital in Lakin Road shortly after 5.30am and heading towards Coventry Road.

He is described as a white man, 5ft 8ins tall with brown hair and speaks with a Welsh accent.

When last seen he was wearing a blue hooded coat over a red fleece and brown walking boots. He has since discarded the coat.

Searches have been carried out in the area and officers are making enquiries in Wales where Mr Merchant has connections.

Police and hospital staff are becoming increasingly concerned for Mr Merchant's welfare and would like to hear from anyone who has seen him in the past few hours or has information about his whereabouts.

Anyone who sees him is advised not to approach him but to contact Warwickshire Police on 101 quoting incident 36.
A high-ranking Iraqi military commander says Daesh terrorists have used internationally-banned chemical weapons in a recent attack on the liberated areas in eastern Mosul as government forces and their allies are pushing to expel the extremists out of the countrys second largest city.

The commander of the Iraqi rapid response forces, Captain Sa'adon Khaled al-Ramadani, said on Thursday that the extremists lobbed a barrage of Katyusha rockets containing chlorine gas on al-Maliyah, Nabi Yunus and al-Faisaliyah neighborhoods of Mosul, located some 400 kilometers north of the capital Baghdad, English-language online newspaper Iraqi News reported.

A number of people were reportedly transferred to medical centers and hospitals after suffering severe poisoning with the toxic gas.

Noureddin Qablan, the deputy chief of the Nineveh Provincial Council, announced that a woman and her two children suffered skin burns and dyspnea after rockets laced with mustard gas slammed into Mosul's al-Samah and Northern Karaj neighborhoods.

Qablan added that the trio were transferred to a hospital in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, to receive medical treatment.

Separately, a local source, requesting anonymity, said Daesh's so-called director for religious affairs, his son and one of his close aides were killed during clashes with Iraqi security forces in Mosuls western neighborhood of Wadi Hajar.

British Daesh medics killed while fleeing Mosul

Meanwhile, two British medical students, who joined Daesh after studying medicine in the Sudanese capital city of Khartoum, were killed during a firefight in northern Iraq.

Ahmed Sami Kheder and Hisham Fadlallah are reported to have been killed as they fled Mosul in a convoy at the weekend.

On February 19, Iraqi government troops and fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units  commonly known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Shaabi  mounted a new offensive to liberate western Mosul.

International aid organizations have warned against the mass exodus of hundreds of thousands of civilians from western Mosul.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says some 8,000 people have fled western Mosul since the Iraqi forces launched their operations to rid that part of the city from Daesh terrorists.

The UN humanitarian aid agency announced on Tuesday that it was increasing its displacement camps to cope with the rising number of those escaping the battlefield.
New York, Mar 3 (Just Earth News): With nearly 274,000 people displaced, Yemenas Taiz is now among the crisis-torn countryas top five hosting governorates for such populations, a United Nations report has found.



For nearly 20 months, Taiz has been the centre of intense ground clashes, military confrontations and aerial strikes between warring parties in Yemen.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has initiated a system to track displacement from the major port city of Al Mokha, as accurate data is essential to plan an effective, efficient and impactful humanitarian response.

So far, at least 25,000 individuals have been reported as displaced from Al Mokha, according to IOM.

This much-needed data has enabled the entire humanitarian community in Yemen to increase the amount and accuracy of vital support and protection it provides to affected populations, said IOM Yemen Chief of Mission Laurent de Boeck in a press release.

Since the start of the conflict in March 2015, IOM has tracked up to 426,672 internally displaced persons and 78,258 returnees in the governorate of Taiz.

Earlier this week, Stephen OBrien, the UN Emergency Coordinator, who is currently undertaking a mission in Yemen said that in an around Ibb and Taiz, he had met with families to hear their horrific stories of displacement.

Running from violence, bombings and shelling, these people from Taiz and Mocha had left with nothing. It is now ordinary Yemenis, host communities and humanitarian actors providing lifesaving assistance and protection, he said in a news release, stressing that with so many people malnourished and sick, aid is not enough.

One thing is clear, though: there are no military solutions to this terrible conflict. Only sustainable peace can bring about the solutions, hope and future of Yemenis. I call on all parties to the conflict to come together and make peace. That is the best humanitarian assistance, he said.

Photo: ICRC/Khalid al-Saeed

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Dhaka, Mar 3 (IBNS): Bangladesh security officials have arrested the alleged spiritual leader of aNeo JMBa, media reports said on Friday.

According to Bangladesh media reports, Neo JMB is an offshoot of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

He has been identified as Maulana Abul Kashem.

Kashem is considered to be a key plotter in the Gulshan cafe attack last year which killed at least 20 people, including foreigners, in the capital city.

A Bangladesh court on Friday send him to seven-day remand in connection with a case filed over Gulshan cafe attack


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The NZ Transport Agency, Heritage New Zealand and local hapu are excavating what could potentially be a defensive trench from the New Zealand Land Wars or the inter-tribal Musket Wars.

Contractors were widening the side of State Highway 29a in Matapihi for the installation of a safety median barrier when the discovery was made.

The site had previously been identified as being in an area of archaeological significance for three hapu; Ngai Tukairangi, Ngati He and Ngati Tapu.

Work was stopped immediately and the agreed cultural protocols were enacted with the hapu.

The Transport Agencys Bay of Plenty State Highways Manager, Niclas Johansson, says its early days, but the find could be significant.

We expected to find kumara and fire pits and we have an authority from Heritage New Zealand for the works, but we did not expect to see something like this.

This could be nationally significant so its important that we keep the site closed and take the time now to find out as much as we can so we can honour the tangata whenua who were affected by this part of our history.

The Project Archaeologist, Sian Keith, says the site will be excavated and all details will be recorded so a fuller picture of what has been found can be painted.

The trench is about 40 metres long and appears to have been used as a coastal defence around the 1830s to 1860s.

Its away from other well-known battle sites around Tauranga and depending on the date it could add some important information to the national historic record.

A military trench near Matapihi.

The hapu and the Transport Agency will continue to work in partnership to ensure the correct cultural practice is carried out. A representative from Ngai Tukairangi, Ngati He and Ngati Tapu will remain on site to monitor the excavation.

The speed limit will remain at 70 kilometres per hour throughout the construction site to decrease the risk of any serious crashes occurring.

The median barrier project is expected to be completed by the middle of this year.

Discussions will also continue between the Transport Agency, the hapu and Heritage New Zealand on how the site might be able to be permanently acknowledged.
Under new legislation, the Tauranga District Court has undergone a name change and will now be known as the District Court at Tauranga.

The superficial alteration reflects government changes to modernise the New Zealand courts and instead of a network of separate district courts, the District Court is now consolidated into a unified entity with General, Family, Youth and Disputes Tribunal divisions.

Changes include an expanded jurisdiction in civil matters from $200,000 previously to $350,000; the availability of new orders; a lift in the maximum number of permanent judges to 160; more specified powers for the Chief Judge; and requirements to publish progress on delivery of reserved judgments.

Chief District Court Judge Jan-Marie Doogue says when taken alongside accompanying legislative changes, such as that opening the way for more audio visual links in court, the District Court Act 2016 Act simplifies the structure of the court and better reflects modern approaches.

The vast majority of people who go to court in New Zealand rely on a District Court, and will continue to attend their nearest courthouse.

They may notice little practical change, but this is a historic milestone. The measures are designed to bring more clarity and transparency and will help the District Court adapt to changes experienced since the landmark Royal Commission on the Courts recommended establishment of district courts in 1978.

Associate Justice Minister Mark Mitchell says the changes focus on creating a more people-centred justice system by making it easier to understand and more efficient for people to use.

The unified New Zealand District Court will be the largest court in Australasia, spanning across 58 court sites and hearing more than 200,000 cases a year.

The reform also includes steps to enable the digitisation of court processes. For example, defendants can now appear by audio-visual links for criminal procedural appearances

This means fewer defendants will be transported from secure facilities to appear in court, increasing efficiency and improving the safety of witnesses and court staff.
Punters at tonights gourmet night market will have an extra aural treat to enjoy when Kevin Davy White starts his set.

The 29-year-old Parisian musician is touring the North Island at the moment, playing gigs in as many towns as he can.

He says its his first time visiting the country, after touring in the UK and Europe.

Ive come with my partner for a holiday, and I thought I would do some gigs. Weve been to Taupo and Rotorua, and after this were heading up to the Coromandel, before heading back down the west coast to Wellington.

Im falling in love with the country  its so beautiful.

Kevin has previously appeared on The Voice in France. Although he didnt make it past the first round of auditions, he says hes had a lot of opportunities since, and has a growing following on social media.

He describes his musical style as blues, rock, soul, and a little bit of funk.

I started 10 years ago, when I was 19. I taught myself how to sing and play the guitar. I cant read music, I just do it all by ear.

Hell be playing three sets  a mix of originals and covers  between 6pm and 9pm on Friday at Coronation Park, for anyone who wants to come down and check out his sound.
A helicopter with a monsoon bucket has been called to help firefighters quell a scrub fire in Te Puna this afternoon.

The fire is located on Minden Road.

There is a crew from Tauranga, a tanker from Greerton and an additional water tanker has been called from Te Puke, says Northern Fire Communications shift manager Jarron Phillips.

The fire is believed to be burning over an area of about 100m by 100m.

We havent been there for too long."

A helicopter using monsoon buckets to douse the blaze. Photos: Tamsin Phillips.
UPDATED 7.30AM: Conflicting reports are coming in of the location of the huge fire which broke out in Birch Avenue this morning.

In a series of tweets, a New Zealand Fire Service spokesperson says 13 appliances from across the Bay of Plenty were dispatched to the fire which broke out at the Tauranga MMA Fight Club.

But, a reporter at the scene says it appears the fire broke out in the building behind the fight club at Tauranga Hardware and Plumbing.

It looks like the firefighters have done a pretty good save, the fire hasnt spread to anywhere else and was confined to that area.

A witness who lives nearby says he heard a few bangs and few pops at about 5am. He went down to have a look and then saw huge flames.

EARLIER 7.15AM:

Firefighters have now extinguished a huge building fire which broke out at Tauranga MMA Fight Club on Birch Avenue.

"Fight Club building fire extinguished. Being ventilated. Secondary search now being conducted to ensure building is empty," says a New Zealand Fire Service spokesperson in a post to Twitter.

A reporter at the scene says theres no smoke emanating from the scene and fire crews have begun packing up and were currently leaving the scene.

However, cordons remain on Birch Avenue and Korimiko Street.

EARLIER 7AM:

Fire crews from across the Bay of Plenty are battling a major fire on Koromiko Street in Tauranga this morning.

In a series of tweets, a New Zealand Fire Service spokesperson says in total 13 appliances, some from as far away as Rotorua, are at the scene of the fire which broke out in the Tauranga MMA Fight Club.

When crews arrived at the scene the building was well involved in fire. A primary search was completed by firefighters after concerns people were inside building.

No one [was] located during primary search.

Firefighters have contained fire to the building of origin. [Crews] continue to carry out search and rescue and firefighting operations continue.

Police have since cordoned off Brich Avenue and Korimiko Street.

EARLIER:

A major fire has broken out in Birch Ave/Koromiko Street industrial area.

Callers to SunLive report many fire crews are battling the blaze.

Extras have been called in from neighbouring districts.

One caller says the fire is at the Fight Club in Koromiko St.

More to come on SunLive.

Are you near the scene? Tell us what you can see.

Phone 0800 SUNLIVE. Send photos to newsroom@thesun.co.nz
An international expert whose organisation has fought human trafficking for more than 20 years will be speaking at a public meeting near Tauranga tonight.

Hagar International CEO Micaela Cronin will share information on what the global organisation is doing to fight human trafficking and abuse at Rataroa Retreat on Old Kaimai Road, from 7.30pm

Based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Hagar primarily helps survivors of human trafficking and other human rights abuses to recover, but also works with local governments and legal systems to prevent trafficking from happening. The organisation also works in Afghanistan, Singapore and Vietnam.

Hagar NZ executive director Don Lord says tonight is an amazing opportunity for Kiwis to not only hear first-hand about the extent of Hagars work, but be inspired to make a difference in the fight against human trafficking.

More people are in slavery today than at any other time in history. Its a huge problem in our world and we need to know what we can do about it.

Prior to her work with Hagar, Micaela was CEO of the Mackillop Family Services, a Catholic community agency that provides services to over 5000 people across three Australian states, and is a recognised leader at state and national level in Australia.

In 2014, in acknowledgement of her significant contribution, Micaela was awarded the Robin Clark Memorial Award for service and leadership in the children, youth and family services sector.

If you would like to attend tonights public meeting featuring Hagar International CEO Micaela Cronin at Rataroa Retreat on Old Kaimai Road you will need to RSVP at: hagar.org.nz

Following tonight public meeting in Tauranga, Micaela will be speaking in Hamilton on March 5, Auckland on March 6, Wellington on March 7, and Christchurch on March 8.
Lucky has her gaze fixed to the left. She has watery, serene eyes, perhaps tinged with sadness. Lucky was the black cat belonging to artist Jose Luis Puche and his partner and has a cameo role in his latest work in Malaga. The pet died while the artist was dreaming up this piece of art. Five days after Lucky, the father of Puche's girlfriend also passed away.

And so 'Papa' was what this Malaga artist named his latest work on the main staircase of the city's Pompidou Centre. The commission is part of Malaga de Festival, 170 cinema-themed cultural activities in the city running ahead of the Malaga Spanish Film Festival which starts later this month.

While last year Jose Medina Galeote impressed visitors with his powerful work at the gallery's doorway, this year Puche solves the problem of creating something in the 'nothingness' of the staircase space in a subtle and surprising way.

When a visitor reaches the stairs from the entrance they see nothing. They need to go down the stairs and turn round to appreciate how, from the 27 risers on the stairs, the portrait of Jose Puche Vela, Jose Luis's father, emerges. At the bottom, tucked on the left, the visitor will also spot the watchful gaze of Lucky, the black cat.

A father that unites visitors

Puche highlights "the gravity-defying effect of the drawing and the transitory-nature of the staircase, which creates an experience that's unique to every visitor".

"I chose my father's image because I wanted to have a big work in Malaga and I decided to really personalise it as this is my city. These [staircase] spaces are soulless, as they are places of movement and the people passing through don't have anything to share with each other. I wanted a collective memory to link everyone that moves across this space. A father is somebody that everyone has or has had, and that memory is the essential ingredient to create a connection between the individual and others," explains the artist, interviewed during the launch of the work.

Through a Venetian blind

Puche says that the core element of the work is the image of his father separating the slats of a Venetian blind to reveal his gaze. The 27 treads of the stairs help create the effect of the slats of the blinds. Explaining his technique, he says: "Each piece [of the work] is on a plastic base with the paper drawing placed on top, etched with a type of charcoal mixed with water to stain the paper". It's a technique he claims to have spent some time mastering and the result is akin to a watercolour.

"The basic idea is that when you go towards the gallery's exit [up the stairs] it's this person you see staring at you," he continues. The stare of his father and Lucky the cat, bringing him luck with this big work in his home town. Ironic of course, as black cats are considered unlucky in Spain.

Puche is receiving international attention for his work and is preparing an exhibition at the Sydney Opera House. 'Papa' is on display until October and the Malaga de Festival event runs across the city until 16 March. www.festivaldemalaga.com
On 3 March 1875, French composer, Georges Bizet, premiered what was to become one of the most successful works in the entire opera repertoire.

Bizet achieved few successes before the grand production of Carmen, a love story about a naive soldier called Don Jose, who is seduced by the wiles of the fiery Gypsy.

After disobeying orders to incarcerate Carmen following an incident at the cigarette factory where she is employed, Don Jose deserts the army and joins a band of smugglers.

Don Jose eventually stabs Carmen through the heart in a jealous rage after losing her love to a glamorous bullfighter called Escamollio.

Set to a backdrop of the cigarette factory, back street taverns and the mountain ranges of Ronda, the story is spun around the seedy world of the nineteenth century Andalusian gypsies.

Carmen embodies the spirit of Seville, especially the flamenco, bullfighting and banditry; elements that attracted the attention of numerous nineteenth century romantic travellers.

Bizet based his four-act opera on Prosper Merimee's 1845 novella of the same name.

It was not at first well received, largely due to its controversial main characters, which shocked and outraged its first audiences.

The general tone of the press reviews ranged from disappointment to indignation. The more conservative critics complained that the heroine was an amoral seductress. One critic wrote that Carmen was 'the very incarnation of vice'.

The cast of Carmen, which premiered at the Opera-Comique in Paris on Wednesday 3 March 1875, consisted of some of the top opera performers of that time.

Celestine Galli-Marie took the main role of Carmen, while Don Jose was played by Paul Lherie.

Bizet, who had never visited Spain, sought to provide an authentic Spanish flavour to his music. He used genuine folk song as the source for his score, utilising the rhythms and instrumentation associated with flamenco music.

Carmen has since been performed by numerous flamenco troupes: celebrated artists like Antonio Gades, Cristina Hoyos and Carmen Amaya have taken the production to all corners of the globe.

Carmen promoted the Andalusian tapestry to the outside world and it became so popular and revered, the image of Carmen-ised Andalusia has been hard to escape ever since.

The famous tobacco factory is as potent an architectural symbol as the Alhambra is of Granada.

Now the city's university, this emblematic eighteenth century building still lures modern-day travellers in search of the legend of Carmen.

Unfortunately, Bizet died before his opera became an international success, and so he would never have known that Carmen would gain outstanding acclaim. It is now one of the most popular and frequently-performed operas.

Estreno Premiere

Musica Music

Compositor Composer

Gitana Gypsy

Criticado Criticised

Entrada Ticket

Exito Success

Corazon Heart

Soldado Soldier

Apunalar To stab

Contrabandista Smuggler

Ingenuo Naive

Celoso Jealous

Reparto Cast

Escenario Stage

Desertor Deserter

Morir To die

Escandalo Scandal

Amotinarse To revolt
Removing a pre malignant polyp or tumour in its initial stages from the digestive tract (esophagus, stomach or colon) is key to a patient recovering and a cancer going no further.

This is what can be achieved with a new procedure that means early-stage tumours can be taken out without the need to resort to surgery. The method, which originated in Japan where there is a high rate of gastric cancer, is being used at the Hospital Quiron in Malaga by Pedro Roson, director of the Andalusian Digestive Illnesses Institute (INEDA). He is the only specialist who currently uses this technique in the Andalucia region.

Doctor Roson explained to SUR that the traditional colonscope or gastroscope method cannot remove pre malignant polyps that are more than 1.5 or 2 cm in size, while the technique he is using takes out larger polyps and surface cancers whole, "which means a complete oncological removal is now possible".

"The great advantage is that we avoid a patient having to undergo conventional surgery in an operating theatre", the expert went on to explain, also highlighting that cure rates also improve and a patient's quality of life is maintained.

The submucosal dissection is carried out by endoscope. The patient is heavily sedated, without the need for artificial respiration, and is normally discharged within 24 hours, which means the procedure is much less invasive and costly than normal surgery.

Training in Japan

Doctor Roson, who has so far carried out this procedure on eight patients, learned the technique last year in Japan from Yutaka Saito, who works at Tokyo's National Cancer Centre Hospital. Doctor Saito is the world's leading expert on the removal of pre malignant polyps and surface gastric tumours with this method.

Once the polyp or cancer is cut out, the patient undergoes various checkups to monitor progress with a colonoscopy or gastroscopy, depending on which part of the gastrointestinal system has been affected. The first checkup takes place three to six months after the procedure; the second, after a year; and the third, after three years. If everything is fine at this stage, the patient is given the all clear.

The endoscopic procedure that Doctor Roson carries out lasts about an hour and a half, depending on the size and position of the piece to be removed. "Nobody else uses this technique in Andalucia. It's a complex method which means a lot of training and having the right specialised equipment", explained the director of the digestive illnesses institute.

Doctor Roson is supporting a training programme to teach the method to specialists in other areas of Andalucia so they can carry it out in both private and public hospitals. "We want the Hospital Quiron to be the training centre for the procedure", he added.

The expert drew attention to the benefits that colon-cancer-screening programmes can have in detecting problems at a very early stage.

Malaga's Hospital Quiron has a free screening programme for colorectal cancer aimed at people aged between 50 and 70. This preventative programme consists of a medical appointment and a kit to detect blood hidden in stools, with the aim of diagnosing small hidden wounds before they grow and become tumours.

"It's possible that a patient can show no signs in the early stages of the illness, so the detection tests are especially important", confirmed Roson, who adds that "catching a digestive tract cancer early means it can be cured".
The Telanagana Rashtra Samiti won the Munugode bypolls, where it fought a tough battle with the BJP. As TRS widened its margin over the BJP in Telangana's Munugode, party leader and minister KTR said, "We bow our heads and thank the Munugode public for getting us this win. This was not a win for just us, but a verdict that gave a snapping reply to the Delhi bosses Narendra Modi and Amit Shah."
Government statistics have shown that there were 15 per cent more foreign tourists in Andalucia in January compared to the same month last year.

Of the Spanish regions that receive the most international visitors, Andalucia saw the biggest increase. The Canaries saw 7.7 per cent more visitors and Catalonia lost 1.8 per cent of its visitors, when comparing the data with January 2016. Just over 13 per cent of the 3.9 million foreign tourists visiting Spain headed for Andalucia. Of those 521,116 visitors, 25.2 per cent were British and 9.7 per cent from Scandinavian countries.

In contrast to the summer, when they normally see more visitors than Andalucia, the Balearic Islands saw only 2.7 per cent of international tourists as most hotels close for the winter there.

Visits from Spanish residents to Andalucia were up almost 11 per cent.

Andalusian tourism bosses were delighted with the news from a month that traditionally poses big challenges to attract visitors. The upward trend is expected to continue into the summer.
One young man was killed and another seriously injured last Saturday when a Renault Laguna ran down the moped that they were travelling on.

The two Spanish youths, 19 and 20 years old and of Moroccan origin, had previously been involved in an argument with two other men in Plaza Solymar, just 100 metres from the scene of the accident.

One of the detained men had rung police to ask for help after the argument as he had taken refuge in a bar and was afraid to leave. When the police arrived the man, who had a scratch on his face and swelling on his cheek, said he had been in a fight with two Moroccan youths. He did not want to report them, only to get to his car and go home.

Minutes later the police received a call informing them of an accident in the same area. A witness identified the youths on the moped as being the ones involved in the fracas earlier and gave a description of the car involved. A knife was found at the scene. In the early hours of the morning the car was discovered along with the owner. The car showed signs of being in an accident and still had a piece of the moped attached to the chassis.

The second suspect handed himself into the courts on Monday morning.
The national government's representative in Malaga, Miguel Briones, confirmed last Friday that all of the beaches in the province will be in good shape for Holy Week, following the damage caused by the storms in December and the one just two weeks ago.

Briones made it clear that the speed shown by the authorities in addressing the problem proves "that everyone is equal in the eyes of the government", despite the claims from some PSOE-led institutions that suggest otherwise.

The move follows the statement made by the mayor of Marbella, Jose Bernal a week ago, who demanded that the Marbella coastal authorities start work on restoring the beaches immediately and if they couldn't, then to give the council free rein to do the job themselves.

Marbella benefit greatly

Marbella have been granted 1.3 million euros to repair the damage caused by the storm in December, the highest amount given to any town along with Estepona in the province. Just over a quarter of the 16 million euros set aside by the government to repair coastal damage in Spain has been given to Malaga province "and Marbella has benefitted the most from this money because quite simply it was one of the hardest hit" said Briones.

Works had already begun in Manilva and Estepona to remove rubble and debris from the beaches before the storm in mid-February hit. This work will continue although replacing the sand is not expected to take place until the second half of this month.

Briones also confirmed that it was not advisable to carry out too much of the work due to the threat of another storm during the first half of March, in addition to the fact that time will be needed to obtain authorisation to extract sand from the riverbeds, which in itself needs to be passed by the Junta de Andalucia.

Briones added that although it is up to the coastal authorities to decide when and how the work on the beaches will be carried out, he promised that all of them will be in good condition come the Easter peak tourism period in mid-April.
After a three-year wait, formal approval for Malaga city's plan to turn the old Benitez barracks site near the airport into a large public park has arrived from the Junta regional government. No date has been fixed as yet for an opening as the town hall still needs to draw up detailed plans for the landscaping, which must take into account some points raised by the Junta. Once the detailed design is in place it needs to go before different public authorities again. In the meantime Malaga's mayor has said he may consider allowing the public to access the land at weekends.
Anybody who has walked down Calle Carabeo in Nerja this week will probably have seen the words 'se fuerte Luis,' (be strong Luis), painted in large red letters over an existing piece of artwork depicting some of Spain's most illustrious writer and artists.

In fact the message was left by the same group, Un Balcon a la Memoria, who designed the original work. The words are taken from a SMS message sent from prime minister Mariano Rajoy to Luis Barcenas, former treasurer and senator of Rajoy's PP party during Barcena's involvement in the Gurtel corruption case in 2013.

A representative from the Nerja collective, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the message is designed to "stir people's consciences and make them think about the damage that has been done to culture in Spain in recent years."

They added that since a photo of the message was uploaded onto social media sites, many people have assumed that it is an act of vandalism and that they have promised to clean it over the next few days.
When Elena (not her real name) arrived in Malaga ten years ago for a holiday, taking a break from her Law studies in her native Bulgaria, she could never have imagined that it would end up as a one-way journey. A casual meeting with a childhood friend while she was here marked a before and after in her life and meant that her future would be very different from the one she had planned. She was persuaded that independence was desirable, and in pursuing it she destroyed all her dreams.

"My friend persuaded me to stay here. She was working as a live-in home help and told me life was much better in Spain," says Elena, who is now 37, "but I regretted it almost from the start." Even so, she found work as a cleaner and carer for elderly people until the economic crisis changed her life. "As it did for everyone," she says.

Even after things went wrong, going home was never an option for Elena, who had left her parents and sister back in Bulgaria. "I would have been so ashamed to go back with nothing," she admits. Her family has no idea what happened to her after the crisis began. Elena lived in Torremolinos, "where you get to know a lot of people," and things became very desperate for her financially. In the end, she decided her only option would be to sell her body.

Strangely, neither Elena nor the other girls who took part in this report used the word 'prostitution', although that was their common destiny. Elena refers to it as "doing that"; Gladys, beside her, only says that yes, she also used to hang out on the Guadalhorce industrial estate to make a living; and Cristina tells her story of real hardship but only refers to "the other."

But "the other" is what led these women to the Mujer Emancipada (Emancipated Woman) association in Malaga, which tries to help women who have become involved in prostitution on the industrial estate and have voluntarily taken the decision to change their lives. In other words, that is what the women want to do and the association gives them the tools to do so, as part of the 'Kapaces' project. The Arrabal association also plays an important role in this project.

The initiative, which was the idea of the Citizen Participation, Immigration and Cooperation for Development Department of Malaga City Hall, has been operative for three years and during that time it has assisted 45 girls. About 20 per cent of them have found work after taking part in this programme. That is a significant number, especially bearing in mind that most of the women who are incorporated into the 'Kapaces' project have little education - or at least their studies are not valid in Spain - and they have dependants and are immigrants. With almost everything going against them already, the crisis hit the most vulnerable collectives especially hard.

Elena is one of the 45 who has received assistance and is also one of the 20 per cent who have stopped doing "that". She took the step three years ago, when she realised that she could no longer continue to live that sort of life. Today, she smiles when she looks at how far she has come. She now works for a cleaning company in Malaga, lives a quiet life "with two dogs in a home of my own," has an employment contract and has even recently taken out a mortgage. "Now I would no longer be ashamed for my parents to come and see me," she says, happily.

Gladys (38) is hoping that she will soon be as lucky as her friend. Her dream is to find work as a kitchen assistant in a 'chiringuito' beach restaurant, because she has training to do that, and increase the 20 per cent of women who succeed in getting a job.

Her basic training was no use to her at all when she arrived from Nigeria with her younger sister in 2002. Finding all doors closed to her, Gladys discovered that the industrial estate, where she spent a year, was her only hope. She later found a temporary job cleaning in a restaurant, went to Huelva to pick strawberries, worked in a restaurant owned by somebody else from Nigeria.... and met her husband and had two children.

"I met him at that time, at someone's birthday celebration, and we have been together for 11 years," says Gladys. Her children are aged 10 and one, and she is hoping to find work again now the baby is a bit older. Thanks to 'Kapaces', Gladys has taken different courses, been able to work for a cleaning company and did work experience in a chiringuito, where she hopes to return in the near future to finish putting her life in order.

"I've cried so much"

Cristina hasn't thrown in the towel either, despite now being at home "waiting for them to call me" after finishing a one-year contract in a home-help company. "It's awful, all this waiting!" says this robust and spontaneous woman who was born in Nigeria but considers herself "Spanish" because she has been here since 2002.

Cristina tells us her story: "When a woman has three children and her husband hasn't had a job since 2005, just think what it is like....I've cried so much for my children. But if you are a woman you have a way of ensuring that your children survive; your children have to eat," she says.

"There isn't any work for Spanish women here, so imagine what it is like for us. Lots of women do it but they don't admit it out of shame, because their husbands and children don't know. That's how it is," says Cristina, who has lost count of how many doors she has knocked on for help: Cruz Roja, Caritas, Mujer Emancipada...

"I have done several courses and I'm about to take my secondary school exams," she says. Maybe then she will be able to fulfil her dream of being a nursing auxiliary; at least she is now well on the way towards doing so.
Officially, it is called the tax on the Increased Value of Urban Land (IIVTNU), but it is commonly known as the 'plusvalia', or value-added tax. Many lawyers are now starting to consider 'plusvalia' to be the new mortgage floor rate clause, because it is possible that a change in the law could result in 35,000 people in Malaga province alone claiming a refund because they were forced to pay it during the past four years.

'Plusvalia' tax has to be paid when a property is sold or acquired through inheritance or as a gift, because its value will have increased over time. For local councils this, together with another property tax, the IBI, has helped to offset the fall in income during the worst years of the economic crisis. However, town halls are now rather worried, because the Constitutional Court recently decreed that it is unfair to charge this tax when there is no profit from the transaction: for example, if someone sells a property for less than they paid for it they should not have to pay any 'plusvalia'.

Why, then, have councils been charging everybody this tax, whether or not a capital gain was involved? The answer is that the tax is not calculated on the actual value of the property but upon its cadastral or rateable value, to which coefficients are applied, and these increase in accordance with the number of years since the last transaction affecting that property, regardless of real sale price. The result is always the same: tax has to be paid.

Francisco de la Torre Malaga Teresa Valdenebro Ronda Victor Navas Benalmadena Jose Bernal Marbella Manuel Baron Antequera Antonia Ledesma Alhaurin el Grande

The court's decision only referred to one appeal against the application of plusvalia in the Basque Country, but the rules also apply nationwide so it is only a matter of time until it forces the government to modify the Law of Local Taxation. In fact, the possibility of the tax being unconstitutional has already been raised and the Constitutional Court is expected to announce its new, nationwide decision regarding that question soon.

The Spanish finance ministry is already considering how this regulation could be reformulated, but the extent of the reform will depend on the forthcoming court decision because it has not only questioned whether it is constitutional to charge the tax when there has been no profit from the sale, but also in cases where the profit turns out to be less than the amount charged in plusvalia.

Mayors are concerned about this uncertainty because they are aware of the financial impact a reform of the 'plusvalia' could have, not only because councils will no longer receive as much income from a tax which they have been applying to the maximum, paradoxically when the property market has been almost stagnant, but also because they can expect an avalanche of claims from people who during the past four years have sold properties for less than the amount they paid for them.

These fears appear to be more than justified: law firms say they are being inundated with enquiries from people who believe they have been charged unjustly, and the Tinsa valuation agency estimates that 35,000 people in Malaga province and 550,000 nationally could be affected. Martinez-Echevarria Abogados, the legal firm which handled the first case to be won by a taxpayer against a town hall in Malaga province (Fuengirola), has received about 600 enquiries in just one month. Around 100 of them are already planning to take legal action.

It is something that will definitely affect property developers, because during the crisis many were forced to sell residential developments and land very cheaply or hand them over to banks but were charged huge amounts of capital gains tax.

The possible change in the law is so important that the Confederation of Business Owners and the Association of Constructors and Developers of Malaga are organising talks to explain the repercussions of the Constitutional Court decision and how those affected can try to claim their money back.

Is very much money involved? Councils in Malaga province earn approximately 135 million euros a year through value-added tax, but none of them, not even the provincial government's tax collection board (which handles the 'plusvalia' of 78 local authorities and collected 62 million euros in 2016), can say how much of that corresponds to transactions in which the property had lost value. Most town halls and the Ministry of Finance, however, claim that they are not expecting a major drop in income if transactions which do not involve a profit are exempted from payment of this tax.

Right now, the atmosphere at town halls is one of tense expectation. While waiting for an end to the uncertainty, the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces has asked the Ministry of Finance for clarification about the present situation. The federation's president, Abel Caballero, also wants a meeting with the government to find out how they are thinking of changing the tax. "We (the town halls) obey laws, we don't make decisions; we follow and will continue to follow thegovernment's instructions. It has to be the technicians, lawyers and politicians who decide how to proceed with this added-value tax," he said. He also pointed out that because several law courts have declared this tax to be unfair in the past, the federation has been calling on the government to reform it for years.

Most mayors consulted by this newspaper agree that in its present form the plusvalia is an unfair tax, but say their hands are tied: until there is a change in the law they have no choice but to apply it."

Is that true, though? Or could they act on their own behalf and exempt payment of this tax in cases where no capital gain has arisen? Lawyers say they could not.

"We are talking about a national law, so town halls have to apply it and cannot change it," warns Juan Jose Hinojosa, professor of Financial and Tax Law at Malaga university. He also says it would not be possible to introduce some type of discount such as those which can be given to some people in inheritance cases, because those do not exist under national-level law.

In this situation, the only thing the mayors could do in response to the growing pressure is to reduce the tax rate which is applied when calculating the payment. In most large towns in the province this is around the legal maximum of 30%. However, this would affect not only cases where there is no profit from the sale but all property transactions, and it would therefore leave a huge hole in the municipal coffers. The other option would be even more drastic: stop charging the tax altogether and make it voluntary, but for obvious reasons no local authority is going to consider that.

The Notarial Council of Andalucia is going a step further and is questioning the existence of this tax. "If someone has already paid for the property and pays their IBI for it every year, adding another tax on top of that seems excessive and inappropriate to me; and in cases where there has been no increase in value it is absolutely unjustifiable and incoherent, because if someone has made no capital gain there is nothing on which to base the tax," says Ramon Blesa, the representative of notaries in the province.

Basically then, at present the town halls have no idea what will happen with the 'plusvalia' tax, or how to deal with the increasing number of legal cases. Do they assume that people are right and refund their money, contravening a law which is still in force and causing an 'avalanche effect'? Or continue to reject appeals and end up in court where, in view of recent events they stand a good chance of losing?

In addition to this dilemma, the councils do not know whether, if the tax is reformed, the government will compensate them for the money they will no longer be receiving, as they did in 2003 when firms with a turnover of less than a million euros were exempted from the Tax on Economic Activity (IAE). They hope that this will be the case, but for the moment nothing is clear and the decision of the court is anxiously awaited.

"I think this is a good time to look at a change to local financing"

"The reform of the IIVTNU could have a considerable impact on the income of town halls"

"This council will put a brake on proceedings to charge people for properties which are sold for less money than the owners paid"

"We are not expecting many claims because it is unusual for properties here to lose value"

"The law should look at exempting properties which are directly inherited with no economic transaction involved"

"The tax is still in force and we will continue to charge it until there is a change in the law, except in cases of bank repossession"
In intense activity in Spain's courts, different ongoing legal cases against parts of the Catalonian pro-independence political establishment have been dominating headlines this week.

In Madrid, the Supreme Court hearing is finishing into the illegal organisation of an independence referendum in Catalonia in November 2014. The Catalonian regional assembly, known as the 'Parlament', had organised a non-binding vote, against constitutional rules.

The prosecution is asking for the former minister in charge of the Catalonian cabinet office, Francesc Homs, to be banned from office for nine years for "failing in his duty to stop the referendum".

Testifying on Monday, Homs said, "I admit everything I am accused of... but I have committed no crime". He claims that, as 40,000 volunteers were involved in the vote, it wasn't a referendum, but rather a "participative process". Other local politicians, including Artur Mas, who was regional president at the time, have also been on trial in a Barcelona court on the same matter.

'Caso Palau' starts

In Barcelona, the trial has opened into alleged corruption at the city's Palau de la Musica concert hall, which was supposedly used as a conduit for corrupt commissions paid on public contracts to fund the nationalist CDC party.

In the dock at the so-called 'Caso Palau' case are Felix Millet, former head, and his right-hand man, Jordi Montull, who together face a possible 27-year sentence for corruption and diversion of 30 million euros. Former Catalonian leader Jordi Pujol, himself still involved in another long-running tax fraud trial, has been linked to the case.

'Parlament' president accused

Meanwhile the Catalonian high court has started more proceedings against regional-parliamentary- speaker Carme Forcadell, and another three members, for having allowed the 'Parlament' to approve a route map towards an independence vote for the region in September this year. This route map has been struck down by the Constitutional Court. Forcadell and her colleagues face being banned from office.

Nationalist politicians have claimed that all these legal actions have been designed to derail the Catalonian independence process. Speaking on Wednesday about the referenda, past and future, Fransecs Homs said, "If putting out voting boxes challenges the [Spanish] state, I don't want to be part of this state." The Spanish government has committed to listening to nationalist politicians' grievances but does not support an independence referendum in Catalonia.
A controversial bus with anti-transgender messages has been banned from driving around Madrid. Both Madrid city council and local courts have said the publicity covering the bus could incite hate crime and break Spanish criminal law.

The campaign has been organised by ultraconservative group Hazteoir (be heard) and sees the bus plastered with very direct messages including: "If you're born a man, you are a man, if you're a woman, you're still one" as well as explicit references to parts of the anatomy.

Leaders of Hazteoir protested against the move and said they would go to Valencia instead with the bus, however that city's council has said that the group "isn't welcome" there either.
The outcome of one of Spain's highest-profile criminal trials is now known: Rodrigo Rato, former deputy prime minister and ex-head of the International Monetary Fund, is going to prison for four-and-a-half years after being found guilty of overseeing Bankia's "black credit card" scandal. Rato also received a fine of 110,000 euros for spending almost the same amount on his own limitless card between 2003 and 2012.

Miguel Blesa, who preceded Rato as the chairman of Bankia and who was on trial alongside him, was also found guilty in connection with the black cards and will go to prison for six years. Between them, then, these two men - once two of the most powerful figures in Spain's banking sector - will spend over a decade behind bars for leading illegally-funded, lavish lifestyles during Spain's recession.

Or maybe they won't. The problem is, fully-deserved as many Spaniards will see them, there is as yet no guarantee that these terms will actually be served. Applicable and yet not applicable, Rato's and Blesa's sentences have the paradoxical status of the cat in Schrodinger's thought-experiment, which for a while was simultaneously both dead and alive.

In Rato's case, this is is not solely because he can appeal - and, according to Spanish law, until a sentence is beyond appeal it is not enforceable. Rato is also waiting for the verdict in a separate case that has been running in parallel to his fraud trial, but which also concerns his period at the helm of Bankia. In this, he faces allegations in connection with the bank's disastrous IPO in 2012, in which it posted losses of over 19 billion euros. Many small retail investors lost their life savings in the lender's near-collapse.

Problems at Caja Madrid, one of the several banks that merged to form Bankia, were widely credited with bringing the latter to its knees. As Caja's former chairman, Blesa was actually imprisoned for a night in 2013 in relation to the lender's purchase of an allegedly liability-laden Miami bank in 2008. Blesa left his cell after paying 2.5 million euros of bail money - the amount he is said to have received when he left Caja Madrid in 2010. No further action was taken against him.

In the other high-profile Spanish fraud case of late, Infanta Cristina's husband Inaki Urdangarin was sentenced to over six years in prison. He is, of course, appealing - but while he does so (and how long will that take, one wonders?) he is being allowed to remain in Switzerland, a non-EU country, where he has to report to authorities once a month. One cannot help but wonder if such treatment would also be meted out to someone who wasn't the king's brother-in-law, or whether Rato's and Blesa's sentences for serious fraud will ultimately prove merely symbolic. As it stands, though, they have been handed Schrodinger sentences.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 3 (PTI) In a major reshuffle in the top brass of Delhi Police under new commissioner Amulya Patnaik, 18 officials, including those working on missing JNU student and Ramjas College incident cases, have been transferred.

Ravindra Yadav, joint commissioner of police (Crime) has been transferred as joint commissioner of police (Eastern Range).

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Praveer Ranjan, who was posted as joint commissioner of police (Headquarters), will be replacing Yadav and inherit important cases, including the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed and the recent probe into the Ramjas College fracas.

Dependra Pathak, who was recently promoted as special commissioner, will replace Sanjay Beniwal as special commissioner (Operations).

Beniwal, who was handling Operations and Women Safety, Airport and Modernisation, as special commissioner of police has been relieved of the Operations job whilst continuing to look after the latter.

Sanjay Singh, who was recently promoted as special commissioner, will assume charge as special commissioner (Armed Police).

He will replace R S Krishnia, who will now be assuming charge as special commissioner (Headquarters), while retaining the Recruitment charge.

Satish Golcha, who was posted as joint commissioner (Eastern Range), will be taking over Pathak, who has been promoted as joint commissioner (Southwest).

Rajesh Khurana, posted as joint commissioner (Special Branch), will be taking over from Singh as joint commissioner (Northern range).

David Lalrinsanga, posted as joint commissioner (Vigilance) will be taking over from Robin Hibu as joint commissioner (SPUWAC).

Hibu will be assuming the charge of joint commissioner (Operations).

Additional commissioner K K Vyas has been shifted from the crime branch to the licensing unit.

Deputy Commissioner of the 1st battalion Vikramjit Singh will now be DCP (Headquarters and General Administration).

1995-batch DANIPS officer Pramod Kushwaha, who was acting DCP (Special Cell), has been transferred to the 2nd battalion.

DANIPS officer Rajeev Ranjan, who was recently transferred to Economic Offences Wing (EOW) as DCP from Headquarters, has been appointed as Staff Officer (SO) to the police chief. PTI SLB KIS

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INFORMATION When. 9pm, Saturday 4 March. Where. C/Plaza La Nogalera, Torremolinos. Tickets. Free entry.

The first edition of the Gala Drag Queen del Carnival Gay will be held in Torremolinos on Saturday 4 March.

This colourful drag queen gala has been organised by the ACOGAT, gay business owners association of Torremolinos, and the cultural department of the town hall.

Lacquered wigs, brazen make-up and dazzling designs of all shapes and sizes will be on parade, and the judges will be looking for originality, imagination and personality.

The jury, which will consist of people associated with the fashion industry in Torremolinos, will also assess the drag queen's ease and grace when strutting their flamboyant designs on stage.

Hours will have been spent sticking sequins and feathers to ostentatious costumes that are limited only by the imagination of the person who is to wear it.

The event will begin in the Plaza La Nogalera at 9pm and it promises to be a festival that will contain all of the outrageousness associated with world of drag.

Aida Blanes, councillor for Culture, said, "This gala is the first in Torremolinos and it will be a very colourful and exciting event. Let's hope that it grows and becomes one of the biggest gay carnivals in southern Spain."

The winner, along with those in second and third place, will go on to participate in this year's edition of 'Pride de Torremolinos'.

This popular festival is based on the Gay Pride celebrations that traditionally take place all over the world throughout June.

The drag queen gala kicks off the 2017 edition of the Torremolinos carnival. The carnival begins with a gala in the municipal auditorium at 9pm on Monday night and continues until Sunday 12 March. Entry is free.

There will also be several events held in the Plaza La Nogalera and Plaza Costa del Sol throughout the week.
These supernatural characters didn't scare us but made us fall in love with them.

By Shweta Keshri: Anita Hassanandani will soon be seen on SAB TV's Trideviyaan as Mohini, a ghost. She will not be playing a horror ghost but her character will make people laugh. It's a cameo and it would be great to see her speak in South Indian accent.

Anita Hassanandani will be seen as Mohini in Trideviyaan.

We've had some adorable supernatural characters, who didn't scare us but made us fall in love with them. Here are five such characters that brought a smile to our face.

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Nani in Shararat

Nani in a still from Shararat. Picture courtesy: Twitter

We all loved the naughty Nani (played by Farida Jalal) in Shararat. It was quite funny, when she used to tease and trouble Suraj (Mahesh Thakur). She personified love and warmth and is one of the most loved characters of Indian television.

Jeannie in Jeannie Aur Juju

Gia Manek as Jeannie.

Jeannie Aur Juju was an adaption of American sitcom I Dream Of Jeannie. Vikram Khanna (played by Ali Asgar) discovered a 2000-year- old genie and brought her home. Gia Manek originally played the role of Jeannie and was later replaced by Rubina Dilaik. Jeannie was lovable and was quite a fun character. We would all like to get a Jeannie of our own.

The Talking Portrait in Hum Paanch

The Talking Portrait in Hum Paanch was added fun in the show.

We all remember the talking portrait of Hum Paanch. Played by Priya Tendulkar, the portrait was of Anand Mathur's (Ashok Saraf) first wife. The portrait used to come to life to communicate with her husband. The husband-wife banters were hilarious and Priya's comic timing was amazing.

Ghosts of Zindagi Abhi Baaki Hai Mere Ghost

A still from Zindagi Abhi Baaki Hai Mere Ghost.

Life OK's Zindagi Abhi Baaki Hai Mere Ghost had a bunch of cute ghosts. The entire Palekar family is now dead and inhabits Palekar Mansion, which was once their home. A young fisherman Yug (Dhruv Raj Sharma) enters the mansion to take shelter for few day, the Palekar family try to scare him but eventually become his friend because of his selflessness.

Ichha in Ichhapyaari Naagin

Priyal Gor as Iccha in a still from the show. Picture courtesy: Youtube/sabtv

We have seen vicious and vengeful Naagins but Iccha is nothing like that. Ichha, an Icchadhari Naagin ( played by Priyal Gor) left her land called Naagistan, just to change the negative human perception about Icchadhari Naags and Naagins. Unlike the vengeful shape shifting snakes, Ichha is a sweet girl. She currently resides in Pratap House and always saves them from all sorts of trouble.

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Barry Garten may be a new face in Smyth County, but hes no stranger to national forests. The new district ranger for the Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area began his career with the U.S. Forest Service in 1980 as a member of the Young Adult Conservation Corps in California. He hasnt looked back.

Garten replaced Beth Merz, who retired last June from the district ranger post.

Garten spoke to the Marion Town Council last week. I am deeply honored to be here as area ranger, he said, adding that he would like to build on the existing relationships and engage with the town of Marion and other communities around the NRA.

He acknowledged his long tenure with the U.S. Forest Service, but rather than focusing on the years, Garten reflected on the wisdom and experience that come from them. Though there are new times under a new President, the district ranger expressed the hope that his agency can continue to do what we do best.

Garten was flanked by members of the Friends of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, who used the opportunity to present the NRA with a check for $10,000. The Friends mission is to support the work of the Forest Service and to help educate the public about the resources available in the areas national forest and recreation area. The Friends generate funds through donations and sales of maps, books, gift items and other materials. It then disperses those funds to the local Forest Service. Most of these sales take place at the various visitors centers in the NRA, including the ones at Green Cove on the Virginia Creeper Trail and the W. Pat Jennings Visitors Center near Marion.

Ed Piertzak, the groups president, said the Friends are talking with the Forest Service about plans for upcoming projects. He celebrated that Marion and Smyth County have the 192,000-acre NRA in its backyard.

He also lobbied for new members, saying the Friends are looking for new members.

Those who are interested can learn more at the groups website, www.friendsofmountrogers.org.

Mayor David Helms said the town is blessed by its proximity to the NRA.

Garten moved to the Mt. Rogers NRA after about two years as the Clinch District ranger in Norton. In the winter of 2015, he served as the acting district ranger on the Lee Ranger District in Edinburg for four months and, in 2012, he spent six months as the district ranger on the Croatan National Forest in New Bern, N.C. Garten served four years in the Southern Regional Office, providing program support to 13 national forests stretching from Texas to Florida to Virginia.

From 2003 to 2010, Garten worked as the assistant fire management officer on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Roanoke, where he managed the prescribed burn program for 1.8 million acres of public land.

His background in firefighting is extensive. He has participated in a national response Incident Management Team since 1995 and currently serves as section chief in charge of fire operations for the Southern Areas Blue Team. Garten has worked on a number of high-profile incidents, including the Big Turnaround Fire in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, the Rim Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park in California, and Hurricane Ike in Houston, Texas.

In his spare time, Garten and his wife, Barb, enjoy exploring Virginia on their Harley Davidson motorcycles.
By Parmita Uniyal: Sofia Hayat and Swami Om need no introduction. They both have made a career out of their controversies, and have starred in controversial show Bigg Boss. The former is slightly more popular than the latter, but we are sure their fans like them for similar reasons.

One calls herself the holy mother--who's given birth to Lord Shiva, the other claims he has saved the world many a time and is a Shiv bhakt.

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Here are 5 similarities the 'baba' and the 'mother' share.

Also read: Wedding bells for 'holy mother' Sofia Hayat!

1. They both are 'spiritual beings': Sofia Hayat all of a sudden claimed to have transformed spiritually and started to address herself as Gaya Mother Sofia last year. For a couple of months, she made these tall statements about staying single and celibate, giving up all things glam, and then came a time when she started to contradict herself. First she went back to her glam self, then she got engaged to get married. Swami Om, who has cases of theft and Arms act against him, looks and dresses up like a baba till you start conversing with him. It is then you realise that he is a goonda at heart. He turns violent if you contradict his viewpoint.

Swami Om starts a discussion with one point and ends it by contradicting himself. In his earthquake video, he said he was behind the Uttarakhand earthquake and also said that he saved his bhakts from the disaster. Sofia in one of her Instagram posts opposed beauty pageants since they have girls wearing short clothes, and in the other post she went topless.

Also read: No more a nun? Sofia Hayat gets back to her old, bold self

3. They both are controversy's favourite kids: There is another common factor that connects Om and Sofia. Their claim to fame is saying or doing things to make news. Sofia did not think twice before getting a Swastika tattoo done on her feet and Baba loves to make a tamasha on talk shows. This is the reason people discuss them, and not because of their talent. Also read: Thank you Bigg Boss, for finally throwing Swami Om out of the house!

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4. They both don't have any problem with obscenity: Sofia posted a nude photo just to make headlines, Swami Om was seen undressing at a Delhi railway station. Do we need say more?

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They are the kind of contestants that Bigg Boss loves to feature. Sofia has participated in Bigg Boss 7 and baba has made Bigg Boss 10 one of the most controversial seasons so far.

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"Anti-national slogans raised on the campus are wrong. Priority has to be given to nationalism over academics now. The anti-national JNU virus should not creep into Delhi University's campus," Sunil Ambedkar, national organising secretary of ABVP said.

By Arpan Rai: If Tuesday was a "march for azaadi", with students and professors targeting the ABVP in the name of "slamming violence on DU campus", Thursday saw the Right wing students responding with an even stronger protest march, taking the streets of Delhi University by storm.

Amidst a heavy police presence, the ABVP students took out the protest march and demanded a strong action against "anti-national elements invading varsity's campus."

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The ABVP protest, which started from and ended at the Arts Faculty passed through Vishwavidyalaya metro station, Khalsa College, Patel Chest Institute, Maurice Nagar and Ramjas College, drawing huge numbers on the way.

"Anti-national slogans raised on the campus are wrong. Priority has to be given to nationalism over academics now. The anti-national JNU virus should not creep into Delhi University's campus," Sunil Ambedkar, national organising secretary of ABVP told Mail Today.

He was supported by Saket Bahuguna, ABVP leader and media coordinator, who demanded "termination of communism virus from spreading into the university premises".

"We will not allow anti-national slogans on the campus or anyone who will glorify Maoists waging a war against India. It is not just the February-22 incident which is condemned by ABVP. ABVP workers will always object to anti-national elements on the campus. We're proud of fighting a national fight," Bahuguna said. "Why are questions about communist violence not asked? While ABVP invites a vicharo ki ladayi (fight of opinions), it strictly objects to any thought which will divide India," he added.

Even the students protesting along with ABVP volunteers in the Thursday march told Mail Today that they are in full support of the protest by the Rightwing group. As said a student Gaurav Gera: "We are against anything on the campus that divides the nation."

Added Delhi University Students Union president, Amit Tanwar, "It is a protest by the students of Ramjas College against those who have labelled our Indian army rapists."

The ABVP leaders feared that any delay in action from Delhi University against an incident like Ramjas College, can possibly trigger an outpouring of students on the streets which will be difficult to control.

"Freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and Swami Vivekananda are ideals, not Umar Khalid, who is the prime accused in the protests that shook JNU.

"It is time Delhi University chose its ideals," Bahuguna said in his speech.Also Read

Two ABVP members out of party for 'indiscipline'

ABVP suspends 2 members for violence against AISA supporters, says is committed to peace

Delhi University: Netas, teachers join anti-ABVP students march

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By Press Trust of India: Johannesburg, Mar 2 (PTI) African elephants in the wild sleep for just an average of two hours a day and regularly go nearly two days without snoozing, making them the shortest-sleeping land mammals known, a new study has found.

African elephants are the largest land animal, and evidence suggests that larger mammals tend to sleep less.

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However, many studies on elephant sleep have been done in a captive setting or were unable to accurately distinguish rest from sleep.

To study in more detail how elephants sleep in the wild, Paul Manger from University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and colleagues monitored two free-roaming African elephant matriarchs in Chobe National Park in Botswana, for 35 days.

The researchers outfitted the elephants with an actiwatch implanted in the trunk to track sleep accurately, and a collar with a gyroscope to track sleeping position.

The researchers found that the elephants slept an average of two hours a day, which is the shortest known sleep time of any land mammal.

On several days during the study period, the elephants went without sleep for up to 46 hours and traveled long distances of around 30 kilometres during these periods, possibly due to disturbances such as lions or poachers.

In addition, they slept lying down only every few nights. This could limit their potential for daily REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, raising questions about when elephants experience this sleep state.

While only two elephants were tracked, this research provides new insights into the sleep behaviour of the species in the wild, researchers said.

"Studies of sleep in captive elephants have shown that they sleep for four to six hours per day; however, the current study shows that in their natural habitat, wild, free-ranging elephants sleep only for two hours per day, the least amount of sleep of any mammal studied to date, but this appears to be related to their large body size," said Manger.

"In addition, it appears that elephants only go into REM, or dreaming, sleep every three to four days, which makes elephant sleep unique," Manger said.

The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE. PTI SAR SAR

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The letter, sent at Devnani's Ajmer residence, had Tarannum Chishti as sender's name on it.

By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: Rajasthan Education Minister Vasudev Devnani has received a threatening letter over a change in the name of Akbar Fort to Ajmer Fort. The letter, sent at Devnani's Ajmer residence, had Tarannum Chishti as sender's name on it.

The station officer of Kotwali station in Ajmer has begun investigation in the case on the direction of the district superintendent of police. Interestingly, the letter, sent on the 16th of December, was received at Devnani's residence around two days back. The police is trying to investigate on the basis of the dispatch stamp.

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"Honorable Education State Minister Vasudev Devnani received a letter by mail which was threatening with regard to name change of Ajmer fort. Investigation is going on in the entire matter. The letter has Tarannum Chishti's name as sender, but no address. The letter was sent from close to Mayo College and we are searching the entire city for the person," says B L Meena, station officer, Kotwali Police Station.

Vasudev Devnani had earlier been at the centre of a raging controversy for supporting Karni Sena'a stand over the Padmavati imbroglio. The minister had, sometime back, also demanded that Great should be suffixed with Maharana Pratap's name.

WATCH THE VIDEO:

With inputs from stringer

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By Press Trust of India: Ranchi, Mar 3 (PTI) Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today said the Art of Living is giving stress on organic farming.

"We are focusing upon organic farming. People are being trained," he said.

In an informal talk with a select group of journalists, Ravi Shankar said a big change would come if every pillar, including non-governmental organizations and political parties jointly, work jointly.

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He said work was going on in naxal-affected places in Jharkhand

The Art of Living (AOL) founder said the focus of the AOL was was on social projects.

He said the Art if Living is spread across 155 countries.

Responding to a query on the rise of social media, Ravi Shankar said someway social media has strengthened (the mainstream media).

"Having said that social media is very good to express," he said and added that abuse should not be there.

He also congratulated media houses for their pro- active role, be it covering floods and taking social responsibility. PTI PVR RG

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The candidates for this years CUSU/GU elections have been announced, with three people running for the position of President, five roles going uncontested, and two posts with no candidates at all.

Jack Drury, Daisy Eyre, and Keir Murison have been revealed as the presidential candidates.

Murison is currently a Senior Guest Liason Officer at the Union, as well as being a former President of Student Minds Cambridge and Welfare Officer for Emmanuel JCR. Drury was the 2016-17 Housing Officer for the Caius Students Union.

Eyre was also on a JCR committee, as the President of Jesuss Student Union, a role held previously by current CUSU president Amatey Doku.

The positions of Education Officer, Access and Funding Officer, Womens Officer, and Welfare and Rights Officer will be uncontested, with Martha Krish, Olivia Hylton-Pennant, Lola Olufemi, and Micha Frazer-Carroll running respectively against the possibility of reopening nominations (RON).

The role of Disabled Students Officer, which was introduced last year, is also being contested by just one candidate, Homertons Florence Oulds.

Three students are running for the position of University Councillor: Joshua Jackson, Umang Khandelwal, and Marcel Llavero Pasquina.

There are no candidates running for the positions of Graduate Union President and Ethical Affairs Officer, meaning that by-elections will be held in due course.

This year will also see new campaigning rules being trialled, with the aim of making the election more open and entertaining for voters.

Unlike previous years, candidates will be able to reference one anothers campaigns, as long as they are referring to a policy platform rather than making personal comments.

There are also fewer restrictions on the way that candidates can publicise their campaign. Whereas 2016 campaigns saw several proscriptions, such as existence of secret Facebook group and one Facebook event per candidate set up by the Elections committee, this years rules state that Candidates are encouraged to think creatively about how they campaign to students, with no such limitations.

Voting will open at 9am on 7 March and close at 5pm on 10 March. There will also be a referendum running alongside the elections, about changes to CUSUs constitution.
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Google has removed the restriction on what devices can use Google Assistant, opening up the doors for hundreds of millions of Android devices to use the company's excellent voice-assisted AI tool.

The change means that any device running Android 6.0 or greater, with support for Google Play Services, will be able to use Google Assistant. Previously, Assistant was restricted to just Google's Pixel phones and a small collection of upcoming devices.

Assistant will be automatically installed on any eligible devices through an update to Google Play Services. As this isn't a system update - Play Services updates are handled through the Play Store - the installation of Assistant thankfully can't be blocked by carriers.

The update will replace Now on Tap, introduced in Android 6.0, with Google Assistant. Accessing Assistant is easy: simply long press on the home button and Assistant will appear, ready to accept your voice commands. There's a chance your phone will have already received the Play Services update, so give it a try; if not, you can expect the update to hit your phone in the coming days.

It should be noted that the initial roll out of Google Assistant is limited to devices in the United States. It will be available "soon" for English speakers in Australia, Canada and the UK, and German speakers in Germany.
Nokia/HMD Global had the one stand at Mobile World Congress that was completely packed from start to finish. While the firms' Nokia 6 looks to be an excellent mid-range handset, most people were there to get a look at the modern incarnation of the Nokia 3310. Both phones were deserved 'Best of MWC' winners, but it seems the retro device won't work in many countries across the world, including the US and Canada.

While the Nokia 3310 is an updated version of a classic piece of tech, it still features some of the original's specs, including the frequencies used to connect to the networks - 900MHz and 1800MHz. The problem is that most carriers in the US and Canada no longer support these old bands. CNET notes that to work with a carrier such as AT&T, the 2G-only phone would have to use the 850MHz frequency in addition to 1900MHz.

"It's not that we're not not launching in the U.S.," HMD Global's head of global marketing Patrick Mercanton said. "It's that the U.S. takes a little bit longer to ramp up."

The Nokia 3310 will soon be unusable in Australia and Singapore, too, where carriers are in the process of shutting down the two frequencies.

Areas in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia still use the Nokia 3310's bands, meaning it will work fine in these locations.

But all is not lost for fans of the much-loved device. HMD Global no doubt understands the potential of its handset in the States, and appears to be working on a way to get it into the US market. "We'll probably end with the US at some point," Mercanton said. "It's definitely on our radar [...] we want to go into the US because we want to have a global launch."

Or maybe the Nokia 3310 will just turn out to be an expensive way of playing snake in the US.
The Korean company behind messaging app Line is looking to expand into the world of virtual assistants and rival the likes of Amazon's Alexa, Google Now and Apple's Siri. The company is calling its assistant Clova, for "cloud virtual assistant", and says it intends for it to work inside of apps as well as integrated in hardware devices built both by itself and other companies.

Details are scarce at the moment but all the basics are reportedly covered --- the ability to check the weather, listen to news, order products, stream music, search the web. Line also says that Cova is also going to have some advanced features which will include facial recognition as well as the ability to respond to "complicated questions." They haven't shown off any of these capabilities just yet, however.

The first two products to support Clova will be a dedicated app and a smart speaker called Wave, which will launch in early summer 2017 in Japan and South Korea, along with the new Clova app. Line says it's in talks with Sony and LG to eventually build the assistant into their own devices.

Line's parent company, Naver, hopes to become the dominant assistant service throughout Asia, where they are already quite popular. They're focusing on Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and Taiwan.
With most companies releasing a new version of their flagship smartphones every year, it was expected that Google would follow the trend by unveiling the Pixel 2 in 2017. At Mobile World Congress, senior vice president of hardware at Google, Rick Osterloh, confirmed there would be new versions of the popular handsets released before year's end.

Speaking to AndroidPit, Osterloh said: "There is an annual rhythm in the industry. So, you can count on us to follow it [...] You can count on a successor this year, even if you don't hear a date from me now."

As the first Pixel arrived in October 2016, you can expect its successor to launch around the same period this year, which is also the time Apple's $1000 iPhone 8 is expected. It'll certainly be interesting to see the two handsets go head-to-head, and both may have to contend with Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 - set for release sometime during the last quarter of 2017.

Back in January, there were rumors of another Pixel phone, this one a low-end device designed for emerging markets, being released alongside or just after the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2. However, Osterloh stated that "Pixel stays premium," suggesting there won't be a budget option available.

9to5Google - responsible for the first report - still believes the company will produce a cheap handset, but it won't be a Pixel-branded one. Given the popularity of such devices in regions like India, don't be surprised to see Google bring out a low-end phone purposely for these areas.

We still don't know much about the Pixel 2, other than some pretty obvious expectations: latest Snapdragon SoC, waterproofing, a better camera with multiple features, etc. But expect to find out more over the coming months.
Maven, the car sharing service from General Motors, is expanding yet again. Dubbed Maven Reserve, the service will allow customers to reserve a new GM vehicle for a period of 28 days. Pricing varies by market in real time so you'll need to download the Maven mobile app to check rates. According to Fortune, a month-long Chevy Tahoe SUV rental will set you back about $1,500.

The monthly rate includes a dedicated parking space for the duration of the reservation, a personalized walk-through of the vehicle, insurance and $100 worth of gas.

The app is also necessary to operate a rented vehicle as it is used for keyless entry and other remote functions like starting, heating and cooling.

Julia Steyn, Vice President of GM Urban Mobility and Maven, told Fortune that their goal is to expand the flexibility of the platform. You can get a vehicle for an hour, a day, for a week and now, Steyn says, you can have a vehicle for a month.

In the 13 months since launch, Maven has grown to 17 cities and has more than 25,000 members that have made more than 32,000 reservations, the company said. Collectively, its members have traveled more than 80 million miles.

Maven Reserve will begin its rollout in Los Angeles and San Francisco before expanding to additional cities.
This may sound preposterous, but every loaf of bread on the table is a reminder of the threat humanity is facing: global warming. Every step in the production of the wheat loaf has left an indelible mark of carbon footprint, a study said.

The challenge is perhaps the biggest now more than ever on how to produce healthy food at a cheaper cost to feed the world without endangering the environment.

According to a study published in the journal Nature Plants on Feb. 27, growing wheat, which is part of the loaf bread production process, is a greenhouse gas contributor.

Cultivating wheat, which is one of the processes in loaf production, uses ammonium nitrate fertilizer. The study found out the fertilizer contributes almost half of greenhouse gas emission  the highest in the supply chain.

Beyond Health Concerns

Most consumers, if not all, are not aware how the products they are using may impact the environment, Liam Goucher, a research fellow at the University of Sheffield, observed.

While many are aware of the effect of plastic packaging to the environment, it is the first time to bring into public knowledge the environmental impacts of food production such as in the case of loaf bread.

Every loaf, Goucher pointed out, is global warming in a pack as a result of fertilizer application to boost wheat harvest.

A large quantity of energy is required to produce fertilizer, and at the same time, it also releases nitrous oxide gas when dissolved in soil. Both instances are contributing a large amount of carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere.

Sixty percent of agricultural crops are cultivated using synthetic fertilizers. While it accounted to improved agricultural production to meet the demand for food everywhere, its chemical composition of methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and nitrogen are contributors to greenhouse gases.

Challenge To Food Security

The study's findings highlight the challenge to food security initiatives.

This challenge involves resolving the conflicts in the food production system.

"[The] primary purpose is to make money not to provide sustainable global food security," Peter Horton, professor and chief research officer at the University of Sheffield's Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures, said.

Over 100 million tons of fertilizers are used annually worldwide, but its impact on global warming are not fully appreciated.

Its impact is "not costed within the system and so there are currently no real incentives to reduce our reliance on fertilizer," Horton added.

Fact Check

Wheat products in the United States include breads, pastas, and pizza.

After 30 years of increasing consumption on wheat products, it dropped since 2000. It dipped from 146.3 pounds per capita consumption in 2000 to 133.4 pounds by mid-2000s and further fell to 132.5 pounds in 2011.

The drop of consumption on wheat products is largely due to an increased health awareness that leads to lower carbohydrate intake in the country.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer says that she wants her annual bonus and equity stock grant redistributed to employees, following the security breaches that happened in 2013 and 2014 but came to light only in 2016.

In a Tumblr post, the executive made the announcement, saying that she's holding herself accountable for the 2014 hack, which occurred during her term.

"I am the CEO of the company and since this incident happened during my tenure, I have agreed to forgo my annual bonus and my annual equity grant this year and have expressed my desire that my bonus be redistributed to our company's hardworking employees, who contributed so much to Yahoo's success in 2016," she says.

2013 Yahoo Data Breach

The first of the two attacks that targeted Yahoo took place in 2013, but this was disclosed later in December 2016.

Affecting more than 1 billion users, this is considered to be the largest incident in the history of cybersecurity.

Stolen personal information of the compromised accounts have been reported to include names, birth dates, email addresses, contact info, hashed passwords, and security questions along with their corresponding answers.

2014 Yahoo Hack

The other security breach in question transpired in 2014, which Mayer particularly mentions in her announcement, and it was the first of the two that was made public in September 2016.

Described as a state-sponsored attack, it affected over 500 million users. Just like the 2013 hack, it also stole names, phone numbers, passwords, and email addresses, to name a few.

Since this was the first to emerge, it was said to be the biggest case in cybersecurity at the time, but needless to say, the 2013 incident trumps this one in terms of its immensity.

Interestingly enough, these made the headlines during the time the company was in talks with Verizon for acquisition. While the deal was still set to push through, the carrier started seeking a $350 million discount, whittling down the original $4.8 billion offer.

Yahoo Annual Report Sings A Slightly Different Tune

Aligning with Mayer's announcement, Yahoo's annual report also says that she agreed to forgo her annual equity grant, but when it comes to her 2016 bonus, the Tumblr post may have been worded differently.

"In response to the Independent Committee's findings related to the 2014 Security Incident, the Board determined not to award to the Chief Executive Officer a cash bonus for 2016 that was otherwise expected to be paid to her. In addition, in discussions with the Board, the Chief Executive Officer offered to forgo any 2017 annual equity award given that the 2014 Security Incident occurred during her tenure and the Board accepted her offer," the report reads.

At any rate, the executive expresses her desire to have not only her equity grant but also her bonus to be redistributed to Yahoo staff.

Blame Falls On Yahoo Chief Lawyer

Despite Mayer taking responsibility of the whole incident and making up for it with her pay, Yahoo's head lawyer Ron Bell is bearing the brunt of it all.

According to Recode, Bell was accused of not doing his job properly, and as a result, he had to step down.

"[T]he Committee found that the relevant legal team had sufficient information to warrant substantial further inquiry in 2014, and they did not sufficiently pursue it," Yahoo says via its annual report.

More than that, it mentions that "no payments are being made to Mr. Bell in connection with his resignation."

To sum things up, Mayer forgoing her annual bonus and equity grant may be regarded as her admitting her fault with the data breaches, but still, Bell is arguably having it worse.

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By Press Trust of India: London, Mar 3 (PTI) Scientists have successfully created artifical mouse embryos in lab, using a 3D scaffold and the bodys master stem cells, an advance that may explain why more than two out of three human pregnancies fail.

Once a mammalian egg has been fertilised by a sperm, it divides multiple times to generate a small, free-floating ball of stem cells.

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The particular stem cells that will eventually make the future body, the embryonic stem cells (ESCs) cluster together inside the embryo towards one end: this stage of development is known as the blastocyst.

The other two types of stem cell in the blastocyst are the extra-embryonic trophoblast stem cells (TSCs), which will form the placenta; and primitive endoderm stem cells that will form the so-called yolk sac, ensuring that the foetuss organs develop properly and providing essential nutrients.

Previous attempts to grow embryo-like structures using only ESCs have had limited success. This is because early embryo development requires the different types of cell to coordinate closely with each other.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK used a combination of genetically-modified mouse ESCs and TSCs, together with a 3D scaffold known as an extracellular matrix, they were able to grow a structure capable of assembling itself and whose development and architecture very closely resembled the natural embryo.

"Both the embryonic and extra-embryonic cells start to talk to each other and become organised into a structure that looks like and behaves like an embryo," said Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz from Cambridge, who led the research.

"It has anatomically correct regions that develop in the right place and at the right time," said Zernicka-Goetz.

Researchers found a remarkable degree of communication between the two types of stem cell: in a sense, the cells are telling each other where in the embryo to place themselves.

"We knew that interactions between the different types of stem cell are important for development, but the striking thing that our new work illustrates is that this is a real partnership - these cells truly guide each other," she said.

"Without this partnership, the correct development of shape and form and the timely activity of key biological mechanisms doesnt take place properly," she added.

Comparing the artificial embryo to a normally-developing embryo, the team was able to show that its development followed the same pattern of development.

The stem cells organise themselves, with ESCs at one end and TSCs at the other. A cavity opens then up within each cluster before joining together, eventually to become the large, pro-amniotic cavity in which the embryo will develop.

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The study was published in the journal Science. PTI MHN SAR MHN

--- ENDS ---
The recent hacking predicament that Spiral Toys endured was not the first toy-based hacking problem of late. Seemingly innocent and innovative toys have recently been under investigation with regards to their ability to breach data and privacy at the least and a full-blown hacking dilemma at the worst.

From the CloudPets hacking incident to Hello Barbie, Cayla, and VTech, it looks like even children's toys are no longer safe from hackers.

Toys Security

In mid-February, Germany banned the popular Cayla doll, a talking doll that uses Bluetooth technology to connect to the internet in order to intelligently interact with its owner and even answer some of their questions via Google search. Germany's telecommunication watchdog has since ruled the doll's technology as unsafe. Popular toys such as the Hello Barbie and VTech also encountered such problems with their products.

In the case of CloudPets, it was the toy's ability to record messages and send them to faraway loved ones that was its undoing. The company's usage of an insecure cloud server opened all their data to hackers, threatening to expose all the private and sensitive data gathered from the thousands of unsuspecting children with the stuffed animals. It doesn't seem like much of a threat until you consider the fact that the threatened data comprised of over 800,000 personal user accounts and over 2 million recorded messages.

Hacking The Internet-Of-Things

In the beginning of the year, experts already warned that over 500,000 IoT devices will likely be compromised by Distributed Denial of Service, or DDoS, attacks and data breaches in 2017. These breaches can occur not just with sophisticated internet devices but also with basic, everyday IoT devices such as smart home appliances. This is an especially relevant warning from the experts, as more and more people continue to rely on IoT devices in their daily lives.

In fact, not even the medical industry is safe from hackers, as the FDA continues to warn manufacturers of medical devices, from pacemakers to more sophisticated hospital equipment, to ensure the safety and security of their products. Further, the FDA also advises hospitals to ensure the security of their records to avoid serious hacking problems.

Because of these threats, the FDA issued a new set of guidelines that could possibly protect the medical industry from cyber attacks.

Safeguarding Children From Hackers

In the case of the IoT toys, it was the manufacturers' lack of focus on the security of their data that rendered them vulnerable to hacking. As such, parents are advised to be very careful when giving their children access to internet-based items. Further, extra care should be made in making passwords for online accounts even for simple apps such as the ones in CloudPets.

It would be close to impossible in today's world to completely safeguard your kids from any internet based devices, but stressing the importance of internet safety and security to children should also be given equal importance as the many benefits and conveniences that the IoT offers.

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Who knew a small patch of dried-out, decades-old mold would get this pricey?

A capsule of original penicillin mold from which scientist Alexander Fleming made the drug was auctioned off at Bonhams in London, where it was sold for 11,875, or around $14,617.

Piece Of Medical History

The mold, preserved in a round glass container and carrying an inscription by Fleming that states the mold that first made penicillin, surpassed early expectations of its auction price on Wednesday, March 1.

The nearly 90-year-old sample, which was sold to an unidentified buyer, came from the collection of the doctors niece, Mary Anne Johnston.

The prized object is a capsule of the original Penicillium chrysogenum that Fleming was working with when he discovered the antibiotic, which is credited to have saved millions around the world. From there, penicillin has been mass-produced to treat different bacterial infections.

The Scottish-born doctor, however, widely distributed the original mold. He sent samples out to dignitaries and to people in the scientific world, almost as a kind of holy relic, said Bonhams director of books and manuscripts Matthew Haley, as quoted by AP.

Other portions of mold were given to the likes of Pope Pius XII and Winston Churchill, likely to help preserve Flemings legacy in discovering penicillin back in 1928. According to archivist Kevin Brown of the Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum, Queen Elizabeths husband, Prince Philip, even received multiple copies of the mold.

Award Fleming an honorary degree? You got mold. Dedicated service in his lab? Mold, wrote Quartz, adding that the doctor grew his mold gifts on absorbent paper and pressed the specimens between spectacle lenses from his brothers optometry practice.

In 1996, Sothebys offered a similar mold medallion, believed to be among the very few specimens still around. Pfizer bought it for 23,000 or around $51,000 today.

Life Before And After Penicillin

Prior to the birth of penicillin, infections such as pneumonia and rheumatic fever often led to the grave. It was easily hailed a miracle drug and heralded a new era and breakthrough in medicine, Brown said.

And penicillin was a kind of accidental discovery. Fleming saw mold thriving in an existing experiment when he came back to the laboratory from a country house trip. A petri dish was bacteria-laden, except for a section where mold grew. It was a rare penicillin strain that was destroying the bacteria surrounding it.

Oxford scientists developed the drug and its manufacturing became so intense that enough of the antibiotic was made sure to be available for Allied invasion on D-Day back in 1944. Fleming, alongside Oxford scientists Ernst Boris Chain and Howard Walter Florey, received the Nobel Prize in medicine the following year.

Now the world is seeing itself amid the age of superbugs, where bacteria have become resistant to so many antibiotic treatments available. Just last week, the World Health Organization named priority pathogens or 12 types of bacteria that it believes pose the greatest human health threat today and kill millions each year.

Part of this dirty dozen is carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), which killed an elderly Nevada woman and had become resistant to all antibiotics available in the United States.

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Fire incidents with Samsung are not new given that it has a history of explosions with the much combustible Galaxy Note 7, which is now defunct.

Samsung Galaxy S7 fire incidents have been flooding the Internet since the time people complained about its battery explosion. Both the devices, the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Samsung Galaxy S7 edge have been in the news for battery overheating troubles as well.

Now, it is being reported that the Samsung Galaxy S7 has caught fire in what is not an isolated incident. The unfortunate victim of this mishap was reportedly 27-year-old Shaunique Lamb, a senior at the Old Dominion University.

Galaxy S7 Fire Incident

The incident took place on Feb. 23, at 8 p.m. while Lamb was driving to a friend's house. According to Lamb, she was not charging her Sprint variant of the Galaxy S7 but had connected it with the car's Bluetooth so that she could listen to some music, played from an app on her device.

All of a sudden, Lamb noticed smoke emitting from the handset, which was kept in the cup holder of the car. To avoid severe injury, Lamb got out of her car and waited for the smoke to clear and the device to cool down. Reports state that Lamb didn't suffer any physical injuries and was able to escape safely. However, Lamb was still in a state of shock.

Right after the incident, Lamb took the smartphone to the Sprint Store on the Virginia Beach Boulevard, from where she had purchased it. The staff there informed her that she needs to file a claim with the phone insurance company called Aurison.

Lamb also got to know that even with her Aurison insurance plan, she has to pay $200 deductible to get a new handset of the same model.

One of the spokeswomen from Sprint told to News3 that once a complaint like this gets rolling, it is the duty of the technicians to examine the device and give replacement options.

What Is Samsung's Response?

Lamb states that she had forwarded her complaint to Samsung; however, the manufacturer does not seem to be taking the matter very seriously.

"We are working with Ms. Lamb to retrieve the device and learn more about what happened," stated a Samsung spokesperson to News3.

It seems that till the time Samsung gets its hands on the damaged device it won't be commenting on anything.

Photo: Karlis Dambrans | Flickr

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Officials of the Vatican Museums have carried out measures that will not only preserve the Sistine Chapel's remarkable fresco masterpieces in the present times, but will also prepare the site for future restoration.

Photographers have produced 270,000 digital photos of the interiors of the Sistine Chapel on 65 nights in a span of five years. The pictures include the chapel's mosaic floor and the frescoes painted by Michelangelo, as well as those made by other 15th century artists.

The benchmark photos will serve as an initial step for the chapel's future restoration projects.

Future Restoration Efforts

"In the future, this will allow us to know the state of every centimeter of the chapel as it is today, in 2017," said Antonio Paolucci, former director of the Vatican Museums.

According to Reuters, more than 220 pages at a 1:1 scale of the stunning images have been produced in hard copy.

"We used special post-production software to get the depth, intensity, warmth and nuance of colors to an accuracy of 99.9 percent," Giorgio Armaroli, Scripta Maneant's head, stated.

The Sistine Chapel's picturesque frescoes, including Michelangelo's famous historical masterpieces The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgment, had become part of the new 870-page, three-volume set that was printed. These digitized images were sold to libraries and collectors.

Vatican Battling Frescoes' Damage

The Vatican revealed that the swarm of tourists visiting the chapel every day has damaged the surface of the chapel's frescoed ceilings.

Ulderico Santamaria, the Vatican Museums' restoration officer, explained that powdery patina was found particularly in areas where there was higher water absorption on the chapel's walls due to humidity.

The humidity is an aftermath of air pollution on site, set off and exacerbated by more than 6 million chapel visitors coming in annually.

To address the Sistine Chapel's growing concern, Connecticut-based company Carrier installed a new air cooling and filtering system with three cameras that can calculate the number of people and, consequently, manipulate the temperature level and humidity inside the chapel.

The ventilation system allowed nearly 2,000 visitors to enter the chapel, without compromising the protection used on the chapel's well-known art works against humidity's destructive effects.

Enhancing Tour Experience At Sistine Chapel

The Vatican Museum has also attached 7,000 energy-saving lamps to light up the corners of the chapel and enhance the Sistine Chapel touring experience.

In 2015, the museum also offered "intelligent glasses" or 3D glasses to visitors for a view of the chapel in 3D.

Although Vatican Museum officials made the effort to improve people's visiting experience, they remain committed to protecting the Sistine Chapel as an artistic and architectural marvel. They have set a limit of only 20,000 tourists allowed at the chapel each day.

The preservation of the Sistine Chapel's frescoes will continue in the coming years, all with the help of digital photography.

"Future restorers will use these as their standards," Armaroli said.

Photo: Dennis Jarvis | Flickr

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Japan-based messaging app Line is joining the artificial intelligence bandwagon with Clova.

Clova - short for "Cloud Virtual Assistant" - will be the centerpiece of the AI platform and will serve as a counterpart to Amazon's Alexa, Microsoft's Cortana, and Google Assistant. Users will be able to talk to the AI and get information such as weather and news updates.

Aside from creating an AI that will live inside the Line chat app, the company is also planning to release a tabletop speaker hardware and to work with third-party developers that will be willing to integrate the AI into their products. Sony, LG, and toy maker Tomy have already expressed their interest in developing products that will integrate Clova.

Line's Plans For Clova

By partnering with other companies, Line hopes that the AI will become the centerpiece for a wide range of consumer products and smart home devices.

The company's goal is "to create a thriving ecosystem of contents, services and devices with a wide range of partners, allowing the Clova platform to continue to expand and develop over time."

Clova To Take On The Asian Market

Takeshi Idezawa, Line's CEO, made the announcement at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Clova will be developed with the help of Naver, South Korea's leading search engine. Collaborating with a search engine could also prove to be a plus as the service will be able to tap into the same kind of knowledge that Google Assistant is also using. The launch will also serve to address a severe lack in Asia's AI market. Currently, the majority of Line's users are based in Asian countries like Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Clova will be able to provide information about the weather, play music, and offer language translation. Since it will be based in Asia, the company is hoping it will have an advantage over the bigger players in the industry such as Amazon and Google when it comes to the Asian market. "We are aiming to make Clova Asia's leading cloud AI platform," Idezawa said.

This can only be seen as a natural progression for Line. In its home turf, the company is more than just a messaging platform for its users. Line has expanded its services by offering chatbot tools that help users make mobile payments, hail cabs, and find part-time jobs.

You can expect the first device with this AI to come in the form of "Wave," a smart speaker that will be launched in Japan and South Korea later this year.

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More than two hours of TV per day affects early academic skills in kindergartners, according to a new study by NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development in collaboration with Universite Sainte-Anne (Canada). The research revealed too much TV decreases school readiness especially in children from low-income households.

The alarming discovery urges parents to limit the time children spend on watching TV, with emphasis on the guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics on the matter. As of October 2016, these guidelines for kids between 2 and 5 have been updated to maximum one hour of TV daily.

Andrew Ribner, lead author of the study and doctoral candidate in the Department of Applied Psychology at NYU Steinhardt, believes the widespread of smartphones and tablets has extended screen time for young children even more than before. By analyzing data from 807 kindergartners from different socioeconomic backgrounds, his team investigated the link between family income and school readiness in children overexposed to TV.

Prolonged TV Time Affects Math Skills

During the experiment, researchers assessed the children's cognitive and social-emotional competencies, measuring math and linguistic skills, as well as their executive function (memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control).

The results indicated that watching TV for more than two hours daily diminishes math skills in kindergartners and reduces their executive function, which is perceived as crucial for school readiness.

However, the study's conclusions, featured in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, were considerably in the case of letter and word knowledge. Not only was there no negative relationship found between television viewing and language skills, but scientists also hypothesize that educational programs for children may in fact help improve literacy among the very young.

The research focused solely on TV time, without examining the impact of video games, smartphones, and tablets.

School Readiness In Poor Families Found Lower

The link between television watching and a decrease in school readiness is also influenced by socioeconomic background. The study showed children from low-income families scored lowest in school readiness when their TV time exceeded two hours a day. Kids with middle-income parents reported only a moderate decline in cognitive skills, whereas the academic performance of well-off children didn't seem to be affected at all by watching TV.

Although the research didn't delve into the quality of TV programs or the context in which the kids enjoyed their screen privileges, the authors suggest both these factors may be significant in interpreting the results. The type of content the children watch may explain the disparities on school readiness impact between families from different backgrounds.

One theory is that kids from high-income households may be inclined to watch more educational programs, thereby maintaining and even increasing academic skills, particularly in terms of vocabulary knowledge. Moreover, parents with more financial resources may be able to spend more time with their children, becoming involved in their program selection and providing a context for discussion and explanation while watching TV together.

"Our results suggest that the circumstances that surround child screen time can influence its detrimental effects on learning outcomes," disclosed Caroline Fitzpatrick, study coauthor of Universite Sainte-Anne and affiliate researcher at Concordia University.

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Last week, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration sought the help of the internet to name the seven newly discovered planets of the Trappist-1 solar system. The agency tweeted the request online on its official Twitter account last Feb. 25.

As expected, the Twitterverse obliged with gusto.

NASA Asks Twitter To Name Trappist-1 Planets

Currently, the seven Earth-sized planets, recently spotted by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, are known as Trappist-1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 1g, and 1h.

The stream of tweets under the hashtag #7NamesFor7NewPlanets? has been a pretty interesting read. While some netizens drew inspiration from their favorite pop culture references  for example, the seven Harry Potter novels, Apples iPhone series, popular characters from Game of Thrones, or Friends  most of the suggestions were hilarious.

Tom Riddle's Diary

Marvolo's Ring

Slytherin's Locket

Hufflepuff's Cup

Ravenclaw's Diadem

Nagini

Harry Potter#7NamesFor7NewPlanets  Alex (@the_alexb00k) February 24, 2017

People pitched in Snow Whites seven dwarves: Itchy, Sneezy, Dopey, Grumpy, Doc, Sleepy, and Bashful. Others recommended the planets names be about current events and call them known as Far from Trump1 to Far from Trump7. But standout comical suggestions were fired by Twitter user @idiotcracy. Some of his funniest entries were Planet McPlanetface, Moonie McMoonface, Rocky McRockface, Icy McIceface, Dusty McDustface, Gasy McGasface, and Wanda.

Planet McPlanetface Moonie McMoonface Rocky McRockface Icy McIceface Dusty McDustface Gasy McGasface Wanda#7NamesFor7NewPlanets  Idiotcracy (@idiotcracy) February 24, 2017

The International Astronomical Union

Entertaining as they may be, there's little chance that these comical suggestions will actually be approved and used by the International Astronomical Union, or IAU, the deciding body for names of all things astronomical, for the TRAPPIST-1 solar system. Unless it's willing to go through Britain's Boaty McBoatface situation back in 2016.

In 2015, the IAU conducted the NameExoWorlds contest, which invited the public to submit names for 32 extrasolar planets revolving around 15 stars.

Although the agency selected a handful lovely names  including Veritate, Hypatia, and Orbitar to Dagon, Poltergeist, and Dulcinea  some critics did not appreciate the approval of some entries and questioned the IAU's credibility.

Interestingly, some of the unpopular choices were from esteemed universities and observatories in the world. These include Royaldutchastro by the Royal Netherlands Association for Meteorology and Astronomy, Miguelhernandez by the Student Society at Complutense University of Madrid, and Thunder Bay by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Other absurd entries that popped up but thankfully did not make the cut, were Rock 'n' Roll Star and Starry Bunnies.

Discovery Of Trappist-1 Sets New Record

The Trappist-1 revelation sets a new record for the biggest number of habitable-zone planets around a single star beyond our solar system.

"This discovery could be a significant piece in the puzzle of finding habitable environments, places that are conducive to life. Answering the question 'are we alone' is a top science priority and finding so many planets like these for the first time in the habitable zone is a remarkable step forward toward that goal," Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, stated.

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Gene therapy, a revolutionary method that has been proving useful for the treatment and even cure of many hard-to-cure diseases, has made yet another triumph for mankind, this time for sickle cell disease. Though doctors are still hesitant to call the therapy a cure for sickle cell disease, it is a major step toward combating the disease.

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine on March 2 sheds light on the case of a French teenager with sickle cell disease and the gene editing therapy that could possibly have completely reversed the patient's disease.

Life Changing Treatment?

The boy began the treatment 15 months ago when he was brought to the Necker Children's Hospital in Paris in 2014. What his doctors did was alter the code in his DNA by adding a specific "anti-sickling" gene to his stem cells.

Once introduced into the body, the hope was that the newly altered genes would then translate into the production of healthy red blood cells instead of sickly sickle cells that cause a number of bodily complications.

The study stated 15 months after the very first treatment that the boy who once had significant internal damage  so much so that it led to a removed spleen and a hip replacement  now has no sign of the disease. He is no longer experiencing any of the usual markers of sickle cell disease and, at the least, 50 percent of his blood cells are considered normal and healthy. The boy is also no longer under any medication and treatment related to the disease.

Six other patients were also treated with the disease, though it seems the treatment worked best for the teenage boy.

Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disease that affects hemoglobin, the component of red blood cells responsible for delivering oxygen to other cells all over the body. Individuals with sickle cell disease have red blood cells that are sickle or crescent-shaped instead of the usual, healthy round shape. Characteristics of the disease include anemia, frequent infections, and episodes of pain.

Though not all patients experience serious symptoms, others require frequent hospitalization and experience serious and severe symptoms.

There is no current cure for sickle cell disease, but scientists are continuing in their search for therapies and treatments, such as bone marrow transplants and blood transfusions, which could hopefully alleviate the disease in the future altogether.

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The annual honour is given to leaders who stand up to political opponents, and make substantial contributions.

Barack Obama has been picked for the Kennedy Library's Profiles of Courage award. Photo: Reuters

By India Today Web Desk: The John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum has picked former US President, Barack Obama, as this year's awardee for the 'Profile of Courage'.

Recognising the leader's contributions made during his eight years in office, the reputed institution has decided to honour Obama with this annual award.

According to a Reuters report, Obama will receive the award on May 7 at a ceremony at the Kennedy Library's waterfront.

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Also read: Barack Obama is kitesurfing now that he's, you know, free

The museum has cited Obama's path-breaking healthcare reform law (Obamacare, which Donald Trump has sworn to repeal), the restoration of diplomatic ties with Cuba, and the signing of the Paris climate change deal, as some of his immensely important contributions.

Obama isn't the first US ex-President to be honoured by this award that celebrates leaders who stand up to political opponents.

Previous winners include Gerald Ford and George H W Bush. Former US Congress representative (who was shot in the head by a gunman), Gabrielle Giffords, and Senator John McCain (a former prisoner of war), have also been awarded with this honour.

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As more and more torrents of data pour in every day, some experts fear that modern hard drives may become too limited or outstripped to capture information.

But as years of computer science have proven before, the solution to this problem may be found in the smallest and unlikeliest of places. This time, it's in a single gram of DNA.

Breakthroughs In Data Storage

The use of DNA for digital storage is appealing in theory because DNA is ultracompact enough to store, replicate, and transmit massive amounts of information.

This hypothesis was proven in 2012. Harvard University geneticist George Church published a paper describing how he and his colleagues successfully encoded 650 kilobytes worth of data into DNA strands, which contained millions of copies of Church's 52,000-word book, Regenesis.

Indeed, the proof-of-concept was already a groundbreaking achievement  one that other engineers and biologists would expand upon over the years. But Church and his team's methods were inefficient, as it could only store 1.28 petabytes of data per DNA gram.

Now, scientists from Columbia University and the New York Genome Center have created the highest-density DNA data storage ever invented, surpassing Church and his team's first research.

Led by Yaniv Erlich, the team of engineers successfully stored and retrieved 215 petabytes of data (215,000,000 gigabytes) into DNA.

It contained six files: an old French film called The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station, a 1948 scientific research paper, a computer operating system, a $50 Amazon gift card, a photo, and a computer virus.

Manipulating DNA Molecules

How did Erlich and his team do it? They took advantage of the structure of DNA molecules, which look like twisting ladders denoted by the letters A, C, G, and T.

This genetic sequence typically acts as a building block for living things, and if one can convert it into binary numbers 0 and 1, DNA molecules can encode almost anything.

Of course, the process is not that easy because not all DNA sequences are robust enough, said Erlich. What's more, not all data stored in DNA can be retrieved successfully.

To solve these issues, Erlich and his colleagues made use of a fountain code to gatekeep the code. This DNA fountain provides unlimited number of clues to the code rather than storing the code itself.

That way, the DNA sequence can still be decoded even if a few codes get lost.

What It Means For The Future

If stored appropriately, DNA can last hundreds of thousands of years and save millions of data.

"DNA won't degrade over time like cassette tapes and CDs," said Erlich. "[I]t won't become obsolete."

However, while the results of the study point to a promising future, Erlich said the use of DNA in data storage is still in its early stages.

"It's basic science," he said. "It's not that tomorrow you're going to go to Best Buy and get your DNA hard drive."

Church, who was not part of the new study, believes the immediate use of the DNA data storage is for archiving. However, it's still quite expensive to archive such huge amounts of data on DNA. In fact, synthesizing the DNA costs $7,000 alone, while reading it costs $2,000.

Meanwhile, Erlich is optimistic about the future of this new technology. He and his colleagues believe that if it improves, the costs may even shrink.

"My hope is that by focusing on better approaches, we can realize the potential of DNA storage," added Erlich.

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Tech Times reported on Feb. 10 that Thomas Price had been confirmed as the new secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services after a 52-47 vote and that senators from the Democratic Party are already worried about the Affordable Care Act, which Price and President Donald Trump seem to be targeting.

Price is known as one of the rabid supporters to defund Planned Parenthood and practically anything that allows women to make conscious choices for their own bodies. Now that he is in the position to enact significant changes, women's health advocates have come forward to convince legislators that defunding Planned Parenthood is not exactly a wise choice.

Women's Health Advocates Share Their Stories

On March 2, health care providers and patients from New York City and Washington joined fellow women's health advocates at the Capitol to give lawmakers an idea of just how important Planned Parenthood is and why it should not be defunded.

Nadine, a Planned Parenthood New York City patient, recalled how Planned Parenthood gave her the emotional and psychological support she needed in her youth.

"When I became sexually active at 15, and didn't feel that I could go to my family for the resources I needed to be safe, I went to Planned Parenthood [...] There was no judgment, there was only love and support, complete and unwavering understanding," she shared.

Another PPNYC patient, Raquel, shared how she relied on Planned Parenthood when she could not afford health care.

"In the years that I lived without health insurance, Planned Parenthood provided me with regular access to doctors and quality care. PPNYC has been the most trusted health care provider I have ever had," she said.

Why Planned Parenthood Should Be Protected

Planned Parenthood has been attacked time and again based on religious and moral objections. Price is just one of the people who are resolute in denying women proper and affordable health care by proposing bills and criticizing practically anything that benefits women's reproductive rights.

Barbara Bush got it right when she spoke at a Planned Parenthood fundraiser in Texas.

"To me, Planned Parenthood is a one-stop shop for everything that has to do with women's health and all social problems that don't have to do with women's health," Bush said.

Supporting Planned Parenthood does not necessarily mean one supports abortion or tramples on religious and moral freedom. Planned Parenthood educates women, especially teenagers, and gives them access to proper education on how to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies. This, in turn, decreases abortion rates, overpopulation, and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and non-STDs like cancer that also affect women who are sexually active.

Planned Parenthood claims that 2.5 million people would be affected per year if it is defunded but let us look at it from another perspective and consider the numbers.

"Per year, Planned Parenthood health centers provide birth control for 2 million people, as well as over 4 million STD tests and treatments; over 360,000 breast exams; over 270,000 Pap tests," the Planned Parenthood website states.

Defunding Planned Parenthood is not just about the number of people who used the services listed above. It's also about their potential partners who could inadvertently aid in the spread of STDs, and their potential children who could be affected with STDs or unsafely aborted, which could lead to death for the pregnant woman, as well.

It's also about their families who would find out too late that their loved one had been suffering from some sort of cancer all along  a cancer that could have been detected and fought if only they had access to affordable services that Planned Parenthood provides.

You can take a look at Planned Parenthood's infographic below.

It's not about spreading immorality or proliferating practices that do not follow religious rules, but avoiding potentially harmful and preventable consequences. This is what the advocates want legislators and Price to realize.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
One of the main criticisms for Hillary Clinton's race to the White House during the campaign period was her mistake of using a private email server to send and receive sensitive and confidential information instead of a government-secured account. Vice President Mike Pence was one of the loudest voices in criticizing Clinton in 2016 and recommending that the former Secretary of State be made accountable for her actions.

Now it turns out that Pence was equally guilty of the same grave sin, since he had also used a personal email account and is currently in a legal battle to keep much of the contents of his breached email account a secret as he regularly used his personal email for official business as governor of Indiana.

Trump And Pence vs. Clinton

If you could recall, both President Donald Trump and Pence were very vocal about their criticism of Clinton, especially when it came to the email scandal. They even openly tweeted about it and accused Clinton of corruption based on the case, as can be seen below.

Look at the way Crooked Hillary is handling the e-mail case and the total mess she is in. She is unfit to be president. Bad judgement!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) Nov. 1, 2016

.@realDonaldTrump and I commend the FBI for reopening an investigation into Clinton's personal email server because no one is above the law.  Mike Pence (@mike_pence) Oct. 28, 2016



However, Clinton is not the only one to commit a grave error when it came to handling confidential information because Pence reportedly used an AOL account to transmit official communications as Indiana governor. What's worse is that, when his account was compromised by a scammer in 2016, he just stopped using that account and opened another AOL account.

Trump Should Hold Pence Accountable

Pence once claimed that Clinton should be held accountable since "no one is above the law."

While it is true that Pence did not pay to set up a private server for an email account, cybersecurity experts think that Pence's oversight is equally as bad because using a personal, non-government secured email already made his communications vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks and data breaches. Hence, using a vulnerable communication medium to transmit sensitive and confidential data is just as damaging to national security.

"In this case, you know the email address has been hacked. It would be hypocritical to consider this issue any different than a private email server," WatchGuard Technologies Chief Technology Officer Corey Nachreiner said.

In the case of Pence, his AOL email account had been compromised and his solution was to open a new account on the same server, despite its weak security. In fact, CIA Director John Brennan's AOL account was hacked back in 2014  two years before Pence's own AOL account was hacked.

On Transparency And Equal Treatment

While everyone was focused on the debates and Clinton's email debacle, Pence's legal team was fighting hard to keep the contents of his compromised account a secret.

"This account was used to handle these messages that are so sensitive they can't be turned over in a records request [...] The Secretary of State would be in possession of secrets that had more of a national impact, but at a lower level, a private email account has the same implications," Justin Cappos, a computer security professor from the New York University's Tandon School of Engineering, said.

Perhaps the bottom line is that both Clinton and Pence used email accounts that are not secured by the government so both of them should be held accountable for their actions, depending on the value of the confidential information that was compromised.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google Allo Gets Animated Emoji And GIF Search Features | TechTree.com

Google has recently updated its Allo app with more interesting ways to converse with your friends and families. The new update brings a couple of new features that include a GIF search facility right inside the chat window itself, animated emoji, and Google Assistant to help you out at times of need.

Apparently, the new update adds a search bar where users can search for GIFs by actually typing in a set of words. In-fact, this update seems to be a follow up of the recently introduced Lucky chatbot by Google that adds randomly selected GIFs in the conversations.

Adding further, a report published on Tech2 mentions that ten frequently used emojis can now have animations, while users can also customise the size of the animations they want to be showed in the chat window. It is said that a simple slider does this trick.

And, with this update, as we mentioned earlier, Google Assistant is there at your fingertips, ready to answer your doubts and give you inputs. Well, the official blog post by Google further adds that the artificial assistant would not bore you down with insignificant answers. In-fact, with the Google Assistant, you can now share lots of information right inside the chat windows.

Having said this, the officially blog post mentions that these new features with be available on Android starting today and will soon be on their way to iOS.



TAGS: Google Allo
At a rally in Purnia on February 22, Mastan had called PM Modi a "Naxal" and a "dacoit" and had encouraged his supporters to beat PM's pictures with shoes and slippers.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav has slammed the BJP for creating ruckus inside the state Assembly for the third consecutive day over Minister Abdul Jalil Mastan's remark in which he encouraged his supporters to beat Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pictures with shoes and slippers. BJP has not allowed both the lower and upper house to function, demanding that Mastan be sacked from the Nitish Kumar cabinet.

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At a rally in Purnia on February 22, Mastan had called PM Modi a "Naxal" and a "dacoit" and had encouraged his supporters to beat PM's pictures with shoes and slippers.

Although Mastan had apologised for his act after a controversy broke out over the remark, the BJP is in no mood to spare him. This seems to have annoyed the deputy Chief Minister.

WHAT DID TEJASWI YADAV SAY "How far is it justified to stall the proceedings of the House when the minister has apologised for his comments?", questioned Tejaswi Yadav. Tejaswi took a swipe at Modi, stating that his behaviour did not behove of a Prime Minister. He said Modi's recent comments did not appear to be coming from the Prime Minister of a culturally rich and diverse country like India. "The Prime Minister belongs to the entire country and not just to a party or community. Remarks made by Modi are not appropriate", Tejaswi said. He said that taking insult to the Prime Minister as an excuse, BJP was not allowing the Assembly to function and wasting the taxpayers' money.

Also read | Bihar Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav dares PM on alleged links of BJP members with ISI

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The president emphasized that people are voting for Nicaragua and by doing so they are also voting for peace. | Read More
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 3 (PTI) WHO today urged Southeast Asian nations, including India, to alleviate nutritional and disease hazards faced by pregnant women to tackle birth defects which cause 90,000 newborn deaths in the region annually.

"Birth defects affect approximately one in 33 infants and result in around 3.2 million birth defect-related disabilities across the world annually. In the Southeast Asia region, each year birth defects are responsible for an estimated 90,000 newborn deaths," said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Southeast Asia.

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On World Birth Defects Day, Singh said that when not fatal, birth defects can result in long-term disability, impacting individuals, families, health systems and societies.

The most common birth defects are heart defects, neural tube defects, and Downs Syndrome, with 94 per cent of severe cases occurring in middle- and low-resource settings,she said.

Noting that birth defects may be caused by genetic, nutritional, infectious or environmental factors, Singh said that although it is often difficult to identify the exact cause, many of them can be prevented.

"Doing so means undertaking concerted and multi-sectoral action aimed at alleviating the nutritional, environmental and disease hazards pregnant women face," she said.

Womens access to adequate nutrition, including folic acid and iodine, for example, must be guaranteed both pre- and post-conception through supplementation or food fortification.

Noting that the enjoyment of an environment free of harmful chemicals should be assured, Singh said vaccination coverage that can protect pregnant women and their unborn babies from defect-causing diseases like rubella must be universal.

"Of vital importance for birth defect prevention and control is ensuring access for all expectant mothers to high-quality, cost-effective pre-conception and antenatal services.

"These services will ensure that women are counselled to meet their nutritional needs before and during their pregnancy, at the same time as avoiding tobacco and alcohol use. And they will also help detect birth defects early and manage defect-related complications," she pointed out.

Noting that progress is being made, Singh pointed out that the regional and national networks of hospitals have been established to undertake birth defect surveillance to better understand occurrence and distribution.

"Region-wide efforts to control rubella ? which affects an estimated 50,000 births in the region annually ? are being pursued via mass immunisation campaigns and expanded routine coverage, with nine of the regions 11 countries now including rubella in routine immunisation schedules," she said.

"On World Birth Defects Day, WHO calls for a healthier future for newborns and their mothers across Southeast Asia. Let us commit ourselves, our communities and our countries to realising this goal," she said.

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WHOs Southeast Asia Region comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, North Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste. PTI TDS KUN

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OB outfit Timeline Television is building a state-of-the-art triple expanding outside broadcast truck to provide fully uncompressed 4K and HDR over IP.

Timeline will work closely with SAM to launch the brand new unit which will include the latest IP infrastructure and HDR technology.

"This new outside broadcast truck will provide fully uncompressed IP capability to broadcasters, " said Daniel McDonnell, Managing Director, Timeline Television. "For our customers it means we can scale and expand our facilities with ease to meet their demands. The IP technology will provide support for up to 32, 4K UHD cabled Sony 4300 cameras and 12, 4K UHD EVS servers.

Robert Szabo Rowe, EVP and General Manager, Live Production and infrastructure SAM, commented: "SAM understands how important partnerships are when developing and deploying new technology. We are proud that Timeline has selected a range of SAM equipment including the IP kahuna production switcher, IP multi viewer and our range of IP infrastructure to ensure they have the most flexible and competitive offering in the market."

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By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, Mar 3 (PTI) BJP, which is trying to ensure its nominee becomes the next Mayor of Mumbai, today claimed support of Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) corporator Geeta Gawli.

"She has decided to support BJP," a senior BJP leader told PTI today.

"With her support, our strength has gone up to 86, as three other corporators have already backed us," the leader claimed.

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Gawli, the lone winning candidate of the ABS in the recent elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), was being wooed by both the Shiv Sena and the BJP as the two parties vie to take control of the civic body.

Gawli (34), the eldest daughter of convicted gangster Arun Gawli, had met Sena leaders Eknath Shinde and Anil Desai to work out the modalities of her support to the Shiv Sena, and later Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis before making up her mind.

The ABS had helped the Shiv Sena-BJP combine in 2012 to prove their majority in the House. The Sena-BJP combine at that time had a strength of 106 and were short of eight votes to ensure the selection of their mayor.

On Tuesday, the Sena appointed Yashwant Jadhav, a senior corporator, as its group leader. Jadhav, with 88 corporators including four independent corporators, registered themselves with the Konkan Divisional Commissioner as a group.

BJP has named Manoj Kotak as the partys group leader in BMC.

BJP and Shiv Sena, despite being partners in the state and central governments, had fought the recently-held civic polls separately.

The elections to the 227-member BMC threw up a hung verdict, with the Sena winning 84 seats and the BJP 82. Congress finished on the third spot with 31 seats, NCP got nine corporators while Raj Thackerays MNS bagged seven seats.

Shiv Sena has claimed support of some Independent candidates.

The next Mayor of Mumbai will be elected during the first meeting of the new House on March 8 and Saturday is the last day for filing nominations for the post. PTI VT NP RYS

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Hearing a PIL, the Bombay High Court has asked the Centre to submit a detailed report on the deaths of scientists. The high court observed that the Army and scientists are two sets of people, who needed to be taken care of by the government.

By Vidya : The Bombay High Court today asked the central government to file a detailed affidavit concerning death of nuclear scientists in India.

A division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice G S Kulkarni directed the Centre to submit a report on the deaths of scientists in the country.

The Centre's reply should have not just details of cause of death and the investigation there in done by the Investigating agencies but also "norms, guidelines, policy, rules and details of measures taken to protect the health of scientists and the compensation given to the families of scientists."

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SAVE SCIENTISTS, SOLDIERS: THINGS TO KNOW The Bombay High Court bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed activist Chetan Kothari, who had found out under the Right To Information (RTI) Act that many scientists have died in suspicious and unexplained deaths over the last couple of decades. The petitioner stated that police had not investigated the mysterious circumstances under which dead bodies of a few scientists were found. The PIL says that the police simply classify these deaths as either "unexplained" or "suicides". Justice Chellur observed that both the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board as well as the Atomic Energy Commission filed affidavits but they were very generic in nature and did not explain the investigation done and the conclusion arrived at as to the reason behind the deaths. Counsel for the petitioner Ashish Mehta today pointed out in the court the lackadaisical approach of the investigating agencies in the matters of deaths of scientists as revealed by the documents obtained under the RTI Act. During the hearing, Justice Chellur said, "Army and scientists, these are two sets of people, who should be taken care of. Life expectancy is around 70 then there should be a reason why people are dying at 50. If this goes on, then my worry is that no one will come to work here and nations interest will suffer." Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh told the Bombay High Court that the details provided by the petitioners are not correct. "If someone had died of heart attack then he has been shown as dying under mysterious circumstance by the petitioner. Radiation in nuclear plants is below permissible levels. We provide better health care facilities. Even compensation given to the families is as per norms," said Singh. Counsel Mehta pointed out to the media reports, attached with the petition, about the bodies of scientists being found under mysterious circumstances. Justice Chellur told the Additional Solicitor Genral that the bench was not criticising the department but if lives of scientists were at risk then it should be a cause of concern. "Are they really paying serious attention? Is everything in order? That is all we want to know. Give us material to substantiate your statement," the Bombay High Court Chief Justice told the government counsel. According to Department of Atomic Energy records, 11 nuclear scientists died unnatural deaths during 2009-13 in the country.

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The victims were forced to work for 22 hours in a day and allowed sleep of only two hours.

By Shivendra Srivastava: The National Human Rights Commission has taken action on a matter in which 26 boys, in the age group of 8 to 13, years were rescued from bonded labour in a jeans factory in north-east Delhi's Seelampur area last month.

NHRC has observed how neither the police nor the civil authorities could check such an illegal activity within the national capital. The commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi and the Delhi police commissioner for detailed reports within four weeks about the steps taken for relief, issuance of release certificates and their rehabilitation.

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The commission has also asked them to inform about the action taken against the guilty employer and preventive measures taken or proposed to be taken to ensure that such incidents do not occur in future.

NHRC has also observed that the matter is very painful where poor victims who had been kept under bondage in extremely inhuman conditions. This not only indicates that human rights of these victims were violated by their employer by way of committing cruelty upon them but also highlights that the administration, particularly the labour department, has failed to perform its mandatory duty as per law.

TORTURE

Reportedly, the job of the rescued bonded labour children was to cut threads of jeans and pack it. The task was to pack 10 pieces of the cloth item in 10 minutes and the one who finished last used to be beaten with a hammer by the employer. The victims were forced to work for 22 hours in a day and allowed sleep of only two hours.

As per sources, the employer used to beat them with a hammer if anyone is found sleeping or going to washroom during work. Due to lengthy sittings, many of them are not able to walk properly. Injury marks are found on their bodies and one of them could not even open his eyes in the sunlight.

All the 26 rescued boys belong to Motihari district of Bihar, who were brought to Delhi around six months ago. Six of them are from the same village, indicating that they could be victims of child trafficking. They are presently staying at Mukti Ashram, a children home being run by the Bachpan Bachao Andolan, an NGO headed by the Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi.

As per Satyarthi the incident was a worst case of slavery. Little has changed after three decades when, the worst case of slavery was unearthed in 1983, rescuing 27 children from the carpet industry in Mirzapur of Uttar Pradesh, he said.

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Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome should proceed and move forward with plans to seek her replacement for Baton Rouge chief of police. So much attention is given to opinions as to whether Chief Carl Dabadie has performed well. In my humble opinion, I believe the chief has done as good a job as expected, based on Civil Service constraints, previous administration, and union interference. Nevertheless, there is a new mayor in town. That alone is enough reason for the chief to retire honorably.

I recall Chief Dewayne White experienced the same positive relationship with the Metro Council as Chief Dabadie does. The media polled the council members regarding Chief White's performance when he came under fire with Mayor-President Kip Holden; we found Whites performance as favorable.

At the time, Holden reached out to me and other council members seeking support for his decision to relieve Chief White of his duties. I let him know that I felt that it was his decision to replace Chief White; it was indeed his prerogative. If you look back at Whites Civil Service hearing, I was not present.

Chief Dabadie has stated prior to the mayoral race that he would be willing to remain as chief under the next mayor. However, he also stated that he did not want to be where he was not wanted.

I, for one, am holding the chief to that commitment. Nothing in my prior dealings with Dabadie would lead me to think that he would hold the position "hostage," when Mayor Broome has made it clear throughout her campaign and since being elected her intentions to replace Dabadie. She stated this decision unwaveringly and was elected with this being a highlight of her campaign.

That says something to me!

I would be very disappointed if Chief Dabadie uses the same Civil Service rules that prevented him from getting rid of "bad apples" within BRPD to interfere with the mayor's ability to create a collaborative vision for public safety with a chief of her choosing. Common in both private and public sectors, new leadership handpicks their team. It is not to be viewed as punitive (right or wrong), but progressive (a different direction).

Councilwoman Chauna Banks

Metropolitan Council District 2

Baton Rouge
Self-described "serial entrepreneur" Sidney Torres IV saw his new reality show debut on CNBC Wednesday, but if he's at all serious about jumping into this fall's New Orleans mayoral race, another recent development might be even more auspicious: Torres was prominently featured on a Carnival float.

The parade was the bitingly satirical Krewe d'Etat, and the depiction wasn't exactly flattering. Torres, who lives in New Orleans but comes from a prominent St. Bernard family, was portrayed as a dog in shrimp boots peeing on a fire hydrant. The title of the float, which was part of the "Zoo d'Etat" parade? "101 Chalmations."

But no matter. Being pictured on a float means you've penetrated the public consciousness. And at this early stage in a race that is just beginning to take form, that's a definite leg up.

Actually, the real estate and trash collection magnate isn't only potential mayoral candidate who's been depicted in styrofoam and papier mache. Last year City Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell was featured on a Krewe of Muses float, part of a "Sweet 16" themed parade in which each float riffed on a type of candy. Cantrell's successful crusade to ban smoking in the city's drinking establishments earned her the title "Ms. Goodbar."

Unlike Torres, Cantrell isn't just talking about putting together a campaign to replace the term-limited Mitch Landrieu, but is starting to do something about it. She hasn't formally announced her intentions, but has emailed supporters that she feels the "call to serve." So that's one well-known candidate who's a likely "yes."

The rest of the field is starting to sort itself out as well, if only behind the scenes.

Stephanie Grace: New Orleans mayoral race developing in slow motion It's not even Mardi Gras yet, but candidates are already starting to officially line up for 

State Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, who also heads the Louisiana Democratic Party, won a big election over the weekend to become the Democratic National Committee's new vice chair of civic engagement and voter participation. She hasn't said as much, but for handicapping purposes, this new national role probably precludes a run for major local office.

Otherwise, here's how many insiders see the race shaping up as we head towards qualifying in July and the primary election in October.

Retired Civil District Court judge Michael Bagneris, who challenged Landrieu the last time around, appears to be in. State Sen. Troy Carter is said to be thinking about it, and City Councilman Jason Williams is showing signs of leaning against.

State Rep. Walt Leger is actively exploring a run, and is expected to show his hand soon now that the special legislative session is over. State Sen. J.P. Morrell is unlikely to make a decision until much later, following the Legislature's regular session.

Not that it's necessarily an advantage to be early out of the gate. If history is any guide, the opposite is true.

Landrieu, who already had a high profile as lieutenant governor, son of a former mayor, brother of a U.S. senator and a two-time candidate himself, jumped into the 2010 race at the last minute. Earlier, Ray Nagin, who was an unknown businessman eyeing a field of insiders, got in late too, as did Marc Morial, another high-profile mayoral son. So that's three winners in a row who took their time in deciding.

Which brings us back to Torres, who recently teased a run in an interview with The Advocate's Keith Spera, but said he won't make a final decision until qualifying looms.

Honestly, I will not decide until probably 10 minutes before qualifying closes, he said. Meanwhile, he has put together a great team of people to lay out what I think needs to happen with the city as far as education, crime, roads."

He's got that luxury. Unlike his potential competitors, he doesn't need to start raising money. Torres said if he runs, he'd write a check for $4 million or $5 million to self-finance.

Until then, he'll be lurking in plain sight on billboards around town promoting the new reality show, "The Deed," in which he helps troubled real estate investors get back on track by offering both advice and cash. There's also a new Fox crime drama loosely based on his French Quarter crime-fighting app.

Both national shows paint a more positive picture than the Krewe d'Etat float. And indeed, locals who've followed Torres' many public exploits know they haven't been without controversy.

But hey, when you're trying to keep your brand out there, there's no such thing as bad publicity.

Email Stephanie Grace at sgrace@theadvocate.com.
In times when the promise of imposing prohibition has won elections for political parties, Chhattisgarh's Raman Singh government has decided to do the next best thing-take over all the retail liquor outlets in the state from the coming financial year. So what prompted the move, certain to draw the wrath of the state's deeply entrenched liquor lobby?

Well, assembly elections are just a year away (due in 2018), and there's a growing realisation in Raipur that the rampant alcohol abuse in rural Chhattisgarh could cost chief minister Singh (in his third successive term in office) dearly at the hustings. Families are in distress and women have been at the forefront of protests demanding prohibition-campaigns that have received wide support from the Congress, Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh and even from BJP leaders like national general secretary Saroj Pandey.

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Although no empirical studies are available, the increasing incidence of alcoholism in the villages stems from the far-too-easy, 24x7 availability of liquor. This is because of the kochia, the sales agents appointed in villages by liquor contractors, who illegally stock and sell liquor at all times of the day and night.

BJP insiders say there's been feedback from officials and RSS workers on the ground that the illicit kochia system needs to be tackled urgently. The hope is that with the state stepping in and taking complete control over retail sales, there will be no scope for village-level agents to operate. In preparation for the takeover after March 31, requisite amendments to the Excise Act have been drafted for approval in the upcoming budget session. Provisions have also been made to set up a new corporation headed by the state chief secretary, which will take over the business. The CM is hoping that taking the kochia out of the picture will bring down resentment levels in the villages, especially among women.

So why didn't the Raman Singh government consider prohibition, like in Bihar and Gujarat? State government officials say "prohibition is not a solution, especially in a state that shares borders with seven other states". Imposing stricter controls, they say, was the only option.

The move has, expectedly, drawn much criticism, with Opposition leader T.S. Singhdeo insisting it smacks of hypocrisy. "On the one hand, the government supports the Bharat Mata Vahini that is working towards total prohibition, and on the other, it's taking over the liquor business," he says.

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A trapped rat led to the evacuation of Wanniassa School's senior campus on Friday morning.

The rat became caught in an electrical switchboard, which started to smoke and set off an alarm.

Fire fighters were sent to Wanniassa School to investigate a rat trapped in a switchboard. Credit:Rohan Thomson

Two fire pumpers, a hazmat crew and a commander were sent to investigate the incident around 9:20am at the school on Wheeler Crescent.

At 10:15am, electricians and fire crews were inspecting the building to make sure it was safe before students return.
Canberrans using Westfield shopping centres are being tracked with the centres' free wi-fi, with the data able to log the visitor's time spent in the centre, where they spent it and what websites they visited.

Fairfax Media visited Westfield Belconnen and used their free wi-fi network, before contacting Westfield's privacy officer who provided the data of the visit.

Westfield has defended its data harvesting as a way to improve the customer experience. Credit:Andrew Quilty

The data showed what websites we had visited on iPhone as well as where the phone had been, able to note details of what section of the centre the device was in, for how long and on what floor.

For example, it noted about 32 minutes spent on the centre's west end on the second floor and 30 seconds in the food court on the third floor in the southern end.
Commonwealth Bank Wealth Management general executive Annabel Spring and CommInsure managing director Helen Troup during a public hearing on the life insurance industry. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Now we have it confirmed (again) that Deloitte didn't speak to customers. Such a simple question shouldn't have chewed up so much time. But it did. It is a common theme across inquiries and, as the banking inquiry continues next week, it will be a technique no doubt paraded again, which is why we need a royal commission. James Kessel had his heart attack claim denied due to an out of date definition. Credit:Matt Miegel The Deloitte report is important because it makes some sweeping conclusions but they weren't addressed during the inquiry because it ran out of time.

Nor was the treatment of specific individuals discussed. Names were raised but they were not discussed. Noel Stevens took CBA to court as he was dying of pancreatic cancer. Credit:Bree Fuller Im just a dumb broken-down old shearer, did Deloitte speak to customers, yes or no? Senator John Williams They included heart attack victim James Kessel, who paid a policy for more than 20 years and had his claim knocked back on the basis he didn't meet the definition of a heart attack, despite the bank knowing it was a decade out of date. The other person was Noel Stevens who had to take the bank to court while he was dying of pancreatic cancer. Days before he died he won the case but CBA appealed it, leaving his grieving daughter to battle the bank again. She won.

Discussing the treatment of individuals gives insights into a culture and better explains what is going wrong. Instead we are left with broad-brushed statements that don't mean a lot when there is no context of how they work in the real world. One of the issues raised during the hearing was CommInsure's decision not to update its medical definitions of heart attacks and rheumatoid arthritis despite knowing they were out of date. She conceded with the benefit of hindsight it was "poor judgment". Despite this, the bank refuses to backdate the decade-old definition of heart attacks further back than 2014. Perhaps it might have more food for thought after hearing the testimony of Westpac's wealth arm BT, which said it had updated its heart attack definition back in 2011.

The insurers of the big four banks gave evidence on Friday and the overwhelming message was they aren't perfect, there have been some mistakes. In his opening statement, MLC Life Insurance boss David Hackett said the sector as a whole has work to do to recover the trust of Australians. "There are too many incidents where they have been let down." He is right. The spotlight has been largely on CommInsure but the problems are industry-wide  and not just the banks. Life insurance sold inside super funds has problems, direct insurance is riddled with issues as do some of the life insurers who continue to rake in commissions. Then there is the issue of independent medical examiners which aren't independent at all but are being increasingly used by some insurance companies to provide the verdict insurers want to hear. The use of these IMEs means claims managers don't have to "lean" on their internal doctors, they can shop for an IME.

It is a sad state of affairs that needs a radical overhaul. Senator Deborah O'Neill asked the various insurers about the capacity to use customer's data against them and that doctors send full patient files. It is chilling that a claim is lodged and a doctor will send a patient's entire file to the insurer to pick over to possibly find something to reject the claim. Fallen star Graeme Cowper suffered a stunning defeat in his defamation action. Credit:Nick Moir Graeme Cowper, the former star planner at NAB who sued Fairfax for defamation then settled before being cross examined, has been a topic of discussion in Parliament this week.

On Thursday he was called a "thug" in the Senate and on Friday he was discussed in the House of Representatives when NAB boss Andrew Thorburn was grilled over the bank's handling of Cowper and his customers. What has emerged is that of the $25 million in compensation paid to victims of dodgy financial advice at NAB, more than $7 million of that money went to 102 customers of Cowper. There was a lot of ducking and weaving of questions by Thorburn. It is not hard to see why. In the defamation case the court heard that NAB filed a breach report with ASIC in 2010 yet allowed him to resign, gave him a glowing letter wishing him "every success in the future" and paid him $185,000. The bank also signed a side letter, which it refused to hand over during the court proceedings on the basis of confidentiality. To this day we don't know what is in the letter and Thorburn wasn't about to tell the MPs asking for it.
National Australia Bank has faced a storm of criticism in Parliament after failing to discipline and instead rewarding a senior banking executive who was in charge of its troubled wealth division.

NAB chief executive Andrew Thorburn was the first of the big four banking chiefs to face questions by the Parliament's economics committee as part of the Turnbull's government's attempt to make banks answerable for their decisions and practices.

From the opening questions Mr Thorburn came under sustained attack with committee chairman Liberal Party MP David Coleman questioning the remuneration and disciplining of NAB's head of wealth Andrew Hagger in the wake of problems in that part of the bank.

Mr Hagger was head of the wealth division when in February it came to light that the bank was forced to repay $36.5 million in compensation after ASIC found 220,000 corporate superannuation accounts had been overcharged.
They'll be writing code in JavaScript for their local bank, or maintaining a website for a retail business. They'll be financial advisers managing algorithms that make financial decisions on their behalf, or shop floor workers wrangling delivery robots. "There's a conception out there that coding is only for mathematically gifted people and it's a highly complex field," says Raman Nambiar, managing director of the Coder Factory Academy, one of a number of Silicon Valley-style coding boot camps that have spring up in Australia in the past two years. "It can be, but a growing number of positions are much more mainstream." He uses a building industry analogy: it needs architects and engineers and designers but also a lot of builders and tradesmen. Software, too, needs its architects, engineers, developers and designers, but "an awful lot of coders do things like quality checking and just building very basic code". "It can be learned fairly quickly, just like a vocational skill," says Nambiar, whose academy offers weekend courses for $340. Its six-month intensive courses, 10 hours a day, five days a week, for $19,500, give people "enough skills to be competent in the job," he says. "We're starting to see a lot of career changers. We have had train drivers, people from the construction trade and from other fields like psychology and finance." And the age profile of students is "a little bit older than we first expected", averaging in the mid-30s, he adds..

Alex Karolis did the six-month course last year. He started off in the army and then did a PhD in philosophy. Now he spends his days writing software to build and maintain a sophisticated data management tool for Event Hub, a cloud computing software platform that manages premium seating and corporate hospitality activities for companies, venues and event owners. "I love it, absolutely love it. In hindsight it was a very good decision," he says. He loves that coding is "very transparent. You can see exactly what you produce, there is no subjectivity, you know whether what you do is good or bad because it either does the job or it doesn't." He also loves the "passion and goodwill" in the industry, in which he says people are keen to help each other get a start and keep learning. Anyone who is smart and keen can code, says Chris Monk, head of Asia-Pacific for Decoded, a coding school that offers "light touch" introductory courses for non-technical professionals. "There is no magic," he says. In Kentucky, one of the US states hardest hit by de-industrialisation, mining veteran Rusty Justice co-founded a business retraining coal miners as programmers. It received 950 applications for the first 11 positions. Miners have attributes that are valuable in coders, being accustomed to deep focus, team play and working with complex engineering technology, Wired reported. Often students show up at Decoded's "Code in a Day" course saying their brain doesn't work that way but end the day amazed that they've built an app, Monk says. A day won't give you the skills to get a coding job, but it's enough to convey a basic idea of how coding works, he says.

How long it takes to qualify for a coding job depends on the type of job. About 150 registered training providers, including TAFE, offer IT qualifications that are great for entry level positions, says the ACS's Johnson. There are also vendor certifications for individual programming languages. "But if you are a kid and you've done some programming at school, you might not need any of that," he says. Entry level salaries are about $50,000, ranging up to three times that for an experienced lead software developer. Some of the best developers he knows are self-taught says Monk. "They wanted to build things from an early age then gradually formalised their education by self-directed learning, and end up in a workplace learning from colleagues," he says. The economy will need another 100,000 new ICT workers in the six years to 2021, according to Deloitte analysis. But not enough people are learning ICT skills, so 70,000 jobs will need to be filled either through immigration or from the existing workforce, saysJohnson. A "significant majority" of workers transitioning from other industries could fill the gap, says Kowalkiewicz. "Assuming a bit of upskilling these new coding jobs could become a viable alternative," he says.

The professor distinguishes between coding as a job and coding as a skill. When everyday work. both white or blue collar, involves communicating via algorithms and with robots, "it's a way of thinking that is required in the new economy," he says. "Computers don't do complex things, they just do simple things really, really fast," says Monk. Coding teaches you to break down a challenge into simple steps with the simple logic of "if this, then that". "The greatest take away we give people is that computational way of thinking, breaking tasks down into a thing a computer can understand," he says. Kids need to be learning it from primary school, but the Australian system is lagging behind the rest of the developed world, says Johnson. Uptake of the national IT curriculum in schools has been patchy. Grass-roots coding initiatives have sprung up in many primary schools but many children still miss out. If it's not happening in their child's primary school, Mr Johnson advises parents to "go in and ask the principal how do we get this".
A property high-flyer who developed and eventually sold Australia's tallest tower, the Australia 108 building, was until recently the chairman and director of collapsed home builder Watersun Homes.

Multimillionaire developer Benni Aroni was a long-term director and co-founder of WSH Group Pty Ltd, the homebuilding company behind Watersun Homes, which was placed in voluntary administration Tuesday with up to 300 homeowners affected and 90 jobs lost.

Australia 108 will be the southern hemisphere's tallest tower when complete. Credit:John Gollings

Mr Aroni is well known in property circles for leading a consortium that developed and then sold the Australia 108 skyscraper site to Singapore's Aspial Corporation for $42.3 million.

He was also the developer of another notable Melbourne high-rise  Eureka Tower in Southbank.
As part of the Harvard course, students are placed in eight-person "living groups", which compose people from diverse backgrounds. Each group shares a sleeping quarters, kitchen and living area and they are expected to complete the course as a team.

That classmate was Gilad Gans, the North American president of Stratasys, an Israeli-American company and the largest 3D printer manufacturer in the world.

For Paul Docherty, his chance meeting came at Harvard Business School. The Canberra-born and Melbourne-educated rugby player was completing Harvard's world-renowned advanced management course, an intensive eight-week program that gathers business minds from around the globe, when one of his classmates made a presentation.

In business, a chance meeting is often as important as a good idea. Back in 1969, a man named Bill Fernandez met both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and decided to introduce them after recognising their mutual love of electronics, Bob Dylan songs and playing pranks. If he hadn't, Apple Computer may never have been born.

Australia has no major 3D printing industry to speak of. Credit:Bloomberg

Gans and Docherty had been placed in the same living group. What Gans didn't know when making his presentation was that, back in Melbourne, a successful medical supply business had been scouring the world for a 3D printing solution for years. That business is called Orthokids, and it makes crucial orthotics for children and infants, assisting with conditions ranging from hip dysplasia to cerebral palsy. The owner of Orthokids is Ken Shaw, who has been a friend of Paul Docherty for more than two decades.

"Here I am, listening to this presentation, and my mind is already thinking of Australia," Docherty recalls.

Each Orthokids orthotic is custom made and hand-fitted in a small workshop. The process is costly, time-consuming and invasive for many children, who must have plaster casts and moulds taken of parts of their body. To try to cut the waiting list and manufacturing costs, Shaw had spent years investigating 3D printing, but to no avail. Now his mate of 25 years was sharing living quarters with a man who might have answers.



"I called Ken straight away and said, 'hey, I've got this guy in my living group, and he's president of a 3D printing company, what's going on with 3D?' Ken told me he had spoken to people all over the world, and been told the solution to his problems were still five years away."

Much like Fernandez all those years ago, Docherty decided to put two strangers in touch.

"Ken had been looking for a solution to his problems, and I had accidentally tripped over the man who could have answers in my class at Harvard, and together we thought we would have a go a solving it," Docherty says.
No one can definitively state that they were in the room with him at any time. (This must create certain difficulties in his job as Russia's ambassador to the United States.)

But, as soon as he speaks, his words vanish, as if they had never been.

Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak Credit:AP

His name is Sergey Kislyak, and he is the Most Forgettable Man in the World.

Pictures of him show a corpulent replica of Nikita Khrushchev. But these pictures apparently correspond to a man whom no one has ever met. No one he has ever met or talked to seems to remember him. Not Michael Flynn. Not Attorney-General Jeff Sessions. No one. Dementors speak of him with reverence, as the mere allusion to his presence removes not only happy memories but all memories of any kind.

He has made many phone calls. But it is only with great difficulty that intelligence agencies were able to make any record of these calls. His voice, like a tree falling alone in a Siberian forest, never makes a sound.

The second he meets anyone, this meeting vanishes from their memories and their testimony. After meeting him, senators will shake their watches and say, "But Sofia, I was supposed to meet the Russian ambassador two hours ago!" and Sofia will say, "He just came out of your office, sir."
They were eight years and a few minutes late, but just after 11.30am on Friday, the first two Joint Strike Fighters were unveiled to the Australian public.

It is a milestone for the program for Australia. Two RAAF pilots, Wing Commander Andrew Jackson and Squadron Leader David Bell, have been training on the cutting-edge Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters in the US for nearly two years.

And on Friday morning these long-awaited, much-maligned, but often-misunderstood aircraft landed at Avalon Airshow, the first time they have been shown to the Australian public.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said they would be the best combat planes in the world and that the program was "on track".
By Ananth Krishnan: China on Friday said it had strongly raised with India the Dalai Lama's upcoming visit to Arunachal Pradesh, warning it was "strongly opposed" to the visit which would cause "serious damage" to relations.

"China is gravely concerned over this information," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told a press briefing.

"China's position on the eastern section of the China-India border dispute is consistent and clear. The Dalai clique has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and its record on the border question is not that good."

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"India is fully aware of the seriousness of Dalai issue and the sensitivity of China India border question," Geng added. "Under such a background if India invites Dalai to visit the mentioned territory, it will cause serious damage to peace and stability of the border region and China-India relations."

FOLLOWS RECENT DEMARCHE FROM BEIJING

Geng said Beijing has through "formal diplomatic channels" expressed its concerns to India. China had recently also issued a demarche after the Dalai Lama was hosted, among other Nobel laureates, by the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan, at an event that India stressed was for a purely social cause and not political.

Geng said, "We have expressed concerns to the Indian side, urged India to stick to its political commitments and abide by important consensus the two sides have reached on the boundary question, refrain from actions that might complicate the issue, not provide a platform to the Dalai clique and protect the sound and stable development of China-India relations."

EQUITABLE BORDER SOLUTION

On Friday, Geng was also asked about the comments by China's former negotiator on the boundary question, retired State Councillor Dai Bingguo, who said India "held the key" to solving the long-running dispute, but that would depend on concessions being made in the eastern sector.

Dai described the Tawang region as an "inalienable" part of Tibet, and said that if India made concessions there, China would do so in other areas. India sees China as illegally holding 38,000 sq km in Aksai Chin, while China claims 90,000 sq km in Arunachal.

"I have not seen the interview so I need to check on that," Geng said. "I can talk about China's principled position on the boundary question. To reach an early solution to pending China India border question is in the fundamental interest of the two countries. It is also an important consensus reached by the two sides."

"At present the two sides have reached a roadmap to find a solution based on political parameters and guiding principles," he added. "They have also reached the important consensus that they are committed to an equitable, reasonable solution acceptable to the two sides. China would like to work with India to work relentlessly on the negotiation process and find a solution that is equitable and reasonable to all parties."

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ALSO READ | China ready to cede Aksai Chin in Ladakh for Tawang in Arunachal?

As US welcomes Dalai Lama, China media blames 'meddling Indians'

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A mother has been extradited to NSW and charged with attempted murder after she allegedly tried to drown her two sons in the Murray River, leaving one boy in hospital and police searching the water for the second.

The woman walked to the river in Moama, on the NSW-Victoria border, with her children and told her eldest son, aged nine, to get in the water before she held his head under, police told Bendigo Magistrates Court on Friday afternoon.

Detective Sergeant Trent Swinton told the court the younger son, aged five, was screaming during the incident.

The woman then allegedly turned to the younger son, while the older son managed to struggle free before he was attacked by a pit bull.
The devastated father of two boys involved in a river tragedy at Moama on Thursday night, says he feels "numb" about the possibility of losing one son and almost losing another.

"It hasn't really sunk in for me it's like a dream. What hurts most is I've never met [the five-year-old], now I [may] never [meet] him.

"I don't want to bury him, he's meant to bury me."

Fairfax Media spoke with the man before police divers found his younger son's body in the river on Saturday morning.
The owner of a dog, which attacked a nine-year-old boy and his 27-year-old mother, says the pit bull was actually trying save the boy from drowning.

Police were called to Perricoota Road in the border town of Moama, on the Murray River, about 7pm on Thursday and found the boy with serious dog bite injuries.

A photo of the pit bull. Credit:Twitter/@9NewsMelb

He was rushed to hospital in Echuca before being transferred to Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital for further treatment. He will undergo surgery to his face and was in a serious condition at the hospital on Friday afternoon.

The woman was allegedly trying to drown her two sons, aged five and nine, and the dog from a neighbouring property was somehow alerted to the commotion and became involved.
Islamic leaders kicked out of their positions on a powerful national body have won back control from opponents who seized headquarters and bank accounts in a "coup" last month.

The NSW Supreme Court on Friday reinstalled executive members of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils so long as they call fresh elections as soon as possible.

Court victory: Keysar Trad has been reinstalled as president of Australian Federation of Islamic Councils by a court ruling. Credit:Louise Kennerley

The interim ruling follows weeks of turmoil in the federation, which runs six Islamic schools, administers halal certification and owns $65 million in assets.

On February 11, a group of former members, some of whom were banned or sacked for maladministration, convened a meeting and installed themselves as the executive committee.
Disgraced eastern suburbs socialite Kirsty Dayment is three months pregnant and will give birth in jail, a court has heard.

Dayment, an aspiring model and fashionista, and her former boyfriend Nicholas Riganias, supplied cocaine and MDMA from their beachside Coogee apartment. The pair was arrested in July 2015 and pleaded guilty to a variety of drug supply charges a year later.

Kirsty Dayment, centre, arrives at the Downing Centre District Court for sentencing. Credit:Nick Moir

At a sentencing hearing in the Downing Centre District Court on Friday, Dayment's barrister Ian Lloyd, QC, revealed his client was three months pregnant.

Mr Lloyd suggested his client could be eligible for an intensive corrections order, whereby a sentence of two years or less was served in the community under strict conditions.
Near the NSW country town of Gunnedah, proudly known as the Koala Capital of the World, researchers have made a startling discovery.

Koalas are being driven to drink.

A koala that regularly drank from a bird bath on Gunnedah farmer Robert Frend's property. Credit:Kate Wilson

Though koalas grow thirsty after bushfires or during heatwaves - even stopping passing cyclists for a sip of water - it has long been believed they do not usually need to drink water, but get the moisture they need from the eucalyptus leaves they eat.

But in Gunnedah the tree-dwelling marsupials have been drinking extensively from custom-made watering stations, even in autumn and winter.
Fake iPhones preloaded with Android software are being sold to unsuspecting Queenslanders, with one seller listed as being at the Gold Coast.

At least eight people had paid more than $900 for the iPhone 7 Plus phones, which arrived in legitimate packaging but contained software used in rival smartphones, police said.

At least eight south-east Queensland residents have fallen victim to fake online iPhone 7 Plus adverts. Credit:Queensland Police Service

Between December 3 and January 13, police received complaints from shoppers who answered adverts on Facebook Market Place and Gumtree for iPhone 7 Plus phones.

The seller was listed as being located on the Gold Coast in one of the adverts.
How would you like to wake up every morning, look out your bedroom window and see a giant orange brick wall?

Living close to the Alphington paper mill, that's been Ros Atkins' life for 29 years.

Ros Atkins has grown fond of the orange brick Alphington paper mill buildings since moving into nearby Clive Street 29 years ago. Credit:Wayne Taylor

But not for much longer. The former Amcor mill site is being turned into a 16.5-hectare residential, office and retail estate.

Within weeks, demolition begins on the seven-storey orange brick buildings lining Heidelberg Road that have been a landmark for 50 years. Locals' feelings range from "good riddance" to disgust at the loss of industrial heritage.
Avondale Heights mother Karen Ristevski will be farewelled at a funeral on Monday.

Ms Ristevski, 47, went missing from her home in Melbourne's north-west on June 29 last year, her body found in bushland at the base of Mount Macedon last week.

The mother-of-one will be laid to rest in a funeral service on Monday morning in Essendon.

Her husband Borce Ristevski was the last known person to see her alive, telling police the couple had a fight and she went for a walk to "clear her head".
By Press Trust of India: From K J M Varma

Beijing, Mar 2 (PTI) China today commissioned a new cruise ship to take tourists to islands claimed by Vietnam in the disputed South China Sea, reinforcing its claim over the area.

The ship began its maiden voyage to the Paracel Islands, known as Xisha in Chinese, in the South China Sea, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

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The Paracel Islands, in the South China Sea where Beijing is locked in maritime disputes with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, is also claimed by Vietnam.

The ship called Changle Gongzhu, or Changle Princess, sailed from Sanya with 308 passengers on board. Its first voyage will last four days and three nights, said an official with Hainan Strait Shipping, owner of the vessel.

It will reach the islands tomorrow and tourists can visit the islands of Yinyu, Quanfu and Yagong, the report said.

Hainan Strait Shipping began cruises to the Xisha Islands in 2013. PTI KJV ABH AKJ ABH

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A Glenroy grandmother shot just before midnight on Thursday is the mother of a man involved in the shooting of a policeman.

Leonie Stuart, 52, was shot inside her home in Hubert Avenue in Melbourne's north.

Ms Stuart is the mother of Rodney Phillips, who is in custody awaiting sentencing this month after pleading guilty to recklessly causing injury to a policeman shot in Moonee Ponds in 2015.

Mr Phillips and co-accused Sam Liszczak were being pursued by police after throwing Molotov cocktails into the home of Carl Williams' father and a botched arson attack at former partner Roberta Williams' house.
Washington: German Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Washington on March 14 to meet President Donald Trump, their first encounter after a rocky start to relations amid disagreements about trade, Trump's travel ban and his comments about the media.

A US official announced the visit, which comes shortly before a meeting in Germany of the finance ministers of the G20 industrialised countries and will help lay the groundwork for Trump's visit to Germany in July for a meeting of G20 leaders.

Trump talks: Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor, will visit Washington later this month. Credit:Bloomberg

The new Republican president and Merkel issued a joint statement after a telephone call in January, underscoring the importance of the NATO alliance and vowing to work together more closely to combat terrorism.

A few days later, Merkel sharply criticised Trump's temporary travel ban on citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries. She has also repeatedly underscored the importance of a free press when asked about Trump's negative comments about the media.
Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak met Jeff Sessions twice. Credit:AP At the Obama White House, Trump's statements stoked fears among some that intelligence could be covered up or destroyed - or its sources exposed - once power changed hands. What followed was a push to preserve the intelligence that underscored the deep anxiety with which the White House and US intelligence agencies had come to view the threat from Moscow. It also reflected the suspicion among many in the Obama White House that the Trump campaign might have colluded with Russia on election email hacks - a suspicion that US officials say has not been confirmed. Former senior Obama administration officials said that none of the efforts were directed by then-president Barack Obama. Sean Spicer, the Trump White House spokesman, said, "The only new piece of information that has come to light is that political appointees in the Obama administration have sought to create a false narrative to make an excuse for their own defeat in the election." He added, "There continues to be no there, there." As Inauguration Day approached, Obama White House officials grew convinced that the intelligence was damning and that they needed to ensure that as many people as possible inside government could see it, even if people without security clearances could not. Some officials began asking specific questions at intelligence briefings, knowing the answers would be archived and could easily be unearthed by investigators - including the Senate Intelligence Committee, which in early January announced an inquiry into Russian efforts to influence the election.

At intelligence agencies, there was a push to process as much raw intelligence as possible into analyses and to keep the reports at a low classification level to ensure as wide a readership as possible across the government - and, in some cases, among European allies. This allowed the upload of as much intelligence as possible to Intellipedia, a secret wiki used by US intelligence analysts to share information. There was also an effort to pass reports and other sensitive materials to Congress. In one instance, the State Department sent a cache of documents marked "secret" to Senator Benjamin Cardin of Maryland days before the inauguration on January 20. The documents, detailing Russian efforts to intervene in elections worldwide, were sent in response to a request from Cardin, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, and were shared with Republicans on the panel. "This situation was serious, as is evident by president Obama's call for a review - and as is evident by the United States response," said Eric Schultz, an Obama spokesman. "When the intelligence community does that type of comprehensive review, it is standard practice that a significant amount of information would be compiled and documented." The opposite happened with the most sensitive intelligence, including the names of sources and the identities of foreigners who were regularly monitored. Officials tightened the already small number of people who could access that information. They knew the information could not be kept from the new President or his top advisers but wanted to narrow the number of people who might see the information, officials said. More than a half-dozen current and former officials described various aspects of the effort to preserve and distribute the intelligence, and some said they were speaking to draw attention to the material and ensure proper investigation by Congress. All spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were discussing classified information, nearly all of which remains secret, making an independent public assessment of the competing Obama and Trump administration claims impossible.

The FBI is conducting a wide-ranging counterintelligence investigation into Russia's meddling in the election and is examining alleged links between Trump's associates and the Russian government. Separately, the House and Senate intelligence committees are conducting their own investigations, although they must rely on information collected by the FBI and intelligence agencies. On Wednesday, a Justice Department official confirmed that Sessions, when he was still a senator, had two conversations with Kislyak last year, despite testifying at his January 10 confirmation hearing that he had no contact with the Russians. At that hearing, Sessions was asked what he would do if it turned out to be true that anyone affiliated with the Trump team had communicated with the Russian government in the course of the campaign. He said he was "not aware of any of those activities". "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didn't have - did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it," Sessions said at the time.

However, Justice officials acknowledged that Sessions had spoken to Kislyak twice: once, among a group of ambassadors who approached him at a Heritage Foundation event during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July and, separately, in an office meeting on September 8. The contacts were first reported by The Washington Post. Sarah Isgur Flores, Sessions' spokeswoman, said "there was absolutely nothing misleading about his answer" because he did not communicate with the ambassador in his capacity as a Trump campaign surrogate. She said Sessions had at least 25 conversations in 2016 with ambassadors from a range of nations - including Britain, Japan, China, Germany and Russia - while on the Senate Armed Services Committee. The revelation prompted congressional Democrats to issue a torrent of statements reiterating their demands that Sessions recuse himself from overseeing any investigation into Russia's contacts with the Trump campaign. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement on Wednesday that if the reports about Sessions were accurate, "it is essential that he recuse himself from any role in the investigation of Trump campaign ties to the Russians." Schiff added, "This is not even a close call; it is a must." Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader of the House, called on Sessions to resign, saying on Twitter that "he is not fit to serve as the top law enforcement officer of our country".

A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, backed up Sessions late Wednesday, calling the accusations "the latest attack against the Trump administration by partisan Democrats". At a CNN town hall on Wednesday, Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, said he did not know if there was anything between the Trump campaign and the Russians. But he added that, if there was, "it is clear to me that Jeff Sessions, who is my dear friend, cannot make this decision about Trump". At his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, former Senator Dan Coats, Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence, told the Senate Intelligence Committee, "I think it's our responsibility to provide you access to all that you need." Some Obama White House officials had little faith that a Trump administration would make good on such pledges, and the efforts to preserve the intelligence continued until the administration's final hours. This was partly because intelligence was still being collected and analysed, but it also reflected the sentiment among many administration officials that they had not recognised the scale of the Russian campaign until it was too late. The warning signs had been building throughout the summer but were far from clear. As WikiLeaks was pushing out emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee through online publication, US intelligence began picking up conversations in which Russian officials were discussing contacts with Trump associates, and European allies were starting to pass along information about people close to Trump meeting with Russians in the Netherlands, Britain and other countries.

But what was going on in the meetings was unclear to the officials, and the intercepted communications did little to clarify matters - the Russians, it appeared, were arguing about how far to go in interfering in the presidential election. What intensified the alarm at the Obama White House was a campaign of cyber attacks on state electoral systems in September, which led the Obama administration to deliver a public accusation against the Russians in October. But it was not until after the election, and after more intelligence had come in, that the administration began to grasp the scope of the suspected tampering and concluded that one goal of the campaign had been to help tip the election in Trump's favour. In early December, Obama ordered the intelligence community to conduct a full assessment of the Russian campaign. In the weeks before the assessment was released in January, the intelligence community combed through databases for an array of communications and other information - some of which was months old by then - and began producing reports that showed there were contacts during the campaign between Trump associates and Russian officials. The nature of the contacts remains unknown. Several of Trump's associates have done business in Russia, and it is unclear if any of the contacts were related to business dealings.

The New York Times, citing four current and former officials, reported last month that US authorities had obtained information of repeated contacts between Trump's associates and senior Russian intelligence officials. The White House has dismissed the story as false. Since the article appeared on February 14, more than half a dozen officials have confirmed contacts of various kinds between Russians and Trump associates. The label "intelligence official" is not always cleanly applied in Russia, where former spies, oligarchs and government officials often report back to the intelligence services and elsewhere in the Kremlin. Steven Hall, the former head of Russia operations at the CIA, said that Putin was surrounded by a cast of characters and that it was "fair to say that a good number of them come from an intelligence or security background. Once an intel guy, always an intel guy in Russia". The concerns about the contacts were cemented by a series of phone calls between Kislyak and Michael Flynn, who had been poised to become Trump's national security adviser. The calls began on December 29, shortly after Kislyak was summoned to the State Department and informed that, in retaliation for Russian election meddling, the US was expelling 35 suspected Russian intelligence operatives and imposing other sanctions. Kislyak was irate and threatened a forceful Russia response, according to people familiar with the exchange.

But a day later, Putin said his government would not retaliate, prompting a Twitter post from Trump praising the Russian President - and puzzling Obama White House officials. On January 2, administration officials learned that Kislyak - after leaving the State Department meeting - called Flynn and that the two spoke multiple times in the 36 hours that followed. US intelligence agencies routinely wire tap the phones of Russian diplomats, and transcripts of the calls showed that Flynn urged the Russians not to respond, saying relations would improve once Trump was in office, according to multiple current and former officials. Beyond leaving a trail for investigators, the Obama administration also wanted to help European allies combat a threat that had caught the US off guard. US intelligence agencies made it clear in the declassified version of the intelligence assessment released in January that they believed Russia intended to use its attacks on the US as a template for more meddling. Loading
"There were two things that were critical to Trump's success that I personally identify with very strongly," Mr Howard told a corporate audience at a Committee for Economic Development of Australia lunch in Sydney on Friday.

They were political correctness, and identity politics, those favoured bogeymen of the culture wars.

These factors were not, for example, rust-belt unemployment, stagnating wages, inequality, fake news, xenophobia, or sexism against Mr Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, none of which rated a mention.

Former prime minister John Howard personally identifies with two factors that he believes won Donald Trump the US Presidency.

"He did articulate the resentment of many Americans towards the avalanche of political correctness, under which not only Americans are living but Australians are living.

"I can't count the number of times people complain about something but then say, 'but of course I can't say that ' I think political correctness has become a problem in Western societies, we've become far too apologetic about our Western identity and anything that's a sense of some kind of defence of cultural traditionalism or national identity is in many ways frowned upon.

"I think the other thing Trump benefited from was the excessive identification of the Democratic Party campaign with what I would call identity politics."

Ten years out of office, Mr Howard, whose decade in the top job appeared a paragon of stability compared with what has followed in federal politics, was typically pragmatic and low key in his analysis of the US election.

"There is nothing new about people who are economically insecure or dispossessed trying to reach out to some sort of new champion," he said.
Auto Lab Radio Talk LIVE From NYC Saturday March 4, 2010 7-9AM







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The Auto Lab Radio Show is Broadcast every Saturday 7 to 9 AM On New York City's WNYM Radio AM 970 and Streamed Worldwide On The Auto Channel

This Weeks Show Broadcast Date: March 4, 2017

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Auto Lab is a 28 year old interactive automotive-focused New York area radio call-in show hosted by Professor Harold Wolchok. Each week a cadre of experienced hands-on automotive experts are in-studio with advice for the New York area's 12 million people, providing listeners with honest, practical and street-smart car repair and buying advice.

Auto Lab is also about the automotive industry, its history, and its culture, presenting the ideas and advice of leading college faculty, authors, and automotive practitioners in a relaxed, conversational interactive format.

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This Weeks Show: March 4, 2017

Auto Lab In-Studio Experts Discuss: Repairs, Second Opinion, Regular Maintenance, How To's, Safety, Used and New Car Buying, Ombudsmen Suggestions

Harold Bendell- Major Auto

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David Goldsmith - Urban Classics Auto Repairs

Jerry Pastore-D & J Diagnostic

Johanna Pastore-D & J Diagnostic

Joanne Porcelli, Esq

Michael Porcelli - Central Avenue Auto Repairs & I-CAR

Nicholas Prague- MTA and Rockland Community College, SUNY

Auto Lab Correspondents Report Auto Safety News, New Car Reviews, Technology and Latest Auto World Information That May effect You!

Broadcast Date: March 4, 2017

Robert Erskine, Senior European Correspondent, Suffolk England

BANNED FROM DRIVING

John Russell Senior Correspondents

2017 LEXUS LX 570 BIG SUV

Russ Rader, Vice President Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

2017 SUBARU IMPREZA EARNS TOP SAFETY PICK+ Award

Robert Sinclair-AAA Northeast

INVENTORIES OF CRUDE OIL AND GASOLINE SURGE
This is the latest effort by Beijing to bolster its claims in the strategic waterway.

China's Liaoning aircraft carrier with accompanying fleet conducts a drill in an area of South China Sea. (File photo: Reuters)

By Reuters: A new Chinese cruise ship has embarked on its maiden voyage to the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, state news agency Xinhua said on Friday, the latest effort by Beijing to bolster its claims in the strategic waterway.

The Changle Princess sailed from Sanya on the southern Chinese island province of Hainan on Thursday afternoon with 308 passengers on a four-day voyage, Xinhua said.

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HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

The new ship can carry 499 people and has 82 guest rooms with dining, entertainment, shopping, medical and postal services on board, it added. Tourists will be able to visit the three islands in the Crescent group of the Paracels, Xinhua said. China has previously said it plans to build hotels, villas and shops on the Crescent group and has also said it wants to build Maldives-style resorts around the South China Sea, though it is unclear if foreigners will ever be allowed to visit. China claims 90 per cent of the potentially energy-rich South China Sea. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan lay claim to parts of the sea, through which passes about $5 trillion of trade a year. Countries competing to cement their rival claims have encouraged a growing civilian presence on disputed islands in the South China Sea. The first cruises from China to the Paracel islands were launched by Hainan Strait Shipping Co in 2013. The Paracels are also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

ALSO READ | Trump administration warns China over South China Sea dispute

China returns US underwater drone seized in South China Sea

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Reynolds and Reynolds President Steps Down







Ron Lamb

DAYTON, OH - March 3, 2017: The Reynolds and Reynolds Company announced yesterday that Reynolds Presidenthas stepped down, effective immediately. He plans to pursue opportunities in private equity. The position will not be immediately filled.

In making the announcement, Reynolds Chairman and CEO Bob Brockman said: "Ron has made a significant contribution to Reynolds over the years. He's a talented executive, and we wish him well in his future endeavors."

Lamb was named to the position in 2010 and had been with the company for 25 years.

Brockman also added, "Reynolds ended 2016 as one of its strongest years in the past decade and that momentum has carried over into this year. With the strength of our product portfolio and the depth of talented bench strength in our executive ranks, we are looking forward to the opportunities ahead and to our continued growth."

About Reynolds

Reynolds and Reynolds is a leading provider of automobile dealership software, services, and forms to help dealerships deliver better business results and transform the customer experience. The company is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, with major operations in Houston and College Station, Texas, and Celina, Ohio. (www.reyrey.com)
Honoring the helpers Awards recognize those who support autism community

Thirteen community members and providers were recognized for their resilience, passion and heart at the 2022 Awesome in Autism Awards ceremony. The 14th annual event, hosted by Autism Society Ventura County, was held Oct. 20 at Wood Ranch Golf Club...

Go purple to support those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer November is the busiest month of the year for cancer awareness campaigns. Im going to focus on one of thempancreatic cancer because its a type weve seen a noticeable rise in over the last few years. And because it remains...

Hospital offers safe option to dispose of meds, narcotics Los Robles Health System is working to crush the opioid drug crisis by raising awareness about the dangers of opioid misuse and the importance of safe and proper disposal of unused or expired medications. Crush the Crisis will take place...

Alzheimers Foundation to host free conference The Alzheimers Foundation of America will host a free virtual educational conference from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tues., Nov. 15. The event is part of the foundations 2022 national Educating America Tour. The conference, which is free and open...
By Press Trust of India: London, Mar 2 (PTI) Workers with desk-bound jobs, who spend too much time sitting down, have a bigger waistline and increased risk of heart disease, a new study has warned.

The study suggests that waist circumference increases by two centimetres and risk of cardiovascular diseases by 0.2 per cent, for every additional hour of sitting on top of five hours, researchers said.

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Also, bad cholesterol (LDL) increases and good cholesterol (HDL) decreases with each additional hour of sitting from five hours a day, they said.

The study led by William Tigbe from University of Warwick in the UK advises people to sit less and be more active.

Standing for as much as seven hours a day, and walking seven miles, may be needed to avoid heart disease, according to the study.

Tigbe kitted out 111 healthy postal workers with activity monitors for seven days; 55 were office workers and 56 delivered post for a living.

The study found that those who had desk jobs had a bigger waist circumference - 97 cm compared to 94 cm - and about one Body mass index (BMI) unit difference.

They also had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease - 2.2 per cent compared to 1.6 per cent over ten years. BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.

Only healthy, non-smokers, with no personal history of myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, coronary heart disease, hypertension or diabetes were included in the study.

None of the participants was on any lipid, blood pressure or glucose lowering medication.

"Our evolution, to become the human species, did not equip us well to spending all day sitting down. We probably adapted to be healthiest spending seven to eight hours every day on our feet, as hunters or gatherers," said Professor Mike Lean from University of Glasgow in the UK.

The research was published in the International Journal of Obesity. PTI SAR SAR

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By Press Trust of India: London, Mar 3 (PTI) If you work in a desk-bound job and spend too much time sitting down, you may have a bigger waistline and increased risk of heart disease, a new study has warned.

The study suggests that waist circumference increases by two centimetres and risk of cardiovascular diseases by 0.2 per cent, for every additional hour of sitting on top of five hours, researchers said.

advertisement

Also, bad cholesterol (LDL) increases and good cholesterol (HDL) decreases with each additional hour of sitting from five hours a day, they said.

The study led by William Tigbe from University of Warwick in the UK advises people to sit less and be more active.

Standing for as much as seven hours a day, and walking seven miles, may be needed to avoid heart disease, according to the study.

Tigbe kitted out 111 healthy postal workers with activity monitors for seven days; 55 were office workers and 56 delivered post for a living.

The study found that those who had desk jobs had a bigger waist circumference - 97 cm compared to 94 cm - and about one Body mass index (BMI) unit difference.

They also had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease - 2.2 per cent compared to 1.6 per cent over ten years. BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.

Only healthy, non-smokers, with no personal history of myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, coronary heart disease, hypertension or diabetes were included in the study.

None of the participants was on any lipid, blood pressure or glucose lowering medication.

"Our evolution, to become the human species, did not equip us well to spending all day sitting down. We probably adapted to be healthiest spending seven to eight hours every day on our feet, as hunters or gatherers," said Professor Mike Lean from University of Glasgow in the UK.

The research was published in the International Journal of Obesity. PTI SAR MHN

--- ENDS ---
The reviews had been so positive for the Off-Broadway production of Joshua Harmons Significant Other, that its laureled coronation on Broadway should have been all but assured.

But there are so many jarring, derailing elements to this Roundabout Theatre productionabout a gay man in his late twenties confronting loneliness, but not really confronting loneliness convincingly, and therein lies the problemthat the evening merely becomes an extended sequence of his irritating whining.

The plays peppy (occasionally extremely funny) comedy ill-balances its very dark heart, whichas the final curtain revealsis really about one mans terrible isolation. Its Ibsen meets Will and Grace, butas that shows Jack might screechin a bad way.

Jordan Berman (Gideon Glick) has three longtime friends: Kiki (Sas Goldberg), Vanessa (Rebecca Naomi Jones), and Laura (Lindsay Mendez), all of whom we first meet at Kikis bachelorette night. The mood is as delightful and messy as youd hope: Kiki is the loudest, while Vanessa and Laura are just moderately more sensible.

Then there is Helene, Jordans grandmother (Barbara Barrie), font of particularly dry wisdom as Jordans interrogation of life and the meaning thereof takes him to her door. And that door is visited frequently as his friends pair off: The recurring motif of the show is Jordan observing the dancefloor at each of his friends weddingsto men he doesnt particularly likeaccompanied by two, then one, then no friends at all.

This trajectory of Significant Other, directed by Trip Cullman, is studded by a baffling series of plot add-ons that go, disappointingly, nowhereleaving a trail of intelligence-insulting red herrings.

Most prominent of these is Will, a studly co-worker played by an excellent, inscrutable John Behlmann. Introduced to us in a super opening sequenceJordan remembering a pool party where Will stood dripping in his trunks, Jordan wishing he was the concrete soaking the droplets upJordan tries to decipher everything and anything to turn his desire for Will into a reality.

Glick is excellent when playing Jordan at his most frenetic and semi-stalkery, such as when he hovers over his keyboard, deliberating like a lunatic over whether to send an email to Will trying to ascertain whether the lust he feels is mutual. Mark Wendlands brilliant scenic design deconstructs a house-shape to give us nightclubs, offices, city streets, and each character their own domestic space.

An excruciating, but not terrible, date at a Franco-Prussian war documentary Jordan puts himself through in the service of this lust for Willa hunk whose beauty is self-marketed on social mediais expertly written and directed. These scenes merited the appreciative audience engagement that attended them.

But the Will story comes to naught, and so Jordan frets and frets to his girlfriends. But they begin to have personal lives of their own, and he feels rejected. Now, that is an understandable dynamic, but Significant Other knows not what to do with it but restate it. The men in his friends lives are suspicious no-goods, although its never made clear why.

Another date doesnt go well. Jordan rebuffs the friendship of another gay guy at work, played by Luke Smith, significantly campier than he, and someone we are encouraged to find funny for being so outre, which feels a little grubby particularly as Smiths skills as an actor make his character the most interesting and underwritten on the stage. Jordan is a gay man, out and apparently OK with being gay, who is also uncomfortable around men and around expressing his sexuality. This is fascinating, and true, and yet as a theme in the play it hangs there invisibly, unexplored.

As Jordans kvetching over his single status increases, there is another puzzle: his relationship with Laura. We keep being told it is closer than between him and the other women, but the basis of that intimacy is never made clear. They have a wrenching, ugly row at her bachelorette night, which should leave us feeling as winded and wounded as it does them. But it does not, because we neither know, nor buy, the depth of the relationship we are told exists between them.

There is a lot to be said about the taboo of gay loneliness: Authors like Matthew Todd in his book Straight Jacket and Alan Downs in The Velvet Rage write about the fragility of modern LGBT mental health, and there is this brilliant, just-published article by Michael Hobbes too, looking at uncloseted, apparently sorted gay men who are also lonely, isolated, and sometimes addicted to drink, drugs, or suicidal. This is the raw underbelly of the uplifting marriage equality narrative, and just as urgent to tell.

But Significant Other gnaws at the subject more half-heartedly than these three examples, and then far too dramatically. We dont quite see how the escalation of not being able to get his man or his now-married friends for late night bitching sessions on the phone segues to true, terrible loneliness and isolation. Yet that isolation is in Jordans mind and of his own making, as his friends have done all they can to reassure him they are there for him.

Depression, of course, can be self-destructive. But this isnt sketched in the show either. And so Jordans tantrums and anger and complaining begin to grate. You cease feeling sympathy for him, because he so obviously wants it. And the terror and anguish he feels isnt adequately sketched. It feels like there is a much darker play here, and maybe a more interesting one, buried under a confected whipped cream of levity.

Glick is a genuinely charming performer, but in the mission to make Jordan cute and loveable, a puppy who just wants the right person to stroke him, he also makes him infantile. He seems too assailed by the emotional shifts demanded, inexplicably, of his character.

More than once, I wondered how old Jordan was supposed to be: early-twenties, early-thirties, mid-forties? And he speaks in a faraway, dreamy voice about dreamy things, which again, far from being seductive, becomes a bore.

As ever, granny knows best, and Helenewho is losing her own faculties, though not the love she has for Jordantells her grandson to buck up, and that yes, people go off and get married, but, as with most things of life, the trick is to endure and find ones own path.

That is easier said than done, and the most impressive thing about Significant Other is its bravely downbeat ending. The problem is the jangling combining of fluffy dating rom-com with sporadically searing exposition of human isolation: It just doesnt convince or gel.

You want happiness for Jordan, for sureyou want him to find whatever nourishing connection he can. You want him to count his blessings, and get on with the messy business of life as we all must. But really, by the end, you just want him to shut up.

Significant Other is at the Booth Theatre, 222 West 45th Street, NYC. Running to July 2. Book tickets here.
The Trump administrations decision to exempt the Keystone XL pipeline from Buy American rules could benefit one company in particular: the steel giant that newly minted Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross invested in and helped run for a decade.

Two days after Ross was confirmed, the White House announced that Commerce will not apply those rules to the project. The Keystone XL Pipeline is currently in the process of being constructed, so it does not count as a new, retrofitted, repaired or expanded pipeline, a White House spokesperson told Politico.

The pipelines exemption from Buy American rules could benefit Luxembourg-based company ArcelorMittal, the worlds largest steel manufacturer. Ross, a billionaire investor and leveraged buyout specialist, sat on the companys board until Wednesday, and in January disclosed equity holdings of between $750,000 and $1.5 million.

ArcelorMittal has provided large amounts of material for the Keystone pipeline. According to company documentation, its plant in Bremen, Germany, sold dozens of kilotons of steel to Arkansas-based Welspun Tubular, which used the material to manufacture spiral welded pipe for the project.

The resulting products would not qualify as American-made under the definition employed by President Trumps executive order implementing the rules.

In order for steel or iron used in pipeline manufacturing to be considered American, all manufacturing processes, from the initial melting stage through the application of coatings, [must have] occurred in the United States.

The order took the form of a memorandum sent directly to the Secretary of Commerce, a position that was vacant until Ross was sworn in on Tuesday.

Steel or iron material or products manufactured in the United States from semi-finished steel or iron of foreign origin are not produced in the United States for purposes of this memorandum, the order specifies.

ArcelorMittals formidable lobbying operation focused significant attention on approval of the Keystone pipeline as it languished in bureaucratic limbo during President Barack Obamas second term.

The company disclosed pressing for approval of legislation to advance the project in spite of Obamas reticence in federal filings that collectively reported more than $3.5 million in lobbying expenditures from 2013 to 2015.

The Obama administration eventually nixed the project, which, due to its crossing of the US-Canada border, required State Department approval. Days after taking office, President Trump reversed that decision.

That could benefit ArcelorMittal if its Buy American exemption allows it to continue providing materials for the project. It could also be good news for Sec. Ross, who has not said when he will fully divest his holdings in the company.

ArcelorMittal did not respond to questions about its continued role in the construction of the pipeline.

The company told the Daily Beast this week that it expects Trump and his Commerce Department to pursue policies that will serve the companys financial interests.

In the early 2000s, Ross bought up distressed American steel firms, consolidated them into his International Steel Group, then sold ISG to ArcelorMittals predecessor. He served on the companys board from 2005 until his confirmation this week, taking in six-figure directors fees annually.

It was not immediately clear if Commerce or the White House made the decision to exempt Keystone from Buy American provisions. Neither returned requests for comment.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of Casablanca, one of the most cherished films ever made. Commemorations are scheduled to take place around the country and the globe, while Warner Bros. plans a much-anticipated theatrical release this fall, complete with all the glitz and fanfare reserved for its biggest successes and most decorated stars. Ironically, this Hollywood juggernaut was made by and about one of the least glamorous groups of people in the world: refugees.

I was reminded of this when, in recent weeks, I came across a small story about a French olive farmer picked up by several news outlets. Cedric Herrou lives in the remote southern foothills near Breil-sur-Roya, just miles from the Mediterranean Sea and the Italian border. In summer 2016, Herrou took it upon himself to help refugees in transit, mostly from North Africa en route to Germany and the United Kingdom, by guiding them across the border and providing food and shelter at his home. After being caught and tried, on two separate occasions, he has been exonerated, and his cause has gained increasing attention and support.

Recalling the perilous migrations of a previous erawhen European Jews, attempting to escape persecution by the Nazis and their Vichy henchmen, followed a refugee trail that often led through the same regionHerrous case not only highlights the work of someone who has rightfully come to be regarded as a local hero, but also poses a direct challenge to the growing rightwing, anti-immigrant rhetoric that ignores the founding principles of the French Republic. Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, insisted Herrous lawyer, Zia Oloumi, are the enduring tenets that Herrou and all loyal French citizens are obliged to live by.

They are also the tenets invoked in the underlying story of Casablanca. In the summer of 1938, while trying to help relatives stranded in Vienna, a young American playwright named Murray Burnett encountered a similar refugee trail from Nazi-engulfed Germany and Austria to Marseilles and across the Mediterranean to Morocco (and from there, if one was lucky, to Lisbon and on to the Americas). He and his wife helped smuggle out valuables belonging to her Austrian family, making their way with the goods to the South of France, not far from Breil-sur-Roya. One night, in a nightclub on the outskirts of Nice, a smoky joint with a black pianist from Chicago and polyglot crowd, Burnett hatched the idea for a play that would ultimately become Hollywoods greatest refugee story.

In his rendition, an unproduced three-act play called Everybody Comes to Ricks, co-written by Joan Alison, the title character, a mercurial saloonkeeper, is a local hero not all that different from Herrou in spite of his white dinner jacket. He, too, defies the lawthe Vichy authorities, in this caseby helping a desperate Bulgarian refugee couple secure exit visas and aiding the underground resistance. I felt at the time and still feel that no one can remain neutral in a world like that, commented Burnett in a 1983 interview. You had to take sides, no matter how cynical you might have been, no matter how much you wanted to be uninvolved. You had to side with the refugees.

In the Academy Award-winning screenplay, crafted by Julius and Philip Epstein and Howard Koch, an added line, delivered by Humphrey Bogarts Rick twice for emphasis, further emphasizes the transformative powers of humanitarian crisis on those who come into contact with it. I stick my neck out for nobody, he says, an apparent isolationist. But well before the final reel, hes doing exactly that at great risk to himself. Of course, this was a Hollywood movie, with international starsalongside Bogie stood Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rainsand yet it also had a deep ensemble cast of refugee actors (Curt Bois, Lotte Palfi, Paul Andor, Trude Berliner, among others) re-enacting their lived experience onscreen.

Its hard to miss the haunting affinities between World War II and the refugee crisis of today. The number of stateless refugees, especially in the wake of the civil war in Syria and the fallout from Libya, is currently on par with the levels reached during the 40s. And the anti-refugee rhetoric of our own president, his attempted imposition of a seven-nation ban and his promise to round up his version of the usual suspects, matches in many respects that of the highly vocal isolationist and nativist faction in the United States at the time of Casablancas making.

Thankfully, Hollywood hasnt lost sight of this. At Januarys SAG Awards, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the daughter of a French-born immigrant, delivered a forceful address in which she lambasted Trumps proposed ban as un-American, and Asghar Farhadis Oscar acceptance speech, presented in absentia last Sunday night, decried the inhumane law that bans entry of immigrants to the U.S. Perhaps even more poignant, in 2016, the South African-born, Berlin-based artist Candice Breitz created a stirring video installation she called Love Story. In it, she features the stories of six refugeesfrom Syria, Somalia, Angola, and elsewhereseeking asylum in Berlin, New York, and Cape Town. After each refugee tells his or her own tale, viewers are treated to a faithful retelling by actors Alec Baldwin and Julianne Moore, providing an additional layer of urgency and global recognition.

As we celebrate the films 75th anniversary, we should reflect on how critical it is that we all speak up, and on how Hollywood can and should use its powerful voice to defend those whose stories are so often forgotten or overlooked.

Noah Isenberg directs the Screen Studies program at the New School in New York City and is the author of Well Always Have Casablanca: The Life, Legend, and Afterlife of Hollywoods Most Beloved Movie.
Just 48 hours after President Donald Trump delivered his unexpectedly presidential speech to Congress, the mediaand late-night TVhas already moved on. On Thursday, The Daily Shows Trevor Noah summed up how quickly the narrative has changed.

Since Tuesday's speech to Congress, Donald Trump has been riding high on a wave of praise, Noah said. The media applauded him, people called him presidential. Bannon even let him sit at the desk. After a rough start to his presidency, it felt like Trump had entered a long-awaited honeymoon. But just like most of his honeymoons, it got sour fast.

Before Trump could celebrate his minor victory, news broke that his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, had lied under oath about communicating with Russian officials before the president took office. Wow, no matter how hard the Trump administration tries, Russia just keeps coming back, the host said, adding Russia is Trumps herpes.

What makes it worse is that he lied under oath while interviewing to be the guy who prosecutes people for lying under oath, Noah added. It sort of makes sense for Trumps cabinet when you think about it. It makes sense for all of Trumps administration, since Trumps EPA chief hates the environment, his energy secretary wanted to abolish the Department of Energy, and his secretary of agriculture is an actual swarm of locusts.

Noah tried to hear Sessions out before judging his intentions, but couldnt help but deem him guilty when he heard his defense. Im sorry, that is not a decent excuse, he said. How do Trumps people keep forgetting that theyve met with Russians? Let me tell you something, if you meet a Russian, you will remember that shit.
Prince Harry broke up with Cressida Bonas after a row about attending a pals wedding. But he is clearly determined not to make the same mistake with Meghan Markle.

Harrys American actress girlfriend was due to land in Jamaica on Thursday night, joining Harry for a gigantic three-day party (which Usain Bolt is rumored to be attending) to mark the wedding of his Old Etonian school friend Tom Skippy Inskip. Skippy accompanied Harry on the ill-fated trip to Las Vegas that culminated in a game of naked billiards, and he is marrying an aristocratic literary agent, the Honorable Lara Hughes-Young.

Harry, 32, flew from Gatwick to Montego Bay on Wednesday, traveling premium economy on Virgin Atlantic, according to a report in the Daily Mail (the cash-conscious young royals tend to purchase tickets in the cheaper seats when on personal trips, which they pay for out of their own pockets).

The trip is being billed as an ideal opportunity for Harry to introduce Meghan to a wider circle of his friends and has ramped up speculation that Meghan, who spent much of January and February living with Harry at his cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace, is set to propose to her sooner rather than later.

Adding to the speculation are rumors that Meghan has asked to be written out of the legal drama Suits.

As absurd and sexist as it may seem, it would probably be unwise for Meghan to unnecessarily expose herself to press criticism and accusations of cashing in by continuing such a public-facing career.

This the first time that she and Harry have socialized so openly as a couple and is a significant step up in their relationship, one source told the Mail. Make no mistake, he is heads over heels about her. This one could go all the way.

The party is at the super-exclusive Round Hill Hotel and Villas, a private 110-acre plantation-style resort first built as a colony of cottages for the rich, famous, and glamorous of the 1950s.

Pippa Middletons big day will be the next focal point for Harry and Meghan watchers. Pippa is marrying her fiance James Mathews on May 20, and it is inconceivable that Meghan would not be there if the relationship is still firing on all cylinders.
On Friday afternoon, President Trump tweeted an image of Senator Chuck Schumer standing next to Russian President Vladimir Putin. It depicts the two men seemingly cordially holding coffee and donuts.

We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! Trump wrote.

The image and the narrative framing itself is ripped directly from The Drudge Report, which included the picture and a related story at the top of its homepage on Friday.

The defensive posture from Trump and supportive media outlets is a response to the news on Thursday that Trumps Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that he would be recusing himself from any investigations into the alleged ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. Sessions recused himself after the revelation that he had spoken with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyakand told the Senate that he had no such contact with Kremlin officials.

Like Sessions, Schumer has met with Russian officials from time to time. Unlike Sessions, however, there is no evidence of Schumer lying about such conversations.

Schumer was roped in to Trumps attack specifically because he called for Sessions to resign.

The story on Drudge linked out to an article by Gateway Pundit, which has written several articles over the past 24 hours attempting to link Senate Democrats to Russia. A story published by Joe Hoft late Thursday night on Gateway Pundit titled The Great Projectionists: Democrat Party Ties to Russia are Criminal led the phrase Democrat Party Ties to Russia to trend on Twitter.

Other notable right-wing and conspiracy accounts, like those belonging to InfoWars editors, helped push the trend to the top of Twitter, usually accompanied by memes about Schumer or Hillary Clinton.

One of the first recent iterations of the particular Schumer storyline appeared in the comment section of a Free Republic post on March 2 which was just a reprint of an article written by conservative author Erick Erickson entitled The Jeff Sessions Attack is a Nothingburger. That evening, Reddit user willdogs posted the image on the_donald subreddit and it was upvoted tens of thousands of times.

That same evening, author Jim Hoft of Gateway Pundit published a post with the image and the title Flashback: Chuck Schumer Meets with Putin in New York City.

Wheres the outrage? Hoft writes. Democrat Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer continues to push the Russia conspiracy. But it was Schumer who met with Putin in New York City  not Trump.

Another rendition of the story appeared on March 2 on the site The Truth Division, which claims that it is dedicated to defending conservatism, exposing establishment politics, and tearing down the globalist political class -- it's an adventure.

Gateway Pundit recently received a spot in the White House press room, despite repeatedly publishing false information collected by troll accounts on Twitter.

Just last week, Sean Hannity was forced to apologize after citing a Gateway Pundit article that claimed John McCain solicited campaign donations from Russia. The article cited Reddit users as its source, and was entirely fabricated.

In January, Hoft published a story blaming the wrong Esteban Santiago for the Fort Lauderdale airport shooting attack, then claimed CNN ran a photo of the framed man and lightened his skin on-air. In truth, CNN hadnt yet run a photo of either the shooter or the framed man, nor did they lighten either picture. Hoft cited a lone Twitter user whose account had been created weeks prior.

Moments after the Trump tweet went up, fans on the_donald subreddit rejoiced because they had also posted the image. One user triumphantly remarked: THE MADMAN!! What an absolute savage. His aids lurk on here, guys. This is the best timeline.

Schumer responded with a tweet of his own saying Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in '03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team?
Three Texas men allegedly plotted to swipe guns from checked baggage at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and exchange them for drugs, prosecutors say.

On Wednesday, a U.S. attorney in Western Texas charged JaQuan Johnson, 25, a baggage handler at the airport, with stealing firearms from passengers bags. From November to February, Johnson allegedly lifted at least seven guns from checked luggage. The firearms resurfaced during a February 3 drug bust on Johnsons home, which also netted two his alleged accomplices, police say.

Johnson was sleeping with a gun under his pillow when Austin police led the raid on his home, a criminal complaint alleges. Police found another gun in his medicine cabinet.

Both weapons were .40 caliber Glocks, the same make as one of the guns that had recently disappeared from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, where Johnson worked as a baggage handler. Also missing from the airport were a series of pistols and revolvers, all easily concealable weapons that had vanished from travelers checked luggage beginning in November, police say.

In an interview with police, Johnson confessed to stealing seven guns from passengers luggage and trading some for marijuana, which he said went for a rate of approximately seven grams for a gun, the criminal complaint states. Police also booked two of his alleged accomplicesMatthew Bartlett, 21, and Catronn Hewitt, 36, who allegedly exchanged Johnsons guns for drugs. Both have been charged with felony marijuana possession.

Only Johnson is facing federal charges, due in part to where he allegedly stole the gunsfrom outgoing luggage at Austins international airportwhich led to one charge of theft from an interstate shipment, which carries up to 10 years in prison. He also faces an additional 10 years for every gun he allegedly stole, which could add up to a staggering 80-year sentence.

His arrest raises questions on airlines handling of guns, even when passengers declare the weapons before boarding.

Airplane passengers are increasingly packing heat, the Transportation Security Administration reports. Guns confiscated from carry-ons have skyrocketed over the past decade, from 660 seized in 2005, to a projection of over 3,000 seized in 2016, according to The Trace.

Fewer figures exist on the numbers of guns legally packed in checked luggage, where guns must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container. But the regulations apparently havent prevented airport staff from swiping the firearms, if gun owners are to be believed. Over decades of internet forum posts, aggrieved gun owners have complained that their weapons went missing on a flight, either as the result of theft, or simply when the airline misplaced their luggage. In 2006, Chicagos OHare Airport was home to a rash of firearm thefts from checked luggage, with some guns being stolen from military officials luggage, police reported.

Its happened before, Mark Howell, a spokesperson for the TSA told The Daily Beast, referring to a gun smuggling ring in an Atlanta airport in 2014. Obviously we dont want firearms in secure areas for tons of reason. Thats why we do background checks on folks, but people are still going to do things that are illegal.
Mexican Congressman Braulio Guerra climbed US border wall to prove a point to President Trump and we must say we couldn't agree more.

By India Today Web Desk: Mexican Congressman Braulio Guerra climbed on a 30-foot fence along the US border wall and even shot a video sitting on the border fence to send out a message to US President Donald Trump.

Ever since POTUS decided to build a wall across the Mexico-US border, he has been receiving a lot of backlash for it.

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Guerra said, "I was able to scale it, climb it, and sit myself right here," Braulio Guerra, a congressman from Queretaro, said in the video. "It would be simple for me to jump into the United States, which shows that it is unnecessary and totally absurd to build a wall."

He took to Twitter and posted, "I climbed the Wall with the US. Look @realDonaldTrump the absurd and unnecessary spending on this project that offends and damages our good neighborhood."

Escal el Muro con EEUU. Mira @realDonaldTrump lo absurdo e innecesario el gasto en este proyecto que agravia y daa nuestra buena vecindad. pic.twitter.com/K2S5RI8a0d Braulio Guerra (@BraulioPRI) March 2, 2017

To simply put a point, Guerra feels that whoever wants to climb the wall illegally will do it no matter how many walls are built.

People have been condemning Trump's decision of building the wall across the border by protesting all over the United States. Trump signed the papers to kick start the wall construction as well last month.

"Simple to climb the #Wall but there are many dangers to our people. Human rights, principles and dignity are non-negotiable #Mexico"

Sencillo subir al #Muro pero son muchos los peligros para nuestra gente. Derechos Humanos, principios y dignidad son innegociables #Mxico???? pic.twitter.com/9PExn3RlnV Braulio Guerra (@BraulioPRI) March 2, 2017

But, according to a Reuters report, the Department of Homeland Security only found 20 million dollars in the existing funds for the construction of the wall.

Earlier, during the presidential campaign, Trump promised that the funds for the wall will come from Mexico but later he said that Mexico would rather reimburse the amount to US.

--- ENDS ---
You cant really blame Wolverine for giving up on his own story. The gruff, adamantium-boned superhero endured nearly 200 years of grueling physical and emotional painnot to mention a cinematic dud or threebefore Logan, James Mangolds devastatingly lovely swan song for the character. By the time it begins in 2029, the worlds already gone to hell. The X-Mens war against persecution is lost. Mutantkind is all but extinct. And everyone Logans ever loved, save for a fast-deteriorating Charles Xavier (Sir Patrick Stewart) is gone. His wounds dont heal like they used to; his face has grown worn and tired; old scars and fresh blood crisscross his chest, but he barely cares. Hidden away in a lonely part of the north Mexican desert with Charles and their mutant-sensing friend Caliban (Stephen Merchant), Logan has neither the will to live nor the motivation to die. Hes a failure in his own eyes, and a real disappointment in Charless.

And yet, Logan, Hugh Jackmans ninth and final outing as the Wolverine, is really a profoundly hopeful film. It loves and deeply understands its characters and the fraught, familial relationships between them. Its action scenesbrutal, bloody, and thrillingly inventive in a way comic book beat-em-ups rarely areare as character-driven and impactful as its story. (Like, really impactful: You feel each punch, stab and dismemberment. Bless that R-rating.) This is a Western that happens to star superheroes; a road movie grounded in quiet, tender moments. Its an elegy, wholly unconcerned with franchise-building or connecting distant universes. And with the introduction of Laura, a young mutant with powers similar to Wolverines, it becomes a portrait of makeshift families, empathy, and finding normalcy, too. Thats what the best X-Men stories are usually about. Turns out no one knows this better than her.

Newcomer Dafne Keen lends Laura (project name: X-23) a strange, fierce intensity, and a superhuman fury as she shrieks and slices into men twice her size. She is spectacular. Lauras existence itself is a miracleno mutant births have been recorded for yearsbut Logan insists to Charles that shes not our problem. Hes not a hero. Not anymore. Hed rather go back to driving limos, staring passively at rowdy bridesmaids flashing him from the backseat. (Its a living.) Then a Mexican nurse named Gabriela (Elizabeth Rodriguez) summons Logan to a motel and desperately pleads with him to take Laura across the border. Her goal is to get her young charge to a secret location in North Dakota, where the girl can then flee north to Canada. The catch? Theyre being hunted by agents of a sinister American biotech firm, led by a bionic arm-wielding brute named Pierce (Boyd Holbrook). In covert peeks at the firms Mexico City facility, we learn it exploits local women, disappears them, and turns the children they bear (repeatedly referred to as things) into living weapons.

Its no coincidence the films working title was Juarez, after the Mexican city plagued by unsolved disappearances and an epidemic of violence against women. (You cant leave a warzone behind you like you did in Juarez, Charles warns Logan, one of many mysterious past traumas alluded to only in passing.) It says a lot about Logans politics that even so, it isnt Mexico but the United States thats depicted as a minority-hating, capitalist dystopia. The films opening shots include a glimpse of an imposing wall along the Texas-Mexico border and lines of deportees. Laura herself speaks mostly Spanish, same as the other kids from the lab she grew up in. It was taught to them by their nurses. (They thought we were too stupid and poor to understand, Gabriela says, painting a picture of the American firms arrogance.) Those mutant kids, hunted by hateful men who call themselves good guys, are the future in this storyand theyre largely female, black, and brown. Thats no coincidence either.

Again and again, Logan resists the imperative to help Laurato be the hero hes cracked up to be in both our world and his. He scorns the X-Men comic books he finds her hiding, the ones that detail made-up adventures starring himself in that iconic yellow suit. Ice cream for bedwetters, he calls them. This despite a near-imperceptible beat when he sees the cartoon Rogue, another gifted young woman he once took under his wing in real life. The pained look on his face proves hes wrong. Stories and images do have power, including the ones in comic books. We see this time and again through Laura, who absorbs lessons about morality and family norms from everything around her, from mannequins to old Westerns on TV, like a four-foot-tall little assassin sponge. When it turns out the coordinates for her secret North Dakota hideout are copied straight out of one of her comicssending Wolvie into a fit of rage, convinced hes on a wild goose chaseCharles pushes Logan to forge ahead. Its real to her, he implores. Not just to her, X.

To chilling effect, Mangold and co-writers Scott Frank and Michael Green supply only bare bones of exposition. We never learn what happened to the X-Men or how the world spiraled into a mutant extinction crisis. No one says the words Magneto or Mystique. Every apocalyptic detail of the past is simply baked into the dusty desert background, acknowledged only briefly in atmospheric details. A bigoted radio hosts rant. The darkness in Charless tone when mentioning Juarez or what happened at Westchester. A few easily-missed sentimental props, relics of Logans long, convoluted past. The adamantium katana hung on his wall. The military dog tag engraved with his nickname. He never once mentions the lost love of his life, Jean Grey, the woman he killed.

Thats not to say that the weight of everything left unsaid doesnt hang over every frame. Its written all over Jackmans face. It nearly crushes you in moments like when Charles, frail and voice quivering as Logan wheels him away, begs Im sorry, Im so sorry over and over to civilians he almost harmed. And yet Logan manages to be cathartic, not oppressive. (Its far from the joyless, unearned gloom of Batman v Superman, in case youre concerned.) Its also wonderfully funny, often in sweet, unexpected ways. Charles admonishes Logan for carting him around in such a hurry: Im not a box of avocados. He sticks his tongue out in an otherwise serious moment, eyes twinkling. Laura, for all the tragedy of her upbringing, still acts like a regular kid. She likes pink sunglasses and mechanical pony rides. Shell open and shut the car door lock until it drives you insane. In a getaway scene that cleverly plays with action-movie conventions, Logans speeding limo gets awkwardly stuck in a fence rather than bulldozing right through, the way he (and we) expected. The look on his face is priceless.

Logan isnt perfect but bum notes come far and few between. One hits with a rushed and impossibly opaque plot involving the evils of the military-industrial complex and, uh, corn syrup. Some might also find the film overly long with a runtime of 135 minutes. For what its worth, I barely noticed that. Logan resists easy answers, even when we think we want thema dynamic usually effective at keeping audiences engaged. Charles may voice all our hopes for Laura and Logan to bond and protect each other like family, for example, but the film itself acknowledges thats a picture-pretty fantasy ill-fitting to both as individuals. (There are shades of the virtuosic, character-driven apocalypse game The Last of U s throughout Logan, not least in this not-quite-father-daughter relationship.)

Of course, caring is understandable. Logan comes with 17 years of real-life baggage from this influential, wildly uneven franchise. I was twelve when Stewart and Jackman first suited up and X-Men kicked off the modern superhero movie boom. Dafne Keen hadnt even been born. The X-Men movies remain a seemingly never-ending cycle of highs and lowsfor every X2, theres been a Last Stand; for every First Class, a shambolic Apocalypsebut to its credit, Logan uses the fraught legacy of its two oldest stars to full effect. Its one of the best superhero films to date, and the singular goodbye to the X-Men-verse that both Jackman and Stewart deserve.
Editors Note, 4/3/18: EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is under fire for unethical behavior, including renting a room from a lobbyist, expensive first-class travel, and defying the White House to give aides huge raises. The first scandal took place shortly after his confirmation hearing in early 2017.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt lied to Congress about his use of private email to conduct government business when he was Oklahoma attorney general. And as it did with Hillary Clinton, and as it should do with Jeff Sessions, the FBI should immediately open an investigation into what is becoming an alarming pattern for the Trump cabinet.

A Feb. 17 investigation by Oklahoma Citys Fox 25 news station revealed that Pruitt used a private email account to coordinate strategy and talking points with fossil fuel companies to oppose environmental rules, among other things. And a subsequent review of more than 7,500 emails by the Associated Press showed that Pruitt used his private email to conduct official business, including communicating with staff and lobbyists.

That directly contradicts what Pruitt told Congress in January. In Pruitts pre-confirmation questionnaire, Senator Cory Booker asked, Have you ever conducted business using your personal email accounts, nonofficial Oklahoma attorney general email accounts, text messages, instant messenger, voicemails, or any other medium?

Pruitts responded: I use only my official OAG [Office of the Attorney General] email address and government-issued phone to conduct official business.

As we know now, that was untrue. (Pruitts EPA office did not respond to a request for comment.)

It may also be a crime. Section 1001 of the criminal code defines the crime of False Statement to Government Agency as anyone who (1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact; or (2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation when speaking to government agents or officials (PDF).

This broad statute is the one that sent Martha Stewart to prison for lying about insider trading, and the one under which Henry Cisneros was indicted for lying to FBI investigators during his own confirmation process for secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 1992. The penalty for a Section 1001 violation is identical to that of perjury: a maximum of five years in prison. The two crimes are functionally equivalent.

When it comes to statements to Congress, Section 1001 is limited to any investigation or review, conducted pursuant to the authority of any committee, subcommittee, commission or office of the Congress.

This most likely includes a confirmation hearing, according to Pace Law School professor Bennett Gershman.

Section 1001 clearly covers false statements made knowingly and willfully to congressional committees, the expert on criminal law told The Daily Beast when asked about Pruitts hearing. This is precisely the argument that some Republicans made in demanding an FBI investigation of Hillary Clintons testimony before Congress.

So what should happen now?

As you may remember from the Clinton email matter, the first step is an FBI investigation, either by request from Congress or at the FBIs own initiative. That investigationagain as in the Clinton mattergenerally includes a recommendation to indict or not to indict, which the Justice Department takes under advisement. (Notoriously, in Clintons case, FBI Director James Comey recommended against charging Clinton with perjury, and Attorney General Loretta Lynch followed that recommendation.)

Will such an investigation take place though? Its unlikely that House Oversight Committee chairman Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who has thus far declined to investigate a host of alarming allegations regarding Russian contacts with the Trump administration, will do anything.

But Comey could take the initiative on his own. Interestingly, in Clintons case, Comey said that the agency was waiting for a congressional request out of respect for Congressand was blasted for that by Chaffetz, who said the FBI should have launched an investigation on its own. By his own logic, the FBI should get started now.

The case against Pruitt is much clearer than the case against Clinton was for supposedly lying to Congress. Republicans said she lied when she told Congress she didnt recall sending or receiving any emails marked as classified from her private account. Thats hard to contradict, to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she saw the emails marked C, that they were marked as such when she saw them, that she knew C meant classified, and that she knowingly lied in her testimony to Congress.

Or as Comey put it: no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case.

In Pruitts case, by contrast, there are literally thousands of emails from the private server, and a clear misstatement that there werent any. Thats a much easier case to justify an FBI investigation.

At this stage, its too soon to tell whether an indictment is warranted. That, after all, is the point of the investigation. There are two key questions, both of which weigh in favor of a criminal indictment.

First, theres the statement itself. Did Pruitt knowingly and intentionally mislead Congress? As Senator Sheldon Whitehouse told Politico, Pruitt used his personal email address to conduct official state business and that he was not honest with the Senate about this during his confirmation process.

On the other hand, notice the Bill Clinton-esque language in Pruitts response to Booker: I use, Pruitt said in the present tense. Thats similar to the lawyerly evasion President Clinton used when he was asked about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. There is no relationship, he said at the time.

When he was later confronted with irrefutable evidence of such a relationship (his semen on her infamous blue dress), Clinton noted that he had used the present tense is rather than the past tense was. Famously, he remarked, It depends on what the meaning of is is.

Pruitts remark was similarly worded. At the time of questioning, his statement, I use only my official email address, may have been true, even though he used a private email address in the past. It depends on what the meaning of use is.

Second, theres the question of whether the lie was material. In the context of the question, certainly it is. Booker asked directly about private emails, and Pruitt directly lied about them. Moreover, given that the content of the emails bears directly on the matter under scrutiny by the Senate committeePruitts ties to the fossil fuel industryit was material in the context of the hearings purpose as well. As Whitehouse said, Lo and behold, the documents Scott Pruitt wanted to keep hidden have confirmed our suspicion.

The lie is also material politically. The Center for Media and Democracy is gradually releasing Pruitts emails, obtained pursuant to a court order in the hopes that the steady drip of embarrassing emails will garner public attention. Pruitts statement is material to his very office.

The most important question, though, is political rather than legal. Its hard to see Attorney General Jeff Sessions seeking an indictment. He has been on the Trump Train since before it was fashionable, and given the administrations record so far, it seems more likely that the whole thing will be blamed on politics. And such prosecutions are rare in general. A 2007 study published in the Quinnipiac Law Review found only six such convictions in 60 years.

With Attorney General Sessions facing his own possible investigation, he must recuse himself from this matter. However his own case plays out, it is obviously very similar to this one, and he faces a severe conflict of interest. There is no choice but to name a special prosecutor to look into the Pruitt emails when the attorney general himself is under investigation.

But whats needed, appropriate, and proper now is an FBI investigation. If Congress will not investigate such a blatant lie, the FBI must. Yet another cabinet-level official has dissembled during his confirmation hearings. This cannot be allowed to stand.
Jimmy Kimmel started his week by hosting the craziest Oscars in history. He ended it by hosting former President George W. Bush, in his first late-night interview since he sat down with Jay Leno in 2013.

Kimmels first question for Bush? When your Vice President Dick Cheney, when he shot that guy in the face, how did he tell you? Did he call you? Did he come in and close the door? How did that go down?

What really irritated me about that, he shot the only trial lawyer for me in Texas, Bush joked, adding that it was an unusual period in his presidency. Every time Cheney would come in, a lot of people would yell Duck! he revealed.

This was the week Bush, whos promoting a new book of paintings titled Portraits of Courage, finally broke his silence on Donald Trump. The 43rd president of the United States went eight years without criticizing his successor, President Barack Obama, but it only took him about four weeks to start condemning President Trump.

Earlier this week, Bush rebuked Trumps attacks on a free press by telling the Today shows Matt Lauer, We need an independent media to hold people like me to account, adding, Power can be very addictive and it can be corrosive, and its important for the media to call to account people who abuse their power.

Bush went even further in an interview with People magazine, saying of Trumps first month in office, I dont like the racism and I dont like the name-calling and I dont like the people feeling alienated.

Kimmel cracked Bush up by suggesting that maybe his father, former President George H.W. Bush was faking his illness a little bit so that he didnt have to go to Trumps inauguration. Bush the younger would neither confirm nor deny, simply saying of Kimmel, Hes a funny man.

Want to hear something terrible? Bush asked later when Kimmel brought up Will Ferrells famous impression of him on Saturday Night Live. He told Kimmel that he recently had dinner with Lorne Michaels, who claimed that one of his writers came up with the term strategery. Proving just how far the lines have blurred between parody and reality, Bush insisted that he was the one who first said that word, along with misunderestimate.

Bush said he enjoyed the annual White House Correspondents Dinner as well, telling Kimmel, I love humor, and the best humor is when you make fun of yourself.

Tell that to the president, Kimmel replied, making Bush laugh. He doesnt think so. Unlike President Trump, Bush said he did not watch much television while he was in the White House. Not only did it not interest him, but he simply didnt have time. Youve got a lot to do, youre busy, he said of the job.

Later, Kimmel asked Bush about his experience at the inauguration. Were you jealous of the size of the crowds at Trumps inauguration? he asked, jokinglybut beyond that, he never pushed his guest to weigh in on the new president in any serious way. Instead, he simply gave Bush a chance make fun of himself for struggling to put his poncho on when it started to rain before Trump started to speak and then to show off his art skills for a good cause.

In a way, it was a missed opportunity. A former president speaking out against the current one can send a powerful message. But at the same time, Kimmel, who debuted his first Trump-Free Tuesday this week, made a choice not to let 45 dominate his interview with 43.
The St. Louis, Missouri man arrested in connection with a series of recent bomb threats at Jewish community centers has been identified as the disgraced ex-Intercept reporter, Juan M. Thompson.

Authorities have charged the 31-year-old former journalist with cyberstalking, alleging he threatened at least eight JCC centers nationwide and the Anti-Defamation League as part of a campaign to harass and intimidate a former girlfriend.

Thompson began harassing his girlfriend shortly after she broke up with him last summer. Over the last six months, according to the criminal complaint, Thompson sent defamatory emails and faxes to the victims workplace  claiming she had sexually transmitted diseases, that she had been charged with drunk driving  as well as making threats to JCCs in the her name.

According to the complaint, In September, Thompson sent an email with nude photographs of the victim to her and threatened to release them. In October, he sent an email to the victims workplace alleging to the human resources manager that the victim was threatening to kill him.

Thompson then sent tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children claiming his ex-girlfriend had engaged in child pornography.

The messages  sent by email addresses produced by random generators for throwaway accounts  were sent from the same IP address that Thompson used to access his social media accounts, according to the FBI.

The threats to JCCs came in two forms: in some he contacted the centers and made threats under the victims name. In others, he emailed or called and made threats under his own name, in order to frame his ex-girlfriend.

These alleged attempts to frame his former girlfriend can still be seen on his Twitter feed. In his pinned tweet from February 25, Thompson writes: Know any good lawyers? Need to stop this nasty/racist #whitegirl I dated who sent a bomb threat in my name & wants me to be raped in jail.

As evidenced by his Twitter feed, Thompson has been particularly interested in the bomb threats and vandalism targeting Jewish centers in recent weeks.

On February 26, he tweeted, Another week, another round of threats against Jewish ppl. In the middle of the day, you know who's at a JCC? Kids. KIDS.

Twenty-five days earlier, FBI investigators allege in the charging document, Thompson made two separate bomb threats to a Jewish school in Manhattan.

Juan Thompson put two bombs in the middle school last night. He is eager to a Jewish newtown," the anonymous email allegedly read.

Though not mentioned in the complaint, five months ago, an anonymous poster made a request on an 8chan message board where users can crowdsource a doxxing.

What can I do to destroy her life? the anonymous poster wrote, adding the victims name, address, and workplace, and similar allegations noted in the cyberstalking complaint  namely that she had infected him with a sexually transmitted disease.

While Thompson called his ex-girlfriend a menace in public and threatened her privately, he was also allegedly contacting the victim with stories of his own personal struggles.

In text messages and emails, the complaint alleges Thompson told her he had been hacked by someone in Africa and was not responsible for several harassing emails, and that he was sorry and would compensate her for her pain. Weeks later he posed as a relative and said he had been shot multiple times during a robbery attempt and would be taken off life support. There had been no shooting, according to the complaint.

This wasnt Thompsons first go as a fabulist.

Thompson had worked at The Intercept for a little over a year when he was fired in February 2016, after the national security site discovered he had fabricated quotes and made up sources in a story about a black church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.

Thompson went to great lengths to deceive his editors, creating an email account to impersonate a source and lying about his reporting methods, Editor-in-Chief Betsy Reed wrote in a note to readers explaining the firing.

The story that first alerted editors and sparked an internal investigation, Dylann Roofs Cousin Claims Love Interest Chose Black Man Over Him. was retracted, with a note that the storys major source, Scott Roof, did not seem to exist.

Dylann was normal until he started listening to that white power music stuff, Thompson wrote in the piece pretending he was Scott Roof. Dylann liked her. The black guy got her. He changed. I dont know if we would be here if not.

After speaking with two members of Dylann Roofs family, The Intercept can no longer stand by the premise of this story. Both individuals said that they do not know of a cousin named Scott Roof, a note on the retracted piece reads.

In addition to retracting the Roof story, The Intercept corrected four others.

The Guardian also reported last February that Thompson had misleading information on his author biography for The Intercept. He claimed that he had worked as a production assistant and reporter for WBEZ, a public radio station in Chicago, but a WBEZ executive said that wasnt true.

Gawker reported that Thompson claimed to his Intercept boss that he was undergoing treatment for testicular cancer and that he had been called a stray dog at the publication. Reed said that Thompson added that particular line in his letter to various news outlets and never mentioned it to Reed in his initial letter about his alleged treatment.

A personal essay at Talking Points Memo was also removed. In the piece, Thompson wrote about his father, who he claims was a notorious drug dealer and murderer.

"The integrity of the piece rests inevitably on the good faith of the writer  a fundamental trust that he or she is being straight with us as editors and you as readers," TPM editor Josh Marshall wrote in part after taking the essay down.

In response to his dismissal, Thompson told The Riverfront Times, a St. Louis alternative newsweekly, I'm going through a tough time right now, but I've been through a lot tougher times than this," he says. "I'm from the west side of St. Louis, and we're fighters, and we come through, and I will come through on this. I won't be silenced or cowed by any billionaire's company or by any of these folk. That just won't happen."

Thompson is set to appear before a Missouri judge Friday.

Thompsons alleged pattern of harassment not only involved the defamation of his female victim, but his threats intimidated an entire community, FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said in a statement. The FBI and our partners take these crimes seriously. I would also like to thank the NYPD and the New York State Police, who continue to work shoulder to shoulder with us as we investigate and track down every single threat and work together to achieve justice for our communities that have been victimized by these threats.

The Intercept released a statement following the unsealing of Thompsons indictment.

We were horrified to learn this morning that Juan Thompson, a former employee of The Intercept, has been arrested in connection with bomb threats against the ADL and multiple Jewish Community Centers in addition to cyberstalking. These actions are heinous and should be fully investigated and prosecuted. We have no information about the charges against Thompson other than what is included in the criminal complaint.

At least 81 Jewish Community Centers and schools across 33 states and two Canadian provinces have received threatening calls or emails since January, according the JCC Association of North America. The spate of anti-Semitic threats prompted President Trump to respond in his speech before Congress this week.

Recent threats targeting Jewish community centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week's shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms, he said.

 Additional reporting by Gideon Resnick
When it comes to Russian propaganda, we havent seen anything yet.

Over the past several months, Americans have become acutely aware of a phenomenon that Europeans were already all too familiar with: the pervasive, corrosive nature of Russian propaganda. Russias purported attempts to meddle in the U.S. presidential election remain a major topic of national debateone that could, even now, lead to fresh Congressional investigations and a political showdown between Capitol Hill and the new White House.

Yet the scope of Russias propaganda machine is still poorly understood by most Americans. Many may by now be familiar with Moscows highest profile media outlets, like television channel RT (which the Russian government funds to the tune of some $250 million annually) and the flashy Sputnik news multimedia website (which is likewise lavishly bankrolled by the Kremlin). But the full range of Russias information operations are still truly appreciated only by the small cadre of foreign policy and national security professionals who have been forced to grapple with their far-reaching and negative effects.

That effort is enormous, encompassing billions of dollars and dozens of domestic and international media outlets in an architecture that dwarfs the disinformation offensive marshaled against the West by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Its objective is clear and unequivocal: to obscure objective facts through a veritable firehose of falsehood, thereby creating doubt in Western governments, undermining trust in democratic institutions, and garnering greater sympathy for the Russian government (or, at least, greater freedom of action) for its actions abroad.

Last month, in a presentation before the Duma, Russias lower house of parliament, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu formally unveiled the establishment of a new military unit designed to conduct information operations against the countrys adversaries. The goal of the new initiative, according to Vladimir Shamanov, head of the Dumas defense committee, is to protect the national defense interests and engage in information warfare.

Not much is known about the newly formed corps, at least so far. In his presentation, Shoigu did not elaborate on the mandate of the new unit, or its size. (The overall number of active duty Russian information operation troops has been estimated at around 1,000, with a budget of approximately $300 million annually). Nevertheless, the announcement is significant for at least two reasons.

First, it marks the culmination of a steady militarization of Russian propaganda. Once seen largely as a political strategy designed to shape foreign perceptions about Soviet (and later Russian) conduct abroad, disinformation (dezinformatsiya in Russian) has progressively taken on a distinctly martial character.

In 2013, Russias Defense Ministry reportedly established a dedicated scientific company with the mandate to train soldiers in information operations. Since that time, the Russian military has waded into the informational space with a vengeance, taking on an extensiveand aggressiverole in molding foreign opinion and perceptions. Today, in keeping with the countrys 2014 Defense Doctrine, the manipulation of information has become a critical element of Russian military strategy.

This dezinformatsiya has been used to great effect in Ukraine, with which Russia precipitated a conflict in 2014 and where Moscow continues to support pro-Russian separatists in their attempt to destabilize the state. Throughout that time, Moscow has used media manipulation to obscure the full extent of its involvement in the crisis, and to complicate the Wests response to it. In Syria, too, the Russian military has taken on an extensive role in molding perceptions regarding the conflict via social media and other news methods. By doing so, the Kremlin has largely succeeded in capturing the popular narrative regarding what, exactly, it is doing on the Syrian battlefield. Both of these efforts, and others, can now be expected to intensify.

But Moscows new military propaganda unit is significant for another reason as well. It foreshadows an intensification of Russias infowar against the West. In recent years, Russian propaganda has become a pervasive problem throughout Europe, where Kremlin-owned andsponsored media outlets have attempted to empower fringe political parties, discredit pro-Western politicians, and promote Moscows vision of world events (PDF). They have also, through fake news stories and political mischaracterization, repeatedly sought to drive a wedge among members of the NATO alliance, which Moscow sees as a real threat to its geopolitical ambitions.

Now, this informational offensive is poised to enter a new phase. Propaganda should be smart, competent, and effective, Shoigu emphasized while inaugurating the countrys new informational shock troops. Clearly, Russian officials believe that their new military propaganda force is a step in that direction. Just as clearly, the United States and its NATO allies should consider themselves to have officially been put on notice.
This was supposed to have been the week Donald Trump got a fresh start as president, but now hes facing major new questions about his campaigns alleged contacts with Russia, said Seth Meyers.The Late Night host opened the latest edition of his Closer Look segment by complimenting President Trump on his well-received address to Congresswherein our draft-dodging commander in chief earned patriotism points by honoring Carryn Owens, the widow of slain Navy SEAL Ryan Owens, with a few kind words, followed by a standing ovation. But Owens was killed during what military officials have characterized as a hastily plotted Yemen raid by the Trump administration that dropped SEALs onto a heavily fortified al Qaeda base, resulting in a prolonged firefight; cost the lives of up to 29 civilians, including nine children; and was signed off on over dinner. Trump, who pinned the blame on his generals, has insisted that the mission yielded valuable intelligenceeven though 10 military officials told NBC News otherwise.

But the main news concerned Attorney General Jeff Sessions. So, turns out Trumps attorney general, who was also a former adviser to his campaignas well as the first person in the Senate to declare support for Trumpmet with the Russian ambassador while Russia was also allegedly engaged in a campaign of cyberattacks to interfere in the election, said Meyers.

Sessions was found to have met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice last year during the Trump campaign, and not only failed to disclose the meetings, but appeared to have lied about them under oath.

During his attorney general nomination proceedings, Sessions was askedunder oathby Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), If there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do?Sen. Franken, Im not aware of any of those activities, Sessions replied. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign, and I did not have communications with the Russians. Sessions denied having any communications with the Russians about the 2016 election a second time in responses to written questions presented by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT).

Surely a senator from Alabama named Jefferson Beauregard Sessions would remember meeting some Russians, said Meyers, before doing his best Southern accent: Now, we dont get a lot of Ruskies down in this neck of the woods. Can I get you some lemonade? You must be awfully hot underneath that big ol furry hat. When met with the ambassador revelations, Sessionss camp issued a series of contradictory statements. First, Sessionss spokeswoman confirmed that he met with the Russian ambassador, but claimed he did it not as a Trump campaign adviser, but as a senator, said Meyers. Then, a White House official told CNBC the meeting involved only superficial comments about election-related news, and that was then followed by a third statement by Sessions himself, which said, I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false.I guess we shouldnt be surprised, Meyers joked, since leprechauns always talk in riddles.

In a press conference Thursday afternoon, Sessions announced hed be recusing himself from any investigations concerning the 2016 campaign, but appeared to sidestep whether or not hed lied under oath. Trump, for his part, labeled the entire episode a witch hunt by the Democrats.

Meyers then presented some curious coincidences. For example, one of Sessionss meetings with the Russian ambassador occurred on Sept. 8, the day after NBCs Commander-in-Chief Forum in which Trump complimented Vladimir Putin several times.

Well, [Putin] does have an 82 percent approval rating, Trump told Matt Lauer. If he says great things about me, Im going to say great things about him. Ive already said he is very much of a leader. You can say, oh, isnt that a terrible thing. OK, I will: Oh, isnt that a terrible thing, said Meyers.

Then theres the matter of Paul Manafort, Trumps former campaign manager who was axed after The New York Times reported on his deep financial ties to a pro-Putin political faction in Ukraine. On July 27, Manafort was asked by CBS This Morning if Trump had any financial relationships with any Russian oligarchs, and his response was, shall we say, less than convincing.

That thats what he said, mumbled Manafort. I Thats what I said. Thats Thats obviously what our position is. Look at him! exclaimed Meyers. Thats the face you make when your wife snatches away your newspaper and says, Whose earrings are these? Of course, he continued, part of the problem here is we know very little about Trumps possible ties to Russiaa debate he could settle immediately by releasing his tax returns.
He preferred handcuffs over his old ball and chain.

Before taking up bank robbery, Lawrence Ripple was a lowkey retiree who stayed at home in Kansas City with his wife of 20 years, Remedios Ripple, known as Dori. Despite his frail state after surgery a year ago following a heart attack, he argued with his wife every day, relatives say.

He wanted to get arrested and to get away. He just had enough and he needed some place to rest his head, the close relative, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The Daily Beast. Its crazy but he had no place else to go.

Serenity would be a jail cell.

She was just on him all the time, the relative said. I think it got to him this time. Some men might have slapped her around or beat her around, but Larrys not that kind of a person So he went down there to the bank and did what he did just to get away from her.

Repeated attempts by The Daily Beast to reach the Ripples were unsuccessful.

On Sept. 2, 2016, Dori Ripple started hounding Ripple again; this time the dryer needed fixing, two relatives confirmed.

She told him to fix the dryer and I dont know how this happened, another relative who spoke with Dori said. It was just a petty quarrel that they have had basically.

It appeared Ripple didnt make it a priority to fix the machine right away and that caused the spat.

There was fighting about the dryer that day and it was a simple thing. It didnt work right.

Without any fight left in him the 70-year-old man jotted down a note in front of his furious wife. He then fled the house, telling her hed rather be locked-up than live there another day.

At around 2:30 p.m. the same day, Ripple walked through the doors of the Bank of Labor, a block away from the Kansas City Police Departments headquarters, and hand-delivered the threatening missive hed penned in front of his wife, according to a federal criminal complaint.

I have a gun give me all your cash, it read, the feds say.

The teller supplied the bearded bandit, who wasnt armed, with $2,924.

Rather than flee with the loot, Ripple simply sat down in the bank lobby according to the complaint, and interacted with the bank security guard.

Like a patient pouring his heart to a makeshift shrink, Ripple told the guard that he was the guy she was looking for ripping-off the bank, before handing over the illicit funds.

Once under arrest Ripple spilled the marital beans to FBI agents and local cops. He explained how hed become fed up for taking incoming fire from his wife again and again and [he] no longer wanted to be in the situation, according to the complaint.

On Jan. 23, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office records, Ripple pleaded guilty in a Kansas City federal courtroom.

Despite the initial disdain for his spouse that broke him, Dori Ripple showed solidarity for her future convict husband by sitting in the courtroom.

I can see that she regrets it in her own way, the other relative said. I dont talk about it with her because I know she is already upset about it.

I know she wishes she could have handled things differently.

According to the federal indictment when Ripple returns to face a judge next after being granted bail, prosecutors could demand he get sentenced to as many as 20 years hard time for the hissy-fit bank heist.

The relative explained how Ripple has since received counseling before he was permitted to return to the household. The relative added that the man was hindered with the health issues related to his heart attack.

She constantly badgered him, the relative added. She wanted him to do the dishes, and do things around the house.

The relative says Ripple wasnt the same person after his health took a dive.

Whats more, the relative says, the couple were hurting financially.

Dori, according to the relative, had a penchant to gamble and the couple allegedly got behind in both house and car payments in the past forcing her to allegedly dip into her retirement funds.

She is upset and I while she doesnt discuss it I know she wishes she did things differently,

Though relatives blamed Dori, they didnt leave Lawrence off the hook either.

Hes always in a pissy mood, the relative stated matter-of-factly. Hes a bitter person but you could tell underneath he was a great guy.

After his health setback Ripple became a bit of a recluse.

She brought him over the edge that day and he couldnt take it anymore, the relative said. Doris not a bad person but she badgered him to death.

And the meltdown at the bank the relative suggests didnt actually hurt anybody.

He even turned himself in after he robbed the bank because in his mind it was the only way to fix the problem.

The other relative maintained that Ripple didnt go robbing with bad intentions.

Ripple instead should get treatment and counseling rather than rot in prison.

I dont feel like the man should go to jail because I feel like he was temporarily insane at the time, the relative said. Did he scare the hell out of somebody? Yes.

But you help a guy like that. Dont put him in jail.

The other relative added, [Larry] needs help not 20 years for a stupid decision he made.

If Ripple gets the full lot of prison time he likely would perish behind bars.

He probably wont last very long with a heart attack, the relative said. The things that go on in your mind it creates fear and you lose hope to live.
KAMPALA, UgandaAn angry crowd was growing outside the home where Shamim Namutebi was staying. Word about the 19-year-old biological male dressing as a woman had spread. Mob justice was waiting.

The trans woman saw a chance to escape. She ran from the house in the Ugandan capital Kampala, but then tumbled to the dirt outside, fettered by fear.

Before she could rise, the mob closed in.

They kicked, punched, and beat her with long sharp sticks. Her slight body could only cower beneath their amassed hate. Then a man hurled a brick into her stomach and the pain overcame her. Her tormentors faded into black.

Shamim woke to rain tapping on her battered body, abandoned in the dirt where she fell. She was thought dead. I had blood all over my body, Shamim recounts from a place of refuge. I felt so bad while being mistreated.

The attack in August last year wasnt the beginning of Shamims torment, nor will it likely be the end. Uganda is one of the most dangerous countries on earth for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The greatest casualties of LGBT persecution are trans women as they are more visible in society, according to activists.

People think trans people are gay and they think it is ungodly and un-African, says trans woman Beyonce Karungi, founder and executive director of Transgender Equality Uganda. Many are rejected by their families they cant access education, they are on the streets, beaten up, they are raped, she says.

Beyonce was recently attacked by five men after returning home from work. They said, You homosexual, you are spoiling our place, she says. They beat her to the ground and started to strangle her. Then someone said, Thats Beyonce, and they ran away. That person saved me, she says. They wanted to kill me.

The perpetrators of these crimes more often than not enjoy legal impunity. Indeed, among the perpetrators are those entrusted with upholding the law.

Shamim Namutebi says she was arrested last year by police who stripped and beat her to the ground with batons. I screamed for help, but no one could help, she says. She had been banished from her home and village. The police were calling me a gay man who is not worth living in this country, who deserves to be killed and beaten, she says. She also alleges that while in custody on a separate occasion she was corrective raped by male inmates. The Uganda Police Force did not respond to The Daily Beasts request for comment.

LGBT people in Africa have faced waves of persecution in recent years, fueled by African governments anti-gay policies and divisive religious leaders. The dangers have been made worse by the meddling of characters like Scott Lively, an American evangelical preacher who is being sued in U.S. courts by the organization Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG).

As one activist told The Daily Beast last August, the aim of the suit, which alleges Livelys actions are a crime against humanity, and which has been in the American courts now for five years, is to stop evangelicals coming here and importing homophobia. You cant promote hate in other countries. You cant export hate.

As things stand now, it is illegal to be gay in more than half of Africas countries, with punishments including prison sentences, floggings, and even the death penalty. African states at the United Nations recently attempted to stop the work of a UN independent expert investigating LGBT abuses worldwide, but the General Assembly rejected their bid.

The United States government has been an active defender of LGBT people in Africa. The Obama administration spent millions of dollars on promoting and protecting LGBT rights worldwide.

U.S. embassies around the world have played a significant role in advancing the rights of LGBT people, says Graeme Reid, director of the LGBT Rights Program at Human Rights Watch (HRW). Providing safe meeting spaces, facilitating informal meetings between government officials and LGBT leaders, direct engagement with leaders around discriminatory legislation, and monitoring court cases, Reid says.

The Obama administration criticized and penalized African countries for their anti-gay laws. Among them was Uganda, where the U.S. reduced aid, imposed visa restrictions, and canceled a military exercise with the country after President Yoweri Museveni signed a harsh anti-gay law. It was later annulled by the Constitutional Court.

It is not yet clear where U.S. President Donald Trump will stand on supporting LGBT rights in Africa, but advocates arent hopeful. His reversal of protections for transgender students in the U.S., divisive rhetoric about minorities, the America first vow, and the anti-LGBT records of some in his cabinet are at odds with progressing LGBT rights in Africa, advocates say.

Ive spoken to activists in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Senegal and most of them are scared, says Pepe Julian Onziema, an LGBT rights advocate and program director for Sexual Minorities Uganda. We saw some gains across the world for LGBT people and what we are seeing is that is going to fall back, Onziema says.

LGBT people fear they are now at greater risk of persecution with Trump, with foes emboldened since his victory.

In Nigeria, the LGBT movement gained its voice and determination under the Obama administration, according to Bisi Alimi, a Nigerian LGBT activist and director of the Bisi Alimi Foundation. The great strides we made under Obama on the continent of Africa is about to be drained in Trumps swamps, Alimi says. If the funds dry up, then we have to think of what next to do.

Just after Trumps win, some Nigerians took to the street to celebrate his victory as an end to gay propaganda, says Alimi. I wish this madness will just stay at that and nothing serious will follow.

In Uganda, anti-gay rhetoric in churches and harassment on the street and social media has increased since Trumps win, according to SMUGs Onziema. People say, Lets see how Obama will protect you, now we have the power things like that, Onziema says. People felt held back by the previous administration on their hateful opinion towards LGBT people.

President Trump has given a glimmer of hope for LGBT rights globally after recently choosing to keep Obamas top gay rights advocate at the State Department. But its unlikely the Trump administration will take the same proactively supportive stance as Obamas did, according to HRWs Graeme Reid. He says despite this, rights groups in sub-Saharan Africa will continue to work effectively. The level of homophobic rhetoric from some leaders is an indication of the success of an African LGBT movement that is visible and vocal, he says.

That movement has been critical in supporting the downtrodden like trans woman Shamim Namutebi, rejected by family, employers and society. The LGBT hate she has long suffered is etched in her skin. From the scar near her hairline where she says she was struck with a police baton, to the marks stretching across her thighs where the mob pummelled her with sharp sticks.

And yet there remains no trace of her own hate.

I forgive those people, she says. I want nothing [bad] to happen to them. I just want them to understand who we are.
President Trump may roll out a revised executive order temporarily banning immigration from six or seven majority Muslim countries this week. When a federal judge held up enforcement of the original order last month, his administration argued in court (PDF) that any delay in implementationeven for a few dayswould irreparably harm America. But now the administrations own actions have thoroughly undermined this line. It is clear that the administration itself doesnt even buy its own argument for the order.

The government has not only refused to provide any evidence of a threat from these countries while defending its order in court, but the Department of Homeland Security itself has found these countries are not a unique threat. Since the order was halted, top administration have repeatedly delayed implementing a new one that corrects the old ones legal defects.

None of these actions are consistent with an urgent threat to America.

To begin with, after the disastrous rollout of the order in which hundreds of travelers were caught at U.S. airports and were denied entry, Secretary Kelly admitted that the order should have been delayed. In retrospect, he said, I should have delayed it just a bit so I could talk to members of Congress. This is completely incompatible with the arguments that the administration was making to courts at the very same time, that it had to be done immediately, that it could not wait even a few days.

The judge issued a temporary restraining order that would have lasted only a couple of weeks, long enough for him to hear further arguments and evidence. Yet the government argued (PDF) that the judges decision immediately harms the public by thwarting enforcement of an Executive Order issued by the President, based on his national security judgment.

So would Kellys decision to wait have immediately harmed the public too? Is there even a real threat? As soon as the order came out, a report by the Cato Institute pointed out that no person from any of the seven countries had ever killed a person in the United States in a terrorist attack, despite hundreds of thousands of people coming to the United States from these nations in recent years. Thus, on its face, the order was not even aimed toward the object it purported to target.

Yet in court, the administrations lawyer told a federal judge that we dont think youre supposed to look at whether its rationally based. The administration refused to argue that there was any intelligence at all to support the sudden policy change. After the judge temporarily suspended implementation of the original order, the administrations counsel persisted, telling (PDF) the appeals court simply not to second-guess the Presidents prospective judgment about future risks.

In essence, they said, Just trust us. Regardless of the legalities involved, no administration with clear evidence of a threat would fail to provide it in a case that the administration desperately needed a win. Indeed, the administration was so desperate for evidence that White House Spokesman Sean Spicer actually cited a terrorist attack against Muslims by a white nationalist in Canada as a reason why the ban was important. If there was any intelligence backing for the order at all, it would be out there.

Then the Department of Homeland Security issued an intelligence assessment that concluded that country of citizenship is unlikely to be a reliable indicator of potential terrorist activity. It cited the fact that more than half of all terrorism convictions since 2011 were against U.S. citizens and that no citizen of Syriawhich the order singled out for an indefinite refugee banhad ever received such a conviction. The president dismissed the assessment without evidence, saying it was not what he asked for.

After the judge suspended the original order, the president determined to try a new one that would avoid some of the legal issues with the first one. Yet despite issuing distressed tweets like, If something happens, blame [the judge], he has yet to issue it. In fact, his administration has been talking about the new order for weeks, but keeps delaying it. If something will happen without a ban on these immigrants, why wait?

The answer is obvious. The administration is playing politics. It made a rash campaign promise about banning Muslims, turned it into a ban on immigrants from Muslim countries, and now is left to defend an action that its own lawyers refuse to call rationally-based and its own intelligence officials cant justify.
When the unnerving sight of Kellyanne Conway digging her bent knees and shoe heels into the fabric of one of the yellow sofas inside the Oval Office disturbed the fabric of the internet, the images sidelined what was supposed to be the White Houses big relaunch of its pitch to black America: a meeting with leaders of some of the nations historically black colleges and universities in advance of the White House issuing the annual executive order on HBCUs with promised updates. The order and the confab were orchestrated by Omarosa Manigault, the onetime Apprentice star and chief Black Trump consigliore.

Omarosa is seen by many as the force behind Trumps arguably clumsy attempts to reach across the racial aisle. There was the flurry of Trump Tower meetings with Very Famous Black People (Kanye, MLK III, Jim Brown, BET founder Bob Johnson, and Steve Harvey, come on down!)though some in the D.C. rumor mill doubt she could have pulled off the Kanye meet. Then there was the Black History Month kick-off in the Roosevelt Room, where we were treated to The Donalds delighted discovery of Frederick Douglass and where blinged-out Cleveland pastor Darrell Scott publicly negotiated between the top gang thugs and the White House. And who can forget Trumps awkward visit to the Smithsonians new African American History and Culture museum, where he once again used his public remarks to boast about his diminutive Electoral College victory and, when confronted with artifacts of American slavery, apparently remarked boy, thats not good?

The onetime Clinton White House staffer and former reality-show supervillain returned to politics with the man who became her TV mentor. She has an office in the West Wing as a communications staffer in the Office of Public Engagement, along with ample rented space in the psyches of Washingtons best-known black Republicans, many of whom view her as a Democratic interloper wielding inordinate access at a time when Republicans enjoy rare power.

I would applaud a Republican president appointing a black Democrat to what hes appointed her to, in order to help the White House reach across the aisle. Hes just got the wrong black Democrat said a black elder statesman who spent decades active in GOP politics, and who was one of several prominent black Republicans who spoke on condition of anonymity so they could speak freely. Few were willing to go on record, given how small the black Republican community is, and given the threat of retaliation by the White House.

This lifelong black Republican likened bringing in Omarosa to a Democratic president putting 90s-era anti-affirmative action crusader Ward Connerly in their administration. Hes got a black Democrat who hasnt produced a single [Congressional Black Caucus] member to support any nominee that has been appointed, this person continued. She hasnt produced anybody on the Democratic side who is willing to be supportive of anything that Trump has done. So what is her role?

They added: She has no mission or goal other than to make Omarosa the head sister in charge.

The black Republicans who spoke to The Daily Beast made no attempt to hide their disdain for Omarosa, whose ascent has confounded political insiders who still see her as a product of crass reality TVnot unlike the way many of them view her boss.

Omarosa is like Trump in the way she relates to the world: as a collection of people for and against her. She finished eighth in Season 1 of The Apprentice, but was such a hit, E! News dubbed her reality TVs number one bad girl in 2004. She returned as a member of the Celebrity Apprentice cast in 2008, after landing several other reality TV appearances. But she never quite put politics aside, shunning her former employers the Clintons to endorse Barack Obama in 2008 and stumping for the Affordable Care Act online.

We appreciate the president bringing in a Democrat to help him with Democrats, said another prominent black politico, who didnt support Trump during the election but remains active in Republican politics. But now shes running around town ostracizing people who could be helpful; people who were loyal to Trump, to their own personal and political detriment.

Omarosa also declined to comment for this article. But sources close to her say the attack on her party affiliation is basically an attack on the first family; since Trumps own children didnt change their party registrations to Republican in time to vote for him in the New York primary.

The real source of consternation among her detractors is what they view as her role as gatekeeper; slamming the White House doors on them. Many black GOPers opposed Trump during the Republican primaries, and some continued to do so right through Election Day. But they say that while some white never Trumpers and Trump critics have been forgiven, and some have even been rewardedKellyanne Conway, used to slam Trump on TV on a regular basis when she was a Ted Cruz supporter, and is now counselor to the presidentmost black Republicans with policy and political histories dating back to the first Bush administration have been cut out. And they laid the blame at Omarosas designer shoe-clad feet.

Its grating on everybodys nerves now, the black politico said. Shes running around threatening people. Shes put the word out that people like (former George W. Bush director of the Office of Personnel Management) Kay Coles James and [onetime Republican congressman] J.C. Watts will not have a role in this administration as long as shes there because [they] were not loyal to Trump. To show how crazy that is, Kay served on the transition. But [Omarosa] is the woman who said when he wins you will bow down.

Indeed, Omarosa did tell PBS Frontline that Trump ran for president as revenge for the humiliation heaped on him by President Barack Obama at the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner, and added that everyone who has ever humiliated Trump would be made to bow down once he won the White House.

But that doesnt mean black Republicans arent projecting their anger at the White House onto her.

Black Republicans are being held to a much different standard than white Republicans when it comes to interaction with this administration, said Eugene Craig, a 26-year-old black Republican consultant from Baltimore, citing the firing of a black political appointee, after anti-Trump writings were found during his background check. Shermichael Singleton was escorted out of HUD for an article he wrote demanding that Donald Trump be decent, Craig said. You compare that to Kellyanne, who raised millions [of dollars] against Trump. Or Mitt Romney, who actually gets considered for secretary of state.

However Singleton, also 26, says hes an Omarosa supporter, and defended her against attacks by his fellow partisans. I actually like her a lot and speak with her pretty regularly, said Singleton, who says he met Omarosa during the Republican National Convention in the makeshift Fox News green room where he was accompanying Dr. Ben Carson for an interview (he does some work with the media company owned by longtime Carson media handler Armstrong Williams.) Singleton says that when he was at HUD, he spoke with Omarosa frequently, and found her to be a good source of information and feedback on the White House perspective on policy.

I dont know why these people have issues with Omarosa, he said of fellow black Republicans. But my personal relationship with her is a good relationship and I think Omarosa is a good person who, he believes, is trying to do good things for the black community from her White House perch. He even said hed welcome the chance to broker a meeting between Omarosa and his black GOP friends.

He may have a tough time getting takers among these black Republicans, who view Manigault as surrounding the president with black conservatives who are more interested in boosting their cable TV brands than in building the party or helping black communities.

Some of it is personality, said author and historian Leah Wright Rigueur, a professor at Harvard Universitys Kennedy School who has written extensively on the history of black Republicans. But I also think what were seeing is the black people outside the immediate circle dealing with an issue that is really longstanding, dating back 50 years or more: This squabble between black Republicans and the party over who are organically Republicans and who are not.

Right off the bat, Rigueur says of Omarosa, shes from Trumps inner circle, which means she has proximity and access that even Carson, whom Trump doesnt appear to have known before the election, doesnt have. And number two, shes coming in as unapologetically a Democrat. So Trump is putting someone in a position of power and influence who didnt come up in black Republican circles, didnt put in the work, doesnt mix and mingle in that environment; someone who can ignore black Republican ideas and who is not going to turn to black Republicans for advice and validation.

Indeed, Manigault has been known to join in on the weekly policy call black Republicans have held for years, but which since Trumps election has dwindled from about 150 people per week to just over 20, according to a black CEO who is active in Republican politics and who regularly participates on the call. Since she has been calling in, attendance on the call has dropped significantly, because people are horrified. People are saying, if she is gonna be on the call Im not participating.

Weve just had enough, the black CEO said. Weve tried to be nice. We ignored her. But that doesnt work, and her behavior is simply ridiculous. She has shut out from any conversation most prominent black conservatives. She has not met with us. She has not done anything relative to us.

Shes not afraid to stick the knife in your back, said Craig, who made a small media splash two years ago by launching a Ready for Kanye political PAC. Shes a survivor. You get fired from the Clinton administration and you somehow make your way back 16 years later? To a degree Donald Trump may be better served with Stacey Dash. I mean they both are clueless, right?

Manigaults defenders say the anger of black GOPers is misplaced, since she isnt in charge of hiring or firing. They say the real source of black Republican anger is a long-simmering feud black Republicans are having with the White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, formerly the chairman of the Republican National Committee, succeeding the partys first black chairman, Michael Steele. Relations with the party soured soon after, with many black Republicans accusing Priebus of scuttling Steeles efforts to push the party to do more robust black outreach. Last spring, the RNC faced a mass resignation of black staffers that led to the hiring of a group of young black GOP operatives dubbed the Suicide Squad by some black Republicans.

Reince and the black Republicans have been fighting for three years, to the point where all the black [RNC] staff decided to quit on one day, said one black Omarosa defender close to the administration, on background. The person who decides hires and fires is Reince. [But] Reince is too big for them to attack so heres the low-hanging fruit: Omarosa.

Others add that Omarosa may be the best of the slim options Trump has to try and reach black Americans, given his own racial history and the partys lack of spokespeople with broad credibility in the African-American community. Even Carson, once a respected figure in black households, has become a pariah in much of the community since launching his political career by attacking President Obama at a National Prayer Breakfast.

Trump realized the black Americans were angry after the election, said a black woman GOP consultant based in D.C. And I do believe he would like to make some change even just for his ego. Hes trying to figure out where there are wins and opportunities. And I think he realizes that if youre going to lose black Republicans, what are they gonna do? They dont have any power in the party and black folk dont listen to them. If you lose them whats the cost? Trumps opportunity is with conservative-leaning independent blacks or blacks who are economic minded even if theyre Democrats.

And Omarosa, the consultant says, is out in the black community. Shes visible in a way that few black GOPers besides Steele happen to be.

The White House communications office did not respond to a request for comment.

It didnt help that many prominent black Republicans were turned off by Trump and refused to back him either in the primary or in the general election. Now, some of those Republicans are having trouble finding their way back into the fold, particularly with the White House reeling from leaks and demanding absolute loyalty from new hires.

Part of this is about avenues to influence and power, says Rigueur. Black Republicans who are already marginalized in their communities are going to be jockeying for power. At the end of the day, Omarosa is the one who is closer to Trump than any of them.

Shes got knives aimed at her from 50 different vantage points, the black woman GOP consultant said. Partly because of just jealousy that she has this relationship with the president. She can pick up the phone and text Trump, and hes going to respond to her. She has major knives [aimed at her]; white and black.

Indeed, stories of Omarosa wreaking havoc in the West Wing, commandeering a plum office where no public liaison spokesperson has had one, telling people she wants to be Trumps Valerie Jarrett and reportedly even pushing Priebus around (with Priebus allegedly being told by Trump to leave her alone) are all over Washington, though some view the legend as overblown.

Omarosa, like Trump, brings high drama with her to the White House. She made headlines with a public spat with her former friend, White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks April Ryan, who told The Washington Post that Omarosa physically menaced her and threatened her with an enemies list of black journalists the White House doesnt like after Ryan complained that Omarosa was meddling in press secretary Sean Spicers decisions whether to call on Ryan in the daily press briefing.

Omarosa has denied Ryans claims, but its clear from conversations with a source close to the situation that the two are no longer friends. Ryan, for instance, is no longer participating in Omarosas upcoming wedding. (She was even rumored to be angling for a spot on the reality series Say Yes to the Dress, even taping a dress shopping trip with her remaining bridesmaids a day after being sped away from the White House in a government vehicle for an ankle injury.) The womens friendship dates back to Omarosas Clinton White House job in 1997, when Ryan had just begun covering the White House. It has become, the source said, a tragic casualty of the ugly politics of 2016.

Ryan has told friends that the falling out came because Manigault accused her in emails of conspiring with the Clinton campaign (a claim Ryan vehemently denies), which Ryan viewed as a below-the-belt attack on her journalistic credibility. Manigault reportedly made the claim after emails between Ryan and members of the campaign popped up in the John Podesta emails leaked by the pro-Russia outfit WikiLeaks.

The spat between the two women seems to have struck a nerve with the group of black Republican Omarosa critics, who consider Ryan a straight shooter. Their ire was further stoked when Trump, during a recent press conference, pointedly asked if Ryan wanted to set up a meeting between him and the Congressional Black Caucus in response to her question about including them in his planning on urban policy.

The point is, he has Omarosa in place and she cant do that? the black CEO said, calling Trumps suggestion to Ryan straight up racist.

For some black Republicans, the problem indeed goes beyond Omarosa, to Trump and his team, and the Republican Party. Shes dissing black Republicans and white Republicans are silent, said the black political elder statesman. They dont care about black Republicans because they dont care about black people, period.

She has even said around town that shes gonna make black Republicans irrelevant, this person continued. How do you make [South Carolina Senator] Tim Scott irrelevant and [Utah representative] Mia Love irrelevant? Theyve got constituents. They dont need her. But thats the way she thinks. Thats the fantasy world that she and Trump live in. Its a power play with them. Its not about helping people; its about expanding their brandexpanding their kingdom.
By Press Trust of India: The Election Commission today rejected the response of AIADMK on the elevation of V K Sasikala as general secretary, saying T T V Dinakaran, who signed the letter, is not in its list of party office bearers.

It has now asked Sasikala to either sign the response herself or by an authorised signatory who is in the commission's list of AIADMK office bearers and send it again by March 10.

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"... Dinakaran (Sasikalas nephew, who was hurriedly reinducted into the party and nominated AIADMK deputy general secretary) is not an office bearer of your party as per the Commissions record... The reply should either be submitted under your own signature or you may duly authorise somebody to do so on your behalf," the poll watchdog said.

Sasikala is at present lodged in a Bengaluru jail.

The AIADMK had defended the decision to appoint Sasikala as its interim general secretary, saying the general council of the party has the authority to make such an appointment.

In its response to the February 17 notice by Election Commission, the AIADMK also said those who later complained against Sasikala's elevation had initially signed the resolution in her support.

The party had told the Commission that its functioning would have come to a standstill had a new general secretary not been appointed after the demise of J Jayalalithaa.

Also read: AIADMK's Sasikala group says Election Commission can't dictate terms on party's internal matter

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Are you looking for a job and not having much luck finding local job listings? There are variety of ways to narrow down your local job search to focus on jobs near you  or in the locations where you are interested in working.
The court withdrew the order after a food safety inspector submitted report revealing that the eating joint was now one of the most hygienic places in the city.

By Mail Today Bureau: Putting an end to the controversy related to the hygiene standards of the famous eatery-Kake-Da-Hotel on Connaught Circus, the Delhi High Court ordered withdrawal of notice issued to it by food safety department.

The court withdrew the order after a food safety inspector submitted report revealing that the eating joint was now one of the most hygienic places in the city.

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To this, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said, "Hygiene and safety standards have to be maintained across all eating joints in the city and the food safety department cannot just pick and choose restaurants or other eating joints to implement this.

The food safety officer also assured the court that it would inspect all eateries and restaurants and action would be taken against those not complying with the mandatory safety and hygenic standard requirements.

WHAT HAPPENED

The famous food eatery had entered a controversy after a video went viral on social media showing a man allegedly kneading dough with his feet atop the hotel's terrace. The video attracted notice from the food safety department of the Delhi government. In its defence, the eatery said it has complied with all requirements, barring two deficiencies being lack of hands-free taps and a chimney, which it said would be rectified within a week.

The department had issued a notice on February 22 for emergency prohibition to Mehak Cuisines Pvt Ltd, which runs the eatery.

During the brief hearing on Thursday, the food safety officer (FSO) told the court that when he inspected the premises on February 28, there was a dough kneading machine installed, though it was not there during earlier inspections.

Advocate Chander M Lall, appearing for Mehak Cuisines, said there was no evidence of dough being kneaded by foot. He also said the standards which Kake da Hotel was being asked to maintain, was not being followed in other eating joints, including the lawyers' canteen of the Delhi High Court.Also Read

Knead with feet: Food safety department raids Delhi restaurant after video goes viral

Video shows man kneading dough with feet at Delhi hotel

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Freida Pinto teamed up with two charities to make sure that tonnes of leftovers are put to good use.

Freida Pinto teamed up with two charities to put an end to food waste in the aftermath of the Oscars. Picture courtesy: Instagram/freidapinto

By India Today Web Desk: The Oscars aren't just about the award ceremony that's telecast across the globe. It is always followed up by the Academy Awards' Governors Ball, where all the nominees and winners are treated to a gala dinner. The event boasts of amazing culinary delights, most of which are Oscars-themed.

This year was no exception. From Oscars statuette-shaped chocolates and starters, to a wide variety of appetizers and desserts, the evening's food had many standouts. But what happens usually is that the excess food (and there's a lot of it) goes to waste.

Pinto claims that around 800 people in Los Angeles were served the leftovers from the Oscars. Picture courtesy: Instagram/freidapinto

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Also read: Oscar Fever: The food that's going to be served on Oscars night

That waste was averted this year, through the efforts of Indian actress Freida Pinto. The actress, famed for her role in the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionnaire, teamed up with two charities, Chefs to End Hunger and Copia, to make sure that the hundreds of pounds of leftovers are distributed to people who need it.

Freida Pinto posted the pictures the people who helped redistribute the Oscars leftovers. Picture courtesy: Instagram/freidapinto

According to Salon, Chefs to End Hunger has doled out the leftovers to various food shelters, like the Midnight Mission, in the Los Angeles area for the last six years.

This year, Copia paired with Chefs to End Hunger to redistribute the Oscars leftovers. Picture courtesy: Instagram/gocopia

This year, their effort was reinforced when Pinto, a Global Citizen Ambassador, brought in Copia. Copia is an organization that redistributes restaurant leftovers to the community's poor.

Also read: An Indian was behind giving the Oscars its shiniest diamonds this year

Needless to say, this concerted effort made quite a mark. Pinto posted on her Instagram that around 800 people in and around Los Angeles were fed the excess food from the Oscars.

These are some of the Oscars dishes that were served at LA food shelters. Picture courtesy: Instagram/gocopia

While food waste is a major problem that's plaguing the world right now, celebrities like Freida Pinto, and charities like Chefs to End Hunger and Copia, are showing through example that change is possible.

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Bud Light launched in UK by AB InBev

AB InBev has launched the UK release of Bud Light, representing the company's biggest brand launch in the country.

The UK launch of Bud Light responds to growing demand from beer fans to see the brand come to the UK and will appeal to a new generation of consumers, including younger demographics with evolving alcohol preferences.

Bud Light is brewed to 3.5% ABV for the UK and uses the Beechwood Ageing process.

The product will be available in 440ml aluminium cans in-store and 500ml SKUs for wholesalers, using the same packaging design and branding as the American version. It will also be offered on draught across the nations pubs, bars and restaurants.

Bud Light was available across grocery and convenience stores from 25 February 2017. It will also be available across a wide range of on-trade outlets as of the first week of March.

The launch will be supported by a fully integrated multi-million-pound marketing campaign that celebrates the brands personality. This includes TV advertising, out-of-home sites at iconic locations nationwide, significant print and digital spend and PR and social media activations.

The launch will also start an online and offline promotional campaign, with a major focus on sampling to encourage both initial and repeat purchasing.

Nick Robinson, AB InBev marketing director, UK and Ireland, comments: Our intention is to inject energy and excitement into the UK beer category and we believe Bud Light is perfectly placed to do so by responding to the evolving preferences of todays consumer. Our research shows that younger LDA drinkers in particular want a beer with a lighter taste, fewer calories and lower ABV  all things that Bud Light delivers as a standalone, premium light alternative. It is the most popular beer brand in the USA and is vastly popular amongst drinking-age millennials, who view it as the leading lager to accompany relaxation and bonding. A high proportion of UK consumers are already aware of Bud Light and its success stateside, and we are frequently asked when it will be made available here.

Bud Lights UK pricing and formats:

Off-Trade:

4 x 440 Multipack  RRP: 4.50

10 x 440 Multipack  RRP: 10

18 x 440 Multipack  RRP: 15

4 x 500ml Multipack (wholesale only)  RRP: 5.49

3 March 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor
SPECIAL REPORT: World Whiskies America

The finest products, companies and individuals were recognised at our Whisky Magazine Awards ceremony held at the Brandy Library, New York on Tuesday, February 28, 2017.

Whisky Magazine's managing editor Rupert Wheeler hosted the presentations alongside senior master of whiskey and World Whiskies Awards (WWA) US chair of judges Steve Beal.

Guests made the journey from all across America to take part in the celebrations. During the event, three of the magazines top awards were presented including:

World Whiskies Awards, American Winners 2017

Icons of Whisky America 2017

Hall of Fame, American Inductees

Rupert Wheeler says: "As managing editor of Whisky Magazine, I am delighted that I have been able to present these awards at the Brandy Library in New York. Since taking over as editor three years ago, I have visited the US on several occasions and tasted a large number of superb whiskeys.

"We awarded the American categories of the WWA and I would like to congratulations all the winners. Our Icons awards recognise the enormous number of talented people working in the whisky industry and we ended the evening by inducting two titans of American whiskey into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame. On my very first visit to Kentucky, I was fortunate enough to visit Michter's and meet our latest inductee Willie Pratt who gave me a guided tour of the distillery. Congratulations to Willie and Julian Van Winkle on joining the Hall of Fame."

World Whiskies Awards - American Winners

World's Best Bourbon

John J Bowman, Single Barrel Bourbon

America's Best

Blended

Breckenridge, Port Cask Finish

Corn

Ironroot Republic, Hubris Corn

Flavoured

Sons of Liberty Seasonals, Gala Apple Flavored

Grain

Bainbridge, Yama

Kentucky Bourbon

Four Roses, 2016 Limited Edition Small Batch

Non Kentucky Bourbon

John J Bowman, Single Barrel Bourbon

Rye

A D Laws, Secale Straight Rye Bottled in Bond

Single Malt

Virginia Distillery Company, Virginia Highland Malt

Wheat

Bainbridge, Battle Point

Category Gold

American Rye

Hudson, Maple Cask Rye

McKenzie, Straight Rye

American Single Malt

Sons of Liberty, Battle Cry

Sons of Liberty, Uprising

Westland Distillery, Garryana

Breckenridge, Dark Arts

Kentucky Bourbon

1792, Full Proof

Stagg Jr, Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Eagle Rare, 17 Years Old

Non Kentucky Bourbon

Ironroot Republic, Harbinger Bourbon

Joseph Magnus Bourbon, Triple-Cask Finished

Sonoma County, West of Kentucky Bourbon No2

A D Laws, Four Grain

Balcones, Texas Blue Corn Bourbon

Category Silver

American Rye

Sazerac, Straight Kentucky Rye

A D Laws, 2nd Fill Oak Secale Rye Mash

American Single Malt

Westland Distillery, American Oak

Balcones, Rum Cask Finish

Kentucky Bourbon

Elijah Craig, Small Batch

Four Roses, Elliott's Select

Heaven Hill, Select Stock

Non Kentucky Bourbon

291, Colorodo Bourbon Aspen Stave Finished

Hudson, Baby Bourbon

Rock Town, Arkansas Bourbon

Category Bronze

American Rye

Thomas H Handy Sazerac, Uncut Unfiltered

Kentucky Bourbon

Elmer T Lee, Single Barrel Bourbon

Yellowstone, Bourbon

Non Kentucky Bourbon

291, Colorado Bourbon Aspen Stave Finished

Icons of Whisky America 2017:



Distiller, sponsored by Glencairn Crystal

Winner: Beam Suntory

Highly Commended: Heaven Hill Brands

Brand Innovator, sponsored by Multi Packaging Solutions

Winner: Maker's Mark Distillery

HC: Westland Distillery

Visitor Attraction, Sponsored by Christie's

Winner: Buffalo Trace Distillery

HC: Four Roses Distillery

Craft Producer, sponsored by Wade

Winner: Sons of Liberty Spirits Company

HC: Coppersea Distillery

Master Distillery / Master Blender

Winner: Jeff Arnett - Jack Daniel's

HC: Denny Potter - Heaven Hill Distillery

Distillery Manager, sponsored by Broxburn Properties

Winner: Victoria MacRae-Samuels - Maker's Mark Distillery

HC: Ryan Ashley - Four Roses Distillery

Visitor Attraction Manager

Winner: Kimberley Bennett - Beam Suntory

HC: Matt Higgins - Buffalo Trace Distillery

American Whiskey Brand Ambassador

Winner: Adam Harris - Beam Suntory

HC: Bernie Lubbers - Heaven Hill Brands

Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador

Winner: Tim Herlihy - Tullamore DEW

HC: Michael Egan - Beam Suntory

Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador, sponsored by Procurus

Winner: Martin Daraz - The Edrington Group

HC: David Laird - William Grant & Sons

World Whisky Brand Ambassador

Winner: Allison Patel - Brenne Whisky

HC: Raj Sabharwal - Purple Valley Imports

Multiple Outlets Retailer, sponsored by Amrut Distilleries

Winner: Binny's Beverage Depot

HC: Spec's Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods

Single Outlet Retailer

Winner: Astor Wines & Spirits

HC: Julio's Liquor

Online Retailer

Winner: Ace Spirits

HC: Binny's Beverage Depot

Travel Retailer

Sponsored by Steklarna Hrastnik

Winner: Duty Free Americas

HC: DFS Group

For full Icons of Whisky results including shortlists, go to www.iconsofwhisky.com

Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame



Hall of Fame, Inductee No39

Julian Van Winkle III, president, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery

Hall of Fame, Inductee No40

Willie Pratt, master distiller emeritus, Michter's Distillery





3 March 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor
Two years after lawmakers created the Governor's University Research Initiative, both the House and Senate have zeroed out funding for it in their early budget proposals. This year, the governor's office had asked for $40 million for the initiative, the creation of which was one of Abbott's top priorities in his first year as governor.

The initiative got that amount in 2015, and the money was used to help the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University and the University of Houston attract a combined total of 11 prominent researchers.

No final decision has been made on the fund this year; more money could still be added into the 2018-19 budget. But in a tight year, lawmakers are arguing that the 2015 funding might have been a one-time expense. And some are questioning whether hiring 11 professors is worth $40 million.

Universities could be facing hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding cuts, and they are facing mounting pressure to keep tuition under control.

"I look at the numbers, and it seems like we are spending a lot of money on these researchers," said Rep. Oscar Longoria, D-Mission, at a recent budget hearing. Longoria chairs a House subcommittee that focuses on the section of the budget that funds the research initiative.

Each dollar used by the fund must be matched by the university it's spent on. So $40 million from the initiative ends up totaling $80 million spent.

Supporters of the initiative say that's the cost of luring top professors. Not only do the researchers command high salaries, they also need laboratory space, graduate students and infrastructure to carry out their research. Once they are hired, they have the potential to elevate their universities and grow the economy through their research, supporters say.

Abbott has indicated that he is willing to fight for the project. During his time in office, the Republican governor has been a vocal supporter of the state's universities and has expressed a desire to see their prestige and rankings rise.

On Monday, he'll host a reception at the Governor's Mansion featuring the researchers whom he helped recruit to Texas.

And at his State of the State speech earlier this year, he called out Senate Finance Committee Chairwoman Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, to say, "The Governors University Research Initiative you funded last session brought internationally renowned researchers to Texas."

He then noted A&M's use of the fund to hire Richard Miles, an aerospace engineering professor who came to Texas from Princeton University.

"His work places Texas A&M and the state of Texas at the forefront of laser and optical technology that can enhance national security," he said.

Abbott added, "We also need to put our state on the path for national and international prominence for the next 20 years." The initiative, he said, "does that. And it must be fully funded."

But even supporters of the initiative have balked at the $40 million that Abbott's office has requested for the initiative in 2018-19. In 2015, its money came from the dissolution of the Emerging Technology Fund, an economic development fund utilized by former Gov. Rick Perry. This year, money is tighter, and there's no obvious other fund at the governor's disposal from which to take the funds.

At a hearing in February, House Appropriations Committee Chairman John Zerwas, R-Richmond, suggested the governor's office find other parts of its budget that could be redirected to the initiative.

"I would suggest that is probably a good exercise in light of where we are with dollars," he said.

Nelson, the Senate Finance Committee chairwoman, seemed to agree in a statement from her office Thursday night. Because the Emerging Technology Fund has been depleted, the statement said, "there is no longer a revenue source" for the Governor's University Research Initiative.

Disclosure: Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Houston have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors is available here.
US President Donald Trump's recent address to Congress was his most 'presidential' speech in a presidency that has been 'unpresidented'. He has excluded certain media houses from White House briefings, blamed the military for the death of a soldier, instituted a travel ban on citizens from seven nations and made several claims not supported by facts. His campaign promises have also run up against reality-building the US-Mexico wall requires money that doesn't seem to exist, repealing Obamacare is not easy and prevailing trade deals are difficult to dispense with. In his pronouncements and actions, President Trump has reversed many things that make America great: its history of openness to immigrants, of tolerance for other races and religions and of freedom of press. Nowhere is this deep-seated toxicity towards 'non-Americans' more evident than in the shooting in a Kansas bar last week, a hate crime that left a young Indian dead and two other people injured .

President Trump believes in America First, which he reiterated in his Congress address, declaring he represents the USA and not the world. This has made the country's traditional allies nervous and its rivals wonder. For India, on the face of it, with the looming H1B visa issue, relations between the two nations look set to nosedive. However, that might be an inaccurate reading. Not just because President Trump said on the campaign trail that the US and India would be best friends, but also because India is a natural and strategic ally in his battle against China's global ambitions. His warmth towards Russia, a steadfast friend of India, may also help us. Then there is the fight against terrorism on which the two nations are aligned. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to meet the US President on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hamburg in July, and in a phone call on January 25, the two leaders declared their intent to work together for defence and security.

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This week, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar is in the US to discuss relations between the two nations in the Age of Trump. On the agenda: visas-the biggest issue between the two countries as the proposed curb on H1B visas would directly impact India's $150 billion IT services industry-as well as defence ties, terrorism and trade with Trump's emphasis on Buy American, Hire American. Trump is seen as taking a hard line on China, from reducing the trade deficit to ensuring Beijing does not exercise sovereignty over the South China Sea. The Trump effect could prove a boon for India's dealings with China. Both countries initiated secretary-level talks aimed at defusing recent tensions, but New Delhi wants to counter Beijing for repeatedly blocking sanctions against terror mastermind Masood Azhar and India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

The cover story written by Group Editorial Director (Publishing) Raj Chengappa examines all these points. Chengappa also interviewed ShalabhKumar, founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition, which Indian businessmen formed last year to promote the interests of Hindu-Americans with Republican policymakers.

It's early days yet. Donald Trump is unpredictable, but there's little doubt he'll follow through on his campaign promises in some way. Like former president Ronald Reagan, he has some core beliefs that he won't abandon. This will disrupt the world order dramatically. In this new world order, India has to find its own pride of place. It's not an easy task, but it could be a golden opportunity.

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A recent investigation by the Guardian newspaper along with leaked court documents raise serious concerns that this was an extrajudicial killing planned by the Honduran military intelligence. In fact, despite an International outcry and rallies at embassies of Honduras all over the world, the brutalities still continue. In October 2016 two other COPINH leaders survived separate murder attempts.

Part of a pattern

Berta's murder and its perpetrators' non-penalization is not an isolated case, but one among numerous environmental activists across the world whose murders go unpunished.

People's struggles to protect nature and the local communities' livelihoods and health against all kinds of ecological distribution conflicts are of course not only related to the cases of hydroelectric projects like the one mentioned above but are also triggered by all kinds of projects pushing the commodity extraction frontiers further. These include mining, oil and gas drilling, deforestation, construction of power plants or the destruction of mangroves for aquafarming, just to name a few.

Another such regrettable incident happened not so long ago, on January 17th, 2017. Laura Leonor Vasquez Pineda was shot dead by unidentified men at the entrance of her house, in Mataquescuintla, Guatemala. She was 47-years-old and in charge of two grandchildren. Laura was a prominent member of the Committee Defending San Rafael Las Flores. This environmental justice organization was created in 2011 to organize the local resistance to the El Escobal/San Rafael gold and silver mine. The operating license was granted to the Canadian company Tahoe Resources in April 2013 by the national government and without the local inhabitants prior consent.

The Mesoamerican Initiative of Advocate Women (MIAW) denounces a territorial femicide. The organization reminds us that Laura's activism, just like Berta's, was criminalized until her life was taken away. She was imprisoned for seven months in 2013 whilst the evidence of the charges the public ministry had against her were never presented. After her release she suffered a campaign stigmatizing and discrediting her as a retailer. She actually owned a small shop which was her principal source of livelihood. The World Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights reckons that besides Laura, at least 14 more activists opposing the San Rafael mine were improperly sued. Again analogous to Berta Caceres' case, another member of Laura Vasquez's organization was killed:Telesforo Pivaral in April 2015.

The kill list keeps growing

Global Witness records every year many other instances of the physical elimination of environmental activists, women and men. The EJAtlas maps many of these deplorable incidents, be it Nilce de Souza Magalhaes in Brazil, Rosalinda Perez in Guatemala, Gloria Capitan and Teresita Navacillas in the Philippines, Dora Alicia Recinos Sorto in El Salvador, Vincent Machozi in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sikhosiphi Bazooka Rhadebe in South Africa or Somporn Pattanabhumi, Montha Chukaew, Pranee Boonrat and Chai Bunthonglek from Thailand. Lack of governmental investigation, police or military complicity and increasing criminalization of social protest are some of the numerous common features of today's environmental justice conflicts from all over the world.

These people, like most defenders of nature and human rights, are ordinary people with common aspirations of sustaining a happy and healthy life for their family and friends. Is the protection of this dream a reason to be killed for and not worthy of any justice? What would you do if tomorrow someone constructed an incinerator which polluted your neighborhood, or built a dam that submerged your home?

The current economic model which facilitates the global unsustainable production and consumption patterns is putting at risk both the ecosystems and the people defending it. There is a need to acknowledge these interdependencies. This implies that unless we can drastically change the system, and curb our insane addiction to natural resources, territorial femicides and their perpetrators' impunity will continue and most likely intensify. Those perpetrating ecocide are those perpetrating femicide. We need to come together and raise our voices to demand justice for the women who like Berta Caceres are brutally silenced on the frontlines of the struggles for environmental justice.

These Authors

Camila and Brototi are PhD candidates at Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona and a part of the EnvJustice team
Intelligence agencies have learnt that the Samajwadi Party minister, who is also contesting the Uttar Pradesh assembly election, plans to leave the country to avoid arrest.

By Brijesh Pandey: Airports and exit points across the country have been put on high alert to prevent UP Minister Gayatri Prajapati, who has been booked for rape, from trying to flee the country.

Prajapati has been charged with raping a woman and attacking her daughter. Intelligence agencies have learnt that the Samajwadi Party minister, who is also contesting the Uttar Pradesh assembly election from Amethi, plans to leave the country to avoid arrest. advertisement According to official sources, a Letter of Cancellation (LC) will soon be opened against him and all airports have been alerted to prevent the 49-year-old Prajapati from fleeing abroad. A letter of cancellation is a technical term used for alerting immigration authorities about any possible move by a suspect to leave the country. Whenever the passport of a suspect comes for immigration clearance at any exit point of the country, the computer screen warns the official to not let the person leave. BJP ATTACKS SAMAJWADI PARTY OVER PRAJAPATI CASE The Prajapati episode has given the BJP fresh ammunition to hit out at the Samajwadi Party over the deteriorating law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier on Friday, BJP chief Amit Shah hit out at the Samajwadi Party government for not promptly arresting Prajapati and slammed Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for campaigning for Prajapati. Akhilesh Yadav has time till March 11 to arrest Prajapati. Otherwise when we form the government, we will hunt him down and arrest him, BJP chief Amit Shah has said. The BJP chief said, "I saw on a TV channel that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was asking Gayatri Prajapati to surrender. What is the UP police doing? A women goes to every rank of police but nothing happens. Then she approaches the Supreme Court, which orders the UP police to file an FIR. But for the next 6 days, Prajapati goes on campaigning and later simply disappears. And now the chief minister is appealing him to surrender."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also attacked the SP's election slogan 'kaam bolta hai' in the light of the rape allegation against Prajapati.

Meanwhile, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), guarding Uttar Pradesh's border with Nepal, has also been alerted about the possibility of Prajapati fleeing the country.

The UP Police on February 18 registered an FIR against the ruling Samajwadi Party politician, who has been at large, for allegedly gangraping a woman and molesting her daughter with his aides.

The victims had knocked at the doors of the Supreme Court, on whose directive an FIR has been registered by the UP Police against the ruling Samajwadi Party politician.

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AKHILESH PROMISES COOPERATION

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has assured that he will fully cooperate in the case in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court.

"The matter is in the Supreme Court. The government will fully cooperate and go by its order", Yadav said in response to a question on the case at a press conference in Lucknow.

After state BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya said that Prajapati has been hiding in the Chief Minister's house, Akhilesh asked journalists to follow him with their cameras to check for themselves.

AMIT SHAH CONFIDENT OF BJP's CHANCES IN UP

Sounding confident about the BJP's chances of winning Uttar Pradesh, Shah said, "Based on the information that we had gathered from the ground, it was clear that the people of Uttar Pradesh had given us the required mandate. In the last two phases, we will inch towards a two-thirds majority. At times I feel that people are more charged and enthusiastic about forming the BJP government than our cadres." "Youths in the state are angry with Samajwadi Party as unemployment is at an all-time high and corruption has permeated to every sphere", he said.

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The BJP chief also targetted Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party, saying the BSP was talking of a goonda-mukt UP, but how was that possible while she had Mukhtar Ansari and Afzal Siddiqui on her side. Also read | Irani: Either Akhilesh is incompetent or he is protecting rape-accused minister Gayatri Prajapati

WATCH VIDEO

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Last November, Virginias commissioner of health declared a public health emergency over the opioid epidemic.

Last week, Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed four different bills into law that are aimed at stemming said epidemic.

Earlier this week, FBI Director James Comey told participants at a community forum in Henrico County that we cannot arrest our way out of this problemIt is a black hole that sucks all different kinds of people into it.

What is going on here that is being described as an emergency and an epidemic?

Opioids are a class of drugs that act on opioid receptors in the nervous system, causing a person to feel relief from pain. These are very powerful drugs that work to fight terrible pain, but they are also highly addictive. Illegal drugs such as heroin and fentanyl have been used and abused at an increasingly alarming rate.

There are also those who use opioids legally as prescription medication for severe pain. Oxycodone (known commercially as OxyContin), hydrocodone (known commercially as Vicodin), codeine, morphine are examples of legal prescription opioids. But heres the rub. Even when people access these drugs legally at a hospital or pharmacy, some users become addicted and thus start to abuse their prescribed meds. The Virginia Department of Heath reports that last year over 1,000 people died from opioid overdose. In 2015, it was 811 deaths.

I wish I could say that criminal behavior is rarely linked to opioids, but that is not true, said A.J. Dudley, Commonwealths Attorney for Franklin County. Not only do we see prescription pain medications abused and stolen, we also see increased drug trafficking in illegal substances that offer a similar effect on a user, such as heroin.

Our area is particularly prone to prescription pain medication abuse.

The issue we see is that, from a prescription drug point of view, clearly Southwest Virginia is highest risk, but with the heroin addiction, the large metropolitan areas are the highest risk, Virginia Commissioner of Health Dr. Marissa Levine told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

One of the bills the Governor signed into law is intended to curb this rampant prescription drug abuse in our area.

House Bill 2165 requires that all opioid prescriptions be transmitted from doctors to pharmacies electronically by the year 2020. The measure is meant to crack down on handwritten prescriptions that could be faked or doctored by users seeking opioids.

We know this will help us better track the physicians that are overprescribing. It will also prevent prescription fraud, and it will really give us a way to monitor better the prescriptions that are flooding our market in Southwest Virginia, Del. Todd Pillion, R-Abingdon, told the Bristol Herald Courier. Pillion was the primary sponsor of the bill.

I talked with someone who Pillions bill will directly affect. Sharon Boros is a Rocky Mount resident that suffers from Trigeminal neuralgia where the myelin protecting the nerve in her head is eroding, causing severe nerve pain.

Theres so much regulation that when people are in real pain, theyre suffering, Boros said. Its just tough, its really tough for people who are honestly in pain.

Boros describes how as a prescription user of methadone, an opioid, she is required to pay for a drug test twice a year. She also has to drive to her doctor every month to get a new prescription that then has to be delivered to the pharmacy a week before pick-up since the pharmacy doesnt keep opioids stocked.

Its just ridiculous, Boros said. Its very frustrating and I totally get that people in America are way over prescribed pain meds. But I think its way overreaction. If youre in pain, whats wrong with having pain medication? I never take more than prescribed, no I never do. I never try to get high on it. I need it so I can get up and wash my dishes and do my laundry and go to work every day and do my life. I need it like people with diabetes need insulin.

When I asked Boros what advice she had for lawmakers looking to curtail abuse and illegal use without hurting law-abiding users, she didnt have any easy solution.

Theres probably no clear answer, my frustration, I guess Ive just going to have to deal with it, because there is that percentage of people who abuse it, Boros said. I dont know the real answer. The laws are set up against the people who have legitimate pain and I guess thats just what they have to do to protect the whole people, but the people who are really in pain, we suffer.
On Feb. 3, Norman Bay's last day as a commissioner for the federal agency that evaluates interstate natural gas pipelines, it suddenly seemed to pipeline watchdogs that he had at least a portion of one foot in their camp.

Carolyn Elefant, who once worked as a lawyer for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and now often helps fight its rulings, reacted to Bay's parting statement.

Honestly, it was an utter surprise, she said.

In a written statement, Bay suggested the commission he had chaired for nearly two years ought to revisit how it weighs the pros and cons of pipeline projects. He made recommendations that pipeline project watchdogs have pitched for years.

Elefant's law firm in Washington, D.C., frequently represents pipeline opponents. Clients include Montgomery County, where the board of supervisors  like boards in Giles, Craig and Roanoke counties  opposes the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline.

Most foes of the Mountain Valley project and separate Atlantic Coast Pipeline embraced Bay's statement. Yet there was recognition that his recommendations might not yield meaningful change, especially given that President Donald Trump, who has voiced support for two deeply controversial fossil fuel pipelines, has an opportunity to appoint three new commissioners to the five-member FERC panel  which currently lacks a quorum.

FERC is an independent agency that regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas and oil. It also reviews proposals to build liquefied natural gas terminals and interstate natural gas pipelines and licenses hydro-power projects.

"It's useful for an expert like Norman Bay to publicly advocate for reforming the way FERC looks at pipeline need and climate impacts," said Peter Anderson, Virginia program manager for Appalachian Voices, a nonprofit organization based in Boone, North Carolina.

"However, it's frustrating that the former commissioner waited until his retirement to speak out," Anderson added. "Hopefully, FERC will take his criticisms seriously and, hopefully, Chairman Bay will continue to campaign for these changes."

Bay announced Jan. 26 that he was resigning from FERC after Trump made Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur acting chair. Bay, once a U.S. attorney in his home state of New Mexico, became director of FERC's office of enforcement in 2009. A Democrat, Bay was appointed as a commissioner by President Barack Obama and had served in that role since August 2014, and as commission chairman since April 2015.

Reached by phone Thursday in Washington, Bay declined to discuss his parting statement, noting he is now a private citizen.

"I really don't have any further comments at this point," he said.

'Deeply controversial'

Among other recommendations in his statement, Bay said FERC ought to consider refining and expanding its evaluation of the need for new natural gas pipelines to guard against overbuilding.

Pipeline opponents have long questioned the need for new infrastructure to transport natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations in the Appalachian Basin and have commissioned studies they contend provide evidence that existing pipelines and storage facilities are adequate to serve demand.

Bay observed that "the development of natural gas pipeline infrastructure has become increasingly controversial." And he cited one especially hot-button reality: Pipeline companies whose projects receive FERC approval have access to federal eminent domain to acquire easements across private property.

Private property advocates have alleged, Bay said, that land is being taken by for-profit companies for projects that do not serve a public use.

In addition, Bay referenced FERCs approach to conducting environmental reviews of natural gas pipeline projects. He suggested broadening the focus  echoing fervent calls, voiced for years by environmental and conservation groups, for a wide-ranging environmental impact statement designed to collectively assess the effects of numerous projects.

Bay wrote, Despite the growing importance of Marcellus and Utica gas production  it was 22.5 billion cubic feet per day in 2016 and is projected to surpass 44 billion cubic feet per day by 2050  the commission has never conducted a comprehensive study of the environmental consequences of increased production from that region."

FERC has repeatedly rejected demands by watchdogs for a programmatic environmental impact statement that could shepherd an over-arching evaluation of pipeline projects under commission review.

Such projects include the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines. Both undertakings would bury a 42-inch diameter pipeline that would transport natural gas at high pressure from the Appalachian Basin. The 303-mile, $3.5 billion Mountain Valley project would route through the Roanoke region; the 600-mile, $5.1 billion Atlantic Coast project would travel through portions of Central Virginia and on into North Carolina.

FERC has said that regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality do not require the commission to conduct a broad, programmatic environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, because FERC has no "plan, policy or program" for the development of natural gas infrastructure.

Tamara Young-Allen, a FERC spokeswoman, has said the commission's policy has been to "allow market forces to determine where projects would be situated."

In November 2015, Bay himself rejected conducting a programmatic environmental impact statement for the Mountain Valley Pipeline and other proposed interstate natural gas pipelines affecting Virginia and West Virginia, including the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

Bay's statement of Feb. 3 suggested his thinking has changed.

"Even if not required by NEPA, in light of the heightened public interest and in the interests of good government, I believe the commission should analyze the environmental effects of increased regional gas production from the Marcellus and Utica," Bay wrote.

Richard Caywood, assistant administrator for Roanoke County, reacted.

"Roanoke County has repeatedly requested a programmatic environmental analysis that would look at the MVP project with other ongoing and proposed projects in our region," he said.

Caywood observed that impacts of pipeline construction on the environment, property values, viewsheds and more would be the same regardless of whether the venture succeeds financially.

"Having the project actually constructed and then ultimately not being fully utilized due to insufficient market demand would seem to be a lose-lose outcome for all parties involved," he said. "I do find it somewhat concerning that the former FERC commissioner is uneasy about the potential overbuilding of pipeline projects designed to serve specific gas deposits."

Natalie Cox, a spokeswoman for Mountain Valley Pipeline, said in an email Tuesday that there is clear demand for the natural gas that the project would transport to the Transco pipeline in Pittsylvania County. Transco, part of Williams Partners' natural gas pipeline network, extends from South Texas to New York City.

"Recent analyses by global energy consultant Wood Mackenzie have shown that demand for natural gas is expected to grow significantly in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions," Cox said. "The proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline, which is already full subscribed, is designed specifically to meet that demand."

Establishing need

The primary shipper of gas on the Mountain Valley Pipeline is EQT Energy LLC, an affiliate of EQT Corp., a main player in the Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC joint venture. EQT Energy is the shipper for about 64.5 percent of the project's natural gas. Roanoke Gas, an affiliate of pipeline partner RGC Midstream, is lined up to use about 0.5 percent of the pipeline's gas.

Pipeline watchdogs contend FERC's evaluation of demand for a project's natural gas should pay more heed to end users  customers that might include local distribution companies like Roanoke Gas  than to affiliates of the companies building the pipelines.

"The idea that agreements between corporate affiliates somehow establish 'need' for a new pipeline is a sham," Anderson said.

Bay's statement referenced the debate about which criteria FERC should examine to establish need, including considering whether "precedent agreements" to reserve capacity on the pipeline "are largely signed by affiliates."

Cox said that even though the targeted in-service date for the Mountain Valley Pipeline is late 2018, EQT Energy has already sold gas that a customer would take from the hub at the Transco pipeline. Cox noted, though, that "the sale of gas is a very competitive process," and said she could not share information about who those customers are and what their end use of the gas might be.

Meanwhile, Paul Nester, chief financial officer for both Roanoke Gas and its parent company, RGC Resources, which includes affiliate RGC Midstream, said Roanoke Gas has a need for the natural gas it would take from the Mountain Valley Pipeline if the project proceeds.

Nester cited anticipated demand tied to an expansion at Steel Dynamics Roanoke Bar Division, the start of production brewing in Botetourt County by Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits and expected usage by other customers.

"We need the MVP gas," Nester said, noting that current transmission pipelines now supplying Roanoke Gas are "at full capacity."

FERC released in September the draft environmental impact statement for the Mountain Valley Pipeline and is now crafting a final environmental statement. On Dec. 30, FERC issued the draft environmental impact statement for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and recently held meetings to solicit public input.

Bay's comments noted that increased use of natural gas as a fuel to generate electricity has helped cut emissions of carbon, a greenhouse gas associated with coal and climate change, but he also suggested FERC ought to consider more comprehensively the effects of other greenhouse gas emissions.

Watchdogs of the natural gas industry have long observed that there are significant emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is the primary constituent of natural gas, occurring along the fuel's entire supply chain  from extraction by hydraulic fracturing through processing, delivery and consumption.

Bay suggested FERC should be open to "performing a life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions study."

'A reckoning'

The Feb. 3 statement by Bay was attached to a commission ruling approving the Northern Access 2016 pipeline project, which will construct about 99 miles of natural gas pipeline and related facilities in Pennsylvania and New York.

Had Bay previously voiced recommendations during commission deliberations about how FERC evaluates the need for and environmental effects of new pipeline infrastructure?

"No," said Young-Allen of FERC.

She said that neither LaFleur nor Commissioner Colette Honorable has commented on their former colleague's statement.

"They may potentially respond if this issue is raised in rehearing of the Northern Access case in which Commissioner Bay made the comments," Young-Allen said. "Rehearing in that case is pending. We cannot comment on pending cases."

Bay's term would have expired June 30, 2018. His appointment by Obama in 2014 stirred opposition among some Senate Republicans who expressed concerns that Bay ran FERC's enforcement division with a heavy hand and was too closely aligned with what some described as Obama's "anti-coal agenda."

After three votes early in Bay's tenure that dissented from commission colleagues, former FERC commissioner Suedeen Kelly was quoted in a Law360 article as saying the dissents suggested Bay "thinks for himself" and was "going to try to do what he thinks is right, at least as a commissioner."

None of those dissents focused on pipelines.

Roberta Bondurant, a resident of Bent Mountain in Roanoke County, has helped organize opposition to both the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines. She is a member of the county's pipeline advisory committee and is active in Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights, an anti-pipeline coalition.

Bondurant said she hopes Bay's comments influence FERC.

"Bay's opinion seems intended as a reckoning for FERC," she said. "He's gone on record acknowledging the issues of fracked gas methane emissions, private taking for private gain and the risk to the public of affiliate, supplier-induced, precedent agreements as so called 'evidence of need.'"

Rick Shingles, a member of Preserve Giles County, shared similar thoughts.

"The observations made by recently retired FERC Chair Norman Bay are the litmus test of pipeline opponents' concerns regarding inadequate FERC assessment of both the need for proposed pipelines and their adverse environmental impacts," Shingles said. "What more authoritative confirmation could there be?"

Carolyn Reilly's family farm in Franklin County is on a route for the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Bold Alliance, a nonprofit spinoff of Bold Nebraska, hired her recently to help organize opposition in Virginia and West Virginia to the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast projects.

"My hope is that the FERC fracture revealed by Norman Bay strengthens our resolve, the resistance grows and our united fight against these risky pipelines is won," Reilly said.

Critics of FERC contend the commission is too cozy with the industries it regulates, from which it recovers the full costs of operations through annual charges and filing fees. Last year, a coalition of environmental and conservation groups called for related Congressional hearings.

Bondurant said that if Bay's recommendations have no impact on FERC then it might be time for an investigation of the agency by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Elefant noted that the Trump administration's appointment of new FERC commissioners probably reduces the likelihood that suggestions shared by Bay and other advocates for change at FERC will yield tangible results any time soon.

But she said Bay's recommendations "do enhance the credibility of arguments that advocates are now raising, so they certainly are very helpful in that regard."

News researcher Belinda Harris contributed to this report.
Southwest Virginia audiences have seen bass guitar magician Victor Wooten in a variety of musical settings  multiple visits with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and one-offs including The Wooten Brothers and drummer J.D. Blair.

Its always something a bit different with the chops-heavy-yet-groove-centered Wooten. This time out, hes fronting a power trio with drummer Dennis Chambers, who has received at least as much attention from jazz-funk drum fans as Wooten has from the bass guitar world. Chambers, who first came to attention as a member of Parliament Funkadelic, has played with John Scofield, Mike Stern, George Duke, Carlos Santana and The Brecker Brothers, among other acts on a deep resume.
After falling months behind on its rent to the county, the Franklin County Family YMCA has settled its debt.

The YMCA first missed a $7,651 monthly rent payment in late 2016, and eventually fell four months behind, said county Finance Director Vincent Copenhaver. Once Franklin County YMCA CEO Jim Currie became aware of the issue, he quickly worked to resolve the issue. With the delivery of the February rent check, the YMCA is now caught up on its payments to the county.

Currie said the problem was related to cash management issues but, with changes in financial leadership, the YMCA is now back on track. He doesnt expect the nonprofit will have any issues paying its rent for the month of March.

The local YMCA has long been plagued with financial troubles. Thats how the county became the Ys landlord.

In 2013, the board of supervisors voted to purchase the nonprofits two properties in Rocky Mount on Technology Drive, for which Copenhaver said the county paid $2.35 million. In 2011, the YMCA surrendered ownership of the Rocky Mount facilities to CRM Mid-Atlantic Properties.

Copenhaver said the county wants the YMCA to be successful and that the board of supervisors clearly recognizes the importance of the institution in the community, given that it stepped in to buy the buildings. But from a business standpoint, Copenhaver said, the county needs the YMCA to hold up its end of the bargain by paying its rent.

County Administrator Brent Robertson agreed, and said the county would continue to work with the YMCA, which is an asset to the community.

We want them to be successful, so well work with them if theyre having a cash flow problem or something like that, he said.

Currie stressed that the rent issue is not indicative of trouble at the YMCA.

Were back to where we should be, he said. There are no underlying issues that relate to poor performance or struggling.
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 ...
Gigi Hadid's latest tryst with a magazine cover has not gone down well with many people.

By India Today Web Desk: As the norm goes, anything you do manages to leave a bad taste in the mouths of least a handful of people. Maybe that's not what Gigi Hadid had thought when she shot for Vogue Arabia's first-ever magazine cover.

The cover that has been photographed by Vinoodh Matadin and Inez van Lamsweerde has the supermodel's face covered in a sequinned cloth revealing nothing but one half of her face.

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Also Read: Zayn Malik is Asia's Sexiest Man, but it's the Pakistani Chaiwala who's the real winner

Hadid, whose father has Palestinian roots shared an Instagram picture of the cover and wrote, "I think the beautiful thing about there being international Vogue's is that, as a fashion community, we are able to celebrate, and share with the world, different cultures. Being half-Palestinian, it means the world to me to be on the first-ever cover(s) of @voguearabia, and I hope that this magazine will show another layer of the fashion industry's desire to continue to accept, celebrate, and incorporate all people & customs and make everyone feel like they have fashion images and moments they can relate to... & learn and grow in doing so. ? Thank you @deenathe1st for your vision and for having me on this cover... by the incredible @inezandvinoodh--so much love."

While the thought seems anything but hostile, many decided to question Hadid's take on the issue.

Instagram user, saeedahx wrote,"..so when your Palestinian people are being bombed, raped and tortured every single day you don't utter a word about being half Palestinian but when you cover vogue Arabia you conveniently mention it?"

Some others also mentioned how Hadid's decision to don (what looks like a hijab to many) is extremely irresponsible. "CAN GIGI HADID STOP WEARING HIJAB AS A FASHION STATEMENT !!!! MUSLIM WOMEN ARE SHAMED FOR IT YET SHE CAN PARADE AROUND ON THE COVER OF VOGUE," wrote an evidently miffed internet user.

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Plan your week ahead in SE Iowa with these local events

Your guide to getting off the couch and out the door this week in Southeast Iowa.
Govinda had approached the Bombay High Court over the legal issue of the song 'Ek Chumma Tu Mujhko Udhaar De De' from film 'Chote Sarkar'.

By Vidya : The Bombay High Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to Bollywood actor Govinda against whom a proclamation had been issued by a Jharkhand court on February 6. The court said that in the event of his arrest, he will be let out on bail immediately with a personal bond of Rs 25,000 and one surety.

Govinda had approached the Bombay High Court over the legal issue of the song 'Ek Chumma Tu Mujhko Udhaar De De' from film 'Chote Sarkar'.

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The film had released in 1996 and it was in 1997 that a case was registered by a lawyer under Section 294 (obscene acts and songs), Section 500 (punishment for defamation) and 502 (sale of printed or engraved substance containing defamatory matter) of the Indian Penal Code.

CASE DETAILS:

1. The actor while filing the application against his arrest in the Bombay High Court said that the case has been registered only to humiliate and malign his reputation by having him arrested.

2. The case was registered at Pakur district of Jharkhand in 1997 when it was part of Bihar.

3. Govinda in his application said that he had only acted in the film and that he was not a lyricist or the writer of the song. He also added that the lyrics or content of the song were not at all defamatory or obscene and there was no intention of defaming any community, cast, region, sect or society.

4. Govinda apprehended arrest in the case after a magistrate court at Pakur issued a proclamation notice directing him to appear before it on the next date of hearing on March 6. Now, Govinda will not have to be present on the hearing.

5. His lawyer Amogh told the court that the actor did not know about all these things happening in the Jharkhand court as there had been no intimation until police reached his house on February 27 when Govinda was not present.

6. Govinda latest film 'Aagaya Hero' is releasing on March 16 and his friend Baba Dubey, who was also present in the court, said that this was a huge relief for the actor as he had to promote his film right now.

Also read: Gambling: Bombay High Court bars 6 dailies from publishing matka numbers

Also read: Selfie-point in Mumbai shut down for lack of funds

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Ive been wanting to write this post for a while now, but I needed it all to sink in before I could formulate my thoughts. When I wrote this post, I was still kind of processing everything we had experienced and wasnt in any position to be helping or educating anyone else. But as my friend Natasha Adamo sharing in Episode 6 of the podcast, you dont need to be cured to help others.

While Ive mostly recovered from the craziness that was our cross-country (more like continent, but you know what I mean) move, I know that the final step in truly processing it all is to share this experience with you. So Im going to cover a lot of ground in todays post. Unbeknownst to some of you, we left Toronto in September 2016. We finally landed in our new apartment in San Francisco in January 2017. Clearly a lot happened in between. Thankfully, my iPhone captured it all.

In this video Im sharing the top lessons learned from moving cross-country and below Ill be recapping the journey and those moments we didnt share with you as I needed some space to figure it all out. I still feel a ton of guilt keeping this from you, but Im hoping you understand why I needed some time to process before talking about it. But more than anything I hope you take something away from my experience and that it can help prepare you (as prepared as you can be at least!) if youre embarking on a big life-changing move like this one was.

The process was actually split into two because of reasons I wont get into but we left Toronto in September and landed in Minnesota for about 7 weeks through the Fall.

LEAVING TORONTO

Packing up our life in Toronto was one of the hardest things Ive ever done. The emotional toll of it sunk in months later but the physical toll of moving was immediate. Definitely watch the video above to learn what NOT to do. Lets just say that there were a lot of tears involved and things like this happening

Yes, thats a box spring wedged into an elevator and it took me 20 mins to get it out. Not fun.

After an exhausting day, I spent the night at my parents and C went back to our place to patch up holes and clear it out. Looking back on these pictures makes me super emotional. This was mine and Cs first home. It was also where we hosted our friends and family, took care of Rhett and eventually brought Bodhi home to. Seeing it empty like that hurts, but I know in time Ill look back and only see the positive memories that took place there.

From Toronto we drove to Minnesota (by way of Chicago) to spend the next couple of weeks living with Cs family.

ARRIVING IN MINNESOTA

Per usual, our little man was a total champ in the car. I cant believe how little he was!

Settling into life in Minnesota was like a dream. After all the drama of the move, it was so nice to have the support of Cs family and the beautiful Fall weather in Minnesota. Getting to explore all of the little parks in their neighborhood and local coffee shops, I started to wonder if it was worth leaving or just staying put. I still love it there so much and look forward to visiting again soon.

Our stuff arrived pilled on top of each other, but likely most of it survived! Again, we made BIG mistakes when it came to our move so check out the video above if you want to learn more.

P.S. For you Minnesotan readers, would you guys want to see a round-up of my favorite places there? Ive been quite a few times over the last 5 years and explored a lot in our time there so Id love to share if youre interested!

We left Minnesota in Mid-November and chronicled the entire road trip out West. Catch up on those blog posts here:

Badlands National Park

Road Trip Through Colorado

Moab, Utah + Arches National Park

Capitol Reef National Park + Boulder, Utah

California Road Trip Finale

LANDING IN SAN FRANCISCO

We arrived in California with mixed emotions. I was still dealing with the effects of the crash and had a lot of doubts about leaving Minnesota. I was scared, sad, overwhelmed, excited and relieved all at once. I was happy we had finally made it, but honestly, the biggest challenges were ahead of us and I was not emotionally prepared for them.

But the first week we arrived in SF was pretty special. It was Thanksgiving and we spent a night at the West Point Inn on Mt. Tam and Im forever grateful for this warm welcome to the Bay.

Were fortunate that Cs family took us in in SF too so thats where we were staying and where almost all of the blog posts from December were written. Between a busy month with the blog and holiday content, we also had to sort out our newfound car situation, credit issue (neither of us had credit in the US!) and began the apartment hunting process. Ill be totally honest with you guys, health was not at all a priority. Besides the occasional hike with Bodhi and C, I didnt work out for almost 6 weeks. I also lived off snack bars and dried fruit. I just didnt have it in me to cook or plan anything. I did a lot of car eating as we drove our rental from one apartment to the next.

As I talked about in this post, this period was really tough for me. We were encountering a lot of challenges that come with moving, trying to navigate the SF housing craziness and mourning what we left behind in Toronto and Minnesota. My biggest regret in all of this is not being as transparent with you. But I also recognize that I needed time to process everything and even though THM is a reflection of my life, it also doesnt need to be a negative space for all of you. So I did the best I could. Fortunately things began to turn around.

At the end of December we signed an apartment and things started to slowly calm down. We then headed off on a family trip to Guatemala, which was a great way to destress and prepare for the impending move into our new place.

MOVING IN TO OUR APARTMENT

We moved into our apartment in SF about 6 hours after landing from Guatemala. The first thing I wanted to do was a cook a meal, but of course, we had no stuff! Thankfully Cs sister gave us a survival guide and thats essentially what we lived off of for the first couple of weeks in the apartment.

Because of the lessons we learned on shipping our stuff to Minnesota, we went about bringing our stuff to SF in a different and slightly less gruelling way. It also meant it took about a month for our stuff to get here. C and I basically did all of our work from our one piece of furniture for the first few weeks, our glorious couch. It was our splurge item while we waited for the rest of our stuff to arrive.

Eventually we got a mattress and this is what I did for the first half hour after receiving itit was glorious.

Its been about a month since then and our stuff finally arrived while I was in Israel. Its been SO nice to have all of my kitchen gear and really start nesting in our home. We still have a long way to go in terms of settling in, but were taking our time to make sure we create a space were really excited about. Stay tuned for an apartment tour!

Its been a whirlwind 6 months and even though I reached my lowest of lows, Im grateful for it all. When we left Toronto, we were seeking an adventure and while I certainly didnt expect the adventure to be all positive, Im realizing that sometimes we need some hardships to really test our strength and help us grow. That stagnation I had been feeling is definitely gone and Im looking forward to growing even more in our new home.

I hope you guys forgive me for keeping you in the dark through this process and that you enjoyed catching up today. For anyone debating whether or not to make a big move, Ill say this: DO IT. Dont expect it to be easy, but nothing in life worth doing ever is. Life is about moving forward and expanding the boundaries of your comfort zone. Theres no better way to do this than to flip it all upside-down!
The river of reports projecting big growth for the legal marijuana industry continues to flow, with a report released this month projecting a huge increase of both jobs and total revenue.

New Frontier Data projects total market sales for cannabis will reach $24 billion nationwide by 2020. They also project the industry will created about 283,000 jobs over the next three years. Those numbers include a projected slow down over the next three to five years in the rapid growth of the industry.

These numbers confirm that cannabis is a major economic driver and job creation engine for the U.S. economy, Giadha Aguirre De Carcer, CEO of New Frontier Data, said in a prepared statement.

Related: How Do We Measure the Statistical Significance of Legal Cannabis?

Projected Marijuana Sales

Founded in 2014, New Frontier Data is headquartered in Washington D.C., with offices also in Denver. The company specialized in providing insights into the cannabis industry with statistical analysis. The new report offers projections for both medical and recreational use.

Some uncertainty exists because states that legalized recreational, adult-use marijuana last November are still working on setting up the regulatory systems for legal marijuana sales.

Those states include California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada. Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington already have legal adult-use cannabis. As for medical marijuana, 28 states and the District of Columbia have approved medical marijuana sales.

Related: Marijuana Lobby Grows As Legalization Spreads Throughout Country

Another area of uncertainty is President Donald Trumps position on legal marijuana. Most of the focus has been on new Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who in the past has been a vocal opponent of legalized marijuana. So far he has offered no indication what, if any, changes he might make in the federal governments approach to states making marijuana legal.

Marijuana remains illegal at the federal level.

With those caveats, the New Frontier Data report projects that by 2020:

Medical marijuana sales will have increased from $4.7 billion to $13.3 billion

Recreational marijuana sales will have increased from $2.6 billion to $11.2 billion

By 2025, total marijuana sales will reach $24 billion and almost 300,000 people will work in the industry

A Time of Decline

New Frontier Data also notes that during this period of expected growth, the overall United States economy is expected to slow. The companys news release cites a Kiplinger report anticipating a slowdown in job creation in 2017 and a drop in the rate of GDP growth.

Related: Study Finds Most Investors Comfortable With Businesses That 'Touch' Marijuana

The cannabis industry continues to be a positive contributing factor to growth at a time of potential decline, Aguirre De Carcer said.

The full report, called The Cannabis Industry Annual Report: 2017 Legal Marijuana Outlook, will be released soon. More information is available on the companys website.

To stay up to date on the latest marijuana related news make sure to like dispensaries.com on Facebook.

Related:

Marijuana Industry to Create 283,000 Jobs by 2020, Report Projects

Marijuana Lobby Grows As Legalization Spreads Throughout Country

How Do We Measure the Statistical Significance of Legal Cannabis?



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
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NORWALK  A 51-year-old Norwalk man who police say was the subject of an investigation into heroin sales was charged with possession and sale of narcotics Thursday afternoon.

Timothy Marriner, of Frances Avenue, was held on $250,000 bond and charged with possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell, possession of narcotics within 1,500 feet of a school, possession of narcotics with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school, and interfering with an officer.

Police say that officers with the Norwalk Police Departments Special Services Division received information about Marriners alleged heroin sales. In the course of a surveillance operation officers conducted a motor vehicle stop of a car in which Marriner was a passenger.

Police declined to comment on the location of the stop, but said it was in central Norwalk.

As officers approached the car, police say Marriner attempted to flee. After a foot pursuit, he was apprehended by police.

Police say that 12 folds of heroin, and one used fold, were located inside the car.

The driver of the car, Rachel Johnson, 41, of Steephill Road, Weston, was charged with conspiracy to possess narcotics, conspiracy to possess narcotics within 1,500 feet of a school, conspiracy to possess narcotics with intent to sell, and conspiracy to possess narcotics with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school.

She was released on a promise to appear and was given a court date of March 10.

Marriner had 24 folds of heroin in his possession, one used fold, and a small cut straw, which is typically used to inhale the drug, police said.

According to court records, Marriner pleaded guilty to possession of narcotics with intent to sell in September 2012 and was sentenced to five years in jail followed by five years of special parole.

Marriner was given a court date of March 10.

llake@hearstmediact.com
The following excerpt is from Glenn Llopiss book The Innovation Mentality. Buy it now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Recognizing the distinction between your different target audiences and what makes them special is what you need to understand to connect with them or any cultural shift population. Does your organization know how to answer these four fundamental questions about your employees and customers, which directly connect to the six characteristics of the innovation mentality?

Related: Taking Advantage of Cultural Changes in the Workplace to Grow Your Business

How does cultural upbringing (i.e., heritage) shape their mindset? What strengths and capabilities fuel their desires? What are their ultimate goals and ambitions (i.e., what matters most to them)? How do their core values and beliefs (i.e., what they stand for) affect their lifestyle choices?

Todays changing workplace requires a strategy that every employee, external partner, client and customers can embrace. Simply put, we need the wisdom to connect to the people and cultures that dont look and act like us without undermining who and what we are and stand for. Thats what many of our corporate values tell us we should be doing, but we really dont. That would require leading with diversity of thought and the six characteristics of the innovation mentality, which allow for the evolution for our businesses. For example, anybody in a service or sales business in any industry is responsible for managing and maximizing opportunity with clients. They can take the first steps by asking these questions: How do you greet people (employees, external partners, clients/customers) that dont look like you? How do you make them feel important? How do you set expectations? Generate leads? Deliver reports and evaluations? How do you get them to come back again?

The objective should be to stop unknowingly creating tension when we ask these questions and start strengthening the people who can help build momentum to answer them in bigger and better ways. They can help us make the right investments that will capture new market share using the six characteristics. And if you dont act to do it and keep doing it, some other company will -- domestically and internationally. This is already happening. Look at the American beer companies Budweiser and Miller; theyre no longer owned by Americans. Were losing control of our marketplaces because were not managing the shift.

How are successful companies doing it? By embracing the innovation mentality and differences to form genuine connections. As Fred Diaz, Nissan North America Inc.s vice president and general manager of North American Trucks and Light Commercial Vehicles, once told me, Multicultural is not a flavor of the month. We embraced it by being aware, adapting to changing mores, aggressively executing and being authentic.

Yet there is still work to be done by many companies. I still see ads that are designed for the general market and someone simply translated it into a Spanish spot with a Spanish voice-over. That is the most disrespectful, inauthentic thing you can do to this audience. Why does it still happen then? The reality is, according to surveys done by my company, 78 percent of leaders have difficulty understanding the consequences and effectively articulating the requirements to thrive in these rapidly changing workplaces and marketplaces. They make excuses for inaction instead of leading through diversity of thought and creating new best practices and protocols. Why?

Theyre afraid of losing control.

They lack the courage to challenge the status quo.

The change management required challenges them.

Playing it safe is their security; they fear the unknown and are unwilling to take ownership.

Supporting silos allows them to sustain negative disruption, which allows their irrelevant thinking to be perceived as relevant.

All these reasons fly in the face of the innovation mentality. You cant become more afraid of making decisions at a time when you need to step up your game as opportunity gaps widen and the emergence of new competitors abound. You need to be more vulnerable. These gaps are like plate tectonics -- the rigid outermost shell of our planet that moves naturally and inevitably. These gaps will exist whether or not Americans have prepared for the shift.

Related: 4 Steps to Profiting from the Cultural Demographic Shift

Now, the hard work begins: Your company must continue to evolve, sustain and keep driving change in the face of success. Your leadership must work with a generous purpose, lead to leave a legacy and embrace the long-sightedness of diversity of thought and the innovation mentality instead of the shortsightedness of more sowing. If you see an increase in sales from embracing and investing in the CDS, will you increase your investment the following year to build engagement or will you expect similar increases the following year using the same tactics and budget?

When diversity and inclusion initiatives are weak, one-off tactical approaches without strategy or follow-up and little depth, the result is some initial success followed by an immediate flat line or regression. When you see opportunities in the right way and drive that through the four skills of opportunity management (see, sow, grow, share) and the six characteristics of the innovation mentality, you can use this success to resow opportunities. That leads to genuine sustainability and inclusion. But until you do that, youll continue to give away your innovation mentality to competitors that already have it. Hyundai learned this when its Japanese competitors in the U.S. seized the opportunity to take over the Hispanic market.

Other countries have seized our opportunity gaps to gain market share. Put aside concerns about the diversity of our own citizenship for a moment. More and more countries, such as China, India, Brazil, South Korea and Indonesia, are growing fast and turning into entrepreneurs that want nothing more than to sell to America, the largest economy in the world.

In the next five years, it wont be just our own shift populations who become our competitors, it will be people from other countries whove sent their top talent to the U.S. and built a pipeline for personal and professional development. These graduates return to train people in their mother countries on how to best see and seize opportunities in America. In other words, they come here and invest in our system, then teach what theyve learned to their own countries so they can compete against us. Despite having no intention of immigrating, theyre using Americas immigrant perspective against us by embracing its six characteristics. Coincidentally, they have the innovation mentality and wonder why we dont.

It doesnt matter where I travel -- Scandinavia, South Korea, Mexico -- everywhere I hear the same thing: Why, given the strength of its corporations and educational institutions, do Americans seem to be getting weaker in their thinking? Until I heard objective audiences saying that, I hadnt noticed how much were losing our edge.

Related: What Magic Johnson Can Teach You About the Advantages of Cultural Demographic Shifts

At a time when innovation is at a premium, we need enlightened leaders to take ownership for the business, the people they lead, and the customers they serve. They must frequently reinvent themselves and have the mindset of always having a strategy for change that is focused on constant evolution with this end game in mind. Leadership must be seen as a privilege and duty to ensure we are continuously investing in people and that we are always adding value to make our people better and drive growth for our businesses through them. The more people who can see beyond the obvious and anticipate the unexpected, the more they become the businesss most valuable asset against those who are slow to make decisions and take action. I know leaders say things like this in their speeches and companies tout this ability in advertisements and annual reports, but very few are acting upon those words. If they were, traditional thinking about diversity in its most corporate sense would no longer exist -- and wed be solving for the right things.

All this will bring with it challenges but also new opportunities and ideas, but leaders dont see them because their mentalities are stuck connecting to the old ways. This is why to be truly inclusive and sustain success, you need to evolve the solve from the inside out -- not just for your leadership identities but for your corporate ones.

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Take Advantage of Marketplace Cultural Changes to Grow Your Business



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Imagine, as a parent, a medical professional recommending to you that your child undergo a therapy regimen that includes induced vomiting or paralysis, electric shocks, and extreme shaming. Chances are, you would not request it for your child, nor would ethical medical professionals provide the treatment.

Yet these are just some of the dangerous techniques that so-called conversion therapy  the ineffective and discredited practices that attempt to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity  uses. Shockingly, conversion therapy remains legal in Connecticut  even for children.

Hopefully, thanks to a new bill introduced this session by state Sen. Beth Bye, D-West Hartford, and state Rep. Jeff Currey, D-East Hartford, this will soon no longer be the case. The bill, HB 6695, would prohibit licensed health professionals from providing conversion therapy to minors.

Minors are often forced into conversion therapy by families who reject them because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. However, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and every mainstream medical, mental health, and human services organization have concluded that there is no reliable scientific evidence of conversion therapys alleged ability to change sexual orientation or gender identity. Furthermore, mainstream mental health professionals acknowledged that homosexuality is not a mental disorder more than 40 years ago.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or LGBT, children are not broken and do not need to be fixed. Subjecting a child to conversion therapy sends the ultimate message of rejection, even if parents are motivated by love. And this message can lead to serious  and often tragic  consequences.

Children who experience such a strong rejection of their identities are almost six times more likely to experience high levels of depression and are more than eight times more likely to have attempted suicide. This is especially concerning, considering that, according to the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Connecticuts lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are already more likely to be bullied, experience depression, and consider or attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers.

I grew up in Connecticut. While I was never subjected to conversion therapy, I was rejected over and over again for being who I was. I was bullied, called names, punched, and once was pushed down a flight of stairs. During a music class in 6th grade, a classmate was making fun of how I was sitting, legs crossed one over the other. I called on my teacher to intervene. She looked me in the eyes and dismissively said, Well, if you sit more like a boy, he will leave you alone. Time stopped. Not only was this previously trusted adult not going to protect me, she wanted me to change; to be someone else. I was devastated.

Historically, Connecticut has been at the forefront of defending LGBT rights. In 1991, Connecticut became one of the first states to pass a comprehensive anti-discrimination law covering sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations and credit, and we have been a leader ever since. Connecticut was also the second state to permanently legalize marriage equality for same-sex couples. We were also the fourth state to adopt a transgender-inclusive hate crime law in 2004, sending a clear message that anti-transgender prejudice will not be tolerated in our state. Most notably, anti-LGBT discrimination in public schools has been banned in Connecticut since 1997.

Despite this, conversion therapy for minors remains lawful in Connecticut. Nearly 10 percent of Connecticut teenagers identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. If this ban saves just one of them from the trauma of conversion therapy it will have accomplished its purpose.

Since 2012, five states and Washington, D.C., have passed legislation banning conversion therapy for minors. Connecticut should continue living up to its reputation as a leader in LGBT rights and protections by becoming the sixth state to ban this dangerous and inhumane practice.

Frank J. Bewkes, a native of Rowayton, is a Policy Analyst for the LGBT Research and Communications Project at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C.
WILTON  At Harvard Model Congress, the worlds largest government simulation for high school students, Cameron Berg had to think and act like a congressman he probably would disagree with on nearly every issue in real life.

Despite this, the Wilton High School junior delivered a strong, convincing performance of how the congressman would have drafted and passed bills on various issues  winning the Best Delegate Award for the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

He also left the competition with a greater understanding of others perspectives, he said.

Having to be that person and vouch for that person really makes you appreciate the opposite perspective, said Berg, vice president of Wilton Model Congress, which is something that I think were lacking in todays society.

Berg was one of 14 Wilton High School Model Congress students who competed at the Harvard Model Congress Conference last weekend, from Feb. 23-26. The event drew more than 1,500 students from 77 schools across the nation.

Students participated in simulations that spanned the entire political scene, acting as members of the U.S. Senate, the House of Representatives, the Obama Presidential Cabinet, the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1778, the National Governors Association, the U.S. Supreme Court, and even members of the press.

Eight students from the Wilton Model Congress, from all four grades, took home awards  crafting policy solutions, delivering speeches and reaching compromises to pass their policies through committee sessions and full chambers.

Most committees held more than 60 students.

To trophy in them was no easy task, especially with all the work that went into this weekend, Berg said. So were really proud as a group of how we did.

Other Best Delegate Award recipients include senior Randy Ramirez (Presidential Cabinet), senior Alexander Rappaport (Constitutional Convention) and junior Michael Wallace (House Committee on Intelligence).

Honorable Mention Awards were also given to sophomore Purab Angreji (House Judiciary Committee), freshman Rushil Jha (House Foreign Affairs Committee), senior PJ Seelert (Senate Committee on Intelligence), and sophomore Tony Wilcox (Senate Armed Services Committee).

Wilton Model Congress has been competing annually at Harvard Model Congress, which is the last competition of the year.

All Wilton High School students are welcome to join Model Congress. The team meets weekly in room 303B. To join, email congress@wiltonps.org.

SKim@hearstmediact.com; 203-354-1044; @stephaniehnkim
BROKEN BOW  A Broken Bow woman has been sentenced to 30 to 40 years in prison for the death of her 21-month-old nephew in 2013.

Brittney Pryce, 26, was sentenced on Thursday in Custer County District Court for child abuse resulting in death, a Class 1B felony, according to the Nebraska attorney generals office.

Pryce was found guilty in August 2016 for the Nov. 22, 2013, death of Noah Pryce while he was in her care. After an eight-day trial, the jury deliberated for a little more than an hour and a half.

Noah and his then infant brother became state wards after the younger child was injured in an incident in Kearney. They were placed with Pryce and her husband, Richard, who was the boys uncle.

An autopsy performed on Noah the day after his death said there were multiple contusions to his body, an injury to his lumbar area and a skull fracture.

The official report listed the cause of death as blunt force head trauma and ruled the death a homicide, according to the attorney generals office. The death was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Broken Bow Police Department.

At one point in the investigation, Pryce had told police that Noah had been injured falling off a rocking horse, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Assistant Attorneys General Bill Tangeman and Mike Guinan prosecuted the case. Child abuse investigator Kerry Crosby and victim assistant Patricia Sattler of the attorney generals office were supportive of the preparation and trial.

Pryce was originally set for sentencing in November 2016. However, her attorney, P. Stephen Potter, requested a continuance on Oct. 24 because Pryce was at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women and involved in a 90-day evaluation.
STROMSBURG  A Stromsburg woman could face 40 years in prison if convicted of federal drug charges.

Sydney Decapiano, also known as Jill Culkin, 59, of Stromsburg is charged in a two-count indictment, according to a press release from the office of U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Gilg.

The first count charges Decapiano with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine beginning as early as Feb. 1, 2016, and continuing to Jan. 23, 2017.

The second count charges Decapiano with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine on or about Jan. 23, 2017.

The maximum penalty for each count if convicted is 40 years imprisonment, a $5 million fine, a four-year term of supervised release and a $100 special assessment, according to the U.S. attorneys office.

The charges against Decapiano are among 20 indictments recently returned by a federal grand jury charging 20 defendants.
The Hambolt penguins were to be put on display on March 6 in Mumbai but the zoo authorities have asked for some more time.

By Mayuresh Ganapatye: Hambolts penguins have been at the centre of controversy since day one of their arrival in Mumbai.

The standing committee head and members, who visited the Mumbai zoo on Friday expressed their disappointment over the delay in putting up penguins on display for the people of Mumbai.

BMC Standing Committee Chairman Yashodhar Phanse and member Trushna Vishawasrao visited Byculla Zoo on Friday to see the new enclosure of Hambolt penguins. Although the standing committee was happy with the infrastructure of international quality present, they were disappointed over the delay to put penguins on display.

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Earlier, the zoo authorities had said that they will be put on display on March 6 but not they have sought more time.

"We were told by the BMC authorities that everything was ready but now we got to know that the display enclosure is still not ready for penguins. They said that there is some air quality issue," said Yashodhar Phanse, Standing Committee Chairman.

According to sources, the standing committee is in a hurry to inaugurate the facility as they want to take the credit before their tenure gets over.

"It's not true that we are doing it in a hurry. Next Mayor will be of the Shiv Sena only and we would be happy if he /she inaugurates this enclosure." said Phanse.

However, the Congress has called it a political game, which is directly affecting Mumbaikars. "I had come here to see the penguins but they are still in quarantine and have not been shifted here. Mumbaikars still have to wait because of the political blame game of Sena and BJP. Hope they inaugurate it before March 9," said Pravin Cheda, Congress leader.

Also read: Mumbai: BJP's Shaina NC receives vulgar messages, files complaint against stalker

Also read: Selfie-point in Mumbai shut down for lack of funds

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Thirteen CPI students from Grand Island Senior High got a little out of their comfort zone Thursday afternoon, picking up paint brushes and painting the residential hallways at Hope Harbor.

The students are part of Jamie Kueblers seventh-period CPI English class, studying various career pathways during the morning at either the Career Pathways Institute on Adams Street or at Central Community College-Grand Island campus.

Kuebler said the students are enrolled in a full gamut of pathways, including construction, manufacturing, automotive, welding and drafting. Weve got a little mix of everything, he said.

Kuebler said the Hope Harbor project had its genesis when he challenged students in both his morning and afternoon English classes to decide what help they would like to provide to people in the community. The first thing students did was brainstorm. Students said some people who might need assistance could include single parents, refugees, homeless senior citizens, soldiers and veterans.

He then asked students to come up with the top two or three groups they would like to help. From that list, they started researching to find organizations that were already set up to help specific people.

Students learned there is more than one organization in Grand Island working with the homeless, or different segments of the homeless population, including the Salvation Army and Hope Harbor. He said he then started reaching out to different organizations to see if there was work the students could perform for them.

Kuebler when he talked with Liz Mayfield, executive director for Hope Harbor, she told him of a project that the organization had wanted to do for a long time, but could never find enough manpower to get it accomplished: getting the hallways painted.

Hope Harbor provided the paint, the rollers, the brushes, plastic drop cloths and paint roller trays to do the job. Kuebler believes Hope Harbor got some of the residents to do taping for the trim areas prior to the students arrival.

Kueblers job was to figure out a time when he could bring the students in his afternoon class to Hope Harbor to do the painting. That ended up being Thursday afternoon, the final day for third quarter and the last day of classes before the start of spring break.

Kuebler decided the best way to do the job was to separate the students into three groups that would work in different locations in the relatively narrow upper-level hallways, which twist and turn as they lead residents to the bedrooms/living quarters in Hope Harbors transitional shelter.

Kuebler asked Mayfield how many square feet of hallway space needed to be painted, and Mayfield replied she had never tried to measure it. As a result, Kuebler scheduled the students in his English class to work for two hours, with the promise that he would schedule additional time until the painting is completed.

This is kind of our kickoff event, said Kuebler, who explained he also divided the his morning and afternoon English into smaller groups to help organizations that work with the other groups of people they named during their brainstorming sessions. He has two groups who will be working with the Central Nebraska Humane Society. Some students will be installing shelves or ledges on walls that shelter cats can use to climb around and get some exercise. Others will be repairing some of the metal enclosures that house shelter dogs.

Also, some students will be preparing care packages that will be sent to soldiers through the auspices of the American Red Cross. He said one student reached out to the Literacy Council of Grand Island and discovered the organization needs desks that would fit in its offices where adult tutors teach adult immigrants and refugees how to read, speak and write English.

Some students worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Grand Island during a recent fundraiser, Kuebler said. About five students have gone to the Salvation Army on several occasions to help serve meals.

Other students are helping the Justin and Heather Caspersen family, who lost their home to fire on this past Christmas morning. As the Capersens work toward getting their house rebuilt, Heather Caspersen revealed that she would like to use some of the wood that was undamaged from the fire to help build a dining room table. As a result, several students will be working on that project.

Some CPI automotive students will be doing auto body work to replace the grill, headlights and other exterior parts that were fire-damaged on a vehicle that was sitting outside the home when it burned.

The idea behind this is were trying to find authentic things for students to do, said Kuebler, who noted the service learning projects also meet curriculum standards for his English classes. He said research covers reading skills, while portfolios that students can present to potential employers cover writing. He said he also will have students make presentations on their projects to CPI Coordinator Dan Phillips and GISH Principal Jeff Gilbertson, covering the speaking requirement.

While Kuebler said CPI students are good tactile learners, that does not mean they are experts at wielding a paintbrush. Although it varies by individual, some people who are professional painters are able to work all day long with getting little or no paint on their hands.

But that was not the case for Joel Cardenas or Juana Reynoso, both of whom had paint on their hands. For that matter, Kuebler had lots of paint on his hands, as well as paint on a sleeve covering his upper arm. Neither manufacturing, which is Cardenas pathway, nor drafting, which is Reynosos, prepared them to be expert painters.

But the main thing is to get the paint evenly applied on the walls, with Reynoso saying everyone was doing a good job on that score, She noted that Hope Harbor had picked out a light shade of paint for the hallways she was painting. Reynoso said she thought that shade helped brighten up the hallways and make them a little more cheery.

Reynosos other service learning project is helping with fundraisers for Big Brothers Big Sisters. She noted she already has helped with one fundraiser, Glamorous Generosity, which lets high school girls buy used formal dresses that they can wear for prom. The sales generate money for Big Brothers Big Sisters while allowing girls to get dresses at very affordable prices.

Cardenas said his second project will be installing the shelves or ledges for cats to climb on while they are being sheltered at the Humane Society. He noted the service project already had given him more knowledge about the work done by Hope Harbor. Cardenas said he might be more likely to volunteer as an adult because of the service learning he has done as part of Kueblers English class.

Kuebler, listening in to those comments, noted that almost every community has people in need.
KEARNEY  Moves can be challenging, but for the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, its been a step in the right direction.

In January 2016, the state agency moved into a new facility at 620 E. 25th St., on the west end of the old Bobs Superstore building in Eastowne Kearney. The office serves Adams, Buffalo, Franklin, Garfield, Hall, Harlan, Howard, Kearney, Phelps, Sherman, Valley and Webster counties.

The move not only gave the commission a new, updated home, but it also located the agency with the Nebraska Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The two agencies work closely together.

Before this move, they (Nebraska Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing) didnt have an office in Kearney, said Erin Brandyberry, North Platte district supervisor. The Commission for the Blind has been in Kearney since the 1970s.

The Commission for the Blind helps people maintain their independence in their homes, communities and schools by developing independent living skills and helping them with skills and accommodations to gain employment and give back to their communities.

Services are free to those who qualify for either the independent living program, 55 or older programs or the Nebraska Vocational Rehabilitation program. The Commission for the Blind is funded by the federal and state government.

Our goal is, from the day they walk in the door, to help them be independent, Deanne Jesse said. She has worked for the Commission for the Blind for 28 years.

Also in the building is the Area Agency on Aging and the SAFE Center, agencies with which the Commission for the Blind often works. The Commission for the Blinds Kearney office has about 70 clients in its 16-county coverage area and has five employees.

Much of the training of clients is done in their homes in their own familiar surroundings or at the commissions facility in Lincoln.

We have a few people come in here, but most of the time we go to peoples homes, Jesse said. For each person, we look at what theyre having difficulty with, and we want to address those issues right away  whether it is walking safely, doing their cooking or handling their medication.

One of the improvements that came with the move was an added conference room. The office also has a technology specialist who covers the western part of the state working with clients and the technology challenges they face with their disability.

Kearney native Kim Scherbarth, 47, spent seven months at the Commission for the Blinds training center in Lincoln, where she took a free, intense program to learn non-visual techniques. Scherbarth has retinitis pigmentosa, an eye disease shes had all her life, but wasnt diagnosed until she was 22. The disease causes gradual retinal degeneration and loss of peripheral vision.

I have enough vision that I can see like youre looking through a straw, she said. I only have one good eye, and in that one good eye, thats all I see.

Four years ago, Scherbarth started learning Braille; techniques for cooking; alternatives for labeling medications, spices and canned goods; how to travel alone; skills for using a walking cane; and electronics. She can print Braille and uses a Dyno Tape machine to make Braille labels.

To travel, she uses family, Kearney Cab, the RYDE bus or friends.

Im pretty independent, she said with a smile.

Scherbarth uses a PenFriend, an audio labeler for the blind and visually impaired. The voice labeling allows her to put a label on an item, such as a can of soup, and record the name. When she retrieves the item, Scherbarth scans it with a pen that tells her the items name.

She also has items in her refrigerator labeled in Braille and has Loc-dots, or clear adhesive backed raised dots, on her microwave and oven.

Scherbarth refuses to let her blindness hold her back.

Theres no way Im giving up on anything. Im going to live my life, she said. Yeah, Im going to have to figure out a different way of doing things, but Im not letting my blindness be something that keeps me from doing something I want.
Grand Island Public Schools is making a number of changes to schedules at all levels starting with the 2017-2018 school year. In addressing district needs, the changes will impact the school day start and end times as well as the need to make up days lost to weather.

These changes are a direct result of what weve heard from parents, community members and staff, said GIPS Board of Education president Bonnie Hinkle. We are better able to teach hearts as well as minds with this new schedule.

GIPS superintendent Dr. Tawana Grover agreed.

These solutions support systems thinking and address needs and concerns from our stakeholders, she said. For GIPS to offer a guaranteed and viable curriculum, students must have access to - and allotted time for - instructional delivery promoting the fidelity of our initiatives.

In order to accomplish everything the district is trying to do, one major change had to take place: extending the elementary school day. Elementary will still start at 8 a.m., but will now release at 3:30 p.m., adding 25 minutes to the day.

Outside consultants from both District Management Group and Cross & Joftus have mentioned the unusually short GIPS elementary day compared to other districts they work with.

This allows us the ability to add more learning, enrichment and guidance into every elementary students day, said Josh McDowell, GIPS Chief Academic Officer. What we are doing for students in elementary better prepares them for the secondary experience our community has helped design.

The additional time added to the elementary day builds enough time into the schedule over the course of the entire year to allow GIPS district-wide to absorb up to three days lost to weather, rather than forcing students to make the time up on scheduled break days.

GIPS staff, due to the negotiated contract, will still make up days lost at the the end of the school year, as is previously planned in the district calendar.

In addition to extending the school day, the new elementary schedule allows for:

 Specialists (P.E. teachers, music teachers, guidance counselors, media/technology specialists) will meet with every student for 50 minutes one day a week, plus a rotation on Wednesdays. Specialists will be at one building for an entire day, rather than moving between multiple schools within a day as many do currently.

 Teachers and specialists will now have 50 minutes four days a week and a minimum 25 minutes Wednesday of uninterrupted plan time, plus the time on early out Wednesdays.

 The schedule changes will allow for classroom transition time.

Plan time has been a large focus for teachers and the district has recognized a need to provide more time for staff to prepare, collaborate and design effective learning opportunities for their students.

There was a need voiced quite clearly from staff, and rightly so, about time for planning, Grover said. For our staff to be as effective as possible in the classroom, they need time to plan lessons and understand the data about each student. This schedule now allows for that.

The changes also bring balance to buildings. Every student, regardless of the size of their school, will receive the 50 minutes every week with a P.E. teacher, a music teacher, a guidance counselor and an integration specialist. The time students have with these staff currently ranges widely depending on the building.

Having every student get quality time with each of these specialist every single week will better allow us to teach the whole child, McDowell said. We know we want all students to have time with physical education, music education and technology and media instruction. We also know from our high school visioning work how important it is for all students to receive time with guidance counselors working on life skills, career exploration and character development.

The overall amount of P.E. time on a four-week schedule does decrease. Currently, the total time for students in P.E. every four weeks is 290 minutes, minus time for transitions to and from the gymnasium and class. The new schedule will allow for 230 minutes over the same time period. This is a similar amount of time other districts allocate for P.E., GIPS found during its research.

In addition, all elementary students will have a second recess break every afternoon. This is new for grades 3-5, adding in an additional 240 minutes of physical activity for students.

The district continues a commitment to literacy with the new schedule, maintaining 90 minutes of reading time, plus mandatory minimum times for math, science, social studies, W.I.N. time and flex time.

W.I.N. time allows teachers to give individual students interventions or extensions they need for reading on a daily basis. Flex time is 25 minutes every day for teachers to give kids what they believe is needed. It could be art instruction, free reading time, interventions or extensions in any subject or even class projects.

The utilization of Flex time is completely up to the teacher because the teacher knows what the kids need most, McDowell said. If a teacher believes extra time is needed for math one day, they can allocate that. If they want to invite a guest to read aloud to the class, do a project or discover something new, it is all possible with flex time.

The district has long heard feedback from parents about the difficulties getting students to multiple buildings by 8 a.m. Also, traffic around certain clusters of schools can be difficult to maneuver for drivers.

GIPS had designed a solution by staggering the start times for the three different levels:

 Elementary will be 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

 Middle school will be 7:45 a.m.-3:15 p.m.

 High school will be 8:15 a.m.-3:40 p.m. (early bird at 7:15 a.m.)

Weve heard from a number of parents who struggle to drop off students at an elementary, a middle school and at Senior High on time when all start at 8 a.m., Dr. Grover said. This staggered start time schedule should help alleviate those issues. High school students who drop off younger siblings at other schools will now be able to get to Senior High safely on time.

Grover said parents have been active in helping the district solve these issues.

I must thank the parents and community members who have given us feedback and suggestions on these issues, Dr. Grover said. Credit for these solutions completely goes to them.

As the district enters the 2017-2018 school year ready to plan high school Preparatory Academies, these changes at the elementary level and with the staggered starts play right into the strategic planning process.

Everything we do is focused on our students, Grover said. We will continue to take feedback from parents and the community, as well as the teachers and staff who spend the most time with our kids, all to make the best decisions we can to get our students future ready. These changes all align with that goal.
The City of Grand Island Community Development Division has recently awarded a $50,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to the Literacy Council of Grand Island.

The council will use this funding to expand the English as a Second Language (ESL) program and offer more tutoring opportunities for adults.

In addition, the organization will begin offering life skills classes, hiring teachers to instruct group classes, and developing the Language Lab by adding additional equipment and software.

The Literacy Council was established in 1981 and is a non-profit organization that provides free individualized literacy and English language instruction. Student numbers have increased dramatically, tripling in the past three years from 105 students served in 2013 to 323 in 2016.

The CDBG grant will allow the Literacy Council to expand services to more effectively meet the crucial need for literacy training in Grand Island.

Charley Falmlen, community development administrator, said, The Literacy Councils grant application was very well-researched and executed. The agency is motivated and driven to do this expansion and to do it right.

The Literacy Council will provide the Community Development Division with quarterly reports, regarding the ongoing implementation of the program.

While the Literacy Council provides educational services to all members of the Grand Island community, the vast majority of our students are immigrants and refugees, said Kurt Stoppkotte, executive director of the Literacy Council of Grand Island. This grant will allow individuals to learn the skills necessary to obtain employment, education, and to continue to become productive individuals within the community of Grand Island.

Stoppkotte went on to say, The Literacy Council of Grand Island would like to thank the City of Grand Island for supporting the important work we do and for recognizing the transformative impact that literacy education has not only on the lives of our students, but on the overall well-being of the Grand Island community.

In October 2015, the city was awarded an annual allocation of $348,927 from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Developments Community Development Block Grant Program. Falmlen wrote the 2016-17 Annual Action Plan based on community needs established in community wide plans such as Grow Grand Island.

In August 2016, the Grand Island City Council approved the plan which included various projects throughout Grand Island to benefit low-to-moderate income persons or areas.

Falmlen stated, One of the overarching goals of the 2016-2017 Annual Action Plan is to support public services for vulnerable populations. The Literacy Council directly aligns with the Citys CDBG goals.

As part of this plan, the Community Development Division created a Continuum of Care grant to be awarded to a Continuum of Care member. The Continuum of Care is a Housing Urban Development (HUD) directed collaboration which aligns service providers with the continuum of services offered to low income persons.

Other CDBG allocations this year include a Small Business Rental Assistance Program for a large section of Grand Islands downtown Railside area, lot acquisition support for Habitat for Humanity, and a design program for Railside among others.

Additional grants for public services, such as the grant awarded to the Literacy Council, should be available again at the end of 2017.
President Donald Trump understands that our current immigration and border security system is failing nearly everyone.

Having our government work collaboratively to fix it will benefit not just Americans but also foreign citizens who aspire to live and work here legally.

Before Trump, the president most interested in immigration reform was John F. Kennedy, who, before he was assassinated, planned to campaign for re-election in 1964 on the issue. Being a nation of immigrants, as Kennedy explained in a book of that title published after his death, is a measure of national strength, not weakness.

Among the countless immigrants whove come to love and contribute to our great nation is my dad, the late Edward Eid. He journeyed to the United States alone on a student visa in 1957 at age 17 with just $1. My dad was never prouder than on the day during the Kennedy administration he became a U.S. citizen.

Unfortunately, our current immigration policies bear little resemblance to what Kennedy envisioned. In fact, our laws have it exactly backwards, incentivizing illegal immigration over naturalized U.S. citizenship.

A record 4.4 million foreign citizens are currently on the immigrant visa waiting list, and the average wait-time for a Mexican citizen to obtain a visa to enter the U.S. legally is now 18 years.

Small wonder so many people  an estimated 11.3 million  have come here illegally from Mexico and around the world.

Meanwhile, the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, commonly called IRCA, also encourages foreigners to come here illegally, which they can often do in months or even weeks  at little risk to the U.S. companies that eventually employ them.

IRCA dramatically relaxed criminal penalties for businesses that knowingly hire illegal aliens.

As a federal prosecutor, I confronted large-scale hiring of illegal aliens by U.S. employers. Yet thanks to IRCA, U.S. attorneys offices can only charge those employers with misdemeanors, not felonies  with nominal fines and little prospect for jail time.

President Trump has vowed to overhaul IRCA and curtail federal funding to so-called sanctuary cities, whose elected officials shield illegal aliens  and not incidentally, their often politically powerful U.S. employers  by refusing to cooperate with federal authorities who enforce immigration laws.

Another prudent measure was the presidents executive order temporarily suspending entry to the U.S. for citizens of seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Libya and Yemen. Though the order aimed at boosting homeland security was blocked, weve been promised a new, more streamlined order is coming. The list of nations is no surprise: President Barack Obama identified these countries in 2015 and 2016 as raising special terrorism concerns.

Trump has also pledged to prosecute illegal aliens who commit violent crimes here. The facts bear out why this priority is vital.

One in every four criminals sentenced to federal prison is an illegal alien who, after committing at least one felony in our country, was deported but returned illegally to the U.S., according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission. The average criminal alien in federal custody has already been deported 3.2 times.

Then there is border security. Trumps approach relies on virtual protections, such as expanding the E-Verify program so employers dont hire illegal aliens.

Yet the need for stronger protection along Americas southern border cant be ignored. The possible benefits are hardly speculative: After constructing a security fence along its Egyptian border, Israel saw illegal border-crossing attempts there plummet.

Immigration reform demands an immigration president. Helping Donald Trump become that leader serves the national interest.
President Donald Trump has promised to renegotiate or terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that has been in existence since 1994. According to the terms of the treaty, this is something the president of the United States can do simply by giving Canada and Mexico six months notice. For the past 23 years, NAFTA has eliminated most tariff restrictions between the three countries resulting in free trade (no protections) between those countries.

Free trade benefits the most efficient producers, those who have what economists call comparative advantage. In addition, it benefits consumers in all countries because goods are made by the most efficient producers and will be sold more at lower prices. However, those industries and workers that lack comparative advantage and must compete in a free trade situation are often hurt.

The results from NAFTA correspond well with economic theory. Overall trade has increased from $290 billion in 1993 to $1.1 trillion in 2016. U.S. agriculture, which can outproduce any country or region in the world, has benefited from the treaty. According to statistics reported in the Feb. 21 issue of USA Today, 15 percent of the record 15.1 billion bushels of corn produced in the United States was exported and Mexico was the top buyer. U.S. exports of corn to Mexico and Canada totaled more than 14 million metric tons in 2015-16 and the value of U.S. pork exports totaled $1.2 billion to Mexico and $731 million to Canada.

U.S. manufacturing has been motivated to move to Mexico to take advantage of a wage rate that is approximately 10 percent of wage rates in the United States. The result is that manufactured goods such as automobiles or automobile parts made in Mexico can be made available to consumers in the United States at lower prices. Only trade protection such as tariffs can level the playing field and President Trump has suggested doing just that.

Tariffs used to protect manufacturing jobs in America will result in higher consumer prices. Trade flows to countries such as Mexico will decrease and they will be less willing and able to purchase U.S. agricultural products. Attempting to regain some or all of the 700,000 good jobs that analyst Robert Scott of the Economic Policy Institute estimates were lost as a result of NAFTA will reduce the market for U.S. agricultural products as well as result in higher prices on products made in Mexico.

Also to be noted is that job losses in the United States in those years were also due to imports from China as well as other Asian and European countries. New and better technology and automation are also considered to have been major causes of manufacturing job loss in the United States, a trend that will continue at an accelerating rate. While the angst of blue collar manufacturing workers is very understandable, maintaining free trade agreements such as NAFTA is very important for Nebraska agriculture as well as consumers across the country.

In response to President Trumps negative comments about Mexico and his proposed trade policy changes, Armando Rios Piter, a Mexican senator, said he plans to introduce a bill requiring Mexico to shift corn purchases from the United States to Brazil and Argentina. Reciprocity is often part of any effort to gain a trade advantage.

NAFTA prevents reciprocity and potential trade wars. It is good for U.S. agriculture as well as consumers and its free trade protections should be maintained.
HS Football: North Penn upsets Pennsbury in instant playoff classic

With the game on the line, North Penn coach Dick Beck opted to go for the win with a two-point conversion attempt against Pennsbury.
Shraddha Kapoor turns thirty today. On her birthday, here are the hottest songs featuring the Half-Girlfriend actor.

By India Today Web Desk: Shraddha Kapoor is thirty years old now. Mandatory question: Feel old yet?

Daughter of daaku daddy, Shakti Kapoor, Shraddha made her Bollywood debut seven years in Teen Patti. The film disappeared without a trace from the movie theatres as well as people's memories (which is where we come to help you) but Shraddha didn't take a beating. She soldiered on with movie after movie.

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Finally, Shraddha tasted success with Aashiqui 2 when she sadly asked the entire nation, "Are you listening that I am crying!?" This time, the nation heard, and Aashiqui 2 was a blockbuster hit and there was no looking back.

On her 30th birthday, here are the best songs Shraddha Kapoor has been a part of. Put your headphones on, turn the volume up and enjoy! Sunn raha hai na tu?

Tonight (Luv Ka The End)

Sunn Raha Hai - Female Version (Aashiqui 2)

Galliyan - Unplugged (Ek Villain)

Khul Kabhi Toh (Haider)

Dance Basanti (Ungli)

Bezubaan Phir Se (ABCD 2)

Sun Saathiya (ABCD 2)

Sab Tera (Baaghi)

Udja Re (Rock On 2)

ALSO READ: Before Shraddha Kapoor's Haseena, who was Haseena Parkar? Find out here

WATCH: Shraddha Kapoor tells us what has changed about her summer style

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: From Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Mar 3 (PTI) Pakistan said today that it has sought more information from India on alleged "Indian spy" Kulbhushan Jadhav who is under its detention.

Pakistan Prime Ministers Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, during the Question Hour session in the Senate, said a case was being prepared to prosecute the alleged Indian spy arrested last year in March.

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"A list of questions has also been handed over to India to seek more information from them in the light of the statements of Kulbhushan Jadhav," he said, without elaborating when the questionnaire was given to New Delhi.

The discussion started when Senator Talha Mehmood asked Aziz whether the government was planning to hand over Jadhav to India like it extradited CIA contractor Raymond Davis in 2011 who had killed two men in Lahore.

Aziz rejected the statement and said the government was not considering any option to extradite the alleged Indian spy back to his country.

"We have prepared an FIR and a case is in the process of registration to prosecute (the) Indian state actor for involvement in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," Aziz said.

He claimed that the arrested "spy" had "confessed" his involvement in militancy and there was no question of lack of evidence against him.

Aziz said Pakistan has shared a dossier with the UN Secretary General on the alleged Indian involvement in Pakistans internal affairs and in "subversive and terrorist activities".

"This dossier includes details about Kulbhushan Jadhav and his activities," he said.

Aziz said the government is also examining the possibility of sharing the dossier with other countries and international organisations.

Talking about the dossier presented to the UN chief, Aziz said it was based on thorough groundwork and inputs from various departments.

"This is a very delicate and sensitive issue and requires detailed preparations and home work as it relates to direct or indirect involvement of Indian state actor in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," he said.

Aziz also claimed that the world was accepting Pakistans position on the issue of Indias alleged involvement in militancy.

The government also came under criticism from the opposition when Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Aitzaz Ahsan asked why Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has never taken the name of the arrested "spy".

"I had announced that if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif mentions the name of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav in his speech, I will donate Rs 50,000 to Pakistan Association of the Blind," he said.

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Ahsan asked Aziz if the Premier has spoken about Jadhav.

However, Aziz said that the Prime Minister will speak about Jadhav at an appropriate time. PTI SH ASK AKJ ASK

--- ENDS ---
The Edwardsville Fire Department, Police Department and the Illinois State Police are currently using the Madison Mutual office building on Route 157 in Edwardsville for the next three weeks to conduct specialized training sessions. The trainings began Saturday, Feb. 25 and runs through Wednesday, March 15.

Captain James Whiteford of the Edwardsville Fire Department said this isnt the first time the fire department has done specialized training.

We have had training like this in the past, although its been a few years since weve been able to acquire a structure to train in, Whiteford said. It is going to be something thats going to benefit multiple jurisdictions.

The old Madison Mutual headquarters office is 20,000 square feet and will provide a convenient location for first responders to work on specialized drills. The trainings will include scenarios such as: search-and-rescue in a commercial building, forcible entry, personnel accountability, radio communication, incident command, breaching and clearing and others.

Whiteford said the fire department will be practicing search-and-rescue tactics during the training sessions.

For the fire department, were going to practice a search-and-rescue training, which consists of using a synthetic smoke, like a stage smoke, and filling the building with smoke and having pretend victims inside the building. We usually use dummies; occasionally we use real firefighters to pretend theyre victims. Well have our guys go in and rescue them under circumstances that are similar with actual fire, only theres no danger because its synthetic smoke, he said. We also do other things that we dont get to practice a lot, so cutting holes in the roof to ventilate smoke and heat under the building. Thats something that we dont regularly do or have the opportunity to do. So its a good skill set to practice whenever we get an acquired structure like this.

There are also going to be some joint trainings in the works for the departments as well. Whiteford said, The Edwardsville Fire Department is planning some joint training with surrounding fire departments. We dont have that nailed down just yetbut there are some joint trainings planned.

The Edwardsville Police Department is utilizing the space this week, and next week will be utilized by the Illinois State Police.

After the trainings have concluded, the building will be demolished to make room for the new developments of several stores and restaurants.

Madison Mutual, meanwhile, has moved its headquarters to the Park Plaza building in downtown Edwardsville.

For more information, contact the Edwardsville Fire Department at 618-692-7541.
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Linkedin Randi Swandaru (The Jakarta Post) Durham, England  Fri, March 3, 2017

Based on the World Giving Index 2016, Indonesia is the seventh most generous country in the world. About three out of four Indonesians say that they donated money in the last month prior to the interview, while only 63 percent of United States and 69 percent of UK citizens said they did the same thing.

On the contrary, according to National Zakat Board of Indonesia (BAZNAS) only Rp3.65 trillion (Rp 272 million) or 1.68 percent of zakat been collected in 2015 out of Rp 217 trillion of its potential amount in Indonesia. Thus, digitalizing zakat and other forms of charity could be a way to bridge philanthropy with charity.

Zakat is a form of alms-giving treated in Islam as a religious obligation. Digitalizing zakat is not merely a shifting from cash based to a non-cash based transaction. Its more than that. The scope of digitalizing zakat is relevant in at least three areas. The first area is digital zakat collection.

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Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawatis warning that the Directorate General of Taxation (DGT) will more stringently enforce tax laws to hunt down non-compliant taxpayers could simply be taken as bluffing if the tax office does not have stronger authority and cannot access banks and other financial accounts of taxpayers.

Even though President Joko Jokowi Widodo has proudly appraised his tax pardon program as the most successful in the world, Mulyani understandably is still disappointed that so far only around 683,000 taxpayers have availed themselves of the nine-month facility, which is to end later this month. DGT data show that almost 3 million registered taxpayers have never filed an annual tax return.

The strong-willed finance minister therefore has repeatedly warned that taxpayers, who stubbornly refuse to take advantage of the tax amnesty and continue to keep their assets within the country or overseas outside the national tax net, would be liable to fines of up to 200 percent of their normal taxes.
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Linkedin Bagoes Wiryomartono (The Jakarta Post) Toronto  Fri, March 3, 2017

There is no Holy Scripture that declares categorically that there shall be no compulsion in religion but the Holy Quran. Even though the Quran addresses the word disbelief more than 150 times, Muslims have never been given the authority to punish disbelievers.

The Quran says repeatedly in its verses that Muslims can only rebuke non-Muslims regarding religious matters. Because religious matters are never mentioned in the Holy Book as crimes to be dealt with via secular punishment, to what extent is blasphemy acceptable and punishable?

Blasphemy in Islam is a strange concept. The notion blasphemy stems from the old English word blasfemen, French blasfemer and Latin blasphemare, meaning I harm. Based on this meaning, rulers used laws to victimize nonmembers of the ruling group and their dissidents. Nation states that had a state religion used it frequently to serve the interests of the people in power.

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Balenciagas former casting agents are hitting back after accusations that they were abusing models during screenings.

Earlier this week, casting director James Scully called out agents Maida Gregori Boina and Rami Fernandes for making 150 models wait in a stairwell, told them they would have to stay over 3 hours to be seen, and not to leave. He also called Maida and Rami serial abusers as theyve allegedly done this multiple times.

What Maida and Rami did, they have been doing for a long time, James tells Business of Fashion. They are the king and queen of abuse. Ive heard stories from girls who were left waiting for so long without food or water that they ordered a pizza, and Maida came out and started shouting at them and calling them pigs.

Last December, James said during Business of Fashions annual gathering VOICES that the next time he saw any evidence of bullying in the fashion industry, he will expose it on social media.
Within the last five years, startups have become a part of our daily lifestyle, alongside the increase in internet access penetration among Indonesians.

Current data from the Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association (APJII) indicates that the number of Indonesian internet users in 2016 reached 132.7 million from a total population of 256.2 million. The number of smartphone users in the country in the same period reached 63.1 million.

As Indonesians are becoming accustomed to shop and even order transportation online, the new habit propelled one of the most popular on-demand startups, Go-Jek, to reach the seemingly untouched startup realm: the unicorn stage. In laymans terms, this means the company has a valuation of more than US$1 billion.

In the Indonesian Tech Startup Report 2016, DailySocial conducted a survey with a number of investors about which sectors are going to be hot, and what their focus in 2017 will be. Based on the compilation, the four sexiest sectors that are predicted to steal the spotlight in 2017 are financial technology (fintech), e-commerce, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and on-demand or service marketplace.

Fintech

Fintech is a further development of the financial services industry, which majorly depends on the internet and digital innovations.

C88 Group CEO, John Patrick Ellis, proprietor of CekAja services, a financial e-commerce site in Indonesia, said last year that Indonesia experienced major growth in the fintech field. A large number of businesses in fintech developed significantly; some have even dominated the field and become big players that have contributed to the development of the financial services industry.

According to Ellis, CekAja is confident in the Indonesian fintech scene due to the reality of the countrys low fintech market penetration, reflected in the fact that fintech has yet to reach all regions in Indonesia. He refers to this condition as a double growth factor, where financial services grow alongside technology.

Both industries are complementary, and this is why the Indonesian fintech sector will have three to five unicorn companies by the year 2020.

~John Patrick Ellis, CEO C88 Group

Founder and CEO of Modalku, Reynold Wijaya, also expresses positivity about fintechs potential, mainly peer-to-peer lending (P2P lending), which is Modalkus main service. He said the release of Financial Services Authority (OJK) regulation no. 77/POJK.01/2016 regarding Information Technology-Based Money Lending Services at the end of 2016 had been a major boost for P2P lending businesses.

The issuing of the regulation, he said, built stronger trust among Indonesians toward P2P lending as the industry is recognized by OJK and under its supervision. Modalku claimed that it has distributed Rp 60 billion ($4.496 million) loans with zero percent bad credit rate.

We are not really concerned about business volume; we care about scaling the business properly. Today, we want to focus on smartphones so the process can be faster. We want to convert conventional users to smartphones, Reynold said.

President director of venture capitalist Mandiri Capital Indonesia (MCI) Eddi Danusaputro voiced a similar sentiment to Reynolds statement. Eddi notes the importance of the regulations to ensure customer protection that eventually leads to help in maturing existing fintech businesses and stimulating the rise of new players in the industry. From a value standpoint, he forecasts that the investment in fintech industry will grow to at least 50 percent, even more than 100 percent.

Regarding fintechs dependence on digital technology developments, both CekAja and Modalku stress the importance of digital signature use. According to Reynold, digital signatures are the main component of the know your customer (KYC) process that will enable fintech players to reach out to more customers throughout Indonesia.

Although the government has issued digital signature use, OJK as the certificate authority party (CA) has yet to appoint any institution to execute the mandate. Reynold thinks the roll-out of the program has to be enforced.

The fintech infrastructure has to be strong so it can reach every part of Indonesia. The only way is to do everything digitally, and this is why awareness about digital signatures must be increased. This is a part of KYC.

~Reynold Wijaya, CEO Modalku

Ellis weighs in on the digital signature roll-out, Digital signature implementation by the government in 2017 will bring fintech forward based on financial inclusions that are aimed to better the peoples lives and Indonesian businesses. We hope other regulations that are issued with it will also support and provide ease for fintech services companies.

The emergence of Indonesian Fintech Association (AFI), Ellis said, can be a learning place for other local fintech players. The association plays a part in facilitating communication between these players and OJK and Bank Indonesia. The openness among members of the association enables them to engage in dialogues about existing regulations.

The challenges found in the fintech sector is actually no different than those found in other sectors, and this is why we founded the Indonesian Fintech Association, so there will be an institution within the fintech industry that can represent [these fintech startups] and describe the challenges [found in the industry]. These challenges are better faced with solutions that are made collectively, rather than facing them individually, he added.

E-commerce

Reports from various sources noted that in 2017, the e-commerce industry in Indonesia is predicted to be valued at $9.3 billion. The rather large potential is in line with the development of general and niche e-commerce services in Indonesia.

From year to year, e-commerce services and online transactions will become part of Indonesians day-to-day activities".

~William Tanuwijaya, CEO Tokopedia

William also adds that marketplace services will also branch out to the fintech sector this year. Other than to get daily goods, marketplaces will also evolve into payment gateways and give inclusive financial services. In 2017, open marketplaces will also be home to both local and international brands to market their products for the Indonesian people, he said.

The ease of payment for any purchase has become crucial and according to William, the evolution of e-commerce into inclusive financial services will help reach every part of Indonesia.

E-wallet products will see growth in 2017 as they will foster digital economy distribution. Courier business will grow in line with this as they are needed to deliver the products sold on marketplaces, he said.

The forecasted trend includes hyperlocal purchases where, for instance, customers in North Sumatra will have the inclination to buy products from Medan-based sellers compared to Jakarta. Even if the goods price is slightly higher, delivery fees will make the prices stay competitive and the promise of fast-delivery is also appealing to locals.

Contrary to Williams optimism, Convergence Ventures Managing Partner Adrian Li expresses concern about the brewing plan of Alibaba and Amazons entrance into Indonesia.

I think every e-commerce service in the country can expect hardships in 2017, especially with Amazon and Alibabas arrival in Indonesia. Both global giants will threaten the existence of local e-commerce services that have become market leaders these days. I think there will be consolidations, just like what has happened in India, he said.

Adrian also predicts that brands will opt for either direct selling or multichannel, and this strategy is seen as a long-term activity.

While hardships are expected, Adrian thinks more fashion commerce businesses will start flourishing, and the sector mat even dominate the year 2017 in Indonesia. By integrating design, manufacture and supply chain, fashion commerce businesses will be able to provide trendy clothes, competing with the general retail costs."

Surprisingly, trust factor in e-commerce is still a huge concern this year. As reported by Google and Temasek, orders from Indonesia have a fraud risk 12 times higher than the global average, Adrian added.

SaaS (Software-as-a-Service)

Founder and CEO of Talenta, a SaaS platform for human resources management, Joshua Kevin, said that SaaS startup players in Indonesia are similar to those in e-commerce back in the year 2010-2011. It was a period when Indonesian people still had trust crises and were not familiar with the upsides of buying goods online.

We believe the SaaS industry will see rapid growth, and the decision-makers will fall into a generation who believes that internet and smartphone are a default.

Joshua Kevin, CEO and Founder, Talenta

Regarding the ever so crucial issue of cloud-computing security for SaaS players, Joshua revealed that not all SaaS players in Indonesia use solutions or servers from outside Indonesia. He calls for more incentive from the government and cloud companies to make these businesses return to local servers.

Co-founder and managing partner of East Ventures, Willson Cuaca, adds that the SaaS business movements are starting very well. The venture capitalist has been investing in SaaS startups throughout 2016 and saw tens of thousands of UKM (Small Medium Enterprises) using multiple solutions by several SaaS within their portfolios.

The challenge faced by SaaS players in Indonesia from investors point of view, according to Willson, is how users adopt the technology and how small medium enterprises value SaaS. A SaaS startup must be able to educate the market about the benefits of using SaaS, compared to traditional software and ultimately convert.

Moka, a mobile point of sales services (mPOS) startup that targets small medium enterprises, established itself as one of the rising Indonesian SaaS players. Its co-founder and CEO, Haryanto Tanjo, echoed Joshuas sentiments and revealed that so far Moka still uses Singapore-based cloud services. For its data protection, Moka encrypts outgoing and incoming traffic using SSL plus installs several firewalls for the whole server.

Haryanto also adds that SaaS business in Indonesia can be still regarded as a blue ocean with a vast market. Hes convinced SaaS business competition between players is still not the main concern today.

On-demand

Go-Jek, Grab and Uber are still dominating the on-demand services industry and have successfully managed to convert peoples habit into daily routine.

MDI Ventures CEO Nicko Widjaja revealed what he believes is the hard truth. It will be hard for new startups to even attempt competing with Go-Jek, Uber and Grab due to their positions as the dominating market leaders in Indonesia, he said. To be able to compete with the big three, a company that has been running its business conventionally, must already adopt the technology needed to compete with these tech-based companies.

Nicko views collaborations like Blue Bird and Go-Jek have proven that a conventionally-run company will tend to opt to partner up with a startup that already has a product, talents and the ability to create tech-based products. These factors automatically cut down expenses to employ third party or outsourcing to create a new product from zero.

There is an opportunity for startups, and it is to become corporate enablers, which offer system, products up to new technology to large corporations. This seems to have started growing from this year onwards, Nicko said.

Go-Jek co-founder and CEO, Nadiem Makarim, noted that 2015 and 2016 were the years for services like Go-Jek and e-commerces to find their market and set up their marketing strategy. The year 2017 will be the defining moment for most on-demand service businesses.

I think 2017 will be a key moment, not only for Go-Jek, but also other on-demand services in Indonesia. This year will be the year where everything goes mobile, Nadiem stated.

Infrastructure challenges, according to Nadiem, are an opportunity for on-demand services like Go-Jek to grow. Many challenges in the existing infrastructure are actually a challenge for Go-Jek in offering solutions for all Indonesian people. In this case, Go-Jek sees the weakness in infrastructure as an opportunity to provide appropriate solutions for all its users.

Within the last two years, on-demand services have grown into several varieties, and have branched out beyond transportation services. They have offered domestic services that include housemaids, house cleaning and AC repair services. One of the most well-known on-demand services in this segment is Seekmi.

Seekmi CEO Clarissa Leung said, Were very lucky that smartphone penetration has experienced significant growth among our vendors and technicians just a year after Seekmi was launched. This enables Seekmi to manage about 10,000 personnel efficiently.

I think there will be more Indonesians who will utilize technology, in this case apps, to help them do daily chores from the simplest up to the heaviest with on-demand services this year. Trust will grow in on-demand services because they are proven to save expenses, she adds.

Although offering convenience, on-demand services are still not convincing the older generations to give it them a go. But Clarissa is not ready to give in. Seekmi still offers SMS and telephone customer service. Traditional approaches must still be utilized for tech companies offering these kinds of services."

The promising outlook of on-demand services does not dismiss the fact that these businesses are having a hard time scaling up due to their hyperlocal nature. Each city in Indonesia has its own tradition and habits, which is one of the biggest challenges in the industry.

Nicko weighs in: On-demand services can never work alone. They need to partner with other tech companies, corporations and the government to overcome these challenges.

This longform article is a collaboration between DailySocial and The Jakarta Post.

It is also published in Bahasa Indonesia on this page.
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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

On King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Sauds second day of his visit on Thursday, which has included 1,500 of his relatives and members of his entourage, businesspeople from the oil giant have signed four Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) worth US$2.4 billion (Rp 32 trillion).

The four MoUs include US$2 billion commitment between state construction firm PT Wijaya Karya and Adil Makki Contracting Company (AMCO) to build 8,000 low cost houses.

The remaining three MoUs are around $200 million worth for biomass power plant projects between Koperasi Produsen Anugerah Bumi Hijau and Alfanar Energy, training for 1,000 Indonesian nurses by Bunda Hospital and Al-Oula Medical care and a service commitment among three Indonesian associations of hajj and umrah (HIMPO, Kesturi and Ampuri). At Tayar plans to bring more travelers from the Middle East to Indonesia as well as to up the quota and improve the facilities for hajj and umrah travelers from Indonesia.

(Read also: King Salman urges unity in dealing with terrorism, clash of civilizations)

During the first day visit of King Salman on Wednesday, 11 MoUs worth at least $1 billion were signed.

The 11 MoUs include $1 billion worth of various development projects concerning a commitment between the Saudi Fund Contribution and the Finance Ministry. The rest include various sectors, such as health and fishery.

Indonesia hopes the oil giant will invest more to increase its low investment in the past years.

Saudi Arabia invested only $900,000 (Rp 12 billion) last year, a drastic drop from $30.4 million in 2015. It invested $.2.9 million and $400,000 in 2014 and 2013 respectively. (bbn)
The Hotel Taj Mansingh will not be auctioned until the Supreme Court decides the case as the NDMC today agreed not to go ahead with its auction plan.

By Anusha Soni: The New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) today told the Supreme Court that it would not proceed with the auction of the Hotel Taj Mansingh in the national capital.

The NDMC said that it would wait for the final decision of the Supreme Court. The apex court will hear the matter on March 22.

The property of the Hotel Taj Mansingh will be sold through e-auction, where the Tata Group will have the inherent right of first refusal.

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AUCTION OF HOTEL TAJ MANSINGH: THINGS TO KNOW During the earlier hearing, the Supreme Court had the NDMC to reconsider renewing lease of Hotel Taj Mansingh run by Indian Hotels Co Ltd. The Supreme Court's suggestion came in the wake of government counsel's opinion against the auction of the property. The Ministry of Home Affairs was not aware of the adverse opinion against the auction of the Attorney General and the Solicitor General. The AG had said that that Taj had been an ideal tenant. The Supreme Court had granted NDMC six weeks time to reconsider decision while granting right of first refusal to the Taj Group. The contention between the Taj Group, owned by Tatas, and the NDMC is that claim that they have a right on the iconic property as they have invested over the years to build the brand. The apex court has given a relief to the Tatas ruling that a status quo on the property must be maintained. The Supreme Court further observed that the NDMC must not arm-twist or abuse its position with respect to the auction process. Senior advocate Harish Salve for representing Taj had earlier argued that the NDMC has invested merely Rs 6 crore while Taj pumped in over Rs 129 crore, paid license fee of over Rs 400 crore. The legacy of Taj has been built by the company as the hotel played host to several prestigious events in the country. The company further said that as the Tatas have contractual right of renewal, the NDMC must renegotiate with Taj. In its defence, the company pointed out that Taj is not a mere lease holder. Taj collaborated, partnered with the NDMC in building the brand and it can't be expected to bid for value that Taj itself created.

--- ENDS ---
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

The East Jakarta Forestry Agency is encouraging residents to report brittle trees to prevent them from falling down.

The agency cut down 925 trees across 10 districts between January and February.

"Every day, the agency prepares nine quick-response teams consisting of six personnel, each to cut down trees," the agency head Romi Sidharta said on Thursday as quoted by beritajakarta.com.

Each team is assigned to one district, he said.

Romi said his institution prioritized leafy trees. (dea)




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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama is considering waiving property tax (PBB) for privately owned houses, saying the practice is a legacy from the Dutch colonial era.

The PBB should not be imposed on privately owned houses. Wheres the logic in making us pay for living in our own homes? If I retired, and the tax rate increased, should I eventually sell my house if I cant afford to pay the tax? It doesnt make sense, Ahok said on Friday, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com.

He said the PBB was imposed during the Dutch era. The colonial era ended after independence in 1945.

The governor said only businesses should pay land and property tax. He also encouraged all citizens who own land to make ownership certificates to avoid land disputes.

The administration has waived the PBB for properties valued under Rp 1 billion (US$74,749).
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

Life insurer Allianz Life Indonesia will comply with regulations stating that foreign ownership of insurance companies should be no more than 80 percent. Allianz group currently owns 99.7 percent of the companys shares.

Allianz Life Indonesia director Meylindawati told reporters on Thursday that the company would follow whatever regulations the government applied.

(Read also: Stable market next year, says Allianz)

The government is currently drafting a government regulation limiting foreign ownership of insurance companies in Indonesia.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said recently as quoted by kompas.com that the 80 percent limitation for foreign ownership of Indonesian insurance companies was not new. The limit used to be stated in Government Regulation No.73/1992 before it was amended with Government Regulation No.63/1999, she claimed. (yon/bbn)
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Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3 2017

ASEAN and the European Union kicked off their 40th anniversary of cooperation by starting two initiatives in the environmental sector to address challenges in climate change, environmental protection and disaster management.

We are starting two new ambitious programs aimed at protecting the environment and supporting the fight against climate change in ASEAN, EU Ambassador to ASEAN Francisco Fontan Pardo said in his opening speech at the ASEAN Secretariat on Thursday.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

Three bishops from the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) will highlight the importance of peace and tolerance during a meeting of interfaith leaders with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Friday.

The three bishops are KWI chairman Ignatius Suharyo, secretary-general Antonius Subianto Bunyamin and catechetics commission head Paskalis Bruno Syukur.

KWI executive secretary Siprianus Hormat said that during the meeting, the conferences chairman would deliver a special message to King Salman.

He will be given two minutes to make a statement on behalf of Catholics in Indonesia, said Siprianus as quoted by Kompas.com in Jakarta on Friday.

(Read also: King Salman to meet with interfaith leaders)

He further said that Suharyo would also convey his view that there were universal values that all human beings must fight for, including the value of tolerance.

Apart from KWI, the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) and the Indonesian Buddhists Association (Walubi) will also send representatives to attend the meeting. (rdi/ebf)
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Linkedin Ruslan Sangadji (The Jakarta Post) Palu, Central Sulawesi  Fri, March 3, 2017

The Ombudsmans Central Sulawesi office urged the provincial administration to end the practice of illegal mining, which was feared to have negatively impacted the environment.

The office, which oversees public service complaints, recorded numerous reports of illegal gold mining in the province, the offices head Sofyan Farid Lembah said.

The practice was reported to have occurred in at least three villages in South Lore district, which is part of the protected Lore Lindu National Park in Poso regency. Around 300 miners operated in the area, where there were around 50 open pits.

The miners allegedly used chemical substances, such as mercury, for gold processing, which caused restlessness in residents of the area over the environmental impacts caused by the practice, especially in threatening the ecosystem at the park, which is also a cultural heritage site where ancient megalith statues surround the mining area.

So the mining activities must be put to an end, Sofyan told The Jakarta Post.

(Read also: Illegal gold mining blamed for damage to national park)

Moreover, Ombudsman also pushed for the Central Sulawesi administration to manage the mining areas in the province.

Meanwhile, Lore Lindu National Park head Sudayatna said one of the illegal gold mines in Dongi-Dongi, which was located inside the park, had been closed. The parks authorities had also rehabilitated the open pits by planting trees.

Central Sulawesi Governor Longki Djanggola had previously said that he would impose legal sanctions on the illegal miners who opened mines in the protected area.(rin)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

The City Council has asked the Jakarta administration to finish the revision of two draft bylaws on traditional markets as soon as possible, emphasizing that the bylaws are necessary for market revitalization.

Bestari Barus, a bylaw committee member on the council, said the committee expected to discuss the drafts with city-owned PD Pasar Jaya and the Pasar Jaya business development department in the near future.

"We will send an official letter demanding that both drafts be submitted soon so that we can schedule the discussion," he said as quoted by beritajakarta.com.

He said the drafts were important because traditional markets in Jakarta were going to be revitalized into integrated markets.

"Until today, we have no legal framework regulating PD Pasar Jaya business development," Bestari said. (idb)
A set of restaurants, minimarkets, money changers and barbershops decorated with Arabic letters creates a unique vibe in the Warung Kaleng area of Jl. Raya Puncak, Cisarua, West Java.

Located at kilometer 84, Tugu Utara village, Warung Kaleng has turned itself into a heaven for tourists from Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The Arabic signs on the buildings, which might be hard to understand for some Indonesians, make it a lot easier for the Arab tourists holidaying in Puncak.

Warung Kaleng is considered to be the main hub for Middle Eastern tourists in the Puncak area. Chika, a young woman who works for one of the Arabic-style cafes in Warung Kaleng, told The Jakarta Post that seeing local people interacting with Arabic tourists was a common sight in the area.

The green hills, tea plantations and chilly weather in the mountainous area attract many Arab tourists.

I like it here because the weather is so good, and also I cannot find green scenery like this in my country, Mujahir, a tourist from Saudi Arabia, said.

Mujahirs friend, Hasyim, addstill ed that he liked Puncak because everything was cheaper than in other countries he had visited.

Ive been to Malaysia, Japan and China, and I can say the stuff here is cheaper than it is in those countries. Besides, the people are also very friendly. Some of them even speak Arabic. My driver speaks Arabic, Hasyim told the Post.

With the increasing number of Middle Eastern tourists, some Warung Kaleng citizens have begun learning to speak Arabic, mostly from their daily encounters with the tourists.

Iwan, who has been working in a barbershop for 21 years, said he had no problem communicating with the tourists. He claims that 99 percent of his customers are Middle Eastern.

But not all are fluent in Arabic. Dewi, who has worked for one of the Arab cafes in Warung Kaleng for one-and-a-half years, is among those struggling to communicate with Arab customers.

The problem occurs when I dont understand what they are saying. They cannot speak English either, which worsens the situation. We usually use hand gestures to fix that, she said.

According to Agus, a management staff member of one of the Arab restaurants in Warung Kaleng, the peak periods for Arab tourists in Puncak are after the Idul Fitri and Idul Adha (Day of Sacrifice) holidays. Outside of those periods, only groups of young Arab men visit Puncak.

The number of Middle Eastern tourists in Indonesia increased from 160,696 in 2015 to 186,654 last year. However, the figure is small compared to the overall number of foreign tourists of 12.2 million in 2016. The largest chunk of last years tourists came from Singapore, China and Malaysia.

The Arab tourists undoubtedly benefit the economy of the area, with the number of restaurants providing Arabic menus increasing since the early 2000s.

We have hired two chefs from Yemen in order to preserve the authentic flavors. We have been open for six months and the profit is quite significant, Agus said.

Besides working at the Arab restaurants, money changers and barbershops, some locals work as drivers and ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers for the tourists.

The visiting Arab tourists provide job opportunities for the locals. Its a symbiotic, mutual relationship, in which both parties benefit. They need our services, and we need their money, Asep Mamun, the village head of Tugu Utara, said.

Dewi has also felt the difference in Warung Kaleng since the arrival of Arab tourists in the area. She said that there used to be many jobless young men in the area who were trapped in criminal activity.

Many of the young men used to be thieves. Now, they work as ojek drivers for the tourists. It makes our area safer, she said. (rdi)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Nusa Dua, Bali  Fri, March 3 2017

Bank Indonesia is set to issue two new regulations this month on short-term liquidity credits as the derivative rules of the Financial System Crisis Prevention and Mitigation (PPKSK) Law passed last year.

The new rules would detail requirements for banks, both conventional and sharia ones, to be eligible to obtain short-term credits, Bank Indonesia deputy governor Perry Warjiyo said Thursday.

We are finalizing the legal draft of the rules. Hopefully, Bank Indonesias regulations can be launched in March, Perry said at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Financial Regulators Training Initiative regional seminar on crisis management held by the central bank.

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Linkedin Safrin La Batu and Jon Afrizal (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta//Jambi  Fri, March 3 2017

In the latest incident blamed on overcrowding, a riot broke out in a penitentiary in Jambi on Wednesday night, leaving some inmates injured and allowing four others to escape.

The riot took place from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. when some inmates went on a rampage and set fire to the penitentiarys cafeteria and a meeting hall. Six inmates were injured by police gunfire and four policemen were also reportedly wounded. Four inmates managed to escape by climbing through the penitentiarys kitchen wall.

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When Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar arrived on February 22 at the snow-covered Diaoyutai state guesthouse, a massive complex that was once Mao Zedong's residence in the heart of Beijing, his Chinese counterpart, Zhang Yesui, thanked him for, of all things, the weather. "Thank you for bringing our first snowfall of the year," the executive vice-foreign minister said, adding hastily lest his remark be misconstrued, that this was "a positive sign" in Chinese culture. With the rest of the world in flux, officials in Delhi and Beijing say, both countries are this year hoping for a thaw in ties, strained in 2016 by frictions on several issues. From its continued shielding of Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to its stalling of India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), China appeared to be blatantly batting for its "all-weather" ally Pakistan, at the cost of its ties with India.

It was to arrest this perceived downward spiral that Jaishankar headed to Beijing, for what was the first expanded strategic dialogue between both countries at the foreign secretary level. Jaishankar arrived in Beijing at a time of great anxiety in the Chinese capital. On March 5, the Communist Party will preside over its last parliament session to approve policies before a once-in-five-years leadership congress, scheduled for September/October. Moreover, Chinese officials have been unnerved by the first month of Donald Trump's presidency, steeling themselves for what many expect will be a bruising trade war and a more robust US response to Chinese muscle-flexing in the South China Sea.

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The two-day talks marked the most extensive engagement between the two countries in years: besides his engaging with the Chinese for seven hours, the FS also deputed four joint secretaries to engage with their Chinese counterparts in parallel dialogues on terrorism, nuclear issues, multilateral diplomacy, Afghanistan and other bilateral matters. The first of these two dialogues underlined that last year's tensions were certainly on the agenda, with some differences narrowed. The UNSC will revisit Azhar's listing in June, when a "technical hold" placed by China on a fresh application filed by the US in January expires. The Chinese are more than aware they are completely isolated on the matter, so how much the Trump administration may push them on it before June may decide the final outcome. Where there may be headway is the NSG, with the sense that it's more a question of when, not if, India joins the grouping with overwhelming global support, barring China. "What they kept telling us," Jaishankar said, "is that 'we are open, open to the possibility of you joining'. There were some areas where our view was closer, some where we were not."

The foreign secretary stressed that the dialogue, however, was about much more than these two friction points. "This was not an exercise where we discuss 2-3 issues and those necessarily become the standard of judgement," he said. What did come through, as Jaishankar put it, was that "given the fluidity in the international situation, it was in our mutual interest that the India-China relationship remain stable and forward-looking... that we add to the sense of certainty in international politics today".

"The feeling was the international situation is in flux and both India and China have been beneficiaries of a stable international system," he said. "In the last 25 years, China grew in a very stable and open international system. This has on the whole benefitted India as well, [even if] we haven't taken as much advantage with it as they have."

The stress that this system is facing today is certainly becoming a common cause for anxiety. "The fear is globalisation is going to decline irreversibly," says leading Chinese strategist Zhao Gancheng, who heads the Institute for Asia-Pacific Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies. "Because of Trump, Brexit, the upcoming elections in a few European countries, the whole situation is not optimistic. Few countries will be more affected than China and India, so it's clear we both need to talk long term on how to defend these ideas."

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The India-China bilateral relationship has always had a mix of agreement and discord but, increasingly, the latter has outweighed the former. From India's neighbourhood to the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, interests are increasingly colliding, not converging. At the strategic dialogue, Afghanistan was discussed in great depth as one possible area of convergence, as were potential collaborations in Africa and Iran. "I don't agree we are on fundamentally different sides there at all, if you wish to take a balanced view," Jaishankar said, while also pointing to the G20, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank where China and India are the two biggest shareholders, and the BRICS New Development Bank as some areas of converging interests. On Afghanistan, especially, there is strong congruence on development projects, even if on the reconciliation process there are points of difference, with the Chinese view that while some Taliban elements were extreme, others could be brought onboard. On the bilateral front, India's easing of rules for Chinese investment has been much appreciated in Beijing, with investment last year crossing $1 billion in a calendar year for the first time.

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On the face of it, Beijing appears to want to keep its western frontiers calm at a time when it is being challenged on other core interests, namely Taiwan, where the Trump administration has made overtures, and the South China Sea. In the past, a party academic who preferred to stay anonymous suggest, this would have worked in India's favour, and meant a greater desire on Beijing's part to compromise. Yet, he adds, these are unusual times in China. As Xi Jinping, China's strongest leader in decades, put it in a February national security meeting, it was China's time to "proactively shape" its external environment and "to guide the international order"-language, the academic says, that no leader has used since Deng Xiaoping's famous dictum of "hiding your strength, biding your time". Many in Beijing see the current moment of global uncertainty not as a time for compromise with its neighbours, but as an opportunity for China to assert itself even more strongly. An uncertain year awaits.

--- ENDS ---
An exhibition member demonstrates the operations of an embroidery machine at the Indonesia Apparel Production Expo (IAPE) 2017 at the Diamond Convention Center in Surakarta, Central Java, on Thursday. IAPEs organizing committee expects to see the transaction value reach Rp 200 million (US$14,968) throughout the event. (JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi)(IAPE) 2017 at the Diamond Convention Center in Surakarta, Central Java, on Thursday. IAPEs organizing committee expects to see the transaction value reach Rp 200 million (US$14,968) throughout the event. (JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi)
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Linkedin Andi Hajramurni (The Jakarta Post) Makassar, South Sulawesi  Fri, March 3, 2017

National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia delayed a flight departing for Jakarta from Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Friday after a passenger claimed he was carrying a bomb.

Flight number GA 611 was scheduled to take off at 6:20 a.m. local time, but because of the bomb joke, authorities delayed its departure until 12:20 p.m.

Turah Ajiari, the head of the communications and legal section of state airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport, said the aircraft was delayed because it had to be searched and cleared of any possible explosives. All of the total of 209 passengers and their belongings, as well as cargo, were taken out and re-checked.

It took six hours to clear the aircraft, said Turah.

The passenger, Hisyam Ihsan, 52, said during the investigation that he made the joke about a bomb because he was disappointed at finding that all the overhead luggage compartments in the passenger cabin were full, leaving him no space for his carry-on baggage.

Because of his disappointment, he spontaneously commented that his luggage contained bombs, said Turah.

A member of the cabin crew, who heard Hisyams comment, straightaway reported it to the pilot, who in turn reported it to the aviation security authorities at Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport.

Based on existing aviation standard operating procedures, Turah said, all the passengers and the whole aircraft had to be searched and cleared, even though Hisyam, who is a lecturer at Makassar State University (UNM), claimed his bomb comment was just a joke.

Because of the delay, 19 of the 209 passengers cancelled their tickets and took other flights. Meanwhile, Hisyam who had been on his way to Jakarta to attend a training program, had to undergo questioning by airport authority investigators for several hours. He signed a letter promising he would never again make any bomb jokes. (ebf)




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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

The incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama said that he had the same views as the National Awakening Party (PKB) regarding religious issues in the capital, indicating that the party might support him in the second round of Jakarta elections slated for April 19.

We have the same vision. PKB was pleased when I deemed Mbah Priok memorial cultural heritage, Ahok said at City Hall on Thursday after meeting the Deputy Secretary General of PKB Daniel Johan on Thursday, as quoted by Kompas.com.

His move to develop the first Masjid Raya (grand mosque) in Jakarta was also in line with PKBs vision, Ahok added. Expressing optimism to be endorsed in the runoff, Ahok said that PKB were his old friends as the party had backed him when he ran for Bangka Belitung governor in 2007.

Meanwhile, Daniel said that the party had not decided whether to back Ahok and Djarot Saiful Hidayat or Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno in the runoff after Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and Sylviana Murni, the pair it endorsed, lost in the first round of the election.

We still want to wait until the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) announces the candidates that will run in the second round. We may declare support on Monday, Daniel said. (cal/dan)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura  Fri, March 3 2017

Two people were killed when personnel from the Puncak Jaya/1714 Military Command (Kodim) exchanged fire with members of a suspected armed criminal group in Pagaleme village, Kota Baru, Mulia, Puncak Jaya.

Cendrawasih/XVII Military Command (Kodam) spokesperson Col. Teguh said the shoot-out occurred at 3:35 p.m. local time on Thursday when Kodim 1714 commander Lt. Col. Hendratno visited residents in Pagaleme.

In their way home, Pak Dandim [Hendratno] and his entourage were shot at by members of the suspected criminal group. He fought back using his pistol and asked for help from Yonif 753 personnel, who were only around 100 meters from the site of the incident, said Teguh.

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Linkedin Corry Elyda (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3 2017

The Jakarta Water Resources Agency has put its focus on normalizing tributaries and drainage canals, which have inadequately channeled the overflow of water from big rivers in past rainy seasons, causing flooding and inundation in many areas.

The agencys head Teguh Hendarwan said his personnel were now busy repairing drainage systems and dredging small rivers amid high demand from the public.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly has said a number of inmates serving their sentences at the Jambi Class II A Penitentiary will be relocated to other prisons across the province to reduce overcapacity.

This policy has been taken following a recent riot during which seven people, including a police officer, were injured.

It [the transfer of the inmates] may be the best solution. We will first examine who will be transferred and where they will be moved to. We hope they can be relocated to prisons in Jambi. Lets see what the situation will look like. If there are inmates with serious crimes, maybe we can move them [from the Jambi prison], Yasonna said as quoted by Antara on Thursday.

(Read also: Prison riot erupts in Jambi)

During Wednesdays riot, angry prisoners burned down several rooms in the prison, including the canteen, meeting hall, cooperative office and female cells.

They filed three demands, including a supply of clean water and toilets. You can imagine, this prison only has 300 toilets to fulfill the needs of 1,700 prisoners. Our problem is prison overcapacity, said Yasonna.

The police are on the hunt for four inmates who escaped from the correctional facility.

Our order and security director has departed for Jambi to investigate whether there were violations of operating procedures or other mistakes. Riots have happened repeatedly at the prison. We will evaluate who should be responsible for this and whether there is carelessness, said Yasonna. (rdi/ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

President Joko Jokowi Widodo arranged a meeting between King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia and Indonesian interfaith figures on Friday in Jakarta to discuss socio-religious issues.

Twenty-eight interfaith figures representing various religions, such as Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, and Confucianism, attended the historic meeting, according to State Palace media bureau head Bey Triadi Machmudin.

Previously, Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Syaifuddin said the meeting aimed to send a message of peace to the world that religions should not be used as a tool to achieve political goals that could lead to extremism, radicalism and terrorism.

This is something that we are now preparing. We will make use of King Salmans state visit to hold an interfaith dialogue to build a shared understanding on how to fight extremism, Lukman said.

(Read also: King Salman to meet interfaith leaders in Jakarta: Minister)

Lukman said the meeting would encourage religious moderation so that people around the world could understand the benefits of religion for maintaining the world's civilizations.

King Salman met the religious leaders of various faiths during his 12-day visit of Indonesia, the longest leg of his month-long tour of Asia. (dan)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

The deputy head of the House of Representatives special committee (Pansus) on the election bill, Yandri Susanto, has rejected criticism filed by several parties over its plan to hold work visits to Germany and Mexico.

He denied the claim that the work visits, which are reportedly being conducted to receive background information on election laws applied in other countries, had no any urgency in the deliberation process of the bill.

He also disagreed with critics who have argued that learning about the electoral systems of other countries could be conducted without having to carry out a work visit to those countries.

There was also a note of pessimism among the critics about the

Critics have also expressed doubt that the deliberations of the bill will wrap up within the targeted timeframe, which ends in April or the beginning of May.

Responding the criticism, Yandri said only leaders and several members of the committee would attend the work visits to Germany and Mexico. He could not yet confirm how many of total 30 Pansus members would take part in the visits.

Some of them will not attend the visits. Were still waiting for their final confirmation, said Yandri as quoted by kompas.com at the House complex in Jakarta on Thursday.

The work visits are scheduled for March 11 to March 16.

Yandri asserted that work visits abroad were important because many things could not be learned without direct observation. He said committee members would focus their attention on learning about certain electoral issues during the trips, including those related to special tribunals, election funding, simultaneous elections and e-voting.

We are serious about that, said Yandri. (rdi/ebf)
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Linkedin Eileen Ng (Associated Press) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  Fri, March 3, 2017

Malaysia ramped up the pressure on Pyongyang on Friday, issuing a statement condemning the use of a banned toxic chemical weapon in the killing of the half brother of North Korea's leader.

Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of being behind the Feb. 13 killing of Kim Jong Nam, but the statement from the Foreign Ministry comes hours after a North Korean envoy rejected a Malaysian autopsy finding that VX nerve agent killed Kim, saying the man probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

The statement from Malaysia's Foreign Ministry said it was "greatly concerned" with the use of the toxic chemical and condemned the use of such a chemical weapon under any circumstances.

"Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," said.

The death of Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korea's ruler, has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. The autopsy is especially sensitive because North Korea had asked Malaysia not to perform one, but authorities said they had to under the law.

Also Thursday, amid growing fallout from the killing, Malaysia announced it is scrapping visa-free entry for North Koreans.

Malaysian officials say two women smeared VX nerve agent  a banned chemical weapon  on Kim's face as he waited for a flight at Kuala Lumpur's airport on Feb. 13. Kim died within 20 minutes, authorities say. No bystanders reported falling ill.

The women, who were caught on grainy surveillance video, have been charged with murder. Both say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Malaysia's autopsy finding that VX nerve agent killed Kim boosted speculation that North Korea orchestrated the attack. Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory.

North Korea has denied any role and accused Malaysia of bias.

On Thursday, Ri Tong Il, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, told a news conference that it made no sense to say the two women used such a deadly toxin without also killing or sickening themselves and people around them.

Ri said Kim had a history of heart problems and had been hospitalized in the past. He said he understood that Malaysian officials found medication for diabetes, heart problems and high blood pressure in Kim's belongings and concluded he wasn't fit to travel.

"This is a strong indication that the cause of death is a heart attack," Ri said.

North Korea does not acknowledge that it was Kim Jong Nam who died. Instead, it refers to the victim as Kim Chol, the name on the diplomatic passport he was carrying. Malaysia has confirmed that the victim was Kim Jong Nam.

National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar brushed off Ri's claim of a heart attack.

"We have our experts who are qualified to determine the cause of death of Kim Chol. Our investigations, supported by expert reports, confirmed that Kim Chol was murdered. North Korea can say what they like but the facts remain," Khalid told AP.

Malaysian police said the attackers knew what they were doing and had been trained to go immediately to the bathroom and wash their hands. The police said four North Korean suspects, who left the country on the same day after the killing, put the VX liquid on the women's hands.

Police can't confirm whether the two women may have been given antidotes before the attack. An antidote, atropine, can be injected after exposure and is carried by medics in war zones where weapons of mass destruction are suspected.

The case has frayed once-warm ties between Malaysia and North Korea.

While it isn't one of North Korea's key diplomatic partners, Malaysia has been one of the few places in the world where North Koreans could travel without a visa. As a result, for years, it has been a quiet destination for Northerners looking for jobs, schools and business deals.

That could all change after Kim's death.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the visa-free arrangement with North Korea will be scrapped starting Monday for national security reasons. He also slammed the North Korean ambassador in Kuala Lumpur, who has accused Malaysia of "trying to conceal something" and "colluding with hostile forces."

Earlier Thursday, Malaysian authorities said they will release a North Korean man, Ri Jong Chol, from custody Friday because of a lack of evidence. Officials never said why they arrested him. But Malaysian Attorney General Mohamad Apandi Ali said he will be deported because he does not have valid travel documents.

Custody of Kim Jong Nam's body has become a point of contention between the two countries.

Malaysia has resisted giving up the body without getting DNA samples and confirmation from next of kin. Kim is believed to have two sons and a daughter with two women living in Beijing and Macau.

North Korea has unsuccessfully demanded that Malaysia hand the body over.

Malaysian authorities are seeking seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom fled the country on the day of Kim's death and are believed to be back in North Korea. Others sought include the second secretary of North Korea's embassy and an employee of North Korea's state-owned airline, Air Koryo.

Kim Jong Nam was estranged from his half brother, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He reportedly fell out of favor with their father, the late Kim Jong Il, in 2001, when he was caught trying to enter Japan on a false passport to visit Tokyo Disneyland.

Isolated North Korea has a long history of ordering killings of people it views as threats to its regime. Kim Jong Nam was not known to be seeking political power, but his position as eldest son of the family that has ruled North Korea since it was founded could have made him appear to be a danger. (**)
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3 2017

Businesses remain unsure whether a new regulation on tariffs for electricity sourced from power plants located near coal mining sites, also known as mine-mouth power plants, will be competitive and lure in more investment.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry issued last month ministerial decree No. 19/2017 on the use of coal for power plants and the purchase of excess electricity produced by the plants.

In the case of mine-mouth power plants, the decree dictates that if the cost to supply electricity (BPP) in a region is higher than the national average, the electricity tariff should be capped at 75 percent of average national rates.

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By Press Trust of India: From Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Mar 2 (PTI) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today that India was committed to investing in Nepals key sectors like hydropower and irrigation besides connecting the landlocked country to its rail network.

Jaitley, who arrived here today, said, "Investment is essential for the improvement of quality of life of the people and to generate employment."

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India had adopted the policy of economic liberalisation in 1991 and after 26 years, it is reaping its benefits in the form of higher economic growth, Jaitley said, while delivering the keynote address at the Nepal Investment Summit.

"Hard working people of Nepal and the governments positive policy framework are great opportunity for investment," he said.

Jaitley said India was committed to partnering Nepal in its aspirations for growth and invest in the hydropower, irrigation, health and education sectors, transmission lines, roads and bridges, etc.

He also said India was committed to connecting Nepal to Indias rail network.

Jaitleys remarks on connecting Nepal with Indias rail network assume significance after last month Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, while visiting the Himalayan nation, had said India was keen on linking Nepals capital with New Delhi and Kolkata through a railway network in a bid to strengthen cross-border connectivity.

"Nepal, with its abundant natural resources and rich human resources, has a great potential for attaining economic development," Jailtey noted.

He said Indian investors were very much interested in making investment in various sectors in Nepal.

"Investment is essential for the improvement of quality of life of the people and to generate employment," he said in his address at the two-day summit that began today.

Jaitley also called on Nepals Prime Minister Prachanda and President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

Jaitleys Nepalese counterpart Krishna Bahadur Mahara later hosted him for dinner. PTI SBP ASK AKJ ASK

--- ENDS ---
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

The police claim drug businesses have been running in the Jambi Class II A Penitentiary, where on Wednesday evening a riot took place involving arson committed by prisoners to protest an anti-narcotics operation inside the facility.

There were [drug] transactions inside, National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Rikwanto said as quoted by Antara at the police headquarters in Jakarta on Friday.

(Read also: Jambi prisoners to be relocated after riot: Minister)

The riot occurred when a joint team comprising officials from the Jambi office of the Law and Human Rights Ministry, Jambi Police officers and prison officials was about to search cells inside the facility.

Prisoners opposed the anti-drug operation and fought against the officials by throwing stones at them. They set fire to several rooms, including the prisons meeting hall, cooperative office and electricity generator warehouse.

Rikwanto said the prisoners opposed the search for drugs because drug transactions inside the facility had given them benefits.

They didnt want their businesses uncovered because drug businesses were profitable and they got high profits, he said.

Rikwanto said it was suspected drug businesses inside the Jambi prison involved officials inside the facility. He refused to give further details.

It should be suspected there has been alleged involvement by internal officials and prisoners who have cell phones, said Rikwanto. (ebf)
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

The government hopes that tariff caps for electricity produced by mine-mouth and regular coal-fired power plants will help increase Indonesia's competitiveness.

The price caps, introduced through ministerial decree No. 19/2017, would keep electricity tariffs low and encourage growth in the industrial sector said Jarman, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry's Director General for Electricity on Friday.

"One of the challenges we face now is competitiveness with our neighboring countries, and this competitiveness must also include fair electricity prices," he said during an event to raise awareness of the new ministerial decree.

(Read also: Mine-mouth power plant regulation to be issued soon)

"We must ensure that our electricity is not more expensive than that in Thailand and Malaysia. However, we cannot compare [our prices] with Vietnam's as their electricity is subsidized."

In the case of mine-mouth power plants, the decree dictates that if the cost to supply electricity (BPP) in a region is higher than the national average, the electricity tariff should be capped at 75 percent of average national rates.

If the BPP in a region is lower or equal to the national average, then the electricity tariffs should be capped at 75 percent of the region's average.

Meanwhile, the same ministerial decree dictates that for regular coal-fired power plants with capacity under 100 megawatts (MW), if the BPP is lower than the national average, tariffs must not exceed the local BPP.

Meanwhile, if the BPP is higher than the national average, electricity tariffs must not be higher than the national BPP. (bbn)
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Linkedin Grace D. Amianti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

A government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) aimed at reducing bank secrecy as part of a global initiative to fight tax evasion will only apply to foreign customers in the first stage of its implementation.

A Perppu is equal to a law and can only be issued in urgent cases. In this case, the Perppu is part of the governments efforts to comply with the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI), a global initiative that defines new standards for fighting international tax evasion.

The AEOI requires the elimination of bank secrecy, which still exists in Indonesias banking law.

(Read also: Banking secrecy scrapped in May 2017)

Then it [the Perppu] is ready, it will be [implemented] for foreign customers in the form of individual and institutional taxpayers, said John Hutagaol, international taxation director at the Directorate General of Taxation, after a seminar on the AEOI on Friday.

Meanwhile, Financial Services Authority (OJK) chairman Muliaman D. Hadad said the OJK, which oversees banking and the financial industry, was currently preparing a circular for banks to support the Perppu implementation, which is expected to take effect in May.

We will issue the common reporting standard [CRS] through an OJK circular, which is almost complete and probably will be ready by the end of March, he said.

The common reporting standard covers a mechanism at banks related to foreign customers, including those that should lay open their data for taxation purposes. (bbn)
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Linkedin Dylan Amirio (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3 2017

Like moths to a flame, many Indonesians flock to online and offline shops whenever discounts are on offer. Now, the flame looks to only become brighter with a new mobile app that flaunts such sales.

Last years National Online Shopping Day (Harbolnas) is one testament to Indonesians love affair with discounts.

Survey firm Nielsen estimated that over Rp 3.3 trillion (US$247 million) worth of transactions were conducted in the three-day event held by several e-commerce platforms in December.

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For decades Wahhabism, the strict strain of Islam that promotes a literal interpretation of the Quran, has been Saudi Arabias predominant faith, and since the 1970s the oil-rich kingdom has been generous in sending funds to other Muslim countries to promote this conservative version of Islam.

Now that Wahhabism has been linked with radicalism and even terrorism, the Saudi government has stepped up its campaign to counter that perception and the state visit of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to Indonesia, where religious conservatism has gained ground alongside frequent terrorist attacks, was part of the public relations campaign. After dealing with business on the first day of his visit, King Salman on Thursday kicked off his charm offensive in a speech during a 30-minute special session at the House of Representatives, calling for a united front to deal with what he termed a clash of civilizations and terrorism.

The challenges that the Muslim community and the world in general faces, like terrorism and the clash of civilizations and the lack of respect for a countrys sovalso ereignty, require us to unite in dealing with these challenges, the monarch said in his two-minute speech, which was interrupted by rounds of applause from members of the House and guests, including former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and former vice president Try Sutrisno.

Later in his meetings with leaders of the countrys major Islamic organizations, the octogenarian king promoted a tolerant version of Islam as the key in the fight against terrorism and radicalism.

Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifudin, who had organized the meeting, said Indonesia and Saudi Arabia agreed to promote a moderate version of Islam.

The two countries have come to an understanding that we would prioritize the promotion of Islam as rahmatan lil alamin [blessing for the universe]. What is needed to maintain the stability of global civilization is the moderation of Islam, said Lukman, who joined the 30-minute session at the State Palace on Wednesday. President Joko Jokowi Widodo attended.

During the session, three Muslim scholars were given the chance to speak directly to the monarch, including Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Maruf Amin, who issued an edict last year calling for the prosecution of Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahja Purnama for allegedly insulting the Quran.

Earlier on Wednesday, King Salman and President Jokowi witnessed the signing of 11 agreements, including one addressing the issue of transnational crimes and global extremism, radicalism and terrorism.

To further bolster its counterterrorism campaign, the Saudi government offered free haj trips for family members of personnel of the National Polices counterterrorism squad Densus 88 who were killed while on duty.

To further burnish his credentials as a promoter of moderate Islam, King Salman is expected to hold an interfaith forum on Friday, shortly before departing for Brunei Darussalam.

Despite the visiting monarchs pledge to join efforts to counter radicalism, the Saudi government continues to promote its conservative brand of Islam.

Saudi Arabia is likely to step up its campaign to spread its version of Islam as it plans to open new campuses of the Saudi-funded Islamic and Arabic College of Indonesia (LIPIA) in Makassar, Surabaya and Medan.

Currently, LIPIA only has a campus in Jakarta.

Students studying at LIPIA will pay no tuition fees, as they receive Saudi-funded scholarships. Students will also receive a monthly stipend while studying at the institute.

The college is known for graduating students ingrained with the conservative strain of Islam, including convicted terrorist Aman Abdurrahman, who has been known for his efforts to spread Islamic State (IS) movement propaganda.

Alongside the Indonesian Society for the Propagation of Islam (DDII), LIPIA has been the primary beneficiary of Saudi funding in the country.

Human rights groups have expressed concerns that conservative clerics in the country are promoting an agenda that conforms with the ideals of Wahabbism, including the call for the persecution of minority Muslim groups like Shiites and Ahmadiyah members.

In Malaysia, where the visiting Saudi monarch agreed to invest US$7 billion in an oil refinery, the daughter of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, Marina Mohamad, lashed out against what she called Arab colonialism.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

The standardization of pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) is not part of the governments efforts to deradicalize Islamic extremists, but instead aims to further spread moderate Islam, an official has said.

Its not a deradicalization program. Its going to take moderate Islam mainstream, the Religious Affairs Ministrys Islamic education director general Kamaruddin Amin said as quoted by Antara in Jakarta on Friday.

Perceiving the pesantren standardization to be a deradicalization attempt could lead to a false understanding that Islamic boarding schools are a base of radicals, or, in a more extreme terminology, terrorists, he said.

(Read also: BNPT identifies 400 ex-terrorists untouched by deradicalization program)

By mainstreaming moderate Islam, Kamaruddin said, Islamic boarding schools were directed to mainstream an Islam that was peaceful, moderate and served as rahmatan lil alamin, or a blessing for the whole world and its contents.

He said pesantren were not radical and it had been proven since Indonesias pre-independence era that the non-formal religious education institution had never grown radicalism. Pesantren had continued to develop without creating radicalism problems, but instead by promoting love for the nation.

Kamaruddin did not deny that the potential for radicalism could grow in pesantren if people with extreme views were allowed to enter them. Therefore, the government must be present in pesantren with various programs, including through its pesantren standardization program.

It is hoped the program can start in 2017, said Kamaruddin.

Kamaruddin said in several countries, such as Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, Islamic schools were protected from any government intervention, making them fertile ground for radicalism.

Unlike in those countries, he said, pesantren in Indonesia were strategic partners of the government and important elements in education and social affairs in the country. (rdi/ebf)
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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

State construction firm PT Wijaya Karya (WIKA) signed a US$2 billion (US$26.7 trillion) commitment with Saudi Arabian firm Adil Makki Contracting Company (AMCO) on Thursday to build 8,000 low cost housing units, as part of government infrastructure improvement.

The realization of the MoU can take place next year, said Roslan Roeslani, chairman of Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN), after the signing ceremony during the Indonesia-Saudi Arabia Business Forum in the Grand Hyatt on Thursday.

KADIN invites more Saudi businesspeople to invest in infrastructure amid Indonesia's limited state budget and vision to accelerate development of roads, ports, water, sanitary systems and other public facilities.

The country is targeting to build thousands of kilometers of toll roads, dozens of dams, airports and seaports as well as an additional 35,000 MW of power plants within the 2015 to 2019 period to cut down its high logistics cost that now accounts for more than 20 percent of its Gross Domestic Product.

(Read also: Saudi Arabia confirms investment in Cilacap refinery: Minister)

According to an assessment by the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), the total investment needs for the period amount to Rp 4.8 quadrillion (US$369.2 billion), of which national and regional budgets can only cover Rp 1.98 quadrillion.

WIKA and AMCO signing took place during the Indonesia-Saudi Arabia business forum attended by businesspeople and high officials from both countries, including Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) head Thomas Tom Lembong, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Enggar Lukita and Governor of the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises from Saudi Arabia, Ghassan Ahmed Al Sulaiman. (bbn)
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Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017

As many as 16 leaders from the 21-member Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) have confirmed their plan to attend the organization's first summit in Jakarta next week, a top diplomat has said.

Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi on Thursday said the summit is set to boost cooperation through the IORA at a governance level, which would also involve seven dialogue partners.

The leaders' meeting on Tuesday would be proceeded by a senior official's meeting on Sunday and a ministerial meeting on Monday.

"Among the 16 leaders are the South African president [Jacob Zuma], the Malaysian prime minister [Najib Razak], the Australian prime minister [Malcolm Turnbull] and the Indian vice president [Mohammad Hamid Ansari]. Also, Sri Lanka would attend at the leader's level. Bangladesh too at the leader's level," Retno told reporters.

A business forum on the sidelines is set to be attended by at least 477 participants, she added.

As incumbent IORA chair since 2015, Indonesia is set to host the organization's first summit since its establishment in 1997.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo would co-chair the summit with the prior chairs, Australian Prime Minister Turnbull, and South African President Zuma, set to take over chairmanship later this year.

The summit is set to produce three main documents, namely the IORA Concord at the leaders level, a ministerial Plan of Action for the next four years and a declaration on preventing and countering terrorism.

An association that convenes countries bounding the Indian Ocean, IORA focuses on developing sustainable economies by ensuring maritime safety and security cooperation among its members. (evi)
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Linkedin Beth J. Harpaz (Associated Press) New York  Fri, March 3, 2017

The US Travel Association on Thursday said the Trump administration's immigration policies are hurting tourism.

The nonprofit industry organization said in a statement that there are "mounting signs" of "a broad chilling effect on demand for international travel to the United States."

White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters disputed the contention, saying: "It takes several months for each month's international arrival statistics to be processed and released to the public. To claim the executive order has had an impact on travel would be premature."

But the US Travel Association's statement added to a growing chorus of concern from the travel industry over the impact of Trump administration policies on tourism.

Earlier this week, the tourism agency NYC & Company revised its 2017 forecast to predict a drop in inbound international travel to New York City, with 300,000 fewer visitors compared to 2016. It would be the first drop in visitation to New York since the start of the recession in 2008.

The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau told the Philadelphia Inquirer this week that it had lost out on an international meeting with 3,000 attendees that decided to go to Canada or Mexico instead.

And ForwardKeys, which tracks travel bookings, reported in February that "international trends in bookings to the US are down 6.5 percent compared with the equivalent period the year before."

"It's known as the Trump Slump," travel guru Arthur Frommer wrote last month on Frommers.com. He called it "an unintended consequence of the Trump-led efforts to stop many Muslims from coming to the US," resulting in "a sharp drop in foreign tourism to our nation that imperils jobs and touristic income."

US Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow said there's concern that many international travelers have interpreted Trump's policies as "wanting to discourage international visitors generally, not just those who pose a security risk."

Trump's initial travel ban on travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen was suspended following a court order, but a revised executive order on visas and immigration is expected soon.

The US Travel Association urged the administration to make clear in any revised order "that the US welcomes and values legitimate international business and leisure travelers."

Tourism is an enormous sector of the US economy, generating $2.1 trillion in economic output and supporting 15.1 million jobs, with international arrivals a key component, according to data from the US Travel Association.

"Security is a top priority for the US travel community, but it's critical to balance both sides of the ledger: make clear who is not welcome, but also who remains welcome," Dow said.

A Jan. 30 op-ed piece in the Toronto Star newspaper encouraged Canadians to "boycott vacations to the US " until Trump is no longer president.

NYC & Company is launching a new campaign called "New York City  Welcoming the World" to try to counteract the expected downturn. The agency said in a press release that the campaign is intended to reassure international travelers who may feel deterred about traveling to the US that they are welcome in New York.

But Alexandre de Juniac, head of the International Air Transport Association, said Thursday that industry leaders are not worried about a downturn, saying air travel to the US "still looks positive in 2017."

Last year, the US Commerce Department predicted a record 78.6 million international visitors would visit the US in 2017. That forecast is usually updated in May.

___

AP reporter Joan Lowy in Washington contributed to this story. (**)
The Permanent Indus Commission is a bilateral commission of officials from India and Pakistan, created to implement and manage goals of the Indus Waters Treaty.

As per the provisions in the treaty, India can use only 20 per cent of the total water carried by the Indus River.

By Asian News International: India is going to attend the Permanent Indus Commission meet, scheduled to be held in Lahore this month. Pakistan forwarded the invitation to India to resolve the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), sources say.

The Permanent Indus Commission is a bilateral commission of officials from India and Pakistan, created to implement and manage goals of the Indus Waters Treaty.

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WHAT IS INDUS WATER TREATY

The treaty which was signed in 1960 by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan, gives India control over the three eastern rivers of the Indus basin, the Beas, the Ravi and the Sutlej, while Pakistan has the three western rivers, the Indus, the Chenab and the Jhelum.

As per the provisions in the treaty, India can use only 20 per cent of the total water carried by the Indus River. The IWT, 1960 is seen as one of the most successful international treaties and has withstood frequent tensions between India and Pakistan, including conflict.

CONFLICTS WHICH LED TO THE MEET

The relations between the two nuclear-armed nations plummeted following the Pathankot terror attack that took place in January last year.

Pakistan has firmly stated that it will not accept any alterations or changes to the IWT after India had said that it is ready to engage in further consultations with Islamabad on the matter of resolving current differences over the Kishenganga and Ralte projects under the treaty.

Islamabad has argued that India was buying time to complete its two disputed water projects and then insisting that since the project was already complete, it could not be modified.

Pakistan is raising its objection to building of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric plants by India saying that it violates the provisions of the treaty.

Tensions increased over the water dispute when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month threatened to block the flow of water into Pakistan.

World Bank had earlier asked both the countries to consider alternative ways to resolve their disagreements over the Indus Water Treaty Dispute 1960. The World Bank had said that it was temporarily halting the appointment of a neutral expert as requested by India, and the Chairman of the Court of Arbitration, as requested by Pakistan, to resolve issues regarding two hydroelectric power plants under construction by India along the Indus Rivers system.

The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers, known as the Permanent Indus Commission which includes a commissioner from each of the two countries.

It also sets out a process for resolving so-called "questions", "differences" and "disputes" that may arise between the parties.

ALSO READ| World Bank options for resolving Kishenganga, Ratle deadlock

ALSO READ| India not fulfilling responsibilities under Indus treaty: Pak

ALSO READ| India's new rules of engagement

--- ENDS ---
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Linkedin Matthew Pennington (Associated Press) Washington  Fri, March 3, 2017

The outgoing top US diplomat for East Asia said Thursday that China should take more actions to send an unambiguous signal to North Korea to stop its nuclear and missile programs.

China recently said it is suspending coal imports from North Korea, an important source of its foreign revenue.

Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel said that was in line with UN sanctions, but he hoped Beijing was also swayed by a recent North Korean missile test and the assassination of the North Korean leader's exiled half brother, who was under Chinese protection during the years he lived in Macau.

"The world should expect a permanent member of the UN Security Council to adhere to the letter and the spirit of a resolution as important as this," Russel told The Associated Press.

"I hope we see a lot more Chinese actions, whether they are tied to the Security Council resolution or whether they are unilateral that send an unambiguous stop sign to the North Korean leaders," he said, noting that China accounts for up to 90 percent of North Korea's external economic activity.

Russel said that he was stepping down as assistant secretary March 8 to spend one year as diplomat-in-residence at the Asia Society Policy Institute, a think tank led by former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

He said he wasn't pushed out by the Trump administration and will remain a State Department employee. Russel has held the position for 3.5 years. Prior to that he was President Barack Obama's top Asia adviser at the White House. His successor has not been named.

Also Thursday, the State Department said that Assistant Secretary Linda Thomas-Greenfield will leave her position as top diplomat for Africa on March 10. She has accepted a State Department detail as a senior fellow at Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy.

She and Russel are final holdovers as assistant secretaries running the department's regional bureaus after President Donald Trump took office nearly six weeks ago. All those positions will be run by acting assistant secretaries until their replacements are nominated and confirmed by the Senate.

No nominations have been made yet. (**)
Here are four shortened versions of articles published in the J+ channel at www.thejakartapost.com. For those who fancy reading the full articles or wish to look for more interesting lifestyle pieces, complete with photos and videos, swing by the J+ channel on our website. For quick access, download the QR scanner app onto your smartphone and scan the code display next to the articles.

Custom clutches made by Indonesian favored in US

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Sadly, the dark realities of power structure and marginalization portrayed in Teater Komas latest play

are still relevant in Indonesia, 34 years later.

Masa lalu hitam kelam (the past is pitch black), sang the troubadour played by Sari Madjid in Teater Komas recent nostalgic show from one of its most popular plays, Opera Ikan Asin (Salted Fish Opera).

Masa depan, lebih kelam (the future is even darker), she continued in her cabaret-style upbeat singing, conveying an apparent irony. The dark humor outlined in this punch line got its message across with the audience laughing dryly at the comic troubadour.

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Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Nusa Dua  Sat, March 4 2017

White sandy beaches, pristine waters and stunning sunrises might be a few of the things that will be enjoyed by Saudi Arabias King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as he is set to step onto Indonesias most famous resort island of Bali on Saturday afternoon after concluding his three-day state visit to Jakarta.

The 81-year-old ruler and his large entourage will enjoy the scenic views from his luxurious beachfront St. Regis Bali Resort in the famous upscale Nusa Dua area.

A touch of Balinese culture will also welcome the king upon his arrival at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, where about 50 Balinese dancers will perform the traditional welcome dance of pendet. The traditional attire-wearing Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika will also welcome the king, along with other top officers like Udayana Military commander Maj. Gen. Kustanto Widiatmoko, Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Petrus R. Golose and Tourism Minister Arief Yahya.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Sat, March 4 2017

I am Rieke Diah Pitaloka, a member of the House of Representatives. Thank you for your visit to Indonesia. Saudi Arabia, a place where we (Muslims) perform the fifth pillar of Islam, the pilgrimage to Mecca, is always in our hearts.

Let me express my gratitude for job opportunities given to Indonesians in Saudi Arabia.

However I hope the two countries can fight for an equitable legal system for migrant workers. Islam teaches us to fight for humanity and justice. I believe His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is wise and fair and has the same interest in promoting Islam as

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Linkedin Eileen Ng (Associated Press) Kuala Lumpur  Fri, March 3, 2017

Malaysian police on Friday released the only North Korean detained in the killing of the half brother of North Korea's leader, and later said an arrest warrant had been issued for another whose whereabouts are unknown.

Malaysia is looking for seven North Korean suspects in all, four of whom are believed to have left the country Feb. 13, the day Kim Jong Nam died. The only people in custody are two women  one Indonesian, one Vietnamese  accused of smearing his face with the banned nerve agent VX.

Ri Jong Chol, who had been detained since Feb. 17, was handed over to immigration officials for deportation. Police never said what they thought his role was in the attack, but national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed Friday that Ri was released due to a lack of evidence against him.

Malaysian Attorney General Mohamad Apandi Ali earlier said Ri would be deported because he lacked valid travel documents. Immigration director Mustafar Ali said Ri would be escorted by two representatives from the North Korean Embassy.

The women charged with murdering Kim at an airport terminal were caught on grainy surveillance video smearing what Malaysian authorities say was VX nerve agent on his face and eyes, though both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Four of the North Korean suspects police seek are believed to have left Malaysia the day Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was killed. One of the suspects believed to still be in Malaysia is an official at the North Korean Embassy.

Khalid said the arrest warrant issued Friday was for 37-year-old Kim Uk Il, who works for Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier. Police say he arrived in Malaysia on Jan. 29, about two weeks before Kim Jong Nam was attacked.

Malaysian authorities have not said why they want to question Kim Uk Il, but they believe he also is still in Malaysia.

Kim's death has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. On Thursday, Malaysia announced it is scrapping visa-free entry for North Koreans.

A statement Friday from Malaysia's Foreign Ministry ramped up the pressure on North Korea, saying it was "greatly concerned" about the use of the nerve agent.

"Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," the ministry said.

(Read also: Kim Jong Nam died within 20 minutes of poisoning: Malaysia)

Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of being behind the killing, but the statement came hours after a North Korean envoy rejected a Malaysian autopsy finding that VX nerve agent killed Kim, saying the man probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Ri Tong Il, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, also said that if VX had been used, others besides Kim would have been killed or sickened.

Malaysian officials say the two female suspects smeared VX nerve agent on Kim's face as he waited for a flight at Kuala Lumpur's airport. Kim died within 20 minutes, authorities say. No bystanders reported falling ill.

Malaysia's finding that VX killed Kim boosted speculation that North Korea orchestrated the attack. Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons including VX.

North Korea is trying to retrieve Kim's body, but has not acknowledged that the victim is Kim Jong Un's half brother, as Malaysian government officials have confirmed.

North Korea refers to the victim as Kim Chol, the name on the diplomatic passport he was carrying when he died. Malaysian police are doing the same; they are seeking next-of-kin who could provide a DNA sample and make a positive identification, steps they say are needed for authorities to give up the body. Kim is believed to have two sons and a daughter with two women living in Beijing and Macau.

Khalid, the national police chief, brushed off the North Korean envoy's claim of a heart attack.

"We have our experts who are qualified to determine the cause of death of Kim Chol. Our investigations, supported by expert reports, confirmed that Kim Chol was murdered. North Korea can say what they like but the facts remain," Khalid told The Associated Press.

Malaysian police said the female suspects had been trained to go immediately to the bathroom and wash their hands after attacking Kim. The police said the four North Korean suspects who left the country the day of the killing put the VX liquid on the women's hands.

Police can't confirm whether the two women may have been given antidotes before the attack. An antidote, atropine, can be injected after exposure and is carried by medics in war zones where weapons of mass destruction are suspected.

North Korea has a long history of ordering killings of people it views as threats to its regime. Kim Jong Nam was not known to be seeking political power, but his position as eldest son of the family that has ruled North Korea since it was founded could have made him appear to be a danger.

Kim Jong Nam reportedly fell out of favor with his father, the late Kim Jong Il, in 2001, when he was caught trying to enter Japan on a false passport to visit Tokyo Disneyland. (dan)
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Linkedin Masajeng Rahmiasri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 3, 2017 08:45 2074 a291276806121264c0bd211cde2bf7d3 1 News japan-travel-fair,Japan,traveling,tourism,#traveling,#tourism Free

The Japan Travel Fair is set to return for the seventh time to the Kota Kasablanka Mall in South Jakarta on March 3 to 5.

Six destinations are set to be highlighted at the event, namely the Kyushu (Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Oita and Saga), Okinawa, Setouchi (Ehime, Hiroshima, Kagawa and Okayama), Tohoku (Akita, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata), Wakayama and Hokkaido areas.

(Read also: Exploring Japan's rising dragon)

Hideki Tomioka, executive director of Jakartas Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), speaks during a Japan Travel Fair 2017 press conference in South Jakarta on March 2. (JP/Masajeng Rahmiasri)

Tokyo and Osaka have already become the most popular destinations among Indonesian travelers. This year, we want them to visit other places in Japan, Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) for Jakarta executive director Hideki Tomioka said in a press conference in South Jakarta on Thursday. He added that the selected destinations were equipped with adequate infrastructure and the local administrations and travel agents were keen to tap into the Indonesian market and were set to participate in the fair to promote their attractions.

The Tohoku region, for instance, an area still recovering from the 2011 earthquake that had damaged nuclear plant reactors in Fukushima, is said to attend the event to promote places it deemed safe for tourists. Meanwhile, Okinawa is described as a "popular resort destination among local and overseas travelers" that is still foreign to Indonesian tourists, with attractions like picturesque beaches and diving spots.

(Read also: What to prepare before traveling to Japan)

Visitors of the event can also expect to enjoy discounts from participating airlines, travel agents and partnering banks, with the lowest price for return tickets reportedly Rp 3.9 million (US$292).

The travel fair is part of Japan's effort to attract 40 million foreign visitors from all around the world by the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Last year, up to 271,000 Indonesians reportedly visited the country, representing a 32.1 percent growth from 2015. (kes)
"He called on February 23, 24 and finally on 25th, at about 8pm, he called his wife and was crying. He felt harassed. He feared his career would be ruined," said the uncle of Lance Naik Roy Mathew.

By Jugal R Purohit: "Our son lost his life by speaking to a journalist. We don't wish any controversy," said Thomas Kutti (62) who introduced himself as the uncle of Lance Naik Roy Mathew who was found dead yesterday inside an unused barrack in Devlali in Maharashtra.

The family, based out of Kerala, is awaiting the remains of their son. In the meanwhile, they are also trying to figure out just what led Roy to this extreme step.

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In a telephonic conversation with this correspondent, Kutti said, "He called on February 23, 24 and finally on 25th, at about 8pm, he called his wife and was crying. He felt harassed. He feared his career would be ruined because his conversation with the journalist was telecasted and perhaps he was asked to explain his actions by the army."

Also read: Army jawan who featured in sting criticising sahayak system found dead

After this conversation, his phone was unreachable over the next 2-3 days. The family was informed by subordinates in Deolali that Roy gone missing. The family then approached the police. However, they were informed to report in case Roy turned up at their Kerala home.

As they waited, Thomas said, Roy's father received a call. "We are under too much stress and tension so I do not remember the date and time, but the caller said Roy's body had been found. My son lost his life by speaking to the media. One television channel telecasted what he said to them and he had to pay with his life. I called that journalist to ask if their channel was satisfied over what had happened. That journalist apologized, but what is the use," he said.

Also read: Bye bye buddy? Army might replace sahayaks with non-combatant assistants in peace postings

Thomas Kutti then said, "I don't know why you are asking me and I don't want any controversy. I have told you what the truth is. I am in Kerala now and the body is arriving tomorrow and we are going to be busy," he added.

The Indian Army in a statement said, "Preliminary investigations have now revealed that the suicide may be a result of a series of events which were triggered by the media personnel managing to videograph the deceased by asking leading questions as a buddy without his knowledge. It is very likely that the guilt factor of letting down his superiors or conveying false impression to an unknown individual led to take the extreme step. The identities of the Army personnel involved in the clipping was hidden and thereby not known to the Army. Hence there is no question of any inquiry that could have been ordered against the deceased."

WATCH THE VIDEO:

Also read: After video of jawans treated as sahayaks went viral, Army units instruct officers to ensure their dignity

Buddy no more? Army chief supports restricting 'sahayak' system

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In the video, the African-American man is seen abusing the girl, saying words like "Freedom of speech" and "Black Power." Using expletives, he tells her to "get out of here."

By Press Trust of India: An Indian-origin girl in the US has been allegedly racially abused by an African-American man who called her inappropriate names and yelled "get out of here" when she was travelling in a busy commuter train. Ekta Desai, who lives in New York, took a video of the incident that occurred on February 23. The video was then shared by a website The Voice Raiser and has since then gone viral and viewed by hundreds of thousands of people.

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In the video, the African-American man is seen abusing the girl, saying words like "Freedom of speech" and "Black Power." Using expletives, he tells her to "get out of here."

As the girl is recording the video, the man gets visibly angry and is seen shouting at her.

"This man was on the same PATH train as me along with 100 other passengers, I had my headphones on and it was like any other day. Next thing I know he is yelling on my face (Did not bother to listen/react)," Desai wrote on social media.

Desai said she did not react to the man but he continued shouting and questioned as to why she was taking his photo and pictures. Several people have reacted sympathetically towards the girl after the video was posted online. Desai said she reported the matter to police authorities, who allegedly said the man appears to be "emotionally unstable" and she should be careful.

Desai then contacted Kundan Srivastava, a Human Rights activist and founder of The Voice Raiser, who said the US government should "punish" the man for "harassing and abusing women and also insulting our nation."

"We would also like to say that being a girl does not make anyone less capable or helpless. As you can see in the video, people are just standing as a mere spectator. He yelled disgusting things and used unacceptable words. A person should abide by the civic rules and does not slut shame a woman. Keep Fighting!," Srivastavas organisation said.

The incident comes close on the heels of the shooting in Kansas of a 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla who was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani at a bar before yelling "get out of my country."

The shooting sent shock waves across the Indian-American community here with people expressing concerns over their safety in an enviornment of xenophobic and racist rhetoric in the country.

Also read: More than $1M raised for kin of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, two other men injured in Kansas shooting

Also read: At Srinivas Kuchibhotla's prayer meet, friend who survived Kansas shooting calls for tolerance in US

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Do Saal, Dilli Behal: That's the theme with which the Indian Youth Congress, youth wing of the party launched its scathing attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday. The protestors claimed that most of the demands ranging from free wi-fi to women's security continued to remain unfulfilled.

By Abhishek Anand, Anindya Banerjee: The Indian Youth Congress, the youth wing of the party staged a massive protest outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday with the theme 'Do saal, Dilli Behal'. In a scathing attack, the protestors claimed that most of the demands ranging from free wi-fi to women's security continued to remain unfulfilled.

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Removing corruption was one of the most prominent electoral promises of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that has its genesis in the anti-corruption movement led by social activist Anna Hazare but Congress leader Amrinder Brar said, "Corruption is still deep rooted. Kejriwal failed to curb that."

He went on to allege, "For the last few months Delhi misses any governance. The entire Cabinet was in Punjab for polls. So who will take care of Delhi? Delhiites feel cheated." A protester who shouted slogans along with Brar said, "Certain areas in the national capital have not received water for months, while sanitation is in bad shape, with drains overflowing. I want to know what will Kejriwal do about it?"

The march of about 200 youths was led by Delhi's youth Congress president Amit Malik outside the chief minister's residence at the Civil Lines area.

"Kejriwal has not fulfilled any promises he had made during the election campaign. There are no free wi-fis, no security for women and no roads and flyovers constructed in the last two years," said Malik. The protest soon turned violent. Not only was the first layer of security barricade toppled but the second layer was also about to be bridged. The protesters termed Kejriwal's two years rule as 'Farziwal' and shouted slogans against the AAP.

Consequently, the Delhi Police had to resort to mild lathicharge and the use of water cannons to bring the disorderly crowd under control.

Notably, both the Congress and AAP are eyeing to get a sizeable share in the key MCD election that is scheduled next month in the national capital. The protest was a part of the Congress' strategy to garner votes. MCD is currently controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

ALSO READ: Jat agitation: Community leaders plan to block all entry points into Delhi if demands not met

ALSO READ: Delhi: SFI holds demonstration against ABVP, demands action against 'goons'

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No dinosaurs, no Empire State Building, and certainly no scantily clad damsel in sight; this latest Kong adventure is different, and all the better for it.

Skull Island marks the eighth official film, and the fourth apparent reboot of possibly the most famous ape in the history of cinema. Thats a whole lotta Kong, and Peter Jacksons recent remake made a whole bunch of money, won several Oscars and still stands as fairly relevant today, having only be released in 2005. So why make another one now?

The long answer is a bit too waffly and involves other movie monsters and some sort of shared monster universe; the short answer is the slightly more cynical because, money, but in all honesty, within five minutes of being under Skull Islands spell you probably wont really care all that much anyway. The fact is, Kongs back, and hes bigger and more badass than ever.

Indie maestro Jordan Vogt-Roberts (who some may know from the hugely underrated The Kings of Summer a few years back) hits the big-time running with an Apocalypse Now-inspired, early 70s-set take on the legend. A former special forces jungle tracker (Tom Hiddleston) teams up with an American military crew fresh out of Vietnam, and a war-time photographer (Brie Larson) to chart the seemingly invisible Skull Island of the title and well, thats about all you actually need to know.

The rest, as they say, is a mystery; and whilst theres a few neat character nods and some sly little surprises that should stay firmly as surprises (steer clear of internet comment threads for real this time), for the most part Skull Islands real appeal is that its an actual real world, functioning monster movie. Unlike 2014s Godzilla and a whole bunch of the 21st Century crowd of monster releases, you actually get to see a lot of Kong here - which sounds super silly to point out considering its the basic reason monster movies exist in the first place, but youd be surprised.

The ape in question is present from as early as the films short and snappy prologue, and from there his role only grows and grows. Vogt-Roberts seems to have latched onto something that a lot of the directors who came before him really didnt; this is Kongs movie, its about Kong and Kong is the main character. Whilst the humans who discover him are important (and to their credit, very well played here), they only exist to facilitate the gigantic god-like ape the movie is actually named after.

Which in the long run, makes Skull Islands significantly larger, more beastly Kong arguably one of the best interpretations of the legend to date too. Modern effects have certainly helped the process considerably, but Vogt-Roberts ape works for a whole bunch of more foundational reasons too. Theres actually backstory here, thats subtle enough, but very cleverly lays the groundwork for a more battle-born creature that fits into the 21st Century much more easily.

The original Kong found himself blinded by beauty, driven by romantic urges which - aside from not making a whole lot of sense logically, and being ever-so-slightly troublesome due to the fact that you know, its bestiality - arent really needed in a 2017 blockbuster. Romantic plots arent all the rage anymore; Disney dropped theirs for the hugely successful Moana and no one batted an eyelid. And when Disney drop romance from their movies, you just know its going to have a knock-on effect.

So instead of the white-dressed Fay Wray-type throwing herself into all sorts of sexually-confusing scenarios and pining after the affections of a literal ape, we get Brie Larsons more sensibly-dressed, level-headed, and perfectly-played photographer Weaver. Shes not a love interest, or a helpless damsel, shes just like any other member of the team, and her connection with Kong comes from a totally human place, rather than a romantic one, marking arguably Skull Islands biggest departure, and its most successful too.

All-in theres probably a few too many characters on the roster though. John Goodmans crackpot scientist and his researcher cronies start strong but quickly lose relevance; Samuel L. Jackson is exceptional as an evil-eyed military leader but his team are much too big; and whilst the core cast make for a brilliantly-starry read, theyre not all 100% suited to their roles.

Case in point, a certain Mr Hiddleston, who to his credit tries his absolute darnedest to be a Stallone-level tough-guy but never quite reaches the peak. Hes a charmer, and quick-witted enough, hes just not built to be the muscly old-school war hero the film is clearly aiming for. In fact, much of it might not even be Hiddleston himself but the state of the characters overall; theyre all more than capable of looking after themselves and simply dont need a text-book alpha-male type running to their rescue every five seconds.

If anything, this can be seen as the films biggest praise: Skull Island is a huge Hollywood blockbuster movie that actually treats its characters like logical human beings, and while were at it, treats its monsters like the show-stopping spectacles they are too. Theres plenty of creature-fighting, helicopter bashing action, and enough fantastically-written character drama to keep what is quite figuratively a giant behemoth of a picture, ticking along fabulously for a full two-hours.

It might not quite be the same Kong you remember from years gone by, but in managing its differences and adapting its legends to fit a more progressive audience, Jordan Vogt-Roberts latest reboot is easily one of 2017s best and smartest blockbusters.

Dark without ever being gritty, fun without ever being indulgent; its a terrific blend of what makes monster movies really tick underneath and if the teased plans for more are to be believed, we may well have a very exciting creature-feature renaissance on our hands.

Kong: Skull Island is out in UK cinemas on 9th March.
Shakespeares comedy sees two twins separated in the wake of a shipwreck, forced to fend for themselves in a strange new land. Adopting classic Elizabethan themes, its a tale of mistaken identity and unrequited love.

However, the National Theatres version sees Greig as Malvolio, a typically male character, transforming the courtship of Olivia into a lesbian affair.

Reviews sing high praises for Greig, the Olivier-winner and star of Episodes. Natasha Tripney, writing for The Stage, called her Malvolio a masterstroke of casting and a performance of great comic skill.

In an interview with the Evening Standard, Greig praised the gender-fluid production, suggesting there is no part that a woman cant do.

I think the way Simon has directed it, he has really opened the conversation about the fluidity of identity.

She added: We dont define ourselves nowadays  possibly always, but the conversation is hot now  within recognised boundaries anymore.

Shakespearean productions are notable for gender fluid casting choices. Charlotte Clarke played the Prince of Denmark in Hamlet the 18th Century, Charlotte Cushman took on the role of Romeo in the 19th Century, and Ariel from The Tempest was played by women throughout the Victorian period.

More recent gender swaps include Helen Mirren taking on the role of Prospero in the 2011 film version of The Tempest, Game of Thrones actor Owen Teale featuring on the audiobook Romeo and Jude, and Russel T Davies altering A Midsummer Nights Dream to include a lesbian kiss in 2016.

here Twelfth Night is currently showing at the Olivier Theatre. Read our review

Tickets are available to book here.

The production will also be broadcast live to cinemas on April 6.
Supermodel Gigi Hadid has launched a new collection with Reebok as part of their #PerfectNever campaign.

Sport and activewear brand Reebok's #PerfectNever campaign was launched this year, in mind of not only challenging women's views of perfection, but more than that, to encourage women to embrace their imperfections, and become motivated by them instead.

The underlying theme behind the collection is that we are all but works in-progress on an on-going story of self-improvement. This is such a powerful message in the social media obsessed world we live in right now, where at the tap of a finger we can view beautifully airbrushed models and carefully filtered selfies.

Social media was one of the many topics talked about in the womens empowerment panel held in New York on this campaign. Gigi, amongst other panellists including Ruby Rose and Zoe Kravitz, spoke about the issues they have all come up against in their respective professions with regards this 21 Century drive to be perfect.

Gigi mentioned specifically the comments she has recieved on her catwalk walk, saying: Im not saying Im the prettiest or the best model, Im trying to get better every day at what I do. Its more important to be kind and give energy to people I work with.
The polls have closed, the results are in, the watchmen leave their stations. The Labour party, fighting to hold two seats in what was once thought to be its northern heartland, successfully fought off the challenge of UKIP in Stoke Central. But  and this is quite remarkable  it was defeated in Copeland by the Conservative candidate. Its only the fifth time in more than 90 years that a governing party has gained a seat in a by-election.

Stoke Central, where a Labour victory was always thought to be more likely, nevertheless looked for a time as though it would be a close-run thing. Despite the frequent mistakes and missteps of the testicular Paul Nuttall, the Labour candidate, Gareth Snell, never seemed all that secure.

This is due, in part, to his own remarkable propensity to kick himself in the face. Sensible observers seem to agree: it is unwise, when running in a constituency which voted so heavily to leave the European Union, to describe the result of the referendum as a pile of shit.

In the event, he survived a 2% swing against him and took the seat. But this would seem to say more about the inadequacies of the UKIP strategy than the boons of Labour, and it is the loss of Copeland that is  rightly or wrongly  setting the tone today.

How exactly has this happened? How is it that the Labour Party, founded to give representation to the very working-class communities that now seem wont to disparage it, is facing the very real prospect of losing seats it once considered safe? And how, since that is the case, can the party possibly recover?

One is naturally wary of simple solutions that attempt to account for far too much, but it strikes me that there is one principal reason which, if properly understood and acknowledged, might help to reverse this apparent decline.

That problem is not  or not just - Jeremy Corbyn. Indeed, there is a bitter irony which is lost on far too many of his opponents and allies: he was elected, in part, because he appears to be a principled man. Anyone familiar with his record knows that those principles to which he is committed include, or did until recently include, a deep opposition to the European Union, a belief in direct democracy and the power of the people. That he has bowed under the pressure exerted by the Parliamentary Labour Party and reneged upon almost all of the above suggests that those principles were not as important to him as they first appeared, or that he was never that principled to begin with.

And yet those very principles, learned under the tutelage of Tony Benn (arguably the most popular toff ever to set foot in the North), represent exactly those things that the people of Stoke and Copeland, for example, would seem to want more of. (The obvious exception to this is Copeland, where Corbyns anti-nuclear stance was understandably toxic. That it was left to the Green Party to point out that nuclear really isnt all that is at best evidence of laziness.) So recriminations should be far more evenly spread around than have been.

Labours troubles have been long in the making. They stem, ultimately, from a lack of democracy; this lack was never properly addressed by the marginal gains made by the partys democrats in the 70s, which were themselves undermined by the breakaway Gang of Four in any case. But, even if the Bennite faction had accomplished far more of what it desired, it wouldnt have been enough: Ed Miliband, by introducing the 3 membership fee and expanding the franchise in leadership elections, effectively fulfilled one of the key aims of the 70s democratisers.

But this is a top-down measure. The problem Corbyn now faces is that he is elected democratically whilst his MPs are not, or are not in the same way. They have a very different kind of mandate, having been chosen to contest their seats in the first place not by the party membership but by a local party apparatus which tends to exclude anyone radically different from the prevailing orthodoxy.

Since Kinnock began the process of professionalising the party, and then Blair stratified it around the urban middle-classes, that orthodoxy has been geared to promote the group of people now maligned as metropolitan liberals, excluding almost all others. The old cliche about the Labour Party, that it is a broad church, is no longer accurate; the parliamentary party has ossified around a distinctly homogenous set, which is why so many Labour voters  particularly in the North  now complain, rightly, that the party has ceased to represent them. Rather than working class constituencies selecting working class representatives, they instead find themselves hosting prospective MPs who may not even have local, let alone class connections. Stoke Central is a case in point: how on earth did such a constituency find itself with Tristram Hunt, a man for whom the North-South divide is the M25?

This drive toward the managerial is concomitant with the partys wholehearted embrace of the EU, and the centralisation of powers in Brussels and Strasbourg. And it is this, rather than any particular working class tendency toward xenophobia, which explains the divide between Labours Remain and Leave voters. Those who do well out of the technocratic method  high-skilled, metropolitan, liberal academics and services workers  do not much mind who is appointed to represent them, since their values more-or-less align with those of the European Commission and the ECJ, and the domestic mainstream consensus which supports it.

But those whose values, needs and interests are not served by the European hegemony are rightly disheartened and displeased by the fact that they have no representation. Power has been lifted and enshrined above the ability of these voters to affect change, or offer affirmative consent, at the ballot box. Their MPs, similarly, are chosen for and not by them. They are dispossessed and disenfranchised.

So, how do we solve this problem? I suggest a form of devolution. It is a form made possible by our vote to leave the European Union. It is a change that requires participation by both the party and its supporters, for it requires the former to be willing to change and the latter to want to affect it.

Much as the franchise has been expanded for the leadership elections, so it must be expanded at the level of the CLPs. Power should be transferred downwards from the General and Executive Committees to the grassroots. Participation must be made easier and the decisions should be made by a committee of the whole membership, not merely a clique of the same. Every member of the CLP must have the right to become its MP, and the membership should be balloted before every election  or by-election  in order to choose the partys candidate. This should end the practice of parachuting supposedly orthodox candidates into allegedly safe seats. No more Hunts in Stoke. Labour Party MPs will be accountable, first and foremost, to their constituencies and not to the leadership, the PLP or the NEC. Re-selection at every election will ensure that this remains the case.

It may be argued that this will make governing the party more difficult. Yet this is a poor argument, for it denies the very idea of a broad church that Labour MPs are so keen to champion. And given the present tribulations, could it really be much worse? Compared to the Blair era, where the party was governed in a presidential fashion and the membership and voters were ignored, would it really be so bad to have a party structured in a such a way as to force dialogue between its various constituents?

I think not. And I can see no other way to redress the present crisis. Either the Labour Party finds a way to grant equal standing to its working and middle class members, or it serves one and sacrifices the other, so rendering itself not as a national party but as one of niche interest.

Reform is necessary. I believe this to be the right one, though I do not hold much hope of it happening.
said it before Iveon this website and I make no apologies for saying it again: the furore over EU residents right to remain is, to borrow from the bard, much ado about nothing.

No one, whether they be in power, flirting with it, or wallowing in the murky pools beneath it, is looking to deport three million EU citizens. Theresa May doesnt want to, Nigel Farage doesnt want to, Jeremy Corbyn doesnt want to; the Home Office couldnt even if it wanted to, and it doesnt want to, either. The British public get quite upset about the prospect, despite it being, to quote myself, more subaqueous than the refloating of Atlantis. It will not happen. Its not an issue.

Or, rather, it should not be an issue. And yet, undoubtedly, it has become one. It rather puts one in mind of the swine flu pandemic of the late noughties; the one that decimated the British countryside and killed several million people, eventually leading to the collapse of civil society in a rough approximation of John Christophers Death of Grass, or Wyndhams Day of the Triffids.

If you dont remember it, thats because it never actually occurred. And yet, so terrified was it by apocalyptic pronouncements from people who should have known better, the government wasted a quite extraordinary amount of money  some 1.2 billion - buying up and stockpiling vaccines. I dont know what happened to the 34 million unused doses. One assumes that they remain, gathering dust in the basement of the NHS, watched over by a team of three hundred managers, two thousand assistant managers and one hundred and fifty departmental directors of waste consolidation.

I recall the episode because, like the Millennium Bug, it serves as evidence that the fuss we make about non-issues tends to create many issues of its own. It benefits the cynical, upsets the credulous and generally leads to atmospheres of anger and unpleasantness, the breathing of which causes quite grievous bodily harm.

So I do not think it improper that we ask who it is thats responsible for perpetuating this latest false prospectus, and I think it only right that, once weve identified them, we give them a stern telling off. For the plight of EU citizens is, Im sure, quite real. Judging by the comments one reads in the newspapers, and the hecklers one hears on Question Time, many are genuinely fearful for their futures. They have no need to be. But they are encouraged in their misbelief, and made to feel worse, by the very people who claim to stand up for their interests.

I speak, in part, about the Ignoble Lords of the upper house of our parliament. But they are not alone. This non-issue would have been settled within the first few months of Mrs. Mays premiership, when she met with Angela Merkel and proposed making the right to remain a precondition of the negotiations. (Or, rather, and as I shall shortly explain, make clear that that right is presumptive.) Merkel, speaking for the Commission, refused. We can all agree that the notion of using people as bargaining chips is unseemly, but its worth remembering that it is the avowed policy of the European Union, and not the fault of the British government.

But of the Lords. Much has been made of the supposed defeat suffered by the government when the upper house voted, by a majority of 102, to send the Article 50 bill back to the Commons with an amendment ostensibly geared toward assuring EU citizens of their right to remain.

There are three things to say about this amendment, and rather more to say about the Lords themselves. In the first place, it misleads the public by suggesting that those rights are actually in doubt. Theyre not, or they dont need to be. Secondly, it is by its own logic nonsensical, for it is delaying the passage of the bill that enables us to start negotiations, and so attain the desired assurances. (The EU is quite clear on this point: there can be no negotiations before Article 50 is triggered.) Finally, the listed amendment does not belong to this piece of legislation but to the so-called Great Repeal Bill, which concerns the substantive issues of law and regulation.

This is the bill which will incorporate all existing EU regulations and directives into UK law, and place them under the sovereignty of the UK parliament and courts. Included in those regulations and directives are the Citizens Directive (2004) and the Regulation 492/2011, both of which are concerned with establishing residency rights. In other words, the Great Repeal Bill simply transfers stewardship of the existing arrangement from the EC and ECJ to the UK, so the act of our leaving the EU has no necessary impact on the rights we will enjoy afterwards, and the right of EU residents to remain (under the existing terms) is as good as presumptive.

(It might be pointed out that the terms of the directives concerned with residency rights are themselves quite strict. We can accept that, for the sake of argument, but what does this say if not that the rights afforded by the EU are not, as EUtopians believe, all that lovely?)

Appending it to the two-clause Article 50 bill  which is concerned with no matter of law save beginning the formal process of withdrawal  is obviously absurd. The two things are unrelated. They do not inhabit the same sphere. The Lords amendment is akin to you refusing to get out of bed on Monday until youve decided when and to whom you will be married.

In fact, those in the know believe that the suggested amendment is not much of a defeat for the government. Barring any significant loss of control by the parliamentary whips, the Commons will vote against the amendment and it is unlikely  though not impossible  that the Labour peers, who drove the amendment, will push it a second time.

So, given that the so-called defeat is probably nothing more than a token gesture of opposition by the peers, and given that the amendment is unnecessary, and given that it will only delay the securing of the rights it claims to safeguard, and given that EU citizens have the presumptive right to remain in any case, what does this say about the character of those who inflicted it?

It says this: that unelected Lords, vast numbers of them appointed by the unwholesome patronage of Blair and Cameron, and a significant few funded by undeclared EC pensions, are standing on the shoulders of EU citizens, causing them no small amount of stress, pretending to care about them but in fact using them as a platform from which to grandstand in opposition to the declared wishes of the British people, and the duly elected government of the country.

This vast multitude, comprised largely of appointed cronies, many of whom turn up only to get their significant weekly allowance, is deliberately stoking unfounded fears amongst a small but valuable section of British society. They are, either out of gullibility or cynicism (or both), creating the very problem they claim they want to address: upsetting EU citizens and making them fearful for their futures. And the European Union, which still pays many of these people handsomely, is quite happy for them to do it, and to play its own citizens as pawns in a bigger game.

This is wrong, and we should not condone it. Much less should we celebrate it as a victory for the people made to suffer by it. The Lords has a constitutional role, and it has the right to express its opinion and fulfil the function set out for it. And I would not wish it to be said that there are none in that house who are worthy of our respect. But I think we are entitled to ask whether it is right that, in the 21st Century, a body of so many unelected aristocrats and disreputable suck-ups should be able, behind the shield of patronage and a corrupted constitution, to act in such a scurrilous manner.
Cardiff Metropolitan University has issued a code of practice on inclusive language, banning phrases such as right-hand man and gentleman's agreement.

The university has stated that students should not have their choice of words influenced by their cultural background.

The guidance consists of a list of 34 words and phrases which students should attempt to avoid, including mankind, forefathers and sportsmanship.

Its purpose is to embrace cultural diversity through language, with the university stating that sustaining stereotypes through the use of language denies people's individuality, and that the aim should be to promote and atmosphere in which all students feel valued.

However it would seem the policy has had the opposite effect, with students and academics feeling insulted by the unnecessary interference.

The move comes as the latest in a wave of attempts by UK universities to appear more inclusive and politically correct  moves which have frequently been seen as an attack on freedom of speech. In the last year 21 institutions, including Oxford, Kings College and UCL, have banned high-profile speakers from appearing on campus because of their views.

A spokesperson for Cardiff Metropolitan University said:

The University is committed unreservedly to the principle of academic freedom within the law. It is also committed to providing an environment where everyone is valued and treated with dignity and respect. These two commitments are cornerstones of academic life at the University.

Image by Jeffrey Beall
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By Press Trust of India: Mahrajganj(UP), Mar 3 (PTI) The Indo-Nepal border has been sealed, 24 hours before the polling in the sixth of the seven phased Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls begins tomorrow.

Voting for 49 Uttar Pradesh assembly seats will be held on March 4.

"The 84 km long Indo-Nepal border will be sealed 24 hours prior to the start of voting and will remain so till the end of polling on March 4. Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) will enforce the sealing. Only emergency vehicles will be allowed across the border during this period," said District Electoral Officer Virendra Kumar Singh.

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Cameras have been installed on trade and transit points along Indias border with Nepal to prevent illegal movement of people during polling.

He said two such cameras have already been set up at Sonauli Indo-Nepal Border of Maharajganj district on India-Nepal border.

Five Assembly seats in the district- Siswa, Nautanwa, Frenda, Paniyara and Maharajganj - are going to polls in the penultimate phase-VI of UP Assembly polls tomorrow. PTI CORR ABN ARK

--- ENDS ---
Security forces from 55 Rashtriya Rifles and the Special Operation Group of Jammu and Kashmir police cordoned off the Chilipora village on Friday evening after inputs about the presence of militants.

By Ashraf Wani: An encounter is going on between militants and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district.

Security forces from 55 Rashtriya Rifles and the Special Operation Group of Jammu and Kashmir police cordoned off the Chilipora village on Friday evening after inputs about the presence of militants.

As the area was being cordoned off, militants believed to be two in number fired at the security forces, resulting in the crossfire.

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The two militants are believed to be hiding in the village.

More details are awaited.

--- ENDS ---
"We have decided to start a nation-wide agitation from March 20 to bring people from Jat community, under OBC category, in both state and centre level together," Yashpal Malik, the president of All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti said.

By Ajay Kumar: The ongoing Jat agitation to claim reservation under OBC status reached a decisive phase in the national Capital on Thursday as community leaders threatened to block all entry points into Delhi and cut essential supplies from March 20 if their demands are not met.

The protesting leaders at Jantar Mantar have already submitted a memorandum of seven demands to the Haryana government after showing the same to the Centre.

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While addressing a big gathering of people from the community, supporting the cause, Yashpal Malik, the president of All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti said "BJP-led central government and the Haryana government have cheated the community on the pretext of false promises." In a veiled threat, he reminded that the Jats had blocked water supply in the past in Haryana, and said this time they have decided to choke Delhi from all corners.

"We have decided to start a nation-wide agitation from March 20 to bring people from Jat community, under OBC category, in both state and centre level together. Men from UP, Haryana, Rajasthan and other five states have been asked to reach Delhi on their own vehicles and if police of respective states stop them, they will take halt and start blocking roads then and there," Malik said. He added that Jats, who will go for non-violence, will reach Delhi in large numbers soon.

JATS' ROUTE TO DELHI

The Jats have significant presence in western UP. They will start travelling with adequate rationing on NH 58 (connecting Delhi and Haridwar) and NH24 (connecting Delhi and Lucknow).

Similarly, people from Palwal to Agra and beyond will travel through Yamuna expressway and NH2 to reach Delhi. The people of Haryana will take NH 1 (GT Road) from Sonepat side and NH 8 for the people lives in southern Haryana and Rajasthan. They were supported by followers of Baba Ram Pal. "As a part of the strategy, women have been asked to stay in their native places and take part in peaceful agitation that's going on since the last 33 days," Malik said. "The Haryana government had agreed to bring five communities, including the Jats, under OBC category, after a meeting on March 18. However, the decision was ruled out in Punjab and Haryana High Courts due to Haryana government's deliberate prosecution," Malik said.

Also Read

Jat quota agitation: Delhi gears up for traffic chaos as thousands gather at Jantar Mantar

Haryana: Jats to organise ''Black Day'' today, plan non-cooperation movement

--- ENDS ---
TV celebs like Jennifer Winget and Anita Hassanandani have joined the #ShaveYourOpinion campaign to speak up against those who judge a woman for their choice of clothes.

Jennifer Winget and Anita Hassanandani joined the Shave Your Opinion campaign. Picture Courtesy: Instagram

By India Today Web Desk: TV actress Jennifer Winget aka Maaya of Beyhadh and Shagun aka Anita Hassanandani of Yeh Hai Mohabbatein posted pictures with a razor in their hands on their Instagram account and hashtagged it #ShaveYourOpinion.

Society always has a say about what women should or shouldn't wear, and often women and their clothes are held responsible for anything that happens to them. #ShaveYourOpinion is a message to all those who judge women for their choice of clothes.

Remember, when you judge a woman by her appearance, it doesn't define her, it defines you. Let nothing and nobody dull your sparkle. So to those who judge us , Go #ShaveYourOpinion A post shared by Jennifer Winget (@jenniferwinget1) on Mar 2, 2017 at 5:14am PST

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Jennifer Winget posted a black and white picture with a razor with a note that said, "Remember, when you judge a woman by her appearance, it doesn't define her, it defines you. Let nothing and nobody dull your sparkle. So to those who judge us , Go #ShaveYourOpinion."

To all those who judge us women on our choice of clothes. #shaveyouropinion A post shared by Anita H Reddy (@anitahassanandani) on Mar 2, 2017 at 12:41am PST

The campaign is picking up and there are other actresses like Mandira Bedi, Ragini Khanna, Shruti Seth and model Diadnra Soares who've joined it as well.

For all those who have a problem with what I wear.. why don't you just #shaveyouropinion ! A post shared by Mandira Bedi (@mandirabedi) on Mar 2, 2017 at 4:54am PST

To all those who judge us for our choice of clothes, #ShaveYourOpinion A post shared by Ragini Khanna (@raginikhanna) on Mar 2, 2017 at 8:02pm PST

To all those who judge us for our choice of clothes, #ShaveYourOpinion A post shared by Shruti Seth (@shru2kill) on Mar 2, 2017 at 2:08am PST

--- ENDS ---
Geologists die in tunnel cave-in

CHIANG MAI: The deaths of two young geologists may have been caused by a fragile layer of rocks in a freshly built tunnel caving in, causing a large rock to fall and crush them, engineers say.

accidentsconstructiondeathnatural-resources

By Bangkok Post

Friday 3 March 2017, 09:13AM

The tunnel near Ban Pasak Ngam in tambon Mae Hoe Phra was being built to divert water into the districts Mae Kuang Dam reservoir. Photo: via Bangkok Post

The incident in Mae Taeng district occurred as Pratyawat Wasu-anant, 24, and Pathomporn Siriwat, 23, went into tunnel No 6 for a geological inspection yesterday morning (Mar 2). The men worked for Italian-Thai Development Plc.

The tunnel near Ban Pasak Ngam in tambon Mae Hoe Phra was being built to divert water into the districts Mae Kuang Dam reservoir.

The tunnel is one of several being drilled and blasted under a Royal Irrigation Department project to divert water from Mae Taeng Dam into the Mae Ngat Dam reservoir, and then into the Mae Kuang Dam reservoir.

Wongpan Wongsamut, chief engineer of the bureau, said standard practice demands that shortly after the drilling and blast work, geologists have to go inside the tunnel to check the interior and make a detailed report on the characteristics of the rock and soil in the tunnel.

The report helps engineers design the strongest method of cementing the tunnel interior, he said.

Mr Wongpan said it was possible a fragile rock layer may have crumbled, causing a large rock to fall onto the geologists. A number of other people were injured.

Noppadol Pianvech, a construction expert with the projects consulting firm, said the tunnel interior was made up of sandstone and mudstone.

However, he denied an earlier news report that water seepage had contributed to the soil absorbing too much water, causing the collapse.

He explained that the water found inside the tunnel did not come from the soil but was tap water released during construction, and waiting to be drained. He said the rock that killed the men measured one metre by three metres.

Mr Noppadol said a group of workers had entered the tunnel before the geologists and reported nothing unusual. The area sits on the Kanang fault line.

Safety measures will be added to tunnel drilling and blasting procedures, he said, adding the incident did not result from a flaw in the construction blueprint or from the collapse of the scaffolding.

Mr Wongpan, meanwhile, said a more thorough safety check would be put in place and the builder would need to work to reinforce the strength of the tunnel wall.

Read original story here.
Malaysian man, 37, found dead in Phuket hotel room

PHUKET: A 37-year-old Malaysian man was found dead in a Patong hotel room yesterday, a death which police have initially put down to natural causes.

alcoholdeathhealthpolicepatong

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Friday 3 March 2017, 09:42AM

Police seen here at the reception of the hotel where the man was found dead. Photo: Kusoldharm Rescue Team

Patong Police were informed yesterday afternoon that a man had been found dead in a room at the White Patong Hotel on Soi Sansabai.

Lt Col Jongserm Preecha together with tourist police and Kusoldharm rescue workers arrived at the scene to find an unresponsive Lee Tze Yuen, 37, naked on the bed.

There were no signs of a struggle in the room or any signs of assault on the man's body, Lt Col Jongserm said.

The body was taken to Patong Hospital.

Staff from the hotel told police that the man had been staying at the hotel since February last year with his wife and that he had returned from a visa run on Feb 8.

They also said that the man liked to drink alcohol.

At 2pm a housekeeper went to clean the couples room but found the room was locked. She tried to call but received no answer so asked another member of staff to open the room which is when the body was found so police were called, staff said.

We believed Mr Lee might have suffered from alcoholism, Lt Col Jongserm.

We have already informed the Malaysian consulate in Songkhla, he added.
Phuket Russian tourists rescued from sea after nightmare snorkelling, spearfishing trip

PHUKET: Three Russian tourists were rescued from heavy seas overnight and one was safely recovered five miles off Racha Noi Island early this morning after the group were separated by strong currents during a snorkelling and spearfishing trip south of Phuket yesterday afternoon (Mar 2).

Russiantourismmarineweatheraccidentsmilitarypolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Friday 3 March 2017, 12:26PM

Phuket fishing boat Siri Nam Chok 8 plucked Russian tourist Dmitrii Somov from the sea five nautical miles southwest of Racha Noi Island. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Russian tourist Dmitrii Somov, 40, arrives safely back in Phuket this morning after being rescued from the sea. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Russian tourist Dmitrii Somov, 40, arrives safely back in Phuket this morning after being rescued from the sea. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Russian tourist Dmitrii Somov (centre), 40, arrives safely back in Phuket this morning after being rescued from the sea. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Russian tourist Dmitrii Somov (centre), 40, arrives safely back in Phuket this morning after being rescued from the sea. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Speedboat captain Ritthiron Saliga of Rawai, Phuket, raised the alarm after the Russians failed to arrive at the arranged pickup point.

They hired my speedboat yesterday morning and I dropped them off near Racha Noi Island, Capt Ritthiron explained.

I warned them about the weather, and when they didnt turn up at the location we had arranged for them to get back onboard the boat, I called for other boats in the area to search for them, he said.

A local fishing boat rescued Mr Larichev and on of his friends and returned them to Capt Ritthiron and his speedboat.

Capt Ritthiron continued his search and found one more of the group, but with Dmitrii Somov, 40, still missing, he called the Marine Police and Royal Thai Navy for help.

The three Russians now safe were brought back to Phuket, arriving at Chalong Pier at 10pm, when they were taken to Chalong Police Station reported the incident to Lt Sakrin Seangthong.

Col Nareuwat Putthawiro of the Phuket Tourist Police was also notified directly by Mr Larichev via the 1155 hotline.

The search continued through the night, with the fishing boat Siri Nam Chok 8 finally reporting that Mr Somov had been rescued from the water five nautical miles southwest of Racha Noi Island.

The Royal Thai Navy reported they received the report at 1:50am and that all four Russian tourists were now safe.

Mr Somov, 48, was returned safely to Phuket at Rung Siam Pier in Rassada this morning.

Thank you to Mr Prayong and the fishing boat (Siri Nam Chok 8) and everyone else for rescuing me and taking care of me and for bringing me safely back to land, Mr Somov said.

Additional reporting by Tanyaluk Sakoot .
By Press Trust of India: Puducherry Mar 3 (PTI): Undergraduate, postgraduate and post doctoral students at the centrally sponsored JIPMER here have been permitted by the Indian Council of Medical Research to carry out research projects in their labs. This is part of reforms of the institute which became autonomous through an Act of Parliament in 2007 has introduced. "This innovative approach was approved recently by the Board of Studies of JIPMER," a release from its Dean R P Swaminathan said today. The Dean said the ICMR Director General had sanctioned approval for JIPMER students to visit research labs of ICMR and also to take up research projects in its labs. He said it was proposed to deploy second and third year students to ICMR labs during vacations. "Students would also be enabled to visit any other reputed government sponsored national or international labs or hospitals of their choice during vacations", the dean said.

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This facility would help students develop research aptitude and acquire knowledge of the standard of research in health sciences done in the labs.

The Dean said this arrangement formed part of the new teaching and training curricula seeking to launch new programmes for the undergraduate and post graduate students. PTI COR APR APR TRK

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Plitzuweit's return, 'GATA' mindset has USD's expectations high

Despite the added talent, the Coyotes still remain committed to the same defensive-based energy and team-based basketball that has carried it to some promising seasons in recent years
Ian Grillot was one of three men shot Feb. 22 at Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas. One of the men, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was killed. Kuchibhotla's friend, Alok Madasani, was wounded.

This Feb. 23, 2017 image from a video provided by The University of Kansas Health System shows Ian Grillot, of Grandview, Mo., during an interview in the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kan. Grillot was injured Wednesday night, Feb. 22, 2017

By AP: A Kansas man who survived an apparently racially motivated shooting at a suburban Kansas City bar has been released from the hospital.

Ian Grillot was one of three men shot Feb. 22 at Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas. One of the men, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was killed. Kuchibhotla's friend, Alok Madasani, was wounded.

The University of Kansas Health System said in a statement Thursday that Grillot was released from the hospital Tuesday. A bullet hit Grillot in the hand and entered his chest when he tried to stop the suspected gunman, 51-year-old Adam Puriton, of Olathe. Puriton is charged with murder and attempted murder.

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Witnesses say Puriton shouted racial slurs before shooting Kuchibhotla and Madasani, natives of India who were engineers at GPS-maker Garmin.Also Read

Suspect in Kansas shooting appears in court

White House says shooting of Srinivas Kuchibhotla looks racially-motivated, FBI probing incident as a hate crime

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According to eyewitnesses, the speeding army truck rammed a parked Tavera with six passengers inside at the Muran Chowk in Pulwama town.

By Ashraf Wani: After a collision between an army truck and a local taxi in Kashmir's Pulwama district today, all personnel riding in the truck pooled in money to compensate the driver.

According to eyewitnesses, the speeding army truck rammed a parked Tavera with six passengers inside at the Muran Chowk in Pulwama town.

All the passengers escaped unhurt but the taxi suffered massive damage.

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"The erring army driver locked the windows and refused to come out from the vehicle. However, the local driver didn't budge and continued to demand money, even as other army personnel tried to pacify him," a witnesses said.

Locals surround the army truck that rammed a taxi.

As per reports, some azaadi slogans were also raised in the heat of the moment. The accident led to a traffic snarl in the area.

Witnesses say that some local boys even climbed on top of the army truck and started sloganeering.

Soon, Paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force and a team of Jammu Kashmir Police rushed to the spot.

After an hour-long tussle between the locals and army personnel, those riding the truck pooled in Rs 10,000 and paid the driver for his damages. DySP Headquarter Pulwama said that the situation was handled carefully and matter was resolved amicably.

"Army compensated the civil driver from their own pocket," he said and confirmed that Rs 10,000 were given to the driver.

Srinagar based Defence Spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia said, "An army administrative convoy was returning from Srinagar when a civil Taveera vehicle hit one of the Army vehicles from wrong side. No one was injured. The matter was discussed and resolved on spot."

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By Alice Herman

hermanal17@grinnell.edu

March 1st: Day of Student Resistance, originally conceived of by members of Rise Grinnell and the Occupy 8th Avenue movement, was planned as a response to the Trump administration and the expressions of bigotry that have ensued within the public and the White House following Trumps election. On March 1, students marched, participated in a direct action targeting Wells Fargo for its investment in fossil fuels and attended a series of discussions and teach-ins throughout the day.

Students convened in the Grill at 11 a.m. to paint banners and discuss the relationship between activism and art; music and and the rumble of animated conversation were audible from the second floor of the JRC.

Hazel Batrezchavez 17, one of the student organizers, spoke in the Grill on the importance of incorporating art into activism, and activism into art. Art [alone] doesnt function as a form of activism. But we started with this activity first to build a community, to start making these small interactions with each other because thats the only way that we can stand together and fight against all of what we need to fight against and to fight for everything we need to fight and march for.

The day continued as protestersmostly members of the Grinnell Campus communityfiled from the Grill onto the steps in front of the JRC for a rally and briefing on the ensuing direct action. Students took turns explaining their involvement in the demonstration to the crowd of about 100. Deqa Aden 18 described her experience with massive student demonstrations in Somaliland, and called on students at Grinnell College to follow suit.

Before marching into downtown Grinnell, student organizer Simonne Carlton 18, cautioned students to keep the event peaceful.

Note that no one is risking arrest at this event  not today, anyway. Today is about love and compassion, and we expect the protest to remain non-violent, they said.

Students marched along 8th Ave. and then down Park St. before picketing the sidewalk in front of Wells Fargo bank. The crowd marched single file up and down the sidewalk, chanting this is what democracy looks like, singing This Land is Your Land, and listening to speakers who stood in front of the Wells Fargo with a megaphone, denouncing the banks investment in the Dakota Access Pipeline.

In a joint effort by faculty and students, the March 1st actions following the anti-DAPL demonstration at Wells Fargo took the form of teach-ins and discussions. Topics covered in the teach-ins ranged from the global and historical to the local: Professor Timothy Dobe, religious studies, and Activist Raphael Mimoun spoke on the process by which individuals connect with activist movements; Professors Ross Haenfler, sociology, and Professor Joshua Ramey, philosophy, spoke on the anthropological significance of honor cults in perpetuating harmful white masculinities; Professor Jonathan Andelson 70, anthropology, spoke of his experience with student activism during his time at Grinnell and Professor Kesho Scott, sociology, spoke of the historic role of activism by students in the U.S. and at Grinnell College over the past fifty years.

Ramey, who spoke to over 50 students in Faulconer Gallery during his teach-in on Wednesday, commented that the fight for honor and prestige, the fight for competitive advantage in the market, is the only way to survive, whereas in earlier cultural moments it was possible to survive without dominating others through economic competition. Of his role as an activist, Ramey said that since the 2008 financial crisis, Ive become utterly convinced that unless people band together to create a different economic future than global capitalism, that the planet and our social lives cant sustain this level of degradation and toxic exploitation anymore.

In an email to the organizers of the event, Scott wrote that her decision to take part in the action was informed by both the significance of student activism in creating change and also the mission of the College. As a teaching college whose primary duty and desire is to make students critical and informed thinkers, I am supporting the efforts of March 1st because I think it is an opportunity for students/citizens/workers to practice what is learned. I believe a key to being global citizens is also being a global participant in whatever local we find ourselves.

Scott, who spoke to a packed Spencer Grill at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, cancelled a class to participate in the event, reflecting the organizers goal to interrupt business as usual on campus.

Student organizers Taylor Burton 18, Morgane Garnier 19, and Naomi Runder 19 said that they intended for the event to disrupt daily activities at the College, and emphasized the importance of a strike from the classroom. We [will] disrupt business as usual, which is why we arent attending class. Were making a sacrifice so that we can make a statement for our community, that we do not accept what is going on in the Trump administration. And we cant treat every day like a normal day, because none of this is normal, Burton said.

The other goal of March 1st, she said, was to start a coalition between groups and students on campus, with members of the community and with schools in the US.
By Alice Herman

hermanal17@grinnell.edu

Kenneth Adelman 67, who has served as Assistant to the US Secretary of Defense under Gerald Ford, US Ambassador to the United Nations and Director of the US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency for the Reagan Administration, spoke about the Reykjavic Summit on Thursday. Adelman also met with students in the Grille the day before as part of the Program in Practical Political Education, where students first raised questions about Adelmans time at Grinnell.

In the last months of his senior year at Grinnell, Adelman and four other students were disciplined by the College for their involvement in the harassment of two students during the annual Spring Riot, a tradition that was discontinued after the incident in which Adelman was implicated.

On April 22, 1967, the victims of the harassment  Adrienne Lemmons 68 and David Dillon 67  wrote a letter to the editor in The Grinnell Reporter, a newspaper which temporarily replaced The Scarlet and Black, describing the incident:

Going to [our] room in Cowles after dinner, we were continually harassed, bombarded with water balloons, and virtually driven from the hall. In the process, the room was invaded by force, while Adrienne was later grazed by an egg thrown at her inside the ladies restroom.

The letter continued, describing an interaction in which Lemmons and Dillon attempted to enter Dillons room and were prevented from doing so by the group of five assailants.

Five or six guys, led by Adelman and supported by Brow [a nickname of another student] forced their way into the room, despite the efforts of both Adrienne and David to resist them at the door.

After the alleged assailants vacated the room, Lemmons wrote that A mixture of water and beer flowed into the room from a wastebasket which had been filled and then overturned outside the door.

The student judicial body, the Interim Student Court, found the five accused men responsible of psychological and physical brutalization, and noted that the incident was not an isolated one and that Dillon had been subject to two years of harassment.

The Court recommended to expel one of the students  James Jim Stuart  and to socially expel the rest, meaning they were not welcome on campus even to take exams but were permitted to graduate. The Faculty Committee on Student Affairs upheld the decision, and Adelman was banned from the College for the remainder of the semester.

Michael Dejoie 67, who served on the Student Interim Court that presided over the 1967 case, said that he did not know if the incident was racially motivated given that Lemmons is black, but that it represented one of many instances of harassment towards David Dillon.

I do know that they picked on David Dillon a lot. His girlfriend was black, but David was blind  and that group of guys harassed anyone who was different. They called him Bat, said Dejoie. The 1967 letter to the editor by Dillon and Lemmons quotes the attackers using the slur Bat, as well. [Editors Note: There have been differing accounts of Dillons visual impairmentsome say he was blind, others say he was severely visually impaired].

On Wednesday of this week, Adelman rejected the indictment in the 1967 letter to the editor, and said that the attack had not consisted of psychological and physical brutalization, the term the Interim Court used to describe the incident.

It was a water balloon. I dont know if I hit anyone with a water balloon, but I said I was guilty, that I was terribly sorry for throwing water balloons, and that  you know  it was a stupid thing to do, but it was Spring Riot, Adelman said.

In a 1967 statement penned by Adelman and addressed to the victims of the harassment, however, he described the actions of the students implicated in the incident as disgraceful, and wrote: You two will certainly get over the events before we do, for we have ourselves always present.

On Thursday, Adelman delivered a talk on his work in the Reagan administration as planned. Sandy Barnard 17, one of approximately 20 students who protested the event, said that the College made it clear what [Grinnell and Adelmans] relationship was when they voted to expel him and the fact that hes allowed back, the fact that were able to just forget about the things that hes done just because hes politically sexy  is absurd.

Barnard was joined by other students who held six-by-four foot banners that read Unwelcome then, Unwelcome now, and Adelman harassed an interracial couple @ Grinnell in 67, sat in the audience among faculty, students and alumni attending the talk.

After a brief Q&A in which Adelman again refused to acknowledge the brutality of his actions, student protesters shouted, youre not welcome here, hate is not welcome here, and Adelman was ushered from the room.

It is unclear at this point how much current administrators knew about the 1967 incident before Adelman was invited to speak this past week. And although Adelman may be unwelcome in the eyes of some, the College has yet to release a statement regarding the nature of Adelmans future relationship with the school.
Steve Yang

yangstev17@grinnell.edu

Ligia Bouton, an associate professor of interdisciplinary foundations at the University of New Mexico, gave an overview of her work titled Conversations with the Dead in Faulconer Gallery on Thursday evening. Bouton discussed her aspirations, inspirations and different galleries she has worked on in the past, showing off colorful exhibitions and pieces that characterize an interest with the intersection of narrative and function. Her work has been featured around the world in places like Prague and Colorado, and the audience reacted well to her talk.

Bouton calls British designer and social organizer William Morris her artist ancestor, and considers herself a direct descendant from the artists cultural imprint. In homage, Bouton created a feminist comic book superhero named William Morris Man which takes on the reality and literality of past and present. She also created Understudy for Animal Farm, where people were put into pillowcase pig heads in an exhibit that was designed to be portable and to blind people.

Literally, we put this pillowcase over peoples heads. It was very playful, they had all these choices, Bouton said. Its something about desire, and there was something familiar about the feel and structure of the pillowcase.

Gallery visitors who volunteered to have the pig head pillowcases placed over themselves then had their photos taken in front of a country diorama, a far cry from the urban setting of the museum itself.

People got their photograph taken, to displace them from New York into a bucolic country scene, she said.

In her art, Bouton draws heavily from her childhood in London, England. She explained that at prestigious public schools like Eton, which generate what she calls among the worst places in British culture, ones sense of behavior can often be distorted to produce particularly bad results, which also produces opportunities for artistic examination.

This kind of a school is a good example of propriety, that stands in the way of common sense, Bouton mentioned. People dont act the way they should, help when they should, and its because thats not proper.

Life in London also inspired illusion-based pieces like Tea and Table Tilting, which combines Victorian outfits with Ouija boards, and spirit imagery and glasswork sculptures.

The College also owns a large drawing and glass wall sculpture created by Bouton, which are featured in the Print and Drawing Study Room in Burling Library.
By Keli Vitaioli

vitaioli@grinnell.edu

The March 1st resistance schedule concluded with the community meeting from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Carman Center and the Mayflower Retirement Community. A group of many community members with a few professors and students met to discuss policy action the community believes they should pursue moving forward.

Susan Ferrari led the meeting, beginning by discussing all the work still to be done in preparation. Ferrari specifically talked about planning the second legislative coffee this Saturday, March 4 at 8:30 a.m., hosted by the League of Women Voters which will bring State Senator Tim Kapucian and State Representative Dave Maxwell to answer questions regarding policy concerns with the community.

We first got together to talk about how to foster change in whats proving to be a very scary time at the local and the national level, Ferrari said. And were here today because we have some events coming up that we need to prepare for  and determine how we can be most effective at really pressing our state representatives to let them know about the issues we care about and how we want them to take actions.

Next, Janet Carl, Writing Lab, came forward to give a rundown of legislation and what has been going on since Trump took office.

Ive got some great news, did you know there are 25 fabulous things that have happened since Donald Trump became president? Carl asked. The first one was millions of people know the names of their representatives without googling it. Another one on the list, one of my personal favorites is Alec Baldwin has a career again  weve forgotten what a jerk he was.

Carl was able to steer the conversation from its jovial tone back to more serious congressional matters soon after. She discussed what stage each was at and how close it was to being passed by the end of this legislative session on Friday, March 3. Such bills include a Personhood bill, which would ban abortions and restrict other forms of birth control, a bill that would remove nutritional mandates for school lunches and a bill that would eliminate age and permit restrictions for purchasing firearms.

There was some encouraging news from Carl, House Study Bill 138, the bill to end licensing for many professions including social workers and barbers had died in sub-committee. However, there is still a lot of work to be done by constituents contacting legislators to prevent those more aggressive bills that are in committee or sub-committee from being passed before the end of session.

Blair Lawton, the First District field director for the Iowa Democratic Party introduced himself and spoke of the Partys plan to put larger efforts into taking back the current Republican district during the Congressional elections next year in 2018.

Professor David Harrison, French, discussed his experience with other members of the community discussing policy with a representative for Republican Congressman Rod Blum last week. His overall opinion of the conversation was positive. While the representative could not answer questions or make any promises, he took notes and promised to convey the concerns to Blum.

Professor Ed Cohn, History, spoke about his own experience attending Senator Chuck Grassleys legislative coffee in Parkersburg, three hours from Grinnell. Grassleys team was originally expecting 20 people, but Cohn estimates between 150 to 200 attended. He commented on the hostile nature of that talk, and while most questions were anti-Trump, there were a few that were pro-Trump.

Cohn commended Grassley actually showing up for this talk, as other representatives have been shying away from face to face meetings. He emphasized the importance of continuing to attend these talks when possible and getting national representatives to come to Iowas first district and how to ask them the right kinds of questions.

Id say in general terms there are two things that good questions do, Cohn said. One is to make it clear that were following the issues, were following what the legislature is doing and hence the legislators are being held accountable. The second is ask specific, clear questions that arent too detailed  as you know politicians will take whatever chance they have to dodge the question or answer it on their own terms.

Terese Grant, co-president of the League of Women Voters took a moment to remind everyone that the coffees are meant to be a respectful conversation. She commented on conversations like the one Cohn attended that may have turned unproductively hostile, and her belief that Grinnell can do better than that.

A representative for the local democratic party then spoke on the meeting occurring after the forum that is an off-year caucus organizational meeting, discussing what issues and goals the party will take on in 2017.

The large group then broke into smaller focus groups which took on the task of developing specific questions for their categories for the Legislative Coffee, such as reproductive rights, first amendment rights and public education. Nate Williams 20 has attended the first and second community meeting. Williams, a member of the pipeline focused group, has found optimism in the grassroots organizing that has been taking place for others to get involved outside of the campus.

It is inspiring to see community members coming together like this and really trying to make change. It gives me hope that meetings like this are happening all over the country. In this case, I think its important that students who are involved in organizing communicate with other members of our community.

Williams joined with other environmentally focused groups at this meeting to create a wider picture of environmental issues and impacts at stake in Iowa. He noted the importance of working together and educating one another on the current issues.

A lot of the work is informing each other, so part of what I shared was some of the calls to action that water protectors gave on Monday at their panel in Herrick. They asked communities to let the local politicians know that Iowa does not support the pipeline, as well as a call for divestment from Wells Fargo.
By Riley Murphy

murphyri@grinnell.edu

On Monday, Feb. 20, University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld announced plans for the University of Iowa to increase renewable energy sources and be coal-free by 2025.

The Universitys renewable energy program has been has been working toward a coal-free campus since 2003.

Its the right choice for our students and our campus, and its the surest path to an energy-secure future, Harreld said in the press release about the initiative.

In addition to becoming coal-free by 2025, the University also set a goal of 40 percent renewable energy by 2020. The school began its initiative in 2003 with locally based biomass alternative fuels that were compatible with existing distribution and boilers. Since then, the school has planted 550 acres of Giant Miscanthus grass and has formed a partnership with Quaker Oats for collecting industrial by-products like oat hulls, according a the University of Iowa press release.

The Universitys renewable energy initiative began when the University of Iowa Power Plant engineered an economical way of using oat hulls to co-fire with coal, and they can now use grass and wood chips, which they get from a pallet manufacturing facility.

The schools goal is to plant 2,500 acres of Giant Miscanthus grass to supply a source for the schools renewable energy initiative. Additionally, the perennial crops will improve erosion and water quality, a continuing issue in Iowa, and supply a wildlife habitat. This goal has been made in partnership with Eastern Iowa Airport and Iowa State University.

Grinnell College has not yet set a date to become carbon neutral, but a sustainability plan is expected. In 2011, President Raynard Kington signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, a climate change visibility effort by the organization Second Nature.

The American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, or ACUPCC, has been joined by over 650 schools that commit to measure and report their greenhouse gas emissions, take immediate actions to reduce them, and develop and implement a plan to go climate neutral, according to an ACUPCC statement. While Drake University, Coe College and Grinnell College have all committed to the initiative, University of Iowa and Iowa State University have not.

The College has previously created carbon emission reduction goals and has been using environmentally responsible building criteria for all construction and renovation since 2006, according to the Grinnell College Environmental Stewardship.

Like University of Iowa, Grinnell College has been increasing sources of renewable energy, including a 50 kilowatt wind turbine at CERA, a 21 kilowatt solar array on the Facilities Management office building, and a three kilowatt solar array on the Preschool, said Chris Bair 96, the Colleges Environmental and Safety Coordinator.

And while Grinnell still hasnt made a carbon neutral initiative, Bair said that there are some plans in progress and, hopefully that will change in the not too distant future.
By Max Fenton 19

fentonma@grinnell.edu

We are six weeks into the Trump presidency, and politics have already radically changed. Whether it is the cascades of information pouring from the White House, the administrations blatant hostility towards the press, or President Trumps own lack of political or military pedigree, all observers of politics can singly agree on this administration vastly differs from all previous ones. The cabinet of Trump represents one aspect of the uniqueness of Trumps presidency. His first cabinet confirmation, retired general Secretary James Mattis for Secretary of Defense, obtained his position after the Senate changed the law concerning the cooling off period for active duty service members. The unusual nature of his confirmation did not hamper his confirmation. Mattis was confirmed with a 98-1.

Mattis is not the only retired general currently serving in the administration. Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly formerly headed the United States Southern Command. Prior to his resignation after a disgraceful hiccup during his term, former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn served as Lieutenant General. His designated successor H.R. McMaster comes from the same rank, and their colleague Gen. Joseph Dunford, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is a career military official with intimate knowledge of military matters. All clearly had considerable experience in active duty prior to their roles in the Trump administration.

Progressives naturally worried when they heard the early news that so many ex-military men would be involved in the incoming administration. Considering real fears about President Trumps relationship with the media and political opponents, it seemed disturbing that the highest echelons of the military would have intimate involvement in policymaking. But a recent boom of op-eds has declared that the cabinets generals will carry the last bastion of democracy. Political scientist Samuel P. Huntington wrote that the military serves a progressive role in failing societies, since generals have education, adhere to secular values and most of all, have competency. If the Trump administration continues its slide into disorder and chaos and drags American society along with it, cant we count on military men to save the old order?

The Trump administrations reliance on generals poses an interesting question for progressives. On one hand, many perceive the military as an authoritarian and reactionary institution. Countries with military-dominated leadership like Egypt and Thailand subject their citizens to repression and human rights abuses abetted by the junta in power. But on the other hand, with a Congress largely unwilling to push back against Trumps worst impulses, could generals provide meaningful dissent to dangerous policies? Several leaks and press reports contend that the administrations generals are increasingly dissatisfied with the chaos of the first few weeks. In fact, the Associated Press confirmed that Secs. Mattis and Kelly agreed that one of them must stay in the country at all times, if only to safeguard against Trumps most fascist impulses.

Many liberals welcome military and intelligence intrusion into politics out of a vendetta for Trump. They see the military as guardians of competence and democracy in the face of ignorance and authoritarianism. Ultimately, though, I seriously doubt we can trust generals to serve as safeguards of democracy. The liberal democratic tradition would be exposed to an acid bath in the event of military-intelligence intrusion, disintegrated by the erosion of the civil-military division and the overthrow of elected government. Considering that these generals accepted positions in this administration, they are automatically suspect of sympathies to the most reactionary government this country has ever seen. We have already seen the resignation of one general because of his ties to a foreign power, and the question remains of how far Trump went to protect Flynn from leaks considering their lack of response to the Justice Department inquiries on the matter. In the extreme scenario of a Trump implosion, there is the question of military coup. Countries that have experienced military takeovers of civilian government  notably, Turkey, Egypt and Thailand  have seen their institutions gutted and civil liberties curtailed. Recent history has shown that toppling the elected government of a nation does not result in stable democracy, despite the claims of coup leaders. Though American politics are considerably more stable than these other nations, saying it cant happen here would be foolish considering the times in which we live.

Ultimately, the only people who can save us are ourselves. We cannot sit back and allow powerful generals or intelligence officials to challenge the worst impulses of this administration. If we truly want to rebuild democracy when it is exposed to this caustic of a threat, people must claim power for themselves instead of leaving it to the highest authority.
Finance Minister Thomas Isaac revealed that Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board would spend Rs 5000 crore for developing roads in the state in this financial year.

Dr. Thomas asserted that the budget will transform the state into a major hub of development

By Jeemon Jacob: Kerala's Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Friday asserted that the second budget of Pinarayi government, tabled in the Assembly, will transform the state into a major hub of development with mega spending. While delivering the budget speech, the minister promised that Rs 25,000 crore worth infrastructure projects would be implemented during 2017-18.

But the Opposition disrupted his budget speech alleging his office has leaked out the budget on social media before presenting it before the Assembly. Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan assured the Opposition that he would probe the issue.

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The budget outlined a new direction for the state going 'clean, green, women and child friendly'.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BUDGET

Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) would spend Rs 5000 crore for developing roads in the state.

KIIFB will provide money for another Rs 10,000 crore projects under Clean Kerala mission, housing projects and other mega developmental activities.

The state is going to plant three crore trees during monsoon season as part of going green.

Government will introduce K-phone with Kerala State Electricity Board using its supply lines to provide optical fiber network in the state.

Rs 1800 crore would be allocated to provide free wi-fi facility to two million poor families.

One lakh houses will be built for the poor and destitute in the state.

Around 5000 health care professionals including 1500 doctors will be recruited to improve the healthcare standards in the government hospitals.

Criticizing the Central government's much-hyped move of demonetisation, Isaac said that it is a 'man-made disaster' which will cause economic slump across the country. He also quoted eminent Malayalam writer and novelist MT Vasudevan Nair who has faced criticism from Sangh Parivar and the BJP for attacking the policy decision, in his budget speech.

ALSO READ| Kerala: CPM youth wing activist hacked in Palakkad, BJP workers named in complaint

ALSO READ| Kerala: How cult of political violence became new normal in God's own country

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The incident took place hours after an office of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was attacked with bombs in Kozhikode district.

By Revathi Rajeevan: A Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activist was hacked in Palakkad today hours after a bomb attack on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office in Kozhikode on Thursday.

According to reports, the incident occurred in Elappulli area of Palakkad district. In the complaint filed with the local police, three BJP activists have been named. No arrest has been made so far, and the police said they are investigating the matter.

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ATTACKS ON RSS, CPM OFFICES

Late on Thursday night, a CPM office was attacked in Kozhikode just hours after RSS office was bombed in Kozhikode's Nadapuram area.

The CPM's office in Vishnumangalam area was set on fire by unidentified men. No one was hurt in the incident. The police have registered a case and probing the matter.

Four RSS workers were injured on Thursday after some unknown persons hurled a crude bomb at the RSS office near Nadapuram in the district. The injured were admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH).

The attack took place hours after an RSS functionary in Madhya Pradesh announced a Rs one crore bounty for beheading Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Kundan Chandravat, 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' of RSS in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, announced the reward to avenge the killing of its workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPM workers.

"The Kerala chief minister is killing our RSS workers who want to take this country forward. I will pay Rs one crore to anyone who beheads him even if I have to sell my house," Chandravat was seen saying in a video, which has gone viral.

WATCH: RSS leader announces Rs 1 crore bounty for head of Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

ALSO READ:

Kerala: After RSS, CPM office attacked near Kozhikode

4 BJP workers injured in blast near RSS office in Kozhikode

20-year-old BJP worker hacked to death in Thrissur, party blames rival CPM

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The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Friday told the Delhi High Court that the UGC notification setting a limit of eight students per professor for M Phil and PhD courses, was binding on all varsities in the country.

"The said notification is binding and is mandatory in nature and is to be followed by all the Universities (Central, State and Deemed Universities) including JNU," Justice V Rao was informed.

The court was also told that it was obligatory for JNU to apply the notification.

"It is not the discretion of any university to apply or reject the notification," Centre's standing counsel Monika Arora, appearing for JNU, said.

She further said there were over 40 universities and all of them have adopted it.

JNU students have been protesting the UGC notification since February 9 and allegedly blockading the administrative block of the varsity.

Senior advocate Arvind Nigam, appearing for the students, said he did not doubt the validity of the University Grants Commission's (UGC) notification and was only challenging the procedure of JNU in adopting it.

Taking note of this, the judge said it means the students are not challenging the May 5, 2016 notification of UGC, which allegedly "threatens to put their future in jeopardy as they would not be able to find a supervisor".

Nigam agreed and said, "I am only questioning procedure of adoption by JNU."

However, the counsel for UGC raised objection over the maintainability of the petitions.

The petitioners have contended that the notification not only affected the existing students, but would also result in fewer admissions in the current academic session, "thereby violating constitutionally mandated reservation norms".

JNU, in its affidavit, has stated that the adoption of the notification was in "accordance with the provisions of the JNU Act, Statutes and Policies".

"Due process has been followed in adoption of the Regulation through its statutory bodies. It is reiterated that New Admission Policy 2016 is in accordance with the reservation policy of the Government of India and therefore any apprehension in this regard are misplaced. Existing JNU students will not be affected by the New Admission policy," the affidavit stated.

The court fixed the matter for further hearing on March 7.
The Madras High Court on Thursday allowed cold drink makers Coca Cola and Pepsi to draw water from a river in Tamil Nadu for their bottling plants.

The court gave permissions to Coca Cola and Pepsi to draw water from the Thamirabarani river for their bottling plants in Tirunelveli district, reports stated, adding, The move will help companies to make soft drinks and packing.

The court had earlier imposed ban on the firms for drawing water from the river.

An application on lifting the ban was filed by the companies saying only surplus water was being used.

Meanwhile, upset over the order, a large number of people stood in knee-deep water in the river to show their anger.

People also protested against the laxity on the part of the authorities in handling the case, sources said.

The protesters shouted slogans against the state government when the farmers in the state were facing acute water shortage for their farming activities, they added.

(With inputs from agencies)
Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson, which President Donald Trump singled when he mentioned trade barriers, may disagree with his proposed solution to the problem.

Trump said in his speech to Congress that executives from Harley-Davidson told him they have trouble selling motorcycles outside of the United States because of high taxes.

While other countries impose heavy taxes and tariffs on American products, the United States doesn't do the same when importing other countries' products, Trump said in the speech.

He called for free, but fair, trade.

But a lobbyist for Harley warned that imposing additional tariffs on foreign imports could end up hurting sales, in comments submitted to the Office of the United States Trade Representative earlier this year.

In a January 30 letter posted on the office's website, Edward Moreland said Harley-Davidson opposes additional duties on the motorcycles imported from Europe because of the prospect of Europe raising their fees in response.

"Harley-Davidson sells tens of thousands of motorcycles in Europe each year and retaliatory tariffs would result in a significant impact to the Motor Company's business," he wrote.

The letter was in response to a list of products on which the United States was considering imposing tariffs to counter Europe's refusal to accept US beef.

Harley-Davidson spokeswoman Pat Sweeney said Trump was correct that high taxes and tariffs in countries such as India and Indonesia put the company "at a competitive disadvantage."

Harley-Davidson sales in India, which imposes high import taxes on all luxury motorcycles and cars, rose 30 percent in the past two years.

Asked whether Moreland's letter means the company opposes imposing tariffs on foreign products in other situations, she said the company is "open to trade policies that address barriers to international growth."

Trump canceled a visit to Harley-Davidson's Milwaukee facility last month, which was expected to draw a significant number of protesters.

Instead, Harley executives traveled to Washington for the February 2 meeting. Trump said the executives told him business was good but mentioned the difficulty of selling motorcycles abroad.
CPM's office in Vishnumangalam area was set on fire by some unidentified men. Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident. The police have registered a case and probing the matter.

4 RSS workers were injured in a bomb attack on their office in Kozhikode on March 2. (File Photo)

By Revathi Rajeevan: Hours after an office of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was bombed in Nadapuram, Kozhikode, a CPM office was attacked in the city late last night.

CPM's office in Vishnumangalam area was set on fire by unidentified men. Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident. The police have registered a case and probing the matter.

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Four RSS workers were injured on Thursday after some unknown persons hurled a crude bomb at the RSS office near Nadapuram in the district. The injured were admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH).

The attack took place hours after an RSS functionary in Madhya Pradesh announced a Rs 1 crore bounty for beheading Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Kundan Chandravat, 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' of RSS in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, announced the reward to avenge the killing of its workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPM workers.

"The Kerala chief minister is killing our RSS workers who want to take this country forward. I will pay Rs one crore to anyone who beheads him even if I have to sell my house," Chandravat was seen saying in a video, which has gone viral.

WATCH: Who turned Kannur into epicentre of battle between Left and BJP-RSS? ALSO READ:

4 BJP workers injured in blast near RSS office in Kozhikode

Kerala: 20-year-old BJP worker hacked to death in Thrissur, party blames rival CPM

--- ENDS ---
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to urgently hear a Public-Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking independent probe into alleged suicide of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul.

SC refused urgent hearing of a PIL seeking independent probe into the alleged suicide of former Arunachal CM Kalikho Pul, reports stated.

Kalikho Pul was found hanging from a ceiling fan. The 47-year-old leader allegedly committed suicide on August 9, 2016 at his official residence.

A 60-page suicide note, written by Pul, was also recovered by the Arunachal Police.

Bringing down the Congress government led by Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, Pul had become Arunachal Pradesh chief minister on February 19, 2016. He along with 29 MLAs had defected to the People's Party of Arunachal Pradesh (PPA) to form a new government.

However, the Supreme Court on July 13, 2016, reinstated the Tuki government, following which Pul and his supporters returned to the Congress and supported Pema Khandu as the chief minister.
Unsettled property disputes with erstwhile royal families continue to haunt the government of Rajasthan, seven decades after the former princely states were absorbed in the Indian republic. A question on such disputed properties raised by Independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal recently created chaos in the assembly. The answer to his question, was however, denied on technical grounds.

"Many of these cases are under legal consideration and as per assembly rules such cases cannot be discussed at the assembly," said parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore. However, this did not satisfy members seeking information. They questioned the government on the Jaipur Development Authoritys attempt to attach a luxury hotel under possession of a former Jaipur royal family. "The government might not discuss the case but can brief the house on actions taken by the government" said an MLA from Sanganer.

Meanwhile, outside the assembly, Beniwal was more blatant in his attack, "The present government extends undue benefit and unfair settlement of such properties. A Khanna committee was constituted to resolve the issue, however the government wants to trade on it instead. They must provide us with details," he said.

There are seven cases of property disputes under consideration of Rajasthan High Court and 18 cases have been pending in other courts. These properties are not only worth several hundred crores but also are of immense heritage value. The erstwhile Jaipur royal family and loyalist had protested against the state government when JDA attempted to take over one of the properties. They have also alleged that such actions were taken on the instructions of the government to put pressure on the royal family.
A huge crowd of the youth Congress members gathered outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals residence on Friday to protest against the Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) leader two-year term in office.

Chanting slogans against Kejriwal's rule and alleging that no work was done under his tenure, they claimed the AAP leader to be involved in corruption cases, according to sources.

Police tried to disperse the crowd and to contain the situation outside the CMs residence by using water cannons on Congress workers.
India and Pakistan are likely to hold talks to resolve the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) issue in Lahore later this month.

The meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission, a bilateral commission will be held later this month before March 31, according to the government sources on Thursday.

The agreement is for the six rivers  the three eastern rivers of Ravi, Beas, Sutlej and their tributaries and the three western rivers of Indus, Jhelum, Chenab and their tributaries.

The dispute is over the Kishenganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric plants building on the Kishanganga and Chenab rivers. According to Pakistan, this move by India violates the treaty.

The last meeting of the commission was held in May 2015.
India on Friday rejected Chinas objection to the proposed visit of the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh as well as Beijings claim over strategically vital Tawang region in the Northeastern state.

"The governments position is well known and has not changed," an official source said in response to statements emanating from Beijing that the Dalai Lamas visit to Arunachal would seriously damage bilateral ties and that the border dispute between the two nations could be resolved if New Delhi accepted Beijings claim over Tawang.

New Delhi has made it very clear time and again that the Dalai Lama is an honoured guest of India who is free to travel anywhere in the country but cannot undertake any political activity. The Tibetan spiritual leader is expected to visit Arunachal in April.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to any visits by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area. At his media briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said, "India is fully aware of the seriousness of the Dalai issue and the sensitivity of China-India border question. Under such a background if India invites the Dalai to visit to the mentioned territory, it will cause serious damage to peace and stability of border region and China-India relations.

India also reasserted its position on Tawang after Dai Bingguo, a former ace Chinese diplomat who served as his countrys negotiator on the boundary dispute with India from 2003 to 2013, said, "If the Indian side takes care of Chinas concerns in the eastern sector of their border, the Chinese side will respond accordingly and address Indias concerns elsewhere.

Elaborating Chinas stand, Dai said, The disputed territory in the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, including Tawang, is inalienable from Chinas Tibet in terms of cultural background and administrative jurisdiction.
One person was killed and six, including four CRPF personnel, wounded as unidentified terrorists on Friday lobbed a grenade at a police patrol party in South Kashmir.

The killed civilian has been identified as Mohammad Ayub Wani.

The grenade was lobbed at a busy market place in Pulwama.

Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Muneer A Raqib rushed to the spot and personally visited the district hospital to oversee treatment of the injured persons. He said that the injured persons were out of danger.

Meanwhile, separatist leader Shabir Shah was detained by the police in Pulwama's Tral town in South Kashmir while he was on his way to meet father of terrorist leader Burhan Wani, who was killed last year in an encounter with security forces.

The Kashmir valley remained on the boil for about six months after the killing of Burhan Wani.

Separatists tried to project Burhan as the face of youth of Kashmir and were reportedly making efforts to keep the issue alive and create unrest in the valley.
President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday said a strong deterrent is needed against those who want to adversely affect India's progress and security in view of the ever changing geo-political situation in the region.

He also honoured a helicopter unit for its meritorious works, including its stellar role in confining terrorists to a restricted area during the last year's terror attack on Pathankot Air Force Station.

"India is a responsible and emerging power in a multipolar, multilateral world. The ever changing socio- economic and geo-political scenario in our region of influence demands a strong deterrent against those with nefarious designs to affect the progress, prosperity and security of our nation," Mukherjee said.

Apart from providing deterrence against inimical entities, both external and internal, the armed forces have been at the forefront of providing succour to the citizens during natural calamities, he said.

"The operations by the Indian Air Force during floods in Uttarakhand, Kashmir Valley and Tamil Nadu deserve a special mention and will always be remembered by the entire nation.

"The relentless and selfless operations showcase the fortitude and determination of its gallant air warriors," Mukherjee said.

He was speaking after awarding the President's 'Standard' to 125 Helicopter Squadron and 'Colours' to Mechanical Training Institute at the Tambaram air base, one of the oldest establishments of the Indian Air Force, near here.

The awards of Standard and Colours are given to a unit for its meritorious service.

The 125 Helicopter Squadron (Gladiators) since its formation in November 1983 has enhanced its operational capability over the years and earned accolades for its valour and strike capabilities when deployed internally as well as abroad.

When deployed under the United Nations flag in Sierra Leone, the Gladiators were instrumental in securing the release of 232 captured Indian Army personnel.

In January 2016, the Squadron played a stellar role in confining the terrorists to a restricted area during the Pathankot terror attack, thereby reducing casualties, the President said.

The Mechanical Training Institute at Air Force Station Tambaram is the oldest technical training institute of the force.

Raised in 1935, the institute has undergone changes in locations as well as in nomenclature over the years and was rechristened as Mechanical Training Institute in 1980.

The unit imparts fundamental technical training in aircraft maintenance and servicing to the young recruits in mechanical aviation trades.

The tradesmen are the backbone of the maintenance arm of the IAF, ensuring its operational capability and effectiveness.
As the world observes World Wildlife Day on Friday, there is no talks about the ambitious project to protect the highly endangered species of snow leopard that was formulated 12 years ago and subsequently shelved, as funds were not allocated for implementing the scheme in the Himalayan states of the country.

Alarmed over the depletion of the species, the Centre constituted a nine-member committee to draft the project for conservation of snow leopard sometime in 2005.

The Centre came out with the project, but the Planning Commission was reluctant to provide funds for this purpose and suggested that money should be utilised from the grants that had been allocated for the wildlife sector.

The five Himalayan states, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, are the abode of snow leopard. However, these states expressed inability to initiate conservation projects for the species out of their meagre resources.

According to preliminary survey few years ago, the number of snow leopards in the country was only 500. However, world over, the population of snow leopard that had declined to about 1000 in 1960s is estimated to have now increased to 3500.

In the Indian states, the species is found generally in the cold deserts above the treeline. It has been spotted in Ladakh (J&K) and Lahaul-Spiti (Himachal Pradesh).

Besides India, snow leopard is found in China, Bhutan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Burma, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan.

The habitat of the species has been disturbed with the ongoing road projects, particularly the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the network of roads being laid by China in the mountain region.

Conservation of the species is generally confined to holding seminars and discussions. An international symposium on snow leopard was held at Srinagar 31 years ago in 1986 where concern of expressed on falling number of the species. Thereafter, a national workshop in which wildlife departments of the five Himalayan states participated was organized at Jammu and Leh in 2004 and 2005 respectively by the Ministry of environment and forests. Wildlife experts expressed concern on the issue of interference of human beings in the habitat of snow leopard.
Many of the womens shelters currently operating in Afghanistan have been founded and funded during the Nato/US presence over the past decade.

As is well known, the United States based part of its justification for the invasion of Afghanistan on the premise of liberating Afghan women from the misogyny and brutality of the Afghan Taliban. The then first lady Laura Bush announced that the war required the support of all civilised people because it was a war for womens liberation, and at least one female congresswoman donned a burqa on the floor of the House of Representatives, going on to detail how claustrophobic she found the garment.

It followed from all this that in the run-up to the invasion and in the months and years after, programmes and development focused on Afghan women received a lot of attention in the international media, including pictures of Afghan women going to school and walking on the streets of their country without the burqa that the Taliban had made mandatory.

Indeed, in 2015, over a decade after the invasion, the New York Times was still publishing articles touting how American-established shelters were the only thing standing between abused Afghan women and the men who would kill them.

There is a lot of truth to that premise. In Afghanistan (as in Pakistan) family and tribe are the venue of refuge and recourse. This means that women who rebel against tribal mores, be it those who are accused of sexual crimes or those victimised by men (often from their own family), have no place to go. With nowhere to go, many women would either have to put up with the abuse or take their own life. Until the establishment of shelters, no third choice was really possible.

Unsurprisingly, everyone, except the women living in the shelters, has been critical of their presence. When the whole structure of society, specifically the project of making women ascribe to the rules and whims of men, is predicated on the fact that they have no choice but to obey, it follows that anyone or anything that offers them an option is going to be viewed less than favourably.

Even Afghan government officials, who have otherwise been eager to take help and funds from the Americans, view the presence of these shelters with scepticism. As scholar Sonia Ahsan quotes in her ethnographic study of Afghan womens shelters (called khana-yi aman), even the Afghan justice minister described the shelters as encouraging girls to disobey their fathers and family members, their presence conveying that they did not have to worry, they could run away and stay at shelters and did not have to bother with what their family members thought.

On top of all this, Ahsan notes, the fact that these women are runaways, imagined or known to have been abandoned by their families, lends further ambiguity to the moral status of the shelters themselves. The places that provide shelter to women accused of being disobedient or depraved are hence imagined as venues of disobedience and sexual promiscuity.

All the problems afflicting womens shelters in Afghanistan exist also in Pakistan. The absence of choices for abused or accused women is just as instrumental in ensuring that they comply with everything and anything that is demanded of them. Similar to Afghanistan, Pakistani womens rights organisations have been helped by international donors over the past decade. The idea, as in Afghanistan, has been to provide options for women who otherwise have none. Government-run shelters in Pakistan have to contend with the same criticism, often facing accusations of immorality just because they are seen as intervening in private matters where the family and their agendas are supposed to have complete sway and supremacy.

As long as state and society remain intractable, the need for womens shelters will be there. In Pakistan, the scale of urbanisation and demographic change has meant that more women are in need of such venues when marriages and parental relationships become abusive.

However, while the newspapers are full of pictures of dead women, of women who had nowhere to go and were killed for honour or disobedience or some other reason, neither Pakistani nor Afghan society seems particularly concerned with seeing womens shelters as a necessity. Rather, these are viewed as a product of a Western feminism that contravenes culture and religion. As funding from external sources dries up, such a recalibration is absolutely imperative in both countries. Unless lawmakers take steps to indigenise the idea of womens shelters, and present them as crucial to the welfare of women, such a change is unlikely.

If the developments of the past few weeks are a sign of things to come, Pakistan is moving in the wrong direction. The recently passed Alternative Dispute Resolution Bill, 2017, which grants legal legitimacy to decisions made by jirgas and panchayats, is a huge blow to womens welfare. These male-dominated extra-legal bodies, which have been known to promote the abuse and persecution of women and deny them choices, are one of the biggest enemies of institutions such as womens shelters.

As international aid dries up in the coming years, womens shelters in Pakistan and Afghanistan are likely to face existential issues that will threaten their survival. Unless there is urgent and immediate recognition of the need and importance of these institutions, even those that exist are likely to be no more. The consequence, and one that is sadly meaningless to many Pakistanis, will be more dead women, killed simply because they could not run and had no place of safety where they could take refuge.

Dawn/ANN
Contextualised with the inaugural grandstanding barely five weeks ago, the striking feature of Donald Trumps first address to Congress was its generally conciliatory tone.

It was an appreciably watered down edition of the America for Americans bluster that has understandably alarmed the world and jolted  if not divided  the people in a nation of immigrants. The 45th President of America was less than his acerbic self, though the world must wonder whether he needed seven days to react to the killing of an Indian by a white American, crying Get out of my country.

It is hard not to wonder whether the President was chewing over the implications of the tragedy in a civilized world.

Trump has eventually lamented the killing, though as Head of State he ought to have done the least that was expected of him on the day of the mayhem in Kansas. Small wonder that the customary presentation to Congress has been compared to the State of the Union address. Markedly, he has stopped short of going on overdrive with his direly controversial agenda.

He was in the main riveted to governance and the goalposts. Were his scriptwriters suitably circumspect to craft the address accordingly, dwelling on protectionism, infrastructure investment, tougher immigration controls, the Mexico Wall, scrapping Obamacare, a crackdown on lobbying, and increased military spending?

Unmistakably, the language was more placatory as he reached out to black and Jewish Americans who have frequently been the target of his almost in-built antagonism. Absent also was the compulsive ranting against Muslims, indeed the hallmark of his campaign rhetoric. In foreign policy as well, there was no criticism of China and the bloc of seven Muslim nations whose citizens have been barred from setting foot in the US.

It would be presumptuous to imagine that President Trump has signalled a paradigm shift; still less that he has become mellow. There is no indication yet that the course of governance will change, though he has hinted at a merit-based immigration system that could benefit hi-tech professionals from India. (Srinivas Kuchibhotla belonged to that talented category).

On closer reflection, Trump was acutely aware that his address to a Republican Congress was a significant event in legislative terms. He could scarcely afford to offend the legislature, considering that an ambitious budget is scheduled to be unveiled later this month. Hence the respectful reference to the Congress role in crafting the legislative responses.

There was a measure of conciliation too as he clothed his speech with appeals to both Democrats and Republicans to work together and with reassuring remarks about international institutions, notably NATO. There is little doubt that the address was geared to the Congress gallery. It is far from certain that he will walk the talk, however.
The trend of political violence began in Kerala way back in 1948 when the rallies of the then RSS chief MS Golwalkar were attacked. The violence has seen going northward as the RSS continued its expansion in the southern state.

The RSS has aggressively tried to expand its base in Kerala.

By Prabhash K Dutta: Headlines from Kerala politics in the last 48 hours read: RSS office bombed, CPM office torched, DYFI workers hacked.

This followed a now withdrawn Rs 1 crore bounty for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan by RSS leader Kundan Chandrawat in Madhya Pradesh.

But, this kind of political violence has become a new normal in Kerala politics. Kannur has been the epicentre of political violence in Kerala.

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Over 400 cases of political violence have been reported from Kannur itself since Assembly election in Kerala. The incidents of political violence have seen an increase of about 30 per cent in over the last three years.

More than 600 CPM workers, nearly 300 RSS-BJP activists and over 50 Congress members are reported to have been arrested in the cases of violence. The main rivalry is seen between the CPM and the RSS-BJP.

READ| Kerala: CPM youth wing activist hacked in Palakkad, BJP workers named in complaint

KERALA POLITICAL VIOLENCE HAS A HISTORY: 10 THINGS TO KNOW Kannur, the centre of political killings in Kerala, has history of violence. The district witnessed one of the longest and bloodiest resistances to British expansion in India during late 18th century and early 19th century. After British got better of the locals, the violence found its expression in peasant-landlord clashes. The peasant-landlord clashes provided expansion ground to the communists in 1930s. The communists got support from agrarian and peasant communities and established their firms hold in Kannur and Kerala. During 1940s, the RSS turned its attention towards Kerala- God's own country. Karnataka-based businessmen extended support to the RSS as they wanted to get foothold in the neighbouring state. The CPM blame the RSS for violence in Kerala. (Photo: PTI) At that time the business in Kerala, in general, and Kannur in particular were controlled by Muslims, who resisted entry of rival businessmen-backed RSS into Kerala. Communists sided with Muslims and Kerala set on the road to communal clashes. With tension building in Kerala, two rallies held by the then RSS chief MS Golwalkar were attacked - first in 1948 at Thiruvanthapuram and second in 1952 at Alappuzha. Attacks on Golwalkar public meetings were followed by a series of murders of RSS workers in Thrissur, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Palakkad districts. The RSS did not back off and the communists threw their weight behind the Muslim businessmen, who resisted the saffron inroads into Kerala. As a result minor communal clashes were reported throughout the 1960s. The first major communal riot took place in 1971 in Kannur's Thalasserry, which was the centre for a number of political killings last year. The CPM, always a dominant force in Kerala after Independence, viewed the anti-Muslim violence as the RSS' attempt to deepen its roots in the state by means of polarisation. The RSS have staged protests several times accusing CPM of killing its cadres. (Photo: PTI) The cadres of competing organisations resorted to violence while the CPM justified it in the name of protection of minorities. The RSS turned it into an alibi for its aggressive campaign. The RSS tried to win over working class especially the Beedi workers, who had been the mainstay for the CPM, which attempted to shed its anti-Hindu image of late. Recently, the CPM allowed its members to celebrate Ganeshotsav and heaped lavish praise on Narayan Guru to woo the powerful Ezhava community, which has shown inclinations towards the RSS-BJP. Both the RSS-BJP and CPM vie for Ezhava community's support. There has been a race for gaining better hold of the dominant communities between the RSS-BJP and the CPM. Violence has been an integral part of this one-upmanship. The result of this pursuit has been unfavrourable for the community as majority of the victims of political violence in Kerala have been from the community- both as dead and as accused.

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Pundits endlessly bleat that President Donald Trump baffles them, but only because the blustery businessman discards the usual slick policy rhetoric to tell tall tales he believes to dim loyal followers, and makes the mistake of appointing some of them, like Mike Flynn, to high posts. Unpredictable? No one is more predictable than Donald Trump if one only views him as an ordinary if big-time and thin-skinned huckster with a shady past. Trump successfully portrays himself not so much as a traitor to his upper class, like Franklin Delano Roosevelt, as a rascally bad boy within it. Unlike Roosevelt, he does not welcome the wrath of economic royalists since he staunchly remains one of them and fully intends to turn the spigot of federal funds and tax breaks wide open for the wealthy.

His brash self-serving businessmans demeanour ought to, and apparently already does, serve to mobilize a gathering of considerable forces against him. The shrill voices warning about fascistic tendencies are probably but not entirely off track inasmuch as intensifying divisiveness is the way Trump instinctively promotes his agenda. Can his mishandlings, blunders and arrogance generate a large enough opposition that can check him? Despite all the bad, and in some cases comically bad, news already in play or on the horizon the prospects for regenerating a progressive New Deal/Great Society style coalition in the USA have never been more promising.

Under Trumps pseudo-populist policy agenda, real estate magnates like himself will thrive as infrastructure spending improves their properties, bankers continue to be treated like nobility, huge corporations are gifted with tax cuts and regulatory breaks, the military is pacified with more reckless spending, the medical system ~ with Obamacare or not ~ absorbs every spare penny the average earner has, essential welfare programmes are mutilated by the richest people on the planet, and the police enjoy carte blanche to deal with the consequences. (Anthony Russo of Pentagon Papers fame said he knew why they tortured people in Vietnam ~ because they tortured people in the US, that is, former wardens and cops ran the interrogation programmes.) Trump at least will behave sanely with Russia, while Hilary Clinton diehards do their best to hang the preposterous Putin collaborator label on him.

Every phrase Trump utters is geared to please his core crowd, but he instantly reverts to cunning business practices he relished all his life alongside other schemers every bit as devious as he is. No recent public figure, except maybe Dick Cheney, embodies all the reasons why classical philosophers deemed merchants, because of their blinding greed, as unfit to govern. Trump epitomizes the glib amoral modern executive who says anything that serves his purposes. Who hasnt at some time suffered a boss like him? One swoons, though, at the what-if vision of a fiery Barack Obama fighting for single payer healthcare and other domestic needs as combatively as Trump does for his reactionary agenda. Still, as the Trump era sputteringly starts, it is worth asking in the impish spirit of Monty Python (Life of Brian) what does Trump owe to his enemies? Trump undeniably owes Obama and Bill Clinton his licences to kill afforded by drone warfare, unconditional bank bailouts, habitual deference to market ideologues, unchecked military expenditure, failures to roll back mass surveillance and police state authority, and promotion of temporary and part-time jobs which comprised 90 per cent of Obamas vaunted job creation. Nothing in Hilarys policy creed countered any of the foregoing list.

Hilary Clinton helped Trump by campaigning far to the right of Dwight Eisenhower, force-feeding conservative nostrums to her thinning crowds, and antagonizing Bernie Sanders supporters who angrily discovered that the Democratic party establishment is as deft at dirty tricks as Republicans are, only against unwanted insurgents like themselves, not against Republicans the Hilary wing bent backwards to entice. She scornfully told Americans that they would never have National Health Care, wherein her donor network, not public-spirited judgment, was clearly evident. Trump, unlike Clinton, alertly balks at mega-trade deals, though more as a matter of bargaining tactics than any democratic concern about turning crucial economic decisions over to a nest of viperous private corporations.

Trumps tax plan is nothing but a Reagan repeat that raises taxes on working families and cuts taxes for the rich, which will generate deficits everyone but the rich eventually will pay for. His infrastructure plan is a nifty corporate giveaway and a stealth privatization scheme. Trumps repatriation holiday for overseas corporate cash troves, Craig Whitney notes, is going go into buybacks that will pump up the equities bubble, which is not what Trump backers anticipated. Trump filled the White House with minions from Goldman Sachs, an outfit Trump denounced on the campaign trail and one that delights in swindling citizens at home and abroad. One million fewer Americans are at work than before the Great Recession while the conventional 9-to-5 job with benefits rapidly is becoming a thing of the past. None of these nasty facts are easy to hide, and recall that only 27 per cent of eligible voters voted Trump.

The next four years threaten to be volatile, painful and fascinating as any crummy soap opera. The notion that the worse things are, the better they are never persuaded us, but now we must see if it might be true. In 1930 economist John Maynard Keynes ruefully scribbled that for a while longer we must pretend to ourselves and to everyone that fair is foul and foul is fair. Isnt the time just about up on that one?

The writers are authors of No Clean Hands and of Parables of Permanent War.
President Donald Trump said that he retains full confidence in Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the wake of revelations about the then-senator's undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador to the US.

The president's comments came during a tour of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford in Newport News, Virginia, where he traveled to give a speech on defense, Efe news agency reported.

Expressing "total" confidence in the attorney general, Trump said that he "wasn't aware at all" that Sessions, then still a senator from Alabama, met with Russian envoy Sergei Kislyak on two occasions during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The Washington Post first reported on the encounters.

The Justice Department subsequently confirmed that Sessions met with Kislyak in the Alabama Republican's then-capacity as member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Amid allegations of Russian meddling in the elections, Sessions said in January during a hearing on his nomination to serve as attorney general that he was "not aware" of any communications between the Trump campaign and Russia.

"I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign, and I didn't have  did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it," he said under questioning by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.).

The disclosure of his meetings with the ambassador has brought calls from Democratic lawmakers  and even some Republicans  for Sessions to recuse himself from any investigation of Russia's ostensible role in the elections.

Trump said Thursday that he thought Sessions "probably" told the truth at his confirmation hearing. Asked whether the attorney general should recuse himself from the Russia probe, the president said: "I don't think so."

The leader of the Democratic minority in the Senate, New York's Chuck Schumer, said earlier Thursday that Sessions should resign and he called for the appointment of a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation of Russia and the elections.


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Ri was detained a few days after the killing, but Malaysia's attorney-general told Reuters on Thursday that he would be released due to insufficient evidence.

By Reuters: The North Korean suspect held over the killing of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of the North's leader, was released from a detention centre and driven away in a police convoy, a Reuters witness said.

Ri Jong Chol, who had been held after the killing of Kim on Feb. 13, was expected to be taken to the immigration office to be prepared for deportation to North Korea, according Malaysian officials speaking to Reuters on Thursday.

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Ri was detained a few days after the killing, but Malaysia's attorney-general told Reuters on Thursday that he would be released due to insufficient evidence. A Vietnamese woman and an Indonesian woman have been charged with murder, but police have identified seven other North Koreans they want in connection with the killing.

ALSO READ| North Korea's Kim Jong-un's half-brother assassinated in Malaysia by female operatives

ALSO READ| Malaysia condemns use of VX at airport, prepares to deport N Korean suspect

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Krishna Kirawale, retired head of the Marathi department of Shivaji University in Kolhapur, was stabbed to death by unknown assailants on Friday.

By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: Dr Krishna Kirawale, a noted Ambedkarite thinker, was found murdered at his house in Kolhapur in western Maharashtra on Friday.

Kirawale was retired head of the Marathi department of Shivaji University in Kolhapur. His body was found at his residence in Kolhapur's Rajendra Nagar locality.

DETAILS SO FAR:

1. Kirawale was stabbed to death by unknown assailants and the reason is not yet known. He was a well known figure who propagated Ambedkarite thoughts and was closely associated with several progressive movements.

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2. After Narendra Dabholkar and Comrade Govind Pansare this is the throd murder of a scholar owing allegiance to progressive thinking.

3. Surprisingly, Kirawale's murder has taken place in same Kolhapur where another rationalist Govind Pansare was shot dead in broad day light in 2015.

4. In February 2015, unidentified men riding on a motorcycle had shot Pansare near his residence in Kolhapur, when he was returning from a morning walk with his wife.

5. After more than 6 months and a lot of criticism and public outrage, Kolhapur police had arrested Sameer Gaikwad - a Sanatan Sanstha sadhak - from his residence in Sangli for his alleged involvement in the murder. They also arrested Virendrasinh Tawade and made him the second suspect in the case.

6. Earlier this week, the SIT also questioned Sanathan Sanstha Chief Jayant Athawale at his Ashram in Goa.

7. Meanwhile, Union MoS for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale has condemnded the incident and has demanded an in-depth probe in Kirawale's murder.

8. Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhanajya Munde has attacked the state government over the murder. "Kirawale's murder is a shameful incident. This shows that the law and order situation in Maharashtra has deteriorated," attacked Munde.

9. "The fear of law in Maharashtra is over," said leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.

10. Police said they do not have any clue of a possible motive behind the brutal murder yet but a probe has been initiated.

Also read: Army jawan who featured in sting criticising sahayak system found dead

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Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz informed the Senate on Friday that the process has been started to prosecute Jhadav in Pakistani courts.

By Smita Sharma: Pakistan has categorically ruled out the possibility of handing over alleged RAW agent Kulbhushan Jhadav to India.

Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz informed the Senate on Friday that the process has been started to prosecute Jhadav in Pakistani courts.

Aziz added, "A list of questions has also been handed over to India to seek more information from them in the light of the statements of Jhadav."

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He said the purpose of sharing dossiers with the United Nations was to prove the direct and indirect Indian intervention in Pakistan. Aziz said, "Our stance in this regard is also being acknowledged at the international level."

Kulbhushan Jhadav was arrested last year in Balochistan on charges of spying and stoking terrorism and sectarianism in the country. It is also worth mentioning that Pakistan has also submitted dossiers with the UN on the basis of the confessional statement of Jhadav.

INDIA'S RESPONSE

The Indian government, however, has on several occasions completely rejected the baseless allegations against Jadhav.

Responding to Pakistan's stand on Jhadav, the Indian officials sources said, "The circumstances of his presence in the country remain unclear, particularly because we have not been provided consular access, despite our repeated requests. We expect the government of Pakistan to follow well-established international practice in this regard and ensure his well-being while he is in its custody."

Also read: India set to participate in Permanent Indus Commission meet in Lahore

--- ENDS ---
On Tuesday, August 5, 1997, Capt. Drew Sullins, of the Maryland Air National Guard was interviewed by Kenny Young of T.A.S.K. regarding the March 13th Arizona UFO reports.

YOUNG: Thanks for taking time from your busy schedule to talk this afternoon about Project Snowbird and the flare droppings over Arizona that generated some attention. One of the things I want to discuss is the By Kenny Young

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TIME DELAY in announcing the explanation for this event, which was a duration of almost 4 to 5 months. Is there any reason to your knowledge for this delay?Yes there is, and I don't think people are going to believe it, but it's the truth... it's a simple miscommunication. Apparently when the military in Phoenix was first approached, they looked at their flight logs, which are kept in two separate categories called "RESIDENT" and "VISITING" logs. These logs chart all of the incoming or outgoing air traffic. When the first inquiries of this went out, DAVIS-MONTHAN didn't check the visiting flight logs. The Public Affairs Officer down there called the people at operations who kept the flight logs, and they said, "we didn't have anything up that day." After several months, Captain Eileen Bienz was told by someone, and I can't remember who, that there was a project called Snowbird, which was an Air National Guard 'Op.' Bienz didn't have information on Snowbird, because Arizona units don't participate in it. Snowbird is an operation run during the winter when they take A.N.G. units located in the northern U.S. When it snows and the weather gets bad, they fly their units out there for a couple of weeks and train during the winter because the weather for flying is so good. Bienz put two and two together and checked the visiting flight logs, and sure enough it was discovered that there was an Air National Guard unit flying around.So the miscommunication was due to Davis-Monthan?Yeah, it wasn't on my part. Captain Bienz called me up and told me the whole story, just a couple of weeks ago and first I ever heard of it, and said, 'now can you confirm these things?' So I called our Ops guys of the 175th Wing & 104th Fighter Squadron, and they were able to confirm for me that they were flying that night in that area and dropping flares. The information was not held, as soon as we got it together it was released.Why had the pilots in this unit, knowing they did this, not come forth in the hours after the publicity to announce the proper explanation?First of all, the deployment for the unit was on the last day of a 15-day training mission happening during the first 2-weeks of March. It was one of the last missions they flew out there, and by the time it hit the news, they might have been gone. The story wasn't the big news event in Baltimore that it was in Phoenix. I think they seemed genuinely suprised that they were the cause of all the hub-bub.When you say they were 'gone,' what do you mean by that?They came back to Maryland. It was a 2-week training mission. They were there the first 2-weeks in March, and so by March 13th, that night, they landed and probably got up on March 14th or 15th and rolled out of there.There was plenty of national media exposure regarding this, and also a second-wave of publicity in mid-June following the USA TODAY article. Is there any reason these pilots or affiliates with the squadron would not have come forth with this explanation in spite of all this?Well I honestly don't think that they knew. I really don't. The lead pilot that night, a Lieutenant Colonel by the name of Ron Henry, was retiring about that time... he's retired now and commuting back and forth to Minneapolis and he's really busy. He's in the flight training program for Northwest Airlines learning how to fly a DC-9, and all these guys are really busy. They're citizen airmen and citizen soldiers, so they have full-time jobs and careers, families and other things they have to manage. Look, I'll be honest with you, until Captain Bienz called me up, I honestly had not even heard about this. I read two papers in the morning, one of them on the internet, one in my office, and so if I could miss it, then I guess they could too.Was the lead pilot and others involved aware that dropping these flares would produce the results among the population below that it did?No, I don't think they would have known because it's a standard routine training mission out there. Flares are dropped alot on that range. On that particular night, the visibility and atmospheric conditions were such that the things could have been viewed from the southwestern suburbs of Phoenix. These flares can be seen from hundreds of miles if the weather conditions are right. Apparently, they're not the only unit out there that dropped flares. Who's to say, perhaps the weather conditions and every thing just kind of came together and these things could be seen from Phoenix.You speculate that other units could have also been involved?The only units we had flying that night were the eight aircraft from the 104th Fighter Squadron.What about the arguments that the flares were visible longer than 1-hour, when the actual burn-time for parachute flares would be around 4 or 5 minutes?They were dropping alot of flares. They were over that range for over an hour. One aircraft would go in, drop a couple of flares, make its run and attack a target, then another aircraft would come in from behind and illuminate the range again, so they were continually dropping flares in that area.So the pilots could see the flares from their plane?Oh yes.Would they have been able to visualize that this could be something the population below would notice as well?I can't speak for the pilots because I wasn't flying, but the dropping of flares out there is so routine that I don't see why they would've had any cause for alarm.Again, the delay in this announcement is somewhat odd. How many men would have been involved with the 104th Fighter Squadron that would have had knowledge of this operation?There were eight aircraft. Eight pilots.Were there also officers loading the flares in pods under the wings who would have had knowledge of this?I'd have to call the squadron on that, but once Davis- Monthan checked the visiting flight logs, they were able to explain it. The base knew about it, but they just didn't check the visiting flight logs.How would this activity have been specified or listed on a flight log?That's a good question. I don't have an answer to that one.Do they list flare exercises in flight logs?Anytime you're flying at night in the A-10 Thunderbolt on a night training exercise, it's probable that you'll always be dropping flares. It's very routine, there's ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY about what they did out there.It was obviously extraordinary in light of the public reaction to the operation.Well that was, but not the mission itself.Do they announce flare exercises in advance so as not to cause public alarm?No.They do not?No, they never have before. It's never produced this public response before and our pilots have flown this same mission out of that range a number of times before, and done so without so much as raising an eyebrow.Would all the reports of a triangular object, mentioned in the USA Today article, be attributable to the flare droppings?I don't know. I've only seen videotapes twice, and they looked like flares to me.I recalled that some of the early reports on this that some Air Tower Operators were looking at these flares and at the same time detected no radar track of any aircraft on radar. Could you please tell me if eight A-10's which were dropping flares would have any Stealth capabilities which would have caused them not to be detected by radar?Nope, and the pilots told me that they had everything operating that night and that they should've shown up on radar. Sky Harbor International Airport held radar surveillance for this area, and I don't want to speak for them, and don't know what their coverage area is, but I understand that the area is restricted military airspace. Sky Harbor International Airport will have to answer for those questions. The A-10's do not have any Stealth technology on it, and they were flying with all of their navigation radar systems and everything operating.Since we had some alarm and concern generated from the public over the March 13 flare droppings, would it be possible to duplicate an identical event for the public, and arrange for the media to be present to document the event?As the pilots explained it to me, it may have been the atmospheric conditions that night which allowed this thing to be seen so far away in Phoenix, but I'm not so sure we could replicate or duplicate the exact conditions that night. But secondly, it costs a hell of a lot of money to fly these planes for an hour, and I don't know that the United States Air Force would authorize that expenditure. I'd be willing to bet that since this has happened, a whole bunch of flares have dropped over that range since then.So a repeat performance to satisfy the populace would not bepossible?I'm not saying it's not possible, I'm just saying that I'm the wrong guy to ask. You're not going to get the Maryland Air National Guard t o fly all the way across the country to replicate the event. That's a request that'll have to be made to the United States Air Force in the Pentagon, and that would then be handed down to the National Guard Bureau, and it goes from echelon to echelon, through the bureaucratic process. Davis- Monthan could assist there, if one were to inquire when the next training mission would be scheduled over Luke AFB where A-10s will be dropping flares from between 10 and 15 thousand feet. That is essentially all you have to replicate. The thing that people are getting all bent out of shape about is the fact that I never offered this as the 'definitive explanation' for what happened. We only offered this up because an inquiry was made to the military regarding unidentified lights. We released all the information on our operation, but we are not prepared to say definitively that these are, in fact, the lights. I'm not trying to stir anything up here, but I can only say that our unit was there, we flew these missions, we dropped these flares. Alot of people think it's flares. Some of the pilots who've looked at the videos flat out said it was flares. According to what every military expert and A-10 pilot told me leads me to believe it was flares.Since another demonstration would be difficult, would it be possible to notify the public in the event of future exersizes of this nature?Look, I gotta be completely candid here, we're not going to pick up the phone every darn time we do something. Military operations are just that - military operations. They're not things that the public is used to seeing on an everyday basis, and if everytime we conducted something that we thought the general public would find unusual, I'd spend my whole life on the phone telling people about our training. And in Maryland, we don't drop flares. And the reason we dropped so many flares in Tucson is because its one of the few places we can go to execute that mission. There is no place in Maryland that we could drop these flares safely. The Warfield A.N.G. base outside of Baltimore is not properly equipped to load, handle and store these type of flares and other ordinances. When we go to Arizona, we fly lots of these missions, and try to maximize our time out there because we can't do it at home. So we don't have any need to call people here at home and tellthem our plans.If it were ever deemed needful to announce anything, who would be contacted?I would put out the release. If my boss came to me and said that we were going to be conducting an exersize that would alarm the general public, then I would put out a news release to the TV, radio and newspapers.Do you also handle NOTAM (Notice To Airmen) reports or advisories to other airports or pilots in the area of exersizes?I don't know what a NOTAM report is, I've never heard of one here.I do appreciate your time and detailed information today.My pleasure.It was obvious that Capt. Sullins was knowledgeable about the flight operations of the Maryland A.N.G. and familiar with the flare maneuvers.He had clearly handled several of these questions previously, and had also indicated that he interviewed several of the pilots involved. He may have been briefed on how to handle these inquiries, as much of what he said was strikingly similar to comments made to me by a captain from the 178th Fighter Group and 162nd Fighter Squadron Flying Unit Fighter Operations division from Springfield Air National Guard base after a separate but identical incident happened in Southern Ohio on March 26. I found Sullins to be courteous and very professional.However, I am uncomfortable by the fact that the pilots of the eight aircraft responsible, or the other airman involved in the unit operations of the 175th Wing & 104th Fighter Squadron, would supposedly have 'not heard' of the March 13th debacle involving UFOs over Arizona. I cannot fathom that these persons would not "do the right thing" and put the matter to rest as abruptly as possible.Recall that Snowbird remained in Arizona at least the following afternoon, or possibly several days after the March 13th event, giving them plenty of opportunities to hear of the UFO reports which had saturated the Arizona media.Furthermore, Sullins seemed befuddled by the lack of radar returns for the A-10 activity from Sky Harbor International Airport. He also didn't elect to address the reports of a triangular object supposedly observed, and dismissed the public reaction of a 'routine' exersize to weather conditions, an identical scenario first advanced to T.A.S.K. from the Springfiled A.N.G. units after the Ohio disturbance on March 26.In an honest assessment of this drama, I must observe that the Arizona scenario is highly suspicious and all-too-similar to the March 26th Ohio happening. And due to the delayed confession from the Maryland Air National Guard, one must seriously consider if an ulterior motive may be at work in this travesty.The Ohio event dealt also with a large, triangular object traveling overhead, and also a 'bouncing' object that was witnessed by a fire and E.M.S. coordinator from New Vienna, Ohio. The Arizona flare explanation, like the Ohio story, is complicated by nagging inconsistencies that come against the flare explanation.I am satisfied that flares were there, but if the other reports are to honestly considered, then we only have a partial resolution to this very interesting mystery.
But the tribe has a long way to go
By Saurabh Singh: Lenovo is set to launch the Moto G5 Plus in India on March 15. We will have more to say about the new Moto G in the days to come, but, before that happens, it is very important to know about all the phones that it would compete with once it's here. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 is one such phone . Huawei's Honor 6X is another.

Also Read: Lenovo's new Moto G5, G5 Plus make last year's Moto G4, G4 Plus look dumb

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The Honor 6X comes with an all-metal body, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, a 1080p screen, a very capable 8-core processor, plenty of storage (which is also expandable), a guaranteed update to Android Nougat, a dual-camera system on the rear, DTS audio support and a 3,340mAh battery powering the whole thing. That's a lot of smartphone for Rs 12,999.

Here's a step by step breakdown of Honor's 6X and Lenovo's Moto G5 Plus.

Both the Moto G5 Plus and the Honor 6X have full-metal bodies. Both the phones have fingerprint scanners: while in the case of the Honor 6X it is located on the back, in the case of the Moto G5 Plus it is located on the front. Both come with on-screen navigation keys. The Moto G5 Plus comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and splash-resistance coating for added protection. While the Honor 6X is a 5.5-inch phone, the Moto G5 Plus has a 5.2-inch screen. Both the phones boast of a full-HD 1080p IPS LCD display panel. Honor's phone, in addition, also comes with a built-in blue light filter -- Eye Comfort mode -- akin to Apple's Night Shift that automatically turns colours to the warmer end of the spectrum when enabled. There is also an option to select a start and end point for this functionality like it is in Apple's iPhones. The Moto G5 Plus is powered by a 2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor clubbed with Adreno 506 GPU. The Honor 6X, on the other hand, comes with a 2.1GHz octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 655 processor clubbed with Mali-T830MP2 GPU. While the Moto G5 Plus comes with 2/4 GB of RAM and 16/64 GB of internal memory, the Honor 6X sold in India is available in 3/4 GB of RAM and 32/64 GB of internal memory options. Both the phones support expandable storage. The Moto G5 Plus runs an almost unmodified version of Android Nougat with Moto enhancements like Moto Display and Moto Actions alongside the Google's AI assistant. The addition of the Google Assistant means that users can send messages, make calls, navigate, and manage their tasks, simply by holding the home button. The Honor 6X, on the other hand, runs Android Marshmallow-based EMUI 4.1 and will be upgradable to Android Nougat in the days to come. Both the phones support dual-SIM and 4G LTE (VoLTE) connectivity. The Moto G5 Plus sports a 12-megapixel camera on the rear with dual pixel autofocus, f/1.7 aperture and dual-LED flash. Additionally, the Moto G5 Plus' rear camera is also capable of recording 4K video. The Honor 6X, meanwhile has a dual camera system on the rear. It consists of a 12-megapixel + 2-megapixel setup assisted with phase detection autofocus and LED flash. While the 12-megapixel lens is what you can a regular lens, the 2-megapixel lens is capable of depth sensing so users can attain software-enhanced background blur in photos before and after clicking a shot. While the Honor 6X comes with an 8-megapixel camera on the front, the Moto G5 Plus has a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. While the Honor 6X is backed by a 3,340mAh battery, the Moto G5 Plus has a smaller 3,000mAh battery inside. Lenovo's phone, however, supports Moto's proprietary Turbo Charging technology and ships with a fast charger in the box. Honor's phone, on the other hand, supports only 5V/2A charging. The bottom-firing mono speaker on-board the Honor 6X also supports DTS audio. The Honor 6X starts at Rs 12,999 and goes all the way up to Rs 15,999. The Moto G5 Plus starts at around Rs 15,275 in the US. Its pricing may be a little different on arrival in India, but, looking at the history of the Moto G phones here, ideally, it should cost at under Rs 20,000.

Also Read: Huawei Honor 6X review: A jack of all trades

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Vijay Mallya, the embattled businessman who is in the UK, today said faulty engines were one of the factors for the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines.

A group firm of Pratt & Whitney has been sued for supplying defective engines to Kingfisher Airlines, Mallya said, amid aviation regulator DGCA ordering detailed inspection of P&W engines powering some Airbus 320 neo planes being operated in India.

Mallya has been declared a wilful defaulter and is wanted by Indian authorities for default in payment of loans related to Kingfisher Airlines that was grounded in 2012. He is also wanted in other cases.

"Not surprised at DGCA enquiry into Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines. Kingfisher Airlines sadly collapsed also due to faulty engines," he said in a tweet.

Not surprised at DGCA enquiry into Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines. Kingfisher Airlines sadly collapsed also due to faulty engines.  Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) March 3, 2017

The DGCA has ordered detailed inspection of 21 Airbus 320 neo planes of IndiGo and GoAir that are equipped with P&W engines, which have been frequently facing technical glitches.

"We have sued IAE, a Pratt & Whitney Group Company, for compensation towards defective aircraft engines supplied to Kingfisher Airlines," Mallya said in another tweet.

We have sued IAE a Pratt & Whitney Group Company for compensation towards defective aircraft engines supplied to Kingfisher Airlines.  Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) March 3, 2017

Response to queries sent to a P&W spokesperson on the issue was awaited.

As many as 21 A320 neo planes that are using P&W engines would be examined and the exercise is expected to be completed in the next two weeks, a senior DGCA official had said on February 28.

The same day P&W said it is working with IndiGo and GoAir as well as the regulator over the issues.
Shares of Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries jumped to a fresh nine-year high on Friday, a day after the company's promoter entities proposed to restructure their shareholding via inter-se transfers.

"The promoter group entities of RIL propose to restructure their shareholding by inter-se transfer of shares among the promoter group entities and have made the necessary disclosures in this regards," said a spokesperson for the company. "The proposed inter-se transfers will not result in any change in promoter group shareholding in RIL," the spokesperson added.

According to the company's filing to the stock exchanges, eight promoter group companies of RIL will buy around 119 crore shares from 15 other promoter group companies in an inter-se transfer at Rs 1,100.70 per share.

The promoter group companies acquiring RIL shares include Devarshi Commercials LLP, Karuna Commercials, Tattvam Enterprises, Srichakra Commercials, Svar Enterprises, Vasuprada Enterprises, Shreeji Comtrade and Shrikrishna Tradecom.

As per stock exchange data, 55 promoter entities held 46.48 per cent stake in RIL as of December-end, 2016. RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani and wife Nita hold 0.11 per cent stake each in their individual capacity.

Reliance shares hit a fresh high of Rs 1,287.80 on Friday and was trading at Rs 1,259.25, up by Rs 25.80 or 2.09 per cent, on the BSE, at the time of filing of the story.

The stock has been on a strong run off-late, since the announcement on February 21 of paid offers for its Jio 4G VOLTE services, which will be effective from April. Since then, the stock has surged 16 per cent, while the wider BSE Sensex has been flattish.

RIL launched Jio last September, with free voice-for-life service. In addition, the heavily slashed data rates (free till April) has helped the company to garner more than 100 million subscribers.

In a presentation to analysts, RIL said it expects data market in India to reach Rs 3 lakh crore by 2020-21, adding it is well-positioned to achieve more than 50 per cent revenue market share.

"The telecom uncertainty has decreased with disclosure on tariff plans, but not subsided completely," feel analysts at investment bank Morgan Stanley.

They believe that the growth in return on capital employed in the energy business will buffer the impact from lower telecom returns in the near-term.

"After nearly doubling its energy business investments in the past four years, we believe, RIL's energy earnings are poised to inflect over the next two years, benefiting from slowing oil oversupply, a rising global gas glut and the start of a polyester upcycle," said the analysts at Morgan Stanley.
India's Act East policy has added a strategic dimension, and its eastern neighbours have come to recognise that. As much is being conveyed through the back-to-back visits by Myanmarese and Thai naval delegations to the Indian Navy's Southern Command at Kochi.

After receiving a Myanmarese naval delegation last week, the Southern Command is currently hosting a delegation led by Rear Admiral Tanpol Vichailukkana, deputy director-general of Royal Thailand Navy. The other members are Captain Bongkoch Samosorn and Commander Chakkrit Reamruk. They arrived on February 28 and will depart on March 4.

The primary purpose of the visit is to familiarise the delegation on meteorology, oceanography, operational and training facilities located at Kochi, and explore avenues for mutual cooperation, said an Indian Navy officer.

The visitors paid the Indian Navy's southern commander, Vice Admiral A.R.Karve, a courtesy call and met India's chief hydrographer Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar on board the survey vessel INS Sutlej. Subsequently, the delegation was given an overview of the role, responsibilities and activities of Southern Naval Command.

India shares sea borders with both Myanmar and Thailand across the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

During Vice President Hamid Ansari's visit to Thailand last year, India had announced that the Navy would take part in Cobra Gold multilateral amphibious exercise and Operation Maitri counter-insurgency operations with other southeast Asian militaries. Later, during Thai Prime Minister Gen. Pratyur Chan-o-cha's visit to India, the two countries had decided to forge closer ties in defence and maritime security. A defence delegation had also accompanied the Prime Minister then.
In yet another development in the war between Shiv Sena and BJP, Shiv Sena ministers on Friday demanded that the leader of opposition from both houses of state legislature and journalists be allowed to witness the meetings of the state cabinet.



Senior Shiv Sena ministers Eknath Shinde and Deepak Sawant are said to have raised this demand in the state cabinet meeting.



They expressed a view that allowing leader of opposition and journalists to witness cabinet meetings will help achieve much needed transparency in the governance.



It may be recalled here that BJP had made 'transparence in governance' a key issue during the municipal elections to target Shiv Sena which has been ruling Mumbai and Thane municipal corporations for over two decades now.



Shiv Sena ministers pointed out that in the standing committee meetings of the municipal corporations even journalists are allowed to witness the proceedings. Shiv Sena ministers are learnt to have told Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that they even wanted the 'Lokayukta' to witness state cabinet meeting.

While Eknath Shinde was not available to comment on the issue, an aide of Shinde confirmed that this demand was raised by the minister in the meeting. He informed that the issue was taken up as Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had spoken about this to Sena ministers and senior party leaders.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a road show on Saturday and visit temples in Varanasi to send out a message to the electorate. His main rivalsChief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhiwill hold their road shows just a few hours after.

Modi's road show will start from the Banaras Hindu University at 9 am, covering some of the congested lanes of the ancient city. He will visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple. He would again resume his journey to end his road show by visiting another historic temple, Kal Bhairav. Modi's visit to two famous temples during the campaign will be to rally the Hindu voters, who are known to vote along the caste lines in the state.

Both Samajwadi Party and BSP have their dedicated caste voters. However, when any issue or election campaign is held with strong Hindu overtones, they too are known to vote for the BJP, as it had happened in the Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier, in his election campaign of 2014, Modi had held a road show in Varanasi, which received a massive response. BJP had planned a similar exercise this time when votes to the sixth phase will be cast in some district on Saturday. Polling for Varanasi area will be held during the last phase on March 8.

Varanasi has turned into the main battleground as majority of the cabinet ministers and the senior BJP leaders have made it their camp office.

After Modi's roadshow, all eyes will be Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi roadshow before March for everyone to make comparisons as to their respective shows of strength. Akhilesh-Rahul show will start at 12 pm from Court road, passing through Nadesar, Chaukaghat, Daushipura, Peeli Kothi, Godaulia Chowk culminating at Church chowk.

Modi's roadshow will also pass through Godaulia Chowk where Kashi Vishwanath Temple is located.
Here's good news for Android phone users. Google has started the roll-out of its artificial intelligence-based Google Assistant to a large portion of android phone users. Earlier this week, Google had announced the Assistant will be made available to all smartphones running on Android Marshmallow 6.0 and above versions.

Google had launched Assistant at its I/O conference in May last year. It was first introduced only on Google Pixel and Pixel XL phones, and was later brought to Google Home. Plunging in to the war of AI personal assistants, the Assistant is Google's answer Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa and Microsoft Cortana. The Assistant will be made available in the latest update of Google Play, its app store.

It is like an artificial intelligence side-kick, on your hand-held devices, who knows you inside out. The Assistant can be considered an extension of Google Now, or OK Google available on Google devices. Besides helping you with mundane routines like sending messages, setting weather and news alerts on your Android device, the Assistant helps you plan a travel, pick a restaurant for dinner and organise your shopping list.

If you have no clue where to head for dinner, the Assistant can help you find nearby restaurants that suit your taste. If you want Continental cuisine, it will filter out a list, give you the timings, and even show you how to drive there from your present location. You can use the Assistant to add things to your shopping list, and even 'ask' it to remind you when you reach the mall. How cool is that? On a road trip, and wanna play some songs from your device. Keep your hand on the wheel and just call out a command: play music, and Assistant accesses the music files and plays it. How many times has it happened to us that we saw something fascinating on the way, but just didn't know what it is called. Take a picture and ask the Assistant which will look it up for you and open a new world of information.

Like many other artificial intelligence products, the Assistant is also designed to observe your regular replies, searches and past activity and learn from your behaviour. So much so that it can can even auto-generate or predict responses to regular messages, for instance a message from your spouse on what you want for dinner. Assistant can either reply, 'let's have Chinese', or even 'don't know', depending on cached earlier replies.

What's more, you can even have a conversation with it, through voice or chat. If you are feeling lonely, strike up a conversation with the Assistant and ask it 'where you live' or 'what's your favourite ice cream?' Or ask random questions like 'what's the capital of Botswana?' or 'where did sushi originate?' It is designed to understand natural language and will throw back witty replies, and further questions at you. Maybe even jokes, and poems. More reasons to stay glued to your phones for company?

To get the Assistant working, you require a phone that's running at least on the Marshmallow. According to latest numbers released by Google, about 32 per cent of Android devices in the world are running on Marshmallow 6.0, and above. This may seem like a small fraction, but it actually translates to nearly 500 million devices.

Rolling out the Assistant to all these devices is a laborious task, and will take time of its own. The roll-out will begin with devices in the US, and will be followed by users in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, and also for German users in Germany. Google assures that more countries will follow. Folks in India, we will have to wait for a while. Hopefully not really long considering that Google has been upbeat about its Indian market lately.
Ive never been to Eagle & Child in Oxford, where celebrated writers and friends J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis used to chill and drink ale. It was here that the foundation of Lewiss great book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was laid, over endless discussions about life, love and everything in between. I always imagined that if I ever went to a place like that, profundity would be within my reach. And thus would be birthed the Great Novel that I suspect has lain dormant in me. The closest I came to it was when I went to the Durg Cafeteria, a hilltop restaurant in Nahargarh Fort, Rajasthan. You can watch the sunset from the top of the fort and, at night, see the glittering city splayed out below. It finally hit me that I was in the land of the royals. This was where Maharana Udai Singh of Mewar founded the city of Udaipur; where Maharana Pratap fought the battle of Haldighat against the Mughal Army of Emperor Akbar; where Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh built the beautiful Hawa Mahal for the women of the royal household to observe street festivities without interruption. This was a far cry from my land of Marxism, Malayalam and Moplah food.

Around 600 tourists come here daily during season, said Arun Phophalia, manager of the cafeteria. We have 14 staff members who take painstaking care to keep the place clean and tourist friendly. We play classical music and hang lanterns on the trees to create an appropriate ambience for the visitors.

Songs for the soul: A young street musician at Pushkar | Salil bera

Rajasthan topped THE WEEK-MaRS travel survey for the best tourist state in India and we set out to find out why. At first glance, the reason is obvious. After all, this is the land of royal havelis, exotic camel rides and vivid colours. But then there is the other Rajasthan of small dhabas, desolate forts and hidden hunting lodges. This is the Rajasthan that we set out to explorethe Rajasthan off the beaten track.

Unlike in Kerala, where even the urchins who sell pirated Chetan Bhagats and fake sunglasses on the streets do so like they have all the time in the world, there is an air of busyness about Rajasthan, as if the people there are always late for something. They really milk their royal heritage, everything is some palace or the other, including the dusty dhaba called Rajputana Palace where we stopped to have Dal Baati Churma on the way to Bhangarh Fort near Jaipur. The only thing palatial about it was the hefty bill.

Bhangarh Fort itself was disappointing, full of cavernous hallways, dark spaces and unending steps that led nowhere in particular. It is a 17th century fort known for being the most haunted place in India. According to one legend, a king named Madho Singh built the fort after getting the permission of an ascetic called Bala Nath who lived there. The only condition of the ascetic was that the shadow of the fort should never fall on his home. One of the descendants of Madho Singh extended the fort, its shadow fell on the ascetics home and since then, it was doomed. The fort is as shaky as the legend and the only thing scary about it was the threat that a dislodged rock would fall on your head.

We spent a much more pleasant evening in an ethnic village resort called Chokhi Dhani in Jaipur. Turbaned and trussed up men met us at the reception and took us inside where the traditional Rajasthani experience has been recreated with camel rides, mehendi booths, magicians and palmists, folk musicians and dancers. The resort is spread across 17 acres and more than 200 people work there, Udaiveer Singh, its public relations officer, told us. At least 1,000 people visit Chokhi Dhani every day, he said. The resort has 102 rooms done up in an exaggerated Rajasthani style. But in the night, when the hanging bamboo lamps are lit up, the entire place glimmers like a fairytale castle. After watching the magic show by a magician who clapped at his own tricks and being told by a palmist that my health would be poor and I would be in two relationships in the coming year (hopefully not simultaneously), we had a sumptuous meal of rice, three types of roti, five types of vegetables, halwa, bajra khichdi, garlic chutney, churma and various other delicacies. One could only wish that real Rajasthani villages were like Chokhi Dhani.

The next day early morning, we set out to Ajmer and Pushkar, two sacred towns in Rajasthan, a three-hour drive from Jaipur. No visit to Ajmer would be complete without going to the Dargah Sharif, which houses the tomb of Moinuddin Chisti, the founder of the Chisti order of Sufism. The shrine was built by the Mughal king Humayun in honour of the saint. It has three gatesthe Nizam Gate, the Shah Jahan Gate and the Buland Darwaza. Emperor Akbar made a pilgrimage to Ajmer ever year. He, as well as Emperor Shah Jahan, built mosques inside the shrine complex. Everything from incense sticks to flowers and framed photographs is sold by men on the street leading to the dargah. If life was fast in Jaipur, in Ajmer, it seemed to be happening all at once hawkers hollering, bicycles weaving between the crowds, beggar women pulling at your clothes, men shouting at you to remove your shoes and shoving shawls at you to cover your head. After the clutter and chaos of the street outside, I embraced the calm and sanctity of the dargah with great relief.

Junagarh fort has been beautifully preserved | Salil bera

The temple town of Pushkar is only 11 kilometres from Ajmer and I found it to be more charming than its neighbour. There was something mystic about the place which flanks the Pushkar lake, which is said to have appeared when Brahma dropped a lotus flower there. It is also home to one of the worlds few Brahma temples. Far from the madding crowd, there is a sense of serenity here and the sound of devotional chanting hums in your ear long after you leave the place. It might also be a good idea to visit Pushkar during the Pushkar fair in October-November, which is one of the largest annual camel fairs in the world.

We spent the night at Gajner Palace, approximately 30 kilometres from the city of Bikaner. Gajner Palace was built by H.H. Maharaja Sir Ganga Singhji, the ruler of Bikaner, in the early 20th century, when it became a hunting and recreational retreat in princely India. Maharaja Ganga Singhji was aware that his country palace was a valuable diplomatic asset to lure sportsmen and British burrah sahebs. Currently, it is a heritage hotel part of the HRH Group of Hotels. The architecture of the palace is a blend of traditional Rajput palaces and European country houses. Spread across 6,000 acres, the palace grounds are a private wildlife sanctuary, home to wild boars, black buck, neelgai and other animals. There is also the Gaj Sagar Lake adjoining the palace, where you can see demoiselle cranes and imperial sand grouse flocking in abundance in the early mornings. Over a period of 60 years, many distinguished leaders including the Princes of Wales George V and Edward VIII, former French prime minister M. Clemenceau and the first president of India Rajendra Prasad have visited the palace. So have Salman Khan, Jackie Shroff, Bobby Deol, Shakti Kapoor and a host of other Bollywood celebrities. On an average, we have around 500 guests visiting the palace in a month, said Madan Singh Shekhawat, executive general manager, northern region, of HRH Group of Hotels. If youre going there, dont go for the grandeur or the opulence but go for the natural beauty. In the wild throng of trees and birds, life ground to a slow canter and I could at last be the indolent Malayali that I, at heart, am.

But, when in Rajasthan, do as the Rajasthanis do. So, after a sedate stay at the palace, we signed out and headed to the Junagarh Fort in Bikaner. The fort was built during the reign of Raja Rai Singh, the sixth ruler of Bikaner, who ruled from 1571 to 1611. There are many palaces and temples which are made of red sandstone and marble in the fort complex. After Raja Rai Singh, his descendants added many floors and decorations to the fort. Karan Singh built the Karan Mahal palace, Anup Singh added the Zenana quarter and a public audience hall called the Anup Mahal, Gaj Singh refurbished the Chandra Mahal or the Moon Palace. Ganga Singh built a new palace in Bikaner called Lalgarh Palace and shifted there in 1902. The interiors of the palaces are decorated in traditional Rajasthani style and the fort itself is designed in several architectural styles making it an amalgam of many cultures. What is great is that, unlike so many monuments in India, the Junagarh fort has been beautifully preserved with letters and photographs of the rajas pristinely framed on the walls and their weapons and other artifacts safeguarded in the museum.

Royalty can be imagined but cannot be experienced until you go to a place like Junagarh Fort where no frills have been added to the truth to make it more palatable to tourists. Here, for me, was the road truly less travelled
Logan starring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine has finally released in Indian theatres. This is the tenth instalment of the X-Men franchise. Here is our Logan movie review.

By Devarsi Ghosh: Logan stars Hugh Jackman as the titular character who has retired from being one of the X-Men. However, circumstances force him to claw up again. Here is our Logan movie review.

Logan Cast: Hugh Jackman, Sir Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant

Logan Direction: James Mangold

Logan Rating: (4.5/5)

If you have grown up watching Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, you might want to reach out to the screen during various points in Logan worrying that Wolverine i.e Hugh i.e Logan (They have become synonymous with each other after 17 years) might just drop dead at any moment. There, there, Hugh. Ten more minutes. And you don't have to be Wolverine, any more...

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Logan, who has set aside his claws and has stopped being 'The Wolverine' in a distant future where no mutants have been born for 25 years, spends the entire film in various stages of being bloodied, bruised, battered and broken down. The X-Men are no more. Logan has lost his ability to self-heal and he is now making a living as a chauffeur. When he is not working, he drinks to forget his wounds, physical and emotional. And then there is a senile Professor X (Sir Patrick Stewart) at home to take care of.

So, far away on the Texas-Mexico border, hidden from civilisation, there is Logan, Professor X and the ever-helpful Caliban (Stephen Merchant). This is the family Logan has. And he is tired of getting into fights. Tired of losing those he cares for.

But do the bad guys ever stop coming? Enter Laura, a little girl who happens to have the same powers as Wolverine. And she needs protection. From the dastardly military-industrial complex replete with one-dimensional human villains we have become accustomed to seeing in the X-Men movies.

Before you know it, Logan unwillingly becomes the saviour of Laura (an excellent Dafne Keen), and the two along with Professor X find themselves caught in a road-chase-survival movie which is closer to films like Lone Wolf and Cub or The Road than it is to any Wolverine or X-Men film we have seen till date.

Writer-director James Mangold has a Western (3:10 to Yuma), a cop drama (Cop Land) and a decent superhero flick (The Wolverine) behind him. Pulling all his experience together, he has delivered a fantastic film with Logan, which is, quite frankly, the next pinnacle in 21st century superhero-filmmaking after Iron Man, The Dark Knight, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Deadpool. Every time you start to think that the superhero film is dead, something like Logan comes up to show what more can be done with the genre.

If The Dark Knight was essentially a big-city crime film and The Winter Soldier was a Bourne film with superheroes, Logan does the same thing with the Western.

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Here, the titular character played by Hugh Jackman is the classic world-weary lone wolf who is drawn into violence, reluctantly, sure, but he is a man of principle. He won't leave the weak behind. What makes matters more poignant is that Laura, like Logan himself, has been genetically engineered and that too from Logan's DNA. This makes Logan the little girl's father in a way. Add to that, Logan is dying. His powers are wearing off and throughout the course of the film, Laura, born and brought up in a laboratory all her life has finally found a dad.

Are you crying already?

With top-notch performances, including an effective slimy-villain act by Boyd Holbrook (from the Netflix series Narcos), a great screenplay and direction that (thanks to an R-rating) does not shy away from cinematic extremes, Logan is one hell of a watch! A perfect tribute to one of pop culture's most memorable characters and the one man who made him iconic for 17 years.

(The writer tweets as @devarsighosh .)

ALSO SEE: Remembering Hugh Jackman's journey as Wolverine from 2000 to 2017

ALSO READ: Virat Kohli is amazing, I love what he does, Hugh Jackman tells India Today

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WATCH: Hugh Jackman talks about his film Logan, SRK playing Wolverine, and Virat Kohli

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The temple administration has written to the government and the Reserve Bank of India on the fate of the accumulated notes and was awaiting a response, a top official said today.

By Press Trust of India: The famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala is caught in a piquant situation as it has received over Rs 4 crore in demonetised 500 and 1,000 rupee notes from devotees in its hundi in the last two months, past the deadline for their exchange.

The temple administration has written to the government and the Reserve Bank of India on the fate of the accumulated notes and was awaiting a response, a top official said today.

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Thousands of devotees thronging the cash-rich temple from various parts of the country continued to offer the junked currency in the hundi along with valid notes even after the deadline for exchange of demonetised notes expired on December 30.

More than Rs four crore in demonetised currency had been offered in the hundi, Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which administers the ancient shrine, D Sambasiva Rao said.

"We have already written to the RBI and Government of India about the demonetised notes offered by devotees as fulfillment of their vows and are awaiting a reply," he said.

It is common practice for devotees of Lord Venkateswara to keep depositing cash in tiny boxes or mud pots kept in pooja rooms in their houses over a period, and then deposit it in the temple hundi whenever they undertake the pilgrimage to Tirumala.

Temple officials believe a large part of the demonetised currency notes offered in the hundi in the last two months might be those kept in the boxes at homes.

The hundi in the shrine annually nets more than Rs 1,000 crore besides gold and silver offerings, temple officials said. The government has notified a law that makes holding of more than 10 scrapped notes punishable with a minimum fine of Rs 10,000.

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The coming together of senior Madhya Pradesh Congress leaders (who haven't seen eye to eye for a long while now) on a common platform has caused quite a stir in Bhopal. The occasion, on February 22, which was a demonstration to highlight the '13 years of misrule' by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Bharatiya Janata Party government, and it saw Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kantilal Bhuria, Arun Yadav and Suresh Pachauri all knocking elbows on the same stage at the Tin Shed area in the capital.

The new bonhomie, a first in three years, is part of an early strategy to project a 'united Congress' in the countdown to the assembly polls in 2018. Scindia and Pachauri even ate from the same plate at a dinner later hosted at the Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters.

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Shutterbugs showed up in strength to record the event, but will it work for the party? Consider the many sideshows: each heavyweight had a bunch of overzealous supporters in attendance who tried to outshout each other by raising slogans for their leader. All India Youth Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring was forced to intervene and ask the workers to stop the competitive sloganeering.

Posters and flex-boards posted across Bhopal to announce the event were similarly 'divided'. So posters put up by Kamal Nath's supporters had just him alongside the Gandhis, while Scindia's blow-ups had just himself. And when they wrapped up proceedings with the mandatory courting-of-brief arrest, there were very distinct groups milling around individual leaders.

Even in the run-up to the event, MP Congress strongmen were seen lobbying hard to try and get their various loyalists appointed as the new leader of Opposition. Kamal Nath pressed for tribal MLA Bala Bachchan while Scindia wanted veteran legislator Mahendra Singh Kalukheda. It was all so intense that the AICC appointed observer Lalit Maken had to meet each of the 56 MLAs individually.

Then, declining both Scindia and Kamal Nath's choices, Ajay Singh, son of the late Governor and Union minister Arjun Singh, was anointed. The appointment is being viewed as a significant victory for the Digvijaya Singh faction. But local Congressmen say that Ajay Singh has the right mix of experience and aggression needed to take on the BJP.

What remains to be seen is how long this show of unity will last. One event that should prove a test is the upcoming byelection at Ater in Bhind district where Hemant Katare, a Scindia loyalist and the son of the former Opposition leader, the late Satyadev Katare, and is expected to contest. Already the 'anti-Mahal' forces (as Scindia baiters in the Gwalior region are called) have started snapping away. Another test case would be a change of guard (which is most likely, say sour-ces) at the state PCC. If the replacement is unable to bring all factions together, unity in the MP Congress will at best be a chimera.

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The following is via Breaking911.com:

The federal authorities have charged a St. Louis man with making more than half a dozen bomb threats against Jewish community centers, schools and a Jewish history museum, an unsealed court document shows.

Juan Thompson, 31, was arrested in St. Louis, Missouri. He is accused of making at least eight of the threats against JCCs.

Juan Thompson, made some of the threats in his own name and others in the name of a former girlfriend, apparently in an attempt to intimidate her, according to a federal complaint filed by the United States attorneys office in Manhattan and unsealed on Friday.

Thompson has a twitter account @JuanMThompson full of anti-semitic and racist tweets.

He accused President trump of ethnic cleansing in a Feb 23 Tweet.

Make no mistake: #Chicago's southside is about to be ethnically cleansed. It will look drastically different in 10 yrs. pic.twitter.com/JVQ1mrp4i4  Juan M. Thompson (@JuanMThompson) February 24, 2017

Make no mistake. Trump is a developer. This is his and the white establishment's effort to remove black ppl from the southside of Chicago. https://t.co/fe47RB8gQU  Juan M. Thompson (@JuanMThompson) February 24, 2017

Thompson, a former Chicago journalist was previously linked to a pattern of deception involving fabricating quotes and creating fake email accounts while writing for The Intercept, a New York-based online publication.

Juan Thompson, whose employment as a staff reporter for The Intercept ended more than a year ago, previously worked as an intern at Chicago Public Media WBEZ FM 91.5 and at DNAinfo.com Chicago. (In his bio, he exaggerated his roles with both Chicago companies.)

He also claimed in a tweet that he was reverting to Islam.

I just returned from Senegal after weeks in that beautiful country. Plus I'm correction: *reverting* to Islam. 2016 has been a crazy year.  Juan M. Thompson (@JuanMThompson) November 21, 2016

In another tweet Thompson calls 42% of Americans filthy fascist appeasers, and says they should be taken out along with (President) Trump.

42% of Americans are filthy fascist appeasers and they should be taken out along with Trump. https://t.co/jmdyGCFyu8  Juan M. Thompson (@JuanMThompson) January 29, 2017

He says he was once nearly got killed in a a drive-by shooting:

Four months ago today I was shot in a stupid drive-by, went into cardiac arrest, was in a coma, but lived. I'm a fighter & won't be stopped.  Juan M. Thompson (@JuanMThompson) December 10, 2016

THE FOLLOWING IS THE INDICTMENT:

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and James P. ONeill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the unsealing of a complaint charging JUAN THOMPSON with cyberstalking a particular woman (Victim-1), by, among other things, communicating threats to Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) in Victim-1s name. THOMPSON was arrested in St. Louis, Missouri, this morning and is expected to be presented there later today.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: Everyone deserves to be free from fear and discrimination based on religion, race, or ethnicity; that is fundamental to who we are as a nation. Together with the FBI and the NYPD, we have been investigating the recent threats made on Jewish Community Centers in New York and around the country. Today, we have charged Juan Thompson with allegedly stalking a former romantic interest by, among other things, making bomb threats in her name to Jewish Community Centers and to the Anti-Defamation League. Threats of violence targeting people and places based on religion or race  whatever the motivation  are unacceptable, un-American, and criminal. We are committed to pursuing and prosecuting those who foment fear and hate through such criminal threats.

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: Thompsons alleged pattern of harassment not only involved the defamation of his female victim, but his threats intimidated an entire community. The FBI and our partners take these crimes seriously. I would also like to thank the NYPD and the New York State Police, who continue to work shoulder to shoulder with us as we investigate and track down every single threat and work together to achieve justice for our communities that have been victimized by these threats.

Police Commissioner James P. ONeill said: The defendant allegedly caused havoc, expending hundreds of hours of police and law enforcement resources to respond and investigate these threats. We will continue to pursue those who peddle fear, making false claims about serious crimes. Im grateful for the collaboration between the NYPD detectives, FBI agents, and prosecutors whose cross-country investigation led to this mornings arrest.

According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:

In recent months, the FBI and this Office have been investigating a series of threats across the country principally targeting JCCs, schools, and other organizations that provide service to and on behalf of the Jewish community (the JCC Threats). Based on the investigation, THOMPSON appears to have made at least eight of the JCC Threats as part of a sustained campaign to harass and intimidate Victim-1. THOMPSONs harassment of Victim-1 appears to have begun shortly after their romantic relationship ended and to have included, among other things, defamatory emails and faxes to Victim-1s employer, false reports of criminal activity by Victim-1, and JCC Threats in Victim-1s name.

In July 2016, an email was sent to Victim-1s employer that made false allegations about Victim-1, including that she had broken the law, using an internet protocol (IP) address that THOMPSON had previously used to access his social media account. On October 15, 2016, an IP address that traced back to THOMPSONs residence was used to report falsely that Victim-1 possessed child pornography. When confronted by law enforcement on November 22, 2016, THOMPSON claimed that his email account had been hacked a few weeks earlier.

In January and February 2017, THOMPSON appears to have made at least eight JCC Threats as part of his campaign of harassment against Victim-1. For instance, on or about February 21, 2017, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) received an emailed threat at their midtown Manhattan office, which indicated that [Victim-1s name and birthdate] is behind the bomb threats against jews. She lives in nyc and is making more bomb threats tomorrow. The next day, the ADL received a phone call claiming that explosive material had been placed in the ADLs midtown Manhattan office.

Some of THOMPSONs JCC Threats appear to have been made in his own name, as part of an effort to claim that Victim-1 was trying to frame THOMPSON for a crime. For instance, on or about February 7, 2017, a JCC in Manhattan received an emailed bomb threat from an anonymous email account, which stated: Juan Thompson [THOMPSONs birthday] put two bombs in the office of the Jewish center today. He wants to create Jewish newtown tomorrow. The emails use of the phrase Jewish newtown appeared to refer to a December 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, in which a gunman murdered 26 victims, including 20 children.

In February 2017, a Twitter account that appears to be used by THOMPSON (the Thompson Twitter Account) was used to accuse Victim-1 of responsibility for the JCC Threats and claim that Victim-1 was trying to frame THOMPSON for her crimes. For instance, on February 24, 2017, the Thompson Twitter Account posted: [s]he [Victim-1], though I cant prove it, even sent a bomb threat in my name to a Jewish center, which was odd given her antisemitic statements. I got a visit from the FBI. So now Im battling the racist FBI and this vile, evil, racist white woman. On February 26, 2017, the Thompson Twitter Account posted The hatred of Jews goes across all demos. Ask NYCs [Victim-1s employer]. They employ a filthy anti-Semite in [Victim-1]. These ppl are evil.

* * *

THOMPSON, 31, of Saint Louis, Missouri, is charged with one count of cyberstalking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the New York City Police Department, as well as the United States Secret Service, the St. Louis Police Department, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the United States Department of Justice for their ongoing investigative assistance. This investigation, as well as investigations into the other threats made to the Jewish community organizations in New York City are ongoing.

The prosecution is being handled by the Offices Terrorism & International Narcotics Unit and the General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Warren is in charge of the prosecution.
Israels hotelier union is probing the possibility of using a private hashgacha instead of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel as required by law, turning to Tzohar Rabbonim to provide kashrus certification, Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) reported on Thursday, 4 Adar. The Chief Rabbinate is quick to respond, stating such a move would be against the law.

The report explains that Tzohar Rabbonim is weighing the establishment of a new kashrus organization and the hoteliers appear to be thinking about making the move at a time the Chief Rabbinate faces numerous High Court of Justice appeals claiming the time has come to get away from the state-run kashrus headed by the Chief Rabbinate.

In the letter sent by union CEO Noaz Bar Nir, he points out We are trying to reduce the costs of kashrus. Kashrus from Tzohar would be equal or superior to the Chief Rabbinate qualitatively speaking, pertaining to the basic regular non-mehadrin supervision. The union has been in contact Tzohar over the years towards establishing a private alternative which would be qualitatively acceptable towards replacing the Chief Rabbinates regular non-mehadrin certification but less costly.

The Chief Rabbinate is weighing possibly filing a complaint with Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit since by making good on their threat, the union would be breaking the law. If the hotels really break away from the state-run kashrus, it would also deliver a major blow to the Chief Rabbinates image as well as a financial loss to the tune of NIS millions.

In its response, Zohar explains it is not planning to open an alternative kashrus framework for as long as doing saw is a violation of the law. The organization is however given the idea thought under todays current reality.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
After being insulted by Shobhaa De in a viral tweet, MP cop Daulatram Jogawat underwent a weight loss surgery which will help him lose 80 kg in the next one year.

By Mustafa Shaikh: Inspector Daulatram Jogawat finally had a successful surgery which will help him reduce 80 kg within a span of one year.

Jogawat's picture was tweeted by the controversy queen Shobhaa De, which forced him to go for the weight loss treatment. He will soon be discharged from the Saifee Hospital situated in Mumbai.

Jogawat went through a Laparoscopic Banded Roux en Y Gastric Bypass surgery on Thursday, a procedure that reduces food intake along with the absorption of nutrients from the food.

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The surgery lasted for one and a half hour and after the surgery Daulatram was shifted to the ward.

"He is doing well and walking around", said a presser from the concerned doctors.

While the cop will lose around 80 kg in the next year or so, the uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnoea and lymphoedema will disappear in the next few months.

When Jogawat came to Mumbai, it was found that he had no hormonal or genetic link attached to his obesity. He was recommended Bariatric surgery by the doctors.

Inspector Daulatram was all over the news for all the wrong reasons when columnist Shobhaa De tweeted his picture on Twitter on the BMC election day. She wrote "heavy police bandobast in Mumbai."

Heavy police bandobast in Mumbai today! pic.twitter.com/sY0H3xzXl3 Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) February 21, 2017

Mumbai police then went on Twitter and confirmed that the police officer does not belong to Mumbai Police.

Dr Mufazzal Lakdawala, who is treating 500 kg Iman Ahmed from Egypt, offered to help Daulatram on Twitter, "My dear friend I feel 4 u if u need medical help & think#bariatric surgery will help, pls count on me @MumbaiPolice even if u r 4om MP.

"On hearing about Daulatram Jogawat's condition through the news I realised his case was inadvertently brought to light by a tweet during the BMC elections last week. As a doctor, I feel that it is my duty to help a patient in need especially if it can improve his health and save his life. When I heard about Daulatram Jogawat's condition I felt I could help him get his life back on track and hence reached out to him," said Dr Lakdawala.

Also watch: Doctor offers to help Madhya Pradesh cop fat-shamed by Shobha De

--- ENDS ---
Alzheimers disease is rewriting the rules of drug discovery, with a handful of companies abandoning caution to keep pursuing an elusive hypothesis because the potential payoff is so great.

Even the merely forgetful, whose lives have yet to be derailed by the disease, have become candidates for clinical tests. Scanning the brain for telltale signs of Alzheimers earlier  and ratcheting up drug dosage  may help turn failures into breakthroughs, said Andrea Pfeifer, chief executive officer of AC Immune SA. The Swiss companys partner on its experimental drug, pharmaceutical giant Roche Holding AG, said this week it will embark on a second advanced test, undeterred by a failed intermediate trial.

Pfeifers optimism is a case study of the industrys unusually high risk tolerance on Alzheimers, where more than 100 experimental drugs have already failed  with two recent setbacks from Merck and Eli Lilly. Like Roche and its partner, Biogen is chipping away at the same target that has eluded rivals. Merck and Lilly have opted to keep testing their medicines in patients showing only hints of the degenerative disease. Each advanced trial can cost hundreds of millions of dollars, according to Lilly.

Its always a question  are you throwing good money after bad? said Birgit Kulhoff, a fund manager for Rahn & Bodmer in Zurich. If you were to be successful, it would be an extremely big market.

Drugs that halt the progress of Alzheimers disease could be a market worth as much as $30 billion in the U.S. alone, Sanford C. Bernstein analysts estimate.

Cancer is the only other disease for which companies are this willing to look deep into a failed study for a positive trend to chase, Kulhoff said, and Alzheimers tests are probably more expensive because researchers follow patients for longer and monitor them closely.

The drugmakers wouldnt disclose how much they have spent on clinical tests. A final-stage trial in Alzheimers disease can cost north of $200 million, according to Eric Schmidt, an analyst with Cowen. Such a study in a cancer like melanoma would tend to be much smaller and could cost about $50 million to $100 million, he said.

Just arranging and administering the brain scans needed to make sure people have signs of the disease cost about $15,000 to $20,000 per person in a small test, according to AC Immune.

Roche made its cost-benefit calculation two and a half years ago. Crenezumab, the medicine its working on with AC Immune, had failed to help patients think more clearly or retrieve memories in a mid-stage trial, a hurdle potential drugs usually must clear before they go into the last, largest and most expensive stage of clinical studies.

Instead of abandoning the compound, Roche looked at a trend toward benefit in the least sick patients and spent the next two years figuring out how high it could safely ratchet up the dose. Then last year, it started another 750-patient study, with results expected in 2021.

Now its embarking on a separate trial, also with 750 patients with a very mild form of the disease. Its unclear how that test will differ from the first one. Its also trying a higher dose for another Alzheimers compound, gantenerumab, after a late-stage trial failure.

Both Roche drugs are aimed at protein pieces called beta amyloid that clump together in the brain and are thought to play a role in triggering the disease. Trouble is, so did the Lilly medicine that failed a test in patients last year. Last months unsuccessful trial from Merck also centered on beta amyloid as a target, although the type of medicine was thought to prevent the substance from forming. Those failures have cast doubt on the whole approach.

Clearly those are two strikes against that theory, Brent Saunders, the chief executive of U.S. specialty-drug maker Allergan Plc, said in New York last week. My hope is that well keep going, but well see.

Allergan is thinking hard before starting patient trials on an experimental drug that belongs to the same family of drugs as Mercks after seeing the two recent failures, according to Saunders. The company also sells medicines that temporarily ease symptoms of the disease  the sole form of treatment currently available.

Alzheimers disease is on the rise across wealthy countries as their populations age. Globally, dementia unseated AIDS as one of the top 10 killers in the World Health Organizations latest rankings.

Were not going to have a reversible cure any time in the near future, said Phyllis Ferrell, who leads Lillys Alzheimers program. Still, I think in our lifetime we will have something that slows this disease.

Darryle Schoepp, the head of neuroscience research at Merck, acknowledges that the industry may have been a little too optimistic about Alzheimers trials, but said all the years of painful outcomes have taught companies how best to test their theories. While Merck is also looking at whats next beyond beta amyloid, Schoepp says the big unanswered question is whether stopping the buildup before dementia begins can make a dent in the disease  something its testing in another big final-stage trial.

The disappointing news is that once you have mild to moderate dementia, stopping the production of plaque will not help you, Schoepp said.

Similarly, for AC Immune CEO Pfeifer, all the failures are signposts on the path toward eventual success, as scientists get better at peering into the brain, identifying Alzheimers potential before patients become very sick and figuring out which antibodies attack amyloid beta at its most toxic stages. She compared the Alzheimers field to where the study of cancer stood when she was a young oncology researcher at the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. some 30 years ago.

We are now finally getting to the molecular level where I think the science in Alzheimers has to go, Pfeifer said. We were just not scientifically exact enough. Thats where I have big hopes.

Another drugmaker thats faced questions (despite largely positive results) is still gung-ho about the beta amyloid route. Gilmore ONeil, an executive in clinical development at Biogen, says many industry studies so far have looked at patients who were already so sick that theyd probably be beyond saving even if the hypothesis were true  or patients that may not have had Alzheimers disease at all.

Brain Swelling

After promising initial findings, Biogen pushed its top compound, aducanumab, into final-stage studies immediately without running an intermediate study to confirm the early findings. Subsequent analysis wasnt all positive: lower doses didnt show a cognitive benefit and the drug was linked to a swelling of the brain.

Lilly also hasnt abandoned the quest. It has 10 projects being tested in humans, including a molecule, partnered with AstraZeneca Plc, in the same family as the Merck compound that failed most recently. Like other drugmakers, its seeking earlier patients  including in some cases people who merely have brain scans showing amyloid and arent showing signs of forgetfulness at all.

Its like cancer, said Ferrell. You want to catch it at stage one, not at stage four.

(c) 2017, Bloomberg  Naomi Kresge, Doni Bloomfield
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For the past few years, battei midrash that were once empty on Purim night have been filled to capacity, as thousands of men in Eretz Yisrael streamed in to join a special Purim Kollel, for at least an hour of Torah learning, in an intense, Shavuos-night atmosphere. The tefillas rabbim that follows has been compared to Neilah on Motzaei Yom Kippur.

Recently, a young talmid chacham from Yerushalayim, who is now in New York fighting for his life, requested of a visiting friend, Lets bring this idea to America; give battei midrash here a taste of the experience! And so this year we are taking this important initiative all over the world!

Maran Harav Chaim Kanievsky, Maran Harav Aron Leib Steinman and Harav Matisyahu Salomon, among many others, have given this project their enthusiastic endorsement. The Purim Kollel is quickly turning into a movement, as ever more shuls are signing up  in Eretz Yisrael, Europe, South Africa, the USA and Canada.

In addition, the Har Nof Kollel is organizing a Purim Partners program: Everyone who registers for the Purim Kollel in chutz laAretz is invited to submit his (or another persons) name and specific needs for tefillah in the powerful tefillas rabbim that will be held in Yerushalayim on Sunday night, Shushan Purim.

Together we will make this a truly elevated Purim! To sign up  and, if you choose, to partner with an avreich in Eretz Yisrael by having your matanos laevyonim be given to him on Purim  call 718-210- 9737 or email [email protected]
[COMMUNICATED CONTENT]

Welcome to Israel- country of so many wonderful people and places.

The one thing you dont need is to feel ill here  but, if you do, our job is to provide you with courteous and professional medical service.

CTAS is your full service medical insurance plan in Israel. Providing you the best in health care while your traveling. Here are a few common asked questions about CTAS:

Q. How does the CTAS plan work?

A. The policy is through Harel, Israels largest medical insurers. Cover is in all hospitals, tens of contracted medical clinics and hundreds of contracted doctors and specialists.

Q. What co-payment of deductible is there?

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A. No! You show your medical card or give your policy number and will be treated.

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A. We have a user  friendly app which shows the nearest medical service. In addition, we have a 24-hour call center for any emergency.

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A. Most conditions that have been stable for the previous 6 months are covered (see the policy for more details).

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A. Click here

Q. Sign up?

A. Sure  here is the link.
Its a new era at the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, as the renowned global business network under the leadership of Duvi Honig and Mrs. Odeleya Jacobs celebrates the grand opening of its New York City office. The office is located at 44 Wall Street, in the heart of Manhattans financial district.

A grand ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at the new office on Tuesday, March 7th, at 4:00 pm. A long list of business and community leaders, government officials, will attend. The co-host of the ceremony is preeminent Jewish investment giant and author, J. Morton Davis, who serves as Chairman of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce.

Other VIPs in attendance include Inon Elroy, the Israeli governments Economic Minister to North America; Deputy Manhattan Borough President Aldrin Bonilla; New Jersey Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, the lead sponsor of the states anti-BDS law; Brooklyn Councilman David Greenfield; Patrick J. Foye, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and former New York State Deputy Secretary for Economic Development; Lieutenant Scott Pomerantz of the Port Authority Police Department, VIP Lieutenant of the World Trade Center Command; Marvin L. Schechter, Deputy Director of Empire State Development; and Rachel Van Tosh, Deputy Commissioner at the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS).

The prestige and diversity of the attendees speaks to the significance of this moment in the Chambers history, as it blazes new trails in the economic development and public policy spheres, and build bridges between communities, governments, states and nations. The Chamber leadership has a close working relationship with the highest echelons of the White House, as well as prominent U.S. senators, Congressmen and state and city government officeholders from both parties. The Chamber aggressively lobbies at all government levels for business friendly policies and programs for our community and beyond.

The Chamber is also at the forefront in the global fight to protect Israel, and Jewish businesses from around the world, from anti-Semitism and the BDS movement. In recent months, the Chamber hosted an internationally publicized press conference outside the UN with former Ambassador John Bolton, as well as a U.S.  Israel Business Alliance mission to Israel with former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.

I

Back home, preparations are actively underway for its flagship annual J-Biz Expo and Business Conference, which will take place on June 15th; business networking events; additional seminars; among various other exciting projects.

From Lakewood to Wall Street to Washington to Yerushalayim, and everywhere in between, we will leave no stone unturned in our mission to stimulate economic success in our community, bezras Hashem, says Duvi Honig.
A White House official says President Donald Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and the man who would become national security adviser, Michael Flynn, met with Russias ambassador to the U.S. in December.

The official calls the sit-down at New Yorks Trump Tower a brief courtesy meeting.

Flynn was fired last month because he misled Vice President Mike Pence and other White House officials about his contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

The Trump teams public accounting of Flynns conversations with the ambassador have changed multiple times. The White House did not confirm the in-person meeting  or Kushners contact with the ambassador  until Thursday.

The official isnt authorized to discuss the matter publicly and insists on anonymity.

(AP)
For the second time, a New Jersey prosecutor has declined to pursue a residents criminal misconduct case against Republican Gov. Chris Christie over the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal.

A municipal judge has twice ruled there was probable cause to proceed, most recently on Feb. 16. But Bergen County first assistant prosecutor John Higgins III wrote Thursday he feels the charge cant be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

In an emailed statement, Christie spokesman Brian Murray called the complaint factually and legally baseless and said Christie had no role in the lane closings.

All those who wish it were otherwise have again been proven wrong, he said.

Higgins letter reiterated what he wrote to state Superior Court Judge Bonnie Mizdol in late January. That came after Mizdol reversed Municipal Court Judge Roy McGeadys first finding of probable cause and sent the case back to McGeady for a re-hearing.

Retired firefighter William Brennan filed the complaint against Christie last October, using testimony from the federal trial of two ex-Christie allies who later were convicted. Christie wasnt charged in that case.

Brennan alleges Christie knew about but didnt stop a plot to purposely create gridlock near the bridge, which connects Fort Lee with New York City, to punish Fort Lees Democratic mayor, who didnt endorse Christies re-election bid in 2013. Christie denies involvement.

Former Christie staffer Bridget Kelly and former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey official Bill Baroni were convicted and are scheduled to be sentenced this month. Kelly and Baroni said the government twisted federal law to turn their actions into crimes. Another former Port Authority official, David Wildstein, pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

Brennan has filed a motion to have a special prosecutor appointed and said Mizdol is scheduled to hold a hearing next week. Mizdol denied a similar motion in December.

Brennan has argued that even though state Attorney General Christopher Porrino and Bergen County prosecutor Gurbir Grewal, who were appointed by Christie, removed themselves from the case, their subordinates also wouldnt be able to consider the case impartially.

(AP)
Attorney General Jeff Sessions agreed Thursday to recuse himself from any investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The move came after revelations that Sessions twice spoke with the Russian ambassador during the campaign, a fact that seemingly contradicts sworn statements he made to Congress during his confirmation hearings.

Sessions rejected any suggestion that he tried to mislead anyone about his contacts with the Russian, but added that he should have slowed down and said but I did meet with one Russian official a couple of times.'

Some Democrats demanded an investigation into whether Sessions committed perjury.

But perjury is difficult to prove, and experts say Sessions would have a good defense if he needed one.

Some questions and answers about the allegations:



IS THIS A CASE OF PERJURY?

Thats tough to say. Such a case would likely come down to splitting hairs over what Sessions said under oath, what he believed he was saying, and what he believed he was being asked.

During Sessions confirmation hearing in January, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., asked the then-Alabama senator what he would do if evidence emerged that anyone from the Trump campaign had been in touch with the Russian government during the 2016 race.

Sessions replied he was not aware of any of those activities and that he himself, sometimes called a campaign surrogate, did not have communications with the Russians.

Franken on Thursday said Sessions response to his query was at best, misleading. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California accused him of lying under oath. House Judiciary Committee Democrats sent a letter to FBI Director James Comey calling for a criminal investigation.

Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said Sessions answer was not misleading because he believed he was being asked about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign, not about those he had as a senator.

The disagreement underscores the difficulty in proving someone has committed perjury. Prosecutors must show not only that a person spoke falsely but that he intended to be misleading about an indisputable fact.

Sessions said Thursday said he didnt mean to mislead lawmakers. That is not my intent, he said. That is not correct.

Sessions could reasonably argue he thought he was being asked about his campaign-related contacts as opposed to congressional or diplomatic contacts, said Benjamin Wittes, a senior Brookings Institution fellow.

He may have just screwed up, said Wittes. Its not a crime to be wrong under oath.

An ambiguous question can kill a perjury case, which is why so few materialize from testimony given before Congress.

Lawmakers are not the most precise questioners. Its not like a deposition or grand jury, where a professional prosecutor is asking the questions, said Stanley Brand, a Washington attorney and former House general counsel. Inartful questions and elusive answers. You have to pursue those.

But, as Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer pointed out, Sessions could have corrected the record in the weeks after his confirmation hearing. Sessions said Thursday he would be sending the Senate Judiciary Committee a letter doing that.



COULD HE BE CHARGED WITH MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS?

Sen. Patrick Leahy, the senior Judiciary Committee Democrat, asked Sessions in a written questionnaire whether he had been in contact with anyone connected to any part of the Russian government about the 2016 election, either before or after Election Day.

Sessions replied with one word: No.

That statement could be examined under a separate false statements statute, which differs from perjury in that it applies to statements that are not made under oath. But prosecutors would still have to prove Sessions knowingly and willfully gave a misleading answer.



WHAT HAS SESSIONS HIMSELF SAID ABOUT PERJURY?

The House impeached Bill Clinton after he had been accused of lying to a grand jury about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. As a senator Sessions voted for conviction on a count of perjury and a count of obstruction. Clinton was acquitted.

It is crucial to our system of justice that we demand the truth, Sessions said after Clintons acquittal in 1999. I fear that an acquittal of this president will weaken the legal system by providing an option for those who consider being less than truthful in court. Whereas the handling of the case against President Nixon clearly strengthened the nations respect for law, justice and truth, the Clinton impeachment may unfortunately have the opposite result.



WHAT ARE SOME OTHER RECENT CASES?

Republicans asked for a perjury investigation of Hillary Clinton for telling Congress there was nothing in her private email marked classified. That was not accurate, but FBI Director James Comey said it was possible that she didnt understand what a C meant when she saw it in the body of the email like that, which would hurt a perjury case.

The Justice Department in 2013 rejected Republican suggestions that Attorney General Eric Holder committed perjury when he told Congress he had never been involved in a potential prosecution of the news media.

(AP)
By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

The ability to extrapolate precious life lessons from our Meforshim is a skill that needs to be carefully cultivated and taught. This skill is different than just constructing a Dvar Torah. It is the ability to be carefully attuned to what the meforash is saying, and clarifying and crystalizing an important insight in psychology or the nature of midos or bitachon. It is rechecking to ensure that this insight has been derived properly  not putting our own thoughts into the meforash but extrapolating the principles from organically. And it is also applying it practically to modern situations.

Torah Connections by Rabbi Rosman, the director of Yeshivas Aish HaTorah in Yerushalaim, is just such a Sefer wherein this approach to meforshim can be seen.

The authors ability to carefully distill life lessons from Meforshim is remarkable. His masterful use of what the Gedolei haMussar tell us is woven beautifully into each parsha, and he offers his readers practical suggestions for implementation. This sefer makes relevant the timeless messages of the Gedolei HaMeforshim to people at all stages of Yiddishkeit and at all levels.

Aside from all this, the sefer is filled with remarkable mareh mekomos  ideas and thoughts that have escaped our attention  until now. Thus, we learn of the Sefer Charedims view that Hashem commanded Avrohom to leave Eretz Yisroel temporarily to foster a greater love for it. The author suggests on his own that this explains Klal Yisroels pining love for Eretz Yisroel  placing it in our spiritual gene pool. We are treated to a gem from Rav Shimon Shkops introduction to his sefer on lomdus in parshas Kedoshim. We encounter one of the Chasam Sofers students where, in his introduction to the Kol Aryeh, he explains a deeper meaning of the first line in Shma  that Hashems Names are also One  Hashems strict Justice stems from His Mercy.

We learn of the Tomer Devorahs position explaining arvus  that every Yiddisha neshama contains a bit of every other Jews neshama. We encounter the maharals explanation in parshas vayigash that Yaakov Avinu recited Shma when he re-encountered Yoseph because his love of Hashem had demonstrably increased more now that he had a deeper understanding of how everything that Hashem does  is for the best. His loss of Yoseph for all these years had a purpose.

In Parsha Trumah, we learn about the mishkan and how the kruvim face each when we do what Hashem wants of us. Rabbi Rosman cites the Ritvas question on the Gemorah in Yuma 54b. Why were the kruvim embracing when the enemy had entered the Beis HaMikdash? At that point, Klal Yisroel was not doing the ratzon Hashem! One answer the author provides is from the Ri Mgash. Hashem wanted to show the gentiles a small glimpse of His love for Klal Yisroel  even at the moment of destruction. He also cites Rav Chaim Shmulevitz that when we punish our children  it should only be through palpably detectable love.

In Parshas Tetzaveh, the Ramban teaches us the origin of the term Urim vTumim. He explains it as a two part message that the Kohen receives. First the letters light up  hence the allusion to the word light  Urim. Then, if the Kohain gadol merits  he receives ruach hakodesh as to the order of the letters. Hence the allusion to the word perfection  Tumim. Why did Aharon HaKohain merit this tool  which involves prophecy? Rabbi Rosman cites the Drashos HaRan that his lev tov  his love for others and his good heart enabled him to receive this gift. Rabbi Rosman then cites Rav Chaim Shmulevitzs explanation as to why Eli mistook Chanas prayers for drunken behavior  he did not have the requisite level of love to feel Chanas pain in his heart. Rabbi Rosman then tells us that we should emulate this aspect of Aharon HaKohain whenever we give advice to others.

After each parsha, there are footnotes where the author cogently presents numerous different approaches to the issues brought up in the text itself. The footnotes are deep, exhaustive, and succinctly written  not an easy task.

Throughout the sefer, there are inspirational stories of famous Torah personalities that are woven into the concepts and ideas the author presents. One can surmise that this may be the influence of Rav Hanoch Teller to whom the author acknowledges in the introduction.

The sefer has 443 pages of depth. And while each section is only about two to three pages in length, it contains profound concepts and ideas. Torah Connections is eminently usable for Rabbonim, teachers, and anyone developing a deeper theme in Torah. It has an excellent table of contents where topics from other parshios can be specially picked out. It also has an excellent index. In short, readers will gain enormously from this sefer and it is a highly recommended addition to the Shabbos table.

The reviewer can be reached at [email protected]
Maharashtra BJP chief Raosaheb Danve's son Santosh tied the knot in the most lavish way. With video invites and drone-mounted security cameras, the wedding was straight out of a Bollywood movie.

By India Today Web Desk: When demonetisation hit us, a big fat Reddy wedding followed the news.

Karnataka mining baron and ex-BJP minister G Janardhana Reddy spent Rs 500 crore on his daughter's extravagant wedding last November. Flaunting his wealth, Reddy even built a mini township for the wedding.

#FYIOpinion: Why is the big fat Reddy wedding bothering us?

Now, another wedding is making news.

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BJP's Maharashtra chief Raosaheb Danve's son had a lavish wedding. A wedding that would match the ridiculously expensive weddings in Karana Johar movies.

Santosh Danve got married to Renu, a well-known Marathi musician Rajesh Sarkate's daughter at the Jabinda Estate lawns in Aurangabad on Thursday. A lush affair involving video invites, drone-mounted cameras and designer sets, the event welcomed the state's entire cabinet. CM Devendra Fadnavis graced the occasion and there were at least 30,000 other guests.

Here's the video invite:

In the video, the couple is seen dancing away to the popular number "Love me again" by John Newman.

We hope Newman got his royalty.

From taking a ride in a Porsche to flaunting Louis Vuitton apparel, the pre-wedding film hinted how posh the wedding would be. The video was posted on Santosh's Facebook page.

The venue was decorated by art directors who followed a theme that gave a 'medieval era' touch. From Indian dishes to Chinese, the food game was strong as well.

Twitter/@mumbaikhabar9

Twitter/@AnjaliDamania

Also read: Marathwada's struggle continues: Then drought, now deluge

Danve's son Santosh is an MLA from Bhokardan, a region in the parched Marathwada which has been suffering from drought for the past two years. Marathwada has many regions affected by the drought leaving locals helpless.

The luxurious wedding on one side, and severe drought on the other.

People are not very pleased.

The wedding created a ruckus for the locals as a major road in the city was blocked for security purposes, because VVIPs. The entire road was secured by drone-mounted cameras and police kept a close watch.

According to the President of sweet lime farmer's association, Jayajirao Suryavanshi while people in Jalna suffered from water woes, around 400-500 water tankers were used just to sprinkle water on ground.

Social activist Anjali Damania questioned the source of funds for the event. "I am wondering from where does the money for such a lavish wedding come from," Damania told PTI.

--- ENDS ---

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Alpha female: Virgin Money boss Jayne-Anne Gadhia

When Jayne-Anne Gadhia turned 14, her parents packed her off to a private school in Norfolk where she was one of just a few girls among several hundred boys.

Naturally the boys ruled the roost, and in Amazonian Gadhia, 55, who stands at an imposing 6ft 2in sans heels, they found some easy prey.

Whenever her ungainly figure appeared, the little scamps would scream and shout in mock horror, before running off to class, laughing all the way at their own 'hilarity'.

Some might have buckled in the face of such cruel provocation, but Jayne-Anne simply turned her other peony-flushed cheek.

Her electrician father had scrimped and saved to get her there and she wasn't about to let a few callous brutes stand in the way of her ambition.

Now chief executive of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Money, and arguably the most powerful female banker in the country, those teenage years turned out to be a useful preparation for the alpha male-dominated world of finance.

A bubbly blonde with a boisterous west Midlands accent, the once-shy Gadhia nowadays could outshout a jet turbine. Put a microphone in front of her, and she will sing you the entire Queen back catalogue.

Before the top job with Branson, she spent five years with that other preening egotist, Fred Goodwin, running Royal Bank of Scotland's 65billion mortgage business.

Despite reported friction (there was a rumour Goodwin took umbrage after discovering her home in Edinburgh was nicer than his) she speaks well of her old boss.

But by 2007, under pressure from her bosses to package up sub-prime mortgages, she saw which way the wind was blowing and bolted, selling the bulk of her shares at 21.98. Smart move. Today, she'd be lucky to get a tenth of that.

Gadhia began her career as a humble bean counter at Ernst and Young, before spending seven years rising through various management roles at Norwich Union.

During a train journey from East Anglia to Scotland, she stumbled across an interview with tycoon Sir Richard Branson in the celebrity pages of Hello! Magazine.

Inspired by his passion and verve, she asked a mutual friend to arrange an introduction. The pair clicked and she moved to Edinburgh in 1995 to launch his financial service company Virgin Direct.

Success: As chief executive of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Money, Gadhia is arguably the most powerful female banker in the country

She moved to RBS in 2001, but when the cracks began to appear there, she was straight on the blower to Virgin, where Beardie welcomed her back with open arms, putting her in charge of Virgin Money.

B arely had she got her feet under the desk when news bulletins began reporting Northern Rock's demise. Immediately, Gadhia persuaded Branson to pursue it.

They failed, but she returned in 2011, snapping it up from the Treasury for a bargain basement 747million.

'Never give up' is her motto. Married for just over 35 years to Indian-born husband Ashok ('Ash'), whom she met on her first day studying history at Royal Holloway University, the pair struggled for years to conceive.

After six rounds of IVF, they now have a daughter, Amy, 14. It hasn't all been plain sailing domestically. After Ash gave up his job as an accountant, Jayne-Anne returned to work six weeks after giving birth, which, she says was a mistake as she suffered post-natal depression.

But she met this tough period with her usual stoicism and admirable good humour, moving her parents to live with her in Edinburgh and made sure to leave the office each day by 5pm.

Today, Virgin Money is in rude health. This week, it reported a 33 per centsurge in profits to 213million.

Under Gadhia, there has been no PPI-selling or Libor-fixing scandal. After the bad behaviour of the big name banks, there remains an appetite among the public for no-frills lenders offering straightforward products.

Gadhia has now fixed a cobra eye on acquiring Co-op Bank, which is desperately seeking a buyer.

After what Virgin has achieved with Northern Rock, you'd be mad to bet against Gadhia pulling off another deal. Vivacious, determined and unswervingly ambitious  no wonder Virgin shareholders see fit to reward her a pay package of just over 2million.

Those horrid boys aren't laughing any more.
I cancelled my Vodafone contract last April, paid the final bill of 30 and was told the account would be closed.

The contract was due to end in September but as I had found a better deal with a different supplier, I asked Vodafone if I could leave early and it agreed when I paid the 30 fee.

After this point I cancelled the direct debit and thought, as I had been told, the account was closed.

Credit black score: Why did Vodafone mark my credit score after I had closed the account?

However, in December last year my fiance and I were applying for a mortgage for our first house and it was rejected  because of a default notice on my credit score from Vodafone.

Apparently, Vodafone had registered a missed payment and this had been marked on my credit score as a default.

I immediately paid the outstanding amount of 126 to clear the debt  even though I didnt think this was due because I thought the account had been closed  but our mortgage provider wouldnt change its mind.

I feel Vodafone is entirely to blame for this situation and its been very uncooperative when Ive tried to sort it out.

I have no other adverse credit and this has caused a great deal of stress and disappointment. Im worried now Ill have to continue renting for the next six years until this mark has been removed by Vodafone.

Freya Hibbert, via email

Rebecca Rutt, of This is Money, replies: When you end a contract, be it for a phone, broadband or energy service, you expect the account to be closed.

In your case, you asked Vodafone if you could cancel your mobile phone contract early and it agreed. You then made the payment and cancelled your direct debit but for some reason Vodafone didnt close your account.

It looks like as Vodafone didnt close your account properly, it then tried to take the money out but as the direct debit was cancelled it registered a default.

You then found out about the default mark on your credit score when you were rejected for a mortgage on your first house.

When trying to get the problem fixed you've said Vodafone has been very uncooperative, so we got in contact with it to try and find out what happened.

A spokesperson said: Were sorry we made an error with this bill and that this process has been so frustrating.

'We incorrectly made a charge for early termination plus an extra months line rental back in January 2016.

'This shouldnt have happened as we can see that they were out of contract and gave the required 30 days notice. We will refund the amount paid in December (126.68) and well make sure their credit file is corrected. Well also add a goodwill payment of 100 by way of apology for this error.'

Vodafone put a black mark on my credit score by mistake and then my mortgage was rejected

Vodafone has acknowledged its mistake and corrected your credit file, along with refunding you the money you paid and giving a goodwill payment but the entire situation is extremely poor.

Its mistake meant you were rejected by your mortgage company and you also wrongly had to pay out 126.68.

On top of this until we got involved there had been no explanation or apology made to you by Vodafone and you believed you credit score would remain marked for the next six years.

Your only other option in this scenario would be to make an official complaint to Vodafone via its complaints procedure. Then after eights weeks, if you hadnt had a response, or you weren't happy with the response you received, you could have escalated the complaint to the Ombudsman Services: Communications.

It can look into the case independently and could order Vodafone to pay you compensation for the problems youve faced  although theres no guarantees this will happen.
Shares in mobile phone app Snapchat soared as much as 50 per cent last night as they listed in one of the most anticipated market floats in years.

Snap Inc, the holding company of the app, saw its value hit 27billion, as ordinary savers got their first chance to snap up shares.

When the firm listed on the New York Stock Exchange they had been expected to be valued at $17.00 (13.88), but in frenzied trading before the market opened they reached $24.50 (20) yesterday.

The shares closed $7.48 or 44 per cent up at $24.48.

Snap Inc, the holding company of the app, saw its value hit 27bn in the first day of trading

Founders Bobby Murphy, 28, and Evan Spiegel, 26, (pictured below) are believed to have made 3.5billion from the float.

Both sold more than 200m worth of stock in the IPO but will keep 211m shares.

Snapchat is a social media app that lets users use mobile gadgets to send friends pictures and videos, which disappear after a short time.

It's been billed as the next Facebook, due to its popularity among teenagers and millennials, and has garnered the attention of investors looking to ride the next big social media wave.

More than 158million people use Snapchat every day.

The float is understood to have had 12 times as many bidders per share and some fund managers got as little as 2 per cent of what they wanted.

Founders Bobby Murphy, 28, and Evan Spiegel, 26, are believed to have made 3.5billion from the float.

The sale of Snapchat is the largest since Chinese ecommerce company Alibaba floated for 188billion on the New York Stock Exchange in 2014, and is the biggest for a US tech firm since Facebook in 2012.

Snapchat is the first of the so-called 'mega unicorn' companies - start-ups valued at more than 10billion - to brave the public markets.

The cab firm Uber, home rentals website Airbnb and online storage firm Dropbox are among other businesses to have shied away from the rigours and attention of an IPO in favour of fundraising in private.

But, while the listing marks a brave step for the firm, the valuation has been criticised by some experts because it has never made a profit.
An unemployed 24-year-old man from Lucknow was allegedly responsible for making threat calls to Mahesh Bhatt. The man had threatened to kill Alia Bhatt and Soni Razdan, daughter and wife of Mahesh Bhatt respectively, if he was not paid Rs 50 lakh.

By India Today Web Desk: It took Mumbai crime branch's anti-extortion cell just twelve hours to arrest the culprit.

Yesterday, it was reported that Mahesh Bhatt received a phone call from an individual asking for Rs 50 lakh. If Mr Bhatt failed to pay the sum, the man threatened to kill Mahesh Bhatt's wife Soni Razdan and daughter Alia Bhatt.

Turns out the culprit is a certain Sandeep Sahu, an unemployed 24-year-old man from Lucknow.

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Sandeep posed as dreaded underworld gangster Babloo Srivastava and made the threat call. In one text message, Sahu had asked Mr Bhatt to deposit the money in a bank account, with an address in Lucknow, via wire transfer.

This gave the police the lead they needed. They contact Uttar Pradesh's special task force and the man was finally tracked down. Sahu will be brought to Mumbai on Friday.

More details emerge:

Sandeep Sahu planned the entire drama because he needed to repay Rs 6 lakh to his relatives from whom he had borrowed money to set up his shoe shop.

After the shop ran losses, Sahu came to Mumbai last year, hoping to become an actor. But that dream did not work out.

"Sahu said he planned the offence when his relatives began to harass him for money upon his return to Lucknow three months ago. After getting hold of Bhatt's contact, he impersonated Srivastava, who was once Dawood's aide and is in jail," an officer was quoted by the Times of India as saying.

Mahesh Bhatt received the first call from Sahu on February 26. He initially brushed it aside, thinking of it as a prank. After numerous other calls, text messages and Whatsapp messages as well, Mahesh Bhatt contacted the police.

ALSO READ: Death threat for Mahesh Bhatt, his wife Soni Razdan and daughter Alia Bhatt

ALSO READ: Being the daughter of an alcoholic makes you more susceptible to becoming one, says Pooja Bhatt

WATCH: In conversation with Pooja, Alia and Mahesh Bhatt

--- ENDS ---
SHELL CHARGES Shell and its Italian counterpart Eni face corruption charges in Nigeria over the controversial 1billion purchase of an oilfield.

Nigeria's financial crime watchdog has filed charges after finding new evidence, senior prosecutor Jonson Ojogbane said.

The case is the latest of several inquiries into the 2011 purchase of a Nigerian oil prospecting licence. Shell declined to comment.

PETS PEP Premier Veterinary Group added 50,000 animals to its healthcare plan, reaching 154,000, and has just signed up its first pets in the US, where it hopes to earn business from the owners of 144m cats and dogs.

START-UP BOUGHT Accountancy software firm Sage has snapped up start-up Fairsail  a people management system  for an undisclosed sum.

BRAZIL SWOOP Britvic has bought Brazilian rival Bela Ischia for 56.8million, expecting substantial savings. Shares were flat at 637.5p.

TV BOOST Scottish TV firm STV toasted a 'robust' 2016 with sales up 3 per cent to 120.4million from 116.5million the year before.

Profits, before exceptional items, fell 3 per cent to 18.5million.

HARVEST BOON Harvest Minerals, a fertiliser producer focused on Brazil, could get a bump from President Donald Trump as experts predict growth in the country's agriculture if Mexico imports more from Brazil once Trump builds a wall between Mexico and the US.

LEGAL EAGLE Mining giant Rio Tinto has appointed a new legal head, Philip Richards, who has been acting group executive for legal since December.

OIL DEAL Nano-technology company Graphene Nanochem says it has a new order for its nano-emulsion fluid which will help oil companies improve their production in Turkmenistan.

DIAMOND SALE Lucapa Diamond Company has sold a batch of diamonds from Angola for 5.6million.
A vote of confidence from Barclays sent WH Smith to an 11-month high as the broker called the firm a force to be reckoned with.

It all started when Barclays found a Twitter account dedicated to pictures of shoddy carpets and badly stocked shelves in some of the retailer's stores.

Not typical grounds for analysts to start upgrading stocks, but Barclays said the idea that problems encountered on the High Street would be the end of the business was wrong.

WH Smith's turnaround from struggling High Street jack-of-all-trades to airport and train station stalwart has been a major success story in recent years.

Boost: WH Smith's turnaround from struggling High Street jack-of-all-trades to airport and train station stalwart has been a major success story in recent years

Barclays isn't concerned about cash generation falling in the High Street stores, which account for around 40 per cent of earnings, because the travel arm is so strong.

Analysts expect more than 100million in international revenue this year and said it could double again in four years.

They believe performance could be further boosted as margins improve after pre-opening costs.

Barclays said the group's international market share could continue to grow for at least a decade. The broker added 110p to its target price, now 1990p. Shares surged 3.4 per cent, or 57p, to 1755p.

Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 slipped by 0.2 per cent, or 8.09 points, to end the week at 7374.26.

Cybersecurity specialist Intercede plunged as it revealed that its full-year losses would be worse than expected.

STOCK WATCH - TEKCAPITAL Medical device company Tekcapital advanced as it launched a new product in the US. The disposable instrument is used in keyhole surgery, with 7.5m of the procedures taking place every year. It comes just days after the launch of its Slyde product in the European Union on Tuesday  a sledge which helps move people down stairs or over rough ground in an emergency evacuation. Shares gained 2.3 per cent, or 1p, to 44.5p.

Around 2million of orders that the firm has in the pipeline from US government and defence contractor customers could be scuppered by President Donald Trump's promise to ramp up military and infrastructure spending and change budgets, the firm said.

If the orders are delayed that could have a big impact this year.

But Intercede said the problems should only be short-term as a cybersecurity is a major part of US IT strategy.

Shares plummeted 18.3 per cent, or 9.5p, to 42.5p.

Carillion shares recovered after a tough week as the firm announced a 490million deal for its joint venture.

The support services firm saw shares tumble earlier this week as it reported that profits had fallen.

Yesterday, it revealed its joint venue had won a construction contract in Dubai, with work due to start this month and run until mid-2019. Shares climbed 1.3 per cent, or 2.8p, to 216p.

Recruitment outfit Harvey Nash soared as it said gross profit was up 8 per cent as the group said that it expects to report results in line with expectation for the year to January 31.

Its shares leapt by 3.4 per cent, or 2.1p, to 64p.

Online musical instrument retailer Gear4Music saw total sales climb 54 per cent to 56.1million in the year to February 28.

The group has been on a strong run after a weaker pound made its products increasingly popular overseas. Indeed, sales in Europe and the rest of the world surged by 124 per cent.

Active customer numbers increased 49 per cent to 339,800 over the year and profits should be ahead of expectations. But shares slipped 3 per cent, or 20p, to 655p.

Acacia Mining fell heavily as the president of Tanzania, John Magufuli, issued an export ban on gold and copper.

The metals accounted for around 30 per cent of group revenue last year.

Acacia has stopped exports but said it is seeking clarification from the government. Shares plunged 13.5 per cent, or 72p, to 461p.
The London Stock Exchange has sought to appease shareholders with a hike in its dividend amid the expected collapse of its 21billion German takeover.

Bosses announced a final dividend of 31.2p per share, meaning a 20 per cent increase in the full-year dividend to 43.2p per share, alongside rising profits.

Shareholders could be in line for a special dividend of 58.2p per share if the deal with Deutsche Boerse goes ahead to create Europes biggest stock exchange.

London Stock Exchange bosses announced a final dividend of 31.2p per share, meaning a 20 per cent increase in the full-year dividend to 43.2p per share, alongside rising profits

But it is expected to collapse after the LSE rejected on Monday a last-minute request from EU competition officials to sell key Italian trading arm MTS.

Yesterday boss Xavier Rolet, paid 6.6million in 2015, said the group continues to work hard on the merger  and insisted he would stay on even if it does fall apart.

But if the deal collapses it looks like my retirement is postponed, Rolet said.

Rolet said it was now up to regulators to consider other remedies, including selling the Paris arm of its clearing house.

The LSE said revenue over 2016 rose 14 per cent to 1.5billion, slightly below some forecasts.

Operating profit rose 6 per cent to 426.1million.
Ri Jong Chol, detained a few days after Kim Jong Nam's murder, would be released due to insufficient evidence. He was taken to the immigration office to prepare his deportation to North Korea.

By Reuters: Malaysia condemned the use of VX, the super toxic nerve agent that killed the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a Kuala Lumpur airport last month, as authorities on today prepared to deport a North Korean suspect.

Kim Jong Nam was murdered on February 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, where he was assaulted by two women who allegedly smeared his face with VX, a chemical classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.

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"The Ministry strongly condemns the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," it said in a statement.

ALSO READ | North Korea's Kim Jong-un's half-brother assassinated in Malaysia by female operatives

The foreign ministry said it was in close contact with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), an inter-governmental organisation based in the Netherlands, regarding the incident.

"Malaysia does not produce, stockpile, import, export or use any Schedule 1 toxic chemicals including VX, and has made annual declarations to that effect to the OPCW," the statement said.

RELATIONS BETWEEN MALAYSIA, N KOREA TURN SOUR

Relations between Malaysia and North Korea, who have maintained friendly ties for decades, have soured since the killing of Kim Jong Nam at the airport two weeks ago.

North Korea's envoy to Malaysia earlier said that police investigations in the case cannot be trusted. North Korea has not accepted that the dead man is Kim Jong Nam, and said on Thursday that their citizen may have died of a heart attack.

South Korean intelligence and US officials say the murder was an assassination organised by North Korean agents, though the only suspects charged in the case so far are an Indonesian woman and a Vietnamese woman.

N KOREAN SUSPECT TO BE RELEASED

A North Korean suspect held over the killing was released from a detention centre on Friday, and driven away in a police convoy, a Reuters witness said.

Ri Jong Chol, who had been detained a few days after the killing was taken to the immigration office to prepare his deportation to North Korea.

Malaysia's attorney general told Reuters on Thursday that he would be released due to insufficient evidence.

Police have identified seven other North Koreans wanted in connection with the killing, including a senior embassy official in Kuala Lumpur.

ALSO READ | After Kim Jong Nam's murder, Malaysia to cancel visa-free entry for North Koreans

--- ENDS ---
MANZINI  Macmillan Swaziland has brought smiles to pupils especially those involved in culture as they have pumped in a sum of E200 000 towards this years schools culture competition.



The Matsapha based company announced the whooping sponsorship during the launch of the competition known as the Macmillan Schools Culture competition, held at the George Hotel on Wednesday night.



During the competition, pupils will compete in various activities which include drum majorettes, ummiso, sibhaca, drama and poetry.

This years sponsorship has seen an increase of E50 000 from that of last year, as the company had contributed a sum of E150 000.

The sponsorship was announced in front of the Deputy Prime Minister Paul Dlamini and the Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs David Cruiser Ngcamphalala.



Also present was the Swaziland National Council of Arts and Culture (SNCAC) Board Chairperson Busisiwe Simelane, who is Macmillan Swazilands Managing Director and SNCAC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Stanley Dlamini.

Unveiling the sponsorship was Gcinaphi Sikhondze, who represented Macmillan Swaziland, she said they are proud to be the main sponsors of the culture competition even this year.



She also said the company in support of culture and it was one of the reasons why they felt they should continue supporting this event.

We are happy to see that the competition is growing, with more schools participating. The pupils get to understand what culture is, which we are happy about. She said they will continue supporting this initiative as long as it continues to serve the interests of arts and culture in the country.
MBABANE  The JSC has promised to grant suspended Judge Mpendulo Simelane his wish.



The judge, who is undergoing an impeachment enquiry, took the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to court demanding to be forthwith furnished with the judges notebook he was dispossessed of early last year and written reasons for the chief justices refusal to recuse himself from the hearing. He also asked to be given a complete transcript of the proceedings showing the composition of the JSC from the first day of the enquiry.



The JSC yesterday assured the judge that he would be given the documents he required. As a result, Judge Simelane withdrew his application in the High Court. The matter was heard in Judge Mbutfo Mambas chambers after the parties held a discussion about a possible solution outside court.

Judge Simelane is represented by Advocate Lucas Maziya, who has been instructed by Ben J Simelane and Associates. Zweli Jele has been appointed by the JSC to prosecute in the enquiry.
Bemdzabu Bamunye Eswatini Balaphi Chairman Makhanya Makhanya chairing a meeting in this file picture.

MANZINI  In the beginning, God created heaven and earth reads the first verse of the first book in the Holy Bible, called Genesis.



However, this could change if witch doctors can have things their way.



In a rather first of its kind, witch doctors are busy compiling a bible that will contain information prior to the book of Genesis to rectify the current Holy Bible, which they claim is faulty.

This bible, according to the association, is going to answer the question of Where did God come from? in the form of a book prior to Genesis to be known as Mandvulo.



Chairperson of the Bemdzabu Bamunye Eswatini Balaphi (BEBA-EBA) Witch doctors Association Makhanya Makhanya said many Christians were afraid to ask this question but they were here to give answers.



The Holy Bible tells us that God said let us make man in our image. This proves that God was alive and human. He was also talking to someone. This new bible will tell us what transpired before he became spirit form and who he was talking to, said Makhanya.

He explained that they would use this new bible to preach and teach about ancestors.



The association would like to have the book sold in stores and used in schools.

Explaining this, Makhanya said one misinformation in the Holy Bible was that people go to heaven when they die.

He is of the belief that due to the birth of Jesus, people who die go to a paradise which is actually not above (in the skies), or go to a land where they will be made to work for the rest of their lives.
MBABANE  Job well done, we want to see what the minister will do next.



This was the general feeling of the various sectors that were called by this publication yesterday, following the bold stance by Members of Parliament to reject the 2017/2018 budget.

The MPs rejected the entire budget presented last Friday by Minister of Finance Martin Dlamini, as they viewed it as not being a budget for the people.



They gave the minister 48 hours to return with a proper budget that was for the people.

First to throw in its view was the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA), through its Secretary General Vincent Ncongwane, who said the MPs have done a good job. Ncongwane said more than anything they were pleasantly surprised by the increase of the elderly grants which was placed at E860 from the proposed E400 per month.



We want to see what the minister will do now because moving forward is essential, Ncongwane said.

He said even if the MPs may be viewed as if they were contesting for the next elections, this was appropriate. He said it has been noted that previously, the MPs used to come in and out of Parliament without making decisions that would change the lives of the people they were representing.



What they did has shown that at least they have the elderly in their minds, Ncongwane said.

The rejection of the national budget has also raised hope for students. Sibusiso Siyaya, the President of the Student Representative Council of the University of Swaziland, said as students, they were hoping that the minister of Finance would return with a balanced budget that would cater for all the sectors.
( comment)



The move by Members of Parliament to reject Finance Minister Martin Dlaminis security budget on Wednesday is exactly what Cabinet needed to stop bulldozing the national budget through Parliament for rubber stamping.



One need not look further than our high poverty level, low economic growth rate and soaring unemployment as a consequence of this practice. Confronted with reality, the Finance minister must take a moment to ask himself why the most peaceful country on the African continent has one of the highest budget allocations going towards security forces, while 63 per cent of the population live below the poverty datum line.



He told Parliament last week that he was able to force government ministries to cut spending and that he intends to stop projects with no job creation outputs and reduce the high number of paratastals, but immediately left us bewildered when he deemed it fit to add E300 million to the security forces where he should have cut the most.



He couldnt justify this. To rub salt to the wound, he then went on to cut the agriculture budget just as the country tries to recover from the worst drought and food shortages ever experienced. This has been done in total disregard of the directive from the Throne to prioritise this sector for water harvesting, value addition of our produce an food self sufficiency.



Instead of calling his Cabinet colleague to order, the Agriculture Minister Moses Vilakati has come out to defend this defiance. In our books this could only mean one thing; this minister is equally less concerned with feeding the hungry and therefore, is not fit to hold such an office. Our legislators have also rightly questioned if those starving will be fed with the Bibles to be purchased under the E20 million allocated to fund Christian Education ahead of numerous national priorities.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 3 (PTI) Integrated (Mauritius) Healthcare Holdings, an arm of Malaysian sovereign fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd, today offloaded a little over 6 per cent stake in Apollo Hospitals Enterprises for about Rs 1,070 crore through an open market transaction.

Pursuant to stake sale, Apollo Hospitals plunged by 5.42 per cent to close at Rs 1,249 on NSE.

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According to bulk deal data available with the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the fund has sold a total of 84,39,148 shares, amounting to 6.06 per cent stake, of Apollo Hospitals.

The shares were offloaded on an average price of Rs 1,267.46, valuing the transaction at Rs 1,069.63 crore, data showed.

Meanwhile, DB International purchased 39.26 lakh shares of the healthcare company for Rs 497.42 crore.

As of December quarter, Integrated (Mauritius) Healthcare Holdings has 1.51 crore shares, or 10.85 per cent stake, in Apollo Hospitals. PTI SP SBT ARD

--- ENDS ---
The two national highways that act as lifeline for Imphal valley remains cut-off since November last year due to the United Naga Council imposed blockade. And to add to the crisis, the Centre too announced its demonetisation drive in the same month.

By Indrajit Kundu: As Manipur heads to elections this week, a major factor would be the participation of youth in the entire democratic process given that unemployment remains the biggest challenge for its political administration. Decades of insurgency has ruined the state's economic prospect which at present is facing a painful blockade with a section of its own people up in arms against the state government.

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While the BJP-led central government has blamed the state administration for the impasse, the Congress state government has put the onus squarely on the Centre - leaving the state's 28 lakh people to suffer.

HIGHWAY BLOCKADE

The two national highways that act as lifeline for Imphal valley remains cut-off since November last year due to the United Naga Council imposed blockade. And to add to the crisis, the Centre too announced its demonetisation drive in the same month.

At present, essential commodities are in short supply in the land-locked state and fuel crisis has been continuing for months. Petrol sells at Rs 200 per litre in black and queues outside pumps and ATMs remain never ending.

Amidst this atmosphere of gloom, many among Manipur's educated young are disenchanted with the political class. Most feel betrayed given that the only constant in their lives seem to be the hardships. On the eve of the crucial first phase of polling, India Today caught up with youngsters in Imphal to gauge their mood.

"I don't want to vote this time because I'm sure it will not bring any change," says 26-year-old Oinam Sumitra Devi, a PhD scholar at Manipur University.

"The blockade has been going on for months. It has affected our lives badly and it is the politicians who are to be blamed," she says.

JOBS

Sumitra, who completed her graduation in Bangalore, recently returned to Imphal to pursue her PhD. But back at her hometown, she now feels dejected. "To be frank we have to buy jobs here! Where is our future? Everything seems to be so corrupted," she laments.

Her friend Ningombam Andropov too echoes her sentiment. "Even though I'm a research scholar here, I don't know where I will land myslef after this. If I don't get a job I may as well end up driving an auto-rickshaw," says the 32-year-old.

LOST ALL HOPES

For L Malem Chanu, another student at the same university, NOTA remains the only option for these elections. "I do understand my right to vote very well but the situation has been like this for so many years that I'm not even interested in politics anymore."

Chanu says she has faced such hardships since our childhood. So much so that it has become usual for youngsters like her. "Now elections are here so we will let the politicians do what they do best while we carry on with our lives," she says.

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33-year-old Nandakumar Sarma, who is pursuing his research, feels elections in Manipur are all about money. "If they don't get money they won't even vote, that's the norm here. So NOTA is the best option for us all," he says.

IROM SHARMILA

Given the common disdain for all political parties, the young are even sceptical of Irom Sharmila's foray into politics. Once considered a youth icon, she too is fighting a lonely battle to regain social acceptance.

"I admire Sharmila but I fear if politics will corrupt her too," says Chanu.

Also read| Will Modi magic work in Manipur: All about Assembly election 2017

Also read| Manipur elections: Campaigning ends for first phase amid tight security

--- ENDS ---
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By Mark Hallum

Delta Airlines announced it would take the initiative to reduce airplane noise over Queens by switching to larger and quieter aircraft.

A Thursday press release said they would stop flying the MD-88 aircraft on a scheduled basis out of LaGuardia Airport and use those routes to fly the quieter, more fuel-efficient Airbus A320 aircraft, Boeing 737s and a limited number of MD-90 airplanes in its place. Newer aircraft will be introduced with engineering features which deliberately lower noise output.

Delta flights on quieter, more efficient and larger aircraft are good for the community and will also support NextGen initiatives around more fuel-efficient GPS routes in New York airspace, the most congested in the world, Delta Vice President for New York Henry Kuykendall said.

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing), former co-chair and founder of the Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus, said the effort is a step in the right direction as talks between residents, elected officials and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey proceed.

Deltas move will have a positive impact on airplane noise over our borough, and it will make a difference to those who reside near the airport. I look forward to building on this switch to quieter aircraft and working with airline officials to further mitigate airplane noise, Meng said.

Delta will remove roughly 30 MD-88 flights to and from LaGuardia, and later this year switch its service between Atlanta and New York entirely to the larger and more sound-wave friendly A320s and 737s. But the change also comes with added perks for the passengers with newer and more comfortable interiors.

Deltas decision to begin using quieter, more modern aircraft at LaGuardia Airport is a win-win for travelers and the airports surrounding communities, said U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Jackson Heights). It is a move that is not just about improving the quality of the traveling experience but also about improving the quality of life for New Yorkers on the ground. While airplanes can never be truly silent, we can work to make them less disruptive to the families who live nearby and I applaud Delta for taking steps toward that goal.

The airline is adding 50 airplanes to its fleet this year, in addition to the Airbus A321s, A330-300s and the Airbus A350, all larger and better suited for noise mitigation.

Susan Carroll, a Flushing resident, has been an outspoken advocate for reducing airplane noise and said the MD-88 has been most of the problem in the airspace above Queens, especially during what is known as the Whitestone Climb, which takes the aircraft developed in the mid-80s longer to perform.

Today is a great day for all those who are negatively impacted by LaGuardia flight paths. MD88s, which date back several decades, are extremely loud, fuel inefficient, and are incapable of flying noise abatement paths properly. Quite frankly, their roar is soul-crushing, Carroll said. I thank Delta for removing all of them from their fleet at LGA, effective immediately, and doing right by the communities.

(adding comment from Flushing anti-airport noise advocate)
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COLLEGE POINT  Police were searching for a suspect in connection with a grand larceny.

According to police, on Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. the 46-year-old victim who lives in the vicinity of Dalian Court and Bay Park Drive in College Point discovered that someone had used his personal information to open a credit card account with American Express.

Police said that according to American Express records, the suspect used the credit card Jan. 16 at the Manhattan Bloomingdales Department Store to buy over $7,000 worth of merchandise.

Police described the suspect as an Asian woman with a black purse. Police said she was last seen wearing a dark colored coat and a white shirt.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477)
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By Mark Hallum

The wave of protests against Democrats siding with the GOP in the state Senate rolled into Bayside last Friday as about 50 people rallied outside the office of state Sen. Tony Avella (DBayside).

Demonstrators held up signs with accusations such as Phony Tony, you lied to us to denounce Avellas membership in the Independent Democratic Conference  a group of renegade Democratic senators who have allied themselves with the GOP, purportedly to shape legislation in the Republican-controlled chamber. The rally was organized by Rise and Resist, a gender-rights group, and Indivisible, a progressive anti-Trump movement.

They are enabling Republicans to block legislation that [the IDC] claim to support, said Betsy Malcolm from Rise and Resist. She pointed out that a transgender rights bill has passed the Assembly 13 times and has never gotten a vote in the Senate.

About 20 counter-protesters turned out to support Avella, defending his track record for getting legislation passed and saying it was in keeping with Democratic values. One Avella supporter pointed out that the GOP majority would still control the state Senate whether the IDC had a seat at the table or not, but that being part of the ruling coalition brings benefits to constituents and provides Democrats some voice in crafting legislation.

What people need to understand is that the Republicans dont need the IDC, said activist Paul Graziano. The IDC are in coalition because it benefits the IDC, and ultimately benefits a lot of Democratic districts, as well as being able to advance legislation that the Democrats as a whole would not be able to do. So if the IDC was not in this coalition, they would be in the minority with the other 23 Democrats and they would not be able to pass anything.

In 2016, Avella touted his record, claiming he had passed over 50 pieces of legislation over the course of last year. Graziano attributed Avellas success to his membership in the IDC.

Avella invited many of the angry protesters into his district office to speak with them face-to-face and listen to their concerns.

Asked what Avella has done to benefit Democrats, the senator pointed out that he keeps his relatively conservative district out of Republican hands.

Well, I beat a Republican in the general election or a Republican would be sitting here, Avella said, referring to his victory over Mark Cipolla in November. Im defending the Democratic Party in this district, in a very conservative district, where a Republican can get elected any day of the week. Thats why Frank Padavan was in office for 38 years.

Avella further argued that he is behind Democratic legislation such as the DREAM Act, which he co-sponsored in every version introduced to the Senate. In fact, he blamed the most recent defeat of the bill to allow undocumented immigrants to qualify for financial aid on traditional Democrats, and he objected to partisan purity tests.

When you say a real Democrat, that offends me, Avella said. Because youre making the decision then of what you consider a Democrat to be. Democrats used to have a wide tent. Thats how we won elections, and thats what we should be about. Not saying, Well, you dont agree with me so youre not a Democrat. Shameful, for anyone who says that. Shameful.

State Sen. Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights) was another recent recipient of backlash over his decision to defect to the IDC, and he defended his move as a revolt against the bad mouthing and cannibalizing of Democrats who veer away from the usual script.
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By Patrick Donachie

State and city laws protecting transgender rights in city schools will continue to be enforced, city officials vowed, despite the Trump administrations revocation of federal protections last week.

The U.S. Department of Education and Justice Department announced Feb. 26 that they were rescinding the joint guidance issued by the Obama administration in May 2016 which stated that Title IX legislation, which bans sexual discrimination in schools, extended to transgender students, including the right of a student to use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity.

The departments dually sent out a Dear Colleague letter addressed to schools receiving federal funding in which they defended the revocation, saying there were a litany of judicial actions on the original guidance in progress on the state and federal appellate court level. The letter said the orders would be rescinded in order to further and more completely consider the legal issues involved.

Reaction was swift from city politicians and officials, including Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina, who said the city Department of Education would protect students despite the federal governments actions.

The DOEs Transgender Guidelines have been in place since 2014 and remain in effect in all New York City public schools, she said. We are dedicated to ensuring every student is provided with a safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment in all school buildings, and that includes allowing students to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity.

U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (DAstoria), who is a member of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, said the decision flew in the face of nearly 15 years of court and agency opinions that affirmed transgender students were protected by federal legislation against sex discrimination in schools.

The federal government should be committed to protecting equal access to education for all students, not undermining it, she said. No student should face barriers to an education simply because of who they are, and no students dignity should be a political issue.

In a letter to the state Education Department, Gov. Andrew Cuomo told educators to remind transgender students that under state law, schools must ensure that a students gender identity is not the basis for discrimination.

The City Council passed legislation in 2002 outlawing discrimination based on gender identity and expression, and in late 2015 the citys Human Rights Commission further clarified the types of discrimination made illegal by the legislation, including someone being refused the opportunity to use a single-sex facility that was consistent with their gender identity.

In the 2015 announcement, the HRC said estimates indicated there were about 25,200 transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals in New York City, with 75 percent of transgender New Yorkers reporting they had experienced harassment and mistreatment in the workplace.
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By Benjamin M. Haber

Phil Orenstein, president of the Queens Village Republican Club, is misguided in claiming Trumps immigration policy is limited to the deportation of the undocumented with serious criminal records, and accuses Democratic politicians of undermining Trumps every move. (Letters to the Editor  Feb. 24-March 2).

There can be no objection to the deportation of illegal immigrants who have committed violent crimes. There can be and should be objections to deporting persons who do not represent a threat to society.

Trumps claim he will deal with those brought here illegally as children with heart and that their situation is a very difficult issue for him is in typical Trump fashion empty language.

A case in point is Guadalupe de Rayos, who has lived in the United States undocumented since she was 14 years old.

While she did commit a non-violent crime many years ago ( using a fake Social Security number in order to work), she has been allowed to stay here on condition she check-in annually with immigration officials.

She assiduously complied with that requirement, became a model resident, married and had two children born in this country.

A few weeks ago, at the age of 36, she went to her annual check-in. ICE agents in Phoenix took her into custody instead, separating her from her husband and children who were waiting for her outside. She was thereafter deported to Mexico.

The crime she committed was not violent, was no threat to public safety and committed solely so she could work.

Where was the heart and the difficulty Trump claims to possess? It does not exist on this subject and indeed on any other subject and is worthless.

To separate two young children from their mother under these circumstances is cruel and inhuman, for which Trump should be ashamed, an emotion I suspect he does not possess.

To use a word Trump himself with no justification uses, his treatment of Mrs. De Rayos and her family is indeed sad.

With acknowledgment to the words of Joseph Welch in his confrontation with Sen, Joseph McCarthy during the McCarthy debacle, at long last, President Trump, have you no sense of decency?

Benjamin M. Haber

Flushing
Matka is an illegal form of gambling, which is quite popular in parts of Maharashtra. The petitioner pointed out that newspapers indulged in the offence of aiding and facilitating gaming by publishing Mumbai-Kalyan Matka betting/gaming charts in their newspapers.

"The results of previous day charts are published and numbers for the next day are also shown so as to help the common man to guess the winning numbers and bet for it," the petitioner said pointing out that the numbers published in the charts were the same in all the newspapers.

The petitioner's lawyer Umesh Mankapure mentioned it in the court that these numbers were being published for a long time, but administration had not taken any strict action against the newspapers.

The petitioner had even filed a complaint with the Solapur police in 2012 asking them to take action against newspaper owners and editors for committing offence punishable under Section 12 (A) of the Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887.

However, the publishing houses filed their reply saying that the numbers displayed in the newspapers depict "jyotish-shastra and ank-shastra". After the explanation by publishers, no action was taken against the publishing houses as police came to the conclusion that there was no offence on the part of the publishing houses.

After the police complaint by the petitioner, he started getting threat calls from bookies. They warned him against going ahead with his complaint forcing Pore to shift his base from Solapur to Pune, where he currently resides.

Pore also registered complaint with the Press Council of India, which directed the newspapers not to publish matka numbers as warranted by the Maharashtra law.

The publication of those numbers continued in these newspapers. Augusti Vibhuti, representing the newspapers, told the court that the allegations were vague, far-fetched and ambiguous. The numbers according to the newspapers were purely for entertainment purpose.

The newspapers reiterated that the numbers were for astrology and numerology purpose. They added that imposing a ban or any sort of a restriction on publication of the said numbers, which are purely for the purpose of belief and entertainment or superstition would be in blatant violation of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution and the rights enshrined therein.
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By Tammy Scileppi

Rita Plush has accomplished a lot at a time in life when many people retire.

At a young 60-plus, the anything-but-retiring author, teacher, and interior designer is aiming to add the title of beauty queen to her resume.

If youre thinking that Plushs name sounds familiar, youve probably come across one of her delightful books. Lily Steps Out, Plushs first novel, was published in 2012. It was followed by a collection of stories called Alterations, then another novel, Feminine Products. And she just completed, Im Frances, her third novel.

When shes not writing or running her interior design business, Plush teaches both subjects at Queensborough Community College in Bayside. And in her spare time, she also reviews books for the Fire Island News.

These days, Plush may soon be wearing yet another hat  or rather, crown  if shes chosen as this years queen in the upcoming Ms. New York Senior America Pageant April 2, at SUNY College in Old Westbury, L.I.

This pageant organization is all about promoting a positive image of aging, and has been extending a warm welcome to women from all walks of life who have achieved the Age of Elegance  that is, 60 and above  providing an opportunity for women to enhance their lives by getting out of their comfort zones and meeting new people, forming lasting friendships, and using their experience and talent to benefit their communities.

In a recent phone interview from her new Bay Terrace home it was clear that a lot has happened since the authors TimesLedger interview back in 2012, after she published her first novel.

That novel, Lily Steps Out is an endearing story  at times sad but also funny  about Lily Gold, a stifled housewife and mother stuck in a boring life. Unlike Plush, who kept busy as a writer and interior designer while raising her family, Lily feels she has no options or outlets.

In those days, women got married and had children or became teachers. There werent many choices like today. Its great to have options. Im taking all the options now, said Plush.

For her second novel, Feminine Products, she conjured up another troubled-but-lovable heroine, Rusty Scanlon, Lilys best friend. Like her creator, Rusty has an eye for fashion. But unlike Plush, who had a solid, fulfilling marriage, Rusty starts messing up in her love life. When she meets the adoring Walter, she thinks she has it all, but she gets a rude awakening when she tells him shes pregnant and he demands a paternity test.

Plush took a completely new direction for her latest novel, whose protagonist from another time, and the other end of the age spectrum.

Im Frances, is written from the point of view of a 6-year-old  something new for me  just after the Second World War, Plush said. Think a Jewish Eloise, who, instead of turning heads and causing havoc in New York Citys Plaza Hotel, makes a name for herself in a pre-war Brooklyn walkup, and youve got Frances.

Plush dealt with her husband Herbs unfortunate passing in 2015 by throwing herself into her writing and teaching. But she said her yoga classes have also helped get her back on track.

In fact, Plush pointed out that it was her instructor, Doris Bodine, who suggested she try out for the upcoming pageant.

The judges at the annual Ms. New York Senior America Pageant select the gracious lady who best exemplifies the qualities of the modern, dynamic senior woman and is willing to dedicate her time and energy to the organization.

The 14 pageant contestants hail from all over the state  from Upstate, Westchester County, Long Island and all five boroughs  including another Queens contestant, Rose Scalia from Jamaica Estates. The winner will receive, in addition to her crown and sash, a $1,000 cash award, plus an all-expense-paid week in Atlantic City to compete in the Senior America National Pageant in October.

Plush said she is really looking forward to this event, and if she wins, she plans a media blitz to promote the organization and its goal of getting senior women active and engaged in their community.

I want to get on radio shows. I want to go on Joan Hamburg, on Curtis Sliwa  all kinds of talk shows, she said, and just spread the word about being active and involved, and just embracing life.

Plush, who began her late-life writing career by spending 11 years as a part-time adult-education student at Queens College to earn her BA in English Lit and MA in Creative Writing, urges her fellow 60-plusers to never say Im too old.

A lot of things Ive done, Id done later in my life, said Plush. Youre not old. And the years will go by whether you do something or not.
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By Bill Parry

Steinway Street in Astoria needs an extreme makeover to improve the shopping experience and make it safer for pedestrians, neighborhood leaders and merchants say.

Elected officials, community leaders and business owners announced their support last Friday for a proposal by City Councilman Costa Constantinides (DAstoria) for a package of upgrades that includes traffic-slowing measures, such as mid-block crossings, to make the street more pedestrian-friendly for shoppers, as well as creating a designated public gathering place where shoppers could relax.

Steinway is the beating commercial heart of our community. Its always changed over time and business has been in transition in the last few years, Constantinides said. Many great shopping areas around our city have measures to mitigate traffic and dedicated spaces for public gatherings. We have the opportunity to turn Steinway Street into something similar.

State Sen. Michael Gianaris (DAstoria) called Steinway Street one of New Yorks greatest shopping strips, central to the Astoria community.

State Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas (DAstoria) grew up nearby and remembers when the corridor offered a better shopping experience.

I remember how cool it was to come to Steinway Street and shop with my mother, but along the way that feeling went away, she said. This thoroughfare has not kept up with the times.

Community Board 1 members complained that Internet shopping, traffic, double-parked delivery trucks and the lack of parking have combined to drive customers away from the thoroughfares 300 stores and restaurants, leading to an increase in empty storefronts.

The businesses are really diminishing here, look how many empty spots there are, said CB1 district manager Florence Koulouris. And the modification of the Queens Center Mall has hurt business even more.

CB1 Transportation Chairman Bob Piazza has lived in the area since 1961 and recalls when the strip was a magnet for shoppers.

People used to come here from all over  from Elmhurst, Corona, and Jackson Heights, Piazza said. People dont come here anymore. I dont come here anymore. It has to be more accessible to automobiles in addition to pedestrians and cyclists. Without them, I dont know how successful Steinway Street will remain.

Constantinides wants to brainstorm with the public beginning in the spring with a community working group to discuss the public gathering place and the officials announced that the public can submit their ideas by emailing Stein way@c ounci l.nyc.gov . He said that listening to community priorities will be key to creating a widely beneficial improvement plan.

A collaborative effort will ensure that plans will benefit our entire neighborhood, Constantinides said. Thats why were soliciting input from community residents and will continue to work with city agencies and other stakeholders as these proposals come to fruition. Together, we will make Steinway Street safer and benefit our small business owners.

Since 2009, there have been 249 traffic-related incidents and 95 pedestrian injuries along Steinway Street between Astoria Boulevard and 34th Avenue, according to Constantinides, so he is proposing additional safety measures such as curb extensions and Leading Pedestrian Intervals for walk signals so shoppers can cross more easily.

Street safety activists agreed that the shopping strip was ripe for pedestrian improvements.

Steinway Street has been broken for far too long, and Costas proposed changes are good steps forward that will improve conditions for pedestrians, said Macartney Morris, an Astoria resident and chairman of Transportation Alternatives Queens Committee. Now is the time to think outside the box and realize streets like Steinway dont have to remain broken just because thats how theyve always been.

Tony Barsamian, the chairman of the Steinway Astoria Partnership, said business owners along the corridor also support the proposal.

The merchants are united behind the action of trying to improve Steinway Street, he said. Were open-minded to developments that will bring more people to the street, that will bring shoppers back. Weve got to get that feeling back so people want to be here.

He added that the public gathering space would create an anchor that would bring increased economic activity, and then more businesses would come back to Steinway Street.

Its the longest outdoor shopping center in the city and possibly in the country, Koulouris said. Were going to make sure this area isnt bypassed by the future, its going to be the future. Now its time to bring this strip up into the 21st century.
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By Mark Hallum

The ongoing battle over who should lead Townsend Harris High School escalated last Friday with another rally at City Hall and yet another elected official joining the call for the controversial interim principals ouster.

State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (DFresh Meadows) joined Townsend faculty and students on the steps of City Hall to demand a new principal more aligned with the schools values as well as transparency in the hiring process.

Enough is enough, Rozic said. Weve seen our schools environment and tone change for the worse and its time to turn over a new leaf and to have new representation and a new principal at the helm.

Interim Principal Rosemarie Jahoda, appointed in September, has been accused of refusing to protect Muslim students from harassment and jeopardizing seniors college prospects through mismanagement of transcripts.

Student Union President Alex Chen explained at the rally how Jahoda broke from standard procedures for processing college transcripts, resulting in a lengthy process raising fears that they might get delivered to universities too late.

Chen said that students have tried to work with Jahoda to help her, but she rejected the offers.

With inexperience, she comes with incompetence, Chen said. Rather than trying to learn, not just with our school  she refuses to follow through a path that would make her a better leader. And we were very willing, from the beginning, to share what our thoughts were, and how we should proceed with her as our principal, but she rejected that narrative. So this is our response.

Two members of the schools Muslim Student Association, Tahiya Choudhury and Sangida Akter, both 17, complained about Jahodas response when they went to her after a student was heard yelling F Muslims while they were hosting a bake sale shortly after the election of Donald Trump. They said Jahoda seemed reluctant to take action.

She kept saying, How can I help? But she wasnt listening to us, Akter said, explaining how Jahoda rejected all of their requests to address the harassment.

Akter and Choudhury said they did not expect the interim principal to be able to identify the student, but they were hoping for at least an announcement of some kind discouraging hate speech, which they said Jahoda refused to do.

But according to Akter and Choudhury, Jahoda is not shy about taking a political stance. When students planned a walk-out before the Nov. 8 election to protest Trump, Jahoda sent out an email discouraging students from taking part.

Max Kurant, sophomore class president, described Jahoda as disorganized and uncooperative with student organizations that approve clubs and plan events, as well as philosophically out of step with the schools culture.

Even though she can be a very nice person on the outside, its very hard to get things done, Kurant said, because its either her way or the highway. Shes very authoritarian about how things work. Shes very conservative, and thats just not the Townsend Harris culture. I really dont know why they want her as principal so much. This doesnt go with our culture. Even if you consider what the DOE is looking for in a principal  for them to handle finances, to make sure the school environment is safe  she doesnt do this.

Last month, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz wrote to Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina asking for more information on the hiring process for a new principal at Townsend, which is a highly structured procedure known as C-30. The C-30 process can take up to 90 days to cull candidates down to five, before deciding on one applicant.

The Department of Education has confirmed that Jahoda is being considered for the permanent position.
Beaver County preparing for robust Election Day turnout

As the Nov. 8 midterm election approaches, nearly 114,000 people are registered to vote in Beaver County.
The recall covers certain C-Class, E-Class and CLA cars and GLA and GLC SUVs, all from 2015 through 2017.

By AP: Mercedes is recalling about 3,54,000 cars and SUVs in the United States because a starter part in them can overheat and cause a fire.

The recall covers certain C-Class, E-Class and CLA cars and GLA and GLC SUVs, all from 2015 through 2017. The German automaker said in government documents released on Friday that if for some reason the engine and transmission didn't turn over, a current limiter in the starter motor could overheat from repeated attempts to start the vehicles.

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"That can cause the current limiter to overheat and melt nearby parts", a Mercedes statement said,

MERCEDES BEGAN INVESTIGATING PROBLEM IN JUNE

Mercedes began investigating the problem last June after getting field reports of "thermally damaged" current limiters. The documents didn't mention whether there had been any fires or injuries.

Owners will be notified this month and again when replacement parts are available in July.

Dealers will install a fuse to correct the problem.

Also read | 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class LWB launched in India at Rs 56.15 lakh

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Nearly two years after it first went up for sale, the California ranch that served as the late pop star Michael Jackson's "Neverland" retreat is returning to market for $67 million$33 million off its original asking price.

Located in Los Olivos, in the Santa Ynez Valley about 40 miles from Santa Barbara, the property was taken off the market in the summer of 2016, according to Joyce Rey of Coldwell Banker Previews International, who now has the listing. The local market has topped out at around $40 million so far, Ms. Rey said. "This price is more in line with values in the area," she added.

The seller is a joint venture between a fund managed by Colony NorthStar, a real-estate investment trust, and Mr. Jackson's estate.

Mr. Jackson paid $19.5 million for the ranch in 1987 and lived there for more than 15 years, making headlines for adding unusual features like amusement park rides and a train station. Amid financial struggles, he defaulted on a $24.5 million loan backed by the ranch. Colony Capital bought the note in 2008 for $23 million and put the title into a joint venture it formed with the pop star.

Colony merged with NorthStar Asset Management Group and NorthStar Realty Finance in early 2017. The company has spent millions on upgrades and maintenance since 2008, intending to eventually sell it, and the property is in move-in condition, Ms. Rey said.

Now called "Sycamore Valley Ranch," the property spans about 2,700 acres and has roughly 22 structures on it. The Normandy-style main house measures about 12,600 square feet, with five bedrooms plus a staff annex. There is also four-bedroom guesthouse and two staff houses. Another building contains a 50-seat movie theater and a dance studio.

A number of Mr. Jackson's additions remain, such as the railroad tracks and train station, although there is no train, Ms. Rey said. The property also still has a floral clock which spells out "Neverland," as well as the building that once housed the Neverland Valley Fire Department. The amusement park rides are gone, as are many of Mr. Jackson's exotic animals, but some animals remain on the property, including swans and a llama.

The property consists of three parcels, so more houses could be built on it if a buyer wishes, Ms. Rey said. She also noted that about 50 acres of vineyards could be planted on the property.

When the property went on the market in 2015, the listing agents were Suzanne Perkins and Harry Kolb of Sotheby's International Realty and Jeffrey Hyland of Hilton & Hyland. Ms. Perkins said $100 million "was a difficult number to achieve," especially last year when "the market was not as robust as it could have been."

At the time, Colony wasn't open to lowering the price, Ms. Perkins said, adding: "I wish we had been given the opportunity to try to market it at $67 million."

This article Michael Jacksons Onetime Neverland Ranch Gets $33 Million Price Cut appeared first in Celebrity Real Estate from realtor.com.
CLAVERACK -- Columbia County sheriff's deputies seized 2,000 bags of heroin, worth more than $10,000, and arrested two men in a drug raid Wednesday.

Investigators from the sheriff's office, State Police and federal Drug Enforcement Administration raided an apartment inside 219 Old Lane Extension, using a search warrant signed by a local judge, the sheriff's office said Friday in a news release.
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Beirut

Syria's military announced on Thursday it has fully recaptured the historic town of Palmyra from the Islamic State group as the militants' defenses crumbled and IS fighters fled in the face of artillery fire and intense Russia-backed airstrikes.

The development marks the third time that the town  famed for its priceless Roman ruins and archaeological treasures IS had sought to destroy  has changed hands in one year.

It was also the second blow for the Islamic State group in Syria in a week, after Turkish backed opposition fighters seized the Syrian town of al-Bab from the militants on Feb. 23, following a grueling three month battle. In neighboring Iraq, the Sunni extremist group is fighting for survival in its last urban bastion in the western part of the city of Mosul.

For the Syrian government, the news was a welcome development against the backdrop of peace talks underway with the opposition in Switzerland.

"You are all invited to visit the historic city of Palmyra and witness its beauty, now that it has been liberated," the Damascus envoy to the U.N.-mediated talks, Bashar al-Ja'afari, told reporters in Geneva.
Washington

The White House is fiercely divided over President Donald Trump's campaign promise to "cancel" the Paris agreement, the 2015 accord that binds nearly every country to curb global warming, with more moderate voices maintaining that he should stick with the agreement despite his campaign pledge.

Stephen Bannon, Trump's senior adviser, is pressing the president to officially pull the United States from the landmark accord, but he is clashing with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the president's daughter Ivanka Trump, who fear the move could have damaging diplomatic ramifications.

Donald Trump vowed on the campaign trail to tear up President Barack Obama's global warming policies, and on the home front he is moving aggressively to meet those pledges with deep cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency and a new EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, who is a skeptic of climate science.

Next week, Trump plans to sign an executive order directing Pruitt to start the legal process of unwinding Obama's EPA regulations for cutting greenhouse pollution from coal-fired power plants. Those regulations are the linchpin of the last administration's program to meet the nation's obligations to reduce climate emissions under the Paris agreement.
Sixty-five percent of police and prosecutors statewide missed a mid-February deadline to report how many untested rape kits are collecting dust on their shelves.

A new state law intended to clear hefty backlogs and mandate timely testing of rape kits obligates law enforcement to report the data. However, confusion about when the deadline would fall, how to count the kits and even if reporting would be required at all may have led to a low level of participation.

A total of 586 law enforcement agencies were obligated to send data to the state by Feb. 17 but only 265 agencies (45 percent) made the deadline and 63 agencies (10 percent) filed late.

Those who did participate identified a backlog of 1,678 sexual offense evidence kits that have not yet been tested.

Until Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law last November regulating the maintenance and testing of rape kits, New York was one of few states where evidence collected from sexual assault victims did not have to be processed in a timely manner.

Not only can the DNA collected in a kit help prosecute an attacker but it can also be added to federal databases to help resolve open cases.

"This bill shines a light on, and attempts to resolve, a pressing concern. Survivors of sexual assault deserve to have their evidence kits processed in the fastest and most effective manner possible," Cuomo wrote in his approval memo.

A report issued Wednesday by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services details which agencies are holding on to the hundreds of untested kits and which agencies failed to report.

About 45 percent of the Capital Region law enforcement agencies who responded to the poll said they don't have any untested sexual offense evidence kits.

Albany police has six untested kits, Saratoga Springs reported 23 and Schenectady 75. Troy police did not respond to the state poll but told the Times Union they had no backlog.

Schenectady ranked fourth statewide for the number of untested rape kits sitting idle on department shelves.

The Nassau County Police Department has a whopping 374 untested kits. The State University of New York campus police reported 183 and Binghamton has 95.

Statewide, troopers have not analyzed 57 kits.

Neither the district attorney nor the sheriff's office in Albany, Greene and Schenectady counties reported data to the state. About a dozen other Capital Region agencies also failed to respond.

The 258 agencies statewide that still haven't sent in their tally have been given a one month extension.

"DCJS will contact agencies and offices that did not provide information for this report, reiterate the importance of reporting to the state and work with those agencies and officers to facilitate reporting of their data," the state agency said.

The original bill did not ask police and prosecutors to take an inventory of untested kits. That mandate was agreed upon when Cuomo signed the bill Nov. 28, 2016, but was not officially approved until Feb. 1, 2017 -- one month before DCJS needed to publish their report.

On Dec. 5, 2016, DCJS told law enforcement agencies that the rule, requiring an inventory of untested rape kits, would likely be passed by state lawmakers and take effect Feb. 26 with the rest of the law.

In both a posted letter and email, DCJS warned police and prosecutors this meant they would need to have data ready by mid-February.

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The agency then sent four more reminders as the deadline approached, including one saying the rule had been finalized. Trade organizations also told members about reporting obligations.

On Jan. 17, DCJS sent the link to a five-question, online form where agencies could report how many untested rape kits they had in custody.

Ten days later, the state agency announced all submissions had been voided because police and prosecutors had mistakenly counted drug screening kits separately than the rape kits they accompanied. The instructions were clarified and the poll was started again.

By Feb. 27, only 45 percent of police and prosecutors had responded.

The state won't know if law enforcement agencies and forensic laboratories are following the various other provisions outlined in the bill, which took effect Feb. 26, for another four months.

Law enforcement agencies are now required to send all new rape kits to a lab within 10 days. The lab is required to test those kit within 90 days.

Labs are also newly required to submit quarterly reports on the number of rape kits they receive, the number they processed and the number not tested.

Police and prosecutors must report quarterly how many rape kits they receive, how many are sent to a lab, how long they had a kit before sending it to a lab, and how many untested kits they have not yet sent.

The changes lawmakers approved on Feb. 1 also included a provision requiring labs, prosecutors and police to report why a rape kit was deemed ineligible for testing, starting Nov. 28, 2017.

The amendment directs labs to analyze each kit and develop DNA profiles, if possible, within 120 days of receiving the kit. Labs must submit results to police and prosecutors within 90 days of the assessment.
By Press Trust of India: Kohima, Mar 3 (PTI) The budget session of Nagaland Assembly for the 2017-2018 fiscal is scheduled to be held from March 21.

The session assumes significance since this would be the last budget of the ruling Naga People?s Front (NPF)-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government before the 2018 state general election and also the first under the states new Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu.

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Liezietsu is the third chief minister in this third innings of the NPF, which will end in February 2018.

Liezietsu took over from T R Zeliang on February 22 as the latter had to step down bowing to pressures of the peoples? movement led by Nagaland Tribes Action Committee Kohima and Joint Coordination Committee on moral grounds.

The two bodies had imposed a bandh throughout the state for almost three weeks demanding Zeliang?s resignation on moral grounds following the death of three protestors, including two in police firing in Dimapur.

They were part of the public movement against holding of Urban Local Body (ULB) elections with 33 per cent seats reserved for women in the state.

The upcoming assembly session will also witness election of a new speaker since Chotisuh Sazo, who was the speaker of the state assembly has been inducted as a cabinet minister for Public Health Engineering in Liezietsu?s ministry.

Meanwhile, Nagaland Governor P B Acharya has appointed Imtikumzuk, Deputy Speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) to take charge of duties of the speaker till the new speaker is elected. PTI NBS SBN SNP

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Mairead Nesbitt is a Grammy nominated musician but could just as likely be found in her local tearoom in Loughmore. She's won an Emmy, played at the Oscars and performed for US Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton but prefers hanging out with her family in the house she grew up in. Now the former Celtic Woman instrumentalist is taking on the music world once again - but definitely only on her own terms, writes Niamh Dillon.

Growing up in the Nesbitt house, all six children were encouraged to pursue music. Mairead, as with the rest of her siblings, showed early promise picking up the flute and piano at age four before deciding on the fiddle - the instrument that would unbeknownst to the six year old map out the rest of her life.

The Nesbitts were regulars on the local music scene growing up, taking part in weekly Comhaltas Ceoltoiri's and Seisiun's in Holycross. While at secondary school in the Ursuline, Mairead, along with her sisters, all enrolled at the Ursuline Music School where her mother also taught.

But while her friends went home to watch TV or spend hours chatting on the phone, Mairead went home to practice the violin and perfect her techniques and recalls getting up at 6am to squeeze in a rehearsal before breakfast.

No I didn't mind and I don't think I missed out. I mean music has always been so important to my family but I never felt pressured into it. I wanted to get better and better and I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for all those hours, says the petite blonde over coffee.

When we meet, Mairead is busy planning the final details of her next trip stateside to the Grammy's with her former bandmates Celtic Woman. Their 2016 album Destiny was nominated in the World Music Category and was Mairead's final release with the group before she decided to take an extended break last year.

"The timing felt right", says the musician simply of her decision to take a step away from the group she helped co-found in 2004.

Pic: Mairead (far right) with her former bandmates Celtic Woman

But I got to see places and perform in venue's I couldn't have ever dreamed of if it wasn't for Celtic Woman. I'm still in regular contact with the other girls but I needed to stop for a while. It was 12 years or more of constant touring and promotion - you can only do that for so long, she says.

Instead she's here to promote her latest album, 'The Devil's Bit Sessions' recorded alongside her family in her home village of Loughmore.

The whole Nesbitt clan decamped to the family homestead for an entire weekend to record the album, turning the front room into a makeshift recording studio, and features three different generations including Mairead's parents, nephews and nieces.

"The family probably hate to see an email from me now, she jokes. It was an idea we had half talked about before but unless someone took charge it was going to be one of those things that never gets done.

You can see the Devil's Bit from the house and we decided it was a fitting name. By the end of the weekend we were practically in tears. We all knew we had created something very special that probably wouldn't ever happen again.

Certainly it was this can do attitude that helped propel the musician to musical super stardom after she was hand picked to lead Celtic Woman in 2004. However the multi instrumentalist had already established herself as a force to be reckoned with on the music scene while still only in her teens.

Having begun her professional career at 16 with the prestigious RTE Concert Orchestra, the former All Ireland fiddle champion got a major break in her career when she was asked to play on the original soundtracks of the shows Riverdance, Lord of the Dance and Feet of Flames, going on to tour the world as lead fiddler with the latter two shows.

The whole experience was incredible. You were travelling around the world with this group of people who became like family. I remember when we played at the Oscars (the Lord of the Dance show performed at the LA awards ceremony in 1997) and seeing the likes of Celine Dion and all these beautiful actors and actresses. Real pinch me moments, says Mairead, her face lighting up.

But while Celtic Woman's global touring and recording schedule allowed her to perform in front of huge audiences around the world, Mairead continued to work on her own material, releasing her second solo album last December. 'Hibernia' was a runaway success shooting straight up the Billboard Album Charts securing Mairead #4 on the World Music Charts; #9 on the Classical Crossover Charts, #11 on Classical Charts and #9 on the Heatseeker Charts.

In 2011, Mairead married Jim Mustapha, Jr., the former lighting director for Celtic Woman who now tours with rock band The Who.

It's a bit of a rock and roll lifestyle I suppose. We both know the business and the work that goes into making an album or organising a tour, so it works well, she offers.

Today the couple are based in Boston but she says the family cottage in Tipperary will always be considered home.

I've been very lucky in my career but Loughmore will always have a special place in my heart. There's something special about coming home and I think we captured a little bit of that magic in the Devil's Bit, she smiles.

The Nesbitt family album Devils Bit Sessions will be released in May. Mairead is also launching a new violin line, The Mairead Nesbitt Celtic Violin Collection which will be available soon from her website www.maireadnesbittviolin.com
Nenagh Municipal District Council manager Marcus O'Connor expects that the next phase of the waste water, water and gas mains pipe laying on Dublin Road, will be "quite disruptive".

The work is not scheduled for another few weeks as the next phase will be Friar Street and Abbey Street, which will impact on car parking in the area as well as business along Friar Street and the Friday country market in the New Institute.

Friar Street was due to close this Monday and to remain closed until May 5, with diversions in place.

Cllr Joe Hannigan is worried that the CBS grounds will become a shortcut from Dublin Road when the work starts, but Cllr Hughie McGrath pointed out that the school has a barrier that will prevent that happening.

The work on Martyr's Road is continuing and there are concerns about people using locally known routes as rat runs. However, it is understood that the contractors can't legally divert traffic from the turn for Lidl through the road at the back of the former Nenagh Shopping Centre as this is not a public road. However, local motorists are using this route.

It is very dangerous. It is being used as a rat run, according to Cllr Seamus Morris.

He described the situation as very dangerous, and highlighted that the local Baptist Church congregation had been locked out recently because of the work.

Mr O'Connor said he would see if the contractor could stop motorists using that route.

Meanwhile, Mr O'Connor told Cllr McGrath that he will ask Gas Networks Ireland to liaise with the St Patrick's Day parade committee on the when the current work at Martyr's Road will be finished. The annual parade always finishes at the Nenagh railway station end of Martyr's Road.

Meanwhile, Tipperary County Council has met a number of parties in relation to the work being carried out at Main Street, Borrisokane, and reached agreement on a lot of issues, Nenagh MDC councillors have been told.

District manager Marcus O'Connor said the council hoped to have a revised Part 8 procedure shortly.

We have gone a long way to meet the concerns of a lot of people out there, he said.

Cllr Michael O'Meara has suggested that the council and locals meet ahead of going to Part 8 to head off any difficulties.
This Sunday March 5th marks the 150th Anniversary of the Fenian Rising of 1867.

Ormond Historical Society and Borrisoleigh Historical Society have joined forces to mark this important milestone in Irish revolutionary history.

Although one more in the list of unsuccessful military uprisings against British rule, the Fenian rising was a significant event, both nationally and in Co Tipperary. The episode was one which would help to shape the future of Ireland.

The Irish Republican Brotherhood members who were the guiding hand in staging the 1916 Rising, which eventually lead to Irish freedom. took their inspiration from the leaders of the Fenian revolt of 1867.

On that night in 1867, bands of Fenians rose out all over the country in what was the first attempt ever to form an Irish Republic. Borrisoleigh and the surrounding areas were no exceptions, with groups assembling at Barnane, Dovea, Moyaliffe, Roskeen, Drombane and in Borrisoleigh itself.

While the rising could be described as an abject failure, with the participants quickly rounded up and imprisoned or transported, it did go on to inspire a new generation fifty years later with the insurrection of 1916.

In Templederry, a band of Fenians made an attempt to raid ''a house of the gentry'' to procure arms. However, the police and militia were aware of the plan and the men were ambushed and captured. In the incident, one of the group, Jeremiah Bourke was shot and seriously wounded. His fellow conspirators were captured, tried and transported to Australia but because of his injuries, the trial of Bourke was delayed.

The following year he was tried in Kilkenny and sentenced to eighteen months in prison. Jeremiah Bourke was to go on to play an important role in the War of Independence. His family home in Templederry was a noted safe haven for men ''on the run'' and indeed, Sean Treacy, Seamus Robinson and Sean Hogan were to find refuge there.

His greatest contribution perhaps, was his role as a judge in the Republican courts. As the country bordered on anarchy in the wake of the truce of 1921, with burnings, reprisals and acts of vandalism becoming commonplace, Bourke stepped in and was steadfast in the protection of his Protestant neighbours, ex British army men and retired RIC.

On Sunday, March 5th, between 1.45pm and 2pm, we assemble at Ballyroan bridge and walk the mile to Glenkeen graveyard, to the grave of Jeremiah Bourke.

About Jeremiah Bourke

Jeremiah Bourke, at whose grave in Glankeen, we are commemorating the Fenian rising was born a short distance from the ancient monastery of St Cualain where he now rests. Born during the Famine years of the 1840s he was just a young man when he joined the Fenian Brotherhood. Going in search of arms he and a group of his Fenian comrades were surprised by a police patrol near Templederry village.

The police, aware of their plan, allowed them pass and then opened fire wounding Bourke and capturing his colleagues. All were tried and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.

Jeremiah Bourke was still alive when his childrens generation started their revolt in 1920 in Tipperary. Bourkes home in Templederry was a safe house where the famous Tipperary fugitives Sean Treacy, Dan Breen, Seamus Robinson and Sean Hogan were sheltered.

In the 1918 General Election he was one of the many Tipperary proposers of Joseph McDonaghs candidature. He became a respected judge in the Sinn Fein courts set up to replace the ascendancy controlled courts which had sentenced him and his Fenian colleagues 50 years earlier. He was noted for being impartial and intervened in a number of cases where he saw sectarian motives behind operations planned by the IRA.

When he died in September 1933 Jeremiah Bourke was the last survivor of the Tipperary Fenians of 1867.

If you have family stories inked to the Fenians or other generations of Irish rebels, or their opponents, please let us know at the events in Borrisoleigh on 5th March 2017 or by contacting your local historical society.
By Press Trust of India: From Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Mar 3 (PTI) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today announced that Nepal would soon get exchange facilities for the demonetised high-value Indian currency notes to ease difficulties faced by Nepalese citizens.

Jaitley, who was here on a two-day visit to attend the Nepal Investment Summit, said necessary steps have been taken to facilitate the exchange of demonetised currency as per Nepals request.

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He said Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) would set a modality of exchange soon and settle the related issues.

Indian currency is widely used in Nepal for day-to-day transactions, especially in the border areas.

Also, Nepalese citizens working in India send remittances to their families in Nepal in higher denomination notes. Nepal, a landlocked country, depends on India for trade and supplies.

According to the NRB, nearly 33.6 million Indian rupees in Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 banknotes are currently in the Nepali banking channel. However, it is not known how much such banknotes are in the hands of Nepali traders, families of migrant workers and the general public.

Earlier, Nepals central bank had assured the RBI that it will introduce strong vetting process for those coming to exchange demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in the country and ensure that the system is not misused.

A two-member RBI team had arrived here on Tuesday to hold talks on management of demonetised Indian notes possessed by Nepali banks and financial institutions as well as the public.

The team held discussions with the officials of the NRB and representatives of commercial banks on a range of technical issues on providing exchange facility for demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 Indian currency notes in Nepal.

The Indian government on November 8 banned high-value currency notes as part of its efforts to combat corruption. PTI SBP NSA AKJ NSA

--- ENDS ---
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Pivotal Data Partners With Polycom for Hosted and Business VoIP

By Michael Guta , Contributing Writer

The global Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services market is expanding at almost double digit rates as developing countries around the world deploy IP telephony. This is being driven by investments in network infrastructure, which is allowing service providers to offer business VoIP, hosted IP PBX, contact center services and more. In awarding Pivotal Data its Platinum Partner Status for Polycoms Hosted Voice Program, Polycom is recognizing the growth that is taking place in South Africa in IP communications. The Platinum Partner Status is the highest accreditation in Polycoms Hosted Voice partner program.

Pivotal Data provides technology solutions, data analytics and business management, and with the support of Interactive Intelligence offers fully hosted VoIP communication and contact center solutions.

According to Johan Moolman, CEO of Pivotal Data, the expertise his company brings to the Polycom service portfolio is one of the reasons it received accreditation.

He goes on to say, Platinum status indicates that Pivotal Data has made, and will continue to make, the investments in its technical expertise and go-to-market capabilities required to address the complex and ever-changing Hosted Voice needs of todays customers. Pivotal Data selected the Polycom range of IP phones as the handset of choice for our Hosted IP PBX and Contact Centre offerings since the platform integrates seamlessly with a variety of Polycom VVX Business Media Phones, said Moolman.

The Polycom VVX Business Media Phones are a family of business VoIP phones that provide unified voice and video communications for executives and staff as well as call attendants for organizations of all sizes. They are designed to deliver quality audio and video technology with a user interface that simplifies the way users communicate to improve productivity and business workflows.

The media features have advanced application capabilities for sharing content during audio and video conferences. It can also be used for hosted or on premises IP PBX and SIP or H.323 video systems without expensive IT support costs. And according to Polycom, the phones can be customized with APIs for third-party applications in horizontal and vertical markets so CSPs can provide specialized services for their customers.

A recent report by Transparency Market Research (TMR) revealed the hosted voice market is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 9.7 percent from 2014 to 2020, with a value of $136.76 billion by the end of the forecast period. As more developing countries continue to make the necessary investments in their infrastructure, the number of business VoIP customers will grow even more.

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Edited by Alicia Young
[March 03, 2017] Malwarebytes CEO Marcin Kleczynski Named CEO of the Year by 2017 Global Excellence Awards

Malwarebytes, the leading advanced malware prevention and remediation solution, announced today that Marcin Kleczynski, CEO of Malwarebytes, was awarded the title of "CEO of the Year" at the Info Security Products Guide's 13th annual Global Excellence Awards. Kleczynski took home the gold in the 100 - 499 employees category for his company leadership and dedication to fostering the next generation of computer scientists. "It's an honor to receive an award acknowledging our efforts to create a malware-free existence for consumers and businesses alike, while helping to source and grow the IT security leaders of tomorrow," said Kleczynski. "This early mission evolved into the formation of Malwarebytes, one of the fastest-growing cyber security companies that protects people and businesses from dangerous threats that escape traditional antivirus detection. Our growth is a direct result of the talented security professionals that help us protect tens of thousands of businesses and millions of end-users today." The security field is experiencing a skills shortage of epic proportions that has left many employers looking to non-security professionals to lead security projects, resulting in efforts that are not up to the standards required for protecting against today's threats. Kleczynski uses his experience as a successful tech entrepreneur to inspire the next generation of IT security professionals through ongoing school visits and prominent conference discussions. He believes that encouraging students to pursue cybersecurity as a career choice will help address this critical shortage of cybersecurity professionals. Through Kleczynski's guidance, Malwarebytes secured a $50 million Series B funding round from Fidelity Management and Research Company and has grown significantly in size and scope. In 2016, the company's corporate subscription base grew to become the majority of its user base and Malwarebytes experienced record renewals for both consumer and corporate customers. Additionally, the company added 200 individuals to its employee base with continued global expansion. Malwarebytes now employs nearly 500 employees worldwide, with office locations in Santa Clara, California; Cork, Ireland; Clearwater, Florida; Tallinn, Estonia; London, England; and Singapore. In 2016, Kleczynski also guided the hiring of the company's first Chief Information Security Officer, the appointment of a Head of Asia Pacific Operations, and launched Middle East operations. The security industry celebrated its 13th Annual 2017 Global Excellence Awards in San Francisco by honoring excellence in every facet of the security inustry including products, people and companies. More than 40 judges from a broad spectrum of global industry voices participated and their average scores determined the 2017 Global Excellence Awards Finalists and Winners. The winners were announced during the awards dinner and presentation on February 13, 2017 in San Francisco attended by the finalists, judges and industry peers.



About Info Security Products Guide Info Security Products Guide plays a vital role in keeping end-users informed of the choices they can make when it comes to protecting their digital resources. It is written expressly for those who are adamant on staying informed of security threats and the preventive measures they can take. You will discover a wealth of information in this guide including tomorrow's technology today, best deployment scenarios, people and technologies shaping info security, and market research reports that facilitate in making the most pertinent security decisions. The Info Security Products Guide Global Excellence Awards recognize and honor excellence in all areas of information security. To learn more, visit http://www.infosecurityproductsguide.com/ and stay secured.

About Malwarebytes Malwarebytes is the next-gen cybersecurity company that millions worldwide trust. Malwarebytes proactively protects people and businesses against dangerous threats such as malware, ransomware, and exploits that escape detection by traditional antivirus solutions. The company's flagship product combines advanced heuristic threat detection with signature-less technologies to detect and stop a cyberattack before damage occurs. Tens of thousands of businesses worldwide use, trust, and recommend Malwarebytes. Founded in 2008, the company is headquartered in California, with offices in Europe and Asia, and a global team of threat researchers and security experts. For more information, please visit us at http://www.malwarebytes.com/. Malwarebytes founder and CEO Marcin Kleczynski started the company to create the best disinfection and protection solutions to combat the world's most harmful Internet threats. Marcin was recently named "CEO of the Year" in the Global Excellence awards and has been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Rising Stars of Enterprise Technology list and the Silicon Valley Business Journal's 40 Under 40 award, adding those to an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Follow us on Facebook (News - Alert): https://www.facebook.com/Malwarebytes

Follow us on Twitter (News - Alert): @malwarebytes https://twitter.com/malwarebytes

Follow us on LinkedIn (News - Alert): https://www.linkedin.com/company/malwarebytes

See us on YouTube (News - Alert): http://www.youtube.com/malwarebytes

Read our latest Malwarebytes Labs blog: https://blog.malwarebytes.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005172/en/

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[March 02, 2017] 3 Sure-Fire Ways to Invalidate Your Travel Insurance Claim on a Cruise

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruises are about relaxing and getting away, but being too relaxed or mishandling a travel insurance claim can cost travelers thousands. Leading travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth, warns travelers of three mistakes that can invalidate their claim. Mistake No. 1: Drinking Too Much

Travel insurance typically does not cover an injury or illness that occurs while drunk during a cruise, even if that injury causes cruisers to return home early or miss upcoming excursions. "Your judgment is impaired when you're drunk, so anything that occurs while you're under the influence can be automatically excluded," said Squaremouth Claims Director Brandi Morse. Travelers need to back their claim with medical documentation. If that documentation shows the incident occurred while they were drunk, their claim can be denied. Mistake No. 2: Not Documenting Losses

There is risk of lost or stolen baggage on a cruise ship, just as there is with any other trip. In order to be covered, travelers should otify their cruise line as soon as possible.



Providers can deny a claim for lost or stolen items if the incident wasn't documented in a reasonable amount of time. Having the original receipts will also be an advantage during the claims process. Mistake No. 3: Buying The Cruise Line's Insurance

Travel insurance offered by cruise lines is often designed to boost profits, not to provide comprehensive coverage for travelers. Because cruise lines can receive high commissions from their insurance underwriters, they often take away from the coverage provided.

Cruise line travel insurance typically only covers the cruise portion of the trip. Any expenses purchased outside of the cruise line are usually not covered. Third-party travel insurance is designed to give travelers comprehensive coverage from when they leave home to when they return home, and can cover flights, hotels, and tours, along with the cruise. For more information on travel insurance coverage for cruises, visit Squaremouth's Cruise Travel Insurance Information Center. ABOUT SQUAREMOUTH

Squaremouth compares travel insurance policies from every major travel insurance provider in the United States. Using Squaremouth's comparison engine and third-party customer reviews, travelers can research and compare insurance products side-by-side. More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com. Available Topic Expert:

Megan Singh

[email protected]

(727) 378-0938 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/3-sure-fire-ways-to-invalidate-your-travel-insurance-claim-on-a-cruise-300417342.html SOURCE Squaremouth

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[March 02, 2017] SmartStory Technologies, URU, VirtualApt and Visit.org Named as Accenture ConsumerTech Champions

By demonstrating a strong commitment to innovation, four early-stage technology start-ups - SmartStory Technologies, URU, VirtualApt and Visit.org - have received Accenture ConsumerTech Awards at the Millennial 20/20 Summit in New York. The awards recognize start-ups that are enhancing the way organizations engage with millennials - with a focus on excellence in customer experience and personalization; on innovative ways to increase sales revenue, improve product sourcing and delivery; and on helping to enable a more digital workforce. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170302006404/en/ VirtualApt, winner of the Millennial Shopper award (Photo: Business Wire) The winners in each category are: Millennial Shopper: VirtualApt is focused on providing realistic Virtual Reality content. Their mission is to provide high quality, realistic VR videos on multiple platforms at a lw price point and fast delivery time. They can provide a variety of end-to-end technology services that combine VR and Augmented Reality elements to add to a client's existing technology portfolio. They use a layered intellectual property strategy including copyright and patent protection to allow them to continue leading the way as this emerging technology grows, improves and becomes mainstream.



Millennial Consumer: URU is creating a new generation of computer vision-powered, content aware advertisements for video and more immersive mediums like AR and VR. The software automatically finds places inside videos that can unobtrusively host ads, then instantly (and artfully) blends ads into them. The result is a new ad spot at a time when video's booming, but video ad real estate is limited. Millennial Traveller: Visit.org is one of the world's largest discovery and booking platforms for immersive, impactful travel experiences hosted by do-good organizations around the world.

Millennial Driver: SmartStory Technologies is a cloud based platform and integrated solution provider helping brands create, push and analyze personalized stories at high value moments in pre-sale, point of sale and post sale customer experiences. The third round of the Accenture (News - Alert) ConsumerTech Awards attracted more than 200 entries from across the globe. Twelve shortlisted companies were invited to New York to pitch to an exclusive panel of judges that included senior executives from globally recognized brands, including Nestle, Shiseido Group, Starwood and The Aldo Group. Teo Correia, senior managing director, Accenture, said: "It's exciting to work with entrepreneurs because, like Accenture, they picture a future where innovation, supported by technology, arms consumer-facing brands with the tools to connect with millennials and improve their experience. Once again, we were impressed by the levels of excellence and diversity of submissions, which further demonstrates the momentum of digital innovation and creative solutions we are seeing across consumer industries." In addition to receiving their awards, winners will have access to a team of industry experts at Accenture who will provide them advice and consultation on how to improve select areas of their business and who will introduce them to the company's clients. About Accenture Accenture (NYSE:ACN) is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions - underpinned by the world's largest delivery network - Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 394,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170302006404/en/

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[March 02, 2017] Physicians Realty Announces Pricing of $400 Million of 4.30% Senior Unsecured Notes Due March 15, 2027

Physicians Realty Trust (NYSE:DOC) (the "Company"), a self-managed healthcare real estate company, announced today that its operating partnership, Physicians Realty L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the "Operating Partnership"), priced an offering of $400 million aggregate principal amount of 4.30% senior unsecured notes due March 15, 2027 (the "Notes"). The closing of the offering is expected to occur on March 7, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions. Net proceeds from the sale of the Notes, after deducting the underwriting discount and before deducting any fees and expenses of the Company and the Operating Partnership, are expected to be approximately $396.1 million. The Operating Partnership intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to repay a portion of its borrowings under its unsecured credit facility and for general corporate purposes, including, without limitation, working capital and investment in real estate. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc. and Jefferies LLC are serving as joint book-running managers for the offering. The offering is being made pursuant to the Company's and the Operating Partnership's automatic shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), which became effective on February 24, 2017. Copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus may be obtained from the Commission's website at www.sec.gov or by calling: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC collect at (212) 834-4533; Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc. at (866) 807-6030; or Jefferies LLC at (877) 877-0696. Before you invest in the Notes, you should read the prospectus in such shelf registration statement, the prospectus supplement related to the offering and other documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus and the prospectus supplement for more complete information about the Company, the Operating Partnership and this offering.



About Physicians Realty Trust

Physicians Realty Trust is a self-managed healthcare real estate company organized to acquire, selectively develop, own and manage healthcare properties that are leased to physicians, hospitals and healthcare delivery systems. The Company invests in real estate that is integral to providing high quality healthcare. The Company is a Maryland real estate investment trust and has elected to be taxed as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Company conducts its business through an UPREIT structure in which its properties are owned by the Operating Partnership, directly or through limited partnerships, limited liability companies or other subsidiaries. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "estimate", "plan", "outlook", and "project" and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward looking statements include any statements regarding the Company's strategic and operational plans. 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 such performance or results will be achieved. Forward looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements 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. These forward looking statements include any statements regarding the Company's strategic and operational plans. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, not all of which are known to the Company and many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. These risks and uncertainties are described in greater detail in the Company's filings with the Commission, including, without limitation, the Company's annual and periodic reports and other documents filed with the Commission. Unless legally required, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Completion of the offering on the terms described, and the application of net proceeds, are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including, without limitation, general economic conditions, market conditions and other factors, including those factors discussed in the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus and in the Company's annual and periodic reports and other documents filed with the Commission, copies of which are available on the Commission's website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements after the date of this release. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170302006420/en/

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SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Goldberg Law PC Announces an Investigation of Caterpillar Inc. and Advises Investors with Losses to Contact the Firm

Goldberg Law PC announces that it is investigating Caterpillar Inc. ("Caterpillar" or the "Company") (NYSE: CAT) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws.

If you purchased or otherwise acquired Caterpillar shares and would like more information regarding the investigation, we encourage you to click here, or contact Michael Goldberg or Brian Schall, of Goldberg Law PC, 1999 Avenue of the Stars Suite 1100, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067, at 00-977-7401, to discuss your rights without cost to you. You can also reach us through the firm's website at http://www.Goldberglawpc.com, or by email at [email protected].







On March 2, 2017, it was announced that federal law enforcement authorities, such as the U.S. Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service, entered Caterpillar's Peoria, Illinois, headquarters and its offices in East Peoria and Morton, Ill.

Corrie Scott from Caterpillar confirmed that "Law enforcement is present in various Peoria-area Caterpillar facilities executing a search warrant. Caterpillar is cooperating."

When this information was revealed to investors, the value of Caterpillar fell, causing investors harm.

If you have any questions concerning your legal rights, please immediately contact Goldberg Law PC at 800-977-7401, or visit our website at http://www.Goldberglawpc.com, or email us at [email protected].

Goldberg Law PC represents shareholders around the world and specializes in securities class actions and shareholder rights litigation.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170302006442/en/
[March 02, 2017] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Files Securities Class Action Lawsuit Against Omega Protein Corporation

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces that it has filed a class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of a class (the "Class") consisting of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Omega Protein Corporation ("Omega Protein" or the "Company") (NYSE: OME) securities between June 4, 2013 and March 1, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"). If you are a member of the Class described above, you may move the Court no later than sixty days from the date of this notice, to serve as lead plaintiff. Please contact Lesley Portnoy at 888-773-9224 or 310-201-9150, or at [email protected] to discuss this matter. On our around June 4, 2013, the Company disclosed that it had reached an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia that resolved a pending Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Coast Guard investigation. According to the terms of the settlement agreement, the Compan pleaded guilty to two Clean Water Act violations, paid a fine, and was placed on a three year term probation. Then, on March 1, 2017, Omega Protein disclosed that in December 2016, it received a subpoena from the SEC (News - Alert) requesting information in connection with an investigation relating to a subsidiary's compliance with its probation terms and the Company's protection of whistleblower employees.



The complaint filed in this lawsuit alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects, including: 1) that Omega Protein's subsidiary was potentially not in compliance with its probation terms; (2) that the Company was not properly protecting whistleblower employees; (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, the Company was vulnerable to an SEC investigation and potential civil and criminal liability; and (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' statements about Omega Protein's business, operations, and prospects, were false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. If you purchased shares of Omega Protein during the Class Period you may move the Court no later than sixty days from the date of this notice to ask the Court to appoint you as lead plaintiff. To be a member of the Class you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the Class. If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, Esquire, of Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067, at (310) 201-9150, by e-mail to [email protected], or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170302006486/en/

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[March 02, 2017] Dhruv Technology Solutions Inc (DTS), a Leading Systems Integration and Consulting Firm Announced the Acquisition of a US-based Company - Waikato Inc

BANGALORE, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dhruv Technology Solutions Inc (DTS) announced the acquisition of Waikato Inc. The companies did not disclose the size of the transaction. Waikato Inc was serving clients in healthcare, hi-tech and not-for-profit verticals around business intelligence, data management, application development and business process support. Waikato Inc has offices in both the east coast as well as the west coast. Dhruv Management confirmed the acquisition for an undisclosed amount. Sunil Naik, Director said, "With this acquisition, we are looking to strengthen our service portfolio as well as presence in the US market within healthcare, manufacturing, insurance and hi-tech verticals. We look forward to serving the existing Waikato clients and also grow our footprint with the Waikato capabilities." "With the opportunities that Waikato has experienced, it makes perfect sense to have the solid marketing and execution engine of Dhruv," says CEO of Waikato, Kary Kalapanda. "We will bring a set of horizontal capabilities that we have demonstrated success historically, to various verticals and keep our focus on solvng critical business problems for our clients."



Anil Eraiah, Director said, "Kary will continue to serve as CEO of Waikato and will integrate our US-based operations and brands into a single entity. This will help us streamline our operations and help us grow fast. Kary is leading our transformation from a skills based to a more verticals and solutions focused organization and we are very excited about our future." About Dhruv:

Dhruv Technology Solutions Inc (DTS) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dhruv Compusoft Consultancy Pvt. Ltd., a leading information technology, consulting and outsourcing company, that delivers solutions in area of manufacturing,insurance,financial services, healthcare and not-for-profits. Helping clients in realizing their goals by providing business solutions through technology on business critical applications like shop-floor systems for manufacturing, eCommerce, B2B integration of vendors and customers, data integration solutions for cloud platforms, reporting solutions on customer life-cycle to product life-cycle, enterprise mobility solutions to name a few of their key focus areas. It has offices in India ( Bangalore and Mysore ), Singapore and USA. For more information, please visit http://www.dhruvts.com or write to [email protected]. About Waikatao Inc: Waikato solutions Inc is a San Diego based IT consulting firm and specialize in application development and business intelligence, data management services. Their experience spans healthcare providers, wellness companies, life sciences etc. Please visit http://waikatosolutions.com/ for more details. Media contact:

Anil Eraiah

[email protected]

+91-(080)65329626

Director

Dhruv Compusoft Consultancy Pvt Ltd





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[March 03, 2017] iguama Expands Cross-Border e-Commerce Shopping Mall Into Mexico

MIAMI, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cross-border shopping leader iguama announced it has expanded its online shopping mall operations into Mexico, securing a larger share of e-commerce space which now totals seven countries in Latin America. The launch allows customers in Mexico access to iguama's online retail partners, which include Overstock.com, Target, Juicy Couture, BCBG and many more. Founded in 2014, iguama, a cross-border shopping mall, offers savings on thousands of U.S. retail brands, while providing a secure cross-border shopping experience. All local customs, taxes and shipping are handled by iguama, removing international barriers from customers and guaranteeing delivery. "We are very excited to expand into Mexico, which is the second largest market for e-commerce in Latin America. With an online retail growth rate of over 17% per year, Latin America is one of the fastest growing regions for online sales," said Diego Fernandez, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer ofiguama. "Our innovative technology and security measures allow us to guarantee a safe and secure shopping experience while providing excellent value to every customer shopping online for their favorite products."



According to the Latin American E-Commerce Report, Mexico is a leader in e-commerce and has substantial potential for online retail growth, with forecasts of $11 billion in sales by 2018. Yet its challenge has been in the payments industry, with 32% of all purchases paid with cash on delivery. iguama plans to change the way customers in Mexico think about shopping with its secure online payment processing. Recently, iguama announced a $5 million Series A financing round led by technology venture capital firms Kibo Ventures and PeopleFund to accelerate expansion of iguama into new markets.

About iguama

Established in 2014, iguama is the leading e-commerce cross-border shopping mall where Latin Americans shop top quality U.S. brands and Stores at affordable prices. All of the complexity in cross-border transactions is handled by iguama, which include: local marketing, customer service, total in country calculation of price, efficient logistics and payment acceptance. Based in Miami, iguama is backed by technology venture capital firms Kibo Ventures and PeopleFund. For more information visit www.iguama.com. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iguama-expands-cross-border-e-commerce-shopping-mall-into-mexico-300417586.html SOURCE iguama

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By Press Trust of India: From Prasoon Srivastava

Barcelona, Mar 3 (PTI) Finnish company Nokia Technologies will partner with HMD Global to sell its smart health devices under the Withings brand by June in India.

"We are working with HMD as partner... we are putting in place a co-marketing programme. You can expect to see these products in stores along with HMDs Nokia branded products," Nokia Technologies Vice-President for Digital Health, Cedric Hutchings, told PTI in an interview.

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Nokia Technologies acquired Withings in May 2016 for USD 191 million to launch its Digital Health business.

"We made many studies to comprehend that it was the right thing (Withings acquisition by Nokia) to do. In many markets, including India, there is much traction to have these products under the Nokia brand. Global relaunch of these products will happen under Nokia in summers, late second quarter this year, including in India," Hutchings said.

HMD Global has licence to sell Nokia-branded phones which recently re-launched Nokias 17-year-old feature phone Nokia 3310.

"We have just put small partnership in place for distribution in September in India. Now what is changing is we will go with HMD," he said.

The company has a range of smart products to keep track of health like temperature, cardiovascular activity, sleep monitoring, blood pressure, etc with help of devices that will be connected through a mobile application health mate through wi-fi or mobile data.

"Every beat the heart generates a wave, that propagates along the arteries. The propagation speed of this wave is directly linked to the health of your arteries. Faster speeds indicate stiffer arteries, which increase the risk of developing hypertension or cardiovascular disease. Body cardio senses it and provides all the measurements on health mate app," Hutchings said.

He said the Withings scale will also show body fat, water percentage, muscle and bone mass.

"We have patient care platform available for doctors that captures data generated by a range of our devices. We will partner with hospitals for health monitoring platforms so that they can remotely monitor health of their patients and also get alert on their health status," Hutchings added.

Withings products will sell in the range of USD 49-211 a unit. PTI PRS ARD

--- ENDS ---
[March 03, 2017] Wipro Partners with University of North Texas at Dallas to Expand the Wipro Science Education Fellowship Program

Wipro Ltd. (News - Alert) (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, and the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) today jointly announced the expansion of the Wipro Science Education Fellowship program in the United States. This multi-year program will involve more than 70 school teachers, with the aim of nurturing excellence in science, starting with the public school systems of the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) area. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005364/en/ The Wipro Science Education Fellowship (Wipro SEF) Program will focus on training educators to build leadership skills and teaching excellence within STEM disciplines, by leveraging research-validated expertise from UNT Dallas' College of Education, and designing transformative and innovative instructional experiences for DFW area's K-12 schools that traditionally are under-funded. For the Greater DFW public schools system, this program and its Fellows will be an integrated part of its effort towards STEM capacity development in six districts, including Cedar Hill Independent School District, Dallas Independent School District, Desoto Independent School District, Grand Prairie Independent School District, Irving School District and Lancaster Independent School District. "Wipro is deeply committed to contributing towards improvement in STEM education in public schools," said Anurag Behar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Wipro Limited. "At the heart of this are motivated STEM teachers. It's important to pursue efforts and investment that ensure sustained and empowering professional development of teachers." The three-year program, funded entirely by Wipro, comprises of a rigorous selection process that will identify 24 experienced science teachers from grades K-12 within the Greater DFW area to participate in the program each year (serving 72 Fellows in total). The nomination process for the fellowship will commence by mid-March with the selection due to be completed by early May. The Wipro SEF program is scheduled to begin in August 2017. Behar added, "The Wipro Science Education Fellowship that Wipro runs in partnership with UMass Boston, works with local partners across the U.S. who have a deep commitment to public service, especially public education for local communities. Our partners also have expertise in teacher education and the desire to develop it further, as well as credibility and relationships with local communities and school districts. We see the University of Northern Texas at Dallas as a perfect partner in this context." Selected teachers will undergo 250 hours of intense capability development training by a UNT Dallas team guided by Arthur Eisenkraft, distinguished Professor of Science Education, Professor of Physics and Director of the 'Centre of Science and Math in Context' (COSMIC) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Each teacher will continue to teach in their respective schools, and throughout the duration of the fellowship, they will also engage with local communities and other interested teachers. The program helps enable leadership, reflective practice and adult learning. Eisenkraft noted, "The Wipro SEF program has successfully supported sustainable change within 15 total school districts - five school districts each in New York, Ne Jersey and Massachusetts. Many of the 180 Fellows in those locations have identified the Wipro SEF program as the best professional development of their careers. They are now supporting district initiatives as teacher leaders while remaining in the classroom. Children in grades K-12 are benefiting from both the improved classroom practice and the additional projects that the Wipro Fellows have initiated. These include science libraries in kindergarten classes, astronomy clubs in middle schools and stronger laboratory programs in high schools. It is exciting to welcome UNT Dallas as our newest University hub and to be a participant and catalyst for the positive change that will occur in the local school districts."



Successful participants of the Wipro SEF UNT Dallas program will earn a Graduate Certificate in STEM Teaching and Leadership, recognizing their commitment and expertise in STEM fields in urban education. All program participants will also become part of the STEM Urban Learning & Leadership Community. This community seeks to create a cohort culture that builds both individual and collective capacity to give an impetus for STEM learning outcomes among urban students. The program directly leverages the urban education initiatives of the School of Education, UNT Dallas, and its Master of Education (MEd) in Curriculum & Instruction. "This partnership reinforces our university's mission to empower students, transform lives and strengthen communities," said Bob Mong, UNT Dallas President. "The teachers who will participate in this fellowship are in our neighborhood, and they will now have the tremendous opportunity to impact the lives of local students, and transform their schools through innovative science education. This is a win for our schools, for our students and for our community."

In addition to the partnership with UNT Dallas, Wipro has partnered with four other universities in the US. In 2012, Wipro and UMass Boston jointly launched a fellowship program that has supported 180 Fellows across 15 districts with the aim of fostering excellence. Their work has been coordinated by Mercy, Montclair, and UMass Boston. In 2014, Wipro and Michigan State University launched the MSU-Wipro Urban STEM & Leadership Fellowship that has supported 125 Chicago Public School K-12 educators. About UNT Dallas The University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) is the only regionally accredited, public university in the City of Dallas. A member of the University of North Texas System, UNT Dallas is rapidly becoming a university of first choice as a result of the personal involvement of faculty, student support resources, affordability, location, and the relevancy of programs and degrees to career offerings in the region. The university offers 21 undergraduate and seven graduate degree programs in high-demand fields including criminal justice, teacher education, business, sociology, and counseling. There are four academic schools and one professional school: the School of Business; the School of Education; the School of Human Services, the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the UNT Dallas College of Law. To learn more about UNT, visit www.untdallas.edu. About Wipro Limited. Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) 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 170,000, serving clients across 6 continents. For more information, please visit www.wipro.com. Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005364/en/

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[March 03, 2017] Telecom Service Assurance Market Worth 7.01 Billion USD by 2021

PUNE, India, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Telecom Service Assurance Market by Software (Probe Monitoring, Fault & Event Management, Quality & Service Management, Network Performance Monitoring, and Workforce Management), Service, Organization Size, Deployment Type - Global Forecast to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market size is estimated to grow from USD 4.30 Billion in 2016 to USD 7.01 Billion by 2021, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.3% during the forecast period. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )

Browse 68 market data Tables and 64 Figures spread through 179 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Telecom Service Assurance Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/telecom-service-assurance-market-202411888.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. The key forces driving the Telecom Service Assurance Market include need for high optimization & increased cost savings, voluminous increase in the number of subscribers, and ability to measure the performance of a service & Quality-of-Service (QoS). Moreover, with the subsequent increase in the adoption rate of cloud service assurance, the Telecom Service Assurance Market is expected to gain major traction during the forecast period. Probe monitoring software is expected to have the largest market share in 2016. The probe monitoring software is an important part of the telecom service assurance ecosystem. Probe monitoring helps the clients to check the network and applications for any discrepancy as a method of pre-intimation. The demand in this segment is largely driven by infrastructure network upgrades, triple digit growth of data services in the developed economies, and a robust subscriber growth in the emerging markets. Ask for PDF Brochure @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=202411888 Managed services segment is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. The managed services segment in the Telecom Service Assurance Market is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. Various managed services, such as Information Technology (IT) outsourcing, business process outsourcing, and delivery management help in a fast and smooth operational flow for the Communication Service Providers (CSPs), thereby reducing their operational cost. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly getting inclined towards outsourcing services to suport their business requirements to focus on their core business functions. Thus, these services not only help the client in streamlining its business process but also negate the hassles of operations, thereby increasing the efficiency and profitability for the clients.



North America is expected to contribute to the largest market share; Asia-Pacific to grow the fastest. North America is expected to hold the largest market share and dominate the Telecom Service Assurance Market from 2016 to 2021, owing to the early adoption of new & emerging technologies, and the presence of large number of players in this region. Growth in this region is driven by the expansion of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks in the region. CSPs are looking for new innovative solutions to standardize their new 4G/LTE business models, provide better customer service, and measure the service quality & performance. The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is in the initial growth phase; however, it is the fastest growing region for the global Telecom Service Assurance Market. The key reason for the high growth rate in APAC is the enormous population of this region, which has led to an extensive pool of subscriber base for the telecom companies.

Inquiry before Buying @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=202411888 The major vendors providing telecom service assurance solutions are CA Technologies (New York, U.S.), Ericsson (Kista, Stockholm), Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Company (California, U.S.), NEC Corporation (Tokyo, Japan), Nokia Corporation (Espoo, Finland), Accenture (Chicago, Illinois, U.S.), Amdocs Inc. (Missouri, U.S.), Comarch S.A. (Krakow, Poland), Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. (Shenzhen, China), IBM (New York, U.S.), MYCOM OSI (Berkshire, U.K.), NetScout Systems, Inc. (Massachusetts, U.S.), Oracle Corporation (California, U.S.), Spirent Communications PLC (Crawley, U.K.), Tata Consultancy Services Limited (Mumbai, India), TEOCO Corporation (Virginia, U.S.), Viavi Solutions Inc. (California, U.S.), and ZTE Corporation (Shenzhen, China). Browse Related Reports

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http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/mobile-remittance-money-mcommerce-market-577.html Know More About our Knowledge Store @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Knowledgestore.asp About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide 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:

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Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/telecom-it Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets

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[March 03, 2017] Esteemed Corporate Partner Joins Latham's Emerging Companies Practice in the Bay Area

MENLO PARK, Calif., March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Latham & Watkins LLP1 is pleased to announce that John T. ("Jack") Sheridan has joined the firm as a corporate partner in the Emerging Companies Practice, based in the Silicon Valley office. Sheridan's practice focuses on advising public and venture-backed private companies primarily in the technology sector. During his three-decade legal career, Sheridan has advised numerous public and private companies in sophisticated corporate transactions including public offerings, venture financings and M&A transactions. He has represented companies and underwriters in more than 100 public offerings, which have raised billions of dollars of capital, and has advised more than 150 companies in successfully raising venture capital financing. He also regularly counsels clients on corporate governance and other day-to-day matters. "Jack is a well-known and highly respected player in the northern California business community, and we're thrilled to have him join our dynamic Emerging Companies practice," said Tad Freese, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in Silicon Valley. "Jack's unique combination of market experience, legal skills and engaging personality will have a strong, positive impact on our technology practice in the Bay Area and nationally, to the benefit of our clients." Patrick Pohlen, global Co-chair of the firm's Emerging Companies Practice, added: "Jack is the kind of lawyer that emerging companies and investors seek out because he's handled every possible situaion that can arise as a young company matures. His experience in the technology space fits in perfectly with our practice, and adding him to our team makes us an even stronger force in the market."



Sheridan said: "I've been impressed by Latham's dedication to working with entrepreneurs and venture-backed companies, and the firm's ability to provide the highest levels of counsel to clients throughout the life cycle of an emerging company. I also was attracted to Latham's formidable global platform and see great opportunities ahead for my practice and the clients I advise." Sheridan received his law degree in 1986 from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. In addition to his role as an attorney, Sheridan is a certified public accountant in the state of California.

Sheridan joins from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto, where he practiced corporate and securities law for more than 30 years. About Latham & Watkins Latham & Watkins is a global law firm with approximately 2,200 lawyers in its offices located in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States, including: Barcelona, Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Century City, Chicago, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Munich, New York, Orange County, Paris, Riyadh, Rome, San Diego, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. For more information on Latham & Watkins, please visit the website at www.lw.com. Notes to Editors 1 Latham & Watkins operates as a limited liability partnership worldwide with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in the United Kingdom, France and Italy and affiliated partnerships conducting the practice in Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore. Latham & Watkins operates in Seoul as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins practices in Saudi Arabia in association with the Law Office of Salman M. Al-Sudairi. Contacts

Tad Freese, Silicon Valley Office Managing Partner, +1.650.463.3060

Patrick Pohlen, Global Co-chair, Emerging Companies Practice, +1.650.463.3067 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/esteemed-corporate-partner-joins-lathams-emerging-companies-practice-in-the-bay-area-300417453.html SOURCE Latham & Watkins LLP

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[March 03, 2017] New Corn Manager from Farmers Edge Answers the Corn Nitrogen Question for High-Yield Growers

COMMODITY CLASSIC - Farmers Edge, a global leader in decision agriculture, today unveiled Corn Manager, the latest addition to its new farm management platform FarmCommand. An integrated, decision-support toolset that manages and maximizes high-yield corn production, Corn Manager equips Farmers Edge growers with new, advanced tools to track corn growth, plan nitrogen applications, and visualize overall crop health and variability. This toolset augments the decision agriculture solutions included in the new FarmCommand platform, also unveiled today at the annual Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas. To sign up for Corn Manager today, please visit: www.farmersedge.ca/smartfarmers. "Efficient, fast, and exceedingly easy to use, Corn Manager represents a major breakthrough for the industry as it transitions from precision agriculture to decision agriculture," said Dr. Solomon Folle, Senior Cropping System Modeller at Farmers Edge. "Tapping into real-time, field-centric data monitored at a finer spatial scale than ever before, this new toolset optimizes nitrogen application rates on a zone-by-zone basis. Built on a foundation of in-depth research and extensive trials, Corn Manager truly is the most comprehensive corn management system available today." Corn Manager: Three New Tools in One Accessible, Integrated Interface Corn Manager includes three primary components that will allow growers to maximize profitability, productivity, and sustainability. Introducing: Nitrogen, Staging, and Imagery. Nitrogen: The Industry's Most Accurate Zone-by-Zone Nutrient Recommendations

Nitrogen remains the most important, yet most difficult to manage, nutrient for high-yield corn production. Driven by more field-centric variables than any other model in the industry, the Nitrogen tool incorporates meteorological information from on-farm weather stations and precision, zone-bsed soil sampling test results to bring growers the most accurate, actionable nutrient recommendations in agriculture. The tool has been intensively calibrated, validated under diverse geographical conditions and tested under a wide variety of management scenarios, including a multi-year study at Iowa State University. Offering daily plus on-demand updates, it provides Farmers Edge growers with highly specific nitrogen data on a zone-by-zone basis, allowing them to adopt optimized nutrient stewardship practices that help reduce environmental impacts. More precise, easy to use and data-rich than any other nitrogen solution on the market, the Nitrogen tool will ensure that the global corn industry moves into a future defined by highly efficient and sustainable production. Staging: Pinpointing Critical Growth Stages to Enable Optimized Applications





Imagery: Advanced, High-Frequency Satellite Images for In-Season Crop Monitoring

Aggregating remotely-sensed data from up to four different sources, the highest in the industry, the Imagery tool offers high-frequency, NDVI-derived crop imagery to Farmers Edge growers. This first-in-class imagery enables Crop Health Maps and the new Field Variability Maps (FVM). Crop Health Maps provide a consistent view of the fields through time, allowing growers to track the progress of the crops. Field Variability Maps illustrate the major locations of variability across a field, then identify subtle differences to pinpoint unique areas for investigation. Leveraging high-speed satellite imagery processing, growers get access to regular insights into the progress of their crops, allowing them to detect possible issues earlier and to take corrective actions to ensure they achieve their yield targets. "In conjunction with the launch of our new and enhanced FarmCommand platform, the debut of Corn Manager marks a pivotal moment in agriculture. Now, high-yield growers have access to an integrated platform of decision-support solutions with a level of sophistication the industry has never seen," said Wade Barnes, President and CEO of Farmers Edge. "We're excited to introduce these new solutions to our expanding base of growers around the world and are proud to lead the industry into a new age of hyper-precise, decision-focused agriculture." About Farmers Edge

Farmers Edge is a global leader in decision agriculture. Combining hardware, software, agronomy, and support, Farmers Edge provides growers with the right data to inform farm management decisions that maximize productivity and profitability. Originating in Canada, Farmers Edge is now active in five countries across the globe and has received international recognition, including the World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneer award and PricewaterhouseCoopers (News - Alert) (PwC) Canada's Disruptor Innovator of the Year award, for its agricultural innovations and commitment to global sustainability. For more information, visit www.FarmersEdge.ca or www.FarmersEdgeUSA.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005150/en/

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[March 03, 2017] National Car Rental Crime Victim David Howe Meets with FL Attorney General Pam Bondi's Consumer Protection Investigators Including Director Butler

SubscriberWise, the nation's largest issuing CRA for the communications industry and the leading provider of big data, advanced-analytics, and business-rules technology, announced today that company founder and child protector David Howe traveled to Tampa, Florida, to the Office of the Attorney General for a meeting with Victoria Butler, Director of Consumer Protection Division. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005471/en/ David Howe at the Office of the Attorney General in Tampa, Florida (Photo: Business Wire) "Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's Director of Consumer Protection Division, Victoria Butler," said David Howe, National Car Rental crime victim and Florida property owner. "I also had the pleasure of meeting several key division employees who joined the conference including William E. Featheringill, Chief of Investigations Central Florida, and Louis Ceragioli, Jr., Financial Investigator North Florida Bureau. Mr. Ceragioli participated remotely by teleconference." View the PowerPoint as presented to the Florida Office of the Attorney General on Tuesday, March 2, 2017: < rel="nofollow" href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdocdro.id%2Fcf1mnDX&esheet=51520132&newsitemid=20170303005471&lan=en-US&anchor=National+Car+Rental+Scam_Findings+of+Fact+Presented+to+FL+AG+Office+by+Crime+Victim+David+Howe.pptx&index=4&md5=fb80ed5f8e3ed7d64b53a3a610ac81d1" rel="nofollow">National Car Rental Scam_Findings of Fact Presented to FL AG Office by Crime Victim David Howe.pptx



"On October 29, 2016, I was the victim of a predatory rental rip-off scam at the Fort Myers International Airport," explained Howe. "It was one of the most obvious and deliberate scams I've ever personally encountered - including compared to many of the complex financial, child, and synthetic identity crimes that I've exposed during my two-decade professional career in telecommunications: https://www.google.com/#q=subscriberwise+david+howe+fraud+expert&* . "Although Enterprise Holdings has not publicly responded to either the crime evidence provided to Lee County Port Authority Police, the company has responded to Wink News with its standard mantra of 'Human Error' ( http://www.winknews.com/2017/02/22/fort-myers-mans-complaint-among-many-against-rental-car-firm/ ).

"The company also stated 'miscommunication' as an excuse for their negligence. "As the victim of a sophisticated rental rip off scam - which included remarkable photographic evidence of criminal fraud - the opportunity to meet with consumer protection investigators from the Florida Attorney General's office was profoundly meaningful for me," emphasized Howe. "The meeting provided an opportunity for me to explain to these professionals that I had come as both a victim and as an advocate for others. "And having the opportunity to discuss my personal case was not only satisfying, but also empowering after months of boiling anger and frustration from this profoundly predatory encounter. "In addition to discussing the Attorney General's important role with my particular situation, I was able to share a number of critical recommendations that I know will help protect consumers who may be obtaining or planning a car rental reservation: Rental Car Checklist.pdf . "Along with other suggestions that I believe will minimize these predatory encounters, I intend to take these recommendations and share my experience with lawmakers across the nation. "I want to thank Attorney General Bondi, Director Butler, and the team of professional investigators at the Office of the Florida Attorney General for their relentless work protecting consumers," concluded Howe. "I also want each to know how much their time, effort, and concern means to me as a victim, a Florida home owner, and as a fellow citizen." About SubscriberWise SubscriberWise launched as the first issuing consumer reporting agency exclusively for the cable industry one decade ago. The company filed extensive documentation and end-user agreements to access TransUnion's consumer database. TransUnion approved the request as part of a pilot project in 2007. In 2009, SubscriberWise and TransUnion announced a joint marketing agreement for the benefit of America's cable operators. Today SubscriberWise is a risk management preferred-solutions provider for the National Cable Television Cooperative. SubscriberWise contributions to telecom are quantified in the billions of dollars annually. SubscriberWise is a U.S.A. federally registered trademark of the SubscriberWise Limited Liability Co. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005471/en/

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[March 03, 2017] Blockchain Based Banking App Humaniq Reschedules Its ICO in Solidarity With Chinese Investors

LUXEMBOURG, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Humaniq, a blockchain based banking application with a mission to aid 2 billion currently unbanked people from emerging economies reschedules its ICO from February 28 to April 6, 2017. Humaniq hopes that the postponed ICO will ensure unhindered participation of investors from countries like China that is currently facing certain restrictions. Humaniq's primary goal is to create an Ethereum blockchain based mobile banking app that can be offered to the over two billion people with no current access to banking services. In addition to the banking service, the app will also provide the necessary infrastructure to allow third party insurance providers, p2p lenders, and data security services to use it. The blockchain banking platform is designed by accounting for different perspectives presented by people from various countries and cultures. Chinese investors have shown a lot of interest in Humaniq's ICO. In the wake of recent developments where the country's government has restricted the movement of Bitcoin, Humaniq has in good faith moved the ICO dates to prevent any inconvenience in shifting assets within the cryptocurrency investor community. "I've been in close contact with our Chinese partners, and our internal information shows us that there is strong interest in this ICO among Chinese blockchain community members. Therefore, we're going to show some solidarity and good faith to our friends in China, and push back the ICO so that they don't miss out on early investor rewards," says Alex Fork. Fork clarified that the change in ICO dates has nothing to do with any organizational challenges. The team behind Humaniq stands ready and continues to make progress with the app. The only reason for changing the dates is to see if the Chinese government will change its stance so that investors can feel free to participate in the crowd sale unhindered. About Humaniq Launched in 2016, the Humaniq platform is a result of Alex Fork's dicussions with Vitalik Buterin and the UN representatives on a later date at the ICT Conference in Moldova. Fork has also interacted with over 500 representatives from the Russian finance industry.



Humaniq will be working closely with the head of Satoshi Centre in Botswana, Alakanani Itireleng and other partners from developing nations. They will function as regional and local leaders responsible for making the community understand the platform's importance. Itireleng is also one of the principal authors of "The African Blockchain Opportunity" and has been a tireless advocate for Blockchain in developing nations. With the goal of including over 2 billion unbanked people into the global economy, Humaniq is already off to a great start. The platform has been successful in its initial crowdfunding campaign in December 2016. The startup also has an ambitious agenda for 2017.

Humaniq is sponsoring a startup competition at the BlockShow Europe 2017 in Munich, Germany. The contest schedule coincides with the ICO launch on April 6, 2017. The event will see six finalists competing for a 10000 prize which will be offered half in Bitcoin and rest in Humaniq tokens. Learn more about Humaniq at  https://humaniq.co

Learn more about BlockShow Europe 2017  http://events.cointelegraph.com/buy-ticket/

Humaniq on Twitter  https://twitter.com/Humaniq_co

Follow Humaniq's blog at  https://blog.humaniq.co/

Humaniq on GitHub  https://github.com/humaniq

Humaniq on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXatRidLHbngYUtF8JXICPA Media Contact Contact Name: Peter Bel

Contact Email: [email protected]

Contact Phone: +7 950 228 45 68

Location: Luxembourg Humaniq is the source of this content. Virtual currency is not legal tender, is not backed by the government, and accounts and value balances are not subject to consumer protections. This press release is for informational purposes only. The information does not constitute investment advice or an offer to invest. Related Links Bitcoin PR Buzz Humaniq Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prEPErb82Mg 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/blockchain-based-banking-app-humaniq-reschedules-its-ico-in-solidarity-with-chinese-investors-300417787.html SOURCE Humaniq

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[March 03, 2017] New Study by Morinaga Milk, Using Cutting Edge Technology, Confirms Age-Related Changes in Human Gut Microbiota

Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:2264), a leading dairy product company in Japan, today announced the results of a new study that show how gut microbiota composition in a healthy human population changes with age. The study, which utilized new technology for sequencing DNA, is unique due to its size and the wide age range of its subjects (newborn to 104 years). These factors contribute to a new, comprehensive picture of the typical pattern of evolution of bacteria in the human gut. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005206/en/ (Fig.2) Sequential changes of the gut microbiota accompanying age increase (Graphic: Business Wire) Seminal research in the 1970s by Dr. Mitsuoka demonstrated drastic changes in the composition of gut microbiota species as people age 1 (Figure 1). However, at that point in time, only about 20 to 50% of gut microbiota species had been identified by the culture-based method. Despite major advances in microbiota analytical technologies, to date no large-scale analysis of the gut microbiota has been conducted to update these important findings. Morinaga, a pioneer in research on human gut microbiota, particularly Bifidobacteria, conducted the research in collaboration with Dr. Ro Osawa of Kobe University. They analyzed and compared the gut microbiota of 367 healthy Japanese individuals ranging from newborn to 104 years old using next-generation sequencing (a method for sequencing DNA). The results revealed a pattern of sequential changes in gut microbiota by age2. The researchers also analyzed the fecal samples obtained from 441 healthy subjects by real-time PCR (News - Alert) with species-specific primers in the following research and confirmed long-term changes of Bifidobacterium species in the gut. "Over the past decade, research conducted worldwide has revealed the crucial nature of gut microbiota to host health. However, the typical gut microbiota n healthy individuals has not been established." Dr. Osawa explained. "By analyzing an enormous number of microbiota from healthy populations in every age group, our findings could enable future research to identify the healthy gut microbiota composition in each life stage," he continued.



Age-related Changes in Composition of Gut Microbiota Figure 2 shows the sequential changes of the gut microbiota from infants to centenarians. While many phyla rise, the phylum Actinobacteria, including Bifidobacteria - the predominant bacteria in infants - declines rapidly after weaning and decreases even further after age 60. It also showed the predominance of the phylum Proteobacteria, such as Escherichia coli, in infants and the elderly.

Gut Microbiota Differ Greatly Among Infants, Adults and Elderly When subjects with similar gut microbiota composition are grouped together (clustering), distinct groups are formed according to broad age groups (Figure 3). This indicates that age-related differences in gut microbiota are greater than individual differences. It should be noted, however, that some adult subjects were classified into the "Elderly 1" group because they harbored gut microbiota not typical for their age. This suggests that in some people, the age of their gut microbiota may be greater than their chronological age. Bifidobacterium longum Showed the Highest Detection Rate of 88.1% Changes of Bifidobacterium species proportions in the gut microflora of 441 healthy Japanese populations aged from 0 to 104 years were also investigated. B. longum was widely detected in most individuals, from nursing infants to centenarians. Its detection rate was the highest among all investigated species - 88.1% - highlighting its importance to human health. The result also indicates that B. breve was predominant in children under 3 years old, whereas B. catenulatum group and the B. adolescentis group were predominant after weaning. Dr. Jin-zhong Xiao, General Manager of Morinaga's Next Generation Science Institute, points out that B. longum is versatile among microbiota species. "B. longum was shown to be genetically suitable to ferment both plant-derived and human milk oligosaccharide derived sugar. This characteristic could explain why B. longum is the most widespread species at all ages." 3 B. animalis ssp. lactis, which is not considered to be a species of human gut microbiota was also detected in 11.4 % of subjects, but it was restricted to individuals after weaning to less than 80 years old. "Although B. animalis ssp. lactis is thought to be not feasible for using wide variety of carbon resources in the human gut environment, its widely-use as probiotics in commercial dairy products might affect the detection after weaning". Dr. Xiao remarked, "This study showed a significant correlation of all species of Bifidobacteria except B. animalis ssp. lactis," a finding which implies "B. animalis ssp. lactis is not a commensal component in the human gut." "We will continue further research on human gut microbiota to contribute to healthy human development and the prolongation of life expectancy," Dr. Xiao added. About Morinaga Bifidobacteria For over 40 years, Morinaga has conducted research and development on Bifidobacteria - microbiota native to the human gut. Morinaga's first flagship probiotic, Bifidobacterium longum BB536, is one of the most thoroughly researched probiotics strains in the world and achieved FDA-notified GRAS in 2009. The company's second strain, Bifidobacterium breve M-16V, achieved FDA-notified GRAS and infant GRAS in 2013. For more information, visit us at http://bb536.jp/english/index.html. About Morinaga Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd. is one of the largest dairy product companies in Japan. Morinaga excels in innovative technology and offers various dairy products and other beneficial functional ingredients to customers around the world, and is celebrating the 100th anniversary this year.

Visit our website at http://www.morinagamilk.co.jp/english/. References

1. Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig A, 223:333-42(1973)

2. BMI Microbiol 16:90(2016)

3. Int J Genomics:567809(2015) View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005206/en/

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[March 03, 2017] Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC Announces Investigation of Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc.

Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC is conducting an investigation to determine whether Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc. ("Roadrunner" or the "Company") and certain of its officers and directors made false and misleading statements and/or omissions in violation of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. A class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Eastern District of Wisconsin by another law firm on behalf of purchasers of the common stock of Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc. (NYSE: RRTS) between May 8, 2014 and January 30, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"). The complaint alleges that Roadrunner and certain of its officers and directors ("Defendants") misrepresented and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Roadrunner's Morgan Southern, Inc. and Bruenger Trucking subsidiaries had engaged in improper accounting practices; (2) Roadrunner lacked effective internal controls; (3) as a result, Roadrunner overstated its earnings throughout the Class Period by tens of millions of dollars; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, Roadrunner's financial statements were materially false and misleading. The claims in this case followed the Company's announcement on January 30, 2017, that it would have to restate its financial statements dating back to 2014 due to miscellaneous accounting errors at its Morgan Southern and Bruenger subsidiaries. Roadrunner annouced that correction of the errors would result in adjustments to its previously reported results of operations in the range of $20 to $25 million. The price of Roadrunner shares fell from $11.54 to $7.92 on January 31.



Cohen Milstein encourages all investors who purchased Roadrunner common stock between May 8, 2014 and January 30, 2017, or former employees with information concerning this matter to contact the firm. If you are a Roadrunner shareholder and would like to discuss your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without any cost or obligation, call Cohen Milstein's Managing Partner, Steven J. Toll at (888) 240-0775 or (202) 408-4600, or email him at [email protected]. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 3, 2017 to request appointment. Any member of the proposed class may retain Cohen Milstein or other attorneys to serve as your counsel in this action, or you may do nothing and remain an absent class member.

Cohen Milstein has significant experience in prosecuting investor class actions and actions involving securities fraud, and is active in major litigation pending in federal and state courts throughout the nation. Cohen Milstein has taken a lead role in numerous important cases on behalf of defrauded investors, and has been responsible for a number of outstanding recoveries which, in the aggregate, total billions of dollars. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. For more information visit www.cohenmilstein.com. If you have any questions about this notice or the action, or with regard to your rights, please contact either of the following: Steven J. Toll, Esq.

Robin Bleiweis

Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC

1100 New York Avenue, N.W.

Fifth Floor

Washington, D.C. 20005

Telephone: (888) 240-0775 or (202) 408-4600

Email: [email protected]; [email protected] Attorney Advertising View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005639/en/

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[March 03, 2017] EQUITY ALERT: Rosen Law Firm Files Securities Class Action Lawsuit Against Omega Protein Corporation

Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces that it has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of Omega Protein Corporation securities (NYSE:OME) from August 3, 2016 through March 1, 2017, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit seeks to recover damages for Omega investors under the federal securities laws. To join the Omega class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-1069.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. or Kevin Chan, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. NO CLASS HAS YET BEEN CERTIFIED IN THE ABOVE ACTION. UNTIL A CLASS IS CERTIFIED, YOU ARE NOT REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL UNLESS YOU RETAIN ONE. YOU MAY ALSO REMAIN AN ABSENT CLASS MEMBER AND DO NOTHING AT THIS POINT. YOU MAY RETAIN COUNSEL OF YOUR CHOICE. According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclos that: (1) the SEC (News - Alert) is requesting information in connection with an investigation relating to Omega's subsidiary's compliance with its probation terms and Omega's protection of whistleblower employees; (2) it is possible that the foregoing matter could result in a material adverse effect on Omega's business, reputation, results of operation and financial condition; and (3) as a result, Defendants' statements about Omega's business, operations and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable bases at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.



A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than May 2, 2017. If you wish to join the litigation, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-1069.html or to discuss your rights or interests regarding this class action, please contact Phillip Kim or Kevin Chan of Rosen Law Firm toll free at 866-767-3653 or via email at [email protected] or [email protected]. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn (News - Alert): https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter (News - Alert): https://twitter.com/rosen_firm.

Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005653/en/

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[March 03, 2017]

Media Advisory - Minister Carr to Attend CERAWeek 2017 in Houston, Texas

OTTAWA, March 3, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jim Carr, will attend CERAWeek 2017 from March 6 to 10 in Houston, Texas. This annual event is one of the largest international energy conferences, bringing together energy industry leaders, experts, government officials, policymakers and innovators from around the world.

Minister Carr will meet with his new U.S. counterparts s well as with his counterparts from other countries, including India, the United Kingdom and Israel. The Minister will also participate in a panel discussion focused on Canada's energy dynamics and engage in a discussion moderated by Carlos Pascual, Senior Vice President of IHS Markit, the conference's organizer.







Minister Carr will also participate in the Prime Minister's program at the conference, for which details can be found at http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/02/prime-minister-trudeau-address-global-energy-leaders-houston.

SOURCE Natural Resources Canada
The former chief minister also expressed disappointment at PDP's deliberate and deafening silence on comments made by senior BJP leader and its MP Sakshi Maharaj who had recently remarked that there was no place for Muslims to be buried in India and they should be cremated.

By Ashraf Wani: National Conference Working President Omar Abdullah today said PDP's continued subservience to the BJP was alarming and could have long-lasting adverse implications on the state and its stability.

Addressing party functionaries and workers in Beerwah today, Abdullah said the multi-fold increase in number of pellet guns from around 600 to now around 6,000 showed that the present government had chosen to not learn any lessons from the recent unrest and the devastating effect of pellet guns when hundreds of young kids lost partial or complete eyesight.

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The former chief minister also expressed disappointment at PDP's deliberate and deafening silence on comments made by senior BJP leader and its MP Sakshi Maharaj who had recently remarked that there was no place for Muslims to be buried in India and they should be cremated.

SAKSHI MAHARAJ ISSUE

"Such is the extent and depth of PDP's sell-out to the BJP that they can't even muster the courage to oppose Sakshi Maharaj's statement denigrating Muslims and questioning their right to be buried in accordance to their religious rights and rituals," he said.

While answering questions raised by the media on the sidelines of party function at Beerwah, he said PDP is a partner of the BJP and its silence in the face of such brazen statements means that PDP is a part and parcel of such communal programs that are aimed at harassing and intimidating minorities in order to derive political dividends in elections around the country.

WHEN MEHBOOBA WAS IN OPPOSITION

"We all remember Mehbooba ji's statements and press conferences on the use of pellet guns when she was in the opposition. Unfortunately despite the enormous and staggering human costs of using these guns that we witnessed in 2016, Mehbooba ji remains unmoved as the number of pellet guns are expected to go up from around 600 to around 6000 now. Imagine the height of hypocrisy and shamelessness that this government has the audacity to not only continue with the use of pellet guns but also increase their number ten-fold. Making customary offers of donating her eyes to pellet guns cannot absolve Mehbooba ji of this new u-turn," the NC working president said at the sidelines of the party event.

Condemning recent remarks made by BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, Abdullah said these remarks were deliberate attempts to intimidate and harass Muslims and use polarisation as a political tool to benefit BJP in the ongoing elections.

"While BJP has its own plans and goals to polarise people and use that as a tactic in the ongoing elections, why is PDP silent? Is it too much to ask to expect the Chief Minister of India's only Muslim majority state to stand up and speak up for the democratic and constitutional rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir? We all know what Mehbooba ji would have done in the face of such comments had she been in the opposition," Abdullah said.

--- ENDS ---

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[March 03, 2017] Kelowna Innovators Presented with Local and Global Market Opportunities

Sixth Stop on Provincewide Tour to Showcase Regional Tech Scene VANCOUVER, March 3, 2017 /CNW/ - The BC Innovation Councila Crown agency of the Provinceis helping B.C. companies find solutions to the challenges they face through a seven-city Regional Innovation Opportunities tour that arrives in Kelowna today. The tour is connecting over 20 companies with hundreds of local business owners to share insights and gain access to potential new customers and global markets. The tour provides businesses with real business opportunities in seven regions throughout the province. Home to Accelerate Okanagan, a member of the BC Innovation Council's BC Acceleration Network, Kelowna is the province's third largest tech hub. The region boasts approximately 630 tech firms employing 7,600 people that contribute $1.3 billion to the overall Okanagan economy, according to Accelerate Okanagan's 2015 Economic Impact Study. The region's tech industry is also supported by three post-secondary institutions with tech-focused programming, including University of British Columbia Okanagan, Okanagan College, and the Centre for Arts Technology. "B.C.'s tech industry is booming, with over 100,000 jobs in B.C. and counting," said Premier Christy Clark, MLA for Westside-Kelowna. "The Regional Innovation Opportunities tour will help Kelowna's vibrant tech sector keep growing by connecting with other industries to spark new ideas and opportunities." The tour is giving Kelowna businesses the chance to collaborate with larger companies, government agencies and entrepreneurs, to find solutions to their business challenges. It is also an opportunity for companies to network and build ther businesses, leading to possible job opportunities and new customers that could expose companies to national and worldwide markets.



"Throughout this tour, we've been blown away by the incredible innovation being developed in regions across British Columbia, and we expect the Okanagan to continue this trend," said Carl Anderson, president & CEO, BC Innovation Council. "By bringing unique business opportunities to regions across the province, we're helping companies innovate, grow, and create jobsso people can build businesses in the places where they live with their families." Examples of companies and the types of challenges that they will present in Kelowna include:

IBM, seeking a way to track the location of technicians during field operations.

seeking a way to track the location of technicians during field operations. FortisBC , seeking to leverage technology to increase the supply of renewable natural gas in a cost-effective way.

, seeking to leverage technology to increase the supply of renewable natural gas in a cost-effective way. Munden Ventures Ltd. , looking to track productivity of log harvesting equipment from multiple manufacturers in one dashboard.

, looking to track productivity of log harvesting equipment from multiple manufacturers in one dashboard. Lightship Works Inc., seeking an affordable and portable data connectivity solution for remote areas. "The Regional Innovation Opportunities tour puts B.C. tech first," said Norm Letnick, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country. "The Okanagan currently has 633 tech firms that employ approximately 7,600 people. By solving industry problems together, our local tech sector and their potential business partners can create new jobs." The first-of-its-kind tour will build a stronger network of tech companies throughout the province, giving local businesses in communities outside the Lower Mainland an opportunity to showcase their innovation provincewide and build their businesses in the communities they know and love. "Technology evolves so quickly that businesses aren't always aware of the newest innovation out there," said Steve Thomson, MLA for Kelowna-Mission. "This tour will help industry access local technology to solve their biggest challenges, or even inspire Kelowna's tech innovators to create something completely new." The Regional Innovation Opportunities tour has visited six communities to date, including Prince George, Victoria, Kamloops, Castlegar, Terrace and now Kelowna. The tour will end in Nanaimo on March 6, 2017. For more information about the challenges and the opportunities they represent, visit: bcic.ca/regional-innovation-opportunities About BC Innovation Council (www.bcic.ca)

The BC Innovation Council accelerates the growth and success of B.C. companies by providing resources and market opportunities for applied innovations that solve challenges and drive competitiveness in B.C. industries. Through the annual #BCTECH Summit and support of the B.C. government's #BCTECH Strategy, BCIC is fostering the growth of competitive companies that generate revenue, produce high-paying skilled jobs and drive economic development in B.C. SOURCE BC Innovation Council

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[March 03, 2017] Government supports project that could make CO2 a viable commercial resource

CALGARY, March 3, 2017 /CNW/ - Supporting clean technology will create good, middle-class jobs, improve the environmental performance of Canada's oil and gas sector and help address climate change. A new Calgary research facility will become the first of its kind in North America to test technology that could turn carbon dioxide emissions into usable commercial products, creating new revenue stream opportunities and middle-class jobs in the process. On behalf of Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jim Carr, the Honourable Kent Hehr, Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre and Canada's Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, today announced that the Government of Canada will provide up to $10 million to InnoTech Alberta's Carbon Conversion Technology Centre project. The Government of Alberta is matching the federal investment. InnoTech Alberta and Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) joint industry partnership are also providing in-kind contributions. The specialized research facility, which will be located at the Shepard Energy Centre in Calgary, will allow researchers to test innovative carbon-use technologies at near-commercial scale with the goal of creating new, usable products such as building materials, alternative fuels and commercial goods  something that has not yet been done at that scale. Innovation and technology collaboration and partnership is a key priority for the governments of Canada and Alberta. Minister Carr and Alberta's Economic Development and Trade Minister, the Honourable Deron Bilous, recently signed an agreement to expand on previous collaborative partnerships betwen governments and the private sector on research for cleaner oil sands developments.



The Government of Canada investment in Alberta's Carbon Conversion Technology Center is part of Canada's Mission Innovation commitment to double its funding for clean energy and clean technology research and development to $775 million by 2020. Quotes

"Our government is invested in innovation, and we are proud to support this one-of-a-kind facility, where creative minds will come together to help Canada lead the world in developing new, sustainable practices that ease the transition to a cleaner energy future and create good jobs for the middle class." Jim Carr

Canada's Minister of Natural Resources "The Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre will be a top-class facility here in Calgary that brings together the best researchers from industry, governments, academic institutions and around the world to work together on innovative solutions that will benefit Alberta, Canada and the world." Kent Hehr

Canada's Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence "Our province has always been the place where people turn challenges into opportunities. The Alberta Carbon Conversion Centre will help keep us an energy leader, diversifying our economy and making life better for Albertans." Deron Bilous

Minister of Alberta Economic Development and Trade Related Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre Additional Project information Oil and Gas Clean Tech Program AlbertaCanada strategic collaboration agreement on Clean Energy Research and Technology CanadaAlberta Collaboration partnership opportunities for clean growth and climate change Canada's Mission Innovation COSIA X-Prize Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan) NRCan's news releases and backgrounders are available at www.news.gc.ca SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

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[March 03, 2017] Lucy Malmberg, Chairman of Wedgewood Pharmacy, Receives Veterinary-Pharmacy Industry Award

The American College of Veterinary Pharmacists (ACVP) presented the 2017 Earl W. "Bill" Bradley Award to Lucy Malmberg, R.Ph., F.A.C.A., F.A.C.V.P., chairman of the board of Wedgewood Pharmacy. Wedgewood Pharmacy is the largest U.S. compounding pharmacy specializing in animal health. The award is presented to a member of ACVP who has shown outstanding service to veterinary pharmacy; it has been awarded biennially since 2011. The presentation was made during the President's Banquet on February 26. The Earl W. 'Bill' Bradley Award was established in 2006 for Fellows of the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists. Bill Bradley served as president of the American College of Apothecaries from 1988-89 and played an integral role in the creation of the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists in 1998. At that time, Bradley already was a pioneer in veterinary compounding, having opened a veterinary-only compounding pharmacy four years earlier. Over the years, Bradley has served the ACVP as president, director and primary instructor of the National Training Center Laboratory. Donnie R. Calhoun, R.Ph., F.A.C.A., executive vice president & CEO of ACVP, said, "Lucy Malmberg has played an integral role in the development of veterinary compounding and its ability to improve the lives of our animal patients. On behalf of the Board of Directors of the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists, we thank Lucy for her contributions to pharmacy and her dedication to our profession. She is truly deserving of this honor." Marcy Bliss, president and CEO of Wedgewood Pharmacy, added, "Lucy's career as a steward for the health of both people and animals has been extraordinary. She and her late husband, George, literally shaped the modern practice of veterinary compounding pharacy. This award recognizes her many contributions to the pharmacy profession."



Malmberg has more than 30 years' experience in the pharmacy profession. She is a registered pharmacist in Pennsylvania and Delaware. As co-founder of Wedgewood Pharmacy, she has been instrumental in transforming the company from a local community pharmacy purchased in 1981, into a specialized compounding pharmacy that is now one of the largest in the United States, serving more than 30,000 prescribers nationwide. In 2002 Malmberg was a leader of the industry coalition of seven compounding pharmacies that argued successfully before the Supreme Court of the United States that the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997 (FDAMA), which prohibited pharmacists from advertising or promoting compounded drugs, was a violation of their First Amendment rights. Since that time, Malmberg has continued to lead industry efforts to protect the right of licensed prescribers to prescribe, and licensed compounding pharmacists to provide, custom-made drugs to meet the unmet needs of individual patients.

In 2005 Malmberg was instrumental in forming the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists' (IACP) public affairs task force, which created an advocacy program centered around Patients and Professionals for Customized Care (P2C2), a website that provides tools and information for advocates of compounding pharmacy to influence public policy. Prior to Wedgewood Pharmacy, Malmberg was an executive at E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company, Inc. in a variety of sales, marketing and business operations positions. Malmberg is a past member of the Board of Directors of the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists and served on its Nominations Committee. She is a member of the Board of Trustees for the University of the Sciences, where she also serves on the Executive and Audit Committees, and is Chair of the Advancement Committee. She also is a member of the American Pharmacist Association and the National Community Pharmacists Association, and is a Fellow of both the American College of Apothecaries and the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists. She was active with the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula from 1995-2001, holding titles of board member, board secretary, board vice chair and board chair. In 2013 Malmberg was awarded the Evelyn Timmons, R.Ph., Advocacy Award by Professional Compounding Centers of America. In 1991 she received the DuPont Vice President's Award for Quality and Leadership, and in March 1993 the DuPont Engineering Award for her leadership and contributions to the Hotel DuPont project. Malmberg holds a B.S. degree in Pharmacy from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy at the University of the Sciences. About Wedgewood Pharmacy In its 36-year history, the company has grown from a local community pharmacy to become one of the largest compounding pharmacies in the United States, serving more than 30,000 prescribers and hundreds of thousands of patients throughout the U.S. every year with customized animal-health and human-health prescriptions. The company employs more than 300 people. Wedgewood Pharmacy is accredited by Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB) for compliance with PCAB pharmacy compounding accreditation standards. PCAB is a service of Accreditation Commission for Health Care and is a third-party accreditation organization that has developed the highest national standards that providers are measured against in order to illustrate their ability to effectively and efficiently deliver quality compounded medications to consumers. In June 2016, Chicago-based New Harbor Capital became the majority owner of the company. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005788/en/

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[March 03, 2017] Electric Drive Transportation Association Announces New Board of Directors Chair

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- At its quarterly Board of Directors meeting in Washington, D.C. on February 28, the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) announced new leadership for its Board of Directors. Rob Stewart, Manager, Smart Grid and Technology for Pepco Holdings, Inc. (PHI), will be the new chair of the association's Board of Directors. Stewart succeeds Scott Gerke, Manager, Federal Affairs, for Honda North America, Inc., whom EDTA Board members recognized at the meeting for his outstanding contributions to the electric drive industry. Rob serves as the utility functional area manager of research and development for PHI. In his present role, Rob leads an effort that is responsible for further developing and managing PHI's approach to evaluating and deploying advanced technologies and concepts for application on the electric system. He has served as a member of the EDTA Board of Directors since 2012. EDTA President Genevieve Cullen voiced her support for th incoming chairman. "We are very pleased to welcome Rob Stewart to the leadership of EDTA. Our organization will benefit greatly from his unique experience in electric drive," Cullen said. "Rob is an ideal leader for EDTA at this pivotal time for the industry."



Mr. Stewart noted, "I am extremely honored to be appointed EDTA chair and am excited for this new opportunity in serving the EDTA and its constituents by helping enhance education around advanced clean energy technologies and infrastructure in the communities we serve." The full list of EDTA Board Members is available here.

About EDTA

The Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) is the trade association promoting battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell electric drive technologies and infrastructure. EDTA conducts public policy advocacy, education, industry networking, and international conferences. EDTA's membership includes vehicle and equipment manufacturers, utilities, technology developers, component suppliers, government agencies and others. For more information about EDTA and its members, visit ElectricDrive.org. For information about owning and operating electric vehicles, please visit GoElectricDrive.com. About Pepco Holdings, Inc. (PHI)

PHI is an Exelon Company and the parent company of Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco), an electric utility serving Washington, D.C. and suburban Maryland; Delmarva Power, an electric and gas utility serving Delaware and the rest of the Delmarva Peninsula; and Atlantic City Electric, an electric utility serving southern New Jersey. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/electric-drive-transportation-association-announces-new-board-of-directors-chair-300417982.html SOURCE Electric Drive Transportation Association

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[March 03, 2017] Para Los Ninos and L.A. Mayor's Office to Host 'Know Your Rights' Workshop Providing Free Legal Aid for Undocumented Angelenos

Para Los Ninos: WHEN:

Saturday, March 4, 2017 | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM WHAT:

Skid Row nonprofit Para Los Ninos (For the Children) and the Los Angeles Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs will hold their inaugural 'Know Your Rights' workshop-a partnership formed to empower and uplift over 200 migrant families living in fear in the wake of executive orders on immigration from Washington. Families will receive briefings from the Mayor's Office, LAPD with each family provided free legal counsel by a coalition of immigration rights attorneys. WHO: Dr. Linda Lopez, Chief, Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs

Lt. Al Labrada, Los Angeles Police Department,

Drew Furedi, President & CEO, Para Lo Ninos

Over 200 Downtown Los Angeles families



WHERE:

Para Los Ninos Gratts Primary Education Center (Auditorium)

474 Hartford Avenue (Westlake - MacArthur Park)

Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90017 VISUAL: Mayor's Office, LAPD, and over 200 families receiving legal aid on a campus backed by the Downtown Los Angeles skyline.

ABOUT PARA LOS NINOS:

Para Los Ninos serves over 5,000 impoverished children and family members annually through its 6 preschools, 3 charter schools and array of mental health and social services. Geographically, Para Los Ninos' focus is in Downtown/Skid Row and Westlake/Pico Union. A community-based nonprofit founded in 1980, PLN has served an estimated 50,000 children and their families over the last 36 years. Originally established as a child poverty agency on L.A.'s Skid Row, Para Los Ninos today continues its mission of alleviating child poverty with a theory of action that integrates education with deep mental health and social services. SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS

Facebook (News - Alert): @ParaLosNinosOrg

Twitter: @ParaLosNinosOrg

Instagram: @ParaLosNinosOrg View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005819/en/

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By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Mar 3 (PTI) Pakistan must crackdown on terror groups like the LeT or handover terrorists to international tribunals for trials so that justice is served, an influential US lawmaker has said.

"Pakistan needs to crackdown on groups like the LeT, close down those campuses as well. Pakistan needs to understand that if they are not going to bring perpetrators of the terrorist attacks to justice they should turn them over to The Hague so that they can be tried in international tribunals and justice can be served," Congressman Ed Royce said yesterday.

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The Chairman of powerful House Foreign Relations Committee was speaking at an event hosted by Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi-based think-tank, at the US Capitol here.

He also said that Pakistan needs to be serious about closing down 600 Deobandi madrassas in the country, underlining that there is a prevailing sentiment in the Congress and Trump administration that such schools are breeding ground for terrorists.

"I think, the sentiments are Pakistan needs to be serious about closing down the Deobandi schools, there are about 600 of them as they churn out people who do not know what to do except to really either argue for or carry out jihad," he said.

A founding member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, Royce said the Congress and the new Administration is focused on some new issues.

"One is that concept of USD 500 billion in trade between India and the US. That is where we are trying to push the policies...So we need an effective bilateral trade agreement treaty with India. We are pushing to liberalise trade further," Royce said.

"At the same time, we are delighted that among the Indian-American population that we have in the United States, one half of them have post graduate degrees. When we think about what that pertains...we know that there is a very bright future for Indian-Americans," he said.

India and the US, he said, should form their policies on the "core values of rule of law, democracy, freedom of expression and freedom of believe".

"We do not always hit the mark in the US. Those are our goals. India does not always hit the mark. But those are India?s goals," he said.

India, he said, is now the ninth largest trading partner of the US.

The counter-terrorism co-operation has also increased over the past several years and the defence ties has strengthened in the last one decade, he said. PTI LKJ PMS AKJ PMS

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After interviewing a buffalo, Pakistani journalist Amin Hafeez now transcends to another level and dances with a large crowd cheering to get tickets for the final match of Pakistan Super League.

By India Today Web Desk: It's not often that international news reporters go viral in India for the way they report. But that changed when Pakistan's Chand Nawab made millions of Indians laugh till they cried. And now there is Amin Hafeez.

Many have raised questions on the current state of journalism, its ethics and the notion of media being the fourth pillar of democracy. But this Pakistani reporter, perhaps oblivious about media and its ethics, breaks the so-called rules of news reporting one dance move at a time.

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Amin Hafeez of Geo News TV, Pakistan was reporting about the non-availability of tickets for the finale of Pakistan Super League -- Pakistan's version of IPL -- in Lahore. The final match is to be held at the Gaddhafi Stadium on March 5 and the tickets are priced within the range of Rs 500 and Rs 12,000.

Also read: Pakistani reporter Chand Nawab of Bajrangi fame assaulted by cops

However, all the tickets priced at Rs 500 have been sold out. But Hafeez reports from a ticket counter where there is a long queue of 'pyaare log' from various cities of Pakistan who are adamant to buy tickets at Rs 500 only.

When Hafeez introduces the 'pyaare log', one can assume that this is anything but conventional and he goes ahead to prove us right. Asking the crowd about the demands and why they are not ready to pay more for the ticket, Hafeez's passion for his work just explodes. He gets emotionally involved with the crowd and starts cheering and demanding tickets for Rs 500.

Then he dances, and that, friends, is GOLD. Watch the video here:

Amin Hafeez's finals ticket reporting is gold. pic.twitter.com/hoC2frJJiu Ali. (@iPakistani10) March 2, 2017

This is not the first time Hafeez has entertained people with his reporting.

Watch a compilation video here:

Also watch:

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"Bryan Sheppard, the man convicted in the deaths of six firefighters in one of the worst explosions ever to rock Kansas City learned on Friday that he will get out of prison. On Friday, the judge decided Sheppard should be resentenced to 'time-served'."





All five of those convicted are almost certainly innocent of that crime. The five became expendable because of the lives they'd led: being petty thieves, drunks, drug addicts and no-accounts in general.





The firefighter case, in the end, became not so much a search for truth as a quest for closure. Over the years, the pressure for closure had grown intense.





The families of the dead firefighters ached for this dark chapter in their lives to come to an end, so they could go on with their lives. These families had the overwhelming sympathy of the people of Kansas City.





The firefighters of Kansas City needed to know that you couldn't just kill six firemen and get away with it.

the cowtown social pecking order was enforced by the prison industrial complex

The case prosecuting the. . . Today one of the worst parts of that media-fueled prosecution was addressed.Checkit . . .Deets:There might be reaction and rage over this one . . . But even a cursory look at the facts andshould reveal that it'sand actually disgraced the memory of brave first responders killed in the line of duty.Sadly, what happened in this case was a very real message that politics and public perception were more important than facts asat the outset of an uptick of a great many people locked away unjustly.Developing . . .
Chris Rock's Youngest Brother, Jordon Rock, At Stanfords

Stephen Colbert had Tony Rock on this past week. Colbert told Tony, "hey the funniest Rock brother isn't you or Chris, its Jordon." Jordon Rock is on fire today, at 26 he is moving towards super stardom in comedy, tv and soon movies as well. Jordon will make his first Kansas City appearance this weekend at Stanfords Comedy Club at the Legends.Jordon already has done @Midnight, Comedy Central, tv series: Totally Biased, Take the Ten, Last Comic Standing. His Netflix series, 'Love' is now season 3 and he is the lead. He also did a highly rated special, 'Ladies and Gentleman, Jordon Rock,' and much more. He connects with everyone it seems. Jordon worked hard on his stand up in New York and now lives in Los Angeles where he is doing tv and stand up shows almost daily. Chris is 20 years older than Jordon, so the little brother is more in touch with the younger audiences and talks about growing up 'Rock.' He is fast and funny. See him at Stanfords Friday or Saturday this weekend, shows at 745 and 945pm.Next week the return of Todd Bridges star of Different Strokes and his 3 year run in Vegas. Tickets online stanfordscomedyclub.com or call the club at 913 400 7500. The weather continues to be mild so get out and have some fun and laughs with this up and coming star.#############
Two transgender hailing from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan were allegedly tortured to death by Riyadh police for cross-dressing in public.

By India Today Web Desk: 35-year-old Amna and 26-year-old Meeno hailing from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan were arrested in Riyadh by the police on Tuesday for cross-dressing in public.

While cross-dressing in public is a punishable offence in Riyadh, homosexuality is punishable by "death". Both transgender were forced by the police to strip off to nothing and were thrashed inhumanly with sticks till they succumbed to their injuries.

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The police raided a rest house where a meeting of transgender community was taking place for the selection of their leader. The popular ceremony of Guru Chela Chalan was going on that many Pakistani transgender communities celebrate when they choose their leader.

Also read: What is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer community? All you need to know

While 22 transgender are still in jail, 11 were released after they paid the fine.

According to an IBT report, Amna and Meeno were thrown into bags and then brutally beaten to death for cross-dressing.

"Majority of the arrested, belong to K-P and the others from other cities of Pakistan. Torturing humans after throwing them into bags and beating them with sticks is inhumane. No one is there to save them as the life of a transgender is not of any value to anyone, not even for our own government," Naseem said.

Also read: Shattering gender stereotypes: Here comes West Bengal's first legally married transgender bride

The Saudi Arabia Transgender community is not allowed to perform Hajj or Umrah which are the two major pilgrimages for Muslims. The Travel Agents Association of Pakistan was even told not to issue visas to transgender people for Hajj or Umrah.

Also watch: Army jawan who criticised buddy system found dead

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"Jolie Justus Law Firm, Shook Hardy Bacon, contributes $10,000. Isn't that a conflict of interest? She voted to put this on the ballot and her firm contributes??? Also Kansas City Live LLC. (Cordish Company) doesn't pay property tax on Power and Light District, taxpayers have to come up with $10,000,000 - $15,000,000 every year to cover them, yet they give the $20,000 for the GO bond advertising campaign???"

It's Shook, I'm pretty sure they have a loophole. The Cordish fiasco . . . Illegal? Should be. Is it? Probably not.

Take a look at this quick glimpse of conversation among tax fighters regardingwho have very clear connections to City Hall.Here's the word . . .And answer back . . .Even better . . .Clearly, Kansas City big biz has an interest in pushing these property taxes . . . Soon, voters will decide if they share those concerns.Developing . . .
Cyprus on Thursday dismissed concerns emanating from the Geek Defense Ministry that Turkey will provoke a dangerous escalation in tension

Cyprus on Thursday dismissed concerns emanating from the Greek Defense Ministry that Turkey will provoke a dangerous escalation in tension when Frances Total company begins extracting natural gas in the islands territorial waters this coming June.

According to a leak to journalists by senior Defense Ministry sources, Athens is increasingly concerned that there could be military activity of Turkish forces when extraction begins.

But when asked about these concerns, Cyprus government spokesman Nikos Christodoulides said Nicosia is not considering such a scenario. He also said that he had talked about the issue with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and was reassured that Athens is not working on this assumption.

However, critics and opposition party leaders were quick to state that Defense Minister Panos Kammenos was behind the leaks.

The prediction by Kammenos of an incident with Turkey shows that the distance between being colorful and being extreme right wing is very slim indeed, said Stavros Theodorakis, the leader of the centrist Potami party, which also issued a statement saying that its concerns stem not from what Kammenos leaks to journalists, but rather from what he says and what instructions such an irresponsible man gives to the army and Greek officers.

As tensions run high due to Turkeys standoffish behavior in recent months, many critics across the board have openly questioned whether Kammenos, the leader of the populist, nationalist ANEL party, has the temperment to deal with the situation, given that the government is aiming for a low-key approach.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report




Greece is expecting a heated incident to occur off the coast of Cyprus in June, CNN Greek reported

Greece is expecting a heated incident to occur off the coast of Cyprus in June, CNN Greek reported on Thursday, citing Defence Ministry sources from Athens.

CNN learnt that an issue is expected to arise in June in Cyprus waters, during an exploration expected to be conducted by the French energy company TOTAL.

According to information from Athens Defence Ministry, Greece is ready to deal with any issue that may arise.

Sources told CNN that issues have arisen in the past when Turkey sent their research vessel Barbaros to the area.

The activities of the Barbaros vessel in 2014, were the cause of a stall in Cyprus talks between President Nicos Anastasiades and then Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.

The report also refers to interventions continuously being made in Nicosias airspace (FIR) by Turkish jets.

SigmaLive has learnt that the interventions being made by Turkey in Nicosias FIR are being conducted on a permanent basis, and that lately they have been intensified.

The head of the Civil Aviation Department, Nikos Nicolaou has told SigmaLive that difficulties have arisen on the issue, in the sector of security and the normal functioning of the airspace.

He added that Cyprus has made complaints on the matter through the Foreign Ministry, and has issued notices for airmen (NOTAM).

Nicolaou noted that currently Cyprus is at a good point and no issues of concern have arisen, and also the hope that Turkey will cooperate.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve is arriving in Greece on Thursday night for what is his first and likely last trip abroad

French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve is arriving in Greece on Thursday night for what is his first and likely last trip abroad, three months after he became French prime minister on December 6. He will be accompanied by French Economy and Finance Minister Michel Sapin and Secretary of State for European Affairs Harlem Desir.

Cazeneuve will meet his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras at noon on Friday, at the Greek premier's offices in the Maximos Mansion. They will then have a working dinner, joined by the Greek and French ministers of finance, economy and European affairs.

At 14:00 on Friday, Tsipras and Cazeneuve will hold a joint press conference and at 14:40 he will be received by President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos at the presidential mansion.

Before meeting Tsipras, the French prime minister has invited French business people based in Greece to a breakfast meeting at the French Embassy in Athens on Friday morning.

He will then take part in a meeting organised by France's immigration and integration service (OFII) regarding the asylum seekers that are due to be relocated to France in March, at the Novotel Hotel in Athens. At the end of the meeting, Cazeneuve will be available to talk to accredited reporters.

The French prime minister is due to visit the French School and French Institute on Friday afternoon and devote some time to French correspondents and the journalists that came with him. At 17:00 he will attend a reception at the French Embassy, before departing for the Athens airport at 18:00.

Sapin is scheduled to have three meetings during the visit, including a morning meeting at 10:30 on Friday with his Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos and another at 11:10 with Economy and Development Minister Dimitri Papadimitriou. At 15:00, Sapin is due to meet Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Cyprus government has denied the chance of a heated incident caused by Turkey in the islands waters in June

Cyprus government has denied the chance of a heated incident caused by Turkey in the islands waters in June, when French energy company TOTAL will start natural gas exploration, Radio Proto reported on Friday.

Government spokesperson Nikos Christodoulides said that Cyprus has not received information on the potential of such an incident, denying reports from Greek media citing sources from inside Athens Defence Ministry on Thursday.

According to Simerini newspapers information, Christodoulides spoke with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, who assured the government spokesperson that such scenarios are not being examined.

In the meantime, Turkish jets have continued to flyover Nicosias airspace (FIR).

Cypriot authorities have filed complaints about the intervening jets, and the Foreign Ministry has issued a notice for airmen (NOTAM).

Greece is also expected to discuss the Cyprus problem in the US next week, when Kotzias will visit Washington.

Kotzias is expected to meet his US counterpart Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to discuss relations between the two countries, Greco-Turkish relations, and other regional issues.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Global food supply conditions are robust, but access to food has been dramatically reduced in areas suffering civil conflicts, while drought conditions are worsening food security across swathes of East Africa, according to the new edition of FAO's Crop Prospects and Food Situation report.



Some 37 countries require external assistance for food, 28 of them in Africa as a result of lingering effects of last year's El Nino-triggered droughts on harvests in 2016. Yet, while agricultural production is expected to rebound in southern Africa, protracted fighting and unrest is increasing the ranks of the displaced and hungry in other parts of the world, the report said.



Famine has been formally declared in South Sudan and the food security situation is of grave concern in northern Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen.



This is an unprecedented situation. Never before have we been faced with 4 threats of famine in multiple countries simultaneously, said FAO assistant director-general Kostas Stamoulis, head of the Economic and Social Development department. It demands swift action which should consist of immediate food assistance but also livelihood support to ensure that such situations are not repeated.



In South Sudan, 100,000 people were facing famine in Leer and Mayendit Counties, part of former Unity State, while there was an "elevated risk" that similar conditions existed in two nearby counties. Overall, about 4.9 million people across the country were classified as facing crisis, emergency or famine. That number is projected to increase to 5.5 million, or almost half the country's population, at the peak of the lean season in July.



In northern Nigeria, 8.1 million people are facing acute food insecurity conditions and require urgent life-saving response and livelihood protection. That comes despite the above-average cereal harvest in 2016 and reflects the disruption caused by conflict as well as the sharp depreciation of the Naira.



In Yemen, 17 million people or two-thirds of the population are estimated to be food insecure, while almost half of them are in need of emergency assistance, with the report noting that "the risk of famine declaration in the country is very high."



In Somalia, the combination of conflict, civil insecurity and drought have resulted in more than double the number of people - now estimated at 2.9 million - being severely food insecure from six months ago. Drought has curtailed fodder for pastoralists and the third consecutive season of poor rainfall is estimated to have reduced crop production in southern and central regions to 70 percent below average levels, leaving food stocks depleted.



Conflicts and civil unrest in Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Myanmar and Syria are also exacerbating food insecurity conditions for millions of people as well affecting nearby countries hosting refugees. In addition, the drought in East Africa in late 2016 has heightened food insecurity in several countries in the sub-region.



Worldwide trends

Cereal production made quite strong gains in the world overall in 2016, with a record recovery in Central America, and larger cereal crops in Asia, Europe and North America.



Looking ahead, FAO's first global wheat production forecast for 2017 points to a 1.8 percent decline from last year's record level, due mostly to a projected 20 percent output drop in the US, where the area sown to winter wheat is the lowest level in over 100 years.



Prospects are favourable for the 2017 maize crop in Brazil and Argentina and the outlook is generally positive for coarse grains throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Prospects for rice are mixed, but it is still too early to make firm predictions for many of the world's major crops.



Maize harvests in Southern Africa, slashed by El Nino, are forecast to recover this year, with South Africa's output expected to increase by more than 50 percent from 2016, with positive trends likely in most nearby countries. However, an outbreak of armyworms, along with localized flooding in Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe, could limit larger production gains in 2017.



The 37 countries currently in need of external food assistance are Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Haiti, Iraq, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Uganda, Yemen and Zimbabwe. - TradeArabia News Service
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AIADMK MP and Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai challenged O Panneerselvam to explain the conditions under which he became the CM just after Jayalalithaa died.

By Pramod Madhav: After repeated allegations raised by O Panneerselvam faction about the suspicious conditions surrounding former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's death, AIADMK MP and Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai challenged OPS to explain the conditions under which he became the CM after Jayalalithaa died.

"When DMK founder and then CM Annadurai passed away, Nedunjezian was made a care-taker chief minister that too after his burial but can OPS explain why he became the chief minister even before Amma's burial?" questioned Thambidurai.

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The MP added, "Jayalalithaa was pronounced dead on December 5 around 11:30 pm and within 30 minutes OPS was made the chief minister. On that day, unofficial Cabinet and MLA meeting was also held more than 3 times and OPS was made the chief minister of the state within no time."

With the continuous mud slinging against each other by EPS and OPS factions, doubts on Jayalalithaa's death, OPS becoming CM and if the Centre had any role on shaping the government has begun to create ripples in the state once again.

Also read: Sasikala to stay in Bengaluru prison, no special facilities provided: DIG, Central Jail

Also read: Tamil Nadu traders begin boycott of Coke, Pepsi; to meet CM for formal ban

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Lost Temples Of The Jungle

New technology reveals the truth behind the largest temple ever built, Angkor Wat. Experts uncover how it was constructed and why it was deserted.
Following reports of dozens of Bahamas' famous swimming pigs were in the Major Cay Beach, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism has now barred tourists from feeding the pigs. Moreover, visitors will stay at a safe distance while taking photos of the animals.

Initially, tourists were blamed for the deaths of swimming pigs, but a recent autopsy shows that it wasn't liquors that killed them -- it was actually san that they have digested. The Daily Mail UK reported Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries V. Alfred Gray as saying: "The island hogs, found dead near 'Pig Beach' on Big Major Cay, had 'a good amount of sand in their stomach.'"

One possibility of ingestion of sand is that tourists throw food in the beach for the animals to eat, including the sand itself. Gray further stated that sand is indigestible; therefore, it would give gastrointestinal problems to the animals.

The Bahamas government is placing new restrictions between travelers and the remaining pigs. They raised a possible notion of putting a particular rope in an area where people can safely interact with the animal. Officials say that it's fine to swim with the pigs but feeding them would prove to be problematic.

The Bahamas Humane Society President Kim Aranha stated last week that there are "silly" sailors that goad the animals to drink alcohol and try to get them drunk. Though the idea of having the pigs getting drunk was believed last week, the notion will have to be junked after the release of autopsy results.

However, it lets people to be always reminded to limit the feeding of the pigs especially on the beach, where they will ingest the sand as well. Currently, there are 15 pigs left on the island -- the local veterinarians have checked their health and passed off as clean and healthy.

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018
eZee hotel software all set to function according to BTEA rules



(TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - March 3rd, 2017 - very once in a while, each governing or tourism authority of a developing country takes its security, tourism and revenue aspects in their agenda and come out with anew rules and regulations. In that event, hospitality technology providers ought to update their systems, in a manner which can accommodate all such requirements from different countries and authorities. Additionally, hoteliers intend to choose a hotel software which can work in line with incoming rules and policies.

eZee Technosys, as a leading hospitality provider company, is always aligned with alike updates and keeps its solutions up-to-date with these developments. Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) has implemented a policy that all the hotels and restaurants in Bahrain are required to send a pre-defined set of details to the authorities from the PMS software.

Complying with government policies, a feature is developed in PMS eZee FrontDesk through which the required reports and alike could be generated and sent instantly to the BTEA.

eZees Chief Executive Officer, Aeijaz Sodawala says, This newly developed feature in eZee FrontDesk will prove very beneficial to the hoteliers in Bahrain. This will help them send the required details instantly to the Bahrain authorities, discarding hours of manual calculations. Moreover, other than regular operations of PMS this will be an add-on feature enhancing user experience.

The statutory requirement for a hotelier as put forth by the BTEA, is to send occupancy details revealing rooms out of service, rooms out of order, daily check-outs and rooms occupied. Besides this, restaurants will also have to keep track of the charges levied of all the food and beverages on the customers and submit a monthly report to the authorities. Owing to this progress, hotels having in-house restaurants will be able to automatically send their outlet reports with newly developed feature in eZee FrontDesk, via eZee BurrP! integrated with the PMS. Besides this, hoteliers in Bahrain will also be able to send revenue reports to the government right from the PMS, which can eventually aid the Taxation authorities in the country.



The main purpose of the BTEA behind this requirement is to uphold the security aspects as well as keep track of the foreign tourists visiting the country. Acknowledging their requirements, we have worked around our systems current features and given our best to make it user-friendly for our existing and prospective clients in Bahrain, Jitendra Jariwala - Head of eZee NextGen Product Development commented.



Apart from regular hotel operations, eZee FrontDesk PMS will assist the hoteliers in Bahrain to accustom the BTEA requirements efficiently leaving no room for manual errors.

Always determined to provide the best solutions for their users, eZee has developed customized features in their solutions as per regional or self-imposed requirements for many hospitality industry establishments until now and strives to do so in coming years, effectively enhancing user experience.



About eZee Technosys Pvt Ltd

eZee Technosys is one of the few hospitality solutions providers in the world, offering a complete suite of IT solutions for the hospitality industry that cover hotel management, web booking engine, online room distribution, restaurant management, guest feedback, mobile applications and more. Incorporated in 2005, eZee - a hospitality solutions provider, today serves more than 6000 clients in 140 plus countries across the globe. eZees global presence has been further solidified through their strong network of more than 200 Channel Partners.

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The latest collection by H&M is their first shoppable runway range, and it has hit their Saket store already.

By Radhika Bhalla/Mail Today: Swedish clothing retail brand, H&M launched its Studio Collection at Paris Fashion Week spring/summer 2017 on Wednesday as part of their first-ever 'see now buy now' range.

The shoppable runway collection is everything a girl with glitter in her veins and a race in her step could ask for. Sporty-meets-femininity is the key phrase here, which urges you to "imagine the ballet dancer backstage, matching her traditional costume with sportswear pieces."

The garments were showcased in Paris on Wednesday. Photo:Mail Today

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Speaking with Lifestyle, Pernilla Wohlfahrt, Head of Design and Creative Director, H&M says, "The designs are about presenting statement pieces from a limited edition collection and are an addition to the main line." The range has been created by the in-house design team, and is working for the first time with the 'see now, buy now' strategy for buyers to stay ontrend in less than a day.

The inspiration the message of love, and as Wohlfahrt explains, "There are a few pieces that carry the word again and again, kind of like a ticker tape as a constant reminder of what is important. It feels like now, more than ever, we all need positive feelings and * thoughts in our lives."

In Pics: Ramp report:Paris Fashion Week

There is a sporty side too, in keeping with the international athleisure trend. "We were also inspired by the grace, passion and strength of ballet, and wanted to put a fresh, modern twist on it. So we incorporated elements of sportswear -besides the feminine ruffles, lace and silks, we played with translucent layers and volume. We infused sportiness with details such as crinkled nylon, drawstrings and elastic bands," she states.

Pernilla Wohlfahrt, Head of Design and Creative Director, H&M. Photo:Mail Today Pernilla Wohlfahrt, Head of Design and Creative Director, H&M. Photo:Mail Today

Monochrome is the dominant colour palette, as she explains, "We were working with a lot of contrasts in the collection - between ballet and sport, formalwear and casual wear, natural fabrics and technical ones. So a predominantly black and white colour palette felt natural. We also liked the graphic expression of monochrome, which we punctuated with fuchsia and a touch of orange and gold."

As to how one should style these pieces, she suggests, "While you can wear the voluminous nylon racer-back dress on its own and look stunning, you could also layer one of the ruffled blouses underneath for a very modern clash."

Black and white form the main colour story of the international collection.Photo:Mail Today

The collection is priced at Rs 799 onwards, and is available only at the Saket store.

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: top job

New Delhi, Mar 3 (PTI) The Prime Ministers Office (PMO) has sought a clarification from the health ministry on the process followed in shortlisting of names for the post of AIIMS director.

The PMO asked for the explanation after several senior faculty members of the prestigious institute approached it with a complaint that seniority has been bypassed in choosing the names for the top job.

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The Institute Body, which is the AIIMS top decision-making body headed by Union Health Minister J P Nadda, has recommended HOD of paediatrics Dr V K Paul, HOD of pulmonary medicine and sleep disorder Dr Randeep Guleria and professor of cardiology Dr Balram Bhargava for the top post, out of 53 applicants.

A meeting was held between top health ministry officials and the PMO on Wednesday and a final decision in the matter is expected in a few days, sources said.

According to a senior health ministry official, some AIIMS faculty members had met the principal secretary to the Prime Minister and the cabinet secretary over the matter.

"They claimed that people who are higher in seniority have been ignored," the official said.

"The PMO has sought to know what criterion was adopted in shortlisting the names of three candidates and why names of Dr S C Sharma HoD of ENT, Dr S K Panda HOD of Pathology and Dr Subrata Sinha who is the Director of National Brain Research Centre (NBRC), Manesar were dropped," the official said.

The official also said a final call in the matter will be taken by the Prime Minister.

The selection-cum-search panel, led by Health Secretary C K Mishra, in its meeting on January 24, in addition to Dr Paul, Dr Guleria and Dr Bhargava had also considered Chitra Sarkar, professor of pathology, Sharma and Sinha for the post.

Dr Panda is third in the seniority list of AIIMS professors, followed by Dr V K Behl at fourth, Dr Sarkar at fifth, Suborto Sinha at sixth and Sharma at 17th position.

The shortlisted candidates Dr Paul is at 26th position, while Dr Guleria is at 34 and Bhargava is at 77th in the seniority list.

Fifty-three doctors, including 35 from outside AIIMS, had applied for the post.

It has already been a month since Dr M C Mishra has retired and currently Dr Balram Airan is the acting director. PTI PLB NSD

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: Chandigarh, Mar 3 (PTI) Tension prevailed on the Panjab University (PU) campus today as left-leaning Students For Society (SFS) activists staged a demonstration after they were denied permission by the authorities to organising a seminar.

SFS had proposed a seminar on the campus today which was to be addressed by human rights activist and journalist Seema Azad.

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She, along with her husband, was arrested by the UP Police in 2010 after being charged with sedition for alleged Maoist links. They were later released on bail.

Even as Seema was not allowed for the event, police took SFS president Damanpreet Singh into preventive custody so as to maintain law and order on the campus.

However, SFS activists staged a protest outside the office of Vice Chancellor, demanding they should be allowed to hold the event which was to be addressed by Seema, party members Arshdeep Singh said, adding police should immediately release Damanpreet.

The SFS activists threatened to hold the event outside the office of the Vice Chancellor even as rival ABVP opposed.

Yesterday, activists of ABVP had staged a Tiranga Yatra on the campus against the SFS for allegedly including Naxalite extremists in the audience.

"We will not allow Seema to enter the university," ABVP member Harmanjot Singh Gill said. "How can SFS dub Army as rapist," he said?

SFS members said they expect support from the authorities of PU for peacefully conducting the seminar.

"When PU authorities allowed the ABVP to hold Tiranga Yatra yesterday, we expect them to cooperate with us too," SFS member Harman said.

"It is surprising to see the name of Naxal leader Seema among the speakers in the seminar. The PU authorities have withdrawn the permission to SFS for the event," university syndicate member Subhash Sharma said.

The stalemate over holding the seminar continued as SFS members were adamant to hold the event.

Earlier, security was beefed up at the university to avoid any untoward incident in view of the SFS proposed event.

Heavy police force has been deployed on the campus, officials said.

Earlier on February 27, the echo of the violence in Delhis Ramjas College was felt on campus of PU where activists of ABVP and rival Students For Society (SFS) clashed with each other.

The incident took place when the ABVP activists were staging a protest against certain derogatory comments allegedly made by some SFS activists against the security forces. PTI VJ ARK

--- ENDS ---

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 3

In a letter to employees of the Tata Group, Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata has called them the inheritors and custodians of the Trusts and expressed the hope that they are proud of the groups capacity of thinking beyond business.

The letter was written on the occasion of founders day commemorating the 178th birth anniversary of Trusts founder Jamsetji Tata and 125 years of Tata Trusts.

In the letter, Tata said, As one of the largest stakeholder communities for the Trusts, you as Tata employees have played an important role in making the legacy come alive and we hope that you are proud of our groups capacity of thinking beyond business.

It is this strength and intention that is reflected through the Trusts in their vision and their work. As employees of the group, you are the custodians and inheritors of the Tata Trusts and of our belief in making a sustainable change in our society, Tata said.
Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 3

In a blow to the probe of the special investigation team (SIT) of the UT police, six persons, who were arrested on a charge of betting on IPL matches between Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils in Pune in 2012, were acquitted by a local court today.

DSP (SIT) Anil Joshi had claimed that the accused contacted gullible persons through mobile phones using SIM cards purchased on fake identity. According to the police, the six accused were operating through website Betlife.com which is legal in England, but banned in India. They struck most of their deals on the Net and earned a hefty amount from the trade.

Defence counsel Rabindra Pandit contended that there was no independent witness in the case and only a police havildar posed as a bogus customer. There was no complaint from any person from among the public who claimed that he/she was allured to put in money and was cheated.

The policeman, who posed as a customer, could not tell whether the amount of Rs 1,000 that he gave to the accused was in the denomination of two Rs 500 notes or one Rs 1,000 note. Also, there was no proper receipt of the amount paid by him, said the defence counsel.

According to the prosecution, Rajinder Garg, alias Leelu, Surinder Nagpal, Garish Verma, Jaswinder, alias Lovely, Anil Kumar, alias Lattu, and Sandip Arora, alias Kujju, were arrested from a house in Sector 44. The police claimed they recovered Rs 1.5 lakh, several mobile phones, fake SIM cards, two laptops, a computer monitor, a Toyota Fortuner and handwritten slips from their possession.

Following the arrest, they were booked under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC and 13A/3/67 of the Gambling Act.
Aarti Kapur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 3

Police arrested SFS leader Daman at Panjab University on Friday as student activists protested outside the Vice-Chancellor's office after social activist Seema Azad, who was to speak at an event, was not allowed inside.

Later, SFS activists protested demanding his release. SFS leader Saif said in case the police did not release Daman the conference would be held outside the V-Cs office.

Earlier, security was upped at the university to avoid any untoward incident in view of the SFS event.

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Special checking on all PU gates @thetribunechd pic.twitter.com/7b9wvPAHYk  aarti kapur (@aartikapur19) March 3, 2017

Eighty police personnel and 90 security staff of the university were deployed at Student Centre and the three gates. The PU security, along with police personnel, checked students at all gates. Even the teachers and other staff were allowed inside only on producing their ID proof.

No outsider was allowed to enter the campus.




S Nihal Singh

IN student politics it was an old game in town to get a team of strong men or goons to intimidate students to force them to belong to their organisations. It was practiced in an extreme form by various shades of Communists in West Bengal and in practice was extended to state-level politics. Thanks to their initial land reform measures and goon squads, the Marxists (CPI-M) prospered in the state for decades.

What brought the Ramjas College explosion in Delhi to national attention was not so much the fact that men belonging to the ABVP objected to an invitee at a seminar on Bastar, Umar Khalid of the JNU, but in the subsequent fracas came to blows. The significance lay in the fact that the vast majority of students rebelled at the ABVP definition of nationalism and made no bones about it.

Khalid was involved in earlier JNU protests and is facing sedition charges  he has not been convicted  but the ABVPs objective, hardened by its parent BJP being in power at the Centre and in many states, was to promote its narrow form of nationalism against the very idea of a secular India. That a majority of students was against the Sangh Parivars definition of nationalism was clear from the joint protests of masses of students opposed to the ABVPs notions of nationalism, producing their own poster girl, Gurmehar Kaur.

The 20-year-old student of Lady Sri Ram College has impeccable credentials, her father having died for the country at Kargil, and faced threats over social media. She later withdrew from the field saying it was all she could take. She had vigorously taken up the cause of freedom of speech expressing the intense feelings of her fellow students on not being led by the nose to a version of nationalism so redolent in the reaction of Union minister Kiren Rijiju. The massive student demonstrations were an eloquent answer to the effort to dragoon the students to a new propaganda war on how nationalism was to be defined. As an afterthought, the ABVP took out its own demonstration.

The significance of these events lies in the issue of nationalism promoted by the Sangh Parivar being frontally challenged by the young who have made no bones about its unacceptability. It is clear that the Parivar, led by its mentor RSS, has made no secret of its distaste for the kind of ideals the Independence movement and decades of Congress rule inspired. Inevitably, the Parivars programme was to start with the young, starting at the primary school level. As they grow up, it is hoped, they will have imbibed the new ideals of a Hindu India they have been taught.

The bad news for the Parivar is that masses of students, participants in the mass protests, have decisively turned their backs on a form of nationalism that questions a citizens patriotism on the basis of a foolish patriotism test. The Parivar is welcome to its view on how patriotism is to be defined, but its attempt to impose it on others is another matter altogether.

The Parivar is persistent in achieving its objectives and will continue to spread its vision of a Hindu India, despite its setback at Ramjas. Rather, it will seek to change its tactic in promoting its cause. As the present government of the country, the BJP has to contend with the explosive nature of the problem. To bring the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee into the fray to bat for Gurmehar Kaur shows the risks involved. The Opposition parties have had a field day castigating the government, casting the police force in a poor light in view of their wariness to act against a free-for-all by ABVP-allied students and their opponents.

The moral of the story is that the Parivar is still groping for a methodology to indoctrinate as many people as possible in the shortest period of time. The ABVP, it had thought, was an ideal instrument to indoctrinate young men and women of an impressionable age. But though the golden period of Congress rule might have ended long ago, the ideals of secularism left behind by freedom fighters and early rulers of the country endure and they still have the power to inspire the young and old.

The next chapter in promoting a narrow version of nationalism will consist of many orations and appeals to the essential concepts of Hindu India. But the main testing ground, colleges and universities, has proved inhospitable. The ABVP goons, like their Communist predecessors, know only one way to silence dissent, through violence. If they do not like an argument or its tenor, they shut it out. The idea of using a counter-argument, as opposed to shouting the opponent down in TV debates, is a rather recent discovery for the Parivar.

The RSS knows that it is running against the current in the form of Hindu India it wants to bring into being, but its time frame is different from the shorter period the BJP is working to bring about change. As the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Uttar Pradesh election campaign has shown, Hindu India pops its head, much to the discomfort of the Election Commission.

Ramjas College students and other members of the student fraternity in Delhi have shown that they are ready to stand up and be counted. If speakers are to be banned because their views are not in conformity with the ABVP or its mentor, we have reached a sorry state. That is exactly what happened at Ramjas and the answer the mass of students gave in response represents a bright chapter in the history of student politics.

The ideas of freedom of speech are infectious and it should be clear to the Parivar that while they can indoctrinate the very young, those outside their reach will fly away unless tempted by the loaves and fishes of office.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 3

The Punjab and Haryana High Court yesterday expressed shock over the collection of caste-wise data of officials and schoolchildren in Haryana.

Taking up the reservation row case, a Division Bench headed by Justice SS Saron observed that the caste system would never come to an end in society if such a practice was prevalent.

The assertion came during resumed hearing of petition challenging reservation to Jat and five other communities under the backward class category.

The Bench was visibly upset over caste-wise data of students. It observed that inclusion of minor school-going children in the process of caste-based counting was not appropriate.

The Bench also asked the Haryana Government to verify data on the percentage of Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) belonging to the Jat community in the state police.

The observation came after counsel for the petitioner claimed that around 60 per cent posts of DSPs in the police were held by Jat community members.

During the course of hearing, caste-wise data of teachers in various capacities, including principals, headmasters, postgraduate teachers, trained graduate teachers and junior basic training teachers, in state schools was produced in court by the petitioner.

He submitted that between 31 per cent and 56 per cent of such posts were held by Jat community members.

The counsel for the petitioner also produced details of the number of students in government schools belonging to the Jat community. The petitioner said the data had been procured under the RTI Act.

The Bench asserted that the Haryana Government, on one hand, was claiming that it did not have caste-wise data of employees. On the other hand, the same data was provided under the RTI Act by the state.

Counsel appearing for the Haryana Government said the data provided by the petitioners was not part of their writ petition.
Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambala, March 2

The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Sanjeev Arya today sentenced former Haryana Chief Parliamentary Secretary Ram Kishan Gujjar, Ajit Aggarwal and Vijay Aggarwal to four-year rigorous imprisonment in an abetment to suicide case.

The court slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on each of them and ordered that they pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the family of the deceased. Naraingarh-based journalist Pankaj Khanna, who committed suicide on June 10, 2009, by consuming poison, had in a note blamed the three for his death, alleging he was being harassed and humiliated at the MLAs behest.

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Gujjar, a two-time Congress MLA from Naraingarh, Ajit and Vijay were booked under Sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC. Pankajs sister Preeti refused to comment. Prosecution counsel Anil Kaushik claimed Khannas mother was satisfied with the sentence.

Gujjar didnt show any emotions as he stood in the courtroom. Kin of Ajit and Vijay Aggarwal were not allowed in. Gujjars brother said they would move the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The police had initially declared Gujjar innocent following which an application was moved under Section 319 of the CrPC that was accepted by the court and Gujjar was summoned as additional accused. Advocate JS Kohli, representing the Aggarwals, said the case is absolutely false and they would challenge the sentence.

Pankajs father Yashpal Khanna had complained that after a newspaper published reports about the MLA written by his son, he was booked in false cases, that drove him to suicide.
According to reports, terrorists lobbed a grenade at a police convoy in Murran chowk, resulting in injuries to four civilians and CRPF jawan.

By India Today Web Desk: A civilian was killed and four others, including a CRPF jawan, injured in a grenade blast in Pulwama district of south Kashmir today.

According to reports, terrorists lobbed a grenade at a police convoy in Murran chowk, resulting in injuries to four civilians and CRPF jawan.

"Militants lobed a grenade at a security force party in Muran Chowk of Pulwama town," a police official said.

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Muhammad Ayoub Wani, who was injured in the explosion, later died from his injuries.

"The injured paramilitary trooper, identified as Constable Daljit Kiran of 182 battalion of CRPF, has been shifted to hospital," the official said.

ALSO READ | J-K: Army to get tough with those blocking anti-terror ops, troops asked to stick to guns instead of lathis

--- ENDS ---
Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 3

Blowing his own trumpet, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today gave a thumbs up to his governments 28-month rule in the state as he rattled out his governments achievements and sought the Oppositions cooperation on many issues, including illegal mining, flagged by it.

Giving his reply to the Governors Address during the Budget session in the Vidhan Sabha, Khattar used anecdotes and pun to take on Congress legislators, who frequently interrupted him, while using the opportunity to clarify on issues and justify his actions.

Announcing extension of benefit of the 7th Pay Commission to pensioners and family pensioners with effect from January 1, 2016, Khattar said the government had decided to provide the benefit of free travel to places of pilgrimage. We have prepared a Tirath Darshan scheme under which senior citizens of BPL families with Haryana domicile will be able to go on pilgrimage within the country at the expense of the government, he said, explaining that the government would bear 70 per cent of expenses of non-BPL families wanting to go to any of the 400 religious destinations in the country.

Terming his government as the messiah of the people as he recited a couplet, he took potshots at the Opposition. We have given a corruption-free government and the people will give us a reply in the elections, he said, adding that the BJP winning 29 of 40 seats in the recently held Faridabad Municipal Corporation elections was an indicator.

Stating that 38 per cent of his announcements had been completed, Khattar said the rest would be done within this year.

The poor result of the CMs announcements had been highlighted by many during the discussion on the Governors Address.

On the SYL canal issue, Khattar said with the latest Supreme Court order that the SYL would be built, the water would certainly flow. There should be no politics on this, he stated. Justifying the appointment of the Chief Ministers Good Governance Associates (CMGGA) to assist him in his work, he clarified that they were not a part of the government and had been appointed for one year even as Congress MLAs sought to know if RSS men were running the government.

Khattar asserted, I am an RSS man and am proud of it. In a speech that seemed to stretch endlessly as the Opposition repeatedly urged him to wrap it up, he said the CMGGA had formulated a scheme to check the menace of stray animals and Fatehabad had become the first district to be declared free from stray animals.

Stating that 90 per cent of houses had toilets and 14 districts were open defecation free, he spoke at length about the success of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme and that the sex ratio had crossed the 8,900 mark.

As Congress MLAs raised the issue of illegal mining, Khattar sought their cooperation in dealing with the menace. When Congress MLA Karan Dalal tried to raise the issue of the Prime Ministers Fasal Bima Yojana, Khattar snubbed him by saying a privilege motion was on against him in the matter.

If you want to speak on the issue at all, you will have to wait till it is decided, he shot back, adding that the crop insurance scheme was a historic decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as it has the lowest-ever premium.

While Congress MLAs tried to corner Khattar repeatedly, he took the anecdote way out of tricky questions to give his reply, during which only a few INLD MLAs were present.
Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 3

The state governments commitment towards martyrs and Prime Minister Narendra Modis Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign came under question from INLD MLA from Nuh Zakir Husaain during Question Hour in the Assembly today.

Reacting to the answer given by Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma on question whether there was any proposal under consideration of the government to establish a university in Nuh, Husaain alleged that despite the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattars announcement, the government had not opened a womens college in the name of martyr Lt Kiran Shekhawat at Kurthana village of Mewat.

When Lt Shekhawat was martyred in a Navy aircraft crash in March last year, becoming the first woman officer of the country to die in the line of duty, Khattar had visited her Kurthana village and had announced to open a womens college in her memory. When Khattar laid the foundation stones of 21 womens colleges on a single day on February 10, the one announced for Kurthana has been left out even when all formalities had been completed ahead of the event, Hussain alleged.

He said the BJP government not only chose against giving due recognition to the brave officers martyrdom, but had also forgotten its own Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao slogan in case of Mewat.

Refuting Hussains allegations, Sharma maintained that there were some issues relating to the land identified for the college, a claim that Nuh MLA contradicted.

Sharma said when Khattar laid the foundation stone of 21 womens colleges on February 10, one of them was in Punhana falling in Hussains assembly constituency Nuh.

In contrast, when Congress MLA from Jhajjar Geeta Bhukkal tried to pooh-pooh the governments Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign and alleged that women MLAs were not being provided ample opportunity to speak in the Vidhan Sabha, she had to withdraw her comments following strong reactions from the BJP MLAs.

Having asked one supplementary question during Health Minister Anil Vijs reply to Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Guptas question on specialist doctors, Bhukkal raised her hand for another question, but the Speaker, who perhaps did not look at her, asked the next member to ask question.

Women members are not being allowed to ask questions. Is this your Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Abhiyaan? she asked. However, several BJP members, including Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu, Urban Local Bodies Minister Kavita Jain, Ambala City MLA Aseem Goyal and others strongly objected to her comments and asked her to withdraw it.

Ostensibly realising her mistake, Bhukkal chose to withdraw her comments.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 3

The Treasury Benches and the Opposition today sparred over the SYL issue as each tried to take credit for it during the discussion on the Governors address in the Haryana Vidhan Sabhas ongoing Budget session.

Prem Lata, BJP MLA, while speaking on the Governors Address, said the BJP deserved credit since it was in the partys tenure that the court order had come. The Congress and the INLD MLAs objected, claiming that the work on the SYL had begun or had been done during their rule.

While most arguments were lost in the din, Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar maintained that the credit would go to only that party which gets water into the SYL. How is it a big achievement to get the canal made? It is public money. In all these years, not one drop has come. So, only that party which will get water into the canal deserves credit, he stated, evoking strong reactions from the Congress MLAs, who said the Speaker ought to be neutral.

When Prem Lata resumed her speech, she became more accommodating and said all governments deserved credit since each one had done its bit for the SYL.

Drama was witnessed over the SYL once again when BJP MLA Gian Chand Gupta began his speech and Congress MLA Raghuvir Singh Kadian wanted to speak on a point of order, which was refused.

The Congress MLAs were up in arms about being denied permission by the chair as BJP MLAs too got offensive and asked the Speaker to disallow Kadian since there were too many interruptions from the Congress.

An agitated Kadian threatened to walk out for being denied his right and all Congress MLAs trooped into the well, demanding permission. The Speaker pacified them, averted a walkout and allowed Kadian to make his point.

Earlier, during zero hour, Congress MLA Karan Dalal raised the issue of the increasing population of van gaye or forest cow and said their herds were causing extensive damage to crop. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said these were nilgai and ultimately came up with name rani gaye.
Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Mahendragarh3, March 3

Ahead of the 3rd convocation and visit of the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) team, students of the Central University of Haryana (CUH) today created ruckus on the university campus accusing the authorities of not providing immediate help to a student who met with an accident last night.

The students skipped classes, raised slogans against the authorities and staged a dharna on the premises, alleging that a hostel warden misbehaved with them when they urged him to provide the university ambulance to the victim.

They also threatened to boycott the convocation slated for tomorrow and continue their dharna by sporting black badges to register their protest if their demand of suspension of the warden was not met.

Sources said Sourabh, a student of the physics department, suffered serious injuries in a road mishap on the Mahendragarh-Dadri state highway last night when he was coming back to the university on a motorcycle.

On getting information about the accident, we requested the warden to provide university ambulance to help Saurabh, but instead of arranging an ambulance, the warden misbehaved with us. Though the ambulance was available, the driver was not on duty even when he was supposed to be working round-the-clock, said a student.

While rubbishing the allegations, Prof RC Kuhad, Vice Chancellor, said there was no lapse on part of the university and all possible succor was extended to the student.

Besides ambulance, three teachers reached to the spot and took Sourabh to Rewari after getting first-aid done from the Mahendragarh civil hospital. Besides, six units of blood were arranged and all medical expenses were borne by the university, said Kuhad, adding that the students were protesting with a political motive.

He said the matter would be inquired after the convocation and NAAC visit.
Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 3

The Assembly today witnessed trading of charges between Leader of the Opposition PK Dhumal and Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur on the issue of takeover of the ESI Medical College at Nerchowk in Mandi by the state government.

It was while replying to a query by Gulab Singh Thakur and Jai Ram Thakur about the takeover of the ESI Medical College during the question hour that the two leaders called for the smooth transfer of the institute from the Union Labour Ministry. Thakur in his reply said the state government was trying to remove the shortcomings pointed out by the Medical Council of India at Nerchowk and would take up the matter with Union Health Minister JP Nadda. He said efforts were on to get the faculty so that MBBS classes could be started at Nerchowk, Hamirpur and Chamba at the earliest.

The minister has tried to mislead the House on the issue of medical college, the foundation stone of which was laid in a huff, hours before the Election Commission of India announced the Assembly poll in HP, said Dhumal. He said even Union Minister Oscar Fernandes, in his speech, had said the college could be given to Himachal only because of his (Dhumal) efforts. He quipped that if medical classes could be started in Nahan then what was delaying the process at Hamirpur and Chamba.

The allegations levelled by Dhumal are totally baseless as I met the Union Minister several times to ensure that we are not made to pay the hefty amount of interest as it is a shift from government to government, Thakur remarked. He said in case, buildings of ayurveda, HP Education Board and boys school were provided, classes could be started from this academic session. He added efforts were on to get the faculty also.

The issue of removal of lantana (congress grass) was raised by Rajiv Bindal, who alleged that instead of adopting the cut root system only the tops were being removed.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 3

The protest of health officials engaged by the government on a contractual basis under the National Health Mission (NHM) continued on the third consecutive day today.

After the governments silence over their demands of regularisation and removing pay disparity with permanent employees, the employees have decided to extend the protest for the next 72 hours.

Hundred of doctors, paramedics and clerical staff engaged under the NHM in the state since 2006 assembled here at the Press Enclave to take part in the three-day pen-down strike.

The protesters impressed upon the government to frame a regularisation policy for them with provisions of equal pay for equal work and adequate social security benefits.

The NHM employees will not remain silent now and will continue to demand their right of regularisation from the government. We are professional degree holders and have given 10 years of services to the Health Department, the J&K NHM Employees Association spokesperson, Abdul Rouf told The Tribune.

Rouf said the government had engaged over 13,000 employees, including doctors, under the NHM and posted them in far off areas of the Valley. But despite giving them meagre salaries, it had turned a blind eye towards the plight of employees, he said.

As a part of social security benefits for NHM employees, it has been decided in the recent executive committee meeting that employees having a monthly salary up to Rs 15,000 will be covered under the Employees Provident Fund scheme. Also, all employees will be covered under a group insurance scheme in case of death or disability, the NHM Mission Director, Mohan Singh said. However, Singh said the regularisation issue of these employees was taken up with the Centre, which turned down the proposal. It is a policy decision and has to be taken by the state government. We have done what was in our capacity, he said.
Amarjot Kaur

Those who identify with Jaspal Bhattis brand of humour, which was indeed a funny way of being serious, resonate with the wit and satire thats employed to rationalism. Bhattis heartbroken widow, Savita Bhatti, wells up while talking about her late husbands vision for clean comedy that hits one in the head and forces one to think... which is also a quote by Jawaharlal Nehru about Chandigarh and it rests on the walls of Tagore Theatre, where the three-day Jaspal Bhatti Humour Festival began on Friday with a view to commemorate the birth anniversary of King of Comedy Jaspal Bhatti.

Honestly, I was quite upset with the administration after his death. I think no one from the administration even attended his cremation. It was only on the insistence of former adviser to the UT administration, Vijay Dev, that we began this festival. This one will be the second edition of the festival and it has been organised by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Chandigarh, she said.

Comic line

Hosted by Deepak Raja, the festival will feature famous comedians from the region on the first day that explores comedy in Punjabi language, including Rana Ranbir, Ssumier Pasricha, Gunjan Utreja, Satti Sembi and Santa Banta. On the second and third day, well be exploring comedy in English and Hindi language, respectively. I zeroed-in on the comedians who will be performing on the basis of Jaspal Bhattis brand of humour, which is clean and has a message. Also, we will be taking this festival to the soldiers too, like we did last year, she says.

Most of the comedy that I do, as Pammi aunty, is targeted at several social issues, like pollution, homosexuality and rape. In my opinion, comedy that injects mindless humour that depends on body shaming and abusive language wont please the masses for long. In fact, I am adding another character to my Pammi Aunty series, and that would be Hira Lal or something like that, but at the festival, I will be performing as Pammi Aunty with Gunjan as my nephew, shares Ssumier Pasricha.

While sharing that Pammi Aunty will never enter the television space, Pasricha says he intends to keep the character rolling its gig online because it got viral through the medium. I was trolled too for my videos on Taimur Ali and the one on Republic Day, and I was hurt too, but then, I look at those who like my work, he shares.

No politics, please

Echoing Pasrichas concerns, Rana Ranbir, who is the contemporary of Bhagwant Mann and Gurpreet Ghuggi, says that unlike his peers he has no intention of getting into politics. I want to create awareness through literature, movies, and initiating a dialogue between parents and children, and teachers too. I mean, how often we hear this generation using words like attt, sira, kaim...these are not our words. Even comedy on television is mindless. How can one find a man dressed as a woman being kicked around on the hips funny? he asks.

Rana, 47, calls out for a change in the education system while terming it as obsolete and conventional, when asked about lack of local and home-grown Punjabi comedy content on the internet, except NRIs like Lilly Singh, AKamazing, and Jus Reign. My daughter is studying in Vancouver and she is given the liberty to work on computers for her projects. Our teaching system is rhetoric and conventional, when it comes to digital media, he says.

Satti Sembi, 28, also shares the same concern. I find most of the stuff on web vulgar and degrading. However, I do find it fulfilling to do charity shows, like the one that I did for the inmates of Ropar jail, he smiles. Well, in Punjabs race against rapid digitalisation, we must wait to find wholl have the last laugh.

amarjot@tribunemail.com
Manika Ahuja

A picture is worth a thousand words. Period. And when a host of photojournalists from Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali, get together to commemorate an eminent photojournalist, the pictures on display seem to communicate not a thousand, but a million, gazillion words!

One cannot help but get engulfed by a diverse range of emotions. A similar scenario pervaded at Newscapes-4, a three-day-long photo exhibition organised by Chandigarh Press Club in association with Punjab Arts Council, which saw as many as 42 lensmen coming together to commemorate eminent photojournalist and National Press Awardee(late) Yog Joy.

With as many as seven pictures culled from Yog Joys personal archives; and 82 images exhibited by Tricity photojournalists as a tribute to Joy (who worked as the Chief Photographer with The Tribune), one cannot help but acknowledge the true significance of capturing fleeting moments.

Another thing that is rather hard to miss is the fact that while each picture taken by other lensmen is accompanied by a title relating to the photographs essence, the ones taken by Yog Joy do not have the support of the written word.

Although we could have entitled photographs taken by my father (Yog Joy), we chose not to, because each picture that he took has the admirable quality of being self-explanatory. The onlooker can easily understand the thought being conveyed, informs Vikram Joy, son of Yog, who, too, is an accomplished photographer. Indeed, the truth behind Vikrams claim comes to the fore, the minute one sets ones eyes upon Yog Joys pictures  which bring in scenes from Chandigarhs Sukhna Lake to Surajkunds folk art which sees a traditional saree-clad woman with a veil.

Rich tributes

Chandigarh-based photojournalists Manoj Mahajan, Nitin Mittal and Vicky Gharu paid their tribute to Yog Joys contribution to the art of photography by exhibiting some images that are close to their bosom.

Mahajan looks pensively at Yogs works as he points at two of his own pictorial exhibits- his picture taken at Siachen Glacier entitled Spiders, and another one titled Lost his horse and power, which sees two mounted policemen losing their balance as one tumbles down, while the other one looks on. While Nitin Mittals Depositing the demonetised and An amphibian model are on display; Vicky Gharu exhibited two of his photographsSwirl- a dancing woman and Surviving blast.

The trio observe, Yogs contribution to the field of photography is rather immense. There is a unique quality attached to each one of his pictures.

Of humility and stature

Sanjeev Sharma, another city-based photojournalist, who, too, participated to pay his tribute to Yog with his images Life beyond the grave and Winking cat, recollects his association with Yog, Yog was an extremely humble and soft-spoken person, and this quality of his gets reflected in his photographs too. Till date, no lensman has been able to reach the stature that Yog earned.

The youngest participant of the exhibition, 24-year-old Sumit Kumar, notes, The patience with which Yog Ji clicked each one of his photographs is something that really inspires me. Nods Vikram Joy, as he adds, The best part is that unlike pictures taken today, these (Yogs) photographs have been neither photo shopped nor airbrushed. They are untouched...just the way he took them! Sant Arora took home the first prize for his photograph  Salvaging to build afresh.

(The three-day exhibition on at Chandigarhs Punjab Kala Bhawan concludes on March 5)

manikaahuja@tribunemail.com
New Delhi, March 3

Airports across the country have been alerted about the possibility of UP Minister Gayatri Prajapati, accused of rape, trying to flee the country.

A Letter of Cancellation (LC) will soon be opened against him and all airports have been alerted to prevent the 49-year-old Prajapati from fleeing the country, official sources said.

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A letter of cancellation is a technical term used for alerting immigration authorities about any possible move by a suspect to leave the country.

Whenever passport of the suspect comes for immigration clearance at any exit point of the country, the computer screen warns the official to not let the person leave.

The Sashtra Seema Bal (SSB), guarding Uttar Pradeshs border with Nepal, has also been alerted about the possibility of such a move by Prajapati.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday promised full cooperation with regard to the case.

The matter is in the Supreme Court... the government will fully cooperate and go by its order, Yadav said in response to a question at a hurriedly-convened press conference here.

When his attention was drawn to the tweet by state BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya that Prajapati has been hiding in the Chief Ministers house, Akhilesh asked the mediapersons to follow him with their cameras to check for themselves.

Prajapati and some of his aides have been accused of gang-raping a woman and molesting her daughter. The victims had knocked at the doors of the Supreme Court, on whose directive an FIR has been registered by the UP Police against the ruling Samajwadi Party politician.

However, Prajapati continues to be elusive.  PTI
Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 3

China today warned India of serious damage to the bilateral relationship, if it allowed the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh. China regards Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and has always reacted strongly whenever any leader from India has visited the region. It said it had expressed its concern to India through formal channels.

India, meanwhile, has given its official nod to the visit of the Dalai Lama since he will be accompanied by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju. The ministers office confirmed to The Tribune Rijiju would accompany the Dalai Lama, noting that Rijiju himself is a Buddhist and the Dalai Lama happens to be the only Guru today. The Dalai Lama is expected to visit Arunachal Pradesh from April 3-14.

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The official sanction is a clear indication that the Modi government does not intend to conduct its Tibet policy in shadows. People familiar with the developments said India is now trying to use the Tibet card to push China into a corner as it regards many Chinese policies as being obstructionist.

The Arunachal Pradesh CM met the Dalai Lama here in October last year and invited him to visit the state.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry in a media briefing today warned India not to provide a platform to people indulging in anti-China separatist activities. "The Dalai clique has for a long time carried out anti-China separatist activities and on the issue of the China-India border has a history of disgraceful performances," spokesman Geng Shuang said. The Ministry of External Affairs, however, was quick to dismiss the Chinese objections and said India's stand on the issue was well known.

Today's flare up comes in the background of claim made by Dai Bingguo, former Chinese Special Representative on the boundary dispute, that the border dispute between the two nations could be resolved, if India gave up claim over Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
By Akshaya Nath: "Na oru thadava sonna nooru thadava donna madiri (When I say it once it is like saying it a hundred times)," this line from Baasha is one of the few dialogues immortalised by superstar Rajinikanth. Basha, the 1995 blockbuster, is to hit the silver screen again today.

The movie, which is much appreciated even today, will be seen in a digitalised format and the movie's entire crew has been working hard for the new format. Digitalisation has started picking up in Kollywood, and many of the yesteryear superhits staring MG Ramachandran and Shivaji Ganesan have been digitalised and re-released.

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Digitalisation, which involves converting the 35mm film to 70mm, helps in preserving a movie in the long run. In most of the cases, the re-released films have worked well.

Baasha is a film that is much loved by the Tamil audience and is considered to one of Rajinikanth's best films. The film, which stars Nagma and Raghuvaran alongside Rajinikanth, is a story narrating the journey of a don, staring from a simple man with simple dreams to becoming the people's leader, who later goes into a shell for his family.

The movie's music by music director Deva also worked wonders and is still considered to be one of his best compositions.

An interesting fact about the movie is that the DMK president M Karunanidhi recently watched Rajini's Baasha while he was admitted to the hospital. With the senior politician himself showcasing his keenness for the movie, the kind of response that this film will receive again is something that the filmmakers are confident about.

ALSO READ | Baasha trailer out: Rajinikanth's cult classic recreates magic

ALSO WATCH | Apoorva Raagangal to Kabali: A look at Thalaivar Rajinikanth's journey

--- ENDS ---
Beijing, March 3

China on Friday warned India against allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause serious damage to the bilateral ties and peace in the disputed border region.

China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told the media here.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to any visits by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area.

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China had also aired similar concerns in October last year when India granted permission to the Tibetan spiritual leader to visit Arunachal Pradesh at the invitation of the state government.

The visit is expected to take place this year.

China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas, Geng said.

Chinas position on the eastern section of China-India border dispute is consistent and clear. The Dalai clique has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and its record on the border question is not that good, he said.

Geng said China expressed its concern to India through formal channels.

India is fully aware of the seriousness of the Dalai issue and the sensitivity of China-India border question, he said.

Under such a background if India invites the Dalai to visit the mentioned territory, it will cause serious damage to peace and stability of border region and China-India relations, he said.

We have expressed concerns to the Indian side, urged India to stick to its political commitments and abide by important consensus the two sides have reached on the boundary question, refrain from actions that might complicate the issue, not provide a platform to the Dalai clique and protect the sound and stable development of the Sino-India relations, he said.

Gengs comments came in the backdrop of an interview to the Chinese media by former Chinese Special Representative on boundary dispute Dai Bingguo in which he said the border dispute between the two nations could be resolved if India gave up claim over Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

Asked about Dais comments, Geng said he had not seen the interview.

He said Chinas principled position on the boundary question with India is to reach an early solution pending the China-India border question in the fundamental interest of the two countries. PTI
San Francisco/New York, March 3

Parents who immigrated illegally to the United States and now fear deportation under the Trump Administration are inundating immigration lawyers with requests for help in securing care for their children in case they are expelled from the country.

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) has been receiving about 10 requests a day from parents who want to put in place temporary guardianships for their children, said spokesman Jorge-Mario Cabrera. The National Lawyers Guild, Washington DC, put out a call this week for volunteer attorneys to help immigrants fill forms granting friends or relatives the right to make legal and financial decisions in their absence.

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New Jersey immigration attorney Helen Ramirez said she was getting about six phone calls a day from parents. She received no such calls last year. Their biggest fear is that their kids will end up in foster care, she said.

President Donald Trumps Administration has issued directives to agents to enforce immigration laws more aggressively. For parents of US citizens who are ordered removed, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency accommodates, to the extent practicable, the parents efforts to make provisions for their children, said Sarah Rodriguez of ICE. She said this might include access to a lawyer, consular officials and relatives for detained parents to execute powers of attorney or apply for passports and buy airline tickets.

Randy Capps of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), a Washington-based non-profit, said while putting contingency plans in place was a good idea, he did not think the level of fear was justified. During the previous Barack Obama Administration, the likelihood of both parents being deported was slim, he said. He was doubtful if there would be a huge shift under the Republican Trump.

The odds are very low but not as low as they were  and this is just the beginning, he said. About 50 lakh children under the age of 18 are living with at least one parent who is in the US illegally, according to a 2016 study by the MPI. Most children, 79 per cent, are US citizens.

Obama was criticised for being the deporter in chief after he expelled more than 4,00,000 people in 2012, the most in a single year. In 2014, the Obama Administration began focusing on a narrower slice of immigrants, those who had recently entered or committed serious felonies. Trump has said he would prioritise criminals for deportation.

In New Jersey, meanwhile, Seidy Martinez and her husband Jose Gomez have begun the difficult conversations with their 10-year-old daughter about what would happen if they were deported. From Honduras, the two entered the US illegally and do not have papers, unlike their daughter, who has been granted asylum, and their three-year-old son, a US citizen.

Now we are worried all the time, said Martinez. She has told her daughter she could live with her aunt in Miami. The 10-year-old tries to comfort her. Mami, tranquila. Dont be afraid, I am scared too but dont worry, everything will be OK.  Reuters
R Sedhuraman

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, March 3

The Supreme Court on Friday advised the Centre and states to take steps to prevent suicide by farmers by addressing their problems instead of focusing on payment of compensation to the victims families.

A three-member Bench told the Centre that farmers continued to face problems as important issues remained unresolved for years. Famers suffered losses whenever there was a bumper crop causing the market price to fall or a crop failure due to drought or flood.

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The government should make efforts to address the reasons behind the suicides, not focus on payment of compensation. You seem to be going in the wrong direction, the Bench told Additional Solicitor General PS Narasimha after going through the Centres response to a PIL on the problem.

Narasimha, however, pleaded that the Centre had taken several measures to improve the financial condition of farmers by offering crop insurance and farm credit with interest subvention. The Centre was coordinating with the states in the implementation of various policies aimed at helping farmers.

The Centre had put in place as many as 12 schemes and since 2015 efforts were focused on strengthening farmers finances, the ASG said. The Bench posted the case filed by NGO Citizens Resource and Action Initiative (CRANTI) for further hearing on March 27.

Arguing for the petitioner, senior counsel Colin Gonsalves pleaded with the court to appoint a committee headed by MS Swaminathan to get quick results.

Earlier, the apex court had sought the response of the Centre and all states to the petitioners contention that drought and debt drove more than 600 farmers to commit suicide in Gujarat alone between 2003 and 2012, when Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister.

The court wanted to know if there was any policy to waive crop loans in the wake of natural calamities. The Bench also wanted the Reserve bank of India to indicate the policy on loan waiver in such situations.

The NGO has collected detailed information about the reasons that led to the suicide of 41 farmers. The reasons were increasing amount of loan, cotton crop failure due to no rain, bad economic situation, inability to pay instalments on loans taken for tractor, seeds and other agricultural implements.

The PIL has sought the courts intervention to save the farmers. It cited the suicide by five members of a family in Rajkot district in April 2013 to highlight the worsening problem.
Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 3

To minimise litigation and pave the way for cordial landlord-tenant ties, the Haryana Assembly today amended the PEPSU Tenancy and Agricultural Lands (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2017, the Punjab Land Revenue (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2017, and the Punjab Security of Land Tenures (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2017. These were passed unanimously.

Revenue Minister Capt Abhimanyu called it a milestone in the history of land reforms. Under the Punjab Land Revenue (Haryana Amendment) Act, one would not have to repeatedly visit the offices of the SDM, DC, Divisional Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) for the purpose of land demarcation, khasra-girdawari, mutation and land division. A new mechanism would be put in place to ensure this.

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Also, compensation for crop damage due to natural calamities would be given directly to the tenant (actual tiller). The tenant and the landowner would have to file an affidavit and there would be no fear of the land being usurped.

The Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act ensures lease of agricultural land to the private sector on a long-term basis in a way that the farmers/landowners do not lose their ownership rights. It enables the private sector to set up model agricultural farms, invest in farm equipment and bring in agriculture technology.

The tenants were at a disadvantage under the old land-leasing laws, having no access to institutional credit, insurance and other support services. The amendments will correct this as well as promote agricultural efficiency, Capt Abhimanyu said.
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, March 3

A consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) on Friday pleaded with the Supreme Court to initiate recovery proceedings against liquor baron Vijay Mallya for non-repayment of loans amounting to about Rs 9,000 crore taken by his companies.

The banks senior counsel Shyam Divan made the plea before a new Bench of Justices AK Goel and UU Lalit. Earlier, a Bench headed by Justice Kurian Joseph was hearing the matter. Justice Goel told Mallyas senior counsel CS Vaidyanathan that Chief Justice JS Khehar had passed an order shifting the contempt case against the defaulter to the new Bench for allegedly defying the court order for full disclosure of assets and liabilities.

Justice Goel said it was not necessary that the same Bench which issued contempt notice should hear the matter as contempt was against the institution.

The banks pleaded that Mallya did not deliberately disclose receipt of 40 million US dollars from a British company in the form of sale proceedings as he had transferred the amount to trusts set up for his three children. The Bench slated the next hearing for March 9.

Divan pleaded with the apex court to direct Mallya to get back the amount to India and deposit it either in SC or the Debt Recovery Tribunal to prove his bona fides. If Mallya failed to bring back the money, the court should direct his personal appearance.

Earlier, the defaulters counsel had pleaded that his client did not mention the receipt of 40 million dollars in his response to the court notice on the contempt petition by the banks as the Bench had asked him to disclose only the assets and liabilities, not revenue and expenditure.

Unconvinced, the Bench had said Mallya was not getting the spirit of the court order. Since he was facing charges of contempt of court he should have come clean, disclosing the details of assets in full, instead of finding excuses to withhold information.

The banks had pleaded that Mallya was trying to deceive the court and the banks by playing tricks on the Bench. The banks had given loans to his companiesthe now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, United Breweries and Kingfisher Finvest (India) Ltd.
New Delhi, March 3

Cook-cum-helpers working under the midday meal scheme as well as the student beneficiaries will now be required to have an Aadhaar card to avail the facility, with the HRD Ministry mandating the same.

The move, aimed at improving efficiency and transparency, comes following a push from the Central government to link the Aadhaar number with subsidy schemes related to school education.

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The Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL), under the Human Resource Development Ministry, has decided to give a window till June 30 to those who do not have an Aadhaar card yet.

The use of Aadhaar as identity document for delivery of services, benefits or subsidies simplifies the government delivery process and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlements directly and in a seamless manner, a senior ministry official said.

A notification will be sent to schools that students desirous of availing the benefits under the midday meal scheme will be required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo the authentication, he added.

The cook-cum-helpers engaged under the scheme for preparing and serving midday meals at schools are honorary workers who come forward for rendering social services and are paid an honorarium for the same.

The cook-cum-helpers are also treated as beneficiaries under the scheme and hence they will also be required to furnish Aadhaar numbers, the official said.

In an inter-ministerial meeting earlier this year, DSEL had raised concerns over the decision to use the Aadhaar number as an identification document for receiving benefits under various school-related schemes, saying the plan needs more deliberation.  PTI
Islamabad, March 3

Pakistan today clarified it would not extradite alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav and said more information on him had been sought from India.

Pakistan Prime Ministers Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, during the Senate session, said a case was being prepared to prosecute the alleged Indian spy arrested last year in March.

A list of questions has also been handed over to India to seek more information from them in the light of the statements of Kulbhushan Jadhav, he said, without elaborating on when the questionnaire was given to New Delhi.

The discussion started when Senator Talha Mehmood asked Aziz whether the government was planning to hand over Jadhav to India like it extradited CIA contractor Raymond Davis in 2011 who had killed two men in Lahore. Aziz rejected the statement and said the government was not considering any option to extradite the alleged Indian spy back to his country.

We have prepared an FIR and a case is in the process of registration to prosecute (the) Indian state actor for involvement in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan, he said. He claimed the spy had confessed to his involvement in militancy.  PTI
Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 3

A fresh agreement between Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir was signed this afternoon for the completion of the Shahpur Kandi Dam project, 11 km downstream Ranjit Sagar Dam, work on which was abandoned two years ago following a dispute.

The pact, signed between Punjabs Secretary (Irrigation) KS Pannu and his counterpart in J&K Saurabh Bhagat in the presence of Centres representative Dr Amarjit Singh, will have to be ratified by the respective state governments. The project is worth Rs 2,285 crore. About 206 MW of power is to be generated by this hydro-power project on the Ravi. Punjab has been insisting on its early completion to stop the Ravi waters from flowing into Pakistan via the Madhopur headworks in Pathankot.

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Sources said the Prime Ministers Office had intervened to get the agreement signed afresh. The PM wants to maximise the use of the Indus, Jhelam and Chenab waters when the states concerned are not even able to contain the flow of the Ravi into Pakistan. Both India and Pakistan are expected to discuss issues related to the Indus waters later this month.

Earlier, several meetings between Punjab Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal and his counterpart in J&K were held to clinch the issue. The J&K Government had been arguing that since Punjab had terminated all water agreements in 2004 by enacting a law, the agreement on Shahpur Kandi too stood abrogated. Under the new agreement, the crest level of 398.40 metres, as

decided by the Chief Engineers of the two states, would be the basis for resuming work on the project. Consequently, the Central Water and Power Research Station would carry out a study to assess the crest levels of head regulators to ensure that the mandated share of 1,150 cusecs of water was available to J&K.

Punjab will execute the project. A committee headed by a member of the Central Water Commission will monitor it.The balance cost on account of compensation for land acquisition in respect of Thein Dam would be borne by Punjab. Twenty per cent of power generated would be provided to J&K at the rate of Rs 3.50 per unit.
Mumbai, March 3

An Army jawan who featured in a viral video on the abuse of the buddy system in military camps, was found dead in an abandoned barrack in Nashik district of Maharashtra, police said on Friday.

Roy Mathew, who hailed from Ezhukon in Kollam district of Kerala, was found hanging from the ceiling of a room in an abandoned barrack in Deolali cantonment in Nashik yesterday, police said.

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The deceased was shown in the video, with his face covered, narrating the woes of soldiers. The video also showed soldiers walking dogs of officers and taking their children to school.

The sting operation had led to criticism of the British-era Sahayak (buddy) system. The Army has ordered an inquiry into how the sting took place.

Police said Mathew, whose body was decomposed, might have died three days ago.

The soldier had been missing from the Artillery Centre in Deolali since February 25 after the sting video went viral.

Mathew was attached for buddy duties with a Colonel-rank officer at the Centre.

According to his family in Kerala, Mathew made his last phone call to them on February 25 and from the way he talked it was evident that he was in a frightened state.

He told them that he had recently spoken to a media person about the woes of the soldiers in the Army and of the menial tasks which they were asked to perform.

He claimed that he said these things after ensuring that he was not being recorded. But later, to his shock, the video went viral as his interview was secretly recorded.

Roy had told his kin that he feared that he would lose his job and would have to face consequences for the act.

After his last call, he did not contact his house, his family in Kerala said.

Deolali camp police have registered a case of accidental death under Section 174 of the CrPC following a complaint lodged by Subhedar Gopalsinh.

However, the reason behind his death is yet to be ascertained, they said.

Mathews body has been handed over to the Army by police after preliminary formalities.  PTI
This decision from the RSS comes a day after Chandrawat was seen on a video saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was behind the killing of RSS workers and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him.

By India Today Web Desk: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has relieved its leader Kundan Chandrawat of his duties after his controversial statement about Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Ujjain on Thursday.

This decision from the RSS comes a day after Chandrawat was seen on a video saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was behind the killing of RSS workers and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him. The RSS leader went on saying that he would even sell his property if he had to give the reward for Vijayan's head.

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The RSS also tweeted the statement about the decision on Friday evening saying, "Kundan who made controversial statement at Ujjain protest mtg has been relieved of his responsibility in RSS: Dr MM Vaidya."

Kundan who made controversial statement at Ujjain protest mtg has been relieved of his responsibility in RSS: Dr MM Vaidya pic.twitter.com/4t1emJH5PT; RSS (@RSSorg) March 3, 2017

The RSS also added, "It does not subscribe to any views advocating violence and strongly condemn it.

RSS do not subscribe to any views advocating violence and strongly condemn it. Attached statement is loud and clear: Dr MM Vaidya pic.twitter.com/NHzrWCdBDx; RSS (@RSSorg) March 2, 2017

Earlier, Chandravat had retracted from his statement and expressed his regret.

Also read: Kerala: How cult of political violence became new normal in God's own country

--- ENDS ---
Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, March 3

The voting for the sixth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections will take place tomorrow. In all, 49 seats across Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Azamgarh, Mau and Ballia districts will go to the polls tomorrow.

Manipur will witness first phase of Assembly elections tomorrow. The polling will start at 7 am for 38 seats.

Meanwhile, non-issues dominated the campaigning for the sixth phase in UP with Hindutva pitch not sparing even the issue of electricity supply.

Gorakhpur, Deoria, Kushinagar and Maharajganj districts witness the onslaught of Japanese encephalitis (brain fever) that claims the lives of around 500-600 children between July and October every year. The ones that survive remain disabled for life.

Gorakhpur is the epicentre of this preventable disease for the past 40 years caused by mosquitoes that breed in unhygienic conditions and water-logging due to poor sanitation. However, this dreaded disease failed to become an election issue.

Similarly, thousands villagers who had migrated to various urban areas in search of livelihood have returned to their villages following demonetization, but the issue did not figure in the political discourse.

Polarisation on religious lines pushed many important issues out of political discourse that remained dominated by issues such as electricity for Muslims and Hindus, closure of slaughter houses, donkeys, KASAB etc.

During his election rallies in Maharajganj and Deoria, PM Modi in fact took credit for the so-called success of demonetization, quoting latest GDP figures. Sardonically remarking on economists who had predicted the slowing down of the economy, Modi claimed hard work matters more than Harvard.

CM Akhilesh Yadav referring to Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adiyanath said: A baba from Gorakhpur has charged my government of not giving power to his district. I would request him to touch a live wire to know if he is stating the truth.

The Union Power Minister charged Akhilesh with distributing power connections in the state on the basis of religion and giving preference to Muslims over Hindus.

PM Modi continued his charge of local police stations running like Samajwadi Party offices at virtually every election meeting.

The strongest counter attack surprisingly came from none else than BSP national president Mayawati who wanted to know from the PM what he had done about it if he was aware of such a grave law and order problem in the state.

In figures

Seats: 49

Voters: 1.72 crore

Candidates: 635

Districts: 7

The formations
Washington, March 3

A top US Senator has strongly pushed for selling the state-of-the-art guardian drones to India which is going to be the next great thing of defence collaboration between both countries.

Democrat Senator Mark Warner and his Republican colleague in the Senate Dan Sullivan, during a programme here asserted that the erstwhile Obama Administration and the US Congress designating India as a major defence partner is a significant step forward in taking the India-US relationship to the next level.

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While the two lawmakers were strong on India-US cooperation in Asia Pacific region, in particular South China Sea, both appeared to be quite soft to when it came to Indias interest with regard to terrorist safe havens in Pakistan, which has been responsible for a number of terrorist attacks from across the border.

Senator Sullivan argued the case for joint military operation by India and the US in areas of common interest.

India has shown reluctance to such a proposal from the US so far.

Warner, who is Co-Chair of the Senate India caucus and Ranking member of powerful Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, expressed his displeasure of the bureaucracy from the US State Department and Department of Defence in selling the guardian drones to India.

India had requested for purchase of significant number of guardian drones for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean.

I have been frustrated with the Defence and State Department in terms of the sale of guardian drones. This is going to be the next great thing of defence collaboration, Warner said, as he expressed his disappointment over what he said Indias inability to absorb the requirement of 30 per cent offset.

Major Defence Partnership which, he said, moves India into the category of non-NATO-type ally, is a great step in the right direction.

Actually, this (Major Defence Partner) status is unique to India. The idea is to actually institutionalise (the relationship), Sullivan said in his remarks at the Widrow Wilson Center, a top American think-tank.

Responding to a question on Pakistan, Warner said while India and the US had a very strong relationship between the intelligence community, there was enormous concern not only about Pakistans role in unrest in Kashmir, but also the terrorist organisations from Pakistan.

Warner said it is in the best interest of Pakistan not to differentiate between different groups of terrorists.

Praising Indias patience, Warner said India today has risen to a place where it sees itself as a major international partner. I want to send a strong message that Pakistan cant play both ways, supporting one group of terrorists on the one hand and taking action against the others, he said.

Sullivan said there is always an area of common interest with India. I believe we can have strong relationship with both countries, particularly in the area of international terrorism, he said. PTI
Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 3

Thousands of villagers across the state were affected after power supply to waterworks of more than 650 villages in Punjab was disconnected by PSPCL for non-payment of dues.

Supply to at least 300 villages out of 3,500 being maintained by the panchayats and around 275 centres out of 4,200 maintained by the Water Supply and Sanitation Department (each centre caters to three or four villages) was affected. Connection to some villages has been restored following payment of bills.

Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation, Ajoy Kumar Sinha said, Water supply to about 615 villages stands affected today because of non-payment of bills.

Following the disconnection, we have recorded a massive increase in the collection of outstanding bills. We have deposited at least Rs 141 crore with the PSPCL already and have an outstanding payment of approximately Rs 210 crore. The average collection these days was more than Rs 2.50 crore daily and we expect the situation to be normal within less a week, he added.

Sarpanch Teja Singh of Mann village in Muktsar said, The power connection to the waterworks has not been snapped. However, with an outstanding bill of more than Rs 15 lakh we have been warned of disconnection any moment.

Not just here, people in a large number of villages were not willing to make even a small contribution to settle the pending dues. As such, two employees handling the waterworks in our village have not been paid their salaries on this count, he added.

A sarpanch from Mansa said, We are facing a great difficulty in seeking even small contributions from the villagers to pay for government schemes. I feel paying a big sum might be difficult for small panchayats so the department will have to reschedule our payment.

No power to 6 RO plants

Muktsar: The PSPCL authorities discontinued power supply to nearly six reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment plants in the Gidderbaha subdivision for not paying the power bills.

Notably, the underground water of this area is unfit for human consumption. Besides, power supply to a large number of water works, too, was discontinued on Friday.

Meanwhile, the PSPCL officials issued a notice to the Health Department officials to pay the electricity bill of the Community Health Centre in Lambi village within five days or the supply will be discontinued. Later, the PSPCL officials even snapped the power supply to the motors installed at some village ponds.  TNS
GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Attari, March 3

The Centre has okayed the installation of state-of-the art security apparatus at the Attari Integrated Check Post (ICP), which facilitates Indias bilateral trade with Pakistan and Afghanistan.

According to the Union Ministry of Home (MoH), two full-body truck scanners costing around Rs50 crore will be set up, besides 108 high-definition digital CCTV cameras worth Rs4.75 crore. At present, manual checking of vehicles is done with the help of sniffer dogs. The existing analog-tech CCTV cameras are outdated or defunct.

Also, Rs100 crore is being spent on raising infrastructure, including a concrete open perch measuring 1.3 lakh sq ft for the storage of loose cargo and covered sheds on an area of 10,000 sq ft for imported goods such as gypsum, cement, soda ash and dry fruit.

This was stated by BJP MP Shwait Malik, who conducted a joint meeting with the officials of the Customs Department, BSF, Land Ports Authority of India, Central Warehouse Corporation and representatives of export-import traders today.

Malik said he had repeatedly raised the issue in Parliament and held parleys with the MoH.

I asked in Parliament: When a country like Pakistan, which has a fractured economy, can set up security scanners, why should we compromise with our nations security? We cant rely merely on dogs or manual checking to curb smuggling of drugs and weapons, the MP added.

Malik said Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju had informed him that the process of installing security equipment had been expedited. The tendering process and other formalities have been completed. The installation of CCTV cameras with night-vision facility will be completed in three weeks, he added.

The BJP MP said full-body truck scanners would also be installed at the Petrapole ICP (India-Bangladesh border), Raxaul ICP (India-Nepal border) and the check posts of Uri-Salamabad and Poonch-Chakkan-da-Bagh.
Gurdeep Singh Mann

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 3

The police have taken a UP Roadways employee into custody and questioned a scrap dealer of Kanpur in connection with the Maur Mandi blast case. Six people lost their lives and 13 others were injured in the blast in which Congress candidate Harminder Jassi had a narrow escape.

While senior police functionaries remain tightlipped over the developments in the case, sources revealed that the police were trying to probe the sale of the Maruti car used in the blast. The police scrutinised documents of 142 cars and reached Uttar Pradesh after getting engine and chassis of the car examined from Maruti Udyog in Gurgaon.

Police sources stated that teams were dispatched to 21 cities across the country and about Rs10-15 lakh had been spent to carry out investigations.

A team of five policemen from Bathinda has rounded up an employee of the Kanpur Roadways and brought another junk dealer for questioning in Kalyanpur town, which is 15 km from Kanpur. The junk dealer has also been told not to leave the city without permission.

Earlier, a probe by the Punjab Police and the NSG revealed that the owner of the Maruti was a woman in Delhi who had sold the vehicle to someone in UP. Sources said the needle of suspicion was towards a terrorist group in Thailand.

SSP Swapan Sharma said they could not disclose any information at the moment and are likely to crack the case soon.
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 2

Maintaining that Punjab is a very sensitive state, the SAD-BJP government today asserted in the Supreme Court that the 2002 decree on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal was not executable due to substantive decrease in availability of water and a variety of legal reasons.

Senior counsel RS Suri told a Bench headed by Justice PC Ghose that the 2004 Act passed by the state Assembly terminating the SYL canal water-sharing agreement with neighbouring states took away the very basis of the 2002 decree that went in favour of Haryana.

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He said the 2004 Act was never declared unconstitutional and so long as it was there, the 2002 decree could not be executed. He also pointed out that Haryana had not filed any petition under Article 131.

Suri said even the courts verdict on the presidential reference was neither binding on the President, nor the states in question.

He said Punjab was forced to pass the 2004 Act because its water complaint filed in January 2003 was not acted upon and the Centre never set up a water tribunal to address its grievances.

The Bench, however, again clarified that it didnt intend to revisit the facts and issues already adjudicated upon and asked the parties to spell out if the courts verdict on the presidential reference was binding or not.

As Suri kept questioning the decree, Justice Ghose said: To my mind, the decree which has been passed has to be executed.

On behalf of the Haryana Government, senior counsel Shyam Divan contested Suris submission, saying it was fraught with serious consequences for the integrity of India. If one state is forced to challenge the validity of a law passed by another state before the Supreme Court, then the Indian federation is not on a stable course, Divan said.

Senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, who also represented Punjab, again requested the court to ask the Centre to try to mediate between the two states by bringing them to the negotiating table. As the arguments remained inconclusive, the Bench fixed March 28 for further hearing.

The top court had on February 22 made it clear that the SYL canal had to be constructed and both the state governments must maintain law and order. Punjab has maintained that the water-sharing agreement was signed in 1981 and the quantity of water flow had significantly decreased since then. Therefore, it wasnt possible now to execute it.

But the Bench again today said: We are at a stage where the decree has to be executed.

The canal had to be constructed first. Whether the water was there or not or itll be there only in the rainy season or how much quantity was being maintained could be sorted out later, it had noted last month.
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 3

Congress leader Sajjan Kumar on Thursday appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing 58 cases of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The sleuths questioned him for about an hour about the murder of Jaswant Singh and his son, who lived in Punjabi Bagh of Delhi.

As per the original FIR, Singhs wife was the witness of the crime as she claimed that she saw Kumar allegedly instigating a mob, sources in the SIT said. Delhi Police had filed a case at Punjabi Bagh police station in the matter in 1991 but closed the probe in 1993.

The Congress leader was interrogated by a three member SIT team comprising IPS officer Anurag, retired District Judge Rakesh Kapoor and Delhi Police DCP Kumar Gyanesh. This was Kumars fourth interrogation after a SIT was constituted to re-investigate the anti-Sikh riots cases.

Incidentally, the probe team recently submitted a report to the Supreme Court on the progress of its investigations into the cases and is reported to have told that it has completed the process in most of the cases.

The SIT was set up in 2015 following Justice GP Mathur (retd) committee recommendation to re-investigate serious criminal cases filed in the National Capital Territory of Delhi relating to the 1984 riots. There were around 650 cases registered in Delhi for anti-Sikh riots. A total of 3,325 people were killed in the riots in which Delhi alone accounted for 2,733 deaths, while the rest took place in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states.

Delhi Police had closed 241 cases citing lack of evidence. Justice Nanavati Commission had recommended reopening of only four of them. The CBI had reopened and re-investigated only four cases. In two of them, the probe agency had filed a charge sheet and in one, five persons, including a former MLA, were convicted.
Washington, March 3

Warning signs of a type of space weather event can be detected much earlier than with current forecasting techniques  providing critical extra time that could help protect astronauts, NASA scientists say.

The Sun sometimes erupts with bursts of light, solar material, or ultra-fast energised particles - collectively, these events contribute to space weather.

Earths magnetic field and atmosphere protect us on the ground from most of the harmful effects of space weather, but astronauts in low-Earth orbit - or even, one day, in interplanetary space - are more exposed to space weather, including bursts of fast-moving particles called solar energetic particles, or SEPs.

Robotic spacecraft are usually radiation-hardened to protect against these kinds of events. But humans are still susceptible, said Chris St Cyr, a space scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Centre in the US.

NASA wants to help improve systems that would provide future astronauts with advance warning of incoming SEPs Scientists from NASA and the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, US showed that tracking an associated kind of solar explosion - fast-moving clouds of magnetic solar material, called coronal mass ejections - can help.

They observe coronal mass ejections using a type of instrument called a coronagraph, in which a solid disk blocks the Suns bright face, revealing the Suns tenuous atmosphere, called the corona.

Space-based coronagraphs are more widely used in space weather research because of their wide-field solar views that are not interrupted by cloud cover or Earths rotation.

However, ground-based coronagraphs have their own advantages - while they can only observe the Sun in the day during clear weather, they can return data almost instantly, and at a much higher time resolution than satellite instruments.

This speed of data return could make a significant difference, given that SEPs can move at nearly the speed of light - so their total travel time can be less than an hour from the time they are accelerated near the sun to when they reach Earth.

With space-based coronagraphs, we get images back every 20-30 minutes, said St Cyr.

Scientists worked backwards to see whether they could use a ground-based coronagraph to get that key information on the CMEs speed fast enough to lengthen the warning time.

Their search confirmed that the necessary information to predict the arrival of the energetic particles was available about 45 minutes before the particles arrived at Earth - tens of minutes before they left the Suns inner atmosphere.  PTI
THE prominent Indian ladies of Bombay have held a public meeting to protest against the continuance of the indentured labour system. There was a distinguished gathering of ladies at Madhav Baug on Tuesday last under the presidency of Lady Mehta. Mrs. Ranade, Mrs. Sarojini Naidu, Lady Jahangir Petit, Lady Jagmohandas, Miss Cursetji, Mrs. Gandhi, Lady Chandavarkar, Mrs. C.H. Setalvad and Lady Tata made eloquent and indignant speeches regarding the dishonor that awaited poor Indian women at some of the colonies. They unanimously urged the immediate discontinuance of the indentured labour emigration and pointed out how in the past the women of India sacrificed their lives in order to preserve their chastity and how that attitude was maintained to this day. It was resolved that a deputation should wait upon His Excellency the Viceroy to request for the complete abolition of the system on or before 31st May next.
Purnima Sharma

A sudden change in his wedding date and Sid Khannas honeymoon plans went for a toss. Courtesy some astrologer, our wedding had to be advanced by almost four months. Consequently, our first outing together as a couple that we had planned for Norway had to be cancelled as taking leave first for the wedding and then after four months for the trip, wouldnt have been feasible, says the 35-year-old media executive. This, however, turned out to be a blessing in disguise  for Khanna now decided to look at another part of the globe and zeroed in on Fiji. It was actually at my friends suggestion  and once he showed me the pictures of his recent trip there, my decision was made. And when Khanna and his wife, Tulika, landed in the sun-kissed archipelago in the South Pacific, there were no regrets.

What really swung his decision in favour of Fiji was not just its picture-perfect landscape but also because its visa-free for Indians. And soon after their arrival at the Nadi airport, the Mumbai-based couple caught the Fiji time bug (which is losing track of formal time), and spent two weeks just lazing around with some dirt biking, snorkelling, kayaking thrown in for good measure. We would never have discovered this little paradise had it not been for the no-visa facility it offered, he adds.

Concurs Juhi Dua, a keen traveller, who decided on a holiday to Cambodia for her 10th wedding anniversary. This was not just because Angkor Wat was high on her bucket list ever since she was a student of fine arts in Baroda, but also because it was a perfect choice for her last-minute travel plans. Visa on Arrival (VoA) was a great deciding factor, she smiles. Since one hadnt planned months in advance, running around for a visa couldnt have been possible. Dua, of course, may have her fav spots in the US and Europe, but the fact that one cant just go there at a short notice is a deterrent. And this is where these countries come in  I feel so relaxed thinking that one can take off with just a ticket in hand, she adds.

Familiarising the unfamiliar

With an increasing number of Indians becoming avid globe trotters, theres some good news for them  52 countries are offering visa-less or visa-on-arrival travel for Indian nationals. This facility is what is attracting a lot of traffic to some of these destinations, says Daniel Dsouza, head sales, India and NRI markets, SOTC Travel, giving the example of Thailand, Macau, Maldives and Seychelles. Yes, there are others like say, Dominica, Uganda or Guyana that dont have too many footfalls from here, but then neither do destinations like Jamaica, Grenada or the British Virgin Islands, all of which are also famous for their breathtaking beauty and beaches, he adds. The reasons for this are varied. According to Dua, visits to the US or European countries fetch these travellers not just a good amount of Facebook likes but also a smug elite halo. Remembering how after her trip to Sri Lanka last month, she was repeatedly asked why she didnt go to Europe instead, Dua says, They dont realise theres a world beyond these regulars too. People feel youre being stingy when you opt for lesser-known or visa-free destinations.

Lakshmi Sharath, whose passport has stamps of many countries that could be called off-beat, adds that Indians are happier in familiar territories. Thats why, she reasons, they prefer holidaying in comfort zones  places where food and language are no major concerns. Thats another reason most of them prefer buying travel packages. These people would rather someone else  and travel agents will recommend only those places they get maximum commissions from  make even the decision about the destination they should visit for them, smiles the Bangalore-based travel blogger giving the example of a family that planned a trip to Europe because their kids friends were going there!

And even if its Europe, then its just the handful of countries that everyone makes a beeline for. Ukraine or the Netherlands, or even the Scandinavian countries, would not feature on most itineraries. Sharath laughs talking about how Spain has opened up only in the last few years, after Zindagi Naa Milegi Dobara made its vistas familiar to Indian cinegoers. And thats the circuit they want to visit now, she adds.

Wooing the Indian tourist

So, what is keeping many Indians from exploring newer territories that these visa-free or VoA countries offer? Maybe, other than offering this facility, few are making serious attempts to attract tourist inflow from India, Sharath reasons. These countries need to follow the example of Jordon, Cambodia or Taiwan that have been making serious attempts to woo Indian tourists with attractive ads and travel packages. And their efforts have paid off, for, as Ashit Taneja, country manager of the Jordon Tourism Board, says, the country has already seen a 15 per cent increase in tourist traffic from India.

Having travelled to many countries across the globe, blogger Arnab Maity says the visa-free or VoA countries need to work hard to attract Indian tourists. Just a no-visa or VoA will not suffice. To me, it seems that they do not see much potential in the Indian market. Take for example, countries in South America like Cuba or, closer home, even Laos, they dont have Indian tourists anywhere on their radar, adds the Australia-based IT professional. But the same cant be said for places like Cambodia, and now particularly Taiwan that are working hard towards this end.

Budget-friendly destinations

Besides its no-visa policy and easy connectivity  it being just about six hours away  what also makes Taiwan an attractive destination for Indians is the fact that it is budget-friendly, says Noel Saxena, country head of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau in India. Its worthwhile travelling there, not just because 1 NTD (New Taiwanese Dollar) is equal to Rs 2 but also because just a week in Taiwan will pack in a wonderful holiday since its a small country unlike say the USA in which even 15 days are not enough.

So, its a combo of flight connections, geographical proximity, besides of course, no-visa or VoA facilities thats seeing a big number of Indian tourists going to Thailand or Malaysia, insists Maity. And sure enough, that is what prompted Ayandrali Dutta to opt for the latter as her first international destination. Since I was travelling solo, I wanted a hassle-free experience. So, starting with VoA, she wanted familiar stuff in terms of food and language. But her subsequent trips have not necessarily been to visa-free or VoA destinations. Ive followed my childhood dreams of going atop the Eiffel Tower or partaking of the sun and sand experience in Greece, says Dutta, home chef and travel influencer. But while for many avid travellers like her, getting a visa may not necessarily be an issue, for many others  especially those who want to holiday abroad at a very short notice  either because of last-minute plans or drop in fares  thats when these visa-free destinations come into the picture, sums up DSouza.
By Press Trust of India: Bhopal, Mar 3 (PTI) The RSS today relieved Kundan Chandrawat, whose announcement of a bounty of Rs 1 crore for beheading Kerala Chief Minister P Vijayan triggered a controversy, of all his organisational responsibilities.

"The statement by Chandrawat has spread confusion about the Sangh. Therefore, he has been relieved of his responsibilities," Prakash Shastri, Prant Sanghchalak of RSS, said in a statement issued here.

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Chandrawat, the Sah Prachar Pramukh of RSS in Ujjain, had last night retracted his statement and expressed regret.

"I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it and express my regret," Chandrawat had said.

"I also got some phone calls from Kerala in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill me," he claimed.

At a meeting here, he had announced a bounty to avenge the killing of RSS workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI-M workers. It sparked a controversy, drawing condemnation from the RSS, the CPI(M) and the Congress.

In a video, which went viral, Chandrawat is purportedly seen saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killing of RSS workers in the state and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him.

He also claimed that 300 innocent people belonging to the RSS were killed but the Kerala Chief Minister was turning a blind eye to the issue.

The RSS was quick to condemn Chandrawats statement.

"The Sangh does not believe in violence. But we will continue to protest against attacks on our workers in Kerala in a democratic and peaceful manner," RSS national Sah Prachar Pramukh (Joint Chief of Publicity) J Nandakumar told PTI in Delhi. Vijayan dismissed the threat to his life, saying such calls would not prevent him from travelling around, while Keralas ruling CPI(M) and the Congress sought the arrest of Chandrawat.

Kerala has been witnessing a series of political clashes between the cadres of BJP-RSS and the ruling CPI(M),especially in the northern Kannur district, from where Vijayan hails, for a long time. PTI Cor MAS DK NM KRK GVS

--- ENDS ---
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, March 3

As many as 100 girl students of Kanya Mahavidyalya, Satikund Kankhal, were imparted skill-based training during a week-long training programme that concluded at Gayatri Teerth Shantikunj here today.

The students were given free training in yoga, personality development, handicraft and skill development.

At the concluding day, students presented skits on social themes like save girl child, crimes against women and generated awareness on issues such as female foeticide and dowry.

Addressing students at the concluding session, spiritual orator Dr Gayatri Shamra said the need of the hour was to equip girls with yoga, meditation, self-defence and skill-based training.

Trainer Dr Sulocahana Sharma said women could contribute a lot to society but they needed motivation, opportunity and a safer working environment.

Teachers Dr Prerna Pandey and Dr Rekha Singh spoke on the contribution of women in nation development.

Yoga trainers Anuradha and Rajani lauded the willingness of girl students in learning yoga asanas.

Dr AK Dutta, Pramod Bhatnagar, Ashok Das, Ritu Singh, Radha Pandey and other master trainers were present on the occasion.
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, March 3

Pithoragarh and Bageshwar district administration officials today conducted raids and seized polythene bags from nine traders and imposed a fine of Rs 2.85 lakh on them. The Nainital district authorities had last evening imposed a fine of Rs 84 crore on polythene bag traders in Haldwani town.

We raided the premises of three traders in Dug, Katyure and Chauk Bazaar in Bageshwar town and seized over 547 polythene bags from their possession. The traders were fined Rs 273,800 (Rs 500 per polythene bag), said Shayam Singh Rana, Bageshwar SDM.

Rana said people were also cautioned against carrying material bought from market in polythene bags as they could also face fine for it.

Officials of the Pithoragarh district administration and the Nagar Palika Parishad raided the premises of several traders and seized polythene bags and thermocol materials from their possession. We have fined six traders Rs 6,000 and warned them and others that anyone found selling polythene bags will be fined Rs 5,000, said Khimanand Joshi, Executive Officer of the Nagar Palika Parishad, Pithoragarh.

Focus on promotion of sugar-free potato

The state farm situated at Kashipur in the Terai region has decided to cultivate breeder seed for the first time to provide seeds of sugar-free potato to farmers. Sugar-free potato is in high demand than normal Kufri potato.

We have sought 15 quintals of sugar-free potato seed variety  Surya  from Jalandhar, Punjab. It will be sown in the government potato farm in Kashipur and later distributed to needy farmers, said Ratan Singh Chaudhari, District Horticultural Officer (DHO) in US Nagar.

According to Chaudhari, over 550 hectares is under potato cultivation in US Nagar district. The decision to cultivate breeder seed has been taken owing to the high demand of sugar-free potato as it is sold at a higher price.

The sugar-free potato is known as Chipsona as several firms use this to make potato chips, the DHO said. Low carbohydrate content is the reason behind sugar-free potatos high demand.

The Terai and hill regions hitherto are producing face-2 seed of potato after taking it from the Central Potato Research Institute, Himachal Pradesh. It is for the first time that sugar-free potato varieties are being introduced in the region. The high yielding variety will be sown in October in the government farm and will be available for distribution after February next year, Chaudhari added.
Kuala Lumpur, March 3

Malaysia issued an arrest warrant for a North Korean airline employee today over the assassination of the half-brother of Pyongyang's leader, after frustrated police had to release their only other suspect from the isolated nation.

Ri Jong-Chol is among eight North Koreans suspected of involvement in the dramatic killing of Kim Jong-Nam, the half-brother of the reclusive nation's leader, who was poisoned with a banned nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Malaysia's attorney general had announced there was insufficient evidence to charge 47-year-old Ri.

The North Korean was deported Friday night, a government official, who asked not to be named, confirmed to AFP.

"He will be escorted by two North Korean officials to Beijing and from Beijing to Pyongyang," deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters earlier. "We have also blacklisted him and he cannot enter this country again."

"The police probe showed he was not working as stated in his documents but was involved in illicit activities detrimental to our security."

Earlier, as he was led out of a police station outside the capital under tight security and handed over to immigration authorities, police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said he regretted the release.

"We believe that Ri Jong Chol played a part in Kim Chol's murder but unfortunately we lack evidence to charge him," he told AFP, using the name given in the passport carried by Kim Jong-Nam.

"We are frustrated because of a lack of evidence," he said via text message from Saudi Arabia where he is on a religious pilgrimage.

However, he denied political or diplomatic pressure had been a factor in the release, saying it was purely an investigative issue.

Ri's release came two days after two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- were charged with murdering Kim.

Seven other North Koreans are wanted in connection with the killing.

Today police issued an arrest warrant for a North Korean airline employee, Kim Uk Il, 37, in connection with the murder.

They also requested that Hyon Kwang Song, second secretary at the North Korean embassy, assist the probe.

Both are believed to be in Malaysia. Four others are thought to have fled to Pyongyang on the day of the murder.

Ri was arrested days after Kim suffered an agonising death when he was attacked as he waited to board a flight to Macau.

CCTV footage shows two women approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth. - AFP
Nusa Dua, March 3

A Bali beach holiday for Saudi Arabias King Salman and his considerable entourage has turned into a military exercise for host Indonesia.

The octogenarian monarch and his entourage of 1,500, including 25 princes and 10 ministers, flies on Saturday to Indonesias Bali island aboard nine passenger jets for a private vacation. They will be guarded by at least 2,500 police and military personnel, as well as naval vessels parked offshore.

The kings Boeing 747-jet will be met at the airport by his usual gold coloured escalator. Flown in ahead of the visit were two plane loads of cargo, including plates, carpets and two bullet-proof Mercedes, said customs official Budi Harjanto.

King Salmans tour of Asia aims to build the kingdoms ties with fast-growing Asian economies and drum up investment to diversify the Saudi economy away from dependence on oil. The extravagance of his official trip, punctuated by holidays, comes after an austerity drive at home caused by low oil prices.

On the white sand beach in front of Balis St. Regis resort, one in a row of five-star hotels where the Saudis will stay, two metre (7-foot) high screens have been put up to shield guests from prying eyes. A wooden staircase has been built for the royals to access the water.  Reuters
Washington, March 3

Beleaguered Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from any probe into Donald Trumps election campaign amid the snowballing controversy over his alleged contacts with Russia which the US President described as a witch hunt.

I have decided to recuse myself from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for President of the US, Sessions said in a statement amid calls for his resignation from top Democrats after it emerged that he had met Russias ambassador here during the presidential polls campaign.

His remarks came after President Trump said that he had total confidence in Sessions and he should not recuse himself from the Russia probe. However, Sessions went ahead with his decision despite the US Presidents backing.

This announcement should not be interpreted as confirmation of the existence of any investigation or suggestive of the scope of any such investigation, Sessions said.

Consistent with the succession order for the Department of Justice, Acting Deputy Attorney General and US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Dane Boente shall act as and perform the functions of the Attorney General with respect to any matters from which I have recused myself to the extent they exist, he said.

Sessions said during the course of the confirmation proceedings of his nomination to be the US Attorney General, he advised the Senate Judiciary Committee that if a specific matter arose where I believed my impartiality might reasonably be questioned, I would consult with (the) Department Ethics officials regarding the most appropriate way to proceed.

During the course of the last several weeks, I have met with the relevant senior Career Department officials to discuss whether I should recuse myself from any matters arising from the campaigns for President of the US, Sessions said.

Trump, in a series of tweets, lashed out at the Democrats and defended Sessions.

Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional. This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win, Trump said.

The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election, and now they have lost their grip on reality. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt! Trump said.

Democrats are accusing Sessions of perjury and demanding his immediate resignation. They have also called for an independent probe into contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday a U.S. political scandal over contacts between the Russian ambassador and members of US President Donald Trumps administration looked like a witch hunt, the RIA news agency reported.  PTI

No swift warming of Moscow ties

While Donald Trump has yet to lay down his Russia policy, most signs suggest no swift changes in the relationship, which sank to a post-Cold War low under Barack Obama, mostly due to bitter differences over Syria and Ukraine

Mattis sought to reassure NATO allies during a visit to Europe last month, telling them there would be no military cooperation between the United States and Russia in the near future

US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley denounced Russia for casting a veto to protect the Syrian government from the UNSC action over accusations of chemical weapons use, and also recently insisted the US would not recognise Russias seizure of Crimea

Trumps language on Russia now has shifted somewhat from campaign days, when he tweeted his admiration for Putin as a strong leader, and the Russian president paid him compliments

Trumps bromance with Putin appears to be cooling
Beirut, March 2

Syrian troops backed by Russian jets completed the recapture of the historic city of Palmyra from the Islamic State group on Friday, the Kremlin and the army said, in another blow to the jihadists.

Bolstered by air strikes and ground troops from their ally Moscow, Syrian forces battled through the desert for weeks to reach Palmyra.

The oasis city has traded hands several times during Syria's six-year civil war and become a symbol of Islamic State's wanton destruction of priceless cultural heritage in areas under its control.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin of Palmyra's recapture, a Kremlin spokesman told news agencies in Moscow.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group, said that the jihadists had totally withdrawn from the desert city but not before mining several areas.

"The Syrian army is still clearing neighbourhoods of mines and has not spread out into the whole city yet," said its director, Rami Abdel Rahman.

An army statement carried on state news agency SANA said its forces had "regained control over Palmyra and surrounding territory after a series of successful military operations".

Islamic State has suffered a string of setbacks since taking over swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014, and its two main strongholds of Mosul and Raqqa both face assaults by forces backed by a US-led coalition.

The jihadists first seized Palmyra in May 2015 and began to systematically destroy and loot the UNESCO world heritage site's monuments and temples.

They were driven out in March 2016 but recaptured the city in December when the government was focused on seizing rebel-held east Aleppo.

Before Islamic State first entered the city, Palmyra boasted temples, colonnaded alleys and elaborately decorated tombs that were among the best preserved classical monuments in the Middle East.

But many of the structures have been destroyed and much of the heritage looted for sale on the black market.

Moscow's support has been key in the Syrian army's Palmyra push, and its warplanes continued to bombard Islamic State positions inside and near the city today, the Observatory reported.

A decades-old ally of Damascus, Moscow launched an air campaign in September 2015 in support of President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

After losing ground in the early years of the war, Assad's regime has regained significant territory  including by pushing rebel forces out of second city Aleppo last year  thanks in large part to Russian support.  AFP
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 3 (PTI) RSS today sacked its functionary Kundan Chandravat who had sparked a controversy by announcing a Rs 1 crore bounty for beheading Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

RSSs Madhya Pradesh state head Prakash Shastri issued orders for his removal from all Sangh posts, a day after Chandravat made his statement in Ujjain.

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"Chandravats controversial statement has created a wrong impression about the Sangh. He has been removed from all posts," Shastri said in a letter announcing his removal.

"Kundan Chandravat made a controversial statement at Ujjain meeting, therefore he has been removed from all RSS responsibilities," the saffron bodys Sah Prachar Pramukh (joint chief of publicity) J Nanda Kumar said.

Chandravat, the Sah Prachar Pramukh of RSS in Ujjain, had announced the reward to avenge the killing of its workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI-M workers.

In a video, which went viral, Chandravat is purportedly seen saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killing of RSS workers there and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him and brings his (Vijayans) head to him.

He had also claimed that 300 innocent people belonging to the RSS had been killed but the Kerala Chief Minister was turning a blind eye.

His speech sparked an uproar, drawing condemnation from the CPI(M), the Congress and even from the RSS yesterday.

Late last night, Chandravat retracted his statement and expressed regret.

"I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it (statement) and express my regret," he said in a statement.

Earlier the RSS distanced itself from Chandravats remarks and strongly condemned his statement. It said that the Sangh does not believe in violence.

In a Facebook post, Kerala Chief Minister Vijayan had rejected the threat with "contempt" and said that RSS indulged in murders in several places.

Just because of that, it is not possible for us not to walk on roads, he had said.

Hitting out at the Sangh, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury had tweeted that Chandravats comments "revealed true colours of RSS as a terrorist outfit".

Yechury had also questioned the "silence" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government over the remarks. PTI JTR BSA

--- ENDS ---

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A Wasteland of Materialism

In the years before Kechara, my World was a Wasteland of Materialism and Spiritual Materialism.

All the years before Dharma have been good and successful only in a mundane sense. Nevertheless, they are empty and meaningless. ~ Tsem Rinpoche

Worldly success can take you to a peak, where, for a moment, you think you have conquered all and the world is at your feet. But those peaks are just moments where you delude yourself into thinking I have achieved! I am great!

Afterwards you fall back again into a world of strife and competition, where all your negative traits of aversion, anger, hate, jealousy and insecurity rear their ugly heads and you are dragged down into a quagmire of unending hurt and suffering. In your hurt and pain, you will just lash out at others and blame them for your unhappiness, finding no ultimate solution or way out.

Nonetheless, I continued to be lured by the false promises of mundane success. I had reached yet another peak, when, in July 2002 (a year and a half after my retirement), I attended my graduation ceremony at Leicester University, UK, for my Masters of Arts Degree in Education. I had planned to continue with my studies to obtain a doctorate, as part of a long term program to continue my career in Education. However, the course of my life changed after a tragic event occurred. This led me to abandon all notions of continuing with my career. Instead, I began to search in earnest for a meaningful spiritual path. In mid- 2005, I found Kechara and my Spiritual Guide.

Spirituality and Spiritual Materialism

Before I came into Kechara, my idea of spirituality was rather vague and unclear. My engagement in spirituality had been typically that of a Malaysian Buddhist, bound by the dictates of tradition and upbringing. I visited a Buddhist temple of the Theravada lineage, once a week, with my family. I would go to a Guan Yin temple once in a while too. Then I found a Thai temple with a Guan Yin shrine. From then on, it was visiting this temple weekly to pray to Buddha Shakyamuni and Guan Yin with my family!

Besides our weekly visits to this Thai Buddhist temple, we also observed Wesak Day by joining others in the special Wesak Day prayers, receiving blessings from monks in the temple and lighting candles. I observed the three feast days of Guan Yin  her birth, enlightenment and renunciation  by visiting the Guan Yin temple, with the family, to pray and make light offerings.

My prayers to Buddha Shakyamuni and to Guan Yin (Avalokiteshvara in Sanskrit), my favourite Buddha deity from young, were very simple. They were prayers invoking their blessings and protection, as well as propitiating their help to solve my problems and overcome my obstacles. When I was young the praying was done infrequently, and only when I visited the temple. Before being introduced to their mantras, I would just verbally make prayers of request to Buddha Shakyamuni and Guan Yin and propitiate them for their help, blessings and protection.

Spiritual Materialism

My mother had passed on to me the traditional practice of requesting the nun in our hometown Guan Yin temple to light candles or to chant mantras for each member of our family, for a whole year, starting from the 1st day of the Lunar Year. We would also request the nun to pray for our children before they sat for a major examination or for any friend or loved one before undergoing an important surgery.

In return, we would make a regular donation or contribution to the temple. The rationale behind this practice is that the nun, a member of the sangha, spends her entire life in prayer and taking care of and maintaining the shrines in the temple; hence she would be filled with pure motivation when she performs the prayers or lights the candles for us. Hence the prayers and candle lighting would be more powerful and efficacious.

Guan Yin My Spiritual Mother

From a young age, I had been adopted as a Spiritual Child of Guan Yin and given into her care. As a Spiritual Child, I was told by the nun who had performed the rites that I would receive her special protection until I reached adulthood.

Then a friend, a Guan Yin devotee, kindly introduced me to the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM. From the moment I received her mantra, I have chanted it, whenever I prayed to Guan Yin. Over the years, up to this very day, I have held Guan Yin close to my heart. Now when I chant her mantra daily, I chant it as a mantra of compassion visualising white lights from her going out in the ten directions to all beings of the six realms of samsara and blessing them; and I visualise her relieving them of suffering.

Coming to Kechara House

Changing Course: In Search of My Spiritual Path

In December 2000, I retired from a 30-year career with the Ministry of Education. For a couple of years after that, I was working on furthering my studies in order to prepare myself to continue my career in Education.

However, all that changed in September 2004: a friends 17-year-old daughter fell, hit her head, developed a blood clot and fell into a coma from which she never recovered. In late December 2004 she passed away. Her sudden fall, coma and death in rapid succession triggered questions in me about life and spirituality. It was then that I decided to abandon all thoughts of continuing my career. Instead, I began an earnest search for my spiritual path.

Reading Avidly on Buddhism

I had been reading books especially on Buddhism, as I had already been drawn to it in my adult years. I read books by a great Theravadan monk, the late Chief Reverend, K Sri Dhammananda, who had been the abbot of the Brickfield Buddhist Temple before he passed way. I also read books by great Buddhist teachers like the Venerable Ajahn Chah and the Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. Then I began reading books by the Dalai Lama, and I was enthralled by his focus on Compassion and Kindness. Nevertheless, I was still responding to the teachings in these books on an intellectual level.

Attending a Teaching Retreat on Tibetan Buddhism

In December 2004, drawn by an advertisement in a local daily, I attended a one week teaching retreat by a visiting Tibetan Buddhist master, Gelek Rinpoche. The main course was a brief introduction to the Lamrim  entitled Odyssey to Freedom. Gelek Rinpoche also gave a short teaching of three days on White Tara. I learned much that was new and enthralling. I learned for the first time that suffering came from a negative mind of afflictive emotions. I learnt about the great compassion of Tara. According to Gelek Rinpoche, Tara and Guan Yin all had the same compassionate nature.

Towards the end of the teaching retreat by Gelek Rinpoche, my sister informed me that she was joining a group pilgrimage to Bodhgaya led by Tsem Rinpoche. A tsunami hit Sri Lanka on 26th December when my sisters pilgrimage group had barely left the island en route to India and Bodhgaya. My sister was most deeply affected by Tsem Rinpoches compassion and how, through his powerful clairvoyant mind, Rinpoche was able to get the pilgrims to fly off from Sri Lanka, just minutes before the tsunami hit.

Stepping into Kechara

Then on Wesak Day 2005, she brought me to the Kechara House centre that was newly set up above a coffee shop in Sunway Mas  KH1  to join in the prayers and offerings. A few weeks later in June she brought me for the first time to a Dharma sharing session conducted by a senior student of Tsem Rinpoche.

Meeting My Spiritual Guide

The profound significance of having a Spiritual Guide did not come to me immediately. I first met my Spiritual Guide H.E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche, in Kechara House 1. It was after my second Sunday Dharma sharing session at Kechara House, that Rinpoche walked into the centre. Then, when he spoke to me, his first words were So it took you 12 years . Thinking back, I then recalled that I had met him before, and that 12 years previously, I did have a short audience with him in the home of one of his Malaysian friends!

I think something must have been sparked off then. I felt that my spiritual journey was about to begin.

Dharma Teachings and Dharma Classes

Upon coming into Kechara, I threw myself into all activities with great zest. I began attending all the Sunday Dharma classes, in Kechara House and wherever they were held (including in the lovely Vajrayogini Chapel of a student of Rinpoche). Later, two Sunday Dharma classes were started in Kechara House  the Dharma class for beginners and the Manjushri class for advanced students. It was in the advanced Manjushri class that we studied the Fifty Stanzas of Guru Devotion and the Wheel of Sharp Weapons Much later, the Lamrim class was started. I was thirsty for all that knowledge. I bought all the books and CDs on Tsem Rinpoches teachings that were available.

I also looked forward to Rinpoches talks and teachings. Rinpoche gave Dharma teachings in Kechara House especially on important occasions like Wesak Day and Tsongkhapa Day, as well as at the start of retreats or at the end of a big prayer project like the 10 million Migtsema-thon. Always, through his talks and teachings, Rinpoche would remind us about impermanence and death, about the workings of karma, about taking refuge in the Guru and the Three Jewels, about making meaningful use of our precious optimum human rebirths, about transforming the mind, and about the importance of engaging in Dharma practice and Dharma work to bring about the transformation of the mind.

Later Rinpoche invited me to join the monthly book-club sessions which he conducted in Dhamekhang. These were very powerful moments of learning from our Spiritual Guide. We studied about Guru Devotion and about Chogyam Trungpa in the bookclub sessions that I joined. The last session was a close teaching and discussion on Vajrayogini, by Rinpoche, to a very small group of us.

During the pilgrimages to Gaden Monastery in April 2006 and then to Nepal in October 2008 that were led by Tsem Rinpoche, I received much precious teachings from Rinpoche which he gave to all the pilgrims.

Then, the Lamrim classes were started. They were conducted by a senior student of Rinpoche. A small group of around 15 of us went on to complete two courses of the Lamrim.

In looking back at this part of my spiritual journey in Kechara, through the blessings of our Spiritual Guide, many of us received a strong grounding in Dharma knowledge owing to the continuous Dharma sharing on Sundays in Kechara House. I am deeply indebted to the senior students who shared the Dharma with us Sunday after Sunday. We have continued this beautiful tradition of Sunday Dharma sharing in Kechara House to this day.

Finding the Mahayana Path in Kechara

1. Why the Mahayana Path?

The Mahayana Path is the path to Full Enlightenment, or total freedom from suffering or ultimate peace and true permanent happiness.

2. The Mahayana Path as presented in the Lamrim

The Lamrim that we study in Kechara House is Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. The Lamrim comprises the 84,000 teachings of Lord Buddha arranged as Stages of the Path to Enlightenment. This Path is the Mahayana Path that I found when I came into Kechara. The Lamrim combines both the Wisdom Lineage from Manjushri and the Method Lineage from Maitreya. It is presented in Three Scopes. The Lamrim comes down to us through Atisha and Lama Tsongkhapa.

As is clearly explained in the Lamrim, as Mahayana Buddhists, we share the Path with the Hinayana practitioners in the Small Scope and in the Medium Scope, until the attainment of Renunciation. The Mahayana Buddhist continues on the Path into the Great Scope of the Lamrim. Following Lama Tsongkhapas Three Fundamental Principles of the Path, Mahayana Dharma focuses on the attainment of both Bodhicitta and the Correct View of Emptiness in the Great Scope, after the attainment of Renunciation in the Medium Scope. Mahayana Dharma in the Great Scope also focuses on the attainment of the Six Perfections  Giving, Moral Discipline, Patience, Joyous Effort, Concentration and Wisdom.

To meet the teachings of the Lamrim in the easily accessible form of Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, which is Kyabje Trijang Rinpoches transcript of the 24-day teaching of the Lamrim by the great Lineage Master, Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche (who had mastered Lama Tsongkhapas Lamrim Chenmo in ten intensive years of study and retreat), is the rarest of the rare of fortunate circumstances! I must have accumulated tremendous merits to have met my Spiritual Guide, who had brought to Kechara the Lineage of Lama Tsongkhapa and the Lamrim!

3. Kechara House Pujas and Retreats

I was also introduced to the weekly pujas in Kechara House and attended them regularly too. They were the Protector Puja, the Medicine Buddha Puja, and the Dzambala Puja. Furthermore, there were big group retreats like the Setrap Retreat, the Medicine Buddha Retreat, the Black Manjushri Retreat, the Dzambala and the Tara Retreats. There was a Migstema-thon to collect 10 million Migstema mantras. All these retreats and the Migstema-thon were dedicated to Rinpoches long life, the growth of Kechara and the spreading of Dharma. There were also prostration retreats as well as water offerings and Lamrim recitation retreats. All in all, participation in all these retreats and pujas was a time for accumulating merits and purifying negative karma for us to remove obstacles to move on in our spiritual practice.

A group of us became members of the first puja team of Kechara House, when we received intensive training in many pujas so that we could serve and benefit people who regularly requested pujas to be performed for them or their loved ones.

I learned that pujas are ritual offerings and prayers to specific Buddha deities and Dharma Protectors to invoke their compassionate help, blessings and protection. It was from the pujas that I was performing on a daily basis then that I learned that there were two circles of compassion that intertwined  the compassion of the Buddhas for all and the compassion of those of us in prayer for others.

I learned that every time I pray, I should visualise my mother on my left, my father on my right, those I find difficult in front of me, all mother beings of the six realms surrounding me in human form, infinite in number, and my friends and loved ones including my pets, behind me. All are in prayer and practice, alongside me, receiving the same purifications and attainments, so that the whole world eventually becomes a Buddha Land. This is a powerful visualisation that I do whenever I am performing my daily sadhana.

Volunteering in Kechara

I also began volunteering at our Dharma store in 1Utama every Tuesday. It was on one of the afternoons when I was volunteering there that Rinpoche walked in and gave me a short Dharma talk on the pure motivation of serving others with love and compassion, like a mothers equal love and care for her children, even if only one child turns out well and the others do not. Hence even if only one person turns up to buy an item from the store, I should accept this with patience, compassion and equanimity. It is from their side, not from the side of the giver of the service: it is a lack of merits on their part to fail to visit the Dharma shop and to make purchases of spiritual items. Rinpoche was introducing me to the first steps of mind transformation  we should never serve others on the basis of how they behave, but instead, we should serve them and benefit them unconditionally.

After Taking Refuge with Tsem Rinpoche on Lama Tsongkhapa Day 15th December 2006, Rinpoche advised that my sister and I join the Kechara Soup Kitchen weekly rounds. For a couple of years, we steadfastly served and learned much about compassion in action and about the nature of homelessness and poverty in urban Kuala Lumpur. I remember on one occasion, a small group of us, mostly family members and relatives, went on our rounds of food distribution on Chinese New Years Eve because our clients were expecting us to be there as usual.

Every encounter with a homeless person gives us cause to contemplate on how that person has been our mother in a previous life; or, in a previous life, how he/she has been the giver and we the receiver. Then an aspiration should arise that by giving them food now may we create the causes to be more closely connected with them in a future life so that we can continue to serve and benefit them more.

The Significance of a Spiritual Guide

The special significance of having a Spiritual Guide manifested itself to me on the night Rinpoche invited me for dinner.

4th April 2004

Over a dinner to which he had invited me, Rinpoche said the following to me:

You have the talent to write. Use it with Bodhicitta motivation to spread the Dharma. Write about the procedures of Dharma, write about yourself and how you came into Dharma. You can bring your experience and maturity into the writing. All the years before Dharma have been good and successful only in a mundane sense. Nevertheless, they are empty and meaningless. Now you must write for Dharma. In this way, you will gain tremendous merits. Rinpoche, you and others will die, but the written word will live on and on

Back then, I did not realise the significance and import of Rinpoches words. They were words of advice to me to tap into my potential so that I could best serve the Dharma and benefit people.

Only our spiritual guide, who knows all our individual strengths and weaknesses, can design a Dharma practice for us, that is tailored specifically to match our strengths and our needs. Rinpoche had found the means by which I could practise the Dharma to transform my mind.

Much to my regret now, I did not recognise the significance of this advice then, and did not pursue it. I worked, for a while, on presenting an article about how I came into Dharma. However, when my thoughts could not gel together, I gave up trying.

Rinpoches Compassionate Practice of Lojong and Tonglen

What moves me most deeply about my Spiritual Guide, Tsem Rinpoche, more powerful than any teaching I could possibly receive, is the compassion he manifests in absorbing the sufferings of others including those of his students. I have personally witnessed how Rinpoche manifested this mind of compassion towards others, including those who had betrayed and disappointed him deeply.

On one such occasion, after patiently talking to a senior student who had been with him and worked with him closely for a long time, and seeing that student stubbornly refuse to give in and accept his advice so logically and painstakingly put across to him, Rinpoche finally saw that he had to admit defeat. Deeply moved and hurt as he was, Rinpoche quietly, and in a voice that shook with great emotion, recited the following verse from the Eight Verses of Mind Transformation:

When someone I have benefitted

And in whom I have placed great trust

Hurts me very badly,

I will practice seeing that person as my supreme teacher.

At that moment, I felt the blessings of a powerful lesson on compassion being transmitted to me.

On another occasion, on 27th December 2007, Rinpoche had become very ill halfway through a day-long pilgrimage of the citys Kechara departments and outlets. However, he kept his cool and composure and even joked and teased various people. Only when we arrived at our second last stop, Kechara Saraswati Arts, did he finally pause to inform us that he had been very unwell for some time already. Nevertheless, he readily prayed there and then to take on all the sufferings of those in pain.

Meeting the Tibetan Guan Yin

Avalokiteshvara (who is actually Guan Yin in Sanskrit), the Buddha who is the embodiment of the compassion of all Buddhas, will appear in any guise and gender and in any realm to benefit all beings.

4 -Armed Chenrezig/Avalokiteshvara

Coming into Kechara, I was introduced to the 4-armed Guan Yin or Avalokiteshvara  two hands folded in prayer and enfolding a wish-fufilling jewel at his heart (symbolising Bodhicitta), a third hand holding a set of crystal prayer beads and a fourth hand holding a lotus, symbols of altruistic love for all beings and his readiness to help in a multitude of ways to benefit us all. His four arms also represent the Four Immeasurables  loving kindness, joy, equanimity and compassion. As with all Buddhas, who are filled with compassion for all beings, he wears ornaments representing the Six Perfections of generosity, morality, patience, joyful effort, meditation and wisdom, thus inspiring us to practise them.

Praying to the image of Avalokiteshvara, as an image of Enlightenment, is praying to attain the qualities that he embodies. The iconography of such images represents the road-map to Enlightenment. This is the road map of the Mahayana or Bodhisattva path. When we have achieved his qualities, following this road-map, then we will become enlightened. Hence praying to 4-armed Guan Yin is to actually draw inspiration from her to walk the path to Full Enlightenment (complete freedom from suffering and ultimate peace) that she has achieved. Reciting her mantra of great compassion, we invoke her blessings of healing and protection for all beings. Praying to Guan Yin or Avalokiteshvara is praying to achieve Him/Her. Buddhas are free of concepts like gender, race, colour or creed.

Finding Lama Tsongkhapa

When I first walked into Kechara House, the statues of the Buddha deities that were there were those of Buddha Shakyamuni and Mother Tara. Four months later, a 6-foot Lama Tsongkhapa statue was installed in a strategic corner of Kechara House 1, resplendent in beautiful brocade and adornments. There was a most memorable ceremony to welcome Lama Tsongkhapa to his new home. We lined the road leading to the temple and sang the Migtsema mantra.

Lama Tsongkhapa, in long life form with his hand holding a long-life vase, became my Buddha deity, the focus of my daily sadhana. Lama Tsongkhapa is the founder and patron saint of the Gelug lineage, the lineage of Tibetan Buddhism brought by my Spiritual Guide from his monastery, Gaden Shartse Monastery in Southern India. As Tsem Rinpoche says in his book Faces of Enlightenment,

the Buddhas of wisdom, compassion and power (Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara, Vajrapani) incarnated in Lama Tsongkhapa.

He is the embodiment of three Buddhas. Through his penetrating intelligence and tireless scholastic pursuits and endeavours, as well as his utter humility and boundless energy, he was able to restore the holy Buddhadharma to its original purity. Indeed Lama Tsongkhapa brought about a renaissance of Tibetan Buddhism.

With the Lama Tsongkhapa statue that was originally invited to Kechara House 1 (1st Lama Tsongkhapa in Kechara House)

Lama Tsongkhapas Guru Yoga and his mantra  the Migtsema  became the mainstay of my daily sadhana. I was to discover the power of his prayers in bringing me out of anger into peace, and to pacify my outer and inner obstacles and negativities. Performing the Guru Yoga of Je Tsongkhapa, with its seven-limb prayer, is a daily exercise of purification and accumulation of merits.

The Migtsema is a mantra that embodies the three Buddhas and their qualities. Reciting the Migtsema and performing the Guru Yoga daily, with great compassion and altruistic motivation, will lead us to achieve a mind of peace, wisdom and great compassion.

Thus, pondering over this, I think I must be wonderfully blessed to meet Lama Tsongkhapa in this lifetime and receive His rare and precious practices, Mantra and the Guru Yoga, as well as the Lamrim and his lineage teachings. In fact, all this has only been possible because of the kindness and compassion of my Spiritual Guide, Tsem Rinpoche.

Finding My Dharma Protector

It was also through the kindness and compassion of my Spiritual Guide that I found my precious Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. From the moment I found him, he has unfailingly come to my aid and the aid of my loved ones in all moments of dire need. He was there to help my mother in the last moments of her life. He was there when a loved one went into a state of manic depression. This Wisdom Protector has helped me in my Dharma practice and all Dharma engagements, creating the necessary conducive conditions and removing the obstacles that stood in my way .

How Kechara Transformed My View of Buddhism

True Spirituality is about Mind Transformation

Meeting my Spiritual Guide and coming into Kechara has been a journey of profound discovery of true spirituality. True spirituality in Dharma is about transforming the mind from an ego-centric mind  a mind that is totally absorbed in self  to a mind that is filled with compassion and universal love, a mind that altruistically cherishes others and would see that others are free of suffering. This is the mind of ultimate bodhicitta, which is an enlightened mind or a mind that is completely free of suffering and disturbances of any kind.

Mind Transformation: The Process

This process of mind transformation is encapsulated in one of the main practices of Kechara House  The Eight Verses of Mind Transformation. It takes you on an eight-step course in mind training and transformation  from the powerful motivation of wishing to attain enlightenment for the sake of each and every sentient being, whom you hold most precious and dear to your heart (more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel), to offering every happiness and benefit to all beings, your mothers, and taking upon yourself all their harmful actions and suffering, without these practices being stained by the eight worldly concerns. By such practices will you release all beings from suffering and its causes  the disturbing unsubdued mind and karma.

It is essential, as Verse Two says, that we begin by viewing all beings as Buddha and respectfully hold them as supreme. Only when we lose our ego can we find true spirituality and peace in the Dharma.

An initial step of Mind Transformation is described in Verse Three. This is to always examine our mind and the moment a disturbing attitude or negative emotion arises, we should firmly confront it. As these negative attitudes and emotions are transient in nature and essence, we should check and control them before they seduce us into negative actions that harm others and ourselves, and bring suffering.

Verses Three and Six are also about guarding our mind against negative projections, perceptions and expectations. As Tsem Rinpoche has taught us, mind transformation is training our mind to accept every problematic or challenging situation, recognising them as being karmic in nature. These difficult situations are also a means by which we can develop compassion and the Six Perfections to bring us forward in our spiritual practice. We have to let go of all negative perceptions, projections and expectations from the mind, as they are the real causes of suffering.

With a mind that is open to love and compassion for all, we forgive, let go of negative projections of people and situations and take responsibility, and in this way we will find peace. Transformation of our mind begins with taking responsibility and not blaming others. Thus Verse Three and Verse Six train our mind to develop a positive disposition towards others and towards all situations we encounter. Only then will we start to experience true peace.

Every one of our actions should be motivated by a wish to benefit and serve others  which will lead to peace  and never by a wish to benefit ourselves, which will only bring suffering. We learn to view ourselves as the lowest of all and respectfully hold others as supreme. We learn in mind-training to offer the victory to others and accept the defeat. We also learn to view someone, whom we have benefited and in whom we have placed great trust, and who disappoints us, as our supreme teacher. If we follow the eight steps here carefully in our mind training, we should see our mind shifting towards viewing others with greater empathy and compassion. Ultimately, we will develop a mind of altruism, great love and supreme compassion. This is the mind of Bodhicitta, the mind of Enlightenment, that will bring the ultimate peace and permanent happiness that we seek.

Tsem Rinpoche, my Spiritual Guide, is the embodiment of all the Eight Verses of Mind Transformation. Every day of his life, he faces a never-ending onslaught of difficulties and attacks, especially cyber-attacks, with a mind of great compassion, always showing only respect for his attackers. Thus does he show us the way to develop a mind of Bodhicitta, which is our ultimate protection.

A journey of a thousand steps begins with the first. Today, I feel most thankful that I made the decision to come into Kechara and begin my spiritual journey here, with the kindest of teachers, H.E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche, my most reliable spiritual guide for all times. My heart is filled with deep love and appreciation for how my spiritual guide has patiently pressed my buttons and pushed me to become more and more the real me  that being of kindness, clarity and commitment  that resides deep inside me.



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OKLAHOMA CITY  Muslims gathered Thursday at the Oklahoma State Capitol to have their voices heard.

Adam Soltani, executive director of the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said Muslims have been targeted by hate rhetoric and hate legislation.

The only way to see a change in our state is to engage our elected leaders and ensure the Muslim voice is heard, Soltani said.

Organizers said more than 100 people attended the third annual Muslim Day at the Capitol.

The group prayed in the fourth-floor rotunda before visiting legislative offices.

I came today to practice civic duties and responsibilities, said Imam Imad Enchassi.

CAIR Oklahoma handed out information that included an educators guide to Islamic religious practices, a pamphlet outlining rights and copies of the U.S. Constitution.

Abiha Taha of Edmond came with her husband and two children. She said that in the current political climate, Muslims need to learn their rights.

Increased security was present inside and outside of the building, but the event saw fewer protestors than in years past.

Members of the interfaith community far outnumbered the protestors and escorted those attending into the Capitol.

Hannah Zeidan, a 17-year-old senior at Peace Academy, an Islamic school in Tulsa, said the interfaith greeting outside of the Capitol made her feel welcome and part of the community.

It was amazing, she said.

Kim Roberts of Duncan wore a T-shirt with an American flag and the slogan Muslim rights are human rights.

Roberts said she is a pagan who supports all religions and gender identifications.

I am here to show support for the Muslim community, she said.

Roberts said that in some instances, the religion is very much under attack.

The current political climate appears to facilitate and endorse behavior that is not conducive to unity, she said.

Jim Gilles of Indiana stood in the center of the crowd of Muslims and their supporters wearing a shirt that said Allah is Satan, and Muhammad is in hell. He had a camera strapped to his chest.

He said he came to the Capitol to preach the Bible and speak against Islam.

He stood among those who carried signs that read, We love our Muslim neighbors, and You belong.

Gilles said he was heckled a little bit and received a few sneers, but was never physically threatened.

Sheryl Siddiqui of Tulsa, chairwoman of the Islamic Council of Oklahoma, said Gilles has the right to express himself under the First Amendment.

Let him have his fun, she said. If he is not careful, we will feed him.
OKLAHOMA CITY  Gov. Mary Fallin on Thursday signed legislation to make the state compliant with the federal Real ID Act.

Applying for a Real ID-compliant drivers license will involve documentation similar to current license rules. However, no timeline has been set as to when the state will implement the law.

The Department of Public Safety said the measure will be implemented within 24 months to 30 months of the state signing a contract with a vendor.

House Bill 1845 was sponsored by House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, and Senate President Pro Tem Mike Schulz, R-Altus.

It was the first bill of the legislative session signed into law.

The measure will allow those who oppose Real ID to get a state drivers license that is not compliant.

Rather than state government mandating that they must carry a federally compliant ID, they can opt for a federally compliant ID or a state compliant ID, McCall said. That is the issue at the heart of this piece of legislation.

Licenses will cost an additional $5 under the measure.

Those applying for a Real ID compliant license will have to bring documents showing proof of identity, such as a valid, unexpired U.S. passport or a certified copy of a birth certificate, according to DPS.

Residents will also have to verify their Social Security number. A pay stub with the applicants name and Social Security number or a W-2 form can be used, the DPS says.

Finally, those seeking a compliant license will have to verify a residential address with at least two documents that can include a utility bill or lease papers with the persons name and principal residence, according to DPS.

Real ID-compliant licenses will have an indicator that the license meets the standards, while the non-compliant card will have a different look and will indicate it is not for federal identification purposes, according to DPS.

Fallin had called for passage of Real ID legislation in her Feb. 6 address to the Legislature.

She thanked lawmakers for quickly passing the bill in a bipartisan manner.

This is March 2, Schulz said. We have a bill on the governors desk to get something signed that is of major importance to the state of Oklahoma.

The federal Real ID Act was passed in 2005 in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, in which the perpetrators used fake identification to board airliners they used in the attacks. The law was designed to create minimum standards for identification documents.

But in 2007, the Oklahoma Legislature passed a bill to opt out of the federal act because of concerns that compliance would violate individuals privacy rights.

The state has received several extensions, but failure to comply would have meant residents would have to use an alternative form of identification, such as a passport, to board commercial airliners or enter federal facilities.

Fallin said she expects another extension now that the legislation has been passed and signed.

The states current extension expires in June, but officials believe the passage and signing of the legislation will result in the granting of another extension to October. The state would then have to apply each year in October for additional extensions until the system is fully operational, according to the agency.
A proposed development for Helmerich Park land still has a number of hurdles to clear before a planned fall 2018 opening despite receiving the Tulsa City Councils stamp of approval.

In another chapter of a years-long battle, the council voted 5-4 during a 4-hour meeting Wednesday to accept Mayor G.T. Bynums proposal to try to resolve the dispute.

A major issue still looming will be Tulsa County District Court Judge Jefferson Sellers' ruling on a lawsuit to block the sale of park land. The suit is currently scheduled for a July hearing.

But first, Bynums proposal for the abandonment of park use of 8.8 acres of Helmerich Parks 65 acres included stipulations that will alter UCR Developments current contract with the Tulsa Public Facilities Authority.

Those changes, if acceptable, must be adopted through contract amendments between the authority and developer. The authority will consider those changes and vote at a special meeting scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at City Hall at One Technology Center, 175 E. Second St., Room 10-South.

Following the contract amendments with TPFA, the contract has a deadline to close by Oct. 1, said Nick Doctor, Mayors Office community development and policy chief.

Sheila Curley, the spokeswoman for UCR Development, said the Oct. 1 closing date and transfer of title is planned to trigger immediate construction, which developers expect to take one year.

Curley said, however, those plans are all pending the outcome of the lawsuit.

While much remains to be determined in the dispute through litigation, both sides were satisfied by Wednesdays meeting in one form or another.

Former Mayor Terry Young, who has opposed development at Helmerich Park for two years, said he respects Bynum for bringing a public, open discussion.

It was just a great thing for Tulsa that he demonstrated the leadership to bring this for public discussion, Young said. The same kudos go to the City Council for their time to listen to the people of Tulsa express their opinions. This is good for Tulsa. Period.

Between the original meeting Feb 22 and Wednesday nights continuation, the Tulsa City Council spent 10 hours in public discussion  for the most part listening to residents  about Bynums proposal before approving it in a split vote.

Those two meetings were the culmination of about two years of discussion on the topic that even included a weekend trip to Dallas where the council explored riverfront development.

It would be so great if we had that sort of dialogue on other issues in front of us, Young said. I want to make it perfectly clear how happy we are with Mayor Bynum and the council. It just shows good leadership. It was something that was lacking when this debacle began.

Young said Wednesdays vote does not change the arguments in the civil lawsuit seeking to block the sale.

The action that was taken last night (Wednesday) has very little impact or relationship to the principal claims in our lawsuit, Young said. In fact it might have raised a few other questions. At this point, I would not be at liberty to reveal that.

Don Bouvier, president of UCR Development, credited Bynum and his staff for shepherding the issue through the council vote.

They really understood how to best align a project to benefit the city in need of strong economic returns, Bouvier said in a statement Thursday. The standards for design along the Arkansas River adopted by the City council are aggressive. Together, with Mayor Bynums team, we paid close attention to the community input and have created a design that brings a purpose to the site with interaction on the trail.
Sources said that Abhay Durrey, who was elected on a BJP ticket, will be asked to resign failing which the state government will dismiss him.

By Rahul Noronha: The Madhya Pradesh government on Friday withdrew the financial and administrative powers of Sagar mayor Abhay Durrey, a precursor to him being axed -- after he was found prima facie involved in a bribery scandal, exposed through his voice recording on phone.

The recording of Durrey demanding bribe while withholding payment to him came to light two weeks back after which the state government instituted an inquiry by Commissioner, Urban Administration Vivek Agarwal. Durrey was prima facie found guilty in the inquiry conducted by Agarwal.

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A voice recording of Durrey and a contractor found its way on social media after which the state government instituted an inquiry. In the recording, Durrey asked the contractor to pay him a commission for release of his dues. During the inquiry, it was found that the figures quoted in the conversation corresponded with the actual figures pertaining to the work as noted in the files.

The state government is also learnt to be transferring the case now for criminal action to the Economic Offences Wing.

Sources said that Abhay Durrey, who was elected on a BJP ticket, will be asked to resign failing which the state government will dismiss him. A byelection is likely to be held in Sagar in the eventuality of the mayor being removed as the mayor in Madhya Pradesh's municipal corporations is directly elected by people.

Abhay Durrey's removal is also being seen as a fallout of the political rivalry between BJP leader and state rural development minister Gopal Bhargava and state home minister Bhupendra Singh who is close to the CM. Abhay Durrey is perceived to be from Bhupendra Singh's rival faction.

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Around $5m will be spent by TV networks on the Logie Awards, according to a report today.

This years event is to be held on Sunday April 23rd.

The pricetag for flights, accommodation and parties will add up to around $2 million across Nine, Seven, TEN, ABC, Foxtel, SBS and TV Week.

Nine wears the $1.5 million cost of broadcasting the event, while TV Week pays the costs for voting, ticketing, the red carpet and media wall.

Nine and TV Week have booked rooms at Crown Towers. Seven will put its stars up at The Langham, while TEN uses Crown Promenade.

But the News Corp article suggests Seven will face added logistical issues in getting its stars to Melbourne this year with two shows, 800 Words and Wanted, filming in New Zealand. NB: Thats not true for the latter, with Wanted in post-production after filming wrapped in Thailand in January.

Ernst & Young are accountants in charge of the winners info -not PriceWaterhouseCoopers, who bungled the Oscars.

Unless Im mistaken this is also the final year in a multi-year contract securing the event in Melbourne, with Sydney & Gold Coast previously keen to swoop on the event.

TV Week is yet to announce the day for nominations, but it is tipped for Sunday March 26.
Amber Harrison is considering suing Seven West Media for breach of contract, the NSW Supreme Court heard today.

The ongoing saga between the former lover of CEO Tim Worner headed back to court today, after an injunction silencing Harrison had been extended to March 3rd.

Fairfax reports the court heard Harrison is considering arguing that she was not bound by confidentiality obligations because the agreements had been terminated or repudiated by Seven.

Melbourne barrister James Catlin said Harrison was still owed $242,500 from Seven. He said she went public with details of the affair only after payments stopped.

Justice Sackar said the Harrison camp must decide whether to file the claim in the next two weeks.

But Sevens barrister Sandy Dawson, SC, said the repudiation or wrongful termination claim had never been raised before and was concerned scandalous or scurrilous material might be raised in the claim.

Justice John Sackar told Harrisons lawyers he assumed they would not engage in any wilful exploitation of absolute privilege against defamation proceedings, by including scandalous material in court documents.

The parties are likely to be ordered to attend mediation after both have filed all pleadings in the dispute.

A full hearing of the application for the permanent gag order would be heard at a four-day hearing from July 10 if the mediation failed. Harrisons cross claim will be heard on March 17.

Meanwhile the Australian Financial Review reports Four Corners has now turned its attention to the fallout from the Seven sex scandal.

This post updates.
To coincide with Arnold Schwarzeneggers upcoming Australian visit on March 17, Foxtel will feature on a dedicated pop-up channel, with 19 of his movies.

It will be available to Foxtel Movies and Foxtel Platinum subscribers, from 6.00am on Friday, March 17 through to Monday, March 20 on Channel 400.

Conan the Barbarian

The epic tale of a boy sold into slavery who becomes a mighty warrior seeking revenge against the evil warlord whose savages massacred his people.

Commando

Retired Special Forces colonel John Matrix races to rescue his kidnapped daughter from an exiled dictator who threatens to kill her unless Matrix assassinates a political rival.

Predator

CIA mercenaries sent to the jungles of Central America to find missing airmen are picked off by a high-tech, extra-terrestrial killing machine that skins everyone alive.

The Running Man

A wrongly convicted man must try to survive a public execution gauntlet staged as a game show.

Red Heat

A Moscow cop teams up with a Chicago officer to hunt down a dangerous Russian drug lord.

Twins

An experiment to create a perfect human produced not one but two  twins in mismatched shapes. They set off on a comic adventure to find their mother.

Junior

Youll never guess whos going to have a baby. Watch as the maternal tables are turned forever when, after taking an experimental drug, a male scientist becomes pregnant.

Kindergarten Cop

An undercover cop whose attempt to locate a boy and his mother leads him to a kindergarten where he poses as an unlikely teacher. A classic comedy with a sharp crime edge to it.

True Lies

Harry is a Special Agent, but to his wife, hes just a boring computer salesman. His two lives unexpectedly collide, finding themselves in the clutches of international terrorists.

The Last Stand

When the leader of a drug cartel makes a deadly escape for an FBI prisoner convoy the only obstacle in his way is a sheriff and his team, setting the stage for a classic showdown.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

The Terminator is back and now hes one of the good guys, assigned to protect freedom fighter John Connor from a cyborg sent by the leader of the human resistance in the future.

Total Recall

Douglas Quaid dreams he lived on Mars, so Recall gives him a powerful hallucinogenic drug to make it a reality.

Eraser

An elite federal marshal erases the pasts of jeopardised informers and relocates them into safe anonymity.

End of Days

Its up to a burned out former New York Cop to save a girl, the world and his own soul as he faces a powerful enemy.

Collateral Damage

A Los Angeles fireman seeks revenge after his wife and son are killed in a terrorist bombing.

The Expendables

Mercenaries who take on a mission to overthrow a South American dictator find out that a double-cross makes them expendable.

Escape Plan

Deceived and wrongly imprisoned, Ray Breslin must recruit a fellow inmate to help devise a daring, nearly impossible plan to escape from the most protected and fortified prison.

Sabotage

When an elite DEA team takes down a drug lord $10 million goes missing from a cartel safe house. Suddenly members of the team are picked off one by one.
The premise of Bull sounds like it should be easily entertaining, but the execution is, frankly, a lot of Bull.

This new star-vehicle for ex-NCIS heartthrob Michael Weatherly is apparently inspired by the early work of Dr. Phil McGraw, who is credited as co-creator and one of the producers. It was during his work with a trial consulting firm he later met Oprah Winfrey.

But this aint no bio-pic. Its a legal drama where Dr. Jason Bull (Weatherly) reads a jury like The Mentalist or Sherlock and saves the day, or the case in question.

He does this by using his psychology skills and powers of detection at Trial Analysis Corp, backed up by a whiz-bang computer system with a 400 factor matrix (I think it might be borrowed from Person of Interest).

We know how they vote before they do, says one of TACs nameless assistants.

Yep hes a jury-whisperer.

The case in question is a trial in which the teenage son of an arrogant millionaire is facing a murder charge. Bull uses all the power and high-tech to commandeer a sympathetic jury and hopefully steer the lawyers towards a not-guilty outcome.

But never mind whether the kid is actually guilty or not. Everyone is so wrapped up in a good ol USA win that this question -and any moral dilemmas therein- is left until very late in the piece. In fact the whole concept of layering computers over jury outcomes is so Only in America that I felt an enormous disconnect to this. It didnt help that it was sloppy in setting up any sympathy for the accused. Half the characters in this show are unlikeable.

But the most bizarre fantasy aspect was a courtroom scene in which the actors playing jurors turned to Weatherly and told him what they were thinking. What genre were we slipping into now? If the show isnt going to take its universe seriously, how can the audience?

Weatherly ploughs through this muddled plot to little avail, desperately wanting to be the next Simon Baker. His support team, which includes Freddy Rodriguez, lack meaningful purpose in the first episode so maybe that will improve after the establishing stuff is out of the way.

And after all that work reading a jury, the show actually denies us a front row seat to watching them deliberate. Get me 12 Angry Men.

Bull is a show that sure lives up to its title. Cmon TEN, put that on the promo?

Bull premieres 8:30pm Sunday on TEN.
Foxtel was forced to edit an episode of Girls this week due to its R classification.

The episode included the use of a prosthetic penis which guest actor Matthew Rhys describes as a three-quarters-erect penis.

The ASTRA Code of Practice gives Subscription TV more leeway with nudity and adult themes than Free to Air due to its opt-in basis, but there are still limits to what each channel can screen without content shifting to its Adults Only channel. So while Game of Thrones has shows full frontal male nudity on Showcase, that falls under the MA15+ classification without issue.

A Foxtel spokesperson told TV Tonight, Programming shown on Showcase is rated maximum MA15+. Sometimes content needs to be edited for it to conform to the MA15+ classification.

Hollywood has been wound up over gender imbalance in nudity of late, with complaints that female performers are heavily featured over males.

Meanwhile the Showcase edit comes despite no changes needed for a startling scene last year on HBOs Silicon Valley depicting two horses copulated, an erect horse penis and excess fluid. you just cant unsee that stuff.
Compass returns tomorrow night, in its new Saturday timeslot, and introduces new host Kumi Taguchi.

After some 20 years, veteran presenter Geraldine Doogue will pass the baton to Taguchi, interviewing her about her life and work, revealing why Kumi is the perfect person for the job.

Doogue will continue to host specials throughout the year including Modern Prophets, an interview series with on key events in the religious and secular calendar and a special exploring the potential outcomes of the Royal Commission.

Geraldine Doogue said, I am genuinely thrilled to welcome Kumi Taguchi to the Compass presenting chair, which Ive happily filled for just on 20 years and has never been more important, given the worlds turbulence. But there are times to renew and re-direct energies and I think this is one of them, personally and for the program. Ill produce some specials throughout the year because Im passionate about ABC viewers knowing the big issues of belief and faith and hope to be satisfying that appetite among Australians for years to come.

Kumi Taguchi, said: The search for meaning is what drives me: figuring out why I am here, why we are here, what we can do during this short time on our planet. A huge part of this is telling the stories of others, looking at the journeys theyve taken and learning from their experience and wisdom. Being able to ask and explore lifes important questions makes working at Compass a dream come true.

Taguchi will also continue her role as news anchor on ABC News 24.

Other highlights of the upcoming Compass season include: Jane Caros return with The Staffroom a series that gets inside the heads of our teachers, and Natasha Mitchell presents Ethically Challenged where two families attempt to redefine the way they live.

In this 500th anniversary year of the formation of the Lutheran Church, Martin Luther  An Idea That Changed the World is a compelling documentary that brings alive the powerful personalities and exciting drama of the Reformation. Love Marriage in Kabul follows the extraordinary quest of Afghan-Australian Mahboba Rawi, as she negotiates and challenges old traditions to make a marriage for love happen.

In other highlights, Speed Date a Muslim sees a fiery host invite people to ask Muslim women the hard questions, Love in a Hurry explores the tricky business of having relationships with a life limiting illness, and in Power to the People Kumi introduces an immersive look at social issues that defined Australian society over the last forty years.

Compass Series Producer, Jessica Douglas-Henry. ABC Head of Factual, Steve Bibb.

6pm Saturday March 4 on ABC.
By India Today Web Desk: Sanjay Dutt, who is in Agra shooting for his comeback film Bhoomi, has run into trouble with the law again. The actor's bodyguards roughed up some local mediapersons on Thursday, who filed a police complaint. Reportedly, Sanjay was present when the attack took place, but left the spot. However, he has since issued an apology to the mediapersons.

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Earlier this week, the shooting of Sanjay's film was stalled when crowds which had gathered to get a glimpse of the actor went out of control.

Bhoomi marks the comeback of Sanjay Dutt after his incarceration for the illegal possession of arms. The actor was last seen in a cameo in Rajkumar Hirani's PK (2014). Bhoomi also stars Aditi Rao Hydari and Shekhar Suman in pivotal roles.

ALSO READ | Sanjay Dutt wanted to beat up Rishi Kapoor over an affair?

ALSO WATCH | Sanjay Dutt at India Today Conclave 2016: Feeling of freedom yet to sink in

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Season Two of Robert Kirkmans Outcast will screen on FX next month.

The show starring Patrick Fugit returns at 7:30pm Monday, April 10.

The ten-episode second season screens in Australia day & date with the US, as part of a worldwide simultaneous release.

The Outcast story, although supernatural on the surface, explores how people cope with extreme circumstances while protecting the ones they love. Its a theme with which audiences across the world can relate. I am thrilled that audiences in over 125 different countries will soon have the chance to see how Kyle, and the other residents of Rome, West Virginia, continue to deal with a town, and a world, that is rapidly becoming darker, sinister and more unpredictable in the shows second season, said Kirkman.

In its second season, the mystery of what lies behind Romes supernatural manifestations continues. As the possessions that have plagued Kyle Barnes (Patrick Fugit) grow in scope and number, Kyle struggles to protect those he holds most dear. But otherworldly threats prove greater than Kyle could ever have anticipated. His struggle will grow into a fight for all of Rome, as he discovers the haunting secrets of his own past.

Outcast, is based on the Skybound/Image comic title by creator Robert Kirkman and artist Paul Azaceta. The series is created and executive produced by Robert Kirkman and executive produced by showrunner Chris Black, David Alpert, Sharon Tal Yguado and Sue Naegle. Patrick Fugit (Gone Girl) stars as Barnes, a man searching for answers, and for redemption, who sequesters himself from those he loves for fear of causing greater hurt. Philip Glenister (Life on Mars) stars as Reverend Anderson, a West Virginia evangelist who believes he is a soldier in Gods holy war against the forces of evil on Earth. An inveterate drinker and gambler, he doesnt believe God intends people to sweat the small stuff.

The series also stars Wrenn Schmidt (Boardwalk Empire) as Megan, Kyle Barnes adoptive sister; Reg E. Cathey (House of Cards, The Wire) as Chief Giles; Kate Lyn Sheil (House of Cards,) as Allison, Kyles ex-wife; Madeline McGraw (Sniper) as Kyle and Allisons young daughter, Amber Barnes; and Julia Crockett (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), as Kyles young mother.

Monday, April 10 at 7.30pm on FX.
Kerri-Anne Kennerley interviews Paul Hogan for Sunday Night this weekend.

The promos suggest he admits to being the villain in the marriage breakdown and shares his thoughts over what he thinks is Un-Australian. But will he tell us what he thought of that telemovie?

A bit odd this interview didnt run in conjunction with Hoges, rather than 2 weeks later?

The Enforcer

Hes known as one of the countrys most violent men. Rodney Goldie Atkinson was a founding member of brutal Middle Eastern crime gang, Brothers 4 Life. They were a gang like no other  cocky, savage, murderous. Brothers 4 Life redefined how gangs operated, ruthlessly controlling their patch. There were drive-by shootings, bashings, kidnappings, even torture. Brothers 4 Life appeared untouchable as the gangs drug empire flourished and the money flowed. All orchestrated by a convicted murderer from his prison cell. And on the outside was Goldie, the most feared underworld enforcer. Six foot six, gold teeth, tattoos, he was a towering gun for hire. Now, Goldie is smashing the gang code of silence to reveal the truth about Brothers 4 Life. Sunday Night gives a chilling insight into the inner workings of one of Australias most notorious organised crime gangs. And well reveal the life and crimes of the man they call The Enforcer.

Our Aussie Icon

For a while there Paul Hogan wasnt just an Australian, he was Australia to the rest of the world. First as Crocodile Dundee, then throwing a shrimp on the Barbie in those hugely successful tourism ads. But to us, hes always been just Hoges  a bit of a rascal, but always good for a laugh. At 77, hes more thoughtful and candid about his life and loves but still as cheeky as ever. Just ask Kerri-Anne Kennerley.

Sunday at 8.30pm on Seven.
Children cycle past a destroyed house in the mountain town of Qara, Rural Damascus, Syria.  UNHCR/Qusai Alazroni

QARA, Syria  In times of peace, residents of this remote mountain town in Syria lived from the productive cherry orchards that blossom on the outskirts.

Now, nearly six years into a devastating conflict, their access to their livelihood has been severed, and many of the residents who remain have burned through savings, sold jewelry and other valuables in a desperate bid to survive.

I can provide nothing for my three children, not even a loaf of bread, said Khaled,* a 43-year-old resident of the once self-reliant community, now in the grip of a chill winter. Imagine what it is like when it comes to fuel or other basics.

Since war broke out in Syria in March 2011, 4.9 million people have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, while a further 6.3 million people have been displaced internally. In all, around 13.5 million people like Khaled have become reliant on humanitarian aid.

Qara, which is perched 1,300 metres up in the Qalamoun Mountains some 95 kilometres north of Damascus, was once home to 23,000 people. But the streets of the ancient town now lie empty and shops are closed, giving it the feel of a ghost town.

I can provide nothing for my three children, not even a loaf of bread.

Centred around an old square, Qara was dragged into the war when clashes between government and rebel groups erupted there three years ago, driving residents to flee to nearby villages or over the border to Lebanon.

When some returned, they found that their cherry orchards had been seized, and trade across the border with Lebanon  another sources of income  had been cut.

The cherry crop had a good economic return, but since extremists laid control over the cherry groves, people lost a major source of income that was contributing net benefits to other livelihoods, said Zaki Srour, the head of the local Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), which leads humanitarian efforts in the town.

People have fallen into depression. They lost their capabilities, assets, and business activities, added Srour, who is also a member of a local church charity in the community, the majority of whom are Muslim.

After an armed group captured the groves located to the south-west of Qara, the main water supplies were cut off. Residents now depend on the communitys only well, located to the north of the town.

The once thriving community had a hospital, a youth club, a school. Support for local charities was strong. Many residents now find it hard to accept their sharp reversal of fortune.

The people of Qara, who were well-off, cannot find a place in their hearts to beg for help, said Srour. They used to give generously, never imagined they would ask charities for help.

The resilient people of Syria have hope and optimism. We need to invest in that. We need to give peace a chance.

Winter has been particularly brutal for residents, as temperatures plunge to lows of -16 C. Many are forced to collect garbage and burn trash to keep warm. A once self-reliant society is now dependent on external aid.

In a drive to help them meet their needs, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has been working since 2013 to provide the people of Qara with much-needed relief items, including thermal blankets and clothes, to help them survive the harsh winter.

In mid-2016, a UNHCR community centre was established in partnership with SARC. Since then, the centre has provided vocational training programmes and child protection activities, including recreation, education and psychosocial support. Further plans have been put forward to address the loss of work opportunities in 2017.

We should not fail the people of Syria, said Sajjad Malik, UNHCRs representative in the country. We have to do what we can to not let the appalling consequences of the war, now approaching its sixth year, deepen the wounds already opened by the fighting.

The conflict in Syria broke out in March 2011. As the warring sides engage in continued rounds of peace talks, Syrians hold tentative hopes that these talks could put an end to the prolonged war.

The resilient people of Syria have hope and optimism, Malik said. We need to invest in that. We need to give peace a chance.

*Name changed for protection reasons.
A child displaced from west Mosul receives a UNHCR blanket among other aid items after reaching Hammam al-Alil camp, a few kilometres south of Mosul, Iraq.  UNHCR

HAMMAM AL-ALIL CAMP, Iraq  Out of food, and with artillery falling around his familys home in west Mosul, Kifah decided he had to get out.

There were so many mortars falling. We had no rice, no bread, no milk. There was nothing for the children, he said.

The 35-year-old, his wife and children are among thousands of residents of the west side of Iraqs second largest city, fleeing as a government military offensive to retake the sector advances.

Displacement from western Mosul has reached around 30,000 in less than a week. In less than 24 hours, the empty Hammam Al-Alil camp began to quickly fill up, becoming a temporary home to thousands of Iraqis desperate to flee the fighting.

Throughout the day, buses and trucks brought exhausted families to the site, about 25 kilometres south of Mosul, where they waited patiently, receiving water and hot meals before being allocated tents.

To help meet their needs, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is putting up large tented halls which will serve as a temporary reception centre to shelter newly arrived families at the site awaiting screening.

There were so many mortars falling. We had no rice, no bread, no milk. There was nothing for the children.

With its partners, work has also begun to set up a new camp less than a kilometre away, which could house as many as 30,000 displaced Iraqis.

Emergency relief items, including mattresses, blankets, hygiene and cooking sets, heaters and jerry cans, are also being distributed to new arrivals.

In the last few days, sizeable numbers have begun fleeing worsening security conditions and a dire humanitarian situation in west Mosul, said Bruno Geddo, UNHCRs representative in Iraq. We remain concerned for the safety of civilians and urge the authorities to ensure safe passage for all those fleeing."

UNHCR and other agencies are stepping up emergency assistance for the new arrivals, to ensure they receive all they need to start a new life in the safety of displacement camps until conditions become conducive for return.

About 192,000 Iraqis have been displaced from the city and its surrounding areas since October 17 when the military operations began. It is estimated that up to 250,000 people could be displaced from western Mosul out of the 750,000 believed to be still residing there.

The relief of those arriving at the government-built Hammam Al-Alil camp is palpable.

I threw off my hijab as soon as we arrived to the place where the Iraqi Security Forces were staying, said Kifahs wife Shayma. Im so happy now. Weve eaten, slept calmly. Ive had no bad dreams, only good dreams.

Even so, her husband is wary of returning to their home in the Mamoun district of west Mosul any time soon, citing concerns about active sleeper cell groups there.

We remain concerned for the safety of civilians and urge the authorities to ensure safe passage for all those fleeing."

For new arrival Saddam, 33, the camp brought a welcome return to normalcy after the intense battle for his neighbourhood. There were snipers and mortar bombs, said Saddam who also fled Mamoun with his wife and young children.

Night times were very difficult. The battle was very fierce. We left everything behind to get freedom, he said. Mosul was like a prison for criminals. Now, life is getting back to normal.

His family spent the night at the camp. But with sponsorship from relatives, they were waiting to leave for the bustling, but war-damaged village in Hammam al-Alil close by, which had been taken by government forces last November. I want to find a job, to be able to work. And I want my children to go to school, added Saddam.

After more than two years of strict rules imposed by armed groups, and recent months of shortages of food and other basic items which left many eating just one meal a day - often just bread, potatoes or tomato soup - families are looking forward to new freedoms and possibilities.

We were scared when we left, but so happy to be here, said Zeman, 17, who had just arrived an hour earlier by bus with her sister Noor, 32, a mother of four.

The family fled west Mosuls Wadi Hajar district, managing to escape as armed groups tried to force them to leave their homes for another location as fresh fighting broke out. Im happy weve left our old lives behind.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Mar 3 (PTI) The Supreme Court today refused to entertain a plea of former UP cabinet minister Babu Singh Kushwaha against a trial court order taking congnisance of a charge sheet in one of the multi-crore rupees NRHM scam cases.

A bench comprising Justices J Chelameswar and S Abdul Nazeer asked Kushwaha to approach the special CBI court in Ghaziabad, which has issued an arrest warrant against him.

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Earlier, the Allahabad High Court had also rejected his plea and asked him to appear before the trial court.

He had alleged that the chargesheet should be quashed, as the police did not take any prior permission from the state government before filing it. Kushwaha is currently on bail.

CBI has filed several cases relating to the siphoning off of funds meant for the National Rural Health Mission in the state. PTI SJK PKS RKS ARC

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By Shalini Lobo: Over 2,000 members of the Students Federation of India (SFI) held a demonstration in city today against ABVP for Ramjas College violence.

SFI members from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal and various other states participated in the demonstration.

"We have seen the RSS and ABVP goons come and attack our people and we are protesting against this. Our agitation will continue until strict action is taken against the guilty", said Sureah, a SFI worker from Kerala.

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The All India President of SFI, Saanu said, "We will protest until there is freedom of speech and expression on campuses. Student ideologies should not be suppressed just because they are different from the ruling government."

DU has been been the nucleus of protests since February 21, when JNU students Umar Khalid and Sheila Rashid's seminar in Ramjas College was cancelled on opposition by ABVP.

Also read: Anti-national JNU virus should not creep into DU's campus: ABVP

Also read: Ramjas violence provoked by outsiders, blame put on us: ABVP

Also read: ABVP suspends 2 members for violence against AISA supporters, says is committed to peace

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Receiving an acceptance letter from your dream University and seeing "Congratulations on your Admission! We are delighted to welcome you." could be a wonderful experience for applicants but what happens if you were "mistakenly" accepted? This was the case for the 277 students who applied to the Masters Program of Columbia University, an Ivy League University located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City.

Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health had falsely delivered acceptance letters to 277 applicants last Wednesday, February 15, 2017.

It was said that the Emails "incorrectly implied" that the applicants were able to get into its Masters Program School of Public Health. Columbia University announced that it took necessary measures to correct its mistake by dispatching a follow - up apology email after an hour.

Columbia University apologized and expressed its dismay because of the stress and confusion the mistake may have caused the 277 applicants.

"We deeply apologize for this miscommunication." Julie Kornfeld, Vice Dean for Education at Columbia University told ABC News in a statement last Friday, February 17, 2017. "We value the energy and enthusiasm the applications bring to the admission process and regret the stress and confusion caused by the mistake." Julie Kornfeld continued.

Columbia University blamed the mistake on possible "human errors" and assured that they are working assiduously to strengthen their internal procedures to ensure that mistake does not happen again in the future.

It is not the first time that a University had mistakenly accepted applicants. Just last year, University at Buffalo mistakenly sent 5,000 acceptance letters as well and corrected its mistake a few hours later. The University deeply regrets the error and informed the students that their application was still under review. Carnegie Mellon made a similar mistake in 2015 by accepting over 800 applicants for its Masters Program in Computer Science.
For a lot of students, going to an Ivy League university spells a lot of opportunity for them after graduation. This has some truth to this notion but there is one small college in California who graduates outearn graduates that come from Harvard or Stanford.

Harvey Mudd College is a small private liberal arts college in Claremont, California with only 800 students. According to Forbes, STEM graduates from this college boasts of an annual salary of $106,200, which is second to MIT.

Perhaps, the small population works to the advantage of the students because the student-teacher ratio is much better than other leading colleges and universities.However, this is not the main reason why Harvey Mudd graduates are very much in demand and command a high salary in the market. Everything is credited to the balanced curriculum the institution has that balances STEM and the arts, which must be unique for a liberal arts college.

Jim Boerkel, a computer science professor at HMC, said that when students arrive at HMC, they are required to take at least one computer science course. Unlike other computer science introduction course, however, this one is much broader and touches artificial intelligence, software development, and logic among other things.

Aside from that, the school also created a basic and advanced intro class so that every student will have a chance to join class discussions.

To ensure that the students receive a balanced education, HMC also demands that students should take just as many courses in the humanities along with the introductory courses in STEM.

The administration describes their curriculum as some sort of a boot camp for STEM, critical thinking, and writing, which give students a more solid foundation in science and technology while developing their critical thinking skills.

HMC's curriculum is so effective that other colleges that are focused on STEM have taken notice. In fact, the California Institute of Technology has invited some of the STEM professors of HMC to provide training to its professors.
Yale University has conducted an investigation on a coffee maker after several people were hospitalized. There were about three people who felt ill at the university's School of Medicine on Tuesday.

The victims were said to have felt lightheaded and dizzy on Tuesday afternoon, Deputy Fire Chief Orlando Marcano said. New Haven Register reported that officials are investigating whether the coffee maker is to blame as each person drank from the source in Sterling Hall of Medicine.

Officials were unable to immediately identify the cause for the illness. Marcano did admit that the victims drank from the same coffee machine.

They were rushed at the Yale New Haven Hospital. Yale University spokesperson Karen Peart confirmed on Wednesday that four people who fell ill had been released from the hospital on Tuesday.

Officials of the city emergency management said that the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is conducting the examination on the coffee maker and cups. NBC noted that the department also took air as well as other material samples from the scene of the incident to help determine what caused the illness.

According to Hartford Courant, DEEP announced that it was unable to detect anything that may have been the cause of the illness from the coffee maker. The department also recommended that Yale University call in an industrial hygienist to conduct further testing.

Meanwhile, Yale is one of the 17 universities that filed a brief last month to challenge President Trump's immigration ban. The higher education institutions believe that the executive order, while limited to seven countries only, have already had damaging effects on American universities.

The brief was filed in a civil action sought by the attorney general of New York and several others in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The order has been stayed due to the pending resolution of another case that challenged President Trump's immigration ban in Washington State.
While there are a lot of reputable universities and colleges in the United States, there are some students who want to study abroad. This may be because the course they want is not available locally or they want to be fully independent and learn more about another country.

It was previously reported that universities from Quebec to British Columbia have experienced an increase in its applications and website traffic from the United States. Apparently, this all began when Trump was announced to become the next president of the U.S. on Nov. 8.

Some of the most popular universities chosen by American students are found in Britain, Australia and Spain, among others. CollegeChoice.net shared the top international universities that a lot of students choose to go to for their studies abroad.

London School of Economics and Political Science

London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has hosted over 6,500 international students, which actually comprise 70 percent of its total student body. It helps that the primary language of instruction in the school is English.

University of the Arts London

This is the largest university in Europe that specializes in fine arts. It has a community of 5,265 international students, which make up 37 percent of the total student body. American students make up about 400 of the total international community.

University of Salamanca

The University of Salamanca is located in Madrid and is the oldest university in Spain. It has a total of 9,200 international students, which make up of 25 percent of the student body.

RMIT University

It is the largest higher education institution in Australia. 56 percent of its international student body is composed of undergraduates while 44 percent are postgraduates.

University College London

University College London got the top seventh place in the QS World University Rankings for 2016-2017. It has nearly 5,000 international students who make up 36 percent of the total student community.
Shaina NC said she couldn't take the stalking anymore and was fed up of the harassment at the hands of the stalker, who kept sending obscene and vulgar messages to her.

By Divyesh Singh: BJP leader and fashion designer Shaina NC has filed a police complaint against a stalker who has been harassing her by sending vulgar messages through Whatsapp and sms.

Shaina started receiving these messages which were very vulgar in nature since last December and she had also warned the unidentified stalker to stop sending her messages. Despite the warning, Shaina regularly got messages and she finally lodged a complaint with the Cyber crime police station in BKC, Mumbai on Thursday.

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Talking to India Today, the BJP leader said she couldn't take it anymore and was fed up of the harassment at the hands of the stalker, who kept sending obscene and vulgar messages to her. "Finally, I decided that the accused should be brought to book and filed a police complaint against him," said Shaina.

Also read: Bhopal: Law drags feet as fake sex video runs course

Also read: Stalker or dedicated lover: Will Bollywood never stop glorifying harassment and stalking?

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Oct. 26, 2022

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.  Cadets got the unique experience of interacting with and learning from the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2022 at the U.S. Air Force Academy Sept. 27-29. The National Character and Leadership Symposium sponsored the visit and three days of activities.The 12
Carlos Garcia Santiago Receives UW Graduate Student Internationalization Award

Carlos Uriel Garcia Santiago is the recipient of UWs Graduate Student International Excellence Award. (Adam Herrera Photo)

Carlos Uriel Garcia Santiago has been honored for his international work on and off campus at the University of Wyoming. He is the recipient of the Graduate Student International Excellence Award.

Each year, the UW International Board of Advisors and the International Programs Office recognize individuals who have significantly contributed to internationalization and the promotion of global awareness at the university.

Santiago, an M.S. student in mental health counseling in the UW College of Education, works as a graduate assistant in the Service, Leadership and Community Engagement office (SLCE) at UW. He stays involved on and off campus by working with students to involve them in the Laramie community and communities abroad. In particular, he has guided students in addressing local and global issues through direct service and education.

Carlos has demonstrated excellence in promoting global and cross-cultural awareness and internationalization on campus, says Erin Olsen, assistant director of the Wyoming Union. He is a strong advocate for stepping outside your comfort zone and learning about other cultures.

Santiago works well with students of all ages. In his graduate studies, he helped multiple college students discover new opportunities. During his undergraduate career, he assisted teachers and elementary school students in Belize by helping build and develop a new school.

During his undergraduate education, he led an international service trip to Belize, says Mary Alice Bruce, UW Department of Professional Studies chair. He helped local Belize teachers with English classes for elementary school kids.

Recently, Santiago accepted more responsibility with UWs alternative spring break program, and he has been instrumental in planning trips to Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. He teaches other student leaders to broaden their understanding and awareness of a variety of complex social and international issues.

"Uriel really embodies what internationalization means at UW, both on and off campus, UW President Laurie Nichols says. His international background makes him a dedicated advocate for UW across the globe, and a strong mentor for other students who wish to gain international experience.
The Cabinet meet witnessed some tense moments on Friday as Shiv Sena ministers demanded transparency in meetings on the lines of the BMC.

By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: The BJP and Shiv Sena continue to play hardball with the battle of BMC reaching Maharashtra Cabinet and Sena demanding transparent meetings. As the suspense over Mumbai's next Mayor continues, the Shiv Sena yet again hardened its stand against it ally BJP.

On Friday, the BJP and Sena ministers met for the first time after all the mudslinging during the BMC elections. The Cabinet meet witnessed some tense moments as Shiv Sena ministers demanded transparency in meetings on the lines of the BMC.

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"The standing committee meeting in BMC is attended by journalists as well. Similarly, in order to bring transparency in the state government functioning, journalists, lokayukta and Opposition leaders should be allowed to attend the cabinet meets," said Eknath Shinde, senior Shiv Sena leader and PWD minister, while talking to reporters after the meeting.

"We still carry our resignation letters in our pockets. It is just about one 'Aadesh' ('order') from Uddhav ji and we will resign. The ministry is nothing in front of his orders," Shinde added.

Apart from Shinde, Diwakar Raote and Deepak Sawant from the Shiv Sena also attended the Cabinet meeting.

Transparency was the key issue that the BJP and particularly Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis raked during his election campaign alleging that the BMC ruled by Shiv Sena lacked transparency. But on Friday, the BJP preferred to downplay the Sena's aggression. "Whatever CM said about transparency, Uddhav ji has gone 2 steps ahead to endorse it which is a sign that we are walking together," quipped Vinod Tawde, Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra Education Minister.

"Shiv Sena ministers raised the issue of transparency in the Cabinet meeting and the CM accepted all the suggestions. Sena leaders also demanded that journalists should be allowed in the Cabinet meeting, to which Law and Judiciary Secretary replied that ministers take an oath of secrecy unlike municipal corporation members; the tendering process too is transparent here. Whatever is legally possible has been promised," informed Tawde.

Also read: Mumbai: BJP's Shaina NC receives vulgar messages, files complaint against stalker

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By Piya Hingorani: Kargil martyr's daughter Gurmehar Kaur has been in the eye of a storm after she raised her voice against the violence on campuses in the wake of the Ramjas college clashes last week. Last year, Kaur had launched a #ProfileForPeace campaign to bring peace between warring nations India and Pakistan.

However, it is her social media campaign on intolerance against the AVBP clashes at DU that went viral and took a political turn, with leaders commenting on her statement and calling her anti-national. What followed were death and rape threats, and Twitteratti trolling her to no end.

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Bollywood seems to be divided about Gurmehar Kaur, with Vidya Balan, Anurag Kashyap and Naseeruddin Shah supporting the twenty-year-old, while Randeep Hooda was attacked online for trolling her. Talking to India Today exclusively, Sonam Kapoor, a proud feminist who stands up for what she believes in, was very vocal about her opinion on Gurmehar. "It's disgusting, appalling. I know some colleagues in the industry who are claiming to be artists said that and I think it's very disheartening for me. See, first of all, everyone is entitled to an opinion. What she feels is a very compassionate way of looking at it; nobody is to be blamed for anybody's death. It's very evolved of her to think that way, very forgiving of her, and instead of applauding her, we are bringing her down. Whether you agree with her or not, it's her father. She's entitled to say whatever she has to for him. You cannot criticise her for it. It's very cruel."

Javed Akhtar lashed out at Virender Sehwag, Randeep Hooda and the Phogat sisters for trolling Gurmeher Kaur on Twitter.

If a hardly literate player or a wrestler troll a pacifist daughter of a martyr its understandable but whats wrong with some educated folks Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) February 28, 2017

Sonam reiterated Akhtar's thoughts, "He is right, though it's not about illiteracy but ignorance. People are ignorant, that's why they speak the way they do. It's about not understanding the situation."

Sonam Kapoor and her sister Rhea Kapoor had signed on Kareena Kapoor Khan for their home production Veerey Di Wedding last year. It's no secret that Kareena got pregnant and delivered her first born Taimur Ali Khan in December 2016, yet producer Rhea Kapoor chose to wait for the new mum to get back from her maternity break before starting the Shashanka Ghosh directorial, instead of dropping her like a hot potato. (Remember Madhur Bhandarkar had to opt for Kareena Kapoor for Heroine when Aishwarya Rai Bachchan announced her pregnancy back in 2011?) After a delay of almost eight months, Veerey Di Wedding is all set to go on floors this May.

"Since I was 21, I've been an open feminist. I believe in giving everyone an opportunity. If a man decided, or was going through something, I don't think we'd ever judge him, or have this conversation for that matter. Aamir Khan doesn't work for two years and no one says he's gaining weight or losing weight - you're lauded for it and I think you should celebrate the fact that Kareena Kapoor is an empowered woman, a mum and she's someone who's working," says Sonam.

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"I don't know any man who can say that. The fact that she was working through her pregnancy and had a child, and two months later, she's prepping for her film. Instead of hiding away for a year, she is continuing with her life and to balance both the sides and be a thorough professional is amazing. A woman cannot be another woman's enemy; we have to be supportive of each other, otherwise it's so callous and we're only bringing everyone down. Someone said something very important to me, you're making such a big deal about Hilary Clinton becoming the President of America and we've had so many female leaders in our country. I don't know what the big deal is. As long as she's the best person for the job, she should be president. But at the same time, I realise our country is very contradictory, the women in our country who are leaders are the most sexist. You have to be supportive of your colleagues and other women, so we can progress," the actor added.

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PICS: Sonam-Arjun, Sridevi and daughters Jhanvi-Khushi party at wedding in Abu Dhabi

ALSO READ: Sonam Kapoor auditioned Alia Bhatt as a child artiste?

ALSO WATCH: I believe in ever afters and soul mates, says Sonam Kapoor

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Following the debut of their much-anticipated Las Vegas residency, Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Backstreet Boys hosted an epic after party at Chateau Nightclub & Rooftop at Paris Las Vegas last night (Pictured: Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson and AJ McLean with Engraved Moet Bottle  Photo credit: Bryan Steffy /WireImage).

Photo credit: Bryan Steffy /WireImage.

Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean and Kevin Richardson arrived at Chateau shortly after midnight, immediately following the groups first show. A crowd of screaming fans admired the stars as they walked the red carpet and posed for photos on the clubs Rooftop. The groups enthusiasm following their sold-out show was apparent, dancing their way into the club, much to the delight of screaming fans. At one point, Littrell and McLean even used a photographers camera for selfies.

Photo credit: Bryan Steffy /WireImage

To kick off the night, the Backstreet Boys were presented with an engraved bottle of Moet as confetti cascaded throughout the venue. The crowd roared as the group continued to entertain by hopping on top of their VIP booth to sing and dance to hits spun by DJs Bayati and ShadowReD.

Photo credit: Bryan Steffy /WireImage

After taking countless selfies with fans, the group cheered on as McLean took control of the microphone, I want to thank my brothers of 24 years. Heres to 24 more!

Photo credit: Bryan Steffy /WireImage

The after party was the first of many that will be held at Chateau throughout their residency.


The Animal Foundation is vowing to Keep Every Person and Pet Together(KEPPT) with the help of an $11,000 grant provided by Cox Charities (Pictured: Cox Communications Michael Accardi with Daniel Neel of The Animal Foundation).

The KEPPT program recognizes the heartbreak of giving up a pet due to circumstances outside the owners control and offers support to those in the Las Vegas Valley who have no other alternative than to surrender their companion. With the aid of Cox Charities contribution, the non-profit program is able to provide financial assistance for animal counseling, medical care, food costs and much more to families and their pets.

In the last year, The Animal Foundation accepted more than 4,000 surrenders caused by families falling on hard times, said Daniel Neel, chief finance and development officer for The Animal Foundation. By joining forces with Cox Charities, we can continue offering alternative services that help avoid the painful misfortune the entire family endures when surrendering a pet.

Known as Nevadas largest open-admission animal shelter, The Animal Foundation can make the difference between joy and despair for those who fear their only option is to give up their pets. This Cox Charities grant will help fund:

Managed Intake  Giving counseling and support regarding options and resources available through The Animal Foundation in order to keep the pet with their family

 Giving counseling and support regarding options and resources available through The Animal Foundation in order to keep the pet with their family Community Resources  Pet owners in need are provided with a variety of assistance including pet food costs, medical care and housing alternatives

 Pet owners in need are provided with a variety of assistance including pet food costs, medical care and housing alternatives Lost Pet Reunion  Through outreach efforts, The Animal Foundation educates the community about how to successfully locate lost pets

 Through outreach efforts, The Animal Foundation educates the community about how to successfully locate lost pets Pets for Life  Shelter volunteers canvass areas that are most at risk for animal abandonment and provide useful resources to keep pets out of shelters and in homes

 Shelter volunteers canvass areas that are most at risk for animal abandonment and provide useful resources to keep pets out of shelters and in homes Homeward Bound Fund  Provides financial assistance to owners who cannot afford ordinance driven reclamation fees

At Cox Charities, our mission is to improve the quality of life for Southern Nevada families through grant allocations and community partnerships, said Tamar Hoapili, Cox Charities program administrator. Partnering with The Animal Foundation allows us to assist with keeping hundreds of families and their pets together through the good times and bad.


Starting on Tuesday, March 7, The High Roller, the worlds tallest observation wheel, will host Las Vegas Valley firefighters for three days as they practice heavy rescue scenarios.

The annual exercise provides Las Vegas Fire & Rescue firefighters unique opportunities to test their skills through a variety of rescue scenarios and review safety measures at 550 feet above the Las Vegas Strip.

The High Roller boasts numerous established safety protocols which the firefighters will route through in order to renew their rescue certifications.
By Press Trust of India: Hyderabad, Mar 3 (PTI) Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu today hit out at the Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala, saying "state-sponsored terror and barbarism" have been let loose in the CPI(M)-ruled state.

The senior BJP leaders comments came amid a row over RSS functionary Kundan Chandravat announcing a bounty of Rs 1 crore for beheading the Kerala chief minister over "killing of RSS workers."

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"...see how bitter and violent they (Left parties) are in Kerala. How many hundreds of people they killed in Kerala including (in) the chief ministers own district. In Kerala, where the CPM is ruling, there is a state sponsored terror and barbarism let loose. And our nationalist boys are fighting. Many of them are losing their lives. No other party is condemning it," Naidu told a press conference here.

He said the "biggest example" of intolerance is the violent events in Kerala.

"They are talking about intolerance. The greatest and biggest example of intolerance is what is happening in Kerala. Teacher is beheaded in school, children are killed in front of their parents. Parents are dragged and murdered in front of their children," he added.

In a fresh incident of violence in the southern state, a crude bomb was hurled at the RSS office near Nadapuram in Kozhikode yesterday, injuring four RSS workers.

When asked if the Centre will intervene, Naidu said since law and order is a state subject, it is the responsibility of the government concerned to provide safety and security to the people.

"...They are failing (in doing their job). Lets see what is going to happen," he said.

Responding to a query, Naidu condemned the "beheading" comments made by Chandravat, the Sah Prachar Pramukh of RSS in Madhya Pradeshs Ujjain, who was sacked today.

"It is totally wrong. RSS has totally condemned it. Even I am condemning it. Such sort of statement in a democracy is not acceptable at all. We may have grievance. We may feel hurt that hundreds of your associates are murdered there (in Kerala). But you have no right to make such statements. It will send a wrong message," he said. PTI GDK NSK ASV

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Delegates to the First APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM1), being held in Nha Trang city, south central Khanh Hoa province from March 2-3, highly evaluated Vietnams important role in the APEC cooperation and development process.

The Republic of Koreas Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of Economic Affairs Lee Taeho said at this SOM1 the APEC member economies set out the targets for the whole year and the common work through 2020.

I appreciated Vietnams coordination in preparing the agenda for APEC 2017. Vietnams priorities, including promoting sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth, are in line with the APEC agenda. We have a good start in the lead up to the APEC Economic Leaders Week in November. I hope that under the leadership of the Vietnamese Government, we will have a successful year, he stressed.

Salman Al Farisi, Senior Advisor for Inter-Institutional Relations of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hailed Vietnams significant contributions to APEC. Vietnam has a lot of experience in economic development so the country contributed remarkably to APEC deliberations, he said.

According to the official, Vietnam has made great efforts in organising meetings of committees and working groups, especially SOM1. The APEC economies, particularly those which are also ASEAN members, are trying to ensure the success of SOM1.

Some other delegates also believed that the APEC Vietnam 2017 would be successful, helping APEC to remain a major driver of global economic growth.
A delegate of the Republic of Korea speaks at the first APEC Senior Officials' Meeting on March 2

During the course of the session, delegates from 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum are scheduled to discuss the implementation of the Framework for Multi-Year APEC Programme on Food Security and Climate Change, and the APEC Strategic Framework on Rural-Urban Development to Strengthen Food Security and Inclusive Growth.

They will also discuss the role of food markets in enhancing food security in the region as well as next steps to prepare for the APEC Post-2020 Vision.

The delegates are expected to hear the Budget and Management Committee (BMC) Chairs report on the outcomes of its first meeting and the committees priorities for APEC 2017.

The APEC Executive Director is scheduled to present the APEC Secretariats Strategic Plan for 2017-2019, Operational Plan for 2017 and a paper on communication, while the Chair of the Policy Support Unit (PSU) Board is to update on the PSUs work programme.

Also, the delegates will discuss Australia/Canadas proposal on project reforms.

Following the session, Deputy Foreign Minister, APEC 2017 SOM Chair Bui Thanh Son will chair a press conference to inform about the outcomes of SOM1.

The APEC forum includes 21 members, namely Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.
The groundbreaking ceremony of The Viet Nam-Japan International Oncology Hospital, Ha Noi, March 2, 2017

The hospital got an overall investment of VND 1.5 trillion (US$ 65.7 million) and covers an area of nearly 5,000 square meters, with a floor area of 28,000 square meters.

Once operating in 2018, the hospital will have 100 inpatient beds and provide examination and treatment to outpatients equivalent to 250 beds.

All departments of the hospital are expected to meet Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards for Hospitals (JCI standards), targeting screening, early detection, diagnosis and treatment for cancer patients.

The hospital will also operate under the hi-tech model of an international hospital on par with standards of Japan and the U.S., with testing equipment reaching comparable standards to modern hospitals in the two countries. In addition, the hospital will comprise a centre for pathological analysis and diagnosis will be connected with partners in Japan and the U.S. for the most accurate initial examination results.

Addressing the ground-breaking ceremony, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien stressed that fluctuating patterns of diseases have increased the incidence and mortality of non-communicable diseases, of which cancer is a prime example.

The shift has increased pressure on the health system in general and the network of cancer prevention in particular, she said, adding that overcrowd in cancer treatment facilities in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City is the clearest evidence.

The construction of the hospital would not only reduce overload at medical facilities in the capital city, but also meet the demand of the public for better treatment and reduce the number of patients seeking abroad treatment, the Minister added.

Chairman of the Ha Noi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung asked investors to focus resources on implementing project management in accordance with the provisions of law, while guaranteeing efficiency and quality to put the hospital into operation in the first quarter of 2018 as approved.

Statistics showed that around 200,000 new cancer cases are reported yearly in Viet Nam with around 100,000 deaths.
A man stands next to a banner reading "No to the closing of the Whirlpool Amiens factory" during a demonstration by employees last month AFP/FRANCOIS NASCIMBENI

The move to Lodz, set for June 2018, will affect some 290 workers and is the latest in a string of manufacturing closures to hit the city famous for its Gothic cathedral.

Caroline Bizet and many of her colleagues at Whirlpool, a domestic appliances brand, could not hide their contempt for politicians in a campaign season marred by corruption scandals.

"All the jobs are being outsourced. People are being laid off, there are suicides, there are divorces, everything," said Bizet, 49, who has worked for Whirlpool for 17 years.

Her contempt for politicians was clear.

"They're in their gilded armchairs and they couldn't care less about us," she said at the end of her shift at the factory some three kilometres (two miles) from the city centre where clothes dryers are made.

She was referring to the expenses scandals that have embroiled both far-right leader Marine Le Pen and one of her main rivals in the presidential race, conservative Francois Fillon.

Picketers distributed leaflets outside the factory, which was bedecked with protest banners.

"When you talk about de-industrialisation of our country it has special resonance here," said Brigitte Foure, the city's centrist mayor, voicing her "bitterness" over the exodus to eastern EU states with cheaper labour such as Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

Unemployment in Amiens, a cathedral city of around 200,000, stands at 11.9 percent, two points higher than the national average.

In 2014, the Goodyear tyre company outsourced more than 1,100 jobs, and Whirlpool moved its washing machine production to Slovakia in 2003.

Another 60 jobs of a Whirlpool sub-contractor, Prima, are also at risk next year, as well as those of some temporary workers.

Guillaume Bonnard, a 33-year-old foreman with Prima, told AFP: "The problem is that as long as everyone is not at the same level in Europe it can never work."

FREXIT?

Mohamed El Mokretar, a union leader at Prima, thinks a "Frexit" is the only solution, saying simply: "We have to leave the European Union."

Francois Ruffin, a leftist who was behind last year's youth protests against labour reforms across France known as Nuits Debout (Up All Night), is among a handful of politicians who have ventured to Amiens to confront the gloom.

Ruffin, who is running for parliament in June, campaigned in the city aboard a multi-coloured truck with loudspeakers blaring revolutionary songs.

The director of a hit documentary "Merci Patron" (Thanks, Boss) in which the little guys take on France's richest man, Ruffin says protectionism is the only solution.

"I don't want the (far-right) National Front (FN) to have a monopoly on this political weapon, or for them to be the only ones to dare to talk about tariffs and import quotas," he told AFP as he handed out his manifesto.

Recently the FN's local representative Eric Richermoz paid one of his frequent visits to the Whirlpool factory, showing workers a video on his cellphone of Le Pen promising a 35-percent surtax on the products of companies that outsource jobs.

Le Pen, who says she will hold a referendum on France leaving the EU if elected, is tipped to win the first round of France's presidential election on April 23 but lose in a run-off vote on May 7.

She is drawing strength from anti-EU forces such as those that led to the Brexit vote in Britain and the sort of nationalist fervour that helped Donald Trump to victory in the United States.

"The British are putting in place measures very similar to those advocated by Marine Le Pen," Richermoz said.

Outside the Whirlpool factory, Christophe Colombo, who has worked 27 of his 45 years at the firm, is fed up of politicians.

"If you vote on the left or on the right, what good does it do?"
The army and Iranian-backed militia advanced inside Palmyra on Thursday as Islamic State withdrew completely.

Islamic State seized Palmyra in a surprise advance in December, after having been driven out eight months before.

By Reuters: The Syrian Army on Thursday said it had recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra from Islamic State for the second time in a year, with help from allied forces and Russian warplanes.

Islamic State seized Palmyra in a surprise advance in December, after having been driven out eight months before.

"With backing from the Syrian and Russian air forces, units of our armed forces recaptured the city of Palmyra, in cooperation with the allies," the military said in a statement.

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The Army and Iranian-backed militia advanced inside Palmyra on Thursday as Islamic State withdrew completely, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said.

NO CONGRATULATIONS FOR ASSAD

Islamic State militants retreated to areas in the east, the Observatory reported. Government forces took control of swathes of Palmyra and conducted combing operations to clear mines on Thursday, it said.

During Islamic State's first occupation which ended in March last year, the ultra-hardline jihadist group destroyed some of Palmyra's priceless archaeological heritage. It is believed to have razed other parts of the historical ruins after regaining control in December.

The Syrian Army is also fighting Islamic State east of Aleppo city, where it is pushing to reach the Euphrates river, and in the city of Deir al-Zor, where it controls an enclave besieged by the militants.

Islamic State is on the back foot in Syria after losing territory in the north to an alliance of US-backed, Kurdish-led militias, and to Turkey-backed Syrian rebel groups.

Government and opposition delegations are attending UN-sponsored peace talks in Geneva, where the government's chief negotiator hailed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for keeping his promise to retake Palmyra.

The Syrian opposition however declined to congratulate Assad on capturing Palmyra and suggested the sight of the city changing hands again was risible.

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--- ENDS ---
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the presidential palace in Cairo on Mar 2, 2017. (Photo: AFP/Khaled Desouki)

Turmoil exploited by people smugglers since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi has made Libya the main gateway for African migrants seeking to make dangerous Mediterranean crossings.

Merkel, who faces elections in September, has been under intense pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to Germany, which has taken in over one million migrants since 2015.

Her government has urged the North African states to step up border controls and speed up repatriations of migrants whose asylum applications are rejected.

Merkel is scheduled to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday, followed by meetings with Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, Egypt's top Muslim cleric. She will depart to Tunisia on Friday to meet Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi.

She will "inform herself of the situation of Coptic Christians" and "speak to (Tayeb) about tolerance and the peaceful co-existence of religion," her spokesman Steffan Seibert said in a video uploaded on his Twitter account.

Merkel is joined by a business delegation that could sweeten the diplomacy with investments badly needed by both countries, which are grappling with sluggish economies, militant attacks and high unemployment, especially among youths.

"The chancellor will speak with Sisi about, among other things, economic cooperation and opportunities for German companies," Seibert said.

A major focus in Egypt and Tunisia will be on their troubled neighbour Libya, a largely lawless country that has porous desert borders with Algeria, Niger, Chad and Sudan.

HOLDING CENTRES

"Without a political stabilisation of Libya, we won't be able to stop the human traffickers operating out of Libya who are responsible for by far the most arrivals in Italy," Merkel said in her latest weekly podcast.

The trip is part of a larger diplomatic push by Merkel, who last year visited Mali, Niger and Ethiopia. She had also planned a trip to Algeria last week, but it was called off after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika fell ill.

Germany, which this year holds the G20 presidency, has also announced investment partnerships in Africa with the long-term goals of reducing poverty and deterring people from leaving in the first place.

Last year, Berlin spearheaded an EU agreement with Ankara that helped sharply reduce the influx of migrants through Turkey and western Balkan countries. But as with the Turkey deal, the negotiations with the North African countries have been clouded by human rights concerns.

In particular, an idea floated by Merkel's interior minister - for North African countries to build holding centres for returned migrants - has been rejected by Merkel's centre-left coalition partners and by rights groups.

Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel - whose Social Democrats hope to topple Merkel this year - dismissed the idea, saying: "I doubt that all this has been really thought through".

'DODGY DEALS'

Human Rights Watch noted that Egypt banned protests and jailed thousands of people, while outlawing the Muslim Brotherhood movement president Mohamed Morsi whom Sisi, a former army chief, overthrew in 2013.

Repatriating Tunisians and Egyptians who do not need protection can be "legitimate" if they are treated fairly, the New York-based rights group said.

"It's another thing entirely to pursue dodgy deals that could trap asylum seekers and migrants from elsewhere in countries like Tunisia and Egypt that cannot guarantee decent treatment or meaningful access to asylum," said Judith Sunderland, a Europe and Central Asia director for the group.

But Merkel is under huge pressure at home to achieve results in an election year, as the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party hopes to enter the national parliament for the first time.

Public fears in Germany have been heightened by several militant attacks last year - especially the truck rampage by Tunisian immigrant Anis Amri at a Berlin Christmas market that killed 12 people in December.

A year before, sexual assaults by large groups of mostly North African men on New Year's Eve against women in Cologne provoked outrage in Germany.
PV Oils main operation is the retail distribution of petroleum with the second largest market share in Vietnam (22-25 per cent), only behind Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex), which holds a 55 per cent market share, and where Japanese company JX Nippon Oil and Energy Corporation scooped up a 8 per cent stake in 2016.

PV Oil is also the only company in Vietnam to export crude oil exploited domestically and sell oil exploited by PetroVietnam in other countries.

After the equitisation, 40 per cent of the share will be sold to strategic investors. PV Oil is currently looking for investors that have good financial resources as well as experience in business management, especially in the petroleum industry, to help with business development after the equitisation.

PV Oil has already approached 30 potential investors and has officially sent requests to seven potential partners to express interest, all of whom are strong brands in the petroleum industry in Vietnam and around the world.

General director Cao Hoai Duong said the company has received interest from investors from China, the Middle East, and other Southeast Asian countries.

In Vietnam, foreign companies, such as JX Nippon, cannot join the field of fuel distribution. Exceptions are made only to companies that also invest in fuel production.

Most recently, Idemitsu Q8 Petroleum Limited Liability Company, a joint venture between Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. and Kuwait Petroleum International Ltd., was allowed to set up to sell the products of Nghi Son refinery and petrochemical complex in the central province of Thanh Hoa, where both companies are investors.

A stake in PV Oil will enable a foreign investor to indirectly join in this field.

In 2016, PV Oils estimated consolidated revenue was $1.5 billion. The revenue of the parent company was nearly $1.1 billion. The companys consolidated profit in 2016 was $23.3 million. The parent companys profit was $15 million.
The Quang Nam Peoples Committee said it has collected eight tonnes of waste mixed with oil clumps along the beach in Nui Thanh District, adding that these clumps were not the same as previous ones.-Photo zing.vn

Speaking at the conference on Wednesday, Huynh Khanh Toan, vice chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, said that hundreds of environmental workers and relevant agencies have collected 25 tonnes of waste after two weeks of focusing on collecting oil there.

Of which, eight tonnes were garbage with oil clumps. All the garbage has been destroyed.

Toan said the committee has asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to find out the cause of the phenomenon and the origin of waste and oil clumps.

On February 6, oil clumps, with the length of between 0.5 centimetres and 10 centimetres, were seen spreading 7 kilometres along the coast from Rang Beach in Tam Quang Commune to Chu Lai Resort in Tam Nghia Commune.

The oil clumps were found together with empty bottles and Chinese language packages.

Nguyen Hong Quang, chief secretariat of the provincial committee, said that oil clumps with such large amounts of waste were an abnormal phenomenon in the province.

Tran Van Anh, chief secretariat of the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said that oil clumps and waste were identified to drift from other sea zones through the ocean flow to the sea in Nui Thanh District.

Viet Nams Directorate of Sea and Islands have reported that bottles and packages were originated from Hong Kong and China. It has continued investigating the cause of the incident.

The directorate said that the amount of waste drifting to the beach has been four or five times higher than the previous years. This was the first time oil clumps were reported on the provincial beach in this year.
PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Chairman and CEO of Aeroports de Paris (ADP), Augustin de Romanet (L), Ha Noi, March 2, 2017  Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu

The host leader hailed the French group for its interests and investments in Viet Nam, especially in transport.

He also lauded the agreement on strategic shareholders between the French group and the Airports Corporation of Viet Nam (ACV).

The Vietnamese Government, asserted PM Phuc, pledges to create every favorable way for the cooperation between ADP and ACV which would contribute to nurturing the bilateral ties in a more practical and effective fashion.

According to PM Phuc, Viet Nam is one of few Asian countries that have provided e-visas. The country also enjoyed highly increasing number of tourists. Last year, Viet Nam welcomed 10 million foreign tourists and expected to greet 17-20 million others by 2020. The higher demands would stimulate the growth of the aviation industry and the demand for upgrading airports.

He also hoped that the ADPs partnership with the ACV would help promote the latters capacity of airport operation, thereby increasing the quality of services at local airports to the world level.

For his part, Mr. Augustin de Romanet said his group wants to make long-term investment in Viet Nam and help modernize local airports  an important momentum for socio-economic development.

The guest leader informed his host about the development of airports in France and considered this a useful experience for the Southeast Asian nation in airport upgrade and expansion.

He also hoped for continued support from the Vietnamese Government and relevant agencies for the ADPs activities in the country.
The event marks an important milestone towards the completion of the project, which will boost the countrys power generation capacity by 45 per cent when finished.

Together with its local partners, Orascom Construction and Elsewedy Electric, Siemens broke all records in modern power plant construction by connecting 4.8 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity to the grid in only 18 months after the signing of the contract for the companys biggest single order ever.

Complementary to the megaproject, Siemens supports the development of future highly skilled Egyptian workforce, and has announced the details of a strategic alliance agreement between Germanys Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the company to support occupational training in Egypt.

The construction works for Siemens' megaproject in Egypt are enormous. More than 1,600,000 tonnes of material - including 960,000 tonnes of concrete and 48,000 tonnes of rebar steel - will be processed until completion.

When completed, each of the three power plants is set to become the biggest gas-fired combined-cycle power station in the world. Altogether, the three power plants will have a combined capacity of 14.4 GW.

To increase the capacity of the transmission network nationwide, Siemens has successfully put the first three substations into operation that will transmit the electricity generated by the three power plants to Egypt's power grid.

The three substations were ready for operation within ten months from signing the contracts, to match the implementation timeframe of the power plants.

In December 2016, Siemens and El Sewedy Electric T&D, signed a contract with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) for the design, engineering, supply and installation of six other substations, which will be completed and connected to the grid by the end of December 2017.

Siemens' megaproject in Egypt also comprises nine-year service and maintenance agreements for the three power plants to help ensure the long-term reliability, availability and optimal performance of the units. The service and maintenance operations will be supported by Siemens digital services products and offerings, tapping into the company's advanced data analytics.

Financing was also an important source of support for the megaproject: The financing package for the Siemens part of the contracts was structured by Siemens Financial Services (SFS).

It also included a tailored guarantee concept. The financing of major parts of Siemens' and its local partners' scope, for the three power plants, was provided by a consortium of international and regional banks.

As part of the agreement, Siemens will join forces with the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of BMZ, for the establishment and the operation of a joint training centre as well as the strengthening of one selected Egyptian public vocational training institute.

The programme was designed in line with Egypts objectives outlined in Egypt Vision 2030 to promote long-term economic growth, create new jobs and increase the competiveness of Egyptian industries.

In addition to building a modern and efficient power infrastructure for the Egyptian people, Siemens is also supporting the training of a local workforce of more than 5,500 talented individuals in the next four years, said Joe Kaeser, president and CEO of Siemens AG.

This strategic partnership with Germanys Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development signifies a new milestone in Siemens history in Egypt, and underscores our joint commitment to support the countrys long-term growth and development.

Gerd Muller, German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development said, Sustainable development needs private investment and a qualified workforce. Our close cooperation with Siemens will ensure that the new vocational training centre takes the needs of the local job market into account. We want to provide the basis for further investment and more jobs in Egypt.

Occupational training and the development of local skills are crucial to boosting local growth and increasing hiring prospects in the power industry and other sectors of the economy. For instance, in the energy sector alone, more than 20,000 workers and technicians are engaged at Siemens three power plant sites during implementation.
Last years dieselgate scandal have brought an avalanche of accusations against car-manufacturers of employing defeat devices to cheat emissions tests, source: intoday.in

Scrutiny was rewarded by quick success, as recent allegations against Renault and Fiat Chrysler surfaced this January.

Volswagen: starting an avalanche

The assessment of large corporations balancing of profit and their activities social impact has always taken a rather negative overtone. However, Volkswagens latest scandal earning the name dieselgate with its proportions has drawn newfound attention to just how one-sidedly car-manufacturers weight environmental pollution and peoples lives against revenue. The scandal sparked off intensified scrutiny over the world, leading to an avalanche of emissions-cheating allegations compromising brands such as Fiat Chrysler and Renault in its wake.

Car-manufacturers have a long tradition of finding loopholes or ways around the law to avoid limitations posed by environmental regulations, as well as emissions and mileage rules. Many or most of these are completely legal (if not ethical), dug up by a body of highly-trained corporate lawyers, such as producing smaller vehicles with removable backseats to reclassify them as storage-bearing SUVs or light trucks or manufacturing an entire line-up of super small cars that the companies are fully aware will not sell, just to bring down their overall fleet mileage averages. These are all just pages from the corporate encyclopaedia of skirting the rules.

On the other hand, corporations do not strictly stay within the bounds drawn up by legislators: the recent Volkswagen emissions scandal has sent tremors through all news outlets. It all started with a 2014 spark when researchers at the University of West Virginia found that Volkswagens NO 2 emissions were 10-40 times higher than the 70 mg/mile stipulated for diesel vehicles by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The following investigations found that about 600,000 Volkswagen vehicles were kitted out with so-called defeat devices, software that reduces emissions while the car is in test mode. The move essentially allowed Volkswagen to label its cars as more efficient and environmentally-friendly, netting customers who were looking to buy green.

Volkswagen decided to admit guilt after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested executive Olivier Schmidt. All in all, Volkswagen has agreed to cough up $4.3 billion in fines, of which $2.8 billion is payable in criminal penalties and $1.5 billion goes to resolve civil claims against the corporation, and to take on an independent monitor for three years to supervise its adherence to EPA regulations.

Altogether, the scandal cost the corporation $21.9 billion, as per the assessment of Bloomberg, but has not dented Volkswagens performance all that significantly: as soon as the corporation acquiesced to the fine, its shares rose by 2 per cent, bringing the gain to over 13 per cent over the montha very quick rebound from the drop immediately following the outbreak of the scandal.

Volkswagens quick admission of guilt has been seen as a PR/marketing/political tool to hasten the scandal in blowing over. As we see so often, the cover-up gets the perpetrator in more trouble than the lie, and I think the officials at VW realized that, said Helene Gardner, a lecturer in environmental studies at the University of California-Santa Barbara to Pacific Standard magazine.

$21.9 billion sounds like a hefty sum, one that could touch even a corporate giant like Volkswagen. On the other hand, when looking into them impact of Volkswagens violations, researchers Steven Barreth (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Raymond Speth (Harvard University) estimated that due to the defeat devices being in use in Volkswagen units between 2009 and 2015 an approximate 36 million kilogrammes of excess nitrogen-oxide variants were emitted, about 1 per cent of the total light duty vehicle emissions over the world.

At an informed estimation, Barreth and Speth put the number of deaths caused by this excess emission to 59 early deaths, at a monetized cost of around $450 million. In addition, it has likely caused 31 cases of bronchitis, 34 hospital admissions, 120,000 major restricted activity days, and 210,000 lower respiratory symptom days, as well as 33,000 days of increased bronchodilator usage.

While it is difficult to pin guilt on a single car manufacturer for a respiratory disease contracted from air polluted by cars (and so Volkswagen will not be taken to court), the numbers calculated based on the proportion of contribution give a little more gravitas to the violation at hand.

Health effects of Nitrogen-Oxides Nitrogen-dioxide produced by diesel engines have a range of negative health ramifications. From acute effects (shortness of breathing, wheezing) to chronic effects (pulmonary fibrosis), there is a markedly adverse impact on the respiratory system. In addition, nitrogen-dioxide is a precursor to the atmospheric production of two other pollutants, ground-level ozone and nitrogen-monoxide, both of which are equally harmful.

Fiat Chrysler and Renault dragged along

The media outbreak over Volkswagens dieselgate has put things in motion and investigators as well as researchers took to the field in frenzied activity to ensure no similar violations have taken place. The testing has quickly brought accusations against Fiat Chrysler in the US and Renault in France in January 2017.

Fiat Chrysler is accused of installing software on 104,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 models that allow them to exceed pollution limits. While the EPA stopped short of crying defeat device, it called out eight control devices installed on the vehicles capable of changing emissions under circumstances Fiat Chrysler had not disclosed.

The EPA is still investigating whether these are cheat devices, said John German, senior fellow at the International Council on Clean Transportation in a phone interview with Bloomberg. VW got hit hard because they lied, covered it up and didnt have a fix.

In the wake of the news, Fiat Chryslers shares dropped by 18 per cent, a record since the company started trading in October 2014, from about $11 to $9.25. In case EPA allegations are proved sufficiently true, the corporation is looking at a rather hefty fine, which could go up to $44.539 per vehicle, or a sum total of $4.6 billion.

Similarly, French authorities announced starting an investigation over suspected cheating in emissions tests of Renaults diesel motors only a day after the charges against Fiat Chrysler came out.

Just like the EPA, French authorities also started testing with increased fervour after the massive Volkswagen scandal, looking for traces of similar violations in the groves of other car-manufacturers. The Paris prosecutors office said on January 10 that experts found dangerously high emission levels from the diesel engines of several carmakers, including Renault.

Renault vehicles are all and have always been homologated in accordance with the laws and regulations. They are compliant with the applicable standards, said Renault, referring to French and European Union regulations.

As both Renault and Fiat Chrysler are categorically refusing foul-play, there is no prospective Volkswagen-esque admission of guilt on the horizon.

It is possible that the two giants are looking to buy their way out of admitting misconductprobably the first chapter of the big corporate book. It is not unheard of or unexpected, seeing how Toyota paid $1.2 billion in 2014 over faulty acceleration pedals, and GM forked over $900,000 after an engine fault was found to prevent the crash safety technology from operatingat least blame could have been attributed there.
A report of the General Statistics Office (GSO) showed that in February 2017, Vietnam received 1.19 million foreign travelers, an increase of 19.1 percent over the month before and 42.2 percent over the same period last year. More than 2.2 million foreign travelers have visited Vietnam so far this year, up by 33 percent.



Golden opportunity



According to Nguyen Chau A, director of Oxalis, the company which gave support to the filming, when giving interviews to the press, actors and the director all mentioned the beautiful landscapes in Vietnam. And this is the opportunity for Vietnam to provide images about the beautiful landscapes and launch ad campaigns to attract tourists.

In February 2017, Vietnam received 1.19 million foreign travelers, an increase of 19.1 percent over the month before and 42.2 percent over the same period last year.

Most recently, the Quang Binh provincial authorities released a clip abroad to promote tourism with the introduction from director Jordan Vogt-Roberts. A plan on designing a tour related to the film has also been drawn up. Not only Quang Binh, but other localities can also grab the opportunity to attract travelers.

Positive signs



The government decree on granting e-visas to citizens from 40 countries which took effect in early February has simplified administrative procedures for visa granting, thus luring more travelers.



After a period of decline, the number of cruise travelers to Vietnam has bounced back. Phan Xuan Anh, director of Du Ngoan Viet, said the number of cruise travelers so far has increased by twofold compared with the same period of last year. The company has signed a contract to receive high-end cruise travelers from China.



Saigontourist has received 2,200 cruise travelers who came to Nha Trang City on Celebrity Constellation. They were from the UK, US and Canada. The total number of cruise travelers served by the firm in the first two months of the year increased to 50,000.



In 2017, VNAT hopes to receive 11.5 million foreign travelers, 66 million domestic travelers and obtain turnover of VND460 trillion.



Travel firms, hoping to compete with regional countries in luring more foreign travelers, have proposed to the government to expand the visa waiving policy to key markets.



The HCMC Tourist Association has sent a dispatch to relevant ministries, asking to waive visas for the citizens of Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, India and Uzbekistan.



Bui Ta Hoang Vu, director of the HCMC Tourist Department, had proposed to expand visa waivers for travelers from New Zealand, India, the Netherlands, Canada, the US and Australia.
The worlds top growth rates of ultra-wealthy people over the past decade, and forecasts for the next decade.-Graphic by Knight Frank

The recent report showed that the number of ultra high net worth individuals (UHNWI) in Viet Nam was up 32 against 2015, and 50 against 2014. This super-rich group increased sharply by 320 per cent from 2006 to 2016, the fastest growth in the world in comparison with Indias 290 per cent and Chinas 281 per cent.

UHNWIs are people with investable assets of at least $30 million, excluding personal assets and property such as a primary residence, collectibles and consumer durables. UHNWIs comprise the richest people in the world and control a disproportionate amount of global wealth.

Viet Nams ultra-rich population was growing faster than any economy in the world, and was expected to see the fastest growth in its UHNWI by 2026, with a 170 per cent increase in people with $30 million or more, taking the total up to 540. The number of millionaires is predicted to jump from 14,300 to 38,600 over the same period.

The report by Knight Frank reflects considerable variation between the growth rates of UHNWIs in different regions and countries, due to local factors that underpin wealth creation and the mobility of ultra-wealthy people.

The World Bank described the transformation of Viet Nams economy as remarkable, in which economic and political reforms are leading to higher incomes. The bank also mentioned that despite the fact the country is vulnerable to the shocks of economic and environmental issues, the prospects for the economy remain strong, with an average annual GDP growth of around 6 per cent by 2020.

Andrew Amoils, Head of Research at New World Wealth, selected Viet Nam as one of the countries with a stellar growth rate, contributing to the dramatic growth of the super-rich population in Asia. We expect Viet Nams millionaire numbers to be boosted by strong growth in the local healthcare, manufacturing and financial services sectors, he also said in the report.

Viet Nam currently has only one dollar billionaire but whose name was not disclosed. Knight Frank predicts that this number will increase by three dollar billionaires in the next ten years.
By Press Trust of India: Islamabad, Mar 3 (PTI) The work on the much-delayed USD 10 billion Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline started in Pakistan today with authorities expressing confidence that the project will help ease energy shortages in South Asia.

The ambitious natural gas pipeline project entered its practical phase in Pakistan after the process of initiating front-end-engineering-and-design (FEED) route survey was formally inaugurated.

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Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Pakistans Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said it was a great moment for Pakistan to witness the launch of project in its practical form after a period of 22 years.

He said the FEED process was launched in Afghanistan last week and now it was being initiated in Pakistan under the project to lay a 56-inch diameter 1,680km pipeline, having capacity to flow 3.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan up to Pak- India border.

The minister expressed confidence that the project would complete "in time and on cost" and help meet energy requirements of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, Dawn newspaper reported.

Turkmenistan, which sits on the worlds fourth-largest gas reserves, started building its section of the pipeline in December 2015. The TAPI pipeline will have a capacity to carry 90 million standard cubic metres a day (mmscmd) gas for 30 years and is planned to become operational in 2018.

Terming the project crucial, Abbasi said Pakistan was in dire need of the gas, which it was meeting through import of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) for the last two years in an effective manner.

He said Pakistan would have surplus power and gas when the five-year democratic tenure of incumbent government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz would end in 2018.

The minister said under the TAPI project, scheduled to complete in the year 2020, Pakistan would be getting one third of its total gas production, which currently stands at 4 bcfd.

Abbasi said all the participating countries were cognisant of the difficulties involved in the project and these would be overcome for making the TAPI a reality.

Under the pipeline, Pakistan and India will be provided 1.325 bcfd gas each and Afghanistan will be getting the share of 0.5 bcfd gas.

The TAPI project chairman Muhammet Murat Amanov said the pipeline would be the symbol of peace, prosperity and stability in the region, as it would open up a new vistas of economic activities in every nook and cranny of the areas from where it would pass.

The Economic Adviser to Afghan President Ajmal Ahmady said the project would help quench thirst of the energy- starved nations in the region. PTI AKJ AKJ

--- ENDS ---

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Who is Sergey Kislyak, and how did he become the hottest meeting ticket in Washington?
Central

Green Bench Brewing Co., St. Pete

As the first microbrewery in St. Pete, Green Bench is making great beer inspired by its city. The Surrealist IPA, an American IPA blended with the tart qualities of a sour ale, was inspired by Salvador Dalis fantastic artworks, which can be seen at the nearby Dali Museum.

Try: Green Bench IPA

Read More: Beer and Art in St. Petersburg: Its Surreal

Also Visit: Cycle Brewing in St. Pete

Crooked Can Brewing Company, Winter Garden

Located in the Plant Street Market in beautiful downtown Winter Garden, Crooked Can Brewing Company has become a Central Florida staple with its High Stepper American IPA and McSwaggers Own Amber Ale. Why the name Crooked Can? Things tend to get a little crooked after a few brews.

Try: High Stepper American IPA

Read More: Florida Craft Beer: Winter Garden's Crooked Can Brewing Company

Also Visit: Wolf Branch Brewing Company in Eustis

Cask & Larder, Winter Park

This Southern Public House in downtown Winter Park is a well-known hotspot for foodies, but Cask & Larders on-site brewery is making beer of the same caliber as the food.

Try: 5 Points IPA

Read More: Dining in Orlando: 5 Days of Dining in the Other Orlando

Also Visit: Ivanhoe Park in Winter Park

Cigar City Brewing, Tampa

If you know one Florida craft brewer, its probably Cigar City Brewing and its wildly popular brews like Jai Alai IPA and Florida Cracker Belgian-style White Ale. Cigar City is also known for Hunahpus Day, a huge beer festival attended by beer aficionados from around the country. Visit the taproom in Tampa and you might just see someone hand-rolling cigars in the corner.

Try: Jai Alai India Pale Ale

Learn More: Love Beer? Visit Florida's Craft Beer Capital

Also Visit: Ulele Spring Brewery in Tampa

Coppertail Brewing Co., Ybor City

Located just south of Ybor Citys 7th street, Coppertail Brewing Co. is doing craft beer in a big way. Aside from its impressive core beer lineup, which includes a Belgian-style American Trippel, Coppertail also has an extensive sour beer program that you can sample at the taproom.

Try: Unholy American Trippel

Read More: Florida Craft Beer: Coppertail Brewing Co.

Also Visit: Tampa Bay Brewing Company in Ybor City

St. Somewhere Brewery, Tarpon Springs

For fans of traditional Belgian style ales, St. Somewhere is a true gem. This Tarpon Springs brewery specializes in century-old unfiltered farmhouse style ales produced in small batches.

Try: Saison Athene

Learn More: St. Somewhere Brewery: Craft Beer in Tarpon Springs

Also Visit: Silverking Brewing Company

Dunedin Brewing, Dunedin

Noted as Floridas oldest microbrewery, Dunedin Brewery offers a line of great drinkable beers, like its Apricot Peach Ale and Red Ale. If you visit the brewery, be sure to order the fried cheese curds.

Try: Apricot Peach Ale

Also Visit: 7venth Sun Brewing Company in Dunedin

Orlando Brewing, Orlando

Orlando Brewing in Downtown Orlando has made a name for itself by using organic ingredients in its products and was certified as an organic brewery by the USDA in 2006. Youll find several Orlando Brewing beers at the restaurants and bars at Walt Disney World Resort.

Try: I-4 IPA

Read More: Florida Craft Beer: Orlando Brewing

Also Visit: Ten10 Brewing Company

Orange Blossom Brewing Company, Lakeland

From the heart of Central Florida comes Orange Blossom Brewing Company which calls Brew Hub in Lakeland home. Its signature beer, Orange Blossom Pilsner, is made with local orange blossom honey. Looking for something a little stonger? Try OBP Squared, the big brother of Orange Blossom Pilsner at 11% ABV.

Try: Orange Blossom Pilsner

Read More: Florida Beer Pairings: Orange Blossom Brewing Company

Also Visit: Lakeland Brewing Company

Two Henrys Brewing Company, Plant City

Located at the Keel and Curley Winery in Plant City, Two Henrys Brewing Company makes everything from the classics like its 7 Mile Bridge IPA to the adventurous Roasted Jalapeno Blueberry Porter, brewed with blueberries harvested on site. Don't like beer? Keel and Curley Winery makes both wine and cider.

Try: Roasted Jalapeno Blueberry Porter

Read More: Florida Craft Beer: Two Henrys Brewing Company

Big Storm Brewing Co., Odessa & Clearwater

Started in Odessa, Florida and eventually expanding into Clearwater, Big Storm Brewing Co. is one of the fastest growing breweries in Florida. Cans of Big Storm's Arcus IPA and Wavemaker Amber Ale can be found across the Sunshine State. Fan of the Tampa Bay Lightning? Big Storm has its own bar located at Amalie Arena.

Try: Wavemaker Amber Ale

Read More: Florida Craft Beer: Big Storm Brewing Company

Also visit: Cotee River Brewing Company
The motive for the assassination of the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears to be an attempt to forestall any outside effort to install an alternative to the current leader, a former CIA acting director told VOA this week.

Kim Jong Nam, 45, died February 13 after allegedly being poisoned by two women at Malaysias Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The women smeared the VX nerve agent on Kims face, according to Malaysian police.

VX is a substance listed as a banned chemical weapon under the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention.

Kuala Lumpur police have arrested the women and one North Korean national, and are seeking seven other North Koreans, including a diplomat based in Kuala Lumpur, for questioning. While the police have not determined if Pyongyang was behind the assassination, Seoul accused the North Korean leader of ordering the killing of his half brother.

In an interview with VOA, John McLaughlin, who served as acting director of Central Intelligence from July to September 2004 and as the deputy director of Central Intelligence from 2000 to 2004 under President George W. Bush, said North Korea is a likely perpetrator in Kim Jong Nams death, given the poison used to kill him.

Its very hard for someone not connected to a state entity to obtain the kind of poison that was apparently used, the former CIA official said.

Potential threat to power

Once deemed heir apparent to his late father, Kim Jong Il, who ruled the country from 1994 to 2011, Kim Jong Nam lived in a de facto exile after falling out of favor with him. When asked what might have motivated the regime to order the killing, McLaughlin said: The North Korean leadership wanted to make sure there is not an alternative readily available for Kim Jong Un.

They particularly would want to make sure that China would not have someone handy that they could install in the event Kim Jong Un was removed or fell from power, said McLaughlin, who is now with the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Although the incident has sparked widespread speculation about the stability of the North Korean regime, McLaughlin cautioned against drawing conclusions. However, he said a series of executions carried out by Kim Jong Un could indicate his power might be insecure.

The pattern of purging is deep enough to suggest that he is still not totally secure in power, he said.

Alarming event

The assassination drew the worlds attention because it took place at one of the busiest airports in Asia, prompting news media to speculate on why such a public venue was chosen.

McLaughlin, a 30-year veteran of the CIA, said the perpetrator might have thought the airport was the place where the victim was most vulnerable.

It was probably seen as a place where what they were doing would be less easily noticed just from the general turmoil of the airport, he said.

According to McLaughlin, the incident in Malaysia is an alarming event because the banned chemical was used in a public place to kill someone.

It means that this very unstable regime has a very powerful weapon and was reckless enough to use it in a crowd of people, he said.

Possible repercussions

China is widely believed to have favored Kim Jong Nam for a leadership position in Pyongyang. The assassination puts Beijing in a difficult position, McLaughlin said.

I think China faces a bit of dilemma here, he said. They dont want major changes in the [Korean] peninsula, but they also recognize [Kim Jong Un] brings a degree of unpredictability that could shape things in a direction that they would have trouble managing.

McLaughlin said the United States should relist North Korea as a state of sponsor of terrorism if the communist state is found responsible for the apparent assassination.

The U.S. designated the North as a state of sponsor of terrorism after the country bombed a South Korean airliner in 1987, killing 115 passengers and crew on board. In 2008, the U.S. removed the North from the list as part of a nuclear deal, in which Pyongyang agreed to disable its plutonium plant and allow some inspections.

Following Kims death in Kuala Lumpur, some U.S. lawmakers are calling on the Trump administration to repeal the decision.
The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party has selected its former deputy leader, Kem Sokha, to assume the presidency following the departure of Sam Rainsy last month.

Son Chhay, a senior CNRP lawmaker, also told local media that the partys new deputy presidents would be Eng Chhay Sang, Pol Ham, and Mu Sochua.

Rainsy, who lives in exile in France, resigned from the party on February 11 after the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party began legal proceedings that could have led to the CNRPs dissolution if he had not stepped down.

Amendments made last month to the Law on Political Parties mean that the Interior Ministry and Supreme Court now have the power to dissolve political parties whose leaders have criminal records.

Rainsy was convicted of defamation several years ago in a case brought by former foreign minister Hor Namhong. He also faces further charges in several ongoing lawsuits filed by members of the ruling party.

Chhay told VOA Khmer that the selection of the new leadership was completed so that the party met the requirements of participation in the forthcoming local elections, scheduled for June.

We are a party with a tradition of responsibility in terms of working and serving the interest of the citizens. Therefore, the party is still the same and the arrangement is ensured by the internal unification of the party, he said.

Following Rainsys departure, several other party members who have been convicted of crimes have also resigned from their positions.

Meas Ny, a social development researcher, said the new appointments may resolve the partys problems to some extent.

He continued, they know there will be more problems to overcome. Therefore, the arrangement is considered as an effort of the opposition party to stabilize the situation and function normally.

Whether the election of the CNRP president will resolve the political tension, he added, depends on the actions of the new leadership.
The decision not to pursue a trial against former Khmer Rouge cadre Im Chaem last month has prompted fresh questions over government influence over the U.N.-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal.

The co-investigating judges last week dropped the case against Chaem, determining that her case did not fall within the courts jurisdiction as she was neither a senior leader of the regime nor one of the most responsible for its crimes.

Professor Peter Maguire, author of Facing Death in Cambodia, said that it was clear that Chaems case was never going to happen for the simple political reason that Prime Minister Hun sen opposed them.

The court deserves credit for their patient perseverance given the political headwinds they faced; the court certainly exceeded my expectations. Now it is time for them to go home, he told VOA Khmer via email.

Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for more than three decades, has repeatedly said he does not want to see further prosecutions of Khmer Rouge officials, which he said were costly and could lead to civil war.

In March 2015, Human Rights Watch accused Hun Sen of blocking prosecutions at the tribunal.

Cambodian prosecutors and judges appointed to the ECCC have repeatedly refused to cooperate with prosecutions of additional suspects, it said.

Government spokesman Phay Siphan declined to comment on the charge, while Keo Remy, head of the governments human rights body, could not be reached.

Long Panhavuth, a court monitor with the Cambodia Justice Initiative, said he was waiting to review the definition of why Chaem was not considered one of those most responsible for the regime, as she was allegedly responsible for thousands of deaths.

Justice doesnt mean that the court issued the right verdict or the closing order. That is to make the public see the fairness of the whole investigation and also so the ordinary people are able to understand the meaning of the decision, Panhavuth added.

If not, the court is far away from the people, he said.

Neth Pheaktra, tribunal spokesman, denied there was any pressure applied to the judges, saying their decision was in line with the law and professionalism and was evidence-based.

Chaem, who lives in the former Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng near the Thailand border, was reportedly a district secretary for the regime. She was charged in March 2015 with crimes against humanity, including murder, extermination, enslavement, imprisonment and persecution on political grounds.

Her daughter, Kaing Narin, said she was happy that proceedings against her mother had been dropped.

Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, said the decision would be hard to accept for Chaems victims.

We know in advance some decisions will not meet the peoples satisfaction, he said.

This is a decision which is hard to accept, he added.

Latt Ky, a court monitor with local rights group Adhoc, said the decision may mark the beginning of the end of the more than decade-old tribunal.

I recognize the investigating judges work, but we regret that the [decision] was unfair to the victims, he said.

Long Khet, executive director of Youth for Peace, an educational NGO, said the decision risked creating a culture of irresponsibility

It affects the truth-seeking procedure, which is not comprehensive. And it can breed a culture of irresponsibility.

In November last year, the court upheld life sentences for two former top Khmer Rouge leaders. Ninety-year-old Nuon Chea and 85-year-old Khieu Samphan were found guilty of crimes against humanity. In another trial, both are accused of genocide of ethnic Vietnamese and Muslim minorities, forced marriage and rape.

Another Khmer Rouge cadre, Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, the chief of the notorious S21 prison in the capital Phnom Penh who oversaw 14,000 prisoners deaths, was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Other key leaders have died and thus escaped justice. Pol Pot, known as Brother Number One, died in 1998. Ieng Sary, the former minister of foreign affairs and his wife, Ieng Thirith, the former minister of social affairs, died in 2013 and 2015, respectively.

On Monday, the trial chamber reduced the scope of the case against Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea, saying that there will be no further proceedings in case 002 with respect to some worksites and security centers.

The Trial Chamber concluded that conducting a further trial in Case 002 would not be in the interests of a fair, meaningful and expeditious procedure and thus terminated the proceedings concerning the facts set out in the Closing Order in Case 002 which were not included in Case 002/01 or Case 002/02, according to a court statement.

In general, the courts proceeding has contributed hugely to finding justice, the truth and remembrance of people about the past, said court spokesman Pheaktra.

From 2006 to 2016, the tribunal cost about $291 million dollars, some $40 million of which was contributed by Cambodian government.

Chhang Youk said the court has played an important role in prompting public discussion, allowing people to file complaints and seek justice.

Our wait [for justice] is long. But if we look at since the creation of the court and the collapse of the Khmer Rouge, there is no day that people forgot about the past and did not demand justice, he said.
Shalabh Kumar, founding chairman of the Republican Hindu Coalition, is a Chicago-based industrialist perceived to be one of the Indian-Americans closest to US President Donald Trump. During an interview with India Today he spoke about how India should deal with Trump.

Shalabh Kumar is a Chicago-based industrialist perceived to be one of the Indian-Americans closest to US President Donald Trump. As founding chairman of the Republican Hindu Coalition, Kumar was among the major donors to Trump's campaign. He organised a massive rally for him in New Jersey, where Trump described Kumar as "good friend and a great guy". He does not deny rumours that he is in the running to be the next US ambassador to India.

Here are excerpts of a telephone interview with Raj Chengappa:

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Q. How should India deal with President Trump?

A. Unlike other politicians, he is a businessman first. One of his principal goals will be expand trade with India from the current $100 billion annually to $300 billion. If India walks in unison with America, it will be of the most benefit. Obviously, there are areas where India will find it hard to do so. But even if it's with the United States 90 per cent of the time, it will be of benefit.

Q. There are concerns in India about the legislation being introduced by the Trump administration on H1B visas.

A. Under the new administration, the US economy will grow by 4-5 per cent, instead of the anaemic 1.2 per cent it grew in the past decade. There will be all kind of work, both for US and non-US citizens. The US does need a lot of IT workers from India, but the waters will be turbulent for some time. I would ask IT companies to march in unison with the Trump administration. Eventually, it will benefit them as well.

Q. How will the Trump administration handle Pakistan?

A. The Pakistani government would be well advised not to be two-faced. Whatever it promises on ridding itself of terror groups, it had better deliver.

Q. Would President Trump try to mediate between India and Pakistan?

A. There is no point in the US getting involved in any mediation. The US will have a firm policy for the region which will itself lead to India and Pakistan coming to terms and solving the problem on their own.

Q. What will Trump's policy be towards China?

A. China needs to become less aggressive in its engagement with the world. Also, the trade surplus with the US that it has accumulated is unacceptable. We will negotiate with China to do something about these issues. Our wish would be to develop India as an alternative to China for manufacturing.

Q. What steps will the US take to help improve trade?

A. There are a number of legislative barriers in the area of defence and equipment to be supplied to India. We in the Republican Party have always wanted them removed. Now, with the new executive branch, we can have them removed. At the same time, India has to make some changes as well, especially in terms of ease of doing business.

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Q. Should we expect to see a more transactional relationship with the US?

A. No. American relations with India are long term and not transactional. There is total alignment on democracy, tolerance, liberty and justice.

Q. You're being tipped to be the next ambassador to India from the US.

A. I have a deep desire to increase trade between our two countries. If President Trump decides to ask me to provide such a service, I would be honoured to consider it.

--- ENDS ---
Tom Rosenstiel, Executive Director of the American Press Institute and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and W. Joseph Campbell, Professor at American Universitys School of Communication, discuss President Donald J. Trumps contentious relations with the press, including his dubbing of the news media an enemy of the American people with host Carol Castiel.
China's state media is calling for sanctions and a boycott of South Korean goods after a Korean conglomerate approved a land swap deal at home that paves the way for the deployment of a controversial U.S. missile defense system. How China could go about punishing South Korea without hurting its own economy is already proving to be a difficult question, and as VOA's Bill Ide reports, not all agree that boycotts are a good solution.
Senior Taliban officials say a suspected American drone strike has killed a key Taliban commander who told captured U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl Dont come back to Afghanistan moments before releasing him to the U.S. military in a prisoner swap three years ago.

The U.S. military, however, told VOA Friday, "Neither U.S. forces Afghanistan nor Resolute Support conducted any strikes in Pakistan or in border areas of Afghanistan on Thursday."

Taliban sources confirmed Friday that slain Qari Abdullah Mairaj was among two men hit by what the Taliban believes were U.S. missiles the previous day in the southeastern Afghan province of Khost, bordering Pakistan.

The insurgent group agreed to free Bergdahl after nearly five years in captivity in exchange for five Taliban members from the U.S. detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The Taliban later released a video of the May 2014 transfer in the Ali Sher district of Khost, showing a masked man, at one point, telling Bergdahl in the local Pashto language: Dont come back to Afghanistan. You wont make it out alive next time.

The Taliban later identified the masked man as Qari Abdullah Mairaj, and sources close to the group say he was among those killed in an airstrike Thursday. The sources would not discuss details about the other dead militant accompanying Mairaj.

Reports Thursday said the two militants were riding a motorcycle in Kurram when a drone targeted them.

With the U.S. military's comment Friday that it did not conduct such a strike, it is not clear exactly how the militants were killed.

It was also not immediately possible to ascertain the exact location of the incident because the volatile Pakistan-Afghanistan border region is beyond the access of journalists and aid workers.
Fighting in Iraq's Sinjar region between two rival Kurdish groups in recent days highlights the risk of turf wars among multiple forces fighting the Islamic State group and could hinder allied progress against IS, analysts say.

Fierce skirmishes broke out late Thursday when forces known as Rojava peshmerga moved away from Iraq's border with Syria and headed toward the Sinjar mountain. A local Yazidi militia affiliated with the Turkish-based Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, retaliated and several gun battles raged.

At least two fighters were killed and a dozen others were wounded on both sides, according to military officials and local reports.

They attacked our bases with heavy weapons and we had no choice but to defend ourselves," Zardasht Shingali, a commander with the PKK-affiliated local Yazidi militia known as Sinjar Resistance Units, told VOA. The Rojava peshmerga was provocative, he said.

Peshmerga take a stand

The peshmerga said in a statement that their forces were blocked and fired at by the Kurdish militia during a repositioning process.

We want to affirm our stance that peshmerga of Kurdistan have no intention for war and we do not want any clashes to occur in that area, the statement said.

The peshmerga consider Sinjar a part of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region and see themselves as the sole security force of the area

Peshmerga forces are free to move whenever and wherever they want in Kurdistan's soil. We will not ask permission from anyone, the statement said.

Trapped on Sinjar mountain

Sinjar became a pivotal point in the fight against IS after thousands of minority Yazidis living in the area were either massacred, tortured or forced to leave the area by IS. After IS took over in Sinjar in early August 2014, it murdered roughly 5,000 male residents and enslaved thousands of women and children.

Those who managed to escape became trapped on Sinjar mountain, leading to an international response, including U.S. airstrikes. The United States enlisted local Kurdish factions to keep IS from returning.

The Turkish-based PKK  seen by Turkish authorities as a terrorist entity inside Turkey  sent hundreds of its fighters as a support force for its Iraqi Kurdish brethren in Sinjar.

Local fighters trained

When IS fled Sinjar in late 2015, the PKK refused to withdraw and started training local militias.

The town has since become a major center of dispute between the PKK and forces loyal to the Kurdistan regional government.

These PKK-affiliated fighters are destabilizing the Sinjar region. They do not belong here," said Mahma Khalil, the mayor of Sinjar.

Rojava peshmerga forces consist of Syrian Kurdish fighters trained by the Iraqi Kurdish government. The forces were initially to be deployed to Syria; but, because of tensions with the People's Protection Units (YPG), another Kurdish group that fights IS in Syria, their deployment has been delayed.

Aid groups have often complained that skirmishes involving rival Kurdish forces in northern Iraq have slowed the pace of reconstruction in the town which was 80 percent destroyed by IS.

The fighting has prevented NGOs from providing aid to the needy. There are now over 7,000 returning families who live in the town with no electricity, water, and other services, Ahmed Burjus, deputy executive director of a global Yazidi organization known as Yazda, told VOA.

Yazidi refugees worried about IS

Yazda has teamed up with United Nations-sponsored aid agencies to deliver aid to people living in refugee camps near Sinjar mountain, Burjus said. Yazidi refugees fear returning home because of conflicts between Kurdish forces and fears that IS may exploit the infighting and return to power.

IS is still controlling a large swath of our land, Burjus said. He added that Kurdish forces should unite and concentrate on the fight against IS.

"The two sides would do better to rescue the 3,500 Yazidi women and children who are still under IS slavery," Burjus said.

Infighting deflects from attack on IS

The Kurdish infighting could also impede the ongoing war on IS which has seen a lot of progress recently in other parts of Iraq and Syria.

The two forces that are fighting each other now in Sinjar have been very effective in protecting the town and keeping IS at bay," said Radwan Badini, a politics professor at Salahaddin University in Irbil, the capital of Kurdistan region.

He told VOA that any escalation of this intra-Kurdish fighting would slow the process to liberate the remaining territory from IS.

VOA's Kurdish Service contributed to this report.
An underwater observation network planned as the first project of its kind in the South China Sea will reassert Beijings sovereignty over the disputed body of water while offering the country information valuable for oil exploration, mineral searches and possible military uses.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Acoustics and Tongji University in Shanghai will build a long-term observation network covering the South China and East China seas, the state-controlled Global Times online reported this week. The institute could not be reached for comment this week.

The governments China Oceanic Information Network cited an academy scholar on its website Saturday saying the platform would provide real time seabed information as well as explore its chemistry, physics and biology for the comprehensive needs of multiple applications.

Chinese control

The observation platform will remind five rival claimants to the South China Sea, plus the United States, of the extent of Chinese control, experts say.

Analysts expect the network to take shape as a physical underwater platform with a series of cables extending back onshore to China. It could collect data for military intelligence, undersea mineral gathering or seabed oil drilling.

Its a way for them to extend their control and to prove their authority over that area, said Collin Koh, maritime security research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He expects protests from other countries.

If youre looking at Southeast Asian claimants, I think what we can expect will be diplomatic representations, he said. For example youll have a foreign ministry come up with a statement (to) criticize the move.

Stronger claim

An observation network would give Chinas presence in the sea a stronger legal basis under international law, said Euan Graham, international security director with the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney. A world arbitration court ruled Chinas historical basis for claiming the sea invalid in July.

According to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, coastal states control all marine scientific research in a 200-nautical mile (370 km) exclusive economic zone but must usually grant access to other states for peaceful research purposes.

If a scientific operation is happening, that lends it a significant air of legitimacy, Graham said. China could pass the data observed to its military, he added. Its possible all of those things can inter-operate in the rather gray space between oceanography and military science, he said.

Of Chinas 20 holdings in the seas Paracel Island chain, which is disputed with Vietnam, three have harbors equipped for navy ships, four have smaller harbors and a fifth is being built according to a project under the American think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies. Six others can handle helicopter traffic, it said.

Natural sciences

But the undersea observation system did not start out as a military project. Discussions began in 2011, eventually drawing in heavyweights from Chinas Earthquake Administration as well as offshore oil drilling firm CNOOC Group.

Its more a natural science than a social science project, said Yun Sun, East Asia Program senior associate at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington. Funding has been found and feasibility studies done, she said. I think the military element is part of it, but the civilian part of it is not negligible for this project. At the minimum, if this system is deployed it will help China better collect info on both (seas).

A June 2016 publication of the Shanghai-based Wenhui Daily quoted Chinese experts as saying their country needed an underwater research network to compete internationally. It cited Canadas Northeast Pacific Time-Series Undersea Networked Experiments observatory and the U.S. National Science Foundations Ocean Observatories Initiative as peers.

The underwater observation network picked up new momentum in February last year when Chinese officials passed a law on deep seafloor exploration to tap minerals.

The construction of the platform should be seen as part of a broader seafloor exploration and development strategy, said Fabrizio Bozzato, associate researcher specialized in international affairs at Tamkang University in Taiwan. So we can say that the platform is going to be the crown jewel of Chinas seafloor program.

The message is that China and its economic development are not limited by land, are not confined by the Great Wall, but are projecting themselves into the ocean, into Chinas ocean, he said.

Many claims to the sea

China claims about 95 percent of the South China Sea, a 3.5 million-square-kilometer body of water stretching from Taiwan southwest to Singapore. Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines contest all or parts of Beijings claims as their own. They prize the sea for its fisheries, marine shipping lanes and prospects of undersea fossil fuel reserves.

The United States has no claim but passes vessels through the South China Sea and insists on freedom of navigation. China has moved since 2010 to militarize the sea, raising alarm in Washington and fears in Beijing that the U.S. government wants to curb Chinese expansion.

Chinas landfilling of islets, construction of military facilities and the passage of Chinese vessels through disputed waters over the past five years have angered the Southeast Asian countries.

In the East China Sea, Beijing disputes a chain of uninhabited islands with Tokyo, which spotted Chinese warplanes nearby Thursday.
A threatened gap in global health funding because of a new ban on some U.S. aid prompted a hastily called international meeting of about 50 governments in Brussels Thursday. The major concern is continuing to support family planning services for poor countries.

At an estimated $10 billion a year, the U.S. provides the lions share of funding for global health services. But, as one of his first acts, President Donald Trump signed a decree prohibiting foreign NGOs that provide abortions or abortion counseling from receiving U.S. money, even if the groups use separate money for those purposes.

The move has raised alarm among international leaders, who see family planning, one of many services provided by the organizations, as a necessary and effective means of helping lift developing countries out of poverty. Leaders are also worried that a lack of U.S. funding will result in a rise in unsafe abortion practices.

Countries that gathered at a hastily called meeting said they hope to raise $600 million for family planning programs if the Trump administration revokes U.S. aid.

The first $100 million in pledges toward that goal has been made, the attendees said.

Other health services at risk

Jen Kates is the vice president and director of Global Health and HIV Policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, a U.S. public health think tank.

She said the proposed ban on U.S. funding is broad and would affect much more than family planning services. She said funding for other services that an NGO provides also is in jeopardy.

It couldnt receive U.S. HIV support, for example, or maternal and child health support, if it did [abortion-related] services with non-U.S. money, she said. So that just opens up the reach of this policy to a much wider range of organizations, which I think has led to some greater concern and urgency and more reaction from a wide range of groups about the implications.

Trump proposal may go further

Previous U.S. bans have been enacted under Republican administrations dating back to President Ronald Reagan. They have involved withholding U.S. support for family planning services to NGOs that provide abortions or abortion counseling.

Kates explained that the Trump policy expands the reach by threatening to withhold monies for all global health services.

Through its many programs, the United States has saved the lives of millions of people around the world, she said.

The U.S. support has also been cited as an important example of soft power  of ways the U.S. works in the world through non-military means to achieve national security goals, to secure nations and populations. So its definitely raised concerns about the impact on those goals and the progress thats been made so far.

Kates said specific details of the proposed global health funding ban have not yet been issued by the Trump administration, so it is not yet in effect. She said guidance is expected soon.
"Oui on peut!"

The slogan on posters in Paris streets translates as "Yes, we can!"

Heard that before?

The people behind the campaign are urging former U.S President Barack Obama to join the French presidential race.

Their online petition has already attracted more than 45,000 signatures in 10 days and they hope to reach 1 million supporters by March 15.

With the buildup to the April-May presidential election so far dominated by the corruption investigation targeting conservative Francois Fillon, organizers say they want to inject a dose of humor in the campaign.

Though widely popular in France, Obama has no chance of success. He is not French and has no right to take part in the race.

Sarah Wachter, an American who has lived in France since 1999, sees the petition as a positive sign for France.

"People want change but they want the right kind of change  change that is inclusive, change that is human, but change that is also open to the world, and that is a very delicate balance to strike," she told AP. "But I think that Obama has done that in the United States."
Every March, the curtains go up in Beijing for two major events in the political calendar.

The "lianghui," or "two meetings," as they are known, attract thousands of delegates from across the country for sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

In a country where most key decisions are made behind closed doors, even a peek through half-closed curtains is rare for photographers working for foreign news organizations in China.

The annual gatherings include numerous highly choreographed events, many taking place inside the Great Hall of the People to the west of Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing.

Built in less than a year in 1959 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic, the main auditorium can seat 10,000 people.

Parliament's largely ceremonial advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, begins its meetings Friday, in sessions that run parallel with the NPC. Made up of business magnates, artists, monks, noncommunists and other representatives of broader society, it has no legislative power, however.

Some delegates and officials attending the "two meetings" wear traditional ethnic clothing, while others are in military uniforms or simple black suits, a color that contrasts with the dominant red of the Great Hall.

Exact details of the topics of discussion, including economic growth targets and the budget, are kept under tight wraps ahead of the sessions.

On Sunday's opening day of the NPC, Premier Li Keqiang will announce key economic targets in his state-of-the-nation-style address. The meeting will end with Li's carefully choreographed annual news conference.

This is not China's biggest political event of the year, though.

Far more important is the autumn party congress, at which President Xi Jinping will unveil a new generation of senior leaders, positions that entail a lot of behind-the-scenes jockeying at parliament.
European Union member states should be ready to detain more migrants who have no case for asylum to prevent them from running away before they are deported, the chief migration official with the bloc's executive arm in Brussels said.

The European Union is pushing to reduce immigration after 1.6 million refugees and migrants reached its shores via the Mediterranean in 2014-16. It wants to prevent people from coming and deport more.

Return rates have to be improved, Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said Thursday in presenting new, nonbinding proposals by the executive European Commission.

Member states should also use the possibility to place migrants in detention if there is a risk of absconding and for a sufficient period to be able to complete the return and readmission procedure, he said.

Brussels estimates there may be around 1 million people in the EU who should be sent back but that only about a third of those slated for return are actually being returned.

Detention for minors?

While EU law sets out the minimum common standards for returns, some member states had stricter domestic rules that could be eased to streamline the process, the commission said.

It recommended shortening appeals deadlines, issuing return decisions with no expiration date and considering more detentions, including for minors, which is barred now by some member states.

It said EU states should be less coy about detaining people for the maximum allowed pre-deportation time limit of 18 months if that was needed to ensure an effective deportation.

Dignified conditions

It should never be considered something like a concentration camp, Avramopoulos said, fending off criticism by rights groups that detaining asylum seekers or migrants was inadvisable. The ones who are not entitled to refugee status, they have to be returned. But in meantime they have to stay somewhere  in very dignified conditions  in order to avoid absconding.

It said detention should not be ruled out for minors, which is currently a red line in some EU states.

Beyond deportation, the commission also proposed setting up by midyear a program for assisted voluntary returns from Europe. It is already stepping up funding for the U.N. migration agency IOM to increase returns from Libya, now the main embarkation point for Europe.

That is part of a broader plan to work with the internationally recognized government in Tripoli to cut the number of people getting on smugglers' boats to head to Europe, even though the EU recognizes any cooperation with the lawless Libya can only bring limited results.

The bloc remains bitterly divided over what to do with those who are already in.

Poland, Hungry dont take refugees

The commission said only 13,546 people had been moved from Greece and Italy  the two biggest arrival countries in the EU  to other member states under a two-year plan that was supposed to cover 160,000 people and expires in September.

It is a major point of contention among front-line Greece and Italy, Germany and Sweden  the eventual hosts for most refugees  and Poland and Hungary, which refuse to take in any.

Brussels has long threatened sanctions and, although the commission's head Jean-Claude Juncker said Thursday that he would use all the tools ... to ensure that the commitments made are honored, Avramopoulos also said that we are not there yet.
President Donald Trump painted an overly bleak picture of the condition of the armed forces Thursday as he made his case for military expansion. Here's a look at some of his statements from the Gerald R. Ford, a $12.9 billion aircraft carrier being built in Newport News, Virginia:

TRUMP: "We are going to have very soon the finest equipment in the world."

THE FACTS: Pentagon leaders have said for years that the U.S. already has the world's best weaponry and military equipment. They sometimes claim the U.S. could lose its advantage if Congress fails to continue to spend heavily to develop and build new generations of weapons.

The Navy's top officer, Admiral John Richardson, has said repeatedly that the Navy is the world's finest. He also has said the Navy must adapt to a world of changing security threats. Richardson's main focus has been on sharpening and changing the way sailors think about the nature of war, rather than relying on bigger budgets.

"We will not be able to 'buy' our way out of the challenges that we face," he wrote in a January 2016 plan for maintaining U.S. naval superiority.

TRUMP: "This great aircraft carrier provides essential capabilities to keep us safe from terrorism and take the fight to the enemy for many years in the future."

THE FACTS: Aircraft carriers are not the crucial element in the defense against terrorism. They do provide a flexible means of bringing warplanes and intelligence-gathering aircraft to areas where terrorists are being hunted, like off the coast of Libya or in the Persian Gulf, but their main function is to deter bigger wars with state powers like China, Russia and North Korea. The Pentagon's counterterrorism campaigns rely more on special operations forces, Air Force fighters and surveillance drones, military trainers and advisers, and the intelligence agencies.

TRUMP: "I am calling for one of the largest defense spending increases in history."

THE FACTS: Three times in recent years, Congress raised military spending by larger amounts, in percentage terms, than the $54 billion, or 10 percent, increase that Trump proposes. The base defense budget grew by $41 billion, or 14.3 percent, in 2002; by $37 billion, or 11.3 percent, in 2003; and by $47 billion, or 10.9 percent, in 2008, according to Defense Department figures.

The proposed expansion pales in comparison with skyrocketing increases in earlier times. Military spending consumed 43 percent of the economy in 1944, during World War II, and 15 percent in 1952, during the Korean War. It was 3.3 percent in 2015, says the World Bank.
By Press Trust of India: From Yoshita Singh

United Nations, Mar 3 (PTI) UN Security Council has strongly condemned the twin terror attack in Kabul, asserting that there is a need to bring the perpetrators and sponsors of such "reprehensible" acts to justice.

In a statement issued late yesterday, the 15-member Security Council stressed that terrorism in all its forms "is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation and wherever, whenever and by whomsoever it is committed."

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"(It) should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group," the Security Council highlighted.

Also in the statement, Council members voiced serious concern over threats posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, ISIS and other illegal and armed groups to the local population, National Defence and Security Forces and the international presence in the country.

"No violent or terrorist acts can reverse the Afghan-led process along the path towards peace, democracy and stability in Afghanistan, which is supported by the people and the Government of Afghanistan, and by the international community," the Council added.

It also stressed the need for all UN Member States to combat by all means, in accordance with the UN Charter and other obligations under international law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

At least 22 people were killed and dozens more injured in attacks in two areas of the Afghan capital on Wednesday. The Taliban had claimed responsibility for the attacks. PTI YAS AMS

--- ENDS ---
Federal law enforcement agents have searched three facilities of the American heavy-equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. in the U.S. Midwest.

Caterpillar spokeswoman Corrie Heck Scott said in an email that the company, the worlds largest manufacturer of mining and construction equipment, was cooperating with law enforcement, but gave no further details about the searches Thursday.

Later in the day, Caterpillar said in a statement, We believe the execution of this search warrant is regarding, among other things, export filings that relate to the CSARL matter, referring to its Swiss subsidiary.

Two years ago, the Securities and Exchange Commission launched an informal investigation relating to CSARL and asked the company to preserve relevant documents.

The SEC spokesman in Washington declined to comment on the raids Thursday.

Federal agents with search warrants entered three Caterpillar offices in Peoria, Illinois, and the surrounding area.

News of the searches sent Caterpillar shares tumbling more than 4 percent on U.S. stock exchanges within hours. Caterpillar reported $38.5 billion in sales last year, but that was an 18 percent decline from 2015.

Sharon Paul, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorneys office in Illinois, said the searchers were agents from the Internal Revenue Services criminal investigation unit, the U.S. Department of Commerces office of export enforcement and inspectors from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which investigates banks.

The Commerce Department said its office of export enforcement focuses on sensitive exports to hostile entities and prohibited foreign boycotts, among other things.

Caterpillar has faced a number of investigations in recent years focusing on its business practices, according to filings with the SEC.

Most recently, in 2015, a federal court in Illinois subpoenaed the company for documents and information relating to the distribution of profits and movement of cash among its subsidiaries. The IRS has charged Caterpillar $2 billion in unpaid taxes and penalties in that case, but the corporation said it is vigorously contesting the tax demand.
U.S. first lady Melania Trump read to a group of children at a New York hospital Thursday to celebrate National Read Across America Day.

In one of her first outings in a traditional first lady role, Trump read to children at the pediatrics ward from the Dr. Seuss favorite, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

She told the children, "I came here to encourage everyone to read and to just think about the books and what you want to achieve in life."

Trump also brought a box full of children's books by American author Theodor Geisel, who is better known as Dr. Seuss, to leave for the children.

"Dr. Seuss has brought so much joy, laughter and enchantment into children's lives all around the globe for generations," she said. "Through his captivating rhymes, Dr. Seuss has delighted and inspired children while teaching them to read, to dream and to care."

Melania Trump is living in New York while her son finishes school, rather than joining her husband at the White House in Washington, D.C.
Science students from across Africa met in Zimbabwes capital of Harare to share their ideas and inventions at the inaugural Africa Science Buskers Festival. The event, which organizers say targets more than 20,000 students in Zimbabwe alone, aims to inspire and develop a love of science among primary and secondary schoolchildren.

Among the participants in Harare is Jan-Williem Verhoef, 13, of the Hoerskool Garsfontein School in South Africa. The aspiring scientist exhibited what he says is his own discovery, inspired by his habit of being lazy.

In 10 years, he predicts, Africa will have a self-washing car on the market.

"I have a bad habit of being lazy, and every Sunday I am being pledged to wash my dad's car and I strongly disagree with that," he explained. "Basically, I looked into nature and found that the white flower has property of staying clean in very dirty, unclean conditions. This is due to the surface of the orchid flower. Usually you think that smoother surface is a cleaner one, but actually it is not the case. The rougher surface is the cleaner, but the difference is, it has to be extremely small. So we find these nanostructures of this flower everywhere."

It is that type of creative thinking that has festival organizers saying Africa has the potential to excel, just like the United States and other first-world countries, if it sets its base right.

Knowledge Chikundi, with aid from the Australian government, is coordinating the Africa Science Buskers Festival. He says the program is planned for other parts of Africa, as well.

"The main message is to make students love science," Chikundi said. "So we should create an excitement for science. The science fairs have created billionaires. Bill Gates is a product of intel science fair. So we said, 'Why can't we promote science through the science fairs?' Our students are good, but we want them to apply what they know in solving some of the challenges. Sometimes we send themes to our students and some of the themes are based on every day challenges like water, water pollution and things like that."

Also present at the fair was a science student who aims to produce nanofertilizer. Carol Van Rooyen says 10 years from now, her discovery will result in less pollution in Zimbabwe's water from chemicals in fertilizers.

"In 10 years to come, Zimbabwe will be self-sufficient in agriculture [with] sustainable agriculture," she said. "No nutrient loss to the environment; no increased cost on importing fertilizers because we will be self-sufficient; no costs to purifying water, because there is nanotechnology; fertilizers, which are nutrient user-efficient, low cost and reduced frequency of application. That is what I promise."
Former Haitian President Rene Preval, who led the country during Haiti's devastating 2010 earthquake, died Friday at the age of 74.

The government did not give a cause of death, but local media quoted family members who said Preval died of a heart attack.

Preval served two terms as president, from 1996-2001 and between 2006 and 2011. He was Haiti's first president to win a democratic election, serve a full term and then peacefully hand over power to a successor. He was also the first president to serve two full terms without being arrested, exiled or killed.

In a Twitter post, President Jovenel Moise called Preval a "dignified son of Haiti."

Former President Michel Martelly told reporters outside the hospital in Port-au-Prince where Preval died that "Haiti has lost his beautiful ideas."

U.S. diplomats in Haiti offered their condolences: "The U.S. Embassy honors the legacy of President Preval, a major figure in contemporary Haitian history who shepherded his country through tragic times and good times."

Preval was a soft-spoken agronomist and champion of the poor and had a reputation as an honest administrator.

A defining moment of his second presidential term was the massive earthquake in January 2010 that killed more than 200,000 people and caused enormous damage to the impoverished Caribbean nation. The president oversaw the beginning of efforts to rebuild his shattered country, but also faced criticism for a lack of leadership during the crisis.

Rene Preval worked in humanitarian aid as a young man and studied agronomy in Belgium. He lived in New York for several years during the 1970s before returning to Haiti to work for the National Institute for Mineral Resources.

He was prime minister under Haiti's first democratically elected president, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, for a portion of 1991, until Aristide was deposed by a military coup.

The late president leaves behind a wife, three children and two grandchildren.
In Washington, it's the art of the parse.

Everyone splits rhetorical hairs from time to time, but politicians are especially adept at trying to dance their way out of a bind with carefully crafted explanations.

Now, here comes Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who met with the Russian ambassador twice last year, maintaining that he was truthful when he told a Senate committee during his January confirmation hearing that he did not have communications with the Russians. He was an adviser to Donald Trump's campaign at the time.

Sessions said at a news conference Thursday that his statement was honest and correct as I understood it at the time but that he'd be sending senators a clarification of his remarks.

He said his answer was truthful because the question had focused on Trump campaign contacts with the Russians, while he had met with the ambassador in his role as a senator, not as a Trump supporter.

In retrospect, I should have slowed down and said, But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times, Sessions added as he announced that he would recuse himself from any investigation related to the campaign. The announcement came after Democrats and Republicans had called for Session to recuse himself, and some Democrats pressed for his resignation.

It definitely was extremely misleading to say the least, said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, one of those seeking Sessions' resignation.

Sessions' insistence that he did not have communications with the Russians, even though he did, bore a striking resemblance to another famous denial in political history: the televised response of former President Bill Clinton after allegations surfaced of an affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky, Clinton declared. But turns out, that depended on the definition of sexual relations.

Clinton, who had attracted the unwanted nickname of Slick Willie for his well-known abilities to talk himself out of a jam, also argued that he wasn't lying when he claimed, There is no relationship. He later said that was the truth because their relationship was over by the time he spoke.

As Clinton explained it: It depends upon what the meaning of the word `is' is.





Rutgers professor David Greenberg, author of the book Republic of Spin: An Inside History of the American Presidency, thinks Sessions' statements are a more serious matter than Clinton's.

Clinton was parsing; Sessions is retroactively trying to change what he said, Greenberg said in an email. The former is something that everyone does, especially but not only in politics. The latter is perhaps also a human instinct but is complicated by the oath to be truthful.''

The book The Stupidest Things Ever Said by Politicians, by Ross Petras and Kathryn Petras, offers plenty of other eyebrow-raising examples of hair splitting.



Among them:

 David Dinkins, before he was New York mayor, answered accusations that he had failed to pay his taxes by saying: I haven't committed a crime. What I did was fail to comply with the law.

 Richard Allen, national security adviser to President Ronald Reagan, offered this clarification about cash he was given by Japanese journalists for arranging an interview with Nancy Reagan: I didn't accept it. I received it.

 Clinton administration Justice Department nominee Bill Lann Lee insisted the term forced busing was a misnomer because school districts do not force children to ride a bus, but only to arrive on time at their assigned schools.

More recently, Republicans tied themselves in verbal knots last year trying to keep their distance from candidate Trump without completely abandoning their party's nominee.

 New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte's solution was to promise to vote for Trump and support him, but not endorse him.

There's actually a big distinction, Ayotte insisted. Everyone gets a vote. I do, too. And an endorsement is when you are campaigning with someone.

Ayotte lost by a razor-thin margin to Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan.



Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a University of Pennsylvania professor specializing in political communication, says that where many politicians use highly precise words to protect themselves, Trump uses the opposite strategy of being notoriously imprecise.

In both cases, though, the speakers may intend for listeners to hear something different from what they actually said.

Jamieson says people hold speakers to different standards, depending on their backgrounds and the setting. They may cut Trump some slack because he comes from the business world, she said, but not Sessions.

You've been a lawyer, a prosecutor, a senator, you're in a hearing, speaking under oath, you speak with precision, she said. When you engage in ambiguity, it's calculated.
As Saudi Arabia and Indonesia signed a $1 billion investment deal during King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud's historic visit, many ordinary Indonesians aired their grievances with the desert kingdom. In Jakarta, several dozen protesters brought attention to the ongoing maltreatment of Indonesian migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. Also seeking answers were the families of Indonesian citizens killed in two accidents at the 2015 Hajj in Mecca, who have received no compensation from either government nearly two years after the tragedy.

This is the first time a sitting Saudi monarch has visited Indonesia in 47 years, and citizens rolled out the red carpet for King Salman and his entourage of 1,500 in Bogor and Jakarta. But the king is spending the better part of his trip, from March 4 to 9, vacationing in Bali. As he wrapped up his third and last day in Java by leading prayers at Jakartas Istiqlal Mosque, aggrieved Indonesians suspect they are still far from resolving their concerns.

Migrant workers

About three million Indonesian migrants seek overseas work, due in part to high domestic unemployment. Estimates of the number of Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia differ wildly, from 379,632 (according to the Asian Migrant Center in 2013) to 38,104 (according to Indonesias National Agency for the Protection and Placement of Indonesian Migrant Workers in 2014). One reason for this variance is the difficulty of accounting for illegal or undocumented migrants. Indonesia has discouraged its citizens from working in Saudi Arabia due to poor working conditions and some high-profile criminal convictions.

Two Indonesian women, Karni Bt. Medi Tarsim, 37, and Siti Zaenab Bt. Duhri Rupa, 47, were separately convicted of murdering their bosses and executed in 2015, which caused a furor in Indonesia. Human rights groups objected to their convictions, citing the dire circumstances that the women claimed provoked their crimes. As of 2013, the majority of migrant workers on Saudi Arabias death row are Indonesians, according to the London-based newspaper, The Guardian.

Despite the ongoing debate about the allegedly inhumane working conditions for Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia - including physical abuse, sexual violence, overwork, and withheld payments - there was no mention of migrant workers in the Memorandums of Understanding signed between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia this week.

On Thursday, dozens of activists protested outside the Saudi embassy in Jakarta to lobby for explicit recognition of worker rights during the state visit. About a dozen men were arrested shortly after the protest began and removed from the site by police. The group, which called itself the Big Family of Indonesian Migrant Workers, urged King Salman to free 25 Indonesian citizens on death row. Up to 279 Indonesians faced death row as of April 2015, according to a Manpower Ministry official.

Ultimately, activists were largely resigned to the fact that migrant workers were not mentioned in discussions between President Joko Widodo and King Salman.



The eleven MoUs [Memorandums of Understanding] signed on Wednesday focused on economic issues, so they were not the best place in which to discuss human rights, said Wahyu Susilo, executive director of the advocacy group Migrant Care.

But thats not to say the government should give up on this issue," Wahyu told VOA. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to be more proactive about diplomatic protections for Indonesian emigrants. And the Ministry of Finance must supervise the worker recruitment process much more closely. He said many underage Indonesians, for instance, are recruited with falsified documents and brought unsuspectingly to work in dangerous countries like Saudi Arabia.

Several members of Indonesias parliament have also appealed to the king to grant clemency to convicted migrant workers and for the government in Jakarta to raise the issue with the visiting monarch. President Widodos administration has not commented on the matter and it is not clear if the issue was raised in his private meeting with the king.

VOA was unsuccessful in its efforts to reach a presidential spokesman for comment. Spokespeople from the Ministry of Religion and Widodos office told VOA they were unable to comment on what transpired in the private meeting between the president and King Salman.

Hajj tragedy, quotas

In 2015, Indonesians were affected by not one but two deadly accidents related to the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. One hundred twenty-seven Indonesians were among those killed in a deadly stampede in September and 12 more were killed a week before the Hajj officially started, when a crane collapsed near the Grand Mosque.

Saudi Arabia promised one million riyals, or about $267,000, as compensation for the 12 Indonesians killed and 49 injured from the crane accident. But nothing has been received as of February 2017, according to the Indonesia daily newspaper, the Jakarta Post.

The annual Hajj quota is extremely important to Indonesia, the worlds largest Muslim nation. Its current quota is 221,000 people, the most of any country in the world, but some citizens still wait over 20 years for their chance to be a pilgrim. Although Indonesian officials hoped to increase their quota this year, this issue too seems to have been omitted from the agreements signed this week.

Preserving the quota may have been one reason why Indonesia didn't press Saudi officials harder on compensation for the Hajj victims, said Dadi Darmadi, a researcher at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta.

Any failed efforts at Hajj organization would be unappealing for the masses, Darmadi told VOA. Since the Hajj has long been a top priority for officials, he said, if they somehow jeopardized the countrys allowance, people could easily think the government is not serious in handling religious affairs - anathema in the profoundly religious country.

I think the Indonesian government is also using political sensibilities not to be too pushy about it  such a rare visit by King Salman also is like a moment of unfreezing the heat of the political temperature in the country during the [contentious] Jakarta election, said Darmadi.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs reaffirmed its commitment to compensating the accident victims in a comment to VOA. According to a ministry spokesperson, the process has been held up by the fact that all of those affected have not yet submitted their "victim data" to the Saudi Embassy.

"It's not possible for the Indonesian government to force Saudi Arabia to accelerate the process, because the authority lies with their government," the spokesperson said. "And as per the Minister of Religious Affairs, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, Raja [King] Salman himself promised to take care of it, eventually." He added that the Saudi government has set up a team headed by the Governor of Mecca to work on the cases.

Besides the unresolved issues raised by labor activists and families of Hajj victims, King Salmans trip fell short by other metrics. Before his visit, government leaders hoped for investments of up to $25 billion, but ultimately, the king signed only one new deal, for $1 billion, to finance infrastructure and sanitation projects.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is appealing for $24.6 million to provide life-saving assistance to hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable victims of Somalia's drought. Many of them are now under threat of famine.

Humanitarian agencies report alarming similarities between the current situation in Somalia and the 2011 famine that killed more than one quarter of a million people.

The IOM warns the severity of this new drought could put an even greater number of people at risk. IOM spokeswoman Olivia Headon says a huge increase in humanitarian aid is needed to avert famine in some of the worst-affected areas.

Wages are collapsing, local food prices are rising, animal deaths are increasing, malnutrition rates are starting to rise, water prices are spiraling and Somalis are moving in growing numbers in search of food and water. Without assistance, many people face malnutrition, and significantly increased risk of disease, loss of livelihoods and even death, Headon said.

The IOM appeal is targeting more than one million of the estimated 6.2 million drought-affected Somalis in need of assistance through June. Headon told VOA that the IOM and other aid agencies have been increasing their humanitarian operations over the past few months to prevent people from starving.

We are hoping that the surge of our staff and supplies and activities will continue for the next couple of weeks and then we will be up to full capacity in order to respond; but, we can only do that if we have the appropriate resources to do so. So, that is why we are launching this now even though we have been responding, even though we have already been alerting about the situation, she said.

Headon added it will be almost impossible to respond to the needs of this drought without funding from international donors. She said priority needs include food, water and sanitation, health and nutrition, protection and shelter.
The sister of an Iranian-American man detained in Iran since July says he has entered the third week of a hunger strike against what he sees as an unjust jail term for collaborating with a hostile government.

Speaking to VOA Persian by phone from her home in San Diego, California, on Thursday, Fateme Shahini said she has learned that her brother Reza Robin Shahini, who is in his late 40s, has become weak and accepted intravenous blood transfusions.

Fateme Shahini said she learned of her brothers condition from her mother and sister, whom she said had visited him Wednesday at the prison where he is being detained in the northern city of Gorgan.

Fateme Shahini said her mother and sister pleaded with Robin Shahini to end the hunger strike that he began February 15, but he refused. She also said it was the first time they were allowed to see him in three weeks.

Sentenced to 18 years

Robin Shahini called several U.S. news outlets from prison last October and told them that an Iranian court had sentenced him to 18 years in prison that month. He said authorities had detained him in Gorgan in July 2016, after he had traveled there from his U.S. home in San Diego to visit his mother and other family members.

Robin Shahini, who was born in Iran and emigrated to the U.S. in 2000, graduated from San Diego State University in May 2016 with a bachelors degree in international conflict resolution. He had planned to pursue a graduate degree in homeland security studies at the same university later in 2016.

After Shahinis arrest, the intelligence unit of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said a dual national detained in July, whom it did not name, had been charged with crimes including collaborating with a hostile government, acting against national security and communicating with anti-revolutionary agents and media.

A news outlet founded by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, the Young Journalists Club, said it appeared that Robin Shahini was the subject of those charges.

Robin Shahini confirmed the charge of collaborating with a hostile government in an October 25, 2016, phone interview with the Los Angeles Times, and said prosecutors had used his social media posts as evidence against him. He also gave an interview to a VOA Persian television program in 2010.

Cut off from family, lawyer

Fateme Shahini said her brother has been out of phone contact since mid-February. She also said a Tehran-based lawyer whom her family hired to represent Robin has been unable to see the charges against her brother despite traveling several times to a court processing his case in the northern city of Qom.

In a statement to VOA Persian February 24, the U.S. State Department responded to questions about Robin Shahini by saying it would not provide details of U.S. efforts in specific consular cases for privacy reasons.

It added: The safety and security of U.S. citizens remains a top priority. We continue to use all the means at our disposal to advocate for U.S. citizens who need our assistance overseas, especially for the release of any unjustly detained U.S. citizens held overseas.

The State Department had issued an almost identical statement to U.S. news outlet VICE for a story about Robin Shahini last October, when the department was under the administration of former President Barack Obama.

The latest statement issued since the Trump administration took office in January added the words about especially seeking the release of Americans unjustly detained overseas.

U.S.-based rights group International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran told VOA Persian that Robin Shahinis imprisonment is part of a series of Iranian detentions of dual nationals who visit the country.

The groups executive director, Hadi Ghaemi, cited the case of Iranian-British woman Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, detained in Iran on unspecified security charges since April 2016.

It seems that the main reason for these detentions is to take Iranian dual nationals hostage and demand money from their other countries of citizenship in exchange for their release, Ghaemi said.

Zaghari-Ratcliffes British husband, Richard Ratcliffe, has said he believes his wife also has been used as a bargaining chip by Tehran in its disputes with the West.

VOA Persian Service journalists Afshar Sigarchi, Guita Aryan, Tomaj Javidtash and Mohammad Manzarpour contributed to this report.
A genetic mutational meltdown helped push the woolly mammoth toward extinction, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, say they compared genetic material from mammoths when they were plentiful and material from when the population was in decline.

What they found was genome deterioration that reflected the smaller population size. The findings are a warning to conservationists that keeping a small pool of endangered animals could result in inbreeding and genomic meltdown.

There is a long history of theoretical work about how genomes might change in small populations. Here we got a rare chance to look at snapshots of genomes before and after a population decline in a single species, said Rebekah Rogers, who led the work as a postdoctoral scholar at Berkeley and is now an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The results we found were consistent with this theory that had been discussed for decades.

According to researchers, woolly mammoths were once very common in North America, Siberia and Beringia, which is the land bridge that used to exist between current day Russia and the U.S. state of Alaska.

About 10,000 years ago, in the face of a warmer climate and increased hunting by humans, the populations of the beasts began to shrink. But the woolly mammoth existed until about 3,700 years ago when they finally went extinct.

Researchers say they compared genetic materials from a 45,000-year-old mammoth to one that lived 4,300 years ago. The latter was from a group of about 300 mammoths that lived on Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean.

We found an excess of what looked like bad mutations in the mammoth from Wrangel Island, Rogers said.

Using mathematical models, researchers say they found multiple harmful mutations in the sample from Wrangel Island. Some of the mutations caused the mammoths to lose olfactory receptors. This led to problems with mate choice, researchers said. Furthermore, one mutation likely caused the animal to develop an unusual translucent satin coat.

With only two specimens to look at, these mathematical models were important to show that the differences between the two mammoths are too extreme to be explained by other factors, Rogers said.
We are in the midst of a mobile tech revolution that promises to change the way we live, say industry experts at this week's Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, where the Internet of Things and superfast 5G technologies are all the rage. But even the most basic mobile technology is changing lives in some of the world's most remote parts.

The exhibit is a showcase of the latest technology  and a glimpse of what the future holds. And industry insiders at the MWC 2017 say there is a lot more to come.

Pibo, for example, is a mobile-connected robot designed to help families connect and express their emotions in the digital age. On the other hand, they could invest in a digital hang drum  a traditional instrument used in yoga, updated for the 21st century so it syncs with your smartphone.

U.S. technology giants AT&T and General Electric have come up with smart street lamps, with cameras, sensors and microphones connected to 4G mobile networks. Over three thousand are being installed in the western U.S. city of San Diego, California and will be used for traffic analysis.

But AT&T product manager Trey Winter, said the makers have bigger ambitions.

You are going to be able to detect smart parking solutions, gunshot detections inside of a city infrastructure. Environmental features detecting weather, smog, pollution," he said. "Really bringing to life the intelligence inside of the city.

5G networks



Much of the buzz at this years show is around super-fast 5G networks  with faster download speeds and almost zero delay.

Roger Chen of CNET magazine explained that this means a "real-time connection."

"The best example someone has given to me is a surgeon performing a surgery in one country with robotic hands in another country," he added.





Apps offer solutions for Africa



Mobile technology is transforming the economies of many African countries, with smartphone apps ranging from herding cattle in Kenya and connecting dirty laundry to mobile washerwomen in Uganda.

Eneza, for one, uses basic mobile technology to offer access to a huge range of education. Two million students are signed up to its virtual classroom  and the better their grades, the more mobile airtime the parents receive.

The company's chairman, Stephen Haggard said "they are able to access all the education they want for a subscription thats about 10 U.S. cents per week."

"That covers the full curriculum and will get them everything they need to do from around age eight to finishing school," he said. "The reality in most of Africa is that mobile technology is actually the only way that you can reach huge numbers of people at low cost with any kind of content.



A recent report by consultants McKinsey predicted that by 2025 half of sub-Saharan Africas billion strong population will have internet access, over two-thirds via smartphones.
By Press Trust of India: Colombo/Geneva, Mar 3 (PTI) The UN today denounced Sri Lankas "slow pace" in addressing war crimes and warned that it may "derail" the momentum towards lasting peace and reconciliation with the minority Tamil community.

The UN human rights office also asked the country to appoint international judges to investigate allegations of rights violations.

"The slow pace of transitional justice in Sri Lanka and the lack of a comprehensive strategy to address accountability for past crimes risk derailing the momentum towards lasting peace, reconciliation and stability," it said.

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The remarks came at the launch of a report in Geneva on Sri Lankas progress in addressing crimes committed during the countrys three-decade-long civil war that ended in 2009.

The report comes a day after Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said he had the guts to dismiss the UN demand seeking foreign judges to probe the alleged war crimes.

But the rights body did not drop its demand for a hybrid mechanism with foreign judges to probe the allegations.

"Adopt legislation establishing a hybrid court, which should include international judges, defence lawyers, prosecutors and investigators,to investigate allegations of violations and abuses of international human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law,and provide it with the resources necessary to enable it to try those responsible promptly and effectively".

At the same time, the report hailed the government for advancing on constitutional reforms and showcasing some positive developments on the broader human rights agenda.

"The fulfilment of transitional justice commitments has, however, been worryingly slow, and the structures set up and measures taken during the period under review were inadequate to ensure real progress," the report said.

"Party politics, including the balancing of power between the different constituencies of the coalition in the run-up to constitutional reforms, have contributed to a reluctance to address difficult issues regarding accountability or to clearly articulate a unified position by all parts ofthe government.

"The deployment of foreign judges on the accountability mechanism has presented the government with one such difficult issue.

"Unclear and often contradictory messages have been deliveredon transitional justice mechanisms. Public messaging around transitional justice and reconciliation has been generally confusing and at times contradictory," the report said.

High UN Human Rights Commissioner Zeid Raad Al Hussein will formally present the report to the Human Rights Council on March 22in Geneva.

Last month, Sri Lanka said it needed more time to probe the alleged war crimes committed during the civil war and insisted that the proposed mechanism to deliver justice to the victims would be homegrown and not a copy of the South African model.

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According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by the security forces during former president Mahinda Rajapaksas regime that brought the civil war to an end by defeating the LTTE. PTI Corr NSA AKJ NSA

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President Donald Trump's administration continues to grapple with new revelations of previously undisclosed meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak, following U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' admission that he met twice with Kislyak during last year's presidential campaign and failed to disclose those talks during his Senate confirmation hearing,

Sessions said Thursday he would stay out of any federal investigation of alleged Russian meddling into the 2016 presidential election. He said no one should see his decision as confirmation that any probe is currently underway.

President Trump and White House officials, however, also must contend with the fallout from meetings the Russian ambassador held at Trump Tower in New York in December with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and with since-ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Flynn was fired after just 24 days on the job when information emerged that he had lied to top officials about the nature of his conversations with Kislyak.

While House spokeswoman Hope Hicks said Thursday the purpose of the meetings at Trump Tower was to "establish a line of communication" between the incoming administration and the Russian ambassador. Such meetings are common, she contended, and added that Kushner also met with representatives of as many as two dozen other countries.

Asked Friday why the Trump Tower meeting was just recently disclosed, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said "this wasn't a secret. It was just ... frankly, I didn't know about it, and so I don't think anybody saw it as a big deal. There was no policy discussion."

Asked about reports that Kislyak escaped reporters' notice by using a less visible entrance to Trump Tower, Spicer's deputy, Sarah Sanders, said she was unsure whether that was correct, but would look into it.

Repeated denials

U.S. government officials meet with representatives of foreign governments on many occasions and for many reasons, but the Trump administration had denied for months there was any contact between Russian officials and the new president's campaign.

Noting that only Russia is accused of hacking into Democratic Party emails in an effort to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton in the November U.S. election, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, said Friday Sessions should be questioned once again by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which first reviewed his appointment as attorney general over his failure to disclose the meetings.

"He certainly made a seemingly false statement," Blumenthal said in an interview (MSNBC television). "I'd like him to explain what was said."

Two congressional investigations into Russia's meddling in the election are underway, and the FBI is conducting its own probe. However, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, which is conducting one of the probes, has accused James Comey, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, of withholding information.

"In order for us to do our investigation in a thorough and credible way, we're going need the FBI to fully cooperate, to be willing to tell us the length and breadth of any counterintelligence investigations they are conducting," Congressman Adam Schiff told reporters after a committee briefing with Comey on Thursday.

Schiff suggested the Justice Department led by Attorney General Sessions, which oversees the FBI, could have advised Comey to withhold information: "It was unclear whether that decision was a decision he was making on his own or a decision he is making in consultation with the Department of Justice." There was no comment from the FBI about Schiff's remarks.

RNC encounters

Meetings between Ambassador Kislyak and Trump's campaign also occurred during last July's Republican National Convention, at a time when campaign officials were working behind the scenes to ensure the Republican Party's policy platform did not propose sending weapons to Ukraine to defend itself from Russian and rebel forces.

The USA Today newspaper reported Thursday that two Trump campaign national-security experts met with Kislyak at the convention in Cleveland.

Sessions said Thursday his first of two meetings with Kislyak took place at the convention, where he and Kislyak talked about terrorism and Ukraine. He described the meeting as "testy" at one point, during a discussion of Russia's involvement in Ukraine.

Sessions said the second meeting with the ambassador occurred at his Capitol Hill office in September and was part of his job as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. However, questions have lingered about whether Sessions and the ambassador discussed the political campaign.

Several other members of the Armed Services Committee said they never met with the Russian ambassador and could not imagine a reason for doing so, since diplomatic contacts between foreign ambassadors and U.S. senators normally go through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The controversy has prompted some Democrats to call for Sessions' resignation because they believe he lied during sworn testimony at his confirmation hearings.

WATCH: Sessions on contact with Russian officials

"An honest man"

President Donald Trump, who earlier Thursday said he does not think Sessions should recuse himself, called his attorney general "an honest man" who could have stated his response at the hearing more accurately.

"The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election and now they have lost their grip on reality. It is a total witch-hunt," the president's statement said.

At Sessions' January 10 confirmation hearing, Democratic Senator Al Franken asked what Sessions would do if evidence surfaced that anyone in the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government.

"I'm not aware of any of those activities," Sessions replied. "I have been called a surrogate a time or two in that campaign and I didn't have, did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it."

He told the reporters Thursday he never had any intention to mislead anyone and that his answers were "honest and correct" as he understood the question at that time.

But he said "in retrospect, I should have slowed down and said "but I did meet one Russian official a couple of times. That would be the ambassador."

The attorney general is the top law-enforcement officer in the United States. The White House and Republicans have accused Democrats of playing politics with the issue.
All across Indian Country, Native Americans are being evicted from their tribes, with little warning and little legal recourse.

Take, for example, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians, a federally-recognized tribe of Luiseno Indians living on a reservation in Temecula, California, part of the territory where their ancestors lived for 10,000 years.

If you want to be a member, you must prove direct lineage to one or more of the original ancestors forced onto the reservation in the early 1880s.

Pechanga Indian Rick Cuevas traces his ancestry to a woman named Paulina Hunter, who was granted a lot of land on the Pechanga reservation in the late 1800s. He and his family have lived on the reservation as full tribal members for decades.

But in the early 2000s, the tribal council decided to posthumously disenroll Hunter and, by extension, about 180 of her descendants.

They have desecrated the memory of our ancestors, Cuevas said. The Pechanga tribal chairman has ripped our history from us, without evidence. And yet his ancestor, back in the day, called my ancestor Aunt.

More than 1,000 kilometers to the north, a member of Oregons Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde told VOA a similar story. Her family enrolled in the tribe in 1986. But two decades later they received notice that without proper documentation of lineage, they would be disenrolled.

Her great, great, great grandfather was among the original signatories of an 1855 treaty that ceded ancestral lands to the U.S. government and established the Grand Ronde reservation. He was killed before he moved to his new home. That meant his name never made it to a later census roll  a key requirement for belonging.

The family eventually won a three-year battle in tribal courts and regained their membership, but victory came at a cost.

My cousin died a few months before her 99th birthday, before we were restored to the tribe, the woman said. She grew up in a time when Indians were called bad names, had rocks thrown at them [by whites]. She always called Grand Ronde the only Indian home shed ever known.

She paused, then added: My one regret in all this is that she didnt live to see our membership restored.

A way out of poverty

Disenrollment is an epidemic in reservations across Indian country. Cuevas tracks these cases on his Original Pechanga website: So far, 11,000 Indians have been exiled from dozens of tribes. In one of the more extreme cases, tribal members living off Californias tiny Elem Pomo colony attempted to disenroll every Elem Pomo Indians living on the colony  among them, the last living speaker of the Elem Pomo language.

As it turns out, this and the majority of other disenrollment cases are about money.

In the 1960s and 70s, substandard conditions on reservations led some tribes in to look to gambling as a solution. A 1987 Supreme Court decision gave them the legal green light to open up bingo halls, poker games and casinos, and a year later, the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, laying out the rules.

Today, more than 200 tribes operate casinos that range from small card or bingo operations to large-scale resorts rivaling any in Las Vegas. Collectively, they earned nearly $39 billion in 2015. They are not taxed on that revenue but must use it to fund tribal governmental services, economic and community development and charity.

Some of the more prosperous gaming tribes distribute per capita payments to tribal members as part of a revenue allocation plan. The more members, the smaller the individual allocations, and this has often led to angry dissent over who is eligible and who is not.

Say you are a small tribe of, say, 100 members, and your casino is doing very well, said Gabe Galanda, a Seattle lawyer of Nomlaki/Concow descent who specializes in disenrollment disputes. Say you are getting $5,000 in gaming revenue a month, and you have 100 tribal members  basically, 99 relatives. If you can get rid of 50 of your relatives, your monthly per capita income just went up to $10,000 a month. And this has caused certain tribal communities to divide and conquer themselves.

Cuevas tribe operates the Pechanga Resort and Casino, the largest in California. By some estimates, it earns from $1-2 billion annually and pays allotments to each tribal member of $300,000 or more a year.

Cuevas estimates that his family has lost more than $2.5 million per person in per capita payments alone in the 11 years since they were disenrolled, assuming the per capita rate at that time.

But money isnt the only thing he has lost. Some losses cant be quantified.

We were tribal members long before the casino came, he said. Our family has resided on the reservation continuously for nearly 70 years.

Today, disenrolled members are denied health and educational benefits.

And they cant be buried in the reservation cemetery with their relatives and ancestors, Cuevas said.

The Pechanga Band government did not respond to VOAs request for comment.

An alien concept

Disenrollment is not native to indigenous cultures, who Galanda said traditionally understood belonging in terms of kinship and personal choice, not blood quantum, a measurement introduced by the U.S. government.

The U.S. introduced its concept of whos an Indian by declaring, under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, that an Indian must be in residence in a reservation likely established by the treaties of the 1800s and be of one-quarter Indian blood, he said. The challenge today is that many tribes, if not most tribes, use the Federal governments criteria for whos an Indian.

Disenrollment is also happening in tribes that have no disposable gaming wealth, said Galanda.

Say Im a chairman, and there is a voting block that I do not like or cannot win over. If I eliminate that voting block through disenrollment, I will sustain my power and the wealth that goes with that power, Galanda said.

Disputes over enrollment, whether motivated by dollars or vendetta, can be devastating.

It deprives that person of their identity, in addition to exiling them. It is in my estimation identity theft, he said.

An internal problem



For a variety of complex legal reasons, tribes in some states have their own courts, but tribes in others - in California, for example - are adjudicated by state courts.

I, too, have declined these cases, Stephen Pevar, a senior staff attorney in the American Civil Liberty Unions Racial Justice Program, said in an email, not because I want to, but because there is no remedy available in a court. Theres nothing a state or federal court can do.

To wit, this week, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a disenrollment case involving another Calfornia tribe.

In the end, said Pevar, the onus is on tribes to settle these disputes for themselves.

There is precedent: This week, Californias Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians reinstated several dozen members who were disenrolled nearly a decade ago by corrupt tribal leaders who left the tribe millions of dollars in debt.

Hopefully, after this week, we can just move forward, said tribal chairman Eddie Crandell.

His tribe is still divided, and he laughs, admitting there are some folks he would not mind expelling. But that would be a lazy way to deal with tribal factionalism.

Indian people, were such a small group in the United States. We shouldnt be trying to eliminate ourselves but embrace ourselves, Crandell said.

And he sent out this message to tribes embroiled in enrollment disputes:

Bring your people home and work together to restore Mother Earth, to restore our culture and move on from your collective, inherited trauma.
Malaysian police Friday released the only North Korean detained in the killing of the half brother of North Koreas leader, and later said an arrest warrant had been issued for another whose whereabouts are unknown.

Malaysia is looking for seven North Korean suspects in all, four of whom are believed to have left the country February 13, the day Kim Jong Nam died. The only people in custody are two women, one Indonesian, one Vietnamese, accused of smearing his face with the banned nerve agent VX.

Ri Jong Chol, who had been detained since February 17, was handed over to immigration officials for deportation. Police never said what they thought his role was in the attack, but national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed Friday that Ri was released because of a lack of evidence against him.

Malaysian Attorney General Mohamad Apandi Ali earlier said Ri would be deported because he lacked valid travel documents. Immigration director Mustafar Ali said Ri would be escorted by two representatives from the North Korean Embassy.

The women charged with murdering Kim at an airport terminal were caught on grainy surveillance video smearing what Malaysian authorities say was VX nerve agent on his face and eyes, though both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Four of the North Korean suspects police seek are believed to have left Malaysia the day Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was killed. One of the suspects believed to still be in Malaysia is an official at the North Korean Embassy.

Khalid said the arrest warrant issued Friday was for 37-year-old Kim Uk Il, who works for Air Koryo, North Koreas national carrier. Police say he arrived in Malaysia January 29, about two weeks before Kim Jong Nam was attacked.

Malaysian authorities have not said why they want to question Kim Uk Il, but they believe he also is still in Malaysia.
Vice President Mike Pence used a private email account to conduct public business as Indiana's governor, according to public records obtained by the Indianapolis Star.



The newspaper reported Thursday that emails provided through a public records request show that Pence communicated with advisers through his personal AOL account on homeland security matters and security at the governor's residence during his four years as governor.



The governor also faced email security issues. Pence's AOL account was subjected to a phishing scheme last spring, before he was chosen by Donald Trump to join the GOP presidential ticket. Pence's contacts were sent an email falsely claiming that the governor and his wife were stranded in the Philippines and needed money.



The governor moved to a different AOL account with additional security measures, Pence spokesman Marc Lotter said, but has since stopped using the new personal account since he was sworn-in as vice president.



Lotter said Pence "maintained a state email account and a personal email account'' like previous governors in the state. At the end of his term Pence directed outside counsel to review all of his communications to ensure that state-related emails were transferred and properly archived by the state, the spokesman said.



As Trump's running mate, Pence frequently criticized rival Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server as President Barack Obama's secretary of state, accusing her of purposely keeping her emails out of public reach and shielding her from scrutiny.



Lotter said "the comparison is absurd'' because Clinton had set up a private server in her home at the start of her tenure at the State Department and, unlike Clinton, Pence did not handle any classified material as Indiana's governor.



The newspaper reported that the office of Pence's successor, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, released more than 30 pages from Pence's AOL account, but declined to release an unspecified number of emails because they were considered confidential.



Public officials are not barred from using personal email accounts under Indiana law, but the law is interpreted to mean that any official business conducted on private email must be retained to comply with public record laws.



The state requires all records pertaining to state business to be retained and available for public information requests. Emails involving state email accounts are captured on the state's servers, but any emails that Pence may have sent from his AOL account to another private account would need to be retained.



At the end of his term, Pence hired the Indianapolis law firm of Barnes & Thornburg to conduct a review of all of his communications and that review is still ongoing, Lotter said. Any correspondence between Pence's AOL account and any aides using a state email account would have been automatically archived, he said.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will deliver the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame this year, an honor customarily reserved for newly elected U.S. presidents.

Notre Dames president, the Reverand John Jenkins, said in a statement, It is fitting that in the 175th year of our founding on Indiana soil that Notre Dame recognize a native son who served our state and now the nation with quiet earnestness, moral conviction and a dedication to the common good characteristic of true statesmen.

Pence was the governor of Indiana before being picked as President Donald Trumps running mate.

Jenkins has criticized Trump over his executive order limiting travel and refugees from some Muslim-majority countries, saying it would demean our nation.

In a December statement, Jenkins said he was considering whether to extend a speaking invitation to Trump but didnt want the surrounding controversy to distract from the central purpose of commencement.

University spokesman Paul Browne declined to say whether Trump was invited to the May 21 ceremony.

Usual appearances

Presidents and vice presidents typically deliver commencement addresses each spring. The White House has yet to announce any commencements for Trump.

Americas best-known Roman Catholic university faced withering criticism from dozens of bishops and anti-abortion groups over its decision to have President Barack Obama, an abortion rights supporter, speak at the 2009 commencement just months after he took office.

Pence will be the first vice president to address a Notre Dame commencement. Pence said in a statement that it is extraordinarily humbling to be able to return to Indiana for the Notre Dame ceremony, during which he will be awarded an honorary degree.
With frequent suicide bombings and assaults on Somalias hotels and military targets, the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab has proved more resilient than expected, leading President Donald Trumps administration to pursue wider military involvement here as current strategies, including drone attacks, are not enough, security experts say.



Senior U.S. officials have said the Pentagon wants to expand the militarys efforts to battle the al-Qaida-linked group. Recommendations sent to the White House would allow U.S special forces to increase assistance to the Somali National Army and give the U.S. military greater flexibility to launch more pre-emptive airstrikes.



The U.S. is likely to find counterterror efforts in Somalia difficult and expensive, analysts say, especially with the recent emergence of fighters pledging alliance to the Islamic State group.



The concern in Washington has been mounting for some time now. The Trump administration is simply reiterating what has been policy, with slight variations, said Rashid Abdi, a Horn of Africa analyst with the International Crisis Group. U.S. special forces are already on the ground. Drone attacks have been scaled up.

Advise and assist

Currently about 50 U.S. commandos rotate in and out of this Horn of Africa nation to advise and assist local troops. The commandos have accompanied Somali forces in several raids against al-Shabab fighters in which dozens of militants were killed, according to Somali intelligence officials, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.



Somalia, which has been without an effective central government since the fall of dictator Siad Barre in 1991, was one of the seven predominantly Muslim countries included in Trumps recent travel ban. That executive order has since been suspended by federal courts.





Al-Shabab emerged amid Somalias years of chaos. A regional military effort several years ago pushed the extremist group from the capital, Mogadishu, and most other urban centers. But experts say that push against al-Shabab then weakened, allowing it to regroup and adapt to operating in the countrys vast rural areas. It recently stepped up attacks in the capital and elsewhere.



The U.S. has military bases in Somalia, although it has not publicly acknowledged them. They are often used for drone attacks against al-Shabab targets. One of the largest bases is at Baledogle airfield, a former Somali air force base in Lower Shabelle region where U.S. military experts also train Somali forces, according to Somali officials.



In the past year the U.S. launched 14 airstrikes, nearly all drone strikes, killing some top al-Shabab leaders, including Hassan Ali Dhore and Abdullahi Haji Daud, according to a Somali intelligence official who coordinated with the U.S. on some of them.



The attacks have helped combat al-Shabab but have not brought the group to its knees, the official said.



The main successes against al-Shabab have come from the 22,000-strong African Union regional force that has operated in Somalia since 2007. But the AU force plans to withdraw by the end of 2020, and cost is a primary reason. The annual missions budget has risen from $300 million in 2009 to $900 million in 2016, said Ahmed Soliman, an analyst with Chatham House, the London-based think tank.



Without the African Union troops, the fight against al-Shabab will be left to the Somali army, widely regarded as weak and disorganized. Building the army into an effective force will be the primary challenge facing the United States.



The U.S. military probably plans to step up training and coordination but not actually put more American boots on the ground in Somalia, Soliman said. The Black Hawk Down incident of 1993, in which two U.S. helicopters were shot down in Mogadishu and bodies of Americans were dragged through the streets, is a factor discouraging more direct U.S. involvement. Even now, the U.S. has no embassy in Somalia.





Al-Shabab in recent weeks has increased bombings in Mogadishu, threatening the security efforts of new Somali-American President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, during whose time as prime minister in 2010-2011 the group was expelled from the capital. The extremists continue to dominate remote towns and villages across the south and central parts of the country.



But a new security threat in Somalia, and a challenge to any U.S. military efforts, is the emergence of Islamic State group-linked fighters, who officials fear could expand their foothold beyond the semi-autonomous north. The fighters broke away from al-Shabab and declared allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2015. Al-Shabab sees the splinter group as a threat to its operations.



Its only al-Shabab that can stand in ISIS way to expand its areas of operation  Somali forces are now too disorganized to stop them, said Ahmed Mohamoud, a retired former Somali military general.
Pope Francis will meet with European Union leaders a day before a special summit marking the 60th anniversary of the bloc's founding treaty.



The Vatican announced on Friday the audience will be held March 24, the eve of the summit marking the anniversary of the 1957 Treaty of Rome, which created the EU's predecessor, the European Economic Community.



The evening meeting is expected to be public.



The first non-European pope in over a century, Francis has not hidden his concerns that the old continent is not living up to its history.



The pope previously addressed EU leaders in May, when he accepted the Charlemagne prize for promoting European unity. In his acceptance speech at the Vatican, the pope warned against the temptation to put up fences to ward off newcomers, saying he dreams of a Europe where migrants are welcome.



The pope will be away on a trip to Milan the day of the March 25 summit.
The Capitol is suddenly awash with troublemakers and rebels  and that's just the Republicans.

Whatever GOP unity was produced by Donald Trump's victory in November has all but disappeared, and Republican leaders are confronting open rebellion in their ranks as they try to finalize health care legislation. Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress this week was well-received,but did little to repair divisions.

In the Senate, three conservatives who have been a thorn in the side of leadership are back at it again. And in the House, recalcitrant conservatives are banding together and threatening to foil Speaker Paul Ryan's plans for swift passage of the legislation to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's health law.

"Currently there are not enough votes to pass it in the House," Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina, head of an influential group of conservatives, said in an interview Friday.

Meadows said leaders appeared to think they could jam the bill through by twisting arms and getting Trump to make calls, but he insisted such tactics wouldn't work on him without substantial change to the bill. His opposition is such that his wife sent out an email urging opposition to the bill, as reported by Politico this week. "It will end up being Ryancare and the disaster will be wrapped around Republican's necks," Debbie Meadows wrote.

Representative Meadows said Friday that his wife sent the email to a small group of friends and relatives in an effort to support him. "She was trying to help her husband, she is distraught that this is a distraction and she probably is more distraught because she really respects and admires Paul Ryan," he said.

'Unconvincing' effort

Another GOP rebel, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, said that at a presentation Thursday, leaders played clips of Trump's joint session speech, with the goal of convincing lawmakers that they were aligned with the president on the pending bill. But Massie dismissed the effort as "very unconvincing."

The lawmakers are criticizing the developing legislation as "Obamacare lite." They object in particular to a system of refundable tax credits that form the centerpiece of the legislation, which they say would amount to a costly new entitlement. Instead, they're demanding a vote on a straightforward repeal-only bill.

Ryan and other GOP leaders, who are aiming to pass the legislation through the House and Senate by early April, have tried to keep a game face despite the turmoil.

"I am perfectly confident that when it's all said and done, we're going to unify, because we all, every Republican, ran on repealing and replacing, and we're going to keep our promises," Ryan told reporters Thursday.

Maybe so, but first there will be some drama. And this week, there was plenty.

Senate trio

After mostly lying low and playing nice for the last several months, Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas are now uniting against the health legislation, and like their conservative counterparts in the House, they command the votes to frustrate leadership efforts.

On Thursday, Paul infuriated GOP leaders on both ends of the Capitol by marching over to the House with a crowd of reporters and his own copy machine to demand to see the draft health bill, and to criticize leadership for keeping it under wraps. He held an impromptu news conference outside a ground-floor room in the Capitol he dubbed "the secret office for the secret bill," which angry House leadership aides insisted was no such thing.

The Kentucky senator's chaotic gaggle was followed by a bizarre and apparently spontaneous scavenger hunt by House Democrats who made a futile search.

Paul kept up his campaign over Twitter on Friday, posting a picture of himself pointing quizzically at a closed door with the message, "We are continuing our search for the Obamacare Lite bill! Do you know where the secret location might be? Has anyone seen the bill?"

Paul's stunt provoked thinly concealed irritation from GOP colleagues, including Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, who chairs the health committee, of which Paul is a member. Alexander, a senior leadership ally, has been part of a group working on the replacement health care bill.

"Well, Senator Paul is a valuable member of the committee and I think I'll give him a call and see if he'd like to have more information," Alexander said.

'It's a big problem'

Many Republicans say it's urgent that they pull together and get behind a repeal-and-replace bill, after spending seven years promising voters they'd do exactly that.

"We do have some problems with two or three people on our side that make it so if this becomes a partisan vote, we won't have the votes," said Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, another senior lawmaker. "It's a problem, it's a big problem."

Democrats who lived through their own share of drama before finally passing the Affordable Care Act can only stand back and jeer.

"Who would have thought, one month into the fight over the ACA, it's the Republicans, not the Democrats, who are in disarray and pointing at one another like an Abbott and Costello show," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
Russia's leading opposition figure has published a sweeping report accusing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of corruption, claims which the government has shrugged off as propaganda.

In a report posted Thursday, Alexei Navalny alleged Medvedev has amassed a collection of lavish mansions, yachts and vineyards managed by companies and charities controlled by his associates.

Medvedev's spokeswoman, Natalya Timakova, dismissed Navalny's claims as part of election campaigning, saying in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that it's "senseless" to comment on his "propaganda attacks."

Asked about the report Friday, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said he had nothing to add to Timakova's statement.

The charismatic Navalny, who became popular via his exposes of high-level corruption, was a driving force behind massive opposition protests in Moscow in 2011-2012.

He has declared his intention to run for president in 2018, even though a court ruling last month bars him from joining the race. He denounced the ruling as politically motivated and vowed to appeal it.

His report names Ilya Yeliseyev, a deputy head of Gazprombank, and a few other people whom it describes as longtime contacts of Medvedev, as nominal owners of the prized real estate and other assets in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sochi, the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics, as well as an Italian villa surrounded by vineyards.

Some experts voiced skepticism.

Ilya Shumanov, a deputy head of Transparency International's branch in Russia, noted that Navalny has failed to offer irrefutable proof of Medvedev's link to the assets. "There is no proof of a link between them despite friendly ties," he said on Ekho Moskvy radio Friday.

Navalny insisted there is abundant proof of Medvedev being the real owner of the assets, and he criticized what he described as public indifference to corruption.

"I try to do things in a way they should be done in a normal world," Navalny said Thursday on Ekho Moskvy radio. "In Russia we are observing an absurd situation when we publish on the internet that someone received bribes worth of 70 billion and everybody's reaction is like `yeah, nothing interesting. ... This won't lead to anything."'
Russia's ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, is a low-key veteran diplomat who associates say is one of the most unlikely diplomats to wind up in the center of controversy.

Kislyak, whose conversations with close associates of U.S. President Donald Trump have repeatedly embarrassed the new administration, is 66 years old, married, with an adult daughter.

He has been a part of the Soviet and Russian foreign ministries since 1977. His posts have included the Soviet mission to the United Nations; Russia's Permanent Representative to NATO; Russian ambassador to Belgium; and Deputy Minster of Foreign Affairs.

He has been Russian ambassador to the U.S. since 2008 and can frequently be seen casually strolling around Washington.

Michael McFaul, who was U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014, calls Kislyak "a very successful ambassador who is "underrated" in Washington.

I am impressed by him," McFaul told a forum at George Washington University on Friday. "When I was in the government, sometimes he would drive me nuts because he was so active in developing relationships with individuals across our government. 

Observers describe Kislyak as friendly and say he likes to open the Russian Embassy for dinners and teas for journalists and Washington officials.

Kislyak once lamented that while Russia and the U.S. "were able to to end the Cold War ... we weren't able to build post-Cold War peace."

He is also known for forcefully defending his government's positions. For example, he has denounced the mass demonstrations that ousted Ukraines Russia-backed president, Viktor Yanukovych, in 2014 as the unconstitutional forceful overthrow of an elected government.

Like other Russian officials, Kislyak has also blamed Kyiv for the fighting between government forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, which has killed more than 9,750 people.

What is portrayed as a Russian aggression in reality is a war of the government of Ukraine against their own people. So I would advise our friends not to misrepresent what is happening on the ground: government forces killing Ukrainian citizens. Nothing else, and nothing more," he said.
Gawli, who also visited the Shiv Sena headquarters on Thursday, surprised many by her decision on Friday.

By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: Convicted underworld don-turned-politician Arun Gawli's daughter Geeta has extended support to BJP in the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Geeta has been elected as a corporator from ward No 212 in central Mumbai's Byculla area.

Geeta met top BJP leaders including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis before finally making the announcement. Geeta was welcomed in the city BJP office by party leader Yogesh Sagar and Manoj Kotak.

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"The Chief Minister has promised me that the development work in my area will receive all the support and hence I have decided to support the party," Geeta said while talking to reporters in the Mumbai BJP office.

Gawli, who also visited the Shiv Sena headquarters on Thursday, surprised many by her decision on Friday. "I have no grudge against Uddhav ji but yes the leaders who work under him surely disappointed me, as they were not willing to co-operate with us," informed Geeta.

Both the Shiv Sena and BJP were trying to woo Geeta Gawli to their sides for last few day. In the outgoing house Geetas party the Akhil Bhartiya Sena (floated by her father Arun Gawli) had supported the Shivsena. ABS then had 2 members in the house, but this only Geeta managed to win, while her party contested 30 seats.

Geeta's father and former underworld Don Arun Gawli is presently lodged in the Nagpur central jail convicted in connection with the 2008 murder case.

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Since U.S. intelligence agencies concluded last October that Russia had interfered in the U.S. presidential election, a flurry of news reports and leaks has raised more questions than answers about the growing national controversy.

Weeks before Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from investigations into the matter because of two previously undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador to Washington, Sergey Kislyak, during the 2016 presidential campaign, law enforcement and lawmakers began looking into the allegations.

FBI

The FBI is leading at least three separate investigations into allegations of Russian interference in the election and possible Russia-Trump connections, Reuters reported last month, citing unnamed current and former government officials:

* The FBI's Pittsburgh field office, which is in charge of cybersecurity investigations, is seeking to identify the people who breached the Democratic National Committee's computer systems last year.

* The bureau's San Francisco office is trying to identify the people suspected of being behind the "Guccifer 2" online handle, which posted stolen emails of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign manager, John Podesta.

* FBI counter-intelligence agents in Washington are looking into leads from informants and foreign communication intercepts.

In what may have been a fourth FBI inquiry related to Russia and Trump, the bureau investigated a series of conversations that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had with Kislyak but did not disclose to Vice President Mike Pence, leading to Flynn's resignation on Feb. 14.

Congress

In Congress, meanwhile, at least five standing committees and one subcommittee are in various stages of investigations into Russian interference in the U.S. election and reported contacts between Trump associates and Russian officials. Among them:

* The Senate Intelligence Committee, with jurisdiction over 17 intelligence agencies, is in the early stages of a probe launched in January. Initially focused on Russian hacking and misinformation efforts during the election, it has since been broadened to cover what committee members have described as contacts between Russian officials and the U.S. political campaigns.

* The Senate Judiciary Committee, with oversight over the Department of Justice and the FBI, is carrying out its own investigation and has asked the Department of Justice for a briefing and documents related to circumstances leading up to Flynn's resignation.

* The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, chaired by Russia hawk Lindsey Graham, announced in early February plans to investigate Russian meddling. The panel has jurisdiction over the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, as well as the FBI.

* The House Intelligence Committee, charged with oversight of 17 intelligence agencies, is investigating "intelligence or counter-intelligence issues" involving Russia and the election.

* The House Judiciary Committee, with oversight over the Department of Justice, is conducting its own investigation, with Republican members planning to write a letter to Attorney General Sessions requesting his cooperation with the Russia probe.

* The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the Congress's main investigative committee with government-wide oversight jurisdiction, is looking into leaks of classified information about Flynn and his contacts with Russia and has sent a letter to Leading Authorities, a speakers bureau, to inquire whether Flynn received any payment from the Russian government for an appearance at a Moscow gala in 2015.

Other Congressional committees such as the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held hearings about the Russian hacking allegations last summer. Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, wrote to the White House last month seeking information about Flynn's contacts with Russia.

But of all of the Congressional probes, perhaps the most consequential is being led by the Senate Intelligence Committee, the panel responsible for such high-profile investigations as the inquiries into the CIA's controversial torture practices in 2014 and the 2012 militant attacks on two U.S. government facilities in Benghazi, Libya.

Not only does the committee have the widest jurisdiction over intelligence matters with staff and resources to investigate them, but the committee's investigation into the Russian interference enjoys the support of its ranking Democratic member, Mark Warner, even as other Republican-led congressional investigations have been criticized by Democrats as partisan.

Options regarding investigations

Andrew Kent, a professor at Fordham Law School in New York who has written extensively about the investigations into Trump and Russia, said the FBI and congressional committees are focused on different aspects of the suspected Trump-Russia connections.

"The FBI focus is going to be at looking at whether any federal laws were broken," Kent said. "The congressional committees can look a little bit more broadly and don't have a focus on whether specific laws were broken."

While none of the investigations is truly independent, Kent said, there are at least four options to carry out such a probe: a congressional select committee with joint Republican-Democratic control; a congressionally-created bipartisan commission similar to the 9/11 panel; a special prosecutor; or an independent counsel with the full delegated power of the attorney general.

But given White House opposition and Republican control of Congress, he said none of the options seem likely at the moment.

Richard Ben-Veniste, the former chief of the Watergate Task Force that investigated former President Richard Nixon in the 1970s, said Sessions should hand over control of the investigations to Acting Attorney General Dana Boente, who is a career prosecutor.

Boente is "an experienced prosecutor and far more likely to be deemed credible in terms of supervising the investigation," Ben-Veniste said.

Another candidate would be Rod J. Rosenstein, a career prosecutor and the current U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, who has been nominated by Trump as deputy attorney general. A confirmation hearing has been set for March 7.

"Senators will obviously have lots of questions for him about Trump-Russia issues," Kent said.

In Congress, while Republicans have roundly rejected Democratic calls for a select committee to investigate any Russia-Trump connections, the idea is likely to gain traction as new information comes to light, Kent said.

With the extent of the Trump campaign's ties to Russia unknown, Ben-Veniste said it is too early to say that the Russia questions will lead to a Watergate-style inquiry. However, he said he saw one parallel between the two high-stakes scandals.

"Historically we've seen similar circumstances where the party, in protecting its reputation, has said that it is unnecessary to create any special investigative apparatus to ensure the public of the integrity of the investigation," he said. "Each time those initial protests are overcome and a special investigation takes place, it has been shown that there is fire behind the smoke."
South Korean companies Friday bore the brunt of Chinese anger over the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system outside Seoul, as shares tumbled after media reports of Beijing tour operators being ordered to stop selling trips to the country.

Cosmetics makers, retailers, automakers and airlines were among the biggest losers as South Koreas main benchmark index fell 1.1 percent in afternoon trade, weighed down by fears that China may choke off a key source of tourist dollars.

South Korea is the worlds biggest duty free market.

Hyundai Motor finished down 4.4 percent after photos of a vandalized Hyundai car circulated on Chinese social media.

Reports of tourism sales ban

South Koreas foreign ministry said in a statement it was checking the media reports on a Chinese ban to sell travel programs.

If such reports are true, it would be an unfair action ... and very regrettable, the ministry said.

An official at South Koreas culture ministry said it heard from some Korean tour operators that they were told by Chinese peers about the sales ban.

Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said he had not heard about the situation.

While Chinese state media have called for people to shun South Korean goods, an editorial in influential state-run tabloid Global Times struck a note of caution Friday, saying whoever vandalized the Hyundai car wont win the support of mainstream public opinion.

If it is proved to be related to (the missile issue), such illegal behavior is a smear on the public boycott campaign, it said.

THAAD aimed at North Korea

Even so, South Korean political parties condemned the Chinese backlash.

Its despicable and arrogant. China is a G20 nation that should be leading the development of world order, Liberty Korea Party leader Chung Woo-taik said.

Seoul and Washington say the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is designed to thwart attack from nuclear-armed North Korea, but Beijing says its far-reaching radar is targeted at China.

South Korean companies have reported difficulties in China since Seoul and Washington in July agreed to deploy the system in response to North Korean missile threats. South Korean artists have also said performances have been cancelled.

Japan backlash

But the escalating tension and Chinese media calls for retaliation have rattled investors, fearful of a repeat of previous Chinese backlashes against Japan in 2012 over territorial disputes and interpretations of history.

Along with South Korean tour operators, the auto sector may be particularly vulnerable as China had targeted Japanese carmakers in earlier disputes, analysts said.

Im concerned that China is harassing Korean carmakers, even at the risk of hurting its own companies, said Ko Tae-bong, an auto analyst at Hi Investment & Securities in Seoul. Hyundai Motor is in a joint venture with a Chinese company to produce cars in China. A Hyundai spokesman declined to comment.

A spokesman for flag carrier Korean Air said it was worried about Chinas reported plan to reduce tourists to South Korea. The number of Chinese tourists to South Korea has nearly quadrupled to 8 million over the past five years, accounting for nearly half of foreign visitor numbers, government data shows.

Chinese are by far the biggest spenders, propping up South Koreas duty free market, which generates about $8 billion in annual sales.

The reaction of the Chinese government against Koreas THAAD deployment appears harsher than expected, Citi said in a report.
Syria's warring parties are going home with "a clear agenda" for future negotiations, a U.N. mediator said Friday, as a fourth round of intra-Syrian talks wound up after nine days of intense discussions, largely mired in matters of "procedure" interspersed with issues of "substance."

Though no breakthrough on a political settlement was achieved and none was expected, the general mood among the participants was one of relief and a slight sense of accomplishment that this round of peace negotiations had ended without any dramatic walkout by either the government or opposition delegations, as has been the case previously.

"It has not always been easy going," Staffan de Mistura, the U.N. special envoy for Syria, said in Geneva. "We had some difficult, tough meetings, but we also had some very constructive meetings."

De Mistura predicted there would be a lot of posturing and negative rhetoric from the opposing sides about the state of the negotiations, now that the latest round had ended. However, he generally dismissed such theatrics as "a part of politics."

Dialogue 'is what matters'

"I heard what I heard during the private discussions, in formal and informal discussions," de Mistura said. "I had a feeling that the sides want to find a dialogue. That is what matters."

"And," he added, "that gives me some feeling that we are moving in the right direction."

De Mistura will travel to New York to report on the talks to the U.N. secretary-general and the Security Council. While there, he said, he hoped to set a date to resume the next round of Syrian talks this month.

When the parties return to Geneva, he said, they will be pursuing a framework agreement based on Security Council Resolution 2254, which forms the basis for a political transition to a postwar government.

This formula contains three "baskets" of issues to be fleshed out: credible, nonsectarian governance; the drafting of a new constitution; and free and fair elections under U.N. supervision.

Debate over 'terrorism'

De Mistura said the government and opposition delegations also agreed to include a fourth "basket" of issues, addressing "strategies related to counterterrorism, security governance and medium-term confidence building measures."

The Damascus government's delegation in Geneva reportedly had insisted that anti-terrorism measures must be added to the agenda as a condition for continuing negotiations.

Syrian opposition groups initially objected to this provision, but later agreed to go along after de Mistura reportedly assured them that the government's use of barrel bombs and chemical weapons against civilian targets would be part of the discussions.

Syria's six-year civil war has taken a heavy toll in lives lost, people displaced and infrastructure destroyed. More than 400,000 people have been killed, and more than 11 million have been displaced, either within the country or as refugees abroad. Well over half of Syria's population of nearly 23 million needs humanitarian assistance.

Military solution a 'fantasy'

Despite this dismal picture, the U.N. envoy acknowledged there were still people in Syria who believed in the possibility of a military solution to this crisis.

"That is fantasy," he declared. "Only a political solution  but a political solution that addresses the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people  can solve this crisis."

De Mistura said he was looking forward to the fifth round of intra-Syrian talks and thought that "we have prepared everyone to actually engage not only on methodology, but also on substance" regarding the four "baskets" of issues.

"The train is ready. It is in the station. It is warming up its engine," he said. "Everything is ready. It just needs an accelerator, and the accelerator is in the hands of those who were attending this round."
This is the Top Five Countdown! Were raising the curtain on the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart, for the week ending March 4, 2017.

Break out the popcorn, movie fans, because we have a blockbuster debut for you.



Number 5: The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey "Closer"



The action starts in fifth place, where the Chainsmokers and Halsey rebound two slots with Closer. This song is now a record-setter - it has spent 26 total weeks  six months  in the Top Five. Thats the longest Top Five run in the Hot 100s 58-year history. The previous record was 25 weeks, jointly held by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars with Uptown Funk, and LeAnn Rimes with How Do I Live.

Thats pretty spectacular, but the real fireworks arrive in fourth place.







Number 4: Katy Perry Featuring Skip Marley "Chained To The Rhythm"



One of our most dependable hit makers returns this week, as Katy Perry opens in fourth place with Chained To The Rhythm.

This is not only Katys 14th Top 10 single, its also her third-highest Hot 100 debut. Part Of Me opened at number one in 2012, while California Gurls hit second place in 2010. The featured artist on this song is Skip Marley, the grandson of reggae great Bob Marley.







Number 3: Migos & Lil Uzi Vert "Bad And Boujee"



Migos and Lil Uzi Vert slip a slot to third place with Bad And Boujee, and Migos are already planning new chart conquests.

On February 24, Calvin Harris dropped his latest single Slide, featuring Frank Ocean, along with Migos members Quavo and Offset. Three days later on February 27, DJ Khaled sent out a series of Instagram photos featuring Migos, Justin Bieber, and Chance The Rapperand it just so happens DJ Khaled is dropping a new album, Grateful, on March 22.







Number 2: Zayn & Taylor Swift "I Don't Wanna Live Forever"

Zayn and Taylor Swift jump a notch to second place with I Dont Wanna Live Forever.

On February 22, Zayn faced off against his former One Direction groupmates in the BRIT Awardsand lost. 1D took the Video Of The Year crown for History, while Zayn was an also-ran with his Pillowtalk clip.











Number 1: Ed Sheeran "Shape of You"



Ed Sheeran extends his run at the top to four weeks with Shape Of You, and it sounds like Ed has a new friend.

Last week, Katy Perry stopped by the BBC for a pre-BRIT Awards interviewand Ed crashed the conversation. He recalled their first meeting after a gig in Toronto in which Ed was covered in sweatthings didnt go so smoothly then but theyre good pals now.

Will Ed Sheerans run at the top continue? Join us next week for the answers!
President Donald Trump, his administration under siege for contacts with Russian officials, is calling for "an immediate investigation" into Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer's own ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump tweeted a photo Friday of Schumer meeting with Putin in New York in 2003.

The president called for a probe into Schumer's "ties to Russia and Putin" and called the New York senator "A total hypocrite!"

Schumer responded on Twitter a short time later writing that he would "happily talk" under oath about his meeting with Putin, which took place "in full view of press and public."

He then challenged Trump to do the same.

Trump's tweet comes a day after Attorney General Jeff Sessions came under scrutiny for his two meetings with a Russian ambassador.
President Donald Trump will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House later this month.



White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders says the meeting will take place on March 14. It will be the first in-person meeting between Trump and the German chancellor since the U.S. election.



Trump frequently criticized Merkel during his presidential campaign, accusing her of "ruining Germany'' by taking in large numbers of refugees. Merkel, who wields significant sway in Europe, was critical of Trump's refugee and immigration travel ban, which was blocked by the courts.



Sanders did not offer details on what the two may discuss.
President Donald Trump visited a classroom at a private, religious school in Florida on Friday, signaling that his education agenda will focus on school choice.

He started his tour of St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando with a visit to a fourth-grade classroom.

Trump shook hands with a pair of students who told him they were learning about the history of Florida.

He then joked to one girl who said she wanted to own her own business that she's "gonna make a lot of money. But don't run for politics."

Trump was joined on the tour by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

Teachers' unions were quick to criticize the visit, saying it shows Trump's hostility toward public schools and his intention to turn education into a profit-making industry.

In his address to Congress this week, Trump called education "the civil rights issue of our time" and asked lawmakers to pass a bill that would fund school choice for disadvantaged young people, including minority children. He did not offer any details.

Among his guests at the speech was Denisha Merriweather, who used Florida's school voucher program to attend a private high school that she credits with turning her life around. Many of St. Andrew's students attend the school using the same voucher program as Merriweather, said White House spokesman Ninio Fetalvo.

DeVos has a long history of promoting charter schools and vouchers. Charter schools are funded with taxpayer dollars, but run by private groups and have more freedom over curriculum, staff and budget. Vouchers are essentially publicly funded scholarships given to low-income families to help cover private-school tuition.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said earlier in the week that education is "a top priority" for the president.

"He has said many times before that education has the ability to level the playing field for the next generation," Spicer said, adding that Trump "is determined to provide choice for every parent and opportunities for every child, regardless of their zip code."

St. Andrew Catholic School teaches 350 children from pre-K to eighth grade. The school defines its mission as "developing the students' spirituality and creativity in order to be disciples of Christ in the 21st century." A photo on the school's website shows a smiling boy in school uniform holding a sign that reads "My goals: College. Heaven."

"It's a very powerful message," said Samuel Abramson, director of the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, referring to Trump's choice of school to visit. "Advocates of traditional public schools should be worried because this means a diversion of funds from public coffers and thus support for public education."

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said that by visiting a private Catholic school, Trump is continuing an "ideological crusade."

Weingarten said that in many cases voucher programs have not improved children's academic outcomes. She added that voucher programs are often not transparent in how they spend public dollars and in what the kids are taught.

"To borrow a word from President Trump  it's so `sad' that the president and his secretary of education have demonstrated such an antipathy toward public schools," Weingarten said in a statement. "Trump is in Florida to push choice and a backdoor voucher proposal as a way to turn education into a commodity."
Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies plan to detain the head of the tax and customs service, Roman Nasirov, over the alleged embezzlement of around 2 billion hryvnias ($75 million), a senior prosecutor said Friday.

Television footage showed an unconscious-looking Nasirov being stretchered into an ambulance and taken to Kyivs Feofania hospital late Thursday. Reporters said he had suffered a heart attack. This could not be independently verified.

Prosecutor skeptical

Anti-corruption prosecutor Nazar Kholodnytsky said investigators believe Nasirov helped exiled lawmaker Oleksandr Onishchenko deprive the state of 2 billion hryvnias in tax revenue linked to a gas deal.

"Detectives and a prosecutor went to Feofania yesterday," Kholodnytsky said on television channel 112. "Nasirov was notified of the allegation by a detective. I will find out if he was conscious or not."

Nasirov has previously denied all allegations of graft against him. His office would not immediately comment on the matter.

Kholodnytsky was openly skeptical about Nasirov's sudden hospitalization.

If 38-year-old Nasirov is found guilty, it would be the first successful prosecution of a senior official for graft since the 2014 uprising that ushered in a Western-backed leadership promising to tackle endemic corruption.

Stop-start reform efforts over the past three years have raised concerns that Ukraine's political elite lacked the will to eradicate a deep-rooted system of cronyism and bribe-taking.

Investigation confirmed

Nasirov's lawyer, Andriy Kuzmenko, confirmed that he was being investigated for embezzlement and said he could face up to six years in prison.

Opposition lawmakers and the finance ministry have previously called for Nasirov to be investigated for abuse of office.

In 2016, Nasirov clashed with an activist appointed to reform the graft-plagued customs of Odessa over her accusation that he had blocked her attempts to fire corrupt officials.

In an online wealth declaration tool aimed at boosting transparency, he disclosed last October that he and his wife held cash in euros and dollars worth $2.2 million and owned Swiss watches, diamond jewelery, fur coats and fine porcelain among other items. He told Reuters in an interview he had earned this money in the financial sector before taking office.
America will continue to patrol the South China Sea to ensure freedom of navigation and overflight in the disputed region, a U.S. admiral said Friday amid questions whether U.S. involvement in one of Asia's potential flashpoints will change.

"We will be here,'' Rear Adm. James Kilby said on board the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson as it steamed through the gentle blue waters, with F18 fighter jets landing, taking off on catapults and zooming over the mammoth warship.



"We have operated here in the past, we're going to operate here in the future, we're going to continue to reassure our allies," Kilby said. "We're gonna continue to demonstrate that international waters are waters where everyone can sail, where everyone can conduct commerce and merchant traffic and that's the message we want to leave with people."



A commercial ship gingerly cruised several kilometers (miles) away as the Carl Vinson's kilometer-long flight deck, where crewmembers checked several parked F18s, a surveillance aircraft and helicopters, throbbed with activity under a mild breeze.





Kilby's comments followed reported Chinese moves to install missile defense systems on islands it recently built, and the inauguration of a new U.S. president who has raised questions about America's role in Asia.



The U.S. military took a group of journalists to the aircraft carrier during a routine patrol of the South China Sea, one of the world's security hotspots, in a mission that U.S. Navy officials said has continued for decades.



A U.S. administration official has said the Carl Vinson strike group's deployment in the South China Sea, a month after President Donald Trump took office, signaled U.S. intent to have a more active naval presence in the region.



Accompanied by a guided-missile destroyer and aircraft, the Carl Vinson began "routine operations'' in the South China Sea on Feb. 18. It last deployed to the Western Pacific in 2015 when it conducted an exercise with the Malaysian navy and air force, according to the Pentagon.



The official declined to comment on whether the aircraft carrier group would undertake a freedom of navigation operation, a right that American officials have asserted in the past. The official requested anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to journalists on the administration's policy.



Under the Obama administration, the U.S. Navy sailed close to islands built by China from previously submerged disputed reefs on so-called freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, provoking warnings and protests from Beijing.



During his Senate confirmation hearing for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson stirred controversy by comparing China's island-building and deployment of military assets to Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, and suggesting China's access to the island should not be allowed.



Defense Secretary James Mattis, however, has stressed the importance of diplomacy in resolving disputes in the South China Sea rather than military maneuvers.



U.S. Navy officials said Friday the Carl Vinson was patrolling waters somewhere between China's southernmost island of Hainan and the Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines. China seized the shoal in 2012 after a tense standoff with Philippine government vessels, but the U.S. Navy officials said no incidents had occurred in two weeks of sailing in the busy waters.



"I would say everyone we've encountered so far has acted professionally as we would hope they would do in accordance with international rules, standards, norms and laws,'' Kilby said.



China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei have long contested ownership of the South China Sea, which straddles one of the world's busiest sea lanes and is believed to sit atop vast deposits of oil and gas.
Drought is hurting eastern Africa's parks and game reserves, as well as the creatures that reside in them. The Kenya Wildlife Service says dozens of animals have already died because of the lack of water.

Last month, the government declared the drought a national disaster.

Kenya Wildlife Service spokesman Paul Gathitu says lack of water and grazing land has pushed some animals into human settlements, increasing the risk of human-wildlife conflict.

"We've had impacts on wildlife, particularly outside not in the protected areas  Ijara was the first area we noticed," Gathitu said. "Next to Boni forest, there were some dams which dried up and forced a number of animals to go seeking water and struggling to access water. We've lost five buffaloes who were stuck in the mud in that place."

The wildlife agency says 15 hippos have died in Lake Kenyatta, Lamu County.

Lack of preparation



Kahindi Lekalhaile of the Africa Network for Animal Welfare blames a lack of preparation for the suffering and death of wildlife.

"What we are seeing, the effects of drought are being made worse by ignorance, poverty and desperation by ignorant people who actually would have supported the wildlife as the wildlife moves out to look for pastures and water," Kahindi said. "So the drought will always be with us. It's how we manage drought. Wildlife is suffering as a result of us not preparing for drought and us not managing our resources properly."

The wild animals attract millions of dollars in tourist revenue every year. The tourism industry employs more than 200,000 people, and is the leading foreign exchange earner for Kenya after agriculture.

Water supply



Gathitu says his agency is digging more wells in an effort to supply water to the animals.

"We work together with organizations like Big Life, and we provide water to the schools," Gathitu said. "So the communities get water away from the field, where they would have encountered wildlife. In a place like Lamu, we supplied water to those dams."

Wild animals in Kenya already face constant threats from poachers and from people living around the conservation areas. The Department of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing says Kenya has lost 68 percent of its wildlife in the last four decades.
The Shiv Sena, which is an ally of the BJP in the NDA government at the Centre, said that the move shows BJP frustration as it knows that it will suffer a crushing defeat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.

BJP has approached the Election Commission asking it to make arrangements for screening of burqa-clad women voters. (File Photo)

By India Today Web Desk: The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) estranged ally Shiv Sena has come out hard at it slamming the ruling party for approaching the Election Commission (EC) seeking screening of burqa-clad women voters.

ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 2017: FULL COVERAGE

The Shiv Sena, which is an ally of the BJP in the NDA government at the Centre, said that the move shows BJP frustration as it knows that it will suffer a crushing defeat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.

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"Almost the whole Modi Cabinet is camping in Uttar Pradesh for election. However, after phase five voting they know the party is going to suffer a major setback," Shiv Sena said in its mouthpiece Saamana.

"Such a move shows that BJP is now frustrated PM Modi always stresses on minimum government, maximum government, however, his ministers are camping in UP for election campaigning. People will soon give it a befitting reply," Shiv Sena said.

WHAT THE CONTROVERSY IS ALL ABOUT

On March 2 (Thursday), the BJP approached the Election Commission to deploy women force at polling booths in the last two phases of the UP Assembly polls to check identity of burqa-clad female voters and prevent bogus voting, leaving some Muslim bodies fuming.

In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, the party said, "The BJP demands that to establish the identity of burqa-clad female voters in the sixth and seventh phase of the UP polls, women police and central paramilitary forces be posted at sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling booths".

BJP leaders J P S Rathore and Kuldeep Pati Tripathi said in the letter that a large number of burqa-clad women exercise their franchise and there was a possibility of false voting.

"Adequate deployment of female police would ensure proper checking of women voters, and at the same time, minimising incidents of bogus voting," they said.

A large number of constituencies going to polls in the last two rounds on March 4 and 8 fall in Muslim-dominated districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

MUSLIM ORGANISATIONS SLAM BJP

The demand by the saffron party, however, did not go down well with Muslim organisations, with some of them accusing BJP of deliberately indulging in "polarisation politics".

Mahila Muslim Personal Law Board Chairperson Shaista Amber said, "Till now, the election and voting process have been rather smooth, and the Election Commission deserves a round of applause for this. However, in a bid to polarise the votes in the sixth and seventh phase, the BJP has now come up with this strange demand".

She said this act of BJP smacked of its "sick mentality".

"Whether a woman is wearing burqa or ghoonghat, no one has the right to offend her womanhood and dignity," she said.

Shia Personal Law Board spokesperson Yassob Abbas said, "This is a deliberate tactic of the BJP to polarise the votes. We would not tolerate even an iota of insult to burqa."

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WATCH: Decoding phase 5 of Uttar Pradesh Assembly election He said even non-Muslim women living in villages wear 'pallu' (veil).

"Will the pallu (of non-Muslim women) be removed to check and verify their identity?" he asked, adding "It is better not to do any politics over burqa".

Senior member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali said, "Ever since the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections have started, a conscious attempt has been made to target Muslim women".

"It started with triple talaq, which has fallen flat on the face of the BJP," he said.

He also said that as per the laid down provisions of law, a voter is allowed to cast his or her vote only after the poll official cross-checks and verifies the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) card.

"I think that there is a planned attempt to keep Muslim women voters away from voting," he said.

Saharanpur-based Islamic seminary of Darul Uloom Deoband refused to comment.

Muslims make up around 19-20 per cent of UP's population of nearly 200 million.

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Out of 403 Assembly constituencies in UP, there are nearly 120 seats where the percentage of Muslim voters is more than 20 per cent (Muslim-dominated seats) and in certain parts of eastern UP, their population is up to 27 per cent.

(With PTI inputs)

ALSO READ:

If bookies are to be believed, BJP will form the next Uttar Pradesh government

Amid Uttar Pradesh election, mystery over Mayawati's parks, memorials being decked up

UP election: Women brigade campaigns for Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance in Poorvanchal

--- ENDS ---
Friday is U.N. World Wildlife Day, which aims to celebrate and raise awareness of the world's wild animals and plants. This year's theme is "Listen to the Young Voices," but many campaigners warn that future generations may never see many of the species around today because they are on the brink of extinction, mostly because of human activity.

That includes the hidden wildlife beneath the oceans, at increasing risk from the huge amount of plastics filling our seas  from microbeads in cosmetics to industrial-scale waste.

"Twelve million tons of plastic is entering the oceans every year, which is about a rubbish truck's worth of plastic every single minute," said Louisa Casson of Greenpeace's London office. "Plastic is entering every single level of the ocean food chain, and marine creatures from zooplankton up to blue whales are choking on plastics. They are ingesting it, and they are getting tangled up in it."

Around the world, the United Nations warns, human activity is depleting biodiversity. In many parts of Africa, elephants and rhinos are under huge pressure from poachers.

From the skies above Tsavo National Park, the Kenya Wildlife Service has been conducting its annual survey of elephant populations covering 48,000 square kilometers of land during the past few weeks.

"We brought poaching down around 2014, so we expect the population possibly to have started picking up," said Shadrack Ngene, head of the service's ecological monitoring.

It is a dangerous job. Last month, a Kenyan ranger was shot dead by poachers. The wildlife charity Thin Green Line estimates that about 100 rangers are killed in the line of duty every year.

China, the world's biggest ivory market, announced a ban in December on all ivory trade that takes effect by the end of 2017. It's been hailed as a game-changer by conservationists.
A lawyer in Zimbabwe says two journalists and a publishing executive have been arrested for an article reporting that the health of 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe is deteriorating.

Human rights lawyer Obey Shava said Friday that the article was published in Zimbabwe's NewsDay newspaper. The story Thursday mentioned a "fresh health scare.''



Mugabe, who turned 93 last month, flew to Singapore on Wednesday for what his spokesman called a "scheduled medical review.''



Shava says reporter Richard Chidza, editor Wisdom Mudzungairi and executive Sifikile Thabete face a charge of insulting the president.



Shava works for Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, a group that says it has represented nearly 200 people charged with the same crime. People convicted of insulting Mugabe can face jail time, though some cases have been thrown out.
Researchers at Egypt's Nile University are developing a way to turn dried shrimp shells that would otherwise be thrown away into thin films of biodegradable plastic they hope will be used to make eco-friendly grocery bags and packaging.

Six months into their two-year project, the research team has managed to create a thin, clear prototype using chitosan, a material found in the shells of many crustaceans.

"If commercialized, this could really help us decrease our waste ... and it could help us improve our food exports because the plastic has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties," Irene Samy, a professor overseeing the project, told Reuters.

The researchers buy unwanted shrimp shells from restaurants, supermarkets and local fishermen at cheap prices.

Using shrimp shells is more sustainable because it could replace synthetic materials used in plastics and cut the amount of biowaste produced by the Egyptian food industry, Samy said.

The shells are cleaned, chemically treated, ground and dissolved into a solution that dries into thin films of plastic, a technique the team says has potential for large-scale industrial production.

"Egypt imports around 3,500 tonnes of shrimp, which produce 1,000 tonnes of shells as waste. ... Instead of throwing the shells away, we can make biodegradable plastic bags," Hani Chbib, a researcher on the project, told Reuters.

The project is a collaboration between the Nile University team of four and another research group at the University of Nottingham in Britain, where Samy conducted her post-doctoral research and first started experimenting with the idea.

The team has only produced small samples and the project is not yet ready to go into commercial production, but the team is working hard to develop properties that would allow the material to go into widespread use.

"We are continuing to work on enhancing its properties, like thermal stability and durability," Samy said.
In Zimbabwe, the process to name a new chief justice of the Supreme Court has become mired in legal challenges and politics.

At his farewell party Wednesday night, the outgoing chief justice, Godfrey Chidkyausiku, was asked if he had any disappointments in his career.

"Yes, there are times when things are not going the way they should. One of them is the way we are quarreling about my successor," Chidkyausiku said. "It's a big disappointment, but it's nothing that we can't overcome. In my view is, there is really no dispute, there is really no issue. With the passage of time, things are going to fall into place. I would have wanted to leave one, very united judiciary that is fearless, independent and with the back bone of steel."

His retirement didn't come as a surprise. The law requires the chief justice to retire at the age of 70, which Chidkyausiku reached in February.

Two months prior, the Judiciary Service Commission started public interviews to replace him. The commission then sent President Robert Mugabe a list of the three final candidates from which, by law, he can choose.

Then, from out of nowhere, Romeo Zibani, a law student, surfaced and successfully challenged the process at the High Court. That ruling was then dismissed by the Supreme Court after an appeal.

Zibani is represented by ruling party Member of Parliament and lawyer Jonathan Samukange. They have appealed to the Constitutional Court to uphold the High Court's ruling.

"A chief justice is different from an ordinary judge," Samukange said. "A chief justice does not only wear a judicial hat. He must also wear a political hat. That is why it is important and crucial that we have a chief justice who can work in harmony with his excellence the president. The president must choose who he wants to work with. It is like marriage, you marry someone whom you can stay with and work with in harmony for the interests of Zimbabwe as a whole."

Prior to 2013, the president had the power to handpick judges. But that year, Zimbabweans overwhelmingly voted to pass a new constitution that included this new procedure.

Mugabe has made no public statements on the chief justice question. However, a request to amend the constitution has been initiated by his vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The next Supreme Court sitting opens July 1. Lovemore Madhuku, a law professor at the University of Zimbabwe, is not optimistic the issue will be sorted out by then.

"I think the president wants to wait for the constitutional amendment," Madhuku said. "The constitutional amendment provides for an appointment which is not subject to controls by anybody. So it is the president's love for total control of the country which is always his approach to the way he governs."

Madhuku says politics are tangled up in this dispute, with elections just a year away. The Supreme Court would rule on electoral disputes.

Mugabe has announced his intention to run for re-election, but as the 93-year-old leader advances in age, debate over his succession grows louder and the chief justice could one day weigh in.

Local analysts say the country's current leadership would prefer a war veteran as the new chief justice. None of the three candidates proposed by the commission have that credential.
Positive Engagement on Brexit Matters Between Gibraltar and UK, Says Govt

The second meeting of the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) on Brexit between the United Kingdom and Gibraltar Governments took place this morning at the Cabinet Office buildings in Whitehall.

"The meeting was positive and constructive and a number of issues were covered in relation to the impact of the planned departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union" said a Govt spokesperson.

The Gibraltar delegation was led by the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and included the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia, who is responsible for Europe and Brexit work, the Attorney General Michael Llamas, the Financial Secretary Albert Mena and UK Representative Dominique Searle.

The United Kingdom delegation was chaired by Robin Walker MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union and included Sir Alan Duncan MP, Minister for Europe and the Americas and Lord Price, Minister at the Department of International Trade.

There was a lengthy and detailed discussion about areas like the land border, aviation and future trade agreements between the United Kingdom, the European Union and third countries. The importance of trade issues was reflected in the presence of Lord Price who is a Minister is that Department.

The next meeting of the JMC will take place after the negotiations have started, given that the UK intends to give formal notice of its departure from the EU later this month.

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC MP, said: "Todays meeting has been an excellent opportunity to engage with the three lead departments in the UK Government which are important to Gibraltar in the context of our Brexit work. Together we have looked at the politics of Brexit, we have looked at how our exit from the EU can create new opportunities for Gibraltar and how new partners around the world can work with us to create many of these new opportunities."
Among the key constituencies to watch out for will be Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav's Azamgarh, firebrand BJP leader Yogi Adityanath's Gorakhpur, Union Minister Kalraj Mishra's Deoria constituency and Mau seat from where jailed gangster-turned-MLA Mukhtar Ansari is contesting.

By India Today Web Desk: Voting on 49 Uttar Pradesh Assembly seats across 7 districts will be held today in the sixth phase of polling amid elaborate security arrangements.

Among the key constituencies to watch out for will be Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav's Azamgarh, firebrand BJP leader Yogi Adityanath's Gorakhpur, Union Minister Kalraj Mishra's Deoria constituency and Mau seat from where jailed gangster-turned-MLA Mukhtar Ansari is contesting.

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The penultimate phase of polling will also cover some districts bordering Nepal.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SIXTH PHASE Around 1.72 crore voters, including 94.60 lakh men and 77.84 lakh women, are eligible to cast their votes in this phase, which will decide the fate of 635 candidates. The districts going to polls are Mau, Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Deoria, Azamgarh and Ballia. The Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency has 10 assembly seats. Out of these, the Samajwadi Party had won nine in 2012. But this time, Mulayam Singh has not addressed a single meeting in his parliamentary constituency. BJP is contesting 45 seats and its ally Apna Dal is fighting on one. Another BJP partner Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party is contesting 3 seats. While BSP has fielded candidates on all 49 seats, the Samajwadi Party is contesting on 40 seats and Congress on 9 under one alliance. Prominent candidates in this phase include BSP turncoat Swami Prasad Maurya from Padrauna (Kushinagar), former BJP state president Surya Pratap Shahi from Pathardeva (Deoria), Shyam Bahadur Yadav (SP), son of former Governor Ram Naresh Yadav from Fulpur Pawai (Azamgarh), SP turncoats Ambika Chowhdury and Narad Rai, who are contesting on BSP ticket from Fefna (Ballia) and Ballia Sadar respectively. Mukhtar's son son Abbas is in the fray from Ghosi seat in Mau district. In the 2012 Assembly polls, out of the 49 seats, 27 were won by the Samajwadi Party, 9 by BSP, 7 by BJP, 4 by Congress and 2 by others. There will be 17,926 polling booths in this phase. The highest number of 23 candidates are contesting from Gorakhpur and the least candidates, numbering seven are standing from the Mohammadabad Gohna seat in Mau district. Central Paramilitary Forces have already reached the constituencies and have carried out a flag-march in sensitive areas. The Indo-Nepal border with Maharajganj and Gorakhpur, and the border with Bihar have been sealed. Police patrolling has been intensified along inter-district borders and barriers have been erected on highways to keep an eye on movements of vehicles.

Also read | Uttar Pradesh election: Myth of BJP stronghold in last 2 phases of polls

--- ENDS ---
Aviation and Border Meetings in London

The Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia yesterday met with UK Aviation Minister Lord Ahmad and Home Office Minister Robert Goodwill MP in London.

This is part of the continuing contact between the Gibraltar and U.K. Governments on matters related to the planned departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union.

In the first meeting, the Deputy Chief Minister put across the view of the Government in relation to existing and future Aviation measures and in the second he was able to draw attention to frontier issues including the Schengen Border Code.

Commenting on the meetings, Dr Garcia said:

"The Government continues to engage positively on Brexit with different parts of the United Kingdom Government. This intense political work shows that we are leaving no stone unturned in making known the position of Gibraltar both in London and in Brussels."




Governor's Meadow Gets Special Visit from Local Author Sonia Golt

Governor's Meadow School celebrated World Book Day in style with a special visit from local author Sonia Golt.

During an assembly, Sonia read to the pupils, who were dressed in fantastic book-themed costumes and inspired them to write their own stories as a means of exploring their passions and developing their ideas.
Alec Baldwin on SNL. Photo: NBC

Much like his comedy muse Donald Trump, Alec Baldwin has a predilection for Twitter fights. Instead of fighting with Trump himself though, Baldwin spent a chunk of Wednesday feuding with a fellow Donald Trump impersonator, Anthony Atamanuik. The trouble started when Baldwin discussed the White House Correspondents Dinner on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, specifically explaining that while he is not actively lobbying to play Trump at the gig, some Trump impersonators are. Atamanuik, who portrayed Trump on Midnight throughout the election and has a pinned tweet of the show discussing Mark Hamill endorsing him for the WHCD job, took Baldwins remarks as directed at him. In response, he tweeted No ones lobbying Alec. I think it was @midnight that did that for me. But thank you for the f@%k you on Kimmel. Baldwin then acknowledged the tweet with a curt, Youre welcome.

You're welcome  HABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) March 2, 2017

The flareup marks Baldwins first engagement with Atamanuik, but it is not the beginning of their beef. That goes back to October of last year, when Baldwin began playing Trump on Saturday Night Live, after Atamanuik auditioned for the show with impressions of Trump and, in something of a cruel turn, Baldwin. Then, in Baldwins first appearance as Trump, he pronounced China as Gyna, a joke many found similar, if not outright identical, to Atamanuiks own.

At the time, Atamanuik never explicitly accused Baldwin of plagiarism. On Wednesday, however, comedian James Adomian, who played Bernie Sanders to Atamanuiks Trump in sketches throughout the election, suggested just that during Atamanuik and Baldwins tiff. He tweeted, Anthony Atamanuik auditioned for SNL last year and then they used his audition tape for Alec to rip. Or as its known at SNL, a number 4! Baldwin, who said on Kimmel that he did his Trump spin with almost no preparation, shot back with threats of a lawsuit.

Anthony Atamanuik auditioned for SNL last year and then they used his audition tape for Alec to rip. Or as it's known at SNL, a number 4!  James Adomian (@JAdomian) March 2, 2017

...@JAdomian

Oh, James. I'd sue you for this, but the only thing you have is bitterness and obscurity.  HABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) March 2, 2017

So far, the president himself has stayed out of it, but, honestly, who knows for how long?
. Photo: Twitter

The latest release from an injury-prone Ed Sheeran has finally made a safe landing. After a three-month delay,  (or Divide, for the non-polymaths among you) is here. The 16-track effort is Sheerans third studio album and first since 2014s x. Its previously released tunes, including Shape of You, Castle on the Hill, and How Would You Feel (Paean) are all here, plus some new and undoubtedly tender material. Track Ed Sheerans artistic development  particularly his presumable incorporation of more, er, cymbals  by giving  a listen below.
Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Heres a thought: Star Wars upcoming Han Solo stand-alone film will be the franchises coolest. The origin story, which stars Alden Ehrenreich as the young Corellian smuggler, will also feature The Wire breakout Michael K. Williams, according to Variety. The trade magazine says Williams is in final talks to play a key role that is likely top secret. Williams missed the first cast photo, but hell likely join Donald Glover (playing Lando Calrissian), Thandie Newton, Woody Harrelson (playing Han Solos unnamed mentor), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (playing a CGI character?), and Emilia Clarke in the prequel. Williamss current gig is on ABCs When We Rise. Galaxy rogues, beware: When you come at the king, you best not miss.



Update, March 6: Disney has officially confirmed that Williams joined the cast of the film.
Kristen Schaal

Kristen Schaal is one of the most original, inventive comedians of the last 20 years, but is she a stand-up? It would appear to be a simple question, considering she performs every week at the stand-up show she co-hosts with Kurt Braunohler, Hot Tub. But its not so simple, since Schaal didnt come up through the typical stand-up channels  while starting out, she was more likely to perform in performance-art spaces than stand-up clubs. On the most recent episode of Good One, Schaal talks about coming to terms with her position in stand-up and the process behind her conceptual bits.

Listen to the episode and read an excerpt of our discussion below. Tune in to Good One every Monday on iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Why do you like this joke?

It might have been my first joke. Well, I dont even really call it a joke. Its a bit. I had a dream about it. I had a dream I was onstage trying to perform and the birdcage was empty. From there it evolved to the song. I dont do it in my half-hour special, but when I would perform it live before, I would sing I Got You Babe without the bird.

You just did half of it?

Yeah, and I would wait for it. It would just get sadder and sadder.

The special was in 2009. When did you have the first idea?

I probably was doing it for at least about two years before. I did it almost immediately because at the beginning of my career, I was constantly putting up whatever new material I could think of in little clubs and open mics. I did purchase a birdcage. That was a lot of money. I went to the pet store, got a birdcage.

Youre, like, Im committed to this.

Yeah, that is the thing when you pick a prop. I love that bit so much, I tried to do it with a fish tank and that didnt work so well. Then I thought it would be funny to do it with a horse. So when I still living in Brooklyn, I was able to get my hands on saddle. I picked it up and carried that saddle on the subway because I couldnt pay for a cab at that time. Dragged it all the way to UCB and did the bit. Just like the bird, the horse leaves and theres a giant note under the horse that looks like a horse wrote it. I remember the audiences reaction wasnt as enthusiastic as I wanted for the weight of the saddle. So I drug it home, and never did that bit again until my one-hour special. Now I have this saddle in my bedroom and every time people come over theyre like, Wooo, kinky! They all think its a sex toy. It is not. Its just my albatross of comedy props that Im not giving up on.

Do you still have the cage too?

Mhmm. I got a better cage when I did the special. I had a tiny little red cage and I used that for the Andy Kaufman contest and the Aspen Comedy Festival. Then I got a nice gold cage that was TV-ready. It was a TV cage!

You said this joke came to you in a dream. What was in it?

Yeah, I just dreamt of an empty birdcage and I woke up and I was like, Thats something.

How did you add to it?

I just had to really figure out performance-wise the reveal. If its covered, theres excitement to showing your disappointment when its revealed. It needs to be contrasted, so I covered the birdcage. Build it up, oh my god, everyone will be so excited. See the birds gone. I always had a note that was tiny like a bird wrote it. At some point, Im not sure when, I thought itd be funny if the bird calls me to have a conversation. I realized after doing the bit once that it was pretty short, but then you try to think of other things to make carrying a birdcage across the Lower East Side worthwhile.

When you decided to include a one-sided phone call are you intentionally thinking about the history of that form?

My goal in the phone call was I wanted the audience to see the most private thing become public. If were gonna get deep about it too, I never like talking about myself. A lot of comedians will talk about their personal lives and its so powerful because its real and its engaging and its embarrassing. I never did that, mostly because I found my personal life quite boring.

You like your own personal life, but you dont expect other people to.

Yeah, theres no way I could figure out how it was interesting to an audience. But I did like that vulnerability, so I was trying to bring that vulnerability through the phone call and having a little meltdown onstage. That led to my overall love of showing little bombs onstage.

What do you like about a bit not working or, I guess, the perception that somethings not working?

Its unexpected. People go to a comedy show because comedy can go either way. A little bit of the titillation when you see a live stand-up show is that youre pretty sure theyre going to make you laugh, but  To me, theres always this thing of What if  what if  How are they going to handle this if it doesnt work out? Because it is so raw. Its not TV. They cant put a laugh track in. Youre out there. I found that part of stand-up really exciting. I thought it would be fun to control that and show it and make a bomb really funny.

Beyond the original idea, how did you write the bits?

Usually when I do stand-up bits, I riff and then I remember. If I looked at my old comedy notebooks, I would be like, A birdcage. Birds not in it. That would be it. I remember Comedy Central wanted the scripts for the Presents special and I was like, Oh, its not written anywhere  I had to type it out. It felt gross, actually. When you look at it on paper, it sort of loses its life a little bit.

Youre like, Oh, this is very rigid and planned. And thats the exact opposite of what youre trying to capture.

Exactly.

Do you think of it as a character when youre conceiving a bit?

In those days, I was always a character. And when I would write the bits, it would always be in third person of what The Girl was doing. My goal was that The Girl was always at a stand-up club where she didnt belong. The Girl thinks shes at poetry reading or whatever. Shes always in the wrong place trying to do the wrong thing for that venue. It was so helpful because it was very freeing. Because it wasnt about me, it was about this character, which was me, but not me.

Is that still the case or do you feel like youre now a little bit more like yourself?

Yeah, now I have to be me. I cant hide behind that anymore because now people know who I am. Which is great. It would be really sad if they didnt at this point, 15 years later. But it did change it for me. Its why when you asked me my favorite bits, all of the sudden, it was all of those from that era. That was a more innocent time.

Did being in character allow you to make that joke at the start about how you wanted to do the special with Kurt but youre more famous than him, so you just did it yourself.

That was true. Kurt and I did want to do a special together. And that was a point where I was more famous from the show, but the work that I was doing with Kurt, I was enjoying a lot more. I was getting pushed to do a special of me, but I was using all my energy writing sketches with Kurt and they wouldnt let me and Kurt have a thing. It was so annoying. Thats why I sort of made it into a joke.

In both specials there are jokes that involve animals. I know you grew up with animals, do you think thats part of what draws you to that?

Yeah, I think so. I would project human qualities on to them always. And I found them really sad. Growing up, Id be like Oh my god, youre a dog. Thats so depressing because youll never know what schools like and you cant sit at the dinner table and eat the same food as us. Youre just a second-class citizen in the worst way. I hate that youre a dog. I hate it so much.

I was thinking about Steve Martins approach of not giving the audience a clear cue to laugh, so that they surprise themselves with their laughing. You work in that same area. How does that affect your comedy?

In some regard, it takes the pressure off in expecting a laugh and then not getting it and taking a deep breath and plowing forward. On the other hand when you write this sort of material, if it really isnt working [laughs] then you have no escape. Theres no Plan B. You cant just shift gears or go to another subject. That is really scary, but when people start laughing and theyre just enjoying it in ways that you expected, but didnt know for sure, its just the best.

You performed in different venues than many comedians starting out. What did that mean for shaping your act?

They had a lot to do with it. When I first moved to New York, I was so depressed and sad because I couldnt get even a waiting job. Id just walk in and be like, Id like a waiting job. And theyd hear my voice and then be like, No. Then I stumbled into the show Eating It at the Luna Lounge. I was instantly like, [Gasps] Im supposed to be in New York. I went every Monday night, stood in the back, and talked to no one for about two years  just took it all in. In the meantime, Id discovered Surf Reality with Faceboyz [Open Mic], when you would go and everyone could perform. You would just put your name into a hat and everyone would get eight minutes.

Was it more of a performance-art than comedy space?

You could do stand-up, but there were a lot of people using it for whatever they needed at the time. I felt like there was a minority of cases where people were using it almost as their therapy. I saw a guy call his dad on his cell phone and ask him why he ruined his life. His dad did not realize he was on speaker in front of an audience. I loved it. Surf Reality and Collective: Unconscious with Reverend Jen were the two that would make sure that I had new pieces ready to go every week.

I felt like totally free to do whatever I wanted. Also, I graduated from Northwestern with a degree in performance studies. I remember this one time where I was doing this crazy character who wore a wig and she would perform famous movies like Star Wars and Jaws without any words. It was all in nonverbals. I did it at a show, called the Gong Show. It was perfect for that because I won a George Foreman cooker. I remember thinking, This is good. This is actually a good character.

But the problem is being in those worlds separated me from what couldve made me money. Like Conan had some scouts coming to Stand-up New York on the Upper West Side and I got a slot. I remember I was temping at a law firm as a paralegal, working nights, but they let me go to do this showcase. I came after people doing real stand-up, like, So I got divorced They were telling jokes as themselves and people were there and they understood the agreement and I went up with this woman who wasnt speaking English and people couldnt handle it. They were just like, No. I bombed so hard and I crawled back to the law firm and I was just like, I dont understand. I got a George Foreman Grill at this Lower East Side Gong Show with all these weirdos and  Its just not translating! So ultimately it hurt and it helped.



How important is it for you to create context, a universe where your comedy make sense?

Its not at all. Whats fun is that it would be out of context. It didnt matter where it was, but then it didnt always work.

Ive heard you never specifically wanted to be a stand-up comedian. How do you feel about that now?

I started stand-up because I wanted to be an actress and nobody wanted to cast me in anything. It was the way I broke in, but I dont consider myself a stand-up first. I do consider myself a comedian. But as far as stand-up I just took such a different road with it. I dont do exactly what the people that I think work really hard at it do. I dont feel like I get to have the privilege of being called a stand-up. But I am a stand-up.

The other day I was doing Family Feud and Steve Harvey came out was like, Aw, so weve got ten stand-ups here. I was like, Eleven, looking at him, and he gave me a high-five. He was like, Thats the only thing that matters to me is my stand-up. Afterwards, one of the people on my team was like, None of us are stand-ups. He didnt even research. But then I was like, Oh, well actually, I am. Theyre like, Oh you are? Im like, Yeah, I am, I actually really am. Ive been doing it. I have three specials. I have a show thats been going on 12 years. I guess I really am. I guess I just have to say Im a stand-up.
Though most of Lil Rel Howerys Get Out scenes take place when hes alone (sometimes hes with a dog), he is always in conversation. Rels TSA agent Rod is the voice of the audience, a vision of what it would be like if someone who talks back to a horror movies entered a horror movie himself. A week after Rel became the breakout star of the years biggest breakout hit, Vulture spoke with the comedian about seeing the movie in an audience, how his opinion of the TSA has changed, and the films alternate, very depressing, ending. (Warning: This post contains spoilers for Get Out.)



I read that you and Jordan first talked about the movie at a party a year before it shot. Do you remember what that conversation was like?

All he said is that it was a horror film. It was at a party, so it was a brief conversation, but I could tell that it was something that he might want me to go out for. Once my agent sent me the script, I was blown away by it. Id never read anything like that before. I thought, This is crazy. This is gonna get made!?

What did you think about Rod when you first read the script?

Rod is the audience. I dont know if weve ever seen that in a horror film before, where somebody actually right away is going Damn!? From the beginning, Rod was like, I dont think you should go. Thats what actually attracted me to the character. He believes in what he was saying.

I saw the movie and there was a couple behind me who were talking through it, but its funny because they would say something, and then in the next scene you would show up and say almost the exact same thing. They loved it, and I loved it too. Have you seen the movie as a non-screening, with a regular audience? Have you noticed this yourself?

Yes, Ive seen it nine times now, because I go with a different group of friends. Ill probably go again today. Ive never seen anything like it, where it felt like the audience was having a conversation with a character in a movie. They talk as if he can hear them. [Laughs.] Hes saying everything theyre saying.

I imagine you travel a lot as a stand-up. What was your opinion of TSA agents before making this movie?

My respect for TSA agents went up a notch. We look at em like, You cant bother me, Im gettin on my flight. Stop wastin my time. Theyre doing it to protect us. Their job is to do everything theyre doing. We sometimes dont respect other peoples jobs, because were caught up in our world. I feel honored to honor a TSA agent.

A lot of your scenes are you in the shot alone. What was Jordans directing like in those scenes?

This is the amazing thing about this cast. I wasnt alone in those scenes. Daniel [Kaluuya] was off camera during those scenes and Id be off camera when hes talking to me. That scene with Allison [Williams] and me, she was there the whole time.

Jordans a great director because he lets the actors make their own choices. As long as youre not too off script, he lets you do what you do. All the energy I brought to each scene was realistically how I think somebody would say things to their best friend if they were in trouble. Even in the last scene, because of the way my character is, I knew he couldnt just say a nice thing. You know what I mean? He had to say the I told you so first.

What did you think of Rod?

Crazy enough, Rod is a lot like me. Im that type of friend. Im not gonna go steal an airport car and go save someone. Thats crazy. But I will do almost anything for any of my friends. It wasnt too far off from who I am, which is why this was a dream role. I basically deliver everything in the voice Id deliver it.

I feel like when people write comic relief in non-comedy, theyre just like, Lets make a stupid person that we can cut to. Was it important it to make him seem smart while still being funny?

Yes. The biggest word Jordan used all the time was real  We need Rod to be real. There were other auditions. Some people were funny. Theres a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny. You watched my special before, those are real people. I couldnt even act it being silly. There are real people who talk like that. He needed somebody who could deliver real on the screen and then have it be funny. Because real people are funny.

If youre real in a crazy situation, then that itself if going to be funny.

Yeah, common sense is funny, when youre trying to tell somebody to get out of a house because theyre about to get murdered there. [Laughs.] It happens to me every day when my friends ask for advice. If youre not going to listen, why ask me!? It turns out to be funny and they laugh, and Im like, No, Im serious.

You said Jordan gave you a lot of freedom, do you remember specific things you improvised?

Remember when I put [Williams] on hold and Im like, Oh shit! I figure out that shes lying, and then I say, The TSA tingles. That was just me riffin. Id go on a rant, then they yell cut. I just keep going because I might have forgotten the exact line. But one thing about my improv, I always know how to get right back to whatever Im supposed to say. I go out and do crazy stuff and then go right back. Like with the Jeffrey Dahmer line. Thats not the exact thing that Im supposed to say but it sounded good. Jordan loved that though. The energy felt right, so he kept it. I was surprised that that stayed in there. Now, when this DVD comes out, they get all types of outtakes. I cannot wait to see that.

That scene at the end when you show up in the cop car, the audience I was in nearly gave you a standing ovation. Did it feel special shooting it?

I can say this now because its actually going to be on the DVD: There are two endings.

Wait, really?

Yes. The original was intended to be much sadder and realer. Its almost too sad. Jordans genius was he was like, Okay, this is a movie, we cant end it like this. Its too real. The ending was very real. Thats all I can say. Its going to be on the DVD as the alternate ending.

With the ending that is in the movie, I didnt realize, Oh, the audience is going to go crazy until I went to do ADR. That moment, when all you see is the lights on their bodies and the sounds of the car, you know whats about to happen. Every audience Ive seen it in, was like, Oh come on, man! They dont even notice Im about to get out of the car because theyre all hurt already. They dont even want to see the rest of the movie  like, Where is the door, so I can get up out of here? But then when I come out that car, the crowd just erupts. If anything, thats a gratifying feeling, seeing them lose their minds, taking them on that ride in that last scene.

I read that your agent is getting a lot of scripts for you now, because people are seeing you differently. Its famously hard for comedians to get out of a certain sort of box Hollywood might want to put them into.

Everybody makes a decision about where they want their career to go. If I really want something, I put a lot of effort into it. If I dont want something, I wont. And this script, as a comedic actor, this is what you dream of. Its not a comedy, so the only person whos going to be funny in this movie is me! Im not sharing the funny with nobody. This is great. If youre going to walk away thinking of anybody being hilarious its only going to be me! And to have Jordan Peele, whos another performer so hes not married to every little thing  hes actually enjoying watching the performance. Youre actually doing it better than he thought. I hope that the next few roles that I get, and theres a couple scripts Im looking at now, even the stuff Im going to develop on my own, I aint staying in line. I got a lot of range to me. You aint seen nothing yet.

Do you have plans to fly anytime soon?

You know whats funny? Im going back and forth about flying this weekend, for no reason. Just to go to the airport. Shit, Ill fly Friday and come back Saturday just to see what would happen at the airport. It would be funny if nothing happened  if nobody cares. Its just, Sir, could you please take off your shoes?
Chris Rock. Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty Images for iHeart

As Netflix increasingly positions itself as a major player across TV and film, one particular content arena has seemed to enchant its executives: the good, old-fashioned stand-up special. And as the Verge reports, the streaming service is poised to release several specials by high- and less-high-profile comedians this year, to the tune of one new special per week for the rest of 2017. Its part of a larger scheme on Netflixs part to double their original content and, of course, to become profitable. One reason for the focus on stand-up is just bottom line: A seemingly insane investment, like, say, $100 million for Jerry Seinfelds web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, is actually more affordable to produce than a high-cost scripted drama  while still being exclusive and having some cool/cachet factor. However, part of the story is also Netflixs stated goal to become the major player in every content category. And doing that in comedy means buying up new work from the marquee names, everyone from Seinfeld to Chris Rock to Amy Schumer to Louis C.K. Big moves garner big results: Per The Verge, HBO  the former biggest player when it came to television stand-up specials  released three stand-up specials in 2016. Netflix, on the other hand, released 25. For the streamers sake, heres hoping that an investment in stand-up will not only be funny business, but smart business as well.
Just yesterday, Seth Meyers was among those fearful that the Trump administration would enjoy a breezy week courtesy of Donald Trumps mostly lucid address to Congress. Well, fret not, because, as with the dregs of 90s fashion, nostalgia for the recently feared past is about to come back en vogue. For that, we have the firestorm brewing around Jeff Sessionss ties to Russia to thank, though for some reason the change of pace doesnt have Seth Meyers passing around the party favors. (Okay, maybe a deflated balloon or two, but only for emphasis.) Hey, though, if Pin the Tail on the Donkey does make an appearance, we might know where to direct your aim.
Cheesecake, anyone? Photo: ABC

Three decades after its debut, The Golden Girls is still indelible: midnight cheesecake summits in the kitchen, hushed conversations on the lanai, snowy memories of St. Olaf, Old World tall tales of Sicily circa 1922, Pussycat, and even poor Stan Zbornak are all unmistakably Golden Girls. And with all 180 episodes of NBCs juggernaut comedy now available on Hulu, a whole new generation has the chance to fall for Rose, Blanche, Sophia, and Dorothy.

Its an occasion not lost on the creators of the 11-time Emmy-winning series, which ran on NBC from 1985 to 1992 and centered on four women of a certain age living together in Miami. Vulture spoke to the brain trust behind The Golden Girls  creator Susan Harris and executive producers Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas, the veteran writing team behind such classic sitcoms as Soap and Benson  about the often bizarre, enduring legacy of their groundbreaking series, how the notion of a show about older women has changed since the 80s, their strangest cameos (George Clooney?), the pain of a failed spinoff, and the enduring magic of Betty White.

Tony and Paul, you were actually pitching a different show to NBC before Golden Girls. What was it and how did you ultimately land on the concept of four older women living together in Miami?

Paul Junger Witt: Whatever we were pitching was with another writer, and I dont recall what it was. But I do know the network was not anxious to proceed with it. [Laughs.] Then some NBC execs told us about an event that had taken place at their affiliates convention in Florida that year  Miami Vice was a big hit at the time  and two older actresses performed a brief sketch for the crowd called Miami Nice. It gave them an idea: What about a show featuring women of a certain age? The writer we were working with wasnt interested, so Tony and I said, We know someone who might be the ideal for this. I got home, told Susan about it, and that was the start.

Im curious, how old exactly did execs consider a woman of a certain age to be in 1985?

Susan Harris: Its funny, when Paul said, Theyre thinking about doing a show with older women, it excited me. I wasnt writing at the time, and wasnt intending to again, but the word older got me. I was figuring women who were 60 to 70, but when we went to the network, we found out that older to them meant women in their 40s, which was astonishing to me because I think thats what I was at the time. We managed to compromise at the women hovering around late 50, early 60s. But ultimately, their ages were never expressly mentioned.

They were simply retirement age.

SH: Right. At least I got to include Sophia, who really was old. [Laughs.]

I read somewhere that then-Disney president Michael Eisner, whose company produced the series, said you needed the Sophia character in order to make other women seem younger. In the age of fake news, I must ask: Is this rumor true?

PJW: No, thats a complete and absolute myth. [Laughs.]

Glad I checked! I also read that there was originally a gay male house boy character in the pilot. I really, really want this rumor to be true.

SH: Yes, there was!

PJW: But it turned out to be an embarrassment of riches. There were just too many funny people in the story.

SH: Too many good people to write for in what essentially was 22 minutes a week.

Susan, when you were writing the pilot, to what extent did you collaborate with Paul and Tony along the way? Were they hovering over your shoulder?

SH: Weve always collaborated by first talking it out  the characters and the story  then I go off and write.

PJW: She faced the blank page alone.

Tony Thomas: The real thrill!

When you turned the pilot script into NBC, were then-network president Brandon Tartikoff and his protege Warren Littlefield giving you notes? This was the cusp of Tartikoffs golden era at the network, so I imagine you had a lot of feedback.

TT: Yes, it was Brandon, Warren, and [thenexecutive vice president of prime-time programming] Perry Simon. And their collective reaction was rather ecstatic. It was, Shoot it.

Did they envision the show as the networks marquee comedy for Saturday night?

PJW: I think demographically they thought it would be a good fit. But I dont think anyone realized it would become the complete smash hit that it was. We believed in it as much as anything we had ever done, but the good luck in being able to assemble that cast? Had any one of these four women been off doing something else, we might very well have been a lesser show.

Speaking of casting: Susan, when you were writing the pilot, did you have specific actresses in mind? Its impossible now to envision anyone else playing those roles.

SH: I definitely had Bea Arthur in mind when I wrote Dorothy. I think I even described the character in the script as a Bea Arthur type. [Laughs.] When Betty [White] came in, she read the part of Blanche but [director] Jay Sandrich said, Why have her do Blanche? She already played that character on Mary Tyler Moore. Why not have her be Rose? So Rue [McClanahan] read for Blanche, and then Tony went to New York and found Estelle Getty for Sophia. He called and said, Ive got her!

Theres been a lot of lore surrounding Estelle. Did you purposely cast someone in her early 60s to play a character in her 80s so you wouldnt have to worry about her ultimately becoming too old to work?

PJW: No, that never came into play. We were just looking for the best person for the role.

I heard that the late, wonderful Elaine Stritch was in the running for Dorothy before Bea. Did she actually audition for you?

TT: Elaine was someone we knew, respected, and considered very, very, very seriously. She came out and read for us and was quite good. But Bea had an edge to her that we just found irresistible; the chemistry among the ladies was such that we ended up with the perfect foursome.

So you make the pilot and NBC is thrilled with the results. How quickly do you get a series order after your premiere?

TT: We were a fall premiere, and we immediately got a full 12 order. Even our dress [rehearsal] show was so good that everyone felt overwhelmed with excitement. I think NBC already knew they had something special after a preview screening wed done for affiliates and press at the Waldorf Astoria in their largest room in New York  a process of course now called the upfronts  and the reaction was extraordinary. A standing ovation. [Late TV director] Bruce Paltrow was sitting at our table and turned to Susan and said, This is the best pilot Ive ever seen.

PJW: It was an amazing experience.

TT: Two-thousand people in that ballroom, screaming and laughing.

Related Stories The Golden Girls Proved Its Fearlessness Yet Again When It Tackled HIV/AIDS

Ive always been struck by how many serious and politically charged topics you tackled in the show, including AIDS, homosexuality, gay marriage, cross-dressing, elder care, and even one where Dorothy struggles to diagnose her own chronic fatigue syndrome. How much pushback or support did you get from NBC regarding these story lines?

PJW: We got a great deal of support. They knew what they had and trusted our capabilities. Having been able to make a comedy that was so real is what makes whats going on with Golden Girls right now possible. It was never just about jokes. Those episodes meant the most to us because we tackled serious subjects that needed to be dealt with on a national level, and this was a safe way for people to see, hear, and absorb them.

Did you infuse any personal experiences into these particular episodes?

SH: The chronic fatigue one was actually something that I was personally going through at the time. This was before there was a diagnosis of chronic fatigue. I had all the symptoms, but had very bad experiences with doctors, some of whom told me to dye my hair a different color and asked whether Paul and I were getting along in our marriage.

PJW: Take a Valium.

SH: Yeah, exactly. Then Paul read an article in Rolling Stone by a woman who had the same symptoms, and they were calling it chronic fatigue syndrome. He said, Thats you! So the episode was my way at getting back at all the doctors who didnt believe me; my revenge script for all the people out there who had a disease like that. In the end, it turned out I did not have chronic fatigue syndrome  it was an adrenal issue  but the fact that the episode inspired so many people to go to the doctor was incredible.

PJW: It also got people to stand up to doctors. That was a level of sexism I had never witnessed before. I was appalled.

SH: I walked out of the room a couple times and told Paul, I cant  you deal with this.

Which was your favorite episode to write? Can you possibly choose?

SH: For me its still the pilot. Its about so more than just writing a script. Youre literally creating these people, but you dont even know who they are yet! After we had the cast, the show started to write itself. We knew we didnt have to necessarily give Bea a line. All she had to do was turn her head and look at somebody. That made our job so much easier.

TT: Some people may not remember that the premise of the pilot was that they were breaking up as roommates.

SH: Oh, thats right. Wasnt it that Rose was getting married?

TT: Blanche was getting married, which was a controversial story line to have in a pilot, like, thats how were starting this show? But Susan pulled it off.

Tony, you grew up in a showbiz family, with father Danny Thomas and sister Marlo Thomas. When did you realize this show had hit the cultural Zeitgeist?

TT: There were two moments. The first was when we first debuted as a new show at No. 3. I was quite surprised, especially with us being on Saturday night. We could have been a flash in the pan. The second moment was around episode six. We were all down on the stage in our chairs, watching the run-through and laughing. The scene broke and we gathered our notes. I remember turning to Paul and Susan and saying, This is a show that will last forever. Its like I Love Lucy. The comedy is comedy and the real is real. This will go on. I mean, we were tired but the show never was. [Laughs.]

After seven seasons of strong ratings, you decided to wrap the series in 1992. I imagine the network hated to see you go. Why did you end it?

TT: Bea decided that, having been in so many other series, she did not want to continue. It was a decision we regretted, but understood. She didnt want to spend the next X years of her life doing what she saw as the same thing over and over. Not that the episodes had became predictable, but I think she had basically had it with series TV. And to do the show without Bea wasnt possible. Her reactive comedy was as brilliant as anyone we had ever seen. Continuing without her was not appealing.

One thing that hasnt changed in 32 years is that making a hit network comedy is still an absolute grind.

PJW: Its very tiresome.

You had a lot of notable cameos throughout the show, including Burt Reynolds, Mickey Rooney, Bob Hope, Dick Van Dyke, and Leslie Nielsen. But my favorite is when Quentin Tarantino pops in as an Elvis Presley impersonator in the 1988 episode Sophias Wedding. When did you realize that hed been on the show? He hadnt become Quentin the Director yet.

TT: We didnt know it until well after the fact. Our casting director had put out the call for Elvis look-alikes, none of which had a prominent role, and only later we learned that one of them was Quentin Tarantino. But an even more interesting story is that we once got a call from George Clooneys agent asking, Do you have anything George might be right for? We need to get him a couple of gigs so he can keep up on his insurance in the guild. The writers got the call and so he was put in a show.

What did he play?

TT: I think an undercover cop?

NBC liked what they saw so much, they kept him on their casting roster until ER.

TT: I dont think his Golden Girls cameo got him that job. [Laughs.] I just think it kept his insurance going.

When I interviewed Don Cheadle a couple years ago, we talked about his role in The Golden Girls sequel, The Golden Palace. Despite your two successful spinoffs in Empty Nest and Nurses, both of which premiered during Golden Girls run, Golden Palace didnt work. How difficult was it to try and re-create the magic of the original series, and then see it fail after one season?

TT: We definitely had mixed feelings about doing it, but what we felt more than anything was a responsibility to the crew and staff. We had been employing a lot of people, so to just pull the plug would have meant ending something that provided a very satisfying life for a lot of people. It would be unfair to say it was against our better judgment to do the spinoff because all of those concerns influenced our decision to do Golden Palace. And by the way, Don was amazing. Cheech Marin was amazing. And of course, we still had the other three women. But it was a tough haul. I think we were exhausted.

Did you have any time off between shows?

TT: No, I think Golden Palace went on the very next season.

SH: Did I write it?

TT: Yeah, you must have.

SH: I vaguely remember. [Laughs.]

The show has been ubiquitous since it first went into syndication in 1990, and now its reaching an entirely new audience on Hulu. Theres even a Golden Girlsthemed cafe that just opened in New York called Rue La Rue. I have a lovely set of ceramic Golden Girls coasters I use on a daily basis. How insane does it feel to still be getting attention for a show that premiered 32 years ago?

TT: First to be clear, its not a Golden Girlsthemed cafe, its a Rue McClanahan restaurant. Her family asked if they could do that and we and Disney said, Yes, that would be fine with us. But its not something we are involved in. [Laughs.] No, its all wonderful. So many memories of the three of us working together at the peak of our abilities, of the good fortune of collaborating with those directors and writers, and particularly of those four women coming together and bringing life to Susans brilliant script. It was seven years of total joy.

SH: I mean, wed had a very good time working on Soap. But I dont think we ever had such a good time as on Golden Girls.

PJW: Its utterly exciting that our show still commands the kind of audience and affection that it does. And some of our biggest fans today hadnt even been born when we first premiered.

At 95, Betty White is now the last surviving member of the main cast. Are you still in touch with her?

PJW: She actually lives around the corner from us and we see her from time to time. She is just one of the most spectacular people on the planet.

SH: I was out walking about a year ago and a car came by me and screeched to a halt. Someone yelled out, Susan! I ran up to the window. It was Betty, and she was driving  at age 94. We talked briefly and then she said, I gotta go, Im late for makeup. She is really incredible.

This interview has been edited and condensed.
By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Mar 3 (PTI) Beleaguered Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from any probe into Donald Trumps election campaign amid the snowballing controversy over his alleged contacts with Russia which the US President described as a "witch hunt".

"I have decided to recuse myself from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for President of the US," Sessions said in a statement amid calls for his resignation from top Democrats after it emerged that he had met Russias ambassador here during the presidential polls campaign.

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His remarks came after President Trump said that he had "total" confidence in Sessions and he should not recuse himself from the Russia probe. However, Sessions went ahead with his decision despite the US Presidents backing.

"This announcement should not be interpreted as confirmation of the existence of any investigation or suggestive of the scope of any such investigation," Sessions said.

"Consistent with the succession order for the Department of Justice, Acting Deputy Attorney General and US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Dane Boente shall act as and perform the functions of the Attorney General with respect to any matters from which I have recused myself to the extent they exist," he said.

Sessions said that during the course of the confirmation proceedings of his nomination to be the US Attorney General, he advised the Senate Judiciary Committee that "if a specific matter arose where I believed my impartiality might reasonably be questioned, I would consult with (the) Department Ethics officials regarding the most appropriate way to proceed."

"During the course of the last several weeks, I have met with the relevant senior Career Department officials to discuss whether I should recuse myself from any matters arising from the campaigns for President of the US," Sessions said.

Trump, in a series of tweets, lashed out at the Democrats and defended Sessions.

"Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional. This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win," Trump said.

"The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election, and now they have lost their grip on reality. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!" Trump said.

Democrats are accusing Sessions of perjury and demanding his immediate resignation.

They have also called for an independent probe into contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia. PTI LKJ AJR ASK AKJ ASK

--- ENDS ---
In the annals of the ever-expanding universe that is throwing together a bunch of famous humans in late-night television games, there is usually not much there there. No offense, everyone involved. But that is not so in the case here, as Jimmy Fallon sets a Tonight Show Catchphrase match for the ages: Octavia Spencer and John Lithgow versus Fallon and country-music star Luke Bryan. Its surprisingly nail-biting, high-stakes business from the outset, with Luke Bryan first thanking Jimmy for setting him up for failure against two world-class actors. Of course much focus, pseudo-restrained miming and excitement then ensues. But most important, this clip is just a long, beautiful audition tape for an as-yet-unwritten film where Octavia Spencer and John Lithgow shout at each other, only helpfully. Get writing, Hollywood.
The following movies are showing at first-run theaters Regal Jewel 16 (RJ16), Starplex Galaxy 16 (SG16) and the Waco Hippodrome (WH).

New in theaters

BEFORE I FALL  A popular teen learns about lasting values in reliving the final day of her life in a youth-targeted story that might make some parents squirm. Rated PG-13. Mature thematic content involving profanity, drinking, sexuality and bullying, all involving teens, and some violent images. 1 hour, 39 minutes. SG16, RJ16.

LOGAN  Violent, darker and complex chapter of the X-Man Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) saga has him protecting a child pursued for her special powers. Rated R. Frequent profanity, brief nudity, strong brutal violence. 2 hours, 21 minutes. RJ16, SG16.

THE SHACK  Adaptation of William Paul Youngs best-selling novel about a grieving man healed through a metaphorical encounter with the Christian Trinity stumbles on a thin main character and glib answers to hard questions. Rated PG-13. Thematic material, some violence. 2 hours, 12 minutes. SG16, RJ16.

TABLE 19  Flat, contrived comedy about a table of misfits at a wedding that makes the audience feel just as uncomfortable. Rated PG-13. Profanity, sexual content, brief nudity, thematic elements, drug use. 1 hour, 27 minutes. SG16.

Also showing

COLLIDE  An American backpacker (Nicholas Hault) in Europe aids a robbery to pay for a girlfriends medical emergency, only to find himself targeted when it goes wrong. Rated PG-13. Profanity, some sexuality, drug material, violence, frenetic action. 1 hour, 39 minutes. SG16.

A DOGS PURPOSE A slobbery, wet kiss for dog lovers, but a bit corny and sentimental story following a dogs spirit through five successive incarnations. Rated PG. Thematic elements, some peril. 1 hour, 40 minutes. SG16, RJ16.

FIFTY SHADES DARKER  The sex-playing couple of Fifty Shades Of Gray, come back for more thats part steamy, part silly and not so much dark. Rated R. Profanity, strong erotic sexual content, some graphic nudity. 2 hours, 6 minutes. SG16, RJ16.

FIST FIGHT  Clunky, gag-driven comedy about two battling high school teachers (Ice Cube and Charlie Day) that lands few comic punches. Rated R. Frequent profanity, sexual content, nudity, drug material. 1 hour, 31 minutes. RJ16, SG16.

GET OUT  Jordan Peele (Key and Peele) shifts from comedy to horror with telling effect with a young black man finding something sinister in a weekend visit to his white girlfriends family. Rated R. Profanity including sexual references, bloody images, violence. 1 hour, 43 minutes. RJ16, SG16.

THE GREAT WALL  A multi-layered mess of a film has Matt Damon and Pedro Pascal as medieval mercenaries caught in a Chinese battle against hordes of wall-attacking monsters. Rated PG-13. Sequences of fantasy action violence. 1 hour, 43 minutes. SG16, RJ16.

HIDDEN FIGURES Compelling story of three female African-American mathematicians who overcame others prejudice to play key roles in the manned space program. Rated PG. Brief profanity, thematic elements. 2 hours, 6 minutes. SG16, RJ16.

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 Relentless hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) returns in a deliriously action-packed film that spoofs B-movies while relishing in their excesses. Rated PG-13. Some profanity, brief nudity, strong violence. 2 hours, 2 minutes. RJ16, SG16

LA LA LAND  Musical story of a wanna-be actress and wanna-be jazz pianist won Best Actress for Emma Stone and Best Director for Damien Chazelle. Rated PG-13. Some profanity. 2 hours, 7 minutes. SG16, RJ16.

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE Gleefully witty and delicious sequel to The Lego Movie that assembles considerable fun from superhero satire. Rated PG. Rude humor, some action. 1 hour, 45 minutes. RJ16. SG16.

LION Moving account of an Indian boy separated from his family, who tries to reconnect decades later as an adult. Rated PG-13. 2 hours. RJ16.

MOONLIGHT Sympathetic, poetic film about a gay black man coming of age in Miami. Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali) winner at this years Oscars. Rated R. Frequent profanity, some sexuality, drug use, brief violence. 2 hours. SG16, RJ16

ROCK DOG  Calculated by-the-numbers kids animation about a Tibetan dog who wants to be a rock guitarist. Rated PG. Cartoon mayhem. 1 hour, 30 minutes. SG16, RJ16.

SPLIT M. Night Shyamalans psychological thriller about a kidnapper with multiple personalities. Rated PG-13. Some profanity, disturbing thematic content and behavior, violence. 1 hour, 57 minutes. RJ16.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

NEWSIES: THE BROADWAY MUSICAL Encore presentation of the stage musical Newsies. 12:55 p.m. Saturday. RJ16, SG16.

THE WIZARD OF OZ Classic 1939 film about a Kansas girl lost in the fantasy land of Oz. Saturday and Sunday. WH.

ALL ABOUT EVE 1950 drama has ingenue Anne Baxter undercutting the career of veteran actress Bette Davis. 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday and Wednesday. RJ16.

IS GENESIS HISTORY? Documentary looks at evidence supporting the Biblical book of Genesis. 7 p.m. Tuesday. RJ16.

Watch all these trailers at: http://www.wacotrib.com/entertainment/accesswaco/movies/
The novel The Shack was a surprising literary phenomenon. After author William Paul Young self-published the book in 2007, it went on to sell more than 20 million copies, to a predominantly Christian audience. (The Shack overtly deals with evangelical ideas of God.)

Sam Worthingon plays Mack, a devoted husband and father of three who has taken his kids camping when disaster strikes: Shortly after rescuing his two eldest children from an accident, Mack discovers that his youngest, Missy (Amelie Eve), has disappeared. The police embark on a wide search, noting there have been other abductions in the area. When they find her blood in a ramshackle hut, they assume she has been killed.

Months pass, with Mack still suffering, at which point he receives a mysterious note inviting him back to the shack.

What Mack finds is downright startling: The harsh winter has given way to a warm, more welcoming climate. There is a gorgeous lake house, with three guests (played by Octavia Spencer, Avraham Aviv Alush and Sumire Matsubara). They explain they are the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, respectively. Mack spends the weekend with them, and The Shack functions as a series of episodic, ostensibly moving lessons about the nature of God. Mack learns how to forgive and accept Gods love. He even has time to walk on water with Jesus  literally.

In translating the book from page to screen, The Shack faces challenges. Cinema is a more objective medium than literature. Where a reader might conjure up a personal idea of the action, film presents a less ambiguous version.

The Shack never explores what makes Mack deserving of Gods audience, a frustrating oversight, given that so many others have suffered far worse than he has. His interrogations are feckless, and his dialogue explores little beyond his own hurt feelings. Mack explains that hes only of average intelligence, a rationalization that almost insults our own capacity for curiosity or skepticism.

Parts of The Shack are, admittedly, appealing: Mack observes that hes most comfortable around Jesus, for example, and their subsequent dialogue adds a human dimension to the drama. Still, the films conclusion  that crying and hugging it out are all we need to heal  gives short shrift to how difficult real grief can be.

Jesus tells Mack that he wants friends, not worshipers. Thats a pretty audacious statement. Yet by the end of The Shack, Mack is shown to be restored because hes singing the contemporary worship song Awesome God. A film this bold should not compromise its own ideas.
Before the Lok Sabha elections, the Purvanchal was not a stronghold for the BJP. As the 89 seats of the region go to the polls in the last two phases, the BJP leadership has made Varanasi its base camp.

BJP president Amit Shah has made Varanasi his base camp for the last two phases of Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh. (Photo: PTI file)

By Prabhash K Dutta: The Uttar Pradesh Assembly election is in its last lap with just two phases remaining to go. A total of 89 Assembly segments in Purvanchal will vote in the next two rounds tomorrow and on March 8.

The BJP is hoping to thrive on the impression that Purvanchal is a stronghold of the BJP after Modi wave swept Uttar Pradesh in 2014 general elections.

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The BJP and its alliance partner Apna Dal created an electoral magic riding on the Modi wave in the Lok Sabha elections, when they were leading in 83 out of 89 Assembly segments - going to polls in next two phases in Uttar Pradesh.

READ| If bookies are to be believed, BJP will form the next Uttar Pradesh government

PURVANCHAL NOT A BJP BASTION

The Lok Sabha polls made many believe that the Purvanchal is a BJP bastion in the ongoing Assembly election. But, even the recent electoral history belies this impression.

For 15 years before 2007 Uttar Pradesh election, the state had seen hung Assembly. Interestingly, the Purvanchal's voting pattern was also mixed with the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party contesting for number one position. The Congress and the BJP also got their shares.

But, in 2007 Purvanchal overwhelmingly voted for Mayawati, whose social engineering of Dalit-Brahmin-Muslim formula clicked. Of the total 170 seats in the all 28 districts of Purvanchal, the BSP secured 97 seats. As a result, the BSP got 206 seats in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

WATCH:

PURVANCHAL FOR SAMAJWADI PARTY IN 2012

Mayawati maintained her party's lead in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, when despite a huge surge in Congress's electoral popularity, the BSP was leading in maximum 55 Assembly constituencies. In 2009, the BSP sent 21 MPs to the Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh.

The Samajwadi Party turned the tide against Mayawati in 2012, when the BSP could secure only 23 seats and lost power in Lucknow.

The Samajwadi Party got 106 seats from entire Purvanchal and attained majority on its own in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

Of the 49 seats that go to polls tomorrow, the Samajwadi Party won 27 in the last Assembly election. The BSP was a distant second with 9 seats followed by the BJP wining 7 Assembly segments, Congress 4 and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Quami Ekta Dal (QED) securing one seat each.

MODI MAGIC IN 2014

But two years later, entire Uttar Pradesh was cast under the spell of Modi magic. The BJP was the number one party in 43 out of 49 seats - going to polls tomorrow - spread across seven districts of Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha polls.

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The districts going to the polls tomorrow are Maharajganj, Kushi Nagar, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Azamgarh, Mau and Ballia. It was only in Azamgarh that the BJP fell behind in five of six Assembly segments. The then SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav won the Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat in 2014. However, its vote share was almost 33 per cent compared to 10 per cent in 2012.

The Congress was leading at the Padrauna Assembly constituency in Kushinagar district in the Lok Sabha elections.

READ| Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance will continue after Uttar Pradesh Assembly election: Rahul Gandhi

THE LAST PHASE

Of the 40 seats, which will vote on March 8 in the last phase, the Samajwadi Party had won 23 in 2012 Assembly election. The BSP could win only five seats, while the BJP secured four. The Congress and QED won two seats each. On the rest four seats, Independent candidates emerged victorious.

During the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP secured a perfect 40 in alliance with Apna Dal for the Assembly segments going to polls on March 8.

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The BJP hopes to repeat its performance of 2014 general elections. The party had got a total of over 42 per cent votes in Uttar Pradesh. The Samajwadi Party too is confident of repeating its last Assembly election performance.

READ| Uttar Pradesh elections: PM Modi mocks Rahul Gandhi's 'factory' ideas

The BSP, on the other hand, is expecting that anti-incumbency against Akhilesh government in Lucknow and Narendra Modi government at the Centre to work in its favour in the last two phases.

The districts of Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Mirzapur Bhadohi, Sonbhadra and Jaunpur will vote in the final phase.

The BJP knows that though Purvanchal voted for it in 2014, the region was not its pocket borrough. This explains why Varanasi has become the base camp for BJP president Amit Shah in the last phases of Assembly polls with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also focusing his entire energy in the region, which holds the key to Lucknow.

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According to allegations police tried to force the girl to give a favourable statement before them and when the family intervened then they were also threatened with dire consequences.

By Shivendra Srivastava, India Today Web Desk: The family of a gangrape victim has alleged that the accused Uttar Pradesh minister and Samajwadi Party leader Gayatri Prajapati is threatening to kill them in connivance with police.

A team from UP Police led by DSP Amita Singh had yesterday recorded the statement of the 16-year-old girl victim at AIIMS in New Delhi. The minor girl was allegedly sexually assaulted and her mother gangraped by the minister and her aides.

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The family has accused that the minister is now trying to kill them for opening their mouth in public against the alleged incident.

According to allegations police tried to force the girl to give a favourable statement before them and when the family intervened then they were also threatened with dire consequences. If the allegations are true then the Lucknow Police team threatened the family for four hours at AIIMS.

A PCR call was received yesterday afternoon regarding "alleged threat by UP Police official in Psychiatry Ward of AIIMS". This call was filed as no evidence of any threat or intimidation could be found as alleged in the call.

Later on, Anshu Gaur of Aligarh visited Hauz Khas police station and filed a written complaint alleging that while he had come to visit his sister, who happens to be the mother of the minor, he saw that the police officer had snatched the cell phone of his sister and had threatened her.

The complainant had requested for protection from UP Police and to take necessary action against the police personnel. Enquiry was made into this complaint and it was found that the IO of UP Police had sought due permission from AIIMS authorities to examine the minor. However, since the mother had certain reservations, she had called over advocate Mahmood Pracha.

Soon Pracha also arrived at AIIMS and the remaining statement was carried out in his presence. The allegations leveled in the complaint of Anshu Gaur have prima facie found not substantiated as of now.

MINISTER MISSING

So far the police have not been able to interrogate Prajapati even once. This despite the fact that he was campaigning for himself in Amethi as he contested on SP ticket but no attempt was ever made by the police to question him in connection with the case.

The elusive minister has not been seen at his official residence for the last few days.

An FIR was lodged against him and six of his accomplices after the Supreme Court ordered the UP Police to do so.

The gangrape survivor had moved the apex court after the police in Uttar Pradesh did not register the FIR. Police in Uttar Pradesh must file a status report in the matter within eight weeks.

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The woman, who is from Chitrakoot, has alleged she was raped by Prajapati and others for two years on the pretext of getting a plum position within the Samajwadi Party. She has also alleged her daughter was sexually harassed too.Watch now | Gangrape accused Samajwadi Party MLA Gayatri Prajapati missing since February 27

Also read | Seen campaigning but gangrape accused Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prajapati remains traceless for police

Also read | Samajwadi Party leader Gayatri Prajapati should be booked for gangrape: Supreme Court to UP police

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By Press Trust of India: From Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Mar 2 (PTI) The work on the long-awaited 1,680 km Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, which will help ease energy deficiency in South Asia, will start in Pakistan tomorrow, a senior Pakistani official said today.

Leaders of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India performed the ground-breaking of the project in December 2015.

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"Officials from Turkmenistan have reached along with a high-level delegation and an inaugural ceremony will be held on Friday to start work on route survey and detailed engineering in Pakistan," Inter State Gas Systems Managing Director Mobin Saulat was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune.

The daily reported that the route survey, detailed engineering and feasibility study, which will be conducted by a consultant are required to be undertaken before building the gas pipeline.

The project management consultant will first undertake the survey and study in Pakistan and then extend its scope to Afghanistan.

TAPI Company, established with the task of running the transnational gas pipeline, has awarded project management contract to German firm ILF.

"Building of the pipeline and development of gas field has begun in Turkmenistan and we appreciate its efforts to step up activities in an attempt to complete the project according to the schedule," Saulat said.

He said that efforts aimed at achieving financial close of the project were also continuing and the pipeline would be commissioned as per schedule.

Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India have already signed a USD 10-billion investment agreement for the TAPI pipeline in a bid to kick off activities, update feasibility study and finalise pipeline route in war-torn Afghanistan.

With the title of peace pipeline, the project is expected to bring peace and stability in the region because of cooperation among regional countries and reliance on each other for meeting energy needs.

According to the agreement, Turkmenistan will invest around USD 25 billion to deliver 3.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day (bcfd) to energy-hungry Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

Of the total, USD 15 billion will be invested in developing the gas field whereas USD 10 billion will be poured into laying the pipeline over 1,680 km connecting Afghanistan, Pakistan and India with Turkmenistan. The pipeline will connect South and Central Asia.

Turkmenistan will invest 85 per cent of the project?s cost. An official said a consortium of Japanese companies had fast-tracked development of the gas field in Turkmenistan.

A gas sale and purchase agreement has already been signed in 2013 to establish the pricing mechanism under which gas price at Turkmenistans border will be around 20 per cent cheaper than the price of Brent crude oil.

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Pakistan and India will each receive 1.325 billion cubic feet of gas per day (bcfd) while Afghanistan will receive 500 mmcfd. PTI SH PMS

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Four Corners Development, with locations in Texas and Missouri, is proposing to build a 45-unit apartment complex in the community of West for people over the age of 55.

The company has presented its plan to the West City Council and the McLennan County Commissioners Court, both of which endorsed it without pledging any money toward construction.

Construction of the complex would take place on a 4-acre site near Slovaceks, a combination food and gift shop and convenience store at 214 Melodie Drive along southbound Interstate 35 in West, Mayor Tommy Muska said.

Older residents

The community has an abundance of older residents, so the apartments would serve it well, Muska said.

He said construction of Golden Trails, the name of the proposed development, is not imminent, possibly proceeding in 2018.

Four Corners told McLennan County commissioners it intends to submit an application to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for funds available through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program. Muska said if the company does not receive the tax credits it needs to assist with financing of the apartment complex, the project may stop right there.

Four Corners development consultant Michael Fogel said he could not get specific about the rental rates residents would pay because details hinge on whether tax credits become available. He also declined to say why West was chosen as a construction site.

Fogel said Four Corners hopes to place a three- to four-story apartment building with 45 units. He said Four Corners operates out of Austin and Springfield, Missouri.

Location favored in study

Muska said Fogel discussed the venture with the West City Council and at a meeting of the Kiwanis Club of West.

He said there has been a study prepared showing that West would be a good place for such apartments, and I believe there are West residents tired of messing with their grass who would enjoy living in such a place, Muska said.

He would object to Golden Trails only if it provided housing to very-low income families under the federal Section 8 housing program or if it competed with Wests new nursing home, he said.

The answer is no in both cases, Muska said.

The Four Corners website says the company has been involved in developing more than 2,500 units, 1,089 of which are senior housing units.
The highly anticipated first trial of a biker arrested in the May 2015 shootout at Twin Peaks was delayed Friday on a defense request for more time.

Judge Ralph Strother of Wacos 19th State District Court granted a motion from attorney Landon Northcutt to delay the April 17 trial of one of his three clients, Christopher Julian Carrizal, Christopher Jacob Carrizal or Jerry Edward Pierson.

It still is not clear, Northcutt said, which of the three is going to trial first, and Strother did not set another trial date on Friday.

Strother said he will confer with 54th State District Judge Matt Johnson, who is presiding over half of the cases of the 155 bikers indicted in the Twin Peaks incident, before setting another trial date.

Strother conferred with District Attorney Abel Reyna, prosecutors Michael Jarrett and Amanda Dillon and Northcutt in his chambers for about 20 minutes before Strother announced in open court that he reluctantly was granting the continuance, but said he understands the necessity to do so.

Reyna left court quickly after the hearing and declined comment. He declined to say if his office opposed the trial postponement.

Northcutt, of Stephenville, said after the hearing that the DAs office recently provided Twin Peaks defense attorneys with a terabytes worth of information and evidence in the case and he needs more time to analyze the information.

A terabyte is equal to 1,024 gigabytes.

Northcutt said he cant be sure which of his three clients, who are all Bandidos, will stand trial first because the DAs office has not designated a defendant for the first trial and is playing hide the ball.

Speedy trial motion

As Reyna was leaving the courtroom, Houston attorney Paul Looney asked Strother if his client, Cody Ledbetter, could take the April 17 trial date left vacant by the continuance.

Looney filed a renewed demand for speedy trial motion Friday morning and implored the judge to allow his client to take the trial date.

Strother denied the motion but set a Sept. 11 trial date for Ledbetter.

Well, its better than what I had when I got here, said Looney, who has pressed for the earliest possible trial date for his client on several occasions. For the life of me I will never understand if you have 154 defendants who dont want to go to trial and one who wants to go to trial why that person cant go to trial. It just baffles me.

Strother said he still plans to have a large jury panel brought in March 24 for a Twin Peaks trial so the group can fill out questionnaires to aid attorneys in jury selection.

After the panel fills out the documents, the group will be told at a later date when to report for jury selection, the judge said.

Nine bikers were killed and dozens were wounded during an exchange of gunfire between the Bandidos and Cossacks biker groups. Some of those killed were shot by law enforcement officers.

All 155 indicted in the incident are charged with first-degree felony engaging in organized criminal activity.

Earlier this week, Wacos 10th Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in the appeal of a ruling by Johnson that denied a motion to disqualify Reyna from prosecuting the Twin Peaks cases.

A ruling is pending before the three-member intermediate appellate court.
Baylor University sophomore Maryse Bombito grabbed a free bag of potatoes and several other fresh food items and rushed off to class Thursday after visiting the second Baylor Free Farmers Market.

I literally skipped class for this. I am supposed to be in math communications class right now but I told my teacher that I am going to be late, because this is so important, the 20-year-old Houston native said. Everyone understands that college students are broke, and most of us, most of our money goes to food and fast food, so having the option to have fresh vegetables to cook is great.

Bombito, a communications major, joined hundreds of Baylor students for the free farmers market in the parking lot of Seventh and James Baptist Church on Thursday. After a successful November farmers market where 45,770 pounds of food was distributed in the center of campus, Family of Faith Worship Center Pastor Ruben Andrade Jr. said Baylor leaders and volunteers saw the need to continue the outreach effort.

We really wanted to meet the need of those around campus and get a better count of what the need is on campus, Andrade said.

Andrade once again worked on the market with associate educational leadership professor Nathan Alleman and his graduate assistant Cara Cliburn Allen. H-E-B and Caritas of Waco donated about 14,000 pounds of food, and the donations came at a perfect time for students, Alleman said.

We would actually ask why havent we done this yet, because it was clear last time that there was a need. But the challenge for us has been to down scale this a little so we can do it more often and target those who need it better, he said. Our goal is to set this up to be a recurring thing to where we can maybe do it twice a month, but right now with spring break coming up, its a great time.

Alleman said organizers plan to hold larger free markets once a semester, where volunteers will bring additional wellness resources to students. Smaller markets will be designed to help feed students, particularly those on scholarship and who do not have easy access to fresh foods.

This is really great, because fruit is really expensive, and I dont have a lot of money, said Abel Castro, 20, of Houston. Its really exciting that they are going to try to do this more often. I would definitely come.

Castro, a sophomore studying neuroscience, and Riley Choquette, 21, of Edmond, Oklahoma, a junior studying mechanical engineering, shopped together, picking out fresh fruit, bread and vegetables. While both students are on scholarship and have meal plans, the farmers market was appreciated.

I came to the one in November and I got carrots, Choquette said. Where I live, I have a dining plan with unlimited (visits), but it feels better when you can get fresh food to have for yourself.

Students thanked volunteers throughout the food giveaway as they took armfuls of food back to their residences. Alleman said he hopes to continue the partnership and reach more students in and around campus.

We, generally speaking, take things for granted as for what we have on our tables, Alleman said. We stereotype college students, particularly Baylor students because of the private, prestigious university that it is, but there are still people here in need.
The McLennan Community College Board of Trustees approved rules Thursday night meant to keep students, faculty and staff safe as state law makes possession of a concealed handgun on school property legal with a license starting Aug. 1.

The law, written by Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, was implemented at public colleges and universities in Texas on Aug. 1, 2016, but community colleges were given an extra year to comply.

For us, we think (the extra year) was a benefit, because we got to learn from the universities, and the universities did some great work, President Johnette McKown said. So that was a good thing for us to learn from them.

College presidents are allowed to make policies for guns on their campus, within specific boundaries, that take into account the nature of the student population, specific safety considerations and the uniqueness of the campus environment, according to the law.

Most Texas private universities, including Baylor University, opted out of the law and continue banning weapons on campus.

A 23-member working group endorsed by McKown drafted recommendations on MCCs policies, which the board approved unanimously.

Prohibited zones

The policy lists zones where handguns remain prohibited:

The Community Service Center, including the Child Development Center, playground and classrooms 108 and 109

The Community Service Center, including the Community Health Clinic

Board of Regents meeting locations

Premises of any college event where alcohol is being served by an organization under Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission rules and regulations

Premises of any UIL-sanctioned competition

The MCC Ballpark complex and Highland Gym, when sporting events are taking place

The Counseling Center in the Math and Wellness Building.

According to the policy, handguns must be concealed and locked in the owners private vehicle when the owner does not have direct possession. MCC will not provide handgun storage areas. Open carry of firearms is prohibited on all campuses.

I want to give the administration kudos on assigning it to faculty and staff to craft it at the closest level to students and the classroom, then bringing it up, rather than us giving you something we cooked up from somewhere, board Chairman K. Paul Holt said. The in-depth work shows we really appreciate this.

Handgun license holders are not required to disclose whether they have a license or are carrying a concealed handgun to anyone except a magistrate or peace officer, according to the policy.

The policy will be published online, in materials for students and employees and in prominent locations at the school.

McKown commissioned the working group in February 2016, and a website on the groups progress was launched last year.

Living policy

Once you have the policy, thats the beginning, McKown said. Its not the end. If you have a policy, it has to be a living policy.

Building signs notifying prohibitions of guns will be in place by Aug. 1. Training for active shooter situations and training for people choosing to carry are ongoing, working group co-chair Kurt Chunn said.

Both faculty and students had concerns about the law itself, McKown said.

Sen. Birdwell and I had a discussion about it, and he knows that I wish that it hadnt happened, McKown said. But on the other hand, whats the law is the law. Were going to follow the law. I dont get to make the law, and I just implement them as theyre made.

Rob Page, another co-chair of the group, said 611 responses were received in online survey forms. Students submitted 61 percent of the responses, he said.

Page said 50.3 percent of MCC students are at least 21 years old, which is the minimum age to get a handgun license.

MCC police will undergo additional training and wear bulletproof vests, McKown said.

You just want a safe environment, so this is an environment of learning and not fear, McKown said. Thats what our goal will be.
A little over a week ago, I was told to F&% Off! by a fellow Hispanic, that I was trying to be a gringo because of how I responded to a Facebook post. Apparently because I wasnt willing to side with Mexican-minded immigrants, I was summarily dismissed. Rather than try to have an intelligent, give-and-take dialogue, I got cussed out.

So it goes in these increasingly divisive times, especially when it comes to that issue that underlined the Trump campaign and now continues to fuel furor.

We can all agree that this discussion on immigration and border security has escalated to a boiling point. We knew this would come. Right now, the lines are being drawn within the Hispanic community, including here in Waco. And very often it comes down to assumptions, stereotypes and political correctness. And when we dont fulfill certain convenient expectations, things turn ugly. Are you American or Mexican? American or Latino? Whose side are you on anyway? Most importantly, are you legal or illegal? Even as a businessman long in our city, I still get the question.

The anger generated within the Hispanic news media is especially unwarranted and irresponsible, not to mention reckless. Univision, Telemundo, Galavision and countless Spanish radio networks, combined with social media and non-traditional media, have produced one mega-messaging machine that spins the truth and pushes a message of hatred.

With all the misinformation, almost all of Latin America and many Latinos in America are convinced Donald Trump hates Mexicans. These Latinos are convinced he wants to destroy families and evict all foreigners from the United States.

So where was the reporting on President Obamas ban on people from Muslim countries seeking to enter the United States? And where were the protests of President Obamas increased deportations during his presidency? As President Trump indicated in a debate, Obama sent packing far more than President George W. Bush did  some 2.5 million.

Yet, despite this increase in deportations and Obamas failure to press immigration reform when he and Democrats had control over both chambers on Capitol Hill, Hispanics continue to toe the line for the Democrat Party, voting at nearly 70 percent for its nominees.

From one American to another, I may be a minority within my minority  that is, a Republican  but I am always going to stand with the country that gives me opportunity to succeed and recognizes my god-given rights. Am I selling out my heritage because I want to be successful in America? Im a proud U.S. Air Force veteran, father, husband and business owner.

Its time to put our country first. The idea that being American means one has sold out his culture is nonsense. Its possible to be a loyal American who still values the laws of this nation, yet maintains his heritage. The only difference is how each of us does this and the integrity we embrace in doing so.

Longtime Republican Duke Machado owns Machados Autos. He was a missile systems specialist in the Air Force. In recent years, he has sought to impress on lawmakers the need for immigration reform.
After President Trumps first address to Congress Tuesday night, journalists and pundits were effusive in their praise of one particular moment, when Trump talked about Ryan Owens, the Navy SEAL killed in the disastrous raid of an al-Qaida Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) compound in Yemen that Trump ordered in late January.

It was without a doubt one of the most kind of emotional moments we have seen in a political speech like this in quite some time, said CNN commentator Anderson Cooper. That was one of the most extraordinary moments you have ever seen in American politics, period, said liberal Van Jones. The Washington Times called it the most riveting piece of political theater and claimed that the presidents critics and supporters alike admired it.

Sorry  no. Was that moment, with Owens widow in attendance, moving and sad? Absolutely. It was also one of the most cynical things Donald Trump has done as president.

The problem isnt that Trump honored Carryn Owens at a moment of terrible grief, or that he spoke movingly of her husbands death. All that was altogether appropriate. Rather, the problem is that he did this after trying to evade any responsibility for what happened, and after the White House cast any criticism of his handling of it as an insult to Ryans legacy. In this sense, the entire story raises serious doubts about Trumps decision-making on matters of national security, and it may be a grim preview of whats to come.

Lets review the facts. The Yemen raid on Jan. 29 was the first military action of Trumps presidency. The idea for raiding this compound, partly in pursuit of the leader of AQAP leader (who wasnt there), was presented to Trump over dinner one night and, according to NBC News, military representatives told Trump that they doubted that the Obama administration would have been bold enough to try it. That was apparently good enough to get him to sign off.

It all went wrong

Then almost everything that could go wrong did go wrong. The militants knew they were coming, possibly tipped off by the increased sound of drones in the area. The team encountered stronger resistance than expected. A couple of dozen civilians were killed (we dont know exactly how many, but it could be as many as 30), including children, among them an 8-year-old American girl. Owens was killed. A $75 million Osprey aircraft was damaged in a hard landing and had to be destroyed lest it fall into AQAPs hands.

We all know that if it had been Hillary Clinton who ordered the Yemen raid, there would already be multiple congressional investigations underway and subpoenas would be falling like rain. Thats one thing the White House doesnt have to worry about. But they decided that the way to handle questions about the botched raid was to use Ryan Owens as a shield. The raid was a terrific success, said spokesman Sean Spicer, and anyone that would suggest its not a success does a disservice to the life of Chief Ryan Owens.

But the questions, and the criticisms, kept coming, most pointedly from Owens father, himself a veteran. Dont hide behind my sons death, Bill Owens told the Miami Herald, after refusing to meet with President Trump at Dover Air Force Base.

That brings us to the day of Trumps speech to Congress. With Carryn Owens invited to the speech and the tribute to her husband being written, the president went on Fox and Friends that morning and passed the buck for the raid, blaming it on the Obama administration and the military. This was a mission that was started before I got here. This was something they wanted to do, he said. They came to see me, they explained what they wanted to do  the generals  who are very respected, my generals are the most respected that weve had in many decades, I believe. And they lost Ryan.

Applause line

Once again, imagine if Hillary Clinton were president, had ordered an operation that went terribly wrong and then tried to blame it on the military. Republicans would have absolutely lost their minds with rage, and they would have been right. When youre president, you dont get to send American service members into harms way in an operation you obviously didnt understand, and then when it all goes wrong and one of those service members is killed, claim that it was somebody elses fault.

Then that very night, Trump went before the country, looked Owens widow in the face and presented a tribute to her husbands undeniable service and courage. As the applause went on and Carryn Owens stood weeping, Trump offered what in the tiny, narcissistic world he exists in is the highest form of praise: And Ryan is looking down, right now, you know that. And hes very happy, because I think he just broke a record, referring to the length of the ovation.

What exactly is that supposed to mean? Owens set the Longest Applause for Dead Service Member In Joint Speech to Congress record? What kind of person could possibly think that would matter to anyone? Oh, right  Donald Trump would.

There are legitimate, outstanding questions about whether Trumps inexperience, his ignorance and his desire to seem tough  in particular, tougher than Barack Obama  led to Ryan Owens death. A president not as spectacularly unprepared and clueless as Trump might have asked a different set of questions, might not have been so easily manipulated  and certainly would have shown some desire to learn from the tragedy.

What about next time?

But Trump seems determined not to learn a thing. All weve heard from him and his aides in the month since this tragic raid was what a great success it was (despite the fact at least some reports say the raid produced little if any useful intelligence). So what happens next time, and the time after that?

When a president makes the decision to send American troops into potentially deadly situations, he has to weigh the risks involved against the potential benefits, which requires knowledge, foresight and some analytical capability, none of which Trump demonstrates possessing in the slightest. He also needs to consider how hell deal with failure if it occurs.

Nearly every recent president, Democrat and Republican, has faced that moment of going before the public and saying, I ordered this operation, and it failed. Its on me. But Trump, as we well know, is incapable of taking responsibility. He had his first chance, and his answer was to blame it on the military, then use the sacrifice of a dead SEAL and his widow for his own benefit.

So maybe its not the time to gush about what good theater it all was.

Paul Waldman is a senior writer at The American Prospect.
Snuffing out wildlife

Already this year there have been three legislative attempts to undermine the Endangered Species Act  all initiated or supported by Texas lawmakers. On Jan. 27, Reps. Michael Burgess, Louie Gohmert and Brian Babin sponsored HR 717, a ridiculous House bill that would require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct a review of economic costs before adding a species to the endangered or threatened species list. The last thing the embattled USFWS needs is more bureaucratic busy work that further delays federal protections for endangered species!

On Feb. 16, Sen. John Cornyn introduced two bills. His Endangered Species Act Settlement Reform Act (SB 375) would allow states and localities to weigh in on the listing-related settlement process and alter the courts ability to award reimbursements for ESA-related litigation costs. This bill would make it even more difficult for endangered species to get the protection they desperately need in a timely manner. A recent University of Missouri study shows citizen lawsuits against excessive delays in listing critically endangered species have been effective in speeding up federal protection for these species.

Cornyns other bill, the 21st Century Endangered Species Transparency Act (SB 376), would place another unreasonable administrative burden on the USFWS by requiring it to publish an online database of all studies and other decision-making documents concerning endangered species. Such information is already available upon request.

Cornyns bills serve no useful purpose. They would further delay species protection, would be burdensome for the USFWS if enacted and would increase the extinction risk for Americas imperiled wildlife. These bills should be withdrawn.

Waldo Montgomery, Belton

Human trafficking

Kudos for publishing the excellent Texas Tribune series on human trafficking and to Unbound and other organizations dedicated to freeing people from this horrible evil.The series implied, by silence, that only females can be victims of human trafficking. I asked the director of Unbound about this and she answered that males are also among the victims. Because most people dont suspect this, it would have been helpful for the series to have at least mentioned it or even featured one such case.

Roger Olson, Waco

Life is short

The greatest gift you can give is your time. Thank you, Mrs. Jackie, for taking time from your busy life to help me get my walker out of the car, hold the car door open (as the wind was strong) and even walk back to the post office door to hold it open for me. Life is short, and we do not have much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us. So be quick to love and make haste to be kind.I appreciate the time you gave to me so much.

J.B. Cobb, Waco
On 17 March, the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be hosting the first Cold War Lunchtime Lecture of 2017 with a lecture entitled Coping with Technological Uncertainty: Military Aircraft Procurement, 1945-1957. In this lecture, Professor Keith Hayward, a consultant and writer on aerospace and aviation issues, will examine Britains military aircraft procurement process during the early period of the Cold War.

Each lecture in the series discusses a different topic related to Cold War air power and to kick start the 2017 series, Professor Keith Hayward will be discussing aircraft procurement from the period at the end of the Second World War through to the Sandys White Paper of 1957. This paper set forth the perceived future of the British military and had profound effects on all aspects of the defence industry during a major period in the development of British aviation technology.

The lecture will begin by covering the immediate post-war hiatus in new developments driven by a mixture of austerity, technological uncertainty and prudence and will then consider the impact of the Korean Emergency and the hurried re-armament programme of the 1950s. It was during this period that the Hawker Hunter, Supermarine Swift and Gloster Javelin programmes came into focus, as well as the challenge and problems of acquiring a new generation of jet aircraft that culminated in the 1955 crisis and subsequent White Paper. Professor Hayward will consider the reforms in procurement that were introduced in the English Electric P1 programme and more controversially for OR339. The lecture will then conclude with a discussion around Sandys White paper with final thoughts about its intent and outcomes.

Professor Keith Hayward was formally Professor of International Relations at Staffordshire University, Head of Economic and Political Affairs at the UK aerospace trade association and until January 2015, Head of Research at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London. He has consulted for several companies and government departments, including the UK Ministry of Defence and the Department of Business, Innovation and Science. He has acted as an advisor to the UK House of Commons Trade and Industry Committee and the U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment. He has taken part in two recent collaborative studies of the space industry on behalf of the Commission of the European Union and the European Space Agency and is also the author of several books and over 100 articles and chapters on aerospace and aviation issues.

The Cold War Lunchtime Lectures form part of the RAF Museums Research Program for 2017. Coping with Technological Uncertainty: Military Aircraft Procurement, 1945-1957, is the first of four lectures taking place at Cosford this year. The program also consists of the Trenchard Lectures in Air Power Studies and the First World War in the Air Lunchtime Lectures, which are held at the University of Wolverhampton, the Royal Aeronautical Society in London and the RAF Museum in London respectively.

Dr Ross Mahoney, RAF Museum Aviation Historian said: The early Cold War period was a time rapid technological change combined with austerity in Britain, which led to a number of challenges in the procurement of new aircraft. In this lecture, Professor Hayward, a recognised expert on Britains aviation industry, will explore this important period and the factors that affected aircraft procurement for the British military.

This FREE lecture will be held in the museums National Cold War Exhibition lecture theatre at 12.30pm on Friday 17 March, lasting approximately 1  hours. As spaces are limited, organisers advise visitors to book their tickets in advance via the Museums website to avoid disappointment.

For further information about the Museums research programme or to book your FREE ticket to the lecture, please visit the Museum website www.rafmuseum.org/cosford. The Museum is open daily from 10am and entry to the Museum is FREE of charge.
Five hundred students moved into Urbannest's newest project, Darling Square in Sydney, this week as the academic year got underway.

The 500-bedroom, 20-storey tower is on a site on the edge of Lendlease's Darling Harbour urban regeneration precinct, close to the University of Technology Sydney and about a kilometre from the University of Sydney.

Whitley student accommodation in Melbourne. Credit:Nick Lenaghan

Booming numbers of international students coming to Australia to study are underpinning developer enthusiasm for the accommodation projects needed to house them.

While prospective "bedspace" numbers are ramping up fast in the next couple of years, local players reckon there still won't be enough to meet student needs.
Antarctica looms as a critical place to watch not least because existing data is relatively scant. NASA and University of California researchers have recently detected the speediest ongoing Western Antarctica glacial retreat rates ever observed. Credit:Getty Images Accurate satellite coverage of sea ice, for instance, only goes back to 1979 and knowledge of ice volume remains a "holy grail" for researchers, says Jan Lieser, a sea-ice scientist at the Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre. At the surface, extreme winds and cold don't make it easy to conduct science (and Australia's Mawson Station is unhelpfully located in a type of wind tunnel). And unlike the Arctic, where submariners needed to keep accurate readings of sea-ice thickness, Antarctic waters have had little such traffic and logbooks. Still, the overall workings of the global engine that runs from Antarctica are well understood.

Every winter as sea ice forms around Antarctica, salt is rejected from the salty seas, creating a pulse of very cold, briny water. That water flows to the bottom of the sea, eventually finding its way through to much of the world's oceans, equalising temperatures even in the tropics. The return path, sometimes taking centuries or longer for the complete cycle, transports warmth to the poles, helping to spread equatorial heat to the higher latitudes. This over-turning cycle, also known as the thermohaline circulation, also transports oxygenated water, helping to ventilate the oceans. It draws carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere into the oceans too. Slowing down Unfortunately, changes are afoot.

"Certainly there's very strong evidence that this conveyor belt is slowing down," Simmonds says. "It's reinforcing what the models say ... it's one of the consequences of global warming." Andy Hogg, an associate professor at the Australian National University's Research School of Earth Sciences, works on the models that attempt to capture and project what's going on in Antarctica. "Even though we know the bottom water is becoming warmer and slightly fresher, we still don't have reliable models that can really describe why that is happening," he says. Less saline water, though, will sink slower and create less of that pulse effect. "The signals are small but compared with the natural variability, it's fairly clear that it's happening," Hogg says. One source of the fresher water around Antarctica is that glacier melt is increasing, making seas near the coast less saline.

Record low What's happening with the sea ice itself will also play a role. Lieser likens the annual increase and retreat in sea ices to "a giant heaving monster [and] the breathing is getting more hectic and more rapid". In a typical year, sea ice swells to about the size of Antarctica itself and then melts, losing as much as 90 per cent of its cover. At the end of the freezing season in August 2014, sea ice extent reached record levels, a result highlighted by climate change sceptics struggling to explain a more consistent reduction in Arctic sea ice.

Two and a half years later, Antarctic sea ice has dived to more than 10 per cent below the previous record minimum, touching 2.075 million square kilometres on Thursday. It might yet sink below the 2-million mark, Lieser says. A normal range would see coverage swell from about 4 million to 18 million square kilometres, Simmonds says. "If that range decreased, you'd have a lot less salt rejected" and therefore a weaker pulse for the conveyor belt, he says. Albedo effect Matthew England, a professor of oceanography at the Climate Change Research Centre at the University of NSW, says the loss of polar sea ice at either end of the planet will have an amplifying effect on what are already among the fastest warming regions.

"The sea ice provides a nice reflective surface," he says. "If that was to go, it would have a huge impact on the climate because of the ice-albedo effect." Absent the ice, more of the sun's energy is absorbed by the oceans, potentially curtailing the ice season at both ends. "The Arctic has seen really rapid warming because of this loss of sea ice," England adds. "If the Antarctic were to follow suit  and 2016 is a bit of a wake-up call  we would also see an added impact on warming." Among the concerns is that a slowing overturning mechanism will mean there is less uptake of carbon from the atmosphere but also increased risks for another of Antarctica's vulnerabilities: the ice shelves that face melting from the air above but also from warming waters below. "The overturning circulation, when it shows down, you stop cool water invading the interior [of the ice shelves]," England says. That means waters at depths of 300-600 metres tend to get warmer.

Trigger point If the ice shelves don't stay intact, glaciers behind them will accelerate their slide, adding yet more fresh water to surrounding seas, but also raising sea levels globally. "We're going in the direction of a trigger point, but in a broad sense, we don't really know what the value is," Simmonds says. The scientists caution that a range of negative feedback loops will go some way to counterbalance the forces being unleased by climate change.

If ice shelf waters become fresher, for instance, sea ice can form faster the following year. That process, though, doesn't produce the same salt rejection that drives the thermohaline system. A slowing in the sinking of briny water also means the transport of warmer waters southwards would also be weaker, a process that may reduce the warm water impact on ice shelves. "We probably lack the observations and models to make the call which ones are going to dominate," Hogg says. Lieser says the potential for a slowing or changing direction of the Gulf Stream, which could bring sharply colder conditions for northern Europe, has gained a lot more public attention than what might be happening in the south. He says it is hard to know when a tipping point might be reached, after which huge global processes will settle into new equilibria.
France has pledged to unite with Australia in a "relationship of confidence" as the two nations move to cement the $50 billion submarine deal.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault was in Melbourne on Friday for talks with Australia's Julie Bishop, where the two signed a wide-ranging agreement, including a promise to finalise "the exchange and protection of classified information".

Jean-Marc Ayrault, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Australia's Julie Bishop in Melbourne on Friday. Credit:JOHANNES SIMON

France was acutely embarrassed last year by the leak of thousands of pages of sensitive submarine documents by the same French shipbuilder selected to Australia's next fleet, which also led to calls for an inquiry in Australia.

Although the leak related to Scorpene-class submarines bound for India - and not the Baracuda-class that will be designed for the 12 Australian subs - France has moved to reassure Australia about the security of its submarine plans.
Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne has played down reported weaknesses in Australia's anti-terrorism laws, even as Immigration Minister Peter Dutton called for greater powers to stop foreign fighters coming home.

Intelligence experts have warned the government of flaws in legislation designed to strip citizenship from dual nationals who leave Australia to fight with Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, News Corp reported on Friday.

Authorities cannot strip someone of their Australian citizenship without first proving the person is a citizen of another country, requiring the co-operation of the Iraqi and Syrian governments, who have so far refused.

Reports suggested there was "nothing" to stop about 100 terrorists coming back to Australia as the Islamic State weakens in the Levant and loses territory. But Mr Pyne dismissed the report as "a sensational beat-up".
The Administrative Committee for the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972 held its 16th Session on 27-28 February 2017 at the WCO Headquarters in Brussels. The Customs Convention on Containers, 1972 (Container Convention) is a United Nations convention administered by the WCO.

The 16th Session of the Administrative Committee was attended by more than 40 participants representing 20 Contracting Parties to the Container Convention, 13 WCO Member administrations, a number of international organizations and private sector entities. For the first time in 10 years the number of Contracting Parties attending the session was sufficient to constitute a quorum. Thus the Committee was able to take decisions on a number of important issues, including two amendments to the Convention and an amendment to the Terms of Reference for the Committee.

The Administrative Committee adopted amendments to two of the Annexes to the Convention - Annex 1 Provisions concerning the marking of containers and Annex 4 Regulations on technical conditions applicable to containers which may be accepted for international transport under Customs seal. The amendment to Annex 1 introduces more detailed provisions on the marking of containers and aligns Annex 1 to the Container Convention with Appendix II of Annex B.3 to the Convention on Temporary Admission (Istanbul Convention). The amendment to Annex 4 introduces provisions concerning new design of containers with a sheeted sliding roof or sliding sheets and aligns the provisions of the annex to Annex 7 to the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods Under Cover of TIR Carnets, 1975 (TIR Convention). In accordance with the Convention, the adopted amendments to the Convention will be communicated to all Contracting Parties for their acceptance.

The Administrative Committee discussed the lack of quorum at the last meetings of the Administrative Committee  a persisting issue for the Committee and approved changes to the Terms of Reference for the Administrative Committee with the aim of solving the issue.

The Committee further discussed actions to enhance the involvement of Contracting Parties in the drafting of the agenda of the future meetings of the Administrative Committee and measures to promote the Convention.

The agenda of the meeting included several topics of relevance to the SAFE Framework of Standards such as Container Security Devices (CSDs), Customs treatment of return-refill containers and sanitation of containers, which triggered wide-ranging discussions.

The Committee approved an updated version of the Handbook on the Customs Convention on Containers, 1972, which will be uploaded shortly on the WCO Web-site.

For more information: http://www.wcoomd.org/en/topics/facilitation/instrument-and-tools/conventions/pf_conv_containers.aspx
The WCO conducted a mission in Dar Es Salaam to provide further support on Customs valuation to the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA). The mission took place 14  17 February 2017 and was the latest in a series of inputs as part of the project for Customs Capacity Building for WCO Members 2012-17 which is funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). The aim of the project is to deliver technical assistance to seven countries in specific areas of Customs operations.

During the mission the WCO Secretariat representative co-facilitated a four day Valuation workshop for TRA Customs officials, together with TRA valuation trainers. The workshop was designed to present a mix of practical and theoretical valuation issues to students fairly new to Customs valuation work, including an overview of the Revenue Package tools. Mentoring was also provided to the TRA trainers who demonstrated good technical knowledge and trainer skills.

For more information, please contact the Project Manager, Ms. Andrea Hampton (Andrea.Hampton@wcoomd.org)
Following a request from the Minister in charge of Finance and with the financial support of the Government of the Republic of Congo, the WCO delivered a National Workshop on the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures (as amended), known as the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) to the Customs administration of Congo (Rep).

The RKC is a WCO legal instrument regarded by the entire international Customs Community as a blueprint for modern Customs in 21st Century. The accession to the RKC is perceived as an important milestone in any countrys endeavours to further promote legitimate trade and effective Customs controls. As of today the number of Contracting Parties to the RKC is 107.

The mission took place in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo from 7 to 10 February 2017 and its core objectives were to validate the preliminary Gap analysis and provide guidance to the Customs administration on the RKC accession process. Eighteen Customs officials from various units within the Customs Administration of Congo took active part in the workshop. Prior to the Workshop, the Customs administration held an internal session during which the preliminary gap analysis was conducted by a team composed by high rank staff of this Customs administration.

In his speech for the opening of the workshop, Mr. Guenole Mbongo Koumou, representing the Minister of Finance and in his capacity as Technical adviser in charge of fiscal and customs affairs in the Ministry of Finance, presented the vision of the Government of Congo towards trade facilitation and highlighted the importance of and benefits from accession to the RKC as well as the expectations of his Country with the accession to and the implementation of the RKC.

The WCO mission team, composed by experts from the Secretariat and from the Customs administrations of Belgium and Gabon, provided detailed guidance on the principles of the RKC, the rights and obligations of the Contracting Parties to the Convention, as well as the provisions of the Body, the General Annex and the Specific Annexes thereof. With the support of the WCO experts, the workshop participants conducted and finalized an assessment of the compliance of the provisions of the RKC General Annex to the Convention vis-a-vis regional and Congos national legislation. As part of the exercise, follow-up measures were outlined in the areas where the regional and/or national legislation was found not to be in full compliance with the RKC provisions. A draft detailed Action Plan on Congos accession to and implementation of the RKC was also discussed and agreed upon.

During the workshop closing ceremony, the WCO experts expressed their appreciation for the excellent local arrangements and reiterated the readiness of the WCO to support the Customs administration of Congo in their path to accession to the RKC. At the same time, the representative of the Director General of Customs and Excise duties also expressed his gratitude to the WCO for the support provided to his Customs Administration so far and indicated the willing of his Country to accede to the RKC by July 2017.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Mar. 02, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 02, 2017 | 06:02 PM | PADUCAH, KY

Two people were arrested Thursday morning after deputies responded to a report of an attempted burglary in the Hendron area.



The McCracken County Sheriffs Department says deputies responded at around 11:30 a.m. to a report of a break in at a home in the 5000 block of Old Mayfield Road. The caller told dispatchers that two suspects with a handgun had been attempting to break into a house there.



Several deputies responded to the home and located 54-year-old Sherry Beasley of Robards in the driveway. Deputies also located the homeowner, who told them a man that had been with Beasley had fled into the woods behind the home. The man, identified as 35-year-old Joshua Adamic of Rockport, IN was found hiding in the woods about an hour later.



Detectives said they learned Beasley had been trying to get into the home with a prybar to get items she said belonged to her. The homeowner said Beasley had a revolver, and also damaged a vehicle in the driveway. Two handguns, a metal baton, and a glass meth pipe were reportedly found in Beasleys vehicle when deputies searched it.



Beasley was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, second-degree criminal mischief and first-degree attempted criminal trespassing. Adamic was arrested on a warrant from Hancock County.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 02, 2017 | 08:52 PM | MAYFIELD, KY





A Maryland man was arrested Thursday morning in Graves County on drug charges.Graves County Sheriff Dewayne Redmon says a drug detective stopped a vehicle during the early morning hours for a traffic violation in Mayfield. Deputies said the driver, 40-year-old Kardell Shelton of White Plains, MD told them he was from the Washington DC area and had stayed the night in a local motel. He also reportedly said he was in the Mayfield area because he was checking into signing up for college in Murray.Redmon says Shelton was acting nervous, and marijuana fell off of his clothing when they asked him to step out of the vehicle. He had reportedly eaten some in an attempt to hide it.Deputies said they later found marijuana, cocaine, digital scales and other items of drug paraphernalia during a search of Shelton's car and motel room. He was arrested and booked into the Graves County Jail on charges of possession of cocaine, trafficking marijuana, tampering with physical evidence, possession of drug paraphernalia, aggravated DUI and failure to signal.
By The Associated Press

By The Associated Press Mar. 02, 2017 | 10:01 PM | LEXINGTON, KY

A Louisville political consultant who pleaded guilty to bribery in connection with a case against former Personnel Secretary Tim Longmeyer has been sentenced to five years in prison.

The U.S. attorney's office in Lexington said in a news release that 57-year-old Lawrence J. O'Bryan was sentenced Thursday and fined $100,000. O'Bryan pleaded guilty in September to three counts of bribery concerning a federally funded program. He has paid more than $642,000 in restitution.

O'Bryan admitted taking kickbacks on Longmeyer's behalf beginning in 2009. Longmeyer pleaded guilty to a related charge and was sentenced to 70 months.

O'Bryan's plea agreement says Longmeyer agreed to steer contracts to MC Squared Consulting, whose owner agreed to pay O'Bryan some proceeds, and O'Bryan kicked back some to Longmeyer.

Samuel McIntosh and Myron Harrod, both affiliated with MC Squared, pleaded guilty to related charges.
In the 1960s the heroes of Americas space program were men. Astronauts like John Glenn and Gus Grissom were household names.While the guys were quite literally shooting for the moon, a Native American woman from Oklahoma was quietly helping them get there.We didnt know she was working on the space program and so on because it was all top secret, said Evelyn Ross McMillan. We knew she was an engineer there, but that was it.McMillan lovingly calls her fathers sister "Aunt Gold." But to the engineers at Lockheed, the company that helped NASA put a man on the moon, she was Mary Golda Ross, space engineer.You didnt think of women and science, said McMillan.It wasnt just her gender that set Ross apart, she was the first female Native American rocket scientist. Ross was born in Park Hill, Okla. in 1908. She grew up in Tahlequah, the Cherokee Nation capitol.She learned to read at 3. Her dad was trying to teach her older sister how to read, said McMillan.She said her Aunt Gold was brilliant. She had a long career and started working for Lockheed in 1942.She started in World War II. She worked on the P-38s, said McMillan.Ross would stay at Lockheed after the war. In the '60s, she became part of a top secret team that developed theories for space travel. McMillan said when she talked with her aunt decades after the program, Ross still had stories she wasnt sure she could tell.Shed be talking about it and say, 'I dont know if Im supposed to be talking about this yet, remembered McMillan.Throughout her life, Ross would be featured in national newspapers, history books, even science camp pamphlets that McMillan would receive in the mail.It starts here with Jane Goodall and up here in the corner is Aunt Gold! I called her and said do you know your picture? She said, 'oh really?' laughed McMillan.Ross passed away in 2008, just shy of 100 years old.I dont think we have the dreamers now that we did back then, said McMillan. We just kind of, oh, other people will do that.She said during Ross lifetime, space became a realistic destination because people like her aunt decided the dreams werent unattainable.They were reachable for her, said McMillan. She would have gone if they would have let her.Mary Golda Ross also helped write a handbook about traveling to Mars and Venus. McMillan said now is the time to start dreaming again because Aunt Golds work isnt done yet.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 02/03/2017 (2075 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This is going to hurt.

Finance Minister Cameron Friesen delivered a heads-up Thursday: April 11 is D-Day  desperate times, drastic measures  when he will tell Manitobans how painful its going to be for the Tories to tackle the provinces $1-billion deficit.

We need to look hard at what we can afford to do now, Friesen told reporters Thursday, flanked by two experts appointed in December to help the government sort out the deteriorating situation.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Finance Minister Cameron Friesen (centre), with advisory panel co-chairs Janice McKinnon and Dave Angus, says taxpayers can expect some form of wage controls on civil servants, less money and strict rules about spending it in provincial departments and some cuts in management positions.

This budget has to include some tough measures.

And by tough measures, taxpayers can expect some form of wage controls on civil servants, less money and strict rules about spending it in provincial departments and some cuts in management positions.

Premier Brian Pallister later told reporters that there could be consequences for cabinet ministers failing to meet their budgets  he did not reject the suggestion of pay cuts  and unspecified consequences for senior managers missing their budget targets.

In the past, there were no consequences. The consequence of the lack of consequences brought our credit rating down, said Pallister. The enforcement mechanism of failing to keep spending within revenue in a business or home is bankruptcy, he said, so its only reasonable and fair that there be consequences in the public sector.

The province of Manitoba has consistently missed its deficit targets, said Janice MacKinnon, who co-chairs the advisory panel created by Premier Brian Pallister at the end of last year with former Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Dave Angus.

MacKinnon, a former Saskatchewan NDP finance minister, said credit-rating agencies have watched Manitobas deficit grow year after year since 2007, all on the previous NDP governments watch.

There are three keys to achieving a balanced budget over the next eight years, she said: prudent management of operational and capital spending, including finding reductions and efficiencies; growing revenues without new or higher taxes; and identifying assets that can be managed more efficiently.

The core task of the government is to reduce expenditures over time so you can achieve a balance, she said. Its a spending problem here you cant tax more in Manitoba.

MacKinnon, who served as finance minister under NDP premier Roy Romanow, said Pallister is taking action sufficiently early to reverse the financial woes over time.

Managing compensation levels is a must, Angus said.

About 70 per cent of the budget goes to paying employees, including $1 billion in civil-service wages and $9 billion to others in the public-sector, such as Crown corporations.

The panel discovered layers of management it says add to costs but not to outcomes; senior management ranks are up 33 per cent in the public sector since 2005, raising the possibility that Pallisters orders to chop 15 per cent of those positions could be revised for more savings.

Theres systemic changes that have to be made, Angus said. We cant sustain the status quo.

Friesen did not release any written reports from the advisory panel, and said that while he promises to be accountable to the public, he would not commit to making public the ongoing reviews and audits into government spending.

However, Pallister later said he would release documents, including two lengthy KPMG reviews of government services, with some privacy redactions, although not until after the budget.

I want people to see it and spark ideas for further discussion, the premier said.

Nor would Friesen say if he has defined the front-line services and front-line workers the government has vowed to protect.

NDP finance critic James Allum said its unfair to keep public sector workers and their families in fear whether theyll still have a job after the April 11 budget.

It would be best if they just came clean, Allum said.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/03/2017 (2074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TWO successful indigenous-owned insurance brokerage businesses have entered into a partnership that will expand their market reach and create further economies of scale in Western Canada and into Ontario.

Winnipeg-based TIPI Insurance Partners has acquired 51 per cent of Saskatchewan-based IMI Brokerage Company, creating Canadas largest indigenous-owned insurance agency.

TIPI was formed in 2012, and IMI has been around for 25 years.

TIPI INSURANCE PARTNERS IMI Brokerage Company founder Joan Barmby-Halcro celebrates the merger with TIPI Insurance Partners CEO Nathan Ballantyne. Together, the companies have formed the largest indigenous-owned insurance agency in Canada.

TIPI had offered group health and pension plans as well, as property and casualty insurance, mostly in Manitoba, with some business in Saskatchewan and Ontario. IMI had offered only group health and pension plans in Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C.

Both companies are First Nation-owned and exclusively target First Nations and indigenous organizations as their customer base.

Both companies will continue to operate as two separate brands, and their brokers  numbering about 30, about 25 of whom are indigenous  will be able to offer the full suite of insurance products.

IMI and TIPI are of similar size. Details of their premium revenue are not disclosed, but TIPI CEO Nathan Ballantyne said it will put their pension assets under management at about $140 million. Ballantyne said the deal allows his firm to expand from servicing 60 First Nations to 90.

We are truly an economic development initiative, he said. We distribute our profits to the First Nation ownership group under our umbrella.

Swampy Cree Tribal Council was the majority owner of TIPI, with Tribal Wi-Chi-Way-Win Capital Corp. (TWCC) holding 25 per cent before the IMI deal. IMI is owned equally by eight Saskatchewan First Nations, two Alberta First Nations and Barmby Financial Inc.

IMI founder and CEO Joan Barmby-Halcro said the business model of being First Nation-owned and exclusively targeting an indigenous client base has proven very successful.

We want to see it expand even more and provide more monetary benefits back to First Nations across Canada, Barmby-Halcro said. There are First Nations out there across the country getting tired of just being provided a service. They want an ownership interest. That is what we will look forward to doing as we move forward.

Ballantyne, who will take over the management of both firms, said the plan is to broaden the ownership base of the company that already directly and indirectly includes most of the First Nations in Manitoba.

TIPI was created in 2011 through the union of four First Nations-owned organizations. In addition to its base in Winnipeg, it also has a northern office in The Pas.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/03/2017 (2074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BARCELONA  In 30 years, your shoes will be smarter than you.

Thats not meant to be an insult but rather what Masayoshi Son believes will be the case as robots outnumber humans and exceed their intelligence in just three decades.

The chairman and CEO of Japans SoftBank Group outlined his vision of the future during remarks made on stage at the Mobile World Congress tech conference underway this week in Barcelona.

SHIZUO KAMBAYASHI / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son greets Pepper, the company's robot, during a news conference in Maihama, near Tokyo.

One of the chips in our shoes in the next 30 years will be smarter than our brain. We will be less than our shoes. And we are stepping on them, Son chuckled.

Son was talking up the concept of singularity, which is when the artificial intelligence built into computers, connected Internet of Things (IoT) objects and the Cloud will surpass that of the human brain.

As robots gain that same level of intelligence, the societal impact is likely to be profound.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban recently tweeted that Automation is going to cause unemployment and we need to prepare for it.

And Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently said in an interview that robots that take over a job formerly done by a real live person, should be taxed at the same level as that human.

Son says that today an average IQ for a person is around 100. If youre an Einstein or Da Vinci your IQ is around the 200 mark, and youre considered a genius.

Son believes AI-infused computers will eventually have IQs of 10,000.

This burst of superintelligence, he says, is going to become a reality. And this intelligence will make its way into all sorts of IoT devices, robots, cars and up in the Cloud.

According to Son, a population of smart robots will exceed the population of mankind over this 30-year timeframe. Such brainy robots will make up all sizes and shapes. Some will fly, some will swim, some will have two legs, some will have hundreds of legs.

This past year, SoftBank launched a US$100-billion investment fund called the SoftBank Vision Fund, which will focus in part on AI and IoT. Sun said that sum is bigger than the cumulative US$65 billion that has been invested in all other venture funds.

SoftBank separately purchased the UK-chip designer ARM Holdings for US$32 billion.

ARM chips are in 99 per cent of smartphones and will be in 80 per cent of IoT devices, he says. And he posted stats that showed by 2035 there will be 100 IoT devices per person, up from two such devices in 2010.

With all that activity, ARM is spending a lot of time focused on security.

There were 128 billion cyberattacks last year, 41/2 times the year before.

The number of (hacks) is exponentially growing, so we have to be very careful, Son said.

Son mentioned that one of his companys engineers wanted to see how many security cameras he could hack before his wife returned from lunch. He hacked 1.2 million security cameras in a single lunchtime.

Whats more, there are 500 ARM chips in some of the cars that are out on the street today.

And none of them are secure today, Son said. Im telling you because we are shipping (them).

He played a video during his remarks demonstrating how hackers could steer a connected vehicle or prevent the brakes from working.

To combat such threats, the company recently announced it is putting new encrypted security features into the microcontroller chips that go into cars and IoT devices.

Son wrapped up his remarks by asking whether singularity is good or bad. Some scholars at Oxford came up with 12 risks that threaten human intelligence, such things as nuclear war, global pandemics and so forth. Artificial intelligence made the list too.

But AI can also be the solution for the other crises, Son says.

I think this superintelligence  artificial intelligence  is going to be our partner. If we misuse it, its a risk. If we use it in good spirit, it will be our partner for a better life.

 USA Today
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Snap, the parent company of the ephemeral messaging service Snapchat, outstripped expectations for its stock market debut Thursday, closing at US$24.48 per share. That means the social network once thought of mostly as a tool for sending naughty pictures is now worth about US$28 billion  more than Macys and American Airlines as of Thursday.

The IPO was a great success for co-founders Evan Speigel and Bobby Murphy, who founded the company in 2011 out of their Stanford University dorm rooms. Now both are billionaires before the age of 30.

The company saw a healthy pop in its first moments of trading, opening at US$24  roughly 40 per cent higher than the companys price of US$17 per share and far higher than the companys original US$14 to US$16 range.

Mark Lennihan / The Associated Press Model Miranda Kerr takes a selfie with friends at the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange as Snapchat celebrates its IPO Thursday.

The higher trading price demonstrated the great demand Snap had for its initial public offering. Some are hoping that Snaps debut can revive a lagging IPO market  as Barrons reported  and encourage other tech firms to make their debuts.

Experts said the excited reaction to the Snap debut easily could nudge firms on the fence about going public into the market. If youre anywhere within the neighbourhood of going public, you might as well go and catch some of the money that people are throwing around, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at Enderle Group. He compared the excitement over an unprofitable company to the heady days of the dot-com boom.

While Snap had a fairly successful debut, the question now is whether it can keep that momentum. In the long-term, will Snap look more like a Facebook, a Twitter, or will it carve its own path?

Social media firms that have gone public have had checkered success. Facebook recovered from a glitch-marred debut  it closed at its opening price of US$38  and initial skepticism about its ability to make money by creating a mobile advertising behemoth.

Twitter, on the other hand, closed well above its US$26 IPO price at US$44.90. But it has disappointed investors worried about its growth and lack of revenue; on Thursday, it closed at US$15.49 per share.

Some analysts say Snapchats appeal, and particularly its engagement numbers, justify its valuation and make it a good candidate for succeeding more in the vein of Facebook  which famously tried to buy the network in 2013 for a now paltry looking sum of US$3 billion.

Snapchat supporters point to the companys loyal user base of 158 million people, who use it to send 2.5 billion messages every day, according to the companys regulatory filings. While Snap has yet to profit from that popularity, it is growing its revenue, which was US$404.5 million in 2016, a substantial increase from the US$59 million it logged in 2015.

The firm has invested substantially in working with media partners, including Washington Post, to deliver news and analysis to its predominately young audience. Its growth has, to this point, been largely driven by younger users in the coveted 18-35 demographic, who spend more than 30 minutes on it per day, according to the companys filing.

Those bullish on Snap say that its mastered the art of meeting its audience where they are. Snap Inc. has figured out how to capitalize on the short attention span of younger generations and to create meaningful engagement experiences with friends, family and even celebrities and brands, said Greg Ng, vice-president of digital engagement at the social media consultancy PointSource.

But other analysts caution that Snap looks decidedly Twitteresque  at least for now.

James Gellert, chief executive of the analysis firm Rapid Ratings, said Snap is in a weaker position at this point in its development than Facebook, which has had considerable post-IPO success. When it comes to Snaps financials and its vision for the future, he said, it has far more in common with Twitter at the point of IPO than Facebook.

The company hasnt turned a profit, for example  and has cautioned that it may never do so. It also hasnt articulated a clear path to how it will continue to make money. In fact, Gellert noted, Snap has said that it actually expects to spend more money in the coming years to continue growing.

Snap also runs some risk of getting the wind taken out of its sails by competitors, as analyst Brian Wieser of Pivotal wrote in a research note to investors. He assigned Snap a sell rating and said he assessed its value at US$10 per share.

It has a promising and innovative advertising offering, but so far it is still mostly unproven and difficult to quantify its ultimate scale, he said. Its also competing with enormous companies for advertising dollars, he said, particularly Facebook and Google.

 Washington Post
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Artificial intelligence boosters predict a brave new world of flying cars and cancer cures. Detractors worry about a future where humans are enslaved to an evil race of robot overlords.

Veteran AI scientist Eric Horvitz and Doomsday Clock guru Lawrence Krauss, seeking a middle ground, gathered a group of experts in the Arizona desert to discuss the worst that could possibly happen  and how to stop it.

Their workshop took place last weekend at Arizona State University with funding from Tesla Inc. co-founder Elon Musk and Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn. Officially dubbed Envisioning and Addressing Adverse AI Outcomes, it was a kind of AI doomsday game that organized some 40 scientists, cyber-security experts and policy wonks into groups of attackers  the red team  and defenders  blue team  playing out AI-gone-very-wrong scenarios, ranging from stock-market manipulation to global warfare.

Horvitz is optimistic  a good thing because machine intelligence is his lifes work  but some other more dystopian-minded backers of the project seemed to find his outlook too positive when plans for this event started about two years ago, said Krauss, a theoretical physicist who directs ASUs Origins Project, the program running the workshop. Yet Horvitz said for these technologies to move forward successfully and to earn broad public confidence, all concerns must be fully aired and addressed.

There is huge potential for AI to transform so many aspects of our society in so many ways. At the same time, there are rough edges and potential downsides, like any technology, said Horvitz, managing director of Microsofts Research Lab in Redmond, Wash. To maximally gain from the upside, we also have to think through possible outcomes in more detail than we have before and think about how wed deal with them.

Beyond actual solutions, organizers hope the doomsday workshop started conversations on what needs to happen, raised awareness and combined ideas from different disciplines. The Origins Project plans to make public materials from the closed-door sessions and may design further workshops around a specific scenario or two, Krauss said.

 Bloomberg News
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A Winnipeg mother will not go to jail for failing to summon medical help as her 10-month old daughter struggled to breathe and later died as a result of an accidental morphine overdose.

The 34-year-old woman  who cant be named in order to protect the identity of five other children in care  has instead been given a nearly nine-month conditional sentence that allows her to remain free in the community.

Provincial court Chief Judge Margaret Wiebe gave the woman credit for approximately three months of time spent in custody following her arrest and placed her on supervised probation for three years.

Justice officials had sought a sentence of up to a year behind bars for the accused, who was convicted of failing to provide the necessities of life stemming from the July 2012 death. She was acquitted of an additional charge of criminal negligence after Wiebe decided it wasnt clear how the drug got into the infants system.

In her sentencing decision, Wiebe agreed with the defence position that the woman is racked with guilt and doesnt need to be locked up to understand what she did was wrong or further deter others from following suit.

The Crown has 30 days to appeal the not-guilty verdict on the criminal negligence charge and/or the sentence.

She waited so very long to call 911, prosecutor Melissa Hazelton said during sentencing submissions last month. This is not a case of a momentary lapse of attention.

During the trial, court was told the womans boyfriend urged her to call an ambulance after hearing his infant daughter struggling to breathe during a pair of phone calls over the course of an hour from Headingley Correctional Centre, where he was an inmate.

A friend of the woman and occasional roommate testified that he was in a downtown hotel bar when he got a text message from her shortly after she hung up the phone with her boyfriend.

Come home, somethings wrong with the baby, the woman wrote in the text. He immediately phoned her.

Shes not breathing, the woman said. He told her to put a mirror up to the babys mouth and nose to see if she might be mistaken.

She was hysterical and really scared. I told her, As soon as you hang up the phone, call the ambulance,' he told court.

The man rushed to the womans home, arriving about 15 minutes later. Paramedics hadnt arrived, but he believes the woman had called them by that point.

(The child) was motionless. She was purple a little bit, he said. The man attempted CPR on the baby as the distraught mother paced back and forth.

Doctors were unable to save the girl and the cause of death was initially a mystery. A Philadelphia laboratory later uncovered the truth, noting high levels of morphine in her system. However, police and justice officials have never been able to determine how she ingested the drug.

The mother took the position at trial that it was a tragic accident. But Wiebe found her guilty of inaction, noting testimony from a pathologist who said there would have been noticeable signs the child was suffering, including laboured breathing and chest-heaving. The doctor said getting immediate medical attention was crucial to the babys survival.

Every day she lives with the consequences of her criminal behaviour, defence lawyer Amanda Sansregret told court.

The accused claims crippling social anxiety, including a chronic phobia of doctors, prevented her from taking prompt action. She didnt realize the grave nature of her daughters condition, initially chalking it up to the babys history of bronchial issues that required the use of an inhaler.

Im so sorry to my kids. I understand I should have just called 911. I dont understand why I was so scared to call 911, the woman told court in a written statement read aloud by her lawyer.

The mother lost custody of her other five children, who range in age from three to 15, but has regular visitation with them. Her lawyers told court CFS wants to reunify the family but were waiting for the resolution of the court case before proceeding further.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca
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Premier Brian Pallister chided reporters Thursday that its not journalism to keep asking him about spending time at his vacation home in Costa Rica.

A testy Pallister accused media of misrepresenting his time in Costa Rica and of being unfair.

Its not journalism, he said, urging reporters to spend their time on the financial and health-care issues facing Manitoba.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Premier Brian Pallister vows to release two reviews of government services after the budget.

Pallister was reacting in a scrum to a question from a reporter asking about his plans for July, which she linked to the possibility of flooding this spring.

The premier responded that July flooding is rare, and he has no plans to be in Costa Rica in July.

Pallister said he was aware of what the reporter was referencing: in 2014, he was in Costa Rica during a flood in Manitoba, but initially said he was at a wedding in Alberta.

That was a flash flood, said Pallister Thursday, and has nothing to do with his plans not to be in Costa Rica this July.

I dont intend on it. I dont have a plan to go to Costa Rica in July, said Pallister, becoming increasingly impatient as he repeated that statement three times.

Ive been away on vacation less time than most members of the NDP, he insisted.

Pallister, who has said hell be in Costa Rica as much as eight weeks a year when the legislature is not sitting, said Thursday hell be there five weeks this year.

He was in Costa Rica in January, and will likely be there in August and September.

His staff said that since the election, Pallister was in Costa Rica July 8 to 17, Aug. 25 to 31, and Dec. 16 to 31.

The NDP has called Pallister a part-time premier. In question period Thursday, four MLAs made reference to Costa Rica seven times.

 Nick Martin
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Shortly after Premier Brian Pallister said Friday that Manitoba is at the breaking point in dealing with migrants and needs help, the federal government said it was sending two cabinet ministers to Manitoba today.

We need a national plan because its not going to go away, Pallister told reporters. Weve all heard the noise from the U.S.

Later, the Liberal government announced Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale would visit Emerson today. The Manitoba border town has had to cope with a surge of migrants crossing from the United States. Fellow cabinet minister Jim Carr, the minister responsible for Manitoba, is expected to accompany Goodale.

JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Early Sunday morning, February 26, 2017, eight migrants from Somalia crossed into Canada illegally from the United States by walking down this train track into the town of Emerson, Man., where they will seek asylum at Canada Border Services Agency.

The ministers will meet and thank the officials, workers, volunteers and agencies on the ground, who have been dealing with the recent increase in irregular border crossings. The ministers will hold a brief media availability during their visit, Ottawa officials said.

Pallister wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Feb. 21 asking for help. Pallister could not say Friday how much money and other resources Manitoba is seeking; his staff said details will not be available until next week.

Its a moving target, the premier said. Its escalating.

At least 190 people have entered Canada near the Emerson border crossing this year. Energy and resources are running out, according to people working on the front lines, Pallister said.

The premier said the surge of asylum seekers is putting a heavy burden on housing, social services, education  especially English as an additional language  and Legal Aid Manitoba, which handles the paperwork and legal process for the newcomers.

Amid calls for stepped-up enforcement along the border, Goodale has said existing resources were being shifted.

Because asylum seekers are crossing from the U.S. in only three or four provinces and because it may not be seen as a large problem on a national scale, Ottawa may be treating it as a Manitoba problem rather than a Canadian one, Pallister acknowledged.

Fred Chartrand / The Canadian Press Files Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale is scheduled to visit Emerson to assess the situation today.

The premier spoke Friday morning with his Quebec counterpart, Philippe Couillard. Quebecs borders have also seen an influx of asylum seekers. He shares those concerns, Pallister said, adding the number of asylum-seekers hits Manitoba disproportionately compared with other provinces.

Pallister has directed provincial officials to identify provincial resources being diverted to deal with the ongoing issue and to identify from which other front-line services those staff and resources are being moved.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca

Prime+Minister+February+21+2017+Refugee+Claimants
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OTTAWA  Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister is willing to play ball on Ottawas health-care funding deal if the federal government sweetens the pot with more money for kidney disease and First Nations health care, the Free Press has learned.

Pallister has been adamant the provinces should stay united and negotiate a national accord to replace the 2004 health accord which expires at the end of March. He even put Manitobas support for Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus climate change plan on hold pending Trudeaus agreement to have a first ministers meeting to negotiate a new health deal.

Ottawa refused. In December, it offered annual increases of 3.5 per cent to federal health transfers and $11 billion over a decade in targeted funding for home care and mental health. All the provinces initially rejected that deal, but since December, six provinces and the three territories caved and signed on individually. Only Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec are left.

Some provinces managed to get additional benefits on top of the original offer. Saskatchewan got Ottawa to agree to give it a years grace period to prove it is not violating the Canada Health Act with an MRI program that allows people to pay for their own MRI as long as the provider also does a scan for someone on the public waiting list. British Columbia got an additional $10 million in emergency funding to help address the opioid crisis that has hit that province the hardest.

In a March 1 letter to Trudeau, Pallister outlined Manitobas wants, noting his efforts to get a national deal and first ministers meeting have been ignored and bypassed.

In these unfortunate circumstances, mindful of my own responsibilities  I am reluctantly prepared to undertake a bilateral dialogue based on constructively addressing our unique challenges in areas of mutual concern, he wrote.

Among the asks are $60 million over 10 years to help combat chronic kidney disease, a problem Pallister notes is the worst in Manitoba.

He says 1,500 Manitobans already receive dialysis treatment and that will double in eight years. The federal funding would be for dialysis, diabetes care and kidney transplants as well as prevention programs.

Manitoba also wants Ottawas commitment to help address the disparity in health care between indigenous and non-indigenous communities.

Manitoba also wants to end the 14-year-old dispute over medal transportation coverage for First Nations patients. Manitoba has said Ottawa owes it more than $34 million in unpaid medical transport bills since 2003.

A spokesman for Pallister acknowledged the letter was Manitobas first shot over the bow on the health care issue, and said Ottawa has not responded to previous attempts to engage this year.

A spokeswoman for Trudeau acknowledged receipt of the letter but said only Health Minister Jane Philpott and Finance Minister Bill Morneau have successfully achieved health care financing agreements with 9 provinces and territories and look forward to working with each interested jurisdiction to improve care for Canadians.

The 2004 health care accord agreed to have Ottawa increase annual health transfers by six per cent each year for a decade. In 2011, the previous Conservative government extended it by two years, but said after that health transfers would increase at three per cent per year. The provinces have known this was coming for six years but have argued it is a cut to health care.

It is not a cut, because health care transfers will still grow, but not as quickly as before. Provinces already pay about 80 per cent of health care costs, and they want Ottawa to increase its share so the provinces pay 75 per cent and Ottawa 25 per cent.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca
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A spokeswoman for one of the building owners at the corner of Portage and Main said a revitalized intersection can co-exist with a redeveloped underground concourse.

Rosanne Hill, managing director of Harvard Developments Inc., which owns and manages the 33-storey office tower originally known as TD Centre, said her firm is committed to supporting efforts to removing the barriers, adding she believes opening the iconic intersection to pedestrian will provide an opportunity to redevelop the street-level space of the building without damaging the underground businesses.

We have a longer-term vision to work with the city and animate the corner, Hill told the Free Press, explaining that currently, much of the street-level space at 201 Portage is unleaseable. There is absolutely an opportunity to redevelop the main floor lobby of the building and embrace an opening to Portage and Main, with leaseable area  cafes and interconnectivity to that corner  which is what wed like to do.

Reopening the intersection to pedestrians was one of Mayor Brian Bowmans campaign commitments in 2014.

Opponents said removing the barriers is inviting disaster, that it will not only delay traffic but poses a serious risk to pedestrians brave enough to cross. Many people mistakenly believe traffic concerns were what prompted the placement of the barriers. In fact, the barriers went up in 1979 as part of a deal with the original building owners and developer who constructed the underground complex.

Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press Files Pedestrians using the crosswalks above ground doesnt necessarily preclude high volumes of pedestrians underground says one advocate for removal of the barricades at Portage and Main.

Supporters argue the barriers need to be removed to allow pedestrian connection to the disparate areas of the heart of the city  the downtown, The Forks and the east and west Exchange Districts  which will encourage street-level development in the surrounding area as more pedestrians move through the area.

While its a divisive issue in Winnipeg, Bowman revived that pledge a year ago when he said he hoped to have barriers taken down by July 2017 to coincide with events surrounding the Canada Summer Games.

The July 2017 deadline suffered a serious setback when civic officials realized portions of the concrete barriers are integral to the underground structure and that complicates, and increases, the cost of their removal.

The city has commissioned a traffic impact study, which has been completed but is being reviewed by civic officials. Bowman said in addition to seeing the building corner owners redevelop the street-level areas of the intersection, city hall will be expected to invest funds to refurbish the portion of the underground  the circular walkway known as the Circus.

Bowman said nothing will happen at the intersection until the administration presents a plan that details the impact on traffic flow and outlines the changes and costs to the underground.

Hill wrote, on behalf of her firm, one of the four letters from the building owners who have committed to Bowman their support to remove the barriers. Hill said she envisions redevelopment can occur at street level without jeopardizing the investment building owners have put into the underground development.

It doesnt have to be an either-or-situation, Hill said. If pedestrians are using the crosswalks above ground, it doesnt necessarily preclude high volumes of pedestrians underground to continue. People will, on a nice day, cross the street above ground and when its a little colder or theyre interested in stopping in a store on their way or getting a coffee, theyll go underground.

Harvard Developments is committed to developing both areas, Hill said, adding the firm will be issuing tenders soon for a multimillion-dollar upgrade to the portion of the underground that goes with the 201 Portage tower.

As for when that will happen, Hill, like Bowman, said the process has its own timetable.

Its a process and all the right steps need to be taken, including their assessment of the traffic study and lots of public engagement, Hill said. All the stakeholders would like to see it happen in a holistic way. Its not just about taking down the barriers, it involves a phased plan that would require some investment by all the stakeholders, including the city.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca
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They are aquatic hitchhikers eager to travel and no one should pick them up.

Zebra mussels, which have striped shells and reproduce rapidly, are an invasive species known for damaging the environment, equipment and infrastructure. They spread by hitching a ride on or in watercraft and water-related equipment when these havent been decontaminated and are then used in different bodies of water.

One mussel can produce up to one million eggs during a single spawning season. Within three to five days, the eggs become microscopic larvae  called veligers  that can swim.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox and Geoff Powell from Mid-Canada Marine and Powersports Dealers Association pose with some examples of Zebra Muscles at MB Gov. press conference launching a public awareness campaign called "Spot the Stripes and Stop the Spread". Photo taken at Enns Brothers, 925 Lagimodiere Blvd. March 2, 2017 170302

The menacing mollusks have infested three Manitoba waterways since being found in the province in 2013  Lake Winnipeg, the Red River and Cedar Lake  so the province is reaching out to Manitobans with a public awareness campaign called Spot the Stripes and Stop the Spread.

The campaign is encouraging users of provincial waterways to take an active role to stop the spread of zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species by cleaning, draining and drying all watercraft and water-related equipment before and after use and to put all unused bait in trash bins.

New to this years campaign is an appeal to children to help their family members clean, drain, dry and dispose when using Manitoba waterways.

Activity books for children will begin to be distributed this weekend at the Mid-Canada Boat Show, along with the launch of a contest for children under the age of 12 to submit their suggested name for the zebra mussel featured in the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) awareness campaign.

Our new AIS awareness campaign is an opportunity to build involvement and interest among young Manitobans on this important topic, Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox said in a statement.

Engaging with children about the damage that zebra mussels can do to our provinces waterways will help bring the message home and remind all of us to take the right steps in preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.

Zebra mussels can have serious impacts on the environment.

Once established in a body of water, they accumulate in clusters on boats and water-borne equipment and infrastructure such as docks, intake pipes and other water-based infrastructure. Zebra mussels can also impact fish populations and recreation through the deposit of sharp shells washing up on beaches.

We know that all Manitobans who enjoy activities on the water want to play their part, so were calling on them to help us raise awareness and change behaviours, Cox said. Zebra mussels are here to stay in Manitoba and we must all do our part to prevent further spread.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox and Geoff Powell from Mid-Canada Marine and Powersports Dealers Association with zebra mussels at a press conference Thursday.

The awareness campaign is focusing on all recreation activities involving water and will see awareness-raising materials distributed to the approximately 750 vendors across the province who sell fishing and wildlife licences, as well as materials being made available to other retail outlets that indicate an interest in helping stop the spread of AIS.

The Mid-Canada Marine and Powersports Dealers Association is committed to working with our members and the province to stop the spread of AIS, Geoff Powell, the MMPDA manager, stated. The spread of zebra mussels in our lakes is a very serious concern for our industry and we believe our customers want to help.

This summer, the province will once again have decontamination units available at high-traffic locations and watercraft inspection staff to help the public stop the spread of AIS such as zebra mussels, the statement said.

There will also be watercraft inspection stations set up on the highways where boaters should stop to ensure watercraft are not transporting AIS.

As challenging as it is to contain zebra mussels in Lake Winnipeg, the challenges will only increase if they invade other lakes and rivers in our province, said Scott Higgins, research scientist, International Institute for Sustainable Development Experimental Lakes Area, in the media release. It is incredibly important for everyone who uses Lake Winnipeg to do everything they can to prevent the spread of zebra mussels to other lakes and rivers.

In 2015, provincial legislation made it illegal in Manitoba to transport AIS, aquatic plants or mud on wwwater-related equipment. Boats, boat trailers and other gear must be decontaminated before being placed in another lake or river.
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OTTAWA  The number of people making an asylum claim in Manitoba grew fivefold in the past two years, but federal officials say its too early to determine whether the trend will continue.

Statistics provided via the Canada Border Services Agency show in 2016, 521 people made a claim for asylum in Manitoba.

That includes all claims made for refugee status within the province, not just those who illegally crossed the border to do so.

JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Migrants from Somalia cross into Canada illegally from the United States to the town of Emerson, where they will seek asylum at Canada Border Services Agency.

Two years earlier, just 104 people made an asylum claim in Manitoba. In 2015 it was 263.

Nationally, in 2016, there were about 24,000 asylum claimants, up from 16,113 in 2015 and 13,500 in 2014.

In January and most of February, there were almost 4,000 asylum claims at a land border crossing (mostly people taken there by the RCMP after crossing the border illegally) or at inland offices in cities such as Winnipeg.

Canada Border Services Agency says it processed 94 claimants who crossed the border illegally near Emerson from Jan. 1 to Feb. 21.

That number has grown to more than 140, after more than three dozen people crossed the border in the last week alone.

Quebec has seen the lions share of the border crossers, with 290 in the first eight weeks of the year. There were another 51 in British Columbia.

Officials from Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the RCMP, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) who held a technical briefing for the media Thursday in Ottawa, said asylum claim statistics have fluctuated a lot over the past 15 years and it is too early to determine that there will be many more coming to Canada once the snow melts.

Citizenship officials said in 2001, 44,000 asylum claimants filed paperwork in Canada. In 2008, the number was 37,000.

Asylum claimants are different than resettled refugees. The latter, including the 35,000 Syrian refugees who were admitted to Canada since November 2015, are screened and processed overseas before they board a plane for Canada.

Asylum claimants arrive in Canada first and then make a claim.

If they arrive in Canada by crossing the border without going to a border crossing, they will be arrested by the RCMP and then handed over to the custody of the CBSA.

There, they are detained for two to eight hours while they are processed.

Processing involves having any documents screened, biometrics taken and national and international databases checked to determine what their status is elsewhere, or if they are suspected of a crime or human rights violation.

If they are not deemed to be a security threat and have not previously been rejected by Canada as a refugee, they are released and a refugee board hearing set up to hear their case.

The CBSA made clear nobody is released if there are any concerns but the CBSA did not respond Thursday when asked how many asylum claimants have been detained so far this year.

International treaties signed by Canada dictate how Canada treats people who claim they cannot return to their country for fear of prosecution.

Canadas immigration laws say if someone crosses the border to make a claim, they wont be charged while their claim is being processed.

If their refugee claim is rejected, they could be charged.

The RCMP and CBSA are working with U.S. counterparts and constantly monitoring the situation and gathering intelligence to try to determine what is causing the influx and whether it will continue.

The IRCC thus far will not say how many claimants are being rejected. In 2016, about 4.9 per cent of claimants were deemed ineligible to make a claim. If a claimant is rejected, they can appeal.

Ultimately, a claimant Canada deems ineligible for asylum will be issued a deportation order.

Bashir Khan, a Winnipeg immigration lawyer who is representing several asylum claimants, said so far this year he has had three claimants accepted and one rejected.

Most of the claimants currently arriving in Manitoba are from Somalia, a country to which Canada will not deport anyone because it is too dangerous.

The only exception is for Somalis deemed inadmissible because of criminal convictions.

However, neither CBSA nor IRCC could or would say Thursday what the status is of people who are turned down as refugees but who are not being deported.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 02/03/2017 (2075 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With asylum seekers flowing across the U.S. border into Manitoba, United Way Winnipeg is taking action.

The agency has launched a new website, HelpRefugees.ca, which is a secure, central site where people can safely donate money to help newcomers.

HelpRefugees.ca provides a central site to donate money with confidence, knowing United Way will work closely with community partners to ensure every dollar of their donation goes where its needed most and will make the biggest difference, United Way Winnipeg said in a release Thursday.

JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Asylum seekers from Somalia illegally cross into Canada from the United States by walking down the train track into Emerson.

Through donations, the United Way already funds 23 community agencies that support newcomer and refugee families, said Connie Walker, CEO of United Way Winnipeg, in the release.

Walker said the influx of refugee claimants has proved overwhelming for the agencies.

We realized what was missing was an easy way for people to help. We also saw a need to co-ordinate donations of all kinds.

The United Way will disperse any money collected among the needy community partners and direct it to where it is needed most so it can make the biggest difference, Walker said.

People who would prefer to donate food, clothing, personal care items and feminine hygiene products can go to UnitedWayWinnipeg.ca for a list of the most-needed items and information on volunteering or other ways to help out.

Today in Winnipeg there are families who are scared and alone; strangers in a new country. Together, we can welcome these families and surround them with love, understanding and hope as they start their journey to build a better life for themselves, Walker said.

An estimated 3,000 refugee and immigrant families were assisted by the United Way Winnipeg partner agencies in 2016, which is twice the number of previous years, the release said.

Jodene Baker, the chairwoman of the United Ways community investment committee, said United Way Winnipeg is focusing on the fact there is a real and urgent human need in our city and that there are people and organizations ready to help.

This is not about prioritizing one need in our community over another. No one, including community agencies, is putting one group ahead of another. As always they are finding a way to do more and go further, but theres only so far they can go without breaking, Baker said in the release. This is about mobilizing our compassion and humanity to go further as a community to ensure that doesnt happen.

Abdi Ahmed, co-ordinator for Immigration Partnership Winnipeg, a United Way Winnipeg partner, said more people are expected to arrive as the weather gets warmer.

Thats why its so important to come together as a community to share insights and experience and to co-ordinate resources, now more than ever, Ahmed said in the release. The first 30 days are the most critical. After that, those who receive a refugee hearing can apply for work permits and get help to become more independent.

The first 30 days are the most critical, said Ahmed. After that, those who receive a refugee hearing can apply for work permits and get help to become more independent.

Sitti Ali, a refugee claimant from Djibouti, said refugees have fled from desperate situations and they embark on the uncertain and dangerous journey to Manitoba because they hope for a better life.

We are grateful that weve been welcomed by Winnipeggers, she said in the release. Its made such a difference for us and now we are helping other newcomers feel welcome.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/03/2017 (2074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In both Canada and the United States, conservatives have never had a problem associating radical Islam with terrorism. Lately, however, they are hard-pressed to admit that anti-Muslim prejudice is itself a source of indoctrination and violence.

It is the uncomfortable truths  the existence of Islamophobia and its negative impact on Muslim communities  that conservatives have failed to address honestly.

For hardcore Republicans, the reality of Islamophobia must be categorically denied. In the American neoconservative publication National Review, op-ed writer Brendan ONeill insists Islamophobia is a myth and that the idea that there is a climate of Islamophobia is an invention.

PATRICK DOYLE / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Liberal MP Iqra Khalid, right, speaks about an anti-Islamophobia motion on Parliament Hill while Minister of Canadian Heritage Melanie Joly looks on in February.

Atlantic magazine staff writer Conor Friedersdorf countered these assumptions, noting Islamophobia  an irrational fear of mainstream Muslims  is a recognizable feature of post-9/11 America. Examples include: various cities efforts to stop the construction of mosques, state attempts to ban Shariah law and the profiling of Muslim college students for no reason other than their religion.

In Canada, we encounter similar anxieties, especially among our current crop of conservative politicians. When Liberal MP Iqra Khalid recently introduced Motion 103, which asks the government to condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination, the reaction from Conservative leadership candidates was swift.

Pierre Lemieux warned that the consequences of M-103 on free speech will be far-reaching. Maxime Bernier refused to vote for the motion unless the word Islamophobia was removed. Kellie Leitch insisted that no religion should be singled out for special consideration.

M-103 sparked further outrage. Khalid and her office received thousands of violent, hateful threats. She even required police protection for having the courage to declare publicly the existence of Islamophobia.

Moreover, conservatives tend to downplay the connection between anti-Muslim attitudes and radicalization. For instance, in 2011 when Norways Anders Breivik killed 77 people to draw attention to his right-wing manifesto, the National Posts Jonathan Kay described Breivik as crazy, not conservative.

The reality is, bigotry does not exist in a vacuum. Alexandre Bissonnette did not burst into the Islamic Cultural Centre in Quebec City and kill six Muslims on a whim. His fanaticism was learned from  and encouraged by  far-right extremists. A friend of his mentioned how Bissonnette was enthralled by a borderline racist nationalist movement. Put simply, right-wing thugs go on murderous rampages because they have been brainwashed by like-minded ideologues.

The fallback position for conservatives is to depict right-wing terrorists as exceptions.

Breivik and Bissonnette are, in fact, symptoms of a larger problem  namely, the hate merchants who manufacture vicious stereotypes. These include U.S. President Donald Trumps chief strategist, Steve Bannon, who insists that the West is at war with Islam, as well as Trumps former national security advisor, Gen. Michael Flynn, who referred to Islam as a cancer.

In Canada, Conservative leadership hopeful Leitch sends her condolences to the families of the Quebec mosque victims while promoting policies that simultaneously stir up anti-immigrant sentiments. When Leitch attempts to legitimize her barbaric cultural practices tip line or the screening of new immigrants for Canadian values, her brand of politics can only be described as disingenuous.

Conservatives sank even lower at this years Manning Centre Conference in Ottawa. Panelist Thomas Quiggin of the Terrorism and Security Experts network suggested that not only was every mosque in Canada  including the Islamic Cultural Centre in Quebec City  funding extremist groups, but that the gunman sought revenge for that support. In other words, Muslims should have seen it coming.

Even if North Americans are not drowning in waves of Islamophobia daily, anti-Muslim attitudes can easily be exploited for political gain. When this kind of paranoia becomes mainstream, right-wing radicals are given further assurance that their warped view of Islam is justified. Look no further than the disturbing letter sent March 1 to various media outlets by the Council of Conservative Citizens of Canada (C4). The unknown group threatened to detonate bombs targeting Muslim students at Concordia University during Islamic Awareness Week.

If conservatives wish to be part of the solution, they can start by publicly condemning Islamophobia. By denying its existence and minimizing its negative repercussions, the right becomes complicit in any future hostilities toward Muslims.

Stuart Chambers, PhD, teaches media ethics in the department of communication at the University of Ottawa.

schamber@uottawa.ca
Opinion

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This article was published 02/03/2017 (2075 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Former Liberal senator Sharon Carstairs says she was devastated by a Senate report on expense claims saying she falsely claimed Winnipeg as her primary home even though she hardly spent any time there.

She appeared before a Senate committee Thursday to ask the upper chamber to cover $82,000 in legal bills she amassed while fighting an RCMP investigation and a threat by the Senate to sue her to recoup $7,528 for travel and living expenses the auditor general said she was not entitled to.

Carstairs called the Senate expense audit an unjust process that tarnished her reputation and made the 17 years of my work feel diminished and of significantly less value.

COURTNEY CAMPBELL/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILE Former Manitoba senator Sharon Carstairs is asking the Senate to cover legal expenses she incurred while fighting an RCMP investigation.

Few Canadians will have sympathy for her. The majority of Canadians dont like the Senate and dont want to pay for senators salaries, let alone cover the legal bills of a senator called out by the auditor general.

The issue here is more complicated.

Carstairs was one of 30 senators the auditor general identified in 2015 as having made expense claims his office deemed out of bounds. She was one of nine he said had broken the rules so badly that the RCMP should take a look.

Her offence? Ferguson says Carstairs did not spend enough time in Winnipeg to consider it her permanent home and therefore she wasnt entitled to make living and travel claims as if it was her primary residence.

However  and this is where it gets tricky  the Senate didnt require Carstairs to spend a minimum number of days in Manitoba to make it her primary home. It required her to have permanent residency established in the city by having a Manitoba drivers licence and a Manitoba health card, and to vote in and pay taxes in Manitoba. She fulfilled all those requirements.

Carstairs argues when the Senate received Fergusons report, it should have set him straight about what the eligibility was for her residency claims and that should have been the end of it.

You chose not to do so, she said brusquely.

Instead, the Senate called in the RCMP to investigate whether Carstairs broke a rule that did not exist.

After the RCMP cleared her, the Senate spent almost a year threatening to sue her to recoup the money. In essence, the Senate was agreeing with Ferguson that Carstairs had broken a rule.

Logically, someone should have to spend a majority of their days in the place they call their primary residence. Or at least a plurality of days. But the fact is, the Senate did not have such a rule and still doesnt.

Sen. Leo Housakas, who chairs the internal economy committee, said Thursday the Senate has no precedent by which to pay legal bills for a senator charged with a crime. Its the same reason it refused to pay the bills for Mike Duffy, who was acquitted last year on 31 charges related to his own expense claims. The judge in that case underscored Carstairs point that the Senate had no minimum residency days requirement for a primary residence.

But unlike Duffy, Carstairs was never charged with any crime, so that legal precedent may have no effect here.

The Senate also does have a precedent when it comes to legal bills for the audit. It agreed to cover up to $25,000 in legal bills if senators agreed to go to binding arbitration with former Supreme Court Justice Ian Binnie to determine if Binnie felt Fergusons findings were correct. Thus far, the Senate has ponied up $101,830.39 to cover legal bills for five of those senators.

Carstairs didnt go to binding arbitration because her lawyer said it was unwise while the RCMP were investigating, something at least two senators at the committee hearing acknowledged was sound advice.

Housakas was prepared to deny Carstairs legal claims Thursday but several other senators said they wanted to discuss the matter further. Carstairs doesnt think she will win her fight. She says she needed closure on this situation and wanted a chance to tell the Senate in person what their actions have cost her.

Others have lost more than Carstairs. Rod Zimmer died before this saga ended. One other is fighting cancer and doesnt have it in him to fight the Senate any further to clear his name. Another senator, the Free Press has been told by two different sources, was forced to sell her house to pay her legal bills.

Mia Rabson is the parliamentary bureau chief for the Winnipeg Free Press.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @miarabson
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/03/2017 (2074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A quote wrongly attributed to Canadas seventh prime minister has been making its way through cyberspace for at least seven years now.

Wilfrid Laurier was not the voice behind the passage, which took on a life of its own in Facebook posts and email forwards.

Its a fact that it is not a Laurier quote. Its also a fact that its lifted, nearly word for word, from a letter Teddy Roosevelt wrote, days before his death in 1919. Someone jammed Canadian terminology in place of American particulars.

The scene in Vancouvers Chinatown after a race riot in 1907.

We must insist that the immigrant that comes here is willing to become a Canadian and is willing to assimilate our ways, the quote begins, and continues through a brief list of expectations for newcomers.

We have room for only one flag, the Canadian flag. There is room for only two languages here, English and French. And we have room for loyalty, but only one, loyalty to the Canadian people.

Just to be clear: Laurier has no connection to those words. In the world of online information dissemination, however, that doesnt matter.

As a falsification, its not particularly convincing; one glaring tell is that there was no official Canadian flag in 1907. But to those who share the quote, often affixed to Lauriers portrait, the truth of its provenance is of lesser importance.

Consider this exchange, underneath a 2010 blog post of the quote. I love it when people actually say what I want to say before I even say it! one commenter wrote, adding it helps that its someone of importance in Canadian history.

When informed about the error, the commenter was nonplussed: Personally, I dont really care who wrote the quote. I still believe it is fully applicable why argue about who said it when that really isnt the point at all?

So what matters most, to the people who share the quote, is that it feels as if it should be authoritative. It feels as if it should be a voice of wisdom from their idea of a Canada past; one which, in their imagining, has since been lost.

They wont find it in Laurier. But there is something that happened in Canada in 1907 that we would be well-advised to remember as we navigate the growing tension over refugee claims, asylum seekers and immigration in general.

Near the end of that year, British Columbia was struggling in the wake of a four-year recession. Yet the population on the lower mainland was exploding  it would more than triple in just 10 years  and ethnic tensions were surging.

In Vancouver, public suspicion had turned on Chinese, Japanese and South Asian workers who had come to Canada to take low-paid, dangerous jobs. Many lived in desperate conditions, crowded into shoddy tenements.

A group of union workers formed the Asiatic Exclusion League, dedicated to stopping immigration from Asia. They propagated the idea that immigrants were responsible for crime, ethnic takeover and low wages.

In early September, a race riot broke out in Bellingham, Wash., just 90 kilometres south of Vancouver. A mob of about 500 white men roamed the streets, beating and robbing South Asians. Some of the victims fled north.

Four days later, Vancouver exploded. On Labour Day, 10,000 people marched on Vancouvers city hall  with the support of elected officials  raising signs that said Keep Canada White and Stop the Yellow Peril.

An American labour agitator stood up and delivered a bellicose speech: he called on the crowd to not only reject further immigration, but to expel all Asians from North America. The mob, now frothing, went back on the march.

That night, about 9,000 white Canadians stormed through Vancouvers Chinese and Japanese neighbourhoods. They smashed windows and burned businesses while terrified residents huddled with their families in back rooms.

Nobody was killed, though many were injured. In the aftermath, Laurier dispatched William Lyon MacKenzie King to head a royal commission on the riot; that led to the imposition of harsh restrictions on Asian immigration.

Now, 110 years later, the events of that night are mostly buried in the pages of Canadian history textbooks. Yet it lives as a reminder that, when a population is feeling a collective stress, it becomes all too easy to affix blame upon the others.

Sound familiar?

  

I was invited to attend a refugee hearing a while back. Thats when applicants, who are often desperate, get their opportunity to convince an Immigration and Refugee Board member to let them live here.

Getting to that point isnt quick, and it isnt easy. The hearing, which in Winnipeg is done via video conference, is the ultimate step in a gruelling process; in Canada, every refugee claimant stands atop a mountain of paperwork.

Out of respect for privacy, I cannot give details of this womans life, except to say she fled bigotry in her country of origin and felt certain her days were numbered if she were forced to return.

Describing the nightmare she managed to escape took an hour. The board member heard about this womans dream of living in Canada, and of the steps shed taken to start building a life after she arrived. Shed worked so hard, and she didnt know whether it was all going to fall apart.

In a room packed with supporters, the board member announced she was ready to issue her decision. Over the video feed, she must have seen this woman trembling in anticipation.

She smiled.

I dont want you to worry, she said. This is a positive result.

A wave of joy and relief washed over the room. It was a moment nearly impossible to describe; it had to be experienced. Perhaps if more of us could witness one of these moments, wed all see things more clearly.

This was a life, a human beings future, teetering on a razors edge. On one side was the freedom to become; on the other, a deep, dark chasm churning with fear, likely death. This time, the decision landed on the side bathed in light.

There is always room in my Canada for this. If anyone says there is not, then I would reply they do not know what Canada is. A lantern in darkness, a hope to learn from our past; Canada can only be stronger for that.
The air in the kitchen on Cotters campus Thursday evening was filled with aromas from meals international students were preparing for the schools annual international dinner.

The international dinner is the encapsulation of Cotters celebration of international week, and allows the international students, their families, and other members of the community to get a taste of multiple cultures in one place.

Marie Barrientos, director of residential and student life at Cotter, said the dinner is an opportunity for people to experience and learn about the culture and backgrounds of the many different international students attending Cotter  they compose about a quarter of the schools population.

Its an opportunity for international kids to feel like they offer a piece of themselves and their culture to their peers, Barrientos said.

Organizers expected nearly 300 people to take in the dinner, a three-course meal. The dishes  appetizers, entrees and dessert  included recipes from South Korea, Afghanistan, Taiwan, Hungary and Spain, among others.

Waheed Ahmadzai, a sophomore from Afghanistan, helped prepare a beverage called dough, an Afghan yogurt drink blended with vegetables and mint leaves.

There are different ways to make dough, and Ahmadzai said compromising and working with others to make a specific dish makes him enjoy the gathering that much more.

Ahmadzai said it was his second year participating in the dinner, and he really enjoys the interactions the dinner creates.

You get to talk to people you might not otherwise interact with, he said. Its one thing to learn about a culture; its another to actually be able to experience it.

Ahmadzai said its a good way to directly experience other cultures without actually going to the country.

The dinner takes a lot of coordination and teamwork, a crucial component of the dinner. Not only are the students preparing meals from their native countries, they also assist others in preparing their dishes and learn how different cultures treat food.

I think the students enjoy seeing other people taste their food, Barrientos said. They enjoy being able to come together and give others a taste of what theyd eat if they actually visited their home.

Anna Valderrama, a sophomore from Spain, said this is her first international dinner with Cotter.

Valderrama said she enjoys learning about different cultures through their food and recipes.

Its cool because I get to try foods I would never try otherwise, she said. It makes me happy for everyone involve, making food for others.

Its one thing to learn about a culture; its another to actually be able to experience it. Waheed Ahmadzai, Cotter student
A new report says the gap in college graduation rates between white and black students is still large  about 22 percentage points across the country.

The analysis was published Wednesday by The Education Trust, an advocacy organization for academic achievement.

The issue isnt new to most Minnesota schools.

On average, at the eight Minnesota colleges and universities included in the report, white students graduate at a rate 16 percentage points higher than black students.

I just think it does point out that our institutions are not as culturally flexible as they need to be, said Larry Pogemiller, the state commissioner of higher education.

Thats just something were aware of in Minnesota that we just have not been able to resolve yet.

The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities has the second worst graduation gap in the Big Ten at 24 percentage points.

University leaders say they have been working to make sure first-year students are supported academically and feel welcome.

The U still has a long way to go, according to Robert McMaster, dean of undergraduate education.

The goal is a zero gap, which is obviously the ideal situation, said McMaster.

But he says the school has made progress. The report looks at graduation rates for students who wouldve enrolled years ago  graduating between 2012 and 2014. McMaster said the Us graduation gap now sits at 17 percentage points based on six-year graduation rate data.

And over the past decade, he said the gap has closed by 10 percentage points, progress that is not reflected in the report.

Other school leaders also said the report looks worse than the current situation.

The report showed that Augsburg College has a 20 percentage point graduation gap.

We do believe that we will graduate a higher proportion of the student who enters this last fall or next fall, than we would have for a student who entered six years ago. We dont get to see the impact of the work immediately, said Katie Bishop chief officer of student success.

Bishop said Augsburg plans to hire more staff and faculty of color. And the school is working to give low-income students of all races access to internships and text books  common barriers to student success.

The authors of the report cautioned schools from relying on easy excuses to explain away their graduation gaps.

The often-used excuse is that black students come from public school districts with fewer resources, and arent always fully prepared for college. That isnt necessarily true, said Andrew Nichols, director for higher education research and data analytics at the Education Trust.

What we know is that cant be the sole determining factor, said Nichols. Once an institution enrolls that student, they have the obligation to provide that student with the support services they need.

One school stood out in the report: St. Thomas University has almost no graduation gap between black and white students. The school has a small percentage of African American students, just 2.5 percent, which theyre trying to increase.

St. Thomas President Julie Sullivan said that since 1998, the school has had a five-week pre-college program aimed at incoming students of color.

The students live on campus, take one academic course. Their families participate, if possible, and theyre paired with upperclassmen.

And the overriding goal is to ensure the students understand study habits, time commitments, the commitment to college. And that weve prepared them as much as possible, Sullivan said.

St. Cloud State University is seeing an increase in students of color enrolling, and working on ways to make sure they stay on and graduate.

The schools interim President Ashish Vaidya said academics, financial aid, advising and mental health resources are all part of that equation but all those things need to work together.

When they face some obstacles, whether its academic, or social, or other kinds of things, the first question that comes into their minds is  do I even belong here? Will it get better? If the answer to those questions is no, then theyre likely to stop out, said Vaidya.

The often-used excuse is that black students come from public school districts with fewer resources, and arent always fully prepared for college. That isnt necessarily true.
Hundreds rally against hate after cemetery damage, threats: PHILADELPHIA  Hundreds have turned out for a Stand Against Hate rally in Philadelphia in response to the recent vandalism of a Jewish cemetery and hate crimes around the country. A Jewish federation says it organized Thursdays rally to restore a sense of security and peace to our community. Over 100 headstones were recently discovered damaged at Mount Carmel Cemetery. Police havent made an arrest or determined a motive. Jewish community centers and schools in at least a dozen states were also targets of bomb threats this past week, the fifth wave since January.

Caterpillar offices raided in probe related to Swiss unit: CHICAGO  Federal law enforcement officials raided three central Illinois facilities of manufacturer Caterpillar on Thursday as part of an investigation that the company said may be related to business with its Swiss subsidiary CSARL. Federal agents were seen wheeling large boxes into the Peoria, Illinois, headquarters of Caterpillar, one of the worlds largest makers of construction and other heavy equipment. Facilities in East Peoria and Morton, Illinois, also were searched under a federal warrant.

Chants of Coward! greet Paul Ryan in Rhode Island: PROVIDENCE, R.I.  Around 200 people chanted Coward! and booed as Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan attended an event in the heavily Democratic state. A strong police presence kept the crowd across the street from a Providence office building, where Ryan was meeting Thursday with Year Up, a nonprofit career training organization. The demonstrators said they were protesting the policies of Republicans including Ryan and President Donald Trump. People carried signs that said, No Ban No Wall and Hey! Wisconsin we found him!

Donors pledge nearly $200 million for family planning: BRUSSELS  Nations and philanthropists pledged close to $200 million Thursday for family planning at an international conference that aimed to make up for the gap left by President Donald Trumps ban on U.S. funding to groups linked to abortion. In all, 57 nations attended the hastily convened one-day conference in Brussels and the funding drive was boosted by Sweden, Canada and Finland each promising 20 million euros ($21 million). The private Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation also provided $20 million.

Sweden institutes military draft for both men and women: COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Swedens left-leaning government instituted a military draft for both men and women Thursday because of what its defense minister called a deteriorating security environment in Europe and around Sweden. Sweden abolished compulsory military service for men in 2010 because there were enough volunteers to meet its military needs. It has never had a military draft for women.
A former Sauk County government administrator who was paid to resign nearly three months ago has found a new job in a Minnesota city.

The North Branch City Council voted 4-0 last week to hire Renae Fry as the citys administrator, according to a newspaper report.

Fry worked as Sauk Countys administrative coordinator for nearly eight months until she signed a separation agreement in December that will cost local taxpayers $135,000. Frys buyout was double the amount specified in her contract.

Terms of the deal prevented Fry from speaking negatively about the county with the media and others. But the agreement allows her to speak honestly and to state facts when she is seeking employment outside Sauk County.

An article in The Post Review about Frys hiring included a quote in which she attributed her departure from Sauk County to a disagreement with County Board Chair Marty Krueger.

The board chair and I had a fundamental disagreement about the separation of responsibility between him and me, she told the newspaper.

He felt that difference of opinion was irreparable and that maybe moving forward with a structured separation made the most sense.

Board members were presented with allegations against Fry as justification for her separation deal. Documents show she was accused of gossip, scolding board members, making derogatory statements, micromanagement, favoritism and undermining departments. A formal list of allegations compiled by the countys attorney has not been made public.

Krueger, who did not respond to interview requests this week, has faced his own criticisms of late. He has been accused of political manipulation involving Frys departure and the hiring of her replacement. Respondents to a recent county workplace survey identified him as a negative influence. And the countys justice programs coordinator said her decision to leave county government for another job this week was partially based on her interactions with the board chair.
University of Wisconsin-Baraboo/Sauk County students gathered in the campus cafeteria Wednesday afternoon not to socialize or grab a snack, but for a lesson in ancient stone tool-making.

UW-Baraboo anthropology professor George Christiansen taught a group of about 10 students, who are part of the universitys archaeology club, the ancient art of flint knapping. The practice involves the shaping of flint, chert, obsidian or other fracturing stone through the process of lithic reduction to manufacture stone tools.

That means striking a piece of flint with a harder stone or antler until it resembles a useful tool  like an arrowhead.

Christiansen laid out a tarp and selected several pieces of fracturing stone before the lesson began. As archaeology club members gathered around his workspace, Christiansen gave the students a brief history of the ancient process.

This is the beginning of tool-making, and when we look back on stuff that was done 3 million years ago, they seem to have wanted this, he said, holding up a pointed piece of flint. If you look closely, you can see why. That edge is razor sharp.

The students then were given materials to make their own tools while Christiansen offered advice on how to get the best results. He told the club members to use a large hammer stone or antler to start chipping away at larger pieces of rock and gradually reduce hammer size as the stone flakes away.

This is a percussion thing  its about banging pieces together, Christiansen said. But you want to control what comes off. We want long, thin flakes.

UW-Baraboo sophomore Alora Dart said the flint knapping exercise was her first experience with the archaeology club. She said the meticulous process gave her a deeper understanding and appreciation for the daily tasks ancient people needed to complete in order to survive.

Its a lot trickier than it seems, she said. We always see slides in class, and the detail is incredible. Its really an art form.

Several students said they felt a sense of joy and accomplishment when manipulating the stone in a certain way. Christiansen said the short bursts of dopamine the brain releases while carrying out a simple, repetitive task like flint knapping can be traced back to early humans.

When we talk about how hominids brains developed over the course of time, tool-making was part of that, he said. It literally is with us from almost the beginning.

Christiansen said its unusual for a two-year campus to have as many archaeology-related opportunities as UW-Baraboo. He said the regions unique archaeological sites and a working relationship with the Sauk County Historical Society give archaeology club members a rare chance to explore the profession at a smaller university.

Sauk County and the area around Baraboo has some of the best archaeological sites in the state, he said. It is unusual, but its also great.

UW-Baraboo sophomore Jonas Martin is a three-semester veteran of the archaeology club. He believes students should take advantage of Sauk Countys unique archaeological opportunities by participating in the club.

Its a great way for students to learn about the areas unique sites, he said. They often go unappreciated.
The beliefs of Steve Bannon, the presidents chief White House strategist, are a confusing mix of Sen. Bernie Sanders democratic socialism, Sen. Elizabeth Warrens fiery attacks on big banks and the extreme nationalism of many dictators. After hours of research into his past, I was totally befuddled since little of what hes said jibes with what his boss has done or is doing.

That leads me to believe Bannon was being truthful last summer, when he was in charge of the right-wing website Breitbart, and told writer, Ken Stern, Trump is a blunt instrument for us. I dont know whether he really gets it or not. From that statement, published in the Aug. 17, 2016, issue of Vanity Fair, and from the views hes expressed elsewhere, its possible hes using the president as a tool for reaching more grandiose heights.

Bannon was raised by Democratic parents, spent four years in the United States Navy, turned into a conservative, graduated from Harvard Business School, worked in filmmaking, and was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. In 2012, he was chosen to head the far-right website Breitbart after Andrew Breitbarts sudden death.

Although Bannons friends and family deny hes a racist, Breitbarts site is known for attracting racists, anti-Semites and gun-toting militants. Its also known for spreading misinformation and outlandish conspiracy theories. It publishes sexist stories with headlines such as Birth Control Makes Women Unattractive And Crazy and, under Bannon, published fake news that claimed former President Barack Obama was born in Kenya and other anger-inciting stories that were quickly debunked.

Hes using those extremists as tools, admitting theyre irrelevant and eventually will fade away. But because he needed their support, he didnt discourage their extremist slants on issues, even though he knew they represent the frayed fringes of our society.

Bannon welcomed the anger Breitbart incites since, according to some of his former colleagues, he thrives on chaos. In a Nov. 14, 2016, story in The Telegraph, Breitbart Political Editor Matthew Boyle said, If theres an explosion or a fire somewhere, Steves probably nearby with some matches.

The Telegraph article also provides insight into Bannons personality. Ben Shapiro, a former editor at Breitbart, stated, Many former employees of Breitbart News are afraid of Steve Bannon. He is a vindictive, nasty figure, infamous for verbally abusing supposed friends and threatening enemies. Bannon is a smarter version of Trump: hes an aggressive self-promoter who name-drops to heighten his profile and woo bigger names, and then uses those bigger names as stepping stones to his next destination.

His love of chaos and pattern of using people as tools explains why Bannon believes the current presidents erratic and chaotic behaviors should be encouraged  the more chaos, the less attention people will pay to whats happening behind the scenes. The problem is, with a chaos-loving president along with his chaos-loving chief adviser, anything can happen. It surely wont be comforting, smooth or transparent.

But what makes Bannon so unpredictable are the statements he made in 2014, via Skype, during a question-and-answer session on poverty hosted by the Human Dignity Institute at the Vatican. BuzzFeed News, which was present, recorded and transcribed his answers. Bannon attacked the typical Republican policies of protecting and enriching big banks and pharmaceutical companies. Sounding like Sen. Bernie Sanders, he spoke against the type of Ayn Rand capitalism praised by Speaker Paul Ryan. It is a capitalism that really looks to make people commodities, and to objectify people, and to use them, he said.

As to the current distribution of wealth, he said, You have this kind of crony capitalism of people that are involved with these military powers-that-be in the government, and it forms a brutal form of capitalism that is really about creating wealth and creating value for a very small subset of people.

He bemoaned that big bank executives werent punished for causing the Great Recession and that rich corporations get all the breaks because theyre in bed with politicians. They want to have more and more monopolistic power and theyre doing that kind of convergence with big government, he said at the conference.

So why did the man he advises just tell the heads of those big corporations that he planned to lower their taxes and cut regulations by 75 percent? Either Bannon has little influence on the president, he was lying when he spoke at the conference, or its all part of his plan to create chaos, uncertainty and division within the major political parties so they lose power while he creates his own version of government.

Who knows how this will end?
What room does EU copyright leave for national initiatives in areas harmonised by relevant EU directives?





EU preemption The question of(linked to, yet distinct from, EU supremacy ) in the area of copyright is not a new one. Personally, I have been very interested in it for a while [see here , and so has been apparently the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).





A string of recent copyright decisions demonstrates a diminished tolerance on the side of the Court for diverging national solutions to copyright protection in areas for which EU harmonisation has occurred. In this sense, the search of flexibilities in EU copyright has been proving increasingly challenging ... if not a vain quest altogether.





Favouring internal market goals over pretty much anything else, the CJEU has not been shy in holding that certain national arrangements would be incompatible with EU law. In this sense, there is probably no need to recall the (endless) series of references for a preliminary ruling on national private copying exceptions and, a few months ago, the decision in Soulier , C-301/15 here and - particularly - here , just to mention a couple of examples.





Now comes a further CJEU ruling in which this trend is once again visible.





TV Catchup 2), a reference for a preliminary ruling from the Court of Appeal of England and Wales. Earlier this week, the Court issued its judgment in ITV Broadcasting v TVCatchup , C-275/15 ), a reference for a preliminary ruling from the Court of Appeal of England and Wales.





Background to TVCatchup 2





If the parties' names sound familiar, it is because they are. A first reference for a preliminary ruling had been done at the first instance level, when the trial judge asked the CJEU to clarify - among other things - whether the provision of an unauthorised internet stream of a protected broadcast would amount to an act of communication to the public within Article 3(1) of the InfoSoc Directive [the CJEU said yes in 2013] .





The case returned to the High Court of England and Wales, which ruled that - while the defendant, TV Catchup [currently in administration] prima facie liable under the UK equivalent Article 3(1) of the InfoSoc Directive, ie , would beliable under the UK equivalent Article 3(1) of the InfoSoc Directive, ie s20 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (CDPA), it could nonethtlees rely on the defence provided within s73(2)(b) and (3) CDPA [pending the litigation between broadcasters and TVCatchup UK Government decided to repeal this provision] .





Cables? They are Billy's speciality This defence can [or rather, could] be invoked in an action for infringement of copyright in a broadcast or in any work included in a broadcast, applicable "where a wireless broadcast made from a place in the United Kingdom is received and immediately re-transmitted by cable". In the particular case at hand, s73(2)(b) and (3) means that copyright is [was] not infringed "if and to the extent that the broadcast is made for reception in the area in which it is re-transmitted by cable and forms part of a qualifying service".





The broadcasters appealed the High Court's decision. The Court of Appeal stayed the proceedings, and sought guidance on the interpretation of Article 9 of the InfoSoc Directive. This provides that the InfoSoc Directive " shall be without prejudice to provisions concerning in particular ... access to cable of broadcasting services ...".





The UK court asked the CJEU whether Article 9 of the InfoSoc Directive - specifically the concept of access to cable of broadcasting services therein - must be interpreted as covering and permitting national legislation which provides that copyright is not infringed in the case of the immediate retransmission by cable, including, where relevant, via the internet, in the area of initial broadcast, of works broadcast on television channels subject to public service obligations.





The Court's response





The CJEU [unsurprisingly] noted at the outset [para 17] that, in the absence of any express reference to the laws of the Member States, the concept of access to cable of broadcasting services in Article 9 must be given an autonomous and uniform interpretation throughout the EU which takes into account the wording of that provision, its context and the objectives of the legislation of which it forms part.





Having said so:

The concept of 'access to cable' [used in Article 9 of the InfoSoc Directive] is different from that of retransmission by cable [used in s73 CDPA] , since only the latter concept designates, within the framework of the InfoSoc Directve, the transmission of audiovisual content. Saugmandsgaard e noted at para 55 of his [notably the SatCab Directive , which the Court deemed not relevant to the background national proceedings: see para 21] governing that question. In line with what Advocate General (AG)55 of his Opinion , Article 1(2)(c) of the InfoSoc Directive deals expressly with cable retransmission, and excludes from the scope of the directive the provisions of EU lawgoverning that question. Again unsurprisingly [the CJEU has consistently stressed this, including in the first TVCatchup case] , the principal objective of the InfoSoc Directive is to establish a high level of protection of authors, allowing them to obtain an appropriate reward for the use of their works, including on the occasion of communication to the public.



It follows that - as a rule - a retransmission by cable is subject to the authorisation of the relevant rightholder [the Court speaks of 'author' at para 24] , unless this activity falls within one of the exceptions contained within the exhaustive list in Article 5 of the InfoSoc Directive [and, I would add, the relevant Member State whose law is applicable has transposed such exception into its own legal system] . This is not the case here .





Access is not the

same as re-transmission The Court then recalled (with approval) that in his Opinion the AG had noted that the rationale of Article 9 is " to maintain the provisions applicable in areas other than that harmonised by the directive" [para 26] , not to defeat the EU harmonising efforts:





"Indeed, an interpretation of Article 9 of [the InfoSoc Directive] to the effect that it permits a retransmission, such as that at issue in the main proceedings, without the consent of the authors, in cases other than those provided for in Article 5 of that directive, would run counter not only to the objective of Article 9, but also to the exhaustive nature of Article 5, and, consequently, would be detrimental to the achievement of the principal objective of that directive which is to establish a high level of protection of authors." [para 27]





The CJEU concluded that Article 9 of the InfoSoc Directive, and specifically the concept of access to cable of broadcasting services, must be interpreted as not covering, and not permitting, national legislation which provides that copyright is not infringed in the case of the immediate retransmission by cable, including, where relevant, via the internet, in the area of initial broadcast. The Court also noted that this applies to works broadcast on TV channels subject to public service obligations.





In conclusion




The spring election is a month away and Necedah residents will have an important decision to make when they go to the polls April 4.

The Necedah School District is placing a referendum on the spring ballot, asking for the district to exceed its revenue limit by $800,000 for recurring purposes. Superintendent Larry Gierach outlined the districts need for the referendum and addressed pressing questions about it during a public session Thursday at the school. The session was well attended and residents applauded the districts effort to provide accurate and transparent information about the referendum.

If the funding passes in April, Necedah taxpayers would see an increase in their property tax bills. For instance, a homeowner with $100,000 in property value would pay about $10 per month to help fund the schools operating budget.

While the referendum is recurring, its a flat rate and would stay the same every year. Gierach also explained that the $800,000 would be added to the districts base revenue and would be used every year.

Town of Necedah Clerk Susan Kosinski said its beneficial for residents to know how the referendum will impact their taxes months in advance.

It allows people to put away $10 a month or so and save it for that tax bill, Kosinski said. They can plan for it. Its much more favorable when you do that so it doesnt come as a big surprise for everyone.

If the referendum passes, taxpayers would see a mil rate of $10.42 per $1,000 of property value. Gierach showed the current mil rates of 11 other school districts in the area and Necedah was in the middle. The state average is $9.97. Necedahs average mil rate the past six years has been $10.91.

In the past six years, the district has faced financial cuts and hasnt made any large purchases. Necedah has even cut back on transportation needs, not purchasing a new bus since August, 2013. To save money, the district has also taken part in energy efficiency projects.

The school was built in 1998 and Gierach said its the best maintained and well-kept school in the area. To fill financial gaps, the school board has passed two deficit budgets the past three years to avoid tax levy increases. The district has also decreased health care costs among staff.

In addition, Necedah had to reduce staff somewhat, but school board member Bill Hatch said more cutbacks could be on the horizon if the referendum doesnt pass.

We could be facing drastic cuts if this doesnt go through, Hatch said.

Its possible, based on Gov. Scott Walkers projected state budget, that public school districts could receive an influx of per-pupil funding next year. But, school officials are not sure how much, if any, Necedah will receive.

Some residents expressed concern about the referendum.

When people see thats its recurring, they get scared because it means infinity, one resident said.

Another resident said the district could cap the referendum after five years once it fills its funding deficit. However, Gierach said that would only be a quick fix or a stop-gap to the districts funding issues.

If you decide not to pass this referendum, we could come back in November with a different referendum that has different stipulations, Gierach said.

The superintendent said many districts across the state are requesting referendum funding in the spring election. He said New Lisbon may ask for funding assistance in the near future.

Were going to see a push for more school funding in the coming years, Hatch said. A lot of it depends on the economy. If the economy comes back in the state, that usually means more funding for schools.

Necedah plans to have an additional information session prior to the April 4 election. For more information about the referendum, contact Gierach at 608-565-2256.
An Elroy man faces three charges, including strangulation and suffocation, domestic abuse repeater, from an alleged incident on Feb. 11.

Matthew J. Sweatt, 35, was also charged with one count of misdemeanor battery, domestic abuse repeater, and disorderly conduct, domestic abuse repeater. For the strangulation and suffocation charge, Sweatt could face a felony conviction, a $10,000 fine, imprisonment of no more than six years, or both. The misdemeanor battery charge carries a possible $10,000 fine, no more than nine months in prison, or both, while Sweatt could be fined $1,000 for the disorderly conduct charge, no more than 90 days in prison, or both.

According to a criminal complaint, Sweatt allegedly struck a female numerous times, leading to facial injuries. The alleged victim told police Sweatt hit her with a closed left fist on the right side or her head, right arm, and right leg. Based on the report, Sweatt used his right hand to hold the victim by the throat, causing her to lose her breath.

Deputies from the Juneau County Sheriffs Office were notified of the incident from a neighbor calling 911. Sweatt was asleep when deputies found him. They woke him up and Sweatt appeared surprised to see them at his residence. According to the report, Sweatt denied striking the female.

Sweatt admitted he had been drinking, which was a violation of his probation. When he got up, deputies noticed fresh scratches on his chest. When asked about the scratches, Sweatt didnt know how they got there. He was transported to the Juneau County Jail.

Based on a follow-up interview with the alleged victim, she told police Sweatt had been drinking at a bar in Union Center prior to the assault. She said he was driving crazy on the way home. The victim became scared and told him to slow down. He allegedly hit her in the car on the drive home.

After they returned home, Sweatt locked the female out of a bedroom. She was able to force her way in and Sweatt allegedly began hitting her repeatedly. She asked for the 72-hour no contact rule, signed a bodily harm lack of consent form and was taken to the emergency room at Mile Bluff Medical Center.

Sweatt was convicted of criminal damage to property, domestic abuse repeater, and disorderly conduct, domestic abuse repeater on July 7, 2015 in Monroe County. Sweatt had a motion hearing on Thursday and is scheduled to have a pre-trial conference in the district attorneys office on April 4 at 9:30 a.m. at the Juneau County Justice Center.
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The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as the Iranian nuclear deal is formally known, halts Irans ability to build a nuclear weapon by limiting the amount of low-enriched uranium it produces, and reducing its output of weapon-grade plutonium at its heavy-water reactor. Irans nuclear facilities are also subject to rigorous inspection and verification. The JCPOA also lifted economic sanctions on Tehran and released billions of dollars in frozen assets.

An article by Bob Feferman, the Outreach Coordinator at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and Matan Shamir, the Executive Director, responds to Peter Beinarts claims that duped the public by hyping the threat posed by the Iran nuclear deal.

They write that, A revitalized Iran has utilized its resurgent power to further its designs for regional dominance and its ongoing aggression in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen, as well as against Israel. Tehran is now also brazenly testing long-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads and threatening U.S. naval vessels in the Persian Gulf, having notoriously detained 10 American sailors at gunpoint last year in violation of international law.

According to Feferman and Shamir, The most glaring flaw of the JCPOA, though, is that it will provide Iran a clear pathway to nuclear weapons as restrictions on its uranium  enrichment and plutonium-processing capacities lift over the next 10 to 15 years. Iran has made clear that at that time it will expand its nuclear program to an industrial scale and introduce advanced centrifuges, allowing Tehran to reduce its breakout time to produce sufficient weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear weapon to only a matter of weeks, if not days. If such an effort can even be readily detected, the only way to prevent it would be a military strike.

They point out that a bipartisan majority in Congress opposed the enactment of the JCPOA. However, despite this opposition, the nuclear deal was agreed upon and signed by the US and six other countries. But, the same voices who originally opposed it, now seek to more stringently enforce it and reduce Irans regional aggression.

So, no, Netanyahu didnt dupe anyone, Feferman and Shamir say, Thoughtful people have long recognized the dangers inherent in the nuclear deal  none of which have been attenuated a year into implementation  without needing to parrot Netanyahus own talking points.

In conclusion, they invited Peter Beinart to join them in recognizing the dangers of the nuclear deal and finding solutions to enduringly prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Language at the centre of decolonisation

Knowledge of mother tongue is power, the lack of is enslavement says legendary author Ngugi wa Thiong'o.

The celebrated author delivered a public lecture on Thursday, 2 March 2017, at Wits University entitled Decolonise the Mind, Secure the Base, where he unpacked hidden facts and tackled distortions about the Africa.

Setting the scene, wa Thiong'o began by sharing his experience of South Africa under apartheid, a time when he was not allowed in the country.

He proceeded to confront myths about Africa starting with the geographic size of the continent.

Almost all of the nations of the world can fit into the African continent and yet, for centuries Africa has been portrayed as a small continent on the conventional world map said the multi-decorated theorist of post-colonial literature. This is a deliberate distortion to make Africa invisible. New studies show the true size of Africa.

Wa Thiong'o praised black South African intellectuals, such as Peter Abrahams amongst others, who have contributed to African writing. Of myths and facts, he argued:

Recipients of aid from the West

Africa has been a donor to the West for centuries through its plundered resources and skills, he said.

For over 500 years Africa has been the donor to the world, rather than merely aid recipient as framed in West.

Accents and Access

The African scholar argued that language is at the centre of decolonisation. Wa Thiongo took a swipe at Africans who are unable to speak their mother tongue. His statements on accents and access received loud applause from the audience in the packed Great Hall.

Colonialists gave us their accents in exchange for access to resources in Africa.

While African leaders perfect their borrowed accents, Europeans sharpen their tools to access our resources.

Knowledge of mother tongue is empowerment; lack of knowledge is enslavement, said the multi-decorated professor.

African Intellectualism

A champion for the development of African languages, wa Thiongo called on African intellectuals and the students to put more urgency in the institutionalisation of African languages.

African scholarship has achieved great visibility in the world but not in Africa itself as their thoughts are only written in English. This is the opposite of what was envisioned by Nkwame Nkrumah who led Ghana to independence from Britain, said wa Thiong'o.

Student activist, fallist and feminist Simamkele Dlakavu delivered the response to the main address.

Wa Thiogo's visit has been hailed as timely given the raging discussions on the decolonisation of universities and the call for curriculum reform. The lectue was jointly hosted by the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Wits University and Professor Xolela Mangcu.
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Yelp Inc. operates a platform that connects consumers with local businesses in the United States and internationally. The company's platform covers various local business categories, including restaurants, shopping, beauty and fitness, health, and other categories, as well as home, local, auto, professional, pets, events, real estate, and financial services. It provides free and paid advertising products to businesses, which include cost-per-click search advertising and multi-location Ad products, as well as enables businesses to deliver targeted search advertising to local audiences; and business listing page products. The company also offers other services comprising Yelp Reservations that provide online reservations for restaurants, nightlife, and other venues directly from their Yelp business pages; Yelp Waitlist, a subscription-based waitlist management solution that allows consumers to check wait times and join waitlists remotely, as well as businesses to manage seating and server rotation; Yelp Knowledge program that offers business owners local analytics and insights through access to its historical data and other proprietary content; and Yelp Fusion, which offers free and paid access to content and data for consumer-facing enterprise use through publicly available APIs. In addition, it provides content licensing, as well as allows third-party data providers to update and manage business listing information on behalf of businesses. Further, the company offers its products directly through its sales force; indirectly through partners; and online through its website, as well as non-advertising partner arrangements. It has strategic partnership with Grubhub for providing consumers with a service to place food orders for pickup and delivery. Yelp Inc. was incorporated in 2004 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Citizens Financial Services, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for First Citizens Community Bank that provides various banking products and services for individual, business, governmental, and institutional customers. The company accepts various deposit products, such as checking, savings, and time deposit accounts. Its loan products include residential, commercial, and agricultural real estate loans; commercial and industrial loans; state and political subdivision loans; and consumer loans, as well as various other specialized financial services. The company also provides professional trust administration, investment management services, estate planning and administration, custody of securities, and individual retirement accounts. In addition, it offers brokerage and financial planning services, as well as assistance in various oil and gas leasing matters; and mutual funds, annuities, and health and life insurance products. As of December 31, 2021, the company operates thirty full-service banking branches in Potter, Tioga, Bradford, Clinton, Lebanon, Lancaster, Berks, Schuylkill, Centre, and Chester counties, Pennsylvania; Allegany County, New York; and Wilmington and Dover, Delaware, as well as a limited branch office in Union County, Pennsylvania. Citizens Financial Services, Inc. was founded in 1932 and is headquartered in Mansfield, Pennsylvania.
CCL Industries Inc. manufactures and sells labels, containers, consumer printable media products, technology driven label solutions, polymer bank note substrates, and specialty films. The company operates through four segments: CCL, Avery, Checkpoint, and Innovia. The CCL segment offers pressure sensitive and specialty extruded film materials for decorative, instructional, functional, and security applications in the consumer packaging, healthcare, chemicals, consumer electronic device, and automotive markets. This segment also provides extruded and laminated plastic tubes, aluminum aerosols and specialty bottles, folded instructional leaflets, precision decorated and die cut components, electronic displays, and other complementary products and services. The Avery segment offers printable media products, including address labels, shipping labels, marketing and product identification labels, business cards, and name badges supported by customized software solutions; and organizational products, such as binders, sheet protectors, indexes and dividers, and writing instruments. This segment also provides direct to consumer digitally imaged media products, such as labels, business cards, name badges, and family oriented identification labels supported by unique Web-enabled e-commerce URLs. The Checkpoint segment provides technology-driven, loss-prevention, inventory management, and labelling solutions, including radio frequency and radio-frequency identification solutions to retail and apparel industries. The Innovia segment offers specialty, high-performance, multi-layer, and surface engineered biaxially oriented polypropylene films for pressure sensitive label materials, flexible packaging, and consumer packaged goods industries. The company operates in Canada, the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and New Zealand. CCL Industries Inc. was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. engages in designing, building, overhauling, and repairing military ships in the United States. It operates through three segments: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Newport News Shipbuilding, and Technical Solutions. The company is involved in the design and construction of non-nuclear ships comprising amphibious assault ships; expeditionary warfare ships; surface combatants; and national security cutters for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. It also provides nuclear-powered ships, such as aircraft carriers and submarines, as well as refueling and overhaul, and inactivation services of ships. In addition, the company offers naval nuclear support services, including fleet services comprising design, construction, maintenance, and disposal activities for in-service the U.S. Navy nuclear ships; and maintenance services on nuclear reactor prototypes. Further, it provides life-cycle sustainment services to the U.S. Navy fleet and other maritime customers; high-end information technology and mission-based solutions for Department of Defense (DoD), intelligence, and federal civilian customers; nuclear management and operations and environmental management services for the Department of Energy, DoD, state and local governments, and private sector companies; defense and federal solutions; and unmanned systems. Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Newport News, Virginia.
The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Canadian Retail, U.S. Retail, and Wholesale Banking. The company offers personal deposits, such as chequing, savings, and investment products; financing, investment, cash management, international trade, and day-to-day banking services to businesses; and financing options to customers at point of sale for automotive and recreational vehicle purchases. It also provides credit cards and payments; real estate secured lending, auto finance, and consumer lending services; point-of-sale payment solutions for large and small businesses; wealth and asset management products, and advice to retail and institutional clients through direct investing, advice-based, and asset management businesses; and property and casualty insurance, as well as life and health insurance products. The company also provides capital markets, and corporate and investment banking products and services, including underwriting and distribution of new debt and equity issues; advice on strategic acquisitions and divestitures; and trading, funding, and investment services to corporations, governments, and institutions. It offers its products and services under the TD Bank and America's Most Convenient Bank brand names. The company operates through a network of 1,061 branches and 3,381 automated teller machines (ATMs) in Canada, and 1,148 stores and 2,701 ATMs in the United States, as well as offers telephone, digital, and mobile banking services. It has a strategic alliance with Canada Post Corporation. The Toronto-Dominion Bank was founded in 1855 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
[March 02, 2017] Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute Completes $120 Million Expansion Project

Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute has completed its $120 million expansion project on the Baptist Hospital campus. The state-of-the-art facility includes additional space and cutting-edge technology, facilitating the creation of several new, specialized programs bringing together multidisciplinary teams of specialists to treat the cardiovascular system as a single entity. The expansion added 60,000 square feet of new space and included 40,000 square feet of renovations, nearly doubling the size of the Institute to 150,000 square feet in order to accommodate a growing number of patients and procedures. Since it was founded in 1987, Institute physicians have pioneered less-invasive techniques to treat aneurysms, stroke and heart disease, and have been part of many groundbreaking research trials. For 30 years, Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute has been an integral innovation partner for Philips (News - Alert), a world leader in healthcare technologies, providing valuable clinical insights that have led to the development of industry-leading solutions such as the recently announced Philips Azurion Image Guided Therapy (IGT) system. The expansion includes a state-of-the-art Cath lab, representing the first North American installation of Azurion. The system is designed to anticipate what clinicians need, when they need it, to make procedures flow intuitively and support a superior patient experience. "This expansion allows us to be at the forefront of medical innovation and provides the most current treatment options for our patients, while at the same time, prepares us to be in the position to care for health problems we haven't even encountered yet," said Barry T. Katzen, M.D., Chief Medical Executive and founder of the Institute. "We are now able to conduct more research, offer new services and make discoveries that could transform how cardiovascular care is delivered." Throughout its history, the Institute's physicians have pioneered less-invasive techniques to treat aneurysms, stroke and heart disease, and have been part of many groundbreaking research trials. The newly expanded Institute, with its cutting-edge equipment and unique programs, allows our internationally respected physicians to continue their visionary work. One of the first elements of the three-year project was the expansion of Baptist Hospital's Surgery Center, which now includes six large operating rooms dedicated to neuroscience, cardiac, vascular and robotic surgery. The Institute also added four new advanced endovascular suites with enlarged gallery viewing areas for enhanced teaching and learning opportunities. "This is the centerpiece of the expansion, the Center for Advanced Endovascular Therapies," Dr. Katzen explained. "We wanted to create an environment in which we could do any type of predominantly image-guided procedure, where physicians of differen disciplines could work together to create unique solutions for patients' problems."



In designing interventional suites of the future, two of the new endovascular suites have glass walls and a video system that allow people to sit in a theater-style chair outside of the suite and control what they are watching using an iPad. Viewers from different disciplines or in training each can have their own unique user interface that allows them to pick and choose which parts of the procedure they want to watch, all with communication with the suites. Additionally, the Institute makeover created the National Center for Aneurysm Therapy - the first in the world - a Center for Structural Heart Therapy, Center for Critical Limb Ischemia and an Advanced Arrhythmia Therapy Center. It is here where physicians are doing research to discover more cardiovascular disease breakthroughs.

"We are proud to open the doors of the new Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute to our community," said Brian E. Keeley, President and CEO of Baptist Health South Florida. "This expansion now provides even greater promise to our patients, with new state-of-the-art interventional procedure suites; an expansive, high-tech gallery for observation, diagnostics and greater teaching opportunities; and, research space for more than 120 clinical trials." Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute is the largest and most comprehensive cardiovascular facility in the region, consisting of 76 doctors and 1,100 employees system-wide serving 125,000 patients every year. "At Philips, we are committed to building a healthy society by creating solutions that are going to have a meaningful impact in improving human health, and this requires collaboration with pioneering organizations like Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute," said Brent Shafer, CEO of Philips North America. "The Institute's clinical insights have been critical to the development of our Azurion technology, from understanding workflows and improving efficiencies, to understand how to improve the patient experience. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare by making procedures safer and more efficient. This will not only help address the health issues in South Florida communities, it will allow us to apply those lessons globally to help tackle the challenges of rising healthcare costs and better access to care. Ultimately, we want to improve the patient experience and outcomes, one community at a time." Note: For additional media assets including photos and video, visit newsroom.baptisthealth.net/heart About Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute is the largest and most comprehensive cardiovascular facility in the region. The team of multilingual, multidisciplinary specialists has pioneered the development of minimally invasive techniques used to treat aneurysms, blockages in veins and arteries and holes in the heart. Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute is part of Baptist Health South Florida, the largest healthcare organization in the region, with seven hospitals (Baptist Hospital, Baptist Children's Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Mariners Hospital, South Miami Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital), nearly 50 outpatient and urgent care facilities, Baptist Health Medical Group, Baptist Health Quality Network and internationally renowned centers of excellence. The not-for-profit, faith-based Baptist Health has approximately 16,000 employees and 2,300 affiliated physicians. Baptist Health South Florida has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net and connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/BaptistHealthSF and on Twitter (News - Alert) and Instagram @BaptistHealthSF. About Royal Philips Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of EUR 17.4 billion and employs approximately 71,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170302006181/en/

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[March 02, 2017] Intel Editorial: What Do 'Superheroes,' Driverless Cars and 5G Have in Common?

The following is an opinion editorial provided by Kathy Winter, vice president and general manager of the Automated Driving Division at Intel (News - Alert) Corporation: This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170302006194/en/ Kathy Winter is vice president and general manager of the Automated Driving Division at Intel Corporation. (Credit: Intel Corporation) As the mom of four boys, I have spent countless hours hearing about "superheroes" and their awe-inspiring "superpowers." Each son had his favorite over the years, and often dinner-table conversation turned into a debate about which superhero was the most powerful. My boys kept me busy, and I would often tell them I had a few superpowers of my own - like the ability to "run faster than a speeding bullet" when I could see them getting into trouble, or a "spidey sense" that would give me clues as to what they were up to even when I wasn't with them. When 5G arrives, we will all get the chance to experience something akin to the superpowers we chatted about when my boys were little. It will bring to our autonomous driving world superpower-like connectivity, giving cars a near-instant advantage of time and information - kind of like a "sixth sense." It will allow lightning-fast communication between cars and networks and the "things" around them, which makes it possible to detect what's coming around that next corner, or miles up the road. It will have "pipes" big enough to handle the massive amount of data that autonomous vehicles will use on a daily basis. Press Kit: Autonomous Driving at Intel



As the leader of Intel's Automated Driving Solutions Division, I'm often asked two questions about 5G for autonomous driving: Why are you talking about 5G now when it's so far off? And, more skeptically, what's wrong with the communication technologies we're deploying today, such as DSRC and 4G LTE (News - Alert)? I'll start with that second question because I think the answer is important to understanding how the autonomous experience is enabled. Plus the answer to that second question also helps answer the first. Autonomous cars will need two things to operate safely: ultra-fast communication between nearby cars, things and the cloud, and near real-time data about their surroundings. Both DSRC and 4G LTE are fast. Both provide the connections to other vehicles and nearby things. But neither technology was designed for transmitting big data files really quickly. And both technologies experience a modest amount of latency, which may seem "good enough" but becomes a problem when your autonomous car is platooning with 100 other vehicles at 80 mph down the highway.

But big data files are reason enough to align autonomous driving to 5G. Let's face it, self-driving cars will consume data voraciously - specifically high-definition 3D maps that will help them navigate safely. And no vehicle will have the storage capacity for all the world's maps. They'll need pieces of them relative to their immediate location - like the metropolitan area where they travel daily, or the freeway system and nearby roads connecting two cities. No communications technology can handle the transfer of these big files - we're talking terabytes of data. Only 5G mmWave spectrum provides the speed and bandwidth to allow quick transfer of big data files during opportunistic moments, such as when stopped at a gas station. When 5G networks are deployed, we expect much of this data to be available through edge devices, such as cellular base stations. Intel and Ericsson demonstrated how this works at Mobile World Congress (News - Alert) in Barcelona this week. Which brings me back to that first question: Why 5G now? For the simple reason that the work we're doing today won't manifest itself for a few years. Carmakers are making design decisions today for the autonomous vehicles that they'll deliver in 2021. With 5G expected in that same timeframe, they need to include 5G in their design plans now in order for those cars to be ready when 5G is turned on. There's a lot of work to do between now and then as far as standards, infrastructure and more. But the short of it is that 5G and autonomous vehicles must arrive together, which means planning for that arrival date today. And Intel is doing just that. We were first to deliver a 5G automotive platform to enable carmakers to start developing their autonomous driving systems. We were the first to demonstrate live 5G over-the-air communications between the car and nearby edge devices. And we'll lead the industry to an on-time arrival of 5G and self-driving cars in 2021. Kathy Winter is vice president and general manager of the Automated Driving Solutions Division at Intel Corporation. She joined Intel in 2016 from Delphi (News - Alert), where she engineered the first cross-country drive of a fully autonomous vehicle. This is the second in an occasional series of Intel newsroom editorials related to autonomous driving. To comment or reach Kathy directly, email [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170302006194/en/

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Ryan Allen McCuddy, a 24-year-old Dowagiac resident, faces a litany of charges, including unlawful confinement, extortion, possession of cocaine and marijuana, and armed robbery, after police say he held a man against his will.

The victim, a 22-year-old from Lawrence, Michigan, told police he met the suspect at McCuddy's home on Feb. 24.

The two argued over some missing money, and the victim told police he was held at the home over the weekend, assaulted several times, and threatened with a shotgun. Eventually, he was allowed to leave.

Dowagiac police arrested McCuddy on Thursday night. He's being held in the Cass County Jail on $300,000 bond.

On Friday, he was charged with the following:

Count 1: Kidnapping

Count 2: Controlled Substance-Delivery/Manufacture Cocaine Less Than 50 Grams

Count 3: Extortion

Count 4: Unlawful Imprisonment

Count 5: Motor Vehicle-Unlawful Driving Away

Count 6: Controlled Substance-Possession Cocaine Less Than 25 Grams

Count 7: Controlled Substance-Delivery/Manufacture Marihuana

Count 8: Assault With A Dangerous Weapon (Felonious Assault)

Count 9: Assault With A Dangerous Weapon (Felonious Assault)

Count 10: Assault With A Dangerous Weapon (Felonious Assault)

Count 11: Controlled Substance-Maintaining a Drug House

Count 12-18: Felony Firearms

Count 19: Controlled Substance-Possession of Marihuana

Count 20: Assault and Battery




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[March 02, 2017] Veritas NetBackup Appliance Joins the Fujitsu Data Protection Portfolio

SINGAPORE, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Veritas Technologies, the leader in information management, today announced a new agreement with Fujitsu to sell Veritas NetBackup Appliances. The Veritas NetBackup Appliances will be offered alongside the existing Fujitsu ETERNUS range of hardware and provide end users a full range of data protection solutions. Used by tens of thousands of businesses globally, Veritas NetBackup software simplifies and strengthens data protection throughout the enterprise. Veritas NetBackup Appliances provides both flexibility and cost savings by combining turnkey backup and recovery with deduplication solutions in an easy-to-deploy form factor. Michael Keegan, Head of Product Business at Fujitsu EMEIA, said: "One of the pre-requisites for a successful transition to a digital business is to ensure that your valuable data is both accessible and protected. This is why a backup strategy is vital for companies of all sizes. We are extending the Fujitsu data protection portfolio, through the addition of the Veritas NetBackup Appliance. This effective, expandable system to protect valuable data s fast and simple to deploy and maintain."



Veritas NetBackup Appliance provides a wealth of new capabilities for modern data protection across virtual, cloud and physical environments. The NetBackup Appliance range will offer enterprises cost-effective and proven data protection solutions. Both NetBackup 5240 and NetBackup 5330 will help provide an easy-to-deploy and low cost backup and recovery solution for Fujitsu's global install base.

NetBackup 5240: A versatile, cost-optimised, integrated backup appliance that can be deployed as a master server, media server or both.

NetBackup 5330: A performance-optimised, integrated backup media server with high-density storage to support greater performance, capacity and resiliency in the enterprise. Today, Fujitsu is one of Veritas' largest Global Strategic Partners. The introduction of Veritas NetBackup Appliances in the Fujitsu data protection portfolio further strengthens this alliance with value-added customer benefits. "For over 23 years, Fujitsu and Veritas have delivered products and services that help customers address data management and protection challenges," said Rick Fairweather, vice president, Global Partner Organization, Veritas. "We are very pleased to announce that Fujitsu is now offering the Veritas NetBackup Appliances, further enabling our customers to harness the power of their information." About Veritas Technologies Veritas Technologies enables organizations to harness the power of their information, with information management solutions serving the world's largest and most complex environments. Veritas works with organizations of all sizes, including 86 percent of global Fortune 500 companies, improving data availability and revealing insights to drive competitive advantage. www.veritas.com Veritas, the Veritas Logo, and NetBackup are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Media Contacts

Mizu Chitra / Marc Lee

Text100 Singapore

+65-6603-9000

[email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150408/8521502200

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CGN, Ultra to develop next generation I&C systems

03 March 2017

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China General Nuclear (CGN) and Ultra Electronics of the UK have agreed to enhance their cooperation in the development of high-integrity instrumentation and control (I&C) systems and sensors for nuclear power plants worldwide.

The signing of the MOU (Image: Ultra Electronics)

The companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 28 February during the Civil Nuclear Showcase, hosted by the UK's Department for International Trade, in London. The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from the UK government and senior management from both companies.

Ultra said today the MOU covers collaboration on next generation I&C systems including reactor protection and control. The agreement, it said, will also explore possible collaboration in areas such as engineering support, localised manufacture and testing, through-life support, safety systems and sensors, and lifetime plant performance monitoring.

CGN senior vice president Zheng Dongshan said, "CGN started cooperation with Ultra Electronics a long time ago, including on Ling Ao Phase II and other CGN nuclear power projects in China." He added, "I am really glad today we sign the MOU with Ultra to deepen and broaden our existing collaboration areas, both in the UK and Chinese nuclear market."

Ultra CEO Rakesh Sharma said, "Through our continuing strategic relationship with CGN, we are delighted to help deliver mutual benefit to both the Chinese and UK civil nuclear markets."

Ultra says it is "a strategic supplier of nuclear qualified instrumentation and control systems to key plant manufacturers and operators around the world". These systems are used for operating, monitoring and controlling reactors. It has supplied I&C equipment to over 200 reactors in 16 countries.

Last July, CGN announced that the FirmSys digital I&C system developed by its Beijing CTEC System Engineering Co Ltd subsidiary had passed an independent review by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA team concluded that FirmSys meets the agency's safety standard requirements.

CGN describes the FirmSys system as the "nerve centre" of a nuclear power plant, capable of controlling more than 260 plant systems running nearly 10,000 pieces of equipment and process conditions.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Norway helps improve Romania's nuclear safety

03 March 2017

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A nuclear safety cooperation project between Norway and Romania has been completed. The aim of the three-year collaboration was to enhance the capabilities of Romania's nuclear regulator.

The project involved the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), Romania's National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The project, which began in late 2013, had a budget of 4.2 million ($4.4 million), of which 85% was covered by Norway and 15% by Romania. NRPA cooperated with Romania in a similar project under European Economic Area cooperation in 2009-2011.

NRPA noted that Romania faced strict requirements for improved nuclear security after it joined the European Union in 2007. "The partnership's goal has been to bring security at the country's nuclear power plants to a higher European level," it said.

The main objective of the project was to improve the competence of CNCAN in eight specific areas through the exchange of experience, best practices and capacity building. The areas included: nuclear safety; integrated management systems and knowledge management; oversight/inspections; safety of the transport of radioactive materials; emergency preparedness; control of radiation sources; decommissioning and radioactive waste management; and, safeguards.

NRPA said the IAEA's involvement "guarantees the implementation of project activities in accordance with international standards and with the participation of international experts with special expertise in these areas".

The IAEA has assisted the Romanian regulator in updating multiple regulations, standards, methods and procedures, and the development of new documentation. All the new and revised documents take into account the latest IAEA and Western European Nuclear Regulators Association guidelines. Since the project started, 30 new regulations, methodologies, procedures and guidelines have been developed in Romania. In addition, 16 regulations, methodologies, procedures and guidelines have been updated.

NRPA's Ingar Amundsen said, "This has been an extensive project where we've wanted to make a difference for nuclear safety authorities in Romania. Norway also has everything to gain from this kind of preventive nuclear safety cooperation with a European country."

A conference was held in Bucharest between 28 February and 1 March for the partners to discuss the results of the collaboration. They also discussed the challenges and lessons learned during the implementation of the project.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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U-Battery begins Canadian pre-licensing process

03 March 2017

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The U-Battery consortium, led by Urenco, has registered its micro-modular reactor technology for pre-licensing vendor design review with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).

U-Battery is a 'micro' nuclear reactor which will be able to produce local power and heat for a range of energy needs, mainly targeting the markets for industrial power units and off-grid locations. Powered by Triso fuel, each helium gas-cooled unit produces 10 MWt, can deliver up to 4MWe as electricity and can provide 750 degrees Celsius of process heat. Triso fuel comprises spherical particles of uranium fuel with a triple carbon-coating which effectively gives each tiny particle its own primary containment system.

The concept design of U-Battery was developed by the Universities of Manchester, the Dalton Institute (UK) and the Technology University of Delft (Netherlands) after the project was initiated in 2008 by Urenco. It is being developed by a consortium of Amec Foster Wheeler, Cammell-Laird, Laing O'Rourke and Urenco.

The consortium aims to have a demonstration reactor operating by 2025, and estimates that by the 4th-of-a-kind unit, U-Battery's capital costs will be between 40 and 70 million ($49 and $86 million).

U-Battery said the review would seek to verify in principle the acceptability of the technology in Canada, and identify ways to increase the regulatory efficiency of future licensing. U-Battery general manager Steve Threlfall said, "This is an important step forwards for U-Battery. It is a mark of the progress we have made in our design, and builds on the significant headway we have made last year in Canada and other international markets." The consortium will be meeting soon with the CNSC to discuss the next stages, he added.

Speaking at the UK Nuclear Industry Association's conference on small modular reactors (SMRs) earlier this week, Threlfall said the Canadian market for U-Battery could be "very, very large", with more than 300 locations, each of which could use between one and six batteries.

Threlfall said the consortium would be looking at when it could "get involved" in licensing in the UK. Triso fuel is already proven and is manufactured in the USA by BWXT, but Threlfall said most of the reactor's components could be supplied from the UK.

"It can all be done here - the question is should it all be done here?" he said, noting that the consortium is also making progress in Poland where it has signed letters of intent on the potential deployment of the technology.

Changing attitudes

The CNSC's pre-licensing vendor review process is an optional service to provide an assessment of a nuclear power plant design based on a vendor's reactor technology. The three-phase review is not a required part of the licensing process for a new nuclear power plant, but aims to verify the acceptability of a design with respect to Canadian nuclear regulatory requirements and expectations. Last year, the Canadian regulator agreed to conduct a first-phase vendor design review for LeadCold Reactor Inc's SEALER design concept and Terrestrial Energy's integral molten salt reactor design concept. In addition, Canadian reactor designer StarCore Nuclear applied in November to begin the vendor design review process for its 20 MWe high temperature gas reactor, which like U-Battery uses Triso fuel.

The SMR conference delegates discussed the difficulties - including the expense - of achieving regulatory certification for advanced reactor designs under different regulatory regimes around the world.

Louis Plowden-Wardlaw, head of EMEA Terrestrial Energy Inc, said the US system was "explicitly supportive" of efforts to gain regulatory certification, with initiatives such as loan guarantees and the Department of Energy's Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear.

Ted Nordhaus, chairman of the California-based Breakthrough Institute think-tank, said companies with innovative designs could find themselves needing to carry out "half a million dollars of engineering development" before beginning the licensing process. He called for a tiered licensing process, with a stepwise progression. This, he said, would build confidence from regulators, investors and potential customers.

Jeff Navin, former chief of staff at the US Department of Energy, said standardisation of licensing would help progress towards the deployment of SMRs but was not a "silver bullet". Pointing to the US regulatory regime, he said the requirement for the applicant to pay the cost of the licence review - with more innovative designs taking longer to review and therefore costing more - was a barrier to innovation. He said recent congressional bills had sent "a pretty significant and substantive message" to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to "start thinking proactively" about changes to a regulatory regime that had developed from the deployment of large light-water reactors.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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[March 03, 2017] Enterprise and Industrial Virtual Reality Market Will Grow to $9.2 Billion by 2021 - Driven by Recent Exponential Advances in Graphics Component Technology - Research and Markets

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Virtual Reality for Enterprise and Industrial Markets " report to their offering. The report forecasts that the market for enterprise VR hardware and content will grow from $592.3 million in 2016 to $9.2 billion by 2021, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 59.6%. Leveraging highly customized and expensive equipment, enterprise use of virtual reality (VR) has existed and improved for a number of years, particularly for military training, civil flight training and simulation, and some industrial 3D modeling. But now, thanks primarily to recent exponential advances in graphics component technology, cheaper, mass-produced consumer-grade VR is coming to market, with ramifications for both consumer and enterprise markets. Most of the world's leading technology companies, including Facebook (News - Alert), Google, and Microsoft, are staking out positions to become key players in what many see as the next significant computig platform.



This cheaper, more readily accessible consumer-grade VR equipment is opening up new enterprise use cases, some of which have vast addressable markets. This report estimates that the addressable market for the five largest areas where enterprise VR will grow will be worth over $1 trillion in 2017. A broad range of players, both new and established, are aggressively working to develop applications leveraging this new consumer-grade VR ecosystem, aiming squarely at the enterprise market. Companies Mentioned

Agora VR

Autodesk (News - Alert)

Cinoptics

Facebook (Oculus)

Firsthand Technology/DeepStream VR

HTC

IMAX

Intel (News - Alert)

Leap Motion

MindMaze

NVIS

Psious

Sensics

Sulon Technologies

TRIVISIO Prototyping

The Void

uSens

VRStudios

Vicon Motion Systems

Virtalis

WorldViz

Xilinx (News - Alert)

Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Market Issues 3. Technology Issues 4. Key Industry Players 5. Market Forecasts 6. Company Directory 7. Acronym and Abbreviation List 8. Table of Contents 9. Table of Charts and Figures 10. Scope of Study, Sources and Methodology, Notes For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4dkbsx/virtual_reality View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005246/en/

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Jaden Jordan

By: William Martin WorldWideWeirdNews.com

(Scroll down for video) A man flew into a rage when his girlfriends son defecated in his pants instead of going to the bathroom, according to police in New York.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that the Gravesend man has been indicted on murder and other charges, following a recent ruling by the Office of the New York City Medical Examiner that the defendantas beating caused the death of his girlfriendas 3-year-old son, Jaden Jordan.

He was previously charged with assault in connection with the beating.

aJaden Jordan was a helpless, defenseless child who the defendant was supposed to be caring for. Instead, he allegedly beat him so severely that the little boy died,a Gonzalez said.

Salvatore Lucchesse, 24, was arraigned before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Deborah Dowling on an indictment charging him with one count of second-degree murder, one count of first-degree manslaughter and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

He was ordered held without bail. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count.

According to the investigation, Jordan, 3, was left home alone with the defendant while the victimas mother, Raven Haynes, was at work, between approximately 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

At some point, while in the defendantas care, the toddler allegedly defecated on himself.

At approximately 4:30 p.m., emergency personnel responded to the victimas home after the defendant called 911 and reported that the child was unconscious.

The victim was found soiled and unresponsive, and was taken to Coney Island Hospital and then transferred to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, where he remained after falling into a coma.

Later examination revealed that Jaden had sustained severe head trauma and a fractured skull.

The Office of the New York City Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide, finding the cause of death to be abusive head and neck trauma.
Harry Studley

By: Alexis Bell WorldWideWeirdNews.com

A man admitted to aiming an air gun at a young child and pulling the trigger in order to stop him from crying, according to police in the United Kingdom.

25-year-old Jordan Walters appeared before Judge Julian Lambert at the Bristol Crown Court on Friday.

Walters was sentenced after having pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing grievous bodily harm to an 18-month-old child.

Harry Studley, now aged two, still has a pellet lodged in his brain, and has been left with damage to both eyes after Walters shot him with the airgun at an apartment in Bristol.

Studley required emergency surgery and the effects of his injury will remain with him throughout his life.

Judge Julian Lambert said: You bear a very heavy responsibility for a crime that left a little boy fighting for his life and which leaves him with serious, permanent disability. Only the resolution of Studley in his fight for life and the brilliance of the surgical team saved him.

The boy has lost most of his vision for life.

Walters was sentenced to 2 years in prison. Walters partner, 24-year-old Emma Horseman, was found not guilty of causing grievous bodily harm by aiding and abetting.

According to the police investigation, Studley lived with his parents, Ed and Amy Alle, in an upstairs apartment on Bishport Avenue.

Horseman lived on the second floor with Walters and their two children. They had been friends for about six years and their children played together.

On the day of the incident, Allen took Studley and his brother to Horsemanas apartment and sat on a sofa with her toddler who was upset and crying.

Walters then fired the gun at Studley, because he wanted to scare the child in order for him to shut up. Walters claimed that he thought the gun was empty.
Fouad K.

By: William Martin WorldWideWeirdNews.com

(Scroll down for video) A refugee from Morocco, is behind bars after drugging and raping as many as 230 women in Belgium, according to police.

36-year-old Fouad K. of Malle, has been sentenced to serve up to life in prison after being convicted of rape, assault, embezzlement, theft and breach of trust.

Investigators believe that Fouad persuaded as many as 230 women to let him into their apartments, where he drugged, raped and robbed them.

He targeted women in Antwerp and Brussels.

According to the police investigation, Fouad posed as an Italian on dating websites, including Badoo and Twoo. He used names like Raf, Rafke, Rafaello, Roberto, and Raphael.

He posted photos of himself riding a bicycle and claimed to work at Telenet as a technician. Fouad arranged to meet with his victims in their homes, where he offered them juice that contained a sedative and ecstasy.

After the women ingested the juice, the women lost consciousness. He then raped them and left with all of their valuables.

Police believe that Fouad is the worst serial rapist in the history of the country. Fouad is married to a woman who claims that she did not know what her husband was doing.
Valerie Fowler

By: Emily Lewis WorldWideWeirdNews.com

(Scroll down for video) Police are trying to figure out the extent of the relationship between a grown man and a teenager.

A mother of Oklahoma, called police to report that she shot a man before he managed to escape from her home.

Garvin County sheriff Larry Rhodes said that officers found the injured man on a neighbors porch. He suffered a gunshot wound that was serious, but non-life threatening.

The victim, who has not been named, was airlifted to Oklahoma City Hospital, where he is being treated.

34-year-old Valerie Fowler told police that she shot the man, who is close to her age than her daughter, after finding him in her childs room.

Police said that the 16-year-old girl invited the 31-year-old man into her room. The girl reportedly referred to the man as her boyfriend.

Fowler was charged with assault and battery with a deadly weapon.
Jordan Mcnelly and the message

By: Tanya Clark WorldWideWeirdNews.com

A man was shocked when he received the text messages from his girlfriend that was meant to go to her friend.

Jordan Mcnelly of Baltimore, Maryland, posted the text messages to social media, where they went viral.

The messages were from his girlfriend named Zoe and they read: aIam literally so anxious right now.

aIave been seeing this guy behind Jordanas back and we had really important plans tomorrow, because Jordan was supposed to be at work.

aAnd then Jordan texts me and says I donat have work tomorrow and I donat wanna let my other guy down.

aI told him and he was like aI knew you wouldnat comea and I feel so bad because Iam letting them both down because Iam a stupid w****.

aIam so sad and I already waxed my entire f***ing body to f*** this dude. HELP.a

Jordan said that he had been working 60 hours a week to save up enough money so that he can take his girlfriend on a trip to Florida next month.

When Jordan confronted Zoe about the message, she claimed it was a dream she had.

Jordan decided to post the message to Twitter, for all to see why he broke up with the woman he loved. He added the caption: aWhen you accidentally tell your boyfriend youre cheating on him.a

Many women with the name Zoe reached out to Jordan and shared abusive Twitter messages, which they received from people who assumed that they are the aZoea he was talking about.

Jordan then tweeted: aZoe doesnt have Twitter so can yall please stop harassing everybody named Zoe.a

Two days later he wrote: aNow her new man wants to fight me come on bro this is a never ending joke.a
[March 03, 2017] TCL Communication partners with Blackberry to roll out BlackBerry's new KEYone smartphone at MWC

LAS VEGAS and SHENZHEN, China, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TCL Communication, one of the world's leading mobile device makers, caught the attention of industry insiders, the media and booth visitors at this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, with its new product releases at the event, including the BlackBerry KEYone, the Alcatel A5 LED, the high-definition Alcatel A3 and the easy-to-use Alcatel U5 smartphones as well as the 2-in-1 Alcatel PLUS 12 tablet. MWC, the world's biggest and most influential mobile industry event, which, this year, took place from February 27 to March 2, gives the industry's leading players a once-a-year opportunity to showcase their latest mobile technology solutions. TCL Communication Technology Holdings Limited, one of the active advocators of 5G technology, and the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute jointly showcased the interoperability of software-defined radio user equipment (UE) and commercial TD-LTE small cell base stations, illustrating TCL's commitment to the next generation of development in the world of mobile telecommunications. The BlackBerry KEYone smartphone -- it smartly keeps legacy features beloved by Blackberry users, yet goes miles beyond the traditional Blackberry device TCL Communication launched the BlackBerry KEYone smartphone on February 25 following the inking of a licensing agreement with BlackBerry in late 2016. TCL chairman and CEO Tomson Li said that BlackBerry licensed its security software and service suite, as well as related brand assets, to TCL Communication, who would design, manufacture, sell and provide customer support for BlackBerry-branded mobile devices. The latest BlackBerry product is one of TCL's highlights at MWC. The new product became an instant hit as soon as it was launched and received nine awards from media organizations, making it one of the most highlighted products at MWC. The BlackBerry KEYone receved its first honor, the Top Picks award, from the authoritative UK-based technology media brand Tech Advisor, at the MWC. It was also the first award that Tech Advisor gave out at the event. KEYone is turning the way the keyboard on a smartphone is normally used on its head by combining the touch screen with a physical keyboard, providing users with a large input space in compaison to what one gets with the standard 5.5-inch full-touch-screen smartphone. By combining the smart keyboard with the popular touch gesture recognition and BlackBerry's traditional touchpad features, the device allows users to browse web pages, check emails as well as input and send messages by touching the keyboard in a more convenient and intuitive way. KEYone was awarded the Best of MWC 2017 by Pocket-lint, the largest independent product evaluation platform in the UK, for its unique design. Pocket-lint commented that one of the positive results of the brand licensing tie-up between BlackBerry and TCL is that the KEYone continues the legacy and spirit of BlackBerry by preserving the classic full keyboard that is favored by loyal BlackBerry users.



KEYone stands out with its iconic BlackBerry design and security features. The new smartphone is designed with unwavering attention to detail from the ground up in terms of the security and performance aspects that are so important to users. It delivers the most secure user experience available among Android-based smartphones in the market by running on a reinforced operating system and the proprietary technology behind the design of the security key. Besides the unique design and the security features, the phone's additional functionalities are expected to reshape the mobile communication experience for business, government and corporate users. Powered by a 3,505 mAh battery, the highest capacity among existing BlackBerry devices, the BlackBerry KEYone delivers a measurably longer standby time. In addition, the battery can reach a 50% charge within 36 minutes with the support of the Qualcomm Quick Charge technology. Time-pressed users can choose BlackBerry's Boost charging option for a quick charge enabled with the turbo boost technology. With these advantages, KEYone won the Best Business Hardware Award from IT Pro, a leading IT website in the UK, at the start of the event. TCL chairman and CEO Tomson Li gives his prediction of where the industry is headed: 5G technology is the future of mobile

TCL Communication showcased the interoperability of software-defined radio UE and commercial TD-LTE small cell base stations at the MWC. As 5G telecommunication technology gradually takes root worldwide, software-defined radio can be expected to play an increasingly important role in driving software-driven telecommunication systems. This offers developers the flexibility and reusability of upgrading applications and systems, without the need to replace hardware components every time there is a software upgrade. The demonstration shows how the Open Air Interface (OAI) UE can receive a live downlink video stream from China-based telecommunication network optimization products manufacturer Sunnada Communications' commercial TD-LTE small cell. OAI is a leading open-source software that emulates LTE systems on general purpose processor platforms. Mr. Li said in an interview that he is optimistic about 5G technology and believes 5G products and technology will be the trend of the future. TCL Communication has already foreseen the trend and undertaken a substantial amount of R &D in anticipation of the next generation of 5G technology. Although no mature 5G products have yet appeared, relatively mature development platforms have already been established. Manufacturers such as TCL Communication are able to demonstrate 5G technology for partners. The TCL chairman and CEO concluded with conviction: the 5G era is just around the corner. According to telecommunications research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) and TCL's own data, the firm ranked No.7 among both handset manufacturers and tablet manufacturers worldwide in the 4th quarter of 2016, with a portfolio of products sold in China and over 160 countries and regions throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia Pacific. In the UK, Australia and New Zealand, the company ranked third in terms of handsets market share. Li said this is TCL's 10th time at the MWC. He is deeply impressed by the rapid development of China's mobile communication sector. From mobile phones and devices to the number of users on the networks of China's mobile operators, Chinese manufacturers have moved to the front of the line and are increasingly becoming a leading force in the world's mobile communications industry. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tcl-communication-partners-with-blackberry-to-roll-out-blackberrys-new-keyone-smartphone-at-mwc-300417605.html SOURCE TCL Corporation

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As the Alaska House and Senate continue to prepare budgets for the coming year, residents of Wrangell and Ketchikan were invited to their Legislative Information Office locations for a call-in session with Rep. Dan Ortiz (I-District 36).

Meeting late in the afternoon February 23, 10 Wrangell residents and seven in Ketchikan tuned in for the representatives pitch for House Bill 115, a proposal to reconfigure Alaskas Permanent Fund along with revenue enhancements being sponsored by the Majority-led House Finance Committee.

The bill calls for a 4.75 percent-of-market-value withdrawal fro...
[March 03, 2017] SAP to Sponsor Polyglot Track at 2017 Cloud Foundry Summit Silicon Valley

SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cloud Foundry Foundation, home of the industry-standard platform for cloud applications, today announced SAP (NYSE: SAP) will host a polyglot track at the Cloud Foundry Summit Silicon Valley. SAP is also a Cloud Foundry Summit Silicon Valley Platinum sponsor. Cloud Foundry Summit Silicon Valley will take place June 13-15 in Santa Clara, California and is the premier event for enterprise application developers. The event will focus on microservices and continuous delivery in all languages and frameworks. As such, organizers are seeking speaking proposals on best practices and tips implementing microservices in cloud environments using various languages including Java, Javascript, Node.js and Golang as well as Cloud Foundry user stories from the developer perspective. The community is encouraged to submit a proposal by the deadline of March 3 at 11:59pm PST. Attendees will join other developers and CIOs to gain first-hand access to Cloud Foundry roadmap, training and tutorials, and to see how others are using Cloud Foundry to support continuous innovation and application portability. Keynote speakers and full conference schedules will be announced this Spring.



This year, more than 3,000 attendees are expected to attend. Last year's event showcased information from innovators and technical leaders at companies including Allstate, Comcast, Volkswagen and others. The Summit will host several breakout sessions including those that focus on Cloud Foundry core updates from project leads, Cloud Foundry experiments, and developer community tracks which will be named in the coming weeks. "With a strong emphasis on languages and agile development best practices for the cloud, Summit Silicon Valley is the premier event for developers," said Abby Kearns, Executive Director, Cloud Foundry Foundation. "Business innovation with in-memory technology is a track that should not be missed."

Cloud Foundry is an open source technology backed by the largest technology companies in the world, including Cisco, Dell EMC, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Google, IBM, Pivotal, SAP and SUSE, and is being used by leaders in manufacturing, telecommunications and financial services. Only Cloud Foundry delivers the velocity needed to continuously deliver apps at the speed of business. Cloud Foundry's container-based architecture runs apps in any language on your choice of cloud  Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, OpenStack, VMware vSphere, SoftLayer and more. With a robust services ecosystem and simple integration with existing technologies, Cloud Foundry is the modern standard for mission critical apps for global organizations. About Cloud Foundry Foundation

The Cloud Foundry Foundation is an independent non-profit organization formed to sustain the development, promotion and adoption of Cloud Foundry as the industry standard platform for cloud applications. Cloud Foundry makes it faster and easier to build, test, deploy and scale applications. Cloud Foundry is an Apache 2.0 licensed project available on Github: https://github.com/cloudfoundry. To learn more, visit: http://www.cloudfoundry.org. Contact:

Jessica Rampen

Cloud Foundry Foundation

[email protected]

650-787-3548 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sap-to-sponsor-polyglot-track-at-2017-cloud-foundry-summit-silicon-valley-300417531.html SOURCE Cloud Foundry

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Talks between AFSCME Council 31 and the administration of Republican billionaire governor Bruce Rauner continue to drag on fruitlessly despite a strike authorization vote by state workers.

On February 23, AFSCME announced that its members had voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike in response to brutal concession demands by the Rauner administration. Rather than prepare a fight against Rauner and his retrograde policies, AFSCME, which has repeatedly declared it is doing everything in its power to avoid a strike, is preparing to impose a historic defeat.

This was the first strike vote by state workers in the 40 years since state workers have been allowed to unionize and bargain collectively. Out of 28,000 eligible voters, 80 percent voted. Of those voting, 81 percent voted in favor of strike, around 18,000 workers. Roughly 10,000 employees of the Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice were ineligible to vote.

In contrast to AFSCME leaders, who view the vote as a maneuver to allow workers to vent their anger, the vote expressed a desire to fight on the part of the majority of workers.

Illinois state workers have been working without a contract since their last one expired at the end of June 2015. This coincides with the beginning of the states now-historic budget impasse. The impasse, while expressing differences in tactics between the Democrats and Republicans over how best to carry out austerity, has been used as a bludgeon against workers to scare them into accepting the rotten terms being offered by Rauner.

AFSCMEs initial strategy was to work closely with the Democrats who control the state legislature to pass a bill that would have forced stalled negotiations into arbitration. Rauners veto of the bill was upheld despite Democratic super-majorities in both chambers, as some Democrats declined to support the override.

In January 2016, Rauner declared that talks were at an impasse over his draconian contract terms, which included a four-year wage freeze with an introduction of merit pay, a dramatic increase in health insurance costs for workersreportedly double in many casesand the ability to increase privatization of state services and limit layoff rights.

Rauner then began the process of having the Illinois Labor Relations Board (ILRB), whose board members are appointed by the governor, agree that negotiations were at an impasse, which would allow him to begin imposing his contract terms on state workers without their assent. The ILRB issued its final ruling on the matter in November 2016, at which point the Rauner administration began imposing its contract terms.

Implementation was temporarily halted by a December legal challenge by AFSCME, which prevailed in court on a technicalitythat the ILRB ruling had not been issued in written form as required.

Later that month, Lisa Madigan, the Democratic Illinois attorney general, who is the daughter of Michael Madigan, the Democratic House speaker, filed a lawsuit to halt pay to state workers, saying that the state lacked constitutional authority to issue paychecks due to its lack of a budget. This reactionary move, aimed to force workers to come to an agreement with Rauner, has been temporarily halted by an injunction issued by a St. Clair county court.

Throughout the entire process, AFSCME has pleaded with the governor to return to negotiations, saying that it is willing to continue to provide concessions. In January, AFSCME leaders announced they were willing to accept the four-year wage freeze and some increases in their health care costs, as part of a new framework for talks.

AFSCME, however, indicated that these concessions were not its bottom line and that indeed it was prepared to go much further. Roberta Lynch, executive director of AFSCME Council 31, stated that these concessions were not the unions last, best and final offer and the union declared it stood ready to negotiate further on all other outstanding issues.

It is likely that one of the main points of contention in the talks is the proposed elimination of any remaining limits on privatization, as well as managements ability to replace open positions with temporary and contract workers. While AFSCME has shown itself more than willing to give up workers pay and health care benefits, these changes would cut directly across the interests of the union bureaucracy by constricting its dues income.

Rauner, for his part, has shown no interest in negotiating. In fact, during his campaign for governor, he had ominously threatened that We may have to do what Ronald Reagan did with the air traffic controllerssort of a do-over and shut things down for a while. This refers to Reagans 1981 firing of 11,345 striking air traffic controllers, the jailing of union leaders and smashing of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO). Reagan banned the fired controllers from working in a federal agency for life, ending the careers of thousands of workers.

In fact, after AFSCME announced the holding of the strike vote, Rauner threatened to replace striking workers with personnel drawn from the Illinois National Guard. He also recently unveiled a web site where people from around the state could indicate their interest in working as scabs at state facilities on a temporary or even permanent basis.

Rauner, a representative of the financial aristocracy, sees himself as carrying out an assault on public sector workers like that carried out in Wisconsin by Scott Walker. Moreover, Rauner has been emboldened by the election of Trump as president, reflected in his aggressive threats to escalate the attacks on workers by use of the National Guard.

From the beginning, the budget impasse and AFSCME negotiations have reflected tactical divisions between the Democrats and the Republicans over how best to carry out an agenda of austerity on behalf of the banks.

The Democrats in Illinois rely heavily on the services of the unions as political foot soldiers, as well as a funding source. In exchange, the unions are employed as an arm of management to enforce contract terms and concessions on workers, as well as to prevent worker anger from blowing out of control. Rauner believes he can cut out the unions, and also deliver a blow to the Democratic Party.

In contrast to Rauners determination in carrying out his ruthless threats against state workers, AFSCMEs Lynch reiterated at its press conference after the strike vote that the union would call a strike only if no other path forward can be found. AFSCME, and the rest of the AFL-CIO bureaucracy, have made sure that state workers have remained isolated. What terrifies them more than anything else is the possibility of any strike getting out of their control.

The overwhelming strike vote demonstrates again that state workers are willing to fight. Such a fight requires a break with AFSCME and the right-wing trade union organizations. New organs of struggle must be built, rank-and-file committees independent of the unions and all capitalist parties, fighting to unite the entirety of the working class on the basis of a fight against austerity and war.
The escalating attack by the Trump administration on immigrant workers is evoking a strong reaction in the working class. While the unions, including the United Auto Workers (UAW), are aligning with Trumps reactionary program of America First nationalism, there is a broad opposition to the attempt to scapegoat immigrant workers for the deplorable conditions created by the capitalist system.

The World Socialist Web Site Auto Worker Newsletter and the Socialist Equality Party spoke to autoworkers in Detroit and Chicago over the past week on the threats against immigrant workers and the fight to unite the working class in defense of democratic rights. Many spoke in opposition to the immigrant raid.

Supporters of the SEP and International Youth and Students for Social Equality visited the Fiat Chrysler Warren Truck Assembly Plant north of Detroit. They set up a banner and spoke to workers during afternoon shift change, explaining the anti-democratic character of the policies of the Trump administration and the UAW.

A number of workers stopped to give their comments.

Yousef, a young worker at Warren Truck, said about the attempt to scapegoat immigrant workers, It is sad and it is ridiculous to think there are people who are supporting this, at least some of them.

The WSWS explained that the ruling class was promoting the attack on immigrant workers to divide the working class and divert attention from the attacks being carried out on jobs and living standards.

The billionaires like Trump are responsible for this, Yousef said. They are making the decisions. Even Trumps parents were immigrants at one point. It doesnt make any sense.

Asked about the UAWs support for Trumps chauvinist agenda, Yousef said, The UAW is supposedly defending us. After all, they do have minority workers. I dont get it. But, that is big companies for you. The UAW and Fiat Chrysler work hand-in-hand. FCA, Ford, GM and the UAW work hand-in-hand. They are all trying to make money. The UAW is inside the big companies pockets.

Another Warren Truck worker said, I think it is horrible what is going on. Everyone deserves a chance. This is supposed to be the land of the free. So give people freedom.

Asked what he thought of the Trump administration, he added, We need everyone to stick together, this is a horrible situation.

However, another young Warren Truck worker said, Illegal immigrants should be deported, adding that there are not enough jobs for American workers.

An SEP supporter challenged him, saying, Its not Mexican immigrants or Muslims who have taken jobs and cut the wages of workers. Its the giant corporations and banks and billionaires like Trump.

He explained that the ruling class had a long history of trying to divide the working class along racial, ethnic, religious and linguistic lines. Your grandparents were immigrants too, and there was a time when signs would be posted at employment offices that said, Irish need not apply. Immigrants are treated like pariahs to use them as cheap labor. The working class was only able to move forward by uniting black, white, native-born and immigrant workers against the capitalist exploiters.

He also noted that big corporations like Fiat Chrysler, an Italian-based company, could go anywhere in the world to get cheap labor, including Detroit, but workers are hunted down and deported if they travel to another country to try to improve their lives and feed their families.

The worker thought about it and after a few seconds said, I have an Irish background, and its true they were discriminated against when they first came to this country. Im also Native American, and I dont like whats happening at Standing Rock.

As far as the corporations and the banks go, they stole and crashed the economy, and they got away with everything. Were struggling just to make ends meet. I think it would be better if we didnt have borders and conflicts because people all over the world want the same things.

A WSWS Auto Worker Newsletter reporting team also visited the Ford Chicago Assembly Plant. Reporters asked Lloyd what he thought of Trumps attack on immigrants. A person could say Im not going to go to America because of all of the killings that are going in Chicago. So youre going to avoid all of America because of one city? Its the same thing with immigrants.

Referring to Trumps attempt to place a ban on immigrants from seven predominantly Muslin countries, he said, Just because a very small part of Middle Eastern people may be terrorists, whatever the case may be, youre going to take it out on all of them? Thats messed up.

When asked what he thought about the unions effort to place the blame on foreign workers for supposedly taking jobs from American workers, he said, Its not necessarily the workers, its the companies. They care about the product. Its always about profit, its always about making money. These big corporations dont care about workers. The government is a big corporation, too.

Claderic, another autoworker at the Chicago Ford plant, also condemned the attacks on immigrants. I think the attacks on immigrants are wrong. Not everyone is bad or out to harm us. Theyre just as much American as we are. I think they have a right to go and work anywhere they want. They are just here trying to make a living for themselves and their families, and they shouldnt be deported.

Trumps America First policies wont benefit us. This wall thing hes talking about is stupid. Hes got to be the worst president weve ever got. His decision-making is terrible. They want to try and stop the Mexican immigrants from getting here, but half of all our food comes with their help.

Asked about UAW President Dennis Williamss statement that the UAW is willing to work with Trump on the basis of a program of economic nationalism, Claderic said, Who benefits? Not us. The CEOs and shareholders make billion-dollar bonuses, and we dont get any of that.

Trump doesnt want to reason with other countries or other people. He doesnt want to reason with immigrants, he just wants to bully them, and bullying like this never works.
PART ONE | PART TWO

This is the first part of a two-part article.

The final report on the Flint water crisis released by the Michigan Civil Rights Commission (MCRC) seeks to conceal the real class interests that underlay this crime against the people of Flint. The timing of the report, February 7, is significant. It was released the same week that state and local officials announced that water bill subsidies would be ended by the end of the month, forcing residents to pay in full for water they still cannot drink, and that water service cutoffs would be resumed for those in arrears.

The content of the report represents a continuation of the half-truths and lies Flint residents have been fed since the lead-poisoned water began to be pumped into their homes. The contention of the 138-page report is that the water disaster in Flint was the result of systemic racism, yet no evidence is presented to substantiate this assertion.

However, the report serves a definite political purpose. As Flint residents both white and black are forced to pay their full bills for toxic water or face the loss of any water service, the official declaration that the Flint crisis is all about racism facilitates efforts to divide the working class and impede a united fightback.

The commission and its report

The panel of eight commissioners is an establishment group of ethnically diverse, politically-connected business professionals who were hand-picked by Governor Rick Snyder. Co-Chair Laura Reyes Kopack served as vice president of the Michigan Republican Party in 1991.

The commissions document was over a year in the making. Three public hearings were held in Flint during 2016 as part of its preparation. Despite the claim that racism was at the root of the Flint water catastrophe, no evidence that the poisoning of the citys water affected blacks more than whites was presented. The population of Flint is mixed. Approximately 57 percent are black and 37 percent are white, while 6 percent are of other ethnicities.

No evidence was produced that those who were responsible for switching the city to Flint River water without proper treatment or facilities in place had racial motivations. In fact, many of the key actors in the switch were black. Prominent at the ceremony on April 25, 2014 when the button was pushed to make the switch was Emergency Manager Darnell Earley and Flint Public Works Director Howard Croft, both of whom are African-American.

Yet the commission goes to great lengths to argue for its racialist narrative. In its executive summary, after a few bullet points that sparsely outline what can be described as the official chronology, the commission dispenses with any need of a concrete examination of the facts behind the water crisis, stating:

The Commission recognizes that there have been numerous articles, hearings, studies, reports and investigations into Flints water crisis In each of these investigations, the focus has been on who should bear the blame, especially relating to decisions made and actions taken in the last two to three years. There are also numerous private law suits seeking to find liability and hold parties responsible.

The Michigan Civil Rights Commission believes that to properly and completely assess the causes of the Flint water crisis, we must look back much further. We believe the underlying issue is historical and systemic, and dates back nearly a century, and has at its foundation race and segregation of the Flint community. These historical policies, practices, laws and norms fostered and perpetuated separation of race, wealth and opportunity. (Page 2.)

In other words, we will not dwell on the facts. The reason for this omission is not, however, innocent. The reason is that the facts do not substantiate the reports basic premise and conclusion.

In its section on Terms and Concepts, an assertion similar to the one Hillary Clinton repeatedly and cynically made during her failed campaign for president appears:  it is difficult to find anybody outside government who does not believe that at least some decisions would have been made differently if the community affected looked more like Birmingham and less like Flint. (Page 12.)

This framing of the question conflates race and class. Birmingham, Michigan is one of the wealthiest communities in the US, and is over 90 percent white. This is a deliberate sleight of hand to obscure the class character of the events and give credence to the concepts of structural and spatial racialization that are heavily cited in the text.

It would be more to the point to ask whether different decisions would have been taken if the community affected looked more like prosperous, largely black upper-middle class communities such as Palmer Woods in Detroit and less like Flint.

The MCRC document poses a question:  if we believe that race was not even considered by decision makers, how can we also believe that it played a role in the decisions they made? Research into how the human brain works suggests that race played a role in the Flint Water Crisis precisely because it was never considered. That it is so deeply entrenched in the very fiber of society that we have normalized what occurs in communities that are primarily of color and poor. (Page 14.)

This, of course, is a circular argument, using pseudo-science to justify a pre-conceived conclusion. It implies that one does not have to produce any factual evidence to substantiate your conclusion, since racism is hard-wired in the human brain and determines what [white] people do without their even knowing it.

One does not have to argue that racism played no role in the events in Flint to insist that it was not and is not the basic issuethat the poisoning of an entire urban population, largely poor and racially mixed, was above all an outcome of the ever more glaring and pervasive class divisions in America and the particularly criminal and money-mad inclinations of the financial oligarchy that dominates US society.

The vacuous character of the report is expressed in the following passage: We avoid the use of the word racist in this report. This should not be interpreted as a finding that it doesnt apply. Rather, we believe that there is a lack [of] consensus on a common definition of the term. If racist is only used to describe a person who overtly discriminates based upon a belief in white supremacy, then we have not found evidence it applies here. However, if racist is defined to include anyone who does anything that could be considered racism, then the word could rightfully appear throughout this report. As we have said and will repeat, racism does not require malicious intent. (Page 21.)

In other words, the commission reserves the right to declare actions racist that are not actually carried out by racists. According to the above definition of racistanyone who does anything that could be considered racism every man, woman and child on the face of the earth is a racist. Aside from its misanthropic content, this definition renders the term itself useless and meaningless from an objective standpoint.

What actually happened in Flint?

The removal of the city of Flint from its 50-year source of treated Lake Huron water provided by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) to draw water instead from the polluted Flint River was a product of deep-going economic processes that go unmentioned by the MCRC.

Flint was the birthplace of General Motors in 1908 and a major center of automobile production until the late 1980s. Huge factories employing tens of thousands shaped the life of the city. In the northeast of the city was a 235-acre complex called Buick City. Some 80,000 GM employees worked in Flint at its height, with good-paying jobs and benefits. Almost 300,000 people lived in Flint.

The deliberate corporate policy of deindustrialization hit Flint hard. Hundreds of thousands of jobs were wiped out, not just in Flint but across the country.

The American phenomenon called the Rust Belt included Michigan. In Flint, GM withdrew, leaving behind concrete slabs and toxic waste dumps. From once having one of highest standards of living in the country, the city became one of the nations poorest. The United Auto Workers union completed its transformation from a bureaucratically controlled defensive organization of the working class to a corporatist arm of the corporations and the state, working with GM to close plants, destroy jobs, slash wages and benefits and intensify the exploitation of the workforce.

The growth of poverty brought the associated evils of petty crime, drugs, disease. The population dwindled to 100,000. GM now employs only a few thousand in Flint.

The MCRC fails to mention the 2008-2009 collapse of the banking system resulting from the bursting of the housing market bubble. Widespread predatory lending based on the false promise of ever-increasing home values lured working families into gambling their futures on the market value of their homes. Millions lost their homes across the country, while the banks that had caused the crisis were bailed out by the federal government to the tune of trillions of dollars.

Bankers and speculators had to find new ways of generating profits under conditions of a drastically declining economy.

Bankruptcy became a vehicle of choice to enable capitalism to extract a higher rate of profit from the working class. Under the direction of Obamas Auto Task Force, GM and Chrysler filed for bankruptcy, closing factories and laying off workers. More significantly, with the agreement of the UAW, contracts were pushed through that cut the wages of all new-hires in half and slashed the benefits of the workforce.

The success of these attacks spurred the drive against public-sector workers. Michigan Governor Snyder transformed the existing emergency manager lawseven after they were overturned in a popular voter referendumto enable the plundering of Detroit, particularly the massive DWSD water system that supplied Flints water. Under Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr, laws were passed allowing speculators to override previous legal protections and open up public assets to plunder by private interests.

During the Detroit bankruptcy eligibility trial in October, 2013, New York investment banker Kenneth Buckfire spoke for the financial speculators eyeing the water department, saying, The only way is to sell it or privatize it. Several private equity firms have expressed interest, but only if they can charge higher rates.

As a result of the corruption of Detroit officials, particularly under Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, and increases in interest charges by the bondholders, water rates charged by the DWSD increased continually. In addition, between 2011 and 2012, Flint authorities tacked on their own increases, resulting in a 110 percent increase in residents water bills.

In Southeast Michigan, a water war had been brewing for years. The DWSD rate increases served as fuel for the campaign of Genesee County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright to build a separate untreated water pipeline from Lake Huron just six miles to the north of the DWSD pipeline that delivered treated water to Flint.

Wright has been plotting this projectcalled the Karegnondi Water Authority (KWA)since 2007. Though it is ostensibly a municipal water system, the $300 million KWA construction project has already generated profits for private entities, specifically engineering firm L. D'Agostini & Sons with a $24.6 million contract; American Cast Iron Pipe Company, contracted to produce 67 miles of pipe for $84.1 million; Zito Construction Company, with a $7 million contract to lay the pipeline; E&L Construction Group, $11.78 million to build an intermediate pumping station; and of course the bondholders, who financed the operation and stand to make a healthy profit.

The attraction of the pipeline plan for state authorities was not, as is commonly asserted, that it would save the city of Flint money on its long-term water rates. Governor Snyders state treasurer, Andy Dillon, a Democrat, overrode the recommendations of a cost-basis study he contracted advising the state not to proceed with the project, and gave the project the go-ahead. The real attraction was the watera commodity needed by everyone, rich or pooras an investment opportunity.

Wright sold the plan, first to the state of Michigan, then to the city of Flint. While under state Emergency Manager Gerald Ambrose, a meeting of the Flint City Council was pressured into voting for the plan, even though the body officially had no authority to do so under Michigans emergency management law. Snyder and the state government wanted the local vote to absolve it of any responsibility if anything went wrong.

In its rapacious desire to move forward with the KWA, the state authorized the disconnection from DWSD water while the KWA pipeline construction had barely begun, choosing in the interim, since no plan was ever budgeted, to use the free water of the Flint River as the citys water source.

In addition, despite warnings from the manager of the Flint water treatment plant that neither the personnel nor equipment were in place to properly treat the water, the response of state water quality authorities was that corrosion control treatment, the norm to prevent the erosion of pipes and leaching of metals, especially lead, into the water, would not be needed.

Very shortly after the switch, the criminal recklessness of this plan became clear to Flint residents, who were getting brown and smelly water from their taps.

The KWA pipeline was designed to deliver untreated water only to Flint, just as it would to prospective commercial clients such as DTE Energy, which wanted water only for cooling its power plant and, as many speculate, hydrofracturing operations, which use mass volumes of raw water.

In all of Wrights calculations showing Flint saving money on water rates, there were no figures showing either the cost of connecting to the pipeline, or, more significantly, the investment that would be required to upgrade Flints water treatment plant to process the KWA water. It is now estimated that it will take more than $100 million and at least a year to get the plant in shape.

In the meantime, the people of Flint are still unable to drink the water from their taps, and it is still unknown how long it will be before the switch to KWA water will be completed.

In May of 2016, then-US President Barack Obama, the apotheosis of racial politics, appeared in Flint and expressed crudely and brutally the attitude of the ruling class to the citys residents, black no less than white, telling the people to drink the water and downplaying the horrific effects of lead poisoning.

Because it doesnt fit with its racialist narrative, the MCRC report conceals the fact that the spontaneous reaction of Flint workers from the beginning of the water crisis was a series of protests that brought together blacks and whites. There was among the workers virtually no element of racial animosity. It was left to the media, the Democratic Party and certain left-liberal and pseudo-left organizations to attempt to inject that into the resistance. Even today, this effort has largely failed, which helps explain why the commission, fearing new eruptions of social protest, felt the need to double down on its racialist narrative.

To be continued
US immigration officials have begun targeting immigration rights activists across the country to punish them for the crime of speaking out in defense of democratic rights.

Daniela Vargas was detained Wednesday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after leaving City Hall in Jackson, Mississippi, where she addressed a press conference of immigration rights advocates, bravely speaking out despite her undocumented status.

The Argentine-born young woman, who was brought here as a seven-year-old, had been exempted from deportation under the DACA program established under the Obama administration, and still nominally in place under Trump. She was in the process of renewing her dreamer status, which had lapsed because she had difficulty raising the $495 application fee, giving a legal loophole for ICE to target her as an outspoken public critic.

Vargas was speaking in defense of her father and brother, who were seized by ICE two weeks ago. Today my father and brother await deportation, she told the press, while I continue to fight this battle as a dreamer to help contribute to this country which I feel that is very much my country.

According to witnesses, ICE agents pulled up in a car as Vargas was leaving the building, telling her, you know who we are and you know why were here, handcuffed her and took her away. She is believed to have been removed to a detention center in Louisiana.

Five days earlier, on Friday, February 24, ICE agents detained Jose Coyote Perez, a dairy worker in Livingston County, New York. As of this writing, Coyote Perez is being held at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, New York.

Coyote Perez is a member of Workers Center of Central New York, a workers and immigrants rights group headquartered in Syracuse, New York. WCCNY notes of his case: He is the father of four children and community leader in Upstate and Central NY, member of the Workers Center of CNY and other community organizations. His case was administratively closed in September, but he was detained on February 24, 2017.

WCCNY has previously said that he has three children who are US citizens and that he was recently issued a work permit.

Coyote Perez was recently the victim of an incident of workplace violence in Livingston County and survived a very serious medical condition some years ago, according to WCCNY.

WCCNY is affiliated with Interfaith Worker Justice, based in Chicago, and campaigns against wage theft and unsafe workplaces. It also is campaigning to have the state of New York grant drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants, known as Green Light NY: Driving Together. Twelve states currently allow undocumented drivers to get drivers licenses, including California and Vermont.

It is unclear if Coyote Perez detention is related to his work with WCCNY; he was a leader in the Green Light campaign.

After ICE detained Coyote Perez, students at the State University of New York College at Geneseo, located in Livingston Countys county seat, began calling ICEs Buffalo Field Office and leaving messages demanding Coyote Perez release.

A SUNY Geneseo professor who asked to remain anonymous told the WSWS that he saw uniformed Border Patrol agents in Geneseo, about 60 miles from the Canadian border, the day of the arrest.

This is not the first time in recent months that ICEs Buffalo Field Office has made the news for severe anti-immigrant actions. In October of last year they conducted what ThinkProgress called the largest workplace raid under the Obama administration. ICE officers with Homeland Security Investigations burst into four Buffalo-area Mexican restaurants and arrested 25 allegedly undocumented workers.

The investigation began by targeting the restaurants owner, Sergio Ramses Mucino, for allegedly employing undocumented workers and paying them at a rate below the federal minimum wage. While ICE claims that their action helped protect immigrant workers from exploitation, their raidwhich NPR described as entailing ICE agents storm[ing] restaurant kitchens with handguns drawn and police dogshas terrorized immigrants in the Buffalo area.

Mucino, who is a lawful permanent resident from Mexico, is out on bail and reopening his restaurants with new workers, but 14 workers still face civil and criminal charges, seven of whom face a felony charge for criminally reentering the US after a previous deportation. Twelve additional workers were not determined to be enforcement priorities but are monitored by ICE, some with GPS ankle-monitoring devices.

In a January 8 report for NPR, John Burnett and Marisa Penaloza note the fraudulent character of ICE claiming that these workplace raids are to prevent further exploitation of undocumented workers: While Mucino is out on bail and reopening his restaurants one by one, most of his illegal workforce is out of a job and facing deportation. This was the aftermath of the raid despite an ICE statement that they were targeting the abusive employer, not his employees.

The Obama administration shifted away from the mass workplace raids under the Bush administration toward auditing for crimes such as using false Social Security Numbers to work. The Obama administration deported over 2.7 million immigrants, more than all previous presidents combined, earning President Barack Obama the moniker deporter-in-chief.

The dramatic increase of xenophobic measures under the Trump administration, including mass ICE raids, speaks to a qualitative escalation in the attacks against immigrants and the working class as a whole.

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The assault on immigrants and the specter of a US police state

[27 February 2017]

Stop the attacks on immigrants! For a socialist policy of open borders and full rights for all workers!

[11 February 2017]
New Zealands two Maori nationalist parties, Mana and the Maori Party, recently signed a co-operation agreement to prepare for the 2017 general election. The party leaders signalled their intention to work together to try to win all seven Maori electorate seats reserved for registered Maori voters. The Labour Party currently holds six of the seats, while Te Ururoa Flavell, the Maori Party co-leader, holds the seventh.

Under the deal, Mana will contest only the northernmost Te Tai Tokerau seat and will not be opposed by the Maori Party. Mana leader Hone Harawira lost Te Tai Tokerau in 2014, narrowly beaten by Labours Kelvin Davis, while the Maori Partys candidate drew more than 2,500 votes. In return for boosting Harawiras chances of retaking his former seat, Mana agreed to give the Maori Party an uncontested run against Labour in the remaining six electorates.

The arrangement sees Harawira align himself with the very party he quit in 2011. At the time, he denounced the Maori Party for its role as a coalition partner in the ruling National Party-led government, declaring it had betrayed the people who put it in power. Posturing as pro-poor, Harawira founded Mana to exploit the growing alienation of workers and youth as the social situation, including in his own electorate, sharply deteriorated.

Before the 2014 election, Mana merged with multi-millionaire Kim Dotcoms pro-business Internet Party to form Internet-Mana. The cynical manoeuvre, a bid by Harawira to gain access to Dotcoms wealth and media profile, backfired. Internet-Mana secured just 1.4 percent of the vote.

As part of the National government, the Maori Party has helped impose cuts to health and education, destroy thousands of public sector jobs, privatise electricity and increase the regressive Goods and Services Tax. Increasingly unpopular among ordinary Maori, its parliamentary numbers fell from five in 2008, to just two after the last election.

The electoral alliance brings together two capitalist parties, both moving rapidly to the right under the impact of deepening social inequality and class tensions. A sharp increase in homelessness and child poverty is impacting severely on Maori layers of the working class.

Talks between the two parties began last July when newly-elected Maori Party President Tukoroirangi Morgan approached Harawira to put their differences behind them. Both parties have ambitions for a more direct role in government, whether National or Labour wins the next election. Both are prepared to impose the next stage of the austerity agenda demanded by big business.

The realignment is bound up with the needs of the ruling class for new formations to derail the growing opposition of workers and youth to the political establishment. The Labour Party, widely recognised as just as pro-business as National, has seen its support fall to record lows in the last two elections. Mana and the Maori Party are both based on the promotion of Maori nationalism which serves to divide the working class and block a unified class struggle against the ongoing attacks on jobs and living standards. Maori make up 15 percent of the population and constitute some of the most impoverished and oppressed social layers.

Harawira has emphasised ousting the sitting Labour Party MPs, advocating a conscious and powerful [Maori] voice in parliament. Last September, the Maori king Tuheitia, the traditional figurehead of the central North Island Tainui tribe, endorsed the move, saying the Maori electoral seats should return to Maori control.

Mana and the Maori Party do not stand for the interests of Maori workers and youth. Rather they represent the privileged stratum of Maori entrepreneurs, tribal bureaucrats, lawyers and academics created over the past 30 years through multi-million dollar Treaty of Waitangi settlements, ostensibly as recompense for the historic crimes of colonialism.

According to the government ministry Te Puni Kokiri, the Maori asset base totalled $NZ42.5 billion in 2013. This comprised $12.5 billion for Maori trusts, incorporations and other tribal entities; $23.4 billion for Maori employers, including major companies, and $6.6 billion for Maori self-employed.

The commercial arm of the South Islands Ngai Tahu tribe nearly tripled its assets in the past decade, from $561 million in 2006 to $1.5 billion this year. The second wealthiest tribe, Ngati Whatua, saw its asset portfolio, which includes major Auckland properties Quay Park and Vector Arena, rise by 22 percent in 2015, to $888.6 million. The Maori elites have accumulated this expanding wealth through the exploitation of workers of all origins.

Harawira used the resignation of Nationals John Key as prime minister last December to demagogically distance himself from the government and its supporters among the well-off Maori. The only Maori who will mourn John Keys passing are those who clipped the ticket during his reign, those who reaped the benefits of Treaty settlements and corporate success, but did nothing to lift their own people from the mire of welfare despondency, drug-fuelled violence and suicide, he declared.

Manas alignment with the Maori Party, a partner in the National government, underscores the duplicity of such statements. For all its pro-poor posturing, Mana has campaigned for increased funding for Maori businesses and the tribal elite, while supporting attacks on the working class and demands for jobs for New Zealanders first. Mana has joined Labour, the anti-immigrant NZ First Party and the Greens in seeking to whip up anti-Chinese xenophobia and scapegoat Chinese people for the countrys housing crisis and unemployment.

Both parties promote the reactionary nostrums of Maori identity politics. Harawira told Mana News that Mana and the Maori Party are committed to the notion of Mana Maori MotuhakeMaori self-determinationalthough moving down that path right now is a bridge too far. Maori, once among the most militant sections of the working class, have been encouraged to turn toward tribal identification and demands for racially-established indigenous rights under capitalism.

The pseudo-left groupsthe International Socialist Organisation, Fightback and Socialist Aotearoaall falsely promoted Mana as a progressive alternative for the working class. They affiliated with Mana and supported the alliance with the Internet Party, campaigning for Internet-Mana at the 2014 elections, as a vehicle for integrating themselves into the political establishment. None has made any comment on the Mana-Maori Party electoral alliance.

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[27 February 2017]
The pseudo-left group Marx21 is hailing the Social Democrats (SPD) chancellor candidate Martin Schulz as a reaction against Trump and the rise of the right worldwide, and as the revival of left-wing reformism.

In a document the group, which is active inside the Left Party, wrote, The process of reviving social democratic parties, which fell into a deep crisis due to their market-liberal orientation, can be successful because apparently more left-wing leading figures have come forward in these parties. Martin Schulz clearly stands up to the right wing, calls for more social justice and intends to position the SPD alongside the trade unions for higher wages for hard-working people.

Marx21 referred to invitations to discuss red-red-green options for government as poisonous, writing, The left-wing rhetoric from Schulz will not fundamentally alter the market- and business-friendly policies of the SPD. But this is merely a pro forma declaration.

In reality, Marx21 cannot wait to join a federal government under Schulzs leadership. Their parliamentary deputy, Christine Buchholz, who has previously accompanied the defence minister by plane to visit German troops in Africa, could then plan the German armys future warsdisguised as peace missionsas state secretary

Schulz is mobilising hopes for social change, from which the left Party should not cut itself off, the paper states. The Left Party could not simply stand on the sidelines and criticise, but had to promote and organise the struggle for social justice and against racismwith Schulzs SPD! And further, Many voters expect from the Left Party and a red-red or red-red-green government that they deal with the urgent problems.

The WSWS refers to groups like Marx21 as pseudo-left because they cover up their right-wing policies with left phrases. The policy Marx21 strives for corresponds to the interests of a significant section of the German bourgeoisie.

Marx21s claim that the emergence of Martin Schulz is the expression of a shift to the left turns reality on its head. In truth, the change at the top of the SPD was aimed at exploiting the outrage at Trump for the goals of German imperialism. The media hype surrounding Schulz is not part of a reaction against Trump and the rise of the right worldwide, as Marx21 claims, but rather the attempt to utilise the reaction against Trump to advance Germanys great power ambitions.

Trumps election and the first measures adopted by his administration have triggered a political earthquake, whose shockwaves are spreading around the globe. While millions of people are following his anti-immigrant clampdown and war threats with horror and concern, the German ruling elite is responding to Trumps America First tirades with the slogan Deutschland uber alles.

In the media and political establishment, one hears only two words about the significance of Trumps victory for Germany: chance and wake-up call. Trump ought not only to be seen as a threat, but also as a chance and wake-up call to finally rearm and intervene militarily. Since the Nazis sang in their Storm Song, Woe to the people, who today still dream! Germany, awake! Awake! there have never been such persistent calls urging Germany to reawaken.

The chairman of the Munich Security Conference, Wolfgang Ischinger, stated in mid-February, The US can unfortunately no longer serve as the symbol of the Wests political-moral leadership. Europe had to fill the vacuum which had emerged and assume more leadership responsibility. To this end, military rearmament had to be pursued much more quickly and comprehensively than in the past.

The already adopted gradual increase of defence spending to 2 percent of GDP was insufficient, according to Ischinger, who added that at least 3 percent was required. To achieve this, budget costs for crisis prevention, development aid, diplomacy and defence had to be reorganised and directed towards military rearmament.

Journalists are debating the necessity of German nuclear weapons and complain that Germans have forgotten how to think in nuclear categories ( Die Zeit ).

Such a massive programme of military rearmament requires social cuts and austerity measures. Democratic rights must be abolished and police state structures created to enforce these policies. At the same time, German dominance in Europe is to be strengthened and will serve as the basis for the return to German great power politics.

A section of the ruling elite views the SPD and the former president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, as better equipped to carry through such a deep-going political change than Angela Merkel, whose party is divided and who, after 12 years in power, is no longer seen as capable of taking such a decisive step.

Two decades ago, it was a red-green federal government that brutally imposed the Agenda 2010 welfare reforms and organised the German armys first foreign military interventions since the Second World War. The SPD is now set to assume the leadership role once again in pursuit of the interests of German imperialism.

In a red-red-green government, the Left Party would have the role of integrating the trade unions into the structures of government even more so than two decades ago. Their union bureaucrats in the factories would suppress all opposition from workers.

The current media storm surrounding Schulz and his portrayal as the SPDs messiah is aimed at exploiting the opposition against Trump and the emergence of right-wing parties to bring a government to power which in every sense would be more right-wing than the current one.

Under such conditions, Marx21 plays an important role: to create as much confusion as possible and to cover up the right-wing policies of the SPD, Greens and Left Party with talk of a revival of Social Democracy.

The claim that Schulz represents the renewal of the SPD, and will lead the party back to its traditional values and fight for more social justice, is absurd and dishonest. More than anyone else, Schulz embodies the hated policies of the SPD. He is a member of the right-wing Seeheimer Circle inside the SPD, worked closely in the European Parliament with the conservative faction and led a de facto grand coalition at a European level.

Schulz has always defended the Hartz IV reforms, describing them as necessary reforms. Today he speaks merely of a few correctives that must be made to Agenda 2010. He does not even want to commit himself to increasing the low minimum wage, on which no person can reasonably live.

On issues of domestic security, he attacks the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union from the right. A few days ago, he accused them of having bled dry the police and security agencies because of their neoliberal ideology. The chairman of the Police Trade Union, Oliver Malchow, immediately spoke out, telling the Suddeutsche Zeitung, We ourselves have been saying: 20,000 police officers are lacking nationwide.

That the Left Party is responding to Trump and the rise of right-wing parties by offering to participate in government arises out of the bourgeois character of this party. In spite of its name, it fully defends the power and property relations upon which capitalism rests.

The Left Party is less bothered by Trump and the rise of the Alternative for Germany, with whom it largely agrees on a right-wing programme, than it is by the breakdown of the mechanisms that in the past served to moderate the class struggle and prop up capitalist rule. The Left Party is closing ranks with the other establishment parties and offering its services as an anchor of stability. Marx21 has served for decades as a fig leaf for the Left Party and its right-wing policies.
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Thursday afternoon that he would recuse himself from any role in the ongoing federal investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

He was responding to a renewed campaign by much of the corporate media and congressional Democrats, charging that when Sessions gave sworn testimony at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, he concealed his contacts with the Russian government during the election campaign.

The Washington Post triggered a daylong media firestorm with a report posted on its web site Wednesday night, revealing that Sessions had two encounters with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 campaign, but had denied any such meetings at the Judiciary Committee hearing.

Leading Democrats weighed in, with both Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi calling on Sessions to resign as attorney general because he lied under oath, as Pelosi put it, although the video and transcript of the hearing suggest that Sessions conduct constituted evasiveness typical of such affairs.

It is telling and remarkable that the Democrats fulminations against Sessions have nothing to do with his reactionary and deeply antidemocratic actions in the three weeks since he became attorney general.

Sessions has reversed an Obama administration decision to phase out private for-profit prisons, now doing a booming business jailing detained immigrants, and withdrew a legal claim by the federal government that a Texas voter ID law was enacted with the intention of discriminating against minority voters and college students. He also prevailed in an internal Trump administration discussion over the rights of transgendered students, reversing official guidance to schools urging them to accommodate these students in their choice of bathrooms.

The attorney general in many ways personifies the ultra-right policies of the Trump administration and the congressional Republicans, but no Democrat called for Sessions ouster over any of these actions. Their outrage has been confined to one subject: his alleged concealment of contacts with Russian government officials.

The actual substance of the two encounters between Sessions and Ambassador Kislyak amounts to very little. The first followed remarks by Sessions at a Heritage Foundation event in Cleveland during the Republican National Convention. Some 50 ambassadors attended the event and many spoke with Sessions informally afterwards, including the Russian envoy.

The second contact was a meeting between Kislyak and Sessions at the senators office in Washington on September 8, 2016, which was recorded on his public calendar and attended by several of his top aides, one a military officer. At a brief press conference after he announced his recusal, Sessions said that Kislyak had requested the meeting, which came one day after Sessions had met with the Ukrainian ambassador, and that the topics included terrorism, religion and Russian policy in Ukraine, which Kislyak defended and Sessions criticized.

Sessions said that both meetings were part of his work as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and were not related to the Trump campaign, where he served as a top adviser on national security issues.

President Trump declared his support of Sessions during a tour of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford on Thursday, and White House aides said that there was no reason for Sessions to recuse himself. But congressional Republicans responded quickly to the media reports with demands that Sessions withdraw from any role in supervising the FBI investigation, now that his own conduct was an issue in the probe.

Sessions recused himself, citing Justice Department rules and the recommendation of senior career officials. Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente became the supervising prosecutor for the FBI probe. Boente is a career Justice Department attorney who was appointed by Barack Obama as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, the jurisdiction that includes the Virginia suburbs of Washington DC. It handles most federal cases involving the Pentagon and CIA, which are headquartered there.

It was Boente who stepped in to replace Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, the Obama holdover who was fired because she refused to defend in court Trumps executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. Several federal courts ultimately struck down the order as unconstitutional.

The statement by Senate Democratic leader Schumer, calling on Sessions to resign, is a hysterical denunciation that suggests, in quasi-McCarthyite language, the effective takeover of the US government by Moscow. We must evaluate the scope of Russias interference in our elections and assess if agents of their government have penetrated to the highest level of our government, Schumer declares. (T)he integrity of our executive branch is at stake.

The anti-Russian campaign has been sustained by an endless series of leaks from top officials in the military-intelligence apparatus who oppose Trumps apparent willingness to defer confrontation with Russia in favor of targeting Iran and China.

These agencies have used the New York Times and the Washington Post as their main conduits for unsubstantiated claims that the Russian government was responsible for the hacking of Democratic Party emails that were then supplied to WikiLeaks. The media has kept the focus on the alleged Russian provenance of the emails, rather than on what the emails revealed: Clintons gushing speeches to audiences of Wall Street bankers, as well as efforts by top DNC officials to sabotage Clintons main rival, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Several congressional investigations into the alleged Russian role are taking place alongside the major probe by the FBI. Democrats and Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee agreed Wednesday on the scope of their probe, which is to include the extent of Russian cyberactivity directed against the US government and institutions, and the US government response, as well as the sources of leaks of classified information from the various intelligence agencies to the US media.

Meanwhile, the Trump White House took two actions in response to the mounting pressure of these investigations. White House lawyers sent instructions to all staff Tuesday, requiring them to preserve materials that could be the subject of the investigation into the 2016 election campaign. This came in response to requests from the House and Senate intelligence committees.

In a potentially significant policy concession, White House officials confirmed that Trump had offered the position of senior director for Europe and Russia, at the National Security Council, to Fiona Hill. Hill is a former intelligence officer in both the Bush and Obama administrations who wrote a highly critical 2013 biography of Vladimir Putin, focusing on his background as an operative of the KGB secret police in the Soviet Union.
Amid signals by the Trump administration that it plans to step up military involvement in the Middle East, Ankara is preparing to expand its intervention in the wars in Syria and Iraq, while also threatening Iran.

On February 27, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met separately with Defense Minister Fikri Isk and General Hulusi Akar, the chief of Turkeys General Staff. These meetings came three days after the Turkish army officially stated that, acting together with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) militia, it had brought the Syrian town of al-Bab fully under its control.

While no statements emerged from Erdogans meeting with Isik and Akar, they likely discussed operations against not only the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, but also the Syrian Kurdish nationalist Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its military organization, the Peoples Protection Units (YPG). Turkey is also preparing for a broader campaign against IS and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Iraq.

Last week, Akar was in the southeastern Turkish provinces of Kilis and Gaziantep to visit military units. Ankara has already deployed thousands of troops, backed by heavy artillery, along its Syrian and Iraqi borders.

Meanwhile, Massoud Barzani, President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), visited both Erdogan and Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim.

Barzani met with Erdogan on February 26, along with the chief of Turkeys National Intelligence Organization (MIT), diplomats and energy officials.

The Turkish government made no official statement. But according to a statement issued by the KRG, Erdogan and Barzani spoke of the ongoing military operation against the terrorists of the Islamic State in the city of Mosul, where President Barzani reiterated his position of the importance of planning for the post-liberation of the city. For months, Iraqi government forces, including US-backed Kurdish fighters, have been engaged in a bloody effort to retake Mosul from IS.

The statement from Barzanis office also pointed to Ankaras support for the Iraqi Kurdish leadership. It said: President Erdogan stated that Turkey will continue to support the Kurdistan Region during these difficult times, as the collective effort against the terrorists of the Islamic State continues.

The next day, Barzani met with Yildirim to discuss similar issuesthe struggle against IS, Ankaras economic support for the KRG, Turkeys oil supply, and the fight against the PKK in Iraqs Sinjar region.

All these developments point to a further escalation of military conflict in the region by the Turkish government, together with the other major powers.

At the Munich security conference on February 19, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Iran, Russias largest ally in the region, was trying to create two Shiite states in Syria and Iraq... Iran wants to make Syria and Iraq Shiite This is very dangerous. It must be stopped. Less than a week before, Erdogan had accused Iran of trying to partition Iraq and Syria.

Tehran responded sharply. On February, 20, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi declared: We are acting patiently, but there is a limit to that We hope that such statements are not made again. If our Turkish friends continue with this attitude, we will not remain silent, he said.

Afterwards, the Turkey-Iran Business Forum, which executives from at least 100 Turkish firms were scheduled to attend on February 25 in Tehran, was postponed.

Ankara has long complained of Tehrans intervention in the Syrian war and its growing influence in Iraq. The conflict between Turkey and Iran over Iraq and Syria, however, did not keep Ankara from aligning with Russia and Iran during ostensible peace talks on Syria in Astana.

The row between Ankara and Tehran has intensified since the new US administration placed Iran on its target list.

Despite its efforts to cultivate ties with Russia, Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has time and again stated its intention to improve its relations with the United States. It has not concealed its hope of launching a joint operation against IS with the United States under Trump. On February 16, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik told journalists that the Trump administration has a different approach to Syria: They are not insisting any more that the operation should definitely be carried out with the [Kurdish] YPG. They havent yet made up their minds.

Three days later, Erdogan said that Turkish troops would assist taking the Syrian city of Raqqa from IS if Ankara reaches a deal with Washington. This came just two days after the Turkish Chief of General Staff met with his US counterpart at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, rolling out a plan to retake Raqqa which excluded the PYD and the YPG. According to the Turkish media, the plan also envisages a 54-kilometer-long, 20-kilometer-wide corridor to be held by the Turkish-backed FSA.

The Turkish government denounces the PYD/YPG as terrorist groups that are linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is carrying out an armed struggle against Ankara. Washington, in contrast, has treated them as reliable partners in the fight against IS and Syrian President Bashar al-Assads regime. The US has pared back its support for the FSA and sponsored the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as its new main proxy, creating tensions with Ankara.

Ankara responded by launching its own operation, Euphrates Shield, to push Syrian Kurdish forces to the eastern side of the Euphrates River. Washington responded in November 2016 with the SDFs Operation Euphrates Wrath, which is aimed at retaking Raqqa from IS.

Hoping to shift US policy under Trump, Ankara now claims that several thousand FSA fighters, supported by Turkish advisors and air power, are ready to engage in a joint operation with Washington to take Raqqa, providing the Kurds are sidelined.

It is unclear whether Trump will accept Ankaras proposal to replace the Kurdish-dominated SDF with Turkish-backed FSA forces. The alternatives are stark, however: a negative reply will further alienate Ankara, while a positive one would improve US-Turkish relations at the expense of Turkish-Russian relations.

In recent days, Russian-backed Syrian troops and Turkish-backed FSA forces have clashed near al-Bab, which the FSA captured last week from IS. Russian mediation halted the conflict. Meanwhile, on March 1, Turkish troops and FSA fighters reportedly attacked villages west of Manbija town on the west side of the Euphrates River, from which Ankara has vowed to purge Kurdish forces.

As it bargains with Trump and quarrels with Iran, Ankara is still seeking to promote its relations with Russia, both commercial and especially military. During his scheduled March 9-10 visit to Russia, Erdogan is to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and attend a meeting of the High-Level Russian-Turkish Cooperation Council. The two leaders are expected to discuss Turkeys request to purchase Russian S-400 air defense missile systems.

Whether Trump continues to support the SDF or decides to accept Ankaras proposals and cut off the PYD/YPG, Ankaras plans to step up its interventions into both Syria and Iraq will further aggravate an already volatile situation.
Europe

UK rail conductors vote to strike

This week, railway conductors at three UK private franchises voted for strike action against plans to increase the use of driver only operated trains (DOO).

The members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at Arriva Rail North, which operates Northern trains and Merseyrail and plans to introduce a fleet of 52 DOO trains, voted by a more than 80 percent margin for strike action. They will hold a 24-hour strike on March 13. In addition, RMT members at Merseyrail will not work rest days from March 7.

RMT staff working for Southern Rail, operated by Govia Thameslink Railway, will also hold a 24-hour strike on the same day. RMT staff at Southern Rail have been taking part in strike action over the last year in opposition to the increased use of DOO.

Last month, train drivers at Southern rejected an attempt by the ASLEF trade union to impose a sellout deal, which aims at forcing drivers to operate train doors instead of conductors, leading to the destruction of hundreds of jobs of train conductors.

London underground maintenance staff to begin action short of strike

RMT members working for the tube fleet maintenance unit, which is responsible for maintaining the underground rail system in the UK capital, are to begin industrial action on March 7. They are taking action over managements refusal to abide by agreed procedures.

The action will include not agreeing to changes in shifts, not carrying out duties above their pay grade, and refusing to work on a site with no first aider.

Among the issues involved is the reduction of staffing levels, not following agreed processes when adjusting rosters, and not allowing RMT reps to carry out their duties.

Protests against low pay at Liverpool hotel

The RMT has organised a demonstration outside the Adelphi hotel in Liverpool on March 7, having held a demonstration on February 25. They are protesting low rates of pay at the prestigious hotel. In spite of increasing profits, the hotel is cutting the time for cleaners to clean a room by 20 percent. The RMT also opposes the continuing use of zero hour contracts at the Adelphi.

British Airways cabin crew in further strike

British Airways mixed fleet cabin crew are due to begin a seven-day strike today in their ongoing fight against low pay. The strike will affect both long and short haul flights. To date, the cabin crew, who are members of the Unite union, have held 26 days of strikes.

Strike by technology staff in northern England

Staff employed for the international technology firm Fujitsu at its office in the Risley area of Warrington in Cheshire held a 24-hour strike Tuesday. It was part of an ongoing series of actions at various Fujitsu sites across the country. The strikes are in response to the companys plans to cut its UK workforce by around 1,800, as well as attacks on pensions and pay.

London borough street cleaning staff strike

Members of the GMB union working for Continental Landscapes, which provides street cleaning services for the London borough of Wandsworth, began a two-day strike Tuesday. They are opposing poverty levels of pay being imposed by the company, which is reporting increasing profits.

Social work staff in Huddersfield hold one-hour strike

Social work staff working for Kirklees councilbased in the north England town of Huddersfieldwere set to hold a one-hour walkout on Thursday. The Unison union members are protesting high caseloads, poor pay and an inadequate IT system. The authority was rated as inadequate following an inspection by the government inspectorate Ofsted in November last year.

A previous vote by social work staff for a one-day strike in January was called off after the intervention of a regional Unison official. The Labour Party majority council has threatened to use recently-passed Conservative government legislation to ban the strike but did not go ahead with the threat.

Threat to action of Irish nurses

Nurses belonging to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) have been warned their industrial actiondue to begin next weekcould be in breach of the Lansdowne Road Agreement and that it should be deferred. The planned strike is to protest staff shortages, which are putting increasing pressure on nursing staff. Under the Lansdowne Road Agreement, any breach could lead to an imposed pay freeze.

The Irish Independent reports it has seen a document in which the Lansdowne Road Oversight Body (LROB) calls on INMO to enter talks with the Workplace Relations Commission or refer the issue to the Labour Court for arbitration.

The LROB is composed of Irish government officials and union representatives.

Irish bus strike to go ahead

Members of the Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU) and the National Bus and Railworkers Union (NBRU), who are employed as drivers and other staff at Bus Eireann, are due to walk out on strike on March 6.

On that date, the company plans to impose measures designed to cut costs. A total of 55 measures have been announced, including closing some routes, reducing the number of drivers and bringing in productivity measures.

Currently, school bus services operated by Bus Eireann are not due to be part of the strike, but SIPTU has announced it may ballot its membership to include them.

Train services operated by Irish Rail are not officially part of the dispute, but some services may be affected where they operate from facilities shared with Bus Eireann.

Irish garage workers continue their strike

Staff at the Tim Hastings Volkswagen garage in Westport, Ireland, which sells new and used cars, are continuing a strike which began February 3. The workers came out on strike over three of their colleagues who had been made redundant, and are demanding they receive their full redundancy entitlements.

A rally in support of the strikers is due to take place in Westport tomorrow.

Strike by Irish Tesco staff called off

After 11 days of strikes, Mandate, the union representing Tesco staff, called off their strike on February 24. This is to allow the union to attend further talks at the Labour Court in an attempt to resolve the issue.

The strike had been called over Tescos plans to impose a new contract on the 250 long-serving staff, who had been taken on by Tesco before 1996. In 1996, Tesco brought in a new contract with inferior conditions for staff joining the company. According to Mandate, the imposition of the contract would lead to a 15 percent pay cut.

Workers at Irish college to strike

Staff providing student services at Cork Institute of Technology were set to strike on Thursday. The 45 staff held a one-day strike in December last year. The SIPTU members are seeking a pay rise. Currently they are paid between 9 and 11 an hour. Some of the staff have worked there for 20 years and none have received a pay rise in the last 10 years.

Finnish airport ground staff set to strike

The Finnish Aviation Union has called strikes for March 6 and March 10 in a dispute with Palta, the body representing service sector companies in Finland. If it goes ahead, it will affect security checks and baggage handling at Finnish airports.

A threatened strike by cabin crew working for the Thomas Cook and Tui Fly travel agencies, due to have taken place next week, has been called off following talks between their union, Pro, and Palta.

Transport strike in Athens

Staff working for the STASY fixed rail system in Athens held a second 24-hour strike on Wednesday, with a third due to take place Friday. The fixed rail system includes the tram, metro and Kifissia-Piraeus electric railway serving Athens. Wednesdays strike led to traffic chaos in the city.

The workers are protesting legislation that has been drawn up which will open up the publicly-owned STASY facilities to OASAthe commercially run Athens urban transport network. Unions representing STASY employees say this will lead to a cut in revenues and the privatization of the system.

Middle East

Talks fail to settle Israeli crane operator dispute

Recent talks to settle a dispute involving Israeli crane drivers failed to resolve it. The talks reached agreement on pay and other conditions but failed to reach agreement over safety issues.

Around 1,200 crane operators working at construction sites across Israel held a one-day strike on February 23.

Africa

Gambian flour product workers strike over slave conditions

Workers at Gambias Gambia Milling Corporation went on strike on Monday, claiming they were being treated like slaves. Several workers at the flour product company spoke to the FOROYAA newspaper about the issues that led them to strike.

They said promises of permanent jobs after six months of provisional employment were not followed through and many of the staff are on a one-year contract. Other issues include a pay rise and medical cover for workers and their families.

They also demand the provision of staff transport, access to loans and promotion opportunities. The Gambia Workers Union has been brought into the dispute at the request of management and workers, whereas a staff association, representing employees, has been disbanded by the company.

Zimbabwe teachers demand annual bonus payment

A civil service protest has been organised by Zimbabwean trade unions for March 6 in the countrys capital, Harare. Apex Council, representing civil service unions, called the demonstration to protest the governments failure to pay annual bonuses for last year.

In the case of teachers, the government is trying to pass off housing stands (accommodation for teachers) as a form of bonus payment. Unions dispute this, claiming it is not a part of salary incentives.

The Amalgamated Allied Teachers Association called off its weeklong strike, using the justification of bringing it into line with the protest and demonstration organised by Apex Council.

South African coal truckers defy protest ban

Over 100 South African coal truck drivers blockaded roads around Pretoria Wednesday. They handed in a letter outlining their concerns that plans by Eskomthe electricity power generating bodyto increase the use of renewable energy would lead to job losses. The truck drivers are employed by the Coal Transportation Forum (CTF).

The CTF, described as a not-for-profit organisation, provides coal hauliers for Eskom. Eskom is refusing to renew future contracts to CTF saying they have a three million metric tons surplus of coal at the power stations, an increase in renewable energy, a downturn in the economy, alongside power generation being farmed out to private suppliers.

Hauliers are appealing to the energy provider to phase in the transformation to cushion the impact on trade and employment.

Twenty thousand jobs are expected to go at several generating sites earmarked for closure by 2020. An Eskom spokesman said these are government decisions that it was unable to do anything about.

Kenyan doctors strike enters twelfth week

Negotiations in the Kenyan doctors dispute are at stalemate as negotiations have officially broken down. The government is not prepared to implement the 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and insists on a new 2017 CBA.

Although doctors have reduced their initial demands on two occasions, the government claims meeting the medics demands would swallow the whole national budget.

The bodies adopted for negotiationsthe Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and the Law Society of Kenyahave sent a report to the courts on the state of negotiations which could determine whether the doctors will be jailed.

The seven-day extension given previouslypostponing the jailing of the leaders of the doctors union, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists' Unionended on Wednesday.

Requests for a further seven-day extension by the doctors have been opposed by the government, which would only concede to a two-to-three-day extension. It would appear that the duration is to enable possible secret negotiations taking place.

Gabon oil workers halt production at Onal oilfields

Striking Gabon oil workers at the Maural and Proms Onal oilfield were aggressively attacked by the countrys defence and security forces when they were removed from the site.

In response, the National Union of Oil Employees union is balloting its members on an oil industry-wide strike.

Workers at the Onal oilfield struck on February 22 after the takeover of the Maural and Proms operation by Pertamina, an Indonesian company. Workers were demanding the payment of their bonuses due prior to the takeover.

The company operates in 12 countries and produced 28,000 barrels of oil per day in the last quarter of 2017 at the Onal oil field. The field is at a complete standstill, even though the company described the strike as illegal and attempted to sue workers in court to force a return to work.

Gabonese teachers continue extended strike

Gabonese teachers are continuing their strike, which began in October 2016. The strike is a continuation of an earlier walkoutgoing back to January 2016in protest at the governments breaking of its promise in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The National Union of Education had agreed a return to work in January 2016 on the basis of the MoU.

Their demands include better provision of buildings and equipment, payment of benefits owed, and competitive entrance examinations at teacher trainer colleges as promised. A further grievance is that the privatisation of education has now gone beyond 50 percent.

The strike is gathering momentum, with Catholic schools joining in with the public sector. Around 80 percent of Gabons schools are closed.
OCILLA, Ga. (AP) - A second suspect has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of a Georgia high school teacher who vanished from her home nearly 12 years ago.

Georgia media organizations reported Friday that arrest warrants in Ben Hill County show 32-year-old Bo Dukes was charged with concealing a death, evidence tampering and hindering the apprehension of a criminal in connection with the slaying of Tara Grinstead.

Dukes was released from jail on bond Friday.

Grinstead went missing in October 2005. Last week, authorities announced they had arrested 33-year-old Ryan Alexander Duke and charged him with her murder. It was not immediately clear how the two suspects knew each other.

A judge has issued a gag order prohibiting attorneys, law enforcement officers or relatives of the parties from discussing the case.

___
VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL)--The Lowndes County deputy killed in the line of duty receives law enforcement honors.

Deputy Chris Butler was carried to his funeral by the North Carolina Troopers Association Caisson Unit made up of horses and an Amish-built wagon

Deputy Chris Butler was honored by the caisson unit, that carried him to Morningside Baptist Church for his funeral Thursday afternoon.

Butler traded his banking career for a badge because he was so passionate about law enforcement.

His life ended Saturday night after a crash with a semi-truck.

The caisson unit is no stranger to dealing with tragedy.

Troopers volunteer their time, and when they're called they are ready to go in 24-hours notice honor fallen law enforcement officers.

" We have a six-member team," said North Carolina Highway Patrol Master Trooper Dennis Tafoya. "We'll use four for the mission today. We have a Morgan-Percheron cross and Percheron horses. We come from Monroe, North Carolina. That's where the horses are stationed. We travel anywhere in North Carolina and adjoining states of North Carolina."

Tafoya says it's an honor for them to be invited to Valdosta to remember deputy Butler's life that he gave.

The NTCA Caisson Unit went on nine missions last year, seven of those were in Georgia.

The unit is a non-profit organization, operating on donations. You can read more on the organization by clicking here. Here's a link to the unit's Facebook page.
YAKIMA, Wash. -- To be honest, I thought that National Beer Day was yet another commericial holiday to get people to drink more beer.
The case has been dismissed against the 77-year-old charged with illegally hunting Bullwinkle the Elk, the local celebrity in the Ellensburg area.
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As a Kuwaiti Muslim by origin, 39-year-old Mark Halawa's wish is to just be a regular Jewish Israeli citizen. Yet that, he found out, is much more difficult to achieve than he initially thought.

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After completing his conversion to Judaism in Rabbi Nissim Karelitz's rabbinical court in Bnei Brak, Halawa knew that he only needed the Chief Rabbinate to officiate itonly to find out that it doesn't acknowledge the rabbinical court where he converted.

The story of Mark Halawa (Credit: Daniel Elior) (:  )

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But that was not the end of his troubles. As he got the bad news about his conversions, he found out that the Ministry of the Interior did not authorize his Israeli citizenship, a problem he contends with to this day.

Halawa's amazing story was first told by Ynet almost three years ago. Born to a secular Muslim family in Kuwait, he found out at a young age that his grandmother was a Jew that converted to Islam after marrying a Palestinian.

After Iraq invaded to Kuwait when he was 13, he immigrated with his family to Jordan. There he started being exposed to Israeli television broadcasts, and thus began to separate himself from his prejudices and his anti-Semitic early education.

In the mid-nineties, His family moved to Canada. For Halawa, it was a golden opportunity to put everything behind him and start afresh. "I wanted to forget about the Middle East," he said in his Jerusalem apartment with a yamaka on his head. His father, though, had other plans for him, and that is how he found himself being sent to study in Syria. "I lived there for two years, it's a horrible dictatorship."

But the moment that marked Halawas official shift took place after he finally immigrated to Canada, during a chance meeting at his universitys library in Ontario. Halawa found himself telling the Jewish man he met, Dr. Yitzchok Block, a Harvard professor of philosophy and Chabad rabbi who taught at the University of Western Ontario, all about his familys background.

After understanding that his grandmother on his mother's side was Jewish, the rabbi told him that according to Jewish law, he is considered Jewish.

Mark Halawa, holding his temporary resident certificate (Photo: Daniel Elior)

"I was shocked to discover that I was Jewish," Halawa said. "You go to sleep with the knowledge that you're Jewish, and you wake up with it. What the rabbi told me made me love Jews more."

Afterwards, he decided to confront his Jewish heritage instead of avoiding it. He soon found himself boarding a plane to Israel. "I fell in love, and every day I discovered something new on my journey here," he excitedly said.

After that visit, Halawa returned to Israel, this time to study in a Talmudic college.

Halawa delved into his Jewish studies, but another surprise was in store for him: meeting the women he would decide to spend the rest of his life with.

"I met Linda, who came from a background similar to mine," he said. "Well, she didn't come from Kuwait, but from Finland. I decided that I wanted to share my life with her."

In order to do that, he needed to convert. At the same time, he began advocacy efforts for Israel and held lectures around the world.

As mentioned, his successfully finished his conversion in the Bnei Brak rabbinical court. "They told me 'Mazal Tov, you're as Jewish as the rest of us now."

However, Israel's Chief Rabbinate refused to acknowledge his conversion, and Halawa soon started to feel that his years of hard work and effort came to nothing. "It was the most horrible day of my life. I left the place in tears," he told.

The wedding preparations were at hand, and Halawa decided not to postpone it. Here too, joy quickly turned to sorrow. After requesting to become a legal resident at the Ministry of the Interior, things started becoming aggravatingly difficult. For a while he was forbidden from staying in Israel, so he had to meet with his wife in Europe.

Absurdly, the man who never stopped praising Israel abroad faced insurmountable barriers in Israel. Though, in the meantime, some good happened: Mark and Linda became parents.

Yoav Bakshi Yeivin (Photo: Daniel Elior)

Yoav Bakshi Yeivin, Jerusalem City Council member and member of the 'Wake up Jerusalem' movement, is trying to assist Halawa's efforts of becoming an Israeli citizen. "I cannot understand how such a dedicated person, who tries to improve Israel's name in the world, does not receive citizenship after converting," says Yeivin.

After speaking to many ministers and MK's, Yeivin managed to get Halawa an "upgrade" to his status. "Mark is a Jew and an Israeli much more than most and right now all we managed to get him is temporary residency because he didn't convert through the Chief Rabbinate," Yeivin bitterly said.

"I almost gave up," Halawa confessed, holding his temporary resident certificate. "I love Israel very much, but many times it seemed to not love me back. My wife told me that it's going to be a long struggle, but I'll persevere."

The Ministry of the Interior responded: "In general, following a High Court decision, we cannot acknowledge his conversion if he stayed illegally in Israel during his conversion process, which he did.

"And so, we decided to reject his request for residency based on his conversion. Nonetheless, about a year ago Mr. Halawa started the process of becoming a citizen through his marriage to an Israeli citizen and even received temporary resident status."
At the end of World War II, Europe found itself asking the following question: How did it happen? How did a remarkably civilized nation like Germany enthusiastically embrace a murderous Nazi ideology? And the equally troubling question: How did other nations devote themselves to the idea from which Nazism developedfascism?

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The enigma of the spreading of fascism burdened the Europeans conscience even more than Nazism, which could have been labeled as an exclusively German phenomenon.

The Europeans gave themselves a calming answer: It wasnt fascism that conquered our hearts and consciousness but a different feelingconformism. The highly understandable human desire to be like everyone else, to do what everyone else does, to give up on an independent opinion and go with the herd.

Graffiti on NYC subway. Whoever writes Jews belong in gas chambers may, under certain circumstances, murder Jews (Photo: Gregory Locke)

This perception was expressed in art and literature. For example, in Alberto Moravias novel The Conformist and in Eugene Ionescos play Rhinoceros. When our family members and friends become raging rhinoceros, who are we to remain human? We are allowed to be like them, because there is no urge which is more natural than conformism.

The latest reincarnation of that thesis is embodied in Jonathan Littells novel, The Kindly Onesan imaginary journal of a mentally disturbed SS officer, who participates in the most horrible killings of the war out of indifference and conformism rather than out of a strong faith in the Nazi idea.

The theory of passive acceptance of fascism and Nazism is also backed by social sciences. Sociologists wrote about the improved, modern and bureaucratic German annihilation machine, which turned the collaborators into grey executors. Intellectuals wrote about the banality of evil. Psychologists drew profiles of leading Nazis and fascists as rejected sexual perverts. The crowd was just drawn in by them.

The perception of fascismand in Germanys case, Nazismas a sort of contagious disease, streptococcus pyogenes which many people are infected with unwillingly, has infiltrated the popular culture as well.

Its most common image is the zombie, the walking dead. Its a convenient image: The bloodthirsty zombie is not responsible for being like that. The adult Europeans who marched in the fascist/Nazi procession saw themselves, after its fall, as temporary, dormant zombies, who core no responsibility.

The first essays rejecting the conformism fable were published in the late 1940s. In his article about the Jewish question, French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre defined the common anti-Semite as a person who has willingly chosen to hate Jews and is capable, therefore, of choosing to be a murderer as well.

Jewish German philosophers who immigrated to America published the findings of groundbreaking research about the authoritarian personality and its dangers (a study which has been forgotten due to being politically incorrect).

Even the historians, gradually, removed the mask from the argument of the silent majority, which allegedly only nodded in agreement with the fascist and Nazi regime but actually did not left a finger. As more and more documents were revealed, it turned out that millions of Europeans were willing executioners in Hitlers service, as defined by historian Daniel Goldhagen.

Fascism and Nazism were restudied not as a modern phenomenon but as anti-modernism. These ideologies were based on chaos, on superstitions, on mystical ceremonies, on the cancellation of rational thought, and primarily on racial hatred.

The hate, not the conformism, is what led and legitimized the murders, even of close neighbors, as Jan Tomasz Gross proved in his books about the murder of Jews by their polish neighbors. The horrors committed by the Hungarian and Croatian willing fascists, to mention but a few, were not inferior in any way to the Germans horrors. They may have even exceeded them.

The era of being relieved of any responsibility is over. Sartres warning against seeing the anti-Semite solely as a person who has opinions against Jews rather than as a person who has chosen to hate Jews, and is therefore mentally and morally willing to murder them, rings true with increasing relevance today.

Whoever writes Jews belong in gas chambers may, under certain circumstances, murder Jews. And whoever was raised on the slogan death to the Arabs and has adopted it as his world view may, under certain circumstances, murder Arabswithout any pangs of conscience, because according to his perception, they deserve to die.

A society that wishes to live and preserve its democracy must, therefore, punish him to the full extent of the law, and make an example of him for all to see. There are no extenuating circumstances for a murder committed out of faith or ideology. Forgiveness legitimizes the next murder, the next murders.
Hundreds have turned out for a "Stand Against Hate" rally in Philadelphia in response to the recent vandalism of a Jewish cemetery and hate crimes around the country.

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A Jewish federation says it organized Thursday's rally to "restore a sense of security and peace to our community."

Stand Against Hate rally (Photo: AFP)

Over 100 headstones were recently discovered damaged at Mount Carmel Cemetery. Police haven't made an arrest or determined a motive.

Photo: AFP

Jewish community centers and schools in at least a dozen states were also targets of bomb threats this past week, the fifth wave since January.

At the rally, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf called the cemetery vandalism "the desecration of the values we all hold dear" and the bomb scares "threats against each and every one of us and our common humanity."

The latest incident came when a Jewish cemetery in Rochester, New York, had at least five headstones toppled, according to New York and Jewish media reports on Thursday evening.
A year ago, Nuseir Yassin, a 24-year-old Harvard graduate, was living in New York city, working for a successful hi-tech company and earning $120,000 a year. Despite it all, he couldn't escape the feeling that life was passing him by.

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So for the past 328 days, he has been travelling the worldfrom Nigeria to Myanmar, the Philippines to Mount Fujimaking daily one-minute videos that shine a light on the people, places and passions he comes across: good, bad and in-between.

The style and formatquick cuts, an engaging delivery and snappy subtitleshave helped make the videos go viral: at last count, his Nas Daily page on Facebook had 500,000 likes and some of his mini-films have earned 25 million views.

Nuseir Yassin flies his drone in the old city of the city of Bethlehem (Photo: Reuters)

"I just wanted to do something that felt meaningful," Yassin, who goes by the name Nas, said as he set about making his 328th video, in Bethlehem, where he decided to explore how distant Palestine can feel versus how real it is.

"I realised that I'd lived 32 percent of my life and there was so much more I wanted to do, so I quit my job," he said by way of explaining his decision, one that left his colleagues in New York and his Palestinian-Israeli parents shocked.

In every video he wears a t-shirt bearing an image of a battery charger showing 32 percent of life complete.

Yassin, now 25, said the Palestine video was challenging because it was both familiar and unfamiliar territory.

Raised in the Arab town of Arraba in northern Israel, Yassin grew up speaking Arabic and Hebrew, but he had spent little time in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem.

Filming near a section of the Israeli security barrier in Aida refugee camp (Photo: Reuters)

A bright student, he left Israel when he was 18, after earning a scholarship to Harvard. There he studied computer science and economics and was quickly snapped up by the hi-tech industry, working for PayPal and other firms.

But a feeling of wanderlust soon consumed him and he decided travelling the world and making a video of his life each day was a project he could immerse himself in. Having saved a sizeable amount of money, the finances made sense.

"Rather than spending $3,500 a month in New York, I decided it would be better to budget $100 a day and keep travelling," he said. "Some days I spend more and I'm sad, some days less and I'm happy, but basically I can keep doing this for a while."

In the early stages, Yassin felt his videos were sometimes touristy - "look at this place", "how cool is this?"but since gaining an international following, he has begun to structure each more carefully, with a script and a point, however lightly delivered.

Yassin holds the hand of a Palestinian man as he is filmed in Aida refugee camp (Photo: Reuters)

In recent days, he has explored the high cost of living in Israel, the social gaps between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs, efforts to bring both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict together via culture and security issues in Israel.

It is his first time back in his home country since day 60 of the projecthe came to get a visa for his next destination, Morocco. The places he has visited along the wayfrom Easter Island to the Philippineshave left him feeling that the world is a far smaller than he ever imagined growing up.

"I've learnt how amazingly flexible people are," he said. Asked if he would stop when he reaches 365 days, he didn't hesitate: "I don't see why I should. I'm enjoying it."
An indictment was filed on Thursday against Nadav Sela, 29, who was arrested late January for the brutally murdering his wife Dor, 23, their two children Benjamin and Yosef, both toddlers, and the neighbors' son Nahman Atia, 11.

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He was also indicted for the attempted murder of Nahman's 10-year-old brother Natan.

Sela's remand was extended by three weeks to allow the defense to study the case in greater detail.

The accused, Nadav Sela (Photo: Shamir Elbaz)

A preliminary psychiatric evaluation presented after Sela spent nearly three weeks under observation found that he is fit to stand trial for his alleged crimes. Judge Yifat Shitrit agreed Thursday morning to admit Sela for a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, as per the request of the district psychiatrist.

The indictment filed against Sela to Nazareth District Court outlines the grisly details of his killing spree, the motive for which remains unknown.

Given the brutality of the details, Judge Shitrit accepted the prosecution's request to publish only a redacted version of it, which omits the harrowing scene of the murders.

The crime

On the afternoon of January 28. Dor Crasanti, Sela's wife, was preparing lunch in the kitchen when Sela allegedly walked in, grabbed a chef's knife and proceeded to stab her all over her body. "Dor begged him to stop and even tried defending herself, but to no avail," the indictment describes.

Three of the victims: Dor Crasanti and her two children, Benjamin and Yosef

At the time two of the neighbors' children, the late Nahman Atia and his brother Natan, were playing in the living room. When the two noticed what was happening they tried escaping through the living room window but were spotted by Sela, who ran at them, stabbing Natan repeatedly.

After trying to resist and beg him to stop, Natan was stabbed by Sela in the head, fell down and played dead. Sela then turned to his brother Nahman, stabbed him to death and threw him down the basement stairs.

The fourth victim, Nahman Atia

Sela then slit the throat of his 20-month-old son Yosef, who was also in the living room, and from there made his way to his 8-month-old son Benjamin's bed and murdered him.

The indictment also notes that after noticing Nathans body move he returned and kicked him in his head to "make sure he was dead."

"After the accused was assured that all of the people present in the house were dead, he went to his bedroom, changed his clothes and shoes, and escaped through the back door," the indictment reads.

When Natan heard the defendant leave the house, he approached Dor's body and asked if he's alive. Noticing that he was not responding, the terrified Natan began crying before attempting to exit through the front door. However, after noticing that it was locked, he forced the living room window open through which he was able to escape.

"Natan walked several blocks until he reached a main road, where a driver spotted him and stopped to call for help," the indictment continues.

Natan Atia, days after the incident (Photo: Channel 2)

Natan suffered moderate wounds, mostly in his head and upper torso.

Superintendent Ofer Osta, head of the Israel Police northern district's homicide unit who is leading the investigation, described the case as one of the most difficult crime scenes that Ive witnessed in my long service with the Israel Police."

"The first report was from a citizen who found a bleeding child near the town's minimarket," Osta said. "He just told us that the indicted individual murdered his brother."

Almost immediately after that the police received a distressing call from Eitan Crasanti, Dor's father, who arrived at the house and noticed the open window. When he looked inside, he saw the horrific scene.

Sela escaped to an olive grove at the outskirts of town, and was caught by two patrol officers who were hailed there after they spotted him, gave chase and managed to apprehend him.

The investigation

Sela was brought to the police station where after checks police found no traces of alcohol or drugs in his blood.

The police have Natan's testimony, as well as hard forensic evidence against Sela proving that he committed the crimes.

"The million dollar question of this case is the motive," Osta asserts. "During questioning, he just repeated, 'I murdered everyone at home because they were Amalekites.'

"We checked the materials he was studying, in the Torah study center as well as in his home. There are mentions of the Amalekites in the holy books he was studying. We tried getting answers from him but to no avail. There is a passage like that in a book he was reading, but he couldnt explain what it meant."

Forensic unit outside the scene of the murders (Photo: Israel police)

Of the 613 commandments followed by Orthodox Jews, onebased on 1 Samuel 15.3orders the destruction of Amalekites and says, "Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys."

Amalek, though sometimes used to describe an enemy of the Jewish people, was actually the name of an ancient nation of semi-nomadic people who lived in the Negev in ancient Israel, thousands of years ago.

They are believed to have no descendants and are therefore already considered an extinct people.

"It's frustrating when you can't find a motive. Four people were murdered here. You see a completely normal family. They werent short of anything. We found love letters between the couple. And then you see a scene like this. You ask yourself a thousand times: why? What drove him to do this? It's something I'm going to keep asking myself for a long time."

The hearings

Superintendent Osta claims that Sela seemed sane to him, saying that he spent 19 hours with him during his arrest, during which Sela displayed behaviour of sanity, if somewhat detached from reality.

Nevertheless, Sela has since claimed insanity. Hela been brought before the court four times following the murders.

During the first remand hearing, he begged God for forgiveness. In following hearings he exhibited even more peculiar behaviour, saying "I'm a cat" and attempting to stand on all fours while mumbling various Bible passages.

Ravit Crasanti, holding the pictures of her late daughter and two grandsons (Photo: Ahiya Raved)

Between the hearings, Sela claimed that in his car accident a few months ago "god protected me, and so I followed his orders 'till the day of the murder."

According to the prosecution, there are several testimonies claiming that during the days before the murder, Sela had contacted individuals in town to apologize for various things.





The Sela family's graves (Photo: Ahiya Raved)

The testimonies were coherent with statements by Dors mother, Ravit Crasanti immediately after the killings, in which she said she was certain that her son-in-law had planned his actions in advance.

"He went and said goodbye to everyone," she said. "On Friday night he sat with me at the table and asked for forgiveness. He said, 'I'm sorry if I hurt you, I'm sorry if I said anything bad about you.' He did the same to other people in the community," she said.

Shortly before Thursday's indictment hearing, Crasanti burst into the hall carrying pictures of her daughter and her dead grandchildren and repeatedly called on Sela to look at them. "You low-life murderer! Just look what you took from us!," she shouted.

The fallout

Ora Atia, the mother of Natan and the late Nahamn Atia, stated Thursday that she and her remaining family members are not interested in reading the indictment. "We're not interested in picking at scabbed wounds. We're trying to believe that there are intentions here we cannot understanddecisions from up above, that only our creator could explain."

Meanwhile, Natan, the sole survivor of the slaughter, is slowly convalescing from the incident; both physically and mentally.

The Atia family, Thursday (Photo: Ahiya Raved)

His father, Israel, says that they believe God will help him recover. "Like he showed mercy for him that day, that is how we will see him heal with God aids."

Selas father says that he prefers to think about him as little as possible and focus on Natan's recovery.

"All that's written in the indictment is horror and madness. The environment we live in, unfortunately, raises the bar from one incident to the next," Israel added, ending with "I don't believe there is a punishment he can receive in this world, given by any man, that can answer his evil and the pain he caused our family, for whom he showed no mercy.
Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu) came out in support Friday morning for the the recent report on Operation Protective Edge published by the state comptroller, saying I dont like the criticism against it.

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Speaking at a Yedioth Ahronoth conference for small and medium-sized businesses in Eilat, Kahlon added that I recommend that we learn it and teach its lessons.

Moshe Kahlon (Photo: Meir Ohayon)

Kahlons comments significantly contrasted in tone to those made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who dismissed the reports content, and expressed his support for the IDF leaders, the Shin Bet and the security apparatus who protected and continue to protect the citizens of the State of Israel.

Just prior to the reports publicationthe findings of which included harsh criticism against the security cabinets preparations for fend off the Hamas tunnel threat and the mishandling of the some aspects of the war Netanyahu said that "the truly important lessons" do not appear in the report.

"We implement these lessons without making any announcements or statements to the media. We implement them comprehensively, diligently and quietly," he added, speaking at the beginning of the Likud party meeting.

Nevertheless, Kahlon did add that he did not agree with the conclusion that the cabinet is a circus. As a member of the cabinet today, I can say that business is conducted as it should be. I see the responsibility and the seriousness with which decisions are taken. Everything is going well today.
Military forces believed to be American launched two attacks on suspected al Qaeda targets in southern Yemen overnight on Friday in what would be the second consecutive day of US raids, witnesses said.

Backed by drones and Apache helicopter, the troops descended on the Wadi Yashbum village in Shabwa province after midnight and engaged suspected al Qaeda militants in a battle that lasted nearly half an hour, the residents said.

One of the targets was the home of Saad Atef, an al Qaeda leader in the area.

The assault included about 10 to 15 airstrikes, some of which hit civilian homes, the residents said. A number of civilians were among the wounded, they added.

Fragments from the strikes hit the home of local southern leader Naser al-Nouba, who told newspaper Aden Press he was about 100m away from the fighting.
CHARLESTON -- Eastern Illinois Universitys chapter of the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) recently donated $1,079 to the Sarah Bush Lincoln Regional Cancer Center. Students raised the money by selling t-shirts, hosting a pie-in-the-face contest and a balloon release during breast cancer awareness week on the EIU campus.

NRHH is committed to mentoring and supporting the development of leaders living within the residential community and hosts a breast cancer awareness event each year.

Breast cancer impacts everyones lives in some way so students are especially passionate about supporting this cause, NRHH Advisor Kelsey Cripe said.
The National Bank, a private Palestinian bank, will open a branch in the Palestinian village of Al-Ram, on the Israeli side of the security barrier that Israel has built in and around the West Bank.

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It will be the first Palestinian bank in this part of the West Bank, and will enable Palestinians in the area to managed their finances without traveling to either Ramallah or to Jerusalem.

The bank is being built in Area C, the 60 percent of the West Bank that is under sole Israeli control. Hardliners in Israel have called for Israel to annex all or part of this area, and a bill to annex the Jewish settlement of Ma'ale Adumim is set to come before the Knesset next week.

Getting the required Israeli and Palestinian permits was not an easy task.

None of us knew or understood the full nature of the legal procedures and steps that needed to be taken at the beginning of this journey, Ahmad Haj Hassan, the general manager of The National Bank (TNB) told The Media Line. It took two years to get needed permits from both Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

The Bank received a banking license to establish a new branch from the Palestinian Monetary Authority (PMA), which serves as the de facto central bank and fulfilled the Israeli requirements to open a bank.

Palestinians in line for the ATM (Photo: Reuters)

Al-Ram is a town of about 50,000 just outside Jerusalems municipal borders. About half of the residents have Jerusalem ID cards, which enable them to enter Jerusalem freely.

Serving marginalized communities within Jerusalem, especially women and youth, is a primary goal for TNB, Hassan said. Our goal is to reach every Palestinian wherever he or she may be.

Currently Palestinians do their banking either at Israeli banks in Jerusalem, or at Palestinian banks in the West Bank. Hassan says that TNB is the fastest growing bank in Palestine, which competes with six other local banks, and ten regional banks including the Arab Bank, one of the largest financial institutions in the Arab world.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians live on the Israeli side of the security barrier. Construction of the barrier got underway in 2000, which was meant to stop Palestinian attackers from reaching Israel.

Travel to the West Bank can be complicated. Hassan, who was recently profiled as one of the 50 most important bankers in the Middle East according to the magazine Global Finance, says that establishing the new branch will help Palestinians avoid the daily logistical nightmares of crossing borders and Israeli security checkpoints.

Some Palestinians say that building institutions like banks is part of creating the infrastructure for an eventual Palestinian state. TNB has 13 branches throughout the West Bank. This newest branch will have between 15 and 18 employees, bank officials say.

In terms of image alone, TNB would be able to connect with Palestinians beyond the West Bank, Omar Omran, a professor of business at Birzeit University in the West Bank told The Media Line. The ability to deliver a solution given the uncertain political and economic climate, demonstrates a results oriented approach by TNBs management.

Article written by Dima Abu Maria
JUBA -- South Sudan has arrested four soldiers after residents accused the army of beating and raping civilians in a small village near the capital last month, a military spokesman said on Friday, in a case that became a symbol of spiralling military abuses.

The military launched an investigation after a local bishop brought five victims, including young girls, from Kubi village for medical treatment in the capital.

Three men will be charged with rape and one with dereliction of duty after a fourth suspect escaped, said Brigadier General Lul Ruai Koang.

"It is a crime to commit a rape; they have done it and they will be held accountable," he said. The men's trial will be open to the media, he said.
European Union diplomats say the bloc's foreign ministers are to discuss whether to hold high-level talks with Israel amid concern over its settlement policy and commitment to a two-state solution.

Diplomats said Friday that the EU must be clear in its dealings with Israel, especially given the U.S. administration's unclear position on the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

One diplomat said any future official talks with Israel could not be "business as usual. Things have to be said very clearly to the Israelis."

The diplomats briefed reporters about Monday's foreign affairs talks in Brussels on the condition that they are not named.

The Palestinians and most of the international community consider outposts and settlements illegal and see them as an obstacle to creating a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
US prosecutors in New York charged a St. Louis, Missouri, man on Friday in connection with at least eight bomb threats made against Jewish organizations across the country.

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Juan Thompson, 31, was taken into custody on Friday morning in St. Louis and was expected to make an initial court appearance there later in the day.

Miami Jewish center being evacuated after bomb threat (Photo: CBS)

It was not immediately clear whether investigators believe Thompson is responsible for all of the more than 100 threats that have been made by phone to Jewish community centers in dozens of states since January.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) tweeted the news Friday, saying, " FBI, NYPD, and NYS police told us arrest made in bomb threats against ADL; several other Jewish institutions. Thx 2 them!More info as get it."

The ADL itself was the target of a hoax bomb threat last week.

Map detailing the locations of all Jewish centers and schools that received bomb threats (Photo: CNN)

In a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan, authorities accused Thompson of making at least eight threats, mostly by email.

Prosecutors said Thompson made the threats in an effort to harass a former girlfriend by telling the Jewish groups she was the person behind the alleged bombs.

After the woman broke up with him in July 2016, Thompson began a sustained harassment campaign in retaliation, authorities said.

A day after the relationship ended, Thompson sent an email purporting to be from a producer at a national news organization to her boss at a social service company in New York, according to the complaint. The email claimed she had been pulled over for drunk driving and sued for spreading a sexually transmitted disease.

In the following weeks, the woman received messages from a purported relative of Thompson, falsely claiming Thompson was on his deathbed after a shooting.

Thompson later threatened to publicize nude photos of her and told her employer she had threatened his life, prosecutors said. He also sent a message to a national children's welfare organization, claiming she admitted watching child pornography.

In late January, Thompson began emailing bomb threats to Jewish groups using his own name and claiming she had hacked his account. He also sent threats pretending to be her, according to the complaint.

On Feb. 24, he posted on Twitter, "Know any good lawyers? Need to stop this nasty/racist #whitegirl I dated who sent a bomb threat in my name."

Prosecutors said part of his motive was to portray his ex-girlfriend as an anti-Semite. He sent one email calling for a "Jewish Newtown," referring to the 2012 school massacre in Connecticut.

It was unclear whether he shared those sentiments, and his recent Twitter posts did not appear to include any explicit anti-Semitic thoughts.

Jewish community centers and schools in the United States have received five waves of hoax bomb threats this year, stoking fears of a resurgence in anti-Semitism.

Anti-Semitic acts on the rise

US President Donald Trump, Israeli officials and Jewish groups have all condemned the surge in intimidation as well as cases of vandalism targeting Jewish cemeteries.

Police said last weekend that about 100 headstones were toppled at a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia, about a week after a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis was vandalized.

Some Jewish groups see the vandalism and threats as a sign that anti-Semitic groups have been emboldened by Trump's election. His campaign last year drew the support of white supremacists and other right-wing groups, despite Trump's disavowals of them.
Police officers from Zikhron Ya'akov were filmed Tuesday violently arresting an Arab resident of Jisr az-Zarqa while conducting a search for illegal weapons.

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One of the officers was filmed striking the suspect in the head during the course of the arrest.

Video of the arrest in Jisr az-Zarqa

X

The incident occurred Tuesday in Jisr az-Zarqa after police arrived to conduct a search for illegal weapons. According to the suspect, "The officers carried out a violent arrest. I was suffering from pain, but they didn't care.

Muhammad Jarban, a family member of the suspect, said, "The officers behaved irresponsibly. We dont care that they conduct searches, but they should speak to us respectfully. When we asked about the circumstances of the search, they began to shout."

Jarban decided to document the incident and later said, "Unfortunately, the police arrested my nephew, who didn't do anything. They used violence even though he wasn't resisting. They suddenly grabbed him and one of the officers hit him in the head. They threw him on the ground without regard for his pain. The police left without finding anything."

Jisr az-Zarqa has been plagued by high levels of crime, which have led residents to complain that the police and government are indifferent to the conditions inside the village.

Police issued a statement in response to the incident, saying, "It is appropriate considering the circumstances of the case and it will be reviewed by authorized parties and certainly not be based on partial, edited video which only presents an incomplete picture of events."
European Union foreign ministers are to discuss whether to hold high-level talks with Israel soon amid concern over its settlement policy and commitment to a two-state solution, diplomats said Friday.

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The diplomats said the EU must be clear in its dealings with Israel, especially given the US administration's unclear position on the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Photo: AFP

One said that any future official talks with Israel could not be "business as usual. Things have to be said very clearly to the Israelis."

The diplomats briefed reporters about Monday's foreign affairs talks in Brussels on the condition that they are not named.

The Palestinians want the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalemterritories Israel captured in the 1967 Six Day Warfor their future state.

They and most of the international community consider outposts and settlements illegal and see them as an obstacle to creating that state.

EU-Israeli relations are governed by an "Association Agreement," which entered force in June 2000. It foresees routine ministerial-level meetings, or Association Councils.

PM Netanyahu and the EU's Federica Mogherini (Photo: Amit Shabi)

Israeli media has reported that one such meeting was scheduled for February 28th, but EU officials deny a date was ever set.

"We want to have a unified and clear European Union position that takes into account developments on the ground," the diplomat said. "Once we have a clear position, then we can look at a date."

A senior EU official insisted that preparation for the talks goes on, despite suspicion that the Europeans might be stalling.

"It's not frozen, not at all. Work has started," she said.

EU foreign policy head Federica Mogherini at Paris Peace Conference (Photo: EPA)

She acknowledged that President Donald Trump's ambivalence about the two-state solution has caused concern in Europe.

"There is an ongoing policy review in the United States," she said. "So we will continue to use every opportunity, every occasion, also at the level of senior officials, to promote our views."

Dismayed by Israel's continued settlement expansion, EU lawmakers have called for a freeze on the agreement.

"The continued application of the agreement in spite of Israel's clear violation ... sends a message to Israel that its practices will be tolerated without any impact," Cypriot EU lawmaker Neoklis Sylikiotis said in the West Bank last week while leading a delegation of EU lawmakers.
ANKARA -- Turkish leaders condemned Germany on Friday for cancelling rallies of Turkish residents due to be addressed by Ankara's ministers and said Berlin gave "shelter" to people committing crimes against Turkey.

Comments in Berlin by Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, who had been scheduled to address a meeting in the southwestern town of Gaggenau until it was cancelled on Thursday, reflected a broader souring of relations between the two NATO allies.

"Let them look back at their history," Bozdag said in a speech. "We see the old illnesses flaring up."
BENGHAZI -- Libyan militias occupied major oil terminals on Friday after clashes with armed forces based in the east and commanded by army chief Gen. Khalifa Hifter, military officials said, amid fears the facilitates could sustain serious damage if the clashes escalate. At least nine soldiers were killed.

Faisal al-Zwei, the spokesman for the 101 Brigade, based at the so-called oil crescent region, told The Associated Press that some 1,000 militiamen in 200 vehicles clashed with the eastern armed forces over the oil terminals of al-Sidra and Ras Lanuf on Friday, forcing the army units to retreat. He said the militias were joined by fighters loyal to eastern militia commander Ibrahim Jedran, the secessionist fighter who took over and oversaw the terminals until Hifter's forces seized them last year. Mohammed al-Basit, the brigade's commander, confirmed the report.
York Chamber of Commerce is proud to partner with York County Development for the Tri-County Job and College Fair.

We invite job seekers from around the area to come to Yorks Holthus Convention Center on Tuesday, March 7 from 2:30-7 p.m. This is the fourth year for this event and it has certainly grown.

The entire fair has been sold out! Yorks Holthus Convention Center will be filled with companies that are ready to hire you or colleges to give you information on higher education. These various companies have over 400 jobs available ranging from professional and skilled to entry level. The College Fair is a new component for this year. With 10 colleges being present, attendees will be able to visit with them about how to further their education or begin the educational journey.

The planning committee has really thought of everything this year. If you are needing a little help making sure you are dressed appropriately for the job you are seeking, you are encouraged to contact Cindy Naber at 402-362-4481 and she will get you connected to the clothing closet. Helping candidates be successful in their job search has been priority number one.

Transportation services will be provided to York County residents by York County Transportation. Lori does need to schedule her drivers so calling in advance is needed. Call 402-362-7626 and let them know you are needing to get to Holthus Convention Center for the Tri-County Job Fair.

Ruth Peters, Nebraska Department of Labor, will be happy to help you review your resume so you are ready to impress when you arrive at the convention center. Contact her at 402-362-5891 to make an appointment prior to coming to the job fair. As an added bonus, attendees to the Job and College Fair may be eligible to win a $1,000 scholarship. Full details will be available on-site to all those that attend.

As you can see, this committee has really been trying to think outside the box. They have really taken to heart the various surveys they conducted over the course of the last few years so they can deliver what you want to see. I want to express my thanks to Lisa Hurley at York County Development Corporation for her commitment to the businesses looking for employees and to the job seeker.

I want to give a huge shout out to Debra Heskett for her coordination of this event. From scheduling and executing committee meetings to working with Michaela on the marketing materials, Deb has been focused on making sure the Tri-County Job and College fair is successful for everyone. Once again, I encourage everyone looking for employment or educational opportunities to come to Yorks Holthus Convention Center on Tuesday, March 7 from 2:30  7 p.m.

As a quick reminder to everyone, the Towers of York will make their appearance to the public in approximately 15 days. We have been so thrilled to see these works of art really come together. We will have full details with locations coming very soon.
Its disappointing that no one in Nebraskas congressional delegation scheduled a town hall meeting during the current week-long recess.

As we have said at various points through the years, town hall meetings are a grand American tradition, a valuable access point at which constituents can meet face-to-face with their representatives.

They are particularly important in the current media age in which voters and their elected representatives can all too easily isolate themselves in echo chambers where they hear only those with whom they agree.

Admittedly, those town hall meetings can be noisy, confrontational events. The potential was in evidence Tuesday in Lincoln, when protesters left the public sidewalk to enter a building where Sen. Deb Fischer was speaking to the Lincoln Independent Business Association.

The protest was organized in part by the local Indivisible Lincoln organization, one of more than 4,000 offshoots across the country inspired by the Indivisible Guide written by former congressional staffers on how to resist the Trump agenda.

According to multiple sources, some of the protesters banged on interior windows, stomped in the hallway and created a ruckus that made it difficult for those in the LIBA meeting to hear what Fischer was saying. The senator left through a different door and avoided protesters and the media.

When Sen. Ben Nelson was in office, he continued to hold town hall meetings despite repeated noisy confrontations with Tea Party types and other critics while Congress was considering health reform legislation. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry also has braved noisy constituents. In a 2014 town hall meeting in Lincoln it was difficult for those in attendance to hear the questions, and at one point, Fortenberry had to admonish one speaker to stop yelling.

Typically, the most common time for town hall meetings is in August, when Congress frequently has a long recess.

But this week, with a new occupant in the White House, was a prime opportunity for members of Congress to gauge what their constituents back home think about whats going in Washington. Only 21 Republican and 27 Democratic federal lawmakers scheduled town hall meetings this week, according to the Roll Call news organization.

In Iowa, Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst held town hall meetings that attracted big crowds. The Des Moines Register reported that Grassleys appearance in the small town of Garner was civil, though at times heated. When it ended, protesters thanked Grassley for coming and taking their questions, the newspaper reported.

The next time Congress has a recess, the Journal Star editorial board hopes members of the Nebraska delegation invite the public to town hall meetings. It also hopes everyone who attends will be civil and allow open dialogue to take place.
SHELBYVILLE -- HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital is holding a food drive in conjunction with the Shelbyville County Market. The drive will continue through March 14 and is in tribute to Catholic sisters everywhere.

This food drive is designed to honor National Catholic Sisters Week (NCSW) as an act of Christian service. NCSW is a dedicated celebration of Catholic sisters which is intended to raise awareness of their past and present contributions. NACW is a national campaign which culminates annually from March 8 to 14.

In 1875, in response to an invitation from Bishop Peter Joseph of Alton, 20 sisters embarked on a journey from Germany to the United States to heal the ill. They arrived on Nov. 3, and they established the Mother House in Springfield, Illinois. There, they began their ministry of tending to sick people in their patients homes. They even cared for Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of President Lincoln.

To date, the sisters continue to spread healing and empathy throughout their mission. Over the years, as healthcare expanded, so too have the services provided by the 14 hospitals and a network of physician partners of Hospital Sisters Health System.

In honor of the sisters and their many accomplishments, HSHS Good Shepherd is spearheading a campaign against hunger in Shelby County. There are two ways for you to contribute to the food drive. You may drop off nonperishable items at the registration area of the main lobby of HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital or you may purchase sacks of food at the Shelbyville County Market.

Some suggested items are canned vegetables or fruits, boxed dinners such as Hamburger Helper, soups, pork and beans, peanut butter, spaghetti sauce and spaghetti noodles, Ramen noodles, Spaghetti-Os, fruit or pudding cups, macaroni and cheese, packages of potato mixes, and other foods that do not need refrigeration. All of the food collected will be donated to the local food bank at the First United Methodist Church. Last year, the Methodist food pantry provided assistance to more than 150 residents of Shelby County.

For more information, contact Glenda Plunkett, marketing/volunteer coordinator, Good Shepherd Hospital, 200 S. Cedar St., Shelbyville, 217-774-3961, ext. 2690.
We hope Nebraska lawmakers were watching this week as Kansas legislators worked to undo the economic damage done in their state by ill-conceived tax policy.

For the past several years, state government in Kansas has struggled and so have Kansans who depend upon the government while the Sunflower State suffered the fallout of a strategy that began with the promise of economic prosperity but has proven the inescapable need for balance  in spending, in distributing the cost of government, and in what people should expect from their government.

Several years ago, with the urging and reassurance of Gov. Sam Brownback, state income taxes were sharply reduced. According to the governor, the big drop in taxes would supercharge the Kansas economy by allowing Kansans to keep more of their earnings and by attracting investment in the state. It all sounded reasonable and logical, but the big tax cuts went mostly to the higher earners, while average Kansans received very little benefit.

According to one study, the result was a net tax increase for people making less than $42,000 annually, while Kansans who earn more than $500,000 averaged a $25,000 tax break. Meanwhile, lawmakers attempted to plug revenue gaps by hiking state fees and property and sales taxes  again, increasing the burden on average Kansans.

The economic boom that Brownback promised never materialized, and so the middle class carried an even higher burden while the state government failed to serve the truly needy and vulnerable.

The lesson for Nebraskans is three-fold.

First, cut taxes for the right reason. Do it because Nebraskans desperately need a break, especially from high property taxes.

Second, dont cut taxes without accompanying cuts in government spending. Its a wise balancing act that, in the long run, unburdens taxpayers and delivers the assurance that relief is more than a one- or two-year phenomenon.

Third, be certain that the tax cutting and spending reductions are fair. The people who most need a break must receive it.

Complementing tax cuts with spending reductions and fairness is the key that Kansas missed. If Nebraska really wants economic growth, it begins by tending to the needs of the states hardworking, loyal residents. Give Nebraskans reduced taxes and a fair break and the economic growth will follow naturally.
The Westpac case sends a message to the broader sector that ASIC is prepared to take anyone on, Chairman Greg Medcraft told a parliamentary committee in Canberra.

On Wednesday, ASIC announced proceedings against Westpac, Australias second largest bank, over alleged failures to properly assess whether borrowers could afford their mortgages. Westpac said it would defend the case, reiterating its commitment to responsible lending.

Michael Saadat, senior executive at ASIC, informed the same parliamentary committee that the regulator expected to make an announcement within the next couple of weeks on its discussions with other banks.

The civil court proceedings against Westpac follow a 2014-2015 probe into lending standards on interest-only mortgages issued by 11 lenders, including those issued by the Big Four.

There is growing concern among politicians and regulators about the foundation of Australias soaring housing market. The latest data from CoreLogic shows that Sydney home prices soared 18.4% in the year to February, the fastest annual pace in 14 years.

Amid pressure from APRA, banks have been curbing their lending to property investors and cutting back on riskier interest-free or low-documentation housing loans.

On Thursday, APRA Chairman Wayne Byres told the committee that some lenders were very close to breaching its 10% speed limit on mortgage lending growth to investors.

Monitoring the housing market remains high on APRAs priority list. We can be more confident in the conservatism of mortgage lending decisions today relative to a few years ago, Byres said.
Scores of foreign investors are acquiring property in highly desirable metropolitan areas, only to leave them unoccupied. This trend is exacerbating Australias housing affordability crisis, according to Douglas Driscoll, chief executive officer of Starr Partners.

Driscoll estimates that the number of uninhabited dwellings in Sydney alone is more than 200,000. We know that the current affordability crisis is a matter of simple economics  demand heavily outweighs supply. Foreign investors are only exacerbating the problem by buying properties and leaving them vacant, he said.

In 2011, there were nearly 120,000 unoccupied dwellings in Sydney alone. In the six years that followed, foreign investment in property has risen dramatically and completely transformed the market.

Foreign investment in our property sector only gained genuine momentum in 2012 and in just a few short years we are already seeing 10-20 per cent of property being sold in some pockets to offshore buyers, which leaves a lot of Australians on the sidelines, Driscoll said.

Flood of new apartments will lead to oversupply

The Reserve Bank recently warned that a flood of new apartments hitting the market would result in oversupply and other negative consequences. The RBA pointed out that residential approvals have been almost 50% higher across Australia than their long-term average during the past two years.

High levels of apartment construction were creating risks in inner-city Melbourne and Brisbane, according to the Reserve Bank. Meanwhile, an oversupply of units in some inner-city suburbs in Sydney could expose investors to significant risk, according to Herron Todd White (HTW).

Indeed, HTW has already detected a number of valuations for new units upon settlement that did not meet their off-the-plan prices.

Proposed solutions: Financial penalties or property taxes on unoccupied dwellings

To help more Aussies enter the property market, Driscoll said a percentage of dwellings within all new developments should be sold to Aussie residents.

While residents struggle to purchase, offshore buyers have properties lying dormant. Investors dont get capital gains tax concessions if the property is uninhabited for more than 12 months, which is a good start, but what about non-residents? I think the Government should introduce significant financial penalties or inordinate property taxes for any property owned by a non-resident that is known to be empty for more than 12 months  to put unoccupied properties back on the market for residents to purchase or rent, said Driscoll.

Related Stories:

'Lunacy' Negative Gearing Distorting Sydney Housing Market: Report

Sydney Needs More Apartments Not Less, Says Lobby Group
Dobra, k. Szczecina 900 m2

40 miejsc parkingowych



Atut: Dodatkowe dochody z paczkomatow InPostu, a juz niedugo i z myjni samoobsugowej.



Tradycyjny zakup nieruchomosci, mozliwosc wykupienia uzytkowania wieczystego.
EFFINGHAM -- Mark Antonacci will talk about the Turin Shroud at 6 p.m. on March 23 at the Suzette Brumleve Memorial Effingham Public Library.

Mark Antonacci is an attorney and author who has studied all aspects of the Shroud for 34 years. He wrote The Resurrection of the Shroud (New York: M. Evans and Co., 2000), the most comprehensive book ever written on the Shroud until his landmark book, Test the Shroud, was published in 2015.

He gave the keynote address at the international conference held in Italy in conjunction with the Shrouds exhibition in 2010 in which he proposed that a new series of sophisticated, minimally-invasive tests be performed on the Shroud at the atomic and molecular levels of this famous burial cloth. He has written the leading scientific hypothesis that not only explains the Shrouds body images, but also its radiocarbon dating, its excellent condition, its pristine human blood marks, their still-red coloration, the possible outer side imaging, coin features and flower images, skeletal features and all of its other unique features.

This hypothesis has been published in a peer reviewed scientific journal, and although it involves a miraculous event consistent with the resurrection, its occurrence can be scientifically tested. He asserts that these proposed tests could prove whether the Shroud was irradiated with particle radiation; whether the source was the length, width and depth of the crucified corpse in the cloth; when this event happened; where it occurred; the age of the Shroud and its blood; and the identity of the victim. He asserts this technology could also test all other natural or artistic explanations for the Shrouds images or its radiocarbon dating.

Antonacci will have copies of his books available for purchase by cash, check or card for $29.95.

Registration is required. To register, call the library at 217-342-2464, ext. 1, email info@effinghamlibrary.org or register online at www.effinghamlibrary.org.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - Wednesday, shortly after 8:30 pm, a house fire was reported in the 6800 block of East Telegraph Street. Arriving Yuma Fire Department personnel found heavy smoke and flames coming from 6891 East Telegraph Street. The fire was found to have spread into the attic space, burning through and venting out the roof. Firefighters extinguished the fire, protecting neighboring residences, and stayed on the scene through the night watching for hot spots and flare-ups.

The house was not occupied at the time of the fire. The roof was of a wooden shake shingle construction, and required much of the roofing material to be removed to be completely extinguished. YFD resources were stretched thin as a second house fire was reported at about 10:35 pm, while firefighters were still dealing with hot spots in the attic area on Telegraph Street. Fortunately the second fire was able to be quickly contained and extinguished.

Investigators are on the scene this morning working to determine the origin and cause of the Telegraph Street fire.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - Today, John Rodenburg, 32 years old, was arrested and booked into the Yuma County Detention Center for kidnapping and aggravated luring a minor for sexual exploitation.

On November 11, 2016 John Rodenburg allegedly took an underage female across state lines to Utah for the weekend with sexual motivation without consent.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at (928) 373-4700 or Detective Slade at (928) 373-4778 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous. Remember, if your information leads to an arrest you may receive up to a $1,000 cash reward.
March 6-10

Mid-Illinois Senior Services, Inc.

114 E. Jefferson, Sullivan, 217-728-8521

Monday  11:30 a.m., Peace Meal.

Tuesday  8:30 a.m., coffee and donuts; 11:30 a.m. Peace Meal; 12:30 p.m., Bridge/Quilters; 1 p.m., adult coloring.

Wednesday  8:15 a.m., CHC BP checks; 8:30 a.m., free breakfast by Eastview Terrace; 10 a.m., Care Giver Support Group; 10 a.m., Sewing Club; 11:30 a.m., Peace Meal; 1 p.m., Wii bowling.

Thursday  11:30 a.m., Peace Meal; noon, Bingo w/Catfish from Courtyard Estates; 12:30 p.m., hand and foot cards.

Friday  11:30 a.m., Peace Meal; 1 p.m., pool tourney.

Shelby County Senior Center

325 E. N. Ninth St., Shelbyville, 217-774-2251.

Sunday, March 5  2-4:30 p.m., Twilighters Music.

Monday  8:30 a.m., coffee; 10 a.m., board meeting; 11:30 a.m., Peace Meal; 1 p.m., sewing club; 1 p.m., Wits Fitness.

Tuesday  7:30 a.m., exercise; 8:30 a.m., Quad County B/P; 11:30 a.m., Peace Meal; noon, dominoes.

Wednesday  8:30 a.m., coffee; 11:30 a.m., Peace Meal; 12:30 p.m., Canasta; 1 p.m., Medicare.

Thursday  7:30 a.m., exercise; 8:30 a.m., coffee/shuffleboard; 10:30 a.m., Low Vision; 11:30 a.m., Peace Meal; 2 p.m., bingo.

Friday  11:30 a.m., Peace Meal.

Call Margery, 217-774-5595, to make reservations.

Arcola Senior Center

107 W. Main, Arcola, 217-268-3442

Senior Center is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-noon for anyone who wants to walk. For Meals on Wheels delivery, contact Arcola Health Care Center at 217-268-3022.

Wednesday  1-4:30 p.m., marbles.

Thursday  1-4 p.m., quilting

Life Center of Cumberland County

507 E. Main St., Toledo, 217-849-3965

Lunch, prepared by Peace meal staff, is served at noon each week day. Please RSVP at 217-849-3965 by 10:30 a.m.

Saturday, March 4  7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Trip to Rockville, Ind., to the Maple Syrup Fair and shopping downtown. Must have called 866-384-0503 by noon Feb. 27.

Monday  8 a.m., coffee, Skip-Bo, jigsaw puzzles, games, and visiting; 9 a.m.-3 p.m., U of I Home Extension dress-making project for children in Africa, sign up at 217-849-3931; noon, Peace Meal.

Tuesday  8 a.m., coffee, Skip-Bo, jigsaw puzzles, games, and visiting; 9 a.m.-3 p.m., U of I Home Extension dress-making project for children in Africa, sign up at 217-849-3931; noon, Peace Meal.

Wednesday 8 a.m., coffee, Skip-Bo, jigsaw puzzles, games, and visiting; 9 a.m., toenail clinic, bring tub, towel, and $10; noon, Peace Meal. Rides Mass Transit will take seniors shopping in Charleston today. Call 866-384-0503 by noon Monday before the trip.

Thursday  8 a.m., coffee, Skip-Bo, jigsaw puzzles, games, and visiting; 10:30 a.m., Bingo; noon, Peace Meal.

Friday  8 a.m., coffee, Skip-Bo, jigsaw puzzles, games, and visiting; noon, Peace Meal.

Board meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. The public is welcome to attend board meetings. Call 217-849-3965 for more information. To serve on the board, talk to one of the board members.

In addition, Joannie Roberts, senior information specialist, can help in filling out forms or applying for insurance, Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, license-plate sticker discounts or supply other information. Call 217-849-3965 for information or appointment.

Peace Meal menu

March 6-10

All meals are served with wheat or whole wheat bread, margarine, and milk.

For additional information or reservations call 1-800-543-1770.

Monday  Cabbage rolls, mashed potatoes, Italian green beans, whole grain wheat, pineapple tidbits.

Tuesday  Chicken pot pie with vegetables, mixed lettuce salad with dressing, biscuits, warm cinnamon apples.

Wednesday  Chili mac with beans, carrots, Texas toast, warm peach crisp.

Thursday  Pork chop in gravy, mashed potatoes, winter mix vegetables, Texas toast, frosted pumpkin bar.
CHARLESTON -- Drivers are at least consistent, according to accident data from local police departments.

Whether it is where the accidents take place or a number of accidents that police deal with on a yearly basis, 2016 accident numbers presented consistent themes among the collisions Charleston, Mattoon and surrounding areas see.

Based on information from the Charleston, Mattoon and Coles County police departments, most of the auto accidents in the area either take place off of one of a few intersections on Lincoln Avenue in Charleston or at the entrance into Wal-Mart in Mattoon.

A consistent theme at these intersections is the volume of traffic that runs through these intersections on a daily basis.

CPD Chief Bryan Baker said, as one might expect, where there is traffic, collisions often follow suit.

Charleston accidents

Last year, Fourth Street and Lincoln Avenue saw the most accidents of any of the intersections in Charleston with a total of 17 by the end of the year, and, according to Illinois Department of Transportation data, that small area in the city in front of Eastern Illinois University sees the most traffic in the city.

The collision volume at Fourth and Lincoln was high for one intersection in a year for the city. For the past few years, one intersection would see at most 12 accidents at intersection. Baker said the department does what it can to keep collisions from happening and getting people to focus while driving, but much of their work is ultimately reactionary.

Traffic and accidents are not always a one-to-one comparison, though. In Charleston, the intersection of 18th Street and Lincoln Avenue consistently saw the most collisions with the exception of last year.

Traffic volume does not directly equate to accidents, but there is a correlation between them since more vehicles mean more chance for human error, he said.

Despite a spike in crashes at the Fourth Street intersection, Baker said Charleston, as in Mattoon and Coles County, in general, has remained fairly stable, sitting in the mid-400s by the end of the year. However, of these accidents, Charleston police reported a larger sum resulted in injuries than years prior.

According to police numbers, there were 95 personal injury crashes, a decade-long record for the city, and two fatal accidents last year, which is high but still comparable with past trends.

Mattoon accidents

Congestion at Charleston Avenue and Dettro Drive near Wal-Mart has led to a high number of accidents there, making this the biggest traffic area of concern for the Mattoon Police Department.

Figures compiled by Mattoon police show that 13 accidents occurred at the Wal-Mart entrance, 101 Dettro Drive, in 2016; up from 10 in 2015. The figures also show that 10 accidents each were recorded in 2015 and 2016 at the intersection of Charleston and Dettro.

Mattoon police Chief Jeff Branson said congestion is a major factor behind these accidents. He said many accidents occur as drivers try to exit the Wal-Mart parking lot onto busy Dettro Drive.

"People get frustrated. They are waiting and waiting," Branson said. "They get in a hurry and pull out there to beat the traffic and that is when the accidents happen."

Something needs to be done to relieve congestion that will continue to grow as the Mattoon Marketplace and property farther south along Dettro continues to be developed, Branson said. He added that the city is looking into ways to ease the traffic burden there.

Branson said the total number of accidents in the vicinity of Charleston and Dettro outpaces those at nearby intersections. Figures show that 11 accidents occurred at Charleston and Swords Drive in 2016, up from nine in 2015; and five occurred at Charleston and Logan Street, up from one in 2015.

Still, Branson said the department has not seen a significant change in the total number of accidents in Mattoon in recent years. The department's figures show that the total was 449 in 2015 and 446 in 2016.

Mattoon police also reported that the total number of injuries caused by auto collisions decreased from 137 in 2015 to 111 in 2016, with two accident-related fatalities in 2015 and one in 2016.

Branson said is particularly concerned about cellphone use by drivers still being a leading cause of accidents two years after the passage of a state law making it illegal for motorists to use hand-held phones while driving.

"We are trying to enforce this as much as we possibly can. I wish I could tell you I see a difference, but I don't," Branson said.

He added that when hands-free phone systems eventually become standard in new vehicles, the number of distracted drivers will likely decrease.

Coles County accidents

Of the 321 accidents to which the Coles County Sheriff's Office responded in 2016, 142 involved crashes with animals, mostly deer.

Lt. Tyler Heleine of the sheriff's office said those and weather-related accidents are more common for sheriff's deputies than they are for city police because of the rural nature of the areas they patrol.

Heleine said there aren't any intersections in the office's jurisdiction where accidents are more likely to take place. The office has tried to address some problem intersections in the past when needed by working with other authorities to install stop signs, he said.

Following accidents involving animals, the most frequent for the sheriff's office last year were failing to yield at an intersection with 23, improper lane use with 28 and failing to reduce speed with 23, Heleine said.

Deputies handled 125 accidents with injuries and three that resulted in fatalities during 2016, he said.

Those statistics showed an increase from the previous year, as the sheriff's office responded to 251 accidents in 2015, Heleine said. There were also fewer accidents involving animals that year, 123, he added.

Sixty-nine of the 2015 accidents caused injuries and one had a fatality, he said.
CHARLESTON -- A man faces the possibility of up to six years in prison after he admitted beating a dog to death in Lerna last year.

Deon D. Nailing pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated cruelty for the Feb. 1, 2016, death of a pit bull he owned that authorities said was found disposed of about being beaten with a mallet.

Nailing, 36, whose current address listed in court records is 500 Sixth St. Apt. 2, Charleston, entered the guilty plea with no agreement on the sentence he would receive. His sentencing hearing was scheduled for June 9.

The charge is a felony offense that accuses Nailing of intending to harm or kill the dog, described as a "companion animal," and causing its death by a means other than euthanasia as prescribed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

The offense can normally result in a prison sentence of one to three years with a conviction but Nailing is eligible for twice the normal maximum sentence because of his criminal record.

Prison time won't be required and a probation term of up to 2 1/2 years will also be possible.

Nailing also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor domestic battery charge alleging he hit a woman on the same day as the dog was killed. A felony theft charge in connection with a stolen vehicle in April 2015 was dismissed.

Also, Assistant State's Attorney Tom Bucher agreed not to file additional charges against Nailing in connection with reports that he sent threatening text messages to his ex-girlfriend, the dog's co-owner.

Coles County Circuit Judge Brien O'Brien accepted Nailing's guilty plea. Public Defender Anthony Ortega represents Nailing.

According to evidence at earlier hearings in Nailing's case, Coles County animal control officers investigated the dog's death after trash collectors found its body in a trash bin in Lerna.

The officers recognized the dog from other investigations and a veterinarian's examination determined it died from blunt force trauma.

A mallet the officers said could have been used to beat the dog was found at the Lerna residence where Nailing then lived, according to the earlier evidence.
CHARLESTON (JG-TC) -- The husband of the victim in what's known as the Airtight Bridge murder has been arrested in connection with her death, police have announced.

Thomas A. Small, the husband of Diane Small, was arrested on Thursday, according to a news release from the Coles County Sheriff's Office.

Diane Small's body was found partly submerged in the Embarras River near the bridge in rural Coles County on Oct. 19, 1980. The body was unclothed and the head, hands and feet had been amputated.

She was identified as the victim in 1992 through DNA testing. Small had been reported missing from her home in Bradley in Kankakee County.

The Kankakee Daily Journal newspaper reported Friday that Jim Rowe, that county's state's attorney, said authorities believe Diane Small was killed in Bradley. It also said "sources close to the case" said Thomas Small, 70, confessed to the killing.

Rowe said charges against Thomas Small are expected to be filed early next week.

Coles County State's Attorney Brian Bower said his office is involved in the investigation but it's too early to determine if Small will also be charged in Coles County.

The sheriff's office news release said charges against Thomas Small are pending with the Kankakee and Coles County state's attorney's offices.

More information about the arrest will be posted when it's available.
Well, the Government of Delhi has finally woken up and taken notice of the depleting Ozone layer and banned the use, sale and storage of plastic bags. Bio-degradable bags, they say, will now be encouraged. <br><br> It was in the reckoning for long, but the followers of laws and rules that we Indians are, I guess the government must have considered quite a lot before enforcing the ban. We actually have a crack code for every law or rule that comes in our way. The declaration is that anyone caught carrying plastic bags will be at a risk of facing a five-year jail term or a fine of one lakh rupees, or both. Sounds good, doesnt it? I think it does for those who care for the environment that ultimately boils down to caring for oneself. <br><br> Now we have to carry a cloth bag or paper bag, when we go out shopping for groceries or at the dairy outlets for milk. All the shops and the shopping malls will have to provide their customers with paper carry bags too. <br><br> All the ban and penalty seems pretty cool for the cause of the environment, but will it actually be followed? I ask that question because, honestly, I havent seen many follow the traffic lights or use the subway for crossing the roads or even get their driving licenses made through the legal procedures. There is a <i>jugaad </i> to anything and everything in our country. I might sound blunt, but this is how it is and one would realize it if some unbiased thought is given to these things. <br><br> There was so much hype and hoopla about the smoking ban. But now it seems as if it was only a rumour. There was supposed to be a fine of Rs 200 on the person found smoking in public places. As far as I remember only 80 <i> challans</i> were issued on Day 1 of the ban. And after that, I never saw any news regarding the same. Well, Im sure there arent only a hundred or so smokers in our country that has the second largest population on this planet. <br><br> I just hope that the same is not the case with the ban on the plastic bags, considering the deteriorating environmental condition in the world. Global warming has been on a rise since forever now. Thanks to the negligence by the people world over. The attitude that prevails is nothing-will-happen-with-just-one-charger-plugged. But that one unplugged charger or a fan or a light switched off actually makes the difference. And one person starting to carry bio-degradable bags is bound to make a difference. One plastic bag will burn less and the environment will be affected 0.0000001% lesser. There is a difference, without a doubt. <br><br> The point here to ponder over is the hefty fine, leave alone the imprisonment. Can a daily wage earner pay a fine of one lakh rupees if caught carrying a plastic bag? There are murderers roaming free in this country, or should I say some corrupt citizens even running this nation. So is it practical to impose these punishments? The fine for over speeding is about four hundred rupees. We generally get away with handing over a Rs 50 or a maximum of Rs 100 note to the policeman. As stated above, a <i>jugaad</i> for everything here. <br><br> So how much do we pay for a fine of Rs 1 lakh? 200 bucks? I dont think so. The same 50 or 100 rupee note would do. Something better than nothing (in case they issue the <i>challan</i>) for the concerned authorities. <br><br> The citizens will have to put their foot down and support the governments steps for a better environment. We need to fight for a universal cause of Global Warming, which seems a petty issue to most of us. That can be done to some extent if we dump the plastic bags for bio-degradable carry bags rather than finding <i>jugaads</i> of evading the penalty.
Yes, Simon's Cat is between the covers again The new book is called Simon's Cat vs the World and you can win your own copy, acco...
Friday, March 03, 2017 Friday Clippings From Our Newsroom Floor It looks as though they're throwing in the towel when it comes to keeping the Millennials down on the farm and away from the bright city lights of Denver, Austin and Phoenix. Longtime economic developer and free market Republican John Garcia waved the white flag at the most recent meeting of the state's



Garcia, executive vice president, Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico, informed the council that growing the state's population is more important to the state's economy than creating jobs. He said that work on the retirement sector is focused on keeping retirees who are at or above 200% of the federal poverty level in the state. Retirees are potential solopreneurs who have banking and health needs that the state can meet, and retirees often have pensions or well-funded retirement accounts. . .He noted that 109 million Americans are now over the age of 50 and that 36% of them are dependent on social security upon retirement.



It may be that population growth matters more than job growth for the home builders but try telling that to a 23 year old college grad looking for that first big break.



So all that discussion from Garcia and other business leaders about diversifying away from government dependence is becoming more distant if you're going to attract retirees who depend on Social Security and Medicare. But after years of economic stagnation or outright decline, it makes sense from a business standpoint, if not for the most robust future for the state.



FINAL POT ANGLE



The debate over marijuana legalization dominated the blog this week. Perhaps



Sen. Joseph Cervantes wants to reduce the penalties for having marijuana, including decriminalizing an ounce or less. Right now, people caught with an ounce or less of real or synthetic marijuana face a misdemeanor charge, up to $100 fine and up to 15 days in jail. This bill would make it so that people with an ounce or less of only real marijuana would be fined just $50, no jail time and no blemish on their criminal record. The fine increases if its over one ounce of marijuana, and at that point you would face a misdemeanor charge. Eight or more ounces is a felony. This would take the small possessions out of the criminal justice system and that should free up resources, Cervantes said.



That bill was approved in the Senate by a 33-9 vote Thursday. That's a lot of Republican as well as Dem support.



Cervantes is a possible '18 Dem Guv candidate. We talked this week about how the contenders may shy away from an outright legalization platform, and this appears to follow that line of thinking.



Gov. Martinez says not only is she against legalizing marijuana but also does not support decriminalization. This is an issue that is going to drag on for quite a while.



TRUMP RALLY HERE



He may have been handily defeated by Clinton here, but the Trump forces want to show they are still a force. Here they go:



On March 4, Albuquerque will have a rally in support of President Trump. . . . National Tea Party movement co-founder, Debbie Dooley states, These rallies are inclusive, non-partisan, and open to anyone supporting President Trump in his efforts to bring back manufacturing jobs to America, put the security of our nation ahead of political correctness, improve our infrastructure, revitalize the inner cities and secure our nations borders. The Albuquerque Rally will be held March 4, Saturday. 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. Spirit of America Picnic and Rally. North Domingo Baca Park, Carmel Ave. NE,



Will GOP ABQ mayoral candidates Dan Lewis or Wayne Johnson be there? Not to put them on the spot or anything.



Thanks for stopping by this week.



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( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2017 It looks as though they're throwing in the towel when it comes to keeping the Millennials down on the farm and away from the bright city lights of Denver, Austin and Phoenix. Longtime economic developer and free market Republican John Garcia waved the white flag at the most recent meeting of the state's jobs council . As head of a home builders association he sees the future here with the old--not the young:It may be that population growth matters more than job growth for the home builders but try telling that to a 23 year old college grad looking for that first big break.So all that discussion from Garcia and other business leaders about diversifying away from government dependence is becoming more distant if you're going to attract retirees who depend on Social Security and Medicare. But after years of economic stagnation or outright decline, it makes sense from a business standpoint, if not for the most robust future for the state.The debate over marijuana legalization dominated the blog this week. Perhaps this proposal is the best way to settle the matter, at least for now:That bill was approved in the Senate by a 33-9 vote Thursday. That's a lot of Republican as well as Dem support.Cervantes is a possible '18 Dem Guv candidate. We talked this week about how the contenders may shy away from an outright legalization platform, and this appears to follow that line of thinking.Gov. Martinez says not only is she against legalizing marijuana but also does not support decriminalization. This is an issue that is going to drag on for quite a while.He may have been handily defeated by Clinton here, but the Trump forces want to show they are still a force. Here they go:Will GOP ABQ mayoral candidates Dan Lewis or Wayne Johnson be there? Not to put them on the spot or anything.Thanks for stopping by this week.This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Links HOME

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NM Legislature Archives Select: 9/28/03 - 10/5/03 10/5/03 - 10/12/03 10/12/03 - 10/19/03 10/19/03 - 10/26/03 10/26/03 - 11/2/03 11/2/03 - 11/9/03 11/9/03 - 11/16/03 11/16/03 - 11/23/03 11/23/03 - 11/30/03 11/30/03 - 12/7/03 12/7/03 - 12/14/03 12/14/03 - 12/21/03 12/21/03 - 12/28/03 12/28/03 - 1/4/04 1/4/04 - 1/11/04 1/11/04 - 1/18/04 1/18/04 - 1/25/04 1/25/04 - 2/1/04 2/1/04 - 2/8/04 2/8/04 - 2/15/04 2/15/04 - 2/22/04 2/22/04 - 2/29/04 2/29/04 - 3/7/04 3/7/04 - 3/14/04 3/14/04 - 3/21/04 3/21/04 - 3/28/04 3/28/04 - 4/4/04 4/4/04 - 4/11/04 4/11/04 - 4/18/04 4/18/04 - 4/25/04 4/25/04 - 5/2/04 5/2/04 - 5/9/04 5/9/04 - 5/16/04 5/16/04 - 5/23/04 5/23/04 - 5/30/04 5/30/04 - 6/6/04 6/6/04 - 6/13/04 6/13/04 - 6/20/04 6/20/04 - 6/27/04 6/27/04 - 7/4/04 7/4/04 - 7/11/04 7/11/04 - 7/18/04 7/18/04 - 7/25/04 7/25/04 - 8/1/04 8/1/04 - 8/8/04 8/8/04 - 8/15/04 8/15/04 - 8/22/04 8/22/04 - 8/29/04 8/29/04 - 9/5/04 9/5/04 - 9/12/04 9/12/04 - 9/19/04 9/19/04 - 9/26/04 9/26/04 - 10/3/04 10/3/04 - 10/10/04 10/10/04 - 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YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Last night Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire regime over 145 times firing from mortars, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns along the entire length of the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact, the Defense Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh Republic) told Armenpress.

The Ministry issued a statement which says: On March 2 and overnight March 3 the situation in the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact remained tense. The Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime over 145 times by firing more than 2000 shots from mortars, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns at the Armenian positions along the entire length of the line of contact. More intensive ceasefire violations were registered in the eastern and north-eastern directions of the line of contact where the Azerbaijani forces fired 111 shells from 60mm and 82mm mortars and various types of grenade launchers.

The NKR Defense Army forces took countermeasures and suppressed the Azerbaijani activeness.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Embassy in Syria published an article in the Al-Watan Arabic newspaper, entitled  Khojaly  source of falsification: Photos of Kosovo victims portrayed as Azerbaijanis.

The article namely presents the Azerbaijani manipulations around the events near Aghdam.

In the beginning of 1992 Azerbaijan was using Khojaly with the purpose of bombarding NKR capital Stepanakert, which resulted in homes, schools, hospitals and governmental houses being destroyed. Azerbaijan turned the Khojaly region into a stronghold for random bombardments  banning entry to the only airport of Karabakh, which was used for supplying medicine and food.

Moreover, Azerbaijan was using Khojaly as a high point for bombarding Stepanakert and the Armenian populated villages in the vicinity. The neutralization of Khojaly by the self-defense forces of NKR was justified in terms of saving the civilian population.

After initiating the operation of neutralizing Khojaly, the civilian population used the humanitarian corridor of the Armenian forces  for heading to the city of Aghdam which was under the control of Azerbaijani forces. Howvwer, here, a bloody new event was waiting for them.

Since then, Baku adopted a policy of falsifying all facts and documents over this humanitarian disaster and instead inseminating horror and hatred among the international community towards Armenians.

Falsifying photos is one of the many methods used by Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is using the photos of the Kosovo War, victims of the 1983 Turkey earthquake, children suffering from famine in Afghanistan, as well as bodies of Hamas militants in Palestine, presenting them to be Azerbaijanis killed by Armenians.

The obligation of all of us is one  to raise awareness and not to believe the false facts of Azerbaijan.

The goal of the furious propaganda around the Khojaly events is distracting the attention of the international community from the massacres of Armenians in Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad and other locations in Azerbaijan, and the cleansing of 28 villages and the tragic events of Maragha village. Actions, which imply legal prosecution.

The goal of the propaganda is also to damage the international reputation of Armenia through falsifying facts and speculating the memory of the civilian population who were victims of Azerbaijans domestic intrigues and struggle for power.

The real perpetrator of this tragedy is the National Front, which was led by Abulfaz Elchibey, who assumed the presidency after those events. These events were manipulated to get rid of then acting president Mutalibov.

So, the entire responsibility for the death of civilians in the Aghdam region, which was under control of Azerbaijan, falls on the political and military leadership of Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani propaganda still doesnt answer the following simple questions. Why were the victims bodies discovered near Aghdam region, which was under the control of Azerbaijani forces and the Azerbaijani base. Why was the entire civilian population relocated, despite radio and loudspeaker warnings of an upcoming Armenian operation.

In the following years, public activities, reporters, who attempted to reveal the truth over those events, were either imprisoned under the pretext of being spies or died in unknown circumstances. This is why no one dares to demand the leadership to reveal the truth over those events in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan continues to incite intolerance and hatred towards Armenians in its society, and this policy hinders the efforts on building bridges between the Armenian and Azerbaijani peoples, the article says.

Al-Watan is one of the leading newspapers in Syria, operating since 2006.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The rights of Talysh people are grossly violated in Azerbaijan, Shahin Mirzoev - participant of Talysh freedom movement, journalist at the Tolishi Sado newspaper, said during the discussion entitled Xenophobia and its consequences from human rights perspective in Yerevan, reports Armenpress.

He said the Azerbaijani leadership does everything so that Talysh people refuse from their own language, culture. Various circles of the leadership exert pressure on Talysh people by regularly violating their rights.

The Azerbaijani authorities forced many Talysh people to refuse from their language, Talysh name is even banned by law. No organization, which has Talysh word in its name, is being registered. The textbooks are forbidden, the TV is prohibited. There are also bans on having an elementary dictionary. The authors of the dictionary, published recently, were arrested, and it was banned to be distributed, Shahin Mirzoyev said, stating that Talysh villages are abandoned year by year. Many had to leave their villages due to abuse of the Azerbaijani leadership.

The Armenian MFA on February 11 announced that the Armenian leadership received a request from Shahin Mirzoev for temporary asylum, since as a member of Talysh Cultural Council, Talysh freedom movement, journalist at the Tolishi Sado newspaper, he was obliged to flee from Azerbaijan due to the persecutions against ethnic and religious minorities and gross violations of their rights, and to arrive to Armenia with his family. Armenian leadership reacted positively to the request of Shahin Mirzoev.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Hayastan All Armenian Fund Serzh Sargsyan on March 3 visited the Fund on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the organization, press service of the Presidents Office told Armenpress.

President Sargsyan toured in the Fund, got acquainted with the conditions of the activities of the departments, the works carried out by them, talked with the employees. Then, the President had a meeting with the Funds leadership.

Serzh Sargsyan congratulated them on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Fund, talked about the Funds path full of challenges passed with the state and the people, as well as its mission which is to help Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh Republic) to overcome the problems, hardships, stand together with the Armenian people.

During these years the Fund managed to solve problems through its activity, starting from restoration of destroyed villages up to eliminating the consequences of the earthquake, constructing the roads between our two Armenian states, the schools, kindergartens, Serzh Sargsyan said, stating that the Fund remained committed to its mission during those years through the united efforts of all Armenians, as well as the assistance of individual philanthropists.

President Sargsyan attached a special importance to the work of the Board of Trustees which is a unique mechanism uniting the leadership of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, the leaders of Armenian churches, Armenian major charity institutions and local structure representatives.

The fact that the Fund has always worked transparent is appreciated, and during each session specially created audit committee always appreciated the Funds activity.

Of course, the Funds driving force are our local structures, people who by using just their own time, capabilities were able and today are able to create the base which enables the Fund to carry out its activity. I think first of all the fact that the Fund acquired trust is due to them. Perhaps, there are few funds that have so many donors, 700 thousand donors, and this means trust of 700 thousand people.

I am deeply convinced that the Fund must continue its activity as one of the most important pan-Armenian structures. We as a state, no matter what path we have already passed, still have many challenges. There are challenges which can be faced only through the activity of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund.

I once again congratulate you and thank you for your work. Really it is encouraging that there are people in the Fund, both donors, local structure representatives, and members of the Board of Trustees, who from the very start have been and now as well are the Funds loyal friends, President Sargsyan said.








YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The Armenia-EU talks over a comprehensive and expanded partnership framework agreement were held as result of goodwill of the two sides, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan told Euronews.

This agreement doesnt differ much from the previous one. In the political part there is almost no difference. Regarding the economic part, we had to avoid contradictions with our obligations towards the Eurasian Economic Union, the President said.

According to the President, since the beginning, when talks were being held, the Armenian side was speaking about both. We understood, we couldnt have both EU association agreement and close integration with the Eurasian Economic Union, which we were striving for. The Russian side has never told us that we cant sign such an agreement. They told us, that you can, if you want, however in that case you have to buy energy resources on international prices, Sargsyan said.

According to the President, its still early to speak about the equivalency of EU and EEU.

It is better now to speak about the cooperation between those two systems. With our example we show that the cooperation is possible, Sargsyan said.

Asked by the reporter what can Armenia offer to the EU, taking into account that Henrikh Mkhitaryan is of course a very good export precedent, the President said: We have many famous people like Henrikh Mkhitaryan or Chess player Levon Aronian, we have Olympic Champions, however I think we can be useful for the European Union with the exports of our wonderful agricultural products, IT is also very rapidly developing in Armenia, however first of all, we can be a reliable and predictable neighbor for the EU.

Speaking about partnership with NATO, Serzh Sargsyan said during the recent meeting with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg he invited the latter to visit Armenia to celebrate the 25th anniversary of successful cooperation.

This partnership never hinders our cooperation with Russia within CSTO, he said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. A large flow of Iranian tourists is expected to Armenia during their New Year (Nowruz). However, the Armenian tour-operators have one concern connected with the weather. People arrive in Armenia to celebrate their spring holiday, but in Yerevan it is deep winter.

Head of Tatev tourism company Arlen Davidyan told Armenpress that year by year the number of Iranian tourists visiting Armenia in those days is increasing. They mainly spend 4-5 days in Armenia. They arrive with their families to celebrate their holidays. Their most favorite places in Armenia are Garni, Geghard, Sevan, Tsakhkadzor and Etchmiadzin, he said.

Earlier Sergey Avetisyan - Head of the General Department of Civil Aviation, told Armenpress that this year a major passenger flow is expected during the Iranian New Year. We have already received a number of applications from various airlines, and I think that we will carry out more than 50 flights within those three weeks, by reaching the frequency of daily flights to 6-7, he said.

Armenias State Tourism Committee has already discussed the content of Persian journal to be published in March and the provision of journals to Iranian tourists in Armenias border checkpoints.

Iranians celebrate New Year on March 21 which lasts 13 days.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Armenias President Serzh Sargsyan is confident that the parliamentary system is more effective and provides wider opportunities for the public administration, reports Armenpress.

It creates wider opportunities for citizens and civil society representatives to take part in the public administration. We want to create such conditions so that our citizens have fewer reasons for complaint, Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview to Euronews.

Commenting on the question which said whether his not being included in the RPA electoral list means that he leaves politics, the President said: This means that we take into account the concern of our opposition over the use of administrative resources in the electoral processes. This also means that we create opportunities for the youth to demonstrate themselves in politics. It is already 10 years I am the Chairman of the Republican Party and I remain the Party Chairman.

Asked what country Armenia will become after transformation to a parliamentary system, President Sargsyan said: A country desirable for all Armenians.
On Oct. 4, 1957, Russia's space program was born when Sputnik 1 blasted out of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic and into orbit. Ever since, Baikonur has served as the heart of the Soviet Union's and then Russia's space program. This is despite the fact that since 1991, Baikonur has been part of another country entirely -- requiring Russia to rent access to its primary spaceport from Kazakhstan at a cost of $115 million a year.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. According to the decision of Armenias Government, March 3, birthday of Armenian entrepreneur and philanthropist Alexander Mantashev, is officially celebrated as Businessman Day, reports Armenpress.

On this occasion, presentation and cancellation ceremony of stamp was held in the National Center of Aesthetics on March 3.

When during the Governments session it was proposed to declare March 3 as Businessman Day, it was immediately decided to create Alexander Mantashevs stamp. The newly independent Armenia has a history of only 25 years, but we see that entrepreneurship develops in Armenia, Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies Vahan Martirosyan said.

President of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia Arsen Ghazaryan said it is very welcoming that such event was organized on this day. He stated that their Union will again take part in the charity program on providing houses to people living in small houses in Gyumri and at least three small houses will be replaced by houses. He informed that the event will be held during next week.

The postal stamp is shaped in the form of old banknotes. Alexander Mantashev is depicted in the stamp. The postal stamp costs 380 AMD. The author is Vahagn Mkrtchyan, designer at HayPost.

Date of issue: March 3, 2017

Designer: Vahagn Mkrtchyan

Publishing House: Cartor, France

Size: 50,0 x 40,0 mm

Print run: 40.000 pcs

After the cancellation ceremony, the participants laid a wreath at the statue of Alexander Mantashev, then a spiritual ceremony was held in St. Anna church nearby the statue on the occasion of this day.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan demonstrated clear and tough stance on Nagorno Karabakh issue during all his meetings and interviews in Brussels, MP Karen Bekaryan  Chairman of the European Integration NGO, told reporters on March 3, reports Armenpress.

This was done to make Armenias stance more perceivable and highlighted to the international community. President Serzh Sargsyan clearly presented all obstacles for the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict, the MP said.

Bekaryan said during the Presidents visit there was a reference to the April war and the preconditions that made the war possible.

During that time the international community didnt react harshly and didnt assume the preventive role as a result currently the escalations continue in the line of contact. This means that if the international community doesnt make a united reaction, there will not be a transition from the tense situation to a peaceful stage, MP Bekaryan said.

He said the President also commented on the thesis constantly speculated by Azerbaijan which says the Armenian side tries only to cling to the status-quo.

The President gave rather extensive and substantial response to this thesis by linking it with two main provisions. First of all, it is not natural to hold civilized talks and peaceful settlement process in the circumstances of the escalation of the situation and human losses and wounded in the borders. The President also emphasized that Azerbaijans escalation policy and current escalations hinder the so-called political negotiation process, Bekaryan said, adding that if Azerbaijan wants to change the status-quo, the possible option of it is the recognition of the independence of Nagorno Karabakh.

President Serzh Sargsyan paid a working visit to Brussels on February 26-28. During the visit he had meetings with the leaders of EU structures - President of the European Council Donald Tusk, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini and others during which issues related to EU-Armenia relations, as well as the Karabakh conflict were discussed.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Russias High Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova will apply to her Azerbaijani counterpart over Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshins case who was extradited from Belarus to Azerbaijan, RIA Novosti reported.

Moskalkova said she is going to apply to Azerbaijans Ombudsman with the request to check Lapshins detention conditions. Journalists are people with special profession who work in risky zones and require special respect and attention. In case of our journalist, who was extradited from Belarus to Azerbaijan, I issued a statement. Unfortunately, my colleagues in Azerbaijan didnt listen to me. I will apply to Azerbaijani Ombudsman so that she can visit our citizen and make sure that he doesnt need medical care and has no complaint over the detention conditions, Moskalkova said.

Alexander Lapshin, the Russian-Israeli blogger who was extradited from Belarus to Azerbaijan on February 7, has been placed in the isolation cell in Azerbaijans state security service.

Lapshin was flown to Baku from Minsk on a special flight, escorted by state security agents. A group of reporters were waiting for Lapshin in Bakus airport, but Lapshin didnt give any comment to them.

The Belarus Supreme Court denied Lapshins appeal on the extradition verdict issued by the General Prosecutor of Belarus.

Lapshin faces up to 5 years imprisonment in Azerbaijan, under charges of public calls against the state, and unauthorized crossing of borders.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The necessary conditions exist to start your own business in Armenia, businessman Shant Khnkikyan  member of the Board of the Union of Syrain-Armenians organization, told a press conference in Armenpress. He said it is easy to establish a business in Armenia.

The problem is in maintaining that business. Armenias market is small, thus, the founder of the new business cannot have great profits from the very start. This was different in Syria, the manufacturer there does not need to think about the external market, there was a big turnover. In case of Armenia a person staring a new business needs time in order to be able to find markets, and during this period it would be desirable that there are favorable conditions in terms of taxes, he said.

Shant is the head of Khnkikyan Electronics which is engaged in electronics production. The Khnkikyan family transformed their business from Syria to Armenia in 2012. They export products to the Arab states.

There are difficulties, however, it is not so that here it is impossible to start a business. We just expect that the conditions will be improved to some extent which will contribute to the production development in our country, he said.

The members of the Union of Syria-Armenians have already met with the Prime Minister, presented their views on customs and tax policy. In particular, they proposed to apply another customs value for the raw material imported from other states to Armenia for production. Practical steps are expected in terms of proposals.

Armenia needs to address a right message to the Diaspora-Armenians. Many hear that it is impossible to do anything in Armenia and make decisions under such rumors. We try to show with our example so that people come here to work, he stated.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan held a meeting on March 3 with Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of Russias State Duma, who has arrived in Armenia on an official visit, the Presidents Office told ARMENPRESS.

The President welcomed Volodin and mentioned this is the first meeting with him after being elected Chairman of the State Duma and wished successes and congratulated Volodin.

Serzh Sargsyan expressed certitude that the great experience of Vyacheslav Volodin in state activities will have its significant contribution also in developing the Armenian-Russian relations, which will be boosted by his visit to Armenia.

Stressing that exactly one month later, on April 3, the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties between Armenia and Russia will be marked, President Sargsyan said each holiday is a good chance to summarize and assess bilateral relations and set landmarks for the future.

Vyacheslav Volodin was pleased to state that within the framework of the visit, meetings with Armenias parliamentarians are taking place in the 25th year of establishing diplomatic ties between the two strategic partner states. Mentioning the dynamic development of interstate relations and that there are many topics to discuss and summarize, Volodin stressed parliamentarians of the two countries plan to expand the circle of relations and cooperation, with the purpose of which chairmen of the Dumas committees, who are included in his delegation, will have meetings and get to know Armenian colleagues, will discuss issues of mutual interest. Volodin informed that the delegation includes heads of legislative bodies of Krasnodar and Crimea  where big Armenian communities exists, and highlighted development of bilateral relations on regional level.

The sides greatly highlighted the role of parliamentary diplomacy for strengthening interstate relations and stressed the need for continuous strengthening of inter-parliamentary ties.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia Galust Sahakyan received on March 3 the delegation headed by the Speaker of the State Duma of the RF Federal Assembly (FA) Vyacheslav Volodin that arrived in Yerevan on an official visit.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia, welcoming the guests, NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan congratulated Vyacheslav Volodin on being elected in the office of the Speaker of the State Duma.

The Head of the parliament noted that the centuries-old relations of the Armenian and Russian peoples are based on mutual respect and affection.

Galust Sahakyan underlined that the strategic cooperation of the two countries has reached a new level by Armenias joining the Eurasian Economic Union, which has created wide opportunities for the development of bilateral trade-economic relations.

Touching upon the cooperation in the legislative field, in this framework the RA NA Speaker highly assessed the joint effective work of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee for Cooperation between the National Assembly of Armenia and the RF Federal Assembly and the Parliamentary Standing Committees.

In the context of the inter-parliamentary cooperation Galust Sahakyan emphasized the cooperation in the framework of the Parliamentary Assemblies, underlining that the mutual support on the international platforms stems from the allied interests of our countries.

In the NA Speakers word, Armenia highlights the role of Russia in the process of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement as a Minsk-Group Co-Chair country. Armenia has always been for the peaceful settlement of the problem, but has collided with Azerbaijans destructive style of work.

Despite the agreements reached in Vienna and Saint-Petersburg, Azerbaijan ignores them and continues intensifying the situation on the line of contact. The Armenian side emphasizes the necessity of the implementation of the events aimed at the formation of the atmosphere of mutual trust. We are convinced that the peaceful settlement of the problem has no alternative, the Speaker of the Armenian parliament said.

Regarding the problem of the Armenian Genocide recognition, the Head of the parliament stressed with gratitude that still in 1995 the State Duma adopted a Resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide, recognizing April 24 Memorial Day of the Genocide victims. The recognition and condemnation of this crime committed at the beginning of the 20th century is of importance in the prevention of the gravest crimes against humanity. The pledge of the Armenian people that survived the Genocide to the whole mankind is never ever, Galust Sahakyan noted.

Thanking his colleague for the warm reception, Vyacheslav Volodin stated that the relations between the Russian and Armenian peoples have deep roots and formed traditions, which should be preserved and strengthen in future. Referring to the strategic partnership and inter-parliamentary relations, the Speaker of the State Duma attached importance to the necessity of the coordinated work of the parliamentary delegations on international platforms.

Regarding the regional problems, he has noted that Russia does its best for preservation of peace in the region. In this context Vyacheslav Volodin has stated that they see the settlement of Karabakh conflict exclusively through peaceful means: within Minsk Group format.

The interlocutors expressed hope these meetings will give new quality and create prospects for the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

Afterwards the Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Galust Sahakyan and the Speaker of the State Duma of the RF Federal Assembly (FA) Vyacheslav Volodin planted an evergreen fir-tree symbolizing the Armenian-Russian friendship at the Alley of Memory, in the Parliament Park.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Within the framework of the Armenian-British IT Initiatives program, meetings of 17 Armenian IT companies and businessmen will be held March 9-10 in London, with the purpose of finding cooperation deals, the ministry of transportation, communication and IT told ARMENPRESS.

A press conference was held today to inform the public on the event, with participants including Boris Demirkhanyan, deputy minister of transportation, communication and IT, UK Ambassador to Armenia H.E. Judith Farnworth and IT professionals.

Deputy Minister Boris Demirkhanyan said the event is a wide platform for expanding business ties and cooperation circles in IT.

UK Ambassador Judith Farnworth said the IT sphere has a big share in Armenias economy, and stressed one of the priorities of the Embassy is expanding the economic, commercial Armenia-UK ties and the mutually beneficial relations.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. German Foreign Ministrys spokesman Martin Schaefer announced that the countrys federal government was not involved in the decision by local authorities in the town of Gaggenau to ban an event where Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag was due to speak, Reuters reported.

It was a decision that the German federal government did not influence in any way, and could not have influenced, because it is a matter of state and local law over which we have zero influence," the spokesman saying as quoted by Reuters.

Martin Schaefer informed that they will do everything to maintain an open dialogue with Turkey despite Ankaras arrest of a German-Turkish journalist.

Earlier BBC reported Turkeys Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag had been due to address expatriates in Gaggenau in support of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's controversial reforms. But local authorities withdrew permission for the rally, saying the planned venue was not big enough.

Bekir Bozdag condemned the decision stating that what has happened is unacceptable. He also cancelled his meeting with German Justice Minister. Later Turkey's Foreign Ministry has summoned the German ambassador Martin Erdmann in Ankara.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The regular session of the Eurasian Economic Council was held in Moscow on March 3.

Armenias delegation led by Vice Prime Minister - Minister of International Economic Integration and Reforms Vache Gabrielyan took part in the session, press service of the Government told Armenpress.

During the session a number of issues related to deepening the trade-economic cooperation with the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) were discussed and approved.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan had a meeting with Eugene Kaspersky  founder, CEO of Kaspersky Lab, press service of the Government told Armenpress.

The PM said the Government is interested in developing and deepening the cooperation with the Kaspersky Lab, stating that the IT sector is in the spotlight of the Government.

In his turn Eugene Kaspersky expressed satisfaction over the work of Kaspersky Lab Armenia and attached importance to the mutual cooperation in IT and cyber-security sector. Talking about the training opportunities of the sectors specialists, Mr. Kaspersky stated that a cooperation agreement was signed with the Armenian side in the information security field, the programs set by the agreement will contribute to increasing the education level and cyber-security.

During the meeting Kaspersky Lab representatives introduced the PM the companys works carried out towards electronic voting system.
A sign on the door to Oso Burrito on O Street said it had closed for a rebirth and that it would reopen with a renewed spirit.

That was spring 2013.

A year later, owner Nader Sepahpur reopened his downtown restaurant as a ramen noodle bar.

Not burritos, sandwiches or any other kind of mainstream quick-serve fare, ramen noodles -- Sepahpurs novel twist on Japanese noodle bowls and Vietnamese pho.

If it had been somebody else, I would have thought they were kind of crazy, said Peter Watters, longtime co-owner of the nearby Zoo Bar. But not Nader. Hes just so good at what he does.

Indeed, the 54-year-old puts Midas golden touch to shame. Since 1986, when, as a 23-year-old with a finance degree, he took over his fathers restaurant The Rotisserie, Sepahpur has become one of Lincolns most successful restaurant and bar owners.

On O Street, Yia Yias, considered by many to serve the citys best pizza, AmuManu Ramen Bar and Marz Bar are all his work. He owns two more storefronts in the 300 and 400 blocks of South 11th Street and leases space at 70th and Van Dorn, where he operates the city's lone remaining Oso Burrito.

Sepahpur is a restless businessman and a chameleon by nature.

He changed Osos direction after 11 years. He redid Yia Yias already outstanding menu in 2012, and he recently reinvented Marz, remodeling the bar into one of the most attractive and dynamic spaces in Lincoln and giving local food enthusiasts opportunities in Marzs pop-up kitchen.

Its because I lack focus, Sepahpur said with a laugh during an interview off-hours at Marz. Im good for a couple of years. The problem is when I do (restaurants), I see what the next step is, so I never feel trapped in them.

The food business is always challenging. In any business, if you dont see the possibilities, you die. With all the stores, when I walk in, I see what I possibly could do better or what can I do completely different or what the product can be in the future. I dont feel trapped in that sense.

Cinnamon Dokken, co-owner of used book store Novel Idea in downtown Lincoln, appreciates that lack of focus, and said there is more to Sepahpur than that.

Naders very hard-working, she said. He always has his finger on the pulse of what people are wanting.

And hes not afraid of change.

A native of Tehran, Iran, Sepahpur came to the U.S. as a teenager in 1978 and to Lincoln in 1981. His father, Bob, opened The Rotisserie at 11th and O streets in 1981, and Sepahpur took it over five years later. It was called The Rotisserie because Bob wanted to do the Belgian-roasted chicken and fries thing that Boston Market tried a few years later," the son said. "We were, kind of, always ahead of the curve.

Sepahpur remembers his father got some early grief about wanting to open a restaurant specializing in roasted chicken.

It was right during the hostage crisis and somebody said, Are you crazy? This is beef country and youre from Iran and youre going to do chicken?

What The Rotisserie had going for it was fine dining.

Back then, fine dining in this town was the clubs and us and, on the more local side, the steakhouses, Sepahpur said.

And The Exchange at 132 S. 13th St.

When we first opened, the Lincoln Exchange was the hottest restaurant in this town, he said.

Signs of Sepahpurs restless nature showed early. In 1989, he turned the lower level of The Rotisserie into Grotto, setting up the late Herb Thomas as its manager. The more-casual Grotto served lighter fare.

The downstairs was actually doing better, so we decided to bring the concept from downstairs up, Sepahpur said.

In 1994, he changed the name from The Rotisserie to Grotto. In 2002, he sold Grotto and opened Oso Burrito -- marking his permanent move from full-service to fast-casual dining. He had purchased Yia Yias two years earlier.

The market had changed, he said. Fine dining became equated with special occasion dining. Even though I had a very loyal customer base  you cant get by on people who want to celebrate with you just once a year.

Before opening Oso Burrito, Sepahpur tried bringing Chipotle to Lincoln.

I had been to the Chipotle store (in Colorado), and I loved the concept, he said. I kept writing the guy a letter saying, Hey, I want one of these stores. I wrote him when he had his first couple of stores. The rest is history. McDonalds bought them, and they exploded.

Instead of opening a Chipotle, Sepahpur decided to create his own burrito -- his way.

Oso never was billed as Mexican, Sepahpur said. I called it Oso and left it at that because I didnt want to pigeonhole it in the Mexican category. I was more interested in wrapping rice and beans and meats, which culturally are foods that are universal, basically.

And he preferred wrapping to well, a wrap.

Wraps were the rage of that period, he said. Everybody was doing wraps, and I didnt like the wraps so much. I thought the burrito was more attractive sounding, more filling sounding. It had a better picture calling it a burrito.

Hence, the type of burrito. Yia Yias is an around-the-world pizza. I wanted to do the same thing with a burrito.

Sepahpur admitted burritos were his second choice. In 2002, he wanted to introduce noodle bowls, an entree he experimented with at Grotto at lunch, but he didnt think the city was ready for them.

If I had done a noodle bowl thing back then, it would have been a harder product to convey to the customer to make them understand what Im doing, he said. I think (Vietnamese) pho needed to happen and certain things needed to happen before I could do the ramen noodle bowls.

The time was right in 2014, and -- believe it or not -- thanks to Facebook, the noodle bowls quickly found an audience, Sepahpur said.

It happened on Facebook because the food was so visually appealing, he said. And, I have to tell you, I feel fantastic selling the broth. Im selling a good product thats good for you.

Part of my initial love affair with the ramen thing was the broth. Its like when you make your own pizza crust or make your own bread. The broth is an elixir, its medicinal in that sense. Philosophically, I love that you can take the discards of an animal and make something really nice out of it thats beneficial.

Focusing on fast-casual is Sepahpurs way of surviving in whats become a competitive restaurant market. Its part of the reason he did away with a full-service menu at Marz and turned the food service into an order-at-the-counter, pop-up kitchen.

Im not a chef, he said. Im not a food guy by any means. I just happen to understand this business a tiny bit.

Since 1986, Sepahpur said hes seen an increase in ethnic and chain restaurants in Lincoln as well as specialization in areas including gourmet bakeries, coffee houses and tap rooms. He partly credits the market makeup to the recession.

2008 was kind of rough, he said. People werent seeking their fortunes elsewhere. They stayed home to develop their talents here. We saw more coffee roasters, more bakeries, more brewers ... even the local music scene got better.

One of my frustrations back then (in the 80s and 90s) was everybody wanted to do their own thing and get out of this town. I dont hear the dissatisfaction among the younger crowd now. It seemed it was a place to get away from. Now, its a place to stay.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Kyrgyzstan refused to join the concluding statement of the Economic Cooperation Organisation during the session of the foreign ministers of the organization in the sidelines of the summit of the organization. The statement contained anti-Armenian formulations. This fact strictly irritated official Baku.

Armenpress reports spokesperson of the Azerbaijani foreign ministry Hikmet Hajiyev told Trend agency that Kirgizstans behavior was strange.

Kyrgyzstans position on this issue is not fully clear. Such a position of Kirgizstan raises serious question  on which countrys mill does that Kirgizstan pour the water, Azerbaijani MFA spokesperson announced.

The text of the final statement adopted in Islamabad says that Nagorno Karabakh conflict must be settled based on international right and norms, particularly, the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.

Economic Cooperation Organisation is a Eurasian political and economic intergovernmental organization which was founded in 1985 in Tehran by the leaders of Iran, Pakistan and Turkey. Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are the current members of the organization.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs that on March 3 the USD exchange rate was 486.82 AMD which is an increase of 0.07 AMD compared to the previous day.

Armenpress reports that the Euro decreased by 0.32 AMD forming 511.94 AMD. British pound decreased by 1.67 AMD forming 595.33 AMD, Russian ruble decreased by 0.02 AMD standing at 8.29 AMD on March 3.

The prices for precious metals are as follows: the price for silver per gram is 286.89 AMD, gold-19,378.28 AMD, and platinum-15,667.28 AMD.
YEREVAN , MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia receives an alarm call at 19:15, March 3, according to which a train had crashed into a passenger car in the Sevan station of Armenia s Gegharkunik Province . There are casualties.

The Ministry informed Armenpress that a brigade has arrived at the scene.

Extra information will be provided later.
Community unrest forced Shell to quit oil production in Ogoniland in the restive south of Nigeria in 1993 but the company still runs a network of pipelines criss-crossing the area

Nigeria's anti-graft agency on Thursday filed corruption charges against oil majors Shell and Eni over a $1.3 billion offshore block deal.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused 11 defendants of "official corruption", according to court documents.

Shell, Eni and Agip, Eni's Nigerian subsidiary, are alleged to have corruptly given the "aggregate sum of $801 million" to Nigerian businessmen and politicians.

This is the latest probe into the controversial 2011 oil deal that highlights endemic corruption within the sector.

Italian prosecutors are also looking into the purchase of the OPL 245 block prospecting license.

OPL 245 is located in deep offshore waters in the Gulf of Guinea estimated to hold at least 9 billion barrels of crude reserves.

Oil majors Shell and Eni have both denied wrongdoing.

"Eni did not do anything wrong," said the chief executive of Eni Claudio Descalzi to the Financial Times in February.

"At every stage, we have acted in compliance with all applicable law?.?.?.?Eni and Shell paid the government of Nigeria, and were not involved with the government decision on how to use such money."

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari secured a historic first win for an opposition leader when he defeated Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential elections.

He campaigned on a platform to target rampant corruption and has said "mind-boggling" sums have been stolen from the public purse.

His government has arrested a series of high-ranking officials from Jonathan's administration on corruption charges but few have been convicted.
SAN FRANCISCOBringing a different meaning to the term barbershop pole, Falcon Studios Group has just released Raging Stallions High n Tight. Named for an establishment where men come to get more than just their hair and beards tended to, the DVD is directed by Steve Cruz and features a stable of hirsute, tattooed barbers and their equally hot clientele.

High n Tight, starring Raging Stallion exclusives Rikk York and Bruno Bernal with Ryan Cruz, Mick Stallone, Jackson Grant, Ace Era, Bennett Anthony, and Gage Unkut, is now available for download and on DVD at the Falcon Studios Group Store.

At the High n Tight barbershop, Bruno Bernal comes in for a haircut but is more captivated by sexy barber Ryan Cruz. Mick Stallone comes in for a high and tight from leatherman barber Rikk York, and Rikks assistant Jackson Grant instigates a three-way. Mick Stallone passes the time in the waiting room with Ace Era. Bennett Anthony doesnt have enough cash on hand to give Gage Unkut the tip he deserves, but he finds other ways to show his appreciation.

"There's nothing more masculine and erotic than a beard trim and a fresh cut," said director Steve Cruz. "This project is my little sex fantasy in another one of my favorite places men hang out ... delicious Ryan Cruz, Mick Stallone and new exclusive Rikk York to name few. The furry butts, the hairy cocks ... How can you not spring wood?"

Theres something about the masculine intimacy of the barbershop that makes it the perfect place to explore sexual fantasies, Falcon Studios Group President Tim Valenti added. Steve Cruz and the talented cast have done an excellent job capturing all the excitement, style, and action that takes place in the High n Tight shop.

For DVD wholesale purchasing, email Jose Mineros at [email protected].
Beth McKeon, managing director at NMotion, says that the community atmosphere is the reason that startups are thriving in Lincoln.

I moved from Lawrence, Kansas, in 2016 to help run NMotion and one of the big reasons that I made the move was the accelerator program and the startups that are active here, she said.

Since NMotion formed in 2013, McKeon said that Lincoln has grown to nearly 100 startups.

NMotion formed through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as an avenue to provide programs that support startups and help them to become viable businesses.

Every year, six startups are selected from up to 150 applicants for the accelerator program. The program provides office space in Fuse Coworking and a $20,000 investment, which allows founders to focus on the company full-time.

Vishal Singh went through the accelerator program in 2014 when he launched Quantified Ag.

Singh said that the accelerator helped him to develop a stronger business by validating the problems his product would solve through actual customers and networking.

My work has always been on the technical side, thats where my comfort level is, he said. But in a startup accelerator they actually have you stop building anything until you've validated your idea first with actual customers. So that was a pretty big shift in my thinking.

Singh never intended to work in agriculture and spent several years after graduating from the University of Nebraska at Kearney working in the interactive media field with computer technology and video game development. In the early 2000s the company he was working for ran out of contracts, so Singh began looking for a new job.

He joined UNLs Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, helping faculty and graduate students develop new products. Singh said it was like working with many small-scale startups.

Singh was working on his own custom drones when a faculty member asked him if hed be able to use the drones to help with research. Singh eventually started his own company to provide aerial imaging for crops and began selling custom drones to crop consultants and other universities.

Singh came up with the idea to use the drones to identify sick animals in cattle herds, which is what he initially applied to NMotion for.

Through customer interactions, he realized that most farmers didnt want to mess with using drones, so the idea was modified to use ear tags to track and monitor cattle and alert farmers when the animal was not well.

McKeon said she hopes NMotion will be able to provide further assistance throughout a companys life cycle, taking the 90-day programs to the next level by continuing the support.

The next five years are a really exciting part in the communitys journey, McKeon said.
EUROPE  When young, brooding Jack Green calls in the local paper to do a piece about the ex-con Halfway House and suspected abuse therein, handsome blond Gabriel Phoenix is brought in to work on the story. Being fed horny story after horny story, Phoenix, although turned on and shifting in his seat, begins to realize the stories are just that.

As it turns from warden initiated exploitation to the inmates themselves being the ones in control of the whole House, Phoenix soon feels like hes been played, and its far too late.



A twisted take on the lives of supposedly ex juvenile delinquents, Eurocreme brings the hot young boys they are renowned for and handsome older men only too happy to be taken advantage of together, and has created a fresh interview style movie that dips back into sexy setups and scenes designed to turn on the viewer from whatever angle they are watching from.

The Halfway House stars Charley Cole, Billy Rock, Lucas Phelps, Dave London, Matthew Anders, Jack Green, and Gabriel Phoenix.

Available on DVD, HD and SD Downloads from EurocremeStore.com. For more information on The Halfway House, Sean Hardy or any other Eurocreme Production, contact [email protected]
A Canada Post employee climbs into a mail truck, in Halifax in a July 6, 2016, file photo. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese)

Canada is missing out on more than $1.3 billion a year in tax and duties on e-commerce shipments, according to new research.

The study by consultancy Copenhagen Economics found that there is a significant discrepancy in how packages sent to Canada are treated by customs, depending on if they are shipped via postal carriers or express services, such UPS or FedEx.

The research, which was prepared on behalf of UPS, found that sales tax is collected on only 25 per cent of shipments sent through postal carriers, compared to 100 per cent on those done through express operators.

It also found that customs are only collecting import duties on six per cent of packages sent by postal carriers, which pales in comparison to the 98 per cent taken on those that arrive by express operator shipment.

We find that these shipments are treated differently at customs clearance, where sales tax (HST/PST) and import duty should be applied, depending on the type of delivery operator, said the report.

We conclude that sales tax and import duty are significantly less likely to be collected when shipments are sent via postal versus express operators.

(Copenhagen Economics)

E-commerce imports into Canada are subject to federal and provincial sales if the total value of the content of a shipment is more than $20. The same goes for import duties.

To see if these charges were being universally applied, researchers shipped more than 200 online purchases to Canada from China, France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, half using the national postal operator in the country of origin to Canada post and the other half using FedEx and UPS.

All of the shipments contained general consumers goods, purchased from independent e-retailers that were subject to duty and sales tax. Some of the packages were valued at between $30 and $60, and some were worth $185 to $235.

The research found that postal carriers were significantly more likely to collect duty and sales tax on the latter.

Story continues

(Copenhagen Economics)

In response to its findings, officials from Canada Post told The Financial Post that it collects and remits all duties and taxes that it is required to by the Canadian Border Services Agency.

As part of the global postal network, were proud to deliver mail and parcels to Canadians from the around the world, a representative said.

The report said the research is particularly important given the fact that it has been estimated that the total value of goods sold through e-commerce in Canada last year was $30 billion.

Furthermore, 70 per cent of online purchases made in Canada are from foreign merchants.

We conclude that the missed collection of sales tax and import duty on e-commerce inbound postal shipments results in a significant loss of public revenue to Canada, said the report.

The authors added that this failure to collect sales tax and import duty also helps foreign online retailers.

The lack of application of sales tax makes goods coming from outside Canada cheaper than comparable items purchased by Canadian consumers from Canadian sellers (both online and offline), said the report.

This gives an advantage to manufacturers and sellers located outside Canada, relative to their Canadian competitors, when a postal operator is used to deliver the goods.

Karl Littler vice-president of the Retail Council of Canada, told The Financial Post that the studys methodology is sound and confirms widespread anecdotal reports.

Even if the number is hundreds of millions a year in lost revenue rather than $1.3 billion, that would be significant for the provinces and the federal government and for Canada Post, said Littler.

He echoed the reports conclusion that the failure to collect sales tax and import duty could create a competitive advantage for foreign retailers, as Canadian consumers will simply buy cheaper products.

There is a vulnerability for Canadian merchants generally if a bunch of stuff is coming in tax and duty free, and for online merchants in particular, said Littler.

From our merchants perspective, that is an unlevel playing field.
railroad

I am a tremendous fan of dividend investing and believe that it is one of the surest paths to investing success. Not only do dividends provide investors with a tax-effective income stream, but they are a handy means of boosting returns and reducing volatility.

You see, companies that pay regularly growing dividends typically have mature businesses, wide economic moats, and provide products as well as services that enjoy relatively unchanging demand. Research has also shown that management in these companies take a far more disciplined approach to using capital to ensure the business keeps growing and the dividend remains sustainable.

One dividend-growth stock that stands out for these reasons and more is Canada?s largest railway Canadian National Railway Company (TSX:CNR)(NYSE:CNI).

Now what?

Canadian National reported some solid results for 2016, including record free cash flow of $2.5 billion and a 3% increase in net income. This was despite revenues falling by 5% year over year because of a 5% decline in car loadings. It is an impressive result given the difficult operating environment caused by a decline in demand for bulk freight transportation because of sharply weaker commodity prices in the first half of the year.

The solid financial performance can be attributed to Canadian National?s ongoing focus on cutting costs, which saw 2016 operating expenses fall by just over 8% compared to a year earlier.

There are signs that the outlook for Canadian National is improving.

Bulk commodities, particularly coal and metals rallied strongly towards the end of 2016, and a range of indicators, including Trump?s planned fiscal stimulus, point to prices remaining firm throughout 2017. This is important for Canadian National because freight by rail remains the only economic means of transporting bulk freight such as coal, ores, fertilizers, lumber, grain, crude, and frac sand.

The recovery in crude also bodes well.

The decline in car loadings over the course of 2016 can be primarily attributed to the slump in oil, which caused output from the energy patch to fall. This impacted the volume of crude transported by rail and demand for frac sand, which is an important ingredient in the hydraulic fracturing process used to extract oil from shale formations.

As oil prices firm, production will increase, sparking greater demand for frac sand and for the transportation of crude by rail because of constrained pipeline capacity.

Story continues

Investors should not forget that Canadian National possesses an enviable economic moat.

Not only is the rail industry heavily regulated and possesses steep barriers to entry, but Canadian National operates one of the few transcontinental rail networks in North America. Its track network stretches coast to coast across Canada and goes as far south as the Gulf of Mexico. This makes it an integral part of North America?s transportation network, giving it access to 75% of the population.

So what?

As a result of the strong performance and improving outlook, management elected to reward loyal investors with a juicy 10% dividend hike that takes effect in 2017. This is the 17th year straight in which Canadian National has increased its dividend payment. Its yield is now a very sustainable 1.7%. Because of the more upbeat outlook, it is likely that Canadian National will reward shareholders with further dividend increases in coming years. For these reasons, it deserves to be a core holding in any stock portfolio.

How to Find Great Dividend Stocks

Over a nearly 30-year period, dividend-paying stocks earned about 18X more than their non-dividend counterparts!

Yet incredibly, it's only one part of the story.

To find out how these same stocks had 45% less volatility (and how you can try to take advantage!), click here to read this exhaustive report.

More reading

Fool contributor Matt Smith has no position in any stocks mentioned. David Gardner owns shares of Canadian National Railway. The Motley Fool owns shares of Canadian National Railway. Canadian National Railway is a recommendation of Stock Advisor Canada.



How to Find Great Dividend Stocks

Over a nearly 30-year period, dividend-paying stocks earned about 18X more than their non-dividend counterparts!

Yet incredibly, it's only one part of the story.

To find out how these same stocks had 45% less volatility (and how you can try to take advantage!), click here to read this exhaustive report.

Fool contributor Matt Smith has no position in any stocks mentioned. David Gardner owns shares of Canadian National Railway. The Motley Fool owns shares of Canadian National Railway. Canadian National Railway is a recommendation of Stock Advisor Canada.


Ali Sonko (right) outside of Nomas former location with his two new business partners. (IB Times)

Working at a restaurant that has been recognized as one of the best 50 in the world would be an honour for anyone, but being able to call yourself a partner is a true privilege.

For Ali Sonko, that just became reality.

The 62-year-old, who has been working at Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark since it opened in 2003, has been head dishwasher at the two-Michelin star restaurant for the last 13 years.

This week, Noma shut down at its current location and will be moving to Copenhagens Christiania neighbourhood as an urban farm, growing much of the food it will serve on site. In an Instagram post, Chef Rene Redzepi revealed that when the restaurant reopens, it will have three new partners: restaurant managers Lau Richter and James Spreadbury, and Sonko.

Ali is the heart and soul of Noma, Redzepi said of Sonko at a party for friends, family and employees of Noma. I dont think people appreciate what it means to have a person like Ali in the house. He is all smiles, no matter how his twelve children fare. And, by the way, my own father was also named Ali, and he too worked as a dishwasher when he came to Denmark.

Sonko has been shown appreciation by his colleagues in the past; in 2010 when Noma first topped Restaurant magazines Best 50 Restaurants list, he was unable to enter Britain for the awards ceremony as he did not have a visa for entry (Sonko immigrated to Denmark from Gambia). Those who did travel to England to accept the award did so while wearing t-shirts bearing Sonkos likeness.

Sometimes, hard work and a good attitude is enough to get some recognition at work.
The moon rises over the Toronto city skyline as seen from Milton, Ontario, Canada, January 23, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Blinch

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Toronto home prices surged 23.8 percent in February from a year earlier due in part to fewer listings, according to a report that is likely to add to concerns that a bubble is developing in the Canadian city's housing market.

The Toronto Real Estate Board said on Friday that prices accelerated across dwelling types, but particularly for single-family detached homes, which racked up a 26.3 percent increase.

Sales of existing homes in the Toronto area rose 5.7 percent to 8,014 units. Sales of condominiums jumped 15.9 percent, while detached homes climbed 3.0 percent.

Despite the strong demand, total new listings tumbled 12.5 percent to 9,834.

Jason Mercer, the real estate board's director of market analysis, said the supply crunch in the city was contributing to the double-digit price increases.

"Until we see a marked increase in the number of homes available for sale, expect very strong annual rates of price growth to continue," Mercer said.

Although the federal government has taken a number of steps in recent years to try to cool the country's robust housing market, prices in Toronto have continued to soar, and some economists now say a bubble is forming.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau has repeatedly said the government is keeping an eye on the market, and a recent Reuters poll showed rising prices are likely to pressure policymakers to take further action. [CA/HOMES]

The lofty Vancouver market, on the other hand, appears to have come off the boil. Separate data on Thursday showed home sales there surged in February from January but were sharply lower than a year earlier.

(Reporting by Leah Schnurr; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
An extended string of bad news about Uber continued on Friday with a New York Times report that Uber has used, for years, a surreptitious data tool to deceive authorities in unfriendly markets.

It was only one month ago that the hashtag #DeleteUber began trending during protests to President Trumps travel ban, leading CEO Travis Kalanick to step down from Trumps business council. But that already feels like eons ago.

In the time since, Uber has been at the center of an additional 5 scandals that have brought more negative scrutiny on the hot taxi companywhich was already no stranger to scandalthan ever before.

How the company deals with each of these storms could determine its future.

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick (AP)

I. Former employees bombshell blog post

On Feb. 19, Susan Fowler Rigetti, a former Uber engineer now working at payments company Stripe, wrote an eye-opening blog post alleging that she received repeated sexual advances from a male colleague, reported him to HR, and HR did nothing to address the situation. She also said that other female employees had told her of similar experiences.

After the blog post went live and quickly rocketed around the Internet, Kalanick said in a statement, What [Fowler] describes is abhorrent and against everything Uber stands for and believes in.

But only three days a later, a deep-dive New York Times story on Ubers culture suggested that, contrary to what Kalanick said, Fowlers story is not at all contrary to what Uber believes in.

II. New York Times story on bad culture

The Times story published on Feb. 22, citing interviews with more than 30 current and former Uber employees, concluded that Ubers workplace culture is aggressive and unrestrained.

Specifically, the Times mentions allegations of a man groping a female coworkers breasts at a company retreat, homophobic slurs from a manager to a coworker, and physical threats from a manager to a coworker.

Four days after the Times story ran, Uber fired a senior engineer for not disclosing former harassment accusations against him from his time at Google. Uber has also opened up an internal investigation into the many harassment claims, led by boardmember Arianna Huffington and former US Attorney General Eric Holder. But promises of a serious internal review may no longer be enough to smooth over the storm that has resulted from Fowlers post and the Times story.

Story continues

III. Google lawsuit

If all of the harassment allegations arent enough, Uber is also dealing with a legal threat from a competitor: Googles self-driving car division, Waymo, filed a serious lawsuit (on the same day as the Times story, by the way) alleging that Uber stole trade secrets and intellectual property from Waymo.

Uber called the lawsuit baseless, but Wired reports that the lawsuit is extremely serious and, if it goes Googles way, could end up with Uber executives getting prison sentences.

IV. Kalanick caught on camera

On Tuesday, Bloomberg shared a shocking video that may be Ubers most difficult scandal to smooth over: Kalanick, caught on camera, arguing with one of his own Uber drivers over the companys shifting price policies.

The driver, Fawzi Kamel, tells Kalanick respectfully that the companys price drops have hurt him financially. The two debate the issue, but it gets more and more heated. People are not trusting you anymore.  I lost $97,000 because of you, Kamel says. Eventually, Kalanick accuses him, Some people dont like to take responsibility for their own sh. (Kalanick also says bullsh twice in the argument.)

After the video quickly made the media rounds, Uber publicly posted a short email Kalanick sent to all employees. Kalanick apologized to the driver, and added, I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up. He also appeared to congratulate himself for his apology: This is the first time Ive been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it.

In the wake of the video, many speculated that Kalanick will have to step down as CEO. Rafat Ali, for example, the CEO of travel site Skift, theorized that Kalanick will become chief evangelist or some such thing.

It's over. Travis will be resigning soon, there is no way forward from here. https://t.co/iznOFyXYtv  Rafat Ali (@rafat) February 28, 2017

But based on the language of his statement, that does not appear likelyor it didnt in the hours after the video emerged. But that was before a Times story highlighted yet another serious issue about the companys tactics.

V. New York Times story on circumventing law enforcement

On March 3, the New York Times reported that Uber has used a data-collecting program called Greyball to identify law enforcement officials and avoid picking them up. The Times says that Uber has used the tool in markets like Australia, China, and South Korea.

According to the story, authorities that opened up the Uber app would see icons of cars nearby that did not actually represent real cars, and when they did successfully hail a car, the driver would cancel.

Uber is still using Greyball today, the Times reports.

best part of the @MikeIsaac Uber story is Uber being like "hell yeah we had a program to evade law enforcement, why wouldn't we" pic.twitter.com/Wt3FZ5ufTr  Matt Levine (@matt_levine) March 3, 2017

Greyball is part of Ubers VTOS (violations in terms of service) program, and the company told the Times its straightforward: This program denies ride requests to users who are violating our terms of service  whether thats people aiming to physically harm drivers, competitors looking to disrupt our operations, or opponents who collude with officials on secret stings meant to entrap drivers.

But based on reaction to the story so far, Ubers use of Greyball is not being received as unremarkable, standard operating procedure.



Daniel Roberts is a writer at Yahoo Finance, covering sports business and technology.

Read more:

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Uber faces a legal battle in Florida with a party company called Uber

A brief history of Uber scandals
By Ayman al-Warfalli BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - An armed faction entered two major Libyan oil ports on Friday, pushing back forces that captured and reopened the terminals in September, officials and residents said. The move risks increasing the fighting around the ports and casts new doubt over Libya's attempt to revive its oil production. The terminals at Es Sider and Ras Lanuf are two of Libya's largest, with potential combined production capacity of about 600,000 barrels per day (bpd). It was unclear late on Friday to what extent the faction that attacked, the Benghazi Defence Brigades (BDB), had gained control over the area. There was no statement from the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) in Tripoli, which restarted operations at the ports after the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) took them over seven months ago. Since then the LNA's opponents have launched several unsuccessful attacks against the ports in Libya's eastern Oil Crescent, in a campaign linked to a broader conflict between factions based in eastern and western Libya. The LNA had said the ports were well secured. But it said the BDB had launched a rapid, three-pronged attack early on Friday that pierced its defenses. Air strikes repelled an attack targeting a third port, Brega, but the LNA withdrew men and equipment around Es Sider and Ras Lanuf to avoid a damaging fire fight, LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari said. Port engineers, oil sources and residents said the BDB entered both Es Sider and Ras Lanuf ports after the attack. The BDB posted pictures of its fighters at Ras Lanuf's nearby air strip, though the LNA later said it had retaken control there. At least nine men loyal to the LNA were killed and eight wounded in the fighting, a medical source said. The LNA took Es Sider, Ras Lanuf, Brega and Zueitina oil ports in September. All but Brega had long been blockaded. After the NOC reopened them, Libya's oil production more than doubled. The Benghazi Defence Brigades are composed partly of fighters who were ousted from Benghazi by the LNA, where LNA commander Khalifa Haftar has been waging a military campaign for nearly three years against Islamists and other opponents. The LNA brands its opponents as Islamist extremists, and each side accuses the other of using mercenaries from Libya's sub-Saharan neighbors. Some in the east also accuse elements of the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli of backing the BDB and their allies. The GNA's leadership strongly condemned Friday's escalation, saying in a statement that it "did not give any order to any forces to move towards that area". It suggested the attack could be an effort to scupper Libyan and international efforts to bring peace. Libya has recently been producing about 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil, more than double its output early last year but still far less than the 1.6 million bpd the OPEC member was pumping before the 2011 uprising. The Oil Crescent ports suffered major damage in previous rounds of fighting and are still operating well below capacity. Tankers have been loading at Es Sider since December, with the Amalthea due to arrive on March 7 to load 630,000 barrels for Austria's OMV , according to shipping sources. The NOC has been lobbying foreign firms to return to Libya and invest in the oil and gas sector as it tries to push production to 1.2 million bpd later this year. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Elumami in Tripoli, and by Ahmad Ghaddar and Julia Payne in London; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Robin Pomeroy/Ruth Pitchford and Grant McCool)
Hisham Saadi, 47, has been charged with carrying out a hoax regarding terrorist activity, uttering threats and mischief in connection with the Concordia University bomb threat Wednesday.

Saadi appeared in a Montreal courtroom via video link on Thursday afternoon.

He has been ordered to undergo a psychological assessment prior to his bail hearing, scheduled for Friday.

Saadi was arrested around 1:30 a.m. ET Thursday after officers, including members of the force's tactical and canine units, descended on an apartment on Darlington Avenue near Goyer Street in the Cote-des-Neiges neighbourhood, said Const. Benoit Boisselle.

The operation came a day after three buildings at Concordia's busy downtown campus were evacuated. A letter saying explosive devices were placed in various areas of the school was sent to a number of Montreal media outlets, including CBC News.

Police found nothing suspicious during their search of the Hall building, Guy-De Maisonneuve building and the engineering, computer science and visual arts (EV) integrated complex, and handed the case over to the major crimes division.

Suspect a Concordia student, man tells CBC

Saadi is not known to police. He did not resist arrest, Boisselle said.

Boisselle said it's unclear whether the man has any ties to the university, but CBC spoke to the man who sublet his apartment to Saadi.

The man, who spoke to CBC's French-language network Radio-Canada, under the condition of anonymity, said Saadi was a PhD student in economics at Concordia. He had met Saadi at Concordia to pick up a rent cheque.

"I think he has [Canadian] citizenship," he said. "He has been here for many years," the man said, adding that Saadi is of Lebanese origin.

Police searched the apartment for almost five hours. No explosives or anything to do with making bombs were found on the premises.

Forced to leave in middle of the night

About 30 people were forced from their homes during the police operation due to the concern there could be explosives inside the apartment building.

Story continues

Joy Agbonze, who lives in the building, said that police arrived at her door after midnight and told her to gather a few things and leave.

She was told to wait in a city bus outside but wasn't told what was happening.

"I was a bit freaked out because there were cops in bomb squad gear and everything, and I was like, 'Oh my God, what the hell is happening,'" she said.

Residents initially didn't know what was going on, but were eventually told the operation was in connection to the bomb threats. Agbonze was on the bus, which served as a shelter, for about 30 minutes before she was allowed back inside.

She said though the situation made her feel less safe in general, the police operation helped assuage her uneasiness.

Arrest not reassuring, says Muslim student

The arrest didn't comfort Aouatif Zebiri, a student at Concordia and member of the Muslim Students' Association.

The threatening letter purportedly came from a group that calls itself Council of Conservative Citizens of Canada. Since it's still unclear if the man who was arrested will be charged or if he's linked to that group, she isn't feeling reassured.

In an interview on CBC Montreal's Daybreak, she said she won't be going to the buildings that were targeted any time soon, but that overall she feels safe at school.

"I would say it's rare to find students at Concordia who are Islamophobic. We are united, we believe our diversity makes us united and we cherish that," she said.

Resuming classes shows resolve, school says

All the buildings that were evacuated were reopened by 6 p.m. and classes went on as scheduled, a move that was criticized by some students, including Zebiri.

"Students had been through a traumatic experience. How do you expect them to go back to school?" she said.

Concordia spokesperson Chris Mota, also a guest on Daybreak, said the university felt that resuming operations at the earliest possible time was an expression of resolve.

"We certainly would not have continued classes if we felt that there were any issues outstanding or any possible threat."

Because the letter containing the bomb threat mentioned a 48-hour window ending Friday afternoon for the explosives to be detonated, Concordia says it will increase patrols of its private security officers. Montreal police will also be present on campus for the next few days.

Zebiri said she isn't in favour of that measure, because students from minority groups may feel uncomfortable with having more security guards around.

Mota said while she doesn't get the sense that people at the school feel threatened on a day-to-day basis, she acknowledged that some people do.

The university will do anything it can to help students who are feeling that way, she said.

Mota reiterated that the Concordia community is united, and that an attack targeting one group of students is an attack on the entire university.

"It threatens our values, it threatens our way of life, it's just not who we are. It's reprehensible and I think we're going to come together as we always do," she said.
The stone entrance still stands amid the ruins of Kugaaruks school. Photo from CBC via Liederick Ammaq Illuitok.

A late-night fire in a remote Nunavut community has left nearly 300 students without a way to attend school for the foreseeable future.

The fire, which was difficult to fight because of -60 C temperatures and frozen water lines, completely destroyed the school in Kugaaruk, Nunavut. Fortunately, no one was injured in the blaze, which began late Tuesday night and was not fully extinguished until Wednesday morning.

Kugaardjuq School had 295 students enrolled in kindergarten to grade 12 and 45 employees. Maria Mendillo, the communications manager for Nunavuts education department, told Yahoo Canada News that classes for students are currently on hold. In the meantime, officials are working with the hamlet of Kugaaruk and the education department to make alternative arrangements.

Located in central coastal Nunavut, sending all the students to another school isnt logistically possible for the fly-in community of Kugaaruk, which has a mostly-Inuit population. There are about 185 kilometres between Kugaaruk and the community of Taloyoak, but no roads run between the two towns.

Despite the communitys remote location, Kugaaruk is growing quickly. The towns population was 933, according to last years census, which is 21 per cent higher compared to the 2011 census. Nearly a third of those people were students at Kugaardjuq School.

In addition to serving primary and secondary education in the community, the school was the current host site of the Nunavut Teachers Education Program. According to CBC News, it also served as an emergency shelter for the community in case of power outages and provided both a breakfast and soup lunch program.

CBC reported that in the territorial legislature on Wednesday, Nunavuts Education Minister Paul Quassa said his staff were working to find alternative educational spaces for the displaced students.

At this point it is too early to determine what will be done to continue the delivery of the education program in Kugaaruk, Mendillo told Yahoo Canada News.

Story continues

According to Mendillo, the education ministry will work to determine if other buildings in the community are suitable for classroom instruction. Once a temporary space has been sourced, officials will focus on finding modular spaces that can be used during the design and construction of a new school.

According to CBC News, Nunavut Minister of Finance Keith Peterson said early estimates put Kugaardjuq Schools value at between $25 million and $30 million.

Due to the size of the community, this will likely be particularly challenging and will require the assistance of the hamlet and potentially other organizations in the community, Mendillo said of finding temporary space in Kugaaruk.

RCMP have deemed the fire suspicious and are investigating along with the territorial fire marshalls office and the local fire department, the Toronto Star reports.
In January, Pablo Larrains Jackie was a hit at the Ross Media Arts Center, bringing in audiences for a month to see the revealing unconventional biopic that focused on Jacqueline Kennedy in the days after her husband was assassinated.

Now, the Chilean director has a new film at the Ross, Neruda, another unconventional bio-pic. This one tells a story of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, the countrys most prominent leftist politician, who was forced to become a fugitive when, in 1948, the Communist Party was banned as the country moved to a right-wing dictatorship.

That aspect of Neruda is entirely true -- as is the appearance of future brutal dictator Augusto Pinochet as the commander of an internment camp.

But Larrain and screenwriter Guillermo Calderon have invented the films other primary character, a police inspector straight out of film noir who pursues Neruda, engaging with him via detective novels, poetry and imagined conversation.

If that sounds disruptive, its not. Larrain is a superb filmmaker and has crafted an imaginative tale that pulls in the viewer while delivering a message about the role of art in a time of conflict and a warning of repression that cant help but resonate in the age of Trump.

He does so with a pair of superb lead performances, starting with Chilean actor Luis Gnecco, who plays Neruda. We initially see him in a biting rhetorical battle in a mens room, then on the floor of the Chilean legislature. But we quickly learn that hes a man of sensual appetites, cavorting with prostitutes and living a very non-Communist sumptuous lifestyle with his aristocratic artist wife Delia (Mercedes Moran).

Then comes the ban. Forced into hiding in small apartments and isolated homes, Neruda refuses to play everything safe, continuing to walk the streets and write his poetry, which is mailed --in pieces - to supporters around the country.

Enter Oscar Peluchonneau, the police inspector hand picked by the president to pursue the famous fugitive. Hes played, with great intensity, by Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal, an international star since Amores Perros and Y Tu Mama Tambien 16 years ago.

Whippet-thin, wearing his suit and fedora, Peluchonneau risks his career on the mission and tries to outsmart Neruda and his collaborators. But like the cops in all such chases where the good guy is being pursued, hes just minutes late -- or flat out misses his man when theyre in the same room.

The cat-and-mouse game is part of the fun of Neruda. But theres a depth to Peluchonneau that takes Nerudas personal Javert and allows him -- as the films narrator -- to engage in an intellectual battle with the poet.

That conflict comes to its peak during a clearly imagined conversation between the two men in which they jump from place to place between sentences. And the assertion that he is simply a secondary character created by Neruda haunts and powers Peluchonneau through the films perfect, melancholy conclusion.

It takes a while to get there -- Neruda seems a bit long even though it runs 1 hour, 45 minutes. But it is a journey worth taking as an enlightening look at Neruda, a widely recognized poet about which little is widely known, a film noir chase and a picture that finds art at the heart of a society and its inner turmoil.
A high school in Mountain View, California, has made millions from Snap's initial public offering (IPO) less than four years after investing $15,000 in the Venice, California-based technology company.

Saint Francis High School was one of the first investors in the company behind the ephemeral messaging app Snapchat, having invested a small proportion of its endowment fund in Snap Inc's seed round of financing in 2012.

Snap made its trading debut Thursday at the New York Stock Exchange. It had priced its IPO of 200 million shares at $17 each but shortly after the opening bell stock began trading significantly higher, eventually closing at $24.48 per share  up 44 percent on expectations.

Saint Francis, a private Catholic school with annual tuition fees over $17,000, sold 1.4 million shares  two thirds of its overall stake  for $17 per share at Thursday's IPO.

The school has not confirmed its overall return but it is estimated to have made nearly $24 million, according to officials cited by NBC.

Simon Chiu, president of Saint Francis, announced the good news Thursday in a letter to parents.

"The school's investment in Snap  which this morning announced the completion of its IPO  has matured and given us a significant boost as we continue our work towards realizing the bold vision and goals set out in our community-inspired strategic plan: leading with Hope & Zeal," noted Chiu in the letter.

"This incredible boon will not, by itself, completely fund the goals of the strategic plan, but it will lay the necessary foundation and give us a remarkable head start," he added.

The school first became involved in the technology firm in 2012 when Barry Eggers, a parent of two Saint Francis pupils and founding partner of venture capital firm Lightspeed Venture Partners, became intrigued by his children's use of the app.

Eggers met with Snap co-founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy, who at the time were working out of Stanford dorm room, and, having been suitably impressed, prompted Lightspeed to lead a $500,000 investment round  the company's first.

Weiterlesen

Lightspeed invested $485,000 and Eggers invited Saint Francis' to put forward the remaining $15,000 from its investment fund that had been created in 1990 by parents and former Saint Francis president Kevin Makley to support long term initiatives.

In his note to parents, Chui thanked Eggers' for his "remarkable generosity".

A blog post by Barry Eggers posted Thursday on Lightspeed Venture Partners' website said: "While I've enjoyed Snap's journey with my Partners as an early investor, I have the unexpected bonus of sharing the experience with my children.

"It's been amazing for us to watch how far Evan and Bobby and Snap have come since that kitchen table conversation between my daughter and meand how much they've already changed how we communicate today."



Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that Snap is located in Venice, California.

Disclosure: CNBC parent NBCUniversal is an investor in Snap .

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.







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Mrs. Amina J Mohammed, current Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), has reason to celebrate as one of her beautiful daughter's Nadine Mohammed, is getting married.

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By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss and Dion Rabouin

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Retail currency brokers are considering operating in the United States after a nearly seven-year absence, if President Donald Trump is able to carry through on his pledge to deregulate financial markets.

The prospect of lighter regulations has revived interest in the country among foreign exchange brokers such as UFX and Alpari, which cater to small and individual investors. It has also brightened the outlook for an industry that has struggled and lost market share to places with looser regulations in Asia and Europe.

"Key players in the vast retail FX market are gearing up for a hopeful re-entry," said Paul Sirani, chief market analyst, at online currency broker Xtrade in Limassol Cyprus. He declined to identify those retail FX players.

Sirani's observation is shared by many market participants such as Javier Paz, senior analyst at research firm Aite Group, and Meir Velenski, a long-time FX practitioner who set up his own financial consulting group.

A return to the United States could mean physically setting up an office in the country as a U.S. entity, or in some cases maintaining an overseas headquarters while soliciting business in the United States.

At the heart of the forex brokers' optimism is the possible repeal of the Dodd-Frank Act.

Signed into law in 2010 in response to the global financial crisis, the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation aims to overhaul business practices on Wall Street and protect consumers. But its passage caused the demise of many U.S. retail FX businesses.

In 2006, there were 40 companies operating in the United States offering FX trading to retail customers. After Dodd-Frank, that number has shrunk to three -- GAIN Capital Holdings, Inc. <GCAP.O>; Canada-based Oanda, and TD Ameritrade <AMTD.O>.

Under Dodd-Frank rules, enforced by the CFTC, firms offering retail forex trading in the United States must maintain minimum capital of at least $20 million, plus 5 percent of the amount by which liabilities to retail forex customers exceed $10 million.

Story continues

By comparison, the minimum capital requirement in Cyprus, where many FX brokers have moved, range from 40,000 euros ($42,680) to one million euros ($1.067 million). Cyprus, with many FX brokers under its jurisdiction, has become popular with market participants because its European Union membership allows companies based in that country to provide FX services to other EU members.

Dennis de Jong, managing director of retail forex trading firm UFX in Limassol, Cyprus, said he would "absolutely" be in favor of a move to the United States if the minimum capital requirement is reduced.

"Obviously the regulators need to be very strict in terms of how you protect the client...but in general lowering the (capital) threshold would be good," he added.

The Trump administration has not said anything specific about FX regulation under Dodd-Frank. But House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling said in a CNBC interview this week that much of the law could be undone through a number of ways.

"The $20-million bond required of U.S. retail FX business pretty much precludes anyone from founding a start-up in this business," said Joe Trevisani, chief market strategist, at WorldWide Markets, an online multi-asset trading platform in Woodcliff, New Jersey.

WorldWide Markets, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in Britain, does not take U.S. clients.

Trevisani was a partner at currency broker FX Solutions, which exited the U.S. market in 2013, a Dodd-Frank casualty.

Dodd-Frank also prohibited FX overseas firms from soliciting U.S. business.

STANDBY POSITION

Russian currency broker Alpari, which left the United States in 2011 due to onerous regulations, is keen to see what happens with the new Trump administration.

"We are in standby position. Everybody is looking at the U.S. right now for business and we're curious to see how things change," said Roberto d'Ambrosio, chief executive officer at Alpari Research and Analysis Limited in London.

D'Ambrosio said Alpari's decision to return to the United States would hinge partly on easing regulations such as rules on forex reporting.

"The reporting requirement is really, really heavy," said the Alpari official. If the costs of reporting could be eased somewhat, then this would help, he added.

SHRINKING U.S. MARKET U.S. retail FX trading volume has shrunk since Dodd-Frank, data showed.

In 2016, the U.S. share of the $374 billion daily global retail currency trading volume has been cut in half to just 3 percent, or $11 billion, according to estimates from research firm Aite Group. Prior to Dodd-Frank or in 2009, the U.S. share was 6 percent, or $17 billion, of what was then a global daily retail market of $276 billion.

Some market participants have pointed to the CFTC, Dodd-Frank's regulator, as the culprit. Dodd-Frank gave the CFTC regulatory powers to oversee the U.S. retail FX sector.

"The CFTC could have created a safe environment in U.S. retail FX by working more closely with the industry," said Aite's Paz in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Langbroek, 3 March 2017

Aalberts Industries reached a long-term agreement with Key Account ASML, based in the Netherlands. The past 12 months teams of both companies worked on two big projects to intensify and expand the existing business partnership.

These projects are related to the newly developed EUV and the existing XT/NXT machine tool programs of ASML. Both projects will start in 2017 and generate significant additional annual revenue in our Semicon & Science end market.

The coming years Aalberts Nano Technology will invest approximately EUR 7 million in assembly, cleaning and testing equipment, clean room facilities, precision machining and tooling to ensure the quality, service and additional organic growth.

This will be done in our existing manufacturing locations in Nijmegen and 't Harde (the Netherlands) and Raunheim (Germany). Also the project management and engineering capacity will be strengthened in the existing location at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven (the Netherlands).

Due to a combined offering of innovative technologies, Aalberts Nano Technology is able to deliver a better service to its Key Accounts and to create a more intensified partnership.

For more information (from 8 am CET):

+31 (0)343 56 50 89

info@aalberts.com
Quote:

A. they can also pilfer valuable information such as business development strategies, new product specifications, and contract bidding plans, and sell

pilfer

sell

Quote:

B. they can also pilfer valuable information that includes business development strategies, new product specifications, and contract bidding plans, and selling

Quote:

C. also pilfering valuable information including business development strategies, new product specifications, and contract bidding plans, selling

pilfering

Quote:

D. but also pilfer valuable information such as business development strategies, new product specifications, and contract bidding plans to sell

are thieves able

pilfer valuable information

Quote:

E. but also pilfering valuable information such as business development strategies, new product specifications, and contract bidding plans and selling

are thieves able

pilfering valuable information

So I've seen a lot of test-takers make mistakes on this question, usually because of overreliance on an idiom rule that doesnt really exist. If you see the phrase not only, that does NOT automatically mean that you need to have a but also somewhere else in the sentence! Theres no reason why you couldnt use the phrase not only by itself, as long as it makes logical sense with the context of the sentence.Dont get me wrong: not but phrases are pretty important on the GMAT, but only because they require parallelism. Basically, whatever follows the word not (or not only) must be structurally parallel to whatever follows the word but (or but also). (Similar parallelism rules apply to both/and and either/or constructions  more on these in an upcoming Topic of the Week .)But again, theres nothing wrong with having not only without the but also.They jumps out at me right away, but I think its fine, since it refers to thieves. I suppose they could also refer to bank accounts, but I dont think the pronoun is automatically wrong. Ambiguity isnt an absolute rule (see our YouTube webinar on this pronouns for more), and they isnt particularly confusing here.The parallelism also seems OK, even if it doesnt sound great. We have two different lists going on in (A). First, we have a pair of parallel verbs: they can alsoinformation anddata That seems fine. We also have a list of the types of information that thieves pilfer: such as business development strategies, new product specifications, and contract bidding plans Thats just three parallel nouns  no problem. Keep (A).(B) is very similar to (A), except that the final and is followed by selling. And thats a problem, because I dont know what selling is parallel to: nothing in the sentence is in the same format. Logically, selling should be parallel to pilfer, but in that case, it should be they pilfer and sell, as in answer choice (A). (B) can be eliminated.The big change here is that pilfering and selling are now -ing words  modifiers, in this case. (Feel free to check out our guide to -ing words for more on this topic.)But that doesnt really make any sense. As criminal activity on the Internet becomes more and more sophisticated, not only are thieves able to divert cash from company bank accounts,valuable information For this to be correct, pilfering valuable information would have to modify not only are thieves able to divert cash  and it simply doesnt. These are completely different types of criminal activity, and the pilfering valuable information does not modify diverting cash.Similarly, selling is basically hanging out on its own. I guess its trying to modify the previous phrase beginning with pilfering, but I cant make much sense of that, either. (C) is out.OK, now we really do have a not only but also structure, which means that we need to think about parallelism again. Theres not much wiggle-room here: whatever follows not only needs to be parallel to whatever follows but also.So we have: not onlyto divert cash but also This isnt awful, but it doesnt quite seem parallel to me: not only are thieves gives us a subject and a verb, but the but also is followed only by a verb.Plus, to sell seems to only modify contract bidding plans, and thats not quite right: the thieves are selling the strategies and specifications, too. (A) makes much more sense than (D).The parallelism is much more thoroughly flawed in (E). We have: not onlyto divert cash but also Definitely not parallel. (E) is out, and (A) is the correct answer._________________
anceer wrote:

Throughout much of its fifty-year history, the country of Dischordia has depended on beef imports in order to provide its citizens with a sufficient food supply. Four years ago, Dischordia instituted a program that incentivizes domestic grain production, and as of this year farmers in Dischordia are producing more grain than its citizens consume. Furthermore, for the first time ever, more Dischordians are consuming grain on a daily basis than are consuming beef on a daily basis. Clearly, the Dischordian grain initiative is what brought about this change .

this

Will not help to answer if the change in the numbers was because of the initiative.

irrelevent

irrelevent. Even if the answer to this question is yes, it still doesn't answer whether the change was because of the initiative.

correct as it points out that the change was not because of the initiative.

Same as A

I initially got the answer wrong and then spent some time on the same. What we need to answer is whether the option will give us a clear answer of YES or NO to the question "Didresult in a change, and not the initiative?".A What fraction of Dischordia's food supply comes from beef imports, and what fraction from domestic grain?B Does Dischordia depend more heavily on its grain supply than do most other countries?C Will the Dischordian grain industry ever yield more food for Dischordians than does the Dischordian importation of beef?D Has the daily consumption of grain in Dischordia grown as a result of the animal rights lobby's increased media presence and an increase in the purchase price of store-bought beef?E Is the number of Dischordians who have recently given up meat and become vegetarians equal to the number of Dischordian vegetarians who have recently given up vegetarianism and begun to consume meat?Hope it helps
Flatwater Shakespeare Company announces a 2017 season of mischief, mayhem, and mystery, offering classic and new plays, along with educational outreach initiatives.

Because of its ties to local history and lore, Flatwater's new season has been selected as an official program of the Nebraska Sesquicentennial Celebration.

Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" is Flatwater's summer touring show. In honor of the Nebraska 150 celebration, executive artistic director Becky Boesen will set the Bards comedy on the Great Plains in 1867, the year Nebraska achieved statehood.

The tour kicks off at the Swan Theatre at Wyuka Stables with a first weekend of paid performances (all tickets $10), June 8-11. The show then tours throughout and beyond Lincoln, with two weekends of free performances, June 14-19 and 21-25.

All performances start at 7 p.m., with the exception of the June 24 performance in the one-room schoolhouse at Pioneers Park, which will begin at 2 p.m. Sites will be listed at flatwatershakespearecompany.org.

This fall, Flatwater digs deep into mystery at the Swan Theatre at Wyuka Stables with a two-week run of "The Weir" by Conor McPherson. The play is set in a remote country pub in Ireland, where a newcomer arrives and becomes spellbound by an evening of ghostly stories told by the locals who drink there.

"The Weir" runs Sept. 28 to Oct. 1, and Oct. 4-8, with all performances beginning at 7 p.m.

Flatwater will collect local ghost stories and legends in the weeks leading up to "The Weir," as well as before and after performances, plus stories from up to 150 years ago in honor of the Nebraska Sesquicentennial. Those stories will be developed into an original multi-media performance piece, The Lincoln Shadow History Project, developed by Timothy Scholl with local playwright Brian Bornstein and filmmaker/storyteller Colleen Kenney Fleischer. Scholl will also direct the piece, which will premiere in the spring of 2018.

The company also will launch a new initiative designed to bring free theater classes for youth to local neighborhoods. Little But Fierce will be offered in three neighborhoods this summer.

The pilot program of Little But Fierce is made possible in part through the generous support of the Lincoln Community Foundation and will explore Shakespeares poetry, while also encouraging students to develop their expressive voices by writing their own sonnets. Conducted by Boesen, with the participation of FSC Education Director Stephen Buhler, classes will culminate in a performance which combines Shakespeares words with the students writing, presented free of cost to the community.

For more information, go to flatwatershakespearecompany.org.
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Nebraskans should have more detailed information about refugees who are resettled here and the potential costs to the state, backers of a legislative bill said Thursday.

The measure, sponsored by state Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, would require resettlement agencies to report the number, age, gender, family status and nation of origin for all refugees they resettle here, as well as the reason they became refugees and details on any state or federal benefits they receive.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services would then be required to post the information online and compile it into a report for the Legislature, the governor and each member of the state's congressional delegation.

"If I'm going to have Thanksgiving dinner, I'd like to have a headcount," said Jennifer Schukar of Lincoln, one of a dozen people who supported the bill during a hearing before the Legislature's Judiciary Committee. "I think that's only fair for the taxpayers."

The state's resettlement agencies argued much of what the bill would require them to share is already publicly available, and releasing additional details could put them at odds with federal privacy laws.

Other opponents said Brewer's proposal is discriminatory.

Courtney Lawton of Nebraskans Against Gun Violence called it "xenophobic, racist, nativist and protectionist" and said the state should focus on reporting requirements for people licensed to carry concealed weapons instead.

Brewer, a retired Army colonel who served in Afghanistan, said such accusations make him "short-tempered."

"I don't have a problem with them coming here," he said of refugees.

But Nebraska taxpayers and policy makers are entitled to know the budgetary and security implications of refugees who resettle here, he said.

Although no fatal terrorist attacks have been carried out by refugees in the United States, supporters of Brewer's bill said the lack of documentation available from certain countries raises questions about potential bad actors or refugees who might be carrying communicable illnesses, such as tuberculosis.

Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska and the Refugee Empowerment Center both opposed the bill. Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska was neutral but raised many similar concerns as the other two resettlement groups.

Tom Venzor, executive director of the Nebraska Catholic Conference who spoke on behalf of Catholic Social Services, suggested lawmakers would benefit from a "broader snapshot" of refugees' economic impact, instead of just what benefits they receive.

That includes the businesses they form and jobs they create in the United States.

"There would be other things, to highlight positive economic impact," Venzor said.

Committee members took no action on the bill (LB505) on Tuesday.
One senator stood up Friday morning to talk about Thursday's riot at Tecumseh State Correctional Institution and released a cascade of frustration about problems at Nebraska's prisons.

Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse was at Tecumseh Thursday night, he said, walking through the administration building and talking to Corrections workers. He said the response from the prison Thursday was better than two years ago in that no officers were hurt, it was contained more quickly and staff followed protocol.

During those hours after Corrections officers backed out of the housing unit and confined inmates inside, however, two men were killed: Damon Fitzgerald, 39, and Michael Galindo, 31.

Watermeier said it took only seven hours from the start of the disturbance to a news conference at the prison to detail what happened.

"That didn't happen two years ago," he said. "That tells quite a bit."

Senators on the Department of Correctional Services Special Investigative Committee then stood up to object to Watermeier's characterization and to voice their concerns about problems still existing in the state's prisons.

Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, who last year chaired the investigative committee, said she thought no one on it would have been surprised about what happened Thursday.

"Sorry? Yes. Terrified for people? Yes. But surprised? I don't think so," she said. "And if we continue to sugarcoat something like this, refusing to call it a riot, it's a crisis."

Problems facing the Corrections Department are directly related, without exception, to the lack of funding and resources, Pansing Brooks said. Problems have stemmed from staff shortages, inadequate pay for officers, staff assaults, adequate programming and social activities for inmates.

The next two-year budget being crafted by the Legislature includes increased funding for the department to deal with some of those issues.

Lincoln Sen. Adam Morfeld, who served on the investigative committee, said he is frustrated that concerns about the department coming from the Legislature are often downplayed and he has failed to see decisive action that should be taken to ensure public safety.

"Any time that there is a fire in a public institution that has been taken over violently, public safety is at risk," he said. "Any time that two individuals that are in the care of the state of Nebraska are killed and murdered in the institution that we manage, public safety is at risk."

Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers said no investigation of the Thursday incident has been done yet, and it is inappropriate for Watermeier, Gov. Pete Ricketts and Corrections Director Scott Frakes to say, "Don't worry about this. It's not a big thing, the staff behaved flawlessly."

"When you have this kind of confusion, nothing is done flawlessly," Chambers said.

Frakes issued a statement Thursday night saying the staff handled the situation "extremely well," limiting the incident to what he called a small number of participants -- about 40 inmates -- and minimal damage. The public's safety was never compromised, he said.

"There is no need to downplay what happened and pretend that something other than what happened took place," Chambers said.

Lincoln Sen. Matt Hansen said the riot was more than unfortunate, as it was described by Watermeier.

"It is unacceptable," he said. "I do not know how we as a state can inspire confidence in our justice system on any step in the line from police to prosecutors to defense attorneys to judges if we cannot provide minimum safety for people in the correctional system."

Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings said none of the senators was at Tecumseh when the disturbance happened.

"So far, all I've heard is a lot of posturing from people that seem to think Corrections facilities are a preschool," he said. "It's a dangerous job. ... And I, for one, am just simply willing to wait for an investigation so that we know the facts."

Omaha Sen. Bob Krist said that although Frakes and Ricketts did not create the problems in the prisons -- they came from a lack of investment over a 20-year period, he said. "(But) this governor and this Legislature own this situation."

The ACLU of Nebraska's talk of litigation is not a threat, he said.

"It is real. ... It is now," he said.
The latest effort to require voters to present a photo ID in order to participate in Nebraska elections attracted strong opposition Thursday at a legislative hearing on its first step toward a filibuster showdown.

The new proposal (LR1CA) offered by Sen. John Murante of Gretna was crafted in the form of a constitutional amendment that would be submitted to Nebraska voters in 2018.

If voters approved the amendment, the Legislature would determine the voter ID requirements.

Supporters who testified in favor of the plan told the Government, Military and Affairs Committee that voter photo IDs are needed to address increasing concerns about voter fraud, including possible voter participation by undocumented or illegal immigrants.

"There should be zero tolerance for vote fraud," said Doug Kagan of Omaha, speaking for Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom.

"Voter fraud does seem to be spreading across our nation," Larry Storer of Omaha said.

Among supporters was the Nebraska Federation of Republican Women.

Opponents argued that requirements for voter photo IDs tend to suppress the votes of students and other mobile young people, the elderly and disabled, African-Americans, Latino-Americans and the poor, most of which are traditional Democratic constituencies.

And that, some testifiers said, is what photo ID requirements are designed to do.

"It has the same effect as the poll tax that my parents endured," said Major Dewayne Mays, speaking for the Lincoln branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

"There is no evidence of voter fraud in Nebraska," he said. "Additional restrictions and burdens on voters limit participation."

Many low-income or elderly people may not have a driver's license or any other form of photo ID, the committee was told.

There should be "no burden on the constitutional right to vote," said Danielle Conrad, executive director of ACLU of Nebraska.

Photo ID requirements "create barriers to voting rights for low-income Nebraskans," Darcy Tromanhauser, director of the immigrants program at Nebraska Appleseed, said.

Other opponents included the Heartland Workers Center in South Omaha, Nebraskans for Civic Reform, the Anti-Defamation League, the League of Women Voters of Nebraska, AARP and Common Cause Nebraska.

Following opposition testimony, Murante told the committee that his purpose is not to suppress the vote in minority communities or anywhere.

His legislative record demonstrates support for district elections that have helped ensure minority rights in Omaha, he said.

Earlier, Murante said voter ID requirements are particularly needed now because of "a lack of confidence" among voters that elections are not tainted by illegal votes.

The composition of the committee virtually assures that Murante's proposal will be advanced to the floor of the Legislature for consideration.

And then a filibuster by opponents is essentially guaranteed.

It would take the votes of at least 33 of the 49 senators to break a filibuster.
On 3-5 October 2017 Kyiv is going to host the Space and Future Forum to network international experts and youth, many of whom will also participate at the first CosmoHack in the world. Joinfo provides media coverage of the Forum, and some of its topics were already discussed ...
Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Director Scott Frakes said changes made after the Tecumseh prison riot two years ago helped minimize damage and led to quicker control of defiant inmates on Thursday.

Frakes met with reporters Friday afternoon, for the second time in about 18 hours, to answer questions on the "serious and horrific" actions of inmates at Tecumseh State Correctional Institution.

And he repeated his view that what happened was not a riot.

"When the word 'riot' is used it conjures images of a facility in chaos," he said. "TSCI was not in chaos yesterday. ... It's important to me to use the correct terminology, including words that represent a true picture of what is happening and the level of risk to the community."

No inmates were even close to reaching the perimeter of the facility, he said.

A group of them in one-half of a housing unit failed to follow the orders of staff, then threatened them with violence, he said. Staff pulled back to safety and then isolated and contained the incident. About 95 special teams members reported to the prison in response to the melee.

When those responding were on the scene, two inmates were found dead.

Damon Fitzgerald, 39, was serving time for Douglas County charges including sex assault and robbery.

Michael Galindo, 31, was in prison on charges including robbery out of Buffalo and Scotts Bluff counties.

The cause of their deaths is being investigated. Attorney General Doug Peterson issued a statement during the news conference saying there was no evidence to suggest any staff was involved in either death.

To a question as to why Galindo was at Tecumseh, given that he may have been vulnerable, Frakes said Galindo's prison assignment was based on his length of sentence and point of arrival in the system.

"We pay attention to vulnerability, make sure in housing assignments that we look for people who could be either predators or victims, and we take all those things into consideration," he said.

After the Tecumseh Mother's Day riot in 2015, in which two inmates were killed, the Corrections Department made changes that helped to contain dangerous incidents, including bars on windows, limited access to flammable materials, less lethal tactical weapons, more cameras and control centers, improved special teams coordination and enhanced emergency response training.

There was no use of lethal force Thursday, but a nonlethal rubber ball round was used, Frakes said. One inmate was hit with a pepperball and had a welt. Several other inmates had injuries ranging from bruises to exposure to smoke from the fires that were set. None were serious or required outside medical treatment, according to prisons spokeswoman Dawn-Renee Smith.

Three staff members sought outside medical treatment because of smoke inhalation, she said.

Damage to the housing unit -- the same one in which the 2015 riot occurred -- included destruction of 28 toilets, 25 windows, doors, ceiling tiles, security cameras, flooring, ice machines, microwaves, steel benches and a basketball hoop. Repairs are underway, Frakes said.

He said there was no intelligence to provide a warning to Thursday's incident, not even unusual tension among inmates.

A critical incident review will be done by a team requested from the National Institute of Corrections, Frakes said. That will get underway about March 20 and probably take two to three weeks.

"We need a thorough review of what occurred, as well as any environmental factors that may have contributed to the incident," he said.

In the meantime, 30 inmates have been placed on immediate segregation at the prison, and the investigation could result in more inmates assigned to restrictive housing, Smith said.

The Nebraska State Patrol is leading the criminal investigation, and the Nebraska State Fire Marshal is investigating the fires. Corrections staff and investigators will also conduct an internal critical incident review.

"I'm confident that the criminal investigation will lead to arrests and convictions," he said.

The inmates "despicable actions" were not a reflection of the majority of inmates in Nebraska's prisons, Frakes said.

"There are issues in this agency that took 10 years to develop, and they're not issues that can be fixed in two years, unfortunately," he said. "It's a path. It's a journey. It's an incredible amount of work."

Challenges with staffing and incidences of violence have slowed progress, he said. But inmate violence is down overall.

It has been nearly two years since sex offenders Shon Collins and Donald Peacock were killed during the riot. No one has been charged in their deaths, but half a dozen men were charged in the fire and assaults.

Frakes noted that the turnover at Tecumseh has gone down over the past four months. A small number of staff, five employees, were working voluntary overtime on Thursday, he said.

Last year, turnover at the prison was 31 percent. That has lessened in the past four months, Frakes said to an annualized rate of about 20 percent.

"This is not a prison management issue," he said. "It is an individual conscience issue."

Sen. Laura Ebke, chairwoman of the Legislature's Judiciary Committee, said the Legislature has a lot of information on the prisons and department from previous investigations by the Legislature, and she will wait until the investigation is complete to determine if any further action is warranted.

"We know there are deeper problems in the department. I don't think that's any big secret," she said.

Frakes said Tecumseh remains on lockdown, but inmates are being returned to the housing unit involved in the outbreak of violence.
Treatment of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis has been greatly improved by the introduction of biologic therapies such as infliximab (which targets tumour necrosis factor alpha), but at considerable cost. A recent analysis of results from 11 published studies including 829 patients shows that a new and lower-cost biosimilar for infliximabcalled CT-P13 (Remsima/Inflectra)has excellent clinical efficacy and safety.

Biosimilars are highly similar versions of complex biologic therapies. CT-P13 has been recently approved in the United States, the European Union, Australia, Canada, Japan, and many other countries.

"Meta-analyses of the efficacy among these studies showed that induction of clinical response in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis was achieved in over 70% of patients at short (8-14 weeks) and medium (24-30 weeks) terms," said Dr. Atsushi Sakurab, senior author of the Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics analysis.

"Analysis of safety also showed that adverse effects related to CP-T13 were rare," said lead author Dr. Yuga Komaki. "Furthermore, the pooled rates of sustained clinical responses after switching from infliximab to CT-P13 remained high at 75% to 96% through a period of 1 year."

The authors noted that the results of their comprehensive analysis will help guide physicians to confidently and safely initiate or transition patients to CP-T13.

More information: Y. Komaki et al, Systematic review with meta-analysis: the efficacy and safety of CT-P13, a biosimilar of anti-tumour necrosis factor- agent (infliximab), in inflammatory bowel diseases, Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2017). Y. Komaki et al, Systematic review with meta-analysis: the efficacy and safety of CT-P13, a biosimilar of anti-tumour necrosis factor- agent (infliximab), in inflammatory bowel diseases,(2017). DOI: 10.1111/apt.13990
Credit: CDC

For Bruno Moonen, Deputy Director for malaria at the Global Health Program, eradication is the only equitable and sustainable solution.

He points out that the world has already committed to malaria eradication, albeit without a target dateand that malaria endemic regions "are setting ambitious elimination targets, showing a clear demand for, and commitment to, regional elimination and, eventually, global eradication."

He believes the alternative, indefinite control, is not sustainable, saying this "would require constant investment in research and development to stay ahead of an ever evolving parasite and vector."

Countries that eliminate, on the other hand, are more likely to remain malaria-free," he writes. And he calls for a recommitment by the World Health Assembly to malaria eradication as "a strong sign of support for the regional elimination ambitions."

However, he argues that "this should not be a commitment to a campaign that is based on a single tool, effected through an all-in global effort that needs to continue everywhere until the last parasite is exterminated.

Instead, it should be "a global commitment to support parallel regional elimination efforts combined with sustained investments in research to develop the necessary tools and to tackle the yet unknown challenges of the future."

But Clive Shiff, Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, believes the necessary huge investment could be better spent.

"We should promote the management of health services rather than commit massive funds to attempt to eradicate malaria in the near future," he writes.

His reasons include the fact that governments of many endemic countries have other priorities, while local wars as well as unstable, reluctant, or impoverished administrations, "mean many cannot commit the concerted effort necessary to achieve eradication."

He questions whether eradication efforts could be properly integrated and funded, and whether national health ministries could manage and coordinate the resources necessary for eradication.

Eradication requires elimination of all cases, even of subclinical infection, he explains, meaning that however implemented, eradication would be costly.

"Proper management of malaria seems the sensible route. Investing to integrate malaria control into functional local public health systems would be sustainable at a manageable expense. It would also help bolster local infrastructure and the local public health service as well as ensuring that malaria is kept under control and no longer of public health importance," he concludes.

More information: Should we commit to eradicate malaria worldwide? Should we commit to eradicate malaria worldwide? www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i916
Micro-cracks inside bone samples from patients treated with bisphosphonate. Credit: Imperial College London

A type of drug used to treat weak bones is associated with an increased risk of 'micro-cracks' in bone, according to new research.

The early-stage research, by scientists at Imperial College London, suggests these microcracks may reduce mechanical strength of the bone.

In the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers studied bone samples from 16 people who had been diagnosed with the weak bone condition osteoporosis.

All of the patients had suffered a broken hip, and half of the patients had been taking a type of commonly-prescribed drug called bisphosphonate.

The team then used X-rays from the Diamond synchrotron to visualize the structure of bone at a high resolution.

They found that the bones of people taking the drugs not only had a larger number of tiny cracks, but also had less mechanical strength.

The team said there is now an urgent need to further investigate these findings - though they stressed that patients should not stop taking the medication if they have been prescribed the drugs by their doctor.

Dr Richard Abel, lead author of the research from the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial, said: "Although this is a very small, early-stage study, the results are quite startling, and justify follow-up studies.

"These microcracks are like the small cracks that emerge when you repeatedly flex a plastic ruler - they gradually weaken the structure and may potentially make it more prone to breaking."

Osteoporosis causes bones to weaken, making them more fragile and prone to breaks. The condition, which affects 3 million people in the U.K. and 200 million worldwide, usually strikes the over-65s.

The most common fractures are of the hip, wrist and spine.

Bone is regularly renewed throughout life, and constantly broken down and remade. But in osteoporosis, breakdown outpaces rebuilding.

This is due to the cells that break down bone, called osteoclasts, becoming over-active and burrowing holes, or perforations, into the bone.

Bisphosphonates slow the rate at which bone is broken down, by reducing osteoclast activity.

These drugs, for which there are thought to be around 6.5 million prescriptions every year in the UK and 190 million globally, have been found to prevent the risk of fracture by 30-50 per cent.

However, in recent years doctors have become increasingly concerned that the drugs may prevent breakdown to such an extent that in rare cases it may actually increase the risk of fracture.

This is because osteoclasts are needed to remove old, damaged bone so that it can be replaced with new bone.

However, if these cells become too sluggish, bones aren't refreshed as often as they should be - which leaves them more prone to damage.

To investigate this, the researchers in the current paper analysed the cracks and perforations in the microstructure of bone, which have rarely been studied.

This microscale structure of bone is not visible using standard X-ray equipment in labs or hospitals - which is the conventional way bone thinning is detected. Therefore, the researchers used a particle accelerator - the Diamond Light Source in Oxford - to analyse samples of bone.

They studied eight hip bone samples from patients who had suffered a fracture while taking bisphosphonates, and eight samples from patients who had suffered a fracture but had not been taking the medication.

These samples had been collected from patients during hip replacement procedures. The patients were between 60-90 years old.

The team also studied hip bone samples from patients who did not have osteoporosis and had not experienced a hip fracture.

They also tested the mechanical strength of the bone samples.

The results revealed that the bones of people who had been taking bisphosphonates had 24 per cent more microcracks than the bones of people who had not been taking the drugs, and 54 per cent more than healthy ageing bone.

However, as expected, the bones of people who were taking bisphosphonates were also found to have fewer holes.

But despite this, the bones from patients treated with bisphosphonates were also found to be 33 per cent weaker than people who had suffered fractures but were not taking bisphosphonates.

The researchers used various mathematical models to confirm the differences were statistically significant.

Dr Abel explained: "This research suggests that, in a small number of patients, rather than protecting against fractures bisphosphonates may actually may make bones more fragile. We now urgently need larger studies to confirm this finding."

He added that further studies would also provide insight into whether there is an ideal length of time to prescribe the drugs.

"There may be a crucial time point between holes in the bone being prevented, and microcracks beginning to form. If we can find this, we may be able to ensure bisphosphonates provide maximum protection against fractures by personalising the duration of treatment.

"Long term we may need to develop other therapies that treat osteoporosis by building new bone rather than slowing the breakdown of old bone".

He said the team will now investigate whether microcracks form in patients who have taken bisphosphonates but not sustained fractures.

"Not only did we look at a very small number of samples in our study, but we also looked solely at patients who had suffered a broken hip. Further work needs to investigate whether the bones of osteoporosis patients who have not had a fracture also have these microcracks."

The study was funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the Michael Uren Foundation.

"It is great to see how our visualization tools have provided an insight into the microcracks" says Professor Lauren Chapon, Director of Physical Sciences, Diamond Light Source.

"The X-rays used to map these usually help people engineering or environmental problems, so it is good to see how physical sciences' tools have benefited medical research."
For months, Teresa Christensen's 87-year-old mother, Genevieve, complained of pain from a nasty sore on her right foot. She stopped going to church. She couldn't sleep at night. Eventually, she stopped walking except when absolutely necessary.

Her primary care doctor prescribed three antibiotics, one after another. None worked.

"Doctor, can't we do some further tests?" Teresa Christensen remembered asking. "I felt that he was looking through my mother instead of looking at her."

Referred to a wound clinic, Genevieve was diagnosed with a venous ulcer, resulting from poor circulation in her legs. A few weeks ago, she had a successful procedure to correct the problem and returned home to the house where she's lived for more than 50 years in Cottage Grove, Minn., a suburb of St. Paul.

Would her mother benefit from seeing a geriatrician going forward, wondered Christensen, her mother's primary caregiver, in an email to me? And, if so, how would she go about finding one?

I reached out to several medical experts, and they agreed that a specialist in geriatrics could help a patient like Genevieve, with a history of breast cancer and heart failure, who'd had open heart surgery at age 84 and whose mobility was now compromised.

Geriatricians are "experts in complexity," said Dr. Eric Widera, director of the geriatrics medicine fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco.

No one better understands how multiple medical problems interact in older people and affect their quality of life than these specialists on aging. But their role in the health care system remains poorly understood and their expertise underused.

Interviews with geriatricians offer insights useful to older adults and their families:

Basic knowledge. Geriatricians are typically internists or family physicians who have spent an extra year becoming trained in the unique health care needs of older adults.

They're among the rarest of medical specialties. In 2016, there were 7,293 geriatricians in the U.S. - fewer than two years before, according to the American Geriatrics Society.

Geriatricians can serve as primary care doctors, mostly to people in their 70s, 80s and older who have multiple medical conditions. They also provide consultations and work in interdisciplinary medical teams caring for older patients.

Recognizing that training programs can't meet expected demand as the population ages, the specialty has launched programs to educate other physicians in the principles of geriatric medicine.

"We've been trying to get all clinicians trained in what we call the '101 level' of geriatrics," said Dr. Rosanne Leipzig, a professor of geriatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

Essential competencies. Researchers have spent considerable time over the past several years examining what, exactly, geriatricians do.

A 2014 article by Leipzig and multiple co-authors defined 12 essential competencies, including optimizing older adults' functioning and well-being; helping seniors and their families clarify their goals for care and shaping care plans accordingly; comprehensive medication management; extensive care coordination; and providing palliative and end-of-life care, among others skills.

Underlying these skills is an expert understanding how older adults' bodies, minds and lives differ from middle-age adults.

"We take a much broader history that looks at what our patients can and can't do, how they're getting along in their environment, how they see their future, their support systems, and their integration in the community," said Dr. Kathryn Eubank, medical director of the Acute Care for Elders unit at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center. "And when a problem arises with a patient, we tend to ask 'How do we put this in the context of other concerns that might be contributing?'"

Geriatric syndromes. Another essential competency is a focus on issues that other primary care doctors often neglect - notably falls, incontinence, muscle weakness, frailty, fatigue, cognitive impairment and delirium. In medicine, these are known as "geriatric syndromes."

"If you're losing weight, you're falling, you can't climb a flight of stairs, you're tired all the time, you're unhappy and you're on 10 or more medications, go see a geriatrician," said Dr. John Morley, professor of geriatrics at Saint Louis University.

"Much of what we do is get rid of treatments prescribed by other physicians that aren't working," Morley continued.

Recently, he wrote of an 88-year-old patient with metastasized prostate cancer who was on 26 medications. The older man was troubled by profound fatigue, which dissipated after Morley took him off all but one medication. (Most of the drugs had minimal expected benefit for someone at the end of life.) The patient died peacefully eight months later.

Eubank tells of an 80-year-old combative and confused patient whom her team saw in the hospital after one of his legs had been amputated. Although physicians recognized the patient was delirious, they had prescribed medications that worsened that condition, given him insufficient pain relief and overlooked his constipation.

"Medications contributing to the patient's delirium were stopped. We made his room quieter so he was disturbed less and stopped staff from interrupting his sleep between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.," Eubank said. "We worked to get him up out of bed, normalized his life as much as possible and made sure he got a pocket talker [hearing device] so he could hear what was going on."

Over the next four days, the patient improved every day and was successfully discharged to rehabilitation.

Finding help. A geriatric consultation typically involves two appointments: one to conduct a comprehensive assessment of your physical, psychological, cognitive and social functioning, and another to go over a proposed plan of care.

The American Geriatrics Society has a geriatrician-finder on its website - a useful resource. Also, you can check whether a nearby medical school or academic medical center has a department of geriatrics.

Many doctors claim competency in caring for older adults. Be concerned if they fail to go over your medications carefully, if they don't ask about geriatric syndromes or if they don't inquire about the goals you have for your care, advised Dr. Mindy Fain, chief of geriatrics and co-director of the Arizona Center on Aging at the University of Arizona.

Also, don't hesitate to ask pointed questions: Has this doctor had any additional training in geriatric care? Does she approach the care of older adults differently - if so, how? Are there certain medications she doesn't use?

"You'll be able to see in the physician's mannerisms and response if she takes you seriously," Leipzig said.

If not, keep looking for one who does.

2017 Kaiser Health News

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Associate Professor David Ackerley. Credit: Victoria University

Research led by Associate Professor David Ackerley, director of Victoria's Biotechnology programme, has underpinned the development of a new form of chemotherapy that exclusively targets cancer cells.

A key goal of this chemotherapy is a more targeted treatment method that results in fewer side effects for cancer patients.

To achieve this goal, Associate Professor Ackerley and his team engineered enzymes that can transform a relatively safe and non-toxic compound (a "pro-drug") into a drug that is highly toxic to cancer cells.

The genes encoding these enzymes are delivered to cancer cells using viruses or bacteria that are only able to replicate in tumours.

The pro-drug the team worked with is called PR-104A, and was developed by scientists at the University of Auckland, including Associate Professor Ackerley's collaborators on this study, Associate Professor Adam Patterson and Dr Jeff Smaill.

"The enzyme we started with was moderately active with PR-104A," says Associate Professor Ackerley. "However, this was purely by chancenature has never evolved enzymes to recognise these very artificial types of molecules.

"We reasoned that by mimicking evolution in the laboratoryby introducing random mutations into the gene encoding our target enzyme, then selecting the tiny minority of variants where chance mutations had improved activitywe might eventually achieve a more specialised enzyme that could more effectively activate PR-104A."

Not only is the team's artificially evolved enzyme significantly better at activating PR-104A within living cells, it also addresses another major problemhow to keep track of the microbes in patients to make sure they are only infecting cancerous cells.

"A unique aspect of our work is that our enzymes can also trap radioactive molecules called 'positron emission tomography (PET) probes'," says Associate Professor Ackerley. "We hope that this will allow a clinician to put a patient in a full body PET scanner to safely identify the regions where the microbes are replicating."

The team's research has been published in this month's edition of high-profile research journal Cell Chemical Biology, and has been supported by several New Zealand funding agencies including the Marsden Fund managed by the Royal Society of New Zealand, the Health Research Council of New Zealand and the New Zealand Cancer Society.

In ongoing work, Dr Smaill and Associate Professor Patterson have been developing more effective pro-drugs to partner with Associate Professor Ackerley's enzymes. The team has been collaborating with groups at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom and Maastricht University in the Netherlands, aiming to progress the therapy into clinical trials in cancer patients.

More information: Janine N. Copp et al. Engineering a Multifunctional Nitroreductase for Improved Activation of Prodrugs and PET Probes for Cancer Gene Therapy, Cell Chemical Biology (2017). Journal information: Cell Chemical Biology Janine N. Copp et al. Engineering a Multifunctional Nitroreductase for Improved Activation of Prodrugs and PET Probes for Cancer Gene Therapy,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2017.02.005
Credit: Loughborough University

A Loughborough academic has warned the UK is facing a public health disaster if the issue of overheating in homes is not tackled.

Professor Kevin Lomas, an internationally acclaimed expert in building simulation, says the next heat wave to hit the country could have grave consequences for the most vulnerable in our society, as the country now has a housing stock unable to keep cool in the warmer months.

New research provides clear measured evidence of overheating across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and outlines the health risks that inhabitants face due to heat stress experienced in their homes.

The issue is the result of new housing being heavily insulated to meet environmental targets, Government schemes which encourage owners of older properties to retrofit insulation, the creation of more high-rise properties and poor building design.

Researchers from the University's School of Civil and Building Engineering, led by Professor Lomas, collected indoor temperature data from close to 800 homes across England.

They found that many homes experience summertime temperatures that are uncomfortably warm, even in mild summers, and that temperatures are higher in tower blocks and homes occupied by the elderly.

The team has also measured temperatures on wards in four English hospitals, the results of which show that the very places that should provide a safe haven from summer heat are also prone to overheating.

The European heatwave of 2003 led to the premature deaths of around 15,000 people, and with climate change causing warmer summers and more frequent and intense heatwaves, deaths related to overheating could triple by 2040.

"Despite the major health risks associated with overheating, particularly for the old and the very young, the focus of the UK building regulations remains on keeping people warm in the winter and not cool in the summer," explains Professor Lomas. "But there needs to be a philosophical shift in the regulations to also include building adaptation measures.

"We need the Government to listen to what the experts in academia and industry are saying  that urgent action needs to be taken to ensure the people of the UK, and in particular the most vulnerable in our society, are not left at risk from overheating."

Professor Lomas has proposed the following measures to try and combat the problem:

Develop regulations to stop the building of homes that are highly likely to overheat in the summer

Provide people with simple ways to regulate the temperatures in their home, such as easy-to-open windows and shading

Provide advice and guidance so people use the cooling opportunities they have at the right time in the right way. For example opening windows at night to let in cool air but closing windows to the daytime heat.

A recent special issue of the journal Building Research and Information 'Overheating in buildings: adaptation responses' was edited by Professor Lomas and Dr Stephen Porritt, also of Loughborough University. It pulls together research from several UK universities, and the work can be downloaded here.

More information: Kevin J. Lomas et al. Overheating in buildings: lessons from research, Building Research & Information (2016). Kevin J. Lomas et al. Overheating in buildings: lessons from research,(2016). DOI: 10.1080/09613218.2017.1256136
Staphylococcus aureus - Antibiotics Test plate. Credit: CDC

There has been much recent talk about how to target the rising tide of antibiotic resistance across the world, one of the biggest threats to global health today.

While there is no doubting the size of the problem facing scientists, healthcare professionals and the pharmaceutical industry, there are innovative ways we can target antibiotic resistance in the short term, which are discussed in three articles published in Essays in Biochemistry.

With only a few antibiotics in development and a long drug development process (often 10-15 years), there is concern that what is being done to combat antibiotic resistance may be 'too little, too late'.

"If bacteria continue developing resistance to multiple antibiotics at the present rate, at the same time as the antibiotic pipeline continues to dry up, there could be catastrophic costs to healthcare and society globally," said senior co-author on one of the articles, Dr Tony Velkov, an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Career Development Fellow from Monash University, Victoria, Australia.

While any antimicrobial resistance is concerning, the increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria has become a particular problem as strains resistant to multiple antibiotics are becoming common and no new drugs to treat these infections (eg, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae) will be available in the near future. These Gram-negative bacteria are considered the most critical priority in the list of the 12 families of bacteria that pose the greatest threat to human health that was just released by the World Health Organization.

The reasons for the high levels of antimicrobial resistance observed in these critical Gram-negative organisms are explained in another paper in the same issue written by the Guest Editor of the journal, Dr Rietie Venter, University of South Australia, Adelaide, and colleagues. According to the authors, one of the main contributing factors to the increased resistance observed in Gram-negative bacteria is the permeability barrier caused by their additional outer membrane.

An innovative strategy that is gaining momentum is the synergistic use of antibiotics with FDA-approved non-antibiotics. Using this novel approach, an FDA-approved non-antibiotic drug is combined with a specific antibiotic that enables it to breach the outer membrane barrier and so restore the activity of an antibiotic. The Monash University authors discuss how combining antibiotics with other non-antibiotic drugs or compounds can boost their effectiveness against Gram-negative 'superbugs'.

For example, loperamide, an anti-diarrheal medication sold in most pharmacies, enhances the effectiveness of eight different antibiotics (all in the tetracycline class). In particular, when added to the tetracycline antibiotic minocycline, along with the Parkinson's disease drug benserazide, it significantly increased antibiotic activity against multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a causative agent in hospital-acquired infections such as ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Polymyxins are a type of antibiotics that target Gram-negative bacterial infections and have traditionally been used as a last resort to treat serious infections such as those caused by Gram-negative 'superbugs' Klebsiella pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Resistance to polymyxins is not common, but in late 2015 the first transferable resistance gene to colistin (polymyxin E) was discovered (plasmid-borne mcr-1 gene). This caused significant concerns, as once resistance to polymyxins is established, often no other treatments are available.

A number of researchers, including the team based at Monash University, have been testing different combinations of drugs or compounds with polymyxins to try and improve their effectiveness against these bacterial 'superbugs'.

"Without new antibiotics in the near future, we must explore innovative approaches to preserve the clinical utility of important last-line antibiotics such as the polymyxins." commented senior co-author on the paper, Professor Jian Li, Head of the Laboratory of Antimicrobial Systems Pharmacology from Monash University, Victoria, Australia.

Some interesting findings have ensued, with a number of different combinations having a beneficial effect. Some notable examples that increased antibiotic activity when combined with polymyxin B include: ivacaftor and lumacaftor, two new drugs used to treat cystic fibrosis; and closantel, a drug used to treat parasitic worm infections.

Another interesting combination that has shown promise against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according to Schneider and co-authors, is combining the antibiotics ampicillin or oxacillin with berberine. Berberine is extracted from the roots, stems and bark of plants such as barberry.

In another paper in the same issue of Essays in Biochemistry, Dr Mark Blaskovich, Program Coordinator, Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery and colleagues from the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, describe the key ways they believe antimicrobial resistance can be targeted.

"In the short term, the greatest potential for reducing further development of antimicrobial resistance lies in developing a rapid test that can quickly tell whether or not you have a bacterial infection (as opposed to a viral cold or flu), and whether you really need an antibiotic," commented Blaskovich.

"Even better if the test could say what type of bacteria, and what types of antibiotics it is resistant to. You could then treat an infection immediately with the appropriate antibiotic, rather than the trial and error method now used. These tests could be ready within the next 5 years, and would have a huge impact on reducing unnecessary antibiotic use, preserving our existing antibiotics and reducing the spread of antibiotic resistance."

Regarding antibiotics in particular, Blaskovich and colleagues describe a number of possible strategies to pursue. The first of which is to improve existing antibiotics. For example, the authors recently created a modified version of the antibiotic vancomycin to increase its potency and reduce its toxic side effects.

Another option is to rediscover 'old' antibiotics. In the 1950s and 60s many potential antibiotic drugs were described in the scientific literature, but due to so many choices being available at the time, only some were developed for human use. An example of this is octapeptins, which are newly rediscovered antibiotics that are now being developed to combat Gram-negative 'superbugs'.

Repurposing drugs originally developed and approved for other uses has also had some success. In 2005, the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative identified fexinadole as a potential treatment for sleeping sickness and it is now undergoing a Phase III trial. This drug had been developed as an antimicrobial in the 1970s, but only reached pre-clinical development.

In addition to the above, researchers are looking for new, untested sources of antimicrobial activity to try and develop new drugs. A recent success in this area was, teixobactin, a new antibiotic developed by NovoBiotic Pharmaceuticals, discovered by using an 'iChip' to culture and isolate soil bacteria in situ.

A final option, mentioned by Blaskovich and colleagues, is crowdsourcing new antibiotics. Using this approach, the Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery, is searching for new chemical diversity by searching compounds sourced from academic chemists from around the world.

"It's hard to predict which one of these methods will be the most successful in the future, but we really need to be trying all of them to have any chance of overcoming antibiotic resistance," said Blaskovich.

"Non-antibiotic strategies are just as important, such as developing vaccines or probiotic therapies to prevent infections, as they can help to reduce the overuse of antibiotics. They will never completely replace antibiotics, but can help to preserve our existing antibiotics so they still work when needed."

Overall, these articles and others in the new antimicrobial resistance themed issue of Essays in Biochemistry give us hope that there are viable solutions being developed to this seemingly unsurmountable global problem. It is important that all possible avenues are considered, as some less obvious approaches may end up being sources of future success.

Dr Derry Mercer, Principal Scientist at NovaBiotics Ltd, a company that specialises in developing new antimicrobials, commented: "Research and development into new antimicrobials remains a vitally important pursuit for combatting the problem of antibiotic resistance, but alternative approaches to this problem are also urgently needed."

He added: "Such methods include those described in the papers in the latest issue of Essays in Biochemistry, as well as vaccine development and bacteriophage therapy, to name a few. Approaches that target microbial virulence, for example targeting biofilms and/or quorum sensing, rather than more traditional directly antimicrobial drugs should also be urgently examined."

More information: 1. Schneider, Elena K et al. (2017) Antibiotic-Non-Antibiotic Combinations for Combating Extremely Drug-Resistant Gram-Negative 'Superbugs. Essays in Biochemistry 61.1: 115-125. 1. Schneider, Elena K et al. (2017) Antibiotic-Non-Antibiotic Combinations for Combating Extremely Drug-Resistant Gram-Negative 'Superbugs.61.1: 115-125. essays.biochemistry.org/content/61/1/115 2. Arzanlou, Mohsen, Wern Chern Chai, and Henrietta Venter. (2017). Intrinsic, Adaptive and Acquired Antimicrobial Resistance In Gram-Negative Bacteria". Essays in Biochemistry 61.1: 49-59. essays.biochemistry.org/content/61/1/103 3. Blaskovich, Mark A.T, Mark S. Butler, and Matthew A. Cooper. (2017) Polishing The Tarnished Silver Bullet: The Quest for New Antibiotics". Essays in Biochemistry 61.1: 103-114. essays.biochemistry.org/content/61/1/49

Provided by Biochemical Society
(HealthDay)Maybe it's a new soap or the dry, cold weather that has turned your hands red and itchy.

"There are many reasons for hand rashes," said Dr. Melissa Piliang, a board-certified dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

And the source of the problem isn't always obvious, she and other skin doctors say.

An allergy to a new soap or something else you've touched can bring on a hand rash, but it could also reflect something going on inside your body, Piliang said in a news release from the American Academy of Dermatology.

"The most common cause is eczema," Piliang said. Eczema is the term for different conditions that cause skin inflammation and irritation.

"But some hand rashes may have an allergic cause. Sometimes, an allergy can develop after years of touching the same things daily without a problem, like your wedding ring, skin care products or foods such as fish, garlic or citrus fruits," she explained.

There are some steps people can take to prevent hand rashes. Piliang provided the following tips:

Wear gloves. Protect your hands with gloves while doing housework, gardening or using chemicals, such as dyes, detergents and cleaners. Replace gloves that have holes and never wear them when they are wet.

Protect your hands with gloves while doing housework, gardening or using chemicals, such as dyes, detergents and cleaners. Replace gloves that have holes and never wear them when they are wet. Stay warm. Cold temperatures can dry out the skin, making it more susceptible to a rash. Wearing warm or insulated gloves when it's cold outside can help the skin stay moisturized.

Cold temperatures can dry out the skin, making it more susceptible to a rash. Wearing warm or insulated gloves when it's cold outside can help the skin stay moisturized. Use gentle soap. Washing hands with harsh or irritating soaps can lead to a skin rash. Use warm water and a mild cleanser or beauty bar to gently cleanse the skin.

Washing hands with harsh or irritating soaps can lead to a skin rash. Use warm water and a mild cleanser or beauty bar to gently cleanse the skin. Moisturize regularly. Apply moisturizer right after washing your hands throughout the day. Opt for products that contain glycerin or petroleum jelly.

"Thousands of things can cause a hand rash, yet most hand rashes look a lot alike to the untrained eye," said Piliang. "If you get a hand rash, see a board-certified dermatologist to help identify the cause and prevent it from becoming painful or disabling."

Hand rashes are often treated with non-prescription cream, lotion or prescription medication, the dermatologists' group notes. Doctors who suspect their patient has an allergy may recommend a skin test, called patch testing.

More information: The American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology The American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology offers a skin allergy quiz

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Transmission electron microscope image of negative-stained, Fortaleza-strain Zika virus (red), isolated from a microcephaly case in Brazil. The virus is associated with cellular membranes in the center. Credit: NIAID

As warmer temperatures herald the arrival of pesky mosquitoes, researchers are feverishly working on several promising vaccines against Zika, a virus notorious for infecting humans through this insect's bite.

The speed and debilitating effects of last year's Zika outbreak in the Western Hemisphere prompted a sprint to develop a vaccine. Just a little more than a year after the pandemic was declared a global health emergency, a handful of candidates are undergoing preliminary testing in humans.

But researchers say the uncertainty over whether the Zika epidemic will continue affects their ability to finish testing. They need locations with an active viral outbreak to conduct large-scale human trials and make sure the vaccine actually protects against disease.

"On one hand, you don't want to see outbreaks of infection," said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "But on the other hand, (without that testing) you might have to wait a long time to make sure that the vaccine works."

All the vaccines currently being tested are in Phase I clinical trials, which means they are being tested for safety in a small number of people. According to a review paper published Tuesday in the journal Immunity, the vaccines represent a variety of scientific techniques to thwart the disease, ranging from inactivating the virus to manipulating its DNA.

The NIAID announced Tuesday it is launching yet another Phase I trial for a vaccine made out of proteins found in mosquito saliva. The product is intended to trigger a human immune system response to the mosquito's saliva and any viruses mixed with it. If successful, the product could protect humans against a spectrum of mosquito-transmitted diseases, including Zika.

Col. Nelson Michael, director of the U.S. Military HIV Research Program at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and co-author of the paper, said he expects preliminary reports on the safety of some of the older vaccines in April. As of now, he said, it is impossible to guess which vaccine will prove most effective in providing immunity.

"Sometimes it's difficult to predict which horse will win the race," Michael said.

Zika - which is spread from infected people to others by mosquito bites or sexual contact, often infects people without showing symptoms. In some cases, it causes flu-like symptoms, such as fever, muscle aches and joint pain in adults - and, in rare cases, Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can cause temporary paralysis. But it is most notorious for causing some children to be born with microcephaly - a birth defect in which a child's head is smaller than the average size - if their mothers were exposed to Zika.

The virus garnered international attention after hundreds of cases of disabled babies surfaced in Brazil. It quickly swept through South America and the Caribbean before stopping on the southern coast of the U.S.

The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern" on Feb. 1, 2016, then ended the alert on Nov. 18.

Vaccines that meet the safety standard in Phase I clinical trials undergo subsequent rounds of testing to gauge effectiveness. To measure this, researchers rely on the gold standard of administering the vaccine to large number of individuals already exposed to the virus. However, Zika's recent arrival to the Western Hemisphere means researchers don't know whether the virus will become a perennial threat, or a one-time explosion.

The uncertainty poses several implications for the surge in Zika vaccine development. A lull in the outbreak could cause significant delays in testing, pushing back the timetable for a commercially available product, Fauci said.

While researchers can use alternative methods to measure efficacy without large-scale testing, a decline in the circulation of the Zika virus could set progress back by years because the vaccine testing would be ineffective.

"If we don't get a lot of infections this season in South America and Puerto Rico, it may take years to make sure the vaccine works," he said.

Fauci expects to launch the next round of human trials for a DNA vaccine developed by the NIAID next month.

Michael also worries that a lag in the number of Zika cases could lead the private sector to pull funds from vaccine development. It takes millions of dollars to develop a drug or vaccine, and pharmaceutical companies play a critical role in making and manufacturing them, he said. But those companies have many competing interests, he noted, and if it is hard to test a vaccine this year, the public and private Zika prevention efforts may turn their attention elsewhere.

"This is a constant issue where you put your resources," he said.

So far, signs suggest that the climate could be ripe for Zika again this year. Warmer-than-usual temperatures are affecting areas across the Western Hemisphere, CBS reported, including hotbeds of the Zika outbreaks in Brazil. The higher temperatures increase the voracity of Zika's main transmitter, the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

In the United States, areas with populations of the Aedes aegypti are closely monitoring their numbers. Last year, Texas and Florida dealt with locally acquired cases of Zika infection.

In Texas, public health officials have monitored mosquito populations throughout the winter to track their numbers and any presence of the virus. Despite unseasonably warm weather, said Chris Van Deusen, spokesman for the Texas Department of State Health Services, they have seen lower numbers of the Aedes aegypti and no cases of Zika.

Van Deusen said the state is also monitoring the outbreak in Mexico, since heavy traffic across the border increases the possibility of transmission. Officials are expecting another outbreak of locally transmitted cases of disease, Van Deusen said.

"There's so many factors that go into it, it's really impossible to make an ironclad prediction," he said.

2017 Kaiser Health News

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A University of Nebraska-Lincoln police sergeant was cited for drunk driving last month.

Zachary Byers, 36, was pulled over on Interstate 180 at 2:33 a.m. Feb. 23 by a state trooper for a traffic violation, Nebraska State Patrol Lt. Col. Tom Schwarten said.

He said the trooper conducted a drunk driving investigation, and Byers' blood-alcohol level tested .194 percent, more than twice the legal limit for driving.

No charges have not been filed at this time. Byers is listed as a patrol sergeant for the agency.

"The university is aware of this case and is addressing it," UNL spokesman Steve Smith said. "According to policy, employees with driving records involving a violation of this nature cannot operate university vehicles for 36 months.

Byers is still employed by UNL, Smith said. Byers has been with UNLPD since 2001.
Credit: shutterstock.com/Rice University

A rise in the use of synthetic cannabinoids (syncans) in Houston has prompted law enforcement officials to target sellers and users of the drug. However, taking a public-health-based approach toward curbing the use of syncans, which have caused dangerous and sometimes fatal side effects in extreme cases, may be a more effective use of city resources, according to a new report from a drug policy expert at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Marketed as "legal weed," syncans are not marijuana, according to the report's author, Katharine Neill, the Baker Institute's Alfred C. Glassell III Postdoctoral Fellow in Drug Policy. Known by a variety of names, including Kush, K2 and Spice and often sold in colorful packaging, syncans are manufactured chemical compounds that are usually sprayed on plant material to be smoked, but they are also available in liquid form. They are theoretically supposed to behave like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive element in cannabis, but in reality they tend to have a much broader and more intense array of side effects than natural cannabis, Neill said.

"Houston, like other cities across the U.S., has been significantly affected by rising syncan misuse," Neill wrote. "Users are attracted to the drugs because they are inexpensive and undetectable by traditional drug testing methods, yet they elicit a powerful high. To a nonuser, the drugs can only be seen as trouble; their effects are unpredictable, sometimes leading to violent reactions or medical complications, and they appear to offer no redeeming benefits, medical or otherwise. They have been a challenge for first responders, who have had to divert resources from other calls to respond to syncan users. Their use in public spaces, such as (Houston's) Hermann Park, has made their adverse effects visible, causing consternation among the broader public, which is disturbed by the sight of homeless people and others walking in the street and behaving erratically."

Neill's paper, "Fake Weed, Real Consequences: Effective Strategies for Addressing Synthetic Cannabinoids in Houston," reviews the current state of syncan use and some of the factors that have led to the popularity of these designer drugs. It also examines the extent of the syncan problem in Houston and the city's response to date, which, so far, has emphasized targeting users and sellers through law enforcement resources, Neill said. "The city's efforts to crack down on businesses selling syncans should be commended, as should its pilot Public Intoxication Team," Neill wrote. "Yet there are opportunities for improvement."

A 2014 ban on possession, manufacture and sale of syncans issued by the Houston City Council has had little effect on problematic use, Neill found. While data are limited, anecdotal evidence suggests problematic syncan use has been increasing. The Houston Recovery Center reports that between April and October 2014, around the time the city ban was passed, only 3 percent of the center's admissions were for syncan use; two years later that figure had surged to 28 percent of admissions. Between September 2015 and June 30, 2016, nearly half of the 3,000 drug-overdose calls that the city's emergency medical services received were syncan-related, straining emergency response resources.

Neill outlines several ways in which Houston can better respond to syncan use. These include increasing data collection to inform policy decisions; starting a public awareness campaign founded on partnerships with community organizations; renewing and expanding the Public Intoxication Team, which has demonstrated success in responding to syncan use; decriminalizing syncan possession and use; and diverting individuals found in possession or under the influence of syncans to the Houston Recovery Center.

"Ultimately, this report urges Houston policymakers to adopt a pragmatic, public-health-based response to syncan use," Neill wrote. "The failures of the war on drugs should serve as a cautionary tale about adhering to a more punitive approach: Increasing penalties for drug use does not deter use, nor does it make the public safer, but it does waste taxpayer money and harms the vulnerable communities it targets."

More information: Fake Weed, Real Consequences: Effective Strategies for Addressing Synthetic Cannabinoids in Houston: Fake Weed, Real Consequences: Effective Strategies for Addressing Synthetic Cannabinoids in Houston: www.bakerinstitute.org/media/f  SynthCann-030117.pdf
The Honourable Scott Brison (left) and Dr. Marsha Campbell-Yeo at Wednesday's announcement event. Credit: Photo via Twitter @scottbrison

Over the past 30 years, Dr. Marsha Campbell-Yeo has seen incredible advancements in neonatal caredevelopments in technology and practice that have improved outcomes for vulnerable newborns across North America and around the world.

"However, the focus of these innovations and transformations in care has been almost exclusively directed toward health care providers and technological advancements," said Dr. Campbell Yeo, associate professor in the School of Nursing at Dal and a clinician scientist at the IWK Health Centre. "Until recently, parents have not only been underutilized in the setting of neonatal intensive care, but often excluded all together."

Getting parents involved

Dr. Campbell-Yeo and her colleagues are looking to change that. She's the academic lead of the ChezNICU Home projectan interactive virtual platform in development that lets parents and their family become more active participants in the care of their baby within the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit).

On Wednesday, the Government of Canada announced a $3 million investment in the ChezNICU technology through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency's (ACOA) Atlantic Innovation Fund. The support will help the IWK/Dal team further develop and commercialize the system.

The announcement was made at an event at the IWK Health Centre, hosted by the Honourable Scott Brison (President of the Treasury Board), on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains (Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA).

"Imagine how reassuring it will be for family members to maintain virtual contact with their children when they are unable to be with them in the hospital," said Brison. "This project will result in a universally valuable product that the IWK Health Centre can license and a key opportunity to foster new national and international collaborations."

Putting info at parents' fingertips

Nearly one in eight babies in Canada are born preterm. And researchers like Dr. Campbell-Yeo are contributing to a large and growing body of evidence showing how increased parental involvement in neonatal care improves both short- and long-term outcomes for infants and their families.

"ChezNICU Home will not replace face-to-face interaction with the health-care team, but instead strengthen relationships and augment the care provide by enhancing communication and providing accessible, standardized, up-to-date education materials," she said.

Partnering with Cisco Solutions, the IWK Health Centre's ChezNICU product will offer parents 24/7 access to information to help them navigate the complex (sometimes overwhelming) NICU environment at their own pace. They can connect and learn about their baby's care on-site, from their smartphone or tablet, or even from their home computer. The system will help parents learn at their own pace, developing confidence in being part of their baby's daily care.

"ChezNICU is a sophisticated system of digital health information, communication, teaching and support to improve the well-being and cognitive development of our most vulnerable patients while supporting their families," said Tracy Kitch, president and CEO of the IWK Health Centre. "The collective impact of this work will be realized as a result of the strong partnerships and collaborative efforts of the IWK NICU team, parents, scientists and our partners; ACOA, Dalhousie, Cisco and the IWK Foundation."

The power of partnerships

The project will also result in several research positions, including support for summer, masters and doctoral students at Dalhousie throughout the duration of the project.

"By working together, we can ensure that the research evidence generated by leading Dalhousie scientists is brought directly to the patients who need it mostand, in turn, clinicians can identify health care gaps and provide reproachers with timely and relevant research questions," added Dr. Campbell-Yeo. "The IWK and Dalhousie School of Nursing have built strong connections and are clearly making a difference in the care babies and families in Nova Scotians will receive."

Dr. Campbell-Yeo says she's grateful for the support of the partners involved, and is eager to bring the ChezNICU product to life to support parents and their families.

"ChezNICU Home is going to transform neonatal care and change the lives of infants and families at the IWK," she said. "We look forward to sharing this solution with health centres around the world and helping NICUs everywhere truly take advantage of the power of parents."
The recent return of the "which bathroom?" issue regarding transgender individuals' use of public restrooms has made me think about how I've handled sex and gender in my human genetics textbook. Over the editions, the two topics have diverged. And that's at the crux of misunderstanding.

Sex and gender through the editions

When I wrote the first edition in 1993, coverage of the X and Y chromosomes that make us female or male (sex determination) was squished into a chapter on genetic linkage. I didn't mention gender identity at all.

By the second edition, "Matters of Sex" was its own chapter, starting with a table called "Sexual Identity." The last entry was "gender identity," defined as "Strong feelings of being male or female, from childhood."

In early 1998, while writing the third edition, I read John Colapinto's unforgettable article in Rolling Stone (summarized by Colapinto here) about David Reimer (1965-2004). After David's penis was removed following a botched circumcision, his parents were pressured into raising him as a girl, and the infant underwent the first "sex reassignment" surgery performed on an anatomically normal individual. It's a complex tale. The physician regarded David (then named Brenda) as part of a science experiment of sorts by comparing her to his identical twin Brian.

Brenda/David, however, always knew he was a he, preferring boys' games and attire, even peeing standing up without knowing why. When a psychiatrist finally told him of his beginnings at age 14, David sought surgery to return to his male origin.

With David's help, Colapinto published "As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised As A Girl " in 2000. About that time, I wrote an article, "Reevaluating Sex Reassignment", for The Scientist, concluding from interviewing experts that "Both clinical trials and case reports powerfully argue for nature over nurture in establishing gender identity." On the surface, that statement could mean that a baby with a penis becomes a man and a baby with a vagina becomes a woman, no matter what. But it also argues for the power of knowing one's gender, whether one has the corresponding anatomy or not.

David Reimer's sad story entered my textbook with the third edition. The next leap in my coverage of gender happened after I met Jennifer Finney Boylan, who was born James.

My daughter Heather and I met Jennifer at a bookstore in 2003, just before publication of Jennifer's book She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders. Today she's an outspoken transgender author who predicted in a New York Times op-ed just after the election that the new president would throw out President Obama's protection of the right of transgender students to use school bathrooms matching their gender identity. Sadly she was right, even though just last April candidate Trump said that people should "use the bathroom they feel is appropriate."

At the bookstore all those years ago, Jennifer stayed afterwards to talk with Heather, who was at the time contemplating her future career as a social worker. Jennifer's bravery and kindness impressed both of us. No one would go through what she did for something trivial, for just a feeling.

So my next textbook edition included this paragraph:

"Transgender is a poorly understood condition related to sexual identity. A transgendered individual has the phenotype and sex chromosomes of one gender, but identifies extremely strongly with the opposite gender. It is a much more profound condition than transvestitism, which refers to a male who prefers women's clothing. The genetic or physical basis of transgender is not known. Some affected individuals have surgery to better match their physical selves with the gender that they feel certain they are."

It was a start. I should have replaced "feel" with "are." To my astonishment, when drafts of that edition were reviewed, instructors asked that the paragraph be removed, because they felt identifying as transgender had nothing to do with genetics.

I refused. We can't say a characteristic isn't genetic just because we don't yet have any evidence. But in the next few editions, I fielded the same request, and again ignored it. Writing a textbook brings an authority beyond a mere article or blog post, and I wanted people wondering about the role of genetics in transgender identities, and taking a course in human genetics to at least find a definition in their textbook.

Meanwhile, I started to wonder if certain genotypes in some way contribute to the overwhelming sense that gender doesn't match genes, chromosomes, or gonads.

Here's what we know: Bio 101

Sex is set, or "determined," when an X chromosome from an egg finds itself in a nucleus with an X or a Y from a sperm. XX=female: XY=male.

For six weeks, the embryo unfurls two sets of "indifferent" gonads, with two sets of plumbing. At week 6, a gene on the Y called SRY, for "sex determining region of the Y," turns on and the fledgling female parts shrivel away. Without SRY, and under guidance of other genes, the male structures vanish instead. So anatomically we all start out with a bit of both.

Mess with the genes and chromosomes behind our sexuality, and mismatches arise. A mutation in a gene called Wnt4, for example, disables the switch to femaleness, and an XX embryo drowns in testosterone. Vagina, cervix, and uterus never develop. In fact, SRY was discovered in people who looked female but were XYs missing SRY, and people who looked male but were XXs with an SRY gene plunked onto one of the X's. Another type of female with XY chromosomes has androgen insensitivity syndrome, lacking receptors on cells that bind testosterone, cutting of the hormonal signals necessary for maleness. Several historical figures supposedly had this condition.

Most fascinating is 5-alpha reductase deficiency, in which life begins as a girl, based on appearance. The enzyme to convert testosterone into the form needed to sculpt a penis isn't there, and so external male structures don't develop early on, although interior structures are male. At puberty, the adrenal glands release testosterone, as they normally do, and then the voice deepens, facial hair grows, muscles become leaner, and instead of developing breasts and menstruating, the clitoris swells into a penis and sperm are produced.

In the Dominican Republic, where 5-alpha reductase deficiency is more common due to relatives marrying relatives awhile back, these special adolescents are given their own gender name guevedoces, for "penis at age 12"  and are fully accepted as whatever they want to be. Most become fertile males. Discovery of the fact that guevedoces have small prostates led to development of the drug finasteride, which inhibits 5-alpha reductase and is used to treat enlarged prostate. The Pulitzer-prize-winning novel Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides, tells the story of a young man with the condition. It's one of my all-time favorite books.

So the X and Y chromosomes determine sex, unless a single-gene mutation intervenes and then they don't. Could gene variants, perhaps specific sets of them, somehow set the stage for the gestation of a transgender individual? For the upcoming twelfth edition of my textbook, I took a look.

Scant evidence for transgender genes

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) might be the way to go to identify genes that have variants that affect gender identity. Scan the genomes of a few hundred or thousand transgender individuals and a similar number of controls, perhaps their cisgender siblings, for a few million SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms; places in the genome where a DNA base varies in a population). Identify gene variants shared only among the trans. Then look in those genome regions for genes whose functions make sense  this might be more objective than rounding up the usual suspects, such as hormone receptors and enzymes needed to synthesize steroids.

Here's what I found:

23andme indeed conducted a GWAS in 2005, but on sexual orientation  hetero, homo, and bi. Not the same thing.

A 2008 study found a SNP in CYP17, making it a "candidate" gene for transgender individuals. Trans men were more likely to have the variant than cis women. The gene controls sex hormone production.

A just-completed clinical trial ruled out the 5-alpha reductase penis-at-12 gene (SRD5A2) as a candidate.

That's it. Or at least all I could find. Although clinicaltrials.gov lists 58 studies under "transgender," nothing much comes up in the way of genetics. The closest was the "exploration of the neovagina" study to investigate ways to entice a vaginal microbiome to flourish in a surgically created organ.

A genomewide SNP screen, or even genome sequencing, might one day identify a genetic "signature" for individuals more likely to identify as transgender. Should we even go there? I don't think so. What good could it do? People who identify as transgender already know it  it's certain others who have a problem with it. And imagine new parents of a girl told she will identify as a boy, or vice versa. What would they do? I'd say just wait and see. Let it be.

I'm not a psychologist and clearly out of my depth when matters get beyond genes and chromosomes. Comments welcome! (Are any other nerds glad to hear cis and trans outside of the context of rotation around a double carbon bond or the orientation of allele pairs?)

More information: Teenus Paramel Jayaprakash et al. High Diversity and Variability in the Vaginal Microbiome in Women following Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM): A Prospective Cohort Study, PLOS ONE (2016). Journal information: PLoS ONE Teenus Paramel Jayaprakash et al. High Diversity and Variability in the Vaginal Microbiome in Women following Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM): A Prospective Cohort Study,(2016). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166794

This story is republished courtesy of PLOS Blogs: blogs.plos.org.
Donald Trump's sexual and reproductive health policy changes threaten women in the USA and across the world, warns an expert in the Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care.

"Much progress has been made in the use of more effective contraception and in the reduction of unintended pregnancies", explains Professor Daniel Grossman from the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco.

However, he warns that "Trump's policies could roll back progress on women's health."

A concerning development is Trump's re-imposition of the Mexico City Policy, also known as the Global Gag Rule, which prevents US-funded organisations from providing, informing about, or advocating for abortion care in their countries.

"If reducing abortion were the aim of this policy," Grossman says, "it is not at all clear that this is effective," as data suggests the policy was associated with an increase in abortion in sub-Saharan African countries. This is possibly because affected organisations lost funding for contraceptive supplies.

Furthermore, Trump has made statements in support of reversing the Roe v. Wade 1973 landmark ruling that made abortion legal. While it is unclear that this ruling could be overturned, it is worrying because "state legislatures and the US Congress will certainly feel emboldened under the new administration to pass more restrictive legislation," explains Grossman.

For example, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would deny insurance coverage of abortion care to millions of women, and Trump indicated he would sign into law a federal ban on abortion after 20 weeks' gestation.

Several policy proposals have the potential to severely limit access to contraception, adds Grossman.

This includes prohibiting clinics affiliated with Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding from sources such as Medicaid, and Title X, which help low income individuals. Evidence has shown after clinics in Texas were excluded, contraceptive use declined significantly, and unintended pregnancy increased.

Furthermore, if the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, is repealed, as Trump has promised, this may lead to more restrictions.

The ACA provides women with insurance to access contraception without additional payments, and research shows women's expenditure has fallen and contraceptive use appears to have increased. The recent decline in national abortion rates has been partially related to improvement in contraceptive access and use.

"These gains may be reversed if the contraceptive coverage guarantee under the ACA disappeared," warns Grossman.

Other benefits at risk under the ACA include companies reverting to biased policies that cause women to pay more for health insurance, and the decline of well-woman visits with screening for sexually transmitted infections, and mental health and substance use disorder services.

"Perhaps most concerning," Grossman adds, "is low income individuals in states that have expanded public insurance coverage...as part of the ACA may soon find themselves lacking any health insurance if federal funding is withdrawn."

In addition, other anticipated policies could discriminate against women and lesbian, gay and transgender individuals, and impact access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services.

"It remains to be seen how many of these proposed policies will really go into effect," explains Grossman. "But regardless, it is clear that the US political war on women has reached an all-time apex. Women's health physicians have a critical role to play: we must be a loud voice in support of evidence-based health care that is unencumbered by political interference."

More information: Editorial: Sexual and reproductive health under the Trump presidency: policy change threatens women in the USA and worldwide, Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, jfprhc.bmj.com/content/early/2  0/jfprhc-2016-101699 Editorial: Sexual and reproductive health under the Trump presidency: policy change threatens women in the USA and worldwide,
A substance widely known as a villain for its role in causing obesity-related health problems has emerged as a possible hero in the fight against a debilitating genetic disorder.

Research suggests that fructose, a sugar found in honey, fruits and vegetables, makes a type of molecular treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy more effective.

Progressive muscle degeneration and weakness characterize Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which is caused by the absence of a protein, dystrophin, that helps keep muscles intact.

Symptoms usually appear around age 4, first affecting the shoulders, upper arms, hips and thighs. Patients have a hard time rising from the floor, climbing stairs, keeping their balance and raising their arms.

Ultimately, they require use of a wheelchair, and most die in their 30s when their cardiac and respiratory systems fail. Duchenne primarily affects males, and about one boy in 3,500 will be born with it.

Hong Moulton of the Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine was part of an international collaboration that looked at fructose's ability to enhance the uptake and activity of antisense oligonucleotides, or AOs. Therapy with those molecules has been shown to restore some production of dystrophin, but efficiently delivering the molecules to the muscle cells has been a challenge.

This research, which addressed the delivery challenge, involved dystrophin-deficient rodents known as mdx mice. Findings suggest that when fructose is administered along with a type of AO known as a phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer, or PMO, the AO gets into muscle cells four times better. This results in more production of dystrophin and better recovery of some muscle use. Fructose also enhanced delivery of a PMO conjugated to a cell-penetrating peptide, a molecule known as a PPMO.

"We don't yet understand the mechanism," Moulton said. "Maybe it's that the fructose is an energy source that enhances uptake, because uptake in muscle cells requires energy. But right now the mechanism is unknown."

Compared with other delivery technologies, fructose has low toxicity, making it both safe and efficient. No weight gain or any abnormal behavior was observed in the mice in the study.

The findings by Moulton, HaiFang Yin's research group at China's Tianjin Medical University and collaborators at Singapore's Agency for Science Technology and Research were recently published in the journal Molecular Therapy  Nucleic Acids. The results follow the Food and Drug Administration's 2016 approval of Eteplirsen  the first drug approved for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in the United States.

Eteplirsen is also the first PMO to win FDA approval, as well as the first oligonucleotide that modulates gene splicing  which is how PMOs can promote the production of dystrophin.

Soon the delivery-enhanced PPMO, a drug type pioneered by Moulton, will enter clinical trials for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

"Currently the approved drug has minimal efficacy, and the underlying problem is the morpholino by itself has very limited muscle uptake," Moulton said. "If you can get more material into the muscle, then you can have more dystrophin produced. The fructose approach we studied can do that."

More information: Limin Cao et al. Fructose Promotes Uptake and Activity of Oligonucleotides With Different Chemistries in a Context-dependent Manner in mdx Mice, Molecular Therapy - Nucleic Acids (2016). Limin Cao et al. Fructose Promotes Uptake and Activity of Oligonucleotides With Different Chemistries in a Context-dependent Manner in mdx Mice,(2016). DOI: 10.1038/mtna.2016.46
Google has revealed the top trending searches in South Africa for the past week, which include How to buy data on MTN? and How to get rid of fleas?.

Google processes more than 40,000 search queries worldwide every second. This translates to more than a billion searches per day.

The top trending questions on Google South Africa this past week were:
The South African Police Service has released its latest crime statistics, which show a huge increase in carjackings across South Africa.

The statistics cover the nine-month period of 1 April to 31 December 2016.

While other forms of crime have decreased, robbery with aggravating circumstances has seen a large increase across the country.

The category includes carjacking and robbery at residential and non-residential premises.

Carjackings were up 14.9% across South Africa, and increased in every province except the Northern Cape and Free State.

Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal saw an above-average climb in carjacking reports  up 16.2% and 25.3% respectively.

The table below outlines carjackings per province for the 9-month period in 2016 versus the same period in 2015.
Minister: Britain's government faces tough decisions

Boris Johnson from fighting for Conservative Party leader over fears of losing income

Greece slams Turkish authorities' temporary ban on Greek official's entry

Scientifically proven: EU is inscrutable

OPEC: To avoid unrestrained volatility we need to invest in oil

Turkmenistan becomes regional energy center

Kishida pledges to strengthen Japan's naval and military capabilities

Germany and eight other EU member states plan to expand sanctions against Iran

NYT: Kyiv plans total evacuation in case of power outage

Iran reveals new air defense missile

IRGC neutralizes terrorist group in southwestern Iran

Bahrain to continue building relations with Israel after Netanyahu's victory

Iran says it confiscated a large batch of U.S.-made munitions

Iran successfully launches Ghaem 100 rocket, making the US nervous

U.S. sends warplanes to Iran

Washington Post: US privately urges Ukraine to show willingness to negotiate with Russia

Parisien: French man wins  160 million in European lottery

U.S. decides to block number of seats on planes because of the increase in passenger weight

BMW M4 turned into a pickup truck

Blinken calls on Israel and Palestine to urgently de-escalate tensions

Romania signs deal with Norway for purchase of over 30 F-16 fighters

Stoltenberg: The alliance has no plans to change nuclear positions and deployments

Tagesschau: Nearly 200,000 people took part in strikes at industrial enterprises of Germany

Teenagers hacks Uzbekistan senate website

Artsakh Ombudsman: Azerbaijanis fired at tractor in Khramort village of Artsakh

Rally participants' statement: Artsakh can't be a part of Azerbaijan

Person accused of arson in Russia cafe confesses

Fars: Iranian Foreign Ministry reported UAV deliveries to Russia a few months before the start of the UAS

Bayramov: Azerbaijan, Armenia leaders next meeting will take place in Brussels this month

Unity rally of participants start march in downtown Yerevan

North Korea launches 4 ballistic missiles

Council of Border Guard Troops commanders discusses situation at CIS external borders

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan joins rally in downtown Yerevan

Russia oil, natural gas companies plan to collaborate with Iraq

Armenia army intelligence troops 30th anniversary is solemnly celebrated (PHOTOS)

Rally of unity in support of Karabakh kicks off in downtown Yerevan

Pentagon announces sending 8 NASAMS air defense systems to Ukraine

Armenian Apostolic Church Supreme Spiritual Council meeting ends, Armenia and Artsakh security discussed

Tropical Storm Nalgae death toll climbs to 155 in Philippines

Artak Beglaryan is appointed advisor to Artsakh Minister of State (PHOTOS)

US House committee extends deadline for Trump to produce documents on Capitol attack

Over 200 elephants die in Kenya amid drought

13 dead in cafe fire in Russia

Armenia Security Council chief to head for Poland, Netherlands, Lithuania

Rishi Sunak: State cannot fix all problems

Newspaper: To what extent Armenia adheres to sanctions on Russia?

Biden accuses Twitter of spewing lies

Newspaper: There are active political processes in Karabakh

Qatar FM slams hypocrisy of calls to boycott World Cup

France, Singapore and Switzerland begin joint testing of experimental digital currencies

Oil war is Biden's biggest mistake

Japan considers possible deployment of hypersonic missiles by 2030

Germany to install better air defense system over Defense Ministry buildings

Erdogan and Stoltenberg discuss war in Ukraine

Armenian MOD: Azerbaijani Armed Forces open fire in direction of Armenian positions

True cost of Europe's rejection of Russian gas

White House tries to explain Biden's statement about freeing Iran

Former Pakistani Prime Minister: Either we will have a peaceful revolution or a bloody one

Aramyan: Why are police officers' salaries increasing, while defense officers' are not?

Pentagon and U.S. weapons manufacturers to discuss Russia, human resources and supply chain

Ankara says U.S. may approve sale of F-16s to Turkey within few months

IMF: Turkey should tighten monetary policy and give the Central Bank more independence

Pope urges religious leaders to keep the world from brink of abyss

Putin awards Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II with Order of Honor

U.S. says G7 countries realize need for coordinated response to China

Round-the-clock curfew is introduced in Kherson

Borrell says they can't put China and Russia on same level

Olaf Scholz calls on China to influence Russia

G7 foreign ministers express 'unwavering commitment' to protecting Ukraine, criticized PRC and IRI

Political technologist explains why Pashinyan was elected chairman of board of ruling party in Armenia

Erdogan signs up for TikTok

China's army is constantly preparing for war amid provocative U.S. actions

Kalin: Armenia is constructive about normalization of relations

Poland asks EU to suspend fines

Putin: Situation in Ukraine was deadly for Russia

Portugal to test a four-day workweek

US embassy in Armenia issues statement ahead of November 5 protests in Yerevan

Dollar, euro go up in Armenia

Baku authorities once again refuse to allow PFPA to hold protest rally

Iranians commemorate anniversary of US embassy seizure

Richard Kauzlarich: Azerbaijan, Armenia FMs meeting in Washington 'will send message to Putin'

Russia ratifies protocol on requirements for length of service of EEU bodies' employees for pensions

Armenia deputy defense minister in Russia, discusses military cooperation

Yerevan receives proposal to hold Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan interparliamentary talks

Health minister: We will work with fallen Armenia detainees relatives one more time after which bodies will be buried

Putin allows mobilization of citizens with unexpunged criminal record for serious crimes

Arnika, NESEHNUTI NGOs of Czech Rep. issue joint statement on plan to expand gold mine in Armenias Karaberd

Putin urges to evacuate civilians living in Kherson from the war zone

Iran parliament speaker to visit Armenia

Ruling force MP: Canada is opening embassy in Armenia because we are one of worlds most democratic countries

Girl with Armenian roots ends up in Vladimir orphanage

Erdogan says he has agreed with Putin to supply grain to needy countries for free

Armenia President, UK envoy agree to continue cooperation, close contacts

Armenia FM receives EU Monitoring Capacity

Spanish MPs don't approve agreement with Baku as a sign of solidarity with Armenia

Japan says North Korea may go ahead with nuclear test

Armenia government to allocate about $5M to Karabakh refugees support program

Belarusian border service: Border guards intercepts Ukrainian training drone

President appoints Ruben Vardanyan as Karabakh Minister of State

US embassy expresses concern about human rights violation in Azerbaijan
Two men targeted in the investigation into the brutal murder of Russian-Armenian Andrey Muradyan in Khabarovsk are wanted.

The local Armenian community representatives told Armenian News  NEWS.am that currently there are four suspects, one of whom is an Azeri, the other three being Russians.

The Azeri and one Russian have been arrested, the two others being wanted.

The investigation established that the 25-year-old Armenian was kidnapped and suffocated, and then burnt down because of money. The incident, as stated earlier, did not occur on the ground of national hatred, the community representatives said.

As reported earlier, it was found out that Muradyan, the son of a well-known businessman, was kidnapped by his friend from a garage consumer cooperative in the Railroad district. The criminals held him hostage for several days, demanding a 20 million ruble ransom for him. Later, fearing punishment, they killed him suffocating by a rope and then burnt his body.
STEPANAKERT.  The adversary breached the truce along the line of contact between the Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces about 145 times, from late Thursday night to early Friday morning.

During this time the Azerbaijani armed forces fired more than 2,000 shots toward the Armenian position-holders, and with mortars, grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns, theRepublic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR) Defense Army informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Intense ceasefire violations were recorded especially in the eastern and northeastern directions of the line of contact, where the adversary fired 111 shells from mortars and grenade launchers.

As a result of the actions which the Artsakh defense army vanguard units took in response, however, the activeness of the Azerbaijani armed forces was suppressed.
YEREVAN.  We have no enmity against any people, said Vahram Baghdasaryan, head of the National Assembly faction of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), at Fridays parliamentary briefings.

He stated this when asked about his views on the opposition Armenian National Congress Partys proposal of achieving peace in the Karabakh conflict by way of mutual concessions.

In Baghdasaryans words, however, you first need to ensure security, and peace is derived from this.

According to the MP, the security of Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) is among the key objectives of the RPA.

We are against the policy of the Azerbaijani authorities, noted Vahram Baghdasaryan. And we are not against restoring relations with these people [i.e. the Azerbaijanis], after the final self-determination of Nagorno-Karabakh.
We take into account the concerns voiced by opposition that the administrative resources have been used in the election process, President Serzzh Sargsyan said in an interview with Euronews.

He commented on the absence of his name in the list of the Republican Party of Armenia during the upcoming parliamentary elections.

That also means that we are creating opportunities for young people to express themselves in the politics, he added.

Asked where he is leading the present-day Armenia, the President said the country is going to be a very desirable country for every single Armenian.

I strongly believe that parliamentary form of government is more efficient and provides better opportunities for good governance and better opportunities for citizens and representatives of the civil society to participate in the running our country. We can also create conditions in which our citizens protest less than they got used to, Sargsyan added.
WASHINGTON, DC  Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) national and regional leaders concluded two days of policy-level consultations with key State Department officials and Members of Congress, as part of a nationwide advocacy campaign aimed at leveraging America's political transition to advance a broad array of Armenian American policy priorities.

ANCA National Chairman Raffi Hamparian led the delegation, which included ANCA Eastern Region Chair Steve Mesrobian, ANCA Western Region Chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq. and national board member Ken Hachikian. They were joined by ANCA staff, including Government Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian. Among the policies advanced during their meetings were expanded U.S.-Armenia relations, security and freedom for the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), justice for the Armenian Genocide, and support and safety for Middle Eastern Christian communities. During each of these meetings, the ANCA also raised awareness about the upcoming April 21st release of the Armenian Genocide-era epic film, The Promise.

During this time of national transition, it's particularly important for our community to remain actively engaged, holding policy discussions with Administration officials, exploring legislative strategies with senior Senators and Representatives, and expanding our cooperation with our coalition partners, noted ANCA National Board Member and ANCA-ER Chair Steve Mesrobian.

Working, on a bipartisan basis, our local chapters, regional leaders, and Washington office are leaning in to the new realities of our nation's capital, creatively and concretely advancing the full array of Armenian American policy priorities - a strong Armenia, a free Artsakh, and a just resolution of the Armenian Genocide,noted ANCA WR Chair Nora Hovsepian.

At the State Department, the ANCA held policy meetings with officials responsible for a range of regional areas and issues, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Bridget Brink, who is responsible for the Caucasus, among other regions, and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mark Libby, who plays a lead role in handling U.S.-Turkey relations. On Capitol Hill, the ANCA leadership met with Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee, the Chairman and Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Ed Royce (D-CA) and Eliot Engel (D-NY), respectively, House Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Democrat Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific Brad Sherman (D-CA), and the Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Human Rights Karen Bass (D-CA). They also consulted with the bipartisan Co-Chairs of the Armenian Caucus including Representatives Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Jackie Speier (D-CA), David Trott (R-MI) and David Valadao (R-CA). Meetings were also held with Representatives Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA), who led the unanimous passage of H.Con.Res 75 in the previous Congress, a measure, backed by the ANCA, that condemned the genocide against Christians, Yezidis and other minorities in the Middle East.

ANCA leaders held a working dinner with the senior leadership and staff of In Defense of Christians, led by President Toufic Baaklini, to discuss expanding efforts to address the ongoing violence against Christian and other minority communities in the Middle East. The ANCA joined with IDC in co-hosting their 2016 convention, which brought together hundreds of citizen advocates from across the U.S. in support of a broad range of issues, including the protection of Christian communities in the Middle East and U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide.
There is almost no difference in the political part of a new framework agreement between Armenia and the European Union, President Serzh SArgsyan said in an interview with Euronews.

We had to make sure that there is no contradiction with the Eurasian Economic Union which we are members of, President said.

The Armenian leader said that from the very beginning of the negotiations Armenia's standing was that it is possible to have association agreement with the EU and close integration into the Eurasian Union.

The Russians never told us that we could never sign such an agreement. They told us if you want to do so you can but you might pay for the energy in world market price, he added.

Asked whether he sees a future of the Eurasian Union as a match to the EU, President replied: I think it is too early to talk about achieving equivalents, it would be better to talk about cooperation between the two blocs, as we, with our own example, showed it is possible.

Commenting on the question what Armenia can offer to the European Union, besides Henrikh Mkhitaryan, President said Armenia has many famous figures, such as Henrikh Mkhitaryan and chess grandmaster Levon Aronian.

We can also be useful by exporting our agricultural products, IT is also developing very fast in Armenia. But above all we can be a friendly neighbor for the Europeans, a predictable neighbor, he added.

The President also commented on Armenias relations with NATO. He informed about the recent meeting with NATO Secretary General and invitation he had conveyed to visit Armenia to celebrate cooperation that the sides had for previous 25 years.

We do not see any contradiction between this partnership and our alliance with Russia, he added.
YEREVAN.  US Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills on Friday visited the office of the opposition Free Democrats Party.

The interlocutors discussed the parliamentary election to be conducted in the country on April 2, the party informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Also, they reflected on the Free Democrats respective electoral platform as well as election campaign-related political and organizational issues.

In addition, they underscored the conduct of the upcoming National Assembly election in line with democratic standards.

Ambassador Mills stressed that the US Embassy in Yerevan underscores the holding of free and transparent elections in Armenia.

He added that their objective has always been to help the countrys political parties become involved in the electoral process.

The US diplomat noted that they urge the people of Armenia to actively participate in the forthcoming parliamentary election campaign, and not to miss this opportunity to build a future.
YEREVAN.  On Friday at around 12:10pm, a man climbed on a crane in downtown Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia, and he is threatening to throw himself down.

His wife, T. Ghazaryan, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that her husband was being searched for as missing, for three days.

He was driving a taxi on a daily pay. He had hit the car, and the owner of the car demands one million drams [about $US 2,050]; we dont have that [much] money, said the woman. He is asking for a loan from banks, to give the money to the lenders; [but] they dont give a loan. And the lenders are constantly bothering.

The woman is trying to convince M. M., 57, to come down, but the man remains on the crane, the Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informed from the scene.

He is demanding that the banks give him a loan to be able to pay back his lenders.

Psychologists are conversing with him, but the man is not permitting rescuers to approach him.
The Russian High Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatiana Moskalkova, plans to petition to the Human Rights Commissioner of Azerbaijan, Elmira Suleymanova, requesting her to check the confinement conditions of blogger Alexander Lapshin, who is imprisoned in Azerbaijan, according to RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.

Journalists are a special professional community that works in risk zones, and requires special attention and respect, said Moskalkova. I made a statement in the case of our journalist [i.e. Lapshin], who was extradited to Azerbaijan by Belarus.

I regret that our colleagues from Azerbaijan did not listen. I will petition to Azerbaijans ombudsperson, so that she visit our citizen, and become convinced that he doesnt need medical assistance and doesnt complain about [his] confinement conditions.

After his visits to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in 2011 and 2012, Israeli Russian blogger and journalist Alexander Lapshin was blacklisted by Azerbaijan.

In June 2016, however, he paid a visit to Azerbaijan--but with a Ukrainian passport--and, subsequently, he published several articles criticizing the Azerbaijani authorities.

Afterward, Azerbaijan issued an international search for this famous blogger. On December 15, 2016, Lapshin was detained in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk, and based on this search.

On January 26 of the current year, the Minsk city court dismissed the blogger's appeal of the Belarusian General Prosecutor's Office decision to extradite him to Azerbaijan.

On February 7, the Supreme Court of Belarus dismissed the appeals that were filed into this case, and upheld the aforesaid decision by the General Prosecutors Office.

And on the evening of the same day, Belarus extradited Alexander Lapshin to the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku, where he was taken into custody.
YEREVAN. - Despite the agreements reached in Vienna and Saint-Petersburg, Azerbaijan ignores them and continues escalating the situation on the line of contact between Karabakh-Azerbaijani opposing forces.

Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly (NA), Galust Sahakyan, said the aforementioned on Friday at the meeting with the delegation headed by Speaker of the Russian State Duma Federal Assembly (FA), Vyacheslav Volodin, who has arrived in Yerevan on an official visit.

Welcoming the guests, Sahakyan congratulated Vyacheslav Volodin on his appointment to the post of Speaker of the State Duma.

Referring to the Karabakh conflict, the Speaker noted that Armenia highlights the role of Russia as a Minsk Group co-chairing country in the process of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue settlement. Armenia has always been for the peaceful settlement of the conflict, but it faces Azerbaijans deconstructive conduct.

Despite the agreements reached in Vienna and Saint-Petersburg, Azerbaijan ignores them and continues escalating the situation on the line of contact. The Armenian side underscores the need for the implementation of the events aimed at shaping a climate of mutual trust. We are convinced that there is no alternative to the peaceful settlement of the issue, the NA Speaker said.

Sahakyan also stressed that the strategic cooperation of the two countries has reached a new level by joining the Eurasian Economic Union, which has created wide opportunities for the development of bilateral trade and economic relations.

Touching on the cooperation in the legislative field, he lauded the joint effective work of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee for Cooperation between the Armenia National Assembly and the Russian Federal Assembly, as well as the Parliamentary Standing Committees.

In the context, Sahakyan stressed the cooperation in the framework of the Parliamentary Assemblies, noting that the mutual support on the international platforms stems from the allied interests of the two countries.

Referring to the Armenian Genocide recognition, the head of the parliament expressed gratitude for the adoption by the State Duma of a resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide and recognizing April 24 as a Memorial Day of the Genocide victims as early as in 1995. The recognition and condemnation of this crime committed at the beginning of the 20th century is important in terms of preventing the gravest crimes against humanity. The message of the Armenian people, who survived the Genocide, to the whole mankind is ''Never again'', Galust Sahakyan noted.

Thanking his colleague for the warm reception, Vyacheslav Volodin, for his part, stated that the relations between the Russian and Armenian peoples have deep roots and formed traditions, which should be preserved and strengthen in the future. Referring to the strategic partnership and inter-parliamentary relations, the Speaker of State Duma attached importance to the need for coordinated work between the parliamentary delegations on international platforms.

Touching on the regional issues, he noted that Russia does its best for maintaining peace in the region. In this context Vyacheslav Volodin stated that they see the settlement of Karabakh conflict exclusively through peaceful means and within the framework of the Minsk Group format.

At the end, the interlocutors expressed hope that these meetings will give new quality and create prospects for the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

Afterwards Speaker Galust Sahakyan and his Russi an counterpart planted an evergreen fir tree symbolizing the Armenian-Russian friendship at the Alley of Memory in the Parliament Park.
YEREVAN.  President Serzh Sargsyan on Friday received the recently elected chairman of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, who has arrived in Armenia on an official visit.

First, Sargsyan expressed a conviction that Volodins considerable track-record in state activities will noticeably contribute to the development of Armenian-Russian relations.

Stressing that the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Russia will be marked in exactly one month, on April 3, President Sargsyan said each and every celebration is a good opportunity to sum up and assess bilateral relations and to establish benchmarks for the future.

Noting that bilateral state relations are developing with dynamism and there are many topics to discuss and summarize, the head of the Russian State Duma, for his part, stressed that the parliamentarians of the two countries plan to expand relations and cooperation. Also, Vyacheslav Volodin underscored the work toward the development of bilateral relations at regional level, too.

In addition, the President of Armenia and the chairman of the Russian State Duma highlighted the role of parliamentary diplomacy in the strengthening of state relations.
YEREVAN. - The representatives of 17 Armenian IT companies and British business institutions will on March 9-10 hold meetings in London for the purpose of agreeing on cooperation. The meetings will be held within the framework of the ''Armenian-British IT initiatives'' project.

In order to present the project to the public, a meeting with media representatives took place in Yerevan on Friday. It was attended by Deputy Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies of Armenia, Boris Demirkhanyan, Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Judith Farnworth and IT specialists.

Underscoring the importance of such events, the Deputy Minister noted that it is a wide platform for expanding the scope of business ties and cooperation in the IT sphere. He also expressed hope that the events in such a format will continue and be held not only in Britain but also in Armenia.

''Consequently, joint projects will be born, which are important not only in terms of business development, but also exchange of cultures between the two countries. I am confident that the 17 companies will present Armenia in the best was possible. I am also confident that there are hidden resources, which will open as a result of this event,'' Demirkhanyan added.

Ambassador Judith Farnworth, for her part, noted that the information and communications technologies sector has a big share in Armenia's economy. She also stressed that one of the priorities of the British Embassy is to expand the close and mutually beneficial economic and trade ties between the UK and Armenia.

The business event ''Armenian-British IT initiatives'' to be held in London will be composed of two main parts: presentation on Armenia and Armenian IT companies, as well as private meetings between the representatives of Armenian IT companies and British business circles.
YEREVAN.  Several Armenian soldiers were injured while performing engineering work at a military position, and as a result of the explosion of an explosive device.

They sustained shrapnel injuries, and were rushed to the Ministry of Defense of Armenia Central Clinical Military Hospital in capital city Yerevan.

Artsrun Hovhannisyan, spokesperson of the minister of defense, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that one soldier is in very critical condition.

Three people are injured, he said. One is in very critical condition, the other twocritical.

The Investigative Committee has filed a criminal case on charges of negligence toward military service.
YEREVAN. - Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan on Friday discussed issues related to the foreign economic policy of Armenia with the central staff of the countrys MFA, as well as heads of diplomatic missions and consular offices.

The PM first congratulated the meeting participants on the Diplomats Day, wishing them productive work. I attach great importance to your work, since the external world very often learns about our country by means of you. Your role abroad is great in terms of making more available to foreign investors the information on doing business and making investments in Armenia, Karapetyan noted.

He also attached importance to raising the productivity of the activity of diplomatic missions, specifically with the inclusion of the economic component. Referring to the opening of Armenian trade representations aboard, the PM noted that that process has been suspended. I considered this non-efficient. If we have ambassadors and interests in those countries, why not use the platforms of embassies? he noted.

Karapetyan stressed that he expects more applicable results from the activity of Armenian embassies and consular offices in the sphere of trade and economic relations. In the PMs words, the communication and link between the foreign diplomatic missions of Armenia and the Armenian Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, as well as other agencies should be periodic. It is necessary to present Armenias investment capacities more actively and effectively. Let's just roll up our sleeves and start working, he urged.

Presenting the work carried out by the Armenian Government, the PM said that the following macro tasks have been solved: all the spheres have been diagnosed, the vision and actions of each sphere having been drawn up.

Referring to the development vision and logic of reforms in the sphere of information technologies, Karapetyan said: The information technologies sector can indeed be one of the drivers of economy. But we have one simple problem: we ensure 400-500 specialists per year, the need for such specialists currently being 2000. However, the university system doesnt respond to the demands of the market. We should change the system, since according to our predictions, in the near future we will have 5000 jobs, which will ensure the greatest annual growth in GDP, Karapetyan said.

Furthermore, the head of the Government underscored the importance of the Center for Strategic Initiatives as a platform of cooperation between the public and private sectors, where Armenias long-term development vision will be formed. We have separated 5-6 programs for the first stage: tourism, tax and customs administration, information technologies, agriculture, education and development of strategies of the state administration system.

Apart from this, the PM presented details on the investment policy of the Government. We want to break the stereotype that there is no place in Armenia to make investments, to earn money, etc. We have presented very precise investment programs, whose total value is 3,2 billion USD, and which note both the investment object and financial source, as well as those who will implement them. [] There are five sources: private sector, state budget, community, grant and loan. Moreover, now there are 5,3 billion USD programs on our table, which are increasing every day. We dont yet have their financial sources, and in many cases, those who will implement them, but we have programs, which can be logical.

Issues on the economic development vision of Armenia, use of the Diasporas potential and increase in the involvement of Armenias diplomatic institutions were also discussed at the meeting. The Armenian ambassadors expressed satisfaction with the investment packages received recently from Armenias agencies concerned, noting that they are targeted, applicable and useful. The ambassadors referred to the indexes recorded in the sphere of trade and economic relations, volumes of commodity turnover and development opportunities.

Armenian Ambassador to Iran, Artashes Tumanyan, particularly noted that there is a positive change in the sphere of Armenian-Iranian economic cooperation: there are specific programs and successful examples of export from Armenia to Iran. The received investment programs are under discussion.

Armenian Ambassador to Mexico, Ara Ayvazyan, welcomed the inclusion of the economic component in diplomacy, qualifying the investment packages received from the Armenian Government as promising. He also added that currently 9 large companies are discussing the possibilities of implementing joint investment programs in Armenia.

Armenian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Dzyunik Aghajanyan, for her part, referred to the Armenian-Dutch relations and prospects for joint programs in the sphere of agriculture and tourism.

The participants also discussed issues related to the activity of Armenias trade representations abroad, formation of economic attaches, promotion of tourism, etc.
Russia holds the key to unlocking the Karabakh conflict, although its motives are driven as much by its desire to retain its dominant regional status as to resolve the issue, the report of the US analytical center Stratfor reads.

According to the author, no progress has been made in the talks, the chances of a resumption of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan still remaining high.

The aim of Azerbaijan is at the very least to challenge the political and security status quo of Karabakh, whereas Armenias goal is to maintain the current situation.

The unbending positions of Armenia and Azerbaijan have created deadlock in negotiations, but there is a crucial third player to take into account: Russia. Though the positions of Armenia and Azerbaijan are clear, the motivation for Russia in the conflict is much more complex, the expert writes.

In a broader sense, Russia's primary interest in Armenia and Azerbaijan  and along the entire former Soviet periphery  is to entrench its own influence. According to the author, Russia has has accomplished this in Armenia, but it would like to move Baku closer. During the April events in 2016, Russia adopted a neutral stance rather than supporting its Armenian ally militarily or politically.

Realistically, the escalation by Azerbaijan could not have proceeded without at least a quiet understanding with Russia. Although Moscow stepped in to prevent the fighting from turning into a full-scale conflict, the message was sent that Baku had more leeway in the region and that Yerevan couldn't fully rely on Moscow to guarantee its security.

The article also notes that Russia would like to push for the so-called Lavrov plan, under which Armenia would cede five of its seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan in exchange for a peacekeeping force led by Russia. But the Armenian government would strongly oppose such a plan. If Russia indeed is pushing the plan, it could explore options to overcome Yerevan's opposition. It could allow another military escalation by Azerbaijan to pressure Armenia to make concessions. Or Moscow could use its substantial political links in the Armenian government to influence a shift in Yerevan's thinking.

It is also mentioned that although Russia has developed close ties to several government figures (including in the foreign and defense ministries) and leaders in the political opposition who could be more amenable to seeing things Russia's way when it comes to the Karabakh issue, the Armenian public may not tolerate such a deal.

As to the second option, allowing another military escalation by Azerbaijan is dangerous, since it comes with the risk of spiraling out of control and Russia might not be able to maintain control of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh.

It may even be the case that Russia wants to give Azerbaijan the impression that it is pushing Armenia for political concessions even if it is not. In that case, the Lavrov plan would represent an avenue for Moscow, which is already pursuing closer military cooperation and weapons deals with Azerbaijan, to develop closer ties with Baku without undermining the position of the Armenian government. This, too, has its risks: Maintaining the political status quo indefinitely is an untenable position for Azerbaijan, so Russia cannot continue to prolong the issue without concrete results. This is especially true since other regional powers such as Turkey and Iran  though currently distracted in the Middle East  may become more active in the Caucasus and be in a position to challenge Russia's dominance in the area down the line.

In conclusion, the author notes that Russia's position on Nagorno-Karabakh is subject to fluctuations as it relates to its longer-term interest of maintaining influence in the Caucasus. Moscow's ultimate objective is to be the dominant influence over both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and it can use the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh as a means to shape its position in both countries. This will be a key factor in driving the political and security evolution of the conflict there, which is likely to become more volatile in the coming months.
YEREVAN. - Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian on Friday talked on phone with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

The Armenian FM congratulated his U.S. counterpart on assuming the post, expressing conviction that their joint efforts will give a new impetus to the quarter-century Armenian-American interstate relations and the high-level friendly cooperation.

Thanking for the congratulations, Mr Tillerson stressed that the U.S. values the warm and strong relations between the two states and is ready to continue the joint work aimed at their further development.

During the phone call, the officials also referred to different issues on the rich bilateral agenda and expansion of trade and economic cooperation. Moreover, they discussed a number of pressing regional and international issues.

The U.S. Secretary of State expressed gratitude for Armenia's significant contribution to the international peacekeeping operations. Furthermore, he highly appreciated the circumstance of granting asylum in Armenia to tens and thousands of Syrian refugees.

Apart from this, Edward Nalbandian and Rex Tillerson exchanged views on steps aimed at advancing the process of the Karabakh conflict settlement. The Armenian FM briefed his counterpart on the recent developments in the confrontation zone. In this context, the need for implementing the agreements reached in Vienna and St. Petersburg last year was stressed. Secretary of State Tillerson, for his part, assured that the U.S. will continue to actively support the peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Nick Herringer claps along with a metronome. He draws lines on a big screen, repeating patterns drawn by the computer. He identifies icons of cars when they flash before his eyes. This is the 22-year-olds speech and cognitive therapy, which he has been doing at least twice a week. Every wee
Oak Creeks new Drexel Town Square development is filling up with delicious new tenants. Both Pizza Man and BelAir Cantina have already opened their doors, and within the next few months, Valentine Coffee will join them.

But the newest addition to the food and beverage line-up is a Downtown favorite: Cubanitas.

According to co-owner Marc Bianchini, who also owns Indulge with his wife Marta, a lease was signed today for a space in Drexel Town Square between Pizza Man and Bel Air Cantina.

"Weve always been interested in growing Cubanitas," he says. "And weve been paying close attention to the new development in Oak Creek. Were really excited about whats going on there. And since we already draw a good customer base from the South Side, were sure this is going to be a great fit."

Bianchini says the Oak Creek Cubanitas will have a similar footprint to the Downtown location, offering about 70 seats for diners. The same goes for the menu, which will focus on the Cuban staples for which the restaurant has become known, including empanadas, roasted pork, ropa vieja and tostones.

Bianchini says hes shooting to open the new location sometime in late spring.

Watch OnMilwaukee for additional details as they become available.
Last fall, as Native American protesters gathered at Standing Rock to stop the completion of the Dakota Access pipeline, several of my friends checked in at the protest on Facebook. They were nowhere near South Dakota.

They had heard  through urgent posts by other friends who were not present either  that fake geo-tagging would protect protesters at the site from monitoring by law enforcement. NPR reported that more than a million people checked in at the protest camp, a digital version of the I am Spartacus strategy.

But the local sheriffs office told reporters that it hadnt been monitoring protesters using Facebook geo-tags. And leaders of the protest said they had never asked far-flung allies to change their locations on social media.

The geo-tagging fad was a harmless way for people to express solidarity. It was also, arguably, part of a bigger problem with how information spreads online in the Trump era.

People are too quick to share articles that confirm their beliefs. (In December, a Pew study found that 23 percent of U.S. adults had shared a made-up news story, either knowingly or not.) And despite liberals self-perception that we are more fact-oriented than your average Trump supporter, this is not a weakness limited to the right.

To spread misinformation, you dont have to share a clicky headline from a dubious source. Sometimes all you have to do is take a meme too seriously. Take, for example, a well-circulated animated GIF of Melania Trump during the inauguration ceremony. The clip shows her smiling while her husband is facing her, then dropping the smile as soon as he turns away. For those of us who want to believe that even those closest to the president secretly hate him, the GIF was a balm. This Melania Trump GIF is all of us, crowed Cosmopolitan. The first ladys perceived unhappiness became one of the more popular liberal memes of the week, with captions like, Blink twice if you want us to save you.

The joke faded faster than her smile when advocates for survivors of abuse published blog posts imploring us to take seriously the suggestion that domestic violence might be an issue in the White House. The blog Queerty claimed it had found another candid video of Donald Trump treating Melania like crap. An online joke had become a pretty serious story  and allegation  with scant evidence to back it up.

A few sites, including Media-ite, posted the inauguration coverage in full, which placed the short viral clip in context. It appears the smile drops quickly from Melania Trumps face because the GIF was captured during a prayer  not exactly a moment for joking around on the dais. But the corrective was lost in a deluge of memes.

No one shared it in my feed. I found it only because I went looking for it.

Was the Melania Trump smiling meme fake news?

Probably not as most on the left would define it, because no one intended to mislead the public or drive clicks to a single website. But political wishful thinking carried the story past the point of absurdity.

Cognitive scientists have found that its much harder for us to skeptically assess stories that confirm our beliefs rather than challenge our view of the world.

Fake news isnt just a problem that afflicts others. The burden falls on all of us to read news items critically before we share them  no matter what our political persuasion or how pure our intentions.
A new fast casual restaurant might be coming to a unique location on Water Street.

A group of restaurant industry veterans  including Gordon Goggin, former Lowlands Group employee and co-owner of The Stilt House in Cedarburg; Bill Wieslow, former Halfway House operator; and Lyn Magnarini of Hectors in Wauwatosa  have drawn up plans to open Gordos, a casual spot serving burgers, tacos and ice cream in the Moto-Scoot building at 1652 N. Water St.

The building, which once housed a gas station, is now in a unique position on "the curve," of North Water Street, a location which is home to Aperture and Fresh Thyme Market, The North End Project, the conversion of the former Laacke & Joys building and adjacent to The Rhythm, a 140-unit apartment complex.

The citys Board of Zoning Appeals has yet to approve the project; however, the plans go before the board on March 9 and if all goes well, Goggin says he hopes to proceed with plans to open Gordos by late summer.

"Its neat. Its kind of eclectic and nestled in the hillside," says Goggin. "In working with my partners, we had a concept in mind. And, as you know you go through a field of different options as far as sites go. And this one really struck us as unique. Its a great location. Water Street has a lot of great car traffic. And it seems to really be a great fit for the concept weve put together."

Burgers and ... tacos?

The concept, Goggin says, embraces things that both Milwaukee and he and his partners love.

"Weve been blessed with Kopps ice cream and burgers here," he says. "And were all big fans. Its where the burger and ice cream idea comes from. Lyn [Magnarini] took an immersion course in Mexico in authentic Mexican cooking, which inspired us to add the tacos and margaritas to the menu. Theyre all hand-held items, so why not? Its a marriage between classic American food and the Mexican flavors that are so approachable here in Milwaukee."

The restaurant, which will be open for lunch and dinner, will feature counter service and a menu that Goggin says will "push the envelope with regard to quality, freshness and innovation."

In addition to the dining area, there will be a small bar, which seats six to eight and offers a few American craft taps and a menu of margaritas. The restaurant will be bright and cheerful, says Goggin, featuring drawings and murals that reflect the southwestern theme. A three seasons room on the southwest corner will provide additional seating, along with an outdoor patio. The restaurant will also be pedestrian- and bike-friendly, with plenty of bike parking out front.

Meanwhile, the name Gordo's  which is a play on the word "fat" in Spanish  communicates some of the playfulness imbued in the project, says Goggin.

"We thought it was a little cheeky and a bit funny," he says. "And since our menu will include a lot of tacos and margaritas, we wanted a name that would communicate something about the project."

Watch OnMilwaukee for additional details as they develop.
A composite image of the Western hemisphere of the Earth. Credit: NASA

New research findings show that as the world warmed millions of years ago, conditions in the tropics may have made it so hot some organisms couldn't survive.

Longstanding theories dating to the 1980s suggest that as the rest of the earth warms, the tropical temperatures would be strictly limited, or regulated by an internal 'thermostat.' These theories are controversial, but the debate is of great importance because the tropics and subtropics comprise half of the earth's surface area, greater than half of the earth's biodiversity, as well as over half the earth's human population. But new geological and climate-based research indicates the tropics may have reached a temperature 56 million years ago that was, indeed, too hot for living organisms to survive in parts of the tropics.

That conclusion is detailed in the article "Extreme Warmth and Heat-Stressed Plankton in the Tropics during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum," published by the online journal Science Advances and co-authored by Matthew Huber, professor in the Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Department at Purdue University and member of the Purdue Climate Change Research Center. Huber's contribution focused on climate modeling and interpreting paleoclimate data within the context of modern theoretical understanding. Part of this work was performed while Huber was also at the University of New Hampshire.

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) period occurred 56 million years ago and is considered the warmest period during the past 100 million years. Global temperatures rapidly warmed by about 5 degrees Celsius (9 F), from an already steamy baseline temperature, and this study provides the first convincing evidence that the tropics also warmed by about 3 degrees Celsius (5 F) during that time.

"The records produced in this study indicate that when the tropics warmed that last little bit, a threshold was passed and parts of the tropical biosphere seems to have died," Huber said. "This is the first time that we've found really good information, in a very detailed way, where we saw major changes in the tropics directly associated with warming past a key threshold in the past 60 million years."

The study is unique because of the quality of the geological records utilized. Geological records from the PETM are difficult to find, especially from an area of the tropics, Huber said. The research was based on a shallow marine sedimentary section deposited in Nigeria.

"We don't find 50-million-year-old thermometers at the bottom of the ocean," Huber said. "What we do find are shells, and we use the isotopes of carbon and oxygen within the shells, complemented by temperature proxies from organic material, to say something about the carbon cycle and about the temperature in the past."

Two research methods were used to judge the temperature during the PETM, one utilizing isotopes in shells, while the other examined organic residues in deep-sea sentiments. The biotic records left behind from living organisms indicate they were dying at the same time the conditions were warming.

If the tropics are not able to control its temperature and do not possess an internal thermostat, that should reshape future thinking about climate change, Huber said.

"If you say there's no tropical thermostat, then half of the world's biodiversityover half of the world's population, the tropical rainforests, the reefs, India, Brazilthese populous and very important countries have nothing to prevent them from warming up substantially above conditions that humans have been used to," he said.

The trends in temperature increases in the tropics are similar to those found in other parts of the world, but other records have been very sparse and limited until now.

More information: Extreme warmth and heat-stressed plankton in the tropics during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, Science Advances 03 Mar 2017: Vol. 3, no. 3, e1600891, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1600891, advances.sciencemag.org/content/3/3/e1600891 Journal information: Science Advances
A 2008 image showing a portion of the North Polar layered deposits with lines of very small pits. Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Mars has many characteristics that put one in mind of Earth. Consider its polar ice caps, which are quite similar to the ones in the Arctic and Antarctic circle. But upon closer examination, Mars' icy polar regions have numerous features that hint at some unusual processes. Consider the northern polar ice cap, which consists predominantly of frozen water ice, but also a seasonal veneer of frozen carbon dioxide ("dry ice").

Here, ice is arranged in multicolored layers that are due to seasonal change and weather patterns. And as images taken by the Mars Global Surveyor and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) have shown, the region is also covered in lines of small pits that measure about 1 meter (3.28 feet) in diameter. While these features have been known to scientists for some time, the process behind them remains something of a mystery.

Layered features around found both in the northern and southern polar regions of Mars, and are the result of seasonal melting and the deposition of ice and dust (from Martian dust storms). Both polar caps also show grooves which appear to be influenced by the amount of dust deposited. The more dust there is, the darker the surface of the grooved feature, which affects the level of seasonal melting that takes place.

These layered deposits measure around 3-kilometer thick and about 1000 kilometers across. And in many locations, erosion and melting has created scarps and troughs that expose the layering (shown above). However, as NASA's Mars Global Surveyor revealed through a series of high-resolution images, the northern polar cap also has plenty of pits, cracks, small bumps and knobs that give it a strange, textured look.

HiRISE image showing the layered appearance of Mars northern polar region. Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

These featured have also been imaged in detail by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) instrument aboard the MRO. In 2008, it snapped the image shown at top, which illustrates how the layered features in the northern polar region also have lines of small pits cutting across them. Such small pits should be quickly filled in by seasonal ice and dust, so their existence has been something of a mystery.

What this process could be has been the preoccupation of researchers like Doctor Chris Okubo and Professor Alfred McEwen. In addition to being a planetary geologist from the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (LPL) at Arizona State University, Prof. McEwen is the Principal Investigator of the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE).

Dr. Chris Okubo, meanwhile, is a planetary engineer with the LPL who has spent some time examining Mars' northern polar region, seeking to determine what geological process could account for them. Over time, he also noted that the pits appeared to be enlarging. As he explained to Universe Today via email:

"I monitored some of these pits during northern summer of Mars year 31 (2011-2012). The pits appeared to enlarge over time, starting from depressions roughly centered on the pits observed in in 2008. My interpretation is that these pits are depressions within the residual cap that formed through collapse above a fault or fracture. The pits are buried by seasonal ice in the winter, which then sublimates in the spring/summer leading to an apparent widening and exposure of the pits until they are reburied by seasonal ice in the subsequent winter."

HiRISE being prepared before it is shipped for attachment to the spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL

Since the MRO reached Mars in 2006, the LPL has been responsible for processing and interpreting images sent back by its HiRISE instrument. As for these pits, the theory that they are the result of faults pulling apart the icy layers is the most currently-favored one. Naturally, it will have to be tested as more data comes, in showing how seasonal changes play out in Mars' northern polar region.

"I plan to re-monitor the same pits I looked at in MY31 during this upcoming northern summer to see if this pattern has changed substantially," said Okubo. "Re-imaging these after several Mars years may also reveal changes to the size/distribution of the pits within the residual cap  if such changes are observed, then that would suggest that the underlying fractures are active."

One thing is clear though; the layered appearance of Mars polar ice caps and its strange surface features are just another indication of the dynamic processes taking place on Mars. In addition to seasonal change, these interesting features are thought to be related to changes in Mars' obliquity and axial tilt. Just one more way in which Mars and Earth are similar!
Credit: Oregon State University

Environmental scientists and policymakers value long-term research to an extent that far outstrips the amount of funding awarded for it, according to a study published today.

Graduate students and faculty members in the Oregon State University College of Science were part of a collaboration that evaluated the perceived benefits of long-term ecological and environmental studies - known as LTEES - to both researchers and those who determine environmental policy.

The issue is particularly important because support for LTEES by agencies such as the National Science Foundation is declining even though such research is disproportionately valued in comparison to the one- to five-year studies the agencies tend to support.

The OSU group was among 36 researchers who collectively analyzed the perceived value of LTEES, which can run for multiple decades, in research published in BioScience. The evaluation noted the policymaking and scientific communities' growing appreciation and demand for studies that last much longer than the ones typically being funded.

Specifically, the scientists found:

The greater a scientific journal's impact factor - the frequency with which its articles are cited in other scholarly articles - the higher its percentage of articles dealing with long-term studies;

The longer a study lasts, the more an article about it is cited;

In the policy-informing ecological reports of the U.S. National Research Council, long-term environmental studies have representation that's greater than their frequency in scientific journals;

The authors of those reports expressed more demand for LTEES than they did for short-term research.

"For a long time, 'monitoring' has been a word you never put in a grant proposal, simply because if you did your work was perceived as not being hypothesis-driven research," said Mark Novak, assistant professor of integrative biology at Oregon State.

"But many environmental scientists have long known from personal experience that you can't know the value of new events unless you've studied a system long enough. The relative investment in LTEES by ecologists and funders needs to be seriously reconsidered, because LTEES advance our understanding of ecology the most, and contribute disproportionately to informing policy."

The collaboration also found that among the comparatively few long-term studies that do exist, most are limited to single species or pairs of species.

"It's not that short-term research isn't important," said Bruce Menge, the Wayne and Gladys Valley Professor of Marine Biology at Oregon State. "Both short- and long-term are really valuable. A shorter term can give you a more mechanistic understanding of long-term patterns. But the longer time series you have, the more power you have to understand changes.

"Ideally short- and long-term should go hand in hand," Menge said. "We're hoping to provide a prod to funding agencies, and give at least those in an agency who do appreciate long-term research some ammunition for reconsidering the allocation of funds."

Menge has been studying intertidal rocky zones at numerous sites on the Oregon coast for more than three decades, analyzing ecological processes and patterns of community structure. The intertidal community includes sea stars, whose population was nearly wiped out three years ago by an epidemic of sea star wasting disease.

"One of the consequences of the disease was a huge influx of baby sea stars after the peak of the wasting was over," Menge said. "We wouldn't have really known the significance of that if we hadn't been keeping track of how abundant sea stars were over the last 20-some years. The influx would have been remarkable, but we'd have had no idea how remarkable it truly was."

Species studied by another of Menge's OSU colleagues, assistant professor Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, are rockfishes, important commercial fishes whose long lifespan is a challenge for researchers being funded for only a few years.

"Rockfish can live for more than 100 years," she said. "Three years doesn't do it for us. If we want environmental research that effectively informs policy, that means we need funding cycles - and funding agencies - to help build that long-term storehouse of science. That's how we can meet the demand for policy-relevant data."

Graduate students and faculty from the University of California, Santa Cruz, joined the Oregon State scientists in the collaboration.
Durum wheat is one of the typical Mediterranean crops, given that it requires moderately dry environments with high temperature and radiation during grain growth for its optimum production and quality Durum wheat is one of the typical Mediterranean crops, given that it requires moderately dry environments with high temperature and radiation during grain growth for its optimum production and quality . Credit: University of Granada

A team of Spanish scientists, with the participation of the University of Granada, has carried out the first durum wheat genetic, phenotypic and geographic adaptation study to date. Durum wheat is mostly used for the production of pasta and semolina in the Mediterranean area.

The researchers have phenotyped a collection of 172 of durum wheat local varieties (landraces) from 21 Mediterranean countries, cultivated along with 20 modern varieties in six environments of the north and south of Spain.

Durum wheat is a typical Mediterranean crop, given that it requires moderately dry environments with high temperature and radiation during grain growth for its optimum production and quality. Domesticated during the Neolithic Revolution in the Fertile Crescent (Syria, Turkey and Lebanon), durum wheat spread throughout the Mediterranean basin more than 10,000 years ago, until arriving in Spain, leaving diverse landraces in its path through each region. The closer they were geographically to their center of origin, the genetically closer they were to wild varieties.

Genetic association studies aim to establish the statistical relationship between certain genetic variables and the phenotypic characters they determine, establishing consanguinity relationships between plant populations. Additionally, such studies establish which genetic characteristics are decisive for the expression of phenotypic traits of interest for the genetic improvement and adaptation of crops to the environmental conditions resulting from global climate change.

The phenotypic traits studied in this work include, among others, flowering time, biomass, drought resistance, foliar architecture, photosynthesis, proteins, yield, and yield components.

The genetic (or genotyping) study was carried out with 44 microsatellites (SSRs) that identified 448 alleles (each of the alternative forms that the same gene may have, which differ in their sequence, and that can be manifested in specific modifications of the function that said gene has). 226 of said alleles appeared with a frequency lower than 5 percent, and there were 10 alleles per locus on average (a fixed position on a chromosome, such as the position of a gene or a genetic marker).

Five genetic subpopulations

The statistical study has allowed the division of wheat into five genetic subpopulations, one with all modern cultivars and another four closely related to the geographical origin of local varieties: Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Balkans and Turkey, Western Balkans and Egypt, and Western Mediterranean.

This is the first published study which uses local varieties of Mediterranean durum wheat as well as modern cultivars, showing a solid relationship between genetic and phenotypic populations and the connection of both to the geographical origin of landraces.

In addition, the results of the study have shown that by using the correct amount of markers, and correctly distributing them in the genome, great similarities can be found between genetic distances and the adaptive response of durum wheat to different environments, including those derived from the global climate change.

More information: Jose Miguel Soriano et al. Genetic Structure of Modern Durum Wheat Cultivars and Mediterranean Landraces Matches with Their Agronomic Performance, PLOS ONE (2016). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160983 Journal information: PLoS ONE
Students in Soil Science 100 examining wet dirt at UC Davis Russell Ranch, October 2016. A teaspoon of soil teems with billions of microbes that are vital to all life on Earth. UC Davis researchers are exploring this hidden world and what it means for agriculture and climate change. Credit: Gregory Urquiaga, UC Davis

Kate Scow, a professor of soil science and soil microbial ecology at UC Davis, keeps plastic bags filled with soil on her desk.

We are meeting in her office in Plant and the Environmental Sciences Building on campus, not out at Russell Ranch, where she's the director of the university's unique 300-acre research facility studying the long-term impacts of management practices and climate on agricultural sustainability. California is finally rainy again. "Our soils are sopping wet and it's kind of hard to move around there right now," says Scow.

One of the bags is filled with crumbly light-brown earth that holds together in small clumps. It's from an organically-managed tomato field. Another bag holds an almost solid, gray block of dirt, like a brick of cement.

"It's because it was tilled when it was wet. The structure has completely broken down." She grabs the bag and holds it up. "But you might be surprised that even this boulder has some microorganisms in it. They are everywhere."

Microbial ecology is one of Scow's primary research areas. What she is trying to understand is how we can refocus agricultural practices "below-ground" and enhance the activity of beneficial microorganisms. Just a few of her recent research projects include looking at the sensitivity of bacteria and fungi to tillage and cover crops, and the impacts of mineral fertilizer on managed and nonmanaged agricultural systems.

Even though microbes in soil are essential for life on earth, scientists readily admit they still know relatively little about them. What they do know is that they are very, very plentiful and very, very diverse.

"A gram of soilabout a quarter of a teaspooncan easily contain a billion bacterial cells and several miles of fungal filaments," says Scow.

And how many different types of organisms might be in the soil? "Soil is overwhelmingly diverse, with an estimated 10,000 to 50,000 different taxa in a teaspoon of soil. These numbers are difficult to guess and keep getting adjusted as we learn more about the soil microbiome through sequencing efforts," says Scow, referencing genomic sequencing, which identifies organisms by their unique genetic traits.

A living ecosystem

Unlike Scow, when most of us drive by a freshly plowed agricultural field, we see dirt. We might picture the presence of a few bugs, maybe worms, but essentially, most of us see soil as an inanimate substrate into which plants grow.

But soil is actually a living entity, a diverse ecosystem that is one of the most complex on the planet. And it is one that is essential for human life through all the functions it providesfood production, water purification, greenhouse gas reduction, and pollution cleanup, to name a few.

"A lot of processes that are really important in soil, like the decomposition of organic material, goes into building up the soil structurethe aggregateswhich are the structural units of soil," says Scow. "These aggregates determine how well the water drains when it rains, how well it is retained when it gets dry. And the exchange of gaseslike the ability to get oxygen to plant rootsis determined by the structure of the soil."

What you see when you turn over a shovelful of healthy soil isn't just happenstance. "Microbes are the architects that build that structure," says Scow. And she points out that how we manage our farm soils can determine whether we help or hinder these microscopic structural engineers.

Healthy soils could help mitigate climate change

Gut microbes have received a lot of attention in recent years as researchers continue to unlock the complex relationship between human health and what is living in our intestines.

For humans there are helpful prebiotics and probiotics. It turns out that the Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles bacteria in yogurt are good for us. But are there similar "good bacteria" for plants and soils?

I ask Radomir Schmidt, a postdoctoral researcher in Kate Scow's lab, that question. He laughs. "That's the million-dollar question. We know there are a lot of soil microbes but we don't know what a lot of them do. Not yet, anyway."

He explains that there are helpful microbes in soil, but that researchers don't yet know how interactions between soil microbes lead to different practical outcomes.

Microbes have incredibly diverse functions in the soil. There are nitrifying microbes that convert ammonium to nitrite, and then nitrate. There are microbes that can metabolize fertilizers and pesticides and even pollutants. But even though the properties of some soil microbes are known, there is a lot still to learn, such as how important teamwork among different organisms is in providing these services.

Carbon sequestration in soil

I had met Schmidt when he was attending a microbiome workshop on campus sponsored by the Office of Research to help UC Davis researchers network about possible interdisciplinary microbiome projects. He was there to brainstorm projects like carbon sequestration.

Soil has become a focus for looking at ways to mitigate climate change. Healthy soil is more resilient in a changing environment. It also nourishes plants, which allows the plants to remove carbon dioxidea greenhouse gasfrom the atmosphere.

And the soil itself is also a massive repository for carbon: It houses the carbon compounds of decaying plants and animals, as well as everything that lives within the soilfrom microbes to worms to tree roots. And carbon is essential for soil microbes to be able to flourish.

Research has shown that changes to agricultural practices could increase the carbon stored in the soil. A 20-year study at Russell Ranch found that adding compost and cover crops to fields that grew tomatoes in rotation with corn increased the amount of soil carbon by 37 percent.

Kate Scow also took part of a long-term project led by Jeff Mitchell, a University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension specialist, that looked at the impact of conservation agriculture on the amount of carbon in the soil. The eight-year study in the San Joaquin Valley found that conservation agriculture practices could increase the amount of carbon sequestered in the soil by about 45 percent.

The state of California is so interested in the potential of soil to mitigate climate change that the California Department of Food and Agriculture allocated $7.5 million for the Healthy Soils Initiative, which has the goals of building soil carbon and reducing agricultural greenhouse gas.

Studies explore impact of agricultural techniques on microbes

Schmidt's Ph.D. is in bacterial genetics. He began in Scow's lab doing genetic sequencing and gradually transitioned into working more directly with agriculture. He likes getting out of the lab. "The main project I am working on right now are the effects of no-till agriculture and cover cropping on the microbiome. We know pretty well the general effects of not tilling the soil and growing cover crops but we know much less about effects on specific members of the microbial community," says Schmidt.

For example, he points out that fungi are particularly sensitive to the physical disturbance brought about by tillage, whereas many bacteria are not as affected. For the bacteria, what mattered more was foodwhether the cover crop was there are not. There may be tradeoffs with the different practices, which is one of many reasons the research is so important.

And sometimes the research results are unexpected. When Kelly Gravuer, then a Ph.D. student in Scow's lab, did a study adding poultry compost to to three different types of soil, she was pretty sure the microbial diversity in the nutrient-poor soil would increase. It did not. It went down

"Clearly, we still have a lot to learn about how to translate knowledge gained from plant and animal experiments to the vastly different world of microbes," says Gravuer.

Lessons from deforestation and regeneration in the Amazon

Jorge L. Mazza Rodrigues, a professor in the UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, has been studying the impact of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest since 2008.

His first project was in Rondonia, a state close to the Bolivian border and with the distinction of having the highest rate of deforestation in the Amazon. Later, Rodrigues added a second research project, in the state of Para, on the northern side of the Amazon. "They have big differences in how much rain they get," says Rodrigues.

He is in the Northern Hemisphere most of the year, and this quarter he is teaching a seminar on methods in microbiome research. We meet in his office in the Plant and Environmental Sciences Building. Dozens of name badge lanyards from the various conferences he has attended dangle from his coat rack below his bicycle helmet.

Rodrigues studies the changes to the soil microbiome when primary forests are converted to pasture. "There are very few primary forests in the United States. So, we have been working with tropical systems these days because that's the next frontier in agricultural systems."

About 20 percent of the Amazon rainforest has been removedconverted into pastures to raise cattle. Brazil ranks among the world's top four exporters of beef. The fact that the United States has so few primary forests is one reason Rodrigues tries to avoid judgment about the deforestation in the Amazon despite its impact on the environment.

"From my privileged position I'm not going to tell someone not to do what the U.S. did." He sees his role as assisting with their decisions. "We might help people if we say 'let's help you to achieve what you want to achieve.'"

To convert pristine rainforest into pasture, the old-growth trees are removed and sold, and then everything left is burned. He says the burning can go on for weeks.

The changes to ecosystem diversity are obvious and dramatic after the conversion. "You've removed all the plants and the trees and then you have maybe one grass. You go from a large number of animal species to maybe one or two speciescows and very few birds," says Rodrigues.

Changes beneath the surface

But what he is there to study is what is not so visible: He wants to know has happened to the microorganisms in the soil.

He gives, as an example, Acidobacteria. Acidobacteria is a large, diverse phylum of bacteria. "As the name suggests, they like more of an acidic environment, lower pH soils like the ones that we find in the Amazon forest," says Rodrigues.

But after the forest has been burned, all the ashes fertilize the soil and increase the pH, making it more alkaline. "Those guys don't like that," he says. The Acidobacteria that had been in the forest are not found in the pasture. "They are gone because the environment has changed."

Rodrigues has published numerous studies on the microbiome. One looked at the loss of fungal diversity in the Amazon. Another recent paper looked at the nitrogen-methane cycle in the Amazon based on the microbial communities associated with it. In another, he worked with microbiome researchers from China, which is going through the same type of deforestation happening in the Amazon.

And he's also involved in projects closer to home, including a project in California with Kate Scow measuring the microbial emission rates of methane that are being released at farms using dairy manure for compost. "What we learned to do in the Amazon we are applying to California dairy farms," says Rodrigues.

Because the converted pastures in the Amazon are not fertilized, they end up with poor-quality soil and are usually abandoned after seven to 10 years. One hopeful sign he sees for environmental recovery in the Amazon is what happens next.

"If you still have forest surrounding this pasture, the forest will start to colonize again. It starts as a dirty pasturea few bushes, trees here and therethen it takes over again. It's not as beautiful and big as the primary because of the size of the treesit takes 350 years for a big tree to growbut it's returning to that system. And we have seen that the microbial functions return as well," says Rodrigues.

He points out that a secondary forest is growing and can capture more carbon than the primary forest that had been in climax was able to capture.

"As long as we maintain corridors and maintain the areas of primary forest, it can reseed that area. Animals can move in and out. We can maintain the biodiversity, and the structure of the environment."

The tenacity of microbes

When we talk about the ability of microbes to survive in such different environments, he describes how he had helped a colleague isolate microbes that had been living deep underground in the frozen permafrost in Siberia. Living in ice.

"They were alive, but they were just waiting to get a certain amount of nutrients." He describes how a different colleague isolated viable microbes from the frozen remains of a mammoth from the last ice age. "They came back to life. They were still viable," says Rodrigues.

"There are estimates that microbes have been here for 3.8 billion years on the planet. The planet around 4.8 billion years and the first indications of microbial life around 3.8 billion years," says Rodrigues.

Rodrigues' work with microbes has given him tremendous respect for the organisms. "I admire them." He smiles. "Those guys can survive."
This GPM rainfall image combined with infrared cloud data from NOAA's GOES-West satellite shows the line of storms that stretched from Pennsylvania to Alabama on March 1, 2017. Red areas indicate rainfall up to 50 mm per hour. Credit: NASA/JAXA, Hal Pierce

Rainfall from spring-like downpours in the U.S. from February 25 to March 1 were analyzed at NASA using data from the Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM satellite.

Record breaking warm temperatures this winter have caused plants to bloom early in the eastern United States. Unfortunately this has also resulted in the formation of spring-like severe thunderstorms and deadly tornadoes. Multiple tornado sightings were made in three of the last seven days. On Saturday February 25, 2017 destructive tornadoes were reported in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

On February 28, twisters were reported in the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan. Three people were killed in Illinois and four others were injured in Arkansas with this tornado outbreak. Severe weather on March 1, 2017 also included reports of tornado sightings in Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, Kentucky and Georgia.

Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM or IMERG data were used to show the rainfall that occurred during the past week. The analysis was done at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Intense downpours from storms over this period resulted in flash floods in several states.

This IMERG 3-D Flyby animation shows the movement of storms from Feb. 25 through Mar. 1. Credit: NASA/JAXA, Hal Pierce

The GPM core observatory satellite had a good view of severe weather as it moved into the Appalachian Mountains on March 1, 2017 at 1525 UTC (10:25 a.m. EST). The GPM satellite measures rain and snow using the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments. GPM's DPR measured rain falling at a rate of over 6.3 inches (159 mm) per hour as powerful storms moved through Tennessee and Kentucky. Storm top heights of over 32,800 feet (9.8 km) were found by GPM's radar as it sliced through those intense thunderstorms.

Due to above average temperatures, frozen precipitation, other than hail, was unusual over the eastern United States in the GPM analysis. GPM's radar data (DPR) showed that the average height of the freezing level was above 9,800 feet (3 kilometers). In Alabama, the freezing level was much higher up. It was shown by GPM's data to be higher than 13,123 feet (4 kilometers).

GPM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency JAXA. For more information about GPM, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/gpm.

For forecasts, visit the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center website: http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov

This 3-D image shows the rain and frozen precipitation areas in severe thunderstorms that generated tornadoes on March 1. Credit: NASA/JAXA, Hal Pierce
Artist's conception of a terraformed Mars. Credit: Ittiz/Wikimedia Commons

NASA proposes a magnetic shield to protect Mars' atmosphere

This week, NASA's Planetary Science Division (PSD) hosted a community workshop at their headquarters in Washington, DC. Known as the "Planetary Science Vision 2050 Workshop", this event ran from February 27th to March 1st, and saw scientists and researchers from all over the world descend on the capitol to attend panel discussions, presentations, and talks about the future of space exploration.

One of the more intriguing presentations took place on Wednesday, March 1st, where the exploration of Mars by human astronauts was discussed. In the course of the talk, which was titled "A Future Mars Environment for Science and Exploration", Director Jim Green discussed how deploying a magnetic shield could enhance Mars' atmosphere and facilitate crewed missions there in the future.

The current scientific consensus is that, like Earth, Mars once had a magnetic field that protected its atmosphere. Roughly 4.2 billion years ago, this planet's magnetic field suddenly disappeared, which caused Mars' atmosphere to slowly be lost to space. Over the course of the next 500 million years, Mars went from being a warmer, wetter environment to the cold, uninhabitable place we know today.

Artists rendering of a solar storm hitting Mars and stripping ions from the planets upper atmosphere. Credits: NASA/GSFC

This theory has been confirmed in recent years by orbiters like the ESA's Mars Express and NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN Mission (MAVEN), which have been studying the Martian atmosphere since 2004 and 2014, respectively. In addition to determining that solar wind was responsible for depleting Mars' atmosphere, these probes have also been measuring the rate at which it is still being lost today.

Without this atmosphere, Mars will continue to be a cold, dry place where life cannot flourish. In addition to that, future crewed mission  which NASA hopes to mount by the 2030s  will also have to deal with some severe hazards. Foremost among these will be exposure to radiation and the danger of asphyxiation, which will pose an even greater danger to colonists (should any attempts at colonization be made).

In answer to this challenge, Dr. Jim Green  the Director of NASA's Planetary Science Division  and a panel of researchers presented an ambitious idea. In essence, they suggested that by positioning a magnetic dipole shield at the Mars L1 Lagrange Point, an artificial magnetosphere could be formed that would encompass the entire planet, thus shielding it from solar wind and radiation.

Naturally, Green and his colleagues acknowledged that the idea might sounds a bit "fanciful". However, they were quick to emphasize how new research into miniature magnetospheres (for the sake of protecting crews and spacecraft) supports this concept:

The proposed method for creating an artificial magnetic dipole at Mars L1 Lagrange Point. Credit: NASA/J.Green

"This new research is coming about due to the application of full plasma physics codes and laboratory experiments. In the future it is quite possible that an inflatable structure(s) can generate a magnetic dipole field at a level of perhaps 1 or 2 Tesla (or 10,000 to 20,000 Gauss) as an active shield against the solar wind."

In addition, the positioning of this magnetic shield would ensure that the two regions where most of Mars' atmosphere is lost would be shielded. In the course of the presentation, Green and the panel indicated that these the major escape channels are located, "over the northern polar cap involving higher energy ionospheric material, and 2) in the equatorial zone involving a seasonal low energy component with as much as 0.1 kg/s escape of oxygen ions."

To test this idea, the research team  which included scientists from Ames Research Center, the Goddard Space Flight Center, the University of Colorado, Princeton University, and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory  conducted a series of simulations using their proposed artificial magnetosphere. These were run at the Coordinated Community Modeling Center (CCMC), which specializes in space weather research, to see what the net effect would be.

What they found was that a dipole field positioned at Mars L1 Lagrange Point would be able to counteract solar wind, such that Mars' atmosphere would achieve a new balance. At present, atmospheric loss on Mars is balanced to some degree by volcanic outpassing from Mars interior and crust. This contributes to a surface atmosphere that is about 6 mbar in air pressure (less than 1% that at sea level on Earth).

At one time, Mars had a magnetic field similar to Earth, which prevented its atmosphere from being stripped away. Credit: NASA

As a result, Mars atmosphere would naturally thicken over time, which lead to many new possibilities for human exploration and colonization. According to Green and his colleagues, these would include an average increase of about 4 C (~7 F), which would be enough to melt the carbon dioxide ice in the northern polar ice cap. This would trigger a greenhouse effect, warming the atmosphere further and causing the water ice in the polar caps to melt.

By their calculations, Green and his colleagues estimated that this could lead to 1/7th of Mars' oceans  the ones that covered it billions of years ago  to be restored. If this is beginning to sound a bit like a lecture on how to terraform Mars, it is probably because these same ideas have been raised by people who advocating that very thing. But in the meantime, these changes would facilitate human exploration between now and mid-century.

"A greatly enhanced Martian atmosphere, in both pressure and temperature, that would be enough to allow significant surface liquid water would also have a number of benefits for science and human exploration in the 2040s and beyond," said Green. "Much like Earth, an enhanced atmosphere would: allow larger landed mass of equipment to the surface, shield against most cosmic and solar particle radiation, extend the ability for oxygen extraction, and provide "open air" greenhouses to exist for plant production, just to name a few."

These conditions, said Green and his colleagues, would also allow for human explorers to study the planet in much greater detail. It would also help them to determine the habitability of the planet, since many of the signs that pointed towards it being habitable in the past (i.e. liquid water) would slowly seep back into the landscape. And if this could be achieved within the space of few decades, it would certainly help pave the way for colonization.

In the meantime, Green and his colleagues plan to review the results of these simulations so they can produce a more accurate assessment of how long these projected changes would take. It also might not hurt to conduct some cost-assessments of this magnetic shield. While it might seem like something out of science fiction, it doesn't hurt to crunch the numbers!
An artist's impression of an asteroid breaking up. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Mention the word "asteroid" and you'll probably think about the downfall of the dinosaurs, or perhaps Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck duking it out in the movie "Armageddon."

Now, NASA and a Palo Alto-based satellite manufacturer are working to get a spacecraft to an asteroid before one gets to us.

Asteroid exploration has become one of NASA's top goals, and Space Systems Loral will play a key role in an upcoming mission that will allow scientists to get research equipment to a unique asteroid to study its composition. It's the company's first major foray into the world of deep-space exploration.

NASA's Discovery Program, aimed at improving our understanding of the solar system by exploring planets, moons and other celestial bodies, announced last month that it had selected two asteroid-centric missions - each with a $450 million price cap - to launch in the next decade. One of the missions involves sending a spacecraft to Psyche, an asteroid named after the Greek goddess of the soul that is made entirely of metal.

Scientists say metal asteroids are one of the last remaining things in our solar system that they have never seen up close.

"We've looked at rocky planets, gas giants, icy planets, rocky asteroids, comets - but never anything like this," said Jim Bell, a professor of planetary science at Arizona State University, where a team of scientists is leading the Psyche mission. The scientists believe the asteroid may be the metal core of a planet that was stripped of its rocky outer layers when it was destroyed billions of years ago.

Asteroids - rocky space bodies that orbit the sun - range in size from 600 miles in diameter to dust particles. Like Psyche, most are in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. NASA estimates the belt contains between 1.1 million and 1.9 million asteroids larger than a half-mile in diameter, plus millions of smaller ones.

Lindy Elkins-Tanton, the Arizona team's principal investigator, recently told Space News that visiting Psyche will allow scientists to "literally visit a planetary core - the only way that humankind ever can." Psyche's metallic iron and nickel composition is similar to Earth's core, so studying the asteroid may help scientists understand how planets' layers - such as cores and crusts - separate.

Bell, Elkins-Tanton's second-in-command, will be in charge of obtaining color images of the asteroid and figuring out its surface geology from the images.

For Bell, Psyche represents the opportunity to study a world made of metal. "We don't know what to expect regarding impact craters or tectonic features," he said. "Our predictions are all over the map of Dr. Seuss-like landscapes."

The mission, set to launch from Florida's Kennedy Space Center in 2023, hopes to use data collected from the metallic asteroid to help scientists learn about how planets with cores like Psyche formed during the early days of our solar system.

Erik Asphaug, another investigator on the team, likens himself to "a kid in a candy store." Like Bell, he yearns to understand the geology of an entirely metallic body: "Was there ever water on Psyche? Is there evidence for chemical processes? Plate tectonics?"

Added Bell: "We're also trying to figure out what these kinds of asteroids are like, to inform us about others like it that could be a threat to Earth in the future."

The Arizona team says it will take five to seven years for the mission's spacecraft to get to the asteroid - which is 130 miles in diameter - and then it will spend one year collecting data as it orbits the asteroid.

Bell's imaging camera, along with a gamma ray neutron detector to detect the asteroid's composition and a magnetometer to detect its magnetic fields, will also be making the journey. Information will be relayed back via a radio antenna on the spacecraft that communicates with the deep-space network antennas on Earth.

The responsibility of building the shuttle-bus-size spacecraft that will travel to Psyche falls to Space Systems Loral, or SSL - a 60-year-old company that constructs and launches commercial communications satellites for companies such as Sirius XM and DirecTV.

When the company announced it was awarded the mission's $127 million contract in early January, SSL President John Celli said "years of experience and success in building state-of-the-art spacecraft" positioned the company to contribute to the NASA mission.

The spacecraft will be built in conjunction with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, which will later integrate the scientific instruments and computer "brain." Bob Mase, deputy project manager for the Psyche mission at JPL, called it a "tag-team effort that leverages both parties' strengths."

Harrison Pitman of Made In Space, a Mountain View company that manufactures technology for use in space, said that his company recognizes the importance of reaching resource-rich asteroids like Psyche.

Made In Space, which did not compete for the Psyche project contract, is working on another project aimed at traveling to an asteroid in deep space. The project involves using robotics to convert an asteroid into a self-propelled spacecraft that flies itself back to Earth's orbit. Once in orbit, the asteroid can be mined for resources like rare metals that are unobtainable on Earth.

"We believe that the insights gained on this Psyche mission and similar missions will provide the groundwork necessary to successfully develop asteroid-mining operations like ours," Pitman said.

The Psyche collaboration also marks a new trend at the nexus of scientific exploration and commercial production.

Al Tadros, a vice president at SSL who has been with the company for 28 years, said the firm has had to make some major adjustments to pull off the asteroid project - but is loving every minute of it.

"It's a change from communication satellites, which are business- and profit-driven," he said. "But like our commercial business, NASA projects demand low risk and on-time delivery."

Tadros said SSL was chosen from more than 20 proposals following an initial selection process, vigorous oral evaluations and an on-site visit from 80 NASA reviewers.

"It's pretty cool," Tadros said with a laugh.

2017 The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Credit: Ryan Johnson/North Charleston/Flickr

Data from a recent survey by the Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg shows how Pennsylvanians view key policing topics, including what defines police legitimacy and whether or not police wearing body cameras makes us feel safer.

Recently, high profile cases of alleged police brutality and police shootings of minorities have raised questions about a "legitimacy crisis" in policing. Penn State Harrisburg researcher, Jennifer Gibbs, assistant professor of criminal justice in the college's School of Public Affairs, asserted that before the question of a legitimacy crisis can be raised, what "police legitimacy" means to citizens must first be determined.

Gibbs explains that various disciplines define the word differently. Political scientists define legitimacy in terms of legality or lawfulness  whether the police follow the law; in terms of morality  whether the customs of various social groups are respected; and through acts of consent  where the citizenry actively supports the work of police through actions like reporting crime, she said. Criminologists define police legitimacy as trust, voluntary obligation to obey the law and police directives, procedural justice or fair treatment, outcome fairness, lawfulness, and effectiveness.

"Most surveys of public perceptions of police legitimacy use similar questions with a set of answers from which the person taking the survey must choose. From these questions, criminologists typically conclude that legitimacy is limited to trust and willingness to obey. But few have directly asked citizens how they define police legitimacy, without the researcher limiting citizens to certain questions," said Gibbs. Gibbs and the Center for Survey Research asked this question of Pennsylvanians.

A random sample of 601 people was interviewed through the Penn State Poll, an omnibus telephone survey conducted by the center each year. Four hundred and twenty-three respondents answered the question, "Thinking about the police, what does 'legitimacy' mean to you?" (See full research brief here).

Key themes of respondents definitions tended to fall in some of the categories used by academics, Gibbs said, including integrity/morality; lawfulness; fairness; effectiveness; and adequate training/certified.

Overall, the majority of respondents defined police legitimacy in terms of integrity or morality, followed by lawfulness, and fairness.

The most common definitions varied by racial and ethnic groups. While most definitions were categorized as integrity/morality or lawfulness for whites, non-white respondents most often defined police legitimacy as integrity/morality or fairness. The sample was predominantly white.

Significant differences also emerged among age groups. All ages primarily defined police legitimacy in terms of integrity/morality. While the oldest group (55 years of age or older) also defined police legitimacy as lawfulness, the younger groups (18-34 years of age and 35-54 years of age) were split between that definition, fairness, and effectiveness.

"The primary implication of these findings is that police and academicians alike should take heed of the public voice," Gibbs said. "Police should consider ways to promote public perception of officer integrity, lawfulness and fairness, and include various communities in discussions of how to do so."

She added that scholars studying police legitimacy may want to rethink some of the classic conceptualizations and incorporate new categories, like training and certification. Future research may want to determine what affects public definitions of police legitimacy and whether citizens' definitions of police legitimacy affect their attitudes and actions toward police.

As part of the Penn State Poll, researchers also sought to gauge Pennsylvania residents' feelings on police body-worn cameras (BWC).

"Politicians, the media, and public interest groups have called for greater police accountability through implementation of police body-worn cameras in the wake of police shootings of minority citizens," Gibbs said. "Parts of Pennsylvania have embraced BWC; the Pittsburgh City Council, for example, offered preliminary support for a $1.5 million contract with Taser International for 500 cameras, which would cover 75 percent of the police force."

Gibbs added that despite this support, there are some who have voiced concerns over citizen privacy.

"The Pennsylvania state legislature currently is reviewing the state wiretap laws, which, as they stand, would prohibit police from videotaping inside a citizen's residence," Gibbs said. "Other issues with this technology blocking police accountability include who has access to the recordings; whether the recordings would be released to the public, to whom, and when; for how long the recordings are stored and by whom (the police agency or a private contractor); whether police have discretion to turn the cameras off; whether citizens' requests to stop the recording will be upheld by officers; and technology malfunctions.

"As BWCs are implemented by police agencies across the state, gauging public perception of this new surveillance technology will be a fruitful avenue for exploration," Gibbs said.

A total of 579 Pennsylvanians responded to a question on the Penn State Poll asking how much they agreed with the statement, "I would feel safer if a police officer was wearing a video camera." Most of the sample88.1 percentagreed that they would feel safer, but, again, views differed among social groups. (See full research brief here).

Black/African-American respondents were more likely to say that they strongly agree with the statement than were white respondents and those of another race. Differences were also reported by gender, education, income level and political affiliation.

"The overwhelming support by Black and African-American respondents is unsurprising, given that the nationwide call for body cameras stems from concerns over highly publicized incidents of police use of force on Black and African-American citizens," Gibbs said.
On Feb. 9, at a closed-door meeting with a group of U.S. senators. Donald Trump claimed that both he and former New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte would have been victorious in the Granite State last fall if not for the thousands of people who were brought in on buses from neighboring Massachusetts to illegally vote in New Hampshire, according to a Politico report.

Three days later, White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller claimed on national television that 14 percent of noncitizens are registered to vote in the United States. We know for a fact, you have massive numbers of noncitizens registered to vote in this country, Miller said during an appearance on ABCs This Week With George Stephanopoulos. The White House has provided enormous evidence with respect to voter fraud.

Miller also repeated Trumps claim that thousands of people had been bussed into New Hampshire to illegally vote there. I can tell you that this issue of busing voters into New Hampshire is widely known by anyone whos worked in New Hampshire politics, he said. Its very real. Its very serious.

The claim of massive voter fraud in the 2016 election is false.

But Trump and his surrogates have repeated it so often that, according to a Politico/Morning Consult survey, 25 percent of American voters now believe that millions of votes were cast illegally in the 2016 election.

What do we do when we have a president and White House surrogates  along with enablers in the right-wing media  who continuously lie about something as fundamental to our democracy as whether weve got massive voter fraud?

The answer is we find the truth. We spread the truth. We continue to speak the truth. And we use every chance we have  in op-eds, in letters to editors, in local media, in national media  to state the truth.

And we demand that big lies like this be corrected.

A new report on voter fraud from the Brennan Center for Justice confirms that multiple nationwide studies have uncovered only a handful of incidents of noncitizens voting. Based on state prosecution records, votes by noncitizens account for between 0.0003 percent and 0.001 percent of all votes cast, according to the report

Election officials agree that noncitizen voting in our elections is not a problem. The National Association of Secretaries of State, whose Republican-majority membership includes the chief elections officers of 40 states, said they are not aware of any evidence that supports the voter fraud claims made by President Trump.

Federal law and the laws of every state bar noncitizens from registering to vote or voting in elections. Experts believe that the severity of the penalties for violating these laws serve as a significant deterrent. Also, it is relatively easy for a noncitizen to get caught.

There is no evidence of voter fraud in the 2016 election.

What about those busloads of thousands supposedly brought into New Hampshire to vote illegally?

Never happened. When he heard the claim, New Hampshires former attorney general and prominent Republican Tom Rath tweeted: Let me be as unequivocal as possible  allegations of voter fraud in NH are baseless, without any merit  its a shame to spread these fantasies.

Trumps false assertion of massive voting fraud is intended for one purpose: to legitimate more voter identification laws around the country.

Voter identification laws are already spreading rapidly. Before 2006, no state required photo identification to vote on Election Day, according to the Washington Post. Now, 10 states have this requirement, and 33 states have some sort of voter identification rules on the books.

The purpose of these laws is to further entrench Republican officials.

New research from the Washington Post shows a significant drop in minority participation in places with such laws  which is no surprise, since members of racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to have photo IDs.

The research also shows that because minority voters tend to be Democrats, voter ID laws tilt the primary electorate, more than doubling the turnout gap between Republicans and Democrats, from 4.3 points to 9.8 points.

The truth: Theres no voter fraud. State ID laws intended to stop voter fraud are really intended to stop Democrats from voting  and that has been their effect.
Credit: Shutterstock

Fear of losing our jobs to those who can perform tasks faster, cheaper and perhaps with more creativity, has been longstanding. Equally, the introduction of a new leisure class with more free-time to spend once liberated from mundane, repetitive and boring tasks has also long been promised. With some forecasts indicating that within 20 years, 35 % of UK jobs are at risk from automation, it might be time to sort the job terminators out from the tumble dryers.

When Cafe X opened a few weeks ago in San Francisco selling coffee made by a resident robot, baristas were highlighted in a list of jobs which were under increasing threat from automation. Research published last year by Oxford University and the business advisor Deloitte, indicated that in the UK there is a 77 % probability of 1.3 million 'repetitive and predictable' administrative and operative roles being automated.

What seemed to be unexpected was the range of jobs at risk from our cybernetic cousins. While factory workers have been familiar with automation taking over repetitive, precise and physically arduous tasks for decades, the list also cited work performed by the police, teachers and even senior executives as amenable to computerisation. Similar research in the US by the consultancy firm, McKinsey also backs up these findings.

Perhaps to buck what might be seen as a passive approach and given that insurance writers topped the 'at risk list', it was recently reported that the insurance company Aviva apparently recently wrote to all of its 16 000 UK workers asking them if they consider that their job could be automated. In a twist, and firmly putting the ghost back in the machine, the carrot for full disclosure was that the self-selecting staff would be retrained.

Conceivably the current debate is prompted by the seemingly daily inundation of autonomous device innovations, exemplified by driverless cars as under development by Google and others, leading the way. Alongside, this is the deliberately imperceptible and ubiquitous nature of the technology dubbed the 'internet of things'.

So how worried should we be? Anyone familiar with the term Luddite could be forgiven for responding by asking, 'wasn't it ever thus?' The more optimistic forecasters point out that while innovation drives change - resulting in social adjustments - the reality is rarely exclusively negative, straight-forward or even predictable.

McKinsey research points out that the discussion is misleading if by 'job' we mean 'occupation', going on to say that only some functional activities will be automated, leading to a redefinition of occupations in the same way that automatic cash machines changed that of the bank clerk. The researchers found that less than 5 % of US occupations could currently be completely automated. They did however also find that 60 % of occupations could have around a third of their activities automated.

Additionally, the more sanguine remind us that after two centuries of automation the net sum is not less jobs, but more. Another Deloitte study found that while automation had reduced agriculture and manufacturing employment in the UK over the preceding 150 years, the growth in business and technology services, along with the caring and creative professions had more than offset this downward trend.

Rather than either a dystopian or utopian future, the reality is likely to be more mundane as policy and law makers get to work tackling issues such as culpability in the instance of driverless car accidents. Just a few days ago, Bill Gates even suggested that there should be a tax applied to robots that replaced human workers. Currently, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are asking the European Commission to establish a legal 'status' for robots to exploit their economic potential, while guaranteeing citizen safety and security, including job security.

And will discussions about responsibilities also bring us to those of 'robotic rights?' Well that raises the prospect of Artificial Intelligence (AI), beyond the scope of this articleunless my computer disagrees?"

Provided by CORDIS
Many Silicon Valley tech leaders continue to challenge the man they never wanted to see in the White House, labeling his ideas - particularly last month's travel ban - as bad for the industry and their bottom line.

Meanwhile, for a few other tech companies, President Donald Trump is a goldmine.

As a wave of civic activism sweeps through the country, startups using technology to address issues of social justice, government accountability and health care have seen business boom since Trump's election.

"A typical day before Trump was elected, we might have 5,000 or 10,000 unique users a day. Now we have roughly 100,000 to 200,000," said Bart Myers, founder and CEO of Countable, an app that connects people with their congressional representatives. "It's a radical change. And it's not slowing down."

Startups like Countable and CrowdJustice, a crowdfunding platform for social justice lawsuits, are harnessing both the outrage and jubilation Americans are experiencing in the wake of the election, by giving users a way to speak out on divisive issues. Others, like birth control delivery app Nurx and immigration aid app Arrived.us, cater to users' fears of what might happen under a Trump presidency.

Countable, which launched in 2014 and has offices in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., offers an app-based rundown of pending federal bills and helps users call or send electronic messages to their congressional representatives.

Countable sent more than 1 million messages to Congress over the past month, Myers said, and the Apple App Store recently featured it on one of its "Apps we love" lists. There's been so much buzz around the app that Countable had to buy extra server space to handle the demand.

San Francisco resident Alexis Braren said she downloaded Countable after the election.

"I was just desperate to do anything - literally anything," said Braren, who was upset by Trump's victory.

But the app can't work magic. Braren says she's used it to call U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein at least 10 times, and has never gotten through.

OpenGov, which sells software that helps local governments keep transparent financial records, also saw a Trump bump. The company is doing bigger deals - signing on clients like the California Natural Resources Agency - as more Americans express dissatisfaction with their elected officials, and local governments feel increasing pressure to be seen as "open."

In addition to supercharging OpenGov's business, the new administration also sparked a surge in job applications and investor interest. CEO Zachary Bookman estimates the company now sees 20 percent more job applicants, many of whom feel newly inspired after the election to work toward government accountability.

"Prospective employees and investors are kind of flocking to the business," Bookman said, "and saying, 'I want to be a part of this. I'm tired of photo sharing or mobile apps or mobile games. I want to do something important and meaningful.'"

Some startups have adjusted their business strategies to fully capitalize on the Trump presidency. CrowdJustice, a United Kingdom-based platform that lets users donate to public interest lawsuits, launched in the U.S. on Jan. 31 - weeks ahead of schedule - to take advantage of Trump's travel ban. The controversial ban, which temporarily blocked refugees and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S., remains suspended following a Feb. 9 order from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

CrowdJustice kicked off its United States presence with a Virginia lawsuit filed against Trump by two Yemeni brothers who were briefly denied entry into the U.S. under the ban. The campaign raised $36,600 in five days - more than twice its $15,000 goal.

San Francisco-based Nurx recently began marketing to women who are worried their birth control options will be limited under new Trump-era health care policies. The startup, which provides on-demand delivery of birth control pills without a doctor's visit, has offered free pill packs with the promotional codes "TinyHands" and "AlternativeFacts" - both jabs at the Trump administration.

"We've seen a lot of new interest since the election," said Nurx co-founder Hans Gangeskar.

Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress have promised to repeal former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act - which requires insurers to cover birth control with no copay. That means birth control may become more expensive under Trump, and Gangeskar said women are turning to Nurx to ask questions and stock up on extra pills, just in case.

The startup offers pills for as low as $15 a month without insurance.

Trump's agenda also spells promise for Arrived.us, an app for immigrants that Google employees William McLaughlin and Eduardo Gaitan launched as a side project in July. The app maps out immigration nonprofits, law clinics and sanctuary cities throughout the U.S., and provides information on topics such as visas, deportation and English classes.

Its user base is still small, but after Trump signed the travel ban late last month, the app saw a flurry of interest and now is approaching 1,000 users.

"I don't think anyone could have foreseen it," McLaughlin said. "So we're really excited about it."

2017 The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Red deer on Scotland's Isle of Rum, where scientists are studying precipitation change effects. Credit: Sean Morris

What matters more for the evolution of plants and animals, precipitation or temperature? Scientists have found a surprising answer: rain and snow may play a more important role than how hot or cold it is.

Rainfall and snowfall patterns are changing with climate variation, which likely plays a key role in shaping natural selection, according to results published today by an international team of researchers.

Twenty scientists from the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia contributed to the study. Their results were published in the journal Science.

The team assembled a database of 168 published studies that measured natural selection over certain time periods for plant and animal populations worldwide. The results from the data set the scientists examined showed that between 20 and 40 percent of genetic changes could be attributed to variability in local precipitation.

"Previous evidence from other studies indicated that climate variation might be really important in how plants and animals evolve," said lead author and University of Arkansas biologist Adam Siepielski, whose work is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF). "We wanted to know if we could explain variation in selection across diverse plant and animal populations through a few simple climate variables. It turns out that, yes, we can."

Medium ground finch in the Galapagos, site of a study of climate and natural selection. Credit: Andrew Hendry

That's significant, he says, "especially considering the global scale of the study. These results suggest that variation in selection is actually partly predictable based on climate features like precipitation."

Adds Doug Levey, program director in NSF's Division of Environmental Biology, "These results show that changes in precipitation can have surprising evolutionary effects on plants and animals worldwide."

In a time of change for rainfall, snowstorms and other forms of precipitation, plants and animals are changing, too, Siepielski said. As an example, Siepielski cited birds that live in the Galapagos Islands, called medium ground finches. The birds' beak sizes and shapes have changed over several generations.

Soay sheep in driving rain in the St. Kilda Archipelago in Scotland, a research site in the study. Credit: Owen Jones

"Differences in precipitation over years have affected the sizes of seeds available for the birds to eat," Siepielski said. "Birds that had bills well-matched to eat particular seed sizes were the ones that tended to survive."

The team found that changes in temperature had much less effect than precipitation. Siepielski called that surprising. "Temperature didn't have much explanatory power," he said. "It might act on a different scale that we couldn't pick up in the data set."

"By showing that selection was influenced by climate variation," the researchers stated in their paper, "our results indicate that climate variability may cause widespread alterations in selection regimes, potentially shifting evolution on a global scale."

Translation: what comes down as rain or snow may radically alter how some species will evolve.

Blue-tailed damselfly in Sweden, where a long-term precipitation study has been conducted. Credit: Erik Svensson

More information: Adam M. Siepielski et al. Precipitation drives global variation in natural selection, Science (2017). DOI: 10.1126/science.aag2773 Journal information: Science
Each pair of sunglasses manufactured by Norton Point bears the latitude and longitude of its ocean plastic's origin. In addition to Haiti, the company has identified ocean plastics from Indonesia and Hong Kong as potential collection streams. Credit: Amy Ware

Two years ago, socially conscious entrepreneurs Rob Ianelli and Ryan Schoenike founded their company, Norton Point, to manufacture sunglasses made from the huge amounts of plastic cleaned up from ocean coastlines.

Their goal was to be a part of the solution to one of the planet's greatest challenges: the 8 million tons of plastic entering Earth's oceans each year. Moreover, they wanted to reinvest their profits in research, education and development efforts that help reduce the impact of ocean plastic.

Now, engineers and polymer scientists with the University of Georgia's New Materials Institute are helping Norton Point, which is based in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, with testing of its "ocean plastics" products and finding new product applications.

"Packaging represents about half of all plastics produced, and single-use plastic items make up the majority of what is found on beaches," said Jenna Jambeck, associate professor of engineering and director of Center for Circular Materials Management in the New Materials Institute.

Her study of ocean plastics, published in the journal Science in 2015, quantified for the first time the amount of plastics flowing into the earth's oceans, drawing worldwide attention to the issue.

Jambeck's study was published at an opportune time for the Norton Point founders, who had been exploring the idea of manufacturing sunglasses from ocean plastics. "But we were concerned about doing it right," said Schoenike.

They connected for the first time with Jambeck last year at an Oceans conference, and since then, Schoenike said, the New Materials Institute has "moved our goals and the issue forward" together.

Jenna Jambeck and Jason Locklin of UGA's New Materials Institute help companies develop sustainable materials and practices based on green engineering principles. Credit: Amy Ware

Jambeck explained that one of the plastics used in single-use plastic products is high-density polyethylene, or HDPE, which doesn't biodegrade. "It only breaks down in the environment by creating smaller and smaller fragments," she said.

Jambeck said we need to ask how we can recapture the valuable resources in materials like littered plastics-that is, repurpose them into new products.

"By changing the way we think about waste," she said, "valuing the management of it, collecting, capturing and containing it, we can open up new jobs and opportunities for economic innovation, and in addition, improve the living conditions and health for millions of people around the world and protect our oceans."

New Materials Institute researchers will work with Norton Point to help make "green" products from re-purposed plastics obtained from locations around the globe.

"Norton Point wants to know how the recycled materials respond to different manufacturing processes like extrusion and injection molding, and how they compare with virgin petroleum-based high-density polyethylene in terms of qualities like impact-resistance, toughness and durability," said Jason Locklin, director of UGA's New Materials Institute and associate professor of chemistry and engineering at UGA.

The institute also is looking to help Norton Point identify new types of products that make the best use of the material properties of ocean plastics.

In the same way that claims on other types of post-consumer waste are regulated, the New Materials Institute plans to explore the potential for certification and labeling of ocean plastics.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The things that make human beings unique - fingerprints, irises, facial features - have become the preferred way to sign onto banking accounts online or other sensitive websites, the newest solution to the problem of hackable and forgettable passwords.

But your fingerprints can be stolen, your photo replicated. Now cyber experts are looking at the next security step: cellphones and computers that actually recognize you from a variety of factors.

Your smartphone now gathers more information about you than you probably realize.

"It's amazing how many sensors there are on a modern-day smartphone. You have motion sensors, like an accelerometer, a gyroscope and magnetometer," said John Whaley, chief executive of UnifyID, a startup that offers what it calls revolutionary authentication.

Then you have other sensors, such as GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. All told, an average smartphone has 10 or so sensors measuring precise details about location and user habits.

"We can tell what floor of a building you're on. We can tell if you are inside or outside of a building," Whaley said. "Just with a few seconds of your walking data, from your phone sitting in your pocket, we can actually identify you based on that."

All told, smartphones can measure the angle that your cradle your devices, the pressure you put on the screen, how much of your finger touches the pad, the speed at which you type, how you swipe, your physical rhythms, the times you normally stir in the morning, some 100 or more indicators that in combination can give near total accuracy in identifying you.

"Once you combine a large number of these factors together, we can actually get to 99.999 percent accuracy about it being you versus not you," Whaley said. "At that threshold, you can actually use this for authentication and you don't have to use passwords anymore."

If passwords become a thing of the past, it is likely due to what computer scientists describe as machine learning - which allows computers to find hidden insights without being explicitly programmed where to look - as well as improvements in sensors that measure our lives and actions with precision. What Whaley calls "implicit authentication" may change the way humans interact not only with phones and websites, but maybe the world at large. ATMs may recognize us as we approach. Clerks or cash registers at stores may greet us by name as their computers recognize our smartphones.

Whaley, who has a master's degree in computer science from MIT and a doctorate in the field from Stanford, is catching attention. His company competed with scores of others as the most innovative startup in the field of cybersecurity at the RSA conference in San Francisco last week, which drew 43,000 attendees, and won in a unanimous decision of the judges.

Technology to ensure authentication of users would have repercussions in banking and finance, e-commerce, cybersecurity, transportation security and in fraud detection, sectors with a value that nearly reaches $2 trillion.

"The need for extended authentication technology is going to be great," said Robert Capps, vice president of business development at NuData Security, a Vancouver firm that uses behavioral analytics to help clients identify good users from bad ones.

The downside to using biometrics, such as fingerprints, in computer security is not widely understood.

"There definitely is a gap in the perceived value of biometrics and the true value," said Daniel Ingevaldson, chief technology officer at Easy Solutions, a Doral, Fla., company that helps banks fight electronic fraud.

Ingevaldson noted that a billion smartphones are now equipped with fingerprint sensors, and consumers clamor for banks to accept biometric proof.

But fingerprints are not secure. In the hack of the federal Office of Personnel Management in 2015, the fingerprints of 5.6 million people were stolen. And prints can be lifted off surfaces such as glass doors. High-resolution photos can also fool facial recognition software.

"Once your biometric credentials are stolen, they are stolen forever. There's no way to easily change your face. There's no easy way you can change your voice. And definitely not an easy way to change your fingerprints," said Ricardo Villadiego, Easy Solutions' chief executive.

Traditionally, the areas of authentication for users are something you know (such as a password), something you have (say, a cellphone or an electronic key) or something you are (a biometric indicator).

As the need for passwords has proliferated, users have grown fatigued. Many users choose ever simpler passwords. They repeat the same password on multiple sites, or make minor modifications.

The advantage of what UnifyID calls implicit authentication is that a user doesn't take conscious action to verify his or her identity. The smartphone, using a data bank of patterns of a given user, is continuously testing against those patterns.

"Security, instead of being up front, like, 'what's your password?' is going to be passive, in the background and happening all the time," Whaley said.

"Your devices will recognize you. Your car will recognize you. Your house will recognize you, and so security will become much more seamless," Whaley said. "It wasn't possible just a few years ago. It's because of a proliferation of sensors, the fact that they are all connected, and machine-learning technology."

Just how such data are stored, and who has access to it, may play out differently in different parts of the world.

"The perception in the U.S. is that consumer data (are) fine in the hands of private industry but not fine in the hands of government," Capps said. In Europe, the opposite is true.

Authentication can occur either on a smartphone itself or in the cloud, and there are tradeoffs. If data is stored on a phone, then the phone itself recognizes a fingerprint and only sends a simple message on to institutions like banks, which cannot conduct further analysis. But if companies collect a large repository of sensitive user data, it becomes a honey pot for hackers.

"Much of the data is actually sensitive," Whaley said, "things about even where you are at a certain time of day. These are examples of data you may not even want your spouse to know."

Kurt Somerville, chief operating office at UnifyID, said companies compiling the vast data that can be extracted from smartphones must be "totally transparent" with users about what they are collecting and what it will be used for, opting in or out for each data point.

"If they are not comfortable with us using their GPS, where they physically move, they can turn that off and all the other factors will essentially re-weigh themselves," he said.

Whaley said the passive biometric data would be kept on the smartphones themselves, not by the company.

"We always want to be in the position that even if somebody hacked into our servers or we got a subpoena from a government or otherwise were compelled to give up data, we can legitimately say there's no way for us to give that data because we don't have it," Whaley said.

2017 McClatchy Washington Bureau

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Five years ago when Facebook went public, employees of the social network were glued to office televisions airing CNBC, waiting for the company's trading price.

"Everyone was hoping for a pop," said Dan Fletcher, a former Facebook employee, referring to the spike in stock price that some companies experience after an initial public offering.

Facebook debuted at $38 a share. When the first trade of the day came back at $42.05 - a gain of nearly 10 percent - everyone erupted in cheers.

Then, a moment of quiet.

"You could see everyone's eyes sit back in their heads as they did the mental math," said Fletcher. "How much are my shares worth?"

Tech IPOs have minted millionaires, with stories of even janitors who worked at Google striking it rich after the company went public in 2004. As Snap Inc. hurtles towards its own IPO, which is expected to be one of the biggest in Los Angeles history, many await a life-changing payday.

By the end of 2016, the LA company had issued $679 million in stock options that had vested or were expected to vest. These allowed early employees to buy shares that had vested well ahead of the IPO. It had also issued $2.7 billion worth of restricted stock units - shares typically offered to later hires that only become liquid after a certain date is reached or certain personal or corporate performance benchmarks have been met.

This means that of Snap's 2,000 employees, hundreds could potentially become on-paper millionaires if the company goes public at its ambitious $22.2 billion valuation. But many also stand to come away with much less, or nothing at all.

"People assume that everyone who works at a company that has just gone public is instantly, phenomenally wealthy," said Lise Buyer, an IPO consultant at Class V Group. "It doesn't work that way."

Many factors determine how much money an employee makes from an IPO, including when a person joined a company, how many stock options or restricted stock units they received, and when they decide to sell. An early employee might be able to exercise stock options at, say, 50 cents a share, while a later employee might pay $30.

"Timing is everything," Buyer said.

Yet, despite the precarious nature of stock-based compensation, it remains a deeply ingrained tech industry tradition. Employees routinely forfeit higher salaries for more stock. A startup's likelihood of going public is often a determining factor in joining a company. And even though the entire premise is a gamble - one that can breed anxiety, envy and resentment - many tech workers cross their fingers and place enormous hope in their bet.

"You drink the Kool-Aid," said Joseph Lee, a former Solar City employee who joined the company as an analyst 11 months before it went public - awarding him stock that matched a year's salary when he sold. "The company keeps pitching you that we're growing, we're doing well, and once you get into it, people tend to get a little greedy. I know I did."

For many workers, being at a company as it goes public can be an emotional roller coaster, and one that is rarely acknowledged because of the taboo of discussing personal wealth. According to former employees of companies that have gone public, workers often grapple with their own anxieties about when to sell stock, while also dealing with feelings of envy upon learning that colleagues may have made more from an IPO.

"It's a natural human emotion," said Mike Vorhaus, president of Magid Advisors, who has advised technology companies for more than 20 years. "You hear people say things like, 'I got 50,000 shares vesting over four years, and I heard that Bob, who does what I do, got 100,000 shares, and the only difference is we started a week apart.' People get disgruntled about it."

Employees at Snap who received stock options were offered the opportunity to buy at different strike prices pegged to the company's private-market valuation when they joined. Restricted stock units, meanwhile, are outright given to employees and are pegged to the company's valuation at the time they vest. Different amounts are typically awarded to employees based on seniority, start date and performance.

When it comes time to cash out, though, the two kinds of stock receive different tax treatments: Stocks may be treated as long-term capital gains, which are generally taxed at 15 percent, whereas restricted stock units may be taxed at ordinary income rates, which can exceed 39 percent at the federal level, not to mention applicable state taxes.

These complexities are rarely discussed, often leading outsiders to assume a person who was part of an IPO has suddenly come into enormous wealth. Employees who have been at companies that went public speak of financial managers circling them on professional networks such as LinkedIn with the hope of managing their new-found, on-paper wealth. There are the awkward conversations with family and friends, who assume they've become millionaires. And there's also the so-called Google premium - the markup on homes and cars when sellers learn that the buyer was part of an IPO.

And those are just the external pressures. Many employees who have been through IPOs say nervousness spikes during the lockup period - the 90 to 180 days immediately following a public offering in which employees can't sell their stock. Then there's the internal pressure to sell at the right time once that period is over. Snap's lockup period for employees is 150 days.

Fletcher, who was a managing editor on Facebook's communications team, joined the company in 2012, months before it went public. By the time Facebook's lockup period was over, its stock had fallen below $20. Fletcher was only at the company for a year and sold all his vested stock when it was valued at $18, grazing the company's all-time low of $17.55. Facebook's stock today trades at $133.

"It was painful," said Fletcher, who sold on the advice of his accountant father. He put some of the $40,000 he made toward his own startup, and the rest in a mutual fund. "It was tough at the time to say Facebook would be the money-making machine it is now," he said. "I elected to diversify my risk, which is safe, but I definitely wish I'd held onto half of it."

Facebook, for its part, went to great lengths to remind its workers that the IPO was not the end of the road for the company, telling employees that going public meant different things to different people.

A growing number of companies are doing the same, according to Buyer, who said managing employee expectations is a big part of going public.

"Whether an employee is worth $100,000 or $1 million, they need to keep their heads down or none of it will be worth that much," Buyer said.

Young tech companies such as Snap are typically valued on their growth potential, rather than how much money they're making today. Which means the $22.2 billion valuation Snap is seeking could easily fall short if the company fails to meet its growth and revenue goals. Just ask Twitter.

And tech workers, hopeful as they may be, are increasingly managing their own expectations, too. A former employee of Twilio, who declined to be named because he didn't feel comfortable discussing his personal wealth, said he and his peers downplayed their potential windfall from the company's IPO last year by joking about whether they'd be able to afford a Honda Civic after the company went public.

"The running joke after Twilio stock popped was maybe I can get leather seats on my Civic," he said. "It was a defense mechanism, to keep a reality check on the situation."

The Twilio employee held onto his stock after the company went public. If he sold all of it today, he could probably buy a dozen Honda Civics.

Companies sometimes allow employees to sell a portion of their equity on a secondary market prior to going public. Snap did not allow this, although some employees reportedly found workarounds. And while this is arguably a safer bet than waiting for a company to go public, it can also sting if a firm's stock soars post-IPO.

One Twilio employee sold the bulk of his stock on the secondary market when the company's stock was privately valued at $10 a share. The company went public at $15 a share, and its stock price today hovers above $30.

It's human nature to second-guess ourselves. When Buyer advises executives and employees who are about to go through an IPO, she reminds them that if they made some money from it - even if it's less than the person next to them or what they could have made if they'd sold earlier or later - then it was still a profit.

And that's the attitude Fletcher maintains. It's been four years since he sold his Facebook stock. He still checks the stock price every few weeks to figure out how much his dad's advice cost him.

"It's a difference of a few hundred thousand dollars now - not huge by Facebook standards, but better than my mutual fund," he said. "To his credit, though, my dad admits that was a lousy call."

2017 Los Angeles Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Researchers with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University are making the best use of our energy wasteturning one of our most potent pollutants and greenhouse gasses, carbon dioxide (CO2), into hydrocarbon fuels that can help the environment and solve growing energy needs.

"We're essentially trying to convert CO2and water, with the use of the sun, into solar fuels in a process called artificial photosynthesis," said Dr. Ying Li, associate professor of mechanical engineering and principal investigator. "In this process, the photo-catalyst material has some unique properties and acts as a semiconductor, absorbing the sunlight which excites the electrons in the semiconductor and gives them the electric potential to reduce water and CO2 into carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which together can be converted to liquid hydrocarbon fuels."

The first step of the process involves capturing CO2from emissions sources such as power plants that contribute to one-third of the global carbon emissions. As of yet, there is no technology capable of capturing the CO2, andat the same time re-converting it back into a fuel source that isn't expensive. The material, which is a hybrid of titanium oxide and magnesium oxide, uses the magnesium oxide to absorb the CO2 and the titanium oxide to act as the photo-catalyst, generating electrons through sunlight that interact with the absorbed CO2 and water to generate the fuel.

The project is still in the fundamental research stage. One of the challenges with this technology is that the current conversion efficiency of converting CO2and water into renewable solar fuels remains low, less than a few percent. According to Li, the conversion process also takes considerable time and the material can only absorb a fraction of the emitted sunlight. For Li and his team, solving these issues revolves around engineering more efficient materials with nano-scale structures and advancing the reactor design so that the materials placed within the reactor can absorb sunlight in the most efficient manner.

"There are also other considerations," said doctoral student Huilei Zhao, a student contributing to the ongoing research in Li's research group. "Concentrated sunlight exposure can lead to a higher conversion efficiency and we've found that if we operate at a higher temperature with this reaction, the conversion efficiency can be dramatically increased."

The project is a part of a five-year research grant and CAREER Award for Li from the National Science Foundation, and is currently in its third year. By the end of the project, Li hopes to have developed a higher level of conversion efficiency and determine if the process can be commercially viable.

"There are two different ways to quantify the efficiency," said Li. "What is the fraction of the solar energy we are storing into fuels, or what is the fraction of CO2 being converted to fuels? In either case, we need to achieve a near 10-percent efficiency to make the process economically competitive."

Li explains that the commercial viability of this material is crucial, and while fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas remain cheap, low conversion rates do not serve to make the material attractive in meeting national energy needs. He says, however, that too many people are thinking in the short term.

"We may think in the current stage that this technology is not competitive with fossil fuels," Li said. "But, if we think in the long run, our fossil fuels can only support our energy needs for maybe a couple hundred years if we use them at the current rate. What will happen after that? We will still need these liquid hydrocarbon fuels to power our machines, vehicles and airplanes. Electricity made through renewable resources alone will not be enough because we cannot store and transport it effectively. Therefore, we believe this new technology of producing renewable hydrocarbon fuels is important in dealing with both global climate issues and our need for sustainable energy."
A large proportion of incarcerated women are there for violent offences. Credit: shutterstock.com

Women make up a small segment (8%) of the Australian prisoner population. The majority have committed minor non-violent offences.

The tragic case of Ms Dhu, who died in police custody in Western Australia after being detained for non-payment of fines has rightly led to questions about why these women are put in prison in the first place. Largely absent from this conversation are women who commit violent crime, and the lack of targeted programs in place to support them.

Women in prison

Incarceration rates for women have skyrocketed in Australia and elsewhere. Over the previous decade (2006-2016) in Australia the number of women sentenced for a violent offence increased by more than 50%. Violent crimes are typically offences that include force such as assault, homicide and robbery. While less common for women than men, they often attract a prison sentence.

Those with violent offences make up a significant proportion of the female prisoner population. In 2016, 39% of women in Australian prisons were convicted of, or awaiting sentencing for, violent offences. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women were overrepresented in these statistics  51% incarcerated for violent offences compared to 33% among non-Aboriginal women.

Are women simply becoming more violent, or are other factors driving the upward trend? While debate continues around these questions, it is clear some women respond to their circumstances with violence and find themselves in prison for it.

There is no question men commit most violent crime in Australia. Women, especially Aboriginal women, are overwhelmingly the victims of this violence. Not surprisingly, stopping men's violence, particularly against women and children, is high on research and policy agendas.

But our understanding about women who offend violently is limited.

Responding with violence

Globally, the treatment and rehabilitative needs of female prisoners with histories of violence have been neglected. Programs developed for men are often adopted or adapted for women. This is especially problematic for women who offend violently.

Growing evidence shows the motivations for, and consequences of, violence differ between men and women. This demands a tailored response.

Women may use violence for reasons commonly linked with men's violence, such as retribution, jealousy and control. However, women who display violent behaviours are more likely than men to have experienced childhood physical and sexual abuse, have histories of trauma, and experience mental health and substance use issues. These are known risk factors for using violence against others in adulthood.

Women tend to know their victim, and in many cases report using violence in self-defence. Even in relationships where both parties use violence, women experience graver detrimental effects such as physical injury, depression and anxiety.

We recently conducted research with the assistance of the Department of Corrective Services and service providers in Western Australia. We found violence was an enormous presence in the lives of 84 incarcerated Aboriginal mothers in WA.

The majority (88%) had extensive histories of violent victimisation, along with experiences of abuse, trauma and substance use. Many (69%) reported using violence themselves.

Reacting with violence, frequently in response to an abusive partner's violence, often resulted in serious consequences to the woman. This included injury to herself and others, removal of children from her care, emotional turmoil and imprisonment.

In our study, a number of women described being unable to secure parole because of histories of violence and being seen as a "risk" to the community.

But no program to address their use of violence was available to them at the time. Some spoke about wanting to take part in such a program to better understand why they used violence, and learn strategies to avoid doing so in the future.

Addressing this gap

The challenge is that unlike for men, there are few intensive evidence-based prevention programs designed to target women's use of violence. Without these, women will inevitably spend more time in prison away from their children, families and communities. This has a devastating impact on future generations and may contribute to intergenerational offending

Most female prisoners are mothers and many have young children in their care when they go to prison. Studies highlight the damaging psychological and health effects on children who experience parental imprisonment. These effects are potentially greater among those who lose their mother to incarceration.

We are aiming to address the program gap in Australian prisons through implementing and evaluating a violence prevention and intervention program. Called Beyond Violence, the program could be effective for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women with histories of violent offending.

Beyond Violence was developed in the United States. It is specific for women and uses evidence-based therapeutic strategies to reduce re-offending and substance use, and improve mental health, among women who have committed violent crimes.

The program has shown promise in international studies; our intervention will be modified for female prisoners in an Australian context. This will include ensuring it is culturally appropriate for Aboriginal women.

We must do more to find alternatives to the increasing use of imprisonment to address health and social problems and improve the options for diversion away from prison  for both women and men. It is also critical there are well-resourced community-based services for women  as both victims and offenders of violence  that keep women and children safe and prevent their contact with the criminal justice system.

We recognise that women who commit serious violent offences should be accountable for their behaviour. However, we have a duty of care to meet the specific treatment and rehabilitation needs of these women while in prison to maximise their chances of release and of not returning to prison.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Nicholas Cardoza, co-founder and designer of YachtLife, is vice president of the luxury yacht company VanDutch and has been involved in yachting his entire life. In 2008, Cardoza got his start working in the yachting industry as a personal chef and deckhand on mega- and super-yachts, and later obtained his captain's license and began delivering yachts during the off-season. In 2012, Cardoza joined VanDutch and has since helped build the company's presence as a major luxury brand.

Patrick Curley, co-founder of YachtLife, quit his job in finance in New York to start a mobile tech startup in the hospitality space and moved to Miami three years ago. When visiting, his friends would occasionally inquire about chartering a yacht, and since he had no idea how to go about chartering yachts, he would refer them to Cardoza and VanDutch would help his friends. After a number of times doing this, both Curley and Cardoza realized how the yacht charter industry was still light-years behind other industries - few websites actually list pricing, so customers need to search multiple websites and call brokers for quotes. After receiving quotes from multiple websites, customers then needed to go back to the site with the best quote and finalize all booking details over the phone.

"YachtLife has assembled a top-notch portfolio of some of the nicest yachts for charter in Miami and beyond. Since we removed the middleman and negotiated the best terms, users can now book fully crewed luxury yachts for the day, in most cases without even speaking to a broker - simply choose your yacht, pickup time, and tell us what day you'd like to go out. YachtLife usually confirms your charter within an hour," Curley said. "The YachtLife concierge also helps with any questions before, during or after your charter."

Today, YachtLife operates in South Florida, the Bahamas, the Hamptons, Chicago, New England, Spain, the South of France, Italy, Greece and Turkey. Prices for half-day to multi-day private yacht charters vary widely, but start at about $1,600 in Miami.

YachtLife currently lists about 250 yachts on its platform, from a 40-foot VanDutch to a 154-foot Feadship with a crew of 12 - "It's a 6-bedroom floating mansion on the water with all the water toys you can imagine," Curley said.

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Startup spotlight: With the YachtLife app, users can browse available inventory and even book a luxury charter on the fly, without needing to speak to a broker or owner. YachtLife Technologies gives yacht owners a direct way to list their own yachts for day or multi-day fully crewed charters to offset their costs.

Company: YachtLife Technologies

Headquarters: Miami, one of the world's only year-round yachting destinations.

Concept: YachtLife aggregates local inventories of fully crewed luxury yachts and displays them on one platform. The YachtLife app has photos, specs and pricing for all yachts, so users can browse available inventory, and even book on the fly, without needing to speak to a broker or owner. A concierge assists when needed to plan itineraries and attend to the needs of the user to ensure a luxury, fluid and memorable experience, and at prices less than what a broker would typically charge. YachtLife gives yacht owners a direct way to list their own yachts for day or multi-day charters to offset their costs.

Launched: May 2015

Website and social: www.yachtlife.club; @yachtlifeapp; www.facebook.com/yachtlife.club

Management team: Patrick Curley, Nick Cardoza, Anko Mast

No. of employees: 12

Financing: VanDutch Yachts, a leading luxury yacht manufacturer, purchased a stake in YachtLife in 2016. YachtLife is raising a $1 million seed round. An accelerator fund and a handful of angel investors have already committed half of the round.

Recent milestones reached: In February, YachtLife announced it has launched a membership club, and has already attracted a Miami Heat player and other YachtLife users. Members receive discounts on yacht charters and benefits from partners, such as hotels, yacht clubs and restaurants. YachtLife recently signed a deal to act as exclusive yacht provider for the two-weekend long Fyre Festival, a music and cultural festival in spring 2017 in a private cay in the Exumas, Bahamas.

Biggest startup challenge and why: Scaling inventory and opening up new regions. Each region has cultural and legal differences, and you need to really have good on-the-round relationships with luxury yacht owners, brokers, and management companies in order to negotiate favorable deals, the co-founders said.

Next steps: Campaigns to grow inventory in existing areas YachtLife services as well as partnerships with strategic hospitality and luxury brands. After fund-raising, YachtLife will hire a sales rep with group-sales experience in order to target corporations to host events on yachts.

Mentor/investor's view: "We are big fans of marketplace companies, in particular those with high margins and that leverage the broader trend in the sharing economy. Yachts are a perfect example of an underutilized asset, and YachtLife allows yacht owners and renters to better utilize those assets for mutual benefit. In addition, YachtLife's exclusive partnership with VanDutch is truly unique in the industry and allows their marketplace to be seeded with the most popular yachts available," said Troy Vosseller, co-founder of gener8tor accelerator.

2017 Miami Herald

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The story in the Sunday Journal Star, Sworn to secrecy, drugstores stay silent as customers overpay, cited examples in other states, but the same thing is happening in Nebraska. Its a nationwide problem.

At the heart of the controversy is the giant pharmacy benefit management industry -- perhaps the largest industry of which you have never heard, even though it has companies that are larger than some household names like Pepsi, Coca-Cola and Boeing.

As reported in the Bloomberg News story by Jared Hopkins, some of the pharmacy benefit management companies require pharmacists to sign contracts which prevent them from telling customers when it would be cheaper to pay for the prescription out of pocket, rather than using insurance and paying the co-pay.

In one case in Ohio, Bloomberg reported, a pharmacist paid $2.05 for 15 milligrams of the generic stomach disorder drug pantoprazole. The customer paid $15, of which $7.78 went to the benefit manager and $7.22 to the pharmacist.

The money that went back to the benefit manager is called a clawback. Ive got three drugstores, so I see a lot of it," Houston pharmacist David Spence told Bloomberg. We look at it as theft -- another way for the PBMs to steal.

Three benefit companies process 80 percent of the prescriptions in the United States. They are OptumRx, Express Scripts Holding Co. and CVS Caremark.

Pharmacy benefit managers started out as claims processors in the 1970s. Now they are giants with power over prescription drug pricing, including which drugs are covered by plans, which pharmacies patients can use and how much drugs cost.

In the past two years alone the industry has grown from $300 billion to $380 billion, one PBM company told the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News, which has reported on the industry.

Pharmacy benefit managers argue that with millions of patients they drive competition that saves money for employers. Express Scripts, for example, represents 85 million members of 3,000 health plans, according to the company.

If the PBMs are saving consumers money, consumers really have to accept the claim on faith. The pharmaceutical business is so complex and willfully opaque that few except industry insiders can separate truth from reality. In the long term the issues may be sorted out in court. The industry is facing a wave of lawsuits.

In the short term a few states have passed laws to allow or even require local pharmacists to reveal when a consumer could save money by paying for the prescription out of pocket rather than using insurance and paying the co-pay. If Nebraska officials want to do something to help consumers, that seems like a good place to start.
- Following several backlashes over his alleged call for Igbo presidency in 2019, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo clarifies what he said

- Obasanjo said he did not call for Igbo to contest for presidency in 2019, rather he said Igbo are being marginalised and that it is time Nigeria consider putting them in power

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has denied that he said presidency seat should go to the Igbo tribe in 2019.

Obasanjo told journalists who interviewed him in Abeokuta during his 80th birthday that he only talked about Igbo marginalisation in Nigeria and did not necessarily say that presidency seat should go to South-East in 2019, Premium Times reports.

Igbo Presidency: Obasanjo explains what he said about 2019 presidential election

Obasanjo told journalist that: Again, I did not say that. You people say whatever you want to say.

READ ALSO: 7 times Obasanjo showed Nigerians that age is just a number

Look, Christian Association of Nigeria, Ogun state chapter, came to see me here. They asked me to brief them on the situation in Southern Kaduna.

I have been briefed by Bishop Matthew Kukah who comes from that area. I have been briefed by General Martin-Luther Agwai who comes from that area. I gave them my own understanding of that issue.

I told them the Southern Kaduna issue is both historical, cultural, religious and political. So if you now want to resolve the issue, you have to take all these issues together.

And I said the problem is when we fail to attend to something the time were supposed to attend to it and then it boomerangs on our face, then we dont have anybody to blame.

I said, here in Ogun state, we have a bit of Southern Kaduna problem. I said since Ogun state was created, we have had four elected governors.

We have three senatorial districts east, central and west. It has rotated between east and central. And I said west has not had a governor.

So I said I dont know when you will get there, but if you dont get there when you should get there and the west decides to go into agitation then you have yourself to blame.

I said the same with Nigeria, at independence we had a country of tripod. The north, the east and the west. The north, majority tribe is Hausa-Fulani. The east, majority tribe is Igbo. The west, majority tribe is Yoruba.

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Hausa-Fulani in the north cannot complain. Yoruba, they cannot complain. Even those who didnt vote for Obasanjo the first time, they had to accept later.

I said the Igbo havent had that chance. Now, we must be mindful, that we do not ignore that. That must be taken care of. That's all."

Meanwhile, leaders of South-South and South-East Nigeria met in Lagos to discuss marginalisation and restructuring Nigeria.

They met at the Apapa, Lagos residence of elder statesman and Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, where there was both an open-session meeting and a closed-door one.

Source: Legit.ng
Why does the right feel they have the corner on patriotism? My philosophy leans to the left, but it doesnt mean that I love my country any less.

It is because I love my country that I am concerned about the Republican Trump Administration. It is because I love my country that I am doing things now that I never thought Id do in a million years, namely making calls to my legislators, congressman and senators. I recently testified at the state legislature. I am marching, going to my senators' offices, and attending meetings to discuss what steps we can take to protect our rights as well as the rights of others. It is because I love my country that Russias intrusion into our electoral process is alarming and I feel strongly that it needs to be thoroughly investigated.
The Libyan navy said it rescued 115 migrants Friday headed for Europe whose overloaded rubber boat was sinking off the coast near Tripoli, and that another 25 people were missing. "We rescued 115 illegal immigrants, six of them women, all African nationals except for a Bangladeshi," navy spokesman General Ayoub Qassem told AFP. Qassem said the survivors told of 140 passengers on board the boat that had run into problems on Thursday night after setting off from a beach east of the capital. "Our search for the missing was unsuccessful," he said. The navy and coastguard had responded to a distress call from the migrants aboard the boat that was "taking on water and about to sink", Qassem said. Italy's coastguard said 970 migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast Thursday, as the numbers trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe continue to rise. More than 13,400 people had already reached Italy so far this year -- an increase of 50 to 70 percent compared with 2016 and 2015. According to the United Nations, more than 440 people have died or gone missing in January and February while crossing from Libya in the depths of winter. Six years after the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi, Libya is still in chaos and the country has become a major launching pad for migrants seeking to enter Europe. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was in neighbouring Tunisia on Friday where she announced a new agreement with the North African country on tackling illegal migration. Her talks in Tunis also covered ways to respond to the instability exploited by people smugglers in Libya.
AFP News

The UN's COP27 climate summit kicked off Sunday in Egypt with warnings against backsliding on efforts to cut emissions and calls for rich nations to compensate poor countries after a year of extreme weather disasters. Just in the past few months, climate-induced catastrophes have killed thousands, displaced millions and cost billions in damages across the world. Massive floods devastated swaths of Pakistan and Nigeria, droughts worsened in Africa and the western United States, cyclones whipped the Caribbean, and unprecedented heatwaves seared three continents. The conference in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh comes in a fraught year marked by Russia's war on Ukraine, an energy crunch, soaring inflation and the lingering effects from the Covid pandemic. But Simon Stiell, the UN's climate change executive secretary, said he would not be a "custodian of backsliding" on the goal of slashing greenhouse emissions 45 percent by 2030 to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above late-19th-century levels. "We will be holding people to account, be they presidents, prime ministers, CEOs," Stiell said as the 13-day summit opened. "The heart of implementation is everybody everywhere in the world every single day doing everything they possibly can to address the climate crisis," he said. Current trends would see carbon pollution increase 10 percent by the end of the decade and Earth's surface heat up 2.8C, according to findings unveiled last week. Promises made under the 2015 Paris Agreement would, if kept, only shave off a few tenths of a degree. "Whilst I do understand that leaders around the world have faced competing priorities this year, we must be clear: as challenging as our current moment is, inaction is myopic and can only defer climate catastrophe," said Alok Sharma, British president of the previous COP26 as he handed over the chairmanship to Egypt. "How many more wake-up calls does the world -- and world leaders -- actually need?", he said. In a dire warning, the UN's World Meteorological Organization said the past eight years are on track to be the eight warmest on record, with an acceleration in sea level rise, glacier melt and heatwaves. "As COP27 gets underway, our planet is sending a distress signal," UN chief Antonio Guterres said in a statement. - 'Loss and damage' - The COP27 summit will focus like never before on money -- a major sticking point that has soured relations between countries that got rich burning fossil fuels and the poorer ones suffering from the worst consequences of climate change. The United States and the European Union -- fearful of creating an open-ended reparations framework -- have dragged their feet and challenged the need for a separate funding stream. Delegates agreed on Sunday to put the "loss and damage" issue on the COP27 agenda, a first step toward what are sure to be fraught discussions. Inclusion of the agenda item "reflects a sense of solidarity and empathy for the suffering of the victims of climate induced disasters," said COP27 president Sameh Shoukry of Egypt. "We all owe a debt of gratitude to activists and civil society organisations who have persistently demanded the space to discuss funding for loss and damage," he said to applause. Shoukry also noted that rich nations have not fulfilled a separate pledge to deliver $100 billion per year to help developing countries green their economies and build resilience against future climate change. He also lamented that most climate financing is based on loans. "We do not have the luxury to continue this way. We have to change our approaches to this existential threat," he said, calling for solutions that "prove we are serious about not leaving anyone behind". - US-China tensions - After the first day of talks, more than 120 world leaders will join the summit on Monday and Tuesday. The most conspicuous no-show will be China's Xi Jinping, whose leadership was renewed last month at a Communist Party Congress. US President Joe Biden has said he will come, but only after legislative elections on Tuesday that could see either or both houses of Congress fall into the hands of Republicans hostile to international action on climate change. Cooperation between the United States and China -- the world's two largest economies and carbon polluters -- has been crucial to rare breakthroughs in the nearly 30-year saga of UN climate talks, including the 2015 Paris Agreement. But Sino-US relations have sunk to a 40-year low after a visit to Taiwan by House leader Nancy Pelosi and a US ban on the sale of high-level chip technology to China, leaving the outcome of COP27 in doubt. A meeting between Xi and Biden at the G20 summit in Bali days before the UN climate meeting ends, if it happens, could be decisive. One bright spot at COP27 will be the arrival of Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose campaign vowed to protect the Amazon and reverse the extractive policies of outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro. bur-lth/fz
UCAR already boasts investment from high-profile players, including Warburg Pincus and Jack Ma

The truce between Didi Chuxing and Uber China seemingly left the Chinese ride-hailing titan the sole dominator in Chinas highly lucrative market. However, it has opened up new opportunities for other surviving local ride-hailing companies. It would seem that theres no way for a single company to gobble up the entire Chinese market as a whole, even if its Didi.

UCAR, a prominent rival of Didi in China, announced this week that it raised RMB4.6 billion (US$666 million) in new funds from four investors including Chinas interbank network, UnionPay. The company already boasts investment from high-profile players, including Warburg Pincus and Jack Ma.

Different from Didi that relies on private cars and crowd-sourced drivers, UCAR offers its services with an in-house fleet and licensed drivers. These drivers offer UCAR a way to potentially increase margins and avoid government questions about their legal status.

The firm currently operates four product lines: Car. Inc, their Hong Kong-listed car rental arm, Shenzhou Zhuanche, the chauffeured car service as well as an online car marketplace and a car loan service. Lu disclosed that the company is considering to explore new fields given all of its businesses are going to record profits this year, adding that car manufacturing is a possible option.

Also Read: Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi is testing international credit cards and English interface on its app

Its worth nothing that the funding announced this time is only half the size of the firms RMB10 billion (US$1.4 billion)private placement plan announced in last October.

However, board chairman Lu Zhengyao told local media (in Chinese) that more funding will follow and the total financing will be over RMB7 billion (around US$1.02 billion). He added that the funds will be used for marketing, recruitment, offline outlets, and fleet procurement.

Story continues

Like many Chinese tech startups, UCAR is listed on the Chinese over-the-counter (OTC) market. It was the first of its kind when it was listed in in September last year and is now valued at RMB40.93 billion (US$5.7 billion). Didi is still preparing for its IPO and no specific timetable has been announced.

Despite the fierce competition and government constraints, local companies keep fighting their way into to Chinas ride-hailing market. LeEco-backed Yidao is also targeting the gap thats being left by Ubers retreat.

In addition to the old players, new entrants continue to flock to the sector. Chinas top O2O titan Meituan added a car-hailing function into its app to complement the existing services from food delivery to ticket booking. Chinese car manufacturer Geely has also expanded its ride-summoning services Caocao Zhuanche to more cities.

When Didi and Kuadi merged, and again when Didi merged with Uber, many predicted that the battle in Chinese ride-hailing industry was coming to an end. As things are now, the market is more mature, but the war may not be over.



The article Didi rival UCAR announces US$ 1B funding, sparks speculation of another ride-hailing war first appeared in Technode.

The post Didi rival UCAR announces US$1B funding, sparks speculation of another ride-hailing war appeared first on e27.
AFP News

The UN's COP27 climate summit kicked off Sunday in Egypt with warnings against backsliding on efforts to cut emissions and calls for rich nations to compensate poor countries after a year of extreme weather disasters. An alarming UN report said the past eight years are on track to be the eight warmest on record, with an acceleration in sea level rise, glacier melt, heatwaves and other climate indicators. "As COP27 gets underway, our planet is sending a distress signal," UN chief Antonio Guterres said in a statement, calling the report a "chronicle of climate chaos". Just in the past few months, floods devastated Pakistan and Nigeria, droughts worsened in Africa and the United States, cyclones whipped the Caribbean, and unprecedented heatwaves seared three continents. The conference in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh also comes against the backdrop of Russia's war on Ukraine, an energy crunch, soaring inflation and the lingering effects from the Covid-19 pandemic. But Simon Stiell, the UN's climate change executive secretary, said he would not be a "custodian of backsliding" on the goal of slashing greenhouse emissions 45 percent by 2030 to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above late 19th-century levels. "We will be holding people to account, be they presidents, prime ministers, CEOs," Stiell said as the 13-day summit opened. "The heart of implementation is everybody everywhere in the world every single day doing everything they possibly can to address the climate crisis," he said, noting that only 29 of 194 nations have presented improved plans as called for at COP26 in Glasgow last year. Current trends would see carbon pollution increase 10 percent by the end of the decade and the Earth's surface heat up 2.8C, according to findings unveiled last week. Promises made under the 2015 Paris Agreement would, if kept, only shave off a few tenths of a degree. Britain's Alok Sharma, who handed the COP presidency to Egypt, said that while world leaders have faced "competing priorities" this year, "inaction is myopic and can only defer climate catastrophe." "How many more wake-up calls does the world -- and world leaders -- actually need?" he said. - 'Loss and damage' - The COP27 summit will focus like never before on money -- a major sticking point that has soured relations between countries that got rich burning fossil fuels and the poorer ones suffering from the worst consequences of climate change. The United States and the European Union -- fearful of creating an open-ended reparations framework -- have dragged their feet and challenged the need for a separate funding stream. After two days of intense pre-summit negotiations, delegates agreed on Sunday to put the "loss and damage" issue on the COP27 agenda, a first step towards what are sure to be difficult discussions. Stiell said inclusion of loss and damage on the agenda after three decades of debate on the issue showed progress. "The fact that it is there as a substantive agenda item I believe bodes well," he told reporters. COP27 president Sameh Shoukry of Egypt said it would be unproductive to speculate on what outcome the negotiations will lead to, "but certainly everybody is hopeful." "Anything that we do effectively has to be on the basis of our common efforts and that we leave no one behind," he said. Shoukry also noted that rich nations have not fulfilled a separate pledge to deliver $100 billion per year to help developing countries green their economies and build resilience against future climate change. He lamented that most climate financing is based on loans. "We do not have the luxury to continue this way. We have to change our approaches to this existential threat," he said. - US-China tensions - After the first day of talks, some 110 world leaders will join the summit on Monday and Tuesday. The most conspicuous no-show will be China's Xi Jinping, whose leadership was renewed last month at a Communist Party Congress. US President Joe Biden has said he will come, but only after legislative elections on Tuesday that could see either or both houses of Congress fall into the hands of Republicans hostile to international action on climate change. Cooperation between the United States and China -- the world's two largest economies and carbon polluters -- has been crucial to rare breakthroughs in the nearly 30-year saga of UN climate talks, including the 2015 Paris Agreement. But Sino-US relations have sunk to a 40-year low after a visit to Taiwan by House leader Nancy Pelosi and a US ban on the sale of high-level chip technology to China, leaving the outcome of COP27 in doubt. A meeting between Xi and Biden at the G20 summit in Bali days before the UN climate meeting ends, if it happens, could be decisive. One bright spot at COP27 will be the arrival of Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose campaign vowed to protect the Amazon and reverse the extractive policies of outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro. bur-lth/mh/lg
By Marton Dunai GARA, Hungary (Reuters) - A daunting new barrier is beginning to loom over Hungary's southern border, capable of delivering electric shocks to unwanted migrants and armed with heat sensors, cameras, and loudspeakers that blare in several languages. The country was a main crossing point for hundreds of thousands of people trekking into Europe at the height of the migrant crisis in 2015. A hastily-erected first razorwire fence and tough new laws have cut arrivals to a trickle, but Budapest is not taking any chances. "Attention, attention. I'm warning you that you are at the Hungarian border," the loudspeakers say in English, Arabic and Farsi from the new barrier. "If you damage the fence, cross illegally, or attempt to cross, it's counted to be a crime in Hungary. I'm warning you to hold back from committing this crime. You can submit your asylum application at the transit zone." The "transit zones" are two border posts where a total of just 10 migrants per day are allowed in legally. Rights groups say they are wholly inadequate and, by creating such a tight bottleneck, may be illegal. The new floodlit fence of wire reinforced with steel will give anyone who touches it an electric shock that well-informed sources say is mild. A police roadway will run between it and the old barrier. "REASSURING" Only 10 km (six miles) of the new structure has been completed but officials say the remaining 140 km (85 miles) along the border with Serbia will be finished in just two months, built largely by 700 prison inmates. Hungary's populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called mass immigration from the Middle East and Africa an existential threat to the European way of life. "The first fence was a quick solution from the government, but not a perfect one as human traffickers come equipped with tools to cut it," said Laszlo Toroczkai, mayor of the border village of Asotthalom, who first called for borders to be sealed in 2014. He called the new barrier "far more serious" and "absolutely reassuring". Border patrols prevent hundreds of crossings every day and catch migrants who make it into Hungary within the first few miles of the border, according to authorities. The government has earmarked 38 billion forints (123 million euros) for the second fence. Orban's chief of staff Janos Lazar said on Thursday the total cost of the border effort, including patrols and transit zones, was nearing 1 billion euros. (Editing by Andrew Roche)
The story, Trump renews promises, gripes at Florida event, from Jan. 19 included the line Trump told a cheering crowd packed into an airport hangar in central Florida, praising his truly great movement." This is eerily similar to Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler held rallies where he praised the Nazi movement. Hitler also claimed he would make Germany great again by establishing the Third Reich, just as Mr. Trump tells us he will make America great again. Hitlers followers shouted, Deutschland uber alles and Mr. Trump shouts, Put America first.

The Nazis never were a majority in Germany and Mr. Trump couldnt even get a plurality of the vote in the recent election. When Hitler ran for president in 1932, the German people rationally rejected him by a 2 to 1 margin. Hitler came to power because he was appointed Chancellor, the head of government, not because he was democratically elected. The election results show that Mr. Trump is not supported by a majority of the people. He is president only because we the people do not elect our presidents.

The founders were afraid of democracy and proposed an Electoral College to choose presidents so the mob would not choose the president. When a small group of people determines who will be the leader, this is an oligarchy, not a democracy. The Electoral College is undemocratic and we should amend the Constitution to get rid of it, as we amended the Constitution to give all adults the right to vote and to end slavery.

William Boernke, Lincoln
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  Rene Preval, a low-key technocrat who led Haiti as president during the devastating January 2010 earthquake and a messy and prolonged recovery, has died. He was 74.

Preval, who had the distinction of being the only democratically elected president to win and complete two terms in a country notorious for political upheaval, died Friday, according to a statement issued by President Jovenel Moise.

The cause of death was not released but Preval had been treated for prostate cancer in Cuba in 2001. Moise said the former president died at his home in the Port-au-Prince district of Laboule.

"I learned with sadness the death of former President Rene Preval," Moise said on his Twitter account. "I prostrate myself before the remains of this worthy son of Haiti."

Former President Michel Martelly, who succeeded Preval, said "Rene, my brother, my friend and adviser, your departure leaves us in shock."

Preval was elected by a landslide in 1995 as the chosen successor of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and turned power back over to Aristide when he left office five years later after a term marked by political infighting.

His second term, which started in 2006, was marred by the disastrous earthquake of January 12, 2010, which the government said killed more than 310,000 people and displaced more than 1 million. Many Haitians accused him of a fumbling response to the tragedy.

Preval was born on Jan. 17, 1943, in the town of Marmelade in rural northern Haiti. His father, Claude, was an agronomist who served under President Paul Magloire and fled during the early years of the dictatorship of Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier.

Preval earned an agronomy degree from Gembloux Agricultural University in Belgium and later studied geothermal sciences at the University of Pisa in Italy. In 1970, he moved to New York, where he worked as a waiter and a messenger. Five years later, he returned to Haiti and worked at the National Institute for Mineral Resources, according to an official biography.

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In 1988, two years after a popular uprising ousted Duvalier's son, Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, Preval returned to Haiti and opened a bakery in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. He supplied bread to an orphanage run by Aristide, a Roman Catholic priest who led a movement to oust the younger Duvalier and later became the country's first democratically elected president.

Preval became a leading figure in Aristide's Lavalas political movement, which enjoyed a huge following among the poor and was feared and hated by the tiny community of elites who long dominated the country's economy and government.

Aristide, by now no longer a priest, was elected president in 1990 and appointed Preval to be his prime minister. A military coup ousted Aristide seven months into his term and the two leaders went into exile.

A U.S.-led invasion restored Aristide to power in 1994 and he was allowed to serve the year-plus remaining in his term. Running as Aristide's successor, and with his backing, Preval won 88 percent of the vote in 1995 though only a quarter of eligible voters cast ballots.

Preval's first term was marked by political infighting, with Aristide seen as the power behind the throne. When Preval completed his term in 2001 and transferred power to Aristide, he became Haiti's first democratically elected president to leave office after a full term.

Preval then withdrew from politics and spent his time in Marmelade during Aristide's second term, which ended when he was forced to flee the country following a violent rebellion in 2004. An interim government backed by the United States then took power.

Preval won a second term in 2006 in an election that nearly headed to a runoff. As his supporters demonstrated in the streets, the electoral council recounted ballots and found him to have an outright majority.

Preval's second term was marked by a dramatic spike in kidnappings, gang warfare, riots over soaring global food prices and a series of tropical storms that caused widespread flooding and death, particularly around Gonaives in the north.

Still, Haiti enjoyed a rare political stability. The economy started improving, with growth reaching almost 3 percent in 2009, the second-fastest rate in the hemisphere, according to the International Monetary Fund.

But the Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake destroyed much of the capital, including the National Palace and many other government buildings.

There was widespread public anger at Preval, who made few public appearances after the disaster and was blamed for much of the chaos engulfing the capital. His chosen successor, Jude Celestin, lost in the first round of the 2010 presidential election, which was won later by popular musician Michel Martelly, a former Aristide opponent.

On May 14, 2011, Preval handed over power to Martelly, marking the first transfer of power from a Haitian president to a member of the opposition.

Preval then left politics and lived quietly at his estate in the mountains above Port-au-Prince and in the Miami area, where many Haitian expatriates live.

His survivors include his third wife, Elisabeth Delatour, and two adult daughters.
In a story of David versus Goliath, a small taxi company challenged a city protected monopoly  and came out on top.

Judge David Laser of the Pulaski County Circuit Court ruled in Arkansas Taxi entrepreneur Ken Leiningers favor, striking down a provision of Little Rocks city law that effectively prohibited anyone except Greater Little Rock Transportation Services, LLC (Yellow Cab) from operating a taxi in Arkansas capital city.

In March 2016, Leininger, who owns and operates Kens Cab in North Little Rock, teamed up with the Institute for Justice to file a lawsuit against the city of Little Rock, arguing that the citys rules granted an unconstitutional monopoly to the citys only taxi company, Yellow Cab.

Taking on the Taxi Monopoly in Little Rock

The rules had it that any newcomer in the taxi business would have to obtain arbitrary approval from the city government as well as get permission from their competitor for them to get into the business. This provision had prevented Leininger from setting up a taxi business in the city, yet the Fleet Services office had determined he was otherwise able to meet all of the citys health-and-safety requirements.

Ken is pursuing his American dream, and simply wanted the chance to compete. He should have been applaudednot blocked by government officials who were more interested in protecting the only taxi company in town than putting more taxis on the street, Institute for Justice Senior Attorney Justin Pearson said in a press release. Now, Little Rock is finally getting out of Kens way, which means he, and transportation entrepreneurs like him, will be free to expand his business and create more jobs.

Following the landmark ruling, anyone seeking to enter the taxi business in Little Rock will be able to secure taxi cab permits without first having to prove, which was quite difficult, that they will not take business away from their competitors.

I started this fight in 2015, when I tried to apply for taxi permits and was turned down by the city, Leininger said. But instead of backing down, I joined with the Institute for Justice to take the taxi monopoly head-on. I was thrilled when we won in December, and I am thrilled that the city will not appeal the decision.
New approach to real estate tax.

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While international organisations recommend that Slovakia should tap real estate taxes more, as the level in Slovakia is low and its increase would not hinder economic growth as in the case of other taxes, the Slovak government has abandoned its original idea to burden so-called luxury real estate with higher tax rates. Yet, it still wants to see property taxes to be reflective of the value of the real estate, not only based on size.

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We changed the approach, Finance Minister Peter Kazimir told the Slovak Television in late December, adding that this tax should continue to be only revenue for towns and villages and the government only wants to agree upon a gradual change in taxation of real estate so that it also reflects the value of the property.

In Slovakia, municipalities decide on individual property tax rates based on the size of the real estate. Apart from being a source of revenue for municipalities, localities can also utilise property taxes to affect their future development either in terms of population growth or investments into businesses.

It is their estimate of how much citizens and entrepreneurs pay, said Peter Kremsky from the Business Alliance of Slovakia (PAS). It can also be a tool for supporting business activity, he added.

The government already wanted to increase taxes on luxury real estate in 2012 when it planned to introduce a special flat rate for luxury villas. However, after it realised that it would be too difficult to filter luxury real estate, it abandoned the idea and left deciding about property tax rates to municipalities.

Highest increase since 2013

This year brings higher real estate taxes to Slovakia, compared with previous years. They increased by 2.33 percent on average, which is the largest increase since 2013, based on an analysis by PAS.

So far, the most dramatic increase of real estate taxes took place between the years 2004 and 2005, when municipalities could independently decide on the taxes for the first time. The rate of increase declined significantly over the following years.

Kremsky sees especially the tax hike in Bratislava and regions with high investment and development behind the increase, as most Slovak towns have not increased their real estate taxes.

New industry and services bring greater demands on transport, infrastructure or other related activities that are often provided by municipalities, explained Kremsky.

The Slovak capital increased the real estate tax on apartments and houses by 30 percent and on agricultural and other constructions by 50 percent, while taxes rose especially for commercial space in blocks of apartments  in the Old Town they almost tripled and in other boroughs they rose by as much as 160 percent.

However, it is the town of Nove Mesto nad Vahom which can boast the highest increase in real estate taxes, when businesses will pay as much as 322 percent more than for ordinary, non-residential premises such as garages.

On average, tax rates on commercial space for doing business in blocks of apartments increased the most  by as much as 9 percent.

Only three towns increased real estate taxes on premises for doing business  Nove Mesto nad Vahom, Martin and Medzev. Nevertheless, the tax remains the lowest in the latter  666 for per 1,000 square metres of commercial space on a plot of 1,500 square metres.

Businesses will pay the highest taxes for premises for doing business in Puchov  as much as 6,449 for the same real estate. In Bratislavas Old Town it will be roughly 5,000. Among the remaining boroughs of Bratislava and in Kosice it will be roughly 4,100.

Kremsky was surprised by the increase in towns that suffer from high unemployment. He believes that low real estate taxes can attract potential investors and improve employment in some areas.

It seems that the towns are not using the tax rate as stimuli for the arrival of new investors, he said. As an example he listed Zvolen, Roznava, Velky Krtis, Spisska Nova Ves and Rimavska Sobota, which rather discourage investors.

The same is the situation in Puchov or Ziar nad Hronom, where the town wants to rely on the big industries but at the same time it slows down economic development, he added.

New approach?

The system of taxation based solely on square metres of property was criticised by the International Monetary Fund in 2012, as it did not take into consideration price differences among cities and regions.

In May 2016, the Finance Ministry introduced its plan to create, in cooperation with the Association of the Towns and Villages in Slovakia (ZMOS), technical preconditions for a change in the system of taxation that would also take into consideration the market value of the property.

However, no significant changes in the mechanism of taxation are planned for 2017.

Proposals and changes in taxation are exclusively in the competence of the Ministry of Finance, said ZMOS executive chairman Jozef Turcany.

Experts see advantages as well as disadvantages in both approaches.

Allocating the tax according to the square area of the estate is not fair as it does not reflect the value of the property as such, taking into consideration its utilisation, Alica Orda Oravcova from the Slovak Chamber of Tax Advisors told The Slovak Spectator.

On the other hand, many people, mainly from older generations, are rich in property ownership but poor in terms of current income.

A high tax on real estate in which they live can bring them into misery in their own residence, Radovan Durana, an analyst at the INESS think-tank, told The Slovak Spectator.

Experts claim that the new system based on the market value of the property will put certain groups of residents at a disadvantage.

Orda Oravcova explained that the tax must be fair and explicitly stated, so that taxpayers know their obligation.

It is a big challenge for legislators, because they must set the price maps and establish the market value of the estate, said Orda Oravcova.

The biggest problem can be property not captured by the market such as historic landmarks or factories that were not subjects of trade and therefore their market value is not available or it is difficult to calculate, she added.

The National Agency of Estate Agents developed price maps that take into consideration the square area, balconies and loggias, number of floors, condition and even material used for the construction. However, they are not always reliable.

Maps include the prices per square metre of agricultural land that serve as a foundation for allocating the tax.

These, however, do not correspond with the current market prices because they were set 15 years ago, said Turcany.

Durana also points to a possible lack of data and the problems this may cause.

Another aspect is the creation of the price maps that due to insufficient data can result in inappropriate taxation of different properties on the same street, said Durana. Taxation of real estate according to its market value requires a developed market with transaction volume that makes it possible to estimate the market value.

Pavel Skriniar from the Financna Hitparada website also points out that the maps contain only general information about the prices in the locality but not about the particular value of an estate.

Many people obtained their flats during socialism and their lifestyle has not changed since, Skriniar said, pointing out that according to the development on the estate market their flats will now fall into the luxury category. They will have to pay additional tax on this luxury.

Turcany from ZMOS confirmed that the difference between the value of the estate and the income of the owner can be a problem.
The underpass crossing will get a complete facelift.

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The Trnavske Myto pedestrian underpass, a dilapidated but significant hub of public transport in Bratislava, is preparing for a complete refurbishment. Old shops have already been removed and the developer, the Immocap Group is now applying for the necessary permissions. Last year Bratislava councillors chose the Immocap Group, which built the nearby Central shopping mall, as the future tenant of the underpass crossing. Part of the deal is a complete reconstruction of Trnavske Myto. The developer together with the city council plans to invest about 2 million into the project.

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Immocap has already submitted the relevant documentation to the city council for comments. Afterwards it will apply for a construction permit but they do not wish to specify when exactly they would start work. The city council would like to see the works launched as soon as possible.

I do not want to name any dates because it [granting of construction permissions] is not fully in our power, said Bratislava Mayor Ivo Nesrovnal. But the city council will do its utmost in order to see that this happens as soon as possible.

In Bratislava the construction offices in individual boroughs issue construction permits. Trnavske Myto is located on the border of the Nove Mesto and Ruzinov boroughs.

Last September, when the new tenant was selected, the Immocap Group stated that if everything goes to plan, the reconstruction should be finished by the spring of 2018. It estimates that the works will last about one year.

The investor promised 1 million for this project, said Nesrovnal. The city council will match this sum. This money will be invested mostly into building lifts and replacement escalators.

It should also become barrier-free for people in wheel-chairs as well as people with prams.

The underpass will not be closed during the reconstruction but it will operate in a limited capacity.

After the reconstruction, Trnavske Myto should house a grocery store, a newsstand and fast food stalls. There will be a 24-hour video surveillance system and guards. There will also be electronic tables with information about incoming and outcoming buses and trams and new rubbish bins. The developer will also remove graffity from the walls of the crossing.

Based on the rental contract signed last November, the Immocap Group will rent Trnavske Myto for 15 years with an option of five years for one euro annually. The condition is that it invests at least 1.01 million ex VAT into its refurbishment.
The regulatory authority is setting new prices for utilities.

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Ex-spy director Jan Valko is believed to be the favourite for the new head of the Regulatory Office for Network Industries (URSO). The web portal vEnergetike.sk informed about his possible nomination on March 2 as cited by the SITA newswire.

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Valko resigned from the post of director of the Slovak intelligence service SIS after four years in office, in July last year. Before he took up the SIS top post he was at the helm of the Nuclear and Decommissioning Company (JAVYS).

His candidacy, however, might be problematic, vEnergetike.sk wrote. Valko does not meet the statutory requirements for being appointed to the post. The law requires at least 10-years experience in network industries or pricing or in policy-making in the energy sector, including five years in a managerial post, which Valko does not meet. The website indicates that the ruling coalition is prepared to change the law to be able to nominate Valko.

If selected Valko, will be installed into a post left by Jozef Holjencik who resigned after the scandal over the setting of utility prices for 2017. After several consumers complained about a steep increase in the prices for electricity and other utilities, the regulatory authority - at the impetus of Prime Minister Robert Fico - promised to return the prices to last years level.

Old-new prices

So far, URSO has re-set new prices for water utilities as well as the biggest energy distributors Vychodoslovenska energetika (VSE), Stredoslovenska energetika (SSE) and Zapadoslovenska energetika (ZSE Energia). Now these will contact their clients with new invoices.

Business sector calls for transparent regulatory environment

In the meantime employers associations, business associations and chambers of commerce have called for a predictable and non-discriminatory regulatory environment in Slovakia's energy sector. They want an independent regulatory authority that would be able to ensure the protection of consumer rights and the interests of regulated entities, the TASR newswire reported.

It is essential for the countrys energy security and an important tool supporting sustainable economic development, industrial competitiveness, high quality life for households and in the wider context, also the fulfilment of objectives in the field of climate change and environmental protection, the organisations write in a press release.

Employers warn that regulatory policy in the energy sector, which has been recently abused by politicians, must respect the principle of equality of market participants and the principle of preventing unpredictable, excessive and frequent legal changes.

These make the overall regulatory framework non-transparent and unstable, they wrote. We need standard rules, objective criteria and methodology and not a system often based and functioning on the basis of a non-transparent attitude to market participants.

They expect the government to bolster the independence and transparency of the regulatory authority.
Burglars assaulted and tied up the family of a businessman in Velky Krtis taking several thousand euros.

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Masked burglars attacked a local businessman, his wife and their two children in Velky Krtis on Wednesday evening, the aktuality.sk news website informed.

Three masked perpetrators tied up the owners of the house as well as their children and scoured the interior, informed Maria Faltaniova, the spokeswoman of banskobystricka police, as quoted by aktuality.sk. The children were 6 and 14-years old.

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The burglars caused injuries to the family and have also stolen several thousand euros, according to Faltaniova. The case is under investigation.
The only upside to the sitting government is that Slovak-Hungarian relations have improved, analysts say.

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In the year since it assumed power, the government has failed to become a bulwark against extremism and to restore trust in democratic institutions and the functioning of the state, sociologist Michal Vasecka and Trend weekly commentator Marian Lesko concurred on the latest edition of Tablet.tvs discussion show.

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The discussion revolved around an evaluation of the latest political developments in the run-up to the first anniversary of the formation of Prime Minister Robert Ficos third government.

Opposition parties are failing to address the gist of the issues troubling society and to convince the electorate that they are a worthy alternative to the governing coalition, according to Lesko and Vasecka. In addition to so-called standard parties, the media have also contributed to a rising tide of support for the far-right People's Party Our Slovakia (LSNS) by cementing the conviction that there is no remedy and that the only way out is to support a new force.

Vasecka said that the best answer to developments after the election in March 2016 would have been a caretaker government that would have worked to improve the atmosphere in the country and to eat into LSNSs public support in the process.

He noted the importance of government representatives using language that damps down emotions, supports the fight against corruption and restores trust in parliamentary democracy.

The only upside to the sitting government is that Slovak-Hungarian relations have improved, which is in the interests of both Slovak and Hungarian prime ministers - Robert Fico and Viktor Orban, according to Lesko.

The good rapport between the chairman of the largely ethnic-Hungarian Most-Hid party Bela Bugar and the Slovak National Party (SNS) leader Andrej Danko has had a spillover effect on the parties voters, said Lesko, calling for more such salutary effects from politicians.
It is not Coca-Colas fault that Central Europeans  as they often do in politics  passively accept cheap imitations.

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Did you hear? Coca-Cola uses different sweeteners in the Sprite in Germany as compared to the Czech Republic. Orange drink at Billa in Slovakia has less juice than in Austria, and the Manner wafers are not as crunchy in Budapest as they are in Vienna. If you were to believe the results of this weeks Visegrad Summit, that is the EUs fault. But its not.

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If you want more pork and less fat in your Kaufland sausage (one study found that the Germans get more meat than the Czechs) the fastest way to convince them to change their recipe is to stop shopping there. Get your sausage from the Albert, Tesco or Lidl down the street instead. Arent they cheaper and better at your local butcher shop anyway? A 20 percent drop in sausage sales does a lot more to change corporate behavior than a statement from the Visegrad Group.

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Free markets are not a solution for everything  like resettling children fleeing a war zone, for example  but when it comes to changing corporate behavior on consumer goods, they work really well. To demand intervention from Brussels on an issue like this, as the V4 did this week, is the height of hypocrisy from a group of governments who have insisted on repeated demonstrations about maintaining national sovereignty in recent years.

I have lived in Prague for eight years, and in the very first week I was here a Czech newspaper did a study that showed food with the same branding in the Czech Republic was of lower quality than in neighboring Germany and Austria. In other words, everybody has known about this for a long time and yet very few people have changed their behavior.

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These are not cases of anti-competitive monopolies. Every single product I have seen in similar studies has an alternative that is likely right next to it on the store shelf  including the low cost ones. Furthermore, there is no allegation that these companies are listing fake ingredients on packaging. Accurate information is available, but shoppers still buy the same bad foods  and this despite more choices than ever. Angered by what you have just read about Sprite? Heres a solution: Buy 7-Up instead.

Is it distasteful and dishonest for a company to try and mislead customers while providing low quality products? Yes, and there have been lists of the companies doing so in the newspaper or on television about every three months for the past eight years. They continue because shoppers let them. It is not Coca-Colas fault that Central Europeans  as they often do in politics  passively accept cheap imitations.

Shoppers (or voters) in Western Europe are not smarter, but they do set higher expectations  so they get better products.

Sme
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched three rockets within couple of hours on March 2, 2017, to help scientists exploring the northern lights and the interactions of the solar wind with Earths upper atmosphere and ionosphere. The rockets went into active auroras over Alaska and captured the stunning moments of colorful aurora encircling Earth.

The Black IX sounding rockets were carrying instruments to aid scientists.The first two rockets were launched nearly simultaneously at 12:41 a.m. and 12:42:30 a.m. EST as part of the Neutral Jets in Auroral Arcs mission. The third rocket launched at 2:50 a.m. EST was part of the Ionospheric Structuring: In Situ and Groundbased Low Altitude StudieS or ISINGLASS mission.

Preliminary reports indicate that data was received from instruments aboard all three rockets.

Phil Eberspeaker, chief of the Sounding Rocket Program Office, said, The ability to successfully launch these three rockets is a testament to the capabilities of the range, science and sounding rocket teams. Great coordination is required to institute the complex countdown required to prepare and launch three rockets in a short period. The team did a fantastic job executing these launches.

Neutral Jet scientists at NASAs Goddard Space Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, explain that electric fields drive the ionosphere, which, in turn, are predicted to set up enhanced neutral winds within an aurora arc. This experiment seeks to understand the height-dependent processes that create localized neutral jets within the aurora.

Flying the two similar payloads simultaneously to different altitudes provided researchers unprecedented vertical measurements within an aurora. The first rocket flew to an altitude of 205 miles of above the Earth and the second flew to 118 miles.

The third rocket, flown to 227 miles altitude, was preceded by another ISINGLASS launch on Feb. 22. As with the first rocket, the payload included the deployment of a sub-payload and also several instrumented deployable canisters. The use of these various miniature subsystems and the main payload will give researchers a multipoint view of spatial structures within the aurora.

Kristina Lynch, ISINGLASS principal investigator from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, said, The visible light produced in the atmosphere as aurora is the last step of a chain of processes connecting the solar wind to the atmosphere. We are seeking to understand what structure in these visible signatures can tell us about the electrodynamics of processes higher up.

The three rockets launched were part of five launched in January through March from the Poker Flat Research Range, operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, to study auroras. The Polar Night Nitric Oxide mission, from Va. Tech in Blacksburg, flew successfully on January 27.

The five launches from Alaska are supported through NASAs Sounding Rocket Program at the agencys Wallops Flight Facility at Wallops Island, Virginia, which is managed by NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Orbital ATK provides mission planning, engineering services and field operations for the NASA Sounding Rocket Operations Contract. NASAs Heliophysics Division manages the sounding-rocket program for the agency.
Introduction

Channable is a tool for marketeers and webshop owners that connects shops to market places, affiliate platforms, and comparison websites. We download product data through a feed or API connection, clean it up using our configurable rules engine, and we send the transformed data to any platform.

The process consists of various stages. We have jobs for every stage, and execute those on a pool of worker servers. There are some constraints on which jobs are allowed to run: product feed downloads must be complete before we can process any data, and jobs that access the same resource are not allowed to run in parallel. All of this was coordinated by a system that we called the scheduler. Around October last year, this scheduler was starting to show its limits. Channable had been growing steadily, and occasionally jobs were being submitted faster than the scheduler could schedule them. The time had come to replace it with something that scaled.

What and why

Our scheduler was implemented in Python, with most of the core logic done by a Python implementation of Datalog (a fork of pyDatalog), a declarative query language based on Prolog. We figured back then, that deciding which jobs can and cannot run would be a great usecase for Datalog. You describe the dependencies as logical statements, and Datalog returns the jobs for which these statements are true. Also, because we had the strength of a Prolog-like language at our disposal, very complicated dependencies could be described in the future. It turned out, however, that we never actually needed any of that strength. We have had the same dependency constraints ever since we implemented them.

The Python/Datalog scheduler served us well for a long time, but as the company grew larger, it was becoming a bottleneck. It would occasionally take minutes to resolve dependencies within the job graph, when jobs were being submitted at a rate of a few dozen jobs per second. The system was slow for three reasons:

We heavily modified pyDatalog to query Redis as its knowledge base, causing many network roundtrips to fetch knowledge about dependencies. We resolved dependencies over all jobs, while in reality, jobs only had dependencies on jobs for the same user account. We were using CPython for a CPU-intensive task.

Aside from performance issues, our pyDatalog fork was ugly and nobody understood how it worked anymore. Furthermore, we had encountered a few bugs in the scheduler that a static type system would have prevented. So we decided that it was time for a rewrite. This time we would take complexity of the algorithms as a primary concern, to ensure that our system could easily scale to a million jobs in the system. And while we were at it, we considered using a compiled language with a strong static type system as well.

The adventure

Ever since Arian (our Haskell ninja) has been at Channable, he has been evangelizing about the beauty of Haskell, and many of our colleagues are enthousiastic about functional programming. But our main codebase is written in Python, and you dont simply start converting parts to Haskell. Replacing the scheduler was the perfect opportunity: it was a small self-contained project, and Haskell suits the problem domain of constraint resolution well. So one morning, Ruud ran stack init . Jobmachine was born.

Our lead developer Robert usually comes in a bit later, so we had about an hour to build a working prototype. There were some concerns about using a non-mainstream language, but if we could get it done, there would be no going back. And if this small project was a success, we might get more colleagues on board.

Indeed we had the core algorithm implemented quickly, and in fact it has changed very little since. Haskell really is a great language to express this kind of thing: determining which jobs can be executed is a pure function [Job] -> [Job] . But of course, a real application needs to interact with the outside world. We need persistence, logging, and a REST API. We need to terminate gracefully when systemd sends a SIGTERM , and we need to be able to recover from non-graceful termination. It took us (Arian and Ruud) about two months to get Jobmachine into a semi-usable state. At that point we decided to take the pragmatic route: fix all blocking issues and postpone the less important ones. After all, at some point you need to ship something.

Now that the project was nearly production-ready, it was time to get other developers involved. With Stack, getting things running in a development environment was easy:

git clone git@github.com:channable/jobmachine.git && cd jobmachine stack setup stack build stack exec jobmachine & stack exec worker

No messing around with virtualenvs and requirement files. Everybody builds with the same dependency versions. No more works on my machine and did you install the latest requirements?. We marked a few issues as good first issue, and tried to get more developers to work on the codebase to lower the bus factor. We took care to keep the code readable and approachable. It is said that Haskell programmers are a rare species, but actually the majority of developers at Channable had used Haskell before. With a bit of help and code review, language was not a barrier.

Then on January 4, we deployed the first version into production. With zero downtime. But that is a story for a different post. That version had contributions by three developers besides us (Arian and Ruud). At the time of writing, the repository has six contributors. Jobmachine has been running reliably since. In the few occasions where the queue filled up quickly, the system remained perfectly responsive, and when our hosting provider suffered a power outage, we lost no data and our application recovered correctly when it came back online.

This last point is more of a consequence of the architecture, but using a pure functional language definitely guided us into the right direction there.

What did Haskell get us

Building, packaging, and shipping Python packages -- in a reproducible way -- has always been somewhat painful. We managed to do it with various freeze files and virtualenv hacks, but it was not pretty. Stackage snapshots completely solved this problem for us. With a curated set of packages that work, the only thing we have to do is to upgrade to a new snapshot occasionally. We are confident that when we do a stack build , we get a working artifact, always. And we get a single binary to ship, which depends only on a few system libraries.

Furthermore, Haskell gave us great confidence in the correctness of our code. Many classes of bugs simply do not show up because they are either caught at compile time, or by our test suite. Some statistics: since we deployed, we have had 2 actual bugs in our Haskell code. In the mean time, we fixed more than 10 bugs in the Python code that interfaces with the Jobmachine API.

Moreover, we are able to refactor without fear. We have been experimenting with adding some new features to the job assignment algorithm recently, and the procedure of extending it is rather mechanical: extend the types to reflect information you need, fix all type errors, write a test, and change code until the tests are green.

"Btw, Haskell and QuickCheck are awesome! Changing this was a really smooth process: check tests are green, edit, check tests fail, change test, done :)"

 Laurens after implementing a feature

QuickCheck was a great aid in testing our code. For example, the following snippet caught many bugs in serialization before they were even committed:

doesRoundtrip decode encode x = (deserialize decode . serialize encode) x == Right x

We also use QuickCheck for larger tests. A big part of our application can be summarized as a fold over events: Event -> State -> State .

This means we can test invariants of our system by generating random events:

handleEvent :: Event -> State -> State prop "the scheduler state is always consistent" $ \events -> let states :: [ State ] states = scanl (flip handleEvent) State .empty events isGood state = State .recomputeRedundantFields state === state in conjoin (fmap isGood states)

The State contains a few data structures to enable efficient lookup of jobs with certain properties. These are redundant and can be recomputed from other fields. With this test we ensure that the acceleration structures are always in sync with the main data.

Finally, Jobmachine is several orders of magnitude faster than the old scheduler. Scheduling overhead is well below a millisecond per job even with a million jobs in the system. This is mostly due to better algorithms, but GHC -- a mature optimizing compiler -- deserves some of the credit too.

Concerns

Of course, there were some issues that we ran into as well. There are some well-known Haskell gripes. Some were actually a problem in practice, others were just annoying.

Laziness was a pain. We do not have code that relies on laziness, but we did have a few space leaks, which were very difficult to debug.

We use all of the five different string types. It is annoying, but it is not a major problem.

Record updates can be tedious, and lenses can look like magic to beginning Haskell programmers.

In one case, Haskell did not quite deliver on its promise. Haskell is one of the few languages that can encode effects. Things like Can this function access Redis? and Does this function log to the console? can be encoded in the type system. We ended up with a mix of free monads and monad transformers, where we should have picked one. In practice the monad transformers are imposed on us by various libraries, and we should probably rewrite our code in the same style. The real issue, however, is that all of this breaks down when used with threads, because functions such as forkIO and async operate in the IO monad. Suppose we have these functions (slightly adapted from our source):

runWorkerLoop :: ( MonadBackingStore m, MonadLogger m, MonadIO m) => WorkerState -> m WorkerState runFetchLoop :: ( MonadBackingStore m, MonadIO m) => m () runWorker :: ( MonadBackingStore m, MonadLogger m, MonadIO m) => m ()

Now in runWorker we want to start two threads: one that runs the worker loop, and one that runs the fetch loop. (The fetch loop retrieves jobs from the backing store and puts them in a TBQueue , and the worker loop drains this queue. The queue is used to sequence events; for example a job being completed also enqueues an event.) The issue here is that we cannot run runWorkerLoop and runFetchLoop with forkIO , because we dont have the right transformer stack. We tried various solutions, but in the end we removed most of the MonadX m constraints, and changed everything back to IO .

Another concern is keeping code readable, and approachable for new team members who might not be very experienced with Haskell. Because Haskell is so expressive, this is perhaps more of an issue than in other languages. We mitigate this using code review. Sometimes you just have to say, Yes that is a really nice bifunctor instance there Arian, but please just write the two lines yourself. Or remark that (submittedCount m) + 1 is probably more readable than succ . submittedCount $ m . Keeping code readable should always be a priority, and this project was no different.

Conclusion

At Channable we handle a lot of jobs, such as downloading and optimizing feeds. Our Python-based scheduler that coordinated executing these jobs on worker servers, was starting to show its limits. Besides, we had a few reasons to consider Python alternatives. We built a replacement in Haskell, which has been running perfectly since. Most improvements are architectural, but a pure functional language definitely guided us here. We caught many bugs at compile time which in Python might have made it into production. Local development and packaging became simpler. And most importantly, the responses of other team members were very positive.
By Hyunjoo Jin and Adam Jourdan SEOUL/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - South Korean companies on Friday bore the brunt of a perceived backlash from China over the deployment of a U.S. missile system outside Seoul, with shares tumbling on media reports of Beijing telling tour operators to stop selling trips to the country. Several of Korea's biggest news outlets cited unidentified sources as saying Chinese government officials had given the verbal guidance just days after the Seoul government secured land for the missile system from Lotte Group. South Korea and the United States say the missile system is defence against nuclear-armed North Korea, but China says its territory is the target of the system's far-reaching radar. To protest the deployment, Chinese state-run media have called for a boycott of South Korean products. The Chinese are by far the biggest spenders in South Korea's tourism industry, propping up the world's biggest duty free market which generates about $8 billion in annual sales. But on Friday, the price of shares in duty free retailer Hotel Shilla Co Ltd <008770.KS> ended 13 percent lower while cosmetics maker Amorepacific Corp <090430.KS> closed at a two-year low, as investors feared a decline in Chinese tourist dollars as well as a repeat of a backlash against Japan in 2012 over a territorial dispute and interpretations of history. The share falls add to difficulties reported by South Korean companies in China since the Seoul and Washington governments in July agreed to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. On Thursday, an affiliate of the Lotte Group reported cyber attacks ostensibly originating from China. Shares of Hyundai Motor Co <005380.KS> also finished down 4.4 percent after photos of a vandalised Hyundai car circulated on Chinese social media, in an echo of the damage meted out to Japanese vehicles during protests in 2012. Local police in a microblog post said the vandalism could be linked to a dispute over debt. "If it is proved to be related to (the missile issue), such illegal behaviour is a smear on the public boycott campaign," state-run tabloid Global Times said in an editorial. South Korea's embassy in China issued a safety warning for its citizens. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang on Friday said there was no anti-deployment movement in China, and that authorities would deal with anyone breaking the law. "I hope the relevant side can listen to the people's voices and earnestly take steps to avoid further damage to China-South Korea relations and exchanges and cooperation between the two countries," Geng said. STAB IN THE BACK South Korean foreign minister Yun Byung-se said he was reviewing whether the guidance mentioned in the media violate international norms, Yonhap News Agency reported. "If such reports are true, it would be an unfair action ... and very regrettable," the foreign ministry said earlier on Friday. An official at South Korea's culture ministry said Korean tour operators had reported that Chinese peers had told them of the guidance to stop selling tours. A Korean tourism official later told Reuters that the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) had told tour operators in Beijing and beyond that all group tours to South Korea as well as advertising were banned. The official also said group tours made up about 40 percent of all Chinese visitors to South Korea last year. CNTA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chinese operators Ctrip and Qunar were accepting bookings to Korea on Friday. A salesperson at LY.com said the site has withdrawn all Korean tours, and Tuniu declined bookings citing the missile issue. LY.com could not be reached for comment, and Tuniu's spokesperson did not immediately respond to comment. The number of Chinese tourists to South Korea has nearly quadrupled to 8 million over the past five years, accounting for nearly half of foreign visitors, Korean government data shows. Yet shares of flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co Ltd <003490.KS> also ended down on Friday, by 4.8 percent. A spokesman said the airline was worried about the reports and was monitoring the situation. South Korean political parties condemned the action. "It's despicable and arrogant. China is a G20 nation that should be leading the development of world order," Liberty Korea Party leader Chung Woo-taik said. But for Professor Wu Xinbo at China's prestigious Fudan University, the deployment was akin to "stabbing China in the back". "As a sovereign nation, Korea says its decision to deploy THAAD is out of consideration for national security," Wu told the Global Times. "By the same logic, China has the right to oppose THAAD on the basis of its own national security." (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin in SEOUL and Adam Jourdan in SHANGHAI; Additional reporting by Joyce Lee, Jack Kim, Ju-min Park and Se Young Lee in SEOUL, Ben Blanchard and Muyu Xu in BEIJING, and Christian Shepherd in HONG KONG; Editing by Stephen Coates and Christopher Cushing)
Croatias Constitutional Court has upheld a law allowing abortion, saying the legislation does not breach the countrys constitution. However, the court urged parliament to pass new abortion legislation within two years. The head of the Constitutional Court, Miroslav Separovic, told a news conference that current legislation allowing a woman to terminate up to the 10th week of pregnancy did not breach the constitution. It is not up to the Consitutional Court to rule when human life begins, Separovic told reporters. The new law must define educational and preventive measures which would, in practice, make an abortion rather an exception..we think that this is a rational, balanced and just ruling. The law dates from 1978 when Croatia was one of six Yugoslav republics. What is the background? Pro-life groups first demanded a ban on abortion after the staunchly Roman Catholic country declared independence from communist Yugoslavia in 1991. The campaign has intensified in recent years. Doctors are allowed to refuse to assist in carrying out abortions in Croatia, where an estimated 85 percent of people declare themselves to be Catholics.
Storyful

Clashes broke out when a rally for the re-election of New York Governor Kathy Hochul was disrupted by protesters on Saturday, November 5.Hochul, the first female governor of New York, is currently running against the Republican partys Lee Zeldin.This footage, taken by Leeroy Johnson, shows a clash that happened at a rally for Hochul at the Stone Wall Inn, which Zeldin supporters disrupted.In the footage, a person is seen grabbing a woman by the neck before stopping and arguing with protesters.The NYPD got involved with no one getting arrested, Johnson said.In the footage, the woman can be seen climbing into an emergency medical services vehicle.The woman then speaks to the camera while holding a sign saying Vote Red and Vote Them Out, featuring pictures of Hochul and Antonio Delgado,Lieutenant Governor of New York, with blacked-out eyes and horns.A woman  a very large, heavyset woman, might have been a man  came and took my sign, she said. As I was trying to retrieve my sign, there was another man that came and choked me, and there were two other people there who were coming in and preventing me from trying to get my sign.I never wanted to get physical with anyone, she added. I was just there, just peacefully holding my sign, and, yknow, they didnt want to hear what I had to say. Credit: Leeroy Johnson via Storyful
By Toby Sterling VOLENDAM, Netherlands (Reuters) - The Dutch fishing village of Volendam hardly seems like a hotbed of discontent: tidy, prosperous, little crime or unemployment. Yet a third of its voters are likely to back anti-immigrant nationalist Geert Wilders in the March 15 general election. His appeal highlights a paradox that is challenging the status quo in Western democracies and fraying the European Union: voters are spurning the mainstream in favour of anti-establishment populism in times of economic wellbeing. The trend is especially striking in the Netherlands, where the economy is set to be the best performer in the euro zone this year and the people consistently rank near the top of global measurements of happiness and material comfort. Dutch anti-establishment sentiment is "first and foremost about culture and identity and less about economics", said Sarah de Lange, a University of Amsterdam political scientist studying the rise of far-right parties in the EU. It echoes the dissatisfaction that fuelled Britain's vote to quit the EU and Donald Trump's election as U.S. president, and the Dutch vote looks like the next chapter of the populist backlash, even if Wilders does not win big enough to gain power. Polls show Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV) will more than double its seats in parliament to 26, almost even with Prime Minister Mark Rutte's conservatives who stand to tumble from 41 to 27, with his coalition partner Labour plunging to 14 from 38. But because centrist parties rule out any alliance with Wilders, he will probably end up in the opposition again. Still, he has already succeeded in pushing mainstream politics toward the hard right, with centrist parties now endorsing an immigration ban. Anger at pro-EU metropolitan political elites over years of liberal immigration policy is a major driver of Wilders' appeal. Non-Western immigrants comprised 7.5 percent of the Dutch population in 1996, and that figure rose to 12.1 by 2015, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Around five percent of the population of 17 million is now Muslim. "Imagine what a mess it would be in the zoo if all the cages were left open," Volendam retiree Willem Veerman said when asked why he has embraced Wilders' anti-Islam, anti-EU agenda. "Well, that's what's happening currently in Europe." The Dutch were long renowned for multicultural tolerance rooted in their history. But immigration has become the pivotal election issue regardless of whether voting districts are high- or low-income or have large or small numbers of foreigners. WILDERS STRONGHOLDS Volendam is a largely white, middle-class community with small but freshly painted houses and spotless streets. Non-Western immigrants are a largely invisible 2 percent of its 8,000 population, joblessness is 3 percent, the crime rate 3 per 1,000 people and the median home price 325,000 euros ($343,800). De Lange said anti-immigrant feeling in places like Volendam often arises from fears that "big city problems" like crime will spill into their tranquil neighbourhoods. Volendam is a half-hour drive from the cosmopolitan, heavily immigrant Amsterdam, the Netherlands' largest city. A second Wilders redoubt, Nissewaard, is ethnically mixed and less well-off. Fourteen percent of its 85,000 population is foreign, there are 7 crimes per 1,000 people, unemployment is 5.9 percent and the median house price 189,000 euros. The PVV scooped nearly 25 percent in Nissewaard in 2015 regional voting. Mattijn van de Stroop, 45, said while watching Wilders on the stump in Nissewaard that he supports him because of his plan to lower the retirement age to 65 - raised to 67 under Rutte. Another reason is "Moroccans," he said. "You see it in the crime here. The other parties don't do as much and you see Wilders is standing up." In Rotterdam, the second-largest Dutch city, white voters have long gravitated to Wilders or other far-right parties. Thirty-eight percent of its 631,000 population is immigrant and the jobless rate exceeds 12 percent - both nationwide highs. IMMIGRATION, AUSTERITY - POTENT MIX An austerity campaign under Rutte also eroded respect for mainstream leadership because it hit middle- and lower-income Dutch much harder than the rich, stoking perceptions of unfairness and inequality on which Wilders has capitalised. Though the Dutch economy is buoyant now, spearheading euro zone growth, it stagnated at zero growth from 2008 to 2014 as the government cut spending to comply with EU budgetary rules in the wake of the 2008-09 financial crisis. Austerity bred much resentment - above all, over cuts to health services and care for the elderly. Together with ongoing immigration, the cuts deepened a sense among many that the country was deteriorating while politicians seemed oblivious. "What people often say is, 'I'm doing fine, but things are not going well in this country'," said Julia van Rijn, a minister in Amsterdam's Protestant Church. "Until now, every generation has had it better than the previous generation. But now people have the feeling that it's stagnating, and they're afraid for their children." While most of the Dutch are positive about their personal situation, seven of 10 are pessimistic about the country as a whole, citing social divisions and diminishing national character, a recent poll showed. Wilders' campaign slogan, "The Netherlands Ours Again", plays to traditional Dutch patriotism and nostalgia. "(There's a) perceived threat to Dutch identity, Dutch values and the Dutch way of life, that it will be eroded by migration and the size of the Muslim population," de Lange said. The election is the first of three in EU founding-member states this year, with populist parties in France and Germany also counting on anxieties over immigration and identity to bring them gains that could transform the continent's politics. The roots of populist revolt in the Netherlands actually date back almost two decades. The country's first right-wing populist, Pim Fortuyn, rocketed to popularity on an anti-immigrant platform before he was shot dead by a leftist activist in 2002. Wilders' own popularity took off after the 2004 murder of anti-Muslim filmmaker Theo van Gogh by an Islamist militant. IMMIGRATION DOWN BUT INSECURITIES UP The number of asylum seekers actually fell by 50 percent in 2016, thanks to an EU deal with Turkey that curbed a large influx of mainly Muslim migrants via that country into Europe. But a central complaint of Party for Freedom voters is that the Dutch welfare system simply cannot afford more newcomers. As of June 2016, 15.2 percent of non-Western immigrants were jobless, compared to around 6 percent for native-born Dutch. Carla Dekker, a Wilders voter in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, a Rotterdam suburb and PVV stronghold, said she had no problem with legitimate refugees, but she opposes economic migrants who claim welfare benefits. "It's a kind of parasitism," she said. Accompanying worries about the cost of immigrants is an emotional national debate about their perceived failure to adopt Dutch cultural norms, such as women's rights and acceptance of homosexuality. Recognising the political capital Wilders has made from such resentment, mainstream party leaders have begun aping some of his themes. Last month, Rutte published a letter to the nation summoning immigrants "to conform or go home". The centre-left Labour Party has proposed making it a crime to "follow and hinder, hiss at or make sexual proposals towards" women in the street - behaviour associated by many Dutch with Muslim immigrants. Dekker said she regards such moves as mere gestures. "In any case it comes across to me as very unconvincing." She said mainstream politicians have had plenty of time to address problems linked to immigration, and they still had not accepted Dutch voters' emphatic rejection of European unity projects in referendums in 2005 and 2016. "It's time for a fresh wind," she said. "If Wilders comes first and they shut him out of government, I don't know. I almost think there will be a rebellion." ($1 = 0.9451 euros) (Editing by Anthony Deutsch and Mark Heinrich)
By Aaron Maasho ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - An Ethiopian opposition leader from a region hit by deadly anti-government protests last year pleaded not guilty in court on Friday, after prosecutors brought charges against him for inciting unrest. Merera Gudina, leader of the Oromo Federalist Congress from the Oromiya region which was the center of protests against land grabs, was arrested in November after returning from meeting members of the European Parliament in Brussels. On Friday, prosecutors formally charged Merera with a bid to "dismantle or disrupt social, economic and political activity for political, religious and ideological aim ... under the guise of political party leadership," according to a charge sheet brought before a high court in Addis Ababa. Merera was also accused of backing a terrorist group and flouting guidelines of a state of emergency imposed in October during his trip to Belgium. Two other dissidents were also charged with similar accusations in absentia. Last week, Human Rights Watch criticized the move to arrest Merera. "Instead of taking actions that would demonstrate genuine resolve to address long-term grievances, the government again used politically motivated charges to further crack down on opposition parties, reinforcing a message that it will not tolerate peaceful dissent," the U.S.-based watchdog said. More than 500 people were killed in protests in the Oromiya region that stretched for months until the government declared a six-month state of emergency in October. The demonstrations were initially triggered by anger over a development scheme for the capital that demonstrators said would force farmers off their land, but then broadened into demonstrations against political restrictions. Businesses in Oromiya and other areas, many of them foreign-owned, were attacked. Foreign firms have often been leased land by the government that locals say was seized from them for little compensation and sold on at great profit. Ethiopia's government, which scrapped the capital's development plan after protests erupted, has pledged to increase compensation and enact widespread political reform. Opposition parties failed to secure a single seat in parliament in the last elections in 2015. Merera's trial will resume on March 9. (Reporting by Aaron Maasho; Editing by George Obulutsa and Toby Davis)
YANGIBAZAR, Uzbekistan (Reuters) - A newspaper editor jailed for 18 years in Uzbekistan says he was subjected to such harsh torture that he forgot the names of his daughters, but was kept alive by the support of human rights groups. Muhammad Bekjanov, 63, was released in February, months after the death of president Islam Karimov who had run the Central Asian nation for 27 years. Editor of the opposition newspaper Erk, Bekjanov was sentenced to 15 years in 1999 for publishing and distributing a banned paper, participating in a banned political protest and plotting a coup, charges he denied. Bekjanov's brother, Muhammad Salih, the leader of the Erk party, was a presidential candidate in 1991 and has lived in exile since 1993. In 1999 he was convicted in absentia on terrorism charges, which he denied. Muhammad Bekjanov's jail term was first reduced so that he could be freed in 2012, but then extended by another five years. Karimov died from a stroke in September and was succeeded by his former prime minister, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who has overseen the release of several political prisoners. "If the old leadership had stayed in place, I would certainly have had a new five-year extra term handed down to me," Bekjanov told Reuters in an interview. Shortly after Karimov's death, he said: "Everyone started treating me differently. Even regular inmates (not political prisoners) approached and talked to me. Then I felt that there were some new directives from above." Bekjanov said he was tortured, physically and psychologically, in the first few years of his term, until the Red Cross resumed visits to Uzbek prisons in 2003. Uzbekistan has denied using torture against Bakjanov or any other prisoners. "Once I was put in solitary confinement for more than six months," he said. "I even forgot the names of my daughters then." "The most difficult time was when I had been extradited from Ukraine and put in the Jaslyk prison where my legs were broken, my ears became deaf." Bekjanov said international support kept him going. "Lots of journalists from around the world and human rights organizations kept contacting me while I was in jail," he said. "After the first three years in prison I started receiving letters and postcards from them. My relatives told me what was going on around me out there when they visited me. These all gave me spiritual strength." Asked if he saw his release as a sign of a political thaw, Bakjanov said: "There are other dissidents, journalists, rights defenders and opposition members still in prisons; we could talk about political changes if they are all set free." According to New York-based Human Rights Watch, at least nine journalists are currently jailed in Uzbekistan, a mostly Muslim former Soviet republic of 32 million, alongside opposition politicians, human rights defenders and civil society activists, as well as thousands of people accused of religious extremism. (This version of the story corrects the spelling of Yangizbazar in dateline) (Reporting by the Almaty bureau; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
BANJUL (Reuters) - Gambian authorities have released 98 prisoners, mostly from the notorious Mile 2 prison, an Interior Ministry spokesman said on Friday, as the country seeks to turn a page on the authoritarian era of ousted former president Yahya Jammeh. The release follows the freeing of about 170 prisoners two weeks ago. Gambian President Adama Barrow last month replaced the head of the military, a pillar of his predecessor Jammeh's government, and dismissed several senior military officers. The former head of prisons was arrested. Barrow won an election in December, but Jammeh refused to accept the result. Jammeh eventually fled into exile in Equatorial Guinea in January, after coming under pressure from regional leaders who sent troops to Gambia to force him to leave. Rights groups say Jammeh's opponents were tortured, and some died, in detention centers including the Mile 2 Central Prison in Banjul. Interior Ministry spokesman Lamin Baba Njie said by telephone that 79 people had been released from Mile 2, and a further 19 from other prisons. "The releases are part of the prisons reform agenda," he said. (Reporting by Lamine Jahateh; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Andrew Roche)
Amid diplomatic tension between Turkey and Germany, the foreign ministers of both countries have agreed to meet next week. There has been a war of words between politicians in both countries after at least three political rallies due to be held by Turkish ministers in Germany were cancelled by local authorities. Police had to deal with a bomb alert in one of the places where a rally was cancelled. Ankara is hoping to rally support among Germanys large Turkish population for an upcoming referendum on giving the Turkish president greater powers. Henk Van Bentham, the mayor of a district in Cologne, hit back at Turkish criticism of the ban, saying he feels local authorities in a democratic country are being ridiculed, and its not doing any good for people of Turkish origin who like living in Germany. The cancellations have divided public opinion. One man in Cologne, Guerkan Cam, said: I am against it (Turkish ministers addressing events in Germany), because we are in Germany and of course I can understand that the politicians there want to speak to the Turkish citizen here, also for the elections and so on. But to rally for Turkish politics in Germany, I dont think this is right and with the current government it goes in the direction of propaganda and therefore I am not a supporter of this and I am in favour of the cancellation. But another man, Kemal Klic, said: What I find wrong is the propaganda here by the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist group. They are allowed to do anything here, everything is possible for them. But a Turkish minister is not allowed to speak. These are double standards by the German authorities. Turkey has accused Germany of what it calls scandalous behaviour but Berlin says it had no part in decisions made by local councils. Protests in Berlin over the holding of a journalist in a Turkish prison have also stoked tensions.
By James Millar

The sap is rising among the SNP with spring conference just around the corner.

The party gathers in a fortnight in Aberdeen and anticipation is growing that Nicola Sturgeon will take the opportunity to announce a second independence referendum to take place in 2018.

In an op-ed this week she said she has a cast iron mandate to hold a new referendum. Depending on the EU referendum bills progress through the Lords, Sturgeons conference speech could well come just hours before the prime minister presses the button to start the Article 50 process.

That helps explain why the Times reported that No.10 is bracing itself for just such an announcement from the first minister. The story wasnt actually new, it had been in the Courier in Scotland two weeks beforehand, but the Westminster press wasnt paying attention then so by London logic it didnt happen.

Certainly theres a logic to Sturgeon naming a date. Scotland goes to the polls yet again for local elections in May and itd suit the SNP to fight those elections on the old Yes/No divide rather than have to answer for their record at a council level, which is so-so at best on things like education and social care.

But then plenty of Scottish voters already see the local elections through an #indyref2 prism. Sturgeon doesnt need to call another vote to ensure a healthy return in May, with Glasgow council being the big prize odds-on to fall to the SNP for the first time.

Her real problem is that the polls remain stubborn on the independence issue. It simply isnt a winning proposition right now. If she were to lose a second independence referendum, Sturgeon would go down in history not just as the person who claimed the first vote would settle the issue for a generation, but as the politician who really did settle the issue for a generation.

The fundamentalists in the SNP want a vote no matter what. They remember well how they made up 15-20% deficit in the polls during the last campaign and believe they can do so again, taking Yes to a clear win.

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The more managerialist members of the SNP  typically those in senior positions - are pondering the shape of the next campaign. Theyre more concerned about that stubborn polling than the grassroots, fearing that in a debate framed by economic issues they will face the same roadblock they faced last time but perhaps even more so. After all, the UK single market is worth four times more to Scotland than the European one.

They also face a potentially hazardous political debate on immigration. Conventional wisdom says that with Scottish Labour sidelined, the next referendum will largely involve Nicola Sturgeon going head-to-head with the Scottish Tories Ruth Davidson. She is likely to highlight how Scotland would have to keep open borders if it wants to stay in the EU after Britain leaves.

The Tories stand ready to play the immigration card for all it is worth, if need be. All the evidence is itll be effective. Scots are not much more open minded on open borders than their English counterparts. Recently, it took three members of staff in my local Co-op in Scotland to identify a grapefruit  suggesting that outside the cities this is not a cosmopolitan country.

But there are whispers that SNP figures may have a trick or two up their sleeve.

What if Scotland doesnt stay in the EU? What if it could reassure voters by aiming for only single market membership instead?

Thats what SNP strategists are pondering. How about promoting a Norway-style model that answers the question about staying in one union and leaving another, but partially blunts the immigration issue and keeps on board all those Yes voters who backed Leave last year? If it signed up to the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement, Scotland could have the best of all worlds.

Such a proposal has the additional advantage of altering the timetable. Its widely believed the Scottish government would like a referendum before 2019 to avoid leaving the EU with the rest of the UK and then having to get back in. But if Scotland was leaving anyway and only interested in applying to join the EEA, that deadline is less harsh. It also gives Sturgeon more time to wait for the polls to come her way if Brexit unfolds in chaos.

The expectation that Sturgeon will announce a second referendum is now widespread. Anyone who has followed politics over the last few years ought to know by now that expectations are often wrong.

James Millar is a political commentator, journalist and podcaster. You can follow him onTwitter at @PoliticalYeti
Gender neutral: Cardiff Met lecturers have been told to mind their language (REX/Shutterstock)

A university has been accused of political correctness gone mad after banning lecturers from using phrases such as right-hand man and sportsmanship.

Cardiff Metropolitan Universitys Code of Practice on using Inclusive Language states that gender-neutral terms should be used wherever possible in a bid to embrace cultural diversity through language.

Homosexual and heterosexual should be avoided in favour of same-sex and other-sex, while first name or forename are the recommended alternatives to Christian name.

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Wheelchair bound is also on the avoid list, as its considered patronising and pitying  wheelchair user should be used instead.

The Code of Practice states: In order to promote an atmosphere in which all students and staff feel valued, Cardiff Metropolitan University endorses the use of inclusive language throughout its academic programmes and in relation to all goods and services provided.

These rules apply across all areas of Cardiff Metropolitan University activity, including academic delivery, assessment opportunities, goods and services and staff/student interaction.

Not surprisingly, critics have accused the university of taking inclusivity too far  a claim it denies.

Cardiff Metropolitan University (Google Street View)

A spokesperson for Cardiff Metropolitan University said: The University is committed unreservedly to the principle of academic freedom within the law. It is also committed to providing an environment where everyone is valued and treated with dignity and respect. These two commitments are cornerstones of academic life at the University.

The Code of Practice on Using Inclusive Language sets out a broad approach to promoting fairness and equality through raising awareness about the effects of potentially discriminatory vocabulary.

In particular, it includes some suggestions to support gender equality; these are consistent with other guidance (e.g., British Sociological Associations information on Equality and Diversity).

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Gender-neutral terms checklist: Words or phrases to avoid  and approved alternatives

Best man for the job  Best person for the job

Forefathers  Ancestors, forebears

Gentlemans agreement  Unwritten agreement, agreement based on trust

Girls (for adults)  women

Housewife  Shopper, consumer, homemaker (depends on context)

Manpower  Human resources, labour force, staff, personnel, workers, workforce

Man or mankind  Humanity, humankind, human race, people

Man-made  Artificial, manufactured, synthetic

Man in the street, common man  Average/ordinary/typical citizen/person

Right-hand man  Chief assistant

Sportsmanship  Fairmess, good humour, sense of fair play

Waitress  Waiter, server

Workman  Worker/operative/trades person
FILE - In this Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016 file photo, a Somali government soldier walks near destroyed buildings, after a suicide car bomb on Friday night in Mogadishu, Somalia. The Somalia-based Islamic extremist group al-Shabab has proved to be a more resilient foe than expected, forcing the United States to expand its military involvement with the realization that current strategies including drone attacks are not enough, security experts say. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh, File)

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- With frequent suicide bombings and assaults on Somalia's hotels and military targets, the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab has proved more resilient than expected, leading President Donald Trump's administration to pursue wider military involvement here as current strategies, including drone attacks, are not enough, security experts say.

Senior U.S. officials have said the Pentagon wants to expand the military's efforts to battle the al-Qaida-linked group. Recommendations sent to the White House would allow U.S special forces to increase assistance to the Somali National Army and give the U.S. military greater flexibility to launch more pre-emptive airstrikes.

The U.S. is likely to find counterterror efforts in Somalia difficult and expensive, analysts say  especially with the recent emergence of fighters pledging alliance to the Islamic State group.

"The concern in Washington has been mounting for some time now. The Trump administration is simply reiterating what has been policy, with slight variations," said Rashid Abdi, a Horn of Africa analyst with the International Crisis Group. "U.S. special forces are already on the ground. Drone attacks have been scaled up."

Currently about 50 U.S. commandos rotate in and out of this Horn of Africa nation to advise and assist local troops. The commandos have accompanied Somali forces in several raids against al-Shabab fighters in which dozens of militants were killed, according to Somali intelligence officials, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

Somalia, which has been without an effective central government since the fall of dictator Siad Barre in 1991, was one of the seven predominantly Muslim countries included in Trump's recent travel ban. That executive order has since been suspended by federal courts.

Al-Shabab emerged amid Somalia's years of chaos. A regional military effort several years ago pushed the extremist group from the capital, Mogadishu, and most other urban centers. But experts say that push against al-Shabab then weakened, allowing it to regroup and adapt to operating in the country's vast rural areas. It recently stepped up attacks in the capital and elsewhere.

Story continues

The U.S. already has military bases in Somalia, although it has not publicly acknowledged them. They are often used for drone attacks against al-Shabab targets. One of the largest bases is at Baledogle airfield, a former Somali air force base in Lower Shabelle region where U.S. military experts also train Somali forces, according to Somali officials.

In the past year the U.S. launched 14 airstrikes  nearly all drone strikes  killing some top al-Shabab leaders, including Hassan Ali Dhore and Abdullahi Haji Daud, according to a Somali intelligence official who coordinated with the U.S. on some of them.

The attacks have helped combat al-Shabab but have not brought the group to its knees, the official said.

The main successes against al-Shabab have come from the 22,000-strong African Union regional force that has operated in Somalia since 2007. But the AU force plans to withdraw by the end of 2020, and cost is a primary reason. The annual mission's budget has risen from $300 million in 2009 to $900 million in 2016, said Ahmed Soliman, an analyst with Chatham House, the London-based think tank.

Without the African Union troops, the fight against al-Shabab will be left to the Somali army, widely regarded as weak and disorganized. Building the army into an effective force will be the primary challenge facing the United States.

The U.S. military probably plans to step up training and coordination but not actually put more American boots on the ground in Somalia, Soliman said. The Black Hawk Down incident of 1993, in which two U.S. helicopters were shot down in Mogadishu and bodies of Americans were dragged through the streets, is a factor discouraging more direct U.S. involvement. Even now, the U.S. has no embassy in Somalia.

Al-Shabab in recent weeks has increased bombings in Mogadishu, threatening the security efforts of new Somali-American President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, during whose time as prime minister in 2010-2011 the group was expelled from the capital. The extremists continue to dominate remote towns and villages across the south and central parts of the country.

But a new security threat in Somalia, and a challenge to any U.S. military efforts, is the emergence of Islamic State group-linked fighters, who officials fear could expand their foothold beyond the semi-autonomous north. The fighters broke away from al-Shabab and declared allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2015. Al-Shabab sees the splinter group as a threat to its operations.

"It's only al-Shabab that can stand in ISIS' way to expand its areas of operation - Somali forces are now too disorganized to stop them," said Ahmed Mohamoud, a retired former Somali military general.

___

Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and Andrew Meldrum in Johannesburg contributed.
The Railbird Report: Jens Kyllonen Quits Poker

March 03 2017 Frank Op de Woerd

In a recent interview with Finnish tabloid newspaper Iltalehti, Jens "Jeans89" Kyllonen has announced his retirement from poker.

The Finnish superstar, who splashed on the scene with a win in the PokerStars EPT Copenhagen back in 2009 for over $1.1 million, is now studying finance at the Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki.

"Life is, after all, quite short," Kyllonen said, looking back on 10 years in poker. "It would be nice to try something else. It also one of the reasons why I decided to apply for the school."

"Life is, after all, quite short. It would be nice to try something else.

Early on in his career, Kyllonen said he was thinking of retiring after poker. While that was his initial goal, once he had made enough to do so he decided to pursue other interests instead of giving up on working altogether. He applied for the school a while ago and got in.

Part of the reason for quitting poker, according to the article, is he had gotten too involved in poker. With the monetary goal no longer in place because he accomplished that some time ago already, he didn't have the same drive as before.

"The fact is that the global poker market has been declining for a long time and interest in the sport has declined as well," he said.

On top of those reasons, Kyllonen said that the unorthodox rhythm he had as a poker player was part of the reason why he quit. With him starting a session while his wife got out of school, he felt his profession didn't have a positive impact on his relationship.

Kyllonen famously bought in for the inaugural $1,000,000 buy in Big One for One Drop back in 2012 without selling any action. He bust on Day 1, being the third player to go home.

Kyllonen made the biggest score of his life last summer, winning his first bracelet in the $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller for $1,127,035, bringing his total earnings live to $2,822,256. He currently sits in fourth place on the Finnish all-time money list behind Juha Helppi, Patrik Antonius and Jani Sointula.

Online, Kyllonen played the majority of his time on PokerStars. Under the nickname "Jeans89," Kyllonen profited $5,226,571 according to his HighStakesDB profile. The majority of the 635,522 hands he logged were in Pot-Limit Omaha, making for an average of $8.22 a hand since the site started tracking him in 2011. Kyllonen played as "Ingenious89" on Full Tilt Poker. He played over 152,555 hands and he won $222,240 for an average of $1.45 a hand.

Just last January, Kyllonen won the Player of the Year award at the Finnish Poker Awards in Casino Helsinki.

The Last Two Weeks' Biggest Pots Online

1) Jacob "Lottenice" Rasmussen Wins a $138,365 Pot (345 Big Blinds) Of Luke "Bit2Easy" Reeves

($200/$400 NLHM 6-Handed)

Click for replay

Mustapha "lasagnaaammm" Kanit opened the action with a raise to $1,200 from first position. Jacob "Lottenice" Rasmussen called from the cutoff before Luke "Bit2Easy" Reeves squeezed the button to $5,358. Both blinds got out of the way, Kanit and Rasmussen called.

With three players to the flop, the pot was already $16,674 as the software dealt . Kanit checked but Rasmussen bet out $8,167.81. Reeves called; Kanit folded.

The hit the turn and Rasmussen over shoved the pot, risking $52,677 into the $33,009 pot. Reeves had his neighbour covered and called.

Player Hand Equity on Jacob "Lottenice" Rasmussen 77.27% (18.18%) Luke "Bit2Easy" Reeves 4.55% (18.18%)

The two of them ran the river twice and both times a card in favour of Rasmussen hit. The and were both inconsequential and the 345 big blind pot went to Rasmussen.

2) Philippe "takechip" D'Auteuil Wins a $128,548 Pot (321 Big Blinds) Of "wilhasha"

($200/$400 NLHM HU)

Click for replay

Philippe "takechip" D'Auteuil opened his button to $1,076 only for "wilhasha" to three-bet to $3,800. D'Auteuil called to create a $7,600 pot going into the flop.

wilhasha bet out $3,000 on and D'Auteuil flat called.

The same happened on the turn as wilhasha bet $9,200 into $13,600 and D'Auteuil called.

A bit more action was seen on the river. wilhasha bet $9,000 again but this time D'Auteuil would shove. He moved his stack of $48,274.10 forward and wilhasha called. The latter showed for top and bottom pair. D'Auteuil tabled for the straight and took down the sizable pot.

3) "wilhasha" Wins a $123,589 Pot (308 Big Blinds) Of Pascal "Pass_72" Lefrancois

($200/$400 NLHM HU)

Click for replay

Ben "Sauce123" Sulsky opened the button with a raise to $1,044. Small blind wilhasha three-bet to $4,800 before big blind Pascal "Pass_72" Lefrancois cold four-bet to $11,600.

This got Sulsky out of the way but wilhasha wasn't planning on doing the same.

Instead, he shoved all in for $61,275.04 and Lefrancois called.

Player Hand Equity on "wilhasha" 81.70% (0.46%) Pascal "Pass_72" Lefrancois 17.83 (0.46%)

It was a classic kings versus queens situation, with added benefit to wilhasha that he had Lefrancois' diamonds covered.

The two ran the board twice and both times no help appeared for Lefrancois. It came and and the entire pot went to wilhasha.

Pascal Lefrancois

Online High-Stakes Action the Last 2 Weeks

Ben "Sauce123" Sulsky dominated the second half of February. He came out on top with a surplus of over $222,000 in profit. He was down the year before that, but now is up $184,000. With $5,037,388 in winnings, he's the second on PokerStars since HighStakesDB started tracking the site. Only Jens "Jeans89" Kyllonen has won more with $5,226,571 in profit. Since Kyllonen has given up on playing poker, it seems only a matter of time before Sulsky will take over as PokerStars' biggest winner.

(user)name hands profit/loss last week profit/loss 2017 profit/loss all time Winning Players 1 Ben "Sauce123" Sulsky 1,071 +$222,714 +$184,669 +$5,037,388 2 Ravenswood13 1,589 +$104,987 +$186,854 -$595,424 3 Katya_18 4,382 +$101,005 +$35,042 +$527,620 4 Hector "TUTI88" Alvarez 529 +$100,205 +$114,262 +$159,964 5 Jake "JLlama" Abdalla 445 +$82,911 +$82,758 +$1,358,580 6 Jacob "Lottenice" Rasmussen 1,348 +$81,466 +$79,327 +$630,599 7 BERRI SWEET 915 +$71,811 +$157,553 +$718,472 8 Vyacheslav "1nvoker" Ozhigov 1,447 +$67,065 +$192,934 +$105,697 9 CooL1992 192 +$52,181 -$14,423 -$160,953 10 zerfer03 386 +$50,671 +$18,266 -$71,968 Losing Players 1 Luke "Bit2Easy" Reeves 1,431 -$136,162 -$92,239 -$42,563 2 Dani "supernova9" Stern 792 -$124,763 -$328,590 -$990,998 3 Mikita "fish2013" Badziakouski 2,492 -$110,201 -$147,072 +$189,393 4 Pascal "Pass_72" Lefrancois 316 -$107,490 -$109,093 +$3,804 5 Daniel "DANMERRRRRRR" Merriless 1,386 -$95,067 -$92,403 -$135,787 6 candela2005 820 -$91,552 -$116,100 -$1,566,552 7 Alexander "joiso" Kostritsyn 497 -$90,012 -$300,568 +$4,119,031 8 Chris "Apotheosis92" Kruk 390 -$86,030 -$166,899 -$156,656 9 Mustapha "lasagnaaammm" Kanit 572 -$75,199 -$75,199 -$146,790 10 bajskorven87 82 -$67,868 -$169,211 +$1,199,740

The 2017 Leaderboard

The 2017 leaderboard hasn't changed much. The top 3 biggest winners is unchanged with Timofey "Trueteller" Kuznetsov still up top. While Kuznetsov lost a bit in the last two weeks, he's still firmly in the lead being up $432,270 for the year.

While Dan "w00ki3z." Cates has been winning the last two weeks, he's still this year's biggest losing player. New in the Top 3 is Dani "supernova9" Stern, taking a spot held by Dario "Secret_M0d3" Sammartino two weeks ago. Sammartino hasn't logged any hands since, but he's now in the seventh spot since Alexander "joiso" Kostritsyn, Sergey "St1ckman" Vasiliev, "8superpoker" and Stern all lost considerable amounts in the last two weeks.

(user)name hands 2017 profit/loss 2017 profit/loss per hand 2017 profit/loss all time / most played game 2017 Winning players 1 Timofey "Trueteller" Kuznetsov 18,973 +$432,270 +$22.78 +$2,323,037  NLHM 2 RaulGonzalez 9,176 +$317,802 +$34.63 +$1,060,252  8-Game 3 40and7 5,094 +$283,330 +$56.16 -$79,310  NLHM Losing players 1 Dan "w00ki3z." Cates 8,905 -$468,557 -$52.61 +$877,415  8-Game 2 Bill "GASTRADER" Perkins 2,686 -$386,845 -$144.02 -$720,178  NLHM 3 Dani "supernova9" Stern 6,637 -$328,590 -$49.50 -$990,998  PLO

The above top winners and losers in online poker for 2017 only consist of PokerStars accounts. All public data courtesy of HighStakesDB.com. If you want to opt out of being listed in this update on high-stakes action, send an email with your username to [email protected]

Timofey Kuznetsov
RACINE  A Milwaukee man, who is an alleged drug dealer, has been charged in the January overdose death of a 32-year-old Racine woman.

Probable cause was found Thursday in Racine County Circuit Court to pursue a charge of first-degree reckless homicide against 47-year-old Warren R. Whitehead in the death of a woman. The woman reportedly died on Jan. 15 from an excessive dose of methadone. The criminal complaint does not list her name and police would not disclose it.

According to the criminal complaint, officers were called to a residence in the 5600 block of Castle Court on a report of an overdose. When they arrived, they found the victim, described in the complaint with only the initials APP. She was taken to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, where she later died.

As police began looking into where she might have gotten the drugs that caused her death, they spoke with a man who said he was with her from Jan. 13 until she overdosed. The witness said he drove the victim to Milwaukee to buy Methadone and Xanax from Whitehead, who he knew to be her dealer.

At Whiteheads residence, the victim reportedly purchased Xanax pills and 300 milliliters of liquid methadone and began to binge the drugs that weekend.

The witness, who said he was with the victim all weekend, told police he didnt see a problem with her until Sunday morning, when he found her not breathing.

Police later served a search warrant at Whiteheads Milwaukee residence and found several green prescription bottles of Methadone from Hayat Pharmacy that matched the same green bottle that was in the victims apartment. Police also reportedly recovered five cellular phones and 77 pills of Xanax.

After being pressed by investigators, Whitehead reportedly admitted to knowing the victim and stated that he had a prescription for Methadone and was given 13 80-milliliter bottles of the drug at a time to take home from a clinic he goes to in Milwaukee.

Whiteheads bond was set at $100,000.
Photo credit: Getty

From Esquire UK

Some engineers have created an interactive map to navigate the overwhelming amount of data created by the Paleobiology Database, a massive collection of information about fossils and related research. The map essentially plots the location of every fossil ever found by scientists, from early mammals to dinosaurs.

To search the map, you can click on different geologic eras, the strata that the organism was found in, or search the specific taxonomy you're looking for. The map shows the continents as they are today by default, but when you click on a different geological era they rearrange themselves, showing how dramatically tectonic plates have shift over millions of years.

If you aren't looking for any specific creature, just click around randomly and see what pops up. You can zoom in on any part of the world and see what kinds of fossils have been found there. For example, through the map we learned that Pleistocene-era mollusks have been found in Manhattan. What roamed the Earth where you live millions of years ago?

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Entrepreneurship is more than a collection of courses or a new business idea. It is a mindset that inspires innovation, risk-taking and seizing opportunities. Some graduates within the Mike Cottrell College of Business and throughout the University of North Georgia (UNG) may start their own businesses, while others may use their entrepreneurial creativity in established organizations. However, students choose to pursue their careers, the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation will support the growth of their entrepreneurial spirit.

The Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation in the Mike Cottrell College of Business at UNG is a collaborative initiative that engages students, faculty and staff across the University, as well as communities within the region who imagine, innovate, start and grow new and existing ventures.

The initiatives within the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation are designed to spark entrepreneurial efforts become the go-to place for aspiring and existing entrepreneurs across the north Georgia region.
DURANGO, Colo.  People in southwest Colorado could soon be watching Denver-based television thanks to a decision by the Federal Communications Commission.

The Durango Herald reports (http://bit.ly/2mdNwYh ) that the FCC on Wednesday granted a petition to allow satellite providers to offer La Plata County subscribers access to Denver-based television programing. The county currently receives television programming not from Colorado, but from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Wednesdays decision is part of a 10-year effort to give La Plata County access to Colorado news, weather and sports. Starting this summer the county will be allowed to partner with ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox affiliates in Denver.

The FCC made it possible last year for so-called orphan counties like Durango to petition for television access.
Authorities have released a frantic 911 call from the man who was shot during a violent abduction and carjacking at La Luz trailhead Tuesday night.

A man just shot me and I think he killed my girlfriend, 19-year-old Devon Philo frantically told the dispatcher around 6:30 p.m., according to the 911 call made public Thursday.

His girlfriend, 18-year-old Sara Reeves, later managed to escape. Neither of the teens was seriously injured.

And although they may not have realized it at the time, they were lucky.

The suspect, 28-year-old Alex Deaton, had already allegedly killed two people in Mississippi and shot and injured another last week before he made his way to New Mexico.

On Tuesday night, he jumped out from some bushes near the La Luz trailhead and forced the couple into the trunk of the Honda Accord theyd borrowed from Reeves parents, according to the 911 call.

The couple managed to escape, but Deaton shot Philo and chased down Reeves to recapture her. He took her to a home where he stole another vehicle from the homeowner at gunpoint. She was able to escape again, according to the Sandoval County Sheriffs Office.

But Philo didnt know what had happened to her when he called for help. A bystander made the call and Philo then spoke with the dispatcher, saying hed been shot in the buttocks, but wasnt bleeding severely.

He described being shot and said he then took back the Honda. Meanwhile, Deaton took Reeves to steal the second vehicle.

Philo thought Deaton had killed Reeves.

He shot me and then I fell down and then he chased Sara more, he said. She got away a little bit, but I think he killed her.

Philo pleaded for police to get there quickly.

Hes still out there and he still has guns. I dont know if hes coming back down here, he said.

Once Reeves escaped, Deaton somehow managed to get back to the Honda, which Philo had left running nearby, and took off. He disappeared from law enforcement radar all night, but turned up in Kansas on Wednesday morning where he shot and injured a gas station clerk and stole another car, according to authorities.

He was arrested after a police chase and fiery crash, putting an end to the multistate crime spree. Authorities havent said what charges hell face.
WASHINGTON  Sergey Kislyak, Russias long-serving ambassador to the United States, has a habit noticed by many U.S. officials who have known the envoy.

Kislyak shows up everywhere and tries to talk to everyone.

He doesnt get as much credit as he should, in my view, for being savvy about developing relationships with people all over the city, said Michael McFaul, who knew the diplomat well while serving in the Obama administration as senior adviser on Russia and then as U.S. ambassador to Russia.

Moscows man in Washington, D.C., is an unlikely man of the political moment, however. He is quiet, careful, rumpled and portly. He is a fierce defender of Russias international prestige who rarely gives interviews and even more rarely makes news on his own. He is not considered especially close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

For Kislyak to have sought contacts with former national security adviser Michael Flynn and Attorney General Jeff Sessions in 2016 when the latter was a U.S. senator should come as no surprise, current and former U.S. officials said.

Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general and former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was a top national security adviser and frequent warm-up act for Trump during the campaign. He was forced out as national security adviser at the White House over concerns he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and others about his contacts with Kislyak before Trump took office.

Sessions, then a U.S. senator from Alabama, was among Trumps early supporters in Congress and went on television to promote the candidate. He has come under scrutiny for two meetings with Kislyak last year.

The Russian diplomat, who speaks excellent English, seems to know American officials, past and present, across the political and ideological spectrum. Several Americans who know him say he prides himself on proximity  he always seems to have just had dinner with someone influential or just happens to be seated up front at newsworthy foreign policy events.

John McLaughlin, a former deputy CIA director and acting CIA director under former President Barack Obama, said that it does strain credibility that Sessions would have simply forgotten about his meetings with Kislyak when he asserted during his confirmation hearing to become attorney general that he had not met with Russian officials.

I know Ambassador Kislyak. Hes a veteran of Russian diplomacy, and hes a hard guy to forget if youve met with him, McLaughlin said during an interview Thursday with MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell.

Sessions said at a news conference Thursday that he was taken aback by a question  which referred to a breaking news story about contacts between Trump campaign surrogates and Russians. In retrospect, I should have slowed down and said I did meet one Russian official a couple times. That would be the ambassador, he said.

Kislyak arrived as ambassador in 2008, a few months before the start of the Obama administration, and is expected to leave this spring. His replacement has not been announced.

The Russian Embassy did not respond to a request for an interview with Kislyak.

Most of the ambassadors outreach efforts focus on the executive branch, as is the custom for Russian diplomats whose political system back home is top-down.

Lawmakers are often reluctant to meet with senior Russian officials independently because diplomacy and intelligence gathering tend to blur for Moscows representatives in the United States.

Still, the Sessions contacts on their own are of a piece with what foreign ambassadors, and especially Kislyak, see as a part of their job, current and former U.S. officials and Russia experts said.

It seems entirely routine for the ambassador of a foreign government to want to meet with senators, for example, and especially one who is a member of the Armed Services Committee, said Paul Saunders, a Russia specialist at the Center for the National Interest and a former official in the George W. Bush administration.

Most members of the Armed Services Committee, however, told The Post that they had not met with Kislyak last year.

Saunders group hosted then-candidate Donald Trump for a foreign policy speech in April last year.

Kislyak was in the audience as one of four invited foreign ambassadors as Trump proclaimed, America-first will be the major and overriding theme of my administration.

Kislyak is known to collect scores of business cards as he moves around Washington, and to follow up, sometimes relentlessly, with requests for one-on-one meetings. Sessions said Thursday that Kislyak had also invited him to lunch, an invitation he never took up.

He was constantly doing that when I was in the government, McFaul said of Kislyaks ability to speak to U.S. officials at the Pentagon and elsewhere, sometimes without the White House knowing about it first. At times it would be frustrating to us.

Kislyak, a physicist and arms-control expert by training, has succeeded as a diplomat by voicing the official Russian line on all issues in genial terms, and within the hierarchy of Russian diplomacy by always having fresh news, gossip and political analysis to feed back home.

It is not clear how much Kislyak knew about what U.S. intelligence officials have said was a concerted Russian government effort to influence the U.S. presidential election, although it is likely that he was at least aware of it, said Steven Hall, former head of Russia operations at the CIA.

In the case of Sessions, who was considered a top prospect for a Cabinet job when Kislyak visited him in his Senate office in September, Kislyak would have wanted to know: How reasonable is he from a Russia perspective? Hall said.

Kislyak denied that Russia was meddling in the election during an address to the Detroit Economic Club less than two weeks before the Nov. 8 election.

We have become kind of collateral damage in the fight between the two parties, he said, adding that Russia is ready to work with any president that is going to be elected.

Opinions differ on whether Kislyak is a spy in the American sense of the word.

For them its much grayer, Hall said of the Russian view of the difference between a diplomat and spy. I would say [Kislyak] is most definitely both. In the Russian system, its simply assumed that theyre all collecting and doing whatever they can either covertly or overtly.



The Washington Posts Greg Miller and Julie Tate contributed to this report.
A contract extension for Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent Veronica Garcia was formalized this week with a 4-0 vote by the school board.

Garcia was awarded a two-year contract last August. She is now inked through June 30, 2019, at a salary of $180,000 per year.

This is Garcias second stint as schools superintendent in Santa Fe, having served in the role from 1999 to 2002. She left the district after she was appointed the states first secretary of education in 2003 by then-Gov. Bill Richardson. She left that position in 2010 after Susana Martinez was elected governor.

Garcia was working as executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children when she was hired in July of last year on an interim basis to replace Joel Boyd, who resigned with a year left on his contract to accept a job in the private sector. But the board hired her on a permanent basis a month later.
SANTA FE  Democrats in the state House on Thursday blocked Republican efforts to pass a law requiring doctors to provide medical care if an infant is born alive during an attempted abortion.

The House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee heard emotional testimony and debate for about two hours  as supporters of the legislation described the horrors of botched abortions and the killing of infants.

But in the end, the committees three Democrats voted to table the bill, preventing it from proceeding through the Legislature.

Opponents of the bill said that laws and medical standards are already in place covering how to handle abortion and other procedures.

Dr. Sandra Penn, a physician for more than 30 years, urged the committee to avoid political interference in medical care.

This bill would add the possibility of criminalizing a medical procedure, she said, and inject fear into a situation when it should not be there.

House Bill 37 is sponsored by four Republican representatives  Minority Whip Rod Montoya of Farmington, David Gallegos of Eunice, Rick Little of Chaparral and Yvette Herrell of Alamogordo.

The bill would require physicians attempting to perform an abortion to try to preserve the life and health of the baby if he or she is born alive.

It would be a first-degree felony to intentionally kill a born alive infant.

Montoya said the proposal was intended to fill a gap in New Mexico law.

This is not an abortion bill, Montoya said. This is a human rights bill for infants who are born alive  whether its following an abortion, a miscarriage or a natural birth.

Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, a Republican, also testified in favor of the bill.

We have an obligation to stand up and speak out for the most vulnerable among us, he said.

The bill was tabled on a 3-2 party-line vote.

The committee chairman, Democrat Eliseo Alcon of Milan, adjourned the hearing before two other abortion bills and an effort to reinstate the death penalty came up. He noted that the House was due to begin a floor session and that 45 minutes wasnt enough time to finish the committee agenda.
One of the iron rules of politics is this: If youre parsing, its a sure sign youre losing.

The latest confirmation of that principle comes from Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who in his confirmation hearings flatly claimed under oath that he did not have communications with the Russians while acting as one of President Donald Trumps top surrogates and closest advisers during the 2016 presidential race. Then, when confronted with a Washington Post report of two meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Sessions reverse engineered that sentence to, I never met with any Russian officials to discuss the issues of the campaign.

So for the second time, Trump was in the position of vouching for one of his top appointees who has been caught not telling the full truth about conversations with Moscows top man in Washington, D.C.

The first led to the resignation of his national security adviser two weeks ago; the second, to Sessions awkward announcement Thursday that he has decided to recuse himself from existing or future investigation of any matter relating to the 2016 campaign.

That satisfied the demands of many Republicans on Capitol Hill, but a growing chorus of Democrats are calling for Sessions to resign.

The bigger problem for Trump and his team politically has been their inability to shake dark suppositions about his and his associates relationship with a hostile power, amid evidence that Russia had tried to influence the U.S. election.

What do the Russians have on him? House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., asked at a news conference on Thursday.

Trumps difficulties have been compounded by some of his own tendencies  among them, his inclination to personalize issues that potentially have much broader implications.

Thus, he sees questions about Russian influence in the U.S. electoral system as a challenge to his own legitimacy as president.

The Democrats had to come up with a story as to why they lost the election, and so badly (306), so they made up a story  RUSSIA. Fake news! Trump tweeted on Feb. 16, referring to the number of electoral votes he won in November.

That same day, his instinct was to bristle and reply it was not a fair question when a reporter for an Orthodox Jewish weekly magazine asked him about rising incidents of anti-Semitism.

More recently, the president has denounced recent vandalism of Jewish cemeteries and community centers. But he has also suggested that those incidents might actually have been orchestrated as an effort to make people look bad, implying that they were actually false flag hoaxes meant to impugn his own supporters, a small fraction of whom have expressed anti-Semitic sentiments on social media and elsewhere.

Nor does Trump have many in his closest circle who are experienced at handling and getting ahead of a mounting political crisis outside a campaign environment, where the first move in the playbook is usually to punch back at the accusers and their motives.

Sessions predicament, for instance, was an unforced error.

First of all, the attorney general should have proactively brought up his Russian contacts at the [confirmation] hearing, said Ari Fleischer, who was George W. Bushs White House press secretary. It could have been and should have been a big nothing, assuming that Sessions is telling the truth that his conversations with the ambassador did not delve into the subject of the election.

In Washington, you know that when youre in the middle of a red-hot situation, youve got to get it all out on the table, and say it now, said Fleischer added.

Ultimately, however, the real answer is for Trump to change the subject of the conversation in Washington to his policies, some Republicans argue.

It would be helpful to him if he would shut up and govern, said Republican strategist and Capitol Hill veteran John Feehery. If he spent more of his time knocking heads on Obamacare and knocking heads on tax reform, this [controversy over Russian contacts with those close to Trump] would be put in its proper place.

Trump appears, at least for now, to agree with that approach.

On Thursday, the president traveled to Newport News, Va., and boarded the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford to make a pitch for his proposed $54-billion increase in the Pentagon budget.

He stuck to that theme, unlike he has often done at moments of stress in the past. It was a contrast, for instance, from an appearance at Gettysburg during the campaign, where he was supposed to highlight his policies but veered off into denunciations of women who had accused him of sexual misconduct.

Trumps answers to a hail of questions from the reporters traveling with him were brief and supportive of Sessions.

Sessions recusal, however, is not likely to quiet the questions, particularly the larger ones being asked by lawmakers of both parties about the extent of Russian actions, the possibility of more security breaches in the future and how the United States should respond.

The challenge is not to Trumps leadership alone. Washington is now so deeply divided and dysfunctional that many of its traditional mechanisms do not appear to be up to the task of handling a multilayered challenge where many political agendas are at work.

Indeed, Trumps election was a testament to how disaffected and mistrustful many Americans feel toward the capital and its institutions.

Congressional intelligence panels are promising their own inquiries, and there is also some sentiment for the appointment of a select committee to handle the issue. However, the atmosphere in Congress is so politically charged that it is unlikely that any finding produced there would be accepted by all sides as definitive.

Presidents before Trump have often sought to get out in front of controversies, particularly ones that focus on their own management, by appointing an outside commission, with bipartisan leadership.

That, for instance, was what Ronald Reagan did as the Iran-Contra scandal was brewing in 1986. George W. Bush and Congress also created a commission that examined the lapses that made it possible for terrorists to attack the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and to come up with proposals to prevent such a catastrophe in the future.

Still others, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., are saying that a special prosecutor may be warranted, if there is any indication that criminal activity may have occurred.

Fleischer, however, said the existing systems should be given an opportunity to work.

I still have faith in the Congress and the FBI to get to the bottom of Russian interference in the election, he said. It should be rare and extraordinary and beyond a shadow of a doubt when you convene a special committee or you call in a special investigation.
While its virtually impossible to get everyone to agree on any one thing, I hope all can appreciate that being a leader is no easy task  particularly in our political system where the responsibilities of leadership are divided. We know each branch of government has different roles and responsibilities, which are fairly well defined. Each branch, in partnership, relies on the others to carry out the ideals set forth in the Constitution: to establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

As the chief justice of our Supreme Court recently pointed out, The judiciary is the only one of the three branches that has no vote, no veto power  in providing the funding necessary for our own ability to do our job. Therefore, we must rely on our executive and legislative branch partners.

The chief justice also identified truths about our society and government. First, no self-governing democracy, no civilized society of any kind, can survive without a functioning justice system. Second, we cant have a functioning justice system without the funding necessary to make it function. Third, if we are faced with a choice between funding services, no matter how desirable, and funding constitutionally required functions of government, both the law and the oaths of office we all took to uphold the constitution, dictates the necessary choice.

Thus, in order to establish justice and all the related commitments, the judiciary is at the mercy of, and must rely on the leadership of, the other branches of government. Leadership is an especially challenging concept in the political arena. There are many players, and tough choices have to be made every step of the way. The legislative and executive branches of government decide where to get the revenue, how to spend it, and, in most instances, how much work has to be done with available funds.

We certainly have common goals. We want justice, and we want the Constitution and laws to be enforced. We also want our streets and neighborhoods to be safe. If additional legislation is passed to keep violent offenders off our streets and to protect the innocent from wrongful prosecution, the courts must have the tools necessary to keep us all safe.

If new laws are passed increasing mandatory minimum and maximum sentences for violent repeat offenders or penalties are increased against those that harm the innocent, then the courts must have funds to ensure the protections of the Constitution and laws.

Its not complicated. If the judiciary does not have the funds available to properly function, if we cannot comply with Constitutional guarantees of right to counsel, if we cannot provide a speedy trial in criminal cases, then we cannot enforce the laws presently on the books, much less any new law being contemplated.

Currently, as a result of funding shortfalls, our courts are experiencing closures, staffing reductions and decline in treatment programs, such as Drug and DWI courts. The judiciary receives less than 3 percent of the states overall budget. Accordingly, any cut in the judiciarys budget cuts deeply into the services that can be provided.

The judiciarys requests are modest: Restore cutbacks because the courts cant continue to meet the justice needs of the public without adequate funding. Provide slight increases in the base budgets, including necessary money for jurors and interpreters to meet our Constitutional obligations, as well as necessary technology courts rely on. Fund salary increases required to compensate court clerks for changes in their job classifications and duties.

Its been said great leadership requires a desire and mindset to get things done for the betterment of a healthier whole. Every government, company, family and system has finite resources and infinite demands. But great leaders perform assessments, measure all aspects and personal motivations, weigh consequences and determine to do what is required, to do what is right, for the good of the whole. Leaders must have courage, the mental and moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand tough decisions. We believe all those elected and in charge of our governmental institutions are leaders! As a result, New Mexicans should remain hopeful that the basic fiscal needs of the judiciary to carry out the Constitutional requirements and protect the integrity of our justice system will not be diminished as a result of inadequate funding from our Constitutional partners.

Frank Sedillo is a judge of the 2nd Judicial District Court (Bernalillo County). Opinions expressed are those of the judge and not those of the court.
When your court system is on budget life support, relying on an almost $700,000 emergency appropriation to pay jurors and avoid employee furloughs through mid-April, and your police force is too many officers short, it makes perfect sense to ask if maybe that court system and police force are trying to do too much.

And House Bill 428 correctly answers yes.

Unfortunately, the 86 pages of legislation proposed by Rep. Antonio Moe Maestas, D-Albuquerque, go too far in taking offenses off the criminal books that endanger public safety and classifying them as penalty assessments that carry no potential jail time.

Considering governments ongoing budget woes, it is hard to argue that serving warrants and tying up court time for many of the listed infractions gives the public the most bang for its legal system buck. For those who would falsify documents to get special recognition license plates for being a prisoner of war, a disabled veteran or a silver star recipient, as well as those who would illegally park in a space reserved for the handicapped, litter in the Land of Enchantment or jaywalk  well, a simple fine and a special place in the afterlife should suffice. As Chief Public Defender Ben Baur says, There are a lot of offenses that dont really hurt anyone.

However, in a state like New Mexico that has horrific uninsured driver (around one out of five) and drunken driving rates (166 deaths attributed to DWI last year), it makes absolutely no sense to have driving without insurance or driving on a suspended license carry a simple fine.

Because why would you ever get insurance or hand over your keys if you could instead play the odds, bet on not getting pulled over, and face nothing more than a $100 fine if you did? Over, and over, and over again? And the worst thing that could happen is an additional $50 fine for not showing up in court after you checked that box on your ticket rather than forking over 100 bucks?

Maestas says Montana has proposed similar changes to its criminal justice system and is estimating that could save it $70 million by 2023. Saving that kind of cash would be great for New Mexico, too  as far as not hunting down fake military veterans, jaywalkers and litter bugs. It makes sense to impose fines on such offenders, removing their trips to the courthouse and potential jail time.

But for those who drive on a suspended license or without insurance? Just ask anyone who has ever been hit by someone who thinks insurance and license laws dont apply to them. Removing these offenders trips to the courthouse and potential jail time when their actions directly affect public safety is pennywise and pound foolish. It encourages drivers to ignore, rather than comply with, the laws enacted to keep everyone on our roads safe.

HB 428 has a lot of good proposals, but lawmakers need to read them carefully and ensure they do not minimize crimes that affect everyones public safety.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
President Donald Trumps escalation of his war with the news media crossed a line last Friday.

It wasnt his denunciation of journalists as the enemy of the people during a speech before the Conservative Political Action Conference  an annual political conference attended by conservative activists and elected officials. Nor was it his claim The New York Times and CNN are a great danger to our country. Such over-the-top assertions have come to be expected from Trump and his administration.

The crossing of the line occurred hours after that speech when White House press secretary Sean Spicer barred specific news organizations from attending his daily press gaggle, an informal, off-camera but on-the-record briefing conducted by White House press secretaries.

Banned from the event were The New York Times, CNN, The Los Angeles Times, the BBC, The Huffington Post, Politico and BuzzFeed News. Allowed into the briefing were Breitbart News, the One America News Network and The Washington Times, all with conservative leanings, and journalists from ABC, CBS, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and Fox News.

To their credit, reporters from the Associated Press and Time magazine boycotted the briefing in protest of Spicers actions. The Washington Post, another frequent foil for Trump, did not send a reporter.

What Spicer did was an unprecedented breach of relations between the White House and its press corps. And Spicer made it clear what was going on.

Were going to aggressively push back, he told those selected to attend the briefing. Were just not going to sit back and let, you know, false narratives, false stories, inaccurate facts get out there. Spicer ignored the numerous, well-documented false narratives, false stories and inaccurate facts Trump and his handlers have unleashed on the public since the beginning of his presidential campaign.

There is no disputing some news outlets have published false or misleading reports, usually based on too-often-used anonymous sources, regarding Trump and his administration. And Trump is quick to respond.

But the administrations determination to punish reporters and news outlets whose coverage officials dislike went far beyond the accustomed picking of favorites  and anyone who understands how critical a free and unfettered press is to sustaining a democracy should be deeply concerned.

Excluding or selectively screening reporters gives those excluders and screeners, e.g., Spicer, far too much control over information provided to our nations population.

Granted, previous administrations have been less than open with the press. Just one example is that despite then-President Barack Obamas self-serving declarations his would be the most transparent administration in history, in 2015 there was a backlog of 160,000 requests for U.S. government documents that went unanswered.

So far, there has not been a repeat of a ban on specific media. Lets hope there is none.

Spicers actions were a political tactic that makes the White House look petty at best and fearful of accountability at worst.

Such an attempt to control the media by exclusion made it clear this White House fails to understand, much less value, the sacrosanct role a free press plays in a democracy  something the founding fathers not only understood, but enshrined in the First Amendment.

Its a lesson ignored at the nations peril.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Vice President Mike Pence used a private email account that was later compromised while serving as governor of Indiana, his office confirmed on Thursday.

The existence of the account was first reported by Indy Star, which obtained copies of Pences emails through a Freedom of Information request.

The paper reported that Pence used the account to conduct government business, including corresponding about potentially sensitive issues. In one exchange, Pence communicated with his chief of staff and his top homeland security adviser who conveyed an update about terror-related FBI arrests in the state. However, the information in those emails were reported widely in the media at the time.

In a statement, Pence Press Secretary Marc Lotter said that his use of a personal and government email account was consistent with previous governors.

As then-Governor Pence concluded his time in office, he directed outside counsel to review all of his communications to ensure that state-related emails are being transferred and properly archived by the state, in accordance with the law, which outside counsel has done and is continuing to do, Lotter said. Government emails involving his state and personal accounts are being archived by the state and are being managed according to Indianas Access to Public Records Act.

Pence had used the AOL account since the mid-1990s and continued to use it throughout his time as governor until early 2016, when the account was compromised by a hack. Hackers leveraged his contacts to launch a phishing attack against his contact lists, sending an email claiming that Pence and his wife were stranded in the Philippines and needed financial help.

After the account was hacked, it was shut down and Pence began using a second AOL account, an aide said.

The use of a private email account is not prohibited by law in Indiana. However, public officials cannot use state accounts for political business.

Security experts noted to Indy Star that some of Pences emails were apparently confidential and sensitive enough that they could not be turned over in response to public records requests.

The fact that these emails are stored in a private AOL account is crazy to me, Justin Cappos, a computer security professor at New York Universitys Tandon School of Engineering, told Indy Star. This account was used to handle these messages that are so sensitive they cant be turned over in a records request.

According to an aide, additional security measures were taken to protect Pences accounts after he was chosen as Donald Trumps vice president. Emails in both accounts were preserved and are expected to be managed according to Indianas public records laws, the aide added.

Pence was a vocal critic of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clintons use of a private email server as secretary of state and often criticized her for it during the presidential campaign.

Lotter rejected the comparison between the two cases, arguing that Pences use of a private email server was not unusual, nor did he communicate about classified information.

Pence was also embroiled in a public records dispute over the release of an email that he is seeking to keep private. The email is related to Pences decision to join a lawsuit seeking to block refugees from being resettled in Indiana.
SANTA FE  A proposal to halt approval of new charter schools in New Mexico failed on a tie vote in the state House late Thursday.

The proposal was blocked 34-34, with Democrats largely in favor and Republicans opposed.

Three Democrats  Debbie Rodella of Espanola, Patricio Ruiloba of Albuquerque and Carl Trujillo of Santa Fe  joined Republicans to force the tie.

The failed motion to pass the bill came after roughly two yours of intense debate.

Rep. Christine Trujillo, an Albuquerque Democrat and sponsor of the bill, said it was time for a pause on the approval of new charter applications. Some of New Mexicos roughly 100 charter schools are doing well, she said, and others are not  making it a good time to take a break and see whats working.

Lets find out what those best practices are, Trujillo said.

She and other supporters also raised questions about how best to use the states limited funding for public education, arguing that new charter schools would dilute the money available.

But House Minority Leader Nate Gentry, R-Albuquerque, said the waiting lists for students to get into some charter schools is a sign of how much parents value the choice, especially in areas where the traditional schools are failing.

Charter schools are the great hope for so many children, he said.

Gentry and other Republicans said the prohibition on new charter schools would prevent successful charters from starting new schools to accommodate the demand.

House Bill 46 would have enacted a two-and-a-half-year moratorium on accepting new charter applications, between June this year and Jan. 1, 2020.

Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque, said it was a good time to take a breather without harming schools already in operation.

I really see this as an opportunity to improve the charter schools and not to stifle them, Chasey said.

Rep. Jim Dines, R-Albuquerque, argued that halting the acceptance of charter applications isnt necessary to evaluate them.

Dont study it by shutting down the opportunity for the students, Dines said.

Charter schools now enroll 7 percent of students in New Mexico, according to legislative analysts.

Trujillo is a retired teacher and former president of the American Federation of Teachers, New Mexico.

Her bill was only one-sentence long. It didnt specifically call for a study, though Trujillo said thats her hope.
WASHINGTON  Three congressional Democrats from New Mexico called on U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign Thursday after learning of his contact with a Russian ambassador during the presidential campaign.

Sen. Tom Udall, and Reps. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Ben Ray Lujan each said that Sessions integrity had been compromised by false or misleading statements about his communications with Russian officials during his confirmation hearing and that he is no longer fit to serve.

Attorney General Sessions statements to Congress, under oath, were at best misleading, and that is concerning in and of itself, said Udall, a former New Mexico attorney general. In the context of the Trump administrations lack of full disclosure about its connections to Russia, Attorney General Sessions has raised so many doubts about his integrity and his ability to lead the Department of Justice that I believe the nation would be better off if he resigned.

Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Rep. Steve Pearce, the New Mexico delegations lone Republican, stopped short of calling for Sessions immediate resignation. But both said the matter should be investigated.

In the interest of government accountability and transparency, all the evidence in these claims against Attorney General Sessions should be released and investigated, Pearce said.

Attorney General Sessions needs to come clean, and testify under oath and answer questions in a public hearing, Heinrich said.

Lujan Grisham said Sessions should resign and requested additional investigation into the Trump administrations ties to Russia.

Attorney General Sessions has eroded the publics trust and he should resign, she said. We need an independent prosecutor to investigate every aspect of Russian interference in the election, and alleged ties to the president, his advisers and associates.

Lujan said that Sessions is compromised and that he should step down or President Donald Trump should fire him.

It is simply unacceptable that Attorney General Jeff Sessions lied under oath about his communications with Russian officials, Lujan said. His role as our nations top law enforcement official has been compromised and he should do the right thing and resign.
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Growing up in Santa Fe with a Scottish-Irish father and a Navajo mother, David-Alexander Hubbard Sloan lived a pretty assimilated life, he said.

But he has been exploring his Native roots more and more over the years, working on learning the Dine language, and incorporating the words and cultural concepts into his art.

The environment has always played a central role in his work, added Sloan, noting that he graduated from the University of Arizona in 2003 with a major in studio arts and a minor in environmental science.

If you go to his open studio and artists talk Saturday at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, though, youll see that the environment reflected in his paintings can range from around the world to inside his head.

A sinuous dragon and water serpent were inspired by a family trip to Japan, he said. A stately saguaro arose from visits to his mothers relatives in Arizona. And a painting of his own crouching figure between vaguely Aztec- or Mayan-style totems aflame at the top was inspired by a dream he had, while some of the jungle background includes plants he saw in New Zealand during some months he spent there and in Australia on a study abroad program.

During his artist-in-residence stay at the museum, which began in November and finishes in March, Sloan has looked to return to his painting roots, and refine and finish some canvases that he has had for years.

Its hard to make a career or a living as a painter, he said, explaining that he was painting a lot after graduating from college, but began to turn to other avenues in search of an income.

In 2008, I got into print-making, Sloan said, noting that those artworks tend to sell more easily. He pointed out some prints he made from old pages from the Navajo Times in the 1960s, many with ads with stereotypical Native images that didnt apply to his tribe. He super-imposed animal figures with their Dine names over those pages in his prints.

In the 60s, they were pushing consumerism on the Navajos, he said.

Around 2010 or so, he started printing designs of animals accompanied by their Dine names on bandanas to sell and, in learning silkscreen printing at Warehouse 21, has taken on jobs such as printing t-shirts to earn some extra money.

They say that, as you lose words for animals, you lose your connection with them, Sloan said. When he sells the bandanas at Indian fairs, he added, a number of people will comment that they hadnt heard some of those words in many years.

In the meantime, hes also been taking jewelry classes at Pojoaque Pueblos Poeh Cultural Center in search of other marketable products he can make, he said.

His current residency has opened an opportunity for him to return to painting, though, Sloan said, adding that his skills in the medium have been a little rusty, but are coming back to him.

One of the oil paintings getting his attention is one he calls a rough draft that hes had since about 2007. It shows a desert scene with a camel in the foreground, along with palm trees, a horse with an emu on its back, a luxury car and a bicycle, while windmills and solar energy cells make up the background.

Its like an oasis in the Middle East or Africa, he said, explaining that hes trying to show the future, when a shift to clean energy and conservation may slow the consumption of and pollution from fossil fuels. Sloan said hed like to eliminate 90 percent of cars in the world and replace roads with local food crops, or plants such as hemp, which can be used for clothing and other items.

The day a reporter stopped by to visit, Sloan was working on outlining the detail on the palm leaves in the painting.

Its pretty tedious, he said, noting how so many people romanticize the idea of creating art. But using a tiny brush on a four-foot canvas takes a lot of time and a lot of patience, he said.

With more maturity, along with the time offered through the residency, Sloan said he now is finding the patience to work on the small details that might help him consider some of those earlier paintings to be finally finished.

If you go

WHAT: Open studio and artists talkWHO: David-Alexander Hubbard Sloan

WHEN: Noon-4 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Second floor Project Lab and Artist Studio, IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, 108 Cathedral Place

HOW MUCH: Free with museum admission
This story has been corrected to say that March 9 is Thursday, not Wednesday.

Plans to develop the corner of Sandoval Street and West San Francisco Street, next to the iconic Lensic Performing Arts Center in downtown Santa Fe, are being revived.

On Thursday, March 9, G.E. Senlic LLC will hold an early neighborhood notification meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the main library at 145 Washington Ave. to discuss a proposed 65-room hotel with underground parking.

The meeting is a required part of city governments process before the project can go to the Planning Commission and the Historic Districts Review Board. Final approval would come from the City Council.

A floor plan included in an application filed at City Hall calls the project The Inn at the Lensic.

A previous project at the site won city approval in August 2008. The City Council gave the green light to a 46-foot-high, 47,691-square-foot building in a Spanish Baroque style. It was supposed to have retail space, condominiums and underground parking spaces.

Greer Enterprises, a family business that dates back to the 19th century in Santa Fe and former owners of the Lensic, had 30 months to start construction on the project, but work never started.

The city approval has since expired, so the developers have to go through the process again.

Local attorney Joseph Karnes, who is representing G.E. Senlic, said Thursday that the current project is just a hotel. He didnt immediately answer questions about the new buildings height, square footage and design style.

The Lensic, an ornate, pseudo-Moorish-style 1930s movie and vaudeville palace that was renovated and restored into a major performance venue starting in 2000, has been owned in recent years by the nonprofit Lensic Performing Arts Center Corp.

G.E. Senlic was incorporated in 2008 and listed Greer Enterprises vice-president Craig Young as its agent, according to Public Regulation Commission filings.

The Greer family has owned the proposed hotel site at least since the 1930s. The Greers have had plans to develop the space, currently a parking lot, since 1999, but didnt get approval for what was dubbed Villas at the Lensic until 2008 after tweaking various proposals. That plan included 12 luxury time-share units.

Calls to Greer Enterprises Wednesday and Thursday were not returned.
The group that owns the former Glorieta Conference Center has been issued a cease and desist order by Santa Fe County and is in danger of losing its business license after inspectors found numerous violations for unpermitted development, and use and solid waste disposal on the property, now operating primarily as a Christian youth camp.

Glorieta 2.0, Inc., which bought the property a little more than three years ago and does business as Glorieta Camps, was intending to bring 25,000 kids to the camp about 15 miles east of Santa Fe this summer. But during an inspection at the 2,400-acre property on Feb. 15, the county fire marshal and growth management staff found multiple issues regarding new and remodeled buildings, zip lines, decks, slides and diving boards at a recreational lake.

Inspectors also found a large area of land being used for solid waste disposal that may contain hazardous material.

The unlawful use being allowed on the property presents immediate risk to the patrons of the facility, the general public, and surrounding property, states the notice of violation from the countys land use administrator.

Failure to immediately cease and desist occupancy and use of the unpermitted structures and unpermitted re-modeled structures  will result in criminal charges being filed and may result in a civil action to enjoin the use, it continued in bold, underlined type.

If imposed, penalties would total thousands of dollars and accrue daily.

In addition, the state Environmental Departments Occupational Health and Safety Bureau recently cited Glorieta Camps for several violations rated as serious, related to food safety and hazardous chemicals, with proposed penalties totaling $4,900.

Glorieta Camps had until today to correct the violations.

Anthony Scott, who has overseen construction and the rebranding of the property after Glorieta 2.0 bought it for $1 in 2013, said his organization is working closely with state and county officials to correct the problems.

This isnt something we take lightly at all, he said in an interview last month. We, like everyone else, have areas where we can improve.

Scott says more than a dozen state and county officials showed up recently in response to complaints alleging multiple offenses that occurred during the multi-million-dollar overhaul of the property. Glorieta Camps has been working to resolve the issues ever since.

Were trying to knock them off one at a time, he said. But when it comes to the health and safety of our campers, were not worried. Our goal is to have things 100 percent open by this summer, but we will not compromise safety.

That interview took place days before the county issued its cease and desist order. Scott did not return calls from the Journal this week.

Safety issues

Michael Adney is worried about the safety of the campers.

That place needs to close until they get it right, he said in an interview this week.

Adney, who was hired at Glorieta Camps as a cook and promoted to food service director in August 2015, was fired after sending a letter to management listing a litany of concerns. I was completely ignored, he said.

He still resides on the property, however. Hes living in a home owned by Kirk Tompkins, the last of more than 60 homeowners who once leased land in a residential subdivision on the property. While the others left after their leases expired or accepted a buyout from Glorieta Camps, he sued the new owners (see sidebar).

Adney says he didnt contact state and county agencies about the issues at Glorieta Camps to retaliate for being fired. He did it for the safety, health and protection of children, youth, young adults and staff.

He also questions whether Glorieta Camps should even be allowed to convert the property into what he called an amusement park.

For more than 60 years, he says, the center was run by a nonprofit, and used exclusively for religious conferences, retreats and events. And while Glorieta Camps mission is to inspire Christ-like change through outdoor adventure, authentic relationships, and Biblical truth, it now operates as a corporation and makes its facilities available to the public at a cost. It also hosts a series of mountain bike races from May to September.

County ordinances say that unpermitted structures or conditional uses of the property require public hearings. That hasnt happened.

Its like if they built a movie theater or a hospital on the site. You simply cant do that, he said.

Jose Larranaga, commercial case manager for the county planning division, said Glorieta Camps never submitted an application for the structures or use of the structures.

Until such time that an application is made and reviewed, staff cannot determine if the structures and uses are a permitted use or a conditional use, he said in response to an email inquiry. A permitted use is processed administratively and a conditional use requires public hearings.

Blatant violation

Meanwhile, the New Mexico Environment Department said several investigations were launched involving the Food Safety Program, and the Health and Safety, Environmental Health, and Solid Waste bureaus after it had received reports of non-compliance. The departments statement to the Journal said it was working with Glorieta Camps in an effort to resolve issues before this summer.

As of Thursday, Glorieta Camps website was still taking reservations for the 2017 season. It is advertising a spring break day camp March 21-23. Its summer season runs from late May into August.

According to the citation notice dated Feb. 14 from the Occupational Health and Safety Bureau, serious violations included such things as failure to train employees handling hazardous chemicals, safety data sheets for chemicals not being properly maintained, and lack of facilities for quick drenching or flushing of eyes in places where corrosive chemicals were used.

The Hazardous Waste Bureau issued a notice of violation to Glorieta Camps in December, citing it for six issues. Three of those involved the storage and labeling of used oil and evidence of spilled oil that hadnt been properly cleaned up. The bureau inspected again in January and determined all issues had been resolved.

The Environmental Health Bureau/Food Program conducted a surprise inspection on Jan. 30 and found a few issues at the Chuck Wagon food service area and dining hall. Most were quickly corrected, but a follow-up inspection is scheduled for some time in April.

The Solid Waste Bureau is conducting an investigation into Glorieta Camps waste disposal practices, and the Air Quality Bureau is also looking into its handling of asbestos removal.

A spokeswoman with the Construction Industries Division said it, too, was investigating some permitting and construction concerns at Glorieta Camps, but declined to comment on an ongoing investigation. Spokeswoman Alex Sanchez said CIDs compliance division has been investigating and is trying to work with the owner to remedy issues addressed in the Carnival Ride Act, which covers zip lines.

There are five sections of zip lines totaling more than a mile in length at Glorieta Camps that are open to the public, according to its website. It promotes a High Five tour that includes hiking trails between zip lines, takes about 3 hours to complete, and is priced at $95 for adults and $75 for children 16 and under who meet the height and weight requirements.

According to the notice of violation from Santa Fe County, Glorieta Camps failed to obtain permits for multiple new structures utilized for zip lines, a structure which includes lake slides and diving boards, multiple decks, a remodeled building utilized as a Coffee Shop/General Store, the construction of trails (grading) for extreme biking, and a skeet shooting range.

Your property is currently in violation and requires development permits for all newly constructed structures, renovations of existing structures, grading, and the change of use resulting from the addition of new facilities, the notice says.

The letter also says that disposal and waste burial on the property was a blatant violation of country ordinances. It refers to appliances, building materials, tar paper, rags, garbage and refuse piled in a heap.

The county also cites Glorieta Camps for litter and hazardous materials, defining them as asbestos and asbestos products, infectious materials and petroleum products, among others.

With regard to its business license, the notice says that the site is zoned Public Institutional and historically has been used as a Religious Facility/Retreat/Dormitories, but current activities no longer fit under this use status. Current uses now include bed and breakfast, resort, restaurant, retail sales, amusement, recreation establishment, shooting range and landfill, it states.
Did Espanola police use excessive force against a paraplegic amputee when they Tasered him several times and arrested him? Or was the physically handicapped man so combative during a confrontation with police responding to a domestic dispute call that the officers use of force was appropriate?

Those are among the questions a jury will be asked to resolve in a multi-layered civil lawsuit set for trial next week in federal court in Albuquerque. The paraplegic mans widow is suing police officers and the city for damages.

The lawsuit by Jackie Martinez on behalf of Russell Martinezs estate, filed by Santa Fe attorney Todd Coberly, alleges excessive force, violation of civil rights, missing evidence about Taser use and violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act stemming from the 2012 scuffle with police.

The suits says Russell Martinez was pulled from a car, thrown to the ground, punched, kicked and Tasered by officers who were called to an Espanola fast food restaurant after the Martinezes got into an argument.

Police say Russell Martinez, who died from illness about three years after the incident, hit an officer with a car door, then punched him and tried to bite a passer-by who had joined in to help the officer before Martinez was subdued with Tasers.

Martinez was arrested again later the same day  this time by the Rio Arriba County Sheriffs Office, not Espanola police  after another argument with his wife. The case is complicated by the fact that Martinez, one of the officers involved and a purported witness all had prior arrests and/or convictions, sparking court arguments about whether the prior incidents are admissible evidence.

The witness, manager of the Sonic Drive-In where the scuffle between Martinez and officers took place, had criminal charges pending for three years in a case investigated by Espanola police. One week prior to giving a deposition in the Martinez lawsuit, the charges were dismissed, according to a court filing on behalf of the Martinez estate. The citys lawyer says the estates side is just trying to smear the witness.

Martinez, of Chimayo, died in November 2015 at age 53 after a long illness, says his published obituary. The lawsuit over his 2012 encounter with police says Martinez was left a paraplegic after he was shot in 2006, resulting in the amputation of his lower left leg and no feeling in his lower body.

Tussle at Sonic

On May 11, 2012, Martinez and his wife drove to the Sonic to get a Slushy, then began arguing. Mrs. Martinez took the car keys and asked bystanders to call police.

Office Joseph Salazar, no longer with the Espanola police, was dispatched. Russell Martinez had moved to the drivers seat before officers arrived.

Mrs. Martinez told Salazar that she and her husband had argued and that Martinez was paraplegic, but never told the officer that Martinez had physically harmed her, the lawsuit says. It states that a wheelchair was visible in the back seat when Officer Salazar opened the drivers side door and told Martinez to get out, and Martinez responded he could not get out  because he was immobile and the shut the door.

Salazar opened the door, forcibly removed Martinez, threw him on the ground, punched him in the face and placed the weight of his body on plaintiffs (Martinezs) back, the suit maintains.

Even though Martinez was on the ground and unable to flee, Salazar drive-stunned him with a Taser, according to the suit. It maintains that Martinez struggled on the ground in an attempt to remove himself from Salazar and, meanwhile, Officer Greg Esparza arrived and shot Martinez in the chest with a Taser from about three feet away.

Martinez was transported to a hospital, but no charges were brought.

Officer allegedly punched

Mark Basham, attorney for the police defendants, has maintained that officers Salazar and Esparza were not aware of plaintiffs disability until the time he was treated by paramedics.

Court documents filed by the defendants allege that Martinez yelled an epithet when Salazar asked him to get out of the car, slammed the door nearly crushing Officer Salazars fingers and locked the door, then opened it and hit Salazar with the door. Then he hit Officer Salazar with a closed fist on the side of his head, the defendants maintain.

Martinez allegedly attempted to grab the officers gun as they grappled outside of the car before he was Tasered.

The Tasing had no appreciable effect and, to a passer-by who tried to help Office Salazar in the struggle, Martinez appeared to be high on drugs, the suit maintains. The passer-by also said he heard Martinez say he had HIV/AIDS as Martinez tried to bite the mans arm and leg, defense documents state.

Coberly, Martinezs lawyer, argued in a motion to conclude the case without a trial that the officers use of force was unreasonable.

It is difficult to imagine how dragging a paraplegic man like a dog to the ground, then dragging him across it, then repeatedly punching, Tasing and kicking him while he lies immobile on the ground, could ever be considered justified, Coberly maintained. He argued that Martinez had committed no crime, was not a threat to flee, and posed minimal risk to officer safety.

The defendants assertion that the officers were not aware of Martinezs disability until the time he was treated by paramedics  is highly disputed, the same motion states. It continues that Martinez does not wear a prosthetic leg and his partially amputated leg was visible and apparent during the entire incident.

But the city defendants say that, until Martinez was under control and handcuffed, the scene was unsecured due to the scuffle and that officers were not required to accommodate plaintiffs disability until such time as the scene was secured.

Priors on both sides

Martinez had been arrested and convicted of crimes on a handful of occasions prior to the incident, but never by the Espanola police, his lawyers say.

A document filed by the lawyers says:

Mr. Martinez pleaded guilty to aggravated driving under the influence and careless driving in 2002, and misdemeanor battery against a household member in 2004. He was also arrested in 2004 for aggravated assault against a household member and battery against a household member, but those charges were never brought to trial. He was arrested in 2009 for attempted aggravated battery against a household member, aggravated assault against a household member, and criminal damage to property, but those charges were eventually dismissed. Finally, he was arrested in 2011 for aggravated battery, aggravated assault, tampering with evidence, and assault upon a police officer. Those charges were also dismissed. None of Mr. Martinezs prior arrests or convictions involved Espanola Police Department.

Martinezs side maintains that the other arrests and convictions are irrelevant to the lawsuit case and allowing them to be discussed at trial presents enormous risks of juror confusion and unfair prejudice to plaintiff.

Also, former Officer Salazar was twice charged with battery on a household member in 2012. One case was dismissed and the other was sent to a pre-adjudication diversion program, court documents state.

Officer Esparza was involved in a 2013 Tasering and arrest of an elderly Espanola couple in which police were called because the couples son was overdosing, the Rio Grande Sun newspaper reported recently. The citys insurance company settled a lawsuit with the couple in a 2016 agreement for $650,000 to avoid a trial, the Sun reported.

Hermenjildo Quintana Jr., a purported neutral eyewitness to Martinezs fight with police and the Sonic manager on duty at the time, is expected to testify.

Quintana Jr. had five felony convictions in 2010 and four felony charges filed in 2012 by Espanola police, which were dismissed shortly before he provided testimony favorable to defendants in this matter by way of disposition, according to a motion from the Martinez estates side. Quintana admitted he bought alcohol for three underage girls, one an employee he supervised, and had sex with one of them after she had passed out drunk, and had taken numerous photographs of the victim after having sex with her, the motion states.

Online court records show Quintana faced one charge of second-degree criminal sexual penetration and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The charges were filed in August 2012, about three months after the struggle between Martinez and officers at the Sonic, and there appears to have been no subsequent court action or filings before the charges were dismissed in July 2015 without prejudice, meaning they could be refiled.

The Martinez motion asks that his attorney be allowed to question Quintana about past convictions and charges and the circumstances of their dismissal  to uncover Quintanas possible bias in testifying as a witness for defendants.

Basham, for the city defendants, maintains the Martinez estates lawyers want to question Quintana only to smear him and cause a distraction at trial based on mere speculation about disposition of the 2012 charges.

U.S. Federal District Judge Kenneth Gonzales has ruled that some questioning of Quintanas past charges and Martinezs prior arrests will be permitted.
SANTA FE  Crunching metal and breaking glass shook up a local shopping center during the Thursday lunch hour when an elderly woman crashed her car into a popular restaurant and caused several injuries, sending two people to the hospital with broken legs and another with a back injury.

The Santa Fe Police Department and a witness said an 81-year-old woman hit a pillar in front of Jambo Cafe, then rapidly backed her Subaru Forester into two parked cars, then shifted and surged ahead 25 feet into the restaurant at the College Plaza Shopping Center near Cerrillos Road and St. Michaels Drive.

The accident happened around noon, and SFPD spokesman Greg Gurule said several of the 30 people inside the cafe had minor injuries. Three people were taken to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, and the driver was also transported there for observation. Police are still investigating the incident, but Gurule said there doesnt appear to be any malice behind the crash.

It sounds like more of an accident than anything else, he said. It doesnt sound like it was on purpose, but, of course, well investigate and figure out what happened here.

Margaret Gutierrez, who works at the Cato clothing store next to Jambo, said she was standing outside when she saw the car crash into the support column.

All of a sudden, she gives it gas and she hits that pole part of the building there, and Im like, Oh, my gosh,  Gutierrez said. She kept going and going and giving it gas, and then all of a sudden she puts it in reverse. She must have had it in reverse and had the gas pedal all the way down.

Were screaming at her outside, and then she puts it in drive.

Gutierrez, who was still shaken up after witnessing the incident, said the woman then sped forward and broke through the buildings front window. She said someone then opened the car door and took the keys out of the ignition. People didnt know what she was capable of doing, she said.

Jambo owner Ahmed Obo said he was in Madrid, N.M., without cellphone service at the time but came over as soon as he heard about the incident. He said he immediately checked to see if his staff was OK and said a host who normally stands near the front window wasnt there at the time.

I can see that some of them are in tears, Obo told the Journal . Im sure they are shocked.

Obo was inspecting the damage to his business, which is expected to open an Albuquerque location later this spring, shortly after the Forester was towed away around 1:15 p.m.

Were going to do our best to get back to work next week, but again, I dont know how long it will take, he said.

Obo said he was sorry for the customers who got hurt and wishes them a speedy recovery, and he was fairly optimistic even while he was still taking in what had happened.

Everything happens for a reason, Obo said. I dont know the reason behind this, but Im faithful that everythings going to be OK.
Patricio Antonio Cruz was a word guy.

The retired Albuquerque Publishing Co. printer was an obsessive reader, an author, poet, magazine writer and Scrabble player extraordinaire. He was also fluent in English, Spanish, French and American Sign Language.

Cruz died on Feb. 20 at his home, surrounded by family. He was 90.

Born in Springer, Cruz was the only boy among eight siblings. Coincidentally, later in life he and his wife would also raise a family of seven girls and one boy.

Cruz began sweeping floors in the pressroom of a Springer newspaper at age 9 and by the time he was a student at Springer High School had worked his way up to being a printer, said his daughter, Joy Jones. Shortly after graduation he enlisted in the Navy on D-Day, 1944, and served in the Pacific and Europe.

Upon his return to the United States, and thinking he might like a career in the military, Cruz received appointments to both the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He accepted the West Point appointment but soon decided the regimented military life wasnt what he wanted after all. He left after his first year.

Cruz resumed his job as a printer in Springer, and in 1948 he attended a social gathering in the nearby town of Roy, where he managed to have the final dance of the evening with the former Tillie Maestas. He informed her that youre the girl Im going to marry, said Jones, relating the often-told family story. She told him that she wasnt looking for romance. For the next week, she received a letter from him in the mail every day. And every day, she wrote him back.

Within a couple of weeks they were dating, always with a chaperone, and nine months later, in July 1949, they married. Their first child arrived the following year.

My dad was very good with words, and my mom still has those letters, but she will not let us read them, Jones said.

Cruz subsequently worked as a printer at two newspapers in Taos before moving to Albuquerque in 1957 to take a job at a private printing and advertising company. When the company went out of business in 1960, he went to work as a printer for the Albuquerque Journal and remained with the publishing company for 32 years, retiring in 1992.

During those years Cruz operated the Linotype hot-type machine, was an engraver, an advertising typographer and an advertising computer programmer, for which he had to attend special classes.

My dad understood that with the changing technology, the art of printing was also changing, but not the beauty and force of the written word, Jones said. He always encouraged us to read the daily newspaper.

In retirement Cruz pursued his hobbies as an artist, creating wood carvings, religious retablos and oil paintings, mostly of landscapes, flowers and animals.

He also wrote poetry and was a freelance writer for La Herensia, the journal of the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center of New Mexico. Shortly before his death, Cruz self-published a book titled A Walk to Anahuac, a fictional story set in the early 1500s about the conquest of Montezuma, Jones said. The book was handwritten in 1977 on 359 pages.

As further proof of her fathers command of language, Jones said he was nearly unbeatable in family Scrabble competitions.

Id say, Dad, I dont think thats a word. Hed say, Yeah, it is. Look it up. So wed look it up and, of course, it was. I dont remember my dad ever getting a challenge in Scrabble that he didnt win.

Cruz is survived by his wife, eight children, 23 grandchildren, 34 great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren.

Burial has already taken place.
High time to get that flu shot, because New Mexico and the U.S. are in the thick of flu season.

Fortunately, the influenza vaccine this year is well matched to the flu strain causing most of the illness.

Its likely we still have several weeks (of flu season) left, and those who arent vaccinated could really do themselves a favor by getting vaccinated, said Dr. Michael Landen, the states epidemiologist.

People ages 65 and older and children 5 and younger are at greatest risk of illness and death from influenza.

Flu is potentially deadly. The influenza virus makes the respiratory system highly vulnerable to bacterial infections that can cause pneumonia.

Flu and pneumonia had killed 35 New Mexicans through Feb. 18, according to the most recent data available. Last year, the state reported 85 flu and pneumonia deaths through Feb. 20.

Flu symptoms can include a cough, fever, muscle aches and fatigue. Other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, are more common among children.

People in high-risk groups who develop those symptoms can benefit from anti-viral treatments, which can help lessen discomfort and prevent dangerous complications, Landen said.

For those with a higher risk of influenza complications, like older adults, people with chronic medical conditions, very young children and pregnant women, its important for them to visit their physician if they develop symptoms of influenza, because then they can get anti-viral medications, he said.

The state has ample supplies of flu vaccine and anti-virals, he said. Flu shots are recommended for anyone 6 months and older.

The most prevalent flu strain circulating this year is an H3N2 virus, which tends to cause the most severe illness among people 65 and older, and young children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Randall Knott, a University of New Mexico pediatrician and a member of the New Mexico Immunization Coalition, said the effectiveness of the flu vaccine appears to have tamped down the severity of disease this year.

We have definitely seen a pickup in flu cases, Knott said. But the number of children coming in with flu has not been dramatic. Im just thrilled about that.

Flu shots

Flu vaccine is available at most drugstore chains and primary and urgent care clinics. To find a nearby clinic, visit flushot.healthmap.org to view an interactive map.
BOSTON  A Massachusetts man who served time in prison for defrauding Home Depot has been sentenced to more than a year behind bars for doing it again.

Robert Dooley pleaded guilty to 10 counts of wire fraud. The Salem News reports (http://bit.ly/2mgKX7R ) he was sentenced on Thursday in Boston federal court to 18 months in prison.

Authorities say he took items off the shelves and brought them to the return desk in exchange for store credit.

Prosecutors say Dooley, of Salem, carried out the scheme at least 40 times at stores in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine and Massachusetts. He received more than $45,000 in fraudulent returns.

Dooley was convicted in 2007 of defrauding Home Depot out of more than $330,000 in a similar scheme and received a five-year prison sentence.

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Information from: The Salem (Mass.) News, http://www.salemnews.com
BRUSSELS  The European Union says it is in contact with the World Bank to look at the issue of a loan to Greece.

The World Bank traditionally provides loans for developing nations. Greece has been dependent on bailout loans from its partners in the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund since 2010.

EU Commission spokeswoman Annika Breidthardt said Friday that the Greek authorities have signaled that they would like to push ahead with further active labor market policies and one of those avenues would be through approaching the World Bank.
Lots of investigations, lots of questionable results. That, in a nutshell, sums up the more than 40-year history of the role of special prosecutors, the outside lawyers the U.S. government has on occasion tapped to investigate wrongdoing by one of its own.

The pressure is mounting on the Justice Department to appoint such a prosecutor to probe Russian interference in the presidential election and contacts between the Russian government and Donald Trumps presidential campaign.

Senior Democrats and some Republicans stepped up their calls this week, after The Washington Post reported that Attorney General Jeff Sessions failed to disclose meetings he had with the Russian ambassador last year. Facing conflicts of interest, Sessions recused himself Thursday from any campaign-related probes.

While appointing a special counsel may be an obvious path forward in light of those revelations, its proven over the years to be a deeply flawed mechanism.

The investigations are costly and unusually time consuming for white collar investigations, and sometimes expand far beyond their original missions.

The reason, critics have suggested, is the extraordinary public pressure placed on an independent counsel to come up with something or at the least, to exhaust all possibilities that there might be something to come up with before calling it quits.

Perhaps most notoriously, Kenneth Starrs probes of Bill and Hillary Clintons real estate dealings and the suicide of Deputy White House Counsel Vince Foster expanded to include a broad range of unrelated allegations, and eventually gave way to the totally unrelated Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Leaks have abounded, in part because the secrecy imposed by the law on grand jury proceedings does not apply to witnesses who testify before grand juries.

Starr later conceded that his investigation was too long, horribly chaotic and beset by leaks, as witnesses would come out of the third floor of the grand jury room and meet the press.

Its become so politicized now, former special counsel James C. McKay, who probed alleged influence peddling in the Reagan administration, said in 1998. The ins hate it and the outs love it just for the purpose of bringing the ins down. Thats the part that will turn the public sour.

The role of special counsel has its roots in the Watergate scandal in the 1970s. At the time, the Nixon administration confronted a situation in which it would have been investigating itself had the attorney general pursued the matter.

Under pressure from Congress, the Justice Department appointed Harvard Law School professor Archibald Cox as special prosecutor, with the assurance that the White House wouldnt interfere with his investigation. When Cox tried to subpoena secret tape recordings from the Oval Office, however, President Richard Nixon ordered him fired (see The Saturday Night Massacre) and tried to abolish the position.

In the wake of Watergate, Congress passed an ethics law that created a new independent counsel role with broad power to investigate wrongdoing by government officials. Under the law, the attorney general or Congress could request an independent counsel, but to shield it from political meddling, the law mandated that a panel of federal judges appoint the prosecutor and oversee his or her work.

Both Democrats and Republicans grew to despise the arrangement, which morphed into something of a political weapon for both sides of the aisle. The law survived a Supreme Court challenge in the 1990s, but Congress let it lapse in 1999, following the investigations against Clinton and his impeachment.

Since then, the power to appoint a special counsel, as its known in the current federal regulations, has rested solely with the attorney general.

In the current situation, its up to Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente to decide what to do, now that Sessions has recused himself.

If Boente or some other deputy does appoint someone, that official could still wield considerable power over the scope of the investigation should he choose to. Under the current regulations, he can define the special counsels prosecutorial jurisdiction, and has the ability to reverse almost any of the special prosecutors significant actions.

Boente, or whoever Trump nominates to become deputy attorney general permanently, could also remove the special counsel for a range of reasons, including incapacity or other good cause.

Appointing a special counsel also carries the risk of obscuring information Democrats and others are seeking to bring to light. A special counsels job is to look for evidence of a possible crime, not expose wrongdoing to the public. If a special counsel decides there isnt enough evidence to bring criminal charges, anything gleaned during the investigation is supposed to stay hidden, no matter how damning it may otherwise be.

The issue came up in the mid-2000s, when the Justice Department appointed Patrick Fitzgerald to investigate the leak of a CIA officers identity by officials in the Bush administration. His probe led to a limited prosecution of the vice presidents chief of staff, I. Lewis Scooter Libby, not a sweeping case against the high ranks of the White House that critics had hoped for, as David Corn previously noted in Mother Jones. Fitzgerald was barred by rules governing criminal investigations from releasing any evidence that didnt relate directly to Libbys indictment and prosecution.

Everything else he had unearthed via subpoenas and grand jury interviews had to remain secret, Corn wrote. Repeatedly, Fitzgerald said that his hands were tied on this point. A special prosecutor, it turns out, is a rather imperfect vehicle for revealing the full truth.

Peter Zeidenberg, who served as assistant special counsel in Libbys prosecution, argues that in the Trump administrations case, appointing a special counsel would likely be a mistake. Such a move could actually wind up burying information related to the Trump campaigns alleged ties to the Russian government, he wrote Thursday in an essay for The Post.

If, after a full criminal investigation, it was determined that a crime occurred but the critical evidence was not obtainable  say, for purposes of argument, that this evidence was in Russia, unobtainable by subpoena  then it would be improper to seek an indictment, Zeidenberg wrote. Critically, the entire investigation would then remain secret. It would be a violation of law for a prosecutor to make public the results of a grand jury investigation that did not result in an indictment.

The problem, as others have suggested, is theres no better alternative for situations when an administration is being called upon to investigate itself.

While many insist that career prosecutors, who are not political appointees, are perfectly capable of conducting full and fair investigations, the fact that they report to political appointees whose survival may depend on the outcome of a probe casts a shadow of public distrust over their work.
The fire was reported at 1:12 p.m. When Racine firefighters first arrived on scene they found heavy smoke and fire coming from the kitchen area in apartment No. 3 of 5543 Byrd Ave.

Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire, but smoke damage extended into apartment No. 4, and the two affected apartments are considered uninhabitable. The management company is providing housing assistance, according to a release from the Racine Fire Department.
PHOENIX  Gov. Doug Ducey has asked President Donald Trumps administration for $600 million in federal funding for infrastructure projects across the state.

Duceys requests are among hundreds that have been sent to the White House in connection with Trumps proposed $1 trillion infrastructure program.

Among Duceys requests is nearly $64 million for repairs to Arizona schools, including fixing facilities where elevated traces of lead have been found in drinking water, The Arizona Republic reported (http://bit.ly/2lHt5jj).

Education-related requests in Duceys proposal include $38.5 million to handle lead issues in water, $17.5 million to replace antiquated heating, ventilation and air-conditioning units, and $8.4 million to repair rubber flooring at some schools where testing has found it is emitting high levels of mercury vapor.

The federal money would provide another source of funding outside the $30 million all schools in the state currently have for fixing facilities.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality launched a statewide effort in January to test more than 1,000 schools for lead in drinking water. Most schools in the state do not regularly test their drinking water for lead. They are not required to do so. Thus far, 17 out of 57 schools have been found to have elevated traces of lead in their drinking water.

The Arizona School Facilities Board also spent part of last year testing dozens of schools believed to have rubberized flooring known to emit toxic mercury vapors.

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Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com
NEW ORLEANS  A federal appeals court Friday refused to revive a Louisiana levee boards lawsuit blaming dozens of oil and gas companies for damage to the states fragile coast, a major victory for energy companies and their political supporters who cast the suit as an attack on a vital state industry.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling upheld a federal judges 2015 decision in favor of energy companies that argued the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East lacked legal standing to bring its damage claims, which could have cost the oil companies billions of dollars.

The board had argued that damage to the coast done by decades of drilling and canal dredging by energy companies contributed to the loss of coastal wetlands. The wetlands form a hurricane buffer for New Orleans and the authority argued their loss meant more work and expense in protecting and maintaining levees.

When the lawsuit was filed in 2013, environmentalists hailed it as an effort to hold the industry accountable.

The suit appeared to catch the industry and others by surprise. Then-Gov. Bobby Jindal joined industry leaders in calling it a boon for trial lawyers that would damage an industry thats among south Louisianas major employers.

Jindal, a Republican, mounted a partially successful effort to remove supporters of the lawsuit from the flood protection board as their terms ended and replace them with industry supporters. He also pushed for a law to prohibit state agencies and local governments from pursuing such lawsuits.

A few Louisiana coastal parishes have filed similar lawsuits that hinge on different legal issues.

Don Briggs, president of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, referenced those suits in a statement hailing Fridays federal court ruling. This ruling is a step in the right direction, but we have many more miles to cover, Briggs said in a joint news release with the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association.

Our position remains validated by yet another court decision, further proving these allegations are baseless and without merit, Chris John, president of the LMOGA said in the same release.

It was not immediately known whether the flood authority would continue to pursue the federal suit by asking for a 5th Circuit rehearing or going to the Supreme Court.

Attorneys with Jones, Swanson, Huddell & Garrison, handling the suit for the flood board, said they were conferring with their client and analyzing the opinion. In an email, Jim Swanson expressed disappointment and said oil and gas companies should pay their fair share for coastal restoration.

The firm declined to say how much money it has spent on the case. It was working under a contract in which the flood authority would not have to pay if the case is lost.

Richard Carbo, a spokesman for Jindals successor, Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, said it doesnt appear that Fridays ruling will affect the state lawsuits. Edwards has encouraged the oil industry to settle the suits to help Louisiana fund restoration efforts expected to cost tens of billions of dollars in the coming decades.

The lawsuit at issue Friday was originally filed in state court in 2013 but the oil companies succeeded in getting it moved to federal court.

U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown ruled in 2015 that federal and state law provided no avenue by which the flood board could successfully bring the suit. Her ruling said the authoritys levees were too far from, or too indirectly affected by, the damage allegedly caused by the industry. She also said the authority had no right to sue under permits issued by the state or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that allowed the companies energy exploration or transportation activities in the first place.

On Friday, a three-judge 5th Circuit panel  Judge Carl Stewart, nominated by Democratic President Bill Clinton; Priscilla Owen, appointed by Republican President George W. Bush; and Gregg Costa, nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama  unanimously affirmed her ruling in a 22-page opinion.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.  A Colorado man will spend six months in jail after he swore repeatedly at a judge during a bond hearing.

The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction reports (http://bit.ly/2mmwuYE ) that 36-year-old Christopher Vigil appeared in Mesa County court Thursday for a bond hearing on a drug possession case.

When Judge Bruce Raaum said Vigil never showed up to court on his own accord, Vigil replied that was untrue and swore at the judge. Raaum offered Vigil an opportunity to apologize, but he declined.

Raaum ordered Vigil to serve 90 days in jail on a contempt charge, and Vigil swore twice more at the judge.

His jail time was increased to 6 months.

___

Information from: The Daily Sentinel, http://www.gjsentinel.com
The many different neighborhoods that comprise the greater Albuquerque metro area are varied with their own advantages and disadvantages. Choosing just the right one can take a lot of research, legwork and some computer time. There are many great neighborhoods that speak to different homebuyers.

Location, location, location

Some people may be enchanted by the unparalleled views of the middle Rio Grande Valley and the mountains snuggled against the west bank of the river. Others may enjoy the shopping amenities and at-hand mountain trails of living in the Northeast Heights. The nearby, nightlife possibilities of the Nob Hill or Downtown area may also appeal to some of the younger homebuyers, while the rural nature and winding avenues of the South Valley could be a draw for others. Those seeking the same thing and dont mind a bit of a drive may opt for the farther south area in Valencia County. Young families may be attracted to the highly rated school districts in Rio Rancho.

A Realtor can help prospective homebuyers investigate different neighborhoods that meet certain criteria, but the onus has to be on the buyer. We can ask what things about the location might be important, said Joe Gilmore, Coldwell Banker Legacy. We can ask whether people might want to bike to work or if they want kids to walk to their elementary school or be close to parks or close to freeways. Those kinds of questions can help us help people in terms of where they might want to live.

Understanding clients

It really comes down to getting to understand the buyer, said Helen Jackson of Q Realty. I usually try to get to know the clients, she said. I have a little questionnaire I ask them to fill out. I ask them about their personalities, their family members living in the area, what their families like to do, work, if school is important, or being close to schools and drive time to work or schools. What do they like to do for fun? Sometimes that comes into play in guiding them.

Gleaning that all-important information, coupled with a pre-qualification budget, Jackson will suggest several possibilities for buyers to consider. Im a native of Albuquerque so I know my way around. I think I have a good background for different neighborhoods. Based on what they prequalify for we find out what they can buy in different areas, Jackson said. Well see what they can get in their price range and show them different areas of town that they may not have thought about. If they commute to work how is the drive time. Some people come from the northeast and dont think anything about an hour and a half commute, she added.

Tight or spacious neighborhoods

Its very different, depending on whether or not they have kids. If they dont have kids, it can be their work. Again, its often a matter of trying to combine as many factors as possible, Gilmore said. Some people want to be in neighborhoods that are spread out, he said. Theyll say, I dont want my house to be five feet from the neighbors house and be able to have a conversation without leaving the house. Others dont want that much yard. The proliferation of tight neighborhoods with restrictive covenants is another area that can either attract or repel a buyer, Gilmore said.

Some may say, I want to be in a close community with community pools, parks, community recreation, and things of that nature, he said. They want the tighter restrictive covenants with homeowners rules and regulations. There are neighborhoods that have things like that and then there are others that dont.

Internet guides

Many prospective homebuyers these days, however, have already done a significant amount of research along these lines, Gilmore said. What we find is that because people will do a lot of research online, they often times will have a pretty good idea of areas that they are interested in, he said. While there is a lot of time talking about location, we spend as much time or more time on amenities that the house has. Its features, layouts, number of bedrooms, garage bays, that sort of thing.

Some buyers, however, dont have that luxury as they are being recruited to the city for a job and looking into neighborhoods somewhat on the fly. Ill take them to different parts of town, depending on their lifestyle, said Jackson, who is often contacted by employers to help potential employees. I cant steer them to a certain neighborhood, she said. I can guide them to different web sites, demographics and stats as far as crime stats. I try to guide them, by giving them websites so they satisfy their needs. For instance, when buyers want information about schools, Jackson will give them information about the local school districts websites. Likewise, for crime information, she will give buyers websites for the local police and sheriffs departments.

In her years on the job helping buyers find the right home and the right neighborhood, Jackson said there has really only been one question that really stumped her. One of the request I havent been able to put my finger on, somebody wanted to know if there was a Thai community, she said. Were tri-cultural, but that was a little bit outside of my experience.
WASHINGTON  Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has asked recently retired diplomat Anne W. Patterson to become his undersecretary of defense for policy, effectively the third-ranking job at the department.

Patterson and Mattis, the former chief of U.S. Central Command, worked together frequently when she served as ambassador to Pakistan and to Egypt. She retired in January after more than three years as assistant secretary for Near East affairs, the State Departments top official on the Middle East, at the highest rank of career diplomat.

The appointment, which requires Senate confirmation, is still awaiting White House approval, according to people familiar with the discussions. It was first reported by Politico.

Mattis, who reportedly insisted he be able to choose his own team when he accepted President Donald Trumps offer to head the department, has skirmished repeatedly with the White House over appointments. His initial choice for deputy secretary, Michele Flournoy, withdrew from consideration following meetings with White House officials. Flournoy served as the departments policy undersecretary during the Obama administration.

The current Defense Department deputy, Robert Work, is a holdover from Barack Obamas presidency who has agreed to remain in office for several months until his successor is in place. The deputy slot also remains vacant at the State Department, where Secretary Rex Tillersons reported choice, Elliott Abrams, was reportedly rejected by the White House.

Hundreds of senior policy positions remain vacant and without nominees across the executive branch six weeks into the Trump administration. Although Patterson retired before the inauguration, top diplomats in most of the State Departments regional and policy offices were effectively fired once Trump took office. Next week, the last remaining regional assistant secretaries  for Africa and the Far East  are stepping down.

In his budget outline this week, Trump proposed sharp cuts at the State Department to help fund a $54 billion increase in defense spending.

Patterson, who has never worked at the Defense Department, also served as top U.S. diplomat in Colombia and El Salvador.

In Egypt, she was ambassador from 2011 to 2013, a period marked by upheaval resulting in the military overthrow of elected president Mohammed Morsi and estrangement between the Obama administration and the Egyptian army general who took power, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

Trump has largely dismissed Obama-era criticisms of Sissis repression of human and civil rights and praised Egypt as an effective counterterrorism ally.
When Education Secretary Betsy DeVos cast historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as pioneers in school choice this past week, her critics scoffed at the notion that black students could choose to matriculate wherever they wished during the days of segregation. In a series of tweets, DeVos attempted to adjust her statement, focusing instead on the schools birth from necessity. But the episode revealed just how many misconceptions persist about the nations more than 100 HBCUs. Here are five of the most stubborn myths.

Myth No. 1

Black colleges were founded by black people.

DeVos had this to say about HBCU founders: They saw that the system wasnt working, that there was an absence of opportunity, so they took it upon themselves to provide the solution. Presumably, they means African Americans.

But some of todays most well-known HBCUs were founded by white Americans. Washingtons Howard University, which celebrates its sesquicentennial this year, is named after one of its founders, Gen. Oliver O. Howard, a white Union officer who led the federal Freedmens Bureau after the Civil War. Spelman College was founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary by Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles, two white teachers from Massachusetts. Later renamed, the all-female college had among its early benefactors John D. Rockefeller and the family of his wife, Laura Spelman Rockefeller. The Rockefellers and the Baptist organization that underwrote the teachers mission also provided major financial support to the nearby all-male HBCU, Morehouse College.

Myth No. 2

Its racist to have black colleges.

In a 2012 story about public HBCUs in Maryland, World Net Dailys Les Kinsolving asked, Why is any Maryland college identifying itself as historically black not an example of racism? Last year, African American talk show host Wendy Williams eventually apologized after saying, I would be really offended if there was a school that was known as a historically white college. In 2008, Georgia state Sen. Seth Harp proposed merging two historically black colleges with two mostly white state schools, purportedly in the name of closing the chapter of segregated schools. (In 2015, one merger was approved.)

But these sentiments obscure a key distinction. As Morehouse graduate Martin Luther King Jr. put it in 1957, Although Negro colleges are by and large segregated institutions, they are not segregating institutions. Theres a reason HBCU stands forhistorically black and not simply black colleges and universities. Although they were originally founded to educate black students who were shut out of white schools, they have always enrolled non-black students.According to the Department of Education, In 2014, non-Black students made up 21 percent of enrollment at HBCUs, compared with 15 percent in 1976. White students account for most of the non-black HBCU student population, but schools such as Howard increasingly attract international interest. More than two dozen students from Nepal joined Howards freshman class in 2014, the largest delegation from any country that year.

Myth No. 3

HBCUs are inferior.

No HBCU is on U.S. News & World Reports list of top 100 national universities, and only one, Spelman, is ranked among its 100 best liberal arts colleges. HBCUs also have a relatively low graduation rate (30 percent) compared with all African American college students nationwide (42 percent), according to a 2015 New America report.

But nearly 73 percent of HBCU students qualify for Pell grants, in many cases coming from low-income households where the high cost of college is an added barrier to completion. HBCUs see their mission as serving this population, many of them first-generation college students who otherwise might not attend. And these schools, which represent only 3 percent of post-secondary institutions, produce about 20 percent of all African American graduates  and 25 percent of those in the STEM fields, according to the United Negro College Fund.

A 2015 Gallup report measured five elements of well-being  social, purpose, financial, community and physical- and found that black HBCU grads were thriving, to a greater degree, in all categories, than their black counterparts who attended other institutions. The gap was largest in financial well-being. Black HBCU grads were also more likely to tell Gallup that they strongly agreed that their colleges prepared them for life after graduation (55 percent) than were black graduates of other institutions (29 percent).

A 2013 National Science Foundation report said that of the top 50 baccalaureate-origin institutions of black science and engineering Ph. D. recipients, 21 are HBCUs. In 2015, the New York Times looked at New Orleanss Xavier College, which has some 3,000 students and consistently produces more black students who apply to and then graduate from medical school than any other institution in the country.

Myth No. 4

Students are fleeing HBCUs are only for African American students.

In a 2015 feature, Newsweeks Alexander Nazaryan wrote that colleges without students do as well as airlines without passengers, and as black students snub HBCUs, HBCUs face the first true existential crisis in their collective history. That same year, Forbes ran an article enumerating enrollment declines at several HBCUs and concluding that African American students were voting with their feet to go to schools they think fit their needs better.

Indeed, some HBCUs have seen declining enrollment. But writing for The Washington Post last year, Dillard University President Walter Kimbrough pointed to an uptick in enrollment at a number of HBCUs, which he called the Missouri Effect  social consciousness emblematic of renewed campus activism in the last couple of years. Freshman enrollment is up 49 percent at Shaw University, 39 percent at South Carolina State, 32 percent at Tuskegee University, 30 percent at Virginia State University, 22 percent at Dillard University, 22 percent at Central State University, 20 percent at Florida Memorial University, and 19 percent at Delaware State University. Dillard, Philander Smith College (overall enrollment up 29 percent) and South Carolina State University all rely on overflow housing to accommodate the influx of students, he wrote.

Everything happening with police brutality and Black Lives Matter, student Alversia Wade told PBS NewsHour, pushed me to want an environment where I could talk to other students about all these things.

Myth No. 5

Obama was anti-HBCU.

President Barack Obamas first budget called for a $73 million cut in funding for HBCUs (the next year, that money was restored). In 2011, the administration tightened loan standards, resulting in a 36 percent reduction in federal PLUS loans available to HBCU parents and causing a number of students to unexpectedly interrupt their college educations. The new rules disproportionately affected schools that served a high share of disadvantaged students. A Post analysis found that the move translated to an annual cut of more than $150 million for HBCUs.

The Obama administration acknowledged the unintended impact and took steps to adjust the loan rules. But black observers were shocked. As economist Julianne Malveaux, former president of historically black Bennett College, put it last year, You never thought that when a conservative white man put more money in for HBCUs that a progressive black man would take it out. In a Post op-ed in 2016, Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, asked, Do black colleges matter to Obama?

But Morehouse President John Silvanus Wilson Jr., a former director of Obamas initiative on HBCUs, told Inside Higher Ed last year: It is a fact that just before President Obama took office, total annual federal funding to HBCUs was under $4 billion. During his first term, that figure climbed to nearly $5.2 billion, largely based on a very intentional boost in federal grants and loans to HBCU students. To this day, HBCUs are getting nearly $1 billion more per year than they were getting when Obama took office. That is not the behavior of a leader who thinks these institutions do not matter.



Carswell is a lecturer at the Howard University School of Communications and a former deputy managing editor of The Washington Post.
The way al-Qaida tells it, the West is locked in an existential war with Islam. This is how the terrorist group justifies its violence and its fundamentalist ideology. And now, theyve found a Westerner to back them up  top Trump adviser Steve Bannon.

Bannon graced the cover of the most recent al-Qaida-linked Al Masra newspaper. That prominence, University of Oxford researcher Elisabeth Kendall told Quartz, is striking.

The piece focused on Bannons views of Islam, saying he believes that the forces of Islam cannot be stopped by peaceful means. The paper cited a conversation Bannon had with a Danish journalist in May 2016. It also claimed that Bannon believes that the struggle is really between Christianity and Islam, not just Islam and the West. And it suggested that Bannon has lost confidence in secular Europe, and sees Muslim immigrants as partially responsible for the retreat of traditional Christian values.

Like other Trump advisers (and former advisers), Bannon has spoken publicly about these beliefs. In 2014, he gave a speech to the Vatican via Skype in which he said, Were now, I believe, at the beginning stages of global war against Islamic fascism. On other occasions, hes suggested that the Judeo-Christian West is at war with expansionist Islamic ideology.

On his radio show in 2014, he called for a complete halt to allowing Muslim immigrants into the United States. (Why even let em in, he asked then-Rep. Ryan Zinke). And as the Post reported Jan. 31:

On one of the first Breitbart Radio shows, in early November 2015, Bannon praised the growing movement in Britain to exit the European Union. He said that the British had joined the EU merely as a trading federation but that it had grown into a force that had stripped Britons of sovereignty in every aspect important to their own life. 

Bannon has been supportive of similar movements in other European countries to pull out of the union.

The fact that [Al Masra] would put this so prominently on the front page  as lead article  indicates it has traction, that this is a way to win support. It plays entirely into their narrative that they were right about the Wests war on Islam all along, Kendall said. It shows us how much al-Qaida is trying to capitalize on some of the policies of the Trump administration.

Its true that Islamist militants have a soft spot for Trump  his rhetoric, they say, is a useful propaganda and recruiting tool. On Election Night, Muslim extremists around the world celebrated Trumps win, suggesting that it might usher in a civil war.

Rejoice with support from Allah, and find glad tidings in the imminent demise of America at the hands of Trump, said the Islamic State-affiliated al-Minbar Jihadi Media network, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. Trumps win of the American presidency will bring hostility of Muslims against America as a result of his reckless actions, which show the overt and hidden hatred against them.

Al-Qaida and Islamic State supporters said Trumps win exposed Americas hatred of Muslims, SITE director Rita Katz told USA Today. They likened it to Brexit, and suggested that it will lead to the downfall of the West.

Since then, America has featured much more prominently in jihadi media. Al Masra, in particular, has been tracking developments in America quite closely since November. Kendall noted that a February 2017 Al Masra issue mentioned America twice as often as one from January 2016. Trump has created an upsurge in militant jihadist attention on America  it was previously on America but also on many other targets like Shiites in Yemen, Iraq and even Syria  but this has really refocused attention on America itself, Kendall said.

And indeed, theres been no shortage of things to cover  data from jihadi discussion forums suggest that Islamic State supporters backed the travel ban, since it could be used to reinforce the idea that Islam is under attack by the West.

Its far more potent than any video or other piece of propaganda, Charlie Winter, a senior fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence at Kings College London, told CNN.

But Steve Stalinsky, who runs the Middle East Media Research Institute, says that terrorist sympathizers have been making the same argument  that the West hates Islam  for decades.

People are saying that Trump shows Americas true colors, he said. But its nothing new. These same sentiments existed under Obama, they say, even though his rhetoric was less inflammatory. Theyd rather Trump than Obama, a snake who hides what hes doing. Terrorists sympathizers say, Were grateful to have Trump removing Obamas mask.

The message, Stalinsky says, is this: Theres a new fool in the White House. But hes just replacing an old fool. And the goal  to ignite the ground under Americas feet  remains the same.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  A man accused of attacking a mannequin that Las Vegas police positioned to resemble a homeless person following two slayings remained jailed Friday.

A judge has set bail at $50,000 for Shane Schindler, who is charged with one count of carrying a concealed weapon, the Las Vegas Review-Journal (http://bit.ly/2lnlDOa ) reported. Schindler was arrested last week following the Feb. 22 incident.

Schindler's arrest report says police set up the mannequin resembling a sleeping man after detectives had no leads on the slayings of two homeless men earlier this year in downtown Las Vegas. Authorities hadn't ruled out the possibility of thrill kills and placed the blanket-covered mannequin on the same spot where one of the two men was killed.

The report says Schindler, 30, approached the decoy, looked around for traffic and struck it with a 4-pound engineer's hammer he had in a bag. Surveillance video captured the incident.

According to the report, Schindler told police he knew it was a mannequin before hitting it. But police dispute that statement.

The decoy mannequin was staged in a manner which would have made it impossible for Schindler to have determined the mannequin was not a human being before he struck, according to the arrest report. Schindler swung the hammer using both arms to generate maximum force to his blow.

Deputy public defender Ashley Sisolak described Schindler's bail as excessive. She said her client has proclaimed his innocence, and I look forward to fighting these allegations.

Daniel Aldape, 46, and David Dunn, 60, were bludgeoned to death within a month's time earlier this year. Both had suffered apparent head trauma.

Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
SANTA FE  The state Senate moved briskly Friday to adopt a package of bills aimed at expanding access to high-speed internet throughout New Mexico, especially in rural areas.

Two parts of the package already have House approval, meaning they now go to Gov. Susana Martinez.

House Bill 60  passed unanimously Friday  would make it easier for government agencies to allow private companies to lay fiber lines when public roads or similar infrastructure is built, supporters said. If a government crew is already digging a trench, for example, a telecommunications company could add its own broadband lines.

This is a fantastic partnership between government and private industry, said Jacob Candelaria, an Albuquerque Democrat who co-sponsored the bill. It will not cost taxpayers one dime.

The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Carl Trujillo, D-Santa Fe, and it now goes to the governor for consideration.

Also headed to the governor is House Bill 113, which calls for the state chief information officer to coordinate and plan for a statewide broadband network. That measure is co-sponsored by Rep. James Smith, R-Sandia Park, and Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Albuquerque.

A third broadband proposal also won unanimous approval and now heads to the House.

Senate Bill 308, sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, would allow the Public Regulation Commission to put more money toward efforts to extend broadband into rural New Mexico or urban areas that lack good service. The bill calls for some of the revenue generated by a fee levied on telephone connections to go toward expanded broadband access.

Padilla said much of that money now goes to older, phone-based technology rather than high-speed Internet lines.

The proposal is a jobs bill like no other, Padilla told his colleagues. Its going to help (telecommuting) jobs to burst up all over the state.
LAS VEGAS  A man accused of attacking a mannequin that Las Vegas police positioned to resemble a homeless person following two slayings remained jailed Friday.

A judge has set bail at $50,000 for Shane Schindler, who is charged with one count of carrying a concealed weapon, the Las Vegas Review-Journal (http://bit.ly/2lnlDOa ) reported. Schindler was arrested last week following the Feb. 22 incident.

Schindlers arrest report says police set up the mannequin resembling a sleeping man after detectives had no leads on the slayings of two homeless men earlier this year in downtown Las Vegas. Authorities hadnt ruled out the possibility of thrill kills and placed the blanket-covered mannequin on the same spot where one of the two men was killed.

The report says Schindler, 30, approached the decoy, looked around for traffic and struck it with a 4-pound engineers hammer he had in a bag. Surveillance video captured the incident.

According to the report, Schindler told police he knew it was a mannequin before hitting it. But police dispute that statement.

The decoy mannequin was staged in a manner which would have made it impossible for Schindler to have determined the mannequin was not a human being before he struck, according to the arrest report. Schindler swung the hammer using both arms to generate maximum force to his blow.

Deputy public defender Ashley Sisolak described Schindlers bail as excessive. She said her client has proclaimed his innocence, and I look forward to fighting these allegations.

Daniel Aldape, 46, and David Dunn, 60, were bludgeoned to death within a months time earlier this year. Both had suffered apparent head trauma.

___

Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com
MOUNT PLEASANT  Blaze Pizza still has plans to open in the village, officials say, though construction has been pushed back from its original starting date.

The company had planned to begin construction last year on a restaurant along the outer rim of Racine Centre, in between Hardees and Panda Express at 5423 Washington Ave.

Work has yet to start, however. The company changed architects and submitted minor changes to the building, and it is now working with Mount Pleasants building inspection department to get final approvals, Community Development Director Sam Schultz said Thursday.

Blaze Pizza could start construction this spring and open this summer, he said.

A company spokesman did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Growing company

Plans call for Blaze to occupy the larger portion of a new 3,500-square-foot building. A smaller space will front the busy intersection of highways 20 and 31 and will be available for a second tenant.

Blaze Pizza could be the final outlot building at Racine Centre, as village officials say they are unlikely to approve any more. Chick-fil-A, 5315 Washington Ave., opened just to the east of the site last year.

The menu

The growing California-based Blaze Pizza has 173 restaurants in 32 states and Canada.

The company says it uses chef-driven recipes. According to its website, its signature pizzas include: the Art Lover, which includes artichokes, ricotta cheese and chopped garlic; the Green Stripe, with pesto drizzled over grilled chicken, roasted red peppers and arugula; and the White Top, which includes white cream sauce, applewood bacon, chopped garlic and oregano.
While dueling bills in the state Legislature look to close a loophole that exempts nonprofit and government hospitals from paying the states gross receipts tax, the hospital industry in New Mexico has another suggestion: it would voluntarily accept a 1 percent tax for two years, directing the proceeds to a dedicated Medicaid Trust Fund.

Senate Bill 433 is the industrys solution to ensure funding stays at a level that maximizes the flow of federal matching funds to New Mexico. About 900,000 low-income,  about 40 percent of the states population  depend on Medicaid for health coverage, according to hospital representatives.

The proposed 1 percent levy on all categories of hospitals would generate an estimated $52 million, and all the money would be earmarked to Medicaid rather than going to the state general fund as it would under the competing proposals, according to the New Mexico Hospital Association.

Industry representatives said the bill is critical to keeping their facilities operating at levels that can handle the current patient load and accommodate additional Medicaid recipients down the road. About 40,000 more people are expected to be on the rolls by 2018, an expense for which the Legislature is currently budgeting.

Hospitals also need to plug a $42 million general fund cut to state Medicaid spending in the next fiscal year. That translates into a $200 million shortfall (including the federal match), said Jim Heckert, chairman of the New Mexico Hospital Association and CEO of nonprofit Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Almorgordo.

Hospitals object to taxation alternatives like HB 202, which would generate about $100 million a year for the general fund by taxing all categories of hospitals but wouldnt do anything about bolstering the Medicaid fund, said Jeff Dye, president and CEO of the hospital association, He said the Senate bill has unanimous buy-in from the New Mexico Medical Society and the states 45 investor-run, nonprofit and government- supported hospitals.

In no state is it more important to keep Medicaid funding stable and predictable, said Heckert. (As a state), weve had the highest matching rate because of the poverty levels.

Any cuts that hospitals will continue to take from an underfunded Medicaid program will hurt the New Mexicans who rely on us for their care, he said, adding that 35 percent of the hospitals in the state are Medicaid driven on revenue. University of New Mexico Hospital relies on Medicaid to the tune of 43 percent of revenue.

Were extremely concerned about our Medicaid funding being in jeopardy, said John Harris, CEO of Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces, a for-profit hospital owned by LifePoint Health, based in Nashville.

The Affordable Care Act and its expansion of Medicaid has been a boon for much of the health care industry. Hospitals have benefited from having more insured patients and seeing charity care outlays decline. As a result, many have staffed up, adding 1,000 hospital jobs between 2015 and 2016. They also have opened new treatment facilities and invested in technology.

Dye said he isnt aware of any organized opposition to the bill. Nobody stood up during the testimony period, he said. The bill unamimously sailed through the Senate Corporations and Transportation Committee and is now on its way to the Senate Finance Committee.

Through a spokesman, the governor declined to take a position on Sentate Bill 433.
SANTA FE  Plans to develop the corner of Sandoval Street and West San Francisco Street, next to the iconic Lensic Performing Arts Center in downtown Santa Fe, are being revived.

A floor plan included in an application filed at City Hall calls a proposed 65-room hotel The Inn at the Lensic.

A previous project at the site won city approval in August 2008. The City Council gave the green light to a 46-foot-high, 47,691-square-foot building in a Spanish Baroque style. It was supposed to have retail space, condominiums and underground parking.

Greer Enterprises, a family business that dates to the 19th century in Santa Fe and former owners of the Lensic, had 30 months to start construction on that project, but the work never started. The 2008 city approvals have since expired, so the developers have to go through the process again.

Local attorney Joseph Karnes, who is representing current developer G.E. Senlic LLC, said this week the new project is just a hotel, but he didnt respond to subsequent emailed questions. A city government posting for a required neighborhood meeting about the project says it will have underground parking.

The Lensic, an ornatepseudo-Moorish-style 1930s movie and vaudeville palace that was renovated and restored into a major performance venue starting in 2000, has been owned in recent years by the nonprofit Lensic Performing Arts Center Corp.

G.E. Senlic was incorporated in 2008 and listed Greer Enterprises vice-president Craig Young as its agent. The Greer family has owned the proposed hotel site at least since the 1930s and has had plans to develop the space, currently a parking lot, at least since 1999, but the family didnt get approval for what was dubbed Villas at the Lensic until 2008 after tweaking various proposals. That plan included 12 luxury time-share units. Calls to Greer Enterprises were not returned.

The Lensic, an ornate, pseudo-Moorish-style 1930s movie and vaudeville palace that was renovated and restored into a major performance venue starting in 2000, has been owned in recent years by the nonprofit Lensic Performing Arts Center Corp.
Honda Cars has joined hands with Dentsu One to roll out a high decibel ad campaign titled Worlds Ahead for the launch of New Honda City 2017.

The new 2017 Honda City has redefined not just the segment but the category with its class-leading exterior and interior features. The campaign highlights the car as being leagues ahead and above the competition. In the TVC, City has positioned itself as being more than just a car with one class above attributes. Thus, to create excitement in the already saturated sedan segment, the new City redefines the segment codes by introducing one segment above attributes to the mid-size sedan. The 4th Gen City aims to attract younger buyers, hence, this TVC has been developed in a way that resonates with younger audience.

The TVC features Honda City 2017 being driven through the street. The car, in a sequence of shots, is seen flaunting its features, supported by a sound track Worlds Ahead playing in the car and a voiceover that explains how you are and have been Worlds Ahead!

Youtube link:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv3Q8PrIwQY

Talking about the campaign, Jnaneswar Sen, Senior Vice President  Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India said, The communication proposition truly puts City and the target buyer at a notch above the rest. The tonality resonates with the younger audience who is an achiever and with whom people would like to emulate.

Titus Upputuru, National Creative Director, Dentsu One said, The City is Indias Sergey Bubka, the Russian Pole Vaulter. Like him, the car is always beating its own game. With its class-defying features, the new Honda City 2017 has gone leaps and bounds ahead of its competition. The campaign celebrates this thought and shows the protagonist, like the car, driving in a world of his own, as the lines in the end of the film conclude, Your world is different from the rest because you are and always have been Worlds Ahead

Abhinav Kaushik, Senior Vice President, Dentsu One added, This Honda City is a definitive segment-defying car. To showcase this, the communication had to make a higher-order statement and thereby repositioning the rest as mere ordinary. The new Honda City ushers in a new world of itself with superlative technology and remarkable design.
Dentsu One, the full-service creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has bagged the creative mandate for JK Tyre and Industries, following a multi-agency pitch. The other agencies that participated in the pitch included names such as Contract India, McCann World Group India and Law & Kenneth.

As part of the mandate, Dentsu Ones scope of work for its latest client will range across TVC, print, radio, OOH, digital and activations wherein Dentsu One will focus on launching the clients two-wheeler tyres.

Vivek Kamra, President  India Operations, JK Tyres and Industries, whilst welcoming the Dentsu Team to the JK Tyre account, appreciated the creative ideas that were brought to the table. He also added, We are happy to have them on board and hope they will effectively communicate our key brand attributes including technological superiority, youthfulness, humility and progressiveness in a truly Indian grown brand, through our creative campaigns.

We are grateful and delighted with this win. The teams had great fun working on it from ideation to creation. JK tyres is a great home grown brand and we look forward to building preference and love for the two wheeler tyre segment of the brand through some powerful communication said Titus Upputuru, NCD, Dentsu One.

The challenge is to not only take the brand idea seamlessly into digital and other mediums but going forward to own it consistently so that it can stand differentiated in the consumer mind space over time added Sunita Prakash, Senior VP, Dentsu One.
Samsung Indias campaign film #SamsungService has crossed 100 million views on YouTube in just seven weeks of its launch, becoming the highest-viewed advertising video in the Consumer Electronics and Smartphones category worldwide and the highest-viewed advertising video on YouTube across all categories in India (as on February 20, 2017). The campaign film has been conceptualised by Cheil India.

Well Take Care of You, Wherever You Are (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=779KwjAYTeQ)  showcases the journey of a young Samsung engineer on his way to provide services in a remote village in India, highlighting Samsungs vision of creating long-lasting relationships with its consumers through timely service. The film has also accumulated over 224,000 consumer engagements on various social media platforms.

In conversation with Adgully, Ranjivjit Singh, Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung India, and Tarvinderjit Singh, ECD, Cheil India, speak at length about the making of the ad, the creative thought process, creating an emotional connect with consumers and much more. Excerpts:

Were you expecting such a response to the #SamsungService ad film?

The fact that #SamsungService campaign video has been viewed over 100 million times (in seven weeks) since it was launched gives us a lot of encouragement. It means that we have been able to reach out to our valuable consumers and deliver our message to them.

The heart and soul of the whole campaign is its storytelling, with the underlying message that Samsung as a brand cares for its consumers and will reach out to them even in remote locations.

The TVC is a part of the nationwide campaign showcasing Samsungs initiative to take customer service to the doorsteps of consumers in the hinterland. The campaign film aims to apprise consumers about the initiative and let them know that Samsung will take care of them wherever they are in the country. Our intent was to tell the story in a compelling way.

Samsungs customers are spread across the length and breadth of the country, even in the remotest of villages. Our campaign touches every Indian heart and we are overwhelmed by the response. That this campaign has created a world record is truly humbling for us at Samsung.

What was the brief shared with Cheil for this campaign?

It was simple; we wanted to showcase Samsungs brand ethos  customer care at every step and innovative technologies to solve real life problems. The idea was to tell the story in a compelling way that illustrated our commitment to take care of our consumers, no matter where they are.

The fact that quality Samsung service is now available in every corner of the country was a key takeaway in designing this campaign. Our brief to the agency was to create a campaign video based on a human story expressed in an emotional way as our proposition for #SamsungService is Samsung Cares.

Apart from garnering record views on YouTube and building an emotional connect, in what ways has the campaign translated into sales, revenues, increasing the brand equity for Samsung?

It all depends on the storytelling route you want to take for your messaging. In our case, the objective was to reach out to our consumers who are located in India across geographies and tell them that Samsung cares for them and will reach out to them through its service vans.

The campaign made an emotional connect with our consumers and touched upon hearts of millions of people right from the beginning. It is because of these reasons that it has become the highest-viewed advertising video in the Consumer Electronics and Smartphones category worldwide and the highest-viewed advertising video across categories on YouTube in India, as of date. That was most endearing was the consumer engagement that this film could create. On social media platforms, the film received more than 226,000 likes, shares and comments. Most consumers admitted that they were moved to tears and felt connected to Samsung like never before. This also helped the film in being the fastest to reach 100 million views on YouTube in India.

What kind of investment has been made by Samsung to augment its service network?

Our endeavour at Samsung India has always been to cater to the consumers, be it with innovative products or world-class service. We are always gathering feedback from our consumers and creating innovations that are meaningful.

The intent of the new campaign is to apprise our patrons about our initiative and let them know that #SamsungService cares, and will reach them in every part of the country.

We have been in India for 21 years and have further strengthened our service outreach. Today we have the widest reach of service centres with trained service engineers. This team will go to the deepest parts of the country to service the needs of our consumers. In October last year, Samsung strengthened its commitment to provide quality customer service in both urban and rural India by augmenting its service network with 535 service vans.

The idea behind launching these unique customer service vans was to reach out to our customers in the remotest corners of India, ensuring timely service to them. The aim is to bring world-class service to the doorsteps of lakhs of rural and semi-urban consumers. With this new addition, the Samsung service network is now over 3,000 strong from around 2,000 service points earlier. With this, Samsungs reach will extend to consumers in over 6,000 talukas across 29 states and 7 union territories, making Samsungs service network the largest in this industry in India.

We also unveiled a new, easy to remember, customer service number so that our customers can reach us easily, whenever they need to. When you want to reach Samsung, dial 1800 40 SAMSUNG.

Please comment on Samsung Indias performance in the mobile and consumer durables categories in 2016 and the road ahead for the company.

In 2016, Samsung further strengthened its leadership position in most of the categories like Smartphones, Panel TV, Frost Free Refrigerators, Invertor air conditioners and microwave ovens. In the first and second quarters of 2017, there will be a slew of innovations and exciting products that we will launch in the Indian market to enrich the lives of our consumers. We are extremely confident that Indian consumers will continue to reward their love and trust in the brand Samsung.

Agency Speak  Tarvinderjit Singh, ECD, Cheil India

Please take us through the making of the #SamsungService ad film  from the drawing board to the final execution.

All these consumer durable companies concentrate only on the towns and cities when it comes to providing service. So, people who are outside the town in the remote areas have to travel great distances to get their appliances repaired. Through this initiative we wanted to give Indian solutions to Indian problems, so we came up with these mobile service vans in October and there are around 500 of them. We started with a fresh campaign in all Indian languages. The intent to the entire campaign is to tell people that no matter where they are, we will take care of them.

How did you choose the characters for the ad film, especially the visually impaired kids?

Once we had the script ready, we took a conscious call that we will not take models and we started to see special kids across India, especially in Maharashtra. A lot of the supporting cast came from Patiala, Chandigarh, Kullu, while the lead girl, whose name is Drishti, is from Mumbai. They were first selected and then taken to an acting workshop where they did 3-4 sessions. Thats how they were selected and trained.

Please tell us about the composition of the song Beh Chala playing in this ad film. What is the role of music in such a campaign?

There were two things that we wanted to do. One was making a emotional connect with the customers and second was to show the trouble that we go through because in remote areas it is not as easy as the cities, and so we displayed crossing a river, getting stuck among animals, a tree blocking the road and such sort of things. We wanted to show our journey and under that journey we wanted to use a song that communicated the state of mind of the engineer. Its a state of mind that is reflected in the song and the lyrics will poetically tell you about a person going through the course of nature, because he intends to bring happiness to whoever has called him. The second song was from the girl who was a finalist with a singing reality show. Beh Chala became a famous pick-up for people on Twitter and YouTube.
The Federal Council

Bern, 03.03.2017 - A personnel change for the position of head of the Swiss representation in Nepal has been planned. It will coincide with the usual transfers for early 2018 in line with the decision taken by the Federal Council. The nomination will take effect as soon as the authorities of the host country have given their approval. The Federal Council would like to extend its warmest thanks to Ambassador Jorg Frieden for his service as he enters retirement.

Elisabeth von Capeller Oswald, currently head of Cooperation with Eastern Europe and assistant director (with the title of ambassador) of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation in Bern, has been appointed ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. She will succeed Ambassador Jorg Frieden in early 2018.

Thomas Schneider, currently deputy head of the International Relations Service of the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM), has been appointed head of the International Relations Service and assistant director of OFCOM at the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications from 1 April 2017. The Federal Council has accorded Mr Schneider the title of ambassador in the exercise of his new function.

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Bern, 03.03.2017 - The 15th round of human rights dialogue between Switzerland and China took place from 2 to 3 March in Bern. The confidential discussions allowed an open, constructive and mutually critical debate to take place on the human rights situation in both countries. The focus was on human rights issues such as the judicial and penal system, including the death penalty, the rights of minorities and strengthening the international human rights protection system.

The priority topics discussed in this years round of dialogue were the judicial and penal system and the rights of minorities. Switzerland expressed its concern over the criminal prosecution of lawyers and human rights defenders and the allegations of torture connected with these cases, underlining the procedural obligations such as access to and choice of legal counsel and family notification. During the discussions, a number of individual cases illustrating these issues were raised including cases concerning the protection of minority rights  particularly worrying in Tibet and Xinjiang. The dialogue also covered both countries engagement at the multilateral level and in the UN Human Rights Council in particular. It was noted that strengthening the human rights pillar within the UN system and the participation of civil society in this and other international mechanisms was key. Switzerland also suggested once again to the Chinese government that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights should visit China soon.

The occasion was also used to discuss technical cooperation in the field of human rights and the further development of Switzerland and Chinas long-standing exchange of expertise in criminal justice.

The state secretary of the FDFA, Pascale Baeriswyl, received the Chinese delegation on 3 March. With its focus on the Swiss criminal justice system, the delegation completed its stay with a visit to the cantonal police of Bern and the prison in Burgdorf. These visits illustrated how human rights protection for people in police custody or detention is implemented in Switzerland, and helped both countries to examine the specific details of these challenges in Switzerland and China.

The bilateral human rights dialogue was begun in 1991.

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As most gadget enthusiasts are probably aware, HMD Global re-launched the classic Nokia 3310 feature phone at Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. The release of a redesigned Nokia 3310 seems to have helped HMD Global into putting the Nokia brand back into the spotlight, but as far as the feature phone itself is concerned, the new Nokia 3310 raised a lot of questions as to whether or not it has a place in the mobile market in the year 2017. But according to analysts cited by DigiTimes, the re-launch of the Nokia 3310 has strategic value in emerging markets where feature phones now pave the way of future smartphones.

Opinions in regards to the Nokia 3310 seem to be split, with certain gadget enthusiasts criticizing HMD Global for departing too much from the original design, and others welcoming this new addition to the feature phone lineup. In any case, some analysts believe that the re-launch of the Nokia 3310 will have strategic significance in emerging 2G markets, as the device will re-introduce the Nokia brand to customers who will eventually switch to a smartphone. Brand awareness is extremely important in a competitive market, and some analysts are of the opinion that the Nokia 3310 re-release has the potential of raising brand awareness and make Nokia the brand of choice for many customers in emerging markets. By putting the Nokia brand in the spotlight, HMD Global could benefit from higher demand for Android-powered Nokia smartphones in the future. Todays Nokia 3310 buyers could become tomorrows Nokia smartphone owners, and HDM Global has already announced three Android-based smartphones at MWC 2017.

The source also touched on which markets might successfully accommodate the new Nokia 3310. The penetration rate of smartphones in the Indian market, for example, stood at 25% in 2015 while is expected to rise to 50% in 2017. The Russian market is experiencing a smartphone penetration rate of around 50%, while Mexico and Brazil have a rate of less than 50%. The source notes that these are all potential markets for HMD Global and the Nokia 3310 re-release, which might prepare consumers for the companys future products. Then again, although the Nokia 3310 refresh will not compete with the smartphone market, it might experience resistance from white-box feature phones which usually ship for around $20-$30. Meanwhile, the Nokia 3310 refresh carries a price tag of EUR 49 or around $51 at todays conversion rate.
It seems Google has now opened up beta availability to both its Gboard and Google Play services apps via the Google Play Store. As is the case with any beta, being part of the testing group does come with its benefits. Most notably, the user can gain access to new features and updates before anyone else. Of course, these are betas for a reason and that does mean that not everything will always be smooth sailing. Although, with these being Google apps, they are probably likely to be more stable betas than you might find from other beta app versions.

Either way, if you would like to be part of the beta for either Gboard or Google Play services, then you can join either beta by heading through the respective links below. Once there you will need to click the link to confirm that you would like to join the beta program for that app (while being signed in to your Google account). After which, you should be able to gain access to the beta version of the app and any new features that come as part of being part of the program. Once joined, you will receive updates as normal, although they will be updates specific to the beta version.

Of course, beta apps are not new to the Google Play Store or to Google, who already has a number of its apps available in beta form. One of the big benefits of the beta program through the Google Play Store is that once signed up, you dont have to remain signed up. You can at anytime leave the beta and go back to the main stable release. Although, this does normally mean reverting back to the current stable release, which is usually considered to be an older release, compared to the beta version. However, the option is there and as a result, there is little harm in testing out these latest beta versions right now. If you dont like them you can instantly roll back to the stable version you are already on. Head through the links below to find out more.
Google has today announced improvements to its Google Allo messaging app, which include an easier way to add a GIF to your messages, new animated emojis and a more prominent placing of the Google Assistant. Improvements which coincide with a greater availability on Android to Google Assistant. Google notes that these new features have started rolling out on Android today and as such, should come through to anyone who has the app installed, over the course of the next few days.

In terms of the first of these new features, GIFs, Google notes that Allo users can now simply tap the smiley icon in the chat bar and then swipe (left to right) to find the right GIF for the conversation. As GIFs have been available in Allo for some time, this is simply designed to speed up the time it takes to find and include the right GIF. This also follows on from the previously introduced @lucky feature, which offers Allo users the option to include a random GIF to a conversation. Todays announcement on the changes, also made light of @lucky for those who might have been unaware that it is already available. While in terms of the emojis, Google explains that Allo now offers the option to animate an emoji. Google notes this currently only works for 10 different emojis, but by holding down the Send button, the user can drag the emoji up to bring it to life.

Last up is the change to the Google Assistant. This is not quite a change to the actual functionality of the feature, but a change to the speed at which you can introduce the Google Assistant to a given conversation. While previously users had to @google to activate Google Assistant, following todays update, the chat bar now comes with a Google Assistant icon. Tapping the icon will instantly bring the Google Assistant into play. So in short, the new update simply adds a Google Assistant shortcut to the chat bar. One which should make it quicker to make use of the added-value feature that comes with Allo, as well as drawing more attention to the fact that Allo does actually include the Google Assistant in the first place. Examples of all three improved features can be seen below.
RACINE  The tiny house village started as an idea about a year ago, but on Thursday the first five houses were laid on their foundations, almost ready for veterans to occupy them.

Racine-based Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin has been trying to give homeless veterans a place to stay by building a tiny house village at its headquarters, 1624 Yout St.

Its still kind of surreal, co-founder Jeff Gustin said. Weve been working tirelessly for a year to this point. This is one more huge step to getting our heroes off the street.

The houses still need their interiors finished and to connect to electricity from the main building. Veterans Outreach hopes to have the houses ready for veterans by the end of spring.

Along with the tiny houses, there will be a community center with a kitchen, bathrooms and common space.

Gustin said four of the five houses will be handicap accessible, with ramps that will be added.

No two are going to look the same, Gustin said. We dont want any one individual to look inside their neighbors house and see their house. We want it to be 100 percent original so they can call it home.

Tim Shea, board member for Veterans Outreach, is also a Marine Corps. veteran and owns Vans Electric Service, Inc. He helped wire the tiny houses.

Once all of these homes are put in place well run electricity from the building out to each of the tiny houses, Shea said. That will probably be happening in the next couple of weeks.

End cycle of homelessness

The goal is to have 15 tiny houses on the property and the remaining 10 are being built off-site. Each of the large Racine-area public high schools, Case, Horlick and Park, have students constructing one.

Ive been out to see the one at Park and checked on the wiring, Shea said. Im waiting for a call from Horlick and Case.

Gustin said he hopes this will give the veterans a sense of pride and ownership.

Theyve already lived in cookie-cutter barracks, everything is the same, Gustin said. But thats not what this is about.

Mark Sorensen, Veterans Outreach board member and U.S. Army veteran, said there are people waiting to move in right now and this tiny house village will help them get on their feet.

(Were) trying to break the cycle of homelessness. Give them a place to live, a place to eat, help them get jobs, financial counseling, drug and alcohol counseling, Sorensen said. Everything. One stop shop.

Several local organizations and businesses have donated time and work to help complete the project. The response from the community has surprised Gustin.

A lot of people tell me Im doing a great job and its not me at all, Gustin said. No one person can make this happen. No one person makes or breaks this project. Its everybody all together.
Googles hardware chief, Rick Osterloh formerly of Motorola, spent the week in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress  like the majority of the mobile world did  and talked with quite a few news outlets. We heard earlier this week through TechCrunch that Osterloh confirmed that the Chromebook Pixel had reached end of life and that they have no plans to release another Chrome OS laptop at this time. Now were hearing from AndroidPIT, that Osterloh has confirmed that the second-generation Google Pixel will be released this year. Now thats basically common sense, as smartphones get updated with new iterations yearly, for the most part. But Osterloh also confirmed that it will be staying premium and they arent thinking of doing a cheaper model.

Shortly after the Google Pixel and Pixel XL were unveiled last fall and became available, rumors started to swirl around that Google may be looking to offer a mid-range Pixel or at least a cheaper one. Similar to what they did with the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P the year before. But Osterloh has shut those rumors down mostly, by saying that they have no plans for a cheaper model, and they are planning to keep the Pixel 2 premium. Now that doesnt mean that we wont see the price go down on the Pixel 2 when compared to the Pixel, but it does mean that we wont see a cheaper model along with the premium one.

Last year, Google rebranded the Nexus lineup to the Pixel line, and with that they did away with manufacturer partnerships, in favor of building their own hardware. Even though HTC did technically build the Pixel and Pixel XL, you wouldnt know that without taking the device apart. As there are no HTC logos to be found on the outside of either device. That is going to be the same thing come later this year with the Pixel 2 as well. Google has been hyping up the Made by Google slogan that they adopted last fall when they debuted a number of hardware products including the Pixel, Pixel XL, Google WiFi, Daydream View and Google Home.

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The historic trial of Samsung Groups Vice Chairman and heir Jay Y. Lee is scheduled to start next Thursday, March 9, South Koreas special prosecutor Park Young-soo revealed on Friday. Park said the upcoming proceedings might be the trial of the century as the world will be watching to see how the court will deal with serious accusations against one of the most powerful businessmen in the Far Eastern country. Lees trial thats scheduled to start next week will revolve around charges of bribery and embezzlement, Park said, implying that Samsung Groups chief will be tried for the remaining charges at a later date.

Lee is currently awaiting trial in jail as the Seoul Central District Court approved his arrest warrant in February. Samsung Groups heir has been indicted following a massive corruption scandal thats been shaking South Korea for months. Prosecutors are alleging that Lee paid over $37 million in bribes to several organizations connected to the Korean President Park Geun-hye and her confidante Choi Soon-sil in order to facilitate a 2015 merger between Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries. Lee reportedly pushed for the merger due to several reasons, one of them being streamlining the succession proceedings within Samsung Group, the largest business conglomerate in the Far Eastern country that his grandfather founded in 1938. The controversial merger reportedly gave more power to the part of Samsung Group controlled by the founding Lee family that officially only owns a minority stake in the company.

Both Samsung and Lee have previously denied all accusations laid out by the Korean special prosecutors office, though they did admit that the aforementioned transaction took place. However, the defendant claimed he was forced to donate money to organizations that previously backed President Parks policy initiatives, adding how he expected nothing in return. Existing legislation suggests Lees trial will likely be finished in three months, no later than June 9. In the meantime, the South Korean Constitutional Court will rule on the parliaments decision to impeach President Park due to the ordeal. The highest judicial body in the country is expected to reach a decision on the matter this month. Samsung Group recently stated its intentions to completely reform itself following the scandal.
LeEco India has just fired 85 percent of its employees, and it seems like the company is leaving the country. This information comes from The Economic Times, and it comes as a surprise, despite the fact LeEco has been having some financial issues due to its investments and rapid expansion. LeEco managed to become quite popular really fast due to the fact theyve been expanding to new markets really fast, and have been investing a lot of cash into such projects.

Interestingly enough, LeEco introduced their first smartphones back in April 2015, which means that they havent really been a smartphone manufacturer for that long, and it seems like LeEco wanted to achieve too much too fast. The company even expanded to the US a while back, in addition to a number of other regions, and theyve also been investing plenty of cash into various other projects, Faraday Future is a good example. In any case, The Economic Times actually quoted three industry sources while reporting about recent layoffs in India, while the source also mentioned that two LeEco India execs left the company recently, Atul Jain and Debashish Ghosh, companys Chief Operating Officer of Smart Electronics and Chief Operating Officer for Internet Applications, Services and Content, respectively.

Head of LeEco India, Alex Li, actually confirmed that the two executives have left the company, but he also added that LeEco is not leaving India. He said that the company is restructuring, which is why they had to fire employees, as they have a new vision for their business in India. That seems like a rather odd statement if the company fired 85%, and makes us wonder what kind of plans is LeEco having. LeEcos Mumbai and Delhi offices have a minimum amount of staff at the moment. In addition to all that, a source which works with LeEco, an unnamed Senior Executive, said that the company will leave India, as they have been struggling to find their place in Indias extremely competitive market. These certainly are some bad news for the company, regardless whether they plan to leave India or not, as theyve fired a lot of people, and are not doing all that well at the moment.

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It seems like Lenovo plans to stick with the Motorola brand after all. As most of you probably already know, Motorola is owned by Lenovo, and Lenovo actually announced last year that they plan to release Motorolas Moto smartphones under the Lenovo brand moving forward. Such devices are supposed to be released under the Moto by Lenovo brand, but it seems like that wont be happening any longer, as the company opted to keep Motorola as a brand around for a bit longer, read on.

This information comes straight from Aymar de Lencquesaing, Motorolas Chairman and President. He said, in an interview with CNET, that Lenovo will be moving to the Motorola branding in all regions, though do keep in mind that this change wont be instant, as he also mentioned that it will take time for this decision to be reflected in all markets. Mr. Lencquesaing also said that the companys Moto Mod accessories exceeded expectations, but he also acknowledged that Moto Mods alone wont be enough to help the company, as they need to attract customers in order to increase their profit. In addition to all that, Motorolas Chairman mentioned that Motorola plans to partner up with more carriers moving forward, as that will let them become a more stable business in some regions.

Now, last month. Motorolas General Manager for UK, Ireland and European Operators mentioned that the company has no plans to release the next-gen Moto 360 smartwatch, or any other smartwatch for that matter. Well, the companys Chairman just confirmed such news, unfortunately. He said that Motorola decided to discontinue plans for a smartwatch as they were simply not selling enough Moto 360 units to justify costs, though he did mention that Motorola will actively invest into smartwatch research, and who knows, maybe even release a new smartwatch down the line. All in all, he did not exclude the fact that a new smartwatch might come, but it wont come anytime soon, so if you were planning to purchase the 2nd-gen Moto 360, now might be a good time to do it. That is more or less
Russian manufacturer of luxury phones Caviar just announced the Nokia 3310 Supremo Putin, a redesigned version of the recently announced Nokia 3310 refresh. The device is priced at approximately $1700 and its case is made of gold and titanium. Additionally, the phone features a depiction of the current President of Russia Vladimir Putin on its back. Underneath the golden portrait of Putin is the Russian national anthem. Like some of Caviars previous devices, the Nokia 3310 Supremo Putin was designed to celebrate the Russian Federation and its current president. The device ships in a traditional red box that you can see below alongside some other images depicting the Nokia 3310 Supremo Putin.

This unconventional device isnt the first luxurious smartphone ever made by Caviar. Earlier this month, the company debuted the Huawei P9 Friendship Edition, a redesigned version of Huaweis P9 Android smartphone thats priced at approximately $2,700. The company regularly creates devices equipped with luxurious cases that often boast certain Russian features and while the average consumer in the West likely thinks their devices are over the top and most other people deem them too expensive, it seems like theres a market for Caviars products as the firm would hardly be making them otherwise. The Nokia 3310 Supremo Putin can be ordered by following the source link below.

Underneath its shiny surface, the Nokia 3310 Supremo Putin is still the regular Nokia 3310 (2017) that HMD Global announced during the latest iteration of Mobile World Congress (MWC). Earlier this week, the company said that the redesigned version of the popular 2000 feature phone supports 2.5G connectivity and is running the S30+ operating system, meaning the device is capable of browsing the Internet. The original handset was known for its lengthy battery life and its 2017 refresh isnt any different in that regard as HMD Global claims the Nokia 3310 (2017) can provide users with over 22 hours of talk time on a single charge and offers approximately one month of standby time. The device is also equipped with a 2-megapixel rear camera and ships with some cult classics like Snake. Nokia previously said that the Nokia 3310 refresh wasnt a perfectly rational product and was instead made for sentimental reasons. However, the company presumably decided to revise the popular 2000 phone due to the fact that such a move presented a relatively low financial risk.
Googles hardware chief, Rick Osterloh, spoke with TechCrunch earlier this week in Barcelona about a few things, and one of the things that came up was the Chromebook Pixel. It was removed from the Google Store late last year, effectively telling everyone that it was at its end of life or EOL. Typically this also means a replacement is coming soon, but so far nothing has been announced. Osterloh told TechCrunch that they wouldnt be making any more laptops  not to be confused with Chromebooks from partners. However now Osterloh has taken to Twitter to clarify that a bit more.

Osterloh stated that Googles own Chromebooks arent dead as has been reported. They will live on, we just have no plans to share at this time. So what that means is that hes not closing the doors on a new Chromebook Pixel in the future, but as of right now, their focus is not on their own Chromebooks. And seeing as there are many great Chromebooks coming from many different PC manufacturers, there really is no need for a Chromebook Pixel at this time. Now, even though Osterloh has said that they have no plans to share at this time, that doesnt mean they dont have plans. You see, products like this are in the pipeline for years. For instance, the smartphones that were announced in Barcelona this past week were being thought up about two years ago, and companies were working on their final prototypes around last summer. So Google likely is working on a new Chromebook Pixel, but its likely early in the development stage.

Chromebooks have come a long way since the first Chromebook Pixel debuted in 2013. Back then, Chromebooks were mostly just the new Netbook, being a cheap and small laptop that basically just ran the Chrome browser. Now were seeing full-sized laptops from Dell, Acer, ASUS and others with Chrome OS on-board. So its safe to say that the Chromebook Pixel did its job, which was to drive the market to release some more high-end and premium Chromebooks. It also was the beginning of the Pixel lineup, which has now expanded to smartphones and tablets.
Samsung Electronics just broke the silence surrounding the Samsung Galaxy C5 Pro. The company recently showcased the device at Samsung Forum 2017 in China, but as yet no details regarding pricing and availability have been officially disclosed. Nevertheless, the smartphones overall design has been further confirmed and interestingly enough, the device was presented in Black for the first time since it was seen in leaked images flaunting the colors Blue, Champagne Gold, and Rose Gold.

Spec-wise the Samsung Galaxy C5 Pro should classify as a mid-range smartphone boasting a Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. However, while some sources hint at a 5.2-inch panel, others indicate that the smartphone will be equipped with a 5.5-inch display instead. Either way, the Samsung Galaxy C5 Pro should rely on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC (System-on-Chip) housing a total of eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores clocked at up to 2GHz, as well as an Adreno 506 graphics chip. The smartphone should also house 4GB of RAM along with 64GB of internal storage expandable via micro SD, and the back panel is likely to accommodate a 16-megapixel sensor complete with a two-tone, dual-LED flash. A similar 16-megapixel camera is said to reside on the front-panel, and in overall, the internal components are likely to rely on a 3,000mAh battery. Lastly, the smartphone should be launched with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box, sprinkled with Samsungs proprietary user interface.

The Samsung Galaxy C5 Pro was demoed at Samsung Forum in China wearing the color Black, but previous rumors also indicate that the device should be available in a variety of other color options including Blue, Champagne Gold, and Rose Gold. Pricing and availability details are currently missing but the Samsung Galaxy C5 is likely to debut sooner rather than later, seeing how the South Korean tech giant was ready to showcase the smartphone in China. In any case, its worth reminding that Samsungs smartphones labeled with the letter C are generally designed for the Chinese market, so even if the device will be launched across the pond, its safe to assume that China will take priority over other regions.
Samsung has filed for a new trademark in the US which suggests that the company opted to use the Infinity Display moniker when it comes to the Galaxy S8s display. So, Samsung filed a trademark application with the USPTO for the Infinity Display, it seems like rumors were spot on when it comes to that. Now, this moniker will be attached to the curved Super AMOLED display which will ship on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus.

The trademark application filing does not really reveal all that much info, aside for the fact that this display will be used on mobile telephones. Samsung obviously did not want to reveal too much info, though its pretty obvious what are we looking at here. The companys upcoming flagship surfaced a number of times lately, and pretty much every leak that arrived in the last couple of weeks has been sharing the same design of the Galaxy S8, which pretty much confirms what will the phone look like. The Galaxy S8 will be a really sleek-looking smartphone, which will ship with very little bezel. Its top and bottom bezels will be really thin, and there wont be any bezel on the sides, except for the metallic frame. Speaking of which, the phones frame, which is made out of metal, will be placed in between two sheets of glass. On the right side of the Galaxy S8, you can expect to see a power / lock key, while there volume up and volume down keys will be located on the left. Interestingly enough, the phone is also rumored to sport a dedicated physical Bixby AI button on its left side, which will let you call upon Samsungs new personal assistant.

The Galaxy S8 is rumored to sport a 5.8-inch QHD Super AMOLED display, while the Galaxy S8 Plus will ship with a somewhat larger 6.2-inch QHD Super AMOLED panel. The two devices will sport 4GB of RAM, and will be fueled by either the Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895 SoC, depending on where you purchase your unit, as the company will probably include the Snapdragon 835 in US units, while most other devices will ship with Samsungs very own Exynos 8895 processor. The two devices will be announced on March 29th, Samsung had already announced their upcoming Unpacked event.
Spotify, the music streaming service, has managed to reach another milestone in terms of paid subscribers, and this time around, the company has hit 50 million paid subscribers. This news first surfaced after a tweet was posted by the official Spotify account on Twitter which stated, Thank you to our 50 million subscribers.. As Spotify has over a 100 million monthly active users, this could only mean that Spotify was referencing its paid subscribers. While the music streaming service is free of charge, there is an additional premium service which will remove all ads and comes with a number of other features, at a cost of course.

This growth in terms of paid subscribers is pretty impressive for Spotify, considering the music streaming service just passed 40 million paid subscribers back in September of 2016. With the latest milestone achieved, this means Spotify took less than six months to gain 10 million paid subscribers. If this figure is broken down further, the streaming service gained an average of 1.6 million paid subscribers each month, since September last year. This is certainly no small figure, and proves that people are indeed willing to pay for a premium music streaming service. Spotify first announced that it had 15 million paying subscribers in January of 2015, and that number quickly doubled within 14 months, to 30 million. It also seems that Spotify is taking shorter time periods to achieve milestones in terms of its paid subscribers.

Spotify happens to be a Swedish company, and has been around for over a decade, but it only launched its popular music streaming mobile app back in 2011. The company boasts over 500 million users, though only around 100 million of those users are active users. Spotify is also pretty dominant in the music streaming service industry, with its closest rival being Apple Music, which only had 20 million subscribers back in December of 2016, according to an official update from Apple themselves. While Spotify may boast an impressive user base, the service it runs isnt as profitable as it seems. The company mainly relies on ad revenue, and paid subscribers to turn a profit, but a huge chunk of that goes to paying artists, and the company has been recording losses for many years now. However, that might change if Spotify chooses to go for an initial public offering (IPO).
Uber will apply for a self-driving testing permit with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) after all, the company revealed in a Thursday statement given to The Mercury News. Ubers announcement marks a drastic shift in the companys approach to testing its autonomous driving fleet as the San Francisco-based tech giant spent the last two months arguing with the DMV over the legal definition of self-driving cars under California law. Uber initially claimed that it isnt illegally testing its autonomous driving fleet in San Francisco as the 16 Volvo XC90 SUVs it started experimenting with arent actually autonomous. Instead, the ride-hailing company said its experimental vehicles are only self-driving as theyre constantly supervised by professional drivers who are ready to take the wheel in case anything goes wrong. Therefore, Uber claimed it doesnt need an autonomous driving permit as it isnt testing autonomous but self-driving vehicles.

Both Uber and the DMV stuck to their sides of the argument so far and Uber repeatedly refused to obtain a $150 testing permit that would allow it to experiment with its self-driving fleet on the streets of San Francisco without any legal issues. However, the companys latest statement suggest how its hostile stance on correspondence with authorities is over. The latest turn of developments is in line with a public apology recently issued by Ubers Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick. Following a series of scandals within the company and a lawsuit alleging Uber stole trade secrets from Alphabets autonomous driving subsidiary Waymo, Kalanick said how the situation requires him to revamp his leadership style and grow up.

Its unclear whether Ubers self-driving fleet might return to the streets of San Francisco, but a company spokeswoman told The Mercury News that Uber is currently in the process of acquiring a DMV testing permit. The DMV later confirmed that the most valuable startup in the world is indeed once again corresponding with the agency and is trying to acquire a testing permit. Regardless of Ubers decision to drop its dispute with the DMV for the time being, the companys latest statement reiterated that Uber hasnt changed its stance on the definition of a self-driving vehicle under California law.
Even without a red carpet or dazzling spotlights waving through the skies, it has been a stunning and award-winning week here in Racine that more than rivals the goings-on in La La Land. The envelopes, please:

The winner in the Do We Have a City Ordinance on Nuisance Properties or not? category goes to the City of Racine and its attorneys in the ongoing fight to rein in the Riverside Inn, 3700 Northwestern Ave., which they have repeatedly called a nuisance property with a high volume of police calls. In this weeks drama, the citys attorneys agreed with legal representatives of the inn that the citys nuisance ordinance expired in 2015 because it was enacted with a sunset clause. That, the citys attorneys said, meant the previous ordinance was in effect  which leaves the determination up to the police chief.

Not so fast, was the rejoined from the inns attorneys, who contended the city actually repealed the old ordinance, too, when it adopted the one with a sunset provision. In our legal opinion, now there is no nuisance ordinance in the City of Racine, inn attorney John Knuteson told the city. Now thats certainly a pesky development. So, does the inn go to court if the city tries to enforce the old ordinance? Does the city go back to the drawing board and look to pass a new ordinance? What will Police Chief Art Howell do with this mess? We will apparently have to wait for the sequel to find out.

In the category of Half a Loaf is Better than None, the trophy goes to the City of Racine and its attorneys for persistence in sleuthing through the records on an $800,000 1995 housing loan made by a previous City Hall administration. The issues were some ambiguities in the contracts that were written back in the 90s as to whether the loan either was really a grant or a forgivable loan, or was it a loan that had to be repaid in full, said Racine City Attorney Scott Letteney. Which makes us wonder if we should perhaps dig out a copy of our old home mortgage agreement and see if maybe we can use those arguments with the bank. No, the bank probably didnt do that kind of sloppy work. Still, the city was ready to write off the entire loan last summer, but thanks to further work by the attorneys office, the city will recoup $400,000 from one or the other offshoots of the development project  which can then be loaned out again, hopefully with a well-written contract.

The Deja Vu award for long-running history of harassment allegations in a municipality goes, not surprisingly, to the Village of Mount Pleasant, where another village clerk has complained to the Equal Opportunity Employment Opportunity Commission that she is the target of harassment by the village president and some Village Board members. This marks the third Mount Pleasant clerk in six years to make harassment claims. We dearly hope we can retire this trophy very soon.

In the long-running documentary category for service to the community, the clear winner this week goes to Thoughts for Food and its annual fundraiser to benefit the Racine County Food Bank. The multi-venue benefit concert at 14 Downtown Racine and north of the river venues has raised more than $400,000 and more than 100,000 pounds of food to feed the hungry here in Racine. The event runs from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday with admission to all venues set at $10 in advance and $15 at the door, plus two nonperishable food items. A preview All Age event will be held tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Eagles Club, Hamilton and Main streets, with $5 admission and two food items. To celebrate its storied musical history of 25 years, there will be a special kickoff on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Georges Tavern, 1201 N. Main St., that will honor Thoughts for Foods five founders  Mark Paffrath, Steve Klinkhammer, Bill May, Ron Schultz and Dave Popoff.

The Oopsy Award goes to Mayor John Dickert for confirming the city would be interviewing candidates for city administrator this week, but then declining to discuss them because the interviews were confidential. Thats not what the State Open Records laws say and, after The Journal Times filed an open records request, City Attorney Scott Letteney promptly released the names of the three finalists for the $130,000 public position the next day. The pool of applicants includes one candidate who has been fired from three previous city manager jobs and another who held an assistant city manager job for 10 months before leaving to take extended family time. Thats information the public should have before  not after  a candidate is offered the job.

Not far behind Thoughts for Food in longevity in helping the homeless and hungry category is the Empty Bowls fundraiser, which supports the Food Bank and the Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization (HALO). This is the 20th year for Empty Bowls and if you have a hankering for good soup and a great cause, just trot over to Festival Hall on Monday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Soups and breads are donated by area restaurants and for $15 you get to keep your ceramic soup bowl  as a reminder that hunger exists all year around. The cost is $5 for children and $10 for soup-to-go. The annual event has raised more than $530,00 to fight hunger and help the homeless.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. An explosive device went off on February 28 in an unnamed military base of Armenia during engineering works.

Three engineer-servicemen suffered various degree injuries and were hospitalized, Sona Truzyan, spokeswoman of the Investigative Committee told ARMENPRESS.

A criminal case has been initiated on the incident and an investigation is underway, she said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan received on March 3 Minister of the Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia David Tonoyan and director of the ministry's rescue service Mushegh Ghazaryan.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of Artsakh Presidents Office, at the beginning the President congratulated David Tonoyan on being appointed to the responsible position wishing him success in his work.

Issues related to further deepening and widening relations between the corresponding structures of the two Armenian republics were discussed during the meeting attended by director of the State Service on Emergency Situations under the NKR Cabinet of Ministers Komitas Karapetyan.
HP

One of those experiences involved taking the vehicle to a dyno , which had the role of measuring the power and torque figures. As the uploader noted, the brand of dynamometers that was used in this test is known across the industry for its conservative ratings, which means that they often show less power than the vehicles they test can supply.The phenomenon described above happens because not all dynos are built the same, which translates to some brands building chassis dynos, while others make load dynos. The former is known to offer higher figures than the previous, but this happens because the way they measure power is different.A chassis dyno will assess power based on inertia and the spool up speed of the drums, while the load dyno places a particular charge on those drums to measure horsepower and torque. The Mustang-brand dyno that was used in the test falls into the second category.Each type of dyno has a particular "loss," and the atmospheric conditions lead to the necessity of adjusting the results with various coefficients. Those adjustments are built-in to contemporary dynos, but the operator must carefully introduce them for optimal results. In short, dynos dont lie, but they must get correct data every single time.A single unintentional error in data output could lead to an erroneous value. Were not suggesting that the specialists who tested the Giulia Quadrifoglio had made a mistake.However, note that even the slightest change in barometric pressure, air temperature, relative humidity, air density, and even the amount of water that is supplied to the water brake can influence the results, which were already within the typical differences between a manufacturers figures and Mustang-brand dyno results.The explanations provided above they come from multiple sources, and they are included in this article becasue we felt the need to explain the differences between dynos.Moreover, it is our obligation as journalists to provide Alfa Romeos response to the situation. We were contacted by the brands product communications representative in North America, Berj M. Alexanian, who provided us with an official statement regarding the Giulia Quadrifoglios horsepower and torque figures.As Mr. Alexanian stated on behalf of the Italian brand, the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio s 505(or 510 PS in EMEA region) and 443 lb-ft (600 Nm) torque ratings were both verified by SAE in 2016.The three-letter abbreviation refers to the Society of Automotive Engineers, which is responsible for numerous regulations and validations in the automotive industry.SAE only does the validation according to the manufacturers figures if the measured output is within one percent of the claimed ratings in their independent dyno testing. Evidently, the Giulia Quadrifoglio passed both tests, and that led to the values mentioned above and advertised by Alfa Romeo The Italian brands representative refrained from commenting the dyno results of the customer we referred to above, and sent us the reply to clarify its stand on the matter.
That meme did not come out of thin air, as many thieves in the U.S. have abandoned vehicles with manual gearboxes shortly after they tried to steal them. The funniest examples asked the owner for a ride, while others asked directions on how to drive a stick from the person they were robbing.As we have previously remarked in similar circumstances, some individuals are not cut out to do some jobs, and being a carjacker who cannot drive a manual will make anyone the laughing stock of the world and the penitentiary that will confine him or her.The latest culprit is from Cleveland, and he managed to steal three cars at gunpoint in a 10-day span with the help of accomplices. Two of those armed carjackings were done in a single hour, just days after he posted a $10,000 bail for another theft.The first car he stole was a 2004 Nissan, but was caught two days later. At the time, he was helped by three men, who took the owners keys and sped away.A few days after making bail for that offense, he and a 17-year-old boy stole another car from a woman who was getting out of her automobile. They pulled an airsoft gun and drove away in the car.Just an hour later, the two thieves tried to steal another automobile, and they even threatened to kill the 23-year-old man who owned it.This time, the 17-year-old got behind the wheel, but he did not manage to drive a stick shift, so he pointed the gun at the owner and asked for instructions.Apparently, being held at gunpoint does not bring out the best stick shift teaching methods from the man, who could not manage to get his teen robber to understand how to drive the car he tried to steal from him. The pair of thieves settled on grabbing the mans mobile phone, and they ran off on foot, Cleveland.com notes.Police apprehended the pair shortly after, as the phone they stole was tracked by the officers in Cleveland, who asked the train operators to lock the doors until they arrived. The 18-year-old thief is in custody, with three counts of aggravated robbery and a $100,000 bond.
City: Sun Prairie

County: Dane

One of the major American artists of the 20th century, Georgia O'Keeffe developed a unique approach to abstract painting that reflected the landscapes around her.

Born the second of seven children on a farm near Sun Prairie, O'Keeffe knew from an early age that she wanted to be an artist. By age 18, she had left Wisconsin and begun her art training at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Not long after that, she moved to New York, where she studied at the Art Students League in 1907-1908. Although the artwork she made as a student was well received, she did not find it fulfilling, so she decided to find work as a teacher instead, and she taught at various schools and colleges in Virginia, Texas, and South Carolina until 1918. During this period, O'Keeffe produced a series of charcoal drawings that came to the attention of the famous photographer-turned-gallerist Alfred Stieglitz; he first exhibited her work in 1916. By 1918, Stieglitz had convinced her to move to New York to become a full-time painter. The two quickly developed a close relationship, and they married in 1924. Until his death in 1945, Stieglitz was a steadfast promoter of O'Keeffe's work, which was shown in over twenty solo exhibitions and numerous group installations.
Thank you for the lovely letter. That sounds like a great idea. We'll do it! https://t.co/ss2WmkOGyk  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 2, 2017

Instead of fighting with the German premium trio through witty ads, Tesla preferred to have a different strategy, which seems to have worked out for the company.Moreover, instead of publishing press releases, the company writes a blog, which is posted on its website. In contrast, many automakers require an account to view press releases, and that must be approved manually be someone who works there.Evidently, this business model, or Tesla itself, is not perfect. The company seems to skimp out on publishing photos with its cars, even after they are launched on the market and sold in showrooms, but it is not the only one that does this, and that does not improve the situation for anyone.Inspired by Tesla products, its fans have made blogs, vlogs, and even produced independent commercials. While the other company that gets that kind of attention is Apple , with the parodies made by fans of its particular advertising style, Tesla fan-made commercials are quite good. We are not the only ones to like them, but Elon Musk appeared to be unimpressed until recently.He received a letter from a fifth grader named Bria, whose dad is an editor at InsideEVs . She likes the products made by Tesla, and the ideas behind them, and she decided to write a letter to Elon Musk. Her dad published the letter on Twitter, and even mentioned Elon Musk, so that he could get the billionaires attention.It apparently worked. Elon Musk and his 7.5 million followers have seen the letter, which also suggested a contest that would lead to a commercial for Tesla made by its fans, but aired in an official manner as if the automaker commissioned it.Musk went to full-on good-guy/dad mode, and he said it sounded like a good idea, and also promised to take care of things. We can presume that he will send the girl a Tesla-branded T-shirt as well, possibly complete with an autograph.Elon Musk said that Tesla would work with the two film school graduates that produced the commercial embedded below.
AMG

The Japanese brand calls the result Project S, and it explores the possibility of a high-performance model line from Infiniti. The company will unveil it at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show , and the first teaser images, which are quite revealing, look like something that we would love to drive.Working with a Formula One team got Infiniti an advanced hybrid setup, which would be the most affordable KERS system offered on a road car if this would be turned into a production model. Infiniti calls it ERS, which is short for Energy Recovery System, and it operates as a hybrid, but with significant power gains.Infiniti claims that the system offers lag-free acceleration, along with a boost of power and torque with kinetic energy harvested during braking. The Japanese brand insists that the technology featured in this model does not exist in a current road car (no pun intended), so this is something that would make the automaker stand out with is performance division.Volvo is also working on performance hybrids , which means that we should expect the horsepower wars, previously held between the German premium trio, to continue to take place in this century, but with new players and new guns.Infiniti says it will not launch a production model based on this concept just yet, and that it wants to gauge public interest in high-performance derivatives of Infiniti automobiles.We do not want to be Captain Obvious here, but Infinitis rivals have had performance divisions for years, and each competitor sells broad ranges of products that have been enhanced by those departments.Evidently, as Infiniti underlined, there is no high-performance hybrid on the market with this kind of Formula 1 technology on board, but Mercedes-is working on a hypercar that will feature an F1-derived engine.Unlike the Mercedes-AMG hypercar, the result of Infinitis Project Black S has the potential of being affordable for mere mortals that have not made their first million.
The facelifted GT3 has just been spotted in Porsche's home city and all we have so far is this image showing the posterior and the side of the Neunelfer.The most important transformation comes from the air intake, which has migrated to the base of the rear wing assembly. And speaking of the wing, this seems to be slightly more generous.While we've said the 991.2 GT3, which is scheduled to make its debut next week, at the Geneva Motor Show, will be motivated by a new 4.0-liter flat-six, the side elements of the wing, which should send out the new displacement message, are still covered in black tape - we can say the same about the branding on the upper rear fascia and the sides of the front bumper.With the current 3.8-liter boxer heart of the GT3 delivering 475 hp, we're expecting the newcomer to pack 500 ponies. Other 991.2 bits that can be noticed in this Instagram-sourced pic (lens tip to 911garagepoland for the image) are the taillights and the door handles.Interestingly, the wheels on this prototype, which is dressed in Lava Orange, the launch color of the 991.1 GT3 RS, are those fitted to the current model. Nevertheless, the most important change coming with the 991.2 is the return to the manual gearbox, obviously as an option.We added a photo of Lava Orange 991.1 GT3 in the gallery to your right, so you can easily compare the two incarnations of the track-friendly naturally aspirated Porscha.
Ousted National Security Advisor Mike Flynn and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, met with the Russian Ambassador to the U.S. in December at Trump Tower, the White House has told the NYT. The New Yorker previously reported that Kushner had met Kislyak.

Why it matters: The FBI is investigating ties between Trump's associates and Russia, and the list of those with confirmed contacts is growing. Kushner is one step closer to Trump than either Flynn or Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Sessions recused himself from a Trump-Russian investigation minutes ago after failing to disclose meetings last year with Kislyak. Flynn's conversations with Kislyak led to his resignation.

The White House on the meeting: "They generally discussed the relationship and it made sense to establish a line of communication. Jared has had meetings with many other foreign countries and representatives."




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
City: Milwaukee

County: Milwaukee

Mildred Fish-Harnack was the only American woman to die by Adolf Hitler's direct order for spying on Germany during World War II.

Mildred Fish was born in Milwaukee in 1902. She studied and then taught English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she also met a German student named Arvid Harnack. When the couple married in 1926, Mildred chose to hyphenate her last name (as Fish-Harnack), because she was a progressive woman and proud of her name. A few years later, she and Arvid both moved to Germany, where she taught and also worked on her doctorate while he worked for the German government. During this time Fish-Harnack became interested in the Soviet Union, where women could choose where to work and also had other rights that women in the U.S. did not have.

During the rise of Hitler and the Nazi regime, Fish-Harnack and her husband joined a small resistance group, which the Nazi secret police  or Gestapo  would later call the Red Orchestra. The group smuggled important secrets about the Nazis to the U.S. and Soviet governments and helped Jews escape from Germany. Their espionage cost them their lives. Fish-Harnack's husband was hanged in December 1942, and in February 1943 she was executed as well. Fish-Harnack was the only American woman ever put to death on the direct order of Adolf Hitler for her involvement in the resistance movement. Her last words were, "And I have loved Germany so much."
Kohler was the daughter of Frederic R. DeYoung, a justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois. She studied history and led the judicial branch of the student government at Smith College in Massachusetts. After, Kohler traveled through Europe before taking a job as the women's editor at the CHICAGO TRIBUNE in 1929. In the years 1935-1937, she organized the TRIBUNE's Women's Congress, a forum attended by 5,000 women that discussed the leading issues of the day.

In 1937, she married Herbert V. Kohler, president of the Kohler Company, and left her job at the TRIBUNE to travel abroad, where she surveyed conditions in Great Britain, Scandinavia, and Central Europe. Kohler also served on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs. For the state's centennial celebration in 1948, she published THE STORY OF WISCONSIN WOMEN, which paid tribute to more than 1500 women who had worked and lived in the state. Just before Kohler passed away, she led the Kohler Foundation's efforts to restore the historic Wade House in Greenbush.
Gruber was born in Brooklyn to Jewish immigrants. At age 18, she graduated from New York University and received a fellowship to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study German and English literature. She earned her M.A. in 1931 and that same year received an Institute of International Education fellowship to study in Cologne, Germany. According to the NEW YORK TIMES, Gruber was the youngest Ph.D. in the world when she graduated, magna cum laude, at age 20, having completed her doctorate in just one year.

Gruber began writing for the NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE when she returned to the U.S. In 1935 she won another fellowship, this time to conduct a study of women under fascism, communism, and democracy. She traveled through Europe and was the first foreign correspondent, female or male, to visit the Soviet Arctic. After completing that study, Gruber studied the economic conditions in Alaska for the Secretary of the Interior. The HERALD TRIBUNE invited her to cover Exodus 1947, a ship that carried 4500 Jewish World War II refugees to British-controlled Palestine to seek entrance. Gruber was one of three journalists allowed on the ship, and the only one with a camera to document the voyage. She has written books about her experiences, including I WENT TO THE SOVIET ARCTIC; HAVEN: THE UNKNOWN STORY OF 1,000 WORLD WAR II REFUGEES; and EXODUS 1947: THE SHIP THAT LAUNCHED A NATION. Gruber has received five honorary doctorates, including one from the University of Wisconsin.
Update - 10.15pm: Groups representing the families of babies who died in mother-and-baby homes were not informed that remains have been found at one site.

Today's media coverage was the first time that many relatives were officially told there were remains at the site in Tuam.

Anna Corrigan's two brothers were born in the home - but a death certificate was only ever issued for one of them.

She says the Commission is being used to stop a formal investigation into her brother's disappearance

Update - 8pm: The sister of a child who died in a mother and baby home says families should be given the option of reclaiming their remains.

It is after confirmation that remains have been recovered from the former home in Tuam, some of which were only 35 foetal weeks old.

One of Anna Corrigan's two brothers died in the Tuam home, while no records exist of another, who may have been adopted abroad.

She says if her brothers are in the burial site in Tuam, they should be exhumed and put in her own family plot.

Update - 5.20pm: The chairperson of the Coalition of Mother and Baby home Survivors (CMABS) has said the bodies uncovered at the former mother-and-baby home in Tuam "is the tip of the iceberg" which they claim will "amount to at least 6,000 babies and children".

They also spoke of their shock at having to learn of the discovered bodies in the news.

Paul Redmond, chairperson of CMABS, said: "What is shocking is that once again we have to learn of this news via the media. The communications skills of the Minister and the Commission of Inquiry leave a lot to be desired when it comes to informing the Survivor Community of developments.

"Tuam must not be seen in isolation. There are over 227 confirmed deaths in the notorious Bethany Home in Dublin and recent research has revealed the names of over 200 babies and children buried in the Angel's Plot at Castlepollard mother-and-baby home ranging from a few hours old to over two years. There were also at least 77 confirmed stillbirths in Castlepollard above and beyond the 200 registered deaths.

"The worst is yet to come as details of the huge behemoths of Saint Patrick's, Bessboro and Sean Ross Abbey have yet to be revealed."

He urged the Government, Minister Zappone and the Inquiry to consider living survivors before any further excavations are carried out.

He said: "Our community is ageing and has been viciously cut in two by the current official policy of excluding many survivors from the Inquiry. Survivors need to be heard instead of ignored; consulted instead of insulted; treated with respect instead of learning the latest developments via the media."

Update - 3.55pm: It has emerged that the relatives of children who died at a mother-and-baby home in Tuam were not informed that remains had been recovered.

A woman whose brother died in the home says the only official confirmation that remains were found came through the media today.

Anna Corrigan lost one brother in Tuam, and believes another was given for adoption in America.

She says the Commission should have told families first, before announcing the recovery of human remains.

Ms Corrigan said: "There was tweets up on social media that human remains had been found, the digger is in, photographs of the digger.

"I had to send these to judge Murphy and say 'is this the correct way to actually inform family members of what's happened with their family?'."

Update 12.53pm: There have been calls for other mother-and-baby homes to be included in an inquiry following the grim discovery of a significant amount of human remains in Tuam, writes Juno McEnroe, Political Correspondent.

Sinn Fein TD Donnchadh O'Laoghaire said today that he will ask the the judge heading the commission of investigation into Church-run mother-and-baby homes to extend the inquiry's remit.

Donnchadh O'Laoghaire

The move comes after the shock revelation this morning that a large amount of human remains were were discovered at a Galway site excavated by the Mother and and Baby Homes Commission.

The commission says it is shocked by the discovery in Tuam.

These remains involved a number of individuals with age-at-death ranges from approximately 35 foetal weeks to 2-3 years, the body said.

Deputy O'Laoghaire said he would be pressing for the Oireachtas Committee on Children, which he is a member, to ask commission judge Yvonne Murphy to come before it.

It was an extremely sad and shocking discovery and an indictment of Ireland at the time and it was now a national scandal, added the Cork South Central TD.

It was vitally important that the coroner for County Galway was now involved, he said.

"It is important because we need to establish the circumstances of the deaths of these children and if those children died in any manner of violent way and therefor if the coroner needs to contact the gardai.

It was also "very disappointing" that many of the victims groups had not been contacted, he added, or made aware of the statement in advance.

It is necessary to try and identify as many as of the remains as possible and the whereabouts of their passing.

Contact would need to be made with families then where identities were established, added the Sinn Fein TD.

There should be some sensitive way of memoralising the victims and giving them the dignity that they deserve, which they did not receive on their passing.

"I will be requesting that the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs invites Judge Yvonne Murphy before it to discuss these revelations, to discuss the terms and reference for the commission and the possibility that Tuam may not be an exception.

He said he personally had been contacted by people who claimed there were other sites that must be investigated.

"There are fears that not all of these sites, even in Tuam, were investigated.

"If there is any evidence to say that there is any evidence that exists on the sites of any of the other mother and baby homes, they also need to be investigated and I want to discuss that with Judge Murphy.

The TD also said that the grim discovery now suggested that this had been a cover up.

It certainly has that appearance. It seems difficult to imagine that this was carried out in any legal way.

Catherine Corless with Minister Katherine Zappone at the site in Tuam. Photo: Ray Ryan

Earlier:

"Significant quantities" of human remains have been discovered on the site of the Tuam mother-and-baby home, writes Conall O Fatharta.

The Commission to Inquire into Mother and Baby Homes have said they are "shocked" by the discovery and is continuing its investigation into who was responsible for the disposal of human remains in this way.

The examination of the site uncovered two large underground structures. One of these was divided into 20 chambers.

Significant quantities of human remains have been discovered in at least 17 of the 20 underground chambers which were examined. A small number of remains were recovered for the purpose of analysis.

These remains involved a number of individuals with age-at-death ranges from approximately 35 foetal weeks to 2-3 years. The Coroner has been informed.

Radiocarbon dating of the samples recovered suggest that the remains date from the timeframe relevant to the operation of the Mother and Baby Home (the Mother and Baby Home operated from 1925 to 1961.

The Commission has not yet determined what the purpose of this structure was but it appears to be related to the treatment/containment of sewage and/or waste water. The Commission has also not yet determined if it was ever used for this purpose.

The discovery raises further questions as to when the Commission will start examining other Mother and Baby Home sites for remains.

Last month, it informed the Irish Examiner that there has been no decision to carry out excavations on the site of any other mother and baby home other than Tuam  despite the HSE confirming as far back as 2012 that there had been a higher infant death rate in Bessborough in Cork.

An Irish Examiner investigation in 2015 revealed that the HSE informed the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs of a shocking infant mortality rate at Bessborough in 2012.

The unpublished report also expressed concerns that deaths may have been falsified at Bessborough so that children could be brokered into clandestine adoption arrangements.

The investigation revealed that the HSE had also reported concerns in 2012 that up to 1,000 children may have been trafficked to the US from the Tuam mother and baby home in a scandal that dwarfs other, more recent, issues within the Church and State.

Senior HSE officials advised that this goes all the way up to the minister so a fully fledged, fully resourced forensic investigation and State inquiry could be launched. An inquiry was not launched by the Government until two years later.

Factual helplines about today's findings in Tuam:

01 6473118

01 6473232



Affected public can also directly contact HSE line:

1850 241 850  Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) March 3, 2017

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone described today's revelations as very sad and disturbing news.

It was not unexpected as there were claims about human remains on the site over the last number of years," she said.

Up to now we had rumours. Now we have confirmation that the remains are there, and that they date back to the time of the Mother and Baby Home, which operated in Tuam from 1925 to 1961.

Zappone says 'significant number' of remains found at Tuam site @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/aJapXBQV3U  Aoife Barry (@sweetoblivion26) March 3, 2017

Ms Zappone also stated: Today is about remembering and respecting the dignity of children who live their short lives in this home. We will honour their memory and make sure we take the right actions now to treat their remains appropriately."

Zappone - options include leaving remains or reinterring them. Statement: pic.twitter.com/JfmDKgaD0X  Aoife Barry (@sweetoblivion26) March 3, 2017

Labour spokeperson for Children and Youth Affairs, Jan O'Sullivan TD, said: "I am deeply saddened and concerned to hear confirmation today of the recovery of human remains at the site of a former mother and baby home in Tuam in Co Galway.

"The brave women who lived at the home as well as their relatives who have come forward over the past number of years to tell their stories, and the painstaking research by local historian Catherine Corless, have helped to shed light on another dark chapter in Irish history.

"I continue to offer my support to the ongoing work of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes, which is due to release its final report next year, and hope it will be of some help to the former residents and their families."

.@KZapponeTD responding to the news now - confirms the remains are from the era of mother and baby home's operation, and not earlier  Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) March 3, 2017

Could there be more than 800? "We don't know."  Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) March 3, 2017

A dedicated telephone information line for factual information and a service for those who feel personally affected by the news on 01-6473118/01-6473232.

Full statement from Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation:

The Commission has completed its test excavation of the Tuam site.

The stratigraphic survey which was conducted in October 2015 identified a particular area of interest and identified a number of sub surface anomalies that were considered worthy of further investigation.

These were further investigated by a test excavation in November/December 2016 and in January/February 2017.

Test trenches were dug revealing two large structures. One structure appears to be a large sewage containment system or septic tank that had been decommissioned and filled with rubble and debris and then covered with top soil.

The second structure is a long structure which is divided into 20 chambers. The Commission has not yet determined what the purpose of this structure was but it appears to be related to the treatment/containment of sewage and/or waste water.

The Commission has also not yet determined if it was ever used for this purpose.

In this second structure, significant quantities of human remains have been discovered in at least 17 of the 20 underground chambers which were examined.

A small number of remains were recovered for the purpose of analysis.

These remains involved a number of individuals with age-at-death ranges from approximately 35 foetal weeks to 2-3 years. Radiocarbon dating of the samples recovered suggest that the remains date from the timeframe relevant to the operation of the Mother and Baby Home (the Mother and Baby Home operated from 1925 to 1961; a number of the samples are likely to date from the 1950s). Further scientific tests are being conducted.

The Commission is shocked by this discovery and is continuing its investigation into who was responsible for the disposal of human remains in this way.

Meanwhile, the Commission has asked that the relevant State authorities take responsibility for the appropriate treatment of the remains. The Coroner has been informed.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is making a statement on the matter today.
Allergan marked 40 successful years of business in Ireland yesterday confirming an additional investment of 42 million in its Irish operations in 2017.

The Company, which employs approximately 1,700 people in Ireland, also announced details of a new 50,000 Innovation Award Programme with Irish colleges around the country.

The six colleges involved in this years Innovation Award Programme are Trinity College Dublin, UCD, NUI Galway, IT Sligo, DCU and Galway-Mayo IT.

According to Economic Consultants DKM, Allergan has made a significant contribution to the Irish economy since its establishment 40 years ago with investments in Ireland estimated at a cumulative 610 million to 2017.



While the Company primarily manufactures pharmaceutical products for the global market, the firms impact on the local Irish economy is significant, supporting an additional 600 jobs indirectly in the supply chain and 500 jobs in the wider economy.



This years investment of 42 million across its Clonshaugh and Westport manufacturing operations will support increased manufacturing capabilities for some of Allergans key current and future products.

The investment in Westport will go towards adding additional capacity to its eye care manufacturing operations and the expansion of its ocular implant manufacturing facility to accommodate both a capacity increase for existing products and the capability to accommodate new products using this technology platform, which are currently under development.



It was also announced yesterday that Allergan will become the Official Sponsor of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation as part of a three-year sponsorship. The announcements coincide with the Allergan Global Leadership Team meeting in Dublin.



Marking Allergans 40 years in Ireland, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny said, "I have seen first-hand the growth of the company in Mayo from roughly 25 jobs in 1977 and how they became an integral part of the community, which has since expanded to over 1,100 jobs in Westport. Allergan were amongst the early arrivals to Ireland and helped to sow the seeds of what was then our emerging pharmaceutical sector, which thankfully took root with much vigour over the intervening years."

He added, "Allergan has undoubtedly made a significant contribution to making Ireland home to a world class pharmaceutical industry and I wish to thank them for their ongoing commitment to their Irish operations."



Source: www.businessworld.ie

About us
President Trump has sparked controversy for his plans to build a wall along the Mexican border, for banning travelers from certain countries from entering the U.S., and for stepping up deportations of those here illegally. But in his address to Congress on Tuesday night, Trump spent more time discussing reforms to our legal immigration system, which currently allows some 1 million people a year to enter the country. Most pointedly, Trump pledged to change the current family-based system to one that is skills- or merit-basedas other developed nations have done. It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially. Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon, Trump said. Its an idea likely to spark as much opposition from todays immigration advocates within the Democratic Party as anything else that Trump is proposing. But if he succeeds, Trump would dramatically transform the flow of newcomers in ways that could boost Americas economic output.

Our current legal immigration system is the result of the far-reaching and somewhat unanticipated consequences of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. That law abolished the national quotas that Congress had enacted in 1921 and replaced them with a framework that gave preference to the relatives of American citizens. One of the bills chief backers, Senator Ted Kennedy, proclaimed that the changes were modest and that the legislation, contrary to the charges in some quarters, will not inundate America with immigrants. He also confidently predicted that immigrants who came here under the new system would not become a public charge.

But by simultaneously lifting bans on immigration from some regions and giving preference to the relatives of U.S. citizens (including the adult parents and adult siblings of those already living here), the law generated a big increase in the number of people wanting to come, and the waiting list grew enormous. Under pressure, Congress consistently began raising the quotas, and legal immigration rose steadily, from 296,697 in 1965 to 1,051,031 in 2015. The demographics of immigration changed, too. Before the new legislation, those from Europe and Canada made up nearly seven in 10 legal immigrants. In 2015, however, Europeans and Canadians accounted for just 10 percent of new immigrants. By contrast, Asians made up 39 percent of legal newcomers, while immigrants from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America constituted one-third of new legal arrivals.

The 1965 law also unleashed waves of illegal immigration. As newcomers made their way over from countries that had not previously sent many people to the United States, and as waiting lists grew longer, millions of would-be residents simply came without gaining permissionoften doing so because they now had relatives or friends here who could accommodate them.

Around the rest of the world, countries have moved away from a system based so heavily on family ties. Worried about the influx of unskilled immigrants during an economic recession in the early 1990s, Australia began putting more emphasis on individuals with needed job skills. From 1996 through 2006, the country dramatically changed its balance of permanent immigrants, with those gaining entry through skills increasing from 29 percent to 70 percent of all newcomers. The Australian Government Productivity Commission laid out the countrys philosophy in a recent study: While some positive rate of immigration is likely to benefit Australia over the long term, the gains depend on having a system that attracts immigrants who are younger and more skilled, the report noted.

Today, after more than two decades of change, Australia maintains a list of skilled occupations for which practitioners get visa preferences. Applicants for visas must qualify by accumulating points for various characteristics, including competency in English, post-secondary education or certification in a trade, and a history of skilled employment. The emphasis pays off in workers who more quickly integrate into the countrys economy and boost its economic output. According to the Productivity Commission report, the median annual income of Australias skilled immigrants is above that of the population in general, while the income of those entering the country under family preferences is below the median. And family-preference immigrants have higher rates of unemployment than the overall population, while skilled migrants are more likely to be employed.

Reformers have tried to move America toward such a system, but opponents denigrate the idea as a violation of family values. When in 2007 Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy proposed reform legislation that would adopt a skills approach, then-presidential candidate Barack Obama objected, as did Hillary Clinton, claiming that the reforms would separate families. This idea, however, ignores the fact that most immigrants come here willingly, not by force; no other country assumes that when an immigrant arrives, he gains the right to bring over his entire family. Under most skills-based systems, workers who gain entry can bring their spouses and their minor-age childrenbut not adult relatives.

Back in 2007, Obama displayed his ignorance of immigration history when he suggested that a merit-based point system would have blocked the ancestors of many Americans from entering the country. How many of our forefathers would have measured up under this point system? How many would have been turned back at Ellis Island? he asked. The answer: not many. One reason so many of the immigrants from Americas last Great Migrationthe period between 1880 and the mid-1920ssucceeded is precisely because they were, relative to the American population of the time, well-suited to our economic needs and job market. A 1998 National Research Council report prepared for the so-called Jordan Commission, the special task force on immigration led by former congresswomen Barbara Jordan, noted that the newly arriving immigrant nonagricultural work force [of the Great Migration] . . . was (slightly) more skilled than the resident American labor force. According to that study, 27 percent of immigrants were skilled laborers, compared with 17 percent of that eras native-born workforce. By contrast, many immigrants arriving since 1965 have been less skilled than the average American. Harvard economist George Borjas estimated that while immigration from 1980 through 1995 increased the number of college graduates in America by 4 percent, it boosted the ranks of unskilled workers by 21 percent.

The real reason for opposition to skills-based immigration reform is political. Many of the advocacy groups that defend the status quo are primarily composed of immigrants who have come here through family ties. Maintaining that system ensures that the flow of immigrants from parts of the world that dominate our migration streams nowespecially Asia and Central Americawill continue. It also means that the power of immigration advocacy groups will continue to grow, strengthening political blocs that almost universally support Democrats.

Donald Trump, though, is in position to give the country an immigration policy similar to what most other developed nations have adopted. Hes made a good start, framing the argument on Tuesday as a sensible, pro-immigration way to boost Americas economy. Now hell need political skills to win the battle.

John Moore/Getty Images
In Singapore, many landlords prefer leaving their units empty to renting to certain ethnic groups. Owners of private residential properties routinely exclude individuals from tenancy based on ethnicity, even explicitly stating in advertisements that requirements are "no Indians/ PRC" (slang for People's Republic of China) or "no Malay."

Private residential buildings, foreground, stand in the Orchard Road area of Singapore. Sam Kang Li / Bloomberg /Getty Images

As of late February, at least 49 listings across popular housing portals PropertyGuru, Craigslist, and Gumtree clearly stated that at least one of those three ethnicities were not eligible tenants. These ads are typically placed by real estate agents, who often find themselves in the position of sieving out tenants on behalf of unit owners' ethnic preferences. But even when housing ads don't state ethnic preferences outright, many Singapore renters told CNBC they still experience prejudice. Such discriminatory practices  in a country where interracial harmony is a matter of law  target both foreigners and locals, and are so ingrained for some that they even flourish amid unfavorable market dynamics. An overflow of supply and fewer well-paid foreign workers have pushed residential rents lower over the years, making Singapore a true tenant's market. In January, SRX Property's monthly rental price index for private apartments and condos contracted 5 percent from a year ago and was nearly 19 percent below its January 2013 peak. Private home vacancies hit a 16-year high of 8.9 percent in the second-quarter of 2016 before improving to 8.4 percent in the fourth-quarter. Still, many landlords would rather leave units unoccupied than rent to people who don't meet their requirements, said Kelly Tang Robinson, founder of Land Vista Property. "Technically, landlords can't really be choosy in this market, but only 40 percent are conscious of profits and costs. The other 60 percent are highly sensitive to the profiles of prospective tenants and thus susceptible to racial bias," said one property agent who works with major firms and wished to remain anonymous due to the topic's sensitive nature.

Rental racism

The explicit rental biases contrasts to Singapore's melting pot image. The island nation's unique brand of multiculturalism is often seen as a model for emerging markets across the globe. Its residential diversity 74.3 percent Chinese, 13.4 percent Malay and 9.1 percent Indian in 2016  reflects across many aspects of society, including official languages, government leadership, street food and family law. But minority groups still grapple with racism.

Residential buildings in Singapore Nicky Loh/Bloomberg/Getty Images

When co-founder of property listings website 99.co Darius Cheung and his pregnant wife Roshni Mahtani, both Singaporeans, were apartment hunting in 2015, more than 20 percent of their inquiries were rejected upfront because of Mahtani's Indian origins, Cheung said. Ultimately, he said, they ended up paying a 15 percent premium in a falling rental market because of their limited negotiation power.

Upon moving to the Lion City in 2010, Indian national Alankar Lodha was regularly required to state his race during rental inquiries, he said. But despite an international education, the 29-year-old said he was often rejected because he was told the landlord did not want Indian occupants. When contacted, state entities said they didn't have a clear mandate to cover the issue. The Urban Redevelopment Authority, the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) and the Presidential Council for Minority Rights told CNBC their respective regulatory frameworks didn't include discrimination conflicts between landlords and lodgers. The CEA did say, however, that it has produced guidelines on listings, investigated racist advertising complaints and urged the public not to condone discrimination. "In advertising properties for sale, purchase or rental, salespersons should be sensitive to the diverse, multi-racial and multi-cultural nature of society and advise their clients against placing advertisements that are discriminatory, offensive or stereotyped in nature against any particular race, religion or group in society," the CEA said in a set of guidelines. Still, those governmental calls for ethnic equality have not eradicated the practice. Eric Foenander and his two friends are Singaporeans of Malay origin, but 33-year-old Foenander said they were treated like "second-class citizens" during an apartment hunt last year. The trio, he claimed, were rejected for an apartment owned by Far East Organization, one of Singapore's largest developers, despite agreeing to the company's high terms: Five months of advance rent that amounted to nearly S$20,000 ($14, 200) and monthly unit checks. "Our agent hinted at the idea that the rejection might have been because our non-Chinese roots did not sit well with the elderly Chinese landlords," Foenander said. In response, Far East told CNBC that its leasing decisions were based on commercial considerations, not discriminatory practices. When presented with Foenander's account, Far East said it could neither confirm nor deny the claims.

What's fueling stereotypes

A few cases involving troublesome tenants are often enough to turn landlords against entire ethnicities. One key complaint against Chinese dwellers, several agents told CNBC, is their upkeep of properties. "Many PRCs don't take care of rented units," said John Seah, a real-estate salesperson. "My clients have had several cases where PRCs were not only messy, they damaged the place and ignored laws." Nicholas, an agent working for a leading real-estate firm who didn't wish to disclose his full name, told CNBC that one of his clients had to spend more than S$12,000 ($8,540) in repairs after a tenant from mainland China damaged the house. Such renters, Nicholas claimed, also frequently bring extra people to stay in the unit, which goes against most landlords' preferences. He also claimed they tend to leave the front door open so owners become worried about theft.



watch now

Meanwhile, insufficient cleanup of South Asian cuisine is a frequent criticism of Indian tenants.

"One client rented a house to an Indian family, who often cooked curry and did not adequately clean up. At the end of the rental term, deep cooking stains were everywhere and he was forced to spend thousands on renovation," said Nicholas. "If Indian inhabitants would clean up after cooking, then landlords would not need to worry about them," added Seah. "Would you want to rent a place and worry all the time that it wasn't being taken care of? In many cases, the security deposits aren't enough to cover defects." The problem is exacerbated because landlords and tenants often do not agree on what constitutes fair wear and tear, explained Robinson. Some inhabitants don't realize how much work it takes to return a rental apartment to its original state while local landlords don't allow for any depreciation, she noted.

Fighting bias
03/03/2017

The Standing Rock Sioux's on-the-ground protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline drew a heavy, coordinated response from local law enforcement agencies, sanitation crews, federal agents from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms bureau. Even agents from the FBIs joint terrorism task force reportedly opened investigations into some of the anti-pipeline activists.

But a pipeline leak on another North Dakota reservation drew a very different kind of bureaucratic reaction.

They dont have any support. They feel kind of alone. They have no authority to go through, recalls Dr. Aver Vengosh, a Duke University geochemistry professor who has studied the impacts of domestic fracking across the country since 2010. Several years ago, people from North Dakotas Fort Berthold Reservation called to tell him about a spill on their land.

Officials initially said there was little reason for concern when fracking wastewater leaked onto the reservation in 2014 out of a gathering pipeline -- a pipeline that carries byproduct from oil and gas drilling. Gathering pipelines until recently received little government oversight at the federal or state level. This wastewater spill left 200 yards of dead vegetation in its wake and occurred right next to Bear Den Bay, a bay that feeds into Lake Sakakawea, which is the reservations source of drinking water.

Still, pipeline operator Crestwood Midstream Partners assured the public that there is no evidence yet that the spill has contaminated nearby Bear Den Bay. The Environmental Protection Agency said it had no confirmed reports that the brine reached the bay, and the Associated Press reported seeing no visible signs of contamination in the bay on a boat trip.

Widespread contamination found at the site

Vengosh and his team collected data from the bay anyway. There was a need for that given the lack of local authority," Vengosh tells ConsumerAffairs. Sure enough, Vengosh and his researchers reported finding widespread contamination lingering in the bay and the soil.

At the Fort Berthold site and three other fracking wastewater spill sites in North Dakota, the fracking fluid, or brine, was laden with radioactive pollutants and inorganic compounds. The chemicals could not degrade over time, creating what the researchers described as a legacy of radioactivity at spill sites. The researchers published their results in April 2016, nearly two years after the Fort Berthold spill had occurred.

Regulators, Vengosh says, expressed little interest in his findings. The reaction of the state was very defensive, there was not any true attempt to see what we found."

In the year following the spill, authorities calculated the total leak on Fort Berthold at one million gallons of brine. The EPA eventually gave Crestwood Midstream a "Notice of Potential Violation" concerning the leak in 2015, but that government investigation has appeared to languish since then.

"EPAs investigation of the Crestwood Midstream brine spill is an ongoing enforcement matter, EPA spokesman Katherine Jenkins now writes to ConsumerAffairs in an email. Crestwood recently indicated to investors that it would commence a clean-up or "remediation" of the Fort Berthold spill site -- but only once the EPA investigation is finished. "We expect to enter into a settlement agreement in the second quarter of 2017 and, thereafter commence the remediation actions contemplated by the settlement agreement," Crestwood wrote of the EPA investigation in its 2016 annual report.

An attempt by a tribal agency to impose a $1.1 million fine on Crestwood has also been fended off, according to the annual report. Although we continue to have productive settlement conversations with the Tribe, Crestwood wrote to investors in its 2016 annual report, we cannot predict if or when we will be able to settle the dispute. Reached by ConsumerAffairs, a Crestwood spokeswoman said they had nothing more to say other than what was in the annual report.

New study suggests nationwide under-reporting of fracking pipeline spills

Just six months after Crestwood Midstream announced a leak out of its gathering pipeline, a saltwater spill nearly triple its size leaked out of gathering line run by Summit Midstream Partners and into a creek that feeds the Missouri River. That saltwater spill was the largest of its kind in North Dakota's history. Summit Midstream promised to work "tirelessly" to clean-up the mess, but the following year the company experienced a leak in the same spot.

Spills of this nature aren't unique to North Dakota. A new study published last week by researchers from the Harvard Law Schools Environmental Policy Initiative confirmed what the anecdotal evidence has suggested for years: that spills related to fracking, including spills of toxic saltwater as well as gas and oil itself, have occurred "far more often than previously reported." North Dakota had the most spills out of four states the researchers studied. Analyses like this one are so important, to define and mitigate risk to water supplies and human health," co-author Kate Konschnik told Courthouse News.

North Dakota's health department, meanwhile, has been developing new guidelines for cleaning up saltwater spills. The agency has also done a better job than it has previously of helping ranchers affected by saltwater spills, Troy Coons, chairman of the Northwest Landowners Association, tells ConsumerAffairs. Last year, the state's industrial commission even finalized new rules governing gathering pipelines. "Are we heading the right direction? Yes. Is there more to do? Definitely," says Coons.

At the same time, North Dakota's lawmakers are trying to give the oil and gas industry more breaks. A bill approved this year by the state House would no longer require companies to report spills of wastewater, crude oil, or natural gas that are less than 420 gallons, a move Coons describes as a major setback for landowners.

And while the ranchers affected by brine spills have received some clean-up help from authorities and industry, Coons is unsure whether people on reservations get the same assistance. Because reservations are designated as sovereign tribal nations, "there's different standards that they require on the tribal land."

North Dakota lawmakers crackdown on protesters

Rather than acting more aggressively to tackle pipeline spills, North Dakota's leaders have instead opted to set their focus on protesters. On February 27, Governor Dough Burgum signed into law four bills drafted in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. The bills increase the penalties for criminal trespassing and the penalties for engaging in a riot, two charges that were commonly brought against anti-pipeline activists. The laws also criminalize wearing a mask or hoodie while committing a crime and give the state attorney general more authority to seek help from out-of-state law enforcement agencies.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which has joined 34 tribes in court to support an ongoing lawsuit that the Standing Rock Sioux filed against the Dakota Access Pipeline, has described North Dakota's overall response to the protests as a "suppression of free speech and civil rights."

Vengosh's advice to Fort Berthold Reservation

In 2016, several months after the Duke University study on saltwater spills in North Dakota came out, author Dr. Aver Vengosh took another trip back to the Fort Berthold reservation. In the absence of any help from regulators, he wanted to discuss the group's findings directly with the community.

In several presentations, Vengosh says he tried to put the risks that the reservation faces in perspective. For example, he doesn't think there is an immediate risk that the reservation's drinking water will be poisoned. But there are long-term concerns and ecological dangers, he says.

Most importantly, the spill has a very easy remediation, Vengosh says---pumping out the contaminated spill water, collecting the contaminated soil, and storing it all in a landfill or in a deep injection well. But he has yet to see this mitigation process take place.

"What you need to do is very simple," Vengosh says, "and it hasn't been done."
Michelin is the largest private employer in Nova Scotia  and that means youll find lots of Dal graduates in its workforce.



Among the Michelin North America (Canada)s senior management staff, for example, youll find more than 60 Dalhousie Engineering alumni  including Jeff MacLean, its president. And the company more broadly has been a dedicated partner with Dals Faculty of Engineering for almost four decades, helping support co-op, research and employment opportunities for students and graduates.



Every day, Dalhousie engineering graduates bring their skills and leadership to our business, said MacLean, who referred to Dal's graduates as "the best in the world."

As an alumnus and a previous co-op student, I benefitted from Dalhousie and Michelins partnership and work experience as I completed my Engineering studies," he added.

"As a global business leader, I cannot stress the importance of having Dalhousie here... Dalhousie engineers allow us to not only compete, but we exceed in the world."

An investment in new student spaces



Thursday afternoon, MacLean was on campus to join Dal President Richard Florizone and others to announce his companys $500,000 investment in the universitys IDEA Project, a $64-million revitalization of Sexton Campus.



The funding will go towards the Michelin Creation Lab, a new state-of-the-art engineering machine shop that will enable larger projects, greater precision and program expansion.



I am confident that this donation will enrich the engineering experience for students at Dalhousie who will benefit from this new lab and through this very exciting IDEA Project, said MacLean.



The announcement event took place as excavators were visible out the windows of the Alumni Lounge, making way for the IDEA Project's construction.

It also took place the same day as a Michelin recruitment event on campus, at which current students were able to chat with MacLean and local plant managers to learn more about opportunities with with the company. Michelin is seeking to fill a number of upcoming engineering positions at their operation sites across the province. (The company has already hired four students from this year's Engineering class to begin working with the company after graduation in May.)



President Florizone thanked MacLean and Michelin for the donation, celebrating the university/industry partnership as one that aligns well with the Faculty of Engineerings strong focus on developing practical engineers through experiential, hands-on learning.



Its the support of companies like Michelin that gives our students the tools and opportunities they need to build on their skills and continue to build innovation here in our region as we reinvent our downtown campus, said Dr. Florizone.

Supporting the next generation of engineers





Michelin employee Kelsey Baker also spoke at the event. An engineer with the company, she completed her Dal Industrial Engineering degree last year, joining Michelin's Waterville facility in the Annapolis Valley just nine days after graduation. She was first exposed to the company during a co-op term at its Pictou County facility.



"When I got to Halifax I had no idea what opportunities were available to me," said Baker, originally from Prince Edward Island. "I'm really fortune that I made the decision to do the co-op program, because it really opened up my eyes. And it was thorough the co-op program that I found Michelin."

Kelly Regan, Nova Scotia's Minister of Labour and Advanced Education, was also in attendance to help celebrate Michelin's gift. She referred to Dal's IDEA Project (which stands for Innovation and Design in Engineering and Architecture) as "the latest example of Dal taking charge and creating an environment where Nova Scotians can thrive."



The IDEA Project represents a major revitalization of Dals downtown campus, adding advanced technology and design labs, state-of-the-art engineering facilities, and modern teaching and learning spaces alongside cutting-edge incubation space (the ideaHUB) to better link students and faculty to industry and entrepreneurs.

With a targeted completion date of spring 2018, the IDEA Project is made possible through the generous support of the Government of Canada as well as the matching support of donors such as Michelin, students and other industry partners.

Read more: The IDEA Project: How it will transform Sexton Campus (September 30, 2016)

Representatives of Dalhousie, Michelin and the Government of Nova Scotia at Thursday's event.
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EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre has presented the Generation What Europe project at event in the Italian capital to mark the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome which created the forerunner to the European Union.

Organised by Italian EBU Member Rai, the forum titled Reconnecting Europeans: the Role of Public Service Media examined Europes cultural identity and values and how to engage the younger generations who will shape the future of the European Union.

The Europe wide results of Generation What, which surveyed nearly a million 16 -34 year-olds from 35 countries reveal that trust in media amongst young people is low with 80 percent saying they have no confidence.

Trust in politics is even lower with an average of 82% having no trust in the process. Lack of trust is highest in Italy (94%) Greece (92%) and France (92%).

Media and politics have a common challenge to restore trust with regards to young people, Deltenre told the RAI conference.

The Generation What results show that young people are very pro-European, but we have a real challenge to create a dialogue between them, institutions and politicians. We need to make a bigger effort to be understood and to better explain issues and challenges, she added.

Following her presentation Deltenre took part in a panel discussion with David-Maria Sassoli, Vice-President of the European Parliament and Lauri Kivinen, Director General of YLE among others to discuss how public service media (PSM) can concretely promote a broader inter-cultural dialogue that can revitalize common values and reconnect Europeans in their multiple belongings and identities.

PSM has a real responsibility to contribute to a better understanding of the current reality and challenges. In this respect, we are working on an Erasmus-style programme for journalists, Deltenre told delegates.

The full results of the Europe-wide Generation What survey will be released in April.
There has been much recent talk about how to target the rising tide of antibiotic resistance across the world, one of the biggest threats to global health today.

While there is no doubting the size of the problem facing scientists, healthcare professionals and the pharmaceutical industry, there are innovative ways we can target antibiotic resistance in the short term, which are discussed in three articles published in Essays in Biochemistry.

With only a few antibiotics in development and a long drug development process (often 10-15 years), there is concern that what is being done to combat antibiotic resistance may be 'too little, too late'.

"If bacteria continue developing resistance to multiple antibiotics at the present rate, at the same time as the antibiotic pipeline continues to dry up, there could be catastrophic costs to healthcare and society globally," said senior co-author on one of the articles, Dr Tony Velkov, an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Career Development Fellow from Monash University, Victoria, Australia.

While any antimicrobial resistance is concerning, the increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria has become a particular problem as strains resistant to multiple antibiotics are becoming common and no new drugs to treat these infections (eg, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae) will be available in the near future. These Gram-negative bacteria are considered the most critical priority in the list of the 12 families of bacteria that pose the greatest threat to human health that was just released by the World Health Organization.

The reasons for the high levels of antimicrobial resistance observed in these critical Gram-negative organisms are explained in another paper in the same issue written by the Guest Editor of the journal, Dr Rietie Venter, University of South Australia, Adelaide, and colleagues. According to the authors, one of the main contributing factors to the increased resistance observed in Gram-negative bacteria is the permeability barrier caused by their additional outer membrane.

An innovative strategy that is gaining momentum is the synergistic use of antibiotics with FDA-approved non-antibiotics. Using this novel approach, an FDA-approved non-antibiotic drug is combined with a specific antibiotic that enables it to breach the outer membrane barrier and so restore the activity of an antibiotic. The Monash University authors discuss how combining antibiotics with other non-antibiotic drugs or compounds can boost their effectiveness against Gram-negative 'superbugs'.

For example, loperamide, an anti-diarrheal medication sold in most pharmacies, enhances the effectiveness of eight different antibiotics (all in the tetracycline class). In particular, when added to the tetracycline antibiotic minocycline, along with the Parkinson's disease drug benserazide, it significantly increased antibiotic activity against multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a causative agent in hospital-acquired infections such as ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Polymyxins are a type of antibiotics that target Gram-negative bacterial infections and have traditionally been used as a last resort to treat serious infections such as those caused by Gram-negative 'superbugs' Klebsiella pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Resistance to polymyxins is not common, but in late 2015 the first transferable resistance gene to colistin (polymyxin E) was discovered (plasmid-borne mcr-1 gene). This caused significant concerns, as once resistance to polymyxins is established, often no other treatments are available.

A number of researchers, including the team based at Monash University, have been testing different combinations of drugs or compounds with polymyxins to try and improve their effectiveness against these bacterial 'superbugs'.

"Without new antibiotics in the near future, we must explore innovative approaches to preserve the clinical utility of important last-line antibiotics such as the polymyxins." commented senior co-author on the paper, Professor Jian Li, Head of the Laboratory of Antimicrobial Systems Pharmacology from Monash University, Victoria, Australia.

Some interesting findings have ensued, with a number of different combinations having a beneficial effect. Some notable examples that increased antibiotic activity when combined with polymyxin B include: ivacaftor and lumacaftor, two new drugs used to treat cystic fibrosis; and closantel, a drug used to treat parasitic worm infections.

Another interesting combination that has shown promise against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according to Schneider and co-authors, is combining the antibiotics ampicillin or oxacillin with berberine. Berberine is extracted from the roots, stems and bark of plants such as barberry.

In another paper in the same issue of Essays in Biochemistry, Dr Mark Blaskovich, Program Coordinator, Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery and colleagues from the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, describe the key ways they believe antimicrobial resistance can be targeted.

"In the short term, the greatest potential for reducing further development of antimicrobial resistance lies in developing a rapid test that can quickly tell whether or not you have a bacterial infection (as opposed to a viral cold or flu), and whether you really need an antibiotic," commented Blaskovich.

"Even better if the test could say what type of bacteria, and what types of antibiotics it is resistant to. You could then treat an infection immediately with the appropriate antibiotic, rather than the trial and error method now used. These tests could be ready within the next 5 years, and would have a huge impact on reducing unnecessary antibiotic use, preserving our existing antibiotics and reducing the spread of antibiotic resistance."

Regarding antibiotics in particular, Blaskovich and colleagues describe a number of possible strategies to pursue. The first of which is to improve existing antibiotics. For example, the authors recently created a modified version of the antibiotic vancomycin to increase its potency and reduce its toxic side effects.

Another option is to rediscover 'old' antibiotics. In the 1950s and 60s many potential antibiotic drugs were described in the scientific literature, but due to so many choices being available at the time, only some were developed for human use. An example of this is octapeptins, which are newly rediscovered antibiotics that are now being developed to combat Gram-negative 'superbugs'.

Repurposing drugs originally developed and approved for other uses has also had some success. In 2005, the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative identified fexinadole as a potential treatment for sleeping sickness and it is now undergoing a Phase III trial. This drug had been developed as an antimicrobial in the 1970s, but only reached pre-clinical development.

In addition to the above, researchers are looking for new, untested sources of antimicrobial activity to try and develop new drugs. A recent success in this area was, teixobactin, a new antibiotic developed by NovoBiotic Pharmaceuticals, discovered by using an 'iChip' to culture and isolate soil bacteria in situ.

A final option, mentioned by Blaskovich and colleagues, is crowdsourcing new antibiotics. Using this approach, the Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery, is searching for new chemical diversity by searching compounds sourced from academic chemists from around the world.

"It's hard to predict which one of these methods will be the most successful in the future, but we really need to be trying all of them to have any chance of overcoming antibiotic resistance," said Blaskovich.

"Non-antibiotic strategies are just as important, such as developing vaccines or probiotic therapies to prevent infections, as they can help to reduce the overuse of antibiotics. They will never completely replace antibiotics, but can help to preserve our existing antibiotics so they still work when needed."

Overall, these articles and others in the new antimicrobial resistance themed issue of Essays in Biochemistry give us hope that there are viable solutions being developed to this seemingly unsurmountable global problem. It is important that all possible avenues are considered, as some less obvious approaches may end up being sources of future success.

Dr Derry Mercer, Principal Scientist at NovaBiotics Ltd, a company that specialises in developing new antimicrobials, commented: "Research and development into new antimicrobials remains a vitally important pursuit for combatting the problem of antibiotic resistance, but alternative approaches to this problem are also urgently needed."

He added: "Such methods include those described in the papers in the latest issue of Essays in Biochemistry, as well as vaccine development and bacteriophage therapy, to name a few. Approaches that target microbial virulence, for example targeting biofilms and/or quorum sensing, rather than more traditional directly antimicrobial drugs should also be urgently examined."

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The period between about 200,000 and 50,000 years ago saw the amplification of regional diversity in human biology. Given the fragmentary nature of that human fossil record, the nature of these late Middle and early Late Pleistocene humans in the more northern portions of eastern Eurasia has been unclear. In their recent study, paleontologists from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and their collaborators reported two early Late Pleistocene (~105,000- to 125,000-year-old) crania from Lingjing, Xuchang, China. They exhibit a morphological mosaic with differences from and similarities to their western contemporaries. This morphological combination reflects Pleistocene human evolutionary patterns in general biology, as well as both regional continuity and interregional population dynamics.

The Xuchang 1 and 2 crania, excavated in situ in the Lingjing site in Xuchang County of Henan Province between 2007 and 2014, exhibit a distinctive morphological pattern combined with paleobiological trends that appear to have been pan-Old World. They reflect eastern Eurasian ancestry in having low, sagittally flat, and inferiorly broad neurocrania. They share occipital (suprainiac and nuchal torus) and temporal labyrinthine (semicircular canal) morphology with the Neandertals.

The Xuchang 1 and 2 crania were found broken, each cranium dispersed within a circumscribed horizontal area. They were associated with a diverse macromammalian faunal assemblage, rich in Equus, Bos, Megaloceros, Procapra, Cervus, and Coelodonta. The layer contains a Middle Paleolithic lithic industry, along with bone tools on diaphyseal splinters, and it has produced a consistent series of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages, placing the human remains at about 105,000 to 125,000 years, and the overlying layers have provided ages of about 100,000 and 90,000 years. The human crania are therefore securely dated to marine isotope stage (MIS) 5, within MIS 5e or 5d.

The Xuchang early Late Pleistocene archaic human crania exhibit a mosaic morphological pattern. They exhibit features that are ancestral and reminiscent particularly of early Middle Pleistocene eastern Eurasian humans, and derived and shared by earlier Late Pleistocene humans elsewhere, whether morphologically archaic or modern. In common with other early Late Pleistocene humans (whether morphologically archaic or modern), they share neurocranial expansion and gracilization. The endocranial volume (ECV) of Xuchang 1, about 1800 cm3, is at the high end of Neandertal and early modern human variation, and its neurocranium closely approximates the shape of those of Middle Pleistocene humans, especially eastern Eurasians.

In combination with these derived and ancestral features, the Xuchang crania also display two complexes that primarily align them with the Neandertals. They share occipital (suprainiac and nuchal torus) and temporal labyrinthine (semicircular canal) morphology with the Neandertals.

"This morphological combination, particularly the presence of a mosaic not known among early Late Pleistocene humans in the western Old World, suggests a complex interaction of directional paleobiological changes and intra- and interregional population dynamics", said Dr. WU Xiujie of the IVPP, project designer and co-corresponding author of the study.

"From their fossil record, eastern Asian late archaic humans have been interpreted to resemble their Neandertal contemporaries to some degree, with considerations of whether the fragmentary remains of the former exhibit features characteristic of the latter. Yet it is only with the discovery of two human crania (plus additional elements) from the Lingjing site in Xuchang County of Henan Province, China, that the nature of these eastern Eurasian early Late Pleistocene archaic humans is becoming clear", said Dr. WU Xiujie.

"The overall cranial shape, especially the wide cranial base, and low neurocranial vault, indicate a pattern of continuity with the earlier, Middle Pleistocene eastern Eurasian humans. Yet the presence of two distinctive Neandertal features -- one (iniac and nuchal morphology) unknown among earlier eastern crania, and the other (labyrinthine proportions) evident in only one similarly aged eastern Eurasian fossil -- argue for populational interactions across Eurasia during the late Middle and early Late Pleistocene", said study co-correponding author Dr. Erik Trinkaus from the Department of Anthropology of Washington University in St. Louis, "Similar interactions can be inferred from the presence of Neandertal ancient DNA in western Siberia and in the Tianyuan 1 early modern human from northern China. These data therefore argue both for substantial regional continuity in eastern Eurasia into the early Late Pleistocene and for some level of east-west population interaction across Eurasia".

The Xuchang crania therefore provide an important window into the biology and population history of early Late Pleistocene eastern Eurasian people. As such, they are a critical piece in our understanding of the human evolutionary background to the subsequent establishment of modern human biology across the Old World, a process that was already underway in eastern Africa and (apparently) further south in eastern Asia.

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This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
Genomics is the field of research studying how our genome, or entire DNA sequence, specifies a human being, and how errors in this sequence give rise to diseases. Genomics was recently a read-only endeavour: researchers used powerful technology to read genomes' sequence and their regulatory layers. However, until recently, there was no way to edit or delete DNA for either basic research objectives, or for potential therapeutic interventions.

Just a few years ago, this outlook changed dramatically with the discovery of a revolutionary technique for editing genomes: CRISPR-Cas9. CRISPR-Cas9 is a molecular tool composed of two simple components: a molecular barcode, called sgRNA, which is designed by the researcher to recognise one precise location in the genome; and a protein, Cas9, that binds to a structured loop in the sgRNA. By introducing these two units, researchers may perform a wide range of operations on specific pieces of genomic DNA, from introducing small mutations, to regulating gene activity, to tagging it with small sequences. Until recently most studies employing CRISPR-Cas9 were aimed at silencing protein-coding genes, the best-studied part of our genome.

However, our genome consists of 99% of DNA that does not encode any protein. Often described as the Dark Matter of the genome, this non-coding DNA is recognised to be crucially important for understanding all aspects of human biology, including disease and evolution. Until recently, the experimental tools to study this have not been available.

Researchers studying non-coding DNA have been particularly excited about the discovery of CRISPR-Cas9 because it can be used as a powerful tool for studying non-coding DNA for the first time. Prof Rory Johnson, former Staff Scientist at the Computational Biology of RNA Processing laboratory of the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona, Spain and now group leader at the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) RNA&Disease and Department of Clinical Research of the University of Bern, recently created a tool based on CRISPR-Cas9, called DECKO, which can be used to delete any desired piece of non-coding DNA. The unique advantage of DECKO is that it uses two individual sgRNAs, acting like two molecular scissors that snip out a piece of DNA. Numerous researchers worldwide have adopted this approach, attracted by its simplicity and effectiveness.

While working on DECKO, Johnson and colleagues at the Guigo's laboratory realised that no software was available for designing the pairs of sgRNAs that are required, meaning that designing deletion experiments was time-consuming. To overcome this, the Masters student Carlos Pulido designed a software pipeline called CRISPETa. They were assisted by a team of laboratory researchers including co-first authors of this paper Estel Aparicio and Carme Arnan, who carried out experiments to validate the software's predictions.

CRISPETa is a powerful and flexible solution for designing CRISPR deletion experiments. The user tells CRISPETa what region they wish to delete, and the software returns a set of optimised pairs of sgRNAs that can directly be used by experimental researchers. One of the key features is that it can create designs at high scales, with future screening experiments in mind. Importantly, CRISPETa is designed for use by non-experts, and is available in a user friendly website, making CRISPR deletion available to the widest possible number of scientific and biomedical researchers.

In the CRISPETa study, the researchers also introduce a new version of DECKO, which is cheaper and faster than the previous one. The researchers showed that CRISPETa designs efficiently delete their desired targets in human cells. Most importantly, in those regions that give rise to RNA molecules, the researchers showed that the RNA molecules also carry the deletion.

CRISPETa will be useful for scientific researchers, from even the most modest experimental laboratory. These users may, for example, delete a suspected functional region of non-coding DNA, and test the outcome on cellular or molecular activity. This software will also be potentially valuable for groups aiming to utilise CRISPR deletion for therapeutic purposes, by for example, deleting a region of non-coding DNA that is suspected to cause a disease state. Therefore CRISPETa will be a valuable tool for the hundreds of research teams worldwide who are using CRISPR deletion.

We hope that this new software tool will allow the greatest possible number of researchers to harness the power of CRISPR deletion in their research, says Carlos Pulido, the student who wrote the CRISPETa software.

Ultimately, we expect that CRISPR deletion and other genome engineering tools to lead to a revolution in our ability to understand the genomic basis of disease, particularly in the 99% of DNA that does not encode proteins. Apart from being used as a basic research tool, CRISPR may even be used in the future as a powerful therapeutic to reverse disease-causing mutations, adds Rory Johnson.

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This study was published in PLOS Computational Biology. It was mainly financially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, the Catalan Government, The European Reserarch Council at the European Comission under the FP7, the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health, and partially funded by the SNF through the RNA & Disease NCCR, led by the University of Bern.
At its February meeting, CIFAR's Board of Directors approved changes to the Institute's research portfolio, including a renewal and new direction for one program, two program extensions and the closure of two programs. The changes are the result of a vigorous review process that CIFAR undertakes regularly in its mission to address research questions of importance to the world.

"CIFAR's programs are leading the world in identifying and addressing complex questions and global challenges," says CIFAR Board Chair Barbara Stymiest. "These modifications to CIFAR's research portfolio involved a thorough internal review and a review by an international expert panel. The contributions of all who participated will help to ensure Canada remains at the forefront of developing knowledge with the potential to transform our world."

The program in Cosmology & Gravity was renewed and renamed Gravity & the Extreme Universe, as part of a new vision for research under the leadership of McGill University astrophysicist Victoria Kaspi. The refocused program will address profound questions about the nature of extreme gravity and other fundamental physics and astrophysics, using revolutionary new methods in gravitational wave detection, together with advanced electromagnetic and particle experiments and observations.

Two programs will be extended for two additional years - Successful Societies, and Genetic Networks.

The Successful Societies program will complete its current interdisciplinary inquiry into inequality, with the goal of producing a substantial academic publication and capstone conference. During the extension, Peter Hall (Harvard University) will be stepping down as Program Co-Director, and the program will be led by Michele Lamont (Harvard University) and Paul Pierson (University of California, Berkeley).

The other program to receive an extension is Genetic Networks, which deciphers how genes influence one another through networks of genetic and molecular interactions. Led by Program Co-Directors Frederick Roth and Charles Boone (both University of Toronto), this program will increase its focus on research into human genetics with the potential to influence the future of personalized medicine.

After many years of ground-breaking research and extraordinary scholarship, two CIFAR programs will be closed - Integrated Microbial Biodiversity, and Social Interactions, Identity & Well-being.

Led by University of British Columbia microbiologist Patrick Keeling, the Integrated Microbial Biodiversity program explores the diverse and largely unknown microbial world that permeates all corners of life. It examines novel forms of life, identifies mechanisms of biological innovation and connects community structure, ecology and global change. CIFAR fellows in this program have made advances in our understanding of microbial life in the oceans, with important implications for ocean health and climate change, as well as fundamental insights into microbial interactions.

The Social Interactions, Identity and Well-being program is co-led by Nobel Laureate George Akerlof (Georgetown University), economist John Helliwell (University of British Columbia and editor of the World Happiness Report), social psychologist Alexander Haslam (University of Queensland) and behavioral economist Philip Oreopoulos (University of Toronto). This program has played a central role in shifting traditional paradigms in economics and in psychology to explore how social groups and identities shape and influence subjective well-being. Fellows within the program have developed novel approaches to social programs and policies on a wide range of topics, for example reducing bullying in school, improving well-being and connectedness after retirement, and increasing belonging and integration for new immigrants.

"We are very appreciative of the extensive effort made on the part of so many distinguished individuals who participated in this review of CIFAR research programs," says CIFAR President & CEO Dr. Alan Bernstein. "I'd especially like to acknowledge the outstanding accomplishments and intellectual leadership of the Program Directors and Fellows of our Integrated Microbial Biodiversity and Social Interactions, Identity and Well-being programs."

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About CIFAR

CIFAR creates knowledge that is transforming our world. Established in 1982, the Institute brings together interdisciplinary groups of extraordinary researchers from around the globe to address questions and challenges of importance to the world. Our networks help support the growth of research leaders and are catalysts for change in business, government and society. CIFAR is generously supported by the governments of Canada, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, Canadian and international partners, as well as individuals, foundations and corporations.
The darkest form of ultraviolet light, known as UV-C, is unique because of its reputation as a killer - of harmful organisms.

With wavelengths of between 200 and 280 nanometers, this particular form of UV light penetrates the membranes of viruses, bacteria, mold and dust mites, attacking their DNA and killing them. Sanitization with UV-C light has been around for more than 100 years, following Niels Finsen's discovery of UV light as an antidote to tuberculosis, which won the Faroese-Danish physician the 1903 Nobel Prize for Medicine.

Currently, most deep-UV lamps are mercury-based. They pose a threat to the environment, and are bulky and inefficient. A Cornell research group led by Huili (Grace) Xing and Debdeep Jena, along with collaborators from the University of Notre Dame, has reported progress in creating a smaller, more earth-friendly alternative.

Using atomically controlled thin monolayers of gallium nitride (GaN) and aluminum nitride (AlN) as active regions, the group has shown the ability to produce deep-UV emission with a light-emitting diode (LED) between 232 and 270 nanometer wavelengths. Their 232- nanometer emission represents the shortest recorded wavelength using GaN as the light-emitting material. The previous record was 239 nanometers, by a group in Japan.

"MBE-grown 232-270 nm deep-UV LEDs using monolayer thin binary GaN/AlN quantum heterostructures" was published online Jan. 27 in Applied Physics Letters.

Postdoctoral researcher SM (Moudud) Islam, the lead author, said: "UV-C light is very attractive because it can destroy the DNA of species that cause infectious diseases, which cause contamination of water and air."

One of the major challenges with ultraviolet LEDs is efficiency, which is measured in three areas: injection efficiency - the proportion of electrons passing through the device that are injected into the active region; internal quantum efficiency (IQE) - the proportion of all electrons in the active region that produce photons or UV light; and light extraction efficiency - the proportion of photons generated in the active region that can be extracted from the device and are actually useful.

"If you have 50 percent efficiency in all three components ... multiply all of these and you get one-eighth," Islam said. "You're already down to 12 percent efficiency."

In the deep-UV range, all three efficiency factors suffer, but this group found that by using gallium nitride instead of conventional aluminum gallium nitride, both IQE and light extraction efficiency are enhanced.

Injection efficiency is improved through the use of a polarization-induced doping scheme for both the negative (electron) and positive (hole) carrier regions, a technique the group explored in previous work.

Now that the group has proven its concept of enhanced deep-UV LED efficiency, its next task is packaging it in a device that could one day go on the market. Deep-UV LEDs are used in food preservation and counterfeit currency detection, among other things.

Further study will include packaging both the new technology and existing technologies in otherwise similar devices, for the purpose of comparison.

"In terms of quantifying the efficiency, we do want to package it within the next few months and test it as if it was a product, and try to benchmark it against a product with one of the available technologies," Jena said.

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Other Cornell collaborators included research associate Vladimir Protasenko and electrical and computer engineering doctoral students Kevin Lee and Shyam Bharadwaj.

The work was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
In the world of fungi, Aspergillus is an industrial superstar. Aspergillus niger, for example, has been used for decades to produce citric acid--a compound frequently added to foods and pharmaceuticals --through fermentation at an industrial scale. Other species in this genus play critical roles in biofuel production, and plant and human health. Since the majority of its 350 species have yet to be sequenced and analyzed, researchers are still at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding Aspergillus' full potential and the spectrum of useful compounds they may generate.

In a study published February 14, 2017 in the journal Genome Biology, an international team including researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI), a DOE Office of Science User Facility, report sequencing the genomes of 10 novel Aspergillus species, more than doubling the number of Aspergillus species sequenced to date. The newly sequenced genomes were compared with the eight other sequenced Aspergillus species. With this first ever genus-wide view, the international consortium found that Aspergillus has a greater genomic and functional diversity than previously understood, broadening the range of potential applications for the fungi considered one of the most important workhorses in the biotechnology.

"Several Aspergillus species have already established status as cell factories for enzymes and metabolites. However, little is known about the diversity in the species at the genomic level and this paper demonstrates how diverse the species of this genus are," said study lead author Ronald de Vries of the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute in the Netherlands. "One can't assume that an Aspergillus species will have the same physiology as a better studied species of the genus."

The study, conducted through the DOE JGI's Community Science Program, also demonstrates the importance of evaluating biodiversity within a genus to understand how fungi can be greater utilized to solve a variety of problems.

Sequencing a diverse set of Aspergillus genomes allows researchers to build a more comprehensive catalog of enzymes for biotechnological applications, added DOE JGI Fungal Genomics Program Head Igor Grigoriev, senior author of the paper. Those applications include harnessing Aspergillus to help protect crops and ward off agents that can cause diseases in plants.

Comparing the newly sequenced genomes to those already available, researchers found a huge variety of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) among the Aspergillus species, suggesting distinct strategies to break down plant biomass. CAZymes are responsible for breaking down plant cell walls, useful for industrially processing plants the DOE considers candidate bioenergy crops. The sugars that are part of these cell walls can't be accessed and fermented to make biofuels unless the walls are broken down by agents like CAZymes.

"Each of these 10 genomes encodes for a unique composition of CAZymes--and the wider assortment helps formulate enzyme cocktails better suited for different types of plant biomass to efficiently convert them into biofuels," Grigoriev said.

In addition to biofuels, CAZymes can also help facilitate the production of paper, textiles, food, feed and pharmaceuticals, according to de Vries.

The comparative analysis between the genomes also enabled researchers to uncover a high diversity of genes that: 1) allow the fungi to produce secondary metabolites, compounds that may be useful for applications such as crop protection; and 2) enable the fungi to tolerate stress. The knowledge gained in secondary metabolism and stress response will help to provide more insight in the mechanisms underlying these functions.

But despite the new insights gained, de Vries emphasizes that much still remains unknown about the full spectrum of what Aspergillus can do. "There is [still] much to learn and get from a better study [of Aspergillus]," he said. "The potential for applications within the genus has barely been touched." Grigoriev adds: "Encouraged by results of this study we now pursue a deeper exploration of the Aspergillus genus, sequencing the remaining 300 species, each carrying a unique composition genes, enzymes, and pathways"

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All of the fungal genomes are available on the DOE JGI's Fungal Genomics portal MycoCosm. Letters of Intent are currently being accepted for the DOE JGI Community Science Program (CSP) and must be submitted online by March 31, 2017. The CSP Annual Call is focused on large-scale sequence-based genomic science projects that address questions of relevance to DOE missions in energy security and sustainability and global biogeochemistry. Click here for more information regarding the CSP call.

The U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, a DOE Office of Science User Facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is committed to advancing genomics in support of DOE missions related to clean energy generation and environmental characterization and cleanup. DOE JGI, headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., provides integrated high-throughput sequencing and computational analysis that enable systems-based scientific approaches to these challenges. Follow @doe_jgi on Twitter.

DOE's Office of Science is the 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.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Gary Polansky, the chief scientist for hypersonic technology development and applications at Sandia National Laboratories, has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

Sandia National Laboratories' Gary Polansky has helped the U.S. become a world leader in advanced hypersonic flight systems. He has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. (Photo courtesy of Sandia National Laboratories) Click on the thumbnail for a high-resolution image.

AIAA, the world's largest aerospace professional society, confers the distinction of fellow to recognize professionals' notable and valuable contributions to the arts, sciences or technology of aeronautics and astronautics. Since the honor's 1934 inception, there have been 1,848 fellows elected, according to AIAA.

"Gary's engineering and leadership skills have led to more than a decade of technological innovation in conventional global strike programs. Over his career, he has helped the U.S. become a global leader in advanced hypersonic flight systems," said David Plummer, director of Sandia's Integrated Military Systems Center.

The induction ceremony will take place at the AIAA Aerospace Spotlight Awards Gala on May 3 in Washington, D.C.

Polansky's expertise leads to successful 2011 Advanced Hypersonic Weapon test flight

In his nearly 35-year career at Sandia, Polansky's leadership has helped advance the U.S. role in the deployment of hypersonic and space nuclear technology in support of Sandia's national security missions.

His career-long achievements resulted in the first successful test flight of the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (AHW) from a Sandia test facility in 2011. A year later, the Sandia team received Lockheed Martin's highest honor, the NOVA award, for its AHW work.

In 2013, Polansky won the 2013 Precision Strike Association Richard H. Johnson Technical Achievement Award for his technical leadership of several hypersonic flight systems and hypersonic-delivered warhead systems.

Widely recognized for his expertise, he is a trusted consultant for other government agencies on hypersonics and national security topics.

Nuclear safety in space also highlight of Polansky's work

He advised the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP) on nuclear safety for the launches of the Pluto New Horizons and Mars Science Laboratory space missions.

The Pluto New Horizons launch in 2006 was challenging from a nuclear safety perspective because aged nuclear fuel pellets had to be used due to a fuel shortage. Polansky led efforts to recover historical data on fuel aging, analyze the data in the context of the space mission and develop models to characterize the uncertainty associated with aged fuel.

His contributions were important to the INSRP independent safety assessment and the presidential decision to proceed with the launch. He received a NASA Certificate of Commendation for this effort.

Earlier in his career at Sandia, Polansky led the development and rocket sled testing of Kinetic Energy Projectile (KEP) warheads in 2006 and the technical team that conducted sled track tests of an advanced fuze for high-speed penetrators. He also was instrumental in developing new rocket-sled, payload-separation technology that enabled the longest ever free-flight of a separated vehicle to target impact.

Polansky holds a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin. He has authored or co-authored more than 50 technical publications in computational physics, nuclear technology and hypersonic systems.

Polansky was a founding member of AIAA's Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Technical Committee (now the Nuclear and Future Flight Propulsion Technical Committee), including serving as conference coordinator for three years. He also chaired the first Soviet Threat Technology Invited Lecture Series, an Albuquerque section activity later adopted by the national AIAA.

AIAA serves more than 30,000 individual members from 88 countries and 95 corporate members.

Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corp., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major R&D responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies and economic competitiveness.

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Blood vessels play a critical role in the growth and spread of cancer. The cells lining the inner wall of blood vessels (endothelial cells) and cancer cells are in close contact to each other and mutually influence each other. Andreas Fischer and his colleagues are studying these interactions. Fischer, a medical researcher, leads a Helmholtz University Junior Research Group at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) and the Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University.

Fischer and his team had found surprisingly high levels of the activated form of a signaling molecule called Notch in blood vessels of tumors. In vessel lining cells from lung, breast and bowel tumors, they found significantly higher levels of the activated receptor than they did in the healthy organs. The researchers observed that the higher the levels of Notch activation were in the tumor endothelium, the more the cancer had already spread and the poorer was the prognosis for the patients.

Activation of the receptor protein Notch by its binding partners is a key communication pathway for signal exchange between neighboring cells. Starting from nematodes over insects through to man, Notch regulates the development of organs during embryonic development. In adults, the signaling protein regulates, among other things, the activity of blood stem cells.

A couple of years ago, cancer researchers were already able to show that aberrant Notch signaling can turn cells cancerous, for example, white blood cells into leukemia cells. In the present study, Fischer and colleagues have now demonstrated for the first time that the Notch activity of cells in the tumor microenvironment also has an influence on cancer.

Fischer and his co-workers have demonstrated in mice that the tumor cells themselves are responsible for Notch activation in immediate contact with endothelial cells. They reprogram the vascular wall cells for their own purposes, thus apparently paving the way for their spread in the body. The more activated Notch is in the tumor endothelium, the more cancer cells make their way into the bloodstream and the more lung metastases form.

Surprisingly, Notch activation in tumor-bearing mice was not restricted to the blood vessels in the tumor; it also affected the endothelial cells in the lung. The tumor appears to release signaling substances that prepare the soil for colonization by its metastases.

As a result of Notch activation, endothelial cells increase their production of a contact molecule called VCAM1. This protein acts like a snap fastener that enables the cancer cells to attach to the vessel wall and prepare the passage. In addition, activated Notch makes it easier for cancer cells to get into the bloodstream by making certain structures with sealing function between endothelial cells more permeable. Finally, activated Notch also causes the endothelial cells to produce chemical messengers that recruit tumor-promoting immune cells into the tumor.

"Taken together, the results show a very clear picture: The tumor cells promote their spread in the body in multiple ways by activating Notch and thus reprogramming endothelial cells for their own purposes," Fischer summed up. "We therefore wanted to find out if we could interrupt this disastrous mechanism."

The scientists blocked Notch in mice using an antibody that is currently being tested in early preclinical trials and thus were able reduce the colonization of the lung by cancer cells. A blockade of the contact molecule VCAM1 with an antibody also resulted in less metastases in the lung and lowered the invasion of the tumor by cancer-promoting immune cells.

"Notch is a universal signaling molecule and this makes it difficult to exert therapeutic influence on it without interfering with vital processes," Fischer said. "But a targeted short-time use of blocking antibodies might be a promising approach for suppressing the dangerous spread of tumors. This is what we aim to explore in our further research."

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Elfriede Wieland, Juan Rodriguez-Vita, Sven S. Liebler, Carolin Mogler, Iris Moll, Stefanie E. Herberich, Elisa Espinet, Esther Herpel, Amitai Menuchin, Jenny Chang-Claude, Michael Hoffmeister, Christoffer Gebhardt, Hermann Brenner, Andreas Trumpp, Christian W. Siebel, Markus Hecker, Jochen Utikal, David Sprinzak, Andreas Fischer: Endothelial Notch1 activity facilitates metastasis. Cancer Cell 2017, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2017.01.007

The German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) with its more than 3,000 employees is the largest biomedical research institute in Germany. At DKFZ, more than 1,000 scientists investigate how cancer develops, identify cancer risk factors and endeavor to find new strategies to prevent people from getting cancer. They develop novel approaches to make tumor diagnosis more precise and treatment of cancer patients more successful. The staff of the Cancer Information Service (KID) offers information about the widespread disease of cancer for patients, their families, and the general public. Jointly with Heidelberg University Hospital, DKFZ has established the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, where promising approaches from cancer research are translated into the clinic. In the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), one of six German Centers for Health Research, DKFZ maintains translational centers at seven university partnering sites. Combining excellent university hospitals with high-profile research at a Helmholtz Center is an important contribution to improving the chances of cancer patients. DKFZ is a member of the Helmholtz Association of National Research Centers, with ninety percent of its funding coming from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the remaining ten percent from the State of Baden-Wurttemberg.
Scientists from Russia and Singapore created an algorithm that predicts user marital status with 86% precision using data from three social networks instead of one. While testing, the program identified Donald Trump, the 45th US President who is actually married, as single. According to the developers, this inconsistency came up because of Trump's abnormal activity in the media: the businessman and his assistants use Twitter like a bachelor. The study was reported at the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence in San Francisco.

Mathematicians from ITMO University in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and National University of Singapore found out that profiling users through several social networks rather than just one makes it possible to learn specific details about individuals. In particular, the researchers focused on such a characteristic as marital status. Combining the data from Twitter, Instagram and Foursquare, they taught the algorithm to predict this parameter with 86% precision, 17% higher than using just one social network.

The algorithm can examine any English-speaking account. To demonstrate how the program operates, Andrey Filchenkov, associate professor of Computer Technology Department at ITMO University, collected and analyzed tweets of Barack Obama and Donald Trump, the 44th and 45th Presidents of the United States. Based on this data, the algorithm confirmed Obama's marital status, but concluded that Donald Trump is a bachelor. This irregularity can be explained by the fact that Trump himself does not update his social media accounts. "We all know about his wife Melania," says the researcher, "But in this case, we are studying whether all Trump's assistants are married or not. We are not guessing who Trump is, but who runs his social media."

To train the algorithm to understand the data input, the scientists turned the activity of users from New York, Singapore and London into sets, or vectors, of such parameters as an average tweet size, the most frequent objects in the photo, check-in distribution and so on. Then developers used these vectors in basic machine learning models.

Co-author of the paper, Kseniya Buraya, researcher at ITMO University's International laboratory "Computer technologies", is doing an internship at National University of Singapore, where she studies approaches for describing human personality through social networks. She processes user data with this algorithm and then adapts the information to Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a scale of psychological types based on Jung theses.

The scale describes a person in terms of how he or she interacts with the world which, in turn, is easiest to learn from social media. Kseniya Buraya explains: "Many scientific sources associate a person psychological type with his marital status. So, we decided to check how precisely we can predict this parameter to use it for making human psychological portraits in the future".

User profiling, according to the scientists, can have a wide range of applications. For example, recruiters can learn more about people who are applying for a job. More generally, characterizing personality through activity in social media will help discover illegal groups as well as find people prone to depression or suicide and support them.

The article won a student contest of the most affluent scientific event in its field - AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, thus the scientists got an opportunity to present a 3-minute thesis about the research. The authors regard the report as a kind of "reservation" for further work. They are going to continue the study to achieve publication in a peer-reviewed international journal.

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Reference:

Kseniya Buraya, Aleksandr Farseev, Andrey Filchenkov and Tat-Seng Chua (2017), Towards User Personality Profiling from Multiple Social Networks. In Proceedings of the Thirty-First AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence. AAAI

ITMO University (Saint Petersburg) is a national research university, the leading Russian university in the field of information and photonic technologies. The university is the alma mater of winners of numerous international programming competitions: ACM ICPC (the only six-time world champions), Google Code Jam, Facebook Hacker Cup, Yandex Algorithm, Russian Code Cup, Topcoder Open etc. Priority research areas: IT, photonic technologies, robotics, quantum communication, translational medicine, urban studies, art&science, and science communication. Starting from 2013, the university has been a member of Project 5-100, which unites top Russian universities to improve their status in the international research and education arena. In 2016 ITMO University became 56th among the world's top universities in Computer Science, according to the Times Higher Education ranking, and scored 3rd among Russian universities in the overall THE ranking.
Two grants from the U.S. Department of Defense totaling $2.8 million will support Jackson Laboratory (JAX) research in one of the most deadly forms of breast cancer, known as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

About 3 million American women are living with breast cancer. Advances in understanding the biological and genetic profiles of individual cancers have contributed to better screening and more targeted treatments, leading to a steady rise in the overall five-year survival rate following a breast cancer diagnosis to about 89 percent.

However, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), by definition, eludes three of the most effective therapies that target cancer-driving molecules: estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, or large amounts of HER2/neu protein. TNBC accounts for up to 20 percent of all breast cancers and is associated with poor outcomes for patients, because of this resistance and its capacity for aggressive growth and high recurrence.

A grant of $1,393,246 to JAX President and CEO Edison Liu, M.D., will fund further exploration of his discovery of a characteristic of TNBC tumors, with the goal of developing better diagnostics and more targeted treatments for patients with TNBC. JAX Professor Karolina Palucka, M.D., Ph.D., was awarded $1,386,446 to advance her investigations into harnessing the immune system to combat TNBC.

"TNBC tumors have complex and massive changes to their entire DNA makeup, also known as the cancer genome," says Liu. "By analogy, where a single change might be seen as a misplaced letter in a gene, many cancer genes in TNBC are misspelled, repeated wholesale or deleted in many different places. Because it is much more difficult to read so many changes at once, it is also harder to identify those that are important for TNBC growth and sensitivity to treatment."

Last year Liu discovered that TNBC tumors and certain other deadly cancers of women (including serous ovarian cancer and endometrial carcinomas) share a genomic configuration described as a tandem duplicator phenotype (TDP). Moreover, they showed that tumors with this configuration respond to a specific chemotherapy, cisplatin.

Since that discovery, the Liu lab has found that not all TDP TNBC tumors are the same. "We now have strong preliminary data identifying subtypes of genetically different TDP TNBCs," Liu says, "and for each subtype we have found genes that likely drive these genetic differences and for which specific therapies are already FDA-approved or in development."

With the new grant, and in collaboration with Ralph Scully, MBBS, Ph.D., of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Liu and his lab will use advanced computational methods to develop a more precise approach for classifying TNBC tumors, a better understanding of the formation of TDP subtypes, and novel treatment regimens tailored to specific TDPs that will be ready for testing in a clinical setting.

"Our research shows that while TDP TNBC is highly complex," Liu says, "we have the tools to unpack this complexity in a way that creates unprecedented opportunities for better classifying, treating and curing TNBC cancers."

Almost 90 percent of deaths due to breast cancer are attributed to metastatic disease (cancer cells spreading to distant organs), and treatments used to shrink or slow metastatic tumors provide only temporary relief: There is no cure for metastatic breast cancer. While some TNBC patients respond initially to conventional therapies, nearly half will experience recurrence and metastasis within two to three years.

Thus, says, Palucka, understanding the underlying mechanisms that control metastasis is of critical importance for the discovery and development of new, targeted treatments and for the increased survival of TNBC cancer patients.

"One promising entry point for understanding progression to metastasis--and determining how to prevent it--is to focus on the interplay between the immune system and cancer cells," she says.

Palucka has developed a special mouse model that replicates the human immune system to better understand its effect on the tumor microenvironment, cancer cell longevity and metastatic spread to other organs.

In preliminary results, she has discovered that the presence of human cytokines (proteins that stimulate immune cells) induces cancer cells to spread to distant organs; in fact, metastasis did not occur in the mice lacking human cytokines. "This distinction will allow us to precisely define immune cells or signals that drive cancer cells to spread--signals that could represent promising therapeutic targets for intervention," Palucka says.

And, she notes, the utility of this model extends beyond TNBC to other metastatic cancers as well. "The potential benefit of this work could be the identification of new treatment targets for limiting metastasis in at-risk patients, possibly improving the ability to cure patients with this devastating disease."

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The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution based in Bar Harbor, Maine, with a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center, a facility in Sacramento, Calif., and a genomic medicine institute in Farmington, Conn. It employs 1,900 staff, and its mission is to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health.
Research of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) supports the European Commission in transport planning: With the help of the new HIGH-TOOL model, long-term impacts of transport policy measures on economy, society, and environment can be assessed. HIGH-TOOL is an open-source model that embraces modules for demography, economy and resources, vehicle stock, passenger demand, freight demand, as well as environment and safety. Eight partners from five countries were involved in the EU project coordinated by KIT, which has now been completed successfully.

Mobility of people in Europe is increasing, as are the challenges faced when planning transport. Planning is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, counteract congestion in cities, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate air pollution and noise, improve traffic safety, and support trans-European transport networks. As decisions in transport planning have effects lasting for decades, it is even more important to plan actions in the long term and to assess their consequences at an early stage.

HIGH-TOOL (strategic high-level transport model), the result of a meanwhile completed EU project, models transport policy measures and their impacts. With this tool, the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) of the European Commission is provided a quantitative instrument to assess the impact of transport policy measures on economy, society, and the environment for decades. HIGH-TOOL can be applied to strategically assess options and to preselect options for analysis using more detailed models.

"The perspective of HIGH-TOOL is global. The focus, however, lies on Europe and in particular on the EU Member States," explains project coordinator Dr. Eckhard Szimba, who heads the respective working group at the Chair for Network Economics of KIT's Institute of Economics (ECON). "The forecast period is divided into steps of five years each and extends until the year of 2050." Apart from modules for demography, economy and resources, vehicle stock, passenger and freight demand, as well as environment, and safety, HIGH-TOOL comprises a comprehensive data inventory and a user interface. HIGH-TOOL is available as open-source software and characterized by user-friendly application. Any strategy simulation is accompanied by an assessment report that lists major results in the form of Excel tables and diagrams.

Input and output indicators of HIGH-TOOL are largely based on major European strategy papers, such as the "White Paper on Transport," the "Roadmap for moving to a competitive low-carbon economy in 2050," and the "EU reference scenario 2013," a collection of long-term prognoses until 2050. The project consortium already presented HIGH-TOOL at several large conferences on transport research and organized workshops for future users. Currently, the model is being used among others to assess strategies for shifting transport from road to rail.

Under the 7th Research Framework Program, the European Union funded the HIGH-TOOL project with about EUR 2.5 million. The project had a duration of three and a half years, eight partners from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Hungary were involved. KIT coordinated the project, additionally participated in all development areas, and was responsible for the passenger demand model.

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More information is available at: http://www.high-tool.eu/

For further information, please contact: Kosta Schinarakis, Science Scout, Phone: +49 721 608 41956, Fax: +49 721 608 43658, Email: schinarakis@kit.edu

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) pools its three core tasks of research, higher education, and innovation in a mission. With about 9,300 employees and 25,000 students, KIT is one of the big institutions of research and higher education in natural sciences and engineering in Europe.

KIT - The Research University in the Helmholtz Association

Since 2010, the KIT has been certified as a family-friendly university.

This press release is available on the internet at http://www.kit.edu.
Rainfall from spring-like downpours in the U.S. from February 25 to March 1 were analyzed at NASA using data from the Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM satellite.

Record breaking warm temperatures this winter have caused plants to bloom early in the eastern United States. Unfortunately this has also resulted in the formation of spring-like severe thunderstorms and deadly tornadoes. Multiple tornado sightings were made in three of the last seven days. On Saturday February 25, 2017 destructive tornadoes were reported in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

On February 28, twisters were reported in the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan. Three people were killed in Illinois and four others were injured in Arkansas with this tornado outbreak. Severe weather on March 1, 2017 also included reports of tornado sightings in Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, Kentucky and Georgia.

Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM or IMERG data were used to show the rainfall that occurred during the past week. The analysis was done at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Intense downpours from storms over this period resulted in flash floods in several states.

The GPM core observatory satellite had a good view of severe weather as it moved into the Appalachian Mountains on March 1, 2017 at 1525 UTC (10:25 a.m. EST). The GPM satellite measures rain and snow using the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments. GPM's DPR measured rain falling at a rate of over 6.3 inches (159 mm) per hour as powerful storms moved through Tennessee and Kentucky. Storm top heights of over 32,800 feet (9.8 km) were found by GPM's radar as it sliced through those intense thunderstorms.

Due to above average temperatures, frozen precipitation, other than hail, was unusual over the eastern United States in the GPM analysis. GPM's radar data (DPR) showed that the average height of the freezing level was above 9,800 feet (3 kilometers). In Alabama, the freezing level was much higher up. It was shown by GPM's data to be higher than 13,123 feet (4 kilometers).

GPM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency JAXA. For more information about GPM, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/gpm.

For forecasts, visit the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center website: http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov

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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Environmental scientists and policymakers value long-term research to an extent that far outstrips the amount of funding awarded for it, according to a study published today.

Graduate students and faculty members in the Oregon State University College of Science were part of a collaboration that evaluated the perceived benefits of long-term ecological and environmental studies - known as LTEES - to both researchers and those who determine environmental policy.

The issue is particularly important because support for LTEES by agencies such as the National Science Foundation is declining even though such research is disproportionately valued in comparison to the one- to five-year studies the agencies tend to support.

The OSU group was among 36 researchers who collectively analyzed the perceived value of LTEES, which can run for multiple decades, in research published in BioScience. The evaluation noted the policymaking and scientific communities' growing appreciation and demand for studies that last much longer than the ones typically being funded.

Specifically, the scientists found:

The greater a scientific journal's impact factor - the frequency with which its articles are cited in other scholarly articles - the higher its percentage of articles dealing with long-term studies;

The longer a study lasts, the more an article about it is cited;

In the policy-informing ecological reports of the U.S. National Research Council, long-term environmental studies have representation that's greater than their frequency in scientific journals;

The authors of those reports expressed more demand for LTEES than they did for short-term research.

"For a long time, 'monitoring' has been a word you never put in a grant proposal, simply because if you did your work was perceived as not being hypothesis-driven research," said Mark Novak, assistant professor of integrative biology at Oregon State.

"But many environmental scientists have long known from personal experience that you can't know the value of new events unless you've studied a system long enough. The relative investment in LTEES by ecologists and funders needs to be seriously reconsidered, because LTEES advance our understanding of ecology the most, and contribute disproportionately to informing policy."

The collaboration also found that among the comparatively few long-term studies that do exist, most are limited to single species or pairs of species.

"It's not that short-term research isn't important," said Bruce Menge, the Wayne and Gladys Valley Professor of Marine Biology at Oregon State. "Both short- and long-term are really valuable. A shorter term can give you a more mechanistic understanding of long-term patterns. But the longer time series you have, the more power you have to understand changes.

"Ideally short- and long-term should go hand in hand," Menge said. "We're hoping to provide a prod to funding agencies, and give at least those in an agency who do appreciate long-term research some ammunition for reconsidering the allocation of funds."

Menge has been studying intertidal rocky zones at numerous sites on the Oregon coast for more than three decades, analyzing ecological processes and patterns of community structure. The intertidal community includes sea stars, whose population was nearly wiped out three years ago by an epidemic of sea star wasting disease.

"One of the consequences of the disease was a huge influx of baby sea stars after the peak of the wasting was over," Menge said. "We wouldn't have really known the significance of that if we hadn't been keeping track of how abundant sea stars were over the last 20-some years. The influx would have been remarkable, but we'd have had no idea how remarkable it truly was."

Species studied by another of Menge's OSU colleagues, assistant professor Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, are rockfishes, important commercial fishes whose long lifespan is a challenge for researchers being funded for only a few years.

"Rockfish can live for more than 100 years," she said. "Three years doesn't do it for us. If we want environmental research that effectively informs policy, that means we need funding cycles - and funding agencies - to help build that long-term storehouse of science. That's how we can meet the demand for policy-relevant data."

Graduate students and faculty from the University of California, Santa Cruz, joined the Oregon State scientists in the collaboration.

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HONOLULU, HI (March 3, 2017)--The winners of the Nutrient Sensor Challenge were announced at a special awards session at the Association for the Sciences of Limnology & Oceanography Aquatic Sciences (ASLO) meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Thursday, March 2.

Launched in December 2014, the Nutrient Sensor Challenge aimed to accelerate the development, production, and use of affordable, reliable, and accurate nutrient sensors. These sensors will enable automated and high-resolution nutrient monitoring in aquatic environments ranging from freshwater lakes and streams to the coastal ocean. Nutrient pollution is one of the nation's most difficult environmental challenges. While nutrients are essential compounds for functioning ecosystems and the production of food, fiber, and livestock feed, excessive nutrient levels can dramatically alter aquatic environments and threaten economic and human health.

An independent judging panel selected Systea S.p.A. as the winner for both Nitrate and Phosphate sensors. The Systea instruments represents a cost-effective, commercially available solution for measuring both nitrate and phosphate in an integrated package. It uses a wet chemistry approach to measure both nitrogen and phosphorus, and performed well in lab testing and across the three field deployments, including 72 days in Chesapeake Bay.

The judging panel awarded an Honorable Mention for Innovation and Potential to the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) team. The NOC sensor represents a fundamentally new approach to the wet chemical in situ analyzer method, using chip-based microfluidics technology. Though some engineering challenges need to be addressed for continuous, full-scale field deployment, the sensor performed well in the lab and maintained accuracy and precision across a wide range. The sensor is also forecast to be near the Challenge goal for purchase price.

For the past two years, the Challenging Nutrients Coalition has been working to facilitate the development of nutrient sensors that will provide the data needed to inform decisions to reduce nutrient loads on land, in the air, and in waterways and to track progress. The Coalition is an extensive collaboration between government agencies (including Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Geological Survey, and National Institute of Standards Technology), NGOs, and academia that deploys open innovation and incentive prize approaches to advance nutrient pollution management and reduction.

To stimulate these new innovations, the Coalition launched the Nutrient Sensor Challenge in collaboration with the Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT). The challenge goal was for new, more accurate, precise and reliable technologies to be commercially available by 2017 for a purchase price of less than $5,000 and with other significant savings in cost-of-ownership. After two years of development, and rigorous field and laboratory testing by ACT, the winners were selected by an independent panel of expert judges.

"Many thanks go to the many technology innovators, our technical advisory committee, and independent judging panel," said Mario Tamburri, Executive Director of the Alliance for Coastal Technologies. "The next step is to get these next-generation sensors into the hands of users to help stop the nutrient pollution problem." All instrument performance testing results will be available to the public in a series of individual verification reports published on the ACT website in April 2017.

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More information on the nutrient pollution issue, the Nutrient Sensor Challenge, and the winners can be found at http://www.nutrients-challenge.org.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science leads the way toward better management of Maryland's natural resources and the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. From a network of laboratories located across the state, UMCES scientists provide sound advice to help state and national leaders manage the environment, and prepare future scientists to meet the global challenges of the 21st century. http://www.umces.edu
PHILADELPHIA - Over the past few decades, hundreds of patient-advocacy organizations have emerged in the United States, promoting disease research and influencing FDA and health insurer policies. Now, a new study reveals a large proportion of these organizations have funding or other connections with drug or medical device makers, yet do not adequately disclose the details of these connections or have publicly accessible policies in place describing how they manage them. The study, led by medical ethicists at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggests that patient advocacy organizations should at least do more to acknowledge their industry connections.

"Our findings provide support for a new 'sunshine' law to oblige drug, device, and biotechnology companies to report the payments they make to patient organizations in the same way the must report payment to physicians and teaching hospitals," said lead author Matthew McCoy, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of Medical Ethics & Health Policy at Penn Medicine. "Greater transparency would allow citizens, researchers, policymakers, and others to assess conflicts of interest of patient-advocacy organizations in a way that is not currently possible, and would make it easier for patient-advocacy organizations that accept little or no industry support to differentiate themselves from those that are heavily dependent on such support."

Media reports in recent years have highlighted the fact that some industry-funded patient-advocacy organizations often seem to take industry's side on policy issues, for example by failing to support drug-price reform measures, and by pushing insurers to cover expensive drugs whose benefits to patients are questionable.

In the new study, one of the largest and most comprehensive to date, the team examined websites and annual reports for 104 US-based patient-advocacy organizations with annual revenues of $7.5 million or more.

Results showed that the vast majority of the organizations received industry funding. More than 80 percent (86 out of 104) explicitly reported such support, and most of the remaining organizations left open the possibility of industry support by providing no donor information. Only one of the 104 patient-advocacy organizations stated plainly that it didn't accept industry funding.

Information on donated amounts was typically provided in broad ranges, and in some cases not disclosed at all. But, among the 59 organizations that published donated amounts, 23 (39 percent) reported receiving at least $1 million annually.

The study revealed other connections to industry besides financial support. More than one-third (37/104) of the reviewed organizations reported having one or more board members that were also executives at pharmaceutical, biotech or medical device companies. For 12 of the organizations, the industry executive held a leadership position on the board.

Despite these extensive connections with industry, only 12 of the patient-advocacy organizations had published policies addressing such institutional conflicts of interest.

"What we're seeing is that institutional conflicts of interest are the norm among larger patient-advocacy organizations, and that disclosure and management of these conflicts is limited," said senior author Harald Schmidt, PhD, an assistant professor of Medical Ethics & Health Policy at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

The authors suggest that patient-advocacy organizations should at least have more rigorous disclosure practices, which could include fully identifying donation amounts, sponsors, and uses, along with any other connections to industry.

In a 2009 report on conflicts of interest in medical research and practice, a National Institute of Medicine panel also recommended legislation to mandate disclosures of industry payments to patient-advocacy organizations. However, current laws cover only industry payments to doctors and teaching hospitals.

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Other co-authors of the study included Michael Carniol of the Wharton School at Penn; and Katherine Chockley, John W. Urwin, and Ezekiel J. Emanuel of Penn Medicine.

Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $5.3 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 18 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $373 million awarded in the 2015 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Chestnut Hill Hospital and Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2015, Penn Medicine provided $253.3 million to benefit our community.
Graduate students Mingde Jack Zheng and Joseph Sherba have developed a novel, microfluidic platform for monitoring electroporation and molecular delivery at the single cell-level as part of a NSF sponsored collaborative research team led by Professors Jeffrey Zahn and David Shreiber in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Professors Hao Lin and Jerry Shan in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, in Piscataway, NJ. Electroporation is a widely used, safe, non-viral approach to deliver foreign vectors into many different cell types. When a cell is exposed to an electric field of the appropriate strength, the membrane undergoes reversible electrical breakdown, where transient pores form in the membrane, which allows molecular transport into the cell. The controlled intracellular delivery of biomolecules and therapeutics enables the ability to study and engineer fundamental cellular processes and has therefore been a major focus in biomedical research and clinical medicine. According to BioMarket Trends, the electroporation market currently represents the second largest segment of the total, ~$200 million transfection technology market in terms of revenues, behind lipid based technology.

Consumers in the market include those in biomedical research in academic and industry labs and biotechnology and life science companies who aim to express specific molecules in a variety of cells. In addition, there is increased interest in using transfection technology clinically, especially with the advent of CRISPR technology for gene editing.

Successful cell transfection represents the rate-limiting step in numerous biomedical research and bioproduction workflows including: cell based therapies, RNA interference screening, and stem cell research. The challenges include variable and poor transformation efficiency, especially with hard-to-transfect cell lines such as primary cell lines and stem cell lines. One of the traditional bottlenecks to electroporation has been obtaining efficient delivery without compromising cell viability. Successful electroporation involves the optimization of a wide range of electric field and buffer parameters that are affected by the cell type and molecular payload to achieve an ideal balance of the efficiency of transfection (how much is delivered) with the damage produced (how many cells are damaged or die). Protocols are often identified through costly trial-and-error, and can vary significantly from lab-to-lab and application-to-application. The Rutgers interdisciplinary research and development team are focusing on translational research in developing next-generation electroporation technology for high-efficiency delivery into cells with superior viability.

The novelty of this report is the impedance detection of membrane permeabilization in a continuous flow environment at unprecedented sensitivity, an accomplishment not previously reported in literature. By monitoring changes in the electrical characteristics of individual cells when exposed to short, high-strength electric fields, the team was able to identify when a cell has become permeabilized and determine the conditions which led to molecular delivery while preserving cell viability. This technology will expedite the transfection process by eliminating trial-and-error electroporation protocol development in a safe and effective manner across cell types and applications.

The micro-electroporation platform was realized following extensive theoretical modeling. The team designed and fabricated a microfluidic device consisting of a converging microfluidic electroporation zone and a set of electrodes capable of both pulsing the passing cell in transit and sensing the degree of cell membrane permeabilization. The electroporation microchip is integrated with a custom-built LabVIEW algorithm that continuously monitors the channel for the entrance of a cell into the electroporation zone. Upon detecting a cell, a prescribed electrical pulse is applied to the cell and the electrical signal is monitored for changes in membrane permeabilization, which ultimately determines the therapeutic payload potential.

A widespread parametric study was performed by altering both the electric field strength and pulse duration and electrically measuring the membrane impedance response immediately following pulse application. The degree of membrane permeabilization was dependent on the intensity of the pulse application, with a significant increase in permeabilization occurring at a pulse duration of 0.8 to 1 ms. This trend was also verified by optically monitoring the delivery of a fluorescent probe, propidium iodide, which is impermeant to cells with intact membranes but is transported into the cell upon compromising the membrane via electroporation. Cell viability trends were also shown to be dependent on the strength and duration of the pulse being applied.

Moving forward, the Rutgers team looks to continue the development of this technology into a smart, autonomous system that is capable of using these electrical signals to create a flow-through, feedback-controlled, single cell-level electroporation platform. Improvements in transfection efficiency will allow electroporation-based cellular transformation approaches to become more commonplace and supplant viral based approaches. They envision a product line comprised of a base equipment docking station and software that applies the electric pulses and monitors permeabilization in real time using disposable chips for cell handling and microfluidics. The end result will be a product line that is easy to use, reproducible, and robust, which will open up a wide range of applications by basic research laboratories, development and production laboratories in the biotechnology sector, and ultimately clinical entities interested in direct gene editing or transfection for transplantation and cellular therapies.

Corresponding author for this study in TECHNOLOGY is Professor Jeffrey Zahn, Ph.D., jdzahn@soe.rutgers.edu.

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (DBI IDBR 1353918).
The National Pig Association (NPA) has welcomed the findings of a report on animal welfare data covering nearly 5.5 million pigs over three years.

AHDBs Real Welfare report is the culmination of a unique, self-funded partnership between farmers and vets, developed in response to the pig industrys desire for science-based evidence of welfare standards within the sector.

Based on on-farm assessments covering 5,463,348 pigs over three years, representing 40.5% of all pigs present on farms on the day of assessment, the voluntary initiatives findings have been described as hugely positive by NPA chief executive Zoe Davies.

The Real Welfare project looks beyond production systems, focusing on objective science-based indicators of the welfare of animals, themselves, rather than focusing on the environment the pigs are kept in.

Key findings from the study

 0.07% of pigs were identified as needing to be moved to a hospital pen for special treatment and, on more than three-quarters of farms, no pigs required hospitalisation

 0.18% of non-hospitalised pigs were lame and, on more than three-quarters of farms, no pigs were lame

 0.14% of pigs had severe tail damage and, on more than three-quarters of farms, no pigs had severe tail damage

 70% of pigs had their tails docked, lower than in most other European countries where tail docking is permitted

 0.26% of pigs had severe body marks

 62% of pigs had access to substrate, most of which was straw, and 32% of pigs had access to objects.

Overall, all measures of physical injuries, except tail damage which was already low, decreased over the years Real Welfare has been operation, demonstrating an improvement to the welfare of individual animals in the British pig herd.

The report concluded: The outcomes provide evidence of high levels of welfare and stockmanship in the British industry. They confirm that farmers look after their animals well and deal with pigs that need extra attention to safeguard their well-being.

'Ground-breaking report'

Chief Executive of the NPA Dr Zoe Davies said the report had highlighted areas of real strength in on-farm husbandry standards and identified areas for improvement.

She said: This is a truly ground-breaking report, which is the result of the pig industrys desire to obtain a real picture of the welfare of pigs of our farms.

Overall, the results are very impressive and confirm what we already know about the pride that British pig producers take in ensuring their animals are properly looked after.

The assessment highlighted very low levels of tail-damage, and while the proportion of pigs that have had their tails docked at 70%, may appear high, it is far lower than other major pig producing countries, where the level often nears 100%.

Despite this positive figure, however, the industry is committed to continuing to drive further reductions in the number of pigs that have docked tails.

This farmer led initiative demonstrates to consumers exactly how high the welfare on our farms actually is and stems from a desire to be open and transparent with the public over how their food is produced, despite increasingly damaging and fake messaging from anti-meat eating organisations.
The UKs largest celebration of all things vintage tractor and engine, Tractor Fest, takes place again this year at Newby Hall, near Ripon over the weekend of 10-11 June.

The two-day festival will showcase 1,500 exhibits of not only vintage tractors, but engines, commercial vehicles, cars and motorcycles from around the UK and Europe.

The festival attracts more than 10,000 visitors. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the show at Newby Hall, as well as the 100th anniversary of the manufacture of Fordson Tractors by Henry Ford. The theme - the Legacy of Henry Ford  celebrates the role Ford tractors played in transforming the UKs agriculture.

The first commercially affordable machines, Ford Tractors were imported into the UK in 1917 to help produce desperately needed food at a time when the manpower that would ordinarily be employed in farming was at war. As with the car, Henry Fords "Automobile Plow revolutionised food production, numbering the days of ploughs pulled by horses and changing the world of farming forever.

Vintage tractors

A wide range of vintage Ford and Fordson Tractors will be amongst the showcased engines of all marques at the show which is being supported by the Ford and Fordson Association and the Blue Force club, as well as New Holland Agriculture and Russell Farm Machinery.

A range of fun family activities will include opportunities for children to drive mini tractors around a specially constructed track, arts and crafts, interactive exhibits and trade and food stands, making Tractor Fest the perfect family day out.

The first day will culminate in the popular spectacle of the March of the Tractors which will once again start at Newby Hall, following a route into Ripon centre and end in the market square (Saturday 10 June only from 5.30pm-7pm). Shops, cafes and restaurants will stay open to mark the occasion. The sounding of the Ripon Hornblowers historic horn will send the tractors on their way back to Newby Hall at 7pm.

Yorkshire Vintage Association chairman, Richard Sturdy, said: Were delighted to be celebrating the tenth anniversary of Tractor Fest at Newby with the support of Cheffins. This enables us to continue the shows development as the largest and best such festival in the UK  a great day out for enthusiasts and families alike.
The leader of Britain's sheep farmers has called on retailers to back the British economy by supporting home-grown lamb.

Phil Stocker, chief executive of the National Sheep Association (NSA), has accused retailers of talking up their support for British farmers whilst importing foreign meat.

"They are all doing it. They all say how committed they are to UK producers but five minutes later they are doing something contrary," said Mr Stocker.

He has called on major retailers to get behind the United Kingdom's domestic supply chain.

Phil Stocker's plea came after National Farmers Union (NFU) criticised supermarket group, Morrisons, for promoting Australian and New Zealand lamb.

The retailer boasts that all Morrisons branded fresh lamb is British. However, the NFU criticised the supermarket chain for a recent promotion of Southern Hemisphere lamb.

Sheep farmers are said to be 'seriously alarmed' at the possibility of a free trade deal with a country that was a global sheep meat exporter

'Real shame'

NFU livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe accepted that Morrisons had traditionally been a strong supporter of the UK livestock industry, but he said he was disappointed about the recent promotion of Australian and New Zealand lamb.

We appreciate that Morrisons purchases around 750,000 lambs every year, but in our view its a real shame that the retailer is now acting contrary to its commitments to consumers," he said.

We also have concerns that these imported products are being placed near British messaging at the point of sale, potentially leaving shoppers confused about the origin of the product they are purchasing. We want shoppers to be able to buy British food confidently.

There is obviously a demand for British lamb, so I would urge Morrisons to be clear to customers about what its commitments are.

Morrisons issued a statement saying: As has always been the case, all year round and in all stores, 100 per cent of Morrisons branded fresh lamb is British. As we have in previous years, we will run a handful of non-Morrisons branded promotions between Christmas and Easter when we sell a small amount of non-British lamb. This is because a large volume of one cut (the leg) is being sold out of balance to the rest of the carcass. Again, the country of origin is very clearly labelled and the product is sold away from the counter.

Committent to British

Morrisons is planning to further increase its commitment to British farming.

The supermarket group has launched a campaign to recruit more than 200 new UK suppliers. It is holding a series of recruitment events around the country between March and July.

Farmers have expressed concern over the lack of origin labelling with Waitrose's product

Phil Stocker said now that the United Kingdom was set to leave the European Union it was more important than ever that the UK supply chain worked together for the benefit of the country's economy.

Mr Stocker has previously expressed concern that free trade agreements with countries like Australia could be damaging to the British sheep industry if foreign imports were allowed completely free access to our market.

Following the referendum vote in favour of Brexit, Mr Stocker told FarmingUK the NSA was seriously alarmed at the possibility of a completely free trade deal with a country that was a global sheep meat exporter.

He said such a deal could be catastrophic for British sheep farmers.

NSA understands Australia has been pushing to increase its EU quota for many years now, so there is no doubt it would send larger amounts of sheep meat to Europe and the UK given the opportunity, he said.

The UK sheep sector is already suffering unacceptably high levels of imports of New Zealand lamb, much of which is sourced by retailers at times of the year when UK product is in plentiful supply. We would be keen to see an outcome of Brexit being tighter controls on New Zealand lamb being allowed into this country, and we certainly need to avoid making the situation worse by allowing Australian product to head our way, too.

UK as a 'prime destination'

Imports of Australian sheep meat are currently limited by EU quota to just under 20,000 tonnes each year.

The NSA says that, with annual production of more than 700,000 tonnes, Australia is very keen to open up more trade opportunities and, says the NSA, it sees the UK as a prime destination for its lamb and mutton products.

Phil Stocker said there were numerous examples of retailers expressing their support for British farmers yet opting to source foreign imports.

He pointed to Waitrose, whose "British" shepherd's pie was found to contain lamb from New Zealand. Waitrose recently re-branded its ready meals to make clear where the meat is from.

Mr Stocker said Waitrose had been offering money-off vouchers, but only on New Zealand lamb, and he said Asda had been selling lamb mince that was a mixture of British and New Zealand meat.

"For all we know it could be one per cent UK lamb and 99 per cent New Zealand lamb," he said.

"There is a lot of confusion amongst retailers," he said. "They are all doing it. They all say how committed they are to UK producers but five minutes later they are doing something contrary. Someone needs to pull the whole supply chain together and create a vision for the future and support that vision. We need retailers to do all they can to support the British supply chain."

Opened for cheap imports

The NSA chief executive remains concerned that the UK may be opened up to cheap foreign imports in the wake of the country's departure from the EU.

The Government's Trade and Industry Secretary, Liam Fox, has promised to have a series of free trade agreements ready to sign once the UK leaves the European Union.

The fear is that British-produced high welfare, high standard food will be left exposed to cheap imports if trade is completely open.

At the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference (EPIC) in November, Farming Minister George Eustice said he wanted the UK to be "the international exemplar when it comes to animal health and welfare".

He said: "I would like us to pioneer new policies, new ways of working, to create a policy that is the envy of the world. I want us to get to a place where a decade from now the rest of the world will want to emulate policies that we put in place," he said. This message has since been repeated by Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom.

However, the Farming Minister, has failed to commit to placing any controls on imports of lower welfare food. He said at EPIC: "I am mindful that if we want to open free trade agreements with other parts of the world, including say the US, we have got to recognise the fact that they have got lower standards of animal welfare."

Phil Shiner said this approach made no sense. "It's illogical talking about British high welfare but not protecting our market," he told FarmingUK.

Farming leaders across many farming sectors have expressed similar concerns about the impact of completely open trade on British farming.
The farming sector has rallied around agricultural workers to be more careful, as February saw ten fatalities, including one child, recorded on farms.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has pressed farmers to mitigate the risks on farms, and to be more safety conscious.

NFU Vice President and Farm Safety Partnership Chair Guy Smith said: Accidents involving vehicles are the most common cause of fatal injury in agriculture and in February were the cause of the majority of recorded farm deaths.

Accidents include a farmer from Devon who died after his tractor overturned and a farmer from Denbighshire who died after being crushed by his Land Rover.

In particular, the death of a three year old boy from Fife brought home the need to make safety a priority on farms in the UK.

'Make safety a priority'

Mr Smith continued: We urge farmers to take some time to make safety a priority. It just might save you more time and money than you think - but more importantly keep you alive.

Farmers can protect themselves by planning to keep people separate from tractors and other farm vehicles whenever possible. Following the Safe Stop procedure of hand brake on, controls in neutral, engine off and keys out is vital when working on machinery.

Check, check and check again that vehicles are properly maintained. Something as simple as topping up brake fluid or repairing a load indicator light could mean the difference between life and death.

As many farms are multi-purpose homes, businesses and leisure destinations, keeping a farm as safe as possible will safeguard everyones wellbeing. 
The Welsh meat sector is looking for a slice of the German food market, which is worth a huge 73.6 billion.

In a country famed for its love of all things sausage, the UK hopes quality meat sourced from Wales will help gain access to this lucrative market.

Hybu Cig Cymru  Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) has promoted Welsh lamb at two major German trade shows, as part of a bid to claim a larger share of the countrys massive food service industry and raise awareness of the premium product among consumers.

The taste and versatility of PGI Welsh lamb was demonstrated by chefs at the Lebensmittel Praxis Fleischkongress meat event in Bonn, and at a food industry fair in Berlin organised by the TransGourmet foodservice supplier, in late-February.

The food service market is booming in Germany. In 2015 alone, food service sales grew by 3.5% and reached 73.6 billion.

The countrys meat consumption is comparatively high, at 60kg per head, making the meat and sausage products sector the largest segment in Germanys food industry.

Partly because of German consumers increasing tendency to eat in restaurants, cafes and snack bars, the country is the worlds third largest importer of agricultural and food products.

'Major opportunity'

The food service sector in Germany is enormous, and represents a major opportunity for Welsh lamb in particular, said Alex James, HCCs Export Market Development Executive.

Theres a demand for a variety of high-quality meat. Welsh lamb, with its sought-after PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status which gives consumers confidence in its traceability back to the farm and the Welsh landscape, is finding its way into more restaurants, and onto the premium listings of many catering suppliers and importers.

Our presence at these key trade shows in Bonn and Berlin is part of a programme to bring our products to the attention of more consumers, and ensure that Wales claims its fair share of this 73 billion business.
Mitula Group Limitedhas announced it has expanded its fashion presence, by acquiring Dutch based fashion vertical search specialist, Kleding BV.Kleding BV owns 16 fashion search websites in the Netherlands, Europe and Australia.Mitual Group bought the company for $13.7 million cash and 1 million Mitula Group Limitedshares. Additional payments may however need to be met, if revenue and EBITDA targets are met.The sites aggregate more than 18 million products, from over 1,000 online clothing, shoes and accessories stores.Mitula Group Limitedlast reported a net profit of $8.2 million after tax for the full 2016 year.
Every day, Wall Street analysts upgrade some stocks, downgrade others, and "initiate coverage" on a few more. But do these analysts even know what they're talking about? Today, we're taking one high-profile Wall Street pick and putting it under the microscope...

ExxonMobil (XOM 1.09%) held its long-awaited investor day on Wednesday, and the news did not disappoint.

Laying out plans to ramp capital investment by 16% in 2017, then continue growing capex until the company is spending $25 billion a year on exploration and production of oil and gas deposits through the end of this decade, ExxonMobil sounded a bullish note on the future of the oil market. Exxon touted its "5,500 wells in the Permian and the Bakken" shale, all capable of earning at least 10% profit margins so long as oil doesn't fall below $40 a barrel. Management boasted of plans to expand production in such diverse locales as Canada, Guyana, and the United Arab Emirates, with plans to start five "major" upstream projects over just the next two years.

When all was said and done, Credit Suisse shouted (in effect): "Enough! We give! We'll upgrade you!" And promptly rerated ExxonMobil to neutral (with an $83 price target).

So what was it that finally tipped the scales in Exxon's favor? Here are three things you need to know.

1. "$65 oil"

StreetInsider.com outlined the key points from Credit Suisse's upgrade yesterday, and the most important point is this one: Credit Suisse thinks ExxonMobil is right to be optimistic about the oil market, because Credit Suisse sees Brent crude oil -- currently selling just below $55 a barrel -- rising as high as $65 a barrel in the near future.

As Credit Suisse explains, it initially warned of "an oil correction" back in 2014, back when oil was selling for well over $100 a barrel. Credit Suisse downgraded ExxonMobil in response a year later, as oil prices plunged below $50 a barrel. A return to $65-a-barrel oil, though, should put ExxonMobil stock back where it was trading around about late 2014.

2. Which leads us to this chart

As you can see on the below chart, this implies a stock price of roughly $83 a share for ExxonMobil stock.

3. Cash is king

That's what history would seem to imply, at least. But Credit Suisse has other reasons for liking ExxonMobil stock as well. For example, with an $83 target price and ExxonMobil stock selling for only a bit more than $83 a share today, Credit Suisse thinks the stock is fairly priced at today's forward price-to-earnings ratio of 17.2.

CS admits there are "other Majors which are demonstrably cheaper" than Exxon, calling out Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) (RDS.B) here as particularly cheap (Royal Dutch Shell sells for a forward P/E of 11.2). But the analyst also believes that ExxonMobil stock doesn't look too bad, saying it is earning more than "just a maintenance level of free cashflow."

In fact, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, Exxon is actually producing a quite respectable $5.9 billion in positive free cash flow today. That's only half as much as the company was generating back in 2014 ($12.1 billion). But it compares favorably to Royal Dutch Shell, which is spending more on capex, and therefore already burning cash in today's cheap-oil environment.

Bonus thing: What you need to know about Credit Suisse

All that being said, does Credit Suisse's argument add up to a compelling case for upgrading ExxonMobil stock? I don't think so, and here's why:

Even if Credit Suisse is right about ExxonMobil -- about oil prices returning to $65 a barrel, about the size of Exxon's capital investment program, and about the free cash flow, too -- well, comparing Exxon's $344 billion market capitalization to the $12.1 billion in free cash flow that Exxon generated in 2014 results in a price-to-free cash flow ratio of more than 28 on the hypothetical cash profits Exxon could generate in a market charging $10 more for oil than it presently charges today. To me, that doesn't sound like a very cheap price to be paying for Exxon stock -- and it would be even more expensive if Credit Suisse turns out to be wrong about oil prices returning to $65 a barrel.

What's more, Credit Suisse might very well be wrong about that price forecast. Because according to our data here at Motley Fool CAPS, when it comes to picking oil and gas stocks, Credit Suisse's record is simply abysmal:

A total of 117 affirmative buy/sell recommendations made throughout the industry over the past decade...

...but a lowly 36.3% accuracy on those picks.

Accuracy of 24.2% on its current recommendations...

...and a combined 2,097 percentage points' worth of market underperformance across its many, many oil and gas picks.

If this is the kind of analyst you want to be taking advice from on oil and gas stocks, well, that's your choice. For my part, though, I'll be ignoring Credit Suisse's advice on ExxonMobil.
Welcome to KARMABrooklyn! We hope that the news and other information we post on this b log will be useful to residents and merchants in Kensington and Windsor Terrace. If you'd like to contact us, write to us at karmabrooklyn [at] gmail [dot] com.
Flintshire Electrical Engineering Contractor Commercial Power Solutions Launched

Luntstone Electrical Ltd, a Flintshire, United Kingdom electrical engineering company available on +44-1352-792197, launched a variety of professional power solutions and electrical engineering solutions for commercial, industrial and educational clients.

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Luntstone Electrical Ltd, an electrical engineering company based in Flintshire, United Kingdom, launched a wide range of power solutions and electrical engineering services for commercial, industrial and educational clients.

More information is available at http://luntstone.co.uk.

Electrical systems are essential for all buildings and structure, as they must provide constant power supply to many electronical devices and industrial technology. For industrial and commercial parties in particular, professionally designed and effective power systems are essential both for safety and financial reasons, as power malfunctions can result in serious financial losses.

Luntstone Electrical Ltd is an independent electrical engineering contractor specializing in design, installation and maintenance of a wide range of small to large scale electrical systems.

The company provides a variety of services, from pre-installation consultation to system maintenance, working with professional experts to offer high-quality, reliable, safe and standard-compliant electrical engineering solutions.

One of the key goals of the company is to provide high standards of electrical engineering and expertise. Luntstone Electrical Ltd is a NICEIC-approved contractor constantly updating its services to meet the latest international industry standards.

To increase client satisfaction and provide reliable electrical engineering services, Luntstone Electrical Ltd strives to perform all interventions within precise deadlines.

The company offers both commercial and industrial electrical engineering services, in an effort to respond to all types of client needs and preferences. Starting from small-scale office infrastructure to complex industrial designs, the company provides professional electrical engineering expertise in design, installation and maintenance of both simple and complex power systems.

For industrial clients, the company provides conceptualisation, design, installation, commissioning, preventive maintenance and emergency repair services. Certification and inspection services are also available.

The company works exclusively with licensed and certified electrical engineering experts, in an effort to provide safe, reliable and professional power solutions to all clients.

Interested parties can find more information by visiting the above-mentioned website.

Contact Info:

Name: Annette Thomas

Organization: Luntstone Electrical Ltd

Address: Holywell Road Flint Trade Park, Flintshire CH6 5RR, United Kingdom

Phone: +44-1352-792197

For more information, please visit http://www.luntstone.co.uk

Source: PressCable

Release ID: 174835

For more information visit r



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Se7en Friday Launches Singapore Event Planning Blog

The company is giving people an inside look at how the region's event planners get the job done, reports www.eventsingapore.com.

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Se7en Friday recently announced the launch of their Singapore event planning blog. Having managed all Types of Events in Singapore for their own clients over the years, the company is giving people an inside look at how the region's most influential event planners and managers get the job done for clients both large and small. The blog covers a wide range of topics, from event venues to party themes to event giveaways and souvenirs.

"Our company is well-known throughout Singapore for putting on the best events. From recreational runs to product launches to gala dinners, our team has done it all. While many people have enjoyed our events, most have no idea what kind of creativity and hard work is needed to ensure that everything runs smoothly. This is why we've launched our new blog. We want people to gain a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities of an event company and get a glimpse of what we do to make our events stand out," said Henry Tan of Se7en Friday.

Se7en Friday's new event planning blog is filled with in-depth articles discussing the details of planning a great event. The company covers topics like Popular Event Venues in Singapore as well as how to create a detailed execution plan for events of any size. Those who are planning events in the near future will find lots of helpful tips and advice on how to make sure the planning process is as stress-free and productive as possible.

Tan went on to say, "When it comes to planning events, many people want to know: What Do Event Companies in Singapore Do? We're happy to use our expertise gathered from years of experience in this industry to show them exactly how it's done. Our new blog is showing readers that, with a little help from the right planner, they'll ensure their event is one to remember."

About Se7en Friday:

Not just another start up story, Se7en Friday is made up of a team of specialists from different facets of production houses that have come together to synergise their expertise and leverage on every team member's talent. Many of their team members are well known in the event industry and yet perfectly complement their industry partners. Passion is the word when they talk about their work and their customers will be able to sense it from the moment they start corresponding. The very reason why the company is called Se7en Friday is because they treat every day as a Happy Friday. The company's sense of purpose in this industry is clear and they know how to achieve this for their customers.

Contact Info:

Name: Henry Tan

Organization: Se7enFriday

Phone: +65 6251 0288

Source URL: http://marketersmedia.com/se7en-friday-launches-singapore-event-planning-blog/174775

For more information, please visit http://www.eventsingapore.com

Source: MarketersMedia

Release ID: 174775

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Haiti - FLASH : 30,000 Haitian migrants on the Mexican border targeted by scammers





Ariadna Estevez, a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), who visited of refugees in Tijuana, Baja California, says that the majority of people trying to enter the United States today are of Haitian origin.



Estevez recalled that the Haitians began arriving in Tijuana in May 2016 and less than a year later, estimated that they are about 30,000, stranded at the border. Many had fled to Brazil after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, but due to the economic crisis in Brazil, they are now trying to reach the United States.



Estevez warns the Haitians on a flyer in circulation that has attracted her attention. This flyer with the logo of a company called "Clearport" shows photos of people wearing Canadian flags, with the title "If you speak French, we have an option for you [...]" and explains "[...] If you want to find a job in Canada, give us a call or send your CV [...] Travel costs are paid by the company."



Estevez has done research on this company that seems not to exist. She says that some refugees are convinced that this company is affiliated with the Canadian government, but the Canadian Embassy in Mexico after verification confirms that this is not the case.



The researcher believes that this leaflet is linked to networks of traffickers of people who illegally drive desperate migrants to the United States or Canada. She warns that these migrants with virtually no money will have to pay back very large sums of money demanded by these gangs, working in prostitution or other forms of slavery as illegal.



According to the researcher, it is logical that these gangs consider Canada an option for Haitians because the United States is likely to expel them to Haiti if they seek asylum. She recalled that Haitians who had arrived in the United States were already likely to be deported before the new US President Donald Trump took office, but since, According to the researcher, it is logical that these gangs consider Canada an option for Haitians because the United States is likely to expel them to Haiti if they seek asylum. She recalled that Haitians who had arrived in the United States were already likely to be deported before the new US President Donald Trump took office, but since then, they are even less likely to be accepted as refugees.



Figures from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol show the number "inadmissible" Haitians arriving at the San Diego-area border crossing rose from 333 in 2015 to 6,377 in 2016. In the first several weeks of 2017, there have already been 7,589 "inadmissible" Haitians who have arrived at that U.S. border crossing.



In Tijuana, information is spreading that Haitians can be deported if they try to seek asylum in the US, prompting them to turn to human smugglers and traffickers by taking unacceptable risks .



Meanwhile, thousands of Haitians are stranded in overcrowded shelters and rare are those who can find work in Mexico more that one day on construction sites or as domestic servants, often for less than US $1 per hour...



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-19691-haiti-mexicoto-tijuana-of-haitians-celebrates-the-independence-of-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19478-haiti-flash-thousands-of-haitians-seek-refuge-in-mexico.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18704-haiti-flash-tens-of-thousands-of-haitians-en-route-to-usa.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18700-haiti-flash-usa-resumption-of-regular-deportations-to-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18659-haiti-flash-haitians-are-fleeing-in-large-numbers-brazil-for-usa.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Politics : President Moise welcomes the success of the 2017 National Carnival





Wednesday, President Jovenel Moise welcomed the efforts made by the organizers for the success of the National Carnival. He particularly congratulated the people of Les Cayes for his hospitality during the three fat days that took place in a festive atmosphere. 23 queens and 18 kings marched on allegorical floats. Several dozen disguised groups and walking bands, and some twenty musical floats have animated the city of Les Cayes during National Carnival 2017.



The delay of the first day prevented groups from completing the course. The second fat day touched perfectly, the disguised bands were able to come out earlier and offer a much better performance. All tanks completed the course.



The Head of State underlines "The prevention system has worked well [...] the Red Cross and health care teams have done a good job. In terms of security, the National Police of Haiti (PNH) has done an outstanding job. A mobilization strongly felt at all levels, on the route and in the other streets of the city, facilitating the movement of carnavaliers in the city. This made it possible to record no death on the course during the three fat days" "[note HL --- 81 victims including 24 wounded with white arms and 62 arrests...]



Adding "State spending has been mobilized during these festivities in sustainable development projects, which can mitigate the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew."



Note that the Nippes and Grand'Anse departments participated in the Carnival parade as a sign of solidarity as Jovenel Moise wished.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Security : A bodyguard of the deputy Wanique Pierre shot down





Tuesday evening, Gerald Kebreau a bodyguard of the close security of Senator Wanique Pierre (PHTK) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19427-haiti-flash-results-of-elections-1-3-senate-complementary-legislative.html was shot down by several bullets at the head, in the commune of Trou du Nord during the carnival activities of the third fat day.



A rumor spread quickly pointing a finger at a police officer who was allegedly involved in the assassination. On the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, around 1 am unidentified individuals, set fire to the residence of the said officer... these same individuals it seem, later attacked a company belonging to the Deputy Donald Dorsainvil (VERITE Constituency of Trou du Nord/Caracol) that they also burned, without knowing the exact reasons for their action, which could be of a political nature.



The authorities so far have made no official statement about these events, nor about the alleged identity of the killer, beyond the popular rumors...



TB/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping politics...





National carnival, 81 wounded and 82 arrests

According to unofficial information circulating in Les Cayes, more than a hundred people were injured during the 3 fat days of the National Carnival. However, according to the record of the authorities, during these three days, 81 people were wounded, 24 of them with weapons and the police made 82 arrests for misdemeanors. No loss of life has been reported https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20240-haiti-politics-president-moise-welcomes-the-success-of-the-2017-national-carnival.html



Jude Celestin : fake Facebook page

The Bureau of Jude Celestin strongly denounces the Facebook page entitled "Jude Celestin le a rive". The Bureau says that unknowns are hidden behind this page to offer false opportunities to young people on social networks. "No message from this page binds citizen Jude Celestin" the bureau asked these individuals "to stop this campaign of denigration in order not to incur penalties provided by the Haitian justice."



28 Haitians underage arrested for consumption of marihuana

As part of his campaign of morality, Danton Leger, Government Commissioner, Chief of the Public Prosecutor's office in Port-au-Prince, announced that 28 minors had been arrested for consumption of marihuana. They will be sent before their judge, Commissioner Leger announced.



New Ambassador of Chile in Haiti

The Chilean Government, through Chancellor Heraldo Munoz, informed that Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has appointed a new Ambassador to Haiti. This is Patricio Utreras, who has already received the approval of Haiti, a geographer at the University of Chile, graduated from the Diplomatic Academy "Andres Bello". Prior to his appointment to Haiti, Patricio Utreras served as Minister Counselor and Head of the Chancery at the Embassy of Chile in the United States.



Donation of 600 tons of rice from Taiwan

The Government of Taiwan (Republic of China) has donated 600 metric tons of rice to the NGO "Food for the Poor" Haiti. Bishop Roger Beauvoir, the head of the NGO, thanked the Taiwanese State through its diplomat for this humanitarian aid and cooperation that has been going on since already 7 years.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Security : Haiti remains on the Black List (US report 2017)





Once again, Haiti finds itself on the Black List of the 22 major drug transit countries and / or main illicit drug producers (Afghanistan, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru and Venezuela) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18602-haiti-flash-obama-keeps-haiti-on-the-black-list-of-drug-trafficking.html



In its report "2017 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report", the US Department of State indicates :



"Haiti remains a transit point for cocaine originating in South America and marijuana originating in Jamaica, en route to the United States and other markets. This traffic takes advantage of Haitis severely under-patrolled maritime borders, particularly on the northern and southern coasts. Haiti is not a significant producer of illicit drugs for export, although there is cultivation of cannabis for local consumption. Haitis primarily subsistence-level economy does not provide an environment conducive to high levels of domestic drug use.



The Haitian government continued to strengthen the Haitian National Police (PNH) and its counternarcotics unit (Bureau for the Fight Against Narcotics Trafficking, or BLTS) with additional manpower, and officials at the highest levels of government have repeatedly committed to fight drug trafficking. While drug and cash seizures were higher in 2016 than in previous years, the government has been unable to adequately secure borders to cut the flow of illegal drugs.



Principal land border crossings with the Dominican Republic are largely uncontrolled and the southern coastline remains virtually enforcement-free. The minimal interdiction capacity of the Haitian Coast Guard (HCG) creates a low-risk environment for drug traffickers to operate. While Haitis domestic law enforcement interdiction capacity has improved marginally, a largely ineffective judicial system continues to impede successful prosecution of drug traffickers.



[...]



The PNHs counternarcotics unit, BLTS, remains the institution dedicated to interdicting drug traffic. Attrition decreased its manpower to 170 officers in 2016, but an additional 59 officers from the 26th promotion brought manpower to 229 officers in December 2016. After completing a basic two-month counternarcotics course given by BLTS trainers with U.S. assistance, the new officers will be assigned to BLTS units and outposts, including border crossings to the Dominican Republic at Malpasse and Terrier Rouge.



BLTS enhanced its interdiction capacities in 2016 by assigning officers to new outposts in Ouanaminthe on the border with the Dominican Republic, and Cap Haitien on the north coast, further expanding use of a 19-dog canine unit, and participating in U.S.-funded training in Colombia. BLTS assigned 15 officers to the HCG base in Les Cayes on the south coast, which now has a maritime interdiction capability that will increase operational capacity to deter drug trafficking along the southern coast. Delivery of two new vessels and related training took place in August, and the BLTS-HCG task force is now operational. A partially vetted unit was established and participated in sensitive operations led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Airport canine prefabricated buildings were installed in Haitis two international airports in Port-au-Prince and in Cap Haitien.



Reports of misconduct and participation in the drug trade by some PNH officers are investigated by the PNHs Inspector Generals office. The PNH still faces challenges regulating its internal affairs, particularly in the south and in remote provinces. Between December 2015 and September 2016, a total of 20 officers were recommended for termination stemming from abandonment of post and corruption. The officers were removed from the PNH.



The HCG is the sole maritime enforcement agency in Haiti, responsible for securing maritime borders. Its effective strength of 160 officers will be complemented by an additional 60 officers from the PNHs 26th promotion to bring overall strength to 220 officers. The HCG has operating bases in Cap Haitien, Killick (Port-au-Prince), and Les Cayes. The force has a total of 18 maritime vessels, but only five are currently operational, with seven of the remaining 13 vessels non-repairable due to age or past viable hull life limit. Maritime domain awareness and enforcement are daunting tasks for the HCG, considering Haitis 1,100 miles of coastline and seven international ports. Operational capacity remains low due to insufficient funding, management deficiencies, an inability to refuel, and unavailability of locally procured parts to maintain the vessels reliably. These issues have prevented the HCG from serving as an effective deterrent force to maritime drug trafficking.



Haiti maintains several core legal agreements in support of drug control goals and often cooperates effectively with the United States on illicit drug cases. A 1997 bilateral letter of agreement on Cooperation to Suppress Illicit Maritime Drug Traffic allows U.S. law enforcement agencies to enter Haitian territorial waters and airspace in pursuit of suspect vessels or aircraft, to board and search suspect vessels, to patrol Haitian airspace, and to carry members of the HCG as ship riders. Although there is no mutual legal assistance treaty between Haiti and the United States, the Haitian government has cooperated on many cases within the limits of Haitian law [...]



BLTS executed several successful operations in 2016 that resulted in the seizure of 3.52 metric tons (MT) of marijuana and 35 kilograms (kg) of cocaine. Ninety-seven suspects were arrested for alleged drug crimes and two were expelled to the United States for prosecution. A total of 370 kg of cocaine and 4 kg of heroin coming out of Haiti were seized by other international law enforcement agencies in joint operations with DEA and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). In addition, 1.1 MT of cocaine were seized by the USCG on a go-fast boat off of Haitis southern coast. DEA and the USCG routinely conduct joint operations with BLTS and provide assistance in operational planning and intelligence gathering. In 2016, the United States sponsored a number of BLTS officers to receive numerous trainings abroad and in Haiti. There is no significant availability or traffic of illegal synthetic drugs in Haiti.



[...]



As a matter of policy, the Haitian government does not encourage or facilitate illegal activity associated with drug trafficking, or the laundering of proceeds from illicit drug transactions. Government officials have expressed their desire to combat drug trafficking and its negative impacts.



[...]"



The report concluded by saying "the continued institutional development of the PNH and the BLTS are positive trends that have helped to improve public security and have marginally increased Haitis ability to interdict drug trafficking. Continued strong cooperation between Haitian and U.S. law enforcement yielded major illicit drug seizures and enabled the apprehension of individuals indicted in U.S. jurisdictions and their return for trial in the United States. However, the dysfunctional Haitian judicial system drastically limits domestic prosecution of drug cases and thus reduces disincentives to drug-trafficking operations. Drug seizures still remain low, and Haitis minimal capacity to police its sea and land borders is a particular point of concern.



Continued engagement from the United States, particularly in support of BLTS operations and general PNH development, will help Haitian law enforcement to capitalize on marginal gains in drug interdiction capacity. However, the benefits of such gains will be limited if the judicial system fails to convict drug traffickers. Only the concurrent strengthening of the judiciary, law enforcement, and border security will enable Haiti to make real progress in fighting drug trafficking."



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Vowing to plant their flag in China and that blood will flow in rivers, a new video released this week purportedly by the Islamic State group shows ethnic Uighur fighters training in Iraq, underscoring what Beijing sees as a serious threat.

China is worried that Uighurs, a mostly Muslim people from western Chinas Xinjiang region, have gone to Syria and Iraq to fight for militant groups there, having travelled illegally via Southeast Asia and Turkey.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the killing of a Chinese hostage in 2015, demonstrating Chinas concern about Uighurs it says are fighting in the Middle East.

Hundreds of people have been killed in Xinjiang in the past few years, most in unrest between Uighurs and the ethnic majority Han Chinese. The government blames the unrest on Islamist militants.

The Iraqi arm of Islamic State has released a half-hour long video purportedly showing Uighurs training, as well as some images from inside Xinjiang, including Chinese police on the streets.

One shot that shows Chinese President Xi Jinping gives way to flames in front of a Chinese flag.

Hey, brothers! Today, we are fighting with infidels across the world! Im telling you this: Come and live here! Stay strong!, one of the fighters says, according to Uighur speakers who analysed the video for Reuters but who asked not to be identified.

We will certainly plant our flag over America, China, Russia, and all the infidels of the world, it says.

In another scene, a chant in Uighur says: Our land of sharia has been constructed with spilt blood. It then shows pictures of martyrs indicated as al-Turkistani, or men from Turkestan, the name many Uighurs use for Xinjiang.

One of the men speaking has an accent from Yarkand, close to the old Silk Road city of Kashgar in Xinjiangs southern Uighur heartland, one of the people who reviewed the video said.

Another fighter refers to the evil Chinese Communist infidel lackeys.

In retaliation for the tears that flow from the eyes of the oppressed, we will make your blood flow in rivers, by the will of God! he says.

The video was released this week by the U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant groups online.Reuters was not able to independently verify the authenticity of the video.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Wednesday he was not aware of the video and had not seen it.

But one point is very clear. We oppose any form of terrorism and proactively participate in international cooperation to crack down on terrorism, Geng told a daily news briefing.

We have long said that East Turkestan forces are a serious threat to Chinas security and we are willing to work with the international community to jointly crack down on East Turkestan separatist and terrorist forces, he said.

The government says foreign militants have stirred up tensions in Xinjiang, where it says it faces a determined campaign by separatists who want to establish an independent state called East Turkestan.

However, many rights groups and exiles doubt the existence of a coherent militant group in Xinjiang and say Uighur anger at repressive Chinese policies is more to blame for the unrest.

China denies any repression in Xinjiang.

Source : MSN
With stunning scenery, sun-drenched beaches and some of Southeast Asias best rock climbing opportunities, Krabi is one of Thailands most enchanting provinces. Its anchored by Krabi town, a lively resort that is home to plenty of guesthouses, western restaurants and friendly travel agencies.

Things to Do

Most travellers make a beeline for nearby Railay Beach, a world-renowned rock climbing destination. Accessible only by boat, its fringed by towering limestone crags, sandy beaches and laid-back restaurants.

Krabi is just a stones throw from some of Thailands most beautiful islands. In town, youll find plenty of tour agencies offering day trips to secluded beaches and lush jungle islands nearby. Some of the most popular excursions from Krabi include Ko Hong, Ko Poda and Ko Gai (also known as Chicken Island).

Beyond its adventurous activities on offer, Krabi is home to the mighty Tiger Cave Temple. Perched high on a hilltop, the Buddhist temple is known for the tiger paw prints on its cave walls. Theres a strenuous flight of stairs to the summit, but the views are well worth the trip.

For most travellers, Krabi town is a jumping point to other Andaman Island destinations. From here you can reach the insanely beautiful Phi Phi Islands, coral fringed Ko Lanta and stunning Ko Yao Yai.

Getting Around

Krabi is easy to navigate on foot, with most of the action contained within the town centre. If you dont want to walk, simply hail a cheap taxi or tuk-tuk. Local buses run to Ao Nang and Klong Muang, while places like Railay Beach are only accessible by boat. If youre travelling onwards, Krabi is a great place to book ferries to the Phi Phi Islands and Koh Lanta.
Does the Oglala Sioux Tribe still hold claim to the Black Hills?



Does the Oglala Sioux Tribe still hold claim to the Black Hills?

By Native Sun News Today Editorial Board

The oral history of the Oglala Lakota recalls that the great Lakota warrior Crazy Horse was born along the banks of the Minneluzahan or Rapid Creek, the very same creek that still runs through the center of Rapid City.

Back then the Rapid Creek and all of the He Sapa (Black Hills) were a part of the lands the Lakota People considered to be Sacred. The Black Hills were taken illegally by the United States Government in 1877. A more ripe and rank case of dishonest dealings may never be found in our history, said the great Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun.

But in lieu of that illegal seizure of Lakota land the Tribes of the Great Sioux Nation have refused to accept monetary compensation for the land even though the money offered for the land in 1980 has now exceeded $1.4 billion dollars.

This means the Sioux Tribes still consider the stolen lands as a part of the Great Sioux Nation. There are more than 20,000 Lakota living on the lands in and around Rapid City and if the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the other Tribes of the Sioux Nation still consider the Black Hills to be a part of the original Treaty lands named in the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 then why are the Lakota citizens residing on those lands not allowed to participate in selecting the leadership of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and other Tribes of the Great Sioux Nation?

Many Lakota living in Rapid City are still legitimate land owners on the Pine Ridge Reservation. If we are to be excluded from participating in tribal elections and in other activities that have an impact upon our lives does that mean that the Oglala Sioux Tribe does not claim the Black Hills as Tribal Treaty land anymore?

Those Lakota living in Rapid City, if the Tribe still claims this land, are legitimate citizens of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and to deny us the right to vote or run for office is disenfranchising us from our legal heritage. This is wrong is so many ways. As an example the Comanche Nations headquarters are located in Oklahoma, but the land holdings of the original Comanche extended all of the way to New Mexico and Texas and if you are an enrolled member of the Comanche Nation you are allowed to vote in the tribal elections and to run for office no matter where you lived. It is only right.

Another example, most of the city of Martin is not considered to be a part of the Pine Ridge Reservation. And yet the Lakota living in Martin, off of the reservation, are still allowed to run for office and to vote. Many of the Lakota living in Rapid City were born, raised and educated at Pine Ridge and moved to this city to attend college or to find jobs. They moved here out of necessity and now they are being penalized for trying to improve their lives because there are few job opportunities at the present time on the reservation.

The founder of Native Sun News Today, Tim Giago, was born in the old hospital in Pine Ridge Village and educated just down the road at Holy Rosary Indian Mission (Red Cloud Indian School). Many of his relatives still live and work on the Pine Ridge Reservation and that is true of most of the employees at Native Sun News Today. He started his first newspaper Lakota Times right in the heart of Pine Ridge Village across the street from the Sioux Nation Shopping Center and he would have kept his newspaper and jobs in Pine Ridge Village if there would have been a building available to house his newspaper after he bought a printing press. There were no buildings big enough at the time so he moved the paper to Rapid City.

The Lakota Times later became Indian Country Today and it would have remained in Pine Ridge if there had been a building big enough to house the growing business.

The point we are making is that most of the Lakota living in Rapid City consider the Black Hills to be a part of the Great Sioux Nation yet and we are living on Treaty Lands. All we are asking is for the right to be citizens of the land of our ancestors. The land we live on is either Treaty Land or it is not: You cant have it both ways.

For more news and opinion visit the Native Sun News Today website: Does the Oglala Sioux Tribe still hold claim to the Black Hills?

(Contract the Editorial Board at editor@nsweekly.com)

Copyright permission Native Sun News

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Allianz Life Indonesia, a subsidiary of German insurer Allianz, will likely be required to sell at least 20% of its shares to Indonesian investors.

Yesterday Allianz Life Indonesia chief financial officer Meylindawati Tjoa told reporters that Allianz would comply with the local rules currently being drafted by the Indonesian government, reports the Jakarta Post. These rules will limit foreign ownership of Indonesian insurance companies to 80%.

Allianz group currently owns 99.7% of the company's shares.

Tjoa said Allianz Indonesia will comply with any rules that come into force.

Lobby group Insurance Europe has previously complained about protectionism in Indonesia. Following the merger of four state-owned reinsurers into Indonesia Re last year the Indonesian regulator announced that only local reinsurance cessions would be allowed.
Asia Malaysia Condemns Use of VX at Airport; Prepares to Deport N. Korean

Indonesian Siti Aisyah arrives at a court in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur. She is charged with the murder of Kim Jong Nam. / Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR  Malaysia condemned the use of VX, the super toxic nerve agent that killed the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a Kuala Lumpur airport last month, as authorities on Friday prepared to deport a North Korean suspect.

Kim Jong Nam was murdered on Feb. 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, where he was assaulted by two women who allegedly smeared his face with VX, a chemical classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.

The Ministry strongly condemns the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public, the Malaysian foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said it was in close contact with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, an inter-governmental organization based in the Netherlands, regarding the incident.

Malaysia does not produce, stockpile, import, export or use any Schedule 1 toxic chemicals including VX, and has made annual declarations to that effect to the OPCW, the statement said.

Relations between Malaysia and North Korea, who have maintained friendly ties for decades, have soured since the killing of Kim Jong Nam at the airport two weeks ago.

North Koreas envoy to Malaysia has said earlier that police investigations in the case cannot be trusted. North Korea has not accepted that the dead man is Kim Jong Nam, and said on Thursday that its citizen may have died of a heart attack.

South Korean intelligence and U.S. officials say the murder was an assassination organized by North Korean agents, though the only suspects charged in the case so far are an Indonesian woman and a Vietnamese woman.

Deporting

Kim Jong Nam was waiting at the departure hall of the airport when he was assaulted by two women, a Vietnamese and an Indonesian, who wiped his face with a liquid, identified by an autopsy as VX. He died within 20 minutes of the attack.

Both women were charged with murder earlier this week. They have told diplomats from their home countries that they thought they were participating in a prank for reality television.

Another North Korean suspect, who was arrested on Feb. 18 over the killing was released from a detention center on Friday, and driven away in a police convoy, a Reuters witness said.

Ri Jong Chol, who had been detained a few days after the killing was taken to the immigration office wearing a bullet proof vest to prepare his deportation to North Korea.

Malaysias attorney-general told Reuters on Thursday that he would be released due to insufficient evidence.

Police have identified seven other North Koreans wanted in connection with the killing, including a senior embassy official in Kuala Lumpur. Four of them have left the country and are believed to be in Pyongyang.
Burma 88 Generation Members to Contest 2020 Elections

U Ko Ko Gyi from the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society talks to the media on Thursday. / Naing Lin Soe / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  Prominent political activists from the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society told reporters that they would contest the 2020 elections following the establishment of a new political party in early 2018.

We aim to run in the 2020 election, said U Min Zeyar, at a press conference at the Royal Rose Restaurant on Thursday.

Well-known activists U Ko Ko Gyi, U Min Zeyar and U Mya Aye of the 88 Generation Peace and Open society along with former leader of the Democratic Party for a New Society U Thet Tun joined the event.

The conference focused on a stakeholders consultation for founding a new political party, to be held on March 30-31 in the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry building.

Reporters asked the activists if they had selected a party name, policies, principles or party structure. U Min Zeyar said they would collect recommendations from local and exiled experts.

U Thet Tun said leading committee members had a preference for the party name but that it would not include 88 as that terminology belongs to every citizen.

He added that the activists had discussed placing the public interest at the forefront of party policy.

I think we will be able to release detailed policies after party registration, said U Thet Tun.

The press conference participants did not say whether they would oppose the National League for Democracy Party, and instead said the term opposition was negative and that they would not run against but collaborate with other parties as the situation called for.

Some 88 Generation Peace and Open Society Members like U Min Ko Naing and U Jimmy have distanced themselves from the formation of the new party, but will continue their work through the civil society organization.

U Ko Ko Gyi clarified that the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society was not setting up a political party and that it was two separate entities.

Press conference attendee U Aung Naing Oo said he welcomed the new party, as Parliament needs a robust range of parties for checks and balances.
Burma Govt Promises to Assist Migrant Workers Sentenced to Death in Koh Tao Murder Case

Burmese migrant worker Win Zaw Htun sits in a prison truck as he arrives at the Koh Samui Provincial Court, in Koh Samui, Thailand on July 22, 2015. / Chaiwat Subprasom / Reuters

The NLD government is concerned after a Thai appeal courts decision to uphold a death sentence handed down to two Burmese migrants for the 2014 murder and rape of two British backpackers on Koh Tao island, and has pledged to continue its assistance to the legal defense team.

U Zaw Htay, the President Offices spokesperson and acting director general of the State Counselors Officeboth ministries head by the Daw Aung San Suu Kyisaid the government has reached out to the Burmese embassy in Thailand and members of the legal team in Bangkok in order to establish the best approach.

The appeal to the high court is very important for them, U Zaw Htay said of the defendants, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, and the appeal planned for Thailands Supreme Court. The government is worried about them.

He added that State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was saddened by the news reported on March 1 by Thai media of the appeal courts rejection, and added that the government would do everything in our power to help.

Representatives from the Burmese embassy will pay an official visit to Win Zaw Htun and Zaw Lin next Friday, March 10, about which they have already informed the Thai authorities, according to U Htoo Chit, the director of the Foundation for Education Development, an organization that assists Burmese migrant workers in Thailand.

On Friday, the Burmese embassys Deputy Chief of Mission Hau Khan Sum led Burmese diplomats in a meeting with U Htoo Chit and they talked about migrant issues, including about the circumstances of the two defendants in the Koh Tao murder case.

U Htoo Chit said the embassy was not officially informed about the case by the Thai government, and therefore, his team briefed the representatives in the meeting, including Hau Khan Sum, who is the acting head of the embassy.

Both Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun are in good health and are hopeful about their next appeal, said Sein Htay, the director of the Migrant Workers Rights Network (MWRN). MWRN staff and a Thai lawyer from the Lawyers Council of Thailand met the two men at Bangkoks Bang Kwang central prison on Friday.

Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun said they were read the verdict of the appeal court on Feb. 23 at the Nonthaburi court, without the presence of their lawyer nor the translator, U Sein Htay told The Irrawaddy on Friday.

The appeal courts proceedings were not transparent, added U Sein Htay, referring to the circumstances described by the defendants. Lawyers are reportedly able to meet the two Burmese men around once a month.

They [Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun] expressed their thanks to all the lawyers and persons and organizations helping them, and they told the lawyer that they request further support, U Sein Htay added.

In Thailand, there are over 3,000 Burmese migrant workers imprisoned with lengthy sentences in more than one hundred prisons, under the charges ranging from drug trafficking to illegal logging. U Htoo Chit said they have also sought support from the embassy to help these inmates, to be able to meet them, and to better understand their cases.

Nang Lwin Hnin Pwint contributed to this report.
Burma Rangoon Chief Minister to Undergo Heart Operation

U Phyo Min Thein. / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  Rangoon Division Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein will undergo a heart operation and be on a sick leave for a few weeks, Daw Myat Malar Tun, a lawmaker in the divisional parliament representing Hlegu Township told The Irrawaddy.

He will undergo the operation in Rangoon on March 5. Doctors instructed him to rest for a month but he said he would attend the divisional parliament session that resumes on March 20, she said.

U Phyo Min Thein is reportedly suffering from atherosclerosis, a condition that slowly blocks the arteries, putting blood flow at risk. He was reportedly instructed by doctors two weeks ago to stay away from crowds and to rest and undergo medical treatment.

Daw Myat Malar Tun said State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has urged the chief minister to follow the doctors instructions.
Burma Squatters Allegedly Extort Money from Rangoon Factory Owners

A squatter at the Shwe Lin Pan Industrial Zone. / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  Industrialists in Rangoons Shwe Lin Pan Industrial Zone have complained about alleged extortion by squatters in their factory compounds, blaming authorities for failure to provide sufficient legal protection.

Factory owners held a press conference at the industrial zone in Hlaingtharyar Township on Wednesday, alleging that squatters had occupied vacant spaces inside factory compounds as well as factory entrances and exits, and said that they would not leave unless they were paid.

Some squatters claim land ownership without proper certificates, leveraging loopholes in the system in place to file extortion complaints, said U Nay Lin Zin, secretary of the Shwe Lin Pan industrial management committee.

Daw Yi Yi Mya, manager of Myat Shwe Nadi Co., said that each household that squatted inside her factory compound demanded 15 million kyats (US$11,000) in order to move.

We have not been able to expand our business because of them. We told them that we would pay compensation if they could show ownership documents but they dont have any, she said.

Police Colonel Myo Swe of Rangoon Division urged industrialists to file formal complaint letters to the police.

If [authorities] dont provide legal protection, businesses and factories will not be able to operate and this will impact production, said U Nay Lin Zin.

There are 29 industrial zones in Rangoon Division, and extortion cases have been reported in a number of them since 2014.

Shwe Lin Pan Industrial Zone factory owners met with squatters, concerned authorities and lawmakers at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry on Jan. 28 to discuss the issue.

Some owners said they paid between 2.5 million and 120 million kyats after authorities were unable to settle the disputes.

There are around 15 current cases of alleged extortion in Shwe Lin Pan Industrial Zone, according to the press conference on Wednesday.

U Win Maung, secretary of Rangoon divisional parliaments bill committee, at the conference said, Departmental procedures regarding squatters are very weak. It seems that rules and regulations further encourage them to continue.
Burma Taang Say Five Monks Detained by RCSS

A Buddhist monk in a public market area in Lashio. / Lawi Weng / The Irrawaddy

Five ethnic Taang Buddhist monks have been detained by members of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South (RCSS/SSA-S) in Shan States Mong Kung Township, according to local sources.

The monks were in Mong Kung to provide educational services to the local Taang community, but were reportedly arrested in a village on Feb. 21.

Pyinnya Thiri, a senior Taang monk, told The Irrawaddy that, Five of them were arrested and three of their motorbikes were taken as well.

There are around 27 Taang villages in southern Shan State, and they struggle with little access to public education; community-based organizations including the Taang Monks Association, the Taang Student and Youth Union and the Taang Womens Organization have tried to fill these gaps.

The groups got permission from the government to carry out educational initiatives in these villages in 2016 and 2017.

The monks were reportedly detained in areas under RCSS control, according to locals, who said that the RCSS questioned the monks work.

Education has no borders. We can go and give education where our ethnic people are, said senior monk Pyinnya Thiri.

In July and August of 2016, eight monks were also detained by the RCSS in Mong Kung before being released.

Meanwhile, the Taang Monks Association sent letters regarding the detention to the Central Command and the Eastern Regional Command of the Burma Army in Shan State.

The Irrawaddy spoke to RCSS spokesperson Col Sai Hla, who said, For us, first we want to get evidence of this. It would be good if they could send it to us.

If we get evidence, we could investigate our ground forces about who did it, he said, adding that the accusation by the Taang Monks Association was currently one-sided.
Politics Ministry Reportedly Invited Electricity Tender Without Budget Approval

Power barge in Istanbul. / Kyaw Hsu Mon / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  Rangoon residents hope for 24-hr access to electricity is fading after the Ministry of Electricity and Energy said that it had no budget for two private electricity suppliers, which last year won a tender to provide electricity for the commercial capital.

In 2015, the previous government initiated a plan to deal with the power shortage in Rangoon Division during the summer months by inviting tenders from private electricity suppliers.

Hydropower production, the major source of electricity in Burma, is usually affected by rivers and creeks, which dry up in the hot, dry season at its peak in March and April.

The government of the National League for Democracy (NLD) suspended the plan after it came to power in March 2016, but resumed it in October, selecting two companiesTurkey-based Karadeniz Powership Energy Group (Karpower) and the American APR Energy.

According to the agreement, two electricity suppliers were set to provide Rangoon with 300 megawatts each, totaling 600 megawatts daily for the countrys commercial capital.

Karpower invited local Burmese media representatives to Istanbul, Turkey, last November and acquainted them with a 480-megawatt capacity power barge. The barge was built in Istanbuls dockyard, and the launch was attended by Turkish President Erdogan.

The 300-meter barge was planned to arrive in Rangoon in April, be situated near Thilawa International Port in Rangoon, and provide 300 megawatts of electricity to the city each day for five years.

According to an initial agreement with the Burmese government, the electricity will cost US$112.24 per megawatt, said to be among the lowest electricity rates available.

Meanwhile, the US-based APR Energy was to establish a power plant in southern Rangoon. Rangoon Division chief minister U Phyo Min Thein also confirmed the arrangement for the power supply, saying that additional 600 megawatts of electricity would be supplied this summer.

However, the Ministry of Electricity and Energy said it had no budget to pay for the two electricity suppliers, according to local media.

Daw Nwe Nwe Win, director-general of the budget department within the Ministry of Planning and Finance, confirmed to The Irrawaddy that the Ministry of Electricity and Energy had not requested a budget for the two power suppliers in either the 2016-17 or the 2017-18 fiscal year.

Now, both the financial commission and the government have drawn up the budget and submitted it to the parliament. And the [2017-18] budget does not include expenditure for two electricity suppliers, including the power barge, she told The Irrawaddy.

The Ministry of Planning and Finance sets the budget limit for each ministry and they have to decide how they will spend the funds, Daw Nwe Nwe Win said.

For the 2017-18 fiscal year, the Ministry of Electricity and Energy put forward the figure of nearly 4.5 trillion kyats, more than 21.5 percent of the total budget. The parliament is still discussing the budget draft law.

Usually, we grant a bigger budget for the Ministry of Electricity and Power. Last year, its budget accounted for 24 percent of the total budget, she said.

According to procedures on government projects, tender is to be invited only after a budget is approved. However, in the case of the two electricity suppliers in question, tender was invited before the budget was approved.

The Irrawaddy contacted the information team of the Ministry of Electricity and Energy for confirmation, but representatives replied that questions could be put forward at the ministrys press conference in Naypyidaw on March. 16.

Burmas electricity consumption has been rapidly increasingby 15 percent per yearand Rangoon alone consumes over 50 percent of the production (between 1,200 and 1,400 megawatts per day).

There have been blackouts that often last for half a day now. If [the government] tells those companies we cant still do it because we dont have the money after they have won the tender, we will lose face on the international stage, said U Myat Thin Aung, chairman of Hlaingtharyar Industrial Zone.

The two power suppliers have not yet made press releases regarding the case.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko
Guest Column Taking the Long View of Burmas Conflicts

Female troops of the Kachin Independence Organization near the Burma-China border in 2016. / J Paing / The Irrawaddy

War and Peace in the Borderlands of Myanmar: The Kachin Ceasefire, 1994-2011, edited by Mandy Sadan, NIAS Press, Copenhagen. 2016. 540 pages.

To say that the edited collection War and Peace in the Borderlands of Myanmar arrives at a critical time in Myanmars political history is perhaps an understatement. While Myanmar continues along its path of political and economic change, the countrys pursuit of peace in its borderlands has stagnated.

Despite its status as a key concern for the democratically-elected National League for Democracy (NLD), Myanmars peace process has stalled in its longest deadlock since its inception in August 2011, as Liu Yun noted recently. To this a seemingly intractable state of affairs the authors included in this edited collection bring new perspectives, drawing on the history of the Kachin and their neighbors as a means of identifying lessons learned and possible ways forward.

Given that the Kachin ceasefire, signed in 1994, was one of the longest-held peace agreements in Myanmars recent history, understanding how it was sustained for over 17 years is certainly a valuable aim in itself.

Yet, as the editor of this book, Mandy Sadan, so eloquently argues in her introduction to the collection, perhaps the question that most urgently demands scholarly attention is why, contrary to expectations, the Kachin ceasefire would breakdown in 2011, at precisely the point when an upswing in Myanmars national mood made nationwide peace seem achievable.

As Sadan suggests, if ceasefire remains the key buzz word for Myanmars ethnic conflicts, then it is crucial that we ask why Kachin civilians felt that the situation created by 17 years of armed peace was no longer worth supporting.

To answer this question, the authors featured in this collection propose that we must be willing to rethink a number of dichotomies upon which narrow interpretations of Myanmars ethnic conflicts often depend.

The first, as the books title might lead its readers to predict, is the sharply defined separation between war and peace. A framework that understands war and peace as diametrically opposed impels us to see the breakdown of the Kachin ceasefire as an anomaly, with the Kachin seen as spoiling the party for everyone else, as Sadan puts it.

Contrary to this, the authors of this collection propose that we might take a longer view of Myanmars borderlands and consider how war and peace, conflict and ceasefire, jointly produce certain historical forms of political opportunity and struggle.

Cycles of conflict must not be considered in isolation, but instead demand the sort of analysis modeled in Chapter Two by Robert Anderson and Sadan, who propose a new periodization of the Kachin conflict that explicitly links Kachin history as far back as the post-World War period to the present moment.

Defining the post-1994 peace in Kachin State as the second Kachin ceasefire, Anderson and Sadan adopt a locally-articulated perspective on Kachin history that notes crucial resonances between the recent deterioration of peace and concerns reaching as far back as the pre-independence era.

The need for a more historically-oriented perspective is a point echoed in Martin Smiths contribution, too; the six-decade narrative he writes underscores the depth of the mistrust and resentment felt by the Kachin people when it comes to Myanmars political system, as well as the extent of the political challenges faced by peace negotiators.

While some of the most fascinating aspects of these discussions relate specifically to the Kachin case  for example, Sadans discussions of traditional Kachin means of marking historical transformations (also explored later by Ho Tsui-ping)  the broader relevance is clear: the importance of considering the interplay between war and peace, via a longer historical view, does not hold only for the Kachin, but might perhaps be transformative for Myanmars peace process at-large.

The second established dichotomy the authors of this edited collection seek to question is that which works to define the actors in Myanmars ethnic conflicts; too often, observers and scholars alike take a simplistic view of both the Tatmadaw and its adversaries, assuming both entities are bounded and internally homogenous. What the authors of this collection make readily apparent is that this is rarely the case.

First off, as Kevin Woods argues, actors that might exist in opposition to one another may not be so discrete in times of peace. Pursuits related to logging and agri-business, as a part of a broader form of ceasefire capitalism described by Woods, result in a situation more aptly described as a multi-layered mosaic, than separable territorial entities that may be categorized as government or rebel.

Moreover, even when actors are identifiable as discrete entities, they may not be as internally uniform or consistent as we might expect. While Lee Jones contribution makes a broader argument related to the political-economy of state-building, a particularly interesting portion of his chapter describes how the actions of the Tatmadaw and wider Thein Sein administration cannot be understood as merely replicating previous regimes approaches to peace; while some aspects of recent peace negotiations were conventional and implied some continuity, others were unprecedented, such as their departure from a historical divide and rule strategy and willingness to pursue a national ceasefire agreement with the involvement of international parties.

Yet, it is not only our image of the Myanmar state that must be disrupted, but our vision of the Kachin, as well. As Jenny Hedstrom makes abundantly clear in her contribution, the Kachin cannot be considered a unitary bloc, nor can Kachin combatants; the active role of women combatants, in particular, demands a rethinking of the gendered dimensions of the dominant discourse around war and peace a discourse that is often male-dominated and closed to outsiders. More broadly, the close reading of Kachin nationalist discourses provided by Laur Kiik, and the analyses of the circulation and distribution of nationalist materials offered by Helen Mears and Hkanhpa Tu Sadan, demonstrate the ways in which Kachin histories and the political or nationalist discourses they inspire are diverse, contradictory, and exceedingly complex.

As Kiik notes, Kachin popular theories of nationhood cannot easily be reduced to a single grievance, such as resource nationalism; Kachin nationalism, he and others propose, cannot be understood as one stable, static logic. This resonates with what Sadan says in her introduction: that a careful examination of nationalist discourse often reveals more rupture than it does continuity; Kiik notes the diversity of opinions existent amongst Kachin/non-Kachin and sub ethnic groups living in Kachin State, while Jenny Hedstrom reveals the complexity of reflections on the active role of women combatants, across both divisions of gender and of generation.

When we broaden the scope of our enquiries to take account of Myanmars neighbors, the necessity to complicate assumptions around the exceptionality and bounded-ness of the Kachin becomes even more apparent.

Ho Tsui-pings contribution on relationships between the Jingpo of Yunnan and the Kachin in Myanmar and Mears on the cross-border circulation of graphic calendars make clear that the effects of conflict do not stop at national borders, but rather reverberate through cross-border manau festivals, social and economic networks, and political negotiations.

Thus the issue of the Kachin ceasefire, as Enze Han makes clear in Chapter Six, has impacts that reach outside Myanmar, to China and beyond, with what might have previously been considered local grievances such as, for example, the debate over the Myitsone Dam demonstrating the changing international dynamics within which conflict and peace in this region are situated.

Reshmi Banerjees reflections on conflict around land ownership in North East India speaks to these changing international dynamics, but in asking how they might be intimately connected with a lower strata of resource-oriented conflicts, she underscores the need to take seriously concerns around access to land, as they relate to the Kachin case. A second study from India, described in the chapter by Joy L. K. Pachuau and Mandy Sadan, also provides significant lessons, highlighting the need to consider forms of social memory and its construction, insofar as contestations around how conflict might be remembered or whether it is actively remembered at all intersects explicitly with how peace might be envisioned.

Chapters by Patrick Meehan and Mikael Gravers offer additional comparative studies, assessing the Kachin conflict in relation to those in Northern Shan State and Karen State, respectively. Their two contributions make it clear that scholars may not need to look beyond Myanmars borders for insight into the conflict within which the Kachin are currently entrenched; Meehan, for example, notes that while the Palaung have signed a ceasefire agreement the messy, volatile, and constantly shifting situation in Northern Shan renders hopes for a more durable system of rule untenable, whereas Gravers notes that longstanding tendencies toward internal fragmentation amongst the Karen might ultimately work to the advantage of the Tatmadaw.

Both cases of conflict, as negotiated by the Palaung and by the Karen, they argue, flag significant challenges to peace that must be considered alongside the more widely discussed issues such as trust-building and political dialogue.

Finally, by interweaving personal narrative, locally-salient reflections, and academic analyses, this edited volume mediates the last and perhaps most damaging dichotomy it identifies within approaches to war and peace in Myanmar: that which divides the scholarly and lived, the political from the personal, and academic debate from actually-circulating discourse.

Contributions by Nhkum Bu Lu, Duwa Mahkaw Hkun Sa and Hkanhpa Tu Sadan intervene crucially into the books longer arc, providing personal narratives that ground the analyses that precede and follow their accounts. These contributions produce more than just an inclusive and polyphonic text, though, offering up key insights that sometimes support, sometimes contradict, but always enrich our reading of the entire volume.

As Matthew Walton acknowledges in his concluding section, the collaboration modeled here remains rare not only in the academy, but is also virtually unheard of in Myanmar given that groups representing different ethnic interests rarely see opportunities to productively engage with one another.

Whether they be the Western-generated concepts that undergird the scholarly literature, the Burman perspective that dominates public discourse in Myanmar, or the broader set of static dichotomies Ive sought to highlight here, this book makes substantial strides in encouraging a rethinking of received knowledge about just how war and peace operate in Myanmar. At a time when Myanmars peace process has deadlocked, new approaches to making sense of war, and novel means of imagining peace, might be just what is most needed.

This article originally appeared in Tea Circle, a forum hosted at Oxford University for emerging research and perspectives on Burma/Myanmar.

Courtney T. Wittekind is currently a PhD student in Social Anthropology at Harvard University. She completed a M.Phil at the University of Oxford where she studied as a member of St Antonys College and Rhodes Scholar. Her current research centers on questions of political transition, geography, and the unseen in Myanmars Shan State.
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By Peter Hopkins, Gurchathen Sanghera and Katherine Botterill | (The Conversation) |  

Islamophobia simply cannot be overlooked anymore. It is a wide-ranging issue, impacting public and private lives in ways that are causing concern the world over. US president Donald Trumps recent immigration ban and the UKs Brexit vote are just two examples in a series of political acts that are shaping public attitudes about Muslims, with many experiencing stigmatisation and marginalisation as a result.

The rise in Islamophobia experienced by Muslims is not just conjecture: in 2015, reported Islamophobic incidents increased 200% in the UK and 78% in the US. And it is predicted that they will continue to rise unless we do something about it.

But Islamophobia does not just affect Muslims. A wide variety of people of different faiths, ages and countries of origin are being attacked for being Muslim. Despite the fact that they may not follow the Islamic faith, they are labelled as such because of their skin colour, facial features, or hair texture and style.

Misrecognition and Islamophobia

Though Islamophobia is being experienced by diverse people of all ages, it is the lives of young people that are shaped, and their perception of society formed, by it.

Speaking to 382 teenagers and young adults from diverse ethnic and religious minority groups in Scotland, we found that most have experienced some form of this racism after being mistaken for Muslim.

Nearly all of the 33 young Sikhs who participated in our study recalled being misrecognised as Muslim. This was the same for young Hindus and other South Asian young people, as well as black African and Caribbean youths. In some cases, south Asian Christians attending a Catholic school in central Scotland were assumed to be Muslim simply due to their ethnicity. Likewise, some Central and Eastern European migrants, originally from Slovakia, Romania and the Czech Republic, were also mistaken for being Muslim. According to one young man, some of his Slovakian friends had been assumed to be Muslim because they look Pakistani.

RT: British Sikhs mistaken for Muslims, suffer from Islamophobia

For the young people in our research, misrecognition is not limited to unfamiliar or open public places. Though schools are a vital place for teaching young people about diversity, we found that misrecognition was prevalent. Though the racism might not be overt, some young participants reported there was simply a lack of knowledge among teachers and support staff. Meanwhile, teachers told us that there were not enough staff development opportunities to discuss contemporary forms of racism and Islamophobia.

In public places, yet still in terms of personal interactions, young adults in their early twenties also recalled awkward conversations with taxi drivers where they were mistaken for being Muslim. Some students  particularly international students  were anxious about having to negotiate airport security where they felt they were unjustifiably placed under surveillance. For others, their mere presence in certain spaces provoked some to glare, making it clear they were not welcome.

Fighting back

Though they are certainly being victimised by misrecognition and racism, some participants said that they do not passively accept it. Many choose to engage with the perpetrator openly and positively, or respond with one of a suite of prepared witty remarks. Some also use misidentification as an opportunity to educate others about their religious faith. The most concerning response, however, was that a minority avoid social contact where possible out of fear that they will experience racism.

For those who participated in our study, it is the way that political events are represented by politicians and in the media that has largely encouraged misrecognition. Participants said that events such as 9/11, 7/7, the Woolwich attack and the war on terror all contributed to the idea that brown-skinned people are a threat to national security. A young Sikh from Glasgow told us, They just link the turban and terrorist. 

These young people were eager to see Asian communities represented as being diverse rather than as only Pakistani and Muslim. At present, they feel the media only reinforces stereotypes about black and minority ethnic communities.

The key to stopping this kind of racism is education  but this is no easy task. Addressing misrecognition requires social institutions such as schools, colleges, universities and government departments to change. Increasing awareness about ethnic and religious diversity as well the history of migration and race, will give people the vocabulary to discuss such issues fairly and equitably.

Being misrecognised impacts on young peoples sense of self-worth and well-being and it denies people a sense of identity. As society stands now, Islamophobic acts  whether against Muslims or others  are at best limiting individuals, and at worse eroding civil liberties.

We all need to understand that Islamophobia affects more than Muslims: it is a community-wide issue that everyone has a responsibility to challenge.

Peter Hopkins, Professor of Social Geography, Newcastle University; Gurchathen Sanghera, Lecturer, University of St Andrews; Katherine Botterill, Lecturer in Human Geography, Edinburgh Napier University , and Rowena Arshad, Head of Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

On Monday, Bernie Sanders gave a historic speech at J Street, the liberal pro-Israel lobby that still believes in a two state solution. The lying roll of soiled toilet paper that is Breitbart (Trumps party organ) reported with horror that Sanders had addressed an anti-Israel group. Now, in the circles of President Bannon and his mini-me Steve Miller unless you wholeheartedly support the Likud colonization project and the erasure of the Palestinian people, you are anti-Israel.

What did Sanders say to provoke such rage on the white supremacist Right?

He talked about his love for Israel, his admiration for its accomplishments against the backdrop of the Holocaust, and his experience at a kibbutz near Haifa in 1963. Then he let his audience have it, Bernie-style:

. . . as you all know, there was another side to the story of Israels creation, a more painful side. Like our own country, the founding of Israel involved the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people already living there, the Palestinian people. Over 700,000 people were made refugees. To acknowledge this painful historical fact does not delegitimize Israel, any more than acknowledging the Trail of Tears delegitimizes the United States of America.

Thats it. He simply recognized the historical reality that 720,000 or so Palestinians, out of 1.2 million inhabiting Palestine in 1947, were made homeless refugees by the rise of Israel. To believe anything else would be to believe fake history.

Many of those 720,000 were deliberately expelled by militant Zionist paramilitaries or by terrorist groups such as the Stern Gang and the Haganah. They have grown to millions now, many of them still living in squalid camps, in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. And no, that isnt their own fault or that of their hosts. It is Israels fault. That so many of them are stateless, lacking citizenship and basic human rights, is also Israels fault, and is a result of deliberate Israeli policy.

Sanders dismissed Trumps recent statements on a two-state versus a one-state solution as mere bloviating. He wanted to know what, in practice, a final settlement would look like:

If Palestinians in the occupied territories are to be denied self-determination in a state of their own, will they receive full citizenship and equal rights in a single state, potentially meaning the end of a Jewish majority state? These are very serious questions with significant implications for Americas broader regional partnerships and goals.

Sanders continued,

Friends, the United States and the State of Israel have a strong bond, going back to the moment of Israels founding. There is no question that we should be, and will be Israels strong friend and ally in the years to come. At the same time, we must recognize that Israels continued occupation of Palestinian territories and its daily restrictions on the political and civil liberties of the Palestinian people runs contrary to fundamental American values.

What Sanders is doing here is demolishing typical Israeli propaganda points (hasbara) wherein Israel is simply a victim of the Palestinians and in which Palestinians are demonized as Khamas and terrorists and violent and irrationally angry. He is acknowledging that Palestinians are held under Israeli military rule in a state of occupation, decades after any war that might have justified such an occupation had ended.

Then he addressed the controversy over the Obama administrations decision not to veto a UN resolution condemning the accelerating Israeli colonization drive in the Palestinian West Bank:

As former Secretary of State John Kerry rightly said in his speech in December, Friends need to tell each other the hard truths. And the hard truth is that the continued occupation and the growth of Israeli settlements that the occupation sustains, undermines the possibility of peace. It contributes to suffering and violence. As the United Nations Security Council reaffirmed on December 23, the settlements also constitute a flagrant violation of international law. I applaud the Obama administrations decision to abstain from vetoing UN Security Council Resolution 2334.

So lets see. Sanders acknowledged the Nakba or Catastrophe of displacement imposed on the Palestinians by Jews in 1947-48. He acknowledged the injustices and humiliations of the ongoing Occupation. He applauded the working of the international community to condemn this violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention on the treatment of occupied peoples.

What he said is simple common sense and common decency, and yet Sanders was condemned. In Trumps America, it is a criminal offense to be a Mensch.

The other sensation caused by truth-telling about the horrors of the Israeli occupation of the stateless Palestinians concerns comedian Asef Harel, who signed off his Israeli television show with an epic rant against Israeli Apartheid. His argument is clear, and I will just leave you with it. For anyone who knows anything serious about the Mideast, there is nothing at all controversial in what Harel said. But it is causing waves. That is because on the issue of Israel, large numbers of people prefer to inhabit a fantasy land of their own imaginations rather than confront cold truths:

In Last Monologue, Israeli Comedy Show Host Implores Israelis to Wake Up and Smell the Apartheid. Asaf Harels scathing indictment of Israeli society has gone viral.

Full Story @Haaretz.com: Israeli TV Host Implores Israelis: Wake Up and Smell the Apartheid

And here as an Appendix is the full text of Sanders speech, courtesy courtesy of Haaretz :

[Bernie Sanders at J Street, Feb 27 2017:]

Thank you for inviting me to address you here today. Its a pleasure to be here with J Street, which has been such a strong voice for saner, more progressive foreign policy ideas. And I am delighted to be in the company of friends from the Middle East and all over the world who I know will continue the struggle for a world of peace, justice and environmental sanity.

Let me begin by noting that in the last several months, since Donald Trumps victory in the presidential race, there has been a significant outbreak of anti-Semitism here in our country. I am very alarmed by the desecration of Jewish cemeteries, with Jewish Community Centers being threatened around the country, and with the headquarters of the Anti-Defamation League receiving a bomb threat last week.

When we see violent and verbal racist attacks against minorities  whether they are African-Americans, Jews, Muslims in this country, immigrants in this country, or the LGBT community, these attacks must be condemned at the highest levels of our government.

Sharing is caring. Spread the word

It was rather extraordinary that in the White Houses Holocaust Remembrance Day statement, the murder of 6 million Jews was not mentioned by the Trump administration. I hope very much that Pres. Trump and his political advisor Mr. Bannon understand that the world is watching: it is imperative that their voices be loud and clear in condemning anti-Semitism, violent attacks against immigrants in this country, including the murder of two young men from India, and all forms of bigotry here and around the world. This country has struggled too long against racism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia. We will not go back. We are going to go forward and fight discrimination of all forms.

I must say that I also found it very troubling that, at a recent press conference, when President Trump was given an opportunity to condemn the bigotry and anti-Semitism that has arisen in the wake of his election, he chose to respond by bragging  incorrectly, by the way  about the size of his Electoral College victory. Our society is still riven by tensions from the campaign, and Americans need a president who will try to bring us together, rather than boast about his political victory.

Let me take this opportunity to thank J Street for the bold voice that theyve provided in support of American leadership in the Middle East and efforts towards peace between Israelis and Palestinians. I understand that, given the political climate in this capital, that has not always been easy. I also applaud them for being part of a broad coalition of groups that successfully fought for the historic nuclear agreement between the U.S. and its partners and Iran.

That agreement demonstrated that real American leadership, real American power, is not shown by our ability to blow things up, but by our ability to bring parties together, to forge international consensus around shared problems, and then to mobilize that consensus to address those problems.

For many years, leaders across the world, especially Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had sounded the alarm about the possibility of an Iranian nuclear weapon. What the Obama administration was able to do, with the support of groups like J Street and others, was to get an agreement that froze and dismantled large parts of that nuclear program, put it under the most intensive inspections regime in history, and removed the prospect of an Iranian nuclear weapon from the list of global threats.

As a member of the United States Senate, I hear a whole lot of speechifying. I hear from many of my colleagues how tough the United States has got to be, and how, at the end of the day, military force is what matters.

Well, I say to those colleagues, Its easy to give speeches in the safety of the floor of the Senate or the House. Its a little bit harder to experience war and live through the devastation of war. I recall vividly all of the rhetoric that came from the Bush administration, that came from my Republican colleagues, and some Democrats, about why going to war in Iraq was the right thing to do. Well, it wasnt. In fact, it is one of the great tragedies of modern world history.

Today it is now broadly acknowledged that the war in Iraq, which I opposed, was a foreign policy blunder of enormous magnitude. The war in Iraq led to the deaths of some 4,400 U.S. troops and the wounding, physical and emotional, of tens of thousands of othersnot to mention the pain inflicted on wives and children and parents. The war in Iraq led to, conservatively speaking, the deaths of over 100,000 Iraqi civilians and the wounding and displacement of many more. It created a cascade of instability around the region that we are still dealing with today in Syria and elsewhere, and will be for many years to come. And, by the way, that war in Iraq cost trillions of dollarsmoney that should have been spent on health care, education, infrastructure, and environmental protection.

The Iraq war, like many other military conflicts, had unintended consequences. It ended up making us less safe, not more safe.

In contrast, the Iran nuclear deal helped the security of the U.S. and its partners  yes, it helped the security of Israel, as many Israeli security experts have acknowledged  and it did this at a tiny fraction of the cost in blood and treasure of the Iraq war. This is the power of diplomacy. This is real leadership.

Some who opposed this nuclear deal have attacked its supporters, including J Street, for being part of a so-called echo chamber. The truth is that Washington has for many years had a very loud and powerful echo chamber for war. Its about time we had an echo chamber for peace. So thank you J Street.

Now, as many of you know, I have a connection to the State of Israel going back many years. In 1963, I lived on a kibbutz near Haifa. It was there that I saw and experienced for myself many of the progressive values upon which the State of Israel was founded. I think it is very important for everyone, but particularly for progressives, to acknowledge the enormous achievement of establishing a democratic homeland for the Jewish people after centuries of displacement and persecution, and particularly after the horror of the Holocaust.

But as you all know, there was another side to the story of Israels creation, a more painful side. Like our own country, the founding of Israel involved the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people already living there, the Palestinian people. Over 700,000 people were made refugees.

To acknowledge this painful historical fact does not delegitimize Israel, any more than acknowledging the Trail of Tears delegitimizes the United States of America.

But I didnt come here today simply to revisit history, or to say one historical narrative is wrong and one is right. My question here today is: OK, what now? Where do Israelis and Palestinians go from here? What should be U.S. policy to end this conflict, to end this fifty-year long occupation, and enable a better, more secure and prosperous future for Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians alike?

This decades-long conflict has taken so much from so many. Nobody gains when Israel spends an enormous part of its budget on the military. Nobody gains when Gaza is obliterated and thousands are killed, wounded, or made homeless. Nobody gains when children are trained to be suicide bombers. Nobody gains when year after year, decade after decade, the talk is about war and hatred rather than peace and development. Think of the incredible potential that is being lost when Israelis and Palestinians are not coming together effectively to address the environmental and economic challenges of the region. Our vision, a vision we must never lose sight of, is creating a Middle East where people come together in peace and democracy to create a region in which all people have a decent life. I understand that, given the realities of today, that vision appears distant and maybe even far-fetched. But it is a vision and a dream that we cannot afford to give up on.

So what should we as progressives  American progressives, Israeli progressives and progressives globally  demand of our governments in bringing this future about?

Lets take a moment to talk about values.

Its often said that the U.S.-Israel relationship is based on shared values. I think this is correct, but then we also have to ask: What do we mean by this? What values are we talking about?

As progressives, here are the values we share: We believe in democracy. We believe in equality. We believe in pluralism. We are strongly opposed to xenophobia. We respect and we will protect the rights of minorities.

These are values that are shared by progressives in this country and across the globe. These values are based upon the very simple notion that we share a common humanity. Whether we are Israelis or Palestinians or Americans, whether we are Jews, Christians, Muslims, or of another religion, we all want our children to grow up healthy, to have a good education, have decent jobs, drink clean water and breathe clean air, and to live in peace.

Thats what being human is about. And our job is to do everything that we can to oppose all of the political forces, no matter what side they may be on, who try to tear us apart.

Earlier this month, at a White House press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump was asked whether he supported a two-state solution. His answer was, Im looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like. As if someone asked him whether he preferred Coke to Pepsi.

We should be clear: The two-state solution, which involves the establishment of a Palestinian state in the territories occupied in 1967, has been bipartisan U.S. policy for many years. It is also supported by an overwhelming international consensus, which was reaffirmed in December by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334. While I understand that theyve walked that statement back, the casual manner in which President Trump appeared to abandon that policy was extremely concerning, but also unfortunately typical of the carelessness with which he has managed American foreign policy thus far.

The president said that he supports a peace deal, but this doesnt mean much. The real question is: Peace on what terms, and under what arrangement? Does peace mean that Palestinians will be forced to live under perpetual Israeli rule, in a series of disconnected communities in the West Bank and Gaza? Thats not tolerable, and thats not peace.

If Palestinians in the occupied territories are to be denied self-determination in a state of their own, will they receive full citizenship and equal rights in a single state, potentially meaning the end of a Jewish majority state? These are very serious questions with significant implications for Americas broader regional partnerships and goals.

Friends, the United States and the State of Israel have a strong bond, going back to the moment of Israels founding. There is no question that we should be, and will be Israels strong friend and ally in the years to come. At the same time, we must recognize that Israels continued occupation of Palestinian territories and its daily restrictions on the political and civil liberties of the Palestinian people runs contrary to fundamental American values.

As former Secretary of State John Kerry rightly said in his speech in December, Friends need to tell each other the hard truths. And the hard truth is that the continued occupation and the growth of Israeli settlements that the occupation sustains, undermines the possibility of peace. It contributes to suffering and violence.

As the United Nations Security Council reaffirmed on December 23, the settlements also constitute a flagrant violation of international law. I applaud the Obama administrations decision to abstain from vetoing UN Security Council Resolution 2334. Those of us who really support Israel have got to tell the truth about policies are hurting chances of reaching a peaceful resolution.

>> Explained: How Big an Obstacle Are Israeli Settlements to Peace? >>

I recognize that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most emotionally fraught issues in U.S. politics, involving as it does the legitimate historical claims, identities and security of two peoples in the same region.

So let me be very clear: to oppose the policies of a right-wing government in Israel does not make one anti-Israel or an anti-Semite. We can oppose the policies of President Trump without being anti-American. We can oppose the policies of Netanyahu without being anti-Israel. We can oppose the policies of Islamic extremism without being anti-Muslim.

As I said during my presidential campaign, peace means security not only for every Israeli, but also for every Palestinian. It means supporting self-determination, civil rights, and economic well-being for both peoples.

These ideas are based in the very same shared values that impel us to condemn anti-Semitic bigotry, condemn anti-Muslim bigotry, and to make our own society better. These are the ideas that should guide us. The values of inclusiveness, security, democracy, and justice should inform not only Americas engagement with Israel and Palestine, but with the region and the world.

The United States will continue its unwavering commitment to the safety of the State of Israel, but we must also be clear that peacefully resolving this conflict is the best way to ensure the long-term safety of both peoples, and for making America more secure.

To my Israeli friends here with us today: we share many of the same challenges. In both our countries we see the rise of a politics of bigotry and intolerance and resentment. We must meet these challenges together. As you struggle to make your society better, more just, more egalitarian, I want to say to you: Your fight is our fight.
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TeleSur |  

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reportedly met with the Russian ambassador during the election, contradicting his confirmation hearing testimony.

Prominent Democrats called for the resignation of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions after it emerged late Wednesday that he met with the Russian ambassador during the 2016 election campaign, in direct contradiction to his sworn testimony during his Senate confirmation hearing.

Late on Wednesday the Washington Post reported that in September 2016, during the widespread controversy about alleged Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election, then-Senator Sessions  a prominent campaign advisor to then candidate Donald Trump  met privately in his senate office with Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak.

During the confirmation hearing for Sessions appointment as U.S. Attorney General, Senator Al Franken asked Sessions what he would do as attorney general if anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government during the course of the campaign.

Sessions responded, I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.

In response to the perjury allegation, a spokesperson for Sessions denied that his answer was misleading.

He was asked during the hearing about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign, not about meetings he took as a senator and a member of the Armed Services Committee, Sarah Flores told the Post on Wednesday. There was absolutely nothing misleading about his answer, she added.

However, calls quickly grew for Sessions resignation, with prominent Democrats Elizabeth Warren and Nancy Pelosi, among others, accusing him of perjury.

Jeff Sessions lied under oath during his confirmation hearing before the senate. Sessions is not fit to serve as the top law enforcement officer of our country and must resign, said Pelosi in an official statement issued Wednesday.

The calls for Sessions resignation come after former Trump National Security Advisory Michael Flynn was forced to resign just two weeks ago over revelations that he had lied about conversations with Russian officials during both the election campaign and the transition period.

With the news quickly trending on Twitter, many more called for Sessions to recuse himself from overseeing the current Justice Department investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 elections and potential Trump administration conflicts of interest.

Sessions appointment at attorney general was widely condemned given his long history of racist comments and efforts to roll back voting rights legislation.

Via TeleSur



Related video added by Juan Cole:

Maxine Waters: Credible Investigation Will Lead To Impeachment | MSNBC
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By Peter Certo | (Otherwords.org) |  

The presidents obsession with Muslims and immigrants gives cover to a simmering white nationalist movement at home.

Donald Trump began his recent speech to Congress with a line seemingly designed to appease his critics. As we mark the conclusion of our celebration of Black History Month, he said, we are reminded of our nations path toward civil rights and the work that still remains.

He went on to condemn recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last weeks shooting in Kansas City  and, why not, hate and evil in all its forms.

Some pundits, who apparently set a very low bar, applauded Trump for this presidential moment. Washington Post blogger Chris Cillizza, whom Trump himself once called one of the dumber pundits, praised Trump on Twitter for his VERY nice grace note about our shared humanity.

Was it, though?

For context, Trump was referring to a wave of over 100 recent bomb threats that have been called into Jewish schools and community centers all over the country, as well as the vandalism of hundreds of Jewish graves at cemeteries in St. Louis and Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, in Kansas City, a drunken bar patron shouting get out of my country! recently shot two Indian immigrants, killing one. The shooter reportedly thought the men were Iranian, which would have put them on the list of banned migrants under Trumps seven-country Muslim ban.

Investigations are ongoing, but many suspect that racist white nationalists are behind each of these incidents. Yet Trump never named those perpetrators. In the Kansas City case, in fact, he didnt even name the victims.

Worse still, when talking about the anti-Semitic incidents before his speech to Congress, he even implied they mightve been a false flag operation  carried out by his opponents to make others look bad.

You can be sure this was no accident. Because when Trump talked about other so-called threats, he was extremely explicit.

He gestured for emphasis on every word as he promised to defend the country from Radical Islamic Terror, which is capitalized in the speechs official transcript. And he falsely blamed the vast majority of terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 on immigrants.

Some factual asides: According to the New America Foundation, virtually all perpetrators were citizens or legal residents, and half of them were born here. And no Americans have ever been killed by refugees from any of the seven Muslim countries Trump has sought to ban.

Moving on, Trump twice called out vicious crimes by illegal gang members before announcing the creation of a special agency to document alleged crimes by undocumented people. Yet numerous studies have confirmed that both documented and undocumented immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans.

Make no mistake, Trumps lies are carefully told to generate hostility toward Muslims and immigrants. Worse still, they conceal a growing threat the man obsessed with calling out Radical Islamic Terror wont even name.

Last month, the Southern Poverty Law Center counted over 1,000 active far-right and white nationalist groups in the United States. Groups like these, Foreign Policy magazine recently reported, plan and carry out domestic attacks at a greater frequency than foreign terrorist groups.

Since 9/11, it adds, anti-government groups have racked up a death toll on par with that of Islamist extremists.

No wonder authorities polled in a 2015 survey of 400 state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies listed far-right groups  not Muslims  as the most severe threat of political violence that they face.

You dont have to read far between the lines to figure out that this speech was no softer side of a more presidential Trump. It was a barely coded message to the presidents far-right followers that the administrations going to continue covering for their hate.

And it was a not-so-subtle threat to everyone else.

Peter Certo is the editorial manager of the Institute for Policy Studies and the editor of OtherWords.org.

Via Otherwords.org

-

Related video added by Juan Cole:

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: Donald Trump Dresses Up His Act: The Daily Show  Between the Scenes
Vancouver, BC (FSCwire) - Voltaic Minerals Corp. (TSXV: VLT, FSE: 2P6) (the Company or Voltaic) announces that a key condition precedent to entering into a 50/50 joint venture agreement with Equitorial Exploration Corp. (TSX: EXX) (Equitorial) for the Green Energy Project in Utah has not been fulfilled, and the joint venture agreement has been terminated. The agreement was announced in a Voltaic news release dated January 27, 2017.

As disclosed in our January 27, 2017 news release, Voltaic is working to finalize an exclusive right to use a lithium from brine extraction process for the Companys Green Energy Lithium Project in Utah. The process is still in the developmental stage. To date, Voltaic has been working to sign the definitive agreement with the inventors of the process, but some important points have not been agreed upon. However, Voltaic is still negotiating with the inventors and believes that an agreement permitting Voltaic to use the process is still very much achievable.

About Voltaic Minerals Corp.

Voltaic Minerals Corp. is a Vancouver-based Lithium exploration company which owns 100% of the Green Energy Lithium Property that encompasses 4,160 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) claims and is located in Grand County, 15 km west of the city of Moab, Utah. Lithium and other minerals occur at the property in an over-saturated brine (40% minerals, 60% water) discovered during oil exploration when drill wells intercepted Clastic Bed #14 of the Paradox formation.
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 3, 2017) - Darnley Bay Resources Limited (TSX VENTURE:DBL) ("Darnley Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received an updated National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") resource report on its 100% owned Pine Point lead-zinc project near Hay River, Northwest Territories (the "Report"). Based on drilling and other work from previous operators, the resources cover 15 of the 60 known historical deposits on the 21,000-hectare property. There has been more than 1.3 million metres of drilling on the Pine Point property by previous operators, including Cominco, Westmin and Tamerlane. The Report was prepared by independent consultants Albert Daniel Siega, P. Eng., and Paul Gann, P. Geo., and will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days of this news release to support the mineral resource estimate.

"This updated resource model will now be turned over to JDS Energy & Mining team to be incorporated into a revised and expanded mine design in the Preliminary Economic Assesment (PEA) and the PEA will include at least 11 of these deposits in our mine plan." said Jamie Levy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Darnley Bay.

The updated mineral resources for the Pine Point project are reported at various Zn-Pb cut-off effective March 3, 2017. The Report divides the deposits into underground and pit constrained resources in the measured and indicated categories, as follows:

UNDERGROUND RESOURCES

Deposit Category Pb +Zn Cut-off Tonnes Pb% Zn% Measured 3.5% 647,308 6.10 12.47 R-190 Indicated 3.5% 357,311 3.79 8.27 TOTAL 1,004,619 5.28 10.98 Measured 2.5% 182,841 4.07 7.78 P-499 Indicated 2.5% 708,811 2.32 5.38 TOTAL 891,652 2.68 5.87 Measured 2% 433,860 3.47 3.92 O-556 Indicated 2% 596,398 2.11 3.49 TOTAL 1,030,258 2.68 3.67 Measured 2.5% 1,625,380 2.61 7.21 X-25 Indicated 2.5% 482,933 1.33 5.11 TOTAL 2,108,313 2.32 6.73 Measured 2.5% 426,121 3.54 5.89 Z-155 Indicated 2.5% 349,297 1.74 3.96 TOTAL 775,418 2.73 5.02 Measured 2% 960,804 3.57 6.09 G-03 Indicated 2% 1,019,207 2.52 3.91 TOTAL 1,980,011 3.03 4.97

The numerical and geostatistical analysis of drill sampling for the deposits R-190, X25, G-O3, P-499, O556, Z155 and associated mineral resource estimations, were carried out by PAH, 2008, all qualified persons according to National Instrument 43-101. Their work was reviewed and found to be adequate and is accepted by the authors; a summary is presented the table above. These deposits are prismatic in type and generally follow the modeling procedures for prismatics as indicated below. PAH found no capping was required. Models were completed using a geological boundary corresponding to approximately 1% Pb+Zn. Inverse distance with power 2 was used for estimation.

PIT CONSTRAINED RESOURCES

Deposit Pb +Zn Cut-off Grade Pit Tonnes %Pb %Zn Hinge Zone Measured Maximum NPV Pit 911,600 3.10 3.65 Hinge Zone Indicated Maximum NPV Pit 773,796 2.21 3.67 J68 Measured Maximum NPV Pit 265,516 2.68 5.80 J68 Indicated Maximum NPV Pit 2,780 0.63 2.34 K68 Measured Maximum NPV Pit 262,800 1.09 3.27 K68 Indicated Maximum NPV Pit 769,126 0.76 2.61 X65 Measured 2.5% 2,510,448 1.45 3.65 W85 Measured 2.0% 2,326,514 2.82 4.58 W85 Indicated 2.0% 1,125,598 1.47 3.14 M67 Measured 2.5% 473,465 1.35 4.57 M67 Indicated 2.5% 210,419 0.89 5.20 M63 Measured M62 Maximum NPV Pit 803,721 1.01 2.25 O53 Indicated Maximum NPV Pit 274,812 0.83 2.71 N204 Indicated 1.1% 11,740,000 0.80 2.90

Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. The mineral resource estimate is classified in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum's "CIM Definition Standards - For Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves" incorporated by reference into National Instrument 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects".The purpose of this Summary Technical Report was for the authors to audit the work completed by Pine Point Mines Ltd (Cominco) on the 9 Cluster Pit deposits and upgrade the historical resources to an NI 43-101 Mineral Resource through Vulcan modeling using reasonable cost estimates that were developed by MineTech for the N-204 deposits. Geological boundaries for the underground deposits were domained by developing a 1% Pb+Zn shell boundary. The CP deposits were developed by iterative grade shells. Domains utilized represent greater than 1.0% mineralization (Pb%+Zn%) with contiguity (Maptek). Mineralized materials outside of domain boundaries were not included. Metal Prices used were $1.00 per pound for Lead and $0.95 for Zinc with the $US-$CAD at Par.

The Pine Point Project had past production of 64 million tonnes grading 7.0% zinc and 3.1% lead from 52 deposits when it was operated by Cominco from 1964-1987.

Albert Daniel Siega, P. Eng., and Paul Gann, P. Geo., Qualified Persons under NI 43-101, reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information presented in this press release.
VANCOUVER, BC --(Marketwired - March 03, 2017) - Sarama Resources Ltd. (the "Company" or "Sarama") advises that Savary Gold Corp. ("Savary"), the operator of the Karankasso Project Joint Venture7 between Sarama and Savary, provided an update on March 3, 2017 of ongoing drilling campaigns. The drilling was undertaken across multiple target zones in the Serakoro 1 property within the Karankasso Project area.

Highlights

24 holes totalling approximately 3,000 metres of reverse-circulation ("RC") were completed.

Downhole intersections highlighted by Savary include:

HE-RC-17-006 11m @ 2.26 g/t Au from 84m including 4m @ 4.00 g/t Au from 89m HE-RC-17-007 3m @ 2.51 g/t Au from 64m including 1m @ 6.50 g/t Au from 64m HE-RC-17-009 7m @ 1.85 g/t Au from 28m including 3m @ 3.19 g/t Au from 32m HE-RC-17-010 4m @ 2.20 g/t Au from 50m including 2m @ 3.90 g/t Au from 52m HE-RC-17-012 17m @ 2.55 g/t Au from 18m including 7m @ 3.45 g/t Au from 27m; and 1m @ 11.05 g/t Au from 32m HE-RC-17-014 3m @ 2.26 g/t Au from 34m including 1m @ 5.44 g/t Au from 35m HE-RC-17-019 6m @ 14.66 g/t Au from 30m including 4m @ 21.69 g/t Au from 31m; incl. 1m @ 78.10 g/t Au from 32m 5m @ 1.69 g/t Au from 47m

Follow-up drilling on selected targets is planned for Q1/Q2 2017.

Note: mineralisation true widths are estimated at 65-80% of listed downhole intersection lengths except HE-RC-006 and HE-RC-007 where there is not enough information to estimate true widths

Note: assays in hole HE-RC-17-019 have been top-cut to 30 g/t Au to produce main reported composite

Further details of these drill results, including sampling and QA/QC procedures, are contained in Savary's news release dated March 3, 2017.

Sarama's President and CEO, Andrew Dinning, commented:

"The results reflect early stage exploration on the Serakoro 1 property. Sarama looks forward to the integration of recently collected geophysical, geochemical and prospecting data into the forward exploration program to reinforce target quality."

ABOUT SARAMA RESOURCES LTD

Sarama Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: SWA) is a West African focused gold explorer with substantial landholdings in Burkina Faso. Sarama is focused on consolidating under-explored landholdings in Burkina Faso and other established mining jurisdictions.

Sarama's flagship properties are situated within the Company's South Hounde Project area in south-west Burkina Faso. Located within the prolific Hounde Greenstone Belt, Sarama's exploration programs have built on significant early success to deliver an inferred mineral resource estimate of 2.1 Moz gold1,2. Acacia Mining plc is earning up to a 70% interest in the South Hounde Project by satisfying certain conditions, including funding earn-in expenditures of up to US$14 million, over a 4-year earn-in period and may acquire an additional 5% interest, for an aggregate 75% interest in the Project, upon declaration of a minimum mineral reserve of 1.6 million ounces of gold.

Sarama holds a 31% participating interest in the Karankasso Project Joint Venture ("JV") which is situated adjacent to the Company's South Hounde Project in Burkina Faso and is a JV between Sarama and Savary Gold Corp. ("Savary"). Savary is the operator of the JV and in October 2015, declared a maiden inferred mineral resource estimate of 671,000 ounces of contained gold3,4 at the Karankasso Project JV.

Sarama has also agreed to acquire a 100% interest in the Bondi Deposit from Orezone Gold Corporation (refer news release May 24, 2016). Bondi has a historical estimate of mineral resources of 0.3Moz Au (measured and indicated) and 0.1Moz Au (inferred)5,6.

Together, the South Hounde Project, Bondi Deposit and the Karankasso Project form a cluster of advanced gold deposits, within trucking distance of one another, which potentially offers a development option for a multi-source fed central processing facility in the southern Hounde Belt region of Burkina Faso.

Incorporated in 2010, the Company's Board and management team have a proven track record in Africa and a strong history in the discovery and development of large-scale gold deposits. Sarama is well positioned to build on its current success with a sound exploration strategy across its property portfolio.
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 3, 2017) - Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:ELO)(FRANKFURT:P2Q) ("Eloro") is pleased to announce it has signed a letter agreement (the "Agreement") with Cott Oil and Gas Limited ("Cott") (ASX:CMT), granting Cott an option to acquire up to a 25% interest in Eloro's wholly-owned La Victoria Gold Silver Project ("La Victoria" or the "Property"), by completing up to C$5 million in expenditures by July 31, 2018. The Property covers approximately 80.4 square kilometres and is held by a Peruvian-based Eloro subsidiary and is located in Huandoval District, Pallasca Province, Ancash Department, in the prolific North-Central Mineral Belt of Peru.

The Agreement

Under the terms of the Agreement, Cott can earn an initial 10% interest in the Property by expending C$2 million (exclusive of all applicable taxes) by or before October 30, 2017 ("Stage 1 Earn-in Period"), and a further 15% interest ("Stage 2 Earn-in Period") by expending an additional C$3 million (exclusive of all applicable taxes) by or before July 31, 2018. At the end of either the Stage 1 Earn-in Period or the Stage 2 Earn-in Period, a joint venture would be formed between Eloro and Cott on the basis of their respective interest in La Victoria on the typical terms for a joint venture, with Eloro being the operator and the typical dilution provisions.

Pursuant to the Agreement, Cott would grant Eloro a right of first refusal ("RFR") pursuant to which Cott would be obliged to give Eloro at least 60 days prior written notice of any proposed sale of any interest in the Property to a third party and Eloro would have the right to exercise its RFR within 30 days of receipt of such notice from Cott by matching the third party offer. Additionally, should Eloro propose to sell all or a majority of its interest in the Property to a third party, Eloro must first consult with Cott about the identity of the third party and the proposed terms of sale. If Eloro proceeds with the sale, Cott will be obliged to sell its interest to the third party on a pro rata basis in accordance with the terms of Eloro's sale to the third party.

Eloro and Cott have agreed to proceed to the execution and delivery of a definitive agreement ("Definitive Agreement"), incorporating the terms contained in the Agreement. The execution of the Definitive Agreement is subject to the satisfactory completion by Cott of its due diligence investigation of the Property and also subject to the approval by the Boards of Directors of Eloro and Cott, and in the case of Cott, the approval of the ASX Limited and if applicable, shareholders of Cott, and in the case of Eloro, the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Eloro Resources at the PDAC

Eloro will be participating at the PDAC 2017 convention in Toronto and invites you to visit us at Booth 2326 (Investors Exchange) in the South Building, Metro Toronto Convention Centre from March 5 - 8, 2017.

About Eloro Resources Ltd.

Eloro is an exploration and mine development company which holds a 100% undivided interest in the La Victoria Gold/Silver Project, located in the prolific North-Central Mineral Belt of Peru. The La Victoria Gold/Silver Project covers 80.4 square kilometers and is within 50 km of several large, low-cost producing gold mines, with three producers visible from the property. Infrastructure in the area is good with access to road, water, and electricity and is located at an altitude that ranges from 3,100m to 4,200m above sea level. Eloro also holds a portfolio of gold and base-metal properties in northern and western Quebec.

About Cott Oil and Gas Limited

Cott is an ASX publicly-listed company that sold its oil and gas interests in late 2016 and has since been looking to diversify into the mineral resource sector. The Chairman of Cott, Mr. Stephen Dennis, has been actively involved in the mining industry for over 30 years and is also Chairman of several listed resource companies in Australia. Mr. Dennis was for 8 years, up to 2015, Managing Director and CEO of CBH Resources Limited, a significant producer of silver, lead and zinc, which is the Australian-based subsidiary of Toho Zinc Co. Ltd., a Japanese company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Information in this news release may contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information express, as at the date of this new release, the Corporation's plans, estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations, or beliefs as to future events of results and are believed to be reasonable based on information currently available to the Corporation. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

For additional technical information on the La Victoria Project, the reader is referred to the NI 43-101 Technical Report on the La Victoria Au-Ag Property, Ancash, Peru filed under Eloro's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).
Toronto, Canada / TheNewswire / March 3, 2017 - Savary Gold Corp. (TSX-V: SCA) ("Savary" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the first set of drill results for our ~10,000 metre, ~100-hole drill program that commenced at the end of January on the Karankasso JV Project in south western Burkina Faso. Upon closing, it is anticipated that the Karankasso JV Project is approximately 69.5% owned by Savary and 30.5% owned by Sarama Resources Limited ("Sarama") with Savary as operator.

This news release presents results for 24 of the initial 29 holes totalling 2,978.4 metres that were completed from January 29 to February 13, 2017. To date, 43 holes totalling 4,474 metres, have been completed. A summary of select results, in the order they were drilled, are presented below (see Figure 1 for locations).

3.21 g/t gold over 4 metres - Serakoro 1 West area

2.26 g/t gold over 11 metres - Serakoro 1 West area

2.51 g/t gold over 3 metres - Serakoro 1 West area

1.85 g/t gold over 7 metres - Serakoro 1 West area

2.22 g/t gold over 4 metres - Serakoro 1 West area

2.55 g/t gold over 17 metres - Serakoro 1 West area

2.26 g/t gold over 3 metres - Serakoro 1 West area

14.66 g/t gold (6.65 g/t gold cut) over 6 metres - Serakoro 1 Main area

1.69 g/t gold over 5 metres - Serakoro 1 Main area

1.24 g/t gold over 8 metres - Serakoro 1 Main area

1.24 g/t gold over 8 metres - Serakoro 1 Main area

1.79 g/t gold over 6 metres - Serakoro 1 Main area

* Mineral resource estimate presented in Savary news release dated October 8, 2015

"The first few holes drilled in the Serakoro 1 West area have been quite encouraging with good first pass results obtained from both testing gold-in-auger results and following up on first pass RAB and RC drilling carried out by Sarama in 2011/12. This initial success has resulted in the recommended follow-up of an additional 20 holes, ensuring both follow-up of drill intercepts and the testing of all strong gold-in-auger anomalies" stated Don Dudek, President and CEO of Savary. Mr. Dudek further noted that "We were also pleasantly surprised with a strong, higher grade intercept along the western edge of the Serakoro 1 Main area, that had not been previously tested and the strengthening of the gold-in auger anomalies at the north end of the Serakoro 1 concession."

Figure 1 Karankasso JV Project - Locations of Significant new 2017 Drill Intercepts.



The drill program was focussed on first pass testing of strong gold-in-auger anomalies in the Serakoro 1 West area and follow-up of previous drilling carried out by Sarama in 2011/12 and Delta Gold in the late 1990's. A summary of significant results predominantly using 0.5 g/t gold cut-off, are presented in Table 1 at the end of the release.

Serakoro 1 West Area

A total of 11 holes totalling 1,041 metres were drilled in the Serakoro 1 West area (see Figure 2 for detailed locations) into what is a primarily felsic intrusion hosted gold target. Of these, two of the holes, RC-17-06 and 07, were designed to test for northeast trending cross-structures, to help explain and validate historic RAB and RC drill intercepts. Both holes intersected significant amounts of mineralization with hole RC-17-06 returning intercepts of 3.21 g/t gold over 4 metres and 2.26 g/t gold over 11 metres, with the latter intercept located approximately 30 metres below a previous hole that returned 6.42 g/t gold over 15 metres. More work will be required before both the orientation of the gold zones can be determined and if the two wider intercepts are part of the same mineralized structure.

One hole, RC-17-12, was designed to validate a RAB drill intercept of 2.80 g/t Au over 12 metres and further test a 2-kilometre long gold-in auger sample trend. This hole was successful and returned 2.55 g/t gold over 17 metres.

The remaining eight holes tested select portions of the gold-in auger results. This work has led to the identification of two gold being trends. The easternmost gold trend correlates with a 2,000-metre long gold-in-auger anomaly and the east edge of a geophysical IP chargeability anomaly. This trend has been tested on 200-metre spaced lines along a 400-metre strike length with the best hole returning 2.55 g/t gold over 17 metres and holes 200 metres to the north and south intersecting multiple gold-bearing zones grading up to 1.35 g/t gold over 7 metres and 2.26 g/t gold over 3 metres, respectively. Also interesting is the width of the low-grade intervals with hole RC-17-10 returning 0.36 g/t gold over 43 metres and hole RC-17-13 returning 0.25 g/t gold over 48 metres. Management believes that these wide anomalous intervals, and others intersected along this trend, infer the presence of a large gold system, which necessitates further follow-up.

The western trend, with coincident gold-in-auger results for 1,600 metres along an inferred strike, has been tested by three holes along a 400-metre portion of the trend. Hole RC-17-09, returned the best intercept with an intersection of 1.85 g/t gold over 7 metres and an intercept 400 metres to the north of 1.00 g/t gold over 3 metres in hole RC-17-16.

Additional holes are recommended to test historic drill intercepts and to follow-up new drill intercepts and untested gold-in-auger anomalies.

Serakoro 1 Main Area

A total of 17 holes totalling 1,699 metres have been drilled to test targets in the Serakoro 1 Main area. The bulk of these holes were drilled to follow-up on historic drill intercepts. Assay results have been returned for the first 15 holes with a best hole, RC-17-19, returning 14.66 g/t gold over 6 metres (6.55 g/t gold over 6 metres with high value cut to 30 g/t gold) and 1.69 g/t gold over 5 metres. The nearest hole that could have tested the same part of the stratigraphy is located more than 4,000 metres to the north. Other notable intercepts include 1.24 g/t gold over 8 metres in hole RC-17-21 and 1.79 g/t gold over 6 metres in hole RC-17-25. Most of the other intercepts are relatively narrow and modest in grade.

Most historic intercepts were validated in terms of width, however, the grades were less than expected. Of note are a series of intercepts along the largest of the four mapped mineralized trends which returned near surface intercepts, from south to north, along a 2,000-metre trend, of 0.52 g/t gold over 26 metres in hole RC-17-21, 0.33 g/t gold over 17 metres in hole RC-17-23, 0.25 g/t gold over 12 metres in RC-17-24, 0.44 g/t gold over 38 metres in hole RC-17-25 and 0.32 g/t gold over 17 metres in hole RC-17-27. The bulk of these intercepts are hosted by a sheared package of altered felsic volcanics and sediments.

Follow-up drilling is recommended proximal to hole RC-17-19. Additional follow-up in the Serakoro 1 Main area is pending the results of the four remaining holes and a more thorough review of the results to date.

Drill Target Development

In conjunction with drilling, Savary has also completed approximately 275 line kilometres of induced polarization geophysical surveys, 9,946 metres of auger drilling in 1,447 holes, collected 857 soil samples and carried out additional mapping and prospecting over the property. This data, especially the auger data, will be interpreted and used to develop new drill targets. Note that two auger samples are collected from each hole with one representing the basal, mobile laterite layer and the other, the upper metre of saprolite. For simplicity, and to support trend continuity, it was determined to present the best sample from each site in Figures 2 and 3. Auger holes were drilled 25 metres apart on select lines. Based on the success of the first auger program, more auger drilling is warranted.

New auger drill data is presented in Figure 2 for the Serakoro 1 West area as >100 ppb gold auger values, with a yellow halo.

New auger infill results were returned for the northern part of the Serakoro 1 concession (see Figure 3). One line, along the central gold trend, returned the highest gold-in-auger result to date of 2,210 ppb gold located 400 metres northeast of an auger sample that returned 1,970 ppb gold. This area of anomalous gold-in-auger results extends for approximately 3,800 metres along strike with a continuous zone of stronger results extending for 2,000 metres. This area has never been tested by drilling.

Three in-fill lines were received for auger drill sites located to the south of the Karangosso Zone (Figure 3). The data indicates that two anomalous gold-in-auger trends are evident with each trend traceable for approximately 2,000 metres with the westernmost trend returning gold-in-auger values to 625 ppb gold and the easternmost returning values to 1,490 ppb gold. Both trends are open to the south and require drill testing.

Figure 2 - Serakoro 1 West area new Drill Intercepts and Auger Drill Results on IP Chargeability Base



Figure 3 - Gold-in-Auger anomaly update for North End of Serakoro 1 Concession



Savary Gold Corp. Warrant Exercises

Savary has raised a total of CDN$ 1,025,120 from the exercise of $0.07 warrants and partial early exercise of $0.08 warrants. In total, 12,416,000 or 92% of the $0.07 warrants were exercised on or before the expiry date of February 24, 2017. The remainder of the warrant proceeds were from $0.08 warrants exercised in 2H, 2016; these warrants will expire on March 20, 2018.

PDAC

Savary will have booth 3151 for all four days of the conference at the Investor's Exchange from Sunday March 5th to Wednesday March 8th. Hope to see you there.

QA/QC Comments

Savary's procedure for handling reverse circulation drill chips comprises initial riffle splitting of the rock chips from one metre drill length samples into approximately 2.5 kilogram samples, as well as description and logging into a database. A duplicate 2.5-kilogram sample, prepared at the same time as the assay sample, is kept as a reference for each sample. NQ-size core assay samples are first logged into a database and then are sawn in half with half of the core submitted for analysis; the length of the core samples depends on logged geological controls with samples varying from 0.3 metres to 2.0 metres in length. A sample duplicate and assay blank was inserted sequentially every 5 to 14 samples and an assay standard was inserted every 29 to 34 samples. This results in 8% of the assayed samples being reference/blank/control samples. Blanks and duplicates were preferentially inserted in visually mineralized zones to better test the assay results. This sampling procedure was periodically reviewed by Savary's President and CEO, and the Company QP, Don Dudek, P. Geo. All assay samples were collected at site by staff from SGS Burkina Faso SA ('SGS') from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso where sample preparation and analysis were performed. Each sample was dried, crushed to 75% passing 2 mm and then split to 1.5 kg by rotary splitter. This split was pulverized to 85% passing 75 ?m. Fifty grams of the pulverized material was analysed for gold via fire assay with an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish. SGS operates according to ISO 17025 standards and institutes a full Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) program consisting of insertion of internal blanks, standard reference material, repeats and reject splits which in total account for up to 25% of all determinations conducted. All standards and blank control samples returned results within expected ranges.

About Savary Gold Corp.

Savary is a Canadian exploration company which, along with JV partner Sarama Resources Limited, is focused on exploring and developing the Karankasso Gold Project in Burkina Faso. The Project is located within the Birimian age, Hounde Greenstone Belt, which hosts Semafo's Mana mine, Roxgold's Yaramoko Mine and additional gold deposits that are presently subject to production decisions and extensive exploration efforts (including Endeavour Mining's Hounde Project, Orezone's (acquired by Sarama) Bondi Project and Sarama's/Acacia's South Hounde Project, which is adjacent to Savary's property). The Project contains an Inferred open pit constrained mineral resource estimate of 9.16 million tonnes grading 2.28 g/t gold (Savary news release November 24, 2015). For additional information please visit our website at www.savarygold.com.

Don Dudek, P.Geo., President and CEO of the Company and a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.

Table 1 - Summary of Significant Intercepts

Hole # From To Length Au g/t Target Area HE-RC-17-006 24 31 7 0.46 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-006 46 47 1 1.12 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-006 52 54 2 0.43 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-006 57 58 1 0.47 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-006 71 75 4 3.21 Serakoro West incl. 72 73 2 6.05 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-006 84 95 11 2.26 Serakoro West incl. 89 93 4 4.00 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-006 97 98 1 0.53 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-007 32 33 1 0.80 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-007 40 47 7 0.50 Serakoro West incl. 42 43 1 1.80 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-007 64 67 3 2.51 Serakoro West incl. 64 65 1 6.50 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-008 nsv Serakoro West HE-RC-17-009 28 35 7 1.85 Serakoro West incl. 32 35 3 3.19 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-010 50 54 4 2.20 Serakoro West incl. 52 54 2 3.90 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-011 14 36 22 0.42 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-011 58 59 1 0.52 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-012 18 35 17 2.55 Serakoro West incl. 27 34 7 3.45 Serakoro West incl. 32 33 1 11.05 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-012 45 46 1 0.52 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-012 62 65 3 0.45 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-013 19 20 1 0.56 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-013 36 37 1 0.84 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-013 43 44 1 0.42 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-013 45 49 4 0.84 Serakoro West incl. 46 47 1 1.55 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-013 60 63 3 0.64 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-014 18 19 1 1.17 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-014 25 26 1 1.90 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-014 32 33 1 0.55 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-014 34 37 3 2.26 Serakoro West incl. 35 36 1 5.44 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-014 39 40 1 0.70 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-014 82 83 1 0.59 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-015 22 23 1 0.87 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-015 27 31 4 1.10 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-015 42 43 1 1.51 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-015 65 66 1 0.55 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-015 73 74 1 0.42 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-016 27 28 1 0.47 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-016 29 32 3 1.00 Serakoro West HE-RC-17-017 30 31 1 1.59 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-017 35 37 2 0.77 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-017 43 45 2 0.50 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-018 45 46 1 0.42 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-018 93 94 1 0.81 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-018 98 99 1 0.52 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-019 15 16 1 0.47 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-019 28 29 1 0.78 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-019 30 36 6 14.666.55 cut to 30 g/t Au Serakoro Main incl. 31 35 4 21.69 Serakoro Main incl. 32 33 1 78.10 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-019 47 52 5 1.69 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-019 60 62 2 0.62 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-019 88 89 1 0.74 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-020 nsv Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-021 0 1 1 0.43 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-021 17 25 8 1.24 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-021 45 46 1 0.43 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-021 48 49 1 0.42 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-021 51 53 2 0.56 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-021 60 61 1 1.58 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-022 68 69 1 0.69 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-022 80 81 1 1.58 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-022 92 95 3 1.73 Serakoro Main incl. 93 94 1 3.44 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-023 5 6 1 0.64 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-023 15 16 1 0.94 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-023 30 31 1 0.98 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-023 33 35 2 0.74 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-023 43 44 1 0.51 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-023 70 72 2 0.52 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-024 12 14 2 1.56 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-024 30 31 2 1.51 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-024 41 44 3 0.47 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-024 66 67 1 0.64 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-025 7 13 6 1.79 Serakoro Main incl. 8 12 4 2.48 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-025 14 15 1 0.73 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-025 29 30 1 0.44 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-025 40 41 1 0.48 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-026 9 10 1 2.31 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-026 12 13 1 0.96 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-026 62 63 1 0.66 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-027 3 5 2 0.70 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-027 8 9 1 0.53 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-027 14 16 2 0.55 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-028 14 15 1 1.46 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-028 20 21 1 0.75 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-028 30 34 4 0.97 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-028 45 47 2 5.17 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-028 103 105 2 1.59 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-028 113 114 1 2.62 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-028 118 121 3 0.58 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-028 133 134 1 0.66 Serakoro Main HE-RC-17-028 142 146 4 1.46 Serakoro Main HE=RC-17-029 34 41 7 0.74 Serakoro Main

* true widths are estimated at 65% to 80% of drilled widths except for holes RC-17-06 and 07, where there is not enough information to estimate true widths
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 17, 2016) - Canuc Resources Corporation ( TSXV: CDA ) ("Canuc" or the "Company") is pleased to report the issuance of 150,000 stock options to Directors and Officers of the Company and 160,000 options to Consultants of the Company. The options were issued... Read More
By Jun Ji-hye



North Korea threatened to take its "toughest" military action, Thursday, as South Korea and the United States began a large-scale joint military drill the previous day.



In response, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the North will only face firm retaliation if it pushes for any provocations.



Seoul and Washington began their annual two-month field training exercise, Foal Eagle, Wednesday, and plan to conduct Key Resolve, a largely computer-simulated exercise, for two weeks from March 13.



The North's General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA) warned that Seoul and Washington will face a miserable end if they provoke the North as it is ready to "mercilessly" deter any nuclear aggression.



"Our army will counter them with the toughest counteractions as it already declared," said a statement by the military carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "This stand of ours we clarified before the world is by no means empty talk."



Col. Roh Jae-cheon, spokesman for Seoul's JCS, warned of resolute retaliation against any possible provocations from the reclusive state.



"The joint drills by South Korea and the United States are defensive in nature, designed only to bolster our readiness and defend the Republic of Korea in the event of a contingency," he said.



The repressive state has long been claiming that the exercises are "dress rehearsals" by "hostile" forces for a northward invasion with nuclear weapons.



Victor Cha, Korea chairman at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, raised the possibility that the North is likely to undertake provocations in the coming weeks.



"A Beyond Parallel study predicts that military provocations by North Korea are likely during the period of the exercises," he said, referring to the U.S. think tank's website devoted to North Korea issues. "Beyond Parallel found that the four-to-eight week window prior to the exercise period is the best indicator of North Korean behavior during the exercises. When U.S.-DPRK relations during this window are coded as negative then the exercise period will see a high level of provocations."




/ Korea Times photos by Shim Hyun-chul



Park supporters, opponents divided over impeachment

By Lee Kyung-min

Both supporters and opponents of President Park Geun-hye staged rallies in downtown Seoul, Wednesday, on the occasion of the nation's Independence Movement Day, to press their demands for upholding or rejecting her impeachment.

The massive rallies followed Tuesday's conclusion of the independent counsel team's investigation into the corruption scandal involving Park and her friend Choi Soon-sil, and the Constitutional Court's final hearing, Monday.

No major clashes occurred between the rival groups, as their marching routes did not overlap.

More than 16,000 police officers were mobilized with 202 buses being used as a shield surrounding Gwanghwamun Square to prevent the rival protesters from deviating from their initial rally sites, which were only 500 meters away from each other.

Tens of thousands of Park supporters began to gather at 11 a.m. near the square, and marched to five different locations including Dongdaemun, Seoul Station and the Constitutional Court.





Supporters of President Park Geun-hye wave the national flag during a rally at Gwanghwamun Square, downtown Seoul, Wednesday. They called on the Constitutional Court to reject the impeachment motion against Park. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul



They also marched toward Cheong Wa Dae, the first such move by the group, and to the prime minister's official residence in Samcheong-dong.

Impeachment deliberation kicks off 'Constitutional Court likely to uphold impeachment' Concerns grow over 'misuse' of national flag The group called for additional Constitutional Court hearings, citing what it called a "heavily biased bench."



"The Constitutional Court dismissed the President's defense attorney's requests to call more witnesses and for more written materials to be entered into evidence," one of the group members said.



"The court abruptly concluded the proceedings when it was on the verge of uncovering the truth of what the leftists have called the influence-peddling scandal by Park's confidant Choi Soon-sil," he added.



Meanwhile, more than 1 million protestors demanding Park's impeachment held their rally at the square at 5 p.m.



The anti-Park group held performances based on the March 1 Independence Movement Day, a historic day in 1919 when Korea was under colonial rule by Japan. A chant at the time was, "Free Korea from the colonial rule of Japan."



The group chanted similar slogans en masse namely, "Put Park Geun-hye behind bars" and "Constitutional Court, uphold Park's impeachment."



They decided to carry the national flag, as they deemed it was warranted by the historical significance of patriotism associated with the March 1 Independence Movement Day, but decided to wear yellow ribbons to differentiate themselves from Park's supporters.



The impeached President's supporters also used the national flag to identify themselves.



At 7 p.m., the ant-Park group marched toward a 100-meter point from the perimeter of Cheong Wa Dae, after an administrative court allowed access to the group.



The group said they would hold a candlelit vigil to rekindle the spirit that united the country against the unconscionable political corruption involving Park Geun-hye's inner most circle.





Anti-Park activists stage a candlelit rally in central Seoul, Wednesday, calling on the Constitutional Court to uphold Park's impeachment. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul





Supporters of President Park Geun-hye march through the street near City Hall in central Seoul, Wednesday, to demand the Constitutional Court reject the impeachment motion against Park. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul





/ Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul





/ Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul





/ Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul




Seen above is a booth aimed at promoting PyeongChang Olympics set up by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning at Fira Gran Via convention hall in Barcelona, Spain. / Korea Times photo by Lee Min-hyung



By Lee Min-hyung



BARCELONA  The government came under criticism for wasting taxpayers' money by ineptly handling its promotional activities at the Mobile World Congress here.

During the four-day tradeshow, five government bodies including the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP), the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute and the PyeongChang Organizing Committee (POCOG) operated a promotional booth for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

But the 105-square-meter booth failed to draw much interest from visitors, largely due to its lack of fancy new technology.

The MSIP took charge of running the exhibition hall for the four-day event, in a bid to raise awareness of the upcoming winter sporting event related to its state-of-the-art technologies.

The MSIP showcased the event preview with virtual reality and 3D holograms, but visitors pointed out that they could not understand the content properly.

Still, the MSIP and the four other state-run organizations sent a large delegation to the event, mostly on taxpayers' money.

"About 15 officials from the five organizations took a flight to Barcelona for the promotional activity," a booth official said, declining to specify further.

Critics say government officials sent a big delegation on a business trip for a small booth.

"I could not understand what they were trying to promote," one visitor to the booth said.

"All I remember after taking a look at the booth is some virtual reality devices and a bunch of officials standing there. One or two officials are enough to promote such a small-sized booth with weak content."

The MSIP is estimated to have spent at least 300 million won ($262,000) to cover expenses for the officials' business trip and four-day booth rental. The figure will rise further once taking into account additional expenses  including R&D to create the content promoted at the booth.

The government organized the event, as the mobile show is regarded as one of the world's largest tech fairs, drawing 100,000 visitors from 24 countries this year.

Many industry-leading firms put forth great efforts here to attract more attention from visitors and media but Korean officials seem not to do so with the PyeongChang Olympics.
13.52 bn US dollar pledged during Nepal Investment Summit - 2017

A total of 13.52 billion US dollar has been pledged as foreign investment during the Nepal Investment Summit-2017 held in the Capital on March 2-3.
AIIB committed to investing in Nepals infra: Chief

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has expressed its commitment to work with the Nepal government and Nepali private sector to make a meaningful difference in the countrys economic and social development through investment in infrastructure and other productive sectors.
Were excited to announce that metalbulletin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com.

A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving metals market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets.

Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Brinker International: BI INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LLC, BI MEXICO HOLDING CORPORATION, BIPC GLOBAL PAYROLL COMPANY LLC, BIPC INVESTMENTS LLC, BIPC MANAGEMENT LLC, BRINKER AIRPORTS LLC, BRINKER ALABAMA INC., BRINKER ARKANSAS INC., BRINKER ASIA INC., BRINKER BRAZIL LLC, BRINKER CANADIAN HOLDING CO. ULC, BRINKER CANADIAN RESTAURANT CO. ULC, BRINKER CB LP, BRINKER CB MANAGEMENT LLC, BRINKER FHC B.V., BRINKER FLORIDA INC., BRINKER FREEHOLD INC., BRINKER GEORGIA INC., BRINKER INTERNATIONAL PAYROLL COMPANY L.P., BRINKER LOUISIANA INC., BRINKER MICHIGAN INC., BRINKER MISSISSIPPI INC., BRINKER MISSOURI INC., BRINKER NEVADA INC., BRINKER NEW JERSEY INC., BRINKER NORTH CAROLINA INC., BRINKER OF BALTIMORE COUNTY INC., BRINKER OF CARROLL COUNTY INC., BRINKER OF CECIL COUNTY INC., BRINKER OKLAHOMA INC., BRINKER OPCO LLC, BRINKER PENN TRUST, BRINKER PROPCO FLORIDA INC., BRINKER PROPERTY CORPORATION, BRINKER PURCHASING INC., BRINKER RESTAURANT CORPORATION, BRINKER RHODE ISLAND INC., BRINKER SERVICES CORPORATION, BRINKER SOUTH CAROLINA INC., BRINKER TEXAS INC., BRINKER VIRGINIA INC., CHILIS BEVERAGE COMPANY INC., CHILIS INC. a Delaware corporation, CHILIS INC. a Tennessee corporation, CHILIS INTERNATIONAL BASES B.V., CHILIS OF BEL AIR INC., CHILIS OF KANSAS INC., CHILIS OF MARYLAND INC., CHILIS OF WEST VIRGINIA INC., Grady's Inc., MAGGIANO'S OF ANNAPOLIS INC., MAGGIANO'S OF HOWARD COUNTY INC., MAGGIANO'S OF KANSAS INC., MAGGIANOS BEVERAGE COMPANY, MAGGIANOS HOLDING CORPORATION, MAGGIANOS INC., MAGGIANOS OF TYSONS INC., MAGGIANOS PROPERTY CORPORATION, MAGGIANOS TEXAS INC., PEPPER DINING HOLDING CORP., PEPPER DINING Inc., and PEPPER DINING VERMONT INC..

Read More
Banned Indian notes will be exchanged soon: Indian FinMin Jaitley

Visiting Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said that the banned Indian notes of IRs 1,000 and IRs 500 denominations that are within Nepals financial system will be exchanged soon.
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. provides cybersecurity solutions worldwide. The company offers firewall appliances and software; Panorama, a security management solution for the control of firewall appliances and software deployed on a customer's network, as well as their instances in public or private cloud environments, as a virtual or a physical appliance; and virtual system upgrades, which are available as extensions to the virtual system capacity that ships with physical appliances. It also provides subscription services covering the areas of threat prevention, malware and persistent threat, URL filtering, laptop and mobile device protection, and firewall; and DNS security, Internet of Things security, SaaS security API, and SaaS security inline, as well as threat intelligence, and data loss prevention. In addition, the company offers cloud security, secure access, security operations, and threat intelligence and cyber security consulting; professional services, including architecture design and planning, implementation, configuration, and firewall migration; education services, such as certifications, as well as online and in-classroom training; and support services. Palo Alto Networks, Inc. sells its products and services through its channel partners, as well as directly to medium to large enterprises, service providers, and government entities operating in various industries, including education, energy, financial services, government entities, healthcare, Internet and media, manufacturing, public sector, and telecommunications. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.
Nigerian celebrated actor, Hans Anuku, who's now based in Ghana, has finally naturalized as a citizen of Ghana  Ghanacreativearts.com confirms.

The actor, in an exclusive interview with Ghanacreativearts.com editor Nii Attractive (Mustapha Nii Okai Inusah )said he has seen peace in Ghana and because hes peaceful by nature, he deemed it prudent to naturalize and stay in Ghana just as other nationals live here.

Sounding spiritual, Hans Anuku said his decision is actually a direction from God and as someone who believes in the divine, he heeded. Its a directive from God that I naturalize as a Ghanaian. Whatever God ask me to do, is what I do.

Explaining why he left Nigeria  where he comes from to permanently reside in Ghana, he told,Nii Attractive that I had to leave Nigeria because of all troubles in Nigeria. I don't like people being killed.

He however noted that he will never point at his fathers hometown with his left hand, thus, despite all the troubles and Wahala in Nigeria, he hasn't forgotten about Nigeria because his family and kids are there; so as time goes on, he will revisit Nigeria and contribute his widows mite in helping build her motherland.

Ending, he disclosed that hes a Fante by Ghanaian lineage. My Ghanaian name is Nana Kwame Fiifi Kakra Anuku he said amidst giggle.

Below is the one on one video interview with Nii Attractive
Information we are picking up from the camp of Shatta Wale the dancehall king indicate that the artiste should be heading to court soon.

According to a sources, Shatta Wale and his team are considering suing Yaa Pono for calling shatta wale's wife a lesbian. It is not ruled out, though, that a deal could be reached between the parties to properly compensate the star.

The beef between Yaa Pono and Shatta Wale escalated after the former was denied an opportunity to perform at a concert headlined by Shatta Wale in Cape Coast in the Central region last month.

The organizers of the concert later explained that Yaa Pono was unable to perform because they were running out of time and therefore had to cut down on the performances.

Things got ugly when the two released diss tracks to attack each other.

More Soon.
A Lagos Island Customary Court, on Thursday, put an end to the long unsavoury marriage of Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike and his wife, Suzanne Emma, as it ordered the estranged lovers to go their separate ways.

The three-man panel presided over by Chief Awos Awosola, dissolved the 17 years old union, in a judgment in the suit by the estranged wife of the Nollywood actor, Emma.

Other members of the panel are: Mrs. Opeyemi Olanrewaju and Mr Kehinde Olayinka.

The court in judgment in the suit brought in 2015, by Emma against the Nollywood actor, said From all evidence before the court, the marriage between the couple had broken down and its irreconcilable, consequently, the marriage is hereby dissolved.

Dissatisfaction with the judgement

The court, however, granted Emeka the custody of their four children, but ordered that their mother should be granted unhindered access to the children.

The court also ordered that any party that is dissatisfied with the judgement should appeal within 30 days.

The court also received the photocopy of a bank draft of N300, dated July 20, 2016, which the Emma used in refunding the bride price, paid to her family during their marriage.

The estranged wife of the Nollywood actor, in the petition had accused Emeka of incessant beating, molestation, and torture, which she said she could no longer endure.

But Emeka in his response, while pleaded with the court not to dissolve the marriage, denied ever beating, molesting or torture his wife. He rather informed the court that his wife had move out of their matrimonial home five times without any reason.

He also informed the court that the only time the devil entered their marriage, was when his wife paid for the childrens school fees.

Speaking to our reporter after the judgement, the petitioner said, I am delight with the judgement. I am happy that the court granted my request.

Emma, who said she was not thinking of second marriage, advised other women who were going through what she experienced, to be bold enough to approach the court so that they can live a free life.

The separated couple had lived together for over 17 years and had their marriage contracted at Alagbole area, in Lagos, in 2014. They have four children.
Germany-based Ghanaian hip-hop artiste Corby Rhymez has released a remix version of veteran highlife musician Nana Kwame Ampadu's old song titled 'Agartha'.

According to him, he remixed the song to bring back memories to lovers of highlife music, especially the aged in Ghana and abroad.

'It's a worldwide songs, kids and elders are going to love it, it's gonna bring back memories to our grandfathers because it's a banger, he mentioned.

Rhymez remarked that he chose the song because it binds two people who are in love together, disclosing that he will soon release other highlife songs he has remixed.

Speaking with Naa Klordey Odonkor on Ultimate Brunch & Lunch on Ultimate FM, he explained that he developed a passion for music since his childhood, adding that this is his first commercial song.

I like hip life/highlife music very much, I listen to highlife songs from Amakye Dede through to Nana Ampadu and the African Brothers Band, most times I listen to the songs and got inspirations from their live band videos and I was like this song is great, we can do something from it, so I took inspirations from Nana Ampadu's song Agartha, I love the song very much My grandfather likes Nana Ampadu's songs, so he used to play the song when we were kids, so that was when I developed interest in the song, he explained.

Rhymez promised to release hit songs that would be enjoyed locally and internationally by his fans, stating that he will release his album which has 28-30 tracks in June 2017.

There is one artiste in Nigeria, Burna Boy, D-cryme and Shatta Wale in Ghana who we are in talks with to do collaborations, he disclosed.

Rhymez mentioned that he is ready to touch down in Ghana if any event organiser invites him to perform in any of the shows lined up for the year.

The song which is already on YouTube is catching the attention of music lovers.
02.03.2017 LISTEN

Accra, March 2, GNA - When the issue of the appointment of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) for state organisations, is raised, it is not about media war and lobbying but about technical competence, knowledge and skills.

Again, research has it that generalists (administrative) end up to be leaders because they are more flexible, shift course and manage multiple areas. Specialists (professional) on the other hand, fare less well, in terms of job offers and compensation in comparism with the generalists.

This assertion was contained in a release from the Nzema Youth Association signed by the Secretary, Mark Asmah and copied to the Ghana News Agency in a reaction to a comment made by Awulae Attribukusu, Omanhene of Lower Axim in the media, regarding the appointment of CEO for the Ghana Gas Company

Awulae Attibrukusu is reported to have said: 'The Ghana Gas job is professional not administrative, I support Dr Asante 100.'

The release said, clearly that the Omanhene position as a Board member of Ghana National Petroleum Company and his relationship with Dr Ben Asante as a technical consultant is expected to influence such thinking.

It added that Awulae Attibukusu could support Dr Asante but his current reason was flawed.

Granting that is the case; but it is about managing a natural resource, which is the programme Professor Sagari Nokoe pursued for his first degree?

Again there will always be direct technical people to support extraction and processing, but managers to work on conservation and sustainability and also how the resources benefit community cannot be said to be technical.

It is evident that oil producing development countries support their assertion for indigence, therefore some chiefs from Nzemaland including Tu Agyen, Annie Adjaye and Agyefi Kwame support for Professor Sagary Nokoe an indigene of the Nzemaland for the position of Ghana Gas Boss may not be the best but also not out of place.

GNA

By Rex Annan, GNA
02.03.2017 LISTEN

Accra, March 2, GNA - The Comboni Missionaries, working in Ghana for 40 years now, celebrate 150th anniversary of the foundation.

They were founded on June, 1, 1967, by Daniel Comboni, a man who lived the whole of his life, who struggled and died for the liberation and self-determination of the Peoples of Africa.

The Comboni Missionaries are within the Catholic Church.

There was nothing more determinant and distinctive in Comboni's life than his missionary self-giving in favour of Africa.

Comboni's Plan for the Regeneration of Africa is the clearest and most convincing proof that the whole of his life was exclusively marked by his commitment to a missionary life and in Africa till death.

This Plan is the perfect evidence that he cultivated a deep personal and living relationship with Africa and the Africans. In fact Africa and the self-determination of the Africans became the only passion of all his life.

'The first love of my life was towards the unfortunate Africa and leaving behind all that was precious to me, I came to offer my services to lighten their burdens,' Comboni wrote.

In September 1864 Comboni had an experience, which provided him with the inspiration he was seeking.

He wrote: "On September 15, 1864, while I was in St Peter's Basilica, attending the Beatification of Margaret Mary Alacoque, like a flash of lightning the thought came to me of making a plan for the regeneration of Africa, through the Good News of Jesus."

After the inspiration of the plan, Comboni felt he had received from God the responsibility of the missions in Africa.

This was one of the most significant events in his life, helping him to understand and clarify his dreams and desires and it brought about a deep integration in him.

Comboni knew that, missionaries from Europe alone would never manage to spread the Good News of Jesus to the immense territories of Africa on their own.

They were to be helped by a number of educated young Africans, men and women educated in houses built on the fringes of the Continent where both Africans and missionaries from Europe would feel at home.

The best among them were to be sent to Europe for higher studies, especially those among them who wanted to become priests. Some educated Africans would later, in their turn, move into the interior, pass on their education to their brothers and sisters, open schools and found new Christian communities.

But for Comboni's mission was not merely to work for Africans. He chose and managed efficiently to live and assume the full life of Africans. Not just writing about them or teaching them, but becoming one with them, sharing their lot, adapting to the customs as far as he was able and going far beyond what prudence would have suggested.

That is what he understood by being witnesses of Jesus Christ.

This plan is the mature expression of the dream born in his early age and, undoubtedly, came to fruition progressively his missionary commitment.

Since the beginning of his choice, life showed Comboni that no evangelisation would be possible without the cross. But, the cross, more than anything else, was seen as the guarantee of the true witness, the hallmark of a true apostle: when missionaries labour for Africans, when they were persecuted for defending them - they are Christ like.

Comboni was born on March 15, 1831 in Italy. From eight children, only Daniel survived to adult age.

At the age of 17, while sure of his Vocation to priesthood, he desired to consecrate himself to the missions of Central Africa, though his first contact with the missionary work of the Church was the life of the Japanese martyrs.

'It was in January 1849 when I, as a 17- year old student of philosophy, at the feet of my venerable superior, Don Nicholas Mazza, promised to consecrate my life to the Apostolate of Central Africa. And with the grace of God I have never been unfaithful to that promise. I began then to prepare myself for this holy undertakings.'

As a consequence of his choice for the missions, Comboni orientated himself towards his future apostolate. Among other things, he studied Arabic, Hebrew, Spanish, French and English.

Ordained priest November 31, 1854 he dedicated himself to the care of the most needed.

The decisive year for his missionary life was 1857, three years after his ordination. He was assured by his Spiritual Director that he definitely had a missionary vocation for Africa. With all the courage of an apostle, he was able to face the painful separation from his parents who remained behind, poor and alone, and he decided to leave for Africa on September 6, 1857 as a member of the Mazza Institute expedition.

Comboni did not despair: he recalled the words of Father Oliboni on his death bed: "If only one of you will be left, he will continue the mission".

Comboni was encouraged in his work by a request of Cardinal Barnabo to give him a report of the journey to Egypt and Scellal and to express his opinion about future steps for the Vicariate.

THE PLAN OF COMBONI FOR THE REGENERATION OF AFRICA

Faced by the facts of experience, the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide was concerned about the death of uncountable missionaries, both priests and lay people and took the hard decision to abandon the important mission of Central Africa if no better way could be found of assuring a more effective conversion of the Africans.

But the heart of Comboni was not there. For Comboni there was a new way and it would be through the creation of innumerable Institutes for both sexes to surround the whole of Africa.

These would be carefully situated at the least possible distance from the interior of the continent, in stable and fairly developed areas, in which both Europeans and Africans could live and work.

These men and women working in the most varied areas of human and spiritual development would help young African men and women with the aim of educating them in the Catholic religion and in Christian way of life and thus create a group for men and one for women, destined each in its own way, gradually to advance and to spread into the African interior, to plant the faith and human formation they had received.

Comboni said: 'This new plan would, therefore, not restrict itself to the old-established borders of the mission of Central Africa, but it would, rather, include the whole African race; it would consequently extend and develop its activity over almost all the countries of black Africa.'

Comboni's plan was a fulfilment of the prayer of the dying Father Francis Oliboni at Holy Cross: 'Brothers, I die, and I am glad to die, because it is God's will; but you must not lose heart because of this; do not be shaken in your resolution; continue the work you have begun and even if only one of you is left, he must not give up hope or withdraw. God wants the conversion of Africans. I die with this certainty in my heart.'

In 1857 Comboni made his first journey to Africa together with five other missionaries to open up a mission along the Nile. In 1865 Comboni wrote to his friend: 'Bear in mind that I cannot live except for AfricaI would like to have a hundred tongues and a hundred hearts to speak for Africa.'

In 1867, Comboni founded the Male Institute. In 1872 he founded the Female Institute. After long toil and sufferings for the African Continent and after the death of so many of his missionaries, Comboni writes: 'God's works have always been born like this; the church was founded at the foot of the Cross'.

After many years of full self-dedication to help the Church to discover Africa as the precious stone of the crown of Jesus, on October 10, 1881, at 10 pm, St Comboni, was attacked by a deadly fever and expired in the heart of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan.

Though his heart was broken by all sufferings, his true love for Africa was fully alive.

Just before he died he said: "Though I am dying, my work, that is the work of God, will live on."

THE COMBONI MISSIONARIES

The missionary family is constituted by 4,000 members (Priests, Brothers and sisters and lay volunteers) who carry out the task entrusted to them by God, through St Comboni, 'to work for the poorest and most abandoned'. The body started operations in Ghana, Togo, and Benin started in 1964.

As their Way of living and evangelising, the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus cultivate, in a personal and communitarian way, a daily loving relationship with Jesus through prayer and their own way of living.

They seek to bring Christ's life and love for the poorest and most abandoned wherever they find themselves.

They are involved in spreading the Good News of the Kingdom of God, and helping the Church in a variety of ways.

They work both in the rural areas especially involving themselves in First Evangelisation and in the cities, strengthening the Christian Communities already existent.

Some also hold teaching services in schools and universities, others health services in hospitals and dispensaries, while others engage themselves in development projects and in the field of the Mass Media.

The Comboni Missionaries are not attached to any post or activity, but they engage themselves in whatever is needed so that the People of God in each community may grow in every dimension of life: as Human beings and as responsible citizens and Christians.

What matters is that each Christian community they assist grows, takes root and becomes self-supporting, self-reliant and self-propagating; a real missionary Community, for the Glory of God. Faithful to the Charism, (First Evangelisation) and the Spirituality of their Founder (eyes always fixed on Jesus the Good Shepherd who gives His life for His sheep), the Comboni Missionaries are truly and fully dedicated to the missionary service of the Church.

GNA

A GNA Feature by Patience Gbeze/Rev Fr Francisco Jose de Sousa Machado
By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA

Accra, March 2, GNA - The Royal Bank has launched the 'The Royal Banking and Finance Challenge 2017' for universities in Ghana to educate students on financial literacy and provide a platform for their contribution to grow the financial service sector.

Participating universities are University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast, Central University College and Lancaster University, Ghana.

Others are Ashesi University, Ransford University College, Islamic University College, Wisconsin University, Institute of Professional Studies, Ghana Institute of Public Administration, Zenith College and Valley View University.

Mr Osei Asafo-Adjei, the Managing Director of The Royal Bank, said the Bank decided to support the event because it believed that an educated people made a better nation.

He said the participating universities would brainstorm and bring on board ideas that would create opportunities for them in the business world.

'In so doing, the Royal Bank is contributing its quota to the development of human capital in the country,' he said.

Mr Asafo-Adjei said management was interested in supporting capacity development in the country's tertiary institutions especially when it would directly benefit university graduates.

He said to encourage industry to bridge the gap between text and fieldwork, government must implement policies that would help reduce the tax burden and also decrease considerably the high operational cost of doing business.

He, therefore, called on government to reduce the high cost of doing business and eliminate the bottleneck bedeviling the financial and banking sector.

Mr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, the Minister of Business Development, said as part of the ministry's mandate, the minister wanted to equip the youth with entrepreneurial skills before the youth graduated from school to become job owners and not job seekers.

The Minister said when this was done the graduates could expand the frontiers of business and employ more people to develop the economy.

He said government was committed to improving the business climates of the country to ease business operations and commended the organisers of the programme, the Edufair Ghana Foundation, for the initiative.

Ms Ewura-Esi Enyimayew, the Executive Director of Edufair Ghana Foundation, said the platform would encourage our universities to modify their curricula in terms of training for Banking and Finance to meet the expectations of industry.

Prizes to be awarded include an internship opportunity with sponsors and partners, laptops, investment packages, certificates and a trophy.

GNA
Six persons were injured, with two in critical condition, after clashes occurred between New Patriotic Party (NPP), and National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters at the Kumasi-Tamale bus terminal at Aboabo, a suburb of Kumasi.

The injured, who sustained machete wounds, are currently receiving treatment at the Manhyia District Hospital.

The NPP supporters are reported to have attempted to take over the station following the partys victory in the 2016 general elections.

According to Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Ken Yeboah, police had been in constant talks with both parties at the station to ensure sanity.

However, members of the NPP today [Thursday], reportedly invaded the station with weapons to fully take over the station.



By: Lauretta Timah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
There seems to be a never ending multiplicity of illegality at the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) under the full watch of the controversial Managing Director, Ernest Mawuli Agbesi, who has two more years contract with the Bank.

With time running out on him, the MD has employed tactics to put his favourites in vital positions to enable him carry on with his manipulations within the bank.

Reliable facts available point to a situation akin to 'festival of family' and friends where top brass of the Board of Directors led by the MD Mawuli Agbesi, have fixed their daughters, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, friends among others, mostly new comers with permanent contracts.

One of the appointment letters addressed to some of the new staff indicating an annual salary of over GHC30,000. For the protection of sources, we decided to take off the branch names they have been posted to work.

From all indications, it appears the GCB MD is running the state-owned Bank as his personal property coupled with his bulldozing machinations.

The worst of it all is the top hierachy of the GCB Workers Union, who have been gagged with juicy promotions and salaries and as a result have become disinterested in the welfare of their own colleague staff.

Some of these beneficiaries, who investigations have reavealed, are closely tied to the 'GCB Big Men' have crossed carpets from other banks to GCB in search of gold at GCB.

Further probing into matters revealed that a recent national assessment examination organised by GCB saw a lot of old staff passing the exams but for strange reasons, completely new set of people have been brought on.

The most annoying aspect of it is that these freshers have been engaged permanently with huge salaries while old contract staff have been ignored without any new incentives.

This situation, ModernGhana learned is creating disaffection among the old staff since most of them had been working on renewable six month contracts for over 25-years, 20-years, others 15-years, 10-years and so on.

Insiders at GCB claim "If you don't have a Godfather at the top, forget about promotions and salary incentives."
Written by Sir Article, Founder and CEO of Sircle Communications.

I first met George at a movie audition in Accra some time ago. He came with his light-skinned and elegant girlfriend, and they looked awesome together as a couple.

Although he arrived quite late, he actually caught most people's attention due to his comic theatrics. And he appeared to have a very interesting personality that seemed likeable.

I never knew he was really into movies until recently when he told me about his budding movie career.

In fact, this guy is a gem in his field of endeavour. He revealed that he is one of the youngest filmmakers in Ghana, and interestingly, he is a self-taught filmmaker.

His story is simply inspiring, unusual and remarkable. I admire him a lot, mainly because he is a great embodiment of passion  especially in his own field.

Okay, George Dwamena Kuun is a movie producer and the brains behind Kon Movie Production. He even manages 2 directors and 40 casts as a filmmaker.

Dwamena writes his own movies and screenplays them. It is surprising to hear that he has been in the filmmaking business since age 18, and he has now produced another movie at age 21.

The title of that movie is, "Who Owns the Money?" And it was launched in Liberia recently. The movie was produced by George himself, co-produced by Sheikh Issa, and directed by Lassana M. Dorley, II.

Moreover, George had this to say: "I refused going to UG, Legon, because I wanted to be a movie maker. My dad said fine he wouldn't fund my business if I don't attend the university. So I started doing my own production."

Gosh, this guy is another rare breed, particularly in our backward-looking system! Like me, George totally believes the pursuit of his passion would make him successful, and not merely acquiring a university degree.

He has not enrolled in any filmmaking school such as NAFTI or the School of Performing Arts in the University of Ghana, yet he is making progress as a talented, young and ambitious filmmaker.

However, he constantly builds his capacity as a movie producer; he learnt the art of filmmaking by joining movie production firms after high school, and by practising his practical knowledge.

Sadly, George has encountered several challenges as a promising filmmaker in Ghana. His principal challenge is the lack financial support.

But some notable Ghanaian film stars actually believe in his filmmaking potential. They include Frank Artus, Akrobeto, Ekow Smith-Asante etc.

Well, an important feature of Mr. Kuun's Kon Movie Production is: they produce unique, uncommon or different movies, which mostly focus on current trends.

I believe George Dwamena Kuun, whose role models are Denzel Washington and James Cameron, is destined to reach dizzy heights in the movie fraternity.

Source: sirarticle.blogspot.com
Dangote recently announced that he was going into rice production while promising to flood the market and bring prices down. Well, it is true that most promises made by businessmen in Nigeria in particular have not been fulfilled. Critics pointed to Dangote promises about cement whose price has not gone down just as his entry into tomato production. In the case of tomato, he was not the only Nigerian that made promises.

We have to accept that there are more market forces at play than the promises of one man. This writer is not a supporter of Dangote and has pointed out his disagreement with him in other cases. However, there is nothing wrong with making profit. Indeed, profit is essential as an incentive to increase production. Even in Cuba, the Government came to realize that if you allow farmers to sell their surplus after Governments share, production increases.

When it comes to Nigeria, there is this endemic greed among our businesses to milk the masses as long as there are enough of them willing to pay outrageous prices . Those willing to make just a decent profit are frustrated out of the market to enforce their avarice. The case of the cement dealer in Akure makes a good point. Threatened and abused for low price, he had to call police. Many decent people like him all over the Country, are just afraid of their colleagues in business.

Before we come back to rice, tomato which is produced in surplus in Nigeria went begging at a low price when weather was favorable in Kaduna . Unfortunately, lack of adequate storage facilities as always, left most of them rotten and unsuitable for market in some Northern farms. Considerable efforts have been made since then to help Erisco Food, Dangote and others as priority by the Central Bank to provide forex out of dwindling reserve, to avoid workers lay off.

Tomato is a local product. The excuse for forex is that they need to import special seeds and machineries in order to float their manufacturing plants to avoid lay-off of employees. The same is true about the price of bread always going up. One would expect that since cassava is now an unsuspecting ingredient in bread, the amount of imported wheat would be reduced. Actually, after all these years, we should be growing enough wheat to meet our consumption.

O tio! Not in Nigeria. Erisco Foods has threatened to relocate to China and Dangote at one point almost blackmailed the Government into submission during the cement wars. These and other big businesses like Nestle, Nigerian Breweries Plc and Coca-Cola dealing in sugar and water available locally should be sources of foreign cash for Government, not asking for allocations. Everyone is draining the Government either by looting or as foreign black market billionaires.

It boils down to the fact that our businesses are not willing to make reasonable profit when there are enough people in millions, no matter how few millions are they out of the 180 million or more population in Nigeria willing to pay any price! They raise their prices to those of imported goods and in many cases, importers are able to beat local prices. They complained that those imports are substandard and made from cheap materials.

While their reasons are not entirely unfounded, Nigerians are not the only ones making the best products in the world. Let Nigerians make great products as they are capable of and give consumers the choice between fine rice and ofada rice, fine shoes and Aba shoes, ripe tomato and green tomato as long as all of them are made in Nigeria. People in foreign country have this choice and they learn fast between durable and substandard goods made in the same country.

African mentality is that if it is foreign made, it must be better. Indeed, Nigerian businesses had to export/reimport lace and shoes from Cotonou to satisfy Nigerian taste for imports. Finally, Africans have now discovered that most of the goods from China are of low quality. Yet, we demonstrated that by killing our textile industry. The notion that it is cheaper to import cheap materials instead of manufacturing them at home will soon be busted as Chinas wages rise !

The fact is that wages are still lower in most African countries including Nigeria, except South Africa, than in South American countries. So countries like Brazil and Mexico cannot compete with us in wages. Our businesses know this, yet they threaten manufacturing workers at home that unless the Government open the meagre foreign exchange to them, they will shut down.

Haba! Local prices must reflect workers low wage and owners of these businesses must cut their profit to beat foreign goods into our market. We beat Kentucky Fried Chicken in some locations! Nigerian businesses would rather close down than to entice more patrons with less expensive products. Take the cost of renting in major cities. Folks cannot afford the apartments and houses. Instead of lowering the rents, owners leave their properties empty.

One of the reasons is the way they came into business in the first place. Their seed money is either obtained illegally without bank loans and therefore without interest or monthly payments that were due. Normally if you have interest payment due, a good businessman would even find other source of income and add it to lower rent or product to make payment to the bank. Otherwise the bank would either take over the business or liquidate the property.

The cases of Innoson automobile without enough patrons is sad. This is a local manufacturer that should be patronized by both Federal and state Governments. Indeed, most Africans should find their cars and trucks so affordable that foreign cars would be driven out of business. But Nigerians want to sell their products at the same price as the imports. Regardless of the durability and style, there are more lower-middleclass than upper or rich people willing to buy.

However, in a country where there are enough looters mixed with hard working folks that made their money the old-fashion way, even if they are a few millions, goods are priced to meet their demand freezing out other genuine and serious poor buyers that can spur demand in the market. Therefore increasing output, production and employment of more workers. The question becomes: if Innoson Motors decrease prices, would they be able to meet demand?

Businesses would rather hoard goods to increase prices than cut prices to increase demand. But are willing to sell themselves cheap for export where they make pittance as long as it is foreign money to buy expensive toys. We never learn from foreign fluctuation in the price of cocoa .
The management team of Ghanas Young Entrepreneurs paid a visit to Private Enterprise Federation (PEF) on 2nd March, 2017 at 3:00 pm.

The nearly 1 hour round table discussion which was supposed to introduce Ghanas Young Entrepreneurs to PEF and to nominate Nana Osei- Bonsu to GYEs Advisory Board took a different dimension of detailed deliberations. The CEO of GYE laid bare the Objectives and some Activities so far undertaken by the organization. He indicated that, Ghanas Young Entrepreneurs began as an informal association of some few young entrepreneurs who identified the need to come together in early 2015. The group Headed by Mr. Sherif Ghali was officially launched on the 19th of November, 2016 in Accra.

G.Y.E was established with the aim of providing business support services, information on funding source, facilitate access to credit and to play an advocacy role for young entrepreneurs in Ghana. G.Y.E is duly registered with the Registrar General as a Non-Governmental Organization (N.G.O) as well as the National Youth Authority (NYA). According to him, Ghanas Young Entrepreneurs (G.Y.E), has a large network of young entrepreneurs in Ghana. Their members are over 6000 and still counting.

Nana Osie Bonsu welcomed the team and lauded them for taking that bold initiative to speak for the scores of young entrepreneurs in the country.

He advised them to make competency their hall mark. As you are going to be the voice of the many young business people, please let competency be your hall mark, never speak if you do not have the facts. Do detailed research and find out the truth before speaking on any issue. Stand firm and dont allow anyone or persons to influence you with whatsoever. As you just began with such a great number of members (6000) as your CEO indicated, Politicians, Institutions will want to use you to the expense of your members. So be wary of this. He cautioned

He as well encouraged the leadership of GYE to work hard to change the mindset of many youth towards entrepreneurship and to involve all the categories of young persons in the country. I think Ghanaian youth do not understand the word entrepreneur. They think entrepreneurship is all about running one small business and been able to provide for your family, no we need to train them to understand that an entrepreneur is a risk taker who will always want improvement in his business every single day, He asserted

He ended his submission on a motivational note; Tell your people not to be afraid of failure, because, Success is not built on success, Its built on failure, Its built on frustration, Sometimes its built on catastrophe. And please try to involve the young women who are into entrepreneurship, do not let anyone out. He ended by signing the Nomination acceptance form to serve on the board of GYE.

The CEO of GYE commended him and shows how happy they were to have him on their board and indicated their readiness to work with PEF in building capacity, identifying opportunities and creating structures to enable the young entrepreneurs take advantage of the opportunities that will be created by the government.
Hon Ken Ofori Atta on the authority of president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo presented his maiden economic policy outline to Parliament in pursuance of article 179 of the 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

As a student writer and ardent follower of national politics, I sacrificed my creative writing lecture for the lengthy presentation of the policy proposal by the finance minister.

I spent time following the presentation so that I can discuss the issues with confidence and alacrity, to avoid the usual political hook wings by some political communicators, who may not have the intellectual sagacity in economics to make any meaningful analysis. That is very common in a multi party society like Ghana where political communicators turn into jacks of all trade though they are really masters to non. In my piece, I intend to analyze only some few areas of interest to me in the budget statement since space and time wouldn't allow me to touch on everything.

While I was listening keenly to the "throat chocking presentation", two fundamental questions kept begging for answers. I wish I could answer immediately but I had not finished satisfying my curiosity especially when my expectations from the finance minister were very high, considering the plethora of promises given by the NPP prior to the 2016 elections that crowned them winners to act in their current capacities. May be it is still relevant to state the questions in this piece.

Are we in a country pursuing an economic path that can make us economically sufficient and independent or are we pursuing an economic path illy engineered by political expedience? These two fundamental questions demand answers before one can conclude on any judgement on this budget statement.

In my view, we are adopting an economic path with political cloaks that has the propensity of leading us to a more porous, ailing, dependent and volatile economy, prone to more global economic shocks. Let's touch on few areas.

Firstly, the finance minister has asked to abolish taxes on the importation of raw materials. Well, this is good news to importers and of course, countries who may take advantage to increase their export. The question I ask is, do we consider the medium to long term economic effects on our country? The NPP government promised Ghanaians of one district, one factory. Meaning it believes that industrialisation is the major way of solving the catapulting rate of unemployment, solving the perennial balance of payment deficit, strengthening our national currency, increasing investor confidence among other juicy economic returns.

I will always support industrialisation as the major catalyst of rapid economic transformation. Indeed the western powers like America adopted industrial revolution in the19th century as a major tool for growth and it fantastically did the economic magic for them.

Also, I believe that, industrialisation is the major magnet to large scale mechanized agriculture since many a farmer will want to produce more to maximize profit in an already readily juicy market engineered by industries that need locally produced raw materials to operate.

Contrary if we allow tax free importation of raw materials to feed the industries that we want to set up, then believe me, we are not strategic to overly developing the agricultural sector. The industries will collapse. Even when such industries do not collapse, they will largely create employment in countries that can produce and sell raw materials to us. In my view, the budget should have allocated more resources to creating an enabling environment for people to locally produce raw materials to feed our industries. That is the only way we can strengthen the economy through self sufficiency, jobs and harmonization of all the other sectors of the economy.

Also, the finance minister was very loud and bold to announce that taxation on the importation of spare parts is scrapped. I learnt many spare part dealers celebrated over this new development after the presentation. The reality is that I don't see the economic sense in the abolition of such an important strategic economic tax. African developing economies have always faced a challenge as their markets become a dumping refuge for second hands goods. The health implications of such goods from the developed economies cannot be immediately quantified.

We are still battling with issues of environmental sanitation, pollution among other environmentally emerging predicaments with adverse health implications. Indeed government continue to spent much on health and sanitation. The tax on spare parts was necessary to help us battle with the above challenges. I don't see the sense in the removal of such a tax. In any case, the large majority of Ghanaians cannot afford cars to talk of their spare parts. Those who have the ability to afford are the few middle class or the rich. Issues of health and sanitation affects everybody in the country. Abolishing such a tax only stifles economic growth since it can only worsen our balance of payment deficits.

In the part of abolition of taxes on "kayeye", I saw too much politics in that. I stand to be corrected, there is no national tax levy on "kayaye". If some local authorities used to levy those poor head porters, does it take the national budget to correct that? Why is the budget not finding alternatives to problems faced by these poor head porters? Most of these head porters are people who are unable to get jobs. We must find options to ameliorate their suffering and not encourage them into that pathetic business by making such political expedient bony policies on them. In fact, the NPP promised them jobs and should not run away from it.

Again, debate ensuing the government promise of free senior high school education has not been put to rest since the budget did not specifically tell us the sources of funding. To say that, funding will come through the annual budgetary allocations and other domestic sources is vague and sounds more rhetoric. Also, the announcement that the implementation will start with the 2017/2018 academic year, that is first year of the SHSs make me think, that the promise is nothing different from the NDC promise of progressively free secondary education which they indeed started the implementation before leaving office. Again, I see politic and not policy in it.

I think the finance minister is being very smart to take advantage of the gullible nature of the majority of Ghanaian electorates. Come to think of this, the NPP promised the following; one district one factory, one million dollars for each constituency as well as one village in the northern parts of the country. In today's budget presentation, we are being told, it is the one million dollars that is going to fund the establishment of factories and the constructions of the dams. Interestingly, this government thinks it can politically sway all of us from critical analysis but believe me, it can never!!

Even, more importantly, is the fact that, government agreed that the country has problems with revenue generation and had not been able to meet targets as in previous budget. What then is the sense in hypocritical creating more revenue gabs without options? The issue of perennial budget deficit should have informed government, that tax reforms is about critical assessment and evaluation of the tax regime and taking the necessary steps to generate more traditional resources to cater for our budget. If the finance minister complains of lack of fiscal space, then it does make sense, abolishing certain strategic taxes and still going for loans. Common sense should have informed him this.

I however, agree with the finance minister that infrastructure plays a critical role in economic development. This is in sharp contrast to what the NPP said about the role of infrastructure prior to the 2016 elections. I heard statements like "people do not eat infrastructure", " infrastructure does not put food on the table" among others. The reality is that infrastructure is the heart of every economy. I loud the finance minister's quest to sanction infrastructural projects as a continuation of where the NDC government left. Indeed, the bar on infrastructure set by NDC government is enviable. This is evident across the length and breath of the country.

Going forward, government must ensure that we as our a country, do not confuse politics with policies if we really want to march into economic prosperity. The inconsistencies, double standard and lame notes on certain economic policies make me skeptical on the several lofty ideas of this NPP government. I don't see any difference between this budget statement and the NPP promises, sugarcoated, loftily grounded, overly ambitious and wantonly deceptive.

That is my ordinary perspective and I believe others share my view.

Shall be back........................

Denis Andaban

[email protected]

denisababanblog.blogspot. com

+233-0549-734-23
Blakk Rasta with chief Bin Iddirisu

03.03.2017 LISTEN

Blakk Rasta, the most talented reggae artist and an activist, yesterday called on his lordship, the chief of the Association of Northern Ghanaians in Georgia, chief Bin Iddirisu to pay homage.

The sensational reggae star has been touring the United States and giving lectures to various universities on African culture. So far, he has been to the University of Central Missouri and the University of North Carolina where he offered several lectures and musical performances to enthusiastic crowds.

Blakk Rasta who hails from Northern Ghana said he could not be in Atlanta without paying tribute to chief Bin who is the ceremonial figure head representing the three northern regions in the state of Georgia. He then presented a CD of his latest album entitled Kuchoko Revolution to the chief. Chief Bin on his part expressed his appreciation to the reggae king and commended him for being outspoken and a role model to a lot of young Ghanaians. He further advised Black Rasta to use his music to positively impact society.

Blakk Rasta demonstrated a high sense of patriotism by deciding to participate in this years Ghanas independence celebration activities in Atlanta Georgia before proceeding on his tour to Guyana in South America. He is expected to return to Ghana at the end of the month of March.
By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA

Accra, March 2, GNA - Ethiopian Airlines, the largest cargo operator in Africa, has been given the African Cargo Airline of the Year Award during the 2017 Air Cargo Africa Conference held in Johannesburg.

Air Cargo Africa 2017 has been organized by STAT Media Group in celebration of excellence in the industry while supporting Africa's steady growth.

A statement issued in Accra by Mrs. Hanna Atnafu, Manager Corporate Communications, Ethiopian Airlines said winners have been selected through two rounds of online polling by worldwide readers of the magazine.

Mr Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines, said: 'Readers of STAT Trade Times across the globe have spoken and voted Ethiopian as 'African Cargo Airline of the Year'.'

He thanked the voters for their strong vote of confidence, which reiterates Ethiopian efficient global cargo service, the credit for this prestigious recognition goes to their strong workforce, especially, their cargo team for the job well done.

'Ethiopian Cargo has been growing at a very fast pace and will continue to do so,' he added.

He said in order to support the fast growth that we are planning and to make Addis Ababa as one of the best Cargo hubs between Africa, Europe, The Americas, Middle East and Asia, the company has built a new Cargo Terminal which could accommodate 600,000 tons per annum at a total cost of 115 million dollars.

He said the new Terminal 2 combined with the existing Terminal 1 would give a total tonnage capacity of 1 million per annum. Moreover, this year alone, Ahmedabad, SAo Paulo, and Orlando will join the global cargo network.

Ethiopian Cargo serves 36 freighter destinations operating the longest range twin-engine freighter aircrafts in the world, 6 B777-200 LR freighters as well as 2 B757F with a capacity of 103 and 35 tons each respectively.

Ethiopian is a multi-award winning airline. Ethiopian was recently named Airline of the Year, for the fifth consecutive year, by African Airlines Association (AFRAA), SkyTrax.

World Airline Award for Best Airline Staff in Africa, Best African Cargo Airline of the Year Award, and Passenger Choice Award for Best Airline in Africa.

GNA
By Ken Sackey

Accra, Mar. 2, GNA - President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has indicated that government would build strong diplomatic and economic relations with Qatar and other countries of the Gulf to draw investments to develop and return Ghana onto the path of progress and prosperity.

President Akufo-Addo made this known when Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, an adviser to the Emir of Qatar, paid a courtesy call on him at the Flagstaff House in Accra.

The President told Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari that his preoccupation was how to 'build our economy, so as to be able to bring employment, and generate prosperity for the mass of our people. We think that a country like yours could play a very important role in helping us achieve our objectives.'

President Akufo-Addo acknowledged that Ghana, over the years, had not done a good job in developing good relations with Qatar, assuring that his government was determined to buck that trend.

For this reason, he stated that 'Ghana is open for business. We are trying to create a climate that will allow investors and investments into our country to feel secure to feel secure, not only in terms of the standard issues of appropriations, but to feel secure to operate in a stable environment.'

He told Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari of the many investment opportunities available for Qatari businesses in Ghana, which include participation in the country's significant oil and gas resources, the development of the country's infrastructure, the building of the nation's railways, amongst others.

The building of formal, diplomatic relations between the two countries, President Akufo-Addo noted, will ensure the realisation and development of these opportunities.

On his part, Dr. Al Kuwari was grateful for the warm reception accorded him and his delegation by President Akufo-Addo.

He indicated that the purpose of his visit was to 'bridge the relations between the two countries', as there exists tremendous opportunities and areas of co-operation for the two countries.

The Qatari envoy noted that he was aware 'of the size of the co-operation that could exist between the two countries. So, we need to work together to explore the possibilities in all the fields you mentioned. The political will is there, and I promise you that my visit is an important step for the relations between our two countries.'

Dr. Al Kuwari, on behalf of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, extended an invitation for a visit to Qatar by a delegation from Ghana, to hold bilateral discussions aimed at establishing and strengthening ties between the two countries.

He also used the opportunity of his visit to elicit Ghana's support for his candidature for the position of Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

GNA
China hands over Araniko highway to Nepal after repair

China has handed over the Araniko highway to Nepal after repairing it.
Accra, Mar. 2, GNA - President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has requested the Cuban government to revive the construction of the biolarvicide factory that stalled in 2009 to help Ghana's fight against malaria.

The project, abandoned after the exit of the New Patriotic Party government in 2009, was an initiative started by former President Kufuor, who sought the assistance of Cuba for the construction of the facility for the manufacture of a biolarvicide, an insecticide that kills the mosquito larvae - newly hatched mosquitoes.

The factory was also to produce bio-fertilizer to boost agricultural productivity and create jobs.

President Akufo-Addo made the request for the revival of the project in partnership with the Cuban government, when the Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, Pedro Luis GonzAlez Despaign, called on him at the Flagstaff House to congratulate him, on behalf of Cuban President RaAl Castro, on his election to the high office of President of the Republic.

He pushed for the support and technical assistance of Cuba to revive for the construction of the biolarvicide factory in Ghana, to combat the disease which is responsible for the death of thousands of people every year, mainly children under five years of age and pregnant women.

In many parts of the world where malaria has been completely eradicated, even before the development of effective medication, one of the key strategies adopted was effective vector control.

Mr. Gonzalez Despaign in his remarks to President Akufo-Addo, indicated the willingness of the Cuban government to assist Ghana in this endeavour, as well as co-operate further in the areas of biopharmaceuticals, education, culture and tourism, construction, and sports.

With Ghana being the first country in Africa to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba, Ambassador Despaign indicated that the two countries would continue to share a special relationship, stressing that a high level delegation from Cuba would be present at the 60th Independence Day celebration, in this regard.

Touching on the co-operation between Ghana and Cuba in the field of medicine, he noted that a total of 239 Ghanaian students are currently studying in medicine in Cuba. In addition to this, hundreds of Cuban doctors are currently in the country, as part of the Cuban medical brigade.

However, the Cuban Ambassador noted that Ghana's outstanding indebtedness in the afore-mentioned areas total US$4,732,700. Virtually the entire debt, he said, was incurred over the last eight years, and urged government's prompt action in defraying this debt.

Ambassador Despaign also indicated that Cuba was counting on the support of Ghana to help to lift the commercial, economic, and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America on Cuba.

President Akufo-Addo, on his part thanked the Cuban Ambassador for the courtesy callnand assured him of the strengthening of Ghana's relations with Cuba during the tenure of his office.

He assured Ambassador Despaign of his government's prompt action in Ghana's indebtedness to Cuba in the area of medical co-operation between the two countries.

President Akufo-Addo reassured the Cuban Ambassador of Ghana's continued advocacy in helping to end the blockade against the Caribbean Island.

GNA
03.03.2017 LISTEN

By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA

Accra, March 2, GNA - The Government, in presenting the 2017 Budget Statement, announced comprehensive tax reliefs for businesses and industries intended to enhance production and create wealth for the citizenry.

Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, who presented the Financial Policy Statement on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, said it would abolish duty on the importation of spare parts.

He said levies imposed on kayayei by local authorities as well as the one per cent Special Import Levy and the 17.5 per cent VAT/NHIL on financial services would be scraped as part of government's commitment to re-energize the private sector.

Other taxes and levies that would be scraped are the 17.5 per cent VAT/NHIL on selected imported medicines that are not produced locally, the 17.5 per cent VAT/NHIL on domestic airline tickets, the five per cent VAT/NHIL on Real Estate sales and the excise duty on petroleum products.

Mr Ofori-Atta said government would also reduce the special petroleum tax rate from 17.5 per cent to 15 per cent, reduce the National Electrification Scheme Levy from five per cent to three per cent, reduce Public Lighting Levy from five per cent to two per cent, replace the 17.5 VAT/NHIL rate with a flat rate of three per cent for traders and implement tax credits and other incentives for businesses that hired young graduates.

The minister expressed optimism that with the right policy interventions, it would set the stage for job-creation opportunities, ease hardships and secure a brighter future for businesses, industries and the entire populace.

He outlined some medium to long-term interventions including removing import duties on raw materials and machinery for production within the ECOWAS Common External Tariff Protocol.

Mr Ofori-Atta said whilst the Government's focus was on reducing taxes to enhance production, it was determined to tackle the systemic abuse in the exemptions regime.

''There shall be a comprehensive review of the regime on import duty exemptions and tax reliefs with a view to eliminating abuses and improving efficiency in the applications of these incentives,'' he said.

To this end, he said, the review would cover, among other things, the import duties, taxes and levies payable by Ministries, Departments and Agencies and other government departments, import duties and all forms of taxes and levies payable by both domestic and foreign companies, suppliers and contractors executing projects and contracts in the country.

He said import duties and all forms of taxes and levies payable by employees would also be reviewed as well as directors and senior officials of both domestic and foreign companies, import duties and all forms of taxes and levies payable by both domestic and foreign companies, investors and non-governmental and charity organisations.

Mr Ofori-Atta said the Government believed in empowering the local enterprises and private sector, therefore, it would pass a legislation to ensure that at least 70 per cent of all government projects and procurement executed by local corporations and enterprises be set aside for entities owned by women, persons with disability, as well as those established under the Youth Enterprise Fund.

He said government would introduce and enforce the local content policy for government projects and procurement with the focus on job creation and value addition as well as enhancing the employable skills of the people.

To ensure the success of the policy, he said the Government would, among other things, require a job impact analysis of all qualifying projects and other local value addition that must pass strict criteria established by government under the Legislative Instrument LI 2204, promulgated in 2013.

''All public-sector projects, whether it is executed by the public-sector or the private-sector, contractors must undergo a job impact assessment to evaluate the potential job creation impact. This will enable Government to analyse how various jobs are being created so as to better structure incentives and stimuli for higher skill jobs and opportunities for Ghanaians,'' Mr Ofori-Atta said.

He said those policy initiatives would improve the business environment, ensure fiscal discipline and promote investment in critical infrastructure, especially in rural and deprived communities.

GNA
If Ghana were a human being, working for any organization, March 6th would have been its official retiring age from active service. Ama Ghana, as she is fondly called, would take a look at herself at age 60 leaving out ages 1-6 because she would be too young to understand many of the things around her then. Ama Ghana would be reminiscing the life she had gone through, from school days, opportunities that were available to her, opportunities missed, the challenges that confronted her, what she did for herself, her family life and what life after retirement is going to be for her.

Before her birth, Ama Ghana's mother was known as Gold Coast, a name we all know was given to her by those who forcefully adopted her and exploited her vast expanse of pure raw gold, the virgin spans of forest, pristine, clean flowing rivers and clean beaches. The colonialists, in their eagerness to exploit as much as possible the resources available to us, put up key infrastructure to 'enhance' the process of exploitation of those resources. A harbour was built to facilitate the inflows of goods and services they believed we needed while they carted away the goods and services they needed.

A reasonably long stretch of Railway lines was built, primarily to cart the cocoa, the timber, the bauxite, the manganese and the gold out of this country. But the Railways served us in our travels from one place to the other. In the exploitation of our resources, the colonialists were 'magnanimous' with us. They went underground to dig the gold from Obuasi, Aboso, Tarkwa, Konongo and other such places and ensured that agricultural activities went on unhindered.

Our water bodies were pure, we swam in them, fetched them for domestic activities and piped them to places of distance. They fell our timbers but put in place policies that ensured that each timber felled, was replaced by planting a new one. There was sanity in the productive sector and the sustainability of the use and management of our collective resources for those unborn.

Ama Ghana over 60 years ago, all was normal or so it seemed until after her teen years into her 20s, Ama Ghana's fortunes started dwindling. She began breeding leadership with no vision, leadership that was populist in its outlook, selfish in character and indifferent towards the future. Yes, Ama Ghana had trained her sons and daughters to fill up vacancies the exit of the colonial staff had created both at home and abroad. Higher institutions of learning were put in place to build the needed manpower to move this country forward. Primary schools, many under trees then though, were put in place all over the country to kill illiteracy.

Secondary and Technical Schools were built to train the young people to build this nation, the nation was opened up by Ama Ghana for her children to interact and relate with one another irrespective of where anyone of them came from. Factories were built by Ama Ghana to ensure job opportunities for the children being trained as well as deliver the goods and services needed by her children and cut down on imports. Ama Ghana put in place the Akosombo dam to ensure energy supply to power the burgeoning industry, effective Air Transport systems came in the form of the Ghana Airways. The Black Star Lines was also established to lift goods to and from Ghana and break the monopoly of foreign vessels doing it all on our behalf. Ama Ghana was a rising Star indeed, she was the envy of her neighbours far and near. Prospects for her development and progress into the future could not be contradicted. She was the Mecca for liberation struggles by all oppressed people the world over. She was an inspiration and a light for the otherwise dark world.

Her health delivery services were the best in black Africa, education was next to none and many Africans came to study in Ama Ghana's schools. Discipline and respect for elders as well as the values of our societies were held in high esteem.

But alas, before Ama Ghana could attain the age of 25 years, her fortunes started driving in the reverse direction dangerously into a ditch, this time not by any colonial master, but her own children most of whom it had expended her resources to train, educate and entrusted portions of her resources to manage. That was when the misfortunes of Ama Ghana began, the zeal of nationalism which heralded the birth of Ama Ghana gave way to greed, patriotism became empty slogans shouted on the roof tops of political sloganeering. Selfishness took over from nationalism and no one cared about Ama Ghana.

Her children began to destroy all the good things she had put in place. Factories were collapsed by the very workers engaged to make them functional. Companies which had made losses saw their workers going on strike for having not been paid annual bonuses, yes, workers went on strike for not being paid bonuses when they had made huge losses, you read right. Railway workers held the nation hostage each day they had a bad dream.

On her journey downhill, liberators, redeemers and revolutionaries made efforts, justifiably or unjustifiably to save her from falling into abyss. Many of them ended up adding more injuries unto her woes. Her businesses collapsed, unemployment stared in the faces of well trained young men and women. The economic and social infrastructure built prior to and after the birth of Ama Ghana started to deteriorate for lack of maintenance and further investments. The Railways collapsed, Ama Ghana's Airlines and Shipping lines collapsed as well as other critical economic and social infrastructure.

The worst to happen to Ama Ghana as we celebrate her 60th birthday is the deliberate and systematic destruction of the pristine river bodies she inherited from the colonial masters. Her own children, educated and resourced enough to protect the resources Ama Ghana inherited, have presided over and in many cases, have been part of the process of destroying our pristine water bodies which are our life blood. Rivers Birim, Pra, Ankobra, Offin, Densu, Tano  name them  have been so badly polluted that they are not good enough even for animal husbandry let alone human consumption. Today, pipe borne water delivery into the homes of many urban dwellers have become the biggest challenge. Even where they are available, the cost of production is so high because of our collective nonchalant attitude towards the criminals who are polluting these vital resources for human existence.

Sadly, politicians, instead of being vociferous towards these nation wreckers, treat them with kids' gloves for votes. Ama Ghana, due, due, due!!!

Our virgin forests have become the targets of illegal miners, and they do so as if there is no tomorrow and those who have the power of the state to stop these destructions do not care a hoot. They are either directly involved in these acts or are beneficiaries of the outcomes by those who engage in them. Foreigners have taken over, not only the illegal exploitation of our resources, but are openly destroying everything around them with glee. We are helpless and impotent to deal with them.

Apart from a few flamboyant edifices dotted in selected cities of Ama Ghana, her 60 years is filled with filth and choked drains. An hour's rainfall sees a whole city drowned, the citizenry defiantly block the natural course of rivers and streams and expect the waters to remain calm. Sixty years of Ama Ghana has seen corruption as a way of life, plain thievery of public funds have become competitive pastimes and the rat race is pacing faster than the rat. There seems to be nothing to control this unbridled desire to make money without sweating for it.

Ghanaians who have used criminal means to steal from the public kitty, flaunt their wealth publicly and arrogantly without the system questioning their sources of income. They display wealth, Ama Ghana suffers. As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of our beloved country, the only befitting birthday present we can give her is to do what is right for our country. Happy Birthday.

[email protected]
LONDON, England, March 2017 - The inaugural Tech in Ghana Conference (TIGC) has been hailed a huge success by British and Ghanaian industry influencers who came together for the groundbreaking event held in London earlier this week.

The TIGC, which took place at international law firm Addleshaw Goddards prestigious premises in Moorgate, included informative panel discussions and keynotes from the UK Prime Ministers Trade Envoy to Ghana Adam Afriyie; newly appointed CEO of Ghanas Investment Promotion Centre Yofi Grant; Vodafone Ghanas director for enterprise and wholesale Angela Mensah-Poku; African Science Academy founder Tom Ilube; and WorldRemit CEO Ismail Ahmed.

Attendees included over 100 leading business executives, entrepreneurs and international journalists who were joined by representatives from the Bank of Ghana, National Communications Authority, Ghana High Commission, and UK tech firms and investors.

I was delighted to have been invited to speak at the first Tech in Ghana Conference and to see the great amount of potential for trade and investment in Ghana, says Afriyie, who officially opened the event with a speech calling for stronger partnerships between the UK and Ghana. It was excellent to see first-hand the huge amount of innovation and excitement surrounding opportunities for technology advances in Ghana. I am confident the conference will lead to many further discussions: with businesses; with contacts; and networks made at the event.

The Tech in Ghana Conference was organised by London-based company AB2020, in partnership with the UK Ghana Chamber of Commerce, while Vodafone Business Solutions, WorldRemit and Interpay were sponsors. A networking drinks reception was hosted by De Christ Wines.

Founder of the conference and AB2020 Akosua Annobil says: The feedback from both Ghanaian and British attendees has been incredible. Delegates were impressed by the high quality of information shared during panel discussions, as well as the niche audience for productive networking, and organisation of the overall day.

It was great to see new relationships and partnerships being established, and following the demand were excited to be having strategic conversations and outlining plans for 2018.
Tunis (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to press Tunisian leaders to step up efforts to help curb an influx of illegal migrants to her country during a visit on Friday.

Her two-day trip, which also included a stop in Egypt, comes with Germany still reeling from several jihadist attacks, including a truck rampage by a Tunisian suspect at a Berlin Christmas market that killed 12 people.

Merkel's talks with top officials including President Beji Caid Essebsi are expected to include ways to tackle years of instability exploited by people smugglers in neighbouring Libya.

The visit is also a chance for Merkel to pledge support for a country often hailed as a rare success story of the Arab Spring uprisings that shook the region and toppled autocrats including longtime Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses a press conference in Cairo on March 2, 2017

Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has passed a new constitution and held free parliamentary and presidential elections.

But the nation faces high unemployment, social tensions and the threat from jihadists who have killed dozens of soldiers and police as well as civilians including 59 foreign tourists.

Merkel, who faces elections in September, is under pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to Germany, which has taken in more than one million migrants since 2015.

"There are routes for illegal immigration from Libya to Germany. We have a lot of mutual concern and interest in putting an end to this," she said on Thursday at a press conference with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Merkel, who will address Tunisia's parliament, has urged the North African states to step up border controls and speed up procedures to repatriate migrants whose asylum applications are rejected.

Signs of progress

On migration, the procedures "were very slow but they have improved recently and will continue to improve," Germany's ambassador to Tunisia, Andreas Reinicke, told RTCI public radio.

The Tunisian presidency told AFP that issues surrounding immigration "do not constitute a problem between the two countries... In Europe, everyone has seen that Tunisia now controls its borders much better."

Germany has said that Tunisian bureaucratic delays meant it could not expel the Tunisian suspect in the Berlin Christmas market attack, Anis Amri, even though his asylum application had been rejected six months earlier.

Essebsi told AFP in January that Tunisia "is a country which assumes its responsibilities."

And a Tunisian official, who did not want to be named, said that Prime Minister Youssef Chahed's visit to Germany last month for talks had "helped appease things."

The migrant issue had already been contentious in Germany where sexual assaults by large groups of mostly North African men on New Year's Eve 2015-16 against women in Cologne provoked outrage.

Merkel's interior minister floated an idea for North African countries to build holding centres for returned migrants but it was rejected by Merkel's centre-left coalition partners and rights groups.

Her trip is part of a larger diplomatic push by the German leader, who last year visited Mali, Niger and Ethiopia.

She had also planned a trip to Algeria last week, but it was called off after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika fell ill.

Germany, which this year holds the G20 presidency, has also announced investment partnerships in Africa with the long-term goals of reducing poverty and deterring people from leaving.

Merkel is joined on her trip by a business delegation that could bring much-needed investments.
President of Breast Care International (BCI), Dr Beatrice Wiafe-Addai, has disclosed that over 700 women who were diagnosed of breast cancer survived the disease following early detection and prompt treatment at the Peace & Love Hospitals.

Their conditions were variously detected during the free screening programmes carried out across the country by BCI, she explained.

The disease, she emphasized, is both curable and survivable on condition that patients report any breast abnormality to hospitals for treatment, and cautioned against reporting end stage conditions which could end fatally.

She continued We celebrate survivorship at our annual flagship programme 'BCI Ghana Race For The Cure' to boost public confidence that we have the expertise to cure the disease provided patients report to us promptly.

Dr Wiafe-Addai reiterated that breast cancer is not caused by supernatural forces, and challenged the media to consistently harp on the need for every adult female to carry out their own breast self-examination periodically.

We humbly also want to appeal to our clergy not to detain patients with the condition at prayer camps ostensibly for treatment, but should rather refer such cases to hospitals for proper diagnosis and treatment, she stressed.

Speaking in Accra during a meeting with the Rotary Club, Dr Wiafe-Addai said, BCI is keen on showcasing survivorship because the word of mouth attestation by survivors is a proven testimony that encourages those with the condition to come out, while shedding off stigmatization.

We want to appeal to corporate Ghana to support our survivors who have braved the odds to enable us save the lives that are being lost daily to this disease, Dr Wiafe-Addai disclosed.

She suggested indigent breast cancer patients should be rolled onto the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme in a bid to make life more bearable for them.

We are saddened by the level of ignorance on the part of many despite of our aggressive free screening programs. What manifests daily imposes a huge challenge on us to lift the bar some notches up, else we risk losing a lot more women to this ravaging disease, Dr Wiafe-Addai said.

She commended the Rotary initiative and declared BCI's readiness to collaborate with like-minded institutions desirous of ridding Ghana of breast cancer.
The Accra Regional Police Command has apprehended two men who allegedly posed as prophets and defrauded over 400 traders at the Tudu Market under the pretext of delivering them from spiritual bondage.

The suspects, identified as Joseph Brimah, 22, and Derick Kweku Sakyi Baisie, 31, alias Kweku Money, allegedly collected money, mobile phones, tablets and two vehicles- a Kia Optima and Mercedes C Class from the victims.

Luck eluded them when one of the victims who gave GH75,000 to them discovered their fraudulent activities and reported the matter to the police.

Confirming the story to DAILY GUIDE, ASP Effia Tenge, the Accra Regional Police spokeswoman, said the suspects allegedly defrauded the victims within a spate of six months.

According to one of the complainants (name withheld), Joseph Braimah came to her shop at Tudu to preach to the traders.

After preaching for the day, Braimah approached the victim, prayed for her and took her phone number, names of her children and promised to add them to his prayer list.

Later Braimah sent his accomplice Kweku Sakyi to the trader to buy some items and gather information about her.

Sakyi visited the trader to buy items and get information about the family.

He subsequently prayed for the woman and advised her to listen to whatever Prophet Braimah would tell her since he was a true man of God.

Sakyi later fed Braimah with the information.

The self-styled prophet contacted the victim to inform her that God had revealed certain things about her and the family.

The woman, who was convinced about the prophesy, invited Braimah to her house for prayers and spiritual direction.

Later the woman also gave a testimony about Braimah to her family members and colleagues at Tudu.

He also predicted accident in which the victim and her families would lose their lives.

Not satisfied, Braimah collect GH75,000 from a sister of one of the traders who had stroke.

He collected an Apple Mac book, iphone from the victim and bolted.

The suspect also collected money from another trader who needed a child and bolted.

Police intelligence led to the arrest of Braimah at the shrine of Nana Blame, a renowned fetish priest at Akim Oda in the Eastern Region.

Braimah travelled to the shrine to seek powers to do miracles for the traders. Sakyi was also arrested at Adabraka.

The two have been charged with fraud and would be arraigned before court soon.

By Linda Tenyah -Ayettey


Spare parts dealers at Abossey Okai in Accra have pledged to reduce the prices of their goods owing to the removal of taxes on the importation of automobile spare parts into Ghana.

Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, made the announcement yesterday in Parliament while presenting the 2017 budget.

The spare parts import duty was introduced by the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration.

According to Mr. Ofori-Atta, although the spare parts import duty and other taxes such as the 1% Special Import Levy, Kayayei market tolls, 17.5% VAT/NHIL on financial services, among others, were introduced to raise revenue, they have proven to be unprofitable means of raising money, which has rather become a burden to the business community.

A number of tax measures have been introduced in recent years in an attempt to deal with revenue shortfalls, he said.

The Finance Minister added that some have proven to be nuisance taxes. They have no revenue yielding potential, and at the same time impose a significant burden on the private sector and on the average Ghanaian citizen. As part of our commitment to re-energize the private sector, the government has decided, as pledged, to review these taxes to provide relief for business. 

Wild Jubilation

A few minutes after the Finance Minister made the announcement, scores of spare parts dealers poured onto the streets at Abossey Okai, the hub of spare parts trade in Ghana, to celebrate the news of the abolishment the import tax.

They said that the removal of the import tax would bring great relief to them, pledging to subsequently reduce their prices.

Vincent Owusu Antwi, owner of Supply Innovation Limited, dealers in Nissan and Toyota Parts, and one of the jubilant dealers, told BUSINESS GUIDE that existence of the import tax has been a major burden on traders in the spare parts business.

When you add the cost of the spare parts, the freight and the duty, it makes the prices very high, he said.

Mr. Antwi, who was beaming with smiles during an interview with the paper, indicated that but now import duty on spare parts has been abolished, we are going to cut down the prices of spare parts in the market, and it is going to be very affordable for car users to buy so that's very good news for all of us as Ghanaians.

He added that it's going to help the market as well to boom up because if the spare part now is cheap and you need to replace your parts I don't think it's going to be a burden for the public. When the tax is removed, the prices are going to start going down instantly, he said.

It will make us to reduce prices for customers, Bismark Agya, one of the dealers said.

Owner of Geobrite Enterprise, George Baah had this to say to this paper: Every trader expects such a huge impact on our business. As a businessman, if I import goods from foreign country, I expect the government to help me in terms of duty so if government announces such a programme it's a good opportunity for us.

Mr. Baah said that the duty always affects our prices of goods, because when you import goods and you have those huge duties, they increase the prices. Government should be proactive in addressing issues that are adversely affecting the growth of the economy.

By Melvin Tarlue

George Baah (right)
A leading communicator of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned all those holding executive positions in the party not to dream of seeking re-election.

According to Tetteh Onomah, aka Tetteh Ghana, the executives of the party, particularly the ones at national and regional levels, caused the party's massive defeat in the December elections.

He called on them to bow out in peace or face the wrath of the foot soldiers.

Mr Onomah told DAILY GUIDE in Accra yesterday that the national executives of the party instituted the 13-member committee, chaired by Prof. Kwesi Botchwey, to investigate the NDC's defeat in order to escape blame.

He said the party's executives know very well that they let everybody down and said the time has come for new faces to show up.

We are going to be hostile towards current executives who do not heed the call to bow out.

Everybody in Ghana knows the reasons for the NDC's defeat. Apart from negative external factors that went against us, the executives were very arrogant and were not ready to listen to the foot soldiers. In fact, they treated everybody with disdain.

Tetteh Ghana said that during the 2016 elections, all branch executives of the party were abandoned by the executives at the constituency and national levels and grassroots participation became problematic.

He said the executives had the power to help people get jobs but refused to do so, insisting that they should come out and tell name any branch executive of the party who was given a job.

The only people who enjoyed in the party were the constituency, regional and national executives. When you go to them they look at you as if you are a beggar. They will sometimes tell you that you are complaining too much.

He said when the NDC won power, the national, regional and constituency executives stopped the regular meetings they previously held with branch executives, adding that the situation worsened from 2014.

Tetteh Onomah said that we have to get dedicated executives to work for the NDC.

By William Yaw Owusu




Hamad Bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari, Qatars candidate for the post of Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), may become the first diplomat from an Arab country to lead the organisation.

Dr Al-Kawari, a diplomat and statesman, serves as an Adviser at the Amiri Diwan (Royal Palace of Qatar), and was formerly the country's Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage.

He visited Ghana this week and met with President Nana Akufo-Addo on his UNESCO ambition, as well as prospects of Ghana-Qatar relationship.

Dr Al-Kawari, as part of his visit to Ghana, had an exclusive interview with DAILY GUIDE (DG) on a wide range of relevant issues.

Excerpts of the interview are published below:

DG: Why should the candidature of the Director-General for UNESFO be of interest to an average Ghanaian?

Al-Kawari: I think everyone in the world has to be interested in UNESCO and who becomes the director-general.

Q: Because?

Al-Kawari: Let me tell you. UNESCO is a very important organisation that deals with the noblest objectives in humanity; education, culture, science, gender equality, freedom of the media, justice for all, peace and we cannot avoid talking about the work of UNESCO and.

DG: Hold on. We know all that. But why should we be interested in who becomes the director-general? Whether or not we are interested and whether or not we want to know, someone would become director-general anyway.

Al-Kawari: No. No. No. No. I would tell you why. Every country has to know who takes the big responsibility of becoming the director-general. Now more than ever, UNESCO is passing through very dire financial crisis and you cannot deal with the crisis by normal ways and succeed. You have to get a director-general who understands the organisation very well and who has the background that makes the person able to meet that challenge.

EDUCATION & CAREER

DG: What makes you believe you have the requisite background?

Al-Kawari: That is a professional question. I would tell you so you judge me because in our culture, the Arab culture, you cannot talk about yourself; you let others talk about you. But I have always told my people that if I have to do this job, then I have to let people know who I am so they are convinced whether I am the right person or not.

Let me talk about my education and career briefly. I was an ambassador for 21 years and a minister for 14 years.

I finished secondary school in my country and then I graduated from the Cairo University. Then, I became an ambassador at an early age of below 20 in Beirut. I studied in St Joseph University and had my PhD degree. Then I moved to Paris for my master's degree at La Sorbonne University. Then I went to New York for my PhD in Political Science from the Stony Brook University .

I have worked as an ambassador in Beirut, I have worked as an ambassador in Syria, I have worked in Paris and five European countries and I worked at the same time as ambassador to UNESCO for five years so I know UNESCO from within. Then I moved to New York as ambassador for some six years at the same time dealing with the United Nations as the vice president of the 40th Session of the General Assembly, vice chairman of the Apartheid Committee, chairman of the Special Political Committee (4th Committee) at its 42nd session which deals with the Arab-Israeli conflict, and then I moved to Washington as ambassador to the United States and Latin America.

I returned to my country and was minister for Information and Culture for eight years. I have my books in English, French and Arabic. I have 12 decorations from three presidents. I worked also as president for UNCTAD until three months ago. That is briefly my education and career background.

DG: That is impressive.

Al-Kawari: I did not mean to impress you. I was only telling you.

DG: Well, it impressed me except for you minimal experience in Africa and the third world.

Al-Kawari: Africa? I have worked in Africa in my very early times. When I was at the UN, we dealt with every nation in the world. I was the vice chairman of the Apartheid Committee and I worked closely in South Africa and before then Rhodesia that became Zimbabwe. So I know Africa. When I decide to become director-general, the first country I visited was South Africa and so far I have visited 10 out of the 12 countries from Africa that would be voting at the conference.

DG: You visiting all these countries simply because you want the job of director-general?

Al-Kawari: Let me tell you something. I am not looking for a job. I have enough jobs. I am on a mission to help people and to help the United Nations. I want to help them and I have to near the people to listen to them so I know what they want but not what we think they want.

I just returned from Asia. Before then, I was in the Caribbean Islands. I visit them, listen, to them and have meetings with their presidents, prime ministers of ministers for culture. If I want to succeed on my mission, I have to meet the people and know what they want.

DG: Many persons in third world countries have absolutely no knowledge about UNESCO yet you claim you are working for them.

Al-Kawari: Congratulations for this question. When UNESCO was founded, it was a big success. It was known in the international community for its achievements. Now, the story has changed. I was surprised when I went round and people asked me where the headquarters of UNESCO is or what UNESCO does. Dynamic communication regarding UNESCO's infinite potential is a prerequisite to the solidarity required for any financial mobilisation.

Part of my programmes would be to rebrand UNESCO and make it attractive and known to the people. After visiting the countries, it was amazing to know to what extent people ignore UNESCO and it is clear public relations and the rebranding of UNESCO has become critical.

There are many experts and professional out there who may want to help but they simply cannot help something they do not know. This is one of my main targets; to re-introduce UNESCO and make it better recognised and appreciated by younger generations, large corporations, charities and philanthropic associations and all.

WHOSE CULTURE?

DG: When you talk about culture at UNESCO, whose culture are you talking about? Is it the culture of every member state or the culture that is accepted by Europe?

Al-Kawari: I breathe culture. I have been minister of culture for 14 years. I have a book on this subject; 300 pages talking about my whole experience and assessments on this subject of culture.

DG: My culture makes it normal to eat with my fingers. Someone's culture frowns on it. Which one does UNESCO promote and which ones does UNESCO limit?

Al-Kawari: In my culture, we also eat without hands. Recently, I went to a five-star restaurant in Bangladesh and I saw people eating there with their fingers. We are paying a very heavy price for not respecting one another's cultures. If we respect one another, we can live in harmony and in peace. You cannot have peace at the expense of others.

DG: What have you observed about Ghana?

Al-Kawari: Ghana has a lot of things in common with other African countries. But the country has something that distinguishes it from others. I saw a different culture in Ghana. I can feel the hospitality of the people, the good infrastructure and the nice places that country has which could make it a good city for tourism and business investment.

When I return to Qatar, this is one of the things I would be telling everyone about Ghana. When I was with President Akufo-Addo, we spoke about relationships between Qatar and Ghana. You have a beautiful country and investment should be of a mutual benefit. I hope the best for Ghana.

DG: Is there something you may want to add?

Al-Kawari: Yes, I want to say that the biggest challenge UNESCO is facing now is financial and if we do not adopt creative and innovative ways of addressing this challenge, UNESCO would suffer and cannot do anything for education or anything to help anyone.

I also insist very strongly that UNESCO has to be reintroduced to the world and its people.

DG: It has been nice talking to you sir.

Al-Kawari: Thank you.

(Twitter: @HalifaxAnsahAdd)

By Halifax Ansah-Addo


Consulate office opening in Guangzhou in final phase

Nepal is preparing to set up its consulate general office in Guangzhou, the fourth diplomatic mission in China.


A NUMBER of New Patriotic Party (NPP) members in the Ashanti region that had worked hard to ensure the partys electoral victory in 2016 have been rewarded.

They included the Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Wontumi and business tycoon, Boris B.

There rest are Dr. Amoako Tuffuor and NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwabre East, Francisca Oteng, just to mention a few.

The Concerned Youth of NPP in the Ashanti Region presented a citation to each of the award winners at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kumasi.

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye, prominent traditional leaders and top notch NPP members were present at the colourful event.

The Concerned Youth of NPP had recognized the significant roles the award winners played in the partys electoral victory in 2016.

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Ocquaye and other dignitaries at the high table

The award was therefore to congratulate them and also motivate other party members to emulate their shining example in the 2020 election.

Boris B, who spoke on behalf of the award winners, urged NPP members to support President Akufo Addos government to succeed.

He stated that the new government needs the unflinching support of every Ghanaian in order to implement its laudable policies to develop the country.

Boris B, who was beaming with broad smiles, commended the organisers of the programme, for recognising their hard work and honouring them.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi


The Ghana Community Network Services Limited (GCNet), has donated 250,000 cedis to the Planning Committee of the Ghana at 60 Years On.

The contribution is geared at supporting the activities of the committee for the Independence celebrations.

According to GCNet, the gesture is to demonstrate its patriotism and deepen its position as a leading public private partnership entity.

President Nana AkufoAddo in launching the National Planning Committee on January 26, 2017, appealed to Corporate Ghana to support in raising the estimated GHC 20 million for the year-long activities lined for the celebration of Ghana 60 years on.

Speaking at the presentation, the Strategy and Communications Manager at GCNet, Mrs Aba Lokko said,

'Our partnership with GRA has seen improvements in revenue collection year on year, business competitiveness in the ease of doing business in the country which has reflected in improvement in Ghana's ranking in the 2016 World Bank Doing Business Index, 1st in West Africa and among top 10 in Sub-Saharan Africa among others'.

GCNet's platforms including the Customs Trade Net Single Window  Ghana Customs Management Systems (GCMS), e-MDA portal, the Ghana Integrated Cargo and Clearance Systems (GICCS) and the Total Revenue Integrated Processing Systems (TRIPS) have contributed to the successes.

According to Mrs Lokko, the Customs Trade Net Single Window integrates all players in the trade community as it connects over 5000 industry players in the import and export trade industry.

Meanwhile GCNet has renewed its commitment to support the government to check revenue mobilisation for accelerated development.

Receiving the cheque, Chairman of the Events Sub Committee and Director of Operations at the Presidency, Mr. Lord Commey lauded the noble gesture.

Mr. Commey also commended GCNet as the second highest donor so far.

GCNets presentation also coincided with the launch of the draping institutions in national colours.



By: citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
On Thursday, February 2, 2017 and Friday February 3, 2017, the Ghana Integrity Initiative, the Ghana chapter of Transparency International, hosted a workshop on supporting new beneficial ownership transparency champions. The workshop brought together delegates and consultants from many countries including the United Kingdom, United States, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana. The workshop was addressed by His Excellency Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana. Also present was Mrs. Jemima Oware, the acting Registrar-General. The workshop, which was funded by UKaid was part of a project supporting the realisation of the commitment made by Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria at the UK Anti-Corruption Summit held in May 2016 and hosted by the United Kingdom on establishing public beneficial ownership registers, by building the capacity of key stakeholders from civil society, government, business and law enforcement to collaborate and facilitate plans on how to collect, share and use the information to tackle corruption.

Beneficial ownership is a term used in international commercial legislation referred to anyone who enjoys the benefits of ownership of a security or property , and yet does not nominally own the asset itself. Websters defines a beneficial owner as one who enjoys the benefit of a property of which another is the legal owner. According to the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), an independent inter-governmental body that develops and promotes policies to protect the global financial system against money laundering and terrorist financing, the term beneficial owner refers to the natural person(s) who ultimately owns or controls a legal entity and/or the natural person on whose behalf a transaction is being conducted. It also includes those persons who exercise ultimate effective control over a legal person or arrangement.

The terms 'ultimately owns or controls' and 'ultimate effective control' refer to situations in which ownership/control is exercised through a chain of ownership or by means of control other than direct control. The FATF Recommendations are recognised as the global anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) standard.

Beneficial ownership gained prominence in the light of the Panama Papers. The Panama Papers are 11.5 million leaked documents that detail financial and attorneyclient information for more than 214,488 offshore entities. The leaked documents were created by Panamanian law firm and corporate service provider Mossack Fonseca , some date back to the 1970s. The leaked documents contain personal financial information about wealthy individuals and public officials which had previously been kept private. While offshore business entities are legal, reporters found that some of the Mossack Fonseca shell corporations or so-called phantom companies were used for illegal purposes, including fraud, kleptocracy , tax evasion, and evading international sanctions.

The records were obtained from an anonymous source by the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), which shared them with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). The ICIJ then shared them with a large network of international partners, including the Guardian and the BBC. The documents show the myriad ways in which the rich can exploit secretive offshore tax regimes. Twelve national leaders are among 143 politicians, their families and close associates from around the world known to have been using offshore tax havens

Because of the amount of data, SZ asked the ICIJ for help. Journalists from 107 media organisations in 80 countries analysed documents detailing the operations of the law firm. After more than a year of analysis, the first news stories were published on April 3, 2016, along with 150 of the documents themselves. The project represents an important milestone in the use of data journalism software tools and mobile collaboration . The documents were quickly dubbed the Panama Papers. The Panamanian government strongly objects to the name; so do other entities in Panama and elsewhere. Some media outlets covering the story have used the name Mossack Fonseca papers.

Anonymous shell companies and trusts or phantom companies  play a central role in laundering and channeling funds, concealing behind a veil of secrecy the identity of corrupt individuals and irresponsible businesses involved in activities including tax evasion and avoidance, terrorist financing, and the trafficking of drugs and people. This robs governments, in both developed and developing countries, of resources that might otherwise be invested in improving public services and stimulating inclusive economic growth.

The rationale for tackling Phantom Firms is obvious. Evidence from the World Bank demonstrates the role that such elusive entities play in facilitating corruption and money laundering, with more than 70% of corruption cases analysed found to involve anonymous shell companies. At a country level, by way of example, the Africa Progress Panel found that the Democratic Republic of Congo lost over $1.3bn  the equivalent of almost twice its combined health and education budgets  between 2010 and 2012 as a result of five dodgy deals in the mining sector, with those deals facilitated by Phantom Firms incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, along with other companies based in Bermuda, New Jersey, Gibraltar and the UK. Preventing the abuse of anonymous shell companies and trusts can play an important role in stemming the huge volumes of illicit financial flows that rob Africa of the resources that are needed if the continent and its people are to make sustainable progress in the fight against poverty.

The Panama Papers , the largest ever leak of documents from a secrecy jurisdiction covering nearly 40 years of record and 210,000 companies in 21 offshore locations, are headline news across the world. When heads of state, presidents, prime ministers, politicians and business people are linked to secretive offshore assets, one can't help but wonder what happens when they do business with each other. Especially, when their governments are giving out public contracts.

Making sure that contracts are awarded based on prior performance, best value for money, and in the interest of the taxpayers, requires a fair and open selection process. It can be difficult to see who the real winners of public contracts are and where the money goes. Given that public contracting is government's biggest corruption risk, it is critical to bring open contracting data and beneficial ownership information together to make sure we can identify who won which public contracts, for how much, and whether those services were actually delivered.

Two things have been identified as crucial for stopping corruption before it starts:

An open contracting process starting at the planning stages. Each contract needs a unique ID so it can be tracked across its lifecycle: from planning, to tender, to award, to contract, to implementation, and completion.

A global beneficial ownership register of companies that the government is making deals with. This registry must include unique IDs for each company, its formation details and information on its beneficial owners. It should also act as the bridge to all public contracts.

Today, a new collaboration is in progress to crack this global shell game drawn from an expert team involving Open Corporates , the B Team , Transparency International , Global Witness , the Web Foundation and the ONE Campaign , working on developing a global register of beneficial ownership transparency, where the true owners of companies can be properly identified, eliminating the ability to use anonymous shell companies to hide illegal or corrupt activities. An open and global register will accelerate this, combining public beneficial ownership data, and providing a platform for companies to self-disclose ownership information and encourage more companies to adopt this standard of transparency. The workshop was part of the scheme towards the implementation of a global beneficial ownership register of companies.

E-mail: [email protected]

By Kwame Gyasi
Tunis (AFP) - Tunisia and Germany announced a new agreement on tackling illegal migration, during a visit on Friday by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The accord follows frictions between the two countries over the case of a Tunisian rejected asylum seeker blamed for a truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market that killed 12 people.

This agreement "will satisfy Tunisia and will satisfy Germany," Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi said at a joint press conference.

Merkel, on a two-day trip which also included a stop in Egypt, said Germany and Tunisia agreed on speedier repatriations for rejected asylum seekers and job training for Tunisians.

Tens of thousands of asylum seekers use Tunisia and Libya as a launchpad to gain entry into Europe

"We agreed that questions on identities (of Tunisian asylum seekers) from Germany will be answered within 30 days," she said.

"We will also help Tunisia to set up a registration system. Replacement passports are then meant to be issued within one week."

Germany has previously said that Tunisian bureaucratic delays meant it could not expel the Tunisian suspect in the Berlin Christmas market attack, Anis Amri, even though his asylum application had been rejected six months earlier.

Speaking in Tunis, Merkel announced 250 million euros ($264 million) in development aid.

Tunisian asylum seeker Anis Amri killed 12 people when he drove a hijacked truck through a Berlin Christmas market on December 19

"The funds are for rural development, small and medium enterprises, but mainly for youths... who especially need job training and employment opportunities," she said.

Merkel, who faces elections in September, is under pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to Germany, which has taken in more than one million migrants since 2015.
Tunis (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a new agreement with Tunisia on tackling illegal migration during a visit Friday, following tensions over the case of the Tunisian suspect in the Berlin market attack.

Merkel, on a two-day trip to North Africa that also included a stop in Egypt, said Germany and Tunisia had agreed on faster repatriations for rejected asylum seekers and job training for Tunisians.

The German leader, who faces elections in September, is under pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to her country, which has taken in more than one million migrants since 2015.

Merkel, who was also due to address Tunisia's parliament, has urged the North African states to step up border controls and speed up procedures to repatriate migrants whose asylum applications are turned down.

Germany has said that Tunisian bureaucratic delays meant it could not expel Anis Amri, the suspect in the truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market that killed 12 people, even though his asylum application had been rejected six months earlier.

Merkel said that the two countries had agreed that questions from Germany on the identities of Tunisian asylum seekers will be answered within 30 days.

"We will also help Tunisia to set up a registration system. Replacement passports are then meant to be issued within one week," she said at a joint news conference with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi.

This agreement "will satisfy Tunisia and will satisfy Germany," Essebsi said, adding that it concerned about 1,500 Tunisians whose residency requests have been refused by Germany.

"Measures will be taken in the Tunisian consulates in Germany to help in their identification," Essebsi said.

Tens of thousands of asylum seekers use Tunisia and Libya as a launchpad to gain entry into Europe

Her talks also covered ways to respond to years of instability exploited by people smugglers in neighbouring Libya.

"We know the political situation in Libya is difficult," she said, welcoming Tunisia's efforts to help resolve the turmoil.

"No-one is more interested in political stability in Libya than its neighbours, but I'll say, because of the migration issue, it's also important for us Europeans."

Aid money pledge

The migrant issue had already been contentious in Germany where sexual assaults by large groups of mostly North African men on New Year's Eve 2015-16 against women in Cologne provoked outrage.

Merkel's interior minister floated an idea for North African countries to build holding centres for returned migrants but it was rejected by Merkel's centre-left coalition partners and rights groups.

The visit is also a chance for Merkel to pledge support for a country often hailed as a rare success story of the Arab Spring uprisings that shook the region and toppled autocrats including longtime Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Tunisian asylum seeker Anis Amri killed 12 people when he drove a hijacked truck through a Berlin Christmas market on December 19

Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has passed a new constitution and held free parliamentary and presidential elections.

But the nation faces high unemployment, social tensions and the threat from jihadists who have killed dozens of soldiers and police as well as civilians including 59 foreign tourists.

Speaking in Tunis, Merkel announced 250 million euros ($264 million) in development aid.

"The funds are for rural development, small and medium enterprises, but mainly for youths... who especially need job training and employment opportunities," she said.

Her trip is part of a larger diplomatic push by the German leader, who last year visited Mali, Niger and Ethiopia.

She had also planned a trip to Algeria last week, but it was called off after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika fell ill.

Germany, which this year holds the G20 presidency, has also announced investment partnerships in Africa with the long-term goals of reducing poverty and deterring people from leaving.

Merkel was joined on her trip by a business delegation that could bring much-needed investments.
By Iddi Yire, GNA

Accra, March 3, GNA - Plan International Ghana has made a clarion call to governments, the media, decision makers, parents, communities and civil society organisations to help end child marriage in Africa.

Ms Fadimata Alainchar, the Country Director of Plan International Ghana, said child marriage was a harmful practice which severely affected the rights of a child and further deprived the girl child from attaining other aspirations in life such as education.

She said child marriage was a human right violation which had been included in a number of legal instruments at the continental and international levels.

Speaking at the end of the African Union (AU) Department of Social Affairs' three-day regional capacity building workshop in Accra, Ms Alainchar urged the media to spearhead the AU's agenda of ending child marriage.

The workshop was on the theme: 'Increased Advocacy to Ending Child Marriage through Media Engagement.'

Ms Alainchar urged the media to identify best practices and sensitise the people on the harmful effects of child marriage and the need to end it.

She said all the challenges to ending child marriage must serve as a catalyst for stakeholders in their efforts to bring it to an end.

She said all action plans to end child marriage were a step in the right direction but they needed to be put into practice before the situation could be brought to an end.

Ms Alainchar said Plan International was committed to 'zero child marriage in Africa' adding; 'ending child abuse is one of our top priorities'.

Participants at the West and Central Africa Regional workshop were from Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, CAte d'Ivoire, Gabon and the Gambia.

The rest are Guinea-Conakry, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

It was organised by the AU in collaboration with Plan International, Action Aid, United Nations International Children's Fund and the United Nations Population Fund.

The overarching objective of the workshop seeks to enhance the capacity of the media to better investigate and report on child marriages in Africa with a focus on addressing the root causes and the different facets of the issue and challenged all stakeholders towards ending the practice.

The workshop sought to link the role of the media as key information transmitters in delivering the key tenets of the AU Campaign to End Child Marriage in Africa, the AU's Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals.

Participants, at the end of the workshop, pledged to be champions against child marriages in their countries and the continent at large.

GNA
03.03.2017 LISTEN

By IDDI Yire, GNA

Accra, March 03, GNA - The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has congratulated the newly inaugurated Members of the Council of State and urged it to fulfill its mandate to the benefit of Ghanaians.

A statement issued by CDD-Ghana and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday said prior to the constitution of the current Council of State many well-meaning Ghanaians raised legitimate questions about the performance of past ones under the Fourth Republic with some canvassing for its scrapping all together.

"As the debate continues, the Council has to live up to its potential as a tool of horizontal accountability in Ghana's democratic politics as prescribed by the 1992 Constitution," the statement said.

The statement said moreover, as current estimates suggest, the state would spend at least GHE3.9 million on salaries per year, at the rate of GHE13,000.00 a month per council member in addition to other benefits including official vehicles, state security, and ex-gratia at the end of the four years as Article 71 Office Holders.

"It is, therefore, important that Ghanaians get some return on this investment,' it said.

The CDD-Ghana acknowledged the current constitutional arrangement limited the Council's role to an advisory and consultative one and urged them to be guided by the experience and activities of previous councils.

"For example, the new Council of State should avoid the mistakes of the immediate past Council that was perceived to have tacitly endorsed egregious presidential decisions, like the pardon granted to the infamous 'Montie three' or the public endorsement of presidential candidates in competitive elections by individual council members," it said.

It said Article 91(3), for example, invites the Council on its own initiative to 'consider and make recommendations on any matter being considered or dealt with by the President, a Minister of State, Parliament or any authority established by the Constitution.'

This provision envisages that the Council of State would serve as 'the conscience of the nation' and in that regard be proactive in the service of the nation rather than wait for a request from the President before it acts.

The Center, therefore, entreated the Council of State to institute periodic briefings to the public on its work and create platforms to engage the public on issues of national interest.

"CDD-Ghana believes that as public debates about the utility of the Council of State rages on, the newly sworn in members who have taken an oath to serve the nation will discharge their duty with honour and integrity so Ghanaians will be the beneficiaries during their tenure," the statement said.

"Finally, CDD-Ghana will be watching closely how the new Council of State performs and will periodically draw their attention to omissions and deficits to aid them in the fulfillment of their mandate," it said.

GNA
More than 100 delegates from 30 African countries are expected to attend the upcoming Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative (CABRI) Conference to be held from 7 to 9 March in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The focus of the 11th CABRI conference will be Managing budgetary pressures, and delegates will be equipped with the tools and strategies they need to manage extraordinary challenges that impact national budgets that have been tabled.

CABRI executive secretary, Neil Cole, says in essence the primary learning will be, How to respond when fiscal risks turn into fiscal shocks.

While it is the norm to remain flexible in order to adapt to changing circumstances that disrupt even the most well-planned budgets, it is unexpected, yet significant, events that threaten budget stability and service delivery.

As Cole explains, Unforeseeable events could include a sharp and unexpected fall in commodity prices, a global economic shock, a health crisis, an extreme weather event, a financial failure in a state-owned enterprise  or dramatic political change, each of which has the potential to turn public finances upside down.

Conference attendees will include key personnel from national ministries of finance and planning, as well as regional and international public finance specialists. During a series of sessions over the three days, they will share practical examples of budgetary pressures they have faced, followed by insights and learnings for future scenarios.

Ultimately, delegates will be better prepared to manage future budgetary pressures and to communicate budgetary implications to decision-makers and stakeholders so as to minimise cost and build resilience.

CABRIs flagship event will also showcase current research, share country-level work and provide a platform for peer exchange and learning for the CABRI network and its technical, advocacy and funding partners.

The conference is being jointly sponsored by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit, African Development Bank Group and State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

For further enquiries contact Zama Sigasa on +27 (0)12 492 0022 or email [email protected]
According to the Internet Encyclopedia Philosophy (A Peer-Review Academic Resource), therere four features of rights: first, rights are natural insofar as they are not invented or created by governments; second, they are universal insofar as they do not change from country to country; third, they are equal in the sense that rights are the same for all people, irrespective of gender, race, or handicap; and fourth, they are inalienable which means that one cannot hand over his or her rights to another person.

Thus, human rights are natural, universal, equal, and inalienable. Professor Brian Orend of the University of Waterloo, Canada, argues that the object of human rights is to secure minimal levels of decent and respectful treatment.

Two prominent individuals have come under attack for speaking against homosexuality  Bishop Dag Heward Mills of the Light House Church and Right Honourable Professor Mike Ocquaye, the Speaker of Ghanas Parliament.

Homosexuals have rights as much as any other person. Itll be unlawful to discriminate against them in any way or in form. But, all human rights are embedded in natural laws and consequently natural rights  life, liberty and property. John Locke, a 17th century English philosopher and physician argues that, natural rights flow from natural laws and natural laws originate from God.

Naturally, God created man and woman  these two procreated and thus procreation has been perpetuated until today. Its not for nothing that the first human beings were not of the same sex. Speaking or writing against homosexuality doesnt mean that society hates homosexuals. Homosexuals and homosexual rights activists should understand that calls against homosexuality dont mean discrimination; instead its the act that has attracted the frown of society. Its akin to saying that stealing, murder and all other social vices are wrong; however, whoever suggests that a suspected thief should be lynched is abusing the right to life of that individual.

One international document, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights upholds the universal right to life of all persons: Article (3) states, everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Orientations are derived from ones immediate or remote environment. Its how human beings view life that informs their acts and desires. Thus in most cases homosexuality is acquired through the environment we grow up in, or the things we get exposed to or allow ourselves to be exposed to. As long as orientations are learned consciously or unconsciously, it means that an individual can avail himself or herself to changing an orientation that runs contrary to the natural order  albeit, not coercively or under any form of torture.

Homosexuality borders on morality. Morality has been said to be fundamentally concerned with what ought to be the case and this cannot be settled by what is the case or is perceived to be the case. As much as homosexuals have all the four features of human rights their act cannot be said to be in line with what ought to be the case, hence it will be inexpedient to make homosexuality legal in this country.

In 1 Corinthians 6:12, the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians, all things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful unto me, but I will not be brought under the power of any

Homosexuals are human beings; their act - homosexuality is as lascivious as any other sexual immorality. Do they have the right to life, liberty and property? Yes, they do. But, lasciviousness cant be condoned in any way. No human lasciviousness can be expedient to the human race. Its important to interrogate the issue of homosexuality in light of its expediency.

Every action of human beings must offer some expediency to the human race; homosexuality doesnt provide any expediency to the human race.

The writer is freelance journalist [email protected]/[email protected]
03.03.2017 LISTEN

The job of a regional minister is no joke; especially in the Upper West Region where therere various demands from party loyalists and other competing demands through lobbying from various districts.

On Monday February 27, 2017 the newly appointed Upper West Regional Minister, Mr. Suleman Alhassan was a guest on a current affairs programme, Common Course of Radio Upper West. On the show, Mr. Alhassan spoke on his vision for the region and how he will relate with party loyalists and the general public in the region.

Mr. Alhassan enumerated five priority areas: Education and Youth Development, Agriculture and Industrialisation; Health, Water and Sanitation; Roads, Transport and Tourism; and, Security. In dealing with party loyalists, he appealed to them to be patient and that each member of the party will have his or her needs met in the course of time. Its said that, a persons word reveals his or her thoughts.

The successful implementation of these priority areas deserves some political will, tactfulness and diplomacy. A pollster and political scientist, Craig Charney defines political will as: the combination of three factors: opinion plus intensity plus salience. As much as its the vision of the regional minister, what are the opinions of the people of the priority areas of the regional minister? Does it relate to what informed the regional ministers priority areas?

Which of these priorities is most pressing? Which of these priorities are most important to the people on a scale of importance? Which district gets its fair share first? These are questions that the regional minister will have to deal with  it will define his political will. Will he be susceptible to lobbying, or he will be a master of his own principles and do as he deems fit, not treating his advisors or party loyalists with contempt.

For instance, in fighting crime will he kowtow to the cultural axiom  tizaabunyeni  meaning were one. A lot of crime and arbitrariness have gone unpunished because of this phrase.

Will Mr. Alhassan support to the hilt the full implementation of bye-laws and the Public Health Act against the brazen attitude of open defaecation in the Wa Municipality and the other ten districts of the Upper West Region?

When it comes to open defaecation the region has nothing to write home about. On February 21, a news report by a Ghana News Agency reporter, Philip Tengzu, states that, out of 1196 communities in the region only 324 communities have been declared open defaecation free. This represents less than 30% of the targeted communities. Beggars belief, isnt it? But these are the issues on the ground.

Clientelism is another issue that bedevils our governance structures right from the district level through to the national level. The clientelist system maintains politics at an emotional level, where there is an expectation of a vote in return for a favour and this dilutes the possibility of social solidarity.

In the Upper West Region for instance, party loyalists expect that contracts of providing one service or another to the public should be given to them, sometimes even if they dont have the requisite knowledge or equipment to provide that service. When the regional minister refuses to play ball, he suffers political bruises  a phenomenon Mr. Alhassan is very much aware of.

All said and done, Mr. Suleman Alhassan your words have revealed your thoughts; but, only your political will, will see your vision through.

The writer is a freelance journalist. [email protected]/[email protected]
Cost-effective strategies

Several birth defects can be prevented by interventions before and during pregnancy
For a while now, the Niger Delta has been on the boil again. Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom constitute the major sources of oil revenue that makes up over 60% of Federal Government foreign exchange earnings and over 50% of Federal Government Income. Ondo, Imo, Abia, Anambra and Lagos states contribute to a significantly lesser extent to Federal government income from oil exports. It had therefore become imperative that actions are taken to resolve the agitation going on in the Niger Delta.

One cannot but acknowledge that despite the 13% derivation (which during the oil boom of the mid 2000s to 2014 yielded sizable amounts of revenue to the Niger Delta states) the Niger delta were getting significantly less than they contribute to the federation accounts whilst zones such as the South East, North East, North West and North Central got significantly more from the federation account than they contribute to it. Such disparity is not unheard of. In the UK, London is the major contributer to UK income whilst Northern England and Wales and major net recipients of government revenue. However, that does not resolve the nation from addressing the critical issue of ensuring a greater amount of income that comes from the Niger Delta stays within the Niger Delta. Additionally, one has to ensure that the added income is actually reflected and felt by the residents of the Niger Delta as opposed to flowing into the private pockets of politicians of Niger Delta extraction.

The issue therefore is how is to consider how this is best achieved. The first (and least practical) option, is greater devolution of the right of states to exploit its own resources whilst sending the remainder of the income to the Federal government. It may be right to consider moving the derivation principle (which should cover all mineral deposits and tax revenue) to 35% over the next ten years and then to 50% thereafter. I say this is the least practical because most states dependent on Federal Government income will focus more on oil income lost to them than increased income due to them from the exploitation of other mineral deposits found within their states that the under funded federal ministry of Mineral resources is unable to optimally exploit. It would be a very hard sell to get the required numbers of states to key into this new reality to be able to amend the constitution in the near term. It is easier for people to do nothing and pick up a nice cheque than expend energy and resources marketing its resources so that it can be exploited for the good of its people.

The second option, is to encourage the Niger Delta states or (more importantly) oil producing areas of the Niger Delta to incorporate oil exploration and oil and gas exploitation corporations. These corporations MUST be given a specified percentage of oil licenses (subject of course to those entities showing that they have the manpower and expertise to fulfill the obligations required of them). Those entities will be wise to hire the best people from within and outside Nigeria in the knowledge that the vast profits of the incorporated entity are kept within the oil producing communities of the Niger Delta and used to develop the infrastructure and standard of living of the oil producing communities of their area. This is the next best option to resource control if most states object to changes in the constitution to allow for the first option to take hold.

What should not be countenanced is the forceful relocation of the headquarters of any International Oil company or indeed non oil company to any other state or region. In a democracy and in federal structure, private business should be allowed to staff their organization however they choose and to select and change their headquarters however they like. All 36 states of the Federation are competitors and are free to compete against each other in order to make their respective states more attractive to local and multi national corporations.

It is for the oil producing states (especially those with direct access to the Ocean) to devise means of making their states more attractive economically, socially, tax wise and as a source of a highly skilled work force perspective necessary to entice these corporations to voluntarily change location. That is what should be encouraged in a free market. It is the emphasis on the free market that would ultimately bring more development and investment to Nigeria and encourage existing investment into Nigeria to stay.

Dele Awogbeoba

[email protected]
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, has described Ghanas recent ECOWAS Parliament fiasco as an act borne out of betrayal of trust.

Ghana's delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, was left stranded outside the legislative house in Abuja, on February 10, 2017, after the speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament refused to swear in the members because the list presented was more than the number of seats available to Ghana.

The incident, which some members called an international embarrassment to the country resulted from the refusal of Fred Opare Ansah, Member of Parliament for Suhum, to step down as a Member of the regional legislature.

The MP for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, subsequently stepped down from Ghanas delegation to save the country from further embarrassment.

Commenting on the issue, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, who is also the Minster of Parliamentary Affairs, said he cannot be blamed for the embarrassment and urged thus closer collaboration to avoid future occurrence.

The composition of the last ECOWAS parliament was predicated on some assumption and agreement that we were going to re-constitute the entire delegation once the term of that parliament came to an end, and all those who were sent there agreed to that. It was a betrayal of trust what happened later, and then my name gets to be linked. Nothing can be furthered away from the truth, he insisted.

Below is Kyei Mensah Bonsu's explanation to Parliament on Friday:

Mr. Speaker it is not as if we are not aware of the protocols underpinning the ECOWAS parliament, we are aware and I will not say it was not ignorance. When the very embarrassing situation occurred the way it occurred, I have been personally linked as if it was my insistence that Parliament seated the delegation the way the delegation came to be constitutednothing can be furthered away from this.

I know that people who are clothed in pettiness and mischief went out there to tarnish my name that it was the Majority Leader who led Parliament to do that. It was not the Majority Leader who led Parliament to do that. As the Minority Leader is aware, Mr. Speaker this matter came before you, we had agreed about the composition, and we had agreed to terminate membership. I think this should be clear to everyone else because I hear people amongst us saying that the decision was faulty, it wasn't.

The composition of the last ECOWAS parliament was predicated on some assumption and agreement that we were going to re-constitute the entire delegation once the term of that parliament came to an end and all those who sent there agreed to that. It was a betrayal of trust what happened later and then my name gets to be linked. Nothing can be furthered away from the truth.

I think I must forcefully register that. I'm not hungry. Beyond that, there have been an attempt to engage the colleague in question unfortunately, over the past three days, he's been coming to my office but we haven't find time to meet because of what we have to do preparing towards the delivery of the budget statement.

I believe that we can find space maybe over the weekend to engage in that and then bring this matter to a closure.



By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
03.03.2017 LISTEN

From Lawra to Aflao, Half Assini to Bawku, all over Ghana people will queue for an identity. Every person, regardless of age, gender, socio-economic status will document his or her personal details including name, date of birth, and contact information into a single database.

You will scan your fingertips and take a picture. This picture will be synced to a computer and in a matter of weeks or months you will have a national identification card. The Ghanaian government wants to issue all 27+ million citizens with a unique identifier (UID) to enhance greater security and accountability for every individual.

Each unique identification number will be associated with a biometric indicator to verify that anyone who has one is indeed who he or she claims to be.

In a country where many people lack certain official documents like birth certificates or passports-and several others who have no clue what their residential address is-this system will seek to streamline the provision of goods and services more efficiently.

So far the scheme is yet to take effect, hopefully by the end of year; however, it will pose challenges for the National Identification Authority (NIA) in charge on the one hand, and the various contractors who will be expected to build the software and run it on the other hand. They need to make sure that the data is error-free. They need to build a powerful data hub that will not neglect those in the informal sector.

They need to consider how to include Ghanaians living abroad and regularly update those who relocate. They need to figure out how to capture those whose fingerprints are marred. (Take a cue from those people whose fingerprints could just not be captured by the verification device in the December 2016 election).

When an individual registers, his or her biometric data must be cross-checked with everyone else's to prevent duplication. As enrolments start, the system will need to process about tens of thousands of matches per day nationwide. This is a huge task which requires that the firms who are contracted to do the job do it with precision, speed and quality.

It is the aim of government to improve services and ensure transparency in the governance process. Biometric identification can hinder persons from taking undue advantage of the benefits of public sector programs by receiving welfare under multiple identities.

With a more accurate national data of every individual, the government is able to properly allocate benefits and limit the possibility of officials from diverting state resources (see Niehaus and Sukhtankar, 2009).

For instance, when middlemen claim they have delivered so many bags of fertilisers and seedlings to farmers, it is difficult to tell if they are telling the truth. But if each farmer is required to scan his thumbprint each time he or she picks up a quantity to deliver, it will be hard to cheat the system.

Similar controls could be applied to check passport voter and driver's license fraud; hence, stressing the need to link these details to the UID.

Identifying people biometrically would also make financial transactions easier. For example, many public sector workers or trainees work so hard for a monthly salary or scheme that assures them an allowance over a period of time worked.

When payment is due, the money is always welcome; however, the trip to the bank to collect is not always pleasant. The identification scheme could help such persons and many others to avoid this stress.

The plan could provide scanners to certain agents or vendors and link them to distant banks via mobile phones. You can walk in, scan your fingers and authorise the bank to transfer your money to the particular vendor or agent. The agent could then give you the money, minus a small fee (just like how mobile money is done conveniently).

Since the UID system will most likely be open source, as done in other countries, it will enable businesses to benefit immensely by integrating their own applications to it.

With innovative apps on cell phones, hospitals could match patients to their nearest pharmacy or chemist to purchase their medicine or improve diagnosis when patients are transferred from one hospital to another.

Microfinance should also thrive by enabling people have greater control over small loans.

This system can also help in education by making it easier to monitor teacher-student attendance, as well as student progress. Hence, it could reduce teacher absenteeism and track student performance even if the student transfers to another school.

Building and managing Ghana's identification database must work (or at least be made to work) because it is a viable means of helping the government understand more about the population they serve.

If the tremendous work of compiling a voter's register by the Electoral Commission is anything to go by, this exercise is a challenge as huge as the country itself because it includes everybody. But it is one that is not insuperable with the right resources in place.

Source: myjoyonline.com

By Kwame Twumasi-Ankrah
03.03.2017 LISTEN

Ghana's First Lady Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo has called on the private sector to join the fight against Malaria to enable the government eradicate the deadly mosquito transmitted disease in the country.

According to her, private sector participation in malaria prevention is the surest way of supporting the government in sustaining healthy society thereby leading to wealth creation.

Mrs. Akufo-Addo made the call when she launched the Malaria Safe initiative in Accra. The initiative is developed by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and funded by the Private Sector Malaria Prevention (PSMP) project of the Johns Hopkins Center for Communications Programs.

She noted: The Roll Back Malaria Partnership has broken the firewall around our old foe, and access to malaria prevention interventions specially-Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) have been proven to increase productivity, encourage market expansion and boost household spending. This surely is a low-hanging fruit the private sector must pick.

Mrs. Akufo-Addo therefore called on the Ghanaian business sector to rise to the occasion and embrace the goals of the Ghana-UK PSMP project and its Malaria Safe initiative

Effective enrollment in this partnership and application of the malaria safe pillars, would go a long way in enabling the private sector, donors, civil society and government work towards a common vision of a malaria-free Ghana.

A report released by the National Malaria Control Program indicated that, Ghana losses over $6 million to malaria through employee absenteeism, increased health care spending, and decreased productivity.

The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin, assured the country of the continuous support and partnership between the two countries.

He added that UK is proud to be the leading investor in resources into malaria prevention in developing countries and urged their governments to pay attention to malaria prevention.

The Country Director for the Johns Hopkins Centre for Communication Programme, Emmanuel Fiagbey, noted that malaria affected 212 million people worldwide in 2015 and resulted in estimated deaths of 429,000 people annually.

According to him, malaria accounted for about 38 percent of all out-patient visits and 48.5 percent of deaths among children under five in Ghana

Mr Fiagbey cited a report by the malaria journal which revealed that businesses in the country lost GH25 million and nearly 4,000 working days due to malaria between 2012 and 2014.

The newly Malaria Safe initiative, he said would support the private sector to accelerate workplace investments in malaria prevention by facilitating cost-effective ITN distribution plans while providing workplace malaria education.

Also, the programme would work with manufactures, distributors and retailers to help expand the commercial sector's ability to sell ITNs in urban retail markets.

Companies that partner with the PSMP project and adopt the 'Malaria Safe' pillars will be making strides that will lead to a malaria-free future, Mr Fiagbey.

Mrs Akufo-Addo who is the founder and board chairperson of Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation, an NGO working to prevent malaria among children for the past 12 years was presented with a citation for her efforts in preventing malaria among children.
03.03.2017 LISTEN

Management of the Odotobri Rural Bank Limited, operating in the Ashanti region, has revealed that the bank has far exceeded the Bank of Ghanas (BoG) Stated Capital requirement of GHc1million ahead of the December 2017 deadline.





The Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr. Siaka Baba Ahmed, disclosed that his banks share capital stood at GHc1, 943,000 as at February 2017 and hope to hit GHc2.5 million by the end of the banking year.

Mr. Siaka further pointed out that the bank is currently among the first two leading rural banks in the Ashanti region with 11 branches.

The Chief Executive said the bank is performing very well in all aspects, a feat he attributed to effective planning, monitoring and supervision on the part of management and a well-motivated staff.

The CEO also stressed on the need for the public to take advantage of the solid foundation of the Bank and do business with them for a rewarding profit as the bank will continue to expand its operations in order to bring quality and profitable banking to general business community.

The CEO indicated that the Bank, by dent of hard work has won the admiration of both the local and the international communities and assured customers and shareholders that their investments are safe and secured.

Mr. Siaka Baba disclosed that the bank under the leadership of the current board of directors and management swept three enviable international awards during the 2016 banking year.

These include Achievers, Award by the West African Regional Magazine as the Outstanding Rural Bank of the year 2016, Platinum Award for Business Excellence and Prestige from the Business Initiative Direction and Diamond Price for Excellence in Quality by the European Society for Quality Research.

At the local front, Odotobri was ranked 51st of Ghanas Club 100 of which the bank has been a member since 2003. Odotobri Rural Bank Limited also picked Gold at the Ashanti Financial Services Excellence Awards in 2016.

Pix: Siaka Baba Ahmed- CEO  Odotobri Bank

From Sebastian R. Freiku, Kumasi
03.03.2017 LISTEN

The South African High Commissioner in Ghana, Her Excellency Ms. Lulama Mary Thereser Xingwana Pictuu has assured that the South African government will do all it can to support AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) find partners to revive the multinational mine at Obuasi.

She said SA will seek investors that will assist to restart the multinational mine since the Akufo-Addo government is also keen on bringing on investors to partner AGA to revive the mine. Her Excellency Xingwana Pictuu indicated:

As government of SA, we are looking at home and abroad to see if there are those that can come in and assist, but I also know that the Ghanaian government is also looking at opportunities and partners out there that can come and assist the mine, because as we know, it is the biggest employer for the community of Obuasi.

According to her, at its operational height the mine employed about 4,000 people in the years gone by, so the opportunity for the mine to enhance job opportunities and economic development programmes again for the community is high.

The High Commissioner who was on a two-day working-visit to the mine said at the Sam Jonah Lodge at Obuasi on Wednesday that there was the need for cordial relationship between AGA and its partners.

She noted: What is important here is the relationship between traditional leaders and communities that are around here, and the government, including the municipality and the regional coordinating council and the Flagstaff House, because we know that they would like to see AGA operating.

The SA Envoy lauded AGA officials and their team of workers, including the various heads of the project.

Responding to question about how soon the mine would resume operation, Ms Xingwana Pictuu said, we have visited the D-cline which is a modern way of mining, where you can go down with vehicles, which will increase production, unfortunately activities of illegal miners stopped work on it.

According to her, the height of illegal miners menace was great, so AGA had to abandon everything, and those operations still have to be completed, saying: Once that is done, I am sure AGA will be able to continue.

The South African diplomat said she is highly impressed about the fact that AGA authorities have been able to maintain the facility.

At AGA school, her Excellency Thereser Xingwana Pictuu addressed the final year students, and urged them to take their studies seriously. She said her two-day visit, has been an eye-opener and that it clearly demonstrates the work that has been done by AGA.

She said if all mining companies in Ghana made make similar contributions, socio-economic development of this country would be enhanced tremendously. Her visit follows an invitation to the SA High Commissioner by Mr. Eric Asubonteng, the managing director of AGA to come and access the level of sustainability work which has been done by AGA officials.

The SA High Commissioner and her team from the SA embassy, together with AGA officials toured AGA mine and other AGA institutions namely  AGA school, AGA Health Foundation, AGA Malaria Control Limited and Obuasi airport, during, which Ms Xingwana Pictuu interacted with workers of the said institutions.

From Richard Owusu-Akyaw, Obuasi.
03.03.2017 LISTEN

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says his government intends to build very strong diplomatic and economic relations with Qatar and with all the countries of the Gulf.

This, he noted, would draw in the necessary investments to help develop Ghana and return her onto path of progress and prosperity.

President Akufo-Addo made this known when Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, an adviser to the Emir of Qatar, paid a courtesy call on him at the Presidency on Wednesday.

The President told Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari that his main preoccupation is how to build our economy, so as to be able to bring employment, and generate prosperity for the mass of our people. We think that a country like yours could play a very important role in helping us achieve our objectives.

President Akufo-Addo acknowledged that Ghana, over the years, has not done a good job in developing a good relationship with Qatar, assuring that his government is determined to buck that trend.

For this reason, he stated that: Ghana is open for business. We are trying to create a climate that will allow investors and investments into our country to feel secure  to feel secure, not only in terms of the standard issues of appropriations, but to feel secure to operate in a stable environment.

Additionally, he told Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari of the many investment opportunities available for Qatari businesses in Ghana, which include participation in the country's significant oil and gas resources, the development of the country's infrastructure, the building of the nation's railways, amongst others.

The building of formal, diplomatic relations between the two countries, President Akufo-Addo noted, will ensure the realization and development of these opportunities.

In his response to the remarks made by the President, Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari was grateful for the warm reception accorded him and his delegation by President Akufo-Addo.

He indicated that the purpose of his visit was to bridge the relations between the two countries, as there exists tremendous opportunities and areas of co-operation for the two countries.

The Qatari envoy noted that he was aware of the size of the co-operation that could exist between the two countries. So, we need to work together to explore the possibilities in all the fields you mentioned. The political will is there, and I promise you that my visit is an important step for the relations between our two countries.

Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, on behalf of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, extended an invitation for a visit to Qatar by a delegation from Ghana, to hold bilateral discussions aimed at establishing and strengthening ties between the two countries.

He also used the opportunity of his visit to elicit Ghana's support for his candidature for the position of Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
03.03.2017 LISTEN

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is seeking the support and technical assistance of the government of the Republic of Cuba for the construction of a Biolarvicide factory in Ghana, to help in the fight against malaria.

In many parts of the world where malaria has been completely eradicated, even before the development of effective medication, one of the key strategies adopted was effective vector control.

It is against this background that the NPP government, under the leadership of President Kufuor, sought the assistance of Cuba for the construction of the facility for the manufacture of a Biolarvicide, an insecticide that kills the mosquito larvae  newly hatched mosquitoes.

Apart from the production of Biolarvicides against malaria, the factory was also to produce bio-fertilizer to boost agricultural productivity and create jobs.

President Akufo-Addo noted that this project was, however, abandoned after the exit of the NPP government in January 2009, and has, therefore, requested for the revival of the project in partnership with the Cuban government.



He made this known when the Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Pedro Luis Gonzalez Despaign, paid a courtesy call on him at the Presidency to congratulate him on behalf of Cuban President, H.E. Raul Castro, on his election to the high office of President of the Republic.

Mr. Gonzalez Despaign, in his remarks to President Akufo-Addo, indicated the willingness of the Cuban government to assist Ghana in this endeavour, as well as co-operate further in the areas of biopharmaceuticals, education, culture and tourism, construction, and sports.

With Ghana being the first country in Africa to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba, Ambassador Despaign indicated that the two countries would continue to share a special relationship, stressing that a high level delegation from Cuba would be present at the 60th Independence Day celebration, in this regard.

Touching on the co-operation between Ghana and Cuba in the field of medicine, he noted that a total of 239 Ghanaian students are currently studying in medicine in Cuba. In addition to this, hundreds of Cuban doctors are currently in the country, as part of the Cuban medical brigade.

However, the Cuban Ambassador noted that Ghana's outstanding indebtedness in the afore-mentioned areas total US$4,732,700. Virtually the entire debt, he said, was incurred over the last 8 years, and urged government's prompt action in defraying this debt.

Ambassador Despaign also indicated that Cuba is counting on the support of Ghana to helping in helping to lift the commercial, economic, and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America on Cuba.

President Akufo-Addo, on his part thanked the Cuban Ambassador for the courtesy of his visit, and assured him of the strengthening of Ghana's relations with Cuba during the tenure of his office.

He assured Ambassador Despaign of his government's prompt action in the matter of Ghana's indebtedness to Cuba in the area of medical co-operation between the two countries.

President Akufo-Addo reassured the Cuban Ambassador of Ghana's continued advocacy in helping to end the blockade against the Caribbean Island.
03.03.2017 LISTEN



The Chronicle reported yesterday about the moves being made by two ministers  Kofi Dzamesi and Kan Dapaah, on the orders of President Akufo-Addo towards resolving the over 15 year old Dagbon Chieftaincy dispute, which has wreaked havoc in the area.

According to the story, Kofi Dzamesi from the Chieftaincy ministry and Kan Dapaah from the National Security Ministry met the Abudus represented by Bolinlana Abdulai Mahamoudu and the Andanis also represented by Kampakuyana Abdulai Yakubu Andani at their respective palaces.

Before meeting these two leaders, the ministers met their followers, where they assured them of government's commitment to resolve the Dagbon conflict and other chieftaincy disputes in Ghana, to pave the way for an accelerated national peace and development.

According to the ministers, the good vision, programmes and policies of the ruling government could not be achieved in the midst of violence emanating from chieftaincy and land disputes.

In our view, the steps being taken to address the problem are in the right direction.

Since the dispute broke out 15 years ago, succeeding governments have tried to bring it to an end but to no avail.

President John Agyekum Kufuor even constituted a three member committee, dubbed the Committee of Eminent Chiefs, which was chaired by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to look into the impasse.

The other two members were the overlord of Mamprugu Traditional Area, the Nayiri Naa-Bahigu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga and the overlord of Gonjaland, Yagbon-Wura Tuntumba Boresa II.

The three eminent chiefs have been working assiduously over the last 10 years to bring an end to the protracted Dagbon chieftaincy crisis.

However, along the line, the committee's sitting stalled when representatives of the Abudu's and Andani's boycotted proceedings, disturbing the full implementation of the roadmap to peace in Dagbon.

The situation followed the mistrust between members of the two royal gates, both of who believed that the eminent chiefs were being biased.

It is against this backdrop that The Chronicle is appealing to the two feuding parties to bury the hatchet, and give peace a chance, so that the whole of the three northern regions in particular and Ghana as a whole, can relish seeing the end of the Dagbon feud this time round.

The Chronicle is further appealing to Ghanaians from the north to consider the drain all these conflicts all over the country is causing on the limited resources of the state and allow the efforts of the Akufo-Addo-led government to resolve the issue.

If indeed, the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Kofi Dzamesi and Minister of National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah are determined to resolve this long standing crises, we are calling on them to contact the Committee of the Eminent Chiefs, who have been working on the issue for the last 10 years, and gather their input before they proceed. We rest our case.
Simeon II received from the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) the certificate accrediting him as an ambassador of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, which is being observed globally throughout 2017. The figure of Ambassadors of the International Year was presented last January at the launching of the Year that took place in the context of FITUR in Madrid.

Speaking at the ceremony held at the UNWTO headquarters in Madrid, UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai emphasized: When designating 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the United Nations recognized tourisms contribution to the development agenda, to peace, equality and prosperity. I am very touched to see that King Simeon II shares this same vision on the power of tourism and I truly thank him for his commitment to spread this important message across the world.

Simeon II expressed gratitude for his appointment as ambassador of the International Year and stressed the importance of tourism in moving towards a more sustainable and fairer world. One of the most important objectives of the Year is to raise awareness among the international population as well as institutions about the potential of tourism to promote culture, exchanges or the elimination of prejudices, said the newly appointed ambassador of the Year.

In addition to Simeon II, the UNWTO has appointed the following ambassadors of the International Year: H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia; H.R.H. Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities; Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman of the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization; Michael Frenzel, President of the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry (BTW); and Ge Huayong, Chairman of China UnionPay.
Credit where it is due

Govt is making strides in providing social security nets for migrant workers, but more has to be done
03.03.2017 LISTEN

In November last year, the story about thieves raiding the Antoa shrine and making away with the gods went viral not only on social media but the traditional media as well. See, www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/thieves-raid-antoa-nyama-shrine-steal-gods . Quite amusing, isnt it?. Many were a people who ridiculed the river deity after this scandalous event for literally sitting aloof whilst her properties were being whisked away.

Days after this outlandish incident, the managers were in the news again. Apparently they admitted the occurrence of some incident but disputed the claim that the gods have been stolen, rather some regalia and other properties were. It didnt end there, they further embarrassed their heads by saying that indeed the robbers had a field day bolting away with the items because it didnt really form essential part of the renowned shrine but had it been the other way round, the thieves would have been dealt with ruthlessly. Very puerile, if you ask me.

Why in Gods name would a deity who is glorified by its believers as being omniscient & omnipotent, sit, unconcerned, whilst her properties are being whisked away by robbers irrespective of its (the items) value?. Very inglorious. So the glaring question on everyones mind was: why didnt the gods decipher this plan and showed these criminals  where power lies, or were they asleep?

Well, Pete Edochie, the renowned veteran Nigerian actor is in Ghana as part of a cast of a yet to be filmed movie also featuring the legendary Kwaku Sintim Misah (KSM) and other equally good Ghanaian actors like himself. As part of his visit, he paid a courtesy call on former president Jerry J. Rawlings in his residence. Knowing Mr Rawlings and his stance on corruption lately (?), it came as no surprise that the issue of corruption in Ghana in particular and Africa in general crossed their conversation. So it happened that, Mr Edochie, in his conversation with Mr Rawlings regarding corruption among our leaders cum politicians, posited that, the leaders be made to swear with the gods instead of the Bible and Quran which reflect and/or expresses their belief in God and Allah respectively. Ironically, isnt it one of this same gods whose regalia was stolen in broad day light? Well. This according to Mr Edochie has become imperative because these leaders once they assume the high offices of the land seem to trade their reverence, belief and fear for God and Allah whom they had sworn to, for corrupt and dubious acts coupled with blatant disregard for the common need and aspirations of their fellow countrymen.

Surprisingly, the witty  Egg Of Life actors posture seem to have resonated well with quite a number of people and are therefore in consensus with his call. To me, not only is this posture treacherous but a travesty, that in this day and age, people actually believe a god can rescue us somehow.

Our politicians indeed siphon state resources for themselves and their apparatchiks. Sadly, these stolen money are mostly stash up in offshore accounts in abroad and also uses it to buy expensive properties in abroad, indirectly helping those countries to thrive whereas their own country lag behind in development and the citizenry, wallowing in abject poverty. Most of these politicians aside their corrupt and dubious machinations, have a penchant for desiring to hang on to power undeservedly till only God knows when (The recent embattled Yahya Jahmmeh, Fmr president of the then Islamic Republic of The Gambia comes in mind).

But, can you blame the politician(s) only, NO!. This is because the public and civil servants connive with these politicians in looting the state. With the above barbaric acts going on, one cannot but support Mr Edochies clarion call to bring to a halt these criminal acts. The part where he made mention of the gods, however, shoots the whole idea down like an affected swollen shoot cocoa tree being cut down.

The thing is; Ghanaians have the inclination for bending laid down rules to satisfy their whims and caprices. I therefore unreservedly believe that should Mr Edochies call even be heeded to, they would still find a way to outdo the powers of the deities, that is, if they have any powers at all. Clandestinely, they would find means to surpass these powers albeit they would publicly swear with it. This would mean that whatever punishments they would deserve for a dubious act committed, would be tantamount to zilch.

Also one side of the argument is that, Ghana is undoubtedly a Christian country so swearing with gods is therefore considered as null and void. Theres absolutely no way, whatsoever, that we would trust the integrity and honesty of our leaders in the hands of lesser gods.

Ultimately, the idea of tackling corruption does not only rest on the politician but the entire citizenry. Be that as it may that they are the originators, they are aided and encouraged by us. We are all guilty of this canker of corruption reeking our dear Nation. The only sure way to ending this corruption canker, that is; if we want to at all is being honest with ourselves, having the fear of God in us and having the plight and needs of our fellow countrymen; imperatively the poor, the needy and the Nation at large at heart (jingoism).

Above all, the fear of God, honesty and patriotism coupled with good training and upbringing should also be imbibed in our children right from infancy. This would go a long way to shaping their character as they groom to take over the mantle of leadership. And this, I think, is a sure way of dealing with the problem, and not some deities who look on whilst thiefs rob them of thier properties. But for gods, corruption would forever be an albatross on our already suffering necks.

Felix Boakye.

Email; [email protected] .
The Vatican has commended Ghana for her continued efforts to bring peace across the world in various ways including diplomacy and contributing troops to UN Peacekeeping missions.

His Eminence Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State with the rank of Vice President of the State of Vatican, conveyed Pope Franciss appreciation of Ghanas watchdog role when he paid a courtesy call on me at the Presidency on Friday March 3, 2017.

Cardinal Bertello is the Popes Special Envoy to the celebration of the 40 years of Diplomatic Relations between the Holy See and the Republic of Ghana. He is also the Popes representative to the celebration of Ghanas 60th Independence celebrations. He was accompanied by Archbishop Jean Marie Speich, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana and Sir Benedict Batabe Assorow, Managing Editor of The Catholic Standard.

Citing in particular Ghanas contribution to the United Nations Peacekeeping troops in various trouble spots, Cardinal Bertello said Ghanas continued support for peace and stability had been noted with appreciation by the international community and the Holy Father.

Ghanas stable democracy is also good for Africa. It is an example for all His Eminence Cardinal Guiseppe Bertello added.

Vice President Bawumia commended the Roman Catholic Church for the enormous role it has played in the development of Ghana over the decades, through the provision of schools, hospitals and other infrastructure as well as human resources.

We value and cherish the relationship between Ghana and the Holy See and we look forward to more years of the special, mutually beneficial relationship, Dr Bawumia said.
Rome (AFP) - The number of migrants rescued at sea this year in operations run by Italy's coastguard topped 15,000 Friday after another 900 people were saved, including eight-month-old Syrian twins and five other babies less than a year old.

The latest operations confirm the pattern of a sharp upward spike in winter departures from troubled Libya.

Aid groups believe the exodus is being driven by worsening living conditions for migrants in the north African state and by fears the sea route to Europe could soon be closed to traffickers.

Migrant arrivals in Italy from its former colony are up by between 57 and 81 percent this year in comparison to the opening two months of 2015 and 2016, according to Italian interior ministry figures.

The coastguard said 10 rescue operations had taken place on Friday to help migrants aboard four large rubber dinghies and six smaller wooden vessels.

Norway's Siem Pilot, part of the European border agency Frontex's mission, and the Aquarius, operated by French NGO SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders (MSF), carried out the rescue operations.

Amid relatively calm seas, there were no reports of fresh casualties. The United Nations refugee agency estimates 440 people have lost their lives trying to make the crossing from Libya to Italy since the start of 2017.

More than half a million migrants have reached Italy from Libya since the current migrant crisis began to spiral out of control at the end of 2013.

The vast majority of them have been Africans but the latest batches have included significant numbers of Syrians and Bangladeshis.
Rome (AFP) - The number of migrants rescued at sea this year in operations run by Italy's coastguard topped 15,000 on Friday after another 900 people were saved, including eight-month-old Syrian twins and five other babies.

The latest operations confirm a sharp upward spike in winter departures from troubled Libya.

Aid groups believe the exodus is being driven by worsening living conditions for migrants in the north African state and by fears the sea route to Europe could soon be closed to traffickers.

Migrant arrivals in Italy from its former colony are up by between 57 and 81 percent this year in comparison to the opening two months of 2015 and 2016, according to Italian interior ministry figures.

The coastguard said 10 rescue operations had taken place on Friday to help migrants aboard four large rubber dinghies and six smaller wooden vessels.

Norway's Siem Pilot, part of the European border agency Frontex's mission, and the Aquarius, operated by French NGO SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders (MSF), carried out the rescue operations.

Amid relatively calm seas, there were no reports of fresh casualties. The United Nations refugee agency estimates 440 people have lost their lives trying to make the crossing from Libya to Italy since the start of 2017.

Smoking humour

More than half a million migrants have reached Italy from Libya since the current migrant crisis began to spiral out of control at the end of 2013.

The vast majority of them have been Africans but the latest batches have included scores of Syrians and Bangladeshis.

Crew on the Aquarius told AFP that the people it had picked up included 16 nationalities, including a Syrian family of six with the twin babies.

They were among seven infants aged under a year that were rescued by the Aquarius, which also saved 12 toddlers aged one to four.

Migrants and refugees sit on a rubber boat during a rescue operation of the Topaz Responder, a rescue ship run by Maltese NGO "Moas" and the Italian Red Cross with the help of the Libyan coastguards, off the Libyan coast in November 2016

Tom Kington, a reporter for British newspaper The Times, was onboard the NGO-operated boat and recounted a lighter moment in the day's dramatic events.

"Syrian man with sense of humour picked up today on #Aquarius when told he couldn't smoke: 'I want to go back to Libya'" Kington posted on Twitter.

One of the Syrian survivors, who only wanted to be identified as M., told crew that he had been living in Libya for three years before deciding he had to try and get to Europe, where he has a brother living in Germany.

"My family is still in the region of Aleppo. I called them yesterday before leaving," the 35-year-old English teacher said.

'Only the blacks'

"In Libya, it is a catastrophic situation, the militias, no money, no government, wars between two cities ... I think that by the end of this year, there will not be any Syrians left in Libya," he said.

"Myself, I was hoping to return to Syria, but I couldn't. I had no other choice."

A Bangladeshi, identified as J., said conditions in Libya were worse than those he and his compatriots had fled.

"We all have left Bangladesh because of violence and poverty, the situation is very bad there," said the former Dhaka resident.

"But Libya is definitely worse. You can't go to the market without fear of being shot."

A survivor from Cameroon said black Africans were even more vulnerable.

"The Libyans sell people. You don't even realise at first that it is a kidnapping, someone tells you to go there for work but then if you ask to be paid for your work they threaten to kill you.

"The situation is very bad. When they see a black, they will take him, call his family to send money. Only the blacks, not the other people. The only way out of it is to escape. You always have to hide when you're black in Libya."
Educationist, Anis Haffar, has entreated the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to prioritise the science component of its free senior high school (SHS) programme scheduled to start in September.

He said government must find a way of including in the national curriculum a subject which will train students to take advantage of the resources endowed the country.

This, he believes would be easy because every district in Ghana is different with a natural endowment which is unique and can be taken advantage of with science education.

Mr Haffar made these remarks during an exclusive interview with Gifty Andoh Appiah on JOYNEWS' The Pulse programme on MultiTV Friday.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced the implementation of the free SHS programme during the 2017/2018 academic year onwards when he addressed a gathering in February.

He explained by free there will not be admission fees, library fees, science centre fees, computer lab fees, examination fees and utility fees.

The programme has been lauded by sections of Ghanaians despite varying information about the sources of funding for it.

Mr Haffar has said he did not wade into the argument about the cost because, I am not clear and dont want to be in a situation where you are shooting off and you have no idea."

When you are doing the right thing money is not the issue in the same way when you are doing the wrong thing, you can throw a lot of money out there and it would not make any difference."

He said Ghana was in the same category as South Korea and other third world countries, however, they targeted science education which has benefited.

He said for Ghana to be able to come out of the Third World category, a value must be added to what God has endowed the nation with.

Mr Haffar said outcomes are important as the students themselves can point to evidence of what they stand to gain at the end of their education.

"These things are key for us to begin to understand in our mind and we can start using the money to support them, else we would be getting the same results.

We must begin to understand that education that has quality must be able to add value to Ghanas natural endowment. Are we directing our education in Science to add value to where we are?"

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim
The police at Nungua, a suburb of Accra have arrested 34 people for allegedly attacking some residents on Thursday following burial preparation for the late priest of the Ga State.

Nungua District Police Commander DSP Patience Akwetey told Raymond Acquah on Joy FM's Top Story programme Friday the men went round to harass some petty sellers whom they accused of failing to abide by a brief curfew imposed on the area.

She said their actions contradict the Public Order Act (491) which was passed in 1994 to regulate public protest and other related activities in the country.

The Act in Section 3 reads:

(a) Where at any special event any damage is caused to any public property, the organisers, or any other persons found to have been responsible for the damage caused shall be liable to pay for the cost of the damage.

(b) Any person taking part in a special event shall obey the directions of police officers safeguarding the proper movement of other persons and vehicles and generally maintain order.

(c) Any person taking part in a special event shall conduct himself in such a manner as to avoid causing obstruction of traffic, confusion or disorder.

However, the men are said to have impersonated members of the Taskforce set up by the Ga Traditional Council and police to harass residents for not observing the curfew.

DSP Akwetey said they are investigating the issue and would communicate their next line of action.

"At the moment they are suspects," she said, adding since it is a bailable offence, they would be released in the next 48 hours within which they would have completed their investigations.

The development has angered the Ga Traditional Council resulting in calls for the police to deal with the men arrested.

Chief of Protocol for the office of Gborblu Wul)m), Michael Abblor said, "nobody has been authorised to loot people's shop" during the period of the curfew.

"We had exemptions such as clinics, hospitals, schools, Ghana Water and Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) workers and even banks," he said, adding they were aware of activities of "unscrupulous people."

He explained that none of the people employed by the Council to check activities of residents was arrested by the police for the commotion caused because they were told what to do.

"We set the ground rules together with the police," he said, adding they anticipated "a few recalcirant people" would disturb the peace of the area during the period.

Mr Abblor charged the police to deal with the men who have arrested because their activities were not sanctioned by the Traditional Council.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
Picfair in partnership with New African magazine has announced the #CelebrateAfrica photo competition sponsored by Canon.The competition will shine light on the visual diversity of Africa and it is open to residents of any African country from now till April 15.

Online competition has already received hundreds of photos submitted under the three categories; people of Africa, Africas Citylife and Africas landscape and wildlife. Winners will receive an array of Canon prizes, from holidays to DSLR cameras to expert workshops.

The Celebrate Africa campaign is meant to encourage people to share beautiful photos of the African continent with its rich history and culture and diverse people. The competition is for people from all walks of life who have a story to tell and can tell it in photos. More details can be found at https://www.picfair.com/celebrateafrica

Canon officially launched the competition in Nairobi Kenya, when the global leaders in imaging solutions reiterated its commitment to the African market with the launch of the EOS 5D Mark IV camera. Canon showcased their input to output professional consumer products covering both cameras and printers that are now available in the African region.

The camera range unveiled includes models such as the EOS 80D, EOS760D, EOS 1300D, Powershot G7X MKII, Powershot SX720 HS, Ixus 285HS and Pixma printers G4400, TS 5040 & the powerful and refined TS 9040  is a fully featured colour photo printer, scanner and copier with an elegant and compact exterior.
The leadership of the Gwira Traditional Council in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region has appealed to the government to consider appointing the new MCE from the traditional area.

The Traditional Council alleged that since the inception of the Fourth Republic, all appointments to the

MCE position had come from either Evalue or Ajomoro to the neglect of Gwira which is made up of the Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira Constituency.

Nana Polley Ankoanah V, Adontenhene of Tumantu community and spokesman for the

Traditional Council at a press conference said, "from the time of independence to date, nobody from Gwira Traditional Area has been given any political appointment as DCE or MCE".

He said the practice had caused the area greatly with regards to infrastructure development such as roads, education, healthy, security, communication and water despite its contributions through cocoa production.

The Chief said the voting population of the area currently stood at 40,000 which far outweigh the other two traditional areas, adding, considering the above, we suggest you choose our own- Mr Salby Ogbamey who has contributed enormously to the NPP as the next MCE for the Nzema East Municipal Assembly ".

The Gwira leadership said it was only fair that government granted their request to ensure equity and a

tranquil atmosphere.
I was indeed flabbergasted and downhearted upon reading about the appalling state of the late President Millss Mausoleum, popularly known as Asomdwee Park.

The tomb of late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills, is in a bad state, five years after he was buried at the Asomdwe Park in Accra.

A visit to the Park by Citi News revealed that the well-crafted metallic cover of the tomb has developed grim cracks detaching itself from the rest of the artefact.

Portions of the tomb are also falling apart, and managers of the park have had to support it with blocks.

Meanwhile, the management of the park declined to speak to Citi News about the development, when contacted (cityfmonline.com/plusnewsghana.com, 28/02/2017).

If we stroll down memory lane, the late President Mills contested the presidency on three consecutive elections on the ticket of the NDC Party before clasping the ultimate power in the 2008 second round election.

Despite the fierce resistance from the uppermost echelons of the NDC Party, the unwearied President Mills stood his ground and selected John Dramani Mahama as his running mate for 2008 election.

The late President Mills did his utmost best until his sudden and inexplicable death in July 2012.

Of course, the late Mills was not without infelicities. He had excellences and imperfections. Nonetheless his light shone among the voracious NDC apparatchiks.

Apparently, the late Mills was not on the side of corruption. Consequently, he earned himself more enemies than friends in the NDC Party.

It is on record that prior to the scandalous Wayomes judgement debt payment, the late Mills warned the create, loot and share cabals not to effect payment, yet the conspiratorial plotters defied the good old Mills orders and doled out the staggering amount to Wayome, who had no contract with the government of Ghana.

It would appear that there was a bad blood between the late Mills and some of the NDC officials.

For if that was not the case, how on earth would NDC government leave the tomb of one of their own in such an abhorrent state?

The alleged enmity between the late Mills and the uppermost echelons of the party may explain why they obtrusively failed to recognise his achievements in their much publicised green book.

Shockingly, however, it has taken the NPP Party that has been in power in less than two months to begin refurbishment works on the late Millss decrepit tomb.

Shamefully, the NDC government was in power for more than four years following the demise and burial of the late President Mills and could not bother to take care of our former presidents tomb.

Following Citi FM's report on the deteriorating state of the tomb of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, Government has commenced some repair work on the tomb at Asomdwee Park (modernghana.com, 01/03/2017).

I can confirm on authority that I have been there and I must say that we are pleased with the quick response of government. We saw workers on site.

The tombstone was being worked on. It also looks like the lawn itself is being manicured, said Koku Anyidoho.

So Koku Anyidoho, the darling boy of the late Mills also wants to tell us that he failed to visit the Mausoleum all those years?

Well, it would appear that the NDC apparatchiks are ungrateful towards the men and women who have worked strenuously to put the party on the map.

It is even alleged that some officials of the NDC Party plotted evil against J. J. Rawlings, whose brainchild (NDC Party) has made them somebodys.

Former President Jerry John Rawlings is not happy with elements in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) who are allegedly baying for his blood.

He is surprised that recent attacks on him have been orchestrated by people within the NDC, the party he founded.

The ex-President cited the recent petition presented by the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) leader, Henry Lartey to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) asking them to investigate circumstances under which he (Mr Rawlings) reportedly received an amount of $5 million from the late Nigerian Head of State, General Sani Abacha, as gift in 1998.

Mr Rawlings says his own people in the NDC are behind the ploy to sully his hard-won reputation (See: $5m Abacha cash, NDC chasing me-says Rawlings; dailyguideafrica.com, 18/10/2016).

In fact, some NDC apparatchiks are unappreciative. Take, for example, the party General Secretary Asiedu Nketia once called Rawlings a barking dog, who is too old and fragile to contribute meaningfully to the cause of the party he (Rawlings) founded and autographed with his blood.

Moreover, the NDCs boisterous brats (the babies with sharp teeth) who are not privy to their partys history have been scolding former President Rawlings all the time for expressing his grievances over the rot in his party.

NDC apparatchiks: get a grip and put your acts together because your actions do not speak well of you.

K. Badu, UK.
Ghana made history as the first country sub-Saharan Africa to achieve the Millennium Development Goal one of reducing poverty by half long before the 2015 deadline set by the United Nations. In spite of this great stride, poverty remains a major challenge in Ghana, specially, in the rural areas.

Government Statistician, Dr Philomina Nyarko recently indicated that over eight million Ghanaians are poor with more than two million of the number living in extreme poverty. According to the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS6), even though most regions in Ghana showed a reduction in poverty incidence since 2005/2006, the pattern of poverty by region remains the same.

Sixty years after independence, it is not acceptable for these huge chunk of citizens of a country blessed with a lot of natural resources to be wallowing in abject poverty.

Fortunately for us, governments (past and present) have put in place a lot of policies and programs that are aimed at eradicating poverty in all forms in our beloved country. Prominent among these policies and programmes are the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP); Labour Intensive Public Works (LIPW), the exempt category of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) among others. However, these programs do not seem to be making the desired impact on the poor and vulnerable in our country.

A deeper analysis of our poverty reduction efforts reveals that the country seems to be focusing more on implementing social intervention programs for the poor and vulnerable than effective targeting the beneficiaries of such programs. The result of this imbalance in our fight against poverty is the proliferation of over forty-four (44) uncoordinated social protection programs currently being ran in Ghana.

The bigger question is are the benefits of these programs getting to the people who really need them? The answer is a big NO! Multiplicity of social intervention programs alone never helped reduce poverty in any country. It has never!

Countries such as Brazil and South Africa who were successful in the fight against poverty did not rely solely on social intervention programs. They did so using a single registry of beneficiaries in the management of their social protection programmes. As the former President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, rightly pointed out, to win the fight against poverty, one needs a single national household register with proper indicators on how to identify the poor and vulnerable. To President Rousseff, not until poverty is given a face, a name, an address and characteristics known to the state, the benefits of social intervention programs will only be ending up in the wrong hands.

This is why the uncoordinated approach to Social Protection targeting in Ghana is only not cost effective but also fraught with high inclusion and exclusion errors. This results into a situation where the benefits of these program go to people who do not really need them.

The good news, however, is that the need for a Common Targeting Mechanism (CTM) for all social protection programs in the country does not elude the attention of policy makers and donor partners. It was first mooted over a decade ago in the recommendations of the Poverty and Social Impact Assessment (PSIA) Study conducted in 2004 and was reiterated in the 2007 PSIA study.

Unlike the recommendations of some studies that were left to catch dust on the shelves of research and educational institutions, government demonstrated a huge commitment towards fighting poverty when the then Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with four other ministries (Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development) to implement a Common Targeting Mechanism which aimed at providing a common indicator to identify potential beneficiaries of pro-poor interventions in Ghana.

The works of the implementation committees of the Common Targeting Mechanism (CTM) cumulated into the establishment of the Ghana National Household Registry (GNHR) with the mandate to compile a register of all households in Ghana from which social protection programs will select their beneficiaries.

Since its establishment in 2015, the registry has been able to successfully complete data collection in the Upper West Region and is in advanced stage of commencing registration exercises in the Upper East and Northern Regions. It is my strongest conviction that a successful completion of this project will be will be a game changer in our fight against poverty here in Ghana.

The benefits of the single national household register are enormous. It will help in the quick identification of the poor and vulnerable and enhance transparency in selecting beneficiaries for social protection programs in the country. This will ensure that social interventions get to people who really need them.

A single national household register of poor and vulnerable will help achieve an effective coordination among all social protection programs in Ghana. This will make it possible for households to benefit from more than one social protection intervention simultaneously. This way, the graduation of households out of poverty permanently can be achieved with ease.

The Ghana National Household Registry (GNHR) will also eliminate the current duplication of eorts in the fight against poverty. All Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) involved in the implementation of pro-poor interventions will not have to undertake their individual targeting and compilation of register of poor households as this information will be available in the GNHRs database. This will help reduce cost in the implementation of social protection programs in the country.

More so, data from the registry can also be used for public policy planning, as well as research and development in social protection for the poor, vulnerable and excluded in society.

Poverty, they say, is the worse form of violence. As the popular American Journalist, Rick Bragg, puts it, every life deserves a certain amount of dignity, no matter how poor or damaged the shell that carries it. This is why a holistic approach must be adopted in the fight against poverty in Ghana. The test of our progress as a nation will not be determined by whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it will be determined by whether we provide enough for those who have too little.

If Ghana really wants to achieve the sustainable development goal one (1) of ending poverty in all its forms and everywhere in the country, then, the best way to go is to follow the footsteps of Brazil and other countries who have used effective targeting system to eradicate poverty among their citizens.

Fortunately for us, funding poses no challenge to this project. The World Bank is ready to provide the required fund for the successful compilation of a single national household register for our mother land. What is left is the political will, commitment and dedication of the management and staff of the Ghana National Household Registry. I hope and believe that all stakeholders will put their hands on deck to ensure a successful completion of this important national project.

By Philip Dornyo
Deuba hopeful of support from all sides to make local poll successful

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has insisted on the need of holding the three-tier election within the scheduled date to institutionalise the federal republic.
.At long last the battle has ended Ghana your beloved country is free forever. from now on there is a new Africa in the world that new African is ready to fight his own battle and show that after all the black man is capable of managing his own affairs (Dr. Kwame Nkrumah; 6th March 1957)

On every month and year of 6th March, Ghanaians home and in the diaspora re-echo the speeches of some great leaders and others who toiled for independence for our dear nation Ghana. The eyes of the world has been on Ghana through its time of independence, coup detats, military regimes, democratic transitions and consolidation. Indeed Ghana has come a long way.

This article discusses the good and the bad circumstances in Ghana with much emphasis on political tier in the 4th republic. However the governance and socio economic spheres will be considered. My opinion on the way forward will also be shared.

The year 2007 marked 50 years of independence which ignited waves of African independence struggles across the continent. It is of no doubt that the independence of Ghana influenced countries like Nigeria, Gambia, and Sierra Leon to attain independence.

Interesting in Ghana anybody who attains the age of 50 will be preparing for retirement in the next 10 years. You have to take stock even before you hit the retirement age of 60. Despite your hard work, upon retirement, if you have nothing to boast of you might be considered useless and extravagant who did not make hay while the sun shone. What has Ghana have to boast of? The independence of Ghana continues to generate lively debate within popular forums in world politics.

The good

Some bright spots have emerged in Ghana since independence. Even though economist, governance experts and international reports argue that Ghanas development is in a slow pace considering the wide range of resources at its disposal. The question of leadership quickly comes to mind.

Politically, there have being light at the end of the tunnel. After Ghanas checked military intervention, coup detat the emergence of democratic governance in 1992 have earned Ghana an enviable reputation as the beacon of democracy in Africa. Not only is the emergence of democracy enviable but successive free and fair election since 1992 is worth mentioning. This affirms the statement by many that Ghana has made significant strikes towards its goal of consolidating a democratic process and this political culture worth emulating by other countries in Africa.

The transition Act 2012 is also a feather in Ghanas cap in strengthening democracy. This act ensures the smooth transfer of political power and administration of the state from one political party to the other. It is on record that the absence of no formal legislation to facilitate this transition often lead to delay and disrupt continuity of government activities. There is also a modest good news in the area of constitutional establishment such as the NCCE, CHRAJ, Independent Electoral Commission and the security agencies make it imperative that Ghana is committed to the course of democracy and appreciate its tenets .Respect for human right and freedoms has improve considerably over the past years. The existence of the judiciary and the recent introduction of justice for all program has ensured that the justice delivery system is effective and efficient

Political participation in governance process in the country has increase as citizens are allowed to participate and share their views on national issues. Demonstrations and strike actions are various forms by which citizens use to let their grievances known to officials. Political parties encourage grassroot participation as election of party leader/flag bearer has been extended. As Gyimah Boadi (2009) points out that independence and administrative capacity of Ghana electoral commission has improve with each election. While levels of public interest in national election remain high (evidence of voter turnout is consistently above 70%) this is clear that the political participation is high.

Local governance is also another success of Ghana after independence. Even though Ghana has a centralized political structure, citizens participate in the governance process in their locality. Through unit committee, zonal council, MDCE etc. Most especially electing their assembly members. Local governance or decentralization enhance political participation at the grassroot level, experimentation of policies. Decentralization has promoted rapid development and quick response to the needs of the people.

The bad

Despite the hopeful political and social progress in some areas, the overall economic development and standard of living of Ghanaians is not so good. Currently, Ghanas debt to GDP stands above 70%, about 40% of Ghanas population still survive with $20 a day. It is estimated that 40% of our youthful population is unemployed.

Behind this disappointing performance are number of proximate causes. Ghanas rapid population growth and increasing over population in its cities of Accra, Kumasi, Tema and Takoradi give rise to more pressure on the few social amenities in these cities. Inadequate infrastructure and job opportunities in rural areas are the causes of such migration with the aim of seeking greener pastures in the big cities.

The Agriculture sector of Ghana has not still improve. This sector which has been the backbone of Ghanas economy since independence has being relegated by successive government paying less attention to this sector. The once leading producer of cocoa cannot boast of higher production in recent years. Partisan politics even in the distribution of subsidize agriculture material has been shortcoming of Ghanas agriculture sector development.

Ghana is 60years despite the success story in the consolidation of democracy which has been our major pride on the continent and even beyond. Corruption is one of the main source of ugly instances in Ghana. In Ghana corruption is very common among public officials. It is of no doubt that the activities of corruption pandemic has struck Ghana as anything but catastrophic and inhabitant to the development of our dear nation.

In Ghana people have fallen careers and reputation of well-respected ministries and organization badly tarnished on account of it (see sad saga: rot caused by poor decision making 26/4/14 myjoyonline.com). The image of Ghana as a developing country and stories of regular corruption among public officials discourage investors and donor agencies from investing and aiding development respectively.

Ghana since independence has witnessed massive corrupt activities by successive government with political parties lacking the political will to prosecute one of their own(see woyomi freed in 51m debt trial 12/3/15 myjoyonline.com) .It is of no doubt that through inadequate public services and weak institutions monies meant for our up keep such as construction of roads, hospitals, schools, portable water, security and even the purchase of drugs are drained off by our predatory leaders making us susceptible, to poverty and sending us to premature deaths. The media which is supposed to be the voice of the voiceless and serve as a check on the government compromise their integrity defending these mass murderers.

Ghanas state institutions are very weak. Most of our institutions which are established to protect the public interest have become weak, unprofessional partisan and ineffective that they are not able to deal with matters that are in the interest of the ordinary citizen. These institution end up dancing to the tune of political leaders.

The way forward

Ghana has ratified various conventions and attempts have been made by policy makers and recent governments to solve the issues of corruption which has been the major hindrance of development. However if these leaders continue to interfere in the activities of public institutions Ghana development would be far fetched

We must all admit that Ghana has made few improvement in various areas but we cannot travel at this pace because globally everything is moving fast with each country doing their best to remain independent despite uneven distribution of resources.

Ghana must rise up to the task. Ghanaians must arise and political leaders must purpose in their hearts, minds and spirits not to repeat the falls and mistakes of our forefathers. The predatory leadership style must stop so we make Ghana a better place conducive for living.

The development of Ghana rest not only on the shoulders of political leaders. Nation building is a communal duty and responsibility. Let us all come together and put aside partisan politics that divide people and build a home that future generations will be proud of.

GOD BLESS OUR HOMELAND GHANA AND MAKE US GREAT AND STRONG

Nana Akwasi Sarpong

[email protected]
Hey, check it out! Australias GDP numbers came in on the upside, with the economy expanding 1.1% in the December quarter. Im sure you heard all about it already. Lets just leave it at this for nowlifes good! Lets leave the doomers behind and start finding opportunities instead.

Thats what the guys with the big money are doing, anyway. Norways sovereign wealth fund is looking to increase its exposure to equities by 10%. It needs parliamentary approval for that to happen. Pay attention if it does because 10% of Norways fund amounts to US$90 billion. Thats serious cash.

Perhaps more importantly for us, The Australian reported that the sovereign wealth fund of Singapore (GIC) is going shopping in Australia. Apparently it has about $800 million to spend.

What gives? GIC is giving mandates to its Australian agents to start buying in Brisbane and Perth. Youll note that these cities are suppressed markets relative to Sydney and Melbourne.

I actually put more weight on GIC looking to invest than the GDP result. Ultimately, money talks in the markets. Consider it a vote of confidence for Australias future.

What will that future look like, anyway? Apparently its an Australia with four super cities and depopulated regional areas. Thats if current trends, based on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, persist. Thats two out of three Australians living in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth.

Victoria is the fastest growing state in terms of population growth. It could possibly reach 8.6 million people by 2061. One can only wonder what a house in Melbourne will cost then.

Lets focus in on property a little closer for the moment. Poor old real estate agency McGrath Limited [ASX:MEA] continues to take a pounding. Its now down below 70 cents a share. Its been pretty much downhill for McGrath since its first day of trade, when it was up over $2 ever so briefly.

I bring it up because, last year, I fielded a few inquiries from subscribers. They thought MEAs predicament was foreshadowing worse news to come for Australian real estate in general.

I didnt see it that way. At the time, I suggested MEA was probably overpriced at listing, and was being marked down accordingly. I also said its business model was at risk of disruption.

Is that showing up now a little stronger? Buymyplace.com.au Ltd [ASX:BMP] doubled its revenues in the half-year to December. This is a platform for people to sell their home without using an agent.

Listings were up 80%. Thats in a (currently) falling market for listings overall. BMP is also moving to take on low-cost agency Purplebricks.

Purplebricks Riding the Trend

Purplebricks is a company that contracts freelance agents to sell property on behalf of clients for a fixed fee. Its a kind of halfway house between using a full-service agent and selling a home yourself.

The benefit for Purplebricks agents is that they are fed the business through the website. The benefit for the buyer is that Purplebricks agents are less interested in getting the highest price, as theres no commission.

Youd have to think Purplebricks has done enough to spook established full-service real estate agent LJ Hooker  Australias second biggest real estate agency.

Apparently, LJ Hooker was considering listing on the ASX at one point last year. That idea is gone. Now we have LJ Hooker launching a website called Settl. Its another DIY home-selling platform. Two brands serving two distinct customers  or so goes the pitch.

Regardless, its interesting to watch. You can see how following these trends can keep you out of a stock like MEA. Theres actually an even easier way: Dont buy a stock in a clear downtrend.

You dont even have to know why McGrath is trending down, other than the fact that it is. Its one way to narrow down the opportunities in the market.

Thats a big part of what my colleague Greg Canavan does over at Crisis & Opportunity. He filters the market using stock charts to find compelling opportunities.

Were about to come full circle for today. I mentioned Australias GDP numbers at the top. Part of Australias strong showing is down to exports. The terms of trade is looking better than it has in a long time.

Part of that is down to rising LNG exports. Thats a good thing. But there is a worry that Australian companies might get left paying higher gas prices. Theyre now competing against the rest of the world for the available gas supply.

Gregs analysis says certain Australian companies will suffer as these gas price hikes take place. Of course, the flipside is that energy producers and explorers can capitalise on the higher prices.

This is the way of the market. There are always companies doing well, even as others suffer. Youve seen that play out in part with McGrath and Buymyplace.com.au. For Gregs take on which stocks look set to soar in the Aussie energy market, go here.

Regards,

Callum Newman,

Associate Editor, Cycles, Trends & Forecasts

From the Port Phillip Publishing Library

Special Report: Crunch Point at Curtis Island How a failed $60 billion gamble by Australias three biggest energy giants could pay off big for you [More]
Downplaying diplomacy

Govt needs to appoint competent ambassadors so that Nepal can handle international challenges successfully
There are reports that Boko Haram suicide bombers attacked Maiduguri which is the Borno state capital as the fight against insurgency seems to continue.

According to online reports, the attack was carried out by three female suicide bombers around 3am on Friday, March 3.

It was reported that they attacked near a filling station in the capital although only the bombers have been confirmed dead.

The National Emergency Management Authority also confirmed the attack and said rescue is on its way.

Boko Haram bombers attack Borno

Victor Isuku who is the spokesperson of the state police command also confirmed the attack.

Our men are still working at the scene.

A witness, Abubakar Kaumi said a woman and three detonated their explosives near the filling station.

A woman suspected to be a suicide bomber walking alongside two girls came round the depot.

They detonated their explosives near some petrol tankers parked there, and destroyed the three vehicles.

Gladly, nobody was closed by, so, only the three bombers died.

Source: Legit.ng
The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Baru, has appealed to militants in the Niger Delta to stop attacks on oil facilities.

Baru made the appeal at the 26th edition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum (OLEF) on Thursday in Abuja.

According to him, with Nigerias enormous reserves in gas as the 9th largest in the World, unemployment and infrastructural challenges can be tackled but the disruptions are crippling activities like power generation.

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On this note, I will like to use this medium to appeal to the militants in the Niger Delta to stop the attack on pipeline infrastructure to enable us sustain our plan and grow the industry for the benefit of all Nigerians.

Gas pipeline vandalism has been the most disruptive challenge to supply across the country, but more recently in the West.

The Trans-Forcados crude oil pipeline (TFP) has been the major victim of attacks, so also the ELPS gas pipeline has seen surprising increase in attacks.

As we speak today, there is enough gas to generate about 4,800 megawatts and 6,000 megawatts by second quarter of 2017, based on our gas supply plan.

However, the power sector is presently struggling to evacuate 4,500 megawatts power due to DISCOs incessant rejection of allocated load and transmission line constraints, he said.

Baru said that interventions in the sector yielded results on Feb. 2, 2016 as a record high peak generation of 5,079 megawatts (86 per cent thermal) was attained, but that incessant attacks on pipelines significantly affected gas supply.

He said that in spite of challenges, NNPC was committed to ensuring adequate gas supply to meet Nigerias industrial growth.

He said that strategic repositioning of the sector was ongoing to support massive gas-based industrialization to place Nigeria as the regional hub for gas-based industries such as fertilizer, methanol and petrochemicals.

The first of this effort is the planned 30 square-kilometre Gas Revolution Industrial Park in Delta which will be Africas largest gas industrial park, supporting gas-based industries.

Also, we have successfully completed a pilot programme to introduce natural gas as fuel for transportation through Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

Today, over 4,000 cars, mostly commercial taxis, run on natural gas in Benin, served by a network of six gas-filling stations. We are currently extending the CNG initiative to other parts of the country.

Apart from the obvious environmental benefits, use of gas in transportation is cheaper; taxi drivers save significantly on petrol cost as CNG is sold at 46 per cent of the price of petrol.

READ ALSO: APC to hold national convention April

The GMD said that CNG was not only cheaper but was neater, cleaner, pilferage-free, burned cleaner and had become the fuel of choice for power globally.

Speaking to journalists shortly after his remarks at the lecture, Baru said that the Oben-Geregu (196km), Escravos-Warri-Oben (110km), Emuren-Itoki (50km), Itoki-Olorunsogo (31km), Imo River-Alaoji (24km), Ukanafun-Calabar (128km) had been successfully implemented.

He added that strategic East-West Obiafo/Obirikom to Oben (OB3) pipeline (127km), looping of the Escravos-Lagos Gas Pipeline System from Warri to Lagos and Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano pipeline (650km) were currently ongoing and at various stages of completion. (NAN)

Source: Legit.ng
The Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, says that Federal Government has made provision of N1 billion in the 2017 budget for the development of Ibaka deep seaport in Akwa Ibom.

Osinbajo disclosed this in Uyo on Thursday while addressing a Townhall meeting of the government and people of the state.

The Acting Presidents visit was part of his consultation with people in the Niger Delta on how to maximise the gains of oil resources in the region.

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The acting president, who was responding to myriads of complaints and requests by the people, said that budgetary provisions had also been made for the Itu  Calabar federal highway in 2016.

Osinbajo said that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources was working with Amnesty Office to accommodate more youths from Akwa Ibom into the Amnesty Programme.

I have heard all the requests. We must trust and give this government the patience that is required to put things right.

We are working on modular refineries. Power stations must be established here. We must make our oil producing communities hub of petrochemical and gas industries.

We must attract private investments. The biggest benefit is to attract more private investments to the state, Osinbajo advised.

The acting president regretted that the blessings of oil wealth had not touched the majority of the people in the oil bearing communities.

He said that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources was working on several incentives for the oil producing communities.

Osinbajo also directed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to liaise with the oil multinationals operating in the state on the modalities to relocate their headquarters following repeated requests.

The acting president promised to partner with the state government to establish technology hub in the state while advising the people to be resourceful and innovative.

He noted that the future depended on innovation and the ability to harness what we have for development.

In his presentation earlier, the state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, appealed to the Federal Government to support the Ibaka deep seaport .

The governor also requested that the Federal Government to partner with the state to establish a logistics centre for oil and gas operations.

READ ALSO: APC leadership evolves new way of funding party

Emmanuel appealed to the Federal Government to resolve the ownership problem in the Aluminum Smelting Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) to enable the state to benefit from it.

The governor, who described the acting president as development partner and leader, appealed to the Federal Government to allocate oil and gas block to indigenes of the state.

Speaking on behalf of oil producing communities, a former Minister of Lands and Housing, Chief Nduese Essien, lamented that the state had nothing to show for being the highest oil producer.

Essien suggested that the coastal railway project of the Federal Government should pass through Oron- Eket- Ikot Abasi routes.

He called on the Federal Government to correct the anomaly in the section four of the East-West spanning Onna and Eket in Akwa Ibom.

In his presentation, the state leader, Pan Niger Delta Forum, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (rtd), urged the federal government to partner with state government to complete the hangar at the Akwa Ibom Airport.

Nkanga called for the speedy completion of the East-West road cutting across the state and also expedite the transformation Maritime Academy into a univesity.

In his speech, the Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, commended the federal government for appointing indigenes of the state into key government positions.

Akpabio, who spoke on behalf of Elders Council, asked for fairness and equity considering the allocation projects in the Niger Delta region.

Source: NAN

Source: Legit.ng
Editor's note: David Emmanuel, the Legit.ng partner blogger, in this article, explains how cultism started in the Nigerian tertiary institutions and what should be done to curb the menace, if not totally eradicated.

David Emmanuel is the CEO of fedpolynasnews.com.ng

He could be contacted through: fedpolynasnews.com.ng or davidemmanuel61@yahoo.com

More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest bloggers.

Cultism is perhaps one of the greatest problems confronting our tertiary institutions today in Nigeria. In recent years, this plague has assumed a frightening and deadly dimension. Its spread to secondary (and even primary) schools in the country is enough to give every caring parent a cause to lose sleep.

The term "cult" has been defined somewhere as "a group of people engaged in a form of ritual usually under oath, binding the members to a common cause". Such groups of individuals operate covertly in furtherance of their objective which is usually detrimental to the interest of others.

READ ALSO: What is cultism and its effects?

In fact, a cult is a group of people which places a secondary need in the position of a primary need. In other words, any group of people that places emphasis on secret initiation or rituals for the purpose of group-help, group protection but whose activities are clandestine in nature is a cult.

Cultism in Nigeria tertiary institutions goes back to Professor Wole Soyinka's college days, when he and some of his colleagues founded Pirate confraternity with a view to fighting against colonial oppression.

But it is sad that today our young people commandeered this reason and began doing it for antagonistic plan. The outcomes of cultism on people may include among others:

 The cultists may live in interminable bondage and dread. This is on the grounds that cultists are continually watching their backs since adversary cliques are dependably at 'war'.

 Cultists are constantly damaging, coldblooded, headstrong and mischievous; so a very much mannered person that enjoys cultism will consequently change his great conduct to a callous individual.

 Most cultists have no respects for good and values.

 Possible rustication from school.

At times, cultists brutalities had caused the loss of school foundation and these frameworks are essential prerequisites for affecting information; thus of this the learning procedure is hampered, subsequently perception is not totally inferred.

The vandalization frameworks require colossal assets to supplant them. In doing this, cash intended to be spent on enhancing the schools offices are occupied into supplanting decimated types of gear/offices, thus diminishing subjective and quantitative learning.

Understudies are straightforwardly annoyed and whipped therefore of turning down advances of cultist. Instructors are freely assaulted and disreputably treated by cultist since they demanded evaluating cultist on legitimacy.

Indeed, even school staffs are hesitant to complete their obligations subsequently of the exercises of cultists. This has prompted to delivering silly graduates and the arrangement of low quality training. A few students have even quit school subsequently because of cultists activities.

To annihilate the demonstration of cultism or decrease it to the barest minimum, the perils of enjoying occultic acts ought to be appropriately underscored amid the introduction of crisp understudies. Security ought to be expanded inside and around our school premises to checkmate the conveying of arms and illicit weapons into our society.

The high cost of instruction in the nation ought to be lessened in light of the fact that destitution and absence of assets is one of the reasons a few young people are in cultism. Religious associations ought to compose youth programmes that focus on the impacts of cultism.

Guardians ought to screen the wards to guarantee that they are not adversely affected by companion bunches. Our tertiary institutions ought to set up tribunals that would guarantee that cultist is legitimately attempted and sentence when gotten.

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The devastation of cultism in our grounds is extremely tremendous and if not appropriately checked, it would change into something else and would render our society unquenchable'.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Legit.ng.

Legit.ng welcomes writers, bloggers, photographers and all sorts of noise makers to become a part of our Bloggers network. If you are a seasoned writer or a complete newbie  apply and become Nigerias next star blogger.

Send us some info about your career, interests and expertise and why youd like to contribute to the Blogger Network at blogger@corp.legit.ng Also, please send us the link to your blog and three examples of your work.

More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest bloggers.

Source: Legit.ng
Govt appoints VCs at four health institutes

The government on Thursday appointed vice-chancellors at four health academies.
- Two blind homosexuals have been sentenced to six years in jail in Niger state

- They were found guilty of abusing two boys of 10 and 12 years old

- The trial magistrate did not give them option of fine

Two blind homosexuals were on Thursday jailed for abusing two boys in Minna, the Niger state capital.

They were sentenced to six years imprisonment without an option of fine.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Magistrate, Hajiya Hauwa, handed down the verdict after the duo of Idris Usman and Abubakar Sadik pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against them.

Each of the convicts was sentenced to three years in prison.

The police prosecutor, Abdullahi Mayaki, had told the court that the accused committed the offence in December 2016.

He told the court that the two boys were lured with N50 and N100 and got them abused.

The two boys are within the ages of 10 and 12 years of age.

READ ALSO: Remove middlemen from our business transactions, they are impediments  farmers beg CBN

He said the offence contravened section 19 of the Niger state child right law.

Mayaki said under the law the accused should have been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment but noted that the sentence was reduced to six years because the accused persons had pleaded guilty and asked for leniency.

The Director General of the State Child Rights Agency, Hajiya Mairam Kolo, who was in court, applauded the judgment.

She commended the magistrate for ensuring that justice was done which, she said, would serve as a deterrent to others.

Source: Legit.ng
The Nigerian presidency has released what it calls nine ways the countrys president has fought corruption through policies introduced by his administration.

President Buhari has also received a merit award from a Nigerian group

It said these policies have helped to improve fiscal responsibility and transparency even though the nations anti-corruption agencies were not involved.

This means that while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are combing the nooks and corners of the country for corrupt citizens, the presidency is subtly carrying out reforms to further frustrate the act.

READ ALSO: EFCC recovers jewelries from former NSA's in-law

The policies mentioned at the National Dialogue on Corruption summit organised in Abuja by the Presidential Action Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) in conjunction with the office of the vice-president on Thursday, March 3, 2017, include:

1. The Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA)

PICA was set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to strengthen controls over government finances through a continuous internal audit process across all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), particularly in respect of payroll. Through the activities of PICA, a total of 53,000 erroneous payroll entries have been identified, with payroll savings of N198 billion achieved in 2016.

2. Budget Reforms

Instead of the traditional method of hard copy submissions of budget proposals, ministries, departments and agencies were asked to upload their proposals to the new budget preparation portal. By replacing paper submissions with an audit-able and trackable online system, the 2017 budget preparation process was strengthened against manipulation and unauthorised alteration

3. Expansion of TSA Coverage

On Aug 7, 2015, PMB issued executive order to all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to implement Treasury Single Account (TSA) Policy. The TSA Policy has resulted in consolidation of over 20,000 bank accounts and in average monthly savings of N4.7bn in banking charges.

4. Deployment of BVN for payroll and Social Investment Programmes

The use of BVN to verify federal government payroll entries has so far led to the detection of 53,000 erroneous payroll entries.

READ ALSO: Ladoja further indicted by EFCC witness in court

5. Replacement of old Cash-Based Accounting System with an Accruals-Based System

Accruals-based accounting presents the true financial position of the federal governments assets and liabilities, which would help the Government plan future funding requirements for asset maintenance and replacement, and the repayment of existing and contingent liabilities and, thus, better manage their cash position and financing requirements.

6. Enlistment into Open Government Partnership (OGP)

In July 2016, Nigeria became 70th country to join OGP and has gone on to develop a National Action Plan (20172019).

7. Insistence on Conditionality of Fiscal Support to states

The Fiscal Sustainability Plan (FSP) is a reform programme that specifies conditions under which states can access federal governments N510 billion Budget Support Facility (BSF). State governments that fail to implement the FSP action plans, as stated, will be taken off the Budget Support Facility with immediate effect. The Fiscal Sustainability Plan is part of our reform of Public Financial Management Systems nationwide.

8. Asset Recovery Reforms

The constitution of a Presidential Committee on Asset Recovery (PCAR), headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to bring together all law enforcement agencies involved in the recovery of assets; as well as designation of a dedicated Central Bank account to receive all recovered funds, for coordination and transparency of management and oversight.

READ ALSO: Dasuki knows fate over application against double charges by EFCC

9. New Whistleblowing Policy

The new Whistleblowing policy introduced by the federal ministry of Finance has already yielded about $160m and N8 billion in recoveries of stolen government funds.

Source: Legit.ng
- As part of efforts by the federal government to curtail the crisis in the Niger Delta, acting President Yemi Osinbajo has given a new directive to oil companies

- The acting president, who spoke in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, asked the petroleum minister, Ibe Kachikwu, to liaise with the oil companies to ensure this is done

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has reportedly asked all international oil companies operating in the Niger-Delta region but with head offices in other parts of Nigeria to relocate to the zone.

Osinbajo gave the directive in Akwa Ibom state

It is believed that this is the first time such order would be given by the presidency since 1999 when Nigeria returned to democratic rule.

It is widely known that the oil companies carry out their operations in the region that is now seriously affected by spillage, but have their head offices in Abuja and Lagos.

READ ALSO: FG budgets N1billion for development of Ibaka seaport

Vanguard reports that Osinbajo gave the directive at a town hall meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom which he visited as part of efforts to end the Niger-Delta crisis.

Osinbajo asked the minister of state for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu to begin the process of engaging the international oil firms to ensure the directive is adhered to since it was the right thing to do.

He revealed that the petroleum ministry was working with the oil firms working on illegal refineries to establish modular refineries to achieve the desired result.

He further noted that the ministry of Petrolum and the Presidential Amnesty Office are doing their best with state governments in the Niger Delta to the benefit of the youths in the area.

Emphasizing that the government was committed on the Ibaka deep Sea port project, he added: Indeed as a matter of fact, in the 2017 budget there is already a provision for the Ibaka port. There is already N1billion provision.

It is a matter we take seriously to partner with the Akwa Ibom state government.

He also pleaded with the region to attract private investments in their domain in order to boost employment for the youths.

READ ALSO: 10 ways Buhari has tackled corruption without involving EFCC - Presidency

In his earlier position, Governor Udom Emmanuel pleaded with the federal government to integrate Akwa Ibom indigenes, who were left out in the amnesty programmes.

He also pleaded for the reactivation of the Aluminum Smelter Company (ALSCON) at Ikot Abais local government area of the state to create more opportunities for the people.

With facilities we have in ALSCON, we cannot see it anywhere in Africa; from the services, communication to power generation you can create seven profits centres, he said.

Source: Legit.ng
Govt to form separate authority to monitor health facilities

The government has decided to establish a separate authority to govern and regulate private and public health facilities in the country.
Whenever Prophet Muhammad's name is mentioned by Muslims, the letters PBUH is put after it, which means Peace be unto him.

Prophet Muhammad

He reportedly lived between 570 CE  8 June 632 CE and is the central figure of Islam and widely identified as its founder by non-Muslims.

He is known as the "Holy Prophet" to Muslims, almost all of whom consider him to be the final prophet of God to restore Islam, believed by Muslims to be the unaltered original monotheistic faith of Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets.

According to a website celebrating Islam, Musliminc, here are some miracles performed by him:

1. Invisibility

When the Prophet planned to migrate to Medina, the tribes in Mecca conspired to assassinate him once and for all.

Each tribe sent an assassin and they surrounded the house of the Prophet that night. But the Prophet walked out right in front of them and none of them saw him. They were blinded to him.

2. The camel in the sand incident

The Prophet and Abu Bakr were on their way to Medina when they were being followed by an assassin named Suraqa.

When Abu Bakr got worried, the Messenger told him: "Dont be sad; Allah is certainly with us.

Then he cast a glance at Suraqa and his horses feet became stuck in the sand. Suraqa managed to get the feet of the horse but when he tried to follow the Prophet (pbuh), his horses legs got stuck again and smoke was coming from where the sand. Suraqa realized this was beyond him and had to go back.

3. Talking with the Jinn

In one narration, a jinni called Hama came in the form of an old man carrying a staff; he accepted Islam. The Noble Messenger instructed him in some of the short chapters of the Quran, which he listened to and then departed.

4. Water flowed from his blessed hands

Once the Prophet was with his companions, about 300 of them in a place called Zawra. It was time to observe the afternoon prayer but the people could not find any water to make wudu.

They Prophet ordered them to look for little water, when they did, he dipped him hands into it and water was flowing from his hands like a fountain. All three hundred people who were there made wudu and used it for other needs.

READ ALSO: Global Muslim population could surpass that of Christians 53 YEARS from today - new report

5. The night journey (Isra) and ascension (Miraj)

This is one of the most amazing miracles of the Prophet (pbuh). It is called Al Isra wal Miraj. It was the night that the Prophet (pbuh), under the guidance of archangel Gibril (pbuh) travelled the Kaaba in Makkah to Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem and then to the sky, to the high realms and to the presence of God.

On this journey, he met the Prophet before him including Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus) and Ibrahim (Abraham). He led them in prayer. He reached a very high place where he could hear the pens writing peoples deeds. He saw heaven and hell. And he (pbuh) was elevated, and he met his Lord, the Magnificent, and the merciful. This incident is narrated in the holy Quran and hadith.

6. The moon split

The polytheists at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) keep insisting that they wanted a miracle. They said they will believe if The Prophet (pbuh) could show them the splitting of the moon in half.

When Allah granted the Prophet the ability, he called them all to witness, and the moon split in two. And indeed it was a clear manifestation. But in their arrogance, they still rejected the truth. This incident is also narrated in the Holy Quran.

7. The lifeless objects and animals communicated with the Prophet

On several occasions, trees, stones, mountains and sand would greet the Prophet when he passed. Once, a Jew roasted a goat, filling it with a very strong poison.

She then sent it to Gods Messenger. But before the Prophet touched the food, the goat spoke to him and informed him of the poison. So he told everyone to abstain from the food.

READ ALSO: Muslims can drink alcohol but not drunk - Islamic cleric

8. The dead affirmed the Prophet-hood of Muhammed

In one narration, one of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) suddenly dropped down dead in the marketplace. The people took his body to his house.

That evening between sunset and the night prayer, while the women were weeping all around him, the corpse exclaimed: Silence! Silence!

Then he said: Muhammad is Gods Messenger! Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God! He spoke so eloquently for a while that the people had to uncover him to check. But he was really dead.

9. Food galore

The Messenger of Allah fed more than a hundred people from very small food. Whenever he placed his blessed hands on any food, he caused it to increase and everyone could eat to their fill and still have left over.

In one narration, he fed more than a hundred men from one cup of milk. Each person would drink to his fill and pass to the next without refilling. And each of the men drank to their satisfaction, and the cup was still filed with milk as though it was never touched.

10. The Prophet could heal the sick

In one narration, one of the companions was hit by an arrow in his eye. The arrow was so deep it was sticking out at the back of his head. The Messenger placed his hands over the eye and it healed.

11. The greatest miracle of Prophet Muhammed is the Quran.

Watch a video of Allah's name appearing on a tree:

Source: Legit.ng
- Despite efforts by the federal government and complaints by Nigerians, Fulani herdsmen have continued to carry out attacks on people and their farmland

- In one of such attacks on a community in Benue state, the herdsmen reportedly killed six people allegedly in reprisal to the killing of one of them

Not less than six people have been killed in a clash that occurred between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in Gbemacha council ward of Gwer local government area of Benue state.

Many Nigerians say Fulani herdsmen have become a menace to the country

The Nigerian Tribune reports sources as saying the latest attack by the herdsmen was in reprisal of the killing of one of their colleagues.

According to the report, the herdsmen had stormed the community with about 5,000 and destroyed farmlands and crops thus provoking the people of the area, who, with their youths, mobilized against the invasion.

READ ALSO: Three reportedly killed by Fulani herdsmen in attack on Benue

This did not go down well with youths of the area who tried to resist them, but were equally countered by the armed herdsmen who besieged the community in great numbers and sacked the locals from their homes, the source allegedly said.

Confirming the incident, Professor Jonathan Uever, a special advisser to Governor Samuel Otorm, who hails from the area, said:

They were not provoked in any way.

From what I gathered from my people who had been giving me update on the crisis in the last three days, the herdsmen stormed Gbemacha council ward and everybody ran for their lives.

They took over our community and broke into peoples houses, destroyed food barns and burnt, food items.

Thereafter, they went and hid near a popular well in the community. The first person they saw was an elderly man, who they shot and sl*ughtered with three others.

READ ALSO: Acting president Osinbajo applauds military successes in North-East

As I speak with you, Im being inundated with phone calls from my people on the matter, but Im in touch with the local governments sole administrator.

Source: Legit.ng
India ready for development partnership with Nepal: Jaitely

Visiting Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitely has pledged more Indian investment in Nepal, saying that New Delhi wanted partnership with Kathmandu in various sectors of development.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has urged foreign airlines operating in Nigeria to reconsider their decision and make use of Kaduna International Airport during the six weeks closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Osinbajo made the plea in Kaduna on Friday in an interview with newsmen shortly after his on-the-spot assessment and readiness of the Kaduna airport.

He urged the airlines to bear the situation and be ready to work with the Federal Government to achieve its objective of delivering a safe and secure aviation sector.

READ ALSO: Osinbajo storms Kaduna, carries out inspection of airport

According to him, one thing that is clear is that not all foreign airlines have declined to come here but we have met with a great number of them that are willing to come.

I think we need to tell the foreign airlines that this is an emergency and a temporary arrangement and they should be ready to work with us because we are concerned about safety and comfort.

They are here also to see things for themselves and we would be happy if they work with us, he said.

The acting president, who was at the airport to inspect the progress of work and its readiness to serve as a temporary substitute for Abuja airport between March 8 and April 19, expressed satisfaction with the level of work.

He explained that as a local airport, a lot of work needed to be done to bring it to the kind of standard that would be required.

Osinbajo, however, directed the contractor to ensure speedy completion within the next five days to enhance smooth operations at the airport.

So we think it will be in a complete state of readiness by Wednesday, but I expect that within a very short time, the job will be done, he said.

Mr Tanimu Abdullahi, Managing Director of Dari Investment Limited, the contractor handling the project, gave assurance that the project would be completed before the March 8 deadline.

Abdullahi said the project was 95 per cent completed, adding that the conveyor belt and all the security gadgets had been installed as well as every other critical things.

As for the fingers, we will fix them after the six week operation since it will not disrupt operation because we cannot start rushing and it is a technical issue, he said.

Mrs Firiehwot Mekonnen, Manager, Sales and Traffic, Ethiopian Airlines, told newsmen that they had inspected the facilities at the airport and were ready to fly the route.

Mekonnen said the airline would maintain its Abuja daily flight schedule at the Kaduna airport, and fly its Boeing 777-30 with daily schedule.

We are going to maintain our usual schedule from Abuja to Addis Ababa. So now it is going to be Kaduna-Addis Ababa and Addis Ababa-Kaduna, she said.

READ ALSO: Abuja airport closure: FG lists 8 emergency centres

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that barely a week to the closure of Abuja airport and diversion of its flights to Kaduna, the Acting President took an inspection tour to the airport on Friday.

Osinbajo, who was accompanied by the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi and Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, expressed satisfaction with the progress of work at the airport.

Source: Legit.ng
A man in Georgia was convicted last month of a conspiracy and the illegal importation of misbranded drug products from China that an FDA official indicated were distributed as all-natural supplements."

Following a six-day trial, a jury also convicted Ismail Ali Khan of receiving misbranded drugs that moved through interstate commerce and making false statements so he could become a naturalized U.S. citizen, the U.S. Justice Department announced in a Feb. 16 news release.

In 2014, Khanthen 26 years old from Decatur, Georgiaand four other defendants were indicted on federal charges of conspiring to illegally import into the United States male enhancement products that contained sildenafil, the active ingredient in the drug Viagra. At the time, the Justice Department said the defendants had wire transferred more than $2 million in U.S. currency to bank accounts in China to pay for the merchandise.

The conspiracy goes back to 2011 when Khan and his brother began ordering male enhancement products from China that were marketed under such names as Rock Hard Weekend," Stiff Nights" and African Black Ant," the Justice Department alleged.

Federal prosecutors alleged the defendants imported and distributed products that were mislabeled as all-natural" and herbal." The labels purportedly failed to warn consumers that the products contained sildenafil and tadalafil, the active pharmaceutical ingredient found in the drug Cialis.

Distributing unapproved and misbranded drugs disguised as all-natural supplements places the U.S. public health at risk," said Justin Green, a special agent in charge, with FDAs Office of Criminal Investigations in the Miami field office, in the Justice Departments news release. We will remain vigilant in our efforts to protect American consumers from these fraudulent and potentially dangerous products."

FDA criminal investigators have identified many products labeled and marketed as all natural" or supplements" that contain undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients. The adulterated, or unlawful, products are often marketed for sexual enhancement, bodybuilding and weight loss.

Efforts to Evade Customs and FDA

The prosecution against the defendants reflects the lengths to which criminals will go to evade federal authorities when importing and distributing adulterated products.

The Justice Department alleged the defendants directed their suppliers to mislabel boxes containing the products to avoid import restrictions. The customs declaration attached to the boxes falsely declared that the boxes contained such goods as tea," coffee" and beauty products," the Justice Department noted, adding FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection would not have allowed the products to enter the United States if they had been properly labeled.

After receiving the shipments from China, Khan and his co-conspirators purportedly moved the products to storage units where they arranged orders for wholesale distributors of the products.

Revocation of U.S. Citizenship

Ismail Ali Khan is scheduled for sentencing on April 27, 2017 before U.S. District Judge Steve Jones. During his sentencing hearing, the judge will sign an order revoking Khans U.S. citizenship, the Justice Department said, indicating the circumstances behind the expected revocation.

In 2013 during the conspiracy, in an application to become a naturalized U.S. citizen, Khan falsely declared he had never committed a criminal offense for which he had not been arrested, the Justice Department said. The defendant repeated the false statement in an interview with Citizenship and Naturalization Services, and again before he took the oath to become a naturalized citizen, the government agency said.

On March 14, 2014, based on the false statements, Khan became a naturalized U.S. citizen, the Justice Department said.

Amanda R. Clark Palmer, an attorney representing Khan, did not respond to a request for comment. Bob Page, a spokesman with the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Northern District of Georgia, declined a request for an interview with federal prosecutors to discuss the case.
Mahat, UN top official discuss Nepal HR issues

Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein exchanged views on human rights situation in Nepal during a meeting in Geneva on Wednesday.
Bob Mankoff is stepping down from his post as the cartoon editor of The New Yorker after a 20-year run.

Emma Allen, another editor at the magazine, will assume his position at the end of April, David Remnick, The New Yorkers editor, announced on Thursday. But Mr. Mankoff wont be leaving the magazines pages: He plans to contribute his own cartoons regularly, and hes also editing a new anthology, The New Yorker Encyclopedia of Cartoons, scheduled for publication in 2018.
Federal agents raided three Caterpillar buildings near its Illinois headquarters on Thursday, company and law enforcement officials said, in an escalation of an inquiry into the heavy equipment manufacturers offshore tax practices.

Caterpillar has been dogged by accusations that it slashed its domestic tax bill by shifting corporate profits from the United States to a subsidiary in Switzerland. A 2014 congressional investigation concluded that a scheme to move cash between the companys American and foreign subsidiaries cut its tax bill in the United States by $2.4 billion over 13 years.

The United States attorneys office for the Central District of Illinois, the Internal Revenue Service criminal investigation division, and two other agencies led the search of Caterpillar buildings near Peoria, Ill., where Caterpillar is based, said Sharon Paul, a spokeswoman for the United States attorney.

Corrie Heck Scott, a Caterpillar spokeswoman, confirmed that the raids were occurring. Law enforcement is present in various Peoria-area Caterpillar facilities executing a search warrant, she said in a statement. Caterpillar is cooperating.
He said then that the Army should hire 50,000 soldiers to get back to 540,000, and he supports a Navy plan to increase its fleet to 355 ships from 276. That plan calls for the Navy to buy more destroyers and start building three nuclear-powered attack submarines a year instead of two.

But Mr. Trump has also called for a more isolationist foreign policy and has said that American allies should pick up more of the bill for defending themselves. And even central tenets of military strategy are in question. At the same time Mr. Trump has been criticized by lawmakers from both parties for cozying up to Russia, his defense secretary, James Mattis, a retired Marine general, has described that country as Americas principal threat.

As a result, independent analysts said, it is hard to square the presidents foreign and defense policies or know what his final priorities would be if Congress only approved part of the money he is seeking.

It is not clear to me why we would need 355 ships if our foreign policy says we are going to reduce our commitments around the world and let allies do more for their own defense, said Todd Harrison, a military budget expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a bipartisan Washington research group.

And if you want to build a military more suited to deter Russia and China than to deter terrorists, it is a very different capability that you want to buy, Mr. Harrison said. That is something that the Trump administration has not really rationalized yet.

Mr. Obama approved a series of sophisticated new weapons projects, including a new long-range bomber for the Air Force and massive ballistic missile submarines for the Navy. So the debate within the Pentagon now is not so much about pitting the services against one another to see whose pet project will survive as it is about determining how much money is needed to keep all the big projects going.

The Air Force, for instance, has been trying to expand production of the F-35 while also building new aerial-refueling tankers, modernizing nuclear missile systems and building the new stealth bombers.
Although the mayor inherited a terrible problem, rooted in escalating housing costs, stagnant wages and cuts to rental assistance programs, his approach has, in many cases, been hastily reactive rather than inspiringly visionary. Not long ago, a report from the office of the city comptroller, Scott M. Stringer, who like the mayor is a Democrat, revealed that the citys reliance on putting people up in commercial hotels had jumped greatly during the past year, with bills rounding out around $400,000 a day. Shelters are a temporary response to an acute housing crisis as well, but they provide much more stability than a Holiday Inn. That the authors of the mayors report found it necessary to state that new shelters will be clean indicates just how little progress had been made.

Why hasnt shelter expansion come sooner? Shelters have to go somewhere. The de Blasio administration has been reluctant to go to war with neighborhoods that dont want shelters, presumably for fear of the political repercussions, though it has had little problem standing up to the Nimby-ists who hope to get in the way of the high-rise plans of upmarket developers. Several months ago, the city pulled back on an initiative to turn a hotel in Maspeth, Queens, into a permanent shelter, after weeks of protests by local residents. The new plan gives communities 30 days to respond, which is unquestionably not very much time but is still more than they had been given before.

Conflict, though, is likely to get worse. The mayors plan arrives at the precise moment that the City Council has introduced a package of bills known as fair share legislation, the goal of which is to shape the city so that both social assets and social responsibilities are distributed according to a sense of geographic equity. Just as poorer neighborhoods should include more good things  parks, libraries  affluent neighborhoods should help shoulder the burden of shelters, waste transfer sites and so on, the logic goes. If the Rikers Island complex were to close, for example, smaller jails would pop up around the city, and they would need to be in Forest Hills, Queens, as much as they would in the South Bronx.

The de Blasio plan calls for shelters to be created in the neighborhoods where homeless people come from, so they can be as near as possible to the schools their children might attend, and to family and friends who could offer support. To whatever extent that might seem to limit disruption, fair share advocates believe such an approach only exacerbates the problems of concentrated poverty.

If a school has so many homeless and low-income kids, its hard for a school to do well, said Councilman Brad Lander, a Brooklyn Democrat who backs the legislation. When things are borne fairly, we pay more attention to them doing well. Its sort of the opposite of Rikers. When something is out of sight, were more likely to do it in ways that are problematic.
In 1984, Ronald Reagan was president, Arnold Schwarzenegger was still an actor, Bruce Springsteen released Born in the U.S.A. and McDonalds served its 50 billionth hamburger. That same year, a novice photographer from Montreal, Brian Young, landed in New York City and began documenting the insides of the graffiti-covered subway system.

You sit there, you see the world, he said.

He printed his pictures on paper, as everyone did in those days, a physical memory of a raw place.

Back then, a ride cost 90 cents, paid for with a brass token. And muggings were commonplace.

I had one camera and one lens, and someone could have used it used to bludgeon me, he added.

For decades, Mr. Young had the idea to publish what he saw. He had become a master printer (and a loyalist to the analog form), processing black and white prints and volumes for photographers and photojournalists like Eugene Richards and James Nachtwey.
Mayor Bill de Blasios declaration that the best New York City could do to reduce the ranks of homeless people in its shelters was to move 2,500 out over five years is rallying advocates and some elected officials behind a plan now working its way through the State Legislature.

Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, a Queens Democrat, has proposed a statewide rental assistance program that would help families receiving public assistance stay in their homes by bridging the gap between the rent subsidies they now get from the state and typical fair-market rents.

For a family of three receiving the basic shelter allowance of $400 a month and paying a fair-market rent of $1,637 for a two-bedroom apartment, the $1,237 gap is well out of reach, Mr. Hevesi said, and a potential push toward homelessness.

An analysis by the office of Scott M. Stringer, the city comptroller, found that over 10 years, Mr. Hevesis plan could cut the citys shelter population by 80 percent among families with children and 40 percent among single adults.
Mr. Karadenizli, who visits three or four times a week, understood the late nights. Sometimes Im alone or else I bring friends or clients, but no matter what, the hours go by here without you even realizing, he said. Theres something about this place that makes you want to stay.

For Joel and Cheryl Krasner, who live a few blocks away, that something is the getaway vibe. The music and decor make us feel like were on a mini break, Ms. Krasner said.

The owner Gregory Politis, 47, greeted the Krasners affectionately with pats on their backs: Everything O.K. tonight, you two?

An establishment with this kind of convivial ambience was exactly what Mr. Politis had in mind when he opened Korali in May 2015. He comes from Lefkada island in Greece, and said that he has fond memories of dining at tavernas there, where friends and family would gather for leisurely conversation and meals made with locally grown vegetables and fish that had been caught the same day.
Marian Javits, the arts patron, bon vivant and proto-feminist who cut a singular figure in New York while her husband, Jacob, devoted long years in Washington as the states long-serving United States senator, died on Tuesday in Manhattan. She was 92.

Her death was confirmed by her son, Joshua.

Mrs. Javits, who grew up in poverty and later became part of a glamorous social set, provided ample fodder for gossip columnists with her nightclubbing, her long-distance marriage to a spouse who was 21 years older and her separate professional life, which crossed prevailing boundaries when she became a lobbyist for the Iranian government.

She was unambiguous about her relationship with her husband, Senator Jacob K. Javits, a Republican, who was first elected in 1956, served until his defeat by Alfonse M DAmato in 1980 and died in 1986.

I am his mistress, Mrs. Javits was quoted as saying in Myra MacPhersons book The Power Lovers: An Intimate Look at Politicians and Their Marriages (1975). His work is his wife.
As mysteriously as an anti-black slur appeared on a house in Stamford, Conn., in January, it was covered over this week, officials said.

What the houses residents did after the spray-painted slur first appeared caused as much of a stir as the graffiti itself. The residents, Heather Lindsay, who is white, and Lexene Charles, who is black, defied a directive by the city to cover it up because they wanted to make a point publicly about intolerance.

The slur was discovered on the Saturday before Martin Luther Kings Birthday. After it had been up for three weeks, the city issued a citation for blight and warned the couple that they faced a fine of $100 a day.

The police chief visited the home and offered to clean the slur, which was sprawled across a garage door. The mayor said he would help. The couple refused their offers and ignored the citation.
TO THE EDITOR:

In her Feb. 25 Op-Ed essay, Why I Will Not Leave, Jeanette Vizguerra admits to entering the United States twice illegally, forging a document by making up a Social Security number, working illegally without a permit, driving with an expired inspection tag and failing to appear at a scheduled meeting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. She blames everybody, including President Trump for enforcing the law, except herself.

I am an immigrant, too. I am a legal immigrant. I came to this country with a student visa. After that visa expired, it would have been easy for me to stay on illegally. However, as a responsible person, I did not want to start my life in this country as a criminal. So I applied for a green card. I had to return to my home country and go through the application process there. When, after two years, my green card was granted, I returned to the United States as a legal immigrant, and later became a citizen.

If Ms. Vizguerras isnt a proper case for deportation, I dont know what is. I feel very sorry for her children, who have to suffer from their mothers irresponsibility and total disregard of the laws of this country.

URS RUDIGER, LOS ALTOS, CALIF.
Investment Summit 2017: Making case for investing in Nepal

Top political leaders, including Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, on Thursday made a strong pitch for foreign investment in Nepal and expressed commitment to a good business environment.
As it turns out, Mr. Sessions met twice with Mr. Kislyak, once at the Republican National Convention in July, and again in his Senate office in September  around the time that Russian efforts to meddle in the election on behalf of Mr. Trump reached their peak. Still, meeting an ambassador is no crime in itself, which makes Mr. Sessionss denial even more inexplicable. On Thursday, he said he never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the campaign. Yet a Trump administration official told CNBCs John Harwood that Mr. Sessions had talked about the election with the ambassador, if only in superficial terms.

Mr. Sessions is the latest administration official to be caught between his words and the truth on Russia. Just a few weeks ago, the president fired Michael Flynn, his national security adviser, for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with the Russian ambassador.

Mr. Sessionss recusal is only a first necessary step. The second must be the appointment of a special counsel  an independent, nonpartisan actor who can both investigate and prosecute any criminal acts in relation to Russian interference, whether by Mr. Sessions or anyone else. Thats the only way an investigation can have credibility with the public. Simply shifting investigative authority to one of Mr. Sessionss deputies, who report to him on all other matters, would do nothing to cure the underlying conflict.

Republican leaders in Congress also need to establish a bipartisan select committee to investigate whether the Trump campaign had a role in Russias election interference. Intelligence committees in both houses of Congress have said they will begin their own investigations, but those are run by the likes of Devin Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Mr. Nunes has dismissed concerns about the issue, and was one of several top Republicans dispatched by the White House to talk with reporters to challenge news reports tying Russia to the Trump campaign.

One person who said recusal wasnt necessary was President Trump. Only hours before Mr. Sessionss announcement, Mr. Trump expressed total confidence in his attorney general, even though he said he had not known about his communications with the ambassador. In other words, Mr. Trump appears to be saying that he has no problem with being kept in the dark.
TO THE EDITOR:

Re The Immigration Debate We Need, by George Borjas (Op-Ed, Feb. 27):

I have seen this issue from both sides. I served as an Immigration and Naturalization Service prosecutor during the 1980s and have specialized in immigration law for the past 30 years.

There are many ways that our legal immigration system could be improved. First, since legal immigration to the United States is approximately one-third of 1 percent of our population and the baby boom is long over, there is no need to reduce immigration. If anything, it should be increased.

Second, most immigrants today are chosen by whether they have close family members in the United States. This system is good for families, but it does not necessarily serve the interests of our country. Lets get rid of the brother-sister category. Lets also press delete on the program that allows 50,000 people to immigrate to the United States annually based on a lottery!

Third, lets get rid of per-country quotas for talented immigrants, which makes it take way longer for highly educated people to immigrate to the United States from countries like India, China and the Philippines than for people from other countries.
The familiar and (you thought) anachronistic plaint, Always a bridesmaid, never a bride, assumes an extra degree of pain in Joshua Harmons Significant Other, the bubbly, teary comedy that opened on Thursday night at the Booth Theater. Its bad enough that Jordan Bermans closest buddies, all women, are getting married.

But Jordan (Gideon Glick, in an expert performance) isnt even allowed the cold comfort of walking down the aisle  in hideous pastels and clutching a bouquet  behind his soon-to-be-wedded bestie. When his sympathetic grandmother, Helene (Barbara Barrie), says that guys dont usually play that role in weddings, he answers impatiently, Its the 21st century, Grandma.

Could have fooled me, Jordan. Though there are plenty of details that identify this brightly performed play as belonging to the immediate present  compulsive use of smartphones, casual talk about genitals, references to George Clooney as a gay lust object  Significant Other often seems to hail from another era.

Im talking about that hazy, distant decade, the unforgettably forgettable 1990s, which Im told have returned to fashions runways wearing blurry quotation marks. (Nobody recycles like a clothing designer.) The 90s, along with the tail end of the 80s, were the years in which a brave new wisecracking archetype cozied up to mainstream America: the Gay Best Friend.
Theres a First Amendment right of access to sidewalks, public squares and even public streets. Heckling is a well-protected First Amendment right.

KEVIN F. ONEILL, a scholar of protest law, on a North Carolina proposal to make it illegal to threaten or intimidate state officials.
The fight against President Trumps executive orders to turn away refugees, deport undocumented immigrants and build a wall along the Mexican border is about to escalate in many American churches.

A broad network of 37 Protestant and Orthodox Christian denominations will announce on Friday a campaign to mobilize its congregants  some 30 million Americans in all  to lobby the president and members of Congress to rescind the executive orders.

In a declaration hammered out over the last month, church leaders call the orders unjust and immoral and say they run counter to the values we as people of faith hold dear: to welcome the stranger and assist those most in need.

It is imperative that we speak out against the notion that refugees are a threat to our safety, the declaration adds. They are not.
According to the Armys regulations, commanders are not supposed to take favorable personnel actions to advance the career of soldiers who are the subject of a serious investigation.

The regulations allow for an exception: Commanders can seek a waiver so that soldiers under investigation can attend special military schools.

General McMaster was reluctant to interfere with the soldiers training before any guilt was established, according to the investigations report. It said he was not aware that he was required to apply to the Armys deputy chief of staff for a waiver so they could go to the Ranger School, where soldiers are taught combat leadership and tactics under grueling conditions.

The criminal case against the two soldiers was later dropped after a Fort Benning trial counsel determined that the accusers account was not credible. Instead, the counsel recommended that administrative action be taken against the soldiers for various improprieties.

At first, General McMaster ordered that an official reprimand be inserted into the officers files after they graduated from Ranger School. The officers were allowed to challenge that decision. After hearing their rebuttal, General McMaster concluded that the misconduct had not occurred as alleged, according to his official record of the case, and ordered the letters of reprimand to be destroyed.

General McMaster later received his own chiding from Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, the vice chief of staff of the Army, though it fell short of a formal reprimand. Describing it as a memorandum of concern, General Allyn said that General McMaster should have been better informed about the Army regulations.

I understand that you were unaware of the ability to request a waiver in this case, and that you did not want to delay the officers training, General Allyn wrote. I also recognize that you ultimately decided to take no action against the officers after carefully considering the evidence. However, professional judgments may not supplant Army policy under any circumstances. I am disappointed with your actions.
Mrs. Trump, whose aides had arranged for a small pool of reporters and photographers to cover the visit, then proceeded to read Oh, the Places Youll Go!, a Dr. Seuss classic with an inspirational message that she said was a favorite of hers.

Youll be as famous as famous can be, Mrs. Trump read from the book. With the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Mrs. Trump has stayed mostly out of the spotlight since President Trump took office. She has appeared at her husbands side for a handful of official events, most recently accompanying him to the Capitol on Tuesday for his address to a joint session of Congress. But she has avoided the press and done nothing in public to carve out her own priorities or initiatives as first lady.

Michelle Obama made outings with young people a staple of her time as first lady, often making unscheduled stops to spend time with them. On Tuesday, the former first lady was back at it, surprising students in a vocational program at a Washington public school, where she spent more than an hour discussing the importance of pursuing higher education. Mrs. Obama posted a photograph of her visit on Twitter.

A photograph of Mrs. Trumps hospital story time appeared in her Twitter feed on Thursday.

Mrs. Trump has said she is interested in working to combat cyberbullying, but has yet to start such a program. And while she has named a chief of staff and a social secretary, the White House has not announced the hiring of other key players in the East Wing, such as a communications director, a press secretary or other senior staff members. Mrs. Trump has made it known she does not intend to be much of a presence in Washington at least in the short term; she has opted to reside in New York while the couples 10-year-old son, Barron, finishes his school year.
Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican who has criticized the repeal bill, also tried and failed to see it.

I have been told that the House Obamacare bill is under lock & key, in a secure location, & not available for me or the public to view, Mr. Paul said on Twitter as he set off in search of the document, carrying a portable copy machine and trailed by television cameras and a pack of journalists.

Mr. Paul supports repealing the Affordable Care Act, but said the measure described publicly by House Republican leaders included Democratic ideas dressed up in Republican clothing.

Mr. Hoyer, whose quest for the bill was broadcast live on Facebook, paused to address a large bust of Abraham Lincoln. I cant find the bill, he said, adding, I know, Mr. Lincoln, you are as upset with your party as I am today.

The theatrics reflected serious concerns. Republicans are hiding their draft A.C.A. repeal bill in a basement room, said the House Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi of California. The bill, she said, would produce a big transfer of wealth to the wealthiest people in our country, cutting their taxes while increasing costs for others.

It is not unusual for controversial bills to be written by the majority party, with little or no input from the minority. But Democrats relished the opportunity to turn the tables on Republicans.

In 2009 and 2010, Republicans excoriated Democrats for making back-room deals to pass the Affordable Care Act. Democrats, defending the bill they had written with President Barack Obama, were shouted down at town hall-style meetings by Tea Party members chanting, Read the bill.
WASHINGTON  The disclosure that Russias ambassador to the United States spoke twice with Attorney General Jeff Sessions last year, even though Mr. Sessions testified at his January confirmation hearing that he did not have communications with the Russians, has set off a new round of political furor in Washington, this time with legal overtones.

After Republicans began joining Democrats on Thursday in calling upon Mr. Sessions to recuse himself from overseeing any criminal investigation related to Russian meddling in the 2016 election, the attorney general announced that he would step aside from any current or future cases related to the campaign. As a senator, Mr. Sessions was a top campaign adviser to President Trump.

But some Democrats called for giving the investigation even greater independence. Others accused Mr. Sessions of lying under oath and called for his resignation and a criminal investigation. The developments have heightened interest in several related legal issues.

What does it mean for the attorney general to recuse himself?

Generally, United States attorneys directly oversee criminal investigations. In a case that raises politically sensitive issues, the attorney general would normally be briefed on proposed major decisions  like whether to subpoena a high-profile witness or bring charges  and could overrule them. By recusing himself now, Mr. Sessions is responding to concerns that exercising that role, in light of his ties to the Trump campaign, would call into question the impartiality of the justice system.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia  The Malaysian Foreign Ministry said Friday that it was greatly concerned by the use of a banned chemical weapon in a public place to assassinate Kim Jong-nam, the half brother of North Koreas leader, and has asked for international help in responding to the episode.

The ministry strongly condemns the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances, the ministry said in a statement. Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public.

Malaysia has reported the use of the toxic chemical, VX nerve agent, to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which monitors chemical weapons banned under international conventions. The organization must now decide whether to bring the matter of the chemicals illegal use before the United Nations Security Council.

Analysis of chemical residue on Mr. Kim found it to be VX nerve agent. South Korea has blamed the North for the killing. The Malaysian police have identified seven North Korean men who remain wanted for questioning in the case.
Malaysia frees N Korean held over Kim death

The only North Korean held in Malaysia in connection with the death of Kim Jong-nam has been released by police.
PARIS  In a clear show of its disapproval, the European Parliament voted Thursday to lift the parliamentary immunity of Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French far-right National Front, in a criminal case involving graphic photographs she posted on Twitter of acts of violence by the Islamic State.

In December 2015, Ms. Le Pen, a deputy in the European Parliament, posted three images, including one of the decapitated body of an American journalist, James Foley, who was killed by Islamic State militants in 2014.

French prosecutors accused Ms. Le Pen, who is now a candidate in Frances presidential election, of the crime of dissemination of violent images, for which she could face up to three years in prison if tried and convicted.

Ms. Le Pen said at the time that she had posted the photographs as a protest against a French television and radio journalist who had likened her far-right party to the Islamic State.
Sergey I. Kislyak, the longtime Russian ambassador to the United States, hosted a dazzling dinner in his three-story, Beaux-Arts mansion four blocks north of the White House to toast Michael A. McFaul just weeks before he took up his post as the American envoy to Russia.

It was, Mr. McFaul recalled, an over-the-top, extraordinary dinner, including five courses of Russian fusion cuisine for 50 seated guests who shared one main characteristic: They were government officials intimately involved in formulating Russia policy for the Obama administration, including senior figures from the Defense and State Departments.

I admired the fact that he was trying to reach deep into our government to cultivate relations with all kinds of people, Mr. McFaul said of the dinner in late 2011. I was impressed by the way he went about that kind of socializing, the way he went about entertaining, but always with a political objective.

Mr. Kislyaks networking success has landed him at the center of a sprawling controversy and made him the most prominent, if politically radioactive, ambassador in Washington. Two advisers to President Trump have run into trouble for not being more candid about contacts with Mr. Kislyak: Michael T. Flynn, who was forced to resign as national security adviser, and now Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who admitted two previously undisclosed conversations. Mr. Kislyak also met during the transition with Mr. Trumps son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner.
JERUSALEM  His first camera, an Argus, was a parting gift from a French girlfriend he met while serving with the British Army in Europe in 1945. She gave it to him as he boarded a train on his way back to his adopted home in Palestine. That, he said later, was when his lifelong love affair with photography began.

For more than six decades, David Rubinger, an Austrian-born photojournalist, chronicled the birth of the modern state of Israel, its leaders, its triumphs, its tragedies and its people. He died overnight at his home in Jerusalem, his family said on Thursday. He was 92.

David eternalized history as it will be forever etched in our memories, Reuven Rivlin, the president of Israel and a friend of Mr. Rubingers, said in a statement.

After freelancing and working for local Israeli publications, Mr. Rubinger got his break as an international photographer in the 1950s, when he was asked to shoot photos for an article that was published in Life magazine. He later shot mostly for Time, an association that lasted more than 50 years.
The painting was taken from its legitimate owners in 1940 in violation of international law during the period of the Nazi occupation in the Netherlands in furtherance of the Nazi campaign of Jewish genocide, said the complaint, which was filed in New York because the bank also does business in Manhattan.

The bank said it had not reviewed a copy of the lawsuit yet but said in a statement that it had acquired the painting legally. Bank officials said they had written to the claimants last year offering to take part in a binding review by the Limbach Commission (charged by Germanys federal, state and local governments with helping to return art looted by the Nazis), and had not received a response.

In the event of the claimants being awarded the painting, the statement said, BayernLB has expressed its desire that the painting remain on public display at the Lenbachhaus rather than be taken away.

But the heirs said, through their representatives, that they had not seen the point of going before the commission because the bank had stipulated in July that the painting would have to remain at the museum regardless of any outcome. James Palmer, the founder of the Mondex Corporation, an art recovery company which contacted the heirs in this case, said they believed that the bank was declining to offer any restitution.

A spokesman for the bank, Matthias Lucke, said it was important to keep the painting in the public domain, in part because of Kandinskys relationship to Munich, where he had painted. He noted that the painting had originally been purchased at the urging of the city and the Lenbachhaus museum.
Saras closet, said Julie Saul, Ms. Kalmans longtime gallerist, is about the intimacy of family and representing the essence of someone through their belongings. There are very few boundaries among the ways that Maira works. That can present difficulties to an artist. Shes most well-known as an illustrator and a writer, and that may have excluded her from conventional museum collections. Its very hard to navigate the curatorial pathways.

This is not to say that Ms. Kalman doesnt have relationships (often whimsical, always unpredictable) with cultural institutions. She has been a guest curator at the Cooper Hewitt, organizing a show about the comfort of objects that featured the conductor Arturo Toscaninis trousers, lent from her personal collection. She has performed with Ms. Saul, Isaac Mizrahi and the composer Nico Muhly at the New York Public Library, in a percussion-based opera based on Strunk & Whites The Elements of Style, the rule book of English grammar, which Ms. Kalman illustrated in 2005. She has collaborated with Daniel Handler (otherwise known as Lemony Snicket) on a series of books based on the photography collections at the Museum of Modern Art. She once played a duck  in a tutu and flippers  in Mr. Mizrahis production of Peter and the Wolf at the Guggenheim. But the Met has long been her playground. She has provided the route and the narration to the Museum Workout, a sold-out adventure in which dancers lead groups through the Mets collections. Date night for Ms. Kalman and Mr. Meyerowitz means Fridays sketching in the galleries. Ms. Kalman even persuaded the Mets administrators to let her join the cleaning crew for a few hours, part of a daylong apprenticeship in which she worked in the cafeteria and also as a museum guard. I was in uniform for all three jobs, she said, happily.

What would Sara make of her closets metamorphosis into, as her grandson put it, a monument to courage and independence and freedom? Or the fact that her socks were on display at one of the worlds largest cultural institutions?

She would have thought we were crazy, Ms. Kalman said, but in the best possible way.
Strong political art is hard to make. So when it turns up, its worth a look. In an era of great, great walls and bad hombres, an exhibition called State of Exception/Estado de Excepcion at Parsons School of Design fills the bill. It starts with a kind of special-effects installation, a video of what looks like fast-flowing river projected across the gallery floor and surging toward you. You walk over it to enter the show, and the shuddering current makes you feel woozy, as if you dont quite know what your feet are doing.

The image turns out not to be of water but of human debris  castoff clothing, backpacks, water bottles  seemingly swept along by some unseen force. From wall labels, you learn the source of the stuff. It all belonged to illegal immigrants entering the United States from Mexico through the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, one of the hottest, driest stretches of land North America. The hazards of trying to cross it are potentially deadly: heat stroke, (summer temperatures are regularly over 100 degrees), dehydration and attacks  robberies, rapes, murders  by bandits and border patrols. From 2001 to 2009, at least 2,500 migrants died, and probably many more whose bodies vanished.
March 3, 2017

THAT DECISIVE MOMENT

A Sputtering Violin: The 8 Best Classical Music Moments This Week

In addition to reviews, features and news published during the week, our critics and reporters collect the best of what theyve been hearing: the notes that sent shivers down their spines, the memorable voices, the quotations that cut to the heart of the story.

Read the rest of our classical music coverage here.
BERLIN  It started with the scribble of an oval. Several years ago the architect Frank Gehry, known to begin his building projects with expressive and curvy sketches, drew the crude shape for Daniel Barenboim, the conductor and pianist who had enlisted him to design a new chamber music hall here.

Mr. Gehry forgot the drawing, he recalled during an interview with Mr. Barenboim at the completed concert hall, named the Pierre Boulez Saal, after the revolutionary composer and conductor who died last year at 90. It opens on Saturday with a sprawling three-hour concert by the Boulez Ensemble that spans musical history from Mozart to Mr. Boulez himself.

Instead, when Mr. Gehry presented his first model to Mr. Barenboim, the hall had a conventional look: an orchestra on risers facing an auditorium. He looked at me and said, But Frank, this is so disappointing. Mr. Gehry said. What happened to that sketch you gave me?

So Mr. Gehry, who designed the Cubist-like Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, returned to the oval shape, which in its finished form also fulfills a wish of Boulezs to create a salle modulable, a modular 360-degree space in which the performers and audience (as many as 682 listeners here) can be reconfigured without compromising acoustics. The oval, it turns out, is also a convenient symbol for the theme of unity that pervades the hall.
After a preposterous week that saw three major orchestras converge on New York  eight concerts; 22,000 seats; nearly 13 hours of music  the Boston Symphony had the final note.

The seductive charm of the Vienna Philharmonic had come and gone; ditto, the breakneck intensity of the London Philharmonic. The city was left, for three shows at Carnegie Hall starting on Tuesday, with the last players sitting: Andris Nelsons and his Bostonians, distinguished by their programming ambition, their precision and their poise, the cool gleam shining off their sound.

These were above all thoughtfully constructed concerts. Shostakovichs Leningrad Symphony, on Tuesday, was introduced with a similarly ominous new concerto by Sofia Gubaidulina, a master from the generation of Russian composers after Shostakovich. On Thursday, George Benjamins gorgeously pensive new song cycle, Dream of the Song, was a series of visionary episodes that led, after intermission, to another series of visionary episodes: Berliozs Symphonie Fantastique.

The slow build of the funeral march in Beethovens Eroica Symphony, on Wednesday, called back to the slow build of the invasion theme in the Leningrad the night before. The big-hearted grace of the orchestras playing in the Eroica finale made clear that works debt to Mozart, whose Piano Concerto No. 22 was composed 18 years earlier and had been played by the Bostonians an hour before.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy. What do you think of it? What else are you interested in? Let us know: thearts@nytimes.com.

George W. Bush carefully avoided taking any shots at President Trump on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday. But the 43rd president did set himself apart from the 45th in one conspicuous way: He laughed at himself.

While Alec Baldwins impersonation of Mr. Trump on Saturday Night Live seems to have gotten under Mr. Trumps skin, Mr. Bush fondly remembered Will Ferrells take on him.
Merkel says Tunisia agrees to take back 1,500 migrants

Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday Tunisia had agreed to take back 1,500 rejected Tunisian migrants from Germany, after an attack by a Tunisian on a Christmas market in Berlin which killed 12 people.
In Fire at Sea, Gianfranco Rosi chronicles the horror and hope found on a Mediterranean island that has become a primary European entry point for refugees. And Vice looks at transgender youths who are opting to transition before puberty.

Whats Streaming

FIRE AT SEA (2016) on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and Vudu. For displaced people from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, the Mediterranean can be an escape route  or a graveyard. The director Gianfranco Rosi doesnt shirk from the horror and pain in this Oscar-nominated documentary, which follows members of the Italian coast guard as they race to save thousands of immigrants at risk of dying off Lampedusa, a remote island that has become a major entry point for refugees. He also chronicles the effect of the migration on islanders like Pietro Bartolo, a doctor, and the 12-year-old Samuele Pucillo. I asked the people who made journey from Nigeria across the desert to Libya: What made you cross the sea? You know you might have died there, Mr. Rosi said in a New York Times interview. They said, Gianfranco, the word might is whats important, he continued. We know crossing the sea we might die. In Libya, we will die. For us, the word might is everything. Its hope. Dont betray our hope. In his review, A. O. Scott wrote, Fire at Sea occupies your consciousness like a nightmare, and yet somehow you dont want it to end.

Whats on TV
Does Donald Trump laugh?

Last year, many publications pointed out that in the presidential campaign, he never let loose even a chuckle, leading to much speculation and some philosophizing. A survey of four decades of guest appearances on late-night shows reveals Mr. Trump does indeed laugh, but rarely. Particularly after he turned down an invitation to the White House Correspondents Association Dinner, an event meant to let a president show off his lighter side, its tempting to draw a conclusion about his sense of humor. But that would misunderstand the source of laughter, which is not, as many assume, only a response to something funny.

Over a century ago, Henri Bergson, one of the first modern philosophers to think deeply on the subject, pointed out that laughter is an inherently social activity, and in recent decades, academics have found data to support this theory. Laughter is the quintessential social signal, the neuroscientist Robert R. Provine concluded after conducting experiments that eavesdropped on strangers in public. What he discovered is that most laughter is not connected to humor but rather part of the give and take of daily interactions. We laugh to put people at ease, to exclude or humiliate or form community, to flirt, to end an awkward pause. Its less about jokes than about relationships, which is why, he reported, people laugh 30 times more in the company of others than when alone. My experience in watching stand-up in a club versus a screen at home certainly bears this out.

While much attention is paid to audience chortles, the laughter of the stand-up comic remains underexamined, despite being a critical part of the performers tool set. Laughter changes pacing, meaning and tone, and in part because of its use as a social signal, it can assist or even save a joke.
Often in historical fiction the character who is haloed in history is the one who feels more urgent and real than her present-day counterpart. This may be simply because the historical character is carving a path forward, while the present-day one keeps returning to the past. Both Rose and Lizzie feel a burden of guilt toward their departed parents: Lizzie for her ingratitude toward Josephs belated attempts to be a good father, and Rose for failing to find jobs for her parents in Britain, so that they too could escape Vienna. Umansky captures the stubbornness of childhood guilt, the way it can haunt later in life, even as the adult recognizes the limits of the childs power. Years earlier, when Joseph offered to buy Lizzie a work of art on her birthday, she thwarted him by demanding something that wasnt for sale, a derivative Arbus-like photograph that included a child clutching a toy grenade (which Joseph nonetheless maneuvered to get her). Now an orphan in her 30s, she yearns for a kind of initiation into adulthood that connoisseurship can bring  the pride and humility of appreciation, which her father tried but failed to instill in her.

The lessons Lizzie seems desperate to learn we watch Rose learning, six decades earlier, in a Russian literature course in college. In the Russians, she discovers a comforting resonance with the ugliness of the human condition and unavenged suffering. Roses girlfriends, fellow refugees who attend class to find husbands, mock her for taking her studies so seriously. But here was the trick, Umansky writes. Rose didnt care. She felt a small but heady rush; Rose knew what she wanted, and what she wanted was tantalizingly, incredibly hers. Unlike her extroverted brother, Rose never feels truly at home among the English. Finally comprehending the magnitude of her loss, she senses that through literature and art she can make uneasy peace with her fundamental aloneness.

On occasion, the novel falls into its own aesthetic traps. The dialogue sometimes feels too cinematically coy, and there is a veneer of politeness to the prose even in moments of conflict. But the ideas at its core are deceptively deep. The Fortunate Ones is a subtle, emotionally layered novel about the ways art and other objects of beauty can make tangible the invisible, undocumented moments in our lives, the portion of experience that exists without an audience but must be preserved if we are to remain whole. There is a scene thats easy to miss in which Lizzie admires a picture hanging over Roses armchair: a framed stretch of silk decorated with a pattern of birds in flight. Rose informs her that this is the scarf her mother gave her before saying goodbye. By giving this symbol of her loss a permanent place, Rose shows Lizzie, and the reader, that connoisseurship isnt always about bringing arts magic into our lives, but about what we choose to give a frame.
If the Qurans portrayal of Jesus is familiar in outline, however, its details are sometimes not, especially to Western Christians used to a single canonical version. The Quran is more ecumenical, dipping into the rich melange of Middle Eastern traditions contained in the apocryphal and gnostic gospels and still very much alive in the popular lore of Eastern Christianity. It shows Jesus making clay birds and then breathing life into them, for instance, or Mary giving birth not in a Bethlehem stable with Joseph in attendance but alone under a palm tree, deep in the desert.

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Akyol makes good use of both canonical and noncanonical sources, tracing where and why the Islamic approach agrees with Christian tradition (yes to Jesus as the messenger, prophet, word and spirit of God), and where it disagrees (no to the Resurrection, and no to divinity). Along the way, he ups the ante by finding what he calls astonishing parallels between the Quran and early Christian texts, though such astonishment seems unnecessary to this reader. Given the fertile interchange of ideas and lore in the multiethnic Byzantine Middle East, such parallels were not only likely, but even inevitable.

No new religion comes into being fully made, like Venus on her half-shell. And the Quran is quite open about this, as Akyol notes. It fulsomely acknowledges its debt by declaring that it comes to confirm both the Torah and the Gospels  to renew their ethical traditions. And since that was also part of the Jesus message  a renewal of Jewish tradition, not a break with it  Akyol presents the Islamic Jesus as more of a Jewish prophet than a Christian savior.

To bolster his argument, he delves into the split within the early Jesus movement: between the non-Jewish Hellenic church founded by Paul, which lasted and flourished, and the Jewish Jerusalem Church under James, which did neither. The idea is that remnants of these Jewish Christians might have survived into the seventh century to influence the Quranic concept of Jesus, though this seems something of a Dan Brownian stretch.

But Akyol excels in the last chapter, which will doubtless raise some eyebrows with its title alone: What Jesus Can Teach Muslims Today. In it, he makes a forceful argument for Jesus as the expression of the spirit instead of the letter of the law, and against the soulless legalism of both first-century Pharisees and 21st-century Islamic fundamentalists.
Six new paperbacks to check out this week.

THE GIVENNESS OF THINGS: Essays, by Marilynne Robinson. (Picador, $16.) Robinson addresses societal shifts that trouble her  dwindling compassion, a declining interest in exploring the glorious mind  through the lenses of Christianity and Calvinist thought that guide her faith. The paperback edition includes a two-part interview between Robinson and President Barack Obama.

IMAGINE ME GONE, by Adam Haslett. (Back Bay/Little, Brown, $15.99.) The reverberations of a fathers mental illness are felt by his family  particularly the eldest child, who inherits a crippling, destabilizing anxiety. The novels greatest reward is an assertion that despite the expense of empathy and the predictable disappointment of love, our tendency to care for one another is warranted, Bret Anthony Johnston wrote here.

EYE ON THE STRUGGLE: Ethel Payne, the First Lady of the Black Press, by James McGrath Morris. (Amistad/HarperCollins, $16.99.) As a reporter for a prominent African-American newspaper during the civil rights era, Payne covered some of the periods biggest stories on the deseg beat: Emmett Tills murder, Brown v. Board of Education, the march on Selma. Morriss biography also showcases the central role of the black press in accelerating change across the country.

THE FUGITIVES, by Christopher Sorrentino. (Simon & Schuster, $16.) In Sorrentinos elegant thriller, characters are in stages of flight: from responsibility, punishment and heritage. Sandy, a successful author evading his publisher and agent back in New York, flees to a small Michigan town. There, hes enthralled by John Salteau, whom he believes to be an Ojibway storyteller. But Salteau is actually a mobster linked to a casino theft, and a Native American journalist, Kat, is in pursuit of the story.
The Sanhedrin wanted to be rid of this vexatious visionary, but they had no legal authority to kill him, so they sought the complicity of Pilate, arguing that Jesus was no longer just a religious but also a political problem. Pilate was wary; he wanted to remain on good terms with the Jewish authorities, but he also feared a popular uprising if Jesus was condemned to death. He clearly preferred that the Jews handle this matter among themselves.

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Schiavone is best in reconstructing the exchanges between Jesus and Pilate. The accused man refused to defend himself and answered the governors queries with rhetorical questions of his own. Pilate could easily have taken umbrage at the prisoners effrontery, but Schiavone suggests that he was already enamored of Jesus charisma and his equanimity, while his answer to the charge of claiming to be king of the Jews upended Jewish theocratic claims. When Jesus says that his kingdom is not from this world, Schiavone writes, he is literally overturning upon itself the tradition of Judaic theocracy. The power of God is no longer reflected without mediation in earthly power. Jesus thereby concedes the power of the state even as he asserts the absolute primacy of the world he comes from over the one that is preparing to slaughter him.

Schiavone portrays Pilate as increasingly reluctant to pass judgment against Jesus; he tried repeatedly to suggest a punishment short of death, but the Jewish authorities would have none of it. Schiavone believes that the turning point came when Pilate recognized that Jesus refusal to defend himself was part of a larger scheme: The governor put all the pieces together into a single picture, fully grasped the prisoners attitude, and became persuaded  strongly influenced by the mans aura  not to oppose his design.

The result is a history still being contested all these centuries later. Schiavones account nicely lures Pilate out of the shadows, albeit briefly, even providing a measure of rehabilitation. Pilates interlocutor, on the other hand, achieved a fame that far outlasted the Roman Empire.
How so?

You might have to get a little loud, and you might have to say some words that you might not like to say. I was 25, and I might be talking to a 60-year-old white man whos been doing this for a long time, and Im telling him he needs to rip out his shelf because its not according to plan. He would say, What do you know?

And then Id say: I know because Im reading the plan. Maybe youve never built it this way, but this is the way the plan is. Then they start cursing at you or whatever, and you can stay calm but sometimes they dont go for that. You have to yell back and say: O.K., you know what? Youre not getting paid. How about that? Some men do not know how to deal with women, especially in the work world.

How has your leadership style evolved?

Ive learned that you get more out of people when they are happy in their jobs and excited about what they do. So I try to line up people and their vision with our vision. Thats one of the key things I ask people in an interview: What do you really want to do? What do you see yourself doing in five years? Now let me tell you our vision and what were trying to do.

Other lessons?

I think people appreciate you telling the truth. Coming from the South, sometimes youd rather just ease things over. Early on, I was an easy grader because I didnt want to tell anybody they did badly. I felt like I couldnt fire anybody.

I didnt realize that firing somebody is really a release from prison. Because theyre not happy, youre not happy, and obviously they dont want to be in that job. In most cases when Im letting people go, its kind of like a mutual decision.

How else do you hire?

When I interview somebody for a senior role, Ill often go out to dinner with them, and Ill tell them to bring their spouse to dinner. You would just not believe how much you learn. When he goes to the bathroom, Ill ask his wife, So tell me, what are his weaknesses? Because wives know all.

What is your best interview question?

First of all, I read peoples faces and eyes, and I can tell in five minutes if theyre bright and bubbly. But my best question would be, Whats the biggest challenge youve ever faced and how did you handle it? That tells you a lot about a person.
Mr. Rogers said he gave Unaforte $100 as a token of good will but never expected that it would name him as a shareholder. Asked about his stake in the company in October, he interrupted an interview with The New York Times to call Unaforte and told the English-speaking sister of its founder that the company had agreed he could not be a shareholder.

Speaking into his phone, Mr. Rogers said, I know I have told you, Never, never, never.

Unaforte no longer lists Mr. Rogers as a shareholder in its filings but will not release shareholder records that might show more details about the shares given to Mr. Rogers. Officials at Hong Kongs corporate registry said they were investigating whether Unaforte is complying with the citys disclosure laws. Unaforte did not respond to emailed questions for comment.

Investing in North Korea is not for the faint of heart. Many countries heavily restrict what foreign companies and investors can do there. With records in North Korea inaccessible to most outsiders, claims there cannot be easily verified. Intrepid overseas investors have little choice but to work through middle men, often based in China.

A lot of times there are these very, very murky series of transactions that need to occur where you may not know who your partners are, said J. R. Mailey, a visiting scholar at Johns Hopkinss U.S.-Korea Institute in Washington, who has studied fraudulent investment in North Korea.

Others who saw promise in North Korea have retreated. One firm that counted as an investor a high-profile North Korea bull, James Passin, ended a joint venture there in January because of tightened American sanctions.
The worlds largest technology investor is preparing to ramp up his bet on the Trump economy.

Masayoshi Son, the billionaire technology entrepreneur from Japan, promised President Trump late last year that he would create 50,000 new jobs in the United States through a $100 billion technology fund.

Now, Mr. Son and his financial advisers are weighing several major possible deals for Sprint, the struggling American wireless operator controlled by Mr. Sons SoftBank.

Be it a tie-up with T-Mobile U.S., Sprints closest competitor, or a more ambitious marriage with the cable colossus Comcast, a transaction would allow Mr. Son to fulfill a long-held ambition to invest aggressively in wireless networks in the United States and enable next-generation mobile technology.

Last month, several executives from SoftBank spent a day in Washington talking to senior members of Mr. Trumps economic team, according to bankers briefed on these meetings.
Investors seem to think Snap Inc. will stick around for longer than the messages on its app, Snapchat.

The company made its debut in spectacular fashion, with shares rising 44 percent on their first day of trading. That brings Snaps market value to $34 billion, about three times the value of Twitter.

You may be wondering how it could be worth that much. Certainly, there were analysts pointing out that it looked overvalued.

There are red flags everywhere, James B. Stewart notes. The company is losing money. Its user base growth is slowing. Investors are betting on its potential for growth, but it may be reaching the upper limit of that unless it can break out of its youthful demographic.
Minister breaches election code of conduct

A day after the Election Commission defined the inauguration of any public event by a sitting minister as a breach of the election code of conduct, Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation Prem Bahadur Singh attended a public function here on Thursday.
In the world of business, bad news often surfaces serially: You see a cockroach in your kitchen; as the days go by, you meet his relatives.

That nugget from Warren Buffett came to mind Tuesday as shares of Signet Jewelers, operator of Jared, Kay and Zales jewelry stores, plummeted. The drop followed disclosures, initially by The Washington Post, of an explosive sexual discrimination case filed by a group of the companys former employees.

The lawsuits lurid allegations of abusive employee treatment have no merit, the company said in a statement. Still, the details were troubling enough to whack Signets stock. Once a highflier, it is down 11 percent from where it was trading before the allegations became public. At around $65, the stock is well off its peak of $150 in October 2015.

Beyond the sex discrimination case, what else might Signet shareholders worry about? Lets just say some of the companys accounting choices make its operations look rosier than they probably are.
Are there health benefits to staying in the work force longer?

The scientific research is inconclusive, though it tends to tilt toward yes. This is particularly pronounced among people who find work fulfilling in the first place, who tend to be office workers, teachers and others whose workplace is not, say, a factory or a construction site.

More so than people in most previous generations, baby boomers are continuing to work past their early 60s, often well beyond. Sometimes, this means delaying retirement from a longtime job, but it can instead involve some kind of bridge job, part-time employment or self-employment. It turns out that, these days, older Americans who retire  in the sense of completely withdrawing from the paid labor force  are increasingly in the minority.

What is the benefit of work? Activation of the brain and activation of social networks may be critical, Nicole Maestas, an associate professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School, said in an interview.

Researchers have long assumed that only well-educated and healthier people benefit from working after a certain age. Lately, however, scholars and retirees themselves have been exploring an intriguing question with implications for both potential workers and policy makers: Is a job a force for keeping older people mentally and physically healthy?
Paula Wolfert wrote back and told me to look at page 216 of her book Mediterranean Grains and Greens, published in 1998. Its all there, she said. Aha! Sardinian fregola, Sicilian cuscusu, Israeli couscousou, Syrian and Jordanian mograbiah, Jordanian miftool, Tunisian mhammas and Greek and Turkish kuskus, she explained, are all versions of couscous, in various shapes and sizes, scattered about the Eastern Mediterranean.

The New York chef Mason Lindahl makes a luscious fregola salad with lemon, mint, parsley and shaved aged sheeps milk cheese, he said. The cookbook author Joan Nathan, who is a contributor to The New York Times, says she prepares fregola like Jewish farfel, with fried onions and mushrooms. Jennifer Sherman of Chez Panisse describes fregola as a delicious blank canvas, ready to be painted with bright spring-green peas, Italian parsley and arugula. Gabriela Camara, the chef of Cala in San Francisco, said, I do love fregola and my mouth just waters at the thought of it dressed with pesto and pecorino.
Sam Sifton emails readers of Cooking five days a week to talk about food and suggest recipes. That email also appears here. To receive it in your inbox, register here.

Good morning. Got a nice letter this week from a woman who doesnt really cook, just makes a salad and some rice every night and eats it thinking about the more complicated cooking many of the rest of us are doing and how the ritual and art of that makes her feel better about where we are as a nation right now, divided and angry on both sides of the political aisle. She reads these newsletters and the notes attached to the recipes on Cooking and told me she thought how maybe the moments were building in the kitchen could help us move forward together, toward goodwill and amity, as we feed one another and enjoy the time spent in the presence of food.

I sure hope so. You dont need to feed 100 people to find out. Feed just one and youll see, even if its just salad and rice.
The British designer Clare Waight Keller said goodbye to Chloe on Thursday morning, marking the end of a six-year tenure atop the French fashion house with a swan-song fashion show. Then, in a break with the recent pattern of how creative directors and brands have been saying au revoir (think hasty exits, public recriminations and high-profile lawsuits), a glittering Chloe Club party was held above the banks of the Seine that night so everyone could celebrate.

I am full of mixed emotions and the whole day has been so bittersweet, but look around you, Ms. Waight Keller said, smiling and enjoying a fruity cocktail. This doesnt exactly happen very often does it? Herein lies the proof that we are all still firm friends. Wearing a floaty, blue one-shouldered cocktail gown  the sort of boho look that is the Chloe style signature  she was surrounded by a small army of well-wishers.

Nearby, the Paris model and DJ Clara 3000 dropped 90s beats from her decks on a nearby music stage. Above her hung a giant pink Chloe Girls neon sign, bathing the gathering in a warm, rosy light.
Article: Before Vaquitas Vanish, a Desperate Bid to Save Them

Before Reading

Read this short description of gillnetting. How does it work? What are its risks?

Questions for Comprehension and Analysis

1. What is the vaquita, and how is it classified scientifically? What does it look like and where does it live? How seriously is it endangered?

2. What is the biggest threat to the vaquita? What steps have been taken to save it so far?

3. What is the relationship between the vaquita and the voracious demand in China for the totoaba? Why do diners in China want to eat the swim bladder of that endangered fish?

4. What is the last ditch measure that conservationists are planning to save the vaquita? What are the risks and the uncertainties about the plan? What other species on the brink of extinction have been similarly managed before?
 What messages, emotions or ideas will you take away from this film? Why?

 What questions do you still have?

3. Next, join the conversation by clicking on the comment button and posting in the box that opens on the right. (Students 13 and older are invited to comment, although teachers of younger students are welcome to post what their students have to say.)

4. After you have posted, try reading back to see what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting another comment. Use the Reply button or the @ symbol to address that student directly.

5. To learn more, read this description of the film by the filmmakers, Maximilien Van Aertryck and Axel Danielson:

Our objective in making this film was something of a psychology experiment: We sought to capture people facing a difficult situation, to make a portrait of humans in doubt. Weve all seen actors playing doubt in fiction films, but we have few true images of the feeling in documentaries. To make them, we decided to put people in a situation powerful enough not to need any classic narrative framework. A high dive seemed like the perfect scenario.

Through an online advertisement, we found 67 people who had never been on a 10-meter (about 33 feet) diving tower before, and had never jumped from that high. We paid each of them the equivalent of about $30 to participate  which meant climbing up to the diving board and walking to its edge. We were as interested in the people who decided to climb back down as the ones jumping.

We filmed it all with six cameras and several microphones. It was important for us not to conceal the fact that this was an arranged situation, and thus we chose to show the microphones within the frame. Ultimately, about 70 percent of those who climbed did jump. We noticed that the presence of the camera as well as the social pressure (from those awaiting their turn beside the pool) pushed some of the participants to jump, which made their behavior even more interesting.

In our films, which we often call studies, we want to portray human behavior, rather than tell our own stories about it. We hope the result is a series of meaningful references, in the form of moving images. Ten Meter Tower may take place in Sweden, but we think it elucidates something essentially human, that transcends culture and origins. Overcoming our most cautious impulses with bravery unites all humankind. Its something that has shaped us through the ages.
The night wore on, and people began to close their eyes, but the seats were so uncomfortable that only a very heavy sleeper could manage to get any rest. The train continued its slow pace, stopping every so often at another station. Because of the heat and suffocating air in the compartment, many windows were kept open. The woman with the child on her lap looked over at the man in Seat 54. He was still staring at her. I was beginning to get angry with him. Even under such filthy and uncomfortable circumstances, he couldnt resist indulging his desire to gaze at an attractive woman. She began to look back at him with fire in her eyes.

Turning her face away, she played with the child again for a while. The train was approaching a station. I could see the familiar lights of Khanewal, and as we stopped, a memory flashed through my mind. Two decades earlier, whenever we traveled this route and stopped at this station, my little daughter would urge me to take her out and buy some ceramic toys from one of the stalls. We would buy the toys, and I would enjoy a cup of tea in a clay cup at a tea stall. It was now 2 a.m., and I got down from the train to recapture this pleasant memory. I was drinking my tea when two burly men came near me and stood on either side. I could feel something probing at my right. Take out your wallet and give it to me, ordered one of them. I took it out and handed it to him. The other man relieved me of my wristwatch. Have a safe journey, one said before they both disappeared.

I was shaken, and not just because I lost my wallet and watch. The watch was cheap, bought for four dollars from Kmart in Chicago, and there were only a hundred rupees in my wallet; the rest of my money, my credit cards and my IDs were safely tucked inside my shoes. But it struck me that you should never try to recapture the memorable scenes of the past, because you are likely to lose those memories forever. I finished the cup of tea and returned to my seat on the train.

The train started again. The child was still awake on his mothers lap, but the woman found it difficult to keep her eyes open. She was soon lost in a short wink of sleep. Her head fell forward. A moment later, the child began to climb the open window  one leg went over it. The man in Seat 54 leapt up and grabbed the child before he fell out.

The commotion woke up the woman. She seemed to be in a panic, and then reality dawned. Here you are, the man said as he gave the child back to her. Your child has been looking for an opportunity to crawl out of the window, he said. Thats why I have been watching the whole time. He stretched his back and moved away. The woman was dumbfounded, and so was I.
LOS ANGELES  A human-beast love story? Thats perfectly fine. But a comedic sidekick with a subtle romantic interest in the same sex? Hold everything.

A drive-in movie theater in rural northeastern Alabama said that it would not show Disneys new version of Beauty and the Beast because it has a gay character. We will not compromise on what the Bible teaches, the Henagar Drive-In said in a Facebook post Thursday night. You can feel free to come watch wholesome movies without worrying about sex, nudity, homosexuality and foul language.

It was unclear whether Disney ever intended to show the film in Henagar, Ala., population 2,344, or whether the drive-in was acting pre-emptively. Disney did not respond to a query.

Carol Laney, who owns the theater with her husband, cited their religious beliefs as she explained Friday why they opposed the film.
To quote a lyric from one of the songs in Beauty and the Beast, there may be something there that wasnt there before. The familiar elements are all in place, of course. Its Beauty and the Beast, for goodness sake: a tale as old as time, a song as old as rhyme and all that. And there are inspired flights of nostalgia as well, visual evocations of the predigital glory of Busby Berkeley, Ray Harryhausen and other masters of fantastical craft.

But this live-action/digital hybrid, directed by Bill Condon and starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens in the title roles, is more than a flesh-and-blood (and prosthetic fur-and-horns) revival of the 26-year-old cartoon, and more than a dutiful trip back to the pop-culture fairy-tale well. Its classicism feels unforced and fresh. Its romance neither winks nor panders. It looks good, moves gracefully and leaves a clean and invigorating aftertaste. I almost didnt recognize the flavor: I think the name for it is joy.

This was by no means a foregone conclusion. The reanimation of beloved properties  to use the grim business nomenclature of Hollywood  often leads to hack work and zombie-ism, as old archetypes are shocked to life and arrayed in garish, synthetic modern effects. That might easily have happened here. Look (I mean: dont look) at the horrors that have been visited, in recent years, on Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan and the Wizard of Oz. And even if Disney had done a more convincing upgrade, on the model of last years Jungle Book, a new Beauty could have offended fans of the 1991 animated feature simply by existing. That movie, a high point of the 80s and 90s Disney revival, is close to perfect. What singing teapot would dare to challenge Angela Lansbury?
NAC urged to keep ground handling service separate

Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has been urged to separate its flight operations and ground handling services before taking on a foreign strategic management partner to be able to determine improvements after the move.
Even a half-century later, Ms. Hama (who pronounces her name MEE-ay HAH-mah) seems to intentionally distance herself from her former movie actress persona. She wore a quietly elegant beige-green kimono, her hair boyishly cut above her ears, a far cry from the image of a Western-style beauty that made her one of the heroines of the golden age of Japanese film in the early 1960s. Her home, made from century-old lumber that she collected from old farmhouses, is decorated like a museum of Japanese traditional crafts, with large pottery urns, stenciled fabrics and paintings of nearby Mt. Fuji on display.

Absent is any poster, photograph or other hint of her prolific film career in Japan, or of her brief moment in the world limelight as a Bond girl.

That is all stored somewhere in the basement, she said. I dont like to dwell on the past.

Ms. Hama said she never felt at ease on the silver screen. Born in a blue-collar Tokyo family whose small cardboard factory burned down in World War II, she grew up poor. She was working as a ticket puncher on a bus at 16, when Toho discovered her. She quickly became a major star in Japan but spent much of her free time trying to escape on backpacking trips to Europe and India, where she said she agonized over whether to stay in acting.

She had already starred in almost 70 movies, monster films to teen romances, when she was asked to audition for the Bond film in 1966. She said she thought the director, Lewis Gilbert, picked her because he had seen King Kong vs. Godzilla, a 1962 Japanese monster movie in which Ms. Hama played Kongs love interest.

I had never seen a 007 movie, and had no idea 007 was such a huge international hit, she recalled.
Allan Renz laughed at the question: Would people care as much about one of the bridges his grandfather designed if the word Heck were in its name, instead of Hell?

The rhythm of Heck doesnt work, said Mr. Renz, whose grandfather was the civil engineer Gustav Lindenthal, who had a hand in the Williamsburg, Manhattan and Queensboro Bridges and was New York Citys first bridge commissioner.

Lindenthals credits also include the Hell Gate Bridge, the railroad span with a milestone coming up next week. The first train rumbled over the Hell Gate 100 years ago on Thursday, a moment that will be celebrated by bridge fans.

The Hell Gate Bridge is the main structure in a rail link between the Bronx and Queens that crosses over Randalls and Wards Islands. It is an essential connector in the heavily traveled Northeast rail corridor between Washington and Boston, and it was all about convenience. Previously, passengers traveling from Washington to Boston, for example, had to take one train to Jersey City and a ferry to Manhattan, where they had to find Grand Central Terminal and catch another train to New England.
To the Editor:

Re Critics Assail Cuts in Foreign Spending as Trump Moves to Boost Military (news article, Feb. 28):

A $54 billion increase in Pentagon spending will not promote the harmony and stability that President Trump claims to seek, especially if it is combined with a 37 percent cut in the budgets for the United States Agency for International Development and the State Department.

Many of the crises that our nation faces do not have military solutions. Funding massive increases in military spending by deep cuts in funds for diplomacy, development and other vital work will jeopardize the United States ability to respond to the challenges of our complicated, interconnected world.

As your article points out, the new secretary of defense, Jim Mattis, is on record as saying, If you dont fully fund the State Department, then I need to buy more ammunition. Congress must reject defense spending increases and allocate more money to peace-building programs.

KATHY STACKHOUSE, NEW YORK

To the Editor:

Did President Trump actually say we need to increase the budget of the Defense Department in order to win more wars?
They should do what Santa Ana, Calif., has done. It is a city of 335,000, in the heart of Orange County, whose City Council has passed one of the boldest and most far-reaching sanctuary ordinances in the state. In a county that has long been known as a haven of white Republicans, Santa Ana is a mixed-race, mixed-income, All-American town. Its population is about 46 percent immigrant, and its mayor and its six City Council members are all Latino.

When the Council gave final approval to its sanctuary ordinance in January, by a 6-to-0 vote, it was the culmination of months of persuasion by residents who feel the force of Mr. Trumps anti-immigrant threats intimately. They argued that Latino and Asian families, including many unauthorized immigrants with citizen children, have fought for a foothold in this country and deserve to live in safety and peace. They pointed out that using the local police as immigration enforcers takes them away from their primary responsibility, the safety of the community. It wastes crime-fighting resources. It costs too much. And its constitutionally dubious for localities to detain people for no other reason than an administrative request from ICE.

The ordinance is duly respectful of the law, in a spirit that honors the Constitution and residents civil rights. It declares that none of its provisions are to conflict with any valid and enforceable duty and obligation imposed by a court order or any federal or applicable law. But it also makes clear that the city will not cooperate in any federal immigration dragnet. The feds may do what they will, but Santa Ana wants no part of it. It will not allow the use of city resources or personnel to assist in these efforts unless required by state or federal law. Nor will the city share sensitive information, protecting the privacy of its residents, whatever their immigration status.
This Week in Hate highlights hate crimes and harassment around the country since the election of President Trump.

For many Americans of South Asian descent, the shooting in Olathe, Kan., last month of two immigrants from India was part of a disturbing pattern. Even as South Asian American communities grow around the country, their members are increasingly victims of harassment and violence. Often, they are perceived, correctly or not, to be Muslim.

Harmann Singh, a Harvard Law School student who was born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y., was talking on his cell phone to his mother in a Cambridge, Mass., store when a man swore at him and called him a Muslim. Mr. Singh tried to walk away, but the man followed him around the store, demanding to know what country he was from.

Though Mr. Singh is Sikh, not Muslim, he saw the incident as an opportunity to take a stand against Islamophobia. Its really important that we all come together, he said, to fight against injustice against anyone and not just our own communities.
The latest big buzz is about Jeff Sessions, the attorney general. It turns out that he lied during his confirmation hearings, denying that he had met with Russian officials during the 2016 campaign. In fact, he met twice with the Russian ambassador, who is widely reported to also be a key spymaster.

Not incidentally, if this news hadnt come to light, forcing Mr. Sessions to recuse himself, he would have supervised the investigation into Russian election meddling, possibly in collusion with the Trump campaign.

But lets not focus too much on Mr. Sessions. After all, he is joined in the cabinet by Scott Pruitt, the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, who lied to Congress about his use of a private email account; Tom Price, the secretary of health and human services, who lied about a sweetheart deal to purchase stock in a biotechnology company at a discount; and Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, who falsely told Congress that his financial firm didnt engage in robo-signing of foreclosure documents, seizing homes without proper consideration.

And they would have served with Michael Flynn as national security adviser, but for the fact that Mr. Flynn was forced out after the press discovered that, like Mr. Sessions, he had lied about contacts with the Russian ambassador.
The Senates confirmation this week of the former Montana congressman Ryan Zinke as secretary of the interior has revived concerns about the future of public lands in the Trump administration. While Mr. Zinke has branded himself as a Teddy Roosevelt-style conservationist  and resigned as a delegate to the Republican National Convention last year to protest the partys support for transferring federal lands to states or private groups  his record is spotty.

Just weeks ago, in early January, in one of his last acts as a representative, Mr. Zinke joined fellow House Republicans in voting for a rules package for the new Congress that makes it much easier for the federal government to transfer to state, local or even private control the public lands that rightfully belong to all Americans. According to The Hill, the new rules do this by prohibiting the Congressional Budget Office from taking into account lost federal revenue from energy production, logging, recreation or other uses when it analyzes the budgetary implications of proposed legislation.

By this move, Republicans essentially announced that they see zero value in the lands that this nation has paid and labored to protect for more than a century. They are greasing the skids to dispose of our collective property one chunk at a time.

These common lands are the glory of the continent. For three summers in my mid-20s, beginning in 2011, I worked on trail crews in the wild and rugged national forests of Idaho and Montana. Each morning, my crew would rise at dawn; wed lace our boots, shoulder backpacks and go to work.
But the purpose of that meeting between Sessions, who was then a senator from Alabama, and Mr. Kislyak is now the subject of intense scrutiny since the meeting was revealed this week.

On todays episode:

 Mr. Sessions has recused himself from any investigations into Russias interference in the presidential campaign. What was he doing meeting with the Russian ambassador two months before Election Day? Matthew Rosenberg, a national security reporter, joins us to to make sense of what we know and when we knew it.

 Who is this mysterious Russian ambassador who has caused so much trouble for two senior officials in the Trump White House? For that we talk to Peter Baker, our chief White House correspondent.

Background reading:

 More on Mr. Sessionss recusal from investigations into Russians role in Mr. Trumps election.

 More on Mr. Kislyaks powerful network in the United States.

Tune in, and tell us what you think. Email us at thedaily@nytimes.com. Tweet me at @mikiebarb. And if that isnt enough, we can even text.
Last Friday two immigrants from India were shot at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe, Kansas. The two friends were enjoying drinks after work when another patron, a white man, began showering them with ethnic slurs and suggesting that they did not belong in the United States. The man was thrown out of the bar, but returned soon after and shot the two men, killing one of them.

The attack was termed a hate crime in Times stories, to the consternation of several readers.

As someone who grew up in a small town in Middle America, I have a (hopefully) straightforward question: Why is this shooting not be discussed as a potential act of domestic terrorism (or more provocatively nativist extremist terrorism)? When immigration is the major political issue of the day, and the statements made by this individual clearly reflect an attempt to inspire fear that would affect a group of people, and when the connection between that group of people and a current hot-button political issue is pretty obvious, why is this not an act of terrorism? Imagine all the circumstances of this were reversed: If the same act had been committed by a person from another country, who was a member of a racial/religious group that was in the minority in America, and this person had targeted white Americans and shouted Death to your country instead of Go back to your country this would be on the front page as an act of likely terrorism. So why is this being treated so differently? Obviously, I care because the victim could easily have been me or my children. Vikaas Sohal, San Francisco

I am very disappointed that this article described the shooting as a Possible Hate Crime instead of calling it a possible terrorist attack. Terrorist attacks by alt-right or white supremacists have consistently been downplayed relative to terrorist attacks by Muslims. Our journalists and politicians need to start treating them as equal evils. If our alt-right government doesnt want to treat this terrorist attack as a terrorist attack, that doesnt mean that the NYTimes should do the same. Jason Dumelie, New York, N.Y.

We brought these concerns to the national editor, Marc Lacey. Heres his reply:

I do not consider what happened in Kansas to be some run-of-the-mill shooting. No way. It was horrific. It had an ugly racial dimension and it turned into a major diplomatic incident. And I happen to share the readers personal concern  I might have been a victim too if I had been in that bar at that time. But which label best applies to the crime is more a question for law enforcement than The Times. Was this a hate crime? Was it terrorism? There are specific legal conditions that must be met for those labels to be applied. I can assure this concerned reader that well keep on top of this case and pass along all that we find.

The public editors take: Im with Lacey on this issue. I see no intention on the part of editors to minimize this act in calling the gunmans action a possible hate crime, unless further information surfaces to suggest a revisiting of that term.

Revisiting a topic we addressed in the last mailbag, a few readers were perplexed with two recent obits, each for a Jewish man. The issue? One obit noted that the deceased was Jewish while the other didnt.

Ive long been puzzled by the seemingly arbitrary mention of the family background of subjects in Times obituaries. This is particularly striking in the case of people of Jewish ancestry. Two obituaries this week illustrate the point. Here is Alan Colmes: Mr. Colmes, a Brooklyn-born grandson of Jewish immigrants from Ukraine, worked in radio and as a stand-up comic before Fox News recruited him. And here is Kenneth Arrow: Kenneth Joseph Arrow was born on Aug. 23, 1921, in New York City. There is no mention of Arrows parents, who were both Romanian-Jewish immigrants to the United States, a fact that is easily found and seems more relevant to his obituary than Colmes grandparents to his. There are many other examples of this kind of contrast. I wonder what the criteria are for including information about an obituary subjects religious background and ancestry. Peter Samson, McLean, Va.

A columnist, on Twitter, noted the absence as well.
GO WILD ON ONE WALL Megan Hopp, an interior designer with Homepolish, used abstract custom wallpaper with a cosmic theme in lavender and silver to enliven a small, plain bedroom in an East Village apartment she decorated for a client last year. Everything was white, and there wasnt much to it, she said. We wanted the master bedroom to feel like a real oasis, and when we made the choice to go with the  well, galactic, I suppose you might call it  wallpaper, it really turned into a retreat from planet Earth!

The print, a metallic wash from Calico Wallpapers Andromeda collection, takes up two walls in the bedroom and cost about $4,000. It was a big price tag, but we all agreed that it really is a work of art on its own, Ms. Hopp said. We kept every other piece really neutral  no pattern, no color, nothing, an absolutely clean canvas  so as to let this glorious paper do its thing.

She added: We wanted to strike a balance in the room between totally bold and absolutely serene. Had we papered the entire room, I think the cosmic elements would have taken us on some sort of trip to outer space.
No plan to disrupt local polls: Chand

The Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) on Thursday announced to boycott the local level elections scheduled for May 14 while clarifying that the party has no intention to disrupt the polls.
The market seems oversaturated, but I like to use the word oversupplied with my clients so as to not create a panic, said Marie Bromberg, a Corcoran Group agent. Among the benefits to consumers, she added, is that commission fees, usually paid by renters, are being covered by landlords.

If an abundant supply is undercutting the market, Hub, developed by Steiner NYC and designed by Dattner Architects, may be opening at a tough time, even as it cuts a dazzling figure. Dominating nearly a city block, the high-rise has two distinct sections, one glass and one brick, which are divided roughly along a diagonal.

To maximize views of the Statue of Liberty, Fort Greene Park and Lower Manhattan, 85 percent of its studios and one- and two-bedrooms are corner units. In living rooms, floors are white oak. In baths, theyre black slate. Every unit comes with stacked Bosch washers and dryers.

Amenities, covering about 40,000 square feet, include a 75-foot swimming pool and a lawn-lined terrace with a movie screen painted on a wall, a modern day drive-in, as Hubs marketing materials put it.
Blood laced with a natural antifreeze pumps through the veins of wood frogs. They rest suspended, somewhere between life and death, awaiting springs arrival in frozen winter forests. Beneath a blanket of decaying leaves, salamanders are waiting, too.

Tap, tap. Its time for the race.

Each year in late March and early April, from New Jersey to Maine, forest-dwelling amphibians like spotted salamanders and wood frogs wake up from their winter homes and migrate during the night to vernal pools for breeding. Some animals travel through the woods, never to be seen by humans, while others cross broken habitat, trying sometimes fatal journeys across streets.

But some of them were waking up early late last month, the result of unseasonably warm weather, say reports from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Volunteers helping to usher the amphibians across the street in the Hudson Valley last week saw wood frogs, spotted salamanders, four-toed salamanders and spring peepers. In some pools, male wood frogs are already calling for females that show up later.

When weather is warm and wet, as it has been recently and is in the forecasts for next week, hundreds to thousands of the animals migrate at once, in whats called a big night.
There was a toughened-up, rebellious vibe to Diors fall/winter 2017 collection, which was presented in Paris on Friday. Each model wore a black leather beret on the runway  a styling decision that informed both the hair and the makeup direction. Backstage, the makeup artist Peter Philips explained that he gave models natural, fresh-looking faces, with the exception of a residual, day-after-a-night-out effect around the eyes. After evening out the skin tone with foundation, Philips highlighted the upper sides of the face with a powder foundation (using Diorskin Nude Air Glow Powder in Fresh Tan for its versatility with most complexions).

On the eyes, he applied Diors new Pump n Volume mascara (which will be available in April) at the roots of the center top lashes, then quickly combed it outward to the rest of the lash. Before the mascara completely dried, he used a small, angled brush to blend it along the roots of both the top and bottom lash lines. He described it as, this blackish, grayish leftover effect that you dont really see, but it dresses the eye in a very interesting way.

To offset the toughness of the leather berets, the hairstylist Guido Palau said he wanted to create floaty and dreamy, romantic hair. He gave models soft, imprecise waves that framed the face with an old-fashioned technique: tissue setting. Palau wrapped sections of dry, clean hair around horizontally twisted tissues (paper towels and foil also work, he noted), then secured the sections with clamps and pins. You get a much more uneven, real feeling to the hair, whereas if you do it with a curling iron, its much more mechanical, he explained. After the hair set, Palau brushed it out and followed it with a spray of Redkens Windblown dry finishing spray to enhance the fullness.
Snap faced down its skeptics, at least on its first day of trading.

Snap, the maker of the ephemeral messaging app Snapchat, started trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, amid strong investor demand for its stock. The companys shares soared up 44 percent from their offering price, writes Michael de la Merced, a New York Times reporter for DealBook, giving Snap a market capitalization of around $34 billion.

Snaps one-day jump was notable given plenty of questions about whether the company deserves such a high valuation. James Stewart, the Timess Common Sense columnist, laid out how some Wall Street types viewed Snaps valuation with disbelief, especially since the young company loses plenty of money and yet looks expensive versus other more proven web companies, like Facebook.

Image

As a result, Snaps strong debut may encourage other start-ups to go public, and could potentially revive the somewhat moribund market for initial public offerings.
The events have buffeted employees at Ubers headquarters in San Francisco and elsewhere. Some have said that they plan to leave the company. On Friday, Ed Baker, vice president of product and growth, resigned from the company, a departure that was earlier reported by Recode.

Another Uber worker, who declined to be named, said that while some employees may have quit, turnover has not changed much in the last month.

An Uber spokesman declined to comment.

Stock compensation has long been an issue for Uber workers. Early employees, who joined the company several years ago, received stock options  which allow them to buy shares at a low price  as part of their compensation packages.

Yet unlike other technology companies, Uber gives employees only 30 days to buy those shares if they leave. At other companies, departing employees get months or years to buy the shares. If Ubers workers do not buy the shares in the 30-day period, they forfeit the stock back to the company.

Buying private company stock like Ubers also creates a tax bill for individuals, a bill that has swelled as Ubers valuation has soared to close to $70 billion. Some Uber employees have said they have been unable to come up with enough money to pay for their stock and the tax bill. They said that had left them little choice but to stay at the company and wait for a public offering of stock, or leave and give up stock that could someday be lucrative.
All those people were facing very real oppression, but they were still figuring out how to be colorful and connected as a community, Mr. Vernon, 28, said of the UpStairs patrons. They were at the birth of a political movement, and now we are experiencing a resurgence of that militant civil rights activism. I wanted to write a show that inspired people to learn from the past and pick up the torch and move forward.

Alan L. Bounville, 40, who wrote and, with Adam Fitzgerald, directed Adonis Memories, said the stories hed heard about places like the Adonis were often quite negative. I knew as soon as I got this material that there was a lot more to those spaces than I was aware.

In addition to accessible and entertaining history lessons, the creative teams behind Adonis Memories and View UpStairs said they hoped immersing audiences in a gay yesteryear would remind theatergoers of what it was like to cruise in bars and other gay shared spaces with their eyes, not with their apps.

Mr. Bounville said he was inspired by the gay author Samuel R. Delany, a champion of cross-class contact, the notion that men of different races and incomes who wouldnt normally talk to each other on the street would share sexual interests at places like the Adonis.

In todays digital age, you miss part of the experience of what cruising really was, which was to be in a public space with people and not be afraid if theres rejection or if someone said, No, thank you, Mr. Bounville said. There was also much more sexuality happening in those spaces than you online choosing your flavor for the night. Mr. Bounville included Delanys memoir Times Square Red, Times Square Blue as a prop in Adonis Memories.
A confession: Until recently, the only time I spent a night on water was at age 8, when my parents booked our family of three on a cruise to Finland. I remember gaping at the ice cream selection and gazing into brightly lit boutique windows, and not much else. So when I boarded the Regent Seven Seas Explorer, the luxury cruise lines newest ship, on its recent voyage to Mexico, it was with limited expectations: copious food and stuff to buy.

Regent is targeting travelers like me, millennials green to cruising, with promises to go above and beyond their assumptions (or vague recollections of childhood voyages). But its a delicate balance, appealing to a generation of thrill seekers  a 2014 Harris survey found that 72 percent of millennials prefer to spend money on experiences rather than material things  while appeasing the cruise lines most loyal demographic (ages 60 and up). There are other big ships wooing millennials: In 2015, Carnival Cruise Line started Fathom, which has programs designed for 20- and 30-somethings hunger for purpose, like onboard self-improvement seminars and on-the-ground activities, like making water filters in the Dominican Republic. Then there are fist-pumping bacchanals like Groove Cruise, a four-day party that bills itself as the worlds largest floating dance music festival.

Regents hook: unabashed opulence, like a floating Las Vegas. On the day I set sail, a banner at the Explorers embarkation dock proclaimed, the most luxurious ship ever built; completed in 2016, the ship cost $450 million. The first thing that greets guests: a piano-size chandelier dripping with crystals. With only 375 guest rooms, small compared to megaliners that can accommodate more than 3,000 passengers, Regent rolled out the red carpet for everyone: Champagne sat cooling in an ice bucket in my suite, which was spacious enough not to feel claustrophobic.

The pool deck echoed the over-the-top sensibility, with furnishings that are reminiscent of Miami or Mykonos (neon lights; white upholstered chairs; gauzy, curtained cabanas). By the bar, women in leather moto jackets sipped white wine, and a D.J. spun Fleetwood Mac (a win on both demographic fronts). One restaurant, Pacific Rim, seemed attuned to adventurous palates, with melt-in-your-mouth prawn crackers and Korean barbecue-style lamb. With its sunken floor, Claes Oldenburg-esque light fixtures and Tibetan prayer wheel, the place felt more like a scene-y Manhattan restaurant  Tao, Hakkasan  than a cruise dining hall.
Its a goat on a bridge eating a flaming rug pulled from a collapsing sand castle! Yes, of course, Im talking about the Affordable Care Act, which you may also know as Obamacare.

Killing the health insurance law is a top priority of Republicans in the White House and Congress. As they try to achieve that, it has brought out some lively and figurative language. Many imagine the health law as a pioneer homestead. Others as a marauding farm animal. Still others direct their rhetoric to its complexity. Just this week, Kevin Brady, the House Ways and Means Committee chairman, described the G.O.P. challenge as akin to a Rubiks Cube.

These metaphors can be clarifying or confusing, an occupational hazard of metaphors. Just why exactly is a rug the only metaphor that Republicans all seem to agree on? Heres a summary of many memorable attempts to make health care reform seem familiar  and bizarrely unfamiliar.
The department spent more than a year studying the issue, proposing rules, studying public comments and issuing final regulations in 2016 that accommodated the state plans. In a tiny but crucial change, the new rules said the state plans merely had to be voluntary as opposed to completely voluntary, the requirement for traditional I.R.A.s used in a workplace setting. This shift made it possible to offer the essential automatic enrollment provision, which nudges people to save, and only requires an active choice for those who do not wish to save. Alternatively, where workers have to go out of their way to sign up to save, usage is low, especially for I.R.A.s. The states planning to start their own plans were happy, and other states have been expressing interest in following suit.

So far, so good. Power was devolving to individual states; regulatory burdens were easing; and American workers were being given a chance to easily save for retirement and become part of what President George W. Bush called the ownership society.

Yet some Republicans in Congress are now trying to override the new rule.

Their tactic uses the obscure Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to undo recent regulations with a simple majority vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate. By rule, they must do so within 60 Congressional days of the issuance of a regulation, defined as days that Congress is in session. The House has already passed a resolution of disapproval revoking the new rules, but the Senate has not yet taken up the issue.

This is odd, considering that giving more power to the states is a traditional Republican mantra, often mentioned as part of plans to replace the Affordable Care Act with local alternatives. Whats more, helping people save used to be an issue with bipartisan support. The federal Pension Protection Act of 2006, which had wide support from both parties (and from me, too), included rules that encouraged employers to adopt automatic enrollment and automatic savings increases, with opt-out provisions.

Yet in a news release and op-ed piece in The Los Angeles Times, the sponsors of the move to stop the state plans in the House, Francis Rooney, a Republican from Florida, and Tim Walberg, a Republican from Michigan, described the Labor Departments rule as a last-minute regulatory loophole. Thats an interesting choice of words: The rule took about two years to complete.

The news release says hardworking Americans could be forced into government-run plans, failing to recognize that automatic enrollment includes an easy way to opt out at any time. It works very well for millions of people in 401(k) plans.

Another claim (without any supporting evidence) is that these state plans will discourage firms from offering their own retirement plans. Of course, that is possible, but most successful businesses eventually offer a 401(k) plan because it can allow for employer matching funds and has much higher contribution limits than I.R.A.s, both attractive features for people in top management.
Good morning.

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The trains operation was halted in 1969 to make way for new development, then again in 2001 after a fatal accident. In 2013, it stopped a third time when a car derailed.

Now, Angels Flight, a two-car funicular on a steep slope in downtown Los Angeles, will give it another go. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced this week that a deal was reached with a private group to make safety upgrades and resume service by Labor Day.

Angels Flight was built in 1901 as a link between the stately Bunker Hill neighborhood and the downtown shopping district. The magic chariot, as a film narrator once called it, had a penny fare and traveled a mere 100 yards.
Rebuilding of schools delayed in Okhaldhunga

Most of the earthquake-hit schools in Okhaldhunga are still running their classes from temporary learning centres even after nearly two years since the disaster.
Democrats say there is another reason Republicans favor the Intelligence Committee: Its work is conducted mainly behind closed doors, sparing Mr. Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill from a regular parade of witnesses swearing to tell the truth before sober-faced senators  all of it televised live on cable news and C-Span.

From the McCarthy hearings through Watergate, Iran-contra and the Clinton impeachment, the American public has become quite familiar with the tableaux of the congressional investigation and the serious business that can be involved.

Republicans would like to avoid such a scene to the extent possible. Pursuing an investigation through the Intelligence Committee arms them against complaints that they are looking the other way about the allegations, while potentially limiting the fallout for them and the new administration.

But rapid-fire developments  such as confirmed reports of previously unknown meetings between Mr. Sessions and the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey I. Kislyak (meetings he denied at his Senate confirmation hearing), followed by his quick recusal  may erode Republicans ability to hold off demands for a wider and more public investigation. Such disclosures have a cumulative effect.

Though most of Mr. Sessionss former colleagues stood solidly behind him before his recusal announcement, there were prominent cracks. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, a respected voice among Senate Republicans, issued a statement urging Mr. Sessions to step aside from any Russia-related investigation by the Justice Department. Senator Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska, issued his own statement urging the intelligence panel to get on with it.

Attorney General Sessionss recusal is the right decision, and the Senate Intelligence Committee should accelerate its work, Mr. Sasse said, warning that the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, was trying to undermine public confidence in American institutions. The American people deserve a comprehensive, top-to-bottom investigation of Putins Soviet-style meddling in self-government at home and across the West.

Their positions, and more private expressions of increasing nervousness by other lawmakers, show that Republican unity on how to respond to Russias meddling in the election is not a given, and that further disclosures could bring about more defections from the party line that no investigation beyond the intelligence community is warranted.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.  President Trump on Friday hailed a Florida school tuition assistance program as the future of education, joining Betsy DeVos, his education secretary, at a Catholic elementary classroom to kick off an intense political battle on behalf of school choice in America.

The president and Ms. DeVos, who for years championed school vouchers as an antidote to failing schools and falling test scores, met with parents, teachers and students at St. Andrew Catholic School, which has embraced a Florida program that uses public money to allow low-income students to attend private schools.

Hundreds of low-income students, many of them African-Americans, attend the private religious school thanks to tuition assistance from the Florida Tax Credit scholarship program. Critics say it diverts money that would otherwise go to the states public school system.

Tuition at the school, just outside Orlando, is normally $6,260 per year, according to the schools website. The Florida scholarship program allows businesses in the state to receive tax credits for donating to nonprofit scholarship organizations that give tuition assistance for students to attend schools like St. Andrew. The families portion of the tuition bill varies.
Some of Mr. Trumps remarks about the news media would not seem out of place in some of Chinas leading broadsheets, where commentators regularly denounce independent reporting by foreign news outlets on delicate subjects like Taiwan or religious persecution.

Rights advocates said Mr. Trump had given China an opportunity to further distort the boundaries of journalism.

If the Chinese version of journalism, which is really only propaganda, is considered mainstream, it will challenge the understanding of what real journalism should be, said Patrick Poon, a researcher for Amnesty International in Hong Kong.

The heated commentary in the Chinese news media came in response to foreign coverage of a Chinese lawyer, Xie Yang, whose account of torture at the hands of interrogators was widely reported in January, including in The New York Times. The reports about Mr. Xie, who is still in custody, were based on transcripts of his interviews with his lawyers.

Xinhuas report suggested that the account of the torture of Mr. Xie, who was formally arrested last year on a charge of inciting subversion of state power, was fabricated.
PARIS  He and his writing partner were the toast of the Left Bank, published and celebrated by the prestigious and chic. They were praised as authentic voices from Frances troubled suburbs, articulate and poetic chroniclers of the immigrant youth experience.

Barely into their 20s, Mehdi Meklat and Badroudine Said Abdallah  Mehdi and Badrou, as they are known  were stars of Bondy Blog, a much-praised chronicle of suburban France sponsored by the mainstream press. They were seen poolside in Los Angeles and at Le Select in Paris, and had their own show on national radio, all the while going home to the cramped housing projects of their parents in the suburbs.

All that is gone now. Mr. Meklat, 24, is now a media phenomenon of a different sort. He has been revealed as the semi-hidden author, under a pseudonym, of hateful and obscene tweets  anti-Semitic, misogynistic, pro-jihadist and homophobic.

Bring on Hitler to kill the Jews, he tweeted during the Cesars, the French Oscars ceremony; Charb, what Id really like to do is shove some Laguiole knives up his   he wrote about the Charlie Hebdo cartoonist, not long before the massacre in which Charb was killed; I find the phrase, I love death the way you love life, of Mohammed Merah troubling in its beauty, he wrote about the murderer of Jewish schoolchildren in Toulouse; I miss Bin Laden, Mr. Meklat said in another tweet.
BRUSSELS  The European Parliament has passed a nonbinding resolution calling for the reintroduction of visa requirements for American citizens, raising the stakes in a long-running battle over the United States refusal to grant visa-free access to citizens of five European Union countries.

In the vote on Thursday, European lawmakers played tit-for-tat in their dispute with the United States, demanding restrictions on American travelers unless the Trump administration lifts travel requirements for citizens of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania.

Youre talking about citizens from countries, like Poland, with a major diaspora in the United States, Claude Moraes, the British lawmaker who leads the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs in the European Parliament, said in a telephone interview on Friday. Youre really seeing frustration and anger, and without any timetable, this is becoming increasingly seen as second-class treatment.

The resolution, while nonbinding, was an important political signal, and it increases pressure on the European Commission, the blocs executive body, to confront the new administration in Washington, even though it may prove to be as intransigent on the matter as the Obama administration, if not more.
DUBLIN  The local historian had been telling the authorities for years that dead infants might have been buried in an old sewage system on the grounds of a former home for unmarried mothers and their children in the west of Ireland.

Little attention was paid to her claims at first, but the questions eventually led to the establishment of a state-financed investigation. And on Friday, the investigators said that the remains of babies, small children and fetuses had been found where she said they would.

The discovery, in the County Galway town of Tuam, was announced on the website of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes. The commission is shocked by this discovery and is continuing its investigation into who was responsible for the disposal of human remains in this way, the agency said in a statement.

From 1925 to 1961, the St. Marys home was run by the Sisters of Bon Secours, a Roman Catholic order, but was financed by the Irish government. Tests showed that most of the remains were likely to date from the 1950s, according to the statement, which added that further examinations were being conducted.
Welcome to the hotel with the worst view in the world. Please be mindful of the million-dollar art on the walls.

The elusive British street artist Banksy has decorated the interiors of the Walled Off Hotel, a nine-room guesthouse in the West Bank city of Bethlehem whose windows overlook the barrier that separates the territory from Israel.
Some Morgan Stanley wealth management customers are getting news in the mail this week: They underpaid  or in some cases, overpaid  their taxes for several years because of incorrect information the firm provided to them about their investments.

Morgan Stanley disclosed in a regulatory filing this week that it had provided a significant number of retail brokerage clients, as well as the Internal Revenue Service, with inaccurate information on the cost basis of their investments. The basis is used to calculate the gain or loss when a security is sold, which determines how much tax is owed.

Morgan Stanley said in its filing that the errors were caused by operational issues and affected tax years 2011 through 2016. In the tax year 2011, the I.R.S. began requiring brokers to report more detailed cost-basis information. The information typically is reported to investors on Form 1099-B.

The firm said it was in advanced discussions with the I.R.S. to resolve the issue for customers who underpaid as a result of the error at no expense to our clients.
A hat tip to Axa, a provider of often expensive annuities, which you can read more about in one of Taras 403(b) articles from last year. At least Axa engaged, letting me know that the Equi-Vest 201 variable annuity that it offers via a prospectus that runs 132 pages would cost a minimum of 1.81 percent annually in one version and possibly a fair bit more. Other options are complex in different ways and may not offer as much market upside. Those fees help pay for Axas adviser force, and the company thinks that people who work with an adviser tend to start sooner, save more and make fewer mistakes than people who go at retirement investing alone.

Want mutual funds? Only funds from Oppenheimer (and no index funds) are offered via Compass Capital Management, another company on the Omni list. It offers different classes of funds, and the best deal for investors tends to be those on which it pays half a percentage point a year to an adviser on top of whatever the underlying fund expenses are. Over all, these investments seemed best for most people in the Greenwich plan (keeping in mind that many of the companies on the list would not talk to me).

But better deals do exist out in the world, and more teachers ought to have the opportunity to snare them. For instance, it should be easier to buy simple target-date mutual funds, the all-in-one funds that let you set an intended retirement date and then allocate money to a collection of index mutual funds that track the market and adjust risk according to your age.

Ms. Sutton, the union president, said she was working on it. She has fired up her members to ask more questions of any adviser who is helping them with their 403(b)s. Her finance committee is putting spreadsheets together and looking into other options, like a cheaper state plan that should be available to teachers but currently is not.

But its all a bit wearying, and its not lost on her that the human resources employees at many corporations serve up cheap Fidelity and Vanguard mutual funds to colleagues on a silver platter. Some of us in the public sector are working our tails off; we hope for the good of humanity, she said. But were not educated in this area.
Rs 700 million EU aid for Nepal education sector

The European Union (EU), the current Development Partner Focal Point for Education, has released six million euros (approximately Rs 700 million) to the government of Nepal.
What I can confirm, having spoken to him about it, is that those conversations that happened to occur around the time that the United States took action to expel diplomats had nothing whatsoever to do with those sanctions.
Stones hurled at UML lawmakers vehicle in Saptari

Madhesi Morcha cadres on Friday hurled stones at the vehicle of CPN-UML lawmaker Ranju Kumari Jha in Rajbiraj of Saptari district.
From Buzzflash



A hen is kept in a battery cage for the mass production of eggs.

(Image by Flickr/Dzivnieku briviba) Details DMCA



Those who say that we ordinary people can't have any effect on today's corporate behemoths should check out two breakthroughs last year by a group the establishment has long derided as somewhere between wacko and criminal: animal rights activists. Members of groups like the Humane Society get demonized, outlawed, sued and jailed by agribusiness interests for persisting in trying to make life even slightly less awful for animals captured in America's industrial food system. But 2016 was a good year for those groups ... and for the animals.

Let's look at Perdue Farms. Perdue is a $6 billion poultry giant (the fourth largest in the US, producing 676 million chickens in 2015). It has been a major pusher of the industry line that there's nothing wrong or cruel about breeding birds with breasts so heavy that they can't stand, or keeping them jammed so tightly in cages that they can't spread their wings, or denying them access to the outdoors -- or even sunlight. But Jim Perdue, grandson of the founder and now CEO, was having trouble reconciling his corporation's rhetoric with hard reality. After listening to critics, he began discussing alternatives with the animal rights group, Compassion in World Farming.

Then, on July 1 -- bam -- Perdue announced a wholesale shift in his company's approach to handling the birds, including providing them with lots of sunlight; giving them space to run, flap wings, and play; breeding smaller, healthier birds; and using more humane slaughter methods. Also, Perdue will compensate growers not just to cut costs, but also for enhancing the birds' quality of life. One of the industry rationales for cruelty is that kindness raises prices and cuts profits. But Perdue is finding that healthier birds actually reduce costs, and that more humane practices attract supermarkets, restaurants, and families to Perdue's products. Success by Perdue could shift the whole miserable industry.

That is great news for chickens that are farmed for food, but what about laying hens that provide us eggs for our breakfast tables? Until recently, nearly all of the 77 billion eggs we Americans eat annually have come from hellish, windowless egg factories, each containing hundreds of thousands of laying hens. Tightly packed into wire "battery cages" containing five birds side by side, each hen "lives" (so to speak) in a tiny space with the footprint of an iPad.

For a decade, the Humane Society has led a grassroots campaign to liberate these hens through undercover exposes and by pressuring college food managers and retailers like Whole Foods to buy from smaller, more local producers of cage-free eggs. In 2008, the campaign got a huge boost when California voters passed a ballot initiative banning battery-cage confinement, with the most "yes" votes of any initiative in US history. After that victory, the society's organizers convinced Burger King to adopt a cage-free policy. Next came McDonald's and IHOP, Kroger and Meijer, Costco and Trader Joe's -- and then, last April, the biggest prize in all of eggdom: Walmart, America's biggest egg buyer, announced a transition to a 100 percent cage-free egg supply by 2025.

But as we all know, President Donnie Trump has named some doozies to his cabinet and one that stands out as threats to humane and healthy food is Scott Pruitt. He was confirmed as the head of the EPA, which oversees animal testing for pesticides and chemicals and regulating greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution from factory farms. As attorney general in Oklahoma Pruitt tried (unsuccessfully) to give special rights to corporate and foreign-owned factory farms and joined a suit aimed at killing the California law for more humane egg production.

For more information and to help stop President Trump and his appointees from rolling back the progress that has been made in humanely raising farm animals, see here.
As it appears Lithuania expects major changes in the near future. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius was on an official visit to the United States of America from the 20 to the 24 of February 2017. During a visit he said that Lithuania seeks the permanent presence of United States troops in its territory.

"We have requested stationing of military forces in our country on a more permanent basis -- not only rotational but also more permanent," the minister told BNS in the telephone interview from Washington D.C.

Linas Linkevicius' call for the permanent presence of United States troops in Lithuania territory can be regarded as forthcoming constitutional changes. The matter is, under Articles 137 of the Lithuanian constitution ( http://konstitucija.lt/lt/konstitucija/137-straipsnis/ ), there may not be any weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania.

Unlikely words of the Lithuanian high-ranking official demonstrate only his personal point of view. Improbable also that he asked for permanent foreign military presence in the country without coordination with the President and the government.

But do they have the right to act against Constitution? As it is well-known the government is only executive brunch and might not violate Constitution and decide for Lithuanian people. The more so, locals are not happy at all about foreign soldiers who often behave themselves without any respect to citizens.

Such issue as foreign troops' deployment on permanent basis is at least an issue of a public discussion and then the amendments to the Constitution should be adopted by Seimas. The third step is new law execution by the government and people.

Under another article of the Constitution (Article 25), the citizen shall have the right to receive, according to the procedure established by law, any information concerning him that is held by state institutions. The Minister of Foreign affairs also violates the Lithuanians' right of receiving information. It seems as if the decision had been made before Linkevicius announced the request was in the US. Lithuanians learnt about it only from Media resources ex post facto.

If Mr. Linkevicius was authorized by the government to seek the permanent presence of United States troops in the territory of Lithuania it means that national authorities do not respect the citizens of their country and feel themselves omnipotent.

It is clear that if such an agreement between the United States and Lithuania is signed it will for sure cause a negative reaction from Moscow, and will lead to even greater confrontation. This issue is even more than questionable, because may cause two basically different consequences. On one hand it can be the indicator of NATO strong capability to defend its members, on the other -- it can force Russia to further increase its military strength. It is the so-called vicious cycle. A chain of events in which the Russian response to Lithuania can aggravates the existing threat of open confrontation.

Defence and security are obviously the main tasks of Lithuanian politics, but law is law, not empty words. To obey the law, respect the rights guaranteed by the Constitution are the main responsibilities of the Lithuanian legislative branch. I do not want Lithuania would go down in history as the country that provoked a war due to lack of political wisdom.
Donald Trump is absolutely correct when he says the main stream news media lies, purveys fake news, and is the enemy of the American people. The organizations he banned from the White House informal "gaggle" -- The New York Times, L.A. Times, CNN, etc., are all guilty as charged. But the organizations not banned by Trump, CBS, NBC, Fox, ABC, One America News Network, The Wall Street Journal, McClatchy, Breitbart and Washington Times are equally guilty.

The problem with Trump's denunciations of the lies and fake news spread by the corporate media is not that they are false, but that he has given the wrong reasons.

His accusations are based on their criticisms of him and his policies. All they would have to do is give him some flattering coverage and all would be well.

There is a more honest politician who also shows that the corporate media are liars, purveyors of fake news, and the enemy of the American people, although he does not use the intemperate (though accurate) language of Trump. That politician is Senator Bernie Sanders and his charges are detailed in his recent book Our Revolution.

He opens his chapter on the Media ("Corporate Media and the Threat to Our Democracy" with a quote from A.J. Liebling (1904-1963: a famous journalist at The New Yorker from 1935 to 1963): "Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one."

The basic point of this chapter is this. Almost all the "news" and information the American people read, hear or see comes from the corporate media which is run in the interest of profit making and not with any overly solicitous concern with the truth or in being objective. The news is filtered to support the interests of the rich and powerful and the interests of the vast majority of the American are ignored and the issues that concern them are either not reported or under reported, or falsely reported. The media also shapes the way people think, and the values they believe they have arrived at on their own are actually implanted in them from a life time of media propaganda from the corporate Establishment [reinforced by the education system and religion].

In other words the corporate media lies to us to get us to accept the world outlook of the 1%, publishes fake news to make itself and its system look good (especially it's class controlled political system and elections) and since the corporate media manipulates the "news" to further its own interests, the interests of Wall Street and corporate America at the expense of the American people who are kept in ignorance of what is really going on, they are, indeed, the enemy of the American people.

All this can be summed up by another quote from A.J. Liebling -- one not used by Sanders but one I am sure he would also like: "People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news."

I will now append some quotes from Sanders' chapter to substantiate my summation of his views above and then draw some conclusions concerning the veracity of Trump's statements with respect to the media. The numbered sentences are all direct quotes.

1. Media shapes our political consciousness, and informs us as to the scope of what is "realistic" and "possible."

2. In other words, it is time for the American people to understand that corporate media in America is not some kind of "objective" entity that sees its function as providing, as best it can, "truth" to its viewers, listeners, and readers"

3. Today as a result of massive mergers and takeovers, six corporations control 90 percent of what we see, hear, or read. [Comcast, News Corp, Disney, Viacom, Time Warner, CBS: And they tell you what they want you to know and believe: the "truth" is what they say it is.]

4. The current media situation in America, where a handful of giant corporations controls the flow of information, is a very serious threat to our democracy.

To be clear: those who threaten the democracy of the American people are the enemies of the American people. These 6 corporations, the Sinful 6, are the ones flooding us with fake news, alternate facts, and propaganda designed to further their profits and the interests of the 1%. They want us to believe the threats to our democracy come from the Russians and Putin, the Chinese, the Iranians, the North Koreans, immigrants, anti-capitalists, radical Islam, Palestinian and other terrorists, and all the time it's the Sinful 6 themselves who are the greatest threat because they distort and warp all the information about these other groups, but our domestic problems as well, so that 90 percent of us don't understand what they are really like and whether they are real or imaginary problems and threats. The Sinful 6 are responsible for Trump being the president, for Clinton not Bernie being the Democratic candidate, for Bush's wars in the Middle East, and for the abysmal ignorance of the American people about the world outside of the U.S. and of the history of their own country.

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Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"Rob Kall's book, Bottom-Up, offers valuable ways of seeing and powerful tools for enabling new power and connectivity to work to change the hope and promise for the future."



Jeremy Heimans, CEO & Co-founder of Purpose and coauthor of New Power
Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"Rob Kall's book, Bottom-Up: Tapping the Power of the Connection Revolution has really caused me to relook and reframe many of my thoughts on where our connectedness using social media tools like LinkedIn is headed, and not just for career trajectory but for life. If you are looking for a new perspective on our sometimes zany digital world we live in, this book will keep you reading and may ultimately revise but for sure challenge your current paradigm."



Wayne Breitbarth, author of The Power Formula for Linkedin Success: Kick-Start Your Business, Brand, and Job Search
Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"In Bottom-Up, Rob Kall offers a blueprint for human surviving and thriving that everyone can follow. Using personal stories from his many famous contacts (from Capra to Quinn), he shows how in every aspect of life we can reconnect with that which is in our DNA by replacing our artificial and oppressive hierarchical priorities via a return to a consciousness based on the kind of egalitarian relationships that we honored for most of human history."



Four Arrows, aka Don Trent Jacobs, PhD, EdD, author of Unlearning the Language of Conquest and Teaching Truly: A Curriculum to Indigenize Mainstream Education
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From Palestine Chronicle

I have recently been asked to give a talk about "Being an American Muslim in the United States." Although wary of the uses and abuses of the term, I obliged.

Islam is a religion propelled by values, not race nor, theoretically, by blind tribal allegiances, I explained.

The "American Muslim" identity which has been under constant investigation in US media, politics and society is completely different from what American Muslims associate themselves with.

The media's "American Muslim" is a suspect, a fifth column, potentially dangerous and more receptive to violence than every other collective identity in the US. While this contrasts sharply with real Islam, facts hardly matter in the age of American nationalism, predicated on cultural and religious identification and "alternative facts."

Caught within this brutal, baseless logic, some American Muslims no longer define themselves around their own political priorities, nor do they mobilize themselves alongside their natural allies -- those who come from historically oppressed communities. Instead, they have taken to apologizing for their "Muslim-ness," rather than demand an apology, justice and equality.

Many Muslims find themselves, as a collective, being forced to demonstrate their humanity, defend their religion and distance themselves from every act of violence, even if only allegedly committed by a Muslim anywhere in the world.

Long before the Trump administration's "Muslim Ban" -- banning citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US for 90 days -- Muslims in the US have always, to varied degrees, been embattled, collectively demonized, racially profiled by government agencies and targeted in numerous hate crimes by fellow Americans.

In reality, hatred of Muslims goes back even before 9/11, and the US war in Iraq in 1990-91 -- a hatred based solely on media fear-mongering and Hollywood stereotyping.

There is also an odd "discovery" by various liberal groups that American Muslims are mistreated in their own country.

In truth, the cause of the "defenseless Muslim" is used as a political tool, with Democrats and others attempting to undermine the actions of their Republican rivals.

The administrations of Democratic presidents, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, both had horrific legacies of violence and discrimination against Muslim countries.

In a landmark study released in March 2015, the Washington-based group, Physicians for Social Responsibly, showed that the US self-styled "War on Terror" had killed anywhere between 1.3 million to two million Muslims in the first 10 years since the September 11 attacks.

Award-winning investigative journalist, Nafeez Ahmed, concluded that at least four million Muslims have been killed by the US since 1990.

This excludes killings that have taken place in the last two years, or the countless civilians who perished during the US-sanctions on Iraq, starting in 1991, which were enforced throughout the Clinton administration.

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Syrian forces 'completely retake' Palmyra from IS

Syrian government forces and their Russian backers have completely recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra from so-called Islamic State (IS) militants, the two allies say.
Everywhere, on the mainstream media, and articles from websites on every side of the political spectrum, and even from friends, I hear of how the Russians are influencing our elections and launching cyber-attacks everywhere against our computer systems while simultaneously threatening nations from the Baltic's to Sweden to the Middle East. Throughout all this" there hasn't been a single shred of evidence.

Take my word for it, I have been looking for one solid facts coming out of these accusations. Every time I hear of the terrible things that Russia supposedly does, I'm always looking to see what facts back up the rhetoric. I have failed to find anything from the government, the mainstream media, the military or from anywhere else, that proves Russia had anything to do with tampering with our elections.

It's not like America hasn't tampered with other nations and their elections. We have done this countless times throughout our history, and to many different nations. Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving Russia a free pass on tampering with our elections, I just haven't seen any proof.

When I do see proof of however, is United States casting Russia as our enemy at least since 2008. Starting with the war between Georgia and Russia, in which it is well been proven that Georgia started the war by invading pro-Russian South Ossetia, and our government claimed exactly the opposite, we have been steadily impugning everything Russia and especially Vladimir Putin, does.

When Putin defused the crisis in Syria, when we were accusing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of using chemical weapons against his own people, and were about to ask Congress for authorization of force against Syria, Vladimir Putin offered to take all the chemical weapons out of Syria. This took the wind out of the sails of the war hawks that wanted to send cruise missiles to Damascus. When the British House of Commons refused to authorize the use of force, and thousands of emails, phone calls and letters went out to American Congressman, Obama saw the writing on the wall and accepted Vladimir Putin's gracious offer.

Instead of thanking Vladimir Putin and the Russian government for defusing what could've led the United States into another Mideast war, we vilified Russia and found fault in just about everything they said and did. They helped us negotiate with Iran to stop their nuclear program, but the American political establishment gave to Russia no credit, instead charging Russia was an ally of Iran.

When the problems in Ukraine erupted after years of turmoil inside that country, we did our level best to make sure that the elected president, who was pro-Russian was deposed. It's not like he was a good President" from all accounts he was corrupt and ineffectual, but we still had no right to interfere with the internal affairs of another sovereign nation. That didn't stop Hillary Clinton's State Department from funneling $5 billion into the rebellion against that elected government. What we got out of that deal was a pro-Nazi government in western Ukraine that tried to prohibit the Russian language from being used in the country, even though the eastern half of Ukraine spoke Russian and had deep ties to Russia.

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Leaving New York State and entering Vermont is almost like going to another country. One leaves the billboards and other signs that litter the New York landscape and go to a state that is billboard-free.

In recent times, adding to its sign pollution, New York State has erected--all over Long Island and upstate--signs boosting itself. "The New York State Experience," reads one of the many signs. "New York Outdoor Recreation," says another. And there's "New York Attractions" and "New York History" and "New York Food & Beverages."



New York Auto Show Billboard - Javit Center - Nissan Leaf - Smoke Board

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They're almost a state governmental version of the Burma-Shave signs which littered U.S. highways between 1925 and 1963 when they were removed after the Burma-Vita company, in decline, was sold.

And the New York State signs have been put up with our tax money. A recent Associated Press article said the state has spent $8.1 million on its "I Love NY" sign program.

The signs have not been loved by most people, with some exceptions. "They make me think about the good things that New York State has to offer," wrote Mick Du Russel of Lake Ronkonkoma in a recent letter-to-the-editor in Long Island's Newsday. I'd say he is in a distinct minority.

Out in Montauk, there was an uproar over the signs. "They're ridiculous," said Larry Cantwell, supervisor of Long Island's Town of East Hampton, in July, a month after the program began. "They're totally out of character in Montauk." The state agreed to take down most in Montauk, a seaside hamlet in East Hampton town.

Similarly, after complaints from residents and elected officials, most of the state signs erected in Port Jefferson and Orient on Long Island were removed. Port Jefferson Mayor Margot Garant spoke of efforts at "cleaning things up" in the village and, of the state signs, "they're ugly."

Scott Russell, supervisor of Southold Town on Long Island, said the signs in Orient, a hamlet at the end of the North Fork in his town, were "counterproductive" as they blocked scenic views. One state sign was posted "right in front" of a nature preserve--and the sign, instead of the preserve, should "not be the first thing" people see getting off the ferry from Connecticut, arriving in New York.

The Federal Highway Administration jumped into the situation charging in January that the signs are a safety hazard, a distraction to drivers, and were illegal under U.S. and New York State laws. It threatened a cut in federal funding for highway and bridge projects if the signs weren't removed. The state has "agreed that no more will go up while we're in negotiations" with federal officials, a spokesperson for the state Department of Transportation said last month. A Federal Highway Administration spokesperson said a "moratorium" was put in place and the state "has agreed to not post any new signs, and we have discussed with them removing the existing signs."

Meanwhile, the state sign brouhaha has spawned a new anti-billboard effort in Long Island's Suffolk County. Good news!

Suffolk Legislator Al Krupski of Cutchogue has just introduced a "Local Law Prohibiting Billboards on County Highways." His measure notes that "billboards are common along many major roadways throughout the county" and they "can be distracting to drivers navigating roads, limit sight lines and contribute to accidents." They are "also unappealing on an aesthetic level, detracting from the natural environment." His bill "concludes that the county should prohibit the placement of billboards on county road rights-of-way."

Ed Romaine, supervisor of Long Island's Brookhaven Town, earlier wrote a letter to the Suffolk Legislature asking that the county follow in Brookhaven Town's "footsteps and adopt legislation that would phase out billboards along county roads." Billboards "distract drivers" and take away from "the beauty of the area," he says.

New York State indeed has many "good things" to "offer." But they don't need to be pushed Burma-Shave sign-like with many hundreds of highway signs proclaiming it.

In 1968, Vermont passed its landmark anti-billboard law. An example of citizen action, its passage is credited as largely the result of extraordinary efforts by one person, Ted Riehle. He "believed strongly"that Vermont would benefit financially and aesthetically"Time has proven him right," says the Scenic America website (www.scenic.org). Maine, Alaska and Hawaii now have their own anti-billboard statutes. As do "1,500 cities and communities," Scenic America notes. Of course, entities led by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America fight this.

New York State should get tougher on billboards. To have them blot the beautiful mountains of upstate New York and landscape of Long Island is wrong. For starters, the state should immediately end its part in causing sign pollution along its roadways.
The Democratic Party leadership, both in the Democratic National Committee and in Congress, is full of bad ideas these days, and they're risking disaster because of it.

After the November election fiasco, you'd think a party that left controlling the governments of just 13 states of the 50 states, compared to 32 for Republicans, and that has just lost every lever of power in Washington -- the White House, the Senate, the House and the Supreme Court -- would be rethinking its whole approach to reaching American voters and trying to figure out where it went wrong over the last several decades.

Instead we're hearing a whole lot of the same old bad ideas, and some new ones that are even worse than bad.

Take Nancy Pelosi, the dinosaur representative from San Francisco who once was the House speaker, back when Democrats controlled that lower chamber of Congress. She says Democrats should "just wait" until Trump voters realize that they have been misled by their candidate, on the assumption that they will then flock to the Democratic Party in 2018.

Just wait? Doesn't Pelosi get it yet? America's working class -- black, hispanic and white -- has for years been "waiting" years in vain for the Democratic Party to come back to its roots and start helping them, instead of helping the toney entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and the toney hedge-fund managers on Wall Street to get richer? Wait for what? Voters both independent and Democratic abandoned the Democratic Party in droves in November because they finally woke up and realized it had abandoned them, and that "just waiting" for them to come back to a party that betrayed them is not going to work at all.

As I've written, plenty of those "deplorables" who voted for Trump in states that used to be reliably Democratic first voted in the Democratic primary for Bernie Sanders, either as Democratic Party registrants or as independents. They only turned to Trump when the choice was Trump or Clinton, whom they recognized as corporatist Democratic party hack. Many have told pollsters and interviewers that they voted for Trump and the Republicans not because they liked them, but to "shake things up" because the Democrats have been ignoring their plight.

And then there's the corrupt and self-destructive selection of former Obama Labor Secretary Tom Perez as the Democratic National Committee chair, replacing the corrupt Donna Brazile, who helped screw candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders out of the party's nomination by, among other things, passing Hillary Clinton tips about questions CNN planned to ask in her primary debate with Sanders, before herself being chosen by the DNC to replace the disgraced prior chair, Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (forced to resign at the start of last year's Democratic Convention because of emails exposing her role in skewing the primaries in Hillary Clinton's favor). Perez steamrolled Sanders' popular choice for chair, Rep. Keith Ellison thanks to the votes of big corporate donors who, under a deeply corrupt policy of the DNC, get to be DNC members along with top state party officials and major Democratic elected leaders. The ramming through of the Perez selection as party chairman was a big stick thrust in the eye of the increasingly large progressive wing of the Democratic Party base, and that insult will cost the party incalculable support going forward.

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From Reader Supported News



Phillip Louis Chance was convicted at the age of 15 and placed in an adult jail for his role in a robbery and murder by his cousin. Chance said he was bullied into making a confession and didn't know his cousin was going to rob and kill the store owner.

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In 1971, a then-15-year-old Chance and his older brother left Detroit with family to visit a cousin in Choctaw, Alabama. During that visit, the three went to a convenience store, which the cousin proceeded to rob. The cousin then killed the clerk. Chance cooperated fully with the police and told them where his cousin had hidden the stolen money. Prosecutors, though, charged all three of the teens, who were black, with murdering the white clerk. Chance's defense attorney told him to plead guilty, saying that because he had cooperated with the cops that he would likely be sentenced to a year in the local jail. The judge, though, gave him life without parole. This was a 15-year-old who had not killed anybody.

Chance was sent to an adult prison, where he was so well-behaved that he was able to work his way down from maximum security to a minimum-security work-release program in only 10 years. But in 1981, despite never having had a single disciplinary infraction, he was denied parole. The parole board said specifically that he posed a "threat to the community." Frustrated, a few days later, Chance walked away from the work-release program and made his way back to his family in Detroit.

The State of Alabama pressed relentlessly for Chance's return. But the (Republican) governor of Michigan granted Chance asylum, and he and subsequent governors refused Alabama's repeated extradition requests. Several of the governors said that Chance had been railroaded and argued that he was a victim of racial discrimination and injustice.

But the State of Alabama would not relent. Then-State Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard (Jeff) Sessions filed a federal lawsuit against the State of Michigan demanding that Chance be extradited to serve the rest of his life term. Finally, in 1996, the federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the extradition. Chance was arrested and transported to Birmingham.

One federal appellate judge noted in dissent, "Mr. Chance will be returned to a jurisdiction and prison system with a wretched history and, even more distressing, a present demeanor violative of international standards on the treatment of all prisoners." The judge was referring to Alabama's decision to bring back the chain gang, as well as the practice of shackling prisoners for as long as seven hours to chest-high horizontal bars called "hitching posts." The judge continued that, "If South Africa can sign a new democratic constitution and Pakistan can take steps toward a ban on flogging, surely the State of Alabama, in the United States of America, can learn from its lamentable past and embrace modest principles of human rights." But it wasn't to be.

In 1999, three years after being returned to Alabama, Chance appeared before the parole board. Alabama Parole Board chairwoman Gladys Riddle and board member Johnny Johnson noted that Chance had been 15 years old at the time of his crime, that he was not the killer, and that he had led an exemplary life in Michigan. The board voted to grant him parole.

Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor condemned the recommendation, and Governor Don Siegelman, a Democrat who would later be sentenced to seven years in a federal prison on what many believe to be trumped up political charges, called on the board to immediately reverse its decision. Siegelman asked rhetorically why the board would release a "convicted killer" after the state had spent more than $200,000 only three years earlier to have him extradited from Michigan. The board rescinded its decision and Chance remained in prison.

Chance came up for parole many times over the next two decades. He told the board each time about how he had maintained an exemplary disciplinary record, how he had earned a GED and a college degree in theology while incarcerated, and about how he had developed life-threatening health problems in prison. Indeed, during those years he developed kidney and heart disease, had two heart attacks, underwent quadruple bypass surgery, developed diabetes, and had a stroke. His application for compassionate release was denied. He finally died in November, chained to a hospital bed.

Phillip Chance is just one man. His is just one case. But it is an example of everything that is wrong with the American judicial system. It's not a system that seeks or pursues justice. It's a system that seeks punishment. There is no rehabilitation. There is no compassion. There's just punishment. And even then, we're backsliding.

Jeff Sessions is now Attorney General of the United States. It is he who sets policy on prosecutions, on prison reform, and on sentencing reform. Advocates of these reforms and of easing mandatory minimum sentencing made huge strides under the Obama administration. And that wasn't easy. Obama eventually came around, but for years he was no friend of reformers. Now there's almost nothing to look forward to. What we can expect, though, at least for the next four years, is to hear more stories like that of Phillip Chance.

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.
From Gush Shalom

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NAPOLEON CAME to a German town and was not welcomed with the traditional artillery salute.

Furious, he summoned the mayor and demanded an explanation.

The German produced a long scroll of paper and said: "I have a list of 99 reasons. Reason No. 1: we have no cannon."

"That's enough'" Napoleon interrupted him, "You can go home!"

I WAS reminded of this story some two weeks ago, when I read Yitzhak Herzog's 10-point peace plan.

Herzog, the leader of the Labor Party, is an honest and intelligent person. All the bad things written about him when it seemed that he was crawling towards Binyamin Netanyahu's coalition have been refuted by the recent disclosure about the Aqaba peace initiative.

The rulers of Egypt, Jordan and Israel, so it appeared, had met in secret and asked Herzog to make peace possible by joining Netanyahu's coalition. Herzog was hoodwinked by Netanyahu and agreed. He kept silent under the storm of contemptuous reactions. That shows that he is both decent and responsible.

No doubt, he could be a good prime minister for Ireland, where his grandfather had been the Chief Rabbi, or even in Switzerland. But not in Israel.

Israel now needs a strong leader, with lots of charisma and a profound understanding of the historic conflict. Not a Herzog.

COMING BACK to Napoleon.

Two weeks ago Herzog proudly published his Peace Plan, consisting of 10 points.

Point No. 1 is an ritual repetition of the two-states principle. It is point No. 2 that is the crux of the matter. It says that the negotiations for peace will start 10 years from now.

That's where Napoleon would have said "That's enough. Go home!"

The idea that peace negotiations can be postponed for 10 years is preposterous. A people under a brutal occupation will not sit still for 10 years. During this time, the plan obliges the Palestinians (Point 6) to act against "terrorism and sedition." No mention of Israeli violence and "sedition."

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Oscar

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The 89th Academy Awards held in Los-Angeles on February, 26, was full of curious incidents. Of five films nominated in the short documentary category, three were devoted to the Syrian crisis and the problem of refugees. To everyone's surprise the Netflix film titled "The White Helmets" took home Oscar. This movie tells us about volunteer rescue workers who are allegedly engaged in rescuing people trapped in the combat zone in Syria.

The movie has numerous frames captured by the White Helmets crew members where they 'selflessly' render assistance to peaceful population. Peculiarly enough, they work only in the areas controlled by Jabhat al-Nusra's terrorists. At the same time the representatives of the White Helmets unanimously accused Syrian and Russian air forces of indiscriminate attacks, which allegedly lead to a huge number of civilian casualties.

It should be mentioned that since the beginning of the conflict Syria witnessed creation of multiple non-governmental organizations. Among these organizations was The White Helmets group, which was formed in 2012 with the declared purpose of advocating for the rights and freedoms of Syrians and providing them with humanitarian aid. This organization was initiated by former British intelligence officer James Le Mesurier who participated in various conflicts around the world, namely in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Palestine.

Funding of the organization comes from donations and international grands, but the principal sponsor of the organization is an American billionaire George Soros. He has been heavily funding international organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, in order to discredit the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. According to experts, the organization annually receives sums ranging from 30 to 50 million dollars from the United States, Great Britain, the Netherlands and the Gulf monarchies. It doesn't take much to guess that the Western countries won't waste such a big sum of money without a reason.

The White Helmets continues to play a leading role in the Western cyber warfare as a weapon, which is used against the legitimate government of Syria. Due to a great number of fake photos and videos in the social networks picturing rescuers who 'risk' their lives to save civilians caught in the country's devastating war, the Western audience receives a distorted picture of the military situation in Syria. Western TV-Channels including Pan-Arabic Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya promote White Helmets as the only humanitarian organization which is allegedly engaged in rescuing Syrians. At the same time in their coverage they have never mentioned the actual efforts of the Syrian government and its allies for the sake of settlement of the crisis and supplying the affected population with humanitarian aid.

It seems that the winner of the best documentary short has been decided long before the ceremony, and such figures as George Soros have a finger in a pie of the jury's final decision. It follows that the Academy Award has become a completely politicized event. Apparently now the statuettes will be given not to the films that actually deserve them but to the ones that have been bankrolled by magnates to promote Western interests. By promoting this film the Western world has shown its true colors in relation to ordinary Syrians tired of injustice of the terrorists, the indifference of the world community and yearn for peace.
In "Hamlet," Shakespeare wrote, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." What fun Shakespeare would have with Donald Trump! Imagine a play where Trump, the character, tries to dismiss his ties with Russia, and Shakespeare responds, "The scoundrel protests too much."

Although Trump and his lackeys keep trying to discredit the various rumors about his dealings with Russia, the press and the US national security bureaucracy won't let them go. There are at least four threads that connect Trump to the Kremlin.

1.Trump's business dealings with Russia. We do not fully understand Trump's Russian business connections because Trump has never released his tax returns. On February 28, 2016, Senator Ted Cruz said, "There have been multiple media reports about Donald's business dealings with the mob, with the mafia. Maybe his [tax returns] show those business dealings are a lot more extensive than has been reported." At the time, Politifact noted, "Cruz's statement is accurate. Media reports have linked Trump to mafia bosses and mob-connected business associates for decades." Time magazine, and other sources, have tied Trump to Russian oligarchs.

Writing in the March 17th New Yorker Magazine, Evan Osnos, David Remnick and Joshua Yaffa observed: "Two weeks before the Inauguration, intelligence officers briefed both Obama and Trump about a dossier of unverified allegations compiled by Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer. The thirty-five-page dossier, which included claims about Trump's behavior during a 2013 trip to Moscow, ... concluded that Russia had personal and financial material on Trump that could be used as blackmail."

Of course, the dossier and the other rumors may be false. Nonetheless, Trump has an obligation to the American people to have his tax returns examined by a bipartisan set of experts so that rumors about his financial affairs can be dealt with responsibly. (After all, it is a national security issue.)

2. Russia's Interference in the 2016 Election. A separate thread has to do with nefarious deeds committed by (supposed) Russian hackers during the election. 17 US intelligence agencies believe Russian hackers helped the Trump campaign by hacking DNC emails, as well as those of Clinton Campaign Manager John Podesta, and giving them to WikiLeaks. Recently, NBC News reported the CIA believes Russian operators wanted Trump to win.

Writing for PBS, David Bush reported that on January 6th, "The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a declassified version of its report to Obama on Russia's role in the election. The report concluded with 'high confidence' -- intelligence community speak for virtual certainty -- that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the hacking operation in an effort to hurt Clinton's campaign and help elect Trump. The report also found that the GRU, Russia's military intelligence service, gave the information it obtained from the DNC and Clinton campaign's emails to WikiLeaks."

Of course, in the past, the Director of National intelligence has been wrong -- for example, about Saddam Hussein possessing "weapons of mass destruction." Nonetheless, Congress has an obligation to the American people to evaluate reports that Russia interfered in the election.

3. Team Trump contacts with Russia. A separate thread has to do with a variety of contacts between Trump associates and Russian authorities. On February 15th the New York Times revealed the FBI is investigating links between Russian intelligence and four members of the Trump team: Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, Carter Page, and Roger Stone. (And, more recently, Jeff Sessions and Jared Kushner.) On February 25th, the Guardian reported that the White House has tried to interfere with the FBI investigation. (Writing for Bill Moyers, Michael Winship reported on the Russian response: "Since the US election, there has been an unprecedented, and perhaps still continuing shakeup of top officials in Putin's main security agency, the FSB, and a top former intelligence official in Putin's entourage died recently in suspicious circumstances.")

Connected with this is the conduct of General Michael Flynn, who up until February 13th was Trump's National Security Adviser. Apparently, after then President Obama leveled sanctions against Russia, Flynn called Sergey Kislyak, Russian ambassador to the US, and said words to the effect that Russia shouldn't worry the sanctions as Trump would reverse them. What's extraordinary is that these conversations were wiretapped; and Flynn, given his extensive intelligence background should have been aware of this.

Once again, Congress has an obligation to investigate the Trump team connections to Russia.

4. Putin's intentions. Finally, there's the thorny question of what Vladimir Putin wants. There's been a rush to say that he desires a close relationship with Trump. There are similarities. Both are thugs. Both have little regard for democracy and prefer the company of oligarchs. Both used the same tactics to gain power: disinformation, nationalism, xenophobia, racism...

Nonetheless, there are significant differences between the two men. Their relationship is asymmetric: Putin is a strong leader of a weak state; Trump is a weak leader of a strong state. Putin is a former KGB agent; Trump a former reality TV star. Putin knows when to keep his mouth shut...

What's most likely is that when Trump showed up, Putin saw an opportunity to strengthen his hand by derailing the Clinton campaign. The authors of the excellent New Yorker article, Osnos, Remnick and Yaffa, conclude that Putin regarded Trump's election as a way to weaken America's standing in the world and Putin believed this would elevate Russia's power: "Putin's Russia has to come up with ways to make up for its economic and geopolitical weakness."

So far, Putin's strategy has worked: Trump's election has weakened America's standing in the world (and jeopardized our alliances, such as NATO). What remains to be seen is whether our loss is Russia's gain.
DURING HIS TUESDAY night address to the U.S. Congress, President Trump paid tribute to Ryan Owens, the Navy SEAL killed in the January commando raid in Yemen that Trump ordered. As he did so, television cameras focused for almost four full minutes on Owens's grieving wife, Carryn, as she wept and applauded while sitting next to and periodically being touched by Trump's glamorous daughter Ivanka. The entire chamber stood together in sustained applause, with Trump interjecting scripted, lyrical expressions of support and gratitude for her husband's sacrifice.

It was, as intended, an obviously powerful TV moment. Independent of the political intent behind it, any well-functioning human being would feel great empathy watching a grieving spouse mourning and struggling to cope emotionally with the recent, sudden death of her partner. The majestic setting of the U.S. Congress, solemnly presided over by the U.S. president, vested the moment with political gravity.

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Among the many conspiracy theories in President Trumps arsenalFake News!, whatever chaos is happening (or rather not happening) in Swedenis his insistence there is a connection between autism and vaccines. Hes made this scientifically rebuked connection in his speeches, tweets and even during the presidential debates. So it should come as no surprise that the notorious anti-vaxxer isnt swaying from his beliefs now that hes president.

In a recent conversation with educators and the new Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Trump reiterated his concerns, So whats going on with autism? he asked a teacher in the audience. When you look at the tremendous increase, its really  its such an incredible  its really a horrible thing to watch, the tremendous amount of increase. He added: Maybe we can do something.

And President Trump will try. Apparently, a commission on vaccine safety is in the works, and hes supposedly tapped vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to head it.

President Trumps embrace of these discredited theorieslike Wakefieldshas energized, and even normalized, the anti-vaccine movement. With conflicting information about the vaccine debate, which, according to most scientists shouldnt even be up for debate, coming from the U.S. President, heres pretty much everything you need to know about vaccines.

It could be argued that vaccines might be the most successful medical innovation of modern times. Globally, vaccines prevent the deaths of 2-3 million people every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that vaccinations will prevent more than 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths among children born in the last 20 years and that, from 1994 to 2014, vaccinations prevented 322 million cases of childhood illnesses.

Smallpox, once the worlds most deadly disease, no longer exists due to vaccines, with the last case occurring in the U.S. in 1949. Similarly, polio is on the verge of eradication. Thanks to targeted global efforts, polio has been stopped in all countries except for three: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. That said, perhaps due to parents not vaccinating their children, strains of polio have been imported into formerly eradicated countries, which leads to the next point 

When a herd of cattle travel, they always travel in a group because predators are less likely to attack groups than individuals. This idea also applies to the protection of people against diseases. The more members of a community who are vaccinated against a disease, the safer the community will be from the spread of that disease. For example, if most people in a region are vaccinated against mumps, then its less likely those without a vaccination will catch mumps.

What this means? Protect the herdyour neighbors, country, etc.by getting vaccinated. See, herd immunity is vital with extremely contagious diseases like measles, where immunization of 90 to 95 percent of infants is needed to protect the entire community. To maintain herd immunity thresholds (i.e. what percentage of the population needs to be vaccinated to prevent outbreaks), child vaccination rates need to rage from 75 percent to 95 percent for the most common diseases preventablee.g. Diphtheria, measles, pertussis.

The major issue with an anti-vaxxer president is the potential for politicization of vaccines. What happens if your political identity shapes your position on vaccines? All it takes is for a small segment of Trumps supporters to be persuaded by his anti-vax rhetoric, choose not to vaccinate their children, which could then lead to a disastrous, lethal disease outbreak that could easily have been prevented.

Anti-vaxxers like Trump often point to the adverse reactions caused by vaccines. This could be an allergic reaction or, according to Trump and Robert Kennedy Jr., autism. The major flaw in this argument is that most anti-vaxxers fail to relay just how rare these reactions occur. According to the Department of Human Health and Services, Vaccines are some of the safest medical products available. Additionally, severe allergic reactions occur in only 1 out of every 100,000 doses, and a 2015 CDC report noted that, out of 25 million vaccinations, only 33 people had a serious reactionroughly 1.3 out of one million. To put these number in perspective, you are more likely to die from fireworks, get struck by lightning, or get mauled by a bear whilst hiking.

To those still propagating the bold, bold claim, based on a study thats been debunked by the entire science community, that vaccines are connected to autism. Just read any of the following scientific studies, conducted by the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institutes for Health, and the Institute of Medicine, who allevery last one of emconcluded that there is no link between vaccines and autism.

Top photo by Carlos Reusser Monsalvez



Tom Burson is a travel writer, part-time hitchhiker, and hes currently trying to imitate Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? but with more sunscreen and jorts.
Often, when we talk about climate change, it seems like a far-off scenario. We talk in terms of saving the planet for future generations and predict disruptive sea level rise within the century. But the effects of climate change are already felt around the world; future changes will only intensify them.

Antarctica is, if youll pardon the expression, hot right now. Theres been plenty of news lately about enormous cracks in the ice shelf, glacier break-up and record-low sea ice. How do these recent changes relate to the larger phenomenon of climate change, though?

First, lets talk about these different terms, so were all on the same page. Icebergs, glaciers, ice sheets and ice shelves are all made on land from snow or fresh water. Glaciers are ice formations found on land; icebergs are pieces of ice that break from glaciers and fall into the ocean (a process called calving).

An ice sheet is a kind of glacier, also called a continental glacier, that covers land in excess of 20,000 miles. What we call Antarctica is actually two ice sheets joined by a mountain range. Together, they form the largest body of ice on Earth.

An ice shelf is a floating slab of ice, attached to land, that is formed by a glacier or ice stream running down a coast into the water. Its sort of a launching point for glaciers into the oceanalthough as weve seen, ice shelves themselves can break off and form icebergs. Ice shelves are important because they can hold back a melting glacier like a dam. Once the ice shelf breaks off, it is far easier for a glacier to calve into icebergs.

Sea ice, on the other hand, is formed in the ocean; it is simply frozen ocean water. One kind of sea ice is called multi-year ice, which means it does not melt completely each year (or, at least, its not supposed to) and is rebuilt the following season.

Ice Shelves are Cracking Up

A mile-long chunk of ice broke off from Antarcticas Pine Island Glacier in January. This glacier is notoriously unstable; previously, city-sized chunks have broken off, including a massive chunk in July 2015. Data provided by NASA indicates other rifts in the sheet that may mean more breaks in the future.

Photo courtesy of John Sonntag/NASA

Ian Howat, a glaciologist at The Ohio State University, compared this calving to an aftershock from the 2015 break. The same weaknesses in the ice shelf leading to that event, he said, likely caused this one as well.

Those weaknesses are very likely the result of warming water under the glaciers ice shelf. (Remember, although ice shelves are attached to land, they float on water.) The ocean under Pine Island Glaciers ice shelf has warmed about 1F since the 1990s, Climate Central reports. The warmer water under the ice shelf causes it to melt from within. It weakens, cracks and slides off into the ocean.

Another big news item has been the 110-mile-longand growingcrack in the Larsen C ice shelf. A chunk the size of Delaware could break off this yearand it could lead to other aftershock icebergs like weve seen with the Pine Island Glacier.

In addition to warmer waters under the shelf, Larsen C might be melting from above. Its sibling, Larsen B, collapsed in 2002. Before it shattered, lakes and ponds formed on the top of the ice, probably because of warmer weather patterns over the continent; eventually, the warmer waters on top and beneath the shelf met, and the huge shelf calved into several icebergs. Larsen C could suffer the same fate.

While its normal for glaciers to calve, these huge changes are occurring faster than normalas much as five to ten times faster. While its difficult to attribute one or two calving events to a larger pattern of climate change, such a speed-up could be related to warmer global temperatures. And, because glaciers are formed from fresh water, adding icebergs to the ocean will result in sea level rise and disrupt currents.

Sea Ice Dips to Record Lows

For those who doubted or denied the existence of climate change, the sea ice around Antarctica provided a compelling case. Sure, the Arctic was melting. But down at the other pole, sea ice was actually growing. In 2014, sea ice floating around Antarctica extended as far as it had since 1979, when we first began keeping records. Perhaps that meant climate change was not happening.

Scientists would respond that Antarctica, which is very difficult to monitor and study, represents complex systems that are difficult to predict. There is never complete certainty in climate predictions; the planet is edging into new territory, and scientists dont know the exact chain of events as the earth warmsespecially when you consider multiplying effects and tipping points.

Furthermore, as Ive mentioned before, climate change doesnt necessarily mean a hotter globe everywhere; a warm Arctic might mean a beyond-frigid Siberia, at least in the short term.

Now those who used the growing Antarctic ice as a defense for climate denialism may find themselves on thin ice. Data recorded by the National Snow and Ice Data Center on February 13 and 14 indicated the floating ice around the snowy continent shrank to its lowest recorded extent. And, since the Antarctic summer is not yet over, it seems very likely ice will shrink even more before the year is out.

Photo courtesy of Joshua Stevens/NASA

This news doesnt prove that climate change is driving sea ice melt, just as expanding sea ice didnt disprove the existence of climate change. However, it is an important reminder that

sea ice formation and Antarctic weather patterns are complicated and not reduced to easy answerswhich is important to keep in mind for future assessments.

However, Claire Parkinson, a senior scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, says that sea ice can serve as a microcosm for climate change. The planet as a whole is doing what was expected in terms of warming, Parkinson said in 2014. Now that ice is on a downward trend, the predictions of climate scientists seem ever more prescient.

Sea ice formation and calving events are just two indicators of Antarcticas health. But all of the changes taken together paint a picture of a rapidly changing continent.

Top image: Christopher Michel, CC-BY

Melody Schreiber is a freelance journalist based in Washington, D.C.
Syrian rebels urge Trump to correct Obama's "catastrophic mistakes"

The lead Syrian opposition negotiator at peace talks in Geneva said he hoped U.S. President Donald Trump would correct the "catastrophic" errors of his predecessor Barack Obama to become a reliable partner against "devilish" Iran.
Vodka and I have never exactly been close. Like many Americans who enjoy an occasional cocktail, there had been a time. But ours was at best a brief fling during my earliest drinking years, before sugary cocktails gave way to gin and tonics, red wine, andmost recentlystrong glasses of black tea. (Bless the bar that serves caffeine.)

And then I started regularly visiting Poland. Part of the vodka belt (which also includes the Nordics, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine), the liquor here is served in straight up shots and paired with food and friends whenever possible. Theres also seemingly endless varieties of the stuff. Saddling up to the bar and simply ordering vodka would be like wandering into a restaurant and telling a waiter youd like food. (Which kinda sounds like a Shia LaBeouf art piece.)

In an honest attempt to not be that guy (or girl, as the case may be) I reached out to Eat Polska food tours to help me better understand my home away from homes drink of choice. Heres what I took away from our time together.

The origins of vodka are debated, but most agree it dates back to Poland in the middle ages. The first mention of the drink was in 1405not as an intoxicant, but rather as a medicine, which monks referred to as the water of life. Even today Poles cling to the drinks medicinal qualities and claim it cures just about any ailment. For an upset stomach, try a sip or two of Zoladkowa Gorzka, a brand that literally translates to stomach bitters.

Obviously different ingredients will render a different mouthfeel. Potato vodka is heavier and has a sharper taste, where rye (95% of Polish vodka is produced from rye) results in a lighter, smoother drinking experience. But within each brand, theres very little differentiation. Wyborowa is one of Polands main vodka exports, and has even been gifted to presenters at the Academy Awards. But the only notable difference between their standard and exquisite line is an elegantly twisted bottle designed by architect Frank Gehry.



Photo by Laura Studarus

In Poland favored vodka is a big deal. Unlike the marshmallow/cookie dough/sugar orgy-flavored varietals that wander unchecked through American university campuses, Polish infused liquors, or nalewka, rely exclusively on fresh fruit to create a pleasant, dessert-like aroma. Homemade versions are popular, and family traditions run deepsome going so far as to only disclose exact recipes as part of a final will and testament. To capture the taste fresh berries, peaches, and citrus on a hot summer day, try Soplica Pigwowa.

Wanna know why Poles are seen as having a high alcohol tolerance? Because they dont drink to get drunk. Yes, vodka is a high-alcohol beverage. (In Europe anything below 37.5% cant be marketed as vodka.) But the trick is to sip slowly, pairing it with plenty of salty and/or high-fat snacks. (This would be a good time to mention that Polands pickling/fermentation game pairs well with almost any drink.)

Its a good strategy, since like the British and their relationship with tea, any time is vodka time in Poland. (Save for pregnancy, driving, and those unfortunate enough to be on antibiotics, of course.) It acts much like a social glue. Wedding, memorials, christeningsevery social event comes with a special toast, delivered quickly as to prevent the alcohol from warming up to room temperature. People who meet in a work-related context generally arent considered first-name basis friends until theyve linked arms and taken a shot together.

One of Polands most iconic brands is J. A. Baczewski which older generations actually use as a slang for Vodka. But because of the countrys shifting borders pre-and post-World War Two, its also been an Austrian and a Ukrainian brand. The family is a study in marketing genius. They were the first to serve vodka in elegant carafes rather than bottles, and to promote their product on luxury ocean liners. Stefan Baczewski, who took control of the company at the end of the 20th century, was nothing short of a marketing genius. When Smirnoffs popularity threatened his company, he walked into to their offices and brokered a deal. From then on out, every bottle of Baczewski carried a label the only vodka of comparable quality is produced by Smirnoff. Meanwhile Smirnoffs vodka contained the notice the only vodka of comparable quality is produced by Baczewski. (Just try to imagine Coke and Pepsi pulling a similar trade.)

Laura Studarus cant stop marking up the pages of her passport. Follow her on Twitter.
What do the hinterlands of Siberia and the towering peaks of the Pyrenees have in common? Population density is the answer. Amidst the towers summits and deep valleys there are many things, people are not among them. The population density is the same as far-flung Siberia. While most European mountain ranges are relatively heavily populated (certainly compared to most of the world's mountains), the people are leaving these mountains. The work is down on the plains and the ski resorts, while nice, are not bucket-list material. With the people going and no investment or property developers circling, they are starting to look like a place that could one day be one of the world's great playgrounds for mountain bikes.Land access is usually something that stifles the spread of mountain biking - pubic landowners are risk-averse and private landowners generally don't want you anywhere near their land. Yet here, there a few private landowners and the public landowners are starting to see mountain biking as a tool to bring people back to these slopes. Talking to our guides, Bea and Andres who run Biescas DH, they have a situation that most Americans should look away from now. Not only do the local government like them riding here, but they are funding them to open trails and refresh old ones... Before anyone on the lefthand side of the Atlantic has a stroke reading this, it's not a complete free for all. If you show up with a spade nobody is going to hand you a bundle of cash and let you get on with it. But... Once you start to know the people in charge and establish a reputation for being professional, reliable and building good trails, then yes - with little more than a pitch and a few meetings with the government, the funding comes.Of course, access and everything else is only worthwhile if the land is good - there is little point of having free range of a refuse disposal site or a small, flat stretch of scrubland. This is what makes this place even more amazing, though - these are an incredible mountain range. The dirt is good, the land has a natural shape for mountain bikes and the backdrop... let's just say it doesn't suck.Doug at Basque MTB is a trail connoisseur. He runs his Backcountry Pyrenees tours through these mountains, traversing from East to West as the week goes on, riding trails that most people would never even find otherwise. With a good summer season under his belt, he looked to head up into these mountains in late October, searching for new, fresh trails to refine and polish his tour. He knows these mountains better than almost anybody else out there, so when someone like that phones you and asks if you'd like to come explore, saying no isn't really an option for anybody who likes riding in the high mountains...On our first day we headed out from our base in Biescas to a trail just down the valley above the village of Sabinanigo. Doug promised us something of a backdrop. Climbing up from the refuge at the top of the mountain it was easy to let doubt crept in - this was little more than a grassy crest. Yet once we passed that crest we remembered why we drove across a continent. The trail snaked its way across a cliff face - a 3m wide shelf with cliff above and below with medieval refuges cut into the rock. As we passed under the thin stream of a waterfall and the sun set out across the plains it was clear that this had been worth the drive. That was all before you reach the lower half. Maybe it wasn't as pretty, but it was an unending, natural rock channel. At the bottom Doug admitted that he hadn't run this trail for a while as it's not for everyone - the surface is all loose, shifting rock, making it all the trickier to weave your way through the tight corners, awkward ledges and fast straights. Certainly we reached the bottom grinning from ear-to-ear.Day two was searching time. We loaded the bikes onto the 4x4 and started to climb one of the local ski resorts. It's at a time like this that you need to keep the faith. As we headed up through the resort there was little but barren, open pistes and the infrastructure that the resort relies on to run. After more than half an hour of traversing through this mess, the doubt starts to creep in. While there was plenty of vertical, it wasn't what we had come here for. But trust in a man like Doug will be rewarded. As we summited one final slope, we unslung the bikes and followed the piste up to the crest, and there it was... On the edge of the resort was the bowl, with the cliffs towering above and a perfect, still alpine lake there in the bottom. The trail wound its way down the side to the waters edge, finishing by an impossible, postcard cabin.Sadly the trail down from the hut was closed, rock slides had blocked the way. But... a short haul up to the crest once more, followed by a wide-open blast down the ski field brought us back to the treeline where we picked up the real trail once more. Steep, fast and always with something to keep you on your toes, it seemed like a never-ending blast down amidst the forest and into the tight tunnels through the dense undergrowth below.The second mountain was maybe the most unexpected thing. After climbing with the 4x4 some 45 minutes up from the valley, we alighted at a meadow. Following the pale, green line through the grass, we found the trailhead and there the surprise lay. This was no goat track or ancient trading trail, they had come this far up the mountain and cut in a fast, flowing jump track that soon had us hit warp speed through the trees. Some 15 minutes later we emerged, grinning once more. Two more laps of this mountain and it was time for home and some time to let our sore bodies rest after a long day on the bike.For our third and final day in this high-mountain paradise we left the known trail network behind, in search of uncut trail. Crossing to the other side of the mountains. Although the maps show nothing up here, Bea and Andres knew better and we climbed to our highest point of the week. As you got higher, the view just got better and better, until we reached the most amazing high, alpine valley. Some 2,000m, it is walled on two sides by 1,000m peaks, an unscaleable stone wall. If you looked closely, there were pale marks and dirt line in the grass. If you used a bit of imagination you could already see where the trail would run. And in this location, this high above the valley, it's hard to see how this trail would be anything less than unforgettable. Bea and Andres said that they were applying to start clearing and building...For sure, this remote part of Spain will never compare to a playground like Whistler. But for those who like their trails high and wild, then the potential here is stunning. With the work Bea and Andres are doing, before long this could become the best-kept secret in Europe...MENTIONS: @mattwragg
Michigan Introduces Online Gaming Legislation

March 03, 2017 Jason Glatzer Editor

This week, Michigan introduced The Lawful Internet Gaming Act, that, if passed, would regulate many forms of online gaming including online poker.

A gaming bill similar to what is being proposed now was introduced last year. There appeared to be some momentum with the Michigan Senate Regulatory Reform Committee , who overwhelmingly approved an online poker and casino bill by an 8-1 vote. However, that is where the process stalled with neither house voting on the bill.

The Lawful Internet Gaming Act appears to have similar initial momentum. Michigan State Senator Mike Kowall, who is on the Senate Committee, sponsored the bill which is co-sponsored by five other committee members including Rick Jones, Rebekah Warren, Marty Knollenberg, Curtis Hertel and Bert Johnson.

With just nine members on the committee and six involved in the bill's sponsorship, the bill could once again move forward to the next steps of becoming a law.

Steve Ruddock outlined the bill on Online Poker Report. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the bill for online poker enthusiasts is that it will be mandatory for licensed operators to offer online poker if they are offering other regulated online gaming services as well.

Most of the other portions of the bill appear to be similar to last year's proposal. Only land-based casinos in Michigan can apply for a license; however, there will be no cap on the number of licenses.

Fees for operators appear reasonable with a five-year license costing $200,000 for the first year and $100,000 in subsequent years. Ruddock points out that this is much cheaper than what is being proposed in three other states with online gaming regulation being proposed. California is asking for $12.5 million up front, New York is asking for $10 million and Pennsylvania is asking for $8 million.

Platform licenses will run $100,000 for the first year and $50,000 in subsequent years, while vendor licenses will be $5,000 and $2,500 in subsequent years.

Players will be required to be at least 21 years old in order to play on regulated online gaming sites, similar to what is the case in Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey, which all allow for regulated online gaming. Additionally, the bill allows for compacts with other states.

Stay tuned at PokerNews as more develops in Michigan.

*Lead image courtesy of hipmunk.com.


Texas Personal Injury Law Firm,The Pinkerton Law Firm, PLLC, Announces New Partner Benjamin R. Roberts By: The Pinkerton Law Firm Benjamin R. Roberts HOUSTON - March 2, 2017 - PRLog -- C. Chad Pinkerton and The Pinkerton Law Firm, PLLC are pleased to announce that attorney Benjamin R. Roberts has been named partner at the firm.



Benjamin R. Roberts joined the firm as an associate trial attorney in 2010, and has held the position of senior trial attorney since 2013. He is a graduate of South Texas College of Law and has a Bachelor of Arts from Texas Tech University.



Since joining the firm, Mr. Roberts has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of those injured due to another individual or corporation's negligence. He has focused on representing clients injured by dangerous and defective products, chemical exposure, plant explosions and construction accidents, as well as those who are dealing with commercial litigation involving contractual disputes, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud.



"Ben Roberts is one of the finest young lawyers in Texas. He may look like a preppy, young frat boy, but he is a beast to deal with on cases, turning over every rock and pushing hard to recover every last cent for each client he represents. I am proud to call him my friend, colleague, and now partner," said firm founder, Chad Pinkerton.



Currently, Mr. Roberts holds the position of Liaison Counsel for over twenty thousand plaintiffs in the coordinated In Re Chevron Refinery Fire litigation in the Contra Costa Superior Court in Martinez, California. This litigation arose after a ruptured pipe caused a fire at the Chevron Richmond Refinery across the bay from San Francisco and resulted in a subsequent release of smoke, vapors, particulate matters, and other harmful chemicals, causing approximately 15,000 people from the surrounding communities to seek medical treatment at nearby medical facilities for various symptoms related to chemical exposure. In addition to the Chevron Refinery Fire litigation, Mr. Roberts has assisted Mr. Pinkerton in representing wrongful death claimants and injured individuals that were harmed as a result of the April 17, 2013 fire and explosion of the West Fertilizer Company storage and distribution facility in West, Texas.



Because of his outstanding efforts on a variety of personal injury and business cases, Mr. Roberts has been named as a Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star since 2015.



About the Pinkerton Law Firm, PLLC

The attorneys at The Pinkerton Law Firm, PLLC handle a diverse range of cases throughout the state of Texas, with a focus primarily on personal injury and mass torts. Learn more at



Contact

Oladipo Olowoyeye (Marketing Director)

oolowoyeye@chadpinkerton.com

713-360-6722



Photo:

https://www.prlog.org/ 12623763/1 Oladipo Olowoyeye (Marketing Director)713-360-6722 End -- C. Chad Pinkerton and The Pinkerton Law Firm, PLLC are pleased to announce that attorney Benjamin R. Roberts has been named partner at the firm.Benjamin R. Roberts joined the firm as an associate trial attorney in 2010, and has held the position of senior trial attorney since 2013. He is a graduate of South Texas College of Law and has a Bachelor of Arts from Texas Tech University.Since joining the firm, Mr. Roberts has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of those injured due to another individual or corporation's negligence. He has focused on representing clients injured by dangerous and defective products, chemical exposure, plant explosions and construction accidents, as well as those who are dealing with commercial litigation involving contractual disputes, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud.said firm founder, Chad Pinkerton.Currently, Mr. Roberts holds the position of Liaison Counsel for over twenty thousand plaintiffs in the coordinatedlitigation in the Contra Costa Superior Court in Martinez, California. This litigation arose after a ruptured pipe caused a fire at the Chevron Richmond Refinery across the bay from San Francisco and resulted in a subsequent release of smoke, vapors, particulate matters, and other harmful chemicals, causing approximately 15,000 people from the surrounding communities to seek medical treatment at nearby medical facilities for various symptoms related to chemical exposure. In addition to the Chevron Refinery Fire litigation, Mr. Roberts has assisted Mr. Pinkerton in representing wrongful death claimants and injured individuals that were harmed as a result of the April 17, 2013 fire and explosion of the West Fertilizer Company storage and distribution facility in West, Texas.Because of his outstanding efforts on a variety of personal injury and business cases, Mr. Roberts has been named as a Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star since 2015.The attorneys at The Pinkerton Law Firm, PLLC handle a diverse range of cases throughout the state of Texas, with a focus primarily on personal injury and mass torts. Learn more at ChadPinkerton.com Email : ***@chadpinkerton.com Tags : The Pinkerton Law Firm , Chad Pinkerton , Benjamin Roberts , Accident and Personal Injury , Mass Torts , ChadPinkerton.com , Family Law Industry : Legal Location : Houston - Texas - United States Subject : Partnerships Account Phone Number Disclaimer Report Abuse Account Email AddressAccount Phone Number


MC Financial, Inc. has added mortgage veteran Eric P. Johnson in the role of Senior Mortgage Banker to continue the expansion of East Coast operations

Eric P. Johnson

Media Contact

Phil Treem

Director, Marketing

***@mcfinc.com

(301) 761-2265 Phil TreemDirector, Marketing(301) 761-2265

End

-- MC Financial, Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of Eric P. Johnson to the team. As a veteran of the mortgage industry, Eric not only brings a wealth of experience and relationships but as a lifelong resident of the Washington, DC metro area he has intimate knowledge of the communities he will serve.Eric graduated from James Madison University and after a successful career in recreational playground equipment sales he entered the mortgage industry in 2003 and will bring 14 years of residential mortgage experience to his new role. Along with his experience, Eric has built a network of affiliated real estate partners in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, DC, and Delaware. His focus will be to offer a homeowner or partner the insight and knowledge cultivated from thousands of mortgage transactions."This opportunity was one I could not pass up as MC Financial offers me program flexibility not found with other lenders as I'm able to customize financing for a homeowner knowing that the program will pass underwriting. My concerns with program limitation are now a thing of the past," said Johnson. According to Ray P. Cruz, Managing Partner at MC Financial, Inc., "Eric and I first met in 2003 at Chevy Chase Bank and he is the model of who we want as a loan originating partner and we are honored that he chose MC Financial".ABOUT MC FINANCIAL, INC.MC Financial, Inc. is a full-service mortgage lender offering expertise in every area of mortgage lending from home purchase, home refinance to new construction lending. Founded in October 2013, co-founders Ray P. Cruz and Amir Guerami, built MC Financial, Inc. with one goal in mind and that is to make a positive contribution to their clients' lives. Integrity, respect, and outstanding customer service is quite simply our cornerstone. For more information, please visit https://www.mcfinc.com
Unclaimed funds from class action lawsuit funneled to non-profit, thanks to legal work from established Colorado law firm.

Towards Justice

Contact

David Miller

***@sawayalaw.com



Photo:

https://www.prlog.org/ 12623837/1 David Miller

End

--In two recent Colorado court decisions district court judges have approved the payment of unclaimed funds in wage and hour class actions to a Colorado non-profit that provides legal services to low-wage workers who have not been paid what they are owed under the wage and hour laws.The Sawaya Law Firm represented the plaintiffs in both lawsuits. In each  one from a state court and another from a federal district court  the judges recently ordered that the payments to class members who could not be located will be paid to the Denver, Colorado, non-profit organization, Towards Justice. Towards Justice litigates and educates workers and the community about employment rights, wage theft, how to defend against exploitation, and how to seek legal relief when wages are not paid as the law requires.Typically in class action settlements, unclaimed funds are given back to the at-fault company. Such claims usually involve lawsuits for unpaid overtime, failure to pay the minimum wage, and for time worked off-the-clock or through rest breaks where no wages are paid for time worked. Instead of those unclaimed funds going back to the defendants, on Friday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. at the offices of Towards Justice, David H. Miller, the lead class action attorney for the plaintiffs in both of the cases, will be presenting checks totaling approximately $8,500 in unclaimed funds to the Executive Director of Towards Justice, Nina DiSalvo, to help support the work Towards Justice does in assisting low wage workers to be paid what they are owed.Why would one of the most successful law firms in Colorado orchestrate a donation of this size to a non-profit organization like Towards Justice? The truth is inspiring. The Sawaya Law Firm not only handles personal injury, work comp, and social security cases, but has operated a successful Wage and Hour class action department for several years. The Wage and Hour team fights for groups of workers who have been denied the pay that the law requires.Headed by attorney David H. Miller, former Legal Director for the ACLU of Colorado, the Wage and Hour team's approach to legal work reflects their values. "In the U.S., if we mean what we say about the need to increase the number of American jobs and support the working class, then employers must pay their workers the wages they are owed," said Miller. "We proudly represent those many workers who have little power within our system; to see to it that they are paid what the law says is theirs."Rewarding the wrong-doing employer that has kept inaccurate or incomplete information so that the former workers cannot be located has frequently resulted in class action money being returned to the employer. Miller explained that such a practice of rewarding the wrong-doer is not fair. "The employer should not benefit from taking money meant to be paid to the missing class member and keeping it for themselves."That kind of result encourages wrong-doing employers to mistreat their workers. "We all want more jobs for workers," said Miller, "but if employers are not paying what they owe then they are cheating those who do the work that makes our economy strong and our country successful.""I hope these donations encourage other attorneys to adopt this same approach in the lawsuits they are bringing so that money from class action judgments and settlements stops going back to the wrong-doers,"says Miller. "We're spearheading this effort to strengthen Colorado's working communities, so that through the work Towards Justice does we can help others who are not directly our clients but who are also being treated unfairly at work."The presentation will be held at Towards Justice at 1:30 p.m. Friday afternoon, March 3, 2017  1535 High Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80214.David Miller at (303) 551-7667 / DMiller@sawayalaw.comNina DiSalvo at (720) 441-2236 / info@towardsjustice.org The Sawaya Law Firm is a personal injury law firm based in Denver, CO. Founded in 1977 by Michael Sawaya, the firm runs on a set of 12 Core Values, is well known for its Free Cab Program, and is partnered with the Colorado Department of Transportation to defeat distracted driving.Find out more at - http://www.sawayalaw.com
Choice Medical Walk-In launches new websites for each of their office locations in Arizona.

By: Choice Medical

Media Contact

Joselyn Heuermann

***@truvumarketing.com

6233744864 Joselyn Heuermann6233744864

End

-- Choice Medical Walk-In, Anthem's leader in health and wellness care, is announcing the launch of its newly redesigned website. Choice Medical Walk-in partnered with Truvu Marketing, a local Anthem, AZ digital marketing company. Visitors to choicemedicalwalkin.com will be treated to a clean, modern design that immediately puts important information at their fingertips. The site gives the growing medical practice a professional look and feel to match the innovative practices that are making it one of the area's fastest growing medical groups."Choice Medical is growing and it was time for us to invest in an enhanced online presence so that potential patients can easily find us and see what kind of quality care we offer," said Doctor Brett Willden, a founding partner of Choice Medical. "In order to provide accurate and relevant information to our patients, we have developed localized websites for each of our locations, including Choice Aesthetics MedSpa. Each website will serve as a point of entry for new and existing patients seeking care and a place where Arizona residents can find important medical information."The new websites utilize the newest responsive technology allowing patients to easily access information from any computer or mobile device. Patients can now, learn more about our staff, our services, insurance information and even download medical forms in advance to save time before their appointments. In addition, the website is integrated with our secure payment portal that enables patients to pay invoices at their convenience. The websites also include a blog that will be updated often with news from Choice Medical, medical tips and information and more. Another key feature is the site's integration of the company's pages on popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn."All of our providers, administration and staff are excited to see these new websites launched as Choice Medical Walk-in continues to grow and offer our patients exemplary care," said Dr. David Foy, a founding partner of Choice Medical.Choice Medical Walk-in is proud to be serving and meeting the healthcare needs of the communities around their two locations. The convenience of accessibility and affordability of service are their hallmark, offering experienced medical providers and an alternative to urgent care.Choice Medical Walk-in is a medical practice comprised of two medical facilities and a Aesthetics MedSpa. Dr. Foy and Dr. Willden joined forces to create the company in 2009 in an effort to provide the highest quality care for their patients. For more information visit your local website:Anthem: www.choicemedicalwalkin.com Peoria: www.peoria.choicemedicalwalkin.comChoice Aesthetics MedSpa: www.choiceaestheticsmedspa.comAbout Truvu Marketing LLC:Truvu Marketing LLC ( http://www.truvumarketing.com ) is a growing professional digital marketing agency, providing quality marketing solutions designed for small business and multi-location companies. They provide services that utilize Internet technology to increase reach and visibility and create new business opportunities for clients. Truvu Marketing is dedicated to guiding their clients through the decision making process about what solution best meets their objectives.
Cesura, an innovative music-centered program, has been designed to help improve the well-being of caregivers who often work tirelessly and without pay to care for a family member at the expense of their own health.

Media Contact

Cesura

***@cesura.org

480-788-2331 Cesura480-788-2331

End

-- Cesura, a music-centered, multi-sensory respite experience for family caregivers, will launch its program with a private event on March 29, 2017 from 5:00  7:00 PM at the University Club of Phoenix. Cesura uses the power of live flute and guitar music and other sensory experiences to help promote caregivers' well-being. Monthly respite events complete with live music, aromatherapy, candles, dim lighting, soft seating and refreshments will be offered at various locations throughout the Phoenix area beginning this summer. Cesura will partner with organizations serving the aging population and people with disabilities who are interested in providing innovative respite services to their members.Cesura co-founders, Laura Strickland and Alex Mack, are award-winning professional musicians who have played at over 150 venues throughout Arizona for over 4500 audience members as SoSco Duo."Caregivers routinely approached us after our performances to let us know how therapeutic the music had been for them," Strickland says. "They shared that they were overly stressed and needed more opportunities for relaxation. We felt that it was important to expand our efforts to help these individuals who give so much to their loved ones."Strickland and Mack began to research the issue and found that numerous statistics supported the need to provide relief to the growing number of unpaid family caregivers who form the backbone of the long-term care system.According toCaregiving in the U.S. 2015, released by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, the cause of caregivers deserves immediate attention. Of the 32 percent who reported spending 21 or more hours per week providing care, the average number of hours was 62. When asked if they had a choice in taking on their caregiving role, half of respondents said no. More than half reported that they were in fair or poor health and that caregiving made their health worse.Strickland adds, "Experts are concerned that not enough is being done to support family caregivers. And when we fail to support caregivers, we put both the caregiver and the care recipient at risk."The duo developed their program with input from area organizations and specialists in the long-term care and caregiving fields, along with scientific findings on music and other sensory therapies.For more information on Cesura, visit http://www.Cesura.org . For more information on SoSco Duo, visit http://www.SoScoDuo.com
Crowdsourcia has announced their first funding round to drive its ambitious growth plans forward.

Contact

Mike Volkin

***@crowdsourcia.com Mike Volkin

End

-- Crowdsourcia has announced their first funding round to drive its ambitious growth plans forward. The company leaders are looking for investors to come on board as it begins to launch their services in US and Canada markets.Crowdsourcia today announced the launch of their first funding round, where they are inviting angel investors to support their 2-sided SaaS marketplace. The fund will be used for the improvement and the launch of the platform in the American and Canadian market. Crowdsourcia is a unique interaction platform for entrepreneurs which supports startups and entrepreneurs with feedback from global experts across a wide range of projects.Michael Volkin, CEO of Crowdsourcia says his firm will use the funding to boost its marketing efforts and finish development of its unique collaboration platform. "This funding round will allow us to do all of this, and continue with our mission to help entrepreneurs collaborate with pre-vetted experts to save money and increase efficiency. The vertical has huge potential, and we have positioned ourselves to capitalize on it in the coming months," he adds.With the investments, the angel investors will get exposure to Crowdsourcia's exceptional resources and get a chance to interact with entrepreneurs and experts from all over the world. Not only this, but by investing in Crowdsourcia's platform, the investors will get benefits like greater notoriety in the market and the opportunity to build a greater network.Mr. Volkin also said, "If we want to get the desired position in the market, we have to be aggressive and active, rather than to wait 5-10 years to see our success. The capital raised will fund our growth, allowing us to truly brand ourselves as experts to entrepreneurs around the world." During the first round, the company will hold several small funding events, rather than one big event, to raise the money. Through this procedure, the company aims at collaborating with a large number of investors. The company is currently set to launch their services in the Canadian and American market and is seeking approx. $250,000 to cover operational costs. These costs include includes marketing, improvement of platform and investments on experts.After launching the company in Canada and United States, the company also plans to launch the company globally. The company is currently working with 200 global experts to support the needs of entrepreneurs. The company plans to expand their team, to help more companies, grow. Investors can contact Mike Volkin directly for access to the investor pitch deck at Mike@Crowdsourcia.com.Crowdsourcia is a SaaS company where entrepreneurs get feedback from pre-vetted experts on business related projects. The experts not only collaborate with the company, they collaborate with each other. Entrepreneurs can now make the right strategic decisions, with a limited budget and tight timeframe. Visit here: http://www.crowdsourcia.com/
Taplejung aims at becoming self-reliant in potato

Taplejung, which produces potato worth Rs2 billion annually, is making efforts to become self-reliant in the vegetable.
The award-winning event, Agritech Expo Zambia, owned by the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) and returns to Chisamba for the fourth time this year from 27-29 April.

By: Agritech Expo Zambia

Increased international presence at outdoor agri show

Media Contact

Agritech Expo Zambia

annemarie.roodbol@ spintelligent.com

+27217003500 Agritech Expo Zambia+27217003500

End

-- "Zambia is an exciting market to explore, not just for South African suppliers to the agriculture sector, but also for South African farmers" says Liam Beckett, commercial director for the upcoming. The award-winning event is owned by the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) and returns to Chisamba for the fourth time this year from 27-29 April.He adds: "in certain sectors the South African market has become saturated and many South African companies are looking to branch out across the border, in order to continue their business growth in Africa. In Zambia, there are approximately 400 registered commercial farming professionals, which represents a very lucrative potential market. The Zambian farming sector is also far more advanced than other neighbouring countries and farming methods are also similar to South Africa. Therefore, South African brands and products, such as implements and agro chemicals, are all applicable in Zambia."Last year Agritech Expo Zambia drew a record-breaking attendance of 17 605 visitors. This year even more small-scale, emerging and commercial farmers are expected to descend on the GART research farm in the heart of Zambia's agri-hub Chisamba, where the latest farming products and services will be showcased. The three-day expo will furthermore feature an even greater international presence with international pavilions from Germany, Zimbabwe, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, the UK and France already confirmed.Says Liam Beckett: "just judging from the big increase in international pavilions atthis year, the global interest in Zambia as an agri market is obvious. Already there is major international investment in the country at present as well as projects being planned and if a South African company wants to establish a footprint in Zambia, they need to make sure they grab this business development opportunity now before they miss out."The South African companies that have so far booked to exhibit or sponsor atinclude AGRICO, Gallagher Power Fence SA Pty Ltd, Hydraform, Kempston Agri  Claas, Lindsay Africa, Neptun Boot, Organico, Senter 360, Teejet and ROFF. Many other suppliers have headquarters in South Africa, but they are exhibiting as the Zambian branch.Liam adds: "for South African farmers, Zambia is of interest as there are many new technologies, agro chemicals and commercial farming methods that are available in Zambia that they can learn from. They can also explore renting land on a 99-year lease to expand on their existing South African operations."will also offer free workshops again, as well as live machinery and product demonstrations and crop trials. New for this year will be specialised agri-sector industry zones and mowing and baling demonstrations.ROAR Organiser and Exhibitor Awards in Johannesburg which honour excellence in the exhibition and events industry on the continent. The awards were organised jointly by the Association of African Exhibition Organisers (AAXO) and the Exhibition & Event Association of Southern Africa (EXSA).won forThe expo also has an outreach programme at the local Golden Valley Basic School, where, with the assistance of numerous event sponsors, it is assisting the school with much needed infrastructure upgrades, equipment supplies and management of the school's farm.As in previous years,enjoys extensive support from the agri industry with well-known suppliers AFGRI and John Deere returning as platinum sponsors again. Confirmed gold sponsors are Action Auto, Agricon, BHBW, Case Construction, Case Agriculture, Gourock and SARO.is organised by Spintelligent, leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser, and the African office of Clarion Events Ltd, based in the UK. The event is owned by the Zambia National Farmers Union. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include Agritech Expo Tanzania and Agribusiness Congress East Africa.Dates: 27-29 April 2017Location: Gart Research Centre, Chisamba, ZambiaWebsite: http://www.agritech- expo.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/ Agritech_Expo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agritechexpozambia/LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7477169Senior communications manager: Annemarie RoodbolMobile: +27 82 562 7844Office: +27 21 700 3558Email: annemarie.roodbol@spintelligent.com
Contact

Aplicaciones Tecnologicas SA

***@at3w.com Aplicaciones Tecnologicas SA

End

-- The castle is a major tourist and culture attraction source for Peniscola (Castellon  Valencian Community). It is located in the upper part of the city, on a hill by the sea. One of its towers was the chosen place for the installation of the DAT CONTROLER PLUS (http://lightningprotection-at3w.com/products/lightning-rods/ese-lightning-rods/s2xat1xp1101fbu11010010fti1fco--AT-1560) ESE air terminal. Our ESE air terminals fulfil all the regulatory requirements, they have the N mark of AENOR and they are designed to work in adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain, with an insulation over 95%.For the earthing, given the hardness of the soil seated on rock, we chose the use of special electrodes for low conductivity grounds APLIROD (http://lightningprotection-at3w.com/products/lightning-rods/earth-electrodes-ground-enhancing-products-and-earth-pits/s2xat1xp1301fbu13011160fti2fco--AT-024H). These electrodes are filled with a mixture of ionic compounds that allows for a reduction in the soil resistivity.The fortress, of Templar origin, began construction in 1294 until its completion in 1307. Pope Benedict XIII resided there, making it a centre for the papacy for years. It was declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument in 1931 and receives thousands of visitors every year.Aplicaciones Tecnologicas is proud to be able to contribute with our products in the protection of people and Heritage sites.Our catalogue has hundreds of products adapted to any situation in order to achieve efficient protection against lightning even in the most complex installations.Download the ESE lightning rod DAT CONTROLER PLUS ( http://lightningprotection- at3w.com/upload/ pdf_producto/ A... ) datasheetDownload the APLIROD ( http://lightningprotection- at3w.com/upload/ pdf_producto/ A... ) dynamic electrode datasheet
NDHFA Exec Director Jolene Kline, Travis Lang, ND Ag Commissioner Doug Goehring

Contact

Kristin Jaeger, Marketing Director

***@cornerstonebanks.net

701.898.0221 Kristin Jaeger, Marketing Director701.898.0221

End

-- North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (NDHFA) honored several of its partners as Champions of Affordable Housing during its Statewide Housing Conference in February.NDHFA's homeownership programs help first-time buyers, households that previously owned a home and need assistance buying again, and special needs households including single parents, veterans, and households with disabled or elderly family members in the home. Champion Awards are presented to NDHFA partners based on the volume of loans produced and participation in locally sponsored affordable housing activities."The Champion awards recognize and celebrate the work of individuals, non-profit organizations, public agencies, and private sector businesses that make exceptional affordable housing contributions in North Dakota," said Jolene Kline, NDHFA executive director.One of those Champions is Travis Lang of Cornerstone Bank in Bismarck, ND. Lang was the greatest individual producer of NDHFA's affordable home loans in 2016. He originated 56 mortgages, providing more than $11 million in financing.Lang says, "I believe in home ownership, and am proud of the impact it has had on my own life. With the affordable home financing available from NDHFA, I am happy to be able to help others achieve what I have felt when I purchased my first home."Being born and raised in Bismarck/Mandan, Lang knows the true value of being a North Dakotan. He has a passion to help people achieve the dream of home ownership. Lang has been Cornerstone Bank's top mortgage producer for the last four years and was a member of the mortgage team when Cornerstone Bank was the 4-time Champion of Affordable Housing. Lang is located at Cornerstone Bank's south Bismarck location at 600 2Street South, Suite 100. Or you can call him at 701- 751-4637.NDHFA is a self-supporting state agency dedicated to making housing affordable for all North Dakotans. The Industrial Commission of North Dakota, consisting of Governor Doug Burgum as chairman, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, oversees the agency.Cornerstone Holding Company, based in North Dakota, is the parent company of Cornerstone Bank. One of North Dakota's ten largest financial institutions, Cornerstone Holding Company is an $820 million financial institution. Cornerstone Bank has North Dakota locations in Bismarck, Dickinson, Fargo, Makoti, New Town, Parshall, Plaza, Watford City and a South Dakota location in Sioux Falls. There are Cornerstone Mortgage offices Grand Forks and Minot, North Dakota along with Aberdeen, South Dakota. Cornerstone Bank provides an expansive product offering while staying true to their mission of providing access to financial experts who give straight answers and the best possible financial options. Cornerstone's offerings include business and personal loans, deposits and cash management services, online and mobile banking along with mortgage services. https://www.cornerstonebanks.net/ ######See accompanying photo attached including:NDHFA Executive Director Jolene Kline, Cornerstone Bank Home Mortgage Consultant Travis Lang, North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring.
The Solar Power World Top 500 Solar Contractors List includes Marlborough-based solar firm, which employs 8 local professionals

Contact

Mona Reese

***@brightstarsolar.net Mona Reese

End

-- Solar power is a booming business worldwide, but Massachusetts local installer Brightstar Solar is among the companies recently named to an annual and well-recognized list of North America's top solar contractors. Brightstar Solar achieved a rank of 422 out of 500 solar companies.The Top 500 Solar Contractors List is developed bymagazine to recognize the work completed by solar contractors across the U.S. and Canada. The companies on the list are growing the economy, providing jobs and offering electricity consumers a choice about how they get their power. The list was released July 26."The companies on this year's list exude solar-business brilliance, and they deserve to be recognized not only for being great companies but also for how their work positively impacts the environment,"said Kathie Zipp, managing editor of. Solar energy is a renewable resource with great potential to significantly reduce our nation's greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, a national solar industry association.Brightstar Solar employs 8 workers, who installed 380 kW of solar in 2015. Since its founding in 2009, the company has installed 1.29 MW of solar. Brightstar Solar, founded by husband and wife Jon and Mona Reese, prides itself on being the local choice for residential solar installations in Massachusetts. The company offers an unparalleled experience to their customers by consistently and professionally providing high quality components, aesthetically sensitive designs, and flawless execution."We are very excited to be recognized by Solar Power World's Top Solar Contractors list for the third time in a row. We are thrilled to be a company that is large enough to have real experience and expertise, but still small enough to keep a high degree of owner involvement, " said Mona Reese, founding partner of Brightstar Solar.Brightstar Solar works amid a burgeoning business market. The U.S. solar market is expected to grow 119% this year, according to global research firm GTM Research. While a majority of solar electricity is produced at large, utility-scale solar power plants, the greatest number of solar jobs are located with companies like Brightstar Solarfirms doing the work to bring clean energy to the public."No one can deny that local companies are supporting the growth of the solar industry and the economy as a whole," Zipp said. "Our Top Solar Contractors are the face of the industrymeeting homeowners and business leaders on doorsteps every day."Brightstar Solar is one of the oldest and most experienced solar installers in Massachusetts. Since 2009, they provide solar installations for residential and commercial clinets. Contact Brightstar Solar at 617-564-0050 or http://brightstarsolar.net/ contact-us/ for a free evaluation of your Massachusetts home or business.Solar Power World (SPW) is the leading online and print resource for news and information regarding solar installation, development and technology. Since 2011, SPW has helped solar contractorsincluding installers, developers and EPCs in all marketsgrow their businesses and do their jobs better. SPW is published by WTWH Media in Cleveland, Ohio.
By: James Hilgendorf

A New Myth for America, by James Hilgendorf

End

-- A New Vision for Ourselves. A New Dream of America. A New Religion for the World."Traveling to a New America", the journey undertaken by author James Hilgendorf to towns and cities all across America to talk to people about their feelings about America, stopped recently in Nevada City, California. We met a young woman named Kimmy.Kimmy, what's Nevada City like for you?"Nevada City is like heaven on Earth. There's just so much movement, so much dance, so much play, this loving energy. People are so joyful and sweet, and the nature is so beautiful, it's amazing to just get lost in the woods. I live fifteen minutes from town. I live in the woods and I get to go into this beautiful town that has all this organic food, all these local artisans and local people creating and sharing and trading."What's your take on America at this time?"Personally my connection to America is my community. I feel pressure and stressed out thinking about the macro when I feel like the micro needs help and connection. It's where I'm at. I can't stress about what's happening out there, because my little bubble is what I can control. It's what I'm putting out into the world, and I'm working towards just sharing love and art and learning to grow food and medicine and really just being into the roots."There's so much division in our country. What do you think about that?"Honestly I feel like people are going to start standing up for what they believe in, because all of this shady stuff has been going on for years and years and years, and people are choosing to ignore it, but now you can't ignore it, it's very out in the open. There's hate and this gross shadow, this darkness just coming up, and I feel people are going to stop living that. A revolution is happening, and the best way is love. That's what I'm seeing. People are now holding on to each other. We're seeing each other, and like, Oh I'm actually valuing my one-on-one connection and my time with you. Really having moments like that. So I feel there's going to be a radical improvement. I think that it will get really intense, but I think that afterwards - like, when there is a forest fire, the strongest growth comes from that. That's what I'm seeing."If you had a vision of a great America, what it look like?"We would live in the trees and in the hills, and we would grow food for each other. The cities would be incorporating more nature, using less petroleum, moving to Tesla cars. I would like the focus on money to stop, because we can get what we need from each other without money, without this fake paper, without taking from the Earth so much. Living back in the Earth. An exchange of goods, an exchange of skills. Oh, you have this skill, you know how to make leather shoes, I want to know how to make leather shoes. I know how to do this or I make this, can we trade?"Does that operate in a big city environment?"I definitely think it's possible, but a radical shift would need to happen. Money can be a tool to share abundance with everyone, but I would like to see people recognizing it isn't all about money. Like what can I do, what can I do to improve the situation around me. I want to see more people doing that."You seem to be talking about a spiritual revolution."Totally. Like people going back to the spirit. I'm sharing this beautiful medicine from the Earth, and sharing the love. It's all going back to the Earth to me, that's where I find the spirit. I think people need something, we need something, we need God's love. Everyone is searching for that and seeking it out and finding it in all these different ways which is amazing. And then just acceptance. I think people are starting to accept each other more. There's definitely the other side of that, where people are radically afraid, afraid to accept, and afraid to love. But it goes back to yourself. We're learning to love ourselves, learning to be comfortable with who we are in any moment. Just living in the flow."What are your dreams?"I dream of loving fully and authentically, and being present in every moment. And, for me, like my personal voice, the way I'm going to achieve that is through my creations, it's the loudest voice I have, and through my dance. I want to grow food, I want to eat a whole meal of things I grew."__________________James Hilgendorf is a filmmaker, speaker, poet, and the author of nine non-fiction books that are opening the way to a new vision of ourselves, a new dream of America, a new religion for the world. Currently, he is traveling to towns and cities all across America, giving talks and meeting and interviewing people, under the banner of "Traveling to a New America".To arrange talks or readings, contact the author. To follow his journey, connect to his Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/ NewDreamOfAmerica
The HomeGround real estate agency in Australia is one with a difference. This is a community organisation which is run not-for-profit but to ensure more affordable housing is made available. These aspirations are all good and well but how has a not-for-profit real estate agency gone down in Australia?

Set up in 2014

The HomeGround real estate agency began life in 2014 having been set by community organisation Launch Housing in Melbourne. Like so many countries around the world Australia has seen a significant reduction in public housing stock and a significant increase in private sector rental properties. Indeed public housing stock has reduced from 20% down to a mere 3% over the last 20 years, something which has been replicated right across the world.

The first thing to say is that all commissions are invested back into the business to encourage more investors to come forward with affordable housing. This is an opportunity for some investors to give back at a time when many are struggling to find accommodation right across Australia.

How does the system work?

As we touched on above, all commissions earned by HomeGround are invested back into the business to encourage more investors to step forward. The idea is that affordable properties are offered at a discount to the market rental rate in order to assist those on low income. There are set criteria for prospective tenants to ensure that they are able to cover the subsidised rental charges and the properties will be well looked after.

While business is business, it is worth noting that subsidise rents can be used as a tax deduction as ruled by the Australian authorities. In effect this allows investors to offset their additional income against their reduced rental income. Many will already have worked out that while these properties may be rented at a discounted price there is still significant potential for capital growth going forward.

Giving something back

This scheme is not for all investors because ultimately it does allow those with relatively large exposure to the real estate market to give something back. The fact that this reduction can be offset against their additional income is an interesting byproduct but not the main reason why it is proving popular. Some prospective tenants are sceptical about why investor would lease a property to a new tenant at a reduced rate especially when there is significant demand for private rental properties. The simple fact is it is down to each individual investor and we can only assume they have sufficient income elsewhere to cover their everyday expenses.

The scheme is about to be rolled out across New South Wales and Queensland with all income reinvested back into the business. There is no doubt that the ruling by the Australian tax office has assisted this particular scheme. Whether we would see authorities in the UK allow a similar scheme is debatable.

Conclusion

In some ways the HomeGround not-for-profit real estate agency is a win-win for all parties because low-income families now have options, landlords can collect tax incentives and investors will still benefit from long-term capital appreciation. The scheme itself is unlikely to have a major impact upon the traditional rental market where landlords/investors will still be looking for full rental income. However, to those struggling this could be the lifeline they have been waiting for.

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We bring you sales figures of leading players in the two wheeler segment for February 2017 which we compare with sales of the corresponding month of the previous year offering a better idea of their performance under present market conditions.

Hero MotoCorp

Leading two wheeler manufacturers in India, Hero MotoCorp suffered a 4.8% decline in sales in the past month. The company reported sales to the extent of 5,24,766 units as compared to sales of 5,50,992 units in February 2016. Hero MotoCorp has confirmed that even as most of their vehicles are now BS IV compliant, post March 1, 2017 only BS IV compliant vehicles will be produced.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India

HMSI reported a 5% growth for the month of February 2017. The company sold 3,96,865 units in domestic markets during the past month as against 3,51,401 units sold in February 2016.

Taking into account both domestic sales and exports, the companys YTD sales increased by 13% while market share increased by 1.4% to 27.2% in February. From March 1, 2017 the company has started production of BS IV compliant models from all of its 4 facilities across the country while AHO will be offered as standard on all models.

Bajaj Auto Limited

Bajaj noted a marginal increase in sales in February 2017. During the past month, the company sold 2,73,513 units as compared to sales to the extent of 2,72,719 units sold in February 2016. Domestic sales dipped by 6% from 1,51,141 units sold in February 2016 to 1,42,287 units sold in the last month while exports increased by 22% thus saving the company from posting negative results.

Total motorcycle sales increased by 4.11% in February 2017 to 2,44,958 units from 2,35,282 units February 2016 while domestic motorcycle sales dipped by 5.85% to 1,42,287 units in February 2017 from 1,51,141 units the same month of the previous year.

TVS

TVS Motor suffered a 3.64% decline in total sales for the month of February 2017. The company sold 2,11,470 units last month as against 2,19,467 units sold in February 2016. Total 2 wheeler sales in domestic markets dipped 5.77% and stood at 1,72,611 units in February 2017 as compared to 1,83,199 units sold in February 2016 while motorcycle sales also dipped 23.47% from 77,096 units sold in February 2016 to just 58,994 units sold in the past month.

However, the company reported a 9.8% increase in exports which went up from 34,804 units in February 2016 to 38,215 units in the last month. Two wheeler exports were up 20.3% to 33,636 units last month from 27,949 units in February 2016.

Royal Enfield

RE has reported an increase of 19% in February 2017 sales. The company sold 58,439 units in the past month as against 49,156 units sold in February 2016. Growth was noted both in domestic sales and exports with growth largely driven by models with engine capacity upto 350cc. Sales of models with engine capacity above 350cc dipped by 29% to 3,868 units.

Yamaha India

Yamaha registered a 20% increase in February sales. The companys domestic sales stood at 68,095 units in the past month as against 56,960 units sold in February 2016.

With the new 250cc FZ25 launched in India last month with a price tag of INR 1,19500, the company says it will boost its share in the premium segment. Yamaha is targeting 1 million unit sales in 2017 while new products and expansion of 3S networks are on the cards.

Suzuki Motorcycle India

Suzuki Two Wheelers registered 44.5% increase in sales in the last month. Domestic sales and exports stood at 40,175 units. The company also recently introduced the Gixxer range and Access 125 scooter in India which are BS IV compliant while all other models will be updated to BS IV standards as well

Note  Mahindra Two Wheelers have not shared their sales report yet. Once they do, we will update the story.
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft that landed the Curiosity rover on Mars endured the hottest, most turbulent atmospheric entry ever attempted in a mission to the Red Planet. The saucer-shaped MSL was protected by a thin, lightweight carbon fiber-based heat-shield material that was a bit denser than balsa wood.

The same material, dubbed PICA (Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator), also protected NASA's Stardust spacecraft as it returned to Earth after collecting comet and space dust samples in 2006. It is based on a family of materials that was recognized by the space agency as its Invention of the Year in 2007.

SpaceX, a NASA-contracted private company that delivers cargo to the International Space Station, has since adapted the PICA material for its Dragon space capsule.

While traditional heat shields form a rigid structure, NASA Ames Research Center (NASA ARC) in Moffett Field, California, which developed the PICA material, is now developing a new family of flexible heat-shield systems that uses a woven carbon-fiber substrate, or base material. This material's heat-resistance and structural properties can be fine-tuned by adjusting the weaving techniques.

In addition, the flexible nature of woven materials can accommodate the design of large-profile spacecraft capable of landing heavier payloads, including human crews.

The new flexible heat-shield system, called ADEPT (Adaptive Deployable Entry and Placement Technology), would be stowed inside the spacecraft and deployed like an umbrella prior to atmospheric entry. Supported by an array of sturdy metallic struts, the ADEPT system could also serve to steer the spacecraft during descent.

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Unlike the reusable ceramic tiles used on NASA's space shuttles to survive reentry from low-Earth orbit, the lighter PICA and woven carbon materials are designed for single use, protecting their payload while they slowly burn up during the rigors of atmospheric entry.

That's why it's critical to ensure through testing, simulation, and analysis, that heat-shield materials can survive long enough to protect the spacecraft during high-speed entry into a planet's atmosphere.

To understand performance of the system at the microscopic scale, NASA research scientists are conducting X-ray experiments at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) to track a material's response to extreme temperatures and pressures.

"We've been working on studies of various heat-shield materials for the past three years," said Harold Barnard, a scientist at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (ALS), "and we are trying to develop high-speed X-ray imaging techniques so we can actually capture these heat-shield materials reacting and decomposing in real time."

During an actual atmospheric entry at Mars, there is substantial heat load on the shielding material, with surface temperatures approaching 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

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"We are developing methods for recreating those sorts of conditions, and scanning materials in real time as they are experiencing these loads and transitions," Barnard said. A test platform now in development uses a pneumatic piston to stretch the material, in combination with heat and gas-flow controls, to simulate entry conditions.

Francesco Panerai, a scientist with AMA Inc. at NASA ARC and the lead experimentalist for NASA's X-ray studies at Berkeley Lab's ALS, said, "X-rays enable new simulations that we were not able to do before. Before we were using X-rays, we were limited to 2-D images, and we were trying to mimic these with computer simulations. X-ray tomography enables us to digitize the real 3-D microstructure of the material."

The work at the ALS has already produced some promising results that show how present-day and next-generation heat-shield materials, including woven carbon fibers for flexible heat shields, gradually decompose in simulated atmospheric entry conditions. More experiments are planned to study different weave arrangements and material types.

"You can really see a lot of details" in the ALS images, Panerai said, which were produced using a technique called microtomography. "You can see clusters of fibers, and you can see that the fibers are hollow." The fibers in the studies are less than one-tenth the width of a human hair.

He added, "It's very complex to reproduce velocity and temperature at the same time in physical experiments. The ALS allows us to reproduce similar conditions to entry -- very high temperatures, and we can watch how flow moves inside materials." The work could benefit future missions to Mars, Saturn, and Venus, among others.

Joseph C. Ferguson, a researcher with Science and Technology Corp. at NASA ARC, led the development of a software tool called PuMA (Porous Materials Analysis) that can extract information about a material's properties from the ALS X-ray imaging data, including details about how porous a material is, how it conducts heat, and how it decomposes under entry conditions.

All of these characteristics factor into a material's ability to protect a spacecraft. NASA developers have made this software tool available to other experimenters at the ALS for other applications. Barnard said the NASA work has pushed ALS researchers to develop faster microtomography imaging methods that capture how materials respond over time to stress.

"We have been able to push the imaging speed down to between 2.5 to 3 seconds per scan," Barnard said. "Normally these scans can take up to 10 minutes. It has been good for us to work on this project. We want better instrumentation and analysis techniques for the experiments here, and we are pushing our instrumentation boundaries while helping NASA to develop heat shields."

Dula Parkinson, a research scientist who works with Barnard at the ALS on microtomography experiments, said the faster imaging speeds, which can produce about 2,000 frames per second, are generating a high volume of data.

"The capabilities of our detectors and other instruments over the past five years have improved orders of magnitude," Parkinson said. "It has increased our needs for data management and computing power."

The ALS draws on resources from Berkeley Lab's Center for Advanced Mathematics for Energy Research Applications (CAMERA), which assists with image processing and algorithms for visualizing the X-ray data, and also from Berkeley Lab's National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC).

NASA ARC researchers also tap into ALS-produced data via the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet), a high-bandwidth data network managed by Berkeley Lab that connects research facilities and supercomputer centers. NASA scientists use NASA ARC's Pleiades, one of the world's most powerful supercomputers, to perform analysis and simulations on data generated at the ALS.

"Supercomputing is very important in this effort," Panerai said. "One of the areas we will explore is to try to predict the properties of a virtual material" based on what is learned from X-ray experiments and computer modeling of existing materials.

"We would like to know the material's response before we create it," Panerai said. "We think this could help in materials design."
Even after weeks of treatment and considerable weight gain, the brains of adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa remain altered, putting them at risk for possible relapse, according to researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

The study, published last week in the American Journal of Psychiatry, examined 21 female adolescents before and after treatment for anorexia and found that their brains still had an elevated reward system compared to 21 participants without the eating disorder.

"That means they are not cured," said Guido Frank, MD, senior author of the study and associate professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. "This disease fundamentally changes the brain response to stimuli in our environment. The brain has to normalize and that takes time."

Brain scans of anorexia nervosa patients have implicated central reward circuits that govern appetite and food intake in the disease. This study showed that the reward system was elevated when the patients were underweight and remained so once weight was restored.

The neurotransmitter dopamine might be the key, researchers said.

Dopamine mediates reward learning and is suspected of playing a major role in the pathology of anorexia nervosa. Animal studies have shown that food restriction or weight loss enhances dopamine response to rewards.

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With that in mind, Frank, an expert in eating disorders, and his colleagues wanted to see if this heightened brain activity would normalize once the patient regained weight. Study participants, adolescent girls who were between 15 and 16 years old, underwent a series of reward-learning taste tests while their brains were being scanned.

The results showed that reward responses were higher in adolescents with anorexia nervosa than in those without it. This normalized somewhat after weight gain but still remained elevated.

At the same time, the study showed that those with anorexia had widespread changes to parts of the brain like the insula, which processes taste along with a number of other functions including body self-awareness.

The more severely altered the brain, the harder it was to treat the illness, or in other words, the more severely altered the brain, the more difficult it was for the patients to gain weight in treatment.

"Generalized sensitization of brain reward responsiveness may last long into recovery," the study said. "Whether individuals with anorexia nervosa have a genetic predisposition for such sensitization requires further study."

Frank said more studies are also needed to determine if the continued elevated brain response is due to a heightened dopamine reaction to starvation and whether it signals a severe form of anorexia among adolescents that is more resistant to treatment.

In either case, Frank said the biological markers discovered here could be used to help determine the likelihood of treatment success. They could also point the way toward using drugs that target the dopamine reward system.

"Anorexia nervosa is hard to treat. It is the third most common chronic illness among teenage girls with a mortality rate 12 times higher than the death rate for all causes of death for females 15-24 years old," Frank said. "But with studies like this we are learning more and more about what is actually happening in the brain. And if we understand the system, we can develop better strategies to treat the disease."
Even nations can have friends of friends, a new study has found.

Results suggest these indirect relationships have a surprisingly strong ability to prevent major conflicts, and that international military alliances may matter more than we typically expect.

Many studies have shown that nations with military alliances are less likely to go to war. But this new study is the first to show that neighboring countries without direct alliances are still unlikely to have serious conflicts, as long as they are indirectly connected through an ally in common.

In fact, this peace dividend extends up to three degrees of separation without getting weaker: Nations are much less likely to have wars with their allies, the allies of their allies, and the allies of their allies' allies.

"The peacemaking impact of an alliance between two countries goes beyond the two that signed the agreement," said Skyler Cranmer, lead author of the study and the Phillips & Henry associate professor of political science at The Ohio State University.

"It permeates the network of alliances, like ripples in a pond, to prevent conflicts beyond the two countries that have the alliance."

The researchers were surprised that the strength of these indirect relationships didn't decline until they went beyond three degrees, said co-author Aisha Bradshaw, a Ph.D. candidate in political science at Ohio State.

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"We didn't expect that. We thought the effect would decline with each degree of separation," Bradshaw said

The study was published today in the journal Science Advances.

The researchers examined all serious military conflicts worldwide from 1965 to 2000. This included all conflicts in which one country made a deliberate choice to deploy military force against another.

They focused on conflicts between neighboring states, since very few nations have the ability to wage war beyond their borders.

Results showed that the probability of a new conflict between two neighboring countries in a given year was between 3 and 4 percent for nations within three degrees of separation. But the probability of conflict nearly doubled for countries at four degrees of separation from each other.

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"The probability of conflict jumps dramatically once you get to four degrees," Cranmer said. "At that point, it appears that countries have much less in common that will keep the peace."

There are many examples of these indirect alliances helping keep the peace. One is the lack of conflict between Turkey and Iran from 1965 to 1979, a period during which they were indirectly connected at two degrees of separation. After losing this connection in 1980, disputes arose between the neighbors, reaching a peak in 1987 when they had a militarized dispute with fatalities.

What's the difference between three degrees and four degrees of separation between nations that dramatically changes the probability of conflict?

In order to figure that out, the researchers divided the world into different communities of nations. A community of nations was defined as a group of countries that were more closely connected to each other - through their alliances - than they were to those outside of the community.

"Not every member of a community is necessarily tied to every other member, but there is usually a short and clear path between them all," Cranmer said.

The researchers found that nearly all members of each of these communities of nations were within three degrees of each other, which helped explain why the probability of conflict was so much lower for these countries. But any two countries that had four or more degrees of separation were almost always in different communities of nations.

"At four degrees, the countries no longer share membership in common communities that represent shared interests," he said.

But these communities, by themselves, couldn't explain the probability of war between any two countries. Results suggested that these overall community structures helped explain how the indirect ties worked to prevent conflict. Still, both factors played independent roles in keeping the peace.

These results fit in with a growing body of evidence in science.

"There's emerging evidence that this three-degree horizon of influence seems to be relatively common in human networks and can be found in political attitudes, health behaviors and the likelihood of smoking," Cranmer said. "But this is the first evidence of anything like this in a political network."

The study shows the importance of ties between two countries, which can sometimes be forgotten in the conversation about the future of alliances like NATO, Bradshaw said.

"An alliance between two countries can make peace more likely among a larger group of countries than just those two countries," she said.
Unions close to 3 parties win most FSU positions

If the results of the Free Students Union election are anything to go by, the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML had a neck to neck competition, with the ruling CPN (Maoist Centre) trailing behind, as the sister wings of the first and second largest parties won most seats in the college polls held on Wednesday.
Color plays an important role in conveying visual information. For example, color can help the observer find an object in a cluttered environment. Although the human eye can distinguish millions of colors, human languages have only a few color terms, such as "red," "green," "blue" and "yellow," which speakers can use to communicate about colors in everyday life. These color terms change over time as a language evolves, and the Japanese language is no exception.

This became clear through the work of an international collaboration between researchers at Tohoku University, their colleagues at Tokyo Institute of Technology and Ohio State University.

The researchers investigated the number of color categories (such as aka, midori, ao, ki, etc.) that are commonly used by native Japanese speakers. They asked 52 participants to name 320 color samples of various hues and lightness (plus black, white and several grays) using only single color words without modifiers (no "greenish yellow" or "light purple").

< image: (Top) color samples used in the present study. (Bottom) optimal number of clusters in Japanese color names derived by k-means analysis with Gap statistic. >

Statistical analysis of the results revealed 19 common Japanese categories. There were the 11 basic color categories common to most modern industrialized cultures (red, green, blue, yellow, purple, pink, brown, orange, white, gray and black), plus eight additional named color categories. These were: mizu ("water")/light blue, hada ("skin tone")/peach, matcha ("ceremonial green tea")/yellow-green, oudo ("mud")/mustard, enji/maroon, yamabuki ("goldflower")/gold and cream. Of these additional terms, mizu was used by 98% of informants, making it a strong candidate for a 12th Japanese basic color category.

Thirty years ago, a study of Japanese color categories (Uchikawa & Boynton, 1987) did not reveal mizu as a basic color category, because the informants in that earlier study often used mizu ("water") and ao (blue) interchangeably. Conversely, Uchikawa & Boynton found that kusa ("grass") was a very popular term for yellow-green, whereas, in the present study, kusa has been largely replaced with matcha ("ceremonial green tea"). These results illustrate that color terms, like many other aspects of language, change over time.

In contrast to these recent changes, there is one tradition that has not changed over the past millennium: the mixed use of green and blue. Careful study of classic Japanese poems before the 10th century showed that ao ("blue") was used to name both things that were clearly blue and also things that were clearly green; the same was true of midori ("green"). Even today, modern Japanese people refer to the color of the green traffic light, lush green leaves and green vegetables, as ao ("blue"). However, the use of ao and midori are otherwise quite distinct.

The transition from a single category encompassing both blue and green ("grue") to distinct blue and green categories is considered to be a landmark in the typical evolution of color lexicons around the world. For example, the Middle English term "hwen" was used to denote a grue category until 13th century, but modern English, like modern Japanese, has distinct terms for separate blue and green color categories. These investigators showed that, in addition to distinct color terms for blue and green, modern Japanese has recently added a new intermediate color term "mizu" for lighter bluish and greenish samples.

This study showed that although modern Japanese is not a "grue" language -- since blue and green are distinct color categories -- Japanese people have nonetheless retained traditional expressions from the classic poetic tradition of a thousand years ago.
Between 3 and 5% of the population suffer from a form of inflammatory rheumatism. It affects approximately 250,000 -- 400,000 people in Austria. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the commonest and also the most dangerous forms of this inflammatory rheumatic disease. Around 30% of patients achieve remission, that is to say successful control of symptoms, after just one or two years. However, despite frequent changes in treatment, many other patients have to endure the active form of the disease on an ongoing basis. A multicentre, multinational study headed up by rheumatologist Daniel Aletaha of MedUni Vienna as principal investigator has now shown that a new drug (sirukumab) is a very promising treatment option for these "refractory" patients. The study has now been published in the world-leading journal "The Lancet."

Nowadays, treatments for rheumatoid arthritis are changed very quickly, once it is established that one is failing to effect any significant improvement. This means that many patients can be helped very quickly. On the other hand, there are patients who do not show any significant improvement even after the second or third biologic drug treatment -- typically with TNF inhibitors (which blockade the Tumour Necrosis Factor TNF, which is involved in systemic inflammation). The new drug now offers a new option for such patients.

This is the result of one of the largest multicentre, international studies so far into difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis, focussing on this new mechanism of action, an interleukin-6 cytokine blockade. In this treatment, the monoclonal antibody sirukumab directly inhibits the messenger substance IL-6, which, like TNF, is responsible for inflammatory processes in the joints.

"We were able to demonstrate this in one of the largest study populations to date, with around 900 patients in 35 countries. Despite having previously received treatments with biologic drugs, these patients still had a persistently active disease. Treatment options had been practically exhausted for many of these patients. However, even in this group of patients, treatment with sirukumab brought about a significant reduction in the inflammatory action of the disease," explains Daniel Aletaha of MedUni Vienna's Department of Medicine III (Division of Rheumatology, Head: Josef Smolen).

The efficacy and safety of sirukumab were tested in two different dosages (injections of 50 mg every 4 weeks or 100 mg every 2 weeks). The 100 mg dosage proved to be slightly more effective. "These results are very significant in the case of a progressive, inflammatory, musculoskeletal disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, especially for those patients who are resistant to treatment," says the MedUni Vienna expert. The drug could be approved very soon.

At the same time, the new findings with sirukumab could lead to new efficacy studies being instigated for other inflammatory diseases, such as other forms of arthritis or other inflammatory diseases, e.g. vasculitis. There may also be other indications in areas other than rheumatology.
In the world of fungi, Aspergillus is an industrial superstar. Aspergillus niger, for example, has been used for decades to produce citric acid -- a compound frequently added to foods and pharmaceuticals -- through fermentation at an industrial scale. Other species in this genus play critical roles in biofuel production, and plant and human health. Since the majority of its 350 species have yet to be sequenced and analyzed, researchers are still at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding Aspergillus' full potential and the spectrum of useful compounds they may generate.

In a study published February 14, 2017 in the journal Genome Biology, an international team including researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI), a DOE Office of Science User Facility, report sequencing the genomes of 10 novel Aspergillus species, more than doubling the number of Aspergillus species sequenced to date. The newly sequenced genomes were compared with the eight other sequenced Aspergillus species. With this first ever genus-wide view, the international consortium found that Aspergillus has a greater genomic and functional diversity than previously understood, broadening the range of potential applications for the fungi considered one of the most important workhorses in the biotechnology.

"Several Aspergillus species have already established status as cell factories for enzymes and metabolites. However, little is known about the diversity in the species at the genomic level and this paper demonstrates how diverse the species of this genus are," said study lead author Ronald de Vries of the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute in the Netherlands. "One can't assume that an Aspergillus species will have the same physiology as a better studied species of the genus."

The study, conducted through the DOE JGI's Community Science Program, also demonstrates the importance of evaluating biodiversity within a genus to understand how fungi can be greater utilized to solve a variety of problems.

Sequencing a diverse set of Aspergillus genomes allows researchers to build a more comprehensive catalog of enzymes for biotechnological applications, added DOE JGI Fungal Genomics Program Head Igor Grigoriev, senior author of the paper. Those applications include harnessing Aspergillus to help protect crops and ward off agents that can cause diseases in plants.

Comparing the newly sequenced genomes to those already available, researchers found a huge variety of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) among the Aspergillus species, suggesting distinct strategies to break down plant biomass. CAZymes are responsible for breaking down plant cell walls, useful for industrially processing plants the DOE considers candidate bioenergy crops. The sugars that are part of these cell walls can't be accessed and fermented to make biofuels unless the walls are broken down by agents like CAZymes.

"Each of these 10 genomes encodes for a unique composition of CAZymes -- and the wider assortment helps formulate enzyme cocktails better suited for different types of plant biomass to efficiently convert them into biofuels," Grigoriev said.

In addition to biofuels, CAZymes can also help facilitate the production of paper, textiles, food, feed and pharmaceuticals, according to de Vries.

The comparative analysis between the genomes also enabled researchers to uncover a high diversity of genes that: 1) allow the fungi to produce secondary metabolites, compounds that may be useful for applications such as crop protection; and 2) enable the fungi to tolerate stress. The knowledge gained in secondary metabolism and stress response will help to provide more insight in the mechanisms underlying these functions.

But despite the new insights gained, de Vries emphasizes that much still remains unknown about the full spectrum of what Aspergillus can do. "There is [still] much to learn and get from a better study [of Aspergillus]," he said. "The potential for applications within the genus has barely been touched." Grigoriev adds: "Encouraged by results of this study we now pursue a deeper exploration of the Aspergillus genus, sequencing the remaining 300 species, each carrying a unique composition genes, enzymes, and pathways"
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Recent changes to pay equity laws in California make it essential for employers to periodically audit their pay practices. But employment attorneys say it's critical for HR professionals to get executive buy-in before starting the process.

The Golden State has had a pay equity law for decades, but it was given more teeth in 2016 when the Fair Pay Act took effect. Instead of requiring "equal pay for equal work," the state requires fair pay for men and women who perform "substantially similar work, when viewed as a composite of skill, effort, and responsibility." Effective Jan. 1, the fair pay law was expanded to include race and ethnicity.

If there is a salary disparity that needs to be adjusted, that can lead to a significant monetary decision for the business, said Michelle Lee Flores, an attorney with Cozen O'Connor in Los Angeles. Therefore, the first step in conducting a fair-pay audit is to get management and the people who make budget and compensation decisions on board and supportive of rectifying any disparities that may be found during the audit, she said.

[SHRM members-only toolkit: Managing Pay Equity]

The audit should be conducted under attorney-client privilege, said Lara de Leon, an attorney with Ogletree Deakins in Orange County, Calif., and San Antonio. There are legal risks associated with conducting an audit, and working under attorney-client privilege can potentially protect information from discovery during litigation or a government audit.

Flores and de Leon both cautioned that attorney-client privilege doesn't always apply, and there are times when an employer may want to waive the privilege to show the audit steps it took as a defense in a lawsuit.

"Privilege may not attach, but in general you can at least try," Flores said. "It's all about endeavoring to put in place some safeguards that can come into play later if needed."

So, how can HR professionals set up good systems to correct and prevent unintended wage disparity? Once all the relevant decision-makers are on board, here are some additional audit steps to follow.

Gather Information

HR professionals should take a look at what type of data they can pull from their human resources information system (HRIS), de Leon said. "Demographics, job title, compensation bands, performance information and anything else that is relevant to an employee's pay should be considered."

Pulling this information may be easier said than done, she cautioned. "Make sure you have up-to-date and accurate data, as some things may need to be fixed."

Job Grouping

Once the information is collected, employers should determine how jobs can be grouped together, Flores said. This could be done on a department-by-department basis, but jobs should also be cross-referenced with the same or similar jobs in different departments.

For example, she said, receptionists on different floors or administrative assistant in different departments should be compared. Punctuality, customer service, answering phones and greeting people may be the essential responsibilities for all receptionists whether they're on the first, 10th or 18th floor.

If there's a pay disparity, the employer will need to figure out the reason, Flores added. "Are the employees doing different things while they are sitting there? Does one employee have seniority or is something else going on? What's at the root of the pay differential?"

California law is stricter than federal law when it comes to comparing jobs, de Leon said. The state law is broader, so employers might want to look at workers in similar jobs or across compensation bands rather than just those in the same band or with the same job title, she said, because expanding the parameters can provide a better picture.

California's fair-pay law doesn't limit the comparison to jobs within an establishment. Therefore, employers in the state should consider running comparisons between locationssuch as offices in Irvine and Long Beach.

Mind the Gap

Flores cautioned that if fair-pay evaluations aren't done proactively in California, they may have to be done under the microscope of a lawsuit.

There are going to be some differences in education and experience that justify pay disparities, she said. "When you start looking at differences, there may be some good reasons, but 'better negotiator' isn't going to fly anymore."

Gender bias can be at play when stereotypes are made about negotiation skills, she added. "Women who negotiate may be seen as pushy or aggressive. They may have learned to ask for things in different ways or to not ask at all."

Businesses need to be prepared to address any issues they find in an audit, de Leon noted. "You may need to give some workers an increase and reclassify others that aren't really in the right job category."

Through the audit process, employers may discover gaps in their policies for setting starting pay and calculating merit increases or promotions, she added. It may be necessary to train managers on making consistent compensation decisions.

Compensation guidelines should be developed and possibly revised to set parameters for starting pay and increases. The guidelines can be flexible, but consistency is the goal, de Leon said.

She added that pay decisions should be documented, particularly when they are outside the norm. "If you have that one special person who deserves more pay, document why so there's a record about the reasons the decision was made."

On the Horizon

The Fair Pay Act already provides that "prior salary cannot, by itself, justify any disparity in compensation." Proposed legislation, however, would altogether ban employers from asking job applicants about their salary history.

Similar bills have been unsuccessfully introduced in California in the past, but laws like this are gaining momentum. A ban on salary history increases will hit employers in Philadelphia in May and a Massachusetts ban will take effect in 2018.

Either way, de Leon said, employers should be aware that pay equity is an area of continued focus for lawmakers.
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In the east (Nangarhar and nearby provinces) the small (about a thousand armed members) Afghan branch (Khorasan Province) of ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) is causing international problems. Pakistan claims Afghanistan is sheltering this group so that it can make attacks inside Pakistan. That is not the case. In fact ISIL initially sought to establish itself in Pakistan and India, not Afghanistan. In early 2015 ISIL sought to attract recruits from the Pakistani Taliban by releasing a video showing the leader of a dissident Pakistani Taliban faction becoming the head of the Pakistani branch of ISIL. The Pakistani Taliban continues to suffer from factionalism and that did not help ISIL which has had little success in Pakistan, India or Bangladesh. Afghanistan, because of help from the Pakistani military, was another story.

This remaining ISIL in Afghanistan consists largely of locals (Pakistanis, Afghans and Central Asians) who defected from the Taliban (both the Afghan and Pakistan branches) as well as al Qaeda. While some fifty ISIL members arrived from Syria in 2015 to get the branch started, few of those foreigners have survived the lethal environment ISIL has had to deal with since then. The current ISIL members in Afghanistan were largely locals seeking to be the most uncompromising and scary Islamic warriors possible. In the last year there have been a lot more defectors from the Taliban. Initially most came from the Pakistani Taliban, in part because so many were driven out of North Waziristan by the Pakistani army offensive that began in mid-2014 (and is still not finished). Recently there have been more from the Afghan Taliban because of an internal dispute over who should be the leader or because more and more Afghan Taliban want to concentrate on getting rich by working with the drug gangs. But there are still Taliban members who point out that the strict form of Islam the Taliban (in theory) adheres to forbids the use of opium and heroin or profiting from the production and distribution of this stuff. The Afghan Taliban has long tolerated the drug gangs because they were a source of needed cash and that eventually the drug gangs would be crushed. But now many Taliban factions are seeing that relationship as a permanent one and that has contributed to the current disagreements over who should run the Taliban. ISIL remains uncompromisingly anti-drug and has sustained itself in eastern Afghanistan (and elsewhere in the country) by accepting these Taliban dissidents. Thats why there will occasionally be ISIL attacks in other parts of Afghanistan. Thats because a local Taliban faction, or a large chunk of it, joined ISIL. The senior leadership of the Afghan Taliban try to persuade these defecting factions to return. Sometimes that succeeds and suddenly theres no longer any ISIL activity in an area outside of eastern Afghanistan (where ISIL has long sought to establish a base close to the Pakistani border and North Waziristan). In the last few months there have been several instances of the Taliban offering to cooperate with the security forces to destroy ISIL in a specific area. The government has never officially accepted any of these offers but the security forces gladly accept any information on where a group of ISIL is camping out or planning to be (usually for a meeting). That is believed to be one reason the American airstrikes against ISIL targets have been so frequent, and accurate, in the last year. These airstrikes are often quickly followed by Afghan special forces who are there to identify the dead, capture survivors and collect intelligence.

In addition to the active (armed and on the attack) ISIL members Afghan intelligence believes that there are 5-10,000 Afghans, either in rural areas or in large cities like Kabul, who provide a reliable (and often unpaid) support network. While only a small percentage of Moslems believe in the ISIL strategy and tactics thats a few percent of large populations. In Afghanistan it comes to about half a million people nationwide. The fact that ISIL can carry out attacks in Pakistan confirms that they have sympathizers there as well and that is a fact, not speculation.

This has made ISIL more of a threat than its relatively small size would indicate. Its mainly about high-profile attacks that kill a lot of civilians. For example, in Afghanistan civilian deaths from Islamic terrorist violence were up four percent in 2016; with 3,500 killed. As in the past some 80 percent of the deaths were attributed to the Taliban, drug gangs and sundry other organized outlaws. Yet while ISIL accounts for only about one percent of the active Islamic terrorists in the region, they were responsible for nearly ten percent of the deaths in Afghanistan, and an even higher percentage in Pakistan. ISIL activity in Afghanistan was up in 2016 and is maintaining its lethality in 2017.

While ISIL was unable to establish a base in Pakistan, India or Iran the border areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan was another matter. The Pakistani 2014 army offensive to clear Islamic terrorists out of North Waziristan made nearby parts of eastern Afghanistan (like Nangarhar province) the next best refuge.

Meanwhile American UAV and manned warplanes regularly seek out and attack an ISIL targets where they may be (often in Nangarhar province during 2016). At the very least these attacks destroy large quantities of weapons, ammo and equipment ISIL has stockpiled there. Since 2016 ISIL has become the priority target for American airstrikes in Afghanistan and any target that is confirmed as ISIL connected goes to the top of the list. In part that is because this branch of ISIL is likely to be the largest one remaining by the end of 2017. The growing unpopularity of ISIL worldwide, especially by Moslems and other Islamic terror groups plus more than a year of heavy losses has not hurt the Afghan branch ISIL as much as elsewhere. ISIL is dying, largely because its base of support, especially among Moslems, is so small. Since 2013 (when ISIL first appeared) the group has lost over 60,000 personnel to combat, disease, accidents and desertion. Most of the losses have been suffered in Syria, Iraq and Libya. Its believed that ISIL currently has only about 12,000 fighters available, mostly in Syria and Iraq. There are a few thousand more in northern Libya, eastern Afghanistan and Egypt. In all five countries ISIL is under heavy attack and ISIL in late 2016 lost its only major Libyan base that, for a while, ISIL saw as a fallback if they were shut down in Syria and Iraq. ISIL is expected to suffer major losses in 2017, mainly in Syria and Iraq. The ISIL bases in Afghanistan are not safe and secure enough for ISIL to expand or carry out a lot of attacks. So ISIL carries out attacks that will inflict the most damage, garner the most media coverage and make it clear that ISIL is a major player despites its small numbers.

Pakistan is, officially, not seeing ISIL as it is but rather as an excuse to explain why the 2014 offensive decreased but did not eliminate high levels of Islamic terrorist violence inside Pakistan (especially compared to India and Bangladesh). The Pakistani military is finally being brought to account for its decades of support for Islamic terrorists that are supposed to only operate in Afghanistan (to maintain Pakistani control) and India (which is deemed unbeatable any other way). But instead that Islamic terrorism support led to more and more Pakistanis being killed by these zealots who believed they must go after corrupt Moslems wherever they may find them. The Pakistani generals cant explain this a just a failure to communicate so they are seeking other ways to avoid responsibility. Blaming it on Afghanistan has not been popular in Afghanistan and a lot of Pakistanis are dubious as well. Most people in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India have watched the Pakistani military support Islamic terrorism since the 1980s, despite the growing denials from the Pakistani military. These denials have often proved to be easily exposed lies. Thus Pakistani denials that it continues to provide a sanctuary for the Afghan Taliban are disproved by anyone visiting Quetta (capital of Baluchistan province) and looking around. The Taliban have been openly living there since 2002. Quetta was always off limits to the American UAVs and remains a sanctuary despite constant and increasingly angry calls from the United States and Afghanistan to shut down the sanctuaries.

Afghanistan is becoming increasingly aggressive in demanding that Pakistan shut down the Quetta sanctuary it provides the Afghan Taliban. It is the Pakistani supported Taliban (working for the drug gangs) that is keeping the Afghan security forced busy. But that has not stopped the Afghan military regularly attacking ISIL and that does not sound like sanctuary. ISIL obviously operates in Pakistan. How else could ISIL continue to carry out major attacks far from the Afghan border? Afghanistan points out that security agreements between the two countries obliges Pakistan to shut down all Islamic terrorist sanctuaries. Afghan officials also accuse Pakistan of controlling much of what the Afghan Taliban does, including ordering terror attacks inside Afghanistan. If Pakistan refuses to comply with this request Afghanistan is threatening to take the matter to the UN and other international tribunals. Pakistan has long been dismissive of Afghan protests and either ignores them or dismisses them with denials. The reality is that Pakistan considers Afghanistan a client state. The Afghans are considered a collection of fractious tribes pretending to be a nation. With no access to the sea, most Afghan road connections to ports are with Pakistan.

Rails Against Pakistan

In part because of the recent Pakistani closing of road access to Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan are speeding up the completion of the rail link from Afghanistan to Iran. Work will now be completed by late 2018 (in about a year). This is part of the Indo-Iranian project (largely financed by India) that enables foreign cargo delivered to the port of Chabahar (in southeastern Iran) to enter Afghanistan by rail or road without any additional tax problems or other restrictions. Iran and India are building the 1,300 kilometer long rail line from the port to the Afghan border (near Herat) in the north. Indians are providing over two billions dollars to upgrade the port and build new roads and railroads to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Afghanistan never had an internal rail net but it does have (since 2002) a growing number of working rail links to the outside world. The problem is that all three of them are in the north. The longest (75 kilometers) goes from Mazar-e-Sharif across the border into Uzbekistan. Another goes from Herat Province into Turkmenistan while the third one goes from Faryab Province into Turkmenistan. Central Asia is still dependent on long (and expensive to use) Russian rail links to ocean ports. Then there is the bottleneck for moving cargo to southeastern Afghanistan (where Kabul and much of the population is) by truck. The Salang tunnel was built by the Russians in 1964 and cut transportation costs enormously throughout eastern Afghanistan. This tunnel makes the Salang pass useable when deep snow usually makes it impossible for wheeled traffic to get over the Hindu Kush Mountains. The 2,560 meter (1.6 mile) long Salang tunnel is at an altitude of 3,385 meters (11,000 feet). But the tunnel cannot handle all the truck traffic that the road access to Pakistan currently provides. The rail link with Iran gives quick and cheap (compared to trucking cargo through Pakistan) route to the outside world.

Gang Wars

The government continues to pressure the Taliban to consider peace talks. Many Taliban factions are inclined to at least discuss a peace deal, largely because the vast majority of Afghans oppose the drug trade and all those who keep it going. That includes the Taliban, who provide the muscle to keep soldiers, police or tribal militias from interfering. What keeps the anti-peace factions strong is sanctuary in Pakistan and access to Pakistan to import (via bribes) weapons and chemicals needed to convert opium into heroin as well as access through Pakistan to get the heroin out and to customers worldwide. Most Pakistanis are also hostile to the drug trade and the complicity of their corrupt officials and military officers. But Pakistan continues to be crippled by a military that is not controlled by elected officials and half the time since Pakistan was created the country was run by a military government. The Pakistani military is losing a lot of its political power but it is a slow process.

March 1, 2017: In Kabul two Taliban attacks (using suicide bombers and gunmen) left 22 dead and dozens wounded. In the east (Nangarhar province) an American UAV used missiles to kill the leader of the local Taliban and five of his followers.

February 27, 2017: In the north (Kunduz province) an American UAV used a missile to kill a notorious local Taliban leader Mullah Salam. Afghan and American intel efforts over the last two years finally led to this attack on the key Taliban leader in the north.

February 25, 2017: In the southeast (Logar province) special operations troops finally found, captured and destroyed a major (and well hidden) Taliban base. This base was believed to be the replacement for a similar Taliban base in Logar that had been active from 2006 to 2015. For most of that time the Logar location had long been more of a way station and place to stash supplies. But since 2012 the Logar base had become more useful for staging terror attacks in Kabul and Afghan intelligence found dozens of instances where an attack in Kabul could be tracked back to some location in Logar. That led to the discovery and destruction of the Logar base in 2015. The primary Logar bases are in remote areas and much of it underground in recently built tunnels and bunkers. All of these have been destroyed and local police will regularly check the area to make sure the Islamic terrorists do not return again in Logar to rebuild their base.

February 21, 2017: Pakistan announced that the civilian and military leadership agreed to allow the military to attack Islamic terrorists responsible for recent attacks even if they have bases in a foreign country. This is aimed at Afghanistan as no other neighbor is weak enough for Pakistan to get away with attacking. Pakistan said it had sent Afghanistan the names of 76 Islamic terrorists believed to be operating in Afghanistan. At the same time Afghanistan sent Pakistan a list of 85 Islamic terrorists based in Pakistan but accused of Islamic terrorism in Afghanistan. This is not the first time Afghanistan (or India) have sent Pakistan such lists but this may be the first time Pakistan actually goes after the tolerated (in Pakistan) Islamic terrorists. Both India and Afghanistan (and the United States) are waiting to see what happens. So are many Pakistanis.

February 17, 2017: Afghanistan complained that Pakistani security forces fired rockets and shells from Pakistan into eastern Afghanistan (Nangarhar and Kunar provinces). These rocket, mortar and artillery attacks from Pakistan have been particularly heavy since 2013 but this time Pakistan admitted that it was doing it on purpose. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of tolerating or even supporting Islamic terrorists based near the border as long as they confine their attacks to Pakistan. India is sometimes accused of supporting these groups as well. Afghanistan and India have demanded proof from Pakistan but none is ever provided. This time the Pakistani military is under tremendous domestic pressure to do something about Islamic terrorist violence inside Pakistan. There are Islamic terrorist bases in eastern Afghanistan but some of those groups (like Haqqani Network) work for Pakistan and have their main bases in Pakistan. Many Afghans see no reason to attack Islamic terror groups who only attack Pakistan as long as Pakistan wont go after Islamic terrorist bases in Pakistan used by groups that only attack Afghanistan. Pakistan usually refuses to admit they are even happening but because of the recent cooperation deal (mainly against Islamic terrorists) Pakistan is more receptive to these complaints. But not receptive enough.

February 16, 2017: In the east (Nangarhar province) Pakistan again closed the Torkham Gate border crossing. This is the most heavily used border crossing for landlocked Afghanistan and it has been closed frequently (several times a year) because of ongoing border disputes between Pakistan and Afghanistan. But this time the closing was because earlier today, in southeast Pakistan (Sindh Province) an ISIL suicide bombing at a popular Sufi shrine left 88 Moslems dead and wounded more than twice as many. Seeking someone else to blame the Pakistani military blamed Afghanistan and began closing border crossing. A day later Pakistan closed the Chamman border crossing in the south (Kandahar province). These are the two most heavily used border crossings and closing them hurts the Afghan economy but does not stop drug gangs or Islamic terrorists from sneaking across via less heavily travelled routes. Torkham is the main border crossing with Pakistan because on the Pakistani side is the Khyber Pass which has long been the easiest way to get from northern Afghanistan to the lowlands (most of Pakistan and all of India) beyond. Chamman is the second most active border crossing with Afghanistan and heavily used by drug gangs to smuggle (via bribes and threats to border guards) truckloads of material in and out.

February 9, 2017: In the north (Jowzjan province, on the Turkmenistan border) the Red Cross temporarily suspended some emergency aid operations because an aid convoy, bringing food and other supplies to villages cut off by heavy snow falls, was attacked and six Red Cross workers were killed and two are still missing. The local Taliban and al Qaeda groups denied responsibility and it was eventually discovered the attackers were from a small band of ISIL members trying to survive up there. Even local bandits tend to leave aid convoys alone, especially in bad weather. That sort of violence is how blood feuds begin and even the Islamic terrorist groups have learned to respect that. But ISIL members tend to disregard all the rules, even the ones that will make it easier to operate among the local tribes.
ExtraTorrent was established in 2006 and since then it became a reliable BitTorrent site with millions of visitors and was admired by the entire torrent community.

Many users considered ExtraTorrents to be a perfect alternative to popular peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing torrent sites and torrent search engines like The Pirate Bay and Kickass Torrents.

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These clones and mirror sites of Extratorrents have also been blocked in many countries as the website is used to redistribute copyrighted movies, games, etc.

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NOTE: Techworm does not condone using torrents to obtain content illegally. Using the following torrent websites for illegal purposes is done entirely at your own risk. Techworm takes no responsibility for any legal problems you encounter.

RELATED: How To Unblock Torrent Sites

ExtraTorrents Proxy List 2022 To Unblock Extratorrent

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ALSO READ:

What Happened To ExtraTorrents?

The original ExtraTorrents site (extratorrent.cc) was founded in 2006 and was a very popular torrenting site for downloading files such as movies, games, and videos, before it voluntarily shut down on May 17, 2017.

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Do share any of your personal recommendations for the best proxy and mirror sites to get Extratorrents unblocked in the comments section below.
Vietnamese Minister calls on PM Dahal

Vietnam's Assistant Foreign Minister, Pham Sanh Chau, on Friday paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at latter's official residence in Baluwatar, Kathmandu.
Vermilion Energy Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of petroleum and natural gas in North America, Europe, and Australia. The company owns 81% working interest in 636,714 net acres of developed land and 85% working interest in 301,026 net acres of undeveloped land in Canada; 130,715 net acres of land in the Powder River basin in the United States; 96% working interest in 248,873 net acres of developed land and 86% working interest in 134,160 net acres of undeveloped land in the Aquitaine and Paris Basins in France; 53% working interest in 901,791 net acres of land in the Netherlands; 54,625 net developed acres and 920,723 net undeveloped acres in Germany; 975,375 net acres land in Croatia; 946,666 net acres land in Hungary; and 48,954 net acres land in Slovakia. It also owns 20% interests in the offshore Corrib natural gas field located to the northwest coast of Ireland; and 100% working interest in the Wandoo offshore oil field and related production facilities that covers 59,553 acres located on Western Australia's northwest shelf. As of December 31, 2021, the company had 401 net producing conventional natural gas wells and 2,132 net producing light and medium crude oil wells in Canada; 167.6 net producing light and medium crude oil wells in the United States; 297.0 net producing light and medium crude oil wells and 3 net producing conventional natural gas wells in France; and 47 net producing natural gas wells in the Netherlands. Vermilion Energy Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Kyle Smith and his dog Bodza have lived through a lot together. As members of the U.S. Air Force, they'd both once spent 189 cold and bitter days in Kyrgyzstan while on a security mission. So, when Bodza, an 11-year-old German shepherd, was on his deathbed, Smith didn't imagine being anywhere else but by his side.

Smith and Bodza

Since 2006, Bodza had worked with the U.S. Air Force as an explosive detection dog, and he'd helped save human lives by sniffing out bombs in operations in Iraq, Kyrgyzstan and Kuwait. Smith didn't start working with Bodza until 2012, but the two of them formed a fast and lasting friendship. "I loved working with him because he taught me a lot - patience as a young handler, and how to understand that this job isn't just about you," Smith told The Dodo.

Dodo Shows Wild Hearts Orphaned Deer Runs Back To The Wild With Her Best Friend

Bodza in uniform | Kyle Smith

But it wasn't all work for Smith and Bodza - they also got plenty of time to play. "Bodza was a goofy and gentle dog," Smith said. "We had horse stables directly beside our obedience yard and when [the horses] were out, no obedience was going to be done. He'd run the fence line continuously."

Smith and Bodza | Kyle Smith

"He liked to bark at his own shadow, so I'd always mess with him that way - make my hand a shadow on the ground and move it," Smith said. "I guess he thought it was a rabbit." When the day came for Bodza to retire, Smith didn't think twice about adopting him. "I took him home the same day," he said. "He was even more loyal at home," Smith said. "He followed me around everywhere. He would lay his head down flush with the bed and tell me good night, every night."

Smith and Bodza | Kyle Smith

Then in the summer of 2016, Bodza was diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy, a progressive - and incurable - disease affecting a dog's spinal cord. "His hind limbs lost their use and he could barely stand up anymore, much less walk," Smith said. "He couldn't handle the stress on his body and using the restroom was a task."

Smith and Bodza | Kyle Smith

Knowing how hard Bodza's life had become, Smith made the decision no dog lover ever wants to make - to put Bodza down. When the day came last week, Smith, along with nine of his coworkers, took Bodza to the Fort Bliss Vet Clinic in El Paso, Texas. They laid a blanket on the floor, and made sure that Bodza felt as comfortable as possible.

Kyle Smith

"I was holding Bodza as he passed," Smith said. "It was a rush of so many things. It was just overwhelming." Despite the sadness Smith was feeling, Bodza seemed happy in his last moments. "He had a smile on his face when he was getting put to sleep," Smith said. When Bodza finally passed on, Smith broke down. Luckily, his coworkers were there to support him.

Kyle Smith

"They let me sob like a baby," Smith said. "They pat me on the back and let me know it was going to be all right. My boss immediately went and grabbed a flag, and draped it over him and let me have a final moment." "It was incredible," Smith said. "There was heartache and peace all at once that came over me."

Kyle Smith
A gray wolf from the Shamrock Wolf Pack in northeast Oregon met with a sudden and painful death this week - and it was totally avoidable. He wasn't even 2 years old when he came across an M44 device - a spring-loaded contraption that baits animals with smell and then shoots sodium cyanide into their mouths. Called an "unintentional take" by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), the wolf - known as OR48 - was one of just six members of the pack and had just been collared for tracking on February 10.

Dodo Shows Odd Couples Dog And Wild Dolphin Play Whenever They See Each Other

"The M44 cyanide device is used for the elimination of suspected livestock predators, such as coyotes blamed for the loss of profit," R. Andre Bell, public affairs specialist for the USDA, told The Dodo in a statement. "It lures predators with an attractive smell, often from a small piece of bait, then uses a spring to propel a dosage of sodium cyanide into the predator's mouth. The sodium cyanide combines with water in the mouth to produce poisonous cyanide gas." Cyanide poisoning strangles the animal's cells, making it impossible to absorb oxygen, essentially suffocating the animal to death. "M44s are a terrible device for killing coyotes by cyanide poisoning, which is a nasty and sickening way to die," Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity, told The Dodo. "They should be banned both because they are indiscriminate, killing this wolf as well as often pets and animals, and because killing coyotes in this and other manners is totally ineffective."

But these practices have become increasingly controversial because of incidents like what just happened in Oregon. Gray wolves have been on and off the Endangered Species List, and their status varies by state. According to Amaroq Weiss, west coast wolf organizer for the Center for Biological Diversity, Oregon prematurely delisted wolves as an endangered species in 2015, "leaving Oregon's still vulnerable, just recovering wolf population at high risk. This wolf's death is the result." "M44s are an especially indiscriminate tool used by Wildlife Services to kill wild animals, for the benefit of ranchers, using taxpayer dollars," Weiss told The Dodo. "Anything that tugs on an M44 will be poisoned - whether it's the coyote it was intended for or any non-target species including wolves, family pets or a child. Death from poisons is not a painless experience. It's outrageous these M44s are in use at all."

USDA
It's been just over a month since this pregnant former stray pup, named Pumpkin, was rescued from a life on the streets  but she recently needed yet another helping hand to get out of a different sort of troublesome situation.

Hawkins County Humane Society

On Wednesday, Pumpkin was playing in the backyard of her temporary new home at the Hawkins County Humane Society in Tennessee when she got herself into a bit of a bind. Unbeknownst to her caretakers, the dog had managed to crawl into the narrow space beneath a storage shed  to the point that Pumpkin got stuck. "I open the back door and call for her and her head pops out from underneath!" Kennedy Margetjak, a shelter staffer, told The Dodo. "I know something is wrong because she wouldn't even come for treats! I walk out and her pregnant self is wedged underneath the shed and is struggling to get out but just can't." Poor Pumpkin was in quite the pickle  and she knew it.

Dodo Shows Little But Fierce Pocket-Sized Kitten Grows Up To Be A Wild Woman

Hawkins County Humane Society

At first, Margetjak and others tried to help Pumpkin by giving her a gentle tug, but they weren't able to free her on account of her pregnancy bump. That's when they called the shelter's handyman, Joey Arnold, for help.

Hawkins County Humane Society

Using a jack, Arnold succeeded in hoisting up the entire shed, allowing Pumpkin to slip out on her own. Fortunately, she was uninjured after the awkward ordeal  but clearly not ungrateful. Here's footage showing the moment the dog was freed, and the barrage of happy kisses she showered upon the man who rescued her.

The "thank you"s didn't end there. Pumpkin kept up with the kisses for several minutes. "She was very happy!" Margetjak says.

Hawkins County Humane Society
A new podcast is trying to get to the bottom of one of Hollywoods strangest mysteries: Richard Simmons, the overwhelmingly-enthusiastic fitness guru who built a multimillion-dollar empire on his Sweatin to the Oldies workout video series, suddenly disappeared from the public eye in 2014.

But Missing Richard Simmons isnt just speculation about what caused the once highly-accessible workout king to retreat to his Hollywood Hills mansion, reportedly cutting off even close friends. It also paints a more complete picture of a man many know only for his happy-screaming and flamboyant outfits.

Now, Richard Simmons is just a really easy Halloween costume to throw together in a pinch, like Urkel. I think that blows, host Dan Taberski says in the first episode. Taberski began taking classes at Simmons Beverly Hills studio in 2012, eventually becoming friends with the famous instructor, even scoring an invite to hang out at his home.

The Richard Simmons Im interested in isnt the punch line, or Richard the half-forgotten icon. Somewhere in between those two guys is a real person with a really intense life story . . . Thats the guy Im trying to find.

Related:

Richard Simmons exercises his right to be alone: Menon

And as weird and fascinating as the whole disappearing bit is, its the insight listeners get into Simmons-The-Real-Person that makes the podcast, now three episodes deep, worth listening to.

There are interviews with people like 94-year-old Gerry Sinclair, whos had a 40-year-long friendship with Simmons (he spoke at her 90th birthday party). And Cathy, the formerly morbidly-obese hairdresser from Nebraska who met Simmons outside a cookie factory in 1994  he called her weekly to keep her motivated on her weight loss journey. A Hollywood tour guide recalls Simmons rushing out of his house to meet tourists every time.

They are all baffled by his sudden silence.

Then theres drag queen Willam Belli, who, quite succinctly, told Taberski that after decades of making himself available to everyone and anyone, Simmons doesnt owe s--- to anybody . . . Hes allowed to go away.

Some parts of the podcast seem voyeuristic  theres open speculation on Simmons physical and mental health, which raises the question of whether the public really has any right to know what caused his retreat. Stories about Simmons offering help and support to thousands like Cathy make you wonder if he just really needed a break.

Taberski seems to acknowledge this. During an attempt to talk directly to Simmons by showing up at his house, the host freely admits to being a creepy friend.

Either way, Missing Richard Simmons has struck a chord with audiences  since debuting on Feb. 15, exactly three years to the day Simmons was last seen in public. It has spent 14 days (so far) in the top five podcasts on U.S. iTunes, 10 of those days in the No. 1 spot.

And once you get into it, its easy to understand why  as the summary on the podcasts website puts it, the deeper Taberski digs, the stranger it gets.

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WB to provide USD 100m credit to Nepal

The World Bank has decided to provide USD 100 million credit to Nepal to help accelerate its medium term reform programmes for the financial sector and to reduce the vulnerability of the banking sector and increase its transparency.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is watering down a federal promise to help clean the mercury from Grassy Narrows First Nation, the chief of the northern Ontario community said.

Trudeau is letting my people down by failing to lead on solving our mercury crisis, Chief Simon Fobister said in a statement.

The allegation comes a day after Trudeau, at a press conference in Calgary Wednesday, said: The Grassy Narrows issue is very much a provincial issue, but the federal government, under my leadership, is certainly very engaged with the province to ensure that were moving forward in the right direction.

In his statement, Chief Fobister notes that these comments appeared to backtrack from the Prime Ministers Office telling the Star in January that it would step in to help solve the mercury problem once and for all.

Between 1962 and 1970, the Dryden paper plant, then owned by Reed Paper, dumped 10 tonnes of mercury into the river. The site of the plant is about 100 kilometres upstream from Grassy Narrows and nearby Whitedog.

Mercury contamination, a serious health risk, still plagues indigenous communities in northern Ontario.

The river has not cleaned naturally.

Recent mercury data from fish, soil dug up behind the factory and river sediment show there is likely an ongoing mercury source and the mill property is it, or near it.

Read more:

Site near Grassy Narrows likely leaking mercury, study finds

Federal government vows action on mercury contamination in Grassy Narrows once and for all

Momentous decision to right historic wrong at Grassy Narrows

In January, after the Star revealed that reporters and volunteers from environmental group Earthroots found mercury-contaminated soil behind the Dryden mill, the Prime Ministers Office said federal officials would meet with indigenous leaders and the province to get to the bottom of the science, and the next steps necessary to deal with this issue once and for all.

This soil was found in an area identified by Kas Glowacki, a former mill worker who told the Star that, in 1972, he was part of a crew that haphazardly buried drums filled with mercury behind the old mill.

The PMO said, at the time, that federal experts are providing advice to Ontario for how contaminated sediment in the river can be cleaned up.

Chief Fobister had welcomed the PMO comments, but wanted Trudeau to commit in writing to cleaning up the mercury that has contaminated the Wabigoon River system.

How can Trudeau say that he is reconciling with First Nations while passing the buck on cleaning up an ongoing toxic leak that has plagued our health and undermined our culture for 50 years? Chief Fobister said, after Trudeaus comment in Calgary this week, in the prepared statement.

The federal government needs to be more involved, in part because it has responsibilities to inland fisheries, First Nations and public health, the statement adds.

A spokesperson for Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, did not respond directly to the allegations, but said the federal government is involved in many ways.

The spokesperson said the government is working with First Nations and the province on renewing the Mercury Disability Board, which was set up in the 1980s and offers compensation to people who have mercury-poisoning symptoms.

In addition, the response said, federal experts are giving expert advice to the province on remediating mercury contamination; Health Canada is monitoring water quality and health risks to the community, as well as offering free mercury testing to residents upon request and funding a health centre with a treatment component, and the government is working to ratify the Minamata Convention global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury.

Meanwhile, the province has announced it is completely committed to finding and cleaning up the mercury.

Earlier this week, Ontario Environment Minister Glen Murray said in the Legislature that the mercury problem has gone on too long.

I think all of us in this House wish we had behaved differently over the last 50 years. I dont think anyone has clean hands here, he said.

When asked by NDP critic for indigenous relations, Michael Mantha, why Murrays government had not tested sediment in front of the site of the old paper mill, Murray replied by saying the responsibility for inaction should not just fall on the provincial Liberal party of today.

All of us were in power during those periods of time, and not one party prior to this government, when in power, took action on that. Maybe we can all have a little humility, and, hopefully, well get the engineering work, the water treatment facilities  and well get this fixed, and restore some respect for the people who live there, which they are owed.

There is no suggestion that current mill owner Domtar, a pulp manufacturer several owners removed from Reed Paper, is responsible for any source of mercury.

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OTTAWAPrime Minister Justin Trudeau is endorsing the Mounties controversial efforts to tackle an endemic problem of workplace harassment. But the prime minister stopped short of directly stating full confidence in the Mounties top commanding officer.

In the wake of a scathing court ruling this week about the RCMPs outrageous harassment and bullying of one of its own members, Sgt. Peter Merrifield, Trudeau was asked if he still had confidence in RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson.

I, uh, we all, ah, are agreed, including Commissioner Paulson, but certainly everyone in this government that harassment is unacceptable and whether it be in the Canadian Armed Forces or within the RCMP or even within Parliament, I have shown zero-tolerance for harassment and sexual assault, Trudeau said Thursday at a news conference at the naval base in Esquimault, B.C.

The fact is we have an awful lot of work to do. And I know that the RCMP is taking very seriously the responsibility to shift the culture in a way that makes sure that in any workplace whether were talking about police forces or Canadian Forces members or anyone in any workplace across this country that we are protecting them from harassment and intimidation.

Trudeau was responding to a Star question following a damning ruling by Superior Court Justice Mary Vallee in a long-running civil lawsuit filed by Merrifield against the RCMP. She ordered the force to pay Merrifield $141,000 in damages.

Trudeaus comments may be seen as an indirect vote of confidence in Paulson, whose tenure at the top has been extended since the change in government.

But Merrifield suggests the government should take advice from an outside reviewer.

He is waiting to hear whether the RCMP will appeal the court order, and in an interview with the Star Thursday said the government should appoint someone independent of the RCMP to look at how the force and government lawyers aggressively defended the actions of its senior officers in Merrifields case.

I think that review would show that up to and including 2016, when the trial ended, the RCMP has not gone far enough to stop workplace harassment and bullying.

Merrifield, 50, said no other member of the RCMP should be forced to spend 12 years before the courts and spend over $750,000 to get justice.

(Merrifields lawsuit was eventually supported by the RCMP members legal fund  a legal defence fund paid for by employee contributions). His lawyers will be seeking to have their costs covered by the force.

Merrifield said the governments tactic seems to be, when faced with litigation in these RCMP cases, they try to starve the member out. Theyre not interested in justice  theyre interested in making you go away.

When Paulson was first named commissioner by the Conservative government in 2011, dealing with widespread allegations of sexual harassment and bullying was supposed to have been his top priority.

But report after report found glaring gaps in the RCMPs ability to respond effectively.

In October, the government agreed to set aside a $100-million fund to settle two massive class-action harassment lawsuits for up to 1,000 female Mounties, and Paulson made new promises to change the workplace he admitted was toxic for them.

However, its clear the problem goes well beyond gender-based harassment, and spans across all ranks.

Vallee ruled Tuesday that starting in 2004, Merrifield, then a constable, was put through the wringer. She found he suffered severe emotional distress because of the actions of his superiors at the RCMP.

The ruling said Merrifields bosses were confused about RCMP leave policies when he sought to run as a Conservative candidate. They claimed he deliberately lied to them about his political ambitions; gagged him from speaking in the media about terrorism, a subject in which he was considered expert; wrongly accused him of misusing an RCMP credit card; and allowed innuendo to spread and all but ruin Merrifields health and career.

Paulson, the judge found, failed to be alert to Merrifields ordeal even when Merrifield went up the chain of command, writing directly to the commissioner and others to plead his case to prevent it from all being dragged through the courts.

The ruling said Paulson failed to inquire into Merrifields allegations that the officers who were tormenting him had credibility problems, one was arrested in a john sting for soliciting a prostitute who was an undercover police officer. That allegation later turned out to be substantiated, the judge said.

Paulson aggravated Merrifields distress when he publicly portrayed him at a Senate hearing as an agitator leading a unionization drive and suggested Merrifield broke RCMP rules by offering public comment on national security issues.

The judge found Paulsons opinion was based on faulty information. He appeared to not know Merrifield was never found guilty on any disciplinary matter.

Overall, wrote the judge, Mr. Merrifield suffered from significant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the actions taken by the RCMP.

She said Merrifield was harassed, bullied, punitively transferred, investigated for allegedly using an RCMP credit card for personal reasons  allegations that were easily determined to be unfounded, but were insidious.

The ruling shows that Merrifield was repeatedly praised as a highly motivated, confident member and an asset to the force.

Yet his bosses repeatedly shuffled Merrifield off coveted national security assignments, allowing innuendo to spread, at one point sending him back home in the midst of a critical situation that required all hands on deck during a widespread bomb threat in Toronto. The effect on Merrifield, the judge said, was devastating.

Merrifield, 50, is now on the executive of the National Police Federation which is seeking to certify as the bargaining agent for the rank-and-file.

Correction  March 3, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version that wrongly identified the RCMP officer who was the subject of an arrest in a "john sting." In fact, the ruling named Supt. Marc Proulx as the officer who was arrested.

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MONTREALThe call came in at 7:54 p.m. on a frigid Sunday night.

A shooter had opened fire at Quebec Citys Grand Mosque. A man was on the ground. The air rang out with gunshots.

Then the phones of the 9-1-1 dispatcher lit up.

There were many dead at the scene, reads a police affidavit recounting what emergency responders found the night of Jan. 29, when six people were killed shortly after evening prayers.

Read the full coverage on the Quebec mosque shooting

The affidavit was written by a Surete du Quebec investigator the day after the shooting in order to obtain a search warrant that would allow police to seize a personal computer belonging to Alexandre Bissonnette, the alleged shooter.

Friends and associates have described Bissonnette as a bullied and isolated loner who harboured extreme right-wing political views and was a fan of United States President Donald Trump.

The heavily redacted court document was released to the media Friday. The information deemed suitable for release focuses on the police response in the minutes and hours following the shooting.

On that night, two officers were responding to a call at a nearby bus station, a short drive from the mosque, and they joined with another unit that was making its way to the scene.

Before they arrived, they were informed of reports saying the shooting had been carried out by a man with a submachine gun.

Read more:

What happened the night of the Quebec mosque attack

What now for 17 kids who've lost their fathers in Quebec mosque attack?

Quebec City mosque reopens for prayers after deadly mass shooting

They blocked off the roads around the mosque with their cruisers. They approached, with guns drawn. One officer found two bodies on the ground, covered in blood, just in front of the entrance to the building.

Worried about the possibility of a second shooter, police first secured the outside of the building before heading inside.

Right after heading inside, they saw two other lifeless bodies, bringing the number of victims to four, the affidavit noted.

One constable noted, upon arriving in the prayer room with his service pistol drawn, that many people are standing, sitting or lying down.

Two other officers on the scene reported finding two men hiding in a room, one of whom was bleeding profusely from his leg and was in a state of shock.

But police still took no chances.

Those who could do so were ordered to put their hands in the air and refrain from moving.

The affidavit appears to make reference to a second man who was arrested as a suspect in the shooting before being released the following day.

Mohamed Belkhadir had been taking part in prayers and was attending to someone who had been shot when he was arrested.

The pages of witness testimony contained in the affidavit have been redacted because of the criminal trial, which continues. Bissonnette, the 27-year-old from Quebec City, is charged with six counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.

The affidavit does note that Bissonnette was arrested at 9:10 p.m. just over two hours after the shooting occurred. The following day, when detectives met with his father, Raymond Bissonnette mentioned that Alexandre had a twin brother, Mathieu, as well as a personal computer that was located at the parents home.

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MONTREALContrary to an increasingly popular Canadian belief, the Trump administration does not have a monopoly on so-called alternative facts. Nor did it invent the concept.

Deliberate distortions of reality have been part and parcel of the Canadian political discourse for years and no party including the one that is currently in power at the national level is failing to propagate some.

Two decades ago, former journalist Andre Pratte  who now sits in the Senate  filled a whole book with examples of what he called the Pinocchio syndrome and he did not have to travel further than the National Assembly and Canadas Parliament to find them.

He would not lack for material for a sequel. Here is a sample:

The Parti Quebecois narrative to justify the imposition of a secular dress code on the provinces public sector workers a couple of years ago was essentially based on alternative facts, including the impending islamization of the province. It was a solution in search of a problem.

Ditto for Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitchs proposal to subject every visitor to Canada  be he or she a tourist, a refugee or an immigration applicant  to a one-on-one interview with a border official. The idea as it applies to tourists is inapplicable. As for immigrants, the premise that anyone can currently settle in Canada without having to go through a rigorous screening process is a false one.

The rhetoric about motion M-103 that calls on MPs to denounce islamophobia falls in the same fictional category. There is no rationale for the contention that the motion opens the door to the imposition of Sharia law on Canadians or that it marks the beginning of the end of the right to free speech.

The NDPs enduring election promise to abolish the Senate similarly rests on an unsustainable construct. Unless NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair has spent the years leading up to the last campaign on another planet, he had to know that there was not a hope in hell that the unanimous provincial consent required to do away with the upper house could be secured.

Mulcair also brushed off the notion that Quebec would insist on having its longstanding constitutional demands satisfied as a pre-condition to coming to the table. His assertions flew in the face of the political reality of his home province.

Prime ministers have not been immune to spreading alternative facts. Think of Jean Chretiens assertion that he did not break his 1993 promise to eliminate and/or replace the GST.

In 2008, Stephen Harper portrayed opposition efforts to form a coalition government as an illegitimate affront to democracy. He advanced that narrative at the very time when the United Kingdoms Conservatives were striking a coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

And how about the Conservative depiction by Harper and by most of those who would succeed him of a carbon tax as a job-killing measure? For as many years as the federal party has repeated that mantra, B.C. has had a carbon tax. Over that period, its thriving economy has kept it in the top-tier of the provincial pack.

So far, there is no evidence that the negative media focus on Trumps affection for alternative facts is having a deterrent effect on Canadian politicians. On the contrary.

Just this week Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Calgary claiming that, in contrast with Harper, he had gotten a pipeline approved.

That assertion does not have a leg to stand on. In fact the previous Conservative government approved every pipeline project that came its way. On Harpers watch, some pipelines also got built.

In the debate over health-care financing last fall, the prime minister inferred that under the Conservatives, some or all provinces had diverted federal health dollars to other spending priorities.

In fact, year in and year out the provinces put more of their own revenues into the health envelope just to keep up with rising costs. That stands to be even more the case under Trudeaus financing formula.

And then there were the Liberal talking points on electoral reform: a collection that belongs in an alternative facts class of its own.

On the scale of the Trump administration, Trudeau and his opposition counterparts do not churn out enough mistruths to turn fact checking into the full-time beat it has become south of the border.

But their relationship with often inconvenient truths does not give voters cause to feel smug about the state of the countrys democratic debate.

Chantal Hebert is a national affairs writer. Her column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

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VANCOUVERPrime Minister Justin Trudeau says the opioid crisis is devastating communities and families across Canada.

After going on a ride-along on Friday with Vancouver police in the citys Downtown Eastside, Trudeau said the number of drug overdose deaths is particularly high in British Columbia but the problem isnt unique to the province.

The impact has been devastating. Families ripped apart. Communities forever altered. Loved ones lost too soon, he told a news conference after meeting with first-responders and health-care workers.

This is a crisis that seems, for most Canadians, to be very far away. Something thats limited to certain tougher parts of town, to the West Coast, but we are seeing a spread of opioids across the country and were seeing it spread far and wide across socio-economic levels, across communities.

We need to come together as a country to help our most vulnerable.

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Illicit fentanyl being trafficked in Halifax, police warn public

B.C. opens on-demand addiction treatment clinic to tackle overdose crisis

Canadas addiction-treatment system is broken, chief B.C. doctor says

Asked if the government would help fund heroin treatment programs, as has been recommended by officials in British Columbia, Trudeau said there is no one solution to the problem. Social policies that tackle mental health, housing and economic opportunities are also key components in the fight against the overdose crisis, he said.

Trudeau said the government has reintroduced harm reduction as a pillar of our comprehensive drug strategy by expanding access to the opioid antidote naloxone.

Ottawa is also trying to streamline the application process for communities that want to open safe consumption sites.

The illicit drug overdose crisis claimed 922 lives in British Columbia last year. Trudeau says he discussed the issue with Premier Christy Clark on Thursday night and has been speaking to big city mayors as well.

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Eric Shabsove had never heard anything like it. There was a terrible screaming coming from his Beaches-area backyard on an otherwise quiet October evening.

Running outside, Shabsove saw a coyote carrying away his family dog, Tivo.

I ran as fast as I can after it, and when it hit the back fence it just dropped my dog and took off, said Shabsove.

Tivo, a 23-pound Poodle-Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mix, needed close to 60 staples to close his wounds, and spent four days recovering in the Shabsoves bed.

It was hard to watch, Shabsove said. Our kids didnt know if he was going to make it or not.

Now, over four months later, Tivo is doing well.

But Shabsove, whose home backs onto the Glen Stewart Ravine near Kingston Rd. and Main St., still regularly hears coyotes yelping at night.

Its peak season for coyote sightings, said Brent Patterson, a researcher with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

The young animals that were born last year have spent most of their life in their parents territory (but now) are starting to disperse and are wandering around looking for their own mate, their own territory, Patterson said.

The City of Toronto tweeted Wednesday that seeing coyotes in Toronto is normal at this time of year, and directed citizens to online materials on what to do if you encounter a coyote.

Nearly 350 coyote sightings were reported to the City of Toronto in 2015.

Statistics on 2016 sightings are still being compiled and will be made public about a month from now, said city spokesperson Bruce Hawkins.

Coyotes generally steer clear of humans but, Toronto Animal Services says, they are attracted to urban areas by the prospect of food and shelter.

Dog and cat owners were put on alert in 2014 after several pets in the GTA , and in some cases killed, by coyotes.

And an eight-year-old Oakville girl was bitten by a coyote in 2012.

Toronto Animal Services says it will remove a coyote from a populated area if it is sick or injured or has attacked a human. But the city deems coyote attacks on other animals, even pets, to be natural coyote behaviour.

The best way to avoid run-ins with coyotes is to ensure theres nothing around for them to eat, Patterson said. That means keeping garbage and pet food secure from scrounging animals and cleaning up fallen fruit from backyards.

A lot of people would be surprised to learn how far those simple steps would go to reducing the overall number of coyotes, said Patterson.

Coyotes are highly productive and resilient animals, he added, so relocating them or even culling them is unlikely to limit their numbers.

If you encounter a coyote, the citys materials say, you should stand up and raise your arms to make yourself look as big and intimidating as possible, stomp your feet, clap your hands and yell, and throw a stick or stone or other object in the coyotes direction to try to scare it off.

While trying to frighten the coyote, you should maintain eye contact and slowly back away. If you run away from a coyote, the city says, it is likely to chase you.

Toronto Animal Services recommends that pets be supervised whenever they go outside, and kept on a leash except in contained areas. If you see a coyote approaching, you should pick your pet up, if possible, they say.

The Shabsoves have stopped letting Tivo go out in the backyard alone.

No dog is safe, no cat is safe, I can tell you that much, Shabsove said.

You dont want any family to go through what we did.

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Toronto police are investigating an incident where two men who hand out information about Islam and copies of the Quran at St. Lawrence Market say they and their books were sprayed with urine.

On Feb. 25, between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m, Quazi Islam and his friend Gerges Hamad were in their usual spot, by the LCBO, talking to people.

Islam said he was about two feet away from the table, and when he came back he saw something like water on it.

I asked my friend Hamad if it rained, Islam said.

The pair looked around and saw that the tablecloth, the copies of the Quran and the chair were wet.

And it smelled . . . bad, he said.

Islam and Hamad have been giving out information on the religion for about two years. While there are the occasional bad apples Islam said most people are very nice.

The men reported the incident to police, who confirmed they are investigating the potential mischief charges, but have not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime.

Islam said most of the abuse is verbal, though he added that hes also had people spit on him.

He said the most hate and abuse he receives is when there is a big terror incident, such as the Paris shootings.

They say Prophet Mohammed is a pedophile . . . Some people say we oppress women, Islam said. Why I am distributing this dirty idea of Islam in this country?

People usually have misconceptions about the religion because they confuse the culture of a country with that of Islam, he said, but added that there are more people who stand up for them than abuse them.

Most people . . . 99.9999 per cent of people are supportive, he said. If someone uses abusive language, people stop and fight (on) our behalf.

With files from Vjosa Isai

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Torontos Public Works Committee asked city staff Tuesday to study more ways to protect the silent majority of users.

The vote, and the wording silent majority, drew criticism from pedestrian advocates who have followed the process for years.

According to the City of Toronto, complete streets are designed to be safe for all users, such as people who walk, bicycle, take transit or drive and people of varying ages and levels of ability.

Dylan Reid, the spokesperson for pedestrian advocacy group Walk Toronto, expressed disappointment in the committees decision, which sent the report back to the deputy city manager.

The recommendations were the result of a long process with many stakeholders, said Reid. He expressed frustration that the finalized report will see further delays for requests that he fears could undermine Torontos complete streets guidelines.

The mention of the silent majority is kind of perverse, said Reid, who says it seems like a way to ignore the extensive evidence and consultations that support complete streets.

City staff started working on the complete streets guidelines in 2013 and consulted more than 80 groups of stakeholders. More than 40 events were held to solicit public feedback.

Coun. Stephen Holyday, who moved the package of requests, told Metro that while he respects the city staffs work on the guidelines, more needs to be done.

I support the aspirational notion of complete streets, he told Metro.

But he added that its a process that were just not finished and needs more study on the practicalities.

As an example, he said, the proposed guidelines dont reflect the Etobicoke street he lives on, and his neighbours would be upset if guidelines were implemented over their objections.

I am not convinced that every street has to have a sidewalk, he said, adding that, with constrained space and competing transportation methods, the city must set priorities that reflect how the street is used.

One request the committee passed 5 to 1 asked for a decision-making framework and metrics that protect the silent majority of users and provide a balance between localized needs and desires.

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When Ryan DeCaire was a kid, he couldnt speak his own language.

Growing up in the Wahta Mohawk Territory near Bala, Ont., hed often hear his elders speaking the mysterious tongue, but he never knew what they were saying.

Youd hear it spoken sometimes, and you always wonder oh, thats my language but I cant speak it,  he says.

Now 29, DeCaire has not only learned to speak Kanienkeha  the Mohawk language  but hes leading a revival of it in the heart of downtown Toronto.

In July, DeCaire joined the University of Torontos Centre for Indigenous Studies and the linguistics department as an assistant professor. Hes teaching the first-ever Mohawk language classes at the university, and helping to revive a language that eight years ago he feared might die out forever.

I looked around and I always saw these elders speaking the language and I thought theres no one else doing something to bring back the language, no young people working on this, DeCaire said.

I thought man, if we dont do something soon, we might see my language vanish within my lifetime.

DeCaire says there are only around 1,000 people in North America who can still speak Kanienkeha. That includes both first-language speakers  people who use it in their everyday lives  and proficient second-language learners like himself.

DeCaire has 13 students at U of T right now. Half are indigenous and half come from other diverse backgrounds including Korean and Kenyan.

While DeCaires course is the first time Kanienkeha has been taught at U of T, other Iroquoian and Oneida languages have been offered in the past as part of the requirements in the universitys Indigenous Studies program.

DeCaire said its important that students studying indigenous issues have the skills to go into communities and communicate with the elders and other people they encounter, rather than rely on the assumption that everyone speaks English or French.

Learning the language himself was a struggle, DeCaire said, because so few people speak it. So he pushed himself to immerse in the culture, living for years with elders in other Mohawk communities who spoke it every day.

The other challenge is that Mohawk is nothing like English.

English is noun-based. A rock is a rock. In Mohawk, which is verb-focused, a rock isnt just a rock. A rock is doing something  like holding back a campfire as part of a ring of other rocks. A chair is supporting the person sitting in it.

The structure is deeply rooted in the Mohawk world view, DeCaire explains. Nothing exists in a vacuum. Everything is connected, with a role and a purpose.

In Mohawk, we have no word for rights. We dont demand rights; we remind each other of our responsibilities, he said.

Its partly why Westerners often have such a hard time fully understanding indigenous peoples connection to the land. For colonial Europeans, we are separate from the land. In DeCaires world view, theyre one in the same, a symbiotic relationship that the English language struggles to fully define.

The language gives you a lens into the elders way of thinking, he says. You always see elders speaking it and theyre always laughing because its so descriptive.

But, DeCaire says with a chuckle, that also makes it all the more difficult for his students to learn, particularly if they dont immerse themselves in it.

A speaker is someone who uses it in every day life, DeCaire said, but to do that you have to live a certain lifestyle.

Speaking Mohawk every day in downtown Toronto isnt really possible right now because there are simply not enough people to have conversations with.

If you are trying to learn Spanish, there are tons of resources for that. There are classes, there are phone apps, everything, DeCaire said.

To keep up the practice requires a lot of dedication and consistent effort. Even DeCaire, who is fluent, still describes himself as a learner.

Im still learning it. I will keep learning it until Im dead, he said.

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Alla Mahdei has been sewing all her life. Even the wars in Iraq and Syria could not separate her from her sewing machine.

Resettled to Canada under the refugee sponsorship program, the mother of three has finally found an opportunity to work from home and care for her daughters.

The Mississauga woman is one of 20 refugee women belonging to a new social enterprise that will be showcasing their products  including scarves, bandanas, and pillows marking Canadas 150 birthday  at the Corvetti Education Centre on College St. on Saturday.

The talented seamstresses will also be available to demonstrate their machine sewing and handstitching skills as well as bead and embroidery work by helping members of the public alter, mend and tailor anything in their wardrobes at competitive fees.

We dont want handouts, said Mahdei, 46, whose family fled from Iraq to Syria in 2006 and was sponsored by relatives in Canada three years ago. Although we are refugees, we all come with skills and want to use our skills to benefit our families and community.

Dubbed Darzee  the word means tailor, seamstress and stitch in Arabic, Hindi, Persian and Urdu  the program is dedicated to helping newly arrived refugee women develop and hone their sewing and marketing skills as a means of earning income and supporting their families.

It was launched in February by Mes Amis Canada, a Toronto grassroots organization that helps refugees in the areas of education, social integration, health, employment and assimilation.

The group was originally formed during Canadas Syrian refugee resettlement program in 2015, when volunteers came together to organize clothing drives for the newcomers.

The women all came with different levels of sewing skills and experience. They all want to utilize their skill-set, create and sell their own products, said Julie Mahfouz Rezvani, Mes Amis executive director.

We guide them where they can get cheap, quality materials. We teach them about marketing, pricing and professionalism and skills they need to run a successful business.

Rezvani said her group started to focus on refugee employment in the fall as the one-year financial sponsorship support dwindled for the 25,000 Syrian newcomers toward the end of last year.

As many of the households have multiple children, the group tried to come up with job opportunities that would allow the women to work while caring for their family at home.

Being able to work from home is critical for them. Flexibility is key, said Rezvani. They have the skills and there is a huge need. People always look for help from seamstresses. Its like looking for a hairdresser. Once you find one, you stick to that person.

More than 80 refugee women applied for the program, supported by the Alkhayyat Foundation Canada and COSTI, an immigrant settlement service agency. Twenty, some from as far as Kitchener and Uxbridge, were selected for the eight-week training that ends at the beginning of April.

Bareaa Odeh, mother of two young teens, has to leave her Mississauga home at 7:30 a.m. for a two-hour commute every Saturday for the weekly training, but said its worth it.

It is not easy, but we all want to work hard to be successful, said the 47-year-old, who earned a university degree in law in Damascus and arrived in Toronto via Ghana a year ago through Canadas Syrian refugee resettlement program.

Canada has given us a lot of things, supporting us. It is now my country. We want to contribute to Canada like when we were back home.

The women will work as independent contractors upon their graduation from the program and Darzee, as a social enterprise, hopes to merchandise products such as their Canada 150 items to retailers like Hudsons Bay and Winners in order to make it sustainable.

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Six weeks into his presidency, and Donald Trump has yet to leave the United States on a foreign trip. One might even be tempted to call it a self-imposed travel ban.

Trumps two immediate predecessors, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, were far quicker to leave American soil after their inaugurations. Less than a month after being sworn in, Obama went to Ottawa in 2009, while Bush jetted off to Mexico in February 2001.

By now, though, we should know that its a mistake to measure this president against the leaders who came before him. Trump is more interested in being in sync with his voters than with institutional history  and on this business of getting out of the country, the new U.S. president and many of his voters are simpatico.

A couple of months ago, while travelling outside of Canada, as it happens, I ran into a young American couple and we got to talking politics (naturally.) They were from rural areas of the United States, but they had been working in big cities and getting ready to make their next career move to the Boston area.

When the subject turned to the November election results, these two young voters were quick to say they hadnt voted for Trump; that he was kind of embarrassing to have as a president. But most of their family members, on both sides, had backed him. How did they explain the difference?

Well, weve travelled, they explained. A lot of people in our families havent.

So, looking back, would that have been a good predictor of who would be a Trump supporter in the 2015 election? If we had looked at foreign-travel data among Americans last year, would we have more likely to see the Trump victory coming?

As it happens, someone has already tackled that very question and the answer seems to be Yes. The Expeditioner website, in a December post, matched election results to passport data in the United States to see whether there was any connection between travelling and political leanings in the presidential contest.

First, less than half of the American population  46 per cent  has valid passports. Maybe its just a coincidence, but the final election results gave 46 per cent of the popular vote to Trump and 48 per cent to Hillary Clinton.

But it gets better, or, as The Expeditioner put it, this is the fun part. When Matt Stabile, the founder of the site, put the election results beside state-by-state passport data, here was the result:

There is a striking correlation between the states that voted for Trump in 2016 and those states with the lowest number of passport holders, he wrote. Those states that voted for Clinton had the highest percentage of passport holders. (The exception was Alaska, but that state is an outlier in a number of ways, owing to its physical distance from the rest of the U.S.)

The analysis shows that the 19 states with the highest percentage of passport holders  California, New York, New Jersey to name a few  were all Democrat territory. The 11 states with the lowest percentage of passport holders  Mississippi, Alabama and Kentucky, for instance  all went for Trump.

By this measure, incidentally, this country is more outgoing than the United States. Canadians, compared to their American neighbours, are generally far more likely to hold passports. According to 2014-15 figures from Passport Canada, 67 per cent of Canadians have valid travel documents. Thats a good deal higher than the state with the highest percentage of passport holders  New Jersey, where 62 per cent of citizens have passports, according to figures cited by The Expeditioner.

So if there is a connection between fondness for travelling and likelihood of supporting the new president, you could probably put Canadians in the non-Trump-supporter category, along with California and New York.

The name Trump has already acquired some negative associations around the whole idea of travel. Its not just travel out of the U.S. either  all of Trumps talk of border walls and travel bans is threatening to seriously dampen tourism into the States as well.

The BBC called it the Trump slump in a story this week and cited cancelled Canadian school trips across the border as part of the wave of people around the globe scrapping plans to go to the United States this year.

But Trump didnt singlehandedly create this climate of travel aversion. With the fondness hes so far displaying for sticking close to home, staying within U.S. borders, Trump is representative of a huge slice of his own electorate  citizens who believe that America First is a good rule of thumb about travel, too.

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WASHINGTONU.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself Thursday from federal investigations related to the 2016 election campaign, including a probe of interactions between the Russian government and associates of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Sessions decision came the afternoon after the Washington Post revealed he had misled the Senate when he said under oath that he did not have any communications with the Russians during the campaign. In fact, he had at least two meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Sessions insisted at a Thursday news conference that his answer had been honest. But he conceded under questioning that he should have disclosed he had met one Russian official a couple of times.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump

The uproar surrounding Sessions, who was a prominent Trump campaign adviser, is only the latest development in a sprawling Russia controversy that has alternated between a simmer and a blaze throughout Trumps entire six-week-old presidency. Sessions is at least the second top Trump appointee to become engulfed by criticism over his inaccurate claims related to contact with Kislyak.

The other one, former national security adviser Michael Flynn, resigned in February.

Sessions brushed aside top Democrats Thursday calls for his own resignation, and Trump said he thought Sessions had probably been truthful in his testimony. Sessions said he was recusing himself only because he had been involved in Trumps campaign, implying his January remarks were not a factor.

Regardless, the revelation that he deceived Congress adds more fuel to unproven suspicions that Trump is attempting to conceal something about his relationship with Russia and President Vladimir Putin. And the withdrawal of the nations top law enforcement official from a major investigation deepens the appearance of disarray from an administration that was briefly buoyed by Trumps well-received speech to Congress on Tuesday.

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Fearing a Trump cover up, Obama administration rushed to protect intel on Russia election hacking

Michael Flynn, Jared Kushner met with Russian ambassador in December 2016

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions talked to Russian ambassador during campaign, Justice Department says

Why is Sessions controversy a big deal?

The attorney general is the countrys chief legal official, and he may have lied to Congress under oath. Before the recusal, the conversations with Kislyak put him in an apparent conflict of interest: the director of the FBI reports to him. And whether it was a lie, an evasion or an unintentional memory lapse, his decision not to tell Congress he had spoken to the ambassador added concerns that something improper transpired.

U.S. President Donald Trump says he has "total" confidence in Attorney General Jeff Sessions, as calls mount for Sessions to resign or recuse himself over his contact with a Russian envoy during last year's presidential campaign.

What are the key questions about Trump and Russia?

Did Trump have anything to do with, or know about, Russias alleged intervention in the election to help him? Did Trump direct his associates to communicate with Russian officials during the campaign, or know those communications were happening? What exactly did Trump associates say to Russian officials? Does Russia have any information that could blackmail or otherwise weaken Trump?

So who is investigating what?

Multiple U.S. intelligence agencies are conducting a joint probe into the alleged Russian interference in the election, which they believe involved the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clintons campaign chairman. One of the things they are studying, according to the New York Times, is communication between Trump associates and the Russian government.

The Senate and House intelligence committees are conducting their own separate probes into the alleged Russian meddling.

Some Democrats have advocated an investigation by an independent commission. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Thursday for a special prosecutor from outside the Department of Justice.

Is there proof that Trump did anything wrong?

None that we know of.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions agreed Thursday to recuse himself from an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, saying he believes 'the proper decision has been reached.'

So why is there so much talk about all this?

There is no public smoking gun. There is, however, a collection of facts that has prompted suspicion among Democrats and others.

Trump has effusively praised and aggressively defended Putin. His campaign team, largely hands-off when it came to the Republican policy platform, intervened to soften the platforms support of Ukraine.

During the campaign, Trump publicly urged Russian hackers to obtain Clintons emails. After U.S. intelligence and independent experts later concluded that Russia had indeed hacked the Democrats, Trump dismissed and disparaged them.

Flynn discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with Kislyak, told Vice-President Mike Pence he had not done so, then resigned after the Washington Post revealed the truth. Trumps former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, has long-standing ties to Russia, and he resigned from the campaign after allegations that he had received millions in cash from Ukraines former pro-Russia president.

Was it wrong for Sessions to meet the Russian ambassador?

Not necessarily. He was a U.S. senator, and he met many ambassadors. But the context raises questions about what went on.

One of the meetings was held in September 2016, the month before U.S. intelligence officially accused Russia of doing the hacking. While Sessions said the meeting was not about the campaign, all 25 other members of the Armed Services Committee told the Post they did not meet with Kislyak in 2016. On Thursday, Sessions said Ukraine somehow came up in the conversation; he did not elaborate.

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When the Nazis ripped his family from their home in Poland, Ben Stern survived the ghettos and the concentration camps by never losing faith in human kindness.

So now, at the end of his life, the 95-year-old has found an almost perfect antidote to how he was treated by the Nazis: Opening his home to one of their descendants.

His roommate, Lea Heitfeld, is a 31-year-old German graduate student at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, whose grandparents were active and unrepentant members of the Nazi Party. Rather than shy away from her familys history, it has inspired her to learn about Jewish people and educate others about their religion and what they endured during the Holocaust. Shes even getting her masters degree in Jewish studies.

Welcoming Heitfeld, the kin of the very people who forced him from his childhood home, to live as his roommate while she finishes her degree feels like an act of justice, Stern said in an interview. It was the right thing to do. Im doing the opposite of what they did.

There is much about their living situation that defies norms: the sizable generation gap, the gender divide and, of course, the fact that theyre a Holocaust survivor and the granddaughter of Nazis. And yet theyve both found they have so much to give each other.

Heitfeld provides companionship to Stern, whose wife of more than 70 years recently went into a nursing home because of her worsening dementia. In the evenings, the unlikely pair watch TV together.

They have dinner together almost every night, and snack on herring salad and crackers before their meal - a mutual favourite. They have long conversations about history and current events. Last semester, Stern, who never went to high school or college, audited a graduate class with her, and they walked together to campus every Thursday night.

For Heitfeld, Sterns friendship is the rarest of gifts - an insight into human resiliency and compassion.

This act of his opening his home, I dont know how to describe it, how forgiving or how big your heart must be to do that, and what that teaches me to be in the presence of someone who has been through that and is able to have me there and to love me, she said. That he was able to open the door for someone who would remind him of all his pain.

Stern was a teenager when Nazis took over his small Polish town. He survived life in the Warsaw Ghetto, nine concentration camps, including Auschwitz, and the death march from Buchenwald. When Americans liberated them, he went searching for his family and found no one.

He met his wife, Helen, in a displaced prisoners camp after the war and the young couple made their way to America with nothing more than a dream for a new life. He had no education, no trade, no money and could not speak English. But he had his life.

I was reborn. I did not forget what happened to me, but I was determined to rebuild the family that I lost and speak out on the pain and losses that so many people gave their lives for no reason only because they were hated because of their particular religion, Stern said. We found a mixture of religions being accepted and that was opening the door for a free life, that was a gift that until today I am thankful for the opportunity to enjoy the freedom to build the beautiful family that I have.

His daughter, Charlene, has preserved her fathers story in a 28-minute documentary called the Near Normal Man, which is what he calls himself. No one could spend a day in Auschwitz and call themselves normal, hed tell her. In the film, Stern recalls in his own words and with moving detail what he endured and how it shaped his world view afterward.

When the Nazis came, his only weapon was his insistence upon living and remaining human, Charlene Stern said. I asked him, How did you change? How did you change after the Holocaust? He said, Char, I became more compassionate. Thats the father I inherited.

Charlenes voice caught as she recalled showing the film to Heitfelds parents when they came to visit. After watching, Heitfelds father, whose parents were Nazis, asked whether he could help her get the movie shown in Germany. He said they would travel around the country together - the daughter of a Jewish Holocaust survivor and the son of a Nazi solider.

Charlene and Lea Heitfeld are both, in a way, students of their past who feel compelled to use their family history to educate. Heitfeld grew up in a small town in northern Germany and, until she moved to the United States five years ago to work as an au pair, shed never met a Jewish person, she said. On her way to dropping off the children she took care of at school, shed pass a Jewish retirement home. With several hours in the morning to herself, she decided to volunteer there. It was one thing to be meeting Jewish people her own age, but she said she wanted to spend time with the generation directly affected by what her ancestors did.

Ive reflected so much about my own identity. If I want to identify with my country, its about confronting the things that hurt and put me in an uncomfortable position, she said. I feel responsibility for the memory of the Holocaust.

The rise of anti-Semitic-fuelled acts in the United States - bomb threats at Jewish community centres and the desecration of Jewish cemeteries - has been weighing heavily on Stern and Heitfeld.

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The vitriol directed at minority groups, not just Jews, is all too reminiscent. I walk with a fresh injection of pain and hurt, Stern said.

Heitfeld feels it, too. Ive been in more pain that Im living with a man who went through this and now has to be confronted with this on the news, she said.

But this is not the first time Stern has been faced with this painful reminder of his past. In 1977, he and his family lived in Skokie, a suburb of Chicago, which at that time was majority Jewish. A neo-Nazi group requested a permit to demonstrate in the streets in their town. It was a haunting proposition, the idea that a group bearing swastikas would once again converge on his town. Stern refused to sit idly by and let this happen, so he organized an effort to block them from coming. Because of First Amendment rights, Stern didnt succeed in banning them, so instead he encouraged other Jewish people to not hide away afraid, but instead to stage a counter-demonstration if the Nazis came.

Ira Glasser, the former director of the American Civil Liberties Union, which advocated for the neo-Nazis right to march, wrote in the Huffington Post that it was a brilliant response and a perfect remedy for a country with strong First Amendment rights.

Living with a millennial. Making the film. Its all in service to Sterns lifelong mission to ensure people are informed to stand up to hate once there are no more survivors left to tell their stories. For Stern, this is yet another moment that he cannot stay silent.

I feel like its important for the reason I survived to tell the world, to tell the next generation what to look out for to have a better, secure, free life, he said. Its important for them to learn how to behave with other people, with other nations, religions. Were different, but were all human and there is room for each and every one of us in this world. It should be in harmony instead of hatred, racism ... We are all born; were all going to go. While were here, we should try to improve the world.

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Michael Flynn, then Donald Trumps incoming national security adviser, had a previously undisclosed meeting with the Russian ambassador in December to establish a line of communication between the new administration and the Russian government, the White House said Thursday.

Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and now a senior adviser, also participated in the meeting at Trump Tower with Flynn and Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador. But among Trumps inner circle, it is Flynn who appears to have been the main interlocutor with the Russian envoy  the two were in contact during the campaign and the transition, Kislyak and current and former U.S. officials have said.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump

But the extent and frequency of their contacts remains unclear, and the disclosure of the meeting at Trump Tower adds to the emerging picture of how the relationship between Trumps incoming team and Moscow was evolving to include some of the president-elects most trusted advisers.

The White House has repeatedly sought to play down any connections with Kislyak. Attorney General Jeff Sessions acknowledged this week that he had met twice with him during the campaign, despite previous denials.

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The New Yorker reported this week that Kushner had met with Kislyak at Trump Tower in December. Hope Hicks, a White House spokesperson, confirmed Thursday that Flynn was also at the meeting in response to questions from a New York Times reporter.

It is common and not improper for transition officials to meet with foreign officials. But all meetings between Trump associates and Russians are now significant as the FBI investigates Russian interference in the U.S. election and whether anyone close to Trumps campaign was involved.

The meeting in December came at a crucial time, just as the Obama White House was preparing to sanction Russia and publicly make its case that Moscow had interfered with the 2016 election.

What is becoming clear is that the incoming Trump administration was simultaneously striking a conciliatory pose toward Moscow in a series of meetings and phone calls involving Kislyak.

They generally discussed the relationship and it made sense to establish a line of communication, she said. Jared has had meetings with many other foreign countries and representatives  as many as two-dozen other foreign countries leaders and representatives.

The Trump Tower meeting lasted 20 minutes, and Kushner has not met since with Kislyak, Hicks said.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions agreed Thursday to recuse himself from an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, saying he believes 'the proper decision has been reached.'

When first asked in January about Flynns contacts with Kislyak, the White House said that there had been only a text message and phone call between the men at the end of December, and that both came before the United States imposed sanctions. That was quickly contradicted by news reports.

Flynns story then began changing, and the White House eventually acknowledged the two men had discussed the sanctions and how the two countries could move past the acrimony once Trump was in office.

U.S. officials have also said that there were multiple telephone calls between Flynn and Kislyak on Dec. 29, beginning shortly after Kislyak was summoned to the State Department and informed that, in retaliation for Russian election meddling, the United States was expelling 35 people suspected of being Russian intelligence operatives and imposing other sanctions.

Kislyak was irate and threatened a forceful Russian response, according to people familiar with the exchange. He then left the State Department and called Flynn, the first in a series of calls between the two in the 36 hours that followed.

U.S. intelligence agencies routinely wiretap the phones of Russian diplomats, and transcripts of the calls showed that Flynn urged the Russians not to respond, saying relations would improve once Trump was in office, according to the current and former officials.

Flynns failure to fully disclose the nature of the calls with Kislyak ultimately cost him his job last month after a tumultuous 25 days as national security adviser.

The U.S. government has concluded that Russia intended, at least in part, to help elect Trump through a campaign of cyberattacks, propaganda and misinformation. The government has concluded that Russian operatives were behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta, chairman of Hillary Clintons presidential campaign.

Current and former U.S. officials have said that Flynn had contacts with Kislyak during the campaign. But few of the specifics of those contacts were known. The Russian ambassador has acknowledged that the two men had known each other since 2013 and were in contact during the campaign.

Its something all diplomats do, Kislyak was quoted as saying by the Washington Post, though he refused to say what subjects he discussed with Flynn.

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House Republicans thought they were writing a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. Instead, on Thursday, they found themselves running a travelling circus.

Following reports that a major chunk of their health-care legislation was being held for House GOP review in a secret room somewhere in the Capitol complex, Democrats and Republicans who hadnt been invited started the hunt. Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, was first on the scene of the supposed secret location.

Its the secret office of the secret bill, Paul told a gaggle of reporters. After being denied entry by a security guard and staff aide, he quickly turned the moment into an impromptu press conference about legislation transparency.

I suspect public pressure will make them release it, he said.

Except, as it turned out, the bill wasnt there. House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady was in the room, but the Texas Republican said the bill wasnt.

The audience gathered outside  including House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland  was skeptical, so in they went to inspect. Out they came about 30 seconds afterward.

No bill here. We cannot find the bill, Hoyer said.

One Republican lawmaker and a committee aide had said Wednesday that House Republicans would be allowed to review the overhaul plan  but only in a dedicated reading room, and they wouldnt be given copies to take with them. Republican leaders are trying to avoid a repeat of what happened last time. When an outdated draft leaked last week, it was quickly panned by conservatives.

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The sought-after draft bill is the part of the Republican health care effort being written by the Energy and Commerce Committee, with the Ways and Means panel putting together another chunk. Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden of Oregon insisted in a statement that it was false to contend that the committee was doing anything other than the regular process of refining the bill to make it ready for committee debate.

Energy and Commerce Committee Democrat Paul Tonko of New York said he had walked into the room minutes earlier, and staffers there said, Sir?

I said, Well, Im looking to read the bill, is this where I read the bill? Tonko said. They said, You have the wrong room.

I said, So, where is the room? They said, We dont know that, sir.

Tonko said the Energy and Commerce committees top Democrat, Frank Pallone of New Jersey, had announced the room number at a subcommittee meeting.

They mustve removed it, put it somewhere else, said Pallone, who headed to Waldens office after being referred there by Bradys staff. He didnt get anywhere there, either.

I just want to read the bill, complained Tonko, saying hell keep searching, but cant keep at it all day because he has meetings to attend. Representative Jan Schakowsky, an Illinois Democrat, added, Were on a treasure hunt, I guess.

Paul said in a Twitter posting that he thought the reason House Republicans were keeping the bill secret is that its Obamacare lite instead of the full repeal sought by many conservatives.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California told reporters that Republicans are hiding the bill because they know how the American people will react.

Meanwhile, members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus were happy to let everyone look at their proposal, posting a link to their full text on Twitter.

House Speaker Paul Ryan told fellow Republicans during a private meeting Thursday that the Ways and Means panel and the Energy and Commerce Committee will start debate next week on the plan, according to several Republicans.

Republicans are working very closely with the Trump administration on the proposal, Ryan told reporters later at his weekly media briefing.

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It took more than 10 months for Canadians to learn the name of the bank that had been fined for about 1,200 breaches of money laundering laws last year.

The same day Manulife Bank admitted to being the culprit, Bermudan authorities named and shamed a Canadian investment firm for similar infractions, saying it always identifies offending businesses because it makes them publicly accountable for their actions.

On Monday, the Bermuda Monetary Authority announced a $2-million fine against the local division of Sun Life Financial for five breaches of money laundering laws, and froze the companys business by prohibiting deposits and withdrawals.

Its the largest fine ever handed out by the Bermudan financial regulator, confirmed spokesperson Stuart Roberts, who added that since last year all financial institutions found to have breached the law are named publicly.

This increased transparency was critical to the reputation of the jurisdiction, Roberts wrote in an email.

The case has strong parallels to Manulifes penalty, which was also a record fine for Canadas anti-money laundering agency, FINTRAC. But last April, when the fine was made public, FINTRAC refused to name Manulife, stating that the announcement of the $1.5-million dollar penalty alone would be deterrence enough for the banking industry.

The decision to keep Manulife anonymous sparked outcry across Canada, according to internal FINTRAC records showing public comments submitted to the agency.

The Canadian public is really agitated and wants people to go to jail for financial crimes like tax evasion. But in government, there isnt that same drive to go after white collar crime. Its a real disconnect, said Christine Duhaime, a Vancouver lawyer and anti-money laundering expert.

After Manulife Bank came forward and admitted it was the anonymous bank, FINTRAC director Gerald Cossette committed to reviewing the naming policy. Duhaime believes the agency has been chastened by the public outcry.

The hidden message is this isnt going to happen again, said Duhaime. What hes really saying is theyre going to change the policy going forward. I dont think they want to get put in this position again.

Financial regulators around the world are moving toward default transparency, Duhaime said, and Canada is falling behind.

Since its establishment in 2008, FINTRAC has kept anonymous more than half of the institutions it has fined. Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA), on the other hand, did away with all secrecy last year.

Bermuda Monetary Authority CEO Jeremy Cox announced Bermudas new transparency policy in January 2016. Once the offending business has exhausted its right to appeal, the BMA issues a release detailing the nature of its penalty, the names of the business and any employees involved, and the circumstances of the breach of the law, according to the agencys 2016 business plan.

(Increased transparency) is intended to demonstrate to those who rely on our supervisory adjudications that their trust is not misplaced and that Bermuda-based entities found to be deficient in meeting their obligations run the risk of being required to account publicly for their actions, said Cox.

Niall OHare, President, Sun Life Financial Investments (Bermuda) Ltd. issued a statement responding to Mondays penaltys announcement, saying: We are working co-operatively with the Bermuda Monetary Authority and have agreed to implement appropriate controls to ensure that we are in compliance with both the license restrictions and applicable regulations moving forward.

Sun Life Financial in Canada did not return a request for comment.

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I recently became aware that Canada doesnt label new immigrants aliens but new Canadians. Trump and his administration should learn from Canada. Khizr Khan

Last summer, Harvard-educated lawyer Khizr Khan gave a speech to the Democratic National Convention about his son Humayan, a captain in the U.S. army who died stopping a suicide bomber. Khan noted that U.S. President Donald Trump had sacrificed nothing.

Donald Trump consistently smears the character of Muslims, he disrespects minorities, women, judges, even his own party leadership. He wants to build walls and ban us from this country, he said.

Trump later called Khan very emotional and suggested he didnt allow his wife Ghazala to speak because of their religion.

But Khans voice turned out to be one that resonated. He has gone on to become one of the presidents most potent critics. He will be in Toronto on Tuesday to talk about why he wont be silenced.

When did you come to the U.S.?

I was born in Pakistan and worked in Dubai to save money to come to the U.S. to finish my studies. I arrived in 1980. I went to Harvard Law School. I became a citizen in 1986.

Tell me about your son.

My son Humayan was a captain in the U.S. army. He gave his life to stop a suicide bomber approaching his troops in Iraq in 2004.

We were blessed to have him for 27 years. It was very difficult to lose him. We continue to operate under his legacy: caring for others, even to your own peril. That is how he spent the last breath of his life.

Did you ever imagine youd become a celebrity advocate?

Not really. I thought Id return to my private life. But that has not been the case. Its been an amazing journey. I get offers outside the U.S. I have invitations to go to Sweden, Germany, Oxford. Japan television has been four times to our home. People want to know what are these values I talk about: equal values and due process. They are interested in our constitutional system of government. This clown in the White House needs to become serious and change course. The rest of the world is watching. We shall continue to talk and raise our voice.

Trump is continuing with his efforts to keep Muslims out of the country and to ban citizens from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Just last week he said: We are going to keep radical Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country, Trump said. What do you make of that?

Trump has said he wants to impose a Muslim ban. He came up with a nonsensical executive order which the courts rejected. To make it even more childish, now he says hell come up with a new executive order.

As a patriotic American, I am all for the safety and security of our country. But Trump is going about it the wrong way. He is putting the lives of men and women serving in Muslim countries at risk and alienating local Muslims and strengthening our enemies.

Instead, Trump should heed the advice of experts who have dedicated their lives to security and safety. When our armed forces and CIA go to fight terrorism abroad, they rely on local people supporting them. Our intelligence officers need to assure them that the U.S. values pluralism and equal dignity for all and they will be protected if they migrate to U.S.

Are Muslims being unfairly targeted?

Yes. In the past, it was other communities who were vulnerable: Irish-Americans, Jews, Catholics. They have all gone through difficult times. This is Muslim-Americans time to face challenges and we will come through it successfully. I recently became aware that Canada doesnt label new immigrants aliens but new Canadians. Trump and his administration should learn from Canada.

The Trump administration also blocked major news organizations from a briefing Feb. 24, escalating his war on the press. He called the media is the enemy of the people. What do you make of that?

He is diverting attention from the medias criticism of Russian influence in his campaign. Only the media works to uncover the truth about investments in his businesses and links to Russia. You cant have democracy without a free and independent press. That is the fourth pillar, along with the judiciary, legislative and executive branches of government. Trump has been also been maligning judges and their independence if they dont rule in his favour. Dont fall for it.

Trump has also singled out Mexico, pledging to build a wall on the southern border and make Mexico pay, as well as insisting on deporting millions of undocumented immigrants to Mexico.

We need to tell the people who have supported Donald Trump that if this policy toward Mexico continues, there will be serious repercussions to trade, to the markets for their agricultural products, and to their security. The cotton growers of U.S., some of whom voted for him, are worried their cotton will not be exported to Mexico. Mexico is the U.S.s biggest customer, and cannot be alienated.

Do you worry about your personal security?

We were advised by our well wishers not to speak out. But we feel obliged. We are worried about Hispanic children, Muslim children who say I was born here, is it possible my parents will be thrown out?

The immature, heartless administration will take us through very tumultuous times. We will continue to speak out and I do it pro bono. Thats all a patriotic citizen can do. We have taken precautions and we are very, very careful. But we have to take some risks.

Khizr Khan is giving a lunchtime speech on Tuesday as part of the Ramsay Talks series. Noon at The Carlu. Tickets $89. https://www.ramsaytalks.com/ ramsaytalks.com END

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PODGORICA, MONTENEGROPro-Russian opposition leaders in Montenegro have asked the White House chief strategist to help block the Balkan countrys NATO bid, saying the Obama administration has presented false facts about its readiness to join the Western military alliance.

Two opposition officials, Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic, wrote in a letter to Steve Bannon, a senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, that the U.S. Senate should vote against the accession. The vote has been stalled because of objections by two senators.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter on Friday.

So far, 25 of 28 NATO members have approved Montenegros membership bid, but the U.S. endorsement is considered crucial.

Trumps stand on NATO, which he once described an obsolete organization, and his positive remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin have caused worries in Montenegro that the small country could be left without U.S. support amid the Kremlins expanding influence in the Balkan region.

The Montenegrin opposition has boycotted parliament since the October election, when the countrys pro-Western government accused it of attempting a pro-Russian coup that allegedly included plans to take over power and kill the then-prime minister, Milo Djukanovic, because of his NATO bid.

The letter, written on behalf of a coalition of opposition parties called the Democratic Front, warned that the security situation in Montenegro is very complex and that the matter of relations to NATO demands exceptional caution. It added that Bannon should gain a clear picture of the situation before the final approval.

Mandic and Knezevic alleged that the U.S. has been presented with false facts and superficial information about Montenegro by the Obama administration.

They said Montenegro has been deeply split between those who seek NATO membership and those who reject it.

Montenegrin society does not have a unique attitude regarding the admission to NATO as falsely alleged by the former administration in Washington, the letter stated. In reality, Montenegro does not meet the criteria for admission to the Euro-Atlantic alliance because it cannot ensure its own internal stability and democratic system.

Russia has strongly opposed NATO expansion in Europe, especially if it brings countries like Montenegro that were considered close allies of Moscow into the military alliance.

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University of Victoria environmental law professor Chris Tollefson sounded the alarm on the Harper governments suppression of scientists in 2013, prompting a wide ranging investigation of six government departments.

Well-known American scientists jumped into the fray, joining 800 international counterparts in a letter of protest to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, urging him to reverse cuts and stop muzzling scientists.

Less than four years later, the big chill has migrated south, as U.S. President Donald Trump has installed senior officials with records of anti-science views  including Scott Pruitt, an environmental protection head who has called global warming a hoax.

Trumps kinder, gentler speech to Congress Tuesday did little to brighten the dim prospects for environmental and health sciences  he pledged to further cut regulations, including to allow speedier approval of food and drug products. The next day, the Washington Post reported that Trump plans to cut staff at the Environmental Protection Agency by 20 per cent.

This month dozens of Canadian scientists and academics signed an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, cabinet ministers and opposition leaders, calling on Ottawa to limit the damage done to science.

The letter asks Trudeau to take the lead and expand Canadas investment in science to maintain scientific integrity in the service of human and planetary well-being. It suggests that Canada should become a refuge for scientists and research targeted by Trump, as well as a world leader in recruiting other countries to support American science.

The well-being of humanity and all life on earth now depends on maintaining efforts in environmental and related sciences to limit the human-caused damage to the planet, it said. We call on the government of Canada to make clear its readiness to meet this challenge.

There is a very real danger that this new U.S. administration, by not only muzzling science, but actually destroying data, will undermine years of research in a variety of areas, said Tollefson, who backs the letter and is now executive director of the Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and Litigation.

Already, the signs are ominous. President Barack Obamas information page on climate change was scrubbed from the web on Trumps Inauguration Day. Gone were mentions of global warming and in their place the new administration vowed to eliminate harmful and unnecessary policies that protect the air and water.

In the days that followed, Trump signed an executive order to strike down a provision against dumping mining waste, calling it another terrible job-killing rule. Congress remains poised to attack other anti-pollution measures to promote the fossil fuel industry.

Meanwhile, Trump has tweeted that vaccines are doctor-inflicted autism  an utterly debunked position  and vowed to drastically cut federal science agencies. Scientists are facing restrictions on communication with colleagues and the public. Some climate change researchers, according to Scientific American, have already applied for jobs in Canada. Top graduate researchers from other countries have diverted their applications to Canadian institutions.

After the Trump election, one of the first distress signals was answered by University of Torontos Michelle Murphy, who joined a guerrilla archiving movement to help American scientists preserve crucial data in danger of vanishing from the Internet.

The director of U of Ts Technoscience Research Unit, Murphy travelled to University of Pennsylvania for hackathons to download U.S. government data from the Internet before it could be deleted.

In Toronto, she called in volunteers to help identify programs and publicly accessible data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for archiving  a head-spinning six million pages with no site maps for guidance.

When American colleagues reached out it made sense that we had something to offer, in terms of our experience from the Harper years, and because our lab knows how to bring together technical and academic projects, she says.

Murphys research unit joined the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative, an international network tackling potential threats to federal environmental and energy policy, and to the scientific research infrastructure.

Laurie Allen, an assistant director at University of Pennsylvania libraries, says that the project is vital because the mass of data on the Internet creates a false sense of security  but in reality our shared civic information is vulnerable.

U.S. government documents published some 50 years ago were printed and deposited in a federal library program, which made copies available to anyone who wanted them, she points out. Now, we rely on a single source. Access is easier, but not more secure.

Theres also insecurity among the American scientists working in areas such as climate change, renewable energy, environmental protection, public health, agricultural research, stem cell research and transportation safety.

Theyre freaked out, and with good reason, says Laurel Kurtz, executive director of the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund. Theyre reaching out to us because theyre concerned.

Weve seen scientists threatened with defamation suits for correcting the record on climate misinformation. Open records have been lost. Theyve received nasty notes. Trump has poured gasoline on the fringe (elements.) People on the fringe are now in the mainstream.

Some scientists, Kurtz says, are worried about accepting media interviews or publishing blogs for fear of retribution. There are also looming cuts for research, including in the National Institutes of Health.

What happened in Canada (under Harper) was a sense of deja vu for Americans who monitored science and policy during the Bush administration, says Michael Halpern, a deputy director at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Now its coming full circle.

Although American scientists had to battle opposition from George W. Bushs administration, he adds, the threats that Trump poses are more serious. Political appointees are more radical because many establishment Republicans distanced themselves from his campaign 

We have somebody under consideration for the Food and Drug Administration who doesnt believe clinical trials are necessary; we should just approve drugs and the market will sort it out.

Halpern says that the upside of the election is that Trump has become the gateway drug for scientists to get involved and stand up for the scientific enterprise.

Many are standing their ground and pushing back against the administrations incursions. A large Washington protest is planned for April 22, Earth Day.

Trumps immigration ban has already had significant consequences for scientific collaboration  but could make Canada a destination of choice for top ranking American and international scientists and raise its profile in the world.

Its going to be a good time for Canadian science, I guess, said B.C. Green Party MLA Andrew Weaver, a climate scientist, in Scientific American. The Canadians who signed the open letter to Trudeau, and their American counterparts, hope the message will reach Ottawa.

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ORLANDO, FLA.President Donald Trump toured a private, religious school in Florida on Friday, praising it as an ideal institution for disadvantaged children while re-emphasizing that his education agenda will focus on school choice.

Trump visited St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, dropping in on a fourth-grade classroom and shaking hands with students. When one girl said she wanted to own her own business, he said with a smile that shes gonna make a lot of money. But dont run for politics.

The president, who was joined by his new education secretary Betsy DeVos, a longtime charter schools advocate, described St. Andrew as one of the many parochial schools dedicated to educating disadvantaged children.

Education is the civil rights issue of our time, said Trump, repeating a line from his address to Congress this week.

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Teachers unions were quick to criticize the visit, saying it showed hostility by Trump toward public schools and an intention to turn education into a profit-making industry.

Trump said he would ask lawmakers to pass a bill that would fund school choice for disadvantaged young people, including minority children. He did not offer any details.

Among his guests for the tour was Denisha Merriweather, who used Floridas school voucher program to attend a private high school that she credits with turning her life around. Many of St. Andrews students attend the school using the same voucher program as Merriweather, said White House spokesman Ninio Fetalvo.

We want millions more to have the same chance to achieve the great success that youre achieving, Trump said. The president also told school administrators that the love you have for what you do is really fantastic.

Trump, at the school, also noted anew that he captured Florida in last years election. He was to return to his Palm Beach coastal home later Friday and attend a Republican National Committee fundraiser that night.

Education Secretary DeVos has a long history of promoting charter schools and vouchers. Charter schools are funded with taxpayer dollars, but run by private groups and have more freedom over curriculum, staff and budget. Vouchers are essentially publicly funded scholarships given to low-income families to help cover private-school tuition.

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White House spokesman Sean Spicer said earlier in the week that education is a top priority for the president.

He has said many times before that education has the ability to level the playing field for the next generation, Spicer said, adding that Trump is determined to provide choice for every parent and opportunities for every child, regardless of their zip code.

St. Andrew Catholic School teaches 350 children from pre-K to eighth grade. The school defines its mission as developing the students spirituality and creativity in order to be disciples of Christ in the 21st century. A photo on the schools website shows a smiling boy in school uniform holding a sign that reads My goals: College. Heaven.

Its a very powerful message, said Samuel Abrams, director of the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, referring to Trumps choice of school to visit. Advocates of traditional public schools should be worried because this means a diversion of funds from public coffers and thus support for public education.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said that by visiting a private Catholic school, Trump is continuing an ideological crusade.

Weingarten said that in many cases voucher programs have not improved childrens academic outcomes. She added that voucher programs are often not transparent in how they spend public dollars and in what the kids are taught.

To borrow a word from President Trump  its so sad that the president and his secretary of education have demonstrated such an antipathy toward public schools, Weingarten said in a statement. Trump is in Florida to push choice and a backdoor voucher proposal as a way to turn education into a commodity.

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A short history of political correctness:

1. It began on the Marxist left. If you think you own the key to history  what makes it work and where its going based on class analysis  its only logical to grade your actions based on whether theyre correct responses.

Figures such as Lenin and Mao talked about making a correct analysis of the forces: whos up, whos down, whos the main enemy. From that you calculate a correct line: e.g., in 1939, do you attack Hitler or momentarily ally with him?

By the 1960s revival of the New Left, the notion had become playful. There was a strip called Correct Line Comix with a chubby cheery Mao. Leftists in restaurants would ponderously joke about ordering politically correct dishes. But the term itself  referring to minorities or identities  wasnt yet in wide use.

2. After the dazzling triumph of neo-conservative forces in the 1980s (Reagan-Thatcher-Mulroney), came a right-wing attack on a new catchphrase: political correctness. In my opinion this was part of an effort to bury the residue of the Marxist left, along with the Berlin Wall, the Soviet Union and the Cold War.

At the same time it was an attempt to dismantle the left critique of capitalist society by draining it of its encompassing economic bite: splintering it into demographic fragments thus defusing the notion of popular solidarity. Numerous cover stories demonized the evil force. But oddly, it was hard to find specific examples or advocates of PC, whatever it actually was. The real-life version of PC meanwhile  a ban on critiquing sacred cows, such as capitalism or NATO  stayed in force. In fact it still is. Even the elected president of the U.S. cant question NATO, long after its raison detre has vanished. But I digress.

3. During the 1990s, in an amazing twist anticipated by the late Edward Said, many leftists, especially those lefter than pasty versions such as the NDP, more or less adopted the version of themselves painted by the right-wing critics of PCness.

They did this by adopting identity politics, focusing on minority rights, gender rights or human rights generally. (Said had written that Muslims, when smeared by overwhelming Western imagery portraying them all as terrorists, sometimes embraced that role in a desperate attempt to feel they existed at all.)

There was nothing wrong with these campaigns. Theyd been underplayed for too long. Except that they were often accompanied by a de-emphasis, or abandonment, of economic issues, such as Who owns everything? and Who did they steal it from? Theres no reason you cant include both.

But the intense stress on identity, combined with a burning focus on appropriate language, gave right-wing critics of PC far juicier targets than theyd originally had. The right, rather surprisingly, became the main advocates of free speech.

4. And so to Motion M103, the mild declaration (nothing more, no legal force at all) of concern for the rights and especially safety of Muslims in Canada. Its the PC controversy writ small.

Whose rights are of overriding concern here: the six Muslims murdered in Quebec City as they prayed (or the two Indian men in Kansas City shot down because their killer thought they were Iranians  as if that might have justified it)? Or the free speech rights of critics of Islam, such as Ezra Levant and Conservative leadership candidates to pursue their detached scholarly critiques of Islamic theology and law?

The argument has focused mostly on language, especially the term, Islamophobia: if the bill said anti-Muslim instead, for instance, people would supposedly be less bothered.

I know words are supposed to matter but they dont much, in this case, because everyone knows what Islamophobia means. Its the same with anti-Semitism, a terribly imprecise term  many Jews arent by any stretch Semites, even if you manage to define it  but everyone knows what it means.

In fact, Islamophobia is far more precise. Hatred of Muslims gets ginned up over their religion  Islam. Thats not been the case with hatred of Jews  at least since the Middle Ages. In the modern era its been based on racial, economic or global conspiracy myths. By comparison, the term, Islamophobia, reflects the issue exactly.

As Trump and others keep insisting, the enemy is Islam, with or without radical. Whats the matter, they taunt, are you afraid to say it? What would you call that if not Islamophobia?

Rick Salutins column appears every Friday.

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Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneaus call for tougher penalties against distracted driving heads in the right direction, toward having the same rules across the country on texting and talking while behind the wheel.

It makes sense that drivers in every part of Canada should face the same sanctions for this unsafe behaviour. Garneaus move is welcome: he sent a letter to his provincial counterparts calling for stricter penalties that are nationally consistent in the way they are handed out and enforced, and uniform across the country.

Its also sensible that Garneau is not calling right now for making distracted driving a criminal offence. Thats the only way the federal government could act alone to toughen penalties.

Working with the provinces and territories first is better. In any case, using a handheld device while driving is already a criminal offence if it becomes dangerous driving.

Sadly, this has been happening all too often. The Ontario Provincial Police reported last year that by mid-August, twice as many road deaths had involved distracted drivers than impaired ones.

Garneaus call to make the rules the same everywhere in Canada could ultimately deter more motorists from picking up their phones before they end up facing a criminal charge or involved in a crash. While penalties for distracted driving have generally become stiffer since laws were first introduced in 2008, fines for texting and talking now vary widely across the country.

They range from a high of $1,200 in Prince Edward Island to a mere $80-$100 in Quebec, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. The penalty for a first offender in Ontario is $490 and three demerit points, and can rise as high as $1,000.

A national patchwork of penalties isnt good enough anymore. As Garneau says, while the risks associated with distracted driving are similar to those as driving under the influence, we were slow as a country to acknowledge and act on this problem.

A decade ago, experts and legislators were still debating whether texting and talking while driving should be an offence at all. The wide range of penalties suggests that prevention and enforcement is still a work in progress. Garneau is right to ask for everyone to take the next, national steps.

The Insurance Bureau notes that if you talk on your handheld phone or text while driving, youre four times more likely to be involved in a collision. If youre texting and driving, youre 23 times more likely to crash. While youre fiddling with your phone, you may fail to see as much as half of what is going on along the road and on the sidewalks; studies show distracted drivers might be looking but not actually seeing what they need to see because they are so preoccupied.

Starting a dialogue is a constructive way to address our tentative response to this problem. There arent clear answers yet for every situation; for example, are all hands-free devices, some of which are legal to use while driving, safe in every circumstance?

Canadians should face the same rules wherever they drive in the country. Garneau deserves credit for sparking a conversation that takes into account the growing evidence that distracted driving is a much bigger problem than was once thought.

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Chris Spence was deceptive and manipulative when he deliberately engaged in repeated and extensive plagiarism that violated public trust and tarnished the reputation of the education profession, the Ontario College of Teachers has found.

The former education director of the Toronto District School Board was stripped of his teaching licence in December after a college discipline committee found him guilty of professional misconduct.

This week, the reasons for that decision  the harshest penalty available to the college and a first for a plagiarism case  were made public in a 50-page report posted on the College of Teachers website.

Spence, who last month gave notice he plans to fight the colleges ruling, will file an appeal with Ontarios divisional court in the next few weeks, his lawyer, Christopher Edwards said in a statement emailed to the Star on Thursday.

The discipline committees damning report cites a repeated pattern of dishonesty by the once highly regarded educator and clear and convincing evidence of plagiarism in 14 excerpts from newspaper articles, including four published in the Star, blog postings, books and a speech written between 2002 and 2013.

The members acts of plagiarism over an approximately 11-year period were not mistakes; they were deliberate attempts to receive credit for the work of others, and served to bolster his reputation through writing he did not entirely author, the three-member committee wrote in its decision, dated Feb. 23.

Spence violated the publics trust and regard for the member as a well-known member of the education community, and tarnished the reputation of the teaching profession, it said.

Rulings of professional misconduct are rarely appealed, according to the college. But in a statement to the Star last month, Spence called the penalty, which comes four years after the explosive allegations first surfaced, disproportionate and unprecedented, and said hes determined to challenge it.

Spence, 54, is currently working in Chicago, and has said he wants to teach again. But without a certificate he cannot teach in any publicly-funded school in Ontario or elsewhere in Canada.

He is also facing a separate investigation at the University of Toronto, which is probing whether he should lose the doctorate he earned in 1996 because of improperly credited material in his thesis.

The committees report includes samples of 14 pieces of Spences published writing along with what is described as original source material. It also outlines testimony from a college investigator and TDSB communications officer Ryan Bird.

Spence did not appear at his hearing in October or the penalty hearing in December, citing health reasons. The fact there were only two witnesses angers supporters like Rob Davis, a former trustee with Torontos Catholic school board.

Did they hear any evidence from any students? No, Davis said in an email statement. Did they hear from any parents? No. Did they hear any evidence from any teachers? No. We think Chris needs a new hearing so the whole story can be told.

Davis is co-chair of the Spence Defense a community group thats crowdfunding to raise money to cover legal costs for the appeal.

His co-chair Bruce Davis, a former chair of the TDSB, called the colleges ruling disproportionate and said Spence has a lot of support in the community.

The colleges report described findings of investigator Adelia Da Silva, who examined the samples of writing published under Spences name and 22 sources from which he had allegedly lifted the material.

It also included testimony from Bird, who worked closely with Spence, including providing editorial and administrative support when the former education director was writing for publications such as the Star.

It was the final one of the four Star pieces published between 2010 and 2013 that first prompted accusations from a reader that led to Spences resignation, several investigations and subsequent disciplinary procedures.

According to the report, Bird, who declined to comment Thursday, said he had no reason to ask Spence about sources for his articles, given that he was a published author, with a doctorate and the top job at the board.

Of all the examples presented to the panel, those involving personal anecdotes were most disturbing, members said in the decision.

One was a piece published in the Star on Dec. 16, 2012, about the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in which Spence describes the pain of having to explain the tragedy to his 10-year-old. He was later accused of lifting that passage from a piece in St. Louis Today, and adapting it to his own sons name and age.

In using experiences of others, Spence demonstrated that he would have been aware that he was taking the words of another, and substituting his own personal details to adopt the experience as his own.

In doing so, the member engaged in the most egregious breach of trust to those who respected him and looked to him for personal insights and guidance.

In an interview with the Star earlier this year, Spence said he has owned up to his mistakes and taken responsibility for his actions and that he is filled with regret and remorse.

He said he was reeling after the news he was to lose his licence and had already paid a heavy price for his mistakes. He also said he thinks his public fall from grace could be an example to kids of how to get back up after being knocked down.

But the report found that revoking his teaching certificate was appropriate.

Spence betrayed the trust placed in him and lost sight of his moral responsibility as an educator and leader in the system, it concluded.

Spences case at U of T, which has dragged on as the result of procedural delays, is scheduled for April 18. Spence said last month he hired a new legal team to handle those proceedings, separate from those working on his appeal of the college decision.

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Editors' pick: Originally published March 2.

For Costco's (COST) millions of members in the U.S. and Canada, maintaining the privilege of shopping the warehouse retailer's no frills stores for discounted bulk food will cost a little more later this year.

On Thursday, the wholesale retailer said it would hike the price of its Goldstar membership by $5 per year to $60. Executive membership fees will increase by $10 to $120. The new fee increases will go into effect June 1, 2017, and will impact nearly 35 million members.

Anyone mildly associated with the Costco story should have seen this one coming from miles away.

While hesitant to come right out and say it would raise membership dues, Costco executives gave several strong signals last year that an increase loomed large. In late September, the company raised annual membership fees by 10% in Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Mexico and the U.K.

"We can't say anything or give any direction on it [U.S. and Canada fee increase] other than every five or six years, we have done something," Costco CFO Richard Galanti explained on a Sept. 29 conference call. "I think the exact fifth anniversary of the last increase would be this January, and the sixth anniversary will be the following January -- We haven't made any decisions yet, and we haven't talked about it a lot internally," Galanti added.

Jim Cramer sat down Wednesday with four market experts to talk about how to play the Trump tax plan. Click here to check out their recommendations.

Galanti told analysts in December the company would be "more likely to want to do" a fee increase if same-store were a "little weaker", but that no decision on a fee increase has been made. Well, with same-store sales softening in the most recent quarter and into February, it looks like Costco has decided the time is right to try and boost sales via more expensive membership dues.

Costco's last fee increase in the U.S. and Canada was 10%, which went into effect Nov. 1, 2011. At the time, Costco hadn't raised dues for about five years.

To be sure, Wall Street has been banking on Costco lifting its membership fees and seeing its bottom line get a badly needed jolt. Costco's stock has outperformed the S&P 500 by nearly double, or up 10.9%, year to date. During the same period, the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) dipped by 0.8%. Shares have hovered around an all-time high.

"Even though this positive news [membership fee increase] was outweighed by disappointing earnings results in the second quarter, nothing has changed in our stance toward this important development and we continue to expect it to contribute $0.30 to fiscal year earnings per share on a standalone basis," says Instinet analyst Jessica Schoen Mace.

The wildcard to any profit boost is whether customers now give up their Costco membership and head to rivals. Costco is now by a wide margin the most expensive warehouse club membership card to renew each year.

Walmart's (WMT) Sam's Club charges $100 for its rewards-based membership, and $45 for its basic membership. Becoming a member to BJ's Wholesale rewards program costs $100, with a basic membership of $50.

Updated from Mar. 2 with analyst details
Samsung (SSNLF) said Friday that multiple executives have now been formally indicted on allegations of embezzlement by South Korea's Special Prosecutor.

Vice chairmen Jay Y. Lee and company president Choong-Ki Chang were among those who were charged, Samsung said in a statement during European trading hours, along with three other executives, with prosecutors alleging embezzlement of 15.4 billion won ($13.3 million).

Lee, the heir-apparent to the Samsung empire, was taken into custody along with several others last month as prosecutors pushed ahead with an investigation of the cash-for-influence scandal that brought down now former President Park Geun-hye.

It has been alleged that Lee approved payments, from Samsung, to foundations that are believed to be connected to Geun-hye. It was further suggested that these payments were supposed to buy Samsung favours with the government.

The payments are believed to have related to a merger that took place between two Samsung companies in 2015, which was vociferously opposed by some investors who said that the deal undervalued the shares of the acquired subsidiary.

South Korea's former president Park Geun-hye was impeached on December 9 over allegations that she used presidential influence to curry donations for a foundation ran by Choi Tae-min.

Tae-min has since been arrested and placed on trial for offences including fraud. It has been alleged that she used her connections to South Korea's then president to pressure companies to make donations to her foundation.

Samsung suggested that the allegations could still change before either of the accused ever see a trial lawyer and said that it is monitoring the investigation.
The UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport Karen Bradley will publish a letter noting her concerns regarding the pending takeover of Sky by 21st Century Fox (FOX) on Friday, according to ITV News.

Bradley will ask Executive Co-Chairman of 21st Century Fox Rupert Murdoch for further evidence that Fox is the right owner of the pay-TV company.

The news today comes along with Murdoch asking EU antitrust regulators to approve the deal, a filing on the European Commission indicated on Friday.

The EU is expected to make its decision on the deal by April 7.

21st Century Fox reached a preliminary deal to acquire full control of Sky for 11.2 billion pounds ($14.1 billion) in December 2016.
Mexico is willing to renegotiate revisions to the North American Free Trade Agreement, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said on Friday at the Detroit Economic Club in Detroit.

Guajardo stated that Mexico is prepared to discuss potential changes in order to modernize the 23-year-old agreement with both the Trump administration and Canada.

Topics including labor and environmental standards are among those Guajardo is ready to renegotiate.

However, Mexico will not accept any tariffs passed by the U.S. regarding the exchange of goods across the border.

"It makes no sense to introduce an agreement with border restrictions or tariffs," he said.

How should investors play Trump's tax plan? Click here for a game plan from Jim Cramer and four of our top experts.
1. Yes. Taxpayers are funding its operation; they should have a voice in the naming process.

2. Yes. The city should operate with a spirit of inclusivity. Residents will be responsive.

3. No. Public input can be problematic; rejection of suggestions can be divisive for residents.

4. No. Residents elect council members to make decisions on their behalf. No input is needed.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether public input would be more of a benefit or a hindrance.

Vote

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Sunoco LP, together with its subsidiaries, distributes and retails motor fuels in the United States. It operates in two segments, Fuel Distribution and Marketing, and All Other. The Fuel Distribution and Marketing segment purchases motor fuel from independent refiners and oil companies and supplies it to independently operated dealer stations, distributors and other consumer of motor fuel, and partnership operated stations, as well as to commission agent locations. The All Other segment operates retail stores that offer motor fuel, merchandise, foodservice, and other services that include credit card processing, car washes, lottery, automated teller machines, money orders, prepaid phone cards, and wireless services. It also leases and subleases real estate properties; and operates terminal facilities on the Hawaiian Islands. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated 78 retail stores in Hawaii and New Jersey. Sunoco GP LLC serves as the general partner of the company. The company was formerly known as Susser Petroleum Partners LP and changed its name to Sunoco LP in October 2014. Sunoco LP was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
Today, March 3, 2017, Ukraine marks a national day of mourning for the miners who died in an explosion at the Stepova coalmine in Lviv region.

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has signed Decree No.52/2017 "On declaring the day of mourning in connection with tragic losses of miners as a result of the accident on March 2, 2017 at a separate subdivision of the Stepova coalmine of state-run Lvivvuhillia enterprise.

According to the document, on March 3, at midday, a minute's silence will be observed in memory of victims throughout Ukraine.

As earlier reported on March 2, at 12.46 p.m., a rock collapsed because of an explosion at the Stepova coalmine. A total of 172 miners were on shift, including 34 miners at a depth of 550 meters when the explosion ripped through the mine. According to the National Police, eight coalminers were killed, 21 were taken to a hospital.

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President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko had a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Sigmar Gabriel in Kyiv, the presidents press service reported on Thursday.

The parties discussed the escalation of the situation near Avdiivka caused by Russian militants shelling the area, reads a report posted on the presidents official website.

President Poroshenko noted the leading role of Germany in consolidation of European efforts in the issue of protection of Ukrainian sovereignty from Russian aggression, which is a precondition for restoration of stability in Europe.

The President of Ukraine emphasized the importance of preserving sanctions against Russia and their enhancement. The Head of State noted that new escalation of violence in Donbas provoked by the militants, recognition of documents issued in the so-called DPR and LPR, appropriation of Ukrainian enterprises are the additional evidence of Russian aggression against Ukraine. This requires the imposition of new instruments of sanctions by the EU, reads the report.

President Poroshenko also thanked Germany for the contribution to the adoption of recent decisions regarding the unblocking of the visa-free regime introduction for Ukrainians. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany assured of support for the prompt introduction of the visa-free regime.

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The Canadian opposition has called on the Government to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons for the defense against Russian aggression.

This has been stated by shadow Canadian Defense Minister James Bezan, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We expect that the Government of Canada will provide lethal weapons to Ukraine. <...> The Ukrainian Government applied with such request, and the Ukrainian people expect this help," Bezan said.

He stressed that such step would not be cheap for Canada, but it was extremely necessary. "This must be done in order to preserve peace and security and to maintain the prosperity of Ukraine, and we have already showed the intention to achieve this, supporting the free trade agreement," the minister said.

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The Government has instructed to establish a commission on security inspection of Ukrainian mines, appointing Vice-Prime Minister Volodymyr Kistion as the head of the commission.

Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said this at the Governments meeting, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"There is a proposal to form a commission to check safety rules of all Ukrainian mines. We offer Prime Minister Volodymyr Kistion to create a list of members needed for the commission," Groysman said.

According to the Prime Minister, Kistion will also head the commission.

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Ukraine is interested in launching projects on joint film production with Canada and intends to conclude relevant agreements.

Culture Minister of Ukraine Yevhen Nyshchuk told this to an Ukrinform correspondent following a meeting with Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage Graham Flack.

In the wake of the impetus given by film Bitter Harvest, we talked about preparations and signing of an agreement on joint film production. We have preliminary agreed that our media companies will start the work with Canadian productions, said Yevhen Nyshchuk.

According to him, mutual interest will allow accelerating the process of signing a corresponding agreement. "In line with a standard procedure, the developing of an agreement lasts for about 18 months, but we hope it will be possible to speed up it," the minister said.

A reminder that this week Minister of Culture Yevhen Nyshchuk is on a multi-day visit to Canada. In particular, he attended the Canadian premier of "Bitter Harvest" and held a range of meetings.

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It's no secret that the Ukrainian society has ambiguous attitude to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. Some people point out undue loyalty of monitors towards terrorists and not always comprehensive and objective assessment of the situation in eastern Ukraine amid Russian aggression. The role of Russian monitors as part of the OSCE SMM (39 Russians out of 1,143 monitors) also raises concerns.

Instead, the SMM has a clear mandate, which does not imply that the unarmed civilian observers should be a shield between the Russian terrorist forces and Ukrainian soldiers.

Former Swiss army officer, now a seasoned diplomat, Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Alexander Hug has dedicated much of his professional career to building up a dialogue between the parties to conflict.

Mr. Hug tells about the peculiarities of the Missions activity amid difficult conditions in eastern Ukraine in an exclusive interview with Ukrinform correspondent in Brussels.

THOSE THAT DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE VIOLATIONS OF MINSK AGREEMENTS WILL FIND THEY ARE NO LONGER PART OF PEACEFUL SOLUTION

- Mr. Hug how do you assess the effectiveness and objectiveness of OSCE SMM activities in such complex environment in eastern Ukraine?

- The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission is a source of impartial and objective information that delivers facts on a regular basis on what is happening on the ground. In this regard last year we have issued more than three hundred daily reports and several spot reports and conducted around twenty seven thousand patrols, on both sides of the contact line. While the SMM is ready to patrol anytime and anywhere, the sides refuse to grant safe, secure and unimpeded access to the Mission. As a result, we dont see everything and we dont hear everything. The restrictions are imposed on us on both sides of the contact line and are more aggressive, intrusive and intimidating in area that is not controlled by the Government. What we see is probably just the tip of the iceberg and that gives an indication of the reality that there is on the ground.

What we also do that is facilitating dialogue on the ground. And the most recent example is the dialogue that has been facilitated to enable the repair of infrastructure in the wider Avdiivka area. Where we have day and nights for over week try to get the sides to agree on localized ceasefire to enable the reconnection of electricity that would supply Avdiivka, the coke plant as well as the Donetsk water filtration station which deliver water to both sides of the contact line. And at the end twenty two thousands inhabitants of Avdiivka and some four hundred thousand people on both sides of the contact line have been benefitting from this dialogue. But we conduct also dialogue in the Trilateral contact group format as well elsewhere on the ground. And we invite everyone to participate in this dialogue. But we also expect everyone to participate in good faith in this dialogue and everyone generates the will to create agreements and to more importantly, implement agreements.

- Does the Mission face any pressure or aggressive actions on the ground from the sides of conflict?

- Yes, the OSCE SMM is facing movement restrictions and they are reflected every day in our reports. Just to give you an example in the period between from 13 to 19 February we have been subjected to 33 denials of access, 27 of which happening in areas which are not controlled by the Government. Sometimes these restrictions come in the form of the use of force and threat. And they also impede not just our staff, but also our use of technology. And one of such incident occurred last Friday, when our patrol was approached by armed men, who fired in their direction. They also took our UAV. All of that violence against our monitors is documented in our report and the most severe cases also generate spot reports. Such was the case last Friday, when we issued a specific report on that incident.

The problem is that the sides hardly every take action based on our reports. If they would address the Minsk violations we observe, including those that involve violence against our monitors, the situation would be much improved. Anyone who is serious about Minsk needs to demonstrate in their words and actions that they do not tolerate Minsk violations and that they would deal with violators. Those that are unable or unwilling to acknowledge or address violations of the Minsk agreements will find that they are no longer part of a peaceful solution.

NO ALTERNATIVE TO MINSK AGREEMENTS

- Last year at the European Parliament you said that some points of Minsk agreements were secret and it would be a reason that has created contradictory situations for OSCE monitors on the ground. How can you comment this problem today?

- Well, there are some public and some nonpublic parts of the agreements. We continue to monitor the situation on the ground. We will continue to observe the reality on the ground. It is for others then to make an assessment whether our observations still meet the agreements that have been reached between the sides.

- Russia and even some European politicians demand that Ukraine to fully implement a political part of Minsk agreements. How do you see the possibility to deliver it without implementation of Minsk 2 security arrangements?

Our reports provide an objective picture. This objective information should be used by the sides to make these important decisions. Its not for the SMM to make these decisions or assessments; its up to the sides to make them. The sides need to implement what they have signed. What is needed now is that the sides accept reality, accept that they violate Minsk, accept the objectivity of our reports. The denial of the truth will not lead anywhere. And they need to implement of course most and foremost the ceasefire which depends on the withdrawal of weapons and disengagement. As long as the implementation of all what has been agreed has not been achieved, it will be very difficult to say whether or not Minsk has been agreed in the end. The SMM will continue to support this process and provide objective information in this regard. We, the 57 OSCE participating States, the international community and most importantly Ukrainians on both sides of the contact line expect that the sides act upon our reports. Now.

- Following the previous question, would it be possible to hold now local elections at some territories of Donetsk and Lugansk regions under the OSCE standards?

- Well, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission I represent  the OSCE SMM  is mandated to monitor and report on the security situation and to facilitate dialogue, and does not monitor any election process. Political questions, such as elections, are discussed in the Trilateral contact group, and more precisely in its working group on political issues. And the SMM as such provides objective information on the security situation in eastern Ukraine, including in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, upon which others can draw conclusions and make decisions.

- Regarding the initiative of the OSCE armed mission deployment in Eastern Ukraine what is your opinion on it?

- It is important to know that the SMM is not steering this process. This is the process to be discussed in the Permanent council in Vienna where all 57 participating States need to reach consensus on a decision and then agree to implement such a decision. Unless such a decision is made, it will be difficult to assess what impact it has or whether it is visible not to implement because there has no decision been made in this regard. Currently the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission is an unarmed civilian observer mission, and it will stay so until the OSCE participating States decide otherwise.

- Do you believe that Minsk 2 agreements are possible to implement?

- Well, I believe there is no alternative at the moment, and therefore, yes, I believe they can be implemented because the sides have agreed to those. The SMMs task is to document whether they do so or not, but at the moment it should be clear to anyone that the conflict can only be solved through a dialogue. And the Minsk process provides different platforms of the dialogue, and the SMM contributes in facilitating dialogue. And once again, we invite everyone to participate in the dialogue that we facilitate, and that they participate in good faith, and that they generate the political will to create new agreements, and also generate political will to implement these agreements. Ultimately, the implementation of the Minsk agreements will depend on the level of political commitment and the amount of political capital invested into this process.

Andriy Lavreniuk, Brussels
NAIROBI, Kenya, 2 March 2017  The onset of a severe drought in 2016 has hit arid and semi-arid regions in Kenya, affecting over 2.7 million people. UNICEF is supporting the Government of Kenya in initiating and implementing emergency response efforts by delivering life-saving assistance to affected households, strengthening coordination activities, assisting in monitoring of vulnerable groups and in advocacy.



The hardest hit counties by the drought are Baringo, Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, and Wajir. The latest figures as of the end of February show that 2.7 million people are in need of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) assistance, 1.1 million children are food insecure, while over 100,000 children under 5 are in need of treatment for severe malnutrition. An additional 174,000 children are out of school as a direct result of the drought.



While making a call for international support, the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, recently declared the drought a national disaster. UNICEF is working alongside humanitarian partners such as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA), WHO, WFP, the Kenya Red Cross Societies and other Non-Governmental Organizations. As the sector lead for Nutrition, Education, Child Protection and WASH, UNICEF is scaling-up sectoral coordination and enhancing technical and financial support and life-saving supplies to government and implementing partners.



The Representative of UNICEF in Kenya, Werner Schultink says, Our efforts should not only alleviate the current suffering brought about by this emergency, but should also aim to build the resilience of families and the capacity of local governments to deal with future droughts and other calamities.



Through partnerships with key stakeholders, children in 23 arid and semi-arid land (ASAL) counties are continuing to benefit from nutrition preventative and treatment services, healthcare, WASH interventions, education and child protection services. By January of 2017, UNICEF had dispatched 12,000 cartons of essential Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods for the treatment of 12,000 severely- malnourished children.



In addition, to enable access to water, county governments across the country are being supported to rehabilitate broken down boreholes as households are provided with water purification commodities as well as soap and jerricans. So far over 90,000 children under 5 years, including breastfeeding mothers are receiving medical services as a result of medical supplies reaching health facilities in time.



UNICEF is committed to reaching all affected children and their families by supporting the scaling-up of Government-led response mechanisms to counter the diverse and devastating effects of the ongoing drought in Kenya.

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Get to know some of the most active and interesting volcanoes in the world: famous Mt. Etna on Sicily; Vulcano, in the Ancients'belief home to Vulcanus, God of Fire; Lipari with its spectacular obsidian and pumice deposits; and Stromboli, "Lighthouse of the Tyrrhenian Sea", known for its permanent fireworks!


A Donald Trump campaign sign remains atop a pile of gravel in Harrisburg, Penn, where Foxconn said in 2013 itd build a $30 million factory. It didnt happen, but more promises have returned. Foxconn is going to spend a tremendous amount of money on building a massive plant, Trump said, and probably more than one. (Mark Makela/For The Washington Post)

For some residents of this small city, there was something familiar about Foxconns recently announced plan to hire up to 50,000 U.S. workers, one of the many hiring pledges from companies rounded up by President Trump in the first weeks of his administration.

The only difference was the scale.

In 2013, Foxconns chairman sent a jolt through this state capital when he said his company  best known for making Apple iPhones in China  would invest $30 million and hire 500 workers for a new high-tech factory in central Pennsylvania.

Locals were giddy. Foxconn had a small office here, but this seemed like the start of an entire new industry. Pennsylvanias governor boasted about the deal. The Brookings Institution think tank hailed Foxconns decision as a sign of U.S. manufacturings strength.

But the factory was never built. The jobs never came. It just seemed to fade to black after the announcement, recalled a local official. It was the start of a mystery, created by a chief executive known to promise projects all over the world that never quite pan out. Yet few people seem to notice. Foxconn and others continue to get credit for deals that never take place. In December, Pennsylvanias economic development staff was still touting the $30 million factory that never was.

What happened in Harrisburg provides a skeptical lens for viewing the waves of corporate investment promises being used by Trump as evidence that he is following through on his campaign pledge to reinvigorate U.S. manufacturing. Im delivering on everything we promised, Trump said last month during a meeting with manufacturing executives at the White House, noting how firms have announced new hiring and factories. People are saying theyve never seen so much happen in 30 days of a presidency.

Foxconn, for example, announced shortly after Trumps election that it plans to invest $7 billion and hire up to 50,000 workers in the United States. Such a hiring spree would catapult Foxconn from a couple thousand U.S. workers to a major employer on par with Chrysler.

Other companies, too, including SoftBank, Alibaba, Intel and IBM, have made an unusual display of loudly announcing their intentions to invest in the United States  all with price tags in the billions of dollars and the promise of tens of thousands of jobs  much to Trumps delight.



David Black, head of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce said FoxConns earlier promise to build a plant created intense buzz in the town. (Mark Makela/For The Washington Post)

Foxconn is going to spend a tremendous amount of money on building a massive plant, Trump said the day after the investment was revealed, and probably more than one.

But, as Harrisburg learned, the gulf between these eye-popping announcements and what takes place on the ground can be huge  and frequently overlooked.

They are scrambling to look good, Mark Selden, senior research associate at Cornell Universitys East Asian program, said. Its a sign of the pressure that Trump is placing on everyone in the world to deliver on his agenda.

Companies tend to view these announcements as an opening bid in a negotiation, said Alberto Moel, a senior analyst with Bernstein Research in Hong Kong. Firms know politicians like the splashy headlines. And if everything falls into place  the business climate improves, they extract enough concessions such as tax breaks and free land  they might be able to make it happen.

It actually puts the onus on the U.S. in a way, Moel said. They are saying: Im along for the ride. Heres my proposal. 

If the deal falls apart, as it often does, no one is going to talk about it.

The government themselves arent going to remind you of that, Trump has no intention of helping you remember that, Moel said. Whats the downside?

Trump is far from alone in using corporate announcements as political backdrops. Its why ribbon-cuttings and ceremonial shovels exist.

In 2012, President Barack Obama visited a new $5 billion Intel computer chip plant in Chandler, Ariz., citing it as an example of an America that is within our reach. But the facility, known as Fab 42, was never completed. Last week, Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich stood in the Oval Office with Trump to announce a $7 billion investment  essentially, Fab 42 was back on track, with a new price tag and a new president. Trump tweeted his praise.

Even before he was sworn in, it was clear Trump placed greater importance on these job announcements than past administrations.

Among the first signs came in December when Tokyo-based SoftBanks chief executive, Masayoshi Son, stood with the president-elect to announce a plan to invest $50 billion and create 50,000 new U.S. jobs.

Two days after Trumps inauguration, Foxconn chief executive Terry Gou told reporters in Taiwan that his company planned to spend $7 billion on a U.S. factory to make computer displays. It wasnt iPhones  which Trump has said he wants to be Made in the USA  but Gou said the factory could create 30,000 to 50,000 U.S. jobs. Details were few, but one clue seized on was the presence of a Pennsylvania state trade representative at Gous talk.

Foxconn said in a statement that it is exploring a potential investment that would represent an expansion of our current U.S. operations. But the company could not confirm the number of jobs that might be created.

Foxconn is a coveted hardware manufacturer because of its size. Last year, it reported $136 billion in revenue. It has more than 1 million employees, mostly in China. A single factory making iPhones or LCD screens can employ tens of thousands of workers. When Foxconn says it will invest in a new plant, the decision can transform a region. Thats why countries all over the world are eager to lure Foxconn to their shores.

Gou, Foxconns founder, for years has described the United States as a must-go market.

In 2014, as the Pennsylvania deal was quietly dying, Gou teased the opening of a LCD display factory in the states. His company talked with officials in Colorado and Arizona. Nothing happened.

That same year, the company signed a letter of intent to invest up to $1 billion in Indonesia. That investment still has not occurred.

Foxconn said it would invest $5 billion over five years in India as part of an ambitious expansion in 2014. The deal would create up to 50,000 jobs, Gou said. But Foxconns investment in India has amounted to only a small fraction of what it originally promised.

Similar results were seen in Vietnam, where Foxconn committed to a $5 billion investment in 2007, and in Brazil, where Foxconn spoke of a $10 billion plan in 2011. The company made its first major foray in Vietnam only last year. In Brazil, Foxconn has an iPhone factory, but its investment has fallen far short of expectations.

Theres a pattern here, said Moel, the analyst.

Gous plans for Harrisburg were revealed in 2013 while he was in the United States on a tour with other Taiwanese business officials to, in part, drum up support for Taiwans bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, known as TPP. (Coincidentally, Trump pulled the United States out of the trade treaty in his first days in office.)

It was a surprise when Gou said Foxconn planned to invest $30 million over two years in a factory to make technology equipment and servers. Gou noted his companys history in Harrisburg. He said the goal was to create high-precision, high-tech, high value-added manufacturing in the U.S.

Gou also said Foxconn would donate $10 million to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for robotics research.

IPhone maker Foxconn to invest $40 million in the US, wrote the China Post. Foxconn to build plant in Pennsylvania, CNN said. Local media quoted state officials as saying Gou would sign a memorandum of understanding and the company was busy scouting sites.

There was this intense buzz, recalled David Black, president of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber.

Lots of us were excited by the opportunity, said Bub Manning, who at the time co-owned a local construction firm. Anytime something of that size comes along in central Pennsylvania, thats a big deal.



In 2013, Foxconns chairman sent a jolt through this state capital when he said his company  best known for making Apple iPhones in China  would invest $30 million and hire 500 workers for a new high-tech factory in central Pennsylvania. (Mark Makela/For The Washington Post)

For years, Foxconn has maintained an office with about 50 workers in Harrisburg, a hub of the computer connector industry. The office is in an old brick warehouse. On a recent visit, the building was filled by a half-empty warren of cubicles. A worker declined to comment to a reporter with The Washington Post. According to local government officials, Foxconn has not done any permitted alterations to the building in 15 years.

Manning recalled how his firm tried to chase down information about the planned $30 million factory.

It felt like I was grabbing Jell-O. It never got any traction, Manning said.

The $30 million factory faded from view.

Foxconn said its $10 million donation to Carnegie Mellon was moving forward very successfully, with half of the funds having been spent four years later. The school declined to comment.

None of this has stopped the praise for Foxconns investment in Pennsylvania. Recent stories have referred to the phantom factory as a sign of Foxconns U.S. beachhead. A state economic development official wrote about Foxconns $30 million factory as evidence of foreign companies that operate in the Keystone State. (The piece was fixed after The Washington Post inquired about it.)

State officials toured potential sites with Foxconn representatives, the state Department of Community and Economic Development said in a statement. Unfortunately, a project did not come to fruition. Foxconn attributed the failure to material changes to the business and operating climate at that time.

The proof is always in the pudding, said Scott Andes, a senior policy analyst at Brookings.

The assumption is that companies follow through on major announcements. But it is important to be skeptical, Andes said. I would hope its not just smoke and mirrors with Foxconn or any other of these companies.

Feeling burned by the fate of the $30 million factory, some in Harrisburg are cautious about getting their hopes up again.

We learned something from that, said Black of the Harrisburg chamber.

But, Manning said, it would be hard to not be seduced by the size of Foxconns ambition, real or not.

If you smelled a project like that, he said, youd get excited even though you know better.

Read more:

What happened when a pro-Trump county discovered it was a sanctuary city

If Trump wants pipes built in America, what does that mean?

The unanswered question in Trumps announcement of a $7 billion Intel investment
Online review site Yelp said it would collect information from customers and business owners to add a Gender Neutral Restrooms category to its listings. ( Jim Young / Reuters/Reuters)

TECHNOLOGY

Yelp search helps find neutral bathrooms

Online review site Yelp is wading into the national debate over transgender bathroom access with a new feature that will enable consumers to search for businesses offering gender-neutral restrooms.

In a blog post Friday, Yelp said it would collect information from customers and business owners to add a Gender Neutral Restrooms category to its listings. Yelp defines such restrooms as locking, single-stall toilet facilities accessible to people of any gender.

At Yelp we thrive on inclusion and acceptance, the blog post said. The new feature will be phased in over several weeks.

Rachel Williams, Yelps head of diversity, said the initiative marked the first time during her tenure that the company had sought to integrate a social issue into its website and app.

The hope is that this feature gets business owners thinking about how theyre presenting themselves  who theyre supporting and why, Williams said. Maybe it will start some conversations.

She said the idea for the feature came from employees in Yelps products section who were incensed by efforts in some parts of the United States to curtail transgender peoples civil rights.

 Associated Press

MARKETS

$24 million earned by school from Snap IPO

A private Catholic high school in Silicon Valley that made $24 million from an initial public offering of shares in Snap will use the windfall for financial aid, professional development, teacher training and school programs, the schools president said Friday.

The board of St. Francis High School in Mountain View, Calif., agreed to invest $15,000 in seed money in Snap in 2012 based on a recommendation of a venture capitalist who is also a parent of a student.

Thats when the company was just getting started. Snap is the company behind the Snapchat photo and video messaging application.

The school held onto the investment until this week, when Snap shares sold for $17 each in an IPO. St. Francis sold 1.4 million shares at that price, generating a gain of about $24 million.

The stock had soared to $27 a share by Fridays closing bell.

 Associated Press

Also in Business

 From news services
More than half of all young workers worry about repaying their student debt, according to a survey by American Student Assistance. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Your children want to go to college, and youll do whatever it takes to get them the education you believe is a prerequisite for prosperity.

But how far would you go to help fund their education?

Would you risk your retirement? Or your good credit name?

By May 1, high school seniors nationwide will have to decide where they want to attend college in the fall and send in their deposit. Not long after, theyll be hit with the first full bill for their education. And many will need their parents to co-sign on a private student loan.

Students can borrow from the federal government on their own, without even having to get a credit check. But if that borrowing comes up short  and it will for lots of young adults  theres the private student loan market, which does look at credit history. This means that many of these new borrowers will need a co-signer. Cue the parents and their good credit name.

But a new survey shows that many parents dont fully understand the consequences.

LendEDU, an online marketplace for student loans and refinancing, conducted a survey of 500 parents who have co-signed on their childrens private student loans.

[The psychological cost of student debt]

We wanted to find out how many co-signers are actually feeling the impact of co-signing, said LendEDUs Nate Matherson, co-founder and chief executive. Our survey showed that a significant number of parents are, in fact, hurting financially as a result of acting as a co-signer.

Here are some highlights of what the survey found:

 Nearly 57 percent of parents said their credit score has been negatively affected.

When you co-sign, your good credit score can become vulnerable. If the primary borrower makes a late payment, that negative action dings your credit history, too. Its just as if you made the late payment, because the loan is yours, too. More than a third of parents surveyed by LendEDU said their children have been late on a payment.

Your credit score can also be negatively affected because youve increased the amount of debt you owe. Keep in mind that when you co-sign, you are equally and fully responsible for the debt. Lets say youve co-signed for $50,000 worth of student loans. That counts toward your total debt figure when you apply for a loan.

 Fifty-eight percent of co-signing parents said their children have asked them for help making monthly payments. Imagine the financial pressure youd feel to give them money, especially considering that if you didnt, they would be late or miss a loan payment, which would again blemish your credit profile, too.

 Thirty-four percent of parents told LendEDU that co-signing has hurt their ability to qualify for their own mortgages, auto loans or other types of financing.

Fifty-one percent said the loans have jeopardized their retirement savings. If youve got to bail your child out, that might mean diverting money that you need for your nest egg or making early withdrawals from your retirement savings to help pay the loans when your kid cant.

When parents were asked whether they understood the risks of co-signing, 33 percent admitted they didnt.

More than a third (35 percent) of parents said they regretted making their decision to co-sign.

[The disturbing trend of people losing Social Security benefits to student debt]

Matherson estimates that there is $120 billion in co-signed private student loans in the United States. Each year, about 1.4 million students borrow using such loans, he said. And about 90 percent of the loans are co-signed.

Interestingly, LendEDU polled college students asking whether they thought their student loans would be forgiven. Nearly half thought they would qualify for the federal student-loan forgiveness programs after graduation. But the truth is that many wont. Even if they do, they still have to make 120 on-time payments. (Payments have to be made no later than 15 days after the due date.)

More than half of all young workers worry about repaying their student debt, according to a separate survey by American Student Assistance.

Sixty-one percent of the young adult borrowers said they have considered getting a second job to help pay off their student loans. Fifty-four percent said they would put off saving for retirement until after theyve paid off their loans.

If youre a parent considering co-signing, the results of these two surveys should give you serious pause. And if you decide to co-sign anyway, understand that theres a great likelihood that the student debt your child accumulates will affect your own financial situation. Make sure you can afford the payments.

Read more:

Two-thirds of Americans arent using this easy way to save for retirement

What to do if youre falling behind on your private student loans

If these Girl Scouts can work out a budget, you can, too

Write Singletary at The Washington Post, 1301 K St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071 or singletarym@washpost.com. To read more, go to http://wapo.st/michelle-singletary.
This app, which is made by a company that spun out of Discovery Communications, takes the joy of learning and distills it into a form that can suit even the busiest person.

If your goal is to learn one new thing a day, this app will probably put you at least four or five things ahead thanks to a daily digest of curated and interesting facts on everything from ancient Egypt to the far reaches of space.

If you find something particularly interesting, you can like it, which helps the app figure out what subjects interest you. If you really like what you read, you can also share facts to social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Users will need an account to use Curiosity. In addition to its daily digest, the app offers facts on a variety of subjects from anatomy to technology.

You can find information on a variety of areas that may strike your fancy  or perhaps try your hand at something new.

Free, for iOS and Android devices.
Special agent Dana Scully would never pick up a copy of We: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere. Indeed, it seems surprising that Gillian Anderson, who played Scully on The X-Files, would write this quasi self-help book aimed at guiding women on a path of self-discovery and spiritual awakening. But despite specializing in strong, complicated women on stage and screen, the 48-year-old mother of three says she has felt fragile at times.

There were maybe two or three points in my life where I have felt like the decisions that I was making werent good, she said in a phone interview from London. In a way, I was my own worst enemy.

We: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere, by Gillian Anderson, Jennifer Nadel (Atria) (Atria)

Whether it was the pressure of the intense production schedule for The X Files, self-doubt about her appearance during a photo shoot or the worries of motherhood, Anderson said she suffered  and still suffers  from episodes she calls light depression. At these times, she said, I thought, theres got to be another way of doing things.

We: A Manifesto offers another way. In fact, it offers several. The book lays out about a dozen principles and practices that women should follow  such as being grateful for what they have rather than focusing on the negative  to live happier, more productive lives.

Anderson and her co-author, British journalist Jennifer Nadel, spoke about how the book came to be and why its especially important now.

(This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Q: Why did you decide to write this book now?

Anderson: I started paying attention to articles talking about the statistics of self-harm and depression in women, and women talking about societal pressures to behave in certain ways and the impact that was having on their lives. I started thinking of a book that might address that. Jennifer and I have known each other for about a decade, and she said she was thinking about the same things.

Q: Were you thinking of your own daughter when you were writing this book?

Anderson: Im sure I was, but I also feel like I was as much talking to my younger self. Not that I dont need to hear everything that is in this book now. This book hopefully will be resonant for women of all ages. And we dont consider ourselves to be experts on any of this. Im still struggling on a daily basis on decisions I make and the way I react to things and the choices that I make. I make mistakes all the time and have to reassess and apologize, so its not us standing on a soapbox. Its just saying: These principles are out there, theyre universal, and we can start to do things differently.

[The X-Files Dana Scully conquered GIFdom, one eye-roll at a time]

Q: The word manifesto makes this an ambitious title.

Nadel: Manifesto is a word that we are seeking to reclaim. Its often thought of in a very masculine way. This is not just a self-help book. Its also a book about how were all living today, so the word manifesto is unashamedly there. Two years ago, people were very unsure about the word, and we had a lot of long conversations with publishers about it. It was Gillian who completely stuck to her guns and said, Thats what the books called. And then Brexit happened in England, and Trump was elected in the States. No ones saying, Why do we need a manifesto? anymore.

Q: Politics isnt usually discussed in this kind of book.

Nadel: Were living in a me culture, but spirituality for me isnt just about trying to make my life better and gaining my own inner peace. Its about trying to bring those same qualities into the world. One of the lies that were all fed is that what each of us do individually in our lives doesnt have an impact on anyone else. But we are connected, and what we do on one side of the world has an impact on women in another.

Anderson: There are various charities I do work for, and its very easy in taking a platform and speaking out to feel that I have an answer. Part of this work is about acknowledging that one doesnt always know whats best for other people, even though it may feel courageous when theres a bit of righteous indignation in there.

Q: Why address this book just to women?

Nadel: Men could gain from these principles, no question. But its women who are most adversely affected by the current way we do things. Globally, women do 75 percent of the work, receive 10 percent of the pay and earn 1 percent of the property. I think women are a good place to start.

Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully and David Duchovny as Fox Mulder in "The X-Files." (Ed Araquel)

Q: Gillian, I know youve been a strong advocate for equal pay for women in Hollywood.

Anderson: Yes. I started to become vocal about it because of my own experience working in the industry and being offered less than 50 percent of what a co-worker was, first in the original X Files series, then in the reboot. I decided to speak out.

Q: Do you see the acting roles you choose linked to your feminism?

Anderson: I recognize that I have a tendency toward certain types of characters. A good handful of the characters I have played are quite damaged. I dont necessarily know if all of those would be considered to be feminists. I do recognize that there is part of me that is attracted to very complex real and recognizable and sometimes powerful female characters.

Q: Do you like the idea of the Scully Effect, which credits the character with prompting more young women to go into the sciences or law enforcement?

Anderson: Yes! Absolutely. Its an extraordinary thing. But much of that has to do with the character that was created by Chris Carter. Its wonderful to be associated with, but its much more to do with the character that was written than necessarily anything I did.

Q: Are The X-Files gone forever?

Anderson: Probably not.

Q: News stories in the U.K., where some feel its high time that Dr. Who is a woman, say that woman could be you.

Anderson: That is not correct. It may need to be a woman, but its not going be to this woman, Im afraid.

Q: Do you have anything in the works?

Anderson: Not to be discussed here. But thanks for asking.

Carole Burns is the author of The Missing Woman and Other Stories, which won the John C. Zacharis Award from the journal Ploughshares.
Gustav Metzger, the founder of the auto-destructive art movement, whose politically motivated creations were designed to mock modern society by disintegrating over time and whose ideas inspired guitar-smashing rock musician Pete Townshend, died March 1 in London. He was 90.

His death was first reported in the Guardian newspaper. Other details were not immediately available.

Mr. Metzger developed his concept of auto-destructive art in 1959, defining it as art which triggers its own destruction. He saw it as an outgrowth of the absurdist dada movement of the 1920s, but it was also a response to the painful circumstances of his own life.

He left his native Germany as a boy and grew up in England, but his parents stayed behind and died in the Holocaust. He later described his nationality as stateless or as escaped Jew.

For Mr. Metzger, art became an instrument to strike back at authoritarianism, nuclear weapons, commercialism and modern media.

Mr. Metzger, surrounded by students, in 2015. (Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Serpentine Galleries)

When I saw the Nazis march, I saw machine-like people and the power of the Nazi state, he told the Guardian in 2012. Auto-

destructive art is to do with rejecting power.

Mr. Metzger discovered his ideal medium for auto-destructive art with a form of action painting. Wearing a gas mask and protective goggles, he gave a dramatic demonstration of his work in the 1960s, spraying hydrochloric acid on nylon, which melted, curled and shredded into tatters. He executed the work at an outdoor site in London, revealing St. Pauls Cathedral in the distance through acid-burned holes.

Auto-destructive art was never merely destructive, he said in 2012. Destroy a canvas, and you create shapes.

Sometimes reclusive and sometimes a public provocateur, Mr. Metzger wrote artistic manifestos and expounded on his notions at art schools. In 1962, Townshend  who later became the creative force behind the rock band the Who  was a young art student who attended one of Mr. Metzgers lectures.

He had a profound effect on me, Townshend told the Guardian in 1998. I took it as an excuse to smash my new Rickenbacker [guitar] that I had just [hocked] myself to the eyebrows to buy. I really believed it was my responsibility to start a rock band that would only last three months, an auto-destructive rock group. The Who would have been the first punk band except that we had a hit.

Mr. Metzger made another contribution to rock history when he was credited with inventing the psychedelic light show. In 1964, he began to experiment with placing liquid crystals between glass slides. By heating and cooling the crystals, he could produce vivid, randomly changing colors, which he then projected onto walls. The Who and another influential 1960s British rock band, Cream, soon asked Mr. Metzger to provide lighting effects at their performances.

Never one to settle on a single form of expression for long, Mr. Metzger organized a month-long London symposium in 1966 called Destruction in Art. The idea was to show audiences the destructive forces at work in society.

Mr. Metzger and students before his installation of newspaper art in 2015. (Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Serpentine Galleries)

One of the artists at the symposium was Yoko Ono, before she was married to Beatle John Lennon. She presented a work of conceptual art known as Cut Piece, in which she sat on a stage while audience members used scissors to snip off pieces of her clothing until she was almost nude.

Another artist burned a stack of books in front of the British Museum. After a third artist dismembered animal carcasses and bathed in their blood, Mr. Metzger and other organizers of the forum were arrested for obscenity.

Metzger wasnt interested in the ruins or the beautiful aftermath, Washington Post art critic Philip Kennicott wrote in 2013. Rather, he was seeking ways to enact or represent destruction, driven by the age-old idea that art should somehow reflect society.

One artist strongly influenced by Mr. Metzgers notion that art should be confrontational and emotionally difficult was Damien Hirst. Among other works, the British artist has shocked viewers by sealing dead sheep in large tanks of formaldehyde.

Mr. Metzger was an admirer of Hirsts work.

Very interesting, those little sheep, he said.

Gustav Metzger was born April 10, 1926, in Nuremberg, Germany. In 1939, he and a brother were sent to Britain as part of a program to rescue Jewish children in Nazi-controlled countries.

He studied art in England and Belgium and worked as a furniture maker, carpenter and junk dealer before embarking on a career as an artist. His early abstract paintings were seldom shown in public until he was in his 80s.

In 1960, Mr. Metzger helped organize the Committee of 100, a British antinuclear group. He was arrested, along with philosopher Bertrand Russell, for leading a sit-in of thousands of people outside Britains Defense Ministry.

An avowed Marxist, Mr. Metzger often spoke out against the commercial art world and, as a form of protest, refused to make, sell or exhibit any art between 1977 and 1980.

The need to create is inherent in human beings, he said. We need not fear that art will fade away if the current commercial system was phased out.

He spent much of the 1980s living on the European continent, studying the works of 17th-century Dutch painter Jan Vermeer and largely disappearing from public view. Little is known of his personal life, but he appears to have had no immediate survivors.

After returning to England in the 1990s, he had a more visible presence in the art world and had a wide-ranging series of exhibitions in recent years. Viewers rediscovered his liquid-crystal lighting experiments of the 1960s. He attached electrodes to his skull, using biofeedback to direct a drill sculpting a stone. He created installations with stacks of newspapers, then invited museum-goers to clip articles and pin them to a bulletin board.

Later exhibitions included archival photographs of the Holocaust and other horrors, displayed in ways that forced viewers to crawl on the floor or that confined them in small spaces.

The world and its fears and its dangers, Mr. Metzger told the New York Times in 2013, it is every day within me, at the core of my being.

Many young artists considered Mr. Metzger a visionary, but not everyone was impressed with his work. In 2004, one of his art installations at a Tate museum in London consisted, in part, of a bag of garbage.

One evening, a janitor tossed it out with the trash.
1 of 20 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  See inside the much-hyped Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the Hirshhorn View Photos Free timed passes to the exhibition are being snatched up within minutes of being released. Caption Free timed passes to the exhibition are being snatched up within minutes of being released. A giant polka dot ribbon circles the Hirshhorn Museum for Yayoi Kusama: Infinite Mirrors, which runs until May 14. Bill OLeary/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden spent two years preparing to give visitors about 20 seconds of wow.

Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors invites visitors to consider their place in the universe by immersing themselves in the Japanese artists whimsical and ethereal installations.

The ephemeral nature of the exhibitions mirror rooms  the enclosures that seem simultaneously cosmological and kitschy  belies the painstakingly detailed work required to host it. From constructing the conceptual artworks to controlling the crowds, the Smithsonians modern and contemporary art museum has stretched its staff and budget for the exhibitions 12-week run.

The Kusama show is the culmination of two years of hard work that has not been visible, said Hirshhorn director Melissa Chiu.



Visitors wander the exhibits for "Yayoi Kusama: Infinite Mirrors." (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

A visitor pokes her op-art smartphone into the window of "Infinity Mirrored Room-Love Forever." (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

The Hirshhorn hired staff, recruited and trained volunteers, and purchased dozens of roped stanchions to corral the crowds. The museum introduced timed passes to control anticipated crowds, brought Dolcezza Gelatto and Coffee to its courtyard for refreshments and offered audio guides for the show, which runs through May 14.

A great deal of our thinking was about the orchestration of the visitor through the building, Chiu said. Whats the optimal engagement with this exhibition, how can we make it meaningful and compelling?

Despite the planning, opening weekend was chaotic. Even with timed passes, hundreds of visitors waited hours to get into the gallery during its first weekend; many complained they had only a few seconds to experience the rooms and often were forced to enter with strangers. There was more waiting than experiencing, they said.

[Lines for the Kusama exhibit at the Hirshhorn appear infinite]

Hirshhorn officials are trying to adapt, and they expect these early difficulties to be resolved. It is a demanding show to execute on, Chiu said. This is a learning experience for us.



Lynley Ogilvie puts up stickers in the Obliteration Room at the Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors exhibit. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

A communal experience

The exhibitions centerpieces are the six mirror rooms and the Obliteration Room, installations that are immersive and participatory. Each room comes with an instructional manual that explains the technology required  from glass mirrors to LED lights  to create these alternate realities. The Hirshhorns crew of 15 installers worked for six weeks on the show, about three times the normal installation period.

[An exhibition of the beloved Kusama with everything but the artist herself]

Art installer Larissa Raddell began collecting items last fall for the all-white Obliteration Room, the exhibitions final installation. Working with associate curator Mika Yoshitake, Raddell selected hundreds of items required to create the domestic space at the foundation of the piece. Visitors are given a sheet of adhesive dots, which they apply to the white surface, obliterating the sameness with bursts of red, pink, orange and green. The museum printed 750,000 polka dots for the piece.

(Erin Patrick O'Connor/The Washington Post)

This creates a kind of communal experience, Yoshitake said. Its about transformation, about revelation.

Along with furniture and housewares donated by Ikea in College Park, Md., Raddell sought pieces from the Hirshhorn staff to fill the space. They responded with everything from books and DVDs to a piano and a globe. Everything was primed, painted the same white  even the white dishes and white couch were repainted  before being arranged and secured in place. Every surface  from the walls to the orchid blooms  must accept the adhesive dots.

I spent a lot of time looking at my apartment, at my friends apartments, Raddell said. The goal is to be universal but also specific.



Detail of an installation called the Obliteration Room, by Yayoi Kusama, which is an all-white living room that visitors are invited to adorn with multicolored dots (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

An interactive installation

Hirshhorn officials decided that timed passes  free and available online every Monday at noon  would maintain a steady flow of visitors through the exhibition. Unlike most museum shows, in which guests merely view what is on display, the Kusama installations are interactive. Deputy Director Elizabeth Duggal said more staff and better signs will be on hand outside, where lines will be better marked.



Hilary Raftovich and her son, Hugo Raftovich, 9, take in Dots Obsession-Love Transformed into Dots. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

Since visitors are staying longer than anticipated, the museum will release fewer passes for the coming weeks. They also will increase the number of same-day passes available starting at 10 a.m., from 20 percent to 35 percent of the days allotment. They also suspended sales of memberships, which allow holders entry at any time.

[How to get a ticket to the exhibit]

Its a really delicate balance, Duggal said. Its not just about getting into the exhibition, its about once youre in there and having those wonderful personal experiences with the art.



Volunteers experience the installation Infinity Mirrored Room  All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins as the Hirshhorn museum trains staff and volunteers on crowd issues. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

Another important addition is the recruitment of 100 volunteers to work with the crowds. Most exhibitions require two to four volunteers in the galleries; the Hirshhorn is scheduling 25 to 30 for the Kusama run. Their training included a seminar on interacting with visitors, role-playing scenarios that might occur in the gallery, and learning about Kusamas art and its place in art history.

Its fun and playful, but it makes you question your mortality, said Mariah Cianelli, a D.C. resident.

Kandra James works in sales but volunteered because she wanted to be part of the dynamic show. When you see this body of work, and her unselfish way of living life, it almost makes the noise thats going on politically, it silences it a little, she said.
3

Arthur A. Allen/Cornell Lab of Ornitholoy

Sightings of this large bird are so rare, it may already be extinct. Scientists have debated whether low-quality videos taken in years ago show this bird, which historically lives in forests and swamps in the Southeastern United States. What is it?


West African Peanut Soup: A 40-minute wonder. (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post)

Were back to seasonal temps in the Washington area. Wouldnt it be nice to fill your house with warm and tempting smells the next few days? Cold-weather foods dont have to take hours, as these options from our Recipe Finder prove. Make them for your family, take some to a friend or tuck into a bowlful tomorrow night and freeze the rest of the batch. Weve boldfaced how long each one takes, so you can figure a way to work a few into your schedule.

Guaranteed to perk up even a frozen waffle, Coffee Maple Syrup takes 10 minutes and two ingredients. Its a boon for those who love coffee as well as for folks who cant handle its bitterness. In less than 20 minutes, you can make Nancy Baggetts Easy Meal-in-a-Bowl Pesto, Pasta and Bean Soup, which is pantry-friendly, one-pot and packs a lot of flavor.



(Goran Kosanovic/For The Washington Post)

Potatoes, green chutney, crunchy vegetables and a panini press turn grilled cheese into Mumbai Sandwiches  25 minutes start to finish.

With 40 minutes and a stick blender, vegan and gluten-free West African Peanut Soup (pictured at top) comes together in a single pot as well.



(Renee Comet/For The Washington Post)

Meats and Foods Chili calls for minimal hands-on time during its 90 minutes of cooking time, and is not tomato-based. The balance of spice and level of slow-burning heat will surprise you.

And remember: If times a primary factor in your meal-making decisions, you can search the Recipe Finder with Dinner in XX Minutes  the X factor being the number youre going for.

Top recipes of the week

We see the makings of a menu in readers most-viewed online recipes:



(Deb Lindsey/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST)

1. Slow-Cooker Garlicky Shrimp. They are poached in oil for just about 10 minutes, and come out perfect.

2. Baked Garlicky Parmesan Chicken. Aromatherapy is just one benefit of Sara Moultons #SundaySupper dish.

3. Tex Mex Frito Slab Pie. All the flavors of what goes in the bag, in crowd-friendly form. From Cathy Barrows Bring It! column.

4. Classic Cannoli Alla Siciliana. Impressive, and easier than you think; Domenica Marchetti shares her mothers secrets to a superior shell.

5. Sherleys Parmesan Puffs. Retro and cheap to make. Folks gobble them up.
Pablo Larrain may have just set a world record. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 40-year-old Chilean filmmaker is the first director to have three narrative features open in the United States in a calendar year.

First came last Februarys Golden Globe-nominated drama The Club, about a group of disgraced Catholic priests exiled to a remote group house for sexual abuse. That was followed up during awards season by a pair of unorthodox biopics that disrupted the conventional thinking about two iconic subjects: the triple-Oscar-nominated Jackie, about Jackie Kennedy, and Neruda, about the Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda. (Neruda is only now finding its way into D.C. theaters.)



Director Pablo Larrain. (Credit: Diego Araya)

Set in 1948, after the Chilean writer and Communist politician had gone into hiding to avoid arrest by the rightist government, the film plays out as a sometimes surreal cat-and-mouse game between a fictional police pursuer (Gael Garcia Bernal) and a playful Neruda (Luis Gnecco).

The hard-working Larrain, who burst onto the scene in 2012 with the Oscar-nominated No, caught his breath during a call from New York the day before President Trumps inauguration.

Q: 2016 was a busy year for you: The Club, Jackie and then Neruda. That sounds exhausting.

A: Dont tell me, man, I know it is. Im recovered now. They are very different, each one of them. That, I guess, is the joy.

Q: How did this happen?

A: After No, the next movie was going to be Neruda. Then my brother [Juan de Dios Larrain], who is my longtime producer and collaborator, told me we cannot make Neruda now. We had to push it back six months, and thats when we decided to make The Club in the meantime, which was this low-budget movie that we shot in two weeks, and we wrote really quickly. It went to the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival, and thats where I met [filmmaker and producer] Darren Aronofsky, who was the head of the jury. He invited me later to make Jackie. Basically, it was The Club, and then right after that, we shot Neruda. When we finished shooting Neruda, we went into production of Jackie. The movies were made back-to-back.



Luis Gnecco plays poet and fugitive politician Pablo Neruda in "Neruda." (Credit: The Orchard)

Q: Jackie shares its theme of mythmaking and slippery identity with Neruda, in which the central character is shown wearing masks and disguises during his time on the run. What is it about the question of a public vs. private persona that interests you?

A: Ive been fascinated, over the years, by seeing how people  not everyone, but some people, and particularly some of the legends of the 20th century  have been able to craft their own mythology. Jackie and Neruda are examples of that. What Neruda is doing in the movie is creating his own legend for political purposes. He is writing the book [Canto General] that probably won him the Nobel Prize. He was struggling to understand how he could create a work that would have not just poetic, but political value. His words would become the words of other people, who would use them to protect and defend an ideology. That combination of politics and poetry is essential to the movie.

Q: Theres a great line in the film, when Neruda is fleeing over the mountains to Argentina, and hes abetted in his escape by a wealthy landowner. The cop chasing him says, The millionaire is always smarter than the law of the nation. When I heard that, I couldnt help thinking 

A: (Laughing) You were thinking about tomorrow [Inauguration Day]?

Q: You read my mind. What does the line mean?

A: I think its applicable to what happened back then and to what is happening nowadays, in many, many countries. The issue is that money can be stronger than ideas. Its the kind of thing that you say in a movie that is sharp enough to act as a joke for some people and to act as a political statement for others. For some people, its both. But, yeah, its a tricky line thats about a real danger. The most powerful humor is always truth.

Q: Neruda has another great line: To write, one must learn how to erase. Where does that come from?

A: You know where I got that? Its not in the script, actually. Its something I read in school in a Spanish book, in an interview with Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I learned that, not just as a writer, but as a filmmaker. When you work, you have to be able to trim, to edit, to take things that dont work out. Luis [Gnecco] and I talked about it, and I asked him to say that line. Its so true. Its so hard to be able to learn how to erase, to get rid of things, to keep only what is essential.



Natalie Portman was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Jackie Kennedy in Jackie. (Photo by Stephanie Branchu/Fox Searchlight)

Q: Youve described both Jackie and Neruda as anti-biopics, for their unconventional approach to biography. How are they different?

A: Im not much of a fan of the biopic. I dont think you can actually capture someones life and put it into a movie. . . . If theres a link between them, they are both about someone who is trying to craft a legend. The difference is that Neruda is doing it in order to make his voice stronger, because that voice was going to protect the people he wanted to protect. In Jackie, which takes place right after her husbands assassination, shes trying to protect his legend. They both share the idea that in between the intention to craft a legacy and the result, there is always a gap. In that gap, you can use the tools of fiction to enter their heads.

Q: Jackie is an icon here in the States. What is Nerudas stature in Chile?

A: His stature is enormous  in the Spanish language. That includes all of Latin America and Spain. After making the movie, I realized something specifically about Chile: Like any other country, Chile has been described by historians and journalists, but I believe we can best understand who we are through our poets, specifically Neruda.

Q: Americans arent really into poetry. How much of an audience is there in Chile for poetry?

A: It has evolved in a different direction. We in Chile have a way of thinking and talking that is very particular. The way we speak our Spanish is through metaphor. Ask anybody from Latin America about the way we talk, and its not only the way we pronounce our words  which is very odd and particular  but also the way we think. Im sure people are reading less poetry than before, but Im also sure that the way we think has been shaped by poetry. Its in our bloodstream.

Q: Youve described the film as Nerudian. What does that mean?

A: Neruda is a guy that, if you put your hands together and you try to hold him and drink him, like water, you can do it, but it will drain out. You will lose the water, but your hands will stay wet. Thats what I mean by saying the movie is Nerudian. We sort of absorbed and swallowed his entire work and life, and we sweated out this film. Neruda was not just a politician and writer, but a great cook, an expert on wine, a diplomat, a world traveler, a great collector. He had multiple relationships with women over his life. He lived in many, many countries, and spoke five languages. Can you reduce him to just one simple movie? No. This movie is like going into his house and playing with his toys, you know? We are more respectful than responsible.

Q: Ive heard you say that before. You also once said, We dont build monuments. Explain.

A: When you say that youre responsible, I personally understand that to mean that what youre trying to do is to protect the message that you want to send. Then the movie becomes very preachy. So I think what you do is that all your responsibility must be hidden in the film. If you play too seriously, then Im not interested. Theres got to be some fire. When it comes to Jackie and Neruda, were not making a monument to either of them. You cant. A monument is made out of bronze or steel. A filmmaker is a kid with a bomb.

Neruda (R, 107 minutes) opens

Friday at Landmarks Bethesda Row Cinema.
THE DISTRICT

THE DISTRICT

School probes incident

and swastika drawing

Administrators at School Without Walls High School in Washington are investigating an incident involving inappropriate language and a swastika drawn on the wall of a boys restroom this week.

In a letter to parents Thursday, Associate Principal Sylvia Isaac said the administration will not tolerate acts of bigotry and hate in the school community.

We take this very seriously, and we will address incidents and behaviors that do not conform to our community values and norms, Isaac said.

The vandalism came a month after a someone posted racist images on a students Instagram account.

The incidents at the selective public high school in Northwest came as other schools across the country have dealt with racial and anti-Semitic incidents in recent months. This week, two Jewish schools in the Washington region received bomb threats.

These signs of hate are not acceptable and in no way reflect the staff and students at D.C. Public Schools, D.C. Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson said in a statement.

 Alejandra Matos

Carbon monoxide gas sends eight to hospital

Five adults and three children were hospitalized early Thursday after exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide.

The incident happened in the 1600 block of 16th Street SE, and rescuers and D.C. Fire and EMS officials said that they think a defective furnace may have been the cause. The initial call came in as people had fainted.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that is poisonous when inhaled. None of those treated suffered injuries considered life-threatening, officials said.

 Dana Hedgpeth

MARYLAND

Teen is fatally shot

in Oxon Hill

Prince Georges County police were investigating the fatal shooting of a teen Thursday near an Oxon Hill apartment building.

Officers were called about 2:50 p.m. to the 1400 block of Southview Drive for a report of a shooting, Prince Georges police said. When they arrived, they found the wounded teen, who was taken to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead, police said.

Police had not yet released the teens identity or age.

 Lynh Bui

Two men killed

in crash along I-270

Two men were killed in a crash along Interstate 270 in Frederick, Md., officials said.

The crash happened just before 10 p.m. Wednesday on the northbound side of the highway near Baker Valley Road. Maryland State Police identified the two men who died as Craig C. Sandford, 55, of Martinsburg, W.Va., and Anthony L. Hose, 56, of Damascus, Md.

 Dana Hedgpeth

VIRGINIA

Trial of ex-Navy official

halted for his illness

The trial of a former senior Navy intelligence official on theft and conspiracy charges came to a halt Thursday when the defendant was carried out of court on a stretcher.

Judge Leonie M. Brinkema dismissed the indictment against David W. Landersman, who suffered a seizure for the second time in the four days since his trial in Alexandria federal court began, the U.S. attorneys Office in Virginia said. Prosecutors say they are reviewing their options.

Landersman had previously asked for the trial to be delayed, citing medical problems. Brinkema denied that motion.

Landersman, a onetime senior director for intelligence in a Pentagon office that dabbled in covert programs, was accused of helping arrange a $1.6 million defense contract for his brother, a struggling mechanic.

 Rachel Weiner
Administrators at School Without Walls High School in D.C. are investigating an incident involving inappropriate language and a swastika drawn on the wall of a boys restroom earlier this week.

In a letter to parents Thursday, associate principal Sylvia Isaac said the administration will not tolerate acts of bigotry and hate in the school community.

We take this very seriously, and we will address incidents and behaviors that do not conform to our community values and norms, Isaac said.

The vandalism came a month after a someone posted racist images on a students Instagram account.

The incidents at the selective public high school in Northwest came as other schools around the country in recent months have dealt with racial and anti-Semitic incidents. This week two Jewish schools in the Washington region received bomb threats, disrupting classes and leading police to sweep campuses in Maryland and Virginia.

Isaac said the school administrators immediately asked security to review the schools cameras to determine who went into the bathroom, but the tape showed too many students to be able to effectively investigate each one of the boys.

D.C. Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson said in a statement: These signs of hate are not acceptable and in no way reflect the staff and students at D.C. Public Schools.
Fanta Darboe Jawara is greeted by family and friends at Dulles International Airport as she returns home to the United States after being imprisoned in Gambia. (J. Lawler Duggan/For The Washington Post)

After missing her daughters prom, awards ceremonies, senior night with the basketball team, the cheerleading competition, countless times the girls needed advice and 318 family dinners, mom finally came home.

Fanta Darboe Jawara, 46, suburban Maryland mother of two, walked out of one of Africas most notorious prisons and into the arms of her family at Dulles International Airport on Thursday night, after nearly a year of hell.

Every day, you wake up there with fear, Jawara said. The mental torture. The physical abuse. One twin bed for two people. One mosquito net for four people. No sanitation. If it was three more months, this would be a different story. I dont think I wouldve survived.

But on Friday morning in Frederick, she slept until 10 a.m., woke up in a king bed to hot coffee, a hot shower and her husband and daughters.

I wont take anything for granted, she said, preparing for a weekend of family visits and reunions.

Fanta Darboe Jawara, center, is greeted by her daughters Sarah, 13, left, and Aminata, 18. Jawara missed 318 family dinners while she was held in one of West Africas most notorious prisons. (J. Lawler Duggan/For The Washington Post)

Jawara is a nurse. A volunteer at school who never missed a cheerleading competition or a Muffins and Moms gathering.

Then she took part in a time-honored tradition for American immigrants  she went back home to visit the family she left behind  and lived every immigrants nightmare. She was arrested by the oppressive government she left behind, beaten and taken to one of Africas most notorious prisons.

This was last April, at the end of her three-week trip to the tiny West African country of Gambia to attend a family reunion. It was her first time back in 11 years.

Shed gone to a bank in the capital of Banjul two days before her departure when a street protest rolled by, and she was caught in a police sweep of all the demonstrators.

She denied being part of the protests. She asked to be released. She tried to get in touch with her daughters. But nothing.

She was sentenced to three years in Mile 2 prison.

A dungeon, her uncle, Momodou Darboe, said as he hugged her tight at the airport.

(WUSA)

The night their mom was arrested, Aminata Jawara, 18, was at a cast party for her high schools production of Pajama Party. Her sister, Sarah, 13, called to tell her. Shes not coming home, she said. Big sister held her crying little sister all night.

They remembered their own trip to Gambia. The checkpoints, the hushed talk. We had to be careful about what we said to anyone, Sarah said.

And then, the worst came true.

Since 1994, the small country had been under the rule of President Yahya Jammeh, a man criticized internationally for human rights abuses, especially for his stance on homosexuality.

We will fight these vermins called homosexuals or gays the same way we are fighting malaria-causing mosquitoes, if not more aggressively, he said in 2014. He also claimed to have come up with an HIV/AIDS cure made of herbs and bananas.

The United States officially condemned his statements.

Jawara is a naturalized U.S. citizen. Although her family has connections to Gambias opposition party, Jawara maintains that she was simply a bystander before she was beaten and locked up.

U.S. State Department officials met with her and attended all her hearings, and former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson launched his humanitarian organization, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, into action to try to get Jawara home.

None of it worked.

The daughters organized protests and rallies. They made Free Fanta Jawara T-shirts and posters. In Gambia, they knew they would be locked up for doing this.

They learned to do all the cooking and cleaning and laundry that Mom always did.

She did so much for us, Aminata said.

Their dad, Ebrima Jawara, is a mechanic at Ourisman Honda. He split his time between work, his daughters activities and trying to get his wife home.

The family learned what a force their mother was in their lives. The hole she left was huge. Aminata drove her little sister to all her activities. Dads cooking improved.

A little better, Sarah said.

But that chicken! he protested.

Ultimately, it was the stunning election of a political outsider, a businessman, that freed Jawara.

His name is Adama Barrow. And his defeat of Jammeh on Dec. 1 was the radical change that led to her return to the United States this week.

The new administration released all of the locked-up demonstrators. After another month of negotiations and paperwork, Jawara was headed home.

The girls were anxious Thursday night. They had cleaned the house top to bottom. (On Friday morning, Mom did an inspection. She approved.) There were red-white-and-blue balloons, roses, cousins and nephews. They paced after she landed. The lawyers stationed at Dulles to help immigrants came over to introduce themselves, in case there was trouble. The plane landed. No Mom.

Customs, it takes awhile, a family member who recently made the trip assured them.

And at last, there she was.

Welcome home, Fanta! they yelled, as she pushed her luggage cart through the gates at Dulles.

Her daughters ran to hug her. People cried. Bystanders shoved their way in to take her photo. Who is she? they asked.

It was her return, Jawara said, that made her feel most like an American. She was home. And she was free.

Twitter: @petulad
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Friday urged lawmakers to advance his redistricting-reform plan, hours before two legislative committees were scheduled to hold hearings on the measure.

Hogan wants to end gerrymandering by requiring a nonpartisan commission to draw the states voting boundaries. He proposed similar legislation last year, but the committees never voted on it.

Most Marylanders of all parties favor an independent, nonpartisan redistricting process, the governor said at a news conference. The very least that these Marylanders deserve is to have this bill come to the floor of both houses for an up-or-down vote.

Under the existing system, state officials are in charge of the redistricting process, including the governor and the legislature.

Hogan called the states current voting maps, which were created under Gov. Martin OMalley (D), absurd and disgraceful, and said the districts were drawn to give Democrats an edge in elections.

Democratic lawmakers, including those who represent the state in Congress, are pressing Hogan to support national redistricting reform. But Hogan says Maryland should act unilaterally rather than spend time trying to enact reforms that many states will agree to.
Del. Dan K. Morhaim improperly advocated for changes to medical marijuana policies without publicly disclosing that he was a paid consultant to a prospective cannabis dispensary, according to a report by the ethics committee of the Maryland General Assembly obtained by The Washington Post.

The Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics found that Morhaim did not violate disclosure laws or intentionally use his perch as a lawmaker for his own financial benefit.

But it concluded that Morhaims actions nevertheless were improper and contrary to the principles of state ethics law.

The lawmakers on the committee recommended that the House of Delegates pass a resolution disapproving of Morhaims actions and urged the 22-year delegate to publicly apologize.

Morhaim (D-Baltimore County) promptly did so, sending a letter to his colleagues in which he apologized for bringing the House of Delegates and himself into a negative light in the public media.

[Read the letter of apology from Del. Morhaim]

The Post first revealed Morhaims dual roles in July, prompting the months-long inquiry from the ethics panel, which hired outside counsel to assist in the effort.

The resulting report, submitted to House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) on Thursday, says Morhaim leveraged his influence as a lawmaker to advocate for policies that could have resulted in gains for himself.

It specifically noted how he pushed medical marijuana regulators to lift a cap on the number of licenses awarded to processing facilities while the company with which he was affiliated was seeking such a license. That company, Doctors Orders, later said it did not support the proposed change.

His belief that he could keep his role as a legislator advocating for the implementation of policy and regulations for the use of medical cannabis, separate from his position as a paid consultant for a company seeking to enter the medical cannabis business reflects poor judgment to the detriment of the broader interests of the public, and it has eroded the confidence and trust of the public and other governmental officials who work with legislators, bringing disrepute and dishonor to the General Assembly, the report states.

[Read the ethics committees report]

Morhaim  an emergency room physician who led the effort to legalize medical cannabis long before being hired by the company  says his advocacy was motivated by his desire to make marijuana available to patients, not to enrich his company.

He wrote on disclosure forms in July 2015 that he may do cannabis consulting and that he had received income that year for unspecified consulting work.

Maryland law generally does not require lawmakers to name their consulting or legal clients on such forms, and Morhaim did not disclose his relationship as a consultant and prospective medical director for Doctors Orders.

The ethics committees report said the income he received from the company for work in 2015 was substantial.

Morhaim declined to answer questions from The Post about his business dealings in medical marijuana for months, until the news organization obtained a portion of the dispensary application by Doctors Orders that touted his involvement.

Morhaim later told The Post that Dea Daly, the General Assemblys ethics adviser, had cleared his dual roles. But Daly told the ethics committee that Morhaim did not tell her that he was in contact with regulators from the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission after being retained by Doctors Orders. Had she known, she told the committee, according to the report, she would have advised him to cease those communications.

Delegate Morhaims failure to disclose and be transparent undermines the publics confidence in an independent legislature, the ethics committee report says.

[How Morhaim shaped  and joined  the medical marijuana industry ]

In his letter to lawmakers, Morhaim said he made mistakes and failed to appreciate public perception of these issues.

While I have consistently maintained  and do today  that I did nothing wrong and complied with all laws, that was not enough, Morhaim wrote. The harsh fact is that being technically right is not enough. But Morhaim, who declined additional comment on the report, also said in his letter that he remains unsure about what he did wrong. I am concerned about the fairness of a process that penalizes members who comply with the clear letter of the law, but who can be found to violate the spirit of the law.

Alex Hughes, chief of staff to Busch, said the House of Delegates will consider the committees recommendation for a disapproval resolution Friday.

Morhaim says he has steered clear of legislation affecting the medical marijuana industry during the current legislative session. Busch has removed him from the House committee that considers bills affecting the health-care industry.

The ethics committee report says Morhaim plans to disassociate himself when legally permissible from Doctors Orders, which last year won preliminary approval from the commission to operate a dispensary.

A spokeswoman for Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who has proposed legislation to bar lawmakers from working on bills affecting their employers and to strip the legislatures power to police ethical conflicts, said the proposed penalty does not go far enough.

Sweeping these problems under the rug undermines public trust in our institutions of government, Amelia Chasse said.
ANNAPOLIS, MD - FEB19: A packed audience listens to moving testimony from Eric King about his wife Marlene's (pictured) battle with breast cancer, during a Maryland General Assembly hearing in 2016. (Photo by Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post) (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post)

A Maryland bill that would allow terminally ill adults to legally take their own lives will not make it out of committee, the third consecutive year the measure has failed to advance.

The bill, which would allow doctors to prescribe a fatal dose of medication to patients who are expected to die within six months, has drawn strong support from advocates and families of the terminally ill but equally passionate opposition from the Roman Catholic Church, disability rights groups and others.

The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee was scheduled to hold a hearing on the measure next week, but the discussion was canceled after Sen. Guy Guzzone (D-Howard) withdrew the bill.

Del. Shane Pendergrass (D-Howard), the bills sponsor in the House, said there simply were not enough votes to move forward. We dont see it passing this year, she said.

Last year, the District became the seventh jurisdiction to pass aid-in-dying legislation. Republicans in Congress have vowed to block the law in the nations capital.

Donna Smith, the field and legislative manager for Compassion & Choices, the lead advocacy group pushing for the legislation, said the advocates will try again in Maryland in 2018.

We are deeply disappointed, Smith said, describing many of the 70 lawmakers first elected to the House in 2014 as still unfamiliar with this end-of-life care issue.

But we are confident that once they hear from their constituents about their strong support for medical aid in dying as an option for terminally ill adults to peacefully end unbearable suffering, they will pass this legislation next year.
Former first lady Michelle Obama hosts a roundtable discussion with students at Ballou STAY High School in Washington. (Chuck Kennedy)

When former first lady Michelle Obama walked into a D.C. high school classroom, the stunned students erupted in tears. One student even darted out of the classroom to regain her composure before she could sit next to her.

Obama, who still lives in Washington, made a surprise visit Tuesday to Ballou STAY High School to speak with 14 students for two hours. Upon arriving, she hugged each of them before taking her seat in the circle.

Once she came in, it was an inspirational feeling, said Alliyah Williams, 18. She was so sweet and warm. She was like a mom.

[Watch Michelle Obama crash these D.C. classrooms and surprise students.]

After visiting the public alternative high school in Southeast Washington, she tweeted Always love visiting DC schools. Thank you for hosting me today @BallouSTAY. Stories of students #reachinghigher continue to inspire me. The tweet referenced the White House initiative Reach Higher she launched to encourage students to continue their education.

1 of 57 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What the Obamas have been doing since they left the White House View Photos Take a look at the family as they begin their post-presidency lives. Caption A look at how the former president and his family are spending their time. Dec. 12, 2019 Former first lady Michelle Obama and actress Julia Roberts embrace at the end of an Obama Foundation event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ahmad Yusni/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Wait 1 second to continue.

Mrs. Obama had an emotional and heartfelt discussion with the students, Caroline Adler Morales, a spokeswoman for the former first lady, wrote in an email. There were tears, laughs and lots of hugs.

While the Obamas shared a close rapport with D.C. Public Schools, the relationship with the Trump administration has had a rocky start. Protesters greeted Education Secretary Betsy DeVos when she visited a D.C. school last month. DeVos later criticized teachers, prompting the school to send 11 tweets defending itself.

The previous White House occupants are still D.C. residents, renting a house in the Kalorama neighborhood at least while their youngest daughter finishes high school.

[One of Michelle Obamas legacies in D.C.? This nonprofit.]

Ballou STAY principal Cara Fuller said she learned of the visit an hour before, although the students didnt know until Obama walked in. Students had been expecting a discussion with new D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson, so Fuller had selected the students to participate.

Fuller said the students ranged in age from 16 to 23. Four have children, some live in shelters, and others had been expelled from previous schools.

I think she really just wanted a school and a group of students who are typically counted out to know that they themselves are amazing and wonderful and have the talents that they need to be successful, Fuller said.

(Reuters)

Fuller said Obama led an informal discussion, with students asking her how she met the former president and how she survived as first lady. In response to one question, Obama said she has no presidential aspirations, saying that she didnt have the freedom to crack open a window in the White House because of security. Students also asked for her thoughts on Trump.

They just asked what her thoughts were on the current president and they were deeply concerned about the rhetoric that has been going around, she said.

At one point, a student told Obama of her struggles living in a shelter, and Obama walked the student through steps she could take to achieve her goals. Another student, Williams, told the former first lady she wants to be an anesthesiologist.

She told me not to let anything get in the way, and she said dont go back and help everyone until you get where you want to be, said Williams, who has a 2-year-old son.

Fuller said one student, 18-year-old Vonte Walker, had never talked about his ambitions in school. Since Obamas visit, hes been telling the staff of his college plans.

She motivated me, Walker said.

Fuller recalled Obama calling a young mother in the class a superstar and listening to a student who said his biggest fear was making minimum wage at 40.

These are students, students who no one says positive things to you generally, and it was really just to affirm their journey, Fuller said.
The rattle of gunfire has become a familiar sound on Wheeler Road.

At night. In the evening. Before lunch. Six people were shot in seven days along a short stretch of one street in Southeast Washington. In front of a school. Next to a church. Beside homes.

It started over a two-hour period Feb. 23, when police sped to three shootings in which four people were injured. The latest burst of violence came Wednesday morning when a man was shot inside a Buick GS 350 car just a five-minute walk from his house.

The shooter mustve emptied his clip, said Carlos Quinones, a 59-year-old contractor who lives in Maryland and is renovating a three-bedroom home on Upsal Street, within shouting distance of Wednesdays shooting on Wheeler Road. The shots came so fast I dove into the house and shut the door and didnt come out until the police came. I mean, things are crazy.

No one has died, though Wednesdays victim remains in critical condition, his injuries so grave that homicide detectives were assigned to investigate. A police officer was so close to the scene in the residential Congress Heights neighborhood that he arrived in time to see the suspected gunman fleeing, leaving a weapon behind.

Police have arrested two brothers in one of the Feb. 23 shootings but have not discerned a motive beyond a neighborhood dispute that is spreading bullet casings and the wounded from the 3300 to the 3900 blocks of Wheeler Road.

There certainly is some kind of dispute going on, newly appointed Police Chief Peter Newsham told reporters Wednesday. But he lamented that many victims have not cooperated with detectives, making it a little more difficult to get to the bottom of it all.

Violent crime in the District this year has dropped 20 percent compared with the same time last year, with declines in every category but assaults with guns. Those numbers are on the rise, with 121 this year, compared with 91 at this time in 2016.

Police say they are working to cut crime even more, worried about another year like 2015, when homicides surged 54 percent, to 162. The number dropped to 135 in 2016. So far this year, there have been 15 killings, down from 17 at this time last year.

[Four shot in three incidents on Wheeler Road]

The two political wards east of the Anacostia, where Wheeler Road cuts a path through single-family homes, sprawling public housing complexes and open fields, still experience the bulk of the Districts killings.

Homicides in Wards 7 and 8 made up 54 percent of the citys total in 2015 and 52 percent in 2016. Nine of this years 15 slayings have been in those two wards.

Former mayor Vincent C. Gray (D), now a council member for Ward 7, pressed Newsham at Thursdays oversight hearing at the Wilson Building. Gray said that while the number of deaths is down across the District, he does not see a huge difference in historically crime-challenged areas of the city.

What are you going to do? Gray asked.

We will be over there, and were going to get the illegal firearms off the street, Newsham responded, saying police seek to link recovered guns to other crimes and hold people accountable for that behavior so when they come back out [from prison], they dont re-offend.

Newsham said that this year, just as in the past two years, petty beefs are the driving factors behind many killings. He said getting illegal firearms off the streets remains a key focus for police, as does targeting robberies, another contributor to violence.

There is a small group of people that are terrorizing our communities, Newsham said at the hearing. We as a city need to focus on those people. Grown adults are out there glamorizing carrying a firearm. That needs to stop. There is no glory in carrying a firearm. There is no glory shooting up Wheeler Road at 11 a.m. a couple blocks from a school.

The reason behind the Wheeler Road shootings remains elusive, even if the impact is very real.

One victim was a woman shot Feb. 27 while driving a sedan with three passengers who were not wounded. Police have not said whether all the victims were targeted.

[Man critically wounded in shooting on Wheeler Road in Southeast]

Council member Trayon White Sr. (D-Ward 8) also attributed the gunfire to ongoing neighborhood beefs.

He said, We have to do a better job facing the social ills of our troubled youths and young adults. . . . Our residents dont feel safe.

White, a well-known activist before he won the council race last year, said more than 100 people walked in solidarity through Congress Heights in February, seeking improvements and lower crime.

He called for more police on Wheeler Road. There is no way people should be shot on the same street over and over again, he said.

On Thursday, a D.C. police officer sat in a cruiser in a rutted parking lot of a discount liquor store, strobe lights flashing. At Wheeler Road and Upsal Street, police put up a portable flood light.

The two brothers arrested in the first of the three Feb. 23 shootings live on Wheeler Road, steps from the new light tower and the spot of Wednesdays shooting. A relative who answered the door declined to comment.

An arrest affidavit filed does not ascribe a motive, but it does quote a witness saying he was headed to see the suspects mother to quash the beef when one of the brothers ran by him. The witness told police he saw that man bend down, extend his arm and start shooting a handgun. One person was injured.

Hours later, three more people were shot nearby. The next shooting came Feb. 27 and the latest Wednesday.

A woman who has lived in Congress Heights for many years carefully opened her door; her initial frightened silence was the same reaction as with others approached in the neighborhood.

Things are crazy, and weve done enough talking with each other, said the woman, too scared to give her name. Its got to stop before it really blows up.

Correction: This story was changed to correct the spelling of council member Trayon White Sr.s name.
Maria Reyes, shown in Gaithersburg, Md., on Feb. 14, holds a dress her daughter, Damaris A. Reyes Rivas, was going to wear for her quinceanera. (Dan Morse/The Washington Post)

The remains of two apparent murder victims were discovered in a Northern Virginia park, and police are exploring whether the deaths are related to a resurgent MS-13, a gang that has ties to a wave of violence the Fairfax County police chief called out of control.

The grim discovery, announced Friday, comes as several suburban counties outside the nations capital are grappling with an increase in bloodshed linked to the street gang.

In recent weeks, two young people, a 15-year-old Maryland girl and a 21-year-old man she had dated, were slain in Virginia, allegedly by gang members. In all, 16 people, many of them teenagers, have been arrested in those two cases.

Fairfax Police Chief Edwin C. Roessler Jr. pleaded with parents to look for signs that young people are involved with gangs as he discussed the discovery of the two as yet unidentified bodies buried in Holmes Run Park, where two people killed by the gang were found in 2014.

This problem is horrible, Roessler said. This is four murders in this park. Obviously, weve had other murders in the region in the past few weeks. This is getting out of control.

Damaris A. Reyes Rivas, 15, whose body was discovered by police in Springfield, Va., on Feb. 11. (Family photo)

Timothy Slater, special agent in charge of the criminal division for the FBIs Washington field office, said the D.C. region is one of a number of MS-13 hot spots across the country. Others are in New York and Texas.

Local gang experts said MS-13 leaders in El Salvador have been pushing for changes in the leadership of the gang in the United States, prompting more violence. They also said the record numbers of unaccompanied minors coming across the border with Mexico helped swell recruitment.

Authorities said they have been surprised by the young age of some MS-13 members carrying out attacks and reprisals against other members.

The gang starts them on lesser crimes before moving them on to more violent activities, said Douglas W. Keen, the chair of the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force. Their attitude is, Once we get you in, youre ours. Everyone is disposable to them.

[Va. police: Death of teenage girl, two other cases may all be gang-related]

Roessler said the bodies found in the Lincolnia-area park on Thursday were transferred to the state medical examiner for autopsy and identification. Police began searching Holmes Run and a park in Falls Church for human remains Wednesday after the countys gang unit received a tip.

Police believe the bodies had been in the park for less than a year and asked for the publics help in locating those responsible for what are believed to be slayings. Police say they are still exploring whether the individuals were killed in Holmes Run or somewhere else. They also do not yet know whether the case is connected to ongoing MS-13 cases in the areas.

Police remove crime scene tape March 3 in Fairfax County from the area in Holmes Run Park where two sets of human remains were found. (Evelyn Hockstein for The Washington Post)

The remains were found in the woods on a steep incline a few hundred feet behind a quiet cul-de-sac of residential homes. One body was buried at the top of the hill, the other at the bottom.

As police investigated the new case, fresh details also emerged Friday in two other slayings linked to MS-13 that authorities believe are related  the killing of Gaithersburg 15-year-old Damaris A. Reyes Rivas and Fairfax 21-year-old Christian Alexander Sosa Rivas.

[Timeline: Web of gang-related activity in Va., Md.]

Ten people, including six juveniles, have been arrested in the abduction and slaying of Damaris, whose body was discovered near an industrial area in Springfield in mid-February. Damaris had left home in mid-December, and her mother said she had fallen in with an MS-13 clique.

People familiar with the prosecutions case said that the teen was lured to a nearby park on or around Jan. 8 on the pretext of smoking pot but that when Damaris arrived she was removed from a car by alleged MS-13 members and walked into the woods. Damaris grew alarmed and blurted out at one point, I have been set up, people familiar with the case said.

Damaris was taken to an MS-13 hangout near a set of train tracks, the people said. At that point, a juvenile charged with murder in Damariss case allegedly walked her down an embankment and interrogated her. The Washington Post generally does not name juveniles charged in crimes.

The teen asked Damaris whether she had a relationship with Sosa Rivas, people familiar with the case said the prosecutions account shows. Damariss mother has said her daughter dated Sosa Rivas. The teen who confronted Damaris also knew Sosa Rivas and had a relationship with him at one point, authorities have said.

Damaris asked for forgiveness, but the other teen allegedly slashed her with a bowie knife, people familiar with the case said. Fairfax County police later determined that Damaris died of multiple forms of trauma to the upper body. Video evidence is among the clues in the slaying.

Every attorney for those charged in Damariss killing, except one, declined to comment. Vernida R. Chaney is representing one of the juveniles. I think the evidence will show that not all of them are involved in the crime, Chaney said.

Last week, Prince William County police announced the arrest of six people in connection with the slaying of Sosa Rivas, whose body was found along the Potomac River in Dumfries on Jan. 12.

Court documents in the case claim that two women charged used social media to lure Sosa Rivas to the Dumfries area where he was killed by MS-13 members.

Citing a search warrant that has since been sealed, NBC 4 reported that Sosa Rivas may have been targeted by fellow MS-13 members because he was claiming to be the leader of a local clique. The search warrant said Damaris was one of the last people to see him alive.

Two men charged in Sosa Rivass case were arraigned in Prince William County General District Court on Friday and were held without bail. Attorneys for defendants in the Sosa Rivas case declined to comment or did not respond to requests.

MS-13 violence has flared across the country. In Houston this past week, two alleged gang members were charged with killing a 15-year-old girl and holding her 14-year-old friend captive.

In Brentwood, N.Y., where MS-13 activity has likewise spiked, prosecutors on Thursday charged 13 alleged gang members in seven slayings.

As the MS-13 continues its efforts to expand and entrench itself in our communities, both by sending gang members to illegally enter the United States from Central America, and by recruiting new members from our schools and neighborhoods, [we] will continue our mission to dismantle the MS-13 and free our neighborhoods from the terror they cause, U.S. Attorney Robert L. Capers of the Eastern District of New York said in a statement.

Dana Hedgpeth and Michael E. Miller contributed to this report.
A Maryland man who authorities say stalked woman near Metro stations in the District before assaulting, robbing and in some cases raping them was sentenced to life in prison plus 82 years.

The sentence against Demetrius Banks, 33, of Riverdale, was announced Friday by the U.S. attorneys office for the District of Columbia.

A jury in November found Banks guilty on 23 counts of sexual abuse, assault, robbery, kidnapping and other charges in connection with five attacks against women held at knifepoint, according to a statement from the government.

At least two of the women in the attacks were sexually assaulted, prosecutors said.

Banks will not be eligible for release, authorities said.

[Man convicted of raping, robbing 5 women near D.C. Metro stations]

The assaults took place between July 28 and Aug. 28, 2015, with most around the Fort Totten Metro station and one incident near the Brookland station, prosecutors said in a statement. The attacks near the Fort Totten station included the rape of a woman on her way home, the robbery of a bartender, the robbery of a government employee who was dragged into the woods and the robbery of a server, authorities said. Many of the attacks occurred only days apart.

[Man charged with preying on people leaving Metro stations]

In the final attack, Banks grabbed a 22-year-old waitress from behind as she was walking home near the Brookland metro and forced her into a dark driveway by knifepoint, prosecutors said. He raped and robbed her before she escaped, prosecutors said.

Surveillance footage of Banks aired by news reports generated tips that led police to Banks, who was arrested Sept. 4, 2015.

DNA tests connected Banks to the two women who had been sexually assaulted, officials said. Authorities also said that they found Banks had used credit cards and Metro cards belonging to some of the victims and that they found property belonging to those who had been robbed when they searched his home.
A boy and four adults were injured when gunfire broke out in Northeast Washington, D.C. police said Thursday night.

The shooting happened around 9:30 p.m. in the 1300 block of Brentwood Road NE.

Authorities said four of the five victims were taken to the hospital with serious injuries that were not life threatening.

No one was immediately arrested, police said.
Prince Georges County police and the FBIs Baltimore Field Office are trying to find a man who is wanted for breaking into and stealing items from the U.S. Army Career Center in Oxon Hill, county police said Thursday night in a statement.

The man allegedly stole a black, government-owned 2015 Hyundai Elantra. Officials said the car has government tags G137282N, according to the statement. The suspect is also believed to have stolen a U.S. Army dress uniform and other uniforms. The crime occurred around 4 a.m. Thursday.

The man may be armed, the statement said. Officials also think that the suspect might have headed to Fairfax County. Anyone who sees the stolen car was urged to contact 911. The Army career center is in the 5400 block of St. Barnabas Road.
Two chimneys were left standing at the site of a fire at what had been a two-story home on Willow Lane in Rockville, Md., on March 2, 2017. (Dan Morse/The Washington Post)

By late Friday morning, family members of Larry Pagliai  a 71-year-old accountant who lived alone  had gathered outside an awful scene, the charred remains of his house on a wooded lot in central Montgomery County, Md.

Nothing much was left standing, other than two chimneys towering over dark rubble. Whiffs of smoke still hung in the air. And just before noon, a covered body was taken out on a stretcher, loaded into a van, and driven off to the office of Marylands chief medical examiner for an autopsy.

The cause of the fire  which erupted late Thursday on Willow Lane five miles northeast of downtown Rockville  is under investigation. Officials and neighbors said flames were leaping two-stories high when the first of 75 firefighters arrived at the home.

A body was discovered in the ruins Friday morning. Authorities did not formally identify it, pending an autopsy on Saturday that may enable an official identification.

Capt. Paul Starks, a police spokesman, said that Pagliai lived alone in the house and that he could not be accounted for.

Larry Pagliai with two of his grandsons: George Redbord, left, and Stefan Redbord. (Family photo)

His distraught family members could only conclude the worst.

An extremely loving father, said one of his two daughters, Kelley Pagliai Redbord, and an extraordinary grandfather.

Pagliai had four grandsons  ages 2 to 15. He spent time with them fishing, playing on the beach and hiking in the area of the Shenandoah National Park. They adored spending time with him, Redbord said.

A very special man with a huge heart, she said.

Pagliai had remained active and working  especially now, during tax season. He lived with a cat named Thisbe.

On Friday, when firefighters found the body, it was next to a cat, whom the victim may have been holding

He grew up in Wheaton, said his older sister, Carla McGarry.

A body was recovered from scene of the fire. (Dan Morse/The Washington Post)

He was great, she said of her brother as a child. Kind of his own man, even then. Very smart.

Pagliai served in the U.S. Navy, graduated from the University of Maryland, and began studying to become a certified public accountant, family members said.

McGarry, also an accountant, contrasted her brothers CPA test preparation with her own seemingly nonstop studying. He was just a laid-back person  even during tax season, she said.

McGarry chuckled Friday when describing her brothers behavior in the weeks leading up to the CPA exam. Every night, he still found time to play bridge. And he passed the first time.

For years, Pagliai ran his own accounting business in the District.

He has two daughters, Kelley and Danielle, and was divorced, according to family members.

On Willow Lane, with homes sitting behind well-kept, large front yards, Pagliais lot stood out  thick with trees and about a half-dozen aging vehicles. Across the street, Juanita Hayden said the appearance of the lot might have upset her but for Pagliais personality.

It didnt bother me, because he was so nice, she said.

A little after 10 p.m. Thursday, Hayden and her husband were in their home when she heard a noise. From her front window she saw Pagliais home engulfed in flames and called 911.

The fire is humongous, Juanita Hayden remembered telling her husband. It might be too late.

Down the street, Bella Kazanjian said she heard a boom, looked outside, and could see firetrucks racing toward the home as flames rose.

Firefighters launched a blitz attack, pumping as much water as they could on the 2,800- square-foot home. Neighbors rushed to the firefighters and pointed out that the car of the homes lone occupant was out front. We had pretty good reason to believe someone was in there, said Pete Piringer, a spokesman for the countys Fire and Rescue Service.

The fire was so large and hot, sparking fires in nearby trees and brush, that firefighters could not enter the house. The walls and ceilings soon collapsed, Piringer said. Fire crews were able to contain the flames 15 to 20 minutes after arriving, Piringer said.

Firefighters worked at the scene through the night. On Friday morning, a dog trained to search for bodies indicated a spot for firefighters to search. They found the body on the homes first level, toward the back, Piringer said.

(This post has been updated to reflect the full name of the Shenandoah National Park.)

Dana Hedgpeth and Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report.
A 34-year-old Italian man charged with kidnapping a Georgetown University student in January has agreed to be transferred from Seattle to Washington after his arrest by the FBI.

At a federal court hearing Thursday, the suspect, Paolo Aldorasi, waived his right to a hearing and agreed that further legal proceedings would take place in the District, where the alleged kidnapping began, according to documents filed in the case.

He is charged with one count of kidnapping. Aldorasi allegedly forced the male student to drive to banks and stores in failed attempts to withdraw money and make purchases, including a $6,300 bracelet.

The documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington state provide additional details of Aldorasi, who lived in London with his girlfriend and their two children. The documents said he had worked as a chef in London and was born in Italy, where he has citizenship.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Alice Theiler said in her ruling that Aldorasi had entered the United States as a tourist and that an immigration detainer has been filed as a result of the criminal charge.

Defendant poses a risk of nonappearance due to citizenship and lack of ties to this District, the judge wrote. He poses a risk of danger due to the nature of the charges.

Aldorasis attorney with the federal Public Defenders Office in Seattle did not return several calls this week seeking comment. The defense attorney did not file paperwork in court opposing the detention or efforts to send Aldorasi to the District.

[FBI arrests suspect in kidnapping of Georgetown University student]

Authorities allege that Aldorasi abducted the student from O Street near campus on Jan. 26 and forced him into an SUV. Police said that in the span of two hours, they visited four banks, a Best Buy in the District and a Cartier store in Maryland. In each case, the FBI said in a criminal complaint, the victims bank card was rejected, denying attempts to withdraw $200 and $500 and to buy an iPhone 7 and a $6,300 bracelet.

The student, who has not been identified, was released unharmed, police said. Georgetown University previously said the victim was a student in an email crime alert to students.

Authorities said they tracked Aldorasi through a variety of means. Surveillance video at banks at a Cartier store in Chevy Chase, Md., captured his image; a video from the store was released publicly shortly after the incident. Police said his rental car was spotted outside several of the banks and stores, and he had signed for the vehicle using his real name. Police also said they tracked him across the country through his social media accounts.
NATIONAL SECURITY

Former Navy official has a seizure at his trial

The trial of a former senior Navy intelligence official on theft and conspiracy charges came to an end Thursday when the defendant was carried out of court on a stretcher.

Judge Leonie M. Brinkema dismissed the indictment against David W. Landersman, who suffered a seizure for the second time in the four days since his trial in Alexandria federal court began, according to the U.S. attorneys office in Virginia and Landersmans lawyers. Prosecutors say they are reviewing their options.

Landersman had asked for the trial to be delayed, citing medical problems. Brinkema denied that motion.

Landersman, the former senior director for intelligence in an obscure Pentagon office that dabbled in covert programs, was accused of helping to arrange a $1.6 million defense contract for his brother, a struggling mechanic.

The court previously found Landersmans subordinate, Lee M. Hall, and brother, Mark, guilty of conspiring to build untraceable AK-47 silencers without a firearms license and ship them across state lines.

 Rachel Weiner

KANSAS

School funding system fails to meet mandate

The Kansas Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the states system of funding primary and secondary public schools falls short of an adequacy requirement in the state constitution.

The high court said it was delaying enforcement of its unanimous ruling until the end of June to give the legislature time to respond.

It warned that if the state fails to come up with a funding system that complies with the constitution by June 30, the court would move to void the current method of school finance.

Kansas spends more than $4 billion a year on schools, with most of the money coming from the state general fund. The courts ruling could add $800 million, according to Alan Rupe, an attorney for the four school districts that filed the lawsuit.

 Reuters
EUROPEAN UNION

Lawmakers: Require Americans to get visas

The European Parliament called on the E.U. executive on Thursday to force Americans to apply for visas before visiting Europe this summer, stepping up pressure to resolve a lengthy transatlantic dispute on the issue.

The European Commission stressed that it was pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the row, leaving it unlikely that it would act on the vote by lawmakers setting a May deadline to impose visas  a move that could hurt Europes tourism sector.

Washington refuses to grant visa-free access to people from four East European states and Cyprus, while those from the 23 other member states can enter using the U.S. visa waiver program. E.U. rules call for equal treatment for all bloc citizens.

Commission officials noted a planned E.U.-U.S. ministerial meeting on June 15 to try to resolve the dispute, which has been running since 2014. The E.U. executive already allowed a deadline for a solution to pass nearly a year ago, with no action.

Former communist countries Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania, as well as the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, have urged Brussels to end U.S. bias against their citizens. But the economic cost of imposing visa restrictions on the millions of Americans who visit Europe each year is a major disincentive.

 Associated Press

canada

No surge foreseen in migrants fleeing U.S.

Canada sees no signs of a coming surge in asylum seekers illegally crossing the border from the United States, a senior official said Thursday, even as a steady stream of people continued to walk across the frontier.

Several hundred people, mainly from Africa, have defied winter conditions to enter Canada since Jan. 1. They are fleeing President Trumps crackdown on illegal immigrants, refugee agencies say.

A briefing by Canadian officials was the first of its kind and comes as the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau encounters increasing domestic political pressure to deal with the influx. Trudeau must also ensure the issue does not complicate relations with Trump.

Security experts predict more will try to cross as the snow melts and the weather warms.

 Reuters

pakistan

People in tribal areas to receive equal rights

Pakistan took a key step on Thursday to bring the countrys remote northwestern tribal areas into its mainstream judicial and political system, as a U.S. drone strike in the region killed two suspected members of a Taliban-allied faction, officials said.

Under the five-year plan adopted by the cabinet, the tribal regions along the border with Afghanistan will be merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, making the residents equal in the eyes of law for the first time since 1947, when Pakistan gained independence from Britain.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif unveiled the reforms at Thursdays cabinet session, stressing that the tribal people are entitled to equal rights. The reforms are meant to allow them equal opportunity in pursuing jobs and in accessing the legal system and educational and government institutions.

Legal expert Babar Wan said that once the reforms are in place, people from the tribal regions would, for example, be able to sue U.S. authorities in Pakistani courts over the killings of their relatives in drone strikes.

Earlier, a suspected U.S. drone strike in the Kurram tribal region killed two members of the Haqqani network, officials said.

 Associated Press

Sweden institutes draft for men and women: Swedens left-leaning government instituted a military draft for both men and women because of what its defense minister called a deteriorating security environment in Europe and around Sweden. Sweden abolished compulsory military service for men in 2010 because there were enough volunteers to meet its military needs. It had never had a draft for women.

Merkel pledges support for Egypt: German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to boost support for Egypts economic development and to partner with Cairo to help address the regions refugee crisis, with an eye on stemming the flow of migrants to Europe. She met with President Abdel Fatah al -Sissi in Cairo.

E.U. approves short stays for Ukrainians without visas: European Union member countries have backed a plan to allow Ukrainian citizens into the bloc for short stays without visas. Those with biometric passports will be able to enter for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

 From news services
In dozens of one-on-one meetings every week, a lawyer retained by the city of Philadelphia summons parents whose children have just been jailed, pulls out his calculator and hands them more bad news: a bill for their kids incarceration.

Even if a child is later proved innocent, the parents still must pay a nightly rate for the detention. Bills run up to $1,000 a month, and many of the parents of Philadelphias roughly 730 detained children are so poor they can afford monthly installments of only $5.

The lawyer, Steven Kaplan  who according to his city contract is paid up to $316,000 a year in salary and bonuses, more than any city employee, including the mayor  is one agent of a deeply entrenched social policy that took root across the country in the 1970s and 80s. The guiding principle was simple: States, counties and cities believed that parents were shedding responsibility for their delinquent children and expecting the government to pick up the tab.

If parents shared the financial cost of incarceration, this thinking went, they would be more involved in keeping their children out of trouble.

I mean, do we think the taxpayers should be supporting these bad kids? Kaplan said in an interview.

Today, mothers and fathers are billed for their childrens incarceration  in jails, detention centers, court-ordered treatment facilities, training schools or disciplinary camps  by 19 state juvenile-justice agencies, while in at least 28 other states, individual counties can legally do the same, a survey by the Marshall Project shows.

Groups of law students, juvenile defense lawyers and others have begun to challenge this payment system, arguing that it is akin to taxing parents for their childs loss of liberty  and punishing them with debt. In Philadelphia, the City Council is meeting Friday to consider abolishing the practice. In California  which incarcerates more children than any other state, at a typical cost to parents of $30 a night  activists have succeeded in getting the practice banned in three counties. Two senators have introduced a bill to ban it statewide.

[After Post article, Philadelphia says it wont bill parents for childrens detentions]

Aside from all the emotional stuff  holding my son together, holding myself together  now theyre going to say, By the way, you owe us cash for this?  said Tamisha Walker, one of the mothers who fought, successfully, for a moratorium in Californias Contra Costa County.

Because these parents are so often from poor communities, even the most aggressive efforts to bill them seldom bring in meaningful revenue. Philadelphia netted $551,261 from parents of delinquent children in fiscal 2016, a small fraction of the $81,148,521 the city spent on all delinquent placements, according to city records.

A similar pattern emerges in financial data gathered from all 50 states  significant operating budgets for collections officers and mailing out invoices but low amounts of money actually collected from the families.

Many juvenile-corrections administrators say the payment system is a way of keeping parents engaged with their children, whose food, clothing and medical expenses they would be paying for anyway.

It increases buy-in. It keeps the parents skin in the game, said James Bueche, who heads Louisianas Office of Juvenile Justice, adding that in a state with severe budget problems, his department needs all the funding it can get.

Bueche and others also said the agencies are constrained by state laws, frequently outdated, that hold parents financially responsible for their childrens transgressions, ranging from truancy and curfew violations to shoplifting to murder.

It was a very different time, when too many parents frequently wanted to essentially dump their adolescent children on juvenile courts when they found them unruly, ungovernable, uncontrollable, Linda ONeal, executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, said of the era decades ago when the laws were implemented.

This was put into the statute so courts could say . . . Okay, but you will have to pay the costs of detention,  ONeal said. The experience was then parents would suddenly decide, maybe they could manage their children after all rather than pay.

Until recently, that logic had gone mostly unexamined, in part because juvenile defenders advocate for children, not parents, whose separate problems often go overlooked when a child is accused of a crime.

But family advocates have increasingly taken the position that detention payments introduce new obstacles for young people already struggling to succeed  and run counter to the juvenile-justice systems century-old mission to improve childrens outcomes by helping them learn from their mistakes.

Heres a family that needs support, and what were going to do instead is put a whole lot of economic pressure on them? said Jessica Feierman, associate director of Juvenile Law Center, a national advocacy group based in Philadelphia. Parents dont choose for their kids to go to jail. They just dont.

States practices vary

How juvenile-justice agencies go about charging mothers and fathers for their childrens incarceration varies widely by state, but the basics are the same: a monthly bill, frequently in the low hundreds of dollars, that covers some but not all of the actual costs of the childs imprisonment.





Floridas brochure on its Cost of Care program depicts the intertwined hands of an adult and a child, with a caption reading: A joint effort between the parents and the State improves the quality of life for our children. Together we can reduce juvenile crime.

To calculate the amounts owed, at least a dozen states make use of an existing metric: standard child-support guidelines.

Other states operate a parental reimbursement unit that charges the parents a flat sum. The ones that detain youths in privately operated facilities tend to charge the highest rates.

When parents fail to pay on time, the state can send collection agencies after them, tack on interest, garnish 50 percent of their wages, seize their bank accounts, intercept their tax refunds, suspend their drivers licenses or charge them with contempt of court. Virginia, for instance, uses several of those methods to try to collect from parents, state officials and parents told the Marshall Project.

An ability-to-pay process, by which parents can provide pay stubs and documentation of their expenses to get the charges lowered, is usually offered. But it often entails navigating a maze of paperwork and rarely takes place before a judge or neutral third party. In many cases, it is no more than a correspondence or meeting between the parent and a representative of the state agency, like Kaplan.

Not all states take action to be reimbursed. Maryland seeks child support from parents only in certain circumstances, such as to defray costs from placement in a for-profit medical facility. The District does not collect any fees.

Anders Jacobson, director of the Colorado Division of Youth Corrections, which does not bill parents, said that any well-functioning juvenile-justice system depends on youths returning home to a stable environment. Thrusting parents into debt, he said, undercuts their ability to keep the lights on and the refrigerator stocked. Such households already are dealing with additional costs from the juveniles crime, parents point out, including steep rates for phone calls, gas for long-distance visits, and thousands of dollars in restitution and public-defender fees.

As significantly, parents and advocates say, the goal of incarceration is not to address problems in the family the way a child-support order can do. They argue that detention facilities should exist for the larger societal purpose of public safety and getting young offenders back on the right track, for which all taxpayers ought to be responsible.

I pay taxes every single year  isnt that supposed to be what pays for the justice system? said Alison Devine, the parent of a formerly delinquent child in Philadelphia.



Mariana Cuevas poses at her home in Antioch. The state of California had tried to collect nearly $10,000 for her childs imprisonment. (Biz Herman for The Washington Post)

Little financial gain

When Mariana Cuevass son was released from a California jail, after being locked up in a juvenile hall for more than 300 days for a homicide he did not commit, the boys public defender, Jeffrey Landau, thought his work was done. The case had been dismissed; his client was free.

But at a celebratory dinner afterward, Cuevas, a Bay Area home cleaner, pulled out a plastic bag full of bills and showed Landau that the state had tried to collect nearly $10,000 for her childs imprisonment. She had been able to pay back only about $50 a month.

Sure, your son was stolen from you for a year, said Landau, stunned, but heres what it cost.

Animated by stories such as Cuevass, juvenile defenders at the East Bay Community Law Center in Berkeley teamed up with students at the University of California at Berkeley School of Law to begin gathering county-level data to determine whether the payment requirement, so long ignored, was cost-effective.

It hardly was, they found. In fiscal 2014-2015, Alameda County, which contains Oakland, spent $250,938 collecting $419,830 from parents. An internal county report called that little financial gain. By last March, in the wake of the groups findings, county officials had placed a moratorium on the practice. They later banned it outright, forgiving the debt of almost 3,000 families.

From a macro level we werent even aware this existed, but it hurt so many vulnerable people, said Richard Valle, a member of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. The parents deserve the credit  they came to the podium and spoke up. Valle also said there has been zero loss of services for children in juvenile hall, despite the lost revenue.

Then, in October, the Berkeley-based campaign won another moratorium in neighboring Contra Costa County, and later Cuevass debt was frozen. Officials there are considering reparations for some of the parents who had already paid the detention fees.

In August, Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit weighed in forcefully on the side of Maria Rivera, a parent who sold her house and went bankrupt to pay Orange County more than $9,500 for her sons incarceration.

Not only does such a policy unfairly conscript the poorest members of society to bear the costs of public institutions, operating as a regressive tax,  Reinhardt wrote, but it takes advantage of people when they are at their most vulnerable, essentially imposing a tax upon distress. 

In Philadelphia last year, juvenile defenders learned about the citys collection practices from the parents of clients. They alerted a group of law students at Temple University, who then brought the issue to the attention of aides in the office of Mayor Jim Kenney (D).

Heather Keafer, a spokeswoman for Philadelphias Department of Human Services, said that the students made a compelling argument and that the department has asked the state of Pennsylvania for a legal review as to whether abandoning the practice would be allowable under existing state and federal regulations. This has just been the way it works for so long that it has kind of proceeded as a matter of course, Keafer said.

Kathaleen Gillis, a spokeswoman for the states Department of Human Services, said the matter is still under review, in part because a decision must be made not just for Philadelphia but for all counties, and practices vary widely.

Since the states decision may take months, Philadelphia City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson called for Fridays hearing. This whole thing reminded me of Ferguson, said Johnson, drawing a straight line between the parental-billing practices and the debate around allegedly predatory fines and fees in the larger criminal-justice system  a controversial issue in Ferguson, Mo., even before the killing of an unarmed African American teen by a white officer there in 2014 brought tensions between police and the community to a head.

What did I just pay for?

Steve Kaplan, who is 62 and has lived in Philadelphia for his entire life, calls himself the most experienced child-support attorney in America. He began collecting from the mothers and fathers of incarcerated children in 1998, when a friend of his  then-Philadelphia mayor and future Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell (D)  instructed him to do so. Rendell did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the practice.

Kaplan is likely to be replaced by a collection agency when his contract expires March 31, Keafer said via email Thursday. The lawyer, who currently gets bonuses of up to $160,000 based on the amounts he can collect from the parents, would not comment late Thursday.

One of those parents was Jonelle Mills, a single mother and janitor whose teenage daughter has been in and out of juvenile facilities for over two years. Mills said Kaplan billed her nearly $3,000 for those stays and now the city is garnishing her paycheck. She also said her child returned home institutionalized and physically aggressive.

What did I just pay for exactly? she said. It clearly didnt buy any kind of rehabilitation.

To Kaplan, that was still the wrong question. For 18 years, he said in the earlier interview, parents are obligated to pay for whatever housing their children are in  even if its a jail.

Child support is child support is child support, he said. It really doesnt matter if the kid lives with Mom, Dad, Aunt Betsy, or with me  Uncle Steve  in detention.

This investigation was written for the Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization that covers the U.S. criminal-justice system.
Louisa Thomas is the author of Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams.

Historians like to say, No source, no history,  Laurel Thatcher Ulrich writes in her new book, A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Womens Rights in Early Mormonism, 1835-1870. Until not so long ago, the truism could have been: No male source, no history. The diaries and letters of men linked to momentous events were carefully preserved and consulted, and out of them the narratives of American history were constructed. The writings of women, meanwhile, were often discarded, lost, forgotten or overlooked.

Ulrich herself has done as much as anyone to change that. Her Pulitzer Prize-winning book, A Midwifes Tale (1990), used the diary of a midwife to bring to life 18th-century New England  and one womans arduous, interesting life  in dense detail and rigorous, rich context. That book became one of the seminal texts in womens studies.

[A prize-winning scholar explores the hidden history of women]

Her new book reflects a more expansive, pluralistic view of womens experience than A Midwifes Tale. Instead of one woman, Ulrich focuses on the diaries of many women  and of several men, most notably Wilford Woodruff. Instead of one traditional model of human relationships, the monogamous marriage, she takes as her subject plural marriage in the early years of the Mormon Church  and the plural expectations, experiences and meanings that women made of polygamy.

"A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Women's Rights in Early Mormonism, 1835-1870," by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich (Knopf)

Woodruff was one of the leaders of the church, and his diary has been an invaluable source for many historians trying to understand the organizations early years. The diaries, letters and fragmentary writings of women such as Phebe Woodruff, Augusta Cobb, Bathsheba Smith and dozens of others took unlikely and often circuitous paths into the archives (not unlike those who penned them). They were stashed in walls and bread boxes, discovered when descendants searched for Christmas decorations or pried open long-locked trunks. In them, Ulrich found a mix of religious ecstasy and mundane accounts of passing days. There were women speaking in tongues; there were wagons mired in mud of biblical proportions; there was the sewing of stockings and the making of caps. Above all, there were different opinions on and accounts of plural marriages, as the women tried to cope with the radical change. Their generosity, confusion, agony, anger, cooperation and resilience are the many-colored threads that run through this book, twisting and tangling but expertly stitched.

Ulrich calls her book a kind of quilt, in a nod to a quilt that 67 Salt Lake women made in 1857. There is indeed a kind of patchwork quality to it, a mix of close reading, careful contextualizing (often in a dry, academic tone), and intimate investigations into the lives of women as they grappled with their challenging lives and even more challenging feelings  and the difficult questions of consent and power that their new arrangements entailed. There is Zina Jacobs, who moved through her days softly, as though she were already halfway to heaven, and Patty Sessions, who was confident in her spiritual authority and earthly role as a midwife. There is Phebe Woodruff, who had left her family and traveled 1,000 miles, a lone maid, to join the enclave of Mormons. She at once fully accepted the claim that God  and his lieutenants Joseph Smith and Brigham Young  had upon her husband but struggled to suppress her own claims upon him. Wilford would leave her repeatedly, on missions and expeditions, to give birth to and bury their children alone.

[Mormons aim to address the messy parts of church history, theology]

There are women who embraced plural marriage and women who abhorred it  and women who felt that conflict internally. They were helpmeets to each other and rivals; some were almost servants, while others were literally sisters. The women were also a group that organized. The Female Relief Society helped the poor, enforced moral strictures, found support and succor, defended its community, took records, and ultimately helped women gain political power. Ulrich considers seriously the religious motivation for womens acceptance of a practice that was considered repugnant by many Americans, but she also tracks the various economic, social, psychological and political ramifications of plural marriage carefully.

Plural marriage was a religious tenet but also a social experiment  and therefore it involved the constant negotiation of rules, ad hoc adjustments and authority. Mormon marriages were, in some senses, more egalitarian than others  not necessarily because of a more progressive view of a womans place (though Mormons did promote the then-unusual idea that marriage without mutual affection was a kind of adultery) but out of necessity: Mormons wanted to keep marriage out of the system of law and inside the church. The normal rules did not apply. This was most vividly realized in womens access to no-fault divorce, which was not unusual for Mormons  and, during Youngs tenure at the head of the church, three times as common among women in polygamous relationships as in traditional marriages. Divorce, Ulrich writes, was perhaps the safety valve that made polygamy work. Certainly, though, there were women who felt forced to accept what they could barely, if at all, abide.

There is no question that those in the church lived in a strict patriarchy, under rules made more severe by Young, who once said, I dont [want] the advice or counsel of any woman  they would lead us down to hell. But Ulrich convincingly shows why it is not such an irony that women also had more power than they did in other parts of the country. Utah gave women the vote a half-century before the U.S. Constitution did. The women who asked for it, after all, were accustomed to gathering, organizing and sustaining their community and themselves, in the face of threats and siege  from without and from within.
Having trouble following the fast-moving developments about the Trump teams ties to Russia? Heres a primer to get you up to speed:

President Trump got to know Russian President Vladimir Putin very well, but he doesnt know Putin.

Putin sent Trump a present and they spoke, but Trump has no relationship with him.

Trump has nothing to do with Russia, but his son has said Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets and we see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.

Russia definitely hacked the Democratic National Committee, unless it was a 400-pound man in his bedroom or a guy in a van down by the river.

(Jorge Ribas,Ashleigh Joplin/The Washington Post)

U.S. intelligence agencies allege that Putin meddled in the election to try to get Trump elected, but this was all a ruse and a fake news fabricated deal to try and make up for the loss of the Democrats.

There was no communication between Trumps team and Russia during the campaign and transition, except for communication with Russia by Trumps future national security adviser, his future attorney general and his son-in-law and two others.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions did not have communications with the Russians, except for the two meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak he neglected to mention under oath.

Sessions then said he never discussed the campaign with Russians, which is not what was alleged.

Sessions had no idea what this allegation is about regarding his Russian contacts but had enough of an idea what it was about to declare it is false.

Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation, but this decision is unrelated to the discovery that he spoke twice with the Russian ambassador despite his claims that he had no such meetings.

Sessions cannot confirm the investigation he recused himself from exists or will exist in the future.

Sessions believes that perjury is one of the constitutional high crimes and misdemeanors and goes to the heart of the judicial system, except his false testimony under oath to Congress was not a false statement but a case of speaking too quickly.

Sessions met with the Russian ambassador during the time Sessions was serving as a surrogate for the Trump campaign, but not in his capacity as a surrogate for the Trump campaign.

Sessions remembers nothing of his meetings with the Russian ambassador, except that he remembers clearly talking about terrorism and religion and Ukraine and hes sure they didnt talk about the campaign.

It was a total coincidence that around the same time Sessions was meeting with the Russian ambassador, Trump gave an interview that ended up on Russian state-owned TV saying he didnt believe reports of Russian influence in the U.S. election.

Trump, Trumps press secretary and a broad swath of Republican members of Congress said there is no reason for Sessions to recuse himself from the investigation from which Sessions recused himself.

The incendiary and salacious dossier by a former British intelligence official on Trumps involvement with Russia was completely unverified, but U.S. authorities were prepared to pay the man who wrote it.

Carter Page, who has extensive ties to Moscow, had no role in the Trump campaign, except that Trump, meeting with The Posts editorial board, listed Page as an adviser.

Reports of the Trump teams ties to Russia are fake news, yet those who leaked the information for those articles need to be found and punished.

Trump ousted Michael Flynn, his national security adviser, who Trump says did nothing wrong.

Flynn, who spoke several times with Kislyak on the day President Barack Obama announced sanctions against Russia, told Vice President Pence and the FBI that the discussion that intelligence officials heard them having about sanctions was not a discussion about sanctions.

The sanctions that Flynn reportedly discussed with Kislyak, in the conversation he cant entirely remember, were not really sanctions.

Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort had absolutely nothing to do and never has with Russia, except for his extensive work for Russian oligarchs and pro-Russia forces in Ukraine.

Manafort declared in the fall that theres no investigation going on by the FBI that Im aware of into his contacts with Russia, months after that investigation began.

Sessions previously asserted that no one is above the law and that failure to punish people for being untruthful under oath will weaken the legal system, and he proclaimed that Im very careful about how I conduct myself in these matters. Except when he isnt.

So, now you know everything there is to know about Trump and Russia. This has been a public service announcement.

Twitter: @Milbank

Read more from Dana Milbanks archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Philip Lacovara was counsel to Watergate special prosecutors Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworski, and also served as deputy U.S. solicitor general responsible for criminal matters, including the Bronston case. Lawrence Robbins has been both an assistant U.S. attorney and assistant to the solicitor general. Lacovara is a lifelong Republican; Robbins contributed to and raised money for Hillary Clintons presidential campaign. The views expressed are their own.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions made a seemingly false statement under oath during his confirmation hearing. Admittedly, not every potential perjury case gets prosecuted, and Sessions may well have defenses to such a charge. But as lawyers at the Justice Department and attorneys in private practice who have represented individuals accused in such cases, we can state with assurance: Federal prosecutors have brought charges in cases involving far more trivial misstatements and situations far less consequential than whether a nominee to be the nations chief law enforcement officer misled fellow senators during his confirmation hearings.

Sessionss problematic statement involves his response to a question by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) about what he would do as attorney general if there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign. Sessions said he was unaware of any such activities, then volunteered, I did not have communications with the Russians, and Im unable to comment on it. In fact, then-Sen. Sessions (R-Ala.), a top Trump campaign adviser, met at least twice during the presidential campaign with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, The Post revealed.

As any number of witnesses have learned the hard way, it is a federal felony to lie to Congress. Under Title 18 of the U.S. Code, Sections 1001 and 1621, perjury before Congress is punishable by up to five years imprisonment. To prove that offense, a prosecutor would have to establish that Sessionss answer was false, that he knew it was false when made and that the subject matter of the answer was material to the congressional inquiry in which he was testifying.

Those elements all appear to be present. The element of falsity is established by the conceded fact that he did have communications with the Russians during the Trump campaign. And there can scarcely be any doubt that the subject matter of Sessionss answer was highly material to the Senates consideration of his nomination. Any suggestion that he participated in the suspected interaction between Trump campaign personnel and the Russian government was, and remains, a matter of grave concern.

That leaves one element: Did Sessions know that his answer was false? He says no, asserting that he understood Franken to be asking only whether he had contact with the Russian government in his capacity as a Trump campaign surrogate. While a jury might accept that defense, there are many reasons to reject it: Sessionss answer baldly denied any contact. Moreover, Sessions went out of his way to deny contact in response to a question that did not inquire about that subject. By doing so, he preempted an important line of inquiry that might otherwise have been fruitfully pursued.

Certainly there is precedent for a prosecution in this context. Part of the fallout from Watergate included the special prosecutors investigation of Richard Kleindienst, who had resigned from his position as attorney general, for alleged false statements during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Kleindienst was asked whether the White House had interfered with a Justice Department antitrust action against the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation. He stated, I was not interfered with by anybody at the White House  but President Nixon and one of his top aides had each called Kleindienst regarding the case. Kleindienst pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for refus[ing] and fail[ing] to answer accurately and fully questions at a congressional hearing.

Those facts left no room for any colorable defense on the knowledge issue. But when Justice Department officials decide whether to bring a case against Sessions  or, more appropriately, when an independent counsel is appointed and resolves that question  this must be done against the backdrop of other perjury cases that the department has chosen over the years to bring. And the department has prosecuted individuals who advanced defenses very similar to Sessionss arguments here, often where there was far less at stake.

Years ago, for example, one of us (Robbins) represented a defendant named John Patrick Dowd, accused of lying to a grand jury. Dowd was president of a company that had leased a vessel that had dumped 13,500 tons of Philadelphia incinerator ash into the sea. There was no evidence that Dowd was personally involved in the dumping, but his grand jury testimony led to a perjury indictment. Dowd was acquitted of lying to the grand jury when he testified that he didnt know where the ash went. Yet he was convicted for his negative response to the question: You had no idea? Thus, even a question and answer far vaguer and more ambiguous than the Franken-Sessions exchange were deemed sufficient to justify prosecution.

Or take the classic case of vague questioning: Bronston v. United States. Samuel Bronston had placed his movie production company into bankruptcy and was being questioned about his and the companys finances. He was asked about, and denied, having any accounts in Swiss banks. Then the obvious follow-up  Have you ever?  to which Bronston replied: The company had an account there for about six months. What Bronston neglected to mention was that he had a large personal Swiss bank account that he closed when he filed to place his company in bankruptcy.

The Supreme Court held that although his responses may have been deceptive and intended to mislead, they did not constitute perjury because they were literally true, and it was the fault of the questioner that he failed to pursue the inquiry further. The Sessionss situation presents exactly the opposite scenario: Sessionss response appears to be both literally false and comprehensive, leaving nothing open for further inquiry regarding the nature of his contacts with the Russian government during the presidential campaign.

A government that has been willing to prosecute relatively small and questionable instances of falsity in connection with matters of comparatively minor importance should have difficulty explaining why Sessionss testimony would receive a free pass.
When Education Secretary Betsy DeVos cast historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as pioneers in school choice this past week, her critics scoffed at the notion that black students could choose to matriculate wherever they wished during the days of segregation. In a series of tweets, DeVos attempted to adjust her statement, focusing instead on the schools birth from necessity. But the episode revealed just how many misconceptions persist about the nations more than 100 HBCUs.

Myth No. 1

Black colleges were founded by black people.

According to DeVos, HBCU founders saw that the system wasnt working, that there was an absence of opportunity, so they took it upon themselves to provide the solution. Presumably, they means African Americans.

But some of todays most well-known HBCUs were founded by white Americans. Washingtons Howard University, which celebrates its sesquicentennial this year, is named after one of its founders, Gen. Oliver O. Howard, a white Union officer who led the federal Freedmens Bureau after the Civil War. Spelman College was founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary by Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles, two white teachers from Massachusetts. Later renamed, the all-female college had among its early benefactors John D. Rockefeller and the family of his wife, Laura Spelman Rockefeller. The Rockefellers and the Baptist organization that underwrote the teachers mission also provided major financial support to the nearby all-male HBCU, Morehouse College.

Myth No. 2

Its racist to have black colleges.

In a 2012 story about public HBCUs in Maryland, World Net Dailys Les Kinsolving asked, Why is any Maryland college identifying itself as historically black not an example of racism? Last year, African American talk show host Wendy Williams eventually apologized after saying, I would be really offended if there was a school that was known as a historically white college. In 2008, Georgia state Sen. Seth Harp proposed merging two historically black colleges with two mostly white state schools, purportedly in the name of closing the chapter of segregated schools. (In 2015, one merger was approved.)

But these sentiments obscure a key distinction. As Morehouse graduate Martin Luther King Jr. put it in 1957, Although Negro colleges are by and large segregated institutions, they are not segregating institutions. Theres a reason HBCU stands for historically black and not simply black colleges and universities. Although they were originally founded to educate black students who were shut out of white schools, they have always enrolled non-black students. According to the Department of Education, In 2014, non-Black students made up 21 percent of enrollment at HBCUs, compared with 15 percent in 1976. White students account for most of the non-black HBCU student population, but schools such as Howard increasingly attract international interest. More than two dozen students from Nepal joined Howards freshman class in 2014, the largest delegation from any country that year.

Myth No. 3

HBCUs are inferior.

No HBCU is on U.S. News & World Reports list of top 100 national universities, and only one, Spelman, is ranked among its 100 best liberal arts colleges. HBCUs also have a relatively low graduation rate (30 percent) compared with all black college students nationwide (42 percent ), according to a 2015 New America report.

But nearly 73 percent of HBCU students qualify for Pell grants and in many cases come from low-income households where the cost of college is a high barrier to completion. HBCUs see their mission as serving these students, many of them first-generation college students who otherwise might not attend. And these schools, which represent only 3 percent of post-secondary institutions, produce about 20 percent of all African American graduates  and 25 percent of those in the STEM fields, according to the United Negro College Fund.

A 2015 Gallup report measured five elements of well-being  social, purpose, financial, community and physical  and found that black HBCU grads were thriving , to a greater degree, in all categories, than their black counterparts who attended other institutions. The gap was largest in financial well-being. Black HBCU grads were also more likely to tell Gallup that they strongly agreed that their colleges prepared them for life after graduation (55 percent) than were black graduates of other institutions (29 percent).

A 2013 National Science Foundation report said that of the top 50 baccalaureate-origin institutions of black science and engineering PhD recipients, 21 are HBCUs. In 2015, the New York Times looked at Xavier University of Louisiana, which has some 3,000 students and consistently produces more black students who apply to and then graduate from medical school than any other institution in the country.

Myth No. 4

Students are fleeing HBCUs.

In a 2015 feature, Newsweeks Alexander Nazaryan wrote that colleges without students do as well as airlines without passengers, and as black students snub HBCUs, HBCUs face the first true existential crisis in their collective history. That same year, Forbes ran an article enumerating enrollment declines at several HBCUs and concluding that African American students were voting with their feet to go to schools they think fit their needs better.

Indeed, some HBCUs have seen declining enrollment. But writing for The Washington Post last year, Dillard University President Walter Kimbrough pointed to an uptick in enrollment at a number of HBCUs, which he called the Missouri Effect  social consciousness emblematic of renewed campus activism in the past few years. Freshman enrollment is up 49 percent at Shaw University, 39 percent at South Carolina State, 32 percent at Tuskegee University, 30 percent at Virginia State University, 22 percent at Dillard University, 22 percent at Central State University, 20 percent at Florida Memorial University, and 19 percent at Delaware State University. Dillard, Philander Smith College (overall enrollment up 29 percent) and South Carolina State University all rely on overflow housing to accommodate the influx of students, he wrote.

Everything happening with police brutality and Black Lives Matter, student Alversia Wade told PBS NewsHour, pushed me to want an environment where I could talk to other students about all these things.

Myth No. 5

Obama was anti-HBCU.

President Barack Obamas first budget called for a $73 million cut in funding for HBCUs. (The next year, that money was restored .) In 2011, the administration tightened loan standards, resulting in a 36 percent reduction in federal PLUS loans available to HBCU parents and causing a number of students to unexpectedly interrupt their college educations. The new rules disproportionately affected schools that served a high share of disadvantaged students. A Post analysis found that the move translated to an annual cut of more than $150 million for HBCUs.

The Obama administration acknowledged the unintended impact and took steps to adjust the loan rules. But black observers were shocked. As economist Julianne Malveaux, former president of historically black Bennett College, put it last year, You never thought that when a conservative white man put more money in for HBCUs that a progressive black man would take it out. In a Post op-ed in 2016, Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, asked, Do black colleges matter to Obama?

But Morehouse President John Silvanus Wilson Jr., a former director of Obamas initiative on HBCUs, told Inside Higher Ed last year: It is a fact that just before President Obama took office, total annual federal funding to HBCUs was under $4 billion. During his first term, that figure climbed to nearly $5.2 billion, largely based on a very intentional boost in federal grants and loans to HBCU students. To this day, HBCUs are getting nearly $1 billion more per year than they were getting when Obama took office. That is not the behavior of a leader who thinks these institutions do not matter.

Correction: The online version of this article previously referred to Xavier University of Louisiana as Xavier College.

Twitter: @shirleycarswell

Five myths is a weekly feature challenging everything you think you know. You can check out previous myths, read more from Outlook or follow our updates on Facebook and Twitter.
Denver Riggleman is highlighting his populist credentials in his run for the Republican nomination for Virginia governor. (Steve Helber/Associated Press)

Mark J. Rozell is dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.

Virginias political campaigns were already bound to command a fair share of national media attention in 2017.

After all, as Virginia is one of only two states (New Jersey is the other) to regularly hold statewide elections the year after presidential contests, gubernatorial elections here often are seen as an early referendum on a new president.

Although gubernatorial elections most often are driven by state issues, not federal ones, this year President Trump has already emerged as a major issue in the Virginia campaign. A quick ride across the Potomac River from their D.C. bureaus, the Old Dominion therefore will be irresistible to the national media.

And the show is on here. The populist earthquake that heaved Trump into the White House in November is producing major aftershocks in Virginia. Insurgencies are shaking up both political parties. And there are eerie similarities between last years dramatic presidential contest and the races shaping up in Virginia.

Last year at this time, Democratic and Republican establishments were hoping to nominate well-connected mainstream candidates for governor in 2017. The Trump phenomenon upended everything.

The path for Virginia Republicans is complicated. Remember, Hillary Clinton carried Virginia by a respectable five percentage points just a few months ago.

Recent statewide surveys by Roanoke College and Quinnipiac University indicate widespread disapproval of Trumps early performance and policies. The surveys also reveal a sharply divided Virginia electorate.

So, Republican candidates in the four-way gubernatorial nominating contest must calibrate how much to run with Trump  and how much to run away from him.

Former Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie, who demonstrated surprising strength by almost upsetting incumbent Democrat Mark R. Warner in Virginias 2014 U.S. Senate race, was long viewed as the odds-on favorite for the GOP gubernatorial nomination. A consummate political insider, Gillespie kept his distance from Trump during the presidential campaign, and that doesnt sit well with Trumps supporters.

Corey A. Stewart, the outspoken immigrant-bashing chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, is all in with Trump. Stewart, who began his campaign by raffling an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, was co-chairman of the Trump campaign in Virginia until he protested that national Republicans werent devoting enough resources to Trumps campaign here, which led to his dismissal.

Former Air Force intelligence officer Denver Riggleman claims he is the genuine populist in the GOP nominating race. Riggleman, co-owner of a distillery near Charlottesville, praises Trump but also borrows from the playbook of the late Democratic legislator Henry E. Howell by taking on Dominion Virginia Power and vowing to keep the big boys honest.

In another era, longtime Virginia state Sen. Frank W. Wagner of Virginia Beach might have been able to make more of his credentials in the legislature, but this year, Wagner struggles to be heard and is generally regarded as the fourth man in the race.

Virginia Democrats also have challenges in 2017.

For more than a year, Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, most often described as genteel and low-key, seemed to have a clear path to the partys gubernatorial nomination.

But in early January, former congressman Tom Perriello announced his surprise candidacy for governor and set out to energize progressives, much as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) did in the 2016 presidential race.

Most Virginians are not tuned in to the governors race yet, but the fact that early polls show Northam and Perriello tied must be troubling to Democratic leaders who had hoped they might escape a messy nomination contest.

Meanwhile, as politicians maneuver for advantage, the public is restless. Normally sleepy town-hall meetings with Virginias members of Congress have attracted crowds of noisy Virginians angry with Trumps immigration and health-care policies. It appears progressive resisters may finally have learned a few tricks from the tea party.

We know Trumps people are passionate. Maybe its catching.

With drama unfolding in full view here, expect plenty of national media coverage. But dont count on all Virginians to believe whats written. After all, that recent Roanoke College survey revealed that 44 percent of Virginia Republicans have no confidence at all in the news media.
The issues under debate in this years French presidential election are broad and varied: terrorism and trade, the retirement age and social security, the legacy of France in Algeria and the future of France in Europe. But in truth, only one issue really matters: Can the heady cocktail of fear-mongering, nationalism, nostalgia, resentment, pro-Russian foreign policy and big-government economics  a philosophy that is described, unsatisfyingly, as far right or populist, that takes a particularly virulent online form and that has contributed to recent electoral victories in the United States and Britain  be defeated in a major Western country? And if so, how?

At least until scandal began to damage his campaign, Francois Fillon, the candidate of the center-right Republican party, offered what looked like the safest formula: steal the populist issues from the far right  Marine Le Pens National Front  and make them mainstream. In choosing this strategy, he was emulating Theresa May, the conservative British prime minister who has defeated the upstart U.K. Independence Party by announcing she will leave all European trade structures (as UKIP would have done) and make immigration control her priority (as UKIP does already).

Fillons version is slightly different  he has called for a halt to immigration from outside Europe, tougher borders and tougher language on assimilation of French Muslims  but the idea is the same. Like Le Pen, whose campaign has been funded with Russian money, he speaks of friendship with Russia. He talks openly about his Catholicism in a bid to lure Frances family values voters away from Le Pen, too. But alas, it seems that Fillons version of family values included putting his wife and sons on the state payroll , a story that just wont go away.

That leaves the contest in the hands of Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old social and economic liberal whose strategy is quite different. Its been clear for some time that the old left-right split in European politics doesnt reflect real social divisions, and that the new fault lines are better described as integrationist vs. nationalist, or, more bluntly, open vs. closed. But although the closed voices  parties such as Le Pens National Front or UKIP  are long established, Macron is the first major European politician to attract mass support by putting up a vigorous, active and angry defense of open. I defend Europe, he told a British journalist. If you are shy, you are dead.

His strategy, so far, has been built on defiance of ideological stereotypes. Macron has a background in banking but speaks about collective solidarity. He served as a minister in a Socialist government but has said that honesty compels me to say that I am not a socialist. Instead of a traditional political party he has his own movement, En Marche  a rough translation might be Forward  that he launched, to widespread skepticism, in 2016. He has invited U.S. scientists, especially those working on climate change and clean energy, to come live in France. He wants to roll out the red carpet for British academics and businessmen marginalized by Mays retreat from Europe, too.

He also attracts enemies. Because his victory would strengthen both the European Union and NATO, Macrons campaign has naturally attracted the attention of those who want to destroy them. Both WikiLeaks (which claims to have secret documents on all the candidates) and the Russian propaganda channel RT have attempted to show sinister links between Macron and Hillary Clinton. The predictable whispering campaign is conspiratorial (Macron is part of a secret cabal), anti-Semitic (Macron works for the Rothschilds) and personal (Macron is gay). That kind of negative campaigning  based on slurs and hysterical allegations  has worked brilliantly in other countries, and there is plenty of time left for it to succeed in France.

Macrons success will depend on whether he can withstand the coming smear campaign, and then pull off a trick that has so far eluded his British, Dutch and other counterparts: Unite the center-left and the center-right behind a single banner, and run a campaign that is patriotic as well as open, tough on terrorism as well as integrationist.

The stakes are high. If he loses, muscular liberalism will disappear from France for a generation. But if he wins, he will have many eager imitators, not only in France but also across the continent and around the world.

Read more from Anne Applebaums archive, follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her updates on Facebook.
Terry D. McCallister is the 2017 chairman of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. Kimberly K. Horn is the 2017 chair-elect of the organization.

In the movie Lincoln, there is a pivotal moment in which the nations elected leaders must make a decision critical to the future of the nation. President Abraham Lincoln tells them solemnly: The day of reckoning is nigh upon us.

That assessment can also be applied to the decisions that the D.C. area faces on Metro. Reform and additional funding are needed to save our regions most visible economic development engine  one that also plays a crucial role in D.C. tourism and security, as well as the federal workforce.

The regions business community recognizes that drastic action is required right now. That is why our organization, the Greater Washington Board of Trade, is urging our regional government leaders to make significant governance changes at Metro to assure that any enhanced funding for the system is used efficiently to improve safety, operations, reliability and public confidence in Metro. These changes should include reducing the Metro board to nine members from its current 16, setting relevant board-member qualifications such as those included in the legislation creating the Metro Safety Commission, making the choice of the board chair a joint decision by the Maryland and Virginia governors and the D.C. mayor, eliminating the single-jurisdiction veto and modifying binding arbitration.

Federal legislation is being developed to address the problems, but decisive action must be taken by our regional leaders, namely Govs. Terry McAuliffe (D) of Virginia and Larry Hogan (R) of Maryland and D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D). They should meet immediately to develop needed changes to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Compact. Our region must take control of its destiny; otherwise, the only viable option may well be a federally imposed control board. No regional leader should want to see that become the solution.

Metros success is vital to growing our regional economy. We are reaching out to other business groups, riders, our employees and the public to join this effort to urge our regional leaders and Congress to act now to make changes in governance, labor matters, operations and accountability while we also look for appropriate dedicated funding sources to assure that Metros fiscal house is in order.

Metros recent outstanding performance during the presidential inauguration and the Womens March on Washington demonstrated that the system can still deliver, but it needs our help. Investing in Metro, both organizationally and financially, is essential to our regions future. The day of reckoning is indeed upon us, and we need to answer the call.
President Trumps tribute to Navy SEAL William Ryan Owens during his address to Congress on Tuesday was very moving. I could not help but think, however, of the comments the parents of Capt. Humayun Khan were subjected to by then-candidate Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign. Did we hear any applause from Mr. Trump for the courage and sacrifice of the Khans and their son, who was killed in the line of duty while serving in the U.S. military? May the Khan familys service to this country also be long remembered.

Johanna Warren, Reston
Regarding the March 1 editorial A bleak view of the union:

There is a saying that everyone knows, but we often forget: If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. President Trumps address to a joint session of Congress fell into this category. Mr. Trump promised tax cuts as well as massive increases in spending for the military, veterans benefits and infrastructure. He never offered a realistic picture of how this largesse would be paid for. Other Republicans talk of how a combination of tax and regulation cuts would drive a new dynamism in the U.S. economy, increasing the growth rate and generating torrents of new jobs and revenue. This theory has been touted by GOP economists before, but it has never been validated in the real economy.

Without unleashing this economic growth, Mr. Trumps agenda will definitely unleash a torrent of new national debt  a debt the Republican Party has railed against for many years. It will be fascinating to watch Republicans in Congress try to reconcile Mr. Trumps budget-busting proposals with their long-held conservative ideology.

Ken Derow, Swarthmore, Pa.

President Trumps speech to Congress on Tuesday night might have been his smartest political move yet [Trump details vision in milder tones, front page, March 1]. He was well aware, as were the rest of us, that the Democrats in attendance were going to remain in protest mode and were not going to applaud anything he said. In his speech he mentioned items that resonated with Americans (putting U.S. citizens first, calling out radical Islamic terrorism, etc.), and the Democrats predictably refused to applaud. Mr. Trump invited people who were victims of illegal immigrants while Democrats invited immigrants. The country witnessed on live television, more plainly than ever, what the Democrats stand for. Those who question whether Mr. Trump has what it takes to effectively play the Washington political game should be rethinking their doubts.

Michael Garcia, Winchester, Va.

President Trump, in another moment of cosmic lack of self-awareness, promised that dying industries will come roaring back to life [A bleak view of the union, Editorial, March 1]. Why in the world is that something to wish for or celebrate? Industries die when they no longer serve a useful purpose or because they cannot serve such a purpose better than a new way. Mr. Trump makes sense only if you do not spend even a moment thinking about what he says.

Orin Hollander, Jamison, Pa.

In his Feb. 28 op-ed, Trump should dare Democrats to say no, Marc A. Thiessen suggested that President Trump should craft a plea for bipartisanship as a tactical move to put Democrats in a political bind if they dont accept his olive branch. Mr. Thiessen wrote that Mr. Trump should sound hopeful and optimistic in his address to Congress  not because he sincerely believes bipartisanship is good, but because rejection of that fake message would strangle the left politically. If anything, the Republicans, over the past years, have perfected the art of obstruction. They spurned the gauzy hope of reconciliation on Day 1 of the Obama administration. It seems to have worked for them.

Mary Ann DiMola, Bethesda
I DID not have communications with the Russians. At the least, Attorney General Jeff Sessions misled Congress when he said this in his January confirmation hearings. The Post reported Wednesday night that Mr. Sessions had contact with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak on at least two occasions  once after he spoke at a Heritage Foundation event at the Republican National Convention last July, and again in Mr. Sessionss Senate office in September.

At a Thursday afternoon news conference, Mr. Sessions began by reading a prepared statement arguing that his declaration was honest and correct as I understood it at the time. That, he claimed, was because he was referring to his role as Trump campaign surrogate, not his position as a senator who regularly meets ambassadors. In fact, his extemporaneous response to a question was more fitting: In retrospect, I should have slowed down and said, but I did meet one Russian official a couple of times.  Yes: If not at that time, then at least following the hearing, when Mr. Sessions and aides should have reviewed the testimony he had just given  under oath  and noticed that his statement was deeply misleading. Imagine Republicans reaction if Hillary Clinton had attempted to spin her way out of a dubious statement in such a hair-splitting way.

The Post reached out to the other 26 Senate Armed Services Committee members, where Mr. Sessions served, and all 20 who responded, including Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.), said they did not meet with the Russian ambassador last year. Even so, as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a Thursday morning news conference, there are a variety of plausible and appropriate reasons Mr. Sessions may have met with Mr. Kislyak. The damning issue is that Mr. Sessions misled senior government officials and the public about his contacts. This was the same lapse that brought down former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and it underlines broader questions about the opaque relationship between Mr. Trump and the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Those questions remain unanswered.

Mr. Sessions at least announced Thursday that he would recuse himself from any existing or future investigations of any matter relating in any way to the campaigns for president of the United States. He should have taken this step weeks ago  and it should extend to any probe of after-the-election conversations between Mr. Kislyak and Mr. Flynn. Mr. Sessions should appoint a special counsel capable of conducting a thorough and unbiased inquiry into all of the contacts between Mr. Trump and his associates and Russia  including Mr. Sessionss.

The attorney general promised to provide the Senate Judiciary Committee with a full explanation of his misleading testimony. The integrity of the committees work is now at stake, and its members owe themselves and the public nothing less than a thorough probe. Beyond that, what is still needed is a broader investigation into Russias attempted interference in the election. If ongoing investigations by congressional intelligence committees are stymied by partisanship, an independent commission should be empaneled.
WERE GOING to have insurance for everybody, President Trump told The Post in January. There was a philosophy in some circles that if you cant pay for it, you dont get it. Thats not going to happen with us. Yet that is exactly the direction Republicans appear to be heading.

In his first speech to a joint session of Congress, Mr. Trump stressed providing access to coverage rather than re-articulating the goal of insuring everyone, embracing rhetoric Republicans have used to defend policies that would likely reduce the number of Americans with decent health-care coverage. The president then seemed to endorse the broad outlines of the sorts of repeal-and-replace schemes that mainstream Republicans such as House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.) have backed.

It may still be too early to say what Mr. Trump really favors. The White House says he will release a proposal within the next few weeks. Yet the presidents thinking on health care has long been scattered. During and after the campaign Mr. Trump condemned both high deductibles and high premiums, seemingly promising to lower both. In fact, these two figures generally move in opposite directions, and only spending massive amounts of federal money would change that. Tuesday night, he called for a fantasy plan that would expand choice, increase access, lower cost, and at the same time provide better health care.

Certainly, Republicans have not proposed any such magical plan. A fair reading of every major Republican replacement plan so far  including the one the presidents Health and Human Services secretary authored and the one that Mr. Ryan proposed last summer  would reduce access to decent coverage.

The latest example is a draft bill circulated among lawmakers in Feburary and leaked at the end of last week. Though a new draft is apparently under discussion, the February plan tracks with earlier Republican proposals, which is to say that it adjusts benefits toward healthier and wealthier people, even at the risk of leaving low-income Americans out of the system.

Though the bill contains some attractive provisions, such as limiting irrational tax breaks for employer-sponsored health insurance, it makes several cardinal errors. Obamacare linked the federal subsidies that health-care consumers get to peoples incomes. The GOP would break this link, showering benefits on wealthy insurance-buyers who do not need them and shortchanging poorer people who may well find themselves unable to afford adequate coverage.

The bill would double down on this problem by stressing tax-advantaged health savings accounts to fill coverage gaps, but these accounts would be useless to those without spare income with which to fill them. To catch those who fall through the cracks, the bill would provide states innovation grants to set up high-risk pools, create reinsurance programs or other such things. Yet high-risk pools serially failed to serve as adequate backstops in the pre-Obamacare years.

As Mr. Trump belatedly noted the other day, health-care policy is complex. But the essential questions facing Republicans remain simple. Will as many or more people be covered under an Obamacare replacement plan? Can the GOP make such a commitment without severely degrading coverage quality? So far, Republicans have the wrong answers.
Brownie Wise demonstrates Tupperware at a home party on a beach in Hawaii in the 1950s. Wise pioneered the sales technique, which propelled Tupperware to success. (Maggie Drain/Brownie Wise Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History)

Megan McDonough is a weddings and obituary writer for The Washington Post.

When Tupperware  the now-ubiquitous plastic-container brand  first hit retail stores in 1945, it sat on the shelves gathering dust. The new kitchen helpmate needed to be demonstrated and explained to consumers.

The product itself was revolutionary, Bob Kealing writes in Life of the Party. Now it just needed someone equally innovative to figure out how to sell it.

Enter Brownie Wise, the trailblazing entrepreneur and executive whose marketing genius and sales method of targeting women transformed Tupperware into the international, billion-dollar business it is today.

Kealings book, originally released under the title Tupperware, Unsealed in 2008, has been revamped to feature Wise even more prominently alongside Tupperware founder and inventor Earl Silas Tupper. Exhaustively researched and skillfully detailed, Kealings thorough and engrossing account chronicles the pairs unlikely, dynamic and often tumultuous relationship, and Wises meteoric rise and subsequent precipitous fall from grace within the company she made a success.

"Life of the Party: The Remarkable Story of How Brownie Wise Built, and Lost, a Tupperware Party Empire," by Bob Kealing (Crown Archetype )

[Anna B. Tate, D.C. area Tupperware maven, helped boost womens independence]

Kealing aptly describes how, before becoming the face and force behind Tupperware, Wise, a divorcee and struggling single mom, worked as an executive secretary in Detroit and sold Stanley Home Products  mops, cleaners, detergents  to supplement her income. Although she would eventually become a sales leader at Stanley, she was admonished by her mentor, the companys founder, that management wasnt a place for women.

Wise then discovered Tupperware and realized firsthand the importance of hands-on home demonstrations to effectively promote the product when she accidentally bumped a Tupperware bowl to the floor: It bounced and did not break. Right away, she realized its durability as a key feature of its marketability.

She had found her niche. Capitalizing on her experience at Stanley, she began buying and selling Tupperware independently. She ingeniously recruited suburban housewives to sell the product at large gatherings of friends, relatives and neighbors in their homes, which soon became social events.

In turn, they received merchandise, a share of the proceeds and personal recognition. Her motto? Build the people, and theyll build the business.

The growth was immediate and explosive: Within her first year of selling independently, her team garnered more than $85,000 in Tupperware orders (close to $850,000 today), outselling department stores across the country.

Tupper, noticing her remarkable sales, saw an opportunity and astutely pulled Tupperware off store shelves. He pivoted the companys strategy to capitalize on Wises home parties and promoted her to general sales manager.

By the mid-1950s, Tupperware was employing more than 10,000 people, mostly women. Selling Tupperware gave homemakers an opportunity to work and excel outside the traditional domestic sphere. Tupperware executives had the shrewd notion  untried in any organization before them  that women would power the engine of this home-selling revolution, Kealing writes. And they did.

By 1958, the company had hit $10 million in sales (more than $80 million in 2016 dollars). Tupperware and Wise were quickly becoming household names. Wise was also becoming a PR maven, planning buzz-worthy events such as the companys annual Homecoming Jubilees. The four-day events, designed for Tupperwares national top earners, were famously enormous, extravagant and elaborate, filled with classes, motivational speakers and more than $75,000 in prizes.

In 1954, Wise was the first woman to grace the cover of Business Week. The story dubbed her a Prophet in Plastic. As Kealing writes, She showed others like her a golden road to a better life paved through suburban America.

But Tuppers displeasure with Wises self-promotion caused their relationship, once collaborative and congenial, to sour. Don Hinton, a former Tupperware advertising executive, explained that Tupper was jealous of her because she was the queen of Tupperware and he was nothing.

This, coupled with a series of missteps that Kealing recounts, led to her ouster from the company she effectively built. In 1958, she was abruptly fired and tossed aside like last weeks leftovers, with no stock, only a years salary (almost $35,000 today) and a noncompete contract, while Tupper left the business just a year later with $16 million.

In 1992, Wise died at the age of 79 in Kissimmee, Fla., relatively unknown and uncelebrated. Yet her profound impact on the company and its iconic American product is still evident, with home parties continuing as Tupperwares main marketing strategy. Her sales techniques also paved the way for other successful big-name companies, such as Mary Kay and Avon.

Kealings book is a much-deserved tribute to Wise, shedding light on the life and legacy of this groundbreaking, formidable and visionary woman.
What I heard from President Trump in his speech Tuesday night was a greatest-hits compilation of campaign promises he has no earthly way to keep. Dying industries will come roaring back to life, he vowed. Gleaming new roads, bridges and airports will magically materialize. Health care will be better, cheaper and available to all. Terrorism, crime, poverty and even drug addiction will cease to plague our soon-to-be-great-again land.

What I didnt hear was anything to reassure the nation that its fate is in competent hands.

Trumps speech won praise for being presidential, but only from those grading him on an absurdly generous curve. It should not be remarkable that the highest elected official of the richest and most powerful nation on earth managed to get through an hour-long speech without foaming at the mouth. Two-bit banana republics set a higher bar.

I do give Trump credit for one laugh-out-loud funny line: The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights is behind us. This high-minded sentiment came from a man who used his appearance at the National Prayer Breakfast to taunt Arnold Schwarzenegger about his ratings as Trumps replacement on The Celebrity Apprentice.

And there was one truly genuine and unforgettable moment: the sustained ovation for Carryn Owens, the widow of Navy SEAL William Ryan Owens , who was killed in the Trump administrations first counterterrorism operation, a raid in Yemen.

But what else could anyone take seriously? Certainly not the presidents basic premise that he inherited a nation in dire straits. Unemployment as of January was 4.8 percent. Violent crime is near historical lows nationwide, though a few cities, including Chicago, are tragic exceptions. What once was a flood of undocumented migrants coming across the border from Mexico has become a trickle. And through a combination of vigilance and good fortune, we have not suffered a major attack by a terrorist group on U.S. soil since 9/11.

Much of Trumps speech, then, was devoted to solving problems that do not exist. He wants to give huge tax cuts to corporations as a way of creating jobs. He is forming a Justice Department task force on crime. He swore for the umpteenth time to build a great, great wall along our southern border. And he called for the strictest possible vetting of visa applicants from countries afflicted by terrorism  which is what already takes place.

If he wanted to, Trump could just declare victory now on all these fronts and then turn to other matters. But that would require setting actual policy rather than just talking and tweeting.

The closest the president came to substance in the speech was in discussing health care. Unless you were listening very carefully, you probably just heard Trumps usual its-gonna-be-awesome description of what will replace the Affordable Care Act: reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time provide better health care. This imaginary program probably washes and waxes your car, too.

But House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) surely noticed that Trump used the phrases tax credits and expanded health savings accounts  both of which are elements of the framework Ryan supports as a starting point for a replacement program. The problem for Ryan is that both Democrats and conservative Republicans reject his approach, so the kind words from the president may not matter.

After reportedly suggesting in an off-the-record lunch with television anchors that he might propose a version of comprehensive immigration reform, with some sort of legal status for the millions of law-abiding undocumented immigrants, Trump did nothing of the sort. In fact, he went back to demonizing the undocumented as dangerous criminals, announcing a new victims-services office infelicitously named VOICE  Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement.

And as for sounding presidential, how about this passage? Free nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the people, and America respects the right of all nations to chart their own path. My job is not to represent the world. My job is to represent the United States of America.

1 of 45 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  The scene as President Trump delivers his first address to a joint session of Congress View Photos The president returned to familiar themes from his campaign in his speech to Congress, promising to reduce regulations and taxes, combat terrorism, crack down on illegal immigration and replace the Affordable Care Act. Caption The president returned to familiar themes from his campaign in his speech to Congress, promising to reduce regulations and taxes, combat terrorism, crack down on illegal immigration and replace the Affordable Care Act. Feb. 28, 2017 Vice President Pence and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), behind Pence, shake hands with attendees as they walk into the House Chamber for the presidents speech to a joint session of Congress in Washington. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

All recent presidents have focused instead on the inalienable human rights of individuals and have criticized governments whose own path is to trample those rights. All recent presidents have believed the United States can and must play a special role in the world as a beacon of freedom.

Trump said he wants an America not burdened by our fears  after spending an hour stoking those fears. Even when he uses his indoor voice, he doesnt sound much like a president.

Read more from Eugene Robinsons archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. You can also join him Tuesdays at 1 p.m. for a live Q&A.
During his recent address to Congress, President Trump earned a standing ovation for once again declaring that, in place of Obamacare, Americans should have the freedom to purchase health insurance across state lines.

Heres the dirty little secret: Obamacare already gives Americans this freedom.

Dirtier still: When Republicans propose across state lines legislation, theyre really talking about reducing states sovereignty to make their own regulatory decisions. So much for states rights.

Filthiest yet: The best-case scenario for Trumps proposal would be that nothing happens; worst case, lots of people lose access to health care.

Despite the flip sloganeering, this is complicated stuff. (Nobody knew health care could be so complicated, amirite?) So first, heres some background on how the system works today.

Since 1945, the federal government has delegated the regulation of individual health-insurance plans to the states. That means states have historically decided what benefits insurers must cover (diabetes screening, in vitro fertilization, acupuncture, etc.); how much insurers can adjust premiums based on age, gender, past illness, occupation and other characteristics; and lots of other kinds of regulations, such as how plans can be marketed.

Then the Affordable Care Act came along.

Among many other provisions, Obamacare raised the floor for what services insurers had to cover, though states can still require benefits above the federal minimum. For example, the ACA says plans must fully pay for certain types of preventive care that not all states required previously.

The law also placed restrictions on how much insurers can adjust premiums based on age and other characteristics (though again, states can limit this further) in the individual and small group markets. For example, the law says insurers cant charge you more just because you once had cancer or because youre female, both practices that almost all states used to allow.

And, apparently unbeknownst to Trump and other Republicans, Obamacare also encouraged the sale of insurance across state lines.

The law set up a framework to help states develop health-care choice compacts with one another to allow plans to be sold across borders, conditional on mutually agreed-upon rules. Several states have started the process of creating such compacts. But to date, none has materialized.

Why is . . . complicated.

Lots of state regulators dont want to give up turf, according to Georgetown University Health Policy Institute professor Sabrina Corlette. (Theres that state sovereignty thing again.) Plus, insurance companies havent exactly been clamoring for the right to sell across state lines.

The barriers to selling plans in a new state turn out to be less about regulatory red tape and more about the colossal costs associated with setting up networks and negotiating rates with new doctors and hospitals.

Again, thats how things work now. What, then, are Republicans proposing?

When Republicans talk about allowing health insurance to be sold across state lines, this is shorthand for a bigger suite of deregulatory proposals. What theyre usually referring to is (A) lowering or eliminating the federal minimum standards for all states, and (B) allowing insurers from one state to sell a product that undermines anothers laws.

In other words, they want to allow a company in, say, lower-regulation Alabama to be able to sell insurance in higher-regulation Massachusetts, without having to follow Massachusettss laws about pricing or coverage.

At first blush this idea sounds like it has merit. It might give consumers more options  assuming insurers decide its worth going through that expensive process of setting up networks in new states.

But lets game out what happens.

Just as credit card companies tend to domicile in South Dakota, and many other companies wanting to minimize their tax liabilities incorporate in Delaware, every health insurer would have an incentive to park in the state with the least restrictive regulations.

They could then cherry-pick the youngest, healthiest patients in the higher-regulation states who dont expect to consume much health care, according to Urban Institute senior fellow Linda Blumberg. That would leave behind older, less-healthy people in those relatively higher-regulation states, driving up average costs and making premiums less affordable.

In time, those sicker, older consumers would be forced to either drop their insurance altogether (causing costs for remaining patients to rise even further) or buy less-generous out-of-state coverage themselves. Any struggling insurers left in those high-regulation states would also pressure regulators to loosen coverage requirements to push prices down.

In other words, a race to the bottom. People either lose their coverage because they can no longer afford it, or they end up buying plans that dont cover much of anything.

Its hard to see the upside, which is why even conservative and free-market-oriented health experts have decided this unkillable across state lines proposal is junk. It sure sounds nice to those who dont know much about health-care policy. Just ask our president.
The American people support more federal spending on infrastructure such as roads, buildings and waterways  75 percent are in favor, according to a year-old Gallup poll. And so President Trumps call for a 10-year, $1 trillion national rebuilding plan was one of the few parts of his address to Congress on Tuesday that might have been the same if Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders had won in November.

Depending on the details, many Democrats will support a Trump-backed infrastructure bill, in the name of boosting short-term job creation and long-term economic productivity.

Theres just one catch: Many of the same people who tell pollsters they want to unleash the bulldozers will sing a different tune when those machines approach their communities. And Americas responsive, democratic political system, with its decentralized institutions and multiple veto points, will heed the cry of NIMBY  not in my back yard.

Two consecutive California governors, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democrat Jerry Brown, have dreamed of a high-speed rail system like Japans, paid for partly by state borrowing. Nearly a decade after voters approved the California bond issue, the project has barely started. Residents of Silicon Valley in the north and the San Joaquin Valley in Californias central agricultural region filed lawsuits. Property owners along the route have refused to sell land. San Fernando, a small city in Los Angeles County, balks at being sliced in two by the tracks.

To be sure, Californias high-speed rail is brand-new infrastructure and, as such, inherently more disruptive. Maybe Americans will be less wary of merely upgrading existing installations, as Trump  with his tales of trucks damaged by potholed interstates or tiles raining down from the Midtown Tunnels ceiling  seems to intend?

Well, a $120 billion federal plan to improve the ancient but vital Northeast Corridor rail line, thus slicing Amtrak travel times between New York and Boston, faces resistance from the 7,500 denizens of Old Lyme, Conn. It would mean tunneling under their downtown. Connecticuts Democratic elected officials, state and federal, support the resisters of Old Lyme.

Even much-needed repairs to Rock Creek Parks thoroughfare, Beach Drive, a mere 6 miles long, took years to get going, due to negotiations between the feds and local D.C. authorities over stormwater drainage.

Its fashionable and, to some extent, merited to denounce NIMBYism. We dont want a few selfish holdouts to block manifestly urgent and beneficial projects.

On the other hand, its hard to prove, really prove, the necessity and utility of any given bridge or highway. A just-completed $1.6 billion expansion of Los Angeless 405 freeway accomplished next to nothing in terms of its stated goal  reducing traffic congestion  according to the New York Times. Anybody else notice that Trump hasnt identified a specific new road or hospital that the nation absolutely, undeniably must have?

Yes, the jewel of American infrastructure  the interstate highway system  knit this great land together. In the process, it tore through many an old downtown or established neighborhood (often inhabited by relatively powerless minority groups).

In fact, backlash against the interstates is one reason that we have environmental-impact statements today, and the pesky delays that come with them. Prompted in part by widespread freeway revolts, Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act; President Richard Nixon signed it on New Years Day 1970.

Few recall that history now, but it puts into perspective a lot of todays simplistic thinking about infrastructure.

The United States failure to enact a massive program to repair our crumbling infrastructure reflects not stupidity, or weak national will, but a genuine, inescapable collective-action problem. Infrastructures benefits are diffuse, long term and, to some degree, speculative; its costs are focused, immediate and palpable.

Approaches to this conundrum vary around the world. In China, a one-party state shoves whole villages aside to make way for dams and airports.

As that extreme example demonstrates, there is always a tension between grand schemes of national rebuilding and, well, democracy. Or, if you prefer, theres a rather striking compatibility between such schemes and authoritarianism.

By all means, the United States should try to mitigate NIMBYism. We should streamline the rules and regulations that have accumulated since 1970. We should spend what it takes to keep our far-flung ports, national parks and roads in good repair.

We should also reflect on the real reasons its so difficult to take billions in infrastructure money, and throw it up against the wall and see if it sticks, as Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon has recommended.

Under our system, the government has to consult with the people  multiple times and in multiple forums  before irreversibly damming our rivers or excavating our towns.

This can be maddening as heck, but also, when you think about it, one of the things that makes America great.

Read more from Charles Lanes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
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Mostly clear skies this evening. Scattered showers and thunderstorms developing overnight. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

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Mostly clear skies this evening. Scattered showers and thunderstorms developing overnight. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
President Trumps main achievement in his first address to Congress was to make the phrase President Trump seem more plausible to more Americans. The event had all of the reassuring signs of normalcy  the familiar ovations, the teleprompter (actually being used), the policy proposals, the attempts at inspiration. International alliances were reaffirmed rather than questioned. A Gold Star family was honored instead of criticized. Trump made at least the attempt to present his nationalist, law-and-order views in the best light rather than the starkest contrast. His convictions, while still vivid, were not painted in his typical, jarring neon.

In all this, Trump made use of conventions rather than smashing them. And that provided some assurance that conventions could matter to the president and his team, at least for one winters evening. None of this represented a substantive change; it was a triumph of the speechwriting department, not the policy shop. But even some of Trumps toughest critics found encouragement in his attempt to be encouraging. What you are reading is proof. Call it the soft bigotry of . . . something or other.

And still. The actual purpose of a presidents first speech to Congress is not to burnish his image; it is to clarify his budget priorities. And here, Trump is on more familiar, less coherent, ground.

The Trump budget  which still exists only in its barest outlines  would increase defense spending by more than $50 billion, cut discretionary spending by a similar amount and leave entitlement programs alone. All of these elements represent the fulfillment of campaign pledges. But, taken together, they seem like the liberal caricature of a Republican budget: Cut poverty-fighting programs and international aid in order to fund more ships and tanks, but leave programs for the elderly (who disproportionately vote Republican) untouched.

Republicans clearly foresee a division of labor in the budget process. Trump will do the big-picture persuasion while House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) take care of the details. But the problem here is the big picture. Even in outline, the Trump budget is impractical, cold-hearted and unsalable.

It offers little by way of outreach to Democrats, some of whom will be needed to pass appropriations bills requiring 60 votes in the Senate. The proposal to slash discretionary spending  which means cuts in things such as education, environmental protection, AIDS drugs and medical research  is enough to embitter any liberal heart. Discretionary spending has been steadily shrinking as a portion of the budget and has already taken considerable hits over the years. Trump is asking for gallons of blood from a pale and anemic patient.

Trumps budget does little to please Republican budget hawks. They have also proposed similar levels of cuts in the past. But they always planned on using the saved money for deficit reduction. Trump is proposing to shift spending into defense and law enforcement, with no net cut in spending. He seems to be arguing, says Yuval Levin, editor of National Affairs, for keeping the same budget trajectory we are on now, but still taking the political pain and human cost of big discretionary cuts. That is not an easy sell to Republicans.

Trumps budget does little to please entitlement hawks. Under Ryans leadership, congressional Republicans staked out the position that it is irresponsible to leave Social Security and Medicare on the path to insolvency and crisis. Ryan and company have now been undermined by another president who refuses to confront the mathematics of entitlement instability.

The president is likely to find resistance to elements of his budget in unlikely places. Some of the strongest opponents of cuts in foreign aid have backgrounds in the military. They understand that health-care and development spending can be strategic tools, encouraging stability and decreasing the need for future interventions. Perhaps Trump should pause a moment in his praise of military leaders and actually listen to them.

The Trump budget outline is underdeveloped, compared with those of other presidencies; it leaves the trajectory of deficits unchanged; it imposes cruel and indiscriminate cuts in discretionary spending; it is cowardly, especially on the main drivers of future debt; it is injurious to elected Republicans who will risk the wrath of the Trump base in order to make rational budget choices; it is an indication of governing unseriousness and a preference for positioning over leadership.

But the speech was nice.

Read more from Michael Gersons archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook .
Ilana Masad is an Israeli-American book critic and fiction writer.

In 2011, all eyes were on the youth of Egypt. Their mobilization efforts  both online and off  helped bring down the oppressive, nearly 30-year rule of President Hosni Mubarak. But the revolution ultimately has been seen as a failure. The years since have been marked by violence, political upheaval and crackdowns on dissent, leaving Egyptians in a state of perpetual uncertainty. Rachel Aspdens Generation Revolution offers sharp insight into how the youth movement came together and why it fell apart.

Beyond the turmoil of parties, factions and elections that followed Mubaraks overthrow, I wanted to know about the personal beliefs and choices that would shape Egypt directly, but less surely, Aspden writes. I wanted to understand why a woman with three degrees might wear a face veil and conceal her hands with black gloves; why a start-up entrepreneur might demand his bride-to-be was a certified virgin; why a nightclub-going, hash-smoking student might despise the idea of democracy. Chronicling the experiences of four young Egyptians, the book provides fascinating detail but no easy answers.

Aspden was an outsider to Egypt, a journalist of the ever-suspicious West, which she thankfully acknowledges. Throughout the book, she shares her own perspective sparingly but enough to remind readers that she, too, is unable to grasp some ideas that are taken for granted in Egyptian society. If theres one thing thats missing, its how Aspden managed to earn the trust of those she writes about, young men like Ayman, who became a Salafi (a member of a strictly orthodox Sunni Muslim sect) when he was 16, or Mazen, a fanboy of the TV preacher Amr Khaled.

[How to rescue Egypt]

The book begins in the last years before Mubaraks downfall, as Egypt became ripe for change. Khaled was a key part of this charged environment  his TV program created the youth movement Life Makers, which trained people to be politically active. In addition, the conservative values that had tightened around Egyptians  often as holdovers from expats returning from stricter gulf states  were frustrating to young people watching cosmopolitan first lady Suzanne Mubarak and other elites dress in Western fashions and espouse Western ideas. Egypt was a country full of contradictions: The rise of conservative Islam was spurred by the liberal, wealthy administration and its web of military favoritism. The imbalance of power and money, mixed messages, politically active young people, and the introduction of the Internet fostered unrest.

Ayman and Mazen provide an intriguing window into the Egyptian youth movement. Both were middle class with politically moderate parents. Both were versions of a similar phenomenon, embodied by a phrase Aspden heard over and over: Egyptians are religious by nature. Those words helped reinforce faith as a communal identity rather than a private matter between a person and their god (or lack thereof). Ayman, who saw hypocrisy in popular organized religion, turned to Salafism, while Mazen devoutly followed the action-oriented Amr Khaled.

Aspden paints her subjects not as revolutionaries who were itching for a fight but as regular people, Egyptians of varying upbringings and socioeconomic status. That they ended up being part of the movement against Mubarak was as much a result of luck, timing and the force of a collective as it was a matter of individual readiness.

Aspden goes on to examine the protests that sparked Egypts uprising. In June 2010, 28-year-old Khaled Said was beaten to death by police. Soon after, protests in Tunisia began. Swiftly, the head of the Tunisian regime was ousted, and Egyptians on social media called for protests of their own. These demonstrations were meant at first to be reactions to police brutality. Instead, Tahrir Square in Cairo filled with thousands speaking out against the militarized Mubarak regime. On Jan. 28, the Friday of Anger, tens of thousands were in the streets. Police began retreating, and military forces arrived, providing hope for the protesters who saw them as saviors, knowing that without military support, Mubarak wouldnt be able to stay in power.

[In new Egyptian textbooks, its like the revolution didnt happen]

Aspden deftly captures small details about the protesters: She describes how Mazen saw men taking bottles of Pepsi from an abandoned store (the fizzy drink is effective in combating tear gas) and leaving money on the counter for the owner. The protesters had no interest in anarchy; they wanted safety and to see their country evolve.

Another of Aspdens subjects, Amr, a software engineer, thought Mubarak was a dinosaur who had shut down the Internet and sent camels and horses to do battle in the middle of Cairo. But even then, some expressed concerns about what would happen if and when Mubarak was ousted; some of Amrs friends feared that if Mubarak goes, the Islamists will take power.

After Mubarak stepped down, the internal conflict in Egypt began in earnest. Activists who once came together for change began to disagree about what the change should look like. Aspden explains the various reasons her contacts voted for the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Mohamed Morsi: They thought he would clean up politics, they were disgusted by everything his rival stood for, or, as the most cynical believed, it was necessary to see the Brotherhood in power in order to expose its true evil and stupid identity.

During Morsis brief time as president, there were demonstrations for and against him  for him because of his religion but also because he was elected by a democratic process; against, because people disliked an Islam-tinged government, despite being religious by nature. The latter were eventually aided by the army, which was forming a coup to overthrow Morsi.

Returning to a militarized regime left Aspdens contacts disheartened , angry and hopeless. Former revolutionaries looked on, aghast and exhausted, as military scientists lied on TV and power went off at even the most prosperous shopping malls. Software engineer Amrs activist streak had long ago burned out. Amal, a woman who fled her familys strict rules, told Aspden that in 2011 she thought things might change for women, but no more: All this stupid stuff, obsessing about sex, about covering womens hair, is because of the vacuum we live in.

Amr and Amal were among the few who had the opportunity to leave Egypt. Most people, like Ayman, had to keep working to support themselves and their families. Mazen, who paid off government officials to smooth the way through red tape and move forward with a venture  selling sparkly cellphone cases bought on the cheap from abroad  looked years older when Aspden saw him for the last time in 2014. His face was set in disillusioned lines and his voice had an unhappy, cynical tone, she writes. The new-old regime was stifling everyone.

Still, Aspden ends on a note of cautious optimism. Things in Egypt would never be the same again. An awareness that things could be different had been planted and at some point it would bear fruit. The Egyptian activists may have lost this battle, but the war for freedom is far from over.
The words harangue and oratory may not roll off the tongue the way they used to, a federal appeals court acknowledged Friday. But their meanings are clear enough to let anyone know that they cannot interrupt the proceedings of the Supreme Court by making speeches.

A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said that a lower court was wrong to find the words so vague as to cast doubt on a law that outlaws protests at the Supreme Court.

[Court says no protests on Supreme Courts plaza]

At issue is a decades-old statute that states, It is unlawful to discharge a firearm, firework or explosive, set fire to a combustible, make a harangue or oration, or utter loud, threatening, or abusive language in the Supreme Court building or grounds.

Judge Janice Rogers Brown, writing for a unanimous three-judge panel, said that in context the wording was clear enough that a group of protesters at an April 1, 2015, oral argument should have known that they could not stand up and start making statements.

It is true, as their dictionary definitions show, that harangue and oration can cover different facets of public speeches  orations can include formal speeches, while harangues can include angry or vehement speeches, Brown wrote. But we are interpreting a statute, not restating a dictionary.

At the 2015 incident, a string of protesters rose to speak after the courtroom full of spectators had been admonished to remain silent as the oral argument proceeded.

We rise to demand democracy, said Belinda Rodriguez. After she was removed, Matthew Kresling stood up: Money is not speech. One person, one vote! Another demanded the court overturn its campaign finance decision in Citizens United v. FEC.

They were charged with violating the statute against protests in the Supreme Court building, but last year U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper agreed with them that the language about harangues and oratory was unconstitutionally vague.

Congress has not defined these words, nor has their meaning evolved over the years from repeated adjudications,  Cooper wrote. (But he rejected the same vagueness challenge to the word loud.)

In Fridays ruling, however, Brown said the meaning was clear: By employing two words that cover public speeches of myriad forms within a statute focused on the Supreme Courts building and grounds, Congresss use of harangue and oration indicates these terms are meant to cover any form of public speeches that tend to disrupt the Supreme Courts operations.

She was joined in the decision by U.S. circuit judges Sri Srinivasan and Stephen F. Williams.

Those latter two judges were also on a unanimous D.C. Circuit panel last year that upheld a related law that restricted protesters from the Supreme Courts plaza. Demonstrations are allowed on the sidewalks that surround the court.
President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, walk to Marine One at the White House en route to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla.

March 17, 2017 President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, walk to Marine One at the White House en route to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post

The beginning of the presidents term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media.

The beginning of his term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media.

The beginning of his term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media.

See what President Trump has been doing since taking office

See what President Trump has been doing since taking office

One of the iron rules of politics is this: If youre parsing, its a sure sign youre losing.

The latest confirmation of that principle comes from Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who in his confirmation hearings flatly claimed under oath that he did not have communications with the Russians while acting as one of President Trumps top surrogates and closest advisers during the 2016 presidential race. Then, when confronted with a Washington Post report of two meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Sessions reverse-engineered that sentence to, I never met with any Russian officials to discuss the issues of the campaign.

So for the second time, President Trump was in the position of vouching for one of his top appointees who has been caught not telling the full truth about conversations with Moscows top man in Washington.

The first led to the resignation of his national security adviser two weeks ago; the second, to Sessionss awkward announcement Thursday that he has decided to recuse himself from existing or future investigation of any matter relating to the 2016 campaign.

That satisfied the demands of many Republicans on Capitol Hill, but a growing chorus of Democrats are calling for Sessions to resign.

(Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

[Sessions recuses himself from Trump campaign investigations]

The bigger problem for Trump and his team politically has been their inability to shake dark suppositions about his and his associates relationship with a hostile power, amid evidence that Russia had tried to influence the U.S. election.

What do the Russians have on him? House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) asked at a news conference on Thursday.

Trumps difficulties have been compounded by some of his own tendencies  among them, his inclination to personalize issues that potentially have much broader implications.

Thus, he sees questions about Russian influence in the U.S. electoral system as a challenge to his own legitimacy as president.

The Democrats had to come up with a story as to why they lost the election, and so badly (306), so they made up a story  RUSSIA. Fake news! Trump tweeted on Feb. 16, referring to the number of electoral votes he won in November.

That same day, his instinct was to bristle and reply it was not a fair question when a reporter for an Orthodox Jewish weekly magazine asked him about rising incidents of anti-Semitism.

1 of 10 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  These lawmakers have called for the recusal or resignation of Jeff Sessions View Photos Some Republicans and top Democrats are saying that the attorney general should step down. Caption Some Republicans and top Democrats are saying that the attorney general should step down. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said during an appearance on MSNBC that Sessions should bow out to maintain the trust of the American people. Asked whether Sessions should recuse himself in this situation, McCarthy replied I think the trust of the American people -- you recuse yourself in these situations, yes. Matt McClain/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

More recently, the president has denounced recent vandalism of Jewish cemeteries and community centers. But he has also suggested that those incidents might actually have been orchestrated as an effort to make people look bad, implying that they were actually false flag hoaxes meant to impugn his own supporters, a small fraction of whom have expressed anti-Semitic sentiments on social media and elsewhere.

Nor does Trump have many in his closest circle who are experienced at handling and getting ahead of a mounting political crisis outside a campaign environment, where the first move in the playbook is usually to punch back at the accusers and their motives.

Sessionss predicament, for instance, was an unforced error.

First of all, the attorney general should have proactively brought up his Russian contacts at the [confirmation] hearing, said Ari Fleischer, who was George W. Bushs White House press secretary. It could have been and should have been a big nothing, assuming that Sessions is telling the truth that his conversations with the ambassador did not delve into the subject of the election.

In Washington, you know that when youre in the middle of a red-hot situation, youve got to get it all out on the table, and say it now, Fleischer added.

[Has Trump become the dont blame me president?]

Ultimately, however, the real answer is for Trump to change the subject of the conversation in Washington to his policies, some Republicans argue.

It would be helpful to him if he would shut up and govern, said Republican strategist and Capitol Hill veteran John Feehery. If he spent more of his time knocking heads on Obamacare and knocking heads on tax reform, this [controversy over Russian contacts with those close to Trump] would be put in its proper place.

Trump appears, at least for now, to agree with that approach.

On Thursday, the president traveled to Newport News, Va., and boarded the USS Gerald R. Ford to make a pitch for his proposed $54 billion increase in the Pentagon budget.

He stuck to that theme, unlike he has often done at moments of stress in the past. It was a contrast, for instance, from an appearance at Gettysburg, Pa., during the campaign, where he was supposed to highlight his policies but veered off into denunciations of women who had accused him of sexual misconduct.

Trumps answers to a hail of questions from the reporters traveling with him were brief and supportive of Sessions.

Sessionss recusal, however, is not likely to quiet the questions, particularly the larger ones being asked by lawmakers of both parties about the extent of Russian actions, the possibility of more security breaches in the future and how the United States should respond.

The challenge is not to Trumps leadership alone. Washington is now so deeply divided and dysfunctional that many of its traditional mechanisms do not appear to be up to the task of handling a multilayered challenge where many political agendas are at work.

[The Fix: Jeff Sessionss puzzling press conference]

Indeed, Trumps election was a testament to how disaffected and mistrustful many Americans feel toward the capital and its institutions.

Congressional intelligence panels are promising their own inquiries, and there is also some sentiment for the appointment of a select committee to handle the issue. However, the atmosphere in Congress is so politically charged that it is unlikely that any finding produced there would be accepted by all sides as definitive.

Presidents before Trump have often sought to get out in front of controversies, particularly ones that focus on their own management, by appointing an outside commission, with bipartisan leadership.

That, for instance, was what Ronald Reagan did as the Iran-contra scandal was brewing in 1986. After initial resistance, Bush signed legislation creating a commission that examined the lapses that made it possible for terrorists to attack the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and to come up with proposals to prevent such a catastrophe in the future.

Still others, including Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), are saying that a special prosecutor may be warranted, if there is any indication that criminal activity may have occurred.

Fleischer, however, said the existing systems should be given an opportunity to work.

I still have faith in the Congress and the FBI to get to the bottom of Russian interference in the election, he said. It should be rare and extraordinary and beyond a shadow of a doubt when you convene a special committee or you call in a special investigation.
 When the army and police trucks prowl through affluent areas in this sprawling garrison city, headlights flashing and riflemen at the ready, residents breathe a sigh of relief.

But when the trucks enter certain shabbier neighborhoods, home to a mix of Afghan refugees, migrants and ethnic Afghan Pashtuns, children scatter and adults wonder who may be taken away next.

Since the Pakistani security forces launched a nationwide anti-terrorist operation in February after a spate of suicide bombings, Pashtun leaders have complained vociferously that their communities are being targeted for harassment and racial profiling, especially here in Punjab province.

Traditionally based in the northwest region bordering Afghanistan, Pashtuns who migrate or flee south to the Punjabi heartland have often been viewed as suspect outsiders, disdained by some as backward tribal people or war refugees with a penchant for crime and violence.

Now they have been further tarred by the Afghan and Pashtun origins of the militants who claimed most of the recent bombings, which took more than 125 lives; one blast ripped through a crowded public square in Lahore, Punjabs capital.

The authorities think every Pashto speaker is a refugee or a terrorist. We are being targeted, but we, too, suffer from these blasts, said Anwar Khan, 40, a fruit seller in an open-air market who migrated from the northwest a decade ago. He pulled up his trouser cuff to reveal a row of metal pins in his leg, the result of a 2014 bombing in the market that killed 23 people. May God destroy those who do this, he said.

After the recent bombings, police swept through many Pashtun communities in Punjab and elsewhere, combing markets and going house to house. Nationwide, more than 100 people were killed and hundreds detained as terrorism suspects. Many were said to be Afghans, including a man whom officials described as the Afghan handler of the Lahore attacker.

Meanwhile, the army shelled suspected militant camps on both sides of the border, a rugged region inhabited by Pashtun tribes that has long served as a shelter and staging ground for Islamist militias fighting both the Afghan and Pakistani governments.

Last week, after the military operation got underway, Pashtun leaders began receiving numerous complaints of harassment, especially in Punjabi cities such as Rawalpindi that are full of migrants and people displaced by fighting in the northwest. Residents said security forces were rounding up and detaining Pashto-speaking men for no reason.

They were really angry after these blasts. They took away my grandfather and said he didnt have his identification, but we have been here for many years, said Jamal Khan, 16, who lives in a warren of alleys known as Army Village. The elders had to rush over and get him out of the police station.

Like other Pashtun neighborhoods near the citys vast fruit and vegetable market, the narrow streets of Army Village were swarming with children and lined with sidewalk stands. The street signs were in Urdu, the dominant language of Pakistan, but the conversations were all in Pashto.

Many old men had lengthy beards and wore turbans; the few women on the streets were covered with billowing, mocha-colored burqas. Some residents complained that troops had entered and searched their homes, an affront to the conservative Pashtun tradition in which women are kept secluded.

Other complaints came from the open-air markets and bazaars where many Pashtun migrants work. In one market, a circular appeared urging people to report anyone who wore Pashtun dress, spoke Pashto or sold items such as dried fruit. A photo of the notice flooded the Internet, and Punjab police officials finally tweeted that it was inappropriate and did not reflect police policy.

As reports continued to pour in, Pashtun legislators and other leaders spoke up forcefully. On Monday, the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning the racial profiling of Pashtuns on the pretext of fighting terrorism. Social media was flooded with even harsher criticism.

Hundreds of Pashtuns are being arrested and harassed in the name of terrorism, said Sayed Zaffer Shah, a northwest legislator. We never said all Punjabis are terrorists, though Punjabi Taliban were involved in bombings. This discrimination will only spread hatred.

Some critics even raised the specter of federal disintegration along ethnic lines, a highly sensitive subject in Pakistan. The country was violently dismembered in 1971 after the marginalized Bengali group seceded and the country of Bangladesh was created.

Protests came from non-Pashtun groups, as well. At a protest rally in the northwest city of Peshawar last week, Mushtaq Ahmad of the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party declared angrily that Pashtuns dont need any patriotic certificate from the Punjab and Sindh governments. Such hate campaigns must stop.

In Army Village and other targeted communities, though, some people said the raids were almost routine in areas where many people are refugees or have no government identification cards. They also suggested that the new crackdown was mostly aimed at soliciting bribes.

This has been going on for a long time; it only accelerated after the latest blasts, said a fruit market worker named Atiqullah, 21. His parents were Afghan war refugees; he was born in Pakistan but has no ID card. Whenever something happens, they pick me up. This time they asked me if I was making bombs, but they were not serious, he said. After two days I gave them $20, and here I am.

Khan reported from Peshawar.

Read more

Pakistan army launches first nationwide anti-terrorism operation

Pakistan shells border with Afghanistan as tensions rise over terrorist attacks

A wave of terrorist bombings tests Pakistani resolve

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
From Russias point of view, the turmoil swirling around the Trump administration and its contacts with Russian officials is a witch hunt fueled by fake news instigated by leading Democrats looking to distract attention from their election defeat and carried out by their lap dogs in the U.S. media.

In other words, Moscows reaction pretty much mirrors that of President Trump after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any investigation into alleged Russian interference in the presidential election. Sessions made the move after The Washington Post revealed that he twice met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak last year, while still serving as a senator, but did not disclose that during his Senate confirmation hearing in January. Sessions was an early backer of Trumps bid for the presidency and served as an adviser and surrogate for his campaign.

[Sessions will recuse himself from any probe related to presidential campaign]

Russias foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said Friday that all this is very much reminiscent of a witch hunt and the McCarthyism era, which we all thought was long gone.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on reports that Trumps son-in-law met with Kislyak in December, backed Trumps use of the phrase witch hunt, saying, We have nothing to add to President Trumps exhaustive definition.

(The Washington Post)

But despite that convergence, Trump and the Kremlin are speaking out of vastly different contexts.

In the United States, the suggestion that Sessions was not forthcoming at his Senate hearing was enough to force him to step aside from potential probes, regardless of what he and Kislyak discussed.

Moscows reaction, meanwhile, has deeper roots than the controversy over Trumps ties to Russia. When Russian officialdom speaks, its comments reflect 25 years of growing frustration with the United States.

Moscow has never admitted to interfering in the election, as the U.S. intelligence community accuses it of doing, and sees any and all questions about Trumps ties to Russia as symptoms of what it considers rampant Russophobia in the United States political and military establishment. Two prominent daily newspapers, Moskovsky Komsomolets and Nezavisimaya Gazeta, have featured commentary citing anti-Russian hysteria in the United States as a primary driver of efforts to oust national security adviser Mike Flynn, who resigned last month, and force Sessions to recuse himself.

In Washington, Trumps warm words for Russian President Vladimir Putin, his half-joking call for Russia to hack into Hillary Clintons emails and the revelation that Flynn discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with Kislyak before Trump took office have raised concerns that something more sinister is going on. Trump and his administration, though, have resisted accepting the U.S. intelligence communitys conclusion that Russia was attempting to help him win the election. Sessions, in an interview Thursday on Fox News, declined to acknowledge that Russia favored Trump over Clinton.

[U.S. officials look at possible ties between Russia, Trump associates]

In Moscow, suggestions that Trump colluded with Russian officials on the election or that the Kremlin is blackmailing him into cozying up to Putin are regarded as hangovers from the Obama administration. Officials here mostly saw the Obama White House as trying to relegate Russia to a powerless, servile position, while some on the fringes of Russias establishment saw the relationship more darkly, suggesting the election of Clinton, President Barack Obamas former secretary of state, to the presidency would lead to nuclear war.

(Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post)

Lavrov expressed umbrage that our ambassador is accused of meeting with the U.S. politicians who opposed the Obama administration, suggesting that U.S. diplomats do the same with Putins political opponents.

If we applied the same principle to [U.S.] Ambassador to Russia [John] Tefft, this would be real fun, Lavrov added.

Moscow also objects to suggestions that Kislyak is anything but a diplomat. Some media outlets have reported that U.S. intelligence officials think the ambassador is a top Russian spy, accusations that Peskov dismissed as baseless fake-news stories. Peskov, borrowing from Trumps broadsides against leaks, advised reporters to rely only on official statements by genuine officials.

[Moscows man in Washington is at the center of the political moment]

Russian officialdom and the White House also converge in their view of the U.S. media.

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russias Foreign Ministry, characterized stories about Trump this way: Is this rock bottom? Or can they go even lower?

Read more:

Inside Trumps financial ties to Russia and his unusual flattery of Vladimir Putin

What your views on Russia and Islam say about your politics

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
The cover page of a White Paper on the Future of Europe, which was presented before the European Parliament on March 1, 2017. (Yves Herman/Reuters)

The European Parliament has drawn a tough line with Washington in a dispute over visa-free travel, demanding that the United States extend the privileged status to all 28 European Union nations or risk having it pulled for Americans visiting Europe.

The vote Thursday by E.U. lawmakers  calling to end the visa waiver for Americans  was seen as mostly an attention-grabbing stunt ahead of a June 15 meeting between European and American envoys.

But it also runs up against tighter border-control policies by the Trump administration and could leave Europe in a political bind if Washington refuses to bend.

Passport holders from all but five E.U. nations can travel to the United States without seeking an advance visa. The entire European Union gives the same welcome mat to Americans.

[Trumps new travel ban to exempt current visa holders]

The European Parliament, however, insists that the United States should give the visa-free allowance to the five left out: Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus.

The European Parliament does not have the authority to change visa policies on its own. Also, imposing visas for American travelers would likely touch off huge economic disruptions and could force a retaliatory move by the United States.

But the vote suggests growing frustration with Washington in a running spat that began in 2014.

What remains unclear is whether the Trump administration would be in the mood to open its European visa policies. Officials have already urged greater border checks and seek to reimpose a court-blocked travel ban that originally covered seven Muslim-majority nations.

One sticking point in the past has been U.S. concern about potentially lax passport-issuing rules in some of the five E.U. countries outside the visa-free list.

Read more:

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Egypt's former president Hosni Mubarak is transported from a military helicopter to an ambulance outside Maadi military hospital in Cairo on March 2, 2017 as he returns from a court hearing. (Mohamed El-Shahed/AFP/Getty Images)

Former president Hosni Mubaraks acquittal in the killing of protesters during the 2011 Arab Spring revolt surprised few Egyptians and highlighted how the goals of the revolution remain a distant dream.

The ruling Thursday by Egypts top appeals court means that the ailing former leader could be released from house arrest in a military hospital, where he has spent much of his time since his arrest in 2011.

For Egyptians who took to the streets six years ago to denounce Mubaraks nearly three-decade rule and bring him down, the decision was viewed as the latest blow to their hopes and aspirations, which have steadily eroded under the two governments since Mubaraks fall.

[From the archives: With peace, Egyptians overthrow a dictator]

President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, a former general who led Egypts powerful military when it ousted an elected Islamist government in 2013, has jailed opponents and critics, forcing many to flee the country or keep silent. In a nation where the judicial system is widely viewed as lacking independence, some feared that Egypt had returned to its pre-revolutionary order, at least in spirit, with the ruling.

Its a nice cherry on the top of the situation we are in, said Wael Eskandar, an activist and blogger. It vindicates the entire history of Mubaraks corruption and dictatorship. It is a sign that this present regime is approving of all the past practices and theres no need for condemnation.

In August 2011, tens of millions watched as Mubarak was rolled into a courtroom on a stretcher dressed in prison whites to face charges of inciting the deaths of hundreds of demonstrators during the 18-day uprising that erupted Jan. 25, 2011, and ended with his ouster.

On that day, there was a collective sense that an Arab leader would finally be held accountable for decades of repression, even though the future remained unclear.

In 2012, Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison, along with his interior minister and six aides. But an appeals court later ordered a retrial. In 2014, the court dismissed the charges involving the killing of protesters, citing technical flaws in the prosecutions case.

Thursdays ruling by the Court of Cassation upheld that verdict.

Mubarak, 88, arrived at the courthouse on a stretcher, and as on that day in 2011, he was seated in a wheelchair inside a cage for defendants.

The court has found the defendant innocent, Judge Ahmed Abdel Qawi said after the all-day court session.

In January 2016, the appeals court upheld a three-year prison sentence for Mubarak and his two sons on charges of corruption. But the sentence allowed for time already served, and his sons, Gamal and Alaa, were released.

There were signals beforehand that Mubarak would be acquitted: His interior minister, Habib al-

Adli, and the aides were also found innocent by the appeals court and released from detention in 2015.

Tarek el Awady, a well-known human rights lawyer, said what has affected him even more than Thursdays ruling is the continuous stabs in the back of the revolution ever since Mubarak was forced to step down, and the people, our young friends, who still remain in jail or have been forced out of the country.

All of this is more painful and has been more surprising to us in the last few years, more than todays verdict is, Awady said.

He added that the verdict was final and cannot be appealed.

Victims and their families have no recourse to seek their rights, not even through filing a lawsuit.

Nothing could serve them justice anymore now, Awady said.

Read more:

In new Egyptian textbooks, its like the revolution didnt happen

Ousted after the Arab Spring, a former dictator is back

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
Pro-government soldiers parade during a graduation ceremony in Yemen's southwestern province of Taiz. The United States is seeking to facilitate a peace process that would end Yemen's civil conflict and restore the government-in-exile to full power. (Reuters)

The United States conducted a series of airstrikes on al-Qaeda targets in Yemen on Thursday, the Pentagon said, in another sign of the Trump administrations expanding counterterrorism campaign there.

Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement that the air attacks targeted militants, equipment and infrastructure associated with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in three Yemeni governorates: Abyan, Bayda and Shabwah.

A defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss information that has not officially been made public, said there was a total of 25 strikes by manned and unmanned aircraft, far more attacks in a single night than the United States has conducted in recent history.

While Pentagon officials denied Yemeni reports that the U.S. military conducted a ground raid in conjunction with the strikes, U.S. forces were on the ground in the same period, another possible indication of an accelerated offensive in Yemen. Those forces, however, did not conduct any raids, U.S. officials said.

We have U.S. Special Operations forces that go in and out of Yemen to assist our partner forces in fighting al-Qaeda, Davis said. He declined to comment on specific activities overnight.

The flurry of activity, following a Jan. 29 raid by U.S. Special Operations forces, comes as the United States seeks to step up its approach to counteracting militancy in Yemen. The country is mired in a lengthy civil conflict that has pushed it to the brink of famine and enabled AQAP militants to expand their domain.

[A raid in remote Yemen and a SEALs death still reverberate for Trump]

U.S. officials see AQAP, which has already tried to attack the United States directly, as one of the most dangerous militant threats they face. For months, the U.S. military has been eager to secure approval for steps that would restore an on-the-ground intelligence and a counterterrorism program that was largely shut down amid mounting instability in 2015.

Already, President Trump has shown himself willing to approve sensitive operations in Yemen, with the Jan. 29 raid that resulted in the death of a Navy SEAL, Chief Special Warfare Officer William Ryan Owens and, according to local reports, scores of civilians.

The military has also been seeking other authorities for operations in Yemen, including the ability to conduct sustained airstrikes in parts of Yemen and to take part in raids with elite forces from the United Arab Emirates that are assigned to Yemen.

The defense official said that the military had been granted temporary authority to conduct intensified air operations against AQAP in some areas of Yemen. The granting of that authority for what is known in government jargon as an area of active hostility typically enables the military to launch strikes without a more lengthy approval process managed by the White House. It is similar to the authority the U.S. military was granted for the Libyan city of Sirte, where it conducted a multi-month air campaign against the Islamic State last year.

The official declined to say how long that temporary authority would last. If granted for an extended period, it could permit more-intensive strikes, such as those that occurred Thursday, over a sustained period.

Although the United States has conducted periodic strikes against AQAP in Yemen, they have mostly occurred in small numbers.

Military officials said it was not immediately clear how many people were injured or killed in Thursdays airstrikes, but local news media reported that hundreds of militants were slain.

Ramzi al-Fadhli, head of the governments special forces media office in Aden, described a multi-pronged air assault, which he said involved not only aircraft but also attacks from U.S. ships off Yemens coast. In one instance, a car was struck near an area of Abyan province called Mowjan, killing all five passengers, he said. Senior AQAP figures were thought to be among the dead.

[In deadly Yemen raid, a lesson for Trumps national security team]

Fadhli also said that Yemeni officials thought foreign soldiers, believed to be Americans, had conducted operations on the ground in Mowjan, which has been known as an AQAP stronghold. Footprints from soldiers and police dogs have been seen in the area of Mowjan. . . . We are also looking into the purpose behind the American soldiers landing in the area and what their mission was, he said.

Salem al-Marqashi, a tribal leader from the Mowjan area, said that helicopters brought forces from offshore locations early Thursday to an area called al-Nukhaila. We believe that the soldiers were American because they came from the battleships, and it is known to the fishermen and locals in the area that the battleships in that area are American, Marqashi said. The locals saw them from a distance of about one kilometer [0.6 miles] away.

He said locals did not detect any gunfire in the area and said the foreign forces left by helicopter around dawn.

According to Saleh Abu Awdal, editor in chief of the Yemeni news website al-Yawm al-Thamen, residents of Mowjan reported the foreign troops to be from the UAE because of materials they left behind and said they departed shortly after arriving.

The United States partners closely in Yemen with UAE forces, as it did in the raid in January that was the Trumps administrations first major counterterrorism operation and has generated criticism over the death of Owens as well as reported civilian deaths and a series of other mishaps.

The defense official said the airstrikes were not a result of intelligence gleaned from that raid, which targeted an AQAP compound in central Yemen. The Jan. 29 operation was described as an intelligence-gathering raid. He said it yielded terabytes of data, SIM cards, cellphones and other materials providing officials the names and telephone numbers of hundreds of contacts inside and outside of Yemen.

We consider it to be a very valuable take, the official said. Officials continue to mine that material for information they can use against AQAP.

But other officials remain skeptical about the significance of the material recovered.

Sudarsan Raghavan in Cairo contributed to this report. Mujahed reported from Sanaa, Yemen.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson promised during his confirmation hearing he would promote human rights as a core American value. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who during his confirmation hearings repeatedly vowed to promote human rights as a core American value, alarmed human rights advocates when he did not appear in person to present the State Departments annual human rights report, released Friday.

In a break with long-standing tradition only rarely breached, Tillersons remarks were limited to a short written introduction to the lengthy report. Nor did any senior State Department official make on-camera comments that are typically watched around the world, including by officials in authoritarian countries where abuses are singled out in the report.

Instead, a senior administration official talked to reporters by phone and only on the condition of anonymity.

The report speaks for itself, the administration official said. Were very, very proud of it. The facts should really be the story here.

But Tillersons absence underscored how the former ExxonMobil executive remains more comfortable with an aloof, corporate style of governance than the public diplomacy practiced by his predecessors.

[In first month of Trump presidency, State Department has been sidelined]

Tillerson drew fire from some members of Congress and advocates who said his decision not to personally unveil the report suggested the Trump administration places a low priority on advancing human rights.

While the U.S. commitment to human rights has been imperfect, it has always been one of the key pillars of foreign policy, said Sarah Margon, the Washington director for Human Rights Watch. That seems to be under dramatic threat right now. The fact hes not personally involved makes it much easier for other governments to ignore its findings.

The report itself  a years work by embassy employees around the world and distilled by almost 100 editors  differs little from last years. Given that the Trump administration has been in office for only six weeks, it largely reflects work produced during the Obama administration.

There do not appear to be any substantive changes to sections on countries such as Iran, on which the administration has taken a hard-line position, or Russia, a country with which President Trump has said he wants warmer relations.

In the past, secretaries of state have taken the attitude that their presence in unveiling the report lends weight to its findings. John F. Kerry delayed its release twice because he was traveling and wanted to present it himself. Kerry, Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright all showed up for the release in their first year in office. Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice missed the first year but made personal appearances in subsequent years.

Whenever previous secretaries did not make it, the report was always made public on camera by a senior State Department official who answered questions about it.

This is historically seen as one of easiest ways for a secretary of state to demonstrate a commitment to this part of the departments agenda, said Tom Malinowski, who stepped down on Jan. 20 as the assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor and presented last years report.

[Trump rejects veteran GOP foreign policy aide Elliott Abrams for State Dept. job]

Tillerson, who has held no news conference since he arrived a month ago and has read only two public statements during trips to foreign countries, called promoting human rights and democratic governance a core element of U.S. foreign policy in the seven-paragraph introduction to this years report.

Our values are our interests when it comes to human rights, the introduction said. The production of these reports underscores our commitment to freedom, democracy and the human rights guaranteed to all individuals around the world.

During his confirmation hearing, Tillerson was questioned by senators probing his commitment to human rights. Tillerson assured them he would speak out forcefully.

Supporting human rights is essential to showing the watching world what America stands for, he said.

Should I be confirmed as secretary of state, he said at another point, I would be charged with promoting American values on the world stage, and that means standing for universal human rights and fighting for the dignity of every person.

In a comment posted on his Facebook page, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said he was disappointed that Tillerson did not present the report in person. People around the world, he said, look to the U.S., and often to the secretary of state specifically for signs of where we stand, whose side were on, and how strongly we will back up our words with actions.

Some human rights advocates said their concerns are heightened by reports of budget cuts impacting humanitarian aid and Trumps campaign remarks that he supports waterboarding and much worse for terrorist suspects.

Human Rights First said Tillersons decision to forgo a public rollout suggests U.S. leadership on the issue is waning.

Such a decision sends an unmistakable signal to human rights defenders that the United States may no longer have their back, a message that wont be lost on abusive governments, said Rob Berschinski, a senior vice president at Human Rights First and a former State Department official in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.
President John F. Kennedy picked his younger brother to be attorney general. President Trump might have picked the next closest thing.

Jeff Sessions was the first senator to endorse Trump at a time when few Republican lawmakers supported the candidate. His early and fierce loyalty  and his ability to translate Trumps nationalist instincts into policy  helped him forge a bond with the president, and he now enjoys access whenever he wants it, a privilege that few get, an official said.

Two of Sessionss former Senate advisers  Stephen Miller and Rick Dearborn  hold key White House roles, and one official said Sessions still talks to them regularly. The attorney general also is friendly with Stephen K. Bannon, Trumps chief strategist and a powerful player in the administration who promoted Sessions for years on the Breitbart website.

On Thursday, not long before Sessions recused himself from any investigations related to the Trump campaign, the president proclaimed that he had total confidence in his attorney general. Later, Trump issued a statement calling Sessions an honest man who did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional.

Trump also derided the whole narrative as a way of face saving for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win, and he pointed  as he has in the past  to leaks of classified information as the real story.

(Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post)

It is a total witch hunt! Trump said.

The remarks  which came as pressure mounted for Sessions to step aside from any investigations of Trump associates and Russia, or to resign altogether  demonstrate the high standing Sessions has in Trumps Cabinet, and the critical role he will play in carrying out the presidents vision.

[Sessions spoke twice with Russian ambassador during Trumps campaign]

Already, the administration has moved swiftly to implement policies that correspond with the worldview shared by Trump and Sessions. In his inaugural address, Trump spoke of rising crime and vowed to end the American carnage. His attorney general, in his first speech, laid out how he plans to do that: a task force, a crackdown on drugs and an increased respect for police, who he suggested might see less aggressive scrutiny than they did under his predecessor. I do not believe that this pop in crime  this increase in crime  is necessarily an aberration, a one-time blip, Sessions told the National Association of Attorneys General.

On immigration, an issue that has consumed much of Sessionss career, the ideological influence in Trumps policies is vivid and clear, and his Justice Department will be tasked with implementing  and defending  the presidents plans.

In the Senate, Sessions was a crusader for a hard-line stance on immigration, arguing that even legal immigration to the United States should be moderated. Trump has essentially implemented Sessionss ideas by executive action  calling for the hiring of more Customs and Border Protection agents, expanding the pool of those who are prioritized for removal, and temporarily barring refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.

That last order has since been frozen by the courts, and Sessionss Justice Department, which has forcefully defended it, has been involved in crafting a new one.

1 of 10 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  These lawmakers have called for the recusal or resignation of Jeff Sessions View Photos Some Republicans and top Democrats are saying that the attorney general should step down. Caption Some Republicans and top Democrats are saying that the attorney general should step down. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said during an appearance on MSNBC that Sessions should bow out to maintain the trust of the American people. Asked whether Sessions should recuse himself in this situation, McCarthy replied I think the trust of the American people -- you recuse yourself in these situations, yes. Matt McClain/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

Sessions also has taken steps to undo the previous Justice Departments policy toward transgender children, changed its position on a Texas voting rights law the department had been fighting for years and reversed the previous administrations policy on the use of private prisons. His views on those topics match those of the president, who has cast himself a champion of private industry and alleged, without evidence, that massive voter fraud affected the election. During an internal White House debate over the transgender policy, Trump sided with Sessions over Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, according to the New York Times.

[Trumps hard-line actions have an intellectual godfather: Jeff Sessions]

The attorney general holds a unique role in any presidential Cabinet  requiring the person in the job to implement the presidents policy goals on one hand, while faithfully enforcing laws on the other. Sessions is not the first attorney general to enjoy a close relationship with the president. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., whose worldview was similar to President Barack Obamas, enjoyed status as the former presidents favorite Cabinet member.

Like Sessions, Holder came to know Obama before he ran for office and then joined him as a close adviser on the campaign trail. On issues such as same-sex marriage and the reform of a criminal justice system, which they both saw as deeply unfair to young black men, the two worked hand in hand as Holder executed policies that they both supported.

Sessions and Trump met in 2005, when Sessions invited him to Washington to testify at a Senate subcommittee hearing about his criticism of a U.N. project. Sessions was taken with the billionaire developer and later said it was the best congressional testimony he had ever heard.

Two years ago, in June 2015, Trump and Sessions held a conference call on immigration policy. After that, Trump began trying to persuade Sessions to endorse him for president, and by January 2016 had, in essence, lent his top aide, Miller, to the Trump campaign.

In February of last year at a rally in Alabama, Trump told the crowd that Sessions supported him, and Sessions donned a red Make America Great Again hat as he praised Trump, months after Sessions teased the possibility at a summer rally in Mobile. Observers on the campaign trail noted how different the two seemed. Trump is from the North, Sessions from the South. Trump is brash, while Sessions is soft-spoken. Sessions has been in politics for nearly 20 years; Trump is a businessman who had never before held elected office.

But they bonded over their views on issues like immigration and law and order, with Trumps view of those issues influenced by his father, Fred, and his early years in business in New York, and how he saw global competition threaten the U.S. economy. Miller, a former Sessions aide, is the author of many of Trumps executive orders, and Dearborn, Sessionss longtime chief of staff, works to turn Trumps goals into law.

In Trumps orbit, of course, support can evaporate in an instant, and it is hard to assess who is truly in power  aside from Trump himself. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said national security adviser Michael Flynn had the full confidence of the president, and on the same day, Flynn resigned amid revelations that he had misled Vice President Pence about his conversations with the Russian ambassador.

Yet Sessions so far has largely weathered the storm. He confirmed Thursday that he met twice with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, a fact he had omitted at his Senate confirmation hearing to become attorney general.

At that hearing, Sessions was asked by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) what he would do if he learned of any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of the 2016 campaign, and said, I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.

Sessions said at a Justice Department news conference Thursday that he would provide the Judiciary Committee a written explanation for his testimony in the next day or two, while still insisting it was honest and correct as I understood it at the time. His explanation is that he was flustered by Frankens question  which referenced a breaking news story about contacts between Trump surrogates and Russians.

It struck me very hard, and thats what I focused my answer on, he said. In retrospect, I should have slowed down and said I did meet one Russian official a couple times. That would be the ambassador.

Sessions said he would now recuse himself from any investigations having to do with the Trump campaign and insisted he had been talking with Justice Department ethics officials about doing so even before news broke of his meetings with Kislyak.

Not long before, Trump himself had said he did not believe Sessions needed to do so. White House press secretary Sean Spicer had also said: Theres nothing to recuse himself and said those criticizing Sessions were choosing to play partisan politics.

Sessions said he told the White House counsel what he planned to do Thursday afternoon, but they perhaps didnt know or understand the rules as he did.

I should not be involved investigating a campaign I had a role in, Sessions said.
Rene Preval, a low-key technocrat who led Haiti as president during the devastating January 2010 earthquake and a messy and prolonged recovery, died March 3 in Port-au-Prince. He was 74.

His death was announced in a statement by Haitian President Jovenel Moise. The cause of death was not released, but Mr. Preval had been treated for prostate cancer in 2001.

Mr. Preval was the only democratically elected president to win and complete two terms in a country notorious for political upheaval. He was elected by a landslide in 1995 as the chosen successor of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and turned power back over to Aristide when he left office five years later after a term marked by political infighting.

His second term, which started in 2006, was marred by the disastrous earthquake of Jan. 12, 2010, which reportedly killed more than 310,000 people and displaced more than 1 million. Many Haitians accused Mr. Preval of responding poorly to the tragedy.

There was widespread public anger toward Mr. Preval, who made few public appearances after the disaster and was blamed for much of the chaos engulfing the capital.

Haitian President Rene Preval, center, with first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, in Port-au-Prince in 2010. (Brennan Linsley/Associated Press)

His chosen successor, Jude Celestin, lost in the first round of the 2010 presidential election, which was won later by popular musician Michel Martelly. On May 14, 2011, Mr. Preval handed over power to Martelly, marking the first transfer of power from a Haitian president to a member of the opposition.

Rene Garcia Preval was born Jan. 17, 1943, in the town of Marmelade in rural northern Haiti. His father was an agronomist who served under President Paul Magloire and fled the country during the early years of the dictatorship of Francois Papa Doc Duvalier.

Mr. Preval received an agronomy degree from Gembloux Agricultural University in Belgium and later studied geothermal sciences at the University of Pisa in Italy. In 1970, he moved to New York, where he worked as a waiter and a messenger. Five years later, he returned to Haiti and worked at the National Institute for Mineral Resources, according to an official biography.

In 1988, two years after a popular uprising ousted Duvaliers son, Jean-Claude Baby Doc Duvalier, Mr. Preval opened a bakery in Port-au-Prince. He supplied bread to an orphanage run by Aristide, a Catholic priest who led a movement to oust the younger Duvalier and later became the countrys first democratically elected president.

Mr. Preval became a leading figure in Aristides Lavalas political movement, which enjoyed a huge following among the poor and was feared by the elite that had long dominated the countrys economy and government.

Aristide was elected president in 1990 and appointed Mr. Preval to be his prime minister. A military coup ousted Aristide seven months into his term, and the two leaders went into exile.

A U.S.-led invasion restored Aristide to power in 1994 and he completed the remaining year of his presidential term. With Aristides backing, Mr. Preval won 88 percent of the vote in 1995, though only a quarter of eligible voters cast ballots.

Mr. Prevals first term was marked by political infighting, with Aristide seen as the power behind the throne. When Mr. Preval completed his term in 2001 and transferred power to Aristide, he became Haitis first democratically elected president to leave office after a full term.

Aristides second term ended when he was forced to flee the country following a violent rebellion in 2004. An interim government backed by the United States then took power.

Mr. Preval won a second term in 2006 in an election that nearly headed to a runoff. As his supporters demonstrated in the streets, the electoral council recounted ballots and found him to have an outright majority.

Haiti enjoyed a rare political stability, with a growing economy, but Mr. Prevals second term was marked by a dramatic spike in violence and in deprivation caused by tropical storms, culminating in the 2010 earthquake.

After 2011, Mr. Preval lived at his estate near Port-au-Prince and in the Miami area, where many Haitian expatriates live.

Survivors include his third wife, Elisabeth Babette Delatour, and two daughters.

 Associated Press
A group of US Congress membersfour Democrats and four Republicans led by House Judiciary Committee chairman Bob Goodlattecalled on President Maithripala Sirisena last Friday. It was the second group of Congress members to visit Sri Lanka during February, underscoring the intensifying geo-strategic tensions generated by the US military buildup in South Asia.

Indian and Chinese diplomats also arrived in Colombo during the past two weeks, seeking to strengthen their influence in Sri Lanka.

The first US delegation came on February 20 for a two-day visit under a so-called democracy partnership agreement with the Sri Lankan parliament. They met with members of parliament, as well as Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The second delegation concentrated more on sensitive political issues. The US embassy in Colombo said the delegation came to discuss strategic issues affecting vital sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific, learn about Sri Lankas progress in forging lasting reconciliation and a non-recurrence of conflict and to learn more about economic reforms that could increase bilateral trade and investment between the two countries.

President Donald Trumps administration has indicated it will continue to concentrate on South Asia as it prepares for confrontation with China. US Defence Secretary James Mad Dog Mattis reportedly told his Indian counterpart, Manohar Parrikar, early last month that the US intended to build up its strategic partnership and defence cooperation with India, further developing ties forged as part of the Obama administrations pivot to Asia directed against China.

The Obama administration orchestrated a regime-change operation in Colombo via the 2015 presidential election, installing Sirisena to replace Mahinda Rajapakse. The main objective of this intervention was to undermine Sri Lankas ties with Beijing under Rajapakses government.

Delegation leader Goodlatte said the US was pleased with the steps taken by the consensual government to strengthen democracy, individual freedom, and reconciliation.

This consensual government is the coalition between Wickremesinghes right-wing United National Party (UNP) and a section of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) led by Sirisena. This coalition was formed not to strengthen democracy but to stabilise the government, which has changed foreign policy in favour of the US and its ally India, and to suppress the explosive social opposition among workers and poor to the austerity offensive begun under Rajapakse.

In his discussions, Sirisena reiterated his governments readiness to serve the needs of American imperialism. According to a government statement, Sirisena said: Sri Lanka has an important responsibility regarding regional security in addition to national security as the country is situated at an important strategic location in the international maritime route [H]ence Sri Lanka takes all these into careful consideration while entering into international investment agreements.

Sirisena appeared to be addressing US concerns over Sri Lankas investment agreements with China.

Sirisena halted all investment projects funded by China as soon as he took office. However, his cash-strapped government has since been compelled to seek Chinese investments and loans, and is planning to sell the controlling shares in the Hambantota Magampura Port to a Chinese company.

The port was built by Chinese companies, largely funded by a Chinese loan, during the Rajapakse government. The US and India branded it as part of Chinas String of Pearls strategy to allegedly dominate the Indian Ocean and beyond. In response, Sirisena and Wickremesinghe have declared that no Chinese military presence will be allowed in Hambantota.

While thanking the US for resuming training of Sri Lankan armed force members, which was stopped under Rajapakse, Sirisena asked for additional training slots for naval officers.

His government is deepening military ties with the US. In November, the USS Somerset, a naval amphibious landing ship, anchored in Trincomalee port for joint naval exercises involving 300 US marines. Last September, the Sri Lankan navy established its first ever Marine Forces with the help of the US Marine Corps.

The US delegation reportedly asked Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leaders what they felt about Chinas and Indias interest in Sri Lankan political affairs. The Island reported that TNA head and parliamentary opposition leader, R. Sambandan, replied that China did not interfere in the countrys internal affairs, whereas India continued to demonstrate interest in constitutional reforms.

The TNA, which represents the Tamil capitalist elite, fully backed Washingtons 2015 regime-change operation and supports the current government.

Indian Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar arrived in Sri Lanka on February 18 to meet with Sirisena, Wickremesinghe, several other ministers and TNA leaders.

Indian think tanks and the media reported that Jaishankar was sent to discuss some concerns of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis government. Savita Pandey, a professor of South Asian Studies at Jawaharlal University, told the press: Although India has a favorable government in Sri Lanka, Chinas efforts to expand its presence in the island nation is a cause of concern for New Delhi.

New Delhi is also worried that the Sri Lankan government postponed the finalisation of an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement with India in the face of an anti-Indian communal campaign by Sinhala extremist groups.

On February 23, Chinese International Department Minister Song Tao led a delegation to meet Sirisena and Wickremesinghe. He also met former President Rajapakse. Tao discussed several issues, including a proposed investment zone near the Hambantota port. Beijing is perturbed by the continuing postponement of an agreement on the port project and industrial zone.

Intensifying the geopolitical tensions, the US is aggressively working to develop its military buildup. A Sri Lanka Navy statement said top-level discussions took place when Brigadier General Brian W. Cavanaugh, the Deputy Commander of US Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, met with Sri Lankan Navy Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne in Colombo on Tuesday.

According to the statement, extensive discussions took place on matters of bilateral importance as well as future operational and training aspects of the recently established Marine Battalion of the Sri Lanka Navy. It added that discussions were held on issues pertinent to future naval affairs and means of strengthening defense partnerships between the two countries.

The visits by US Congress delegations and Pacific Command officers further draw Sri Lanka into the maelstrom of mounting global tensions and war dangers.
Francois Fillon, the presidential candidate of the right-wing Les Republicains (LR), held an emergency press conference Wednesday afternoon to announce that he would continue his campaign despite being indicted on charges of organizing no-show jobs for his wife, Penelope.

In August, he had criticized his then-rival for the LR nomination, ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy, for facing multiple trials. He declared, If I were indicted, I would not be a candidate in the presidential election, its a moral issue.

Now, the LR candidate is announcing that he will continue his campaign despite his imminent indictment over a series of alleged no-show jobs that netted his wife at least 900,000 as a parliamentary aide and employee of the Revue des deux mondes. However, the scandal threatens not only his candidacy, but the unity of LR and potentially even the normal holding of the elections.

My lawyer has learned that I will be summoned on March 15 to be indicted, Fillon said at his campaign headquarters Wednesday. Yes, I will be a presidential candidate, and we will draw from these challenges  the extra energy we need to win and reinforce our country.

The Fillon indictment underscores the extraordinary virulence of the factional battles inside the ruling class, both in France and internationally, in the run-up to the April-May 2017 elections.

In his press conference, Fillon questioned the impartiality of the justice system and the role of the Socialist Party (PS) government, which doubtless exerted considerable pressure behind the scenes to secure an indictment. He declared, Only universal suffrage, and not a trial waged for purposes of persecution, can decide who will be the next president of the Republic.  I will go to the end, because besides myself, it is democracy that is being defied.

This provoked a response from President Francois Hollande, who denounced any questioning of the judiciary. He added, Being a presidential candidate does not give one a blank check to cast suspicion on the work of police and judges, to create a climate of mistrust incompatible with one of responsibility, or worse, to make extremely serious accusations against the judiciary and, more broadly, our institutions.

The evidence against Fillon in the case is overwhelming. In 2007, as Fillon became prime minister under Sarkozy, Penelope Fillon told Britains Daily Telegraph that I was never his parliamentary assistant and added, I did not take care of his public relations, either. Given the absence of any concrete proof that Penelope Fillon did any work whatsoever, over a month after the initial accusations surfaced in the press, Fillon is in extreme legal jeopardy.

It is not, however, the French political establishments undeniable corruption, or even less the popular anger and alienation from its austerity policies, aggressively advocated by Fillon, that made the judiciary break the traditional Republican truce of the election period and indict Fillon. It is the deep conflict inside the imperialist bourgeoisies of the NATO alliance that have come to the surface, particularly since the election of Donald Trump as US president, that is driving the crisis of the Fillon campaign.

The sums of money handed over to Penelope Fillon pale in comparison to those plundered over decades by French imperialisms networks in Africa, which went to pay off both the PS and the French right, as emerged in the Elf affair in the 1990s and 2000s. These parties divided up among themselves vast sums siphoned out of the billions of euros in profits realized by French oil firms in Frances old colonial empire in Africaa process that took place behind the back of the French electorate.

Now, however, with NATO deeply divided over international strategy, particularly in the context of its war drive against Russia, the judiciary is threatening to use Penelopegate to blow up the LR campaign, with the backing of the PS and its international allies.

According to the January 25 article of the satirical weekly Canard Enchaine that set off the scandal, journalists discovered Penelope Fillons work arrangements in November. Just after the election of Trumps far right administration in Washington, linked to Frances neo-fascist National Front (FN) and suspected of pro-Russian sympathies, they were looking for potential Russian links of Fillons lucrative 2F consulting company. The Democratic Party and factions of US intelligence, working with Berlin and Paris, were attacking Trump for his alleged unwillingness to confront Russia.

The Canard published its article only a few days after Fillon traveled to Berlin, where he proposed an alliance between Berlin, Paris and Moscow to counterbalance the new US administration. It was after this proposal of a geopolitical alignment that is fundamentally unacceptable to Washington, as well as to powerful sections of the European ruling class, that the judicial and media campaign against Fillon was launched.

Now, after his press conference Wednesday, ever broader sections of Fillons backers in the French right are withdrawing their support. The Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI), a small party allied to LR, said it would suspend its participation in Fillons campaign.

Even as the ruling class increasingly worries about FN candidate Marine Le Pens rise in the polls, and even a hypothetical victory in the run-off handing Le Pen the presidency, many LR supporters of Fillon are demanding that he fulfill the promise he made last August and withdraw.

LR has not formulated any clear strategy if Fillon withdraws, but its representative for European and foreign affairs, Bruno Le Maire, demanded his withdrawal. Le Maire said this was indispensable for the credibility of politics.

LR deputies Sebastien Huyghe, Laure de la Raudiere, and Pierre Lellouche also appealed to Fillon to withdraw. Lellouche said he was considering launching a case before the Constitutional Council to demand a postponement of the presidential election, so that LR would have the time to nominate a new candidate.

A LR councillor in Paris, Jerome Dubus, said he would leave Fillons campaign to support independent (but PS-backed) candidate Emmanuel Macron, a banker and former economy minister under Hollande.
The parliamentary leader of Quebec Solidaire (QS), Francoise David, has announced that she is leaving politics, citing health reasons, specifically exhaustion. David, 69, has been one of the principal leaders of QS and its most prominent spokesperson since the ostensibly leftwing, pro-Quebec independence party was founded more than a decade ago.

Quebecs political establishment and media responded to Davids resignation with gushing tributes.

Quebec Liberal Premier Philippe Couillard, who has presided over sweeping social spending cuts, praised David for having contributed greatly to helping maintain a civilized tone even when wedisagree on the political orientation of Quebec.

Jean-Francois Lisee, the leader of the big business, independantiste Parti Quebecois, said She (David) has been able to make our political mores gentler.

The Montreal daily Le Devoir, which serves as a house organ for Quebecs pro-independence political establishment and intelligentsia, hailed David as a pragmatic politician, who was ready to work with her political opponents in the National Assembly.

These ruling-class representatives sized up David accurately, recognizing that her rhetorical leftism posed no threat to the existing social order.

Rejecting the fundamental division of society into antagonistic social classes, David promoted the fiction of a Quebec people united by a common language (French) and able to act collectively to achieve social progress through parliamentary actionperhaps facilitated by occasional friendly pressure from the streetsbut without serious social conflict or ever challenging capitalism.

Since its founding in 2006, QS has sought to revive the discredited program of creating a capitalist Republique du Quebec, while working with the trade union bureaucracy to suppress the class struggle and prevent Quebec workers from joining forces with workers in the rest of Canada to oppose the revival of Canadian militarism and the big-business assault on jobs, wages and social and public services.

Quebec Solidaires hostility to the struggle for the political independence of the working class was highlighted during the months-long student strike in 2012, when it helped the trade unions divert the opposition to the austerity measures of Jean Charests Liberal government behind the Parti Quebecois and its campaign for the September 2012 election.

While QS proclaims itself a party of the left, it describes itself neither as a workers or a socialist party, but rather as a citizens party,  based on feminist, Quebec sovereignist, anti-globalization and environmentalist values. With its identity-based appeals focused on gender, sexual orientation, language and culture, Quebec Solidaire articulates the grievances of sections of the upper middle classes and seeks to carve out for itself a place within the political establishment.

David was at the forefront of Quebec Solidaires attempts to groom itself for government, by advancing fiscally responsible and economically credible policiesi.e., by declaring its readiness to impose austerityand to give the PQ a left cover. Quebecs alternate party of government, the PQ has seen its support in the working class hemorrhage over the past two decades, because it has slashed public services and attacked workers rights whenever it has held office.

At the press conference at which David announced her retirement, she enthused over the QSs decision at its last National Council meeting to intensify dialogue with other progressive independantiste parties, above all the PQ. In her final act as QS leader, David thus emphasized her support for the union leaders longstanding efforts to politically suppress the working class by subordinating it to the PQ, this time under the pretext of defeating the Liberals in the next provincial election, slated for October 2018.

Francoise Davids political evolution, from one-time student radical and Maoist to capitalist politician, is emblematic of a whole layer of the middle class, which was radicalized in the 1960s and early 1970s, but always denigrated and opposed the struggle to win the working class to a socialist-internationalist program.

In the 1980s, this layer turned abruptly to the right. Many have openly embraced free-market capitalism, imperialist war, and Quebecois chauvinism, such as Gilles Duceppe, the former leader of the separatist Bloc Quebecois (BQ), the PQs sister party in federal politics. Others, like Francoise David, have retained a vaguely progressive posture, based on the promotion of identity politics.

David comes from a politically influential, bourgeois family. Her grandfather, Athanase David, was an important member of the Liberal provincial government led by Louis-Alexandre Taschereau from 1920 to 1936. Her father founded the Montreal Heart Institute in 1954 and sat as a Conservative Senator from 1985 until his retirement in 1994. Her sister, Helene, is the Minister for Higher Education in the current Couillard Liberal government, and one of her brothers, Charles-Philippe, is considered a Canadian foreign policy expert.

In the midst of the militant struggles of the international working class in the 1960s and 1970s, David became active in the student protest movement, graduating from the University of Montreal in 1972 with a degree in social work. A few years later, she joined and became a prominent leader of the Quebec Maoist group En Lutte! (In Struggle!). Gilles Duceppe, the son of a prominent Quebec actor, was also active in the Maoist movement during this period.

The attraction Maoism had for these radicalized middle class elements was based on its essential nature as a variant of Stalinism: extreme nationalism; the rejection of the revolutionary role of the working class in favor of peasant populism; unconditional support for Stalin and his bloody repression of the defenders of international socialism (Trotsky and the Left Opposition); and the political subordination of workers to the progressive wing of the bourgeoisie (Maos bloc of four classes).

The political orientation of these elements underwent a profound transformation with the decline of the international student protest movement against the Vietnam War and the restabilization of world capitalism after 1975.

At the beginning of the 1980s, the coming to power of Ronald Reagan in the United States and Margaret Thatcher in Britain marked the rejection by the ruling class, under the weight of the resurgent contradictions of capitalism, of its post-Second World War policy of class compromise in favor of class war. The former radicals of the 1960s and 1970s made their own sharp turn to the right and broke any association they might have had, however limited, with Marxism and revolutionary politics.

Reconciling themselves with capitalism, they now aspired to the highest echelons of society, whether by enriching themselves in business and the stock market or obtaining management positions in the public services, unions and universities. Their ascent was eased by the policies of success Quebec governmentsincluding the PQs Law 101 with its affirmative action type measuresto promote Quebecois-owned companies and open up managerial positions for French speakers.

In Quebec, the militant struggles of the working class in the preceding period had been diverted, by the unions, with the help of the Stalinist Communist Party, the Maoists, and the Pabloite renegades from Trotskyism, behind the Parti Quebecois and left nationalism.

It is in this environment, deeply hostile to the interests of the working class, that David subsequently made her political career.

After En Lutte! collapsed in 1982, David immersed herself in the community-activist movement, which has always moved in the political orbit of the Parti Quebecois. In 1994, she became the president of the main feminist organization in Quebec, the Quebec Womens Federation (QWF), thus completing her passage from Maoism, superficially oriented towards workers struggles, to feminism, based, like all identity politics, on the explicit rejection of the class struggle.

As head of the QWF, David organized the Bread and Roses march in 1995 and the World March of Women against Poverty and Violence in 2000. In a telling commentary on the fundamentally conservative character of Davids politics, focused as it was on pressuring the establishment, Quebecs then PQ Premier Jacques Parizeau said of the 1995 march: Thank you for disturbing us to this extent.

David was part of the rainbow coalition in favor of Quebec independence that Parizeau created to fight the 1995 referendum on Quebecs secession from the Canadian federal state. Under the banner of the Yes Committee, this coalition formally bound together the Parti Quebecois, the Bloc Quebecois, the right-wing populist ADQ of Mario Dumont, Quebecs trade union federations, and many pseudo-left groups, including the Pabloite Gauche Socialiste (Socialist Left.)

In 2006, David played a central role in the founding of Quebec Solidaire, through the merger of the Union des forces progressistes and Option citoyenne, an organization largely comprised of feminist and antipoverty activists that David had founded in 2004.

As the World Socialist Web Site explained in its evaluation of Quebec Solidaires first decade, Although it occasionally bemoans certain excesses of neo-liberal capitalism, QS is a pseudo-left, pro-capitalist party that articulates the aspirations and grievances not of the working class, but of privileged sections of the upper-middle classacademics and other professionals, trade union functionaries and small business owners. It aspires to gain respectability in the eyes of the ruling elite and become a major player in official bourgeois politics.

On numerous occasions, QS has provided indirect and even outright support for Canadas participation in US-led imperialist interventions and wars, including n Afghanistan and Libya, and for NATOs claims to be responding to Russian aggression in Ukraine.

The goal of QS is not to overthrow rotting capitalism but to safeguard it. In a context where support for the traditional political parties is collapsing because of their association with austerity and war, the ruling class needs new mechanisms to suppress the class struggle.

SYRIZA, a pseudo-left party that QS rightfully describes as its cousin, won office in Greece in 2015 by promising to end capitalist austerity, only to impose cuts to pensions, public services and the minimum wage even greater than its openly rightwing predecessors. Francoise Davids political legacy is to have prepared Quebec Solidaire to play a similar role.
Photo credit: Twitter/@social_brains

From Dr. Oz The Good Life

Take a good look at the photo below, and pay special attention to the colors you see. The picture has an overall bluish tinge, sure, but the strawberries in the photo still appear to be red, right?

This picture has NO red pixels. Great demo of color constancy (ht Akiyoshi Kitaoka) pic.twitter.com/pZHvbB6QHE- Matt Lieberman (@social_brains) February 27, 2017

The thing is, there's not a single red pixel in this entire photo - and it's totally blowing our minds.

This beyond-baffling image was created by Akiyoshi Kitaoka, PhD, a psychologist and professor at Ritsumeikan University in Japan. And according to the scientists of the Twittersphere, it's a prime example of a phenomenon called "color constancy."

Color constancy is the human ability to perceive colors the same way no matter the lighting or circumstance. It was at play when you first saw #TheDress - and it's most definitely at play here, too.

The way New York Magazine's Science of Us explains it, our brains are designed to color-correct everything we look at, whether we're sitting in a room with bright fluorescent lighting, walking around outside on a sunny day, or hanging out in a windowless room with nothing but an almost-dead lightbulb. So when we look at Dr. Kitaoka's image, our brain adjusts what we see to show us red berries - even though the image is only made up of gray and green pixels. That's right - gray and green.

Still don't believe us? Compare the image with the color swatches below for further proof.

@social_brains I isolated a few of the colors that appear most "red" in the strawberries and put them on the white background to the right. pic.twitter.com/GJJ9PJqNxt- Carson Mell (@carsonmell) February 28, 2017

@carsonmell @social_brains I drew three rectangles on top to also show the effect. pic.twitter.com/PaSxflmGJv- Tim Hutton (@_tim_hutton_) February 28, 2017

Whoa. Consider our (color-correcting) minds blown.

[h/t Science of Us]
6 Things to Know About Hunter Biden, Joe Bidens Younger Son Who Is Now Dating His Brothers Widow

When it comes to former Vice President Joe Bidens children, the most recognizable name is that of Beau Biden  his elder son, who passed away from brain cancer in May 2015.

But now, its his younger son, Hunter Biden, in the spotlight. This week, Hunter confirmed that hes dating Hallie Biden, the widow of his brother, Beau.

Hallie and I are incredibly lucky to have found the love and support we have for each other in such a difficult time, and thats been obvious to the people who love us most, Hunter said in a statement to The New York Posts Page Six column. Weve been so lucky to have family and friends who have supported us every step of the way.

Here are six things to know about the son of the former vice president  and one half of the countrys currently most-talked-about couple.

1. He survived the car crash that killed his mother and sister.

On December 18, 1972, 2-year-old Hunter was in the car along with his mother Neilia, and his brother Beau, then 4, and sister Naomi, 13 months, when their car was hit by a tractor-trailer in an intersection. The accident killed Neilia and Naomi, and left both Beau and Hunter severely injured: Beau with broken bones throughout his body and Hunter with a fractured skull. Both boys recovered completely after a long hospitalization.

2. He has an incredibly close relationship with his father  and had the same with his brother.

The accident occurred just weeks after Joe was elected to the Senate for the first time. Though he initially considered abandoning the seat, the future vice president took the oath of office at his sons hospital bedside and went on to serve in the Senate but famously took the train home to Delaware every night so he could be with his sons. Joes dedication as a parent continued throughout his childrens upbringing, creating an intense, uncomplicated bond between Joe and his sons, as well as between the brothers.

Family comes first. Over everything, Hunter said of the lessons his father taught him in an interview with Popular Mechanics. I cant think of anything that has been more pervasive and played a larger part in my life than that simple lesson. And as you said, he didnt have to teach it by saying it. It was just in his actions. After we lost my mom and my sister in the accident that my brother and I were also in, he was ever-present. Commuted every day back from Washington.

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Hunter was also a political adviser to his later brother, Beau, who served as Delawares Attorney General from 2007 to 2015. Joe said that he too has leaned on his sons for advice and support throughout his political career.

His brother never made a speech and I never made an important decision without consulting with the other two, Joe told Popular Mechanics. Weve been a team. I know that sounds strange to say as a father. But its been one unit. Right to the very end.

3. He was discharged from the Naval Reserve for drug use.

Hunters life, though, hasnt been without more troubles. Unlike his brother Beau, he never formally enlisted in the armed forces (Beau served from 2002 to 2015, including a deployment to Iraq.) However, he was selected as a direct commission officer in the Naval Reserve, as a public affairs officer in May 2013, according to NBC News.

One month after he was officially commissioned, Hunter was discharged in February 2014 after testing positive for cocaine use. The discharge and the reason behind it were not made public until later that year, in October. When the discharge was announced, Hunter said in a statement that he was embarrassed that my actions led to my administrative discharge and called his brief stint in the reserves the honor of my life, according to the New York Times.

4. Hes a lawyer and an Ivy League graduate.

Hunter, who has worked as a lobbyist and in private equity in the past, earned his bachelors degree from Georgetown University, and then went on to graduate from Yale Law School. Hes still a member of the bar in Connecticut and Washington, D.C.

5. He was named in the Ashley Madison leak.

In August 2015, when the now-infamous leak of data from Ashley Madison  a dating website for people seeking extramarital affairs  occurred, Hunters name was among those listed as registered users. The listing also included an email address that he had previously used, but claimed that he had stopped using it after, he said, he was hacked. Ashley Madison does not verify users emails, so an account could be set up with someones name and email without them knowing, according to The Hill.

Hunter vehemently denied that the ever registered for the website.

I am certain that the account in question is not mine, Hunter said in a statement at the time. This account was clearly set up by someone else without my knowledge and I first learned about the account in question from the media.

6. Hes in the midst of an explosive divorce.

Hunter separated from his wife, Kathleen in 2015 and the couple filed for divorce late last year. The divorce proceedings carry some explosive allegations. In court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Kathleen alleges that Hunter has been spending extravagantly on his own interests, which, she says, include drugs, alcohol, strip clubs, gifts for other women and prostitutes.

The documents also state that the family has shocking and overwhelming debts including tax debt, maxed-out credit cards, and double mortgages on multiple properties.

Hunters attorney, Sarah E. Mancinelli, told PEOPLE in a statement: Hunter and Kathleen have been separated for some time and are in the process of finalizing a divorce. Hunter loves and admires Kathleen as a person, a mother, and a friend. He hopes their privacy can be respected at this time.

with reporting by DIANE HERBST


Doctor Saw Telltale Sign of 8-Year-Old Girls Deadly Abuse But Allegedly Failed to Report It

In June 2013, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services went to the ramshackle apartment where 8-year-old Gizzell Ford was living with her bedridden father, Andre, and his mother, Helen.

Prosecutors now say that Gizzell, nicknamed Gizzy, was already suffering extreme abuse by the time DCFS visited. But it appears authorities in 2013 noticed nothing that warranted significant action.

A month later, Gizzell was found beaten and strangled to death at the hands of her grandmother.

Documents obtained by PEOPLE describe the spiral of abuse that led to her killing: The little girl was often tied to a bed for days on end. She was denied food and water  and beaten if she disobeyed  and, at times, she was forced to sit in contorted positions for hours.

If she cried out, her grandmother would stuff a sock or a rag in her mouth.

When Gizzells emaciated body was found on July 12, 2013, it was covered with lacerations and bruises. The injuries were so extreme that a 30-year veteran of the Chicago police force cried while testifying about her injuries at Helens murder trial.

The trial also included excerpts from the girls diary, in which she described her abuse and repeatedly said that she would be good so that she would escape punishment.

Helen was convicted of Gizzells murder on Thursday afternoon. She faces life in prison when she is sentenced later this month. Gizzells father, Andre, died in 2014 while in custody.

 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.

Could She Have Been Saved?

From the beginning, it appears Gizzells short life was filled with turmoil. PEOPLE has obtained records detailing the contentious custody battle between her father and her mother, Sandra Mercado.

Andre accused Mercado of being homeless and unable to care for Gizzell, which Mercado denied. She alleged that Andre had beaten the girl with a belt (as Andres mother later would).

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Eight months before her death, a Cook County judge awarded temporary custody of Gizzell to her father. Mercado claims authorities later failed to shield her daughter, despite obvious signs of abuse.

Mercado filed suit against the Illinois DCFS in July 2014 for not removing Gizzell from the home. With utter indifference and/or conscious disregard, they failed to take Gizzell Ford into protective custody and out of the home after home visits were made, the suit states.

The complaint, which was obtained by PEOPLE, describes Gizzells death as torture that was allegedly the result of several obvious yet missed opportunities of various state and local agencies whose duty it was to keep her from harm.

Mercados suit names two people as co-defendants, in addition to DCFS: Shirley Contreras, reportedly a former case worker at the agency, and Dr. Norell Rosado.

In her suit, Mercado says that Rosado examined Gizzell on June 17, 2013  less than a month before she died  at DCFSs mandate.

During that examination, the lawsuit states, Rosado noticed a telltale sign of abuse on the girls buttocks: a healing loop mark.

Rosado asked Helen about the injuries, and he included his findings in a report that was available to the agency. But, according to the suit, he allegedly did not call the DCFS hotline about Gizzells abuse.

Contreras also had visited the Ford home had opportunity to observe the deplorable condition of the Ford home and abuse mark(s) present on Gizzell, according to Mercados lawsuit. But she failed to report or act upon this information, the complaint alleges.

The DCFS does not comment on pending litigation, and Contreras and Rosado did not return PEOPLEs calls for comment.

Rosado previously told the Chicago Tribune he had always notified DCFS if he noticed signs of abuse or neglect. Contreras no longer works at DCFS, the Tribune reports.

Mercado and her attorneys also did not immediately return a call for comment, but her family has said that the lawsuit is about saving other children from Gizzells fate.

We dont want any more kids hurt or being killed like my granddaughter, Juan Mercado, the childs maternal grandfather, told the Tribune in 2014. If DCFS had done their job, this wouldnt have happened and Gizzell would still be alive.




Photo credit: Getty

From Cosmopolitan

In order to show support for women's rights, Democratic women chose to wear suffragette white to President Donald Trump's first address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday - a memo Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota most definitely missed.

Tonight, our Democratic #WomenWearWhite in support of women's rights -- in spite of a @POTUS who doesn't! pic.twitter.com/kKJpfV5iUE - Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) February 28, 2017

According to Politico, Cramer took the time to criticize his Democratic colleagues for their choice of attire during a radio town hall on Wednesday, chastising them for being "poorly" dressed and implying the women chose to wear "bad-looking white pantsuits" because they were sore losers.

By the way, did you notice how poorly several of them were dressed as well?, he asked one constituent. It is a syndrome. There is no question, there is a disease associated with the notion that a bunch of women would wear bad-looking white pantsuits in solidarity with Hillary Clinton to celebrate her loss. You cannot get that weird.

I'm wearing suffragette white for Trumps #JointSession in honor of the generations of women who marched & fought for our sacred rights. pic.twitter.com/UPKdLZly80 - Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) February 28, 2017

As previously reported, the decision to wear white had absolutely nothing to do with Clinton, and was instead meant to be a way for Democratic women to protest the Trump administration and its policies. In fact, many of the women who chose to partake in #WomenWearWhite explicitly explained this prior to Trump's address.



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"We wear white to unite against any attempts by the Trump Administration to roll back the incredible progress women have made in the last century, and we will continue to support the advancement of all women," Rep. Lois Frankel said in a statement.

Follow Gina on Twitter.



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Not everyone is excited about LeFou's "exclusively gay moment in a Disney moment."

The Henagar Drive-In Theatre in Henagar, Alabama announced it won't screen the upcoming Beauty and the Beast because it has a gay character.

The schedule occurred after director Bill Condon revealed that Josh Gad's character LeFou, the comical sidekick to antagonist Gaston (Luke Evans), will be Disney's first-ever LGBTQ character, in dedication to the original film's late lyricist Howard Ashman. The Hollywood Reporter's review of the film warned, "Rabid red-state homophobes may be incandescent with fury to see how things end up for him in the finale."

Read more: 'Beauty and the Beast': Josh Gad Plays Disney's First-Ever Gay Character

The Alabama theater's schedule shift was decided by the business' new owners who took over in December. "When companies continually force their views on us we need to take a stand. We all make choices and I am making mine," the business said in a statement on Facebook. "If we can not take our 11 year old grand daughter and 8 year old grandson to see a movie we have no business watching it. If I can't sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me then we have no business showing it.

"I know there will be some that do not agree with this decision. That's fine," reads the statement. "We are first and foremost Christians. We will not compromise on what the Bible teaches. We will continue to show family oriented films so you can feel free to come watch wholesome movies without worrying about sex, nudity, homosexuality and foul language."

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Disney for comment.

Read more: 'Beauty and the Beast': Film Review

Condon explained LeFou's subplot alteration to Attitude: "LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston. ... He's confused about what he wants. It's somebody who's just realizing that he has these feelings. And Josh makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And that's what has its payoff at the end, which I don't want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie." Gad tweeted that he is "beyond proud" to lead the major Disney benchmark.

Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Kevin Kline, Emma Thompson, Ian McKellen, Ewan McGregor, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Audra McDonald and Stanley Tucci are also featured in Beauty and the Beast, which hits theaters March 17.

Watch trailers, movies and more on Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.
Josh Gad and Luke Evans in 'Beauty and the Beast' (Photo: Laurie Sparham/Walt Disney Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection)

Not everyone is excited about LeFou's "exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie."

The Henagar Drive-In Theatre in Henagar, Alabama, announced it won't screen the upcoming Beauty and the Beast because it has a gay character.

The schedule change occurred after director Bill Condon revealed that Josh Gad's character LeFou, the comical sidekick to antagonist Gaston (Luke Evans), will be Disney's first-ever LGBTQ character, in dedication to the original film's late lyricist Howard Ashman. The Hollywood Reporter's review of the film warned, "Rabid red-state homophobes may be incandescent with fury to see how things end up for him in the finale."

Related: 'Beauty and the Beast': Josh Gad Plays Disney's First-Ever Gay Character

Opened in 1999, the Henagar Drive-In screens family-friendly double features (this week's listing includes The Eagle Huntress and A Dog's Purpose). The theater's shift away from Beauty and the Beast was decided by the business' new owners who took over in December.

"When companies continually force their views on us we need to take a stand. We all make choices and I am making mine," the business said in a statement on Facebook. "If we can not take our 11 year old grand daughter and 8 year old grandson to see a movie we have no business watching it. If I can't sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me then we have no business showing it.

"I know there will be some that do not agree with this decision. That's fine," reads the statement. "We are first and foremost Christians. We will not compromise on what the Bible teaches. We will continue to show family oriented films so you can feel free to come watch wholesome movies without worrying about sex, nudity, homosexuality, and foul language."

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Disney for comment.

Condon explained LeFou's subplot alteration to Attitude: "LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston.... He's confused about what he wants. It's somebody who's just realizing that he has these feelings. And Josh makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And that's what has its payoff at the end, which I don't want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie."

Story continues

Gad added at the Los Angeles premiere that "it's a beautiful, subtle moment that does its job and is left alone," and that LeFou's sexuality has been a topic of discussion since the original film debuted. "For 25 years, people have been asking this question about this character," he said. "What I would love to see is a moment when we no longer have to ask this question. I would love it if it weren't such a story."

Related: 'Beauty and the Beast': Film Review

Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Kevin Kline, Emma Thompson, Ian McKellen, Ewan McGregor, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Audra McDonald, and Stanley Tucci are also featured in Beauty and the Beast, which hits theaters March 17.

'Beauty and the Beast' featurette: 'Empowering Belle':
NBCUniversal, has invested $500 million in Snapchat parent Snap Inc. during its IPO on Thursday, and as part of a longterm partnership.

"This is a significant milestone in our growing partnership with Snap," NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke told employees in an email on Friday morning. He added, "we look forward to participating in Snap's success as an investor and continuing to work closely with them for years to come."

Snap, led by CEO Evan Spiegel, on Wednesday sold 200 million shares at $17 a piece in an IPO that netted $3.4 billion. The following day, shares opened on the New York Stock Exchange at $24, immediately giving the messaging startup a $33 billion valuation. The stock closed its first day of trading at $24.48, up 44 percent from its $17 initial price.

NBCU, which is owned by Comcast, has been a longtime partner of Snapchat's. The company worked with BuzzFeed to develop content for Snapchat's Discovery channel during the Olympics. And last August it ran a companion series to The Voice on the app.

In his memo, Burke told employees that NBCU saw more than 2 billion views to its Rio Olympics Snapchat coverage and is already planning to work with BuzzFeed and Snapchat again during the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. "Our partnership with Snap builds on our strategy to drive digital growth for our business, both organically and through investments and acquisitions," Burke continued.

Over the last two years, NBCU has invested significantly to build up its digital savvy. It has put a total of $400 million into BuzzFeed and also invested $200 million in digital publisher Vox. Meanwhile, its acquisition of DreamWorks Animation last year gave it a majority ownership stake in AwesomenessTV, which produces tween-skewing content for YouTube and other digital platforms.

"I am proud of the strides we have made in the digital space recently," Burke wrote. "With the Snap investment, we have invested over $1.5 billion in promising digital businesses in the last 18 months. Importantly, we have become a better, more digitally-focused company as a result."

He concluded: "It is rare to have the opportunity to invest at this stage in a company as visionary and dynamic as Snap, and it is a compliment that they chose NBCU as a partner."
Television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz arrives to attend the funeral of comedienne Joan Rivers at Temple Emanu-El in New York September 7, 2014. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (Reuters)

By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz won a legal victory after a judge dismissed a lawsuit alleging he violated a Georgia food libel law after making claims on his show that some imported olive oil sold in U.S. supermarkets could be fake.

The New Jersey-based North American Olive Oil Association filed the lawsuit against Oz last November in the state court in Fulton County, Georgia, seeking an unspecified amount in damages and payment for the group's legal fees.

The group accused Oz, who hosts the syndicated "The Dr. Oz Show," of violating a largely untested food libel law when he stated on a show that aired last May that 80 percent of the extra virgin olive oil imported into the country "isn't the real deal" and "may even be fake."

The group also complained that the show failed to disclose that its featured guest and "certified oleologist" Maia Hirschbein is employed by the California Olive Ranch, which competes directly with foreign olive oil makers.

"We value the confidence our viewers place in us every day, including this program which fairly reported on the mislabeling of extra-virgin olive oil," Dr. Oz said in a statement. He added the lawsuit was just an attempt to "stifle the show" in its pursuit of truth about what is in America's food.

Oz and his production company sought to have the complaint dismissed, saying the statements he made were protected under an "Anti-SLAPP" law that shields people from having their free speech limited through abuse of the judicial process.

The judge agreed late Thursday with the show's arguments for dismissal.

"The court has grave concerns that the motivation for the present action falls squarely within the purpose of the anti-SLAPP statute as an attempt to chill speech," wrote Judge Alford Dempsey, Jr.

He added that he found there were "no statements made of any kind on the show that olive oil is unsafe for human consumption" and that the group failed to show "a scintilla of evidence" to support claims it suffered any financial injury.

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A spokeswoman for the North American Olive Oil Association said the group is disappointed by the ruling.

"Nothing in the decision lends credence to the unsubstantiated attacks on olive oil made on The Dr. Oz segment and we are evaluating our options for appeal," she said.

Georgia is among 13 states that have adopted food libel laws, which generally have a lower legal burden of proof compared with traditional libel laws and make it easier for food companies to sue people who make disparaging remarks about their products.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Alistair Bell)
Tripoli (AFP) - The Libyan navy said it rescued 115 migrants Friday headed for Europe whose overloaded rubber boat was sinking off the coast near Tripoli, and that another 25 people were missing.

"We rescued 115 illegal immigrants, six of them women, all African nationals except for a Bangladeshi," navy spokesman General Ayoub Qassem told AFP.

Qassem said the survivors told of 140 passengers on board the boat that had run into problems on Thursday night after setting off from a beach east of the capital.

"Our search for the missing was unsuccessful," he said.

The navy and coastguard had responded to a distress call from the migrants aboard the boat that was "taking on water and about to sink", Qassem said.

Italy's coastguard said 970 migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast Thursday, as the numbers trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe continue to rise.

More than 13,400 people had already reached Italy so far this year -- an increase of 50 to 70 percent compared with 2016 and 2015.

According to the United Nations, more than 440 people have died or gone missing in January and February while crossing from Libya in the depths of winter.

Six years after the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi, Libya is still in chaos and the country has become a major launching pad for migrants seeking to enter Europe.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was in neighbouring Tunisia on Friday where she announced a new agreement with the North African country on tackling illegal migration.

Her talks in Tunis also covered ways to respond to the instability exploited by people smugglers in Libya.
PITTSBURGH (AP)  In a story March 3 about fraud charges against officials at a firm contracted to produce Humvee parts for the military, The Associated Press erroneously reported that a manager at the government facility that prosecutors said was defrauded, and a businessman friend, were also charged in the scheme. Former Defense Department employee Anthony Shaw, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, was charged in a separate case with receiving over $1 million in illegal gratuities from the firm's owners, and businessman David Buckner, of Warren, Michigan, with unlawfully acting as the intermediary in those payments. Though announced at the same time, the charges involving the gratuities were not related to the window fraud case.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Brothers accused of overcharging US for Humvee parts

Two brothers who own Pennsylvania military supplier accused of defrauding US of $6 million in contract for Humvee parts

By JOE MANDAK

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP)  Two brothers who own a military-supply business have been charged with a $6 million scheme to overcharge the Defense Department for Humvee window kits, federal prosecutors said Friday.

Thomas Buckner, 65, of Gibsonia, and John Buckner, 67, of Lyndora, defrauded the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command out of the money with the help of a shell company, according to court documents filed Friday by federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh.

The Army agency, also known as TACOM, is based in Warren, Michigan.

In a separate case not related to the alleged window fraud scheme, Anthony Shaw, 55, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, a former civilian deputy project manager at TACOM, was charged with accepting more than $1 million in illegal gratuities from the brothers.

Defense attorneys for the five defendants didn't return calls or emails seeking comment on the charges.

Prosecutors filed the charges in criminal informations, documents that are typically used when defendants have agreed to plead guilty to the charges.

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The window scheme worked this way, according to prosecutors' court filing:

The Buckners co-own Ibis Tek, a Butler company that had contracts to supply window kits for Humvees.

The brothers inflated their costs to manufacture the kits by creating another company called Alloy America. Instead of manufacturing the aluminum frames, Alloy America purchased them for $20 each from a Chinese firm, then created records to make it appear Ibis Tek had paid Alloy America $70 for each frame.

Ibis Tek then passed on the $70-per-frame cost to TACOM.

The Buckner brothers also sold scrap aluminum relating to the manufacture of the frames but kept the money. The Buckners and Ibis Tek were supposed to credit the scrap revenue to TACOM as a way of helping the government agency control costs.

In addition to charges of fraud, the brothers are accused of income tax evasion.

Ibis Tek's chief financial officer, Harry Kramer, 55, of Wexford, was charged with helping the brothers carry out the fraud scheme and filing false tax returns that understated Ibis Tek's income in 2009 and 2010.

The company itself was not charged with any violations. It was not immediately clear if it remains a government contractor. Nobody returned a call to the company Friday.

The Buckner brothers each face up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $1.5 million, while Kramer faces up to 16 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine

In the illegal gratuities case, the government alleged payments to Shaw were funneled through a Michigan motorcycle business, D & B Cycle Parts and Accessories. That business is owned by David Buckner, of Warren, Michigan, described as a friend of Shaw's who is not related to the Pennsylvania brothers.

Shaw faces up to 19 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine if convicted of receiving a gratuity as a public official, tax evasion and making false statements.

David Buckner faces up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine on a charge of interfering with the Internal Revenue Service.
GUATEMALA CITY (AP)  Five former Guatemalan army officers will face trial charged with the disappearance of a 14-year-old boy and the rape of his sister during the country's civil war.

Prosecutors say the 21-year-old woman was kidnapped in 1981 and taken to a military installation where she was tortured and sexually assaulted. She escaped eight days later.

The next day soldiers in civilian clothes went to her parents' home. She wasn't there so they took her brother, who was never heard from again.

A judge on Thursday ordered the trial to determine the defendants' responsibility.

Retired officer Hugo Ramiro Zaldana Rojas is one of the accused. He denied the allegations, calling them "revenge from the (political) left."

The United Nations says about 250,000 people were killed or disappeared during Guatemala's 1960-1996 civil war.
The battle for MosulIraqs second largest citybarrels westward toward its end. When ISIS loses Mosul, it will also lose its last significant foothold in Iraq.

The east of the city was liberated in January, but the fight for the remaining half of the city will be intense, bloody, and contested by a host of different actors that are difficult to keep track of. These 5 facts explain what you need to know.

Civilians

Lets begin with those caught in the crossfire. Mosuls population, among the most diverse in Iraq, includes substantial populations of Sunni Arabs, Assyrian Christians, Kurds, Yazidis, Turkmen, and other minorities. It wasnt long ago that Mosul was the main industrial city in northern Iraq and played a crucial role in the countrys trade with Turkey and Syria. Mosul fell to ISIS in early June 2014; and when the offensive to retake Mosul began in October 2016, there were about 1.5 million people living in the city.

More than 170,000 have since fled the violence, but up to 800,000 are still living in the densely-populated Western districts where the bulk of the fighting is still to take place. The U.N. has warned that the fight to retake the western part of the city could displace up to 400,000 civilians, twice the number of people that were displaced from eastern Mosul. No one can predict how many will be killed.

ISIS

Each ISIS stronghold tells its own story, and Mosul is no exception. Mosul has been considered ISISs cultural capital from the start, as it was here that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the establishment of the caliphate in the summer of 2014. Estimates of the number of ISIS fighters in the city range widely; the most recent peg them at 4,000 to 6,000. But as ISIS loses more and more territory, its fighters are becoming more desperate and dangerous. Theyve set off more than 250 car bombs in Mosul alone as they try to fight off advancing Iraqi security forces, and sent in suicide squads whom witnesses identify by their distinct uniforms and suicide belts. At one point, ISIS controlled 40 percent of Iraq; now it controls less than 10 percent.

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The fall of Mosul will effectively end ISISs presence in Iraq, a realization that boosts the confidence and determination of the Iraqi security forces bearing down on them. And Mosuls fall will leave the Syrian city of Raqqa as the last major city that ISIS controls.

Iraqi forces

There are about 100,000 coalition forces involved in the battle to recapture Mosul, led by the Iraqi army. At the outset of the offensive the Iraqis were the only ones entering the ground operation in the city. For Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, it was crucial (and politically necessary) to show that it was primarily Iraqi forces that drove ISIS from the country. To that end, Abadi has deployed 14 battalions of Iraqs elite counterterrorism service to the city. The campaign to recapture Mosul began in October 2016; in the last three months, 500 Iraqi troops have been killed and another 3,000 wounded.

But recapturing Mosul goes beyond just driving ISIS from the country. Abadis government is under political duress as its political opposition accuses it of corruption and an inability to keep Iraqis safe (6,878 civilians were killed and 12,388 were wounded in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict just in 2016 according to the U.N.). Recapturing Mosul would silence those critics to some degree, and would help shore up some much-needed political stability. It might also reverse some of the criticism of the Iraqi military that followed the decisive ISIS victory of 2014 and the images of Iraqi troops shedding their uniforms and running for their lives.

U.S. forces

As of January 2017, there are more than 5,500 U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Syriaof those, 5,000 are based in Iraq. Officially, U.S. troops on the ground are involved in the battle for Mosul in a strictly training and advisory capacity, but the U.S. is providing plenty of air support in the form of Apache attack helicopters, warplanes and drones. That air support is needed as the increasingly desperate Islamic State has taken to using makeshift drones and equipping them with bombs. American forces have been shooting them out of the sky while ground troops continue their advance.

While the U.S. remains wary of committing a significant amount of boots on the ground, it has absolutely no problem fighting ISIS from the airof the 18,666 strikes carried out by coalition forces in Iraq and Syria as of February 28 (11,245 of which took place in Iraq), 14,704 of them have been American. This is a significant commitment; the U.S. has $11 billion earmarked for its fight against ISIS for the 2017 fiscal yearthats more than the total defense budgets of all but 19 countries (comparing 2015 figures).

All the rest

One of the benefits of leading the fight from the air? You get to avoid the scrum on the ground. In addition to Iraqi and U.S. forces, the anti-ISIS coalition is joined by Turkish forces, Kurdish forces, Shia militias and Sunni militias (among others), whose sole common motivator is hatred of ISIS. Beyond that, everyone is looking out for their own interestsSunni and Shiite militias are looking to improve their reputations and their sectarian political parties standings across Iraq ahead of upcoming elections. Kurds want to expand their sphere of influence in northern Iraqsome Kurdish leaders even believe Mosul falls within boundaries of an independent Kurdistan, and want control of the city. Thats a non-starter for Iraqis, as well as for Turks, who have a strained and violent relationship with the Kurdish minority within their own borders. Turkey joined the fight against ISIS as the terrorist group targeted civilians in their country (most notably in bloody airport bombings this past summer), as well as to keep the advancing Kurdish forces in check.

For the time being, all of these groups are working in concert. But there is real concern about what happens to Mosul once ISIS falls, and whether that will be the end of the violence or just the beginning of a new chapter. None of these groups, Iraqis or outsiders, has an answer for that.
At tax time, everyone is concerned with maximizing deductions and avoiding audits. But not everyone needs to worry about Social Security penalties or retirement fund minimum distributions. If you are retired, make sure you don't let these five tax troubles trip you up.

[Read: How Saving in an IRA Can Reduce Your 2016 Tax Bill.]

1. Paying more taxes than necessary on retirement funds. Some retirees leave their money in a retirement account until they need it to pay for expenses. "Many people come in and tell me how they are only going to take out what they need," says Greg Hammer, president of Hammer Financial Group in Schererville, Indiana. That's a mistake that could result in retirees paying significantly more taxes, he says.

Hammer argues retirees would be better served by taking money out of their retirement funds early, before they begin Social Security. By doing so, they can make withdrawals during low-income years when they may be taxed at a lower rate. Once you begin receiving Social Security, your higher income could cause your retirement account withdrawals to be taxed at a higher rate, and part of your Social Security checks may become taxable as well.

2. Forgetting your required minimum distribution. Once you hit age 70 1/2, the government requires you to take a certain amount out of traditional retirement accounts every year. Failing to take out this required minimum distribution, also known as a RMD, can result in a tax penalty equal to 50 percent of the amount not withdrawn. By law, account holders subject to a RMD must be sent an annual notice alerting them to make a minimum withdrawal. However, some retirees either miss the notice or misunderstand it. Either way, the end result is a costly tax bill.

[Read: How to Pay Less Taxes on Retirement Account Withdrawals.]

3. Getting penalized for making retirement contributions. Most people stop saving once they retire. However, some seniors may continue to make contributions to a traditional IRA well into retirement, and this can cause tax troubles. "With a [traditional] individual retirement account, they need to stop making contributions at age 70 1/2," says Alicia Koross, principal in the tax and accounting department at MBAF. Otherwise, that money is considered an excess contribution and triggers a 6 percent tax penalty. Retirees who still have some earned income each year and want to keep making retirement fund contributions may be able to use a Roth IRA for that purpose.

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4. Missing out on health care deductions. Most taxpayers can deduct health care expenses that exceed 10 percent of their adjusted gross income, but seniors have some special situations they may overlook. "If they are making some improvements to their home for medical reasons, these are deductible," Koross says. In addition, long-term care insurance, Medicare and Medigap insurance premiums may also be deductible. And for tax-year 2016, seniors also benefit from a lower threshold for health care deductions. While taxpayers younger than age 65 can only deduct health care costs that exceed 10 percent of their gross income, seniors can deduct medical expenses in excess of 7.5 percent of their income in 2016. However, that extra tax break for seniors is set to expire this year unless Congress votes to extend it.

[Read: How to Claim the Retirement Saver's Credit.]

5. Making too much money while receiving Social Security. Earning too much money in retirement could cause part or all of your Social Security benefit to be temporarily withheld. "People fail to recognize that if they make income, that can hurt them," says Barbara Taibi, partner at EisnerAmper in Iselin, New Jersey. The most common scenario involves seniors who partially retire at age 62 and begin Social Security payments early. If they earn more than $16,290 in 2017, they will lose $1 in Social Security benefits for every $2 they earn above the annual limit. The annual limit jumps to $44,880 in the year retirees will reach their full retirement age. The penalty also drops to $1 for every $3 in excess earned income. Once a person reaches his or her full retirement age, there is no penalty for working and claiming benefits at the same time, and your payments will be recalculated to give you credit for any withheld benefit. "The best time for making a plan for this tax problem is before you start Social Security," Hammer says.

Retirees can leave many of the cares of the working world behind them, but taxes are eternal. Make sure your golden years aren't marred by any of these tax troubles.
First things first: the uproar over Hillary Clintons emails has always been  and continues to be  one of the most absurd faux scandals in American politics. Of all of the reasons people conjured to vote against the former Secretary of State, her use of a dot-com over a dot-gov email address seemed to have its biggest sting in symbolism instead of substance.

That said, there is no shortage of Schadenfreude and snark emanating from the disclosure by The Indianapolis Star that, as Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence used an AOL account to conduct some state business. Here, critics of the Vice President contend, is proof that Pence is a hypocrite and did the same thing Clinton did.

Its not that simple, no matter how delightful a sound-bite it may make. He did everything to the letter of the law in Indiana, turned all of his emails over, unlike Hillary Clinton who lost at least 30,000  who knows how many more? White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters Friday. Thats apples-to-oranges comparison. And, in this, Sanders is correct.

Here is a guide to the problems of comparing Pence and Clinton.

Pence was a Governor. Clinton was in the Cabinet. Not to discount the Hoosier States CEO, but Pence wasnt exactly trading in state secrets. One email published by the Star has Pence discussing a terror-related arrest  which was already being covered publicly by the media. Another discussed the gate locks at his residence. Clinton, on the other hand, had the nations best secrets. She was the subject of an FBI investigation into whether she mishandled that classified information. (Spoiler alert: she was not charged even though it was clear the FBI did not approve of her filing system.)

Using private email was legal in Indy. Using private email was discouraged at the State Department. Indiana law explicitly forbids government employees such as the Governor to conduct politics on state accounts, so its credible to argue Pence had no other options. That is in contrast to the State Department, where government rules strongly encourage employees to do their jobs on state.gov email accounts that are archived and subject to review.

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Pence signed up for a commercial service. Clinton built her own server in a basement. Here, the distinction is fairly cosmetic. Pence used an AOL account  a choice that has people who study such practices debating the cult-like devotion of AOL users  as his go-to account for mobile use. Clinton set up a private email system that ran from her house in Chappaqua, N.Y. Much has been made of her home-brew setup for clintonemail.com, but it required significantly more effort to establish and maintain than signing up on a public site. (Both, it should be noted, could have been hacked. Pences account was, and officials strongly suspect Clintons was, too.)

People generally trust Pence. Thats not the case with Clinton. Even Pences political rivals in Indiana say hes a good man and was predictable in his strictly conservative approach to politics and the law. Clinton has never enjoyed the benefit of the doubt. Stretching back four decades, the American voter has been conditioned to assume the worst about Clinton, which is why her use of a private email system played into the conservative storyline that she is not to be trusted. Pence, by contrast, gets a pass.

Pence was an unexpected addition to the Trump ticket. Clinton advisers always assumed she would run for President again. Pence had considered a 2012 campaign of his own but opted to stay in Indiana, where he had solid approval ratings and a legislature that was cooperative even when it wasnt compliant. Pence the arch-conservative was an unlikely partner for Trump, a New York billionaire whose political ear was significantly to the left of Pence. Clinton, however, was widely expected to try once more for the White House, even as she resigned from the Senate to serve as Barack Obamas global diplomatic rock star. In fact, her choice of a private email server was in part designed to shield her messages from scrutiny when she moved back to campaign life.

Pences disclosure came after the campaign. Clintons came during it. While the timing shouldnt matter in the eyes of the law, its the only thing that matters in a political environment. Pence is now the Vice President. No one is credibly arguing his use of an AOL account deserves any discussion of being disqualifying. Clintons emails became an issue during a campaign, when even the slightest hint of impropriety morphed into a Watergate-caliber outrage. (And not just by Republicans. Plenty of Bernie Sanders supporters got in on that game.)

Finally, size matters. Were talking about 30 pages of Pence emails that he forwarded from his AOL account to state archivists. Clinton? She handed over 55,000 pages to the State Department.
Abigail Breslin on the red carpet.

It seems like forever since it was announced that Abigail Breslin would be cast as the female lead in a three-hour remake of the 1987 blockbuster hit Dirty Dancing.

Actually, it might as well be because the first signs of wanting to do a remake  before Abigail Breslin was even a thing  was back in 2011 according to Deadline.

According to their report, Kenny Ortega was in consideration to direct the Dirty Dancing remake with Lionsgate who wanted to reset since their Artisan 2004 sequel Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights tanked.

The original Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze, 1997) unveiling Hollywood star. [Image by Susan Sterner/AP images]

One of the reasons for this was because actors Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze were asking what would now be considered a modest amount of $5 million each, which is about how much the original film cost to make.

Due to delays, the planned miniseries would evolve into a musical for ABC who ordered it in December 2015 when Abigail Breslin  now 20-years-old  was announced for the lead role.

Click here to continue and read more...
WASHINGTON (AP)  In a story March 3 about the federal prosecutor in line to oversee an investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the U.S. Attorney's office in Maryland under Rod Rosenstein led the 2010 leak prosecution against former National Security Agency official Thomas Drake. The case was overseen by Justice Department attorneys from Washington.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Next in line to lead Russia probe: Rosenstein has respect

Some Democrats worry the appointment of a Jeff Sessions subordinate to oversee any federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election won't be a clean enough break from the embattled attorney general

By ERIC TUCKER

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP)  Some Democrats worry the appointment of a Jeff Sessions subordinate to oversee an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election won't be a clean enough break from the embattled attorney general.

But the veteran prosecutor in line for the job may be uniquely politically palatable.

Rod Rosenstein, who faces his confirmation hearing next week for the role of deputy attorney general, was appointed top federal prosecutor in Maryland by George W. Bush and remained in the post for the entire Obama administration. That staying power, extraordinary for a position that routinely turns over with changes in the White House, lends weight to the reputation he's cultivated as an apolitical law enforcement official.

"He is so well-respected. He cannot be influenced, he cannot be bought, he cannot be pressured because of outside political forces," said Baltimore criminal defense attorney Steven Silverman, who has known Rosenstein for years.

Sessions recused himself from any Trump-Russia investigation Thursday after the Justice Department acknowledged he had spoken twice with the Russian ambassador last year and had failed to disclose the contacts during his Senate confirmation process. Sessions said he had not tried to mislead anyone but could have been more careful in his answers. He planned to file amended testimony on Monday, a Justice Department spokesman said.

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The new attorney general's recusal handed authority for an investigation  for now  to his deputy, Dana Boente, another longtime federal prosecutor who has the post in an acting capacity. Boente was appointed U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in 2015 by Barack Obama and was elevated to acting attorney general in January after Trump fired Obama holdover Sally Yates. When Sessions won confirmation, Boente stepped to the No. 2 position.

Once Rosenstein is confirmed, he'll take over responsibility for any probes touching the Trump campaign and Russian meddling.

He arrives at the Justice Department with experience in politically freighted investigations, having earlier in his career been part of the Clinton-era Whitewater independent investigation. More recently as U.S. attorney, he oversaw the probe of James Cartwright, the former Joint Chiefs of Staff vice chairman who admitted making false statements during a separate leak investigation and was ultimately pardoned by Obama.

"It's hard to imagine a more challenging environment in which to come in as the deputy attorney general than what we have now," said Jason Weinstein, who served under Rosenstein in the U.S. attorney's office in Maryland. "Having said that, I can't imagine a better person for the job right now than Rod."

Regardless, the Sessions recusal did little to assuage demands from some Democrats that the investigation be placed in the hands of a special prosecutor.

Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called the Sessions recusal "deeply inadequate" and said he was troubled by the number of Trump associates who he contended have either made misleading statements or concealed communications with Russia.

"I also think for the public to have confidence that any prosecutorial decision is made truly independent of the administration, that the extra remedy of a special counsel is really warranted here," Schiff said in an interview.

There is precedent for the selection of a special counsel by the Justice Department for especially sensitive investigations, though there's no indication yet that federal officials are planning to seek such an appointment.

One prominent example was in 2003, when the Bush Justice Department turned to Patrick Fitzgerald, then the top federal prosecutor in Chicago, to investigate who leaked the identity of Valerie Plame, a covert CIA officer. That appointment was made by James Comey, who at the time was deputy attorney general and now is director of the FBI.

"I think if the decision is made to bring someone in from the outside, it's not because the department can't do it and can't do it well," said Weinstein, now a Washington lawyer. "It's because in this politicized environment, the public's faith in the integrity of the investigation is so important and the department will want to bend over backward to put in place measures to ensure that the results of the investigation weren't questioned."

___

Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP
An Alabama movie theater will not screen Disneys upcoming Beauty and the Beast remake because it says the film features a homosexual character.

For those that do not know Beauty and the Beast is premiering their first homosexual character. The producer also says at the end of the movie there will be a surprise for same-sex couples,' a staff member of the Henagar Drive-In Theatre wrote in a post on Facebook on Friday. If we can not take our 11 year old grand daughter and 8 year old grandson to see a movie we have no business watching it. If I cant sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me then we have no business showing it.

On Wednesday, Attitude Magazine published an excerpt online in which director Bill Condon revealed the film would feature an exclusively gay moment involving LeFou (Josh Gad), the sidekick of the films main antagonist, Gaston (Luke Evans).

LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston, Condon told Attitude. It marks the first time a Disney film has featured an openly gay character.

But the Henagar Drive-In, which is under new management according to the updated Facebook post, does not approve of the characters inclusion.

I know there will be some that do not agree with this decision, the post continues. Thats fine. We are first and foremost Christians. We will not compromise on what the Bible teaches. We will continue to show family oriented films so you can feel free to come watch wholesome movies without worrying about sex, nudity, homosexuality and foul language.

https://www.facebook.com/HenagarDriveInTheatre/posts/1632509636765467

The theater did not immediately respond to TIMEs request for comment.
Paris (AFP) - Alain Juppe, who may get a new shot at the French presidency thanks to a fake jobs scandal engulfing fellow conservative Francois Fillon, has a gift for re-inventing himself.

Written off as finished on more than one occasion, the 71-year-old mayor of Bordeaux and former prime minister has rebounded from wretched lows.

Juppe went into self-imposed exile to Canada in 2004 after he was convicted over a party finance scandal from the 1980s when he was finance director at Paris City Hall, then run by mayor Jacques Chirac.

Chirac, who would go on to become a two-term president and a life-long backer of Juppe, once famously described his protege as "probably the best among us".

- Suspended jail sentence -

Juppe sat out a 14-month suspended jail term, as well as a one-year ban on holding public office, in the French-Canadian city of Montreal with his second wife and daughter, taking up a teaching post.

At the time, foretelling his remarkable return, Juppe said "there are always possibilities for resurrection" in politics.

This would start with his re-election as mayor of Bordeaux in 2006 in France's southwestern wine-growing region, a political fiefdom he has helped transform in the last 20 years.

Bolstering his reputation as a hard-working technocrat, he is credited with developing tourism, transport and business in the elegant city.

Combining regional and national roles, in 2007 Juppe was brought back into the government under then president Nicolas Sarkozy, who saw his own hopes of a return to power dashed in the conservatives' primary last November.

Over time, a view developed that Juppe's criminal conviction was the result of loyalty, that he had taken a hit for others, allowing him again to set his sights on the gilded presidential Elysee Palace.

- A 'happy' France -

One of France's most familiar political figures, known abroad after a stint as foreign minister in 2011, Juppe began the primary campaign with polls routinely showing him as the country's "most popular" politician.

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This was an astonishing contrast to the reputation he suffered during a bruising two-year term as premier under Chirac marked by massive nationwide protests against his proposed welfare reforms in 1995.

Juppe and Chirac were among France's most despised public figures as railway workers, civil servants and air traffic controllers joined one of the biggest strikes in decades.

Fast forward to last year's primary season when the lanky, bald-headed father-of-three sought to counter his image as a humourless or even arrogant intellectual with a softer, more inclusive pitch.

Juppe portrayed himself as a stable, experienced administrator and promised a "happy" national identity in a country riven by fear about terror attacks and immigration.

While his programme touted typically reformist centre-right priorities, he advocated public sector job cuts that would be less "brutal" than Fillon's proposal to eliminate half a million posts.

As campaigning for the November vote wore on however, Juppe lost traction and Fillon -- campaigning as a sleaze-free candidate at that time -- clinched the nomination.

Since that defeat, Juppe has kept a low profile in Bordeaux, though his entourage signalled Friday that he would be ready to step in as the Republicans' presidential candidate if Fillon moves aside.

Born on August 15, 1945, into a modest family, Juppe had what he describes as a happy and religious childhood among the pine forests of the rural Les Landes area of southwest France.

After leaving to study in Paris, he graduated from top universities and like most of the political elite passed through the Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA).

"I am proud, I have a certain idea of who I am," he told a recent French television documentary titled "Juppe, The Resuscitated".
U.S. President Donald Trump

If President Donald Trump will not attend the White House Correspondents dinner, then actor Alec Baldwin would not be too opposed to standing in for him.

I will not be attending the White House Correspondents Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017

Last Saturday, United States President Donald Trump took to Twitter by announcing that he will not go to this years White House Correspondents Association Dinner. This was after the president announced that news sites like CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other reputable news bodies are now barred from accessing White House press briefing due to fake news. The annual press party is supposed to celebrate some of the best political journalism of the past year. Something that Trump definitely doesnt want any part of.

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If you are an American citizen, you may think that you now need a visa to go to Europe, because you have seen headlines that read things like, European Parliament votes to end visa-free travel for Americans. But contrary to what you may have glanced at while scrolling through your Facebook feed, Americans wont need visas to travel to Europe.

To be clear: That headline from a British paper is not factually inaccurate. The European Parliament really did vote that. But its a non-binding vote with no real impact.

Why cast it, then? Is it because of rising tensions between the European Union and President Donald Trumps administration? Because one too many Americans has behaved badly at a bachelor party, or Pamplona-area hospitals were sick of treating gringos with gorings?

No. Its because Americans dont need visas to travel anywhere in the Europe Union as tourists, while citizens from certain European countries still need visas to come to the United States. European lawmakers pushed the symbolic vote forward in retaliation for the United States not allowing visa-free travel for citizens from (newish) EU members Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, Cyprus, and Romania.

This has been brewing since 2014, when the European Commission became aware that Australia, Brunei, Canada, Japan, and the United States were not reciprocating visa-free travel to all EU citizens, which is counter to the visa reciprocity agreement. Australia, Brunei, and Japan have changed their ways since then, and Canada has pledged to do so by December.

Only the United States has not. And so the European Parliament passed a symbolic, but, again, nonbinding vote that will not actually change the way in which U.S. citizens travel to Europe.

Youre really seeing frustration and anger, and without any timetable, this is becoming increasingly seen as second-class treatment, British MEP Claude Moraes of the Labour Party told the New York Times after the vote Thursday.

The European Commission got the hint. It pledged to tackle the issue without delay after Trumps administration had settled in, CNN reported. Though given some senior administration officials negative views of the European Union, that may be an uphill battle.

Still, regardless of breathless headlines, the real story is that Americans dont need visas to go to the European Union, and certain Europeans still do.

Photo credit: BERTRAND GUAY/AFP/Getty Images
Tunis (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a new agreement with Tunisia on tackling illegal migration during a visit Friday, following tensions over the case of the Tunisian suspect in the Berlin market attack.

Merkel, on a two-day trip to North Africa that also included a stop in Egypt, said Germany and Tunisia had agreed on faster repatriations for rejected asylum seekers and job training for Tunisians.

The German leader, who faces elections in September, is under pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to her country, which has taken in more than one million migrants since 2015.

Merkel, who also addressed Tunisia's parliament, has urged North African states to step up border controls and expedite procedures to repatriate migrants whose asylum applications are rejected.

Germany has said Tunisian bureaucratic delays meant it could not expel Anis Amri, the suspect in the truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market that killed 12 people, even though his asylum application had been rejected six months earlier.

Merkel said the two countries had agreed that questions from Germany on the identities of Tunisian asylum seekers will be answered within 30 days.

"We will also help Tunisia to set up a registration system. Replacement passports are then meant to be issued within one week," she said at a joint news conference with President Beji Caid Essebsi.

This agreement "will satisfy Tunisia and will satisfy Germany", Essebsi said, adding that it concerned about 1,500 Tunisians whose residency requests have been turned down by Germany.

"Measures will be taken in the Tunisian consulates in Germany to help in their identification," he added.

Merkel's talks also covered ways to respond to years of instability exploited by people smugglers in neighbouring Libya, where winter departures on perilous boat crossings to Europe have spiked.

"We know the political situation in Libya is difficult," she said, welcoming Tunisia's efforts to help resolve the turmoil.

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"No-one is more interested in political stability in Libya than its neighbours, but I'll say, because of the migration issue, it's also important for us Europeans."

- Aid funding pledge -

The migrants issue had already been contentious in Germany where sexual assaults by large groups of mostly North African men on New Year's Eve 2015-16 against women in Cologne provoked outrage.

Merkel's interior minister floated an idea for North African countries to build holding centres for returned migrants, but it was rejected by Merkel's centre-left coalition partners and rights groups.

The visit was also a chance for Merkel to pledge support for a country often hailed as a rare success story of the Arab Spring uprisings that shook the region and toppled autocrats including longtime Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has passed a new constitution and held free parliamentary and presidential elections.

But the nation faces high unemployment, social tensions and the threat from jihadists who have killed dozens of soldiers and police as well as civilians including 59 foreign tourists.

Speaking in Tunis, Merkel announced 250 million euros ($264 million) in development aid.

"The funds are for rural development, small and medium enterprises, but mainly for youths... who especially need job training and employment opportunities," she said.

- 'Beacon of hope' -

She later told parliament that Tunisia is a "beacon of hope" for Europe, praising both the pro-democracy protests and the country's subsequent managing of the "rocky path" to democracy.

"The fact that you as a freely elected democratic parliament exist is a legacy of the great courage of the citizens of your country," Merkel said.

"Tunisia is going its way, and your country, as a young democracy, can bank on our full support and cooperation, politically, economically and socially."

Merkel, who left for home later Friday, had also planned a trip to Algeria last week but it was called off after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika fell ill.

Her North Africa visits were part of a larger diplomatic push which took her last year to Mali, Niger and Ethiopia.

Germany, which this year holds the G20 presidency, has also announced investment partnerships in Africa with the long-term goals of reducing poverty and deterring people from leaving.

Merkel was joined on her trip by a business delegation that could bring much-needed investments.
On March 3, 1820, Congress approved the Missouri compromise, a law that maintained a balance in the Senate between free and slave states. The pact only lasted 34 years, and its elimination was one of the contributing factors that led to the Civil War.

No less an authority than former President Thomas Jefferson saw the deal as the start of a fight to break up, or maintain, a United States.

[The] Missouri question aroused and filled me with alarmI have been among the most sanguine in believing that our Union would be of long duration. I now doubt it much, he told a friend. He called it a fire bell in the night, [that] awakened and filled me with terror. I considered it at once as the knell of the Union.

At the time, the Missouri Compromise was seen as a critical agreement to preserve the balance of power in Congress between slave and free states, and keep the Union intact.

On February 16, 1820, the Senate agreed to consider the admission of Maine and Missouri as states combined in one bill. The following day the Senate changed the bill to say that slavery was banned in the Louisiana Territory north of the 36 30 latitude line, except for Missouri.

But the House rejected the Senate bill and voted to admit Missouri without slavery. A compromise bill that stuck to the Senate version and it passed the House by three votes on March 3. Three days later, President James Monroe signed the bill into law.

The Missouri Compromise kept the peace, but its critics in the South objected to the federal government imposing any restrictions on a state that wished to have slavery as an institution. As new states were admitted, a balance was kept between free and slave states until 1850.

California was then admitted as a free state, but it had to agree to have one pro-Slave member in the Senate to maintain a free state-slave state balance.

In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise. It allowed for free, white male citizens of the two territories to decide if they would apply for admission as a free or a slave state. Violence broke out in Kansas, which delayed its admission to the Union.

The Dred Scott v. Sandford decision by the Supreme Court in 1857 found that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. Chief Justice Roger Taney and six other Justices ruled that Missouri Compromise was illegal because Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in the territories, and slave masters were guaranteed property rights under the Fifth Amendment.

The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, overturned major parts of the Dred Scott decision.
Paris (AFP) - Europe is set to launch a fourth satellite next Tuesday for its ambitious Copernicus Earth monitoring project to track changing land cover and pollution, launch firm Arianespace said.

Dubbed Sentinel-2B, the satellite will blast off on a Vega rocket from Europe's space port in Kourou, French Guiana, at 0149 GMT, the company said.

"The Sentinel-SB Earth observation satellite primarily focuses on monitoring land masses and coastal zones around the world," Arianespace said in a statement.

Its data will be used to monitor changes in forest cover and pollution in lakes and coastal waters, for example.

The orbiter will be positioned directly opposite Sentinel-2A, launched in June 2015.

"The pair of Sentinel-2 satellites will cover the Earth's entire surface in five days," said Arianespace, which launches satellites for the European Commission and European Space Agency.

"This high frequency means they will capture brand-new views of the Earth, driving considerable progress in monitoring and predicting changes in vegetation and aquatic pollution."

Sentinel-1A was launched in April 2014 and Sentinel-1B two years later. They are equipped with special cloud-penetrating radar with which to monitor Earth's surface by day and by night, regardless of the weather.

The twins should spot anything from icebergs and oil slicks to illegal logging.

Other satellites yet to be launched will focus on ocean data and Earth's atmosphere.

By mapping areas stricken by flood or earthquake, Copernicus will also be able to help emergency teams identify worst-hit areas and locate passable roads, railway lines and bridges.

The programme is named for the 16th-century Polish astronomer who determined that the Earth orbited the Sun, and not the other way round, as convention had it at the time.
Rider University is nearing a decision on the future of its Westminster Choir College campus in Princeton, and Westminster students, faculty, and alumni  already scared, frustrated, and angry since the news broke in December  are steeling themselves for the worst.

I feel very anxious, especially because the community here is at stake when that decision comes through, said Guillermo Pasarin, 19, a freshman music theory and composition student from Miami.

Were all very nervous about whats going to happen, he said. Were all just hoping for the best.

Rider president Gregory G. DellOmo said in December that the private university, struggling with declining enrollment and facing financial deficits, was considering selling the 23-acre Westminster campus in Princeton and moving the music school to Riders main campus in Lawrenceville. Rider trustees, working with senior administrators, have been undergoing a study in the months since, and the university expects a decision this month.

As we work towards a fact-based decision in the coming weeks, our goal has remained the same: explore all avenues and options to ensure a sustainable future for Rider University as a whole, Rider spokeswoman Kristine A. Brown said in a statement. We appreciate the thoughtful input and recommendations put forward thus far and look forward to sharing more information from the board at the appropriate time.

After DellOmos announcement in December, shocked alumni quickly took the lead in organizing protests and formed a Coalition To Save Westminster Choir College in Princeton.

That gave some hope of saving the campus, alumni and parents of Westminster students said. But as the study has progressed with little information released publicly, they have begun to worry. No news, several said, feels like bad news.

I thought that this fight we were putting up would be very clear and evident to Rider that they cannot shut down the campus, said Hope Osborn, 30, who graduated from Westminster in 2008 with her bachelors degree in vocal performance and in 2010 with a masters degree in vocal performance and vocal pedagogy. Osborn, whose sister is a senior at Westminster, rushed to campus for a singing protest the day after the announcement.

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And now it seems a little bit too real, she said, that they might shut it down.

Osborn and others fear a move to Lawrenceville would irreparably damage the prestigious choir college, disrupting the tight-knit conservatory atmosphere as the roughly 460 students and their faculty are subsumed into a larger university environment.

Over and over, they say: Westminster Choir College is special; the Princeton campus is historic; students, who sing every day in organized choirs, need a certain degree of isolation to hone their craft; the Lawrenceville campus doesnt have the necessary facilities to house the school.

We know that the Choir College is a special place, Brown said in her statement, and that students, faculty, alumni, and members of the community are uniquely suited to share that perspective.

But Rider, like many private colleges, is struggling.

The university last year enrolled slightly more than 5,000 students, down 1,000 students from six years prior and the lowest in at least two decades. In 2015, the university announced faculty layoffs and program closures before the faculty union agreed to concessions, including a two-year wage freeze.

The university is facing continued deficits over the next several years which cannot be sustained without adversely impacting the university as a whole, DellOmo and Rider trustee chair Michael B. Kennedy said in an email blast after the December announcement.

The university was once Westminsters savior. Formerly an independent school that traces its roots to the founding of Westminster Choir in 1920 in Dayton, Ohio, the college moved to Princeton in 1932 and, in a period of financial distress, merged with Rider in 1992.

At that time, and twice since, Rider considered moving the college to its Lawrenceville campus but decided against it. The most recent one-campus study was in 2006.

Its kind of a cruel irony that even though we merged with Rider to save Westminster, Rider may end up pulling the rug out from under Westminster, said Patrick K. Freer, a music professor at Georgia State University who received his bachelors from Westminster in 1988 and masters there in 1993.

Many Westminster advocates said theyve reached a point where the possibility of losing their campus feels real, and they are now essentially in a holding pattern, waiting to see what happens.

Now there seems to be this fatigue, said Brian Dougherty, a 1997 Westminster graduate. I feel tired. I feel like, get on with it, whats taking so long?  Its so incredibly frustrating, but its also been going on for several months.

Many have expressed frustration with what they see as a lack of transparency. Students and faculty said they were not satisfied with responses when DellOmo held events  Pretty much his answer to everything he asked was, Were taking everything into consideration, said Thomas Faracco, a voice professor at Westminster since 1983 and two-time alumnus of the school.

DellOmo told professors last week that the Westminster campus is worth between $50 million and $60 million, Faracco said, sparking a new round of hand-wringing and new questions about the schools future.

The earliest a move to Lawrenceville would happen is fall of 2019, Faracco said, prompting relief from upperclassmen and fears from freshmen and parents.

Its just incredibly frustrating to not ever get told whats going on, and it feels like they dont respect the community a lot, said Andrew Sullivan, 19, a freshman music education major from Swedesboro.

Brown, the Rider spokeswoman, said the Princeton campus valuation is slightly different, though she declined to give a number. She also declined to detail the universitys projected financial deficit.

Regarding accusations that DellOmo has not been transparent, Brown said the study is complex and trustees need the time and space to complete it before commenting.

I know that its difficult to hear that the board is still undertaking a study and no decision has been made, she said, but that is really what we can say at this point.

On Tuesday, two Rider faculty members plan to introduce a vote of no confidence of DellOmo and his administrative team. The resolution was not drafted by Westminster faculty and does not specifically focus on the Westminster situation, said Art Taylor, the president of Riders faculty union.

It is unfortunate that the faculty union is seeking to create negotiating leverage, regardless of the damage that it can do, at a time when we need to come together to solve the important challenges we face, Brown said in a statement.

Some faculty members have expressed support of the president.

Pending a decision on the campus, some Westminster alumni said theyve been withholding donations, and some students and parents wonder whether to consider other schools.

Ron Berresford, 65, a 1974 Westminster graduate, said he has taken Westminster out of his will for now because if the campus goes away then I do know that thats the end of the school. Pat Guth, 56, who met her husband, Gary, 59, at Westminster (both graduated in 1981), said she, too, would remove Westminster from her will if it loses its home in Princeton.

Were all feeling like our hands are tied at this point, and maybe there are things we can do once the announcement is made, but I think frustration is really setting in for many of us, Guth said. As the day comes closer, were afraid that there isnt a viable solution to save the campus.

Rider owns the property. What can a bunch of riled alums do? she said. Can we do anything except be heard and hope that theyll listen?

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday rejected an effort to block executions scheduled next month for eight death row inmates, saying there's no stay in place preventing the men from being put to death.

In a 5-2 order, justices granted the attorney general's request to clarify that there's no stay in place for the eight inmates. The court last week lifted the stay on its ruling upholding Arkansas' lethal injection law, prompting the state to move forward with the executions.

Attorneys for the inmates asked the court to invalidate the governor's proclamations scheduling the executions, arguing there was still a stay in place since they had filed an amended complaint in lower court. Justices didn't elaborate on their decision in the one-page order.

"It is past time for the victims' families to see justice for the horrible murders of their loved ones," Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said in a statement. "My office is prepared to respond to any and all challenges that might occur between now and the execution dates. I will do all I can to finally bring closure to the victims' families and to honor the verdicts and sentences imposed by juries decades ago."

The court lifted its stay days after the U.S. Supreme Court said it wouldn't review the state court ruling over Arkansas' lethal injection law. Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Monday scheduled four double executions over a 10-day period in April for the eight men.

The state, however, lacks one of the drugs needed to put the men to death. The state's supply of potassium chloride  one of three drugs used in its lethal injection protocol  expired in January, and a prison spokesman said the state has not found a replacement. Hutchinson has said he's confident the state will find a new supply.

Attorneys for the inmates have asked a Pulaski County circuit judge to find the state's lethal injection law, which keeps the names of its drug suppliers secret, and the three-drug protocol unconstitutional.

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"The order dissolves the stay but does not end the case," attorneys John C. Williams and Jeff Rosenzweig said in a statement. "And the Arkansas Supreme Court has never rejected our evidence that the state's chosen execution protocol causes atrocious suffering. We will continue to fight for our clients and to contest this appalling execution schedule."

The execution schedule appears aimed at putting the inmates to death before another one of the state's lethal injection drugs expires. The state's supply of midazolam lists an April 2017 expiration date, which pharmacy experts say is commonly accepted to mean the end of the month. The state's supply of vecuronium bromide expires on March 1, 2018.

Arkansas hasn't executed an inmate since 2005 due to legal challenges and difficulties obtaining execution drugs.

___

Follow Andrew DeMillo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ademillo
Arnold Schwarzenegger won't be back for a second season of The New Celebrity Apprentice, and it's because of Donald Trump.

In an interview with Empire magazine, Schwarzenegger said, "I learned a lot, I had a great time, it was a really great opportunity, but under the circumstances I don't want to do it again."

Trump's shadow has loomed large over the NBC reality franchise  especially since the POTUS is still an executive producer on the series  and Schwarzenegger claims that the president's ongoing connection with the show is what damaged it.

"It's not about the show, because everyone I ran into came up to me and said 'I love the show ... but I turned it off because as soon as I read Trump's name I'm outta there!'" he told Empire. "When people found out that Trump was still involved as executive producer and was still receiving money from the show, then half the people [started] boycotting it."

He added, "Even if asked [to do it again] I would decline. With Trump being involved in the show people have a bad taste and don't want to participate as a spectator or as a sponsor or in any other way support the show. It's a very divisive period now and I think this show got caught up in all that division."

Schwarzenegger initially defended the president's credit on the show, comparing it to the royalties he received from his films during his time as governor of California, but it wasn't long before he and Trump were sparring on Twitter over the revival's poor ratings performance.

Wow, the ratings are in and Arnold Schwarzenegger got "swamped" (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine, DJT. So much for....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2017

being a movie star-and that was season 1 compared to season 14. Now compare him to my season 1. But who cares, he supported Kasich & Hillary  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2017

I wish you the best of luck and I hope you'll work for ALL of the American people as aggressively as you worked for your ratings.  Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) January 6, 2017

Yes, Arnold Schwarzenegger did a really bad job as Governor of California and even worse on the Apprentice...but at least he tried hard!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017

The governator responded to that salvo by tweeting Trump a link to a news story reporting that Schwarzenegger had released his tax returns while running for re-election.

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I loved every second of working with NBC and Mark Burnett," Schwarzenegger said in a statement. "Everyone  from the celebrities to the crew to the marketing department  was a straight 10, and I would absolutely work with all of them again on a show that doesnt have this baggage.

The New Celebrity Apprentice ended its Schwarzenegger-led season in February. It has yet to be renewed for another season.

NBC had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
Im tired of language, says photographer Robin Schwartz. With animals you dont have to use language.

Since childhood Schwartz has documented her close connection to animals in images that reveal the complexities of domestication. Her attraction stems from something that she insists began before a time she could remember, growing up as an only child with a cat in Linden, N.J. I have an affinity for animals and I think they can sense it, says Schwartz. I was born this way.

While studying for her MFA at Pratt Institute, professor Arthur Freed encouraged her to always photograph what you care about. His influence gave Schwartz permission to revisit her childhood love of animals and she began photographing wild packs of dogs and stray cats.

Years after graduation she became fascinated by an orangutan and owner she met at a lecture and began to pursue the cloistered world of primate ownership. To gain access to private homes around the country, she bartered her photography for access to shoot portraits. She also wrote a regular column for the Simian Society of America newsletter. Within five years she had photographed enough work for what became the book Like Us: Primate Portraits published by Norton in 1993. Looking back at the owners who let her in, Schwartz feels grateful. The people that allowed me in are the cream of the crop in terms of owners and theyre proud of how well they take care of their animals, she says.

The recent history of animal photography can feel dominated by a social media landscape filled with viral cat videos and Instagram photos, but Schwartzs approach is the antithesis of anything warm and fuzzy. We have a tendency to make animals cute or make fun of them, she says. Her series, shot in black and white photographs, takes a more straightforward yet nuanced documentary approach that feels surprising and surreal when theres actually an 800-pound gorilla in the room.

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Schwartz humanizes the lives of these animal companions by not differentiating between them and their caretakers. I dont think theyre funny or sad, she says. Theyre just like people. She depicts them within everyday moments and seemingly engaged as they stare back at her lens. Sometimes theyre being infantilized to a point that we almost begin to forget theyre not human. The black and white allowed me to focus on their eyes and the faces, says Schwartz, without the distraction of the environment and the colors. The direct flash creates a heightened sense of reality making them feel larger than life and allows a viewer to feel close.

Theyre all born in captivity and need to be cared for, she adds. I dont judge them. In regards to criticism about ownership, Schwartz makes a clear effort to just let the photography do most of the work to carry a range of emotions. I think people see themselves in monkeys and they get uncomfortable.

Twenty five years since the book was released, Schwartzs photographs are now in major museum collections including at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Citys MoMA and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art among many others. The work is currently on display at the Alice Austen House Museum.

Robins Schwartzs Like Us: Primate Portraits is on display at the Alice Austen House Museum. See more of her work here.

Paul Moakley is the Deputy Director of Photography and Visual Enterprise at TIME. Hes also the curator of the Alice Austen House Museum. Follow him on Twitter @paulmoakley.
SINGAPORE  A young immuno-oncology company aims to pitch its drug candidate at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago this summer, spreading the word about its Phase 3 trials.

Tessa Therapeutics could also send a message to fledgling Asian biotech hubs hoping to replicate the success of centers in other parts of the world.

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ATLANTIC CITY - The transformation of Brown's Park, a vexing spot in a midpoint of the city that visitors rarely consider outside of disturbing viral Facebook videos, is startling.

"From what it used to be to what it was now," said Grace Batiz, who lives a few blocks away, walking her shih tzu Nana along the park's border the other day, "I think it's awesome. It was a mess."

The park, formerly a leafy and expansive trapezoid of frustrating negativity, bordered by Bacharach Boulevard, Martin Luther King Boulevard, Kentucky Avenue, Arctic, and a sliver of Baltic, is undergoing a long-delayed reconstruction that last week saw the eye-popping arrival of brightly colored playground and other equipment designed for all ages and abilities.

"One mom said they drove by and her daughter said, 'Mommy can I play on that someday?' " said Elizabeth Terenik, the city's ace planning director. "Yay. That's what it should be."

Brown's Park progress! Looking for community partners to provide programs and activities for the community. pic.twitter.com/GUt5c6tEKb  AC Planning (@ACPlanningDept) February 28, 2017

Terenik, who follows a Jane Jacobs-inspired urbanist philosophy that sees environmental and park design as tools of crime reduction and urban revitalization, and city parks as reflections of neighborhoods, scrounged grants and donations to pay for all but about $50,000 of the $1.3 million cost.

Which was not an easy mountain to climb in a city on the brink of insolvency, for a park mostly off the beaten path of tourists, though a portion of it falls within the state's designated Tourism District.

Police had long denied that Brown's Park had turned into A.C.'s version of Hamsterdam, the fictitious spot on HBO's The Wire turned into a free zone for drug dealers and users in Baltimore. But it sure seemed that way.

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Named for Army Tech. Sgt. Harold R. Brown  the first African American resident of Atlantic City to die in World War II  the park always contained the possibility of rebirth, as retired neighborhood men continued to use its benches as a spot for political debate and chess.

Despite the promises of an improved park, some of those men were skeptical. "Better for who?" questioned Robert Callendar, 88, before the city's work began.

Pastors and addictions counselors and police on foot patrol regularly walked the park and tried to talk some hope and sense, and order, into the people who gathered there daily.

But mostly, the park  down the street from the Rescue Mission, across from the Stanley Holmes housing project, near what used to be a methadone clinic on Pacific Ave., now moved to Pleasantville  functioned as an overflow of sorts for the city's most desperate, and those who might take advantage of them.

Drugs were openly sold and used, the park's trees seemed in need of water and care, crumbling infrastructure serving as a place for men to sleep. ("If you take away the park, where are the alcoholics going to go?" asked one man, Carlos Torres, before the park was sealed off for the makeover.)

Parents and children mostly avoided the place, or walked by quickly, and anyone attending the Worthington campus of Atlantic Cape Community College across Kentucky Ave. could only think the spot might have been a great place to have lunch  its bones call to mind any great urban square from Rittenhouse to Fitler  but was currently anything but.

A 2015 Facebook video that showed a man brazenly knocking out a homeless woman inside the park sealed the image. The man, Ibn Hunter, 25, was later arrested.

The grants for reconstruction date to 2009. After fits and starts, state takeovers and bureaucracies, and with $600,000 in planned-on capital funds suddenly off limits because the city's coffers had became so bare, the contract was awarded late last year. Prior to the park being fenced off, social services were offered to park regulars.

Half the cost is from New Jersey Green Acres, most of the rest cobbled from Community Development grants, donations from individuals and the housing authority. About $170,000 came from ACDevCo, a non-profit developing Stockton's new campus in Atlantic City.

Command Co. of Egg Harbor City expects to finish construction in May. Of this year!

In the last weeks, play and workout stations have appeared. A paved lap rings the park. Landscaping is focused on the triangular end, which now incorporates Bacharach. The park is starting to project its new image around town.

The equipment will be appropriate for people with disabilities, Terenik said.

Batiz wondered if there might be a place to walk her dog.

Terenik said the portion with trees has undergone light maintenance, to avoid costly environmental requirements. But she said a portion of that might naturally attract dog walkers.

Otherwise, the park's walkways will traverse like piano keys, a homage to the old Kentucky Avenue clubs. Expect new benches, a stage and grassy seating area, game tables and "off the grid" solar or wind lighting.

Brown's will, for now, be closed at dusk and fenced off.

There will be a lot of programming, now being developed by a Stockton intern in the planning department. Terenik and Councilman Kaleem Shabazz, also laser focused on Brown's, have arranged meetings with nearby residents to solicit ideas.

In addition to ACCC's campus, a new Head Start nursery is being built nearby, and there are talks about changes to improve a sometimes troublesome public housing dynamic across Baltic. Traffic will be calmed, and the park's overall design had lots of police input.

A separate $50,000 grant will fund a memorial to the sometimes overlooked Brown himself, and "sacrifices made by Atlantic City Servicemen."

Despite the challenges of funding such a project in a near-bankrupt city, in the throes of a state takeover, Brown's remained a priority of the mayor and city administration. "It means so much to the community to have that park done," Terenik said. "That's what motivated us. It took a lot of resourcefulness. But it finally came together."

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GettyIt only took a few hours after Russias Vladimir Putin hailed his mobilization as a sparkling success Friday for a torrent of humiliating reports to emerge that suggest the war effort has been more successful in turning the country against him than defeating mythical Nazis in Ukraine.The most staggering contradiction to the Russian presidents boastful claims came perhaps in Kazan, where dozens of drafted troops were captured on video late Friday berating military leadership outside a colle
Consumer Reports has issued its annual Brand Report Card, and as interesting as it is, there aren't many surprises to be found.

To issue its 2017 rankings, the magazine compiled data on 31 brands. That data came from a variety of sources, including Consumer Reports' own road test scores, predicted reliability scores, safety ratings, and owner satisfaction scores. Data was compiled for each model tested, then averaged to create a brand-wide score.

As Consumer Reports' Jake Fisher explains, "Our annual analysis reveals that building one or two great vehicles is achievable, but making a whole lineup of excellent ones is much more difficult."

To be included in the 2017 Report Card, Consumer Reports had to have tested at least two models from a given brand. That left Alfa Romeo, Genesis, Maserati, Ram, and Smart out of the running this year.

The findings

It won't surprise many people to learn that luxury models dominated the top of Consumer Reports' report card. Audi finished at the head of the class, with an overall score of 81. Its sibling brand, Porsche, nabbed second place, with a score of 78. BMW and Lexus were right behind, with 77 points each (though BMW fared far better on Consumer Reports' road test). And Subaru came in fifth, with a score of 74.

The remaining top-ten brands were Kia (74), Mazda (73), Tesla (73), Honda (72), and Buick (72).

As with last week's Dependability Study from J.D. Power, Fiat Chrysler brands littered the bottom of Consumer Reports' rankings. Fiat fared worst of all, with an overall score of just 41 points. Jeep didn't perform too much better, earning 45 points. Dodge did slightly better, coming in 27th place with a score of 56. Between Dodge and Jeep were Mitsubishi (51) and Land Rover (52).

Other brands at the bottom included Jaguar, GMC, MINI, Volkswagen, and Nissan.

As far as U.S. brands are concerned, Tesla was rated the best overall American brand and landed the highest road test rating of all marques included in the study. And though Chrysler ranked only 19th overall, with a score of 66, it took the prize for best road test score from a mainstream brand. However, Consumer Reports notes that Chrysler did so based on scores from just two models, one of which was the highly lauded Pacifica minivan.

You can see how your favorite brands performed on Consumer Reports' interactive 2017 Brand Report Card.
Next month, 113 senior Australian diplomats  ambassadors, high commissioners, and consuls-general  will be headed back down under.

Theyve been summoned by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to reshape the governments foreign policy. The diplomats will meet with Bishop, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Trade Minister Steven Ciobo, and a member of the opposition Labor party to pull together a foreign policy white paper for later this year, the first such document since 2003.

But the present paper cant just be a cut-and-paste job from the last one. It comes at a tumultuous time in the Asia-Pacific region, with the new Trump administration rattling allies, including Canberra, even as China doubles down on its aggressive rhetoric. Australia, since the Second World War a close ally of the United States, got off to a rocky start with the new administration after the first phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull went unexpectedly badly over a deal to resettle refugees in Australia to the United States.

Australia is not the first longtime U.S. ally to shift foreign policy for or because of the Trump administration. Traditional partners in Europe and Asia have come to similar realizations. They just havent called back more than 100 top foreign-policy hands (yet) to try to gin up a solution.

Concern over U.S. commitment to allies is just one headache for Australia. Chinas increasingly unforgiving stance toward islets and atolls it claims in the South China Sea  defying last years ruling by an international tribunal  has ratcheted up the chance of actual conflict in a vital waterway. Japan, alarmed by a revamped Chinese military, is upping defense spending and taking steps to shed some of its pacifist shackles. The Philippines, which had not long ago pleaded for closer defense ties with Washington, is now under President Rodrigo Duterte dissing D.C. and courting Beijing.

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Much of the new landscape has been visibly taking shape over the last decade or more (except for the sudden U.S. hostility to the international order it helped create.) Australias increasing economic dependence on China, and a much bigger regional role for Beijing, have bedeviled Australian policymakers torn between their main trade partner and their security guarantee.

The new white paper, argues Hugh White, should try to find a quixotic happy middle ground: He recommends reserving a bigger place for China (and Japan) in Asia, while keeping the United States as involved as it can be without angering Beijing. At the same time, he wants a foreign policy that can protect the interests of middle powers like Canberra  all while upholding the rule of law that has made the last half century of peace and prosperity possible.

If that sounds like a tall order, it is. And thats probably why Bishop needs all the help she can get.

Photo credit: Michael Dodge/Getty Images
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  New Mexico authorities have released 911 audio from a victim in a three-state crime rampage that included the killings of the suspect's girlfriend and a cleaning woman at a church.

Law enforcement officers arrested 28-year-old Alex Deaton in Kansas on Wednesday after two Mississippi slayings, a New Mexico carjacking and the shooting of a store clerk west of Wichita.

In the audio released Thursday, 19-year-old Devon Philo tells authorities someone pointed a gun at him and his girlfriend, forcing them into the trunk of his car in Sandoval County.

"A man just shot me and I think he's killing my girlfriend," he told authorities.

Philo said he and the woman managed to jump out of the trunk and that he was wounded but not badly.

Philo used his girlfriend's car to get down the mountain and ask a stranger for their phone to call 911. He believed his companion was likely dead.

"He shot me and I fell down, and then he chased Sara more and Sara got away a little bit, but I'm pretty sure he killed her," Philo told a dispatcher.

The female victim did not die and was able to escape before the gunman went on to take a car from another victim and head toward Kansas.

Authorities suspect the rampage began after Deaton strangled his girlfriend, Heather Robinson, 30, at her apartment in Rankin County, near Jackson, Mississippi.

Deaton is accused of driving her white SUV to nearby Neshoba County, where 69-year-old Brenda Pinter was shot to death at a church she was cleaning on Feb. 23.

Authorities say he also is suspected of wounding a jogger in Rankin County in a drive-by shooting. He is then believed to have headed west, still in Robinson's SUV.

That SUV was found in New Mexico and Deaton is believed to have then carjacked Philo and his girlfriend.
Luxury hotels have been booked out and security forces deployed across Bali as the resort island geared up Friday for the arrival of Saudi King Salman on the latest leg of his extravagant Indonesian tour.

Hundreds of top-end cars and SUVs are ready to transport the king, who arrives Saturday, and his vast entourage, while 396 tons of equipment have been flown in to the popular holiday island for the visit.

Salman is leading a 1,000-strong delegation, including princes and ministers, on the first visit by a Saudi Arabian monarch to the world's most populous Muslim-majority country in almost half a century.

He arrived in Jakarta Wednesday for a state visit to an elaborate welcome. After disembarking from his plane on a escalator, he was whisked in a convoy past cheering crowds and greeted at a presidential palace by a 21-gun salute and marching band.

He will spend a week on Bali, a Hindu-majority island famed for its palm-fringed beaches. Police said five luxury hotels have been booked around the upmarket Nusa Dua resort area for the monarch and his party.

Local media reported that among the king's baggage were his own luxury sofa and an 80-inch (200-centimetre) television to ensure he feels at home in his hotel.

About 2,500 police and military personnel, including snipers and bomb disposal experts, are being deployed around the island. The king's party will use 360 vehicles, including Mercedes, SUVs and buses, during the visit, according to local tourism official I Ketut Ardana.

Intelligence agency officials have checked over several tourist sites that Salman and his entourage might like to visit, including the sacred temple of Uluwatu and the island's cultural centre, Ubud.

"It is our obligation to ensure the safety of our guests and make them feel comfortable here," Bali senior police official Made Sudana told AFP.

Indonesia is one of the highlights on the king's three-week Asian tour, which is seeking investment opportunities as the country aims to diversify its economy away from oil.

He began the tour in Malaysia earlier this week and is also scheduled to visit Japan, China and the Maldives.
Banksy is back and more thought-provoking than ever.

The British graffiti artist has decorated a Palestinian guest house in the West Bank city of Bethlehem with his artwork, aimed at bringing Israelis and Palestinians together.

SEE ALSO: Banksy artwork at migrant camp reminds us Steve Jobs' father was Syrian

People pass by the "The Walled Off Hotel" and the Israeli security barrier in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

Named "The Walled Off Hotel," the establishment features 10 rooms with  as Banksy billed it  "the worst view in the world" as they overlook the West Bank separation barrier erected by Israel.

A doorman stands at the entrance of the hotel.

Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

The restaurant area.

Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

A wall decorated with models of drones and a painting of Jesus with a sniper's dot on his forehead.

Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

The West Bank barrier is decorated by many street artists, including Banksy himself.

The hotel features a presidential suite, a museum with the artist's work, a themed bar and interactive exhibits.

A wall is decorated with security cameras and slingshots in the bar area.

Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

It has been decorated to resemble an English gentleman's club from colonial times and also reenacts the writing of the Balfour Declaration, which set the beginning for the state of Israel 100 years ago.

Gavin Grindon of the University of Essex, who co-curated with Banksy the museum inside "The Walled Off Hotel", stands by the reenactment of the writing of the year 1917 Balfour declaration.

Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

The presidential suite.

Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

The bar area.

Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

Israeli citizens are barred by law from visiting Bethlehem, but the hotel is situated in an area outside the town which is under Israeli control.

The highlight is room number three, known as "Banksy's Room," where guests sleep in a king-size bed underneath Banksy's artwork showing a Palestinian and an Israeli in a pillow fight.

The hotel will officially open March 11.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.
Bethlehem (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Secretive British street artist Banksy opened a hotel next to Israel's controversial separation wall in Bethlehem on Friday, his latest artwork in the Palestinian territories.

The Walled Off Hotel is only four metres from the wall which cuts through the occupied West Bank and all the rooms face it.

"It has the worst view of any hotel in the world," Banksy said in a statement.

The man himself was not in attendance, though dozens of his new works adorn the walls.

A spokeswoman said it was his largest new collection in years.

Elton John will play a "live show" to mark the hotel opening on Saturday, she added, but would not clarify if he would be present or perform via videolink.

Hotel manager Wissam Salsaa said the rooms will be rented out from March 20 starting at $30 a night for a bed in the bunkroom.

The nine rooms have a deliberate faded luxury, with typical Banksy touches.

Above one bed an Israeli soldier and Palestinian protester fight with pillows, while a television supposedly showing CNN is cracked and backwards.

In a hall a painting of a beautiful landscape is trapped behind a grate.

In the presidential suite, a working jacuzzi is fed from a leaking water tank similar to those that adorn the roofs of many Palestinian homes.

There is also a gallery selling Palestinian art and a museum highlighting the history of the region and Western interference in it.

At a push of a button a moving statue of Arthur Balfour signs the decree which promised Jews a homeland in the land at that time called Palestine.

Seven of the bedrooms were designed by Banksy himself. Two others were dreamed up by Canadian and Palestinian artists.

- 'A puzzle' -

"The room is on the edge of falling apart. It is very mundane, it's very refined, very lush, but when you look at details it is... messed up," the Canadian artist Dominique Petrin said.

The wall is one of the most striking symbols of Israel's 50-year occupation, and has become a major focus for demonstrations and art work.

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Israel refers to it as the security barrier and insists it is crucial for keeping out would-be attackers.

Banksy has maintained his anonymity despite numerous theories and attempts to reveal his identity since he started stencilling on walls in his native city of Bristol in southwest England more than a decade ago".

Exactly how he worked on the year-long hotel project was closely protected.

Petrin said she "got a message" to become involved but didn't know if she had met Banksy while working there.

"This whole thing is a puzzle and I got one piece of the puzzle. It doesn't mean I know the large picture."

Salsaa would not say how he became involved, only that he was "part of the project."

Asked if he was Banksy, he paused, smiled and replied: "Sorry, what did you say?"

Husam Zomlot, a special advisor to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, said they had no idea about the hotel until it opened.

-'Banksy tourism'-

While most Palestinian cities in the West Bank are forbidden for Israelis to visit, the hotel owners say the part of Bethlehem where it is located is under Israeli control.

Salsaa said they were actively encouraging Israelis to come and understand the reality for Palestinians.

"It is a great opportunity for them to come and see this beautiful art and also to come and learn more about the influence and effect of the wall on Palestinians."

Bethlehem tourism firms have long complained that the wall and Israel's occupation of the West Bank have crippled business.

The artist has a long history in the Palestinian territories.

In February 2015, he allegedly sneaked into the Gaza Strip through a smuggling tunnel and painted three works on the walls of Gaza homes destroyed in Israeli air strikes during the previous year's conflict.

In 2007, he painted a number of artworks in Bethlehem, including a young girl frisking an Israeli soldier pinned up against a wall.

In 2005, he sprayed nine stencilled images at different locations along the eight-metre-high (27 foot) wall.

They included a ladder reaching over the wall, a young girl being carried over it by balloons and a window on the grey concrete showing beautiful mountains in the background.

His works, like elsewhere in the world, have become tourist attractions.

"Since 2007 tens of thousands came specially to see Banksy work in Bethlehem," Salsaa said.

"We are going to support a tourism that already existed in Bethlehem called Banksy tourism."
Most love stories are told only through a single perspective, but Beauty and the Beast is different because people get to witness how both the Beast (Dan Stevens) and Belle (Emma Watson) fall in love with each other despite the odds.

Director Bill Condon told The Hollywood Reporter that sharing the Beasts perspective is actually the idea of late lyricist Howard Ashman. It was his idea that the Beast carry equal emotional weight, he said. Howard had discovered he had AIDS and wrote [the 1991 films songs] while he was dying. So the pathos of the Beast  someone who has been cursed and whose curse is breaking the hearts of the people who love him  and the fantasy that he might be saved, it's unbelievably powerful.

Disney started with the animated version of Beauty and the Beast, so for this live action version, Condon said they had to fill in the blanks between these two characters. They're both outsiders, but how did Belle wind up being so different from everybody else in a town where nobody understands her, and how did the Beast become the person who earned that curse? he said. That's the stuff we started to fill in, and it was those questions that led to the new songs  all of which center on those ideas.

This outsider quality is something Watson earlier discussed with Attitude Magazine. She said that she had to dig deep in order to make audiences understand why Belle, despite her beauty, could not relate to society and its standards.

I think it was really important for Dan and I to develop and understand why each of our characters feel as if they dont fit in, shared Watson. I certainly felt watching the original that I wanted to know more about why Belle feels that shes different and why she wants to be different and why shes naturally different.

Beauty and the Beast will hit cinemas on March 17.

Beauty and the Beast

Photo: Reuters/Neil Hall

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Chinese officials sent the world notice this week that Beijing would defend its claim over the South China Sea. As Beijing sent 13 fighter jets, heavy bombers and early-warning aircraft Thursday through the Miyako Strait near Japan as part of a navy exercise, a senior Chinese lawmaker said China would not stop building facilities on artificial islands in the South China Sea.

Wang Guoqing, spokesman for the countrys top political advisory body, said criticism from the U.S., Japan and other nations over its construction in the coveted waterway was much ado about nothing. Though peace reigns over the land, the stupid people create trouble for themselves, Wang said before the opening of the annual session of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference. As the worlds largest trader and the country with the most coastline along the South China Sea, we care about the safety and freedom of navigation more than any other country.

He said the structure China built in the South China Sea were crucial for defense. Meanwhile, the U.S. is stepping up its patrols in the South China Sea to protect open travel in the waterway by sending the carrier USS Carl Vinson in for patrols.

Rear Adm. James Kilby told the San Diego Tribune, "the Third Fleet Forward concept is working really well." Sailor morale is "upbeat" and "positive,"Kilby said, adding, "I cant be more proud of the sailors in this strike group and what theyre doing."

We continue to deploy here and try to send a message to our friends and allies that were herewere providing security. Were providing presence. We want to work with them in exercises and were certainly doing that on our deployment, Kilby said.

Growing tensions between China and the U.S. could result in conflict, experts have warned. Teng Jianqun, from the China Institute of International Studies, said China and the U.S. were in a dilemma over the South China Sea.

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I dont think the U.S. will compromise on freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, while China is trying to become a maritime power, he said.

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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgian authorities released on Friday a man with previous militant links who had been detained a day earlier after two gas cylinders were found in a van he was driving. The man, identified only as M.A., told investigators the cylinders were for domestic use. Prosecutors told a news conference before his release that their initial findings supported his explanation. The van was pulled over on Thursday afternoon after it had run a red light, officials said. The roads near the city's main Gare du Midi railway station were sealed off. Prosecutors said checks had shown that one of the cylinders was empty, and no explosives or detonation mechanism were found in the car. They said the man was known to authorities and had been sentenced to jail in 2016 for participation in the activities of a terrorist group. The Belgian capital has been on high alert approaching the first anniversary of Islamic State suicide attacks that killed 32 people on March 22. Police and soldiers reinforced security around Antwerp central station from Thursday evening until Friday morning after a film emerged showing scenes near the station and the message "We are still here". Federal security experts subsequently concluded that there was no increased threat of an attack. (Reporting By Philip Blenkinsop)
The U.S. Census Bureau reported in November that the rate of Americans moving hit an all-time low in 2016, with 11.2 percent moving to a new home and just under 2 percent making a significant move to a different state, region or country.

Fewer people may be choosing to relocate to avoid escalating home prices and rental rates or because they have stronger job stability than previous years. But that doesn't have to stifle your ability to move to a new city -- whether it's for work, school, to be closer to family or to embark on a new adventure.

And when you decide to move, every market throughout the country has real estate agents trained to assist clients who are relocating to the area and can help you find your next home from a distance.

"A month to three months gives us enough time to work with them," says Michelle Chicago, a Realtor for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff in Chicago.

You should also plan ahead when it comes time to physically move. It's best to book a moving company with a minimum of a month's notice during summer, says Angela Gonzalez, operations and quality manager for Unpakt, an online marketplace that connects consumers with vetted moving companies. You can allow for less time the rest of the year -- two to three weeks -- as moving companies are less busy and costs will be lower, she says.

"The more prepared you are, the smoother your move will be," Gonzalez says.

[See: Your Moving Checklist: Don't Let These Details Slip Through the Cracks.]

Aim for the Off-Season

If you're looking for the best time to find a home on the market -- whether it's to buy or rent -- and save on moving costs, your best bet is to avoid the peak moving period during spring and summer.

By avoiding the time of year when most other buyers are looking, you'll have more bargaining power, says Tim Burrell, a Realtor with Re/Max United in Raleigh, North Carolina, and author of "Create a Great Deal: The Art of Real Estate Negotiating."

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"If you're competing against a whole lot of other people, it's going to be difficult to get that house you love," Burrell says.

He adds that Raleigh's slowest months tend to be in November and December. In Chicago, the colder winters extend the slower moving season from November through February, Chicago says.

Those off-peak months for homebuying are great for getting a deal, but they can be tricky if you have school-age children. Burrell notes that many parents prefer to transition their kids to a new home once school is out for the summer, but there are alternatives if your employer expects you to be in your new city before school lets out.

For a smoother transition during the school year, he suggests early research on the schools in your next city that not only offer the right academic programs, but also extracurricular activities your kids enjoy, which can help them make friends with similar interests quickly.

"You can make the hardship less on the kids by keeping them at their school and separating the family or ... you can find the best possible school and try to negotiate for a house in that school district," Burrell says.

[See: The Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2017.]

When Your Schedule Won't Budge

A move to a different part of the country or state often involves employment, so you may not have much of a choice about relocating on your own schedule. Here are five things you can do to make relocating as seamless as possible.

Consider a staggered moving schedule. If you prefer to wait until your children have finished the school year but one spouse must relocate immediately, consider staggering the move. For example: Mom makes the move for her new job, while dad and the kids wait until June to move out of the old house.

While it may be the best choice if you're worried about your kids picking up in the middle of the year, "it's a hard way to live," Burrell says, noting the added stress the separation puts on everyone. It also might not be feasible to pay two mortgages or additional rent for temporary housing all at once.

Look online. Almost all home searches start online these days, but if you're moving long-distance, make the internet your friend.

Especially if you're moving to a city where properties receive offers their first day on the market, catching listings as they go online can help you and your agent express interest as quickly as possible. Chicago recommends sending your agent to a newly listed home you like, even if you can't see it in person. That way, she can take photos and videos and let you know if it meets your needs.

Take a virtual tour. Some listings even incorporate 3D virtual tours online to allow house hunters to see the entire home without having to schedule a showing time. These virtual tours, plus the photos and videos from the listing and your agent, may even be enough to make an offer -- and in a market prone to bidding wars, that may have to be how you find your next home.

"Some of my relocation clients are buying sight unseen, and most of the time that works out. They trust me enough to know that I'm out for their best [interests]," Chicago says.

Have your money ready. The ability to pounce on an attractive listing is important, but so is how appealing you can make your offer. In bidding wars, Burrell stresses it's not just the price that's important, but also how easy the buyer can make the closing process.

He says some lenders go through the underwriting process before the borrower finds a home. The seller will like knowing the buyer's financial background has been vetted, and all that's needed is an appraisal and final approval of the loan.

"That offer is going to rise to the top of the stack," Burrell says.

[See: The 25 Most Desirable Places to Live in the U.S. in 2017.]

Take advantage of relocation subsidies. Many companies that frequently transfer employees to different parts of the country (and world) include relocation subsidies to ease the process. This often covers the cost to move furniture, travel while finding a home or even the closing costs on a new house. Check with your employer's human resources or relocation department for information on moving benefits.

Particularly for homebuying-related perks, be sure to let your agent know, as it's another bargaining tool that can put you ahead of other buyers in a bidding war. "It gives a savvy Realtor a tool to negotiate a better deal," Burrell says.
First, the latest: On Wednesday night, it surfaced that Trump's attorney general, Jeff Sessions , had two conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States during the presidential campaign. Sessions' office confirmed those reports on Thursday.

A Sessions spokeswoman said the meetings came as part of Sessions' job as a senator on the Armed Services Committee. Sessions was a U.S. senator for Alabama before being appointed to President Donald Trump 's cabinet.

But during his confirmation hearing on Jan. 10, Sessions said "I didn't have  did not have communications with the Russians," when asked directly by Senator Al Franken about alleged "continuing exchange of information" between Trump surrogates and the Russian government during the presidential campaign.

Franken's question came about because U.S. intelligence agencies  including the NSA, CIA and FBI  concluded that Russia used hackers to try to sabotage America's 2016 presidential election. Those attacks against U.S. democracy prompted the Obama administration to slap sanctions on Russia, which already was under 2014 sanctions for attacking Ukraine.

Trump said on Thursday afternoon that he does not think Sessions should recuse himself from the investigation into ties between Trump's surrogates and Moscow, though several Democratic and Republican lawmakers have said he should not oversee a probe into his own administration.

Here's a round-up of other links  and alleged links  between Trump's inner circle and Vladimir Putin's Russia:

Michael Flynn was untruthful about his contacts with Russia

Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn resigned Feb. 13 after scrutiny into his discussions about the Russia sanctions with some of the country's officials ahead of Trump's inauguration.

Flynn admitted that he misled Vice President Mike Pence and others about his communications with Russia's ambassador about U.S. sanctions in the weeks before Trump took office. Pence, who was initially kept in the dark after others in the White House discovered that Flynn had been untruthful, repeated Flynn's false claims unknowingly.

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Trump denies that he asked Flynn to talk to the Russians about sanctions.

Paul Manafort was linked to a Putin puppet

Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign chairman until August of last year, left the campaign after reports linked him to Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who helped Russian President Vladimir Putin in his efforts to control Ukraine.

The Associated Press had reported that emails showed a firm run by Manafort carried out a covert Washington lobbying operation on behalf of Yanukovych's party to influence American public opinion between 2012 and 2014.







Trump admires Vladimir Putin, and says so

Trump repeatedly expressed admiration and respect for Putin throughout his campaign.

On Sept. 7, Trump said Putin had been a leader of his own nation "far more" than President Barack Obama had been of the United States, adding that Putin "has very strong control over a country. Now, it's a very different system and I don't happen to like that system."

Trump said repeatedly during the campaign that he had no relationship with Putin, but in a 2013 interview he said "I do have a relationship with Putin ..."

There have also been multiple reports linking Trump's business interests to Russia. Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., told Russian daily Kommersant that "Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets," adding that "we see a lot of money pouring in from Russia."

Vladimir Putin runs Russia as virtual dictator, and the country has no legally guaranteed freedoms.

Russia fomented a civil war in neighboring Ukraine and annexed one of its provinces after Ukraine kicked Yanukovych out of office and put pro-Western leadership in his place.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.





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Washington (AFP) - Pregnant women infected with the Zika virus last year were 20 times more likely to bear children with birth defects than those who gave birth prior to the epidemic, US health officials said Thursday.

Researchers for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compared birth outcomes prior to the Zika epidemic's outbreak in 2015 -- using data from three US state registries -- to those of mothers infected by the virus in 2016.

The defects included microcephaly -- a crippling deformation that leads to babies having very small brains and heads -- as well as poor cranial development, neural tube defects and other brain or eye abnormalities.

The study found that those defects were seen in about three live births per 1,000 in 2013 and 2014.

But in 2016 abnormalities were found in some 60 infants and fetuses per 1,000 when their pregnant mothers were infected by Zika.

Among infected women, the virus was also responsible for 48 percent of miscarriages and 66 percent of premature births, with fetuses frequently suffering from neural tube defects or other brain abnormalities in early stages of development.

Another CDC study released in December showed that the rate of defects was higher -- 11 percent -- among women who were infected with Zika in the first trimester of their pregnancies.

The CDC reiterated recommendations that pregnant women in the US avoid visiting countries where mosquito-borne transmission of the virus is active, and to avoid sexual contact with partners who have visited those areas.

Zika symptoms are often mild and include body pain, red eyes and a rash.

Four out of five people report no symptoms at all, making the infection particularly difficult to prevent.
Just a few months ago, Lexie Louise deleted a photo from her Instagram that compared her body during her eating disorder to her body after recovery.

She realized these popular side-by-side images, which spread widely across social media to increase awareness and promote the benefits of recovery, can actually do more harm than good. So, she created an empowering hashtag campaign called #BoycottTheBefore to call them out.

SEE ALSO: 'Thinspiration' Packages Eating Disorders as a Lifestyle Choice

"I deleted my 'then' vs. 'now' recovery photos from social media today," Louise wrote in a post explaining her decision. "Why? Well, because I am seeing I am so much more than just a comparison photo."

She officially launched #BoycottTheBefore in mid-February, encouraging Instagram users to forget traditional before-and-after photos to celebrate eating disorder recovery, and instead post a current photo of themselves. In place of a "before" photo, they can use a black-and-white panel, declaring, "I am so much more than a 'before' photo."

#BoycottTheBefore coincides with National Eating Disorder Awareness (NEDA) Week, which runs Feb. 26 to Mar. 4, helping the campaign reach nearly immediate success. The hashtag now has more than 900 posts on Instagram, and celebrities like model Iskra Lawrence have even participated in the campaign.

A post shared by Lexie  (@soworthsaving) on Feb 16, 2017 at 6:05pm PST

A post shared by i s k r a (@iskra) on Feb 25, 2017 at 1:28pm PST

Despite the good intentions of before-and-after photos, Louise said sharing these images online really misrepresents eating disorders, and can even be triggering to those in recovery.

During NEDA Week, for example, the official hashtag #NEDAWeek is often flooded with "before" pictures, showing women at the lowest weight of their illnesses.

"We have created a community of people who genuinely dread NEDA Week because so many of us feel triggered by these images," Louise said. "It's a huge problem  and I wanted to open up the conversation."

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A post shared by Lexie | @soworthsaving (@boycottthebefore) on Feb 28, 2017 at 10:36am PST

A post shared by Lexie | @soworthsaving (@boycottthebefore) on Feb 28, 2017 at 7:51pm PST

Posting these photos can also feed into the misconception that body size tells you all you need to know about how much a person has struggled with an eating disorder.

"The photos can cause confusion for people outside the recovery community, because they see the photos and assume that the person is all better now that they are weight restored," Louise said. "Eating disorders are mental illnesses. A 'before' can't even begin to explain what this truly looks like."

A post shared by  (@channiekat) on Feb 27, 2017 at 10:56am PST

Through the campaign, Louise hopes those in the eating disorder recovery community question their own intentions behind posting before-and-after photos  and, in the process, make online recovery circles more welcoming.

"I hope those in the recovery community take some time to really consider other perspectives in this issue," Louise said. "I hope to empower those in the recovery community and convey that we are so much more than a 'before' photo."
BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's lower house of Congress is likely to vote on a plan to reform the country's pension system in the second half of April, House Speaker Rodrigo Maia said on Friday. Speaking to journalists after meeting with Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles, Maia added that he is convinced that the government's proposal is "defensible." He said he would speak with leading lawmakers about voting next week on a bill to shore up the finances of states suffering a crippling fiscal crisis. (Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Writing by Bruno Federowski; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
Bratislava (AFP) - Britain will still formally trigger its departure from the European Union by the end of March, the minister responsible for managing "Brexit" said Friday.

David Davis's comments, during a visit to Bratislava, came just two days after a vote by the House of Lords called that date into question.

When asked by journalists about the date Davis said "Yes", the conservative government would be able to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon treaty by the end of this month.

A two-year period of negotiations will follow.

The House of Lords, Britain's unelected upper chamber of parliament, voted Wednesday to amend and thereby delay the bill that would allow Prime Minister Theresa May to begin Brexit negotiations.

The Lords, where May's Conservative Party does not hold a majority, have demanded guarantees for EU nationals living in Britain, a matter that the premier had wanted to tackle later.

The defeat means the bill must return to the lower House of Commons for deliberation, delaying final approval just weeks before the self-imposed deadline for starting Brexit negotiations.

At a joint press conference, Davis told Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico that the government wanted to preserve the rights of EU citizens now living in Britain.

"For existing citizens in the UK, we want something that is very close to or identical to that of the rights of British citizens in terms of rights of residence, access to welfare," Davis said.

"But that is something that will have to be agreed between us, in the whole 28," he added, referring to all EU member states.

Hundreds of thousands of EU citizens living and working in Britain, a majority from eastern states such as Slovakia and Poland, are demanding that their rights be protected.

It is estimated that at least 1.2 million British citizens currently live and work in other EU member states. They, too, are lobbying to preserve their rights post-Brexit.
London (AFP) - Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate are due to make an official visit to Germany and Poland in July, Kensington Palace announced Friday.

The visit, at the request of the Foreign Office, comes a few months after Britain is due to start the formal process for leaving the the European Union.

Britain is set to trigger two years of divorce talks with the EU by the end of this month.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are stepping up their royal duties on behalf of William's grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, who turns 91 in April.

The couple are already due to visit Paris later this month.

William, 34, second in line to the throne after his father Prince Charles, is stepping down as an air ambulance helicopter pilot to focus more on royal business.

Queen Elizabeth paid a state visit to Germany in June 2015. She and her husband Prince Philip visited the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp to mark the 70th anniversary of its liberation by British forces.

William travelled to Germany last year, visiting Dusseldorf for a series of events honouring the role of British armed forces based in the country.

Kensington Palace said full details of the visit would be released at a later date.
Barcelona (AFP) - A top legal body in Catalonia ruled Friday that the region's separatist government does not have the authority to call a referendum on independence.

The ruling is a fresh blow to the government of the wealthy northeastern Spanish region after Spain's Constitutional Court last month quashed a resolution by the regional parliament calling for a referendum this year.

Separatists in Catalonia have for years tried to win approval from Spain's central government for an independence vote like Scotland's 2014 referendum on independence from Britain, which resulted in a "no" vote.

The Catalan government is committed to holding a referendum with or without Madrid's permission by September.

The government's top legal advisory body, the Council for Statutory Guarantees, said Friday the regional government "does not have the authority to... call a vote on the political future of Catalonia".

The competence, it said, lies exclusively with the Spanish state.

The panel has only advisory functions but acts as a constitutional court for the region.

Its ruling was unanimous, even though half of the eight members were appointed by separatist parties.

Anti-independence parties had asked the council for an opinion on the region's 2017 budget, which includes provisions for a referendum promised by Catalan President Carles Puigdemont.

As the court's opinion is non-binding, the regional parliament must now decide whether to remove this line from the budget.

Catalonia's former president, Artur Mas, tried to hold an independence referendum, which was also banned by the court.

He countered by calling a symbolic, nonbinding independence vote. This too was stopped by the court.

But in November 2014 Mas went ahead anyway. More than 80 percent of those who cast a ballot chose independence, but just 2.3 million out of 6.3 million eligible voters took part.

Catalonia's long-standing demands for greater autonomy have been exacerbated by Spain's economic downturn, with many Catalans resenting the taxes they pay to the central government in Madrid to subsidise poorer regions.

Calls for outright independence have increased in recent years. Polls show that Catalonia, which accounts for almost a fifth of Spain's economic output, is roughly split in half over breaking away.
By Matthias Blamont and Sudip Kar-Gupta PARIS (Reuters) - Charities expressed outrage on Friday as the mayor of French port Calais, which has symbolised Europe's refugee crisis, signed a ban on gatherings that could stop aid groups distributing meals to migrants and refugees. A decree published on Thursday said the Calais authority believed that handing out meals at the site of the former "jungle" migrant camp was one reason for a rise in ethnic tensions and conflict between rival groups of migrants. The decree, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, said food distribution by charities had led to large numbers of people gathering at the site of the now-closed camp, with fights breaking out and risks posed to the safety of local residents. It did not expressly ban food distribution, but said it was "necessary to ban all gatherings" at the site and banned people from entering it. The decree said gatherings tended to take place "after the distribution of meals to migrants". Migrants have been streaming into Calais for much of the last decade, hoping to cross the short stretch of sea to Britain by leaping onto trucks and trains, or even walking through the railway tunnel under the English Channel. Calais Mayor Natacha Bouchart, a member of conservative party The Republicans who signed the decree, defended her decision on the grounds of public safety and the damage to the local Calais economy caused by the refugee problem. In a statement, Bouchart said it was also up to the national government to deal with the problem, and that she had always sought to act with "humanity" towards the refugees. But human rights groups criticised the move, with some saying they would still hand out food to migrants and refugees. "You're talking about young people and children. You just can't deprive them of food," said Gael Manzi, who works for local aid association Utopia 56. Manzi said Utopia 56 would continue to distribute food, but at a new site elsewhere in Calais. Last month, non-government associations said hundreds of migrant children had been returning to Calais, despite the dismantling of the "jungle" camp late last year. The influx of migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa is a key issue in France's upcoming presidential election, with many voters concerned about competition for scarce jobs, security, and the risk of further terror attacks. Police forces are still deployed permanently in the area where the "jungle" camp stood. (Reporting by Matthias Blamont and Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Andrew Callus and Catherine Evans)
White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway, left, and Chelsea Clinton. (Photos: Joshua Roberts/Reuters, Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

In a rare Twitter truce between the Clintons and the Trump White House, Chelsea Clinton defended Kellyanne Conway, who had been the subject of a crude joke by a Democratic congressman.

Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.) was speaking at a congressional awards dinner Wednesday when he made a wisecrack about a widely circulated photograph of Conway kneeling on a White House sofa. Over the course of Thursday there were repeated calls for Richmond to apologize to the White House adviser, including calls from the Democratic governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, and from Clinton.

Despicable, wrote Clinton on Twitter Friday morning. I hope @KellyannePolls receives the apology she deserves-certainly never thought Id write that & I mean every word.

Thank you, @ChelseaClinton, replied Conway in a retweet of the former first daughters message. As strong women, as moms to Charlottesappreciate you speaking out on this.

Richmond attempted to explain that his joke had been misinterpreted.

Since some people have interpreted my joke to mean something that it didnt I think it is important to clarify what I meant. Last night was night of levity, Richmond said in a statement Thursday. Where I grew up saying that someone is looking or acting familiar simply means that they are behaving too comfortably. I decided to use that joke due to the large social media backlash over her inappropriate posture considering there were more than 60 HBCU Presidents in the room.
China counts more than 100 billionaires among its top legislators, with 209 of the richest holding wealth nearly equivalent to Belgium's annual GDP, according to a report released as the Communist Party's annual parliamentary session started Friday.

A key focus of the sessions is eliminating poverty and creating a "moderately prosperous society", a project President Xi Jinping has frequently cited as a national priority in a country that suffers from a gaping chasm between the rich and poor.

The annual session of the country's top political bodies started Friday with a meeting of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a group that is part of the Communist Party-controlled government structure.

The opening of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's rubber-stamp legislature, will be held Sunday, with the country's economic elite and top leaders rubbing shoulders for some two weeks in the imposing corridors of the Great Hall of the People, situated off Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

Out of the more than 5,100 delegates to these two assemblies, 209 possess individual wealth of more than 2 billion yuan ($290 million), Shanghai-based luxury magazine publisher the Hurun Report said in a survey.

More than 100 of the wealthy individuals are members of the NPC, and 97 are from the CPPCC.

According to the survey, their cumulative assets tallied "almost 3.5 trillion yuan" ($507 billion) -- nearly equivalent to the annual GDP of countries such as Belgium, Sweden or Poland.

The majority of the wealthy delegates were businessmen, rather than politicians who had spent their careers within the party apparatus.

Among them are the heads of internet giants, such as Pony Ma of Tencent and Robin Li of Baidu, smartphone maker Xiaomi's CEO Lei Jun, and Zong Qinghou, head of soft drink producer Wahaha.

Despite a large-scale anti-corruption campaign launched in 2013 by President Xi to clean up the Communist Party's ranks, the heads of private businesses remain welcome in the cavernous halls of power as Beijing seeks to rebalance its economy towards domestic consumption and the services sector.

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Nevertheless, some wealthy entrepreneurs could be tempted to keep a low profile this year as the Communist Party ups its attacks on real estate "speculators" and "financial crocodiles".

While Xi has pledged to lift more than 45 million people out of poverty by 2020, his time in office has already been exceptionally good for the country's wealthiest politicians.

While the economy as a whole has expanded at a rate of under seven percent in recent years, the legislature's 100 or so dollar billionaires have seen their cumulative wealth jump 64 percent since 2013 when he assumed the presidency, Hurun said.
China and Russia are working together to oppose the deployment of a U.S. anti-ballistic missile system in South Korea to counter North Koreas nuclear threat, Beijings foreign ministry said Wednesday. Washington and Seouls plans to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system led to strong opposition from Beijing and Moscow over security concerns.

Both sides said they will continue to strengthen their coordinated opposition to THAAD, the Chinese Foreign Ministrys said on its website.

The comments came after Kong Xuanyou, Chinas assistant foreign minister, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov held a meeting in Beijing. Russian foreign ministry also urged the U.S. and South Korea to avoid installing THAAD to maintain regional peace.

The Russian ministry said in a statement: [Both] parties emphasized that collective political and diplomatic efforts should be stepped up to ease tensions and initiate the process of military and political detente across the board in Northeast Asia, in order to create conditions conducive to resolving the nuclear issue, as well as other issue, on the Korean Peninsula.

In January, China and Russia agreed to take countermeasures over the defense systems deployment in a bid to safeguard interests of both the countries and to maintain strategic balance in the Korean Peninsula. The two countries believe THAAD will be used to monitor their activities  a claim both the U.S. and South Korea have dismissed.

Washington and Seoul have maintained that they will go ahead with the deployment, which is scheduled to take place sometime next year.

The defense system is designed to intercept short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles and is equipped with long-range radar. THAAD is reportedly capable of intercepting North Koreas intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

According to South Korean media reports, China has unofficially imposed several economic measures on Seoul to pressure the country against the systems installation. Moreover, South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group last month shut down three retail stores in China reportedly over THAAD. The company also underwent a series of regulatory investigations into its operations in China in late 2016. Most recently, Lotte alleged Wednesday that its Chinese website apparently came under a cyberattack after a virus was planted by hackers from China.

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By Samantha Kareen Nair and Arnab Paul BENGALURU (Reuters) - Chinese electronics maker LeEco has no plans to exit operations in India, it said on Friday, refuting a media report that the company was preparing to leave the market although it has cut almost 80 percent of its workforce. "India is one of the most strategic markets for LeEco," the company said in a statement, adding that it had no plans to leave and was gearing up to launch its next generation television in the country. The Economic Times reported on Friday that the company was firing 85 percent of its Indian workforce and was looking to exit is operations in the country. http://bit.ly/2m2kNDA LeEco, which entered the Indian market in 2016, did not mention job cuts in its statement. But a company representative said restructuring measures had resulted in a workforce reduction. "The company at the moment has over 80 employees in India. At the end of last year, we had around 350 employees," the representative added. In a letter to staff in November LeEco Chief Executive Jia Yueting said the company was experiencing a cash crunch as a result of expansion at an "unprecedented rate". Leshi Internet Information and Technology Corp Beijing is its listed smart TV subsidiary. "Globally, the company has adopted several measures to counter cash shortage. The whole idea is 'profit or perish'. To that extent, steps to recalibrate towards that goal have been initiated," the representative added. Market analyst Jaipal Singh at IDC India said competition in the Indian smartphone market was very stiff. "Timing of market entry is crucial and some manufacturers tend to fall behind," he said. A former employee at LeEco's Mumbai office, who quit after six months at the company, told Reuters the CEO's letter in November had left him disillusioned and prompted him to resign. Singh said challenges in the market had mounted as Indian consumers were value conscious but also look for more features in their products. "So innovation is a key criteria for these smartphone manufacturers while keeping the cost low," he said. (Reporting By Samantha Kareen Nair and Arnab Paul in Bengaluru; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Paris (AFP) - Urban noise pollution and hearing loss are closely linked, according to rankings of 50 large cities in both categories released on Friday.

High-decibel urban areas -- such as Guangzhou, New Delhi, Cairo and Istanbul -- topped the list of cities where hearing was most degraded, researchers reported.

Likewise, cities least afflicted by noise pollution -- including Zurich, Vienna, Oslo and Munich -- registered the lowest levels of decline in hearing.

This statistical link does not necessarily mean the constant din of city life is the main driver of hearing loss, which can also be caused by infections, genetic disorders, premature birth, and even some medicines.

The findings are also preliminary, and have yet to be submitted for peer-reviewed publication.

"But this is a robust result," said Henrik Matthies, managing director of Mimi Hearing Technologies, a German company that has amassed data on 200,000 people drawn from a hearing test administered via cell phones.

"The fact that noise pollution and hearing loss have such a tight correlation points to an intricate relationship," he told AFP.

Researchers at Mimi and Charite University Hospital in Berlin explored the link by constructing two separate databases.

The first combined information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Norwegian-based technology research group SINTEF to create a noise pollution ranking for cities around the world.

Stockholm, Seoul, Amsterdam and Stuttgart were also among the least likely to assault one's ears, while Shanghai, Hong Kong and Barcelona came out as big noise makers.

Paris -- one of the most densely populated major cities in Europe -- scored as the third most cacophonous.

The ranking for hearing loss drew from Mimi's phone-based test, in which respondents indicated age and sex. Geo-location technology pinpointed the cities.

- 'Silent epidemic' -

The results were measured against a standard for age-adjusted hearing.

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On average, people in the loudest cities were ten years "older" -- in terms of hearing loss -- than those in the quietest cities, the study found.

Stacked side-by-side, the two city rankings are remarkably similar, suggesting more than an incidental link.

The findings highlight the need for better monitoring, the researchers said.

"While eye and sight checks are routine, ear and hearing exams are not," said Manfred Gross, head of the department of Audiology and Phoniatrics at Charite University Hospital.

"The earlier hearing loss is detected, the better the chances are for preventing further damage."

Collaborations between scientists and private companies that collect health-related information from consumers are becoming more common in the era of Big Data.

California-based DNA genetic testing company 23andMe, for example, has worked extensively with university researchers to ferret out rare genetic disorders by combing through mountains of anonymous data from its clients.

Also on Friday, World Hearing Day, the WHO released figures showing annual costs of unaddressed hearing loss of between $750 billion and $790 billion globally.

Direct health care costs were calculated to be up to $107 billion, with loss of productivity due to unemployment or early retirement about the same.

"Societal costs" -- stemming from social isolation, inability to communicate and stigma -- were estimated at more than $500 billion.

In a recent editorial, the medical journal The Lancet said hearing loss is a "silent epidemic", noting that proper care remains out of reach for millions of people.

Mimi Hearing Technologies develops music applications that adjust to the individual hearing deficiencies of listeners.
Bogota (AFP) - Colombia's FARC rebels have begun removing child soldiers from their ranks as part of a landmark peace deal, the Red Cross said Friday.

The leftist guerrillas' use of underage fighters was one of the thorniest issues in four years of peace talks with the government, which yielded an accord last November to end half a century of conflict.

"The first humanitarian operation of 2017 is now under way, with minors leaving the Transitional Normalization Zones," the camps where FARC members are currently disarming, said the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, have gathered at these specially designated zones to disarm. They began the process of turning over their weapons Wednesday under UN supervision.

Under the peace deal, the FARC are due to remove all guerrillas under the age of 15 from their ranks.

But the process is running behind schedule. Just 13 child rebels have returned to civilian life so far, according to the government.

It did not give an estimate of how many remain in the FARC's ranks. In May 2016, the defense minister gave a figure of 170, out of a total of some 7,000 guerrillas.

The FARC disputed that figure, saying just 23 of its members were under the age of 15.

President Juan Manuel Santos is seeking to end a messy, multi-sided conflict that has killed more than 260,000 people and left 60,000 missing.

The government is currently holding separate talks with the country's last active rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN).
The incredible odyssey of Celestine Omin, a Nigerian software engineer who at New York's JFK airport was told he didn't look like a software engineer and asked to take a coding exam, has caused quite an uproar on social media.

SEE ALSO: Software engineer detained at JFK, given test to prove he's an engineer

Now his company Andela a tech startup that connects developers in Africa with U.S. employers  has penned a passionate LinkedIn post hitting back at it.

"This past weekend, an Andela engineer from Nigeria named Celestine Omin made his first trip to the United States," Jeremy Johnson, co-founder and CEO of the company wrote.

"Hes not what many in Silicon Valley think of when they imagine a stereotypical software engineer. Celestine  a tall, lanky 28-year-old Nigerian who just became a father  is a leading figure in the Lagos, Nigeria technology scene."

Image: screengrab/Linkedin

After detailing Omin's ordeal and the subsequent backlash, Johnson explained Andela's process to "seek out the most talented engineers in Africa and embed them within elite technology teams around the world."

"Andela solves an urgent recruiting challenge facing technology companies today: there are five job openings for every software developer looking for a job in the United States," he continued.

"Africa, meanwhile, has the youngest, fastest-growing population on earth, with more people joining the labor force over the next 20 years than the rest of the world combined."

He goes on to explain that the engineers of tomorrow "will not just be young men in hoodies coding into the night on Ivy League campuses."

"The technologists of tomorrow will be every race, gender and religion, and they will hail from every corner of the globe  from Silicon Valley to Sub Saharan Africa."

"If leaders in this country  from established CEOs, to newly minted founders, to government officials  dont embrace the fact that talent is not based on what you look like or where you are from, as the tech sector so fervently has, we will be left behind," he said.

"Celestine, who followed all the rules, deserved better. If we want to maintain our position in the world or, better yet, enhance it, we need to do better."
KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo's main opposition coalition said it had named the son of its late leader Etienne Tshisekedi to succeed him on Thursday, but some within the opposition rejected the choice. Felix Tshisekedi was chosen to lead the alliance of some of the country's largest opposition parties, which was thrown into crisis by the death of his father in Brussels last month, aged 84. Tshisekedi led the bloc during negotiations in December that resulted in a deal obliging President Joseph Kabila to step down after elections that must happen this year. His death sparked clashes between supporters and security forces in the capital Kinshasa, but it also left opposition to Kabila divided, which has played into his hands. Kabila, the country's leader since 2001, remained in power when his constitutional mandate expired on Dec. 19, sparking unrest that stoked fears of Congo sliding back into the anarchy and civil war of the turn of the century. "Its Felix who is the president of the movement," Jose Endundo, a leader within the coalition, told Reuters by telephone. But Endundo said that at least two of the nine political platforms represented in the coalition did not accept the process which led to the choice of Felix Tshisekedi as leader and former Kabila ally Pierre Lumbi as president of the bloc's political bureau. Martin Fayulu, a prominent opposition leader who was competing with Lumbi to lead the political bureau, said that the posts were supposed to be decided by consensus but instead ended up being determined by majority rule. "The population is not going to be happy when they learn that," Fayulu told Reuters. (Reporting by Aaron Ross; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
(This version of the story corrects March 2 story to make clear Felix Tshisekedi was named president of an opposition coalition, not an individual party; corrects throughout.) KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo's main opposition coalition said it had named the son of its late leader Etienne Tshisekedi to succeed him on Thursday, but some within the opposition rejected the choice. Felix Tshisekedi was chosen to lead the alliance of some of the country's largest opposition parties, which was thrown into crisis by the death of his father in Brussels last month, aged 84. Tshisekedi led the bloc during negotiations in December that resulted in a deal obliging President Joseph Kabila to step down after elections that must happen this year. His death sparked clashes between supporters and security forces in the capital Kinshasa, but it also left opposition to Kabila divided, which has played into his hands. Kabila, the country's leader since 2001, remained in power when his constitutional mandate expired on Dec. 19, sparking unrest that stoked fears of Congo sliding back into the anarchy and civil war of the turn of the century. "Its Felix who is the president of the movement," Jose Endundo, a leader within the coalition, told Reuters by telephone. But Endundo said that at least two of the nine political platforms represented in the coalition did not accept the process which led to the choice of Felix Tshisekedi as leader and former Kabila ally Pierre Lumbi as president of the bloc's political bureau. Martin Fayulu, a prominent opposition leader who was competing with Lumbi to lead the political bureau, said that the posts were supposed to be decided by consensus but instead ended up being determined by majority rule. "The population is not going to be happy when they learn that," Fayulu told Reuters. (Reporting by Aaron Ross; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Kellyanne Conway is blasting one politician who made a comment about the controversial photo of her kneeling with her feet on the Oval Office sofa.

Read: Kellyanne Conway Slams Criticism of Oval Office Couch Photo as 'Venomous'

The photo taken Monday as President Trump met with leaders and presidents from historically black colleges shows Conway kneeling on a sofa in the Oval Office with her feet tucked beneath her as she has her shoes on.

Following the release of the image, Louisiana Democrat Cedric Richmond, made a cringe-worthy remark at a dinner in Washington that was carried live on C-SPAN Wednesday night.

"I wanna know what's going on there. She really looked kind of familiar in the position there," he was caught saying.

Conway expressed outrage, tweeting, "sexist, unfunny joke." She also took feminists to task for not coming to her defense.

So-called sisterhood alarmingly silent, she posted.

The congressman released a statement saying he meant nothing sexual.

"Where I grew up saying that someone is looking or acting 'familiar' simply means that they are behaving too comfortably," he said Thursday.

That's not enough for Conway, who said: I notice he did not apologize, he tried to clarify."

Read: Kellyanne Conway Under Fire for Oval Office Couch Photo: 'It's Classless and Disgraceful'

Chelsea Clinton came to Conways defense, tweeting: Despicable. I hope @KellyannePolls receives the apology she deserves-certainly never thought I'd write that & I mean every word.

Conway tweeted a thank you to Clinton Friday morning.

Thank you, @ChelseaClinton. As strong women, as moms to Charlottes...appreciate you speaking out on this. https://t.co/rxBnXq553t  Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) March 3, 2017

Watch: Kellyanne Conway Returns to TV After Reports White House Banned Her From the Airwaves

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Belfast (AFP) - Northern Ireland's main political parties on Saturday were facing a three-week deadline to mend fences after snap elections aimed at sorting out the bad blood between them left them deadlocked.

In a historic shake-up, unionist parties lost their absolute majority in Northern Ireland's legislature for the first time since the province's creation in 1921.

And if the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein, the Irish republican party, cannot agree to form a power-sharing executive -- a cornerstone of peace in Northern Ireland -- then governance of the British province could return to London.

"The unionist majority at the assembly has been ended and the notion of a permanent or perpetual unionist majority has been demolished," said Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, who called the result a "watershed".

Commentators said both sides had a long way to go in a short space of time to sort out their differences.

"It's a mess," said Jonathan Tonge, a politics professor and expert on Northern Ireland at the University of Liverpool.

"It's probably been the most dramatic election result we've seen in modern times in Northern Ireland, but it doesn't make forming a government any easier at all," he told AFP.

"The personalities as well as the politics are currently poisonous."

The DUP won 28 seats in Northern Ireland's semi-autonomous 90-seat assembly in Thursday's election, while Sinn Fein garnered 27 seats.

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), a nationalist party, won 12 seats; the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) won 10; the cross-community Alliance Party took eight; and others won five.

The results left the DUP two seats short of the 30-seat threshold required to deploy on its own a so-called petition of concern veto, something the party has used to block gay marriage.

- Standoff over inquiry -

Tensions between the Catholic and socialist Sinn Fein and the Protestant and conservative DUP boiled over in January when Sinn Fein collapsed the government.

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They refused to work with DUP leader Arlene Foster as Northern Ireland's first minister over a bungled green energy programme she had introduced when she was economy minister.

They wanted her to step aside pending an ongoing investigation into the scheme, which could end up leaving taxpayers liable for 490 million ($600 million, 570 million euros).

The tensions were also exacerbated by Brexit, which the DUP backs but Sinn Fein opposes.

In the June referendum Northern Ireland voted to stay in the EU but the result in Britain as a whole was for Brexit.

Britain's exit from the European Union raises the spectre of a new hard border between the province, which is part of Britain, and the Republic of Ireland, which remains an EU member.

Sinn Fein showed no signs Saturday of backing down on their demands over Foster.

If the stand-off cannot be resolved within a three-week deadline, then the assembly could be suspended and governance of the province transferred to London.

"Let us move forward with hope," Foster said after the count.

"Hope that the common good will be able to prevail; hope that civility can return to our politics; hope that a functioning assembly can be restored."

The election energised voters, with turnout reaching 64.8 percent -- the highest level since the first vote after Northern Ireland's 1998 peace deal, which ended the three decades of violence in which more than 3,500 people were killed.

- 'Stunned' by setback -

Tonge said that Foster's position was "unstable" but not "untenable", and that the DUP could not permit a situation where "Sinn Fein effectively chooses their leader".

But Chris Donnelly, a Northern Ireland political analyst, said the nationalist surge had been motivated by a sense that Foster and her party were "not buying into the ethos of power-sharing".

"Very clearly she is stunned, very clearly she sees, and her party sees it, as a setback," Donnelly told AFP.

"The next three weeks are going to be too soon. The British government are more than likely going to seek to create an extended period in which negotiations can take place," he added.

Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein's leader in Northern Ireland, said the results showed that "people know that action needed to be taken".

"We now need to get down to the business of fixing what's wrong and delivering for all citizens."
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  A court security officer in Maine has been placed on leave while under investigation for sending a cellphone photo of a defense attorney's notes to a prosecutor.

The Kennebec Journal reports (http://bit.ly/2mB95mA ) that court officials are calling the incident a serious ethical breach and violation of courtroom protocol.

Sgt. Joel Eldridge took the photo Tuesday as a judge and attorneys discussed a case involving robbery, aggravated assault and criminal mischief. Assistant District Attorney Francis Griffin told the judge he saw the photo on his phone and reported the incident to the district attorney.

Defense attorney Sherry Tash said she was told the photo showed her notes of a person's name and number.

Eldridge declined comment. He's on administrative leave with pay pending an internal investigation by the Kennebec County Sheriff's Department.

___

Information from: Kennebec Journal, http://www.kjonline.com/
There has been a lot written lately about Sebastian Gorka. The former national security editor at Breitbart is currently deputy assistant to President Donald Trump and a member of Stephen Bannons internal White House think tank, the Strategic Initiatives Group (SIG). If youre not intimately familiar with Gorkas foreign-policy chops, thats not unusual  prior to taking his current position, Gorka, who holds a doctorate in political science from Corvinus University in Hungary, was an obscure figure, working on the fringes of the counterterrorism community.

Now he is everywhere, appearing regularly on TV to defend Trumps ban on travelers and refugees from Muslim-majority countries and elaborate on the presidents murky foreign policy. He is particularly fond of criticizing the Obama administration for not being manly enough to use the term radical Islamic terrorism. In a March 1 tweet, aping Trumps penchant for odd capitalization, Gorka wrote: After 8 years of obfuscation and disastrous Counterterrorism policies those 3 words [radical Islamic terrorism] are key to victory against Global Jihadism. In a similar vein, he told Sean Hannity at CPAC on February 22 that the only way you can win any war  is when you are allowed to talk truthfully about who the enemy is. But, not to worry, Gorka has assured us, the alpha males are back and a new sheriff is in town, his name is Donald J. Trump.

When I was a deputy assistant to President Barack Obama and national security advisor to Vice President Joe Biden, I didnt have a lot of time for media appearances or keeping up with my Twitter feed (we had a lot of meetings). That doesnt seem to be a problem for Gorka.

In his myriad media appearances, Gorka has a clear shtick. In interview after interview, the good doctor reflexively calls any implied criticism of Trumps policies fallacious, fake news, absurd, churlish, and asinine (this BBC interview is an instant classic). In defending Trumps foreign-policy agenda, Gorka loves to rail against unnamed sources who couldnt possibly know what really happens inside White House national security meetings because they arent in the room, like he is. Asked on the PBS NewsHour, for example, about reports questioning the value of the intelligence gleaned from the recent Yemen raid that resulted in the death of a U.S. Navy SEAL, Gorka dismissed them as wholly fallacious, and I can tell you because Im inside the building when those decisions are being taken. (Here is another example, in the context of allegations of improper contacts between the Trump administration and Russian officials.)

On other occasions, Gorka seems to reference his access to classified intelligence on terrorist threat streams to push back against the haters. In a February 5 appearance on Fox News, for example, he criticized James Robart, the federal judge who temporarily blocked the implementation of Trumps travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations, by saying the Robart doesnt have the daily presidential intelligence brief. He has no idea what the threats to America are.

As Gorkas profile and presumed role in the Trump administration has increased, so has the criticism. Terrorism experts have questioned Gorkas credentials, describing his views as overly simplistic, Islamophobic, and ultimately counterproductive. Others have poked fun at Gorka for overcompensating by putting Ph.D. in his Twitter bio. (Gorka has shot back: Were not going to listen to so-called terrorism experts who were linked in any way to the last eight years of disastrous counterterrorism. Were going to take a new approach. We have a new president.)

Personally, as a political scientist myself, Ive wondered when and why Gorka changed his scholarly views on the utility of the term radical Islamic terrorism. He used to believe that framing the terrorist challenge in precisely the way he now regularly expresses is deeply problematic. Consider this from his 2007 doctoral dissertation, which sounds like it couldve been written by Barack Obama (or, for that matter, by Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, Trumps new national security advisor): Unfortunately the adjectives most often used to pin-point the existential threat [of transnational terrorism] so cited are Muslim, Islamic or Islamist terrorism, with Global Jihadism becoming more and more popular as well. All of these descriptions do a great disservice to law-abiding Muslims everywhere and also add an undeserved sense of quasi religious legitimacy to murderous terrorists that have little in common with the teachings of the Koran or Mohammed. (See footnote 6, page 9 here.)

Needless to say, there is a radical difference (pun intended) between Gorkas views then and now. (For the record, I tried to ask Gorka about this on Twitter  and his only response was to promptly block me.)

Regardless, I want to highlight a different concern here. You see, it appears Gorka doesnt have a Top Secret or a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance. On February 16, the Associated Press noted: The newly established Strategic Initiatives Group, headed by White House strategist Steve Bannon, includes a unit charged with counterterrorism intelligence, current and former senior officials say. The unit is headed by White House aide and former national security analyst Sebastian Gorka, who doesnt have appropriate clearance, they said  something the officials expressed concern about given the sensitive mandate of the unit.

This seemed odd, so I raised the issue on Twitter to see if anyone had updated information. In response, I was told by three separate reporters that they had been unable to confirm that Gorka has a security clearance at all (at any level), although it is possible that he may have an interim Secret-level clearance (one level below Top Secret). To date, the White House has been non-responsive to these reporters inquiries.

Why does any of this matter?

It matters because if it is true that Gorka lacks a Top Secret clearance, it calls into question the credibility of Gorkas repeated claims that he has insights personally gleaned from supposedly attending meetings on terrorism or other sensitive national security meetings (you know, the ones the media cant possibly know the truth about). In my experience, at least, these meetings are almost always convened at the Top Secret or TS/SCI level. It would also mean Gorka doesnt have access to the governments Top Secret email network, which is the primary way White House officials and NSC staff share information on current threats and operations.

Similarly, if Gorka does not have a Top Secret clearance, any reference to classified intelligence by Gorka to justify Trumps policies represents, um, alternative facts, since sensitive intelligence on terrorist threats to the U.S. homeland is typically marked at the Top Secret or TS/SCI level. (The same is true of cyber issues, by the way, which is the other area Gorka supposedly works on for the SIG.) Now, perhaps Gorka was never meant to be an actual adviser on these issues, but rather just an appendage to the White House communications and press team. But again, in my experience, the NSC spokesperson and other communicators engaged on national security issues require a TS/SCI clearance so they can sit in on relevant meetings where these issues were discussed.

Of course, it is also possible Gorka has had access to these meetings and this intelligence, as he implies. But if that is the case, and he does not have a Top Secret security clearance, that is a scandal.

So, which is it? Either way, Dr. Gorka and the Trump administration have some serious mansplaining to do.

Photo credit: ALEX WONG/Getty Images
Meet Daisy Woodruffthis adorable, happy dog from Roseburg, Oregon:

IT ME DAISY THE DOG HELLO HI!

Image: Daisy Woodruff/Facebook

According to Daisy's mom, Jessica Woodruff, Daisy unfortunately lost all seven of her puppies in a barn fire on Feb. 20.

"We had a nice bed made for Daisy to have her pups inside but she found her own spot down at the barn. We noticed the fire and it was too late," Woodruff stated. They also lost four goats, one pig and the entire barn in the fire.

SEE ALSO: Fun dad allows family dog to get a very unfortunate haircut

After she lost her puppies, Daisy just wasn't the same.

"Daisy wondered [sic] the 80+ acres lost, sad and confused," she said. "As a mother, I couldn't fathom her loss."

Image: Jacque Barnett

In order to help Daisy recover from her loss, the search was on to get her foster puppies for Daisy to take care of. So, Woodruff's sister, Jacque Barnett, posted a note on a local Facebook page, searching for anyone who could help.

Once the post was up, a local radio host saw it, and took the story to air. After hearing the story air on the radio, KPIC, a local news station, met with Woodruff and Daisy to cover their story on TV. And from there, an owner of eight orphaned puppies contacted Woodruff, and brought the pups over the next day.

8 happy little pups

Image: Jacque Barnett

Daisy nursing her new foster pups.

Image: Jacque Barnett

Ever since she's gotten a second chance at motherhood, Daisy got back to her old self again, much to the delight of her owner.

"Daisy was in heaven!," Woodruff said. "It was so amazing to see the change. She had purpose again. She laid down to feed them, cleaned them, and even protects them."

Image: Daisy woodruff/facebook

Although the arrangement's temporary, Daisy will care for the pups until they are weaned. They'll then be returned home. "We aren't keeping any of the pups to live at the ranch but we are keeping the runt and gifting him to our Grandmother and Grandfather," said Woodruff.

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Daisy, fostering puppies.

Image: jacque barnett

"With out [sic] a doubt, these foster pups have helped her," Woodruff said. "We have our Daisy dog back."

Such pride.

Image: Daisy woodruff/Facebook
As President Donald Trump ramps up a war on what he calls radical Islamic terrorism, now is a good time to reflect on which organizations should actually be tagged as terrorist. Consider Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Muslim Brotherhood (MB).

As we have written elsewhere, there are strong arguments for designating the IRGC, which is a state-sponsored, national military command. But designating the MB, a non-state, multinational, and multifaceted organization would be imprudent: risks of designating the MB as a terrorist organization outweigh the benefits.

On February 8, CNN reported the Trump administration was seriously considering designating the IRGC and the MB as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). But a day earlier, Reuters reported the White House had placed on hold any executive order designating the MB, while the administration determined whether to designate the IRGC.

Two versions of the same bill designating the MB have been introduced in the Senate and the House of Representatives: S. 68  Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2017, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Jan. 9, 2017; and H.R. 377, introduced on the same date by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL).

There are some potential benefits to such a designation. For one, it would severely restrict the ability of MB persons to operate openly. Among other restrictions, designation makes it unlawful for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States knowingly to provide material support or resources, including training, teaching, or expert advice. Also, any non-U.S. citizen members of an FTO are inadmissible and any funds held by a U.S. financial institution would be frozen.

These restrictions would have a serious impact on MB efforts to build new mosques, community centers, or other outposts for the spread of their ideology. Shutting down the spread of MB-affiliated mosques and community centers would stymy efforts to create a support network for any members prepared to engage in violent acts against U.S. persons or vital interests. Because this prohibition extends to any funds moving through U.S. banks regardless of origin, this salutary constriction of MB building efforts would take place worldwide.

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The restriction of material support for MB would also reduce the ability of violent elements of MB to acquire weapons and bomb-making materials. U.S. designation of Hamas, an MB affiliate in Gaza, has allowed for severe restrictions on Hamass ability to wage war against Israel. One shudders to think how much worse the attacks from Gaza against Israel would be if Hamas had even more ability to import weapons, construct tunnels, and develop bombs to harm Israel. (MB terrorist designations by Muslim-majority countries include: Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Syria; notable exceptions are Qatar and Turkey.)

That said, there are significant risks to designating the Muslim Brotherhood as an FTO. First, while MB-affiliated Hamas is a state-sponsored organization dedicated to the destruction of Israel by any means, the MB more generally is a political movement. As Laura Pitter of Human Rights Watch notes, The Muslim Brotherhood is a large and complex political organization operating in many countries. By calling the whole group a terrorist organization, the Trump administration would be making a wide policy determination that, experts warn, could harm participation of Muslim groups in democratic processes. Since only some groups connected to the MB are engaged in violent activities, the large number of peaceful groups pursuing legitimate activities raises the question of whether designation would meet statutory criteria.

Second, given the serious impact of designation on U.S. financial institutions in enforcing its provisions, especially overseas, a broad consensus across the political spectrum in Washington is necessary for designation to be sustained. Designation comes up for review every two years. There is already pushback in Congress: Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), the ranking member on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, has said the Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist type organization but called on the United States to consult with allies to understand the possible fallout from designating the group. Before we do official action, its important that we weigh the consequences of what we do, he told the Wall Street Journal.

Third, the Washington think-tank community is split  with most opposed to designation. Specialists on U.S. foreign affairs generally adhere to the position that the MB is more a legitimate political and social organization than a terrorist organization, and its multinational character reflects a diversity of sub-groups, many of which are not terrorist organizations.

Fourth, critics of designation make good points, particularly their concerns about blowback. Perhaps the most important statement of risks of designation comes from Eric Trager of the Washington Institute of Near East Policy, a preeminent think tank on Middle East issues. Trager states, If the Trump Administration tries and fails to designate the Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, it could backfire: Brotherhood organizations would likely hail this as a victory and use a failed designation as evidence to claim  falsely  that they are nonviolent.

Because risks of designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization outweigh the benefits, there is no need to rush the process. Possible executive orders and congressional bills need careful consideration of benefits and risks.

It is important for the president and Congress to move along similar lines to enhance the impact of executive orders. Interagency coordination and congressional hearings allow for such augmentation of presidential authority. They also alert the judiciary and fourth estate of legality and legitimacy of unified governmental action.

Finally, the Trump administration should review options to craft a targeted form of designation. Going after parts that are violent have a higher likelihood of success against the MB and enjoy backing of foreign partners and American skeptics alike than going after the mothership, per Jonathan Schanzer, a former terrorism finance analyst at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and senior vice president at Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Theres a better path forward that painting with a broad brush, too hastily.

Photo credit: DANIEL BEREHULAK/Getty Images
The government has been asked to investigate reports of illegal immigrants entering Uganda from neighboring countries like DR Congo and Rwanda.

According to Hon Eric Musana the Buyaga East Member of Parliament in Kagadi district, a number of foreigners have invaded the forest reserves and wet lands leading to environmental degradation.

His concerns come in the wake of similar concerns raised by the National forestry authority sector manager Ndyanabo Uzziah who recently decried the increased forest encroachment by people alleged to be foreigners.

Musana has now called on police to intervene before these people become a security threat to citizens.

However the Albertine regional police Commander Ronnie Waiswa has dismissed the reports saying no mass entry of foreigners has been sighted.
Even to Luis Von Ahn, there are a few things about Duolingo, the mobile-phone based language learning app that he co-developed five years ago, that dont make a lot of obvious sense. Like the fact that bilingual people tend to study languages they already speak fluently. Or that the easiest language to learn  Esperanto  is one that no one speaks at home (German, by the way, is one of the hardest to learn). Or the fact that in Sweden, Duolingos most popular language course is Swedish.

What he does know is that his simple idea to take on the Rosetta Stones, Berlitzs and Pimsleurs of the world with an addictive, video-game-like app is changing how we think about learning languages. And now, for the first time, Duolingo is adding an African language to its 68-course lineup: Swahili, the lingua franca of eastern Africa.

We started looking around and realized that we are teaching almost every European language you can think of, but we had no African languages, says Van Ahn, who spoke to TIME while at the Design Indaba in Cape Town, an annual event celebrating design, technology and art on the African continent and beyond.

Duolingo has more than 150 million users around the world; in the United States, where the company is based, there are more people learning languages on Duolingo than there are in the entire U.S. public school system. An independent study conducted by the City University of New York has shown that 34 hours on Duolingo are equivalent to a university semester of language classes. And all the classes, whether you are a Spanish speaker learning English, or an English speaker learning Welsh (or Italian, Vietnamese, Klingon or a variety of other languages) are absolutely free.

Free language courses are not exactly profitable, but thats not the point, says Von Ahn. After Google bought his company CAPTCHA  that little test of squiggly letters most website forms use to make sure users are humans and not other computers  in 2009, the Carnegie Mellon University computer science professor could afford to pursue a passion project. Language learning wasnt his goal, he says, but he was interested in improving education so that people of all social classes could access better life opportunities.

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There are 1.2 billion people learning a foreign language, says Van Ahn, who was born in Guatemala. Two thirds of them are learning English, either to get a job or to go to school so they can get a job. So what most of them are really doing is trying to get out of poverty. The irony, he says, is that the average cost of learning a language, either through classes or a computer-based language program like Rosetta Stone, will cost at least $1,000 to get to fluency. So we decided to do languages, for free.

So far, the Swahili course is for English speakers who want to learn the language spoken predominantly in Kenya, Tanzania and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. But once it launches, on March 3, programmers will be able to work on reverse-translating the courses so that Swahili speakers can learn English, opening up opportunities for a wide swath of East Africa.

A day before the launch, Von Ahn decides to take the first lesson of the Swahili course through a trial run. He hovers his cursor over a phrase: Wewe ni Mtanzania, he reads. Does this mean we are Tanzanian? He types a tentative translation into the text box. It blinks red. Oh, no, it means you. You are Tanzanian. Despite the initial setback, Von Ahn quickly gets into the rhythm, Reading, typing, speaking and laughing. When his first missed question comes up again, he goes into app tester mode, and tries typing with a Southern U.S. accent: Hey, lets see if yall works. Yall are Tanzanian, he types. The screen flashes green. Hey, it accepted it. Thats pretty funny. He ends the first lesson with only one mistake. That was easy, he grins, as he starts another.

When Duolingo first started, with French, Spanish, English for Spanish speakers and German, the idea was to bring in a small team of linguists for each language to develop the course. But demands started pouring in for other languages, and the team quickly realized that it would be impossible to replicate the model. Where are we going to find three Swahili speakers in Pittsburgh? Von Ahn asks. (Duolingo is based at Carnegie Mellon in Pennsylvania). I am sure they exist, but they are very hard to find.

Instead, Duolingo decided to tap its rapidly growing language community for volunteers. Von Ahn and his team adapted the apps machine-learning program so that it could take a native speakers language skills and turn them into bite size lessons for a digital classroom. On average, the volunteers work in teams of three for 15-20 hours a week to come up with about 20,000 short sentences and their translations. Then more volunteers are brought in to fine-tune the testing phase.

The Swahili team, pulled from the United States Peace Corps language-training program in Tanzania, took nearly a year to complete the testing, says Branden Ryan, the Gender Equality and Womens Empowerment Coordinator for the Tanzania Peace Corps program, and one of the founding members of the Swahili team. It was a lot of hours, yes, but it was a labor of love, he says, speaking by telephone from Tanzania.

To Ryan, it was an honor to work on Duolingos first indigenous African language program. He says it is just the beginning. There is a lot of interest in learning these indigenous African languages  Twi, Zulu, Xhosa  Hopefully this will pave the way for other people to contribute what they know.

Von Ahn pulls up a map of all the most popular languages studied on Duolingo per country. So far English (green) and French (blue) dominate in Africalogical considering the colonial ties to England, France and Belgium. Then he scrolls up to Europe. This is the weird one, he says, pointing to Sweden, which is colored pink, for Swedish. So the most commonly learned language in Sweden is Swedish. He waits a beat. And it is actually Swedish from Arabic. Its refugees.

Duolingos Arabic to other languages programs are booming in Europe, thanks to the influx of refugees from Syria and Iraq. Fascinating, isnt it? Von Ahn asks. I never would have expected it. But he was expecting to make a difference with his app. The map is already showing that he has.
The Hague (AFP) - The Netherlands is considering a bill to give police far-ranging powers to prosecute cybercrime, including the ability to hack suspects' computers or trap suspected paedophiles.

The "Computer Crime III" bill will be discussed Tuesday by the Senate, the last step before becoming law in a country where according to the central statistics office, 92 percent of its 17 million citizens use the internet.

Apart from allowing police to hack into computers, tablets and mobile phones -- with a judge's permission -- the new law will also allow police to use so-called "lure teenagers" and virtually-generated "children" to entrap paedophiles.

"Lure teenagers" are police agents posing online as minors to entice cyber sex.

Police have previously used the fake teens to trap potential paedophiles, but could not prosecute perpetrators because according to Dutch law no minor was actually involved.

The bill was approved by parliament's lower house in December including the possibility to use "virtual fictitious creations" pretending to be minors as lures, the NRC daily newspaper reported on Friday.

A Dutch rights group in 2013 identified over 1,000 paedophiles around the world by offering online sex with a computer-generated 10-year-old Filipina girl called "Sweetie".

Virtual characters like Sweetie are "the only effective way to stop webcam child-sex tourism," project leader Hans Guijt recently told Dutch IT online news site Computable.

The new law will also make attempted grooming -- where an adult chats with a child on the internet with the aim of sexually abusing the child -- a criminal offense.

Critics of the planned legislation however said it had the potential to alienate supportive hackers, while it would be hard to prove a criminal offence when an adult engages in a sexual-based chat with a virtual online character.

The proposed law comes against the backdrop of Dutch prosecutors seeking nearly 11 years behind bars for a man accused of a global racket which coaxed young girls into posing naked before blackmailing them.

The defendant Aydin C. is suspected of forcing dozens of young women from as far as Britain, Canada, Norway and the United States into performing sex acts in front of their webcams.

He is also wanted for trial in Canada in the case of 15-year-old Amanda Todd who committed suicide in October 2012 after being tormented by an anonymous cyberbully.
An author fighting ovarian cancer who may not have long to live has offered up her husband in a tear-jerking essay: "If you're looking for a dreamy, let's-go-for-it travel companion, Jason is your man."

Amy Krouse Rosenthal described her illness and her marriage in a "Modern Love" column published Friday in the New York Times. It didn't take long for her essay to go viral online.

Rosenthal, 51, wrote that she's gone weeks without real food and falls asleep mid-sentence because of the morphine she needs. Despite feeling weak, she said she had to write the essay while she still could, because she wanted him to fall in love again after she is gone.

"He is a sharp dresser," Rosenthal wrote. "Our young adult sons, Justin and Miles, often borrow his clothes. Those who know him  or just happen to glance down at the gap between his dress slacks and dress shoes  know that he has a flair for fabulous socks. He is fit and enjoys keeping in shape."

Rosenthal, who has authored two dozen children's picture books and a recent memoir, said she has been married to Jason Rosenthal for 26 years. She lives in Chicago, according to her website .

She wrote that on Sept. 5, 2015  when their daughter had just left for college, making them empty-nesters, they went to the emergency room, believing she had appendicitis. Instead, it was ovarian cancer.

Soon, she said she began existing only in the present. Then, she thought about the future.

"I have never been on Tinder, Bumble or eHarmony, but I'm going to create a general profile for Jason right here, based on my experience of coexisting in the same house with him for, like, 9,490 days," she wrote.

Her husband is a lawyer and excellent cook who paints in his spare time, she wrote. He loves listening to music, and showed up at their first pregnancy ultrasound with flowers.

"If he sounds like a prince and our relationship seems like a fairy tale, it's not too far off, except for all of the regular stuff that comes from two and a half decades of playing house together," she wrote. "And the part about me getting cancer. Blech."
Under President Donald Trump's immigration policy, drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman must be deported back to Mexico from the United States, a lawyer claimed Wednesday. According to Jose Luis Gonzalez Meza, who worked earlier on behalf of El Chapo, Mexican prosecutors violated due process when they extradited the drug kingpin to the U.S. in January.

"That means he is in the United States illegally," the lawyer said, according to the Associated Press. "We are going to ask he be returned, because he is illegal and criminal!"

Meza protested outside the Mexican Attorney General's Office in the capital Wednesday holding a banner that read: "Mr. Trump, Deport the illegal and criminal Chapo Guzman."

Under Trump's deportation plans, anyone charged with or convicted of any criminal offense will be deported. The deportation of undocumented immigrants can also take place without allowing them appear before a judge.

Last month, Mexico's Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray rejected Trump's deportation policy, under which almost all people living illegally in the U.S can be deported to Mexico. Videgaray said his country could not "accept unilateral decisions imposed by one government on another."

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a press briefing last month: "Remember, everybody who is here illegally is subject to removal at any time. That is consistent with every country, not just ours. If you're in this country in an illegal manner, that obviously there's a provision that could ensure that you be removed."

Guzman  one of the most notorious drug kingpins in the world  faces as many as 17 criminal charges ranging from money laundering and drug trafficking, to kidnapping and conspiracy to import and distribute cocaine and marijuana.

In the past, Guzman broke out of two prisons  once in 2001 when he broke out of the Puente Grande Federal Prison in Guadalajara, and then in 2015 by digging a tunnel in his jail at the Altiplano maximum security prison near Mexico City.

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San Salvador (AFP) - El Salvador's main zoo is in trouble for claiming a hippo died of a brutal stabbing attack by unidentified people, when an autopsy finally revealed the animal in fact died of possible poor care.

Gustavito, a 15-year-old hippopotamus who had been in the National Zoological Park in eastern San Salvador almost all his life, died February 26 after suffering for days.

The government, giving information from the zoo, said the hippo had been stabbed and beaten by unidentified assailants four days earlier, resulting in internal bleeding.

That account triggered shock and revulsion in the Central American nation and was relayed in international media reports.

But the autopsy revealed no puncture marks in the animal's 2.5-centimeter (1-inch) thick skin, state prosecutor Mario Salazar revealed on Thursday.

Instead a detailed forensic examination showed Gustavito had apparently died from pulmonary hemorrhaging -- acute bleeding from the lung.

The culture minister, Silvia Elena Regalado, said that in itself did not rule out an attack on the hippo, which she said could have died from the resulting stress.

But a workers' union in her department had said that the hippopotamus had been ill for 17 days before its death, and alleged that authorities had not properly followed up on the matter.

The head of the environmental activists' group UNES, Mauricio Sermeno, said the initial account of a deadly attack on the big hippo "was something unbelievable."

The government should "publicly apologize and give the true version of the death," he said.

He also advised against closing the zoo, as some critics have called for in the wake of the hippo's demise.

"The zoo is in a precarious position, with insufficient resources," Sermeno said. "What could be done is to restructure the park and give it more support so it can maintain the species" he said.
Over the last decade, private employers from Boeing to Xerox have led the nation in developing innovative strategies for delivering better health at less cost. Whatever the Trump administration and Congress decide to do about the Affordable Care Act in 2017, this business role wont  and shouldnt  change. In fact, it should expand, especially if employers are bold enough to ask the administration to roll back outdated regulations that prevent employers, insurers, and drug companies from linking drug prices to real-world health outcomes.

Drugs represent the fastest-growing component of employer health spending. But they also represent the greatest opportunity for driving greater value across the health care system. When medicines are used appropriately, they can reduce expensive complications from chronic diseases that account for nearly 90 percent of US health outlays. From HIV antivirals to high blood pressure, innovative medicines have helped millions of Americans live longer, healthier, and more productive lives.

The problem is that high drug copays and coinsurance can put effective medicines out of reach for some patients. This is because coverage decisions are often based on manufacturers willingness to offer large discounts on a drugs list price, rather than on the drugs effect on health outcomes. If an individual winds up in a hospital or becomes too sick to work because he or she couldnt afford an effective medicine, everyone loses.

Patients arent monolithic, and drug prices shouldnt be either. Employers are well-positioned to help broker new payment models that reward both insurers and pharmaceutical companies for getting the right medicine to the right patient at the right time. If drug companies are willing to accept more of the financial risk for a drug that doesnt work as advertised, then they should also share more of the upside when it does. Insurers should also be rewarded for developing cutting-edge networks of doctors and hospitals that focus on using information on medicines real-world performance to drive the best long-term outcomes for patients.

Read more: Another big insurer will pay for key drugs based on patient outcomes

Cancer care is the right place to experiment with new payment models. A wave of innovative but high-cost medicines are reaching patients faster than ever before, and doctors will be using them in combination with traditional cancer-fighting tools like chemotherapy and radiation. Cancer patients, physicians, and payers could be overwhelmed by the options and costs.

Employers can push for the use of new health information technology platforms that can link a tumor or patients genetic profile to the best treatment options, rapidly match patients with clinical trials that are testing new medicines, record patient outcomes after treatment, and even benchmark provider performance relative to costs. By expanding state-of-the-art care to more patients, employers can ensure that every dollar spent on cancer care results in fewer side effects, longer survival, and even more true cures.

Employers are uniquely suited to help lead the transition from paying for cancer by the pill or infusion to paying for it based on outcomes. Employer health plans are trusted by more than 150 million Americans as a stable source of high quality, stable insurance. Large employers typically retain employees for multiple years, allowing them to see a return on upfront investments, health information technology, and disease management.

In our conversations with drug companies and insurers, though, weve heard repeatedly that the development of new cancer care payment models are being slowed by federal regulations like Medicaids best price requirement, Medicares wholesale price benchmarks, and federal anti-kickback regulations. For instance, if a manufacturer offered a hospital or insurer an if it doesnt work, you dont pay for it guarantee for a cancer medicine, that price could be seen as an illegal kickback to Medicare providers.

Employers should lead an innovative alliance of stakeholders  including drug companies, insurers, patient advocates, and providers  to ask the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for waivers from the biggest regulations inhibiting outcomes-based contracts. The lessons learned on the performance of these contracts could then be published to drive other payers to learn from the experience, as well as to identify strategies for cancer care excellence. This would give regulators and payers more real-world evidence on how promising medicines work.

Many of Americas companies, from Google to UPS, have spent the last two decades learning how to use data analytics to rapidly retool manufacturing and customer service platforms to compete in delivering better value to their customers. They should now use the same principles to ensure that the rapid pace of innovation in cancer therapy is harnessed to the cause of improving patient care  one patient at a time.

Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach to improvement. It began in engineering, but has spread to many other sectors. Intel used its experience in Six Sigma lean production processes to launch a Healthcare Marketplace Collaborative in metropolitan Portland, Ore. It brought together Cigna, an insurer; local providers such as Providence Health and Tuality; and the Oregon Public Employees Benefit board to provide the right care in the right place at the right time and the right cost for Intel employees and families and all other Portland-area health care users for six selected conditions as well as screening for conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Costs for three of the conditions fell by an impressive 24 percent to 49 percent. Intels experience shows that dedicated employers can become transformational leaders across the health care system.

The human and financial case for an employer-led alliance to drive cancer payment innovation is crystal clear. By focusing on best practices for oncology payment reforms and seeking a safe harbor from antiquated regulations, employers can do well by doing good, providing a case study for private sector collaboration and leadership that the entire health care system can learn from.

Paul Howard is director of health policy at the Manhattan Institute. Laurel Pickering is CEO of the Northeast Business Group on Health.
Kitgum Municipality Member of Parliament Beatrice Anywar has been airlifted in a Police Chopper and rushed to Case Medical center in Kampala for further Medical Management.

She was airlifted this morning from Boma grounds in Kitgum Municipality.

Anywar was yesterday involved in a road accident at Kangole Primary school in Paloga Sub county Lamwo district after the Land Cruiser registration UAY 354G she was travelling in veered off the road before overturning.

She was on her way to attend the burial of a relative in Kitgum district.

Anywar and her driver only identified as Mr Asuman were later rushed to Kitgum Government Hospital for emergency treatment by police.

A medical personnel at the facility who spoke on condition of anonymity said x-ray scan carried out on Anywar and her driver shows they did not sustain fractured bones.

According to Lamwo District Police Commander Eria Elopot, preliminary findings indicate the driver lost control while over speeding.
Ankara (AFP) - A new film about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hit cinema screens on Friday just weeks before a vote that would extend the powers of the country's head of state.

"Reis" ("The Chief") stars well-known Turkish actor Reha Beyoglu as Turkey's strongman in his early life. It focuses especially on his childhood in a poor district of Istanbul.

The biopic, which will also be shown around Europe, has been criticised as propaganda for the April 16 referendum on constitutional changes passed by parliament.

Under a new constitution, Turkey would have an executive presidency along the lines of France or the United States, including powers to directly appoint top public officials such as ministers.

Child actor Batuhan Isik Gurel plays Erdogan as a boy with brief appearances by Turkish actress Ozlem Balci as his wife Emine in the first ever feature film about Turkey's leader.

It begins in September 1961 when then-prime minister Adnan Menderes was executed after a military coup the year before.

Erdogan, who was born on February 27, 1954, would have been seven years old at that time and appears in the film's opening sequence asking his father what has happened.

His father, known in the neighbourhood as "Kaptan" (captain), explains that a man -- Menderes -- who would give so much to the country has died.

The first time the audience sees Erdogan as an adult is in 1994 when he is campaigning to become mayor of Istanbul -- an election he won -- and gives his business card to a child who will later ask Erdogan to save his puppy from a well.

During the scene, a man calls one of Erdogan's team to threaten the candidate's life.

The threats continue throughout the film during scenes of his campaign although the callers never identify themselves.

The film heavily focuses on admirable actions taken by Erdogan, especially as a child.

He tries to pay for the cinema ticket of a boy, Ferdi, who has mistreated him in the past but the child is able to enter for free.

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He later foregoes buying a bike to pay for the schooling of the same boy whose family cannot afford it.

- 'One of us' -

Leila Basyesil in Istanbul had been waiting excitedly for the film to open. "This morning as soon as we woke up we came here to watch it," she said.

In Ankara, a mother, father and daughter told AFP the film was not what they had expected.

"I liked it. I thought it was going to be political but it was about his childhood," said the father Mehmet.

The film briefly visits the period when Erdogan is mayor with flashbacks and ends with the moment when Erdogan was jailed in March 1999 after he recited a poem deemed to be Islamist.

The four-month imprisonment is still remembered by his supporters as a symbol of the unfair treatment of pious Muslims at that time.

"It was realistic. The way neighbours interacted; it took us to our childhood. It was very emotional. We like Erdogan. We saw his history like ours," Mehmet added.

His daughter Nesrin said the film showed that Erdogan was "one of us".

The family agreed that by focusing less on Erdogan's political history, the film was more powerful than propaganda.

But in Istanbul Mehmet Sariyilmaz told AFP he refused to watch the film, saying: "The referendum is coming and for me, I think we can see that movie as propaganda."
ANKARA (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan responded to Berlin's criticism of Turkey's arrest of a German journalist by saying on Friday Deniz Yucel was a "German agent" and a member of a militant Kurdish armed group. "It isn't because a correspondent of Die Welt was arrested," Erdogan told an awards ceremony in Istanbul. "It is because this person hid in the German embassy as a member of the PKK and a German agent for one month. When we told them to hand him over to be tried, they refused." A source in the German foreign ministry on Friday evening described as "absurd" the suggestion that Yucel, a German-Turkish dual national, was an "agent". Erdogan said he had told German Chancellor Angela Merkel: "Your terrorists are requested by us, and you say justice is impartial and independent. We currently trust our impartial and independent judiciary. Give him up so he can be tried. "They first didn't hand him over, but later, somehow, they did. The judiciary did what was necessary and arrested him." (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; editing by Andrew Roche)
BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union has extended for a year sanctions against 15 people in Ukraine accused of misusing state funds.

The EU said in a statement Friday that the asset freezes are being prolonged for people "identified as responsible for the misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds or for the abuse of office causing a loss to Ukrainian public funds."

Sanctions against former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych and senior members of his administration were first introduced in March 2014 and have been extended annually since.

Yanukovych fled to Russia in February 2014 after protests in which more than 100 people died. The full list of people targeted will be published in the EU's official journal on Saturday.
Brussels (AFP) - The European Union on Friday extended sanctions against former Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych for embezzling state funds just before pro-EU protests ousted him in 2014, an EU source said Friday.

The European Council, which groups leaders of the bloc's 28 member states, said it agreed to extend for another year "asset freezes against 15 people identified as responsible for the misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds or for the abuse of office causing a loss to Ukrainian public funds."

The source said Yanukovych, who fled to Russia, was on a list of 15 names which will be published on Saturday. One person was removed from the sanctions list, the EU said.

In September, a top EU court rejected an appeal by Yanukovych, his son and a top aide against the sanctions for the period March 2015 to March 2016, but annulled them for the previous one year period on a technicality.

An EU official told AFP at the time that the General Court's decision meant Yanukovych, his son Oleksandr and aide Andriy Klyuyev "remain subject to the EU asset freeze."

Yanukovych sparked massive protests when he ditched an association accord with the EU, and then fled to Russia in early 2014 after a bloody crackdown in Kiev failed to quell the demonstrations.

As the Ukraine crisis deepened, the EU has imposed a series of asset freezes and travel bans on Russian as well as Ukrainian figures and companies said to have undermined the country's sovereignty by abetting Moscow's intervention and its March 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Since then, fighting between pro-Moscow rebels and the government has cost some 10,000 lives in eastern Ukraine despite repeated international efforts to forge a lasting ceasefire.
Man holding a U.S. passport

If youre a U.S. citizen planning a trip to Europe this summer, get ready to apply for a visa before you go. On Thursday, the European Parliament voted to temporarily deny Americans visa-free travel within the EU for the next twelve months. MEPs are now putting pressure on the EU Commission to take all necessary legal steps to impose the visa requirement within two monthsjust in time for summer vacation.

This vote comes after Washingtons refusal to waive visas for all EU countries. The United States does not allow EU nationals from five countriesCyprus, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania and Polandto enter the country without a visa. Since Americans can travel freely within all 28 European Union member states, Washingtons visa requirements for these five member states is against visa reciprocity.

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The European Union parliament voted Thursday to restrict United States visa-free access to Europe in response to the U.S. visa policy toward five E.U. member states.

The parliament recommended the limits on U.S. visas be adapted quickly after the parliament successfully voted for the non-binding resolution by hand, reportedly in retaliation for the U.S. denial of visa-free access to nationals of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania. The parliament called on the E.U. executive body to enact the travel measures "within two months," likely affecting the travel plans of over half a million U.S. citizens who travel to Europe every summer.

Since at least 2014, the E.U. has demanded that the U.S. adopt a unified visa-waiver policy to all its member states and the parliament was originally scheduled to take action last year on the matter. The E.U. Commission was "legally obliged" to introduce visa requirements for U.S. citizens based on its policy of reciprocity with foreign governments. If Washington does not open its borders to the five Eastern European nations and Cyprus, the E.U. said it would suspend the waiver on U.S. visas for 12 months.

Officials from the E.U. and the U.S. were scheduled to meet in June over the matter.

"We will report on further progress made before the end of June and continue to work closely with both the European Parliament and the Council," a Commission spokesperson told Reuters.

Relations between the E.U. and the U.S. became strained after the election of President Donald Trump last year. E.U. Council President Donald Tusk labeled Trump one of the most serious risks to the international alliance's stability along with Russia, China and Islamic extremists such as the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS. Trump's support for Brexit and opposition to admitting refugees has placed him at odds with many E.U. member state leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, and made the Republican leader popular among populist parties across the continent.

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Many E.U. leaders also came out against Donald Trump's executive order signed January that halted U.S. visas altogether for nationals from seven Muslim-majority nations in the Middle East and Africa. The order was struck down by a federal court, but Trump was expected to soon introduce a new, similar measure that omitted Iraq, an ally in the fight against ISIS, from the list.

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By Ivana Sekularac and Gabriela Baczynska BELGRADE/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Nationalist Serbian lawmakers booed the European Union's top diplomat Federica Mogherini on Friday as she addressed their parliament during tour aimed at addressing concerns about rising tensions in the Balkans. Mogherini's trip to all six Western Balkans states, still scarred by wars fought in 1990s along political, ethnic and religious lines, is meant to lay the groundwork for an EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday and a summit on Thursday. Several EU leaders have expressed alarm at a variety of problems there and some blame Russia for seeking to destabilise the region, EU officials say. At Mogherini's speech to the Serbian parliament, members of the Serbian Radical party chanted: "Serbia! Russia! We don't need the (European) Union!" Four deputies from the nationalist Dveri party held banners reading: "Serbia does not trust Brussels." Playing down the heckles during a speech that focused on the EU accession talks which Serbia hopes to complete by 2019, Mogherini later told reporters: "It is not nice to be rude to a lady!" Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic's pro-EU coalition has a comfortable majority in parliament but the popularity of pro-Russian nationalists is on the rise. In 2016, the Radicals returned to the Serbian assembly after several years. At their summit next week, EU leaders are expected to reaffirm their commitment "to support stability and to deepen political and economic ties with and within the region," according to an early draft of their joint statement. That is despite weariness in EU states including France and the Netherlands where eurosceptic parties pose a challenge to the status quo in their own elections in coming weeks. The EU has made Serbia's accession conditional on normalising its ties with Kosovo but tensions have been on the rise this year. Serbia's ally Moscow refuses to recognise the 2008 independence of Kosovo, which has an association agreement with the EU. Their neighbour Macedonia - which aspires to join both EU and NATO - has not been able to form a government since elections in December as the president has refused to give a mandate to a coalition that includes ethnic Albanians. A genocide lawsuit that Bosnia lodged against Serbia at the International Court of Justice angered Bosnian Serbs as well as officials in neighbouring Serbia. In Montenegro, both pro-Western and anti-Western opposition parties are boycotting the parliament following a recent vote in which they say people were intimidated to back the government. Russia opposes the accession of Balkan states into the EU has accused Europe and NATO of meddling in Macedonia's political crisis. The EU believes Moscow is encouraging Bosnia's Serbs to seek independence and may have encouraged a move to unseat Montenegro's leader as he seeks to join NATO. A border dispute between ex-Yugoslav EU members Croatia and Slovenia, adds to the mix of instability, EU officials say. (Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald in Brussels; Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
TIRANA, Albania (AP)  The European Union's foreign policy chief on Friday told Albania's opposition that its boycott of Parliament was hampering the country's ability to integrate with the bloc and therefore join the EU.

Federica Mogherini met with senior Albanian officials and political leaders to remind them that reforming the justice system and holding free elections were two steps needed to convince EU members to launch full membership negotiations with the country.

For two weeks, hundreds from Albania's main opposition Democratic Party have blocked the main boulevard in the capital, Tirana, saying they don't trust the left-wing government to hold the June 18 parliamentary election in a fair manner. They want a caretaker cabinet instead.

Democratic lawmakers also have boycotted Parliament, thus blocking the creation of vetting bodies to assess how the country evaluates the personal and professional backgrounds of some 800 judges and prosecutors.

"We are ready to launch negotiations at the moment that the justice reform starts its application," Mogherini said at a news conference with host Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. She also met with opposition leader Lulzim Basha.

Albania was granted EU candidate status in 2014.

A reform package approved last year calls for a legal overhaul meant to restructure the Albanian justice system to ensure that judges and prosecutors are independent from politics, and to root out bribery.

Mogherini is on a tour of the Balkans that started in Montenegro and will end in Kosovo, trying to reassure the region that the EU remains open for enlargement despite crisis in the 28-nation bloc.

Earlier Friday in Belgrade, Mogherini faced pro-Russian chants and boos in the Serbian parliament as she called for the integration of the Western Balkans into the 28-nation bloc.

Far-right Serbian lawmakers, who favor closer ties with Russia over Serbia's EU integration, banged on benches with their hands and chanted "Serbia, Russia, we don't need the Union!" during Mogherini's 25-minute address.

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"It's the matter of politics," she later said of the incident. "It's about a difficult political environment here and in the region, and it is also about different ways of interpreting the path that Serbia has taken."

Serbia, which is formally seeking EU membership, is deeply split between those seeking pro-Western integration and those wanting a close alliance with traditional Slavic partner Russia.

Tensions recently have mounted in relations between Serbia and its former war foes Bosnia and EU member Croatia. Serbia also has refused to recognize the Western-backed independence of its former province of Kosovo, while political instability threatens Macedonia to the south.

"Peace in the Balkans is peace in Europe," Mogherini said at a joint press conference with Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia's prime minister. "We have faced in the recent times  and we might face in the times to come  some attempts to put this into question."

Vucic criticized the ultranationalists' chant during Mogherini's speech as "not gentlemen-like," insisting that Serbia "remains firmly on the European path."

___

AP reporter Jovana Gec contributed to this report.
(Reuters) - Around 3,000 delegates to the annual meeting of China's largely rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress, will meet in Beijing's Great Hall of the People on March 5 for a session that will last around 10 days. Here is an overview of China's top legislature and this year's meeting: ((For the main preview story, click)) ISSUES: Top of the agenda this year are reforms and other steps to reduce the world's second-largest economy's heavy reliance on credit to contain debt and housing risks. Exact details of what will be discussed or announced, including economic growth targets and the budget, are kept under wraps ahead of the session. However, government sources, state media and Chinese academics say the following items are likely to be on the agenda for discussion, even if no firm decisions are reached: On the opening day, Premier Li Keqiang will announce key economic targets in a state-of-the-nation style address. The annual growth target is expected to be lowered to around 6.5 percent from last year's 6.5-7 percent. The economy expanded 6.7 percent in 2016. Keeping economic growth on track in the face of deleveraging efforts, lay-offs caused by "supply-side" reforms, and the threat from protectionist policies from the United States will also be high on the agenda. Top Chinese leaders have stressed economic stability ahead of the once-every-five-years Communist Party congress, which is expected to be in the autumn. The defence budget for the year also gets unveiled on the opening day. It is expected to log another impressive rise, despite the slowing economy. The Chinese territory of Hong Kong, which has seen continued demands from pro-democracy advocates for full suffrage, and self-ruled Taiwan, which elected an independence-leaning president last year, will probably be discussed, too. The meeting will end with Li's annual news conference. This is not China's biggest political event of 2017, though. Much more important is the autumn party congress, where President Xi Jinping will unveil a new generation of senior leaders. Parliament is likely to see a lot of behind-the-scenes jockeying for those positions. FUNCTIONS: The NPC meets annually in March to pass major bills, approve the budget and endorse personnel nominations. The NPC is generally considered a rubber stamp for the ruling Communist Party's policies and decisions, though debate on certain issues, such as pollution, can be lively. MEMBERSHIP: The chairman is Zhang Dejiang, a former vice-premier and the third-most senior person in the party after President Xi Jinping and Premier Li. The nearly 3,000 delegates attending the session represent China's 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, as well as Hong Kong, Macau and the military. There are also delegates for self-ruled Taiwan, mostly made up of defectors and their descendants. They serve five-year terms. VOTES: Votes almost always follow the Communist Party's wishes and pass by an overwhelming majority, but delegates have in the past strayed from the party line to show frustration over issues such as corruption and crime. All citizens over the age of 18 are technically allowed to vote for delegates and be elected to the NPC, but most delegates are hand-picked by local-level officials. MEETINGS: Parliament meets in the Great Hall of the People to the west of Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing. Built in less than a year in 1959 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic, the main auditorium can seat 10,000 people. Parliament's largely ceremonial advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets in parallel with the NPC. It is made up of business magnates, artists, monks, non-communists and other representatives of broader society, but it has no legislative power. Sources: Reuters, Chinese state media. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Kevin Yao; Editing by Will Waterman)
(Reuters) - After U.S. authorities raided Caterpillar Inc's Peoria, Illinois, headquarters as part of a criminal investigation Thursday, the company stated the search was part of an Internal Revenue Service investigation related to profit earned by a parts subsidiary based in Switzerland.

A Senate subcommittee on investigations in 2014 claimed that Caterpillar deferred or avoided paying $2.4 billion in U.S. taxes between 2000 and 2012 by shifting more than $8 billion of parts sales to Switzerland.

Caterpillar is contesting an IRS proposal to levy taxes and penalties of approximately $2 billion arising from its assignment of profit to the Swiss operation. PricewaterhouseCoopers, which devised the plan while also serving as Caterpillar's auditor, declined comment.

The Senate subcommittee had the following specific findings:

- In 1999, Caterpillar adopted a strategy to use a unit in Switzerland as the place it recorded most of the profit from its lucrative business selling Caterpillar-branded replacement parts to non-U.S. customers.

- Caterpillar had earlier negotiated with Swiss authorities to pay an effective tax rate of only 4 percent to 6 percent on profits earned in the country.

- Caterpillar had no parts warehouses in Switzerland, but 85 percent or more of profits from Caterpillar's parts sales outside the United States were recorded as coming from the Swiss unit, Caterpillar SARL.

- By 2008, Caterpillar had shifted 45 percent of global revenues and 43 percent of its profits to the Swiss operation, which employed less than one-half of 1 percent of Caterpillars 118,500 employees worldwide.

- Caterpillar built a new inventory control system that "served as a second set of inventory books" for Swiss-owned parts held in the United States. But all the parts were intermixed, none bore separate ownership labels, and Caterpillar employees could not distinguish the Swiss-owned parts in any way.

- PricewaterhouseCoopers was paid $55 million by Caterpillar for devising the Swiss tax plan. The Senate committee said PricewaterhouseCoopers "raised significant conflict of interest concerns" by also serving as Caterpillars auditor during the time in question.

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- PricewaterhouseCoopers consultants told Caterpillar the new system was designed to migrate profits away from CAT Inc to low-tax marketing companies.  We are effectively more than doubling the profit on parts.

- As a result of the plan, Caterpillar experienced a cash buildup in Geneva, a company report showed. By 2002, Caterpillar needed to move as much as $70 million a year back to the United State's to meet the company's U.S. cash requirements.

- In 2008, Caterpillars global tax strategy manager raised questions about whether the Swiss unit did enough substantive business in the country to qualify for taxation outside the United States. He called the situation the pink elephant issue worth a billion dollars on the balance sheet.

(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein; Editing by David Greising and Leslie Adler)
In many small towns across the country, there arent very many good jobs these days. Once there were factories that employed millions and paid decent wages. Today, young men are scraping by working at local bars or in lower-paid temp jobs. Many of these men are single, and new research suggests that those two thingstheir poor economic status and their singlenessare not unrelated.

Its no wonder, then, that the changes wrought by the disappearance of manufacturing jobs helped elevate the platform of Donald Trump, who won 67 percent of white workers without a college degree. Their malcontent comes not just from their economic struggles, but from the dramatic changes to their personal lives that the decline of manufacturing have created.

A new study by the economists David Autor of MIT, Gordon Hanson of the University of California at San Diego, and David Dorn of the University of Zurich, provides evidence that their economic struggles are directly responsible for many of their personal ones. The study finds that, as mens economic prospects decline, they marry less frequently. Once, men had good earnings, especially when compared with women. But now these men dont earn much more than women do, and so fewer people are getting married, and more children are being born out of wedlock. Children are much more likely to grow up in poverty in households headed by single mothers.

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We see a decline in fertility, a decline in marriage, but a rise in the fraction of births that are disadvantaged, and as a consequence the kids are living in pretty tough circumstances, Autor, the studys lead author, told me.

Fertility has declined and out-of-wedlock births have risen all over America during the past three decades, not just in areas where jobs have been displaced by trade. But the authors show that these trends have been much more pronounced in areas that have lost a significant number of manufacturing jobs, where, as a result, mens prospects have declined disproportionately. This worsening of the fates of men has been long predicted, including in The Atlantic in the summer of 2010, when Hanna Rosin highlighted how womens bettering prospects would lead to The End of Men.

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In this study, the authors looked at what happens when a trade shock impacted certain areas around the country. They looked at instances when imports from China started to compete with the product a local industry made, causing job losses and plant closures. (In a previous paper, the authors had found that rising competition from Chinese imports depressed wages and eliminated American jobs.)

They found that manufacturing declines significantly affected the supply of what they termed marriageable menmen who are not drinking or using drugs excessively and who have a job. In areas impacted by a trade shock, the numbers of marriageable men relative to women declined, because men had migrated elsewhere, joined the military, or fallen out of the labor force. Fewer men were working in manufacturing, which tended to mean their wages were lower than they had been when manufacturing had more of a presence in their area. And their wages were not significantly higher than womens wages, which they had been during the heyday of manufacturing. (Fewer women worked in manufacturing in the first place, so they were less affected by the shocks.)

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This made the men less appealing to the women, the authors suggestso there were fewer marriages. They find that trade shocks reduced the share of young women who were married, and reduced the number of births per woman.

Yet women didnt give up on having babies entirely. Plenty of young women are still getting pregnant, but theyre no longer as likely to have married their partner when they do, the authors found. (The share of children born to unmarried mothers more than doubled between 1980 and 2013, from 18 to 41 percent.) When young women become pregnant unintentionally, they have to decide whether to have the baby and whether to marry the father or not, said Autor. That evaluation becomes more fraught when the man doesnt have a good job. Marriage to such men can be risky: They may not contribute very much income, but they could factor into family decisions. You dont want to marry a man who is in all likelihood not economically viable, because its not a free lunch, Autor said.

These patterns seem to hinge on whether men are making more money than women, the authors found. When it was womens jobs that were affected, such as when predominantly female sectors like the leather-goods industry saw competition from Chinese imports, marriage rates and in-wedlock births increased.

The papers findings are worrisome for some places that have seen mens jobs displaced by trade and automation. A trade shock in which one sector saw major job losses increased the share of children living in poverty by 13 percent. It also increased the share of children living in single-parent-headed or grandparent-headed households.

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Its more evidence that there was something special about manufacturing in America in the middle of the 20th century, because the sector provided good-paying jobs for people without a college education. Those jobs allowed people a comfortable lifestyle, and when they vanish, families changed. It does appear that places where manufacturing is prevalent, its kind of a fulcrum, a cornerstone of a way of life where men have relatively stable, modestly high earnings and women are more likely to be married to them, Autor said.

Where that lifestyle doesnt exist anymore, something else has arisen in its place. In past times of economic hardship, birth rates plummeted because women didnt want to marry and have babies with men who didnt have jobs. Women also faced a huge amount of stigma if they decided to have children out of wedlock. But now, people are having children despite the economic obstacles. In some cases, as the sociologist Andrew Cherlin lays out in his book, Labors Love Lost: The Rise and Fall of the Working-Class Family in America, more adults are having children within unstable relationships. A substantial number go on to have children with a second partner, or even a third, creating complex and unstable family lives that are not good for children, he writes.

This creates challenges for the people (usually women) who have to raise a child without the economic or social support of a partner. Their struggles are why the authors see such an uptick in children living in poverty in the aftermath of a decline in manufacturing employment.

Yet there are many women who have soldiered on, despite it all. After all, women are more independent than they used to be because they have more job opportunities than they once did. They can make the choice not to marry and still have children, and not face as much stigma as they once did.

This group includes Olivia Alfano, a 29-year-old single mother living in Evansville, Indiana, where she works as a waitress at Red Lobster. The money is pretty good, she told me: She drives a BMW and was able to buy a house last year. Alfano now wants to go into management, which she thinks will give her more security in the long run. When I asked her why she hadnt married, she told me, I havent run into someone I would consider doing that with.

Of course, Alfano still has obstacles: for instance, finding childcare while shes at work and getting good health care for her family (she doesnt work enough hours to qualify for Red Lobsters plan). But three decades ago, a woman like Alfano would have needed a partner to be able to have children, or else faced social stigma and economic hardship. Today, her potential partners dont have the opportunity for good, stable employment that they once did. Theyre struggling, while Alfano makes a life on her own.

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The FBI said this week it will review the case of a black, Muslim teen who was found hanging from a tree in Washington state, the Associated Press reports.

Ben Keita, 18, was reported missing in November, according to local TV station KIRO 7. In January, he was found dead in the woods near his home.

There were no other injuries aside from the hanging, which led the Snohomish County medical examiner to initially rule the death a suicide, the TV station reported. But when the boys parents wanted more information, the medical examiner changed the cause of death to undetermined.

Local police are still investigating the death, according to the Daily Herald, newspaper based in Everett, Washington. A spokesperson for the FBIs Seattle office told the paper it was doing a review but that would not automatically lead to an investigation.

Keitas parents have asked the FBI to investigate their sons death and told local news that the 18-year-old did not have a history of mental illness.

He was planning to graduate this year from Lake Stevens High School, Ibrahima Keita, the boys father, told KUOW, a Seattle public radio station. He was already in the Running Start program at Everett Community College and he was dreaming of becoming a medical doctor and work as a medical examiner. Now those dreams are over.
By Hyunjoo Jin and Adam Jourdan SEOUL/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - South Korean companies on Friday bore the brunt of a perceived backlash from China over the deployment of a U.S. missile system outside Seoul, with shares tumbling on media reports of Beijing telling tour operators to stop selling trips to the country. Several of Korea's biggest news outlets cited unidentified sources as saying Chinese government officials had given the verbal guidance just days after the Seoul government secured land for the missile system from Lotte Group. South Korea and the United States say the missile system is defence against nuclear-armed North Korea, but China says its territory is the target of the system's far-reaching radar. To protest the deployment, Chinese state-run media have called for a boycott of South Korean products. The Chinese are by far the biggest spenders in South Korea's tourism industry, propping up the world's biggest duty free market which generates about $8 billion in annual sales. But on Friday, the price of shares in duty free retailer Hotel Shilla Co Ltd ended 13 percent lower while cosmetics maker Amorepacific Corp closed at a two-year low, as investors feared a decline in Chinese tourist dollars as well as a repeat of a backlash against Japan in 2012 over a territorial dispute and interpretations of history. The share falls add to difficulties reported by South Korean companies in China since the Seoul and Washington governments in July agreed to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. On Thursday, an affiliate of the Lotte Group reported cyber attacks ostensibly originating from China. Shares of Hyundai Motor Co also finished down 4.4 percent after photos of a vandalised Hyundai car circulated on Chinese social media, in an echo of the damage meted out to Japanese vehicles during protests in 2012. Local police in a microblog post said the vandalism could be linked to a dispute over debt. "If it is proved to be related to (the missile issue), such illegal behaviour is a smear on the public boycott campaign," state-run tabloid Global Times said in an editorial. South Korea's embassy in China issued a safety warning for its citizens. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang on Friday said there was no anti-deployment movement in China, and that authorities would deal with anyone breaking the law. "I hope the relevant side can listen to the people's voices and earnestly take steps to avoid further damage to China-South Korea relations and exchanges and cooperation between the two countries," Geng said. STAB IN THE BACK South Korean foreign minister Yun Byung-se said he was reviewing whether the guidance mentioned in the media violate international norms, Yonhap News Agency reported. "If such reports are true, it would be an unfair action ... and very regrettable," the foreign ministry said earlier on Friday. An official at South Korea's culture ministry said Korean tour operators had reported that Chinese peers had told them of the guidance to stop selling tours. A Korean tourism official later told Reuters that the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) had told tour operators in Beijing and beyond that all group tours to South Korea as well as advertising were banned. The official also said group tours made up about 40 percent of all Chinese visitors to South Korea last year. CNTA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chinese operators Ctrip and Qunar were accepting bookings to Korea on Friday. A salesperson at LY.com said the site has withdrawn all Korean tours, and Tuniu declined bookings citing the missile issue. LY.com could not be reached for comment, and Tuniu's spokesperson did not immediately respond to comment. The number of Chinese tourists to South Korea has nearly quadrupled to 8 million over the past five years, accounting for nearly half of foreign visitors, Korean government data shows. Yet shares of flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co Ltd also ended down on Friday, by 4.8 percent. A spokesman said the airline was worried about the reports and was monitoring the situation. South Korean political parties condemned the action. "It's despicable and arrogant. China is a G20 nation that should be leading the development of world order," Liberty Korea Party leader Chung Woo-taik said. But for Professor Wu Xinbo at China's prestigious Fudan University, the deployment was akin to "stabbing China in the back". "As a sovereign nation, Korea says its decision to deploy THAAD is out of consideration for national security," Wu told the Global Times. "By the same logic, China has the right to oppose THAAD on the basis of its own national security." (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin in SEOUL and Adam Jourdan in SHANGHAI; Additional reporting by Joyce Lee, Jack Kim, Ju-min Park and Se Young Lee in SEOUL, Ben Blanchard and Muyu Xu in BEIJING, and Christian Shepherd in HONG KONG; Editing by Stephen Coates and Christopher Cushing)
By Dominique Vidalon and Simon Carraud PARIS (Reuters) - Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron cemented his status as favourite to win the French presidency on Friday as pressure mounted on his conservative rival, Francois Fillon, to pull out because of a deepening financial scandal. For the first time since the line-up of candidates became clear, an Oxoda poll showed Macron finishing ahead of far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the opening round. That came a day after he promised a blend of fiscal discipline and stimulus to strengthen a feeble economic recovery. As former investment banker Macron's campaign gained momentum, Fillon's camp was mired in a crisis of confidence after a string of resignations among his close advisers and backers. His campaign chief, Patrick Stefanini, and his chief spokesman, Thierry Solere, both quit on Friday, while centre-right party UDI also withdrew its support. The Odoxa poll also showed that if Fillon were to step down and be replaced by another former prime minister, Alain Juppe, it would be Juppe winning the first round, with Le Pen eliminated A source in Juppe's entourage said the 71-year-old - who lost to Fillon in the November primaries - was "ready to take part in the search for a solution". Juppe, himself convicted in 2004 for misuse of public funds, has until now ruled out a comeback. "No is no," he tweeted last month. Veteran centrist Francois Bayrou, who initially backed Juppe before deciding last month to endorse Macron, told France 3 television he would stick with Macron if Juppe replaced Fillon, according to extracts of an interview to be shown on Sunday. The euro climbed to a two-week high and the spread between French and German 10-year government bond yields fell to its lowest in a month after the Odoxa poll showed Macron pulling ahead of Le Pen, suggesting investors now saw a far-right victory as less likely. Macron, 39, was economy minister in President Francois Hollande's Socialist government from 2014 to 2016 but has never run for elected office. He was propelled to the front of the race in part by the scandal engulfing Fillon and on Thursday unveiled a manifesto that included plans to revamp the pension system. Fillon, who turns 63 on Saturday, this week promised to fight "to the end" despite the scandal over his wife's pay, which he learned this week could see him placed under formal investigation for misuse of public funds later this month. He has complained of judicial and media bias that amounted to a "political assassination". Several former supporters have since deserted him, saying they cannot support him given his attacks on the judiciary. LE PEN PUSHED BACK Two senior conservative politicians, Senate President Gerard Larcher and Republicans Secretary-General Bernard Accoyer, held talks on Friday with former President Nicolas Sarkozy to review the situation with Fillon, a source close to Accoyer told Reuters. Some lawmakers said Larcher was among conservative politicians who earlier this week urged Fillon to step down in Juppe's favour, but Sarkozy loyalists balked at the idea. Le Pen also faces legal problems. Her lawyer told Reuters on Friday she had refused to attend a summons by judges over allegations of misuse of European Union funds. Lawyer Marcel Ceccaldi said Le Pen had told the judges she would not attend before the end of the presidential campaign. European Union lawmakers on Thursday lifted Le Pen's EU parliamentary immunity in a separate case involving tweeting pictures of Islamic State violence. The Odoxa poll put Macron on 27 percent in the first round on April 23 with Le Pen on 25.5 percent and Fillon on 19. Le Pen has consistently led first-round polls this year. In a scenario where Juppe stood in Fillon's place, Odoxa put Juppe in front on 26.5, with Macron on 25 and Le Pen out of the contest on 24 percent. Daily voter surveys have consistently shown any candidate defeating Le Pen, who promises to pull France out of the euro and hold a referendum on European Union membership, in a May 7 runoff. A separate poll by Opinionway maintained Le Pen's first-round lead. Late on Friday, Fillon took to his Twitter feed to urge supporters to attend a rally he will speak at in Paris on Sunday. "Don't let anybody steal this choice from you, I ask you to resist," he said. (Additional reporting by Michel Rose; Writing by Andrew Callus; editing by Richard Lough and John Stonestreet)
By Mahmoud Mourad and Haitham Ahmed CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's top appeals court found Hosni Mubarak innocent on Thursday of involvement in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ended his 30-year rule, the final ruling in a landmark case. The trial of Mubarak, who was toppled in one of the tumultuous uprisings which shook the Arab world, captivated viewers as he appeared in a courtroom cage on charges ranging from corruption to complicity in the murder of protesters. Mubarak was originally sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for conspiring to murder 239 demonstrators during the 18-day revolt - an uprising that sowed chaos and created a security vacuum but also inspired hope for democracy and social justice. But an appeals court ordered a retrial that culminated in 2014 in the case against the ageing former president and his senior officials being dropped. An appeal by the public prosecution led to Thursday's final retrial by the Court of Cassation. After a hearing that took most of the day, Judge Ahmed Abdel Qawi announced to cheers of approval from Mubarak supporters who filled the court room: "The court has found the defendant innocent." The court also rejected demands by lawyers of the victims to reopen civil suits. That left no remaining option for appeal or retrial, according to a judicial source. The families of those killed, who had attended the trial early on, were not present on Thursday. Their lawyers condemned the verdict as politically motivated. "This ruling is not fair and not just. The judiciary is politicised," said Osman al-Hefnawy, a lawyer for the families. Instead, the courtroom was filled with Mubarak supporters who cheered "long live justice" as the verdict was read out and unfurled posters of their former leader. TO REMAIN IN HOSPITAL? Many Egyptians who lived through Mubarak's rule view it as a period of autocracy and crony capitalism. His overthrow led to Egypt's first free election, which brought in Islamist President Mohamed Mursi. Mursi only lasted a year in office, however, after mass protests against his rule in 2013 prompted an overthrow by then army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who later went on to win a presidential election in 2014. Sisi has since launched a crackdown on Mursi and his Muslim Brotherhood, which has been banned as a terrorist organisation. Hundreds of Mursi supporters were killed in a single day and thousands were jailed, with the dragnet quickly widening to include secular activists who were at the forefront of the 2011 uprising but opposed Muslim Brotherhood rule. By contrast, Mubarak-era figures are gradually being cleared of charges and a series of laws limiting political freedoms has raised fears among activists that the old regime is back. Mubarak has long maintained his innocence in the case and has said history would judge him a patriot who served his country selflessly. He waved at supporters among the journalists and others in the courtroom, who included his son Alaa. Sitting in a wheelchair in the defendant's cage earlier in the day, without his trademark dark sunglasses, Mubarak denied involvement in the killing of protesters. "It did not happen," he answered when the presiding judge read out charges of providing vehicles and weapons used to assault protesters and failing to take action to prevent deaths. Mubarak, 88, got into a helicopter after the verdict to return to the hospital in the leafy Cairo suburb of Maadi where he has already completed a three year sentence in a separate corruption case -- the only one in which he was convicted. A source with knowledge of the matter said that although Mubarak was free to go home, he preferred to remain at the military hospital that has become his home, under constant medical supervision. (Writing by Lin Noueihed; Editing by Larry King and Dominic Evans)
Cincinnati Zoo's famous preemie hippo, Fiona, is showing just how far she's come in her latest video.

In GoPro footage taken beneath the surface of the water, the baby Nile hippo happily bobs along in a pool without any help.

Read: Baby Hippo Born Premature Receives Care Package From NICU Team at Children's Hospital

"Get a glimpse of Fionas underwater moves," the zoo said. "Shes working hard on doing a roll but hasnt quite made it 360 yet."

When Fiona was born more than six weeks early on January 24, she weighed just 29 pounds, which is 25 pounds lighter than the lowest recorded birth weight for the species, the zoo reported.

She wasnt strong enough to stand or nurse from her mom, 17-year-old Bibi, so Fiona required around-the-clock care from zookeepers.

The zoo has kept Fiona fans updated with her progress. Last month, they shared footage of her first wobbly steps and revealed last week that she has grown enough to get a bigger pool.

Read: Denver Zoo Welcomes Surprise Baby Giraffe... While Giraffe Being Livestreamed is Still Waiting

"Hippos don't actually swim," the zoo said. "They float and are able to hold their breath for long periods. Spending time in the pool will help Fiona build muscle and lung strength, keep her skin moist and let her act like a hippo!"

The local community has also rallied behind Fiona. A NICU team from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital sent over a care package for the preemie hippo, including her own hippo toy. And at the end of February, Cincinnati Childrens vein specialists responded when she was dehydrated and required an IV drip.

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ROME (Reuters) - Two people were killed after fire broke out at a camp housing hundreds of migrants who pick fruit and vegetables in the fields of southern Italy, officials said. A police spokesman said authorities are still gathering information about Thursday night's blaze, which tore through a shantytown known as the "Ghetto" near Foggia, in the Puglia region. Two burned bodies were recovered from the 5,000 square meter settlement, the fire service said on Twitter. Authorities had reportedly started clearing the camp on Wednesday, and police in riot gear were stationed near the charred wooden sheds on Friday. Illegal immigrants, mainly from Africa, have been flocking to the fields of southern Italy for years to scrape a living as seasonal pickers of grapes, olives, tomatoes and oranges. Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-immigrant Northern League, said Italy should fight organized crime and exploitation, and introduce a minimum wage. Italians also work in harsh conditions in the fields in the area, and the case of an Italian woman who died last year while toiling for a few euros an hour caused outrage. "Two African immigrants, exploited like slaves in the countryside (like so many Italians!) died last night because of a fire (the seventh!) in the shantytown where they lived," Salvini said in a statement. (Reporting by Isla Binnie)
Maverick the malamute was not exactly man's best friend when firefighters in Pennsylvania had to rescue him not once, but twice after he got himself stuck on the roof.

Read: Hotel Manager Springs to the Rescue After Dog's Leash Get Caught in Ascending Elevator

Chief Kevin Hazleton of the Nanticoke City Fire Department told InsideEdition.com his team was first dispatched to the home after a neighbor called 911 about a dog that had snuck out a second story window, and onto the roof.

The dog had punched the screen out, Hazleton said. We kind of chuckled as we went up.

He said they were originally nervous to approach the 150-pound malamute since his owners were out running errands, but soon found Maverick to be nothing but friendly.

They eventually got the pup back into the home from the open window, but no more than 30 minutes later, Hazleton said they received another call from the same neighbor.

"The neighbor literally saw the dog open [the window] back up," Hazleton said. "We didnt want this little guy coming off of the roof."

Read: Seeing Double? Puppy Born in Shelter Has Bizarre Image of Herself on Left Ear

So they went back to the scene, and helped Maverick back inside, for the second time in a day.

"It was a warm nice day, and he wanted to be out," Hazleton joked.

Watch: Frito the Sharp-Dressed Dog Reunites With Siblings After Searching for Them on Facebook

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Juba (AFP) - Four South Sudanese soldiers have been arrested over the mass rape of about a dozen women and girls in one village last month, the army spokesman said Friday.

The incident took place in Kubi some 40 kilometres (24 miles) south of Juba as soldiers raided the village looking for suspects in the killing of an army general by unidentified gunmen.

Local media reported the soldiers had gone on a rampage, raping and torturing at least 11 women, including a 13-year-old girl.

"Investigations were carried out and four SPLA (Sudan People's Liberation Army) officers were arrested," said spokesman Brigadier General Lul Ruai Koang.

One of those detained is the commander of the men accused of carrying out the sexual assaults, and will not himself face rape charges.

Another suspect had been arrested but managed to escape from a detention facility.

Koang said that the three accused of rape had been identified by the victims in a line-up and later confessed.

In their defence one soldier claimed to have been misled by Satan, while the others argued they were drunk.

"Let our people rest assured that SPLA will keep on doing its best to ensure that rogue soldiers are punished for crimes they commit," Koang said.

President Salva Kiir's troops and allied militia have been accused of ethnic massacres, rape and sexual slavery, looting, pillage and the forced recruitment of child soldiers in the country's three-year long civil war.

Rebels have perpetrated similar crimes.

The conflict broke out in 2013 after Kiir accused his rival and former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup against him.

A brief peace deal was left in tatters when fierce battles erupted in Juba in July last year.

The army announced in October it had arrested and convicted some 80 soldiers accused of looting and murder in the capital during the outbreak of fighting.

However none have been held for the widespread rape of locals and several Western aid workers.
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece and its international lenders have the political will to reach a compromise and conclude a crucial review of the country's bailout progress soon, French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Friday during a visit to Athens. The review has dragged on for months, mainly due to a rift between the European Union and the International Monetary Fund over Greece's fiscal goals next year - when the current rescue program expires - and beyond. The uncertainty surrounding the talks has revived fears of a new financial crisis in the euro zone, just as investors' nerves are jarred by unpredictable election races in the Netherlands, France and Europe's paymaster Germany. "Greece and its partners have the political will and I believe we will have positive results and good political compromises in the near future," Cazeneuve said after meeting Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Athens. "France has chosen to be on Greece's side," he said during the visit which is aimed at helping speed up the talks. France helped Greece reach a vital deal with its lenders in 2015, the country's third international bailout, which kept the crisis-hit country in the euro zone after tense negotiations. EU leaders are expected to meet in Brussels next week. Tsipras said it was "totally feasible" to reach a preliminarily deal by March 20, when euro zone finance ministers are expected to meet again. He also said Greece sought what he called a "global solution", which would include debt relief measures that will be implemented in the post-bailout period. EU and IMF mission chiefs returned to Athens this week to resume the review on the country's progress. Under negotiation is a package of austerity measures worth 2 percent of gross domestic product, which will be legislated now but implemented in 2019, and a set of relief measures with the same fiscal value. These will be activated if Athens meets a 3.5 percent of GDP primary surplus target in 2018. The IMF says the targets must either be lowered or the country needs to adopt more austerity measures to achieve them. The fund also argues that Greece needs further debt relief and has set these as terms for its participation in the country's current bailout. French Finance Minister Michel Sapin, who met his Greek counterpart Euclid Tsakalotos earlier on Friday, said the IMF's participation was crucial as it added credibility to the country's bailout efforts. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou, Karolina Tagaris and Lefteris Papadimas; Editing by Toby Davis)
Paris (AFP) - French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has refused to comply with a summons to meet investigating magistrates over an expenses scandal, her lawyer said Friday.

Le Pen, who is riding high in the polls ahead of voting in April and May, has written to magistrates probing accusations she misused European Parliament allowances and told them she will not speak to them until after the election, lawyer Rodolphe Bosselut said.
Rennes (France) (AFP) - A French centrist party has definitively withdrawn its support for scandal-hit rightwing presidential candidate Francois Fillon, its leader said in an interview Friday.

"We ask the Republicans to change candidate and if they do not, we will not be able to continue our alliance," UDI leader Jean-Christophe Lagarde told Ouest France newspaper.
Former president George W. Bush danced his way onto The Ellen DeGeneres Show for the first time on Thursday. Bushs dance moves were brief and subtle but he seemed pretty pleased with his attempt telling Ellen, and Im sober to the amusement of the audience.

Though George Bushs dancing looked a bit more like he was attempting to surf, the lightheartedness of the visit was a pleasant exchange. During his presidency, Bush was a proponent of a ban on homosexual marriage. Ellen DeGeneres is in supporter of gay marriage. Despite their different political ideals, it was apparent that both Ellen and George appreciated each other as human beings, with Bush remarking that Ellen is one of his daughter Jennas good friends.
Hundreds in Tbilisi, Georgia took to the streets two days in a row to protest what many perceive to be the government takeover of independent media.

Rustavi-2 is a popular television station in Georgia, and is known for publishing reports that are critical of the government  indeed, for being Georgias most important opposition voice.

On Thursday, Georgias Supreme Court put the television station back in the hands of Kibar Khalvashi, its former co-owner who is widely thought to have government ties.

Khalvashi had sued to reclaim the station, saying that authorities under the previous Georgian government forced him to sell the station for too little. But members of Georgias opposition argued that the suit was but a ploy for Bidzina Ivanishvili to bring Rustavi-2 under his control.

Khalvashi is a close associate of Ivanishvili, who is the billionaire founder of Georgian Dream, the current ruling party. He served as prime minister for a year, but, at present, does not hold elected office. Nevertheless, he is believed by many to be the power behind the proverbial throne.

The government asked people to respect the ruling and vowed respect towards the freedom of media.

But critics, including the U.S. Embassy in Georgia and the OSCEs representative for freedom of the media, expressed concern. Members of the opposition vowed to continue to fight for a free media.

Perhaps most significantly, hundreds of Georgian people in Tbilisi protested, first outside the Supreme Court and then outside Rustavi-2s headquarters  in some cases spending the night  to try to use free speech and assembly to protect their countrys free media.

Photo credit: VANO SHLAMOV/AFP/Getty Images
BERLIN (Reuters) - The German federal government was not involved in Thursday's decision by local authorities in the town of Gaggenau to ban an event where Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag was due to speak, a spokesman for the German foreign ministry said. "It was a decision that the German federal government did not influence in any way, and could not have influenced, because it is a matter of state and local law over which we have zero influence," spokesman Martin Schaefer told a regular government news conference. He said German ambassador Martin Erdmann underscored that message during a "serious but friendly" discussion with Turkish authorities after being summoned to discuss the incident late on Thursday. Schaefer said Germany would do everything it could to maintain an open dialogue with Turkey despite tensions over a range of issues, including Ankara's arrest of a German-Turkish journalist. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Joseph Nasr)
CAIRO (Reuters) - Germany has offered Egypt $500 million to support its economic programme and medium-sized and small businesses, the Egyptian ministry of investment and international cooperation said on Friday. "It was agreed with the German side (that they would) provide $250 million to support the economic programme ... as well as $250 million to support several other sectors, including micro-enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises, " it said in a statement. The support will come in the form of grants and concessional funds, a government official told Reuters. The German offer came during a visit to Egypt by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. (Reporting by Ehab Farouk; Editing by Gareth Jones)
By Yasmeen Abutaleb and Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ten state governors seeking to avoid millions of dollars in federal healthcare cuts under Republican plans to replace Obamacare pressed their case in a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday, according to two people briefed on the talks. The governors are worried that repealing former President Barack Obama's 2010 healthcare law without a detailed replacement will take coverage away from millions of Americans and land the states with a large financial hit. Pressure from governors is just one of the challenges facing President Donald Trump's administration as it tries to scrap Obama's Affordable Care Act, one of the Republican's signature election campaign promises. During the hour-long meeting, the governors presented Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price with a proposal to reform the Medicaid program for the poor, the sources said. Under Obamacare, more than 30 states - including about a dozen with Republican governors - expanded Medicaid by allowing those who earned incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level to enroll. The governors' plan would allow those states to maintain the Medicaid expansion and enable other states to also expand, according to a copy of the proposal seen by Reuters. States could choose to expand Medicaid to any income level at or below 138 percent and retain enhanced federal funding for the program. The proposal would also give states more flexibility in how they manage their Medicaid programs and cap spending for certain populations. House Republicans have yet to agree on a single detailed policy proposal and many say it will not be in place before 2019. On Thursday, a draft Obamacare repeal bill by the House Republicans was available for Republican members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to read in a room on Capitol Hill but was not publicly released. It was not clear whether the governors' demands were addressed in the latest version of the draft bill. "The President and Vice President have been very clear that governors and states will play a critical role in the repeal and replacement of Obamacare," said Marc Lotter, a Pence spokesman. Ohio Governor John Kasich also met with Trump on Friday and briefed him on the governors' plan. In his address to Congress on Tuesday, Trump said that state governors should be given "the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left out." Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady met on Thursday with Republican members of the Senate Finance Committee and discussed the Medicaid expansion. "We're still a long ways off," Walker said. "The same things they (lawmakers) hear from their members are the same things we hear in the states, is how do you balance states that didn't take the expansion and states that did. How do we make sure we find a good way?" he said. (Reporting By Yasmeen Abutaleb and Susan Cornwell; Additional reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Caroline Humer and Alistair Bell)
A Chicago woman whose granddaughter wrote in a diary throughout the torturous abuse she suffered has been convicted of the girl's murder.

A Cook County judge convicted 55-year-old Helen Ford on Thursday of first degree murder in the beating death of her 8-year-old granddaughter, Gizzell Ford.

Read: Stepfather Charged In 14-Month-Old's Murder, He Allegedly Sexually Abused and Beat Her Into Coma

Prosecutors argued that the girl, nicknamed Gizzy, was routinely and ruthlessly beaten by her grandmother. She was found dead in July 2013 and details of the gruesome state of her body were later released along with pages from the once-promising student's diary.

During the bench trial, a medical examiner told the judge that hair on Gizzy's head had been pulled out and described a gaping wound that had been infested with maggots while she was still alive.

Gizzy's half-brother and cousin testified in the case and described some of the harrowing abuse the little girl endured, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The younger half-brother described how Gizzy was forced to eat hot peppers and stand on one foot while holding her arms out with a sock stuffed in her mouth.

Her cousin told the court Gizzy was tied to her father's bed for up to a week at a time and denied food and water and only allowed off to use the bathroom, when she was once punished for being caught trying to drink from the toilet.

In the months leading to her death, Gizzy documented in her diary the abuse she experienced in the home on Chicago's west side.

"I hope that I don't mess up today because I really want to be able to just sit down, watch TV, talk and play with everybody. I am going to be great all day.

"I am going to be a beautiful smart and good young lady. I can do anything I put my... smart mind to. People say I'm smart and courageous and beautiful."

But later, Gizzy wrote a heartbreaking addendum: "Not true... I failed."

Story continues

On July 11, she wrote: "I hate this life because now I'm in super big trouble."

Two days later, the girl who was once a straight A student was found "cold" by police following calls of a person not breathing in the home.

Read: Pregnant Mom Charged With Murder After 2-Month-Old Son Reportedly Died of Starvation

Her father also lived in the home and was charged with murder but died of an apparent heart attack while awaiting trial.

Helen Ford faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - John J. Gotti, the grandson and namesake of New York's infamous "Teflon Don" mob boss, was sentenced on Thursday to eight years in prison after pleading guilty last month to selling oxycodone, an opioid prescription pain medication, prosecutors said.

Gotti, 23, was arrested in August along with eight other people in a sweep that recovered more than 850 oxycodone pills and more than $250,000 in cash. As part of his sentence, Gotti was also ordered to forfeit the seized cash.

Gotti was arrested last June after a long-term investigation that included bugging his car, which allowed investigators to record him describing an oxycodone-selling operation that generated $1.6 million a year, authorities said.

After his release from prison, Gotti will remain under court supervision for another five years, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.

The cases of the eight others arrested with Gotti are pending in court.

The elder Gotti, who earned the nickname "Teflon Don" after repeated acquittals at trial in the 1980s, died in prison of cancer in 2002. As the head of the Gambino crime family, Gotti was one of the country's most powerful Mafia bosses before he was sent to a federal prison in 1992 for life.

(Reporting by Peter Szekely; Editing by Sandra Maler)
ATHENS (Reuters) - At least 13 suspected members of an international criminal organization smuggling undocumented migrants to other European countries have been arrested, Greek authorities said on Friday. An operation to dismantle the ring was under way on the island of Crete, and Britain's National Crime Agency was also involved, police said. Crete, Greece's southernmost island, lies north of Libya and Egypt. The head of the local coastguard, Dimitris Saitakis, told reporters at least 13 suspected smugglers had been arrested, as well as 131 migrants hiding in caves or warehouses. "This is a strong blow to organized crime on Crete," Saitakis said, adding that he expected the number of arrests to rise "dramatically". Greek media said those arrested were migrants from Egypt and Pakistan and Syrian refugees. More than 60,000 migrants and refugees are stranded in camps in Greece by border closures across the Balkans which have halted their onward journey to northern and western Europe. For refugees, the only legal way out of Greece is through an EU relocation program to other member states, which has been progressing slowly. Those not eligible for asylum face deportation. On Thursday, the coastguard said it had arrested three migrants, one of whom was hiding in a suitcase, when they tried to board a ferry from the eastern Aegean island of Lesbos to the mainland. (Reporting by Karolina Tagaris; Editing by Toby Davis)
ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP)  A man has been indicted in the slaying of an employee at a central Kentucky group home where he lived.

The News-Enterprise (http://bit.ly/2lCzSKB) reports a Hardin County grand jury on Thursday indicted 32-year-old Lindale Cunningham for murder in the fatal stabbing of 66-year-old Sally Berry, who worked at the ResCare home in Elizabethtown.

Cunningham was charged Jan. 3 after authorities say he stabbed Berry more than 100 times with a steak knife. Another employee arriving to work found the victim lying in a pool of blood.

Court documents say Cunningham told authorities he stabbed Berry. Police have not released a motive.

Arrest records show Cunningham has been diagnosed as having health issues, including being autistic. Prosecutor Eric Carr says they don't expect the case to go to trial.
HAGATNA, Guam (AP)  A former Guam police officer has been found guilty of negligent homicide in connection to the 2015 shooting death of a fellow officer, but more serious charges have been dropped.

A Superior Court of Guam jury on Thursday found Mark Torre Jr. guilty of negligent homicide but acquitted him of murder and manslaughter, The Pacific Daily News reported (http://bit.ly/2lHh8Ku). He was also found guilty of felony aggravated assault and two special allegations of possession and use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.

Sgt. Elbert Piolo was shot with Torre's gun inside his truck at Torre's house on July 13, 2015.

Defense attorneys had argued Piolo was distraught over an extramarital affair and shot himself with Torre's weapon as the other officer tried to stop him.

Chief Prosecutor Phillip Tydingco said negligent homicide normally carries a sentence of zero to five years in prison, but because Torre is a first-time offender, they will recommend zero to three years. With the additional charges, Torre could be sentenced to a maximum of 28 years in prison.

Torre declined to comment after the verdict, but his attorney Joaquin Arriola Jr. thanked the jury.

"On behalf of the Torre family, we express our sincere thanks to the jury for taking the time and effort to sit through this very long and arduous process of trial and, most importantly, for deliberating over two days to make a decision in this case and not rush to judgment," he said.

Piolo's mother, Jerelyn Piolo, said she and the rest of her family had hoped Torre would be convicted of murder but that she has resigned herself to the outcome.

"I'm just leaving it to God," she said. "Karma will do the rest."
A Friday New York Times profile of Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States, illuminates the longtime diplomat as not only socially savvy and eager to network, but also unwavering in his dedication to his home country and its president, Vladimir Putin.

Peter Baker, the New York Times chief White House correspondent and co-author of the profile, joined Yahoo News Now on Friday to discuss Kislyak, who has been in the spotlight following revelations of his communications with various members of the Trump campaign and administration.

Both Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn have come under withering criticism for not disclosing their conversations with Kislyak.

Flynn was forced to resign last month when it was revealed that he and Kislyak had discussed the United States sanctions against Russia and that Flynn had later misled Vice President Mike Pence about doing so. Pence had publicly denied that Flynn and Kislyak had discussed the latest round of U.S. sanctions, which had been leveled by former President Barack Obama in response to Russias alleged meddling in the U.S. election.

On Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that Sessions met with Kislyak twice during the campaign, when he was an informal Trump adviser and campaigned on the celebrity businessmans behalf. Sessions had indicated under oath during his confirmation hearing that he had had no such communications with Russian officials.

Sergey Kislyak, Russias ambassador to the U.S. speaks with reporters at the Center for the National Interest in Washington in 2013. (Photo: Cliff Owen/AP)

That revelation prompted a wave of Democrats to demand Sessions resignation. Even a number of Republicans called on the attorney general to recuse himself from the governments investigation into Russias involvement in the 2016 race.

Under fire, Sessions held a Thursday press conference announcing that he would recuse himself from any investigation involving the Trump campaign. He said he could not recall any specific political discussions with Kislyak.

Baker, who has met Kislyak, said the ambassador was likely trying to establish relationships with potential power players if Trump were to be elected. In other words, Baker said, he wanted more than gossip.

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As for why Russia seemed to focus more on team Trump, Baker said that Clinton and her team were a known quantity and Putin was already prepared to deal with them in the White House. From the Clinton campaigns perspective, Baker pointed out, any meetings with Russian officials would have run counter to their campaign platform.

They dealt with her when she was secretary of state for four years; they obviously knew her when she was a senator and first lady, Baker said. So one thing for any Russian diplomat and Russian government, at this point, would have been to understand the player they didnt know as well, presumably, and that would have been Donald Trump.

He continued, Hillary Clinton had no interest in meetings with the Russians at that point. She was running, in part, on a platform of being tougher on Putin and tougher on Russia than Trump was, so it wouldnt have been in her political interest to take a lot of meetings.

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)  Former Argentine army chief Cesar Milani has been charged with covering up the disappearance of a soldier during the military dictatorship of the 1970s.

A judge on Friday indicted Milani in the case of Alberto Ledo, who was a 20-year-old university student assigned as an aide to Milani during his mandatory military service.

Prosecutors say Ledo vanished after a captain summoned him one night, and Milani helped present the case as a desertion. The motive is not clear, though the military was carrying out a murderous purge of suspected leftists at the time.

Milani headed the military under President Cristina Fernandez until 2015. He also is under arrest for alleged participation in the kidnapping and torture of three people during the dictatorship, which ended in 1983.

He denies wrongdoing
Hunter Biden spends lavishly on drugs and hookers, wife Kathleen alleges

Former Vice President Joe Bidens daughter-in-law, Kathleen Biden, is accusing her husband, Hunter Biden, of spending lavishly on drugs and prostitutes. According to divorce court documents filed by Kathleen, Hunters alleged drug use and infidelity led to their separation in October 2015.

Media attention has focused on the relationship between Hunter and his wife Kathleen, since it was confirmed that Hunter is dating the widow of his late brother, Beau.

Beau was Joe Bidens eldest son, a former Delaware attorney general, who died in May 2015, aged 46, after a prolonged battle with brain cancer.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents agents detained an undocumented immigrant who had been in the United States for two decades while he was dropping his daughters off at school in Los Angeles.

Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez, 48, was picked up by ICE this past Tuesday, Los Angeles TV station KABC reports. His daughter, Fatima Avelica, used her phone to record the agents taking him into custody.

Avelica-Gonzalez is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico and has lived in the United States for over 25 years, according to CNN.

I never thought wed actually go through something like this, another daughter, Brenda Avelica, told KABC. Its terrible to feel and see your family being broken apart.

A statement from ICE says Avelica-Gonzalez received a DUI in 2009, and had an outstanding order of removal that was over 2 years old.

An incident involving an incorrect car registration from 20 years ago contributed to agents putting Avelica-Gonzalez into custody, KABC also reports .
By Gene Emery The March 1 story is refiled to add new final paragraph, for clarification (Reuters Health) - An examination of more than a hundred of the largest U.S. nonprofit organizations created to improve health and fight disease has found that more than 8 in 10 get financial support from companies involved in the drug, biotechnology and medical device industry. In addition, over a third have at least one industry official on their governing board and, in 12 percent of the 104 organizations analyzed, an industry official was listed as leading the governing board. The tally raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest among groups that claim to be looking out for the best interest of patients but whose advocacy may be influenced by industries that have a financial interest in certain treatments. "Concerns have been raised that industry-supported patient-advocacy organizations have spoken out for access to drugs with questionable therapeutic benefit and remained silent on policy proposals, such as drug-pricing reforms, that might benefit their constituents," the research team from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia writes in the New England Journal of Medicine The influence might be even more extensive than the numbers suggest, say the authors, led by Matthew McCoy, a postdoctoral fellow in the university's department of medical ethics and health policy. Some of the 104 groups, all with annual revenues of more than $7.5 million, don't publish detailed information on their sources of revenue or members of their governing board. What was available showed that at least 39 percent of the health-oriented public advocacy groups each got a least $1 million a year from industry. The websites of only 12 percent of the organizations posted conflict-of-interest policies for managing such potential problems. The findings don't necessarily mean that the organizations have been compromised, McCoy told Reuters Health. "I don't want to impugn them," he said. "But I think we have a right to know more. If an organization receives more than 50 percent of its support from a drug or device company, I might take what they say with a grain of salt." The groups ranged from the New York-based Child Mind Institute which was the only organization of the 104 that explicitly says it does not accept industry support, to the National Hemophilia Foundation, whose 2014 annual report indicates that it received 50 percent to 83 percent of its annual revenue from drug or device companies. (Like many organizations, the foundation only reported donations in a range of dollars.) The foundation responded to Reuters Health with a statement saying that industry officials are prohibited from serving on its board and the organization "has never and will never advocate for any single treatment or group of treatments before legislators, or public and private payers. Instead, NHF advocates for all FDA-approved therapies, and will continue to fight to ensure that individuals with bleeding disorders have access to the therapies they need." Eighteen groups didn't report getting money from industry, but 13 of those provided no donor information at all. Of 59 groups that reported the amounts of their donations, 11 received at least 10 percent of their financial support from industry donations. They included the American Diabetes Association, the Epilepsy Foundation, the Arthritis Foundation, the National Kidney Foundation, and the National Hemophilia Foundation. The groups that responded to a Reuters Health inquiry said those donations don't influence policy. For example, the Kidney Foundation, in a statement, said that although it does accept financial support from industry, "this support does not drive policy positions, priorities, mission or objectives" and the sole industry member on its 24-member board is prohibited from voting on matters related to that person's business. Arthritis Foundation president Ann Palmer released a statement to Reuters Health saying, "Our corporate partners pay to sponsor events and tools. To keep the needs of people with arthritis at the center of what we do, the Foundation makes advocacy and position decisions independently - our corporate partners do not shape our agenda or advocacy efforts." The organization would not allow industry members to be on its governing board, she said. An earlier version of this story incorrectly listed the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association among the organizations that receive at least 10 percent of their financial support from industry. The organization tells Reuters Health that in 2016, only 1.04% of its revenue was contributed by pharmaceutical/medical device/biotech companies. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2lYvxVA New England Journal of Medicine, online March 1, 2017.
Before Hallie Biden began dating Hunter Biden  the brother of her late husband, Beau Biden  she had a close relationship with Hunters estranged wife, Kathleen.

The two women even talked of getting ready for the inaugural balls together at Kathleens Northwest DC home on the day their father-in-law, Joe Biden, would be sworn in for his second term as vice president.

Well get our hair done, put our makeup on with all the kids running around, Kathleen told Washingtonian magazine in a January 2013 story.

(Kathleen and Hunter have three children together  Naomi, now 23, Finnegan, now 18, and Maisy, 16  and Hallie is mom to Natalie, now 12, and Hunter, 10.)

I encourage people to make dinner reservations before the ball, Kathleen added, calling on her experience from serving on the Presidential Inaugural Committee in 2008. Go somewhere special  make a night of it.

One of Kathleens close friends tells PEOPLE that celebrating the successes of others comes naturally to her.

Kathleen is a devoted mother and a wonderful friend, Karen Barker Marcou tells PEOPLE. Her warm personality literally lights up every room she walks into, which makes her a great advocate.

Marcou and Kathleen have collaborated on the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project, in which Marcou serves as the executive director.

Kathleen has done incredible work for the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project, helping to raise awareness for the important work of providing pro bono representation to domestic violence survivors and at-risk children, says Marcou. We feel very lucky to have her as part of the DCVLP team!

Kathleen was also there for the family when Beau  born Joseph Robinette Biden III in 1969  died in 2015 after battling brain cancer for less than two years. He was 46.

Beau and Kathleen were close, according to Hunter, 47  who spoke about the friendship between his brother and his wife at Beaus funeral.

Your mom is the most fiercely loyal and protective person I know, Hunter told his niece and nephew of their mom, Hallie. She was more devoted to your daddy than anyone else in the world. She would do anything for him. And she did do everything for him.

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He continued: Your mom shared your daddy with the world. The most important to me she shared him with Aunt Kathleen, his confident and coconspirator, usually conspiring against me.

Hallie and Kathleens lives were thrust back into the spotlight on Wednesday when Hunter confirmed he was now dating Hallie after separating from Kathleen, whom he married in July 1993.

In a statement to the New York Posts Page Six column, Hunter said: Hallie and I are incredibly lucky to have found the love and support we have for each other in such a difficult time, and thats been obvious to the people who love us most. Weve been so lucky to have family and friends who have supported us every step of the way.

Their relationship is supported by the former vice president and wife Dr. Jill Biden, who said in a statement: We are all lucky that Hunter and Hallie found each other as they were putting their lives together again after such sadness. They have mine and Jills full and complete support and we are happy for them.

RELATED VIDEO: Hunter Bidens Estranged Wife Claims He Spent Extravagantly on Drugs, Alcohol, Prostitutes and Strip Clubs

According to divorce filings obtained by PEOPLE, an attorney for Hunter claims that Kathleen asked him to leave their home in . July 2015  less than two months after Beaus death on May 30. Kathleens lawyer stated that Kathleen asked Hunter to leave the house on July 5, 2015 due to his conduct the night before. They formally separated in October of that year, and Kathleen filed for divorce last December.

The divorce proceedings do not elaborate on Hunters alleged conduct the night before Kathleen threw him out, but the court documents do include some explosive allegations. Specifically, Kathleen alleges that Hunter has been spending extravagantly on his own interests, which, she says, include drugs, alcohol, strip clubs, gifts for other women and prostitutes.

The documents also state that the family has shocking and overwhelming debts, including tax debt, maxed-out credit cards, and double mortgages on multiple properties.

Hunters attorney Sarah E. Mancinelli told PEOPLE in a statement: Hunter and Kathleen have been separated for some time and are in the process of finalizing a divorce. Hunter loves and admires Kathleen as a person, a mother, and a friend. He hopes their privacy can be respected at this time.

With reporting by CAITLIN KEATING and DIANE HERBST


HAT YAI, Thailand (AP)  Two paramilitary volunteers were wounded Friday by gunmen in southern Thailand, as continuing violence in the region threatens to undermine what the Thai government says is the possibility of a small breakthrough in efforts to bring peace to the region.

The two volunteers in Narathiwat province were shot as they parked their motorcycles by the roadside, said police Capt. Wongduen Kamsri.

The shooting came a day came after attacks elsewhere in the province killed three soldiers and five civilians, including an 8-year-old boy. The soldiers were shot in the evening at a busy market, while the boy, his parents and an aunt were killed as they were driving to school.

About 7,000 people have been killed since a Muslim separatist insurgency flared in 2004 in Buddhist-dominated Thailand's three Muslim-majority provinces in its far south.

The government has been holding preliminary peace talks with Mara Patani, a coalition of southern insurgent groups with which it recently reached an agreement in principle to establish safe zones for the protection of civilians, but it is unclear if every insurgent group will honor it.

A statement from Mara Patani said it strongly condemns the attack on the schoolboy and his family.

"Mara Patani reiterates its commitment to resolving the Patani conflict through peaceful political dialogue and the establishment of safety zones," it said.

However, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional, considered the most active militant group, is not a party to the talks, raising questions about whether the negotiations will actually help resolve the conflict. Some independent observers say the attacks show the talks have little connection to actual fighting on the ground.

"With or without the talks, insurgency violence is going to continue," said Don Pathan, a security analyst based in southern Thailand. "It will raise questions among the public about whether the negotiations are going anywhere."
President Trump holds an executive memorandum on defeating the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria after signing it in the Oval Office of the White House on Jan. 28, 2017. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

In his first speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, President Donald Trump repeated his promise from the campaign trail to achieve a decisive victory over the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Just the day before, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis had briefed the president and his national security team on a list of options for accelerating the fight against the terrorist group.

As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS  a network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women and children of all faiths and beliefs, Trump told Congress, in an unusually restrained and disciplined speech. We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet.

Dropping all his claims during the campaign that he had a secret and foolproof plan for defeating ISIS quickly and effectively and having total victory, Trump now faces what are likely to prove to be some of the most important decisions of his presidency. Barack Obama similarly promised to decimate al-Qaida and fight the good fight in Afghanistan as a presidential candidate in 2008, for instance, only to come to recognize that those early decisions on the Afghan war were the most difficult and consequential of his presidency, reverberating throughout his entire eight years in office.

The nature of Trumps anti-ISIS campaign could fundamentally recast U.S. alliances, with repercussions lasting years, and even decades. Trumps military plan will also reveal the level of risk that an inexperienced and unpredictable president is willing to assume in order to keep a campaign promise that plays well with his political base and burnishes his strongman persona, yet entails life-and-death consequences. With the recent loss of Navy SEAL William Ryan Owens on a commando raid in Yemen, Trump has already felt the weighty burden of the commander-in-chief who sends service members on perilous missions, only to have some return in flag-draped coffins.

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A boy injured in a mortar attack is taken to an ambulance after being treated by medics in a field clinic, as Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants in western Mosul, Iraq, on March 2, 2017. (Photo: Zohra Bensemra/Reuters)

Most importantly, Trumps anti-ISIS campaign plan will provide an early indication of whether he grasps the complexity of a threat that is not likely to yield decisive or easily sustained victories. Indeed, completing the ongoing military task of wresting Mosul and Raqqa from ISIS grasp is likely to be only the first, albeit important, phase in a long journey. The United States conflict with the global jihadist movement, now almost two decades old, is now officially Trumps war.

Perhaps no military officer of his generation better understands this unconventional enemy, and the possible second- and third-order effects of every option now on Trumps desk, than retired Gen. David Petraeus, the former top U.S. commander in both Iraq and Afghanistan and at U.S. Central Command. He is widely credited with crafting and executing the counterinsurgency doctrine that initially turned the tide in both those wars.

With the Trump administrations willingness to accelerate the ongoing campaign, I think theres a real opportunity to capitalize on the momentum achieved and to hasten ISISs defeat in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere, Petraeus said in an interview. He noted that in its waning months, the Obama administration had already taken several important steps on the military front: permitted U.S. military advisers to embed with Iraqi security forces as far down as the battalion level; eased rules on the use of air power; deployed more advise and assist elements to Iraq and then Syria; halted scheduled troop withdrawals in Afghanistan; and intensified counterterrorism operations in Libya, Somalia and Yemen as well. All of those actions have put increased pressure on a reeling ISIS and its allied extremist groups that the Trump campaign can capitalize on.

But the military defeat of ISIS is only the first step, Petraeus said. The much more challenging task is to use all elements of American and coalition power to help achieve political solutions that will avoid once again creating fertile ground for extremists, and thereby avoid the rise of ISIS 3.0.

And he added: Our success in that mission will determine whether the U.S. military has to do this all over again in five years. And beyond that, we have to bear in mind that this is a generational struggle, and we have to conduct it in a way that is sustainable over the long term.

Former CIA Director and retired Army Gen. David Petraeus participates in a discussion Feb. 3, 3017, at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI) in Washington, D.C.. The forum was titled Lost in translation: The unsung war heroes of Iraq and Afghanistan. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

According to a knowledgeable source, the anti-ISIS plan delivered to the White House fell far short of a formal campaign strategy endorsed by the secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs. I would call it less of a plan than a framework for considering a range of options designed to achieve desired end states, and the risks associated with those options, said a senior Pentagon source. The idea is to begin a discussion with the White House and eventually elicit guidance and decisions about where the commander-in-chief wants to go with the campaign.

At a minimum, the Trump administrations anti-ISIS campaign is likely to intensify and accelerate efforts already underway. Many experts expect the Pentagon to increase the numbers of the 5,000 U.S. troops currently deployed in Iraq, and the roughly 500 in Syria, who are primarily on train, assist and enable missions. Operational commander Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, who heads the Combined Joint Task Force  Operation Inherent Resolve, has already reportedly loosened rules on how close to shifting frontlines U.S. troops may operate, and liberalized rules of engagement for targeting ISIS forces in ways that potentially risk more collateral damage and civilian casualties. Those constraints will probably be further relaxed. U.S. military leaders have also floated the possibility of equipping Kurdish and Arab forces in Syria with tactical vehicles for added mobility, and heavier artillery to provide indirect fire, in anticipation of the upcoming siege of Raqqa, Syria.

Some airpower advocates argue that the U.S. military could significantly accelerate the anti-ISIS campaign by essentially flooding the zone with U.S. precision strike aircraft and unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance drones, the better to conduct round-the-clock strike operations. The primary vulnerability of ISIS is that it really does have the attributes of a state, with leadership elements, banks, command-and-control and communications hubs, oil production and distribution networks, and electric grids, said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, who commanded CENTCOMs initial air war in Afghanistan. An aggressive air campaign that precisely attacks each of those nodes simultaneously, he said, could halt the ability of the Islamic State to function as an organization and a state. Of course, at the same time, we have to try and minimize collateral damage and civilian casualties to the extent possible, but there is no such thing as immaculate warfare.

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend talks with an Iraqi officer during a tour north of Baghdad on Feb. 8, 2017. (Photo: Ali Abdul Hassan/AP)

Of course, the option that would most quickly recapture ISIS-held territory would be the deployment of U.S. ground combat units to lead the fight. CENTCOM commander General Joseph Votel seemed to leave that possibility open when he told reporters last week that in order to maintain momentum in the operation to liberate Raqqa, U.S. forces might take on a larger burden ourselves. There is still significant resistance to a full-scale U.S. ground operation, however, especially among a generation of U.S. military officers who came of age on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, and still vividly remember the monumental challenges of trying to piece together fractured societies.

Clearly, President Trump finds the current pace of anti-ISIS operations unacceptable, but of all the military options the Pentagon has given him, deploying significant U.S. ground combat units carries the highest risks, said retired Lt. Gen. David Barno, who commanded all U.S. and allied troops in Afghanistan, and is currently a distinguished practitioner in residence at American Universitys School of International Service. U.S. ground combat troops, he notes, will greatly increase the likelihood of U.S. casualties, inviting an eventual public backlash at home. Especially if U.S. troops are not going to stick around and protect the civilian population and help them rebuild, they will create a lot of anti-American sentiment. And even if they are there for the long-term, their mere presence will create a lot of insurgent antibodies in the region. We went down that road in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the initial results were impressive, and very short-lived.

Indeed, many experts are most anxiously awaiting the Trump administrations answers to the agonizing day after questions inherent in any military operation. The day after Mosul falls from ISIS grip, will Trump endorse an enduring U.S. military presence in Iraq to solidify those gains? How will he leverage that presence diplomatically in order to convince the Shiite-led government in Baghdad to reconcile with restive Sunni regions, and thus avoid rekindling the Sunni insurgency that gave rise to ISIS and its predecessor, al-Qaida in Iraq? Who will administer Raqqa the day after it falls into allied hands, and how will the Trump administration keep it from being swept into Syrias hydra-headed civil war, with the Assad regime, Iran, Russia, Turkey Kurdish factions and other Islamic extremist groups all jockeying for position and territory? It is a recasting of the question that General Petraeus made famous in the early days of the Iraqi invasion: Tell me how this ends?

Smoke rises after an airstrike during the battle against Islamic State militants in the district of al-Mamoun in Mosul, Iraq, March 1, 2017. (Photo: Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters)

Trumps generals, like Mattis and [national security adviser Lt. Gen. H.R.] McMaster, understand better than anyone else that military operations are a necessary but not sufficient component of any successful counterinsurgency strategy, and Im confident they are pushing hard for political, diplomatic and economic lines of effort, said Kenneth Pollack, senior fellow in the Brookings Institutions Center for Middle East Policy, and formerly a Middle East specialist at the CIA. The question is whether they can convince Trump and his advisers to buy into and commit to such a plan. Because if the administration doesnt get the politics of reconciliation right in Iraq, and come up with a plan to end the Syrian civil war, then it will confront the son of ISIS tomorrow, just as ISIS was the son of al-Qaida in Iraq.

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James Kitfield is senior fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency & Congress, and author of the recent book Twilight Warriors: The Soldiers, Spies and Special Agents Who Are Revolutionizing the American Way of War (Basic Books). He is a former senior correspondent for National Journal and has written about defense, national security and foreign policy issues from Washington, D.C., for more than two decades.







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Rome (AFP) - The number of migrants rescued at sea this year in operations run by Italy's coastguard topped 15,000 Friday after another 900 people were saved, including eight-month-old Syrian twins and five other babies.

The latest operations confirm the pattern of a sharp upward spike in winter departures from troubled Libya.

Aid groups believe the exodus is being driven by worsening living conditions for migrants in the north African state and by fears the sea route to Europe could soon be closed to traffickers.

Migrant arrivals in Italy from its former colony are up by between 57 and 81 percent this year in comparison to the opening two months of 2015 and 2016, according to Italian interior ministry figures.

The coastguard said 10 rescue operations had taken place on Friday to help migrants aboard four large rubber dinghies and six smaller wooden vessels.

Norway's Siem Pilot, part of the European border agency Frontex's mission, and the Aquarius, operated by French NGO SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders (MSF), carried out the rescue operations.

Amid relatively calm seas, there were no reports of fresh casualties. The United Nations refugee agency estimates 440 people have lost their lives trying to make the crossing from Libya to Italy since the start of 2017.

- Smoking humour -

More than half a million migrants have reached Italy from Libya since the current migrant crisis began to spiral out of control at the end of 2013.

The vast majority of them have been Africans but the latest batches have included scores of Syrians and Bangladeshis.

Crew on the Aquarius told AFP that the people it had picked up included 16 nationalities, including a Syrian family of six with the two twin babies.

They were among seven less than one-year-old infants rescued by the Aquarius, which also saved 12 toddlers aged one to four.

Tom Kington, a reporter for British newspaper The Times, was onboard the NGO-operated boat and recounted a lighter moment in the day's dramatic events.

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"Syrian man with sense of humour picked up today on #Aquarius when told he couldn't smoke: 'I want to go back to Libya'" Kington posted on Twitter.

One of the Syrian survivors, who only wanted to be identified as M., told the crew that he had been living in Libya for three years before deciding he had to try and get to Europe, where he has a brother living in Germany.

"My family is still in the region of Aleppo. I called them yesterday before leaving," the 35-year-old English teacher said.

- 'Only the blacks' -

"In Libya, it is a catastrophic situation, the militias, no money, no government, wars between two cities... I think that by the end of this year, there will not be any Syrians left in Libya," he said.

"Myself, I was hoping to return to Syria, but I couldn't. I had no other choice."

A Bangladeshi, J., said conditions in Libya were worse than those he and his compatriots had fled.

"We all have left Bangladesh because of violence and poverty, the situation is very bad there," said the former Dhaka resident.

"But Libya is definitely worse. You can't go to the market without fear of being shot."

A survivor from Cameroon said black Africans were even more vulnerable.

"The Libyans sell people. You don't even realise at first that it is a kidnapping, someone tells you to go there for work but then if you ask to be paid for your work they threaten to kill you.

"The situation is very bad. When they see a black, they will take him, call his family to send money. Only the blacks, not the other people. The only way out of it is to escape. You always have to hide when you're black in Libya."
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced this week that he would recuse himself from any investigations into President Donald Trumps campaign. But the man who would run the probes in his place hasnt been confirmed yet.

In the event that an attorney general recuses him or herself, which essentially means to step aside and decline to participate in an investigation, the responsibility then falls to the deputy attorney general. The Trump Administration, however, does not have an official deputy in place yet, and theres a chance that neither the acting nor the confirmed deputy attorney general ends up overseeing campaign-related probes.

Heres what you need to know.

Who is the current deputy attorney general?

The post is currently held by Dana Boente, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Trump appointed him in January after firing acting attorney general Sally Yates for refusing to defend Trumps executive order imposing a travel ban on some immigrants from several majority-Muslim countries, which was being challenged in federal court.

For now, Boente is the person who would run any probes Sessions recused himself from. Sessions said in a Justice Department statement, Consistent with the succession order for the Department of Justice, Acting Deputy Attorney General and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Dana Boente shall act as and perform the functions of the Attorney General with respect to any matters from which I have recused myself to the extent they exist.

Who is up for the confirmed position?

Boente might not be acting deputy attorney general for much longer. A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday on Trumps permanent pick for the position, Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein is the U.S. attorney for Maryland, one of the only George W. Bush-appointed U.S. attorneys that President Barack Obama kept in place, the Washington Post reports. Given that he would now oversee any Justice Department investigations into Trumps campaign or connections to Russia, his hearing will likely be dominated by questions about how he would handle such probes.

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The timeline isnt set for when Rosenstein might be confirmed. If a relevant investigation is launched before then, or if he is not confirmed, Boente would be in charge.

Could it be neither of them?

Theres another option. Boente or Rosenstein, whoever is deputy attorney general at the time an inquiry is launched, could appoint a special prosecutor in his place. The rules for appointing a special counsel require three criteria to be met:

1. The attorney general or acting attorney general must [determine] that criminal investigation of a person or matter is warranted.

2. That investigation or prosecution of that person or matter by a United States Attorneys Office or litigating Division of the Department of Justice would present a conflict of interest for the Department or other extraordinary circumstances.

3. That under the circumstances, it would be in the public interest to appoint an outside Special Counsel to assume responsibility for the matter.

Read More: What to Know About Jeff Sessions and Russia

Some members of Congressional leadership are already calling on Boente to appoint an outside prosecutor, including top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer.
WASHINGTON  Attorney General Jeff Sessions may not have been clear about his contacts with Russian officials during the 2016 election, but this much is: The controversy over any Kremlin involvement in American politics is not going to fade away anytime soon.

Sessions on Thursday became the second high-ranking member of the Trump administration to take a hit over conversations with Russias envoy to the U.S., recusing himself from any probe that examines communications between Trump aides and Moscow but facing down calls for his resignation. An early backer and key adviser for Trumps campaign, Sessions said his staff recommended that he step aside from a probe.

I feel I should not be involved in investigating a campaign I had a role in, he said.

Sessions action followed revelations that he twice spoke with the Russian ambassador and didnt say so when pressed, under oath, by Congress. Though he rejected any suggestion that he tried to mislead anyone, he did allow that he should have been more careful in his testimony.

I should have slowed down and said, But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times,' he said.

The recusal, despite White House support for him, followed a chorus of demands that Sessions resolve the seeming contradiction between his two conversations with Moscows U.S. envoy, Sergey Kislyak, and his statements to Congress in January that he had not communicated with Russians during the campaign. It carried echoes of a similar controversy involving retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who two weeks ago resigned as national security adviser after misleading White House officials about his own discussions with Kislyak.

Additional communication was revealed Thursday between Kislyak and Flynn and Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, at New Yorks Trump Tower. In addition, Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser to Trumps presidential campaign, spoke with the ambassador last summer, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting.

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In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry called the story media vandalism and the Kremlin lamented the emotional atmosphere currently in Washington.

The recusal removes Sessions from any involvement in examining potential Russian meddling in the election, which has dogged the Trump administration from the outset and figures to be an extraordinarily consequential matter for the department Sessions leads.

It means the attorney general should not receive any briefings on it and have no information to provide to Congress or the public. But Sessions decision to leave the matter in the hands of a top deputy may not cool demands that someone from outside the department provide a fully independent set of eyes.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said a special prosecutor should be appointed to examine whether the federal investigation had been compromised by Sessions. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who had accused Sessions of lying under oath, repeated her call for his resignation after he recused himself and assailed his integrity.

There must be an independent, bipartisan, outside commission to investigate the full extent of the Trump political, personal and financial connections to the Russians, she said.

Trump laid the controversy at the feet of Democrats, saying they were just trying to save face. The Democrats are overplaying their hand, the president said in a statement. They lost the election and now, they have lost their grip on reality. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!

Thursdays developments came on the heels of what had been the high point of Trumps young presidency: a well-received address to Congress Tuesday night that energized Republicans and appeared to wipe away some lawmakers concerns about the administrations tumultuous start.

Trump has been trailed for months by questions about potential ties to Russia. He has vigorously denied being aware of any contacts his associates had with Russia during the campaign and has also insisted he has no financial ties to Russia.

The Justice Department acknowledged Sessions contacts Wednesday night following a report in The Washington Post, but maintained there was nothing improper about them or his answers to Congress. Still, the emergence of the additional potential of Russian interference in American politics and the omission of the meetings caused more than a half-dozen Republican lawmakers, including some who consider themselves personally close to Sessions, to urge him to recuse himself.

Republican Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, who said that though he found it impossible to believe that Sessions could have colluded with Russia, if there is an investigation, he probably shouldnt be the person leading it.

Intelligence agencies have already concluded that the Kremlin interfered in the election with the goal of helping Trump win. The FBI and Justice Department are investigating, as are the House and Senate intelligence committees. The House committee said its probe would examine Russian cyber actions related to the campaign as well as links between Russia and individuals associated with the campaign.

While there is nothing necessarily nefarious or even unusual about a member of Congress meeting with a foreign ambassador, typically members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee meet with foreign ambassadors, not Armed Services Committee lawmakers, whose responsibility is oversight of the military and the Pentagon. Congressional contact with Russian officials was limited after the invasion of Crimea and due to Moscows close relationship with Syria, a pariah for much of the West

The Justice Department acknowledged two separate Sessions interactions with Kislyak, both coming after cybersecurity firms had concluded that Russian intelligence agencies were behind cyber-hacking of the Democratic National Committee.

The first occurred after a Heritage Foundation event during the Republican National Convention in July, when the department says a group of envoys  including the Russian ambassador  approached Sessions. The second was a September conversation, which the department likened to the more than 25 discussions Sessions had with foreign ambassadors last year as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

But Sessions did not disclose his discussions with Kislyak at his Senate confirmation hearing in January when asked by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., what he would do if anyone affiliated with the campaign had been in contact with officials of the Russian government.

Sessions said, I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didnt have, did not have communications with the Russians, and Im unable to comment on it.

In a separate written questionnaire, he answered no when asked about contacts regarding the election.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced this week that he would recuse himself from any investigations into President Donald Trumps campaign. But what exactly does that mean?

Merriam-Webster defines recuse as To disqualify (oneself) as judge in a particular case; broadly : to remove (oneself) from participation to avoid a conflict of interest. (According to Vox, recuse was the most-searched word on Merriam Websters website on Thursday.)

What this actually means in practice is that if there are any investigations into Trumps campaign, Sessions, the top law enforcement officer in the country, will decline to take part in them. In that case, any Justice Department investigation would be run by the deputy attorney general. Right now Dana Boente is acting in the position, the New York Times reports, but a Senate hearing is scheduled for next week on the nomination of Rod Rosenstein to become deputy attorney general. Since investigations into the Trump campaign will now become his purview if hes confirmed, you can bet questions about Russia, the President and Sessions recusal will come up in his hearings.

Sessions announcement came amid questions over his contact with the Russian ambassador in 2016. Both a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a Trump campaign surrogate, the Washington Post reported Wednesday that Sessions had met twice with Sergey Kislyak last year, after saying in his confirmation hearing, [I] did not have communications with the Russians. Sessions maintains he did not discuss the presidential campaign with Kislyak and did nothing wrong, but that he decided to recuse himself anyway. I should not be involved in investigating a campaign I had a role in, he said Thursday.

The White House defended Sessions. Trump called him an honest man Thursday night and said, This is a total witch hunt!
DENVER (AP)  A Denver judge has raised bail to $1 million cash for a Honduran man charged in a fatal hit-and-run to make sure he is not deported before the state case is resolved.

District Judge Shelley Gilman made the decision Thursday in the case of Norlan Estrada-Reyes, who is charged in an October crash that killed Karina Pulec, 28, The Denver Post (dpo.st/2mjUD1t) reported.

Reyes, who was deported in 2007, pleaded guilty Monday to a federal charge of illegally re-entering the United States. He was placed in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody pending deportation.

On Thursday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Julie Hill asked for Reyes' bail to be increased to $1 million in the state case, arguing if he weren't in state custody ICE would deport him within a month. His next court appearance in the hit-and-run is scheduled for late April.

Reyes had previously posted $20,000 bail.

He was arrested by immigration officers in early December and charged with illegal re-entry. Acting Colorado U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer said his office doesn't usually file criminal charges but did so in the Reyes case to get him off the street.

Hill told Judge Gilman that ICE officials had suggested Denver prosecutors seek a no-bond hold for Reyes.

Defense attorney Brad Lozow argued Thursday that the $1 million bail was 100 times what a defendant is typically held on in such a case.

"What's being done in this case, your honor, is 'let's treat Mr. Reyes differently,'" Lozow told the court.

Judge Gilman said she'd seen enough cases where defendants were not tried because they had been deported. Reyes was taken into the custody of the sheriff's department after Thursday's hearing.

The ICE media office did not immediately respond to an email asking if the month time frame for deportation was accurate.

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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com
Paris (AFP) - French presidential candidate Francois Fillon suffered new blows to his scandal-hit campaign, while veteran conservative Alain Juppe stood ready to replace him in the race.

Fillon's spokesman and campaign manager quit and the leader of a small centrist party confirmed it was withdrawing its backing over an expenses scandal.

Pressure has been building on the rightwing former prime minister, who turns 63 on Saturday, since he revealed this week that he is to be charged over allegations he paid his wife Penelope hundreds of thousands of euros for fake parliamentary jobs.

The 71-year-old Juppe, also an ex-premier and a one-time foreign minister, was beaten by Fillon in the conservative primary in November after beginning the contest as a clear favourite.

Juppe has kept a low profile since. Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen has taken the lead in opinion polls and centrist Emmanuel Macron has also benefited from Fillon's woes.

- Juppe sets conditions -

With the March 17 deadline for the collection of signatures necessary to launch a candidacy fast approaching, a member of Juppe's entourage told AFP he was prepared to take over -- under certain conditions.

Juppe "will not refuse if all the conditions are met -- Francois Fillon has to take the decision to pull out himself and the rightwing and centre camps... have to be united behind him", the unnamed source said.

The leader of the centrist UDI party said it was definitively withdrawing its support for Fillon after it suspended its backing on Wednesday.

"We ask the Republicans (Fillon's party) to change candidate and if they do not, we will not be able to continue our alliance," UDI leader Jean-Christophe Lagarde told Ouest France newspaper.

Fillon has been hit by a stream of defections, with his campaign manager Patrick Stefanini announcing Friday evening that he was quitting, following the departure earlier in the day of his spokesman Thierry Solere.

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They join a growing list which includes two deputy directors, the campaign treasurer and foreign affairs point man Bruno Le Maire.

- Juppe to save conservatives? -

One opinion poll Friday showed that Juppe -- who is viewed as more centrist than Fillon -- would go straight into the lead if he took over.

Juppe would have 26.5 percent of votes, giving him a narrow lead over Macron on 25 percent, while Le Pen would slip to third place on 24 percent, according to the Odoxa-Dentsu Consulting poll of 943 people.

Since his defeat in the primary, Juppe has stayed out of the fray and ventured rarely from the southwest city of Bordeaux where he is mayor.

He had made a political comeback after being given a suspended 14-month jail sentence in 2004 over a party funding scandal.

Fillon, whose Paris home was raided by police on Thursday, is going ahead with plans to hold a rally near the Eiffel Tower on Sunday.

In an online video message urging supporters to attend, he said only he could "restore France's strength".

Fillon's headline policy is a pledge to slash half a million civil servants' jobs to cut public spending.

Le Pen, campaigning on an anti-immigration and anti-EU platform, has for months been forecast to reach the second round of an election influenced by the same populist themes that propelled US President Donald Trump to power and led to the Brexit vote in Britain.

Polls currently show however that Le Pen will be beaten in the decisive runoff on May 7 by either the fast-rising Macron or the conservative candidate.

- The right's fear -

The fear for the right is that Fillon will fail to reach the runoff.

Fillon has hit out at the justice system, claiming he was the victim of a "political assassination" over the fake jobs allegations that were first made by the Canard Enchaine newspaper.

Investigators are probing what work Fillon's wife Penelope actually performed for her pay. He insists she has "always" assisted him during his lengthy political career and has strongly denied any wrongdoing.

A source close to Juppe told Le Parisien newspaper on Friday that the veteran politician "felt ill" when he heard Fillon questioning the impartiality of judges.

Socialist President Francois Hollande also lashed out at Fillon this week, saying being a presidential candidate did not give him the right to "cast suspicion on the work of the police and judges".
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's clothes are inspiring women everywhere as the world waits for a Prince Harry and Meghan Markle engagement announcement.

With Meghan Markle and Prince Harry jetting off to a Jamaican wedding to enjoy their first time socializing openly as a couple, all eyes will inevitably be on the Prince and his girlfriend. Us Magazine wrote that Harry and Meghan are in Jamaica to celebrate the wedding of Prince Harrys best friend, Tom Skipp Inskip, in Montego Bay, St. James this week.

Prince Harry and Meghans wedding guest status will have both of them hoping that they wont take away attention from the bride and groom, but the British royal family is nearly always the center of attention. The Daily Mail reported that this wedding will be the first step in the next stage of Markles relationship with royalty as she finds out just how much more intense the spotlight can become.
(Reuters) - The Keystone XL oil pipeline does not need to be made from U.S. steel, despite an executive order by President Donald Trump days after he took office requiring domestic steel in new pipelines, the White House said on Friday. "It's specific to new pipelines or those that are being repaired," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters on Air Force One, when asked about a report by Politico that Keystone would not need to use U.S. steel, despite Trump's order issued on Jan. 24. "Since this one is already currently under construction, the steel is already literally sitting there, it's hard to go back. Everything moving forward would fall under that executive order," Sanders said. The southern leg of Keystone is completed and started pumping oil in 2013. Some pipe segments that could be used for Keystone XL, which would bring oil from Alberta, Canada to Nebraska, have already been built. Former Democratic president Barack Obama rejected TranCanada Corp's multibillion-dollar pipeline, saying it would not benefit U.S. drivers and would contribute emissions linked to global warming. Trump's order expedited the path forward for TransCanada to reapply to build Keystone XL. In weeks after issuing the order, Trump said in speeches and in meetings, including one with manufacturing CEOs, that Keystone would be required to use U.S. steel. In a speech this week to a joint session of Congress, Trump softened that stance saying new pipelines would have to be made with it. Economists told Reuters days after Trump issued the order that the steel requirement had many loopholes, would not be easily enforceable, and could violate international trade law. Even if there were no loopholes, U.S. steelmakers would receive negligible benefit from Keystone XL, because they have limited ability to meet the stringent requirements for the project. The office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it welcomes the allowance of non-U.S. steel, calling it a "recognition that the integrated Canadian and U.S. steel industries are mutually beneficial." TransCanada said it was encouraged by the White House statement on non-U.S. steel and that its presidential permit application on Keystone was making its way through the approval process. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said on Twitter that allowing non-U.S. steel was "important for companies like Evraz Steel," a local subsidiary of Russia's Evraz PLC, which had signed on to provide 24 percent of the steel before Keystone XL's rejection by Obama. (Reporting by Melissa Fares on Air Force One, Ethan Lou in Calgary and Timothy Gardner in Washington; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and David Gregorio)
Khizr Khan, the Gold Star father who famously condemned Donald Trumps proposed Muslim ban during the presidential campaign, paid his respects to a group of volunteers helping immigrants at Washington Dulles International Airport on Thursday.

In an interview with Yahoo News, Mirriam Seddiq, an immigration attorney and Dulles Justice Coalition (DJC) volunteer, said Khan praised the volunteers over and over for embodying American values.

You are the true heroes, and this is truly America. This is the pinnacle of the legal profession, she recalled Khan saying.

Khan, a Pakistani-born lawyer who lost his son in the Iraq War, met with DJC volunteers at baggage claim where they set up operations in the Washington metro-area airport. Khan signed pocket copies of the U.S. Constitution with inscriptions reading, to the best lawyers and to the best of my profession.

For the public, Khan is inextricably associated with the principles embedded in the Constitution thanks to his rousing speech as the Democratic National Convention in July. Standing on stage next to his wife, he brandished his own pocket copy and beseeched Trump to read it.

Have you even read the United States Constitution? he challenged Trump, who in turn launched a series of attacks against the Gold Star parents that were widely viewed as politically unwise.

DJC set up operations at the airport outside Washington to help people understand their rights during the current contentious, tumultuous time and help immigrants pass through the airport smoothly should they be unduly detained or held up. There is no shortage of uncertainty: The courts have stymied Trumps executive order restricting refugees and limiting travel from several Muslim-majority countries; the White House said it would issue a new, more finely crafted order but has yet to do so.

Hassan Ahmad, a Virginia-based attorney who specializes in immigration law, was putting in a shift with DJC Thursday night when Khan visited the group.

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Khizr Khan at a House Democratic forum on President Trumps executive order on immigration. (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP)

Mr. Khans appearance there was welcome, Ahmad told Yahoo News. Hes kind of going back to his immigration lawyer roots. He did practice immigration law for quite some time. I think he was really encouraged to see, he mentioned this to me, the best of America  people coming together and ensuring that other people had access to lawyers to protect due process.

Seddiq, the immigration attorney, said Khan drove to the airport from his home in Charlottesville, Va., to see DJCs operation and show his respects. He wound up staying for over two hours, holding a sign like the other volunteers and talking to travelers passing by.

She first met the Khans after they came to a press conference for her American Muslim Women political action committee in October. Earlier this week, she emailed Khan to ask if he would like to visit DJC at the airport.

Its not just his stance against Trump. Its really what he stands for as an American, upholding our values and who we believe we still are as a people, she said. He really does speak truth to power no matter what gets thrown his way. And I think for most of us at the airport right now, struggling with whats happening, hes a true inspiration.

Ahmad said, He went into the crowds to let people know that there were lawyers available to provide legal assistance for anyone who may be affected by the confusion in the wake of Januarys travel ban.

Shortly after inauguration, Trump signed an executive order suspending the U.S. refugee program for 120 days and banning travel for at least 90 days to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and Africa: Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. During the campaign, Trump vowed to temporarily bar all Muslims from the U.S., and he later moderated the proposal to a vague promise of extreme vetting.

Khizr Khan poses for a picture with Dulles Justice Coalition volunteers at Washington Dulles International Airport on March 2, 2017. (Photo: Molly Hartshorn/Dulles Justice Coalition)

But a U.S. district judge stayed the order, leading to the first major legal battle of Trumps presidency. The Pentagon and State Department reportedly asked Trump to remove Iraq  whose military is allied with the U.S. against the Islamic State terror group  from the list. Beyond that, its unclear what the administrations next move on the matter will be, or when it will act.

Seddiq said a few of the DJC volunteers have been going to the airport since Jan. 28, the day after the executive order, when the International Refugee Assistance Project sent out an email to about 300 people requesting help.

A lot of us just never left. We expanded it from the original core group. Were doing trainings now, she said.

According to Ahmad, DJC volunteers have negotiated for the release and admission into the U.S. of people who had been detained at secondary inspection for lengthy periods of time in isolated incidents.

DJC is not a law firm and does not render legal services itself. Seddiq said DJC is more of a grass-roots movement that gained momentum over the past month than an established organization. She is one of seven people on a transitional board to tighten up DJC and build a structure, she said.

Were not going to stop until we are made to or we win, she said.

Khizer Khan came to volunteer with @DullesJustice, a group giving pro bono immigration assistance. #GoldStar Father. pic.twitter.com/APUCVldsOs  Sarah Zaman (@SarahzTV) March 3, 2017

Khizr Khan joins the welcome crew @DullesJustice. Our hearts are full. pic.twitter.com/MUuEyApOmX  Kate Goertzen (@kategoertzen) March 2, 2017

Read more from Yahoo News:
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  The Latest on the investigation into the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half brother of North Korea's leader, in Malaysia (all times local):

8:30 p.m.

Malaysian officials say they have deported a North Korean man who was released from custody after police found insufficient evidence to charge him in the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the half brother of North Korea's leader.

Ri Jong Chol was detained four days after Kim was killed at a Malaysian airport. Police didn't say what they thought his role in the killing might have been. They said Ri would be deported because he had no valid travel document.

Immigration Director-General Mustafar Ali said Ri left on a flight from Malaysia, escorted by two North Korean Embassy officials, and that he is blacklisted from re-entering the country.

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4:25 p.m.

Malaysian police say an arrest warrant has been issued for a North Korean airline employee accused in the fatal poisoning of the half brother of North Korea's leader.

National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said Friday that the warrant was issued for 37-year-old Kim Uk Il, who works for Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier. Police say he arrived in Malaysia Jan. 29, about two weeks before Kim Jong Nam was attacked with the nerve agent VX in a Kuala Lumpur airport terminal.

Malaysian authorities have not said why they want to question Kim Uk Il. Earlier Friday they released another North Korean, citing of a lack of evidence. Police have said they believe Kim Uk Il is still in Malaysia.

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11 a.m.

A North Korean man, who had been held for questioning in the murder of exiled half-brother of North Korea's leader, has been released from police custody and handed over to the immigration officials to be deported.

Ri Jong Chol, 46, was detained Feb 17, four days after the exiled half-brother of North Korea's leader was poisoned at Malaysia's main airport.

National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed Friday that Ri has been released, saying there was a lack of evidence to charge him. Ri will be deported as he does not have any valid travel documents.

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Immigration officials couldn't be immediately reached for comment.

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10 a.m.

The family of Vietnamese woman charged with murder in the killing of the half brother of North Korea's ruler wants government help getting lawyers to defend her.

Doan Van Thanh, the father of Doan Thi Huong, said he met with Foreign Ministry representatives and requested their help in hiring the lawyers.

Huong together with an Indonesian woman were captured in surveillance video at the Kuala Lumpur airport where Kim Yong Nam was fatally poisoned on Feb. 13. They have been charged with murder, and Malaysia has appointed a Malaysian lawyer to defend Huong.

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8:30 a.m.

Malaysia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying it is concerned about the use of a toxic chemical listed as a banned weapon that was used to kill a North Korean at Kuala Lumpur's airport on Feb. 13.

"Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," it said. Malaysia says the dead man is Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half brother of North Korea's ruler.

Two women accused of smearing VX nerve agent on Kim's face as he waited for a flight at Kuala Lumpur's airport have been charged with murder.
The Trump administration is reportedly in the midst of a heated debate over whether to remain committed to the Paris Climate Agreement. (Cue "should I stay or should I go.")

That pact, which was negotiated in late 2015 and entered into force in November 2016, is the first global warming treaty ever devised to commit developing and industrialized nations alike to take steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. It is the culmination of more than three decades of dogged diplomacy on this issue, and abandoning it would be a bold and risky move.

SEE ALSO: No, U.S. climate scientists didn't trick the world into adopting the Paris deal

If the administration chooses to exit Paris, or to submit the agreement to the Senate for a vote, which the Obama administration deemed unnecessary, it would risk fierce blowback on the international stage from friends and foes alike (not to mention outrage from the domestic climate movement).

It would be the international relations equivalent of pleading with all of your friends and enemies to gather in one room to work on a vital shared concern together.

Then, right after you reach agreement  largely due to your own herculean efforts  you let out an absurdly loud fart, the type of fart so loud that everyone knows you did it on purpose.

Then you throw a stun grenade over your shoulder, slam the door as you run out, step on a rusty nail and fall down a flight of stairs.

You're left lying there, at the foot of the stairs, needing a tetanus shot, with several broken bones and a room full of newfound foes eager to retaliate against you for what you did in that room.

That injured person on the floor would be the Trump administration's foreign policy, were it to go through with a Paris Agreement withdrawal.

(It took a masters in foreign policy to be able to write that, I'll have you know.)

Seriously though, the U.S. is the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases on the planet, and the biggest historical emitter  meaning that we caused much of the global warming problem in the first place.

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The entire world  and I do mean the entire world  is united on the need to tackle global warming. And we're thinking of turning our backs on the rest of the globe at the very moment when there is finally agreement on this issue.

In other words, that's messed up.

To hammer home that point further, here's a list of all the countries that would be further ahead of the U.S. in addressing climate change if Trump pulls the rug out from underneath the Paris Agreement. Each of them has already signed and ratified the Paris Agreement, meaning it is already in force for them.

You can bet these are also the ones that will be most ticked off by a U.S. withdrawal.

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belize

Benin

Bolivia

Botswana

Brazil

Brunei Darussalam

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

Comoros

Cook Islands

Costa Rica

Seriously folks this list keeps going.

Cote D'Ivoire

Cuba

Cyprus

Democratic People's Republic of Korea (aka North Korea)

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Estonia

European Union

Fiji

Finland

France

Gabon

Gambia

Germany

Ghana

Greece

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea

Guyana

Honduras

Hungary

Iceland

India

Indonesia

Ireland

Israel

Italy

And going...

Japan

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Lao People's Democratic Republic (aka Laos)

Lesotho

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Madagascar

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

Micronesia

Monaco

Mongolia

And going...

Morocco

Namibia

Nauru

Nepal

New Zealand

Niger

Niue

Norway

Pakistan

Palau

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

We're only on the letter "p." Are you getting the point yet?

Poland

Portugal

Republic of Korea

Rwanda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Sao Tome and Principe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

Spain

Sri Lanka

State of Palestine

Swaziland

Sweden

Thailand

Tonga

Tunisia

Turkmenistan

Tuvalu

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Uruguay

Vanuatu

Vietnam

Zambia

Get all that?

Keep in mind that this is just the list of countries that have both signed and ratified the agreement. The roster of countries that have signed, but not yet ratified the agreement is even longer, representing just about every nation on Earth.

Officials celebrate the completion of the Paris Climate Agreement at the close of COP21 in Dec. 2015 outside Paris, France.

Image: Mori/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Leaving the agreement would abdicate U.S. leadership on a critical issue that will shape our future in ways that we haven't even fully grasped yet, from where our biggest cities are located to how much food we can grow.

It would also severely complicate the Trump administration's ability to solve a wide range of problems around the world. In addition, it would hand leadership on this issue, and on clean technology development, to China.

There is a very high risk that there will be blowback from other countries on the rest of the Trump foreign policy agenda," said Andrew Light, a senior fellow at the World Resources Institute who served as a climate advisor at the State Department under President Obama.

He said the risk isn't so much that the U.S. delays its emissions cuts by a four-year Trump term, but rather that other countries, particularly major developing nations like India, Brazil and China back away from their pledges too.

For now, we're all still in that room. But the world is watching us closely.
Well, hello Motorola.

After being unceremoniously killed by its Chinese owner Lenovo in 2016, the Motorola brand name might be coming back.

SEE ALSO: The next big trend in phones? Nostalgia.

This is according to Cnet, which spoke to Motorola Chairman and President Aymar de Lencquesaing on Sunday.

According to de Lencquesaing, the brand name will return because Lenovo now has "clarity on how we present ourselves."

We suspect, however, that it might have something to do with the buzz generated by BlackBerry and Nokia, both of which have successfully played the nostalgia card at the Mobile World Congress this year

For consumers, this might not be a shocking change; Lenovo phased out the brand Motorola in favor of the very similar Moto, and a lot of people I spoke with never really noticed the change  or simply kept calling the phones Motorola.

The Motorola brand will start being tied to new phones gradually, on a per-country basis, but it will eventually return to all the markets where the company has a presence.

In the interview, de Lencquesaing also confirmed that Motorola does not currently plan to release another smartwatch, saying these devices have "too few practical uses."

Originally a U.S. company that launched some legendary phones in the naughts, Motorola Mobility (basically a direct successor to Motorola, which had split its business into two parts in 2011) was acquired by Google in August.

Google subsequently sold Motorola Mobility (sans most of its patents) to Lenovo in 2014.

A long-time top phone maker, Lenovo's Motorola struggled in 2016, dropping out of the top 5 biggest smartphone maker list after the first quarter of the year (and never returning).
DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Damage to the World Heritage site of Palymra by Islamic State militants may be less than earlier believed, Syria's antiquities chief said on Friday. Maamoun Abdulkarim told Reuters that video from Palmyra after it was recaptured by the Syrian army has shown less damage than archaeologists feared when pictures emerged at the beginning of the year suggesting Islamic State had smashed more monuments. Under heavy Russian air cover, the Syrian army and allied militias drove the jihadist group out of the UNESCO world heritage site on Thursday, two months after they had seized it in a surprise advance. Fears of a new assault on Palmyra's heritage were raised after pictures in January showed the group had destroyed parts of the Tetrapylon, one of the city's most iconic monuments, and the facade of the second-century Roman Theatre. They had already destroyed other landmarks, including a 1,800-year-old monumental arch, during their first occupation of the city which ended a year ago last March. But Abdulkarim said preliminary photographs and video from the city showed almost no further damage than what was already known. "Really, our hearts had been overwhelmed with fear of a complete explosion of the theater," Abdulkarim said. "We thought the situation would be much worse, that there would be eradication, that they [Islamic State] would complete their crimes from the first occupation," he added. Abdulkarim said he would visit the area soon for a better assessment, but added: "At least there is some sense of tranquility after we received the initial photos. The general situation is reassuring." Some of the damage could be repaired, he said. "Except for the previous destruction, the state of the theatre looks good," Abdulkarim said. "Even that destroyed section could be repaired. It had already been restored, and it will be again." Palmyra, known in Arabic as Tadmur, stood at the crossroads of the ancient world. "We had received terrifying information that there might have been a revenge crime against the entire citadel," Abdulkarim said. "There is some damage, but in general, the citadel is fine too." FRONTLINES Broadcasting live from inside Palmyra on Friday, Syrian state television showed pro-government forces and army troops celebrating atop the historic citadel on the outskirts of the city. The army narrowed in on the militants from three different directions, a field commander said on state television. "We opened frontlines along all those directions," he said. In December, Islamic State swept into Palmyra as the army and its allies focused on defeating rebels in Aleppo. Eastern Aleppo fell to the government in its most important gain of the war, which has killed hundreds of thousands and created one of the world's worst refugee crises. Islamic State is now on the back foot in Syria after losing territory in the north to an alliance of U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led militias, and to Turkey-backed Syrian rebel groups. The Syrian army is also fighting Islamic State east of Aleppo city, where it is pushing to reach the Euphrates river, and in the city of Deir al-Zor, where it controls an enclave besieged by the militants. However, the jihadist group still holds swathes of territory in Syria, including around the Euphrates basin and the country's eastern deserts along the border with Iraq. (Reporting by Kinda Makieh in Damascus and Ellen Francis in Beirut Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
Friends had a lot of fantastic guest stars, including Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Ben Stiller and Susan Sarandon. However, Lisa Kudrow recently said during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen that there was one particular guest star who was very rude to her.

The worst behavior, off the top of my head? she said, after a fan wanted to know about the worst behavior she encountered from a guest star. I rehearsed without makeup most of the week, and then on show night, Im in hair and makeup, she recalled, before adding that this guest only deemed her attractive when she was all dolled up.

Kudrow did not reveal who that guest star was, but many speculated that it had to be Charlie Sheen. Several others guessed it might be Alec Baldwin or Bruce Willis, and one even said it had to be Penn.

When asked if Kudrow retaliated after the mean comment, she said that she told Matt LeBlanc, who plays Joey Tribiani in the series. Hes like a big brother, she said.

All of them maintained a good friendship over the years, and Kudrow even shared with TODAY that they recently enjoyed a reunion dinner. It was really fun. We had such a good time, she said. It was hilarious. We were laughing nonstop.

Many are hoping that there would be a Friends reunion in the works, but Kudrow did not sound positive about it. If we dont tell you ones coming and it doesnt happen, you have no reason to be disappointed, she said. Im managing expectations. I dont see it happeningit would be fun.

Aside from those already mentioned, some of the unforgettable Friends guest stars include Reese Witherspoon, Christina Applegate and Winona Ryder, according to Bustle.

Anna Faris, Jon Lovitz, Julia Roberts, Brooke Shields, Jane Lynch, George Clooney, Dakota Fanning, Selma Blair, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Greg Kinnear also made appearances on the series, among many others.

Lisa Kudrow

Photo: Reuters/Danny Moloshok

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BEIRUT (AP)  A major assault on the Islamic State group's self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa is expected to begin in the coming weeks, but various military forces eyeing the northern Syrian city are bitterly divided.

Here's a look at the players:

SYRIAN KURDS

The U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces  a Kurdish-led alliance that includes Arab tribesmen and Christian militias  is the most effective ground force battling the Islamic State group in Syria.

With the help of American advisers and U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, the SDF has captured much of northern Syria and since November has been working to isolate the city. But the main Kurdish militia in the group is seen as a terrorist organization by Turkey, a NATO member which also has its sights on Raqqa.

TURKEY

Ankara sent ground troops into northern Syria in August to help Syrian opposition forces drive Islamic State militants from the border and curb the advance of Kurdish forces, which it sees as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency in southeastern Turkey.

The Turkey-backed forces recently captured the former IS stronghold of al-Bab after three months of grueling fighting that killed scores of Turkish troops and allied Syrian fighters.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last month that his troops and allied Syrian fighters would eventually march on Raqqa, and his prime minister has warned that an SDF takeover of Raqqa would harm relations between Ankara and Washington.

SYRIAN GOVERNMENT

Syrian government forces have also been on the offensive against the IS group in northern Syria, capturing dozens of villages from the extremists in recent weeks.

The troops are backed by battle-hardened members of Lebanon's Hezbollah group and operate under the cover of Russian and Syrian airstrikes. Syrian President Bashar Assad has suggested that Raqqa could be their next target, but his troops are overstretched and lack the resources.

Syria's government is fiercely opposed to any involvement by Turkey, which is a leading sponsor of opposition forces battling to overthrow Assad.

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U.S. AND RUSSIAN FORCES

Around 500 U.S. special operations forces are in Syria helping to organize, advise and assist local forces, mainly the SDF. The U.S. military has also provided a small number of armored vehicles to the Syria Arab Coalition, part of the SDF, for better protection as they get closer to Raqqa.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday gave the White House a plan to "rapidly defeat" the Islamic State group, a strategy that could potentially deepen U.S. military involvement in Syria.

That may elevate the risk of a confrontation with Russia, which has been waging an intensive air campaign in support of Assad's forces since 2015. A U.S. general said Wednesday that a Russian airstrike in northern Syria hit the Syria Arab Coalition, adding than an unspecified number of American military advisers were a few kilometers (miles) away. Russia denied responsibility.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from an investigation into any ties between Moscow and President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign after revelations that he talked with Russia's ambassador to the United States twice during the presidential campaign. Sessions had faced mounting pressure from both parties on Capitol Hill that he step aside or resign.

A look at the known contacts between Trump associates and Russia:

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JEFF SESSIONS

The Justice Department acknowledged Wednesday that the attorney general twice spoke with the Russian envoy when Sessions was a senator and involved in Trump's presidential campaign. Those discussions with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, first reported in The Washington Post, seem to contradict Sessions' sworn statements during his confirmation hearings when asked what he would do if "anyone affiliated" with the campaign had been in contact with Russia. Sessions said in a statement Thursday he "never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign." Two top Democratic lawmakers have since called on Sessions to resign.

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MICHAEL FLYNN

Trump's national security adviser resigned Feb. 13 after reports he misled White House officials about his contacts with Russia's ambassador to the U.S.  a situation Trump was told about soon after he took office. Flynn eventually lost the president's trust after he said at first that he didn't discuss sanctions with the Russian envoy during the transition, but later admitted he may have done so. Separately, in 2015, Flynn gave a paid speech in Moscow and sat next to Russian President Vladimir Putin at a dinner.

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TRUMP ORGANIZATION

Flynn received a Ukrainian peace plan involving the Russian Crimea dispute right before he resigned. That plan was cobbled together by pro-Russian Ukrainian lawmaker Andrii Artemenko and two men with ties to Trump's namesake company  longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and former Trump Organization business adviser Felix Sater, who confirmed the arrangement to The Associated Press. Sater, a Russian-born former Mafia informant, was named by Trump as an adviser to the Trump Organization as recently as 2010 even though Sater had been convicted in a major stock-fraud scheme.

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PAUL MANAFORT

Trump's former campaign chairman resigned in August after the AP disclosed his firm's covert lobbying efforts on behalf of the former pro-Russian ruling political party in the Ukraine. Those efforts, which occurred before Manafort joined the Trump campaign, included attempts to get positive press coverage of Ukrainian officials and efforts to undercut sympathy for Yulia Tymoshenko, an imprisoned rival of then-Ukranian President Viktor Yanukovych. More recently, The New York Times reported Manafort and other members of Trump's campaign had repeated contacts with Russian intelligence officials; Manafort said he had "never knowingly spoken to Russian intelligence officers."

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DONALD TRUMP

Trump said during the election he did not have any deals in Russia, but he held the 2013 Miss Universe Pageant in Moscow. Trump has been contradictory when describing his personal relationship with President Vladimir Putin, insisting during the campaign he had "no relationship with" the Russian leader and no recollection of ever meeting him. But several times in prior years, he has said the opposite. Trump has had conversations with Putin since the election, speaking to Putin shortly after he won the presidency and again eight days after he took office.

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Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report.

Contact Jack Gillum at https://twitter.com/jackgillum or https://www.ap.org/tips
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "That 70s Show" actor Danny Masterson is being investigated for alleged sexual assault of three women, Los Angeles police said on Friday. But Masterson, 40, said the claims were false and dated back more than 10 years. The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that its homicide and sexual assault section was "conducting an investigation involving the actor Danny Masterson. Three women have come forward and disclosed that they were sexually assaulted by Masterson during the early 2000s." The statement gave no details. Masterson started his career as a child model and actor and got his break-out role in the 1998-2006 Fox television comedy series "That 70s Show," in which he played rebel adolescent Steven Hyde. He is currently appearing in the Netflix comedy "The Ranch" and has been married to actress Bijou Phillips since 2011. Masterson's representatives said in a statement they were aware of the allegations, which dated back 16 and 14 years. One involved a former girlfriend of Masterson. "The alleged incident occurred in the middle of their six-year relationship, after which she continued to be his (Masterson's) longtime girlfriend," the statement said. Another woman made allegations against Masterson about 14 years ago, and police "interviewed numerous witnesses and determined the claim had no merit," the statement said. "These (are) false allegations," it added. (Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy in Los Angeles and Jill Serjeant in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Amiens (France) (AFP) - Two months before France's presidential elections, workers for Whirlpool in the northern French city of Amiens are torn between anger and resignation as the US appliances giant prepares to move their jobs to Poland.

The move to Lodz, set for June 2018, will affect some 290 workers and is the latest in a string of manufacturing closures to hit the city famous for its Gothic cathedral.

Caroline Bizet and many of her colleagues at Whirlpool, a domestic appliances brand, could not hide their contempt for politicians in a campaign season marred by corruption scandals.

"All the jobs are being outsourced. People are being laid off, there are suicides, there are divorces, everything," said Bizet, 49, who has worked for Whirlpool for 17 years.

Her contempt for politicians was clear.

"They're in their gilded armchairs and they couldn't care less about us," she said at the end of her shift at the factory some three kilometres (two miles) from the city centre where clothes dryers are made.

She was referring to the expenses scandals that have embroiled both far-right leader Marine Le Pen and one of her main rivals in the presidential race, conservative Francois Fillon.

Picketers distributed leaflets outside the factory, which was bedecked with protest banners.

"When you talk about de-industrialisation of our country it has special resonance here," said Brigitte Foure, the city's centrist mayor, voicing her "bitterness" over the exodus to eastern EU states with cheaper labour such as Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

Unemployment in Amiens, a cathedral city of around 200,000, stands at 11.9 percent, two points higher than the national average.

In 2014, the Goodyear tyre company outsourced more than 1,100 jobs, and Whirlpool moved its washing machine production to Slovakia in 2003.

Another 60 jobs of a Whirlpool sub-contractor, Prima, are also at risk next year, as well as those of some temporary workers.

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Guillaume Bonnard, a 33-year-old foreman with Prima, told AFP: "The problem is that as long as everyone is not at the same level in Europe it can never work."

- Frexit? -

Mohamed El Mokretar, a union leader at Prima, thinks a "Frexit" is the only solution, saying simply: "We have to leave the European Union."

Francois Ruffin, a leftist who was behind last year's youth protests against labour reforms across France known as Nuits Debout (Up All Night), is among a handful of politicians who have ventured to Amiens to confront the gloom.

Ruffin, who is running for parliament in June, campaigned in the city aboard a multi-coloured truck with loudspeakers blaring revolutionary songs.

The director of a hit documentary "Merci Patron" (Thanks, Boss) in which the little guys take on France's richest man, Ruffin says protectionism is the only solution.

"I don't want the (far-right) National Front (FN) to have a monopoly on this political weapon, or for them to be the only ones to dare to talk about tariffs and import quotas," he told AFP as he handed out his manifesto.

Recently the FN's local representative Eric Richermoz paid one of his frequent visits to the Whirlpool factory, showing workers a video on his cellphone of Le Pen promising a 35-percent surtax on the products of companies that outsource jobs.

Le Pen, who says she will hold a referendum on France leaving the EU if elected, is tipped to win the first round of France's presidential election on April 23 but lose in a run-off vote on May 7.

She is drawing strength from anti-EU forces such as those that led to the Brexit vote in Britain and the sort of nationalist fervour that helped Donald Trump to victory in the United States.

"The British are putting in place measures very similar to those advocated by Marine Le Pen," Richermoz said.

Outside the Whirlpool factory, Christophe Colombo, who has worked 27 of his 45 years at the firm, is fed up of politicians.

"If you vote on the left or on the right, what good does it do?"
London (AFP) - The London Stock Exchange logged solid results and ramped up its shareholder dividend Friday amid worries over the likely collapse of its merger with Deutsche Boerse.

The results were published just days after it emerged that LSE's blockbuster tie-up with the German giant was on the brink of failure.

Operating profit grew five percent to 427 million ($524 million, 500 million euros) in 2016 from the previous year, the group said in a results statement. Revenues jumped 14.4 percent to 1.515 billion.

Net profit or earnings after taxation more than halved to 152 million due to a sizeable loss on the disposal of its Russell Investment Management division.

However, the LSE hiked its annual shareholder dividend by a fifth to 43.2 pence per share in a move it said reflected the "strong outlook" for the business.

The LSE stunned markets last Sunday when it revealed that it would not meet a key EU antitrust demand to gain clearance for the Deutsche Boerse merger.

In a shock announcement, the LSE had said it was "highly unlikely" it would meet the European Commission's recent request to divest its majority stake in MTS, which is a trading platform for government bonds in Italy.

- 'Very difficult situation' -

"The Commission's very recent request for the group to divest MTS, a systemically important regulated business that sits at the heart of our Italian operations, put us indeed in a very difficult situation, said Chief Executive Xavier Rolet on Friday.

He added: "In the event that this transaction did not successfully conclude, then we are back to square one."

Nevertheless, the LSE insisted Friday that it "continues to work hard" on its proposed merger with Deutsche Boerse, which manages the Frankfurt stock exchange.

The blockbuster deal was unveiled to much fanfare last year and backed by both sides even in the face of Brexit.

The EC's competition probe meanwhile remains ongoing and a decision is expected by April 3.

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The company -- which runs the London and Milan exchanges -- had offered last month to sell clearing house LCH Clearnet SA to European competitor Euronext if the EC approves the merger.

"We will await ... the decision of the competition authorities," added Rolet on Friday.

"It is up to them to consider the remedies that we have offered and make the decision in due course."

Questioned about the group's alternative plans, should the merger collapse, he told reporters:

"There isnt a sort of plan B, C, D or E; it's just a continuation of our strategy. Whilst we are doing this  we are assembling a portfolio which is increasingly valuable."

- Third time unlucky -

It is the third time that the Frankfurt and London stock exchanges have tried to tie the knot, following two unsuccessful attempts in 2000 and 2005.

In early afternoon deals on Friday, LSE shares slid 1.53 percent to 3,095 pence on London's falling FTSE 100 index, as dealers digested the earnings.

"Sometimes engagements should not end in marriage," noted ETX Capital analyst Neil Wilson.

"In the case of LSE, its continental forays have not ended well and perhaps with Brexit looming the chance for a cross-channel merger has come and gone."
South Korea's Bareun Party on Friday criticized the Chinese government for rolling out economic retaliations against Seoul in an apparent response to the scheduled deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system.

The remark came after China ordered its travel firms to suspend tours to South Korea after Seoul signed a land acquisition deal to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery last month.

South Korea has been seeking to use the battery to improve its defense capabilities against North Korea, but Beijing has been expressing discontent over the increased presence of the U.S. military in Northeast Asia.

"It is a shameful retaliation," said Rep. Choung Byoung-gug, the head of the Bareun Party.

Choung said the THAAD system is needed to defend the country against North Korea's nuke and missile provocations, adding it is inappropriate for Beijing to discriminate against South Korean firms.












(KUALA LUMPUR)  Malaysia ramped up the pressure on Pyongyang on Friday, issuing a statement condemning the use of a banned toxic chemical weapon in the killing of the half brother of North Koreas leader.

Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of being behind the Feb. 13 killing of Kim Jong Nam, but the statement from the Foreign Ministry comes hours after a North Korean envoy rejected a Malaysian autopsy finding that VX nerve agent killed Kim, saying the man probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

The statement from Malaysias Foreign Ministry said it was greatly concerned with the use of the toxic chemical and condemned the use of such a chemical weapon under any circumstances.

Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public, said.

The death of Kim, the estranged half brother of North Koreas ruler, has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. The autopsy is especially sensitive because North Korea had asked Malaysia not to perform one, but authorities said they had to under the law.

Also Thursday, amid growing fallout from the killing, Malaysia announced it is scrapping visa-free entry for North Koreans.

Malaysian officials say two women smeared VX nerve agenta banned chemical weaponon Kims face as he waited for a flight at Kuala Lumpurs airport on Feb. 13. Kim died within 20 minutes, authorities say. No bystanders reported falling ill.

The women, who were caught on grainy surveillance video, have been charged with murder. Both say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Malaysias autopsy finding that VX nerve agent killed Kim boosted speculation that North Korea orchestrated the attack. Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory.

North Korea has denied any role and accused Malaysia of bias.

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On Thursday, Ri Tong Il, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, told a news conference that it made no sense to say the two women used such a deadly toxin without also killing or sickening themselves and people around them.

Ri said Kim had a history of heart problems and had been hospitalized in the past. He said he understood that Malaysian officials found medication for diabetes, heart problems and high blood pressure in Kims belongings and concluded he wasnt fit to travel.

This is a strong indication that the cause of death is a heart attack, Ri said.

North Korea does not acknowledge that it was Kim Jong Nam who died. Instead, it refers to the victim as Kim Chol, the name on the diplomatic passport he was carrying. Malaysia has confirmed that the victim was Kim Jong Nam.

National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar brushed off Ris claim of a heart attack.

We have our experts who are qualified to determine the cause of death of Kim Chol. Our investigations, supported by expert reports, confirmed that Kim Chol was murdered. North Korea can say what they like but the facts remain, Khalid told AP.

Malaysian police said the attackers knew what they were doing and had been trained to go immediately to the bathroom and wash their hands. The police said four North Korean suspects, who left the country on the same day after the killing, put the VX liquid on the womens hands.

Police cant confirm whether the two women may have been given antidotes before the attack. An antidote, atropine, can be injected after exposure and is carried by medics in war zones where weapons of mass destruction are suspected.

The case has frayed once-warm ties between Malaysia and North Korea.

While it isnt one of North Koreas key diplomatic partners, Malaysia has been one of the few places in the world where North Koreans could travel without a visa. As a result, for years, it has been a quiet destination for Northerners looking for jobs, schools and business deals.

That could all change after Kims death.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the visa-free arrangement with North Korea will be scrapped starting Monday for national security reasons. He also slammed the North Korean ambassador in Kuala Lumpur, who has accused Malaysia of trying to conceal something and colluding with hostile forces.

Earlier Thursday, Malaysian authorities said they will release a North Korean man, Ri Jong Chol, from custody Friday because of a lack of evidence. Officials never said why they arrested him. But Malaysian Attorney General Mohamad Apandi Ali said he will be deported because he does not have valid travel documents.

Custody of Kim Jong Nams body has become a point of contention between the two countries.

Malaysia has resisted giving up the body without getting DNA samples and confirmation from next of kin. Kim is believed to have two sons and a daughter with two women living in Beijing and Macau.

North Korea has unsuccessfully demanded that Malaysia hand the body over.

Malaysian authorities are seeking seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom fled the country on the day of Kims death and are believed to be back in North Korea. Others sought include the second secretary of North Koreas embassy and an employee of North Koreas state-owned airline, Air Koryo.

Kim Jong Nam was estranged from his half brother, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He reportedly fell out of favor with their father, the late Kim Jong Il, in 2001, when he was caught trying to enter Japan on a false passport to visit Tokyo Disneyland.

Isolated North Korea has a long history of ordering killings of people it views as threats to its regime. Kim Jong Nam was not known to be seeking political power, but his position as eldest son of the family that has ruled North Korea since it was founded could have made him appear to be a danger.
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - The North Korean suspect held over the killing of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of the North's leader, was released from a detention centre and driven away in a police convoy, a Reuters witness said. Ri Jong Chol, who had been held after the killing of Kim on Feb. 13, was expected to be taken to the immigration office to be prepared for deportation to North Korea, according Malaysian officials speaking to Reuters on Thursday. Ri was detained a few days after the killing, but Malaysia's attorney-general told Reuters on Thursdaythat he would be released due to insufficent evidence. A Vietnamese woman and an Indonesian woman have been charged with murder, but police have identified seven other North Koreans they want in connection with the killing. (Reporting by Angie Teo, Writing by Jack Kim; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
(KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia)  Malaysian police on Friday released the only North Korean detained in the killing of the half brother of North Koreas leader, and later said an arrest warrant had been issued for another whose whereabouts are unknown.

Malaysia is looking for seven North Korean suspects in all, four of whom are believed to have left the country Feb. 13, the day Kim Jong Nam died. The only people in custody are two women  one Indonesian, one Vietnamese  accused of smearing his face with the banned nerve agent VX.

Ri Jong Chol, who had been detained since Feb. 17, was handed over to immigration officials for deportation. Police never said what they thought his role was in the attack, but national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed Friday that Ri was released due to a lack of evidence against him.

Malaysian Attorney General Mohamad Apandi Ali earlier said Ri would be deported because he lacked valid travel documents. Immigration director Mustafar Ali said Ri would be escorted by two representatives from the North Korean Embassy.

The women charged with murdering Kim at an airport terminal were caught on grainy surveillance video smearing what Malaysian authorities say was VX nerve agent on his face and eyes, though both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Four of the North Korean suspects police seek are believed to have left Malaysia the day Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was killed. One of the suspects believed to still be in Malaysia is an official at the North Korean Embassy.

Khalid said the arrest warrant issued Friday was for 37-year-old Kim Uk Il, who works for Air Koryo, North Koreas national carrier. Police say he arrived in Malaysia on Jan. 29, about two weeks before Kim Jong Nam was attacked.

Malaysian authorities have not said why they want to question Kim Uk Il, but they believe he also is still in Malaysia.
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A North Korean suspect detained by Malaysia in connection with the bizarre airport murder of Kim Jong Nam will be deported to Pyongyang on Friday and not allowed back, the Malaysian deputy prime minister said on Friday. "He was found not to have worked for the company where he was said to have worked, and instead was carrying out activities Malaysia will not stand for," Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters. Ri Jong Chol, a suspect in the killing of the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was taken to the immigration office wearing a bullet proof vest to prepare for his deportation. Malaysia has said it does not have enough evidence to charge him. Zahid also said Malaysia will investigate Glocom, a North Korea-linked company operating an arms business in the country. (Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Nick Macfie)
BOSTON (AP)  A Massachusetts man who served time in prison for defrauding Home Depot has been sentenced to more than a year behind bars for doing it again.

Robert Dooley pleaded guilty to 10 counts of wire fraud. The Salem News reports (http://bit.ly/2mgKX7R ) he was sentenced on Thursday in Boston federal court to 18 months in prison.

Authorities say he took items off the shelves and brought them to the return desk in exchange for store credit.

Prosecutors say Dooley, of Salem, carried out the scheme at least 40 times at stores in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine and Massachusetts. He received more than $45,000 in fraudulent returns.

Dooley was convicted in 2007 of defrauding Home Depot out of more than $330,000 in a similar scheme and received a five-year prison sentence.

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Information from: The Salem (Mass.) News, http://www.salemnews.com
By Russell Cheyne GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May took aim at Scotland's ruling party on Friday, accusing nationalists of sacrificing not only the United Kingdom but also Scotland with its "obsession" with securing independence. In a damning critique of the Scottish National Party (SNP), May told Conservatives in Scotland she would lead the whole of the United Kingdom out of the European Union. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's SNP has stepped up calls for a second referendum, saying May's "sheer intransigence" in Brexit talks could push Scotland, which voted to remain in the EU, out of the bloc's single market and end EU immigration. "We all know that the SNP will never stop twisting the truth and distorting reality in their effort to denigrate our United Kingdom and further their obsession of independence," May told the Scottish Conservative Party conference in Glasgow. "A tunnel vision nationalism, which focuses only on independence at any cost, sells Scotland short." Her speech, using some of the toughest language on Scotland since she became prime minister after Britain voted to leave the EU last June, was a warning sign to Scotland that she was determined to keep the United Kingdom together under her watch. Her words will no doubt fuel tensions between May's government and Sturgeon's nationalists, who say Scotland should have a chance to decide its future because, unlike England and Wales, it voted to remain in the EU and wants a separate deal with Brussels. However, despite May's opposition to a second referendum, it is not clear if she would actually block it should the Scottish government call one. Scots voted against independence in 2014 and opinion polls show that while more people may now vote in favor, the nationalists still lack a majority. Sources close to the Edinburgh administration told Reuters last week it is increasingly confident it can win a new referendum and is considering calling one next year. Michael Russell, Scotland's Brexit minister, said on Twitter: "Most glaring example of "tunnel vision" in UK today is Tory (Conservative) obsession with immigration which is driving disastrous Brexit process." May said she saw no economic case for the United Kingdom to break up and dismissed Sturgeon's fears that the government in London could use Brexit as an excuse to take back powers from her government in Edinburgh. "As I have made clear repeatedly, no decisions currently taken by the Scottish Parliament will be removed from them," she said, after the SNP aired fears that London may take decisions over fisheries and farming policy - areas the government might look for compromise in EU talks. "I am determined to ensure that as we leave the EU, we do so as one United Kingdom, which prospers outside the EU as one United Kingdom." The Conservatives are far less popular in Scotland than they are in England, holding only one of Scotland's 59 seats in the British parliament. The SNP holds 56. (Writing by Elizabeth Piper and Kylie MacLellan, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Glasgow (AFP) - Prime Minister Theresa May passionately defended the United Kingdom on Friday as speculation grew that Scottish nationalists could use the start of Brexit talks to demand a second independence referendum.

In a speech to party activists in Glasgow, the Conservative Party leader said that keeping England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland together was her "personal priority" and there was "no economic case" for breaking up the UK.

May also laid into the Scottish National Party (SNP), which has run the devolved government in Edinburgh for the past decade, saying its "obsession" with independence and "tunnel vision nationalism" had caused it to neglect voters' priorities.

The UK's vote last year to leave the European Union has strained unity, with a majority in Scotland wanting Britain to remain in the bloc. However, across the whole UK, 52 percent voted to leave.

There is growing speculation that Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon could use the start of Brexit negotiations later this month as the premise to launch a new bid for independence.

May promised Friday that when Britain leaves the EU, some of the powers returned from Brussels to London would then be handed on to Edinburgh.

And she vowed to speak for the whole kingdom in her negotiations, saying: "We are four nations, but at heart we are one people."

May's office has repeatedly said there should not be a second referendum, after Scots voted in September 2014 to stay in the UK, by a margin of 55 to 45 percent.

The British government could reject a request from Scotland for a second vote, but this would only increase tensions with Edinburgh.

Ruth Davidson, the Conservatives' leader in Scotland, told The Daily Telegraph newspaper there was "every chance" the SNP would lose by a bigger margin than in 2014.

But Sturgeon says Brexit is a game-changer, particularly after May said she would take Britain out of Europe's single market.

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Sturgeon said Friday that British ministers had "refused to seriously engage" with Scotland, offering a "brick wall of Tory intransigence".

SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson accused May of hypocrisy, saying: "It is her government's constitutional obsession with a hard Brexit which is directly threatening Scottish jobs and livelihoods.

"In those circumstances, we have a duty to stand up for Scotland, and to have a plan in place to protect our vital national interests."
Would you like some fries with that lizard?

A pregnant woman in Kolkata in eastern India has complained of finding a lizard in the french fries she bought at her local McDonald's restaurant.

McDonald's said Friday it was investigating the incident.

A picture circulating widely on social media and local news channels showed a tiny lizard amidst golden-brown fries in the chain's iconic red carton it uses to serve french fries.

AFP could not immediately verify the authenticity of the photograph.

The incident happened on Tuesday when Priyanka Moitra went to grab breakfast at her local McDonald's restaurant in Kolkata city.

"I was like, yuck! Oh my God, this is a lizard in my fries," Moitra told the NDTV news network in an interview aired on Friday.

"I spoke to the area's sales manager, spoke to the in-charge but they dismissed it with a neglectful attitude," said Moitra, who filed a police case Tuesday evening.

The police later temporarily shut down the restaurant.

"We are taking the situation seriously," McDonald's said in a statement. "Immediately upon being made of aware of the complaint, we launched a thorough investigation in an effort to gather the facts of the matter... it is still on-going."

The restaurant has since reopened after receiving a green light from food safety authorities, a company spokesperson said.

Food safety standards are often lax in India where it is difficult to build a watertight supply chain due to a shortage of infrastructure and resources.

Tainted water, unreliable cold storage facilities and a lack of education on hygiene pose serious risks for international food chains, whose reputation can suffer a big blow from one local slip.
Berlin (AFP) - Chancellor Angela Merkel is planning to hold her first meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on March 14, the White House and a German government source said Friday.

White House deputy spokeswoman Sarah Sanders confirmed the date of the meeting and said a joint press conference was likely.

"Such a plan is in the works," the German source said. Separately, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said that "we are not denying" reports of the planned meeting.

While former US president Barack Obama had labelled Merkel an "outstanding partner," there has been little known contact between the German leader and Trump since he took office.

Following Trump's shock election, Merkel reminded the billionaire of democratic values in their first phone conversation.

Any "close cooperation" must be on the basis of the "values of democracy, freedom, respect for the rule of law and human dignity, regardless of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political belief," she said at the time.

Merkel has also criticised Trump's decision seeking to ban citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.

In turn, Trump has been a strident critic of Merkel's liberal refugee policy that has led more than a million asylum seekers to come to Germany since 2015.
TUNIS (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday Tunisia had agreed to take back 1,500 rejected Tunisian migrants from Germany, after an attack by a Tunisian on a Christmas market in Berlin which killed 12 people. Merkel had told Tunisia she wanted to speed up repatriation of failed asylum-seekers after Islamic State supporter Anis Amri drove a truck through the market in December. Amri had been denied asylum six months earlier. Merkel has come under heavy pressure for policies that allowed a million refugees into Germany in two years. "We have agreed with Tunisia to send back 1,500 Tunisians in Germany who have been refused (permission) to stay in Germany," Merkel said at a news conference with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi in Tunis. "Those who want to return voluntarily will be able to receive aid." Essebsi said Tunisia would send a delegation to verify the identities of those returning. German authorities have detained another Tunisian man they suspect of involvement in the truck attack. Merkel also said the German government would provide Tunisia with 250 million euros in aid for development projects. (Reporting by Tarek Amara; writing by Patrick Markey; editing by Andrew Roche)
The self-proclaimed "world's greatest Michael Jackson impersonator, is playing the King of Pop in an upcoming Lifetime biopic.

Read: Conrad Murray Says Michael Jackson Was Obsessed With Anorexic Girls: 'He Wanted Women Who Looked Like Bones'

The actor, who goes by the name Navi, has been playing Jackson for years. He even attended Jacksons 2005 criminal trial in 2005.

I was the one who would fly from London to Santa Maria holding a sign that said, 'Smooth But Not A Criminal,'" he told Inside Edition.

Navi has had numerous plastic surgeries to look like his idol, and Jackson approved  and he once applauded for the lookalike at a concert.

Navi says he has even worked for Jackson as a decoy.

They got me out to leave and you know the police and security and a fan grabbed on to a van yelling, 'Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, I love you, I love you,'" he said.

The movie covers the final years of Jacksons life and is based on the book Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days told from the perspective of his two bodyguards, Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard.

Read: Conrad Murray Offers Advice for Prince's Doctor, Says Michael Jackson Didn't Like 'Purple Rain' Singer

Inside Edition spoke to them 2014, shortly after the book's release.

"Prior to his this is it, he was just fighting for normalcy, laying a foundation for his kids, happy to be on vacation, doing fireworks in Pennsylvania [and] letting us take him to Chuck E. Cheese," Whitfield said.

The biopic, Searching for Neverland, airs on Lifetime in the spring.

Watch: Janet Jackson's Ex-Mother-in-Law Claims She Has Found Singer's Secret Daughter Born 31 Years Ago

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Champlain (United States) (AFP) - A taxi stops in the small town of Champlain. Loaded down with belongings, a family with two children gets out and hurries to the road's end at a stream marking the US-Canada border.

"We are coming all the way from Jersey City," says the father, Mohammed Ahmed. The city near New York is more than 300 miles (500 kilometers) to the south.

Talking while walking, he and his wife explain how they left Pakistan 11 months ago after getting death threats.

"We came to the US to ask for asylum," he said. But with new President Donald Trump's anti-immigrant policy "we are very much scared from deportation."

Across the New York state border in Quebec, two Canadian police officers warn them they will all be arrested for entering Canada illegally.

"It is all right," said the father. "We just need to cross the border."

He crosses the stream, shows his passport, and turns back to help their three-year-old daughter, then his wife who is carrying their three-month-old baby in a pouch, cross the rock-filled water.

Conditions for making the crossing are good: It's cold but the sun is shining, and last week's snow has melted away.

A few minutes later the family finds itself, visibly relieved, in Canada.

The Canadian police bring them to the official border post of Lacolle, about 10 minutes away, where they will be questioned and their asylum request will be registered.

If all goes well, the family will then head to Montreal, 40 miles (65 kilometers) north.

This week, in less than two days, more than 70 people have crossed the stream into Canada, according to a tally by AFP and local police -- among them Haitian families, Colombians and many Muslims.

A Syrian family, who lived in the United States for 18 months and whose oldest daughter was to finish high school in June, left in a hurry after Trump banned entry of nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries, including Syria, for 90 days and barred entry by Syrian refugees indefinitely.

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- 'Constant' migrant flow -

Trump's January 27 order, just a week after he took office, has been blocked by the courts, but his administration is working to amend it to address the legal objections.

Melissa Beshaw, a grandmother who lives in a small house about 165 feet (50 meters) from the stream on the US side, said that "since Trump has been in office, it's constant... It's traffic all the time."

"I used to get out and look" to see what was going on, she said. "I don't anymore because I know."

Some migrants arrive by car to Plattsburgh, the last stop in New York state before the border. For the final 25 miles to the stream, they take a taxi, which costs them between $200 and $300, said Denise Quinte, an employee at a motel near where the cars stop.

Since early February, the motel has seen "10 to 25 people a week," she said, often heading to the border at dawn, leaving behind some belongings.

Others come directly by car from New York City and neighboring states such as Massachusetts and New Jersey.

The numbers of migrants is a trickle compared to the thousands who cross the Mediterranean each month to reach Europe.

While Canadian authorities don't directly link the flow to Trump administration policies, they acknowledge that the number of migrants from the United States has increased since January, especially through the Quebec border.

The trend is striking, because until now the United States has seemed welcoming to foreigners.

The banks of the border stream bear the litter of hasty crossings: water bottles, lost gloves and hats, an abandoned stroller, fragments of boarding passes -- several from Arab companies -- and even a cellphone.

A discarded plastic bag reveals the journey of a Sudanese couple. Inside, two soggy pages, in poor English, explain how Asma Elyas and her husband Ayman fled Sudan to avoid the female circumcision of their daughter who was born in 2014.

After several months in Saudi Arabia, they flew to Washington on September 7, 2016, two months before Trump's election.

A document shows that they agreed in late September to pay a law firm in neighboring Virginia $3,500 to handle their asylum request. Several pamphlets and a Virginia maternity booklet indicate the woman was pregnant.

These personal effects do not explain why the Sudanese couple left the US for Canada. But a Quebec police officer is sure he knows the reason: "The arrivals truly began" with Trump's immigration crackdown in late January, he said.

"Now, there are a lot of people. As if it took time for that to sink in."
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Capitol is suddenly awash with troublemakers and rebels  and that's just the Republicans.

Whatever GOP unity was produced by Donald Trump's victory in November has all but disappeared, and Republican leaders are confronting open rebellion in their ranks as they try to finalize health care legislation. Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress this week was well-received, but did little to repair divisions.

In the Senate, a trio of conservatives that's been a thorn in the side of leadership is back at it again. And in the House, recalcitrant conservatives are banding together and threatening to foil House Speaker Paul Ryan's plans for swift passage of the legislation to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's health law.

"Currently there are not enough votes to pass it in the House," Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, head of an influential group of conservatives, declared in an interview Friday.

Meadows said leaders appeared to believe they could jam the bill through by twisting arms and getting Trump to make calls, but insisted such tactics wouldn't work on him without substantial change to the bill. His opposition is such that his wife sent out an email urging opposition to the bill, as reported by Politico this week. "It will end up being Ryancare and the disaster will be wrapped around Republican's necks," Debbie Meadows wrote.

Rep. Meadows said Friday that his wife sent the email to a small group of friends and relatives in an effort to support him. "She was trying to help her husband, she is distraught that this is a distraction and she probably is more distraught because she really respects and admires Paul Ryan," Meadows said.

Another GOP rebel, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, said that at a presentation Thursday, leaders played clips of Trump's joint session speech, with the goal of convincing lawmakers that they are aligned with the president on the pending bill. But Massie dismissed the effort as "very unconvincing."

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The lawmakers are criticizing the developing legislation as "Obamacare lite." They object in particular to a system of refundable tax credits that form the centerpiece of the legislation, and which they say would amount to a costly new entitlement. Instead they're demanding a vote on a straightforward repeal-only bill.

Ryan and other GOP leaders, who are aiming to pass the legislation through the House and Senate by early April, have tried to keep a game face despite the turmoil.

"I am perfectly confident that when it's all said and done, we're going to unify, because we all, every Republican, ran on repealing and replacing, and we're going to keep our promises," Ryan told reporters Thursday.

Maybe so, but first there will be some drama. And this week, there was plenty.

After mostly lying low and playing nice for the last several months, Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas are now uniting against the health legislation, and like their conservative counterparts in the House, they command the votes to frustrate leadership efforts if they don't back down.

On Thursday, Paul infuriated GOP leaders on both ends of the Capitol by marching over to the House with a crowd of reporters and his own copy machine to demand to see the draft health bill, and criticize leadership for keeping it under wraps. He held an impromptu press conference outside a ground-floor room in the Capitol he dubbed "the secret office for the secret bill," which angry House leadership aides insisted was no such thing.

The Kentucky senator's chaotic gaggle was followed by a bizarre and apparently spontaneous scavenger hunt by House Democrats who made a futile search.

Paul kept up his campaign over Twitter on Friday, posting a picture of himself pointing quizzically at a closed door with the message, "We are continuing our search for the Obamacare Lite bill! Do you know where the secret location might be? Has anyone seen the bill?"

Paul's stunt provoked thinly concealed irritation from GOP colleagues, including Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, who chairs the health committee, of which Paul is a member. Alexander, a senior leadership ally, has been part of a group working on the replacement health care bill.

"Well, Sen. Paul is a valuable member of the committee and I think I'll give him a call and see if he'd like to have more information," Alexander said.

Many Republicans say it's time, urgently, for the party to pull together and get behind a repeal-and-replace bill, after spending fully seven years promising exactly that to voters.

"We do have some problems with two or three people on our side that make it so if this becomes a partisan vote we won't have the votes," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, another senior lawmaker. "It's a problem, it's a big problem."

Democrats who lived through their own share of drama before finally passing the Affordable Care Act can only stand back and jeer.

"Who would have thought, one month into the fight over the ACA, it's the Republicans, not the Democrats, who are in disarray and pointing at one another like an Abbott and Costello show," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

___

Follow Erica Werner on Twitter https://twitter.com/ericawerner
A Missouri man has been charged in connection with a series of bomb threats made to Jewish centers in New York City, federal officials said Friday.

Juan Thompson, 31, allegedly made at least eight threats to Jewish centers, including the Anti-Defamation Leagues headquarters, in the last two months, according to the FBI and the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Officials said Thompson phoned in and emailed several menacing messages to the centers within the last two months in his ex-girlfriends name in an attempt to harass her.

Threats of violence targeting people and places based on religion or race  whatever the motivation  are unacceptable, un-American, and criminal, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement.

Thompson was arrested early Friday in St. Louis but is being charged in New York, an FBI spokeswoman told TIME. He has been charged with cyberstalking and faces up to five years in prison.

Federal prosecutors say they believe Thompson was on a mission to frame his unnamed ex-girlfriend after their relationship ended.

He allegedly emailed the Anti-Defamation League in late February, saying the woman is behind the bomb threats against jews, officials said in a criminal complaint. She lives in nyc and is making more bomb threats tomorrow, the email said.

The civil rights group received a phone call claiming a bomb was inside its Manhattan office the next day.

Officials also allege Thompson pretended to be his ex-girlfriend to make it seem like she was trying to frame him for the crimes. A Jewish community center in New York City said it received an emailed bomb threat from an anonymous email account on Feb. 7. The message said: Juan Thompson put two bombs in the office of the Jewish center today. He wants to create Jewish newtown tomorrow.
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Paris (AFP) - The alleged "sadistic" mistreatment of scores of models who were forced to wait in a dark, cramped staircase at a Paris fashion week casting has sparked fresh criticism of how the industry functions.

With fashion already under intense scrutiny over under-age and overly thin models, the case made headlines around the world after US casting director James Scully broke ranks to denounce two rivals who he claimed were "serial abusers".

The furore has also highlighted how vulnerable even relatively top level models can be at "cattle call" castings for the elite catwalk shows in Paris, New York and Milan.

At least 150 models were forced to wait for three hours or more in a hot and airless staircase for the Balenciaga show casting on Sunday, said Scully, who claimed the agents shut the door and turned off the lights when they went to eat.

The label, one of the most influential on the Paris catwalk, sacked the casting agency on Tuesday hours after Scully took to Instagram to protest about the "sadistic and cruel" treatment of the women.

But Maida Gregori Boina, the casting director involved -- a major backstage figure on the Paris scene -- hit back Friday, blaming Balenciaga and denying the allegations as "inaccurate and libellous".

"We provided the most comfortable accommodations allowable based on the facilities provided," she said in a statement.

Boina denied that she had turned off the lights or locked the door on the waiting models, blaming an electricity cut late on Sunday at Balenciaga's Paris headquarters.

Models who were left in the dark told AFP that girls had been forced to wait in the stairway over the course of the casting, with the only toilet locked.

- 'Thing have to change' -

"It was the worst ever casting I had," said former Gucci model Anna Vivchar, 19, who lost her place when she had to go to the toilet. "Everyone was nervous and hot.

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"I am very grateful Balenciaga did what they did. They also apologised and sent us flowers."

Fellow Ukrainian Elizabeth Pentsarska, 17, who has walked for Chanel, said with models rushing between up to 13 castings a day "normally you wait only maybe half an hour".

In a world where a code of silence often rules, and where models can be too afraid of losing work to speak up, insiders say the swift sacking of such a high-profile figure has sent tremors through the industry.

Isabelle Saint-Felix of Synam, the French model agency union, said the dismissal was a deterrent to those who would "abuse their power" over models.

"It is a warning to others and it could be an opportunity to rectify the situation. We have been warning for four or five years about the deteriorating situation.

"Things have to change. Sometimes we let things go too far before we open our eyes to what is going on," she said.

Synam had warned the French Couture Federation for years about "models being disrespected, worsening conditions and more and more demands," she said.

- 'Concerns trivialised' -

Sara Ziff, a former top model who heads the New York-based Model Alliance, said the problem runs deep.

"The industry is completely incapable of regulating itself. It is a little bit sad that we are reduced to naming and shaming. Really, we should have some standards in our industry."

Scully, who raised the alarm over the Balenciaga casting, sits on the board of the Alliance, which campaigned for child labour laws to be applied to underage models in New York.

He said the industry had been "hijacked by a small group of stylists, casting directors and photographers who seem to dislike women".

Ziff, who directed the acclaimed behind-the-scenes fashion documentary "Picture Me", asked why the Balenciaga models were not better protected by their agents. "Aren't they supposed to be looking out for their interests? I think that's the real story."

She said models' concerns were often "trivialised and dismissed".

"It can't be that bad, people think. It is often not seen as work but more a privilege, but when you see what goes on behind the scenes there is nothing glamorous about it.

Working conditions in France tend to be better than in the US, Ziff said.

"In Paris, at least models are considered employees of their agents and their clients. In the US, we have almost no labour protection."
PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP)  Pro-Russian opposition leaders in Montenegro have asked the White House chief strategist to help block the Balkan country's NATO bid, saying the Obama administration has presented false facts about its readiness to join the Western military alliance.

Two opposition officials, Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic, wrote in a letter to Steve Bannon, a senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, that the U.S. Senate should vote against the accession. The vote has been stalled because of objections by two senators.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter on Friday.

So far, 25 of 28 NATO members have approved Montenegro's membership bid, but the U.S. endorsement is considered crucial.

Trump's stand on NATO, which he once described an "obsolete" organization, and his positive remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin have caused worries in Montenegro that the small country could be left without U.S. support amid the Kremlin's expanding influence in the Balkan region.

The Montenegrin opposition has boycotted parliament since the October election, when the country's pro-Western government accused it of attempting a pro-Russian coup that allegedly included plans to take over power and kill the then-prime minister, Milo Djukanovic, because of his NATO bid.

The letter, written on behalf of a coalition of opposition parties called the Democratic Front, warned that the security situation in Montenegro is "very complex" and that "the matter of relations to NATO demands exceptional caution." It added that Bannon should gain a "clear picture" of the situation before the final approval.

Mandic and Knezevic alleged that the U.S. has been presented with "false facts and superficial information" about Montenegro by the Obama administration.

They said Montenegro has been deeply split between those who seek NATO membership and those who reject it.

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"Montenegrin society does not have a unique attitude regarding the admission to NATO as falsely alleged by the former administration in Washington," the letter stated. "In reality, Montenegro does not meet the criteria for admission to the Euro-Atlantic alliance because it cannot ensure its own internal stability and democratic system."

Russia has strongly opposed NATO expansion in Europe, especially if it brings countries like Montenegro that were considered close allies of Moscow into the military alliance.

___

Jovana Gec and Dusan Stojanovic contributed from Belgrade, Serbia.
SALE, Morocco (AP)  It is a school of last chances, both for its students and for the fading art that they are learning, stitch by stitch.

Each of the 13 young Moroccans now studying under fashion designer Fadila El Gadi had dropped out of school, whether through boredom or academic troubles. But now they willingly spend nine hours a day in this free program, learning the traditional art of Moroccan embroidery  as well as the traditional academic subjects they once left behind.

Six girls and seven boys, ranging in age from 13 to 18, start the day at 7 a.m., taking turns making breakfast for the group. The day ends at 4 p.m. The training is expected to last two years, at the end of which the hope is full-time work.

Bent over an embroidery frame, 18-year-old Nadia is among El Gadi's most gifted students and is already making a little money outside class.

"I'm comfortable in this field. I would love to be able to do it professionally like Fadila," she said.

El Gadi launched the school in her hometown of Sale, a city neighboring the capital, Rabat, because "I haven't forgotten where I came from."

Embroidery made El Gadi's career and she hopes the same will happen with the children at her school. Sandra Charteau, a professional embroiderer, comes twice a week to teach  although Charteau cannot speak Moroccan Arabic, the children are learning French and eventually English as part of their lesson plan.

El Gadi hopes the children will ultimately be able to establish themselves, either as artisans or in haute couture.

"Demand is high for craftsmen. I myself am always looking for trained staff for my own studio," she said. "If we managed to have funding so they could each have their own little workshops, that would be really amazing."
A company that sells a new opioid-addiction medication is a secret funder of an advocacy group fronted by Newt Gingrich and Patrick Kennedy that is pushing for more government funding and insurance coverage of such treatments.

Gingrich, the former Republican House speaker and a Trump confidant, and Kennedy, a former congressman and son of former US Senator Edward Kennedy, are paid advisors to Advocates for Opioid Recovery. They have generated a flurry of media attention in those roles, including joint interviews with outlets ranging from Fox News to the New Yorker.

Gingrich told STAT this week he didnt know who was funding Advocates for Opioid Recovery, and the nonprofit groups officials refused to disclose its financial backers.

The answer, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, is Braeburn Pharmaceuticals Inc. The private company, based in Princeton, NJ, won approval last year to market an implant that continuously dispenses the opioid addiction medicine buprenorphine.

In a prospectus filed with the SEC in late January as part of a now-postponed effort to take the company public, Braeburn disclosed it entered into an agreement to make a $900,000 charitable donation to Advocates for Opioid Recovery. The filing indicates the company had paid $675,000 to the non-profit group as of Sept. 30. It did not specify when the remaining funds would be paid.

The filing indicates Braeburn entered into the agreement to fund the non-profit group through the private equity fund that owns the drugmaker.

That fund, called Apple Tree Partners, is also an investor in CleanSlate Addiction Treatment Centers. Kennedy has been a member of the board of directors of CleanSlate since 2015. The treatment center is also a sponsor of the Kennedy Forum, a mental health advocacy outfit headed by Patrick Kennedy.

Read more: Opioid treatment group fronted by Newt Gingrich and Patrick Kennedy keeps its funders secret

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Anne Woodbury, a former Gingrich aide who serves as executive director of Advocates for Opioid Recovery, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A request for comment from Braeburn was also not immediately returned.

Kennedy declined to be interviewed this week, as did Van Jones, the CNN commentator and former Obama aide who is another paid adviser. Earlier this week, Woodbury and a spokesman for the nonprofit refused to say who was funding it, adding that the donors wanted to remain anonymous.

While there is widespread support in the treatment community for use of the medicines being promoted by the three men, there is growing concern about misuse of the drugs. And some addiction experts have expressed skepticism that the Braeburn implant will be an effective treatment option. There are alternative opioid-addiction treatments that do not rely on medication, including abstinence-based and behavioral therapy programs.

Read more: Can a pricey implant to treat opioid addiction save lives  and money?

Last month, Braeburn shelved a planned initial public offering, citing poor market conditions. The companys implant drug, branded as Probuphine, relies on four tiny rods implanted under the skin of the upper arm to dispense the addiction-treatment drug buprenorphine for six months at a time.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been on the job less than a month but has already made some civil rights groups nervous by indicating the Justice Department will likely soften its focus on protecting voter rights and monitoring troubled police departments.

The head of the NAACP met with Sessions Friday at the attorney general's request. The private meeting was held the same week Sessions suggested the Justice Department would back away from federal investigations of local police departments. The agency this week also abandoned an Obama-era challenge to a key aspect of Texas' voter ID law, which is among the toughest in the nation.

"He said we would agree on some things and disagree on others, and he was committed to enforcing civil rights law as he sees it," said NAACP President Cornell William Brooks after the 30-minute meeting in Sessions' office.

The Justice Department declined to comment on the meeting, which Sessions arranged in his first days on the job.

Sessions has moved swiftly to set the Justice Department on a strikingly different path from his Democratic-appointed predecessors, and dramatic changes are already being felt in the area of civil rights.

Civil rights investigations of police departments, for example, were a staple at the Justice Department under President Barack Obama in a bid to overhaul troubled law enforcement agencies after racially charged encounters. The Obama administration repeatedly sought court-enforceable improvement plans known as consent decrees.

But Sessions said this week he believes that kind of intense federal scrutiny could hinder officers' ability to aggressively fight crime.

Brooks said the attorney general reiterated concern that a lack of respect for police has hurt officer morale and led to a spike in crime.

"I told him, police chiefs will tell you, consent decrees give them the permission to do the things they know they should do," Brooks said. "Why would the Department of Justice stand in the way of that?"

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The group is also concerned that the department's reversal of its legal position in a Texas voting rights case could mean other cases are in jeopardy. In that case, the Justice Department said it would no longer argue that Texas law was intended to discriminate against minorities, a break from the agency's position under the Obama administration.

Sessions has not said what he would do in the case of a North Carolina measure that an appeals court said targeted minority voters to make it harder for them to cast ballots. The Obama Justice Department had challenged the law.

As a U.S. senator, Sessions repeatedly sounded alarms over voting fraud and challenged Justice Department attorneys over whether they were pursuing it aggressively enough.

Brooks said he encouraged Sessions to appoint a strong voice to head up the department's Civil Rights Division, someone who would be "a cop on the beat when it comes to civil rights." He said Sessions offered no indication of whom he might choose.
GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters) - There is no economic case for breaking up the United Kingdom, British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday, in a speech attacking Scottish nationalists for being "obsessed" with independence. Since last year's Brexit vote, Scottish National Party leader and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly said she could push for a new independence referendum if the country is forced into a clean break with the bloc. "The economic case for the union has never been stronger," May told her Conservative Party's Scottish conference in Glasgow. "There is no economic case for breaking up the United Kingdom, or of loosening the ties which bind us together." May also said that no decisions currently taken by the Scottish parliament will be removed from it when Britain leaves the EU. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan in London; Editing by Alistair Smout)
Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - Malaysia issued an arrest warrant for a North Korean airline employee Friday over the assassination of the half-brother of Pyongyang's leader, after frustrated police had to release their only other suspect from the isolated nation.

Ri Jong-Chol is among eight North Koreans suspected of involvement in the dramatic killing of Kim Jong-Nam, the half-brother of the reclusive nation's leader, who was poisoned with a banned nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Malaysia's attorney general had announced there was insufficient evidence to charge 47-year-old Ri.

The North Korean was deported Friday night, a government official, who asked not to be named, confirmed to AFP.

"He will be escorted by two North Korean officials to Beijing and from Beijing to Pyongyang," deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters earlier. "We have also blacklisted him and he cannot enter this country again."

"The police probe showed he was not working as stated in his documents but was involved in illicit activities detrimental to our security."

Earlier, as he was led out of a police station outside the capital under tight security and handed over to immigration authorities, police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said he regretted the release.

"We believe that Ri Jong Chol played a part in Kim Chol's murder but unfortunately we lack evidence to charge him," he told AFP, using the name given in the passport carried by Kim Jong-Nam.

"We are frustrated because of a lack of evidence," he said via text message from Saudi Arabia where he is on a religious pilgrimage.

However, he denied political or diplomatic pressure had been a factor in the release, saying it was purely an investigative issue.

Ri's release came two days after two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- were charged with murdering Kim.

Seven other North Koreans are wanted in connection with the killing.

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- Arrest warrants -

On Friday police issued an arrest warrant for a North Korean airline employee, Kim Uk Il, 37, in connection with the murder.

They also requested that Hyon Kwang Song, second secretary at the North Korean embassy, assist the probe.

Both are believed to be in Malaysia. Four others are thought to have fled to Pyongyang on the day of the murder.

Ri was arrested days after Kim suffered an agonising death when he was attacked as he waited to board a flight to Macau.

CCTV footage shows two women approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth.

Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later. Swabs of the dead man's face revealed traces of VX, a synthetic chemical so deadly that it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction.

Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, face the death penalty if found guilty. Both women say they thought they were merely taking part in a prank video.

South Korea has pointed the finger of blame at North Korea, citing what they say was a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother who may have been seen as a potential rival.

North Korea, which has not acknowledged the dead man's identity, has vehemently protested the investigation, saying Malaysia is in cahoots with its enemies.

In response, Malaysia has cancelled a visa-free travel deal with North Korea -- a key conduit to the outside world -- and recalled its envoy to Pyongyang.

- 'The facts remain' -

On Thursday a senior North Korean diplomat leading a delegation to Kuala Lumpur reiterated Pyongyangs assertion that Kim had died of a heart attack, dismissing the use of a nerve agent, and urged Malaysia to release his body.

Police chief Khalid quashed the claims.

"Our investigations supported by expert reports confirmed that Kim was murdered. North Korea can say what they like but the facts remain," he told national news agency Bernama.

Malaysia on Friday also stepped up its criticism of the use of the banned nerve agent, condemning "the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances".

"Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," the foreign ministry said, adding that the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was helping it investigate.
By Lenzy Krebiel-Burton PAWNEE, Okla. (Reuters) - The Pawnee Nation filed a lawsuit on Friday in tribal court in Oklahoma against 27 oil and gas producers, seeking damages for an earthquake they said was caused from man-made activity related to hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The Native American group claimed that wastewater injected into disposal wells helped trigger a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in September, the strongest on record in the state, that damaged several Pawnee Nation buildings, including several that are more than 100 years old. Lawyers for the Pawnee Nation said they believe the case is the first of its sort filed in a tribal court. They are seeking at least $250,000 in damages. Most of the companies were listed as "John Does" in court papers. Attorneys for two of the companies named in the suit, Oklahoma City-based Cummings Oil and Tulsa-based Eagle Road Oil, could not be reached for comment. The American Bar Association said the civil powers of tribal courts extend to "consensual relations" with non-members and non-Indians, including contractual relations. Headquartered about 60 miles (100 km) west of Tulsa, the Pawnee Nation has 3,500 enrolled tribal citizens. It has a separate earthquake-related lawsuit pending in federal court against the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management. One tribal building was declared structurally unsound after the earthquake, forcing officials to move two departments and a branch of government, the lawyers said. "We've already been forced out of our homelands in Nebraska," Pawnee Nation Executive Director Andrew Knife Chief told reporters. "Our home is now here in Oklahoma and has been since the 1870s. The destruction of our buildings is too high a price for our nation to bear," he said. In December, Oklahoma said it was imposing guidelines to reduce the risk of earthquakes caused by hydraulic fracturing in its oil-rich shale formations, the first rules in the state to target the energy production technique. The move by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission's Oil and Gas Conservation Division and the Oklahoma Geological Survey came as earthquakes in the state have risen sharply since the shale boom and the use of fracking. Oklahoma has been shaken by a series of earthquakes that the state has said are tied to disposal of wastewater from fracking. Oklahoma has been recording 2-1/2 earthquakes daily of magnitude 3 or greater, a seismicity rate 600 times greater than before 2008, the Oklahoma Geological Survey (OGS) said. (Reporting by Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton; Additional reporting Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Editing by Sandra Maler)
It wasn't just Evan Spiegel who got rich in Snap Inc.'s IPO yesterday.

A California high school has made millions of dollars from the initial public offering of shares in Snap Inc., the company behind Snapchat.

The board of the Saint Francis high school in Mountain View agreed to invest $15,000 in seed money in Snap in 2012, when the company was just getting started.

They had been invited to do so by one of the student's parents, a venture capital investor with Lightspeed Venture Partners, the high school president said in a letter issued to the school community Thursday.

"We didn't have real high expectations," the school's former president, Kevin Makley, told CNNTech. "We collectively decided that this was going to be a ... small investment. So we'll take a shot at it."

The school held onto the investment until this week, when Snap shares sold for $17 each in an IPO. The share price rocketed another 44 percent higher when trading began Thursday.

The school was quoted by media as saying they sold two-thirds of their shares at $17 each, to raise $24 million. The school will use the money for its strategic plan to recruit faculty and "make Catholic education more affordable and accessible."

"The school's investment in Snap - which this morning announced the completion of its IPO - has matured and given us a significant boost," said the high school president, Simon Chiu, in the letter.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  A North Korean chemist deported from Malaysia accused police of threatening to kill his family unless he confessed to the assassination of the half-brother of North Korea's leader, calling it a plot to tarnish his country's honor.

Ri Jong Chol spoke to reporters in Beijing early Saturday while on his way to Pyongyang. Malaysian authorities have said there's insufficient evidence to charge Ri over Kim Jong Nam's killing at Kuala Lumpur's airport on Feb. 13.

Ri was detained four days after the attack but police never said what they believed his role was. Two women  one Indonesian, one Vietnamese  have been charged with murder after police said they smeared Kim's face with VX, a banned nerve agent considered a weapon of mass destruction.

Ri said he wasn't at the airport the day Kim was killed but that police accused him of being a mastermind and presented him with "fake evidence." He said they showed him a picture of his wife and two children, who were staying with him in Kuala Lumpur, and threatened to kill them.

"These men kept telling me to admit to the crime, and if not, my whole family would be killed, and you too won't be safe. If you accept everything, you can live a good life in Malaysia," Ri said. "This is when I realized that it was a trap ... they were plotting to tarnish my country's reputation."

Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.

Immigration Director-General Mustafar Ali said Friday that Ri has been blacklisted from re-entering Malaysia.

Malaysia is looking for seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom are believed to have left the country on the day of the killing. Three others, including an official at the North Korean Embassy and an employee of Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier, are believed to still be in Malaysia.

Police on Friday issued an arrest warrant for the Air Koryo employee, Kim Uk Il, but didn't say why he is a suspect . Police say he arrived in Malaysia on Jan. 29, about two weeks before Kim was killed.

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Kim's death has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. Malaysia said it was scraping visa-free entry for North Koreans, while the Foreign Ministry said it was "greatly concerned" about the use of the nerve agent.

Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of being behind the killing, but the ministry statement came hours after a North Korean envoy rejected a Malaysian autopsy finding that VX killed Kim. Ri Tong Il, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, said that the man probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

He said that if VX had been used, others besides Kim would have been killed or sickened. Malaysian police have brushed off Ri's claim of a heart attack and insisted he was murdered.

The two female suspects at an airport terminal were caught on grainy surveillance video smearing what Malaysian authorities say was VX on his face and eyes, though both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Kim died within 20 minutes, authorities say. No bystanders reported falling ill.

Police said the women had been trained to go immediately to the bathroom and wash their hands. Police said the four North Korean suspects who had left the country put the VX liquid on the women's hands.

Police can't confirm whether the two women may have been given antidotes before the attack. An antidote, atropine, can be injected after exposure and is carried by medics in war zones where weapons of mass destruction are suspected.

Malaysia's finding that VX killed Kim boosted speculation that North Korea orchestrated the attack. Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons including VX.

North Korea is trying to retrieve Kim's body, but has not acknowledged that the victim is Kim Jong Un's half brother.
After taking the Oscars stage Sunday night to accept the award for Best Picture alongside the rest of the Moonlight cast, seventh-graders Alex Hibbert and Jaden Piner returned to middle school Wednesday to resume their studies.

The pair  who played the youngest versions of Chiron and Kevin, respectively  both attend Norland Middle School near Liberty City, the Miami community where Moonlight is set. It shows that Liberty City is not really a bad place and you cant judge it by the news, Hibbert told the Associated Press. When you watch Moonlight, you find the beauty of Liberty City.

Drama teacher Tanisha Cidel  who also had a role in the film as a school principal  said the boys success should encourage others to pursue their dreams. I want the parents to understand that if your child has any talent or shows an interest in the arts, take it seriously, she said.
By Kristina Cooke and Mica Rosenberg

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Parents who immigrated illegally to the United States and now fear deportation under the Trump administration are inundating immigration advocates with requests for help in securing care for their children in the event they are expelled from the country.

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) advocacy group has been receiving about 10 requests a day from parents who want to put in place temporary guardianships for their children, said spokesman Jorge-Mario Cabrera. Last year, the group said it received about two requests a month for guardianship letters and notarization services.

At the request of a nonprofit organization, the National Lawyers Guild in Washington D.C. put out a call this week for volunteer attorneys to help immigrants fill out forms granting friends or relatives the right to make legal and financial decisions in their absence.

In New Jersey, immigration attorney Helen Ramirez said she is getting about six phone calls a day from parents. Last year, she said, she had no such calls.

"Their biggest fear is that their kids will end up in foster care," Ramirez said.

President Donald Trump's administration has issued directives to agents to more aggressively enforce immigration laws and more immigrants are coming under scrutiny by the authorities.

For parents of U.S. citizens who are ordered removed, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency "accommodates, to the extent practicable, the parents' efforts to make provisions" for their children, said ICE spokeswoman Sarah Rodriguez. She said that might include access to a lawyer, consular officials and relatives for detained parents to execute powers of attorney or apply for passports and buy airline tickets if the parents decide whether or not to take the children with them.

Randy Capps of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), a Washington-based non-profit that analyzes the movement of people worldwide, said that while putting contingency plans in place is a good idea, he does not think the level of fear is justified.

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During the previous administration of President Barack Obama, a Democrat, the likelihood of both parents being deported was slim, Capps said.

He doubts there will be a huge shift under Republican Trump toward deporting both parents.

"The odds are still very low but not as low as they were  and this is just the beginning of the administration," he said.

About five million children under the age of 18 are living with at least one parent who is in the country illegally, according to a 2016 study by MPI. Most of the children, 79 percent, were U.S. citizens, the study found.

In the second half of 2015, ICE removed 15,422 parents who said they have at least one U.S.-born child, according to ICE data.

Obama was criticized for being the "deporter in chief" after he expelled more than 400,000 people in 2012, the most by any president in a single year. In 2014, the Obama administration began focusing on a narrower slice of immigrants, those who had recently entered the country or committed serious felonies. Trump has said he would still prioritize criminals for deportation.

'WORRIED ALL THE TIME'

In rural New Jersey, Seidy Martinez and her husband Jose Gomez have begun the difficult conversations with their 10-year-old daughter about what would happen if her parents were deported.

Martinez, a house cleaner, and Gomez, who works on a horse farm, are both from Honduras. They entered the United States illegally, and do not have papers, unlike their daughter, who has been granted asylum, and their 3-year-old son, a U.S. citizen.

"Now we are worried all the time. We don't have anything that would allow us to stay here," said Martinez. "Our main concern is what will happen to our children."

She has told her daughter that she could live with her aunt in Miami and is considering drafting paperwork that would give her relative some legal rights if she and her husband are deported. The 10-year old tries to comfort her mother. "She tells me, 'Mami, tranquila. Don't be afraid, I am scared too but don't worry everything will be OK.'"

'IF MOM DOESN'T COME HOME'

Rebecca Kitson, an immigration attorney in Albuquerque, New Mexico, says she advises her increasingly nervous clients to have the kind of conversations Martinez and her husband are having with their children.

She said she urges parents to be specific in their instructions. "If Mom doesn't come home by a specific time, who do [the kids] call?" said Kitson.

Immigration groups are offering low-cost services. CHIRLA, for example, offers a free sample letter and help filling it out, which then must be notarized at a cost of about $10. But some parents here illegally say they have had trouble finding affordable help.

Melvin Arias, 39, a New Jersey landscaper from Costa Rica who entered the United States illegally 13 years ago, said he decided after hearing news of stepped-up immigration enforcement to take legal precautions for his five-year-old son and six-month old daughter, who are both U.S. citizens.

But when he asked for help from two different lawyers, Arias was told preparing legal documents would cost him between $700 and $1,250. He is looking for a cheaper way to obtain the paperwork he needs.

"If there comes a time when both of us have a problem, I want there to be a responsible person who can come and get [the children] for us, to take them to wherever we might be, Arias said.

(Reporting By Kristina Cooke in San Francisco and Mica Rosenberg in New York; Editing by Sue Horton and Grant McCool)
The pastor of a Pennsylvania church is now facing charges related to the death of his own granddaughter.

According to prosecutors in Berks County, Pastor Rowland Foster of the Faith Tabernacle Congregation in Reading has been charged with failure to report child abuse following the death of 2-year-old Ella Grace Foster, who died of pneumonia in her home in November.

Watch: Pastor: 'I Don't Feel Like Forgiving' My Pregnant Wife's Suspected Killers

Pastor Foster's church reportedly believes in faith healing and congregants rely on God alone to treat illnesses. "It's common practice of the church to anoint a person while they are ill," reads the criminal complaint that alleges Foster was with his granddaughter the night before she died.

Pictured: Ella's parents, Jonathan and Grace Foster, have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.

District Attorney John Adams has argued that, as a pastor, Foster is what's called a "mandated reporter" and under Pennsylvania law must report incidents of child endangerment even when his religion doesn't allow modern medical care.

"So he was well aware of the physical condition of this child and he was well aware that this child did not receive any medical care," Adams said, according to the arrest affidavit.

According to The Associated Press, a forensic pathologist determined that Ella would have had a 95 percent chance of survival had she taken a routine course of antibiotics.

The Faith Tabernacle Church was founded in 1971. Since then, 27 children in the church have died of preventable or treatable illnesses, according advocacy group Children's Healthcare Is a Legal Duty, which opposes faith-based medical neglect.

A woman who answered the phone at the church's Philadelphia headquarters declined to comment.

In the arrest affidavit, police say the 71-year-old Foster told them that the church "does not believe in medical care and that he had not been to a doctor in his 70 years." Police said Foster believes Ella's death was "God's will."

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Read: Naked Pastor Flees Home After He's Caught in Adulterous Tryst by Woman's Husband: Cops

Ella's parents, Jonathan and Grace Foster, have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child. Pastor Foster is not charged with manslaughter, but with failing to report child abuse.

All three adults have been released pending trial.

Watch: Pastor Faces Backlash for Praising Orlando Massacre: 50 Pedophiles Were Killed

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While he was governor of Indiana, Vice President Mike Pence used a private email account to conduct business, and that account was hacked last summer, the Indianapolis Star reported Thursday.

Pence used his AOL account to discuss state business with top advisers, including how the state would respond to a terrorist attack.

The Star obtained the emails through a public records request, but an unspecified number were withheld by Gov. Eric Holcombs office because they were deemed too sensitive or confidential to be made public.

Pences office in Washington issued a written statement saying the vice president had complied with state law regarding email use and retention. Government emails involving his state and personal accounts are being archived by the state consistent with Indiana law and are being managed according to Indianas Access to Public Records Act.

mike pence

Photo: Joshua Roberts/Reuters

Indiana law allows public officials to use private email accounts as long as emails are retained for public records purposes.

The Star, quoting cybersecurity experts, said hackers gained access in June to Pences contacts, making it likely they had access to his inbox and sent messages as well. It was unlikely, however, that Pence in particular was targeted.

Much of the 2016 presidential campaign focused on former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons use of a private email server during her tenure, and Pence was among the fiercest critics.

During the vice presidential debate with Sen. Tim Kaine, Pence said if your son or my son handled classified information the way Hillary Clinton did, theyd be court-martialed. The FBI cleared Clinton of wrongdoing but called her handling of classified information sloppy.

In a September appearance on NBCs Meet the Press, Pence called Clinton the most dishonest candidate  since Richard Nixon, accusing her of trying to keep her emails out of reach to shield interactions with the Clinton Foundation.

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Pence spokesman Marc Lotter said Pences use of AOL and Clintons use of a private server should not be compared since he did not handle federally classified material. Unlike Pences account, however, there never was any evidence Clintons server had been hacked.

A large part of the criticism of [Clintons] personal server by the GOP  that it was unsafe or that it was to circumvent oversight  would be misplaced if Pence was using an AOL account, Adam Segal, director of the digital and cyberspace policy program at the Council on Foreign Relations, told the Star. The Secretary of State would be in possession of secrets that had more of a national impact, but at a lower level, a private email account has the same implications.

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Paris (AFP) - Francois Fillon campaigned as a sleaze-free reformer, but his bid for the French presidency appears on the brink of collapse over claims he used taxpayers' money to pay his wife Penelope for fake jobs.

- Who is Francois Fillon? -

Fillon, who turns 63 on Saturday, was prime minister from 2007 to 2012, the high point of a political career spanning nearly four decades.

The staunch Catholic emerged in November as the surprise nominee of the conservative Republicans party after promising to slash public spending and cut bureaucracy. He notably also campaigned on his reputation for integrity.

Before the expenses scandal, voter surveys consistently showed him as the likely winner of the two-round presidential election in April and May.

- What is he accused of? -

The satirical and investigative weekly Canard Enchaine revealed in January that Fillon had put the Welsh-born Penelope and two of their children on the public payroll, earning the family nearly 900,000 euros ($950,000) before taxes.

The paper said Penelope earned around 700,000 euros over 15 years as a parliamentary assistant despite scant evidence that she did any work. The press has dubbed the scandal "Penelopegate".

Their children Marie and Charles also earned a total of 84,000 euros as parliamentary assistants in 2005-07.

- Did Fillon do anything illegal? -

Fillon announced Wednesday that he is to be charged on March 15. Prosecutors have said he is under investigation for possible embezzlement of public funds.

At a defiant press conference on Wednesday, Fillon vowed that he could prove his innocence, saying: "I won't give in, I won't surrender and I won't withdraw."

Employing a family member as a parliamentary aide is common in France and not illegal, unlike in Germany or at the European Parliament.

But there are suspicions that Penelope did no work for her parliamentary salary, which exceeded 10,000 euros pre-tax a month in 2007. She had neither a security pass for the parliament building nor a work email account.

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Moreover, she said in a newspaper interview that she was "never involved in my husband's political life".

She presented herself as a low-key political wife who preferred a quiet life at the family's country manor house near Le Mans in northwest France to mingling with Parisian politicos.

- How did Fillon handle the scandal? -

Fillon apologised early last month for having hired Penelope, saying he deeply regretted the "error". But he repeatedly refused to step aside, saying grassroots support was still behind him.

After previously promising to quit if he was charged with criminal offences, on Wednesday he changed tack, angrily denouncing the case as an attempted "political assassination".

- Who stands to gain from his exit? -

Scores of allies have turned against Fillon, and veteran politician Alain Juppe, 71, is at the ready to take over as the conservative standardbearer if he throws in the towel.

Fillon's spokesman Thierry Solere on Friday became the most high-profile aide to abandon the campaign after two deputy directors, the treasurer and his foreign affairs point man.

Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old former economy minister, has been buoyed in the polls since the scandal broke.

He has capitalised on it heavily, unveiling a string of policies to clean up French politics including a ban on MPs employing family members.

In first-round voter intentions, Fillon is trailing behind Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen -- whose support has held even though she is caught up in an expenses scandal of her own.

The avuncular Juppe, for his part, would immediately take a slight lead in the race, in what would be yet another dramatic twist in a rollercoaster election, a poll published Friday showed.
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By Enrico Dela Cruz and Manolo Serapio Jr MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines may consider banning exports of raw minerals to encourage domestic processing and boost the value of shipments, an environment official said on Friday, as the government looks to extract more from its mining sector after a crackdown. Nickel prices rose more than 1 percent on the potential for supply disruption from the world's top nickel ore exporter, but miners said following in the footsteps of neighboring Indonesia wouldn't be viable without big government incentives. Previous governments in the Philippines have supported calls to spur domestic processing of raw minerals but earlier efforts in Congress to enact appropriate laws have failed to take off. "It's one of the things we're considering for any mine that we think should remain operating," Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Maria Paz Luna told reporters. "In the long term that will help our economy because that will increase the value of the products," she said, adding that any ban would have to be considered by the entire government. Mining has come into sharp focus in the Philippines in recent months after the country's firebrand environment minister, Regina Lopez, ordered the closure of more than half of the country's mines to protect watersheds, prompting an industry backlash. Her decision is now being reviewed by the government's Mining Industry Coordinating Council amid concerns over its financial impact and criticism that due process was not followed. 'FAILED EXPERIMENT' The Philippines took over as the world's top nickel ore exporter after Indonesia banned exports of unprocessed ore in 2014, aiming to spur development of higher value smelting industries. However, Indonesia relaxed its mining export rules in January, allowing exports of raw ore under certain conditions, after facing a hefty budget deficit and missing its 2016 revenue target by $17.6 billion. "It means that (Indonesia's) experiment has failed," Ronald Recidoro, lawyer from the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, told Reuters. "The policy direction of banning ore exports will not by itself create a domestic processing industry," he said. To encourage processing plants the government needed to provide incentives to investors and subsidize power and coal costs, he said. The Southeast Asian nation has four mineral processing plants, two for gold and two for nickel. "The question of value-added processing is a question of viability," said Dante Bravo, president of Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc, the country's No. 2 nickel ore miner. The mining council's review will cover 23 mines ordered shut by the environment ministry and another five that were suspended. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said the three-month review, announced in February, would continue even if Lopez's appointment is not confirmed by Congress. (Reporting by Enrico dela Cruz and Manolo Serapio Jr.; Writing by Manolo Serapio Jr.; Editing by Richard Pullin)
By Meng Meng and Josephine Mason BEIJING (Reuters) - China has set itself a staggering task to cure its smothering pollution: switching coal-fired boilers and heating systems in at least 1.2 million households in 28 of its smoggiest northern cities to run on gas or electricity. By October. Beijing's latest crackdown on pollution, outlined in a policy document dated Feb. 17 and seen by Reuters this week, dangles a potentially game-changing carrot for the country's saturated global natural gas market. The projected extra needs would inflate China's gas demand by a quarter, according to consultancy Wood Mackenzie - some 50 billion cubic metres (bcm), more than the whole of France consumes in a year. That would offer the prospect of boosting prices in a seller's market and surging liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports. There's a large, expensive catch. Such expansion is all but impossible without investing in doubling underground storage capacity, building thousands of miles of pipeline to carry the gas in the west to the eastern cities, and installing pump stations in rural villages - all of which is supposed to be complete within a meager seven months. "The magnitude of this policy is unprecedented," said Guo Zihua, head of a rural development department at Beijing city hall that deals with villages surrounding the capital - now on the front line of the battle for cleaner air. "The central government has given us very little time to remove coal heating in rural villages. We are under tremendous pressure to reach the target," said Guo, speaking during a tour on Thursday of Beijing's outskirts designed to highlight the scale of the task. The radical plan comes as Beijing ramps up its years-long war on pollution by attempting to wean the nation off coal, its favorite fuel but one that chokes the north during China's cold winter months. Most power plants run on coal. The speed at which the project turned from a draft, issued in January, into an order suggests the government is determined to tackle the problem - at any cost. The issue of pollution has become a political hot potato that will be a major topic during China's upcoming annual parliament meeting, starting on Sunday. If Beijing official Guo's calculations are anything to go by, that cost will be enormous: by October, the capital must convert boilers serving around 300,000 residents to run on gas or electricity rather than coal, and is plowing 10 billion yuan ($1.45 billion) into funding the switch. And for provinces that aren't as advanced as the capital, the challenge will be much more difficult and costly, said an official at the city's coal department on Thursday. HUGE QUESTIONMARKS As well as a matter of improving national health, curbing pollution is a key part of a strategy of upgrading the economy by shifting away from heavy industry like public construction projects and tackling overcapacity. Yet analysts say the plan's fate will rest on a massive, breakneck infrastructure build-out including LNG terminals, storage tanks and pipelines. "If you look at the pollution in China, it's clearly a massive problem so it's not a surprise they want to do this," said Neil Beveridge, senior oil and gas analyst at Sanford C Bernstein. "The big question is: how are they going to achieve it?" Underground storage capacity needs to increase to around 40 bcm, or 20 percent of annual demand, to support the boost in demand. That'd be up at least more than double an estimated current capacity 10-20 bcm. The daunting scale of the plan leaves huge questionmarks over the prospects of its success. But in the meantime, construction and energy companies are gearing up for a windfall. Some, like China National Petroleum Corp [CNPET.UL] (CNPC), were already at work on extending the country's gas infrastructure. CNPC is building the fourth Shaanxi-Beijing gas pipeline, a critical 1,114 kilometer line with 25 bcm capacity reaching China's northeastern region. The existing three lines with 35 bcm are already operating at full capacity. Whether by coincidence or design, the new pipe is due to come into operation by October this year. (Reporting by Meng Meng and Josephine Mason; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  A Polish member of the European Parliament has launched another sexist tirade, calling it a "20th century stereotype that women have the same intellectual potential as men," and that the stereotype "must be destroyed because it is not true."

Janusz Korwin-Mikke's insults on Friday in Warsaw came two days after he told the European Parliament that "women must earn less than men because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent."

The president of the Parliament opened an investigation Thursday into the comments, for which Korwin-Mikke could face sanctions such as a reprimand, a fine or a temporary suspension.

His latest blast came after he was challenged by female lawmakers during a visit to the Polish parliament in Warsaw. Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, from the Modern party, accused him of offending women and said she would not allow him to do it again.

"There are more women than men in Poland, we're better educated, and I will not let you offend Polish women, European women and women all over the world. It's a disgrace," she told him.

Korwin-Mikke has a history of getting attention for outrageous comments, including comparing the European Union to the Third Reich.

In 2015, he raised his arm in a Nazi salute to make a political point in the European Parliament, the EU's elected legislative arm, forcing the centrist government in Warsaw at the time to apologize and express shame for his behavior.

Korwin-Mikke heads a small party which won just under 5 percent of the vote in Poland's last parliamentary election in 2015, failing to clear the 5 percent threshold to get any seats.
Americans are leery of giving the president more power to deal directly with the nations problems  and its an issue on which both Democrats and Republicans agree, a poll released Thursday by the Pew Research Center indicated.

Seventy-seven percent of the 1,503 adults polled Feb. 7-12 said it would be too risky to give U.S. presidents more power to deal directly with many of the countrys problems while 17 percent said problems could be dealt with more effectively if presidents didnt have to worry so much about Congress or the courts.

Broken down by political affiliation, 87 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said concentrating more power in the presidency would be too risky compared to 65 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.

The U.S. Constitution makes all three branches of government co-equal, a system of checks and balances to ensure no president becomes a dictator. In recent years, however, presidents have relied more and more on executive orders, a practice often criticized by the opposing party. The only area not subjected to such checks is the conduct of foreign policy with the exception of declaring war, a prerogative reserved for the Congress.

But presidential efforts to seize some of that power has grown in recent decades, issuing executive orders instead of waiting for Congress to act.

President Donald Trump already has issued 15 executive orders, the most controversial of which attempted to deal with what he perceives as a threat to Americans safety. The order banned travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries and was incensed when first a federal judge and then an appellate panel suspended it.

Several of the executive orders issued by former President Barack Obama, some of them the result of frustration with congressional inaction on immigration and other issues, also were struck down by the courts. Obama issued 277 executive orders, averaging 35 a year, fewer than predecessors George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. George H.W. Bush issued fewer but thats only because he served just one term.

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Both Obama and Bush expanded the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force to justify unilateral decisions on getting involved in military conflict. They also oversaw the expansion of domestic surveillance programs, which eventually were limited by the courts and Congress.

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By Ian Graham BELFAST (Reuters) - Irish nationalists Sinn Fein and the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party were neck-and-neck on Friday almost halfway through the counting of votes in a snap election that could dramatically shift the balance of power in Northern Ireland. Voters turned out in their highest numbers in two decades on Thursday in the first regional election in the United Kingdom since its vote to leave the European Union as nationalists who favor a united Ireland and unionists who want the province to remain British jostle for influence. The DUP won 28.1 percent of first preference votes but Sinn Fein almost wiped out the 5-percentage point gap at an election last year by capturing 27.9 percent, meaning that after 800,000 ballots were cast, just over 1,000 votes split the main parties. Under a voting system where candidates capture preferences of eliminated rivals and surplus votes of those elected, Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the IRA, stood a chance of becoming the largest party for the first time. "It looks as if it's been a very good day for Sinn Fein. We'll have to see, it's early days," DUP leader Arlene Foster, whose handling of a botched green energy scheme Sinn Fein blamed for its collapsing of the devolved government, told Sky News. Sinn Fein's leader Michelle O'Neill told journalists it was an "amazing day" as her party benefited from a jump in turnout to 65 percent, the highest since the first assembly elections immediately after the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement. With 37 of the 90 seats returned, Sinn Fein had won 16 and the DUP 10. Counting will not be completed until Saturday. "There's a distinct possibility that Sinn Fein could become the largest party. There's also a possibility that there could be a tie," said Jon Tonge, professor of politics at Liverpool University. POWER-SHARING The two largest parties will have three weeks after the election to form a new power-sharing government to avoid devolved power returning to the British parliament at Westminster for the first time in a decade. But with relations at their lowest point in a decade, Sinn Fein insists among its demands that Foster step aside before it will consider re-entering government. The DUP has rejected this outright, but a Sinn Fein victory might force her to go. "The prospect of a devolved government being formed, which was already slim anyway, is very remote," said Tonge. "If Sinn Fein becomes the largest party, the DUP will not go into government with them and if the DUP remain the largest party, Sinn Fein have said they won't work with Arlene Foster. I just don't see it happening." No one predicts the impasse will bring a return to the violence that killed 3,600 people in the three decades before the peace agreement. But some are warning there could be a deterioration in community relations coupled with government paralysis, as Brexit talks determine the province's political and economic future. Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said he could not guarantee that the return of Northern Ireland's 1.8 million people to direct rule from London could be avoided. "That would be a total failure of the politicians of Northern Ireland," Peter Hain, the last British minister for Northern Ireland to oversee direct rule in 2007, told Sky News. "To effectively hand power back to London would I think be a disaster for devolution and a serious set back for progress in Northern Ireland." (Writing, additional reporting by Conor Humphries and Padraic Halpin; Editing by Alison Williams)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Crews began restarting a power plant Friday at the base of Oroville Dam, allowing them to release water from the Northern California lake without having to send it over a badly damaged spillway, officials said.

The move is a major milestone in the race to protect Oroville and downstream communities from the threat of flooding, said Bill Croyle, acting director of the California Department of Water Resources. Weekend rain is expected to raise the water level about five feet, but it will still be nearly 50 feet below capacity, he said.

Several days of dry weather allowed construction crews to remove part of a massive debris pile that trapped water at the base of the dam, threatening to flood the Hyatt Power Plant. Waters levels dropped about 30 feet from their peak Friday, far enough below the power plant's intake for electricians to reconnect the plant to the grid.

One of six turbines was restarted, allowing dam managers to release 1,700 cubic feet per second through the power plant. About 14,000 cubic feet of water can be released through the power plant each second once five turbines are going  the sixth is undergoing more intensive repairs out of state  allowing officials to release much of the water flowing into the lake and prevent it from rising substantially.

"This is a pivot point in how we are managing the inflows to the river," Croyle said.

Even with the power plant operating, Croyle said he may still have to use the damaged spillway if heavy storms or spring snowmelt raise the lake level too high. He said crews will spray a substance on the hillside to limit further erosion if the spillway is used.

As the spillway is reinforced and the situation gets less dire, engineers will begin transitioning from the emergency response to planning a permanent fix, Croyle said. It will likely take several weeks for officials to develop options for a long-term solution, which may include a temporary fix for next winter.

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The problems at Lake Oroville began early last month when officials discovered a massive crater in the main concrete spillway used to release water during wet winter months. Water releases were curtailed so experts could investigate, followed by stronger-than-expected storm that filled the lake to capacity and sent water overflowing onto a hillside for the first time in the dam's five-decade history.

Nearly 200,000 people were ordered to evacuate from parts of three counties when experts discovered severe erosion and feared it could cause the collapse of a concrete weir holding water in the lake. Crews opened the floodgates to more rapidly drain the lake, sending 100,000 cubic feet of water  enough to fill any Olympic swimming pool  each second down the damaged spillway.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Friday that he expects to release detailed evacuation plans next week that will show which homes are at risk in the event of a future failure at the dam, limiting the mass chaos that ensued when people rushed to higher ground when the blanket evacuation order was given.

An estimated 1.7 million cubic yards of rock, sediment and other debris washed down the hillside and collected at the base. Construction crews worked around the clock this week to haul debris to five nearby locations and clear a path for pooled water to drain. By Friday morning, about 10 percent of the debris had been cleared.
On Sunday, Chinas governing elite congregates in Beijing for the National Peoples Congress (NPC), its annual legislative session, where laws are formally passed and policy priorities discussed.

Its Chinas biggest annual political event, though rarely the scene of high drama, with delegates unerringly voting in line with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership. And this years gathering is looking particularly underwhelming, summed up as it is by that least buzzy of buzzwords: stability.

Last month, the CCP Political Bureau, where party bigwigs discussed the draft government Work Report to be announced at the NPC  containing all the stats and figures for the prior year and targets ahead  said its aim for 2017 was seeking progress while maintaining stability.

Thats not exactly Make America Great Again, and in many ways the surprise election of Donald Trump as U.S. President has contributed to the temperate tone. Trumps broadsides about the U.S. trade deficit with China costing America jobs and threats to impose 45% tariffs on imports has taken the Chinese leadership aback. And although the real estate mogul has tempered his vitriol since his inauguration, his speech to the Congress on Tuesday duly noted, weve lost 60,000 factories since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.

For the Chinese, theres a lot of concern right now about what the Trump administration might bring, says James Nolt, an East Asia expert at the World Policy Institute. They prefer stability but a large part of the Chinese economy depends on engagement with the outside world, and thats the sector they cant control.

Read More: Ordinary Citizens Are Hoping to Make a Difference at Chinas Biggest Political Meet-Up

That unpredictability is especially worrisome for Chinese President Xi Jinping this year with the 19th five-yearly CPP Congress due in the fall. Most of the Politburo Standing Committee  the nations top executive body  is expected to be replaced and the Partys ideological direction honed. A trade war or other conflict with the U.S. would be an unfortunate distraction when Xi must appear in cruise control.

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President Xi is not looking to introduce bold new reforms that might detract from his campaign to appoint allies to key posts during the upcoming leadership shuffle, says Eurasia Groups China Director Michael Hirson.

The specter of Trump is especially menacing due to Chinas already slowing economy; last years Work Report gave a historic low growth forecast of about 6.5%. The big question is whether this year will be significantly lower. Though the overall mood has been lightened somewhat after Chinas top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, met Donald Trump and held talks with senior advisers at the White House on Monday.

I think the Chinese were very pleased with how these meetings went, says Amy Celico, head of China practice at the Albright Stonebridge Group. Because the level of concern in Beijing about U.S.-China relations has been very, very high because of the unpredictability of the new administration.

The NPC will also give some indication whether domestic Chinese policy is reacting to the Trump administration. Concerns over China keeping key sectors of its economy closed off to foreign investment drummed up support for Trumps march to the White House. A recent 20-point directive from Chinas State Council contained provisions for addressing some of these concerns  deliberate or otherwise  by allowing foreign investors to play a bigger role, with an explicit commitment to financial services openings. In the insurance sector, there have been reports the government is considering lifting equity caps.

There are some interesting proposals floating around, says Nicholas Consonery, head of Asia geopolitical intelligence at FTI Consulting business advisory firm. Well be looking for more clarity [on these] from the government.

The CCP will also be trying to shrug off the parasitic image attributed to China by the Trump administration, which has repeatedly said that the Beijing steals American jobs through unfair trade practices like currency manipulation. At the recent CPAC meeting, chief White House strategist Steve Bannon reaffirmed Washingtons commitment to a nationalist economic course.

In a press conference to open the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which directly precedes the NPC, CPPCC spokesperson Wang Guoqing was keen to highlight that, In 2016, the Chinese economy contributed to 33.2% of world economic growth.

According to Nolt, behind closed doors the Chinese leadership will be considering what further options may be on the table if Trump tries to make good on some of his campaign promises. The idea of restricting trade from China must be very alarming, he says.

While American manufacturing has been falling steadily since the 1960s, American agriculture today relies heavily on Chinese consumers. If Trump attempts to target Chinas trade, that might be an avenue of response.

Trump has an America first policy and Xi has a stability first policy, says Consonery. The question for this year is whether those to things will be contradicting each other.
AUBURN  An Auburn man was ordered to serve six years behind bars Thursday for severely beating another man during a fight at a home on Dallas Street last summer.

Tony Howard, 51, of the 1500 block of Dallas Street, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery, a Level 3 felony, as part of a plea agreement filed in DeKalb Superior Court I.

Judge Kevin Wallace sentenced Howard to 12 years in prison, with six years suspended and six years to serve. Howard also received six years of probation.

As part of the plea agreement, the court dismissed a charge against Howard of attempted murder, a Level 1 felony.

According to a police affidavit, Howards victim, now age 70, sustained multiple injuries including a fractured jaw, nose and ribs, a spleen injury, lacerations to the top of his head, bruises and broken teeth.

According to the affidavit, the victim told police he and Howard began arguing with each other about Howard being evicted. The victim told police Howard sucker-punched him in the face. The victim said he attempted to get away by going to the backyard and into a locked garage, but Howard came after him a second time. The victim told police he was struck with an object in the back of the head, then hit and kicked several times while on the ground, according to the affidavit.

In other Superior Court I hearings Wednesday and Thursday:

 Shane Geist of the 800 block of VanVleek Street, Waterloo, was sentenced to six years of incarceration for dealing in a schedule I controlled substance, a Class B felony. He may receive credit against the sentence if he completes an in-house program at Serenity House. The remaining portion of the sentence may be served on community corrections. He was fined $1.

 Dale Lautzenheiser of the 300 block of West Ensley Avenue, Auburn, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years of incarceration for possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony. He was fined $1.

 Christopher Caldwell of the 700 block of North Albion Street, Albion, was sentenced to one year of incarceration, which may be served on community corrections, for theft, a Level 6 felony. He was fined $500, which will be suspended if he pays $246 restitution.

 Datton Lepley of the 1100 block of South Jackson Street, Auburn, received a 90-day suspended sentence and up to one year of probation for theft, a Class A misdemeanor. He was fined $1.

 Chelsie Ross of Lane 129, Turkey Lake, LaGrange, was fined $25 for theft, a Class A misdemeanor.

 Jessica Massengale of the 300 block of Tweedwood Drive, New Haven, was fined $25 for conversion, a Class A misdemeanor.

 Andrew Howard of the 3900 block of S.R. 327, Auburn, received a 180-day suspended sentence and one year of probation for possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor. He was fined $1. In a separate case, he was fined $1 for possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.

 Aaron Muntgomery of the 3100 block of Queen Street, Fort Wayne, was sentenced to two days in jail, with credit for time served, for leaving the scene of a property-damage accident, a Class B misdemeanor. He was fined $50.

 Donna Haase of the 500 block of Maple Lane, Hicksville, Ohio, was sentenced to one year of incarceration, all suspended except 60 days, for operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration of at least 0.15 grams, a Class A misdemeanor. The sentence may be served on community corrections. She was placed on probation through March 1, 2018, and was fined $100.
Quick: What are your big plans next weekend? If you answered: 1. Clean the house 2. Call my mother 3. Wash my car 4. See a movie or 5. I don't have any, then keep reading. This story is for you.

Go away. Far away. On a last-minute mini-vacation. You don't have to go for 10 days. Just do a night or two or, if you can play hooky one day, do three. Go sit on a beach, dig your toes in the sand and sip a drink with a tiny umbrella. Or visit a new city, taste the local food and listen to live music. Another idea? Rent a tiny cabin in the woods and take a hike. Research shows that getting away, even for a short time, can improve your health, happiness, sleep quality and job performance.

[See: 12 Ways to Be a More Mindful Spender.]

Money shouldn't be a barrier when planning your eleventh-hour getaway. If you know where to look for last-minute deals, they're easy to find. The entire world is open to you. Don't waste another weekend sitting at home. Instead, use these tools to get out there and explore.

Find a cheap flight: Airlines make more money when all their seats are filled, so if flights aren't fully booked, they'll often offer last-minute deals. Follow the major airlines' Twitter accounts (@AmericanAir, @United, @FlyFrontier, @JetBlueCheeps, @Delta @SouthWestAir) and see if any last-ditch seat-filler fares pique your interest. If you're flexible on airports and dates, check Hotwire.com and Cheapoair.com, which specialize in unloading empty seats. Finally, if you have no idea where you want to go, check Google Flights, which gives you the opportunity to enter potential dates, departure city and a general destination, like "the Caribbean," "Europe" or "California." It will then show you a map with the best fares listed. You can also use the "Discover Trips" feature, which allows you to sort fares by weekend, a week out, two weeks out or by month, and Google will suggest trips based on the best fares.

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[See: 10 Money-Saving Websites to Check Before Shopping.]

Nab an inexpensive room: Bookmark two of the best sites -- or download their apps -- right away. The first is HotelTonight, which weeds out the seedy joints and offers last-minute, deeply discounted deals on posh places (up to a week in advance). The second is Roomer, which allows travelers who've canceled their plans outside the hotel cancellation deadline, to receive a refund on their room by offering their reservations at a cut rate to others. It costs sellers 15 percent of their sale price, but it's free for buyers, and the site ensures all reservations are legitimate first by confirming them with the hotel, so it's no risk to the buyer. If you're not sure whether you want a hotel room or vacation rental, another option to check out is Alltherooms.com, which compares local hotel room rates to rates from homeowner-operated places like Airbnb, FlipKey, Homeaway and VRBO. Not interested in a room? Stay on a boat. Sailo is dubbed as the Airbnb of boats and has offerings all over the world.

Get a real deal on wheels: If you consider last-minute travel to be two weeks out, there's good news for you: There's a possibility to nab the lowest possible rate on your car rental if you book it right away. The two-week-out mark is the sweet spot for the best rates, according to Kayak.com. In addition, use all the perks you can. Enroll in the rental company's loyalty program. It's free, and you'll often get a gratis upgrade right away. And check with your own car insurance company and your credit card company. You may be insured through either or both, which will allow you to decline the pricey insurance fees.

[See: 10 Foolproof Ways to Reach Your Money Goals.]

Ride the rails: Given the prevalence of cheap flights and cheap gas, it's easy to forget the third (and arguably most scenic) option for getting around: trains. Every week, Amtrak cuts rates on last-minute select routes by 30 percent. The only catch: You've got to book it Tuesday through Friday for travel starting the following Saturday or any day thereafter for the next three weeks (excluding Sundays and Fridays). If all else fails, AAA members get 10 percent off anytime, and you can get half-price tickets for up to two kids under 12 all the time. Honestly, it hardly matters how you get where you're going. It just matters that you're going. Enjoy the journey.

Sara Skirboll is the resident shopping and trends expert for savings destination RetailMeNot. Based in-house at the RetailMeNot headquarters in Austin, she can be found most weeks in New York City and Los Angeles talking shopping habits, trends, statistics and spending habits on top broadcast outlets like Today, HLN, Access Hollywood Live, CNN and NBC News. With more than a decade of experience working within the retail, fashion and beauty arenas, Skirboll is ahead of the curve when it comes to the best deals at major retailers including those specializing in apparel, consumer electronics, beauty, food and travel. As one of the principal authors of the RetailMeNot Shopper's Trend Report, she researches consumer sentiment and analyzes deal trends. Skirboll is an authority on what to buy and when, retail trends and popular products.
Paris (AFP) - The supervisory board of French carmaker PSA has approved the takeover of General Motors' European subsidiary, which includes the Opel and Vauxhall brands, and a formal announcement is expected on Monday, an source close the deal said.

The move will see PSA regain its position as Europe's second-largest automobile manufacturer, after Germany's Volkswagen, the source said on Friday. That position is currently held by rival French automaker Renault.

The negotiations, revealed last month, were "swiftly concluded," the source added.

The deal "will be sealed on Monday morning in France and in Germany," the source said, adding that both sides "were very enthusiastic and satisfied."

The planned takeover of the Opel division by PSA, which owns the Peugeot and Citroen brands, was unveiled in the middle of February.

It sparked fears in Germany and Britain that the prospective new owner could cut non-French jobs.

PSA boss Carlos Tavares had said earlier he wanted to develop the "iconic" Vauxhall brand as "part of Britain's automobile sector heritage".

Vauxhall employs around 5,000 people in Britain. Opel operates some 10 factories in Europe spread across six countries, and had 35,600 employees at the end of 2015, 18,250 of them in Germany.

Founded in 1862, Opel, with its lightning-bolt emblem, is a familiar sight on German and European roads.

- 'Lucrative for shareholders' -

But in recent years the firm has booked repeated losses, costing Detroit-based GM around $15 billion (14 billion euros) since 2000.

A sharp fall in the pound since Britain's vote to quit the EU last June sank Opel's hopes of getting back into the black in 2016, and it ended up reporting a loss of $257 million.

Britain, where it sells vehicles under the Vauxhall brand, is Opel's largest European market.

PSA has been active in trying to win backing for the acquisition, with chief executive Tavares last week securing the support of Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and also holding a phone conversation with British Prime Minister Theresa May.

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France's CGT union late Friday said the deal would be "very lucrative for PSA shareholders" and issued a warning to the PSA and Opel employees.

"Once German elections (in September) have taken place, it is obvious that Carlos Tavares will have as first objective to attack employment", it said.

Tavares has said the group would respect the commitments made by GM, namely a rejection of short-term economic redundancies and a promise to invest in sites until 2020.

In talks last week with the head of Britain's biggest trade union, Len McCluskey, he "repeated his commitment to dialogue under existing agreements and the PSA group's ethical approach".

Britain's plans to quit the European Union have created uncertainty across the business world, particularly in the car sector which is dependent on imports and exports with the European Union.

PSA last month said net profit for 2016 rose 79 percent to 2.15 billion euros ($2.27 billion) with the auto giant pledging to pay shareholder dividends for the first time since 2011 to the tune of 0.48 euros per share.

PSA's improved profitability comes despite a decline in sales due to the scope of consolidation and foreign exchange effects.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., questioned Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson on Capitol Hill in January. (Steve Helber/AP)

CEASE AND DESIST. When the staff of Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., sent a cease-and-desist letter to a Milwaukee man, Earl Good, Citizen Action of Wisconsin used the letter to rally supporters. Good had reportedly called Johnsons office hundreds of times, and the left-leaning Wisconsin group wanted its supporters to pledge to tell Johnson, We will NOT Cease and Desist!

Now WDJT-Milwaukee reports on whats behind the viral story:

[Good] started calling Senator Johnsons D.C. office to voice his opinion after President Trumps inauguration. He says his goal was to influence how his U.S. Senator votes. Good admits hes persistent; so persistent, on one occasion he called Senator Johnsons office 83 times until someone picked up.

The day before was 40 to get through. The day before that was 8. The day before that was 29, so theyre very aware of who I am by my cell phone number, says Good.

Good says hes been to Johnsons Milwaukee office on two occasions. He calls the local office accommodating, but takes issue with the response in D.C. 

A spokesperson for Senator Johnson responded, saying, Constituents are always welcome and encouraged to contact our office with their concerns, regardless of political viewpoint. Unfortunately, very infrequently a pattern of inappropriate behavior emerges that crosses the bounds of decency and requires action to ensure the well being of visitors to the office and staff.

That same spokesperson says this is only the second time in two years a letter like this has been sent.

PolitiFact Wisconsin rated Citizen Actions statements on the matter false, as the group had indicated that Johnsons office was broadly using cease-and-desist letters in order to silence critical constituents: Despite the broadness of the claim, the group produced a cease-and-desist letter written to only one person who it says has been involved in Citizen Action initiatives such as preserving the Affordable Care Act.

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The letter demands that the man stop visiting or calling any of Johnsons staff or offices, but says written communications will be received. And Johnsons staff says it issued the letter, on the advice of the U.S. Capitol Police, because the man had been harassing and threatening to staff, not because he protested any of Johnsons actions.

A POTATO FOR YOUR THOUGHTS. Meanwhile, taking inspiration from the cease-and-desist letter, Cards Against Humanity launched a website to mail potatoes to Johnson demanding a town hall. Legally, were not allowed to call Senator Johnson a cruel idiot who doesnt understand how health insurance works. But we are allowed to mail thousands of potatoes to his office demanding that he listen to his constituents and hold a town hall meeting, says JohnsonPotato.com. For only $5, you can send a potato with your name on it to Senator Ron Johnsons office demanding that he hold a town hall meeting.

Cards Against Humanity describes itself as a party game for horrible people.

Screenshot from JohnsonPotato.com

WHEN THE GOP LOVED TOWN HALLS. The 10 lawmakers who have held the most in-person town hall meetings over the last two years are all Republicans, reports Chase Masters in The Hill. Since the beginning of the 114th Congress in 2015, four Republicans  Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (Wis.), Sens. Mike Crapo (Idaho) and Jerry Moran (Kan.) and former Rep. Tim Huelskamp (Kan.)  held more than 100 in-person town hall meetings. Recent activism by those seeking to preserve the Affordable Care Act, however, led some lawmakers to pare back or cancel their in-person events over the past two months.

SPEAKING BITTERNESS? Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., had an eyebrow-raising explanation  using an antiquated term for Asians  for why he didnt hold town halls last week. The amount of time that I have at home is minimal, I need to make sure that its productive, Bost told the Southern Illinoisan. You know the cleansing that the Orientals used to do where youd put one person out in front and 900 people yell at them? Thats not what we need. We need to have meetings with people that are productive.

Its possible he was referring to the Speak Bitterness peoples court trials in communist China during the 1950s, where peasants were called upon to denounce their landlords. Millions of the former landowners were executed as part of these trials.

DEMOCRATS GET PRESSURE TO HOLD TOWN HALLS TOO. Reports Yahoo News: The fired-up progressive base behind much of [the new progressive] activism is not restricting its activities to the Republican side of the aisle. In a world where the new president has the lowest level of support from members of the opposing party in Gallup polling history, and in which Democrats unfavorable views of Trump are of blindingly hot intensity, Democratic politicians like Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., are on the receiving end of one message over and over: Resist. Resist everything.

CHANGES AT CAP. Ruby Cramer of BuzzFeed reports the Center for American Progress is expanding around plans to create problems for Trumps remaining Senate-confirmable nominees: Democrats at the Center for American Progress estimate that President Trump still has upwards of 900 second- and third-tier appointees to push through the Senate. And in the liberal think tanks new war room, the objective is to scrutinize each one, from assistant to more minor federal agency employees, raising questions about qualifications and conflicts of interest that promise to tie up floor time, bog down Republican efforts in Congress, and delay Trumps legislative agenda.

And as Yahoo News reported yesterday, the Center for American Progress Action Fund is heading in a new direction in the Trump era. At the Center for American Progress, you know, we were founded on ideas  recognizing that there was a gap in proactive progressive ideas  and so we spent a lot of great years  working hand in hand with [the Obama] administration and members of Congress, CAP Action Fund vice president Michele Jawando told me after a rally outside the Department of Justice calling for Attorney General Jeff Sessions resignation. But what we recognize is now were in a different world. We are in a time of resistance.

We recognize that the fight is not just on ideas now. Its one-on-one. Its direct combat, and were ready to go.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian Defence Ministry said on Friday that Russian military advisers had planned and overseen the Syrian army's recapture of the city of Palmyra and that Russian warplanes and special forces had played a decisive role. The Syrian army said on Thursday it had retaken the ancient city from Islamic State for the second time in a year, with help from allied forces. [nL5N1GF5V7] Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi, a senior Russian Defence Ministry official, told a news briefing in Moscow more than a thousand Islamic State fighters had been killed or wounded in the Palmyra operation. (Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Vladimir Soldatkin)
A Russian airstrike that was intended for Islamic State militants in Northern Syria mistakenly bombed a coalition of Syrian and Arab troops being trained by the United States, Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend told reporters Wednesday.

American military advisors tasked with training and advising the Syrian Democratic Forces were less than three miles away from the location where the joint Russian and Syrian attack occurred Tuesday, said Townsend, who heads U.S. forces in the fight against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. The incident, which took place in a town just outside of Raqqa, which has become the Islamic extremist groups de facto capital in Syria, resulted in casualties among members of the Syrian Democratic Forces, but Townsend declined to comment on how many were injured or if there were any deaths.

We had some Russian aircraft and [Syrian] regime aircraft bomb some villages that I believe they thought were held by ISIS, " Townsend told reporters in a Pentagon news briefing Wednesday. Actually on the ground were some of our Syrian Arab coalition forces.

Despite Townsends comments, Russias Defense Ministry denied both its and the Syrian military's involvement in the bombings, saying "not a single airstrike" was performed by either country, Russian government-funded outlet RT reported Wednesday.

The incident painted a grim picture of the crowded Syrian battlefields surrounding Raqqa, as Townsend said troops representing allied countries like Turkey were oftentimes, within hand-grenade range of one another.

A similar incident had occurred on Feb. 9, 2016, when a Russian airstrike, that the country claimed was an accident, killed three Turkish soldiers in the northern town of Al-Bab after Turkeys army allegedly provided them with the wrong coordinates about their troops' location, Russian news outlet Sputnik International reported Feb. 10, 2016.

The U.S. and Russia created a hotline in 2015 between an American colonel in Qatar and a Russian colonel in Syria to prevent aerial collisions from occurring, but senior U.S. defense officials have not communicated directly with their Russian counterparts since 2014 due to legislation forbidding military cooperation with Russia in response to its annexation of the Crimea, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.

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The two countries were seemingly on opposing sides of the Syrian Civil War, with the Kremlin hoping that Syrian President Bashar Assad remains in power and the U.S. viewing his removal as essential towards achieving peace in the conflict that has killed an estimated 400,000 people since starting in March 2011. However, Townsend said the U.S. military wouldnt be deterred by the Russian airstrike, but rather remain focused on continuing to fight alongside Russia against Islamic State militants in Syria.

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MOSCOW (AP)  As the drama over Attorney General Jeff Sessions plays out in Washington, the Kremlin is watching with a mixture of frustration and regret how the uproar is blocking progress on pressing issues on the U.S.-Russian agenda.

Despite the dashed hopes for a quick thaw, however, Moscow is voicing its readiness to wait as long as it takes.

Donald Trump had come into office expressing admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and hoping to mend ties with Moscow, which have sunk to the lowest point since the Cold War over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and other disputes.

But the allegations by U.S. intelligence agencies of Russian meddling in the election to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton will likely continue to weigh over his administration and prevent it from launching a meaningful dialogue with the Kremlin any time soon.

In a conference call with reporters, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov lamented the lack of cooperation with Washington on Syria beyond the U.S. diplomatic presence at peace talks in Kazakhstan's capital of Astana that Russia and Turkey brokered earlier this year.

"Similarly, there has been no movement forward regarding cooperation in the fight against terrorism, which causes regret," he said.

Trump has repeatedly talked of cooperating with Russia in fighting the Islamic State group in Syria. The administration of former President Barack Obama had ruled out such cooperation because of Moscow's support for its longtime ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad.

"Without waiting for these contacts to start, Russia has been consistently contributing to the fight against terrorism and scoring results," Peskov said, pointing to the Russian military's role in driving the Islamic State group from the historic Syrian town of Palmyra.

Other issues on the tense Russian-U.S. agenda leave even less room for compromise.

On Ukraine, any move by Trump to soften the stance on Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and its support for a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine would anger his congressional foes and put him in an even more precarious position.

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If Trump makes any attempt to ease the sanctions imposed on Russia by the Obama administration, he could face strong resistance in Congress.

On the nuclear arms control, Trump's criticism of the 2010 New START treaty would potentially put him on a collision course with Moscow, which has signaled a desire to extend the deal after it expires in 2021.

But for now, the Kremlin is trying to show patience.

Peskov sought to play down Trump's proposal to raise military spending by 9 percent, saying that's a domestic matter for Washington. "It would hardly concern us until a rise in spending upsets the existing balance of strategic deterrence," he said.

Asked to comment on the developments on Sessions, Peskov cited Trump's description of it as "a total witch hunt" and added: "We have nothing to add to the expansive definition given by President Trump."

Sessions recused himself Thursday from any investigation into communications between Trump aides and Moscow following revelations that as senator, Sessions twice spoke with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 election campaign and failed to say so when pressed by Congress.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued that contacts with officials and lawmakers are part of any ambassador's duties. He added that the pressure on Sessions "strongly resembles a witch hunt or the times of McCarthyism, which we thought were long over in the United States as a civilized country."

In the 1950s, Sen. Joseph McCarthy led a hunt for purported communist infiltrators in the U.S. government, often involving unfounded accusations that promoted widespread fear.

Noting Russia won't mimic the U.S., Lavrov added that "if we applied the same principle to Ambassador (John) Tefft's activities in Russia and his contacts, it would have made quite a funny picture."

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov deplored that Russia has become a tool in the U.S. political struggle.

"Regrettably, influential forces in the U.S. are using relations with Russia as an instrument for achieving certain goals or treating our relations as a collateral damage in their internal fighting," he said in remarks carried by Russian news agencies. "It causes a strong regret, but we aren't making a tragedy out of it."

Ryabkov added that Moscow continues to believe that restoring ties "destroyed by Obama's administration" is a daunting but still achievable goal.

"We will work on it on such a pace, with such intensity and succession of steps that would be comfortable for the American side," he said. "We aren't going to artificially rush any processes. We realize that it will take certain time for the current U.S. administration to make all key appointments and determine its policy priorities, including on the Russian track."
Sergey Lavrov, left, and President Trump characterized the Jeff Sessions scandal the same way. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool/AP, Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov weighed in Friday amid reports of contacts between members of the Trump campaign-turned-administration and Moscow, using a phrase that mimicked Trumps response to the simmering scandal.

All this looks very much like a witch hunt, Lavrov said, according to the RIA news agency.

Lavrovs remarks came hours after President Trump characterized the controversy swirling around Attorney General Jeff Sessions as a total witch hunt.

Jeff Sessions is an honest man, Trump said in a statement, which he also tweeted. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional.

Interesting word choice by Russian FM Lavrov this morning pic.twitter.com/rcXhPSByL2  Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) March 3, 2017

Earlier Thursday, Sessions recused himself from the Department of Justices probe into Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election after it was revealed by the Washington Post that he had met twice with the Russian ambassador during the 2016 campaign  when Sessions had been serving as an advisor to Trump  but failed to disclose the meetings during his Senate confirmation hearing.

Sessions clarified that his reply was honest and correct as I understood it at the time.

Let me be clear: I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign, Sessions said at a hastily called press conference at the Justice Department late Thursday afternoon. And the idea that I was part of a continuing exchange of information during the campaign between Trump surrogates and intermediaries for the Russian government is totally false.

Related: Sessions, under fire, recuses himself from probe of Trump-Russia contacts

This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win, Trump continued. The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election, and now they have lost their grip on reality. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!

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Lavrov defended the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, saying he did nothing wrong, either.

The contacts that our Russian ambassador was making and continues to make, I can say only one thing: Ambassadors are appointed to maintain relations with the host country, Lavrov said. Relations are maintained.

Kislyak, who was appointed to his post in 2008, has emerged as a central figure in back-to-back controversies involving the Trump administration.

Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security advisor, was fired last month after it was revealed that he misled Vice President Mike Pence about his contact with the Russian ambassador.

The New York Times reported late Thursday that Flynn and Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and a senior White House adviser, had their own previously undisclosed meeting with Kislyak at Trump Tower to establish a line of communication with Moscow.

For Kislyak, the Associated Press made its own, mimic-worthy comparison.

Moscows top diplomat in the United States has become the Kevin Bacon of the Trump White Houses Russia imbroglio, the AP said.

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Washington (AFP) - Russia and Syrian regime forces are moving "humanitarian" convoys carrying military equipment into the former Islamic State group's bastion of Manbij in northern Syria, the US Defense Department said Friday.

The move would likely make it more difficult for Turkish troops to strike Syrian Kurdish forces if they did not withdraw from Manbij.

"We have noticed and observed and are aware of the fact that these humanitarian convoys sponsored by the regime (of President Bashar al-Assad) and Russia have been moving into Manbij and that they have some armored equipment with them," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said.

He said the military equipment included "up-armored vehicles" and another defense official said the materiel appeared to be for "force protection."

Manbij has become the center of geopolitical intrigue extending beyond the fight against the Islamic State, as multiple international powers with competing goals home in on the area.

The United States is backing a Kurdish-Arab alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to fight IS, and these fighters pushed the jihadists from Manbij last year.

Around the same time, Turkey crossed into northern Syria and joined the anti-IS fight, while also working to keep in check the Kurdish fighters, which it views as terrorists.

Turkey threatened Thursday to strike the Syrian Kurdish militia forces if they did not withdraw from Manbij.

Russian and Syrian regime troops entering Manbij might be beneficial for the United States, as it could stop Turkey and Kurdish forces -- both of whom are US allies -- from fighting there.

"All I would say is we just continue to want to see all parties on the ground continue to focus (on IS)," Davis said.

He added that Russia had informed the United States about the convoys ahead of time through a special hotline.
Working through my ignorance with your help.
MOSCOW (AP)  Russia's leading opposition figure has published a sweeping report accusing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of corruption, claims which the government has shrugged off as propaganda.

In a report posted Thursday, Alexei Navalny alleged Medvedev has amassed a collection of lavish mansions, yachts and vineyards managed by companies and charities controlled by his associates.

Medvedev's spokeswoman, Natalya Timakova, dismissed Navalny's claims as part of election campaigning, saying in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that it's "senseless" to comment on his "propaganda attacks."

Asked about the report Friday, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said he had nothing to add to Timakova's statement.

The charismatic Navalny, who became popular via his exposes of high-level corruption, was a driving force behind massive opposition protests in Moscow in 2011-2012.

He has declared his intention to run for president in 2018, even though a court ruling last month bars him from joining the race. He denounced the ruling as politically motivated and vowed to appeal it.

His report names Ilya Yeliseyev, a deputy head of Gazprombank, and a few other people whom it describes as longtime contacts of Medvedev, as nominal owners of the prized real estate and other assets in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sochi, the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics, as well as an Italian villa surrounded by vineyards.

Some experts voiced skepticism.

Ilya Shumanov, a deputy head of Transparency International's branch in Russia, noted that Navalny has failed to offer irrefutable proof of Medvedev's link to the assets. "There is no proof of a link between them despite friendly ties," he said on Ekho Moskvy radio Friday.

Navalny insisted there is abundant proof of Medvedev being the real owner of the assets, and he criticized what he described as public indifference to corruption.

"I try to do things in a way they should be done in a normal world," Navalny said Thursday on Ekho Moskvy radio. "In Russia we are observing an absurd situation when we publish on the internet that someone received bribes worth of 70 billion and everybody's reaction is like 'yeah, nothing interesting. ... This won't lead to anything.'"
By Fergus Jensen NUSA DUA, Indonesia (Reuters) - A Bali beach holiday for Saudi Arabia's King Salman and his considerable entourage has turned into a military exercise for host Indonesia. The octogenarian monarch and his entourage of 1,500, including 25 princes and 10 ministers, flies on Saturday to Indonesia's Bali island aboard nine passenger jets for a private vacation. They will be guarded by at least 2,500 police and military personnel, as well as naval vessels parked offshore. The king's Boeing 747-jet will be met at the airport by his usual gold colored escalator. Flown in ahead of the visit were two plane loads of cargo, including plates, carpets and two bullet-proof Mercedes, said customs official Budi Harjanto. King Salman's tour of Asia aims to build the kingdom's ties with fast-growing Asian economies and drum up investment to diversify the Saudi economy away from dependence on oil. The extravagance of his official trip, punctuated by holidays, comes after an austerity drive at home caused by low oil prices. On the white sand beach in front of Bali's St. Regis resort, one in a row of five-star hotels where the Saudis will stay, two meter (7-foot) high screens have been put up to shield guests from prying eyes. A wooden staircase has been built for the royals to access the water. "There will definitely be marine security because there's a section of beach where the (king) will be staying," said Bali's Udayana military chief Major General Kustanto Widiatmoko. Widiatmoko said six ships would be deployed along with anti-terrorism police and snipers, adding he hoped security would not impinge on the Saudi group's privacy. CONTROVERSIAL VACATIONS The king's vacations have been controversial at times due to the disruption they caused. He cut short a 2015 French Riviera holiday after local outrage erupted when the public beach at Vallauris was shut and concrete poured on the sand for a temporary lift. After kicking off his Asian tour in Malaysia on Feb. 26, King Salman will also visit Brunei, Japan, China, the Maldives and Jordan on his month-long swing through the region promoting the kingdom as an investment destination. Asia's top oil supplier plans to privatize state assets, cultivate non-oil private sectors and open its markets to foreign investors, after a plunge in oil prices slashed state revenues and opened a gaping budget deficit. A hallmark of the plan is to sell shares in state oil giant Saudi Aramco, which Saudi authorities have said could raise up to $100 billion, in what would be, by far, the world's biggest listing. The king's three-day state visit in Jakarta this week focused on building cultural and religious ties and promoting education, as well as efforts to contain radical Islam in the world's most populous Muslim country. Secular Indonesia has grown increasingly concerned about security, after several attacks over the past year blamed on supporters of Islamic State. Islamist militants bombed a nightclub in the Bali resort of Kuta in 2002, killed 202 people, most of them foreign tourists. MIDDLE EAST TOURISM Bali's business community is hoping the king's visit will encourage more Middle East tourists to visit the "Island of the gods". "When they find out that the king and his entourage have come to Bali, they will realize that Bali is a world-class tourist destination, so automatically they will think about coming to Bali as tourists too," Ketut Ardana, chairman of the Bali branch of the Indonesian Travel Agents Association (ASITA) told Reuters. Mila Artini, a representative for the Blue Bird taxi group at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport, said the Saudis had booked the group's entire fleet of limousines up until the end of the king's visit on March 12. An additional 200 Mercedes limousines had been brought in from Jakarta for the visit, said Arif, a Muslim taxi driver, who said the Saudis would be welcome in predominantly Hindu Bali."The religion here is different, but that's no problem because there are also a lot of Muslims here. There's halal food in all areas," he said. Indonesia aims to more than double the number of Muslim tourists it received last year to 5 million by 2019, said the head of the Indonesian tourism ministry's Halal Tourism Development and Acceleration team. "Other than the large number of potential visitors from Muslim countries, their spending power is also larger," said Riyanto Sofyan, noting Muslim tourists spend around $1,700 per visit, compared to $1,100 on average by other foreigners. CAMEL RIDES On the approach to Nusa Dua, a peninsula on the southern tip of Bali where the king is staying, police in fluorescent vests checked cars at an impromptu checkpoint. While not especially brought in for the Saudi visitors, the beach at Nusa Dua does have something to make the visitors feel right at home - camels. Minarto, who runs camel rides in front of the Hilton Bali Resort, said the Saudi group had requested 100 half-hour rides. "We're busy and they wanted too many. We only have a limited number of camels," said Minarto, who looks after five camels brought in from Australia years ago. (Additional reporting by Fransiska Nangoy in JAKARTA.; Writing by Ed Davies. Editing by Bill Tarrant.)
In his first message to the Pentagon, Defense Secretary James Mattis stressed readiness to cooperate with the State Department. But how will State respond? If one foreign-policy belief is commonly held, it is that the State Department underperforms. While its problems have long hampered policy formulation, the classic hard-power interests that the Trump administration emphasizes will collide with States soft-power culture, as Politico recently reported. Judging by Secretary of State Rex Tillersons comments to his new employees on Feb. 2, in which he referenced making some changes to how things are traditionally done, he understands that reform is central to both effective foreign policy and States relevance. And with painful budget cuts now looming, hell have to determine and prioritize States core competencies.

But such reform wont be easy. Analyses of the problems at Foggy Bottom begin with the usurpation of responsibilities by the Pentagon and the National Security Council staff, the latter especially for micromanaging relations with foreign actors. But the bigger challenge is the Defense Department. The heads of its regional combatant commands serve as viceroys  often better connected to foreign governments than ambassadors. Even worse, the Defense Department has won budgets for supporting foreign forces, counterterrorism, and other military partner activities traditionally largely under State. The Pentagon also is active in State and USAID areas such as counternarcotics, foreign police training, and at times even local economic and capacity building.

Some of this is understandable. The U.S. military has been constantly involved in internal conflicts, counterinsurgencies, and counterterrorism since Somalia in 1992. Such hybrid conflicts marry the military with local security services and force it to deal with civilian populations. This is reinforced by the Pentagons generous and supportive congressional overseers  and all recently documented in Rosa Brookss book, How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything.

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Tasking the military to solve broad internal security problems, however, is problematic. Near-peer competitors have emerged on whom our military must focus, but giving priority to internal state conflicts guts capabilities needed for these efforts. In addition, our militarys effectiveness in such quasi-diplomatic business is limited. It best deals with other military and paramilitary forces, smashing those that threaten and working with friendly ones to do smashing themselves. But foreign military forces, friend or foe, are only the tip of security dilemmas. The underlying threats come from political systems  leaders, states, ideological movements  that field kinetic enemies, while sustained support for U.S. interests flows from allied governments, not someones counterterrorism force. The military cannot easily deal at those levels; that, rather, is the job of the State Department-led interagency team.

States tools range from economic (sanctions, energy, trade) to diplomatic and psychological (having friends in Washington). Not all these tools are owned by State, but its the only logical integrator of whole-of-government approaches, including military, and its core function is formal communication with political entities. One brilliant example of success here was States leadership following the seizure of Kuwait, working with the U.N., allies, fund contributors, energy markets, nervous regional countries, and even Saddam Husseins diplomats  all of which complemented our military moves. One State institution still does this well: ambassadors with their interagency country teams. Tradition, necessity, and presidential authorities keep that State element effective. Why then cant the larger State Department follow suit?

Complications inherent in States mission abound: It must coordinate with other agencies, the National Security Council staff can always challenge it, and it is often subject to the secretarys proximity and access to the president. But the core problem is States culture toward its business  diplomacy. Operationally, the State Department is seen as an alternative to  rather than partner or exploiter of  military and other hard power. Strategically, it sees itself as a deep transformer of foreign states to curb aggressiveness and create shareholder values. Michael Mandelbaum sarcastically described this as making states look like Denmark.

This culture flourished after the Cold War. Assuming existential security threats were passe, it tried to exploit the alleged end of history, reaching its apogee in Barack Obamas administration. Diplomacy not military force was its motto, with one salient example being Secretary of State John Kerrys farewell New York Times op-ed: President Obama has restored assertive diplomacy as our foreign policy tool of first resort. (As if prior presidents were pursuing only military conquest.) He goes on: Vietnam, where smart and sustained diplomacy has accomplished what a decade of war never could: developing a dynamic capitalist society. (Actually, our Vietnam War goal was containing communism, not promoting capitalism, and Vietnam cozied up to Kerry not for Western values but to balance China. Classic security thinking.)

Despite this twisting of history, the reality is that, even with the Obama administration, diplomacy and military force often complemented one another: Take, for example, the Iran nuclear deal, which was possible only with the hard power of oil sanctions and threat of force supporting diplomatic overtures.

But Kerrys phantasmagorical claim of producing a dynamic, capitalist Vietnam illustrates the greater problem, which sees State and its limited assistance funds somehow reshaping the world in Americas image, thus promoting peace without the use of force. This mindset, which drives organizational, public relations, and budget decisions, is most prominent in States formal mission statement, the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR).

Neither the 2010 nor 2015 QDDR focuses on traditional diplomacy. While issues like Ukraine and the South China Sea are buried, the documents stress engagement with populations, i.e., local mayors as Washington change partners (2015) or jungle jeep journeys to transform villages (2010). The 2015 version lists just four core department priorities, the first three a hodgepodge of social engineering and the fourth, climate. Preventing conflict and violent extremism are included, but the focus is on tackling the drivers and fragility. Other goals include investing in democracy, governance, capacity building, helping communities that share our goals, and ending extreme poverty.

Of course State should tackle violent ideologies, poverty, bad governance, and environment, however uncertain the results. This is hard-wired into our values, complements hard power, and occasionally succeeds (for example, Plan Colombia and tackling diseases in Africa). But since World War II, nowhere but Japan, Germany, and in Western Europe (via the Marshall Plan) have soft-power tools transformed strategic terrain to our advantage. Thus, this mindset should not be the primary orientation of the State Department at the expense of traditional national security.

To be sure, QDDR priorities are not what leaders in Foggy Bottom or embassies across the world actually do  much of their work is predominantly traditional diplomacy and security-related. Which is why giving such efforts short shrift in the QDDR has consequences. State seeks mightily to embed the QDDR mindset into budgets, individual bureaus mission statements, and even individuals evaluations. It thus drives the departments organization, thereby inadvertently inviting the Pentagon to play the strategic adult role.

Fixing this requires wrenching change, something possible only with new administrations. What would it look like?

First, emphasize throughout the department, in a new QDDR, in budgets, and public outreach, that States No. 1 job is diplomacy  advancing U.S. interests and keeping America and partners safe.

Second, shift much of the Pentagons funding of foreign militaries  a relatively small figure  to State; monies not transferred from the Defense Department should be closely coordinated with State at every stage.

Third, put State  at least foreign service personnel  under a system similar to the CIAs to ensure that recruitment, assignments, and promotion are responsive to policy needs.

Fourth, align the boundaries of States operating organs, the geographic bureaus, and the Defense Departments combatant commands. Minor differences in geography force leaders in both departments to coordinate with two or three counterparts, which is a recipe for dismal coordination.

Fifth, better integrate States hard-power functional bureaus (counterterrorism, narcotics/law enforcement, political-military, and energy) with the geographic bureaus, all reporting to one senior official.

Sixth, reduce the numbers  but increase the quality and formalize the missions  of State political advisors to the military.

Seventh, rework State training to emphasize diplomatic tradecraft and national security.

Rex Tillerson has the outside experience and budget cut-driven motivation to effect such reform. But various other interests at State will balk at this. If they prevail, States national security failings will accelerate, to the detriment of our nation.

Photo credit: MICHAEL REYNOLDS/Getty Images
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., responded Friday to President Trumps apparently sarcastic call for an investigation into his supposed ties to Russia and Putin.

Schumer said hed be happy to have a public discussion to hash out their respective ties  or lack thereof  to Russia.

The latest Trump Twitter spat started Thursday when Schumer said Attorney General Jeff Sessions should resign after it was revealed he talked to the Russian ambassador during the campaign despite saying under oath that he hadnt. He also called for a special counsel to investigate the Kremlins interference in the U.S. election.

Vladimir Putin, center, and Lukoil president Vagit Alekperov, left, with Sen. Chuck Schumer during the opening of Lukoils gasoline station in New York City in 2003. (Photo: Stephen Chernin/Getty Images)

Because the Department of Justice should be above reproach, for the good of the country, Attorney General Sessions should resign, Schumer said at a press conference.

Early Friday afternoon, Trump  whose campaign and new administration have been dogged by reports of their ties to Moscow  tweeted a years-old picture of Schumer and Russian President Vladimir Putin laughing, drinking coffee and eating doughnuts.

We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! he wrote.

We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! pic.twitter.com/Ik3yqjHzsA  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

Shortly after, Schumer said hed be happy to discuss his 2003 contact with the Russian leader and his associates. He said the meet-up took place in full view of the press and the public. Then he asked Trump if his team would be willing to do the same.

Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in '03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team? https://t.co/yXgw3U8tmQ  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 3, 2017

Reached for comment, Schumers office simply pointed Yahoo News back to the senators tweet.

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On Sept. 26, 2003, Vagit Alekperov, the president of the giant Russian oil company Lukoil, escorted Putin and Schumer through New Yorks first Lukoil gas station ahead of Putins scheduled meeting with then-President George W. Bush at Camp David in Maryland.

Mr. Bellers Neighborhood, a local blog about New York, reported that Schumer recommended that Putin try the glazed doughnut from Krispy Kreme. Afterward, while addressing the press on the expansion of Lukoil in New York, with Putin by his side, Schumer said, With the introduction of this independent source of oil, the Saudis and OPEC will not have the stranglehold on oil prices they currently have.

And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts.  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 3, 2017

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Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, a freshman senator from Nevada and the bodys first-ever Latina member, aimed her maiden bill squarely at President Trump.

The bill rescinded Trumps executive order making nearly all of the countrys 11 million undocumented immigrants priorities for deportation and defunding so-called sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with federal authorities immigration actions. With the Democrats in the minority in the Senate, the bill has a near zero chance of passing, but Cortez Masto felt she had a duty to speak out.

Hes trying to paint this picture of undocumenteds as criminals, people who are taking away jobs and depressing wages, Cortez Masto told Yahoo News on Thursday.

She continued: Thats not true. In fact, many of the people in my state who are undocumented  are hard-working families who brought their kids here for an opportunity for the American dream.

Cortez Mastos grandfather emigrated from Mexico to Nevada and became a U.S. citizen. She says she sees the situation of hard-working undocumented immigrants in her state as no different from her own familys immigration story. She said she introduced the bill to let those families know Im fighting for them.

The senator, who took Senate Minority Leader Harry Reids seat after he retired, said Trump is trying to convince Americans that people who immigrated illegally to the U.S. are bad people to justify his campaign promise of building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, which she calls a waste of money.

Before his joint address to Congress on Tuesday, Trump reportedly floated the idea of a compromise on immigration that would legalize some undocumented immigrants while stopping short of allowing them to become U.S. citizens. In the past, liberals have rejected immigration deals that dont include citizenship, but Cortez Masto said shes open to it.

I think it should all be on the table, she said. But he has said that and we havent seen any actions yet.

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After the interview, her spokesman issued a statement saying the senator will only accept a compromise that includes a pathway to citizenship, and nothing less.

Cortez Masto said shes skeptical the White House actually wants to solve the immigration issue, but she would like to have a discussion about it. During his joint address, Trump touted his directive to the Department of Homeland Security to create a special office that tracks and publicizes crimes committed by removable aliens  a legal category that includes undocumented and documented immigrants. He did not mention a path to legalization.

He has talked about this idea of immigration reform, but at the same time he is still painting undocumented immigrants as criminals, she said.

Cortez Masto, who is also the first female senator to be elected from Nevada, said she has been concerned by the recent appearances of swastikas in her state, including on the Mexican consulate and on a synagogue. She said Trump is not denouncing signs of hate forcefully enough since he was elected, even though he spoke out against such acts during his Tuesday speech.

Im not saying its a direct correlation [to his election], but somethings going on, she said. And hes the President of the United States. He should be condemning all of it.

The freshman senator also called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign to protect the Justice Departments integrity after it was revealed he twice met with the Russian ambassador last year. He claimed under oath during his confirmation hearing that he had no contact with Russian officials. Sessions announced later Thursday he would recuse himself from any investigation involving the Trump campaign.

Hes been the attorney general now for less than a month, and were questioning whether the top law enforcement official in the country  has committed a crime, she said. For that reason, I think he should resign.

Update: After this interview was published, Cortez Mastos spokesman, Reynaldo Benitez, issued a clarification of the senators comments on immigration reform. Senator Cortez Masto supports comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship and nothing less, he said. The senator believes that if President Trump is actually serious about addressing our broken immigration system, then further discussions should be considered.
Dakar (AFP) - The mayor of Senegal's capital is facing a judicial probe into the disappearance of 1.83 billion CFA francs ($2.85 million) in city funds, the country's top prosecutor said Friday.

Khalifa Sall, a member of the coalition of ruling parties, has run Dakar since 2009 and has been seen as a probable contender in the 2019 presidential elections.

His office was unable to show receipts proving that funds earmarked for purchasing rice and millet for the city's population had been spent correctly, chief prosecutor Serigne Bassirou Gueye said.

"Next week I will refer to the judge of the court the case of Dakar city council regarding misappropriation of public funds, forgery and the use of forged documents," he said, before naming Sall specifically.

The money had been "taken from (city) coffers" over the last six years, Gueye said.

Almost half of the Senegalese population lives below the poverty line and many require assistance to feed their families.

Sall had repeatedly denied any malfeasance after a government monitor published a report raising a flag about missing funds.

Senegal is widely seen as one of Africa's most stable democracies.

But accusations of corruption have hit the brother of President Macky Sall -- who is unrelated to Khalifa Sall -- and plagued ministers in the administration of former president Abdoulaye Wade.
Sessions' Alleged Russian Ties May Force Trump Impeachment, Says Maxine Waters

Recent allegations suggesting Attorney General Jeff Sessions may have had improper communications with Russian officials could be the catalyst for President Donald Trumps impeachment. That was the main take-home thought from recent comments made by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) in an interview with MSNBC.

On Thursday, the plot continued thickening in the White House, as Jeff Sessions became the second Trump official to be accused of speaking to Sergei Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States. According to a report from TIME, Sessions recused himself on Thursday evening from investigations into Russias alleged involvement in the 2016 U.S. elections, but is currently facing numerous calls that he follow the lead of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and resign from his post.

I should have slowed down and said, But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times,' Sessions said, without admitting that he had tried to mislead people.

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Kiev (AFP) - Dozens of sex workers and human rights campaigners gathered in Kiev on Friday demanding the legalisation of prostitution in Ukraine.

Some 50 activists holding red umbrellas and wearing red plastic helmets staged the first-ever march through the capital with the goal of revoking a legal ban on sex work in the post-Soviet state.

Wearing white plastic masks, the protesters held placards reading "Sex work is work", "We stand for decriminalisation of sex work", and "My work is my choice".

"It is the first time that we have had the courage to come out and say that we exist," Yuliya Dorokhova of Legalife. a Ukrainian non-governmental organisation for sex workers, said standing in front of the parliament building.

"We ask the authorities to lift the punishment for sex work. We would like to pay taxes rather than fines," she added.

According to human rights campaigners, there are some 80,000 sex workers in Ukraine who feel vulnerable -- particularly to police abuse due to their profession being outside the law.

Being illegal in Ukraine, prostitution is punishable by a fine up to 255 hryvnias ($9/euros).

"We want our state to protect us. If a woman was able to sell sex legally, she would pay money to the state budget," Dorokhova said.

"The women who work in existing brothels have to hand police their her earnings as 'protection' money," she added.

Due to the legal ban on prostitution, Ukraine's police are often accused of demanding money from sex workers to avoid fines and even beating them.

"We often suffer from fines and even physical abuse (by the police)," sex worker Valya, 30, told AFP wearing a white plastic mask to hid her face.
Shanghai (AFP) - Shanghai has impounded thousands of brightly coloured bikes placed on city streets by cycle-sharing companies, in the latest sign of impatience with an explosion of the haphazardly-parked two-wheelers.

The bike-sharing sector has become one of the fastest-growing industries in the country, with users typically renting the bicycles for short periods by first unlocking them through the use of mobile phone apps.

Costs can be as low as 1 yuan (15 US cents) per hour and the bikes can be left anywhere for the next user to come along.

While hailed as a way to fight road traffic and pollution, the phenomenon has become viewed as a nuisance in some communities, with bikes often parked outside of designated parking areas, left in the middle of sidewalks or even on freeways.

Row upon row of mostly orange and silver bikes from the company Mobike sat collecting dust in a massive parking lot in Shanghai's Huangpu district near the city's famed riverfront Bund area.

They had been rounded up by a private firm hired by the government to oversee bicycle parking.

The bikes began to accumulate over the past month, said a woman whose balcony overlooks the crowded storage lot, declining to give her name.

A Huangpu district government spokeswoman said shared bikes are not exempt from parking rules.

"Any vehicles that violate parking regulations will be impounded. It's the same for everyone," she said.

Mobike said in a statement that it was in touch with authorities and seeking to clarify what it called a "misunderstanding" by the company hired to round up the bikes.

The bike-share concept has attracted huge amounts of venture capital investment for key players Mobike and Ofo, who have funnelled that money into placing hundreds of thousands of bikes in dozens of Chinese cities.

China's state-run Xinhua news agency said Thursday that over the past two years more than 29 different providers have sprung up, placing more than three million bikes on streets around the country.

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A community in Beijing called Mentougou impounded hundreds of share bikes for similar reasons last month.

It later returned them to their providers.

More than 500 bicycles were dumped in huge piles on the streets of the southern city of Shenzhen in January, with images of the nearly three-metre-high jumbled stacks going viral.
A guest panel of business leaders from the region will discuss the civic engagement opportunities and responsibilities in which they have participated during the upcoming Economic Indicators breakfast at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Beyond the Boardroom: Corporate Leadership and Community Engagement is set for Thursday, March 23, in the Bluffs Room, UW-L Student Union, 521 East Ave N. Breakfast will be served at 7 a.m. with the program running from 7:20 to 9. Tickets are available with and without parking for $25-$28. Pre-registration is required; registration is due Tuesday, March 21. Seating is limited. Register online at https://economicindicatorsspring2017.eventbrite.com

The panel of guest business leaders will include:

Sue Christopherson, principal and president Emeritus at Fowler & Hammer;

Dave Skogen, board chair at Festival Foods;

Matt McPherson, CEO at Mathews Archery Inc.

UW-L Professor TJ Brooks, chair of the Economics Department, will offer insights and perspectives on the regions local economy and the role of philanthropy in community development.

Economic Indicators: An Update for the 7 Rivers Region is a regional business forum. State Bank Financial sponsors the research project in collaboration with the UW-L College of Business Administration and the La Crosse Tribune.

The event is coordinated by the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center at UW-L with support from the UW-L Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
Yemen, again. The United States launched a blistering attack on al Qaeda in Yemen on Thursday, launching 25 airstrikes under a new set of authorities the military has been given to conduct intensified air operations in the country, according to the Washington Post.

The full parameters of what U.S. forces are now allowed to do in Yemen is unclear, but Pentagon officials said that U.S. Special Operations Forces have been going in and out of the country as needed. Contrary to some reports, the officials claimed, no American ground action went down during the strikes. On Friday, new reports alleged that Apache helicopters and aircraft launched another series of attacks in Yemen, accompanied by what was thought to be U.S. forces on the ground battling al Qaeda elements. The airstrikes were confirmed to SitRep by a U.S. Defense official.

The White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, told the New York Times that the new authorities are more like a philosophy more than a change in policy, however.

From the top. Speaking with FPs Paul McLeary earlier this week on the way home from a trip to the Middle East, commander of the U.S. Central Command, Gen. Joseph Votel said that the situation in Yemen is fraught with complexity, but al Qaeda remains the primary target. The Islamic State branch in the country is not a particularly strong one, he said. Its in a very localized area, but theyre near al Qaeda, and theyve potentially been collaborating as well.

Last month, FPs Dan De Luce and Paul McLeary wrote that Yemen would likely emerge as an early testing ground for President Donald Trumps foreign policy ambitions, particularly when it comes to checking Iranian ambitions in the the region.

Talk, and action. The latest airstrikes indicate that president Trump, despite public criticism of U.S. military action abroad, is willing to commit forces to the fight against both al Qaeda and ISIS. The new authorities to operate in an area of active hostility usually allows the military to launch strikes without a more lengthy approval process managed by the White House, the Post explains. It is similar to the authority the U.S. military was granted for the Libyan city of Sirte, where it conducted a multi-month air campaign against the Islamic State last year.

Story continues

The assault by Navy SEALs last month on an al Qaeda compound in Yemen that resulted in the death of one commando has apparently led to some leads, CNN reports, and U.S. intel officials are attempting to track down hundreds of names swept up in the intel haul.

Same story. Elsewhere, Pentagon officials, alarmed by the increase of attacks by the al Shabab terrorist group in Somalia, are asking the White House to expand the militarys efforts to battle the al Qaida-linked group, the AP reports. Recommendations sent to the White House would allow U.S special forces to increase assistance to the Somali National Army and give the U.S. military greater flexibility to launch more pre-emptive airstrikes.

Promises. President Trump vowed to spend tens of billions more on the Navy in the coming years, increasing the number of aircraft carriers to twelve during a visit to the USS Gerald R. Ford in Newport News, Va. I just spoke with Navy and industry leaders and have discussed my plan to undertake a major expansion of our entire Navy fleet, including having the 12-carrier Navy we need, Trump told a group of sailors and shipyard workers aboard the ship, which is still being completed. The Navy currently has ten carriers, which is nine more than any other country in the world.

The president repeated his pledge to launch one of the largest defense spending increases in history, a generous interpretation of his call for $50 billion more for defense in the 2018 budget. Budget guru Todd Harrison of CSIS Tweeted a chart showing that the proposed Trump increase  which faces dim prospects on Capitol Hill  showing 10 higher increases since 1977.

Coasties up in arms. One place where those dollars may not fall is on the U.S. Coast Guard. The sea service may get hit with a 10 percent budget decrease under the White House plan, and one Republican lawmaker is warning that those cuts could cripple the under-resourced and overstretched Coast Guards efforts to protect 95,000 miles of American coastline, writes FP Robbie Gramer.

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), member of the House Armed Services Committee, wrote to the White House Thursday saying its nonsensical to pursue a policy of rebuilding the Armed Forces while proposing large reductions to the U.S. Coast Guard budget. Cutting the Coast Guards budget would serve to the detriment of U.S. national security and create exposures that will most certainly be exploited by transnational criminal networks and other dangerous actors, he wrote.

Welcome to SitRep. Send any tips, thoughts or national security events to paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or via Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley.

Appearances. President Trumps new national security advisor Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, will appear in a closed session before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) for a confirmation hearing next week, Defense News reports. National security advisors dont require Senate confirmation in general but McMasters status as an active duty general officer means he needs a Senate sign-off to take on the new job. The widely-respected McMaster is expected to sail through confirmation and SASC chairman Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is already framing the hearing as more of a get-to-know-you session and less of a Congressional grilling.

Army. The vacant slot for Army Secretary at the Pentagon is another area where Mattis has clashed with White House officials, with Mattis reportedly angered that the Trump administration selected a candidate for the job, Vincent Viola, without consulting him. Viola ultimately withdrew his name from consideration for the slot but Military Times reports that there are four new names being floated for the job. Three candidates  Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY), retired Republican Congressman Duncan L. Hunter from California, and Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL)  come from congressional backgrounds with a fourth, Tim Griffin, currently serving as Arkansass lieutenant governor. Three of the men are Army veterans, while Hunter served in the Marine Corps, but no clear favorite is apparent either within the White House or Secretary Mattiss inner circle.

Personnel. Secretary of Defense James Mattis and the White House have locked horns once again over personnel, with the flashpoint this time being Mattiss pick for the Pentagons number three position. Politico reports that Mattis wants Anne Patterson, a former ambassador to Egypt, Pakistan, El Salvador, and Columbia who has served under both Republican and Democratic administrations, to be his undersecretary of defense for policy. The White House is pushing back against a Patterson pick due to objections about her tenure as ambassador to Egypt during the presidency of Mohammed Morsi. Pattersons accommodation of Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood which the Trump administration has considered designating a terrorist organization, has led White House officials to put the brakes on her nomination.

Drones. Two hundred. Thats how many airstrikes the Islamic State carried out in February with its arsenal of small, commercial drones equipped to drop grenade-sized munitions. The figure comes from the arms consultancy Armament Research Services (ARES), which carried out interviews and reviews of propaganda releases by the terrorist group. As ARES points out, the 200 figure is a likely an underestimate with many other attacks going unreported.

Copycat. But its not just the Islamic State using small drone bombers. Its opponents in the Iraqs Federal Police are taking the tactic and turning it back against the terrorist group. Bellingcat surveyed social media and accounts from reporters on the ground and found that Iraqs Federal Police have been using commercial quadrotor drones to drop tiny bombs on the Islamic State. The federal cops have also developed their own purpose-built munition for the task, with a badminton shuttlecock for a tail and a fuze for with a ring pull on the miniature warhead.

Baby boom. The war in Ukraine has kept Ukrainians busy on both on the battlefront and the home front as a miniature baby boom has emerged in some towns as an unexpected side effect of the conflict. Agence France Press reports on the impact in Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine, where the birthrate has more than doubled amid intense fighting between government forces and Russian-backed rebels. Why turn to babymaking in the middle of a battle that has knocked out heating and electricity? It turns out that stress is a factor, one doctor tells the news agency.

Photo Credit MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP/Getty Images
Though you may consider yourself friendly with the neighbors, were betting a new tool will have you seeing them in a whole new light.

This week the CDCs 500 Cities Project posted data on 27 health-related measures from the agencys Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Not only does the site have fascinating health data about some of the countrys 500 largest cities, but it also breaks the data down by census tract, meaning you can get a pretty granular view.

The maps  which include self-reported rates of arthritis, binge drinking, and cholesterol screenings, among other things  are of course a useful resource for policymakers or public health officials.

But theyre also just fun for browsing, a place to pick up trivia about your home city or perhaps to spy on the health habits of your neighbors. To get you started, weve turned up these fascinating insights below:

Provo, Utah, is  perhaps unsurprisingly  pretty good about making healthy choices. The city boasts some of the lowest rates of binge drinking and smoking in the country. However, Provoans may be a little complacent; the city also has the second-lowest rate of annual checkups (54.9 percent).

Sleepless in Seattle? Not so much. About 30 percent of adult Seattleites get less than seven hours of sleep. That sounds like a lot, until you compare that rate to the eastern seaboard, where the number is nearly 40 percent. Coloradans get the best nights sleep; the three cities with the lowest rates of sleepless nights are all just outside of Denver.

California has among the lowest rates of obesity. Of the 20 cities with the lowest obesity rates, only three were not in California.

Indiana boasts cities with the highest and the lowest rate of dental visits. Just under 80 percent of the adults in Carmel, Ind., get regular checkups, while only 39 percent of the people in Gary, 150 miles away, get into the office.

Burlington, Vt., has slightly higher binge-drinking rates than the national average. But theres one census tract in particular where the rates are five percentage points higher. Its almost like lots of people in their early 20s live in the area  which happens to be near the University of Vermont  or something.

The project also allows up to three cities to be compared at a time. Take Albany, N.Y., and Albany, Ga., as a (not-at-all random) example. Both cities have about the same cancer rates as the US average (5.9 percent). But while residents in New Yorks Albany have higher health insurance rates (only 14.8 percent are uninsured) than their Georgian counterparts (nearly 30 percent are uninsured), they actually make it to the doctor for their annual checkup slightly less often (73.8 percent and 75.8 percent, respectively).

Comparisons between neighboring cities, like Kansas City, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo., can also be enlightening. The two cities have very disparate health insurance rates: Missourians are more likely to have coverage (just 17 percent uninsured versus the Kansas City, Kan., rate of 30 percent). However, while Kansas City residents under 65 years old get basic preventive care at about the same rates regardless of their home state, thats not true for adults over 65. Seniors in Missouri are more likely to be up to date on their shots and screenings than those in Kansas  by about a nine percentage point difference.
A lot of people on Wall Street were very happy with Snapchat Thursday, but a lot of people in Venice were not.

At least two dozen protesters gathered outside Snap Inc.'s Venice Beach, California headquarters to protest Snap's encroachment on the neighborhood as Snap started trading on Wall Street. Protesters worried Snap's multi-billion-dollar success in its initial public offering, or IPO, would encourage more companies to move from Silicon Valley to the emerging Silicon Beach.

Snap moved to Venice in 2013 and since then has bought up real estate for its offices: one house, one apartment building and former retail stores.

"Streets that were alive with neighborhood and food and drink are now just locked front doors with security guards who are shooing the exact same people who lived in the neighborhood away," neighborhood barber Dave Martinez told BuzzFeed News in February. Protests began in the days before Snap's IPO.

The protesters said that Snap is "killing Venice" and that even DJ Khaled wouldn't approve.

Venice residents stage protest outside Snapchat HQ as company starts trading https://t.co/NgAfBG1jr7 pic.twitter.com/lfep1xtJPy  FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) March 3, 2017

"Go back to the Valley."

"Get out of here techie clowns!"#overheard on @ZachServideo's Facebook Live re $SNAP protest in Venice, CA  Kerry Flynn  (@kerrymflynn) March 2, 2017

Quite the protest outside of Snap offices in Venice, California today. Neighbors are telling the company to beat it. https://t.co/qlZP0TzOsM pic.twitter.com/AWyGnAqDq3  Alex Kantrowitz (@Kantrowitz) March 1, 2017

Just a few more signs from the @Snap protest in Venice today. Meant to post earlier but was on a quick turnaround deadline. pic.twitter.com/hhPelPrDAd  Kris Ankarlo (@KrisAnkarlo) March 3, 2017

Anti-Snapchat rally in Venice gathering now. "We feel colonized by this company ," says one." #venicebeach #KCRW pic.twitter.com/z2MggfoVRH  Saul Gonzalez (@SaulKCRW) March 2, 2017

People are in front of Snapchat's Venice, CA headquarters, protesting the company's community impact and urging others to not invest in it. pic.twitter.com/KuBU35mHW5  AJ+ (@ajplus) March 1, 2017

Snap Inc. gobbling up Venice's vibrant local shops, converting them to boring office space, protesters say https://t.co/tHBG2pmWWf pic.twitter.com/R5Bf6WGsB5  ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) March 2, 2017

One protester summed up the angst: "Good luck with your immature penis operation!"
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP)  A Kansas man who survived an apparently racially motivated shooting at a suburban Kansas City restaurant and bar is out of the hospital and has already visited the scene of the attack.

Ian Grillot, 24, was released from the hospital Tuesday, The University of Kansas Health System said in a statement Thursday. Grillot was one of three men shot Feb. 22 at Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas. One of the men, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was killed, and his friend, Alok Madasani, was wounded. An incident report that police released Friday shows a handgun was used in the shooting.

Both Kuchibhotla and Madasani were natives of India working as engineers for GPS-maker Garmin in Olathe.

A bullet hit Grillot in the hand and entered his chest when he tried to stop the suspected gunman, 51-year-old Adam Purinton, of Olathe. Purinton is charged with murder and attempted murder.

Witnesses say Purinton shouted racial slurs before shooting Kuchibhotla and Madasani.

On Wednesday, Grillot went to church and then stopped at Austins for "closure," the hospital said in a statement. He returned to the hospital Thursday for a meeting with three officials from the Consulate General of India in Houston.

The dignitaries told Grillot and his family they were grateful for his actions the night of the shooting and invited Grillot and his family to visit India when he is able to travel. Consul General Anupam Ray told Grillot that his bravery is more representative of America than the violence at Austins, the hospital said.

The officials also met Thursday with Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, but no details of that meeting have been released. He said in a tweet that the "hateful actions of one man don't define us."

___

This story has been corrected to show that the suspect's name is Adam Purinton, not Puriton.
By Tom Miles, John Irish and Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - Syria's first U.N.-led peace talks in almost a year ended on Friday without breakthrough but the United Nations mediator said the warring parties now had a clear agenda to pursue a political solution to the country's six-year-long conflict. Both sides could point to small victories. The opposition said that the question of political transition was seriously addressed for the first time, while U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura said counter-terrorism - an issue pushed by President Bashar al-Assad's delegation - had been added to the agenda. "What I saw ... gives me some feeling that we are moving in the right direction," de Mistura told reporters at the end of eight days of talks, adding that he aimed to hold another round of indirect negotiations later this month. He said counter-terrorism had been added as a "fourth basket" to the talks, alongside efforts to establish a "credible, inclusive government", drafting a new constitution and holding free and fair elections. In theory, those issues are supposed to be addressed in a six-month time frame, but peace talks in Geneva have achieved little since they were first convened just over three years ago. "I believe...and expect that the sides should now pursue a framework agreement containing an agreed political package so that a negotiated transitional political process can be implemented as indicated by (U.N.) Resolution 2254," de Mistura said. Assad's chief negotiator Bashar al-Ja'afari left the talks without speaking to reporters. "He has terrorism, but has to engage on transition," one Western diplomat said. Terrorism has been a mantra for the Syrian government, which regards all the rebels as terrorists, and described members of the negotiating delegation on Thursday as terrorists backed by Israel, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. De Mistura said the United Nations recognized only two terrorist groups: Islamic State and the former Nusra front, once an al Qaeda affiliate. Neither is part of the U.N. peace process. MINIMAL EXPECTATIONS The talks aim to reach a political solution to a conflict which erupted in March 2011 and has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced many millions. They were convened last week with minimal expectations for success. "Although we are closing this round without clear results ... I can say this time was more positive," chief opposition negotiator Nasr al-Hariri said. "It was the first time we discussed in acceptable depth the future of Syria and the future of political transition in Syria. The opposition says that "political transition" means an end to nearly 50 years of Assad family rule, something the government has ruled out giving away through negotiation. Russia, seen as holding the balance of power, met both sides behind the scenes during the talks. Late on Thursday, Russian diplomats met representatives of Syrian armed groups, diplomats and opposition sources said, the second such contact in the past few days. Despite those contacts, Russia accused the main opposition of trying to sabotage the talks by refusing to unite with two smaller dissident groups which have no military muscle but have Moscow's blessing as opposition voices. Creating a unified opposition delegation is seen as the key to holding face-to-face talks, but de Mistura said he was not yet ready to do so. A Western diplomat said Russia's push to unify the opposition was an underhand tactic. Russia is trying to do that to destabilize the talks. They insist on the opposition becoming one. This is a tactic to weaken the process. I hope that Staffan can push back on it." The scope of the negotiation is much narrower than a year ago, when de Mistura also had to hear demands for a ceasefire and release of prisoners. A shaky ceasefire has been in place since December and separate talks in Kazakhstan, sponsored by Russia, Turkey and Iran, are dealing with military matters. De Mistura said the government delegation put forward a suggestion on exchanging prisoners and abducted people, which should be taken up in Astana. A new round of Astana talks is due on March 14, and Russian officials have said the Geneva negotiations could resume on March 20. (Additional reporting by Yara Abi Nader; Editing by Dominic Evans)
(BEIRUT)Syrias military announced on Thursday it has fully recaptured the historic town of Palmyra from the Islamic State group as the militants defenses crumbled and ISIS fighters fled in the face of artillery fire and intense Russia-backed airstrikes.

The development marks the third time that the townfamed for its priceless Roman ruins and archaeological treasures ISIS had sought to destroyhas changed hands in one year.

It was also the second blow for the Islamic State group in Syria in a week, after Turkish backed opposition fighters seized the Syrian town of al-Bab from the militants on Feb. 23, following a grueling three month battle. In neighboring Iraq, the Sunni extremist group is fighting for survival in its last urban bastion in the western part of the city of Mosul.

For the Syrian government, the news was a welcome development against the backdrop of peace talks underway with the opposition in Switzerland.

You are all invited to visit the historic city of Palmyra and witness its beauty, now that it has been liberated, the Damascus envoy to the U.N.-mediated talks, Bashar al-Jaafari, told reporters in Geneva.

Of course, counterterrorism operations will continue until the last inch of our territory is liberated from the hands of these foreign terrorist organizations, which are wreaking havoc in our country, he added.

The Damascus military statement said troops gained full control of the desert town in central Syria following a series of military operations carried out with the help of Russian air cover and in cooperation with allied and friendly troops  government shorthand for members of Lebanese militant Hezbollah group who are fighting along Syrian President Bashar Assads forces.

IS defenses around Palmyra had begun to erode on Sunday, with government troops reaching the towns outskirts on Tuesday. The state SANA news agency reported earlier that government troops had entered the towns archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, around mid-day, then the town itself, as IS militants fled the area.

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This is the Syrian governments second campaign to retake Palmyra. It seized the town from Islamic State militants last March only to lose it again 10 months later.

Before the civil war gripped Syria in 2011, Palmyra was a top tourist attraction, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year.

The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, had said earlier that Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed by his defense minister that Syrian troops had gained control of Palmyra, with support from Russian warplanes.

The Syrian governments push has relied on ground support from Hezbollah and Russian air cover, according to Hezbollahs media outlets.

Archeologists have decried what they say is extensive damage to its ruins.

Drone footage released by Russias Defense Ministry earlier this month showed new damage to the facade of Palmyras Roman-era theater and the adjoining Tetrapylon  a set of four monuments with four columns each at the center of the colonnaded road leading to the theater.

A 2014 report by a U.N. research agency disclosed satellite evidence of looting while the ruins were under Syrian military control. Opposition factions have also admitted to looting the antiquities for funds.

IS militants have twice used the towns Roman theater as a stage for mass killings, most recently in January, when they shot and beheaded a number of captives they said had tried to escape their December advance. Other ISIS killings were said to have taken place in the courtyard of the Palmyra museum and in a former Russian base in the town.

The developments in Palmyra came against the backdrop of the talks in Geneva, which have been without any tangible breakthroughs so far. Diplomats and negotiators have set their sights on modest achievements in the latest round, after a week of discussions centering on setting an agenda for future talks.

On Thursday, U.N. Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura held another round of meetings with both the government delegation and opposition groups.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told reporters Wednesday that the parties have agreed to  discuss all issues in a parallel way, on several tracks.

After a Damascus request, the issue of terrorism is also on the table, he had said. Russia is a key sponsor of Assads government.

A top Syrian opposition negotiator, Nasr al-Hariri, said the talks would likely culminate in a closing ceremony on Friday and the parties may be back in Geneva for further discussions in a few weeks.

Setting the agenda and strategy to guide discussions has proven difficult as the main conflicting parties dig in their heels over form and semantics.

In Turkey, the countrys foreign minister said that with the completion of an operation to retake the ISIS-held town of al-Bab in northern Syria, Turkish troops will head to the Syrian town of Manbij next, to oust U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces that Ankara views as terrorists and a threat to Turkey.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Thursday that Turkey would not shy away from attacking the Kurdish group that dominates the Syria Democratic Forces, which captured Manbij last year after weeks of deadly fighting with ISIS.

He renewed calls for the new U.S. administration not to support the Kurdish forces. Cavusoglu stressed that an operation to take Manbij had not started yet, but acknowledged that skirmishes between Turkish-backed forces and the Kurdish fighters may have occurred.

That front line in northern Syria was further complicated by a concurrent announcement by the Syrian Kurdish side on Thursday that they had agreed with Russia to withdraw from some of the territory between al-Bab and Manbij, to make room for a buffer.

The Manbij Military Council, part of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, said that under the deal, they will withdraw from a front line with rival Turkish-backed forces near the Euphrates River. This will allow Syrian government forces to create a buffer between them.

However, Cavusoglu denied any such agreement was reached.

There was no immediate comment from the Syrian government. The Turkish and Syrian authorities have long regarded each other with thinly-veiled hostility.
GENEVA (Reuters) - The Syrian opposition has provisionally accepted 12 principles given to delegates by the United Nations at the end of an eight-day round of peace talks, chief negotiator Nasr al-Hariri said. The general principles on the future of Syria were derived from points set out by U.N. mediator Staffan de Mistura last year, Hariri told reporters after the final meeting of the round of U.N.-led talks in Geneva, the first in 10 months. He said the round had ended without clear results but for the first time issues related to political transition had been discussed in acceptable depth. His rival, Syrian government negotiator Bashar al-Ja'afari, left the talks without commenting. (Reporting by Tom Miles and Stephanie Nebehay)
Geneva (AFP) - More than a week of UN-sponsored peace talks ended in Geneva on Friday, the main opposition group said, calling the results "more positive" than previous rounds.

"We are closing this round without (a) clear result... but I can say this time was more positive," Nasr al-Hariri, delegation chief for the High Negotiating Committee (HNC), told reporters.

"It was first time we discussed in an acceptable depth the issues of the future of Syria and political transition," he added after the talks, the fourth mediated by UN envoy Staffan de Mistura.

As in previous rounds, Syrian regime and opposition negotiators did not meet face-to-face, with de Mistura shuttling between the delegations.

The talks were focussed on the agenda, rather than getting into the substance of negotiations, with three main "baskets" or areas of discussion: governance, the constitution and elections.

The Syrian regime has tried to get counter-terrorism onto the agenda, while the opposition wants more focus on political transition, specifically the fate of President Bashar al-Assad.

"The international silence must come to an end. The international community must speak out .. to put an end to the ongoing massacres that have been taking place in Syria for six years now," said al-Hariri.

The Geneva negotiations, the first since last April, are aimed at ending a conflict that began in March 2011 with protests against Assad. Its seventh year begins on March 15.

Since then more than 310,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have fled the country, fuelling instability in neighbouring countries and creating Europe's biggest migrant crisis since World War II.

The warring Syrian sides have been joined in Geneva by envoys of key parties including notably Russia, a major ally of Damascus.
Teslas revenue from China has crossed $1 billion, with the country now accounting for more than 15 percent of its total revenue last year, according to a U.S. regulatory filing on Wednesday. For comparison, the companys sales in the U.S. reached $4.2 billion in 2016.

On Thursday, Bloomberg reported that the companys revenues from China were three times the figure from 2015. The company does not release country-wise sales figures.

Tesla debuted in China in 2014, but faced initial setbacks, leading to delayed deliveries which the companys CEO Elon Musk blamed on local sales staff. In November 2016, the company said that it would introduce converters in the country, which would allow consumers to charge their vehicles at state-run charging points.

In addition to this, the National reported last week that the company was teaming up with the Dubai FDI to help it expand throughout the UAE ad the wider Middle East. Dubai FDI is a part of the UAEs department of economic development. The report further says that the companies plan is to make Dubai the regional hub for Tesla development and the launch pad for its expansion across the Middle East.

Fahad Al Gergawi, CEO, Dubai FDI, told the National on Thursday: Dubai FDI is successfully engaging with game-changing companies and investors worldwide, enabling them to use Dubai as a vantage point for market access and business development. Dubai FDI will continue to assist Tesla to expand and grow in the region and its neighborhood, adding that clean energy innovations were integral to the Dubai Plan 2021.

Tesla stock has been doing well ever since its acquisition of solar energy company SolarCity, although 97 percent of the companys revenue still comes for its automotive business. The company is expected to do even better this year, as the its first mass-market car, the Tesla Model 3, goes to production.

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FORT WORTH, Texas (AP)  A lawyer for a Mexican national sentenced to eight years in prison for voter fraud in Texas says she's been released as her appeal is pending.

Attorney Clark Birdsall said 37-year-old Rosa Maria Ortega was released Thursday after posting a more than $11,000 bond. Ortega was convicted in Fort Worth last month on two felony counts of illegal voting.

Ortega is accused of improperly casting a ballot five times between 2005 and 2014. Birdsall has said Ortega is a permanent resident and mistakenly thought her green card allowed her to vote.

Birdsall says a state district judge this week granted his request for an appeal bond.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says Ortega's immigration detainer was canceled Thursday. The agency says it removes detainers during an appeal in some cases.
BANGKOK (Reuters) - A former Thai palace medical adviser was jailed for five and a half years for insulting the monarchy and other charges on Friday, a day after another disgraced aide to the new king was charged in a separate case. King Maha Vajiralongkorn has made numerous changes in the palace since ascending the throne in December following the death of his father, with punishments for some of those who have fallen from grace. Former Air Vice Marshal Chitpong Thongkum pleaded guilty to royal defamation and four other charges on Friday and was convicted by a military court, said Sutin Sappuang, chief of the police Crime Suppression Division. Chitpong's sentence was halved from 11 years because of his guilty plea, Sutin told Reuters. He did not detail the specific charges. Chitpong, who had served as a medical adviser to the king when he was crown prince, was fired last month and stripped of military ranks and royal decorations. At the time, the government said his offences included claiming ties with the king for personal gain, disclosing the king's medical records, behaving in ways which the king did not trust and causing "severe damage" while on duty. The country's strict lese-majesty law makes it a crime to defame, insult or threaten the king, queen, heir to the throne or regent. Each offence is punishable with a jail term of up to 15 years. There has been a substantial rise in the number of lese-majesty prosecutions since the death of former King Bhumibol Adulyadej in October. Another prominent former palace aide, Jumpol Manmai, who was dismissed for gross disciplinary misconduct on Tuesday, was charged on Thursday with unauthorized building on protected forest land. Jumpol did not face a lese majesty charge. (Reporting by Bangkok bureau; Editing by Matthew Tostevin, Robert Biresl)
Washington (AFP) - Vandals tumbled and defaced headstones at a Jewish cemetery in Rochester, New York, local officials confirmed Friday, the third such cemetery in the United States to suffer damage in a surge in apparent anti-Semitic acts.

Meredith Dragon, chief executive of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, said local police were not yet ready to determine whether the toppling of a dozen or more headstones in the Stone Road or Waad Hakolel Cemetery overnight Wednesday was an act of petty vandalism or a targeted hate crime.

But New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced an investigation into the rise in crimes and threats against Jewish organizations in the state.

Nationally, a total of three cemeteries -- the others in St Louis, Missouri and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -- have now seen large numbers of overturned and broken headstones, and hundreds of bomb threats have been phoned in to Jewish community centers and day schools.

A national investigation has been opened by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, which investigates hate crimes.

Dragon said local police were still studying the Rochester cemetery damage, which includes defacing photographs on headstones, to determine what damage happened Wednesday and what may have happened earlier but gone unnoticed.

"It's a very old cemetery," she said. "It's going to be challenging to figure out the who-what-when. There are not great cameras out there."

Dragon said a Jewish cemetery in the city had been similarly damaged in 2014, but that was blamed on petty vandals.

As no local Jewish community centers or schools were targeted in the recent spate of telephone threats, it "leads me to believe this has been local," she said.

"This is not really the norm for this community."
Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., the House deputy majority whip, defended Attorney General Jeff Sessions Thursday shortly after the embattled Cabinet member recused himself from investigating the Trump campaign and its possible contacts with Russian officials. Sessions, a key Trump supporter, admitted meeting twice with the Russian ambassador in 2016.

Theres a little bit of a feeding frenzy around this, and thats not unusual in Washington, D.C., Cole said with a chuckle, in an interview with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric. But I just dont see any evidence that he did anything wrong or that hes done anything other than try to be honest and forthright in dealing with the issue.

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks during a press conference at the US Justice Department on March 2, 2017, in Washington DC.

(Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images)

Couric asked Cole whether he believed Sessions claim that he had discussed Ukraine and terrorism in a meeting with the Russian ambassador in September, but that he did not remember whether they discussed the turbulent American campaign  just two months before the general election.

Cole replied that he takes Sessions at his word. Cole said he had even asked his own scheduler how many foreign ambassadors he had met with since the beginning of 2016, because he couldnt recall every encounter. It turned out to be about a dozen.

Some of them focus very heavily on policy or issues  if youre talking with the ambassador from Israel, for instance. Some of them, believe me, they want to talk politics. They want to try to understand the country theyre an ambassador to, he said. So its not unusual to have that kind of a discussion.

Couric pointed out that a meeting with a Russian ambassador would not be a forgettable, run-of-the-mill, political meet-and-greet  especially after the U.S. intelligence community revealed that Moscow had sought to influence the American election process. She asked if that seemed odd to Cole.

No it really doesnt, Cole said. Look, again, I meet with ambassadors all the time. Some of them are countries that are very friendly to the United States. Some of them are countries [with whom] we have an adversarial relationship. I dont find that unusual, frankly.

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During Sessions confirmation hearing on Jan. 10, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., asked Sessions what he would do if any evidence arose indicating that anyone connected with Trumps campaign had communicated with the Russian government before the election.

Sen. Franken, Im not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign, and I did not have communications with the Russians, Sessions replied.

But on Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that Sessions, who has represented Alabama in the Senate for the past 20 years, had in fact met with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, twice last year, information he did not disclose during his confirmation. He said the meetings were related to his Senate work and that the campaign did not come up in them.

National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned Feb. 13, after the disclosure that he had misled administration officials, including the vice president, about his own conversations with the Russian envoy.

According to Cole, Sessions disclosure of his meetings with the Russian diplomat should have been clearer and sharper, but he went on to describe this as a murky area.

To me, this is a little bit of a tempest in a teapot, Cole said. Hes answered the questions as clearly as he knows how, and hes made it very abundantly clear hell have nothing to do with any investigation that might take place.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Antonio Guterres, the U.N. secretary-general, may be the worlds top diplomat. But he is not at the top of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillersons list of must-see foreign dignitaries.

Last month, State Department staffers recommended the two diplomats take a break during G-20 ministerial meetings in Bonn, Germany, to talk, according to two diplomatic sources briefed on the matter. Tillerson passed on the meeting, deferring to President Donald Trumps U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, to take the lead in handling the administrations dealings with the U.N. chief. He also missed a high-level meeting that Guterres attended. The U.N.s own efforts to secure a face-to-face meeting or a phone conversation through the U.S. mission to the U.N. also havent borne fruit.

U.N. officials fear the snub may reflect a broader lack of interest by Tillerson in making the U.N. an early priority. But it also highlights the fact that Foggy Bottom  which is running on an acute shortage of diplomatic firepower  has yet to develop policies on a range of issues before the United Nations.

Generations of previous U.S. secretaries of state have sought to cultivate close ties with U.N. leaders to help rally international backing for U.S. foreign-policy goals. U.N. special envoys are at the center of peace efforts in trouble spots from Libya to Syria and Yemen, places where the United States has vital interests in ensuring stability.

The U.N. is everywhere, said Bathsheba Crocker, who served as assistant secretary of state during former President Barack Obamas administration. Having a relationship and learning how you are going to mutually help each other and support each other seems like something that every administration would want to try to do.

Tillerson enjoyed direct access to some of the worlds most powerful leaders as the head of oil giant ExxonMobil. That experience may have molded a view of international relations in which the U.N. didnt figure very prominently.

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Tillerson has spent his working life in a world of big international deals to which the U.N. is pretty much irrelevant, said Richard Gowan, a U.N. expert with the European Council on Foreign Relations. It would be odd if, given this background, Tillerson was rushing to New York. He was, after all, able to parlay with Putin pretty effectively while the Obama administration got bogged down in bad diplomacy over Syria with Sergei Lavrov and Vitaly Churkin.

Neither the State Department nor the U.S. mission to the U.N. responded to requests for comment. But some officials challenged any suggestion that Tillerson dissed the secretary-general and said its only a matter of finding a convenient opportunity for the two to meet. They noted that Tillerson held meetings on Thursday with the head of the U.N. atomic energy agency and he participated in a meeting with foreign ministers and the U.N.s Yemen envoy at the G-20 session in February, an indication of his interest in multilateral diplomacy.

The revelation comes as a top U.N. climate official, Patricia Espinosa of Mexico, the executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, said this week that Tillerson has not responded to her own request for a meeting. I have not heard back, Espinosa said, according to Bloomberg News. They are a very important partner to us, and Im looking forward to working together.

Some diplomats are watching to see whether Tillerson will attend a ministerial meeting hosted by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on South Sudan on March 23, according to U.N.-based diplomats.

The secretary of states absence would be noteworthy because the United States has long been designated as the lead coordinator on the U.N. Security Council on matters involving the troubled new nation.

One U.N.-based diplomat expressed doubt that Tillerson would attend the meeting and suggested that the United States is simply not ready for high-level engagement on the country: They dont really have a South Sudan policy.

Asked if Tillerson would attend the ministerial meeting, Matthew Rycroft, Britains ambassador to the United Nations, said formal invitations have not gone out. But he suggested that Britain would be fine if Haley sat in the U.S. chair.

Certainly Secretary Tillerson will be invited, Rycroft told reporters Wednesday. But of course the U.S. [is] in a different position than the rest of us in that they already have a cabinet member here in New York. Diplomats noted that Obamas secretary of state, John Kerry, frequently ceded the U.S. chair at the Security Council to Samantha Power, who was also a cabinet member, at ministerial meetings.

Still, the Trump administrations seeming indifference to the United Nations contrasts sharply with previous administrations, particularly the Obama administration, which invited Guterres to the White House for a chat with the outgoing president on Dec. 2, weeks before he took up his duties as the U.N.s ninth secretary-general.

Trump, meanwhile, held an initial phone conversation with Guterres after his election, but the two have not spoken since or scheduled a sit-down meeting.

Asked if there was a pattern of American officials snubbing top U.N. officials, Guterress chief spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, told reporters at U.N. headquarters: I will leave the observations and the analysis of trends to all of you. Obviously, when we have a meeting to announce, we will do so.

During their tenure, Obama and Kerry took advantage of the U.S. presidencies of the Security Council to preside over high-level meetings on nuclear disarmament, foreign terrorist fighters, and Syria.

The United States will have its own presidency of the council in April. Diplomats say Washington is mulling some sort of event to highlight U.S. support for Israel and the importance of combating Islamic extremism in the Middle East. But U.S. officials have informed their counterparts not to expect anything too ambitious and ruled out a ministerial meeting, according to a U.N.-based diplomat. So it appears unlikely Tillerson will attend.

Many of Tillersons predecessors placed considerable stock in establishing an early rapport with the secretary-general.

Madeleine Albright, a former U.N. ambassador, invited then-U.N. chief Kofi Annan to her swearing-in party.

The George W. Bush administration frequently clashed with Annan, a critic of Bush-era excesses in the war on terror, but the presidents top diplomats sought to cultivate close ties with Annan. And both Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice hosted early meetings with Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon at the State Department.

Annan was no favorite of the Bush administration, given his opposition to the Iraq invasion, but Rice moved quickly to establish a relationship when she became secretary of state, recalled Glenn Kessler, the author of a biography on Rice.

She made sure to give him a heads-up when John Bolton, a fierce U.N. critic, was nominated as U.N. ambassador, according to Kessler. Annans reaction: Oh my God.

FP senior staff reporter John Hudson contributed to this report.

This story was updated after publication.

Photo credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

Correction, March 3, 2017: The G-20 foreign ministers meeting was held in Bonn, Germany. A previous version of this article mistakenly said it was held in Hamburg.
Everyone loves pigs (the animal), but racist pigs (the jerk humans) are a breed Tinder isn't down with.

The dating app delivered a mighty smackdown in the form of an open letter Tuesday, slamming "racist rants" and "sexist pigs." Their blog post addressed one sexist pig in particular, who's just been banned from the app for life. And on National Pig Day, of all days.

SEE ALSO: Why has this country become Tinder's favourite testing ground?

Rewind a day: A San Francisco guy shared his friend's screenshots from Tinder, in which a guy named Nick hurled racist, sexist abuse at her after she ignored him. It was all pretty awful.

Not only were people outraged by the abuse, but others came forward with their own allegations of abusive behavior by the same guy.

Naturally, Tinder didn't want to be associated with such high levels of douchery. Rosette Pambakian, the vice president of communications and branding, penned the open letter to "Nick (and anyone who behaves like you)" and had it posted on the company's blog.

"Tinder has a zero-tolerance policy on disrespect. No racist rants. No sexist pigs. No trolling. No jerks who can't get over their own inadequacies long enough to have a decent conversation with another person on Tinder," she wrote. "I was personally offended by what you said. Your words to that woman were an assault, not only on her, but on all of us."

The real doozy though, has to be this line: "You have a lot to learn, Nick. I see that you studied global business, and that you joined your school's programs for young entrepreneurs and technology management. Great choices. Because you'll need to search far and wide to find an organization that will employ you now."

Truer words were never spoken. Happy National Pig Day, everyone but this sh*tty person.
Bangor title teacher Debra Cromer walked out of a convention center packed with more than 2,300 educators with her head held a little higher.

The culmination of the better part of two years of late nights, long interviews and countless proposals had finally paid off as she completed her duties as chair of the Wisconsin State Reading Association, which held its annual four-day convention Feb. 8-11.

In 2014 shed been elected the convention chair and tasked with planning the annual reading conference in 2017.

It wasnt something shed ever sought out, but after more than 30 years an educator she was ready to help others take the next step.

It was a tremendous undertaking, she said. Ive always had great admiration for the WSRA

Even with nearly two years to prepare for the conference, Cromer said it was no small undertaking.

Its a big deal, its become an internationally-known conference, she said.

For help, she reached out to her mentor and former WSRA President Delores Heiden, whod chaired the conference in the past.

When I found out I was elected, I asked if I could do an independent study with her, Cromer said.

Cromer had to work quickly to review, vet and approve the nearly 140 speakers invited to present at the conference some of whom were traveling tens of thousands of miles to be there.

She pulled on her nearly three decades of experience as a title teacher and her experience meeting authors and educators over those years.

She didnt have long before the promotional materials, speakers and venue would need to be finalized.

The program had to be printed by the summer before, she said.

About a third of the speakers were invited but the other two-thirds submitted proposals which she had to review with the help of others on the reading association board.

This was a long and tedious process for Cromer who insisted on being familiar with every presenters material.

I tried to cover all the bases from college to kindergarten, she said.

She was trying to connect every presenter with her overarching theme the thin read thread, from the story of Ariadne, the labyrinth and the minotaur.

I wanted there to be a theme linking all those sessions, she said.

Cromer said she was excited to see her work come together as the conference kicked off.

I was really excited and I was a little bit nervous, she said. It is always a little bit daunting.

Cromer said some sessions went really well, but others she would have done differently.

It was always about perfectibility, she said. It is all about the learning.

Cromer said the conference wasnt without a few disappointments.

We had some disappointments, she said. Some sessions had to be canceled. 

Travel delays and unavoidable life events prevent a few of the presenters from attending.

Bangor fourth-grade teacher Jeanette Smith, who attended the conference for the first time, said she was particularly impressed by keynote speaker Mem Fox.

The keynote speaker Mem Fox is outstanding, she said. She read childrens books to the entire audience and had everyone spell bound.

Smith said she wished the conference could have been longer so that she could have attended more of the sessions.

With the conference over, Cromer has turned her attention to a more architectural role within the WSRA.

Cromer will soon take over as president of the organization.

It is an amazing organization, she said. It is a little daunting to be president for a year.
Harvey Mudd

Harvey Mudd College, a tiny liberal-arts school in Claremont, California, is an engineering, science, and mathematics powerhouse.

In fact, its graduates outearn those from Harvard and Stanford about 10 years into their careers.

But in addition to its reputation for producing strong graduates in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math), HMC also produces students  sometimes known as Mudders  who embrace the arts.

The school comprised of about 800 students not only encourages but demands that Mudders graduate with a strong liberal-arts background, taking just as many courses in the humanities as they must in core introductory courses in the sciences.

HMC describes its core curriculum as "an academic boot camp in the STEM disciplines  math, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, and engineering  as well as classes in writing and critical inquiry" that it says "gives students a broad scientific foundation and the skills to think and to solve problems across disciplines."

The approach closely mirrors advice from some experts on how schools can develop students able to compete with automation, which has become an increasingly disruptive force in the labor market.

Self-driving cars, for example, threaten the job security of millions of American truck drivers, and automated financial advisers are replacing humans at wealth-management firms.

"Absolutely I think there's value in some level of understanding computer science," Shon Burton, the CEO of HiringSolved, previously told Business Insider.

Harvey Mudd College

Burton, whose company uses artificial intelligence to make job recruiting more efficient, said students must embrace the humanities to become critical thinkers who improvise in ways that robots cannot.

At HMC, the computer-science program is so strong that elite STEM-focused schools have taken note.

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The California Institute of Technology, for example, invited educators from HMC to visit its campus and provide training on how to teach computer-science classes for better student retention, Caltech professor Yisong Yue told Business Insider. Caltech is a premiere science and engineering college and was labeled the top school in the world for delivering work-ready graduates in 2016.

Part of this success is due to the thoughtful way HMC has chosen to structure learning, Jim Boerkoel, a computer-science professor at HMC, told Business Insider.

"Everybody arrives and they have to take at least one computer-science course, which is fairly unique for many schools, particularly liberal-arts schools," Boerkoel said.

The introductory computer-science course is intentionally broader than most intro courses. While the traditional approach features a programming-focused class, HMC redesigned its intro sequence to touch on programming, logic, software development, artificial intelligence, and other topics within the field.

The school also provides both basic and advanced sections of the intro course so students who might otherwise dominate the discussion don't intimidate students who are less familiar with computer science.

"Those changes have led to some pretty big advances and equity across gender," Boerkoel said.

So much so that last year, HMC graduated its first majority-female computer-science class. Nationally, men make up more than 84% of undergraduates majoring in computer science, according to the Computing Research Association.

"They have an extraordinary undergraduate education program," Yue of Caltech said.

NOW WATCH: Affect or effect? A writing coach breaks down the most common grammar mistakes in under 2 minutes





More From Business Insider


If you're intimidated about filing your taxes with the Internal Revenue Service for the first time, here's the good news: It's only going to get worse from here. What you're doing now is nothing compared to filing when your life is far more financially complicated, and you have a house, a spouse, kids and perhaps some investments or additional property to report.

OK, pointing that out probably didn't make you feel better. But if you are new to filing your taxes, take a deep breath and try these tips.

[See: Answers to 7 Burning Tax Questions.]

Decide who is doing your taxes. The first thing you need to figure out is who will be doing your taxes? Will it be you? Or will you purchase software or hire a human being to prepare them?

You can do them yourself, and if you don't have a complicated financial picture, there's no particular reason you shouldn't do them, says Micah Charyn, a Nashville, Tennessee-based financial advisor and vice president with FTB Advisors.

"Don't waste additional money on having someone do it for you -- even if it's at a discount. ... If it's your first time doing taxes, consider doing them on your own," he says.

On the other hand, you might figure, why not get some help?

Steven Warren, a certified public accountant and an MBT (master of business taxation) at Schechter Dokken Kanter in Minneapolis, recommends the better-be-safe-than-sorry approach.

"Even for the easiest returns it is usually best to use tax preparation software," Warren says. "If not using software, be sure to check your math and that you are carrying numbers properly from one schedule and form to the next."

Charyn does also speak highly of tax preparation software programs. Many, he says, are "simple and efficient."

Obviously, if you're using an online service in this day and age of fake websites and con artists just dying to steal your identity, use common sense and stick with companies you trust, or do research if it's a business you've never heard of. Some of the bigger names include Intuit's TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxSlayer, TaxAct, FreeTaxUSA, eSmart Tax and Credit Karma.

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[See: A Checklist for Last-Minute Tax Filing.]

The forms you'll need. If you do your own taxes, you can usually find the forms at the library or post office. Assuming you don't have children, you'll probably want Form 1040EZ. If you can look at the W-2 form your employer provided you and copy those numbers down (how much you earned and what taxes were withheld) on the 1040EZ, and you know how to do basic tasks like spell your name and sign it, then, well, this should be a breeze.

If you're filing jointly with a spouse, you also may want to file with Form 1040EZ. But if you have some tax credits that you want to take advantage of, you may want Form 1040A. If you have deductions -- maybe you've started a side business or gave away a lot to charity in the last year -- then you'll want the much longer and more detailed Form 1040. If you're self-employed, you'll likely have deductions and will want Form 1040.

Gather your other paperwork. Along with your W-2 or W-2s, if you're filing with a spouse, Emilee Morehouse, a Seattle-based marketing manager for SimpleKeep, an online bookkeeping and tax services company for businesses, suggests you gather any other documentation you might need. That would include:

-- Social Security numbers for you, a spouse or kids

-- 1099 Forms, which you'll only need if you or a spouse did some contract work on the side and earned more than $600

-- Investment income information

-- Unemployment income, if you have any to declare

Don't get tripped over dependents. If you're filing for the first time, presumably you're young, and any money you've earned thus far has been reported to the IRS by your mother or father.

"It's really important to check with your parents to make sure they're not claiming you as a dependent. If they are, you're not permitted to take your own exemption on your tax return," says Brian Ashcraft, who is based out of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is the director of compliance at Liberty Tax Service, a franchised tax preparation service.

And if you do take the exemption despite being claimed by your mother or father as a dependent, you or your parents, or all of you, could face penalties and interest charges from the IRS, Ashcraft says.

[See: 14 Important Personal Finance Dates to Mark on Your Calendar.]

Don't assume you don't have deductions. Sure, your life may not be very complicated, but you might have deductions, especially if you're a recent college graduate. And deductions, as you probably know, can be deducted from your taxable income, lowering the amount of money you owe.

"When you start making payments on your student loan, the interest earned can be claimed as a deduction in your taxes. That will often significantly reduce the amount of tax owed next year," Charyn says.

Don't assume you don't have credits. Again, maybe your financial life isn't complex, but there still may be credits out there you'll want to nab.

"If you're 18 or older and not a dependent or full-time student, you could be eligible for the Saver's Credit, which is two tax credits in one," Ashcraft says. "The credit for low-to-moderate-income employees allows you to save for retirement and get a tax credit for doing so. In short, you put your money into an IRA or 401(k) and reduce your taxable income, then you also get a tax credit for your retirement contribution. You can make an IRA contribution up until the tax filing deadline."

Wait before you send it off. Look over your form for mistakes. It happens enough to people that the IRS has a webpage devoted to common errors that taxpayers make. One big one that you don't want to make: if you're due a refund and asking for it to be direct deposited, putting down the wrong routing and account numbers for your bank.

And if you are getting a refund, Ashcraft points out that you may want to visit your employer's human resources department to change your withholding for a more accurate tax payment every month.

"After all, a refund is just what it sounds like -- the government giving you back money you're owed because you overpaid," Ashcraft says. "Why wait a whole year to get your money?"
No amount of rain will wash away the enthusiasm of the Tiwi Islands' Sistagirls.

30 of the Indigenous transgender community have travelled 3,212 kilometres (1,195 miles) from their home off the coast of northern Australia, especially to slay their Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade debut.

SEE ALSO: Sistagirls do Mardi Gras: Indigenous trans community crowdfunds for pride parade

The journey comes after an incredible fundraising effort. "It's a privilege and it means a lot to us," Anastasia Virgona said. "We're using this as a big eyeopener for the other girls that want to get involved with the Mardi Gras and the walk."

"It's a platform for us to share and tell our stories, but also to find strength and confidence in ourselves too," fellow Sistagirl Sean Kerinaiua added.

Coming out is not easy in these traditional communities, where they have a tight connection not only to traditional culture, but also Catholicism. But things are slowly, but surely changing.

"Nowadays, I wouldn't say we're accepted, but we've found a spot for us to be comfortable in our own community," Virgona said.

Both Virgona and Kerinaiua are coy about what they've got planned in terms of their costume for the Mardi Gras parade. "We don't want to burst your bubble," Kerinaiua laughs.

But the Sistagals will be leading the Northern Territory's AIDS and Hepatitis Council (and Departure Lounge) float and are looking forward to showcasing Indigenous culture on the world stage.

"A lot of people are very fascinated [by us], because they've heard taboos, stigma, discrimination and suicide," Virgona said.

"But you know what, we are all here together, we are all marching together. And at the end of the day, we're all sisters and brothers."

Look out Sydney, The Tiwi Sistagirls are here to slay @sydneymardigras!! #sistagirlstakesydney #blackandproud #flawless #blackbeauty #loveislove A post shared by Miranda Tapsell (@misstap) on Mar 2, 2017 at 11:45am PST

We'll be covering the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras this Saturday via Mashable's Snapchat story, so make sure you give us a follow here.
Rukban (Jordan) (AFP) - A Jordanian army ambulance pulled up at a makeshift clinic a few hundred metres from a desert border camp where tens of thousands of Syrian refugees are trapped in no man's land.

A paramedic clambered out, carrying an emaciated boy around two years old.

"Whose child is this?" he shouted as a border guard covered the crying child with his jacket to protect him from the cold.

A woman in the ambulance said the boy's family had left him on a berm, an earth embankment running the length of Jordan's borders with Syria and Iraq, in the hope he would be taken for treatment.

The UN set up the clinic just inside Jordan in December to serve Rukban camp, a makeshift settlement in no man's land on the border with Syria where the United Nations says 60,000 Syrians are trapped.

The temperature in the desert varies from a searing 50 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit) in the summer to below freezing in winter.

"The conditions are very, very hard," said Maria, 30, wearing a hijab and a black gown covered in mud, waiting at the clinic in the cold and pouring rain.

She fled to Rukban from the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group's Syrian stronghold Raqa nine months ago in a terrifying 18-hour journey.

Three of her children had died in the fighting.

"I want to go back to Syria when things calm down. But now I can't go back to my death," she said. "The hell of waiting here in the desert is easier than going back to die."

- Closed borders -

At the time when Syria's war broke out in March 2011, Jordan operated 45 border crossings. By 2012, it had closed all but five over security concerns.

Syrians continued to stream in -- the kingdom now hosts around 650,000 UN-registered Syrian refugees, along with a further 700,000 who are not registered, the government says.

In June 2016, a car bomb at the Rukban crossing, claimed by IS, killed seven Jordanian security personnel. The army responded by closing the border completely and declaring it a military zone.

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Syrians in Rukban were blocked from entering Jordan and aid deliveries halted for much of the summer. In November, they resumed, with regular batches of essentials dropped over the border by crane.

With residents in desperate need of health care, the UN in December opened the clinic in pre-fabricated huts a kilometre (less than a mile) from the camp, under Jordanian protection.

Every day, the UN and Jordanian border guards shuttle people in for treatment then return them to the camp. The clinic has treated 785 patients from Rukban and the smaller camp of Hadalat nearby, the UN said.

"The UN is delivering aid to around 15,000 Syrian families trapped in the Rukban and Hadalat areas," said Mohammed al-Hawari, spokesman of the UN's refugee agency, the UNHCR.

"The clinic gives basic healthcare, but cases that need specialist treatment are referred to Jordanian hospitals."

The clinic sits in a sensitive military zone. Army and border guard vehicles fan out along the border nearby, as Jordanian forces monitor movements on the Syrian side.

"Our borders are safe, we will not let anyone approach them," said Brigadier General Barakat al-Ajarmah, a border guard commander.

"Our forces have set up cameras along the entire border to monitor it day and night," he said. "Even if IS has a presence in the camp, we are kept informed."

Salah Khodeir, a member of a southern Syrian tribal militia set up to fight IS, to protect refugees and organise aid deliveries, said the camp was safe and that aid was arriving.

"The Jordanians are giving us every assistance," he said, standing near the berm, surrounded by women and children.

Maha, who fled Homs in central Syria a year ago and has been in the camp ever since, waited with her four children, aged between two and 12.

"Life is really, really hard here in the desert. It's so cold and there are lots of diseases," she said. "People need to be allowed in to get the treatment they need" inside Jordan.
donald trump fires back at senator chuck schumer about picture with putin

Donald Trump fired back at Democrats on Friday, tweeting an old photo of Senator Chuck Schumer and Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling for an immediate investigation and naming him a total hypocrite!

While President Donald Trumps administration is currently being criticized for alleged Russian contacts, Trump shot back at Democrats on Friday, posting an old photo of Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) drinking coffee and eating donuts with Russian President Vladimir Putin back in 2003.

President Trump claimed that there needed to be an immediate investigation into the Senator and his alleged ties to Russia and Putin.
NEW YORK (AP)  President Donald Trump, his administration under siege for contacts with Russian officials, is calling for "an immediate investigation" into Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer's own ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump's evidence? A 14-year-old photo of Schumer and Putin holding coffee and doughnuts in a New York City gas station.

The president on Friday tweeted a photo of the two men, calling for a probe into Schumer's "ties to Russia and Putin" and called the New York senator "A total hypocrite!" Trump did not say where the photo came from, but Schumer quickly pointed out that it was taken in 2003 when Putin ventured to New York to celebrate the opening of a Russian-owned Lukoil gas station on Manhattan's west side.

Several news organizations covered that event, which drew far more political star power than the average gas station opening.

Schumer, in his own tweet, said he would "happily talk" under oath about his meeting with Putin, which took place "in full view of press and public." He then challenged Trump to do the same. And, a short time later, he posted a follow-up in which he further poked fun at the photo, noting "And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts."

On the same trip to the United States in 2003, Putin traveled to Camp David, Maryland, where he met with Republican President George W. Bush and the two held a joint news conference.

Trump's tweet came just hours after the conservative website Drudge Report made the photo its lead image. And that was a day after the photo was unearthed by the pro-Trump blog Gateway Pundit, which ran it with the headline "Where's the outrage?"

Trump targeted congressional Democrats for their encounters with Russians over the years even though the party's criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions centered on his failure to acknowledge his meetings when questioned at his Senate confirmation hearing and in written responses to the Judiciary Committee.

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"I think he was asked a pretty straightforward question at his committee hearing and I do think he should resign," Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in an interview.

Trump also tweeted Friday about House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who was among the first to call for Sessions to resign.

In his tweet, Trump linked to a 2010 photo in which Pelosi and other lawmakers, including Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, now the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, are shown meeting with Russian officials, including then-President Dmitry Medvedev and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Trump demanded an investigation of the House minority leader. Pelosi had initially denied ever meeting Kislyak; her spokeswoman later clarified that they never had a one-on-one meeting.

Pelosi then needled Trump by saying he didn't "know the difference" between an official meeting photographed by the press and a "secret" meeting that Sessions "lied about under oath."

It is not improper for elected officials to meet with foreign diplomats.

Trump's White House has been battered by questions about his links to Russia, quashing any sort of political momentum he had earned from his highly praised address to Congress earlier this week.

Sessions on Thursday said he would recuse himself from Russia probes after it was revealed that he had conversed with Russia's ambassador twice during last year's campaign, a contradiction of his testimony during his Senate confirmation hearings. But that move has not satisfied many Democrats, who have called for Sessions' resignation. They also demand an independent investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia.

Several other Trump allies have also faced questions about their ties to Russia, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was ousted last month for misleading White House officials about his conversations with Kislyak before Trump took office.

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Donna Cassata contributed reporting from Washington.

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Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire

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WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (AHN'-geh-lah MEHR'-kuhl) at the White House later this month.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders says the meeting will take place on March 14. It will be the first in-person meeting between Trump and the German chancellor since the U.S. election.

Trump frequently criticized Merkel during his presidential campaign, accusing her of "ruining Germany" by taking in large numbers of refugees. Merkel, who wields significant sway in Europe, was critical of Trump's refugee and immigration travel ban, which was blocked by the courts.

Sanders did not offer details on what the two may discuss.
A small American outpost deep in Kurdish-held territory in northern Syria could soon become the supply hub for a U.S.-backed push on the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa. It could also become the flashpoint for a showdown between Washington, which wants to knock Islamic State out of its headquarters in Raqqa, and Turkey, which hates the idea of Kurds storming an Arab city.

Located near the city of Kobani, a dirt airstrip next to the sandbagged base can handle massive C-17 cargo planes loaded with weapons, ammunition, and other equipment earmarked for Syrian Arab forces and  possibly  Kurdish fighters, if U.S. generals coordinating the fight get their way.

The two top U.S. generals in the region took a small group of journalists including a television crew on a tour of the base and a training ground last week, showcasing the local fighters being prepared for combat by American military advisors.

It was no accident that Gen. Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command, and Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, the top general in Iraq and Syria, are showing off their preparations. The visit underscored the view of top commanders that Syrian Kurdish forces offer the only viable way to oust Islamic State from Raqqa, where the extremists are believed to be plotting terrorist attacks against Western targets. The visit came just days before the Pentagon delivered to President Donald Trump, as requested, a slew of options to defeat ISIS.

As the White House weighs the military options for liberating Raqqa from Islamic State control, Trump faces his first major test as commander in chief, one that will help define the new presidents approach to key allies and adversaries, his relationship with top U.S. commanders, and the future course of the Syrian civil war and the Middle East.

Its still unclear if he will heed his generals advice to start arming the Kurds directly and put them on point for the offensive to take back Raqqa. Turkey has demanded their Kurdish foes in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)  who they consider little different from Kurdish terrorists theyve fought for decades  be excluded from the operation. Instead, theyve proposed their own plan, which would involve Turkish troops and a largely untested Syrian Arab force armed by Ankara.

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Townsend said during the tour of northern Syria that Turkeys concerns were understandable and must be taken into account. But the U.S. general described Turkeys strategic choice in stark terms: Someone is going to have influence over the SDF after Raqqa, and after ISIS is defeated. Who would Ankara wish it to be? They can have their pick: Russia, Iran, the [Syrian] regime, or the United States?

Using Kurdish troops to take Raqqa carries plenty of risks. It could enrage Turkey, weakening a key brick in Americas bulwark against Iran, not to mention risking an all-out war between Turks and Kurds in Syria. It could also give the Islamic State a propaganda boost if non-Arabs pour into a Syrian city.

But waiting until diplomatically suitable Arab forces are ready to fight is also risky, especially for a president who thinks in Manichean terms and who favors quick, seemingly decisive action. As long as Raqqa remains in Islamic State hands, Western governments  particularly France  worry about a terrorist attack hatched in the ISIS sanctuary. U.S. intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned that Islamic State militants continue to plan external operations out of Raqqa, and regularly pick up chatter and other information indicating the group is plotting terrorist attacks on U.S. and Western interests.

When Trump took office, he inherited a detailed military blueprint prepared by the Obama administration that called for taking Raqqa with a combination of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters trained and armed by the U.S. military. As recently as January, military planners saw the value in attacking both Raqqa and the ISIS stronghold of Mosul in neighboring Iraq simultaneously, to pile pressure on the Islamic State and build momentum against the extremists.

Obama considered giving the green light to the plan in his final days as president, but chose to hold off in deference to the incoming administration, which had asked the Obama team not to go ahead, former officials said.

Now, the Trump White House  led by new national security advisor H.R. McMaster  is reviewing the whole issue, amid public warnings from Turkey against Syrian Kurds playing any role in the liberation of Raqqa.

The view is  taking it right is more important than taking it quickly, said one Republican congressional staffer. This judgment is bubbling up that it might be better to pause.

The SDF includes Syrian Kurdish and Arab components, but U.S. military advisors and top Pentagon leadership consider the Kurdish troops to be more effective and more experienced. For the Raqqa offensive to proceed, the Trump administration would need to formally authorize logistical and other support for the Syrian Kurdish forces  a move that would infuriate Americas NATO ally, Turkey.

From Ankaras perspective, the 27,000 Kurds in the SDF are little more than an arm of the PKK, a terrorist group that has fought a bloody separatist campaign in southern Turkey for decades. While Washington  like the European Union  recognizes the PKK as a terrorist organization, and nods to historical links between that group and Syrian Kurds, U.S. policy is that armed Syrian Kurds arent a terror group.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has for months warned that the SDF was in his crosshairs. After pushing the Islamic State out of the northern Syrian city of al-Bab late last month, Turkeys new target in Syria is Manbij, he told reporters on Wednesday.

Manbij is a city that belongs to the Arabs, and the SDF also must not be in Raqqa, Erdogan said.

Last fall, Ankara pushed several thousand rebels along with Turkish commandos into northern Syria to keep Kurdish fighters from forming an unbroken Kurdish area of influence across Turkeys entire southern border. And skirmishes between Turkish-backed rebels and Kurds around Manbij over the past several days  close to where U.S. forces are training Syrian rebels  point to more trouble ahead.

In a move that further inflamed tensions with Turkey, one local group that has close ties to the U.S., the Manbij Military Council, handed several villages over to Syrian government units this week in an effort to erect a buffer between them and the Turkish forces.

Though the Kurds make up more than half of the 50,000-strong SDF, American advisors say the Arab element is growing rapidly, with 4,000 Arab fighters completing U.S. training over the past several months. French and Jordanian commandos are also operating in northern Syria as part of the training program, one American officer on the ground in Syria told Foreign Policy.

To placate Turkey, options being floated by U.S. commanders include providing the SDF equipment only on a temporary basis, or limiting their supply of ammunition on a need-to-have basis.

Sidelining the Kurds may not be the best military solution, but it might be the smartest move in terms of the bigger picture of regional security.

James Jeffrey, a former ambassador to Iraq whose opinion carries weight among Defense Department officials, said it would be a mistake to adopt a battle plan that ignored Turkey, as Washington cannot afford to lose Ankara as a partner in countering Irans influence in the region and addressing the grievances of Sunni Arabs in Iraq and Syria.

Its very important that we just not defeat ISIS but that we handle those broader challenges, ensuring the Iranians dont run amok, said Jeffrey, now at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

The former diplomat recommended the United States postpone any assault on Raqqa until after Turkey holds its constitutional referendum on April 16, as Erdogan cannot be seen at home to strike any compromise with the Kurds during the political campaign.

But waiting to launch an offensive carries the risk that the SDF will become distracted by other priorities or lose faith in their American patrons. And opting for a Turkey-led operation could backfire if the Arab fighters that Ankara has bankrolled fail to perform as promised.

Turkeys plan has other blemishes. To establish a logistical supply line from its force near the border south toward Raqqa, Turkey would have to reach an agreement with the Syrian Kurds, or else have to fight their way through Kurdish-held areas to get to Raqqa.

And when Turkey presented its plans for the Raqqa assault to Washington, military officers and Defense Department officials came away unimpressed. Thats not something that passed the rigor of the Pentagon, a former Obama administration official told FP.

There is one other, literally America First option, beyond relying solely on quickly-trained U.S-backed Kurds and Arabs, or Turkish-backed Arabs. Until now, U.S. military commanders have ruled out anything beyond some artillery support and an advisory role for U.S. special operations forces. But some officials and administration advisors are open to at least considering the idea of using conventional forces in a full-fledged combat role.

Under one possible scenario, American armored units  similar to the approach used in Fallujah in 2004 during the U.S. occupation of Iraq  could help seize the city before later transferring control to Syrian Arab forces.

In testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last month, Jeffrey raised the possibility of a several thousand-strong U.S. armored contingent punching through to Raqqa.

Photo Credit: DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images
David Epley disproves the adage that lightning strikes only once, because it strikes often whenever he takes the stage  and hes the one who creates it.

Epley, also known as Doktor Kaboom, will bring that scientific marvel to the stage of Viterbo Universitys Fine Arts Center Main Theatre at 3 p.m. Saturday as part of Viterbos Ronald McDonald Arts for Young America Family Series.

The Kaboom surname is intended to convey the idea that science is a blast rather than indicate that the Dok might blow the theater and the audience to kingdom come.

It combines Epleys evolving aspirations as a child to become a research physicist, then a biomedical engineer, then a mathematician, followed by dreams of becoming an astrophysicist, a chemical engineer or a marine biologist before the theater seduced him.

In high school and college, I got into theater and fell in love, Epley said during a phone interview.

Raised in North Carolina, Epley attended a special high school for science and math students, an intensive two-year program with tough entrance standards. He attended the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he double majored in chemistry and theater.

I ended up going full-on theater, Epley said. It was so different.

He relished every genre of treading the boards, ranging from comedy to drama and romance. When my daughter was born when I was in my late 30s, I decided I wanted to do something more, something to help create a new revenue stream, he explained.

The perfect solution, he found, was to bring science back in with theater, and it quickly took off.

Epley, 50, has several variations on his show, and Viterbo is featuring one titled LIVE WIRE! The Electricity Tour.

In his Doktor Kaboom persona, Epley portrays an over-the-top German physicist with a passion for science. Decked out in chrome goggles, orange lab coat, motorcycle boots and wicked cool hair, he bears a resemblance to Emmett Doc Brown in Back to the Future.

In addition to creating lightning bolts, Doktor Kaboom has plenty of other wizardry up his sleeve as he explores the fundamentals of electrical energy and traces its history in human endeavors.

A stickler for safety, Kaboom stresses that element repeatedly as he covers topics such as Tesla, Edison, Faraday, lightning bolts, current, voltage, conductive and non-conductive media, electrical arcs, light emission, sparks, resistance, magnetic fields and electric generators, among other facets.

This is not a childrens show, he said. Everybody of all ages will laugh and learn.

Indeed, the presentation will rekindle adults memories of things such as Saturday morning cartoons, and, perhaps for those on the higher end of the age spectrum, listening to the radio at night because that was the only type of education available.

Asked why he now opts for these types of shows over traditional theater, he answered, because Im passionate about the subject and about my audience. I ask volunteers to come up on the stage to empower them, to teach them to believe in themselves and how to be better selves.

The best compliment I ever received was when somebody told me the show was part Mr. Wizard and part Mr. Rogers, Epley said.

His show so impressed officials at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., when he had a three-week run there in 2011 that they later offered to co-commission his show.

That was quite an honor, he said.

Helping to sponsor Doktor Kabooms comedic lessons are the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Wisconsin and Southeastern Minnesota, as well as a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump's team is deeply divided over whether the United States should withdraw from the Paris climate accord, ahead of an imminent decision on the issue, The New York Times reported Friday.

Senior adviser Steve Bannon is pressing the president to quit the historic agreement reached by 194 countries in December 2015 to fight global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy and government officials told the newspaper.

That would make good on a key campaign promise by climate skeptic Trump.

However, the officials added, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, a former ExxonMobil CEO, and Trump's own influential daughter Ivanka reject that position.

They are concerned that quitting the accord, negotiated under former president Barack Obama, would weaken US credibility abroad and hurt ties with major allies.

Trump also is reported to be planning to reduce the staff of the Environmental Protection Agency by 20 percent.

Trump appointee Scott Pruitt now leads the agency. As Oklahoma's attorney general, Pruitt filed 14 lawsuits against EPA regulations.

As early as next week, Trump plans to sign an executive order to begin the process of dismantling Obama-era regulations that require carbon power plants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Those restrictions on power plant emissions were key if the United States is to meet its commitments under the Paris agreement.

Although Trump cannot unilaterally dismantle the accord, he can initiate the process for a US exit from the agreement.

The United States is the world's biggest economy and the second largest emitter of carbon dioxide after China, and its exit would be a major blow to global efforts to combat climate change.

But it would show Trump supporters that he is keeping his promises to protect the US coal industry.

Since the election, Trump has said only that he was an open mind on the issue.
By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - A U.N. human rights expert voiced alarm on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump might allow torture in interrogations, warning that it "lays down the gauntlet" for other countries to follow suit. Trump said in late January he felt "absolutely" that the practice of waterboarding - a form of simulated drowning - worked as an intelligence-gathering tool. He also said he would defer on the issue to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who disagrees with him about its usefulness. U.N. special rapporteur on protecting human rights Ben Emmerson told the U.N. Human Rights Council that, hearing Trump extol torture as a weapon against terrorism shortly after his inauguration "was enough to make my blood run cold". Making his final public comments after six years in the independent post, Emmerson later told reporters that Trump was the first democratically-elected head of state to positively advocate torture. "That is a state of affairs which lays down the gauntlet, it lays down a precedent." Emmerson, a British barrister and international criminal justice expert, said that Trump's comments showed a "staggering level of ill-preparedness to govern." Emmerson also told reporters that rescinding former President Barack Obama's executive order to close the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba would be a "grave retrograde step". The center was a "legal black hole" for security suspects in custody without charge, he said. The U.S. delegation to the 47-member state forum in Geneva did not take the floor to respond. Emmerson also said senior officials from George W. Bush's administration should be prosecuted for allowing torture, Emmerson added. Officials responsible for the secret detention, rendition and torture programs run by the CIA included "those in the most senior positions" under Bush, he said. Gina Haspel, a veteran clandestine Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) service officer who ran one of the agency's "black site" prisons set up after the 9/11 attacks, has been named deputy director of the U.S. spy agency. Concerns have also been raised about Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence, former Republican Senator Dan Coats, and his record on the previous U.S. use of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques, such as waterboarding, which are widely seen as torture. "If one of the most powerful nations in the world, a permanent member of the Security Council, is once again prepared to abandon our collective values on the pretext of defending them, then one is left to wonder whether anything at all has been achieved in the last 15 years," Emmerson said. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by John Stonestreet)
By Tulay Karadeniz ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish leaders condemned Germany on Friday for cancelling rallies of Turkish residents due to be addressed by Ankara's ministers and accused Berlin of giving "shelter" to Turkey's enemies. As the diplomatic spat between the two countries became increasingly angry, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said a German journalist being held in Turkey was a "German agent" and a member of an armed Kurdish militant group. A source in Germany's foreign ministry on Friday night told Reuters those accusations were "absurd". Earlier, comments in Berlin by Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, who had been scheduled to address a meeting in the southwestern town of Gaggenau until it was cancelled on Thursday, reflected a broader souring of relations between the two NATO allies. "Let them look back at their history," Bozdag said in a speech. "We see the old illnesses flaring up." The city of Cologne also blocked an event where Turkey's Economy Minister Nihat Zeybecki was to speak on Sunday. Police said shortly after that a second gathering he had been due to attend in the western town of Frechen was also cancelled. Zeybecki said he still planned to go to Germany. "We say the victory is God's...I will go from cafe to cafe, house to house," he said. "Nobody should worry, we will still meet with our citizens in Germany." Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking in Tunis, said her government had played no part in steps taken by city councils who, according to one mayor, acted purely on security grounds. She renewed her criticism of Turkey's arrest of Deniz Yucel, a correspondent for German newspaper Die Welt. "We support freedom of expression and we can criticise Turkey," she told reporters. The German foreign ministry urged Ankara to refrain from "pouring oil on the fire". GERMANY "ABETTING TERRORISM" Erdogan said in Ankara the cause of the tensions between the two countries was Germany's support for Turkey's enemies. "It isn't because a correspondent of Die Welt was arrested," Erdogan told an awards ceremony in Istanbul. "It is because this person hid in the German embassy as a member of the PKK and a German agent for one month. When we told them to hand him over to be tried, they refused." "So, they won't let our justice minister and economy minister speak," Erdogan added. "They need to be tried for helping and abetting terrorism." Gaggenau would have been part of efforts to garner support among 1.5 million Turkish citizens for an April referendum expanding Erdogan's powers - something he has sought with increased urgency since an army bid to topple him. Erdogan has accused West European countries of failing to condemn the July putsch quickly or strongly enough. West European countries have expressed concern about his subsequent crackdown on journalists, judiciary, academics and others. On Friday evening the Dutch government said plans by Turkish authorities to hold a referendum campaign rally in Rotterdam were "undesirable". The leader of an association of Dutch Turks said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was planning to attend the March 11 rally, hoping to persuade the Netherlands' hundreds of thousands of dual citizens to vote for the new constitution giving Erdogan greater powers. Authorities in Gaggenau evacuated the city hall for hours on Friday after receiving a bomb threat, its mayor told n-tv German television. Asked if it was linked to the cancellation, mayor Michael Pfeiffer said: "We presume this at the moment, but we don't know for sure." In a phone call between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel, the ministers agreed to meet in Germany on March 8 to discuss tensions between the two countries, foreign ministry sources in Ankara said. Journalist Yucel, a German-Turkish dual national, is charged with propaganda in support of a terrorist organisation. The German foreign ministry said it had not yet been granted consular access to Yucel or five other Germans arrested since the July 15 coup attempt. German Justice Minister Heiko Maas sent Bozdag a sharply worded letter after Bozdag cancelled their Thursday meeting. "When journalists, judges and attorneys are arrested simply because they are doing their jobs, simply because they are fulfilling their role in a constitutional state, then each arrest marks a degradation of the rule of law," he wrote. "It is the role of the state to protect journalists and not burden them with repressive measures." Erdogan accuses an exiled cleric of masterminding the coup, describing his organisation as the FETO terrorist group. Turkey also complains that Germany and other West European countries give succour to militant leftists and PKK Kurdish militants. Germany is wary of rising tensions, seeking continued Turkish commitment to arrangements preventing large movements of refugees from Turkey to Europe. (Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal in Berlin, Andreas Rinke in Tunis and Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara; editing by Andrew Roche)
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish and German foreign ministers have agreed to meet in Germany on March 8 to discuss tensions between the two countries after the cancellation of Turkish ministers' rallies, foreign ministry sources in Ankara said on Friday. Ties have soured between the countries after local authorities withdrew permission for a meeting of Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, who was scheduled to address supporters of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in the southwestern German town of Gaggenau. The meeting was part of Ankara's efforts to rally support among Germany's estimated 1.5 million Turkish citizens for an April referendum on expanding the powers of the Turkish presidency. During the phone call, Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu once again expressed discomfort over Germany's decisions to his counterpart Sigmar Gabriel, sources said. German foreign ministry sources said Gabriel and Cavusoglu had "a constructive and engaging discussion" and both agreed to stay in close touch. German government officials told reporters earlier that Berlin would do everything in its power to maintain an open dialogue with Turkey, underscoring Germany's commitment to maintaining and expanding ties with Ankara. (Reporting by Tulay Karadeniz and Andrea Shalal, Writing by Ece Toksabay, editing by Ed Osmond; Editing by Humeyra Pamuk)
(Reuters) - Two inmates have been killed during a disturbance at a maximum security prison in Nebraska, the second deadly incident at the facility over the last two years, a local newspaper reported on Friday.

Correctional officers found the bodies of two inmates in the housing units where several altercations took place on Thursday afternoon after about 40 inmates refused to return to their cells at the Tecumseh State Prison in southeast Nebraska, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

"Any loss of life is tragic," State Corrections Director Scott Frakes told a news conference shown on the newspaper's website. The staff "have handled the situation extremely well which limited the incident to a small number of participants."

Frakes described the deaths as murders but did not provide details about the incident or the identities of the deceased inmates.

The maximum/medium custody facility for men was the site of another deadly melee in May 2015, when as many as 200 inmates ransacked and started fires in two housing units. Two inmates also died during the incident.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Gareth Jones)
By Manuel Mogato ABOARD THE USS CARL VINSON, South China Sea (Reuters) - The flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson shakes as a succession of F-18 fighter jets are catapulted into take-off, emitting a thunderous noise and leaving white mist in their wake. Crewmen aboard the aircraft carrier scramble to prepare for the next arrival in a frenetic cycle of take-offs and landings involving dozens of aircraft, a dramatic display of American power in the hotly contested South China Sea. The USS Carl Vinson led a carrier strike group on Friday in waters some 400 nautical miles east of China's Hainan Island and northeast of the Paracels, the island chain occupied by Beijing since it seized control from Vietnam in the 1970s. China claims most of the South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbors Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. China's growing military presence in the waters has fueled concern in the West, with the United States criticizing its militarization of maritime outposts and holding regular air and naval patrols to ensure freedom of navigation. Tension between the United States and China over trade and territory under U.S. President Donald Trump has been stepped up of late, with fear in the region that the South China Sea, vital to global trade, could become a battleground between the two rival powers. Some 30 fighter jets, helicopters and other aircraft took to the sky on Friday and crew in color-coded uniform raced to service them, check their instruments and fit weapons. An overpowering smell of aircraft fuel lingered in the air. At any given time, between eight and 25 aircraft are in the air, day and night, with 15-20 on standby. USS Carl Vinson has been on patrol since Feb. 19 in the South China Sea, amid some confusion about U.S. staying power in the region under a Trump administration with policies skewed heavily towards a domestic agenda. Comments so far by Washington have caused alarm, most notably those by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who suggested during his Senate hearing that China be blocked from accessing the islands it has built and fortified with surface-to-air missiles. Rear Admiral James Kilby, the strike group commander, said the patrol was not a show of power, but a demonstration of U.S. commitment to the Asia-Pacific. "We wanted to reassure our friends and allies and our belief in the freedom of navigation and security operations that we always conducted," he reporters flown out to the carrier on Friday. "We have operated in the past, and we will continue to operate in the future. We continued to demonstrate that the international waters are waters where everyone can sail." TESTING THE WATERS Under former President Barack Obama's pivot to Asia, Washington sought to challenge China's growing assertiveness through FONOPS, or Freedom of Navigation Operations, which routinely riled Beijing, particularly those close to its seven artificial islands. Some critics say the FONOPS have been both provocative and fruitless, having failed to deter China from building up what it considers legitimate defenses. A top Chinese official last year warned that FONOPS could "end in disaster". Friday's exercise was far from the disputed areas of the waterway, rich fishing grounds which contain largely unexplored oil and gas deposits. Kilby there were "contacts" with merchant, fishing and military vessels in the past two weeks, though no "incidents". He did not elaborate. China has been guarded in its response to the latest U.S. mission, which started one day after Beijing finished its own aircraft carrier exercises. It said it respected freedom of navigation and hoped the United States could "contribute positive energy towards this good situation". The crew aboard Carl Vinson will spend five months in Asia. During Friday's drills, one fighter missed its landing, or "recovery", and was made to repeat the exercise, circling the vast ship before making a perfect landing. Captain Douglas Verissimo, the skipper of Vinson, said the exercises included rigorous checks. Aircraft were simulating combat and bombing runs, performing over and over until flaws were ironed out. "Every time they land, there's someone grading them," he said. (Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Nick Macfie)
By Chris Prentice and Jennifer Ablan NEW YORK (Reuters) - The head of the Renewable Fuels Association says billionaire investor Carl Icahn told him last week President Donald Trump was about to issue an order overhauling the U.S. biofuels program - something both Icahn and the White House have denied. Confusion over Trump's plans for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which requires increasing volumes of biofuels to be added to gasoline and diesel each year, triggered gyrations in the energy and agricultural markets this week and reopened questions about Icahn's role shaping the president's regulatory policy. Clarifying for the first time how the Washington-based lobbying group had been led to believe Trump was about to alter the Renewable Fuels Program, RFA President Bob Dinneen told Reuters on Thursday that Icahn, an unpaid adviser to Trump on regulatory issues, had been the source. "Icahn indicated that he had spoken to the president about this issue and the president is supportive," of making this change to the biofuels program requested by refiners, Dinneen said. According to Dinneen, Icahn said the plan was to issue an executive order" that would shift the onus of blending biofuels into gasoline away from refiners and further down the supply chain to gasoline marketers. The RFA on Tuesday issued a statement saying it had been informed by "an official with the Trump administration" that an executive order was coming to alter the biofuels program in a way that eased the burden on refiners, and that the move was "not negotiable." The statement did not identify the official. The White House responded saying an executive order was not in the works, and claimed no knowledge of a Trump official negotiating with the RFA. Icahn, who owns a controlling stake in refiner CVR Energy Inc, told Reuters late on Thursday that he had indeed been negotiating for RFA's support of a change to the biofuels program, but denied saying an executive order was pending. "I told Mr. Dinneen that I didnt know what the president would do, but believed he would be supportive and it would be ideal if we could get this fixed with an executive order," Icahn said. He said the negotiation between Dinneen and Icahn resulted in a joint memorandum from them imploring the White House to alter the biofuels program by removing the blending requirement from refiners, and by providing incentives for more ethanol production. Icahn said refining company Valero was part of the negotiations. A Valero spokeswoman confirmed in an emailed statement that company representatives had met with Dinneen and Icahn. The White House did not comment on those negotiations, but said Icahn does not have a position with the administration nor a policymaking role. He is simply a private citizen whose opinion the president respects and whom the president speaks with from time to time, White House spokeswoman Kelly Love said. Dinneen said that he was informed by Icahn that the RFA could negotiate some benefits for the biofuels industry in exchange for his the groups support. That support was contingent on the change being made "without comprising the integrity to the RFS program," Dinneen said. Seven Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, sent a letter to the White House last month, saying Icahns role as an adviser to Trump created potential financial conflicts of interest and called for a review. Refiners, including CVR, have long been seeking a way out of being responsible for blending biofuels into gasoline saying the requirement costs them millions of dollars. Shares of CVR have soared 80 percent since Trump was elected. (Additional reporting by Michael Hirtzer in Chicago and Jarrett Renshaw in New York; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
I can only hope this national phenomenon of announcing the wrong contest winner doesnt spread to the local level.

As a humorist, I would normally consider Sunday nights fiasco at the Oscars comedy gold. Especially given that it followed Steve Harveys infamous Miss Universe pageant gaffe.

But as the longtime emcee of the Sauk County Fairest of the Fair competition, Im concerned about becoming the next offender. If I were to name the wrong winner, not even Miss Congeniality would spare her wrath. Keep in mind, these young ladies have ready access to pitchforks.

These are scary times for Americas emcees, hosts and award presenters. And not just because navy blue velvet tuxedos are in. In 2015, Harvey mistakenly named Miss Colombia the winner of the Miss Universe pageant before realizing his mistake, sheepishly taking back the tiara and handing it to Miss Philippines. He was rehired for last years pageant, perhaps because his error alerted the world to the events existence. Hey, theres no such thing as bad press, unless its your obituary.

Try telling that to the producers of the Oscars, who are getting more of the spotlight than theyd like. Sunday night brought the most embarrassing Academy Awards gaffe since Angelina Jolie made out with her brother. Handed the wrong envelope for Best Picture, Warren Beatty was left displaying a deer-in-the-headlights expression last seen when he read the early reviews of Ishtar. He deferred to fellow presenter Faye Dunaway, who mistakenly proclaimed La La Land the winner.

The next thing she knew, La La Land producers were giving speeches, guys in headsets were taking the stage to inform them a mistake had been made, the producers of Moonlight  the actual winner  were getting called up, and Beatty and Jimmy Kimmel were left trying to make sense of it all. Forget it, Faye, its Chinatown.

Viewers and the national media may never forget. We wondered whether it was a joke or a hoax. (Apparently it wasnt.) We had to know how it happened. (There are two envelopes for every category, and the Best Picture presenters were mistakenly handed the backup envelope for Best Actress, an award won by Emma Stone for La La Land.) And of course, we wanted to know who was to blame. (Some poor guy at PricewaterhouseCooper, who as of this writing remains unnamed. Well, Im sure he has a name, we just dont know it yet. And Im hoping that name isnt a run-on like PricewaterhouseCooper.)

I was reminded just how easy it is for an emcee to face ridicule for one mistake. Oh sure, messing up the Sauk County Fairest of the Fair this spring might not result in an explosion of internet jokes at my expense, but Id prefer not to become a laughingstock. At least, not more of a laughingstock than I already am.

The trouble is, the emcee is the one left holding the bag when someone behind the scenes screws up. If the Fairest of the Fair organizers hand me a card declaring Sally Sunshine of Sauk City the winner, only to pull me aside moments later to inform me that in fact Bella Boondocks of Baraboo should be given the sash, guess who gets to take center stage with the microphone while dodging tomatoes?

Serving as emcee isnt all bow ties and ball gowns. Its a delicate dance with disaster. Hand a wisecracking humorist a live microphone, and youre asking for trouble. Ask him to spot a mistake in the tabulators math, and youre asking the impossible. Hed have better luck producing pasta from his nostrils.

Recent events leave me feeling nervous about this springs competition. If weve learned anything, its that an award presenters sins live forever in infamy. And also that you cant always believe what you read. But the poor souls who read this column already knew that.

On Friday, Ben Bromley was named Wisconsins best small-town daily newspaper columnist. Follow him on Twitter at ben_bromley.
GENEVA (Reuters) - The head of a Syrian dissident group at peace talks in Geneva said on Friday that the United Nations was likely to conclude eight days of negotiations later in the day and outline an agenda, format and date for the next round. "I will let the host announce it," Jihad Makdissi, the head of the Cairo Group told reporters after meeting Staffan de Mistura. "Yes, we do have an agenda... the three baskets and possibly a fourth one, and a time frame, yes, in March." The "baskets" refer to the topics to be discussed, and include a new constitution, elections and reformed governance. Syria's government wants to add a fourth on counter-terrorism. (Reporting by Tom Miles and John Irish)
GENEVA (Reuters) - Sri Lankan security and police forces are reportedly still committing rape and torture, and the country must investigate and prosecute those involved as well as those implicated in past wartime atrocities, the United Nations said on Friday. The UN and rights activists have accused the Sri Lankan military of killing thousands of civilians, mostly Tamils, in the last weeks of a 26-year civil war with Tamil separatists that ended in 2009 and have demanded redress. In its latest report, the UN said Colombo must set a clear timeline for prosecuting crimes by all sides during the civil war, adding that offences are still being brought to the authorities. "Cases of excessive use of force, torture, arbitrary arrests and failure to respect due process during arrests by the police also continue to be reported," it added. The lack of accountability risks derailing the momentum towards lasting peace, said the report by the office of U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein. "I urge the government and people of Sri Lanka to prioritize justice alongside reconciliation to ensure that the horrors of the past are firmly dealt with, never to recur," Zeid said. "The authorities at all levels, from the head of State to military, police, intelligence and local-level leaders, need to publicly issue unequivocal instructions to all branches of the military, intelligence and police forces that torture, sexual violence and other human rights violations are unequivocally prohibited and will be punished," Zeid said. "OHCHR received credible information from a well-known human rights organization according to which 'white van' abductions, and torture and sexual violence, by the Sri Lankan security forces persisted. These allegations must be properly investigated," the report said. The U.N. and activists have also demanded that Sri Lanka include foreign judges in a credible inquiry, which President Maithripala Sirisena has opposed. A task force appointed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, however, said in January the country should bring in international prosecutors and judges. Addressing the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the government "maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards torture". He said he expected draft legislation on a truth-seeking commission to be presented to the cabinet "within the next two months." (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
By Yeganeh Torbati WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department released its annual report on human rights around the world on Friday but the release was overshadowed by criticism that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson gave the report little of the traditional attention or fanfare. Tillerson declined to unveil the report in person, breaking with precedent established during both Democratic and Republican administrations. A senior U.S. official answered reporters' questions by phone on condition of anonymity rather than appearing on camera, also a break with precedent. "The report speaks for itself," the official said in response to a question about why Tillerson did not unveil it. "We're very, very proud of it. The facts should really be the story here." The report, mandated by Congress, documents human rights conditions in nearly 200 countries and territories and is put together by staff in U.S. embassies. This year's report was largely completed during former President Barack Obama's tenure. According to the report, Philippine police and vigilantes "killed more than 6,000 suspected drug dealers and users" since July and extrajudicial killings have "increased sharply" in the Philippines in the last year. Philippine officials say their government does not tolerate human rights violations or state-sponsored extrajudicial killings. The report's language on Russia remained broadly similar to that of years past, noting the country's "authoritarian political system dominated by President Vladimir Putin." President Donald Trump has said he would like to improve U.S. relations with Russia. Traditionally, the secretary of state unveils the report with public comments emphasizing the centrality of human rights in U.S. foreign policy and highlighting specific findings. Tillerson's Democratic predecessors John Kerry and Hillary Clinton gave public comments on the report in 2013 and 2009, their first years in the post, respectively, and continued to present it throughout their tenures. In 2005, during Republican President George W. Bush's administration, the undersecretary of state for global affairs, Paula Dobriansky, presented the report on camera on behalf of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. So far in his one-month tenure, Tillerson has not held a news conference and has mostly refrained from answering questions from the media. Human rights groups criticized the way the report was rolled out. "It's just signaling a lack of basic interest and understanding in how support for human rights reflects what's best about America," said Rob Berschinski, senior vice president for policy at Human Rights First. Berschinski was deputy assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor until Jan. 20, and helped coordinate the report. On Friday, the U.S. official quoted from Tillerson's confirmation hearing to offer proof that he views human rights conditions as crucial to U.S. interests, adding, "These statements are very clear about our commitment to human rights." In the introduction to this year's report, Tillerson wrote "our values are our interests when it comes to human rights." But in his confirmation hearing, Tillerson sidestepped questions on human rights conditions in other countries, declining to condemn countries like Saudi Arabia and the Philippines, saying he wanted to see the facts first. Republican Senator Marco Rubio on Friday said on his Facebook page he was "disappointed that the secretary of state did not personally present the latest report." "American leadership in defense of basic human rights, on behalf of those whose voices have been silenced, is needed now more than ever," Rubio wrote. (Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Yara Bayoumy, Leslie Adler and James Dalgleish)
Uber is finally opening up about the ongoing cab strikes in Indian cities and publicly addressing drivers' demands.

Ever since Uber left China, the ride-hailing company has grown more focused on India, its fastest growing overseas market. However, it is struggling to keep its drivers happy in the country, who have gone on multiple strikes in various major cities in the past two months.

SEE ALSO: Indian Railways finds a way to make money off Uber, Ola cabs

Uber is blaming some drivers for the strikes, claiming that a small pool of people are disrupting the work of others. Amit Jain, president of Uber India, assured its driver partners and riders on Friday that the company is working to resolve the issues.

"We have been communicating daily to drivers  through phone support, text and video messages and in person at our greenlight centres, where every day thousands of drivers walk in to resolve their concerns," Jain wrote in a blog post.

The vast majority of Uber (as well as drivers with rival Ola) went on strike in New Delhi for over two weeks last month. The drivers had formed unions and were refusing to go back to work until a list of demands were met. Chief among those demands included surge in base fare, drop in commission rate, and the "incentives" program to be reinstated.

SEE ALSO: Uber CEO Travis Kalanick tells driver 'bullsh*t' in response to query about price dropping

Incentives have played an instrumental role for Uber in expanding its platform in India. In order to undercut the existing taxi companies in India, both Uber and Ola offered rides to passengers at as low as Rs 6 (9 cents) per kilometer.

The company made up the shortfall for drivers by offering them incentives on the basis of either the number of trips completed during peak and off-peak hours or the distance they travelled. However, the program was discontinued a couple of weeks ago, according to over a dozen drivers, inside sources Mashable India have spoken to.

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Jain has addressed these concerns. "With sustained high demand from both riders and drivers we can shift from startup mode to a more sustainable business model and begin reducing higher levels of incentives, and invest more in drivers and our products for the long term," he said.

Uber is now offering a "boost" to the drivers, which varies depending on the demands riders are showing, several people said, requesting anonymity. The boost, some drivers explained, is the fare of the ride, and a small amount added to it.

These boosts are far less lucrative, everyone added, noting that the company is deducting as much as 25 percent (tax included) on each fare. This often results in drivers earning less than what even the passenger is paying.

As a result of this, drivers say their monthly earnings have dropped from as much as Rs 80,000 ($1,200) to between Rs 30,000 ($450) and Rs 40,000 ($600).

"Driver earnings have evolved over time and while some drivers do earn less than three years ago, we believe that driver earnings in India are attractive for the majority even after reductions in incentives and drivers costs are taken into account," Jain noted.

The remarks from Jain today reaffirm the companys increasingly growing intentions to cut down on its losses, and look towards making more money. This, however, comes at a cost and drivers say they are the ones suffering.

Analysts had expected Uber to remain unwilling to lure drivers with any more enticing offerings. Uber, which operates in over three dozen cities in India, is far beyond the "land-grabbing" phase, Sanchit Vir Gogia, chief analyst at Greyhound Research told Mashable India.

The company is now looking to sharpen its business model, he added. According to the chief of a rival company, both Uber and Ola are losing as much as $50 million in India each month.

One thing that Jain didn't address today is whether the company plans to increase the base fare, which would directly benefit company and the drivers. As we mentioned earlier, in certain parts of the country, including New Delhi and Ahmedabad, the base fare of several Uber services is as low as Rs 6 (9 cents) per kilometre.

In comparison, Meru Cab, a rival company offers its cabs at as much as Rs 23 per kilometer during day hours and Rs 29 during night. Uber drivers had requested the company to increase the base fare by about five rupees. They argue that even at this price, rivals won't be able to catch up.

Industry sources say if Uber increases fare it risks losing a lot of customers. It appears Uber is not ready to take that risk just yet.
An Uber executive has resigned after an anonymous email notified investigators and media outlets that he had sexual contact with another Uber employee.

Uber's vice president of growth, Ed Baker, has stepped down. Baker is the first high-ranking employee to leave the embattled company since it began its own investigation into allegations of sexism and harassment within Uber's ranks.

There's no public evidence that Baker's resignation is directly tied to the investigation, but Recode reported that an employee of Uber anonymously notified Arianna Huffingtonwho's helping oversee the investigationof Baker's actions.

Uber's been reeling since former employee Susan Fowler Rigetti published a blog post detailing her experiences working as an engineer at the ride-hailing giant. Since then, other employees have come forward with similar allegations.

Uber CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick said that the company is mounting a full investigation into the issue.

Daniel Graf is taking over Baker's position, according to an Uber spokesperson who confirmed the move. Graf formerly worked at Twitter, though it was widely reported that he was pushed out of the company.
On the same day that Uber Technologies refunded millions of dollars to Philadelphia Uber limousine drivers for overcharges, the company told them that it would raise the amount it charged Uber drivers in commissions.

I think its wrong, said UberBlack driver, Ali Razak, 31, of South Philadelphia, who has been driving a limousine for four years and got a $3,996 refund. I want to be happy today, but Im going to fight tomorrow.

News about the refunds and commission increase came as the drivers planned to announce Friday afternoon that they would be affiliating with a union. Razak is a leader of the Philadelphia Limousine Association of Uber and Limousine Drivers  the group that will be joining the Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia Local-10 of the Communications Workers of America.

The biggest problem is communication. We need someone who can bring them to the table," Razak said.

"We thank the driver community for bringing this issue to our attention, and we apologize for this error," local Uber representative Craig Ewer wrote in an email. "Uber is committed to working with our partners and continually finding ways to improve the driver experience."

Ewer said the company would have no comment on local drivers affiliating with a union stating, "Drivers are independent contractors."

The Newspaper Guild represents journalists at the Philadelphia Media Network, which publishes the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News, and Philly.com. It also represents freelance writers. CWA represents Verizon employees and many state workers in New Jersey.

Affiliating with the union will give the drivers access to some limited medical benefits, legal assistance, and a vehicle for negotiation, said Bill Ross, the Newspaper Guilds executive director.

Its always important that workers who feel they are being mistreated have a voice, Ross said, who described the refund news as a coincidence but, Its a start.

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Razak said he estimates that Uber will pay about $4.3 million to local UberBlack drivers, based on about 900 vehicles piloted by 1,300 drivers. The company said it mistakenly deducted a 25 percent commission per ride instead of a 20 percent fee.

Due to an error in our system, an updated service fee addendum was never released to you in the driver app as it should have been, an email from the company read. Because of this error we are refunding you 5% plus interest for all UberBlack trips completed from August 26th, 2015 until March 2nd, 2017.

You will also receive a new addendum in the driver app stating that the correct service fee for UberBlack is 25%, which you will be charged going forward," the email said.

The news comes as Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick copes with negative fallout from a YouTube dash cam video of him arguing over the fare structure with an UberBlack driver. Some people dont like to take responsibility  They blame everything in their life on somebody else. Good luck!, Kalanick told the driver.

Since then, Kalanick issued a statement apologizing to the driver, saying he was ashamed of his behavior, and must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up.

The union cannot help the drivers negotiate a collective-bargaining agreement, because only employees have the right to collectively bargain with employers. Whether the drivers are Uber employees or independent contractors is an issue in litigation nationwide, including a Philadelphia case.

Our case is on track to be the first one to address the issue, said the drivers attorney, Jeremy Abay, of Sacks, Weston, Diamond LLC.

The case, filed in federal court, in Philadelphia on Feb. 4, 2016, says Uber improperly classifies UberBlack drivers as independent contractors, when they are really employees, under the companys control in many ways. The suit, originally filed in Common Pleas court, also said that the drivers are not being paid overtime and often earn so little, after fees and commissions, that they dont even earn minimum wage.

Uber, and Gegen LLC, the entity through which Uber operates in the area, has contested those claims.

UberBlack drivers say their limousine service was the first Uber mobile app offered in the region and initially was successful. Then, they said, the company undercut their business when it introduced UberX, the most commonly used and less expensive Uber service.

UberBlacks Philadelphia drivers arent the first to unionize. About 35,000 drivers in New York are members of the Independent Drivers Guild, affiliated with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Uber partly funds that guild.

Ross said that the Guild would never accept such an arrangement. Its a company union and raises questions, he said, about whether the union is working hard to get the best deal for the workers.

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By Michael Martina and Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - Vowing to plant their flag in China and that blood will "flow in rivers", a video released this week purportedly by the Islamic State group shows ethnic Uighur fighters training in Iraq, underscoring what Beijing sees as a serious threat. China is worried that Uighurs, a mostly Muslim people from western China's Xinjiang region, have gone to Syria and Iraq to fight for militant groups there, having traveled illegally via Southeast Asia and Turkey. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the killing of a Chinese hostage in 2015, highlighting China's concern about Uighurs it says are fighting in the Middle East. Hundreds of people have been killed in Xinjiang in the past few years, most in unrest between Uighurs and ethnic majority Han Chinese. The government blames the unrest on Islamist militants. The Iraqi arm of Islamic State has released a half-hour long video purportedly showing Uighurs training, as well as some images from inside Xinjiang, including Chinese police on the streets. One shot that shows Chinese President Xi Jinping gives way to flames in front of a Chinese flag. "Hey, brothers. Today, we are fighting with infidels across the world. I'm telling you this: Don't be complacent in this. Stay strong," one of the fighters says, according to Uighur speakers who analyzed the video for Reuters but declined to be identified. "We will certainly plant our flag over America, China, Russia, and all the infidels of the world," he says. In another scene, a man chanting in Uighur says: "Our land of sharia has been constructed with spilt blood." The video then shows pictures of people who were said to have become "martyrs" and identified as "al-Turkistani", or men from Turkestan, the name many Uighurs use for Xinjiang. One of the men speaking has an accent from Yarkand, close to the old Silk Road city of Kashgar in Xinjiang's southern Uighur heartland, one of the people who reviewed the video said. Another fighter refers to the "evil Chinese Communist infidel lackeys". "In retaliation for the tears that flow from the eyes of the oppressed, we will make your blood flow in rivers, by the will of God," he says. Reuters was not able to independently verify the authenticity of the video. 'SERIOUS THREAT' The video, released this week by the U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant groups online, also showed two bloody executions of unidentified people. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Wednesday he was not aware of the video and had not seen it. "But one point is very clear. We oppose any form of terrorism and proactively participate in international cooperation to crack down on terrorism," Geng told a daily news briefing. "We have long said that East Turkestan forces are a serious threat to China's security and we are willing to work with the international community to jointly crack down on East Turkestan separatist and terrorist forces," he said. The government says foreign militants have stirred up tensions in Xinjiang, where it says it faces a determined campaign by separatists who want to establish an independent state called East Turkestan. However, many rights groups and exiles doubt the existence of a coherent militant group in Xinjiang and say Uighur anger at repressive Chinese policies is more to blame for the unrest. China denies any repression in Xinjiang. The official China Daily newspaper said in an editorial on Friday that "the video lends further credence to Beijing's claims, especially the oft-ignored assertions of links between domestic and foreign terrorist elements". Rian Thum, a Uighur specialist at Loyola University New Orleans, said the Uighurs in the video were presented in the style of Islamic State propaganda. "To me, the video says more about Islamic State tactics, propaganda, and ideology than it does about the relationship between Uighurs and the Chinese state," Thum said. (Editing by Robert Birsel and Paul Tait)
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP)  Britain's top official negotiating an exit from the European Union says a future free trade agreement his country seeks with the European Union is crucial for both Britain sides.

Speaking after meeting Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Friday, Secretary David Davis says "this is massively important to both sides."

Davis says Britain exports goods worth 230 billion euros ($242 billion) to the EU while EU nations export goods for 290 billion euros ($305 billion) to U.K. He says a recent investment of Jaguar Land Rover in Slovakia is "a component of that co-process ... we want to preserve, enlarge and encourage."

Davis also says his government wants to assure Slovak citizens in Britain "they will have equally good arrangements in the future as they have now."
Reports of abuses including torture remain widespread in Sri Lanka eight years after the end of a decades-long civil war, the UN said Friday, criticising the government's slow progress in addressing wartime crimes.

Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena swept to power two years ago promising justice for the minority Tamil community and a full investigation into alleged atrocities committed under the leadership of his predecessor.

But UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the island had made "worryingly slow" progress in addressing its wartime past, warning this could threaten lasting peace and stability.

"I urge the government and people of Sri Lanka to prioritise justice alongside reconciliation to ensure that the horrors of the past are firmly dealt with, never to recur," he said.

His comments came in a new report in which the UN human rights office said the use of torture was "a serious concern".

It pointed to the island's own Human Rights Commission's acknowledgement of complaints illustrating the "routine use of torture by the police throughout the country as a means of interrogation and investigation".

"The prevailing culture of impunity for perpetrating torture has undoubtedly contributed to this situation," the report said.

- Lapsed deadline -

At least 100,000 people died in the conflict between Tamil separatists and government forces that ended in 2009.

The UN has been pushing for a special court to investigate allegations that government forces killed up to 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final months of fighting.

Sirisena had agreed to a UN Human Rights Council resolution in October 2015 which called for special tribunals and reparations for victims and gave Sri Lanka 18 months to establish credible investigations.

But the deadline lapsed without those commitments being met.

The UN said coalition politics in the unity government Sirisena formed after ousting former strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse were likely to blame for the slow pace of progress.

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"Party politics, including the balancing of power between the different constituencies of the coalition in the run-up to constitutional reforms, have contributed to a reluctance to address difficult issues regarding accountability," it said.

On Monday Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera asked the UN for more time, promising that his country remained committed to seeking justice.

"With patience, understanding and constant and consistent effort and perseverance, we strongly believe that we can make the reconciliation process a success," he told the Human Rights Council.

In its report, the UN urged the government to prioritise the return of private land occupied by the military, adopt laws allowing the creation of a hybrid court, and invite the UN rights office to establish a presence in the country.

It acknowledged that the government had made some positive advances on constitutional and legal reforms, limited land restitution and symbolic gestures towards reconciliation.

But it cautioned that the measures taken so far had been "inadequate, lacked coordination and a sense of urgency."

"I urge the government and people of Sri Lanka to prioritise justice alongside reconciliation to ensure that the horrors of the past are firmly dealt with, never to recur," said Zeid.

He also reiterated the council's demand for special war crimes tribunals involving international judges and prosecutors, a demand Colombo has repeatedly rejected.
As Samwise Gamgee said in Lord of the Rings, Po-tay-toes. Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew. Or send them to a U.S. senator.

OK, he might not have said that last part, but that wont stop Wisconsins illustrious representative in the U.S. Senate from becoming the victim of the most delicious political protest ever.

After Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, was accused of sending a constituent a cease and desist letter for demanding he attend town hall meetings in person, the minds behind the popular party game Cards Against Humanity announced that he would be taken to task with taters. In response to the publication of Johnsons offices letter Wednesday by Citizen Action Wisconsin, Cards CEO Max Temkin created a website directing people to mail Johnson a potato.

Thats right. A card game headquartered in Chicago wants you to send a Wisconsin senator a potato of the Idaho russet variety with a postage sticker on one side and HOLD A TOWN HALL written in all caps on the other (of course its an Idaho potato. Those are the only ones big enough to put an address label on).

Welcome to 2017. It doesnt get any less weird.

The twice-baked move is motivated both by the recent trend in lawmakers avoiding public meetings with their constituents and Johnsons support for efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Temkins website, JohnsonPotato.com, pulls no punches in its request.

Legally, were not allowed to call Senator Johnson a cruel idiot who doesnt understand how health insurance works, the website read Friday. But we are allowed to mail thousands of potatoes to his office demanding that he listen to his constituents and hold a town hall meeting.

Citizen Action Wisconsin organized a series of town hall meetings and rallies in Wisconsin, inviting Johnson; however, Johnson declined the invitation.

JohnsonPotato.com also cites estimates that 431,000 Wisconsinites would lose their health insurance coverage if the ACA were repealed completely, which the websites creator is clearly boiling mad about.

Its not precisely clear whether Johnson is guilty of threatening a mild-mannered Vietnam veteran who just wanted him to talk in public with legal repercussions. We do know that his staff sent a Vietnam veteran a letter informing him that he would only be allowed to communicate with Johnsons office in writing, barring him from calling or visiting the office. Were not quite sure about the reasons behind it.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a man named Earl Good of Milwaukee received the letter from Johnsons office. Good told the paper that he called Johnsons office 40 times in one day and 83 on another day in February, but maintained he was always polite over the phone.

Kevin Kane of Citizen Action Wisconsin backed up Goods story, saying while Good wasnt a member of the organization, he had participated in its efforts to contact elected officials. Kane described Good as respectful but insistent.

Johnsons spokesman on the other hand said the letter was sent after inappropriate behavior.

Constituents are always welcome and encouraged to contact our office with their concerns, regardless of political viewpoint. Unfortunately, very infrequently a pattern of inappropriate behavior emerges that crosses the bounds of decency and requires action to ensure the well being of visitors to the office and staff, a Johnson spokesman said Thursday.

Without further evidence, its impossible to know for sure whether the legal warning was justified.

But with a punishment like potatoes, its tough to stew over the results.

Frankly, a bushel of potatoes sounds like spud heaven to me, particularly if they come with a little butter and sour cream. If they wanted to punish Johnson, why didnt they just send him potato salad? (Yeah, I said potato salad is gross. Prove me wrong.)

Frankly, the only way this punishment could get better is if it included a deep fryer and fry-cutter.

I just hope the taters dont get mashed in the mail.
Geneva (AFP) - President Donald Trump's defence of torture has set a precedent for other countries to follow, even if the US does not act on it, a UN official said Friday.

Trump's support for waterboarding and other such techniques shows a "staggering level of ill-preparedness to govern," said UN rights rapporteur Ben Emmerson.

"We are in a situation where we have the first ever democratically elected head of state in the world who positively advocates torture," he told reporters in Geneva.

"And that is a state of affairs which lays down a gauntlet, it lays down a precedent. It enables other states to point... and to say well ... Why shouldn't we?"

Trump said days after his inauguration he thinks waterboarding and other techniques widely seen as torture "absolutely" work, but would defer to his CIA and Pentagon chiefs on whether to reinstate them.

"That statement in itself, never mind whether it is implemented, in itself, has undermined the international prohibition on torture," said Emmerson.

It has thereby "elevated the risk that suspects will be tortured producing unreliable, often useless intelligence," and increasing the risk of terrorism in response, he added.

In a speech Thursday, Emmerson -- the UN's rapporteur on protecting rights and freedoms while countering terrorism -- had lashed out at Trump.

To hear the new US leader "glibly extolling the virtues of torture as a weapon in the right against terrorism... was enough to make my blood run cold," he said.

"It shows a staggering level of ill-preparedness to govern.

Re-introducing waterboarding "for reasons of jingoistic populism" would "fuel the resentments that stoke the risk of terrorism," he said.

"All this leaves one wondering whether lasting progress in this field is ever going to be possible," he added.

The British UN official was speaking at the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council, currently underway in Geneva.
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP)  The U.N. Security Council on Friday kicked off a visit to spotlight Africa's worst humanitarian crisis as millions face hunger amid the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria and the Lake Chad region.

"We came in order to show that this will no longer be a neglected crisis," British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters.

One question in the aid response is the United States, which pledged no funding for the Nigeria crisis at an international conference in Oslo last week co-hosted by the United Nations. The U.S. is the world's largest humanitarian donor, but U.S. officials have said the Trump administration is proposing a 37 percent cut to diplomacy and foreign aid budgets to help pay for increased military spending.

The U.N. has launched a $4 billion aid appeal for the Nigeria crisis and similar ones in South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. It was not clear how much the U.S. has pledged.

The U.S. has indicated it is "very ready to donate" under Trump, U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said during a visit to Kenya on Friday, and he suggested it may not have pledged yet because of its budgetary cycle. The Trump administration's budget plan is expected this month.

The Security Council began its visit in Cameroon with meetings with top officials and an encounter with the multinational force fighting the Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremists.

Council members also plan to go to Chad and Niger, then on to Nigeria, where they are expected to visit a camp for people displaced by Boko Haram.

On Friday, officials said three suicide bombers killed themselves and set fuel tankers ablaze in Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram and the center of Nigeria's military efforts to counter the group.

In Nigeria, Boko Haram's seven-year uprising has killed more than 20,000 people and driven 2.6 million from their homes. Now the group has moved into neighboring countries.

At the Oslo conference, the U.N. humanitarian chief said 14 countries had pledged $672 million over the next three years to prevent a famine in the four countries around the Lake Chad basin.

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Security Council members who pledged were France with $14 million, Italy with $31 million, Japan with $48 million and Sweden with $31 million.

___

Associated Press writer Tom Odula in Nairobi, Kenya contributed.
Yaounde (AFP) - UN Security Council envoys on Friday vowed to turn the spotlight on a "neglected crisis" as they began a mission to the Lake Chad region, where hunger, poverty and a Boko Haram insurgency have triggered a major humanitarian emergency.

Straddling Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger, the region's problems are also exacerbated by poor governance and climate change.

The 15 ambassadors from the UN's top decision-making body began their mission in Cameroon, seeking to draw global attention to the emergency affecting 21 million people.

"We came in order to show that this will no longer be a neglected crisis," said Matthew Rycroft, Britain's envoy to the UN.

"It is such a large crisis, we are here to shine a spotlight and to raise the attention of the world on your country," he said.

Francois Delattre, France's permanent representative to the UN, said the Lake Chad region had long been ignored by the international community.

"This mistake, which is also an injustice, is now being rectified by the UN Security Council's visit to the region," Delattre told Cameroon's state-owned television channel CRTV after meeting President Paul Biya.

After Cameroon, the envoys will also visit camps in northeast Nigeria sheltering some of the 2.3 million people displaced in the region, as well as N'Djamena in Chad and Niamey in Niger.

The visit began a week after UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres set off alarm bells over the threat of famine in northeast Nigeria, the epicentre of the Boko Haram conflict.

The United Nations is seeking $1.5 billion in funding for 2017 for the Lake Chad region -- almost half of which is needed for northeast Nigeria, where 5.1 million people face acute food shortages.

- 'Broken lives' -

Some areas of northern Cameroon also face severe shortages, as repeated Boko Haram attacks in the region have forced some 200,000 people, mainly farmers and herdsmen, to flee their villages.

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At least seven out of 10 farmers in Cameroon's Far North region have been forced to abandon their fields, the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) says.

When they launch attacks, the jihadists frequently kill farmers and steal their livestock and grain, which they either hoard for their own consumption or sell for a profit, said a local agriculture official in northern Cameroon Raymond Haman Dawai.

Some 1,425 Cameroonian farmers have seen their livestock either stolen or killed since 2012, a local survey shows.

"Their lives are now broken. Hunger has set in now that farmers can't go to their fields," a government official said on condition of anonymity.

Boko Haram's violence has also made fishing on Lake Chad extremely difficult.

"Even if the crisis ended today, it would take time for people to get back on their feet," the official said.

Fourteen donor countries last week pledged $672 million in emergency aid for people threatened by famine after eight years of Boko Haram violence.

While the sum is just a fraction of what is needed, the UN was nonetheless optimistic its target would ultimately be met.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - A UN chemical weapons watchdog is examining allegations of eight toxic gas attacks in Syria since the beginning of this year, according to a report released Friday.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is tasked with investigating allegations of such attacks in Syria after the government joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013.

In a report to the Security Council, OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu said "eight incidents of alleged use of chemical weapons have been recorded since the beginning of 2017 and are currently being analyzed."

He did not specify where the latest attacks allegedly occurred.

Fact-finding missions are already investigating incidents in eastern Aleppo city, western Rif Aleppo, South Homs and North Hama, Rif Damashq and Idlib, said the report sent to the council on Monday.

Witnesses have been interviewed and the OPCW teams continue to gather evidence in those cases.

The Syrian government has asked the OPCW to investigate four alleged chemical attacks in the area of Aleppo from September to November last year, the report added.

In those cases, Russia has provided samples that have been sent to OPCW laboratories for analysis.

After the OPCW said chlorine bombs had been dropped on at least three villages in Syria in 2014 and 2015, a UN-led investigation concluded that the Syrian air force was responsible for those attacks.

Britain, France and the United States presented a draft Security Council resolution last week that would have imposed sanctions on those responsible for the chlorine attacks, but the measure was vetoed by Russia and China.

The investigative panel also found that the Islamic State group was behind the use of mustard gas in an attack in 2015.

Human Rights Watch has accused Syrian government forces of carrying out at least eight chemical attacks during the final weeks of the battle for Aleppo late last year, killing nine people and injuring hundreds more.

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OPCW experts are still waiting to inspect the Scientific Studies and Research Center, which oversees Syria's chemical weapons program, after several scheduled inspections were delayed, the report said.

The center, known by its acronym CERS, was on a proposed blacklist for UN sanctions that was scrapped by the Russian and Chinese double veto.

The Syrian government has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons in the war that has killed 310,000 people since March 2011.
By Julia Edwards Ainsley and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said on Thursday he would stay out of any probe into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election but maintained he did nothing wrong by failing to disclose he met last year with Russia's ambassador. Sessions, a longtime U.S. senator who was an early and high-ranking player in President Donald Trump's campaign before becoming the country's top law enforcement official, announced the decision after several fellow Republicans in Congress suggested the move would be appropriate. "I have recused myself in the matters that deal with the Trump campaign," Sessions told reporters at a hastily arranged news conference. Sessions said he had been weighing recusal - ruling himself out from any role in the investigations - even before the latest twist of the controversy over ties between Trump associates and Russia that has dogged the early days of the Trump presidency. The president backed Sessions, saying Democrats had politicized the issue and calling the controversy a "total witch hunt." Sessions' announcement did nothing to quell concerns among congressional Democrats, a number of whom called for Sessions to step down. Trump and Republicans who control Congress are trying to move past early administration missteps and focus on issues important to them, including immigration, tax cuts and repealing the Obamacare healthcare law. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russia hacked and leaked Democratic emails during the election campaign as part of an effort to tilt the vote in Trump's favor. The Kremlin has denied the allegations. Sessions denied he had contact with Russian officials when he was asked directly during his Senate confirmation hearing to become attorney general whether he had exchanged information with Russian operatives during the election campaign. He told reporters he was "honest and correct" in his response, although he acknowledged he "should have slowed down" and mentioned he had met with the ambassador in his role as a senator. "I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign," Sessions said, adding he felt he should not be involved in investigating a campaign in which he had had a role. In a statement on Thursday night, Trump said Sessions "did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional." Sessions' meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak were disclosed on Wednesday night by the Washington Post. Sessions received Kislyak in his Senate office in September and also met him in July at a Heritage Foundation event at the Republican National Convention that was attended by about 50 ambassadors. Trump fired national security adviser Michael Flynn last month after disclosures that Flynn had discussed U.S. sanctions on Russia with Kislyak before Trump took office and that Flynn misled Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations. The recusal means Sessions, a powerful member of Trump's inner circle, will not be briefed on details of any probe. Should the Federal Bureau of Investigation decide to move forward with charges, Sessions would not be in a position to weigh in on whether the Department of Justice should take the case. CALLS TO RESIGN House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi urged Sessions to resign and said "his narrow recusal and sorry attempt to explain away his perjury" were inadequate. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said Sessions' explanation for failing to tell the Senate about his meetings "is simply not credible." He called on Sessions to step down and said the Justice Department should name an independent prosecutor to investigate Russian interference. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee asked the FBI to launch a criminal investigation into Sessions' statements to Congress about his communication with Russian officials. Sessions is one of many "subjects" of a government investigation of any contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia, two U.S. officials familiar with the probe said. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sessions was not now a "target" of the probe by the FBI, the Treasury Department, the CIA and the National Security Agency. The investigation, one of the officials said, had a number of subjects because of the numerous contacts between associates of Trump, including Flynn, and the Russian Embassy in Washington as well as Russian and some Ukrainian businessmen and companies. At least two other officials in Trump's campaign said they also spoke with the Russian ambassador at a conference on the sidelines of the July convention last July, USA Today reported on Thursday. Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner also met with Kislyak in December at Trump Tower in New York, an administration official said on Thursday, confirming a report in the New Yorker. While there is nothing legally wrong with such meetings, the reported contacts raise questions about the White House's repeated statements that it knew of no further contacts with Russian officials beyond those by Flynn. Trump has accused officials in former Democratic President Barack Obama's administration of trying to discredit him with questions about Russia contacts. The White House dismissed the disclosure of the Sessions meetings as a partisan attack, saying his contacts with the ambassador had been as a member of the Armed Services Committee. Trump called frequently during his campaign for improved relations with Russia, drawing criticism from Democrats and some Republicans. Ties with Russia have been deeply strained in recent years over Moscow's military interference in Ukraine, military support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria and President Vladimir Putin's intolerance of political dissent. With his administration on the defensive over Russia, Trump's enthusiasm seems to have cooled, and his top foreign policy advisers have begun talking tougher about Moscow. The Russian Embassy in Washington, shrugging off the uproar, said on Thursday it was in regular contact with "U.S. partners." (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Ayesha Rascoe, Steve Holland, Julia Edwards Ainsely, Patricia Zengerle and John Walcott)
Oslo (AFP) - Norway's government on Friday paved the way to widen the culling of wolves, a policy move that incensed green campaigners seeking to protect the endangered species.

Pressured by farmers and parliament, Climate and Environment Minister Vidar Helgesen presented a draft amendment expanding the legal possibilities for killing wolves, even in areas where their presence is officially tolerated.

Until now, only predators that represent a "potential nuisance", by attacking sheep and other livestock, have been allowed to be killed.

The draft amendment widens this to allow culling when wolves interfere with specific human activities. Under certain conditions, wolves may be killed "for recreational and cultural considerations, among others".

The legal text gives an example of this: if wolves prove to be detrimental to moose, which are hunted in Norway, local wildlife managers could be authorised to reduce the number of predators.

Last winter, Rovdata, a Norwegian agency which monitors predators, recorded between 65 and 68 wolves in the country, where they are classified as critically endangered, and at least 25 others in regions bordering Sweden.

Helgesen said it was impossible to say exactly how many wolves were likely to be killed.

"It's a decision that makes it possible to take out a small number. What is a small number? This is arbitrary," he told a news conference in Oslo.

The wolf issue is thorny in the Scandinavian country where breeders, hunters and forest owners are often hostile to the predators, unlike nature conservationists and a large part of the population.

"Changing the law to shoot more endangered animals is outrageous, especially in the so-called eco nation Norway," WWF-Norway head Nina Jensen said in a statement.

Norway is home to nine breeding wolf packs, including seven purely Norwegian ones. This is more than the target set by the parliament which aims for four to six packs, including at least three solely Norwegian ones.

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In December, the rightwing government slashed the number of wolves to be killed to 15 from 47, which the regional wildlife management authorities wanted to allow.

But the parliament instructed the government to review this decision, leading to the minority government's announcement on Friday.

The new proposal is likely to enjoy a parliamentary majority with the notable exception of the small Liberal party, a traditional ally of the centre-right.
Aden (AFP) - US warplanes pounded Al-Qaeda targets in Yemen for a second straight day Friday, killing eight militants, security and tribal sources said, as Washington steps up its air war against the jihadists.

The Pentagon said the past two days had seen it carry out "somewhere over 30" strikes against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), conducted in partnership with the Yemeni government.

"This is part of a plan to go after this very real threat and ensure that they are defeated and denied the opportunity to plot and carry out terrorist attacks from ungoverned spaces," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said, noting America would continue to attack AQAP.

"While we talk a lot about ISIS (the Islamic State group), AQAP is the organisation that has more American blood on its hands," Davis said.

The increased bombing comes a little more than a month after a botched American raid against AQAP left multiple civilians and a US Navy SEAL dead.

The January 29 raid was the first authorised by President Donald Trump, and he drew criticism after he blamed "the generals" for having "lost" Navy SEAL Ryan Owens.

Al-Qaeda has exploited a power vacuum created by two years of war between Yemen's government and Shiite rebels who control the capital to consolidate its presence, particularly in the south and east.

AQAP has published 16 issues of an online magazine called "Inspire" urging individuals to attack the West.

The group has about 2,000 to 3,000 members, a US defence official said.

Friday's attacks hit similar targets as on Thursday -- including weapons caches, fighters and military equipment.

According to Yemeni officials, at least 12 suspected militants were killed in Thursday's strikes.

On Friday, US warplanes hit three houses in the Yashbam Valley before dawn, one of them the home of Al-Qaeda's Shabwa province commander Saad Atef, tribal sources said.

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- A 'terrifying night' -

Security officials in the area said eight jihadists were killed, and tribal sources said that women and children were wounded.

That would bring the total jihadist death toll to at least 20 over the two days.

Jihadists retaliated with anti-aircraft fire, security officials and tribal sources said, adding that US helicopters took part in the operation.

One resident said it had been a "terrifying night".

US officials say Thursday's strikes were focused on the southern provinces of Shabwa and Abyan and the central province of Baida.

The United States periodically sends small teams of commandos into Yemen, primarily to gather intel, but Davis said no Americans had been involved in any ground combat operations as part of the strikes.

Trump gave US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and the military's Central Command authority to conduct the January 29 raid and subsequent attacks, but Davis said the targets struck Thursday and Friday had been developed long before the raid.

As many as eight women and eight children were killed, a Baida provincial official said, drawing condemnation of the raid from human rights groups.

The defence official said the raid had yielded "potentially actionable" intelligence including an "awful lot" of phone numbers and contact details that will help analysts understand connections within the group.

This week's strikes were conducted through "manned and unmanned" means, and Davis did not rule out that US ships in the region had also been involved.

Successive American administrations have kept up a drone war against Al-Qaeda in Yemen since soon after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Washington regards the Yemen branch to be the jihadists' most dangerous, and holds it responsible for several plots to stage attacks in the West.
Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - Volkswagen's "dieselgate" emissions cheating scandal, revealed in September 2015, rocked the German auto giant but has also had an impact on public health, a new study says.

A study published Friday said that pollution from 2.6 million VW cars sold between 2008 and 2015 and rigged to appear eco-friendly will cause 1,200 premature deaths in Europe.

Here is an overview of how the scandal unfolded and of the fallout for the German auto giant:

- How the scandal started -

On September 18, 2015, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that VW had violated clean air regulations by using so-called defeat devices in hundreds of thousands of 2.0-litre engines in the US since 2009.

The software, used in the Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi, Seat and Skoda brands, helped to make the cars seem compliant with exhaust pollution standards when in fact their emissions were excessive.

Four days later the company admitted that some 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide, including 8.5 million in Europe, had been fitted with the software.

The revelation sent its shares plunging by 40 percent in two days.

- How Volkswagen reacted -

On September 23 chief executive Martin Winterkorn stepped down but insisted he knew nothing of the scam. He was replaced by Porsche chief Matthias Mueller.

As part of its efforts to turn the page on the crisis, the firm suspended some staff and recalled vehicles equipped with the cheating software.

In January 2016 the group pleaded guilty to fraud in the United States, agreeing to pay out more than $22 billion (20.8 billion euros) in compensation.

- Consequences for VW -

VW announced a net loss of nearly 1.6 billion euros in 2015, its first in 20 years, after setting aside billions to cover the anticipated costs of the scandal.

But it came back into the black in 2016, with net profits of 5.1 billion euros.

The company has settled most claims in the United States, but is still not out of the legal woods.

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It has made provision for 22.6 billion euros in its accounts since the start to meet the legal costs of the affair.

Some experts, however, estimate that the affair will cost the company 25-35 billion euros.

Despite its dented image, in 2016 VW overtook Japan's Toyota to become the world's top-selling automaker, with sales of 10.3 million vehicles. It has set the aim of becoming the leader in electric cars by 2025.

- Consequences for customers and health -

In the United States, where anti-pollution standards are tougher, the group has agreed to pay some $16 billion to repair or buy back around 600,000 affected cars, and to pay their owners compensation of up to $16,000 each.

In Europe, Volkswagen has no plans at the moment to compensate customers, an approach that has caused the European Commission to voice dissatisfaction.

Most of the recalls are in Europe, with more than two million in Germany and around 900,000 in France.

According to figures published in late February the company has retrofitted 3.4 million vehicles, including 1.4 million in Germany.

The statistical analysis published on Friday in Environmental Research Letters journal, said Germany will account for about 500 out of 1,200 lives expected to be lost prematurely in Europe due to the cheating.

Poland is in second place with 160 deaths, followed by France with 84, the Czech Republic with 72, Italy 55, Austria 47, Switzerland 40, Hungary 32, Britain 30 and Romania 27.
ONALAKSA  The director of administration of Lodi, Wis., is a finalist for city administrator for Onalaska.

Eric Rindfleisch has held a variety of municipal positions in Wisconsin since 2003.

In addition to his administrative role in Lodi, which he has held for the past 18 months, Rindfleisch has held municipal positions in McFarland, Edgar and elected positions in Sheboygan.

He has a masters degree in public administration and non-profit administration from Metropolitan State University in Minnesota and the Wisconsin certified public manager designation from the University of Wisconsin.

Rindfleischs name was the only one disclosed Friday as a finalist, although officials said other candidates could be considered when a council committee meets next week.

Officials have said a candidate could be selected at the March 14 Onalaska Common Council meeting.

The position was supposed to be filled last April, but after two failed rounds of interviews, the city may finally be on track to make the third time the charm.

Designed to run the day-to-day operations in the city, the administrator will be the top position at Onalaska City Hall and will overlook all departments. Terms are subject to negotiation. The city budget has set aside $120,000 for the position.
By Humeyra Pamuk HOYUK MILITARY OUTPOST, Turkey (Reuters) - Turkey is steadily sealing its frontier with Syria, long infiltrated in both directions by fighters and smugglers, with fences, minefields, ditches and a wall that will snake even through the most mountainous regions. "The Border is Honor", read signs across the walls of Turkish military outposts at Gulbaba and Hoyuk, visited by Reuters on a rare trip organized by the country's armed forces. Fortification of the 911 km (566 mile) border, along with a Turkish army incursion into northern Syria launched in August last year, is helping to tighten the noose on Islamic State fighters as well as curbing Kurdish rebel groups. Rebels from a range of militias in the Syrian war, including foreign fighters joining Islamic State, once slipped easily over the border. The jihadist group also smuggled out goods including looted antiquities to raise funds for its struggle. Now, with U.S.-backed rebels encircling its Syrian stronghold in the city of Raqqa, infiltration in either direction is no longer so straightforward. The clampdown has also sharply reduced the flow of Syrian refugees trying to flee the civil war. "I can tell you that right now nobody with a vehicle or on horse can cross our border (illegally)," said infantry colonel Alparslan Kilinc, referring to the 169 km stretch from Hoyuk military post to the Turkish border town of Karkamis that his 1st Border Regiment patrols. "It is just not possible. There are still attempts by people to cross on foot and we intervene in that." At Hoyuk, about 80 km northwest of the shattered Syrian city of Aleppo, Turkish soldiers demonstrate their readiness. One peers through binoculars towards Syrian territory from a watchtower at the perimeter of the small walled complex. Troops called to alert slide down a pole to the ground and run to a sandbagged position or mount an armored car. Engineers are installing a complex set of measures across a territory that includes plains and mountains. First comes a three-meter (10 foot) high wall, now almost complete, then a mined area. Beyond that lie ditches and fortified fences - an area patrolled by soldiers around the clock and monitored by thermal imaging cameras installed atop 25-metre high steel watchtowers to spot infiltrators at night. Drones are also being used for surveillance. As a result, Kilinc said, the number of smuggling attempts, which peaked in 2014 at 3,474 incidents, dropped to just 77 last year. Illegal crossing attempts fell to 8,531 from more than 12,000 over the same period. Many of those were likely refugees, even though camps have been set up for them on the Syrian side of the border. However, 424 non-Syrian citizens were captured in 2015, with the majority thought to be Islamic State fighters. Last year, that figure fell to 210, along with 49 militants from Kurdish militia. FIGHTERS CUT OFF Ankara was accused by some Western allies of being too slow to stop the flow of foreign fighters to Islamic State in Syria and Iraq in the early years of the jihadist group's rise. Turkey has rejected this, saying it needs greater intelligence sharing with allies to intercept would-be jihadists from the group, also known as ISIS. It has stepped up security and launched the military campaign in Syria, codenamed Euphrates Shield, to push Islamic State away from Turkish borders. Sam Heller, Beirut-based fellow at The Century Foundation think tank, said the sealing of the border had been successful, but had taken time to get underway. "It looks like the Turks have finally, successfully, closed their last stretch of border with ISIS," he told Reuters. "They probably could have done it sooner, but this was something that was subject to other political calculations and considerations." For Ankara, the threat from Kurdish militias was at least as great as from Islamic State, if not more so, he added. The Turkish campaign took the Syrian town of Jarablus on the Euphrates river, cleared Islamic State fighters from a roughly 100 km stretch of the border, and then moved south to al-Bab, a strategic town now all but secured. Asked about the passage of foreign fighters over the frontier, Kilinc said: "It is almost non-existent. The people trying to cross through here were going to places like al-Bab before. Now those places are emptied." Kilinc's stretch has been one of the hottest spots on the frontier, having neighbored Islamic State-held territory for several years until Euphrates Shield. Hoyuk remains a focus of tension, just 3 km from a town held by Kurdish YPG fighters. There have been no clashes with the YPG so far involving troops stationed at the two outposts, another commander said, but his soldiers are always on alert. Ankara regards the YPG as the Syrian arm of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that has been fighting for autonomy or secession inside Turkey since 1984. The United States and European Union also see the PKK as a terrorist organization. However, YPG militia have emerged as an effective partner for Washington against Islamic State, putting the two NATO allies at odds, particularly over plans to retake Raqqa. Turkey also wants the YPG to withdraw from Manbij, a Syrian town on the western banks of the Euphrates that the Kurdish militia has retaken from Islamic State. President Tayyip Erdogan said earlier this week that Manbij was the next target for Turkish-backed Syrian rebels. As Turkey's incursion is set to deepen, efforts to fortify defenses and security on the border are accelerated. Kilinc said the construction of 94 km of wall had been completed while the remaining 79 km on his stretch was expected to be finished within three months. "Even the half-finished walls were good at deterring those who wanted to cross, making our job easier," he said. "The external security of a country begins with good protection of its borders." (Additional reporting by John Davison in Beirut; Editing by Ralph Boulton and David Stamp)
Braless Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez is reportedly planning to introduce love interest The Weeknd to her parents soon, according to Hollywood Life.

Gomez was allegedly not disturbed by the recent reunion between The Weeknd (real nae Abel) and his ex Bella Hadid at the recent H&M Paris Fashion Week show.

The Weeknds ex Bella was walking the catwalk at the show. Abel was performing at the show.

[Image by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images]

Some outlets, including Hollywood Life, reported that The Weeknds performance may even have been sending a secret message to model Bella.

The Weeknd chose to perform his song Nothing Without You, from his Starboy album, at the H&M Paris Fashion Week show.

The mag alleges that The Weeknd used to sing a line from that song to Bella while they were dating.

A source told Hollywood Life that Bellas friends were shocked that he would choose to sing that line while Bella was walking the runway.

Click here to continue and read more...
After Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States, raised eyebrows for his front-row seat at Donald Trumps first foreign-policy speech last April, embassy representatives made a hurried overture to the campaign of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

The response was a noncommittal well see, one former campaign official said, describing it as a slow roll. In the end, no one from the former secretary of states campaign met with Kislyak or any other Russian official, nor had any intention to do so, several former Clinton campaign officials told Foreign Policy Thursday. But the Russians timing wasnt coincidental, the official said.

Note the timing of it: When they attempted to reach out, it was being very publicly reported about Kislyak that he actually featured so prominently  they were spooked, the former campaign official said. We never pursued any contact with them. Because, why?

That moment in a chandelier-hung Washington, D.C., ballroom has taken on new significance now that Attorney General Jeff Sessions has become latest Trump administration official to fall under suspicion for misrepresenting communication with Russian officials. During his confirmation hearing, Sessions had said that while he was a Trump surrogate, he didnt have any contact with the Russians, though in fact hed met with Kislyak at least twice, in July and on Sept. 8, and potentially at the April speech.

Sessions ultimately recused himself Thursday from any investigations into ties between Russia and Trump while continuing to insist his meetings with Kislyak were a routine part of his role as a senator and not in his capacity as one of the Trump campaigns closest national security advisors.

Sessions said in a press conference at the Department of Justice on Thursday that hed spoken truthfully, because he never had meetings with Russian operatives or government intermediaries about the Trump campaign.

But among those vying for the presidency, the Trump campaign seems to be alone in meeting with Kislyak or other Russian government officials. That appears to undermine Sessionss defense amid continued calls by lawmakers for his resignation as the nations top law enforcement official.

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Trumps main rival during the Republican primary, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who served with Sessions on the Armed Services Committee, made sure to keep Moscow at arms length, officials told FP.

Among others running for president, neither Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) or Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) met with any Russian officials. Senior national security leaders including Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) never held such meetings as Sessions did, either, officials told FP. And of the 26 senators on the Armed Services Committee, only Sessions met with Kislyak in 2016, according to the Washington Post.

Whats more, he used campaign funds for travel to Cleveland for the Republican National Convention, where he spoke with Kislyak, according to the Wall Street Journal, making it doubtful the trip was part of his Senate business.

Trump, for his part, had vowed total confidence in Sessions, just before the attorney general recused himself Thursday. Later, Trump lashed out on Twitter, saying the native Alabamian is an honest man and Democrats have lost their grip, amid a leak-fueled witch hunt.

Cruz, a fellow conservative, also defended the staunch-right former Alabama senator and attorney, saying he shouldve been more precise in his confirmation testimony but simply misspoke. Cruz called the story a nothingburger Thursday morning, noting hed met with six ambassadors in the last month alone. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), who asked Sessions the pointed question in the hearing, likely met with foreign leaders as well, Cruz said.

But other Republicans  including Cruz himself  were careful not to cultivate any contact with the Russian government in the heat of the presidential election.

Cruzs Senate office confirmed that in the course of his presidential campaign, in which he finished runner-up to Trump for the GOP nomination, as well as throughout his own tenure on the Armed Services Committee, the native Texan never had any calls or meetings with Kislyak or any other Russian official, nor did they seek one.

A former Cruz campaign advisor told FP Thursday that the senator had made clear he thought Moscow was taking advantage of a weak Russia policy under former President Barack Obama.

For that reason, a meeting would not have been logical on their side, the advisor said. If such a call had come from the Russian Embassy, I wouldnt have taken it but never got put into that position. I expect the Russians knew that perfectly well.

Rubio, a noted Russia hawk who also battled Trump for the nomination, told reporters Thursday: I have never met the Russian ambassador, though he added, but Ive had meetings with ambassadors all the time. Rubios office did not say whether hed met with any other Russian official outside of Kislyak or whether his campaign had any contact.

Sanders, the runner-up for the Democratic nomination, like his Senate office and campaign, had zero contact with Kislyak or anyone else in the Russian government, spokesman Michael Briggs told FP.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Clintons vice presidential nominee and member of the foreign relations and armed services committees, has not met one-on-one with the Russian ambassador or any other government official, his office said. In 2015, Kaine attended a meeting with a group of senators and ambassadors from the P5+1 countries  including Russia  whod negotiated the Iran deal. Franken was among them, but the Minnesota senators office drew a sharp contrast between him and Sessions.

Heres what Sen. Franken did not do, spokesman Michael Dale-Stein told FP. Sen. Franken did not work on behalf of the Trump team, which has a clearly inappropriate relationship with the Russian government, and he did not mislead the American public and Congress under oath.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), a senior Armed Services Committee member, drew criticism for saying in her 10 years on the defense panel, she never met or spoke with the Russian ambassador  Ever.  adding that such officials call the Foreign Relations Committee. She later acknowledged that she had spoken to Kislyak as part of negotiations around the Iran nuclear deal but added that shed never met him one-on-one.

Again, As senior member of Armed Serv, never received call or request from Russian Amb for meeting. Never met one on one w/him.  Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) March 2, 2017

Some top lawmakers did meet with Kislyak and other Russian officials, but said it was part of their Senate business. Corker, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, advised Trump during the campaign and was considered a potential secretary of state pick until he withdrew his name. He hosted more than a dozen officials and three ambassadors last month alone, according to his office.

In early 2016, he met with Kislyak to discuss interparliamentary dialogue, and before that, at the end of 2015, he met with his counterpart from the Russian Federation Council.

There is nothing unusual about a member of the Senate meeting with a foreign diplomat, Corker reiterated after Sessionss announcement. I continue to have full confidence in him serving as attorney general.

Other Republicans made clear why theyve had little contact with the now famous Russian envoy. McCain and other members of the Foreign Relations Committee met with Kislyak in 2014  to express outrage at Russias invasion and annexation of Crimea.

Since then, spokeswoman Julie Tarallo said, Sen. McCain has seen no value in further engagement with Ambassador Kislyak.

Photo credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images
For this year's Geneva motor Show, boutique Swedish hypercar firm Koenigsegg will be showcasing the Agera RS Gryphon, an utterly bespoke vehicle, right down to its 24-carat gold leaf exterior finish.

The precious metal, painstakingly applied by Italian master craftsman Ettore Blaster' Callegaro, adorns exterior badging, makes up the body's racing strips, adorns interior surfaces, and has even been used on the engine and to dress the hood's struts.

To ensure the gold has the optimal contrasting effect, the car's body has been left in naked, albeit clear-coated carbon fiber so that the Gryphon's structural integrity is presented as art as well as science.

Yet as impressive as its exterior appears, it's what it covers that truly makes this car spectacular. Sitting behind the Alcantara-trimmed driver and passenger seats is a 5-liter V8 engine designed, developed and built from the ground up by Koenigsegg itself, which, thanks to prodigious twin-turbocharging and some serious engineering knowhow, outputs a frankly physics-defying 1360hp.

Little wonder that the Gryphon -- the name of the mythical creature that is half lion, half eagle and the embodiment of strength and speed -- comes with a bespoke carbon fiber crash helmet also finished in gold leaf.

To put Koenigsegg's engine into context, the Bugatti Veyron, a car built using the immense R&D reach of VW, the world's biggest carmaker, needed 16 cylinders, an 8-liter capacity and four turbos to generate just' 1001hp.

And, even with the gold leaf, luxuriously appointed interior, full infotainment system and hydraulics for raising either the front or rear end for overcoming things like speed bumps, this car tips the scales at 1,395kg. That's just a passenger seat and a few creature comforts short of the magical 1:1 power-to-weight ratio that's the supercar maker's holy grail.

The Agera RS Gryphon will make its global debut at the Geneva motor show, before being handed over to its owner. After all, from the gold leaf to the engine output, this car has been built specifically to a client's requests -- one of which was that the finished car be completely road legal in the US, where it is set to be driven.
Now that traditional pensions have all but disappeared from the private sector, workers often have to rely on employer-sponsored 401(k) plans to save for retirement. However, those at small businesses may not even have that option.

While 74 percent of those employed at businesses with 500 or more workers have access to a retirement plan, that percentage shrinks considerably to 52 percent for smaller businesses with 50 to 99 workers, according to a 2016 report from The Pew Charitable Trusts. And in businesses employing fewer than 10 people, a mere 22 percent of workers are offered an employer-sponsored retirement plan.

"Small businesses fail to realize how important retirement plans are to retention," says Vince Liuzzi, executive vice president and chief banking officer for DNB First. Here's why many small businesses fail to offer this valuable benefit to employees:

[Read: Workers Who Are Excluded From 401(k) Plans.]

Owners may not understand their options. Bruce Cacho-Negrete, vice president of investing for The Starner Group of Raymond James in Coral Gables, Florida, says federal laws make it difficult for some small business owners to provide retirement benefits. The government requires compliance testing to ensure the plan doesn't unfairly favor highly compensated or key employees. In small businesses where only a few workers choose to participate in the plan, it can be difficult to successfully meet the government's requirements.

However, there is a simpler alternative. Safe harbor 401(k)s allow employers to skip the complex compliance testing. Instead, small businesses simply need to either make plan contributions equal to at least 3 percent of each employee's income or offer a match worth at least 4 percent of employee compensation. "We are always big fans of the 4 percent match for safe harbor for our small business clients," Cacho-Negrete says.

Financial experts say small business owners don't always understand there is more than one 401(k) option. And not all small companies can afford to make employer contributions. Robertson says the cost of the required contribution or match can be a problem for some companies.

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[See: How to Max Out Your 401(k) in 2017.]

Set-up costs and complexity. Even safe harbor 401(k)s, with their simplified rules, can feel overwhelming for business owners. "They view retirement plans as complicated," Liuzzi says. At companies where the boss is also the person answering the phone, updating the website and ringing up sales, learning how to set up a 401(k) takes a backseat to other concerns. "They are focused on day-to-day management," he says.

Owners may also overestimate the cost to set up and administer a plan. "They don't realize there are some super low cost solutions," says Stuart Robertson, president of Capital One Advisors 401(k) Services. Capital One offers a 401(k) plan specifically for small businesses, the Spark 401(k), which charges a $450 set-up fee for up to 10 employees and costs $80 a month to administer. Merrill Edge is another firm with a similar low-cost 401(k) option for small employers.

[Read: 5 New 401(k) and IRA Rules for 2017.]

Options for small businesses. Employees at small businesses without a retirement plan have a couple of options. Depending on the relationship between the worker and owner, Robertson says it may be appropriate to initiate a conversation about starting a 401(k) plan. Business owners may be more likely to investigate the possibility if they are hearing from valued employees that it's important.

If a 401(k) is not a possibility, "you absolutely need to be maxing out an IRA every year," Cacho-Negrete says. He advises opening a Roth IRA. Although there is no income tax deduction for contributions to Roth IRAs, the money grows tax-free and gains can be withdrawn tax-free after age 59 1/2. What's more, if workers get into a financial bind, they can withdraw their Roth IRA contributions at any time without penalty. "That's the beauty of a Roth," Cacho-Negrete says.

Working for a small business can have its benefits, but a retirement plan is often not one of them. Employees should understand the challenges facing their employer, and then make plans to save for retirement on their own.
Miriam Ben Shalom was a drill sergeant in the U.S. Army before being discharged for her sexual orientation; she was later the first LGBT serviceperson ever reinstated.
By Maiya Keidan and Lawrence Delevingne LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - David Harding, founder of one of the world's biggest hedge funds, on Friday defended his firm against Warren Buffett's criticism of hedge fund fees last week. Multi-millionaire Harding said Buffett has a "habit of being right" but added that his own Winton Capital business, which manages more than $30 billion, offered lower fees and creditable returns to investors. Buffett told investors last Saturday that low-cost index funds are a better option for most than paying higher fees to managers who often underperform, specifically hedge funds. Harding is one of the first senior figures in the hedge fund industry to respond publicly to Buffett's comments. "This is withering criticism of the active fund management industry overall, and it is hard to argue convincingly against," said Harding. But Harding, who set up Winton in 1997, cautioned against tarring all firms with the same brush. He argued that his Winton's funds have much lower fees than hedge funds are generally assumed to have and that the firm's risk-adjusted returns have been creditable. He did not give precise figures for returns. Hedge funds made 5.51 percent on average in 2016, compared to losses of 1.12 percent in 2015 and gains of 2.98 percent and 9.13 percent in 2014 and 2013, respectively, according to data from Hedge Fund Research. (Reporting by Maiya Keidan; Editing by Keith Weir)
This piece is part of an ongoing series on the unsung women of history. Read more here.

In 1856, an attractive young widow presented herself at the offices of Allan Pinkerton. At the time, he was well on his way to fame as the founder of Americas first detective agency. Little did he realize that his visitor wasnt just another pretty face; she was Kate Warne and she was soon to become the worlds first woman P.I.

Though Pinkerton gushed about Warnes good looks and graceful vivacity, what really impressed him was her sense of purpose. She was looking for a job, she told him, and he should hire her. She could go and worm out secrets in many places which it was impossible for male detectives to gain access, Pinkerton wrote years later. She had evidently given the matter much study. Pinkerton agreed, and a legend was born.

Little is known of Warnes life before she became a private eye, only that she was about 23 when she came to Pinkertons office and that she had a knack for acting and undercover work. She soon proved her worth to Pinkerton, befriending the wife of a man who had stolen thousands of dollars from a railroad company and helping find the hidden cash. But her most famous casehelping evade an assassination conspiracy against Abraham Lincolnwas still ahead of her.

She was a brilliant conversationalist when so disposed, and could be quite vivacious, Pinkerton later wrote, adding with the eras characteristic misogyny that she also understood that rarer quality in womankind, the art of being silent. Whether talkative or quiet, Warnes tact and savvy served her well in 1861. Thats the year that Pinkerton discovered that President-elect Lincoln, who was on a whistle-stop tour from Springfield, Ill., to Washington, D.C. ahead of his inauguration, was the target of an assassination plot by a group of Southern conspirators who hated his abolitionism.

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Warne went undercover, heading to Baltimore under the guise of a Southern widow, and gained admission to the living rooms of the families of Southerners intent on killing the newly elected Abraham Lincolnwomen who would naturally suspect a Northerner of bad intentions. The secession ribbon, or cockade, she wore with her clothing helped her further ingratiate herself among the Southern ladies. Warne passed the rumors and hints she learned in her conversations along to Pinkerton.

But her job was far from merely social. Details of the plot were now becoming clear. The assassination was supposed to take place during Lincolns scheduled stop in Baltimore, the only slaveholding city on his calendar. The President-elect would be especially vulnerable because of the publicity that went along with his celebratory journey. His only option would be to slip through Baltimore at night.

Thats where Warne came in. Pinkerton arranged a complex ruse that involved Lincoln traveling in the sleeper compartments of regular passenger trains to evade public notice. Warne was in charge of getting sleeper berths and keeping them free for the future president, then helping spirit him onto the train unnoticed.

Warne pretended she had a sick brother who needed complete peace and quiet on the train. She met a disguised Lincoln at the Philadelphia train station where he was waiting, greeted him as if he were her brother and accompanied him to the sleeper car. Together, they traveled the rest of the way to Washington, even enduring an hours-long delay when the sleeper car had to be transported via horse through Baltimore due to a noise ordinance.

Pinkerton and Warne worked together throughout the Civil War, posing as husband and wife and infiltrating various layers of Southern society. But though Warnes detective chops were legendary, she did not live long enough to have many more adventures as a private investigator.

In late 1867, she suddenly contracted pneumonia and she died on Jan. 28, 1868 with Pinkerton at her side. She was around 35 years of age. Warnes career may have been relatively short, but she still looms large as historys first female P.I.a woman not afraid to go into places no man could ever infiltrate.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered state police on Thursday to investigate vandalism at a Jewish cemetery in Rochester after several other Jewish cemeteries were destroyed in recent weeks.

At least five headstones were knocked over at Waad Hakolel Cemetery in Rochester this week, according to the Democrat & Chronicle. Michael Phillips, the president of the non-profit that oversees the cemetery, told the newspaper there was no evidence this was an incidence of anti-Semitism.

About 100 headstones were damaged at a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia last weekend, the Associated Press reported, and more than 150 headstones were knocked over at a St. Louis Jewish cemetery, according to Fox2.

Despite the smaller number of headstones damaged in New York, Cuomo said the vandalism in his state could be part of a spike in threats aimed at the Jewish community this year. Since the start of 2017, Jewish community centers around the country have received frequent bomb threats that have turned out to be hoaxes.

Given the wave of bomb threats targeting Jewish community centers and disturbing vandalism at Jewish cemeteries nationwide, I am directing the State Police to immediately launch a full investigation into this matter, Cuomo said in a statement.

This is not the first time a Jewish cemetery in New York has seen its headstones vandalized. In 2014, the Britton Road Cemetery saw 40 headstones knocked over, according to the Democrat & Chronicle, but police found that incident was not motivated by hate.
Harare (AFP) - Two Zimbabwean journalists were arrested Friday over a newspaper report that described President Robert Mugabe as "in bad shape" when he flew to Singapore for what officials called a scheduled medical check-up.

Editor of independent newspaper NewsDay Wisdom Mudzungairi and journalist Richard Chidza were released ahead of a court appearance on Saturday.

The front-page story said that Mugabe, 93, had "sneaked out of the country" this week, and quoted an unnamed source saying "it's a tricky health situation".

The report, headlined "Mugabe in fresh health scare", said that first lady Grace Mugabe had flown to Dubai to organise the charter flight.

"They have been arrested and charged with undermining and insulting the office of the president," said their lawyer Obey Shava before their release.

He said their arrest was "in relation to the paper's lead story".

Mugabe's trip to Singapore, shortly after his lavish 93rd birthday party, was announced by his press spokesman on Wednesday.

The president is expected to return early next week.

Mugabe's health has been subject of increased speculation in recent years, and he regularly flies to Singapore for medical attention.

Despite his advanced age, Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party last year endorsed him as its candidate for the 2018 general elections.

In recent speeches, he has paused for lengthy periods and mumbled at times.
Photo credit: Getty

From Town & Country

Donald Trump arrived at the Capitol to address a joint session of Congress last night, and while pundits today are commenting on how restrained and measured his speech was-there was nary a mention of the people's enemy or fake news-there's another way in which he appeared more presidential than ever: his style.

In marked contrast to the monochromatic extra-long tie he wore on Inauguration Day, under a jacket that he failed to button, last night the president opted for a natty navy blue-and-white striped tie. And-shockingly-he kept his jacket, which was embellished with a ticket pocket, buttoned.

Photo credit: Getty

Twitter users noticed also Trump's "makeover:"

Most impressive thing about #TrumpAddress was the makeover- fitted suit, cuffs that show, no long red tie! Maybe there's hope. #DonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/3DoupXUGek - Mike Sington (@MikeSington) March 1, 2017

Behind him, Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan wore identical royal blue ties, and all three politicians sported American Flag lapel pins.

Who wore it better

RT if Mike Pence, like if Paul Ryan pic.twitter.com/rWowtP0pOz - Jenna Abrams (@Jenn_Abrams) March 1, 2017

The color red has been closely associated with the Republican Party and blue with the Democrats since the New York Times and USA Today published color-coded maps during the 2000 election, so perhaps the tie colors were a nod to the desire to work together than Trump noted multiple times in his speech.

Or maybe they all just wanted to match.

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By Lauren Le Vine. Photos: Getty Images.

A source told Us Weekly that Meghan Markle kept the fact that shes attending a wedding in Jamaica this weekend a secret. Lets hope she or Prince Harry at least told the bride and the groom, because honestly, what a horror. Someone not mentioning hes bringing a plus one to your destination wedding until the last second sounds like a logistical nightmare. But were getting ahead of ourselves here, as the key fact is thatper a source in UsMarkle and Harry are reportedly attending a wedding together.

More: Prince George and Princess Charlottes Cutest Moments

Its the nuptials of Harrys best friend, Tom Inskip (a.k.a. Skippy, whos been there for many of Harrys past follies and foibles) and Lara Hughes-Young, in Montego Bay, St. James. Markle will be meeting a large portion of Harrys wolf pack down there, and its apparently their first time socializing openly as a couple, per the Daily Mail. The outlet also reports that Markle and Harry arrived in Jamaica separately. He was flying from London, while she flew in from Toronto, where shes currently filming Suits. Although, per Uss sources, Markle has all but moved into Harrys two-bedroom Kensington Palace flat.

The wedding attendance marks another relationship milestone for the couple. Since Harry publicly confirmed their status via a missive from Kensington Palace (versus the rest of us, who simply sit there hovering over the in a relationship status update on Facebook until we finally take a deep breath and click), theyve bought a Christmas tree together, taken a romantic trip to Norway, and held hands in public. Markle also reportedly gave Kate Middleton a dream journal.

At this rate, the tabloids will have them expecting twins by summer, just like Beyonce and Amal Clooney. It might not be true, but its what everyone needs right now.

This story originally appeared on Vanity Fair.

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Prince George and Princess Charlottes Cutest Moments

Barack Obama: The Lean Back President

Blake Lively's Glam Pregnancy Style
The Democratic women of the House sat together and formed an entire section of white. (Photo: Reuters)

On Wednesday, Alabama Auditor Jim Zeigler shared an image of the Democratic women of the House of Representatives wearing white to Facebook juxtaposed beneath a photo of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) with a caption that read, IN CONGRESS now appearing without hoods Nancy Pelosi and the Klannettes.

Yesterday State auditor Jim Zeigler posted this on Facebook. He has since taken it down pic.twitter.com/WBsAtgS7qA  Alabama Politics (@AlabamaPolitics) March 2, 2017

Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., the only Democrat in Alabamas legislative delegation to Congress, was one of the women in white Tuesday night. She and her comrades opted to coordinate their outfits at President Donald Trumps Joint Address to Congress on Tuesday night to visually signal a need for greater gender equality, as well as an ode to the suffragettes who fought for womens right to vote. (The white pantsuit has also famously became a sartorial symbol for Hillary Clinton supporters.)

Sewell is now calling out Zeiglers post (which has since been deleted)  and asking for an apology.

As Sewell told reporters, I wore white to President Trumps Joint Session address with my other female colleagues to honor those American women who sacrificed so that all women could have an equal voice in our democracy, referencing the suffragette origins of the all-white outfits.

She continued, It is highly insulting and completely disrespectful for Alabamas State Auditor Zeigler to equate the celebration of womans rights into a vile statement of racial hatred like the KKK. He should apologize for behavior so offensive and unbecoming of any elected official. His voters should hold him accountable for such shameful disregard of women.

In a statement to AL.com, Zeigler said, I have the same First Amendment right criticize them that they have to protest. Yahoo Style has reached out to Zeigler for comment and will update you if we hear back.

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Zeigler is not the first public figure to publicly diss the collective fashion statement. Representative Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said during a radio town hall in Fargo, N.D., on Wednesday, Did you notice how poorly several of them were dressed, as well? about his female colleagues on the other side of the aisle. It is a syndrome. There is no question. There is a disease associated with the notion that a bunch of women would wear bad-looking white pantsuits in solidarity with Hillary Clinton to celebrate her loss. You cannot get that weird.

In response, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi tweeted, Thank you for illustrating why we so badly need to honor #WomensHistoryMonth.

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Boeing has approved the first wave of voluntary layoffs for union workers. (GeekWire Photo)

Boeing has approved buyouts for more than 1,800 union workers, marking the start of a new round of job reductions thats expected to continue through the year.

The voluntary layoffs include 1,500 machinists and 305 engineers, representatives of the workers unions told GeekWire today. Boeing Commercial Airplanes is reducing non-union positions as well, but the company isnt providing numbers for those classifications.

The company said in December that it would have to continue last years downward trend in employment to stay competitive with Airbus, its European aerospace rival.

Last years job reductions amounted to about 8 percent of the workforce in Boeings commercial airplane division, going from roughly 82,500 to a little more than 76,000 employees by the end of 2016. The reductions were achieved through voluntary and involuntary layoffs as well as attrition.

About 1,200 engineers were laid off during all of last year, said Bill Dugovich, a spokesman for the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, or SPEEA. He said 350 of those layoffs were involuntary.

Dugovich expects this years totals to be about the same. We know theres going to be more, he said.

A spokeswoman for Machinists Union District 751, Connie Kelliher, said her union doesnt know how many more will be laid off this year. She said about 1,000 machinists took voluntary buyouts last year, but there were no forced layoffs.

The 1,800-plus buyouts that were approved as of the end of February will take effect over the course of the rest of the year, typically starting in April.

Laid-off machinists are to receive one weeks pay for every year of service, up to 26 weeks of pay, plus six months of standard medical benefits, Kelliher said. Engineers will get similar levels of severance pay, but typically only three months of standard medical benefits. Those who are laid off due to a shift in work location could get more, Dugovich said.

More from GeekWire:
BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union says Europeans' online connections and skills are improving but there's still too large a gap between the Nordic front-runners and laggards in the continent's south and east.

The EU's Digital Economy and Society Index, released Friday, showed Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands leading a survey that measures countries' performance in areas including connectivity, digital skills and the digitization of businesses and public services. Romania finished last, followed by Bulgaria, Greece and Italy.

The EU's executive Commission said 79 percent of Europeans go online at least once per week, 3 percentage points higher than last year.

Commission Vice President Andrus Ansip said "Europe is gradually becoming more digital but many countries need to step up their efforts." He added: "we do not want a two-speed digital Europe."
WINONA, Minn.  Almost 100,000 more Minnesotans are certified to pack heat than there were just two years ago, including nearly twice as many Winona County residents.

At the close of 2016, about 260,300 Minnesota citizens held permits to carry a concealed weapon, compared with about 165,300 in 2014. Minnesota issued more permits to carry firearms in 2016 than in any year since the state started issuing permits 13 years ago, the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Wednesday.

In Winona County, 2,449 people have permits to carry, with 779 new permits issued in 2016. In 2014, the total number of Winona County permit holders was 1,314.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension issued its annual report of handgun permits March 1. According to the report, Minnesota sheriffs departments granted 71,156 permits last year. Thats nearly 60 percent more permits than given in 2015.

By law, any Minnesotan who meet the requirements of the law has the right to carry a handgun as they go about their daily business. Individuals who want a handgun carry permit can apply at their local sheriffs office and must provide proof of approved firearms training. Sheriffs departments then check FBI, state and local records for any disqualifying information, such as criminal records or documented or self-reported violent behavior. Individuals who are denied a permit have the right to appeal, though few do, according to BCA stats.

The BCAs report says sheriffs departments denied 650 permits last year and revoked 56. It says more than 80 percent of the nearly 1,500 crimes committed by permit holders in 2016 were drunken driving or traffic offenses.

The report further notes the number of instances of lawful and justifiable use of firearms by a permit holder. In 2016, that number for the entire state of Minnesota was two.

The FBI tracks the number of background checks performed for gun purchases. It is recognized as the closest indicator of gun sales, but doesnt directly indicate how many guns are sold. Thats because not every check results in a sale and a person can buy more than one gun at a time.

Nationwide, there were big jumps in background check numbers in 2008 and 2012 when Democrat Barack Obama was elected president and reelected. And the gun lobby painted Obama as someone who opposed the Second Amendment. It may be that in 2016, more people went out and bought guns because they thought Hilary Clinton, another Democrat, was going to win and pass laws that would restrict gun purchases.

There are other reasons for spikes in gun sales and permit applications.

One of those jumps in gun purchases occurred after a gunman killed 49 people in the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., last year.

Steve Dyer, an analyst who follows the firearms industry for the Minneapolis investment firm Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC, said this and other mass shootings can result in spikes in gun sales, particularly for the types of guns used in the killings.
MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's Paytm E-Commerce Pvt Ltd has raised $200 million from China's Alibaba Group Holding and venture capital fund SAIF Partners to expand its online retail business in a market dominated by homegrown Flipkart and U.S. tech giant Amazon. Alibaba.com Singapore E-Commerce Pvt Ltd picked up a 36.31 percent stake in Paytm E-Commerce for investing $177 million, according to a regulatory filing by the Indian company that runs an online marketplace. Alibaba and its associates are also the largest shareholders in One97 Communications, which has a stake in Paytm E-Commerce. SAIF Partners' $23 million investment will give it a 4.66 percent stake in Paytm E-Commerce, the filing showed. Alibaba Group is looking to invest outside China as growth slows at home. In its biggest overseas deal, Alibaba in April agreed to buy a controlling stake in Southeast Asian online retailer Lazada Group for about $1 billion. Paytm Payments Bank Ltd, another company of the group, houses its electronic payment wallets and planned payments bank business. Paytm has said its e-wallet service has more than 200 million clients in India. (Reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal; Editing by Richard Borsuk)
Samsung wants you to know its all about improving the quality of its products following the Galaxy Note 7 disaster, which cost Samsung an estimated $5.35 billion in operating profit. After kicking off its tablet event at MWC 2017 with a Galaxy Note 7 apology and after airing more apologetic ads during the Oscars on the same day, the company went ahead and announced the creation of a special office that will oversee product quality.

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Samsung on Thursday said that it has created a new office dedicated to global product quality improvement, Reuters reports. Kim Jong-ho was appointed to lead the new team, which will oversee Samsungs manufacturing and quality assurance efforts.

President Kim Jong-ho, a top manufacturing expert, will lead product quality and manufacturing improvement efforts for all of Samsung Electronics set businesses, the firm said in a statement. Kim is moving to Samsung Electronics after serving as the president of Samsung subsidiary Samsung Heavy Industries Co Ltd, a ship manufacturer. Before that, Kim was a mobile business executive with the companys mobile division.

Reuters says Samsung is under immense pressure to make sure the Galaxy S8 launch goes smoothly. The phone is expected to be released in April, the report notes, though Samsung hasnt announced anything at this point.

The company did reveal at the end of its MWC event that its first major Unpacked press conference of the year will take place on March 29th in New York, hinting thats when its Galaxy S8 will be unveiled.

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See the original version of this article on BGR.com
We learned way back in November that Dave Chappelle was returning to the stand-up scene with a trio of comedy specials via Netflix, and now we finally know when well actually be getting our first chance to check them out. Netflix just revealed that two of those highly anticipated specials will be landing on the streaming service in March  more specifically, March 21st  and we even get a teaser of what the new material will be like.

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The extremely brief teaser  were talking less than 30 seconds of actual content here  offers a hint of the topics Chappelles new work will cover, including references to his long hiatus from comedy and the nuances of race relations in the United States. Thats pretty familiar territory for the legendary comedian, and shouldnt come as much of a surprise to his many fans. With how much the discussion of race and equality has heated up over the past year, it seems like the perfect time for Chappelle to weigh in with his trademark wit.

Dave Chappelles stand up specials were beloved in their time and are still extremely popular today, so for him to finally make his stand-up return  and to do so via Netflix exclusively  is a pretty huge deal all around. It also speaks to how rapidly comedians have adopted alternative methods of content delivery. Instead of the typical HBO or Comedy Central special, the comedy industry is quickly shifting to streaming, with comedians like Louis C.K., Chris Rock, and now Chappelle going all-in on streaming and leaving cable and premium channels in their wake.

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See the original version of this article on BGR.com
(Reuters) - (This March 1 story has been refiled to correct paragraph four to say Qatalyst Partners was retained to assist with a possible acquisition instead of fundraising.) Uber competitor Lyft is pitching investors on a new funding round and hopes to net at least $500 million, according to a source familiar with the matter. The $500 million fundraising would value the ride-hailing service between $6 billion and $7 billion, the source said. A Lyft spokeswoman declined to comment. Lyft's fundraising efforts have been ongoing for months, according to sources with knowledge of the matter. The company previously retained Qatalyst Partners to assist in reviewing an acquisition offer. Larger ride-hailing competitors, Uber and Didi, have raised so much money that Lyft's options of finding new investors who can write big checks are quite limited. Uber is valued at about $70 billion and Didi's valuation is about $35 billion after its merger with Uber's China operations in August. (Reporting by Heather Somerville in San Francisco and Sangameswaran S in Bengaluru; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)
Co-creator and star Lior Raz in Fauda (Netflix)

Whenever youre in need of a binge-watch suggestion, look no further than Yahoo TVs Binge Guide or Stephen Kings Twitter feed. The celebrated author has previously directed his followers and fans to such shows as Stranger Things, Tyrant, and The 100. And he recently tweeted out his affection for a new addiction: Fauda, a 2015 Israeli series currently streaming on Netflix.

FAUDA, on Netflix. Cool Israeli thriller. With episodes only a little longer than your average sitcom, its all killer and no filler.  Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 14, 2017

If a serialized TV thriller can keep a master suspense like King enthralled, then you know it packs some serious dramatic firepower. And if his word isnt good enough for you, here are five things to know about Fauda that will prime you to stream all 12 episodes right now.

1) Its like The Shield in Israel

Shawn Ryans groundbreaking FX series celebrates its 15th anniversary on March 12, and it still doesnt get enough recognition for changing the visual grammar of TV procedurals. Building on what David Milch had started on NYPD Blue, The Shield employs jittery hand-held camerawork, but also sends those cameras out in to the field where they race to keep up with morally compromised L.A. cop Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) and the rest of his Strike Team as they bust heads and take names. Fauda aims for the same immediacy from its very first sequence, which depicts the members of the Mistaarvim, an elite Israeli Defense Unit undercover squadron, infiltrating a mosque and forcibly removing a man they hope will become an informant. Those are the kinds of extreme policing methods practiced by Mackeys Strike Team, and, like The Shield, Fauda avoids overtly endorsing or condemning the Mistaarvims actions. Instead, it turns the question over to viewers: when and where is the line where the means no longer justify the end?

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2) Its a thriller with real world relevance

With the recent presidential transition, all eyes are once again on the Middle East, as new POTUS, Donald Trump, seeks to put his own stamp on Israeli/Palestinian relations. Fauda provides a street-level look at that ongoing conflict, anchored by an overarching narrative that involves the Mistaarvims manhunt for Abu Ahmed a.k.a. The Panther (Hisham Suliman), a Hamas leader they had previously thought dead. In order to nab him, they un-retire the officer who killed him the first time, Doron Kavillio (Lior Raz, who also co-created the show). And while Doran once again appears to take out his target at the end of the first episode, this Panther is hard to put down. Abu survives and plots a revenge plan that will add more victims to his already-high body count of 116 Israelis. Within this narrative, Raz and his collaborator, journalist Avi Issacharoff, examine the nuances of what life is like in a country where two cultures live in a constant state of fear of each other. (The title, by the way, is the Arabic word for chaos.)

3) Its gotten accolades and awards from both Israelis and Palestinians

While the real Hamas apparently isnt a fan of Fauda, the show has received big thumbs up from many Arab and Jewish viewers, who have made it one of the highest-rated shows on Israeli cable. (It also picked up a statue for Best Drama Series, plus five other awards, at the 2016 Ophir Awards, Israels combined version of the Oscars and Emmys.) Raz, who served in the Israeli military and based the series in part on his own experiences, chalks its dual popularity up to the fact that Fauda tries to go beyond the usual good guy/bad guy dynamic. Abu, for example, isnt an emotionless killing machine: hes a man who cares deeply for his family and community, and feels compelled to commit acts of violence out of an understandable sense of injustice. The narrative is Israeli, yes, but if theres a terrorist, he may be a scumbag and I may hate him, but he still has a wife and he has kids, and what he does affects his family, Raz recently told Foreign Policy magazine. Its here that you get the real story.

Hisham Suliman in Fauda (Photo: Netflix)

4) Theres a second season in the works

While the manhunt for the Panther is resolved at the end of Season 1, Doran isnt about to retire again anytime soon. Raz and Issacharoff are currently working on a second season thats expected to premiere in Israel this fall, and will send the officer back out into the field in pursuit of new enemies. The news affects what you write, Issacharoff told The Times of Israel. You cant ignore reality and youll see part of that new reality in the show. If the first season was about Hamas and the territories, this will be something newer and more relevant.

5) You might see it in English one day

Israeli television has previously served as the genesis for such acclaimed U.S. shows as HBOs In Treatment (based on the 2005-2008 series BeTipul) and Showtimes Homeland (adapted from Prisoners of War, which debuted in 2010 and aired a second season in 2012). Faudas creators are well-aware of the success of those previous imports, and are reportedly already looking to interest a network or streaming service in an American remake. Maybe they can get Stephen King to help out, since hes already got a connection at Hulu. Or, better yet, he could write an episode.

Fauda is currently streaming on Netflix.

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Jake Tapper Says Trump Is Likely Bothered Over Jeff Sessions Overshadowing His Congressional Address

CNNs Jake Tapper suggested that President Trump will be bothered by recent Jeff Sessions controversy overshadowing the positive media coverage of his joint address to Congress earlier in the week.

One cannot overstate how bothered POTUS will be by this Sessions story (with GOPers now calling for recusal) stepping on his good news cycle  Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 2, 2017

Just yesterday, Trumps address to Congress was being praised by mainstream media. Even Van Jones, the CNN political commentator and outspoken critic of President Trump, said he did something extraordinary, and that people who wanted Trump to remain a divisive cartoon should be worried after the speech.

Also Read: 'Morning Joe' Says Timing of Jeff Sessions Bombshell Was Politically Motivated

During his January confirmation hearing before becoming Attorney General, Jeff Sessions was asked what he would do if anyone affiliated with the campaign had been in contact with the Russian government. Sessions said hed not communicated with them.

On Wednesday night, The Washington Post was the first to report on a private meeting between Sessions and Russian ambassador to the US. Sergey Kislyak, which took place in the senators office last September. The discussions could fuel new congressional calls for the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Russias alleged role in the 2016 presidential election and the suspected hacking campaign, according to the Post.

All of the sudden, the news media isnt talking about Trumps speech anymore, as it seems the Attorney General lied under oath when asked about contact with Russian officials.

Also Read: Politicians, Media Tweet Outrage Over Jeff Sessions: 'This is Not Fake News'

I dont think its a coincidence that this came the day after Donald Trump got his best press coverage ever, MSNBCs Joe Scarborough said on Thursday. Thats the way Washington works.

Story continues

Elizabeth Warren and other prominent politicians and media members have taken to Twitter to express outrage over the news. The Massachusetts Senator called for Session to resign and warned, This is not fake news.

Tapper also tweeted that his information was based on convos with sources around POTUS.

Related stories from TheWrap:

'Morning Joe' Says Timing of Jeff Sessions Bombshell Was Politically Motivated

Politicians, Media Tweet Outrage Over Jeff Sessions: 'This is Not Fake News'

Jeff Sessions Spoke With Russian Ambassador in 2016, Justice Department Says
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.  The obsession with Donald Trumps ability to spend one hour in a disciplined relationship with a teleprompter obscured one of his central goals on Tuesday night: He continued to try to scare the country to death.

Yes, he lived up to media expectations that he would finally attempt to look presidential and that he could recite words that sounded optimistic and forward-looking. He and his handlers are well aware that commentators typically reward presidents for doing what commentators say presidents need to do.

And he also issued a ritual call for bipartisanship, even though earlier in the day, he had said he regarded House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi as incompetent, actually. Put aside that upbraiding his female critics is one habit that is very difficult for Trump to break. It was hard to square the nice, lets-all-get-along paragraphs with everything else Trump has been doing.

And beneath the obeisance to the Beltway rules about what addresses to joint sessions of Congress are supposed to look like lurked Trump Classic. Hes still the man who wants to aggrandize the executive and expand the power of law enforcement by making the country believe it is under threat from dark forces that only a strong hand can deal with.

He didnt repeat his controversial use of the word carnage, which stood out from almost everything else he said in his inaugural address. He simply described the carnage.

Weve defended the borders of other nations while leaving our own borders wide open for anyone to cross, and for drugs to pour in at a now unprecedented rate, he declared. Actually, we dont have wide open borders and President Obama found himself under criticism from members of his own base for being too tough in enforcing immigration laws. But for Trump, only the construction of a great, great wall along our southern border will solve the problem.

Trump could not resist adding that extra great, verbal cover for the fact that he left out his fanciful claim that Mexico would pay for his wall.

Trump boasted that we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our very innocent citizens, which, in truth, is what our forces of order have been doing for years. Bad ones are going out as I speak. Dont you feel better already?

Trump always seeks protection from a regiment of straw men and women, and this speech was no exception. To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you this one question: What would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income or their loved one because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders?

Well, I suppose in Trump world, a desire not to deport every single one of the 11 million men and women who are in the United States without proper documentation constitutes not believing in enforcing the law. But this unfounded attack fit badly with the suddenly bipartisan Trump.

And his call to create an office in the Department of Homeland Security called VOICE (Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement) was a demagogic propaganda effort to suggest that immigrants are especially prone to committing acts of violence when, in fact, they are not.

No Trump speech is complete without a reference to Chicagos murder rate, which he refers to constantly because the national crime statistics dont bear out his implication that the nation is more unsafe than ever.

And Trump wants Americans to be very, very afraid of the threat of terrorism by way of rationalizing his unjustifiable policies barring refugees from a selected group of Muslim countries. We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside of America, he declared. For good measure, he added: We cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists. I bet his speechwriters were proud of those scary phrases, a beachhead of terrorism and a sanctuary for extremists. Thats the way to get people really alarmed.

Perhaps because I watched this address a long way from Washington, I was less responsive to Trumps efforts to place himself, rhetorically at least, within the Capitols conventions. What I saw was not a New Trump but a shrewd Trump apparatus throwing some bones of optimism to establishmentarians hankering to get on board. I suspect members of Trumps base were wiser than this. They heard the music of fright, dread and chaos, and they knew that was still the point.
An unusual legal contortion is being proposed in Jackson County by attorney Tom Lister. He is suggesting a legitimately approved permit for AllEnergy Hixton should be denied although there has been no wrongdoing by the company. Listers gambit centers around the highly suspect notion of an anticipatory nuisance.

First, a little background. AllEnergy Hixton has proposed a sand-mining facility in Hixton. AllEnergy completed the process of getting all permits and approvals by both the town of Hixton and Jackson County. The process to receive the permits is time-consuming and requires great detail. AllEnergy was more than willing to work through the process  and they did.

Following the approvals, Attorney Lister filed a number of lawsuits. None of them have been successful. In a final Hail Mary attempt, Lister filed the case Krueger vs. AllEnergy using the rationale of an anticipatory nuisance.

An anticipatory nuisance simply says your business will create problems. No proof is needed. Attorney Lister is demanding the court shut down AllEnergy because they might violate their local agreement. That is like getting a speeding ticket for driving your car at the speed limit because an officer says you might drive 80 miles per hour. It is an absurd interpretation of the law.

Lets look at other real-world implications. Towns and counties are doing their best to keep local roads in good shape. Having active quarries as a ready source of gravel is vital to maintaining local roads. Sighting quarries could become extremely difficult, if not impossible, for some communities if a neighbor claims an anticipatory nuisance. The cost of maintaining roads and the taxes you pay will increase, perhaps significantly.

Or how about a local tavern? Local bars and restaurants are the social centers of many small communities in Wisconsin. A neighbor could stop a building project in its tracks by claiming an anticipatory nuisance when an applicant is seeking a building permit for an establishment.

As you can see, almost anything could be defined as a nuisance if a similar business had problems in the past. A business should be judged on its own merits, not the actions of others.

Legislators sometimes point to Minnesota as a model for Wisconsin to follow as a guide to grow our economy. On the issue of certainty for land use and zoning they are correct. If allowed to stand as law, the legal theory of anticipatory nuisances will be the same as putting a Closed for Business sign at our borders. It will also undermine local control in Jackson County.
Dear reader, we're asking for your help to keep local reporting available for all today during our fall fundraiser. Your financial support keeps stories like this one free to read, instead of hidden behind paywalls. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. Thank you for investing in your neighborhood.

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In a contract sent out to artists, Austin-based music festival South By Southwest says international acts may be referred to "immigration authorities" if they participate in any "public" or "non-sanctioned events."

Felix Walworth of Brooklyn-based act Told Slant set off the wave of inquiries and outrage when they tweeted a photo of the contract they received regarding their first official SXSW appearance.

In what looks like an effort to curb unofficial performances, SXSW dangles the possibility of deportation, writing that accepting and performing at any non-sanctioned events may result in immediate deportation, revoked passport, and denied entry by US Customs Border Patrol at US points of entry. Stereogum reports that the clause in question is not a new addition, but theres no arguing that it takes on a grimmer reality under Trumps presidency.

After looking through this contract sent to me by sxsw I have decided to cancel Told Slant's performance at the festival pic.twitter.com/rI2Xv0duJl  Told Slant (@Felixixix666) March 2, 2017

Unofficial shows are the backbone of SXSW and its not uncommon for bands to make the most of their time in Austin by performing multiple times throughout the week-long event.

The clause comes as even more of a shock considering SXSWs collaboration with international outreach group Tamizdat on ContraBanned: #MusicUnites, a showcase that highlights artists from the diaspora communities of the nations banned by the January 27th Executive Order. Furthermore, Austin has been considered a sanctuary city, a claim that no longer has legs to stand on with this development.

Threatening to call ICE on artists on a tourist visa is unacceptable. It's colluding with an administration that's hunting down immigrants.  Aura Bogado (@aurabogado) March 2, 2017

The Austin Chronicle spoke to SXSW CEO and co-founder Roland Swenson, who issued an apology yet maintained that the image of the contract posted by Walworth is out of context.

Weve had these restrictions in the agreement for about five years and never had to enforce them. Its intended for someone who does something really egregious like disobeying our rules for pyrotechnics, starts a brawl in a club, or kills somebody. You have to really fuck up for us to do this stuff. What people dont understand is that were already talking to immigration about all these bands. Most of these bands are here because we sort of sponsored them. So if somebody did something bad enough that we had to enforce this part of the contract, we would probably be obliged to notify immigration that Hey these guys are trouble, but weve never had to do that. SXSW has been vocal in its opposition to President Trumps Travel Ban and is working hard to build a coalition of attorneys to assist artists with issues at U.S. ports of entry during the event. We have artists from 62 countries from around the world performing and have always supported our international music community. We have never reported international showcasing artists to immigration authorities.



We were sorry to learn that one of our invited performers chose to cancel his performance at this years SXSW Music Festival due to a misunderstanding of our policies regarding international artists.



We understand that given the current political climate surrounding immigration, the language that was published seems strong. Violating U.S. immigration law has always carried potentially severe consequences, and we would be remiss not to warn our participating acts of the likely repercussions.



Language governing SXSWs ability to protect a showcase has been in the artist Performance Agreement for many years. It is, and always was intended to be, a safeguard to provide SXSW with a means to respond to an act that does something truly egregious, such as disobeying our rules about pyrotechnics on stage, starting a brawl in a club, or causing serious safety issues.





What it comes down to is the blatant inequality of the ramifications of the clause for U.S. artists and their international counterparts. While citizens could potentially get their housing canceled and their badges revoked, international artists would get ICE called on them and potentially ruin their chances of returning to the United States.

The response to the clause has been swift. Activist and Downtown Boys member Victoria Ruiz has started a petition "demanding that SXSW remove this clause from their contract and stop threatening bands with immigration investigations and deportation."

Can our first step toward coalition as artists with radical politics be to cancel all our official showcases at SXSW? writes Walworth, following his original tweet. Im serious just do it.
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(2) Feb 20 (2) Feb 19 (2) Feb 18 (2) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (2) Feb 15 (1) Feb 14 (1) Feb 13 (1) Feb 12 (2) Feb 11 (1) Feb 10 (2) Feb 09 (1) Feb 08 (1) Feb 07 (1) Feb 06 (1) Feb 05 (5) Feb 03 (1) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (1) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (2) Jan 27 (5) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (3) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (4) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (2) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (5) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (4) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (1) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (5) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (4) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (6) Dec 14 (4) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (5) Dec 11 (5) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (5) Dec 08 (4) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (5) Dec 05 (4) Dec 04 (4) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (4) Nov 29 (4) Nov 28 (5) Nov 27 (4) Nov 26 (4) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (5) Nov 23 (4) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 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(3) Aug 21 (3) Aug 20 (5) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (5) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (3) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (3) Aug 09 (4) Aug 08 (2) Aug 07 (2) Aug 06 (2) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (2) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (2) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (6) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (4) Jul 22 (4) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (4) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (5) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (4) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (5) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (2) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (4) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (2) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (3) Jun 18 (3) Jun 17 (1) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (2) Jun 06 (2) Jun 05 (2) Jun 04 (2) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (3) May 31 (4) May 30 (5) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (3) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (2) May 23 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PRESS RELEASE

Putin Says Astana Talks Set Up a Mechanism for Monitoring Syrian Ceasefire

Feb. 27, 2017 (EIRNS)During a meeting with Kazakhstans President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that the intra-Syrian talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, paved the way for the Geneva talks.

"These talks [on Syria in Astana] reached unprecedented results," Putin said. "A mechanism for monitoring the Syrian ceasefire has been established which provided an opportunity to resume the Geneva talks."

"Kazakhstan played a very positive role, not only as the talks host, but it also influenced the positive results of the Astana meeting," the Russian leader said.

In an interview in Sputnik, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans chief adviser, Ilnur Cevik, commented on Turkish-Russian cooperation on Syria. He said, while Turkey and Russia have different opinions on the fate of the Kurds and the settlement in Syria, the leaders and diplomats from the two countries are "closely, carefully" examining them. Turkey believes that Syrias Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) is affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey, which Turkey has designated a terrorist group. Ankara was also against PYDs participation in the Astana settlement talks.

On Feb. 27 Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, told reporters that the Kurds should participate in the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva.

"The Kurds participation issue is still pressing. We believe that their representatives should be engaged in the Geneva talks on settling the Syrian crisis,"

the Russian diplomat stressed.

Despite these differences, Cevik said Turkey expressed thanks for Russian support of Turkeys Euphrates Shield operation in Syria, which began Aug. 24, 2016.

"[Russian President Vladimir Putin] is providing large support to Turkey," Cevik said.
The deadline to sign up for this free community event that is open to all is Nov. 16.

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"We need to invest in our kids," said resident Brenda Robinson. "That's how we keep graffiti out of Waterhouse Center and mischief out of the downtown on Saturday night."


Attorney General Jeff Sessions says he is removing himself from an investigation into Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election.

His announcement came after requests from leading Democrats and some Republicans that he step aside. The requests followed a report from The Washington Post that Sessions met twice with Russias ambassador to the United States. He had told a Senate committee that he did not have any contact with Russian officials.

Sessions said he did not believe he had misled the committee because he did not represent the Trump campaign at the meetings. But he said he should have mentioned the two meetings with the Russian ambassador.

He denied that the two meetings were related to the presidential campaign.

Investigations are underway over charges the Russian government hacked into Hillary Clinton and Democratic campaign computers and released embarrassing information to help winning candidate, Republican Donald Trump.

Sessions, as the federal governments top law enforcement official, would have overseen the investigation, unless he recused himself and turned over the investigation to someone else.

Sessions said his Justice Department staff had recommended that he recuse himself. He agreed with that recommendation and said it was the right thing to do because he was part of the Trump campaign.

Sessions said Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente will handle all matters related to any investigation into Russian interference with the presidential campaign.

On Thursday, Trump said he has "total" confidence in Jeff Sessions.

Trump told reporters he wasnt aware Sessions met with the Russian ambassador, but said he believed he had spoken truthfully to the Senate.

Before Sessions' announcement, some congressional Republicans said they agreed with Democrats that Sessions should not oversee the investigation. The two top congressional Democrats went further, saying Sessions should resign as Americans top law enforcement official because he misled Congress.

Why is this important?

Matthew Dallek is a political scientist at George Washington University in Washington D.C.

He said, Any attempt to manipulate the outcome of an election in a democracy is by definition a big deal.

And it has long been established, Dallek said, that when an attorney generals ability to conduct a fair and impartial investigation is questioned that someone else should take over.

Robin Kolodny is a professor and chair of the Political Science Department at Temple University in Pennsylvania. She said a fair investigation is important because Americans want to know if the Trump campaign encouraged or worked with Russian officials to release unfavorable information about Hillary Clinton and other Democrats.

Sessions, a longtime U.S. senator from Alabama, was one of the first members of Congress to back Trumps presidential campaign. He became a top campaign adviser, and after the election, Trump nominated him for attorney general.

Sessions says he did nothing wrong

The Washington Post centered its story on Sessions confirmation hearing on January 10 when Senator Al Franken of Minnesota asked what Sessions would do if he received evidence of contact between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.

Sessions answered, I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didnt have, did not have communications with the Russians, and Im unable to comment on it.

Franken said that, at the very least, Sessions had misled him and the Senate.

Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, had sent Sessions a written question asking if he had been in contract with any Russian officials about the 2016 election, either before or after election day?

Sessions replied with a single word, No. His aide, Sarah Flores, said he was being truthful to both Franken and Leahy. She said Sessions' contact with the Russian ambassador to the United States related to Senate responsibilities, not the Trump campaign.

The issue of how to respond to The Washington Post story about Sessions divided Republicans, who hold the majority in both houses of Congress. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was among the Republicans asking Sessions to give the investigation to someone else.

"Somebody other than Jeff needs to do it, Graham said.

But House Speaker Paul Ryan said that Sessions should recuse himself only if he is connected directly to the investigation.

Congressional Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said Sessions should resign.

Sessions is not fit to serve as the top law enforcement officer of our country and must resign, Pelosi said.

Bruce Alpert reported this story for VOA Learning English with additional materials from VOAs Ken Bredemeier and other sources. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page.

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Words in This Story

hack - v. to secretly get access to the files on a computer or network in order to get information

embarrassing - adj. information or actions that would make someone look bad or silly

recuse - v. to step aside from a job or responsibility

confidence - n. faith in someones ability to do a job

further - adv. to a greater degree or extent

manipulate - v. to use or change information in a skillful way or for a particular purpose

big deal - n. something of major importance

impartial - adj. not taking sides in a matter

surrogate - n. a person that represents someone or some group


United States officials have enforced a law called The Clean Air Act for more than half a century.

The measure gives the federal government power to control air pollution across the country.

Since 1963, the Clean Air Act has helped clean the air Americans breathe, control acid rain, and slow reductions in Earths ozone layer. The ozone layer helps protect people and other living things from the suns harmful radiation.

In recent years, Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama used the act to control carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Studies have linked those gases to rising temperatures and changes in Earths atmosphere.

Obama, in particular, sought to limit the amount of carbon dioxide American power stations could produce.

But President Donald Trump is not likely to continue on that path. Trump has questioned the reality of climate change. And, he suggests that federal environmental rules are hurting American businesses.

Environmental regulations under Trump

Trump is reportedly preparing to use executive orders to overturn some of Obama's policies on air and water quality. He already issued one this week: an order to cancel the Clean Water Rule.

The rule lets the federal government define what waters are protected under environmental regulations  such as small streams and wetlands that connect to a larger ecosystem.

Federal officials say the rule is meant to help landowners understand when to ask for government approval.

But critics say the Clean Water Rule gives the government too much power.

As Trump signed the executive order to repeal the rule, he said environmental regulators were "putting people out of jobs by the hundreds of thousands."

"It's a horrible, horrible rule," he said. "Has sort of a nice name, but everything else is bad."

The EPA under Trump

Trump has also appointed someone who is not sure that people cause climate change to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA is the federal agency that makes sure the regulations created by the Clean Air Act are followed.

Before he became the EPAs director, Scott Pruitt took the agency to court more than a dozen times.

As the top lawyer for the state of Oklahoma, he argued the federal government did not have the power to control greenhouse gas emissions as much as it did.

Pruitt spoke to EPA workers last month. He said the EPA and the nation can support energy, jobs, and the environment. We do not need to choose, he said.

More recently, Pruitt told conservative political activists that the EPA does some important work on air and water quality. But, he said, the Obama administration was so concerned about climate change that it neglected those activities.

Another one for the courts?

Supporters of rules aimed at slowing climate change say questions about the EPAs authority will likely end up in the courts.

Tomas Carbonell is with the Environmental Defense Fund, a not-for-profit group. He says the Clean Air Act is one of the strongest examples of environmental legislation in the world.

Carbonell says the act has also made the U.S. a global leader in pollution control technologies that are really helping to generate investments and jobs here at home."

He is sure that EPA programs have strong legal and scientific support. He notes the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled three times that the Clean Air Act gives the EPA the right to deal with the threat of climate change.

But in 2016, the Supreme Court stopped a piece of climate change legislation. That measure would have forced U.S. power centers to cut their pollution by one-third.

The Court said the law has to wait until a lower court decides whether the EPA has the right to make those new regulations.

Now, under the new Trump Administration, it is unclear what will happen.

In a speech to conservative activists last week, Trump said he would protect the environment. He has yet to say what steps he plans to take.

Im Anne Ball.

Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

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Words in This Story

acid rain - n. rain that contains dangerous chemicals because of smoke from cars and factories

ozone layer - n. a layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere that prevents dangerous radiation from the Sun from reaching the surface of the Earth

greenhouse gas - n. a layer of gases, such as carbon dioxide, that trap the warmth from the sun in the Earth's atmosphere

executive order - n. an order that comes from the U.S. president or a government agency and must be obeyed like a law

ecosystem - n. a community of organisms and their surroundings that act as a unit

regulator - n. people who oversee enforcement of an official rule or law

emission - n. producing or sending out something, such as energy or gas

authority - n. the power to give orders or make decisions : the power or right to direct or control someone or something


A former acting director of the Central Intelligence Agency recently spoke to VOA about the killing of Kim Jong Nam in Malaysia.

He said the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was murdered to stop any effort to remove the current leadership of the country.

Forty-five-year-old Kim Jong Nam died on February 13th. Malaysian officials say two women poisoned him at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia.

Police say the women put VX nerve agent on Kims face. VX is a very powerful chemical weapon banned by the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention.

Police in Kuala Lumpur arrested the women and a North Korean citizen last month. On Friday, Malaysias national police chief said the North Korean held in connection with the case had been released. However, Malaysian officials say they want to talk to seven other North Koreans -- including a diplomat based in Kuala Lumpur.

Police in Malaysia have not said that North Korea planned or carried out the murder.

A North Korean official suggested that Kim Jong Nam died of a heart attack. Malaysias national police chief said that was not the case according to police experts.

The South Korean government has accused the North Korean leader of ordering the killing of his half-brother.

John McLaughlin was the acting director of the CIA from July to September 2004 and the deputy director from 2000 to 2004. He worked at the CIA for 30 years. He says North Korea likely planned and carried out the attack because of the method used by the women.

Its very hard for someone not connected to a state entity -- a nation-state -- to obtain the kind of poison that was apparently used.

At one time, Kim Jong Nam was believed to be the choice of former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il to rule the country. Kim Jong Il was the leader of North Korea from 1994 until he died in 2011.

Kim Jong Nam has lived outside of North Korea since 2001.

McLaughlin now teaches at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He told VOA that the reason Kim Jong Nam was killed was the North Korean leadership wanted to make sure there is not an alternative readily available (to replace) Kim Jong Un.

McLaughlin said the North particularly would want to make sure that China would not have someone handy that they could install in the event Kim Jong Un was removed or fell from power.

The murder has caused many to wonder if the North Korean leadership is stable. But McLaughlin said it is important not to speculate about the Norths leadership. However, he said a series of executions carried out by Kim Jong Un since he became the head of the government could mean he might not have complete control over the country.

The killing was reported throughout the world because it took place at one of the busiest airports in Asia. Many observers asked why such a place was chosen.

Its probably seen as a more, a place where what they were doing would be less easily noticed just from the general turmoil of an airport.

McLaughlin called the attack an alarming event because the banned chemical is believed to have been used in a public place to kill someone.

Experts say China wanted Kim Jong Nam to be a member of the North Korean leadership. So, McLaughlin says, his murder puts China in a difficult position.

McLaughlin said the United States should name North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism if it is found to be responsible for the killing. The United States named the North a state sponsor of terrorism after it was determined that it bombed a South Korean airliner in 1987, killing 115 crew and passengers.

In 2008, the U.S. said the North was no longer a terrorism sponsor. This removal from the list of countries that support terrorism was part of an agreement in which the North agreed to disable its plutonium plant and permit some inspections of its nuclear facilities.

After reports of the killing in Kuala Lumpur, some American lawmakers are calling on the Trump administration to cancel that decision.

Im John Smith.

VOA News Writer Jenny Lee reported this story from Washington. John Smith adapted the story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

nerve agent  n. a poison that is used as a weapon in war

entity  n. an organization; something that exists by itself; something that is separate from other things

alternative  n. something that can be chosen instead of something else; a choice or option

handy  adj. near or close

install  v. to put (someone) in an official or important job

speculate  v. to think about something and make guesses about it; to form ideas or theories about something usually when there are many things not known about it

sponsor  n. supporter
Privacy groups have raised concerns about a possible U.S. policy to ask visitors to provide social media account information and passwords at the border.

Such border checks do not follow existing legal rules and violate the privacy rights of travelers, the groups say.

The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, John Kelly, recently spoke on the issue during a hearing in the U.S. House. He said U.S. officials were considering a new policy to examine social media data of U.S. visitors from certain countries.

If they come in, we want to say, for instance, which websites do you visit, and give us your passwords. We want to get on their social media, with passwords  what do you do, what do you say? If they dont want to cooperate, then they dont come in.

Kelly said the proposed policy is one of many being considered to prevent potentially dangerous people from entering the U.S. He said some people could also be asked to provide social media details during the application process before visiting America.

Emma Llanso is director of the Free Expression Project at the not-for-profit Center for Democracy & Technology. She says she was shocked to hear the government proposal was being considered.

The idea of conditioning travel to the U.S. on actually providing - not just information about your social media use - but actually your passwords and the ability for customs agents to review years worth of private e-mails or other communications that have nothing to do with your admissibility into the country, was just a really concerning precedent.

President Donald Trump has called for stronger vetting procedures to keep out dangerous individuals and terrorists.

Electronic device search in place

A U.S. policy to allow border agents to search electronic devices was actually started by the previous administration of Barack Obama. It was put in place by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, which is overseen by the Department of Homeland Security.

According to the CBP, the number of electronic media searches greatly increased in 2016  Obamas last year in office. They went from 4,764 in 2015 to 23,877 a year later, the agency said.

A senior Customs and Border Protection official told the Associated Press there has been no change in that policy under the Trump administration. The official added that despite the increase, the number of searches amounts to less than one-hundredth of 1 percent of all international arrivals to the U.S.

But some groups are still concerned with the rise in device searches at U.S. borders. Esha Bhandari is an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union or ACLU. She says the ACLU is currently seeking answers on why this is still going on for foreign visitors, as well as some American citizens too.

The big concern here is more and more numbers of Americans and foreign visitors to the U.S. travel with smart devices that contain almost their entire lives on those devices - financial information, health information and sensitive personal communications.

Social media information for visa waiver program

Some foreign visitors who frequently come to the U.S. are asked to provide social media information with their applications. These individuals who regularly visit the U.S. for business or tourism purposes are allowed to stay for up to 90 days without a visa.



The users of this system, called the Visa Waiver Program, are asked to list social media services they use and provide user names, but not passwords.

U.S. officials recently announced plans to also add long-term Chinese visa holders to the list of applicants asked to voluntarily provide social media account information.

Emma Llanso said even though providing this information is not mandatory  either at the border or on an application beforehand  it still puts great pressure on people to comply.

You're being asked these questions and you think, I had better fill out this form as completely as possible, because I don't want to give customs officials any excuse or reason to reject my application.

The ACLUs Esha Bhandari says she fears changes in U.S. policies would cause other nations to also put in place new requirements regarding personal data collection.

If sharing social media information becomes a norm for international travel, obviously that's going to affect what people feel free to say online. The Internet has really developed as a forum where people are free to speak out. It's an amazing forum, and a very democratizing forum, and this trend risks turning it into a largely monitored space.

Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, has questioned the legality of government searches of devices and social media. He recently wrote a letter to Kelly expressing opposition to any future policies for visitors to provide social media passwords.

Wyden is also proposing legislation that would require border agents to get a warrant to search personal devices at the border. It would also bar law enforcement from seeking social media account information and passwords.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn reported this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Do you think governments are justified in asking foreign visitors to provide social media information and passwords at the border? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

precedent  n. something that happens and can be used as an example or rule to be followed in the future

vet  v. investigate someones background thoroughly

mandatory  adj. required because of a law or rule

comply  v. do what you have been asked or ordered to do

monitor  v. watch something very carefully over time

warrant  n. document issued by a court that gives police the authority to do something




English learners know that prepositions can be difficult to master. There are 94 one-word prepositions in English, and about 56 prepositions with two or more words, called complex prepositions. This adds up to 150 chances to make mistakes.

We cannot, of course, explain the small differences between all 150 prepositions here. We can, however, provide you with a few explanations of different prepositions that use one particular verb: provide.

Provide (someone) with:

When provide is followed by an indirect object, English speakers use the preposition with. Providing (someone) with something means to give something wanted or needed.

Here is an example sentence, written by [former] U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama: Room to Read provides girls with scholarships that cover the cost of housing, food, and books.

In this sentence, girls is the indirect object and scholarships is the direct object.

Provide for:

Another preposition with the same verb is provide for. Provide for, in general, means to make whatever is necessary for someone available to him or her. We often use this expression when we talk about parents providing for their family.

In a VOA Learning English story about a Cambodian-American filmmaker, we used the preposition in this way: She says changes such as migration away from rural areas are allowing more women to find work and provide for their families.

This preposition can also be used in other ways. Provide for can mean to make it possible for something to happen in the future. For example, in our story about water shortage in California, we wrote, They say it [California] needs to find a way to provide for the growing need for water.

Provide (something) to/for:

When provide is followed by a direct object, English speakers can use the prepositions to or for. Provide (something) to/for (someone) means that you deliver or give something to someone. For example, The company provides health insurance to all of its employees. Health insurance is the direct object and employees is the indirect object. In this example, we also could have said The company provides health insurance for all of its employees.

Both of these sentences are correct, but it is more common to use provide (something) for than provide (something to) someone. The expression using to is rather new to American English, according to the Internet application Google Ngrams.

Google Ngrams is an app that shows general changes in English usage by searching all the words in Googles digital books.

The graph on Ngram for provide (something) to shows it was hardly ever used before 1960.

Compare that to the Ngram graph for provide (something for). The expressions appear more often. The expressions also appeared much earlier, around 1920. They were used then almost as often as they are used now.

Understanding English prepositions can be difficult, even for native speakers! But we hope that we have been able to provide assistance to all of our listeners and readers.

Im Kelly Jean Kelly.

Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

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Words in This Story

prepositions - n. a word or group of words that is used with a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show direction, location, or time, or to introduce an object

direct object - n. a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase which indicates the person or thing that receives the action of a verb

indirect object - n. a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that occurs in addition to a direct object after some verbs and indicates the person or thing that receives what is being given or done
On Nov. 1, Linn Benton Food Shares warehouse in Tangent received two truckloads of food and household supplies arranged by the local branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This website is inclusive of tolerant people of all faiths, without exception. Neither anti-Semitism nor Islamophobia nor homophobia should ever be acceptable to anyone. We must all strive to live in peace and harmony with each other, regardless of religious affiliations, or none. Intolerance is the mother of strife and conflict.   Mark Alexander

We Britons are Europeans!Wir Briten sind Europaer! Nous, les Britanniques, sommes europeens !  Mark AlexanderEmail me at:markalexander.librabunda@gmail.com
It was a rare night out for Jewish women in Abuja.

Spa for the Soul marked the opening of the newly constructed Abuja mikveh, with an all-inclusive spa night featuring manicurists, masseuses, yoga and pilates instructors, jewelry designers and more.

The event drew forty women from both Abuja and nearby Lagos, an hour by plane, as well several women from Ghana. Some 80 Jewish families live in Abuja and Lagos, a number that fluctuates as businessmen, travelers, and seasonal residents come and go.

Completion of the mikveh, the first in Nigeria, did not come easily to Rabbi Israel and Haya Uzan, Chabad emissaries to the country, and now that its done, Haya is focusing on communicating the tradition and dispelling misconceptions that surround it. Its an ongoing effort, because the women come and go, she says.

Lack of knowledge is a recurring issue so education about the mitzvah of mikveh and what it entails is key. At first, many people were skeptical, says Uzan. Who is going to use the mikveh? they asked. Its too complicated. Some women thought the observance of the practice of mikveh involved collective bathingthey were hesitant about even attending the spa event.

Working under the leadership of the head Chabad emissary of Central Africa, Rabbi Shlomo Bentolila, the Hazans began construction on the mikveh 18 months ago, but building anything in Nigeria, let alone a westernized mikveh planned according to halachic specifications, comes with a unique set of challenges.

Many parts of the mikveh had to be redone due to low quality of work. We had to teach the Nigerian construction workers how to read the plans properly. And high-quality materialsa scarcity in Nigeriahad to be imported from Europe.

The mikveh is built on land provided by Israeli businessman Eyal Mesika of security firm EMI. Further assistance came from businessmen Avi Abecassis and Eli Goldar of construction company Gilmor, who helped with the funding, as well as many other sponsors who contributed to the campaign.

Construction was supervised by mikveh expert Rabbi Gershon Grossbaum and representatives of Keren Mikvaot. It was designed with the help of professional interior designers working remotely from France.

The finished product was well worth the wait. When women at the opening saw it, they were so surprised and excited to find such a beautiful structure in Nigeria, Uzan who, until the opening of the new mikveh, had either to use the Atlantic Ocean in the port city of Lagos, or fly to France, a five-hour plane trip, to make use of a mikveh there.

Community member Mor Aviad agrees. The dedication ceremony was a holistic experience, a purification of the body and the soul, she explains. Every activity at the event was connected to the subject of renewal. It was an important reminder of the place of faith in our lives, and, of course, a reminder that each woman needs some quality time.

Aviad, who lives in Nigeria with her husband and three children, adds that she is very relieved to have a Jewish Chabad playgroup in Nigeria, where her youngest daughter is enrolled, to help her children connect with their heritage and their homeland, Israel.

Seeing the state-of-the-art mikveh in person, says Uzan, is an important step in the right direction. Slowly but surely, Jewish women of West Africa are using this clean and modern oasis in the Nigerian desert as they take ownership of ancient practice.

To learn more about Chabad of Nigeria, visit their website at www.JewishNigeria.com.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has arrested a woman in the 2015 shooting death of a man involved in a love triangle.

Arrest in 2015 murder

Priscilla Houck arrested, charged with fatally shooting Christopher Wayne Rotenberger

Houck and Rotenberger were dating the same woman

According to deputies, Priscilla "Dawn" Houck shot and killed Christopher Wayne Rotenberger outside his Seminole home on Nov. 11, 2015 after Houck discovered girlfriend Stephanie Dalrymple was pregnant with Rotenberger's child.

Dalrymple was involved in relationships with both Houck, 38, and Rotenberger, 24, authorities said.

Houck, who was arrested Thursday in St. Petersburg, is facing first-degree murder charges.

The arrest comes after a 16-month investigation into the shooting.

Deputies said Houck was identified as the shooter by a person who sold her a gun days before the shooting. Authorities said Houck also argued with Rotenberger days before his death.

Dalrymple, 24, is not facing any charges in the killing.
A Cuban immigrant, who got his start cooking in a prison as he fought Fidel Castros regime, is opening a restaurant in Lutz.

Cuban immigrant opens La Yuma in Lutz

Upscale restaurant with homestyle food

Menu features family recipes

La Yuma, located on 16411 N. Florida Avenue, has upscale food with a traditional flair.

Most of the recipes are from owner Jose Pepe Diaz and his family.

Pepe spent one year in a Cuban prison and four years in a concentration camp until the United States ordered Cuba to release its prisoners. His daughter, translating Pepes words to English, said he was imprisoned for fighting against the Castro regime.

It was in prison where he began to learn to cook.

After he was released, Pepe eventually moved to Key West where he met his wife Tania. They both worked at the same restaurant. Years later, they opened their own restaurant there, and it still thrives today.

Thirty years later, Pepe and Tanias daughter Thania and her husband Ashley Clevenger are following in the family footsteps as part owners of La Yuma.

The family said they chose to bring the restaurant to Lutz for a special reason.

When we decided to open a restaurant, a lot of people pushed us to West Tampa or Ybor. We said no, thats surrounded by Cuban restaurants and its not our neighborhood. Lutz is our neighborhood, and this is our home, said Thania.

The family said the small town atmosphere and low traffic reminds them of the Key West of yesteryear.

La Yuma was welcomed to the community with open arms during its grand opening event Thursday.

The Diaz family knows they are truly living the American dream.

In current times when people talk about refugees or immigrants in such a negative light, I want to remind people this is an immigrant story. We are as American as any American can be, said Thania Diaz-Clevenger.
Described as the continent of opportunity for the 21st century, the focus of the business world has started shifting increasingly to Africa. This is possibly most evident in the hospitality sector, with global hotel companies aggressively expanding on the continent.

Image by 123RF

We at Marriott International have looked to the promise of the Middle East and Africa region for a good few years now, explains Alex Kyriakidis, President, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International. Our presence in the Middle East is now substantial and constantly growing, and we began a rollout of new properties in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2014, with the acquisition of South African-based Protea Hotels.

That move immediately projected us into the top spot in terms of hotel companies presence on the continent. The more recent acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts has provided Marriott with an even greater footprint in Africa.

Kyriakidis points to the significant change in parts of the sub-continent, where particular countries are enjoying political stability, and are free of conflict, for the first time in recent years. This allows for economic growth, and a consequent increase in business travel. At the same time, the international leisure traveller has demonstrated enthusiasm for visiting many parts of the continent, too.

Increasing travel within and into the continent is heavily dependent on air access, and many airlines have added new flights to various parts of the sub-continent. However, there is still room for increasing air access even further.

Population growth in Africa is significant  increasing by over 30 million people a year  and in certain parts of the continent, this comes together with increasing wealth. A new middle class is emerging  offering great potential for the hospitality industry in the years to come. This is a new market for both regional travel, and for outbound travel from the continent.

We are also seeing a realisation among some governments that they need to diversify their economies so that they do not continue to rely so heavily on resources. They understand the benefits that tourism can bring, Kyriakidis says, noting in particular the stance of Rwanda, a state which is welcoming business and opening up significantly to tourism.

The latest plans for expansion on the continent certainly reflect Marriotts confidence in the region. South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda and Kenya are earmarked for substantial new hotel developments, and the company is also looking at opportunities in new markets such as Madagascar, Mauritius and Senegal.

Our presence is geared to provide accommodation and business conferencing facilities to a wide variety of market segments, Kyriakidis continues, explaining that, The growth will happen in major gateway cities, commercial centres, as well as in resort destinations.

An announcement is expected soon about a new Marriott-branded venue in South Africa, which remains at the forefront of Marriotts African presence.
The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) industry is booming in Africa, with countries investing millions of dollars to construct or renovate existing conference facilities. This is largely influenced by the recognition of the continent as a preferred tourist destination, not only for leisure but also for business.

The just concluded Meetings Africa Conference that brought together business events representatives from across Africa, is rather a stamp on the continent as the best place to hold conferences and meetings in 2017. Here are five of Africa's best conference centers for your next event, both international and domestic (in no particular order).

Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)  Kenya

Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)  Kenya: Image by Nick Fox Photo by Jumia Travel

Located in Kenya's capital city, Nairobi, KICC as is popularly known has a capacity of 5,000 delegates. Nairobi was voted Africa's leading Meetings & Conference Destination at the World Travel Awards 2016. In 2014, the Kenyan government announced the construction of the largest convention center in Africa, the Bomas International Conference, and Exhibitions Centre at a cost of approximately $561million. With a 10,000-delegate capacity and 15,000 capacity exhibition space, the center will boost Kenya's efforts in becoming Africa's leading conference tourism destination

Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center, Kigali - Rwanda

Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center, Kigali - Rwanda Photo by Jumia Travel

While this is not purely a conference center on its own, the Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center, Kigali is creating a buzz in Rwanda's conference tourism, hosting major international events. The state-of-the-art auditorium that can accommodate more than 2,500 delegates and is only 5 kilometers drive from the Kigali International Airport. Luxury accommodation is available in the hotel, making guests movement seamless during the events/conferences, thus convenience.

Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg - South Africa

Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg - South Africa: Image by tsogosun.com Photo by Jumia Travel

Whether a mini business meeting with a small delegation, or a 4,500 guests conference, Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg - South Africa is the ultimate destination. It has ample exhibition space of 11,000 square meters on two levels, making it a preference for all kinds of events.

ECA Conference Center, Addis Ababa  Ethiopia

ECA Conference Center, Addis Ababa  Ethiopia: Image by events.uneca.org Photo by Jumia Travel

Referred to as Africa's political capital, Addis Ababa is the home of the ECA (Economic Commission for Africa) Conference Center. It is convenient for leaders holding strategic meetings especially concerning Africa. ECA is a hi-tech and well secured conference center with a touch of Ethiopia's renowned architecture. It's situated next to the Africa Hall and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) offices in Ethiopia's capital.

The Palmeraie International Conference Centre  Morocco

The Palmeraie International Conference Centre  Morocco: Image by Palmeraie Resorts Photo by Jumia Travel

If you are the adventurous kind looking for a sense of aesthetic appeal to your conferences/meetings, then the Palmeraie Conference Center in North African country of Morocco is your best conference destination. Housed in a new-generation palace in the heart of the Palmeraie area in Marrakech, the center is intricately constructed in unique style that blends perfectly with its modern technological installations. It can accommodate approximately 1,500 delegates.
Dubai (United Arab Emirates)  Movenpick Hotels & Resorts has announced that it has entered into a management agreement with Karan Gulf Services, for a new hotel within Saudi Arabia's Wa'ad Al Shamal industrial city. The 237-room hotel is planned as the largest hotel project within Wa'ad Al Shamal City, as well as the entire northern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The city itself, located about 30 kilometres from Turaif is being developed by Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden) and covers 450 square kilometres in Saudi Arabia's Northern Frontier. It will host approximately 100,000 residents. The city will tap into the region's significant phosphate reserves and will support and provide extensive opportunities to many upstream and downstream industries, which have already been anchored by major global players including Saudi Aramco, SABIC and SCECO. These companies will provide the infrastructure necessary to initiate the project and stimulate further activities relating to phosphate mining. The mineral industry is set to become the third pillar of the Kingdom's economy after oil and petrochemical, in line with the country's Vision 2030.

Set to open in the second half of 2018, Movenpick Hotel Wa'ad Al Shamal, whilst primarily targeting the corporate market, will also provide a resort feel. The property will offer three food and beverage outlets, extensive meeting and event space, male and female wellness areas as well as recreation facilities, designed to serve hotel guests, the community of Wa'ad Al Shamal and the northern region.

"We are proud to have been selected as the hotel operator for this fantastic project in the region" said Andreas Mattmuller, Chief Operating Officer, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, Middle East and South Asia. "We firmly support the government's vision of economic diversification. Considering the current lack of upscale accommodation, we see the development of this hotel as strategically important to the continued growth of the city. Furthermore, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts will be the first international upscale hotel in the northern region of Saudi Arabia and this new signing will consolidate our position as one of the strongest international hotel brands in the country and the Middle East."

Abdulrahman bin Fahad bin Abdul Latif al Jabr, Managing Director of Karan Gulf Services stated, "We are extremely happy to be partnering with Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, in our quest to develop the northern region of the country and support the local communities. Together, we will provide approximately 100 employment opportunities to male and female Saudi Arabian nationals living close to the project. The development of this hotel will have much a wider and far-reaching positive economic impact in the northern region, and will act as a platform upon which other businesses can grow. We are also extremely grateful to Ma'aden for giving us the opportunity to develop this project in a city that is destined to change the economic profile of the entire country."

Movenpick Hotels & Resorts already operates 11 hotels in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Five more projects in the country will be launched in the next three years. They are Movenpick Residences Al Khobar, Movenpick Hotel & Apartments Al Tahlia Jeddah, Movenpick Hotel Financial District Riyadh, Movenpick Hotel Heraa Jeddah and Movenpick Hotel Wa'ad Al Shamal.

About Movenpick Hotels & Resorts

Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, an international

upscale hotel management company with over 16"000 staff members, is represented in 24 countries with 83 hotels, resorts and Nile cruisers currently in operation. Around 20 properties are planned or under construction, including Chiang Mai (Thailand), Bali (Indonesia) and Nairobi (Kenia). Focusing on expansion in its core markets of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts specialises in business and conference hotels, as well as holiday resorts, all reflecting a sense of place and respect for their local communities.

Of Swiss heritage and headquartered in central Switzerland (Baar), Movenpick Hotels & Resorts is

passionate about delivering premium service and culinary enjoyment  all with a personal touch. Committed to sustainable environments, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts has become the most Green Globe certified hotel company in the world. The hotel company is owned by the Movenpick Holding (66.7%) and the Kingdom Group (33.3%). For more information please visit www.movenpick.com

Laura Perez Diaz

Director of Communications - ME

+971-4-367-1927

Movenpick
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Nations and philanthropists pledged close to USD200 million yesterday for family planning at an international conference that aimed to make up for the gap left by President Donald Trumps ban on U.S. funding to groups linked to abortion.

Some 50 governments attended the hastily convened one-day conference in Brussels and the funding drive was boosted by Sweden, Canada and Finland each promising 20 million euros ($21 million). Private donors like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided tens of millions more.

Conference host and Belgian Deputy Premier Alexander De Croo said one anonymous U.S. donor committed $50 million, pushing the total up to a provisional 181 million euros ($190 million).

One of Trumps first acts as president was to withhold an estimated half billion dollars a year in funding from international groups that perform abortions or provide information about them. The Trump administration said the ban is necessary because it doesnt want to provide funds for something it considers morally wrong.

Officials in many European nations and around the world say the move just hurts women and girls who need family planning the most and will lead to more abortions, not less.

The purely ideological decision of one country can push women and girls back into the Dark Ages, said conference host Belgian Deputy Premier Alexander De Croo.

We will start making something great again, he said of the drive to boost family planning policies in developing nations, riffing off Trumps make America great again campaign slogan.

Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands had already committed to contributing at least 10 million euros each. African and Asian countries were also the conference, as well as officials from the European Union and the United Nations and private donors.

Finnish Development Minister Kai Mykkanen said the U.S moves threaten to suspend a large number of projects helping to defend the health of millions of girls, even helping to save their lives. We respond to the situation fraught with distress by investing in the improvement of womens and girls rights even more than before.

The conference stressed that abortion was only a small part of family planning in developing nations. It emphasized the need for more sex education and more availability of contraceptives and warned about the dangers of sexually related diseases and of female genital mutilation. It also backed sexual rights, so women and girls can stand up for the inviolability of their bodies.

U.S. bans on funding international groups that perform or even talk about abortions have been instituted by Republican administrations and rescinded by Democratic ones since 1984. Former President Barack Obama last lifted it in 2009. But under Trump, the ban has been massively expanded.

Participants said that instead of decreasing abortions, when bans were in place, the number of involuntarily pregnancies and abortions increased. AP
The USD600 million Imperial Pacific casino-hotel in Saipan is scheduled to open by the end of the month, though the company responsible for operating it, Best Sunshine International, has analysts and investors concerned over the accuracy of reported revenue from its temporary casino, which it claims measures in the billions.

Last year the company reported that it took in more than USD32 billion (about MOP256 billion) from high-rollers at just 16 VIP tables. Meanwhile, scores of casinos in Macau recorded a combined USD28 billion in gaming revenues (MOP223 billion) during the same year.

However, according to a Forbes article authored by Asian gaming writer Muhammad Cohen, the casinos impressive VIP returns have spurned skepticism from industry analysts and former gaming regulators who suspect the figures might be manipulated to distort the companys true market value.

According to Imperial Pacific reports, every month some 100 VIP visitors contribute an average of $27 million each to its revenue, while each of its 16 VIP tables generates a daily average of $5.6 million in bets. That figure is estimated to be four times greater than that recorded in Macau prior to the gaming slump.

However some research analysts are concerned that unpaid debts from players may add up to almost 90 percent of the resorts VIP revenue, compared to the Asian average of just 14 percent, representing a substantial liability to the company.

There are also mounting concerns that, should the integrated resort not open at the end of this month as scheduled, regulators may consider revoking the companys license to operate.

The integrated resort slated to open this month is valued at around $7 billion, or one-third of Cotai 2.0.

Imperial Pacific International Holdings, which owns the casino through its subsidiary Best Sunshine International, is majority-owned by Hong Kong billionaire Cui Lijie.

Rumors are circling that Best Sunshine CEO Mark Brown will be moving to chairman of the company, making way for its current chief operating officer, Kwong Yiu-ling, to take up the CEOs post. Kwong has a history in Macau, having spent three decades with SJM holdings before working as an executive at the Altira Macau and as executive vice president of casino operations at MGM Macau.

Saipan is not much further away than Macau by air travel, for high-rollers based in either Beijing or Shanghai, but is significantly closer than other casino destinations in the region, like Singapore or Cambodia.
China, which tightly censors the internet, called yesterday for a new model for governing the web based on rules and order rather than the unfettered access seen in democratic societies.

Speaking in Beijing, foreign ministry and cyberspace affairs officials made Chinas latest argument for being a global leader in managing the internet. Unveiling the countrys first cyber policy paper, they also stated that China would beef up its cyberwarfare capacities to defend against hacking and other foreign threats.

Cyberattacks, cyber espionage, surveillance have become major issues confronting all countries, said the coordinator for the foreign ministrys cyber affairs division, Long Zhou.

China has long defended its right to impose own standards in cyber fields such as censorship, data privacy and business regulation in the name of national security. The new policy paper effectively codified the Communist Party leaderships claim that countries should wield sovereign authority over all cyber-related matters within their territory.

Describing the internet as rife with subversive thought, religious extremism, pornography, fake news and financial scams, Long said China stands ready to work together with Russia and BRICS partners, as well as other countries on new governance measures.

BRICS is an organization of large emerging economies grouping Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. China is hosting its annual summit this year as part of efforts to elevate the groups international status.

China made a major push for global internet leadership at a conference it hosted in 2015 in the eastern town of Wuzhen. In a keynote address, President Xi Jinping said that while there was the need to respect freedom of expression, the world also needed to create a fine cyberspace order following relevant laws.

The new policy paper emerges as the countrys leaders have talked up Beijings desire to be a world leader in economic globalization and diplomatic multilateralism, at a time with President Donald Trump is questioning trade agreements and pushing his own brand of American economic nationalism. China is seen as sensing an opportunity to bolster its influence and aggrandize its blend of authoritarian politics, strict social controls and limited free market economics.

The sovereignty argument has underpinned Chinas justification for a massive internet censorship apparatus that critics say hampers free speech and open trade. Chinese officials have evangelized the concept at international forums in recent years, arguing that developing countries should join Beijing in demanding a greater say over global internet governance, which is currently dominated by the United States and liberal Western thinking.

Beijings sophisticated censorship tool, known as the Great Firewall, blocks a slew of foreign news sites and social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The government has broadened police powers to collect personal data for law enforcement and online discussion of sensitive topics such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown is quickly squelched by the censors.

The officials yesterday extended an invitation to the international community, saying that China, with the worlds largest online population and advanced technology, was willing to share its wisdom, experience and resources in governing the internet with other countries. They said developing nations were especially welcome to study the Chinese model, but that Beijing would not impose its values on countries with different traditions, cultural and national circumstances. AP
A Hawaii bill that sought to change the way commercial fishing licenses are granted died after industry representatives told lawmakers it would wreck the business.

The bill sought more oversight of the fishing industry, but thats the role of the federal government, not the state, said state Sen. Brian Tanighuchi, chairman of the Senate Committee on International Affairs and the Arts.

Two committees including Taniguchis deferred the bill indefinitely yesterday, killing it for the legislative session.

The bill sought to restrict commercial fishing licenses to people who are legally allowed to enter the U.S., a redundant move because that already is codified. But despite whats currently in the law, the state issues fishing licenses to the men.

The bill also would have required fishing license applicants to appear in person, creating a logistical barrier because most of Hawaiis foreign fishermen are confined to their boats. Supporters said that interaction would give foreign fishermen a chance to tell state officials if they were victims of human trafficking or having problems such as withheld wages.

Its hard to set up a whole government procedure to just maybe bump into that problem when you have a federal agency thats actually supposed to enforce that, Taniguchi said after the hearing.

The bill was introduced after an Associated Press investigation found some foreign fishermen working without most basic labor protections while catching premium seafood. The 2016 investigation also found that foreign fishermen were confined to the boats while docked in Honolulu.

The fishermen have to stay on or near their boats because they lack the proper visas or documents to legally enter the U.S.

Currently, fishing boat operators apply for licenses on behalf of the crew that cant leave the docks.

The Pacific Gateway Center, an anti-human trafficking group, said it has had direct contact with dozens of fishermen from the boats and heard allegations of human trafficking, beatings and a lack of food, water, toilet facilities and payment of full salaries.

The people who are victims will have no voice and no way of getting help, said Tin Myaing Thein, the groups director, after learning the bill died. These people will just go on the way they have been, and will continue to be exploited as before.

State Sen. Karl Rhoads, who introduced the bill, said there wasnt enough political support to pass the legislation.

Because the jurisdiction is so split up between the different agencies and different levels of government, its hard for the state to say we really have any serious jurisdiction over it, so people are saying youre trying to be the U.S. Department of Labor, Rhoads said about his proposal.

At a previous hearing, fishing industry officials said they would lose foreign workers and that hiring Americans for higher wages would drive up seafood costs if the bill passed.

We fight all the time pricewise with imports, said Jim Cook of the Hawaii Longline Association.

Cook and others said the states commercial fishing industry could shut down if the bill passed.

I think theyre probably right, Rhoads said Tuesday. They wouldnt be able to get visas [for the foreign workers] and they wont be able to get enough Americans to do it at a wage theyre willing to pay.

A House bill to require the state to collect contracts between fishermen and their overseas employers is still alive, but faces an upcoming legislative deadline. Cathy Bussewitz, Honolulu, AP
A North Korean man will be released from custody because of lack of evidence connecting him to the fatal nerve agent attack on Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half brother of North Koreas ruler, Malaysian officials said yesterday. In a major fallout from the assassination, Malaysia also announced it was scrapping visa-free travel for North Koreans.

Officials never said why they arrested Ri Jong Chol four days after Kim was attacked at Kuala Lumpurs bustling airport. Yesterday, Malaysian Attorney General Mohamad Apandi Ali said Ri will be released and deported because he does not have valid travel documents.

The attack was caught on grainy security camera footage that showed two women smearing something on Kims face as he waited for a flight in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 13. Malaysian officials say the substance was VX nerve agent, a banned chemical weapon.

Kim was dead within an hour as the fast-acting poison coursed through his body, authorities say. No bystanders reported falling ill.

The poisoning has unleashed a serious diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. While it isnt one of Pyongyangs key diplomatic partners, Malaysia has been one of the few places in the world where North Koreans could travel without a visa. As a result, for years, its been a quiet destination for Northerners looking for jobs, schools and business deals.

That could all begin to change in the wake of Kims death.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the visa-free arrangement with North Korea will be scrapped from Monday due to national security. He also slammed the North Korean ambassador in Kuala Lumpur who accused Malaysia of trying to conceal something and colluding with hostile forces.

We dont want to make enemies, but if they had used Malaysia for their own agenda, they should not accuse Malaysia and tarnish our image on the international stage, Zahid said. We will act firmly to guarantee the safety of our people. Dont ever use Malaysia as a base to do anything you like.

The two female suspects caught in the security footage were charged with murder in a Malaysian court Wednesday. They face the mandatory death sentence if convicted. Both say they were duped into thinking they were taking part in a harmless prank.

I understand but I am not guilty, Vietnamese suspect Doan Thi Huong told the court in English after the murder charge was read.

The other suspect, Indonesian Siti Aisyah, nodded as her translator told her, You are accused of murdering a North Korean man at the departure hall of Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The women did not enter pleas because the magistrate court where they appeared has no jurisdiction over a murder case. Lead prosecutor Iskandar Ahmad told the court he will ask for the case to be transferred to a higher court and for the women to be tried together.

In the surveillance video, Huong was seen clearly in a T-shirt with LOL emblazoned across the front. Both women were originally from modest farming villages and had moved to their countries capitals seeking a better life.

Also Wednesday, the court approved a gag order to prevent police and potential witnesses from making public statements about the case.

North Korea is widely speculated to be behind the killing, particularly after Malaysia said that VX had killed Kim. Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory.

North Koreas official news agency called that finding the height of absurdity on Wednesday, saying the two women could not have used such a deadly toxin without killing or sickening themselves and anyone around them.

North Korea opposed Malaysian officials even conducting an autopsy on Kim, while Malaysia has resisted giving up the body without getting DNA samples and confirmation from next of kin.

Kim is believed to have two sons and a daughter with two women living in Beijing and Macau. Authorities are seeking seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom fled the country the day of Kims death and are believed to be back in North Korea. Others sought include the second secretary of North Koreas Embassy and an employee of North Koreas state-owned airline, Air Koryo.

Kim Jong Nam was estranged from his half brother, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He reportedly fell out of favor with their father, the late Kim Jong Il, in 2001, when he was caught trying to enter Japan on a false passport to visit Tokyo Disneyland.

Isolated North Korea has a long history of ordering killings of people it views as threats to its regime. Kim Jong Nam was not known to be seeking political power, but his position as eldest son of the family that has ruled North Korea since it was founded could have made him appear to be a danger. Eileen Ng, Kuala Lumpur, AP
The heavy-set man got out of a taxi one night last September and headed for the lobby bar of the swank Wynn Macau  a quiet place, where women are often in evening dresses and gamblers can relax with USD300 Cuban cigars. He was dressed casually. There were no bodyguards, no flashy women.

It wasnt what youd expect of a man once tipped to be the next dictator of North Korea.

Kim Jong Nam had spent years in exile, gambling and drinking and arranging the occasional business deal as he traveled across Asia and Europe. In recent years, his fortunes had apparently declined, and hed moved his family from a luxurious seafront condominium complex in Macau to a more affordable apartment building. He was looking for company when he bumped into a friend outside the Wynn.

He wanted us to join him because he didnt want to drink alone, said an insider in Macaus gambling industry who was introduced to Kim that night by a mutual friend. In a city awash in new money and Chinese gamblers flaunting their wealth, Kim was low-key and polite, making no mention of his powerful family.

It just seemed odd that the son of a dictator would just be  you wouldnt know him from an average dude on the street, said the insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity, not wanting to alienate the city-states gambling fraternity, where privacy is deeply valued.

Kim may have seemed easygoing, but he had reason to worry. Hed known for years that his younger half brother, now the ruler of North Korea, had ordered him hunted down, South Korean intelligence officials say.

On a Monday morning in mid-February, that order apparently was carried out.

Kim was walking through Kuala Lumpurs cavernous budget airport terminal, a few steps past a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop, when a pair of women who Malaysian prosecutors say were recruited by a team of North Koreans approached him.

At least one of the women suddenly wiped a powerful toxin on Kims face, smearing him with VX nerve agent before quickly walking away. Minutes later, after walking to the airports medical clinic, Kim went into convulsions.

A few minutes after that, as an ambulance rushed him to a hospital, Kim Jong Nam died. He was 45 years old.

Kims mother was one of North Koreas most famous movie stars. His father was the dictator-

prince of North Korea, a deeply isolated country where the same family has been in power since 1948 and the rulers are worshipped in all-encompassing cults of personality.

But Kim Jong Nams grandfather, the founding ruler Kim Il Sung, didnt approve of his mother, and refused to allow his parents to marry. So Kim spent his childhood in luxurious isolation, hidden from his grandfather, shuttled among Pyongyang mansions and watched over by platoons of bodyguards. When his mother fell ill, reportedly suffering from depression, she was sent to Moscow for treatment and Kim was raised by his maternal aunt.

In those days, his father, Kim Jong Il, loved him deeply, almost desperately. He rocked his son to sleep, and cooed to him the way a mother calms a crying baby, the aunt, Song Hye-rang, wrote in a memoir after she defected to South Korea in the 1990s.

At some point in his childhood, Kim Jong Nam left home, spending years living either with his mother or in boarding schools in Moscow and Geneva. He came back as a worldly teenager, a young man conversant in a string of languages who found himself back in the walled-off mansions and with just a cousin, his aunts daughter, for company.

They had nothing to do. They had no place to go, Song wrote in her memoir. They would occasionally be driven around the city, but werent allowed out of the car. At the seaside, theyd be kept in a sealed-

off area where they experienced the sorrow of being on the vast empty beach.

By that time, Kim Jong Il also had another family, with a dancer named Ko Yong-hui who gave birth to the current ruler, and his brother and sister. Kim Jong Il, who succeeded his father in 1994, shifted what Song called his abnormal, tearful love of Kim Jong Nam to his new children.

It was probably around this point that Kim Jong Nam  then seen by most analysts as his fathers successor-in-waiting  was pushed aside, almost certainly by his step-mother.

I think Kim Jong Nam was already out of the succession race, because of the increased influence of Ko and her children, said Chang Yong Seok, a senior researcher at Seoul National Universitys Institute for Peace and Unification studies.

A queen can play a very important role when a crown prince is proclaimed, he added.

Kim Jong Nam began traveling more as he grew into adulthood, setting up homes in Beijing and Macau, where he had children with two women.

In 2001, he was caught with his family trying to enter Japan using a fake passport. He told Japanese officials they were going to Disneyland and was quickly expelled, a major embarrassment for Kim Jong Il that seemingly ended any chance he could succeed his father.

Still, most analysts believe he was financially supported by his father, as well as by the Chinese government, North Koreas main ally. He also reportedly worked as a freelance businessman, arranging deals where he could.

It was not always a lonely life.

He had mistresses abroad, used to meet North Korean diplomats and had a network of friends in North Korea, said Nicolas Levi, a researcher with the Polish Center of Asian Studies. For a while, he also traveled back to North Korea, though he did not attend his fathers 2011 funeral.

Theres no evidence Kim ever got involved in his homelands politics, though he told journalists that he didnt believe in the regimes system of hereditary dictatorship.

While Kim never fell on hard times, his jet-setting ways appeared to have slowed in recent years. Two years after his father died, his powerful uncle, Jang Song Thaek, was arrested and executed by Kim Jong Uns government. Jang had been close to Kim Jong Nam, and also may have financially supported him, said Chang, the South Korea-based analyst.

He also knew that his brother wanted him dead, apparently fearing he  and his illustrious bloodline  could someday be used against the regime, South Korean intelligence officials have said.

After a mysterious failed attempt to kill him in 2012, South Korean officials say Kim sent his brother a letter, begging for the assassination order to be lifted.

We have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide, and we know that the only way to escape is to commit suicide, he wrote.

Instead, two women  one Indonesian and the other Vietnamese  were recruited to kill him, with the Indonesian woman telling authorities that a group of men had recruited her for what she believed was a harmless airport prank.

They paid her 90 dollars. Kelvin Chan & Tim Sullivan, Macau, AP
Lawyer Cheng Hai has an itemized list of compensation demands from Beijing authorities over the citys smog: 65 yuan (USD9) for having to buy face masks, 100 yuan ($15) for seeing a doctor for a sore throat and 9,999 yuan ($1,500) for emotional distress.

Fed up with what they consider halfhearted efforts to fight air pollution, Cheng and like-minded lawyers are putting Chinas legal system to the test by suing the governments of the capital and its surrounding regions.

Some people might think that air pollution is inevitable with economic development, but they are wrong, said Cheng, 64. We have laws to protect air quality, and major pollution can be avoided if they are fully enforced.

The lawsuits demonstrate the mounting frustration of Chinas middle class at the countrys notoriously bad air, a topic that is expected to be discussed at the upcoming annual meeting of the countrys parliament three years after Premier Li Keqiang declared a war on pollution at the same event.

The dissatisfaction comes even as authorities in the capital are closing factories, getting rid of coal-fired boilers and taking older, heavier-polluting vehicles off the road.

Official data show those measures are having some effect, with Beijing showing year-on- year improvements since 2013.

Yet the citys average reading of the tiny particulate matter PM2.5  considered a good gauge of air pollution  is still seven times what the World Health Organization considers safe.

We are the victims of smog and we are entitled to ask for an apology and compensation from the government, said another of the lawyers, Yu Wensheng, 50, from Beijing.

The suits, which accuse authorities of failing to deal effectively with the smog, are important to show that the government is not above the law, said Yu.

If the government is not restricted by law, then what else can restrict it? said Yu, who has spent time in detention accused of supporting Hong Kong pro-democracy protests in 2014 and for speaking up in support of detained rights lawyers.

Along with Beijing, the group has attempted to sue the neighboring province of Hebei and the port city of Tianjin. The region generally suffers the worst pollutiwon in China and forms a front line in the central governments battle against the scourge.

The lawyers say their cases are more about drawing attention to government inaction rather than winning a settlement.

China is grappling with serious pollution resulting from three decades of breakneck growth that vastly improved living standards for many, but took a disastrous toll on the environment.

As people became more aware of the health issues associated with smog, the declaration of a war on pollution at the National Peoples Congress in 2014 resulted in measures to reduce pollutants in the air, including capping coal consumption. However, a particularly heavy bout of smog at the beginning of this year still triggered pollution red alerts in more than 20 cities.

Beijing plans to spend $2.7 billion on fighting air pollution this year, part of which would be used to close or upgrade more than 3,000 polluting factories, replace the use of coal with clean energy on the outskirts of the city and phase out 300,000 high-polluting older vehicles, according to the citys acting mayor, Cai Qi.

Despite efforts to enlist the public in the anti-pollution struggle, Chinas authoritarian Communist government heavily discourages protests and other forms of independent action, and at least one of the initial five lawyers in the case appears to have withdrawn his lawsuit under pressure from local authorities.

The Beijing press office said the government hadnt received any notices about the lawsuits and was unable to comment. The governments of Hebei and Tianjin didnt respond to requests for comment.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection has been sending out inspection teams to check on how well local governments are implementing smog control measures. On Monday, it announced that the lists of companies that have to halt production during periods of heavy pollution drawn up by three lower-level governments under Beijing and Hebei included companies that were already no longer operating.

A Beijing court has already twice rejected attempts by the lawyers to file cases, while a court in Hebei provinces capital, Shijiazhuang, has yet to respond to a case filed more than two months ago. Similar attempts to file suits in previous years have also been derailed, and while a change in the law has allowed some environmental NGOs to bring cases against polluters since 2015, they are discouraged to do so by the high costs of investigating and proving environmental damage, and potential threats and harassment from those theyre suing.

Wang Canfa, the director of a center that helps people bring lawsuits relating to pollution, said it would be difficult for the plaintiffs to establish a link between the governments actions and the harm they have suffered.

In this circumstance, the governments are not the ones that inflict harm, rather it is the companies that discharge emissions, and individuals who drive cars, who are the polluters, said Wang, who teaches at the China University of Political Science and Law.

Still, the lawyers appear to feel its worth the risks and frustrations to make their point.

Another of them, Lu Tingge, who filed the Hebei case, said his mother suffers respiratory illnesses and the pollution makes it difficult for her to breathe.

Hes asking for 10 yuan ($1.50) in compensation for masks, 5,000 yuan ($730) for spiritual damage and an official apology for the harm to his life and work.

I know my chances of winning are small, said Lu, 47. But I just want to make people understand that the government bears the main responsibility for dealing with smog and air pollution. Louise Watt, Beijing, AP
Swedens left-leaning government yesterday reintroduced a military draft for both men and women because of what Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist called a deteriorating security environment in Europe and around Sweden.

Sweden abolished compulsory military service for men in 2010 because there were enough volunteers to meet the regions military needs.

The government said the all-volunteer recruitment hasnt provided the Armed Forces with enough trained personnel. The re-activating of conscription is needed for military readiness.

In September, non- NATO-member Sweden stationed permanent troops on the Baltic Sea island of Gotland, which Hultqvist described as sending a signal after Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea and its increasing pressure on the neighboring Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

There have been reports of airspace violations by Russias military aircraft in the region and a military buildup in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, which sits across the Baltic Sea from Sweden.

Under the plan approved yesterday, at least 4,000 18-year-olds could be called up each year, starting Jan. 1.

The Swedish government which often has described itself as feminist, said modern conscription is gender neutral and will include both women and men.

Swedens armed forces lack 1,000 active troops as well as 7,000 reservists, according to the coalition government of Social Democrats and Greens, adding enrolment should be made possible from July 1, and basic military training with compulsory service from Jan. 1

About 20,000 people work for the Swedish armed forces, of whom 84 percent are men and 16 percent women, according to the forces website.

Over the months, 13,000 young Swedes will be called upon and 4,000 will be enrolled. As in the current system, Swedes will still be able to volunteer for military service. Jan M. Olsen, Copenhagen, AP
Attorney General Jeff Sessions had two conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States during the presidential campaign season last year, contact that immediately fueled calls for him to recuse himself from a Justice Department investigation into Russian interference in the election.

Sessions, an early supporter of President Donald Trump and a policy adviser to the Republican candidate, did not disclose those communications at his confirmation hearing in January when asked what he would do if anyone affiliated with the campaign had been in contact with the Russian government.

Sessions answered that he had not had communication with the Russians.

Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said yesterday [Macau time] that there was absolutely nothing misleading about his answer.

That statement did not satisfy Democrats who even before Wednesday had sought his recusal from the ongoing federal investigation and had raised questions about whether he could properly oversee it.

Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, accused Sessions of lying under oath and demanded that he resign. Other Democrats called on him to step aside from the investigation.

In a statement, Sessions said, I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false.

Sessions had more than 25 conversations with foreign ambassadors last year in his role as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and had two separate interactions with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, the department said.

One was a visit in September in his capacity as a senator, similar to meetings with envoys from Britain, China, Germany and other nations, the department said.

The other occurred in a group setting following a Heritage Foundation speech that Sessions gave during the summer, when several ambassadors  including the Russian ambassador  approached Sessions after the talk as he was leaving the stage.

Revelations of the contact, first reported by The Washington Post, triggered calls from members of Congress for Sessions to back out of any involvement in the FBIs probe.

If reports are accurate that Attorney General Sessions  a prominent surrogate for Donald Trump  met with Ambassador Kislyak during the campaign, and failed to disclose this fact during his confirmation, it is essential that he recuse himself from any role in the investigation of Trump campaign ties to the Russians, said Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

This is not even a close call; it is a must, he said.

Asked by reporters this week about the prospect of a recusal, Sessions said, I would recuse myself from anything that I should recuse myself on.

At the confirmation hearing in January, Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota asked Sessions about allegations of contact between Russia and Trump aides during the 2016 election.

He asked Sessions what he would do if there was evidence that anyone from the Trump campaign had been in touch with the Russian government during the campaign.

Sessions replied he was unaware of those activities.

Then he added: I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didnt have, did not have communications with the Russians, and Im unable to comment on it.

Flores, the Justice Department spokeswoman, said that response was not misleading.

He was asked during the hearing about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign  not about meetings he took as a senator and a member of the Armed Services Committee, she said in a statement.

Franken, in a statement yesterday, said he was troubled that the new attorney generals response to his question was at best, misleading. He said he planned to press Sessions on his contact with Russia.

Its clearer than ever now that the attorney general cannot, in good faith, oversee an investigation at the Department of Justice and the FBI of the Trump-Russia connection, and he must recuse himself immediately, Franken said.

Separately in January, Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Judiciary Committee Democrat, asked Sessions in a written questionnaire whether he had been in contact with anyone connected to any part of the Russian government about the 2016 election, either before or after election day.

Sessions replied simply, No. Eric Tucker, Washington, AP
TWIN FALLS  Local water managers have placed a $2 million price tag on repairs to flood-damaged irrigation systems  the lifeblood of the Magic Valley.

A group of canal company and irrigation district managers met Wednesday with Idaho legislators to describe damage caused by Februarys floods. Most canal systems have eroded or washed-out banks and damaged roads; others have water-logged electric pumps that need to be repaired or replaced.

Worst hit are A&B and Minidoka irrigation districts, with damages estimated at more than a half-million dollars each, said Twin Falls Canal Co. Manager Brian Olmstead, who made the presentation to the legislators.

Officials are still assessing long-term damage, Sen. Jim Patrick, R-Twin Falls, said Thursday.

A ticking time bomb

Alan Hansten, manager of North Side Canal Co. in Jerome, said the valley isnt out of danger yet.

Were keeping an eye on things, Hansten said. The Big Wood Canal is still a big concern.

Olmstead agreed. Many areas in Minidoka County are still covered in snow  a potential time bomb if the weather suddenly turns warm.

Theres a lot of Minidoka County you cant even get to yet, Olmstead said.

On top of the physical damage caused by the floods, growers may see lower yields at harvest if spring planting is delayed by wet field conditions.

Most of what I plant will be late, so my yields will be down, said Patrick, who grows sugar beets, alfalfa and malt barley. My big question is, Are (the canals) going to be ready for water when we need it?

House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, says a lot can be learned from the flooding.

I think this whole thing speaks to another issue, he said. In times like this, we need to be ready to get the water into the ground.

Legislators were surprised by Olmsteads presentation, Bedke said.

I think everyone was struck by the scope of the problem, he said. We saw pictures and videos that cant be seen from the road.

North Side Canal Co. has been clearing ice jams since the last week of January.

Weve cleaned the canals three times, Hansten said, something that under normal winter conditions would be done only once. Crews havent started normal maintenance work yet.

Should canal designs be upgraded to withstand such floods? Hansten says no.

With limited resources, engineering decisions are based on economic thresholds, he said.

We spread those dollars as best we can, he said. We design for what we know we can handle. We dont design for Armageddon.
BOISE  The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will set big game and salmon seasons when it meets March 15-16 in Boise.

The commission meets at 8 a.m. March 16 in the Trophy Room of Fish and Game Headquarters, 600 S. Walnut, to set upcoming seasons for big game and spring Chinook salmon. Also on the agenda: a legislative update and briefings on migratory game birds and nonbiological rules for all game animals.
JEROME  Police are warning residents not to leave vehicles running while unattended as four cars have been stolen in the city in the past four days.

In all of these cases, the vehicles were left unlocked, unattended and running, Jerome Police Chief Dan Hall said in a statement. The thefts occurred between 6 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. and appear to be crimes of opportunity.

A 2001 Ford Expedition stolen from the 100 block of Sixth Avenue East and a 2003 Jeep Liberty stolen from the 200 block of Third Avenue West have both been recovered, Hall said.

But a 2017 Acura stolen from the 100 block of North Lincoln Avenue and a 1999 Volkswagon Passat stolen from the 400 block of North Date Street are still missing.

The Jerome Police Department encourages car owners to remove their keys and lock their vehicles when unattended, Hall said.

Earlier this winter, thieves in Wendell stole at least five running cars within a few days in early December. At that time, one running car had also been stolen in Jerome, and a car left running outside Cafe Rio in Twin Falls was stolen.

Police and sheriffs deputies from the three counties recommended that if drivers want to warm-up their cars in the morning, they should have a spare key and lock the vehicle while its left running.

Thats what I do with my personal vehicle, Gooding County Sheriffs Sgt. Kelby Cornett said in December.

I certainly understand wanting to warm-up the vehicle, Hall said last year. We really recommend people having two sets of keys and locking the car while its running.
GOODING  A Gooding man shot and killed his son-in-law in December, his lawyer told a judge Thursday, though the man maintains the fatal shot was accidental and the victim was armed and pointing a gun at him.

Jimmie E. ONeal, Sr., 62, entered an Alford guilty plea to a felony count of voluntary manslaughter, meaning he maintains his innocence while conceding that a jury might have convicted him. Before a plea agreement was finalized in court Thursday, ONeal was charged with first-degree murder and faced up to life in prison.

At sentencing in May, prosecutors will seek a 10-year prison sentence with a mandatory three-year minimum term. ONeals attorney, Brad Calbo, will be free to argue for any sentence, including probation. District Judge Eric Wildman is not bound by the plea agreement and could order ONeal to prison for up to 15 years.

Wildman asked ONeal Thursday why he was pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter.

Because, ONeal started before pausing. Theres a man dead.

That man was Steven Lawrence, 34, who was married to ONeals daughter. Calbo told the judge that ONeal went to confront Lawrence on Dec. 28 after his daughter was involved in a verbal and physical confrontation with her husband.

(ONeal) pushed his way through what turned out to be a poorly barricaded door, Calbo told the court. As he pushed his way through the door with his gun drawn, the gun went off. The states evidence would suggest it was Mr. ONeals intent  to discharge that gun.

But Calbo said there is a dispute whether or not the discharge of the firearm by Mr. ONeal was an accident, or whether it was intentional. Calbo said ONeal maintains Lawrence was also armed and pointing a gun at him when the older man barged through the door.

I think the state would disagree with that, Calbo said. A gun was found in Mr. Lawrences pocket, however, when he was pronounced deceased.

The Alford plea was appropriate, Calbo argued, because of the factual discrepancies that still remain.

Prosecutors originally charged ONeal with second-degree murder for Lawrences death. In January, they amended the charge to first-degree murder and added a count of felony burglary.

Gooding County Prosecutor Matt Pember said earlier this month the crime is charged appropriately and the plea deal is along the lines of what the victims wife told law enforcement she wanted.

ONeal is in custody in lieu of $250,000 bond and is set to be sentenced May 2.
BOISE  Lawmakers who support getting rid of the states tax on groceries held a news conference Thursday to release a copy of their proposal and tout its support.

Sen. Cliff Bayer, R-Meridian, who is the proposals lead sponsor, said it has 32 House and 16 Senate co-sponsors, including a majority of the Republican caucuses in both chambers and half the leadership.

At least one supporter is a Democrat  Boise Sen. Grant Burgoyne, who attended the news conference. Burgoyne said getting rid of the tax would help people who are struggling, giving the example of a poor family trying to buy $200 worth of groceries with coupons but lacking the $12 to pay the sales tax.

Twelve bucks probably doesnt seem like much to the people in this room, he said. When you dont have it and need it, its infinity.

Bayer didnt release the list of co-sponsors, saying he wanted to save that for the introductory hearing, if the bill gets one. From the Magic Valley delegation only Sen. Jim Patrick, R-Twin Falls, showed up to the news conference.

The bill would lift the tax on food sold for human consumption, using the same criteria to decide what is exempt and isnt as the federal government uses to decide what can be purchased with food stamps. It would not apply to restaurant sales. The grocery tax credit Idahoans can claim on their income taxes would also be abolished.

Utah is the only state bordering Idaho that taxes grocery sales, albeit at a lower rate than most other sales, and the rest dont tax them at all, either because they dont have a sales tax or because groceries are exempted specifically. Bayer said the tax means businesses in border communities lose shoppers to neighboring states and that some stores would be less likely to locate in Idaho due to the tax.

Were losing all that revenue, he said.Were losing the business and the jobs. Wouldnt it be wonderful to have Idaho employers employing Idahoans, selling Idaho products in Idaho?

Christina Stucker-Gassi, a board member with the Idaho Organization of Resource Councils, a coalition of agricultural and anti-hunger groups that favor getting rid of the tax, said repeal would help not only shoppers and border communities but also small farmers who sell their own produce and would be able to charge consumers prices in round numbers without having to take the 6 percent tax out of their profits.

The idea of exempting grocery sales from taxation has come up during most recent sessions and has support from a mix of Democrats and Republicans of differing political philosophies, but not everyone in the Legislature is on board. The closest it has come recently was in 2015, when it was part of a bigger tax cut proposal that passed the House but stalled in the Senate.
BOISE  A Senate panel OKd two bills Wednesday to codify an Idaho Supreme Court ruling that held the federal government does not hold stockwater rights just because it owns the grazing land and to encourage Idaho grazers to start filing their water claims.

The state Supreme Court held in the 2007 case Joyce Livestock Company v. United States of America that the two Owyhee County ranchers who brought the case and had been grazing on federal land prior to the passage of the Taylor Grazing Act in 1934 had stockwater rights that overrode the federal claims. The court said Congress had severed ownership of federal lands from water rights, and therefore the government couldnt claim water rights without having been using the water.

One of the bills the Senate Resources and Environment Committee approved Wednesday writes into Idaho law that no federal agency can own a stockwater right unless it has livestock and puts the water to beneficial use.

The other companion bill is meant to encourage stockwater rights holders who graze on federal land and are affected by the Snake River Basin Adjudication to file claims by capping their filing fee at $100 (the price of four claims) and exempting them from paying the costs of publication and from the cost of investigation, assistance and recommendation borne by the Idaho Department of Water Resources.

The adjudication, which ended in 2014 after more than 20 years, didnt require small stockwater and domestic water right holders to file their claims, but said they could defer and file later. However, to file a deferred claim they must pay $25 per claim, publish a notice and pay IDWRs costs under current law.

Paul Nettleton and Tim Lowry, the two ranchers involved in the Joyce case, testified in favor of the bill, as did lobbyists for the Idaho Cattle Association and Idaho Wool Growers Association.

Nettleton told the committee about his years-long legal fight with the federal government, which he won but which left him and Lowry with massive legal expenses. Passing the bill, Nettleton said, could help spare others the same time and expense.

My roots run deep into this land, and I, we, havent been on the land for 152 years by compromising our rights, he said.

Lowry framed what happened to them in the context of federal attempts to regain control over western water, warning the committee that the issue will come up again.

I do not believe that we have seen the end of it, he said. We may have seen a respite for the next four years, but theyll be back and theyll be back in inventive ways.

Capping the fees and shifting some of the costs to the state that would otherwise be borne by the stockmen will cost the state an estimated one-time $35,000 plus $265,000 a year ongoing, for two new employees plus operating expenses and the cost of publishing notices.

The committee voted without dissent to send both bills to the full Senate.
RUPERT Minidoka County has received only nine flood damage reports from residents, but the amount of flood-damage assistance residents and businesses receive depends on people filling out damage forms.

I know there are a lot more than that out there, said Kim Vega, Minidoka County emergency management coordinator.

Local officials are asking that everyone with flood damage report it.

Even if you had damage and fixed it, you may have a neighbor down the road that may have been wiped out. Vega said. By filling out that form, you can help your neighbor who may not be able to fix their damage.

Minidoka County and state officials held a community meeting Wednesday at Minico High School to update the public on floodwater and answer questions.

County and state officials want to apply for a federal disaster declaration for the county.

Individual and business damage forms must be turned in to the county by Tuesday.

Gary Davis, with the Idaho Office of Emergency Management, said the state will help with 50 percent of infrastructure damage under the state disaster declaration, but will not assist individuals or businesses.

If the county receives a federal declaration, it will help with 75 percent of losses for public facilities.

Under the federal declaration, Vega said, a team will come in to assess the damage and then determine what programs will be available.

There are some programs available for individuals, but we wont know how much help people will get until they come and assess the damages, Vega said.

Assistance for individuals will be a harder nut to crack, Davis said during the meeting, and how much help will be available is still unknown.

The programs will never make anybody whole again, although there may be some Small Business Administration loans available for businesses and individuals, he said.

Other cleanup and rebuild resources may come from private sources like the Southern Baptists, who have a program to help clean up flood damage, and the Mennonites who help rebuild after disasters.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Travis Wyatt said snowpack in the area is not reaching 1997 levels but there is still 1 to 5 inches of snow left to melt on the northern end of the county.

He said the spring forecast shows a small chance of Snake River flooding between Burley and Rupert.

Jesse Miller, manager of the Minidoka County Highway District, said the district has 635 miles of roads and at one time one-third of them were closed because of damage. Some wash-outs were four to five feet deep. Cost estimates for county highways stand at around $2 million.

In one spot west of Heyburn, water ran across the road and undercut the asphalt leaving nothing underneath.

Cost estimates could go a lot higher, he said.

In some areas the roads are completely gone, Miller said.

School buses are still not running on gravel roads because they are the safest on asphalt, he said.

Some people still have to detour 10 to 15 miles to get home, Miller said.

Commissioner Sheryl Koyle said future flood mitigation will be a topic of discussion for the county later on but right now they are still in response mode and dealing with the damages from this flood.

Miller said the highway district is making repairs as quickly as possible but many roads are still too soft to bear the weight of heavy equipment.
Lois Jean Heagle

July 27, 1927-February 21, 2017

HAILEY  Lois Jean Heagle, 89, passed away peacefully on February 21, 2017 at her home in Hailey.

Lois was born July 27, 1927 in Hailey, Idaho, the daughter of Lawrence Francis Heagle and Julia Charlotte Cramer Heagle. After graduating from Hailey High School in 1945, she attended college at the University of Oregon (Eugene) and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a minor in Accounting. Her elementary school teaching career began in San Francisco. She then taught in Spokane and later retired from Forest Lake Christian School in Auburn, California.

In her early days, Lois enjoyed family outings over-the-hill. She also had great memories of the first Union Pacific run which brought tourists and celebrities to Sun Valley when she was in the 7th grade.

After the death of her husband Jack Gwyer she married Paul Provost, becoming a stepmother and helping raise his five boys.

In 1993 she returned to the Wood River Valley to care for her parents and commented that she joined any club that would have me as a member. The next 23 years she enjoyed participating in many civic organizations including serving as a member of the Blaine Manor Auxiliary, the Ketchum Chapter of the Philanthropic Education Foundation and, following in her mother's footsteps, on the Blaine Co. Museum Board.

Lois was a 70-year member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood. Deeply religious, Lois was a member of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church serving in a wide variety of ways. She also served on the Diocese of Idaho's Episcopal Board. She was instrumental in establishing the Super Supper at St. Charles Catholic Church. In 2008 she was honored as a Lady of the Heritage Court in recognition of her years of community and philanthropic activities. Lois was an avid reader and loved to send newspaper articles of interest to her friends and relatives. She also maintained a lifetime interest in young people and became a benefactor for Daniel and Catherine Henry. She was a very social person and would easily strike up a conversation with people at her favorite places to meet and greet like the post office and grocery store.

She also enjoyed traveling within the country and abroad, going to Japan, England, Mexico, Jamaica, Hawaii, France, and British Columbia. She visited her stepsons and their families in Alaska and Saipan. Lois is survived by her sister Loma Hill, her nephew Lawrence Hill, her nieces Charlotte and Debbie Hill, and her stepsons George, Michael, John, Timothy, and Christopher Provost. She was preceded in death by her parents, and both husbands.

A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on at 11:00am March 11, 2017 at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Hailey. Cremation will precede the service. A private family interment will follow at the Hailey Cemetery in the family plot at a time to be determined. Memorial contributions can be made to Emmanuel Episcopal Church at P.O. Box 576 Hailey, Idaho 83333; and Super Supper via Dora Lenin, Super Supper Treasurer at P.O. Box 4197, Ketchum, Idaho 83340.

Arrangements are under the care of Wood River Chapel of Hailey. Friends may visit www.woodriverchapel to share memories.
In 2015 I met an amazing woman at a conference focused on the separation of church and state. Rita Swan and her husband were somewhat unique among the attendees. Unlike many participants, their perspective was that of deeply committed Christians passionately concerned about keeping this separation strong. Their views went beyond a general commitment to the constitutional principle. Due to personal closeness to the issue, they were focused sharply on faith-healing exemptions to child neglect, child abuse and manslaughter in the United States.

Rita enlightened me about the history of this issue and the status of Idaho law, its implications and resultant toll of human suffering and death it permits. The parental exemption applies to their offspring from birth through their teens, until achieving the age of majority. The latitude of the exemption extends to denying minor children modern medical intervention for easily prevented maladies that, if untreated, can and often do cause dreadful suffering and/or death. Extensive information regarding the historical origins of faith-healing exemptions and their current status are available at http://idahochildren.org/.

In 1972 Idaho passed laws protecting parents from charges of criminal injury, nonsupport, or manslaughter if they chose prayer as the sole healing therapy for a sick child. Apparently there were no hearings or efforts made to weigh the implications of the legislation prior to enactment. The law was passed at the behest of and with involvement by the Christian Science Church. The broad language of the legislation gave license to any parent to deprive their children of life-saving medical care on religious grounds. Extensive information regarding the historical origins of faith-healing exemptions and their current status are available from Childrens Healthcare Is a Legal Duty Inc. at http://idahochildren.org/.

Idaho expanded the exemptions in 1975 to meet requirements of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (todays Health and Human Services) for federal funding eligibility. Every other state did likewise. By 1983 it was obvious that unintended consequences of the rules were disastrous, so they were rescinded. However, states have been slow to undue the tangled statutory legacy. A patchwork of zero, partial or full repeal exists across the nation.

Idaho retains one of the most extreme exemption statutes. It is one of only nine states allowing religious exemption for negligent homicide, manslaughter or capital murder. The extreme beliefs of faith healing sects often include additional abusive practices, such as starving children to save money to donate to the churches, as well as beating children to comply with their interpretations of Bible verses or drive out demons. Children denied medical treatment can suffer miserably during their illnesses and even those who recover may be unnecessarily left physically or mentally impaired.

CHILD gathered evidence strongly suggesting that children in faith healing cults die at nearly ten times the rate of adults. Their examination of grave sites and records for Peaceful Valley Cemetery near Caldwell revealed that of 614 graves 214 were for children or stillborn. Thats nearly 35 percent compared to a statewide average of 3 percent. Peaceful Valley Cemetery is only one of several used by the Followers of Christ sect.

Oregon is one of seven states that completely removed faith healing exemptions. Since 2011 five sets of parents were convicted of allowing their children to die without medical care. Furthermore, child deaths among the Followers of Christ has dropped to zero, according to CHILD.

Pressure is mounting in Idaho for elimination of, or at least restricting, its current overly broad and callously lenient faith healing statutes. Gov. Otter appointed a Children At Risk Faith-Healing Working Group under Executive Order 2012-03. Given the time the work group had to examine the topic in depth, and the literal life and death implications for a large number Idahos minor children, the Feb. 9 letter by the workgroup was indefensibly indecisive and insensitive to the peril of the most important stakeholders: minor children.

The document did not even consider what should be done in the event a minor child themselves strongly reject a parental decision and pleads for his or her life vis-a-vis medical care. Thats a hypothetical, sure. However, I would argue it is not merely a reasonable scenario but one so obvious that a lawmaker should have considered it pro forma. That consideration certainly has more value than the public comment of one individual cited in the Work Groups letter stating using medicine is witchcraft. There was not one phrase in all the legalese that considered the right of the child to have any say in a decision over the stewardship of their own life.

It is also noteworthy that perhaps the testimony gathered by the workgroup of greatest merit was arguably from the Idaho Prosecuting Attorneys Association. It stated unequivocally that the exemption should be lifted. The legality of the associations recommendation was substantially supported by the official statement of the Idaho Attorney Generals office. Most conspicuously absent in the Work Groups summary was testimony by any survivors (escapees?) of faith-healing cults. There may not have been any present at the public meetings, but such testimony is readily accessed in the public domain, e.g. the 2013 letter to the Idaho Legislature by Terry Hughes, or one posted by Brian Hoyt. Both can be read at http://idahochildren.org/articles/letter-survivor/.

In the last week, former Idaho Chief Justice, Jim Jones, released a clear call for elimination of the faith healing exemption to Section 18-1501 of the Idaho Code.

Shouldnt ending the faith-healing exemption merit equal priority with ending motorcyclist profiling?
More than once, President Donald Trump has enticed Democrats and some moderate Republicans  and risked infuriating hard-liners in his base  by expressing an openness to overhauling the nations dysfunctional immigration system.

He did so again in a session at the White House with television news anchors Tuesday, saying hed consider a compromise that included legal status for millions of undocumented immigrants, and then wondering aloud whether he should float the idea to Congress in his speech that night. He did not  but if he really wishes to bring about the unity and renewal of the American spirit he spoke of in his address, he should.

It is a fools game to guess whether the president will ultimately legalize or deport more of the nations 11 million undocumented immigrants; he himself may have no firm idea what he intends. But if he wants to soothe this festering political and social wound, he is well positioned to do it. Having established himself as a hard-liner on illegal immigration and proposed tough new measures to stop it, he might well persuade fellow Republicans to accept a compromise on the millions of noncriminal immigrants already in the country.

A good place to start would be the question of what to do about dreamers, the 2 million or so undocumented immigrants brought to this country as children. There Trump has been more consistent. After initially suggesting he would scrap the Obama administrations program granting them temporary protection from deportation, the new president has repeatedly expressed sympathy for the dreamers plight, making clear he is disinclined to target them for removal and telling the news anchors he would be open to forging a pathway to citizenship for them.

Fair enough, but will he have the courage of his apparent convictions? The test is whether he acts to dispel the uncertainty hanging over the heads of roughly 750,000 dreamers whose age, duration of residence in the United States and verified clean record enabled them to register for the program, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which provides work permits and temporary protection from removal. Registrants, who submit their names, addresses and other information, are now justifiably fearful that the government may use that data to track them down once their two-year DACA protections lapse. Hundreds of thousands of other eligible youngsters are unlikely to enroll given that peril.

Dreamers represent a pool of talent, brains and ambition that the United States should want to cultivate. Some 3,700 students in the University of California system are undocumented immigrants, and tens of thousands of dreamers are enrolled at other post-secondary institutions across the country. What possible benefit is there in deporting a promising cohort that is American in all but birth certificate?

With the stroke of a pen, Trump could extend the existing program, enabling dreamers to continue working, studying and living productive lives. He could go further by proposing permanent legal status or a path to citizenship for immigrants who, in many cases, have little memory of any country but the United States. That would lend weight to the presidents oft-stated assertions of his compassion.
Was President Trumps speech to Congress a turning point or a head fake? The fact is, no one knows for sure. Less than 48 hours after the speech, a quick Google search for Trump pivot brings up 631,000 entries and counting of pure and absolute conjecture. What we know for certain is that Tuesdays performance truly shone a spotlight on Trumps dynamic range as a politician. It also proved that the White House staff, as currently constituted, can deliver big when it matters. Just knowing that to be true has been a major source of relief among Republicans everywhere, particularly those in Congress. And for voters who thought the president couldnt possibly ditch his rally talk in favor of a sincere, polished address, well, that bar has been cleared.

Although Trumps speech was received positively by 78 percent of those who watched it, according to a CNN/ORC poll, his critics were predictably quick to dismiss the speech as a one-off occurrence that didnt mean much. Even so, they knew something significant had happened. You could almost feel the dread in their words. In a canned line obviously prepared before the speech, recently elected Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez declared,This was Steve Bannon on steroids with a smile. Others found fault in an individual pronouncement or in the turn of a phrase, but that just shows how the president can shape a national debate. Arguing over policy and priorities is different from dueling tweets and airing grievances. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., proclaimed, The speech and reality have never been more detached.

House and Senate Democrats just cant accept that this administration really does mean what it says. The House Freedom Caucus hit the nail on the head, stating that President Trump has worked tirelessly to keep his campaign promises: from undoing President Barack Obamas jobs-killing regulatory regime, to taking action to secure our nation. The president reaffirmed his commitment to fully repeal ObamaCare and replace it with patient-centered, market-driven policy. Similarly, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., hailed the presidents speech as a home run.

I think Trump gave the most consequential speech for Republicans since George H.W. Bushs 1988 acceptance speech at the GOP convention in New Orleans. At that time, the political world did a double take and started seeing Bush as something other than the stereotype that had metastasized and nearly taken on a life of its own. If Trumps speech teaches us anything, its that his presidency may very well hold more in store than some realized. He was articulate, passionate and above all else, credible. Ronald Reagan once asked, How can a president not be an actor? Well, Trumps forte was in the reality television world, not as a true thespian. Still, he managed to put on a world-class performance.
It is time for the Legislature to repeal the faith-healing exemption to Idahos statute prohibiting the injury of children. Section 18-1501 of the Idaho Code penalizes conduct by any person that is likely to endanger the person or health of a child. This applies to parents but the statute has qualifying language that limits violations to rather egregious conduct. It was carefully crafted to limit governmental intrusion into the family setting.

However, the statute includes an exemption that has allowed some parents to refuse to provide readily available health care to their children, resulting in needless suffering and death. The exemption says that the practice of a parent or guardian who chooses for his child treatment by prayer or spiritual means alone shall not for that reason alone be construed to have violated the duty of care to such child. This language should be eliminated in order to protect some our most helpless and vulnerable citizens.

Adults can decide for themselves on healthcare matters. If they decide to forgo medical intervention for themselves for religious reasons, that is their prerogative. The state has an interest in safeguarding the health and safety of minors who cannot speak for themselves. Our laws have numerous protections for children without religious exemptions  marital age, child labor, ability to contract, and the like. In my estimation, the right to have basic life-saving healthcare trumps those protections.

A courageous young woman, Linda Martin, recently spoke out in a newspaper ad to urge the repeal of the faith-healing exemption. As a former member of a group that denies basic medical care to its youngest members, she spoke with eloquence and authority about the injury inflicted on sick children in the group. She closed with this statement: This is not a freedom of religion issue: this is a right to live issue. Amen.

Since at least the 1980s, when I served as Idaho Attorney General, the Legislature has passed numerous laws intended to support the right to life by using the power of the government to require women to carry a fetus to term. To my knowledge, none of those measures contained a religious exemption. The question arises as to whether the right to life of some children in our great state ceases upon birth. It is time for the Legislature to stand up for our children and to require that faith-healing parents provide basic healthcare to their children.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres Thursday appointed Moroccan international officer Najat Rochdi Deputy Special Representative for the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

Ms. Rochdi will also serve as United Nations Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a statement from the UN Chiefs office said.

She is taking over from Fabrizio Hochschild of Chile, who was appointed Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General in January 2017.

Born in 1961, Ms Rochdi joined the UN system in 2001. She occupied several positions including political adviser at UNDPs regional bureau for Arab States, in New York. She also served as Deputy Director in charge of Policy, Communication and Operation in the UNDP Geneva Liaison Office and as UNDP Regional Coordinator of Information and Communication Technology for Development in the Arab Region in Cairo, Egypt, the statement said.

Before her new appointment, Ms Rochdi has been serving as the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Cameroon since 2013.

The 56-year old woman holds a PhD degree in in mathematics and engineering in computer sciences from the National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics (INSEA) in Rabat and the University of Montreal, Canada.

Prior to her rich career in the UN system; she held important positions in her country, including Deputy Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and adviser to the Prime Minister.
Armed men in the Libyan city of Zuwarah, hub of oil smuggling activities, have seized a Turkish tanker.

The vessel according to Turkish media is called Haci Telli and is operated by the Istanbul-based Transpacific Shipping Company. The tanker headed from the Turkish port of Tuzla to Malta before arriving in Zuwarah on February 24.

Turkish media Deniz News Agency notes that the vessel was scheduled to return to Malta. The crew has been kept hostage since February 24 over oil payment disagreement.

The Turkish vessel is not the first international ship to be captured by armed men on the Mediterranean coast of Libya. In February 2016 a Sierra Leone-flagged oil tanker carrying nationals from the Ukraine, Turkey, and Azerbaijan was seized by the Tripoli Coast Guard off the coast of Zuwarah while heading towards Malta, reports say.

The oil tanker was reportedly carrying 1.5 million liters of petrol from Zuwarah.

Libyan authorities in Tripoli, backed by the international community, have repeatedly complained about oil smuggling activities involving foreign oil tankers.
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.
Liberia is mourning the death of its biggest Ebola fighter, Salome Karwah.

According to local media, Salome died from childbirth complications after hospital staff initially refused to help her due to the stigma that still surrounds the disease. She left behind four children including the new-born.

Salome was a prominent Ebola survivor and ex-Doctors without Borders employee who made the cover of Time magazine in 2014 as one of the Ebola Fighters named persons of the year.

She had survived the longest, deadliest Ebola epidemic in history, which swept across West Africa, killing more than 11,000 people including her mother, father and uncle.

Writer for Time magazine who met Salome Karwah in 2014 reported on her recent death:

On Feb. 17 she delivered a healthy boy, Solomon, by Caesarean section. She was discharged from hospital three days later. Within hours of coming home, Salome lapsed into convulsions. Her husband and her sister rushed her back to the hospital, but no one would touch her. Her foaming mouth and violent seizures panicked the staff. They said she was an Ebola survivor, says her sister by telephone. They didnt want contact with her fluids. They all gave her distance. No one would give her an injection. Salome died the next day.

Her fourth child will grow up never remembering his mothers face, said Salomes sister, Josephine Manley.

Maternal health care in Liberia is abysmal. About 1 in 28 mothers die in the weeks surrounding childbirth, according to the international public health organization Partners in Health.

Childbirth complications, known in medical terms as maternal mortality, kill more than 800 women globally each day, according to the World Health Organization.
A UN independent expert on foreign debt and human rights on Wednesday encouraged international lenders to lend additional support to Tunisia, which is struggling to revamp its ailing economy.

Tunisia has been lauded as the sole political success story of the Arab Spring for its democratic transition, but the North African country has made slow progress on economic reform.

In 2016, Tunisia sought to stimulate foreign investment in order to revive the countrys economy, which has been stagnating for about 15 years. From 2005 to 2015, the country lost not less than 2,500 jobs per year due to the closure of about 400 companies each year.

Lenders should be encouraged to provide additional debt relief to Tunisia in order to reduce public debt service and free resources for public investment according to a broadly discussed national development strategy. Debt sustainability analysis should be based on a comprehensive understanding of debt sustainability, incorporating human rights and social and environmental dimensions, said Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, UN independent expert on foreign debt and human rights.

Bohoslavsky added that investment in economic and social rights would foster inclusive growth, prevent violent extremism and consolidate democracy.

The IMF froze a second tranche worth $350 million scheduled last December because of lack of progress in reforms, including public sector wage bill, the public finances and state banks,

The IMF is urgently demanding the reforms of three state banks, Societe Tunisienne de Bank (STB), Bank National (BNA) and Bank Habitat (BH) that are still struggling with large deficits.
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on Wednesday appointed his first Vice President and long-time ally Hassan Saleh to the newly created post of Prime Minister.

The party leadership meeting chaired by President Bashir approved the nomination of Hassan Saleh as Prime Minister, said ruling National Congress Party Deputy Leader Ibrahim Mahmoud.

Saleh who is expected to be sworn in on Thursday will continue to hold the position of Vice President.

The retired army general is a former defense, interior and presidential affairs minister. He currently serves as first Vice President and National Congress Party deputy leader for executive affairs.

In January 2014, al-Bashir called on political parties and armed groups to engage in a national dialogue to discuss four issues, namely ending the civil war, allowing political freedoms, fighting poverty and revitalizing national identity.

Launched on 10 October 2015 for three months, the dialogue process was initially expected to wind up in January 2016 but it was delayed until October the same year.

The countrys lawmakers voted in December to reinstate the post of prime minister.
Detained cleric questioned on Monday

By Messenger Staff

Georgias Chief Prosecutors Office stated on the weekend that they would question a priest detained for the notorious cyanide case today.The clergyman, Giorgi Mamaladze, was detained on February 10 for complicity in an alleged murder attempt of a high-ranking spiritual figure.The Office stresses that after his initial detention, the clergyman was five-times offered the chance to give a testimony, but he refused the offers.The lawyer of the detainee claims the Prosecutors Office lied that the offers were not made.Meanwhile, Georgias Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili says the priest's cell is under video-audio surveillance to ensure his safety.Nanuashvili said that applying such measures were the detained clerics wish, who according to his lawyers was insistent that he was innocent.Chief Prosecutor Irakli Shotadze said that Mamaladze was attempting to acquire cyanide, and the man from whom he tried to receive the substance informed the police that the archpriest intended to kill a senior religious figure.Many suspected that the target of the attack was Patriarch Ilia II.However, the lawyer of the detainee stated that he had been charged with intending to kill the Patriarchs female secretary Shorena Tetruashvili, who is not, in fact, a senior spiritual figure. According to some information, Tetruashvili resigned from the official post she held in the patriarchate.Later, after significant turmoil and speculation, the Prosecutor's Office also said the target wasnt the Patriarch.Some clergymen have stated that Mamaladze was detained because he knew too much about various financial and property-related violations within the patriarchate.On his return from Germany Patriarch Ilia II stressed that the church and the government should cooperate in the investigation of the case unprecedented in the Georgian churchs history.It is obvious that there is an ongoing internal feud within the church, and there are questions that must be answered and the public must be informed.It is possible  though not guaranteed  that soon the truth will be revealed, after weeks of speculations and accusations (which serve the purpose of truth in Georgia) from all parties involved.
Rounding out his list of appointees to the powerful Constitution Revision Commission Friday, Gov. Rick Scott tapped members of his inner circle and current and former appointees.

Those who have worked for the governor who now will serve on the panel with the power to put proposals directly before voters next year include his former general counsel Tim Cerio and his political consultant and data guru Brecht Heuchan as well as the state's education commissioner Pam Stewart and Nicole Washington, the governor's former education budget head.

Scott earlier this week named businessman Carlos Beruff to chair the 37-member commission which will be dominated by Scott's 15 appointees. The body will operate much like a Legislature as it screens ideas, debates the future of Florida, and decides how to reach compromise on putting issues on the 2018 November ballot.

To that end, the governor named only two people with legislative experience -- PSC Commissioner Jimmy Patronis, a former state representative from Panama City and an early Scott supporter, and former Sarasota state Sen. Lisa Carlton - although several of his appointees have lobbying experience. He also named former state legislator John Stargel, now a circuit court judge, as an alternate.

In addition to Stewart of Tallahassee and Washington of Miami Beach, the governor named people who have worked in education or have sat on university boards of trustees. Among them: Belinda Keiser of Keiser College, Jose "Pepe" Armas, a physician from Miami, Marva Johnson, Winter Garden businesswoman who chairs the Florida Board of Education, Darlene Jordan, head of a Palm Beach non-profit and a member of the university Board of Governors.

Senate President Joe Negron, who last week announced his appointees, and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, each have nine appointments to the commission that meets every 20 years to revise the state constitution. Each of the presiding officers has said they hope to use the unique commission to revise how education works in Florida by increasing "school choice."

Negron also named two people with legislative experience: former Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, and former Sen. Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale.

Supreme Court Justice Jorge Labarga has made his three appointments to the panel, and included former state Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa. Attorney General Pam Bondi is also automatically a member of the commission.

Although many of the governor's appointees have worked for him or were his early political supporters, once appointed they do not report to him and do not have to be confirmed by the state Senate.

From the governor's press release:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.  Today, Governor Rick Scott announced the appointment of 14 members to the Florida Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) in accordance with Article XI, Section II of the Florida Constitution. The Governor appointed Carlos Beruff as Chairman of the Commission on Wednesday. The 37member Commission convenes every 20 years to review Floridas Constitution and propose potential changes to be approved by Florida voters.

Governor Scott said, I am incredibly honored today to appoint 14 members from across Florida to the Florida Constitution Revision Commission. These members stood out as exemplary choices for this historic Commission whose diverse backgrounds and experience in education, business and policy will ensure we continue to champion policies that make Florida the best place for families for generations to come.

Dr. Jose Pepe Armas  Miami

Dr. Jose Pepe Armas is a distinguished physician and healthcare executive whose focus on patient-centered care has defined his career. Dr. Armas currently serves as the Chairman of MCCI Group, which he founded in 1998, a leading physician healthcare group in the Southeastern United States. In 2011, Governor Rick Scott appointed Dr. Armas to the Florida International University Board of Trustees, a position the Governor reappointed him to in 2016.

Dr. Armas is a member of the National Advisory Board of Health Research Resources, Inc., the Humana Utilization Committee, the Board of Statewide Florida Independent Physicians Association, the American Medical Association, Southern Medical Association, and the American College of Physician Executives. He also serves on the Deans Advisory Board and is a member of the Interview Committee of Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and on the Advisory Board for the School of Nursing and Healthcare of Georgetown University.

Dr. Armas graduated medical school with Honors from Catholic University in Santiago, Dominican Republic. He also completed post-graduate training at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach and St. Barnabas Hospital affiliated with Cornell University in New York.

Lisa Carlton  Sarasota

Lisa Carlton is an eighth generation Floridian and the co-owner and manager of the Mabry Carlton Ranch, Inc. in Sarasota County. She spent much of her life in public service to the people of Florida including most recently as a Florida State Senator. After graduating from law school, Senator Carlton practiced law in Sarasota County for several years before entering the realm of public service. In 1994 Senator Carlton was elected to represent the 70thDistrict of the Florida House of Representatives. After two terms in the Florida House, then Representative Carlton became Senator Carlton when she was elected to represent the 23rd District of the Florida Senate in 1998. In 2002, Senator Carlton was elected in the 24th District of the Florida Senate where she served until 2008.

Growing up on the Mabry Carlton Ranch, Senator Carlton saw firsthand the challenges of operating a family business as she watched her parents manage a 17,000 acre cattle and citrus ranch  the same ranch she helps manage today.

Currently, Senator Carlton is a member of the Board of Directors for the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and is a founding a member of the Florida Historic Capitol Foundation. Senator Carlton received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stetson University and a Juris Doctor from Mercer University School of Law.

Timothy Cerio  Tallahassee

Timothy Cerio is an accomplished attorney practicing at his own law firm in Tallahassee. Along with being a former shareholder with the GrayRobinson law firm, Mr. Cerio has previously served as General Counsel to Governor Rick Scott from 2015 to 2016 and Chief of Staff and General Counsel at the Florida Department of Health from 2005 to 2007. In 2013, Mr. Cerio was appointed by Governor Scott to the Judicial Nominating Commission for the First District Court of Appeal.

Mr. Cerio received his bachelors and law degrees from the University of Florida where he was a member of Florida Blue Key. Mr. Cerio has remained active with his alma mater serving as president of the University of Florida Alumni Association and UF College of Law Alumni Council.

Emery Gainey  Tallahassee

Emery Gainey has devoted his career to law enforcement in Florida. Mr. Gainey is a member of the Attorney Generals senior executive management team and currently serves as the Director of Law Enforcement, Victim Services & Criminal Justice Programs and is the liaison between federal, state and local law enforcement administrators and the Attorney General. Mr. Gainey plays a key role in the development, implementation and execution of the Attorney Generals criminal justice related initiatives.

On May 20, 2016, Governor Rick Scott appointed Mr. Gainey to serve as Sheriff of Marion County, where he served until January 3, 2017, before returning to the Attorney Generals Office.

Prior to joining the Attorney General's Office in 2007, Mr. Gainey served with the Alachua County Sheriffs Office for 25 years, holding several key positions during his tenure including Chief Deputy, Division Commander of the Uniform Patrol and Homeland Security Commander.

Mr. Gainey is a member of the Florida Sheriffs Association, Florida Police Chiefs Association, FBI National Academy Associates, Florida Chapter, and serves on numerous community boards and professional organizations.

Mr. Gainey is a graduate of the University of Florida and the FBI National Academy.

Brecht Heuchan  Tallahassee

Brecht Heuchan is the Founder and CEO of ContributionLink, LLC, a leading political intelligence, data analytics and fundraising company which serves many of Americas most sophisticated corporations, trade associations and campaigns.

Mr. Heuchan also owns The Labrador Company, a Florida based political and government affairs firm that since its start in 2001, has represented a wide array of clients from small non-profits to some of the largest and most respected industry leaders in the world.

Throughout his career, Mr. Heuchan has gained extensive legislative, governmental and policy experience and used that knowledge in service to Governor Rick Scott and nearly a dozen Florida Senate Presidents and Speakers of the Florida House in a variety of staff and consulting capacities. In 1997, Mr. Heuchan was tasked by Speaker Daniel Webster to coordinate the Speakers Constitution Revision Commission appointees. He also monitored the work of the 97-98 CRC on the Speakers behalf, giving him a deep understanding and familiarity of the CRC process.

Mr. Heuchan received a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University.

Marva Johnson  Winter Garden

Marva Johnson is an accomplished member of Floridas business community and leader in Florida education. Mrs. Johnson, the Regional Vice President of State Government Affairs for Charter Communications currently serves as the chair of the Florida State Board of Education. Previously, Mrs. Johnson served as a member of the Florida Virtual School Board and Advisory Board for Rollins Colleges Crummer Center for Leadership Development.

Mrs. Johnson received her Bachelor of Science in business administration from Georgetown University before receiving a Master of Business Administration from Emory Universitys Goizuetta Business School and a Juris Doctor from the Georgia State University College of Law.

In 2014, Mrs. Johnson received the Minority Media and Telecommunications Councils Champion for Digital Equality Award in recognition of her leadership and advocacy in helping bridge the digital divide in education for low-income families.

Darlene Jordan  Palm Beach

Darlene Jordan is the Executive Director of the Gerald R. Jordan Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports education, health and youth services, and the arts. In April 2016, Governor Scott appointed Mrs. Jordan to the Board of Governors of the State University System.

Mrs. Jordan is a member of Fordham's Board of Directors and Co-Chair of Fordham's successful $500 million Campaign which supports new facilities, more student scholarships, more endowed faculty chairs and more funding for academic endeavors throughout Fordhams colleges and schools. She currently serves on Fordham's ExecutiveCommittee and is Chair of the Development and University Relations Committee and Co-Chair of the Financial Aid Campaign. Mrs. Jordan is also Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston. She serves as a Member of the Harvard Business School Board of Dean's Advisors and is a trustee of the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, Oxbridge Academy and Rosarian Academy.

Mrs. Jordan is a former Assistant Attorney General for the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General, where she served in the Insurance Fraud Division from 1996 to 1999. Previously, she was an Assistant District Attorney in the Norfolk District Attorney's office, from 1991 through 1996.

Mrs. Jordan received her Bachelor of Arts from Fordham University and her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University School of Law. She has been a member of the Massachusetts Bar since 1992 and the U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts since 1993.

Fred Karlinsky  Weston

A nationally recognized authority on national insurance regulatory and compliance issues, Fred Karlinsky is Co-Chair of Greenberg Traurigs Insurance Regulatory and Transactions Practice Group.

Mr. Karlinsky is experienced in transactional law, executive and legislative governmental affairs, administrative law and corporate representation. Recognized as one of the top insurance lawyers by Chambers and Partners, Mr. Karlinsky represents insurers, reinsurers, producers and other insurance interests throughout the U.S. and internationally in a wide variety of business, operational, regulatory, transactional and governmental matters.

In addition to his role with Greenberg Traurig, Mr. Karlinsky has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at Florida State University College of Law since 2008, where he teaches a course on Insurance Law and Risk Management. He is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator. Mr. Karlinsky was appointed by Governor Rick Scott to the 17th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission in 2011 and served as the vice chairman and chairman. He currently serves as Governor Scotts appointee on the Florida Supreme Court Nominating Commission.

This year, Mr. Karlinsky served as the co-chair to the 17th Annual Florida Celebration of Reading event. Funds raised from the annual Florida Celebration of Reading help support programs of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

Mr. Karlinsky received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Miami and a Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law.

Belinda Keiser  Parkland

Belinda Keiser has devoted her career to advancing Floridas economic and workforce development, global competitiveness, education and healthcare. In addition to serving on various governmental boards, Mrs. Keiser has been the vice chancellor of Keiser University for more than 20 years and is an advocate for students accessibility to higher education and workforce talent development.

Mrs. Keiser has served as an an Ex-Officio member of the Florida Council of 100, member of the Board of Floridas Chamber of Commerce and on the Florida Government Efficiency Task Force. Previously, she served on the Workforce Florida Inc. Board of Directors from 2005 to 2010, including serving as its past chair. Currently, Mrs. Keiser is serving as a reappointed member of the 17th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission of Broward County and as an appointee of Governor Rick Scott to the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors.

In 2016, Mrs. Keiser was presented with the Congressional Record in Recognition of Womens History Month by Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart and Speaker Paul Ryan for her work in the areas of education, public service and philanthropy.

Mrs. Keiser received a bachelors degree from Florida State University, a certificate in paralegal studies from Keiser University and a Master of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University.

Frank Kruppenbacher  Orlando

Frank Kruppenbacher is an accomplished attorney who has spent much of the past 10 years serving his community and the state through positions on various boards and commissions. Over the past three decades, Mr. Kruppenbacher has gained invaluable experience in the public sector serving on the Florida Commission on Ethics, Florida Commission on Sales Tax Reform, Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce, Orange County Ethics & Campaign Finance Reform Taskforce, Orange County Oversight Committee, Orange County Charter Commission, Central Florida Zoological Board, Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Orange County Sheriff Department Oversight Board.

Mr. Kruppenbacher currently serves as the Chairman of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. He was reappointed to the Aviation Authority by Governor Rick Scott in 2014.

Mr. Kruppenbacher attended Mount Saint Marys University in Maryland where he received his Bachelor of Arts. He subsequently received his Juris Doctor from New York Law School and attended the Harvard Graduate School of Education Program where he received a certificate in public engagement.

Dr. Gary Lester  The Villages

Dr. Gary Lester is the Vice President of The Villages for Community Relations and has spent 34 years as an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church. In his service to the Church, Dr. Lester pastored congregations in Texas, Arkansas and Ohio before moving to Florida in 1991.

Dr. Lester has served on numerous boards and advisory groups including the United States Military Academy Nominations Board and the Judicial Nominating Commission  Middle District of Florida.

Dr. Lester received a Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana Tech University and attended seminary at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Texas.

Jimmy Patronis  Panama City

A lifelong Floridian, Jimmy Patronis has dedicated his career to public service and his family business in Panama City. Mr. Patronis is currently a commissioner on the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC), a position he was appointed to by Governor Rick Scott for a four-year term beginning January 2015. Prior to his appointment, Commissioner Patronis represented District 6 (Bay County) in the Florida House of Representatives.

Commissioner Patronis was appointed by Governors Jeb Bush and Lawton Chiles to the Florida Elections Commission and is also a past Chairman and Board Member of the Bay County-Panama City International Airport and Industrial District. A member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), Commissioner Patronis serves on NARUCs Committee on Consumer Affairs and Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment. He also serves on the Advisory Council for New Mexico State Universitys Center for Public Utilities.

Commissioner Patronis received his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Florida State University. He is a member of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Bay County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Programs.

Pam Stewart  Tallahassee

Florida Department of Education (DOE) Commissioner Pam Stewart has dedicated her life to ensuring Floridas students have access to a high quality education that enables them to reach their full potential and achieve their academic and career goals.

Commissioner Stewart has served 37 years in education, beginning her career as a school teacher. She spent the first 20 years of her career as a guidance counselor, testing and research specialist, assistant principal and principal at both the elementary and high school levels.

In 2004, she joined the Florida Department of Educations Division of Public Schools as Deputy Chancellor for Educator Quality, where her experience in the school environment informed her leadership and resulted in Florida being recognized as a national leader in recruitment, development and performance pay for teachers. Commissioner Stewart served as Deputy Superintendent for Academic Services in St. Johns County, during which time the district was the highest performing district in the state. In 2011, she returned to DOE, and in 2013, the State Board of Education appointed her as Commissioner of Education.

Commissioner Stewart holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education/early childhood from the University of South Florida and a Master of Education in counselor education from the University of Central Florida. She earned her certification in educational leadership at Stetson University.

Nicole Washington  Miami Beach

Nicole Washington is a leader in higher education with more than 10 years of experience teaching, performing educational research and advocating for educational policy. As the State Policy Consultant for the Lumina Foundation she has worked to expand access and success for students in higher education and collaborated with organizations such as the Institute on Higher Education Policy, Education Commission on the States and Jobs for the Future. In Florida, Ms. Washington has served as the Associate Director of Governmental Relations for the State University System Board of Governors, as well as the Budget Director for Education in the Governors Office of Policy and Budget (OPB).

Ms. Washington is a board member of Florida A&M University, the LeRoy Collins Institute and the Veterans Trust Board. She is also currently a member of Class VII of Connect Florida.

Ms. Washington graduated from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Art degree and then attended Mercy College in New York earning a Master of Science in elementary education. Ms. Washington is also a graduate of Teachers College, Columbia University where she earned a Master of Art in comparative education.

Alternate Members

Governor Scott has identified the following individuals to serve as alternates should one of the appointees not be able to fulfill their duties for the duration of the CRC:
@NewsbySmiley

In a ruling that could have dramatic financial consequences, Floridas high court sided Thursday with Miami police officers fighting to undo unilateral cuts to their salaries and pensions made years ago during a financial crisis.

The Florida Supreme Court, in a 4 to 1 decision, quashed a lower court ruling that upheld Miamis 2010 declaration of financial urgency, a rarely-utilized state law that allowed administrators to force open union contracts and impose sweeping concessions on public employees. The controversial move capped pensions at $100,000, cut salaries by as much as 12 percent, and saved the city  at the time under a securities fraud investigation and teetering on bankruptcy  more than $100 million in labor expenses.

But it also sparked multiple legal challenges, including one by the citys Fraternal Order of Police arguing that Miami officials failed to exhaust other viable options and skipped a key procedural step before unconstitutionally shredding contracts. The union lost cases before the Public Employees Relations Commission and First District Court of Appeal over the last seven years, but won Thursday at the highest level  raising questions about whether the city could be on the hook for millions in back-pay.


@PatriciaMazzei

Florida Gov. Rick Scott's declaration of political war came to South Florida on Thursday from inside the ballroom of a La Carreta Cuban restaurant in Hialeah.

In typical mild-mannered fashion, Scott smiled and rattled off a list of five names: Jose Oliva. Manny Diaz Jr. Carlos Trujillo. Jeanette Nunez. Michael Bileca. Then, before a gaggle of TV news cameras, he listed them again.

"We have politicians in Tallahassee, some local ones," Scott said. "And they voted to reduce the funding for marketing our state and completely eliminate Enterprise Florida. That's going to eliminate somebody's job."

With the annual legislative session set to begin Tuesday, Scott has been traveling the state in full-bore campaign mode against well-liked legislators -- fellow Republicans -- who back House Speaker Richard Corcoran's bid to do away with or cripple Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida, the state's economic-development and tourism agencies. Thursday brought Scott to House District 110, represented by Oliva, who's been designated the next House speaker.

"It's disconcerting," Oliva told the Miami Herald. "At some point here, the governor is going to have to revisit whether what he's doing is within our principles.... I wish he would reflect a bit and think, maybe these bona fide conservatives have a point."

Scott gathered a crowd of friendly local politicians and business people, most of them Hispanic, who said they side with the governor. Among them were Felipe Valls, whose family owns the popular La Carreta and Versailles Cuban restaurant chains; Carlos Gazitua, whose family owns the competing Sergio's Cuban restaurant chain, and Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, a Republican who advocated for state film-industry subsidies.

Scott argued Visit Florida is necessary to market a state dominated by a tourism industry sensitive to blips in the economy. He also said taxpayers' money is well-spent on economic development because the state gets a return on its investment from sales taxes created by new businesses.

His detractors, however, counter that the state is hurting businesses by subsidizing their competition.

"I'm glad he's visiting Miami," Trujillo told the Herald. "I wonder how much La Carreta has received from Visit Florida and Enterprise Florida? I'm pretty sure they haven't received anything -- and they've paid taxes for 40 years."

Diaz -- whose district borders the Hialeah La Carreta -- also seemed unfazed.

"I agree with the governor 99 percent of the time," Diaz said. "In listening to small-business owners in my district, we see this a little differently. I've spoken to many people in my district, and they are OK with my stance."

"It's offensive and shameful for the Governor to come to my community and mislead the thousands of small business owners who have never received a penny of corporate welfare," Nunez said.

Scott asked the crowd -- and the people at home -- to call their lawmakers before the next House committee takes up the issue at 3 p.m. Monday.

This post has been updated.
via @patriciamazzei and @jayhweaver

A decade ago, a Miami Beach father who traveled to Cambodia to pay for sex with three underage girls was found guilty in federal court and convicted of sex tourism involving children.

Kent Frank, 50, was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Miamis U.S. attorney at the time, Alex Acosta, declared in a news release that society cannot permit such individuals to seek sanctuary in our community.

We will prosecute sexual abuse of children aggressively, both when the targets are children in our community and when the defendants travel to target children abroad, he vowed.

But Acosta, now President Donald Trumps nominee for secretary of labor, made a very different call in another, far more sordid case just months later. The agreement Acosta approved for Palm Beach billionaire Jeffrey Epstein  a sweetheart plea deal, according to attorneys for Epsteins victims  could come back to haunt his Senate confirmation hearing if any senators question Acostas judgment in one of the most high-profile cases of his career.

Keep reading here
@amysherman1

President Donald Trump returns to South Florida again today and will stay at his Mar-A-Lago estate in Palm Beach.

Trump will arrive in Orlando in the afternoon and tour Saint Andrew Catholic School and participate in a parent-teacher listening session. Gov. Rick Scott will join Trump at the school.

Trump arrives in West Palm Beach at 4 p.m. and speaks at the Republican National Committee spring retreat at the Four Seasons Resort. His speech is not open to the media. The White House has not released Trump's schedule for the remainder of the weekend.

Gov. Rick Scott and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio will speak to the RNC Saturday, the Palm Beach Post reported.
About 10 years ago, artist RYAN! Feddersen, who stylizes her name with capital letters and an exclamation point, took an indigenous art history course at the Institute of American Indian Art.

She recalled that her professor, the late Ed Wapp, told them something on the first day that startled her.

"It was the first thing he said, 'there is no word for "art" in any indigenous culture,' " said Feddersen, a native of Wenatchee, Washington, and of Okanagan and Arrow Lakes descent. She recalled how he explained that the students, there to pursue art degrees, were thinking about art from a Western perspective. It's made by people with special talents. It's assigned a value. You place it on a pedestal or collect it, she said.

"In most indigenous cultures, art wasn't looked at that way. It was something that you touched, it was something that you used, it was something that was part of a ritual or an action, it was something for the community and it wasn't for one person to collect," she said.

Feddersen, who had wanted to pursue painting that contributed to a larger conversation, realized that a brush and canvas might not be the medium to get there.

***

Feddersen's solo exhibition at the Missoula Art Museum, "Resistance," is designed to start conversations and make you interact with it. Since one drawing, "Coyote Now," was placed on the wall, countless viewers have used the accompanying crayons to scribble in the lines. Another, "Unveiling the Romantic West," is the rare museum piece that's not complete unless you touch it. Press your hands on Feddersen's recreations of Edgar Paxson's murals, now on view at the Missoula County Courthouse, and hidden images are revealed, ones that point out flaws in Paxson's narrative that obscure the treatment of indigenous people. You're not supposed to touch "Disconnected Towers," a sculptural installation that ties gentrification in modern Seattle to the colonization of the West by white men, but its message isn't obscured.

***

Feddersen was working on her bachelor's thesis at Cornish College of Art in Seattle when she first experienced the power of interactive elements. It was 2007, during the run-up to the presidential elections and Barack Obama's historic win.

She created a paint-by-numbers piece called "A Little Color in the White House." She drew a three-quarter scale replica of the White House state dining room, right "down to the patterns on the drapes and wallpaper and paintings in the room, and the White House state china," she said. It measured roughly 16 feet high and was 18 feet deep.

She melted down crayons and cast them to create a feast to lay out, a "combination of really indulgent foods and really down-home American foods."

She invited the audience to come color and participate, both in the art and also the political process, despite the warnings of her professors. The scale drawings were done by hand.

She remembers seeing men standing on each others' shoulders to color in the highest points, like the crown moulding. The audiences got engaged, often messily.

"It was beautiful as a drawn environment, and then to allow the public to potentially destroy it, is an exercise in letting go and an exercise in putting your money where your mouth is on interactivity," she said.

***

"Coyote Now" is the latest in her paint-by-numbers pieces. She was inspired by the myths in indigenous author Mourning Dove's book, "Coyote Stories," but set her Coyote in comic-like panels and modern scenarios. (In one, he's an artist drawing the original Peace sign above Missoula on Waterworks Hill, a recurring prank that fits the Coyote spirit.)

Coyote stories begin with his resurrection and end with his death, she said. "If a single scrap of bone or fur or whisker remains that he can be brought back to life by his brother fox," she said.

Viewers at the MAM can select coyote bones, cast from crayons, to color in the panels on the wall.

"I wanted to think about the method of Coyote's immortality, his remains, as being directly tied to creativity," she said.

The version of "Coyote Now" at the MAM was made from cut vinyl. The first she ever made was hand-drawn, which she doubts she'll ever do again.

***

When Feddersen was living in the South Delridge neighborhood of Seattle, the signs of the city's rapid growth became obvious.

It was once one of the youngest and most diverse parts of the city. Over the past several years, developers tore down single-family homes to build townhouses that were drastically higher in price.

"It's drastically changing the composition of the neighborhood both with racial demographics and with ages as well. It's not a family neighborhood anymore," she said.

Scrap-wood towers put up by contractors to hold electrical wiring became a regular sign that a house was going to disappear, according to Gail Tremblay's exhibition essay.

Feddersen built her own version for "Towers," atop which she put plastic neon symbols for money, stock prices, inequality and asterisks.

In the MAM exhibition, she painted neon buffalo skulls on the wall behind the towers, an added layer to comment on colonization.

"I wanted to connect the way we think about rapid development and gentrification currently with the way we thought about rapid development and genocide in the way that use of land was historically as well," she said.

***

For the exhibition, the MAM requested a piece that commented on local art history, specifically the murals by Edgar Paxson that were stored at the museum during the courthouse renovations.

She researched the history and generated a novel idea for depicting both Paxson's version and the more accurate one at the same time.

"Unveiling the Romantic West" at first appears to be a black-and-white recreation of Paxson's work. If you press your hand to specific areas, the thermochromic ink will reveal "hidden drawings."

Take the depiction of the forced march of the Salish from the Bitterroot Valley to the Flathead Reservation.

"In Paxson's version, it shows youths celebrating. They're raising their arms, playing on their horses," she said. In Feddersen's version, you can press your hand on the bushes to the left, and it will reveal the armed guards who escorted them. You can even "erase" those celebratory young people.

"The mood of celebration is not only incongruent with the historical facts but also very horrible and disheartening," she said.

She special-ordered the ink from a manufacturer. She turned its flaws into a meaningful end to the piece. The ink isn't very durable, and eventually will wear away entirely.

"The more times people try to uncover the imagery, the more it'll eventually become exposed, which is completing the circle of the metaphor. The more that you dig for this history or information that is often obscured by a dominant narrative, the more you're able to permanently uncover them," she said.
When Lance Boyd arrived at the University of Montana in 1968, jazz didn't have its own program. UM didn't even have a proper jazz band.

"Things kept evolving and growing and developing and multiplying and it's turned out to be what it is now," Boyd said.

It went from band to bands plural, he said. Then from a jazz festival to festivals. Then the Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival, headlined by the legendary clarinet player, whose cachet brought in other world-class musicians to teach and perform.

In honor of Boyd's work, he'll be honored Saturday at the "Odyssey of the Stars," an annual UM event that picks out alumni and their artistic journeys.

The recipients are selected by a committee of the school directors in the College of Visual and Performing Arts after consulting with their faculties, said Maxine Ramey, director of the School of Music.

In an email, Ramey said, "Lance was selected because of the significant impact he had in jazz education across the region. He was a UM alum from way back in 1968, and then became long-term faculty member, and now an emeritus faculty member. His dedication and legacy is noteworthy in our School of Music, having served as the director of jazz studies for 43 years."

Looking back, Boyd said, "I loved it to pieces. I wouldn't have had it any other way."

Previous recipients have included painter George Gogas, Hollywood casting director Rene Haynes, artists Monte Dolack and Mary Beth Percival, Jim Caron and Don Collins (co-founders of Missoula children's and community theaters), actor J.K. Simmons and more.

***

Boyd left Minnesota for Montana with an eye toward getting a doctorate in education. He was a graduate student and a teaching assistant in trombone, directed the marching band and conducted the pep band.

The music faculty at the time was focused on classical, he said, and not jazz. Nor did he have any intention of helping build a jazz program.

The trombonist put together a small student combo for four trombones and a rhythm section, a format he used in Minneapolis and had the charts for.

Soon more students wanted to take part, and people wanted them to perform off campus.

After the leader of a casual nonacademic performing group graduated, he was invited to take over. From that beginning, Boyd became a full-time instructor and then grew the jazz program into its current form, with multiple big bands and small combos.

For much of his tenure, Boyd was the only faculty member. It wasn't until the final two years that saxophone professor Johan Eriksson began helping.

Many of Boyd's students went on to have successful careers as teachers and performers. He enjoyed teaching and running the program so much that he didn't retire until he was 70.

"I was hanging on because I was having too great a time," he said.

***

To members of the music-going public, Boyd's signature accomplishment is the Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival, which will hit campus March 16-17.

It was originally the UM Jazz Festival, founded in 1981. They would bring in world-class artists for a night. Then it expanded to two nights and they added more artists.

In 1998, Buddy DeFranco was a guest artist. The clarinetist was among the first to learn to play the complex style of bebop on his instrument instead of sticking with swing.

DeFranco had a property in Whitefish, and expressed interest in becoming an annual headliner.

"I was jumping for joy," Boyd said. "What a great opportunity that would be."

After working through the administrative paperwork, the newly christened Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival kicked off in 1999.

DeFranco was involved for 11 years, and Boyd used his clout to bring in artists who normally might never return a message from a festival in western Montana.

"When I was calling and inviting them on behalf of Buddy and us, that really got their attention," Boyd said. He can list off "any number of artists that were happy to come here because Buddy was here," he said.

The guest artists read like a jazz hall-of-fame listing: the horn-playing brothers Michael and Randy Brecker, drummer Peter Erskine, saxophonist and clarinet player Paquito D'Rivera, trombonist Robin Eubanks, saxophonist James Moody and more.

Most of the guests were incredible people, grateful for the audience and the interest in a niche art. A few were eccentric. There were standing ovations and "outrageous" backstage stories.

The festival continued with DeFranco's name after he could no longer perform. It's continued since 2013 under the direction of Boyd's successor, Rob Tapper.

Boyd himself said he's been trying to whittle the evolution down for Saturday's event.

"It's a 45-year-long story," he said. "Grab a cup of coffee and put your feet up."
HELENA  Last-chance efforts to revive Democrat-carried bills related to public access, increasing the minimum wage and repealing English-only all failed Monday at the Legislature as the deadline to move general bills loomed.

Rep. Tom Jacobson, D-Great Falls, tried to "blast" his House Bill 295 out of committee, where it had been tabled. It would have increased fines for not removing a locked gate from $10 a day to up to $500 a day, as well as let counties issue a permit for encroachments on a county road in the case of something like a structure.

The bill, which was supported by sportsmens' groups and the Montana Association of Counties, failed to pass out of the House Judiciary committee with 10 voting against the bill and nine voting for it to advance.

This bill really does nothing more than identify locked gates across identified county roads, Jacobson told the House on Monday. It just gives more ability for counties to address this and more deterrent for people who just want to keep people out of public lands.

Opponents said county road supervisors already have the ability to cut locks off improperly gated roads and cases where the ownership of the road is disputed could take years to work through already-overwhelmed district courts.

This has been very misrepresented to the sportsmen in Montana, Rep. Alan Doane, R-Bloomfield, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, told the House.

Those who support the bill said the bill is only aimed at roads where the ownership is clear.

This is about identified county roads, this is not about anything else, Jacobson said. If you dont want to get fined then dont put a lock on it.

After the vote, Nick Gevock, conservation director for the Montana Wildlife Federation, said the bill was needed because across Montana there are cases where improperly gated roads arent being addressed.

This bill was crafted over 18 months in close consultation with the Montana Association of Counties to come up with a solution to the issue of gated county roads, he said. Despite the rhetoric, road disputes had nothing to do with this bill.

Another bill to raise the minimum wage from $8.15 to $10.10 an hour starting next January also failed to reach the House floor.

Rep. Mary Ann Dunwells House Bill 169 failed to pass the House Business and Labor Committee with 11 voting to not pass the bill and eight voting for it.

Dunwell told lawmakers Monday that many problems around the state, even the methamphetamine epidemic, can be tied to a low income. She said about 21 percent of the workforce currently earns less than $10.10 an hour.

Rep. Greg Hertz, R-Polson and Speaker Pro Tempore, said the increase wasnt needed because the free market is already doing a good job dictating wages across the state, citing the booming Gallatin Valley and oilfields in northeastern Montana as places with many jobs that pay above the minimum wage.

Hertz also said different wages make sense in different parts of Montana.

Whats right maybe in Bozeman or Billings or Missoula doesnt always work in the smaller communities, he said.

Rep. Randy Brodehl, R-Kalispell, said increasing wages would make things like groceries cost more and hurt those on fixed incomes.

The impact is directly on the people in our community and our districts that have a fixed income that are already right now trying to figure out how to (pay) every bill that comes in.

Rep. Amanda Curtis, D-Butte, said the bill was an opportunity to boost workers spending power and that the money would be spent locally.

I cant believe the majority of us would not even talk about putting more money in the pockets of Montanans, she said.

The third bill to fail to be blasted from committee was a bill carried by Rep. Sharon Stewart-Peregoy, D-Crow Agency. House Bill 552 would have repealed the part of state law that says English is the official and primary language of the state and local governments.

In her attempt to blast the bill, Stewart-Peregoy said the law has become a symbol of intolerance and hostility."

She also cited a Billings radio host who last week suggested that tournaments be segregated by race. Discrimination is beginning to run rampant, Stewart-Peregoy said.

This body needs to take this public policy and really talk about it, she said.

Rep. Forrest Mandeville, R-Columbus, said the bill had a good hearing in committee. He said he supported learning languages and understanding other cultures, and that Stewart-Peregoys bill didnt do that.

Rep. Derek Skees, R-Kalispell, said the bill is about providing state documents in English and not discrimination. Pointing to a state code book, he said that if Montana didnt have an English-only law the code book would have to be printed in several languages.

There is an official single language that almost all of us understand and thats how we communicate laws in Montana, Skees said.

Another motion carried by Rep. Kim Abbott, D-Helena, to allow for online voter registration also failed to reach the House floor.

Abbott called online voter registration an idea whose time has come, saying 34 other states already allow it.

But Mandeville said the bill was shot down in committee because of concern over costs. A fiscal note that came after the bill was tabled put the cost of implementing online voter registration at $500,000.

Rep. Bryce Bennett, D-Missoula, disputed the cost of the bill, saying it was an attempt at death by fiscal note. He also cited recent national media coverage of a letter written by Montana Republican Party Chairman Rep. Jeff Essmann, R-Billings, who sent a letter to party members saying that Democrats would have an advantage in a mail-only ballot.

Montana needs to send a pretty clear message as to where we stand on voting rights, Bennett said.

The only blast motion carried by a Republican on Monday came from Rep. Mike Hopkins, R-Missoula. He tried to move forward a bill that would have emergency medical responders provide suicide prevention treatment to veterans. Opponents said the bill wasn't ready as written.
Ginger Lewman used the example of a side dish versus a petri dish to describe how teachers used to send kids with special needs to a separate teacher. These days, classrooms tend to be differentiated for all kids.

That includes gifted students.

Lewman, a national consultant and speaker with ESSDACK, a nonprofit education service center in Kansas, gave the keynote address Thursday morning at Montana AGATE's (Association for Gifted and Talented Education) 37th annual conference. It's a two-day event in downtown Missoula that gathers teachers, parents and college students  there's often little to no undergraduate training in gifted education.

Lewman taught for several years before getting her master's in psychology and special education with an emphasis in gifted education. She's worked at the local, state and federal levels advocating for gifted students.

"People say, 'Oh, these kids, they're doing fine,'" Lewman said of the public's perception of gifted students.

But research shows that gifted students face a number of challenges, from limited funding for gifted programs to different definitions of "gifted" to conflicting opinions on best practices.

"We have kids making A's, but that doesn't mean they're going out in the world and being successful," Lewman said. "We have kids falling flat, and that does not mean they're stupid at all. There's a disconnect there."

***

Montana has provided $250,000 for gifted and talented education statewide each year for the past decade, except for a $2.5 million boost in the 2009 biennium.

Out of Montana's 410 school districts, 49 grants are serving 69 districts this biennium.

Efforts in last year's School Funding Interim Commission to boost that funding were modified and pushed forward in a draft appropriation bill. House Bill 116, brought forth this session by Rep. Kathy Kelker, D-Billings, called for a $3 million appropriation over the biennium for gifted and talented.

It was tabled in early February.

Money comes in, but theres no consistency across the state in how districts deploy money in the classroom, identify students and use it for true gifted and talented, commission member and Helena Public Schools board chair Aidan Myhre said at the commission's August meeting.

In Montana, gifted and talented is lumped in with special needs, which also includes children with disabilities, at-risk students and students with limited English proficiency.

Yet while school districts are federally mandated to provide special education services, gifted and talented is optional.

"How many of us this year or the last few months say the pendulum swings (in education trends), so all I've got to do is wait a little bit and it'll sway back the other way?" Lewman said. "That kills me. We're looking at it as, 'This way is new, this way is old.' ... That's a very binary view of the world. Guess what? Our children are not binary. They're full of shades of gray, complications and craziness."

Teachers should add complexity to those shades of gray, she said.

***

But simply adding technology isn't enough, Lewman said.

First came blackboards in 1801. Then Ditto machines in 1960, computers in schools in 1985 and internet in schools in the 2000s.

Innovation is not switching the five questions first posed on the blackboard to a different format, she said.

"It's less about me being the teacher and the 'source of all knowledge,' and being more of a resource," she said. "How to help kids be learners. They've got to learn how to learn ... and how to un-learn."

Lewman went through a slew of ideas to change up instruction and make it engaging and exciting for students  particularly gifted students.

That doesn't necessarily require buckets of money, she said.

"Open education resources is having access to learning that's up to date, high quality and doesn't cost $85 a book that's outdated the moment it's printed," she said. "If you don't have kids connected, learning the things at their fingertips, then what are we doing? I go to schools on a regular basis and students are not allowed to use powerful machines or they don't have access because their teacher is not comfortable with computers.

"Baby, it's 2017, it's not 1985 anymore."

***

Kaye Ebelt, who runs Target Range School's STEM and gifted programs, was named the MT AGATE Teacher of the Year.

"I was absolutely blown away by what this teacher does," said Shirley Lindburg, Missoula County Public Schools gifted education specialist.

Ebelt thinks outside of the box in her instruction, from chemistry through altering recipes to building a rocket that students later used in a play they wrote. Her students even 3-D printed a prosthetic hand for a classmate.

That's the kind of innovation that will make school exciting again for gifted students, Lewman said.

"This is the learning they'll never forget," she said.

"Keeping our hands off, the kids will be the ones falling down, faltering, making mistakes  and learning," she said. "To not do that is costly in more ways than one."

***

The Friends of AGATE Award went to POINTS (Parents and Others Invested in Nurturing Talented Students), a group of Missoula parents who banded together to advocate for gifted students.

"This group of parents has worked so hard to make things happen in our district and across the state," Lindburg said.

They've testified locally and at the state level, calling for better understanding of gifted kids' needs and better-funded programs.

"They really have truly been ... forgers, establishing a path of how other parents across the state can organize and advocate effectively for students," said MT AGATE board chair Karlina Popwell. "They know our students are not well understood."

What leads to some kids becoming disengaged with school, dropping out or acting out? The common denominator, Lewman said, is school.

"I believe every single kid wakes up wanting to do the right thing ... even those in high school wearing black and flipping us off in the parking lot," she said, prompting a wave of laughter in the crowd.
Missoula County Sheriff T.J. McDermott is the co-owner of Montana Electronics after buying the company with former undersheriff Jason Johnson, who retired last month after the deal closed.

Part of Montana Electronics' business involves selling and installing radios used by law enforcement agencies and other emergency services.

McDermott said Thursday he will follow legal advice from the Missoula County Attorneys Office and doesnt want his department to do any more business with the company as long as he is sheriff.

My preference would be we dont even deal with Montana Electronics, McDermott said. I think youre going to find both Jason Johnson and I want this transaction to be as above-board as possible.

The sheriff said when Johnson began considering the opportunity to purchase Montana Electronics late last year, he asked McDermott to be his partner. McDermott told him he would, but that he had no interest in being involved in the running of the company.

According to a trust indenture statement filed with the county's recording department, McDermott and Johnson agreed to pay $1 million for the company and its assets.

I was hoping to be a silent partner, McDermott said Thursday. My partnership doesnt include me having any direct contact or doing any work associated with the daily operations of the business.

While the negotiations were ongoing, McDermott said he spoke with attorneys regarding possible conflicts of interest. After the deal closed in February, the sheriff said he told the Missoula County Commissioners about buying the company and asked the Missoula County Attorneys Office to write a legal opinion to give him clear legal guidelines for avoiding conflicts.

In a letter to the sheriff dated Feb. 28, chief deputy county attorney Jason Marks wrote that McDermott was correct that the sheriffs office shouldnt purchase any equipment from Montana Electronics while he remains in office, even if he personally didnt make the purchasing decision.

Barbara Berens, county auditor, said so far in the fiscal year that ends in June, the sheriffs office  including the Missoula County Detention Facility  has done just under $2,300 in business with Montana Electronics.

In the 2016 fiscal year, the county did more than $35,000 in business, including a single purchase of a little more than $33,000 for portable radios and associated accessories.

McDermott said the bulk purchase was made to deal with a set of broken radios used by detention officers.

Overall, the county did more than $49,000 in business with Montana Electronics in the 2016 fiscal year and $121,000 in the 2015 fiscal year, only $7,200 of which was with the sheriffs office. Berens said the rest of the business was split among several other departments.

Marks letter said other agencies can still contract with Montana Electronics. McDermott said he wouldnt be taking part in any other departments interactions with the company.

Moving forward, Im recused from any decisions that my critics could try to use against me as being inappropriate. Thats the last thing I want, McDermott said.

***

About a decade ago, through a Department of Homeland Security grant, emergency radios were purchased from Montana Electronics for law enforcement agencies, fire departments and other emergency responders county-wide, including the Missoula County Sheriffs Office and the Missoula Police Department.

Two years ago, the city police received another grant and purchased new radios from a different vendor. McDermott said last year, he asked and Police Chief Mike Brady gave him the rest of the old radios.

With the boxes and boxes of backups his department now has, McDermott said he doesnt see the need for updates or repairs any time soon.

I think were at a point with the stockpile of (radios) we wouldnt even fix them. We have plenty of extras, he said.

In the unlikely event a radio needs to be repaired, the sheriff said he will ask the countys Office of Emergency Management to handle the work.

***

Days after Johnsons Feb. 10 retirement, McDermott announced that former sheriffs office captain Rich Maricelli, who retired from the department in 2013, would return as the new undersheriff. Maricelli will be sworn in at a ceremony Friday at noon at the Missoula County courthouse.

The sheriffs office held a retirement party for Johnson on Thursday.

McDermott said he remains fully committed to his work as the sheriff and has no intention to leave the role to work at Montana Electronics.

Im invested in my position and invested in what hopefully will be a long tenure as sheriff of the best community possible to be sheriff in, he said.
The next time your phone rings from an unrecognized number, take note.

In the last week, several Missoulians have received spoof phone calls that appear on caller ID under real law enforcement agencies numbers, but are scams trying to get personal information or money.

One, using local FBI satellite office numbers, targeted international students at the University of Montana.

Several others used the Missoula Police Departments station number to try and obtain personal information from locals.

Xu Haodong, a junior exchange student from central China, got one of the bewildering calls last week.

A man spoke first, and apparently pretended to switch lines, although Xu said it sounded like he just handed the phone to another person.

This time a woman's voice asked what his post-graduation plans were. He said hed be in China and planned to find a job.

That woman started insulting, threatening me, he said. She told him she knew that Chinese students came to the United States to take American jobs.

Thats the point I realized, she may be just an extremist.

Xu started recording the conversation, first asking what office she was from. He played the recording for the Montana Kaimin, the University of Montana student newspaper, which first wrote about the incident.

The woman told him she was with the FBI, and to Google the number to double-check.

He found the number matched up with the Billings satellite FBI office.

I still dont get this, how can you just call me? he asked.

I have the rights, I have the rights sir, she said.

She threatened to cancel his degree, contact the embassy to cancel his passport and put him in jail for two months before deporting him to China.

You dont deserve to live in the United States, she told him. Im going to inform to the officer, Im going to inform to the FBI right now.

The woman then pretended to call another FBI agent and gave her name as Lisa Smith. She told Xu he was now going to be arrested.

What? Xu asked, incredulous. Excuse me?

He finally hung up, saying he had to go to class.

When Xu told the director of the Global Engagement Office, Effie Koehn, about the call, she said three or four other Chinese students had gotten similar calls, but all were asked for bank account information.

The Missoulian reported last July that at least three UM students had received spoof calls from Montana FBI office numbers asking for immediate payment for unpaid school taxes.

The Missoula Police Department tweeted Thursday morning their main station number of 552-6300 was spoofed, or sent from an unknown source disguised as a source known to the receiver.

Public Information Officer Travis Welsh said in an email theyd received about 20 reports Thursday from people who received the spoof calls.

Welsh said he was only aware of one person who answered and spoke to the caller. They reported a male with a distinct accent who transferred the call to a female who also had a distinct accent, according to a post on MPDs Facebook page.

Welsh said the callers asked the person to confirm personal information during the short call.

After his scam call, Xu contacted UM Police and asked Koehn to report the calls to the FBI.

A few days later, his phone started buzzing in class. He didnt recognize the number and asked his friend to Google it.

It turns out it was just like the first number, Xu said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Only this one was the Helena office, while the first was from Billings.

I hope its just for money, Xu said. I dont want them to show up. Its too scary.

In the MPD's Facebook post, Welsh told people to ask the caller for their name and immediate supervisor and what authority theyre calling under  and then, call the Missoula Police Department and verify whether its a real phone call.

The post also reminded Missoulians to never give out personal, or identifying information over the phone unless you're certain of who you're speaking with.

Educating our citizens seems to be the best way to combat these scammers, Welsh said.

This story has been updated to reflect the reporting by the Montana Kaimin.
Enrollment of full time students at the University of Montana fell 5.45 percent from spring 2016 to spring 2017, and the head count fell 2.8 percent  but the drop wasn't as steep as UM officials anticipated.

The head count this spring is 11,615 compared to 11,955 one year ago, and UM President Sheila Stearns said Thursday she had thought the head count might fall closer to 11,000. The count includes Missoula College.

"The fact that it's coming in at 11,600 is a bit of lemonade to me," Stearns said. "It's not lemon. That's a fact."

The count of full time equivalents went from 10,269 in spring 2016 to 9,710 this spring, according to enrollment data posted on the Montana University System website with the Montana Board of Regents' agenda.

UM has experienced falling enrollment since 2010, seeing an overall 24 percent decrease despite its high academic rankings. In summer 2016, UM brought on a vice president with enrollment expertise, adjusting the post vacated by vice president of student affairs Teresa Branch, who retired.

Thursday, Stearns said she anticipates UM's enrollment will level out over the next two years, and she said pushing up the number will depend on the success of new recruitment strategies along with faculty and staff retention activities.

"There are some variables there, and all of us need to play our part," Stearns said. "But I would guess that we will level out at 11,000, maybe a little under, a little over, in the next two years, and then, these strategies will begin to really pay off."

***

UM vice president for enrollment management Tom Crady also said the slip this spring is not a surprise. For one thing, enrollment naturally drops from fall to spring, and his new efforts to overhaul recruitment only started in fall 2016, too early to pay dividends this spring.

Crady also said he's seeing positive indicators for the upcoming school year.

"Right now, we have 165 more housing registrations than we did a year ago," Crady said.

At a fall news conference about enrollment, the vice president said he would like to stabilize enrollment and see a 3 percent increase. He noted this week the 3 percent increase is specific to the incoming freshman class, and UM is being assertive to reach that target.

All UM's marketing efforts are directed to students applying to attend in the fall of 2017, he said, and he's implementing massive changes in an effort to boost enrollment of the 2017 freshmen class.

"Quite honestly, I've never implemented more enrollment strategies and more retention strategies in such a short time," Crady said.

For example, he eliminated 67 different "holds," or barriers, on student registrations, and he also directed a policy change to allow people to register if they owe less than $1,000.

"Before, it was $200, and we just got crushed," Crady said, noting parking citations alone can propel a bill to that lower threshold.

One recruitment tool UM is using is "phone casts"  a sort of conference call with potential students, and a recent "phone cast" had students from as far away as Florida and Cambodia on the line. The president and provost were on the call too.

"We held 1,300 on the line for over an hour," Crady said.

Since UM is graduating 1,000 more students this year compared to last year, enrollment will still drop in the fall, even with a possible bump in the incoming class, he said. So Crady said the long-term goal is to even out class sizes.

"I think what we're trying to do right now is we're trying to determine what the ideal enrollment would be," he said.

Crady also said he needs to go through a full year at UM in order to better predict enrollment because so many factors are changing at the same time.

In a campus update earlier this year, President Stearns said she had asked her budget team to plan for a head count of 11,000 in fall 2017 as a wise and practical approach to UM's finances. This spring, the head count is 11,615, with 10,006 on the main campus and 1,609 at Missoula College.

Thursday, the president said the budget this school year is on track with the recent enrollment data, and the spring numbers make her optimistic. Enrollment will drop in fall 2017, she said, and possibly the year after; it's impossible to rebuild enrollment all at once, she said, but the dial is moving in the right direction.

"We're on the right track, and this tells me we're on the right track," Stearns said.
In 1957, a group of concerned citizens in the Flathead Valley founded The Lutheran Home to provide a comfortable place for local seniors to live during their golden years. Sixty years later, The Lutheran Home has evolved and expanded to become Immanuel Lutheran Communities, but our mission is the same: to provide a safe, comfortable place for seniors to live  especially those seniors who have outlived their financial resources and cannot afford care for themselves.

Immanuel Lutheran Communities is a not-for-profit Life Plan Community offering residential living, assisted living, memory support, rehabilitation services and skilled nursing care in Kalispell. Last year, we provided over $2 million of unreimbursed care to area seniors on Medicaid. These seniors have paid their fair share of taxes over their lifetimes; now it is time for us to give back. We must make their welfare a top priority, and allow them to receive the quality care and services they deserve, by fully funding the Medicaid program.

The gap between reimbursement paid by Medicaid and the cost to deliver services is growing, and as Montanas population continues to age at the highest percentage rate in the country, we will soon have a crisis on our hands. As CEO of Immanuel Lutheran Communities, I am deeply concerned for seniors who are too physically frail or cognitively challenged to advocate for themselves. And I am concerned about how we can continue to provide such care in the Flathead Valley when we face competitive wage pressures, escalating costs of living and a shrinking labor pool.

We depend on the legislature to properly fund Medicaid reimbursement for The Lutheran Home and all nursing homes across the state. Reductions to the Medicaid program may force us to reduce the number of seniors we care for who are on Medicaid, and/or force us to raise private pay rateswhich will, in turn, accelerate the rate at which seniors will outlive their financial resources and thus require eventual state assistance  which will cost the state more money over time.

Funding the Medicaid program for our area seniors must be a priority.
Historic huckleberries to Ryan Zinke and the 63 U.S. senators who voted Wednesday morning to confirm his appointment as secretary of the Interior Department. Zinkes supporters include both senators from Montana, Jon Tester and Steve Daines, who evidently found the former Navy SEAL from Whitefish a fitting choice for the first-ever presidential cabinet member from Montana. On the same day he was confirmed, Zinke resigned at Montanas U.S. representative and Gov. Steve Bullock set a date for a special election to determine his replacement: May 25. Now, the state Democratic and Republican parties are working to get their candidates in place before the March 10 deadline for party nominations. Thanks in part to Zinkes meteoric rise on the national stage, whoever is elected to replace him will have quite a legacy to live up to.

Chokecherries to the dozen individuals charged with drinking and driving in Missoula last weekend. Missoula police arrested at least 12 people for suspected DUI. For the sake of comparison, thats the same number arrested for DUI in all of Missoula County over the entire four-day New Years weekend. Most sadly, one of the last weekends arrests was made in connection with an alleged hit-and-run that killed a Missoula man last Friday night.

Huckleberries to the new Kettlehouse Amphitheater, which hasnt even been built yet and is already lining up big-name acts. Ween will be first to play the new outdoor venue named for KettleHouse Brewing Co., which owns the property and also runs a canning facility on the former mill site in Bonner. The first concert at the venue, which boasts a capacity of about 4,000 people, is scheduled for July 16, and will be followed by Slayer and Lambs of God in August.

Chokecherries to Clinton Sproles, the 54-year-old man who told Butte police he had racked up an astounding 22 DUI convictions from different states. Police arrested him for driving with a revoked license and violating parole after he failed field sobriety tests and refused to take a Breathalyzer test. Sproles has at least 18 prior DUI convictions on record with the Gallatin County Attorney's Office, including an incident in 2008 in which he was arrested with a blood alcohol level of 0.179 after hitting another vehicle.

Huckleberries to the smart, safety-minded state representatives who voted against a bill that would have allowed school district employees with concealed weapons permits to bring their guns to school. The final vote on the measure was 56-44, and came after the Legislature fielded an earful from Montanans about the proposal. Not counting those who contacted their representative directly, the Legislatures messaging system recorded more than 1,100 people opposed to the bill, and fewer than 100 for it. Fortunately for the states students, teachers and staff, Montanas lawmakers listened.
I am grateful to U.S. Sen. Jon Tester's recent vote in favor of the Stream Protection Rule, a law that protects clean water in our nation and has profound implications for Montanas farming, ranching and recreational industries. Without this protection in place, Montanas waterways are rendered defenseless against pollution discharges that bring insidious and ubiquitous harm to them.

I grew up on a family farm in Montana, a farm that remains in our family today. We enjoyed, and still enjoy, the privilege of having ready access to clean water for consumption, irrigation, and recreation. Tester had the courage and conviction to support the Stream Protection Rule in the Senate, proving again that he is a friend to agriculture and that he has all Montanans best interests at heart.

Unfortunately, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, by way of the questionable Congressional Review Act, chose to align himself with the polluters, abandoning the safety, health and employment opportunities of future generation Montanans.

As Steve Daines has, no doubt, visited small family farms across Montana, I wonder if he has paid attention to those whose ancestors worked there; whose children and grandchildren hope to continue working the land with unpolluted waters and healthy families. I wonder who Daines is referring to when he says that he represents all Montanans.

Peggy Barta,

Billings
Four students from Butte High will compete at the state Poetry Out Loud competition, but only one student from Montana will advance to nationals.

Dylan McCumber, sophomore, led Butte High placers at regionals recently held in Butte Highs auditorium. He placed second to first-place winner Anaka Ronan, a senior at Helena High.

Junior Josh Hedrick, who won the overall school competition, placed third. Sophomore Clint Connors, who won the Butte High school-wide contest in 2016, finished third this time around.

Another Helena High student, senior Erin Sargent, placed fifth. Butte High junior Kaidy McClafferty finished sixth, good enough to qualify her for state. Regionals alternative is senior Bradyn Malee of Helena Capital.

The State Poetry Out Loud competition starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 4, at the Myrna Loy Center, 15 N. Ewing St., Helena.

Poetry Out Loud is a national competition prompting students to study great poetry by memorization and recitation.

The 2017 National Finals will be held April 25 and 26 at George Washington University in Washington D.C. The semifinals and finals will be webcast live at www.poetryoutloud.org.
Water is a scarce resource in our semi-arid state. The last few summers of drought conditions have highlighted that fact, and raised concerns for those of us growing crops and raising livestock in Montana.

Why then is our Legislature so eager to create a law that worsens droughts impacts and may burden senior water right holders? House Bill 339 is moving quickly and has us worried. It revives and modifies the exempt well loophole recently declared invalid by the courts, and gives developers a free pass to appropriate water without a water right.

In 1987, forward-thinking legislators provided sideboards to a provision in Montana state law that exempts small, individual wells from water use permits. Wells pumping less than 35 gallons per minute and no more than 10 acre feet per year were exempt. Importantly, projects with multiple wells drawing from the same aquifer had to get a water right permit.

But things went off the rails in 1993, when the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation specified in a rule that projects with multiple wells drawing from the same water source did not need a permit if they were not physically piped together. This loophole swung open the door to construction of large subdivisions, each home with its own exempt well drawing from the same source. No water right permit required. No consideration of draw-downs on ground water or nearby streams. No discussion of impacts to other permitted senior water users.

Since the implementation of that development-friendly rule, 75 percent of new homes built in Montana have been permit exempt and over 72,000 exempt wells have been drilled. Most of these wells were drilled in basins closed by the state to new water appropriations  places like Ravalli, Gallatin and Madison counties where water supplies are limited and big subdivisions, some with hundreds of homes, are increasingly common.

The Montana Supreme Court closed the loophole in 2016 after years of litigation, because it flies in the face of the prior appropriation doctrine, which governs the distribution of water in this state. Unfortunately, HB339 ignores this recent ruling, and codifies language that the court rejected. In other words, HB339 cooks the poison right into the bill and leaves senior water right holders at risk.

The worst part of this bill is that senior water rights holders have no recourse if their wells or streams begin drying up. You cant object to, or make call on, an exempt well. This bill codifies special privilege for subdivision developers. It lets developers cut in line before other water users. Thats just not good policy.

HB339 does attempt to compromise by requiring spacing between wells. The proposed spacing would allow up to 64 new exempt wells per square mile in basins that are closed to new appropriations, each pumping up to 10 acre feet per year. Thats 640 acre feet  enough to irrigate over 400 acres. In the states other basins, HB339 would double the number of exempt wells allowed. Farmers that irrigate 400 acres need a valid water right. Why should subdivisions be given a free pass?

Lets use hydrologic science, common sense, and respect for senior water rights to ensure the best possible future for our water resources and the people, fish, and wildlife that depend on them. Please contact your legislators and ask them to stop this irresponsible bill.

-- Absarokee area rancher Polly Rex collaborated on this guest opinion with her neighbors, Katrin Chandler, and Betty Lannen; Blackfoot Valley irrigator and landowner, Paul Roos; Tobacco Valley rancher, Pat Flanagan; and Watson Irrigation Specialists, LLC.
As the millennial candidate seeking the Democratic nomination for Montanas House seat, I am excited for Montanas future. Since announcing my candidacy, Ive crisscrossed the state with an energetic team of young people, talking with delegates young and old about the future of the Democratic Party in Montana.

In the past week, we traveled from Missoula to Helena, Butte, Bozeman, Livingston, Big Timber, Billings, Colstrip, Miles City, Chester, Havre, Lewistown, Townsend, Ennis, Dillon, and Great Falls. We met with delegates from across the Democratic spectrum, from purists to pragmatists, from freshmen college students to union leaders.

These delegates represent the heart and soul of the Democratic Party in Montana. They are all good and honest people who care deeply about the future of Montana and the country, and they all agree that its time for the next generation to step up.

More so than partisan politics, age might be the most significant factor throwing our political system off balance. Even though the minimum age to run for the House is 25, the average age of House members at the beginning of the 115th Congress was 57 years, among the oldest in U.S. history.

Why arent there more young people in Congress? Before this campaign, I believed it was due to a combination of the older generation not taking young people seriously and young people being apathetic and disenfranchised with their party establishments.

But as Ive traveled the state, Ive realized the ideological gap between generations is not as wide as I once thought. The majority of delegates skew older, but they are excited about me and my team. They offer encouragement and advice. Many say theyre relieved to finally see the next generation step up. Tired of carrying the party on their shoulders, they wait for the day when they can stop worrying about the future of the country.

At the same time, I see some sprouts. Jacob Bachmeier is an 18-year old Democrat from Havre in the Montana Legislature. Hes the youngest state legislator in America. In Dillon, a 16-year-old showed up to my meeting with Beaverhead County Dems and asked some of the most prescient questions Ive heard on the entire campaign. I hope to see more young people at the convention in Helena.

Democrats young and old are worried about the future of the party, and they agree that its time for the next generation to step up. Young Democrats are the ones who are going to push progressive policies that improve access to education and the workforce, conserve our resources for future generations, and lead to a more fair and equitable society. Hopefully there will be enough tech-savvy youngsters in Congress to make the federal government adapt quickly enough to harness new technologies in ways that improve the quality of life for all of us.

My generation has the most to lose. We seek education, try to start careers, and fight for equality. Right now, the old and the rich run our government, but the onus is on us to protect the future for the next generation. I joined this race to answer President Obamas call for young people to run for office, and I hope other young people do too.

I ask the Montana Democratic Party to nominate me, not just because I am qualified, but because it will demonstrate that the party is ready for the next generation. It will also show young people that its not impossible to break into party establishments if they are sincere. Were all talking about it. What are we waiting for?

-- Dan West is seeking the Democratic nomination for Montanas House seat. A Missoula native, Dan worked for two western Senators on Capitol Hill and at NASA. He is 30 years old.

Ryan Zinke, recently confirmed as secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, will be replaced in a special election May 25. Democrats will make their pick Sunday, and the Republicans on Monday, both in Helena.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions hasn't been the only member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to make an incorrect statement to Congress during the process of being confirmed.

As ProPublica points out, four other Cabinet members -- Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price -- also made statements to Congress that were later disproven.

Here's a look at the Cabinet members whose testimony didn't completely sync with the facts:

1. Jeff Sessions

What he said: Sessions was asked by Democratic Sen. Al Franken during his confirmation hearing what he would do if "anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign."

Sessions responded he was not aware of that happening, adding, "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians."

What really happened: CNN reported that Sessions was a senator and a top Trump surrogate when he met the ambassador twice -- in July on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention and in September when he was a member of the Senate armed services committee.

Sessions has drawn a distinction between his role as a Trump surrogate and his duties as a senator and strongly denied ever discussing campaign-related issues with anyone from Russia.

The attorney general said he plans to submit a "supplement" to the record of his congressional testimony, detailing the meetings he didn't mention.

2. Betsy DeVos

What she said: DeVos said during her confirmation hearing that that she had not been involved in her family's foundation, which has given millions of dollars to Focus on the Family, a conservative non-profit that, among other things, has pushed the benefits of conversion therapy for LGBT men and women.

Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan pointed out that she sits on the board, to which DeVos responded, "I do not."

What really happened: DeVos later said at her confirmation hearing that a "clerical error" is what led to her being listed as an officer of her mother's multi-million-dollar foundation, which made the donations. She was listed as a vice president of the charity for 17 consecutive years, including most recently in the organization's 2014 tax filing.

3. Scott Pruitt

What he said: In his written testimony to Congress, Pruitt said he never used a private email address for business while he was Oklahoma's attorney general.

What really happened: A spokesman for the Oklahoma attorney general's office told Oklahoma City's Fox 25 that Pruitt used his personal email during his tenure in the office. The email was discovered during a public information request.

4. Steven Mnuchin

What he said: In written testimony, Mnuchin denied that his former bank used "robo-signing" to foreclose on homeowners. He wrote, "OneWest Bank did not 'robo-sign' documents."

What really happened: OneWest's foreclosure practices included so-called robo-signings that pushed homeowners into foreclosure without proper review or due process. OneWest was one of many banks that agreed to pay millions to compensate customers.

5. Tom Price

What he said: During his confirmation hearings, Price told senators that the discount he received on a stock he bought was "available to every single individual that was an investor at the time."

What really happened: The Wall Street Journal reported that only 20 people were offered the discount at the time.

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to accurately reflect Franken's question to sessions about Russia.
Butte-Silver Bow's former land records director has filed a federal lawsuit claiming then-Chief Executive Matt Vincent fired him in early 2016 without just cause for political reasons.

The suit says Rob Macioroski was demoted and then fired soon after reaching a civil settlement over work the county did on his property. The county agreed to pay him $35,000 as part of the settlement signed Aug. 28, 2015.

Vincent alleged unspecified wrongdoing by Macioroski within a week of that settlement, the lawsuit claims, and then fired him in February 2016.

The firing was premised on Vincent's intention to eliminate the land records office for "his own political goals," according to the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Butte last week and seeks unspecified damages for lost wages and emotional distress among other things.

Vincent is named as a defendant, as are Butte-Silver Bow County and six "John and Jane Does"  county policy makers "who encouraged, aided or advised" Vincent in the matter. The suit says their real names likely will become known in the legal discovery process.

Vincent, who lost a re-election bid for chief executive last November, declined to comment Thursday, and County Attorney Eileen Joyce said she had not reviewed the lawsuit and reserved comment until then.

A message seeking comment was left with William O'Leary, a Butte attorney who is representing Macioroski in the case.

Vincent's formal personnel actions against Macioroski began shortly after commissioners approved a civil settlement with Macioroski in August 2015 over sewer-line work the county did on his private property.

Macioroski claimed the work obliterated a drainage ditch on his property, and he ultimately sued because the county wouldn't fix it. After three years of litigation, the county paid him $35,000 as part of the settlement.

The lawsuit says Vincent tried to get Macioroski to talk about the property claims before they were settled and then began excluding Macioroski from meetings he had regularly attended before.

Within a week of the settlement, the lawsuit says, Vincent gave Macioroski a letter with allegations of wrongdoing and put him on administrative leave pending termination.

Vincent never specified the allegations publicly, but commissioners said he followed disciplinary procedures and satisfied due process in moving to demote Macioroski.

Vincent told commissioners he put Macioroski on paid leave Sept. 3, 2015, because he failed to satisfactorily perform his job duties, "had interfered or obstructed departmental operations," and had violated the county's code of ethics. No specifics were revealed.

The lawsuit says Vincent removed Macioroski as land records director on Dec. 11, 2015 and offered him a demotion to a "lesser position at substantially less pay." Macioroski didn't take it and was fired Feb. 25 last year, the suit claims.

The lawsuit said Vincent then acted to eliminate the land records office even though it was created by an amendment to the city-county charter and remains on the books.

"On information and belief, defendant Vincent's termination of plaintiff was premised on the intention and desire to eliminate the Land Records Office for his own political goals," the lawsuit says without specifying what goals those were.

Joyce, the county attorney, said she would refer the lawsuit to the Montana Municipal Interlocal Authority, which represents cities and counties in certain civil cases.

It wasn't the first time Vincent was sued for personnel moves he made while chief executive.

He fired the county's human resources director, Lindsey Moe, in 2013, saying she was disloyal for not immediately telling him about a lawsuit some employees were considering filing over wage issues.

She filed a lawsuit saying the county violated open meetings laws during the pre-termination process and did not have just cause to fire her. A judge ruled against her open-meetings claim but said a jury should decide whether she was lawfully fired. A trial on that claim is set for May 1.

Such suits can and have cost the county big money.

Former county Budget Director Mike Shea and former Public Works Director Jim Johnston filed wrongful discharge lawsuits after then-Chief Executive Paul Babb fired them in January 2005 within a week of his being sworn in.

A federal magistrate ruled that Babb fired them without cause, and the county agreed to pay Shea $650,000 and Johnston $450,000 in settlements, which came from taxpayer funds.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  The Muscatine City Council approved the first reading of an amendment to the citys zoning ordinance, adopted the FY 2017/18 budget, and postponed a decision awarding the contract for the Mississippi Drive Corridor Project at Thursday night's meeting.

Zoning ordinance amendment

In the Sept. 8, 2016, meeting, City Planner Andrew Fangman said the ordinance would provide more flexibility for residents and a more user-friendly format.

The new format will be more accessible and easier to interpret, Fangman said. Bicyclists may also see more bike racks, as parking lots greater than five spaces will be required to provide bicycle parking.

Keeping of animals in residential districts will also be updated, with no change for under two acre properties, with only domestic companion animals permitted. Small farm animals will have four allowed per acre for properties more than two acres, with medium farm animals at two per acre, and large at one per acre.

During the public hearing for the change, Jay Brady, who has spoken to the city council previously about allowing chickens on properties smaller than two acres, said he and others plan to bring another proposal to council.

Theres still a sizeable contingent of the population interested in that. Were looking in the future to look for a program that would be palatable to everybody, he said.

The city council voted against a proposed urban chicken pilot program last April.

For those hoping to build a garage or accessory building, more setback flexibility has been included in the changes, and regulations for bee keeping were added.

Budget for Fiscal Year 2017/18

The adopted budget will not include a tax increase for Muscatine residents.

The tax rate, City Administrator Gregg Mandsager said, will hold steady at approximately the same rate it has held at for about eight years.

The budget will be available online at the city's website, at www.muscatineiowa.gov.

Mississippi Drive Corridor Project

A resolution awarding the contract for the Mississippi Drive Corridor Project has been postponed until the next city council meeting, pending further information.

Although KE Flatwork had the lowest bid, city staff determined the bid was irregular, according to a memorandum from City Engineer Jim Edgmond. Staff is requested that the City Council award the bid to Langman Construction.

An attorney, Calla Parochetti of Maquoketta, representing KE Flatwork requested more information about why the bid was not recommended, and the council voted to table the decision until more information could be presented.

In other business:

Three new Muscatine Firefighters, Mike Lintz, Benjamin Quick, and Craig Chelf, were sworn in Thursday night.

A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 16, on the sale of property to HNI Corporation. The exchange of 1.53 acres was approved in February 2016, but due to a drafting error in the resolution the process is being redone.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  A seventh-grader at Central Middle School received the American Legion Auxiliary Youth Hero Award Friday afternoon for helping save his family and home from a fire in December.

Chace Bassett woke up around 4:30 a.m. Dec. 5 to a strange smell coming from his bathroom. He told his father just before the fire alarm went off. After Chace woke up his parents, his mother, Lori Bassett, said they took Chace, Holly and Molly, the cat, to the car and called 911.

Friday afternoon, an assembly was called at Central Middle School. The principal, Terry Hogenson, assured the students nothing was wrong and said a student had been recognized for something he did that was "very unique and very special."

When he called Chace to the stage, students erupted in cheers, and Chace, who did not know he was going to receive the award, looked shocked.

"I was not expecting it," he said after the assembly, as friends gathered around to high-five him.

Capt. Gary Ronzheimer of the Muscatine Fire Department, one of the firefighters who responded to the fire at Chace's home, thanked him for his actions.

"If it were not for his quick actions and selfless sacrifice, the fire could have gotten much worse in the sense that it could have ended with the loss of his home, or worse yet, the loss of a loved one," Ronzheimer said.

He also read a letter from the American Legion Auxiliary and presented him with a plaque and medal.

"Every hero deserves a medal," he said, as he placed it around Chace's neck.

Lori said she we proud of her son.

"He did a very brave thing," she said.

Lynda Humphreys, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, nominated Chace for the award. She said the organization likes to recognize youth.

"We do recognize the ones who do heroic deeds," Humphreys said. "We do this as a national thing."
MUSCATINE, Iowa  Oscar Lerma was absent the day his teachers announced East Campus will be closing. But he caught up quickly when his classmates posted the news on Facebook.

He scrolled through the messages and then posted his own reaction: Why?

East Campus, an alternative high school in the Muscatine Community School District, serves approximately 60 students who need extra help to graduate. Since August, East Campus has been based at Muscatine Community College. Next August, the district will move these students back to the high school.

District officials have stressed the students will continue to receive extra services and support at the high school. In the coming weeks, each of the approximately 40 students who are not graduating this spring will receive one-on-one counseling to help them work out their next steps.

When he heard the news, Oscar, 17, was upset and confused.

His mom, Stephanie Lerma, also was upset.

It was very abrupt, she said. For one, I was upset that they just told the kids. They didnt tell the parents (and) we didnt have parent meetings.

When the initial shock died down, Oscar said, he realized he will be OK. He started at East Campus this school year and has made steady progress. With one semester to finish next school year, he knows what classes he needs to take to graduate.

Its so perfect being isolated and away from the high school," he said. "If we go back, we all want it to be, like, isolated and away from the high school."

Like Oscar, Gracie Nichols, 18, was upset when her teacher told her the news.

As soon as we walked out of that class, everybody in the school got an email that said were being closed, she said.

Nichols moved to East Campus because she was struggling academically and was being bullied. The return to the high school, she said, will be hard.

I know its going to bring up bad memories, she said.

But shes hoping East Campus will remain intact at the high school.

Im hoping if we go back to the high school that it doesnt change, that we will still have our teachers. Like, I want our teachers that we have now, she said.

Superintendent Jerry Riibe said the staff will be retained and will work with East Campus students, but may work with other students as well.

Some of her classmates have met with a counselor to chart their next steps. She hasnt yet, but will soon. Nichols said shes nervous about leaving East Campus.

To me it means home, a safe place, friendly, and just a good environment, she said.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  When Josh Lary, 17, auditioned for the National American Choral Directors Association Honor Choirs last fall, he didnt expect to hear back.

So when his teacher, Teale Burford, called him to her office one day, the audition was the last thing on his mind.

And then he got the good news.

I was really happy, I started cheering and, like, jumping up and down, he said. "I honestly wasnt hopeful about it because its very selective."

Lary, who is a tenor, was among more than 4,000 students to audition nationwide and is the only student in the Muscatine Community School District to attend the 2017 National ACDA Honor Choirs. Next week, he will travel with his mom to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to train for a performance at a festival that attracts college choirs and talented high schoolers and middle schoolers from all over the country.

There, he will train with the rest of the choir, under the guidance of Grammy-winning conductor and composer Eric Whitacre, performing pieces Whitacre composed at Orchestra Hall. The choir will perform some of these pieces along with the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra.

Theres going to be groups performing there basically all week, thats how big it is, but the national honors choirs perform on the last day of the festival because its kind of the big finale, Lary said.

Burford said Larys accomplishment is a big deal.

There were thousands of kids that tried out for the ACDA high school honor choir, Burford said. "This was a national thing, so he went up against a lot of different people from other states, as well as from Iowa and was chosen out of all of those thousands, and they took maybe, between 20-25 tenors from the entire country."

Burford said this was the first time she has offered any of her students an audition for this particular choir. The students who auditioned had to send a recording of themselves singing a section from a Mozart choral piece.

It was definitely an excerpt that focused on the beauty of the voice, which Josh certainly had, but he had to take the time to learn it, to come, to practice with me, and then the nerves of recording it, she said.

Lary, who has been singing in choirs since he was in first grade, said he has been preparing himself for the upcoming performances by looking through the pieces hes going to perform with the choir. His favorite piece, he said, is called Sleep.

A lot of times when Im stressed out by things in life, I listen to that piece because its very calming, he said. "It talks about how sleep is coming and, like, how your eyes get heavy. Its very relaxing, it has beautiful simple harmonies."

Lary said he is happy to have an opportunity to do something he loves and meeting like-minded people.

Often singing draws people together in choir or choral situations and some of my strongest friendships have come from people that I sing with, he said.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  The Muscatine Community School District announced it was moving East Campus students back to the high school last week. The following week, the district sought feedback for a facilities update plan, which included a $10.5-million renovation plan for the high school.

When viewed side by side, these plans seem to contradict each other. Officials cited financial and efficiency considerations as reasons for the East Campus move, but said the district has enough money to spend on facilities. But in reality, these decisions reflect the piecemeal funding structure of school districts in Iowa.

The school district cant use funds from the facilities budget to sustain East Campus.

The district receives money that is earmarked for facilities construction or renovation from the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, also known as PPEL funds, and from a sales tax, known as Secure an Advance Vision for Education, or SAVE. Money from these funds can only be used for big-ticket capital projects, like new buildings and renovations.

You cant hire people with it, you cant buy textbooks with it. It can only be used for capital projects. You can buy buses (and) you can build buildings, said Superintendent Jerry Riibe.

The school district has limited funds for helping at-risk students

Students at East Campus are considered at-risk for dropping out of school, and the state gives the district a special grant to support these and other at-risk students.

Riibe said moving East Campus students to the high school will help the district better use its limited funds in order to support all at-risk students in the district. The change of location will bring more services for those East Campus students and other at-risk students.

Its a change of location, but were actually going to be spending more (on East Campus students), not less, Riibe said.

The district will hire seven new counselors, social workers and therapists who will benefit the entire student population. The district will continue to provide at-risk services to students from East Campus, including having a dedicated counselor at the high school.

The decision to move East Campus is final for now

The district, Riibe said, is trying to maximize its resources, and this eliminates duplicate services that are already offered at the high school.

When you can bring the folks closer together and you dont have to replicate services, you know, were not paying for separate lunch program and all those kinds of things, you can be more efficient, Riibe said.

East Campus students will move to the high school in the fall and will remain there for the foreseeable future

At the end of the day, I dont think its (about) where its at, its about who theyre working with, Riibe said.

The district decides on facilities updates in advance

The current round of renovations to the high school was decided upon several years ago, and once those are finished, other schools, such as McKinley and Central Middle School will be considered. The current facilities plan, Riibe said, includes a $300,000 upgrade to Central Middle Schools Performing Arts Center, new furniture for the middle schools and more.
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The hotly contested Nairobi gubernatorial race continues to elicit a heated debate whenever the topic is brought up.

Early this week, former Nation FM radio presenter Ciru Muriuki tweeted an online poll with four choices for Nairobi governor: Incumbent Dr Evans Kidero, Nairobi senator Mike Sonko, Peter Kenneth and an avocado.

After over 800 votes, the avocado emerged winner with 47% of the total votes. Peter Keneth came second followed by Evans Kidero, with Sonko the least favorite.

Who would get your vote for Nairobi Governor?  Ciru Muriuki  (@CiruMuriuki) February 27, 2017



While the poll was posted as a joke according to Ciku, Kenyans on Twitter, mostly Miguna Miguna followers came out in numbers to not only question why their savior was not included in the poll but to bash Ciku.

The debate caught the attention of Miguna Miguna who came out guns blazing against Ciku and called her a cartel surrogate and an alien.

Heres a thread of the tweets and some reactions from twitter users:

My sister, @CiruMuriuki, thats a DEFINING result for the cartel surrogates like you who believe, mistakenly, that the people are stupid! https://t.co/DR7mOjG5Oo  Governor Miguna (@MigunaMiguna) March 1, 2017

My Governor @MigunaMiguna has my vote. And btw, who is this @CiruMuriuki? ?is she a Nairobi resident?  Victor Ochieng (@victor_ochieng) March 1, 2017

@victor_ochieng @CiruMuriuki>Thanks. She is an alien trying to extricate the cartels from their defeat. The people have spoken.  Governor Miguna (@MigunaMiguna) March 1, 2017

@MigunaMiguna @CiruMuriuki should stick to analysing fashion and giving relationship advice on TV.  Reasonable Man (@WambuguWanjohi) March 1, 2017

@CiruMuriuki Its @MigunaMiguna or bust. Avocado ni wewe! And I think youre fine AF.  Thurrsteey (@PEE_KNUCKLE) March 1, 2017

@PEE_KNUCKLE @CiruMuriuki>I didnt say that. It doesnt matter what it was meant to be; Kenyans REBUKED the surrogates silliness.  Governor Miguna (@MigunaMiguna) March 1, 2017

@cirumuriuki Sonko,drug peddler.Kidero,looter.PK,uthamaki project.D.Waweru,incompetent.Only Miguna can save Nbi  Just An Ugly Kidd (@uglysince96) February 27, 2017

@cirumuriuki Sonko,drug peddler.Kidero,looter.PK,uthamaki project.D.Waweru,incompetent.Only Miguna can save Nbi  Just An Ugly Kidd (@uglysince96) February 27, 2017

@CiruMuriuki why exclude candidates like @MigunaMiguna who have shown interest? This kind of exclusion is one of the biggest enemies of 254  Loreen Ajwang (@AjwangLoreen) March 1, 2017

@CiruMuriuki hahahaha typical Kenyan. Putting avocado in everything.  Gichuru Wainaina (@Gich4) March 1, 2017

@CiruMuriuki @MigunaMiguna Tuko ndani na Miguna. So stop your nonsense. Our eyes are wide open for the honest guy Miguna#MigunaDraintheSwamp  Dm (@Dm82566852) March 2, 2017

Certain gubernatorial aspirants have sent their surrogates to crawl up my ninios because an avocado took their place in my poll. Hilarious.  Ciru Muriuki  (@CiruMuriuki) March 1, 2017

The honour of being on the receiving end of such pettiness can scarcely be quantified. LMAO https://t.co/m5ywyGproK  Ciru Muriuki  (@CiruMuriuki) March 1, 2017

Hahahahaha Miguna amecatch! Now that Im a cartel surrogate LOL, wheres my cheque? The cartel forgot to pay me. Hahaha  Ciru Muriuki  (@CiruMuriuki) March 1, 2017

LOL someones mad that an avocado took his place. ANYWAY, Eric Omondi was on Jimmy Fallon? Does anyone have a link?  Ciru Muriuki  (@CiruMuriuki) March 1, 2017

Surely, focus on draining the swamp and winning actual votes. Not taking shots on Twitter. Honestly, this is getting disturbing. https://t.co/5DZWJyKaao  Ciru Muriuki  (@CiruMuriuki) March 2, 2017

@CiruMuriuki>Were doing marvelously well without silly sanctimonious cartel surrogacy  thank you. The people are fully alert and vigilant  Governor Miguna (@MigunaMiguna) March 2, 2017

.@MigunaMiguna OK, lets talk openly. Do you think your current strategy is endearing you to the general voting public?  Ciru Muriuki  (@CiruMuriuki) March 2, 2017

@CiruMuriuki>Ignored. Only fools discuss STRATEGY in public  and especially with self-confessed cartel surrogates. Good day!  Governor Miguna (@MigunaMiguna) March 2, 2017

Miguna is having a full-on meltdown. Its magnificent to behold.  Ciru Muriuki  (@CiruMuriuki) March 2, 2017

Hahahaha didnt Miguna say he was ignoring me? Why is he still tweeting me? Still mad that his place was taken by MAKODOFIA?  Ciru Muriuki  (@CiruMuriuki) March 2, 2017
I am vying for MP Starehe. I am a Patriot, an Activist, and a Change maker.

Once elected as MP I will lead by example by accepting a 50% reduction to my salary. H.E Uhuru Kenyatta and Hon. Raila Odinga should also make the pay-cut agenda part of their manifestos.

1. As MP l will push for the reduction of salaries and number of representatives. It does not make sense for 45 million Kenyans to spend more than ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT BILLION SHILLINGS (108,000,000,000) per year on salaries and allowances for 67 senators, 349 members of the National Assembly and 2,526 Members of county assembly. Kenyans are overrepresented and l shall push for the reduction of the number of MPs and MCAs. The media should push to make the MPs, MCAs, and Senators 50% pay-cut part of the agenda in this campaign period.

2. Vehicle Grants: Every MP and Senator gets a non-repayable grant of 5 million shillings to buy a car. Why should we pay them hefty salaries and then buy them cars? Taxpayers spend 4.9 BILLION SHILLINGS FOR LUXURY CARS. This is legalized theft!

3. Illegal Sitting Allowances: On top of their hefty salaries, MPs are, also paid sitting allowances for every parliament or committee session. Every time an MP or Senator goes to parliament to do their job, they get 5000 shillings. Parliament sits twice daily, in the morning and afternoon, for 4 days a week. This means that an MP is paid 80,000 shillings on top of their basic salary to do their actual job.

4. State Protection: Every MP is entitled to one bodyguard. Some have more. For a country with a low police to population ratio, more than 1/8th of the police service is dedicated to VIP protection. Why should MPs have bodyguards? Isnt the country safe? MPs do not do dangerous work  unless they consider serving Kenyans a risky job. The 999 emergency numbers should always work and emergencies promptly responded to. This requires that the police live and work in humane conditions, are well paid, and their service cars fueled. They should live amongst civilians to ensure the safety of the citizens, not just a few individuals.

5. Unreasonable Medical Cover:MPs and Senators have a 10-million-shillings medical cover. This should be scrapped. Any person occupying public office should use the same facilities as the people who elect him/her. How else would they improve the health sector if they never interact with it? #RohoJuu
Kenya Defence Forces  KDF Thursday conducted surgical military operations against Islamist Al-Shabaab militants west of the sea port town of Kismayo.

Kenyan troops killed atleast 57 Al-Shabaab fighters in the 8.45 am operation 31 kilometres from Afmadow, where Kenya Defence Forces have their base.

KDF artillery attack was supported by the Air force gunship helicopters.

KDF Spokesman Col Joseph Owouth said unknown number of terrorists survived with injuries.

He added that five technicals (vehicles mounted with guns) and other weapons belonging to the millitants were destroyed.

Earlier in the week, KDF warplanes had targeted an area between El Wak and Busar towns near the Kenyan border where top Al Shabaab commanders were holding a secret meeting to plot attacks in the region.

KDF warplanes also struck a convoy of Al-Shabaab vehicles heading to El Adde village to fetch water from a borehole in the area, killing several militants.

KDF soldiers remain vigilant and will continue to relentlessly pursue the terrorist to ensure peace and security of our country Kenya, as well as support AMISOM operations in order to stabilize Somalia, said Lt Col Njuguna.
Kenya has a big problem. Despite being among the richest countries in Africa, the state of our infrastructure does nothing to support that.

The Chinese construct some really beautiful flyovers, and then we fill them with Waititu 4 Governor graffiti and thousands of ugly posters. Then someone at KenHA comes up with a brilliant idea to stop this practice Why dont we paint them yellow, with messages of how much we care, he poses. The proposal passes.

Im sure Im not alone when I say the yellow colour sucks. I wish they just painted them plain white or grey like most of the world and left them that way. (Of course with the Sh85,000 warning).

But the issue of aesthetics (or lack of it) is not only in the roads department.

Sometimes we are left to wonder whether a blind person approved the SGR locomotives.

Read: POLL: Do You Think Kenyas SGR Trains are Ugly

Whether or not they function as required, a little consideration on beauty and customer comfort is not asking for too much. Especially when a Sh300 billion budget is involved.

[showad block=3]

Now come to Kenyatta University.

The Thika Road based campus has in the last 10 years witnessed the kind of transformation not seen anywhere in this country. From an ugly education college before Olive Mugenda came in, to a desirable institution that people actually want to enroll in.

However most of their new buildings, unfortunately, are still built like we are in the 70s. Small windows and bare visible bricks (stones) are the standard feature.

The new Kenyatta University Referral Hospital, and Childrens Hospital, has followed the same template. Mind you, this is a Sh10 billion project.

Here are some pictures.

Kenyatta University has more land than they know what to do with, and all they needed to do was hire a good architect and approve a good design. The only explanation as to how such an atrocious thing was approved and built, is that the architect knew people in the board.

Now, compare that to this Teaching and Referral Hospital in Dar es Salaam, completed this year.

The Tanzanian hospital is not of striking beauty, but is still miles ahead of the eyesore Kenyatta University has put up.

What about Ghana, a country with just about the same GDP as Kenya.

You will shed a tear for our beloved country when you see what they opened last year. Heres the University of Ghana Medical Centre  a 600-bed capacity hospital that is the true definition of ultra modern.

I know you have a lot of questions, but Ill say what were all thinking Who cursed us?

Photos courtesy of Skyscrapercity
Police in Eldoret have arrested twenty-four students allegedly caught having sex, smoking and binge drinking.

The students from various schools were arrested on Wednesday while at a birthday party in Kapsoya estate. Six of the students climbed over the wall of the compound and escaped.

Police, acting on a tip-off from residents, raided the house and found drugs, condoms, and mattresses.

The gate was locked when the police arrived forcing them to use a milkman from the estate as bait to access the house.

Confirming the arrest, Kapsoya OCS Daniel Sindindi said the students parents were summoned to assist with investigations.

We are investigating the incident. We are also looking for the owner of the house where the students were gathered, said Sidindi.

The students are suspected to have been engaging in immorality like sex and drinking alcohol, added Sidindi.

The latest incident comes over a year after 500 students were arrested at a disco hall in Eldoret, on suspicion of engaging in sex and drug abuse.

A raid conducted on Sams Discotheque by The Alcohol Drinks Control Board recovered rolls of bang, condoms, and alcohol.

During the raid, the lights of the hall had been switched off, allegedly to allow the students to engage in sex.

Last year, fourteen students were arrested having sex, smoking bhang and drinking alcohol at a rented house in Kabati estate, Naivasha.
Police have launched a manhunt for a house help who stole a firearm from her employer in Nairobis Lavington estate on Wednesday.

The house girl, Florence Nabwire, broke into a safe and made away with the gun and money of different denominations at 11 am while her employer was away at work.

According to police, Nabwire escaped in the company of an unknown number of people in a yellow vehicle, registration number KAC 262H.

Dagoretti police boss Rashid Mohammed told the Nation that the employer, wife to a licensed civilian firearm holder, reported that she arrived home to find the doors to the safe open.

The Ceska Pistol had nine rounds of ammunition and we have already started investigations into the loss, Mr Mohammed said.

Nairobi police boss Japheth Koome said his office was following up the case.
Details of how Nairobi businesswoman Joyce Akinyi was arrested for drug trafficking have been revealed by an undercover detective.

The undercover detective, Mr Humphrey Mwenda, on Wednesday revealed how he and colleagues arrested Ms Akinyi after busting a drug trafficking network in Nairobi two years ago.

Ms Akinyi was arrested on March 25, 2015 at her Deep West Club in Nairobi West where detectives were led by a suspect, Alex Otieno who delivered a package containing narcotics.

Mr Mwenda told a Kibera Court that they had earlier arrested Mr Otieno at Dam 2 Estate in Langata following a tip off.

Mr Otieno led us to a house where we recovered a bag containing a white substance we suspected to be narcotics. Further search revealed that Mr Otieno had concealed sachets containing a white substance in his socks, Mr Mwenda said as quoted by Nairobi News.

During interogation, Mr Otieno revealed that the house belonged to Mr Kelvin Oduor and the rent was paid by a Ms Risper Auma.

He told us that Risper had called requesting him to deliver the substance he had hidden in his socks to a person at Deep West.

We called officers from Anti- Narcotics Unit. As we waited for them, our team split into two. Two colleagues went with Mr Otieno to arrest Mr Oduor and Risper, while I and another officer remained to secure the house, a servant quarter, Mr Mwenda stated.

Mr Oduor and Risper were arrested and taken to the house.

We noticed that Mr Otieno was constantly communicating on his phone. We asked him who he was communicating with and he told us Joyce Akinyi was requesting the substance he had in his socks. She was at her Deep West Resort, said Mwenda.

Mr Mwenda and a Corporal Cheruiyot then accompanied Mr Otieno to Deep West where they found Ms Akinyi in a salon.

She was apprehended after receiving the substance from Mr Otieno.

The court heard that detectives recovered more drugs wrapped in white and black polythene paper in her bag.

However, the witness was stood down after the prosecution noticed a mix up in the exhibits. The case was adjourned to April 10.

The four suspects are jointly charged with trafficking heroin valued at Sh4.2 million.
BEIRUT  A major battle to liberate the Islamic State group's stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria is looming, with U.S. officials looking to build on momentum from victories on the battlefields of Mosul in Iraq. The Pentagon has drawn up a secret plan to do that, likely leaning on local allies with stepped-up American support.

The question is: who are those local allies in the tangled mess that is Syria's conflict?

Syrian government forces, Turkish troops and their Syrian militia allies, and U.S.-backed Kurdish forces all have their eye on Raqqa. Each vehemently rejects letting the others capture the city and would likely react in anger should the United States support the others. And it is not clear that any has the resources to take the city on its own.

"Raqqa is more of an abstract goal: everyone wants it in principle, but no one is willing to commit the resources and bear the risks necessary," said Faysal Itani, an analyst at the Washington-based Atlantic Council.

The fall of Raqqa, the Islamic State group's de facto capital and largest remaining stronghold, would be the biggest defeat for the militants in Syria since they captured the northern city on the banks of the Euphrates River in January 2014.

President Donald Trump has vowed to "obliterate" the group. "We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet," he told Congress on Tuesday.

The top U.S. commander in the campaign against IS, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, has said he believes Raqqa and Mosul will be taken within six months. So far, the offensive on Mosul has been underway four months, with only half the city captured from the militants in ferocious street-to-street urban combat. And that is using a relatively intensively trained and united military, backed by heavy U.S. firepower and commandos on the ground  a contrast to the comparatively undisciplined and fragmented forces the U.S. has to choose from as allies in Syria.

Raqqa is a smaller city than Mosul, but the militants are believed to have dug in with powerful fortifications there.

In Syria, U.S-backed predominantly Kurdish fighters known as the Syria Democratic Forces, or SDF, remain Trump's best bet. Aided by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and some 500 U.S. special forces troops deployed in an advisory role, the force has been marching toward Raqqa since November. Closing in on the city from different directions, it is now stationed some eight kilometers (five miles) north of the city.

The U.S. military recently provided a small number of armored vehicles to the U.S.-backed force to give better protection from small arms fire and roadside bombs as they get closer to Raqqa.

Further aid to the rag-tag group, however, raises sensitive questions over how to deal with Turkey, a NATO ally with much at stake in Syria. Turkey considers the main Kurdish militia in Syria  known as the YPG, and an affiliate of the U.S.-backed SDF  a terrorist organization, and has vowed to work with Syrian opposition fighters known as the Free Syrian Army to liberate Raqqa.

In a dramatic reversal of years of the Obama administration's calls for the ouster of President Bashar Assad, Trump has hinted he might be willing to work with Assad's army and Russia, whose year-and-a-half military intervention has propped up Assad's government.

Assad's forces are preoccupied with other battles, however, and would likely need significant U.S. military involvement to take on Raqqa. On Wednesday, the Syrian military recaptured the central town of Palmyra, a city located in the desert south of Raqqa that has gone back and forth between control of the military and the extremists several times. The government forces have also clashed with the Turkish-backed Syrian fighters, who block their path to Raqqa.

Syrians are sharply divided over who should enter Raqqa. Many opposition supporters consider the SDF, which maintains a tacit non-aggression pact with Assad's forces, to be a hostile group. There are also fears of tensions if Raqqa, home to a nearly 200,000 mainly Arab population, is taken by the SDF, a coalition of Kurdish, Arab and Christian fighters.

"Let us be frank that any force that will liberate Raqqa, other than the Free Syrian Army, is going to be a new occupation force with different flags and banners," said Mohammed Khodor of Sound and Picture Organization, which tracks atrocities by IS in Iraq and Syria.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim was even more blunt, warning that if the SDF enters Raqqa, it will hurt relations between Ankara and Washington.

"We have said that a terror organization cannot be used against another terror organization," the Turkish leader told the state-run Anadolu news agency.

The Kurds reject that notion and insist that only forces fighting under the SDF banner will liberate Raqqa.

"Turkey is an occupation force and has no legitimate right to enter Raqqa," said SDF spokeswoman Cihan Sheikh Ehmed. In a text message exchange from northern Syria, she said the SDF has the experience in fighting IS to finish the operation.

Battlefield victories by the SDF against the Islamic State group have brought growing Western support. Asked if adding more U.S. troops or better arming Syria's Kurds were options, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he will "accommodate any request" from his field commanders.

In Mosul, the U.S.-led coalition is playing a greater role than ever before in the fight against IS and coalition forces have moved closer to front-line fighting.

U.S. Air Force Col. John Dorrian says the increased support is an effort to "accelerate the campaign" against the Islamic State group, noting that launching simultaneous operations in both Mosul and Raqqa "puts further strain on the enemy's command and control."

"It is a complicating factor when you don't have a partner government to work with," conceded Dorrian, adding that whoever the coalition partners with in the fight for Raqqa is "a subject of ongoing discussions."

Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a Middle East analyst at the Jamestown Foundation who closely follows Kurdish affairs, says the U.S.-led coalition wants to have a quick end to IS in Raqqa, from which external operations against the West are planned. That means it would prefer to work with the Kurdish-led SDF forces "since they are able to mobilize manpower unlike the Turks," he said.

In any case, the battle for Raqqa is sure to be a long and deadly one. It took the SDF nearly 10 weeks to capture the northern Syrian town of Manbij from IS last year. It took Turkish forces and allied groups more than three months to retake the town of al-Bab, a costly battle that killed dozens of Turkish soldiers and many civilians.

Raqqa is much larger than either Manbij or al-Bab. Some Syrian opposition activists say the extremists dug a trench around it to make it difficult for attackers to storm it.

"It would be difficult for any troops," said Itani of the Atlantic Council.

"Witness the slow and ugly progress in Mosul as well. Raqqa would be tough," he said.
DOWNEY  Family, friends and California dignitaries plan to mourn a Southern California police officer killed by a recently released gang member while he was investigating a minor car accident.

The services for 53-year-old Whittier Officer Keith Lane Boyer will begin Friday morning with a memorial at Calvary Chapel in Downey followed by a graveside service at Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary in Whittier that's set to include the playing of bagpipes, a 21-gun salute and a plane formation flyover.

Boyer joined the force as a dispatcher in 1989 and became a full-time officer in 1990. The divorced father of two adult sons played drums in an off-duty classic rock tribute band and had recently discussed retiring, according to the chief.

On Feb. 20, he became the first Whittier officer in nearly 40 years to die in the line of duty.

Michael Mejia, 26, is charged with shooting Boyer and his own cousin. Prosecutors have not decided whether to seek the death penalty.

Prosecutors contend that he killed Roy Torres, 47, in East Los Angeles hours earlier, then stole his car and crashed it into two other vehicles in neighboring Whittier.

When police arrived and ordered the driver out of the car, he allegedly pulled a handgun and shot Boyer, who died at a hospital. Another officer, Patrick Hazell, and Mejia were wounded during the shootout but were expected to survive.

Mejia remained hospitalized and it was unclear whether he had an attorney.

Mejia is a convicted robber and car thief who had been in and out of jail several times since his release from state prison in April. He had spent 10 days in jail for the latest infraction and was released on Feb. 11, about a week before the shooting.

The Whittier Police Department, which patrols the city and neighboring Santa Fe Springs, has had two other officers killed in the line of duty  a detective in 1979 and a corporal in 1977.
LOS ANGELES  Aiming to quell a rash of violence plaguing a South Los Angeles community, police officers raided more than a dozen homes Thursday and seized an array of high-powered rifles, ballistic armor, handguns and more than $50,000 worth of drugs. Fifteen members of the Los Angeles-based Black P. Stone street gang were arrested during the early morning raids, police said. Officers found nearly a dozen long guns, including assault rifles, along with ballistic vests with heavy trauma plates and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. They also seized more than two kilograms of cocaine, as well as PCP and marijuana they believe was being sold in a 30-block area in the southwestern portion of Los Angeles.

This is going to be a very significant hit to the gang, Los Angeles police captain Darnell Davenport said. These are not every day weapons. These people are heavily armed.

A two-month investigation, spurred by an uptick in crime in the area, began when undercover officers started buying marijuana, cocaine, PCP and methamphetamine, said Officer James Moon, the cases lead investigator. Police later developed information that led them to the 12 single-family homes that were raided.

You have great individuals who live in this area and work in this neighborhood and they live in fear every day because of this gang, Moon said. There is no doubt in my mind these guns were being sold and being used in robberies, shootings and burglaries.

The highest-ranking gang member arrested in Thursdays raids was Michael Bodie, 30, who went by the street name Tank, and is in charge of the gangs operations in the area, Moon said. It was unclear if Bodie had an attorney who could comment on the allegations.

The gang, which originated in Chicago in the 1960s, is believed to have about 250 active members in Los Angeles, Davenport said. Police suspect the gang is responsible for five homicides, nearly two dozen sexual assaults and 167 robberies that were committed in Los Angeles last year. It was unclear how many of those cases were solved and police said none of the 15 people arrested Thursday had been charged in connection with those crimes.
WASHINGTON  Attorney General Jeff Sessions may not have been clear about his contacts with Russian officials during the 2016 election, but this much is evident: The controversy over any Kremlin involvement in American politics is not going to fade away anytime soon.

Sessions on Thursday became the second high-ranking member of the Trump administration to take a hit over conversations with Russia's envoy to the U.S., recusing himself from any probe that examines communications between Trump aides and Moscow. An early backer and key adviser for Trump's campaign, Sessions said his staff recommended that he step aside from a probe.

"I feel I should not be involved in investigating a campaign I had a role in," he said.

Sessions' action followed revelations that he twice spoke with the Russian ambassador and didn't say so when pressed, under oath, by Congress. Though he rejected any suggestion that he tried to mislead anyone, he did allow that he should have been more careful in his testimony.

"I should have slowed down and said, 'But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times,'" he said.

The recusal, despite White House support for him, followed a chorus of demands that Sessions resolve the seeming contradiction between his two conversations with Moscow's U.S. envoy, Sergey Kislyak, and his statements to Congress in January that he had not communicated with Russians during the campaign. It carried echoes of a similar controversy involving retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who two weeks ago resigned as national security adviser after misleading White House officials about his own discussions with Kislyak.

Additional communication was revealed Thursday between Kislyak and Flynn and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, at New York's Trump Tower. In addition, Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser to Trump's presidential campaign, spoke with the ambassador last summer, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting.

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said contacts with officials and lawmakers are part of any ambassador's duties and that pressure on Sessions "strongly resembles a witch hunt or the times of McCarthyism, which we thought were long over in the United States as a civilized country."

Republican Sen. Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s led a hunt for communist traitors he believed worked in the government and the army.

The recusal means the attorney general should not receive any briefings on it and have no information to provide to Congress or the public. But Sessions' decision to leave the matter in the hands of a top deputy may not cool demands that someone from outside the department provide a fully independent set of eyes.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said a special prosecutor should be appointed to examine whether the federal investigation had been compromised by Sessions. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who had accused Sessions of "lying under oath," repeated her call for his resignation after he recused himself and assailed his integrity.

"There must be an independent, bipartisan, outside commission to investigate the full extent of the Trump political, personal and financial connections to the Russians," she said.

Trump laid the controversy at the feet of Democrats, saying they were just trying to save face. "The Democrats are overplaying their hand," the president said in a statement. "They lost the election and now, they have lost their grip on reality. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!"

The Justice Department acknowledged Sessions' contacts Wednesday night following a report in The Washington Post, but maintained there was nothing improper about them or his answers to Congress. Still, the emergence of the additional potential of Russian interference in American politics and the omission of the meetings caused more than a half-dozen Republican lawmakers, including some who consider themselves personally close to Sessions, to urge him to recuse himself.

Republican Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, who said that though he found it impossible to believe that Sessions could have colluded with Russia, "if there is an investigation, he probably shouldn't be the person leading it."

While there is nothing necessarily nefarious or even unusual about a member of Congress meeting with a foreign ambassador, typically members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee meet with foreign ambassadors, not Armed Services Committee lawmakers, whose responsibility is oversight of the military and the Pentagon. Congressional contact with Russian officials was limited after the invasion of Crimea and due to Moscow's close relationship with Syria.

The Justice Department acknowledged two separate interactions Sessions had with Kislyak. Both interactions came after cybersecurity firms had concluded that Russian intelligence agencies were behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee.

The first occurred after a Heritage Foundation event during the Republican National Convention in July, when the department says a group of envoys  including the Russian ambassador  approached Sessions. The second was a September conversation, which the department likened to the more than 25 discussions Sessions had with foreign ambassadors last year as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

But Sessions did not disclose his discussions with Kislyak at his Senate confirmation hearing in January when asked by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., what he would do if "anyone affiliated" with the campaign had been in contact with officials of the Russian government.

Sessions said, "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didn't have, did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it."

In a separate written questionnaire, he answered "no" when asked about contacts regarding the election.
Californias First District Court of Appeal has issued a decision making it harder for backers of a controversial watershed and oak protection initiative to place their measure before voters. The three-judge panel in a Tuesday decision agreed with the county that the initiative petition had a fatal, if technical, flaw. Backers might have to once again go to shopping centers and gather a few thousand signatures if they want to move forward.

I believe our group is stronger than ever, Angwin resident and initiative backer Mike Hackett said on Thursday. I think were determined to put a measure on the ballot about the protection of our water resources and trees.

Backers are considering options, Hackett said. Possibilities include appealing the Court of Appeal decision to the California Supreme Court and circulating an amended initiative petition.

Whatever route they take, Hackett said the goal is to have a measure on the June 2018 ballot. Napa County has no elections before then.

We will not be deterred, he said.

The Water, Forest and Oak Woodland Protection Measure wades into an ongoing community debate about allowing hillside vineyards and other large developments amid forests in the countys mountains. It would strengthen stream setback laws, limit the cutting of oaks and, in some cases, require county-issued permits to cut oaks.

Napa Valley Vintners, Napa County Farm Bureau, Winegrowers of Napa County and Napa Valley Grapegrowers oppose it. The groups said that the county already has strong watershed protection laws.

Volunteers gathered 6,298 signatures last year, more than the 3,791 needed to qualify the measure for the November 2016 ballot. But Napa County voided the petition on a technicality.

The 18-page initiative petition circulated by proponents referenced an appendix in the 2010 Napa County Voluntary Oak Woodland Management Plan. But it didnt include a copy of the appendix.

Whether it should have or not is the crux of the legal dispute. State law requires initiative petitions to include a full text of the proposed law, so people thinking of signing can make an informed decision.

The county said the initiative would make mandatory certain provisions of the voluntary oak management plan. Initiative proponents said the measure simply references the provisions to provide minimum standards for oak removal permits.

In July 2016, Napa County Superior Court Judge Diane Price agreed with the county. The state Court of Appeal upheld Prices decision.

We conclude that the trial court correctly held the proposed initiative does not comply with the full text requirement, Associate Justice Stuart Pollak wrote on behalf of the three-judge panel.

The contention that the initiative doesnt enact what are now voluntary oak management practices is belied by measure, he wrote.

In order for a holder of five or more acres to obtain a permit to remove oaks in the area to which the measure would apply, it would be necessary to comply with management practices that are not at present mandatory, Pollak wrote.

Various groups ranging from the California Native Plant Society to the California Wildlife Foundation filed briefs with the court in favor of the initiative proponents. They feared a county victory would set a precedent making it more difficult to qualify initiatives for the ballot.

Hackett said people believe oaks need to be protected, and expressed thanks for support he said came from statewide. People believe that the right to vote on such issues is important to democracy, he said.

We will turn this poison into medicine, he said.

Among the groups filing briefs in favor of the county were Winegrowers of Napa County, the League of California Cities and California State Association of Counties.

If accepted, the appellants position would be unworkable and would only cause confusion among election officials statewide, said the brief filed by the League of California Cities and California State Association of Counties.
Rebecca Luna Lopez passed away peacefully Sunday night due to complications from hip surgery in her home of over 50 years with family by her side.

Rebecca (Becky) was born on March 22, 1937 in Madera, California to Eugene and Grace Luna. Her father was a sheep shearer and her mother was an advocate for immigrants. Becky loved learning and was an honor student throughout her school years.

On June 11, 1955 she married Abram Lopez. They had 6 children together and in 1956 they moved to the Napa Valley. Although they loved the beauty of Napa they missed their family in Madera and would drive home every weekend to visit.

Becky worked at the Veterans Home, Pacific Bell and as a Real Estate Agent.

At age 30 in 1967 Becky was baptized as one of Jehovahs Witnesses. She had a strong faith and enjoyed teaching others about the Bible. She lived her life as a faithful Witness and never swayed from her beliefs.

Becky enjoyed going out to eat, not so much for the food, but for coffee & dessert! The family went camping to Burney Falls annually and Becky loved spending time with her children & grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Abram, and sister, Tillie Luna, as well as by her 6 children; Frank (Jessica), Abram Jr. (Mary), Grace (Delton), Martha (Fernando), Francisca (Steve) & Christina. She was predeceased by her parents Eugene & Grace, brother Eugene Jr., granddaughter Rebecca and grandson Germain. She also leaves behind 17 grandchildren and 14 greatgrandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witnesses, 1976 Wise Drive Napa, Ca on Friday, March 3, at 1pm.
An 18-year-old Napa man was arrested on suspicion of murder and assault with a deadly weapon after an investigation into a fatal stabbing in west Napa on Wednesday night, according to Napa Police.

Police said that Francisco Torres Amezcua was arrested for stabbing and killing one of his family members during a fight that took place in the area of Delpha Drive and Geraldine Court, just west of Solano Avenue, on Wednesday night.

Napa Police were dispatched to Queen of the Valley Medical Center at 10:27 p.m. Wednesday in response to a staff-initiated lock-down, Capt. Jennifer Gonzales said in a press release. The lock-down was ordered after a 31-year-old Hispanic male with a stab wound to the chest was dropped off at the emergency room, Gonzales said.

The victim, who has not been identified, died of his injuries at 5:27 a.m. Thursday. The investigation led officers to the 2000 block of Delpha Drive where caution tape was still draped across both ends of the block as of mid-morning.

One neighbor said she was in bed, trying to go to sleep, when she heard a verbal altercation on Delpha, just outside her open bedroom window.

I heard a very angry, a very, very angry man and he was speaking in Spanish, said the woman, who requested anonymity out of fear of reprisal.

She believes the angry man was talking to a younger man who was trying to calm him down in Spanish while being chased. He was very quiet, trying to calm down the angry person, but having to run, she said.

Fearing that gunshots would soon ring out, I was afraid, she said. I actually had a plan in place. It was that intense.

Then the voices disappeared down Delpha toward Solano Avenue and she went to sleep, she said.

On Thursday morning, she ventured two blocks down Delpha where law enforcement had blocked the street with crime scene tape. Speaking to neighbors at the crime scene, she was told of a possible stabbing and death.

Amezcua was arrested and booked at the Napa County jail on suspicion of murder and assault with a deadly weapon on Thursday afternoon. He is currently being held without bail.
The St. Helena Junior Women has been an active group in St. Helena since 1947. It is a community service organization for local women who are committed to individual growth, education, health, safety, youth and community improvement. The Spelling Bee, one of the groups flagship events, started 42 years ago as a Bicentennial project. In additional to the Annual Spelling Bee, the club provides vocational scholarships, puts on the annual Thanksgiving Lunch with Rianda House, participates in the St. Helena Harvest Festival and much more. If you are interested in learning more about St. Helena Junior Women, joining the club, or need more information on the Annual Spelling Bee itself, please contact Catherine Dann at mommydann@gmail.com or call 415-370-7001.
You know bread. Chances are, youre familiar with beer. But have you tasted toast ale  beer made from bread?

You can do just that at the 2017 Napa Homebrewers Classic, where toast ales will be available for tasting.

Its our special thing this year, said Mike Riddle, a veteran homebrewer and an officer with North Napa Rotary, which sponsors the event.

The toast ale movement  making beer with bread that otherwise would have been thrown away  started about a year ago in Great Britain as a way to raise consciousness about food waste, Riddle said. Well have several different kinds of toast ale at the event.

The sixth annual Brewfest takes place from noon to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 4, in the dining hall at Justin-Siena High School, 4026 Maher St., Napa.

More than 30 brewers from several homebrew clubs in the Bay Area, including the Bungbrewers from Napa, will bring more than 50 different home-brewed beers  beers you cant buy in stores  to the event, where they also will answer questions about the popular hobby and the history of beer. More than 4,000 homebrew clubs are registered with the American Homebrewers Association, and an estimated 1.2 million individuals in the U.S. make their own beer.

Toast ales at the event will include a wheat toast pale ale, a marbled rye pale ale, an oat nut bread brown ale, a classic American pilsner made with rye and a British bitter beer made with English muffins. Riddle, who has been making beer for more than 25 years, once again will bring Kentucky Common beer. The beer was featured at last years event, but this year Riddle is making it with sourdough bread. Originally, the beer was brewed in and around Louisville, Kentucky from the Civil War era until Prohibition.

Trio Solea, guitarists known for their fiery blend of Spanish, Latin and jazzy rhythms, will play at the event. Paul Menzel, owner of Red Rock North, is handling catering, and Chris Burns at Vallergas Market in Napa has provided bread for the toast ales.

The market has a deli where they make an enormous amount of sandwiches, Riddle said. They cant use stale bread, so theyve been freezing it for us, and were using it in the toast ales.

After stale bread is mashed to make breadcrumbs, it is toasted and brewed with malted barley, hops and yeast. Some reviewers say that toast ale has a malty taste similar to amber ales.

If toast ale doesnt appeal to you, not to worry. Traditional American, Belgian and German beers will be available for sampling. Well also have an IPA made with new hops, a barrel-aged imperial stout, Gose  a beer from the Middle Ages  and some fruit and spice beers, Riddle said.

Most of the proceeds from the 2017 Napa Homebrewers Classic will go to the Napa Food Bank. The North Napa Rotary also will make a donation to the science department at Justin-Siena High School to thank them for providing a venue.

Riddle noted that after last years Brewfest, the club donated $13,000 to Napa Emergency Womens Services (NEWS), which provides client services to about 1,200 people each year. In 2016, about 400 people attended the Brewfest.

This years event also includes a raffle and a contest that encourages attendees to vote for their favorite beers. Well have one contest for the toast ales and one for other beers, Riddle said. You be the judge!
The NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller will travel to London on Monday, 6 March 2017.

Ms. Gottemoeller will attend the Security and Defence 2017 Conference hosted by Chatham House, where she will deliver a keynote speech entitled Effective Multilateralism: How NATO adapts to meet changing security challenges. For additional information about the event please approach the organizers (https://www.chathamhouse.org/).

During her visit, the Deputy Secretary General will meet the Vice Chief of Defence Staff, General Sir Gordon Messenger, and the Minister of State for Europe and the Americas at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the Rt.Hon. Sir Alan Duncan. Mrs. Gottemoeller will also pay a visit to the National Cyber Security Centre.

Follow us on Twitter (@NATOPress and @Gottemoeller)
For the second time since 2014, the NATO Military Committee visited Georgia. During the two-day trip (2 & 3 March), NATOs Military Representatives met with the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP) team to receive a progress report, visited the Joint NATO-Georgia Training and Evaluation Centre (JTEC) and observed a pre-deployment training demonstration of Georgian troops. The Military Committee and its Chairman, General Petr Pavel, also visited the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL).

In a show of continued support to and appreciation of NATOs close partner, the NATO military Committee has made its second visit to Georgia. The main objective of the visit was to discuss the progress of ongoing Defence reforms, especially with regard to the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP) and its implementation. The package aims to strengthen Georgias capabilities by offering concrete support, advice and assistance in defence capacity building. The SNGP currently consists of 15 projects staffed by some 42 international experts from 26 NATO nations and partners. It covers areas of strategic and operational planning, ranging from air defence, maritime security, and special operations to more recent additions of counter-mobility and crisis management.

General Petr Pavel, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee and Mr Levan Izoria, Georgian Minister of Defence held a press conference to discuss the outcomes of their joint meeting and the meeting with the Military Committee. General Pavel commended Georgia for being a valuable NATO Partner and a strong and reliable contributor to international security. I also want to highlight the professionalism and bravery of your troops.

The NATO Military Committee also took the opportunity to visit the Joint NATO-Georgia Training and Evaluation Centre (JTEC) which is a key component of the SNGP. The Centre provides combat training and conducts activities to enhance interoperability between Georgian Forces and Armed Forces from NATO countries and partners. The Military Committee was able to observe a pre-deployment training demonstration by Georgian troops to be deployed to the NATO Resolute Support Mission. Georgia is the largest non-NATO contributor to the assist, advice and train mission, a fact that was recognised by the Military Committee during the visit. While at the JTEC, General Petr Pavel and the 28 Military Representatives took a moment to honour the fallen heroes in international missions and peacekeeping operations.

During a special Military Committee meeting with Georgia, the Military Representatives received comprehensive briefings from Georgian counterparts on regional security, namely in the Black Sea, as well as Defence Reforms and the optimisation of the Georgian Armed Forces. The participants then discussed ways to enhance practical military-to-military cooperation. General Pavel highlighted during his Opening Remarks that NATO views Georgia as an extremely reliable military partner and that our cooperation is characterized by open and honest dialogue. We encourage our Georgian colleagues to continue to maintain the high level of practical cooperation that is essential in sustaining our excellent relationship.

Later, General Pavel and the NATO Military Committee laid a wreath at the Georgian Fallen Warrior Memorial to pay homage to the Georgian soldiers who have paid the ultimate price for shared peace and security.

On Friday afternoon, the 28 NATO Military Representatives were escorted to the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) where they received a briefing on the current situation. Earlier in the day, General Pavel reiterated that NATO supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders and continues to call on Russia to reverse its recognition of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions and to withdraw its forces from Georgia.

While the Military Committee were visiting the Georgian National Defence College, General Pavel had a series of meetings with Georgian Officials, namely President Mr Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Mr Giorgi Kviriskashvili, Minister of Defence Mr Levan Izoria and Chief of Defence Brigadier General Vladimer Chachibaia.
JENS STOLTENBERG (NATO Secretary General): Good afternoon.

Its good to see you all and to say thank you for that kind introduction. Its great to be here and its great to be here at this event co-host by the GSP and the Graduate Institute.

And I would like to start by saying and telling you that I am really delighted by being here in Geneva because I feel very much at home in Geneva. Because in my previous life as a Norwegian politician I used to spend a lot of time here, especially in the years between 2001 and 2005, when I was on the board of something called the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, GAVI, and that was a big event, not an event but a big organization which was very much funded by the Gates Foundation and by the government of Norway and some other governments and the aim was to immunize children all over the world.

At that time I was not so very much focused on increased defence spending, my focus was more on increased spending on health. Now I am focused on both health, health and the defence spending. So I have good memories from that time in Geneva. In addition I have to tell you that I also have a relationship to Geneva because my parents they used to work here when my father was High Commissioner for Refugees and my mother worked in the International Red Cross Committee back in 1990.

At that time I had two small children so we very often went to Geneva and we travelled around here and I have seen the beauty of this very beautiful city. So thats one reason that I am glad to be back. The other reason I am glad to be back is that Geneva is really a platform for peace. The institutes, the Graduate Institute and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy are just two examples of how this city is so important for dialogue, for diplomacy, for education and only the fact that we have this house, Maison de la Paix, is a great expression of the importance of Geneva contributing to more a more peaceful world, trying to build international cooperation, trying to build international institutions and trying to create a more peaceful world.

As you know NATO is not based in Geneva, NATO is based in Brussels. But our aim, our task is the same as the task of all institutions, all organizations based here in Geneva working for peace, because the core task of NATO is to preserve the peace. So we are working in different ways but the goal is the same and that is to create a rules based order, strong international cooperation, solving, resolving conflict through negotiations, political dialogue instead of armed conflicts to make sure that we preserve the peace and prevent conflicts.

NATO has existed for almost 70 years and I think it Secretary Mattis, the new Defence Secretary in the United States, he stated at the hearings in the U.S. Congress before he was confirmed that NATO is the most successful alliance in history and of course I totally agree with him. Hes a very wise man. But the reason why NATO is the most successful alliance in history is that NATO has been able to change, to adapt when the world is changing. And just briefly remind you of how that has happened. Because for 40 years since NATO was founded in 1949 until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 NATO had one and actually only one task; and that was to deter the Soviet Union. So the only thing that we did was to be present in Europe with strong forces, armed forces, with troops, with American troops massed along the border of East West Germany and also in other parts of Europe to deter the Soviet Union from attacking West Europe. And that was quite successful and the Cold War ended without NATO firing a single shot. The Berlin Wall came done in 89, the Soviet Union was dissolved, the Warsaw Pact was dissolved and people started to ask whether we needed NATO anymore and I remember someone formulated the sentence NATO either has to go out of business or out of area.

What we did was to actually to go out of area. So we adapted, we responded to a new world and we reduced our military presence in Europe significantly, the United States reduced most of its forces, or at least a significant part of its forces from Europe, defence spending went down and what NATO did was then to be less focused on Europe, much more focused outside NATO territory. It started in the Balkans. We helped to end the two wars, the bloody wars first in Bosnia with 60,000 troops, NATO troops on the ground with air strikes; then later on in Serbia and Kosovo helping to end the bloodshed there. Then we went even further to Afghanistan fighting terrorism and we fought in parts of the Horn of Africa. So our focus was out of area, out of our part of Europe, out of NATO territory. So we adapted.

Then in 2014 we were forced to adapt again because in 2014 the world change again and I think sometimes we are underestimating because it is to close, the magnitude of the change that we are witnessing. In one way I think that 2014 will be as pivotal year as 1949, as 1989 and the 2014 will also be a very important year in the history of our part of the world for two reasons. One is that the emergence of, that was the year we really discovered the threat coming from ISIL and I have told many people then when I was first asked whether I was going to, whether I was willing to consider to be the Secretary General of NATO in January 2014 hardly anyone had heard about ISIL or Daesh. That was one among many terrorist organizations but it was not more important than all the others. Then a few months later Daesh controlled big parts of Syria, big parts of Iraq, Mosul and Raqqa. So that, and of course we have seen, we have been confronted with terrorist organizations before, but Daesh, ISIL is different because of its brutality, because of its strength. They are not only a normal terrorism organization but they have been able to control big parts of two countries, Iraq and Syria and because of the proximity, how close it is to NATO, bordering a NATO ally, Turkey, and also their presence in Northern Africa; so all of this makes Daesh, ISIL a fundamentally new threat, a challenge for NATO.

Then the same year we also saw a much more aggressive Russia. It has developed over some time but in 2014 we saw the illegal annexation of Crimea and that is the first time since the end of the Second World War that borders have been changed in Europe by the use of force, one land, one country annexing a part of another country. So its not only serious because it affects people in Ukraine but its also serious because it violates a fundamental principal which the security and the peace in Europe has based on for decades and they also started to destabilize Eastern Ukraine, so the illegal annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of Eastern Ukraine added to in a way the new security environment which required a response from NATO.

And I think that NATO once again proved that we are able to adapt, that we are vigilant and willing to change when required. And I will just briefly tell you how we are adapting. I will not mention, I will not be able to address all the issues that NATO are addressing but just briefly mention some core elements and how we are adapting and then I will be ready to answer your questions. NATO is adapting partly by strengthening our collective defence in Europe and partly by stepping up our efforts to project stability to our neighbours, fighting terrorism and stabilizing our neighbours.

First some words about how we are adapting by strengthening our collective defence in Europe. We are increasing the readiness of our forces; we have tripled the size of something we call the NATO Response Force which are forces that are able to move on very short notice. We are, we have established eight new headquarters in the Eastern part of the alliance and we are now deploying three battle groups, force battalions, multinational battle groups to the three Baltic countries, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and to Poland. And the reason why we do this is to make sure that no potential adversary can make any miscalculations about the readiness and the resolve of NATO to defend all allies against any threats. That is deterrence, credible deterrence. Let me underline that the reason why we are so focused on credible deterrence in NATO is that thats the core task of the alliance because the whole alliance is based on the idea that an attack on one ally will trigger the response from the whole alliance. An attack on one ally will be regarded as an attack on 28. And as long as that resolve is credible, as long as that unity is strong then we prevented anyone from attacking us.

So the reason why we want NATO to continue to be strong and continue to be able to deliver credible deterrence in the new security environment is not to provoke, its not to provoke a conflict but it to prevent a conflict, to preserve the peace and therefore we have increase our presence in the eastern part of the alliance. At the same time we are very much aware of the fact that we have to find a balance because we dont want a new Cold War, we dont want a new arms race, we dont want confrontation with Russia, we dont want to isolate Russia, and actually we regard Russia as our neighbour. Russia is there to stay and we are striving for a more constructive and cooperative relationship with Russia.

Therefore it has been very important for NATO to convey the message that we will keep the chance for political dialogue open to address difficult issues like for instance Ukraine but also how we can have more transparency, predictability because with more forces, more exercises, more presence of military troops along our borders the risk for incidents, accidents have increased and if we have to try to do everything that we can to prevent them from happening and if they happen make sure they dont spiral out of control and really create a dangerous situation. We saw the downing of a Russian plane over Turkey. We have seen some buzzing and some unsafe behaviour of Russian planes close to NATO ships in the Black Sea and U.S. ships in the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea and we have do to whatever we can to prevent that kind of incident really creating dangerous situations. So we are addressing predictability, transparency in our military relations with Russia. So we, the message is defence and dialogue, not defence or dialogue and I have stated many times that my experience as a Norwegian politician is that there is no contradiction between defence, deterrence and dialogue.

Actually as long as we are firm, as long as we are predictable, as long as we are united then we are also able to engage in political dialogue with Russia and strive for a more cooperative relationship with Russia. So thats how we are adapting to the challenges posed by more assertive Russia in the East. Then we are also adapting to the increased turmoil, violence that we see in the South. Thats about projecting stability and its about projecting stability, its about stabilizing our neighbourhood based on the idea that when our neighbours are stable we are more secure. And we have been doing that for many years but we have to do more. We have been in Afghanistan for many year, all NATO Allies contribute to and participate in the global coalition fighting Daesh or ISIL.

NATO is also providing direct support to the coalition with our AWACS surveillance planes and we have started to train Iraqi officers and we are also present in Turkey with Patriot batteries and other assurance measures for Turkey being so close to the turmoil and the violence in Syria and Iraq. And we are also stepping up our work and cooperation with other partners in the region, in Tunisia, Jordan and so on. And the message is that we have learned some lessons from our presence in Afghanistan, in Bosnia, in Kosovo but also for some NATO Allies that have been present in Iraq, that of course NATO has to be able to deploy a large number of combat troops in big combat operations also in the future as we have done for instance in Afghanistan or in Bosnia. But in the long run prevention is much better then intervention. So if we are able to prevent conflicts thats much better than if you are forced to deploy forces to solve a conflict. And the other lesson that we have learned is that we have to train local forces. We have to build a local capacity, we have to build local defence institutions because in the long run its much better that local forces, local institutions fight terrorism, stabilize the whole country instead of we doing it for them. And thats one of the lessons that we learned for instance in Bosnia.

We have been quite successful, in Bosnia 20 years ago, two decades ago there were three armies, a Bosnian Army, a Croat Army and Serb Army fighting each other. Now there is one multiethnic army in Bosnia, I am not saying that everything is fine in Bosnia, but I am saying as least they have one army which is able to work together in Bosnia. I think if we made any mistakes in Afghanistan, one lesson learned there is that we have started much earlier to train local Afghan forces to enable them and to protect their own country. So the idea of NATO of projecting stability is very much about how can we build local capacity in different ways in different countries, not only by training local forces but also by fighting corruption, building institutions. And thats exactly what we do together with institutions here in Geneva. With DCAF but also with GCSP and also with also the Swiss government we are working on how to build local capacity, train local forces, build local institutions. So thats the best weapon that we have against terrorism is to train local forces to enable them to fight terrorism.

The last thing, then, NATO is adapting collected defence in Europe, projecting stability to our neighbours in different ways and together with partners like Switzerland, but also with institutions that we find here in Geneva. The last thing that I would say before I answer questions is that of course the only way that NATO can remain strong, the only way that NATO deliver credible deterrence and project stability is that we stay united as a Transatlantic Alliance.

What makes NATO unique is that it binds together Europe and North America, the United States and Canada and after the U.S. elections, the elections in the United States there have been some questions whether the United States is still committed to the Transatlantic bond to NATO and I can tell you that I am absolutely certain that the United States is and will remain committed to the Transatlantic bond and to NATO and I can tell you that partly because thats what President Trump has told me. In two phone calls he has strongly conveyed the message that the United States remains committed to NATO and very supportive of the Transatlantic bond and that is a very consistent message from the President, from the Vice President who visited NATO a couple of weeks ago, from Secretary Mattis the Defence Secretary, from Secretary Tillerson the Secretary of State and from the whole security team. But its not only something they convey in words but its something also they deliver in deeds, because we see more U.S. presence in Europe now for the first time in many years. A new army brigade, more prepositioned equipment, so this not only something they say but it is something that they do with more presence in Europe.

And let also add that the United States know that a strong NATO, a strong Transatlantic Bond is not only good for Europe but its also good for the United States. Two world wars and a cold war have taught us all that stability in Europe is good for Europe of course but its also good for the United States. So I am absolutely confident that the United States remains committed to the North Atlantic Alliance. Thats good for Europe, thats good for North America but most importantly its good for peace and stability in our world because the core task of the alliance is to preserve the peace and to make sure that we can continue to live safely in a peaceful part of the world.

So thank you so much and then I am ready to answer questions. [Applause]
BREVARD COUNTY, Florida  After several months of specialized care, four loggerhead sea turtles are back home in the ocean thanks to SeaWorld Orlandos Animal Care Team and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The turtles were released Wednesday morning at Canaveral National Seashore in Florida.

Three of the Loggerhead Sea Turtles arrived at SeaWorld Orlando last December after flying across the country from Massachusetts. During the winter months, sea turtles are susceptible to cold stun from the frigid northern water temperatures. The New England Aquarium in Boston sent 19 rescued sea turtles on a flight to Tampa for rehabilitation. SeaWorld, along with several Florida marine life organizations responded to help care for the animals.

Upon arrival at SeaWorld, the sea turtles were given antibiotics and treated for mild pneumonia. The fourth turtle arrived at SeaWorld from the Whitney Lab for Marine Bioscience in St. Augustine late last May. Upon arrival, the sub-adult Loggerhead was emaciated, lethargic, and covered in barnacles. After eight months of fluid therapy and digestive care at SeaWorld, the turtle made a full recovery.

Photo credit: SeaWorld
Bin Xu, a Confucius Institute professor in Emorys Department of Sociology, has been named a fellow in a prestigious program for young China Studies Scholars sponsored by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.

Xu is one of just 21 fellows in the Public Intellectuals Program (PIP) for the 2016-2018 cycle. The PIP fellowship offers him the ability to attend workshops and participate in a research trip to China, as well as the opportunity to engage with China-focused scholars, policymakers and local communities in both countries.

Xu researches the intersections of political sociology and social theory, especially in collective memory and cultural sociology in China. He says he hopes the program will help him reach a broader audience for his work.

China is one of the global initiatives at Emory, he says. I hope my presence at the National Committee will enhance the visibility of Emory in the field of China studies as well as in public debates over China-related issues. 

The committee has played an important role in relations between the two countries for more than five decades, including sponsoring and coordinating the famous Ping-Pong diplomacy when they did not have formal relations in the 1970s.

The committee started the PIP fellowship in 2005, aiming to improve the quality of the American publics understanding of China by strengthening the ties among academics, policymakers and the public.

Fellows such as Xu will learn how to engage the public in their work. The program is designed to take specialists working in various disciplines and have them expand their knowledge beyond their own interests.

Sociology Department Chair Timothy Dowd lauded those goals and opportunities for both Xu and Emory. This award is a testament to the quality and import of Bin's scholarship, with him showing the relevance of sociology for understanding China in a nuanced fashion, Dowd says.

The award caps off a busy year for Xu, who joined Emorys faculty in the fall. His first book, The Politics of Compassion: the Sichuan Earthquake and Civic Engagement in China, about how Chinese citizens participated in the rescue and relief efforts after the Sichuan earthquake, is due out this year from Stanford University Press after seven years of research.

He is now at work on a new book, on the collective memory of Chinas educated youth (zhiqing) generation  the 17 million Chinese youths sent to the countryside in the 1960s and 1970s.
Biochemistry major Miguel Tellez, who is working on promising research that focuses on a new aspect of copper metabolism in the body, has been accepted into Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Cal State Fullerton undergraduate Miguel Tellez is an aspiring biomedical researcher who wants to contribute to a better understanding of the human body and use that knowledge to develop novel therapies for human diseases.

To accomplish this goal, he is conducting research in the lab of Maria C. Linder, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, focusing on an aspect of copper metabolism in the body that holds promise for new discoveries.

For his research efforts, Tellez has received a $3,500 Howell-CSUPERB Research Scholar Award from the California State University Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB) for his project on the Purification and Characterization of a Small Copper Carrier From Blood Plasma  A Structural and Physiological Study. CSUPERB partners with the Doris A. Howell Foundation for Womens Health Research to fund undergraduate student research projects on topics related to womens health.

Tellezs research centers on purifying and characterizing a copper-containing component that is present in the blood plasma of most mammals and is elevated in conditions where copper accumulates in the liver. This occurs in certain genetic diseases; it is also common in dogs, who frequently die of copper overload, said Linder.

My project will allow me to contribute to the field of copper research by bringing to light the identity of small copper-carrying components, said Tellez, a biochemistry major who is on track to graduate in May and is the first in his family to attend college. He plans to begin his doctoral studies this summer in the biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology graduate program at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Tellez is a research scholar in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) program, led by Linder, and a past scholar in the CSU Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program.

He is a young man of enormous potential, Linder said. His project is exciting and is likely to lead to a breakthrough in the field of copper metabolism.

Why does this research interest you?

During pregnancy, copper transport and metabolism during embryogenesis involves aspects of copper metabolism, which are still poorly understood. Yet, every cell in a developing fetus needs copper. Additionally, we have evidence that when women take estrogen-based birth control, it changes the distribution of copper in plasma and elicits large amounts of small copper carrying components. As such, understanding these small copper carriers in the blood plasma is paramount to understanding healthy copper metabolism in women during menstruation and pregnancy.

What are the benefits of working on this research?

Because of this research project, I have learned many analytical and biochemical techniques. Ive also had the opportunity to present my work at conferences, and by being a part of the HHMI undergraduate program, I learned how to read scientific literature and now better understand other areas of science.

How has your faculty mentor helped you in achieving your academic goals?

After working with Dr. Linder, I discovered what it meant to be a researcher. She has given me encouragement and has helped me down the academic pathway to earn a doctorate.

How did you become interested in studying science?

In the first grade, I became interested in science after I fed a caterpillar. After some time, it turned into a butterfly, and I was in awe. I wanted to understand what I was seeing. My love for science pushed me to do well in school so I could pursue a career as a scientist.
A traveling exhibit of 26 colorful and intricate climate-focused art quilts by 22 Florida artists, Piecing Together a Changing Planet, survived wildfires and a hurricane to open on Wednesday evening at the Otto G. Richter Library at the University of Miami.

Seamless complements to the art quilts, interactive multimedia displays and curated library items invite guests to explore a range of climate change issues and how a changing planet is particularly affecting South Florida.

Though certainly one of the most pressing and extremely relevant issues of our time, especially in Miami, climate change and its impacts are not insurmountable.

The drive to overcome adversity is embedded in the University of Miamis history, said UM President Julio Frenk during the exhibit opening. And now, in the face of growing vulnerability to rising sea levels, we are mobilizing vital resources to protect and preserve our home, while also sharing our innovative solutions to benefit people and places around the world.

Frenk was introduced by Charles Eckman, dean of UM Libraries, whose team researched and selected the various materials on display to illustrate progress made to protect the environment, risks posed to people and property, and even tools to help us better understand and provide answers to the questions posed by our changing planet.

At the reception held in the Roberto C. Goizueta Pavillion of the Cuban Heritage Collection (CHC), Dean Eckman remarked that the CHC is an ideal setting for the conversation of climate change research, science and art as it represents an important resource created through sustained collaboration and dialogue across the academy and the community.

The textile artwork has been visiting National Parks throughout the United States since 2014. Each unique piece examines climate change impacts such as sea level rise and coral bleaching, water and air pollution, and flora and fauna habitat lossmany of which are impacting some of the nations 400 landmarks managed by the National Park Service.

Representatives from the exhibits first stop in 2014Biscayne National Parkwere at the UM opening and were joined by several of the exhibits textile artists from Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA), an international nonprofit dedicated to promoting art quilts and the fiber artists who create them. Maya Schoenberger, project curator, had the initial idea for Piecing Together a Changing Planet and first approached Gary Bremen, park ranger for Biscayne National Park, three years ago.

On behalf of SAQA, Linda Eads, a UM alumna, artist, educator and founder of the nationally acclaimed MAST Academy, spoke during the opening reception and was grateful to UM for the creative adventure of blending science and art to communicate our mutual concern for changing environmental conditions.

In an engaging and interactive multimedia display, University Communications and UM Libraries highlight work by researchers, faculty, students and alumni in the areas of climate change and sustainability through a digital presentation and a curated exhibition using historic and contemporary collection items, ranging from environmental zines and archival photograph albums to a Mosquito vs. Human card game meant to describe vector-borne diseases.

The opening welcomed a diverse crowd of curious and conscientious guests, including faculty, staff, artists, community members, and students.

A cohort from the student group, Energy and Conservation Organization (ECO-Agency), engaged with the exhibit and other attendees about the work their organization is accomplishing in the UM community. They were also there to support their chair, Josh Lomot, a UM senior in environmental management, business, and policy. As chair, Lomot remarked, he receives weekly requests from students and faculty alike on how best to become involved in finding sustainable solutions for our changing planet.

These messages give me hope, and they give me confidence that even as we begin to see more dramatic effects of climate change in our everyday lives, there are enough people at UM alone, willing to not just sit back and admit defeat, but rise to the challenge and find a solution, said Lomot.

The passion and eagerness of others in the UM community to take problems into their own hands, find solutions, and make an impactful change, Lomot added, make me optimistic for our generations role in solving the issues of climate change.

The art quilts traveled to Miami from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where the pieces survived raging wildfires that ripped through the Great Smoky Mountains in late 2016. The exhibit will be on display on the first floor of the Richter Library through April 7.
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Summer camp schedule set at Touch of Nature

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Fun and adventure await children of all ages as Southern Illinois Universitys Touch of Nature Environmental Center is offering a wide assortment of summer camp experiences.

The 3,100-acre experiential outdoor educational facility, located along the shores of Little Grassy Lake about eight miles south of Carbondale on Giant City Road, is sponsoring a series of EdVenture Camps for youths ages 7-15. Exploration of the great outdoors, hands-on and age-appropriate nature activities, and lots of excitement are packed into each camp experience.

The Eco Camps are for children ages 7-10 while tweenagers ages 10-13 can enjoy Explorers Camps and teens ages 13-15 can participate in Voyageurs Camps. Each camp week has a specific theme and correlating activities to help participants enhance their ecological awareness and understanding of the world around them as they have a good time.

Many are day camps that children will attend from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Parents may drop children off at the camp or take advantage of free, supervised bus transportation from the SIU Arena parking lot to Touch of Nature. The bus leaves the parking lot at 8 a.m. and returns at 4:30 p.m. Supervision is provided only during those times so drop-off and pick-up at the arena should be timely.

Some of the Explorers and Voyagers camps are overnight camps. There is no shuttle service available for these camps.

Registration for all camps is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

There is one special camp, Mississippian Heartland Intergenerational Camp, for children ages 10 and older along with their grandparents. The camp, set for June 19-23, is open to ages 10-80 and participants will learn of the regions ancient culture. Before European explorers arrived, the Mississippian culture was the largest pre-Columbian civilization in North America and participants in this camp will explore earthen mound cities, a glacier-carved canyon featuring pictographs and petroglyphs, village sites on bluffs, stone forts, museums and other fascinating historical places. It wraps up with a visit to Cahokia Mounds, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The 2017 Eco Camps schedule, for ages 7-10, along with pricing and camp details, includes:

Survival 101 Day Camp, June 5-9, $200, with hands-on programs to help children build their knowledge of nature and survival skills. Activities will include hiking, paddling, building shelters, collecting water, making fires, reading maps and a compass and team-building exercises.

X-Treme Kids Day Camp, separate sessions offered June 12-16 and July 10-14, $225, an action-packed outdoor adventure that will include hiking, paddleboat rides, zip lining, rock climbing, and tie-dying a T-shirt to take home.

Blue Planet Day Camp, June 26-30, $200, offering an eclectic blend of activities revolving around the water, from hikes along the shore to studying watersheds and aquatic habitats, from using a dip net to canoeing or kayaking on the lake.

The Explorers Camps schedule, for ages 10-13, includes:

Survival 102 Day Camp, June 12-16, $275, with optional overnight camping June 15 and June 16. Participants will explore their relationship to nature, learn basic survival skills and engage in hiking, navigation using a map and compass, canoeing, building shelters and fires, and they will learn environmental stewardship. They can also test their skills by completing a survival challenge.

Adventures Underway Overnight Camp, June 19-23, $450, an action-packed session incorporating rock climbing, tightrope walking, hiking, canoeing, survival skills education, roasting marshmallows and other experiences along with creating a tie-dyed T-shirt to take home.

Wild Outdoor Week (W.O.W.) Day Camp, July 24-28, $250, featuring swimming, canoeing, zip-lining, rock climbing and other outdoor and survival skills learning activities as well as making a souvenir T-shirt tie-dying.

The schedule of Voyageurs Camps, for ages 13-15, includes:

River Runners Overnight Camp, June 19-23, $500, filled with lots of time on the water. The first day is spent paddling on Little Grassy Lake at Touch of Nature and then campers take their watercraft skills to Missouri for paddling and exploration fun on the Eleven Point River where theyll camp, eat smores, watch the stars and more. The cost includes transportation, food, gear and lodging and the camp is limited to the first 12 to register.

Leadership Overnight Camp, July 24-28, $450, gives participants the chance to hone their leadership skills through simulated survival experiences. They will zip line, navigate the high ropes course, build fires and shelters, do back-country cooking, learn to navigate and go canoeing and hiking.

Southern Adventures Day Camp, July 17-21, $300, exploring many of Southern Illinois hidden natural gems including Jackson Falls, Bell Smith Springs, Mermet Springs and the Cache River. Campers will climb sandstone bluffs, explore swamps, snorkel at a local scuba training center and more and the camp is limited to 14 participants.

As a bonus, those who register for the Mississippian Heartland Intergenerational Camp, the Adventures Underway Overnight Camp, the River Runners Overnight Camp or the Leadership Survival Overnight Camp save $50 per camp session if they sign up before March 31.

Online registration, and additional details about the camps, is available by visiting www.ton.siu.edu and clicking on Camps and Retreats. You can also call 618453-1121 or email tonec@siu.edu for more information.

In addition, Touch of Nature is partnering with the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois to offer several residential Girl Scout camps this summer. The camps are open to all girls, regardless of whether they are scouts or not. Planned activities include swimming, canoeing, hiking, archery, environmental education, crafts, singing, campfires and working on badges. In addition, the older girls will go rock climbing and do the high ropes course.

The Girl Scout camp schedule includes:

Living Like Bigfoot Brownies camp, July 26-29, for girls entering grades 2-3, helping them learn how to be untraceable in the great outdoors as they swim, cook over the fire and explore nature.

Women Warriors Juniors camp, July 26-29, for girls entering grades 4-5, helping them tap into their inner strengths as they throw giant darts with an atlatl (spear-thrower), use a dart gun to launch smaller darts, operate a slingshot, shoot with a bow and arrow, build a survival shelter, swim in the lake or join the one match club.

F.L.O.W., Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors camp, July 26-29, for girls entering grades 6-12, enabling them to enhance their outdoor skills and improve their leadership abilities by designing a camp experience and possibly leading one or more programs.

Finding Nature Brownies camp, July 30-Aug. 5, giving girls entering grades 2-3 the chance to discover enchanted friends living in the trees, streams and underground, while walking in a summer creek, making smores, swimming, exploring the woods and having their faces painted.

Water World Junior camps, July 30-Aug. 5, offering girls entering grades 4-5 plenty of opportunities to explore the water world by swimming, riding in a pontoon boat and canoe, paddle boarding, and even going on a whale hunt.

Expedition W.I.L.D. (Women in Leadership Development) Cadettes, Seniors, Ambassadors camp, July 30-Aug. 5, providing girls entering grades 6-12 with opportunities to showcase their skills and learn new ones as they focus on camping, leave no trace principles and the great outdoors.

CIT (Counselor in Training) program for Seniors and Ambassadors, July 30-Aug. 5, teens entering grades 9-12 will learn about leadership and develop leadership skills as they work with younger campers in a variety of camp activities and programming.

The cost of each of the July 26-29 mini-session camps is $255 and that includes a $50 deposit due at the time of registration. The price for the weeklong camps July 30-Aug. 5 is $380, including a $100 deposit due at registration. The deadline to sign up for any of the Girl Scout camps is May 25.

Register online at www.gsofsi.org or by calling 618/692-0692.
Graduate student wins thesis competition

by Tim Crosby

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- A doctoral student at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will represent the university at a regional contest after winning a local competition for the most compelling thesis in the Graduate School.

Emi Hayashi, who is working on her doctoral degree in physiology, earned first place in the SIU Graduate Schools inaugural Three-Minute Thesis competition, Feb. 15. Hayashi received a $700 award for travel expenses to represent SIU at the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools conference in Indianapolis in April, as well as $500 cash award.

The Three Minute Thesis -- also known as the 3MT competition -- was developed by the University of Queensland to celebrate the exciting research conducted by doctoral students. The exercise is aimed at cultivating the students academic, presentation and research communication skills and supports their capacity to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.

Eight doctoral students participated in the event, said Yueh-Ting Lee, dean of the SIU Graduate School. Six faculty members acted as judges.

This is our first time to do it and it was very engaging and interesting, Lee said.

Caitlin Stallings, a doctoral student in physiology, and Klaus Cavalhieri, a doctoral student in psychology, received second- and third-place honors, respectively, receiving $500 and $300 cash awards.

Each student gave a three-minute spoken-word presentation using only a single, static PowerPoint slide. Judges assessed participants presentations in several areas, including comprehension and content, communication and research significance, among others.
Culling sharks wont protect surfers

George Burgess, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research and coordinator of museum operations at the Florida Museum of Natural History, explains why culling sharks to reduce the risk of attacks will not work, despite the call from professional surfers to do so.

The warm and productive waters of La Reunion, an island east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, are home to many types of tropical sea life, including apex predators such as sharks. Eight fatal shark attacks on humans have occurred there since 2011. After a body boarder was killed by a shark on Feb. 21, professional surfers Kelly Slater and Jeremy Flores called for aggressive shark culling around the island.

Calls for sanctioned killing of sharks usually are the initial gut reaction from a community experiencing its first Jaws scare. Such sacrificial kills appear motivated in equal parts by a desire for revenge and the thought that killing sharks will ensure personal safety.

But shark scientists like me agree that there is virtually no chance to catch the highly mobile offending individual, and that there have been precious few documented cases of repeat offenders, or rogue sharks.

I study these attacks as curator of the International Shark Attack File (ISAF). Proposals for culling sharks reflect the anthropocentric notion that the sea belongs to humans, and we are owed complete safety when immersed. In fact, however, human actions have contributed to the shark-human dynamic around La Reunion, and culling will not substantially reduce the risk there.

Sharks are low-density, highly migratory animals that readily recolonize areas denuded of their kind, rendering any attempt to cull an ineffective strategy. And while Slater suggested that culling bull sharks around La Reunion might benefit other species, it is impossible in practice to limit shark hunts to target species. As a result, many nondangerous sharks are killed in an attempt to catch the few dangerous species.

Why are there so many attacks at La Reunion?

Periodically, a higher-than-normal number of encounters between sharks and humans occur in a discrete geographic area. In some cases those encounters result in bona fide attacks that cause major injuries or deaths. At ISAF, we have consulted with numerous state governments and local authorities over the past 30 years when these spikes occur. In every case we have identified specific natural or human-induced environmental disruptions or changes in patterns of human activities around water as likely contributors.

La Reunion has been on ISAFs radar for five decades as an area with higher-than-usual per capita traumatic shark-human encounters. Over this time period the island population has doubled. There also have been noticeable habitat modifications  notably, degradation of nearshore coral reefs  which have reduced the abundance and diversity of the islands fish communities. Since all parts of an ecosystem are inexorably linked, apex and near-apex predators are intimately affected.

Island residents are well aware that bull and tiger sharks are present and white sharks appear occasionally in La Reunions waters. These are the three shark species most often documented in serious shark attacks, and islanders know that the likelihood of encounters is higher in certain areas. The government banned swimming and surfing around much of the island in 2013, but surfing competitions resumed in 2015 at two beaches protected by safety nets and lookouts.

Tourism has increased in the region, and the number of surfers has risen over the past 30 years. As often is the case in emerging tropical tourist destinations, some visitors do not seek local information about safety conditions before entering the water, and suffer the consequences of wandering into a danger zone. Last weeks death reportedly occurred at an area that was officially closed to swimmers, but warning signs at the beach had been vandalized.

Growing interest in surfing among both La Reunion residents and visitors is especially significant because surfers are the single most shark-affected group among aquatic recreationists. Increased shark attacks since the 1950s in many areas of the world, including Florida, Hawaii, California, Australia and Brazil, are directly linked to increased hours spent surfing in the ocean.

Surfers and local governments can take steps to reduce risks, such as avoiding high shark-contact surfing locations, choosing appropriate times of day to surf, hiring shark spotters, improving rescue and medical capabilities, and educating the public about sharks. But surfers, who are among the most enthusiastic supporters of shark conservation, know that surfing is an activity that comes with inherent risk. Ultimately each surfer must make wise judgments about where and when to engage in his or her chosen passion.

The ocean as wilderness

The reality is that humans are visiting an alien environment when we enter the sea, and are engaging in a wilderness experience for which we often are poorly prepared. We all know we might drown, and we may suffer spinal injury, lacerations or scrapes if the surf tumbles us onto hard-packed sand or reef. Or we could be stung by jellyfish or sea lice, step on a stingray or be bitten by a shark.

The risk of being killed by a shark is extremely low. In 2016 only four people died worldwide as the result of shark attacks while engaged in all types of aquatic activities. Meanwhile, because of overfishing, shark populations have plummeted around the globe. Even great white sharks, the top dogs of the ocean, are legally listed as threatened or endangered in many areas of the world.

Authorities in La Reunion have determined that certain beaches present a higher shark risk to swimmers and surfers than other areas. Those beaches are closed to aquatic recreation, and people can learn about the risks from signs and word of mouth. Those who choose to ignore such warnings must accept the risk, just as surfers accept the degree of difficulty associated with surfing high-risk breaks.

And if a serious attack or a drowning occurs, no one should blame the sea or its denizens for our risky behavior. The sad truth is that thousands of drowned surfers are memorialized for dying while doing what they enjoyed, while its always the sharks fault after the rare fatal attack.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Marks & Spencer (M&S), the iconic British brand, has today launched on India's largest online store, Amazon.in, making it even more convenient for customers across India to shop its quality clothing and beauty ranges. From today, Indian customers can now shop circa 1,000 Marks and Spencer products across Womenswear, Lingerie, Menswear, Kidswear and Beauty via amazon.in or marks&spencer. Customers will also be able to shop Marks & Spencer cosmetics online for the first time in India, with 220 lines available exclusively on Amazon.in. In Women's wear, customers can choose from key pieces from the spring range including stylish floral dresses with feminine detailing; authentic, fitted denim; and that must-have soft-touch trench coat. Marks & Spencer's renowned quality and innovative lingerie including bras, knickers, shape wear and sleepwear in delicate and feminine colors and prints will also be available. In Menswear, the range contains all the must-have pieces across casual and formalwear, whilst in Kids wear, Marks & Spencer is a one-stop shop for high quality, on-trend baby and kids clothing for girls and boys including daywear, accessories, nightwear and essentials. An edited beauty offer will be available including skincare, body care, cosmetics and fragrance. "Whether choosing a classic white shirt, that special occasion dress or the ultimate feminine sleepwear, online shopping continues to grow in popularity in India as customers look for more choice and greater convenience," said MD Marks & Spencer Reliance India, Venu Nair. "We're delighted to launch today on Amazon.in, India's largest online store, making it even easier for our customers to shop with us. Our range of 1,000 quality, stylish products, combined with Amazon's reach and fast delivery, means our customers can order something truly special online, wherever and whenever suits them," added Nair. "Marks & Spencer is one of the leading and most loved brands and our endeavor has always been to offer the best brands with the most curated selection of products to our discerning customers across the country. Offering Marks & Spencer merchandise on Amazon is another step in that direction and will be an extension of the portfolio of global brands that our customers can enjoy through our platform," said head of fashion Amazon India, Arun Sirdeshmukh. Customers shopping on Amazon.in and the Amazon mobile shopping app have easy and convenient access to millions of products across hundreds of categories. Customers in 19,000 pin codes across the country benefit from a safe and secure ordering experience, convenient electronic payments, cash on delivery, Amazon's 24x7 customer service support, and a globally recognized and comprehensive 100 percent purchase protection provided by Amazon's A-to-Z Guarantee. They can also enjoy Amazon's guaranteed next-day, two-day delivery, Sundayand Morning delivery on products fulfilled by Amazon. And now with the launch of Amazon's most loved global offering Prime in India, can now enjoy guaranteed fast free delivery of thousands of products in 100 cities. As the online fashion retail market in India continues to grow, the move responds to the changing way Indian customers shop today and complements Marks & Spencer's 56 stores across 27 cities in India. Marks & Spencer's launch on Amazon.in is in line with its international strategy to work with established online marketplaces to benefit from their scale, infrastructure and local expertise. Customers in India can also shop M&S products online with Myntra and Ajio. (ANI)
"Reactions of some ministers in the Centre & the Haryana Government are totally wrong and against the society. It shows that their thinking is totally wrong," said Pawar while addressing a press conference here.

"The ideology of the government in itself is wrong and that is why such a situation has erupted," he added.

Vij on Thursday had branded people supporting Kargil braveheart Captain M. Singh's daughter Gurmehar Kaur as 'pro-Pakistan'.

"Those supporting Gurmehar Kaur are pro-Pakistan and therefore, such people should be thrown out of the country," Vij had said.

Kaur, who is a Delhi University student, posted a message against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on social media that led to several groups and celebrities raising voices for and against her in equal numbers.

Clashes had erupted last week after the ABVP allegedly manhandled and thrashed students protesting the cancellation of an event at Ramjas College at which controversial JNU student Umar Khalid was scheduled to speak. (ANI)
Nagaland Roads & Bridges Minister Vikheho Swu has said the people in Manipur need a stable, people sensitive and a visionary Government, but unfortunately the Congress Government has failed to prove its commitment in spite of decades of its rule in Manipur and also in the entire country. According to a release issued by the Issued by the Media & Press Bureau of the Naga People's Front, Central Office today Vikheho said the people of Ukhrul district are the most enlightened people amongst the hill tribes of Manipur today. "True to your commitment, you have elected 4 MLAs out of 20 seats for the hill people in 2012, and they took the historic decision to resign from their position as MLA to protest against the three Anti-Tribal Bills passed by the Manipur Assembly which has prevented thus far the President of India's assent to the Bills," he said while addressing an NPF election campaign at Ukhrul this afternoon. He further lamented that the Congress government under Ibobi Singh has "alienated and segregated the hill tribes of Manipur and that of some Meiteis only for their benefit." Vikheho stated that North-Eastern states would be the gateway between India and the ASEAN countries in the near future with the announcement of Act East Policy by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. "Safeguarding our land, traditions, customs and practices of our forefathers is equally important as development of our land and people," he added. Vikheho said "with deaths in your houses, families segregated, your land been divided, your right to earn and live at stake, if you cannot stand together posterity will question you one day, there is no better time for change than now" and appealed to the people to vote for the NPF party which he said, stands for the aspiration of the hills people of Manipur, the NPF release said. UNI AS SJC -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1172604.Xml
A crude bomb was hurled at the RSS office in Kallachy near Nadapuram last night.

At least three RSS workers sustained injuries in the attack and were rushed to the Government Medical College in Kozhikode.

The attack took place hours after RSS leader Kundan Chandrawat triggered a political row for announcing a bounty of Rs. one crore on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's head.

"If anyone beheads the Kerala Chief Minister, who is the murderer of RSS activists, and brings his head I will give my property worth more than Rs. one crore to him," he said yesterday while addressing a public gathering in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. (ANI)
To press for their longstanding demand of CBI probe into Rose Valley and other Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFC) scam, a six-member team of Trinamool Congress MLAs to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon. As part of follow-up action after a letter of Trinamool Congress president and MLA Asish Kumar Saha a month ago, an official of PMO reached out to Mr Saha today and requested him to contact MoS of PMO Jitendra Singh for meeting with the Prime Minister. "We are requested to contact MoS, PMO Mr Singh to fix an appointment with the Prime Minister on our demands and hopefully we will be meeting him soon", said Trinamool State president adding that CBI investigation into ponzi farms' scam originated from Tripura hasbeen a long pending demand of the party. "The party wants an impartial probe into the scam by CBI and proper compensation of 14 lakh duped depositors who has been chatted by more than a hundred NBFCs in connivance with the ruling left front government. By now the evidence proved that the association of CPI(M) and Chief Minister Manik Sarkar into Rose Valley scam but unless CBI comes it would not help much," Mr Saha said. Mr Saha and other top leaders of the party is now in Kolkata attending party's Core Committee meeting. Mr Saha said an elaborate discussion on the issue took place in the meeting held TMC headquarters with the senior party leaders and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he added.UNI BB BM -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0214-1172625.Xml
Altogether 38 Manipur constituencies spread over five districts- Imphal East, Imphal West, Kangpokpi, Bishenpur and Churachandur will go to Assembly polls in the first phase tomorrow to decide the fates of 168 candidates A total of 5,44,050 male voters, 5,75,220 female voters, 5169 male service voters and 1915female service voters will decide the fate of 168 candidates including seven female candidates. For the first 6 polling stations in Bishenpur and 10 in Imphal West will be manned by women polling officials entirely. Elections officials today started going to their respective polling stations. The first phase will cover, Imphal East, Imphal West, Kangpokpi, Bishenpur and Churachandur districts. Security personnel have already started camping in their respective polling stations. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V Dewangan said electronic Media monitoring Cell (EMMC), New Delhi will monitor all election management news on the day of poll and a day prior and submit reports to the Election Commission and CEO within two hours. The Labour department has asked all employers to give leave to their employees and the state government has declared holiday tomorrow to ensure free and fair poll. All canvassing of votes can't be done within 100 metres of every polling station, mobile phones will not be allowed during voting hours that is from 0700 hours to 1500 hours on March 4. All District Magistrates have issued prohibitory orders under Sec 144. CEO asked all to stop proxy voting as the defaulters will be heavily penalized. All the polling stations will try to web telecast live the poll processes but wherever there was no 3G connectivity the process will be video graphed. Most of the officials, security personnel, vehicles will be using GPS equipments so that every movement can be monitored. For the first time election department has done all activities online, for candidates, voters, officials, security, vehicle ensuring transparency and accountability and quick disposal of complaints. To ensure neutrality, only central paramilitary forces will be utilized. About 30 companies will be used to maintain security on the national highways which has blocked by United Naga Council since November 1 last. It is estimated that about 250 companies will be used for security in the polling stations. Most of the stations will be having five unarmed officials. Only 10 women candidates were in the fray. For the first time a Muslim woman candidate Najima Bibi of PRJA will be contesting from Wabagai constituency. Congress and BJP are the two main players and both parties have started attacking each other. Congress has fielded 59 candidates, BJP 60 candidates. Among the recognized national parties, Trinamul has fielded 16, NCP 7, CPI 6, CPI(M) two. Among the recognized state parties, Naga People's Front has fielded 16 candidates and People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) one. Twenty three Independents were in the fray. Among the unregistered political parties Lok Jana Shakti has put up 17, National People's Party, 20, Manipur National Democratic Front 15, Manipur People's Party 5, North East India Development Party, 13, People's Resurgence Justice Alliance of Irom Sharmila, three, RPI(A) 2, AIFB and AIDF one making it 266 total candidates.UNI NS BM -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0214-1172708.Xml
Gandhi was not present in the court today.

Earlier in November last year, Gandhi was granted bail on the basis of personal surety by Maharashtra's Bhiwandi court.

A local RSS functionary, Rajesh Kunte, had filed the case against Gandhi for claiming at an election rally on March 6, 2014, that the right wing organisation had killed Mahatma Gandhi.

Though the apex court has stayed the proceedings against him, Gandhi appeared before Magistrate D.P. Kale in Bhiwandi on July 8 last year.

Gandhi had in September last year withdrawn his petition filed in the apex court and said that he would face the trial.

He expressed his readiness to face the trial after the top court refused to interfere with the criminal proceedings pending against him before the trial court.

He moved the apex court challenging the Bombay High Court's order refusing to quash the defamation case and summons issued to him by the trial court.

After the withdrawal of the case, the court had summoned Gandhi for further proceedings. (ANI)
One civilian killed while three people, including a CRPF personnel sustained injuries after a grenade was lobbed at a police party on Friday near Muran Chowk in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. The search operation is presently underway. Earlier in February, a grenade was hurled on a police post by suspected militants at Kakapora area in Pulwama. (ANI)
The incident took place on Thursday evening around 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, the DYFI workers Ratheesh and Yusuf are undergoing treatment in a private hospital.

The Kerala Police have named three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in connection with the attack on the DYFI activists.

The incident comes a day after unidentified men hurled bombs at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh office (RSS) office at Kallachy which critically injured three workers. A Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) office was also set on fire. (ANI)
The Karnataka BJP IT Cell team filed the complaint against Mitesh Patel for his cartoon.

According to reports, multiple complaints have been filed against Patel across the country for defaming Prime Minister Modi.

In the cartoon, Mitesh made references to the recent controversy over ABVP issuing rape threats to a Kargil martyr's daughter.

Earlier, BJP spokesman I P Singh of Vishesh Khand, Gomtinagar lodged an FIR at Vibhuti Khand police station alleging that Patel, a member of Aam Aadmi Party, had posted a cartoon on Twitter.

Police has registered a case and also imposed section 125 of Representation of People Act and 67 A of IT act against Patel. (ANI)
The Kohima Police manning Khuzama inter-state check gate, while conducting routine checking recovered one Kilogram of banned drug commonly known as "Horse Drug" from the possession of one person from Assam. According to a statement issued by the PRO of Kohima Police Ato Zumvu today, the Police personnel apprehended one person for carrying the "Horse Drug" yesterday evening, who hailed from Brahmanshsan Village under Nilambazar Police Station in Karimganj district of Assam and the illegal drug was found neatly wrapped in four packets when recovered by the police.They said drug in its early days was known as "Horse Drug". It is also named 'Crazy Pill in 1996." It was given to horses, when pulling carts up steep hills and for other strenuous work in Shan State of Myanmar. Horse drug is sometimes called "bhul bhuliya" in India. Horse drug is typically produced in a round pill tablet form. There are many different versions of horse drug and the most common are red, orange or lime green in colour. Horse drug tablets typically are consumed orally. Another common method is called "chasing the dragon." Users place the horse drug tablet on aluminum foil and heat it from below. As the tablet melts, vapours rise and are inhaled. The drug also may be administered by crushing the tablets into powder, which is then snorted or mixed with a solvent and injected. When swallowed in pill form the duration of the drug's effect is between 8 to 16 hours, as compared to 1to 3 hours when smoked, while the intensity is considerably reduced. The peak of the drug's effect is followed by a come down period lasting 6 to 10 hours, during which the user may have difficulty sleeping or eating. The statement said this illegal drug is especially popular in Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines, where it is imported from Burma or Laos. It is sometimes manufactured locally in Thailand. Myanmar is the largest producer of methamphetamine in the world, with the majority of Horse drug found in Thailand being produced in Myanmar, particularly in the Golden Triangle and North Eastern Shan State, which borders Thailand, Laos, and China. In 2010, Myanmar had trafficked 1 billion tablets to neighbouring Thailand. As per the statement of arrested person referred above, the said drugs were procured from Senapati of Manipur and are supposed to be delivered to a client at Dimapur. In this connection a regular case was registered at the Khuzama Police Station under the NDPS Act against the arrested person referred above for conducting further investigation. UNI AS RN 1451 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0311-1172917.Xml
The Supreme Court today dismissed the bail petition of former Uttar Pradesh Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Babu Singh Khuswaha, who is an accused in the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam case. A bench, headed by Justice J Chelameshwar, dismissed Kushwaha's petition for regular bail. Kushwaha had challenged a Ghaziabad court's issuance of the non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him and the cognisance of the charge sheet filed in the lower court. The apex court, however, asked Kushwaha's lawyer to approach the concerned court for relief. The BSP leader is at present out on interim bail.UNI XC RJ-RP1546 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0098-1173002.Xml
The 5th annual conclave of Indian Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (IVCA) will be held on March 6-7, 2017 in New Delhi. IVCA's Annual India Alternatives Conclave 2017 is the premier conclave focused on private markets investments in India, organised to analyse in-depth perspective by Industry as well as Government experts.According to an announcement by IVCA, the premier summit, titled Annual India Alternative Conclave 2017: Share the insights with India's leading PE Funds, top global & Indian LPs & other major players in the private equity ecosystem for crafting their strategies for the upcoming years.This year's conclave will also discuss whether investors will be bullish or bearish towards India in the light of major global, regional & local developments.Rajat Tandon, President IVCA said "We are delighted to host IVCA's 5th Annual Indian Alternative Conclave 2017. As the tagline suggests this edition of Conclave would highlight and discuss alternate investment opportunities in India. For two days, special focus would be on investment opportunities in the sectors of infrastructure, energy & other growing sectors.""We are delighted to host a cohort of top line 70 industry experts as speakers, panellists from the most diverse backgrounds, also from GOI discussing on contemporary topics that shall shape the state of the PE/VC ecosystem in 2017 and ahead," he added.Gopal Srinivasan, Chairman IVCA & TVS said "IVCA's Annual Indian Alternative Conclave provides a strong and credible platform for interaction between industry stalwarts and government. I am looking forward to the discussions with the best of the best from the industry." UNI ADP ADGSNU 1518 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0429-1172902.Xml
Congress today attacked the NDA Government for showing non-serious approach towards the armed forces of the nation and accused it of politicising the defence forces for narrow gains.Addressing the mediapersons, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said, ''Congress wants to ask why Tej Bahadur, the BSF jawan who a few months back exposed corruption in para-military by disclosing that BSF personnel were being provided sub-standard food and their quota of ration was swindled away by the higher authorities was being harassed by the Government.We demand probe into the allegations where he demanded healthy food for the paramilitary''."Another video has surfaced by another jawan in which he too is asking as to why his colleague is being harassed unnecessarily for bringing graft to the fore. Congress demands an investigation into all these charges thrown at the top paramilitary brass and the Modi-led Government,''said the Congress spokesperson. Mr Shergill said, ''the Government does not want to take questions, it feels humiliated to address the pain of the defence forces. The dispensation has got into the habit of receiving only "Praise" and make only "Gains". Mr Shergill alleged that PM Narendra Modi was not a good administrator as he was busy campaigning in Uttar Pradesh for the Assembly polls and not concentrating on governance of the country.Charging Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, for targetting Army martyr's daughter Gurmehar Kaur for her remarks on war and ABVP, the young Congress spokesperson said instead of addressing army's concerns, he is busy attacking a young student.Mr Shergill also questioned the Government over delayed compensation to another Aarmy martyr Mandeep Singh whose body was mutilated by terrorists after being killed last year during ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir. "The family is till waiting after one year for compensation. It reflects on the failures of the government, " he said.Citing another example of the Government's inconsiderate attitude towards Army jawans, Mr Shergill presented the case of Roy Mathew whose body was found under mysterious circumstances yesterday after he alleged harassment by superiors. ''It is a worrying factor that the wife of the Jawan has to approach the court to find the whereabouts of her husband. Home Minister Rajnath Singh is answerable in the case,'' he said.On Union Minister Giriraj Singh's comments that in Independent India, Hindu population has come down from 90 per cent to 72-74, Mr Shergill was of the view that his remarks came at the time of elections to divide the society and to create communal disharmony.Commenting about recent Delhi University unrest, the spokesperson said, ''the Government's new slogan has come to be " Beti nikalo, beti chhupao, beti mut padhao". Through ABVP, it is trying to kill campus democracy and ignite dirty campus politics. The Government is attempting to hold over autonomy of DU and make it a 'Government body', he said.UNI SY SNU 1609 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0093-1173042.Xml
BSF troops today repatriated an elderly man to Pakistani Rangers on International Border in Arnia sector of Jammu.Shahnawaz (82) of Sialkote, Pakistan was nabbed yesterday by BSF, when he inadvertently crossed over to this side of border."BSF this morning handed over the Pakistani national to Chenab Rangers at Pittal post in Arnia," police sources here said.UNI VBH RJ SNU 1649 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0098-1173046.Xml
The Ministry of Women & Child Development has proposed the setting up of a Women's Entrepreneurship Council for taking up with the Government the problems faced by businesswomen. The Council, modelled on the lines of chambers of commerce, will seek to resolve issues through policy changes. A note to this effect will be sent to the Union Cabinet for approval soon, said Maneka Gandhi, Union Minister for Women & Child Development, here on Friday.Inaugurating 'Wellness Rules!' Proactive Well-Being Conclave organised by FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO), Young FLO (YFLO) and Sleepwell Foundation, Ms Gandhi said that the Council should be up and running within a year. The Conclave was held to celebrate International Women's Day.Ms Gandhi said that in order to eliminate begging by children, the Ministry has decided to come down heavily on those indulging and promotion the social evil. To this end, an Anti-Trafficking Bill is to be posed for Parliamentary approval shortly.She said that her Ministry was also working on an App to curb harassment to women in any form. The App, named 'Shouting App' would allow the victim to reach out to 10 people near her to keep the perpetrators at bay before the arrival of the police. The App is expected to be functional by this month end.Speaking about the conclave, Ms Vinita Bimbhet, President, FLO, said, "Proactive Community Wellness is not just about what each of us do as individuals. It is also about how, as a group of empowered and privileged women, we can affect each other and the impact that we can have together on the health of our community".Ms Trupti Gupta, Chairperson, YFLO Delhi, emphasised that community wellness is an all important topic that needs to be addressed by young people like us. She said, "All of us need to get out of our comfort zone and work together for the betterment of our society."Ms Namita Gautam, Managing Trustee, Sleepwell Foundation, said, "For all of us women, irrespective of our class, strata and urban luxurious living, the stakes are very high. So, by working together, we have to ensure that our surrounding community remains healthy holistically physically, emotionally, creatively, intellectually and spiritually. Chikungunia, pollution, increasing crime and unrest are some of the issues that affect us all. And we can't escape from them anymore".UNI ADP SNU 1613 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0429-1173022.Xml
Indonesia, as the current Chair of IORA, will host the first ever IORA Leaders' Summit on 7 March 2017 in Jakarta under the theme 'Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable and Prosperous Indian Ocean'.The Summit will bring together the leaders of the 21 IORA member states and its 7 dialogue partners as well as other special invitees and guests. The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) will also be celebrating its 20th Anniversary in March 2017.Apex Indian Chamber FICCI will send its high level business delegation for the Business Summit. The Vice President, Hamid Ansari and the Minister of State for External Affairs, General (Retd) VK Singh shall be representing India at the Political Summit. FICCI is the Business Secretariat of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in India.The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), a grouping of 21 IOR countries has been particularly dynamic in the region in promoting closer ties within IOR. In the last couple of years high strategic and economic priority has been rendered in India's foreign policy to the Indian Ocean Region.The Indian Ocean has been a fulcrum of Indian diplomacy. According to the Government of India, maritime trade accounts for about 75 per cent value and more than 90 per cent of volume of Indian trade.India enjoys a strategic location within the Indian Ocean region. In the background of the growing security and economic dimensions of this region, the imperatives of cooperation and the need for adept diplomacy are evident.Prime Minister Narendra Modi has endorsed the imperative to form a close connect with nations in the Indian Ocean Region during his visit to Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka in 2015 and countries of East and South Africa.Leading companies with significant partnerships and business interests in Indonesia and IOR such as Aditya Birla, Adani Global, GMR, Feedback Infra, UPL Limited, L&T, Tata Power, TCS, Godrej, Tata Motors, City Infra, Ion Exchange and Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics constitute a significant part of this delegation in addition to a group of businessmen from the state Chamber of Gujarat, GCCI affiliated to FICCI.FICCI also released an 'Industry Perception Survey' on doing business with IOR in the run up to the delegation's visit to Jakarta.UNI ADP ADG SNU 1705 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0429-1173149.Xml
Plate cutting ceremony of the two "500 Passenger cum 150 Tonne Cargo" Vessels, being built for the Andaman and Nicobar Administration was held here today. Shipping Corporation of India Chairman and Managing Director Capt Anoop Kumar Sharma cut the first steel plate for Ship No.21 and Capt Rajinder Kumar, Director of Shipping Services, A&N Administration cut the steel plate for Ship No.22, a shipyard release said here. The plate cutting ceremony was one of the initial milestones in the construction process of a ship, it said. These are the first two ships ("Vessels"), built for the A&N Administration, with a capacity of 500 passengers and 150 Tonne cargo. Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) had also been awarded two more vessels with capacity of 1200 passengers cum 1000 tonnes cargo for the A&N Administration, it said. CSL CMD Madhu S Nair delivered the welcome speech. The CMD also dedicated the 200 KWP Solar Power Plant. With the commissioning of the plant, CSL currently has a total installed capacity of 535 KW of Solar power. During the current financial year, CSL has completed construction of 20 Fast Patrol Vessels built for the Indian Coast Guard the last one of the series, the 20th vessel was delivered in December, three months ahead of schedule. CSL has also delivered the Deck Cargo/Jacket Launch Barge to M/s National Petroleum Construction Company, Abu Dhabi during the current fiscal. Apart from the construction of the prestigious Indigenous Aircraft Carrier for the Indian Navy, CSL is also currently building a Technology Demonstration vessel for the Government of India.UNI CGV CS 1753 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1173325.Xml
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamichaired his first Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat here this evening and discussed crucial issues concerning the state with his Council of Ministers. Sources said during the meeting, the Chief Minister believed to have discussed about the proposed budget to be presented in the House forthe year 2017-18, the hydrocarbon project, which has triggered a waveof protests at Neduvasal and other parts of the state and the need to getthe Centre 's nod and the Presidential assent to the two bills passed in the State Assembly seeking to exempt Tamil Nadu from the purview of NEET. Apart from this the Karnataka's proposal to build new dams at Mekedatuacross cauvery river and other issues also were believed to have come upfor discussions at the meeting. This is the first meeting chaired by the Chief Minister after he was sworn inon February 16 and after he proved his majority by winning the trust vote inthe Assembly two days later. Earlier this week, Mr Palaniswami visited New Delhi and met Prime MinisterNarendra Modi and Union Ministers, seeking the Centre's assistance for variousprojects, besides drought relief assistance and funds to provide relief to thecyclone vardah victims. Immediately, on his arrival from Delhi, he met the representatives of theNeduvasal Struggle Committee and assured them that the state governmenthad not given any permission for the hydro carbon and also promised thatit would not act against the interests of the farmers, while appealing to themto call off their more than two-week long agitation on the issue. UNI GV CS 1801 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1173352.Xml
Themed on Building Knowledge Societies: From Digital Government to Digital Empowerment, the Government in collaboration with United Nations University and UNESCO will organise a three-day International Conference 10th ICEGOV 2017 in Delhi from March 7-9, 2017.The conference will be inaugurated by Minister of Electronics and Information technology Ravi Shankar Prasad. The objective of the conference would be to explore how Digital Government can lead to Digital Empowerment by local knowledge.It is recognition of India's emerging role as a massive cyber power, accelerated by the Digital India push which has acquired international acknowledgment. Digital Governance is the future of Good Governance, in sync with the Honourable Prime Minister's vision to transform India into a transparent and digitally empowered country, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said in a statement.ICEGOV 2017 will focus on the use of technology to transform relationships between government and citizens, businesses, civil society. It will try to inculcate an outlook to create new forms, paradigms, foundations for technology-enabled governance, collaboration, development.The event will bring together academia, governments, international organisations, civil society, and the private sector to share the insights and experiences in theory and practice of Digital Government. UNI ASH SNU 1804 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0388-1173337.Xml
Police said here today that a cooking gas cylinder exploded in a private hostel when students were preparing meal in Sahebganj locality late last night. Seven students sustained injuries in the incident.

"All the injured had been admitted to a local hospital where condition of the two was stated to be critical", police said adding that all the victims were natives of different localities of Bhagalpur district. UNI XC-KKS AKM 1828

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In his speech, the RSS leader from Madhya Pradesh had declared a bounty of Rs one crore for anyone who brings him Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's head.

Talking to newsmen here, Mr Venkaiah said, " the statement is totally wrong. Such statements in democracy not at all acceptable. It will send a wrong message to the people. RSS also condemned it and I also condemning it", the Minister said.UNI VV CS 1838

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Former Minister and Telugu Desam Senior leader Chikkala Ramachandrarao has been declared elected unanimously as the MLC from East Godavari Local bodies' constituency today. Joint Collector S Satyanarayana who is the returning officer has handed over the MLC election certificate to Chikkala at his chambers this evening. As against the total five independent candidates, the papers of four were rejected in the scrutiny itself on the ground of furnishing incomplete information in the nomination papers. The lone independent Yatla Nageswerarao of Draksharama whose papers were found to be in order, has however withdrawn from the contest in the last minute paving the way for Chikkala to get elected unopposed. The supporters of Chikkala and the Telugu Desam cadre overwhelmed by the victory celebrated the occasion by taking him in procession from the Collectorate to the district Telugu Desam office bursting fire crackers and distributing sweets . Chikkala was the senior most member ever since its inception and known to be an ardent follower of party founder N T Ramarao. He was elected as the MLA thrice from Thallarevu constituency and served as the Minister for Cooperation and Secondary education. The long wait for more than a decade without any position as a most loyal party worker has fetched him the present MLC as the reward.UNI XC-DP CS 1852 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1173456.Xml
The budget proposal was also silent on fund for land acquisition for National Highway development in the region and Kozhikode Light Metro project, MCC said in a statement here today.

However, the chamber welcomed the proposal for special attention to social security and a separate department to look after women security in the state.

Proposal to make 45,000 schools hi-tech in the state, added impetus for smart city development and health sector were also some of the welcome measures, the statement said.UNI PCH CS 1820

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The All India Agriculturists Association, affiliated to the CPI (M), today urged the administration to take steps on a war footing, to tide over the effects of drought here. In a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister V Narayansamy, the association pointed out that about 15750 hectares of cultivabale land was affected because of drought.Further, the ground water level is expected to be depleted by 30 to 40 and it is doubtful whether agriculture could be taken up in the near future.There is also a threat of drinking water scarcity. Earnest efforts should be taken to obtain an assistance of Rs 500-crore from the Centre, the Association said, adding that a compensation of Rs 30,000 per acre of paddy crop lost and Rs 50,000 per acre of sugarcane lost be provided.The organisation also demanded waiving off of farmers' loans extended by the cooperative and nationalised banks.UNI PAB RJ SNU 1939 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0098-1173391.Xml
Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra today administered oath of office to new Chief Information Commissioner Khurshid Ahmed Ganai at the Raj Bhavan here.The Oath ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Kumar Singh and other dignitaries. UNI VBH RJ SNU 1953 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0098-1173650.Xml
The Meghalaya police today issued advisory on cyber crime in the wake of general public being lured to disclose their debit card/credit card details like card number, pin number among others. There are also false advertisements in the newspaper and social media on mass recruitment for job luring innocent job seekers to deposit money in the pretext of registration fee, processing or with handsome salary package where ultimately job aspirants are dragged into human trafficking, a statement said. "Distributing anti-religious/anti-national/obscene videos/pictures/message are also being circulated/shared in masses without verifying its authenticity or realizing that the same may have adverse effects on the minds of the person receiving it," it said. There also has been instances where facebook users were duped of huge amount of money from unknown facebook friends who pose themselves as foreign nationals and pretends to send gifts/parcels. In view of the above, police said general public are hereby requested not to disclose their ATM Card/Debit Card/Credit Card details to any person, as the bank officials never make a call to its customers or ask for the details of ATM Card/Debit Card and not to fall prey to any fake job offer, not to share/circulate any disturbing/anti-religious/anti-national/obscene videos/pictures/messages in any Social Media Platform and Facebook users are advised to refuse friend request from unknown entities/strangers. UNI RRK AD1910 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0108-1173557.Xml
Plate cutting ceremony of the two "500 Passenger cum 150 Tonne Cargo" Vessels, being built for the Andaman and Nicobar Administration was held here today.Shipping Corporation of India Chairman and Managing Director Capt Anoop Kumar Sharma cut the first steel plate for Ship No.21 and Capt Rajinder Kumar, Director of Shipping Services, A&N Administration cut the steel plate for Ship No.22, a shipyard release said here.The plate cutting ceremony was one of the initial milestones in the construction process of a ship, it said.These are the first two ships ("Vessels"), built for the A&N Administration, with a capacity of 500 passengers and 150 Tonne cargo. CSL had also been awarded two more vessels with capacity of 1200 passengers cum 1000 tonnes cargo for the A&N Administration, it said.Cochin Shipyard Limited CMD Madhu S Nair delivered the welcome speech.The CMD also dedicated the 200 KWP Solar Power Plant. With the commissioning of this 200 KWP capacity plant, CSL currently has a total installed capacity of 535 KW of Solar power.During the current financial year, CSL has completed construction of 20 Fast Patrol Vessels built for the Indian Coast Guard the last one of the series, the 20th vessel was delivered in December, three months ahead of schedule. CSL has also delivered the Deck Cargo/Jacket Launch Barge to M/s National Petroleum Construction Company, Abu Dhabi during the current fiscal.Apart from the construction of the prestigious Indigenous Aircraft Carrier for the Indian Navy, CSL is also currently building a Technology Demonstration vessel for the Government of India.UNI CGV CJ SNU 1947 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1173554.Xml
The Home Ministry official told IANS that National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Director of Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain and other senior officials of the ministry attended the meeting.

The minister, who has been busy with electioneering in Uttar Pradesh for the past few weeks, was briefed about the prevailing situation in the country.

"It's a routine affair for the minister. But when he is out of the city, he is briefed about various issues by the ministry officials regularly," he said.

--IANS sk/nir/vt

( 114 Words)

2017-03-03-20:46:08 (IANS)
Labourers in Delhi will get a 37 per cent hike in minimum wages as Lt. Governor Anil Baijal has approved the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's proposal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Friday. The minimum wages would go up from Rs 9,724 to Rs 13,350 a month for unskilled labourers, from Rs 10,764 to Rs 14,698 for semi-skilled labourers and from Rs 11,830 to Rs 16,182 for skilled labourers, said Kejriwal, who was accompanied by Labour Minister Gopal Rai. Kejriwal on February 25 gave his nod to the file which was then sent to the Lt. Governor's Office. Thanking the Lt. Governor for giving his approval in a short time, Kejriwal said the notification would be issued on Monday, after which the hike would come into effect. "I thank LG for giving approval. It is a historic increase in the minimum wages and biggest among all governments since Independence," the AAP leader said. "The decision will be implemented from March 6 and the labourers will start getting increased salary from April," he said. It was the second attempt by the AAP government to revise minimum wages after then Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung had turned down the previous decision to revise wages by about 50 per cent on procedural grounds. "Till now all the governments worked for big corporates like Ambanis and Adanis, but our's is the only government which is working for the poor people. With this decision, we are putting money directly in to the poor's pocket," Kejriwal said. He also appealed to the central government to clear the Delhi government's Minimum Wages Amendment Bill for effective implementation of the order. To take action against the violators, the Delhi assembly in 2015 had passed an amendment bill on minimum wages, which was pending with the central government. In the amendment bill, the penalty for violating the law was increased from the existing Rs 500 to Rs 50,000 and minimum imprisonment of six months was increased to three years. "This amendment bill is very important for an effective implementation of the minimum wages order. I request the central government to clear that bill as soon as possible," Kejriwal said. Delhi Labour Minister Rai said that the last revision of minimum wages was carried out in 1994 and since then only Dearness Allowance (D.A.) had been notified/ increased from time to time, i.e. twice a year. Quoting the 2011 census data, Rai said around 54 lakh working people lived in Delhi in 2011 and this number should be around 60 lakh at present, out of which around 50 lakh people work on minimum wages. "There has been a constant demand for wage revision from trade unions and workers. Approximately 50 lakh families will benefit from this decision," Rai said. The Labour Minister announced that the government would start a three-month intensive campaign to create awareness among the employers and the workers about the decision. Thereafter, the employers shall be submitting online statutory returns under various labour laws, including Minimum Wages Act, 1948, and those returns would be scrutinised and examined by the department. "State and district level committees will be formed for monitoring. I myself will review the progress of implementation of the decision," Rai added. A special tripartite committee -- comprising five members each from the government, labour unions and industry associations -- was formed for the revision of minimum wages. The Delhi Cabinet had last week approved the recommendation of the committee to revise minimum wages in the national capital. The committee decided the minimum wages after assessing five points, recommended by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Supreme Court, which are housing, clothing, food, education, electricity and fuel, taking into consideration their market prices. --IANS am/nir/bg ( 634 Words) 2017-03-03-20:46:09 (IANS)
With controversial Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati now on the `run' in alleged rape case, more trouble are in store for him as the sleuths of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made a fresh move by registering cases in connection with illegal mining during the period when Prajapati was Mining Minister in Akhilesh Yadav's government.We has already withdraw the security cover of Gayatri and alerted SSP Lucknow to ensure that the accused could not slip out of the country fearing his arrest", disclosed ADG Law and Order, Daljeet Chowdhary here today.He claimed that the cops will proceed ahead with his arrest after collecting evidences and corroborating the allegations made in the FIR by the victim. The cops also made a move to get the passport of Prajapati cancelled.Even as all the airports in the cobtry have been alerted, UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav too told reporters here tonight that his government will do as per the law against Gayatri.Sources also said that Circle Officer of Alambagh, Ameeta, Singh, had recorded the statement of the daughter of the rape victim, in a hospital at New Delhi. Prajapati also reportedly made an attempt on her the daughter after allegedly raping the woman. It may be mentioned that the statement was recorded by the police officer amidst protest by the family members and their lawyers. The location of mobiles of the mother and daughter has been also traced at the incident on the incident date and the Call Details Record (CDR) of the mobile phones also pointed that the accused and the victim had long chats several times.A senior police officer claimed that they were making all out efforts to trace out Prajapati. He said that after they will round-up the minister, they will grill him and if he fails to clarify about the evidences collected by them so far than they will proceed ahead with his arrest. Meanwhile sources said that besides in the rape case, more trouble was stored for Prajapati as the sleuths of the CBI went ahead with registration of five separate cases regarding illegal mining on Friday. The cases were registered in Shamli, Fatehpur, Hamirpur, Siddharthnagar, and Deoria. Sources said that the CBI so far found large scale illegal mining in the above districts during the period in which Prajapati was minister of the Department before his expulsion on September last year. It may be mentioned that CBI is presently probing illegal mining in the State on directions of the High Court.Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) State president, Keshav Prasad Maurya, accused the police for not making efforts to arrest Prajapati and also alleged that the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav of giving shelter to the minister in CM's residence. ``It is surprising that when the cops of UP police are with Prajapati for his personal security than how theLucknow police claimed to be still tracing the whereabouts of the minister", Maurya asserted while adding that the cops were making no efforts to arrest the accused.Maurya even took on chief minister for sheltering Prajapati. ``Gyatri Prajapati is close the Yadav's family and I know that he had taken shelter in CM's residence to avert arrest", Maurya added. However the CM contradicted the charges of the BJP leader.UNI CJ BL2136 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1173748.Xml
Some miscreants gained entry into a house in Nadakuduru village on the city outskirts last night by breaking open the locks while the inmates are away attending a marriage in a nearby village and decamped with 12 sovereigns of gold jewelry besides Rs. 2.9 lakhs in cash. The house owners came to know about the burglary only after their return today morning. Crime wing DSP Sannapuraju and rural CI Pavan Kishore have visited the spot and made personal inquiries. District clues team also visited and collected some clues. Further investigation is on, police said.UNI XC/DP CJ SHK 2155 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1173812.Xml
The Indian Army's Southern Command on Friday virtually blamed the media for the alleged suicide of a whistle-blower soldier, who was found dead at the Deolali Cantonment, Nashik, last week. The soldier, Lance Naik Roy Mathew, had been reported missing since February 25 and his decomposed body was found hanging from the ceiling of an abandoned barrack. As investigations started into his death, the Pune-headquartered Southern Command pointed a finger at the media for the incident. Deceased 33-year-old Mathew had joined the Indian Army some 13 years ago and was part of a video on the "Sahayak System", which went viral in the social media. Hailing from Karuvelil in Kollam, Kerala, he was posted as an orderly attached with a Colonel at the Deolali School of Artillery. In the video, Mathew had reportedly said that higher officials allegedly mistreated their "Sahayaks" and forced them to do petty jobs like polishing shoes, washing clothes and taking their pet dogs for walks. The alleged sting video, captured through hidden cameras with faces masked, had gone viral on social media networks, as he raised questions on the "Sahayak System". The Indian Army said he was reported missing from February 25 onwards and was declared as "absent without leave" and an "apprehension roll" was registered with the local police. "Preliminary investigations have now revealed that the suicide may be a result of a series of events, which were triggered by the media personnel managing to videograph the deceased by asking leading questions on his duties as a buddy without his knowledge," a defence statement said on Friday. "It is very likely that the guilt factor of letting down his superiors or conveying false impression to an unknown individual, led (him) to take the extreme step," it added. The statement said that the identity of the army personnel involved in the clipping was hidden and hence not known to the army, so there was no question of an inquiry being ordered against the soldier, thus ruling out any pressure on the deceased. The army said a complaint had been lodged with the local police and an inquiry ordered into the circumstances leading to Mathew's death, and the army was offering all assistance to his family and the civil administration. Meanwhile, the Congress has demanded that the government order a "fair probe" into the death of Roy Mathew as also into the allegations of harassment of BSF trooper Tej Bahadur. "We demand the government should order a fair probe that why Tej Bahadur and Roy Mathew were harassed and intimidated after they raised concerns about the government. We ask the government to order a fair probe into the death of Roy Mathew," said Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill. "We demand from Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to come out with the probe which he had promised on January 10 after Tej Bahadur's video surfaced," he added. --IANS ao-qn-sid/nir ( 494 Words) 2017-03-03-23:00:07 (IANS)
The demining service was called on site and a 200-meter perimeter was established around the suspicious vehicle that contained at least two gas cylinders, Xinhua news agency quoted Charles Picque, mayor of Saint-Gilles (Brussels) as saying.

Public broadcaster RTBF quoted Picque as saying that arrested driver was on a list of people suspected of being connected to radical organisations.

The police stopped the car because the driver had jumped several red lights.

According to the polce, when the driver refused to open the trunk, officers forced it open and found three canisters.

"The police then noticed several gas canisters in the boot and rather than take any risks, they called for help from the army bomb squad," a Daily Mail report said.

The entire area has been closed and traffic has also been stopped.

--IANS qd/

( 168 Words)

2017-03-03-03:40:07 (IANS)
The IBO was carried out in the Mullagano area of the frontier region as part of the countrywide Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad to eliminate terrorists.

"During an IBO at Mullagano area, Jani Khel, FR Bannu, four terrorists were killed," The Express Tribune quoted a statement issued by ISPR as saying. It added that Lieutenant Khawar and Naik Shehzad were killed in an exchange of fire with the terrorists.

Earlier in the day, security forces killed one suspected terrorist and detained 22 others in nationwide raids as part of Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad.

Military operation Radd-ul-Fasaad was launched by the Pakistan Army across the country following a series of terrorist attacks left over 100 people dead last month.

In an interview earlier this week, ISPR chief Asif Ghafoor said Radd-ul-Fasaad is aimed at countering the 'mischievous' elements whether they existed within the country or outside. (ANI)
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he has "total" confidence in Attorney General Jeff Sessions following accusations that he misled Congress by failing to disclose pre-election meetings with the Russian ambassador to Washington Sergey Kislyak, according to CNN. Following the accusations Democrats have called for Sessions' to resign. It has emerged that Sessions spoke twice with the Russian ambassador to the United States during former's presidential campaign, according to CNN. Sessions did not mention either meeting, during his confirmation hearings when he said he knew of no contacts between Trump surrogates and Russians. A Justice official said Sessions didn't mislead senators during his confirmation. Kislyak is considered to be one of Russia's top spies and spy-recruiters in Washington by the U.S. intelligence. Sessions met with Kislyak twice in Washington, in July on the sidelines of the Republican convention, and in September in his office when Sessions was a member of the Senate Armed Services committee. Sessions was an early Trump backer and regular surrogate for him as a candidate. Sessions, a former senator from Alabama, who was among Trump's early and most vocal surrogates on the campaign trail, did not disclose the conversations when asked during his Senate confirmation hearing in early 2017 about possible contacts between Trump's campaign and Moscow. Several Republicans have called on Sessions to rescue himself from any involvement in an FBI probe into ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow. According to CNN, when asked by reporters traveling with the President in Virginia if Sessions should recuse himself, the President said. "I don't think so." Meanwhile, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Sessions should recuse himself only if he was part of the focus of an ongoing probe. "If he, himself, is the subject of an investigation, of course he would," Ryan told reporters Thursday. "But if he's not, I don't see any purpose or reason to doing this." Earlier, Russian links had forces former national security adviser Michael Flynn to resign . Flynn had initially denied discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the transition. Vice-President Pence also defended him in front of the media. But later when reports suggested that sanctions may indeed have been discussed, he conceded that he could not remember with 100 percent certainty. Sessions, however, drew a distinction between his role as a Trump surrogate and his duties as a Senator and he strongly denied ever discussing campaign-related issues with anyone from Russia. "I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false," he said in a statement. Sessions' spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said there was nothing "misleading about his answer" to Congress because he "was asked during the hearing about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign -- not about meetings he took as a senator and a member of the Armed Services Committee." "Last year, the senator had over 25 conversations with foreign ambassadors as a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, including the British, Korean, Japanese, Polish, Indian, Chinese, Canadian, Australian, German and Russian ambassadors," Isgur Flores said in the statement. A White House official said: "This is the latest attack against the Trump Administration by partisan Democrats. (Attorney) General Sessions met with the ambassador in an official capacity as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which is entirely consistent with his testimony." White House spokesman Sean Spicer said meanwhile that Sessions had nothing to apologize for, signaling an effort by the administration to stand firmly behind the Attorney General. (ANI)
President Donald Trump said that he retains full confidence in Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the wake of revelations about the then-senator's undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador to the US. The president's comments came during a tour of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford in Newport News, Virginia, where he traveled to give a speech on defense, Efe news agency reported. Expressing "total" confidence in the attorney general, Trump said that he "wasn't aware at all" that Sessions, then still a senator from Alabama, met with Russian envoy Sergei Kislyak on two occasions during the 2016 presidential campaign. The Washington Post first reported on the encounters. The Justice Department subsequently confirmed that Sessions met with Kislyak in the Alabama Republican's then-capacity as member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Amid allegations of Russian meddling in the elections, Sessions said in January during a hearing on his nomination to serve as attorney general that he was "not aware" of any communications between the Trump campaign and Russia. "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign, and I didn't have - did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it," he said under questioning by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.). The disclosure of his meetings with the ambassador has brought calls from Democratic lawmakers - and even some Republicans - for Sessions to recuse himself from any investigation of Russia's ostensible role in the elections. Trump said Thursday that he thought Sessions "probably" told the truth at his confirmation hearing. Asked whether the attorney general should recuse himself from the Russia probe, the president said: "I don't think so." The leader of the Democratic minority in the Senate, New York's Chuck Schumer, said earlier Thursday that Sessions should resign and he called for the appointment of a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation of Russia and the elections. --IANS qd/ ( 329 Words) 2017-03-03-06:54:07 (IANS)
US Vice President Mike Pence routinely used a private email account to conduct public business when he was Governor of Indiana, at times discussing sensitive matters and homeland security issues, a media report said. According to a report in the Indianapolis Star newspaper on Thursday, Pence used his personal AOL email account to communicate with top advisers on matters ranging from the security gates at the Governor's residence to the state's response to terrorist attacks across the globe. Pence's use of personal email to conduct public business echoed Hillary Clinton's use of a private server and email account when she was Secretary of State. That practice was the subject of investigations and drew considerable criticism. In an appearance on "Meet the Press" in September last year, Pence, who took office as Governor in 2013, said Clinton had used the private server to keep her emails "out of the public reach, out of public accountability." Pence spokesman Marc Lotter called any comparisons between Pence and Clinton "absurd", noting that Pence didn't deal with federally-classified information as Governor. While Pence used a well-known consumer email provider, Clinton had a private server installed in her home, he was quoted by The Star as saying. The office of Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb released 29 pages of emails from Pence's AOL account, but declined to release an unspecified number of others, saying they are confidential, according to the report. Security experts said the use of a personal email account raised concerns about whether sensitive information was properly protected, given that such accounts are typically less secure than government ones. The Star reported that Pence's personal account was compromised last year by a scammer who sent an email to his contacts claiming that Pence and his wife were stranded in the Philippines and urgently needed money. Pence sent an email apologising to those who had received the fake message and set up a new AOL account. The hack appeared to be part of a broad attack, not directed at Pence specifically, the newspaper reported. Indiana law requires that records related to state business be retained and available in response to public records requests. While emails on state accounts would be captured by state computer servers, messages sent on a private account would be hidden unless steps were taken to make them available. The Star quoted a statement released by the Vice President's office in Washington that said Pence had maintained state and personal email accounts. "As Governor, Pence fully complied with Indiana law regarding email use and retention," the statement said. "Government emails involving his state and personal accounts are being archived by the state consistent with Indiana law and are being managed according to Indiana's Access to Public Records Act," it said. --IANS soni/vt ( 469 Words) 2017-03-03-13:40:08 (IANS)
Malaysia released today a North Korean suspect in the murder of the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader and prepared to deport him, while police issued an arrest warrant for another North Korean wanted in connection with the killing.Kim Jong Nam was murdered on February 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, after being assaulted by two women who Malaysian police believe smeared his face with VX, a chemical classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.The women, one from Indonesia and the other from Vietnam, were later detained and were charged this week with murder.A North Korean man, Ri Jong Chol, was also arrested days after the murder, but he was released from police detention today. He was taken from detention to an immigration office wearing a bullet proof vest to be processed before being sent back to Pyongyang."He, accompanied by two representatives of the North Korean embassy, are scheduled to depart to their native country today," Mustafar Ali, director general of the Immigration Department said in a statement.Malaysia's attorney-general told Reuters yesterday he was being released due to insufficient evidence.The murder of Kim Jong Nam, 47, has soured relations between Malaysia and North Korea, which had maintained friendly ties for decades.South Korean intelligence and US officials say the murder was an assassination organised by North Korean agents.Kim, who had been living in the Chinese territory of Macau under Beijing's protection, had spoken out publicly against his family's dynastic control of isolated, nuclear-armed North Korea.South Korean legislators cited their spy agency as saying the young and unpredictable North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, had issued a "standing order" for his half-brother's assassination, and that there had been a failed attempt in 2012.SUSPECTSPolice have identified seven other North Koreans wanted in connection with the killing, including a senior embassy official and a member of staff at the North Korean airline Air Koryo. Four of them are known to have left Malaysia.An arrest warrant was issued on Friday for the 37-year old airline worker, Kim Uk Il. Malaysia has stepped up checks at all border crossings for North Koreans linked to the case, police have said.Malaysia's deputy prime minister and home minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said authorities would also investigate a North Korea-linked company that is suspected of operating a sanctions-busting arms business in Malaysia.Reuters reported this week that a front company run by North Korean intelligence agents ran an arms operation out of Malaysia."Definitely we are going to investigate any such incidences," Zahid said when asked about the arms operation.North Korea has not commented on its suspected involvement in the arms operation.It has also not confirmed the death of Kim Jong Nam.It has acknowledged the death of a North Korean but its ambassador said earlier that Malaysian police investigations could not be trusted.North Korea said that its citizen may have died of a heart attack.Kim Jong Nam was in the airport departure hall when he was assaulted by the women, who wiped his face with a liquid, identified in an autopsy as VX. He died within 20 minutes.The women have told diplomats from their home countries that they thought they were participating in a prank for reality television.Malaysia condemned the use of VX and has said it is in close contact with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, an inter-governmental organisation based in the Netherlands, regarding the incident.REUTERS SHS AN1623 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1173078.Xml
No breakthrough was promised at Syria peace talks in Geneva, and no breakthrough has occurred. But as the first UN-led talks in almost a year neared their end today, neither side has walked away and both claim small wins.UN mediator Staffan de Mistura has not yet got the rival negotiators to talk to each other, but has met them sequentially over seven days to try to agree how to structure future rounds and keep the process alive.He gave them a working paper at the outset, laying out his ground rules."I would hope that by the end of this round we would have a deeper shared understanding of how we can proceed in future rounds in discussing each issue basket," it said, referring to his plan to segment the talks into three main topics.Syrian government negotiator Bashar al-Ja'afari has pushed to add "counter-terrorism" as a fourth topic, alongside the formation of a new constitution, new elections and reformed governance. Ja'afari says the demand has been accepted by de Mistura, though there has been no confirmation by the mediator."Seven days for finding an agenda is not a waste of time," said Ja'afari, a veteran negotiator whose day job is ambassador to the UN in New York.His opponent, chief opposition negotiator Nasr al-Hariri, also thinks things are going his way, with a claim that Ja'afari has conceded to talk about "political transition" - previously a toxic phrase for the government of President Bashar al-Assad."The political process is not an easy process, it cannot be concluded in one or two weeks. More effort is needed, more time is needed," Hariri said."UP IN THE AIR"Past peace efforts have blown up, often as a fractured opposition succumbed to pressure from events on the battlefield, having failed to penetrate Ja'afari's steely intransigence.The latest round could still fail, but it at least rode out the fallout from a militant attack on two security offices in the city of Homs last Saturday that killed dozens and which de Mistura said was a deliberate attempt to derail the talks.The chances of success this time are still unclear."It's up in the air at this stage. De Mistura is keeping his cards close to his chest and may have something up his sleeve," said one Western diplomat.Russia, which is seen as holding the balance of power, is also sending mixed signals. A senior Russian diplomat met Hariri and other opposition members, whom Assad's government regards as terrorists, but Russia's Foreign Ministry later accused the opposition of trying to sabotage the talks.Moscow has held parallel negotiations in coordination with Turkey and Iran in the Kazakh capital Astana to reinforce a shaky ceasefire and has tried to expand the scope to cover political aspects such as a discussing a new constitution.A new round of Astana talks is due on March 14, and Russian officials said this week Geneva negotiations could resume on March 20.REUTERS SHS AN1631 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1173102.Xml
The German federal government was not involved in yesterday's decision by local authorities in the town of Gaggenau to ban an event where Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag was due to speak, a spokesman for the German foreign ministry said."It was a decision that the German federal government did not influence in any way, and could not have influenced, because it is a matter of state and local law over which we have zero influence," spokesman Martin Schaefer told a regular government news conference.He said German ambassador Martin Erdmann underscored that message during a "serious but friendly" discussion with Turkish authorities after being summoned to discuss the incident late yesterday.Schaefer said Germany would do everything it could to maintain an open dialogue with Turkey despite tensions over a range of issues, including Ankara's arrest of a German-Turkish journalist.REUTERS SHS BD1655 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1173166.Xml
Kazakhstan's parliament today provisionally approved amendments to the country's constitution to reduce presidential powers in favour of lawmakers and the cabinet, a move that could facilitate an eventual political transition.The amendments - endorsed by President Nursultan Nazarbayev - will become law once approved in a second reading and signed by Nazarbayev. Lawmakers said after Friday's vote that they could finalise the procedure next Monday.Kazakhstan, an exporter of oil and metals, is the only former Soviet republic that is still run by its communist-era leader. Aged 76, Nazarbayev has not identified a clear successor and the uncertainty has caused concern for investors.Devolving some presidential powers could make it easier for the political elite to manage a succession by splitting key roles between different players rather than allowing one successor to concentrate power in his or her hands.Nazarbayev said this year that the proposed constitutional reforms would allow parliament to form a cabinet which would in turn have more powers to manage the economy.Under the current constitution, Nazarbayev appoints all cabinet members. His Nur Otan party dominates the Kazakh parliament, which has no serious opposition parties.Following the reforms, the president will focus on strategic matters, foreign policy and national security and will serve as an arbiter between the branches of power, Nazarbayev has said. REUTERS SHS RK1726 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1173255.Xml
Sri Lankan security and police forces are reportedly still committing rape and torture, and the country must investigate and prosecute those involved as well as those implicated in past wartime atrocities, the United Nations said today.The UN and rights activists have accused the Sri Lankan military of killing thousands of civilians, mostly Tamils, in the last weeks of a 26-year civil war with Tamil separatists that ended in 2009 and have demanded redress.In its latest report, the UN said Colombo must set a clear timeline for prosecuting crimes by all sides during the civil war, adding that offences are still being brought to the authorities."Cases of excessive use of force, torture, arbitrary arrests and failure to respect due process during arrests by the police also continue to be reported," it added.The lack of accountability risks derailing the momentum towards lasting peace, said the report by the office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein."I urge the government and people of Sri Lanka to prioritize justice alongside reconciliation to ensure that the horrors of the past are firmly dealt with, never to recur," Zeid said."The authorities at all levels, from the head of State to military, police, intelligence and local-level leaders, need to publicly issue unequivocal instructions to all branches of the military, intelligence and police forces that torture, sexual violence and other human rights violations are unequivocally prohibited and will be punished," Zeid said."OHCHR received credible information from a well-known human rights organization according to which 'white van' abductions, and torture and sexual violence, by the Sri Lankan security forces persisted. These allegations must be properly investigated," the report said.The UN and activists have also demanded that Sri Lanka include foreign judges in a credible inquiry, which President Maithripala Sirisena has opposed.A task force appointed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, however, said in January the country should bring in international prosecutors and judges.Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the government "maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards torture".He said he expected draft legislation on a truth-seeking commission to be presented to the cabinet "within the next two months."REUTERS SHS RK1756 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1173284.Xml
The United Nations has warned Sri Lanka that its road to national reconciliation and stability is threatened by the slow pace of justice for the heinous crimes of the civil war, as well as by continuing rights violations. There are reports of human rights violations that continue to take place in Sri Lanka, including "harassment or surveillance of human rights defenders and victims of violations, police abuse and excessive use of force, and the use of torture," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said on Friday. A year-and-half ago, Zeid's office presented the results of an investigation into the Sri Lankan conflict, saying war crimes were committed, and also set forth a series of recommendations to deal with the situation, Efe news reported. While recognising that advances have been made, the UN also complained that the structures set up for administering justice have been inadequate, lacked coordination and a sense of urgency. "This critical opportunity in Sri Lankan history cannot be missed. I urge the government and people of Sri Lanka to prioritise justice alongside reconciliation to ensure that the horrors of the past are firmly dealt with, never to recur," Zeid said in a statement. On March 22, Zeid will present an updated report on the situation in Sri Lanka before the Human Rights Council as it meets in Geneva. He has hinted that the report shows torture is routinely used by the police during interrogations and investigations. "Authorities at all levels... need to publicly issue unequivocal instructions to all branches of the military, intelligence and police forces that torture, sexual violence and other human rights violations are unequivocally prohibited and will be punished," Zeid concluded. --IANS soni/dg ( 293 Words) 2017-03-03-18:26:21 (IANS)
Damage to the World Heritage site of Palymra by Islamic State militants may be less than earlier believed, Syria's antiquities chief said today.Maamoun Abdulkarim told Reuters that video from Palmyra after it was recaptured by the Syrian army has shown less damage than archaeologists feared when pictures emerged at the beginning of the year suggesting Islamic State had smashed more monuments.Under heavy Russian air cover, the Syrian army and allied militias drove the jihadist group out of the UNESCO world heritage site yesterday, two months after they had seized it in a surprise advance.Fears of a new assault on Palmyra's heritage were raised after pictures in January showed the group had destroyed parts of the Tetrapylon, one of the city's most iconic monuments, and the facade of the second-century Roman Theatre.They had already destroyed other landmarks, including a 1,800-year-old monumental arch, during their first occupation of the city which ended a year ago last March.But Abdulkarim said preliminary photographs and video from the city showed almost no further damage than what was already known."Really, our hearts had been overwhelmed with fear of a complete explosion of the theatre," Abdulkarim said."We thought the situation would be much worse, that there would be eradication, that they [Islamic State] would complete their crimes from the first occupation," he added.Abdulkarim said he would visit the area soon for a better assessment, but added: "At least there is some sense of tranquility after we received the initial photos. The general situation is reassuring."Some of the damage could be repaired, he said. "Except for the previous destruction, the state of the theatre looks good," Abdulkarim said. "Even that destroyed section could be repaired. It had already been restored, and it will be again."Palmyra, known in Arabic as Tadmur, stood at the crossroads of the ancient world."We had received terrifying information that there might have been a revenge crime against the entire citadel," Abdulkarim said. "There is some damage, but in general, the citadel is fine too."FRONTLINESBroadcasting live from inside Palmyra today, Syrian state television showed pro-government forces and army troops celebrating atop the historic citadel on the outskirts of the city.The army narrowed in on the militants from three different directions, a field commander said on state television. "We opened frontlines along all those directions," he said.In December, Islamic State swept into Palmyra as the army and its allies focused on defeating rebels in Aleppo. Eastern Aleppo fell to the government in its most important gain of the war, which has killed hundreds of thousands and created one of the world's worst refugee crises.Islamic State is now on the back foot in Syria after losing territory in the north to an alliance of U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led militias, and to Turkey-backed Syrian rebel groups.The Syrian army is also fighting Islamic State east of Aleppo city, where it is pushing to reach the Euphrates river, and in the city of Deir al-Zor, where it controls an enclave besieged by the militants.However, the jihadist group still holds swathes of territory in Syria, including around the Euphrates basin and the country's eastern deserts along the border with Iraq.REUTERS SHS BL1936 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1173611.Xml
Prosecutors in New York charged a 31-year-old man in Missouri on Friday with making at least eight bomb threats against Jewish centers, officials said.Juan Thompson was arrested on Friday morning in St. Louis and is due to appear there in court later in the day, prosecutors said in a statement. He was charged with cyberstalking an ex-girlfriend, whose name he is accused of using to make the threats, the statement said.REUTERS CJ BL2122 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1173764.Xml
The main pro-Russian separatist leader in Ukraine said on Friday he would cut economic ties between rebel territory and the rest of the country, following through on an ultimatum to end trade if the government did not halt a rail blockade.The blockade by an autonomous group of Ukrainian lawmakers and military veterans has stopped rail shipments from separatist-controlled areas, causing economic hardship on both sides of the eastern front line as it has hit coal and steel producers, the regions' main employers.The government in Kiev opposes the blockade, which the group said on Friday it planned to expand."As of now we break all ties with Ukraine," Alexander Zakharchenko, the head of the self-styled Donetsk People's Republic was quoted as saying by separatist website DAN."We don't need Ukraine in order to survive and live normally. It is they who need us."The separatist-run territory occupies only a small part of Ukraine's coal-rich Donbass basin, but it is the main source of the anthracite needed to fuel thermal power plants across Ukraine.The trade squeeze has highlighted the complicated economic relationship between the two sides and represents a new phase in a periodically violent stand-off that has killed more than 10,000 people in the last three years.Ukrainian authorities have warned that the country could be hit by rolling blackouts and lost foreign export income of up to $2 billion if rail shipments from separatist territory do not resume.They have sought to negotiate with the pro-Ukrainian activists, holding off from forcibly breaking up the encampments on rail lines in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.The activists argue that trade enriches the oligarchs and fuels the conflict that broke out in April 2014, after a pro-European uprising in Kiev ousted a Moscow-backed president.On Friday they announced plans to expand the blockade to include some road traffic from separatist-held territory and Russia, which they see as the main adversary for its role in supporting rebels with troops and weapons."Russia has occupied our territory and our goal is to close all crossing points," the blockade's main organiser, Anatoliy Vynohrodsky, said in briefing in Kiev.Vynohrodsky did not say when they planned to expand the blockadREUTERS CJ BL2134 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1173797.Xml
EFE news quoted the Ministry as saying that Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov spoke with the Czech NATO military committee chairman General Petr Pavel over the phone.

"The parties exchanged their opinions about topical issues of security, prospects for a recovery of military cooperation, prevention of incidents and participation of the Alliance representatives in international activities held by the Russian Defence Ministry," a Ministry statement said.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Council had decided to freeze its relations with Moscow in 2014, after Russia illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula.

Pavel made the first move to initiate talks and both sides agreed to continue to cooperate.

"The parties confirmed the necessity of mutual steps aimed to decrease tensions and to build up stabilisation in Europe," said the Russian Defence Ministry.

The resumption of talks followed Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent call to cooperate more closely with the United States in the fight against terror.

--IANS lok/

( 190 Words)

2017-03-04-03:26:07 (IANS)
A man walks past a screen showing Snap Inc. at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, the Untied States, March 2, 2017. (Xinhua/ Wang Ying)

NEW YORK, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Snap made its trading debut on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Thursday, in the largest technology initial public offering since Alibaba.

Snap priced its IPO offering at 17 U.S. dollars, above the 14 dollars to 16 dollars per share range given by the company, trading under the ticker symbol of SNAP.

Traders work on the floor before the Snap Inc. IPO at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, the Untied States, March 2, 2017. (Xinhua/ Wang Ying)

The company started trading at 24 dollars per share around midday Thursday, jumping more than 40 percent from its pricing.

Snap will have raised 3.4 billion dollars at 200 million shares and will be valued at about 24 billion dollars.

Snap's valuation is the largest for a U.S.-listed IPO since Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.

Morgan Stanley, Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan, Deutsche Bank Securities, Barclays, Credit Suisse and Allen & Company LLC are acting as book-running managers for the offering.

A Snap Inc. banner is seen hanging outside the New York Stock Exchange in New York, the Untied States, March 2, 2017. (Xinhua/ Wang Ying)

Snap co-founder Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy showed up to the floor of the exchange and rang the opening bell to mark the first day of trading.

The California-based Snap is the parent company of Snapchat, a social-media app that is beloved by teenagers.

Investors kept a close eye on Snap's IPO, as public offerings have been slowing down these years.
U.S. President Donald Trump leaves after delivering remarks aboard the pre-commissioned aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford in Newport News, Virginia, the Unite States, March 2, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he has "total" confidence in Attorney General Jeff Sessions after media reports revealed Sessions had spoken with Russian Ambassador twice during Trump's campaign but didn't tell the Senate hearings for his confirmation.

Ahead of delivering a speech aboard the USS Gerald Ford in Newport News, Virginia, Trump told reporters he "wasn't aware" that Sessions had contact with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States.

Asked if Sessions should recuse himself from a Justice Department probe into links between the Trump campaign and Russia, Trump said "I don't think so."

"I have said that, when it's appropriate, I will recuse myself from the investigation," Sessions told MSNBC on Thursday.

Bipartisan pressure for Sessions to resign or step aside from any investigations into Russia's role in the U.S. 2016 elections is mounting as top Democrats at the Capitol, Nancy Pelosi in the House and Chuck Schumer in the Senate, are urging him to depart.

Sessions lied under oath at the Senate hearings, Pelosi said.

Schumer said the Justice Department should appoint a special prosecutor to examine the case.

Sessions spoke on the phone privately with Russian Ambassador to Washington from his office in September, said media reports Wednesday night.

Two months before the phone talk, Sessions also met with Kislayk and talked to him informally when attending an event held at conservative think tank Heritage Foundation along with 50 other ambassadors, Session's spokeswoman Sara Isgur Flores confirmed.

"It was short and informal," the spokeswoman said Wednesday night, adding that as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee at the time, Sessions regularly met foreign ambassadors.

File photo taken on Jan. 10, 2017 shows the then Attorney General-designate Jeff Sessions testifies at his nomination hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the United States.(Xinhua/Bao Dandan)

Sessions was not trying to mislead fellow senators when he said during his confirmation hearing that he had not had contacts with Moscow, the spokeswoman said.

"I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It's false," Sessions released a statement around midnight in a failed attempt to count down the new wave of political storm.

However, during the Senate hearings, when asked what he would do if he learned a member of Trump's campaign had communicated with the Russian government over the course of the 2016 campaign, Sessions responded: "I'm not aware of any of those activities ... I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians."

Officials at the Justice Department said Sessions did not consider his talks with Kislyak relevant to the lawmakers' questions and did not remember their discussion in detail.

Sessions was an early Trump supporter and one of his top advisers during the New York billionaire's campaign last year.

Trump's first National Security Adviser Michael Flynn stepped down last month after it was reported that he had discussed U.S. sanctions with Kislyak in December, and misled Vice President Mike Pence about the details.
THE HAGUE, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in Amsterdam on Thursday that he hopes the rise of "wrong populism" can be halted during the Dutch general elections on March 15.

With his fear for populism in the Netherlands, Rutte refers to the right wing Party for Freedom (PVV) of Geert Wilders, which is leading the latest polls neck-and-neck with Rutte's party VVD (Liberals).

The truth that the PVV has declined in the polls of recent months still fell short of easing Rutte's worries over his rival.

"There is still a reasonable chance that the PVV becomes the largest party," Rutte told national broadcaster NOS during his campaign in Amsterdam on Thursday. "That would mean that in this European and even global trend of wrong populism the Netherlands would be the next domino tile toppling."

Rutte fears the same scenario as in the United States, where Donald Trump won the Presidential elections, and in Britain, which voted for a Brexit. These populist votes did so far not lead to a more stable political climate, which is a bad development according to Rutte.

"If Geert Wilders would get governmental power that would mean that we will let go the current wise course," Rutte added. "That we would get the same chaos as in Britain or the United States. I advocate for a stable course. No time for experiments in the forthcoming years."

Rutte repeated that he is not willing to form a government coalition with the PVV. He prefers a possible future government with the CDA (Christian Democrats) or D66 (Democrats). Since 2012 Rutte's VVD governed with the PvdA (Labor).
VIENNA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Austrian Minister of the Interior Wolfgang Sobotka Thursday called for the establishment of departure centres for rejected asylum seekers, according to an Austria Press Agency report.

In his comments made at the National Assembly, he said persons accommodated at these centers are to have restrictions on their sphere of travel, and in cases of refusal to depart the country, could even be held there.

He said the primary goal of such centers would be to expedite voluntary return to countries of origin.

In this context he also made note of the planned implementation of heavier monetary fines for persons who do not leave the country despite a proper review of their application.
VIENNA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Eight Iraqi nationals Thursday were given jail sentences over the rape of a 28-year-old German woman in Vienna during New Year's Eve celebrations in 2015, local media reported.

Four of the men allegedly escorted the heavily drunk woman who had become separated from a friend to an apartment, where they were joined by five others in repeatedly raping her.

A prosecutor said the victim was in an "unconscious, terrified state," and unable to defend herself.

And it was said that the woman now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The judge of the regional court dismissed the counterarguments of the accused, including that the sexual contact was at the initiative of the woman.

One of the men who claimed he was sleeping during the rapes was however acquitted due to a lack of evidence. The remainder were given prison sentences ranging from nine to 13 years.
WARSAW, March 2 (Xinhua) -- During a telephone conversation with Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson confirmed the lasting nature of transatlantic ties and allied obligations, ministry spokesperson Joanna Wajda told Polish Press Agency on Thursday.

The conversation concerned prospects for developing transatlantic relations and bilateral cooperation in the face of current international events and challenges to both countries' security, according to Wajda.

"Tillerson confirmed the lasting nature of transatlantic ties and allied obligations as well as the United States' commitment in working for the security of Europe and our region," Wajda said.

Waszczykowski thanked Tillerson for the United States' active stance in the process of reinforcing NATO's defense capabilities and for the growing U.S. presence in Poland and the region, Wajda added, referring to the implementation of the decisions reached at the NATO summit in Warsaw last July.

Waszczykowski and Tillerson agreed that these activities as well as the European Reassurance Initiative and bilateral Polish-U.S. security and defense projects were a very valuable investment in security and peaceful development, the Polish Foreign Ministry wrote in a press release.

The two officials also discussed the Ukraine crisis, expressing the hope that a joint effort of Europe and the United States would gradually enable the conflict to be resolved, Wajda said.

Waszczykowski and Tillerson said they hoped Polish-U.S. relations would continue to develop as dynamically as in recent years, not only in the key areas of security and defense but also in trade, investments and energy, according to Wajda.

The two officials hope to talk again at the Global Coalition Against Daesh meeting planned for March 21 in Washington.

Minister Waszczykowski invited Tillerson to visit Poland, Wajda added.
File photo taken on Jan. 10, 2017 shows the then Attorney General-designate Jeff Sessions testifies at his nomination hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the United States.(Xinhua/Bao Dandan)

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday he will recuse himself from any current or future investigations into Russia's possible link with Donald Trump's presidential campaign, one day after media reports revealed he spoke with Russian Ambassador twice last year but didn't reveal it at the Senate hearings for his confirmation.

"I did meet with one Russian official a couple of times", he said at a press conference Thursday afternoon, while dismissing any accusation that he tried to mislead the Senate about his contacts with Russia.

"That is not my intent. That is not correct", he said.

His agreement to step aside from such probes "should not be interpreted as confirmation of the existence of any investigation," Sessions added.

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks aboard the pre-commissioned U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford in Newport News, Virginia, the Unite States, March 2, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

Earlier on Thursday, Trump told reporters that he has "total" confidence in Sessions over the controversy though he "wasn't aware" that Sessions, the then Republican senator, had contact with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States at the time.

But bipartisan pressure for Sessions to resign or step aside from such investigations is mounting as top Democrats at the Capitol, Nancy Pelosi in the House and Chuck Schumer in the Senate, urged him to depart.

Sessions lied under oath at the Senate hearings, Pelosi accused earlier Thursday.

Schumer said the Justice Department should appoint a special prosecutor to examine whether the ongoing probe has been compromised by Sessions.

Sessions spoke on the phone privately with Russian Ambassador to Washington from his office in September, said media reports Wednesday night.

Two months before the phone talk, Sessions also met with Kislayk and talked to him informally when attending an event held at conservative think tank Heritage Foundation along with 50 other ambassadors, Session's spokeswoman Sara Isgur Flores has confirmed.

"It was short and informal," the spokeswoman said Wednesday night, adding that as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee at the time, Sessions regularly met foreign ambassadors.

"I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It's false", Sessions released a statement around midnight in a failed attempt to count down the new wave of political storm.

During the Senate hearings earlier this year, when asked what he would do if he learned a member of Trump's campaign had communicated with the Russian government over the course of the 2016 campaign, Sessions responded: "I'm not aware of any of those activities ... I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians."

Officials at the Justice Department said Sessions did not consider his talks with Kislyak relevant to the lawmakers' questions and did not remember their discussion in detail.

Sessions was an early Trump supporter and one of his top advisers during the New York billionaire's campaign last year.

Trump's first National Security Adviser Michael Flynn stepped down last month after it was reported that he had discussed U.S. sanctions with Kislyak in December, and misled Vice President Mike Pence about the details.
LISBON, March. 2 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Thursday that Portugal's deficit reduction was down to the country's efforts, but not to a "miracle."

His comments came after the President of the Council for Public Finance Teodora Cardoso said that the 2.1 percent deficit figure in 2016 was a miracle and happened due to "measures which are not sustainable."

"The Government doesn't have the power to create miracles. The government has what it has to carry out, which is governing, managing the budget and reaching the results it proposes," the prime minister said.

Portugal's statistics agency revealed on Wednesday that GDP rose 1.4 percent in 2016, after a 1.6 percent growth in 2015.

The authorities said this reflected positive signs for Portugal's future prospects, and expected the country's GDP to grow 1.5 percent this year.
DUBLIN, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Although Ireland's growth prospects remain strong, the country faces risks from the impact of the Britain's withdrawal from the European Union (Brexit) and the prospect of corporate tax reforms in the United States, ratings agency Moody's warned on Thursday.

In a research report, the agency said that Brexit will likely mean lower export growth, deeper disruption to well-established supply chains and the need to establish controls at the border with the Britain, its second-largest export market after the United States.

It said higher foreign direct investment inflows could mitigate some of the negative impact, as Ireland will likely be a key beneficiary from the diversion of investment from the UK.

However, Ireland faces important supply constraints, in particular in the area of housing and might not be able to realize its full FDI potential, the agency added.

Moody's said the scale of the second risk to the Irish economy is still unclear as details of any U.S. corporate tax rule changes have yet to be announced.

It said multinational companies are a crucial part of Ireland's economic success and Ireland's low corporate tax rate has been an important driver for foreign direct investment in the country.

Multinationals originating from the U.S. account for around half of all foreign companies located in Ireland, implying that big changes in U.S. corporate tax rules could heavily affect Ireland, according to the agency.

In Moody's view, new investment inflows into Ireland could be materially lower, while Ireland's public finances would also be negatively affected.

"Ireland has been growing strongly since 2014 and we expect it to continue to do so in the coming years," said Kathrin Muehlbronner, senior vice president of Moody's Investors Service and author of the report.

"But the UK's withdrawal from the EU could bring significant disruption to Ireland as the UK aims for a free trade agreement rather than participation in the single market. In addition, there is now the prospect of major corporate tax reforms in the U.S. which constitutes an additional risk for Ireland's FDI-focused economic model," Muehlbronner said.
SYDNEY, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A 52-year-old man has been charged with three counts of murder and arson after three homeless people perished in a Melbourne factory fire.

Authorities attending the fire which broke out at an abandoned factory in Footscray, 7 kilometers west of Melbourne's CBD, in the early hours of Thursday morning found the bodies of two men and a woman in an alcove at the back of the factory.

Authorities were treating the fire as suspicious and on Thursday arrested Darren Patrick Clover, 52, in Melbourne's CBD on Thursday afternoon.

Clover was officially charged with three counts of murder, three counts of arson causing death and one count of arson in an out-of-sessions court hearing in the early hours of Friday morning.

Detective Senior Sergeant Jim Gogorossis told the court hearing that Clover was seen purchasing 1.50 U.S. dollars of petrol in a red fuel container from a service station on the nearby Gordon Street in Footscray at 11:16 p.m. on Wednesday night.

Prosecutors alleged that Clover then walked 750 meters and poured petrol directly on the rear door of the factory and set it alight.

Gogorossis said that the three victims were heard screaming for their lives before they perished from smoke inhalation.

When asked if he had any concerns about his welfare in custody, Clover replied "the first person I see I'm probably going to kill."

Locals said that the three homeless people squatting in the factory had never caused any trouble and were known to lock themselves into the building at night.

"I pass through here most days," Footscray resident Winn Pham told News Limited.

"It's a tragedy, I'm very sad to hear it.

"I've never seen any trouble with them. They lock up during the day and come back at night."

The site had been approved for redevelopment into an apartment block.
CANBERRA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government is considering beefing up anti-terror laws aimed at stopping dual-national foreign fighters from returning to Australia, the nation's Immigration Minister said on Friday.

Local media reported that Immigration Minister Peter Dutton had been briefed that hundreds of foreign fighters could expose loopholes in anti-terror legislation introduced last year.

Under Australian law, dual-national foreign fighters who return to Australia can have their citizenship scrapped; however, the government will need proof the fighters hold a second passport, requiring the cooperation from countries such as Iraq and Syria - something which has been hard to come by.

It was also revealed the laws are not retrospective, meaning those who fought in the Middle East before May 2016 would be allowed back into the country.

So far, just one dual-national foreign fighter has had his Australian passport torn up, and Dutton told Macquarie radio the government was considering strengthening the laws to close any potential loopholes.

"I think there is an argument for some strengthening. We do try to get a bipartisan stance on these types of legislation and we need to compromise," Dutton said on Friday.

"It's going to take compromise from (the opposition).

"We want to send a strong message to intelligence organizations and criminals that we are serious about dealing with these threats because we are in an uncertain age."

However, not all of the Immigration Minister's colleagues agree. Australia's Justice Minister Michael Keenan said while the foreign fighter law had come under scrutiny, it was just one piece of the counter-terror puzzle.

"This legislation is one plank of a much larger national security architecture that has been completely re-written in the face of the changing nature of the terrorism threat," Keenan told Sky News.

The justice minister said Australia was a world leader in implementing counter-terror laws, and reports of "serious loopholes" were widely overstated.

"Australia stands as a beacon, in terms of what we've done, as an example to the rest of the world," Keenan said.

"If a foreign fighter were to return to Australia, we have legislation in place that will be able to prosecute, imprison them and, if required, keep them in prison until they are reformed."

Meanwhile Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said the legislation was a sensitive issue as stripping citizenship from sole Australian citizens was illegal, but the News Corp report was a "sensational beat-up."

Pyne said keeping the nation's borders safe was a priority for the government, but added that Australia "could not leave people stateless" by stripping them of their citizenship if they aren't a dual-national.

"There are a range of laws the government use to protect Australian citizens, and this government has been the toughest on terror of any in modern history," he told the Nine Network.

"But that particular piece of legislation requires the alleged terrorist to have two citizenships and obviously you have to prove they have another one to take their Australian citizenship away."

Later, opposition spokesperson Anthony Albanese said Labor had always supported the government in passing anti-terror laws, but said it was important that Australian citizens were not left "stateless" if they have their citizenship stripped.

"We're not going to play politics with these issues. If there are any amendments to legislation required, we will be co-operative as we have been the whole way through," Albanese said on Friday.
SYDNEY, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Victorian government has announced that the First Home Owner Grant will be doubled for buyers in regional areas.

Under reforms aimed at resolving the state's housing affordability crisis, the grant for first-time buyers in regional Victoria will be doubled to 15,000 U.S. dollars for new homes.

The government said the change would help around 6,000 prospective first home buyers.

Tim Pallas, the treasurer of Victoria, said the reform would increase the appeal of living outside of Melbourne for young families.

"Decentralisation is a vital part of our agenda. You can't decentralise unless you provide people with housing opportunities and you make housing affordable," Pallas told reporters on Friday.

"As a package of initiatives, this is far and away in excess of what any other state has done."

Daniel Andrews, the state's premier, also announced that Victoria would become the first state in Australia to introduce long-term leases up to 10 years.

He said that the government would introduce the laws in 2017 to ensure "greater security" for both tenants and landlords.

Under current laws, leases in Victoria are limited to a maximum of five years, but most leases are for just one year.

The new arrangement, Andrews said, will provide the same protections contained in current standard leases over a longer period.

"The lease can be as long as the tenant and landlord agree to with all the terms and conditions," he said.

The reforms come as house prices and the cost of renting in Victoria hit record highs and the number of vacant properties in the state continues to shrink.

Andrews said families already faced enough stress without having to worry about finding a new rental property.

"This change will give renters the chance to put down roots and landlords a more certain income."

Earlier in the week, Andrews announced that the government would re-zone 100,000 housing blocks in the suburbs of Melbourne to create 17 new suburbs.

The blocks will all be sold before the end of 2018 with communities of up to 40,000 people to be established in the areas within 30 years.

Richard Wynne, Victoria's planning minister, said all of the communities would be fully planned with schools and key infrastructure available.

"I think that's what's so important about a steady land supply going forward, but also quality planned environments for people who are going to live here," Wynne said.

However, experts from the University of Melbourne have warned that a limitless urban sprawl is not sustainable.

Nerida Conisbee, a prominent economist, said, "The solution is to provide the housing that people want while reducing the sprawling nature of our cities."

"That will mean developing regional cities where people can access houses without being isolated from the city center, and encouraging a greater acceptance of apartment dwelling in Melbourne.

"For those wanting to remain close to central Melbourne, people need to get more comfortable with the idea of apartment living."
TOKYO/BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Fang, a 36-year old Chinese woman, came to Japan a year ago on the promise of job training, decent pay and a chance to achieve a better life back home.

One year later however, she ended up getting a job that involves little training of any sort, but repetitive, strenuous work, skimpy pay and even humiliating scolding from her boss from time to time.

"I really regret coming to Japan," Fang said at her tiny, makeshift room converted from containers in Hiroshima, western Japan. She prefers her full name not to be made public.

Fang's job is sewing clothes at a home-run factory in a remote farmland area, where she works with 28 other Chinese "trainees" who were brought to Japan under a Japanese government-sponsored Technical Intern Training Program.

"We have to work at a hectic pace here, with almost no time to rest," she said, citing the fact that though the Chinese trainees already work very hard, the boss often scolds them for no reason, and yells at them to make them work even harder.

Despite such a heavy work load, Fang has not been able to earn much money as she had expected, as the wages for foreign trainees are only roughly half the amount Japanese workers are paid for doing similar work.

Meanwhile, the living conditions are poor as she has to share with five other trainees a 10-square-meter makeshift room which has neither kitchen, bathroom, air conditioner, heater nor TV and Wi-Fi. The rent for such a room, however, amounts to 120,000 yen (1,056 U.S. dollars) a month, which is much more expensive even than in Tokyo, the Japan's capital.

Lu, a 35-year-old Chinese trainee working at a construction company in Hiroshima, said that almost all the Chinese trainees working in Japan regret about their decisions as they earn a pittance and learn very little from the excessive labor here.

"I hope my compatriots could know what we've been through here in Japan, so that they won't be fooled and make bad choice like us," Fang said.

INTERNSHIP OR SERVITUDE

Fang and Lu's stories are snapshots of the sad experience of hundreds of thousands of foreign trainees working in Japan, many of whom found themselves only used as cheap labor and trapped in indentured servitude.

According to media reports, as of last June, there are altogether 210,000 foreigners working in firms and farms across Japan as what Tokyo calls trainees, among whom the Japanese Ministry of Justice has recently confirmed that some 85,000 are Chinese.

The program, which allows foreign trainees to stay in Japan for three years, was introduced by the Japanese government in 1993, and has been advertised as providing transferrable technical skills for them when they return home.

However, the program has been widely criticized as a platform to attract cheap labor from overseas to compensate for Japan's labor shortage caused by an aging workforce and immigration curbs.

With little legal protection, the foreign trainees are often underpaid, and illegally placed as oyster shuckers, construction workers and other unskilled positions. Many of the indentured work force are exposed to substandard, sometimes even deadly working conditions.

Lu said some Chinese trainees working for other Japanese construction companies are often scolded and even beaten by their bosses.

"I've heard that a Chinese trainee became a vegetable after getting his head seriously wounded by a falling excavator," Lu said, adding the trainee has already been hospitalized for several months but his company has done nothing to help him.

"I don't know what will happen to him in the next," Lu said.

He noted that many of the trainees, before landing in Japan, have already paid large sums of money in broker fees and saddled with insurmountable debts, as Japanese businesses have to hire them through either private or official middlemen according to the program.

Also, as their visas usually tie them to a particular company, they cannot change jobs even when they feel bad about their bosses.

In a system equivalent to modern-day slavery, many interns have escaped, though sometimes it meant breaking the law.

Local news outlet The Japan Times reported in October last year that a record 5,803 foreign trainees went missing in 2015 while working in Japan, among them 3,116 were Chinese, followed by 1,705 from Vietnam, 336 from Myanmar, 250 from Indonesia and 102 from Nepal.

The interns' situation has sparked widespread concerns and attracted the attention of the Chinese government.

The Chinese Embassy in Japan said it will take strong measures to protect the legitimate rights of Chinese nationals working in Japan under the intern training program.

"The Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in Japan attach great importance to protecting Chinese technical trainees in Japan, and have carried out consular protection and assistance work through various channels and means," the embassy told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The Chinese embassy said it will increase contacts with related Japanese ministries to urge the Japanese side to take concrete measures to protect the legal rights of Chinese interns.

The embassy said it has also visited on a regular basis the factories and workshops that hire Chinese trainees so as to learn firsthand about their difficulties and problems.

Last year, the embassy also provided consular protection for and assistance to the Chinese trainees involved in some 100 cases in the island nation, helping them negotiate better deals in labor disputes and offering them legal assistance, among others. Enditem

(Xinhua reporter Lan Jianzhong in Tokyo contributed to the report.)
KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia said on Friday that it will cooperate with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to bring the perpetrators of the VX nerve agent attack at the Kuala Lumpur airport to justice.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Malaysia "does not produce, stockpile, import, export or use any" toxic weapons listed in the convention concerning prohibition of the chemical weapons.

The ministry said it strongly condemns the use of the VX nerve agent by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. "Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," it said.

While the police have identified the poison used in the attack, which led to the death of a man from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as VX nerve agent, how the material was made or whether it was imported from outside Malaysia remains a mystery.

The visiting DPRK delegation in Malaysia queried the use of VX nerve agent on Thursday, insisting the DPRK man died of heart disease and asking the Malaysian side to hand over samples of the chemical to OPCW in The Hague.

The statement did not say whether Malaysia will send samples to OPCW, but said the organization has provided Malaysia with some technical materials to assist in its investigation.

Meanwhile, a DPRK suspect arrested after the killing was transported by the police to the immigration authorities on Friday morning. Malaysia's attorney general said earlier the man, Ri Jong Chol, will be released due to a lack of evidence and will be deported because his travel documents have expired.
KATHMANDU, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) has released 6 million euros (6.3 million U.S. dollars) in aid to support Nepal's education sector, according to the EU Delegation to Nepal.

"This payment by the EU is the last tranche of its current budget support totalling 31,200,000 euros. The allocated fund has been disbursed as part of the EU's efforts in making a continuous contribution to Nepal's education sector," the Delegation said in a statement on Thursday.

EU Ambassador in Kathmandu Rensje Teerink said in the statement that "Ensuring access to quality education for all is a prerequisite for long-lasting development and Nepal has made good progress over the last years and will be built on further."

The EU shares the vital importance Nepal attaches to education and it is therefore a focal area of its cooperation, Teerink added.

The EU, one of the international development partners of the Himalayan country, has been extending support to the School Sector Reform Plan launched by the Nepalese government.
KILIS, Turkey, March 2 (Xinhua) -- As Turkey has completed more than half of a planned wall along its 911-km border with Syria, the number of illegal crossings and smuggling attempts has decreased, a Turkish officer said on Thursday.

The constructed 3.6-meter-high concrete wall along Hatay, Kilis and Gaziantep provinces with Syrian border reduced the number of attempts for smuggling and illegal crossings, Colonel Alparslan Kilinc told reporters on a press trip to the Turkish army military post in the region.

A total of 2,044 detected smuggling attempts in 2015 decreased to 77 in 2016 along the 169-km border line under the 1st Border Regiment Command, Kilinc told reporters in Kilis.

The number of detected illegal crossings declined from a total of 12,183 attempts in 2015 when clashes were intense on the Syrian side of the border, to 8,531 in 2016, he stated.

In 2016, 210 third country nationals, mostly from Islamic State (IS) group and 49 Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) members were captured as they attempted illegal crossing in the regiment area, Kilinc said.

As part of the border security work along the Syrian border, the Turkish government builds modular walls next to a mined area followed by ditches and reinforced cage wire barriers. The military conducts routine patrols along the border line which is controlled by cameras day and night.

There are first- and second-degree military forbidden zones behind the barriers where farmers are allowed with permission.

Turkish Armed Forces units are also erecting the modular walls along the Turkish-Syrian borderline in southern Suruc, Sanliurfa and Karkamis.

Defense Minister Fikri Isik said in November that the construction of a concrete wall along the Turkish-Syrian border will be completed in the first half of 2017.

Turkey hopes the wall will help enhance border security against the Democratic Union Party (PYD) -- which Ankara sees as offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and the IS members.
TRIPOLI, March 2 (Xinhua) -- An oil tanker under Turkish flag has been seized by an armed group in Libya, with 11 crew members on board held captive, Turkish media reported on Thursday.

According to the Deniz Haber Ajansi news agency, the armed group detained the ship when it was sailing off the coast of Zuwarah city in northwestern Libya. The armed people claimed the owner of the vessel owed them more than 430,000 U.S. dollars for purchasing oil.

The tanker Haci Telli left Turkish port of Tuzla for Malta on Feb. 11 and on Feb. 24 arrived at Zuwarah port where the armed men boarded the ship and seized it along with its crew members.

The armed group said they will hold the ship until the payment is made, otherwise they will sell the ship. No Libyan official could be reached for a comment, according to the Turkish news agency.

The North African country has been suffering from a security vacuum and chaos since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
LIMA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo will not return to Peru as he feels he is the target of political persecution, said his wife Eliane Karp on Thursday.

According to the former first lady, the corruption accusations against Toledo are part of an operation by Keiko Fujimori's Popular Force party in order to discredit Toledo's government, which led the country from 2001 to 2006.

Keiko Fujimori is the daughter of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000), who is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for graft and human rights abuses.

"While this Japanese mafia exists, we will never return to glorious Peru. They have ruined Peru's deep essence," said Karp, referring to the Fujimori family's Japanese origin.

Toledo, who was a fierce critic of the Fujimori government, is being sought by Peruvian Justice Department to answer charges of receiving 20 million U.S. dollars in bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht in exchange for granting a highway construction concession.

Karp is now in the United States with her husband, who is the target of an international arrest warrant for suspected crimes of money laundering and influence peddling.

The Peruvian Justice Department has issued an extradition request to the United States for Toledo, who is facing a provisional detention term of 18 months while the investigations into him continue.
CANBERRA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Aid agencies have urged the Australian government to increase its foreign aid contributions amid fears that a famine could kill thousands in North Africa and the Middle East.

Reports revealed on Friday that the federal government had cut more than 1 billion Australian dollars (770 million U.S. dollars) from the foreign aid budget since 2015, prompting aid agencies to appeal to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to help.

Australia's aid budget is at its lowest level in eight years, at just 0.2 percent of gross national income (GNI).

World Vision Australia's Tim Costello described the situation in the Middle East and part of Africa as "horrifying," and said the government should do more to help people avoid starvation.

"When you hear 20 million people at the risk of starvation, it's a statistic," Costello told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Friday.

"When you look into the face of a malnourished child it literally devastates you. Your gut absolutely is turned. I'm really quite personally shocked about this warning because it does feel like 1984 Ethiopia all over again."

"This is not who we are. I know Australians would be saying we can do better. We should be increasing aid."

Meanwhile Oxfam Australia's Helen Szoke said the government needed to immediately allocate aid money to the area, as children and families were starving horribly.

"From our perspective, the humanitarian response needs to go where there is the greatest need," Szoke said.

"We have indicated our view to (Australia's) Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the (Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, (but) you would have to ask them about their own prioritization."

According to the ABC, Bishop said any decision regarding Australia's foreign aid contributions would be made via normal budget processes.
BANGKOK, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Three army soldiers were killed at point-blank range by unknown gunmen on Thursday night in southernmost Thailand, police said.

The army soldiers, identified as Sgt. Ahamad Sama-ali, Pvt. Thanakorn Chimthongdonkhu and Pvt. Narongsak Mamui, were shopping at a night market in Mayo district of Pattani, about 1,050 km south of the Thai capital, when the gunmen suddenly approached and shot them in the head, the police said.

They were attached to a base of Pattani Task Force 25, only a few km from the market.

One villager was injured with a gunshot in the leg and rushed to hospital.

The gunmen, believed to be Deep South insurgents, are still at large, the police said.

The fatal attack on the three soldiers in Pattani closely followed Thursday's ambush on a running pickup truck by a group of gunmen in the neighboring Narathiwat province, which killed four villagers, including an eight-year-old child.
YANGON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has formed a high-level committee and task force to restart and speed up the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project in southern Tanintharyi region which was once suspended for years.

The SEZ committee for implementation of the Myanmar-Thai joint project to link the Andaman Sea to Bangkok and the Gulf of Thailand is chaired by Vice President U Henry Van Thio, according to Friday's official Global New Light of Myanmar.

Over the last few months, the SEZ committee has had more interactions with the Italian-Thai Development (ITD), one of the firms forming a consortium of private developers that signed a concession agreement with the government in 2015.

The consortium consists of ITD, a Japanese-Thai joint venture Rojana Industrial Park Plc and LNG Plus International Co, also from Thailand.

Myanmar and Thailand first signed a memorandum of understanding to develop the area in 2008 and two years later Myanmar granted a 60-year concession to ITD to develop a deep-sea port, industrial estate, road and rail links to Thailand's Kanchanaburi.

Due to financial difficulties, ITD then withdrew from the agreement in 2013 before resigning the concession agreement in 2015.

The highway which is part of the project would link Dawei with Bangkok and the Greater Mekong Subregion, while the deep-sea port would link Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam with India, the Middle east, Europe and Africa, significantly shortening the time of transportation and eliminating the need to ship around Singapore through the Malacca Strait.
WELLINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand government Friday unveiled plans to crack down on multinationals that profit from exploiting tax loopholes.

Three consultation papers proposed new measures in line with international recommendations to strengthen the taxing of large multinationals, Finance Minister Steven Joyce and Revenue Minister Judith Collins said in a statement.

"Our broad-based low rate tax system continues to perform very well for New Zealand overall. However it's important that it keeps evolving to ensure that all companies operating in New Zealand pay their fair share of tax," said Joyce.

"The proposals in these documents are in line with the recommendations from the OECD's (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) base erosion and profit-shifting (BEPS) project which has developed best practice measures for the global response to BEPS."

The documents contained proposals for tackling concerns about multinationals booking profits from New Zealand sales offshore, even though the sales were driven by New Zealand-based staff; preventing multinationals using interest payments to shift profits offshore; and implementing New Zealand's entrance into an international convention for aligning its double tax agreements with OECD recommendations.

"We welcome multinationals' participation in our economy, but we also expect them to pay tax based on their actual levels of economic activity in New Zealand," Collins said.

Earlier Friday, Collins told Radio New Zealand that up to 300 million NZ dollars (211.77 million U.S. dollars) a year in tax was being lost through multinationals seeking to avoid paying taxes - a significant amount given that companies paid about 10 billion NZ dollars (7.06 billion U.S. dollars) in total.

Opposition lawmakers welcomed the move, but said the proposals should have greater consideration of a diverted profits tax (DPT), a penalty on companies that artificially diverted profits.

Australia and Britain have already implemented DPTs, and Collins told Radio New Zealand that the government had not ruled it out.

However, it also wanted to investigate an alternative approach of targeting "permanent establishment avoidance."

This involved companies and non-residents that structured their affairs to avoid a taxable "permanent establishment" in a country, even when a de facto permanent establishment existed.

The OECD backed plans for a crackdown on multinational tax avoidance after a wave of global protests against big companies including Facebook, Apple and Google, when it was revealed they were paying negligible taxes on massive turnovers.

Submissions on the consultation documents would close next month and ministers said they would consider final proposals arising from the documents later in the year.
WELLINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's pillar farming industry has voiced dismay at the trade policies of the new United States administration under President Donald Trump.

The Federated Farmers industry association on Friday issued a statement saying Trump's "willingness to shun international trade conventions will have serious and deeply felt implications for New Zealand's export trade."

"The new president's determination to promote American interests above all else, even at the expense of long-standing, and mutually beneficial agreements could be devastating for New Zealand," Federated Farmers president Dr William Rolleston said in the statement.

Trump's statements this week appeared to go way beyond rejecting participation in international free trade agreement negotiations like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, one of his key election promises.

The report Trump's administration sent to Congress this week outlined their intention to even go so far as to consider World Trade Organisation rulings non-binding.

"This is extraordinary. If allowed to continue in this vein, it will undermine all the work we've done as a nation," said Rolleston.

"We have long advocated for countries to live up to their commitments and obligations. This thinking will take global trade backwards and will ultimately be as damaging for the U.S. as anywhere else," Rolleston said.

Trump's actions were reminiscent of 1930s when the U.S. Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act ushered in a tariff war which turned the Wall Street Crash into the Great Depression.

"If President Trump decides to use the might of the USA to bully their way out of trade agreements which were negotiated in good faith, and to be mutually beneficial to all parties, then New Zealand and many other countries could be severely compromised," said Rolleston.

Rolleston's comments came the day after Reserve Bank of New Zealand governor Graeme Wheeler described the possibility of U.S. trade protectionism as the biggest risk to New Zealand's economy.

"Increased protectionist measures would represent a negative global supply shock," Wheeler said in a published speech.
SYDNEY, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Cairns Frog Hospital has been operating for 18 years in Australia and is believed to be the only one of its kind in the world.

After moving five times, the practice has occupied its current location for eight years, but with the owner of the building wanting to sell the property, the hospital will be forced to move again.

Finding an appropriate rental property for any business can be challenging at the best of times, but for a frog hospital, it is even more difficult than you might imagine.

"Real estate agents up here (North Queensland) are automatically spraying houses with pesticides, even if they don't need it," founder and President of the Cairns Frog Hospital Deborah Pergalotti told Xinhua.

"Once it has been sprayed, it is useless for our purposes."

In fact, the problem has not just made things challenging for frog hospitals, frogs themselves are globally in decline and Pergalotti believes it is down to the over use of these sprays.

"Frogs are very sensitive to chemicals and Australia is a very heavy chemical user," she said.

"It's not just farmers who use them, a lot of domestic households use these chemicals to and unfortunately it only takes a small amount."

Also adding to the stress of relocation is the inflated rental prices in the area.

"Rents are escalating up here something chronic, in a reasonable neighbourhood we are looking at around 450 Australian dollars (340 U.S. dollars) per week and that's at the bottom of the market," she said.

There has also been pressure on the hospital from the local council, who wants the organization to move onto an acreage property, which could cost anywhere from 800 to 2,000 Australian dollars.

"We've had to look in an area that starts two hours south of Cairns, right up to the region that is two hours north of Cairns, to find something that is not sprayed with pesticide and is a reasonable rental," she said.

Despite numerous challenges, the hospital is determined to continue its work and help the amphibious population survive.

"Even other frog groups thought we were nuts when we started to rescue and rehabilitate frogs, they thought that was a silly idea," she said.

"But over time we've learned a great deal about the animal, so it's quite a valuable and important process to do and why should a frog that has a broken leg be left to die, when it could be fixable?"
WELLINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand is ramping up its push to secure a stalled trade agreement with the Arab states, with Foreign Minister Murray McCully announcing Friday he will travel to the Gulf next week.

McCully, whose visit comes hard on the heels of Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy, said discussion of the free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states would be a priority.

McCully said in a statement that he would hold meetings in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Bahrain.

Other priority issues would include regional security and cooperation in areas such as renewable energy.

The GCC, comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, is New Zealand's eighth largest trading partner, with annual two-way trade exceeding 3.2 billion NZ dollars (2.25 billion U.S. dollars).

"The relationship with the GCC has grown remarkably in a very short space of time, underpinned by 42 air services per week between the Gulf and New Zealand, an increase of 50 percent since 2013," McCully said.

"Our economies are highly complementary, and there is huge potential for greater cooperation."

A steady train of New Zealand ministers have been visiting the Gulf states in the hope of kickstarting the stalled trade agreement.
WELLINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Growing demand from Australia and China boosted the value of New Zealand honey exports by 35 percent in the year ending June 2016, said a government report Friday.

The report from the Ministry for Primary Industries said honey export volumes were "down slightly" to 8,831 tonnes, but revenue was up by 35 percent to 315 million NZ dollars (221.73 million U.S. dollars).

"Export volumes to Australia increased by 35 percent, making it the largest export destination in the year to 30 June 2016, closely followed by China," said the report.

The report showed that while export prices rose for New Zealand honey, world honey prices fell, said the honey industry body, Apiculture New Zealand.

The strong market demand for premium New Zealand honey, especially manuka honey, was driving a lot of the expansion, chief executive Karin Kos said in a statement.

In the same year, New Zealand produced a record honey crop of 19,885 tonnes.

Kos said the report outlined concerns over ongoing bee health, competition for apiary sites and maintaining the confidence of overseas consumers in the integrity of manuka honey.

"As with any industry experiencing significant growth, we are experiencing some growing pains, but we have a lot to look forward to, and we are committed to ensuring our growth is managed sustainably, and our honey bee colonies remain healthy," said Kos.
SEOUL, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier is scheduled to enter South Korea's southern port city of Busan on March 15 for joint springtime war games, Yonhap news agency reported on Friday.

USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier will come into the Busan port to participate in the Foal Eagle field training exercises, the U.S.-South Korea combined forces command was quoted by Yonhap as saying.

The joint war games, which kicked off on March 1, are set to last by the end of next month, mobilizing multiple U.S. strategic assets including the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and its attendant fleet.

About 10,000 U.S. troops, including U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), will be mobilized for the drill together with 290,000 South Korean soldiers.

The Key Resolve command post exercise based on computer simulation is scheduled to begin on March 13 for a two-week run.

Other strategic assets to be brought to the drill would be F-35B stealth fighter jets that were deployed in the U.S. military base in Japan in January.

The large-scale war games caused strong backlash from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which denounced them as a dress rehearsal for northward invasion.
QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Afghan security forces after killing five Taliban rebels and destroying their hideouts regained the control of several villages in Kandalan valley outside provincial capital Qala-e-Naw on Thursday, provincial police chief Abdul Rauf Taj said Friday.

According to the official, the security forces have seized huge quantity of arms and ammunitions, forcing militants to flee the area.

The police chief also added that the security forces would soon launch operations against militants elsewhere in Badghis province to ensure lasting peace there.

Taliban militants haven't commented on the situation.

Meanwhile, army soldier Mohammad Ismael said that the Taliban militants attacked a security checkpoint of the national army in Joi Khawja area in Balamurghab district.
NAIROBI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A prolonged drought across the East African region and heavy flooding in some southern African countries are compounding the effects of conflicts to make people's lives difficult. Against the global trend of good harvests, Africa, especially its eastern part, faces the challenge of worsening food security due to drought and conflicts.

Some 37 countries require external assistance for food, including 28 African countries, as a result of lingering effects of last year's El Nino-triggered drought on harvests, says the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

In South Sudan, nearly half of the population of 11.3 million are in urgent need of food aid as the UN declared famine in the East African nation last week.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in South Sudan, with over 2 million displaced as unrelenting violence followed despite a peace pact signed in August 2015.

In Somalia, some 44 local and international aid agencies have appealed to UN to take urgent action to avert possible famine in the Horn of Africa nation where at least 6.2 million people face acute food shortage.

In a joint letter to the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the agencies urged the UN chief to encourage international community to step up efforts to ensure that the mistakes made in 2011 are not repeated and push for immediate drought relief transitioning to longer restoration of livelihoods.

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also warned that "Severe drought, rising prices, continued insecurity and access limitations, and depressed rain forecasts suggest famine is possible again in Somalia."

In the Greater Horn of Africa, the number of severely food-insecure people has increased to 22.9 million in February as a prolonged drought led to failed harvests, said the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in a recent report.

OCHA warned that drought in the Horn of Africa is expected to intensify in the coming months, with a delayed start to the rainy season and depressed levels of precipitation forecast for March-May in most of the region.

Extensive crop failures and record low vegetation, together with significant livestock deaths, are currently observed across Somalia, southern and eastern Ethiopia, and northern and coastal Kenya.

While East Africa reels over protracted drought and delayed rainy season, some countries in southern Africa experienced excessive rainfall most recently, incurring heavy human and property losses.

In Zimbabwe, the government has declared a state of disaster, saying at least 246 people died and over 2,000 others were left homeless as torrential rains continued to unleash flood.

Zimbabwe has received above-normal rain in recent months that has resulted in more that 85 percent of the country's dams spilling. The rains are expected to continue until the end of March.

Meanwhile, Mozambique is also going through a rainy season with unusual rains, which swelled rivers in some provinces.

Five people died and five others were missing after water from a overflowing river washed away a bus which carried them, Mozambican Authorities said Wednesday.

In February, tens of thousands of people living along Mozambique's coastline were affected by cyclone Dineo, killing at least seven and injuring some 50 people, according to official figures.

In Namibia, heavy rains started pounding the northern regions of Namibia earlier this week, leaving some towns under water.
WELLINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's military and defense administration is looking for a new home after being beaten out of its headquarters by the 7.8-magnitude quake that struck in November last year.

The 10-year-old building housing the headquarters of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is to be demolished because it was so badly damaged by the quake.

The NZDF said on Friday that repairs on Defence House - also known as Freyberg House - were deemed too expensive.

The Nov. 14 earthquake, which was centered in the coastal town of Kaikoura, on the northeast of the South Island, triggered the evacuation of the building.

Since then critical headquarters staff for both the NZDF and MOD had operated out of Freyberg Building, immediately behind the Defence House, said a statement from the NZDF.

"By the end of April about 900 staff from the NZDF and MOD will be based in Freyberg Building," it said.

The owner of Defence House, AMP Capital, has been involved in investigations to determine the extent of the damage, but had advised the cost of repairs was not economically viable and it would be taken down.

"Long-term accommodation options for the NZDF and MOD in Wellington are under consideration, as we work out of our interim accommodation," said the statement.

Opposition lawmakers demanded to know why a building supposedly designed to the highest levels was brought low by an earthquake not even centered on Wellington.

"That sets off alarm bells. Why is it that so many modern buildings in Wellington failed when so many other buildings, including ones stickered 'earthquake prone,' suffered little or no damage?" leader of the opposition New Zealand First party, Winston Peters, said.
by Peter Mertz

CHEYENNE, the United States, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Although the bentonite mined in Wyoming, a remote western state of the United States, may be the finest in the world, the industry only survived the recent oil production slowdown thanks to cat litter in the country and East Asia.

Oil drilling and kitty litter seem to have little in common, but most of America's 100 million cats use bentonite every day and more cats living thousands of kilometers away could be future customers.

Bentonite is a clumping compound that coagulates cat poop, saves waste, and has captured 75 percent of the 3-billion-U.S. dollars kitty litter market in just the past decade, according to industry sales figures.

Some call bentonite the mineral of 1,000 uses. It is also used to cool drill bits, clump and pull cuttings from bore holes, and seal intrusions into the earth from oil and gas well drilling.

"Currently, bentonite used for kitty litter accounts for about 70 percent of our sales," said Jeremy Hunt, lead export engineer for Wyo-Denver, Wyoming's top bentonite producer.

"But when oil and gas exploration picks up, they will be our biggest buyer," Hunt said.

Because of a decline in oil exploration since 2012, the 300-million-U.S. dollars Wyoming bentonite business dipped 13 percent in 2013 and another 10 percent last year.

"Kitty litter sales in Asia saved the bentonite business," Wyoming Mining Association Director Travis Deti told Xinhua Tuesday, admitting that bentonite sellers were looking more and more to Asian buyers.

"That's because America has the best bentonite in the world," said James P. Ryder, a retired oil and gas engineer living in Denver, "If Asian buyers were smart, they'd gobble it up."

Ryder, 61, once the vice-president of European sales for Concord Energy LLC, graduated with an advanced degree in petroleum engineering from New Mexico State University.

"Bentonite's potential has yet to be realized," said Ryder.

After the United States (4.6 million tons), China (3.2 million) is the world's second largest producer of bentonite, followed by Greece (1.1 million), according to 2013 British Geological Survey data.

"Volcanic ash," explained Ryder, identifying the key natural ingredient of sodium bentonite. "It's rich in aluminum phyllosilicate clay, and that makes this form of bentonite truly unique."

It can expand up to 16 times its original size," Ryder said, "and its uses are still unmeasured."

The most high-grade, natural sodium bentonite on Earth is extracted from a 200-mile-long area between the Black Hills of South Dakota and the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming, according to Ryder.

Volcanic activity during the Cambrian Period, some 500 million years ago, formed the mineral-rich Bighorn Basin, that has also produced 1.4 billion barrels of oil in the past century, studies show.

Wyoming miners find this light-gray mud 20 feet below the ground in long, wide veins, but complain that production has been hampered by federal regulations, Deti said.

"We are looking forward to working with the Trump administration so we can increase production," Deti told Xinhua.

Experts agree that this wonder element's applications have yet to be realized. Currently, bentonite is also used in women's cosmetics, landfill liners, laxative ingestion, a wine clarifier, and even as a deodorant.

Ning Lu, a professor teaching at the Colorado School of Mines, in Golden, Colorado, is doing research on bentonite.

Lu told Xinhua that uses of bentonite would "continue to be explored," and that she expected "short-term" increases in sales to Asian nations such as South Korea, Japan and China.

A native of Fuzhou in Fujian Province, Lu said that Wyoming bentonite could be easily substituted by other bentonite with similar properties in the long term.

"Bentonite is one of the most abundant natural materials," Lu said. "Most marine sediments are rich in bentonite."

Ryder disagreed, and said that additives to bentonite could not match its natural form.

"Properties such as viscosity and fluid loss of suspensions of sodium-enriched bentonite may not be fully equivalent to those of natural sodium bentonite," he said.

Ryder said that residual calcium carbonates, formed if exchanged cations are insufficiently removed, "may result in inferior performance of the bentonite in geosynthetic clay liners," another of the element's many uses.
PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan police have discovered huge quantity of arms and ammunition from a mini-truck in the restive Baghlan province, police spokesman in the northern region Mahfozullah Akbari said Friday.

According to the official, the weapon-laden vehicle which was coming from the eastern Khost province, was apparently taking the contraband to the northern region to help anti-government militants.

The arms and ammunition seized from the vehicle included 35 pieces of AK-47, four rocket-propelled grenades, thousands of rounds of bullets and explosive devices, the official said, adding one person was arrested.

Baghlan has been the scene of increasing militancy over the past few years and Taliban militants, who overran the strategically important Tala-o-Barfak district couple of days ago, have been attempting to besiege the provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri.
Malaysian police escort suspect Ri Jong Chol (4th L) from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as they leave for Malaysia's Immigration Department in Sepang, Malaysia, on March 3, 2017. Malaysia's Immigration Department said in a statement 47-year-old DPRK man Ri Jong Chol, who was arrested as a suspect after the airport killing, was handed over to the department from the police for deportation to the DPRK. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung)

KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian police issued an arrest warrant for an Air Koryo employee on Friday in connection with the investigation into an airport murder case, Malaysia's Bernama news agency reported.

Kim Uk Il, an employee of the national carrier for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), was listed as a person of interest by the police along with a second secretary of the DPRK embassy.

The police said earlier that the two were still in Malaysia but declined to confirm whether they are were the DPRK embassy.

Police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said the police also sent a request via the Foreign Ministry to the DPRK embassy to question second secretary Hyon Kwang Song, who is entitled to diplomatic immunity.

Also on Friday, Malaysia's Immigration Department said in a statement 47-year-old DPRK man Ri Jong Chol, who was arrested as a suspect after the killing, was handed over to the department from the police for deportation to the DPRK. Two representatives from the DPRK embassy will accompany him, said the statement.

Malaysia has indicted two female suspects for murdering a DPRK man with the passport of Kim Chol. If convicted, the two will be hanged.
LAGOS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Three suicide bombers were killed in an attempted attack in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri on Friday, an official said.

One of them detonated an explosive device by a stationed fuel tankers early Friday along Damboa road, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, a regional spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), told Xinhua.

Two other fuel tankers were also burnt as a result of the explosion, Ibrahim said.

He said the bodies of the three suicide bombers have been evacuated by emergency workers, and that the fire had been brought under control.
WELLINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand scientists claimed on Friday that they had engineered enzymes that could help make chemotherapy more effective for cancer patients.

The "artificial forms of evolution" were being used to improve the ability of microbes to attack tumors, research leader Associate Professor David Ackerley, of Victoria University's biotechnology program, said.

This underpinned the development of a new form of chemotherapy that exclusively targeted cancer cells, he said.

A key goal of this chemotherapy was a more targeted treatment method that resulted in fewer side effects for cancer patients.

To achieve this goal, Ackerley and his team engineered enzymes that could transform a relatively safe and non-toxic compound (a "pro-drug") into a drug that was highly toxic to cancer cells.

The genes encoding the enzymes were delivered to cancer cells using viruses or bacteria that were only able to replicate in tumors.

The team worked with a pro-drug called PR-104A, which was developed by scientists at the University of Auckland.

"The enzyme we started with was moderately active with PR-104A. However, this was purely by chance - nature has never evolved enzymes to recognize these very artificial types of molecules," said Ackerley.

"We reasoned that by mimicking evolution in the laboratory - by introducing random mutations into the gene encoding our target enzyme, then selecting the tiny minority of variants where chance mutations had improved activity - we might eventually achieve a more specialized enzyme that could more effectively activate PR-104A."

The artificially evolved enzyme proved significantly better at activating PR-104A within living cells.

The team was collaborating with groups at the University of Nottingham in Britain and Maastricht University in the Netherlands to progress the therapy into clinical trials in cancer patients.
HANOI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Ministry of Health (MoH) on Friday proposed to raise alert level against the highly pathogenic bird flu to level two, after infection cases were detected in the country.

The remark was made by Vietnamese MoH Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Long at a meeting on measures to combat virulent bird flu with a high risk of transmitting to humans.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is urged to vaccinate poultry in areas with high risks of virus spreading, reported the state-run news agency VNA.

The two ministries will expand monitoring and carry out quick test in localities adjacent with China, especially in Vietnam's northern Quang Ninh, Lang Son and Lao Cai provinces.

At the same time, the MoH should coordinate with other related sectors and ministries to increase local people's awareness.

According to Long, so far, no travel warning has been issued. However, local people should consider limiting traveling to those virus-affected areas.

A report by MARD's Department of Animal Health showed that since the beginning of 2017, bird flu outbreaks are reported in Vietnam. Currently, H5N1 outbreaks were recorded in seven localities of Bac Lieu, Nam Dinh, An Giang, Soc Trang, Dong Nai, Nghe An while H5N6 outbreaks were detected in Quang Ngai province.

The report said there is a high risk that an epidemic will erupt and spread in the future. Meanwhile, viruses that have not been present in Vietnam, including H7N9, H5N2, H5N8, are likely to appear in Vietnam via transportation, purchasing and consumption of smuggled poultry and poultry products.

According to MoH's General Department of Preventive Medicine, Vietnam has reported no A/H7N9 bird flu human infection. In 2015, 2016 and early 2017, there has been no human infection of A/H5N1 virus.

In the first two months of this year, Vietnam has monitored over 900,000 passengers entering from H7N9-affected countries and found no suspected infection.

In addition, the MoH has tested 3,747 samples and found no H7N9, H5N1, H5N6 infections in human.
YANGON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar is believed to benefit significantly from China's Belt and Road initiative which Myanmar is taking part in.

The Belt and Road initiative, comprising the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime silk Road, was proposed by China in 2013. It envisions a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road routes.

In an interview with Xinhua on Friday, U Mya Than Zaw, managing director of Truly Myanmar Travel and Tour, said bordering with China and being rich with natural resources and tourist heritage, Myanmar will attract more visitors from the neighbor by taking part in the initiative.

As both countries practice the same Buddhism, it is expected that the two countries will have better cultural exchanges between them, the managing director said.

He spoke highly of the high quality of Chinese products entering the Myanmar market such as Huawei and ZTE, noting that mini stores which sell quality products from China are currently very popular in his country.

U Win Tin, who works as a chief editor for Union Daily, also said in an interview that China has become the second economic giant in the world, recalling that he had been to China for 14 times between 1991 and 2016 and witnessed China's development.

Myanmar and China have the good legends of enjoying good bilateral relations, the chief editor noted, adding he appreciates China's way of development.

China practices the market economy which suits with its own conditions amid a population of 1.3 billion, which creates a large consumer market where the products of each province can be exchanged to meet the demands, he said.

China enjoys rich natural resources and wide country area as well as good transportation, he noted.

The Belt and Road initiative is expected to expand and strengthen the market globally, based on the legendary main trade route--the Silk Road, he said.

The initiative is a great idea as it is expected to boost international trade by enhancing transportation in many kinds of ways such as railways, highways and ports, he said, believing that the initiative will be absolutely successful.

Through the participation in the initiative, Myanmar has an advantage of bridging China's southwestern gate with the India Ocean, he said, pointing out that China can easily link other ASEAN countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore through Myanmar which lies on the main point for trade transitions in the marine route of the initiative with good location on the route of BCIM economic corridor.

However, he stressed that the Belt and Road initiative would not be accomplished in Myanmar if the conflicts in northern and western parts of the country are still going on.
PHNOM PENH, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian authorities had arrested 4,823 drug-related suspects in 2,065 cases in the first two months of a six-month anti-drug campaign that launched on Jan. 1, according to an Interior Ministry report released on Friday.

The report said that 2,357 were arrested for trafficking illicit drugs, and 2,466 were caught for using drugs.

The number of the drug arrests in the first two months (January and February) was nearly a half of the total number of people arrested for drug-related offenses in 2016.

In the entirety of last year, police arrested some 9,800 suspects in illicit drug cases.

In a public speech last month, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen vowed to intensify the government's efforts in combating illicit drugs and called for the people to help with the six-month anti-drug campaign.

He also appealed to parents and legal guardians to advise their children to stay away from drugs.

The prime minister said although some countries such as the Philippines and Mexico allowed police to kill drug criminals during their operations, Cambodia did not allow killings.
HAVANA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Dressing in bikinis adorned by lettuce leaves, models took over a central street in Havana on Thursday to encourage Cubans and visitors to turn vegan.

These famous "Lettuce Ladies" from a U.S. animal rights organization walked and posed for photos in the famous Havana Obispo street, showing audience the tips on how to save animals, get healthy, and protect environment by going vegan.

They handed out kits to vegan starter, which includes recipes for delicious vegan versions of traditional Cuban dishes, such as croquetas, pinchos and more.

"We are here to send a message to everyone to extend their compassion for animals and not eat them and opt for a vegan life," said Kiara Benack, one of the models of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

It is the first time for the PETA to come to Cuba to promote vegan after travel restrictions being eased between the United States and Cuba.

Although Cubans don't eat much meat because of its high price, the initiative was welcomed by locals. They came to take photos, talk to the girls and collect the explanatory brochures.

Juan Gonzalez, a young college student, said she was interested in "anything that has to do with vegans."
ADEN, Yemen, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Intensified airstrikes launched by U.S. fighter jets and drones targeted several hideouts of suspected al-Qaida gunmen in three Yemeni provinces on Friday, residents told Xinhua.

According to local residents in Yemen's southeastern province of Shabwa, a series of of U.S. airstrikes were launched on suspected al-Qaida positions in Wadi Yashbum area and coincided with anti-terror ground raids.

Official Yemeni sources said that U.S. gunships landed special American troops who conducted raids and engaged in battles with gunmen in both Shabwa and al-Bayda provinces, southeastern and central Yemen, respectively.

More than 11 were killed in fire exchange between U.S. forces and al-Qaida gunmen in the Saeed district of Shabwa province.

Witnesses confirmed that the U.S. warplanes and drones targeted populated areas in Shabwa resulting in damage to some houses.

In the central province of al-Bayda, U.S. airstrikes bombed a number of positions used by suspected al-Qaida gunmen early on Friday morning.

A Yemeni military official said on condition of anonymity that heavy navy bombardment on Mawjan and Modya districts of southern Abyan province.

Details about the casualty figures caused by the aerial and naval bombardment are not immediately available.

Friday's U.S. airstrikes and ground anti-Qaida operations came hours after Pentagon's spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said in a statement "more than 20 strikes targeted AQAP militants, equipment and infrastructure in Yemeni governorates of Abyan, al-Bayda and Shabwa."

The spokesman said that the strikes were conducted in partnership with the government of Yemen, and were coordinated with President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Shabwa and central province of al-Bayda, where dozens of al-Qaida members are believed to be based, have been the focus of American-led airstrikes.

Yemen, an impoverished Arab country, has been gripped by one of the most active regional Al-Qaida insurgencies in the Middle East.

The Yemen-based Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), also known locally as "Ansar al-Sharia," emerged in January 2009, claiming responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks against Yemen's army and governmental institutions.

The AQAP and the IS-linked terrorists took advantage of the security vacuum and ongoing civil war to expand their influence and seize more territories in southern Yemen.

Security in Yemen has deteriorated since March 2015, when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and government forces backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition.

Over 10,000 people have been killed in ground battles and airstrikes since then, many of them civilians.
BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China has expressed its serious concern to parties involved in the joint military drill by the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States, which brought the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and other U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula.

"The current situation on the Korean Peninsula is highly sensitive and complicated," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang. "Parties concerned should do more to ease tensions on the Peninsula and maintain the peace and stability of northeast Asia."

He stressed China's opposition to the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in the ROK is consistent and clear.

"We urged relevant parties to stop deployment and refrain from going too far along the wrong track," he said.

Combined forces of the two allies launched the Foal Eagle field training exercise on Wednesday, which is scheduled to last until the end of April, according to local media reports.
COLOMBO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Friday that a "hybrid court" is not politically feasible in Sri Lanka.

Addressing a function of lawyers in Colombo, he made these remarks in obvious reference to the call for a judicial mechanism with the participation of international judicial personnel to hear human rights cases during the war period.

"We will have to find a feasible alternative for it. How do we fulfill the expectation of international community? Let's get together and think of a feasible alternative for hybrid Supreme courts," he said.

He said Sri Lanka's court system is older than its political system

"We had courts under the Dutch. The first members of the legislative council were all lawyers. People had faith in the legal system. Sri Lanka's judicial system is one of the oldest in Asia," he said.

He said there is one notion that the country's laws are in compliance with international human rights standards and changes will be made to improve them.
PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The government troops recaptured Tala-o-Barfak district in the northern Baghlan province on Friday after fierce fighting, a police official in the district said.

"We recaptured Tala-o-Barfak district today and Taliban rebels have run away," Mohammad Hussain told Xinhua.

Taliban militants in a surprise move overrun the strategically important Tala-o-Barfak district on Wednesday.

Although the government officials have declined to comment on the situation in Tala-o-Barfak district, locals, media outlets and Taliban reported the fall of the mountainous district to the Taliban militants on Wednesday.

Hussian, who is fighting the Taliban insurgents in Tala-o-Barfak district, has claimed that the militants were in the run and the security forces had been chasing them.

Taliban, which is in control of parts of the northern Baghlan province, has yet to make comment on the situation in Tala-o-Barfak district.
PHNOM PENH, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia marked the 19th National Cultural Day with the show of traditional music and dances on Friday.

Held at the iconic Chaktomuk Theatre here, the annual event was presided over by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and attended by some 800 people who are government officials, parliamentarians, senators, diplomatic corps, writers, artists and students.

The prime minister said the Cultural Day was a very important national day celebrated for the cause of cultural preservation and promotion.

"The celebration of this event will encourage ministries-institutions, the private sector, civil society organizations, fellow companies to work together to disseminate and raise global awareness on our rich cultural heritages," he said.

He added that Cambodia is proud that a number of tangible and intangible cultural heritages have been listed as world heritages by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

According to the prime minister, so far, the Southeast Asian nation has two tangible cultural properties, namely the Angkor Archeological Park and Preah Vihear Temple, and four intangible cultural heritages, namely the Royal Ballet, Sbek Thom or Khmer Shadow Theater, tug-of-war game and Chapei Dang Veng, a long-necked, two-stringed lute.
COLOMBO, March 3 (Xinhua) --Sri Lanka, on Friday said it had launched a probe into the sudden death of sea turtles who were found washed ashore on the southern coastline between Tangalle and Hambantota recently.

Fisheries Ministry officials said that they were unaware of the exact cause of death but they suspected that the turtles may have been caught in fishing nets or traps.

The ministry has instructed the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) to conduct the probe and submit a report.

Sri Lanka plays a large role in conserving sea turtles as it is home to five of the seven species of marine turtles in the world.

Out of these five, two are currently critically endangered.
File photo shows Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) wait to be airlifted to the South Sudanese Northern State of Eastern Nile, in Juba, capital of South Sudan, Janl. 7, 2017. (Xinhua/Gale Julius)

NAIROBI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned that drought and conflicts were worsening food security across Africa, especially in its eastern part, amid strong global harvests.

According to FAO's new edition of Crop Prospects and Food Situation report, food supply conditions are robust, but access to food has been dramatically reduced in areas suffering civil conflicts.

"This is an unprecedented situation. Never before have we been faced with four threats of famine in multiple countries simultaneously," said FAO Assistant Director-General Kostas Stamoulis, who heads the Economic and Social Development department, on Thursday.

According to the UN food agency, some 37 countries require external assistance for food, including 28 African countries as a result of lingering effects of last year's El Nino-triggered drought on harvests.

FAO said while agricultural production is expected to rebound in southern Africa, protracted fighting and unrest are increasing the ranks of the displaced and hungry in other parts of the world.

Famine has been formally declared in South Sudan and the food security situation is of grave concern in northern Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen.

"It demands swift action which should consist of immediate food assistance but also livelihood support to ensure that such situations are not repeated," Stamoulis said.

In South Sudan, 100,000 people were facing famine in Leer and Mayendit counties, part of former Unity State, while there was an "elevated risk" that similar conditions existed in two nearby counties.

Overall, about 4.9 million people across the country were classified as facing crisis, emergency or famine. That number is projected to increase to 5.5 million, or almost half the country's population, at the peak of the lean season in July.

In Somalia, the combination of conflict, civil insecurity and drought have resulted in more than double the number of people, now estimated at 2.9 million, being severely food insecure from six months ago.

Drought has curtailed fodder for pastoralists and the third consecutive season of poor rainfall is estimated to have reduced crop production in southern and central regions to 70 percent below average levels, leaving food stocks depleted.

According to FAO, a total of 8.1 million people in northern Nigeria are facing acute food insecurity and require urgent life-saving response and livelihood protection.

That comes despite the above-average cereal harvest in 2016 and reflects the disruption caused by conflict as well as the sharp depreciation of the Naira.

In Yemen, 17 million people or two-thirds of the population are estimated to be food insecure, while almost half of them are in need of emergency assistance, with the report noting that "the risk of famine declaration in the country is very high."

FAO said conflicts and civil unrest in Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Myanmar and Syria are also exacerbating food insecurity for millions of people as well as affecting nearby refugee-hosting countries.

According to FAO, maize harvests in Southern Africa, slashed by El Nino, are forecast to recover this year, with South Africa's output expected to increase by more than 50 percent from 2016, with positive trends likely in most nearby countries.

However, an outbreak of armyworms, along with localized flooding in Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe, could limit larger production gains in 2017.
Late in January, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the liberation of the eastern side of Mosul, or the left bank of Tigris, after more than 100 days of fighting against IS militants. (Reuters photo)

MOSUL, Iraq, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi forces on Friday pushed deeper into western side of Mosul and seized another neighborhood in southern outskirts of the embattled city after fierce clashes with Islamic State (IS) militants, the Iraq military said.

The commandos of the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) forces completely liberated Wadi Hajar neighborhood and raised the Iraqi flag over some of its buildings, after days of street-to-street battles that left heavy casualties among IS militants, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir Yarallah, from the Joint Operations Command (JOC), said in a statement.

The CTS special forces have been fighting in other nearby neighborhoods in southern outskirts of the western side of Mosul and are advancing closer to the center of the old part of the city.

Meanwhile, the federal police and interior ministry special forces, known as Rapid Response, are also fighting at the edges of the old neighborhood of Dawassa, where some of main government buildings located.

The troops arrived to the edges of Dawassa after they cleared neighborhoods of Jawasq and Tayaran and secured the foot of a strategic bridge across Tigris River, locally known as 4th Bridge, which links the recently-freed the eastern side of Mosul to the western side.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, announced the start of an offensive on Feb. 19 to drive extremist militants out of the western side of Mosul, locally known as the right bank of Tigris River, which bisects the city.

Late in January, Abadi declared the liberation of the eastern side of Mosul, or the left bank of Tigris, after more than 100 days of fighting against IS militants.

However, the western part of Mosul, with its narrow streets and a population of between 750,000 and 800,000, appears to be a bigger challenge to the Iraqi forces.

Mosul, 400 km north of Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
by Chris Mgidu

NAIROBI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- More than 1 million children are affected by severe drought in Kenya, the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said Friday.

UNICEF said more than 100,000 children under 5 are in need of treatment for severe malnutrition while another 174,000 children are out of school as a direct result of the drought.

"Our efforts should not only alleviate the current suffering brought about by this emergency, but should also aim to build the resilience of families and the capacity of local governments to deal with future droughts and other calamities," UNICEF Representative in Kenya Werner Schultink said in a statement.

The UN children's agency is working with the government and partners to respond to the drought and save lives after the onset of a severe drought in 2016 has hit arid and semi-arid regions in Kenya, affecting over 3 million people.

The hardest-hit counties include Baringo, Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, and Wajir.

The latest figures as of the end of February show that 2.7 million people are in need of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) assistance and 1.1 million children are food insecure.

UNICEF said it was scaling-up sectoral coordination and enhancing technical and financial support and life-saving supplies to the government and implementing partners.

"UNICEF is committed to reaching all affected children and their families by supporting the scaling-up of government-led response mechanisms to counter the diverse and devastating effects of the ongoing drought in Kenya," it said.

By January, UNICEF said it had dispatched 12,000 cartons of essential ready-to-use therapeutic food for the treatment of 12,000 severely-malnourished children.
MANAMA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Bahrain announced on Friday a proposal to unify prices of nutritional supplements among Gulf countries, Bahrain News Agency reported.

The suggestion received initial approval and is expected to be enforced at the end of 2017.

Chief Executive of the National Health Regulatory Authority, Mariam Al Jalahma, said that a panel was formed a few months ago and discovered differences of prices of the same product in regional countries. "The proposal was tabled at the end of 2016 and it was supported by all Gulf countries," he added.

The proposal aims to provide nutritional supplements for affordable prices for citizens, as the unification of prices of medicines led to the reduction of the prices of some medicines by more than 70 percent, she highlighted.

Gulf countries have been taking serious steps to strengthen private health sectors to ease financial burdens on public health sector that offer free health services for citizens.

The measure is part of many others to deal with the shortage of revenues due to the price drop of oil in international markets.
BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China has established the world's largest 5G test field in the race to standardize the mobile communication technology, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said Friday.

Industry giants including Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp are participating in the test programs at the outdoor test site in Huairou District, Beijing.

The tests, set between 2016 and 2018, will include three stages for key technology verification, technological solution verification and system verification respectively, said Zhang Feng, chief engineer of the MIIT.

The second stage of tests has begun after the first stage verified the feasibility of essential techniques.

China has started preparation early for the 5G network, establishing the IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group in February 2013 to coordinate efforts by mobile service operators, manufacturers and research institutes.

Years of investment has put China in pole position to formulate the industry standard and reap the benefits of a network that provides much faster connectivity and lower energy consumption.

China aims to commercialize 5G mobile networks as early as 2020.
by Njoroge Kaburo

NAIROBI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Donors have pledged to continue supporting the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to stabilize Somalia that is beset with terror attacks.

A statement from the AU mission issued on Friday said representatives of the European Union (EU), the United Nations, Britain, the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) promised their commitment to helping Africa's flagship peace and security mission pull Somalia out of civil strife.

Francisco Madeira, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, told a meeting in Nairobi that the mission had failed to deliver on some of its objectives due to funding constraints, prompting the officials to seek alternative means.

"Inadequate funding has been a major challenge to the implementation of the 2016 budget. Resources were not available to fund our projects and in fact no resources were available," Madeira said.

He appealed to the international community to continue supporting the mission.

The statement said the pledge was made at a five-day meeting held in Nairobi attended by AMISOM's top leadership and donors.

The meeting aims to draw up a list of activities and budget that will guide the mission through its exit strategy expected to come into effect in the second half of 2018.

Albrecht Braun, a representative of the EU-Africa, Caribbean Pacific (EU-ACP) praised AMISOM for the role it has played in pacifying the country emerging from decades of war and anarchy.

"It is obviously clear to everybody that without AMISOM, Somalia would not be where it is today. A lot has been achieved, thanks to AMISOM, which has provided the space for the political process to progress," Braun said.

James Haggerty, an official from the British Embassy in Somalia, reiterated the importance of winning the hearts and minds of the Somali population, if stabilization efforts are to yield fruit while lauding AMISOM for trying to achieve the objective.

"We look forward to continuing and developing a very close relationship with the African Union and with AMISOM in particular in Mogadishu," said Haggerty.

Issues discussed at the meeting included support for political processes, security sector, stabilization and recovery, protection of human rights and gender process.
A test train runs on Zhengzhou-Xuzhou high-speed railway, Sept.6, 2016. (Xinhua/Li An)

Hi, here's what you need to know about China.

XIAMEN -- East China's coastal city of Xiamen officially launched the country's first rail route to Europe on a smart and secure trade lanes program.

The cargo train, carrying 38 containers of liquid crystal displays worth 31 million yuan (4.5 million U.S. dollars), departed Xiamen on Thursday morning and is scheduled to arrive in Lodz, Poland in 15 days.

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BEIJING -- China's top political advisory body started its annual session Friday in Beijing, ushering in a political high season that will continue with the opening of the country's top legislature Sunday.

Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, delivered a work report to more than 2,000 political advisors who gathered to discuss major political, economic and social issues in the world's most populous nation and second-largest economy.

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BEIJING -- China has expressed its serious concern to parties involved in the joint military drill by the Republic of Korea and the United States, which brought the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and other U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula.



"The current situation on the Korean Peninsula is highly sensitive and complicated," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang. "Parties concerned should do more to ease tensions on the Peninsula and maintain the peace and stability of northeast Asia."

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BEIJING -- China will launch a space station core module in 2018 as the first step in completing the country's first space outpost, according to a senior engineer with China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC) on Thursday.

The core module of the space station, named "Tianhe-1" according to previous reports, will be launched on board a new-generation Long March-5 heavyweight carrier rocket, said Bao Weimin, director with CASC and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

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WINDHOEK -- China has expressed its determination to cooperate with the Namibian government on wildlife protection ahead of the World Wildlife Day which falls on March 3.

Speaking at a briefing at the Chinese Embassy in Namibia, Charge d'affaires Li Nan said that China will never give cover to lawless poachers and has zero tolerance for poachers.

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BEIJING -- Online shopping is thriving in rural China, with last year's transactions reaching 894.54 billion yuan (130 billion U.S. dollars), a Ministry of Commerce (MOC) official said on Thursday.

The figure accounted for 17.4 percent of total online sales nationwide, said MOC spokesperson Sun Jiwen at a briefing.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, now a senior White House adviser, and his former national security adviser, Mike Flynn, met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at Trump Tower in December, White House Director of Strategic Communications Hope Hicks confirmed to ABC News.



The news of the meeting -- first reported by the New York Times -- comes on the heels of Attorney General Jeff Sessions' admission that he also met with Kislyak twice during the campaign, but failed to mention the encounters when questioned under oath during his confirmation hearing.



It was not clear what was discussed during the meeting between Kushner, Flynn and Kislyak.



Sessions, who was a frequent Trump surrogate, Thursday promised to recuse himself from any probes related to the campaign's alleged contacts with the Russians. But he denied having meetings "with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign."



Flynn's contacts with the Russian ambassador during the same period also received intense scrutiny. The former Army lieutenant general was forced to resign after news broke that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about the nature of his conversations with Kislyak.



Flynn and the ambassador exchanged text messages on Christmas and spoke by phone on Dec. 29 -- the day the Obama administration imposed sanctions on Russia for its interference in the 2016 election. Flynn discussed the sanctions with the ambassador on that call.



The FBI, as well as several congressional committees, are investigating alleged contacts between Trump associates and Russian intelligence operatives during the presidential campaign.



The president, who has acknowledged that Russia was likely behind the hack of the Democratic National Committee, has repeatedly denied any contacts between his campaign and the Russians.



"Look, how many times do I have to answer this question? Russia is a ruse," Trump said at a press conference last month. He has also called the allegations about Russia "fake news."



Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
GENEVA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimated Friday that if there is not a resurgence of violence in Mali in the coming months, internal displacement could be resolved by the end of 2017.

"If there is no re-occurrence of armed conflict or community violence spurring further displacement, and with the right humanitarian assistance to the displaced and host communities, I am confident that, at the end of 2017, internal displacement will be a thing of the past," Bakary Doumbia, IOM Mali Chief of Mission, said in a statement.

"Numbers have already decreased by over ninety percent," he added.

IOM displacement figures reveal that a total of 531,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since January 2012.

This massive displacement was caused mainly by the armed rebellion in northern parts of the African country, resulting in a military coup in 2012, and communal violence in 2016.

According to figures released by the Malian government, 44,762 individuals are currently displaced across the country. Sixty-one percent of them are located in northern regions such as Gao, Menaka and Tombouctou.
SHANGHAI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 1,000 outstanding volunteers and their families enjoyed a day of magic at Shanghai Disneyland Friday, to celebrate community volunteerism and the upcoming China Youth Volunteer Service Day.

These volunteers, including a torchbearer of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, were selected by the Shanghai Volunteer Foundation as the first group of recipients of the Shanghai Disney Resort Outstanding Volunteer Recognition Program.

The program, founded by Shanghai Disney Resort and the Shanghai Volunteer Foundation, began on December 5 last year, International Volunteer Day.

In the program, 1,000 volunteers and their families will be recognized and invited to enjoy a day at Shanghai Disneyland to reward their contributions to society.

"It is one of Disney's core values to promote community volunteerism wherever we operate, including here in Shanghai. Through the program, we look forward to working together with the Shanghai Volunteer Foundation to pursue our shared vision of promoting community volunteerism throughout the city," said Philippe Gas, general manager of Shanghai Disney Resort.

The China Youth Volunteer Service Day is on March 5, the memorial day of Lei Feng, a young soldier in the 1960s, known for his lifetime of selflessly service to others.
NAIROBI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's wildlife rangers on Friday killed two suspected poachers and recovered poaching equipment from them, officials said on Friday.

Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) Corporate Communication Manager Paul Udoto said one AK47 rifle and 28 bullets were recovered after a fierce crossfire.

"A manhunt is currently underway after a shootout with the suspects in the Tsavo East National Park," Udoto said in a statement.

Udoto said, a KWS officer was injured and airlifted to hospital and is currently out of danger.

The East African nation has in the past two years stepped up its war against poachers who have been targeting elephants and rhinos.
JAKARTA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Maritime safety, facilitating trade and investment are among six major topics at the upcoming 20th Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Summit to be held this weekend in Jakarta, Indonesian officials said Friday.

The three-day summit, which starts Sunday, will also tackle disaster mitigation management, fishery management, science and knowledge sharing, tourism and cultural exchange, as other important issues.

Indonesia, which holds the current rotating chair of IORA, views the summit as an important platform to further promote stability, welfare and bolstering economy potentialities in the region, President Joko Widodo said.

"In general we want to see stability and welfare are well-addressed in the region," the president said at a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Delegations from 21 IORA member countries will participate the meeting, with 16 state leaders and senior government officials having confirmed to attend.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that the Summit would also be attended by representatives of seven dialogue partner countries, of which most of them were members of G20.

Indonesia would seize the occasion to promote investment in its tourism sector, which has been set as the nation's core business in place of oil and gas, coal and palm oil sectors.

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya is scheduled to deliver a speech themed "Enhancing Tourism and Connectivity through Improvement in Infrastructure" during the summit.

Indonesia requires huge investments to develop 10 new tour destinations across the country to address its rapid-growing new core business.

Indonesia received 12 million foreign visitors last year. The government has set targets to welcome 15 million and 20 million ones this year and 2019 respectively, earning more than 24 billion U.S. Dollars from the sector by 2019.
TIANJIN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese ride-sharing platform Didi Chuxing strengthened government recognition of its business by obtaining its first local online operating license.

The one-stop mobile transportation platform received the Online Car-Hailing Operating License from Tianjin Municipality, where DiDi is registered, meaning its online car-hailing service is legal in the city, the company announced Thursday evening.

Tianjin authorities also granted DiDi formal accreditation of its car-hailing services, which is recognized nationwide.

The Ministry of Transport decided last year that car-hailing service operators need formal accreditation of online and off-line operating qualifications.

Other market players such as Shouqi Limousine & Chauffeur and UCAR have also obtained official online operating licenses and accreditation.

DiDi said it will continue to work closely with other localities and expects to see significant acceleration of the overall licensing process.

DiDi offers online car-hailing services in over 400 cities and completes more than 20 million rides daily.
SINGAPORE, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A total of 88 hectares' land costing about 900 million Singapore dollars (635.86 million U.S. dollars) in western Singapore will be built into soldiers' training ground, said Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen in Parliament on Friday.

The project, dubbed the Safti City, is expected to complete in 10 years. Once it is completed, Ng said it will allow soldiers to train in a dense urban environment that closely resembles Singapore's landscape.

He stressed that Singapore must have world-class training facilities in the country itself and must guard against over-dependence on overseas training grounds.

"It is not possible for all our National Servicemen to only train overseas as the bulk of our training is still conducted locally, especially for our Army," said Ng.

The Safti City will feature both urban and conventional terrains that include settings like low houses, high-rise buildings, jungle, river and hills so that it allows any battalion to fight across different terrains successively as they will do in real-life missions.
GENEVA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Friday that 100,000 children had been forced to flee Mosul since a military campaign to recapture the city from Islamic State (IS) militants began in October 2016.

This figure includes an estimated 16,000 children who have been forced to flee their homes since last week after the Iraqi government kicked off its second wave of military operations to recapture western parts of the northern city.

"The children and the families that we meet in Haman al-Alil are mostly coming by buses organized by the military," Bastien Vigneau, UNICEF's Regional Emergency Advisor, told the press via a telephone briefing from Baghdad.

He said that the children seemed both "exhausted" and "frightened" by what is taking place in Mosul, whose eastern side was liberated in late January after more than 100 days of fighting against IS militants.

According to UN estimates, as many as 250,000 people could be forced to flee their homes because of intense clashes in western parts of the city, where an estimated 750,000 people are trapped.
A family build a makeshift house at an Internal Displaced Person camp on the outskirt of Mogadishu, Somalia, March 3, 2017. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched an appeal of 24.6 million U.S. dollars to help more than a million Somalis affected by drought. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse)

MOGADISHU, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched a 24.6-million-U.S.-dollar appeal on Friday to meet the emergency needs of over 1 million Somalis affected by drought.

IOM's 2017 Somali Drought Appeal was developed to enhance current response and expand the UN migration agency's geographic footprint within the country.

"A massive increase in humanitarian assistance is urgently needed to avert a famine in some of the worst drought-affected areas of the country," IOM said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.

The agency said the fund would help it scale up lifesaving interventions throughout Somalia where over 6.2 million people are food insecure.

Humanitarian agencies have reported worrying similarities to the 2011 famine in Somalia, when over a quarter of 1 million people lost their lives.

According to IOM, wages are collapsing, local food prices are rising, animal deaths are increasing, malnutrition rates are starting to rise, water prices are spiralling and Somalis are moving in growing numbers in search of food and water.

"Without assistance, many people face malnutrition, significantly increased risk of disease, loss of livelihoods and even death," the statement said.

IOM said its teams are rapidly scaling up interventions in the fields of health, shelter, water and sanitation, protection and food security.

President of Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has acknowledged the devastation of the drought and urged all stakeholders to "respond more effectively" to the famine threat.
COLOMBO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka recorded a slight decline in February with 197,517 tourists arriving through the month, official statistics showed here Friday.

In January, a record-breaking 219,360 tourists arrived in the island, recording a 12.9 percent growth in comparison to the same period last year.

Officials from the tourism industry said that the decline is a result of the partial closure of the country's main international airport which is renovating its runway from January to April.

Globally in February, India recorded 26,320 foreign tourists, the highest number, followed by China with 25,248.

The United Kingdom recorded 20,218 tourists followed by Germany which recorded 14,712 and France 13,909.

Tourism Minister John Amaratunga voiced concerns last month that the partial closure of the airport may lead to a drop in tourist arrivals this year and had urged authorities to look into the issue.

Amaratunga said that the tourism ministry had set a target of 2.5 million tourists in 2017 as the island nation was becoming a popular tourist destination.
DUBLIN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Ryanair said on Friday its passenger numbers in February grew by 10 percent to 8.2 million customers from 7.4 million the same time last year.

The Irish budget airline also said its load factor -- how many seats it fills on each flight -- rose to 95 percent from 93 percent.

Ryanair attributed the passenger number increase to its lower fares and an improved customer experience.

Kenny Jacobs, Ryanair's chief marketing officer, said he expected the number of customers during the whole year would hit 120 million, up almost 13 percent over the 106.4 million customers the airline carried in 2016.

Currently, Ryanair is ramping up its expansion at Frankfurt airport with 20 new winter routes and the deployment of seven planes at the home of German rival airline Lufthansa.

It will connect Frankfurt with major business centers on high-frequency and low-fare services, including Barcelona, London, Lisbon, Madrid and Milan.

Ryanair's new summer routes from Frankfurt, commencing on March 28, are attracting record bookings, with four routes to Alicante, Faro, Malaga and Palma on lower fares.

The Irish airline is headquartered in Swords, a suburb of Dublin. In 2016, it was both the largest European airline by scheduled passengers carried, and the busiest international airline by passenger numbers.
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A civilian was killed and three others including a paramilitary trooper were wounded Friday in a grenade blast in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The blast took place in Pulwama town, about 33 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Militants today threw a grenade towards paramilitary troopers here in Murran chowk market," a police official said. "The grenade missed the intended target and exploded with a bang wounding four people including a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper. However, of the wounded one succumbed on way to hospital."

The injured were immediately removed to hospital, locals said.

According to eyewitnesses following the blast they saw people lying on road struggling with pain.

"I was in the marketplace at that time and I heard the blast after that I found some people lying on road with blood oozing from their wounds," Rafiq Ahmad, a local told Xinhua over telephone from Pulwama. "One of the wounded men were unable to walk and he was helped by the bystanders to reach hospital."

Following the attack police and CRPF contingents rushed to the spot to carry out searches aimed at nabbing the attackers.

The attack created panic in the town.

"In a grenade attack today, we lost one civilian," Muneer ul Islam, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama said. "Two civilians and a CRPF trooper also received superficial injuries and are stable."

So far no militant group has claimed responsibility of the blast.

Separatist movement and guerilla war challenging New Delhi's rule is going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. Gunfight between militants and Indian troops takes place intermittently across the region.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
TUNIS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived on Friday in Tunisia for an official visit to discuss several issues including the return of Tunisian illegal immigrants now in Germany.

At the invitation of the Tunisia's President Beji Caid Essebsi, Merkel is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Secretary of State for the Economy and Energy, and heads of some German companies.

The German chancellor will hold meetings with Essebsi and Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, and will deliver a speech to the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP) in an extraordinary session.

She will also preside at the Tunisian-German Economic Forum organized by the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade and Commerce with collaboration of the Tunisian Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a report on the work of the CPPCC National Committee's Standing Committee at the fifth session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2017. The fifth session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee opened in Beijing on March 3. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China raised the curtain on its annual political season on Friday, with top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng pledging conformity to the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core.

As chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, Yu delivered a work report to more than 2,000 political advisors gathered in the heart of Beijing to discuss the political, economic and social issues facing the world's most populous nation and second-largest economy.

Yu said that in the course of the nation's great rejuvenation, the importance of 2016 was assured by the endorsement of Xi Jinping as the core of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi's core status embodies the fundamental interests of the Party and the people, and will be of far-reaching significance. His political ideas should be a guidance for all, Yu told the political advisors.

During the gathering, attendees are expected to fully align their thinking with Xi's strategic blueprint of the "four comprehensives" -- comprehensively achieve a moderately prosperous society, deepen reform, advance rule of law and govern the CPC strictly, which is crucial to the drive of China becoming a well-off society by 2020.

The CPPCC is an important vehicle for multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, and the key to socialist democracy.

Political advisors come from various walks of life and ethnic groups. They serve as a think-tank for the government, legislative and judicial organs, and put forward proposals on major political and social issues.

Their proposals can be considered a rough barometer of public opinion, signaling issues of concern on anything from industrial policy to domestic violence, and telegraph the general national agenda for the next year and beyond.

In the past year, seminars have convened to discuss a plethora of topics including new development ideas, supply-side structural reform, revitalization of the northeast region, and rural poverty relief. Agendas also included creation and management of national nature reserves, preservation of land resources and prevention of pollution, Yu said.

Yu commended the advisors for their work on the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), saying 2017 is a more important year for the plan's implementation.

The CPPCC will help the country better adapt to the "new economic normal" of steady and healthy economic development, he said.

Friday's CPPCC session was the start of the most important two weeks on China's political calendar. The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, is set to begin its annual session on Sunday.

Together dubbed the "Two Sessions," the meetings are where political and economic developments are reviewed and discussed and key policies are made. This year, attendees will also discuss the general provisions of civil law.

In his speech, Yu saw room for improvement in some aspects of CPPCC work.

"Discussion of state affairs needs to go deeper and to be more practical, work on democratic oversight needs to be further standardized, and CPPCC National Committee members need to do better in the performance of their duties," Yu noted.

The advisors' main efforts this year should be directed toward stable and healthy economic development, communication with representatives of public opinion in Taiwan, and maintaining social harmony and stability.

Yu said communication between political advisors and the youth in Taiwan should be strengthened to consolidate public support for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

Political advisors will continue to oversee the implementation of CPC Central Committee policies and raise practical proposals.

While praising the Standing Committee of CPPCC National Committee for promoting unity and friendship, Yu called for work on solidarity and friendship with the people in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as overseas Chinese.
HANOI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The first Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Senior Officials Meeting (SOM 1) and related meetings concluded Friday in Vietnam's south central coastal Nha Trang city, with positive outcomes, laying a foundation for the next events from now to the end of this year, officials said.

The meetings reached high consensus on the four priorities proposed by Vietnam for APEC Year 2017, namely promoting sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth; deepening regional economic integration; strengthening micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)' competitiveness and innovation in the digital age; enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture in response to climate change, Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister, APEC 2017 SOM Chair Bui Thanh Son said.

Speaking at a press conference after the closing of SOM 1, Son said APEC member economies paid due attention to SOM1 and related meetings as they were the first official gatherings of APEC in 2017, which set out cooperation orientations for the region throughout the year.

The meetings were an important occasion for APEC to show its resolve to step up cooperation in dealing with common issues and challenges, said Son.

Under the theme of "Creating new dynamism, fostering a shared future", as many as 60 meetings, workshops and dialogues were held with the participation of almost 2,000 delegates from the 21 APEC member economies, regional and international organizations as well as scholars and entrepreneurs.

At the meetings, other initiatives raised cover a range of fields such as promoting inclusion of development in Asia-Pacific, human resources development in the digital age, speeding up the supporting industries, transnational e-commerce, sustainable tourism development in the context of climate change, and dialogues on anti-corruption and trade fraud prevention.

Participants also reached consensus and endorsed the work plan for the whole year, including SOMs, Ministerial Meetings and the APEC Economic Leaders Week in Vietnam's central Da Nang city in November.

Son said the outcomes of SOM 1 indicate that cooperation, connectivity, and trade and investment liberalization for a developed and prosperous region, remains a mainstream in Asia-Pacific.

The members will continue discussing major issues at SOM 2 in Vietnamese capital Hanoi in May so that the APEC cooperation could bring more practical benefits to people and businesses, he said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Tunisia for an official visit. (AFP photo)

TUNIS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived on Friday in Tunisia for an official visit to discuss several issues including the return of Tunisian illegal immigrants now in Germany.

At the invitation of the Tunisia's President Beji Caid Essebsi, Merkel is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Secretary of State for the Economy and Energy, and heads of some German companies.

The German chancellor will hold meetings with Essebsi and Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, and will deliver a speech to the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP) in an extraordinary session.

She will also preside at the Tunisian-German Economic Forum organized by the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade and Commerce with collaboration of the Tunisian Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
GENEVA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Swiss Federal council voted on Friday to prohibit the import of seal products into the confederation, with the motion set to take effect on April 1.

This means that as of next month, it will be illegal to import a range of seal-derived products including meat, oil, blubber, organs and fur skins.

The Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) however did indicate that the ruling allows for some exceptions.

"On the one hand, the import of seal products will be permitted if they result from hunts traditionally conducted by Inuit or other indigenous communities," the Office explained in a written statement.

"These hunts must at the same time contribute to the community's subsistence. On the other hand, travellers may continue to import seal products for personal use," it added.
NEW YORK, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Oprah Winfrey, a U.S. media proprietor and former talk show host, has suggested that she may be open to a presidential bid.

In a conversation with billionaire David Rubenstein on Bloomberg's "The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations" released on Wednesday morning, Winfrey smiled when asked if she may be able to break the glass ceiling to be elected president.

"I actually never thought that that was -- I never considered the conversation even a possibility. I just thought, oh, oh," she said.

"No, that won't be happening, but I mean, I did used to think, well gee, you had to know so much more than I thought you had to know," she added.

But there seems to be a change in Winfrey's attitude as in a January appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," her answer to the possibility was more certain.

"Never!" she proclaimed.

Having often addressed political issues on her famous talk show, Winfrey is no stranger to the political arena.

Winfrey was an early supporter of Barack Obama's 2008 campaign, giving the then-senator a boost in his primary fight against Hillary Clinton, according to the CNN.

And in 2016, Donald Trump had considered Winfrey as his running mate for the presidential bid, but Winfrey declined.

If she does decide to run in the presidential bid, she would start out broadly liked -- more so than Trump and almost any politician in the nation, said a Washington Post report.

A 2011 poll from CBS News showed that 52 percent of Americans had a favorable view of her, and just 15 percent unfavorable, according to the newspaper.

If she had decided to run for the president in 2008, she would have certainly challenged Obama's ability to get black voters to the polls, the newspaper added.

According to a poll conducted by Pew asking African Americans about which national figures were the best influence on the black community, Winfrey was No. 1 with 87 percent thinking Winfrey was a positive influence and just 2 percent who said she was a bad influence.

But before her supporters get too excited about the idea of Winfrey as the 46th president of the United States, some people are just not used to the idea that she may make the big decisions that affect their lives.

In 2009, a Fox News poll showed that 78 percent of Americans said she would not be a good Supreme Court justice.

It is a little different from president, given she's not a lawyer, yes, but perhaps somewhat applicable, said the Washington Post.
ROME, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Two men died in southern Italy after a massive blaze engulfed a makeshift migrant camp, local media reported on Friday.

The incident occurred near Foggia in the Apulia region in a shanty town area known as the "big ghetto", where hundreds of migrants working in the local agriculture sector had gradually set up makeshift homes over the years.

The blaze engulfed the camp on Thursday night, according to Ansa news agency, and Italy's fire department confirmed two bodies had been recovered from the wreckage on Friday morning.

The victims were later identified as Malians Mamadou Konate, 33, and Nouhou Doumbia, 36, Ansa said.

Local authorities had recently ordered the eviction of the camp, which covers an area of about 5,000 square meters. The clearance had begun on Wednesday by Italian military police, police, and firefighters. However, some 350 people living in the camp refused to leave and staged a protest before the prefecture in Foggia on Thursday, according to reports.

The blaze broke out quite suddenly in the camp on Thursday night, and spread quickly due to strong winds and the fact that most shacks were made of wood, cardboard, and other easily flammable materials.

About one hundred huts were destroyed in the fire, and several gas tanks used for heat and cooking worsened the blaze.

Authorities said the cause of the fire was not yet clear. "It is not possible yet to determine whether it was an arson or not," Ansa reported, quoting a firefighter at the scene.

Prosecutors of the Anti-Mafia District Directorate in Bari, the regional capital of the Apulia region, had ordered the eviction of the camp because they suspected mafia groups had infiltrated it with criminal activities. An investigation had been launched in March 2016.
TUNIS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The first Tunisian-German information center for employment, migration and reintegration was inaugurated on Friday in Tunis, as part of the official visit of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Tunisia.

Funded by the German government, the center was inaugurated by the Minister of Professional Training and Employment Imed Hammami and the German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Gerd Muller, as part of the "Migration for Development" program.

Local media reported that this center will provide Tunisian job seekers vocational opportunities abroad, especially in Germany, with all the information needed to successfully establish themselves.

Moreover, this Tunisian-German center helps and facilitates as well the reintegration of Tunisians who want to return from Germany and set up their own projects.

There have been professional training programs in companies in Germany for Tunisians in the fields of computer science, mechanics, communication and engineering.

In addition, 18 nurses will benefit from a two-year employment contract in the hospitals in Germany in 2017.
WASHINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A man was arrested on Friday in the state of Missouri in connection with recent threats targeting Jewish community centers across the United States, according to local media reports on Friday.
KHARTOUM, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Friday urged the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector to allow delivery of humanitarian assistance to Blue Nile and South Kordofan areas, warning that food insecurity likely to occur within next two months, Sudan Tribune reported.

"Given current predictions of emergency-level food insecurity likely to occur within the next two months in SPLM-N controlled areas, an agreement to allow humanitarian access to begin now is critical to save lives," said Steven Koutsis, U.S Charge d'Affaires in Khartoum, in an article published by Sudan Tribune Friday.

The U.S. charge d'Affaires urged the SPLM/northern sector "to remove political conditions preventing humanitarian assistance from reaching populations in need and allow rapid deployment of humanitarian aid to civilians in the areas it controls."

"This would mean civilians in dire need would begin seeing food and other humanitarian supplies arriving in their areas very quickly," he noted.

The U.S. diplomat further expressed regret over failure of the conflicting parties in South Kordofan and Blue Nile to reach agreement on means to deliver aid to the needy there.

"Unfortunately, the parties have been unable to come to an agreement on the method of delivery to provide humanitarian aid in opposition held areas," said Koutsis, noting that "this impasse is hurting the Sudanese people living in areas controlled by the SPLM-N, as well as blocking all of Sudan from moving forward with a peace and reconciliation plan sponsored by the African Union."

He renewed the U.S. readiness to begin delivering medical supplies and vaccinations to the people within SPLM-N controlled areas of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

In November, the U.S. Administration under former President Barack Obama offered an initiative in accordance with which the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) would transport medical and humanitarian assistance by air to the affected areas in South Kordofan and Blue Nile areas after undergoing inspection by the government of Sudan.

Earlier the Sudanese government declared its agreement on the U.S. initiative, but the SPLM/northern sector rejected it.

During the peace talks between the two sides in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in August 2016, the SPLM/northern sector demanded transportation of 20 percent of the humanitarian assistance through Ethiopia's Asosa port, a demand rejected by Khartoum.
KATHMANDU, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The long-term opening maintenance project of Nepal's Arniko Highway, the oldest and shortest route that connects the two neighbors Nepal and China, has been completed.

The official handover ceremony of the project was held in the capital city on Friday amid the presence of government officials, officials of Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu and technical team of the construction company.

The delivery and acceptance certificate was exchanged between Secretary at Nepali Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Dhana Bahadur Tamang and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong in the presence of Nepali Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Ramesh Lekhak.

Nepal government highly appreciated the assistance and continued support of China in the re-operation of Arniko highway that highly contributes to the socio-economic development of the country.

Dhana Bahadur Tamang, Secretary at Nepali Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport said, "The damage of this highway by great earthquake and monsoon rain had been critical for the movement of goods and people from one country to another. From this long term opening maintenance of the highway, it has been again possible to reinstate the original service of the highway."

The repaired highway has been expected to revive the economy and normal activities of locals of Sindhupalchowk, China bordering district.

Arniko Highway was built in 1960s with the support of Chinese government. The 115-kilometer long road is the historical route that connects capital city Kathmandu with Nepal-China border at Kodari.

The highway was the lifeline for cross-border trading and for thousands of locals living in the region until it suffered severe damages in the devastating earthquake of 2015. Though the highway was repaired twice by the support of Chinese armed police after the disaster, it could not operate well due to fragile geography, especially torrential rain falls and frequent disasters like flood and landslides.

The current maintenance project has been carried out by the China Railway Bureau 14 in five sections of highway. It took five and half months for the Chinese company to make the highway ready for the smooth transportation.

The Chinese government has pledged to continue its support for post disaster reconstruction of Nepal.

"We are committed to provide assistance for Nepal's post-disaster reconstruction in five sectors namely infrastructures, livelihood in mountains, cultural relic's renovation, disaster preparedness and health. Strengthening infrastructure connectivity and mutual cooperation under One Belt One Road initiative are common wishes of both countries", Yu Hong, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal said in the function.

Since the Arniko highway was disrupted after disaster and the border remained closed, Nepali traders are using the Rasuwagadhi border point currently for cross-border trading.
KATHMANDU, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China Education Fair, the first of its kind in Nepal, kicked off in the capital city on Friday with the overwhelming participation of students and educators.

Hundreds of Nepali students attended the fair to gather information about the Chinese education system and scholarship prospect for higher studies.

The two-day fair has been organized by Free Educational Consultancies Organization of Nepal(FECON) to introduce Nepali students with the progress China has made in the education sector and help them to apply in the Chinese academic institutions.

Yubaraj Katuwal, President of FECON told Xinhua, "We have organized this event for the first time in Nepal. Our major objective is to bring Chinese universities which are highly ranked and are offering scholarships and different types of schemes for international students."

Through the exhibition, the organizers have brought together Chinese education institutions and Nepali students from the diverse academic backgrounds. The exhibition is being held at a time when Chinese government has set a target of having half million foreign students by 2020.

Twelve renowned universities of China with engineering, business, management and medicine programs are taking part in the exhibition. The participating universities have offered diverse courses, spot admission assessment and substantial scholarships for Nepali students in diverse faculties.

Some of the participating universities are Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Hohai University, South East University, University of Science and Technology of China, Guangdong University of Technology among others.

Judy Shen, Program Manager at University of Science and Technology of China told Xinhua, "Our university is one of the top universities among Chinese universities and world widely stands at Top 200. We offer advanced Science programs along with Management and Humanities. We offer various scholarship programs so we thought we can attract more Nepali students to study."

It is estimated that around 3,000 Nepali students are currently studying in China. With the growing worldwide reputation of Chinese universities and courses, Nepali students have kept neighboring China in their priority list for further studies.

"The universities are offering really good scholarship programs. Since these universities are worldwide popular, I think I need to apply soon", a Phd Candidate Laxman Aryal shared with Xinhua.
KATHMANDU, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The first meeting of South Asia Parliamentarians Platform For Children concluded in Kathmandu Friday with a commitment to prioritizing, promoting, and safeguarding children's rights in the region.

The two-day meeting was organized by UNICEF South Asia in coordination with the Parliament of Nepal.

Issuing a statement on Friday, UNICEF Nepal said that the regional meeting is a milestone in bringing together lawmakers from all eight countries in South Asia for children's rights.

"It is also an opportunity to plug in the critical role that parliamentarians can play in tackling key development challenges affecting children in the region in the larger framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. The meeting's goal is to establish a regional parliamentarian platform to ensure broad support and commitment in building sustainable public systems that work for children", the statement reads.

In South Asia, home to 1.7 billion people and 621 million children under 18, despite economic growth and consequent improvements in realizing the rights of children, massive disparities still exist preventing children from living in dignity, reaching their full potential and making choices about their futures.

Taking part in the meeting, Ranju Kumari Jha, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee of Women, Children, Senior Citizens and Social Welfare, Parliament of Nepal, said the meeting will not only help develop relations but also help firm up commitments in drawing up a work plan on critical issues related to children."

"Influencing programs, policies and budgets in favor of the most marginalized and excluded children has the potential to help break inter-generational cycles of poverty and deprivation. Together we will find ways to translate our commitment to child rights into results," Jean Gough, Regional Director of UNICEF South Asia was quoted in the statement.
NICOSIA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- It is possible to restart the stalled peace negotiations in Cyprus though "trust is not at its best moment" and has to be restored, a United Nations official said Friday.

"I had seen nothing over the past week from the leaders to suggest it was not possible to overcome the impasse," said UN Secretary-General's special adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, after meeting with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.

"It doesn't mean you can walk into the room the next morning as certain things would have to be settled first," he added.

After 22 months of negotiations which led to unprecedented progress towards ending the 4-decade old division of Cyprus, the talks stalled in mid-February after a controversial decision by Cyprus's all-Greek parliament to commemorate a 1950 referendum in which Greek Cypriots voted their wish to unite Cyprus with Greece.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci refused to attend meetings until parliament "corrected" its decision, claiming that the Greek Cypriot drive for "enosis(union)" with Greece was at the root of the division of Cyprus.

"We must not allow the sustained progress over 22 months to be destroyed by what is essentially an issue outside of the talks themselves," said Eide.

He said he discussed some ideas with Anastasiades to overcome the obstacles and go back to the negotiations, also raising the possibility of using a new methodology when the negotiations restart.

Eide added that he will share these ideas when he meets Akinci on Saturday with a view of convincing him to rejoin the negotiations.

"My strong sense is that the will is there... the will by the leaders to go the extra mile," he said.

But he also warned that there are elements in both communities that do not want a solution and will again try to derail the process.

Cyprus was partitioned in a 1974 military operation by Turkey which sent its troops to Cyprus in response to a coup by the military rulers of Greece at the time.
BRATISLAVA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Slovakia wants and must be at the core of European integration in the event of a multi-speed European Union (EU), said Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Friday.

"Slovakia certainly wants to be in a higher category of states, as it considers the EU to be a project of vital importance," stressed Fico.

A so-called multi-speed EU, also known as "those who want more do more," is one of the five scenarios included in European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's white paper on how the EU could evolve by 2025. The multi-speed EU scenario is supported by France and Germany as well.

"Therefore, Slovakia is behaving responsibly in terms of fiscal management, and it also managed to carry out its presidency of the Council of the EU in a respectable manner," added Fico.

Juncker's white paper sets out the main challenges and opportunities for Europe in the coming decade, presenting five scenarios for how the EU could evolve by 2025 depending on how it chooses to respond. The possibilities are as follows: carrying on as before; focusing on nothing beyond the single market; a scenario for "those who want more do more"; doing less more efficiently; and "doing much more together."
KATHMANDU, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Nepalese government is preparing to open some of the restricted areas of the country in the northern bordering areas with China for foreign tourists to visit, a cabinet Minister said on Friday.

The Nepalese government had declared most of the villages in Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu, Dolakha, Rasuwa, Gorkha, Mustang, Manang, Dolpa, Mugu and Humla districts which border with China's Tibet region as restricted or controlled areas during the 1970s.

But, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Bahadur Shahi said at a session under the Nepal Investment Summit that they were taking steps to open some of these restricted areas to boost tourism and generate more income from the sector.

Foreigners should get special permits from the Department of Immigration to travel to these restricted areas currently. The permit is not given to the individual trekker but to those who are travelling in a group through a government authorized trekking agency.

Nepal had restricted the movement of foreigners in these bordering regions after anti-China elements waged armed struggle against China through Nepali territory. In 1974, the Nepal Army had disarmed those elements known as Khampa successfully.

Nepalese trekking agencies and tour operators have long been lobbying with Nepalese government to open up these areas as they have immense potential to contribute to the country's tourism sector.
French presidential election candidate Francois Fillon gestures during a political rally in Paris, France, Jan. 29, 2017. (Xinhua/Thierry Mahe)

PARIS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- An Odoxa poll released on Friday showed that three quarters of French respondents believed scandal-hit presidential candidate Francois Fillon was wrong to stick to his presidential bid despite being under legal investigation, with the majority saying he should be replaced.

In a separate survey, the pollster predicted the Republican Party's Alain Juppe would top voting intentions in first round if he replaced the embattled former prime minister.

In a defiant speech on Wednesday, Fillon stressed to fight "to the end" to defend his chances to win the presidential ticket.

He called supporters and senior members of his right-wing party to resist "a political assassination."

Once the favorite to become France's new head of state, he is now the third man according to the country's pollsters.

"He must realize that he is no longer able to carry the voice of those who believe in the right," Gerald Darmanin, deputy secretary general of the Republican Party told the regional newspaper La Voix du Nord.

In a further sign of Fillon's worsening crisis, key figures of his campaign, including Thierry Solere, Fillon's chief spokesman, and political advisor Dominique Busserau joined the list of those who resigned following the news of a judicial summon.

Adding insult to injury, the country's center-right UDI party suspended its support for the presidential campaign of the conservative nominee.

Fillon was placed under formal investigation this week as part of an inquiry into misuse of public funds and the misappropriation of assets.

Fillon has been under fire since French satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine reported on Jan. 25 that he had paid his wife and two of his five children about one million euros (1.06 million U.S. dollars) for their jobs as parliamentary assistants. However, there was no evidence showing that Fillon's wife had really worked.

In a fresh attempt to defend his image as an honest and morally-irreproachable candidate, the ex-premier said he would go before judges and tell them "my truth, which is the truth," he said on Wednesday.

He rejected any wrongdoing and denounced a bias in the judicial system in relation to the investigation into his wife's allegedly fake job.

"From the start, I have not been treated like anyone else facing the justice system," he said

To Alain Duhamel, a political analyst, Fillon "prepares the right for a failure and a division," what Duhamel called "a form of egotism."

"The crisis in the right-wing party will be less bad with a Plan B even if the person who will replace Francois Fillon will start a late campaign with extremely difficult financial, moral, and political conditions," he told RTL radio.

As the investigation into Fillon's wife's fake job deepens, the candidate's camp planned a rally on Sunday in what the ex-premier's backers hope will prove a big enough show of force to regain voters' confidence.
by Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and visiting French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Friday expressed confidence over the imminent closure of the Greek bailout review by the next Eurogroup meeting on March 20 and the prospects of Greek economy.

In his first visit to Athens after assuming office in December, the French leader discussed with Tsipras and Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos bilateral cooperation, developments on the management of the Greek debt crisis, the refugee crisis and the future of the EU.

In statements broadcast by Greek national broadcaster ERT during the meetings, Cazeneuve repeatedly voiced France's support to Greece.

"We are confident in the ability of Greek economy to recover. The results after all, confirm this. They are stunning, spectacular," he said at the start of talks with his Greek counterpart.

"France's support to the great challenges Greece faced lately, to stay in the eurozone and reach a fair deal with our lenders, as well as its solidarity regarding the refugee crisis, have been invaluable," Tsipras replied.

"France will always be at Greece's side as it is currently assisting in the completion of the second review (of the third Greek bailout)," Cazeneuve stressed during joint statements after the meeting, expressing optimism that there was will from all sides for positive results in the near future.

"I am extremely confident that we are closer than ever to concluding, not just a review, but a comprehensive agreement that will simultaneously mark the end of a long crisis for Greece and Europe," Tsipras said on his part.

According to the Greek leader the comprehensive agreement should include debt relief measures for the post-bailout period after the end of the current program in 2018.

Negotiations over the terms to close the second review have dragged on for several months. Under the initial timetable agreed in the summer of 2015 when Greece and its creditors signed the latest three-year aid program, the second assessment should have been completed in February 2016.

Welcoming the French premier to the Presidential mansion, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos underlined France's historically significant role in the building of the European Union and reaching decisions to benefit all European nations.

He expressed certainty that in the upcoming presidential elections in France, the French people will "honor their history" which strongly links them to the vision of a strong, united Europe.

"Without France the European Union and the eurozone would lose its identity. Without the EU and the eurozone France would lose its orientation," Pavlopoulos stressed, according to an e-mailed statement.
NAIROBI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Kenyan ministry of health and partners have commenced infrastructure upgrades and capacity development to enhance surveillance of health-related emergencies like bio-terrorism and spread of zoonotic diseases, officials said on Friday.

Director of Medical Services, Jackson Kioko said that Kenya has prioritized investments in modern technology and skilled manpower to strengthen detection of public health threats that have spiked against a backdrop of environmental changes, migration and urbanization.

"Kenya is committed to strengthen our capacity on real time surveillance of health emergencies linked to movement of toxic materials and outbreak of infectious diseases," Kioko remarked at a forum in Nairobi.

The forum was attended by policymakers and health experts to evaluate Kenya's capacity to respond to public health risks in line with guidelines set out by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Kioko noted that Kenya ranks among African countries with a robust detection and reporting system for health emergencies.

"In the last decade, Kenya has made strides in the area of law enforcement and adoption of electronic surveillance technology to tackle threats of bio-terrorism and zoonotic diseases," said Kioko.

He added that domestic financing, improved coordination, research and advocacy has improved Kenya's capacity to tackle public health risks linked to medical waste and antibiotic resistance.

Kenya has developed a comprehensive action plan to enhance its capacity to respond to zoonotic diseases like Ebola and Bird Flu that are a recurrent public health risk across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Director of Medical Services said the East African nation has intensified surveillance at ports of entry to prevent spread of virulent epidemics transmitted by animals.

"Kenya has learned vital lessons from the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa and the recent outbreak of Bird Flu in Uganda. Our surveillance systems are up to date to ward off those epidemics," said Kioko.

Multilateral institutions have partnered with Kenya to upgrade its surveillance infrastructure in the wake of new public health risks.

The WHO Country Representative in Kenya, Rudi Eggers said that Kenya must establish solid measures to enhance rapid detection and response to public health threats linked to increased cross border travel and trade.
TUNIS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia and Germany have agreed on Friday to repatriate 1,500 Tunisian immigrants illegally settled in Germany.

The agreement was announced during a conference attended by Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who made an official visit to Tunisia as head of a high-level delegation.

President Caid Essebsi described the deal as "satisfactory" without affecting sovereignty of the two countries, and it is an agreement similar to the one signed between Tunisia and Italy.

"The visit of Angela Merkel shows a profound change in the relationships between the two countries...a change that crowns a fruitful cooperation and a series of mutual visits," said Caid Essebsi.

For her part, Merkel announced that the German contribution to the economic development of Tunisia will be increased by 15.8 million U.S. dollars.

She also invited Tunisia to attend the G20 summit held on July in German city of Hamburg.
CAIRO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Germany will provide Egypt with 250 million U.S. dollars in support of its economic program, in addition to another 250 million dollars, said Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation in statement on Friday.

"The German step meant to give a push to Egypt's micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and to support the Egyptian workforce with more training," Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr said at the meeting of the Egyptian-German Business Forum which was held on late Thursday.

During the meeting, Nasr told the German businessmen that the government is keen on improving the investment climate in Egypt and overcoming all obstacles facing foreign investors.

She expressed hope that Germany's ranking, which is currently occupies the 20th position on the list of countries investing in Egypt, would go up in the coming period.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday asserted here that Egypt is a key economic partner to Germany and voiced keenness of the German companies to increase investments in Egypt.
A man walks past the pre-visualization of a commercial center under construction in Dublin, Ireland, May 23, 2007. (Xinhua/Xie Xiudong)

DUBLIN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Although Ireland's growth prospects remain strong, the country faces risks from the impact of the Britain's withdrawal from the European Union (Brexit) and the prospect of corporate tax reforms in the United States, ratings agency Moody's warned on Thursday.

In a research report, the agency said that Brexit will likely mean lower export growth, deeper disruption to well-established supply chains and the need to establish controls at the border with the Britain, its second-largest export market after the United States.

It said higher foreign direct investment inflows could mitigate some of the negative impact, as Ireland will likely be a key beneficiary from the diversion of investment from the UK.

However, Ireland faces important supply constraints, in particular in the area of housing and might not be able to realize its full FDI potential, the agency added.

Moody's said the scale of the second risk to the Irish economy is still unclear as details of any U.S. corporate tax rule changes have yet to be announced.

It said multinational companies are a crucial part of Ireland's economic success and Ireland's low corporate tax rate has been an important driver for foreign direct investment in the country.

Multinationals originating from the U.S. account for around half of all foreign companies located in Ireland, implying that big changes in U.S. corporate tax rules could heavily affect Ireland, according to the agency.

In Moody's view, new investment inflows into Ireland could be materially lower, while Ireland's public finances would also be negatively affected.

"Ireland has been growing strongly since 2014 and we expect it to continue to do so in the coming years," said Kathrin Muehlbronner, senior vice president of Moody's Investors Service and author of the report.

"But the UK's withdrawal from the EU could bring significant disruption to Ireland as the UK aims for a free trade agreement rather than participation in the single market. In addition, there is now the prospect of major corporate tax reforms in the U.S. which constitutes an additional risk for Ireland's FDI-focused economic model," Muehlbronner said.
(From L to R) Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, French President Francois Hollande, Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni pose for group photos during the Southern EU countries summit in Lisbon, Portugal, January 28, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

ROME, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Italy is in a phase of growth and recovery but it needs to be accompanied by Europe, Italian prime minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Thursday at the end of a meeting in Rome with Joseph Muscat, prime minister of Malta, current holder of the EU Presidency.

"Italy is in a phase of growth and recovery also in terms of employment and jobs, and yet we know that this growth, this new employment capacity are limited and gradual, they need to be accompanied,"Gentiloni said during a joint press conference.

" So we think about a Europe that is from this point of view the framework needed to help this growth, to accompany this ability to create new jobs that our country finally is showing, thanks to the work done in recent years," he said.

The two prime ministers discussed the celebrations to be held on March 25 in Rome to mark the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome.

The Treaties of Rome, signed on March 25, 1957, were the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community and the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community. They were signed by the six founding Member States: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the Federal Germany.

Gentiloni also said that the declaration they are working on for this occasion will outline the results achieved by European Union and its prospects over the next 10 years.

"It will be a very important occasion and we have been working together for weeks to give a sign of relaunch at a time that many call difficult," he said, pointing out there are difficulties and divisions but also potentialities.

According to Gentiloni, he discussed with Muscat issues related to the Middle East, the Mediterranean, immigration and the situation in Libya.

Concerning the recent agreement reached with Libya on migrations, Muscat said "We have for the first time a framework on which we can work about the immigration subject. It is not perfect, but I think it is the most important point that Europe has ever reached in terms of migration and in terms of the control of migration flows from the Central Mediterranean."
People take part in a protest in Helsinki, Finland, on Sept. 18, 2015.(Xinhua/Li Jizhi)

HELSINKI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Finnish central police administration began a legal process on Thursday to ban a controversial far right movement.

In its written claim submitted to a court in Tampere, the police administration defined the operations of the the Nordic Resistance Movement to be in contravention of laws and good manners.

Legal experts have not been unanimous on the outcome.

Jussi Tapani, professor of criminal law at Turku University, said recently that the threshold of applying the law on banning an association is high.

"Freedom of association is a basic right and therefore the action is heavy," Tapani told the Finnish Commercial Television News.

Meanwhile, Heikki Halila, professor of civil law at Helsinki University, told Commercial Television news that if an association works against the law, banning in court would not face problems.

The police hold the opinion that even though the Resistance Movement is not "a registered association" it functions as it would be one.

"Registered association" is a Finnish form of a legal entity for clubs and societies, but it is not mandatory and societies can function without being registered.

The police administration refused to comment on the case on Thursday.

In its documentation to the court, the police said the Resistance Movement was "racist, hostile to foreigners and anti-semitic." The police document claimed the Movement aims at creating a Nordic state that would have race-based citizenship criteria and that could deny citizenship on account of insufficient racial base.

The documents were obtained from the court by the Finnish News Agency.
People attend the ceremony to pay homage to the four victims of the shooting incident in Brussels at the Great Synagogue of Europe in Brussels, Belgium, June 2, 2014. Over 1,000 people attended the mourning ceremony on Monday night. (Xinhua/Wu Changrong)

CHICAGO, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A man was arrested on Friday in the state of Missouri in connection with recent threats targeting Jewish community centers (JCCs) across the United States, according to local media reports on Friday.

Juan Thompson, 31, is accused of what federal prosecutors called a "campaign to harass and intimidate."

He is charged in New York with cyberstalking a New York City woman by communicating threats in the woman's name. Prosecutors said Thompson appears to have made those threats "as part of a sustained campaign to harass and intimidate" the woman after their romantic relationship ended.

According to a federal complaint, Thompson dated the woman until last summer, when they broke up. The following day, her boss received an email purporting to be from a national news organization saying that she'd been pulled over for drunken driving.

The harassment got worse from there, federal officials said. The Anti-Defamation League received an email on Feb. 21 that said she was behind the bomb threats to JCCs and there'd be more the next day. On Feb. 22, it received a phoned-in bomb threat.

He also claimed she was responsible for placing a bomb in a Jewish center in Dallas, and he also emailed a JCC in San Diego saying she wanted to "kill as many Jews asap."

New York City Police Commissioner James O'Neill confirmed Thompson's arrest and said, "The defendant caused havoc, expending hundreds of hours of police and law enforcement resources to respond and investigate these threats. We will continue to pursue those who pedal fear, making false claims about serious crimes."
South Sudanese refugees are seen at a "Refugee Waiting Centre" in Al-Eligat area along the border in Sudan's White Nile state on February 27, 2017.(AFP Photo)

KHARTOUM, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Friday urged the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector to allow delivery of humanitarian assistance to Blue Nile and South Kordofan areas, warning that food insecurity likely to occur within next two months, Sudan Tribune reported.

"Given current predictions of emergency-level food insecurity likely to occur within the next two months in SPLM-N controlled areas, an agreement to allow humanitarian access to begin now is critical to save lives," said Steven Koutsis, U.S Charge d'Affaires in Khartoum, in an article published by Sudan Tribune Friday.

The U.S. charge d'Affaires urged the SPLM/northern sector "to remove political conditions preventing humanitarian assistance from reaching populations in need and allow rapid deployment of humanitarian aid to civilians in the areas it controls."

"This would mean civilians in dire need would begin seeing food and other humanitarian supplies arriving in their areas very quickly," he noted.

The U.S. diplomat further expressed regret over failure of the conflicting parties in South Kordofan and Blue Nile to reach agreement on means to deliver aid to the needy there.

"Unfortunately, the parties have been unable to come to an agreement on the method of delivery to provide humanitarian aid in opposition held areas," said Koutsis, noting that "this impasse is hurting the Sudanese people living in areas controlled by the SPLM-N, as well as blocking all of Sudan from moving forward with a peace and reconciliation plan sponsored by the African Union."

He renewed the U.S. readiness to begin delivering medical supplies and vaccinations to the people within SPLM-N controlled areas of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

In November, the U.S. Administration under former President Barack Obama offered an initiative in accordance with which the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) would transport medical and humanitarian assistance by air to the affected areas in South Kordofan and Blue Nile areas after undergoing inspection by the government of Sudan.

Earlier the Sudanese government declared its agreement on the U.S. initiative, but the SPLM/northern sector rejected it.

During the peace talks between the two sides in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in August 2016, the SPLM/northern sector demanded transportation of 20 percent of the humanitarian assistance through Ethiopia's Asosa port, a demand rejected by Khartoum.
NAIROBI, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China's ban of ivory trade in the country is a major breakthrough in saving Kenya's wildlife, a senior government official said on Friday.

Judy Wakhungu, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources observed that the bold decision is expected to help improve Kenya's foreign earning from wildlife as it will reduce poaching and illegal wildlife trade.

"We welcome China's decision and appealed to other countries especially from the European Union and Britain to follow China's lead and permanently ban all external and domestic ivory trade with legal domestic markets," Wakhungu said during the celebrations of the World Wildlife Day which falls on Friday.

She noted that Kenya is ready to work with partners to help close the market for ivory in an effort aimed at stopping the killing of elephants.

"We must show care and compassion for the wildlife and we welcome privately managed conservancies to help protect the 7 percent of animals that live outside the protected parks," she added.

The Director General of Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Kitili Mbathi said that poaching activity has reduced in Kenya in the past three years.

"The fact that we lost only three rhinos last year is proof that poachers are fast losing the battle against coordinated KWS rangers," he added.

He said that the organization has redoubled efforts in dealing with poachers and appealed to the citizens to report individuals suspected to be collaborators with poachers.

Mbathi noted that wildlife conservationists are now resorting to incorporating the voices of young people in helping protecting the animals.

"Trade in ivory and other wildlife products is unacceptable and must be banned globally," the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) Vice President Daudi Sumba said.

Sumba observed that wildlife population in Africa has been hard hit by poaching in recent past and has to be reduced immediately.

The UN World Wildlife Day, which takes place globally on the third of March each year, provides an opportunity to emphasize the importance of protecting wild animals and plants.

This year's theme "Listen to the Young Voices" highlights the critical role of youth in wildlife conservation.
OUAGADOUGOU, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified armed individuals on Friday morning stormed Koursayel village in Burkina Faso's northern Soum province, killing three people.

Local security forces' source said two unidentified armed individuals on Friday morning killed a school principal as they broke into a school in Koursayel, a village in the Soum province in the northern Sahel region close to the border with Mali and Niger.

"The death toll amounts to three as perpetrators, later on, killed two villagers", the same source said.

Already on February 27, unidentified armed individuals attacked Tongomaye and Baraboule police stations in the same Soum region, leaving material damages and one injured.

The Ansarul Islam group of the Burkinabe jihadist citizen Malam Ibrahim Dicko has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
ATHENS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Greek authorities have dismantled a criminal ring manufacturing and trafficking drugs extensively used by ISIS for the first time in Greece, the Financial Crimes unit (SDOE) announced on Friday.

Two Greek nationals, one Turk and one Albanian were arrested during an operation by SDOE in cooperation with Greek police and Navy at Elefsina and Megara, two towns 17 and 33 kilometers northwest of Athens respectively, according to an e-mailed statement.

During a raid in a narcotics lab at Elefsina, authorities discovered and seized 635,000 tablets of Captagon, a synthetic amphetamine which is associated with ISIS fighters in recent years.

This is the first time that authorities have discovered a Captagon lab in Greece, the statement said.

Some of the pills had been hidden in crypts inside a truck. In another raid at Megara authorities confiscated a speed boat with crypts to transfer the drugs out of Greece.

The market value of the tablets confiscated is estimated at about 10 million euros (10.5 million U.S. dollars), according to SDOE's statement.

The investigation continues, and at least three individuals are wanted for the case, including a retired police officer.

Captagon was first created in the sixties to treat hyperactivity, narcolepsy and depression, but was banned in the mid-eighties for being highly addictive, Greek national news agency AMNA noted.

The drug is believed to be flooding the Middle East. Data from 2010 showed one third of the worldwide Captagon production was consumed in the region, according to AMNA.
BERLIN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet U.S. President Donald Trump on March 14, the German government confirmed on Friday.

When asked about media reports of the Merkel-Trump meeting, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said "we do not deny it", adding more details will be given at "appropriate time".

White House on Friday also confirmed the visit. It will be Merkel's first trip to the U.S. after Trump took office.

Trump, during his election campaign, had publicly criticized Merkel and Germany's refugee policy as a "catastrophic failure" and "chaos".

The critics indicated a bumpy start for the ties between Berlin and Washington.

Last month, Merkel hosted the visit of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence at Munich Security Conference. In the southeast German city.

Merkel then said world conflicts require "joint efforts", which was seen as a gentle reminder to Trump's unilateralism and anti-globalization policies.

Trump is expected to visit Germany on July 7 and 8, attending the two-day the Group Twenty(G20) summit in Hamburg.
ISTANBUL, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday waded into the latest spat with Germany, saying Berlin has to be judged for helping and acting as an accessory to terrorism.

"Hundreds of terrorists are currently in Germany terrorizing," Erdogan was quoted as saying in a meeting in Istanbul. "And we are going to reveal all."

He criticized Germany for allowing Cemil Bayik, a leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party outlawed by Ankara, to speak freely but prevent the Turkish justice minister to address Turks living in Germany, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Minister Bekir Bozdag was scheduled to speak at a rally in the southern German town of Gaggenau to call for Turkish voters to vote yes in the upcoming referendum slated for April 16 over whether to adopt a presidential system in Turkey.

The authorities in Gaggenau canceled the rally on Thursday, citing a lack of space, prompting strong reactions from Ankara.

The German city of Cologne has also turned down a speech request by Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci.

Ankara-Berlin ties have hit an all-time low over not a few happenings, including Germany's repeated rebuke of Turkey's ongoing clampdown on the press and others in the wake of a coup attempt in July last year and Turkey's arrest on Monday of a German journalist charged with propaganda in support of a terrorist organization and inciting public violence.
BAGHDAD, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Friday condemns the use of chemical weapons during the battle of Mosul.

Robert Mardini, ICRC's Regional Director for the Middle East, said that during the past two days, Rozhawa hospital, close to Mosul, has admitted five children and two women showing clinical symptoms "consistent with an exposure to a blistering chemical agent."

The symptoms of the patients include blisters, redness in the eyes, irritation, vomiting and coughing.

Local media reported that mortar fire launched from Islamic State (IS)-controlled west Mosul hit houses in the east of the city and some residents complained of a foul smelling chemical.

"The use of chemical weapons is absolutely prohibited under International humanitarian law," said Mardini. "We strongly condemn any use of chemical weapons, by any party, anywhere."

ICRC did not identify what type of chemical weapons might be involved. Iraqi government has not commented on this attack yet.

Iraqi army launched an offensive to liberate Mosul in October 2016 and controlled east Mosul late January. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the battle on Feb. 19 to expel IS extremists out of west Mosul.
HARARE, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Two journalists from the privately-owned NewsDay newspaper were on Friday arrested by police on charges on undermining or insulting President Robert Mugabe.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) communications officer Kumbirai Mafunda confirmed the arrest, in a Facebook post, of the two journalists together with company legal assistant.

"In Harare, ZLHR lawyer Obey Shava has been deployed to offer emergency legal services to NewsDay journalists Richard Chidza (Chidza Sachidza) and Wisdom Mdzungairi who is the newspaper's Editor and Sifikile Thabete representing Alpha Media Holdings, publishers of the newspaper," Mafunda said.

"Chidza, Mudzungairi and Thabete have now been formally charged with undermining or insulting the President in contravention of Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act," He said.

Mafunda said police officers claim that the journalists insulted Mugabe after they published an article titled "Mugabe in fresh health scare" on March. 2, 2017 where they alleged that Mugabe is afflicted by prostate cancer.

The newspaper also confirmed the arrest in a report Friday, saying the three handed themselves at Harare Central Police Station where they were summoned to report to the Law and Order Department.

The trio was later released into the custody of their lawyer Friday.

The arrest came after Mugabe traveled to Singapore on Wednesday for a scheduled medical review, according to his spokesperson, George Charamba.

He is expected back in the country on Monday.
T-90A main battle tanks passes the Red Square during the rehearsal for the Victory Day parade in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2016.(Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

MOSCOW, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Top military officials of Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) discussed security issues via phone on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

This has been the first high-level military contact since NATO decided to freeze relations with Russia in April 2014 over the latter's incorporation of Crimea and its alleged role in the Ukrainian crisis.

Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Petr Pavel exchanged views on current security issues and prospects for the restoration of military interaction, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

They also discussed prevention of incidents and participation of NATO representatives in international events organized by the Russian Defense Ministry, it said.

Gerasimov voiced concerns over NATO's "significant increase in its military activities" near the Russian borders.
UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched an appeal of 24.6 million U.S. dollars to help more than a million Somalis affected by drought.

The funding would be aimed at "scaling up life-saving interventions throughout the country," Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said at the daily news briefing Friday.

IOM was quoted as saying that an increasing number of Somalis were being forced to relocate in search of food and water.

"Without assistance, many will face malnutrition, as well as increased risk of disease and even death, " said Dujarric, citing IOM.

With 166 member states, a further eight states holding observer status and offices in over 100 countries, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

UN Member States unanimously adopted a resolution approving the agreement to make IOM a "Related Organization" of the UN on July 25, 2016.
CARACAS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- National dialogue between Venezuela's ruling socialist party and the right-wing opposition has served to prevent outbreaks of deadly violence, according to a leading Latin American statesman.

Local media on Friday cited former Colombian president Ernesto Samper as saying that thanks to the talks, the country has not seen the waves of violent anti-government demonstrations that killed scores of people in the recent past.

"Since (the talks) began as a way to resolve political differences, we have at least not seen a return to the episodes of violence and street clashes that occurred a year or two years ago," Samper told the daily Panorama in a phone interview.

"There we have clear proof that dialogue did have concrete results, because the people, despite all the difficulties, found a way out through dialogue. They didn't have to resort to armed confrontation," said Samper, who is also the current secretary general of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur).

National dialogue between the ruling PSUV and the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), a coalition of conservative parties, began in 2016, with the backing of several prominent figures, including Pope Francis and Samper, then Unasur head, and former presidents from Spain, Panama and the Dominican Republic.

The MUD, which wants the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, entered into the negotiations reluctantly, after the Vatican endorsed Maduro's call for dialogue.

Talks are currently on hold, with the MUD demanding the government to release jailed right-wing activist Leopoldo Lopez as a precondition to continue.

Lopez is serving a 13-year sentence for fomenting the violence that left more than 40 dead and hundreds injured during anti-government protests.
People look out of the window as a huge inflatable "Superman" passing by during the Balloon Day Parade in Brussels, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. The giant balloons in the form of comic book and cartoon heroes are parading as part of the "Comic Book Festival". (Xinhua/Gong Bing)

NEW YORK, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Rare copies of comic books dating back to the mid-1930s in which Superman and Batman made their first appearances are to be auctioned in May in Connecticut, U.S., local media said on Friday.

The copies of the 1938 Action Comics No. 1, in which Superman makes his debut, and the 1939 book Detective Comics No. 27, which features the first appearance of Batman are among over 18,000 books and 300 pieces of comic-book art collected by Jon Berk, an attorney in Connecticut.

The Hartford lawyer, 66, who started to hunt comics when he was in law school at Boston University, said it is time for someone else to enjoy the books.

Photo taken on Oct. 9, 2010 shows Michael Keaton's costume in Batman Returns at the Legends Auction in Macao, south China. The costume was sold at a price of 35,000 US dollars. Julien's Auction held this auction featuring pop culture artifacts from the Beatles, Elvis, Madonna, Bruce Lee, Princess Diana, Michael Jackson and other iconic legends whose popularity spans all continents. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)

Berk's collection goes on display on March 11 at the Metropolis Gallery in New York City. It goes to auction online May 15 at ComicConnect.com.
VANCOUVER, March 3 (Xinhua) -- More than 10 million tourists made overnight visits to Vancouver in 2016, the third year in a row that the west-coast Canadian city set a record for tourism, a local tourist official said Friday.

Vancouver has a metropolitan population of about 2.5 million people and is known for its beautiful setting tucked in between the Coastal Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

Several factors were at play in the travel boost, including a strong cruise ship numbers, a robust convention event season and the Canadian government's elimination of visa requirements for Mexicans.

Vancouver fared best among major Canadian cities in terms of higher hotel occupancy, and higher average daily rate, ranking ahead of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.

"I think general consumer confidence is also a good underlying factor in terms of why people travel internationally," Stephen Pearce, Tourism Vancouver's vice-president of marketing, said in an interview with Xinhua.

He said 2016 saw an increase in tourism from almost all major foreign markets that their agency tracks.

"The world tourism organization is looking at tourism internationally to grow by about 4.5 percent. We've seen increases of almost double that. It's been a very strong year."

Tourism Vancouver focuses its advertising campaigns on eight key markets in addition to Canada and the U.S., that include China, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Germany, South Korea and Mexico.

The U.S. again represented the largest single group of visitors to Vancouver, with 2.3 million overnight visitors coming to the city last year - a 9.8 percent increase over 2015.

But the rate of travel from Mexico increased the most, climbing by 33.4 percent. Other increases were logged by Australia, China, the U.K. and South Korea.

China remains Vancouver's largest overseas visitor market with more than 280,000 in total in 2016.

Pearce said they' re looking forward to another year of growth in 2017, possibly due in part to a surge in visitors who would have otherwise traveled to the U.S.

"I think that Canada will see some of that business from folks who would have otherwise gone to spend time in the U.S., or maybe an extension of that vacation opportunity" from the U.S, he said.
UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura attends a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland on March 3, 2017. The UN Special Envoy for Syria said Friday that the latest round of Syria peace talks has yielded tangible progress, and that he plans to reconvene with delegations later this month for a fifth round of negotiations seeking to broker an end to the six-year conflict. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)

GENEVA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The latest round of intra-Syrian peace talks wrapped up on Friday, with UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura commending the progress made since negotiations kicked off last week.

"I really want to express my gratitude to the Syrian invitees for engaging with me and my colleagues in serious discussions during these last nine days," the special envoy told press.

"We did discuss procedure, which is unavoidable after ten months, but we also discussed substance," he added.

According to de Mistura, who acts as mediator between rival delegations, bilateral meetings produced an outline which will form the backbone for future rounds of talks.

"I think and believe that we have a clear agenda now in front of us," de Mistura highlighted.

This entails addressing what he called the "four baskets", which relate to key elements laid out in Security Council resolution 2254, namely the formation of a credible and inclusive governance, UN-supervised elections and the drafting of a new constitution.

The inclusion a fourth and final "basket", related to counter-terrorism issues, can be seen as a win for the Syrian government delegation, which has sought to make this controversial topic a priority in past rounds

"We have discussed the substance of all these baskets, stimulated by UN inputs. We have been able to actually see the informed positions of the parties and we have been submitting some thoughts based on previous rounds," de Mistura continued.

The special envoy lauded the fact that opposing delegations sat face-to-face in the same room at a welcome ceremony marking the start of talks on Feb 23., an event which could be seen as a sign that direct discussions are in the pipeline.

He also said that progress has made in forming a unified Syrian opposition, though more work needs to be done to achieve this.

While direct talks between Syrian government and opposition delegations have yet to happen, de Mistura reminded that this remains an objective for discussions seeking to broker a political end to the six-year conflict.

As well as incremental trust, the upkeep of a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey last December and improved humanitarian access in the war-torn country are seen as key factors if future talks are to avoid an early breakdown.

"It's not snow, it's not rain, it is not an earthquake, the non-access of humanitarian aid is caused by the conflict," de Mistura said.

"If there is a ceasefire that means there should be no reason for not giving a chance for humanitarian aid to reach everyone," he added.

For this reason, de Mistura saw past and future talks in the Kazak capital of Astana as an important factor complementing the political track in Geneva.

He also said that pending discussions with the UN Secretary-General as well as the UN Security Council next week, he hopes to reconvene with warring Syrian parties at the end of the month.
VIENNA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Austria's weather authority has released a warning for extreme wind on Saturday, to reach up to 120km/h in some valley areas.

The Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) said in a press release the foehn winds will primarily be felt in the west of the country.

Elevated areas will see even strong winds of typically over 100km/h, in some of the mountainous regions of Tyrol, Salzburg, and Vorarlberg even up to 160km/h.

At the anticipated speeds, trees can be blown over which in turn can cause problems on roads, rail tracks, and to power lines, as well as on roofing and construction scaffolding.
GAZA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Israeli soldiers stationed on the borders between northern Gaza Strip and Israel opened fire and wounded on Friday evening three Palestinians, one of them in critical condition, medics said.

Ashraf al-Qedra, Gaza health ministry spokesman told reporters that two of them were shot and wounded close to the fence of the borders with Israel and the third one was injured near the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia.

Eyewitnesses said that clashes broke out on Friday evening between dozens of young Palestinian stone throwers and the Israeli soldiers stationed near the fence of the borders, adding that the soldiers opened fire and wounded the three.

A wave of tensions has been ongoing between Palestinians and Israelis since October 2015, leading to the death of over 354 Palestinians, one Jordanian and over 46 Israelis, according to official data.

Tension on the borders between Israel and the Gaza Strip Hamas-led militants had been mounting over the past few days after unknown militants fired rockets into Israel and the Israeli army war plans and tanks fired back.
UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will travel to Kenya for a two-day visit, during which he will meet with senior leadership of the Kenyan government to discuss a range of regional issues, a UN spokesman told reporters here Friday.

"The secretary-general will also participate in a number of events in the Kenyan capital to mark International Women's Day," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

Prior to returning to New York, he will visit the UN Headquarters in Gigiri in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, he said.

"We expect the Secretary-General to be back in New York on Thursday," Dujarric said.
UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Some 15,000 children have fled the western section of Iraq's Mosul city over the previous week where fighting between the government forces and the Islamic State (IS) terrorists is intensifying, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Friday.

"UNICEF is responding to the immediate needs at the Hamam Al Alil camp, 20 km from Mosul, where aid is provided to children upon their arrival," UNICEF Regional Emergency Advisor Bastien Vigneau was quoted as saying over the phone from Iraq.

He noted that the children were very scared of the sound of the bombs, which was one of the main reasons their parents had decided to flee. They fled with very little luggage and in most cases with a bare minimum of clothes. The children and their families arrived mostly by buses organized by the military.

The main priorities, other than the first emergency response, included health, to ensure that children were immunized, primarily against measles and polio, said Vigneau.

Matthew Sarmash, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said that a significant increase in displacement had been noticed in recent days and the Hamam Al Alil camp was close to reach its maximum capacity.

At the moment, 150,000 places were occupied. He said construction is under way to accommodate up to 250,000 people there.

Vigneau said that more than 100,000 children have been displaced from Mosul since the military operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) began in October 2016.

The troops' advance toward Mosul came after the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Feb. 19 the start of an offensive to drive the extremist militants out of the western side of Mosul, locally known as the right bank of Tigris River which bisects the city.

In late January, al-Abadi declared the liberation of the eastern side of Mosul, or the left bank of Tigris, after more than 100 days of fighting against the IS militants.

However, the western side of Mosul, with its narrow streets and a heavy population of between 750,000 and 800,000, appears to be a bigger challenge to the Iraqi forces, according to the United Nations estimates.

Mosul, 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
VIENNA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Austrian parliamentary investigation committee into the Eurofighter jet case is to be formed by early April, Austria Press Agency reported on Friday.

Following its expected approval in parliament, the timeline sees the committee first studying the case for several weeks, based on allegations that manufacturer Airbus engaged in willful deception in its sale of the interceptor jets, and that numerous individuals, including politicians, may have received kickbacks.

It is anticipated that questioning of key individuals involved in the case could then begin in early May.

The committee is to examine events that occurred in the case from 2000 to 2016, though with an emphasis on the significance of the events rather than on chronology.
UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday appointed Major General Jean-Paul Deconinck of Belgium as the force commander of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said here.

Deconinck succeeds Major General Michael Lollesgaard of Denmark, who completed his tour of duty on Dec. 31, 2016, Dujarric said at a daily news briefing, adding that the secretary-general was grateful for his dedicated and exemplary service during his tenure with MINUSMA.

Deconinck brings to this position 38 years of national and international military experience with the Belgian Army, he said.

MINUSMA was established by the UN Security Council on April 25, 2013 to support political processes in the West African country and carry out a number of security-related tasks.

The UN mission was asked to support the transitional authorities of Mali in the stabilization of the country and implementation of the transitional roadmap.
European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom addresses a press conference following informal meeting of EU trade ministers in Valletta, capital of Malta, on March 3, 2017. Due to the protectionist trend that the United States seems to be adopting, it's paving the way for the EU to forge its own trade agreements, European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom said on Friday. (Xinhua/Yuan Yun)

VALLETTA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Due to the protectionist trend that the United States seems to be adopting, it's paving the way for the EU to forge its own trade agreements, European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom said on Friday.

The words came at the informal meeting of EU trade ministers here. Malmstrom added the decisions taken by the U.S. government have sent worrying signals.

The ministers agreed that multilateralism is the way forward in trade policies as it can stimulate economic growth, prosperity and create jobs.

As for the U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Maltese Economy Minister Chris Cardona said that the U.S. quitting brought more opportunities to the EU to make agreements with countries that have been rejected by the Trump administration.

On the back of the recently approved Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the EU has been working on deals with countries such as Mexico. It is in negotiations with some Asian countries and currently preparing to start others with Australia, New Zealand and Chile.

The ambitious trade agenda set out by the Commission for the coming months had the support of the EU trade ministers who convened in Malta for their informal meeting at the end of the week.

According to Malmstrom, these trade agreements would show that the EU is capable of making deals that benefit both parties, adding that such deals are shaping globalisation in a way favourable to citizens, companies and economies in general.

Ministers were also briefed about the Commission's efforts to establish a multilateral investment court. The Commission is working closely with the Canadian government in its effort to attract the widest possible support for the idea.

"Many countries are asking questions but there seems to be strong support," said Malmstrom.

At the meeting, a number of ministers pointed out the particular uncertainty related to the U.S. position on trade.

Maltese Economy Minister Cardona, currently chairing the Trade Policy Committee during the Maltese presidency of the Council of EU, said that while it needs to be cautious, the EU has to act swiftly if it intends to make its own deals with third countries.
LIMA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Peruvian judicial system has rejected a motion to dismiss a corruption case against former president Alejandro Toledo, his defense lawyer Heriberto Benitez said on Friday.

"The legal battle continues," Benitez announced via Twitter, saying he will appeal to a higher court.

There is an arrest warrant out on Toledo, who is believed to be in the United States, on charges that he accepted some 20 million U.S. dollars in bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht in return for lucrative public works contracts during his term from 2001 to 2006.

Toledo has refused to return to Peru to face justice, and Peru is in the process of requesting his extradition.

Toledo is one of three ex-presidents implicated in a multinational corruption scandal sparked by Odebrecht's systematic bribery scheme.

Odebrecht has admitted paying more than 29 million U.S. dollars in bribes to Peruvian officials during the administrations of former presidents Toledo, Alan Garcia and Ollanta Humala.
GLASGOW, Britain, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Theresa May launched her strongest attack Friday since becoming prime minister against the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP), accusing them of playing politics as though it were a game.

May made the remarks against the SNP in the very heart of Scotland, in a keynote speech to Scottish Conservatives at their conference in Glasgow.

The prime minister also hit out at the "feeble and incompetent" Scottish Labour opposition "for nothing to scrutinize the SNP for their failures".

But it was the SNP led by Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon that bore the brunt of May's criticism.

She described the SNP government as interested only in stoking-up endless constitutional grievance and furthering their obsession with independence, at the expense of Scottish public services like the NHS and education.

"Scottish schools, which once led the world in setting the highest standards of attainment, are now outperformed in every category by schools in England, Northern Ireland, Estonia and Poland," said May.

She said standard have fallen in education which has been under the SNP's stewardship for 10 years, saying young Scottish people were losing out.

"The SNP's neglect and mismanagement of Scottish education has been a scandal, but sadly it doesn't stop there," added May, accusing the party of other failings.

She accused the SNP as a party resolutely focused on just one thing, Scottish independence, saying: "The SNP play politics as though it were a game."

"I am confident about the future of our United Kingdom and optimistic about what we can achieve together as a country. But we all know that the SNP will never stop twisting the truth and distorting reality in their effort to denigrate our United Kingdom and further their obsession of independence. It is their single purpose in political life," added May.

She said as Britain leaves the European Union the opportunity must be taken to bring Britain closer together.

"Ours is not a marriage of convenience, or a fair-weather friendship, but a true and enduring union," said May, "there is no economic case for breaking up the UK, or of loosening the ties which bind us together. We cannot allow our United Kingdom to drift apart."

"I am determined to ensure that as we leave the EU, we do so as one United Kingdom, which prospers outside the EU as one United Kingdom."

That means achieving a deal with the EU which works for all parts of Britain -- England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and for Britain as a whole.

"When the UK Government begins negotiations with the EU on Brexit, we will do so in the interests of all parts of the UK and of the UK as a whole."

"As we bring powers and control back to the United Kingdom, we must ensure that right powers sit at the right level to ensure our United Kingdom can operate effectively and in the interests of all of its citizens, including people in Scotland."

In last June's Brexit referendum, the people of Scotland voted by 62 percent to 38 percent in favor of remaining in the EU. This prompted Sturgeon to say a second referendum for Scottish independence could not be ruled out.
Children play in a school in the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq, on Oct. 5, 2014. The security situation began to drastically deteriorate in Iraq since June 10 when bloody clashes broke out between Iraqi security forces and hundreds of Islamic State militants, who took control of the country's northern city of Mosul and later seized swathes of territories after the Iraqi security forces abandoned their posts in Nineveh and other predominantly Sunni provinces. (Xinhua/Chen Xu)

UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Some 15,000 children have fled the western section of Iraq's Mosul city over the previous week where fighting between the government forces and the Islamic State (IS) terrorists is intensifying, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Friday.

"UNICEF is responding to the immediate needs at the Hamam Al Alil camp, 20 km from Mosul, where aid is provided to children upon their arrival," UNICEF Regional Emergency Advisor Bastien Vigneau was quoted as saying over the phone from Iraq.

He noted that the children were very scared of the sound of the bombs, which was one of the main reasons their parents had decided to flee. They fled with very little luggage and in most cases with a bare minimum of clothes. The children and their families arrived mostly by buses organized by the military.

The main priorities, other than the first emergency response, included health, to ensure that children were immunized, primarily against measles and polio, said Vigneau.

Matthew Sarmash, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said that a significant increase in displacement had been noticed in recent days and the Hamam Al Alil camp was close to reach its maximum capacity.

At the moment, 150,000 places were occupied. He said construction is under way to accommodate up to 250,000 people there.

Vigneau said that more than 100,000 children have been displaced from Mosul since the military operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) began in October 2016.

The troops' advance toward Mosul came after the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Feb. 19 the start of an offensive to drive the extremist militants out of the western side of Mosul, locally known as the right bank of Tigris River which bisects the city.

In late January, al-Abadi declared the liberation of the eastern side of Mosul, or the left bank of Tigris, after more than 100 days of fighting against the IS militants.

However, the western side of Mosul, with its narrow streets and a heavy population of between 750,000 and 800,000, appears to be a bigger challenge to the Iraqi forces, according to the United Nations estimates.

Mosul, 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China's system of people's congresses is in the spotlight again as the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, will open Sunday.

Rather than creating policy conundrums or delays -- as is often the case with parliaments in some Western nations when the ruling party or coalition does not hold a majority -- the people's congress system lends support to and supervises the government to achieve effective governance and rule of law.

The NPC Standing Committee, a permanent body of the NPC, provides oversight and has been active in inspecting whether governments comply with the law. In 2016, it conducted six inspections, covering about 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

Take the inspection on the enforcement of the Environmental Protection Law, for instance. The NPC Standing Committee made a report after inspecting factories and holding seminars and organized a Q&A-style meeting with officials from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and other departments about issues in law enforcement.

Additionally, a document was sent to the General Office of the State Council, which is expected to give a follow-up report in April on how the government has handled the issues.

Such a process is conducive to solving problems popping up in law enforcement and safeguarding the authority of laws.

According to the Constitution, the people's congress system is the fundamental political system in China, with about 2.6 million deputies at various levels.

At the pinnacle of the system sits the NPC, which supervises the State Council, China's cabinet, as well as the top court and procuratorate.

With nearly 3,000 deputies, the NPC is different from the legislatures in Western political systems.

In China's political system, the NPC is the supreme organ of state power. The central government, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate answer to the NPC and are supervised by it. In the West, the parliament stands equally with the administration and justice arms, and the three balance and checks each another.

This vertical design has the advantages of uniting different forces in governance and avoiding internal frictions.

The system of people's congresses is designed to include people from various backgrounds and cover a good cross-section of society.

Compared with legislators in the West who make politics their career and usually have a staff and campaign team, NPC deputies are part-time and many of them are ordinary citizens.

A deputy to the NPC can be the country's president or a farmer, a celebrated tycoon or a migrant worker, a lawyer or an official.

As an NPC deputy, Zhou Guohui, director of the Department of Science and Technology of Zhejiang Province, proposed a free trade park in the eastern province's Zhoushan City during the sessions in 2013, 2014 and 2016.

His persistence worked. Last August, the province was approved, together with six other regions, to set up a free trade zone.

Motions and proposals initiated by Zhou also include one in 2015 stressing the need to boost development of the big data industry. In August of that year, the State Council approved an action framework for promoting big data.

Zhou is only one example of how people's congresses and their deputies contribute to effective decision-making in China.
Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a report on the work of the CPPCC National Committee's Standing Committee at the fifth session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2017. The fifth session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee opened in Beijing on March 3. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)
US Senate(WASHINGTON)  While at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in August, then-U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions -- who was confirmed as Attorney General in early February -- used political funds from his reelection account to pay for campaign expenses at the RNC, where he met with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak, ABC News confirmed Thursday.



But in a statement Wednesday night, Sessions said, "I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign."



Sessions was specifically questioned by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota, during his confirmation hearing about the alleged ties between Trump's campaign and Russia.



"If there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do?" asked Franken.



"Senator Franken, I'm not aware of any of those activities," said Sessions. "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians and I'm unable to comment on it."



Sessions did have contact with Russia on multiple occasions, but his spokeswomen, Sarah Isgur Flores, downplayed those interactions, saying Wednesday, "There was absolutely nothing misleading about his answer. Last year, the senator had over 25 conversations with foreign ambassadors as a senior member of the Armed Services Committee ... He was asked during the hearing about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign -- not about meetings he took as a senator and a member of the Armed Services Committee."



Earlier Thursday, Sessions recused himself from any existing or future probes related to any campaigns for president.



The Wall Street Journal first reported about Sessions' use of political funds at the RNC.



Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Three charged for beating policemen

One of the suspects who escaped custody and was later recaptured, was charged with larceny of a handcuff.

He and his accomplice were also charged with robbery of a cell phone and firearm-related offences. In the first incident, it was reported that at 4.30 am on Carnival Saturday, Cpl Thompson, PC Maharaj, PC Seegobin and officers of La Brea CID responded to a report of robbery in which Jay Patrick was shot at and relieved of his cellphone by three men whom he had offered a lift.

The report stated that on reaching Three Hands in La Brea, Patrick exited his vehicle to urinate when he was shot at and his phone taken away. The men escaped but were subsequently held in nearby bushes. One man is still at large but police said an arrest is imminent. It was reported that while placing a handcuffed suspect into the police vehicle, he kicked PC Seegobin and escaped.

He was subsequently arrested at his home. On Carnival Monday, during JOuvert celebrations, PCs Francois was bitten on his hand and Seegobin who was attacked on Saturday, was this time beaten with a piece of wood when the officers attempted to restore order among an unruly crowd of revellers.

Charges were laid by W/Sgt Taitt, Cpl Thompson and PC Maharaj. All three suspects are expected to appear before a Point Fortin magistrate today.
Man charged for 2016 murder

Pierre, who was reported missing on January 20 last year, was found in a gravel pit in Vega de Oropouche on February 29, 2016. A post-mortem concluded that he had been shot.

On Wednesday, instructions were received by the police from Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard SC, to charge James with murder. PC Travis Chatar of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region II, laid the charge.

Pierre lived at Manzanilla Main Road, Manzanilla while the accused lived at Rampersad Trace, Vega de Oropouche, Sangre Grande.

The matter was postponed to March 29.
Naked defence in 20ft fence case

Yesterday, the Penal woman, Davika Bhimull-Bisnath, pleaded in defence which she filed in the High Court, that the reason why she constructed such a high fence was because her neighbours family members often bathe naked in their yard. She further stated that whilst the fence is high and blocks off the neighbour, Santie Bhimull, she and her family cannot continue to see female members showering and walking around naked in plain view. Bhimull-Bisnath even tendered photographs in her defence, of people bathing in the nude and which have been attached as exhibits to the defence she filed in the High Court, San Fernando.

The issue of the 20- foot tall fence between the two homes at San Francique, Penal, shot into the limelight in November last year when neighbour Santie, 58, filed a lawsuit in the High Court against Bhimull-Bisnath whose house is next door to hers at San Francique Village, Penal.

She contended that the law allows her and her family the right to enjoy viewing, sunlight and airspace from her home, but the Bhimull-Bisnath fence is too high. The woman further contended in her lawsuit filed by attorney Stephen Boodram, that each morning she has to endure the sight of the fence alongside her house which separates her boundary from Bhimull-Bisnaths residence next door. The case is unprecendented in the history of Trinidad and Tobago, for never has anyone sued against not being able to enjoy viewing, sunlight and airspace from their homes.

Claiming that she has been so badly affected, Santie also filed a complaint with the Town and Country Planning Division (TCPD) in which she complained that regulations regarding the height a fence should be constructed between residential homes had been violated.

The woman outlined the predicament of having to endure each morning for several months, the sight of the fence alongside her house which she stated, prevents air from flowing into her home.

In December last year following Santies lawsuit, the TCPD decided to take action against construction of the 20-foot high galvanise fence between the properties and warned Bhimull-Bisnath that permission to build a fence of such a height, must first be sought.

The TCPDs letter invited Bhimull-Bisnath to apply for permission to construct such a wall and it would be considered by the Minister of Planning and Development.

Bhimull-Bisnath stated that she is willing to remove the 20-foot fence in order to comply with the TCPDs regulations, but on condition that the claimants family are restrained from showering and walking about naked in their yard.
Church handyman to pay $750 for marijuana possession

This submission was made to a magistrate yesterday in defence of a man who works at a Roman Catholic church, but who was charged with possession of marijuana.

Agin Gaskin, 43, of Corinth Hill, Ste Madeleine, near San Fernando, appeared before Magistrate Brambhanan Dubay in the San Fernando Magistrates Court before whom he pleaded guilty to the charge.

Prosecutor Sgt Denzil Alexander told Dubay that it was at about 8.05am on Monday during JOuvert celebrations in San Fernando when police officers saw Gaskin in a crowd. He was holding a cigarette which, Dubay heard, was of unusual length. The officers became suspicious and arrested Gaskin. Upon examining the cigarette they saw it contained marijuana.

It weighed one gramme.

Pleading on behalf of Gaskin, attorney Ainsley Lucky told Dubay that Gaskin works at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church on Harris Promenade, and he certainly regretted the crime he had committed.

Dubay ordered Gaskin to pay a fine of $750 in 30 days or serve four months in jail.
Burglars make mas in La Brea church

Pastor Sharran Ballosingh of the Southern Revival Church at Chinese Village, La Brea, believes the church was broken into sometime between 5.30pm on Sunday and 2pm on Monday.

Ballosingh said after the usual Sunday service, church members were moving back and forth between the church and Station Beach up until 5.30 pm in preparation for a day of fellowship that was held on Monday. On the way back from enjoying a day at the beach as a church family, Ballosingh noticed something was amiss.

I saw one of the windows was open, so I told one of the members to go and close it.

When the member went to close it, he noticed a board that covered a hole in one of our walls was missing. He didnt think anything of it at the time, so he told a brother to fix it the next day. It is when that member went on Tuesday to fix the board that they looked inside and saw what happened. The office was turned inside out with files strewn about, boxes smashed in and, most uniquely, leftover paint from Christmas redecorating was poured all over the desktop computer.

It looked as if they were really angry, perhaps because they didnt find the kind of money they were looking for. A set of keys were also found on the ground outside the office door, but the keys were not church keys. People are saying sometimes one key works on more than one lock, so they probably tried to break in that way at first. Only $600 in petty cash was stolen. The filing cabinets, however, were smashed in and a laptop, speakers, and cameras, together valued approximately $17,500, were stolen.

The size of the haul, she said, indicated that it most likely was the work of more than one person.

Ballosingh said her congregation, which is comprised of about 100 people, has been in the community for 27 years. It was founded by her husband, Mark Ballosingh, who left her in charge of the church ten years ago in order to set up a second branch in another community.

We are very concerned, because this is the third time weve been robbed.

The first time, a man in a mask pushed our secretary around and broke her glasses. She was very traumatised. The church has a lot of families and we have programmes to help people in the community, so it is very disappointing that this would happen to us. Asked if the incident would affect the running of the church, Ballosingh said it would affect it in practical ways as the laptop and cameras were used heavily in their services and the weekly programmes, but she has not lost hope. If I let this affect the running of the church, the people will get fearful.

We are concerned but if I show fear and close down services it will affect the church and the families. It would take some time before we can start putting things back in place, but we will continue to do what we have to do because that is the work of the church. Ballosingh was set to hold a meeting yesterday afternoon to prepare for a crusade the church would be hosting in the community next week.

La Brea police are investigating.
OOPS, CARNIVAL NOT CRIME FREE

The press release that was done was done in error...it couldnt be a crime free Carnival...and it was corrected. The minister explained, There were crimes committed during the Carnival in certain areas.

There were different levels of crime committed. It was not a crime free Carnival as such. Dillon said, As I alluded before...there were murders...one or two related to Carnival but there were murders throughout TT during this period (that were not related to Carnival. The minister stressed, What I must emphasise is that...bearing in mind the volume of people in Port-of-Spain, San Fernando, Arima...

celebrating Carnival...bearing the amount of people that were there...given the presence of law enforcement...there was some sort of deterrence. Dillon said, While it did not eradicate all of the crime, there were deterrents. He opined, It could have been worse had it not been for that strong presence of law enforcement. I

T WAS AN ERROR

Asked how the crime free Carnival statement issued by his ministry was released if there was information that crime took place during Carnival, Dillon replied, There was an error there and it was corrected. You will realise that the correction was done almost soon after. When a reporter asked whether the statement was revised based on public pressure, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young said, As you all...members of the media would know...when these things go out...

there are a lot of things that take place immediately after. I dont think that is a right connotation. Young added the National Security Ministry was standing by this correction.

In its release on March 1, the ministry said Dillon wished to thank members of the Defence and Protective Services, for their efforts in making Carnival 2017 crime free. The release said Dillon noted the high presence and visibility of officers on the streets during this Carnival period contributed to safer festivities and minimized crime.

Dillon extended extended sincere condolences to the family of former soldier Sgt. Dexter James, and to the family of PC Sherwin Cedeno who both passed away after separate incidents on Carnival Monday.

In the unsigned release, Dillon expressed concern over the murder of female citizens. He also expressed condolences to the family of Ambrozina Bernard and her daughter Cathy Ann Bernard, who were found dead inside a bedroom of their two-storey mansion in Siparia on Carnival Monday night.

The first release concluded by saying Dillon gave the assurance his ministry, will continue to work unceasingly to reduce crime in TT, so as to make this country a safer place for all. The revised release which was issued yesterday by the ministry said, Dillon thanked the Defence Force and Protective Services for their efforts, in minimizing incidents of crime during Carnival 2017. The amended statement said Dillon noted the high presence and visibility of officers on the streets during the Carnival period, contributed to safer festivities and minimised crime.

PRAISE FOR COAST GUARD

In a separate statement, the ministry said Dillon praised the Coast Guard on its recent multi-million dollar drug bust in international waters during a joint drug interdiction operation with the United States Coast Guard.

The interception took place on February 16 in international waters north of Paramaribo, off the coast of Suriname and resulted in a find of 4.2 tonnes of cocaine with an estimated street value of US$125 million ($837,000,000). The ministry said this was one of largest drug busts in the Atlantic since 1999.

The ministry said, This successful joint operation is demonstrative of the significance of maintaining close international and regional cooperation and coordination in addressing issues related to the transshipment of illegal drugs across borders. The ministry pledged to continue to engage our international and regional partners on strategic and cooperative initiatives in several areas consistent with efforts to mitigate against cross-border crimes.

Dillon reinforced this position at the post-Cabinet briefing.That is based to a large extent on our relationship with the United States, he stated. Dillon reminded reporters, Some time ago, you would have heard me mention, we have an officer in a strategic position in a facility in the United States. He explained.

That has allowed us to benefit from intelligence sharing, from intelligence information. Apart from narcotics, Dillon said this country continues to share intelligence as well with its international partners about, arms and ammunition and other areas of security. In commending officers from the Immigration Department for dealing with the large volume of visitors coming to TT over the Carnival period, Dillon said, We are looking at the introduction of a kiosk...first dealing with citizens (of TT)...where citizens are allowed on entry...to straight to the kiosk...

fingerprint scan...passport scan...

and your passport picture. Dillon said this should be implemented between now and the end of the year.

He was confident this kiosk would be operational before Carnival 2018
Diplomatic passport for Calypso Rose

During the briefing, Dolly said she received a report from the National Carnival Commission (NCC) regarding a glitch during Sundays Dimanche Gras show and corrective action is being taken to prevent a repeat of that issue at next years show. After the briefing, she quashed rumours that Kenny De Silva had resigned as NCC chairman. There is no resignation from Mr De Silva, Gadbsy Dolly told reporters.

Earlier in the briefing, Gadsby Dolly disclosed, The Cabinet has made the decision that Calypso Rose will receive a diplomatic passport and as well...with her permission...an aircraft of our Caribbean Airlines fleet will be named for her...in recognition of her stellar achievement. Last month, Rose became this countrys first ever artiste to win the French version of the Grammys -- the Victoires de la Musique -- after her platinum selling album Far From Home, was voted Album of the Year.

On February 24, Rose paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair. After Rose won her award, Rowley said, Calypso Rose has consistently delivered high quality music and entertaining performances to a wide variety of audiences during her long career. Gadsby Dolly also said the consensus was that this years Carnival was both enjoyable and successful, with large turnouts of persons at various Carnival events such as the Calypso Fiesta competition in San Fernando.

On a problem at the Dimanche Gras show which resulted in no performances taking place for 90 minutes after the calypso monarch finals, the minister said the producer of the show had issued an apology for that situation.

On plans to undertake a forensic audit of Pan Trinbago, Gadsby Dolly said a commitment was given to look into this matter once Carnival was over. Stating that discussions with the relevant parties will take place, Gadsby Dolly stated, We are going to proceed. The minister said the post-Carnival analysis has begun and will continue, as we look to improvements in Carnival 2018. She said this exercise involves the Planning Ministry, Economic Development Board, the Central Statistical Office and her ministry.

Observing that no economic impact assessment has been done on Carnival for quite a number of years, Gadsby Dolly said the outcome of this assessment will give a better idea of what accrues to the Government, map the economic spend of Carnival, identify challenges during this years celebrations and inform strategies for Carnival 2018.
Cop held for rape

According to reports, the 27-year-old victim who knows the officer, made arrangements on Carnival Monday night for him to take her home. According to a police report, at about 10.55 pm the woman was at Roxborough when she met with the officer who drove her to her Plymouth apartment.

The constable reportedly told the victim he had worked all day, was a bit tired and asked that he be given an opportunity to take a rest before returning to the police station. The woman reportedly felt sorry and invited him inside and was about to prepare a sofa for him to rest when he overpowered her and bodily threw her on a bed.

The woman said she attempted to fight off the officer but he was too strong and later raped her.The officer later told the woman he had to go back to work and left the apartment.

She contacted relatives and went to the Scarborough Police Station where a report was made the woman was medically examined on Carnival Tuesday.

Senior police officers carried out enquiries and on Wednesday when the officer turned up for duties he was arrested and taken to the Scarborough Police Station where he was placed in a cell.

Police sources revealed that when he was detained, the officer protested his innocence claiming he was being set up and that the woman was a willing partner in the sex act.

Yesterday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Irwin Hackshaw confirmed that officers in Tobago are probing a report of rape and added that the matter is still under investigation.

He said once investigations are completed, the case file will be sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a determination to be made on how to proceed with the case.
Mixed support for Carnival vacation for schools

However, Presbyterian Church Moderator, the Right Reverend Annabell Lalla- Ramkhelawan disagreed with that proposal saying the Education Ministry should instead focus on getting parents to assume their parental responsibilities and send their children to school. During a media conference at the Education Ministrys Towers, Port-of-Spain on Wednesday, Seecharan said the issue of school attendance continued to be a perennial problem due to poor turnout by students at both the primary and secondary school levels.

In a telephone interview yesterday, SDMS secretary general Satnarayan Maharaj said he had originally proposed the idea of giving the schools a week vacation due to the high levels of absenteeism by students.

I support that completely, take the whole week for Carnival and give back the children the week in one of the holidays, either the long summer vacation or the Easter vacation, Maharaj said.

As a matter of fact, that was my proposal, let them take the whole week- Carnival and make it up back, cut out from one of the vacation period and ensure that the children get the same amount of school time, he added.

Asked whether absenteeism was also a problem at SDMS schools during the Carnival week, he said: yes, it is across the board. It is not so pronounced at Maha Sabha schools but even so, it is happening across the board because we are seeing a great reduction in attendance and normally we dont have it. In full agreement was ASJA president general, Haji Yacoob Ali who also said that the July/August holidays could be reduced by one week to facilitate the Carnival week holiday.

In my personal view, I think this would be the better thing to do and decrease the holidays at summer time so they can have an additional school week before the break for the August vacation, Ali said.

However, he said absenteeism was more prevalent at government schools as opposed to denominational schools.

Its always better with us because the religious denominational schools have never had the problems of the government schools, he said. Meanwhile, former Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh said the proposal was one he had attempted to implement during his tenure but which had been met with strong opposition by stakeholders.
Foul odour causes evacuation of Petrotrin employees

In a media release yesterday, the State-owned oil company said a line leak had been detected and contained at the sprawling oil refinery.

Further, investigations were conducted in response to reports of hydrocarbon odours affecting employees at its Administration Headquarters and environs, Petrotrin stated, and noted that staff members had been evacuated as a precautionary measure. As a precautionary measure and to minimise discomfort to these employees, these offices were evacuated and HSE personnel conducted air quality tests. This exercise continues today, the company stated adding that all of the regulatory bodies had been notified including the Ministry of Energy.
Residents praying police find killer of mom, daughter

People are still being interviewed and statements being recorded, one senior officer said yesterday. All leads are being checked at this time, he said.

An autopsy performed on Wednesday at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, revealed that real estate agent Sylvestine Baby Bernard, 87, and her daughter Kathy Ann, 38, died as a result of multiple stab wounds.

Their bodies were already in an advanced state of decomposition when a neighbour went to check on the women at their home located at the corner of Gonzalez Street and SS Erin Road in De Gannes Village on Carnival Monday night. Meanwhile members of a shocked and shaken community are anxiously awaiting and praying that police find the killer of the two women. They are convinced the person may be from the village and walking around a free man.

One woman told Newsday yesterday, I dont like courthouse but if in the morning I know her killers are coming to court, I will be the first one in front the building waiting to see who did that to them. Residents said Bernard always exercised caution in her day-today routine. The woman was described as a tough and astute businesswoman who owned several prime residential and commercial properties in south Trinidad.

And they said although she was rich, she lived a simple lifestyle, practiced her Catholic faith and did charitable works in the community. She and her daughter however kept to themselves, residents told Newsday. They lived very private lives. Kathy Ann, Newsday was told returned to Trinidad a few years ago to live with her mother. They were always seen in each others company.

Bernards three other children returned to Trinidad on Tuesday night. The funeral service for the women is expected to be held next week.
Rondon upset with nasty beach campers

Thousands of campers converged on the beaches and rivers in the area over the weekend, but Rondon said there were no incidents of violence and thanked the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation Municipal Police for coming out in full force. He said if one called the Matelot, Toco and Mathura police stations they would find that there was no violent incidents over the weekend.

What the people come to Toco for? Rondon asked. Clean water and security. He said he was saddened particularly because the region would experience a bigger influx of visitors for Easter in the next few weeks and it is the Regional Corporation which has to use its limited funds to try to provide for them. He said he went to a meeting with the Minister of Tourism and outlined his needs but the minister said the ministry had five areas of focus and Toco was not one of them and that the beach is private land.

He said the ministry had built a lifeguard hut on the beach and the ministry is still saying that it is private property. However, the Ministry of Tourism responded yesterday that it is not responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of the Salybia Beach in Toco. The ministry said its marketing and implementation agency, the Tourism Development Company Limited is responsible for five facilities: the La Brea Pitch Lake; and the Manzanilla; Maracas; Las Cuevas and Vessigny beaches.
Zoos beloved crocodile buried

His open-mouthed, tongueless snare fooled no one, but he was a main attraction at the zoo.

He may have seemed to be laid back, his huge body basking in the sun, but that 800-plus body could move with lightning speed.

President of the Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago, Gupte Lutchmedial, said while a necropsy had been ordered for the crocodile, who had arrived from the Toronto Metro Zoo in 1975, he may have been older than originally thought.

Crocky was thought to have been ten years old when he was brought.

However, Lutchmedial said under advisement from other colleagues, Crocky could be closer to 70 years old and may have died from old age.

It was reported that Crocky had become slower and was not eating well for over a week.

After we consulted with other colleagues, it was decided that Crocky died from natural causes so we did not need for veterinarian to come in. He had no wounds or anything on his body and nobody would try to challenge Crocky, Lutchmedial said.

He said Crocky was sent off by members of staff, including his keepers, Arnold Jupiter and Mark Laurence. He was laid to rest in an underground crypt lined with plastic and plywood.

Lutchmedial said they would attempt to acquire another crocodile to fill Crockys space in the near future.
House to debate Marriage Bill today

The bill is designed to amend the Marriage Act, the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, the Hindu Marriage Act, the Orisa Marriage Act and the Matrimonial Proceedings and Property Act, to establish 18 years as the legal age for marriage in TT.

The bill requires a three-fifths majority for passage in the House (25 votes) and in the Senate (19 votes). The Senate passed the bill with amendments on January 17. The question now is whether the Opposition will support the amended bill or not. Government has 23 MPs in the House and needs at least two of the 18 Opposition MPs to vote in support of the legislation. This years Calypso Monarch Dr Hollis Liverpool (Chalkdust) won the title at Sundays Dimanche Gras show at the Queens Park Savannah, singing about the controversial issue of child marriage.

Also scheduled for debate in the House today is the long awaited Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property (Amendment) Bill, 2016. The new public procurement legislation is expected to take effect from March 31.

Before debate begins on either of these bills, there are six papers to be laid in the House.

Top of the list is a nomination by President Anthony Carmona for former head of the Coast Guard, Commodore Anthony Franklin, to be appointed a member of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

Imbert has questions on foreign exchange and Caribbean Airlines to answer from Naparima MP Rodney Charles and Chaguanas East MP Fazal Karim, respectively.

National Security Minister Edmund Dillon has a question from Fyzabad MP Dr Lackram Bodoe, regarding the manpower audit being conducted the Police Service.

At a news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Anns on January 4, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said former PSC chairman Professor Ramesh Deosaran will chair the committee that will undertake the audit.

The Prime Minister said at that time, the committee has been mandated to submit its report to Cabinet by March 31. Before the House sits on Friday, the JSC on Human Rights, Equality and Diversity is scheduled to hold a public hearing at Tower D from 10.30 am, to discuss the issue of human rights of remandees at the Remand Yard Prison with Deosaran and representatives of Vision on Mission and the National Security Ministry. This committee is chaired by Community Development, Culture and the Arts Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly.

Other members include Housing Minister Randall Mitchell, Opposition Senator Rodger Samuel and Independent Senator Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir.
Cabinet in Tobago next week

Newsday also understands that on March 10, Government ministers will meet with their counterpart secretaries in the Assembly. The Magdalena Grand Hotel could be the venue for the Cabinet meeting and subsequent meetings between government ministers and THA secretaries. Some of the issues expected to be discussed in the meetings on March 10 include security, finance, tourism and agriculture.

After the PNM won the September 7, 2015 General Elections, Rowley told Newsday an arrangement was made for Cabinet to meet at least twice a year in Tobago.

The Prime Minister explained the rationale behind this was to foster closer ties between Central Government and the THA. Cabinet holds its first weekly meeting after Carnival, yesterday at the Diplomatic Centre in St Anns.
USA Scientist visits in Kalasalingam University

New Delhi, Fri, 03 Mar 2017 NI Wire

New Delhi - USA Scientist Dr.Devog Taylor, from Med immune company at marry land, visited KLU, International Research Director Dr. S. Shasi Anand welcomed the scientist and had discussion to update the curriculum and laboratory development in centre of Bio technology at KLU.

The scientist gave lecture on career in Bio technology at KLU. The Scientist gave lecture on career in Biotechnology to Bio technology students. Dr. S. Sunder Director,IRC organized this visit and expert lecture prog.

The Vice Chancellor Dr.S.Saravana Sankar,The Registrar Dr.v.Vasudevan, gave felicitations.
King Mohammed VI who is on a work and friendship visit in Cote dIvoire visited Thursday two fish landing spots in Locodjro and Grand Lahou and enquired about the progress made in the implementation of these projects, financed by Morocco.

The Kings keenness to oversee personally the progress of the two-socio-economic projects translates his unwavering commitment to promoting Moroccan-Ivorian cooperation and also his dedication to fighting poverty and precariousness, and raising the living standards of African peoples.

Likewise, the Monarch gives substance to the African strategy he has been spearheading for years in a bid to promote a human, sustainable and integrated development and stimulate a genuine South-South partnership.

The two fishing projects, designed to be socio-economic development hubs, will contribute to promoting small-scale fisheries sector, by organizing and supervising the trade, improving the quality of the product, and promoting the living and working conditions of traditional fishing communities, fishmongers, fish dryers and fish smokers.

The projects are endowed with state of the art equipment, including fish halls, ice factories, cold-storage rooms, smoking ovens and fish dryers, as well as medical dispensaries and daycare centers to help mothers working in the fishing sector.

The projects will generate new jobs, optimize the economic performance of traditional fishing, and increase the income of more than 7,000 people.

Some fishermen who were on the spot expressed heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the Moroccan Monarch for sponsoring these projects that would have, they said, truly life changing effect on the fishing communities.

The projects, which cost about $565,000, are funded by the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sustainable Development, the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, with the facilitation of Attijariwafa Bank.

Part of its innovative strategy seeking to share its experience in wealth and job generating sectors and to diversify and expand the scope of its cooperation with African States, Morocco is financing two similar fish landing projects in Conakry, Guinea, and one in Dakar.

During the royal current visit, the 4th to Cote dIvoire in five years, King Mohammed VI held talks with President Alassane Dramane Ouattara and the two heads of State chaired over the signing ceremony of 14 cooperation agreements. The agreements cover several cooperation sectors (military, pharmaceutical industry, road infrastructure, finance, small and medium sized enterprises, social development, techno parks, data processing, transportation and logistics.)

On the side lines of the Royal visit, the Cote dIvoire-Morocco Economic Impetus Group held its third forum to survey the achievements it realized since it was set up in June 2015.

Cote DIvoire has been receiving most of Moroccos foreign direct investments thanks to sustained efforts by the business community in the two countries and the existence of a strong political willingness evidenced by the close ties between the leadership of the two countries.
Morocco and China are eager to extend their economic cooperation to the African continent as Chinese investors seem poised to build on Moroccos strategic location and business ties with Africa, said The Diplomat, a magazine specializing in the Asia-Pacific region.

Morocco can be Chinas gateway into West Africa and beyond, where Moroccan companies and businessmen are already playing a leading role, the magazine quoted Brahim Benjelloun Touimi, the director general of BCME Bank and the chairman of the Bank of Africa, as saying.

Highlighting the significance of the recent opening of a BMCE branch in Shanghai, the magazine said that leading banks in the two countries are prospecting business opportunities. The Bank of China, Chinas oldest financial institution, opened its first branch in Morocco this year. The bank seeks to manage its involvement in various African markets from Casablanca.

The magazine underscores the leading role of Casablanca in the continent as a financial hub which has surpassed Johannesburg to be ranked the number one financial center in the Global Financial Centers Index, a survey of financial centers.

The magazine also points out to the efforts led by the two countries to strengthen economic ties citing the organization of the first Sino-African Entrepreneurs Summit in Marrakech, where Morocco later hosted the COP22 summit.

The relationship dates back to November 1958, when Morocco became only the second country in Africa to recognize the Peoples Republic of China. Ties deepened last year when Moroccos King Mohammed VI made a state visit to China. It was the second such trip to China during his reign, recalled the magazine.

The magazine also sheds light on the agreements signed during the Royal tour in China, including the signing of a China-Africa investment fund and plans to launch works on a $10 billion industrial city in Tangier.

China sees in Morocco an opportunity to develop factories for export to the European Union, just across the straights of Gibraltar, said the magazine.
Four terrorist groups operating in the Sahel announced their merger into one group pledging allegiance to Al Qaeda and its Jordanian leader Azarkawi.

The four terrorist groups were brought together under the command of Iyad Ag Ghali, the leader of Ansar Eddine terrorist group based in Mali. The new terrorist organization bears the name of Jamaat Nasr Al islam wa Al mouminin (Group for the Defense of Islam and the Muslims).

The merger brings the terrorist groups operating in the Sahel under the umbrella of Al Qaeda. The merging groups are: Ansar Eddine, Al Mourabitoune- led by Algerian notorious terrorist Moukhtar BelMokhtar-, the Macina brigade, and AlQaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) led by another Algerian Abdelmalek Droudkel.

Jeune Afrique Magazine quoted regional experts saying that the unification of the four groups under the banner of Al Qaeda was in response to the rise of Daech (IS) in Libya and a fear of being overshadowed by it, notably after leaders of the Unity and Jihad in West Africa (known as MUJAO) broke away with AL Qaeda to join IS in 2015.

International reports have accused Algeria of cooperating with Ansar Eddine and its leader Ag Ghali to quell the separatist ambitions of the secular Azawad movement. Algerias support for Ag Ghali was intended to foster extremism in the region to avert a spillover of an independent Tuareg state on its own Tuareg population.
I am not a sheep, I have my own mind

I have had enough of being told what and how to think

Whilst we are still allowed the remnants of free speech,

I will speak out.



I also reserve the right to discuss less controversial matters should I feel the urge.
Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Dr. Ben Carson, a celebrated neurosurgeon and former presidential candidate who took himself out of the running for a cabinet position in November because of his inexperience, became the newest head of the Housing Department Thursday. The Senate voted 5841 to confirm Carson, with seven Democrats voting in favor of him, along with all but one Senate Republican: Georgias Johnny Isakson didnt vote.

The 65-year-old with no experience in housing policy will now oversee a federal agency charged with assisting low-income renters, combatting homelessness and preventing foreclosures. Last November, he explained his qualifications to Fox News: I know that I grew up in the inner city and have spent a lot of time there, have dealt with a lot of patients from that area, and recognize that we cannot have a strong nation if we have weak inner cities.

Even without his fringy opinions, history of endorsing questionable nutritional supplements, and bizarre tales of stabbing people, Carsons appointment to lead HUD is causing concern on the left given his generally conservative position on government spending and opposition to public assistance. Some fear he will dismantle HUDs affirmatively furthering fair housing rule, which seeks to end racial and income segregation in housing. Last year, Carson called the rule a mandated social-engineering scheme.

Others see Carsons views on poverty as a threat to the families who most rely on HUD. As New York City Councilman Jumaane D. Williams wrote in an op-ed last month, Lets be clear: Poverty is not a lifestyle decision. Rather, it is a socioeconomic status that is impacted by a number of multilayered factors. Carsons view that poverty is somehow chosen represents a threat to the millions of people who depend on assistance from the government for housing.
At a press conference Sessions agreed to a partial recusal in investigations of Russia-Trump campaign contacts. But its still unclear why he didnt come clean earlier. Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images

As he signaled he would probably do earlier today amidst the explosive revelation of two meetings he held with Russias ambassador to the U.S. during the presidential campaign, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced he would recuse himself from any Justice Department investigation of contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian officials or agents. Indeed, the recusal will extend to investigations of any issues related to the 2016 election, though it is hard to imagine any issue eclipsing this one in significance. It is also worth noting the recusal only extends to events occurring before Election Day, which means Sessions could involve himself in a probe of alleged contacts occurring between November 8 and today.

At a brief press conference announcing the step, Sessions claimed this decision had already been made and was well in the works before news broke of his meetings with the ambassador. And he also denied any wrongdoing or impropriety in negatively answering questions during his confirmation hearings about interactions with Russians. He is taking the very hard line that all he was asked about was contacts made with him as a Trump surrogate. Since the alleged meetings were, he said, held with him in his capacity as a U.S. Senator, they were not relevant to the questions.

In a rather casual description of the one meeting with Sergey Kislyak that seemed to be substantial, Sessions made it sound like a social call or even an effort by the Russian to collect political gossip. While he has adamantly stated the meeting was not on behalf of the Trump campaign, he would not rule out the possibility the campaign came up, it being such a hot topic, doncha know. This gives Sessions a prearranged second line of defense if someone else in the meeting suggests the campaign was discussed after all.

While Sessions constantly denied he had done anything wrong, he did at the very end of his press conference allow that he should have probably mentioned the meetings when Al Franken asked him at the confirmation hearing about contacts with Russians. His explanation for not doing so was that he was taken aback by this line of questioning. To hear Sessions talk now, the idea of Russians interfering with the presidential election on Trumps behalf was a new one to him when he held the meeting in September and when he was asked about meetings in January of this year. Since Hillary Clinton made global headlines by accusing the Russians of interference immediately before the September meeting, this hardly seems credible.

But thats his story and hes sticking to it. Absent new evidence, we can expect Republicans in Congress, if not Democrats, to call the recusal enough and shift attention from Sessions to the broader investigation, or try to bury the whole thing. But as with his decision not to disclose the meetings in January, Sessionss reputation as a straight shooter is taking a big hit. Once again, hes splitting hairs like a shady lawyer instead of living up to his responsibilities as chief law-enforcement officer of the United States.
Photo: Gail Orenstein/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Long before Donald Trumps shocking election, there had been what felt like an important revival of protest in America. Mostly that revival was sparked by the emergence of Black Lives Matter, which starting in 2013 quickly grew into a nationwide movement that, through various acts of protest, kept the subject of racial justice in law enforcement in the news while eliciting a somewhat predictable conservative backlash (Bill OReilly: How Black Lives Matter is killing Americans). Trumps election, though, supercharged things. The day after his inauguration saw what was possibly the single largest day of protest in American history, with more than 4 million Americans taking to the streets for Womens Marches. Similar resistance movements against his agenda are springing up around the country.

All this talk of protest, naturally, has brought with it questions about which sorts of tactics work and which dont. How loud, how unruly, how in-your-face should protests be? Under what circumstances is it worth risking a backlash?

February was an interesting month for anyone curious about such questions  two new papers and a book dealing with these issues were released. Examining the three together, its actually very hard to come away with any clear, simple, one-size-fits-all conclusions about protesting, given how context-dependent a given protest is. But some important lessons do emerge:

Yes, disruptive protests can reduce mass support for a movement. For a working paper they recently published, the researchers Matthew Feinberg and Robb Willer of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and Stanford University, respectively, and doctoral student Chloe Kovacheff, also of the University of Toronto, ran a series of Amazon Mechanical Turk studies in which they asked respondents to respond to various vignettes involving different types of protest. Specifically, the respondents were asked to rate how much they supported the behavior in question, how similar they felt to the activists, and how much they supported their broader cause. Sometimes, the protest was decidedly peaceful; other times, it was more disruptive or violent. Half the participants in one of the studies, for example, read a vignette in which Black Lives Matter protesters, among other things, chanted Pigs in a blanket, fry em like bacon, and half read an otherwise identical vignette in which the chant was Black Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter. The researchers also asked Turkers who self-identified as activists to estimate the effects of certain types of protest acts on outside observers  that is, folks who might either join the cause or form a backlash to it.

Feinberg and his colleagues write that their results show that consistent evidence that the use of extreme protest tactics led observers to feel less social identification with the movement and, as a result, support the movement less, but that activists tended not to realize this, instead believ[ing] extreme protest tactics would be effective not only for raising awareness of, but also recruiting popular support for, their cause.

Now, its worth noting that a lab setting strips some of the full complexity from this issue  real-life protests and peoples reactions to them occur amid a swirling array of contextual factors. Still, this research ties into past work about how best to build certain kinds of protest movements. On the other hand 

Sometimes mass support matters to protest movements a lot less than people think. L.A. Kauffman, a journalist who has spent decades covering activist movements, is the author of the recently published book Direct Action: Protest and the Reinvention of American Radicalism. Direct Action traces the history of a half-century of, well, direct action  a loose term she defines in the books introduction as the fierce, showy tradition of disruptive protest employed by many of the eras most distinctive and influential movements  on issues ranging from the environment to globalization.

Kauffman said that while she thought Feinberg and his colleagues are onto something when it comes to the problem of disruptive protests leading to a sapping of public support, she also thought that to focus so narrowly on that one consequence is to miss the broader point. Where I have a fundamentally different perspective is the authors of the paper posit that movements use these strong tactics to gain attention, and then the authors conflating gaining attention with gaining popular approval, she explained. But activists often arent trying to gain popular approval, and often dont care whether the broader public approves of their tactics.

Two examples that jump out from Direct Action are the Clamshell Alliance, an activist group that tried to prevent the construction of the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant in New Hampshire in the late 19708s and 1980s, and ACT UP, a famous AIDS activist organization active in the 1980s and 90s that had at its core a number of members who themselves had AIDS, many of whom would eventually die of the disease.

Both groups sometimes embraced radical, disruptive forms of protest. The Clamshell Alliance did everything it could to stop the company trying to build at Seabrook, including repeated attempts to occupy the site. While the nuclear plant was eventually built, the Alliance had a profound effect on the nuclear-power landscape in the U.S. and beyond. The movement at Seabrook and the other anti-nuclear movements of the 1970s, their protests and occupations played a major part in contributing to the complete stalling of nuclear plant construction for decades, she said. Construction proceeded at Seabrook eventually, but by and large no nuclear power plants were built for a very long time in the United States after that wave of protest. And certainly the occupations at Seabrook, as they got larger and more disruptive, were widely criticized, over and over again. Over and over youd find movements that were widely criticized and very unpopular at the time, but their protests eventually led to the objectives they were seeking.

A similar thing happened with ACT UP, which became known for its furious, theatrical protest acts as it desperately tried to get the federal government to stop ignoring the AIDS crisis and to address the dire lack of access most AIDS patients had to decent drugs. They were rude, they were obnoxious, they used language and imagery that was intended to shock and offend, said Kauffman. They used tactics that inconvenienced ordinary commuters, like when they blocked the Golden Gate Bridge. They occupied government offices, they threw the ashes of their loved ones on the White House lawn. None of their tactics were designed to appeal to some mythical undecided bystander and persuade them of the rightness of ACT UPs cause  ACT UP was looking to put pressure on those who had the power to make decisions that affected specific policy changes that they wanted to see. They were looking to put decision-makers in a dilemma. They were not looking to gain popular approval. Again, Kauffman believes this radical approach led to success: Eventually, ACT UP advocates had direct access to government officials, who simply couldnt afford to ignore them any longer.

Now, there may be less disagreement between Kauffman and the Feinberg team than there appears at first glance. I agree entirely with Kauffman that popular support for a cause is not the only strategic outcome activists pursue, said Willer in an email. As he pointed out, his and his colleagues make this very point in the paper: It is also important to note that our research focuses on the effects of social movement tactics on popular opinion, though persuading the larger public is not the only means for affecting change and is not necessarily the primary aim of all movements, they write. Rather activists may prioritize other goals such as winning funding, impacting powerful elites, psychologically empowering disadvantaged individuals, fostering commitment in existing supporters, and cathartic expression. Plus, its obviously true that in the case of something like a state or federal election, winning mass support is one of the most important goals in a way it might not be for anti-nuclear or AIDS activism.

The backlash to violent protest may have changed the course of American history. For his own working paper on protest movements, Omar Wasow, a politics professor at Princeton University, carefully tracked both violent and nonviolent protests by African-American groups in the 1960s and attempted to measure their impact on white voters. His most important finding was that, as he explains in the abstract, In presidential elections, proximity to black-led nonviolent protests increased white Democratic voteshare whereas proximity to black-led violent protests caused substantively important declines and likely tipped the 1968 election from Hubert Humphrey to Richard Nixon. In other words, all else being equal, whites who were exposed to nonviolent black protests were more likely to vote for the candidate who was more liberal on racial-justice issues than were those who were exposed to violent black protests (and yes, Masow controlled for a variety of potentially confounding factors in his analysis).

Masow explains in the paper that this is, to his knowledge, the first article to establish a causal effect of protests on voting, and that his findings support that idea that subordinate groups like African-Americans, can help shape national agendas and frame demands in important ways  but that when it comes to big, broad movements, backlash can lead to severe consequences.

For what its worth, while Masows empirical approach may be new, the idea that the riots and violence of the 1960s sparked a white backlash isnt: Among political scientists, this is a widely accepted idea. It doesnt mean, of course, that the violence in question wasnt often sparked by meaningful, urgent grievances  it means that there was a potentially preventable cost to expressing those grievances in a violent manner.

But its not the 1960s or 1970s anymore, and opponents of a protest movement will likely portray it as violent regardless of whether or not it really is. Kauffman had a similar reaction to Masows paper that she did to Feinbergs: She didnt deny it had some useful insights, but wasnt positive it offered applicable lessons to present-day protesters.

As she explained, Masows paper covered a period when there was an intense amount of political violence going on. In 1971 people were planting bombs in the U.S. Capitol and setting them off, and government buildings all across the country, she said. Yes, if you look at that period when a number of groups were experimenting with ideas of armed struggles, whether actually taking up guns and doing kidnappings for ransom or were setting off bombs or experimenting with full-on street fighting at protests  yes, you may be able to establish that there are correlations between that and law-and-order policies. Theres just no comparison, Kauffman argued, between any of that and whats going on today. Its so different in character and in the scale of the use of those kinds of tactics, the intensity  theres just nothing remotely like that happening. Even on those occasions when unrest has turned violent recently, its just an entirely different ballpark, she said.

Plus, she argued, mass media makes it so easy to paint movements as violent even when they arent that it complicates this aspect of the discussion. Of course one little burning of a paper flag and that can be magnified on TV and used as a justification to introduce new measures against protesters, she said. But I think if you actually look at whats been happening given the millions of people who have been out in the streets since January 20th, theres almost nothing that you can point to as violent. BLM is an excellent example of this, of course  the movement has been overwhelmingly nonviolent, and yet OReilly was far from the only pundit to implicate it in violence against police officers. In fact, its fairly common, in some circles, for the group to be referred to as racist or terrorists.

Anyone who claims to have uncovered the best way to protest nonviolently probably doesnt know what theyre talking about. Except for wacky corners of Twitter, there is more or less a consensus among the current generation of protesters that nonviolent action is best. Beyond that, though, theres very little agreement; rather, theres a perpetually noisy conversation going on about the best ways to protest.

Kauffmans book shows that this has always been the norm among activists, who are constantly debating tactics, weighing what works best, and learning from their errors. There are so many different kinds of protests  I think of them as tools in a toolbox, she said. When people are deciding whether to have a simple rally or to have a march or to have something thats stronger where theyre going to disrupt traffic, usually the calculation is based on a lot of factors. These factors range from whom the protesters are trying to pressure to how pressurable those people are to, yes, how important it is for the action in question to not alienate observers.

But the point is, theres simply no easy answer to the question of which tactics work best: Thats why protesters have tried so many different things over the years, and thats why they continue to embrace a diversity of tactics.
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If the Dems were the ones in power and doing all this, the GOP would be calling for riots and impeachments. The double standard for the sake of their party is disgusting.

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The blatant hypocrisy is absolutely astounding.

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loretta lynch and bill clinton had like a 5 minute conversation and they wanted to basically pre-impeach Hillary. 45's admin having shady and secret correspondence with Russia, about which they have continually lied yields "ah nothing to see here, keep moving". They are assholes.

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I used to try to be impartial and say "well both sides do bad stuff." Now I'm like, fuck it and fuck the Republican party (except Ana Novarro who is awesome.) I'm way past done defending them while they systematically fuck up our country.

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I read/liked, the only standards Repubs have are double standards.

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After the Yemen raid, on Pod Save America the hosts pointed out that if that had happened in their first week, Obama would've been impeached in a heartbeat, and it's so damn true. If Obama had done basically one single thing that Trump or anyone in his administration had done, they would've had him removed from the White House before the end of the day.

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Could you imagine if Obama said "What, you think our country's so innocent?"

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literally nothing matters anymore



there are no consequences



it's a free-for-all

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this is what truly scares me, they can get away with anything now

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There are only consequences for democrats.

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mte i feel like everything is just futile

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This cannot go away. This has to stay in the news and keep haunting his ass. Sessions needs to go.

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Are the media being too nice to 45 about his #JointAddress at the Capitol?



yes. apparently not making a complete ass out of himself for an hour and fifteen minutes is all that's required for the world to fawn over him while screaming about emails. yes. apparently not making a complete ass out of himself for an hour and fifteen minutes is all that's required for the world to fawn over him while screaming about emails.

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What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall in the White House.

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i couldnt help but wonder had the Russian ambassador been meeting with everybody except me? pic.twitter.com/SCnYF5FquA  JamesMichael Nichols (@JMN) March 2, 2017







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lolllll

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I can't lmao

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I read this in her voice and everything, lol.

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Arya's list. I bet you the IC is watching very closely on how people react to these leaks.



Since this tweet is taking off, here's Nunes' full quote. pic.twitter.com/oPlgnc7PpQ  Eric Geller (@ericgeller) March 2, 2017





I don't want to get ahead of myself, but Nunes is looking pretty suspicious. Wonder if he's the next name onlist. I bet you the IC is watching very closely on how people react to these leaks.

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I need to figure out what is Nunes tie to the Russians.

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i yelled out at that. i couldnt believe he basically threatened the press.

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Preview: I did not have sexual relations communication with the russians.



sorry, i guess i'm pretty cynical today. ye of little faith...sigh.

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I cannot at anyone acting surprised by this info re: Sessions.



The whole fucking adminstration has tampered with. How is any of this surprising???





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I keep asking myself the same question tbh.

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This Russia thing goes deep. I hope it's able to be properly exposed so that the GOP can be completely destroyed.



I'm guessing that the deal was that Putin helps Trump get elected so his and his bros can turn the US into their Republican nightmare land and in exchange Trump turns a blind eye to whatever Russian might get up to in Ukraine.

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Finland is gonna vanish and Chump & his cronies are gonna be like "what's Finland?? There's no such place!!Fake news!!!"

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That sounds pretty like it. Which kills me that so many Ukrainians voted for Trump. My godmother and my brother's godfather were telling my parents this past week that they weren't thinking too much about Ukraine when they voted for Trump but rather that Trump was going to take care of things that were wrong with the country.

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It's deeper than just Ukraine sis-- Syria also-- Trump & Putin definitely got that Hitler/Mussolini friendship going on

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I think we're going to get another leak tonight or tomorrow confirming he talked to the Russians about the campaign. I think they might be doing what they did to Flynn, release enough to get them denying it on record, then release a KO report that proves they were lying.



I'm super afraid that last night's WaPo article isn't enough and they're going to be able to spin it with that whole "he meant as a senator" bs.

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That WaPo article last night was a doozie!

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Didn't the WH confirm he talked about the election? I swear I saw a quote from them last night and saw reporters tweeted about it.

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GO GO ACLU!



We are calling for an investigation into potential perjury by Attorney General Sessions. #Sessions #SessionsRussia pic.twitter.com/9WoXJc87FS  ACLU National (@ACLU) March 2, 2017

Just want to say that Jed since the #JointAddress has been bearable. I've been watching live as of late.GO GO ACLU!

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I noticed that, too. I was watching today going, "Holy crap. She's sense making."

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lock them up. the media has to keep the pressure on. sessions should resign and if this get worse I think he will.



Edited at 2017-03-02 07:55 pm (UTC)

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AG Sessions should clarify his testimony and recuse himself  Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) March 2, 2017

Chaffetz being reasonable. WHAT IS THIS TIME?!

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lol maybe the people shouting 'do your job' at him got to him?

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I'm sick of Repubs occasionally making a reasonable statement and then going back and supporting the crazy. It needs to stop. I'm done with defending any of them until I see consistent action to back up their words. (And I don't trust Chaffetz as far as I can throw him.)

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hah he probably got scared after his mess of a town hall

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I'm not holding my breath over this shit-talking beaver.

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He must know something regarding the collusion bc if Sessions resigns..it's whoever jumped first that's gonna get in the least amount of trouble lol

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lmao, let me send a fruit basket to his constituents for putting his feet in the damn dumpster fire

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the fucker is using semantics. he said recuse not resign. he's still a dumb piece of shit that brings shame and a bad name to the noble beaver

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Mittens tries to warn us all 



I miss that crazy mormon.

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Yeah, but then that bitch came to heel with the "offer" of Secretary of State. He ain't shit.

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I'll take him over Rex!





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We are far past recusal. Jeff #Sessions lied under oath. Anything less than resignation or removal from office is unacceptable.  Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) March 2, 2017







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Here is her presser from this morning!





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Less than a week! Less than a week!



Sometimes it seems like so much happens on this show that I forget half the stuff. I wish I had time to do a rewatch before the new season premiered.

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I only just binged this this past year but I love it! I can't get over Martha though, her storyline breaks my heart :(

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I'm glad you've discovered the show. It doesn't get enough love and appreciation!



But yeah, Martha's story... oh man. That was rough. Her final episodes on the show was some of the best work the show has done, which is saying a lot, considering how consistently good the show is.

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Yass, you have good taste <3 one of us! one of us !!

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they did martha so dirty. that poor woman.

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The actress who played Martha should have gotten an Emmy nom for season 4.

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YES! She wasn't even nominated. Fuck that! Alison Wright is amazing!

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I Love Martha! I still have hope we will see her this season, being miserable in Russia.





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Keri is a QUEEN, she looks amazing and idk what she is wearing but only she can make it work lmao.



Also I can't wait, this show is amazing, BEST CURRENT DRAMA, WHEN WILL YOUR FAVES??? THEY DESERVED THOSE EMMYS AND ALL THE AWARDS !!!!





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Preach, sister! How can Keri be so gorgeous? How can she be so good on this show? How can everything be so good on this show?



I love this shit more than I probably should!

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Damn it's only five days away??



Watch me forget that it's on lol.

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March 7th! Don't forget!

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I am so ready for this!!!!!!!1111

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i just finished the magic of david copperfield



keri is so good in this role. and i love frank langella in this too lmaooo

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everybody is soo good, like for real, even the kid actors, specially Page, I love this show so so much.

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holly has really grown as an actor over the course of the show. paige learning about her parents has done wonders.



they need to do the same for henry so he can stop being so useless.

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March 7th! Don't forget!

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Henry Jennings



Who?



J/k, I am excited for this show to be back! And Underground back next week as well...basically the best of TV season soon!



Though I have to say, it's a bit surreal that we are currently in Cold War 2.0 with the Russians, and now I feel a little more sympathetic to what the Americans on the show were feeling. :p

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YASSSS this so much!! I am praying so hard for Underground to be good, my heart's been broken too many times by shows with flawless first seasons that fuck it up in season 2 trying to be "darker and more intense"

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I just fucking love philip and elizabeth, that part in the promo where she puts the cowboy hat on him omgg basically i'm a perv and just love whenever they fuck, and im so excited for the season I love this show so goddamn much and tbh i'd probably not have started it if I didnt hear good things from ontd!

idgaf about paige tbh

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Me too! Those 2 need to fuck every episode! I can't wait for the cowboy scene! Maybe this role play session will end better than the last time they tried. It was so hard to watch =(

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Yeah I was disturbed af after that! I'm hoping for more like Clark's Place ending ;)

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YEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want it now!

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I love the dedication of this post! I really need to catch up on this show.

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Thanks, mate! And do it now! There's still time to catch up before the new season begins!

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I can't remember which season I left behind, expect there was a very great Russian pain.

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O started watching last August too! I'm so glad I did, this show is so good!



I'm gonna miss Nina too! But she had to go, there was no other way.



I hope to see Martha again, though. I refuse to believe we won't see her in Russia.

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OMG I didn't realize the premiere was so soon! I can't wait!



I'm really thinking something with Henry is going to come way the hell out of left field. My theory is that the Center already got to him and he's been hanging out with Stan so much as an undercover KGB spy kid.

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I think something will happen with Henry, but not necessarily the Center getting to him. Idk what exactly, maybe something with Stan?



I can't wait to find out!

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I love this bit from their Time Out interview so much.





Edited at 2017-03-03 04:28 pm (UTC) Ah shit. I missed this post! Bless you, OP, for making this.I love this bit from their Time Out interview so much.

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I loved that part! They are such an amazing couple! I really want them to stay together forever. Best on screen and off screen couple!

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lol I just submitted this. Anywho, at this point Remy is just taunting her. I doubt Nicki will respond at this point though.

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I think the window is passed. I don't get the second diss track tho when clearly she didn't need it after that first one.

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Drake released "Back to Back" 4 days after he released "Charged Up" since Meek wasn't responding. So Remy released "Another One" 4 days after "Shether" since Nicki wasn't responding. Back to Back was stronger than Charged Up, while Another One is weaker than Shether tho

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It's definitely unnecessary. This track is just Remy taking her victory lap. It's hilarious.

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"already caught a L now you got another one. i caught the W, now i got another one." she's just rubbing nicki's face in it.

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it's a no from me

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i think a second diss less than a week after you already dissed someone and they didn't respond is lame esp when you're obv getting such a boost out of it, and the track is kinda lame



but again nicki deserves it so team no one i guess

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lollllll

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#NickiInPARIS with @olivier_rousteing @jourdandunn @winnieharlow @sarasampaio working  A post shared by Nicki Minaj (@nickiminaj) on Mar 2, 2017 at 6:12pm PST





Like Nero playing his fiddle while Rome burns down if that last post is true. Like Nero playing his fiddle while Rome burns down if that last post is true.

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One of them I recognize from Top Model, lol. I didn't really like her on the show tbh altho she's really beautiful.

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that laughter is so fake lmao

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jourdan what you doing girl

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Oliver makes me sick

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that was a stiff, camera aware group of people lol

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Omfg is that Mariah saying "whyyy" 





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Yeah it's an audio clip of Mariah saying whhhhyyyy lol

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Damn I was about to edit



I saw on my TL right now that it's taken from "the warning", which would make sense. I don't think Mariah would actively get involved liked that

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Did you see that Mariah and Busta Rhymes are gonna collab again? I love this song that they did together





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I thought it was Lizzo (from her "Phone" song), but it would make more sense if it was Mariah.

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this was weak and unnecessary

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When you mad and have access to PHotoshop.

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lmao that cover art

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lol i hope she keeps releasing diss tracks until nicki responds



she might make a whole album of them but idc

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lil Kim already did that lol

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I kind of do too. I mean I get it, Nicki is unbothered but she is trying soooo hard not to care. I really can't figure out who started this because they've both thrown subliminal shots within the past couple years... however I'm fine with the beef continuing.

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This is extremely corny, she should have left on a high note.

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I'm team Remy, but she should have dropped the mic after the first one. Go out on top.

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Finish ha!!!!!

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lmao whatever, let her have this! Nicki is never going to reply

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your icon. that man is a gift from the heavens.

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Has everyone who's drooling in this thread seen this? It's damn near one hour of this adonis cooking spaghetti to perfection while flirting with this guy and girl. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NtF40LgGuSo

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Haha true. Some people said Shether was the murder track, while Another One is just a victory lap or someone poking a dead body with a stick lol

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your username. that man is a gift from the heavens.

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I love Remy but she should've just left it with the first one. Like, stop wasting anymore energy on this woman, you already murdered her on your first diss.



She should've taken this opportunity to release a proper single that's going to make her money.

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i'm here for her hot ass novio

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i hate when she and selena wear those blue/grey contacts. embrace your brown eyes!!!

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Color contacts never look good tbh. I mean, I guess I get it since colored eyes are always a HUGE thing with Latinos.

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Yeah it bugs me too

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Did she give up trying to make it in english?



She's really pretty and pretty talented. She needs a better team because all her English songs sound like the leftovers no one else wanted.

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I guess sola will be her best spanish song

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Sola is sooo good. But I've grown to love her song Mangu, too

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I love Becky G. I just feel like I should support my paisa. Plus I got to see her live with J Balvin and she was so fucking cute.



Embrace your natural eye color though.

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Did she get new teeth?

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She got them fixed a year ago before The Power Ranger movie began filming

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Nothing ever looked group with them though? She just had a decent sized gap.

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I liked her old teeth.

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Produced by Dr Luke. Poor girl is stuck in his grasps.

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camila did it better

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she looks different? no?

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i didn't know she was latina??????



Edited at 2017-03-03 09:30 pm (UTC)

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Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ

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i only like "sola" from her spanish releases.

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She's pretty,and im glad she's trying to make it as a spanish singer now cause some of the spanish pop is pretty awful...now, this song isnt that good.



here for the dogs and the hot dogwalker

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Shakira

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Aww I liked her English stuff.

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it's cute and she's qt in it i hope power rangers does well so she can pop off a little

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Faced with a persisting oversupply and trying to keep its market share amid production cuts intact, Saudi Arabia has unexpectedly lowered the April price for the light crude it sells to Asia.

According to trade sources who spoke to Reuters, Saudi Arabias official selling price (OSP) for Arab Light was set for April at the low end of the range expected by a Reuters survey. The price for Arab Extra Light was cut by $0.75, which is more than expected.

The Saudis had raised the prices for February and March since the OPEC output deal has strengthened the Middle East oil benchmark Dubai that many Middle East state oil companies use to price their crude grades bound for Asia. Saudi Arabia had raised the prices of all grades it would be shipping in March to Asia, the U.S., Northwest Europe and the Mediterranean countries; prices for Asian buyers increased more than expected.

But now, oversupply of light crude persists, and the Saudis are not ceding their prized Asian markets.

They are serious about market share now. Many barrels are left [unsold], an Asian crude buyer who has business dealings with Saudi Aramco told Reuters.

OPEC, and Saudi Arabia of course, is trying to hold onto its market share in Asia after the production cuts resulted in higher Middle Eastern benchmark prices and narrower spreads versus Brent and WTI, which has made light crude shipments to Asia profitable from regions such as the U.S. and northern Europe. Related: Exxon Betting Big On U.S. Shale

Light crude is under pressure all over the world, a trader said to Reuters.

As for the Arab Heavy grade, Saudi Arabia kept its April prices unchanged, compared to expectations that it would cut the price. This could be a sign that Arab Heavy supplies could stay tight, traders told Reuters.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Oil prices fell to three week lows before recovering slightly on Friday morning, as early reports of OPECs compliance in February look promising.

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Friday, March 3, 2017

Oil prices dropped to a three-week low on Thursday following a bearish data release from the EIA. Crude inventories broke a new record at 520.2 million barrels, and U.S. oil production figures jumped to 9.032 million barrels per day, a gain of 31,000 bpd from the previous week. Rising production and inventories weighed on prices. However, a weaker dollar buoyed WTI and Brent towards the end of the week.

OPEC compliance reaches just about 100 percent. Data for February is in and it shows that OPEC increased its compliance rate. Saudi Arabia took on the additional burden, cutting deeper than it promised as part of the November deal. The oil kingdom cut output by 90,000 bpd in February from January levels, taking output down to 9.78 million barrels per day. Reuters puts the compliance rate at 94 percent, while Bloomberg has it at 104 percent. Saudi Arabia is making up for a handful of countries that are falling short on their commitments, including Iraq, the UAE, Angola and Venezuela. Plus, this does not take into account rising output from Libya, Nigeria and Iran. When included, OPEC is producing 415,000 bpd above its target. Moreover, Russia has not slashed its production beyond the 100,000 bpd reduction in January.

Saudi cuts prices for its crude for April. Saudi Aramco discounted its oil by 50 to 75 cents for its light oil to be delivered to Asia in April, and cut prices for its light and medium grades by 30 cents per barrel, according to the WSJ. They also offered discounts to oil heading to North America and Northwest Europe. The price changes do not necessarily mean much, but changes in prices have been closely watched over the past few years by analysts hoping to glean clues from Saudi officials on their strategy.

Oil to trade between $50 and $60. Daryl Liew of REYL Singapore sees oil trading within a range of $50 and $60 for much of this year. OPEC compliance will keep prices from falling but rising U.S. shale production will cap any price gains. Related: The Aussies Just Shaped The Future Of Renewable Funding

Natural gas inventories rise unexpectedly. Normally, U.S. natural gas stocks are drawn down in the winter as heating demand spikes, only to be replenished between April and November. But the EIA just reported a shocking increase in natural gas inventories, a major development given that winter is not over yet. The increase of 7 Bcf puts gas stocks at 295 Bcf above the five-year average for this time of year. With only a few weeks left of winter, the disappointing drawdowns suggest that the market will be well supplied for the rest of the year, potentially heading off any chance of meaningful price gains. Natural gas spot prices are already down 30 percent from their December peak, sitting at $2.80/MMBtu.

U.S. EPA scraps methane plan. Under the Trump administration, the EPA reversed this week the Obama-era request for methane data from oil and gas companies, the basis for which future methane regulations were to be drawn up. Without the data, the EPA would have a tough time designing methane regulations  which is exactly what the EPA under President Trump is hoping to achieve.

Trumps energy cabinet confirmed. Former Texas Governor Rick Perry was confirmed this week as the new Secretary of Energy and former Congressman Ryan Zinke took the helm at the Interior Department.

Keystone XL exempt from Buy American. President Trump made a show of the fact that TransCanada (NYSE: TRP) would be able to build the Keystone XL pipeline, but would have to do so with American-made steel. He even signed an executive order calling on all new pipelines to be used with American steel. But a White House spokesperson told Politico that because the Keystone XL pipeline is not new, it wont be subjected to those requirements. Some analysts question whether the executive order will have any legal power at all, since it only instructs the Commerce Department to develop a plan for the use of American steel. The upshot is that TransCanada will be able to build its project without any local content rules, keeping the cost of the project lower. Related: Are Oil Prices Really Driven By Supply And Demand?

Exxon goes big on U.S. shale. New ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) CEO Darren Woods gave his first presentation to investors this week, where he outlined a strategy to step up investment in U.S. shale. Exxon will allocate a quarter of its 2017 budget to short-cycle shale projects. The move will help the oil major navigate an uncertain market, as cash can be returned to the company much quicker from shale drilling than it can from the major offshore projects that Exxon has long been accustomed to. Still, Exxon will move forward aggressively on its large offshore discovery in Guyana, hoping to bring it online in the next few years.



Libyan violence takes place near oil export terminals. Libyas major oil export terminals Es Sider and Ras Lanuf have been crucial elements in the latest upswing in Libyan oil production. But violence once again erupted near the terminal this week. Rival factions fighting for territorial control have torn the country apart, and this week airstrikes occurred within a few dozen miles of both ports. Libya is targeting a dramatic ramp up in production this year and next, but if the terminals were disrupted, those plans would likely be derailed.

By Evan Kelly of Oilprice.com

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Crude prices are getting up off the canvas after being knocked down yesterday, helped up by a falling dollar ahead of lots of Fedspeak. Nonetheless, prices are holding in their tight range, as OPEC compliance seems to have more holes than a donut factory, while dollar strength should return soon as a U.S. March rate hike looks increasingly baked into the donut cake. Hark, here are five things to consider in oil markets today:

1) Indications continue to point to non-compliance of production cuts from OPEC members. Surveys indicate Saudi Arabia is doing the heavy lifting while others kick back and relax (hark, here and here). From our ClipperData perspective, the cartel on the aggregate appears to be showing little compliance via its exports; it continues to keep the market well-supplied, especially Asia.

OPEC export loadings bound for East Asia (think: China, South Korea, Japan) have reached the highest on our records for February, despite the cartel being in the full throes of a coordinated production cut. Flows to the rest of Asia edged slightly higher, but nowhere near as pronounced.

As our ClipperData helps illustrate below, OPEC sends mostly light crude into Asia (>70 percent). With Saudi Arabia lowering its OSP (official selling price) for its Arab light into Asia next month, it highlights its ambition of continuing to battle for market share. Other Middle East producers should follow suit.

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2) We've discussed Angolan flows in recent weeks, and how they are rebounding of late after reflecting full compliance of the OPEC production cut in January. Checking in with its West African compatriot, Nigeria, we can see that loadings are still rebounding lowly December levels, buoyed by the return of 'problem' grades.

Last year, we saw exports drop off as Nigeria suffered from sabotage and unplanned outages, which affected the crude streams of Bonny Light, Brass River, Forcados and Qua Iboe.

Exports of these grades averaged 820,000 bpd in 2015, before dropping to 500,000 bpd last year. Although loadings of these problem grades are considerably below year-ago levels, they have recovered from the lows seen last summer. Should we see a continued return to strength, it will likely propel Nigerian crude export loadings close to the 2mn bpd mark.

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3) While the supermajors continue to show caution in their capex plans, Exxon Mobil is looking to increase its spending to average $26 billion over 2018 - 2020, up from $22 billion this year. A good chunk of this change is to be invested into shale: some $5.5 billion will be spent this year drilling in Texas, New Mexico and North Dakota, with spending rising higher from hereon out. Exxon says it can turn a profit at an oil price of $40 by tapping its vast inventory of wells in these states. Related: Oil Majors' Costs Have Risen 66% Since 2011

4) The below graphic from the latest EIA natural gas weekly is pretty neat. It highlights how US liquefaction is set to increase in the coming years, and from which export terminals. While a warm winter may have anchored us in two-dollardom for now, structural demand growth from pipeline exports to LNG exports to power generation and industrial demand could lead prices higher going forward...unless production can keep up.





5) Finally, pun of the day goes to 'Gust Belt' from this article on wind power in Texas. We looked a few weeks ago at how wind capacity in Europe has surpassed that of coal for the first time (more due to coal plant retirements as opposed to wind capacity growth); wind power is showing a similar ascendancy in Texas.

While it still only accounts for 13 percent of total Texas electricity generation - due to its intermittent nature - it is helping natural gas-fired generation steal share from coal. As electricity demand in Texas continues to grow, spare generating capacity of 20 percent (of peak summer demand) should continue to shrink in the coming years. That said, rising renewable generation from both wind and solar in the Lone Star State are set to increase going forward.

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By Matt Smith

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The Environmental Protection Agency has removed an Obama-era rule that requires oil and gas companies to report methane emissions from oilfields  a rule that had prompted complaints from 11 oil and gas-producing states that argued it required too much work.

The EPAs new boss, climate change skeptic and former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, said the change was effective immediately, adding he will go on to assess whether the additional information that EPA required from energy companies under its previous management is indeed necessary to collect.

Pruitt commented that the withdrawal of the methane emission reporting rule was part of the new EPAs efforts to improve its relationship with state governments. Environmentalist groups were quick to condemn the move, arguing that under Pruitt, the EPA will turn into an organization serving the oil and gas industry. Pruitt was a vocal opponent to EPAs regulations over the last eight years.

The rule on methane emission reporting, part of efforts to combat climate change by reducing said emissions, was issued in a directive from the EPA in November last year. Besides these reports, the directive also called on 15,000 oil and gas companies to report the numbers and types of equipment at their onshore production sites.



Related: The EV Myth  Electric Car Threat To Oil Is Wildly Overstated

The justification for this directive was that the data would help the regulator develop regulations aimed at cutting methane emissionsmethane is a much more powerful greenhouse agent than carbon monoxide, and the oil and gas industry is the biggest emitter of the gas.

Some oil companies are already teaming up with tech developers to better manage the methane emissions at their fields. Besides the environmental benefits, this is financially justifiable as well. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, an environmental NPO focusing on curbing methane emissions, the U.S. oil and gas industry is losing US$2 billion annually in undetected methane leaks.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Fighting near Es Sider port escalated to the point that workers had be evacuated from the Libyan oil export station, according to reports emerging from the area.

The head of the oil workers union for the eastern portion of Libya told Bloomberg that the employees had been taken to Ras Lanuf as a precautionary measure.

Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army (LNA) were defending against an attack by the Benghazi Defense Brigades (BDB) from the western city of Jufra, causing the evacuation, according to Saad Dinar, the union head.

The BDB  which is not affiliated with the United Nations-backed Tripoli government - had reached a distance of just 30 kilometers west of Es Sider by mid-day Friday, while Haftar and his men stopped 20 km to the east of the key oil facility.

A top official from the LNA confirmed that Haftar had protected Es Sider from a hostile takeover, but that clashes continued just seven kilometers away.

February data from Libya puts the North African countrys output at 700,000 barrels per day  double its output from a year ago. This puts pressure on the rest of the nations that are a part of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to reduce output further to fight the global oil glut. Libya is exempt from the blocs November deal to limit production.



Related: Oil Rig Count Hits A 17-Month High

Libya has managed to more than double its crude oil output from 300,000 bpd in September, thanks to the reopening of oil ports in the Oil Crescent, which include Es Sider. Control of the ports was wrestled from the Petroleum Facilities Guard by the LNA and handed to the NOC.

By the end of 2017, NOC has plans to bring daily production to 1.1 million barrels.

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

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In a sign that the huge global oversupply may be starting to clear, commodity trading giant Vitol Group is offering to ship to Europe 4 million barrels of Nigerian crude oil that it has been stashing away in storage, Bloomberg reports, quoting five traders familiar with the move.

Vitol is reportedly offering 4 million barrels of Nigerias Qua Iboe grade that it has been storing in facilities in Saldanha Bay on the southwestern coast of South Africa, Bloomberg sources say. To compare, typical trades are of 1 or 2 million barrels each.

The offer for shipment of stored Qua Iboe grade comes when regular loadings of the grade are between 10 and 13 days behind schedule, traders told Bloomberg. While under normal export schedules Qua Iboe is the largest export grade from Nigeria, there were no cargoes collected in the last week of last month, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.

Since OPEC began its coordinated effort to reduce global oil supply to try to ease the glut and rebalance the markets, the pricing structure of the market has changed, with contango shrinking. Before that, at the height of the glut, it was profitable for traders to store oil because the shortest-term prices were cheaper than oil futures that were further forward in time.



Related: Exxon Betting Big On U.S. Shale

With the contango structure narrowing, it is no longer economical to stockpile, Ehsan Ul-Haq, principal consultant at KBC Advanced Technologies, told Bloomberg. Some refiners might be willing to take large volumes of West African crude if they can get it before they end their seasonal refinery turnarounds, Ul-Haq noted.

Oil traders have already sold more than 10 million barrels of crude stored in tankers off the coasts of Asia in what could be seen as the start of the drawdown of the huge oversupply and market tightening following OPECs production cut deal.



By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Mexico is planning to hold two regular oil field auctions every year, beginning in 2018, aiming to stimulate more foreign energy companies and local private players to invest in the countrys hydrocarbons industry.

The two auctions will take place in the first and second half of the year, respectively, said Aldo Flores, deputy Energy Minister for oil and gas, adding that the first one will target onshore and shallow water deposits, while the second tender will target deepwater and shale reserves.

The tenders are part of a comprehensive energy industry reform launched in 2013 by President Enrique Pena Nieto. The goal of the initiative was to reverse the decline in the nations oil production and encourage green energy initiatives by ending the monopoly of Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, in the fossil fuel sector and opening up opportunities for foreign direct investment.

The reform also included a liberalization of fuel prices, which sparked widespread protests among the population earlier this year and brought the Presidents popularity ratings to record lows.

The government is not giving up, however. Last year, it conducted four oil and gas auctions, awarding a total of almost 40 licenses to about 50 companies.

Two months ago, the National Hydrocarbons Commission awarded nine major drilling contracts for offshore fields in the Gulf of Mexico to foreign bidders including Chevron, BP, Exxon, and the China National Offshore Corp, along with Statoil, and Total.



Related: Exxon Betting Big On U.S. Shale

Mexico seems anxious to raise its crude production substantially, overtaking Venezuela and Brazil. At the moment, Mexico pumps around 2 million barrels per day. According to the National Hydrocarbons Commission, the combined output from these nine fields, when they reach commercial production, will add 900,000 bpd to this total. Mexico is currently the fourth-largest oil producer in the Americas, according to the EIA, behind the US, Canada, and Brazil.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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A Yemeni economic expert from the region contends that French Totals operations in the Kharkhir region amount to stealing on behalf of Saudi Arabia and ousted president Mansour Hadi  who, as the internationally recognized leader of Yemen, likely believes his actions are within his range of powers.

As the Yemen civil war carries on, Yemens oil reserves are becoming a specific point of tension between Yemens ousted Sunni leaders and their Saudi backers, and the Shiite Houthis and their Iranian backers.

Saudi Arabia has set up an oil base in collaboration with the French Total company in the Southern parts of Kharkhir region near the Saudi border province of Najran and is exploiting oil from the wells in the region," Mohammad Abdolrahman Sharafeddin told Fars News Agency of Iran on Tuesday. "Sixty-three percent of Yemen's crude production is being stolen by Saudi Arabia in cooperation with Mansour Hadi, the fugitive Yemeni president, and his mercenaries.

In 2014, Christophe de Margerie, the CEO of Total at the time, visited Sanaa to meet with President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi and discuss expanding the companys footprint in the host country.

Margerie indicated that the relationship with Yemen is strategic and that TOTAL is expanding and developing its oil blocks in the country, according to Hadis website.



Related: Saudi King Goes East In Search Of Friends And Cash

In January, the Saudi-led coalition that backs Hadis claim to the presidency clashed with a group of Houthi rebels in the Bab el-Mandab region  a vital passage for around 3.8 million barrels of Middle Eastern crude to overseas markets.

Control of the passage is important for both sides. The Sunni coalition cannot allow the Houthis to take it over because according to Emirati news outlet The National, they could use it to blackmail their enemies, paralyzing oil trade via the passage.

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Brand Nokia is no stranger to India. Despite the tragic fall of the Finnish company in the past decade, it has managed to revive itself. The company recently launched four devices in an MWC event in Barcelona and one of them being the legendary Nokia 3310.

Though the name and company is the same, the entire brand has been refreshed with its new license owned by HMD Global, which is led by ex-Nokia executives and backed by Chinese electronics giant Foxconn.

According to an IANS report, the company, which is now running under HMD Global, is planning to focus back on the Indian market and this time they even plan to manufacture their devices in India. "By June, these products will be launched globally and India will serve as a key market for us again. Our attempt is to source 100 per cent from the country because of tax benefits," Ajey Mehta, Vice President-India for HMD Global India Ltd.

"Our core strength is offline but we will also go online to reach a wider audience. However, online and offline product ranges will be different," he said, adding that a focus on core experience, design, quality and a pure Android experience will drive the bid to be among the top three smartphone players worldwide.

The company claims at providing fresh options for smartphone consumers. "The market has been cluttered with undifferentiated products and there is fatigue being observed. People are looking for fresh offerings which we aim to provide. We will aim to become the people's brand and have a presence in flagship brands as well as in the low-price segment," Mehta stressed.

Nokia has an existing factory at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu and it is one of the largest manufacturing facilities for mobile phones in the world. Regarding availability of the new Nokia products, Mehta stated, "We will make sure that we have a renewed presence in 250 cities and towns before we make new products available."

Though the launch of 3310 seems like Nokia's grand entrance in the feature phone segment, the company is still focusing heavily on smartphones. Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 will run on Google's (GOOGL.O) Android platform. The Nokia 6 smartphone comes with a 5.5-inch screen, the Nokia 5 with a 5.2-inch screen and the Nokia 3 with a 5.0-inch screen.


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Kenyan Police in Eldoret on Wednesday evening stormed a house at Kapsoya estate, where they arrested 24 secondary school students having a sex party.



According to Nairobi News, the students aged between 16 and 18 from different schools, were on half term break and had met in the house for the party. They were arrested after residents of the estate called the police due to the loud music emanating from the house.



A police report revealed that empty bottles of alcohol, used condoms and a mattress was found in the house. While six other students escaped through the fence of the compound. The 24 students are presently detained at the Kapsoya Police Post.

Source: Nairobi News









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.

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As global technology giants ready themselves to start building smart cities on the back or 5G technology and Cloud computing, Africa has been written off the list of places ready for the new technology revolution.



Vice President for Sale in Africa at Japanese technology company NEC, Chad Baker told Adom News in an exclusive interview at the the ongoing Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that "smart cities is not relevant for Africa now."



He cited, in the main, infrastructural, regulatory, attitudinal hurdles that the continent has to deal with to get ready for start cities, saying that, it will take not less than five years for any African economy to be ready for smart cities.



Baker said even the more matured African economies, where smart cities could be relevant, it is still very touch to initiate a revolution like that in those countries.



According to him, even though smart cities is a requirement to keep Africa part of the global community that would be connected to the internet of things via Cloud services, it will take huge investments by both African governments and private sector.



"Currently, Africa has unique challenges that modern technology can help to address quickly in order to position it for smart cities and these include security and power among other," he said.



Focus now



With regards to power, most African countries depend on nature as their source of power generation - hydro, wind and solar in the main, and that means telecom operators and businesses that consume a lot of power are a risk when nature fails.



Chad Baker said NEC support, in the area of power, therefore come in the form of high performing and efficiency back up batteries to support businesses to keep running when the national grid fails.



"Power is everything - without reliable power technology is of now relevance to societies," he said.



He said Japan offers a lot of grants that enables its NEC experts to take up jobs in African countries in the area of security and cyber security.



"We provide solutions in the area of intimate cameras, cyber security and facial recognition - so for countries like Mali, Nigeria, Kenya and others where terrorist groups exist our facial NEC's facial recognition system helps to easily detect and arrest them easily," he said.



NEC facial recognition systems, he said, give feedback with nano seconds and therefore make the detection of wanted characters really fast before they could get away.



Currently NEC security solutions are in Senegal, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, with footprints in seven other countries, including Ghana.



"There is a big drive in the West African market - we have spoke to Ghana about bringing in some of our border security solutions and we are working on expanding our presence in Ghana," he said.



Chad Baker said NEC also builds data centers for telecom operators across Africa and other parts of the world. NEC is builds data centers with varied technologies such as microwave and LTE (small cell) and also provide security solutions for data centers in Africa.



"Beyond the macro technologies, we also provide micro technology solutions, which is particularly important for densely populated African countries like Nigeria and South Africa, where the macro solutions don't guarantee good service quality," he said.



He also explained that NEC solutions help telecom operators in Africa to detect what is wrong with their existing data centers and helps them to fix the challenges to optimize performance, instead of spending more money to build more infrastructure.



Chad Baker said NEC also has a solution for waste management, where waste bins are connected to the internet and only give signals when they are full, so the collect trucks are only go to bins that are full instead of just driving around and burning fuel just checking.



"This is good for African but there is an attitudinal challenge about the adoption of waste bins that need to be fixed quickly so that some of these modern technologies could come on stream on the continent," he said.





Source: Samuel Nii Narku Dowuona, Adom FM









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.

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The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is seeking the support and technical assistance of the government of the Republic of Cuba for the construction of a biolarvicide factory in Ghana, to help in the fight against malaria.



In many parts of the world where malaria has been completely eradicated, even before the development of effective medication, one of the key strategies adopted was effective vector control.



It is against this background that the NPP government, under the leadership of President Kufuor, sought the assistance of Cuba for the construction of the facility for the manufacture of a biolarvicide, an insecticide that kills the mosquito larvae - newly hatched mosquitoes. Apart from the production of biolarvicides against malaria, the factory was also to produce bio-fertilizer to boost agricultural productivity and create jobs.



President Akufo-Addo noted that this project was, however, abandoned after the exit of the NPP government in January 2009, and has, therefore, requested for the revival of the project in partnership with the Cuban government.



He made this known when the Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Pedro Luis Gonzalez Despaign, paid a courtesy call on him at the Presidency to congratulate him, on behalf of Cuban President, H.E. Raul Castro, on his election to the high office of President of the Republic.



Mr. Gonzalez Despaign, in his remarks to President Akufo-Addo, indicated the willingness of the Cuban government to assist Ghana in this endeavour, as well as co-operate further in the areas of biopharmaceuticals, education, culture and tourism, construction, and sports.



With Ghana being the first country in Africa to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba, Ambassador Despaign indicated that the two countries would continue to share a special relationship, stressing that a high level delegation from Cuba would be present at the 60th Independence Day celebration, in this regard.



Touching on the co-operation between Ghana and Cuba in the field of medicine, he noted that a total of 239 Ghanaian students are currently studying in medicine in Cuba. In addition to this, hundreds of Cuban doctors are currently in the country, as part of the Cuban medical brigade.



However, the Cuban Ambassador noted that Ghanas outstanding indebtedness in the afore-mentioned areas total US$4,732,700. Virtually the entire debt, he said, was incurred over the last 8 years, and urged governments prompt action in defraying this debt.



Ambassador Despaign also indicated that Cuba is counting on the support of Ghana to helping in helping to lift the commercial, economic, and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America on Cuba.



President Akufo-Addo, on his part thanked the Cuban Ambassador for the courtesy of his visit, and assured him of the strengthening of Ghanas relations with Cuba during the tenure of his office.



He assured Ambassador Despaign of his governments prompt action in the matter of Ghanas indebtedness to Cuba in the area of medical co-operation between the two countries.



President Akufo-Addo reassured the Cuban Ambassador of Ghanas continued advocacy in helping to end the blockade against the Caribbean Island.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Toms of Maine. All opinions are 100% mine.

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The clock is ticking for 71 penniless union pension funds that rely on a federal insurance company to support their retirees  because the agency itself is also running out of cash, its director said Wednesday.



The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporations limited liquidity is part of the spiraling U.S. pension crisis that threatens to wipe out the retirement savings of more than a million Americans .



The PBGC talked about its reduced circumstances Wednesday as it announced that it is now officially making pension payouts for Teamsters Local 707.



The New York unions pension fund  covering 4,000 retired truckers across the city and Long Island  hit rock bottom in February.



The PBGC stepped in, as it has with 70 other bankrupt union pensions.



But PBGC only has about a decades worth of cash in its coffers, director Tom Reeder warned.



This is a big issue for us. Its a big issue for Local 707 and its a big issue for others in the same situation across the country, Reeder said.



Were projected to run out of money in eight to 10 years. Many union pension plans are projected to run out in 20 years, he explained.



There are going to be people in plans who run out of money after we do, and there will be no water in the well.



Right now, PBGC has $2 billion in assets built up over 42 years, Reeder said .



The company makes its money through premiums charged to unionized multi-employer pension funds  many of which are caught in an unprecedented financial crunch thats decimated thousands of union retirees.



Last year, when PBGC was supporting 65 bankrupt plans, it paid out $113 million a month, agency officials said.



In 2017, with even more insolvent plans on its books, PBGC is shelling out even more .



Local 707 alone, with its 4,000 retirees, costs PBGC $1.7 million a month, agency officials said.



In order to keep afloat, PBGC doesnt try to match a retirees union pension. The payouts are cut, often down to about one-third of what the worker is due .



Ex-truckers with Local 707 shared their new financial reality with the Daily News last week.



Ray Narvaez, 77, retired in 2003 after more than 30 years as a Teamster with a $3,400 monthly pension.



Now his monthly take home is $1,100 before taxes.



Narvaez is actually one of the luckier ones in 707.



According to PBGC officials, the average 707 retiree was getting $1,313 a month from the union pension fund .



Now that the fund is broke and dependent on PBGCs insurance payouts, the average monthly take home is $570, agency officials said.



But thats nothing compared to the cuts that would hit union retirees if the PBGC went under, said Reeder.



If that were to happen, PBGC would have to rely solely on what it earned from incoming premium payments.



Retirees could expect to see their benefits slashed by 80% . In other words, less than one-eighth of the $570 average check PBGC is able to give Local 707 retirees now .



The amounts would be negligible. Their retirement payouts would be very low, a PBGC official said.



The disaster thats struck Local 707 is looming for several other, much larger Teamster pension funds .



Retirees in construction, mining and the retail and service industries have been hard-hit too.



All of the critically underfunded pensions are multi-employers plans  meaning they were created by various companies that all employed union workers across the same industry. The Teamsters, predominantly a trucking union, has seen its pension funds devastated by stock market crashes and a shrinking employer base .



Two of the largest union pension funds teetering on the brink of insolvency  the Central States Pension Fund and the New York State Teamsters Pension Fund in the Albany region  cover Teamsters.



If the Central States Pension fund goes broke, it could swamp PBGC  if it hasnt gone broke first.



The majority of union multi-employer pension funds are doing well, as are single-employer union pension funds, Reeder said.



Its a minority, but a significant minority, of the multi-employer plans that are in trouble, he said .



Reeder and many of the union pension funds are pinning their hopes on Congress.



The PBGC is looking for an increase in the premiums it can charge the union funds, which requires Congressional approval .



It wont be painless to shore up the insurance fund, Reeder said.



But it will be far cheaper to do it now than to wait until the last minute, he said.



We are fairly confident that we will be insolvent on the multi-employer side by 2022 or 2028 barring a legislative change, he said .



For Edward Hernandez, 67, a retired Local 707 trucker whose monthly pension just got slashed $2,422 to $902 before taxes, the time to sound the alarm was nearly two decades ago.



I was saying back then to Local 707, Why dont we do something about it now, lets go to Washington, he said. Even 15 years ago we were getting letters that our fund was becoming insolvent. Why couldnt anyone find a way to fix this then?

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation ( PBGC

ie. more deflationary headwinds





Lastly, T

Amidst my crusade for the protection of Defined Benefit (DB) pension plans, I opine that contingency funds are more harmful than helpful for both plan members and sponsors because:

they unduly increase the pension expenditures of all concerned DB plans with the objective of safeguarding the pensions accrued through only the small proportion of plan sponsors eventually going bankrupt; not only do contingency funds protect the concerned plans against a risk that improperly relates to business (i.e. bankruptcy) as opposed to pension (i.e. mainly insufficient investment returns), but human nature being what it is, I surmise that the protection provided by a contingency fund might, in order to contain current estimates of pension costs and liabilities, induce the concerned: valuation actuaries, colluding or not with their plan sponsors, to be complacent about the soundness of valuation assumptions, e.g. by assuming an aggressive (i.e. too liberal) rate of return on investments;

investment officers, colluding or not with the plan sponsor, to take undue risks in the selection of investments. This does not mean that I do not care about the protection of pensions lost pursuant to a bankruptcy. Indeed, as stated in my attached proposed financing policy for DB plans, in such cases:

DB plan members shall have priority over secured creditors to amounts covered by a deemed trust, no matter when the security was granted to the lender; The outstanding investment fund shall be maintained of rather than used to buy annuities because: the cost of future benefit payments if less expensive if paid from the pension fund;

after the sponsors bankruptcy, the market value of the deficient fund would normally improve.

Ginger Adams Otis of the New York Daily News reports, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation running out of cash to cover union pension funds (h/t, Suzanne Bishopric):Edward Hernandez is right, the time to have done something about this was 20 years ago or even before then, now it's too late, these Teamsters pensions are hanging on by a thread.And so is the, the federal agency tasked to backstop these pensions should they become insolvent. Its director, Tom Reeder, is sounding the alarm, unless the agency gets Congressional approval to raise the premiums ii charges union pension funds, it will be insolvent on the multi-employer side, which effectively means pension payout will be slashed even more than they already have been.I have long warned of the risks of the PBGC so none of this surprises me in the least. I've also warned of how the PBGC was making increasingly riskier investments in illiquid alternatives to meet its soaring obligations.In my last comment, I covered America's crumbling pension future , explaining in detail why these multi-employer pension plans were designed to fail. Their governance was all wrong to begin with, leaving them exposed to the sharks on Wall Street who raked them on fees while they invested them in stocks and other more illiquid and riskier assets.And now that catastrophe has struck and there is not enough money to cover even reduced payouts, people are sounding the alarm.Here is something else to ponder. The PBGC backstops private pension plans, not state, local and city public pensions plans. What happens when they become insolvent? And don't kid yourselves, many of them are also hanging on by a thread.What will politicians do then? Emit more pension obligation bonds? Increase property taxes more than they've already have? Good luck with both those strategies, it's like placing a Band-Aid over a metastasized tumor.The time has come for the United States of America to come to grips with its pension crisis once and for all, to bolster the governance at state pension funds following the Canadian governance model and more importantly, to reform and enhance Social Security and base it on the Canada Pension Plan and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board which successfully manages the money on behalf of Canadians, investing it across public and private markets all over the world.As I stated in my last comment , the ongoing pension crisis is deflationary, it's not good for the economy over the long run because all these millions of Americans will end up retiring penniless, which effectively means less spending from them and less sales and personal income taxes for all governments (too many people underestimate the benefits of defined-benefit plans ).So, if you ask me, part of me wants the PBGC to go broke because only then will it force Congress to implement the radical changes that the country needs to effectively deal with the ongoing pension crisis.The problem is behind every pension lies a person, someone who contributed to it thinking they would one day be able to retire in dignity ad security. That is what it's all about folks, keeping a pension promise to hard working people looking to retire with a modest pension. And when that promise is broken, it's the worst form of betrayal of the social contract.It also sends the signal to everyone that you cannot rely on your pension to retire so keep saving more and more if you want to avoid pension poverty. More saving means less money spent on goods and services,Do you get it? I hope US politicians reading this get it because it's much bigger than the PBGC going broke, the pension crisis threatens the US economy over the long run and unless it's dealt with appropriately, it will get worse, and only ensure more inequality and long-term economic stagnation.Below,homas Reeder, the director of the PBGC, outlined the dire condition of multiemployer pension plans backed by the agency, saying it is more likely than not to be insolvent in 10 years unless Congress and the White House take action. This was the keynote address of the 2016 Annual Meeting and Public Policy Forum of the American Academy of Actuaries (November 4, 2016).I cannot embed this clip but you can watch it here . Take the time to watch it, you will understand more on America's crumbling pension future and why the situation is so critical.After reading this comment, Bernard Dussault, Canada's former Chief Actuary, shared this with me:I thank Bernard for sharing his wise insights with my blog readers.
iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- The Pentagon has quietly ordered new commando deployments to the Middle East and North Africa amid an unprecedented series of American airstrikes in Yemen, counterterrorism officials tell ABC News.



The moves appear to signal that the U.S. military is kicking off a more aggressive counterterrorism campaign -- with the encouragement of President Trump -- in a stepped up effort against the al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) terror group in lawless Yemen, as well as ISIS strongholds in Syria and areas in North Africa where both groups have spread to in recent years, current and former special operations veterans said.



The Trump administration in late January launched the first known ground force operation in Yemen in two years followed by an unprecedented two-dozen or more airstrikes this week targeting al-Qaeda's most dangerous affiliate, including airstrikes Thursday night. This week also saw the killing of al-Qaeda's overall deputy leader in a U.S. drone strike in northwestern Syria.



A veteran of 20 years of secret military operations said authority to broaden counterterrorism operations overseas had occurred in recent months.



"Authorities have changed in special operations' favor with the new administration," he told ABC News. "We're doing work on the bad guys."



Retired Army Special Forces Col. Mark Mitchell, an Obama National Security Council counterterrorism director and recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross in Afghanistan, said the chaos and lack of a functioning government in Yemen has "eliminated any real pressure on AQAP."



"The increased counterterrorism operations are compensating for the absence of a Yemeni counterterrorism capability and highly restricted operations under the Obama administration," Mitchell said Friday.



Un-announced fresh deployments of elite American commando units from the Army's Delta Force and Navy SEAL teams continue, officials told ABC News, to Syria and Iraq to strike ISIS, and to the Horn of Africa region to target al-Qaeda, with some in the military welcoming Trump's tough talk on counterterrorism.



"We don't know for sure what will happen, but the boys really think we're going to see a lot of action on this deployment -- because of the new administration," said one member of a special mission unit that deployed overseas recently.



Trump, speaking aboard the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier this week, said, "We are going to have very soon the finest equipment in the world, we will give our military the tools you need to prevent war and if required to fight war and only do one thing and do you know what that is, win, win, were going to start winning again."



But the first known ground force operation in two years on Jan. 26 raid by the Navy's "black ops" counterterror unit, SEAL Team Six, came at a high price.



The experienced operators were caught in a withering mountain gunfight with fighters from AQAP, the only terrorist group which has succeeded three times in smuggling sophisticated bombs aboard U.S.-bound jetliners, which were defused before they exploded.



"There were women straight up shooting at the boys," said a counterterrorism official briefed on the fight, describing the unusual battle, which resulted in one SEAL killed in action, some children in the compound killed by crossfire as the SEALs tried to search buildings and then broke contact, leaving the site aboard MV-22 Osprey aircraft. One Osprey had to make a hard landing, which injured three SEALs and the aircraft had to be destroyed in place by the operators.



A senior official told ABC News on Thursday that one computer hard drive and phones containing a wealth of contact information for al-Qaeda operatives around the region were recovered by the SEALs -- which was their primary objective, not the killing of senior leadership, many officials have said.



While the Yemen operation has become politicized in Washington as having "failed," with some Democrats questioning whether any intelligence gains were worth the high cost of SEAL Ryan Owens' life, a $75 million aircraft crashed and children killed in crossfire, military analysts continue "docex" -- document exploitation -- in an eavesdrop-proof sensitive compartmented information facility.



Even intelligence officials with the highest clearances involved in operations are not read in on the full results of the forensic exploitation and analysis effort so far, which has been compartmented to a handful of officials because of leaks by higher-ups, one official briefed on the effort said.



A senior official yesterday insisted, however, that, "the raid produced valuable intelligence."



The targets of this week's American airstrikes in several Yemeni provinces known to be safe havens for AQAP were long eyed for military action and were not new targets developed from any intelligence the SEALs recovered in January, two officials told ABC News.



"It is good to see the Trump Administration increasing pressure on ISIS and AQ senior leaders through air strikes and surgical ground strikes by some of our nation's most elite forces. But after 15 years of unilateral counterterror strike operations, our leaders must learn that 'cutting the head off the snake' is not how you defeat violent Islamist extremists," said Scott Mann, another retired senior Green Beret officer.



Mann, a highly respected counter-insurgency thinker and author of "Game Changers: Going Local to Defeat Violent Extremists," said team Trump and his defense secretary James Mattis must also deploy "expeditionary diplomats" willing to take some risks to engage key populations and leaders who can help crush al-Qaeda and ISIS.



ABC News reported earlier this year that a new task force called Ex-Ops was created last fall by the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command," to use special operations forces to hunt ISIS foreign fighters leaving the "Caliphate" of Iraq and Syria, who might conduct external terror operations in neighboring countries in the region.



The hunt for ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi also continues in earnest. Raqqa is now surrounded by Kurdish and Free Syrian forces and Mosul is crumbling, a military official told ABC News, promising al-Baghdadi's death at the hands of the U.S.-led coalition is "just a matter of time."



"Hitting Al Qaeda and ISIS targets will be accelerated under the Trump Administration with Mattis and his new national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, clearing obstacles for commanders to execute timely intelligence-driven raids and attacks," said Michael Pregent, a career former military intelligence officer who worked with Mattis and McMaster in Iraq.



"Stepping up attacks in Yemen delivers the message that the U.S. can fight Islamist groups anywhere and at the same time," he said.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Education advocates will be holding marches across the state on Saturday to show support for public education.

The Alliance for Quality Education is organizing marches in Schenectady, Buffalo, Kingston, Rochester, Syracuse, Wyandanch and New York City. Parents, students, teachers and community members are calling attention to the similarities between the agenda of President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The alliance has been calling on the governor to end the systemic racism and economic injustice by equitably funding schools. They want to Cuomo to fund the $4.3 billion they stay schools are still owed based upon past promises to substantially increase Foundation Aid.

Other issues the march is focusing on are raising the age of criminal responsibility to stop incarcerating youth, ending privatization of public education, expanding child care funding and making SUNY and CUNY free for all. They also want to extend and extend the millionaires tax by closing the Wall Street hedge fund carried interest loophole and eliminate corporate welfare and ensure that schools, college and universities remain sanctuary schools and not assist federal officials in the detainment or deportation of students, according to a news release.

The Schenectady march will begin at noon on the corner of N. Brandywine Avenue and State Street and ends at 826 State St at around 2 p.m.

To find out about other local marches, visit http://www.aqeny.org/march/.
Democrat Patrick Nelson, currently the sole challenger to Republican U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, will host a public town hall forum in 10 days at the same Glens Falls location where nearly 300 people attended a town hall forum without Stefanik last week.

Nelson, a 27-year-old from Stillwater who announced his campaign last month, will host the event from 5 to 6:30 p.m. March 13 at Crandall Public Library at 251 Glen St. in Glens Falls.

As of Thursday night, 32 people had submitted a Facebook RSVP that theyd attend. An additional 115 said they are interested in attending, and 190 more have been invited.

The event pages settings allow anyone with a Facebook account to invite others to the event.

Town hall forums are a chance for voters to ask their questions, Nelson said. Its a chance to meet the folks who you represent and hear their views on many different topics.

Nearly 300 people descended on the library last Wednesday for a town hall, moderated by Henrietta Jordan of Keene Valley, a former Democratic Vermont state representative. Many were vocally critical of Stefanik and her staff for not attending.

Nelson, a Bernie Sanders delegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention, was one of more than 100 people unable to get into the town hall after library personnel cut admittance at 195  the librarys maximum occupancy by law.

Outside the main room, Nelson made an unplanned speech in the foyer where the overflow crowd convened.

Tom Flanigan, spokesman for Stefanik, has said Stefanik was unable to attend last weeks town hall because she was traveling on a congressional delegation trip to Asia for new members of the House Intelligence Committee that had been scheduled in early January.

Town hall pressure

Over the past month, Stefanik has faced requests from some constituents to host town hall forums, the same that many other Republican and Democratic lawmakers have faced throughout the country. Its part of a progressive game plan called Indivisible: A Practical Guide to Resisting the Trump Agenda.

Progressive groups throughout New Yorks 21st Congressional District have been emphatic and unrelenting in asking Stefanik to meet with them, pushing for a town hall format. Several rallies and protests on the matter have occurred, including one outside the Crowne Plaza in Lake Placid on Feb. 10, when about a dozen Tri-Lakers protested Stefanik, who was in the village for a meeting with staffers.

The congresswoman has fired back, including in a 500-word Facebook post on Feb. 14 where she explained how she communicates with constituents while also criticizing some she dubbed a small number of activists who hijack and ambush community events for the sole purpose of political theater. She also said these activists had harassed her staff and raised the possibility of pressing charges. She did not give details of the harassment.

Stefanik staffer Joel Wood met last week with several groups of constituents, including some Tri-Lakers, at the congresswomans Plattsburgh office.

Nelsons campaign

Nelsons Facebook page, titled Nelson for New York, has just 500 likes through two months, though there is a long time before the campaign. Stefaniks seat will next be put to voters in November 2018.

Nelson also announced that his first campaign fundraiser will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Lawrence Street Tavern at 28 Cooper St. in Glens Falls.

He is also hosting a meet-and-greet in Plattsburgh from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the residence of Cheryl Lussier, at 19 Lakeside Court in Plattsburgh. Nelson said food and drinks will be served.

And on March 11, Nelson will attend the Jefferson County Democratic Committees pancake breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Trinity Episcopal Church Parish House at 227 Sherman St. in Watertown. Meals cost $7 or $3 for children 5 and younger.

Stefanik easily defeated Democrat Mike Derrick and Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello in November, topping Derrick by more than 35 percent of the vote and winning all 12 counties in the district.

Funiciello, a Glens Falls bakery owner who ran in 2014 as well, said last month he expects at least two other Green candidates are interested in running for the seat. He said he was unsure if he would run again.

Nelson worked for Derricks 2016 campaign as well as that of Democrat Aaron Woolf, who lost to Stefanik in 2014. Nelson currently works as a special projects coordinator for state Assemblyman Phil Steck, D-Loudonville.

Nelson graduated with a dual bachelors degree in biochemistry and biophysics in 2012 from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and studied law for a year at St. Johns University in New York City.
QUEENSBURY  Warren County supervisors are discussing a ban on use of disposable plastic shopping bags at stores in the county, or making those who want to use them pay a fee.

County supervisors heard a presentation this week from TriCounty NY Transition, a local environmental group that is pushing programs to lessen use of plastic bags. The bags cause major environmental problems in the waste stream and in waterways.

Catherine Atherden, a leader of the organization, said the group would like the county to pass a local law that would add a fee for plastic or paper bags when customers check out at stores. A petition on the issue has garnered over 1,000 local signatures, she said.

Atherden submitted a proposed resolution that calls for a "single-use carryout bag fee" that supervisors agreed to move on for a legislative review. Retailers would use some of the money they collect to provide reusable bags to customers for free for a period of time.

"It's not a ban. You can still get them if you want them," said Glens Falls 3rd Ward Supervisor Claudia Braymer, an advocate of the bag legislation.

Supervisors discussed a range of options, from an outright ban to a fee of 5 cents per bag. They pointed out that some stores, such as PriceRite and Aldi, already charge customers who need bags, while Price Chopper gives customers a discount for each reusable bag they bring in.

Lake George Supervisor Dennis Dickinson suggested a ban instead of fees, giving retailers time to enact them.

"You're a lot better taking money off the table," Dickinson said.

Atherden agreed the changes could be phased in.

Glens Falls 2nd Ward Supervisor Peter McDevitt said the "biggest problem is convincing the public" that there is a problem.

Atherden said her group has found that local stores have been receptive to making changes, but bigger national and international companies were proving more difficult.

Other communities around New York and other parts of the nation have been addressing the issue.

Suffolk County has enacted a 5-cent fee on plastic or paper shopping bags. New York City took steps to mandate a 5-cent fee, but the state stepped in to halt the move, because merchants would net the money from the fees while the issue of environmental problems from bags was not being addressed. A statewide task force was established to look at the issue.

The county board's Environmental Concerns and Real Property Committee voted unanimously to pass the legislation on to the Board of Supervisors Legislative & Rules Committee next month.
WARRENSBURG  The Warrensburg Junior-Senior High School will host a community forum on mental health and suicide awareness and prevention on Tuesday.

The event will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the cafetorium. It is free and open to all members of the community, parents and students.

Representatives from the Council for Prevention and Suicide Prevention Center of New York will give a presentation, answer questions and provide information on local resources, including insurance options, wellness and counseling services.

Light refreshments will be available.
The recent story about Dresden, its former supervisor Bob Banks and the negligent way town records were kept when he was in charge reinforces the importance of finding and electing competent and responsible political leaders, no matter how small the municipality.

The town of Dresden covers a large area but contains fewer than 1,000 residents. The 2000 Census counted a population of 677.

Because the population is small doesnt mean the town can be organized like a teenagers bedroom. Its not acceptable to just wing it with taxpayers money.

A state audit in 2013 found that Banks was not doing even the most rudimentary accounting but was controlling the towns accounts and its spending. Later that year, George Gang was elected supervisor over Banks, and Gang has spent the last three years working to get the towns books in order.

A recent state audit found that, although Gang has been trying hard and making progress, the town still has a ways to go. Auditors found, for example, that the town clerk had not been depositing checks and cash in a timely way, nor keeping proper receipts, nor doing monthly bank reconciliations.

In response, Gang said, the clerk has begun making deposits right away and doing regular bank reconciliations. The town has scheduled audits of the clerks accounts.

Finances were handled improperly for years in Dresden, and with limited resources, it is taking the new town administration years to clear things up. This mess should serve as an example for residents throughout the area of how bad things can get when you elect people who either dont know what theyre doing or refuse to take the job seriously, or both.

Sometimes  and this was true of Banks  people in responsible positions take pride in their refusal to follow basic rules, as if disorganization and lack of accountability were badges of honor. We have seen this odd psychology in Thurman, too, where the former supervisor, Evelyn Wood, was driven from office for insisting on doing things by the book.

The remaining Thurman board members have received some support from the town attorney, Mark Schachner, but its worth remembering he is being paid by them.

In the village of South Glens Falls, too, we witnessed a stubborn refusal to seek or accept assistance. As the village struggled to get a grip on its budget, Moreau Supervisor Gardner Congdon offered to help in any way he could. Surely, the village could have benefited from sharing services with the town or even asking town staff to review its books. But Mayor Joe Orlow would not take him up on the offer.

New York has too many layers of government, too many tiny fiefdoms where people with little or no experience in handling budgets are put in charge of taxpayers money. Banks showed how badly this can turn out.

The solution is for voters to look beyond personal charisma in elections and keep in mind that these are the people who will be handling their money. Think accountant, not class president when voting and local towns and villages will be run better than they often are.

Local editorials represent the opinion of the Post-Star editorial board, which consists of Publisher Rob Forcey, Editor Ken Tingley, Projects Editor Will Doolittle, Controller/Operations Director Brian Corcoran and citizen representatives Tim Robinson, Dan Gealt and George Nelson.
















The propaganda war being waged by the well-fed mainstream Western media has received a boost since it became clear that President Trumps chief counsellors and associates are almost without exception relentlessly anti-Russian. His newly-appointed National Security Adviser, General HR McMaster, was noted by Reuters as believing Moscow to be an adversary rather than a potential partner.









In the run-up to the presidential election it had been hoped by supporters of international trade, solid borders and mutual trust that Mr Trump would continue his policy of guarded amicability towards Russia. Nobody expected that on his entry to the White House a magic wand would be waved that would cancel out the Obama Administrations insulting and entirely counter-productive attitude to President Putin and set relations on an even keel; but it was certainly hoped that common sense and realism would overcome blind malice.





This has not happened, and Trump has packed his team with military men whose antipathy to Russia is encapsulated by General McMasters allegation that Russias aim is to collapse the post-Cold War security, economic, and political order in Europe and replace that order with something that is more sympathetic to Russian interests.









As with most claims made by sabre-rattlers in Washington, London and Brussels, the McMaster contention was much publicised in the Western media which fails to give anything like the same cover to statements conveying the fact that war would be madness and that Russia has no intention of taking any action that could provide an excuse for the Pentagon and its Brussels sub-office to justify conflict.









On February 19 CNBC reported Craig Caffrey of IHS Janes , the world-respected defence analysis group, as saying that we expect the Russian defence budget to fall again next year and it will sit below France in seventh position by 2020, based on current plans, with a total defence budget of $41.4 billion, while US military spending is forecast to rise to $622 billion, which according to IHS Janes is about 40 percent of the worlds total defence expenditure. IHS JanesIHS Janes





Apart from practical considerations of a desire for trouble-free borders, expanded trade and social improvement for its citizens it is absurd to imagine that Russia, with a defence budget of a twelfth of that of the United States, would contemplate giving Washington a chance to go to war. Not even the most committed propagandists could claim that a reduction in defence spending is a signal that a country is gearing up to initiate major conflict.









The US magazine Newsweek has never been a reliable source of news, but has a fairly wide audience which it attempts to persuade that Russia is a major threat to America, the country with a military budget a dozen times that of Russias.





One recent Newsweek piece involved allegations that Russian, so called, patrol flights, involving unannounced forays around and towards European airspace with transponders off, have increased since 2014. This was an intriguing piece of amateur propaganda aimed at convincing readers that the Red Menace has grown in capability and intention, while ignoring the simple fact that every country has the right to move its aircraft in international airspace. The magazines description of a recent incident, when it breathlessly headlined that NATO jets intercepted a skein of Russian combat aircraft, flying alongside Russian bomber planes above the Baltic Sea, would be amusing were it not distorted and malicious. (The word skein takes us back to the old days of Time and Newsweek , when they experimented amusingly with words and phrases. It means a flock of wild geese or swans in flight but in this case, the less dramatic figure 2.) TimeNewsweek





Newsweek reported that According to Lithuanias Ministry of Defence, which currently hosts the multinational police mission of jets from NATO [emphasis added] that assist in preventing incursions into the countrys airspace, Russian jets approached allied airspace February 14 and 16. NATO jets scrambled to escort a similar formation both timesan Il-22 bomber, tailed by two Su-27 fighters. The flights appeared to be a round trip from mainland Russia to its enclave of Kaliningrad and back. In both cases only the Il-22 had its transponder on. Only one of the flights, the second one, followed a submitted flight plan, which only detailed the movement of one of the three planes.





At first glance this report might appear reasonable, but unfortunately for the dignity of journalism it is a jumble of tiny half-truths. The headline states there were bomber planes in plural. But the text makes it clear there was a single Il-22. The statement that Russian aircraft approached allied airspace is intended to convey that the aircraft deliberately flew towards airspace controlled by the US-NATO alliance and that this was in some way a threat. The rest of the text, however, records that the flight was simply a round trip over the Baltic from one part of Russia to another.





The aim of the piece was to persuade its readers that the Moscow Menace is constantly deploying Russian combat aircraft, flying alongside Russian bomber planes to intimidate innocent Lithuanians and citizens of other Baltic States, although it is never recorded that no Russian aircraft has violated foreign airspace around the Baltic or anywhere else.









The report was typical (without the fantasising skein) of Western media comment on Russia that is intended to create alarm where none is remotely justified.

We are repeatedly told that the new General managers in Washington are intellectuals and military historians. Let them bear in mind the words of Eisenhower, their own great president, who declared that I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity. Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its labourers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron. Then they should reflect on President Putins statement about war to the effect that people with some common sense cannot even imagine such a large-scale military conflict today. We have other things to think about, I assure you. Lets hope President Trump has other things to think about, as well. Or will his generals force him into war?

































The 2013-14 effort at Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking was doomed to fail because of the unrealistic goals set by the United States at its inception, according to a new Israeli insider account. And the inevitable collapse was expedited by grave mistakes made during the negotiations by their American sponsors, and especially by secretary of state John Kerry, veteran Israeli peace negotiator Michael Herzog writes.





In a lengthy article published this week, Herzog says Jerusalem, Ramallah and Washington all contributed to the breakdown of negotiations in April 2014. All parties made mistakes, each exacerbating the others and contributing to a negative dynamic.





But he apportions devastating blame to Kerry, who initiated and headed the talks. He writes that Kerry definitely does not deserve the slander directed at him by some Israelis, but nonetheless highlights Kerrys over-confidence and lack of sensitivity, says Kerry caused confusion from the start, cites instances where Kerry misrepresented Israels positions to the Palestinians, and suggests the US team led by the former secretary might have deliberately misled the parties.





After insistently launching negotiations with the unattainable goal of reaching a final-status agreement in less than a year, Kerry then mismanaged the talks as they proceeded, charges Herzog, who was a member of the Israeli negotiating team headed by then-justice minister Tzipi Livni. (Herzog, brother of Labor leader Isaac and son of former president Chaim, is a retired brigadier-general who formerly headed the IDFs strategic planning division and served as chief of staff to the defense minister; he stresses that he has never been politically affiliated.)





Kerry failed to fully understand the psychology of the parties or the delicate nuances of their relations, writes Herzog, who has participated in most of Israels negotiations with the Palestinians, Syrians, and Jordanians since 1993.





At times he appeared more eager than they were, pushed them beyond their limits, set unrealistic goals and timeframes, and shouldered some burdens better left alone or to the parties  in the belief that his own powers of personal persuasion could overcome any obstacle.





For instance, the former secretary of state misinformed Ramallah about Israels firm opposition to releasing Palestinian security prisoners, one of the key misunderstandings that led to the talks breakdown, according to Herzog. Kerry also insisted on merging the negotiations he presided over publicly with a back channel track, destroying tangible progress that had been quietly made between the sides.

Kerry stuck to the titanic goal of reaching agreement on all core issues within this framework. The result was a waste of precious time and energy in the first phase of talks. Rather, the parties should have first tried to agree on guidelines for negotiating and resolving the core issues, according to Herzog.





Kerry set ground rules for the talks with both parties separately, which became a source of serious confusion and misunderstanding, eventually causing the process to collapse, Herzog charges.









Particularly detrimental to the process, he goes on, was Kerrys insistence on launching the talks in parallel to existing back channel negotiations that were well underway and promised to yield substantive results.

In March 2014, as the nine months allotted for the talks neared their conclusion, the Israeli negotiators sought to directly engage with their Palestinian counterparts to salvage the faltering process. They were shocked to discover that the Americans had apparently given false information to the Palestinians about an upcoming vote in Israels cabinet.









While comparing notes, we were told by the Palestinians how on nine separate occasions in recent days the US side had given them specific hours at which Israels cabinet would meet to vote on the prisoner release, Herzog recalled. Our jaws dropped. Nobody on our side ever determined a specific hour for the cabinet meeting To this day, I am bewildered by this episode.





The issue of Jerusalem remained entirely unresolved, Herzog writes, in part because Ramallah insisted, with American approval, to have Israel explicitly recognize a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem.
























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"Deutsche Bank confirms that it is conducting preparatory steps for a potential capital raise of approximately EUR 8 billion and several potential strategic measures. These include retaining Postbank and integrating it with the Banks existing German retail and commercial business and a sale of a minority stake in Deutsche Asset Management via an initial public offering. Implementation is subject to market conditions and approval by the Management Board and the Supervisory Board. At this stage, no decision to proceed has been made."

"We still need to manage two items in parallel, which is the capital buildup until the end of 2018 where we need to be or want to be at least at 12.5%, and we're committed to that and do everything that is necessary. But at the same time, we also want 2017 to be a year where from a profitability point of view we see an improvement."
Should the multi-billion dollar deal go through, it has the potential to change the landscape of the European auto market.

However, PSA's crosstown rivals at Renault don't seem to be overly concerned.

In an interview with Business Insider, Renault chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn explained that he's not remotely concerned by the deal and the increased competition it may create. Ghosn also serves as chairman and CEO of Nissan and chairman of Mitsubishi, though he's giving up the Nissan CEO role in a month.

"Are they a particular threat to us? I don't think so," Ghosn said.

"I think the only threat we have as a 10 million-car group that's well-positioned on practically all continents, is that we misunderstand market trends or that we misunderstand the effect of a specific technology."

Rumors of a potential deal between GM's loss-making German subsidiary and the maker of Peugeot and Citroen automobiles heated up in February. The total value of the reported deal remains unclear, although early estimates had the deal pegged at more than $2 billion. According to Reuters, PSA also has to take into account Opel's $10 billion worth of pension obligations.

"We know that consolidation in our industry is going to continue and that smaller players are going to try to grow because they know that, if appropriately managed, scale is a determinant factor in competition," Ghosn told us. "So you are going to have a lot of people trying to grow one way or another to reach what they consider to be a critical mass that allows them to compete."

For Ghosn, who also serves as Chairman of Nissan and Mitsubishi, as long as his teams keep their fingers on the pulse of the market and correctly anticipate the needs of their consumers, they'll be fine.

"We watch competition, obviously, but I don't believe the threat comes from competition. The threat comes always from the fact that you are not anticipating the market needs or that you do not have enough competitive offerings," he added.

"This is much more important than to be particularly attentive to what the competition is doing," Ghosn said.
Richard Painter, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School who was the chief White House ethics lawyer from 2005 to 2007, added the latest Russia-related White House firestorm could leave Sessions open to the risk of "blackmailing."

"The thing with Sessions is that the Russians almost certainly have a recording of these conversations or detailed notes about the conversations," he said.

Painter continued: "And so, they've got something over Sessions. Sessions will be asked what was said in these conversations. And if that doesn't match what the Russians have in their records ... then they've got him, and they have this over him for the rest of his term. We have no idea of knowing whether we're in that situation, but it's just way too high a risk."

With what is now known about Sessions' conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Painter said he doesn't think the attorney general "could effectively run that department."

Wednesday night reports about a pair of conversations between Sessions and Kislyak sparked uproar, with a number of Democratic politicians calling for the attorney general to resign, while others, including prominent Republicans, called for him to recuse himself from any investigation involving President Donald Trump's ties to Russia or the country's influence in the 2016 presidential election. In a Thursday press conference, Sessions announced he would recuse himself from any investigation that involved the Trump campaign.

Sessions told the Senate Judiciary Committee in his confirmation hearing that he had no contact with Russian officials during the campaign. The answer under question came during an exchange with Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota.

"If there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do?" Franken asked.

"Sen. Franken, I'm not aware of any of those activities," Sessions responded. "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it.

Sessions' allies have insisted he did not mislead the committee because he did not believe that those conversations, held in his capacity, they said, as a senior Armed Services Committee member, were relevant to the question. Opponents say Sessions may have perjured himself by not mentioning those two conversations with Kislyak.

Painter, who backed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in the general election, said "he certainly misled Congress" with that answer.

"You expose yourself to criminal prosecution by doing that," Painter explained.

Painter tweeted Wednesday night that "misleading the Senate in sworn testimony about one['s] own contacts with the Russians is a good way to go to jail."

He compared it to the circumstances that played out around Richard Kleindienst, an attorney general for President Richard Nixon. In 1972, Kleindienst, then acting attorney general, appeared before the Senate Judiciary committee for a confirmation hearing. He was asked about White House interference in an antitrust suit against International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, and whether he ever spoke with anyone in the administration about the case.

He said he did not, which was not true, as Painter outlined in a New York Times op-ed. When it was uncovered that Kleindienst, after being confirmed as attorney general, was not truthful, he said he believed the questions asked during his hearing were limited to a particular time period.

But that excuse didn't pass muster with the special prosecutor who was investigating the Watergate scandal, and Kleindienst was forced to resign. He later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to provide accurate information to Congress.

Another situation that provided some parallels surrounded Bush's attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, who resigned from office following a controversy over the firings of several federal prosecutors. Democratic lawmakers believed he made misleading statements about the firings before Congress, which led him to resign.

"We've already had Flynn get sacked over misleading the vice president of the United States about his contacts with the Russians," Painter told Business Insider. "So this is a pretty serious situation. Whether it amounts to perjury or not, I think it's much more debatable."

"You know, I think in terms of the truth telling involved, it falls within the same category as the Kleindienst example I discussed in the NYT op-ed," he continued. "And that you know the [President Bill] Clinton lying about his sex life  the difference between this and Clinton is that it's obviously so much more important than whether the president had sex with an intern, because we're talking about the Russians and spying activities within the United States, much more important. So, you know that's a factor as to whether he's fit to serve as attorney general."

During his Thursday press conference, Sessions attempted to clear up some questions about his contacts with Kislyak.

In detailing the meeting, which he said he didn't recall most of the details of, Sessions said he discussed terrorism and Ukraine, adding that the discussion surrounding the country "got to be a little bit of a testy conversation."

On why he didn't mention the conversations during his answer in the confirmation hearing, Sessions said he was "taken aback" by the new information Franken had presented in his question.

"This allegation that a surrogate  and I had been called a surrogate for Donald Trump  had been meeting continuously with Russian officials, and that's what I  it struck me very hard, and that's what I focused my answer on," he said. "And in retrospect, I should have slowed down and said, 'But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times, and that would be the ambassador.'"

The explanation that the conversations were under the scope of Sessions' role on the Armed Services Committee, and not as a top Trump adviser, seemed off to Painter. The Washington Post reported none of the other 25 members of the committee met with Kislyak.
The Executive Secretary of the Association, Samson Awingobit, in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM said even though they are happy government has cancelled the 1 percent import levy they will be happier if the 2 percent is also scrapped.

If parliament accepts this budget and approve it, the 1% special import duty will be abolished; but we still want to appeal to the ministry of finance that the special import levy we have 1% and 2%. The 1% people will be very happy to hear that the special import levy is gone; but we want to appeal to the ministry that it has 2% hiding there and of cause, maybe their attention wasnt drawn; but we want to draw their attention that those who bring in second-hand clothing and other things at Kantamanto, they are still affected by the 2% special import levy.

Awingobit said the tax cuts will help private businesses grow and also strengthen the countrys economy.

Ghanas Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta announced on Thursday [March 2, 2017], during the delivery of the 2017 budget statement that government had abolished about twelve taxes including the 1% special import levy.

Some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have described some of the cuts introduced as needless. But Awingobit said the tax cuts will result in the reduction of prices of goods.
It has come to the attention of Newmont Ghana that various individuals and groups are offering unsuspecting individuals fake employment opportunities and gold purchase deals on behalf of the company. These are scams intended to extort money from individuals.

Newmont Ghana wishes to notify the public that they have not designated any individuals or groups outside the company to recruit on their behalf through online job postings. They also do not contract individuals to market gold or gold products.

The statement further indicated that Newmont Ghana has alerted the security agencies about these criminal activities.

They also urged members of the public to be vigilant and take note of the following:

 Do not respond to business propositions or offers of employment from people who claim to be Newmont Ghana representatives.

 Available opportunities are officially published on the Careers page of their website: www.newmont.com.

 Newmont Ghana does not require job applicants to pay processing fees or any other charges as a condition for employment.

 The company does not contract individuals or groups to sell gold.

If you have any doubts about the authenticity of an employment opportunity supposedly from Newmont Ghana or want any information on the company, kindly contact them on the following numbers before taking further action: 024-431-2455
The GH5 cedi note will have additional security features that are sensitive to touch to enable the visually impaired identify it.

The note depicts the image of Ghanaian missionary, James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey credited for being one of the apostles of education in the then Gold Coast.

READ ALSO: Bank of Ghana not issuing new denominations

The note, when introduced will be a legal tender as well as a collectors item.

The climax of the 60-year celebration of the Bank of Ghana is, however, expected to take place in August this year.

Head of Issue at the Central Bank, Edward Musey said "There would be a significant departure in terms of the upgrade of the security feature on the new GHC5 note, including the public security feature which would be introduced."

Background of Kwegyir Aggrey

James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey (October 18, 1875  July 30, 1927) was an intellectual, missionary, and teacher. He was a native of Ghana who later emigrated to the United States, but returned to Africa for several years.

In 1898, at the age of 23, he was selected due to his education to be trained in the United States as a missionary. On July 10, 1898, Aggrey agreed and left the Gold Coast for the United States, where he settled in Salisbury, North Carolina, and attended the Livingstone College He studied a variety of subjects at the university, including chemistry, physics, logic, economics and politics.
Presenting the 2017 Budget Statement and Economic Policy on Thursday, Mr Ofori-Atta said it will cost government GH400 million to implement the free SHS programme for the 2017/2018 academic year.

The Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Marfo suggested that the Heritage Fund could be used to finance the programme, the Finance Minister said it will not be touched, adding he is looking at over envelop available to the government to finance the programme.

The Finance Minister told parliament that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will finance the Free Senior High School programme with the Annual Budget Funding Amount.

The minister further announced the scrapping of excise duty on petroleum products. In addition to abolishing excise duty on petroleum products, the government also intends to reduce the special petroleum tax rate from 17.5% to 15%.

Additionally, other taxes will either be abolished completely or reduced to create a conducive business environment.

He noted that an amount of GH7,382.79 million has been allocated for the education sector for the year 2017; out of which GH4,310.20 million, representing 58.38 percent, will go into basic education expenditure.

He noted also that the implementation of the free SHS programme would include technical and vocational institutes.
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Abdulmaleek held that the offences were bailable and that Egbedayo, 26, had not failed to appear before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) whenever he was called to do so.

I hereby admit the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million with two reliable sureties and one of the sureties shall deposit the original of his Certificate of Occupancy (CoO) with the Federal High Court, Ibadan.

One of the sureties must be a worker with the Oyo State Government and must deposit letter of his first and last promotion with the registry of the court, the Judge ordered.

She adjourned the case to April 11 for commencement of trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Egbedayo was arraigned on a three-count charge, bordering on obtaining money under false pretense and forgery.

According to Mr Ben Ube, counsel to EFCC, the accused between 2015 and 2016 at various times collected a total sum of $3,734 from three American ladies under the pretense that he would marry them.

Egbedayo told them that the sum was for traditional preparation for the grand wedding ceremony that will still come.

He used his versatility with the internet to defraud Para Lee-Johnson, Doris Cabana and Trenda Clegg, Ube explained.
Sani, who resides at Dawanau Quarters, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano, is being tried on a charge of rape.

The prosecutor, Mr Iliyasu Muhammad, told the court that one Umar Garba of the same address, reported the case at Dawakin Tofa Police Division, Kano, on Feb.22.

He said that the offence was committed on Feb. 20, at about 7.30 p.m., at Dawanau Quarter in Kano.

Muhammad alleged that the accused deceived the victim and lured her into his room, situated at the same address, with the pretext to buy some oranges from her.

The accused forcefully had unlawful sexual intercourse with her inside his room, he said.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 283 of the Penal Code.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge levelled against him.
Queenie, who was charged with unnatural carnal knowledge, pleaded not guilty.

The Court presided over by Mrs Abena Adjin-Doku admitted Queenie to bail to the sum of GH40,000.00 with three sureties.

According to the Prosecution, during the trial, the accused person and the victim reside at Ablekuma, where they are both tenants in the same house.

On January 25, 2016, at about 1800 hours, Queenie sent the victims younger sister, a witness in the case to go and call the victim which the witness obliged.

When she arrived, Queenie is said to have offered her a Vodka beer and other varieties of drinks after which the victim got intoxicated. Queenie then lured her into her bedroom.

The prosecution said Queenie asked other witnesses around to leave and she locked her bedroom after which a 13-year-old who is was a witness went to peep through the window of the accused and saw Queenie inserting the artificial penis into the victims vagina.

The witness informed the victims brother known as Nana Sasu and he also alerted her mother (the complainant).

The Prosecution further added that the witnesses rushed to the aid of the victim and saw her lying naked in the accused persons bedroom unconscious with vomit all over her. The victim was then rushed to the hospital after obtaining a medical report form from the Police Station.

The Police proceeded to the scene and apprehended Queenie and a search in her room revealed an empty container of Vodka beer, Star Beer bottles, and bottles of Orijin alcoholic beverages.
The Apple Watch, Samsung Gear Watch brand and fitness bands might have taken over the market since wearable technology became a thing. However, its time to push over because the real big boss is in town. OK! Slow down. Not everyone of it will have to be big because not everyone is big. Oops did it again.

Ladies and gentlemen, mostly gentlemen, I present to you a SMART CONDOM dubbed the i.Con Smart Condom. Iconic, aint it?

Now, this is not a full condom like youre used to. This is a ring that fits over your condom and wait for it  tracks your sex activity. Lol. Theres no hiding now, is there?

According to the inventors, the smart condom is in its final stages of testing (wont we all love to be lab rats now) and is not yet available on the market but will be released for public use in 2017.

Here are all the things the i.Con which is set to cost in the region of 340 Ghana Cedis can record:

Calculate the total thrusts

Determine calories burnt during sexual intercourse

Frequency sessions

Total duration of sessions

Girth measurement

Speed of thrusts and average velocity of thrusts

Average skin temperature

Recording of positions used is current in BETA testing

These data recording will be kept anonymously but users can use to share the information with friends and other users across the globe.

Users will be able to anonymously compare and access stats to i.Con users worldwide.
"Right now we're just celebrating," Snap's chief financial officer, Drew Vollero, told Business Insider after the stock began trading on Thursday.

Here's what it was like inside Snap's blockbuster IPO.

A giant Snap Inc. banner adorned the the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, signaling the company's hotly anticipated IPO.

Snap signage was everywhere inside the exchange floor.

Company execs and early employees were given a roped-off area up front to watch cofounders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy ring the opening bell.

NYSE President Tom Farley accompanied Spiegel (center) and Murphy (left) onto the exchange floor just before the market opened at 9:30 a.m.

The cofounders stood in front of their employees and the press for a brief time.

And Spiegel signed the NYSE's "Book of Distinguished Guests."

Spiegel, 26, is usually photographed wearing a white v-neck T-shirt and jeans, but he dressed up for his company's big day. His shares in Snap are worth $6.47 billion.

Bobby Murphy, 28, cofounded Snapchat with Spiegel in 2011. Murphy's stake in Snap is now worth $5.6 billion. He serves as chief technology officer.

A throng of reporters converged as Spiegel and Murphy were led up to ring the ceremonial bell.

Superstar model Miranda Kerr, who is engaged to Spiegel, was on the exchange floor.

She posted behind-the-scenes footage on her Snapchat account. Snap gave the NYSE its own Snapbot vending machine, which dispenses pairs of its Spectacles camera glasses.

Spiegel smiled as he looked out over the exchange floor and whispered something to Murphy. (The NYSE's president took the opportunity to take a selfie.)

After the bell was rung, shares opened for trading nearly two hours later at 11:19 a.m. after a period of "price discovery," during which traders on the floor of the exchange tried to corral demand for the stock.

Traders buzzed as orders came in.

Glenn Carell, director of NYSE floor operations for Global Trading Systems, told Business Insider that the price discovery took a long time because of heavy demand from buyers who didn't get allocations they wanted in the IPO itself. Carell expected the stock to end its first day of trading about $24 or $25 a share.

Snap surged in its debut to $24, up about 41% from the IPO price of $17 apiece. "That's crazy," CFO Drew Vollero was overheard saying from the exchange floor as shares surged.

Snap's Spectacles glasses were a common sight on the exchange floor.

Some Snap employees wore bright yellow ties.

Nick Bell, Snap's VP of content, was one of the company's executives in attendance.

Another executive spotted on the floor was Imran Khan, Snap's chief strategy officer, who helped lead the deal. He previously helped lead Alibaba's IPO in 2014.

Snap employees hung out on the exchange floor well past the share price listing. Several wore Spectacles.

Snap VP of Hardware Engineering Steve Horowitz wore a rare clear pair of Spectacles, which the company doesn't sell.
On brightly lighted kiosks, they were a call to action: "Women of New York: Cover your a$$" emblazoned over a silhouette of President Trump.

Some women posed in front of the ads in Manhattan's Flatiron neighborhood, posting selfies to Instagram.

One person drew a swastika over Trump's head.

It was trolling as advertisement, and Sallie Krawcheck's Ellevest, a money-management startup targeting young women, was behind it.

Krawcheck is the former CEO of Smith Barney and Merrill Lynch wealth management and CFO of Citigroup.

The idea for the ads, which ran earlier this year, came during a boozy discussion last year after the election, Krawcheck told Business Insider at a recent meeting in her startup's airy offices, also in Flatiron.

"Women were saying, 'Son of a gun, I need to take action. What can I do?'" Krawcheck said.

Trolling Trump, at least in Manhattan, isn't as risky a business move as it would be in other parts of the country. The city overwhelmingly voted for Hillary Clinton, mourned in the days after the election, and has since hosted countless anti-Trump protests, including one of the country's largest women's marches, which Krawcheck's staff attended.

Krawcheck also isn't worried that the ads may have offended the 42% of women, mostly white, who voted for Trump.

"You can't be everything to everyone," she said.

The company aims to sell itself to professional women ("Elle" in Ellevest's parlance) in their 20s and 30s who are trying to get a hold of their investments, an audience Krawcheck says has been badly served by Wall Street.

One of Krawcheck's staffers, who helped create the ads, said the moment was hard to miss.

"We were a feminist brand before ... and we've always been pro-woman," said staffer Melissa Cullins. "That doesn't always resonate with everyone. It would be hard to be in the business we're in, speaking to these professional women ... without advocating very strongly for equality and equal rights."

The neighborhood of choice was also no accident. Some of Ellevest's biggest adopters have been women in tech, financial services, and consulting. Many of those women are working around the Flatiron neighborhood and were likely to see the ads.

"It really addresses the change in the environment," Krawcheck said, including "the issue of money being a form of protection for her at a time at which a lot is uncertain, without, of course, saying those words."

It's not the first time that Trump has served as a backdrop for Ellevest. Last year, Krawcheck wrote a LinkedIn post that went viral on being a working woman in the age of normalized "locker-room talk," for instance.

Ellevest is one of the few brands targeting Trump. And to be sure, in many places around the country, this kind of advertising wouldn't work.

"A lot of companies, both startups and established companies, are reading every day in the Wall Street Journal about do they avoid the topic, do they address the topic, how do they address the topic," Krawcheck said. "People are coming out with different decisions and being criticized for them in a way I've never seen in my career."

Ellevest has received some pushback  emails expressing disagreement over participating in women's marches, for instance. But Krawcheck isn't bothered.
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tweeted Thursday morning "AG Sessions should clarify his testimony and recuse himself."

Democratic senators have called repeatedly for a special prosecutor, more often called an independent or special counsel, to be appointed.

But what exactly is a special prosecutor, how does he or she get appointed, and what happens next? We broke it down.

A special counsel could be appointed by either Sessions himself or by Congress to investigate

A "special counsel" is a modern day term for a "special prosecutor," according to Banks, and any investigation would likely use the term "special counsel." The term "special prosecutor" was used up through the 1980s, after which the laws around special prosecutors expired and were not renewed, therefore retiring the term.

Democratic lawmakers, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have requested Sessions recuse himself from any investigations multiple times, renewing the call on Thursday following news about Sessions' meeting with the Russian ambassador. (After the latest revelations, Schumer said he should resign.)

Sessions has previously said that he would recuse himself on anything requiring him to do so, but he has asserted that he sees no need to remove himself from any Trump-Russia investigations.

The appointment of a special counsel by the attorney general or deputy attorney general is "unreviewable," according to the Center for Legal and Economic Studies.

in the Senate and House intelligence committees, but Banks said he believes it is unlikely a special counsel would be created until those investigations conclude.

The other way to establish an independent counsel goes through Congress.

Congress could initiate the process to create a different independent counsel for investigations by passing a law, as it did in 1978, when the Ethics in Government Act was passed. The law dictated that a three-judge panel

Special counsels tend to be highly respected lawyers or judges. Examples, according to Banks, include: highly experienced private practice lawyers, retired judges, and former Justice Department prosecutors.

A special counsel investigation would likely take between six to nine months, according to Banks, who said that such investigations tend to be extremely complicated by nature. With so much classified information, intelligence agency officials that need to be interviewed, and hard to obtain information, it takes a while to sort out.

A special counsel investigation would involve arranging access to classified documents. This could be achieved by either declassifying information or creating clearance to classified documents for the purpose of the investigation only. If the latter is done, it is unlikely the public would see the documents obtained.

A special counsel would also be expected to interview a vast range of people with knowledge of or connection to the investigation.

In the case of the Trump-Russia allegations, a special counsel would look into

This would include human or digital intelligence, and the dossier delivered by British intelligence. Extensive interviews would be run with anyone close to the situation, including Trump's inner circle, and anyone who had access to digital or technical related information, said Banks. The special counsel themselves would ultimately determine which evidence to use.

What happens next depends in part on who appoints a special counsel. Attorney General Jeff Sessions would decide whether the special counsel appointed under him had enough evidence to prosecute Trump or implicated officials.

If Congress created an office for an independent or special counsel, it is likely that the counsel would refer results of the investigation to Congress, though that could change depending on the legislation passed. If Congress initiated an investigation through a commission or committee, it would fall to the attorney general to decide whether to prosecute based on the results provided.

Trump and his inner circle have been accused of having close ties to Russia. The White House has denied many of those accusations. Business Insider has previously reported that:

Trump and several associates continue to draw intense scrutiny for alleged ties to and communications with the Russian government.

A dossier of unverified claims alleged serious misconduct in the final months of the 2016 presidential campaign. The White House has dismissed the dossier as fiction, and most of the claims remain unverified.

Trump's campaign aides were accused of having frequent contact with Russia in a report released by the New York Times.

A report published on Wednesday by the Washington Post said that Attorney General Jeff Sessions met with the Russian Ambassador twice during the 2016 election.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer has argued that Trump and his aides have been sufficiently investigated already, and that no evidence of wrongdoing has been found.
"We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin," Trump tweeted. He attached a photo of a younger Schumer drinking coffee and eating what appeared to be donuts with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"A total hypocrite!" Trump added.

The photos appear to have been taken at a gas station owned by Lukoil  Russia's state-run oil company  during a 2003 visit by Putin to New York.

Later Friday, Trump demanded a second investigation into House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi after Politico surfaced a photo of her in a meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, following her denials of meeting with him in an interview on Friday morning.

"I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for close ties to Russia, and lying about it," Trump tweeted on Friday afternooon.

A spokesman clarified that Pelosi had meant she never had a solo meeting with Kislyak.

Trump's administration has faced increased scrutiny in recent days over its emerging ties to Russia and amid the US intelligence community's conclusion that Russia interfered with the 2016 election. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday recused himself from Justice Department investigations related to Trump's presidential campaign after reports revealed that during his confirmation hearings he did not disclose two meetings he held with Kislyak during the presidential campaign.

Schumer called for Sessions' resignation on Thursday, a day after the revelations emerged, and he underscored the need for a further evaluation of the "scope of Russia's interference" in the 2016 election in a tweet. Dan Scavino, the White House director of social media, responded succinctly: "Do it over donuts and coffee."

Schumer fired back on Friday: "Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in '03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you & your team?" Schumer said.

"And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts," Schumer added.
Gordon's remarks represent a dramatic shift from previous comments, and they come as Attorney General Jeff Sessions faces intense scrutiny over two previously undisclosed meetings with Russia's ambassador to the US  one of which was timed to the convention.

In January, Gordon told Business Insider that he "never left" his "assigned side table" nor spoke publicly at the GOP national security subcommittee meeting, where the amendment  which originally called for "providing lethal defense weapons" to the Ukrainian army to fend off Russian-backed separatists  was read aloud, debated, and ultimately watered down to "providing appropriate assistance" to Ukraine.

Paul Manafort was Trump's campaign manager from April through August of 2016. He served as a top adviser to a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine from 2004 to 2012 and helped the Russia-friendly strongman Viktor Yanukovych win the Ukrainian presidency in 2010.

An unsubstantiated dossier presented to Trump in January by top US intelligence officials alleges that agreed to sideline"

Manafort and Trump later denied having anything to do with softening the language of the GOP's platform on Ukraine.

"I wasn't involved in that," Trump said in an interview with ABC after the convention. "Honestly, I was not involved."

But he said his supporters were. "They softened it, I heard, but I was not involved," he said.

Authority and responsibility to shape the GOP platform

Gordon told Business Insider in an email Friday that there is "nothing different in what I told you and Jim," referring to Acosta. "His tweet was an issue of semantics, which I've shared with him just now to ensure we're all on the same page."

he RNC & Trump Campaign intent @ GOP Platform Week was to 'prevent' adding any glaring contradictions to the draft GOP Platform we brought to Cleveland and previously stated Trump positions," Gordon added. "This included the notion that arming Ukraine would have been contrary to the goal of improved relations with Russia."

"The RNC and Nominee's Campaign have the authority and responsibility to shape the GOP Platform," Gordon said. "Delegates who have their amendments defeated in part and in whole should understand the process."

Gordon said in January that neither Trump nor Manafort were involved in the platform change, however. He also claimed his only role as a Trump campaign representative at GOP Committee Week  which took place in the week prior to the RNC's kickoff  was "

USA Today reported Thursday that Gordon and another former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page, met with Russia's ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyak, at the RNC. Gordon said he considered it "an informal conversation just like my interactions with dozens of other ambassadors and senior diplomats in Cleveland."

According to CNN, Gordon said he and Kislyak discussed the Trump campaign's "goal to forge a better US relationship with Russia."

Gordon insisted in January that his only role as a Trump campaign representative at GOP Committee Week  which took place in the week prior to the RNC's kickoff  was "

Diana Denman, the GOP delegate who proposed amending the Ukraine platform to include the "lethal weapons" language, contradicted Gordon's version of events in an interview with Business Insider in January. She said that Gordon and another Trump campaign representative asked the co-chairmen of the subcommittee to table the amendment after she read it aloud.

"Two men sitting over to the side of the room  I had no idea who they were, but later found out they were Trump representatives  jumped up and tore over to get behind the three co-chairmen," she said.

Gordon then left the room to make a phone call, Denman said. Equal parts confused and angry over her proposal being scuttled, Denman said she confronted Gordon about who he was calling.

"I'm calling New York," Gordon

"I work for Mr. Trump and I have to clear it," she recalled him saying, apparently in reference to the amendment.

Gordon said in an email at the time that Denman "sought to significantly elevate the Ukraine-Russia issue beyond the already strong position of RNC and Trump campaign," so the language had to be watered down.

"It was controversial if you hold Donald Trump's express views on Russia, but it wasn't controversial with regard to GOP orthodoxy on the issue," the committee member said."This change definitely came from Trump staffers  not from RNC staffers."
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has come under fire for what critics say was misleading the Senate about his contacts with the Russian ambassador to the US while he was a prominent surrogate for President Donald Trump's campaign.

Sessions recused himself Thursday from any investigations pertaining top Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, have called for Sessions to step down from his post at the Justice Department. Pelosi has charged that Sessions perjured himself in front of Congress.

But experts say that while Sessions' may have misled the Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearings, his comments likely don't amount to perjury

"A

While Franken contended Thursday that Sessions' comments were "extremely misleading," he stopped short of invoking "perjury." It's much more difficult to prove that Sessions, a trained attorney, actually lied with intent.

In order to obtain a perjury conviction, the prosecution must make explicitly clear what each specific term in Franken's question means, including what was meant by "affiliated," Stan Brand, senior counsel at Akin Gump and an expert on congressional investigations, told Business Insider.

"

Sessions met with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, in his Senate office on September 8, at the height of the presidential campaign, and at a Heritage Foundation event in July during the Republican National Convention.

Sessions, for his part, said at a press conference Thursday that his response to Franken's question was accurate.

There are grounds for perjury only if it can be proven that Sessions made a false statement, said Levenson, the former federal prosecutor and Loyola Law School professor.
In a speech titled "Working too hard for too little: A plan for restoring the value of work in America," Brown presented an economic platform  one on which he's built up credibility as one of Congress' most left-leaning members  with a tone similar to the one Trump was able to use successfully in winning over a larger portion of the working-class vote than prior Republican nominees.

"What has changed is that people no longer see a path to get there through hard work  and they're right," Brown said at Ohio State University in Columbus, later adding that "hard work doesn't pay off like it used to."

"Politicians in Washington too often rely solely on the unemployment rate to measure how the economy is doing," he continued. "The unemployment rate is one thing, but whether workers have jobs that pay a decent wage and provide security is another. And the unemployment rate certainly doesnt reflect the frustration, the worry, the anger, the pain that workers feel."

The Ohio senator took aim at wage stagnation and declining benefits for workers.

"People earn less, people can't save for retirement, and people feel less stable  all while working harder and producing more than ever before," he said. "Work has changed significantly in this country. Compared to 50 years ago, people do different jobs in different ways."

Brown's address urged for a more inclusive form of economic populism than Trump's, while he sought to appeal to Americans who he said feel that the modernization of various sectors of industry and the growing "gig" economy have left them behind.

"That's what this plan is for  to make life better for all workers," he said. "Every single one of them. That is the heart of populism. Populism is for the people  not these people, or those people, but all people. It is not about appealing to some by pushing others down. It's about lifting everyone up."

"When we talk about work, we talk to everyone," he later added. "When we restore value to work, we will make our country a better place for every single American. Thats what this plan aims to do."

Brown has spent years railing on the same trade agreements at which Trump took aim during his campaign and in the aftermath of his shocking electoral victory. He said those deals were a "major part of the problem" with the American economy, adding that the government needed to "change the way we think about" it.

Brown made numerous progressive pitches, including a call to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, expand retirement savings options and the collective bargaining rights of unions, and plans to target employers who "misclassify" workers to avoid paying taxes and overtime wages.

"Work unites all of us," he said. "As Pope Francis teaches us: 'We don't get dignity from power nor money or culture. We get dignity from work.' Some of the ideas I've laid out are new. Others, we have talked about before but haven't laid out as part of a broader agenda to restore the value of work for all Americans.

"We need to rethink how we talk about the economy," he continued. "Instead of individual solutions to niche problems, we need to offer universal solutions to a universal problem  the declining value of work. That's what this plan is for  to make life better for all workers. Every single one of them."

Brown was frequently mentioned as a possible running mate for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton before she settled on Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia. Brown's speech coincided with his release of a 77-page economic plan.

Democrats like Brown have begun formulating an economic message to more effectively counter Trump. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island told Business Insider in a recent interview that the party needed to have much stronger economic ideals to win at the polls in 2018 and 2020.

"Stuff that people can envision and we can deliver," he said. "I've spent 10 years in the Senate now, and the talk about messaging is making me increasingly insane. I don't think you earn the right to a message until you've earned it by having a real fight, really being willing to stand up for what you believe in."

"And to constantly be jumping from message point to message point, positioning yourself on issues without ever taking a step back, deciding what the hell you're going to do, and jamming it through as best you can, or at least making it one hell of a big fight so that everyone in the country knows that it took place, I think is a mistake," he added.
We evaluate precision guided munitions against realistic targets with realistic enemy defenses, said Lt. Col. Sean Neitzke, the 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron commander in an Air Force statement. There are plenty of places in the world where low-tech adversaries can mount 50-caliber machine guns and rocket launchers on small boats for use against us. They could also use other types of shoulder launched weapons, all of which could be a threat to American assets.

The situation described by Neitzke bears eerily similarities to the situation with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.

Patrick Megahan, an expert on Iran's military with the Foundation for Defense of Democracy, told Business Insider that even without the Air Force, the US Navy has plenty of ways to counter the threat posed by Iranian-style swarm attacks.

"US Army Apache attack helicopters also frequently drill aboard US Navy vessels in the Persian Gulf for countering exactly this threat," Megahan said of the swarming boats.
So when the billionaire tech mogul and philanthropist offers insight or advice, it's smart to listen.

On Monday, the Microsoft founder and co-chair of The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation hosted an "AMA," or "ask me anything," session on Reddit, during which a participant inquired, "If you could give 19-year-old Bill Gates some advice, what would it be?"

Here's what Gates had to say:

"I would explain that smartness is not single dimensional and not quite as important as I thought it was back then. I would say you might explore the developing world before you get into your forties. I wasn't very good socially back then, but I am not sure there is advice that would fix that  maybe I had to be awkward and just grow up..."

In short: Intelligence isn't one-dimensional  and it's not the only ingredient required for success.

This isn't the only time Gates has doled out advice for navigating your years as a young adult. One of his best nuggets of wisdom comes from fellow billionaire and friend, Warren Buffett: Keep things simple.

In a 2009 interview with CNBC, Gates said:

"You look at his calendar, it's pretty simple. You talk to him about a case where he thinks a business is attractive, and he knows a few basic numbers and facts about it. And [if] it gets less complicated, he feels like then it's something he'll choose to invest in.
The 29-year-old founder of Hater, a dating app that connects people based on mutual dislikes, recently took something of a risk: His company created an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin caressing a pregnant Donald Trump and projected it on buildings throughout New York City.

The advertisement got some laughs, but it also inspired internet backlash. Alper has a handful of death threats sitting in his Facebook inbox, and has decided against heading to an upcoming tech conference in Moscow, Russia.

But Alper mostly laughs off the internet backlash and the concerns that Russia might be displeased with his company's handiwork.

There's science behind it

Hater is Alper's first foray into the startup world. The former banker spent five years at Goldman Sachs and one and a half more at Nomura, but he never really loved what he was doing.

The idea for Hater started as one of those sketches. Wouldn't it be funny, he thought, if there was a dating app for bonding over things you don't like?

Getting creative with monetization

Hater works by supplying users with close to 3,000 topics to rate by swiping one of four ways: up to love, right to like, left to dislike, and down to hate.

By letting the app know how you feel about those topics, you're creating a profile that gets compared to the profiles of other users. You're then matched with other users based on the things you both hate or love.

Alper is also excited about selling Hater-inspired merchandise (which he says some enterprising fans have already started doing on their own using the pregnant Trump image), though he admits it's an unconventional way of trying to make money as a startup.

'It's about empathy'
Introduced in late January, the twin bills would tax self-driving cars per mile and allow large municipalities to ban them altogether, the Northeast-focused news website Metro reported. The bill set is being sponsored by state Sens. Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Jason Lewis, both Democrats.

The proposal is meant to curtail the rise of "zombie cars," or driverless vehicles that drive in circles waiting for a customer instead of parking, Lewis told The Boston Globe. The bill set asks for a per-mile fee of at least $0.025.

"We could have situations where people with autonomous vehicles go somewhere and because there is either very little parking or because they don't want to pay for parking, they could just have their cars just driving around and clogging up the roads," Lewis recently told Metro, which covers Boston, New York, and Philadelphia.

The bill also requires self-driving cars to be marked as autonomous vehicles, be zero-emission vehicles if they weigh less than 8,500 pounds, store data required by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, and have a panic button.

Massachusetts state law does not address the testing of self-driving cars. The state is allowing NuTonomy, a Cambridge-based startup, to test its self-driving cars.

The Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets, which includes companies like Ford and Google, has called for the federal government to release regulations dictating the use of self-driving vehicles to avoid a state-by-state approach in which policies could vary greatly.
The TV host and Vlogger in her latest Vlog titled 'Daddy Issues' shot during her recent 'On Becoming' tour in London, said her lawyers are on it.

According to her,

"As you guys might have heard, there's a lot going on in the news and the little that I have, let's just hope I have it after a while.

For all the people that reached out to me, my lawyers are on it.

I don't think you have anything to worry about, that's all I'll say. It is what it is. It's going to be a very interesting year.

People are going ti have opinions regardless, so I have nothing to say about that."

This comes after the estranged husband of the popular media personality we reported hired lawyers to stop the sales and promotion of her memoir 'On Becoming'.

Ayida's legal representatives sent Toke Makinwa a letter of demand" to stop all forms of promotional activities and also the sales of the book.

Toke Makinwa's estranged husband hired Carter-Ruck a top UK firm that specialises in defamation and has clients such as Elton John, Chelsea FC and Simon Cowell.

He has also hired Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) of Pinheiro LP to represent him in Nigeria.

In Toke Makinwa's memoirs, Maje Ayida was scathingly portrayed and was said to have given the on-air-personality an STD. She also wrote that the fitness expert was a serial cheat and an adulterer.

The legal documents Maje's reps sent to Toke Makinwa described the book as exaggerated fabrication.

'On Becoming' was published on Sunday, November 27, 2016 by Kachifo Limited. Maje Ayida's lawyers however said the popular book contained defamatory words.

Maje Ayida's law firm also noted the book brought "public ridicule on its client, and stated its client's reputation has been assaulted, injured and damaged.

It was stated that if Toke Makinwa fails to retract her published words and apologise to Maje Ayida in three national dailies, "will result in the commencement of legal action." The letter of warning was sent to Toke Makinwa on Monday, December 23, 2016.
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!
Oladejo is standing trial on a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining money by false pretences.

According to the prosecutor, Insp. James Odaodu, the accused collected N2 million from Mr Ayokunle Johnson under the pretext of executing a fencing project for him.

Odaodu said that the accused, a resident of Brewery Area of Ibadan, committed the offences in August 2016.

The prosecutor submitted that Oladejo collected the money with three different account numbers.

He said that the accused collected the money through UBA account number 2085911185 belonging to Adelabu Igbagboyemi, UBA account number 2071220282 belonging to Olayinka Alfred Kayode and Skye Bank account number 1016149845.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 1 and 3 of Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act, 2006.

He said that investigations revealed that the accused conspired with four others, still at large, to commit the offence.

Odaodu urged the court to remand the accused in prison custody pending completion of investigations on the matter.
Vanguard reports that Eze who resides at No. 2, Agbeke Close, Iyana-Era, Badagry-Expressway, was docked on a charge of rape.

While addressing the court, the police prosecutor, Sergeant Raphael Donny said the offense was committed in June 2016 at the accuseds residence.

According Sgt. Donny, Eze who is separated from his wife, forcefully had carnal knowledge of his daughter and threatened to kill her if she told anyone.

The victims mother was separated from her father and because of this, she stays with her mother and goes to her father for holidays.

He took advantage of her and raped her when she went spend the holiday with him. After sexually assaulting his daughter, the accused threatened to kill her if she told anyone what happened, Sgt. Donny said.

The prosecutor added that it was when the victim went back to her mother's house that she revealed the secret and the woman reported to the police and the accused was arrested.

When the charge was read to him, Eze pleaded not guilty and the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Davies Abegunde, granted him bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Vampire who was gunned down in a gun battle in his hideout in the in Omu Awa forest, Ikwerre Local Government Area in River State, according to the police, was the leader of a gang of deadly robbers and kidnappers who robbed and killed many Nigerians during their reign of terror, including his own girlfriend and eight members of her family.

In a press release following the killing of the notorious kingpin who was snatched from the police and warders at a court in Owerri, Imo State by members of his gang some weeks ago, the police added that he and members of his gang were responsible for several kidnappings, armed robberies and murders in Imo State and other states in the South East.

Read the press release which includes details of the slained kingpin's crimes and his victims:

"Gentlemen of the Press,

You are welcome to todays press briefing. The Inspector General of Police, , NPM, mni, concerned with the spate of kidnapping and other violent crimes in Imo and other South Eastern States, deployed Police Special Forces led by Intelligence Response Team to these States.

2. The Police Special Forces working under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Police Command, swooped on the hideout of Henry Chibueze aka Vampire and his gang and engaged them in a fierce gun battle that lasted several hours in the early hours of 02/03/2017 at Omu Awa forest Ikwerre L.G.A. of Rivers State.

This operation was successfully carried out as the dreaded, vicious and kidnap for ransom and armed robbery kingpin, Henry Chibueze aka Vampire and his gang who were rescued by his criminal cohorts from the Owerri High Court premises on 27/01/2017 from the custody of Officers of the Nigeria Prisons Service, died during the shootout with the Police Special Forces and all the other suspects were arrested and the exhibits listed recovered from them.

Henry Chibueze aka Vampire (deceased) was a cultist who later turned a vicious and dangerous kidnapper/armed robber, and was declared wanted since 2013.

He was responsible for several cases of kidnappings, armed robberies, murder of notable and prominent personalities in Imo State and South Eastern/South South States.

3. He had earlier confessed to the murder of his girlfriend, , and eight (8) members of her family, among them six (6) children in Lagos State.

He alleged that the girlfriend stole his N45 million naira share of N110 million ransom paid by the family of one of his victims in Omoku, Rivers State.

4. He was a serial killer who also confessed to having killed over Two Hundred (200) people in various kidnappings and armed robbery attacks. He claimed responsibility for the murder of the following persons;

(i)

(ii)aka

(iv) (all natives of Agbaja Nwangele L.G.A. Imo State)

(v) The killing of an Honourable member of the Imo State House of Assembly at Orji in 2015

(vi) The kidnap/murder of a traditional rulers wife from Mbaise in 2015 whose corpse has not been seen till date

(vii) The kidnap/murder of a man from Malaysia at First Bank World Bank Branch, Owerri

(viii) The killing of 3 members of a family including a woman from Nkwerre in 2012 after collecting ransom from the family

5. The living members of the Henry Chibueze aka Vampire (deceased) gang have made useful statements to the police confessing and admitting to having carried out four (4) successful kidnap operations after the rescue of their gang leader at the Owerri High Court premises. They will all be charged to court on completion of investigations.

6. The Inspector General of Police wishes to assure the good people of Imo State and other states of the Federation of adequate security and implore them to co-operate with the police personnel deployed in their localities.

The suspects include:

(i) Aka , leader of the gang (Died in gun duel with the police)

(ii)'M' 26-yrs; native of Orlu LGA, Imo State; 2nd in Command of the kidnap gang

(iii) M 24-yrs; native of Okohia, Isiala Mbano LGA, Imo State

(iv) M 23-yrs; native of Ohohia, Isiala Mbano LGA, Imo State

(v) M 24-yrs; native of Arochukwu LGA; Abia State

(vi) M; native of Omu Awa, Ikwerre LGA, Rivers State

Exhibits:

(i) Five (5) AK 47 rifles

(ii) Three Hundred Rounds of AK 47 ammunition.
This week, Afghanistan lodged

repeated

official complaints against Pakistans violations of international agreements, including Pakistans

Afghan border closings

and

forced repatriation of Afghan refugees

. The border closings are contrary to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, and Pakistans forced repatriation of refugees breaks its agreements with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Pakistan is a member of the WTO and U.N., so these actions are the latest in a series of broken promises on the issue of Afghanistan. These are confirmation that Pakistan can no longer be trusted as a negotiating partner on Afghan-related issues.





About two weeks ago , Pakistan used the excuse of its own domestic terrorism, including terrorists who caused 125 deaths , to scapegoat Afghanistan, and launch artillery strikes on alleged Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP, or Pakistani Taliban) and Jamaat ul-Ahrar (aka Jamaatul Ahrar, JuA) terrorist camps in Afghanistan.

This blunt strategy of cross-border artillery strikes disillusions Afghanistan for at least four reasons. First, Pakistan did not ask permission, which they should have according to the laws of war.





Second, in 2016 Pakistan

broke a border agreement

and closed its border, precipitating armed clashes, a death, and dozens of wounded. In 2011 Pakistan initiated

470 rocket attacks

on Afghanistan. These artillery strikes caused great fear at the time, and the current artillery strikes must be seen in that context.





Third, Pakistans attack was astonishingly hypocritical given that some terrorist camps in Afghanistan were the result of militants getting tipped off about anti-insurgent operations in Pakistan. There are a much greater number of cross-border and Pakistan-oriented terrorist camps and leaders within Pakistans own borders, than in Afghanistan. Jamaat ul-Ahrar terrorists, for example, claimed responsibility for two recent attacks in Pakistan. Pakistan claims that the terrorists infiltrated from Afghanistan to launch the attacks, but offered no evidence. The terrorist group has gone rogue from its roots in the Pakistani Taliban. While Afghanistan should take immediate action against this group, and any other terrorists who might be training or launching cross-border strikes into Pakistan, the far larger problem lies with Pakistani support for terrorists who launch strikes from Pakistan.





Fourth, there are plenty of terrorist centers of gravity in Pakistan that could be targeted by Pakistan. Afghanistan released a list The Pakistani artillery strikes were meant to mislead the public, rather than address the root causes of South and Central Asian terrorism. of 32 Pakistani terrorist training centers and 85 Pakistan-based terrorist leaders on February 19. By attacking Afghanistan with the crude weapon of artillery when the terrorist centers of gravity on its own soil requires little more than arrests, Pakistan proves its antipathy against the elected Afghan government, not terrorism.Had Pakistan really meant to eradicate terrorist training camps in Afghanistan, it would have gotten more traction through direct cooperation with Afghanistan. - Read More




The world over, protests signify public outcry or disapproval to a particular situation, policy or action.

In Nigeria's capital city, Abuja, protests serve two basic purposes - outcry and moneymaking.

To most people, protest is synonymous to moneymaking in the FCT.

Apart from the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) advocacy group, Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), most groups hire protesters who they pay after the 'job' is done.

As a journalist, one of the things I love to report on is protests - for the regular stories and other interesting things that happen behind the scene.

Mostly uneducated young men mostly from the northern part of the country form a larger part of these protesters.

About 90 percent are oblivious to the reason for the protest - they came for something else, the money.

Sometimes, solidarity songs are 'remixed' as the words are interchanged by these protesters.

A striking feature of these Abuja protesters is the fact that same group of people protest for different groups - they protest for 'Group A' today, and against the same 'Group A' tomorrow if 'Group B' offers a better pay.

Interesting, isn't it?

Bashir (not real name) is regular face during protests in Abuja.

My first encounter with Bashir was during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership tussle in June 2016. Mobs loyal to Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff had taken over the national secretariat of the PDP.

Both groups held vigil at the secretariat for a week before the building was finally shut down by the Police.

On the first day, Bashir was at the Makari's group, it was alleged that the 'organiser' paid them N2,000 per day - the organiser also got alcohol and cigarette 'to keep them at alert.'

I was shocked to find him in Sheriff's camp the next day.

Asked why he changed 'camp' he said: "The man that brought us is paying us N2,000 and these people are getting N3,000. That's why I joined them today."

Bashir, 23, is an indigene of Madagali, Adamawa state. He fled his village in 2011 to Kaduna due to Boko Haram attacks in the state. He came to Abuja with a friend in 2015.

Aside from his job as a cobbler, Bashir joins others in protests for a fee.

The more the protests, the more money for Bashir and others. Like the makers of coffins pray for people to die, Bashir and his friends pray for protests so they can get extra cash - profits they can't make from their businesses a day.

"When we hear that there is a protest, we are very happy," Bashir said during the recent pro-Buhari protest.

Asked how they get information about these protests, Bashir said: "You know with phones, it is very easy. I hear from my friends. Also, the organisers can also call us directly because we write our names, phone numbers and sign before we get paid."

He gives a detailed account of how they are mobilised.

"If we hear of any protest, we will either come to the Unity Fountain by ourselves or sometimes, they will bring a bus to carry us.

"Then they will give us shirt and cap and all these papers (placards) to hold. The person will also teach us the song to sing and tell us not to tell anybody that they will pay us. "He said we should not talk to people like you (journalists), but since I like you, I will tell you, but don't write my name or use my picture.

"After the job, then they will wait for people like you to go then the man will pay us our money - sometimes, N2,000, N3,000 or N5,000. He will take the remaining. Then we will go home," he said.

Recently, a woman who reportedly marched for Buhari was seen begging for N100, from some I Stand With Nigeria group at the Unity Fountain, Abuja.

The word 'protest' is gradually losing its meaning in our society. What this means is that anybody can 'organise' a protest provided he/she can pay people to march across the streets.
I was in SSS1 when my father died and it was clear that there was no way for me to continue my education and fulfill my dreams of being a medical doctor. I was forced to drop out of school and help my mother on the farm though I still hoped and prayed for an opportunity to go back to school.

So when my aunt came and told my mother that she would take me with her to Lagos and send me back to school, I was very excited and jumped up and down with joy.

But when I got to Lagos, it was a different story entirely because my aunt took me straight to a brothel in the Ajegunle area and told me sleeping with men and giving her the money which she would keep for me till it is enough to get me back to school.

I was taken aback and asked her if that was what she brought me to Lagos to do and she fired back and asked me if I expected her to use her money to send me back to school.

That night, I cried so much and locked the door and would not allow anyone to come inside.

The next morning when my aunt came and was told about my action, she brought in two men who beat me up and raped me in turn. I lost my virginity to the men that day and after that, my aunt forced me to swear to an oath that I would not reveal what happened to anyone or I would die.

They forcefully shaved my pubic hair, the hair in my armpit and cut my nails and took them away. She told me that my destiny was tied down and if I dared tell anyone or refuse to sell my body, I would die.

That was how I became a prostitute at the age of 16 and for the past 12 years, I have moved from being the naive little girl to a professional harlot and I can't seem to stop.

I broke away from my aunt when I was 20 and since then, I have moved to an upper-class prostitute, servicing politicians and rich Nigerians in the process.

I have been able to build my mother a house in the village, set up a business for her, send my siblings to school and travel abroad on many occasions.

But at times, I sit back and reflect on my life and know that I have lived a wasted life, no thanks to my aunt. I want to put a stop to this kind of life but I fear the oath my aunt administered on me could affect me negatively.

I need help, please.

Loveth."
The accused, who was a sales representative at a lotto shop, resides at Kofoworola St., Abule Egba, a suburb of Lagos.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Rosemary Ehemegbe, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Nov. 13, 2016 at Premier Lotto shop, located at Abule Egba area of Lagos.

She alleged that the accused stole N515, 000 proceeds made from lotto sales and property of one Adeyemi Olalubi.

Instead of remitting the sales proceeds into his employers account, Adebiyi bolted with the money, he told the court.

The prosecutor said that the complainant reported the case to the police and the accused was traced to his apartment and was arrested for further questioning.

According to her, the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 prescribes three-year jail term for stealing.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this at the Central Dissemination of the 2016 National Guidelines for HIV prevention, treatment and care on Thursday in Abuja.

We are therefore duty bound to offer antiretroviral drugs as prevention to all persons who are at a high risk of contracting HIV and all persons on treatment are entitled to one viral load test per year.

We will place emphasis on differentiated system of care that are adjustable to the individual needs of the patient, he said.

Dr Patrick Dakum, the Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), however said that the existing guidelines and protocol was not sufficient to meet the demand of the USAID.

Dakum said that this was introduced to keep the pace with global trend which will also help in the prevention of HIV transmission.

According to the IHVN boss, the launching of the guideline in December 2016 marked the beginning of a new phase in the administration and treatment of HIV in Nigeria.

Nigeria has now adopted the test and start strategy for treatment of persons living with HIV, he said.

The Executive Director of PLAN Foundation, Mr Oladapo Obatunde, described HIV testing and treatment process in the Nigerian hospitals as very poor.
Yakubu is seeking redress at the Federal High Court in Kano over the forfeiture of $9.8m, 74,000 which the anti-graft agency reportedly seized from his house.

Reports say the EFCC Kano Zonal office spokesman, Idris Nadabo told newsmen that the case will be coming up on March 7, 2017 at the Federal High court, Kano.

Justice Zainab Abubakar had earlier ordered the forfeiture of the sum of $9,772,00 which was recovered from the former NNPC boss.

According to Daily Post, Yakubus lawyer, Ahmed Raji wants the court to set aside the forfeiture order by Justice Zainab.

The EFCC recently recovered separate sums of $9,772,800 and 74,000 from former NNPC GMD.
Dabiri-Erewa disclosed this when she received the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons Commission, Alhaja Sadiya Farouk in Abuja on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this set will be the third batch of Nigerians to return from Libya to the country in one month.

One hundred and sixty one Nigerians returned from Libya on Feb.14 and another set of 171 returned on Feb. 16.

The presidential aide said the Federal Government was expecting more migrants back in the country and attributed the development to the current happenings around the world.

She said her office would therefore be working with the commission to sensitise Nigerians on the need to avoid irregular migration.

Your visit is timely because we expect more migrants back home.

In fact, 180 Nigerians are expected back from Libya on Tuesday.

With what is going on around the world, it is going to be worse. We will work with your commission to continue to sensitise Nigerians on the need for them to know that some places are not just worth it, she said.

In her remarks, Farouk commended Dabiri-Erewa for her efforts toward ensuring that Nigerians in diaspora were treated with dignity.

She condemned the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa and pledged her commissions commitment to a sustained advocacy to end such unwarranted attacks.

The federal commissioner promised to work with Dabiri-Erewa to educate Nigerians on the dangers of irregular migration.

She said: These programmes will better inform Nigerians on their options, so they can make informed decision and develop realistic expectations when traveling outside the country.

It is important to note that the issue of sensitisation is an offshoot of the National Migration Dialogue.

The dialogue highlighted the need to establish a migration desk in all states and local governments which will provide sensitisation from the grassroots level in order to curb the root causes of irregular migration.

According to her, the commission has also developed return, re-admission and reintegration programme which provides referrals to settlement services for returnees.

What is obtainable is an adhoc approach which is not sustainable.

The SOP when operationalised, will ensure that the returning Nigerian migrants are adequately reintegrated into the society.

The SOP has been validated by the relevant stakeholders but yet to be institutionalised. We therefore seek your partnership to ensure the operationalisation, she said.
Adeyeye said that at 49, Ayade had contributed much in the development and upliftment of his people both at the state and national levels as a senator and now governor.

 We urge the governor to continue with his landmark programmes and policies in Cross River.

 Cross River State has remained a PDP state since 1999.

ALSO READ:Governor Ben Ayade celebrates 49th birthday with refugees

We believe the people of the state are proud to have a son like him and the PDP is equally proud of him, he said.
"What's wrong with going on vacation?" Buhari shot back at journalists rhetorically; his aides striding dutifully around him.

"Didn't I go last year the same time?"

As it turns out, even President Buhari would be first to admit that this has been no ordinary vacation.

It was different from last year's vacation where the Presidency announced that the nation's number one citizen would be flying to the UK to treat an infected ear.

This time, no one has been told what the President is tending to.

The nation has been told that the President is "hale and hearty", even though a "hale and hearty" President has postponed his home coming indefinitely.

He sought for an extension, a day before the 10-day vacation was due to elapse.

President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National Assembly, today, February 5, 2017, informing it of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his Doctors", announced Special Adviser to the President on media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina.

The President had planned to return to Abuja this (Sunday) evening, but was advised to complete the test cycle before returning. The notice has since been dispatched to the Senate President, and Speaker, House of Representatives.

Mr. President expresses his sincere gratitude to Nigerians for their concern, prayers and kind wishes.

The nation has been apprehensive since the President extended his vacation.

And that's putting it mildly.

Speculation has been rife that Buhari is suffering from a chronic ailment and that the official government line that he is only staying back in the UK to receive test results from Doctors, is a fabrication aimed at concealing deeper health concerns.

Rumours that President Buhari is dead have since been debunked with pictures after pictures of the nation's Commander-in-Chief meeting with APC chieftains Bisi Akande and Bola Tinubu,Senate President Bukola Saraki, House Speaker Yakubu Dogara and Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State.

The President has also placed phone calls across to Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and his media aides--Garba Shehu, Lai Mohammed and Adesina.

There was also the 'small matter' of a with U.S President Donald Trump.

However, news reports suggesting that Buhari won't be physically fit to cope with the rigours of his office should he return, have persisted.

Three weeks ago, Pulse reported that a cabal within the Nigerian Presidency has been mounting pressure on Buhari to return home, even though the President's Doctors hold a contrary opinion.

The cabal has been uncomfortable with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo's sterling performance in an acting capacity, and fear that the longer Buhari remains holed up in a London apartment, the likelihood that the North will lose the power game to the South in Nigeria's peculiar high stakes equation, Pulse had exclusively detailed

Hours after, other news outlets picked up the story and layered same with different versions.

Quoting unnamed sources, online news platform, Sahara Reporters, disclosed that "apart from a lingering prostrate flare-up and other chronic conditions, the Nigerian leader has also recently been battling with a persistent internal organ problem.

"The source attributed President Buharis inability to eat as well as his progressive loss of weight to a medical condition that has affected his digestive system".

ALSO READ: President speaks to King Mohammed of Morocco

Sahara Reporters added that: "Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract, leading to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition.

"Inflammation caused by the disease can affect different areas of the digestive tract in different patients, but doctors interviewed for this report disclosed that it usually occurs in the intestines, where the inflammation caused by Crohn's disease often spreads deep into the layers of affected bowel tissue.

"SaharaReporters had reported that Mr. Buhari also has prostate cancer that was first treated by UK doctors shortly after the Nigerian leader lost the 2011 presidential election to former .

The Presidency is yet to deny details of this report, days after.

Back home, acting President Osinbajo has been doing the business.

And he's been at it so well that Nigerians have confessed that they aren't missing their President.

Fears that Osinbajo is taking the shine off his boss, forced the Presidency to remind Nigerians that the number two man has been acting in accordance with instructions handed down from a London apartment.

There is nothing that has been done since the Vice-President started acting that is not something that started far back in the past. A good example is the Niger Delta initiative", Special Adviser to President Buhari on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, barked at journalists as the comparisons between Osinbajo and Buhari's governance styles, reached fever pitch.

Ojudu added that; "The same people who said we never had an economic team, no policy, nothing...are the ones saying this.

It is now that the policies we are implementing are maturing and they are seeing the result. It is not a question of one person being better than the other person.

There is nothing that has been done since the Vice-President started acting that is not something that started far back in the past. A good example is the Niger Delta initiative.

The President called the Vice-President and said I am giving you the mandate, go into the Niger Delta and meet with everyone who is a stakeholder, all the communities, talk to the militants and make sure you solve this problem for the benefits of Nigerians.".

And Osinbajo's charm offensive across the Niger Delta is beginning to yield fruit.

Nigeria's crude oil output has hit the 2.1million bpd (barrel per day) mark, up from previous poor levels of 1.7million bpd before Buhari embarked on his vacation, following some semblance of peace in the creeks--one of the many gains from the acting President's tour of the restive region.

On Osinbajo's watch, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reviewed its foreign exchange policy by ensuring liquidity to the interbank.

The move has seen the Naira in recent days.

In Buhari's absence, protesters railing against economic hardship (made to bite even more by a slump in the global price of oil), have hit the streets.

It took Osinbajo's diplomatic toolkit to calm frayed nerves.

Osinbajo has also held security meetings with police boss Ibrahim Idris (aimed at restoring peace to Southern Kaduna where religious extremists have been slaughtering Christians) and service chiefs.

After his last security outing, Osinbajo made it clear that details from the meeting would be communicated to an ailing Buhari.

"Almost every month, these briefings are held, it is routine and it is the President who put in place this whole idea of regular briefings.

"Besides, the President is a process person and certainly, I am going to speak with him on developments here", Osinbajo assured.

The Vice President has also ensured the confirmation of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria; after Buhari's famed foot-dragging led to yet more apprehension on the subject in certain quarters.

Policy analysts say Osinbajo's professorial, wonky, engaging style has stood in stark contrast to Buhari's sullen, aloof governance approach.

There are indications that 42 days may well morph into four months or less in this game of hide and seek between the Presidency and the Nigerian people, leading to suggestions that a constitutional crisis occasioned by the President's absence, may well be in the offing.

Human Rights Lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has posited that Buhari should be impeached if he stays away from office beyond 60-days.

Adegboruwa premised his submission on the constitutional provision that the President is only entitled to 60-days of annual leave.

Once it is impossible to determine definitively, the period of days to be spent by the President, whether on annual vacation or medical vacation, what that translates to in law is that the President has given indication of his inability to perform the functions of his office, leaving Nigerians with no other choice than to replace him immediately, with the acting President as the substantive president", Adegboruwa told The Guardian.

He added that: It is indeed very unfortunate that the President is ill and we cannot begrudge him the right to have his treatment, as no one can play God in the area of illness.

But if the illness of the President is of such a nature as to make it impossible for him to perform the functions of his office, then there cannot be a vacuum in that office. The fact that there is an Acting president will not suffice.

A President of a sovereign state as Nigeria cannot be allowed to abscond his duty post under the guise of medical vacation.

"In this case, the President has turned himself into some form of tourist attraction, whereby, he has turned his abode into an alternative government house, where who-is-who in Nigeria now troop to, giving room for speculations and vacuum in governance.

If by the end of February 2017, the President is unable, for reason of ill health, to resume his normal duties as President, then the Senate should proceed to invoke the provisions of section 144 of the constitution to declare his seat vacant, so that the Vice President will officially step into the position of President".

However, the Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters, Sen Ita Enang, says the President has acted in accordance with the laws of the land.

Enang said; "What is important is that there is communication with the Senate.
Briefing the National Assembly Joint Committee on Appropriations, Akabueze said government had projected to realise N1.506trillion through the IGR but ended up realizing only N398billion.

He further said the percentage implementation of the 2016 capital projects stands at 55 per cent.

In her own submission, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed said due to shortage of fund for the implementation of the budget, government prioritised issuance of capital releases by focusing more on Agriculture and Mining sectors.

She, however said government was still working to meet up with the release of N1 trillion being its target for 2016 before the end of fiscal of May 2017.

Meanwhile, the committee had ordered the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele to appear before it unfailingly on Friday.

It gave the order when it drove away the representative, the CBN Governor sent to the session.

This was due to the fact that Emefiele did not inform the committee ahead of the session of his absence as done by some other invited top government officials.

Attempts made by Emefieles representative at the session to tender apology on his behalf were rejected by the committee members.

You lack the competence as an Acting Director to stand before this committee representing the CBN Governor, the members stressed
His arrest arrived on the heels of social media posts he had authored.

In the tweets and and Facebook posts, Maikori splashed pictures of 'killings' and violence in Southern Kaduna, interspersing same with loads of commentary.

As it turned out, most of the graphic images Maikori posted of corpses strewn across the streets, were not images from the violence in Southern Kaduna.

Maikori was arrested for 'inciting violence' with his social media posts and was released a day later following pleas and interventions from social media.

Maikori's arrest had the backing of Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, it soon emerged.

At the ongoing Social Media Week in Lagos which is being covered by Pulse, El-Rufai described Maikori's actions as indefensible and lawless.

"Let me start with me. I have used social media as a citizenas an opposition politician...very effectively. I have over a million followers on Twitter, I have over 750, 000 followers on Facebook. So, I know the power of social media. And I have the capacity to counter any propaganda personally because I have more following than any public figure in Nigeria. But we must use that power with responsibility", the Governor warned.

ALSO READ:

As the controversy over Maikori's posts and subsequent arrest raged, El-Rufai was called out on social media by hordes of users, for being guilty of inciting violence himself.

In July of 2012, El-Rufai had posted the following on his Twitter account:

"We will write this for all to read. Anyone, soldier or not, that kills the Fulani, takes a loan repayable one day no matter how long it takes".

The contentious post has been used as a lightning rod for El-Rufai's back since 2012, by critics and opposition hirelings alike.

But the Kaduna Governor said there was context to his tweet.

"People are making reference to what I tweeted in 2012. What did I tweet?

"I tweeted that any person, soldier or not, that kills a Fulani takes a debt that will be repayable in 100 years. Its a statement of fact.

"Its not a threat. Its not an incitement to violence. And theres a context to it:

"In 2012, the General Officer Commanding 3 Division in gave an instruction at the behest of the Governor of to wipe out two Fulani settlements just outside Jos, on the suspicion that they have weapons.

"This was reported by the Governor of Plateau State and the Commander gave the order and I heard about it.

"I called and said dont do that. Go and surround the place and search for weapons. But that was not the objective. The objective was to remove them from the settlement because they are settlers. And people that think that land is their ancestral land, want to take the land. It is not because they have weapons.

"Now, I know the nature of the nomadic Fulanis. My great, great, grand parents used to be such people. If you kill any of them unlawfully, they organize to take revenge, no matter how long it takes.

"Now, for me, the danger is thisif the Nigerian army goes out and wipes out a Fulani settlement, any person wearing a Nigerian army uniform in 14 West African countries, is at risk, because these Fulanis may have relations in in , in in .

"And word will go round that the Nigerian army has committed genocide against the Fulanis and anywhere you see any person wearing a Nigerian army uniform is a target for retaliation.

"And I warned the Commander that this will happen. He did not listen and thats why I put it on the record. So that when it starts happening, nobody will say he was not warned.

"Ultimately because of that tweet, the Commander retracted his plan, they went and surrounded the settlement and searched for weapons and found none.

"And to me, what I did averted a potential disaster. But that is being put as if I tweeted something inciting anyone.

"If you dont believe me, if you dont believe what I tweeted, go and do what I said dont do and see the consequences, okay?"

The Governor said his post from 2012 can't be compared to Maikori's string of posts on the Southern Kaduna killings.

"But fast forward to 2016 or 2017. What did Audu Maikori do?

"Audu Maikori rushed to publish a false story without checking with anyone. But before then, he had posted fake pictures of attacks, wanton genocide as Southern Kaduna killings and elicited a lot of emotion on social media.

"But more than that, what he posted may have led to killings and we are trying to link the date of the postings to attacks that happened the next day on Fulanis. And if we are able to establish that correlation, as lawyers you know what it means".

El-Rufai said Maikori's actions were irresponsible.

"It is totally irresponsible to do that.

"And even when it was pointed out to him that look, this information is untruethe college of education issued a statement denying that anyone had been killed because the school had been closed since November. How could a school that has been closed have students that could be killed?

"But Audu still posted that he stood by his story, he questioned the authenticity of the press statementhe was totally and completely irresponsible and we are going to prosecute him.

"He was arrested, his statement has been taken, hes on bail..hes going to be prosecuted. His fate will be decided by a Judge.

"Its not about Nasir El-Rufai. Its not personal. I have nothing against him. In fact, he has worked with the State government in the past. But Im not going to sit as Governor of Kaduna State and allow anyone to post or tweet anything that leads to loss of lives without consequence. That will be irresponsible on my path.

"It is a matter of law. It is not a matter of emotions.

"And, since we started going after people that have posted these fake pictures, we have had some sense of moderation in this.

"You cannot rush and use a platform like that without checking because there are two sides to this conflict. And anything you post, can elicit a reaction from one of the sides. So, you should at least be sure that what you are posting is true. And there are ways of checking.

"It takes five, ten minutes to check. Call the Policethere are authorities that you can check with. But you are rushing to get retweets and following without regard to the fact that what you are doing could lead to more violence or loss of lives.

"Im the Governor of the State. Im not in this game to get following. My responsibility as Governor of the State is to ensure the security of lives and property of the State. And I would not allow anyoneeven my own Sonto do that kind of thing without consequence".

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) alleges that as many as 1,000 persons have lost their lives in Southern Kaduna since the latest round of violence commenced.

The perpetrators are alleged to be Fulani herdsmen and the victims, Christians.

Between January 6 and 9, 2017, the killers reportedly struck Tachirak, Adu and Tsonje villages of Kagoro town in Kaura Federal Constituency of Southern Kaduna, killing 13 persons.

The epicenter of the violence has been Kafanchan, Zangon-Kataf, Godogodo, Gidan Waya, among other communities.
In a statement signed by Mr Toyin Akinkuotu, the state Head of Service, on Friday in Akure, Akeredolu said that the ban had immediate effect.

The governor also dissolved every task-force on forestry and related matters.

He directed law enforcement agencies and forestry officials to ensure strict compliance with the directives.

This development is coming on the heels of reported illegal exploration activities going on in forest reserves across the state.

The illegal activities have resulted in loss of huge revenues by the state government, he said.
The Governor celebrated his 49th birthday with the refugees, with other dignitaries in attendance.

On February 25, 2017, Ayade, while commissioning 5,000 units of two bedroom flats for the refugees, promised to return to their camp and celebrate his birthday.

According to Punch, the Governor also donated food and support materials to the refugees.

In turn, the elated IDPs treated Ayade to various displays to make the day exciting.

The refugees also slaughtered a goat, roasted and served the Governor and his guests.

ALSO READ:Ben Ayade wants FG to revisit 2014 conference report

The First Lady of Cross River state, Dr. Linda Ayade, through her pet project, Mediatrix Development Foundation, also donated 500 insecticide nets to the refugees.
The prosecution has established the guilt of the 1st defendant Shedrack Clement beyond reasonable doubt and I thereby found him guilty.The judge said that Clement was convicted in accordance with provisions of Section 1(2)(a) of Robbery and Firearms Special Provision Act, Laws of the Federation 2004.I hereby sentenced you Shedrack Clement to death by hanging.

No alibi was pleaded in the evidence by him, Affen said.For the 2nd and 3rd defendants, the judge said the prosecution did not adduce any direct or positive evidence, pointing to their involvement or participation in the robbery incident.As the police did not recover any stolen item from them, there is also no circumstantial evidence linking them to the robbery.It is settled that a confessional statement of an accused person is quoted only against him and cannot be used as evidence against a co- accused without any corroboration.The 2nd and 3rd defendants are accordingly discharged and acquitted, he held.The three men were alleged to have robbed one Mrs Yemisi Bamigbode of Hajj Camp Gwagwalada, Abuja, on Sept.6, 2013, of household items valued at N350, 000 and N10, 000 cash.
It, therefore, mandated its Committees on Justice; Tertiary Education and Services, and Finance to interface with the Director-General of Nigerian Law School and other stakeholders on the issue.

The move stemmed from the adoption of a motion by Rep. Mark Gbillah (Benue-APC), who told the chamber that the increase in fees of the school over the last couple of years was alarming.

The prevailing economic circumstances in the country and the insistence by some legal luminaries that the profession is elitist and the training capital intensive, calls for quick intervention by the Federal Government.

It is important the Federal Government and all stockholders stop paying lip service to the problem and initiate an emergency national discourse to safeguard the future of this Nobel profession, he said.

Contributing to the motion, Rep. Abubakar Adamu (Niger-APC) said that the issue had prevented the poor from going to theLaw School, adding that an average civil servant could not afford the fee.

From the look of things, we are making education for the rich alone. How can a child of a poor person afford N400, 000 to attend law school, he asked?

Also Rep. Nnamdi Agbo (Enugu-PDP) said that if appropriate action was not taken, the fee would keep increasing and many law graduates would not be able to attend the compulsory programme in the law school.

He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to address the issue on time to enable law students staying at home go to law school.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Omare, a lawyer, emerged IYC president at the election that climaxed the 2-day national convention of the organisation held in Burutu town, Burutu LGA of Delta.

The former IYC spokesman, who is also an aide to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, scored 67 votes to defeat his opponent, Mr Justine Okubo.

Okubo did not score any vote in the election which started on Thursday and was concluded on Friday morning amidst tight security.

Other officers elected with Omare included Mr Ebalakpo Parkins (Secretary general), Magada Franklin (financial secretary) and Henry Ayala (spokesman).

The outgoing President, Udengs Eradiri, commended the Ijaw nation and the IYC for giving him the opportunity to serve them.

ALSO READ:

I pray the new IYC executive will carry on with the vision and mission of the IYC.

Eric Omare is a man that is grounded in the Ijaw struggle and I believe he wont fail in this regard.

I will always be available to give advice and assist when the body needs it, Eradiri promised.
The Commissioner of Police in the state,Mr Damian Chukwu, gave the advice while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)in Maiduguri.

Chukwu was reacting to Fridays multiple blasts in Maiduguri in which three suicide bombers died and three petrol trucks were destroyed.

He said that the residents must collaborate with security agents by sharing vital information on suspicious movements around them.

 I want to appeal to the people to be vigilant and be wary of happenings and people around them.

People should report any strange objects or happenings to either the police or other law enforcement agents, Chukwu said.

The commissioner said this was necessary to prevent loss of lives and property associated with suicide attacks in the state.

One will expect that the terrorists will resort to this kind of thing because the military have driven them out of their Sambisa stronghold.

They are now using guerrilla warfare, which is their usual style, he said.

Chukwu said that the police were collaborating with other law enforcement agencies to ensure total peace in the nearest future.

He expressed joy that no person was killed aside from the three suicide bombers in the Friday attack.

The incident happened close to Armani petrol station in the neighborhood of the NNPC depot on Damboa road Maiduguri.

About seven trucks loaded with petrol were parked in a vicinity. There was also a bus and a Volkswagen saloon car and a coaster, he said.

Three suspected suicide bombers comprising an adult male and two teenage girls laced with explosives sneaked to the place and found their way into the clusters of the vehicles.

They detonated their explosives one after the other after attaching themselves each to a truck, he said.

He said that the three trucks exploded with the fuel inside, and The bombers were roasted to death and the trucks destroyed.

The fortunate thing is that only the bombers died, no other person was lost, Chukwu said.
Idimogu, representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he would on Saturday honour the invitation to explain why he took the step.

NAN reports that Idimogu was among six lawmakers in the House who won their elections on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but defected to the ruling APC on Feb. 16.

Idimogu said: The Ndigbo United in my constituency and other Igbo groups have summoned me to appear before them tomorrow (Saturday) for questioning on my defection.

The groups, which largely form the people that voted me to represent them in the House under the platform of PDP, would want me to explain why I took the step.

I will be there because they are my people. I discussed with some of them before I took the step. All I did is in the interest of my constituents and nothing more.

Idimogu said that he decided to leave the party because of the lingering leadership crisis in the PDP, the sterling performance of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode and leadership style of the Speaker of House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa.

He said that such step had become necessary to safeguard his political future and the interest of the poor masses that voted for him to the House.

Aside Idimogu, others who defected to the APC are Mr Akeem Bello (Amuwo Odofin II), who was Minority Leader; Mrs Mosunmola Sangodara (Surulere II), who was Minority Whip, and Mr Olusola Sokunle (Oshodi/Isolo I).

The rest are Mr Dayo Famakinwa (Ajeromi Ifelodun II) and Mr Fatai Oluwa (Ajeromi/Ifelodun I).
According to Premium Times, the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo has directed the Minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikuw to work out a way forward.

The Acting President, during his visit to Akwa Ibom on Thursday, March 2, 2017, had an interactive session with stakeholders and community leaders.

Osinbajos visit is part of the Federal Governments move to restore peace to the trouble Niger Delta region.

One of the community leaders, Nduese Essien who spoke during the town hall meeting, said Akwa Ibom has nothing to show that it is the highest oil producing state in the country.

Essien, a former minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, said When they (NNPC workers) come to Akwa Ibom to supervise oil production, where they are joint venture partners with oil companies, they stay in the tents provided by the oil companies.

None of the NNPC subsidiaries is located in Akwa Ibom State. Theres no oil depot in the state for refined petroleum products. The communities are neither stakeholders nor shareholders in the oil business.

Apart from the 13 per cent oil derivation money paid to the state government, the oil producing communities in Akwa Ibom have nothing to show for several years of oil exploration in the state.

The federal government has shown no interest in meaningful development and presence in the areas, other than providing policemen and other security personnel in the area.

They only provide policemen and other security to ensure that oil flows uninterrupted in the area.

The oil services companies come from outside Akwa Ibom with their workers whose taxis are paid to their places of residence. The auxiliary benefits and the multiplier effects of operating in the oil producing area are therefore lost.

We can no longer guarantee that the youth will continue to listen to us if the federal government continues to ignore us.

Today, all those impediments ranging from lack of airport, road network, housing, and accommodation have been conquered. They dont have any excuse not to move their headquarters to Akwa Ibom, he added.

In his response, Kachilwu promised to look into their compaints and ensure that all the issues are handled.

He said This state is not just known as the highest producer of oil in Nigeria, it is also the most peaceful state.

I would not have been able to deliver some of the results we are seeing today without the support of the people of this state.
Osinbajo made the plea in Kaduna on Friday in an interview with newsmen shortly after his on-the-spot assessment and readiness of the Kaduna airport.

He urged the airlines to bear the situation and be ready to work with the Federal Government to achieve its objective of delivering a safe and secure aviation sector.

According to him, one thing that is clear is that not all foreign airlines have declined to come here but we have met with a great number of them that are willing to come.

I think we need to tell the foreign airlines that this is an emergency and a temporary arrangement and they should be ready to work with us because we are concerned about safety and comfort.

They are here also to see things for themselves and we would be happy if they work with us, he said.

The acting president, who was at the airport to inspect the progress of work and its readiness to serve as a temporary substitute for Abuja airport between March 8 and April 19, expressed satisfaction with the level of work.

He explained that as a local airport, a lot of work needed to be done to bring it to the kind of standard that would be required.

Osinbajo however, directed the contractor to ensure speedy completion within the next five days to enhance smooth operations at the airport.

So we think it will be in a complete state of readiness by Wednesday, but I expect that within a very short time, the job will be done, he said.

Mr Tanimu Abdullahi, Managing Director of Dari Investment Limited, the contractor handling the project, gave assurance that the project would be completed before the March 8 deadline.

Abdullahi said the project was 95 per cent completed, adding that the conveyor belt and all the security gadgets had been installed as well as every other critical things.

As for the fingers, we will fix them after the six week operation since it will not disrupt operation because we cannot start rushing and it is a technical issue, he said.

Mrs Firiehwot Mekonnen, Manager, Sales and Traffic, Ethiopian Airlines, told newsmen that they had inspected the facilities at the airport and were ready to fly the route.

Mekonnen said the airline would maintain its Abuja daily flight schedule at the Kaduna airport, and fly its Boeing 777-30 with daily schedule.

ALSO READ: See pictures of Osinbajo receiving a chieftaincy title in Akwa Ibom

We are going to maintain our usual schedule from Abuja to Addis Ababa. So now it is going to be Kaduna-Addis Ababa and Addis Ababa-Kaduna, she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that barely a week to the closure of Abuja airport and diversion of its flights to Kaduna, the Acting President took an inspection tour to the airport on Friday.
The Commissioner of police, Mr Muazu Zubairu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Friday that about 672 animals were recovered from the suspects.

Zubairu said that three AK 47 rifles; 334 rounds of assorted ammunition; one SMG rifle with six rounds of ammunition; 12 single barrel guns; four locally made pistols and one revolver pistol were also recovered from the suspects.

He said the command was committed to total policing of the state to safeguard lives and property.

He said the command had mapped out strategies to deal with criminals in the state and its environs.

With the heavy presence of well trained personnel deployed to all parts of the state, criminals, especially cattle rustlers and kidnappers have no place to hide.

We are battle ready for them as all their identified roots have been blocked with dedicated officers ready for their arrest and prosecution, the commissioner said.

He said the command would strengthen community policing to gather more intelligence information that would boost the efforts of the personnel.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo, quoted Okorocha as saying that he had confidence in the security agencies.

Okorocha said even when Vampires partners in crime took him away from the court few weeks ago, he knew it would not be long before he would be arrested.

He also reiterated his commitment to ensuring that the state was secure and permanently rid of crime.

The declaration I made when I became governor in 2011 that no criminal would survive in this state is still valid,he said.

Chibueze, who was paraded by the DSS before the state governor in 2015, admitted to having carried out several kidnappings in the state and beyond.

After Chibuezes escape in January, Okorocha announced a N5million bounty for any information that could lead to his arrest.

Chibueze, the Vampire, was the criminal spirited away by his gang members on Jan. 27 in the premises of an Owerri High Court.

ALSO READ:Imo Governor wants politicians to swear by deities

He was arrested in 2015 and had been in prison custody following the kidnap of the wife of a government official.

Chibueze, who was brought to the court along with other arrested suspects, escaped when gunmen opened fire immediately he disembarked from the prison van.
Modojume said this on Thursday before the two-member tribunal led by its Chairman, Umar Danjuma while testifying in the trial of Bukola Saraki.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Saraki is standing trial on allegations of false asset declaration and Money Laundering while serving as governor of Kwara.

He said the bureau had perfected its duties of ensuring that Saraki filled all the relevant asset declaration forms from when he was a governor up to when became a Senator.

According to him, the trial of the senate president is spurred by some infractions the EFCC discovered in some of the asset declaration forms belonging to the defendant.

He said the anti-corruption body had demanded to investigate the defendants asset declaration.

Madojume said there was no petition or complaint of false asset declaration against the Senate President brought to the attention of the bureau and so his assets forms were not subjected to probe by the CCB.

Madojume, however, said the EFCC upon the conclusion of its investigation had invited the bureau to vet all the infractions spotted in the documents.

It was at that point that we also discovered that some landed properties belonging to the defendant in Lagos were not captured.

The bureau however, has the option of inviting Saraki to address the anomaly or approach the court, but it chose to prosecute him for his failure to tell the truth.

The issue of CCB inviting persons for clarification on submitted forms is purely discretional to the Chairman of the bureau.

In the instant case, the Chairman of the CCB did not consider it necessary to invite Saraki before he was charged before the tribunal, he said.

Answering questions while under cross examination by Saraki lead Counsel Mr Kanu Agabi (SAN), the witness said the defendants trial was at the instance of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the EFCC.

He, however, said that he was not present when the AGF briefed the CCB boss on the need for the senate presidents trial.

The witness, however, said he was later briefed by the CCB Chairman after his meeting with the AGF on the subject matter.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the coronation of the new Tor Tiv is slated to hold on Saturday (March 4) at the JS Tarka Stadium in Gboko.

The Chairman of the Venue Sub-committee of the Central Planning Committee for the coronation, Mr Emmanuel Manger, made this known to NAN on Friday in Gboko.

He said elaborate arrangements were been made to accommodate the guests.

Manger, who is the state Commissioner for Works, Transport and Energy, however, regretted that the carrying capacity of the stadium was only 500.

The chairman said plastic seats have been hired for the occasion.

He said adequate security personnel had been deployed to guard the stadium and disclosed that many roads leading to the sodium would be blocked to motorists on Saturday.

Only the Senate President, Governors, Speaker of the House of Reps., Ministers and paramount rulers would be allowed to drive into the venue, Manger said.

He said the road from Bristow roundabout down to Tor Tivs palace and from the Central police station to Abagu would be closed to motorists to avoid congestion.

According to him, other dignitaries, upon arrival in their vehicles would be conveyed to the venue in air conditioned buses in tranches.

There will be eight 30-seater buses and four 14-seater buses kept at a designated location to convey dignitaries to the venue.

We will be conveying them in batches because they will not be arriving at the same time, so, the arrangement is convenient," he said.
What better way to ease off the stress of the week than watch a good movie.

With that in mind, check out our list of movies currently showing in cinemas across Lagos and Abuja.

1.

Starring: Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen, Ali Larter

Synopsis: Picking up immediately after the events in Resident Evil: Retribution, Alice (Milla Jovovich) is the only survivor of what was meant to be humanity's final stand against the undead. Now, she must return to where the nightmare began - The Hive in Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse.

Friday - Thursday: 2:30pm

Daily: 12:30PM, 2:40PM, 4:40PM, 6:50PM, 9:00PMM, 7:20PM, 9:20PM

Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae

Synopsis: Based on a true story. A team of African-American women provide NASA with important mathematical data needed to launch the program's first successful space missions.

Friday - Thursday: 3:05pm, 5:30pm, 8:00pm5pm, 8:30pm

Fri & Mon - Thu: 1:45 PM, 4:25 PM

Sat & Sun:11:05 AM, 1:45 PM, 4:25 PMM

Daily: 1:00PM, 4:00PM, 9:00PM5PM

Daily: 1:00PM, 3:30PM, 6:00PM, 8:50PMM, 7:05PM, 9:30PM

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons

Synopsis: When Callum Lynch explores the memories of his ancestor Aguilar and gains the skills of a Master Assassin, he discovers he is a descendant of the secret Assassins society.

Showing:

Daily: 2:10PM, 6:20PM

Friday - Thursday: 10:50AM

4.

Starring: Bisola Aiyeola, Omowunmi Dada, Timini Egbuson, Keira Hewatch, and Emem Ufot, Okey Uzoeshi, Adesua Etomi, Ivie Okujaye, Ireti Doyle

Synopsis: Something Wicked is the story of a widow (Hauwa), whose recently orphaned nephew Abel, moves into her home from the violence riddled Northern Nigeria, after the murder of his parents.

Abel has a difficult time fitting into his new family, whilst Hauwa struggles with the challenges of balancing a failing business and single parenthood.

This family's bond is tested when they are thrown in a life threatening situation and we see how easily misunderstandings lead to misconceptions and premonitions are sometimes the only warning we get, in this game of life and death.

Daily: 3:15PM, 7:15PM

Friday -Thursday: 12:00PM, 4:20PM40PM

Daily: 5:00 PM

Daily: 11:10am

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, Michael Sheen

Synopsis: A spacecraft traveling to a distant colony planet and transporting thousands of people has a malfunction in its sleep chambers. As a result, two passengers are awakened 90 years early.

Showing:

Daily: 12:20PM, 4:30PM

Starring:Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sola Sobowale, Alibaba, Iretiola Doyle, Banky W, and Adesua Etom

Synopsis: Our love birds just want to tie the knot in peace, but will true love stand even the most chaotic of wedding celebrations?

Showing:

Daily:1:40 PM

Friday -Thursday: 3:30pm

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen

Synopsis: In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces.

Showing:

Fri - Wed: 12:45 PM, 2:00 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:45 PM, 6:15 PM, 7:05 PM, 7:30 PM, 8:00 PM, 9:00 PM, 9:50 PM, 10:30 PM

Thu: 12:45 PM, 2:00 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:45 PM, 6:15 PM, 7:05 PM, 7:30 PM, 9:00 PM, 9:50 PM, 10:30 PM

Friday -Thursday: 10:20am, 12:50pm, 3:20pm, 4:25pm, 6:00pm, 7:00pm, 8:35pm

Starring:Majid Michel, Hafiz Saka Oyetoro, Mercy Johnson Okojie

Synopsis: Light Will Come tells the story of Lukas (Hafiz Oyetoro) a bumbling and comical personal assistant to his chronic bachelor boss Raymond (Majid Michel).

Raymonds parents have mandated him to get married and the desperate search together with Lukas to find the ideal wife his elite parents would approve of repeatedly goes wrong. Times running out on Raymond and he secretly engages the services of an escort agency who presents Jessica (Nuella Njubigbo Chikere) to pose before his parents as his fiancee but a fall out shatters the plan.

Showing:

Friday -Thursday: 11:20am

Friday -Thursday: 2:45PM, 7:35PM

Friday - Thursday:12:30PM, 2:10PM, 3:50PM, 5:40PM, 7:30PM 9:10PM

Starring:Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sola Sobowale, Alibaba, Iretiola Doyle, Banky W, and Adesua Etom

Synopsis: Our love birds just want to tie the knot in peace, but will true love stand even the most chaotic of wedding celebrations?

Showing:

Daily: 3:50 PM, 6:00 PM, 8:10 PM, 10:20 PM

Friday -Thursday: 2:35pm, 4:30pm, 6:30pm, 8:25pm

Friday -Thursday: 2:00PM, 6:40PM

Friday - Thursday:1:20PM, 3:20PM, 5:20PM, 7:20PM, 9:20PM

Starring: Will Smith, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet

Synopsis: Retreating from life after a tragedy, a man questions the universe by writing to Love, Time and Death. Receiving unexpected answers, he begins to see how these things interlock and how even loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty.

Friday - Thursday: 6:10PM, 8:10PM

Starring: AY Makun, Nadia Buari, Emma Nyra, Evan King, Anita Chris

Synopsis: An exuberant, adventurous young, white American man in search of a job lands himself a drivers job of transporting African films stars coming to America for an award show in this extremely funny comedy.

Showing:

Fri - Thu: 7:10 PM, 9:10 PM

Friday - Thursday: 12:40PM,5:25PM, 9:10PM

Daily: 12:15pm

Starring: Ben Affleck, Elle Fanning, Brendan Gleeson

Synopsis: A group of Boston-bred gangsters set up shop in balmy Florida during the Prohibition era, facing off against the competition and the Ku Klux Klan.

Showing:

Friday - Thursday: 10:30AM

Daily: 1:00pm

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Jenny Slate, Rosario Dawson

Synopsis: : Bruce Wayne must not only deal with the criminals of Gotham City, but also the responsibility of raising a boy he adopted.

Showing:

Daily: 12:40 PM, 2:50 PM

Friday -Thursday: 10:40AM, 12:45PM

Friday - Thursday: 12:10PM, 2:10PM, 4:10PM

Daily: 10:40am, 12:35pm

Starring: Enyinna Nwigwe, IK Ogbonna, Nancy Isime, Bayray Mc Nwizu, Keppy Ekpeyong, Shaffy Bello and Daniel Lloyd.

Synopsis: The movie was directed by Desmond Elliot (who also plays a role in the movie) and tells the story of a young lady who hires a man to pose as her fiance at a family event, after her younger sisters engagement.

Showing:

Friday -Thursday: 5:15PM, 9:15PM

Friday - Thursday: 2:30PM, 6:40PM, 8:40PM

Daily: 2:00pm, 6:15pm, 8:30pm

Starring: Somkele Idalamah, Chamberlain Okoro, Chika Chukwu, Neville osai, Omolola Ojo, Florence Paul, Jeremiah Etukudo

Synopsis: 'The Guest' is the story of a passionless but dedicated and faithful couple who take in an old friend. An affair soon begins between the husband and the friend, but when she starts to kill off members of his household who stand in the way of her getting what she wants, the couple realize that they have it all in each other and that their family is worth fighting for.

Showing:
Mr Bernard Mikko, PDP acting National Publicity Secretary to Sheriff faction stated this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Mikko said the issue of resignation as the political solution has neither been discussed nor put up for discussion with former President and other stakeholders as reported in some media.

He said that as a law abiding citizen, Sheriff was hereby calling on all stakeholders to make themselves available and offer advice on how to conduct the partys national convention as soon as possible.
Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, APC National Publicity Secretary, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

He said this was part of resolutions reached at the end of a closed door meeting between the APC National Working Committee (NWC) and Governors elected on the party`s platform.

He said the meeting which was chaired by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the party`s National Chairman, was used to review the party`s state and x-ray its challenges in relation to funding and financing.

He added that it was agreed at the meeting that the party was not effectively funded as it should be.

Abdullahi said a new funding mechanism was, therefore, devised based on a planned continuous membership registration exercise across the country.

According to him, the meeting agreed that this is the only sustainable way to fund the party.

He added that the meeting discussed the situations in some of the party`s state chapters and also agreed that an effective conflict resolution mechanism be put in place.

This, the APC spokesman added, was to stem the tide of internal dissension and resolve existing issues.

He said the meeting also resolved to launch a project to showcase the accomplishments of APC Governors in all the 24 states controlled by the party.

According to him, the party`s forthcoming non-elective National Convention was also discussed at the meeting which agreed that the convention be held on April 29.

He said that though the meeting acknowledged that President Muhammadu Buhari had been away longer than was originally envisaged, the party commended him for following the rule of law.

The meeting, however, commended the President for following the rule of law by allowing the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to assume proper leadership.

According to him, by so doing the President has saved the country the kind of trauma that was experienced in the past.

He commended the Acting President, the leadership of the National Assembly and all APC Governors for standing strong and ensuring that government continued to run smoothly in the President`s absence.
In a statement Mr Ikechukwu Eze, his Media Adviser, in Abuja, Jonathan urged the party faithful to ignore rumours and false information being peddled as the outcome of ongoing dialogue in the party.

He promised to address the public on the outcome of the consultations at the appropriate time.

He said that there had been media speculations since the meeting between him and the PDP Governors on Tuesday and stated that the speculations were being presented in contradictory perspectives.

I wish to urge the public and well-meaning PDP members to ignore such misleading conjectures as they are obviously the handiwork of those who do not wish the party well.

They are therefore not happy with the current reconciliation efforts.

The fact that Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Mr Ayo Fayose, promptly addressed journalists at the end ofthe meeting, clearly showed that there was no ambiguity in the message.

He said that an agreement was reached on seeking a political solution in resolving the differences.

It is obvious that those behind the misleading publications have failed to achieve their aim as I have seamlessly continued with the consultations and reconciliatory meetings, he said.

The former president said that since his meeting with the governors, he had also met with other key PDP leaders in line with his resolve to carry all the organs of the party along.

According to him, these leaders included Chairman, Board of Trustee (BoT), Sen. Walid Jibrin, Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff and Sen. Ahmed Makarfi.

Jonathan said that he was determined to continue on the path of inclusive dialogue.

He assured that he would do so by working with the governors, the BoT, National Assembly members and other key stakeholders until the internal dispute is finally resolved.
OBJ, as he is fondly called, said the party has become a shadow of itself due to internal wranglings.

He also prayed that the fortune of Nigeria will never sink like the PDP did.

According to Daily Post, the former President also said "When all was going well, when Ahmadu Ali was the chairman of the party, we were 30 out of the 36 states.

I brought Ahamdu Ali as the national leader of the party. But, when Ahmadu and I left, the fortune of the PDP sunk.

May the fortune of Nigeria never sink like that of the PDP, OBJ added.

The former President said this at an event organised by the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOP), Abeokuta, on Friday, March 3, 2017.

40 African traditional drums were put in display to honour Obasanjo as he clocked 80 years.
Guaranty Trust Bank is building a reputation for innovation and engagement, traits that have helped them become a favorite among young people in Nigeria, and around Africa.

Agbaje began his presentation by outlining the GTBank story, from its beginnings as a wholesale bank through transitions into what it has become now.

He noted that, in recent times, banks have had to be innovative and proactive to keep up with technology and advancements including social media.

In the past, banks were linear companies with their businesses restricted to providing simple financial solutions. However, with the advent of mobile money and wallets, companies outside of the traditional financial circle have begun to deal with money in a way similar to banks.

According to Agbaje, fintech companies and even brands like Starbucks and Uber are now in the same competitive space as banks.

He added that to keep up with the times, GT Bank has evolved a number of initiatives to provide far-reaching solutions to its customers beyond the regular services.

Those initiatives include SME MarketHub, Ndani TV and Art365, among others.

In Agbajes words, they were created in the spirit of strategic flexibility in reaction to different times and the reality of new, ever-changing demographics.

The future of banking is beyond brick-and-mortar financial institutions, to a time where banks are full service institutions that cater to needs of their customers.

Agbaje says he often needs to remind himself of this fact, as Guaranty Trust Bank develops to stay ahead of the times.

The session ended with questions from the audience on issues such as the limit placed on transactions in forex and the state of customer service at GTB branches.
David Davis's comments, during a visit to Bratislava, came just two days after a vote by the House of Lords called that date into question.

When asked by journalists about the date Davis said "Yes", the conservative government would be able to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon treaty by the end of this month.

A two-year period of negotiations will follow.

The House of Lords, Britain's unelected upper chamber of parliament, voted Wednesday to amend and thereby delay the bill that would allow Prime Minister Theresa May to begin Brexit negotiations.

The Lords, where May's Conservative Party does not hold a majority, have demanded guarantees for EU nationals living in Britain, a matter that the premier had wanted to tackle later.

The defeat means the bill must return to the lower House of Commons for deliberation, delaying final approval just weeks before the self-imposed deadline for starting Brexit negotiations.

At a joint press conference, Davis told Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico that the government wanted to preserve the rights of EU citizens now living in Britain.

"For existing citizens in the UK, we want something that is very close to or identical to that of the rights of British citizens in terms of rights of residence, access to welfare," Davis said.

"But that is something that will have to be agreed between us, in the whole 28," he added, referring to all EU member states.

Hundreds of thousands of EU citizens living and working in Britain, a majority from eastern states such as Slovakia and Poland, are demanding that their rights be protected.
Fillon revealed Wednesday he is set to be charged over allegations he paid his wife and children hundreds of thousands of euros for fake parliamentary jobs, but he has vowed to continue his bid for power.

After searches at his parliamentary office last month, police raided his central Paris home Thursday as he visited winegrowers on the campaign trial in southern France.

The raid "finished several hours ago", a source in Fillon's team told AFP late Thursday, confirming information first reported by Le Parisien newspaper.

Fillon was accused by Dominique de Villepin, another former premier from his Republicans party, of driving the right wing "into the abyss" with his insistence on running for the presidency.

"Going down this dead-end street is taking the state, our faith in democracy and its fellow travellers hostage," de Villepin wrote in Le Figaro newspaper.

Fillon has called the charges against him "entirely calculated to stop me being a candidate for the presidential election" and has ruled out stepping aside.

But defections from his team and calls from senior Republicans for ex-premier Alain Juppe, 71, to replace him have underlined divisions in his camp.

"The French people back me," Fillon insisted Thursday. "The base is holding."

New polls suggest Fillon is in third place and would win 19-20 percent in the first round of the election on April 23, behind centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Thousands still turned out to Fillon's rally in the town of Nimes on Thursday evening and his calculation appears to be that he can close the small gap on his rivals in the remaining two months.

The top two from the first round proceed to a run-off on May 7, which Macron is currently shown winning.

But analysts warn against firm forecasts after a rollercoaster campaign so far.

Le Pen loses immunity

Le Pen's legal woes also deepened as the European Parliament lifted her immunity to allow her to be prosecuted for retweeting images of Islamic State atrocities.

The anti-EU, anti-immigration candidate also faces a separate parliamentary expenses investigation and a campaign financing probe in France -- all of which she, like Fillon, denounces as a plot to thwart her.

The investigation in focus on Thursday concerns graphic pictures including that of a beheaded journalist that Le Pen, an MEP, tweeted in 2015.

They were addressed to a French television journalist who had likened her National Front party to the Islamic State group, leading police to open a probe into "the dissemination of violent images".

"The thing about the judicial affairs for Marine Le Pen and the National Front is that they are not about personal enrichment, while Francois Fillon's family is directly implicated," far-right expert Cecile Alduy from Stanford University told a conference this week.

Macron's agenda unveiled

Macron, meanwhile, promised a "strategy to make public life more ethical" as he unveiled his full programme for the first time.

The 39-year-old said he would ban parliamentarians from employing relatives, bar candidates with criminal records from standing for office, and increase the scrutiny of MPs' expenses.

Speaking late Thursday, he also said he would pull out of the election if he was charged "in the same way, in principle, a minister must leave the government if he is charged".

"To be president is to be the guarantor of institutions -- that is to say someone who guarantees the dignity of our public life," he told France 2 television.

Macron founded his independent movement "En Marche" (On the Move) only last April and has been the main beneficiary of Fillon's woes.

He sought Thursday to take on critics who say his pro-European, pro-business platform lacks substance.

Mixing traditionally rightwing measures such as easing strict labour controls and cutting taxes, he also stressed the need for new investment in public schools and measures to help deprived, high-immigrant areas.

"We are not looking to adapt or reform, but to transform," Macron told hundreds of journalists at a launch event to set out his agenda.

Macron believes France is too small to compete on its own in a globalised world and wants deeper integration between countries that use the euro, which would include the creation of a eurozone budget.
On one side is the militia of the Yezidis, a persecuted religious group, allied with the leftist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and on the other are Syrian Kurds allied with conservative Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani.

The incident which reportedly saw casualties and the taking of prisoners comes just days after Barzani visited Turkey, which is adamantly opposed to the PKK, deeming it a terrorist group.

Fighting began when forces loyal to Barzanis party entered an area controlled by the Yezidis, the Iraq Kurdish Rudaw TV reported.

Barzani maintains close ties with Turkey, and his government has called for the PKK to leave Sinjar.

The PKK and its Syrian allies, the YPG, established a presence in Sinjar in 2014 after they helped push back Islamic State, which was massacring the Yezidis.

The extremist group maintains a presence in the region.

The UN says Islamic State committed genocide against the religious minority group.

Thousands of Yezidi women are still held as sex slaves by the extremist militia, which has been ceding land to the YPG in Syria and Iraqi forces.
The Supreme Court supervises Poland's system of lower courts, while the Constitutional Court's main role is to check that Polish laws are compliant with the constitution.

On Thursday, several dozen PiS lawmakers called on the Constitutional Court to check whether Gersdorf's nomination in 2014 had been in line with the law, according to one of the politicians, Arkadiusz Mularczyk.

A spokesman for the liberal Civic Platform (PO) main opposition party condemned the move as a bid to "get rid of an independent chief justice and replace her with someone politically dependent on the decisions of (PiS leader) Jaroslaw Kaczynski".

"An independent Supreme Court and independent judges at all levels stand in the way of the PiS party's political strategy," spokesman Jan Grabiec added.

Critics also cite other PiS bids to consolidate power including moves to increase state control over public broadcasters.
Some 50 activists holding red umbrellas and wearing red plastic helmets staged the first-ever march through the capital with the goal of revoking a legal ban on sex work in the post-Soviet state.

Wearing white plastic masks, the protesters held placards reading "Sex work is work", "We stand for decriminalisation of sex work", and "My work is my choice".

"It is the first time that we have had the courage to come out and say that we exist,"Yuliya Dorokhova of Legalife, a Ukrainian non-governmental organisation for sex workers, said standing in front of the parliament building.

"We ask the authorities to lift the punishment for sex work. We would like to pay taxes rather than fines," she added.

According to human rights campaigners, there are some 80,000 sex workers in Ukraine who feel vulnerable -- particularly to police abuse due to their profession being outside the law.

Being illegal in Ukraine, prostitution is punishable by a fine up to 255 hryvnias ($9/euros).

"We want our state to protect us. If a woman was able to sell sex legally, she would pay money to the state budget," Dorokhova said.

"The women who work in existing brothels have to hand police their her earnings as 'protection' money," she added.

Due to the legal ban on prostitution, Ukraine's police are often accused of demanding money from sex workers to avoid fines and even beating them.
Ebutes letter was reportedly calling on the UN Security Council to sanction some of Nigerias neighbouring countries for alleged complacency in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency.

Ebute was reported to have addressed the letter to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and also copied the Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Court, Hague.

However, Mr Stephane Dujarric, the Spokesman for the Secretary-General, denied knowledge of the letter.

Ive seen the press reports. I have not seen the letter.

Obviously, the question of sanctions is up for the Council.

And I think for the UN, for our part, weve always counted on the cooperation of all countries in the Lake Chad Basin in the fight against Boko Haram, Dujarric said.

Ebute had said in the letter that each time the insurgents strike in Nigeria, they escape into either or all of these countries for refuge, during which time, they recuperate, re-energise, re-arm and surface to attack new targets in Nigeria.

It must be emphasized that the three countries have always been the entry and exit points for terrorists into and out of Nigeria.

Since the fall of Sambisa forest, their safest haven in Borno state, residues of insurgents have relocated to these countries, from where they stray into Nigerian territories to launch random attacks on soft and obscure targets, he said.

The former President of the Senate urged the UN Secretary-General to invoke relevant instruments, particularly Article 99 of the UN Charter.
Tamfu said that the Tripartite Agreement for the Voluntary Repatriation of Nigerian refugees living in Cameroon was signed on March 2, in Yaonde, Cameroon.

According to him, the agreement is a legal framework that sets out the modalities for the voluntary return of refugees to their country of origin in safety and dignity.

He said that more than 85,000 Nigerian refugees who fled the Boko Haram insurgency in North-East were currently living in the North Region of Cameroon with about 62,000 living in Minawao refugee camp.

Tamfu said that recent profiling exercise undertaken by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) also revealed more than 23,000 refugees residing in host communities.

He said that a UNHCR survey conducted in Minawao camp on the intentions of refugees to return back to Nigeria revealed that 71 per cent of the refugees (93,000) indicated their intentions to return.

The refugees, the official said, indicated that they would return when they were sure of the safety and conducive situation in their communities.

He said the UNHCR survey also reveals that there were thousands more Nigerians who fled the violence but have not been reached by aid agencies because of the prevailing insecurity in those areas.

He said that the Minister of Interior, retired Lt.- Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, described the agreement as a welcomed development which underscores the importance of working together to proofer lasting solutions to the refugees crises.

Tamfu said the minister said Nigeria remain committed to ensuring that it creates the conducive atmosphere to facilitate the return of its citizens in safety and dignity, in line with international protection principles.

He said that Mr Emmanuel Rene Emmanuel, Cameroons Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, said that the Government of Cameroon would continue to ensure the safety of Nigerian refugees in its territory.

The official said Rene assured that the government of Cameroon would spare no effort to help those who wish to return to Nigeria, in accordance with international agreements.

Tamfu said both countries and the UNHCR agreed to provide people wishing to return with clear information on the situation prevailing in their areas of return particularly in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

He explained that this was in order to allow them to make a well informed and voluntary decision.
The source said Yanukovych, who fled to Russia, was on a list of 15 names which will be published on Saturday. One person was removed from the sanctions list, the EU said.

In September, a top EU court rejected an appeal by Yanukovych, his son and a top aide against the sanctions for the period March 2015 to March 2016, but annulled them for the previous one year period on a technicality.

An EU official told AFP at the time that the General Court's decision meant Yanukovych, his son Oleksandr and aide Andriy Klyuyev "remain subject to the EU asset freeze."

Yanukovych sparked massive protests when he ditched an association accord with the EU, and then fled to Russia in early 2014 after a bloody crackdown in Kiev failed to quell the demonstrations.

As the Ukraine crisis deepened, the EU has imposed a series of asset freezes and travel bans on Russian as well as Ukrainian figures and companies said to have undermined the country's sovereignty by abetting Moscow's intervention and its March 2014 annexation of Crimea.
CAMANCHE  Still too cold for fishing, Garry Land of Clinton did not have anywhere else to be this past Saturday other than the Mississippi River Eco-Tourism Center off U.S. 67 near Folletts, Iowa.

At 72, the retired eye surgeon builds fishing rods, and last weekend, he introduced a small group of anglers to the craft during a hands-on class.

"It's morphed into an addiction," said Land, who grew up in Texas and still speaks with a Texas accent.

In conjunction with the Clinton County Conservation Board, Land provided the materials, including blank fiberglass ($45) and carbon fiber ($70) rods equipped only with cork handles.

Participants attached multiple guides with glue to the 6-foot rods and wrapped each one with various colored threads, a meticulous and time-consuming process.

The class began at 9 a.m., and Stan Franks of Camanche, a retired assembler at John Deere Davenport Works, was the first one to finish his custom-designed rod about 12:30 p.m.

"I like artsy stuff," he said, carefully lining up the guides on his fiberglass rod. "I'm glad somebody showed me how to do it."

To add a bit of pizzazz to their creations, Franks and others applied "dragon-scale" wraps near the winding checks of their rods, where the handle meets the blank.

"There are a lot of things you can do on a custom rod you can't get with a factory rod," said Land, who estimates he has built about 500 rods in the past 20 years.

At completion, students brushed epoxy over the threaded parts of their rods, which then solidified overnight on spinning dryers.

'I do this more for fun'

The class, Land's fifth at the Rock Creek Marina and Campground facility, drew just eight people who finished six rods, but the slightly low turnout did not deter the instructor.

How could it? Nestled along the backwaters of the Mississippi River, the sun shined through the windows of the $2 million center, which opened in the spring of 2012 about 30 miles upriver from the Quad-Cities.

"Financially, I'm secure, so I do this more for fun," said Land, who also served in the U.S. Army. "To tell you the truth, I don't quite break even, but it's close enough."

Plus, Land really enjoys working alongside young, aspiring anglers. He and his wife of 50 years have two daughters and three grandchildren.

On Saturday, Rod Venditti of Wheatland and his 8-year-old grandson, Vaughn Judge, of Lone Tree, Iowa, learned to build a rod together.

"I like making stuff," said Vaughn, who also expressed an interest in fishing.

"He's used fishing poles since he could walk, and now he knows what they're made of," Venditti said.

Jessica Steines, a naturalist for Clinton County Conservation, which manages the eco-tourism center and the surrounding 100 acres, said rod construction requires nimble" fingers and good eyesight.

While she does not consider herself an angler, Steines recently assembled a rod for her son.

Its special to him since I made it, she said.

Brad Taylor, park officer for Clinton County Conservation, on the other hand, has made a few rods he regularly uses.

Simply put, Taylor said, "It's fun catching a fish on a pole you built yourself."

'It's always yours'

During his 33-year career as an eye surgeon in Clinton, Land said he performed 10,000 cataract procedures.

"I had a good time, made a lot of friends and did some good, I hope," Land said.

And one of those former patients, Keith Morine of Fulton, Illinois, attended last week's workshop.

The 62-year-old retiree, who formerly served as the security manager at Rhythm City Casino, opted for the carbon fiber rod.

"This is my first foray into building a rod and I'm having a blast," said Morine, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.

The avid bass fisherman said he has wanted to learn how to create his own rod for many years, but never had the patience in the past.

"Fifteen years ago, I would've thrown everything all over the place," said Morine, who mentioned he was forced to retire from his "high-pressure" job in 2013. "I've actually become a better person since then."

Morine, who buys an Iowa and Illinois fishing license every year, also noted he has multiple rods at home, products he purchased from sporting goods stores.

However, it is clear he already cherishes his newest one more than the others.

"No matter what, it's always yours," he said. "It's something I built with my own two little hands."
Defense spending bills expected to come to the House and Senate floors soon will continue to have funding that has helped the Rock Island Arsenal for the past three years.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the ranking Democrat on the Senate panel that oversees defense appropriations, said Friday the House and Senate will consider bills that contain $140 million in Industrial Mobilization Capacity funds for military arsenals.

The Industrial Mobilization Capacity funding helps the Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center be more competitive, and the Arsenal has shared in the funding for the past three years. The bill also includes $110 million for Humvee ambulances; the Arsenal also produces some of those.

In a statement, Durbin said the Arsenal, along with other Illinois bases  and the jobs they support  are helped by the bill, which is for the 2017 fiscal year.

Durbin's office announced last spring that the IMC funding was in the 2017 defense appropriations bill. But the legislation has not moved, even though the 2017 fiscal year began last October.

The House bill is expected to be taken up next week. The bill, which contains $578 billion in expenditures, was introduced on Thursday.
DES MOINES  Emotions ran high and in some cases raw Thursday as legislators frantically worked to save issues dear to them from falling victim to the "funnel"  a self-imposed deadline that renders bills ineligible in the remaining weeks of the 2017 session.

The first funnel deadline, which required non-money bills to clear at least one standing committee of the House or Senate to stay active this year, claimed issues dealing with reinstating the death penalty, restricting abortion and raising the statewide minimum wage or interstate speed limits.

State troopers were stationed at several committee meetings where high-profile issues drew crowds of spectators and TV cameras.

Republicans who control both legislative chambers pushed ahead with bills that would revamp Iowas workers compensation system, require local governments to enforce federal immigration laws and create new election verification requirements for voters that minority Democrats have called punitive and nonsense.

From what I can tell right now, were still on track with a lot of our priorities to continue moving them forward, said Senate President Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny.

We came into this session with a big, bold agenda to do major reforms and thats tough. It takes a long time, but were looking at doing reforms that will impact this state in a positive way for decades to come, he said. We know this is a two-year process. Were going to take our time and do it right.

Democrats, already in the minority in the House but now in the Senate, too, have had little sway over that GOP agenda.

Theres been so much nonsense coming at us this week, said Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids. This is just nonsense after nonsense after nonsense and were trying to sit here and say, 'Hey, you said you were going to work on the economy and schools. Where is it?' Its not happening. In fact, theyre taking us in the wrong direction.

House Democratic Leader Mark Smith of Marshalltown said Republicans  who hold majorities of 59-41 in the House and 29-20-1 in the Senate  were making very egregious changes to Iowas long-standing system of protecting injured workers, election law changes that will suppress voting and bills that are an all-out assault on ordinary Iowans.

Republicans have always run on the idea of local control. Their legislation this year is very much anti-local control, he said.

A workers compensation bill, HSB 169  which would reduce benefits for many common workplace injuries, consider an injured employees age in determining an employees loss of earning power and limit benefits to older injured employees, as well as cut off payments for disabling workplace injuries when a person turns 67  provoked sharp and emotional debate in the House Commerce Committee.

What youre doing today, if you pass this out of committee, is doing the wrong thing by those workers, said Rep. Abby Finkenauer, D-Dubuque. This is mean. This isnt who we are as Iowans. I beg you, vote no and lets stop this right now.

Her plea and another from Rep. Scott Ourth, D-Ackworth, that the bill would be inhumane  un-American  flat-out wrong  a death sentence did not stop the committee from approving the plan on 14-9 party-line vote.

This is a slap in the face to me and my family and my colleagues, said Ourth, a heavy equipment operator. What youre telling me, those of you who I have called friends all along the way, is that one day our friendship will end if I fall into this category of disability. Youre going to walk away. Youre going to turn your back.

Rep. Gary Carlson, R-Muscatine, conceded the bill was not perfect.

I do sincerely think we need to reset where we are, he said.

A similar bill, SSB1170, won 9-6 support in the Senate Commerce Committee. There, bill manager Sen. Michael Breitbach, R-Strawberry Point, saying most Iowa businesses treat their employees like family as he refuted Democratic critics. They arent disposable, they are not throw away, we want them to get the best care they can.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock, said the workers compensation rewrite was designed to balance Iowas law in order to evaluate employee injuries in a fair and practical manner that holds the promise of one of the biggest impacts for addressing the cost side challenges for job creators.

But Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, called the changes disappointing and said they were being rushed through with an immediate effective date, like an earlier collective bargaining change.

So if youre going to get injured, youd better get injured this week instead of next week, he told committee members.

In the Senate Local Government Committee, Republicans approved an immigration bill 7-4 that would sanction state funding to cities and counties that didnt enforce federal laws by detaining people in this country illegally.

The committee accepted changes offered by Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, who told GOP the amendments were needed so you dont pass something out of here thats embarrassingly unconstitutional.

The third time wasnt the charm for an idea championed by Gov. Terry Branstad to eliminate licensing requirements for a wide number of professions, from social workers to mental health counselors.

Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, dramatically tore up the bill, declaring it dead earlier in the week.

However, on Thursday morning, a House State Government subcommittee amended it to a bill related to licensing master electricians. The reincarnation was short-lived. The attempt to keep it alive through the deadline died in caucus.

Thats unfortunate, but not surprising, Branstad said.

We knew this was going to be tough, he said. Youre going up against all the organized special interest groups that want to protect their turf.

This place is overrun with lobbyists to protect their special interests and thats who the legislators have heard from, Branstad said. Im just going to ask that they take another look and consider the people who dont have the paid, professional lobbyist here representing them.

For his part, Branstad said he generally was pleased that his priorities were advancing in the legislative process.

Im particularly encouraged about the public safety issues, the distracted and impaired driving, and those issues that really involve the safety of the citizens. We knew those were not going to be easy. We feel good about that, the Republican governor said. Generally, things are coming along.

He also was encouraged that a water quality bill advanced Thursday in the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee, saying its important that lawmakers approve funding and policy provisions on that front this session.
The site of the Scott County legislative forum for March has been changed.

The March 11 forum will be at the Mississippi Bend AEA9 Learning Center, 729 21st St., Bettendorf, organizers say.

Previously, the forum has been held at St. Ambrose University, but there is a conflict that weekend.

The forum's starting time will remain the same. The social period will begin at 10 a.m., with the forum itself scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. It lasts until noon.

This will be the third of four forums to be held this year. Typically, forums are held once per month while the Iowa Legislature is in session.

The April 22 forum will return to St. Ambrose University.

 Ed Tibbetts
Here's the afternoon forecast from the National Weather Service. We'll see increasing clouds this afternoon with a high near 38 degrees. Winds will be from the south between 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight will be cloudy then gradually becoming partly cloudy with a low around 28 degrees.

For the weekend, we'll enjoy temps in the upper 50s and lower 60s.

Government Bridge to close Saturday for lock repairs

The Government Bridge connecting Davenport with Arsenal Island will be closed to vehicle, pedestrian and train traffic from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.

Signage will be put in place to direct traffic to other area bridges.

The Corps of Engineers will be conducting emergency maintenance and repairs at Lock and Dam 15.

Sneak Peek: Q-C doctor shortage

Iowa has a healthy number of medical students. In fact, the state ranks seventh in the nation for medical students per 100,000 population. But when Iowa's med students become doctors, they do not stick around.

The entire U.S. has been battling a doctor shortage, and Iowa has a bigger battle than many other states. Our quality of life, from a temperamental climate to a comparative lack of amenities, makes it tough for Iowa to compete with states that have bigger cities.

To reverse the physician shortage, American hospitals and clinics have become increasingly dependent upon foreign-born doctors. In fact, 1 in 4 U.S. doctors are foreign-born. The good news for the Quad-Cities is that some foreign-born doctors grow attached to the area and are choosing to stay.

Their stories lead our Big Story coming this weekend online at qctimes.com and Sunday in print editions of the Quad-City Times.

ICYMI: Cubs television schedule

The defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs have multiple television partners in the Quad-Cities in 2017. In-house Cub fan Ryan Jaster has compiled the dates, times and channels of the 2017 Chicago Cubs television broadcast schedule in the Q-C. Check it out, then print and save.

 Actor Clint Eastwood's more recent directorial projects shine through, including "Million Dollar Baby" and "Mystic River," but it's his earlier, grittier Western action films that reign supreme. Here's a ranking of his films, from worst to first to make your day.
Gov. Terry Branstad is half-right on the minimum wage.

Last month, the governor threw his support behind "a modest increase" in the Iowas minimum wage as well as a measure that would restrict municipalities from increasing their minimum wage above the state level. He's wrong on the first point but right on the second.

A review of the best minimum wage research, published by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, confirmed that past "modest" minimum wage increases have had a major impact on job opportunities for young and less-skilled jobseekers. Researchers at Trinity and Miami University replicated the methodology of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and found that Iowa would lose over 5,000 jobs if a $10.10 minimum wage was implemented statewide. According to the most recent Census Bureau data, the Davenport Metro Area has a youth unemployment rate averaging over 17 percent.

Iowans dont have to look far to see consequences from minimum wage increases. Johnson County, which increased its minimum wage by 39 percent between November 1, 2015 and January 1, 2017, is suffering consequences, with employees feeling the impact.

Jon Sewell, the owner of Iowa City restaurant D.P. Dough, said he has had to cut back staff hours because he couldn't absorb the payroll increase of the minimum wage hike. Sewell stated, "We are using less hours so there are less people getting paid than we used to have because we werent able to absorb all that increase in payroll." Business operators who are making razor thin profit margins have little flexibility when government dictated labor costs come in double digit increases.

The Orange Leaf, a frozen yogurt shop in North Liberty, closed its doors entirely, telling one local news station that it "couldn't keep up with Johnson County's minimum wage," and warned that they wouldn't be the only ones to close. That includes another North Liberty business, the Popcorn Shoppe, whose owner worries he'll have to close his doors because of rising labor costs combined with a tough business environment.

Childcare centers, which run on very low profit margins, have also been affected by the wage hike. The director of the Mary Jo Small Child Care Center said the wage hike had a "huge impact" on her center, which was forced to raise prices for care by $100 a month per child to avoid going out of business.

Similar consequences are playing out across the country in other locales experimenting with starter wage increases. In California, where the wage increased to $10.50 on New Years Day and many localities have gone higher, dozens of businesses have closed their doors or plan to leave the state. Washington State, which also fashions itself a "leader" on the minimum wage, has seen the closure of numerous cafes and other businesses. And in New York, numerous restaurants have gone out of business, laid off employees, or reduced hours to compensate for increased labor costs associated with recent starter wage increases.

To prevent similar consequences in Iowa  like those seen in Johnson County and around the country  the Iowa Legislature should take a pass on the governor's not-so-modest wage increase proposal. Instead, it should follow in the footsteps of the Ohio legislature, which (with bipartisan backing from prominent Cleveland Democrats) passed a law establishing one minimum wage at the state level.

Iowa citizens are just beginning to understand the consequences of lacking such a law. In California, labor groups and activist city councils have created a mind-boggling patchwork of local wage laws; in the Bay Area alone, there are more than a dozen municipalities with their own mandated wage laws, and the sky's the limit on how high they can go.

In order to keep Iowa's entry-level career pathways open, Gov. Branstad should keep the starting wage at a reasonable level, and ensure that municipalities across the state can follow one wage standard.
BISMARCK, N.D. | North Dakota's top House Republican is proposing six state-owned casinos, a move that risks angering American Indian tribes at a time relations have already been rubbed raw by the dispute over the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

The only casinos in North Dakota are on the state's five American Indian reservations, and those are central to the tribes' economies. Some lawmakers say Fargo Rep. Al Carlson's proposal to add six state-owned casinos is little more than a threat of payback for millions of dollars in law enforcement and other costs the state bore because of protests over the Dakota Access pipeline.

"It's another direct consequence of the pipeline protests, no question," Rep. Pam Anderson, a Democrat from Fargo, said Thursday.

Carlson said his idea is not "anti-American Indian," but rather a way to establish casinos as "destination-oriented attractions" and use profits from them to lessen  or eliminate altogether  state sales tax and corporate income tax.

Many lawmakers believe the measure has little chance of passing, but they fear it's further damaged the state's relationship with its tribes.

While the state supported the four-state pipeline, some of its tribes led the protests against it and set up an encampment near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation that at times drew thousands of people from around the U.S. The Standing Rock Sioux and other tribes say the $3.8 billion pipeline threatens their drinking water and cultural sites  claims the pipeline developer disputes.

Patrick Packineau, general manager of the Four Bears Casino on the Fort Berthold Reservation, would not comment on any political motivations behind Carlson's proposal, but he said North Dakota already has enough casinos.

"The state of North Dakota has a limited market, as far as gamblers," he said. "Additional casinos would only cannibalize the market even further."

The Fort Berthold Reservation also has oil that contributes to its economy, though Packineau said the casino is important to the reservation. About 20 percent of the 1 million barrels of oil produced daily in North Dakota come from the reservation, occupied by the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara tribes.

But North Dakota's other reservations don't have oil and rely heavily on casinos to provide jobs and revenue. Packineau's casino alone employs 300 people.

North Dakota's overwhelmingly male and nearly all-white Republican-led Legislature already has approved legislation aimed at pipeline protesters, including measures that make it a crime for adults to wear masks in most cases and that increase penalties for rioting and trespassing. Those were among the first bills signed by Republican Gov. Doug Burgum, who was elected in November and promised a "fresh start in our relations with all tribal nations who live with and among us" at his state-of-the state address.

The Legislature has killed a handful bills intended to heal some wounds from the protest activity, including one that would have required "cultural competency training" for lawmakers and another that would have allowed tribal flags from the state's five tribes to be on display in the Capitol.

Sen. Richard Marcellais, a Democrat from Belcourt and member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, sponsored the cultural competency training bill. Marcellais was visibly upset when Carlson's casino measure surfaced. He said it was clearly aimed at hurting casinos on Indian land.

"It's racist," Marcellais said. "I feel like going over there and knocking him through the window."

Carlson's resolution is a proposed constitutional amendment that would go to voters if lawmakers give the OK. It does not need the governor's approval, but Burgum issued a statement indicating he opposes the idea.

"The state should not be getting into the casino ownership business," Burgum said.

Sen. Lonnie Laffen was the original author of the proposal. The Grand Forks Republican said he held off introducing it this year because of tensions between the state and the tribes.

Instead, he said, "Carlson took it over."
PIERRE | Another attempt to further toughen South Dakotas vehicular homicide law fell short Thursday in the state Senate.

The vote was 17-15 to not allow vehicular homicide to be charged as first-degree manslaughter punishable by up to life in prison and a $50,000 fine.

Vehicular homicide is now a Class 3 felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine.

The House of Representatives had approved the change 49-18 a week ago.

The push for the change came in the wake of a 2013 tragedy at Pickstown.

A driver high on marijuana and drunk at three times the legal limit for driving plowed through a parking lot and killed Maegan Spindler, 25, and Rob Klumb, 46.

The two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service researchers were talking in a motel lot when a minivan driven by Ron Fischer Jr. failed to stop at the intersection and ran them over.

Circuit Judge Bruce Anderson found Fischer guilty of two counts of vehicular homicide and not guilty of first or second degree manslaughter. Spindler's parents have led a crusade to try to enhance South Dakota's law with stricter penalties.

"We defeated this bill once before." Sen. Kris Langer, R-Dell Rapids, said Thursday as she asked the Senate to block it.

Other senators saw the drivers sentence as too light.

"This family didn't receive justice because our statutes weren't effective," Sen. Stace Nelson, R-Fulton, said.

State Attorney General Marty Jackley and the states attorneys association supported the change. Lindsey Riter-Rapp for the South Dakota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers opposed it.
PIERRE | South Dakota businesses that sell licenses for the state Department of Game, Fish & Parks could raise their handling fees under a proposal that is alive again in the Legislature.

A House committee killed the plan last week but resurrected it Tuesday, amended it again Thursday and then endorsed it.

Under the Tuesday version, businesses could have kept the handling fee at $2 or charged as much as $4 for the handling fee for a standard license. Under that version, the increase wouldnt have applied to licenses that GF&PP sells over the internet.

But under the Thursday version, brought by Rep. Julie Bartling, D-Gregory, the increase would apply to licenses sold over the internet, with those proceeds split between animal damage control and wildlife depredation.

Here we come full circle, Rep. Oren Lesmeister, D-Parade, said. We vetted. We reworked it. At the end of the day we have a win-win for everybody.

Bartling said she appreciated everyones indulgence.

I think we are actually benefiting twice by this, she said.

Rep. Larry Rhoden, R-Union Center, said it was a good demonstration of good process.

In my view the Senate missed an opportunity, Rhoden said.

The Retailers Association, the Cattlemens Association, Farmers Union and Stockgrowers Association testified in support of Bartlings amendment Thursday.

This is a good fit, Stockgrowers lobbyist Jeremiah Murphy said.

Rhoden offered the Tuesday amendment that would have cut GF&P out of the increase and let each retailer decide whether to collect the full $4 handling fee.

Rhoden said that morning that some retailers see license sales as loss leaders to attract customers and some retailers see license sales as a pain.

We shouldnt be throwing money at an agency that hasnt requested the money, Rhoden said.

Retailers havent seen an increase since 1998. Sen. Ryan Maher, R-Isabel, said he brought the legislation on behalf of businesses in western South Dakota.

Im not married to the bill by any means, Maher said. I just want to do something for the retailer. Thats my main goal.

There was no opponent testimony Tuesday. However, the committee delayed further action until Thursday.

Bartling said on Tuesday that legislators must listen for whether retailers would be losing license sales to GF&P because of the price difference that would result under the Rhoden amendment.

Bartling said its a big deal for retailers in her area to sell licenses.

Tony Leif, director for the state Wildlife Division, said GF&P is deficit spending in the animal damage control program. He said the additional money would keep the fund in the black.

Leif said the depredation program would benefit from additional funding as well.

If the full House of Representatives approves the latest version of Senate Bill 130 the legislation would need to return to the Senate for a decision whether to agree to the House changes.
PIERRE | A state Senate panel on Thursday shot down proposed price reductions on hunting licenses for armed forces veterans who are past residents of South Dakota and want to return to the state to hunt.

Rep. David Johnson, R-Rapid City, proposed that veterans who are originally from South Dakota but who do not live here now would be able to buy some licenses at resident rates, which can be much lower than for nonresidents.

He estimated there would typically be two or more nonresidents who would come to South Dakota to hunt with past residents who are veterans.

The number of licenses available to nonresidents wouldnt have been affected. The legislation was aimed at lowering license prices for the veterans. For example, a deer license would drop from $280 to $40.

This does not give a veteran from Colorado residency status, Johnson said. They get to come home, essentially, and hunt at resident rates.

State licenses that are resident-only for big game species such as elk, bighorn sheep and mountain lions would have been off limits.

However, licenses for deer, antelope, spring turkey, pheasants and other small game that already are available to nonresidents would have been eligible for the resident rates.

The committee voted 6-3 against the legislation. The House of Representatives approved the legislation 36-30 on Feb. 14.

The information to determine if a nonresident veteran previously lived in South Dakota is available on the veterans discharge papers, and the state Game, Fish & Parks Department already has a procedure that applies in other instances, Johnson said.

He said there were 113,000 nonresident hunters last year.

Rep. Taffy Howard, R-Rapid City, introduced retired Air Force Lt. Col. Lyle Baker of Rapid City, who said his son would like to return home to hunt on the familys land.

Its kind of a why not? David Owen, executive director for the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce, said in support.

Scott Simpson, a GF&P official, spoke in opposition with the utmost respect. He said the legislation would establish the first reduced hunting fees for nonresidents in South Dakota.

Simpson said that when a resident of another state uses the benefits of living in that state, the person shouldnt also get the benefits available in South Dakota.

Simpson said he doesnt know what the fiscal impact would be.

Deputy Secretary Aaron Pollard from the state Department of Veterans Affairs also testified against it, saying it could be the first step on a slippery slope.

Johnson said he was bothered that the governors office made the decision to oppose his legislation. Afterward he said he was blindsided.

He told the senators there are already exceptions for nonresident hunters such as students attending college in South Dakota. So why draw the line at our veterans? I dont get it, he said.

They want to come to hunt, let them do it. Let them bring their full wallets, Johnson added.

Sen. Justin Cronin, R-Gettysburg, said he didnt know there were so many exceptions already being granted for students.

Johnson said the students are being granted residency.
PIERRE | The administration of Gov. Dennis Daugaard is now one step away from receiving the Legislatures green light to sell juvenile corrections facilities at Plankinton and Custer.

The Senate Appropriations Committee authorized the potential sales 8-0 Thursday. The full Senate would take up the matters next. The House of Representatives has approved the authorizing legislation.

The sales would commit South Dakota for the foreseeable future to a policy of placing all troubled youths with private providers.

Plans call for the Plankinton campus to remain in the control of Clinicare, the Wisconsin-based company that now leases it as Aurora Plains Academy. Two state departments contract for care of youths there.

The Custer campus, most recently known as the STAR Academy, has 182 acres of land. It currently is empty but costs $540,000 per year to maintain, according to Hunter Roberts, an aide to Daugaard.

AJ Franken, representing the governor, said there is a declining juvenile population in corrections. He said there were 931 juveniles in 2006 and the number had fallen to 474 by 2016.

The Custer facility stopped operating in 2016. Franken said the facility didnt make sense as the population declined.

Its location makes it historically difficult to staff because the workforce is limited, Franken said.

Ryan Brunner, state commissioner of school and public lands, said there hasnt been an appraisal yet of the Custer facility.

Brunner said his office usually waits until after it receives authority from the Legislature to proceed with a sale.

Brunner said it could be anybodys guess as to a value at Custer until there is a walk-through to see the condition of buildings and equipment. He said it is a beautiful piece of property.

State government conducted a timber sale on the property last summer, according to Brunner.

Franken said there has been some interest expressed in the Custer property. But nothing with a number or nothing very solid at this time, he said.

There are 48 different structures at the Plankinton campus, Brunner said. "The lease is for a dollar a year so there is not a cash flow there you can collect," he said.

The lease with the current contractor would remain in effect if someone else bought the site. "You would give your competitors free property to use," Brunner said.

Brunner said the appraised value would be $1 million to $1.6 million in his opinion. "But I can't give you a specific amount," he said.
A Georgia man who suffered catastrophic effects from a botched heart surgery in Rapid City has won a $13.49 million judgment, which is possibly one of the largest such judgments in South Dakota history.

The judgment was filed Thursday by U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier after the defendant, surgeon James Oury, never hired an attorney and failed to adequately respond to the lawsuit.

Oury performed surgery on the plaintiff, Hudson E. Myers, on Oct. 14, 2010, when Myers was 21 years old. Air bubbles known as emboli entered Myers blood stream during the surgery and caused what the lawsuit described as a catastrophic and permanent neurologic injury.

The lawsuit was filed on Myers behalf in 2012 by the Goodsell Quinn law firm. David Barari, one of the attorneys for Myers, described the judgment as historically large.

We dont know that its the largest medical malpractice judgment in South Dakota history, but we think it is, or its very close, Barari said.
HOT SPRINGS | Some big political drama played out last week in the small Southern Hills town of Hot Springs.

As a result, a suspended city administrator was vindicated, and the mayor who imposed the sanctions against him suddenly announced her resignation.

The Hot Springs City Council cast votes Feb. 20 that were designed to clear City Administrator Nolan Schroeder, who had been suspended for 10 days by then-Mayor Cindy Donnell.

The council overturned the suspension, restored his pay and reimbursed legal fees Schroeder incurred while appealing the suspension.

Not long before the meeting, Mayor Donnell stated her intention to resign in an email to council members and city employees. Her last day in office is today.

Donnell, in her resignation letter, noted that she would not be at the council meeting due to an illness. She said she resigned because of changes in her life and a desire to return to her family.

Schroeder's suspension started with a letter written by City Attorney Sara Frankenstein on behalf of Mayor Donnell on Jan. 18. The letter accused him of insubordination, inability to effectively manage staff, failure to complete assigned tasks, failure to take direction, and failure to make himself available to out-of-hours city emergencies ."

The five-hour council meeting lasted nearly until midnight and featured three executive sessions on the issue. In the end, the council approved two motions  neither unanimously  designed to vindicate Schroeder.

The first motion removed several documents relating to the issue from Schroeder's personnel file, returned his lost wages and stated "no retaliation shall occur against any employees due to any participation in this matter." That motion was approved by a 6-2 council vote, with council members Andrea Kramer and Tim Tescher voting against it.

The second motion was to reimburse legal fees Schroeder incurred during his challenge of the suspension, up to $2,000. This motion was approved by a 5-3 council vote, with members Georgia Holmes, Tescher and Kramer voting no.

During the meeting, five people spoke in support of Schroeder.

Beth Spitzer, representing Keep Hot Springs Beautiful, said she worked with Schroeder on many occasions and called him a great listener, responsive to calls and emails."

She also said that the mayors letter describing Schroeders supposed work-related flaws spoke only in generalities and these mistakes, she said, would be hard to correct unless the specific issues were clarified.
Authorities investigating the January homicide of an escaped prison inmate are asking for the public's help.

Moses Dubray, 32, was found dead Jan. 11 along S.D. Highway 89 in Fall River County. The day before, on Jan. 10, Dubray had walked away from the Rapid City Community Work Center, his assigned unit while he served a five-year burglary sentence.

His death was ruled a homicide, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and Fall River County Sheriff's Office are investigating. They have asked the public to come forward with any additional information.

DCI is seeking information on Dubrays whereabouts the night of Jan. 10. Anyone with information is asked to call the DCI tip line at 394-1884.
A Pine Ridge man was sentenced Thursday to 13 months of jail time he has already served and a year of supervised release on charges he helped conceal a murder on the reservation in 2015.

Albert Cottier, 24, had pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to misprision of a felony in the killing of 30-year-old Ferris Brings Plenty in July 2015. In a written statement, Cottier admitted knowing his male companions had assaulted Brings Plenty in the victims backyard and that he did not inform law enforcement. Instead, he fled with some of the attackers.

Brings Plenty died from various injuries, including brain hemorrhage after being kicked in the head and face, and struck with a machete, bat, stick and cinder block, according to court documents. Six other people were charged in the incident, including three who earlier pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received prison sentences of 14 to 17 years. Two of the defendants are still being prosecuted.
A 13-year-old girl on her way to school wailed as immigration agents took her handcuffed father away in a black car.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents pulled Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez's vehicle over Tuesday about a half mile from a school where the undocumented immigrant from Mexico had just dropped off one of his daughters.

The dad, 48, was driving daughter Fatima Avelica to another school in the northeast Los Angeles neighborhood of Highland Park when ICE stopped them. Left behind in the car with her mother, Fatima wept inconsolably as she captured video of her father's detention. Rosary beads hung from the rearview mirror. A palm-frond cross rested on the dashboard.

"I was scared and sad at the same time," Fatima, still holding the cellphone on which she took the video, told CNN Friday. "I never thought I would have to experience something like this in my life ... on my way to school."

Since President Donald Trump's inauguration, scores of unauthorized immigrants have been detained and deported under his administration's hard-line immigration stand.

"We knew the day was going to come ... especially with the election," said Avelica's 19-year-old daughter Jocelyn. "We just weren't prepared ... We thought if we don't talk about, it's not going to happen."

When the family did talk about the possibility of an immigration arrest, the stress and sadness forced them to quickly change the subject, she said. Her father took the girls to school every morning before going to work at a restaurant.

Fatima's video and plaintive cry offer one of the first up-close looks at the human toll of those policies.

Fatima said her father told his wife and daughter that his car was being followed by immigration agents in an unmarked car. She thought it was the police.

When the agents handcuffed her father, she said her mother asked her to videotape what was happening. Before he was taken to the unmarked car, Avelica told her "to relax and be strong."

ICE said in a statement that Avelica was arrested because he has "multiple prior criminal convictions, including a DUI in 2009, as well an outstanding order of removal dating back to 2014."

The ICE statement said members of a Los Angeles-based fugitive operations team conducted surveillance to confirm Avelica's identity before arresting him near a charter school.

Avelica, a father of four, had lived in the United States for more than 25 years, according to a statement from Emi MacLean, an attorney for National Day Laborer Organizing Network. The statement said Avelica was picked up one block from his daughter's school.

Ricardo Mireles, executive director of the charter school Academia Avance, told CNN affiliate KABC-TV in Los Angeles that Avelica's DUI conviction occurred nearly a decade ago and another run-in with the law came 20 years ago after Avelica said he unknowingly purchased a car with an incorrect registration sticker.

"I think the impacts are going to come in terms of, 'Hey, how do we pay the rent? And how do we move forward?' " Mireles said. "We want to be able to find resources to help this family go through this process."

Jocelyn said her father is a good man.

"I know he is not a criminal," she said. "I've always said we all do things that we learn from ... He is our father, a hard worker, an honest man."

The ICE statement Friday said Avelica was still in custody.

On Tuesday morning, one of Fatima's sisters took her to school. She doesn't like to miss classes. Fatima was comforted by her teachers, she said.

Immigration rights activists have criticized Trump's policy of targeting most of the unauthorized immigrants as opposed to the Obama administration's focus on violent offenders.

On Wednesday, Daniela Vargas, 22, was arrested after sharing her family's story -- including the arrests of her father and brother last month by ICE officers -- during a news conference in Jackson, Mississippi.

Moments before ICE picked her up, Vargas spoke out publicly for young people who, like herself, were brought to the United States illegally as children but later qualified for a temporary reprieve from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA.

Recipients often are called DREAMers, a reference to the DREAM Act, which if approved by Congress would give DACA participants permanent legal status.

CNN's Donie O'Sullivan and Krecyte Villarreal contribited to this report.
Supreme Court overturns fine imposed on disabled Russian ex-colonel in bribery case

MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI, Yevgeniya Sokolova)  The Supreme Court of Russia overturned an 800,000-ruble fine (about $13,700) imposed on convicted ex-colonel Yury Gaidukov, who had been earlier freed from prison sentence in bribery case because of loss of sight, RAPSI learnt in the court on Friday.

In November 2016, Gaidukov was sentenced to five years in jail, fined and released by the Moscow District Military Court from serving his prison term.

Gaidukov, who worked at Russias Audit Chamber, was charged in 2007 with accepting a bribe in the amount of 7 million when inspecting rocket engine maker NPO Energomash.

Zarina Farniyeva, ex-head of the Chambers legal department, Nikolay Serykh, the head of the federal bureau Lord Enterprises and Alan Gogichayev, the owner of Carven restaurant were also involved in the case.

The Moscow District Military Court has sentenced Farniyeva and Gogichayev to 4 years in prison and a 700,000 ruble fine each (about $12,000); Serykh has received a 5-year prison term and an 800,000 ruble fine. Later, the Supreme Court annulled fines imposed on the defendants. Farniyevas prison term was replaced with the suspended sentence.

According to investigators, when inspecting Energomash Gaidukov found out that the enterprise delivered rocket engines to the U.S. in circumvention of the Russian government ban on exports of dual-capable engines. The export license was then suspended; investigators believe that Gaidukov demanded 7 million for license renewal and for endorsing positive results of the inspection. The deal was allegedly arranged in Carven restaurant.

In September 2007, after receiving the first tranche of the bribe amounting to 1 million, Serykh was apprehended by officers of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). Investigators claimed the money were to be given to Gaidukov, who in turn was to transfer part of the sum to Farniyeva.

Gaidukov went practically blind in detention. It took him almost three years to study case papers.
Ex-Russian MP charged with large scale fraud arrested in absentia

MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko)  Moscows Basmanny District Court on Friday issued an arrest warrant in absentia for fugitive ex-communist lawmaker Denis Voronenkov, who stands charged with large scale fraud, the courts spokesperson told RAPSI.

Investigators claim that the ex-lawmaker was involved in a raid aimed at seizing a two-story building in central Moscow in 2011 owned by Otari Kobakhidze, founder of the company TOMA. The allegations were reportedly based on the testimony of a group of people who had been convicted and sentenced in the case.

After Kobakhidze delegated full control of the company to its CEO Marina Vladimirskaya, she took advantage of the situation. She reportedly decided with her acquaintance, a retired police officer, Vyacheslav Polozkov, to alter the registration documents and sell the building valued at 127 million rubles. Several other persons including Voronenkov were implicated in the case, according to investigators.

The building was sold for 20 million rubles. Moreover, customer Vitaly Kachur, the owner of Chance company, illegally paid Voronenkov $1.2 million, the Investigative Committees statement reads.

Kobakhidze turned to court and managed to regain control of the company and the building. Those involved in the raid pleaded guilty, agreed to cooperate with investigators and testified against Voronenkov.

Voronenkov claimed that the criminal prosecution of him had been politically motivated.

According to media reports, Voronenkov fled to Ukraine with his wife several months ago, and received the Ukrainian citizenship.




Ex-Aeroflot top manager sentenced to 8 years in absentia for $122.5 mln embezzlement

MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI) - Moscows Savelovsky District Court on Friday sentenced Nikolay Glushkov, former Aeroflot first Deputy Director General in charge of Finance, to 8 years in prison and a 1 million ruble fine ($17,100) in absentia for embezzling over $122.5 million from the airline company, RAPSI learnt from the courts press office.

The court also granted a lawsuit filed by Aeroflot and ordered recovery of the caused damage from the defendant.

According to investigation, in the latter half of the 1990s, Glushkov conspired with businessman Boris Berezovsky and convinced then Aeroflot Director General Yevgeny Shaposhnikov to carry out financial restructuring. Investigators claim that the loans provided for the alleged restructuring were embezzled. The alleged damage caused to the company was estimated at $122.5 million.

Glushkov is on the international wanted list. The defendant, who had left for England, was charged in absentia and in 2010 he received political asylum in the United Kingdom.




Bill aimed to curb imports of sanctioned food reaches Russian parliament

MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI)  A bill prohibiting circulation of certain goods coming from member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) has been submitted to the State Duma, Russias lower house of parliament, according to a statement on the Kremlin's website.

The bill introduced by the Finance Ministry authorizes the government to issue a ban on circulation of goods if customs duties during their importation were paid in accordance with tariff rates different from those set within the EAEU.

Amendments are aimed to enhance control over goods circulation in Russia and provide concurrent conditions for sales turnover despite the ways of the goods delivery, deal versions and other factors, according to the bills authors.

In the spring of 2014, the EU, the United States and Canada slapped the first sanctions on Russian companies, banks and politicians, freezing their bank accounts, denying them entry and refusing to buy Russian products. The move was linked to the conflict in Ukraine. In June 2015, the EU foreign ministers approved amendments to the EU decision on sectoral restrictions, thereby extending economic sanctions against Russia until January 31, 2016. In 2016, the penalties were expanded and extended yet again.

In response, in August 2014, the Russian government introduced a year-long ban on agricultural imports from the EU, the US, Canada and several other countries that imposed sanctions on Russia. Blacklisted food imports included meat, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables. In late June 2015, Russia extended the embargo until August 5, 2016. Last June, the ban was extended yet again until December 31, 2017.
The Montana Supreme Court rejected an appeal of a California man sentenced to 100 years for distributing methamphetamine in Ravalli County.

Matthew David Sherman, 47, had asked the sentence be reversed because the district court had relied on allegations that he raped his cellmate while in the Ravalli County detention center in making its determination that he was a persistent felony offender.

Sherman was sentenced in April 2015 on charges of felony possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute, felony possession of dangerous drugs and a misdemeanor drug possession charge.

Ravalli County District Judge Jeffrey Langton sentenced Sherman to 100 years for each felony count, to be served concurrently.

Court records said Sherman was arrested after a regional drug force notified the Ravalli County sheriffs office that he might be in the area attempting to distribute a pound of methamphetamine and three pounds of marijuana.

Sherman was located a local motel. During his arrest, a methamphetamine pipe fell out of his pant leg. Moments later, when signing a Miranda advisory while using the name Jason Carney as an alias, a bag of methamphetamine fell out of his pocket.

Investigators learned later that Sherman went by several aliases, including some that referenced the white supremacy movement, such as Nazi and Hitler.

Law enforcement officers found 1 ounce of meth, 46.3 grams of marijuana, 10.2 grams of cocaine, 1.7 grams of crystal molly and six morphine sulfate pills in his room. A police scanner, a list of Ravalli County law enforcement radio frequencies and $1,464 in cash were also found there.

Sherman accepted an open plea agreement in December 2014, according to the Montanan Supreme Court brief.

A pre-sentence investigation included a summary of Shermans criminal history, which included numerous drug-related convictions. It also offered a list of incidents that occurred in the detention center, including attempts to pocket his medications, striking another inmate in the face, allegations he intimidated other inmates to give him their commissary items and phone minutes and an allegation that he raped his cellmate in February 2015.

At the time of the sentencing hearing, the alleged rape had not resulted in a criminal charge.

Shermans counsel objected to the jail incident report that discussed the alleged rape during the sentencing hearing. Langton overruled the objection. At the time, the judge stated that since there wasnt a conviction or even charges filed in the alleged rape, he wouldnt rely on that to determine Shermans sentence.

Instead, according the brief, Langton explained his reasons for the 100-year sentence by observing Sherman had at least 10 prior felony convictions, mostly related to drugs. He emphasized that Sherman had absconded from probation on an earlier drug charge and was in violation of that probation when he was arrested in Hamilton.

As a primary source of methamphetamine distribution in Ravalli County, Langton said Sherman had caused significant social damage to the community. Some of the people that had received the drug from Sherman had lost their parental rights because of their addictions, the judge said.

Lanton also noted that Sherman had a long history of having problems in jail  more than anybody (the court had) ever sentenced before.

The court brief said Langton did not specifically mention the alleged rape during the sentencing. Instead, the judge said the 100-year sentences primary goal was to remove Sherman permanently from the drug trade.

The Montana Supreme Court affirmed the district courts decision unanimously.
The U.S. Department of Education has selected Hamilton High School senior Grace Davenport as a U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidate.

Davenport said she appreciates the nomination.

I think it is nice to be recognized and a justification of hard work, she said. I know many of my friends are just as smart as me and should have been chosen.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors.

Scholars can be selected by excelling in three different components. Selection in the general component requires an exceptional SAT or ACT college admission test. The arts component is for students demonstrating excellence in the arts, which includes dance, cinematography, music, voice, acting, photography, visual arts, design or writing. The career and technical education field component is based on academic achievement, character, leadership and service.

Davenport attended Darby for grade school then spent her high school career at Hamilton. She participated in Science Olympiad, book club, trivia club, chess club, Classroom Without Walls and competed in the Montana Envirothon Competition.

I volunteer at the Bitterroot Public Library and worked at the Homestead Organics Farm, Davenport said. I want to grow my own food.

Davenport said calculus class with Mr. Fett was educational and challenging.

But the most difficult class at Hamilton high was a humanities class that combined U.S. History and English, she said. It was the most difficult not in subject matter but in teacher expectations. We were constantly testing, reading the books and writing essays. It was very rigorous and I feel prepared for college.

Davenport said that after high school graduation she plans to attend Amherst College in Massachusetts.

I dont know what Ill study but know I want to work outside, she said. I may major in geology or marine biology anything related to the outdoors.

This year, 42 Montana students were selected as U.S. Presidential Scholar candidates and over 4,000 students were selected nationwide. Up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars from the candidates every year as one of the nation's highest honors for high school students, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Hamilton Principal Dan Kimzey praised Davenport.

Grace is not just an exceptional thinker who excels academically, she is a supporter of her fellow students and is a quiet and steady leader in the school, he said. The faculty is very proud of her recognition as a U.S. Presidential Scholar candidate and hopefully shell be able to travel to Washington DC and our political leaders will have the chance to see what we see. As high a caliber student as youll find anywhere in the country who is also respectful, kind, and service-oriented.

In April, a panel of educators will review the candidates and select choose 800 semifinalists. In May, the Commission on Presidential Scholars will select the finalists.

The award is recognition. It does not provide scholarship funding but in June students chosen as U.S. Presidential Scholars receive an expense-paid trip to Washington DC where they receive a U.S. Presidential Scholars medallion at a ceremony sponsored by the White House.
Tara Walker Lyons sometimes wonders how her life would have been different if her teachers had known what to say.

For the last year, Lyons has been the main push behind legislation that would create a policy allowing elementary schools to provide children with the tools they need to recognize sexual abuse and encourage them to reach out to a trusted adult to make it stop.

When Lyons was 12, she was sexually abused by a relative.

My teachers didnt know what to do back then, the Hamilton woman said. Many probably still dont.

HB 298 would change that.

Introduced by Rep. Ed Greef, R-Florence, the bill would create a policy that would encourage elementary schools to emphasize sexual abuse awareness and prevention.

Earlier this week, the legislation passed the House 91-9 following a unanimous vote in the House Education Committee.

Lyons watched the debate on the House floor from her Hamilton home.

Ive been watching the Legislature like a hawk, she said. I think this vote will pretty much set the tone for the rest of the process. Im hoping we can expect the same reaction from the Senate and the governor.

Greef said the vote was a great endorsement for Tara and her efforts to make this happen.

Lyons has spent the last year-and-a-half talking to groups that ranged from legislative committees to Montana state prisoners about the challenges that victims of childhood sexual abuse face.

Shes been an outspoken advocate of Erins Law, which requires all public schools to implement an age-specific, prevention-orientated, child sexual abuse education program that teaches kids they arent the ones who are doing something wrong.

Maryland was the 26th state to enact the law. There are a total of 47 states that either have the law in place or are taking some action on it.

Montana would be the 27th, Walker said. Im so excited about that possibility. I just know how much that its needed and how many people have been impacted so far.

During the floor debate, Walker said she was taken by testimony offered by a legislator who told her colleagues that she was a teacher for many years.

Basically, she said there was a student that she believed was being sexually assaulted, Walker said. She saw the signs and had the feeling that something was wrong, but because there was no policy or protocol in place, she didnt intervene.

She said that it came out years later that the girl was sexually abused, Walker said. She said that it remained one of her biggest regrets, if not the biggest regret of her career for not intervening. This legislation will empower our teachers to know what to do in case they see this happening.

Greef said he was disappointed in the fact that he had to make changes in the proposed legislation to remove any state funding.

With the (fiscal) situation that were facing, any bills that are going to the appropriations committee were being held or denied, he said. In order to keep the bill moving forward, I took out the funding with coordination of OPI.

The legislation will establish the policy that will get the ball rolling in school districts across the state.

It makes it known to school districts that they need to put this on their radar and they need to start working with their classroom teachers, Greef said. Maybe the next legislature can provide funding or OPI can add it into its budget.

Greef believed the biggest hurdle the bill faced was in the House.

There are more people and more debate, he said. There is a chance to be more partisan, but as it turned out, this was as bipartisan as it gets.

Everyone wants to do the right thing for children, Greef said. This whole issue is so under the radar for most people. We dont like to hear about or think about it. We just put it in a box and shove it to the back of our minds.

That changed for Greef when Walker came to him and told him her story. He calls the legislation Taras Bill.

I knew then that something needed to be done, he said.

If the legislation passes, Walker said there is plenty of curriculum thats already been created in other states that Montanas schools could easily use.

This has been a long time in coming, Walker said. Sometimes I dream about the day that the governor signs this bill. It feels like its in our sights. I hope to see it happen.
HELENA - After emotional testimony from members of the American Indian caucus, joined by both Democrats and Republicans who implored lawmakers to change the name of Columbus Day to Montana Heritage Day, members of the House voted 73-27 to move forward legislation that would do so.

Young children are increasingly exposed to the truth, and it resonates as a just cause for righteous indignation, Rep. Bridget Smith, D-Wolf Point, said. It affects the dignity of millions. The time to change this holiday is far overdue.

House Bill 514, sponsored by Smith, passed out of the House Education Committee on a 17-0 vote after being amended to change the name of the new holiday from the originally proposed Indigenous Peoples Day. It passed second reading Tuesday. It will be up for third reading Wednesday; if passed it will move to the Senate.

Opposing the bill, Rep. Derek Skees, R-Kalispell, said the name of the holiday should stay the same so children can learn lessons from the past.

How do our children know these behaviors are unacceptable if we erase them from the history books? he asked.

Skees said Columbus Day is a celebration of the discovery of America and that the Pilgrims celebrated Columbus because he discovered this continent.

They celebrated the fact America was discovered so they could escape the tyranny of religious persecution, he said.

Rep. Kelly McCarthy, D-Billings, took objection to Skees' comments, saying Columbus did not discover the American continent.

No European can discover this continent any more than I can go down to Wyoming and discover Wyoming today, he said, pointing out that the town Skees is from is named for the Kalispel Tribe of Indians.

Rep. Sharon Stewart-Peregoy, D-Crow Agency, delivered an emotional defense of the bill.

When we talk about Columbus, it is actually a celebration of the conqueror, Stewart-Peregoy said. Some peoples freedom is other peoples subjugation, (people) who I represent.

Stewart-Peregoy said Natives are often depicted as barbaric throughout history, and changing the name of the holiday is a good start go correct misconceptions.

All the myths that have been perpetrated by history are not true, she said. The reason (pilgrims) survived was because the American Indians took them in and showed them how to survive on the land.

Stewart-Peregoy pointed to a massive 20-foot-by-12-foot painting by C.M. Russell that hangs in the House chamber depicting the Lewis and Clark expedition meeting Salish Indians in the Sula Basin near the Bitterroot Mountains, saying it was another example of American Indians helping white explorers.

Rep. Scott Staffanson, R-Sidney, also spoke in support of the bill. He said humans are sinners and need to fight hate in their hearts. He also called Columbus a secular saint who has no right to sainthood.

We will hate Indians in part because that is our human nature, Staffason said. We have to fight that. We need to get past this. We need to come together. I wish we quit this divisiveness and move on. I think this is a good step.

Speaking against the bill, Rep. Forrest Mandeville, R-Columbus, said his town's identity is tied to Columbus Day.

Growing up, Columbus Day was more of a community day, a community pride day, where we looked at our communitys history, Madeville said. Columbus was originally called Sheep Dip, then Stillwater. Its name was changed to avoid confusion with another Stillwater in a different state on the same railroad line.

Mandeville said nothing in state law mandates that a holiday must be celebrated in a certain way, and that communities are free to celebrate Columbus Day however they see fit.

Rep. Amanda Curtis, D-Butte, countered, saying the bill would change the section of state law that dictates what holidays must be recognized in the public school system.

The town of Bozeman in March 2016 designated the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day after a proclamation by the mayor.
Dear U.S. Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines:

We write as Montanans who served in the U.S. military or as civilians in the intelligence and security communities to express our deep concern about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Like many of your constituents, we are greatly concerned by the initial findings in the declassified version of the Intelligence Community Assessment published by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Jan. 6. As you know, those findings include several troubling conclusions, among them that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign aimed at the 2016 presidential election; that Russias goals included that of undermining public faith in the U.S. democratic process; and that Moscow is likely to apply lessons learned to future influence efforts worldwide, including those targeting U.S. allies.

We consider it a matter of national security that Congress promptly and thoroughly investigate the matter  with urgency and resources comparable to the 9/11 Commission  and promptly pass legislation to protect American democracy from foreign subterfuge in the future. Aside from the individual investigations of the relevant committees, Congress should also form a bipartisan special committee to ensure oversight across the appropriate jurisdictions of Foreign Relations, Armed Services, Intelligence, and Judiciary committees.

Only a thorough, independent investigation will be able to fully determine the facts regarding Moscow's hostile acts and assure Americans going forward that our political leaders, regardless of their party affiliation, are considering only America's interests when making decisions. It is essential that the investigation remain above the partisan fray and that legislation enacted after the investigation enjoy broad bipartisan support.

Because we deem Russias actions an attack on American democracy, we ask that you press for the response in Congress to be as open and democratic as possible. In the near term, we ask that you formally request a briefing by the Senate Intelligence Committee summarizing the facts underlying the DNI Assessment at the highest level of classification. We then invite both of you to join us for a town-hall style meeting in Bozeman and Missoula to discuss your own (unclassified) assessment of Russian interference and exchange ideas with constituents on what Congress should do in response.

Thank you for your dedicated public service and your work on this urgent matter.
On Jan. 30, more than 1,000 Montanans squeezed into the Capitol building to tell our elected officials in Helena and Washington, D.C.: Keep public lands in public hands.

Sportsmen and women, conservationists, outdoor recreationists, kids and families traveled from as far as Fort Peck, Miles City and Thompson Falls. We blew the roof off the Capitol in defense of our shared outdoor heritage, making clear that we wont stand for any legislation that even considers transferring, selling or otherwise divesting citizens of our public lands.

The rally was organized by a broad coalition of groups, including Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Montana Wildlife Federation, Montana Audubon, Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund, Montana Wilderness Association, Forward Montana Foundation, Outdoor Alliance Montana, and Business for Montanas Outdoors.

Some elected officials in Washington, D.C., apparently got the memo we sent from Helena.

Within days, Rep. Jason Chaffetz from Utah withdrew H.R. 621, which would have mandated the sale of more than 3.3 million acres of public lands, including close to 100,000 acres here in Montana. The congressman cited the massive backlash from hunters, anglers, recreationists, conservationists and businesses across the country as reason enough to reconsider the legislation.

Our victory over H.R. 621 hasnt stopped state and federal decision-makers from trying to steal or exploit our public lands in other ways, however.

In Montana, state Sen. Jennifer Fielder plans on introducing two resolutions: one to study public lands transfers to the state and another to request public lands transfers to the state. If passed, Fielders resolutions would give the false impression that Montanans support public lands transfers. They also would provide false political cover to Fielders allies, who are pushing public lands transfers at the national level.

In D.C., Congress is eliminating rules that increase public involvement in land management decisions, chipping away at the Environmental Protection Agency and bedrock laws that protect clean water and wildlife habitat, and undermining the Antiquities Act  a pillar of Theodore Roosevelts legacy. H.R. 622, another bill by Chaffetz, would eliminate federal land law enforcement officers in the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, giving poachers and drug cartels better opportunities to use public lands and diminishing public safety.

For more than 20 years, Montanans have fought for access to our state lands  and against their sale. We continue to fight for access to rivers, streams and our national public lands. Yet Montana Senate Majority Leader Fred Thomas of Stevensville responded to our rally by saying that Montanans concerns over the state selling off public lands are silly at best.

Whats silly is that for the last several years, Sens. Thomas and Fielder, along with other proponents of public lands transfers, have wasted taxpayer dollars and critical legislative time on an agenda that Montanans have repeatedly rejected. Even sillier is their argument that, somehow, 1 million Montana taxpayers can afford to manage 27 million acres of additional lands, a cost that currently is covered by all American taxpayers. Our state taxes would skyrocket in the event of a transfer, leaving the state with no choice but to sell off or industrialize lands that make our outdoor way of life possible.

A message to Thomas, Fielder and other elected officials who are trying to eliminate our public lands and waters:

Anglers, hikers, skiers, campers, hunters, kayakers and other Montanans who enjoy the outdoors have united to ensure that Americas legacy of public lands will stay public. We remain united and vigilant. And we will continue fighting any attempts to take public lands out of our hands.
Senator Daines outlandish demands that Senator Tester immediately endorse Trumps nominee for Supreme Court Justice is an insult to my intelligence.

Isnt Daines the same senator who refused to give Obamas nominee even an interview for nine months? Isnt Daines part of the party that, before the November election, threatened to never seat a Clinton nominee if she won? He is. Did I hear Daines chastising his fellow Republicans for such trash talk? I did not. How does this blatant hypocrisy work? Does he think were stupid? Or that we suffer from short term memory loss?

Sen. Tester is a patriot, not a puppet. I trust him to represent me. That means careful vetting of any nominee. There hasnt even been a hearing yet. And, thanks to Daines and his fellows, weve been without a full Supreme Court for more than 11 months. He obviously didnt think having a full court was important when the shoe was on the other foot. Daines forfeited all moral right to make any comments about Testers decisions concerning Supreme Court Justices.

There is no reason for Tester to pay any attention to him. Neither should we.

 Pat Tucker, Hamilton
On January 29, 2002, a cobalt-tied George W. Bush ascended to the rostrum in the House of Representatives to address a joint session of Congress for the third time in his young presidency. Nominally his

first State of the Union address

(a president must be in office for a year to qualify), Bush used it to furnish an update on the war in Afghanistan and offer his notorious warning about a sinister axis of evil. He also outlined what he saw as his momentous mission in the years to come.





History has called America and our allies to action, and it is both our responsibility and our privilege to fight freedoms fight, Bush said. The attacks of September 11, he said, were a reminder that Americans have obligations to each other, to our country and to history. He rejected the culture of If it feels good, do it in favor of Lets roll, the self-abnegating words overheard in the final minutes of Flight 93. We want to be a nation that serves goals larger than self, he asserted. In a single instant, he continued, we realized that this will be a decisive decade in the history of liberty, that weve been called to a unique role in human events.





Last night, at that same podium, Donald Trump repudiated Bushs conception of post-9/11 America. Whereas Bush conceded that war was expensive but said America must pay any cost, Trump bean-counted Americas bill in the Middle East at $6 trillion and said we could have rebuilt our country twice and maybe even three times. While Bush viewed the duties of the United States in unabashedly global terms, Trump averred, My job is not to represent the world. My job is to represent the United States of America. For Bush, tough military action abroad could usher in a global epoch of liberty; for Trump, internal improvements at home were the key to a new chapter of American greatness.





Personified, Bushs conception of country was an armed and able missionary with a vocation to convert the world to democratic liberalism, in the service of what

Andrew Bacevich calls

the Church of America the Redeemer, which is why his address was replete with words like serves and called. Trump offered up something more nettled and victimizeda United States that has repeatedly been shaken down by those it has tried to assist, and needs, like an Ayn Rand protagonist, to cast off its nagging supplicants in the single-minded pursuit of its own greatness. That these two visions were presented under the same GOP banner is a testament to how vertiginously our politics can change.




Guwahati, March 2 : At least nine persons were injured in a blast in Manipur on Thursday evening, two days before the two-phased assembly poll in the north eastern Indian state.

According to the reports, the blast took place near the temporary residence of National People's Front (NPF) candidate Leoshiyo Lanthungching in Phangyar constituency in Ukhrul district.

Ukhrul police said that, the blast occurred around 5 pm at Longol area and suspected militants had triggered the explosion.

'Nine people were injured in the blast and they were immediately rushed to nearest hospital,'A a police official said.

Among them two are reported in critical condition.

Meanwhile top police, army officials had rushed to the blast area and launched operation against attackers.

Manipur is going to hold the assembly polls in two phases on March 4 and 8.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
BAITADI: A migrant worker who was returning her home from India killed himself by falling into the Mahakali River in Darchula district of far-western Nepal, police said.

Body of the 28-year-old Gauri Dhanuk was recovered from Uttarakhand of India, DSP Kedar Khanal of the Darchula District Police Office informed.

Dhanuk was working in India and returning to his home in Bhatana-5 of Baitadi on Wednesday, according to police.

Preparations are being made to bring the body to Nepal for final rites.
Rajbiraj: Tension ran high in Rajbiraj , the district headquarters of saptari district on Friday after cadres of CPN-UML and Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) clashed each other.

Tension run high after the cadres of the Morcha disturb the programme organizationed there as part of Mechi-Mahakali campaign of the main opposition UML.

The UML is planning to hold a mass assembly wherin party Chairman KP Sharma Oli was sheduled to attend as the chief guest.
Email me any time: farrorita@gmail.com Sewing + Thrift store shopping = Frankensewing. I love vintage linens, hanging my sheets out on the line to dry...and creating adventures for my two Grandchildren. Doing those very ordinary things -- and then BLOGGING about it -- is how I work things out.

King Arthur Popover Recipe

Preheat oven to 425 degrees... then preheat the Popover Pan...it needs to be screaming hot. Butter the sides generously -- right before you pour the batter.



4 eggs

1 1/3 c. milk

1 1/3 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbl melted butter



Whisk eggs into milk. Make sure everything is room temp. Whisk in the flour & salt, add the melted butter at the end.



Pour thin batter into Popover pan (2/3 full) and bake for 30 minutes. DON'T OPEN THE DOOR.



When the popovers are done -- get them out of the pan ASAP and prick the top with a sharp knife to prevent collapse.



Serve with REAL BUTTER...that's mandatory. Homemade jam is optional...




1992 report by AIDS BHEDBHAV VIRODHI ANDOLAN (AIDS Anti-Discrimination Movement): "It is surprising that very few people consider drug-dependency as a disease. No illness in any society is purely medical. The social and political dimension of the illness will determine the reaction of society to the illness, both socially and legally. ABVA therefore, has tried to document the politics of the problem of drugs and drug users. . . ."

Press Release

Dated: 03 March, 2017

ABVA releases digitized version of its 1992 citizens report on the status of chemical dependents in India titled aThis Sugar is Bittera

aDrug abuse on the rise among youth in Kashmir.a - The Tribune, 13 June, 2015 aWhy has Indiaas Punjab fallen into the grip of drug abuse?a

It is astonishing how widespread the problem is. One estimate says that more than two-thirds of Punjabas households have at least one addict in the family. Across the state, from villages in the lush green countryside to bustling towns and cities, young men huddle together in cemeteries, abandoned buildings or plain fields, smoking, snorting or shooting up.a - BBC News, 2 February, 2017

Twenty five years after the report was released in 1992 ABVA is releasing digitized version of the report aThis Sugar is Bittera on the status of chemical dependents and HIV infection in India. The report (word count 36,124) was prepared by a nine member team of ABVA; while two members had done a fact finding on the plight of intravenous drug users and HIV positive persons in Manipur, North East India. The report is as relevant today as it was when the print version was first brought out. The above two quotes bear testimony to this.

The first part of the report documents in detail the role of culture, heritage, religion and the drug users; the role of law, police and judiciary; the report has a full length chapter on the nature and treatment of chemical dependency; it documents real life case histories of drug users. Another chapter details the societal attitude towards drug users; a section of the report deals with AIDS and the IV drug users.

Part two of the report deals with the actual findings of the fact finding team which visited Manipur, a state in North East India. The team left for Manipur on 29.02.1992 and returned back to Delhi on 15.03.1992 visiting Dimapur (Nagaland), Guwahati (Assam) and Calcutta (West-Bengal). The report details the geographical and political context; and the armed insurgency in the North East; the role of PLA and the NSCN; the role of paramilitary and military forces and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

Part three of the report details a twenty point charter of demands made on the Government of India which is enlisted below:

aABVA urges the Government of India to take cognizance of the following demands and take urgent steps towards their implementation.

1. Repeal all discriminatory legislation singling out drug users. Decriminalize Chemical dependency.

2. Establish a commission to document and prevent blackmail, extortion, violence and other such actions on drug dependents at the hands of the police, judiciary and the state administration.

3. Encourage the Press Council of India to issue guidelines for respectful, sensitive and representative reporting on drug-dependents.

4. Ensure judgement free health education for all, an education that emphasizes the disease concept of chemical dependence.

5. Terminate all forcible HIV Testing.

6. Ensure availability of voluntary and anonymous HIV Testing.

7. Stop all discrimination against recovering drug dependents, at the work place. For active drug users, ensure adequate treatment.

8. Stop the requirement of certificates regarding HIV and AIDS negativity from students and those desiring to marry (particularly those from North-East).

9. Set up a unit and appoint a sensitive ombudsman to receive and act upon complaints from Drug Users/HIV positive and persons with AIDS.

10. Release all HIV positive persons detained in jails, vigilance homes and under house arrest all over the country and stop further arrests of such persons.

11. Ensure free supply of sterile disposable needles to intravenous drug users so as to prevent the spread of AIDS (This should be done under anonymous settings).

12. Control growth of illicit drug industry and requisites for the manufacture and trade of these drugs a especially AA.

13. Permit Citizen groups to visit jails and mental hospitals so as to promote understanding of the conditions of persons detained there.

14.a. Repeal Article 13 of the Code of Ethics of The Medical Council of India under which Drs refuse treatment to select patients. Take action on doctors or other health personnel who refuse to treat drug-dependents, HIV positive and persons with AIDS.

b. Provide sufficient number of gloves and disposable syringes/needles in all medical centre throughout the country.

15. Establish detoxification and rehabilitation centres as envisaged under the NDPS Act.

16. Deal severely with drug smugglers and drug barons.

17. Investigate the functioning of the existing government funded (220) rehabilitation centres to suggest improvements and ensure effective programmes.

18. Change government policies to de-link funding of treatment centres for chemical dependents with success rates of recovery, so as to prevent false reporting.

19. Constitute a group comprising professionals from various backgrounds (including recovering individuals) to be part of policies/decision making on the specific issue of drugs and chemical dependency.

20. Establish a coordination unit between the Finance, Social Welfare, Health and Chemical Ministries to deal with the problem of drugs and of chemical dependency.a

Modern Day Opium War of Sorts

ABVA views with concern that drug abuse is seen to be rampant amongst the youth precisely in those very states where exists movement for autonomy/ true federalism/ azadi/ referendum or plebiscite since 1947 or sometimes even predating Indiaas independence; thus states like Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Nagaland, Manipur and Assam bear the brunt of the drug problem. In Jammu and Kashmir since the beginning of militancy in 1989 the number of drug abusers has reportedly increased from 0.3 per one lakh population to 2.5 to 4-5 per lakh in recent years. This is 8 to 17 times jump in the increase of drug abusers in over a quarter century! In these states a few generations have been lost to militancy and the consequent killings by the police/ paramilitary/ army in encounters a genuine or fake, more often the latter. The militants in addition are reported to have disappeared or detained lawfully or illegally or injured in crossfire; not to speak of custodial deaths and those who are tortured at the hands of those in charge of the security apparatus

The fact finding team of ABVA was informed by the Young People Welfare Society, Dimapur, Nagaland on 09.03.1992 afternoon that there is involvement of paramilitary and military personnel in the drug smuggling from Burma into Nagaland; that the drugs could well be used to break the movement of the youth.

Social scientists will have to study further whether these movements are finally being weakened by a conscious policy of the state of getting the drugs smuggled into these states which would ensure that a generation of the youth would be destroyed by being hooked on to the drugs. It should not appear to be a farfetched idea since the British colonial rulers notoriously indulged in opium wars towards legalization of the opium trade.

Read the full report here: http://alturl.com/w5ttz

AIDS Bhedbhav Virodhi Andolan (AIDS Anti-Discrimination Movement) New Delhi, India Email: aidsbhedbhavvirodhiandolan[at]gmail.com

o o o

[The report This Sugar is Bitter is also mirror hosted in public interest as part of the sacw.net document archive]
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Seguin, TX (78155)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 72F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 72F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
 Washington Supreme Court rules Eighth Amendment precludes applying mandatory minimum adult sentencing scheme to juvenile offenders | Main | Making the case for fixing private prisons in the Trump era 

March 3, 2017

"The Return of the Firing Squad"

The title of this post is the headline of this lengthy new US News & World Report article, which carries this subheadline: "The execution method is making a comeback  but some argue that means the end of capital punishment is near." Here are excerpts:

An ongoing shortage of lethal injection drugs  coupled with the grisly spectacle of botched executions and a number of legal challenges to the use of less-effective substitute drugs  has several states, and at least one inmate, calling for the return of the firing squad. In 2015, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, signed a bill that established firing squads as an execution option, reversing an 11-year ban.... In Mississippi, a bill authorizing firing squads cleared the state House in early February before the state Senate shot it down. Firing squads are on the books in Oklahoma, and lawmakers in other Southern states are said to be considering similar legislation. Meanwhile, in late February, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the request by Thomas Arthur, an Alabama death-row prisoner who wanted the state to fatally shoot him rather than subject him to the likelihood of a painful death from secret, experimental lethal-injection drugs. But Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor excoriated her colleagues for tacitly endorsing execution methods that could reasonably be considered as cruel or inhumane  and she pointed to firing squads as the way to go. "Some might find this choice regressive, but the available evidence suggests that a competently performed shooting may cause nearly instant death," Sotomayor wrote in a blistering dissent. "In addition to being near instant, death by shooting may also be comparatively painless. And historically, the firing squad has yielded significantly fewer botched executions." Death penalty opponents, however, say firing squads aren't fail-safe, the condemned don't always die immediately and the procedure smacks of tin-horn dictatorships, undermining America's global standing as a champion of human rights. That states are looking to salvage the practice, they say, is yet another sign that capital punishment is on its way out. "I think that the death penalty is in big trouble in the United States," says Austin Sarat, an associate dean and law and political science professor at Amherst College. "The legitimacy of capital punishment has been sustained in part by the belief that we could find a way of execution that would be safe, reliable and sane," says Sarat, the author of "Gruesome Spectacles: Botched Executions and America's Death Penalty." He notes the same arguments officials are making for the firing squad  it's quick, it's humane, it's reliable  were the same ones proponents used for lethal injections as its more clinical, civilized replacement. "It's a back-to-the-future [method] that was replaced for a reason," Sarat says.... "The elusive search in the modern era for humane methods of execution was a reaction to the perceived barbarity of death by methods like the firing squad," Phyllis Goldfarb, a George Washington University law professor, writes in an email. "Death by firing squad is not pain- and botch-free," Goldfarb writes, noting some marksmen have missed the heart target and hit other parts of the body, while others have fired prematurely. "The condemned dies from blood loss and loses consciousness when blood supplied to the brain drops precipitously. Even when the people in the firing squad hit their target as intended, it may take at least a couple of minutes for the condemned to die and sometimes much longer." To that point, firing-squad proponents have a quick retort: So what? "How could a civilized society place a man before a firing squad, [opponents] ask," writes Joseph R. Murray II, a guest columnist for the Jackson, Miss., Clarion Ledger, commenting on the debate over the state's proposal to have inmates die by the bullet. "To these folks, that's third-world justice. But isn't a firing squad the most humane way to execute a criminal? Isn't death instantaneous?" Murray asks. "Where lethal injection could go awry, causing prolonged pain, and electrocution could not work effectively, there is no doubt multiple bullets do the job quickly and safely." Goldfarb says if authorities want to be absolutely certain that an inmate dies instantly without pain or suffering, they can choose another target on the body. "Firing a gun at point blank range into the head" is 100 percent effective, and "would cause a near-instantaneous death. But it would be exceedingly violent and destructive," Goldfarb writes. "But could we ask someone to inflict that kind of violence on another as part of their job as a state employee? If the state were to authorize such a gruesome spectacle in the name of law, how could we maintain our standing in the world as a protector of human rights?" Still, she predicts the firing squad debate could go far in the current law-and-order climate ushered in with President Donald Trump's inauguration. "I see the present moment as one in which fair debate based on factual evidence is being threatened and 'fear of the other' who would use violence to harm 'us' is being fanned for political gain," she writes. "These are the emotional conditions that have allowed the death penalty to persist in America  providing a simple answer to a complex problem." Still, "there may be pockets of renewed death penalty support, using whatever methods are permitted," writes Goldfarb. "But I don't think that approach will become widespread again, as it degrades us as a society and depends on rhetoric that is divisive, cynical, extremely racialized, and ultimately corrosive to America."

March 3, 2017 at 08:25 AM | Permalink

Comments

It is interesting that the firing squad is the method flagged by Sotomayor in Glossip (the second time, the defendant offered it as an alternative), but reading over her remarks, the two-edged sword might have factored in.

"The States may well be reluctant to pull back the curtain for fear of how the rest of us might react to what we see."

I continue to think this is a major reason it is looked on with disfavor though as a matter of the needs of the defendant, the medical community, obtaining supplies & providing a means that has precedent and is not "unusual" in ways that will cause problems [since it has been used in this country for execution purposes] it has something going for it. It has been used so little that the last part at least is a mixed bag. But, it's still better than something totally novel like inert gas.

There are those who see inert gas as almost a patently obvious solution. We heard that before. Anyway, the firing squad is getting a bump of late.

Posted by: Joe | Mar 3, 2017 11:09:55 AM

Bizzaro time in the US continues...

Posted by: anon | Mar 3, 2017 11:46:17 AM

More than 90% of us will die a prolonged, painful, and humiliating death, preceded by loss of many functions. And, we have not killed anyone, nor been convicted of any crime.

The use of ipse dixits, expressions of false feelings, and inappropriate hyperbole by the lawyers, in the above, serve to churn up controversy. The latter is to sustain the lucrative death penalty appellate business. It is in bad faith.

would like to see a reverse litigation. The rent seeking lawyer has delayed the execution so long, that most condemned die of natural causes, the above prolonged, painful, and humiliating death mentioned above.

So, the murderer of little Jessica died of anal cancer after prolonged torments by the medical profession, including diagnostic procedures, surgeries, chemotherapy. His estate should have sued the appellate lawyers and judges for a wrongful death. They caused his horrifying torments. They did so with knowledge of his cancer and its agonizing and humiliating consequences. This finding should subject these cruel and greedy lawyers to exemplary damages for malice. To deter.

I know the rent makes the lawyer cruel, heartless and inhuman. Given a choice, anal cancer and its medical management or the firing squad, which would each of the lawyers here pick for themselves or for a loved one.

I would support an aggregate claim by all condemned prisoners who died of painful natural causes as a result of the appellate lawyer's irresponsible obstruction of the death penalty for wrongful and horrifying death by natural cause. The claim would be by the class of condemned prisoners against the classes of appellate lawyers nd and of appellate judges. The self dealt immunities of the judges would violate the due process rights of the plaintiffs, and violate any state constitution provision granting access to the courts.

Posted by: David Behar | Mar 3, 2017 12:31:43 PM

Proponents of this option should realize that its history has been filled with less than quick and painless deaths. It's harder to find people willing to be part of a firing squad than a lethal injection machine. Think Utah could pull off 8 shootings in a month, like they are planning to do with lethal injection?

Posted by: Paul | Mar 4, 2017 9:35:32 AM

Can an automatic firing squad be set up?

Posted by: Joe | Mar 4, 2017 10:53:04 AM

"I think that the death penalty is in big trouble in the United States," says Austin Sarat, an associate dean and law and political science professor at Amherst College."



Oh, well if a professor at Amherst College says it then...

Posted by: whatever | Mar 4, 2017 5:07:00 PM

Post a comment
Local activist and author Cleve Jones first attended an eight-hour premiere screening of the Dustin Lance Black-penned miniseries When We Rise at the Castro Theatre last week. This week he's fielding reactions from the public at large and giving interviews in support of the prime-time airing of the miniseries, which is based in part on his memoir of the same title, and SFist grabbed a few minutes with him to talk about how weird this has to be.

SFist: It has to be bizarre seeing your life, and your youth, reenacted on screen. How accurate has the portrayal been?

Cleve Jones: It is truly a surreal experience. I worked on the book for three years and Lance worked on the screenplay for three years (the first half of the book was done in about early 2013), so it's been an extremely long process. It was also difficult that during that time I lost both my parents and both my uncles. But yes, seeing the reenactments is more peculiar that I can possibly describe. One of the things that's very sweet about all this is that the real people behind these characters  Roma, Diane, and Ken, Cecilia, and Gilbert Baker [famous for creating the rainbow flag]  we're all still actually friends and we're all still involved in the movement, and that just has added something very wonderful to this, to have someone else to go through this experience with. Roma Guy is someone who's been a touchstone for me for literally decades. She's someone I've checked in with about everything from which candidate to support, to you name it. Gilbert Baker is probably my oldest and dearest living friend. Ken Baker and I have known each other and worked together off and on since I think the late 70s, starting at The Stud bar. I'm completely overwhelmed with watching it, yes.

The weird part with the miniseries is how it's so fictionalized. I tell people "It is not accurate yet remains somehow truthful." And we all knew things would be condensed and there'd be these vast distortions of time and space. For instance the Black Cat closed in 1964 when I was 10 years old, so we couldn't have gathered there around Jose Sarria, as shown in Part 1 (and I wouldn't end up meeting Jose for many years). The place we did hang out was The Stud, and that's not shown. The stabbing incident occurred not in San Francisco but in Sacramento. And I met Ricardo, my boyfriend, several years later in Austin, Texas.

How much of these other peoples' stories came out of the book, versus out of interviews Lance did?

Diane is not in my book at all. There are a couple of references to Roma and to Ken. Gilbert is a significant character. At the beginning of this, Lance wanted me to help him identify people who had been there who had been there since the early 1970s and were still alive and still in the movement.





Was the use of the 1971 Life magazine, which featured the words "Gay Liberation Movement" on the cover, your idea, or Lance's?

I told Lance about that. It's featured in the book, and you know it's funny how many older people have told me they also vividly remember that issue.

Is there a portion of the miniseries that is the hardest for you to watch?

Scott [Rempel] and Marvin [Feldman] were just my dearest friends. Not a day goes by when I don't think about them. So, these reenactments, even though they're not particularly accurate in detail, are difficult. And I of course think of Scott and Marvin's families as this is being broadcast.

The show goes a long way to describe how fractured the LGBT community was as this movement took shape in the early 1970s, and that hasn't been widely portrayed before. What do you think the defining moment of coming together was? Was it the Briggs Initiative for Californians? Was it the AIDS crisis?

The Briggs Initiative was a very important one because it targeted all of us who wanted to work in the education system, so everyone felt threatened. Members of racial and ethnic minorities felt threatened, and so did members of unions and the labor movement. That was a real significant moment that grew out of when we built our first coalition with Labor, the Coors beer boycott that was organized by Harvey.

When AIDS came, the response from our lesbian sisters was truly important. But a lot of people have focused on the caregiving aspect, and while that was important, it was a also a period when lesbians came into leadership roles in the movement as a whole. Up until that point gay men had dominated many of these leadership positions, and as so many of them were sick and dying this was a time when women really stepped forward and began taking responsibility for continuing the work that had been started.

What's been the funniest or strangest reaction to the miniseries that you've seen so far, on social media or otherwise?

Right now I'm getting about 50 Facebook or Twitter messages an hour, so I haven't gotten to them all yet and I'm just slogging through. The oddest and funniest thing is that I'm hearing from a lot of people I haven't heard from in decades  who knew so many of my ex-boyfriends were still alive?! And admittedly, there were a lot of them, but my god. They're all coming out of the woodwork.

'When We Rise' continues airing Thursday and Friday at 9 p.m. on ABC.

Previously: These Are The Real-Life San Francisco LGBT Heroes Portrayed In ABC's 'When We Rise'
Back in July there were reports of Amber Heard, fresh from her high-profile divorce from Johnny Depp, being seen bopping in and out of hotel rooms at the Delano in Miami with Tesla billionaire Elon Musk. At the time her reps denied that there was anything romantic going on there, but fast-forward eight months, and they're still apparently dating, or hanging out, or whatever.

Page Six has it that Elon brought Amber to a Palo Alto screening of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power on Tuesday, and it was a private event hosted by Tim Cook, and Michelle Pfeiffer was there too.

According to US Weekly, some anonymous "insider" who's totally not a publicist is now playing this off as a casual, friends-with-benefits type situation. "They continue to see each other and hang out from time to time when they are in the same city. It is nothing new," says the insider/publicist. "He is too busy doing things like building a tunnel under L.A. and sending people into space to seriously pursue anyone."

Heard, 30, seems to have a thing for older men, having married the 53-year-old Depp  and Musk is 45. After claiming that Depp physically abused her, Heard filed for divorce last May. The divorce was settled in August for $7 million, and Heard pledged to donate the entire sum to the ACLU  which as of December she still had not, citing the fact that the divorce wasn't finalized and she still hadn't received the payout. She did, however, donate $350,000 to the ACLU in November.

Previously: Johnny Depp Visits Alcatraz And Meanwhile His Ex Amber Heard Hangs With Elon Musk
Prosecutors in the federal case against Orlando shooter Omar Mateen's widow succeeded Thursday in keeping her behind bars for now, filing a motion in federal court in Florida against releasing her on bail. A U.S. magistrate in Oakland ruled Wednesday that Noor Salman was neither a flight risk nor a danger to the public, and set bail for her at $500,000 pending her trial in Florida. But on Thursday, a federal judge in Florida ruled in favor of halting Salman's release as prosecutors there argued that in cases of terrorism, the standard for allowing bail should be far higher.

As the Orlando Sentinel reports, the Florida filing describes Salman as a "cold person" who cared less about her husband's victims than about gaining access to his bank accounts in the aftermath of last June's mass shooting.

Also, prosecutors argued against the decision that Salman was not a flight risk, arguing that she did already flee, moving across the country to California in the months after the shooting. Also, they say, she owns an empty apartment in Palestine and other family members also own property there.

Previously on Wednesday, U.S. magistrate Donna Ryu had called the case against Salman "debatable," and said there was no evidence that she had any ties to Islamic terrorism or shared her husband's extremist views. But we also learned that the couple had gone on a spending spree in the days before Mateen killed 49 people and then himself, including the purchase of an $8,000 diamond ring, and they had made Salman the beneficiary of her husband's bank account.

Per the Associated Press, prosecutors said in their motion that in cases of terrorism, they need only an indictment to hold a suspect without bail. "Here, the defendant proffered evidence of her husbands alleged abuse, the affidavits of friends and family, and her lack of overall danger in support of an argument that she does not constitute a flight risk or danger to the community, the prosecutors said in their filing. Such proffered evidence falls far short of justifying a finding in favor of release, particularly in light of the nature of the charged offense."

U.S. District Judge Paul Byron agreed to stay the bail decision, and Salman's attorneys now have until next Wednesday to appeal. Otherwise, she was expected to be released today on what Ryu called "essentially house arrest."

Salman's attorney told the AP that this is all just a "rehash" of what's already been argued in the Oakland courtroom, and continued to defend the idea that the prosecution's case was "more than debatable, it's groundless."



Previously: New Details Emerge In Case Against Orlando Shooter's Widow Noor Salman As Judge Releases Her On Bail
Nature, even confined to the boundaries of a park, is red in tooth and claw. No, it wasn't bears, mountain lions, or anything so dramatic as wildlife predators that were responsible for the majority of deaths to visitors of America's national parks, but these wilderness destinations are nevertheless deadly, dangerous places that demand caution from visitors.

To emphasize that point, Outside magazine tabulated the 10 deadliest national parks, culling records from January 2006 to September 2016. According to National Park Service Public affairs officer Jeffrey Olson, the fatalities at parks were from drownings, motor vehicle crashes, and falls, in that order of prevalence: Bears, by contrast, might as well be friendly.

Maybe you guessed this at "drowning:" With its 82,000 acres along San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, visited by 15.6 million people annually, made the list at number five. Over a decade, 85 deaths occurred, and as visitors are warned the area is particularly dangerous to swimmers with its unpredictable rip currents.

For those who are morbidly fascinated, the first place spot on the list went to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Located in the Nevada desert, the park has fewer than half the annual visitors of the GGNRA, but was nonetheless the site of 254 deaths, also mostly due to drowning.

In second place, and topping the GGNRA as the most deadly National Park in California, was Yosemite National Park, with 150 deaths. 5 million annual visitors to the park enjoy its high peaks and precipices, but falls and natural causes like heart attacks claim many lives each year. The spectacular natural phenomenon of Half Dome alone has claimed 20 lives over the period.

After Yosemite comes Yellowstone, at number four, followed by the GGNRA in the fifth slot. Further down the list are the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Colorado, where 82 people have died in the last decade; Denali, where 62 have perished; the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with 69 deaths; Grand Teton National Park with 59; and Natchez Trace Parkway, in the Appalachian foothills, with 56 fatalities.

Related: National Park Service Places Controversial New Dog Management Rules On Hold
Though there has been no substantial update in the case of missing 15-year-old Pearl Pinson  who was last seen in May 2016 getting dragged across a pedestrian bridge in Vallejo by a man who would be dead, days later, in a shootout with police in Southern California  authorities are now positing a theory that she's alive and being held against her will somewhere, possibly as a sex slave. As KRON 4 reports, via Sacramento's FOX 40, authorities now know that Pinson's kidnapper, 19-year-old Fernando Castro, was not Pinson's boyfriend and Pinson didn't even necessarily know him. Also, witnesses say they saw Castro force Pinson into the trunk of his car.

Deputy Christine Castillo, the public information officer for the Solano County Sheriff's Department, tells the station, "The trace of blood we found in the trunk of the car is consistent with whatever injury [Pearl] had when she was abducted, but it wasn't a significant enough amount of blood to indicate that it wasn't survivable."

As you may recall, following reports from witnesses who saw Pearl, bloodied, being dragged against her will over a pedestrian bridge over Interstate 780 on May 25, 2016  911 calls just released indicate that she was screaming for help  Castro's gold Saturn was spotted on surveillance footage heading south on 101 in San Rafael a day later, without Pinson visibly in the car. Castro made it as far as Solvang in Santa Barbara County where he exchanged fire with police, and items found in the car after Castro was killed led investigators to a campground in Jenner, in Sonoma County.

As FOX 40 reports, in the nine months since the abduction, investigators were able to get confirmation that Castro did drive to the vicinity of Jenner around that time  his car was spotted on surveillance footage from a gas station in Bodega Bay.

So far they have no other leads as to Pinson's whereabouts, or Castro's motives, or where he actually went in Sonoma County, but they are not operating under the assumption that he killed her.

"We still very much hold onto hope that we are going to bring Pearl home," Castillo says. "That she's being held somewhere against her will, or she's being passed from person to person, but that she is alive."

The Solano County Sheriff's Office has a tip line dedicated specifically to the Pearl Pinson case, and you can submit those tips anonymously at (707) 784-1963.

There's also an email address set up by the family for anyone who does not want to reach out to law enforcement: [email protected]

Previously: Search For Missing Vallejo Teen Called Off; Sister Insists She Is Still Alive
Well, well, well. Uber has really done it this time.

Four current and former employees of the ride-hailing giant reveal to the New York Times that for years during the company's rapid expansion it's employed a secret program to circumvent authorities in cities from Paris, France to Portland, Oregon.

The tool, dubbed "Greyball" in a name suitable for a weapon created by a James Bond villain, used data collected about users of Uber's app to identify possible law enforcement authorities or city regulators who might, for example, attempt to hail an Uber in a city where the service was operating but not yet licensed to do so.

That was the case in Portland, where a code enforcement inspector named Erich England recorded the Greyball program at work, on video, in late 2014. As part of a sting operation to catch the company running its service in the Pacific Northwest city, where it was operating without permission, England tried to call an Uber, but was served instead a decoy version of the service, a fake Uber app with cars floating onscreen that were not in fact, really available at all.

Uber's Greyball tool successfully blackballed England  that seems to be how it got its name? like a legally "grey" sort of blackballing?  and authorities in Portland never caught the service operating illegally. Eventually, the company negotiated legal operations there, after ginning up demand by running the service under cover of Greyball, hooking customers while evading regulators.

According to the Times, that's how the Greyball system was intended to work. As Uber expanded to new areas, signing up drivers for its low-cost UberX program at a frenzied pace and without a legal framework in which to operate, fines and litigation began to take a financial toll on the company. But with Greyball, for each new city it entered it would appoint a manager "to try to spot enforcement officers using a set of technologies and techniques."

Those tools and techniques, the Times writes, "included looking at the users credit card information and whether that card was tied directly to an institution like a police credit union." Other methods "involved drawing a digital perimeter, or 'geofence,' around authorities offices on a digital map of the city that Uber monitored."

Uber would reportedly even scour social media to "Greyball" potential enforcement officials, tagging them with a bit of code in the app's system. If, in some large-scale sting operations, authorities used dozens of phones with different accounts, "Uber employees went to that citys local electronics stores to look up device numbers of the cheapest mobile phones on sale, which were often the ones bought by city officials, whose budgets were not sizable."

The Times says the Greyball program was part of a larger group of programs called "VTOS," or "violation of terms of service," which operated at least since 2014 to restrict the app's use both by regulators and by competitors and those who simply abused it in other ways. Uber's legal team approved the Greyball Tool, the Times writes, and 50 to 60 Uber employees were aware of its operation. It's still in use today.

Law professor Peter Henning tells the Times he thinks Greyball could be a violation of the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and a potentially intentional obstruction of justice. With any type of systematic thwarting of the law, youre flirting with disaster, Henning told the paper. We all take our foot off the gas when we see the police car at the intersection up ahead, and theres nothing wrong with that. But this goes far beyond avoiding a speed trap.

Yet, far from apologetic, an Uber statement to the paper on the subject can be read as almost prideful.

"This program denies ride requests to users who are violating our terms of service," an Uber representative wrote, "whether that's people aiming to physically harm drivers, competitors looking to disrupt our operations, or opponents who collude with officials on secret stings meant to entrap drivers.

That's echoed in the company's statement to CNBC:

Uber statement to CNBC confirms the program to side-step certain people, including those "who collude with officials on secret 'stings'" pic.twitter.com/YttXWJQafK  Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) March 3, 2017

Uber says Greyball was part of a system of safety tactics used to protect its drivers: In cities where limousine or taxi drivers came to loathe the Uber drivers competing for their business, it could be used to keep the locations of Uber drivers secure from potentially violent altercations, the company claims.

This revelation, naturally, will buoy perceptions of Uber's disregard for regulators, safety, and even customers in a quest to serve no god but its own bottom line. That's wounded the company recently, punctuated by a boycott campaign, #deleteuber.

And Greyball is only the latest in a series of health woes for the ailing Unicorn, a company whose $70 billion valuation has made it a symbol of Silicon Valley disruption. All the better, perhaps for CEO Travis Kalanick, who "make[s] sure every year is a hard year," as he can be heard to say in a secretly recorded video released this month, in which he later engages an Uber driver in an argument.

"Thats how I roll... If its easy Im not pushing hard enough," the CEO says. When the driver complains of lowered rates and unpredictable treatment, Kalanick declares that "some people don't like to take responsibility for their own shit."

Surely that's what we can expect the executive will do next.

Previously: Oh, So NOW Uber Wants DMV Permits For Self-Driving Car Tests In CA
Two months after deploying self-driving cars to pick up customers in San Francisco with disregard that bordered on contempt for DMV permits, the company is abruptly hitting reverse. The San Jose Mercury News reports that the ride-hailing company, which moved its autonomous testing to Arizona after losing a week-long game of regulatory chicken with the City of San Francisco and the State of California when the DMV finally yanked the registration for 16 self-driving Uber vehicles, is now applying for the once-scorned permits already held by more than 20 competitors.

We are taking steps to complete our application to apply for a DMV testing permit, an Uber spokesperson told the Mercury News by email. Of course. the notoriously cocksure company already returned autonomous cars to the streets of San Francisco in January  the company insists those are just here for mapping purposes, not for testing or ferrying passengers.

Uber is seeking the green light from regulators less than a week after anonymous employees revealed that vehicle mishap from that December period, in which a car ran a red light near SFMOMA, was in fact the result of the car driving itself despite the company's prior insistence that a human driving the car made the error.

The move also comes as Uber issues vows to improve after female employees alleged they'd suffered harassment at the company and while CEO Travis Kalanick vows to "grow up" in a personal capacity, apologizing for his conduct in video that showed him arguing with an Uber driver over his payment and treatment.

Uber hasnt formally submitted their autonomous vehicle tester program application, a DMV spokesperson tells the Mercury News, but just as we would with any other manufacturer, the DMV is providing assistance with the steps necessary to apply for and receive a test permit." The DMV may take as little as 72 hours to issue the permits, which cost $150 per vehicle.

In December, Uber vice president of self-driving technology Anthony Levandowski told CNet and other technology publications that it didn't need the permits it now seeks to obtain. "We cannot sign up to regulation for something that we are not doing," Levandowski said at the time, insisting that Uber intended to continue its operations in California and San Francisco as "California is our home state... its track record on innovation is second to none."

Levandowski came to Uber when the company acquired his self-driving truck startup, Otto, last summer. Otto's technology accelerated Uber's autonomous driving ambitions, which are transparently the ride-hailing company's long game. Yet a lawsuit filed in San Francisco just two weeks ago may come back to haunt Levandowski, who previously worked at Google on that company's self-driving car division, Waymo, now its own company under the Alphabet umbrella. That suit claims Uber engaged in a "concerted plan to steal Waymos trade secrets and intellectual property." Waymo representatives wrote they "found that six weeks before his resignation this former employee, Anthony Levandowski, downloaded over 14,000 highly confidential and proprietary design files for Waymos various hardware systems, including designs of Waymos LiDAR and circuit board."

Related: Uber CEO Is Sorry For Treatment Of Driver, Declares 'I Need Leadership Help'
The biggest news this week is arguably the long-awaited opening of Chinatown food and retail megaplex China Live, right? Also opening was Old Kan & Beer Co and, next week, a Grocery Outlet in the long vacant former Cala at 24th and Shotwell. We also got wind this week of Ardiana, a Noe Valley restaurant from the folks that brought us Gialina, as well as a rooftop bar planned for the peak of SoMa's Virgin Hotel. In more worrisome news, someone shot out the windows at two restaurants on Geary, and the owners of the newish SF outlet of Babu Ji faced multiple accusations of wage theft. But that's not all...

This week will see/saw the openings of a couple places: Rocko's Tacos, inside the former Discolandia space (also formerly Pig & Pie) at 2964 24th Street, opens Saturday, per Mission Mission. Not to be confused with Rocko's Ice Cream Tacos, this is reportedly a venture of Rocky Yazzie, whose fry bread you've likely spied at El Rio.

Drip Line is freshly open at 1940 Union Street in West Oakland, serving small batch coffee and food "with roots in both Singapore and Northern California," Inside Scoop reports. The owners are architects, not food folks, so it'll be interesting to see how all that works out.

Also new and now is Marufuku Ramen, which has been serving Hakata-style ramen at 1581 Webster Street in Japantown since mid-February, Hoodline reports. Despite its recent opening, it's already garnered a slew of Yelp reviews, because if there's one thing ramen lovers love more than eating ramen, it's writing seemingly-endless Yelp entries on the subject.

Next week, Missionites can check out Media Noche, which has been in the works since last fall at 3465 19th Street. Expected to open next Thursday, owners Madelyn Markoe and Jessie Barker will be serving Cubanos, ice cream pops, and all sorts of homages to Cuban food you can read about in the menu Eater SF has here.

A bit further out, Korean fried chicken fans will have one more reason to stay in town, as New York-based Bonchon will be opening their fourth Bay Area location at 2050 Berkeley Way in, you guessed it, Berkeley. Eater SF rhapsodizes over the chain's wings, but isn't sure when this new location will join the franchise's 212 other locations, including already-open ones in Daly City, San Mateo and San Leandro.

Continuing our future trip, if you're interested enough in food to be reading this column, you likely read the abundant coverage of perennial pop-up Rice Paper Scissors' brick and mortar plans at 2598 Folsom Street. They're now seeking $35K via Kickstarter to outfit the space, with a planned opening sometime this fall.

Via press release, The Registry brings word of a new deli in Waterfront Plaza (which is on 1700 Montgomery Street, if, like me, you'd never heard of that place before now) from Parlor 1255's Kaitlynn Bauman. Called Norcina, it'll be an Italian-influenced breakfast and lunch place catering to the workday crowd, and will open in May.

Finally, as you can't eat out all the time, Hoodline has confirmation that, as rumored since 2015, Portland's New Seasons Market will be opening a full-service grocery store in the large vacant space at the street level of the residential development at 555 Fulton Street. They sell "both organic and conventional options to shoppers. Sustainable produce, meats and seafood will share the shelves with traditional fare like Cheerios and Triscuits." So, basically, like the late Andronico's, I guess? Here's hoping they fare better when they open in, they reportedly hope, May.

Now for the In Memoriam: Wildcraft Espresso Bar, which was in that sort of awkward structure at 2299 Market (at Noe and 16th), abruptly shuttered last weekend, Hoodline reports. Open since the end of 2015, a sign on the door reads that "Our artistic lives are taking off" but "We'll be back soon!" I'm not taking that bet.

Lolo Cevicheria, the 3230 22nd Street sister restaurant to Valencia Street's Lolo, and Lolo's original location, is closing Saturday due to "failed negotiations with the landlord," Inside Scoop reports. The owners say they're looking for another spot for the Cevicheria, and that the OG Lolo will continue business as usual.

Also a closing, of sorts: As of March 6, James Beard-honored La Taqueria will be closing... on Mondays, the Chron reports. Ha ha sorry, did I stop your burrito bracket loving heart for a second? Their new operating hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

So that our employees can get a much needed break, effective march 6th, 2017 La Taqueria will be closing on Monday's. pic.twitter.com/cLzO4YPc1L  La Taqueria (@lataqueriasf) February 23, 2017

This Week In Reviews

And then there are the reviews! Over at SF Weekly, Peter Lawrence Kane, who is now the paper's new editor-in-chief (congrats, Pete!), checks out the Mission's Our Poke Place. Kane seems pretty over the whole poke thing, but applauds OPP's use of wackier ingredients like Flamin Hot Cheetos. This week, he also goes to Jack In The Box and joins his colleagues at Taco Bell. Buddy, please don't kill yourself on fast food before you start your rad new gig!

While Kane was wiping the grease from his chin, A. K. Carroll took at look at Calavera under new chef Gustavo Romero. The Oakland joint lacked the spiciness Carroll was seeking, however, as she writes that "I was disappointed that not one of the dishes I tasted sent me reaching for my water or asking for another margarita," perhaps because "Chef Romeros cooking has been tempered by the soft palates of Minnesotans." Double burn!

There are staffing changes at the Chron, too: While Michael Bauer remains at the head of the reviewers' table (more from him in a sec), Lucky Peach magazine co-founder Chris Ying hops aboard to pen "All Consuming," "a new kind of Chronicle restaurant review column." Ying, who has done time in some of SF's most storied kitchens, quite sensibly lists all his relationships in his maiden voyage "to avoid anyone complaining later that I lied about my objectivity or my professional entanglements." It'll be interesting to see how he navigates writing about an industry in which he's so entrenched  not that Bauer isn't, of course, but I suspect it's even harder to lob public criticism at a venue when you've served next to its owner or staff on the line than with whatever tangled relationship Bauer has to some local places.

And speaking of MB, this week he is over the moon with longtime Top 100 listee Zarzuela, whose tapas "has never failed to impress" him. On his umpteenth annual visit since the place opened in 1994 (is this his way of acknowledging that they likely know who he is when he comes in?) Bauer says that their Paella a la Valenciana and Castilian-style oxtail stew are as good as ever, and that the place is "comfortable" and "satisfying." They get three of his very biggest stars.

For his Sunday review, he visited the revived Restaurant at CIA Copia in downtown Napa, where he's impressed with some of the simply prepared items one can order off the menu, like a whole roasted trout, and an $85 Angus steak. He's less enthusiastic about the variety of dishes that get wheeled around the room dim-sum-style, which he says don't always arrive at the correct temperature, with the exception of a "steaming" wild mushroom risotto. On the plus side, there is a cute cheese cart shaped like a cow. On the minus side, service is iffy. All told: two and a half stars.
A man walking in an East Bay park claims that a gaggle of geese executed a coordinated attack on him Wednesday, sending him tumbling to the ground and leaving him injured.

According to ABC 7, Walnut Creek resident A.J. Buttacavoli was out for a stroll in the city's Heather Farm Park Wednesday when "he was confronted by three geese in a coordinated attack."

In a Facebook post published Thursday evening, ABC reporter Wayne Freedman writes that Buttacavoli "was minding his own business when the geese began walking parallel with him, and then closed in."

"You say you were attacked by?"

"Three geese," he said.

"All at once?"

"Yes."

"Coordinated?"

"Yes."

Buttacavoli fell, he says, injuring his left leg, leaving him with a pronounced limp. "They look very benign," he said of the geese. "But they're not. They're vicious."

When asked for a description of the suspects, Buttacavoli told ABC 7 that they "looked like any geese you see...long neck, full body, grayish, brownish, whiteish."

According to Buttacavoli, this is his first animal attack, even though "I am from New York," a city known for its copious wildlife. But perhaps it's Buttacavoli's urban origins that hold the key to his alleged assault? Gayle Vassar, Walnut Creek's Manager of Communications and Outreach, tells ABC that the park's Canada Geese "are in their molting period which means they are getting ready to breed," making the nasty temper familiar to anyone who's ever dealt with a goose even nastier.

But just because the oft unpleasant nature of the Canada goose is common knowledge does not mean Buttacavoli believes we should just accept things as they are. "This is a serious matter," Freedman quotes Buttacavoli as saying.

"These animals are dangerous and [we] should be concerned."

Related: Where To Get Foie Gras Now In San Francisco
The Ninth Iowa Piano Competition will feature two former contestants, a star of the Discovery Channel series Medical Mystery and several Juilliard School grads who studied with the same professor.

Vying for $14,000 in prize money, the 12 pianists will perform three rounds over four days. The first round, a 30-minute solo piano recital, begins at 9 a.m. Thursday and runs until 5 p.m. The second round, which will feature half of the field, will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 11. The six semi-finalists will perform a new work for solo piano, Ambrosiana, by Kati Agocs, a Canadian composer.

Both rounds will be held at the Orpheum Theatre and are free and open to the public.

Following the second round, the three finalists will perform at 3 p.m. March 12 with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Music Director Ryan Haskins. Each will perform a movement from a Beethoven piano concerto.

The winner will be named at the conclusion of the concert.

Contestants from three countries  China, South Korea and the United States  range in age from 22 to 32. They will be judged by Haewon Song, Pavel Nersessian and Robert Roux. Roux last judged the competition in 2008.

Winners in the past eight years have come from Brazil, Canada, China, Israel, Russia, Uzbekistan and the United States.

Tickets for the final round are available by calling 712-277-2111 or online at siouxcitysymphony.org.

Meet the contestants

Daniel Baer

United States

Daniel Baer won first prize  the Marshall Prize  at the 2015 Grieg Festival Young Artist Competition in Sarasota, Florida. He has since made his international debut, playing in the International Bergen Arts Festival and for the Grieg Society of Oslo. He also received second prize at the 2015 National Federation of Music Clubs Biennial Competition held in Fargo, North Dakota. He was invited to be the guest artist at the 2012 Leschetizky Annual Birthday Recital, which marked his New York solo debut. He has studied with Seymour Bernstein since 2005. He received his masters degree in piano performance from Juilliard where he studied with Jerome Lowenthal and is currently pursuing his doctorate at the Eastman School of Music in the studio of Douglas Humpherys.

Sung Chang

South Korea

Sung Chang, who was a contestant in the 2015 Iowa Piano Competition, was born in Seoul where he began playing piano at 3. He gave his debut concert at 5 in Seoul and became the youngest winner in the Nagoya International Piano Competition in Japan. He also received the Chamber Music Special Prize and the Japan Expo Special Prize. He received first prize at a number of prestigious competition and, more recently, was awarded the silver medal, Best Performance of a Work by a Classical Composer and Best Performance of a Work by a Spanish, Latin American or Impressionistic Composer at the 12th San Antonio International Piano Competition.

Among his notable performances: the Liszt Concerto No. 1 at the Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles and his recital at Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, which was broadcast live across the country.

Chang completed his undergraduate studies at the Korea National University of Arts before continuing at the University of Music, Drama and Media Hannover in Germany. After completing the musical performance and postgraduate program courses, he shifted his focus to the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music where he currently studies.

Yi-Yang Chen

China

Since age 8, Yi-Yang Chen has been impressing judges with his persistence and gift for piano at competitions around the world. He was admitted as an undergraduate student to Dr. Douglas Humpherys at the Eastman School of Music in 2008. He obtained his bachelors degree in 2012 and is now pursuing his masters degree at the Juilliard School. Chen has studied at various music camps and academies and was named winner of the 2012 MTNA Young Artist Piano Competition. In addition to the 2011 Pacific International Piano Competition in Canada, he won first prize in both the Thousand Islands International Chopin Piano Competition and the Coeur dAlene Symphony Orchestras Young Artist Competition.

A performer at numerous halls and theaters, Chen says he will continue to participate in solo competitions and chamber ensembles while studying at Juilliard.

Emiko Janice Edwards

United States

Emiko Edwards made her piano concerto debut at 10, appearing with the New Sussex Symphony. By 11, she had won her first international piano competition. She has performed at concert halls around the world and, most recently, made her debut on BBC3 performing Goreckis Sonata and Four Preludes for piano. Most recently, she performed Richard Rodney Bennetts Noctuary: Variations on a theme by Scott Joplin, on the BBC Total Immersion Series.

Edwards was featured in two documentaries, On a Personal Note and Piano Forte, both which have aired nationally. She has won awards that have ranged from the Bachauer Scholarship Competition to the Gijon International Piano Festival.

She was the artistic director for the Five Boroughs Performing Arts Series from 2011-12 and has taught students privately and in group settings.

Edwards is an artist diploma student at the Guildhall School of Music where she currently is the recipient of James Gibb Award. She completed her masters degree at Guildhall in 2016 and her bachelors from the Juilliard School in 2014.

Tzu-Yin Huang

China

Tzu-Yin Huang began playing the piano at age 4 in Taiwan. After years of study and an undergraduate degree from National Taiwan Normal University, she won the school concerto competition and the Yamaha Piano competition. She received her masters degree from the University of Michigan where she won the school concerto competition.

Most recently, Huang won first prize and orchestra prize at the 12th Hastings International Piano Concert Competition in East Sussex, England.

She made her London debut in 2016 and performed concertos with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

While finishing her doctorate degree at the University of Michigan, she is a performing artist of Chamber Music Michigan.

Suejin Melanie Jung

South Korea

Raised in Sung Nam, South Korea, Suejin Melanie Jung moved to the United States with her family at age 11. She continued her pianios with Julian Martin in Juilliards pre-college. She recently finished her masters degree at Juilliard and has been a featured soloist with the Plainfield Symphony Orchestra, the Monmouth Symphony Orchestra, Ruse Philharmonic and Rutgers Symphony Orchestra. Her performance was included in the documentary Piano Forte. She was a finalist of the Promusicis International Music Award, the New York International Piano Competition and the Julia Crane International Piano Competition.

Jung has performed at festivals around the world and was an education outreach fellow at Juilliard and a faculty member at the New York Music School. She is currently pursuing her doctorate at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.

Youkyoung Kim

South Korea

Youkyoung Kim was born in Busan, South Korea, starting her piano studies at age 5. Upon graduation from Sunhwa Arts High School, she enrolled at Seoul National University, completing her bachelors degree in 2010. Since 2012, she has been studying at the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, where she received her masters degree in 2014. She is currently a doctoral student there.

Kim won the Gold Medalist and Audience Favorite prizes at the Seattle International Piano Competition in 2015. Prior to her studies in the United States, she received numerous awards in her native Korea.

She has performed in festivals around the world and, as winner of the College Conservatory of Music Piano Competition, presented Mozarts D Mino Piano Concerto with the CCM Philharmonia Orchestra in 2013.

Mi-Eun Kim

United States

Raised in the Midwest, Mi-Eun Kim has performed around the world and win the 2015 Liszt-Garrison Competition Award, the 2010 Corpus Christi Solo Prize, the International Institute for Young Musicians and the Missouri Southern International Competition and Young Arts.

Kim completed her masters degree in piano performance at the University of Michigan and currently is pursuing her doctorate. She holds a bachelors degree in history from the Columbia-Juilliard Exchange program.

Mackenzie A. Melemed

United States

Mackenzie Melemed began playing the piano at age 4, then segued into performing concerts for students, senior citizens and charitable organizations. At 8, he played the young Mozart in the Discovery Channel series Medical Mystery. He performed for President George Bush in 2004 in Boston and was invited to perform for five years at the White House. That summer, he did 60 performances as part of the Tropicana Resorts Prodigy show in Atlantic City.

Melemed began formal classical training in 2005, won the grand prize at the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition, where he made his Carnegie Hall debut.

Performing more than 600 concerts around the world, Melemed most recently won the 2016 Juilliard School Gina Bachauer Competition. He is both a fourth-year undergraduate and a first-year masters student at the Juilliard School.

Alan H. Woo

United States

Born in Arlington, Virginia, Alan Woo began playing the piano at age 4. He completed his bachelors and masters of music degrees at the Juilliard School and is currently pursuing a doctorate at the Peabody Institute.

Most recently, Woo won the Juilliard Schools 2014 Gina Bachauer Piano Competition. He also has won top prizes from the Music Academy of the West Concerto Competition, the PianoTexas Concerto Competition and the 2010 Juilliard Concerto Competition. He has performed at some of the top concert halls around the world, been featured at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and the U.S. Department of State.

Lishan Xue

China

A competitor in the 2015 Iowa Piano Competition, Lishan Xue was born in Shanghai, China, making her solo debut at age 6 at the Shanghai Concert Hall. At 13, she recorded Carl Czernys Left Hand Study Op. 718. She received her bachelors degree in 2007 and her masters degree in 2011 from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. She pursued additional studies in Austria and earned an artist diploma in 2013 from Oberlin Conservatory. She is currently the Charles Ross Fellowship recipient at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she is pursuing her doctorate.

Xue has received top prizes from the Los Angeles Liszt International Piano Competition, the Missouri Southern International Piano Competition and the USA National Young Artists Competition.

Shichao Zhang

China

Originally from China, Shichao Zhang received his early training in Beijing, coming to the United States in 2007 to study at the Eastman School of Music. He received his bachelors degree in 2012 and his masters degree in 2014. He is currently purusing his doctorate in piano performance and literature with a minor in chamber music and accompanying at the Eastman School.

Zhang has performed solo recitals, chamber music concerts and concerto performances everywhere from Eppley Auditorium in Sioux City to the China National Centre for the Performing Arts. He has debuted compositions of contemporary Chinese composer and, in 2013 and 2014, was invited to judge and perform in the Third Macau-Asian Pacific Youth Piano Competition and the 18th Hong Kong Piano Open Competition.

He has won prizes from the Hong Kong Piano Open Competition, the Eastman School of Music Concerto Competition and the MTNA Steinway Young Artist Competition. He was also a laureate of the Eastman Young Artists International Piano Competition.
The Sioux City Art Center is celebrating their 28th Annual Juried Youth Art Exhibition: Middle School from February 18 - April, 2017. Twenty-one art teachers from regional schools submitted 448 entries and 81 pieces of art were selected by the juror, local artist and instructor Mark Kochen, with three pieces chosen by Art Center Director, Al Harris-Fernandez. At Kid Scoop News we celebrate all of the arts in our region and are proud of our two feature reporters, Alexis Bell and Alex Kleinschmit who were two students representing North Middle and receiving special recognition. Alexis Bell (Zombie Totem) stands beside one of the North Middle School's Best of Show award winners. KUDOS to the Sioux City Art Center and the young artists who represent the very best of visual arts from our educational venues.
Screenings

Free blood pressure screenings, 9:30-11 a.m. Wednesdays at Countryside Senior Living, front lobby. No appointment necessary.

Programs/Self-Help Groups

Al-Anon Information Center, call 712-255-6724.

Al-Anon and Alateen, meetings locally. For times, dates and locations of area meetings, call 712-255-6724.

Alcoholics Anonymous, beginners information, call 712-252-1333.

Arc of Woodbury County, serving the mentally challenged, 5:15 p.m. meeting, second Monday of the month at Mid-Step Services, 4303 Stone Ave. For families and interested persons.

Child Care Resource and Referral, provides resources, education and advocacy for children, parents, and child care providers. Assists in child care needs. For more information, call 712-277-1180.

Co-Dependence Anonymous, 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at First Lutheran Church, Fireside Room.

Co-Dependents Anonymous (CODA), 10 a.m. Saturdays at Hawkeye Club, 420 Jones St.

Compassionate Friends, 7 p.m. fourth Wednesday of each month (third Thursday in November and second Sunday December) in Mercy Medical Center's Leiter Room. For families who have lost children. Contact Nancy Webb 712-212-4032 or Don Mulder 712-541-5512.

Clinics

Siouxland District Health immunization clinics, call for appointment, 712-279-6119 or 1-800-587-3005.

Information

Family and Addictive Illness series, for more information, call 234-2300.

Iowa Fathers, 6 to 8 p.m. fourth Tuesday of each month at Hope Lutheran Church, Education Building, 218 W. 18th St., South Sioux City, Neb. Support group to help single, divorcing and divorced parents residing in the state of Iowa.

Mercy Pathways Outpatient Program, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, on the third floor, Mercy's Central Medical Building, 801 Fifth St., Suite 360. Provides hope, help, opportunity to connect through group therapy for individuals experiencing personal, relationship, psychiatric issues. For more information, call 712-279-5991.

Narcotics Anonymous, meetings daily, various times, dates and locations. For more information, call 712-279-0733.

Overeaters Anonymous, 1 p.m. Tuesdays at Wesley United Methodist Church, 3700 Indian Hills Drive; 6 p.m. Tuesdays at St. John's Lutheran Church, 402 Lane Ave., Storm Lake; 7 p.m. Tuesdays at Church of the Nazarene, 226 N. Main St., Viborg, S.D.; 5:30 p.m. Thursdays and 9 a.m. Saturdays at Newman Center, 320 E. Cherry St., Vermillion, S.D.; 10:30 a.m. Saturdays at Hawkeye Club, 420 Jones St. A 12-step recovery program for people who have problems with food and weight. No fees.

St. Lukes Outpatient Behavioral Health Program, 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Tuesday and Thursday on fifth floor of St. Luke's, located at 2720 Stone Park Blvd. Offers several levels of outpatient care including partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and group therapy. This program provides support and integrated treatment to individuals experiencing personal or relationship issues as a result of their mental illness. For more information and admission criteria, call 712-279-3906.

Sobriety By Faith, 8:30 a.m. Saturdays at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1421 Geneva St. For more information, call James Mothershead at 712-577-9715.

The Link-Recovery and Freedom, 1603 Glen Ellen Road; 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday workshop, and Christian 12-step meeting 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. For all ages. Call Dee at 389-7432.

Women in Recovery, meets monthly at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1421 Geneva St. For details, call 712-255-4623.

Tarahouse Meditation Center, 8 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 6:30 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, all at 3112 Rebecca St. Three easy 10-minute sessions in small group; beginners welcome. For more information, call 490-6410.

Blood pressure and blood sugar screening, 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays in the lobby at Westwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Free to public.

Support Groups

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays at Hawkeye Club basement, 420 Jones St. For more information, call 277-5935.

Celebrate Recovery, Bible-based 12-step recovery group. Thursdays at 6 p.m. at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive. Childcare provided. 712-490-3343. All welcome.

PFLAG of Siouxland, (Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays), 7 p.m., fourth Monday of January, March, May, July, September and November. St. Mark ELCA Church, 5200 Glenn Ave., in the upstairs meeting area. 712-258-3116.

Singles widowed and divorced, all ages, 4 p.m., Sundays. McDonald's at Sixth Street and Lewis Boulevard. 712-252-2675.

GriefShare, 6:30 -8:30 p.m. every Tuesday until Dec. 6 at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City. 712-276-5814.

HIV/AIDS Support Group, meets weekly. For more information, call Darla or Teri at Siouxland Community Health Center, 712-252-2477 or 888-371-1965.

Hospice of Siouxland, seeking volunteers. For more information, call 712-233-4144 and ask for a volunteer coordinator.

La Leche League of Siouxland, breastfeeding support group meets every third Thursday at 11 a.m. at Morningside Lutheran Church. Children are welcome. For more information, call Mary at 712-546-7280 or Jacquie at 712-255-2998.

Living Each Day Cancer Support Group, 7-8 p.m. second Thursday of the month, Floyd Valley Hospital, Conference Center Room 2, Le Mars, Iowa. Open to all cancer patients, cancer survivors and family members. No charge. Pre-register by calling 712-546-3441 or 800-642-6074, ext. 441.

Mom and Baby Support Group, 10-11 a.m. last Monday of the month at the Orange City (Iowa) Hospital, lower level. For new moms and babies. 712-737-5260.

Tri-State Sober Project, 12-step meeting, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Friendship Community Church, 305 Sergeant Square Drive, Sergeant Bluff. 6-7 p.m., Thursdays, Transitional Services of Iowa, 1221 Pierce St., Sioux City.

Doug's Donors Support Group, information for organ donors and recipients, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Fridays, 5:15-6:30 p.m. second Thursdays of the month at Mercy Cafeteria Woodbury Room. 712-277-1050.

Divorce Care, 6:30 -8:30 p.m. every Tuesday until Dec. 6 at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City. 712-276-5814.

NAMI Siouxland, (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Support Group meets 6:30 p.m., second Tuesday of the month at Friendship House, 1101 Court St. For individuals and family members dealing with mental illness. 712-255-4209.

New Life Life Support Group, 3:30 p.m. every Saturday at 2929 W. Fourth St. Spiritual 12-step program. For more information, call Donald at 712-574-1744 or James at 712-255-7624.

Orphan Sunday, 3:30-5 p.m. Sunday at Sunnybrook Community Church loft, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive.

Post Polio Support Group, 11 a.m. first Thursday of the month at Perkins Restaurant by Menards. 712-490-8213.

Relationship Support Group, 7 p.m. Fridays at Marketplace Mall. For more information, call 239-3129.

Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, Individual and Support Groups. For more information, call CSADV in Sioux City at 712-258-7233; Plymouth County at 712-546-6764; Monona County at 712-423-3443. Advocacy and support available 24 hours a day at 1-800-982-7233. All services free of charge and confidential.

Sickle Cell Disease Support Group, 11 a.m. third Saturday of each month at St. Luke's Hospital, meeting room 1. For patients, their family and any concerned member. Call La'Keshia Rainey at 712-203-2019 for more information.

Single and Parenting, 6:30 -8:30 p.m. every Tuesday until Dec. 6 at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City. 712-276-5814.

Sioux City Association of the Deaf, 7 p.m. third Saturday of the month at Morningside Church of Christ, 5015 Garretson Ave. Regular meeting, September-May; no meeting, June, July, August and December.

Siouxland Autism Support Group, second Thursday of the month at Northwest Area Education Agency, 1520 Morningside Ave. For more information, call Julie Case at 712-490-8939.

Siouxland Epilepsy Support Group, 5 p.m. third Tuesday of the month at Prestwick Apartment Clubhouse, 4230 Hickory Lane. For anyone diagnosed with seizures or epilepsy and family or friends. For more information, call Steve at 274-6927.

Siouxland IC support group, meets quarterly in Sioux City. For patients struggling with interstital cystitis. For more information, call Jacque Dundas 316-641-9766.

Siouxland Informational Group for the Blind, 2-5 p.m. second Tuesday of the month at Northern Hills Retirement Community, 4002 Teton Trace. For more information, call 712-266-8926 or 258-8151.

Grief support group, 5:30-7:30 p.m., beginning Oct. 5 for 13 weeks (may join at any time), Crescent Park United Methodist Church, 2826 Myrtle St., Sioux City. Scott, 712-899-6315.

Siouxland Ostomy Association, 2 p.m. first Sunday of each month (except September, which will be second Sunday; and no meetings June, July, August), in Room 300 at Mercy Medical Center, 801 Fifth St. For more information, call Dick Lindblom at 251-2453.

Siouxland Parkinson Disease Support Group, 1 p.m. fourth Monday of the month at Siouxland Center for Active Generations, 313 Cook St. For more information, call Sally Reinert at 402-987-3516.

Sojourners, support group for families of persons with life-threatening illness, 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center, Room 416. For more information, call Marjorie Jarvill at 402-241-8637.

South Sioux City Weight Support Group, 8:30 a.m. Wednesdays at St. Paul United Methodist Church, South Sioux City. For more information, call 494-1401 or 494-2133.

Disabilities Resource Center of Siouxland, 520 Nebraska St., Suite 101: Women's Support Group, 1:30 p.m. first Wednesday of the month; LGBT Support Group, 1:30 p.m. first Friday of the month; Adult ADHD, 6 p.m. second Tuesday of the month; Advocacy Group, 1:30 p.m. third Tuesday of the month. For more information, call 712-255-1065.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly, group meetings various times, days and locations in Siouxland. For information on the chapter in your area, call 1-800-932-TOPS.

Voice Disorder Support Group, meets as needed at Mercy Medical Center, Buena Vista Room. 712-279-2686.

Women's Peer Support Group, in Wayne and South Sioux City, Neb., for those who have experienced domestic abuse. For more information, call the Wayne office at 402-375-4633 or 1-800-440-4633; in South Sioux City, call 402-494-7592. Help and support available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Services free and confidential.

Woodbury County D.M.D.A., noon-2 p.m. first Saturday of the month at Country Friendship Acres, 4501 West St.; 7-8 p.m. first Tuesday of the month at 515 Court St. in the Community Room; 7-8 p.m. second Tuesday of the month at 441 W. Third St. in the Community Room; 7-8 p.m. third Tuesday of the month at 409 W. Third St. in the Community Room. Support group for people with disabilities and mental disorders.

Natural Mamas in Siouxland, 1 p.m., third Tuesday of each month in the Garretson room of the Morningside Public Library. All ages of children are welcome to come with moms. For sharing natural living tips, recipes, natural remedies and health, homemaking, mothering, etc. For more information, call 402-913-0038 or visit their Facebook page.

A Step Beyond support group, 3:30 p.m. second Tuesday of the month, except for August, November and December when it meets at 5:30 p.m. (no meeting in January) at the Christy-Smith Resource Center, 1819 Morningside Ave. For more information, call 712-276-7319.

Divorce care, 5 p.m., Sundays. Fireside room, Morningside Lutheran Church, 700 South Martha St.

Gamblers Anonymous meetings, 4 p.m. Thursdays at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 315 Hamilton Blvd.; 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Morningside Presbyterian Church, 4327 Morningside Ave.; 7 p.m. Tuesdays, St. John Lutheran Church; 7 p.m. Sundays, Hawkeye Club, 420 Jones St.. 712-277-2901.

Art therapy support group, 5:30 p.m. second Thursday of the month at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. Registration required, call 252-9387.

After Breast Cancer Support Group, 5:30 p.m. third Tuesday of the month at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. For more information, call Brenda, 252-9370.

After Prostate Cancer Support Group, 5:15 p.m. first Tuesday of the month at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. For more information, call 252-9426.

Alzheimer's Association, Big Sioux Chapter Support Group, 2 p.m. second Tuesday of the month; 4 p.m. third Tuesday of the month (under age 65) at 201 Pierce St., Suite 110 (Famous Dave's building); and 6 p.m. first Tuesday of the month at the Barnes and Noble Cafe. For more information, call Emily Lord at 712-279-5802.

Christy-Smith Funeral Homes of Sioux City, extensive grief library at the Morningside location. Open to the public during weekday hours. For more information, call 276-7319.

Chronic Pain/Chronic Illness Support Group, 7:30 p.m. fourth Wednesday of the month in the lower level of the Orange City Hospital. For more information, call 712-737-5260.

Connections Area Agency on Aging, and Mercy Medical Centers Older Adult Services Welcome to Medicare, 1:30-4 p.m., the first Friday of every month at Connections Area Agency on Aging, 2301 Pierce St. To pre-register, or for more information, contact Connections Area Agency on Aging at 712-279-6900.
SIOUX CITY | Briar Cliff University will host a conference on March 23 to promote culturally responsive health care in the region.

The conference, titled "The Power of Cultural Diversity," will include a keynote address by Dr. Roberto Dansie, an award winning author, motivational speaker and clinical psychologist.

Continuing Education Unit (CEO) credits will be available for professionals in the field of health care and social work.

The cost for conference attendees is $60, with reduced prices for those who partner as clinical preceptors at Briar Cliff.

Online registration is available at briarcliff.edu/CulturalConference.
SIOUX CITY | Bailey Boettcher wailed when a nurse poked a syringe filled with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into the 12-month-old's chubby thigh as she lay on an exam table at Prairie Pediatrics. Her mom, Beth Boettcher, planted a kiss on her forehead to comfort her.

The momentary discomfort Bailey endured will protect her from serious diseases that could damage her brain, claim her hearing and sight and ultimately take her life.

All 50 states have legislation that requires specific vaccines for children. The idea behind vaccination is creating "herd immunity," a situation in which the majority of the population is immune to diseases such as measles, mumps and pertussis. A high vaccination rate protects infants and those who can't be vaccinated due to medical conditions.

"I just always thought that vaccines were a good thing. I feel they keep our kids healthier and keep others' kids healthier," Beth Boettcher said.

Data shows a growing number of parents seem to disagree, opting out of vaccination. Vaccine exemptions are on the rise in a number of states, including Iowa, with religious exemptions outpacing medical exemptions by far.

All state laws grant vaccine exemptions to children for medical reasons, and only three states -- West Virginia, Mississippi and California -- offer no religious or philosophical exemptions, according to information from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Currently, Iowa parents may forgo vaccinations for their children for medical or religious reasons. During the 2015-2016 school year, the state, which had a vaccination rate of 98.76 percent, recorded 8,733 total exemptions for students in grades K-12. Seventy-seven percent of those exemptions were religious exemptions.

Woodbury County tallied 52 vaccine exemptions during the 2002-2003 school year. Since then, the number of exemptions has steadily increased over the years, reaching a high of 183 exemptions last school year. Of those exemptions, 135 were religious exemptions and 48 were medical exemptions.

Sergeant Bluff-Luton Elementary School led the way in Woodbury County in 2015-2016 with 99.74 percent of its students having valid vaccine certificates, while West Middle School had the lowest vaccination rate at 85.79 percent -- well below the county's vaccination rate of 98.64 percent.

Tyler Brock, Siouxland District Health Department deputy director, said populations that have low vaccination rates are at increased risk for outbreaks.

Since Aug. 1, Iowa has tallied 181 cases of mumps -- 105 of those cases were reported in Dubuque County. No cases were reported in Woodbury County during that time period. Woodbury County had one case of mumps in March 2016, which was its first case in six years.

Mumps, a disease that causes swollen and tender salivary glands, is typically preventable through vaccination. Rare but serious complications can occur with mumps, including sterility, deafness and meningitis -- an inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord.

"Any time there are diseases that are preventable that we're not preventing, it's concerning for public health," Brock said. "It runs the risk of taxing public health resources when we have outbreaks caused by vaccine-preventable diseases. It also places at risk some of our most vulnerable -- young infants who are too young to be vaccinated."

DEBUNKED CLAIM PERSISTS

Steven Joyce, an internist and pediatrician at Mercy Medical Center, said rumors perpetuated on social media factor into some parents' decisions to forgo vaccination altogether or delay or spread out vaccines. The debunked assertion that the MMR vaccine causes autism is one of the most common.

The Journal reached out to locals who oppose vaccination or disagree with recommended vaccine schedules. They didn't respond to requests for comment or declined to be interviewed.

"There's never been a link of significant harm from a vaccine, especially autism," Joyce said. "The only study ever published that linked vaccines with autism was a falsified study, and that investigator was reprimanded."

That investigator was Andrew Wakefield.

Although the British gastrointestinal surgeon's paper, which was published in the medical journal The Lancent in 1998, was retracted, and he was subsequently barred from practicing medicine, his discredited claim that the MMR vaccine causes autism persists.

President Donald Trump met with Wakefield in August during his campaign. Then Wakefield was spotted at one of Trump's inaugural balls. Trump has expressed skepticism about the vaccine schedule in various tweets over the years.

On Sept. 4, 2014 he tweeted, "I'm not against vaccinations for your children, I'm against them in 1 massive dose.Spread them out over a period of time & autism will drop!"

I'm not against vaccinations for your children, I'm against them in 1 massive dose.Spread them out over a period of time & autism will drop!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2014

Patrick Beck, a pediatrician at Prairie Pediatrics, said there's no danger in giving multiple vaccines to children at once.

"There are studies that show that combining vaccinations boosts their immunity so they have a better response to multiple vaccines," he said.

After meeting with Trump at Trump Tower in January, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine opponent, told the press that Trump asked him to head a commission that would study vaccines. The Trump administration has denied this.

The United States already has an advisory panel of medical and public health experts tasked with improving vaccine safety. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices develops recommendations on the use of vaccines.

Sean Peterson, clinical director for the Pier Center for Autism in Sioux City, said looking for a link between autism and vaccines would take away funding that could actually lead to an alternative treatment or cure for autism. He said studies have repeatedly shown that vaccines don't cause autism.

"To spend more money in that area versus looking at alternative theories that actually have some support and ground to stand on, we're wasting time and money and the resources of academicians across the world to have to debunk something that should've never been published in the first place," he said.

SAVING LIVES

The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which is run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, collects information about adverse events that occur after the administration of vaccines.

Serious allergic reaction to the MMR vaccine occurs in less than 1 in a million doses, according to the CDC. Deafness, long-term seizure, coma or loss of consciousness and permanent brain damage are so rare that the nation's health protection agency said it's hard to tell whether these adverse events could be caused by the vaccine.

In the 21 years that he has been practicing medicine, Joyce said he has never witnessed any adverse events from vaccines. He said the side effects that his young patients have experienced have been limited to fever and injection site soreness.

Beck, who has been practicing medicine for 28 years, said his patients haven't experienced any adverse events either. However, he said he has seen how vaccine-preventable diseases have severely affected children who were too young to be immunized.

One of his patients, a 6-week-old infant, caught pertussis -- a highly contagious respiratory disease. The child spent 1-1/2 months on a ventilator. Another one of his young patients contracted meningitis. The child survived, but needed toes and fingers amputated and also developed visual problems.

To protect patients who are too young to be inoculated or who can't receive vaccines for medical reasons, Prairie Pediatrics has a policy of not accepting families into the practice who refuse vaccination.

The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't support dismissing families who choose not to vaccinate outright, but instead encourages pediatricians to talk with parents to ensure they understand the complications that could occur from not vaccinating. Beck said parents who were initially against vaccination have changed their minds after talking with him.

If a bill that would make it easier for parents to avoid vaccination becomes Iowa law, Beck said he doesn't know if it would drive up the state's exemptions. He said it would likely lead more parents to question vaccination.

"It does create a lot more work for us to try to play down a lot of things that are out there that really have no basis, but again, that's our job," he said.

House File 7 sponsored by Ken Rizer, R-Cedar Rapids, would add a "personal conviction" exemption. If the bill passes, Iowa would join 18 other states that allow a philosophical exemption for those who object to immunizations because of personal, moral or other beliefs. Friday is a crucial day for the bill. The so-called funnel deadline narrows the list of bills eligible for passage this year.

Rizer didn't respond to a request for comment by press time about the origins of the bill or its traction in the legislature.

Joyce said he opposes a philosophical exemption, citing the reemergence of diseases like measles, which was declared eradicated in the United States in 2000. In 2014, the country experienced a record number of cases, 667 in 27 states. So far this year, 23 people from six states have contracted measles, according to the CDC.

Joyce said Americans seem to have forgotten the polio epidemic of 1952, which killed more than 3,000 people and left thousands of others disabled, or outbreaks of Haemophilus influenzae type B or Hib, which killed young children or significantly impaired them before a vaccine was introduced in 1992.
SIOUX CITY | The driver of a Sioux City Transit bus has been fined $100 for a traffic violation related to a crash that left a man seriously injured.

Jamie Pica, 39, of Sioux City, was found guilty Friday in Woodbury County District Court of failure to obey a traffic control device. A citation for failure to wear a seat belt was dismissed.

An Iowa State Patrol report has said that Pica was driving a city bus north on Lewis Boulevard on Nov. 15 when she failed to yield the right-of-way to southbound traffic while turning left during a solid green light at the intersection with Outer Drive.

The bus, which had been stopped at the intersection for a red light, turned when the light turned green and collided with a southbound Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Chad Plante, of Hinton, Iowa.

Plante sustained two broken legs and a brain injury and was in a coma for several weeks. He is now out of the coma and undergoing therapy at a Lincoln, Nebraska, rehabilitation hospital.
This week on the podcast, reporters discuss President Donald Trump's first time addressing a joint session of Congress, the happenings at the Iowa Legislature during funnel week, and legislative forums around the state.

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast which re-creates the conversations that happen when Iowa's political reporters get together after deadlines have been met. This week's show features James Q. Lynch, Christinia Crippes, Ed Tibbetts, Erin Murphy and Todd Dorman.

This week's show was produced by Max Freund and the music heard in the podcast is courtesy of Porch Builder. Chat with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @OnIowaPolitics, and subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher. Know an Iowa musician who should be on our show? Send their band sound files to oniowapolitics@gmail.com
LE MARS, Iowa | A Craig, Iowa, man was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for videotaping naked teenagers at his home.

James Grasz, 67, pleaded guilty in January in Plymouth County District Court to four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of invasion of privacy.

District Judge Jeffrey Neary also ordered Grasz to serve a special sex offender sentence, in which he will be on lifetime parole after completing his prison sentence. If he were to violate terms of the special sentence, he could be sent to prison. He also must register with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry.

According to court documents, Grasz photographed or filmed without their knowledge or permission five females ranging in age from 13-63 and one 25-year-old man in various states of nudity or participating in sex acts from January 2007 through October 2014.

The incidents were first reported last March, when a Plymouth County resident reported she was spied on by a man in Craig. The Plymouth County Sheriff's Office later served a search warrant on Grasz' house, where items were seized and taken as evidence.
SIOUX CITY | A Sioux City native has been named into the Hy-Vee Hall of Fame.

Dan Vondrak is currently the store director in Mankato, Minn. He was chosen by his peers as the 2016 Store Director of the Year for the northern region, a press release Thursday said.

Vondrak began his career in 1986 as a part-time courtesy clerk at the Hy-Vee on Hamilton Boulevard. He bounced back and forth working in Sioux City and a store in Ames while he attended Iowa State University. He also worked stints at Hy-Vee stores in Norfolk, Nebraska, Spencer, Iowa, and Spirit Lake, Iowa, before coming back to the Southern Hills Mall location in 2008, the release said.

He was selected for his current Mankato position in 2014.
SIOUX CITY | Travelers departing from Sioux City's airport should now be able to pass through the terminal's security checkpoint quicker.

Screening technology added this week at Sioux Gateway Airport is also expected to make it easier for federal security officers to do their jobs.

Travelers flying through larger airports are familiar with stepping inside a machine and holding their hands above their heads while they're screened for prohibited items. Known as Advanced Imaging Technology, one of those screening stations was installed at Sioux Gateway Wednesday. Transportation Security Administration officials showed off the new equipment to the media on Friday.

Sioux City's airport has been equipped with what's called the AIT-2, a second generation of AIT systems that have been deployed in airports across the United States since 2009.

The scanning system can detect metallic and nonmetallic items, including weapons, explosives and other items not prohibited on airplanes. The newer model also works well in airports the size of Sioux Gateway, TSA spokeswoman Carrie Harmon said.

"One of the good things about this machine is it has a smaller footprint so it works better at smaller airports," Harmon said.

The new scanner is an improvement over the previous walk-through metal detector, she said, because it can detect where on a traveler's body the questionable item is located so security officers need only pat down that area rather than the whole body.

Airport director Mike Collett said the TSA informed him last fall that it would be installing the screening equipment. It's another step in modernizing the airport, making travel more convenient and increasing security.

"I think it was already safe before," Collett said. "It's an added convenience for our passengers."
STORM LAKE, Iowa | A 43-year-old man is in custody after police say he sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl in a vehicle in Storm Lake last year.

A Storm Lake Police Department press release said Ricardo Venegas Gonzalez fondled the girl while traveling in the vehicle on Oct. 30, 2016.

The department received the allegation on Feb. 9, and Venegas Gonzalez was arrested on Wednesday for a warrant charging him with lascivious acts with a minor, a class C felony.

Venegas Gonzalez, of Storm Lake, is booked in the Buena Vista County Jail on $10,000 bond.

The Iowa Department of Human Services and the Child Advocacy Center at Mercy Medical Center-- Sioux City assisted with the investigation.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa | Elias Wanatee avoided a lifetime prison sentence Friday after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder for a fatal stabbing in Sioux City.

Wanatee, 48, of Sioux City, was tried in Pottawattamie County District Court for first-degree murder for the Feb. 17, 2016, stabbing death of Vernon Mace. After more than five hours of deliberations, jurors came back with a guilty verdict for the lesser charge, which carries a 50-year prison sentence. Had he been found guilty of first-degree murder, Wanatee would have faced a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

A sentencing date will be set next week.

It was the second time Wanatee stood trial for Mace's death. His first trial in Sioux City ended in a mistrial after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict after more than 11 hours of deliberations.

District Judge Duane Hoffmeyer ordered the second trial be conducted in Council Bluffs after public defender Jason Dunn had asked that the retrial be moved. Dunn had argued that local media coverage of the first trial and frequent news reports of Wanatee's past murder conviction would make it harder to seat a second jury in Woodbury County and ensure that Wanatee receive a fair trial.

Wanatee was accused of stabbing Mace, 50, of Sioux City, in the street in the 1900 block of West First Street. Medical evidence during the first trial showed that Mace was stabbed nine times, the fatal wound puncturing his diaphragm and slicing his liver, causing massive internal bleeding.

There were no eyewitnesses to the stabbing, and police never found a weapon. During police interviews, Wanatee denied killing Mace. Dunn had suggested at trial that Wanatee had acted in self-defense because Mace had threatened Wanatee with a gun two weeks earlier.

Friday's verdict marks the second time Wanatee has been found guilty of another person's death. He was convicted of first-degree murder in 1991 for the death of Kelton "Kelly" DeCora outside a Sioux City bar. Wanatee appealed the conviction and had the charge reduced to second-degree murder. He was released from prison in January 2015.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- The obsession with Donald Trump's ability to spend one hour in a disciplined relationship with a teleprompter obscured one of his central goals on Tuesday night: He continued to try to scare the country to death.

Yes, he lived up to media expectations that he would finally attempt to look "presidential" and that he could recite words that sounded optimistic and forward-looking. He and his handlers are well aware that commentators typically reward presidents for doing what commentators say presidents need to do.

And he also issued a ritual call for bipartisanship, even though earlier in the day, he had said he regarded House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi as "incompetent, actually." Put aside that upbraiding his female critics is one habit that is very difficult for Trump to break. It was hard to square the nice, let's-all-get-along paragraphs with everything else Trump has been doing.

And beneath the obeisance to the Beltway rules about what addresses to joint sessions of Congress are supposed to look like lurked Trump Classic. He's still the man who wants to aggrandize the executive and expand the power of law enforcement by making the country believe it is under threat from dark forces that only a strong hand can deal with.

He didn't repeat his controversial use of the word "carnage," which stood out from almost everything else he said in his inaugural address. He simply described the carnage.

"We've defended the borders of other nations while leaving our own borders wide open for anyone to cross, and for drugs to pour in at a now unprecedented rate," he declared. Actually, we don't have "wide open" borders and President Obama found himself under criticism from members of his own base for being too tough in enforcing immigration laws. But for Trump, only "the construction of a great, great wall along our southern border" will solve the problem.

Trump could not resist adding that extra "great," verbal cover for the fact that he left out his fanciful claim that Mexico would pay for his wall.

Trump boasted that "we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our very innocent citizens," which, in truth, is what our forces of order have been doing for years. "Bad ones are going out as I speak." Don't you feel better already?

Trump always seeks protection from a regiment of straw men and women, and this speech was no exception. "To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you this one question: What would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income or their loved one because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders?"

Well, I suppose in Trump world, a desire not to deport every single one of the 11 million men and women who are in the United States without proper documentation constitutes not believing in enforcing the law. But this unfounded attack fit badly with the suddenly bipartisan Trump.

And his call to create an office in the Department of Homeland Security called VOICE ("Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement") was a demagogic propaganda effort to suggest that immigrants are especially prone to committing acts of violence when, in fact, they are not.

No Trump speech is complete without a reference to Chicago's murder rate, which he refers to constantly because the national crime statistics don't bear out his implication that the nation is more unsafe than ever.

And Trump wants Americans to be very, very afraid of the threat of terrorism by way of rationalizing his unjustifiable policies barring refugees from a selected group of Muslim countries. "We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside of America," he declared. For good measure, he added: "We cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists." I bet his speechwriters were proud of those scary phrases, "a beachhead of terrorism" and "a sanctuary for extremists." That's the way to get people really alarmed.

Perhaps because I watched this address a long way from Washington, I was less responsive to Trump's efforts to place himself, rhetorically at least, within the Capitol's conventions. What I saw was not a new Trump but a shrewd Trump apparatus throwing some bones of optimism to establishmentarians hankering to get on board. I suspect members of Trump's base were wiser than this. They heard the music of fright, dread and chaos, and they knew that was still the point.
DES MOINES -- A slow-moving crush of Senate committees working Thursday to beat an eligibility deadline claimed a GOP measure that sought to reinstate capital punishment in Iowa on a limited basis.

Competition for meeting space and schedules waylaid by time-consuming private caucuses by legislators forced the cancellation of a lunch-hour subcommittee that was to consider Senate File 335  a bill that would have reinstated the death penalty in cases where an adult kidnapped, raped and murdered a minor.

Its fair to say that it was executed today, said Sen. Jerry Behn, R-Boone, the bills lead sponsor who has been pushing the issue since first elected in 1996. Im hoping that we can get it taken back up next year. Thats the plan.

Behn said he had a heart-wrenching telephone conversation with the mother of Jetseta Gage, a 10-year-old girl who was the victim of a 2005 kidnapping and murder. The girls mother had planned to testify at the Statehouse in support of the bill but testimony was called off when the bill was pulled from Thursdays calendar, he said.

I had a nice talk with her on the phone, Behn said. Its a heart-wrenching story. I was truly moved.

Behn said he reintroduced the death penalty bill because Iowa currently has a punishment for capital crimes of life imprisonment but there is no deterrent  in fact, there is an incentive  for a perpetrator who kidnaps and rapes a minor not to kill the witness in hopes of not getting caught.

If you kidnap and rape someone, it creates a perverted incentive to murder your victim, he said. My point is lets not add an incentive to do that kind of action. Lets make it a disincentive to further that action. This is a specific attempt to stop a specific type of a crime.

I think its appropriation restitution or appropriate punishment for a crime, he said of the three-stage limited death penalty proposal. This is an effort to appease some of those who thought, basically, that the death penalty was inappropriate at any time. After some of the horrific murders that have occurred, I said maybe we can get a consensus to get something back on the books again.

Connie Ryan of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa  one of a number of opponents who planned to testify at Thursdays subcommittee  said she was disappointed that the bill was filed in the first place and surprised when it got scrapped on Thursday.

We had a lineup of people of faith and civil rights advocates and other folks who were prepared to speak and say that Iowa should not ever be a death penalty state, Ryan told reporters.

With officials in death-penalty states struggling to find the right drugs to administer lethal injections and with DNA evidence exonerating some death-row inmates, Ryan said it was a surprise to see Iowa senators looking to reinstate a practice last used in Iowa in 1965.

The Interfaith Alliance of Iowa is quite pleased that we are not going to have the conversation about making Iowa a death-penalty state again, she said. Iowa should not ever be a death penalty state and so were just pleased that were not going to have that conversation this session.
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
ANNAPOLIS (March 03, 2017)Supporters and detractors alike gathered in Annapolis to testify about two marijuana legalization bills being heard by the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Thursday afternoon.



Sen. Brian Feldman, D-Montgomery, is sponsoring a proposed referendum on an amendment to the state's constitution and Sen. Richard Madaleno Jr., D-Montgomery, is sponsoring a bill that would legalize marijuana, and specify how it will be taxed.



Both the constitutional amendment and Madaleno's bill would allow for the legalization of the use, possession, transportation, sale and cultivation of marijuana in the state.



Feldman's referendum, if voters approve it, would allow an individual to possess up to two ounces of marijuana, while Madaleno's allows for one ounce of marijuana but offers different amounts for different forms, such as edibles or creams, of the drug.



"For the Green Party, we believe in direct democracy, we believe that the people have a right to decide their own future and (Feldman's) bill would set legalization of marijuana as a constitutional referendum for 2018," said Maryland resident Justin Schoville.



Schoville and the Maryland Green Party "have some questions about" Madaleno's bill because of the taxation and regulation aspects, he said.



State analysts said they believe that Madaleno's bill legalizing and taxing marijuana would provide at least an additional $49 million in annual tax revenues for the state. There would be an initial cost of about $2.1 million to implement the legalization of the drug.



Feldman's measure does not define how the taxes will be collected, however the revenue raised must be spent on public school education, construction and capital improvement, substance abuse treatment and prevention, mental health services and recidivism, reduction and reentry services.



"The legal cannabis market in Colorado generated nearly $1 billion in total sales and $135 million in tax revenue for the state," the Maryland Public Policy Institute said in a January report. "Tax collections in Maryland could easily equal or exceed those in Colorado."



However, some argue the legalization of marijuana could have unfortunate effects on communities.



"Nobody is talking about it," Aubree Adams, a Pueblo, Colorado, resident told the University of Maryland's Capital News Service. "Homelessness is up, high crime is up."



Adams traveled to Maryland to testify on the negative effects of marijuana which, she said, "almost destroyed my son."



After Colorado legalized marijuana in 2012, Adams' eighth-grade son "accessed edibles" at school.



"It's everywhere, you can't keep it away from the kids," she said.



By his freshman year of high school, her son tried to kill himself after a fit of marijuana-induced psychosis.



Her son attacked his younger brother before putting a gun to his own head, she said. He did not pull the trigger, she said, but later that night attempted to overdose on 250 ibuprofen pills.



"He vomited all night long in his sleep," Adams said.



Her younger son has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the incident, she said.



Adams' older son currently lives in Houston and is part of a treatment communitywhich is more intensive than inpatient rehab, she said.



There is emerging research linking marijuana and suicide rates, wrote Christine Miller, a scientific adviser for drug education groups, in her testimony to the committee.



"Marijuana is not unique in this regard, because like all (drugs), it depletes the reward centers of the brain," Miller wrote.



In Colorado, suicide rates have increased "in lock-step with increases in their marijuana use rate," she wrote.



Suicide rates in Colorado have reached all-time highs and each one of Colorado's 21 health regions had a suicide rate higher than the national average, according to a February report by the Colorado Health Institute.



Despite this, Feldman said, there is insufficient scientific evidence linking marijuana usage and psychosis.



However, for some, marijuana can be a remedy.



When used responsibly by adults, marijuana can be a "good alternative to prescription drugs," said Ethan Howard, an Owings Mills, Maryland resident and the deputy director of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Lawsor NORMLMaryland.



Howard also supports legalization because of the disproportionate arrest rates between Caucasians and African Americans in cases involving marijuana.



"Legalization will level the playing field," he said.



Adrian Matthews, a Baltimore resident, the director of technology for NORML Maryland, said he does not have concerns with keeping marijuana away from those younger than the legal age.



"We prevent it the same way we've been preventing alcohol," he said. Stores will require ID to purchase it and parents will "lock it up" away from their children.



Additionally, the street market for the drugs will be lower because people will be incentivized to sell legally, he said.



Maryland legalized a medical marijuana program in 2013, however the process has been delayed due to a high number of applications and scrutiny. The patient registry is expected to go live by the end of March, Medical Marijuana Commision Chairman Paul Davies said Thursday afternoon.



Adams said she will "pray and hope it doesn't pass," while Feldman said he "simply (has) a question for the people of Maryland to weigh in on this."
Gov. Larry Hogan is swarmed by children in Annapolis as a part of non-public school advocacy day on March 2, 2017. An estimated 1,800 children came to speak with legislators about the program that provides funding for non-public schools throughout the state. (Photo: Hannah Klarner)

ANNAPOLIS

(March 03, 2017)More than 1,000 private school students and chaperones greeted and cheered Gov. Larry Hogan's arrival down the steps of the Maryland State House on Nonpublic School Advocacy day Thursday morning.Students from 12 Maryland counties and Baltimore city schools attended a rally at Lawyers Mall in Annapolis in support of the Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today program, also known as BOOST.BOOST was created in 2016 to provide $5 million for private school vouchers, and allows students with educational needs to attend nonpublic schools through vouchers.This year, Hogan, R, is working to add millions more dollars to the program.About 40 schools, including St. Francis International School, St. Casimir Catholic School, and Liberty Christian School, were in attendance as well as teachers, principals, superintendents, and parents to show their support.Middle school teacher Anna Crisci from St. Michael's School in Ridge, Maryland, said that the program helps a lot of students due to large class sizes in area public schools."This money definitely helps our school," Crisci told the University of Maryland's Capital News Service. "We wouldn't be open if we didn't have BOOST money.""To have a private school where they get one-on-one education is so important  small class sizes, especially for kids who struggle with reading and math," said Crisci. "It's so important to have that one-on-one."Principal Liz Whelan of St. Peter's Catholic School in Olney, Maryland, also attended the rally to show support of the private funding that help students from various backgrounds at her school."I think it's so important that the state and for everybody to recognize that we're thankful that they appreciate all of the students in the state of Maryland and it benefits all of the students of all nationalities and all different groups of people," said Whelan.Whelan also said the BOOST scholarship helps students receive free and reduced-price lunch."We have 12 families that get a scholarship that helps them with their tuition," Whelan said. "So we're so thrilled and came out here to say thanks to the governor."At the rally, Hogan said that he will continue to fight for the program that was unanimously approved last year in the state Senate.A coalition of lawmakers and activist groups gathered in Annapolis on Tuesday to vocally oppose the program.Hogan has yet to address at least $2.9 billion needed increased in public school funding for each year, according to the ACLU of Maryland and Maryland State Education Association. The $2.9 billion budget gap study was conducted by Maryland State Department Education consultants, APA Consulting.The governor has fully funded public schools, and then some, proposing a total of $6.4 billion to K-12 education in the upcoming 2018 budget.Supporters of the BOOST program say it offers upward mobility to students who would otherwise be stuck in underperforming public schools.Advocates for the program also argue that the program helps at risk students from "failing schools."But opponents of the BOOST program argued that it takes away taxpayers money from public schools to subsidize private school tuition, and said that 78 percent of students who received vouchers from the BOOST program were already enrolled in private schools, based on 2016-2017 BOOST program data, according to the Maryland ACLU and teacher's union."This evidence shows that they used the program to support students that are already in their school for every child they accepted from a public school," Betty Weller, Maryland State Education Association president, said during the Tuesday press conference.Another issue that opponents are concerned about is that schools do not have to meet the nondiscrimination laws set in place at public schools, which allows private schools to legally discriminate in employment based on religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity, according to the ACLU and state education union.Ninety-seven percent of schools that have received subsidies are religious, according to the ACLU and teachers union.The ACLU is against the program because of civil rights and public funding issues."Ninety-seven percent of schools that benefit from this taxpayer subsidy are religious," said Tishan Weerasooriya, ACLU of Maryland Public Policy Advocate, at the press conference. "This is a cause of our great concern because using taxpayers dollars to fund religious institutions only entangles state governments with religious teachings."Maryland Parent and Teacher Association President Elizabeth Ysla-Leight expressed her concern for student's families."It's important for parents to know that their tax dollars are going to be well spent," Ysla-Leight said Tuesday. "And while I appreciate protect our schools, It is very important that we remember, it should also protect our families as well because there's a trickle down effectWhen schools are not able to provide certain, minimal services and supplies guess who they call? They contact the parents."Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said he believes this initiative is contributing to a nationwide effort by way of the Republican Party."This voucher-based program is really a part of a Republican effort to privatize public schools," said Kamenetz. "Marylanders want public money to be invested in our public schools. We need to protect our public schools system."
ANNAPOLIS (March 03, 2017)At a press conference Friday, Gov. Larry Hogan sought to rally support for a bill that would set up an independent, non-partisan committee to handle the redistricting process.



Hogan called the state's current partisan redistricting process "disgraceful" and lambasted the legislature for not acting to implement reforms.



Hogan has made passage of the Redistricting Reform Act of 2017 one of his primary goals ahead of the 2018 gubernatorial election. The governor wants to remove lawmakers' power over redistricting and hand the process over to an independent commission.



Such reforms are strongly opposed by Democrats, who owe some of their dominance in state politics to the party's power to favor itself when drawing legislative districts.



However, Hogan acknowledged that gerrymandering is common across the country, by both Democrats and Republicans in states where they control the process. Maryland Democrats often cite gerrymandering in other states as a reason for not changing the process in Maryland, as doing so would hurt Democrats at the national level.



Gerrymandering works by spreading friendly voters out to get a simple majority in as many voting districts as possible, and concentrating opposition voters into as few districts as possible.



Maryland is considered to be among the most gerrymandered states in the nation. About two-thirds of the state's registered voters are Democrats, and nearly a third are Republican, yet both U.S. senators and seven of Maryland's eight U.S. representatives are from the Democratic Party.



The winner-take-all method of determining electoral victory in the United States means that it is far better for a party to be able to win 55 percent of the vote in 10 elections than for it to be able to win 99 percent of the vote in five elections, even if the total number of votes cast is the same. This principle is part of what enabled Donald Trump to win the presidency in 2016; more votes were cast for Hillary Clinton, but they were concentrated in too few states.



Hogan gained an unlikely ally in his push to address gerrymandering when his predecessor, former Gov. Martin O'Malley, D, has recently come out in support of ending the practice.



State Senate President Thomas V. "Mike" Miller Jr., D-Calvert, Charles and Prince George's, told the University of Maryland's Capital News Service that he thinks the proposal "is largely politics on the part of the governor, he sees his numbers dropping and he knows this is popular with the people."



A Democrat-sponsored bill is currently moving through the legislature that would move the state to an independent redistricting process only if New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina pass similar reforms by the end of 2020.



One of the major obstacles to independent redistricting, in Maryland and elsewhere, is the dominant party's fear that leveling the playing field will put their national party at a disadvantage to their opposition elected from still-gerrymandered states.



The five states mentioned in the Democrats' bill and Maryland currently send a total of 44 Republicans and 43 Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives.



The idea is that this nearly even split makes it less likely that reform will give either party an immediate advantage at the national level. The dominant parties in those states would surrender the advantage that partisan redistricting gives them in exchange for neutralizing that advantage in another state where their party is in the opposition.



Alexander Williams, a former judge, spoke in support of reform at the Friday press conference, saying that cases challenging gerrymandered maps are creating a "litigious mess" in the courts. He predicts that courts are going to start imposing their own solutions to the problem, which he worries judges are not capable of doing effectively.



Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart famously said of pornography in 1964, "I know it when I see it." Likewise, gerrymandering is easy to spot but extremely difficult to prove.



The practice often produces odd-looking voting districts that squiggle around established population and geographic boundaries.



The Supreme Court has acknowledged that partisan gerrymandering could be so extreme in certain cases that it might violate the equal representation clause of the Constitution. The problem is that the Court has yet to find a reliable test to determine how much gerrymandering is too much.



The Supreme Court is expected to take another look at gerrymandering in 2017. In 2016, Wisconsin's state assembly maps were ruled unconstitutionally gerrymandered. The case relies on the results of the 2012 and 2014 elections, where Democrats won the majority of the statewide general assembly vote, but Republicans still won 60 of the 99 seats in the assembly. That case has been appealed and is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court in 2017.
More than 35 years after the AIDS epidemic began striking down scores of gay men, activist Larry Kramer still has strong words for the politicians who ignored the crisis then and hinder the search for a cure today.

Were still at the height of the AIDS crisis, the press is not reporting it and cases are up all over the world, said Kramer frankly via Facetime. The search for a cure is still in the toilet. Were still being sold down the river by the NIH (National Institutes of Health). All these things are not being reported. The only difference between the early days of GMHC (Gay Mens Health Crisis) and now is there are a lot more of us out there fighting. We have a bigger army to rub in their faces if we all show up.

Kramer, a successful screenwriter and author who called Fire Island home in the 1970s, was not initially a political activist. It was only after his friends began getting sick in 1980 from the gay cancer that he found himself advocating for gay rights. He is quoted in his Wikipedia entry as saying:

"It was not chic. It was not something you could brag about with your friends...Guys marching down Fifth Avenue was a whole other world. The whole gestalt of Fire Island was about beauty and looks and golden men.

A year later, he would gather his friends together in his apartment and found the organization that became known as Gay Mens Health Crisis (GMHC), the leading organization to raise funds for and provide services to men in New York City suffering what had been since labeled as HIV/AIDS.

The outspoken and confrontational Kramer targeted then-Mayor Ed Koch, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and National Institutes of Health and politicians before being ousted by the GMHC board in 1983.

After a trip to Europe and a tour of the Dachau concentration camp, he voiced his frustration with both the political and media establishment and gay community leaders in a 1985 play, The Normal Heart. The critically-acclaimed play was revived in 2004 and 2011, and made into an Emmy Award-nominated movie broadcast on HBO in 2014. He has since also penned a number of important essays, books and histories.

In 1987, Kramer helped found AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, better known as ACT UP and set about on a powerful effort to use protests and civil disobedience to focus attention on what he saw as a holocaust perpetrated on gay men through government inaction.

ACT UP is no longer active, but Kramer still feels the urge to mobilize, especially after the results of the 2016 elections.

I think its not in the nature of people to be activists and to be angry, Kramer explained. They have to learn how to do it. A good activist is someone who is angry and frightened at the same time. Those are the motivating factors that are most useful. I should think that gay people everywhere should be frightened by this new administration. Its scary.

He went on to warn, Theyre going to take away our rights. Whatever it is, we have to be prepared. We have to be visible as a group. When theres a protest, more of us have to show up. We need to protest outside of every Republican Congresspersons doors. Let them know wherere there and were mad.

Kramer declined to weigh in on the development of AIDS-prevention therapies like PReP that may lull young gay men into risky sexual behaviors. Many young men, in particular, do not know anyone who has died from HIV/AIDS.

Whether they remember AIDS or not, they should remember (the time) before there was marriage. They can read the papers, they know whats happens to us, that should make them get off their asses, he almost scolded. Were wonderful people. I love being gay, it makes me fight even harder.

And he pointed out that anti-gay hate crimes have been on the rise in recent years.

We have to fight for our lives here in a whole different way. Kids have to be made to realize that. In Florida, of all places, with the terrible mass murder (in Orlando), you should be even angrier because of that. The one thing that pisses me off are gay people who arent willing to fight for their rights, he said.

Now 82, Kramer cannot imagine his life any differently.

He said, Im glad that I was on the front line at the very beginning and saw something was happening and Im glad Im still alive to continue that fight. Its like...the (war) reporter who drops behind enemy lines and can see what the situation is really like.

While Kramers rhetoric shows no signs of softeninghe continues to maintain a busy speaking schedulehe admitted his biggest secret with a slight grin, Im a huggy bear and thats what a couple of my oldest friends call me.

Symposium Focuses on HIV-Positive Millennials, History

The World AIDS Museum and Educational Center (WAM) in Wilton Manors takes its threefold mission seriously.

In addition to documenting the history of the HIV/AIDS crisis, the non-profit institution is also committed to honoring the people who suffered and continue to suffer from the disease and educating and enlightening the people who are touched by HIV/AIDS.

On March 9 - 11, the museum will host activist Larry Kramer, a founder of both Gay Mens Health Crisis (GMHC) and ACT UP and Pulitzer Prize-winning author and playwright, and hold a symposium focused on the needs of HIV-positive Millennials.

WAM CEO Hugh Beswick explained, HIV/AIDS is the most misunderstood and misrepresented disease ever because of the stigma attached. This is the 30th anniversary of ACT UP, and many of the people who were involved in the early days are in their 70s and 80s now. We needed to document the story completely and realized many of these people might not be with us much longer.

Kramer is still a controversial figure within the LGBT community, but even those who disagreed with his political methods, agreed that he was a central figure who should be a part of the events. After many months and outreach to mutual friends, Beswick was able to book the 82-year-old activist.

Hes brilliant, controversial and difficult, like him or not, everybody who we talked with said you cant tell the story of the AIDS crisis without telling the story of Larry Kramer, said Beswick, and hes hard to get.

Kramer will be interviewed by Kevin Sessums, former editor of Interview magazine and Vanity Fair, who will be flying from San Francisco to participate in a onstage discussion at the Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale on Friday, March 10 at 8 p.m. The event will also include a musical tribute to Kramer from the Gay Mens Chorus of South Florida. Tickets are $25.

Kramer and Sessums will autograph their books, The American People and Mississippi Sissy, respectively, and greet the public at WAM in Wilton Manors on Thursday, March 9 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This event is free.

Then, on Saturday, March 11, WAM will host a free Poz Millennials symposium at the Stonewall National Museum and Archives at ArtServe in Fort Lauderdale. Beswick sees the afternoon symposium as an especially important program, noting the high new infection rates among younger gay men and within the African-American community.

For more information and to reserve tickets for the weekend events, go to WorldAIDSMuseum.org.
February, despite being the shortest month, is often a hard one. Where I live, any day might be a snow day, with my son home from school and the sidewalks needing to be shoveled. The usual routine of laundry and groceries and dinner doesnt stop. In recent weeks, too, I have been distracted by the news stories of a government chipping away at the rights of LGBTQ people, immigrants, and others. How not to be overwhelmed by it all? Here are some of stories about LGBTQ families making February just a bit warmer.

A U.S. District Court in South Carolina has ruled that it is unconstitutional for the state to refuse to put same-sex spouses on their childrens birth certificates. The plaintiffs, Casy and Jacqueline Carson, are a lesbian couple who married in Washington, D.C., before their home state of South Carolina recognized marriage for same-sex couples. When Jacqueline gave birth, they indicated on hospital forms that they were married, but then received birth certificates naming Jacqueline as the Motherwith No Father Listed in the space for the other parent.

The state had previously said it would only issue birth certificates with both same-sex spouses if they got adoptions or court ordersan extra burden not required of different-sex spouses. The couple could not afford this. Casy is a National Guard veteran who left active duty in 2013 because of a serious injury. Jacqueline is a teacher.

Without Casy on the birth certificates they had trouble getting her Veterans Administration and Social Security benefits for their children. Additionally, they worried that Casy could be kept from getting either routine or emergency medical care for the twins and that their children would feel stigmatized when they were old enough to understand their birth certificates.

They filed a lawsuit last May, backed by Lambda Legal and South Carolina Equality. In her ruling February 15, Judge Mary Geiger Lewis wrote that the states action violates their rights under the 14th Amendment and their fundamental right to marriage and other protected liberties.

This decision makes me hopeful for the outcome of another case that could have even greater visibility. The National Center for Lesbian Rights last week appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking to overturn an Arkansas Supreme Court decision that denied same-sex parents the right to be on their childrens birth certificates.

To assist, Family Equality Council is preparing a Voices of Children amicus brief, seeking stories from older or adult children of same-sex parents in any state who have or had birth certificates without both same-sex parents listed. They prepared a similar brief for the winning federal marriage equality cases in years past; seeing them do so again gives me hope. (If you would like to contribute, contact Director of State Policy Denise Brogan-Kator, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .)

Im also inspired by the nearly 800 parents of transgender children, part of HRCs new, nationwide Parents for Transgender Equality Council, who sent a letter to President Donald Trump condemning the Justice Departments announcement that it will no longer try to overturn a district courts hold on protections for transgender students that were instituted by the Obama administration. The departments action means the hold stays in place and the protections remain in limbo.

I am motivated, too, by Gavin Grimm, a transgender 17-year-old who is heading to the U.S. Supreme Court next month, backed by the ACLU, to challenge his school districts rule requiring students to use the restrooms corresponding to their biological genders. While the case is about his right to use a restroom without undue burden, it could also have a broader impact. As the ACLU noted in its blog last October, Gavins case, and the so-called restroom debates more broadly, are about much more than just restrooms. This is a chance for the country to get to know our transgender family, friends, colleagues, and community members.

Finally, a story of allies. When spouses Becky and Kipp Fawcett depleted their own savings adopting their children, they then wanted to help other families who might be facing even greater financial obstacles, Becky told me in a phone interview. She hoped to offer her services as a publicist pro bono to an adoption-grant organization. She discovered, however, that none of the organizations she found welcomed same-sex or single parents, and all charged application fees. Those weren't the kind of organizations she wanted to support. She and Kipp therefore decided to start Helpusadopt.org, an "equality-based adoption grant program."

Since 2007, they have awarded 208 grants of $500 to $15,000, for a total of more than $1.8 million dollars, to those seeking to complete an adoption after their home study. Grantees have included same-sex and single parents as well as different-sex parents, and Becky noted that transgender parents have been among them. "We take our diversity very seriously here," she affirmed. A total of 16 percent of their grant money has gone to LGBTQ parents, she said, and she'd like to increase that number. They award grants three times a year, and their spring application deadline is April 15.

The media is full of stories that may rightly concern and frighten us. We should not ignore thembut neither should we feel that all is lost. We are still winning some court battles; still fighting back when we lose; and still have allies. Most importantly, whether we are LGBTQ parents or parents of LGBTQ children (or both), we are strengthened by the bonds of love and family. Nothing is going to change that.

Dana Rudolph is the founder and publisher of Mombian, a GLAAD Media Award-winning blog and resource directory for LGBTQ parents.
Move over Elsa, our chance at a gay Disney character may come sooner than we think.

Live-action Beauty and the Beast Director Bill Condon told Attitude Magazine that Gastons (Luke Evans) manservant LeFou (Josh Gad) has a nice, exclusively gay moment in the film surrounding his master.

LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston, the director said. Hes confused about what he wants. Its somebody whos just realizing that he has these feelings.

The director added: And Josh [Gad] makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And thats what has its payoff at the end, which I dont want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie.

Condon later came out to say he thought LeFous sexuality has been a little overstated, according to USA Today.

Gad has spoken out about the directors gay moment reveal, pointing out that "there was nothing in the script that said LeFou is gay.

"I hope that its a surprise to audiences to some extent, although I dont think it is anymore," Gad said, adding that either way "I'm honored to have that moment as part of my characters arc."

Beauty and the Beast premieres on March 17. Check out a scene from the upcoming film below  and interpret LeFous lyrics however you like.
Mojo, 4140 N. Federal, Fort Lauderdale, will host a La Crema Pinot Noir five-course wine dinner on March 14. The meal, priced at $95 per person, includes carpaccio, gnocchi, duck breast, braised pork and flourless chocolate cake, each course paired with wine. To make a reservation or for more information, call 954-568-4443 or go to Mojofl.com.

Angelo Elia Pizza, Bar & Tapas hosts a Tuscan wine dinner on March 7 at 6:30 p.m. at its Fort Lauderdale location, 4215 N. Federal. The event, hosted by Chef Angelo Elia along with Alberto Prealoni, regional manager of Vias Imports, features a four-course meal paired with a variety of Tuscan wines. The menu will feature buffalo mozzarella with roasted figs, grilled octopus over arugula, fettuccine with fresh plum tomatoes and beef tenderloin, roasted quail and bison medallion served with roasted potatoes and an assortment of desserts served with espresso, cappuccino, coffee or tea. The cost is $100 per person (all inclusive). For more information or reservations go to AngeloeliaPizza.com or call 954-561-7300.

The 10th annual American Fine Wine Institute charity gala promises to be a magnificent celebration of vino, with a portion of the $300 ticket benefitting the Dolphins Cancer Challenge. Several Dolphin players will attend the event on Saturday, Apr. 29, at Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA), 1855 Griffin Rd. in Dania Beach. One day prior to the gala, Zinfandel Advocates and Producers and the AFWI will host a zinfandel tasting at DCOTA from 6 -8 p.m. For more info call 561-504-0206 or go to AmericanFineWineCompetition.org.

Three restaurants near the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center are offering ticket holders for shows at the venue deals ranging from a free appetizer to discounts on their checks. Bonefish Grill, 18713 Biscayne Blvd., offers a free appetizer (up to a $14 value) with the purchase of an adult entree. Captain Jims Seafood Restaurant offers 15 percent off the check (does not include tax and gratuities and is not valid for lobster and stone crab). Corsair offers 20 percent off the check (not including tax and gratuities.) To take advantage of the offer at the restaurants, guests will need to show a ticket, e-ticket, confirmed reservation or ticket stub to same-day performances. For more information visit AventuraCenter.org/visit/dining.

A tasting of Paul Etienne Saint Germain Champagne on Saturday, March 11 at Wine Watch, 901 Progresso Dr., in Fort Lauderdale, will be hosted by the new champagne houses owner, Jean Michel Lagneau. Wine Watchs catering manager Toni Lampasone, will provide a few tasty treats to accompany the tasting. Tickets for the walk around tasting $55 (plus tax) and is limited to 25 people. For reservations call 954-523-9463 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

All Aboard! Hop on a bus at Sunshine Cathedral, 1480 SW 9th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, on March 10 for an overnight trip across the state of Florida as you visit four distinct wineries, with an overnight stay in downtown Tampa. The $260 ticket includes visits to Schnebly Winery and Brewery in Homestead, Rosa Fiorelli Winery in Bradenton, Lakeridge Winery in Orlando and San Sebastian Winery in St. Augustine, followed by an overnight stay at the historic grand hotel, Floridan Palace, which is close to waterfront attractions and LGBT nightlife in Ybor City. The bus will leave from Sunshine Cathedral at 8:30 am on Friday morning and arrive back at Sunshine Cathedral by 10 pm on Saturday night. Only 50 seats are available, visit the "Florida Wine Tasting Bus Tour" page on SunshineCathedral.org for availability

Cantina Laredo in Hallandales Gulfstream Park has unveiled a new menu which features a tapas section, as well as combination plates and daily lunch specials. Daily lunch specials include a carnitas bowl, taco salad and pollo tinga enchiladas. New menu items include: chili con queso and guacamole topped with diced tomato and queso fresco. A popular tapas item is an order of beef tamales cut into bite-sized pieces and topped with queso fresco and roasted chorizo corn. Among the stars of the entree selections is a 16 oz. rib-eye steak with cascabel sauce. New combination dishes, named after popular regions in Mexico, are the Cancun (ground beef and chicken enchiladas and a beef taco) and Cozumel (chili relleno with the same pair of enchiladas.) There are no vegetarian combination options and they do not allow substitutions.

Chef Ralph Pagano and the YES Hospitality Group have opened the Naked Crab Seafood Kitchen at B Ocean Resort in the iconic Yankee Clipper building. The 150-seat restaurant includes a curbside patio and wraparound bar with lounge seating. Guests will be presented with an up-to-date Fish Scorecard featuring the days fresh fish, oysters, clams, lobster and of course, daily crab specials available at the help yourself seafood bar. Certain to be among the most popular items are; osetra caviar with crispy pork belly confit, lobster roll and the enticingly named, Menage a Trois (filet mignon, crab stuffed shrimp and garlic shrimp.) For more information, go to nakedcrabfl.com or call 954-727-7090.
"Trans Youth," the latest episode of HBO's "Vice," a culture and public affairs program, will tell you everything you need to know about trans youth but were afraid to ask. Like National Geographic Channel's recent documentary "Gender Revolution," "Vice: Trans Youth" underscores the importance of asking questions in order to learn about--and accept--those who may be different from you.

The most disturbing bit of info in "Trans Youth" are the statistics--trans kids have a suicide rate which currently stands at 41 percent  the rate for cisgender (non-trans) youth is less than five percent. Why such an extreme difference?

Acceptance is the key to raising happy trans kids. Kimberly, a mom in Texas, speaks in tears as she recalls being rejected by her conservative Christian relatives when her five-year-old child Kai announces "I'm really a girl."

"It's lonely," Kimberly said. "You feel like you're in the fight of your life to save your child. They leave you alone on the battlefield."

Later Kimberly appears before her local school board to ask that Kai be allowed to use the girl's restroom. "I'm the mom of a little girl who wants her child to live," Kimberly told the board. School board president Dr. John Kelly, who has compared transgenderism to pedophilia and polygamy, walks out during Kimberly's speech.

When we meet Kai in her room, we see a happy, well adjusted child who lives in a loving home--having a supportive environment is often all it takes, as Vice underscores.

"Vice: Trans Youth" also takes us to the midwest, where eight-year-old Max lives. Though he talks like a kid ("I had to tell my parents that I'm a boy 245 times!") Max shows that he has a wisdom far beyond his young years. He's given hormone blockers which will prevent him from undergoing puberty--Max squeals with delight as he's wheeled into the operating room for the brief procedure. Again we meet a happy child who enjoys the love and support of his parents.

Several medical professionals also speak in front of HBO's cameras. They explain to viewers how these procedures work and why they're needed.

Perhaps the most eye-opening interview comes from Loretta Lynch, who served as President Obama's Attorney General for his final two years in office. Lynch speaks of the government's job to protect all of the country's children, including transgender children. It was during Lynch's time in office that Obama administration issued an order protecting the rights of Trans Kids--President Trump has since rescinded that order.

Watching "Vice: Trans Youth" might inspire some viewers to contact the current president and demand that he reinstate that order.

Look for "Vice: Trans Youth" to premiere on HBO on Friday, March 3rd. Additional airings will follow-  the episode will also be available for streaming and On Demand viewing. HBO.com/vice/episodes/05/56-trans-youth/index.html
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




Wed, 26.10.22 - 12:09

Another blast of heat at the end of the month is likely to break the record in Spain With only a few days left in...
Eleven months ago it appeared his career, if not his life, may very well have been in jeopardy. However, Doo Wop Hanover has not only survived, but will pace from post position eight in his fourth qualifying race at The Meadowlands on Friday (March 3) in preparation for a campaign this year that truly is a return of divine proportions.

I have never had a horse break a coffin bone in his hind leg, said Peter Blood, the horses co-owner and winter conditioner. They have always been in the front legs and those fractures are difficult enough to heal correctly for a horse to return to full performance, but he appears happy to be out there and doing his work.

It is a profession in which the son of Rocknroll Hanover-Deer Valley Miss has excelled.

Also owned by Rick Berks, Doo Wop Hanover has earned $761,954 with a resume of 47-13-6-6 and a lifetime mark of 1:47.4f. He defeated the likes of world champion State Treasurer, the double millionaire All Bets Off and 2014 Jug victor Limelight Beach in the $225,000 Jim Ewart Memorial in 2015. That campaign also saw Doo Wop Hanover sweep the Graduate Series on his way to $454,422 in season's earnings.

The talent is obviously present; yet the reason this horse remains in competition is a testament to his own fortitude and the patience of his trainer, Steve Elliott, in addition to those who own him.

To date, he has appeared in three qualifying races at The Meadowlands in the month of February, finishing third behind Always At My Place and stablemate Rockeyed Optimist with a :27.4 final quarter-mile, fifth behind recent Dover Downs feature winner Take It Back Terry after spiking a fever and a strong third in arrears of All Bets Off and Odds On Equuleus, pacing his mile in 1:53.1.

Hall of Famer John Campbell, as usual, was holding the lines.

After a 2015 season where Doo Wop Hanover was one of the top pacers in the sport, he developed a condition that occurs in less than .005 percent of equines and resulted in his rare hind leg injury.

He began mutilating himself, said Blood, a New England, Florida and Plainridge Wall of Fame member. It was one of the saddest things I have ever witnessed and I tried everything, including professionals, to look at him and see what we could do. He broke the coffin bone kicking in his stall, but it was a result of his episodes from this issue. We really did not know what we were going to have to do, not just with the coffin bone healing, but with him.

Doo Wop Hanover suffered through what Blood refers to as a mental illness that may be related to the size of the horses testicles.

They were like melons, he said. The veterinarian even said when he was gelded they were the largest he had ever seen.

According to research published by the University of Pennsylvanias School of Veterinary Medicine, the situation Doo Wop Hanover endured is not common, yet present and noted in many species, including humans.

In extreme cases, the horse can violently lunge its body or head into a wall or other solid object. More rarely, a horse might "throw itself" to the ground (from standing to lateral recumbency), the paper states. A single episode can last from a few seconds to several minutes, uninterrupted. The horse can work up a lather and steam in cool weather. Episodes usually occur in a series separated by a few seconds to a few minutes over a period of minutes, to hours. The total daily time spent self-mutilating can vary from a few seconds to an hour or more. In addition to bite wounds, the most common injuries are to the legs and feet from the spinning and kicking.

Self-mutilation behaviour of one form or another has been described in many different species, including humans. Dogs and cats lick and chew on their paws or tails. People do all sorts of things -- pull out their hair, bite their fingernails or lips, scratch themselves, or deliberately inflict burns, cuts, or other wounds.

People who have seen a horse in the midst of attacking itself often describe the episodes as the most bizarre animal behavior they ever have seen. Mental health professionals or others with first-hand experience with human psychopathology often ask whether this might be the horse equivalent of severe neurotic or even truly psychotic behavior seen in people. For example, Dr. Nicholas Dodman, a veterinary animal behavior specialist at Tufts New England Veterinary College, said he has wondered whether certain forms of self-mutilation in horses might be similar to Tourette's Syndrome in humans. There are some interesting similarities, and some clear differences.

In Doo Wop Hanovers case, Blood decided to geld him and then sent him to Rod Allen with a wait-and-see approach.

I have all the faith in the world in Rod, Blood said. But even after gelding Doo Wop, we didnt know if he would ever make it back. Rod took his time with him and continued to provide reports on his progress; after more than 50 years in this business I realized what his chances were of racing again.

Castration may not have repaired all of Doo Wop Hanovers symptoms, but it has certainly aided in sustaining his life and rejuvenating an attempt at his return to what he truly does enjoy -- pacing.



Doo Wop Hanover, winning at The Meadowlands Doo Wop Hanover, winning at The Meadowlands

We staked him, Blood said. He will race prior, but his first stake is the Ben Franklin (eliminations on June 24) and he is eligible to the Dan Patch, the Jim Ewart, Dayton Pacing Derby, Allerage and Breeders Crown.

What happened to him is something you never want to see and do not very often. Id like people to know about 'Doo Wop' in case it happens to them. I always talk to people to ask what they have experienced with their horses to use their knowledge and apply it.

I remain cautious with expectations of him, but he has so much ability. We can only see what he will accomplish.

This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.
Iconic Canadian jockey Chantal Sutherland will be returning to her roots to drive Standardbreds in a jurisdiction that most would not immediately associate with harness racing.



Horses on the track at McGhees Mile Horses on the track at McGhees Mile

The Canadian-born and raised Sutherland, who now plies her trade as a jockey stateside, will be part of a series of exhibition races at McGhees' Mile in Aiken, South Carolina on Saturday, March 11. This will be Sutherland's first time driving Standardbreds publicly, but by no means her first time in a jog cart.

Sutherland's father Hugh is a longtime harness racing industry participant as a trainer and owner in Ontario. He helped introduce Chantal to horses and harness racing before she made the jump to the thoroughbred side. Her career skyrocketed from there, winning two Sovereign Awards and eventually becoming a top jockey in the U.S. Sutherland later proved her Standardbred skills in a time trial at The Meadows Racetrack on September 23, 2013 breaking the North American record with an open class trotter under saddle.

For years Chantal's father Hugh has been friends and business partners with Ohio-based trainer Garry Martin.

I was racing in the North America Cup with a horse named Set The Trap, recalled Martin on how he met Sutherland. He didnt race well in the elimination but still qualified for the final. I had a local vet check him over that week, and the vet happened to be neighbours with Hugh, so he introduced us. Hugh had a few horses at the time and started sending them to me to race at The Meadows.

Martin is one of the trainers currently stabled at McGhees' Mile, and through his connection to the Sutherlands was able to procure Chantal for a special appearance. Sutherland is currently riding at Santa Anita and, according to Martin, will forego her Saturday mounts while riding on Friday (March 10) and Sunday (March 12) in California. She's approaching the 1,000 wins plateau going into this Friday's card with 995 lifetime victories along with more than $50 million in purse earnings.

"She's coming down to drive five horses," said Martin, who owns horses in partnership with Hugh as well as Ontario's Jim Walker (featured in the March issue of Trot Magazine). "I asked her if she'd be alright [with the schedule] and she said 'yeah, I'm a good sleeper on the plane'."

This year marks the third straight in which McGhees' Mile will be conducting a matinee card. With increased exposure and a larger horse population they will conduct eight races plus a race with miniature horses. Martin expects a crowd of around 5,000 will take in the non-sanctioned races as part of the day, but the exhibition status matters not to those in attendance.

"It's amazing how these people are horse-crazy down here...they're screaming and yelling [at the races]," said Martin.

Janis McGhee of McGhee's Mile notes that the location within Aiken as well as the rich history of horses and equitation mesh with the day out at the track organized at her training facility.

"Everybody is horse-oriented in Aiken," McGhee told Trot Insider. "You have the thoroughbred track (the Aiken Mile), you have the steeplechase track, you have a lot of polo, hunters and jumpers, so there are a lot of different horse disciplines right here."



"The Voice" Roger Huston prepares to call a race at McGhees Mile "The Voice" Roger Huston prepares to call a race at McGhees Mile

The matinee card of exhibition races is set for Saturday, March 11. Gates open at 9:00 a.m. with a carriage parade at 11:00 a.m. and first race post time at 12:00 p.m. For the third straight year, Hall of Famer Roger Huston will be calling the races.
Racing Under Saddle (RUS) Ontario is gearing up for another pari-mutual race season and eagerly looking for new riders to join the sport.

Everyone is welcome and invited to find out what is required fitness-wise of a RUS rider with the opportunity to try riding a Standardbred during RUS Ontario's Annual Fitness Test and Hands On Seminar on Sunday, March 12.

The fitness test will take place on at 1 p.m. at 7384 Wellington Rd. 30, RR#5 Guelph, Ont.

The fitness test is based on European fitness tests, which are mandatory, while here in Ontario, RUS Ontario runs the test voluntary for individuals to gauge their fitness levels.

The test will include a 3 km run in 15 minutes, one minute of push-ups, one minute of sit-ups, one minute of jump squats, two minutes of plank, and two minutes of wall sits.

The riding seminar will take place at 2:30 p.m. at Shamrock Training Centre, 6822 Wellington Rd 34, Puslinch, Ont.

Those attending the seminar will learn about the differences in equipment from everyday english or western compared to monte race style equipment. Attendees will also gain insight into the conditioning of a RUS horse and qualities to look for in a suitable horse, with an opportunity to ride a horse alongside experienced riders and receive guidance to better your riding style.

(With files from RUS Ontario)
Rosecroft kicks off its 34-day spring harness meet Sunday evening with an expanded schedule and live racing on Kentucky Derby Day and Preakness Day.

The spring meet will be Rosecroft's second live meet under The Stronach Group, the parent company of the Maryland Jockey Club, which completed purchase of the 67-year-old facility in August. The Stronach Group quickly invested in Rosecroft with a new high-definition, 21-by-30 television in the infield, a new pace car, and the inaugural running of the $100,000 Potomac Pace, the first $100,000 race to be contested at Rosecroft in nearly 10 years.

Rosecroft will race Sunday and Tuesday the weeks of March 5 and March 12 with a 4:40 p.m. post on Sunday and a 6:40 p.m. post on Tuesday. They will go to a three-day week beginning March 19 with a Wednesday post time of 6:40 p.m.

Rosecroft will also add Saturday programs on April 15, May 6 (Kentucky Derby Day), and May 20 (Preakness Day). Post time on Saturdays will be announced shortly.

"We're excited about the spring meet and efforts to reinvigorate Standardbred racing in Maryland," said Sal Sinatra, President and General Manager of the Maryland Jockey Club. "We think the additional race dates will welcomed by our fans, and we hope to build the fan base through our off-track betting facilities. Installing a new infield board and the inaugural Potomac Pace were a good start last fall. We'll continue listening to our guests and horsemen to improve the facility and racing."

Returning to Rosecroft will be driver Russell Foster, who shared last year's spring driving title with Jonathan Roberts and the fall driving title with Roger Plante, Jr.

"I'm excited to be back over there," said Foster, who recently received the Delaware Standardbred Owners Association's Horizon Award, presented to the horseman making outstanding progress during the year. "We've had a couple horses who have done well over there and it's a place I've been going to since I was a kid. I'm looking forward to it."

(with files from Rosecroft)
The other day a few of us were talking and the subject turned to hunting and dogs and memories of the latter.

Some dogs retrieve ducks, others point or flush pheasants, still others tree coons. No matter. The hunter who travels with a four-legged friend in his or her truck usually comes home with something for the table and in any event is happier for the experience, everyones tail wagging.

But, as my father once said, when you acquire a dog you set yourself up for heartache sooner or later. In a fairer world dogs would live exactly as long as their human partners, thus avoiding the mayhem that ensues when one or the other departs this vale of tears prematurely. A cocker spaniel my family owned when I was still too young for school was killed by a speeding car while I watched, a memory time wont erase.

Anyway, dogs were discussed because one of those in the conversation, Bud Grant, had lost his dog, Boom, a black Labrador, last fall. The dog was in his 10th year, which nowadays is not altogether old, and he and Bud were in Manitoba, hunting alone, the two of them, for ducks. Those who have trekked north in fall for waterfowl can see now the low gray skies, the northwest wind bending tall grass and the flights of waterfowl banking intermittently within shotgun range, eyes of the hunter and his dog cast skyward.

A small flock came over, and if I had ever done it before, I cant recall it, Bud was saying. I shot three times and I dropped three ducks. One fell maybe 40 yards out, another 50 yards or so, and the last one 80 or 90 yards.

Lap dogs can be great companions and some are even smart, or feign to be. But most are the canine equivalents of elixir peddlers out for a fast buck. Their lifes work is to elicit favors from owners they size up as easy marks. By contrast the union of purpose joined by hunter and hunting dog acknowledges a commonality in each that is instinct-driven. Shooting three ducks in sequence is one thing. Doing it while ones dog sits alongside observing keenly the trio of birds somersaulting to the cold hard ground in sequence is entirely another. Dependent upon each other like relay runners, the hunter does his job, then hands the baton to the retriever.

That night Boom lay uncomfortably on the floor of Buds Manitoba motel room. The animals neck glands were swollen and as he reclined next to Buds bed the dog shifted restlessly side to side. Surely he must have been sick earlier in the day. But his job and lifes great pleasure was to retrieve what had been shot and, not incidentally, to please Bud, and he did both happily.

The amazing part was how much work he did that day while he must have been sick, Bud said. But he seemed fine, and he kept going.

Booms illness was diagnosed as terminal, and he was put down. The three ducks were the last birds he retrieved.

I cried for a week, Bud said.

The twofold question that looms when a dog dies is whether to replace it and when. Some owners find the experience so devastating they opt not to set themselves up for more heartache.

Yet lifes joys are fewer without a dog, and a dogs honesty, good cheer and loyalty are inspirations. As Mark Twain said, If heaven went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.

Bud will be 90 in May, and acknowledges that if he replaces Boom, any new dog likely will outlive him. Still  call it an act of faith  he is wanting a new Labrador, older and trained, and has begun a search.

This is the longest time since 1950 I havent had a dog, he said. Its a lonesome life. Im accustomed to feeding a dog every night. Feeding and watering. Now you could say Im lost. Dogs do that to you. Not just me. But anyone whos had a dog.

Last fall, I hunted after I lost Boom, in North Dakota, Saskatchewan and Nebraska. But it wasnt the same. It just wasnt the same.
Prosecutors will not seek the death penalty against Brent Ward Luyster, the man accused in a Woodland triple homicide over the summer and an attempted jail escape last month.

Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Tony Golik notified Luysters defense team Thursday afternoon of the decision. Golik said his office will seek a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

We fully expect it to go to trial, he said in an interview with The Columbian.

The decision will be formally announced Monday at Luysters scheduled arraignment. Both sides said they plan to go forward with the hearing, which has been set over a number of times while the defense conducted further investigation.

Defense attorney Bob Yoseph said hes happy with the decision and thinks the prosecution gave full and fair consideration to the defenses presentation against the death penalty.

I think its a good decision for everybody, and now we can go along and try the case, he said in a phone interview.

Luyster  a 35-year-old white supremacist  plans to enter not-guilty pleas Monday in Clark County Superior Court to three counts of aggravated first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, first- and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon by a jail inmate, first-degree malicious mischief and attempted second-degree escape. Aggravated murder is the only charge in Washington that carries the possibility of the death penalty.

He has been in custody since July for allegedly fatally shooting three people and injuring a fourth at a Woodland home. And he is now also accused of trying to escape from the Clark County Jail the night of Feb. 12 through a broken cell window. The alleged attempt was interrupted by a corrections deputy conducting a routine perimeter check of the jail.

Golik said the alleged escape attempt, which occurred after hearing the defense teams arguments, had no particular bearing on the prosecutions decision.

Prosecutors met with the survivor and family of the victims in the triple homicide multiple times, Golik said, to discuss the death penalty process in Washington. Some victims thought justice would only be served through capital punishment, he said. However, the majority agreed they wanted a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

All of the victims were notified of the decision last week.

With a death penalty verdict, there are decades of post-conviction appeals, Golik said, and the decision is usually reversed.

Its difficult to deliver justice and closure to victims and family members if you know youre likely to never achieve a particular result, he said.

Not a normal guy

In their presentation to prosecutors, Yoseph said the defense made systematic arguments about capital punishments history and potential future in Washington. They cited Gov. Jay Inslees moratorium on executions while hes in office, and the cost of death penalty litigation.

However, the defenses primary argument, Yoseph said, is that Luysters behavior likely stems from neuropsychological problems.

We had substantial and compelling evidence that Brent Luyster is not a normal guy. We felt that we have evidence of substantial brain impairment through a series of repetitive head injuries starting as a child, he said.

His whole history of function  being able to get along in society and conform to societal norms  is thought to be attributable to a brain disorder, Yoseph added.

The other issue raised was former Clark County sheriffs Detective Kevin Harpers involvement in the case; he was initially the lead detective. Harper resigned from the sheriffs office Feb. 10 amid an investigation into a romantic relationship he allegedly had with a heroin user.

Golik said the prosecution has disclosed all of the criminal investigation into Harper to the defense and wont be calling him to testify at Luysters trial. Any issues the defense may raise associated with Harper will be litigated before the trial, he said.

Yoseph is confident the case can be tried this summer, he said, and will discuss it during Mondays arraignment.
Johnny Delashaw, who grew up in Longview and became one of the Northwests highest producing neurosurgeons, has stepped down from his leadership position at Swedish Health in Seattle less than three weeks after a Seattle Times investigation exposed widespread concerns about his practices.

Delashaw stepped down as chair of the Swedish Neuroscience Institute (SNI) and will no longer practice at Swedish, wrote interim CEO Guy Hudson in a memo to Swedish staff on Wednesday evening. The resignation comes after Delashaw was prominently featured in The Times investigation about the neuroscience institute.

I will be working immediately with our physicians and leadership at SNI on next steps during this transition, Hudson wrote in the memo. As a team, we are firmly committed to supporting our patients and caregivers and are focused on what is most important: safe, compassionate and high-quality care.

Delashaws departure follows the resignation of Swedish CEO Tony Armada, who stepped down last week. State regulators have also launched an investigation into the practices of Swedish-Cherry Hill, the campus where the neuroscience team is based.

Delashaw, who didnt immediately respond to a message seeking comment Wednesday, is a renowned doctor with a reputation as a workhorse surgeon who handles hundreds of cases every year, generating massive revenues. Hospital leaders recruited Delashaw in 2013 from an institution in California, where he had been dealing with an internal investigation and allegations that he may have performed unnecessary surgeries and that his patients had high rates of medical complications.

Delashaw, a 1975 graduate of Mark Morris High School, is the son of the late Johnny Delashaw Sr. and his wife, Treasure Delashaw. He earned an undergraduate degree from Stanford and graduated from University of Washington Medical School. Early in his career he split his practice between Oregon Health Science University in Portland and Longview. After three years as chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of California, in 2013 he resumed seeing patients one day a week at the Kirkpatrick Family Care in Longview, focusing most of his energy on brain and spine surgeries at Swedish.

After arriving at Swedish, Delashaw quickly emerged as the highest-volume brain or spine surgeon in the state, handling 661 inpatient cases totaling more than $86 million in billed charges for the hospital in his first 16 months. But in that time, he faced dozens of internal complaints from Swedish staffers, according to records.

Records show that, among the issues, his colleagues had expressed concern that Delashaw had created a culture of retribution, making it difficult to question his decisions.

Hudson, the interim CEO, has held forums with Swedish staffers in recent days and said in his memo Wednesday it is clear to me that caregivers at Swedish have not always felt heard  and this will change.

Delashaw has said the complaints about his work at Swedish came from those who were resisting change in the organizations culture. He had said prior to publication of the Times investigation that he and his colleagues at Swedish were doing work that could change the world by helping cure paralysis.

As part of its dramatic rise in cases and billings, Swedish and Delashaw have attracted patients from all over the country. But current and former staffers have said that Delashaw and others sometimes did little in the operating room and instead left surgical fellows to handle much of the work.

In interviews and internal memos, staffers relayed a range of concerns about patient care, inappropriate surgeries, a lack of accountability when patients developed complications, and dubious decisions that resulted in patient harm and death. One of the Times stories featured the harrowing case of Talia Goldenberg, a young woman from Oregon who underwent surgery with Delashaw in 2014.
British luxury motoring marque Bentley Motors has unveiled what could be one of the most expensive SUVs ever produced. And there's many reasons for this. The first one comes from the fact that it includes the word 'Mulliner' in its name, which is Bentley's in-house personal commissioning division in Crewe. While the new SUV has just been announced, we can only expect to see the first (of a they very few) example at Bentley Motors stand at the upcoming Geneva International Motor Show.

Starting with the numbers. Bentley says that the Bentayga Mulliner will be produced in very limited numbers that should technically make up for its expected high price tag. From here its all about Mulliner and its exquisite craftsmanship that makes this SUV exquisite and unique.

Bentley claims that, "The Bentayga Mulliner is the most exquisitely appointed luxury SUV ever created," and that's a rather tall one indeed, more so because Mercedes-Maybach G 650 was Landaulet was announced just a few weeks ago. And while it was derived from the G500, it packs in quite punch in terms of capabilities and fine-crafted interiors. But even though it is a Maybach it still does not match up with what you get on a Bentayga Mulliner.

Starting with the exterior you immediately get the feeling that it is something special. This is provided you have opted for the optional Duo Tone paintwork, which is a first for the Bentayga lineup. The finish is achieved by choosing "the perfect proportional balance point for the split" and this makes the cabin and bonnet appear as though they were floating. Add to new paintwork a new set of Mulliner 22-inch Paragon seven-spoke wheels with the floating centres and the unique exterior badge and you can you will certainly be able to tell your Bentayga from the rest.

But Bentley's are all about customisation and interiors. And since its Mulliner, this is taken to a whole new level. The interior design and colour treatment is a bit unique. This is because Mulliner has gone in with a split colour scheme, where the front and rear seats are finished in different hide colours and offered in seven suggested colour ways. The interiors will always compliment the optional Duo Tone exterior paintwork. Everything is handcrafted and hand-stitched.

Bespoke features by Mulliner include a new Mulliner Bottle Cooler in the rear of the cabin, featuring an illuminated chilling cabinet and Cumbria Crystal flutes. And all of these fit in the rear center console while seating the rear passengers in luxury.

The rest of the interior is wrapped with Ombre Burr Walnut Veneer, one that was exclusively introduced to the Bentayga Mulliner model. There's mood lighting, with six different 'moods' and Mulliner thread plates along with Bentley LED welcome lamps. There's also a customisable 'my mood' setting available.

Adding to the interior experience is the audio system. Bentley went with Naim and delivered what it claims is the most powerful and quality audio system in its class. It features a a twenty speaker setup with a 1,950-watt, 21-channel amplifier. The cherry on the cake is the the bespoke mechanical Mulliner Tourbillon by Breitling clock. Yes, this one's for your SUV.

Getting into the powertrain, the Bentayga Mulliner gets Bentleys class-leading 6.0-litre, W12 engine that produces 600bhp and 900Nm of peak torque, delivering a 0-60 mph time of just 4.0 seconds and a top speed of 301 kmph.

Bentley Motors will start accepting orders in Spring of 2017 and the numbers will be "very limited" due to the highly complex handcrafted nature of the interiors offered in the Bentayga Mulliner.

We expect the price tags to be way over the standard Bentayga (if you already don't find it exquisite enough), which in India starts at Rs 3.85 crore.
tech2 News Staff

Famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has expressed his belief that Apples upcoming iPhones will, thankfully, support USB-C charging. The Lightning port itself will remain on the iPhone.

A misinterpreted Wall Street Journal report suggested that Apple will ditch the Lightning port for USB-C, but as we pointed out, such a move, while welcome, would make little sense from Apples perspective. Lightning is slimmer than USB-C, Apples Lightning headphones and accessories will become redundant and Apple will lose the revenue it gets from licensing the port.

It does make sense that Apple replaces the older USB-A to Lightning cables for USB-C to Lightning ones. While faster than USB-A, USB-Cs main advantage is its enhanced power handling capabilities.

Apple has also ditched the USB-A ports on its refreshed MacBook lineup and left dedicated Apple users with no option but to purchase USB-C to USB-A adapters.

The iPhone maker is expected to ship three new phones later this year.

New iPads and a slightly refreshed Mac lineup are expected later this month.

Obviously, we would much prefer it if Apple did indeed adopt USB-C universally. Imagine a world where you only need one cable and one charger. That would be bliss.

But Apple will never have the courage to do something like that.
PTI

The government's proposal to auction spectrum every year has got a backer in Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal, who however has said there is no need for sale of airwaves in coming fiscal. "The way he (telecom secretary) has put it that spectrum auction will be done every year whether industry needs it or not is very progressive thought. In fact, it will become a leading-edge practice worldwide," Mittal told in an interview.J S Deepak, as the telecom secretary, a couple of days ago said the government is looking at making spectrum auction an annual event and will reach out to sector regulator Trai for its recommendations.

J S Deepak, as the telecom secretary, a couple of days ago said the government is looking at making spectrum auction an annual event and will reach out to sector regulator Trai for its recommendations. He had said the government plans to provide industry with an option to buy spectrum every year irrespective of their interest so that there is never a shortage of spectrum in providing quality mobile services.

Deepak, a 1982-batch IAS officer from Uttar Pradesh, who at present is at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, has been shifted with "immediate effect" from the telecom ministry and made officer on special duty in the commerce department. Mittal recently pitched for affordability in spectrum pricing that has gone "out of control" in the last few years, saying the spectrum surplus industry will not need an airwave auction at least in 2017-18.

He, however, has said that even though telecom operators are bleeding with the entrance of a new service provider, they will need to increase investment in networks to handle competition. "You have to accelerate market spends. You need to put more capex. We have done 85,000 base stations last year, 80,000 base stations this year. This is largest rollout anywhere in the world. There will be more investment on 4G side," Mittal said.

Bharti Airtel had reported an over 54% fall in net profit at Rs 503.7 crore for the December quarter due to what it had termed as "turbulence from predatory pricing by a new operator". The Indian telecom czar said Bharti Airtel's balance sheet remains "healthy and strong" and he does not think Bharti will go into losses under competitive pressure although one can "never say never".

He maintained that with improvement in technology, the cost of network is not linear. Mittal further said Huawei and ZTE have a massive mimo technology using which one can quadruple or probably go up to 8 times of existing capacities in the spectrum. "Nice good innovation is happening on the network side where you can generate nice good capacities than in the past. Technology is also coming to help. It's not that if I have got 2000 TB of capacity and I have to move to 5000, I have to double my investments. It's probably 20% more," Mittal said.

He urged telecom operators to scale up. "We still spend over $2 billion every year. It doesn't mean same networks will produce more, but I am saying $2 billion becomes $5 billion. I was spending $2 billion in 2G, I was spending $2 billion in 3G, still we are spending $2 billion in 4G with massive capacities," Mittal explained. He is of the view that smaller telecom operators have been giving up because of their inability to afford investment in networks during the time of heavy competition.
tech2 News Staff

Technology is encompassing every aspect of our lives. With the internet of things (IoT) devices, everyday equipment has a smart edge to them as well. Medical devices are no different. But unless the security loopholes are not plugged in, medical data could be hacked into by enterprising hackers. Hacking can entail anything from getting your vital medical data to actually hacking medical devices to administer fatal doses. Extrapolate this and you have entire hospital networks at risk.

According to a report in Wired, IoT security firm Zingbox claims that in the US hospitals there are around 10-15 connected devices per bed and a lot of hospitals seems to be using them. There are benefits of course as IoT devices help with remote monitoring of patients. But there are dangers too. "For the past three years the healthcare sector has been hacked even more than the financial sector. And more and more hacking incidents are targeting medical devices," said Zingbox.

A lot of the smart medical devices still have a lot of proprietary software, making it difficult for anyone other than the device maker to debug the code and discover vulnerabilities. Add in the fact that a lot of vulnerable devices still use legacy software such as Windows XP, which has been retired by Microsoft, and there are no security patches for the same. This makes it difficult for security experts to identify security loopholes immediately.

According to Wired, an exploit called MedJack lets attackers insert malware into medical devices which, because they are connected on the hospital networks, then spread it to the rest of the network. The medical data intercepted by hackers in such cases could be used for tax fraud and identity theft. In the worst case, hackers could use the identity to order prescription medicine online and sell it on the dark web.

Hackers also employ techniques to stay under the radar when they are hacking into medical devices. According to security firm TrapX, MedJack hackers deliberately using old malware which only attacked medical devices running on outdated operating systems such as Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 and so on. This was done to avoid detection as there would be no flags raised due to lack of security updates in these OSes.

The attackers can use multiple ways to get benefits out of the stash of medical data they are able to hack into. For instance in the Rainbow Children's hospital in Texas, data of 33,368 patients was hacked and then encrypted to get a payout for releasing data back to the hospital. In more recent cases of ransomware attacks, computers were rendered useless as they went offline and emails were disabled forcing medical staff to rely on fax and telephones. This could be disastrous for a hospital which requires access to keep patients alive.

While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made cybersecurity a criteria for product approval, it is ultimately up to the device makers to ensure that security aspect is thought of during the product and software conception stage. Till that happens, smart medical devices, and in effect patients being treated using them, will continue to be at risk from hackers.
tech2 News Staff

Motorola is a brand name that were all familiar with, but since the companys acquisition by China-based Lenovo, the brand name was probably meant to be killed off. Lenovo rebranded all Motorola phones to 'Moto by Lenovo', after all.

Motorola has had a chequered history, but its an old brand and is the creator of the worlds first mobile phone. Google bought the company in 2011, or at least part of it, and then later sold it off to Lenovo, which then proceeded to rebrand it.

The good news, however, is that Motorola Chairman and President Aymar de Lencquesaing told Cnet in an interview that the brand was coming back. Lenovo had initially intended to maintain two brands, its native Zuk brand and Moto by Lenovo. New management, it appears, has decided that the venerable Motorola brand should make a comeback.

In the interview, de Lencquesaing explained that the brand would make a comeback, but slowly, in phases. Cnet cites the examples of Brazil and Russia, where Motorola is a major brand in the former and virtually unknown in the latter.

In the course of the interview, de Lencquesaing also mentioned that the Moto Z was doing surprisingly well. Describing a traditional smartphone launch cycle, he stated that sales of most phones would peak at launch, and then taper off over the next few months. With the Moto Z however, it appears that interest was sustained over time.

In other news, Motorolas Chairman believes that the Moto Mods helped a lot with this. He claims that most Moto Z users have purchased at least one mod and are interested in the platform.

Ultimately, he would like the Motorola name to be the special, premium brand name that it always was.

It was foolish to throw it overboard, he said.
tech2 News Staff

The year's edition of the Mobile World Congress has ended and we saw some exciting and not so exciting launches. The most anticipated smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S8, however didn't make an appearance.

The LG G6 turned out be a pleasant surprise and way better flagship device that last year's G5.

Nokia made a comeback and launched a new budget smartphones and gave a touch of nostalgia with a reboot of the 3310 feature phone.

But the show-stopper this year was Sony's new flagship, well at least according to GSMA. The Global Mobile Awards or GloMo, awarding the best tech companies in various categories this year had over 40 winners.

(Also Read: Sony Xperia XZ Premium and LG G6 were highlights of MWC 2017 amongst many revivals)

Sony won the 'Best new smartphone' award for their latest smartphone, the Xperia XZ Premium. Samsung did however grab the 'Best Smartphone of 2016' award for the Galaxy S7 Edge.

The Sony Xperia XZ Premium was unveiled at MWC 2017 along with the Xperia XZs as a flagship device. Just like the Z5 Premium, the new smartphone comes in a shiny chrome finish and yet again a 4K display. Other features include a Snapdragon 835 chipset, 4GB of RAM and a 5.5-inch 4K screen with HDR support and Triluminos display, Gorilla Glass 5 that covers the whole phone, IP68 certification for water and dust, Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, a 3,230mAh battery with QuickCharge 3.0, USB Type-C and a fingerprint scanner.

While pricing for the flagship has not been revealed, considering it is Sony, we expect an over the top price tag for the smartphone.
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Virtual reality headsets are often associated with video games and fun, but companies are also working to use them for mental health therapies, to treat phobias, anxiety or addictions. Some phobias, for instance, can be effectively treated by gradually exposing a patient to his or her worst fear, be it spiders, plane travel or small, enclosed spaces. TeleSoftas, a Lithuanian firm that develops mobile apps, believes this exposure therapy can easily be achieved from the safety of a health professional's consulting room using the headsets.

"With virtual reality you can create audiovisual therapies in a safe environment for phobics," its CEO Algirdas Stonys told AFP at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the phone industry's largest annual trade fair. So for instance, someone who is scared of speaking in public would find himself in front of a room full of people, virtually. TeleSoftas has just received EU funding to finance the development of mental health apps for virtual reality headsets, in collaboration with academics.

Psious, a Spanish start-up, is also in a similar field. Exposure therapies are designed to encourage the individual to enter feared situations, either in the real world or through imagined exercises.

"But we thought that in this digital age, there had to be something more," said CEO Xavier Palomer Ripoll. Created three years ago because one of its founders was scared of flying, the firm develops apps for psychotherapists who can download them and use them on virtual reality headsets. The doctor then choses an adequate environment.

For instance, once kitted out with the headset, a person with vertigo will find him- or herself in a lift going up or down a skyscraper. Using a computer, the psychotherapist can propel the lift higher and higher, or make the floor transparent to increase the difficulty of the exercise. They can also gauge how well the patient is doing by seeing for example if they are able to look down. Psious raised close to a million euros ($1.1 million) in 2015, and provides the technology to some 600 doctors, mostly in Spain.

In parallel, it is currently going through nine clinical trials with universities to get long-term efficacy data. TeleSoftas, meanwhile, hopes to eventually be able to offer virtual environments to treat obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic syndromes, alcoholism or smoking. Several American start-ups are working on these kinds of applications as well.

AFP

Complete coverage of the Mobile World Congress 2017 can be found here.
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RBI has asked banks to organise special camps from 1 April to educate public about digital payments through UPI and 99# (USSD) code platforms. It said the policy on conduct of camps by FLCs (Financial Literacy Centres) and rural branches of the banks has been revised given the recent developments on withdrawal of legal tender status of old Rs 500/1,000 notes and the focus on going digital.

"FLCs are advised to conduct special camps for a period of one year beginning April 1, 2017 on 'Going digital' through UPI and *99# (USSD)," the Reserve Bank of India said while revising the guidelines. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application. The USSD service for fund transfer works without internet.

Besides the special camps on going digital, RBI said FLCs will continue to conduct the tailored camps for the different target groups.

"The tailored content for each target group is currently being prepared and is expected to be shared with banks/FLCs in due course of time," the RBI said. Further, rural branches of banks are henceforth required to conduct only one camp per month on the third Friday of each month after branch hours). FLCs and rural branches of banks can get support for the financial literacy camps to the extent of 60% of the expenditure with a cap at Rs 15,000/per camp. The RBI has also detailed reporting mechanism for banks and the financial literacy camps will be assessed/evaluated on an ongoing basis by its Lead District Officers (LDOs).

PTI
Kunal Khullar

Eytan Schwartz, CEO at Tel Aviv Global, gave quite a interesting and inspiring presentation at the Mahindra World City Confluence which was held on 2 March in New Delhi. Tel Aviv, one of the most happening cities in the Mediterranean region, is a smart city in Israel. Schwartz spoke about how the city, that was desert when it was found in the 1900's, is now highly developed and is a global city.

"Tel Aviv is one of the world's leading ecosystem for technological startups and enjoys the highest rate of startups per capita or per square mile outside of Silicon Valley," said Schwartz during his session. He also added that Tel Aviv was awarded the title Best Smart City in the World in the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona back in 2014. Thanks to the DigiTel project Tel Aviv has developed smart city vision that focuses on improving the quality of life of the residents by listening to their needs.

Digi-Tel is a civic engagement project focused on smart engagement with the city residents. To efficiently manage municipal services and communications the government launched the Digi-Tel Residents Club and the City Card.

Any resident of the city, aged 13 and older, can get registered at many registration centres in the city, give their details including personal info and interests and they are sent a Smart City Card making them a member of the Digi-Tel Club. Based on a person's profile, unique information as well as offers, deals and customised digital services are offered. This info is passed on to the residents using email, text message and a personal resident account. For instance, if a resident has an interest in theatre, he/she will be informed about the latest plays happening near his/her area in the coming weeks. Similarly residents can also get safety or traffic alerts around the city.

Schwartz said that Tel Aviv Global is planning to head to India to provide similar solutions and it is expected to launch Digi-Tel in Pune as a pilot project. This is somewhat similar to the bio-metric Aadhar system in India, only it takes it a step ahead.

The city government has also implemented various other engagement programs for its citizens:

Public participation: Through events as well as an online platform, the residents are given an option to participate in important decision making. Residents of the specific neighbourhood are approached online, asking them to suggest ideas and have an impact on improving the quality of life in their neighbourhood.

Mobile Digi-Tel app: The city has a mobile application which focuses on recreational activities, transportation, and keeping in touch with the city's residents and visitors.

Public Wi-Fi: The city provides free of charge Wi-Fi to all users including residents, visitors and tourists. There are 80 Wi-Fi zones around the city with more already under implementation.

Pupil engagement: Tel Aviv's school system is going through a change as the city has planned for a centralised teaching platform for all the schools in the city. It is also planning to provide laptop computer kits to the pupils, connecting classrooms to the Internet, computerising classrooms using interactive whiteboards and projectors and a computer for every teacher.

Open data: To promote the accessibility and transparency of the information, the Municipality allows direct access to municipal databases that are not of a confidential nature. The environment enables the public and app developers to make use of information in municipal databases that deal with community affairs, culture, public health, budgets, statistical data and security.

Open archive: As a follow up to the previous point, the municipality offers a multi-annual master plan that makes its archives accessible to all. The engineering archive containing all the construction plans of the buildings in the city can be accessed free of charge to encourage urban development and save residents the trouble of coming to the municipal archive in person.

iView (GIS): The municipal geographic information system provides information around engineering, transportation, community, tourism, education, art, and more to the public. A resident can view all the geographic information relevant to his/her neighbourhood. As an engineer, one can locate blocs, parcels, electricity and water infrastructures, and view a particular zoning plan and its associated documents. A tourist can locate hotels, beaches, and cultural and recreational venues.
Lenovo Mobile Business Group announced the appointment of Sudhin Mathur as the Managing Director  Motorola Mobility India Pvt Limited. He has been inducted as a full-time director on the Motorola Mobility Board in India and has taken over as MD, Motorola Mobility India. Sudhin will also continue to serve the role of Executive Director for Lenovo MBG India.

Sudhin has been running the operations for Lenovo MBG in India since its inception in the country four years ago and has been instrumental in leading the seamless integration of Motorola and Lenovo mobile businesses. Under his leadership, the brand notched the No. 2 position by both value and volume in this cluttered and competitive market, rising from the 31st position in the year it entered the market.

Sudhin has over 20 years of rich experience in Business Management and Consumer Marketing in varied industries viz. Telecom, Services and Office Products and has been credited for significant contributions in catalyzing growth of the telecom industry in India. He played a pivotal role in setting up and scaling the Ericsson Telecommunications/ Sony Ericsson business in India and bringing it amongst the top five brands in the smartphone sector. An expert in brand building, retail business management, sales and distribution, people and organization strategies; Sudhin was responsible for setting up Sony Ericssons Global research and Development Centre in Chennai as well as its manufacturing facilities with EMS partners. He played a similar role for LG mobiles as the Business Head for India, prior to joining Lenovo MBG in May 2013.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Mathur, said, I am honored to lead the India business for Motorola Mobility, the pioneers of mobile technology in the world. In the last four years, we have established Lenovo Moto as the challenger brand in the country and I am excited to lead this business further as we define a new era of mobility.

@Technuter.com News Service
Syria, Russia blast opposition at faltering peace talks

Syrian Chief negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari A, Ambassador of the Permanent Representative Mission of Syria to UN New York, speaks at a press conference on the Intra-Syria peace talks at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on Thursday.

AFP, Geneva :

Syria on Thursday accused the main opposition of taking UN-backed peace talks "hostage" over its refusal to include terrorism on the agenda, warning it would be reponsible if the sputtering negotiations fail.

Russia, a key ally of Damascus, also attacked the opposition led by the High Negotiations Committee, which said it was pinning its faltering hopes on the new US administration of President Donald Trump.

"Progress in the Geneva round must not be held hostage by the Riyadh platform," lead Syrian negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari told reporters, referring to the Saudi-backed HNC.

Speaking after confirming that Syrian forces had "liberated" the historic city of Palmyra from the Islamic State group, he said the opposition "will be responsible for any failure of the Geneva talks".

The HNC said Wednesday that terrorism could not be added to the faltering talks, launched by UN envoy Staffan de Mistura last Thursday and which are expected to stumble to an end by this weekend despite few signs of progress.

The opposition has charged that Damascus fixates on the role of jihadists in the conflict to distract from discussions on political transition and organising elections in the war-ravaged country.

"We will not deal with it, and if (de Mistura) adds it in any time we will not deal with it or discuss it," HNC delegation chief Yehya Kodmani told reporters on Wednesday.

Jaafari said that answer "did not come as a surprise", in part because "a lot of the members of the HNC are considered terrorists", a charge he has levelled in previous rounds.

The issue has overshadowed the Geneva talks, in particular after a suicide assault in Syria's third-largest city of Homs last weekend which killed dozens of people.
Prices of local, foreign made life-saving medicines should be reduced

Chairman of Kidney Foundation, Prof. Dr. Harun or Rashid speaking at a roundtable discussion on \'Kidney Disease and Obesity: Healthy lifestyle for healthy kidney\' in the city on Friday. Executive Director of BELA, Rezwana Hasan, Secretary General of Ban

Business Desk ;

Speakers at a round table discussion on Friday urged the government to support producers to reduce prices of drugs and also to exempt the tax against import of life saving machineries.

Kidney Awareness Monitoring and Prevention Society (KAMPS), a voluntary organization, organized the roundtable meeting styled "Kidney Disease and Obesity : Healthy lifestyle for healthy kidney", as parts of its month-long program, chalked out for observing the World Kidney Day.

In the discussion, it was informed that "One third people in the world are overweight, around 67 crore people are obese, which is risky for lot many killing diseases. One fourth people in Bangladesh are suffering from obesity, according to WHO people die from diseases caused by overweight or over eating is much more than die from malnutrition", The data was revealed at a roundtable meeting, organized to mark the World Kidney Day-2017 at the National Press Club on Friday.

Speakers mentioned that more than 3 lakhs of people die untimely in USA every year due to diseases caused by overweight, it costs $150 billion or Tk. 14 lakh 40,000 crore for their treatment which is about four times higher than our national budget.

Mentioning that the prices of medicine in Bangladesh is sky high, so the speakers urged the government to reduce the price of medicine and also to exempt the tax on importing related machineries.

They mentioned that reducing risk of at least 68 percent of death is possible only by changing lifestyle, the habits include regular walking, consuming sufficient fruits and vegetables, keeping weight under control, avoiding smoking etc.
Indian entrepreneurs urged to invest in BD

City Desk :

Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal urged the Indian entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh's rail communications, power, transport and other infrastructure sectors for overall development of the country.

"Bangladesh has now emerged as an attractive destination for foreign investment due to the government's investment-friendly policy," he said this on Thursday when Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla called on him at his office.


Community-based mechanisms for adaptation to climate change stressed

City Desk :

Proper planning with innovation of community-based mechanisms, ways and strategies could be more effective in adapting to adverse impacts of climate change in vulnerable riverine char areas.

The opinion came yesterday at concluding ceremony of a two-day training course on 'Preparation of community based planning for adaptation to climate change' held at Training Centre of RDRS Bangladesh, an NGO in Kurigram district town.

Twenty female leaders of four Community Climate Change Adaptation Groups (CCAGs) from remote Notarkandi and Mudafat char villages under Astomirchar union in Chilmari upazila of Kurigram participated in the training course, a press release said.

The NGO organised the training under 'Strengthening Resilience of Internally Displaced People due to Impact of Climate Change in Northwest Bangladesh (SRIDP)' project being funded by Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

The main objectives of the training were to increase knowledge and capacity of the internally displaced char community people to adapt to adverse situations, different climatic and weather conditions and natural disasters in char areas.

Assistant Coordinator (environment and disaster) of RDRS Bangladesh for Kurigram Agriculturist Shafiul Islam and its Medical officer Dr Shaheen Sazzad Hossain conducted the training course as resource persons.

Chilmari Upazila Manager of the SRIDP project of RDRS Bangladesh Iqbal Faruque facilitated the two-day training course and also presided over the concluding ceremony.

In the training course, the resource persons discussed about climate, weather, climate change, adoption of participatory rural appraisals for planning local mechanisms for adaptation to climate change, health and hygiene issues during disasters.
Silenced by depression!

Life Desk :

Some Instagram users are using pictures to help explain the feelings and experiences that are often too painful or complicated to put into words. (Source: Thinkstock Images) Some Instagram users are using pictures to help explain the feelings and experiences that are often too painful or complicated to put into words. (Source: Thinkstock Images)

While the fear of being stigmatised prevents many of us from making sensitive self-disclosures, one way people in pain are overcoming silence is by using the photo-sharing app Instagram, a study says.

Some Instagram users are using pictures to help explain the feelings and experiences that are often too painful or complicated to put into words, the researchers said.

"We wanted to see how people might behave differently on a more image-centric platform, rather than one that is driven solely by textual posts and comments," said one of the researchers Nazanin Andalibi from Drexel University in Philadelphia, US.

"Physical or mental health and body image concerns are stigmatised, rarely disclosed and frequently elicit negative responses when shared with others," the study authors said.

"We found that these disclosures, in addition to deep and detailed stories of one's difficult experiences, attract positive social support on Instagram," the study said.

The researchers examined the responses to a sample of 800 Instagram posts pulled from more than 95,000 photos tagged with "#depression" that were posted by 24,920 unique users over the course of a month.

The findings showed that not only are people using Instagram to make sensitive disclosures, but they are also getting mostly positive support from the people who respond to the posts, and little in the way of negative or aggressive comments.

Some users view Instagram as a safe medium for sharing sensitive information about themselves and reaching out for help, the study said.

The findings are scheduled to be presented at the Association for Computing Machinery's International Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing to be held from February 25 to March 1, in Portland, Oregon, US.

Perhaps in a nod of acknowledgement to the fact that this community exists on the site, Instagram recently rolled out a suicide prevention tool that allows users to alert operators when they think someone might be in serious trouble.

The operators are able to provide help or connect users with the information they need to find it.

While this is a step in the right direction, according to Andalibi, it is only the first of many that need to be taken to truly reach these communities of users.

"Social media platforms like Instagram, that people have adopted to connect with 'similar others' to share their difficult experiences, and seek and provide support, should explore ways to facilitate safe and supportive connections," Andalibi said. IANS | New York




BCL factional clash leaves 3 injured

Students of Chittagong Govt College engaged in factional clash of Chhatra League over establishing supremacy in college politics.

Chittagong Bureau :

Three students of Chittagong Govt College were injured in factional clash of Chhatra League , College Unit over the supremacy in college politics. The clash broke out between two groups of BCL, college unit yesterday afternoon . The injured students identified as Md. Sohel of Masters (sociology) , Md. Monir of 3rd yr Honours in History and Md. Imon, 1st year Honours of Economics. Nayek of Chittagong Medical College Hospital police camp Mr. Rasik Chakma confirmed the injury of students in the clash and the injured are now under treatment in hospital.Eye witnesses sources said the clash broke out outside the main gate of the college between Sabuj group and Dolan group and chase, counter -chase occurred in between the groups. Another sources said both the groups belong to Jubo League leader Noor Mohammad Tinu . A reliable sources of Tinu told the media that following the altercation between the seniors and juniors , these unwanted incident happened due to misunderstandings.


CCCI calls for resolving gas crisis on priority

Chittagong Bureau :

President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry urges Energy Advisor Dr. Towfiq -e-Elahi Chowdhury and the state minister for Power & Energy Ministry Nasrul Hamid MP for immediate mitigation of gas crisis in the port city . The chamber chief sent a official letter to them on Wednesday , CCCI sources said.

The Chamber DO letter was told that Chittagong is getting gas supply recently 240-250 mmcft against the demands of 500-550 mmcft . But in recent days, the supply also curtailed from existing 250 mm cft. As a result, the domestic consumers as well as the industrial consumers are the worst sufferers .

He said following the ongoing gas crisis in the port city, the major industrial sectors are suffering back to their output .He also requested the concerned Ministry and the Advisor to allot more quantity of gas from the national grid to solve the current situation.


There is litte scope to scan the evidence under law

APPELLATE DIVISION :

(Criminal)

Surendra Kumar Sinha CJ

Nazmun Ara Sultana J

Syed Mahmud Hossain J

Hasan Foez Siddique J



Judgment

August 31st, 2015



Sharif alias Shaira .... .............. Petitioner

Vs

State..Respondents



Code of Criminal Procedure (V of 1898)

Section 561A

In an application under Section 561A of the Code, there is little scope to scan the evidence, of witnesses and that since it is not a case of no evidence it is difficult to interfere with the judgment passed by the Tribunal. ..(8)



Jaglul Haider Afric, Advocate, instructed by Mahmuda Begum, Advocate-on-Record-For the Petitioner.

None Represented-For the Respondent.

Judgment

Hasan Foez Siddique J : The petitioner filed an application under Section 561A of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the High Court Division against the judgment and order dated 21-1-2010 passed by the Nari-o-Shishu Nirjatan Daman Tribunal, Narshingdi in Nari-o-Shishu Case No. 275 of 2005 and obtained Rule. The Tribunal convicted the petitioner under Section 9(1) of the Nari-o-Shishu Nirjatan Daman Ain in short (the Ain) and sentencing him to suffer imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Taka 2,00,000, in default, to suffer rigorous imprisonment for 1(0ne) year more.

2. The prosecution case, in short, was that at about 4-00 pm on 5-4-2005, the petitioner raped the informant's minor daughter Tanzuma finding her in their house alone. The PW 1 lodged a First Information Report (FIR) with Monohordi Police Station bringing such allegation. The police, after holding investigation, submitted chargesheet against the petitioner under the aforesaid provision of law. The case was ultimately tried by the Nari-o-Shishu Nirjatan Daman Tribunal, Narsingdi who framed charge against the petitioner under Section 9(1) of the Ain. The petitioner pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried.

3. The prosecution examined 11 witnesses in support of its case and defence examined none. From, the trend of cross-examination it appears that defence case was of innocence and false implication.

4. The Tribunal, examining the petitioner under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and hearing the parties, convicted and sentenced the petitioner as mentioned above.

5. The petitioner could not prefer appeal within the time stipulated in law. Then, he filed an application under Section 561 A of the Code of Criminal Procedure and obtained Rule. The High Court Division by the impugned judgment and order dated 26-7-2012 discharged the Rule. Thus, the petitioner has filed this petition.

6. Mr Jaglul Haider Afric, learned Advocate appearing for the petitioner, submits that the prosecution has failed to prove its case beyond shadow of doubt by adducing sufficient evidence against the petitioner, the High Court Division committed error of law in discharging the Rule.

7. The prosecution case was that on 4-5-2005 at about 5-00 pm, the petitioner getting the victim alone in their house, raped her against her will. It appears that out of 11 prosecution witnesses, PW 1 is the mother of victim who narrated the prosecution story as mentioned above. PW 2 grandmother of the victim in her testimony stated that she saw the petitioner to flee away from her house at the time and date of occurrence. She entered to their dwelling hut and found the victim lying on the "Chowki" and blood coming out-from her private part. PW 3 is the grand father of victim who in his testimony stated that, after the occurrence, villagers assured them that they would settle the matter so they did not go to the Police Station. Subsequent after the occurrence. PW 4, First Class Magistrate, Narsingdi recorded the statement of victim under Section 22 of the Ain, The PW 5 is the father of the victim who deposed that the petitioner had raped his daughter. PWs 6-10 corroborated the testimonies of PWs 1-4, PW 11 is the Investigating Officer of the case. It appears that after examination of PW 1, the petitioner absconded and he did not cross-examine the PW s 2 to 11, that is the evidence adduced by the PWs 2-11 had not been contradicted or denied by the defence cross- examining those witnesses.

8. The High Court Division held that in an application under Section 561 A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, there is little scope to scan the evidence, of witnesses and that since it is not a case of no evidence it is difficult to interfere with the judgment and order passed by the Tribunal.

9. In view of the evidence and the conclusion arrived at by the High Court Division, the judgment and order impugned here do not call for any interference by this Division.

Accordingly; the petition is dismissed.
Trump defends under-fire AG Jeff Sessions

BBC Online :

President Donald Trump has defended Attorney General Jeff Sessions as "an honest man" amid calls for him to quit. The Democrats say Mr Sessions "lied on oath" at his confirmation hearing about contacts with the Russian ambassador. Mr Trump said Mr Sessions "could have stated his response more accurately but it was clearly not intentional" and accused Democrats of a "witch hunt".

However, Mr Sessions has removed himself from an FBI probe into alleged Russian meddling in the US election.

The Democrats have maintained their attacks on Mr Sessions, saying his explanation regarding his contacts with the Russian ambassador in 2016 were "simply not credible". Sergei Kislyak : Career diplomat or recruiter of spies? Mr Trump said the Democrats had "lost the election and now they have lost their grip on reality".

His campaign was dogged by allegations that some of his team had met with Russian officials and that Moscow had interfered in the election on his behalf. The president has branded the allegations "fake news".

It stems from his comments at his confirmation hearing in January.

He was asked: "If there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government, in the course of this campaign, what will you do?"

Mr Sessions responded: "I'm not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and Contd on page-2 Col-7

I did not have communications with the Russians. And I'm unable to comment on it."

However, it then emerged Mr Sessions and Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak held a private conversation in Mr Sessions' office in September and spoke at a meeting with several other envoys on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention in July.

Mr Sessions was at the time a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. But he was already a prominent member of Donald Trump's campaign team.

The former Alabama senator also had meetings with more than 25 foreign ambassadors in the course of the year. He insists he did not lie at the confirmation hearing, saying his comments were "honest and correct as I understood it at the time". He said he had spoken with the Russian ambassador as a US senator and not as Mr He said: "I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign."

Mr Sessions admitted that in his confirmation comments he "should have slowed down and said, 'but I did meet one Russian official a couple of times'".

He said that during his meeting with Mr Kislyak they talked about terrorism and then "somehow the subject of Ukraine came up".

But he added: "I don't think what was said about that meeting I had with the Russian ambassador was legitimate. I think it was hyped beyond reason, and I think it was unfair."

However, he has taken himself off an FBI investigation into the alleged Russian interference in the election, saying it could be "perceived that I wouldn't be objective".

The Democrats are not easing up. Ms Pelosi repeated her call for Mr Sessions to quit. She said his "his narrow recusal and sorry attempt to explain away his perjury" were totally inadequate.

Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said Mr Sessions "clearly misled" the Senate and his explanation was "simply not credible".

Although some top Republicans in the House and Senate agreed Mr Sessions should recuse himself from the investigation, senior figures rallied behind him, resisting demands for the appointment of an independent prosecutor.

For Mr Sessions to be charged with perjury, prosecutors would have to show that he not only made false statements, but knowingly and wilfully misled members of the committee about an indisputable fact.

The Russian response was to echo Mr Trump's witch hunt accusation.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Mr Kislyak had simply met "representatives of the executive branch and parliamentarians, public figures, non-governmental organisations", a practice he said that "has never been questioned by anyone".

He continued: "All this very much resembles a witch hunt, or the period of McCarthyism, which we thought had long passed in the United States as a civilised country."

In the 1950s, Senator Joseph McCarthy oversaw an investigation into alleged communist activities in the US.

Were there any other meetings with Russians? Well, Michael Flynn has already been fired from the post of national security adviser after he misled the White House about his conversations with Mr Kislyak, allegedly regarding US sanctions. It has emerged now that Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner was with Mr Flynn when they met Mr Kislyak in December - after the 8 November election. A White House official speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed this on Thursday. At the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July, Mr Kislyak also met Carter Page, who briefly advised the Trump campaign, according to a source quoted by Associated Press.


`Baro Hujur` detained

CTTCU takes neo-JMB's Ameer on 7-day remand: Chargesheet over Gulshan cafe attack by year-end

Staff Reporter :

The chargesheet into the Holey Artisan Bakery attack case in the city's Gulshan diplomatic enclave is likely to be submitted by the year end with the completion of the extensive investigation.

"We [police] so far have identified 20-22 persons for their direct involvement in the attack. Of them, 14 persons have been killed. We think, there might be a total of 30-35 persons, directly or indirectly linked with the attack," Head of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTCU) Monirul Islam said on Friday.

A gang of Islamist terrorists attacked the upscale Gulshan restaurant on July 1, 2016 and killed 22 people, mostly foreigners, before they (attackers) were gunned down by the Army commando unit after a 12-hour standoff.

In a major breakthrough, the CTTCU arrested spiritual leader and Ameer of neo-JMB [Jama'atul Mujahedin Bangladesh] Maulana Md Abul Kashem raiding a den at Senpara Parbata area in the city's Mirpur on Thursday night.

According to CTTCU, arrested Kashem had endorsed the 'militant operation' at Holey Artisan Bakery. The CTTCU is now investigating in which tier Maulana Kashem was involved.

Maulana Kashem was known as "Baro Hujur" to his followers. He has written some books on Islami philosophy, and was engaged in philosophical teaching to the neo-JMB cadres, officials concerned said.

"Maulana Syedur Rahman was arrested in 2010. After that, Kashem became head of Neo-JMB [rebel faction of old JMB]. He used to give controversial interpretation about Islam with a view to making the militants ferocious before any attack. As per information available, Kashem had attended a meeting in Rajshahi where JMB's top ranking slain leader Tamim Chowdhury was also present after his return from Canada in 2013," Monirul Islam said while talking to the newsmen at DMP Media Centre in the city's Mintoo Road.

Police came to know about the existence of Kashem after arresting one of the key planners of Gulshan attack Rajib Gandhi alias Zahangir. But police did not find anyone in the address given by Gandhi. Finally, the police got a clear picture about Kashem and acquired some important information when chief of arms-explosive suppliers' chain [of Gulshan attack] was caught by police, the officials said.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court yesterday granted a seven-day remand against Kashem in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Satyabrata Shikder passed the order when investigation officer CTTC Inspector Jahangir Alam produced him in the court with a 10-day remand plea.

It is to be noted that about a dozen of divisional operation leaders and a number of second-tier leaders of neo-JMB have yet not arrested.

The CTTCU officials, however, have claimed that the mysterious Abu Ibrahim al-Hanif, whose name has emerged as the chief of 'Islamic State' in Bangladesh, was identified by investigators.

Sanowar Hossain, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit, recently said: "The investigators have identified Hanif after analyzing statements of different members of Neo-JMB. At first, we thought that Hanif and Tamim Chowdhury were the same person. But after conducting the drive in Tamim's den in Narayanganj, we came to know that they were different persons."

He said: We are suspecting that Hanif is hiding in any secret place. But he is nearly powerless in the outfit. He doesn't make any operational decision.

Officials said the militant outfit Neo-JMB has not been weak as thought though several leaders and members have been killed recently.


Prison van overturns on Moghbazar-Mouchak flyover

A prison van carrying 24 prisoners overturned near Saat Rasta inter-section in the city as driver lost control over steering, while heading towards Kashimpur jail from Dhaka Central jail in Keraniganj. This photo was taken on Friday.

UNB, Dhaka :

A prison van carrying 24 prisoners overturned on Moghbazar-Mouchak flyover near Saat Rasta intersection in the city on Friday.

Abdur Rashid, officer-in-charge of Tejgaon Industrial Police Station, said the prison van turned turtle on the flyover as its driver lost control over steering while heading towards Kashimpur Jail from Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj around 10:45 am.

Some prisoners and policemen sustained slight injures in the accident and were given first aid.

However, the prisoners were taken to Tejgaon Industrial Police Station and later sent to Kashimpur jail in another prison van, said the OC.
57000 killed, 93506 hurt in 12 yrs

Md Joynal Abedin Khan :

People across the country are alarmed over the rise in fatal road accidents, significantly highway accidents, in recent days.

They termed the roads, streets and highways as the death traps following the tragic accidents that took place one after another due to reckless driving, plying of unfit vehicle and irregularities of the traffic management.

According to media reports, at least 19 people were killed and 35 injured in the city and several other districts on Thursday alone, while a vernacular daily reported that around 220 people were killed in last 21 days.

The reports said, more than 15 people were killed everyday in the month of February while 13 in January this year.

Besides, data available with the National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR), 816 people were killed and 2,055 injured this year, till Thursday.

There were 644 accidents in the first two months of last year, causing 696 deaths and 2,162 injuries. The daily average last year was 11 deaths, while in 2017, so far every day an average

of 15 people have been killed. Meanwhile, 427 people were killed and 1,094 also injured in 372 road accidents in February while 416 killed and 1012 hurt in 350 incidents in January, NCPSRR report said.

As per the report of Nirapad Sarok Chai (NSC), at least 57,000 people were killed and 93,506 injured in 51,669 road accidents across the country in last 12 years.

Even many numbers of casualties in such incidents remained out of the records of the government, the police and the other rights bodies, said experts and law enforcers.

According to recent records, 3,412 people were killed and 8,512 injured in 2,998 road accidents in 2016, 6,823 killed and 14,026 hurt in 4,592 incidents in 2015, 798 killed and 18,113 injured in 5,997 road crushes in 2014 and 6,813 killed and 11,528 injured in 4,756 accidents in 2013 respectively.

In 2012, about 5,954 people were killed and 12,908 injured in 5,954 incidents, 5,928 killed and 11,430 hurt in 4,959 incidents in 2011, while 2,646 killed and 1803 hurt in 3107 incidents in 2010.

The record said, about 2,958 people were killed and 3,456 were injured in 30,565 incidents in 2009, 3,765 killed and 3,233 hurt in 4,869 incidents in 2008 and 3,749 killed and 3,273 hurt in 4769 in 2007.

Besides, 3,193 people died and 2,409 were hurt in 3,794 incidents in 2006 and 3,187 killed and 2,755 injured in 3,955 road incidents in 2005.

However, the Police Headquarters' report said that around 2,500 people have been killed in 2016.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told the Parliament that the authorities fined Tk 84,926,812 in 95,579 cases and jailed 618 people in different terms from January of 2014 to January of 2015.

Laboni Akter, a resident of Mirpur area, told The New Nation on Thursday, "Now the roads and streets have become death traps."

The Accident Research Institute (ARI) Assistant Professor Kazi Shifun Newaz said that accidents were mostly caused by overtaking and over-speeding.

"ARI's findings suggest that for the lack of emergency response facilities, as much as 45 per cent of the victims are killed after going to hospitals," he said.

If there were immediate primary treatment facilities after accidents, many victims' lives could be saved, he added.

The ARI researcher Kazi Shifun said this deadliest rise of accidents could worsen in the future if they cannot be brought under control.

To prevent this, major highways should be made four-lane, driving licences should only be issued to competent and knowledgeable drivers, more training should be offered to all workers, he added.

Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Secretary Sawkat Ali said they had already instructed transport owners to be disciplined. A number of safety measures have been taken to make highways safer.

Mozzammel Haque, Secretary General of Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, said there is no sign of discipline on highways.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque said that he had already given instruction to the Superintendent of Police (SP) in all districts and traffic divisions of all metropolitan cities to train the drivers and helpers to take control over the vehicles to tackle road accidents.

NCPSRR General Secretary Ashish Kumar Dey said there has been a sudden increase in the number of three-wheelers and locally-built vehicles on highways. Drivers are driving recklessly in dense fogs on the highways.

Besides, unskilled motorcycle riders, lack of awareness among pedestrians and drivers of small vehicles are responsible for the road accidents.
Legalising child marriage threatens girls` safety: HRW

UNB, Dhaka :

Bangladesh government should move quickly to adopt regulations to limit the harms of a new law that "legalises" child marriage, said the Human Rights Watch (HRW).

"The focus now must be on containing the damage caused by Bangladesh legalising child marriage," said Heather Barr, senior researcher on women's rights at Human Rights Watch.

"Nothing can change the fact that this is a destructive law. But, carefully drafted regulations can mitigate some of the harm to girls," she was quoted as saying in a statement issued from London on Thursday.

"Girls at risk of unwanted pregnancy face real problems in Bangladesh, but the answer isn't child marriage," said Heather Barr.

"The answer includes ensuring that schools provide the information adolescents need about sex, and that the health system offers reliable access to contraception and other health services for unmarried young people," she added. On February 27 Bangladesh parliament approved a law that permits girls under age of 18 to marry under "special circumstances," with permission from their parents and a court.

This law is a devastating step backward for the fight against child marriage in Bangladesh, which has the highest rate of child marriage in Asia, and one of the highest rates in the world, with 52 percent of girls married before age 18, and 18 percent married

before age 15, said the HRW.

Under the previous law, the legal age of marriage was 18 for women and 21 for men, with no exceptions.

Donors, diplomats, the United Nations, civil society, and activists fought to defeat the law, it said.

Now that the law has been passed, however, the government should ensure that the provision permitting child marriage will be used rarely and carefully, the HRW observed.

While Bangladesh's previous law setting marriage age for girls at 18 was widely ignored, the government in 2014 pledged to end child marriage before the age of 15 by 2021, and to end marriage before the age of 18 by 2041. It committed to develop a national action plan setting out how the government would achieve those goals, but has not yet done so, said the HRW.


Friday, March 3, 2017 at 10:40AM

Yesterday we missed celebrating Zodiac's 10th anniversary (the shame the shame) so we'll have to be more careful moving forward. So let's jump right back into daily anniversaries to reflect on and / or celebrate...

1845 Florida becomes the 27th State. It's been a problem ever since! I was born there so I can say that but seriously, Florida, get your act together. Between alligators, hateful politicians, legalized murder under deplorable Stand Your Ground laws, it's seriously a mess. Have y'all ever seen John Sayles Sunshine State? What other good movies about Florida are there besides Moonlight of course which just won Best Picture - woohoo!

1875 Bizet's Carmen premiered in Paris. It would go on to considerable global fame and the story would be adapted several times for cinema...

...albeit not always with the music. The first adaptations were silents after all. The most famous movie iteration is surely Carmen Jones (1954) with Oscar nominated Dorothy Dandridge which was adapted from a Broadway musical version of the story but the most faithful to the opera is Carmen (1984) starring Julia Migenes and Placido Domingo. Beyonce even starred in a 2001 adaptation but considering everyone's obsession with discussing all things Beyonce that project is rarely ever is mentioned.



1887 Annie Sullivan begins teaching blind deaf and mute Helen Keller. This true life inspirational story will become the cultural classic The Miracle Worker



1901 Gwen Wakeling, who designed the Oscar winning costumes of Samson & Delilah (1949) was born in Detroit



1903 Fashion giant Adrian is born. He did costumes for silents, costumes for The Wizard of Oz (1939) and other film classics before opening a successful couture business. Did you know that he was also Mr. Janet Gaynor? He was married to the very first Best Actress winner right after Oz and remained so until his death.



1911 Jean Harlow, the original Platinum Blonde is born



1923 Time Magazine is first published!



1931 The US adopts the "Star Spangled Banner" as National Anthem. Cue inspired Angels in America quote



1933 King Kong premieres in NYC where its uber famous denouement takes place



1934 John Dillinger escapes from prison using a wooden pistol. Was this scene in Public Enemies (2009) starring Johnny Depp? I forget. No one speaks of that movie anymore.





1937 Bobby Driscoll, the voice and model of Disney's Peter Pan is born.



1945 Mad George Miller is born in Australia. Much later in life he wins an Oscar for Happy Feet but curiously not for Mad Max Fury Road (2015), his masterpiece though most of his department heads did win Oscars for their work.

1958 The great Miranda Richardson is born in Lancashire. She makes one of the all time most confident film debuts 28 years later as the lead of true crime romance drama Dance With a Stranger



1964 Laura Harring is born. 37 years later she whispers one of the great film titles "Mulholland Drive" as if in a trance



1975 The very first People's Choice Awards are held. The "favorite" winning film and tv stars are John Wayne, Barbra Streisand, Alan Alda, Telly Savalas & Mary Tyler Moore



1976 Jo Jin-Woong is born in Busan, South Korea. He was black tongued Uncle Kouzuki in The Handmaiden, one of 2016's very best films

1985 the classic series Moonlighting, not to be confused with our new Best Picture (woohoo) premieres on TV starring Bruce Willis (pre Die Hard) and Cybill Shepherd (post movie stardom). It takes until the second season for awards groups to really notice though when they're both nominated for Emmys and win the Golden Globes.



2006 Remember Dave Chapelle's Block Party? That was such an enjoyable doc and it opened on this day. Did you know it was edited by Sarah Flack (who also did Sofia Coppola's sublime Marie-Antoinette that year)

and today...



Opening in movie theaters: Logan (review soon), The Shack, Before I Fall, Table 19 (reviewed) and The Last Word. If you've missed any of the Oscar nominees, it's probably the last chance to see them on the big screen as they're all losing a bunch of theaters this weekend and won't be around much longer. Yes, even the biggest hits Hidden Figures and La La Land are losing hundreds of theaters this weekend as the film year closes, post Oscar.
If you are looking for the new Immoral Minority posts, you should know that they can be found here at our new home Please stop by to get caught up on politics, join the conversations, or simply check out the new digs.
_[Editors Note: This is the third installment in a three-part series on the Republican women seeking a seat on the Third Circuit Court of Appeal in the March 25 special election. Read the first installment on the candidacy of Candyce Perret here and that of Vanessa Anseman here.]

_

W

hen friends question Susan Thealls decision to enter the race for the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal  she is one of three Republican women vying for the seat  she frequently sends them Theodore Roosevelts Man in the Arena quote:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

The former 15th JDC Family Court judge decided to enter the race after one of her former colleagues, Judge John Trahan of Crowley, decided not to run to fill the unexpired term of Judge Jimmy Genovese. Genovese was elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court in November.

Photo by Robin May

I had told Judge Trahan that I was going to support him, Theall tells The IND, but asked that if he decided not to run to please let me know.

She says Trahan called her in mid-December to tell her that he had decided not to run.

Trahan, who declined to comment for this story, has served as Division A judge since 1996. In consultation with his brother Pat (banker and Lafayette Downtown Development Authority chair), Judge Trahan took a long look at the race, meeting with a media consultant who told him the campaign would need to raise $400,000 for the primary campaign, according to a source close to the judge who helped him work through the process of making a decision.

At that point, word was already out that Candyce Gagnard Perret was going to be running to fill Genoveses unexpired term. Our source also says Candyce and Hunter Perret met with Trahan to confirm Candyces candidacy and told the judge they were prepared to spend more than half-a-million dollars to win the seat. Trahan's "no party" status would certainly have been a factor in the race, and our source further assets that Trahan just didnt have the appetite for the kind of politics that have come to define Louisiana judicial races in recent years.

Theall, on the other hand, isnt deterred by the Perrets ability to raise loads of money, nor is she hesitant to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation into their business practices. In fact, Theall says her decision to run has become as much a response to Perrets candidacy as her own desire to serve as an appellate court judge.

I began telling lawyers that I was going to run. And, almost to a person, the response was well, good, because I dont know who this woman [Perret] is, Theall says.

Theall, who had just gotten her family law practice re-established following a stinging re-election bid loss to Charlie Fitzgerald in 2014, used the Lafayette Bar Associations 2016 Christmas Party to begin telling a larger circle of friends and associates that she would be a candidate for the open circuit seat.

I would go up to lawyers and say, Hey, Im running for Jimmy Genoveses seat, and they basically responded favorably, Theall says. But, those comments were sometimes accompanied by words delivered in hushed tones. But, you know, theres a company thats under federal investigation. And Id say, What are you talking about? And the response was Oh, I cant talk about it. I must have heard that seven or eight times that night.

Things changed quickly in early 2017, when Theall realized that the whispers of a federal investigation were related to Louisiana Specialty Institute, a company owned by Hunter Perret. On the Friday after New Years, I met with a lawyer who provided me with the trial transcript from the Narcisse case in the 16th JDC, Theall recalls. The attorney also provided Theall with 15th JDC Judge Kristian Earles 2013 ruling in the Stelly case that had been introduced as evidence in the Narcisse case. In the Stelly case, Judge Earles disallowed hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical invoices from LSI because the company was not the actual provider of the services. (Both cases were reported on extensively in the Perret profile as part of this series on the candidates.)

Photo by Robin May

I have to say I was dumbfounded and concerned because it felt wrong, and it felt like something bad was going on, Theall explains. I thought that if someone is under investigation  and if thats the truth  then it should become known.

Theall was already scheduled to speak about her candidacy at the Jan. 9 meeting of the Lafayette Trial Lawyers Association. Over the weekend prior to that Monday meeting, Theall says she decided to use that occasion to talk publicly about what shed found in the Narcisse case transcript and in the Stelly case ruling.

That trial transcript showed that Candyce Perret acted as custodian of medical records for her husbands company, LSI, for a period in which Hunter Perret testified that she also served as legal counsel for the firm. It is a period that corresponds with a time when Hunter was being treated for cancer.

Im thinking to myself, wait a minute. A doctor in this case just testified that he believed his medical records were altered, and shes records custodian. Whats wrong with this picture, Theall asks rhetorically. To me, it just smelled funny.

At the trial lawyers meeting, Theall describes the group as mildly interested in her talk until she got to the point where she said she wanted to address the elephant in the room.

I said that I was very concerned about the candidacy of Mrs. Perret because of what Ive learned looking at the trial transcript, Theall recalls. Theall says she had read the Narcisse trial transcript and documents several times over the preceding weekend and taken notes. It was a five or 10 minutes synopsis, and the room went stone cold silent.

After that talk, Theall says she began hearing from plaintiff and defense attorneys offering up more information about LSI, Candyce Perret and other Perret companies (since The INDs initial report, one of the seven attorneys interviewed by the FBI, all of whom asked to remain anonymous, has said investigators are now looking into other Perret-owned companies).

Thealls discussion of the Perrets at the trial lawyers meeting is consistent with her reputation for being aggressive, according to some of her legal colleagues. One Lafayette attorney with judicial experience, who would only agree to speak with the paper anonymously, says that Theall has a reputation for not playing nice with others.

There is an unwritten code among attorneys that we dont engage in personal attacks, that the cases are about the law and not personal, the attorney tells The Independent. Susan frequently crossed that line, the attorney adds without elaborating.

T

heall, who has been a Board Certified Family Law Specialist since 1995, has been practicing law for 31 years. She clerked for two judges in the 27th JDC in Opelousas before going into private practice there. For a year, now Justice Jimmy Genovese was a partner in a three-principle firm that included Donald Hebert and Theall. She moved her practice to her hometown of Lafayette in 1992.

Family law has been a passion of Thealls as well as the center of her practice. She opened the Paula K. Woodruff Family Law Section of the Lafayette Parish Bar Association in honor of one of her former colleagues. After she was elected to the unexpired term of Judge Phyllis Keatys Division M seat (after Keaty was elected to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal) in 2011, Theall worked to have the Louisiana Supreme Court designate Division M as a Family Court seat for the district.

Some attorneys interviewed for this story believe Thealls focus on family court matters limited her experience on the bench. They point to the fact that jury trials are not part of family court proceedings and that Theall has had only limited experience with criminal cases dating back to the period prior to the state Supreme Court making Division M exclusively a family court seat.

Theall, though, had earned the respect of her peers on the 15th JDC during her tenure there. She was elected chief judge of the district by the judges and assumed the role in 2014, the year in which she was defeated by Fitzgerald.

Theall says the family court docket is among the largest in the 15th JDC. She maintains that she and her staff worked diligently to clear the docket, often contacting attorneys to ensure that they intended to attend scheduled hearings and other proceedings to ensure that the docket was not needlessly cluttered with items that would not be addressed on a particular day.

Her service on the bench, however, did come with some amount of controversy, as one process Theall created to reward attorneys who came to her court prepared grated on attorneys and raised questions of fairness among some of them.

While a judge, Theall says she created a Gold Star Program as something of a lark. I was in Hobby Lobby one day and saw these beautiful glass gold star ornaments and thought that I could use these to reward attorneys who came to court prepared to handle their business, Theall says. I bought four or five of them and gave them to a few lawyers, who were prepared, who did their briefs, who didnt interrupt each other in the courtroom. ... I wanted to motivate them without resorting to criticizing them in front of their clients.

Whatever her intent, the practice gave the appearance that Theall was providing favorable treatment to some attorneys, a practice that rattled the clients of some attorneys since judges in that court decide all cases. There are no jury trials.

Theall now admits that the Gold Star idea was rife with unintended consequences. In retrospect, there are a lot of lawyers who did not like that. It started out as something of a joke that got blown out of proportion, Theall recalls. I was told that I was favoring some lawyers. My response was that I was trying to motivate lawyers to do the right thing. I thought it was a fun way to motivate them, but apparently not.

Contact Mike Stagg at [email protected]

In the End, Money Talks

Susan Theall trails her opponents, Candyce Perret and Vanessa Anseman, in fundraising, according to campaign finance reports filed by the candidates on Feb. 23. The election is Saturday, March 25.

Perret leads the money race, having taken in just over $102,000 since her initial campaign finance report showed she had raised $100,000 in December 2016. That fundraising includes $58,000 Perret loaned her campaign. As of Feb. 13, Perrets campaign committee  chaired by former state Sen. Mike Michot, who is now a lobbyist for The Picard Group  had $93,116 on hand.

Candidates Theall and Anseman at a March 6 Concerned Citizens for Good Government forum at Alesi's. Photo by Robin May

Ansemans committee raised $71,145 by Feb. 13. The committee, chaired by state Rep. Nancy Landry, reported spending $18,467 of that money and entered the final month of the campaign with $52,678 on hand.

Records show that Theall is far behind in fundraising. Her committee, chaired by Ville Platte businessman Cecil Fuselier, reported raising $35,088, of which $23,572 came via a loan from Theall to her campaign. The committee spent $11,583 prior to Feb. 13 ($233 more than it took in via actual contributions) and heads into the final month of the campaign with $23,338.47 on hand.

Theall says that she is not daunted by the fundraising imbalance. Ive never been the best funded candidate in any race that Ive run., she says, stressing that she is campaigning relentlessly across the eight-parish district. The Division B seat covers Acadia, Allen, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin and Vermilion parishes.

Theall is not confining her efforts to the campaign trail. The Monday before Mardi Gras, Theall hand-delivered a letter to 15th Judicial District Attorney Keith Stutes calling on him to investigate Ansemans eligibility to run for the 3rd Circuit seat. Theall cites stories published by The IND last week, which used information obtained from the Louisiana State Bar Association to show that Anseman does not appear to meet the 10-year minimum practice requirement for eligibility to run for an appellate court position.

Theall cites as precedent a 2014 disqualification of a judicial candidate in the 16th JDC who did not have the minimum practice requirement to run for a district judgeship. That candidate, Carolyn Deal, was disqualified for not meeting the requirement, although the specifics of her case are different from Ansemans. While Anseman was admitted to the bar more than a decade ago, she was certified ineligible to practice law on May 31, 2013, before she met the 10-year requirement for seeking a circuit seat; she argues that the ineligibility period should be counted toward the 10-year requirement. The Deal case was appealed and upheld by the 3rd Circuit and the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Stutes has not returned calls for comment on whether he will take any action on Thealls letter.

Should Anseman be disqualified, her name would remain on the ballot but votes cast in support of her would not be counted. The race would become a two-candidate race between Theall and Perret.

Most legal observers believe that Theall is on firm legal ground, but some suggest that the letter to Stutes might not pay off politically, because in a two-candidate race the winner will be elected in the March 25 primary. Those observers doubt that Theall can overcome Perrets money advantage in the remaining weeks, despite the legal cloud hanging over the Perrets businesses enterprises.
Paris, TX (75460)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 63F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 63F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
ECPMF condemns the politically-motivated detention of Deniz Yucel. We urge the Turkish authorities to release him, and to treat cases in line with the rule of law, according to the European Convention on Human Rights. Journalism is not a crime, and Turkey must respect the right of foreign correspondents to do their jobs.

the detention of a foreign correspondent is a very serious development. It comes in addition to the imprisonment of nearly 150 Turkish journalists. Dozens more have been forced into exile. If international reporters are also threatened with jail, who will be left to provide independent news coverage of Turkey?

Die Welt and its publisher Axel Springer SE have been supportive of Yucel, promoting the slogans #FreeDeniz and "Wir sind Deniz" , the latter in the style of "Je suis Charlie" and derivatives.

Europes media freedom community is united in condemning the arrest of Deniz Yucel, Turkey correspondent for the German national daily. His reporting related to a minister's hacked e-mails has led to charges of spreading propaganda in support of a terrorist organisation and inciting the public to violence.Yucel was born in Hessen, Germany, with Turkish heritage. He worked as an editor for the German taz newspaper before moving to Die Welt in 2015. He has dual German and Turkish citizenship, and has been based at the latter newspapers Istanbul bureau.ECPMF Chair Henrik Kaufholz states:Kaufholz further states that: According to Deutsche Welle (DW) , Yucel and six other journalists working for Turkish media have been detained in the affair involving the RedHack leftist hacker collective. DW specifically referred to Yucels reporting on e-mails RedHack extracted from the private account of Turkish Energy Minister Berat Albayrak - a son-in-law and close political ally of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.Yucel was held for 14 days, during which a judge had to decide whether he should be arrested or released. The journalist was then questioned, and now faces jail time and an upcoming trial after a prosecutor recommended his arrest on 27 February.Although Yucel is the first German journalist to be detained in Turkey, prosecuting foreign journalists seems to be a growing trend under Erdogan.Dutch freelancer Frederike Geerdink, who has been dedicated to covering the Kurdish issue, was briefly detained and then expelled from Turkey in 2015; journalists from Britain and Iraq were arrested as well. Geerdink told the ECPMF that she used to feel safe as a foreigner reporting in Turkey, backed by the clout of European politicians; however, the scenario has changed as Erdogan has been showing increasing disregard towards what Europe thinks.This has been especially evident since the attempted coup against the regime in July 2016, and the state of emergency declared and extended since.German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called the arrest and charges disproportionate, and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel also expressed disapproval "The German government expects that the Turkish judiciary, in its treatment of the Yucel case, takes account of the high value of freedom of the press for every democratic society, Merkel was quoted as saying : We will continue to insist on a fair and legal treatment of Deniz Yucel and hope that he will soon regain his freedom."Under the hashtag #FreeDeniz , activists took to Twitter and to the streets of Berlin last week to call for Yucels release, projecting the hashtag on the Turkish Embassy building. Demonstrators drove their cars in a motorcade around the town hall in Yucels hometown of Florsheim, waving homemade banners with the same message.Motorcades in support of the jailed journalist have been planned to spread across major German cities . Another demonstration was set to take place in Berlin on 28 February, involving also journalists and politicians.
Many people seem to skip out Phnom Penh when they visit Cambodia, scared by the stories of muggings, put off by tales of a dull and busy city or if they do visit they only come for the Killing Fields and never give the rest of the city chance. We will admit that all this chatter hadnt gone unnoticed and we were unsure how we would find the grimy capital of a country we had already fallen in love with. But not ones to allow others to dictate to us how we should feel we embraced the chaos of the capital and came out of the other side wholeheartedly loving it! Heres what to see in Phnom Penh!

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What to see in Phnom Penh:

Explore the local markets and see real life in all its grime!

Heading to the market in any city, especially in Eastern Europe and Asia is to really get to the heart of what the place is all about, and also more often than not also the best place to met with locals and experince authentic culture. They might not be pretty places, or for the squeamish, but they are loud, lively and real! We gave the more popular central markets a miss and instead headed over to the locals ones of BKK. Here you will find hardly any tourists and a whole host of confused looks!

Of all the sections of the markets I always seem to find the food section the most fascinating and yet repulsive. As a vegetarian I go from sheer delight at the rainbow of colours on offers, the fresh floral and citrus smells bursting with vibrance and life. Then around the corner the heavily smell of blood and rotting flesh hits the back of the throat like a freight train.

Internal organs are being slopped around, money sits on raw chicken and flies swarm around fish still gulping their last exhausting gasps of life. Its a scene like something out of a horror film for me, and yet just as we sit their with popcorn just to be scared I wander round with a mixture of pure disgust and insatiable fascination at this crazy way of life! These arent the tourist markets, here you are in for all the shocking beauty of real Cambodian life. This has to be at the top of our what to see in Phnom Penh guide!

Head to the Royal Palace to see the stunning beauty of Phnom Penh

Cambodia has a complicated history when it comes to Royalty, the once ruling family have been through some turbulent times at the hands of those occupying the country but today have what could be considered a ceremonial role. The Royal Palace today is still the official residence of the king of Cambodia and his family who have continually inhabited this beautiful complex since the 1860s, apart from a spell during the rule of the Khmer Rouge.

The grounds include the stunning throne hall, silver pagoda and the bright red national museum of Cambodia all within the complex.

Entrance costs $6.25







Visit the Killing Fields and S-21 to discover the disturbing truth of Pol Pots genocide

One of the most moving place I have ever visited has to be the killing fields of Choeung Ek around 11 miles outside of the city. Between 1975 and 1979 over 1.7 Million people were killed by the brutal dictatorship of Pol Pot and is Khmer Rouge. Turning the clocks back to year zero to create a utopian rural society many died as a result of starvation, beatings, torture, overwork and outright murder. Many suspicious people were rounded up and kept in prisons such as S-21, tortured and forced to sign false confessions before being killed. It might seem strange to be included in our what to see in Phnom Penh guide but truly if you see one place in the capital let it be here so you can learn from this horrible time in human history.

Others as the regime progressed were rounded up in the hundreds each day and killed over mass graves in Killing fields dotted around the country. The largest was here at Choeung Ek where around 20,000 people were brutally murdered. To this day many of their bones, teeth and clothing wash up each time it rains and are a much more visual reminder of the horrors here. The most striking of those is the stupa which contains the skulls of over 8,000 people hacked to death here, staring you in the face with their sad fate, an image I will never be able to erase from my mind.

Entrance costs $6 for The Killing Fields with audio guide and $3 for S-21 then $3 for the optional audio guide.

Read more about The killing fields here: Visiting the Khmer Rouge Killing Fields of Choeung Ek & The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum at S-21







Take some time out at Wat Phnom

Phnom penh might be a crazy and chaotic city, sidewalks taken up by motorbikes, food carts and even hairdressing stalls, but there is serenity and solitude to be found. This spot up on a hill above the city marks the place in which the capital was founded, legend has it that a lady named Penh back in 1372 pulled out a Koki tree from the river and planted in atop of this hill. In Cambodia Phnom means hill and so the area was named after the hill and its founder!

The current temple which sits here was built in 1926 and one of the large stupas here contains the remains of King Ponhea Yat, an important ruler who was the one to move the capital from Angkor to Phnom Penh in the 15th century. Wandering the grounds it is common to see monks and locals at prayer, a really peaceful place to take time out from the chaos of the city and the top of our What to see in Phnom Penh guide for those looking for a quieter time!

Entrance costs $1

Stroll down the Sisowath Quay alongside the Mekong River

Not a usual inclusion on a what to see in Phnom Penh guide it might initially seem that there isnt much to do around here, but take a closer look and you can discover some wonderful elements of real life. Besides, strolling along the path of the Mekong as it winds its way through the city is a beautiful and peaceful area to explore, following the flags of the world you will come across all times of life in this area of town.

You can also take tours of the river on several cruise boats, some of them can even be taken to travel to other cities further down this important and mystical South East Asian river!

Get lost in the wonderful architecture of Colonial France and see local life at its most interesting!

Phnom Penh is a city full of contrasts and evidence of the various stages of history it has been through. From the ageing communist architecture of The white building to the crumbling remains of Colonial France there is so much to discover. Walking might not be the easiest in this city, and you might have to fend off your fair share of tuk tuk drivers along the way. But cut down the side streets, especially further down the river near Wat Phnom, you will witness the beating heart of this busy and chaotic city. Where Siem Reap can feel touristy and tacky at times, Phnom Penh feels raw, grimy and authentic. What to see in Phnom Penh real Cambodian life!

The best way to get to know any city is to get lost and wander its alleyways and backstreets, the Cambodian capital is no different in in truth this is where the real magic of the city is. The Royal Palace may be beautiful in a conventional kind of way, but its also where the few tourists that do venture here gather like flies, for a true experience of the city get lost!

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Travelling and especially backpacking is a wild adventure, but make sure you are covered just incase something goes wrong, which if youre living it up to the fullest its always a possibility!

Check travel insurance prices with World Nomads here!

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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.

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ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal.

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Keep sex toys clean

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Summary

What did you think?

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Assyrian Charter School Seeking Location in Chicago

Chicago -- A Michigan-based charter elementary school is considering Rogers Park for a new location next year. KEYS Nineveh Academy Charter School submitted a letter of intent for a K-5 school in the Far North Side neighborhood for the 2018 school year. Ald. Joe Moore (49th) said the school had hoped to move into a single-family home owned by the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East at 7201 N. Ashland Blvd. The home is just east of the church. This would be a new location for the school, not a relocation of its current campus, the school said. President and founder Nathan Kalasho said the school hinges on a "community-based education model" that emphasizes Mesopotamian (Sumerian/Assyrian/Babylonian) studies, cultural preservation, language courses and history -- while also providing refugee and health care services for students and their families. It first opened in 2015. The makeup of Rogers Park's community members was an attractive factor, Kalasho said. Rogers Park "is home to thousands of Assyrians who have faced continuous persecution and ethnic cleansing in the Middle East, including being recognized by the Obama administration as victims of genocide last year," Kalasho said in a statement. "As an indigenous community, it is imperative for members of the diaspora, as well as non Assyrians, to preserve a language and culture which is facing extinction, while also successfully integrating into 21st century America." Moore said he met with representatives of the school several months ago but talks were "very preliminary." "I told them at the time that I would keep an open mind," Moore said. "I'm interested in hearing more about their proposal and about their school, and about their track record, and all that kind of relevant information." However, the school could face an uphill battle. Charter schools have been controversial in Rogers Park for several years; the neighborhood already has five traditional neighborhood schools and two other charters. In the past two years state lawmakers have rallied alongside parents and community groups opposing more charter schools in the neighborhood, including Noble Network of Charter Schools and Truman Middle College, an alternative high school that is part of the Youth Connection Charter School network. Both of those schools were at different times considering the vacant St. Jerome building across from New Field Elementary, but both failed to come to fruition. Last year residents rallied for a "charter freeze" in the neighborhood which would bar new charters from opening in the future. A non-binding referendum asked if there should be a freeze on charters in the 49th Ward last fall. More than 62 percent of respondants said "Yes." Moore said at the time that the issue of charters in the neighborhood was relatively "dead" and a formal freeze on them would be "moot," adding there was "no room for a charter school in the neighborhood." On Wednesday, Moore said he believed there was "always room for a quality education" in Rogers Park. "I do not view this as a zero-sum game" where a charter opening always means that neighborhood schools are hurt, the alderman said. Moore also said he didn't believe in "the knee-jerk" notion that "all charters are evil." Dwindling enrollment in the neighborhood's existing schools has also been an issue in the last year. Moore proposed closing Eugene Field Elementary and folding its remaining students in with Kilmer Elementary to make way for Decatur Classical School, a top-rated selective-enrollment school in neighboring West Ridge, to move into the former Field building. One of the primary reasons behind the proposal was a 13 percent decline in the number of school-aged children in the neighborhood and low enrollment at Eugene Field Elementary, Moore said. Kalasho said he was "aware of the hesitation" in the neighborhood with charters, but would welcome "all students from the neighborhood" and planned to facilitate "a great deal of outreach to get the community involved." "KEYS Nineveh Academy will be a smaller school with low enrollment that is meant to serve as a pillar for the community, not detract from it," Kalasho said. "As for what we would say to parents: I would ask the parents to put themselves in the shoes of the parents of our current students, most of whom are recently arrived immigrants fleeing ISIS genocide in the Middle East and only want to begin their assimilation with some semblance of familiarity for their children." Many of his students are "severely traumatized" by the experiences they've lived through -- including losing parents -- and have limited English language skills and unique needs when it comes to schooling. "We only ask that people keep an open mind. Hear us out, hear from our students, from our community, from the victims," the school head told DNAinfo. Moore said it's too early to know if the school's addition would negatively affect existing schools. "Until I have all the facts I can't comment on whether or not this would have an impact or not have an impact on our schools," Moore said. "All I can say is I think the more quality educational options you have in a community, the more attractive that community is for families. ... It can't be a bad thing in my opinion."
Friends, family and neighbors pitched in to help victims of a tornado that hit Tuesday evening.

Elkville Christian Church and Elkville Baptist Church both served lunch to victims and work crews Thursday. They coordinated meals for the remainder of the week, but said the plan could change.

The schedule is as follows:

Elkville Baptist Church at 510 N. 4th St. (U.S. 51) will provide lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Elkville Christian Church at 114 S. Second St. will provide supper from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Kim Buser of Elkville Christian Church said they just saw a need and decided to help.

If you cant do anything else, you can cook, Buser said.

Tracy Arnold of Herrin brought food to both Elkville churches and Vergennes Community Center. When Buser went to Wal-Mart in Du Quoin to purchase food, manager Jamie Fowlkes donated the items. Caseys in Elkville donated sandwiches.

In Vergennes, Doerrs provided food at the auction barn. Pats BBQ of Murphysboro will feed victims and recovery workers at Vergennes Community Center on Friday.

Elkville Baptist Church also is accepting donations for those affected by the storm. According to organizers, the largest need right now include packing items like plastic totes, trash bags, masking tape and sharpies. They also are looking for volunteers who may have extra places to temporarily store belongings. Call Scott Slone for more information 618-790-4300.

Slone is also coordinating requests for cleanup, as well as those wishing to volunteer.

Stearns Goody Barn, south of Nashville on Illinois 127, has matresses and sofas available for storm victims. Please call the business to see what is still available before going there. They can be reached at 618-336-5525.

Southern Illinois Community Foundation is accepting donations to help Southern Illinois victims of the tornados that went through Perry, Franklin and White counties and surrounding areas through the Regional Disaster Fund.

Donations are being accepted online and at banks and branches throughout Southern Illinois, including:

Legence Bank, Farmers State Bank, First Bank & Trust of Murphysboro, First Southern Bank, MidCountry Bank, Regions Bank, Banterra Bank and Peoples National Bank. An updated list will be available at SICF website.

Contributions may also be sent to SICF, 3000 West DeYoung Street, Suite 800-B, Marion, IL 62959. Please make checks payable to Southern Illinois Community Foundation (or SICF) and in the memo line note Tornado Relief.

SICF will make sure donations are used to help the people who need help the most.

All donations are tax deductible.

For information visit Southern Illinois Community Foundation on the web at www.sicf.org or email janice@sicf.org.

Several Go Fund Me and similar accounts have been set up for communities and individuals. Search the site for more information.

If you know of a way to help storm victims, email news@thesouthern.com.
CARBONDALE  Fiddler Stefan Santiago and guitarist Darren Haney partnered up to play "Cuarto de Tula," a cheerful-sounding Cuba folk song about a woman who accidentally tipped a candle that caused a fire, while artist Jason Wonnell led "kids of all ages" in painting landscapes and other designs on small pieces of canvas.

In another room, people talked or played card games or ate, while sitting at small bistro tables. There was plenty of food and conversation, as members of the community came together to meet each other and meet people, nearing the end of their incarceration, in a program at Centerstone in Marion.

One of the ones enjoying the evening most was James Chapman, a retired lawyer who founded the Center for Empowerment and Justice in Carbondale this past year. The event was an open house, something Chapman said he'd like to see happen again, maybe on the first Friday of each month.

Chapman started the Center for Empowerment and Justice as a community outreach to help educate and assist people with solving any problems they faced.

Chapman, an adjunct professor at Southern Illinois University who is under contract with federal courts in Illinois and Indiana, works with lawyers who are court-appointed to represent prisoners who have constitutional claims, relating, for instance, to brutality, conditions of their confinement, bad medical care, or access to religions. His primary pursuits are of issues impacting people who are incarcerated.

During its existence, the center has come to attract people who want to offer help and share their expertise with others, but who often didn't know what to do or where to go.

They found a venue there, and now include people like Wonnell, who shares how to make art using a board, nails and twine and who teaches youth and others how to create illustrations for a book. The center has also come to host several meetings about the recent U.S. immigration concerns, and Chapman is planning workshops that will teach people what their rights are in those situations.

"People have different visions of how they'd like to give service to the community," Chapman said. "So people help each other out (in differing ways)."

"Most people want to do something, quote, good for the community, and they don't know how to do it  and this is a place that's turning out (to be the space to connect people)."

"It's a place to bring to actuality your vision, to really get support to bring their vision of service to actuality," Chapman said. "I never intended that, but that's what developed. We're getting a lot of capable people from Herrin and Carterville. It's a wide variety of people, and they support each other and get along. People want to get things done."

For more information, call Jim Chapman at 312-593-6998 or email him at jameschapman@aol.com. Visit his website, the Illinois Institute, at http://illinoisinstitute.net.
CARBONDALE  Another rideshare service is operating in the city, a month before the citys ordinance regulating such services goes into effect on April 1.

Uber launched in Carbondale on Thursday, according to a news release from Uber spokeswoman Molly Spaeth. The announcement follows rideshare app Lyfts announcement one week ago that it launched operations in the city.

At least one car was visible inside city limits in the Uber mobile app on Thursday afternoon.

Lyfts announcement last Thursday that it had launched in Carbondale created some confusion for potential riders and drivers, as city officials said transportation network companies are not allowed to operate in the city until the ordinance passed by the City Council in February goes into effect. A Lyft spokesman said then that the service was operating under statewide regulations that govern transportation network companies in locations where no specific city regulations are in effect.

Amy Fox, public relations officer for the city of Carbondale, said thats not exactly the case.

The state statute referenced by Lyft is only the minimum standard for taxicabs, Fox said in an emailed statement. Home rule municipalities  like Carbondale  may not regulate the operation of taxicabs in a manner that is less restrictive than the regulation by the state.

The Uber spokeswoman on Thursday echoed Lyfts earlier line of reasoning, saying in an emailed statement that Uber complies with Illinois statewide regulations, and in the absence of a city ordinance, Illinois statewide regulations apply.

Fox also said that according to the citys current taxicab ordinance, transportation network companies  such as Uber and Lyft  currently operating within the city limits are still in violation of the current law.

Fox said neither Lyft nor Uber notified the city that they were intending to begin operations in Carbondale.

Fox said the official application for would-be Uber or Lyft drivers in Carbondale will be available within the next week or two. She said processing should only take two or three days once the system is in place.

Its our hope to have transportation network companies operating legally within city limits on April 1, Fox said.

Until then, she said, if someone in Carbondale is a driver for any transportation network company, the city highly recommends they not offer rides at this time.

The Uber spokeswoman said when the Carbondale ordinance goes into effect on April 1, the company will review its operations and determine if it is able to continue operating.
To the Editor:

Like Mike Bost, our congressman John Shimkus, did not have the courage to meet with a group of his constituents.

However he did have a meeting with the Effingham News board where he said the following things about Trump: "He gets your attention by saying crazy things" and "the best way to understand Trump is not to listen to the first thing he says, but the third or fourth thing."

Now Mr. Shimkus, we are not talking about somebody's senile uncle, but the President of the United States. Never have I heard any president being defended this way. Remember, this man has the control of the nuclear codes, crazy words have a tendency to lead to crazy actions.

We may not get the chance to listen to the third or fourth thing he says.

Skip and Aggie Paul

Goreville
Some residents of the Four Holes Community are worried about how a drug recovery center will affect their lives, despite the assurances of company officials.

Resident Steven Braxton said he supports helping people, but the Waypoint Recovery Center would hurt property values.

Ill probably have to take a $50,000 cut on my house if I were to move on, Braxton said during an Orangeburg County Council meeting on Tuesday.

If for some reason we do have problems,  were kind of, really, screwed here, for lack of a better term, he said.

County Council called Tuesdays meeting to receive input on Waypoint and Yonder Field, an outdoor concert venue planned for the Bowman area. Both projects meet county zoning requirements.

Waypoint Executive Director and CEO Shari Baker said staff will be there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, checking on patients. It will not be a locked-door facility.

We wont have security guards because thats not the kind of facility we are, but we will have staff there to hold patients accountable, Baker said.

We are not an acute detox facility and we are not an acute psychiatric facility, Director of Clinical Services Jonas Coatsworth said. We do not have those capabilities there. We do not plan to have those capabilities there.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control would require checks throughout the day and checks of beds through the night.

County Council member Janie Cooper-Smith said she was on the board of the Dawn Center for several years.

Since the Dawn Center moved to Cook Road that community has grown, not only with facilities for doctors but residential areas, she said. As far as property value is concerned, theyre still buying it.

Cooper-Smith also noted that break-ins have not been an issue.

With my cane, I could walk from the Dawn Center, cross Cook Road and enter my neighborhood, its just that close, she said. I dont recall anybody having ever broken out of the Dawn Center or the people in that neighborhood ever being infuriated, or being intimidated, or being frightened by what goes on in the Dawn Center or the people who attend.

Braxton said, It wouldve been awful nice if we couldve talked about it first and really had a discussion about it. It seemed like it was decided and then we had to have a meeting.

Orangeburg County Planning Director Richard Hall said, A substance abuse facility or community assistance facilities are permitted by right in the zoning of the FA (Forest and Agriculture) District.

They didnt need to come ask permission to open their facility. They have every right under the zoning ordinance.

Councilman Harry Wimberly said, When we went through the zoning ordinance, we tried to cover every situation that possibly could come about that would disrupt ag use.

Ill be perfectly honest with you, this one slipped through the cracks, thats the honest truth.

He went on to say that the FA zoning allowed rehabilitation centers because as a community assistance facility, it falls under similar criteria to a hospital, which council wanted in the FA district.

A few facilities happened to come under the hospital criteria, Wimberly said. If I had known about that, Im certain council wouldve taken it back out.

Wimberly requested council temporarily stop future projects similar to Waypoint and Yonder Field until council can study the zoning issues.

County Attorney DAnne Haydel said council could not take action at Tuesdays meeting.

As I understand it, this would be for facilities other than Waypoint. There are no agenda points for other facilities, Haydel said. Were at a public hearing, not even a public meeting. A public meeting says youre going to take action, a public hearing is just where you receive input and give out information.

She added that because it was a special called meeting, the agenda could not be amended.

Were talking about two entities coming to Orangeburg County thats upsetting the community, Wimberly said. I think that a public body, open to the public, in a public meeting, if we cant make a motion, we aint doing our thing.

Councilman Willie B. Owens said, It doesnt make sense to be wrong two or three times. Lets follow standard procedure and this isnt standard procedure.

Council voted 4 to 3 against placing a moratorium on such developments.

Council members Wimberly, Clyde Livingston and Heyward Livingston voted in favor of the moratorium. Council members Johnnie Wright, Johnny Ravenell, Cooper-Smith and Owens voted against it.

Im for it, but I dont understand doing it in this meeting, Ravenell said. The moratoriums fine but Id rather we do it at the regular council meeting because of what the attorney suggested.
Whether coming via leaks from anti-Trump bureaucrats or by way of the grudging admission of officials with the administration, information continues to raise questions about a connection between President Donald Trump and a Russian government that the U.S. intelligence services said worked covertly to influence the outcome of the 2016 election.

The president can label all the reports as fake news if he chooses, but there is a point at which even his most ardent supporters should want answers.

During the campaign, Trump raised eyebrows by espousing a Russia-friendly foreign policy and refusing to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin, even when U.S. intelligence said Putin was behind hacking of the Democratic National Committees emails.

Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort had controversial connections with Russia and pro-Russia forces in Ukraine.

Trumps first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was forced to resign after he misled Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. before the inauguration.

And now come reports that Attorney General Jeff Sessions twice talked with Russias ambassador to the United States during the campaign, meetings that are now being acknowledged by Sessions, though in doing so he appears to be contradicting testimony made before the Senate during the confirmation process.

Sessions and the administration contend he met with the envoy in his role as a U.S. senator and member of the Foreign Relations Committee, yet there is no denying that Sessions was an ardent supporter and policy adviser of Trumps. He was deeply involved in the campaign when the meetings occurred.

When asked during confirmation what he would do if "anyone affiliated" with the campaign had been in contact with officials of the Russian government, Sessions replied he had not had communications with the Russians and answered "no" in a separate written questionnaire when asked about contacts regarding the election.

In a statement late Wednesday, Sessions said: "I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false."

The attorney general is splitting hairs about the meetings by referencing no discussions regarding the campaign. Claims that he perjured himself are extreme, but there remains the question of why he did not acknowledge meetings with the ambassador from the offset.

The continuing denials all around are troubling. Flynn refused to acknowledge his Russian connections. Sessions could easily have justified a meeting with the Russian ambassador but went out of his way to deny such.

Trump and his team have correctly argued that Russian attempts to undermine the United States  from domestic elections to foreign policy  are not new. And attempts by Trump foes to delegitimize his election based on Russian actions are illegitimate.

But the time has come to aggressively and quickly get answers. The president denies any inappropriate connections with Russia and thus should get out front in support of a process that will clear up the matter.

That is not going to happen with investigations by U.S. intelligence agencies, which have been openly criticized by Trump. Nor is it enough that committees in both the U.S. House and Senate are probing the matter.

An independent investigation is warranted and the president should immediately push for no less. The Trump administration does not need the specter of Russia hanging over its proverbial head as it tries to move ahead with policy and legislative initiatives.
The global workforce of Digicel is to be reduced by some 25 per cent over the next 18 months, beginning on March 1, Ash Wednesday.





This was announced by Colm Delves, Digicel Chief Executive Officer, last week Friday, and might have gone unheeded amidst the celebrations in those Caribbean countries served by Digicel, which would have been in the throes of their Pre-Lenten carnivals.





Delves, in a 6-minute 48 second You Tube video, told Digicel staff across its network that, "As such, the first step in this headcount reduction process will be the offer of an enhanced voluntary separation programme, which will open on March 1.





Depending on the response of the separation programme,the Digicel CEO said, "We may have to look at other forms of headcount reduction; but he assured employees that they would be kept updated, and promised that the company would "look after people as they leave the Digicel family.





The cut in the workforce is expected to affect the companys 6,500 full time employees, plus contractors and part-time workers in the Caribbean, Central America and in the Pacific.





The Irish-owned telecommunications group reported a six percent drop in revenue for September to December 2016, and said its debt had reached more than US$6 billion.





It blamed declining profits on currency weaknesses across several of its major markets, including Jamaica and Haiti.





The Irish Times reported that, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization rose one per cent to US$285 million on a constant-currency basis, they fell when earnings from Haiti, Jamaica and other markets were translated into US dollars. The Jamaican dollar has depreciated by 11 percent against the US dollar over the past two years, while the Haitian gourde has fallen more than 40 percent.





The company has made a commitment to reduce its debt ratio to 4.5 per cent by March 2018, and the workforce cut is in keeping with this intention.





There was no indication from the company with respect of how the reduction in staff was going to be spread across Digicels global markets, creating a sense of anxiety among Caribbean employees.





There is not a high incidence of unionisation among Digicel workers across the companys Caribbean operations, driving anxious workers in some territories to appeal to their respective governments for intervention on their behalf.
The years of perseverance, sacrifice and hard work came to an end of sorts for another batch of students, when the University of the West Indies Open Campus  St. Vincent and the Grenadines - held its Recognition of Graduates Ceremony, last week Friday.





A total of 63 persons were involved in the graduation exercise, which included 13 first class honours  a record for St Vincent and the Grenadines according to Deborah Dalrymple, local Open Campus Head.





The graduating class was made up of participants in programmes ranging from Certificate to Masters degrees, and in disciplines ranging from Accounting to Guidance and Counselling.





The day was one of celebration, and, according to Dalrymple, it was customary to salute the students on their big day.





She recognized that the journey for some was not easy. Programmes are pursued part time, and students often have to juggle between a full time job, family and dealing with all the other challenges that life often throws out.





"You have earned respect as you have persevered. Today marks the successful end, she said.





Value of Knowledge





Deputy Director (Ag) Continuing Professional Education, UWI Open Campus in St Kitts - Sarah Owen also commended the graduates for their achievements, and for being able to complete the required course work amidst the usual day to day activities.





Owen went on further to commend the group for the range of disciplines in which degrees were attained, saying that it was testament of the intellectual capacity of the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and their dedication to the development of the country.





"This ceremony recognizes the certificates that you have been awarded as a symbol of the knowledge that you have gained. What we are celebrating here is the advanced knowledge that you have gained, with the hope and the expectation that you will bring it to good value through practice, Owen said.





"Given the fields of study selected, and the vast number who have graduated with honours and distinctions, your commitment to increasing the value of the knowledge you have gained is clearly evident, she added.





Not giving up





Valedictorian Nick Francis in his address, spoke first hand of what the experience was like.





"We all had a part to play in our achievements; in fact we inspired each other, we encouraged each other, and over the past four years, we have forged relationships that surpass the category of classmate to lifelong friendship. Indeed, such relationships will continue to grow and flourish long after we leave this hall, he said.

Francis paid special tribute to the single parents who made it to the end.





"Your ability to study and perform well while looking after the needs of your children, is truly remarkable and deserves the highest recognition, he said.





While individuals challenged themselves to grasp the material, reading the same material a number of times to ensure that they understood the concept being presented, Francis confessed that there were those instances when individuals wanted to give up.





They, however, exercised good discipline, and were able to accomplish the task.

And regardless to whatever reason individuals made the decision to earn a higher degree, the Valedictorian encouraged them to go out and make a difference in society, and to advocate for positive development in teh nation. (DD)
Top ten primary school writers, featuring winner Joshua Harry (centre front), 2nd place Kristy Da Silva (2nd from left front), 3rd place Jolece Yammie (2nd from right front) and Best Descriptive Awardee Annique Patterson (furthest right front).





"Written communication is one of the key skills taught in schools, but it is also one of the areas with which students struggle.





Writing calls us to pull from all of the faculties we have developed: organizing, thinking on our feet, and other 20th century skills we have nurtured. A competition calls for even more than these, as there is no opportunity for researching and so on.





These were the sentiments expressed by Mrs. Aldia Dyer, Senior Education Officer, Curriculum, at the commencement of the Prize Giving Ceremony of the Ministry of Education Hodder Grade 6 Writing Competition, held at Frenches House on Thursday 23rd February.





The competition, according to Mrs. Elizabeth Austin, Education Officer in the Language, Literacy and Communication Department at the Curriculum Unit, began on January 6th, 2017 and saw increased participation among schools. A total of fifty-three schools entered competitors (one per school), representing 80% of the primary schools in the country. Of the total participation, forty-four were girls and nine, boys.

By the law of averages, it would seem that it would have been a foregone conclusion that the winner would come from among the females.





That was not to be. Ten-year-old Joshua Harry of the Kingstown Preparatory School, among the youngest of all competitors, walked away with the top position, and in the process, gained for himself a medal, a certificate, a trophy, a chrome book, and a bag of Hodder paraphernalia. For his school, he won a trophy.





Like the other students, Joshua wrote an essay in the first round, and was one of ten students selected for the finals, which was conducted on the morning of the Prize Giving Ceremony. The finalists, in addition to Harry, were: Kristy DaSilva - Richland Park SDA; Annique Patterson -Calliaqua Anglican; Genevieve McMaster - Windsor Primary; Jaydealeah Chambers - Barrouallie Government; Maleeka Providence - Gomea Methodist; Brenell Joseph - Kingstown Anglican; Cody Bartley - Fitz Hughes Government; Ronece Robertson - Belmont Government; and Jolece Yammie - Calder Government School.





The finalists had four scenarios from which to choose one on which to write a composition - expository, narrative, persuasive, or descriptive  in fifty minutes:





In addition to the first prize, awards were given for the best writer in each category of the finals. Annique Patterson won the best Descriptive Award; Genevieve McMaster won the Best Persuasive; Jaydealeah Chambers, Best Narrative; and Cody Bartley, Best Expository Award.





Coming in second position behind Joshua was Kristy Da Silva, with Jolece Yammie placing third.

In outlining the sponsoring bodys opinion on the contest, Mr. Byron Wilson, local representative of Hodder Publisher told the ceremony, "Hodder is pleased to partner with the Ministry of Education, adding, "Hodder welcomes the improvement in numbers as it views the competition as an opportunity for the students, not for Hodder nor the Ministry. We urge the Ministry of Education to continue to provide opportunity for student self-expression.





Hodder is a recognized and established publisher in the United Kingdom, and is the second largest primary publisher there.
One of the men, known only as Buju sustained a wound just about the wrist on his left arm.





Two men were apprehended by police last week Tuesday night, following a dispute with security guards at Randys Supermarket, Lower Bay Street, Kingstown.





According to employees of the supermarket, the two men entered the business place and started acting in an unruly manner. One worker said that they were told to behave themselves, since they were disturbing other customers. One of them replied that they were customers too.





A patron at the time of the drama, said, "Dem man come in to make trouble. De security tell dem to go so (out of the supermarket) but dem say how dem ah consumer and dey come to shop.





The men continued with their noise, causing further visible discomfort among workers and customers alike. When the disturbance heightened, a security officer on duty at the supermarket confronted the men, but the situation got out of hand.





Customers inside the supermarket as well as workers ran for cover as a tussle ensued between the security guard and the men. One of the men, known only a Buju, sustained a wound during the skirmish.





The main entrance was shut at this time, and management called the police. They arrived at around 8:10 pm.

During this time, customers and workers were trapped inside the supermarket.





Persons peeped through the supermarket windows to get a glimpsed of what was taking place.

On arrival, the police moved swiftly to apprehend the men, and led them to a police transport.





In an interview with THE VINCENTIAN moments before being taken away in the police transport, Buju said they that their rights were being violated.





He also showed the bloody wound on his hand which he claimed was inflicted by a cutlass. In the chaos, he threatened legal action.





After the men were taken away, persons were allowed back into the supermarket to carry out their shopping.

Blood stains could be seen on the floor of the business place, a telling reminder of what had just transpired.




The medical doctor who was found guilty and served time for contributing to the death of musical icon Michael Jackson, was recently in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Dr. Conrad Robert Murray arrived here at the Argyle International Airport on Tuesday 14th February, the day the airport was officially opened. He arrived in the same executive jet that brought Rohan Sinanan, Trinidad and Tobagos Minister of Works and Transport, and Trinidadian Businessman Dereck Chin.

Dr. Murrays visit, according to reliable sources, was a secret, with even the Prime Minister, in his own admission, not knowing of in advance.





Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, speaking on Boom Radio last Friday, said that he did not know it was Dr. Murray who had disembarked the plane along with Chin and others, until someone informed him.





On the question of why Dr. Murray was here, the Prime Minister speculated that if Murray was looking to invest in this country, his government would not object, "but it depends on what he is investing into (and) I wouldnt on the face of it, say that because a man went to prison for a particular matter. There is a man who went to prison and who is heading a church.





But the Prime Minister made it clear that, "I would want to know what the person wants to invest in. For instance, if he wants to invest in a medical facility, I will find that problematic.





Dt. Gonsalves said that he did not know if Murray wanted to invest in the development proposed for Arnos Vale, where, it is hoped, Derek Chin would set up a MovieTowne/Cineplex franchise.





Who is Dr. Murray





Conrad Murray was born in Grenada and was the personal physician of Michael Jackson, up to the time of Jacksons death, June 25, 2009.





Jacksons death was ruled a homicide, due to an overdose of propofol which Murray admitted he administered to Jackson the day the pop star died.





On February 8, 2010, Murray was charged with manslaughter; he pleaded not guilty, denying any wrongdoing in connection with Jacksons death.





He was convicted in November 2011 and received the maximum jail sentence of four years. His Texas medical licence was revoked, and his California and Nevada licences were suspended.





After serving two years of his sentence, Murray was released on October 28, 2013, due to prison overcrowding.
I am pleased to state here today that the New Democratic Party, having refreshed its leadership and deepened its mandate for change, has its eyes set on a new Vincentian reality and a future of boundless possibilities of and for our people.





What has not changed, however, is the poor state of our economy and the hardship people and businesses are currently enduring. After 16 years in power, the status quo has become stale, reactionary, petty and bitter. That status quo now depends on a policy of divide and rule to maintain its tenuous hold on power, using the largesse of the state to fatten its most loyal supporters, while the rest of the people get only the crumbs that fall from their corruptibles.





I believe we can do much better than we are doing now. However, our priority must be the people. Put another way, government must always put our people first all the people. That is why we continue to call not just our traditional supporters, but people who have grown disenchanted by the culture of divisive politics that has developed under the ULP and yearn for a better day when we all come together to build our country as one nation, one people, one vincy.





When we put our people first, we see more clearly that projects are important only to the extent that they improve peoples lives. This involves first and foremost providing jobs, especially for our young people trying to start their careers. It means creating a business climate that fosters entrepreneurship and investment and rewards both, irrespective of political coloration. It means giving farmers the support they need so that they will feel confident to cultivate their lands again. In short, it means putting the country back to working rebuilding our economy. In so doing, we can transform St. Vincent and the Grenadines into one of the most prosperous countries in the region, and this is my mandate, this is our goal as the New Democratic Party, nothing less.





The Elections Petitions Appeal





The appeals in the elections petitions filed by Mr. Benjamin Exeter and Mr. Lauron Baptiste, will be heard by the Court of Appeal on March 7, 2017. The hearing will take place in St. Lucia. The lawyers representing Mr. Exeter and Mr. Baptiste will be Mr. Stanley John, QC, Mrs. Kay Bacchus-Baptiste, Mr. Keith Scotland and Ms. Maia Eustace. They, along with Mr. Exeter and Mr. Baptiste, will travel to St. Lucia on Monday, March 6, 2017 for the hearing. As President of the New Democratic Party, I will also be present at the hearing.





As you know, following the General Elections held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the 9th December 2015, two of the candidates for the New Democratic Party, Mr. Exeter and Mr. Baptiste, filed petitions challenging the election results in Central Leeward and North Windward constituencies, respectively. As required by the legislation governing elections petitions, recognizances were signed by persons intending to be sureties to provide security for costs on behalf of the petitioners, so that the petitions could proceed.





The Respondents in the matters, (i.e. the relevant Returning Officer, Presiding Officer, the Supervisor of Elections, Sir Louis Straker, Mr. Montgomery Daniel and the Attorney General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines) filed applications in the Court to have the petitions struck out on the basis that they had not met the requirements of section 58(1)(b) and (c) of The Representation of the People[s1] Act and Rule 9 of the House of Assembly (Election Petition Rules) 2014 which set out the procedure and conditions for providing security for costs.





The application to strike out the petitions was heard before Justice Brian Cottle on the 4th March, 2016. At that hearing, the Petitioners lawyers made a preliminary objection to the application on the basis that the Court lacked jurisdiction to hear it at that stage of the petitions proceedings. Despite the objections of the lawyers for our candidates, the Judge proceeded to hear the application to strike out the petitions. In a written decision delivered on the 4th day of April, 2016, Justice Cottle ultimately agreed with our candidates lawyers and ruled that the petitions could not be struck at that stage of the proceedings. However, unusually, went on further to state that if the application to strike out the petitions were raised again , later, during the hearing of the petitions on their merits, it was bound to succeed.





When the petitions came before Justice Cottle for hearing on the 16th June 2016, the motion to strike out the petitions was again brought by the Respondents. The motion was granted (as Justice Cottle had previously said would happen) and the petitions were struck out. Mr. Exeter and Mr. Baptiste appealed against that decision striking out their petitions. After much delay and despite the efforts of the lawyers for Mr. Exeter and Mr. Baptiste to have the appeal heard earlier, the appeal will finally be heard next Tuesday March 7, 2017.





After the arguments are presented by the lawyers for both sides in the matter on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, it will be up to the Court of Appeal to decide whether Justice Cottle was right or wrong to strike out the petitions.

We are confident that our Petitioners cases are strong and that the Court will grant the appeal and overturn Justice Cottles decision. Should the Court grant the appeal, the petitions will then be able to proceed to a hearing on their merits before a judge in the High Court. We believe that, based on the law and the evidence in the cases, our candidates Mr. Exeter and Mr. Baptiste will win their legal battle.





The New Democratic Party fully supports Mr. Exeter and Mr. Baptiste in their efforts to see that justice is done for the people of Central Leeward and North Windward, and by extension, for the people of the country as a whole. Democracy in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is on trial in this case. Therefore, it is vitally important that it be pursued resolutely and be decided by the Court without further delay. It has been a long and frustrating battle for justice, but we will see it through to the end, and by the grace of God, Mr. Exeter and Mr. Baptiste will prevail and we will have fresh elections in this country.
A New Zealand national visiting these shores was on Monday fined $400 forthwith or six months in prison for cocaine possession.





Jackson Rogers, who was holidaying here, was taken before the Serious Offences Court after he was found in possession of 0.7 grams of cocaine at Port Elizabeth, Bequia, around 3:56 a.m. last Saturday.

Rogers pleaded guilty when he was taken before the Serious Offences Court on Monday and admitted that he was a user of cocaine.





According to the facts, police had found the drug in one of Rogers front pockets of his trousers when they met him in the company of another person at the back of the Port Elizabeth Vegetable market. A search was conducted on his person after he began acting suspiciously.





Before handing down the penalty, Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne warned the visitor about the danger of using cocaine. She advised him to enjoy the sun, sea, and the coconut water, on visiting St. Vincent and the Grenadines.





Checks by THE VINCENTIAN confirmed that Rogers paid the fine. (HH)




Minister of Transport and Works, Senator Julian Francis has admitted that problems relating to the ministry, contractors and consultants, have caused the delay in the completion of the South Leeward highway project.





Francis said on Wednesday morning while speaking on Xtreme FM, that the project was overdue and that he had seen some correspondence where they were looking to extend it to April.





The minister admitted that there was some contention between the contractors, but that was expected to be settled by the end of this week, or early next week.





Francis said that he too have had issues with the consultants, and that he feels that the personnel within the ministry charged with overseeing the project, did not manage it properly.





He assured that he was dealing with it, but that there were still some areas, along the highway, that needed some attention, for example an area in Questelles where he said the road was widened and the bank excavated.

There was another collapse in the area last week, and this is because of the lack of proper design, Francis said.

He was the minister and not a trained engineer, so he was unable to give instructions as to how to solve the problem, he quipped.





Francis also highlighted concerns with that area of the higway in the vicinity of the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.





According to Francis, he proposed that the drains bringing water from the Montrose area ought to have been rebuilt to be able to handle the volumes of water. Unfortunately, this was not done, and now there were negotiations taking place with the Anglican Bishop for permission to direct a drain through Church property located in the area of the Victoria Park, so as to allow for the passage of water into the North River.

In a general comment, Francis posited that "It is difficult to rebuild a road while it is being used, especially one that is as narrow and precipitous as the South Leeward highway, he explained, adding that the plan may be to complete 300 feet of road in one work session, but the actual work effected may only be 150 feet, a direct result of hindrances caused by vehicular traffic, not to mention weather related factors. (DD)
The actual birthday is not accurately recorded. The idea, though, came to fruition in 1967 for sure, and as far as patriarch and manager Errol Sutherland remembers, the band got its name Starlift in August 1967.





Sutherland credits Walton Tanny Peters, renowned steelband man, calypso composer and policeman by profession, as the driving force behind the formation of the Starlift Steel Orchestra. Other pioneers were Simeon Spitter Antrobus, Cedric Teddy Mice Samuel, Hugh Paddy Williams, and Gideon Socks DaSilva.





The orchestra soon adopted the motto - Men will come! Men will go! But Starlift remains forever, and has endeavoured to live up to the thrust imbedded therein.





In so doing, the orchestra has become the most successful Panorama champion in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. They boast 20 senior and 10 Junior panorama titles.





Satrlift will take those accolades and more into a series of events to mark its 50th milestone anniversary.

At a media briefing last Wednesday at the Methodist Church Hall, Kingstown, and chaired by long-standing member Garth Williams, Stalifts top brass outlined those activities.





According to the orchestras Captain  Roddy Dowers, the events will run throughout the balance of the year, under the theme WE 50!, climaxing on December 16 with a concert which Sutherland quipped would be "special and memorable.





The concert, though not meant to be, could well be the culmination of a series of smaller concerts that are intended to criss-cross the state, with a major one scheduled for Kingstown.





But the events get going a lot sooner, with a clean-up exercise in the Old Montrose community scheduled for this Saturday, March 4.





The clean-up will focus on the river that cuts through Block 2000, the banks of which provided the home of the very beginnings of the orchestra. This location has fond memories for the original complement of players, who oftentimes had to retrieve bass pans from the water, when the river overflowed its banks and took whatever (basses included) was in its way.





A Thanksgiving Service comes off at the Kingstown Methodist Church Sunday, March 12.

That will be a prelude to the honouring of Tanny, in a special function planned for Block 2000, March 14  National Heroes Day.





Carnival will not be lost in the exuberance that is expected to characterise the milestone year. Kingsley Hero Roberts, the orchestras Musical Director/Arranger, assured that Starlift will compete in the 2017 panoramas, with the Juniors already fired up to make it five in a row of titles.





In addition, the orchestra will collaborate with the New York based SVG Connect, to produce a JOuvert band for Vincy Mas 2017, a means of returning steelband music to the road.





Present at Wednesdays launch was Alston Becket Cyrus, one of this nations cultural icons, who was a member of Starlift and, in fact, made the count for the orchestra at the 1968 Panorama.





Also present were Central Kingstowns Parliamentary Representative St. Clair Leacock; Manager St. Vincent Cooperative Banks Laverne Gibson Velox; and Managing Director of Gonsalves Liquors Lennox Gonsalves, one of Starlifts primary benefactors throughout the years.





THE VINCENTIAN congratulates the Starlift Steel Orchestra on its achievement of this milestone, and wishes its management, players and supporters success through another 50 years. (WKA)
St. Kitts and Nevis Commissioner of Police Ian Queeley is excited by the new technologies that will be employed to fight crime going forward. (Credit: SKN News)

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (WINN)  The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis has recorded a whopping 56.8 per cent increase in crime in 2016, as compared to 2015.





This is according to statistics released by the Royal St. Kitts and Nevis Police Force last week, which show that the total number of reported crimes in 2016 was 1,643(including 31 homicides), compared to 2015 with 1,048 (including 28 homicides).





All but two categories of crime showed increases.





Woundings by firearms fell from 15 to 5, a decrease of 66%, while woundings by other means rose by 65%, from 69 in 2015 to 114 in 2016.





The other category showing a decrease was robberies - 65 in 2015 to 57 in 2016, a decrease of over 12 per cent.





Despite the rise in reported crimes, Commissioner of Police Ian Queeley said that the six point crime fighting plan police have been employing since late 2015 has been successful.





And he may have even more hope going forward, with the announcement last week by Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr. The Honourable Timothy Harris, that the government will soon introduce several new technologies to aid the Police Force in its fight against crime.





In fact, the High Command of the police force, has already issued statements of welcome of the new technologies that can bolster the prevention and reduction of crime in St. Kitts and Nevis.





Commissioner Queeley, speaking since the PMs announcement, assured that his men and women will "continue the embrace of new technology, including the roll out of the enhanced CCTV system providing for more coverage of our communities.





Officers were currently in the Republic of China (Taiwan), being trained in a "real world dynamic environment on the use of this system.





Kittitians and Nevisians can also look forward to the use of Unmanned Air Assets (Drones) later this year to assist with the fight against crime.





Already in place in the twin island federation is a Crime Reporter App, which allows for interaction between citizens and the police for the reporting of crime, be it active, past, or future. The app can be downloaded from the Google play or the Apple Store.





Queeley assured the public that the police force will continue to incorporate good forensic practices in building cases for prosecution, and praised the addition of Mr. Narace Ramnarine as the new head of the Forensic Services Unit, who he described as having had immediate impact with his leadership and management skills.

St. Kitts and Nevis is said to have a population of 44,000 occupying a combined land mass of 104 square miles. (Source: Caribbean 360 and PM Office-SKN)
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By Azernews





By Laman ?smayilova

Vogue UK has highlighted one of the leading collections to be launched at this years London Fashion Week  the Karabakh-Collection by the 25-year-old Berlin-based designer,Leonie Mergen.

The coverage came in the wake of the UK presentation of the collection at London Fashion Week, attended by around 5000 members of the international fashion elite, Azertac reported.

This followed two landmark runway events in Berlin  the world premiere of the collection at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and the LOreal Professionel brand event.

The young designer was inspired by the iconography of the Azerbaijani region of Karabakh, which has remained under illegal Armenian occupation for a quarter of a century. She was particularly taken by the Azerbaijani game of chovkan (a more exciting precursor of polo) that originated in the region and is played on Golden Karabakh Horses.

The stunning ensembles features patterns reminiscent of the countrys famous tapestries, with signature necklines and sleeved capes making an appearance in both men's and women's clothing. Azerbaijans legacy as a hub on the historical Silk Road and as a leader in horse breeding can be seen in Leonies designs, with equestrian-influenced leather accessories and sophisticated silk elements playing an essential role in her collection.

Sleek magazine wrote that the designer combined plunging necklines and sleeved capes with buttery-soft leather and delicate silk  a reference to Azerbaijans legacy as a hub on the ancient Silk Road. Geometric navy and burgundy patterns evoke the regions infamous tapestries in the designers distinctive first show.

Writing for C-Heads Magazine, commentator Harry Leath wrote the following:

"Furs, silk, velvet and leather combine to exude an imperious sophistication whilst conceding a polite modesty in form; it is resplendent with deep, regal colours and rich with warm, classic textures. Mergen is an honest admirer of tradition and shows us how we can marry tradition with progression; we do not have to eschew tradition in order to move forward, we must embrace it with unfettered honesty.

The Karabakh-Collection is a very interesting project for TEAS. We are very happy to see that it has created considerable interest in Azerbaijani culture and that it has been picked up by a wide audience, ranging from media representatives all the way to industry professionals, said Taleh Heydarov, Chairman, Founder, TEAS.

A fashion collection with this degree of international coverage and attention helps a great deal in showing to a wider public that there is an occupied Azerbaijani region called Nagorno-Karabakh and that steps have to be undertaken to protect our national heritage across all areas of culture and by harnessing the power of civil society, he added.








By Azernews





By Rashid Shirinov

The European Parliament must contribute to the stability in the South Caucasus and making long-term political decisions.

Head of the Delegation of EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Association Committee, Sajjad Karim, made the remark in his statement issued in connection with the illegal visit of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to the Armenia-occupied Azerbaijani territories.

Karim reminded that the Azerbaijani Prosecutor Generals Office issued three international arrest warrants this week against MEPs Eleni Theocharous, Frank Engel and Jaromir St?tina for having visited Nagorno-Karabakh region and having, through their behavior, supported the illegal regime created there.

On February 20, the MEPs named above carried out observations of a process organized locally in Nagorno-Karabakh region, he said, mentioning that no official European Parliament observation mission has been organized in Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Any impression given contrary to this is therefore without merit and completely unfounded, he said. The MEPs are free to visit areas of their choosing and promote their individual beliefs. At the same time, the MEPs should responsibly pay attention to the obvious fragility of the ceasefire and the need to support the political mediation processes in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and be clear of their unofficial individual status for all such visits.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions pay special attention to the illegal activity in the occupied areas of Azerbaijan. Unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied regions of Azerbaijan are considered illegal and individuals who pay such visits are included in the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys black list.

Earlier, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev said that the activities of those, who are included in the "list of undesirable persons" are reviewed in the complex and studied on crime element. "After that, legal prosecution mechanisms will be implemented if necessary. Hajiyev cited the case of blogger Alexander Lapshin as an example.

Lapshin will stand trial in Baku for his illegal visits to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. He paid a number of visits to Azerbaijans occupied lands, where he voiced support for "independence" of the illegal regime, and made public calls against Azerbaijans internationally recognized territorial integrity.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.
By Azernews





By Kamila Aliyeva

Geneva talks over the Syrian crisis did not achieve any tangible breakthrough, but they have not come to a dead end as well as they mostly served as a preliminary stage for more serious and in-depth negotiations anticipated to begin soon.

A Syrian official in the main opposition delegation taking part in the UN-mediated talks in Geneva said discussions will continue on March 3 with a focus on the issue of political transition in Syria, according to AP.

Nasr al-Hariri said that his delegation held "very positive" and detailed discussions with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on the issue of political transition in the war-torn country.

Al-Hariri also stated that the political process is not an easy process, it cannot be concluded in one or two weeks, more effort and more time is needed and stressed that his delegation was willing to keep negotiating.

Head of the Syrian government delegation to Geneva talks Bashar Jaafari, in turn, stated that progress of the talks must not be held hostage to the position of the Riyadh platform.

Jaafari accused the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) - the main opposition group formed in the Saudi capital - of refusing to unify with two smaller opposition groups.

"We heard statements issued by Riyadh platform, which rejected the inclusion of the issue of combating terrorism as the fourth on the agenda (at the intra-Syrian talks)," he said at a press conference after a meeting with UN special envoy with Staffan de Mistura on March 2.

Jaafari added that Riyadh delegation will be responsible for any failure of Geneva talks.

Earlier, the delegation of HNC stated that the fight against terrorism is not a priority at intra-Syrian talks in Geneva as this topic can be discussed in Astana, the official spokesman of the delegation Salem al-Muslim stated.

The "difficult" topic of fighting terrorism may be assigned to the transitional government in Syria, when it is established, a member of the HNC delegation at the Geneva talks Abdulhakim Bashar said. Thats why the opposition delegation offers to focus on the issue of transition for now.

De Mistura has had a week of bilateral talks with both the Syrian government and opposition groups, which have yet to formally sign off on the agenda he proposed.

The fourth round of the UN-backed intra-Syrian talks between the government and opposition factions in Geneva will end on March 3, the new round is scheduled for March 20.

Armed conflict continues in Syria since March 2011. Government troops are confronted by militants of different armed rebel groups. Russia has begun airstrikes on terrorist facilities in Syria since 30 September 2015. The Russian military involvement follows an official request from President Bashar Assad to President Vladimir Putin.

The UN has repeatedly tried but failed to end the Syrian conflict, which has killed 300,000 and displaced 11 million since it began five years ago.
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, one of the leading Islamicbanks in the UAE.

The total Islamic banking assets in the UAE have increased to approximately Dh520 billion ($141.58 billion) in the past few years, said Saif Hadef Al Shamsi, assistant governor for monetary policy and financial stability at the UAE Central Bank.

Al Shamsi was quoted by Wam news agency as saying that Islamic banking' assets account for around 20 percent of Dh2.6 trillion ($ of the total assets of the state's banks, noting that there are seven Islamic banking and financial institutions operating in the country.

He pointed out that UAE Islamic banking institutions account for about 7 percent of the total assets of Islamic banking around the world which approximately amount to a total of $1.5 trillion.

Islamic banking deposits increased by 42 percent over the past three years, compared to an 18 percent growth rate in conventional banking institutions, and that lending by Islamic banks increased by 54 percent, he added.
Etisalat Group and Qualcomm Technologies have signed a strategic agreement to work together to advance the development of next generation network technologies.

The collaboration will focus on accelerating 5G standardisation to bring forward the possibility of commercially available 5G networks as early as 2019.

As part of the agreement, the two companies will also look to work with regulators for spectrum capability and handset manufacturers, to quicken the capability to the next generation of mobile networks. In addition, they aim to conduct a 5G demonstration in Mena region. Qualcomm will provide the chipset, integral to enabling 5G capability of handsets.

The agreement was signed by Hatem Bamatraf, chief technology officer international, Etisalat Group, and Jay Srage, president, Qualcomm, Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe.

Bamatraf said: "In this fast-changing digital age collaboration is king and we need to look at holistic business solutions to realise the opportunities that digital provides. 5G is critical to realising the vision of countries around the whole for the Smart City concept, as well as delivering the network capability to meet the rapid rise in demand for data from our customers.

"By working together, and engaging with the wider mobile eco-system, Etisalat Group and Qualcomm Technologies aim to advance the preparatory development of 5G enabling us to make the service commercial available quicker than expected, which will enhance our customers experience," he added.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi symbolically inaugurated the first phase of Siemens megaproject in Egypt on March 2.



The event marked an important milestone towards the completion of the project, which will boost the countrys power generation capacity by 45 per cent when finished.



Together with its local partners Orascom Construction and Elsewedy Electric, Siemens broke all records in modern power plant construction by connecting 4.8 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity to the grid in only 18 months after the signing of the contract for the companys biggest single order ever.



Complementary to the megaproject, Siemens supports the development of future highly skilled Egyptian workforce, and has announced the details of a strategic alliance agreement between Germanys Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the company to support occupational training in Egypt.



The announcement was made by Joe Kaeser, President and CEO of Siemens at an event, which was attended by local officials and business leaders.



As part of the agreement, Siemens will join forces with the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of BMZ, for the establishment and the operation of a joint training centre as well as the strengthening of one selected Egyptian public vocational training institute. The programme was designed in line with Egypts objectives outlined in Egypt Vision 2030 to promote long-term economic growth, create new jobs and increase the competiveness of Egyptian industries.



In addition to building a modern and efficient power infrastructure for the Egyptian people, Siemens is also supporting the training of a local workforce of more than 5,500 talented individuals in the next four years, said Kaeser. This strategic partnership with Germanys Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development signifies a new milestone in Siemens history in Egypt, and underscores our joint commitment to support the countrys long-term growth and development.



Gerd Muller, German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, said: Sustainable development needs private investment and a qualified workforce. Our close cooperation with Siemens will ensure that the new vocational training centre takes the needs of the local job market into account. We want to provide the basis for further investment and more jobs in Egypt.



Occupational training and the development of local skills are crucial to boosting local growth and increasing hiring prospects in the power industry and other sectors of the economy. For instance, in the energy sector alone, more than 20,000 workers and technicians are engaged at Siemens three power plant sites during implementation.



The new training centre will serve as a sustainable vocational and industry-specific training provider that enriches the countrys technical talent pool. When completed, the approximately 2,000 sq m facility, which will be built in the Ain Sokhna area, will serve to train 5,500 selected technicians and engineers over four years. Career starters will be trained in advanced skills such as operation, maintenance, and repair in the energy sector; in addition to vast range of cross-industrial electrical and mechanical trades; automation and control, mechatronics as well as other areas that are important for the Egyptian economy.



Located at the New Suez Canal Development Zone, the facility will offer the latest technology, simulating real-life conditions, using a variety of training courses and different approaches to prepare technicians and engineers throughout the region with specific skills that will be needed in their careers.



Siemens and GIZ will also strengthen one public vocational training institute, following the example of the German vocational education system to meet future professional and business demands. Successful graduates will be offered the opportunity to join the BMZ-Siemens training center and later on have the chance to join the expanding industry sectors in Egypt.



The construction of the training centre is scheduled to begin in 2017, with the facility scheduled to open in 2018. Siemens is one of Germanys largest private educational institutions with training programs for 9,000 apprentices and university students.



The construction works for Siemens megaproject in Egypt are enormous. More than 1,600,000 tons of material - including 960,000 tons of concrete and 48,000 tons of rebar steel - will be processed until completion. At Beni Suef, massive excavation works were necessary to prepare the site, leading to the removal of around 1,750,000 cu m of rocks. This is equivalent to the volume of the smaller Giza pyramid. When completed, each of the three power plants, located at Beni Suef, New Capital and Burullus, is set to become the biggest gas-fired combined-cycle power station in the world. Altogether, the three power plants will have a combined capacity of 14.4 GW.



To increase the capacity of the transmission network nationwide, Siemens has successfully put the first three substations into operation that will transmit the electricity generated by the three power plants to Egypts power grid. The three substations, Etay El-Baroud, Maghagha and Kafr El Zayat, were ready for operation within ten months from signing the contracts, to match the implementation timeframe of the power plants. In December 2016, Siemens and El Sewedy Electric T&D, signed a contract with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) for the design, engineering, supply and installation of six substations, located in the cities of Maghagha, Etay El-Baroud, Banha, Wadi El-Natroun, Assiut and Kafr El Zayat. The remaining substations will be completed and connected to the grid by the end of December 2017.



Siemens megaproject in Egypt also comprises 9-year service and maintenance agreements for the three power plants to help ensure the long-term reliability, availability and optimal performance of the units. The service and maintenance operations will be supported by Siemens digital services products and offerings, tapping into the companys advanced data analytics.



Financing was also an important source of support for the megaproject: The financing package for the Siemens part of the contracts was structured by Siemens Financial Services (SFS). It also included a tailored guarantee concept. The financing of major parts of Siemens and its local partners scope, for the three power plants, was provided by a consortium of international and regional banks. The credit facilities are largely covered by Export Credit Agencies. - TradeArabia News Service


Meet award-winning artisans and buy their products at Kerala Arts and Crafts Village
The Environmental Protection Agency will not require surveys from oil and gas operators meant to help the department craft a rule on existing sources of methane emissions, the agency announced Thursday.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt withdrew the Obama-era demand that producers complete surveys detailing methane emissions from production one day after a complaint letter from nine states, including Texas and Oklahoma, argued the surveys were time-consuming and costly for oil and gas producers.

Pruitt, the former attorney general for Oklahoma, said the agency would consider whether data collection was needed from industry before proceeding.

By taking this step, EPA is signaling that we take these concerns seriously and are committed to strengthening our partnership with the states, Pruitt said in a statement.

Industry, which had originally petitioned the EPA for more input in the rule-making process on emissions, welcomed the withdrawal Thursday, stating that the EPAs information request had turned into a punitive exercise in paperwork.

This information-gathering effort should have been a real opportunity for the decision-makers at EPA to better understand the complexities of the U.S. oil and natural gas industry, which ended up not being the case, Lee Fuller, executive vice president of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, said in a statement Thursday.

In Wyoming, where a significant portion of land is public, operators have pointed out that increasing red tape required by federal agencies to do business creates an uneven playing field. They lose out to places like South Dakota and Texas. But mostly, small and mid-sized producers are overwhelmed by the bureaucracy and now spend significant portions of their budgets on environmental and federal land experts, they say.

Environmental advocates, however, immediately pushed back on Pruitts decision. Eliminating the information request makes it difficult to know what oil and gas producers are emitting and set an early precedent of favoring industry over the environment from the new head of the EPA, they say.

Chris Merrill, of the Wyoming Outdoor Council, called Pruitts decision a shame.

All were talking about here is information. Data, Merrill said in an email. The EPAs original requirements would have armed citizens with the information they need to make informed decisions. This reversal under the Trump administration will only rob us of vital information that would have helped us protect our communities.

Pruitt called the move a step, but so did Merrill.

Its a step in exactly the wrong direction, he said.

Jon Goldstein, a senior policy adviser for the Environmental Defense Fund, has advocated in favor of stronger emissions standards for years in Wyoming, particular in the wake of serious air quality concerns in the Upper Green River Basin. He said he was concerned about Pruitts close ties with industry.

What the administrator seems to be doing here is shielding oil and gas companies from being more transparent about the waste and pollution problem that their operations pose to communities and to states like Wyoming, he said.

***

The EPA already developed rules on new and modified sources of emissions, which many say mimic Wyomings rules. The information request was directed at existing wells and facilities.

However, the EPA is not the only federal agency looking at methane leaks.

It has been the BLMs rule, which took effect in January, that has garnered the most attention nationwide, the most support from environmental advocates and the strongest opposition from industry.

Opponents say only the EPA has the right to regulate air quality.

The BLM jumped ahead of the EPA, rolling out methane rules before the EPA even had a chance, said John Robitaille, a critic of the BLM rule and vice president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming.

As for the EPA, it appears to be taking its rules straight from Wyomings playbook, proving that states are best poised to regulate their own industries, he said.

Its been a common refrain from those who oppose the BLMs rule, which is right now awaiting the Senates vote on whether Congress will strike it down.

Others have championed the BLM rule as a way to protect saleable resources like methane on public land while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

As for Wyomings rules being repeated by the feds, Goldstein, the policy adviser, said that was true, but only in some areas. Most of the new production growth in Wyoming has been in Laramie, Campbell and Converse counties, where Wyoming air quality restrictions are less stringent, he said.

What Thursdays decision means for the future of methane regulations on federal land is hard to predict, watchers say.

Those who want more regulations are worried.

Its a part of this pattern that instead of doing things that are smart to reduce these forms of pollution, they are running in the other direction, Goldstein said.

Many in the oil and gas business see Thursdays withdrawal of the survey as a positive for their sector but have no crystal ball for the future.

I dont know for sure. I would perhaps make that leap that they are not going forward for that existing source rule-making, mused Robitaille. There is too much going on in Washington. It just seems to be kind of a mess out there right now. Ultimately, all I know at this point is this information collection request has been stopped. I dont know what that means. I dont know what that will lead to. I just dont know.
A former Evansville public works employee says that he was fired due to his national origin and disability, according to a lawsuit filed in late January.

Roy Mestas alleges that his supervisor at Evansvilles public works department referred to him and another Hispanic city worker by a racial slur before eventually firing him.

Evansville denies all of Mestas claims that the supervisor made racist comments or discriminated against Mestas.

The city further stated that Mestas was not fired for discriminatory reasons.

Mestas was terminated as an employee at will, which does not require a reason for terminating employment, attorneys for the city wrote.

Mestas had previously sought to bring his case before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission but the U.S. Department of Justice declined to file suit.

After Mestas had back surgery, he claims his supervisor refused to allow him to use a snowblower to remove snow due to his back pain.

Thats what I have Mexicans for, to do this work, the supervisor allegedly said, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also claims that supervisor made frequent racist comments.

Mestas claims he complained about those comments but that his supervisor told him he had a Mexican wife and he says stuff like this to her all the time.

The city denies those allegations.

Mestas says he began working for Evansville in September 2012.

After injuring his back in November, Mestas did not return to work until January, when the lawsuit states that the supervisor was frustrated Mestas had not come to the office sooner to perform light-duty administrative work.

The supervisor said he had been told to fire Mestas if he could not perform his job duties, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit also claims that after Mestas returned to work in January, he was forced to work without assistance from other city workers and received harsh and concordancing treatment more frequently and more severely than other employees.

Mestas was fired in April 2013. Mestas is seeking financial damages due to a loss of employment and emotional distress.

The city denied every claim of discrimination made by Mestas and disputed the date that he began his employment.

Evansville is seeking to dismiss the lawsuit on a number of grounds, including that the city has immunity, that Mestas did not follow proper channels to make his claim and that the statute of limitations has expired.

The initial pretrial conference has been set for May 1 at U.S. District Court in Cheyenne.
A Casper police officer appeared in court Friday for the first time since being charged with abusing her adopted son.

Laura Wells had been vacationing out of state when her warrant was issued, and her attorney had been working with the Natrona County Sheriffs Office to arrange a time when she would turn herself in.

Wells, 41, wore civilian clothes at her appearance but was handcuffed. She sat with her head down as Natrona County Circuit Court Judge Steven Brown read the advisement of rights to all the defendants in the courtroom.

Brown set bond at $10,000.

Authorities have also charged her husband, Casper police Sgt. Todd Wells, with misdemeanor child endangerment. He made his initial court appearance last week.

The criminal case against the couple relates to their alleged mistreatment of two children Laura Wells adopted. Both officers were placed on administrative leave in November when the Casper Police Department learned they were the subject of a criminal investigation, Chief Jim Wetzel has said.

Laura Wells attorney said the couples children are no longer in their custody. Laura Wells said in court that she now lives in Texas.

The case began in May when the couples adopted daughter told officials at her school that Laura Wells had battered her, court documents allege. Investigators learned that a school official had noticed the girl had a partially bruised eye and swollen lip.

The girl told investigators with the Natrona County Sheriffs Office that Laura Wells had slapped and punched her on multiple occasions, according to court documents.

Court documents show the couples adopted son was also interviewed as part of the investigation. It was conducted at an institution that he was then staying after getting in trouble at home for poor grades, lying, stealing and not following Laura Wells rules.

The rules, according to the boy, included not being allowed out of his mothers sight, not being able to get up at night, not being allowed to talk with his sister and a requirement that he ask permission to do almost anything.

Among his punishments for breaking the rules was a requirement that he walk two hours each way to his school in ninth grade and an hour each way to a different school in 10th. He described having to sit on the front step of his home, in sight of a video camera, when he got home, and was not allowed inside unless one of the Wellses was home and awake.

He had to sit outside, in view of the video camera, no matter the weather, the documents allege.

The boy also described being locked in his room, being locked out of the house and being monitored by video cameras, including one in his room. He told investigators he was afraid to ask for snacks and would stutter out of fear.

In interviews with investigators, school officials, social workers and therapists outlined a method of harsh punishment that Laura Wells used on the children.

One 2008 report from a school principal and a social worker said that Laura Wells used extreme punishment to correct the kids behavior, including forcing the them to run until they threw up. A former therapist told investigators that Laura Wells parenting style was militant and demeaning.

Laura Wells spoke with investigators and said she slapped the girl only once during the incident in May. Wells also said she had spanked the girl and had slapped her three or four times in the past, according to the court documents.

Todd Wells told investigators he never saw Laura Wells use excessive punishment on either child. He said did not witness the altercation in May, but that Laura Wells had told him she slapped the girl. He also said he once stopped a fight between his wife and the boy, though he never saw any physical contact between them, the documents state.

At the hearing Friday, Assistant District Attorney Brett Johnson said Todd Wells was charged with the misdemeanor essentially for allowing this to happen.

If convicted, Laura Wells could face up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Todd Wells could face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine if found guilty of the misdemeanor offense in his case.
CHEYENNE  The Wyoming Legislature passed a bill that would allow Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturer, to sell cars directly to drivers in the state  with lawmakers enthusiastically proclaiming the move will give a bump to Powder River Basin coal.

Senate File 57 changed the states franchise law to allow direct sale of vehicles to Wyomingites without the use of independently owned car dealerships, said Daniel Witt, a manager of business development and policy for the Palo Alto, California-based company, who lobbied for the legislation.

But the bill had detractors, including an organization that represents legacy carmakers, which argued the legislation creates unfair competition. SF57 puts other automakers at a disadvantage because they must continue following franchise code, with its strict dictates on how manufacturers and dealerships do business, said Dan Gage of the Washington-based Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

Tesla, which sells two models and is about to unveil a third, doesnt market through a network of dealerships, Witt said.

The bill, which has been sent to Gov. Matt Meads desk for signature, will allow Telsa to open a showroom and service shop in Wyoming, Witt said. Now the bill has passed, the company will evaluate where to open a location.

Tesla records indicate it has sold about 50 cars to people who live in Jackson, Cheyenne and Casper. They have to take their cars to Denver or Salt Lake City for service under current law, he added.

The company sells a sedan and sport-utility vehicle, starting at about $70,000 and increasing to $150,000, depending on the model and its bells and whistles.

Witt drove a Model S from Denver to Cheyenne this week so lawmakers could take a spin. The $100,000 car had a feature that makes it semi-autonomous. Drivers can take their hands off the wheel and feet off the pedal, and the car will stay in the lane. People have to put their hands on the wheel every minute or so as a sign theyre paying attention, Witt said.

Weve been talking about these cars all session, Witt said. It seemed appropriate to bring one up for the folks who hadnt been able to see it previously. We wanted the bill to live on its merits. Now we feel like people should have the opportunity to experience what it is we want to bring to the state of Wyoming.

Rep. Nathan Winters, a Thermopolis Republican, noted that power plants in about 30 states generate electricity with Wyoming coal. He argued that supporting the bill would be a way to support Wyomings fossil fuels.

We should never be scared of the future, he said.

However, Gage of the Auto Alliance said nothing in current law precluded Tesla from selling to Wyomingites.

We believe all manufacturers should be required to follow the same product distribution laws by state, he said. By providing one or a select few new manufacturers an exemption to these rules provides an unfair market advantage, a competitive advantage to them.

The legacy automakers agreed to a set of rules 50 years ago makes it illegal for them to sell directly to customers, he said.

Gages organization represents a dozen car manufacturers, including Ford, GM, Mercedes and Toyota. Together, they represent over 70 percent of the U.S. market, he said.

While auto manufacturers believe the system needs to be reformed, SF57 was created to help companies such as Tesla and not them, he said.

And Tesla isnt the only company involved in automobile innovation, he said.

Most of them have electronic models, electric versions of vehicles across different price points, he said of his organizations members. All of them are incorporating really interesting technical innovations in their vehicles. So Tesla is not unique in that. Tesla is a niche company.

The Wyoming Legislature is expected to adjourn Friday.
Uber, the national ridesharing service, launched in Wyoming on Friday, offering services across the state.

Gov. Matt Mead was expected to sign the ridesharing legislation at 2 p.m. Friday, making it legal for the company to operate in Wyoming, according to a news release from the company.

The company has been talking with potential drivers in some of Wyomings larger cities, including Casper, Cheyenne, Jackson and Laramie, but stated it will be available anywhere in the state. Exact service locations, however, will depend on the availability of drivers.

Companies like Lyft and Uber operate by connecting drivers with riders over a smartphone app.

The Wyoming legislation passed with little opposition and few amendments. Wyoming was one of the few states in the country without the ridesharing service.

Nationally, Uber is under fire from drivers who have seen their pay reduced as it tries to cut prices to beat competitors, according to the Associated Press.

For more information go to uber.com.
RIVERTON  University of Wyoming President Laurie Nichols visited Wind River Indian Reservation schools this week as part of an outreach effort to promote new programs available for American Indian students attending UW.

Her visit Wednesday also included a stop at the chambers of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho business councils.

Nichols also apologized for an incident in September 2015, when some students from St. Stephen's Indian School were falsely accused of stealing from the UW book store.

School board member Ronald Oldman thanked Nichols for her apology and added that it was important for the university to look after its American Indian students. He said he and other tribal members experienced what those students faced, but to a lesser extent.
Editor:

To: Wyoming Legislators

It is my understanding that the now passed Senate version of HB236 included a .5 percent sales tax revenue piece in it (0.5 percent sales-tax increase: page 17, line 12 in Engrossed version HB236) of which I thought I was told here locally just this week that there was and would be none.

That being as it may coupled with the knowledge that the House substitute version of HB236 had a 2.5 percent revenue piece in it (to raise our sales tax by that amount) will most likely be an attempt to yet have new taxes in the reconciled version of the bill when presented to the sitting governor -- whom along with plenty of you our servant legislators are responsible for having gotten us into to this fiscal and budgetary mess in the first place and now expect us to trust you to fix it?

Sounds like all too familiar a feigned love song weve heard before; a bit like what this nation went through with the federal government these past couple of straddled (overlapping) administrations prior to the current one.

Speaking of which just as a reminder, there seems to have been a message sent even to the state of Wyoming in the voting in of Donald J. Trump as president -- in that, if I am not mistaken, approximately 70 percent of Wyomings registered voters voted for Trump and that equated to change, lower taxes and now!

Like in drain that swamp even there in Cheyenne!

And to all that, I emphatically say -- no new taxes, nada, none whatsoever. Dig deeper into cuts like the state employees pension fund, health care coverages, etc., and that war chest of a mountain of cash sitting in UW endowment funds.

Desperate times require desperate measures and who amongst you has the strength of character and conviction of will to do whats right for we the people?

Are some resignations in order here? You be the judge
Senegal

3 Islamic extremist groups merge in Mali

DAKAR  Three Islamic extremist factions in Mali announced that they have merged into one group and pledged allegiance to al-Qaidas leader, according to a group that monitors jihadist websites.

Leaders from Ansar Dine, al-Mourabitoun and al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb made the official declaration in a video distributed Thursday, according to SITE Intelligence Group. The merged group is now called Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen, which in English translates to Support of Islam and Muslims, the monitoring group said.

Iyad Ag Ghaly, the former leader of Ansar Dine who is a native of the Kidal region, is leading the combined group, SITE Intelligence Group said. Ag Ghaly said in the video that the three factions were inspired by the unification of factions in Syria.

Egypt

Mubarak acquitted in 2011 deaths

CAIRO  Egypts top appeals court issued a final ruling Thursday that effectively acquits former President Hosni Mubarak on charges of killing protesters during the 2011 uprising that ended his nearly three-decade reign.

The Court of Cassation rejected an appeal by prosecutors, allowing an acquittal verdict from 2014 to stand. The judge also rejected a civil petition for compensation from families of some of the hundreds of protesters killed during the 18-day Arab Spring uprising.

Mubarak and his interior minister, Habib al-Adly, were convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2012 on charges of failing to protect the lives of demonstrators, but another court threw out the verdict two years later, citing technical flaws in the prosecution.

France

EU Parliament lifts Le Pen immunity

PARIS  The European Parliament voted Thursday to lift the immunity from prosecution for French far-right leader Marine Le Pen for tweeting gruesome images of Islamic State violence, a crime that carries up to three years in prison in France.

The legislature voted by a broad majority in Brussels to clear the way for the possible prosecution of Le Pen over tweets she made in December 2015, including the killing of American reporter James Foley by Islamic State extremists.

Le Pen, a leading candidate in this years French presidential election, posted her tweets in response to an analogy between her anti-immigration National Front party and IS extremists.

Wire reports
The Marriott University Park Hotel parted ways with the Marriott brand Thursday after a 20-year franchise agreement expired.

We have become independent, said Mark Van Buren, the hotels general manager. We are now Tucson University Park Hotel.

Owned by Georgia-based Atrium Holdings, the 250-room hotel, at 880 E. Second St., opened in 1996.

Van Buren said he was not part of the negotiations with Marriott and did not have information on why Marriott did not want to continue the lease.

At a meeting of the Pima County Real Estate Research Council on Thursday morning, Jerry Hawkins, of Hawkins Cole Hospitality, said the reason for the de-branding was because the owners would not remodel the hotel.

In response to questions from the audience about the value of the branding, Hawkins said it was significant because many travelers book through Marriotts website to get loyalty rewards.

Van Buren, however, is confident that Tucson University Park Hotel will be successful independently, given its location near the University of Arizona.

We have among the highest occupancy rates in the city, he said, and were right next to the biggest generator of visitors.

The owners were still in negotiations with Marriott on Thursday, Van Buren said, but the Marriott sign was covered up on the building until theres a resolution.

No changes to room rates or amenities were expected and guests should not notice the transition, he said.

Nothing has changed, Van Buren said. The same managers and owners are still here.

The nine-story hotel sits on land owned by the Marshall Foundation that is leased to Atrium.

We are confident that it will work out OK, said Jane McCollum, the foundations general manager.

She agreed with Van Buren that the independent hotel would succeed, and likewise said she was not privy to how Marriotts decision came about.

"This is an amicable and mutual decision between Marriott and Atrium Hospitality," A Marriot spokesman said via email. "Both parties are working together to ensure a seamless transition. This action is specific to this one hotel as Marriott remains committed to Tucson as a great destination."
State senators voted Wednesday to open a swath of northwest Arizona to electronic billboards.

Four Democrats joined with most of the Republicans to allow construction of up to 35 of these internally illuminated signs within 60 miles of Laughlin, Nev. That would open up an area stretching from south of Lake Havasu City to east of Kingman and north to nearly the Hoover Dam.

But to get the measure out of the Senate, Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu, had to agree to a series of compromises.

One was shrinking his original 2016 proposal, which would have opened up all of Mohave County to the signs. And aside from the limit, Borrelli agreed to limit the nighttime lighting to a lower level than is permitted elsewhere in Arizona where such signs are legal.

Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson, decried the fact that SB 1114 alters a deal that had been crafted in 2012 and approved by representatives of billboard companies who took part in negotiations.

That deal opened up a swath from the eastern suburbs of Phoenix west to the Colorado River to these electronic signs. Everything south, east and north of that was made off-limits in a bid to protect the dark skies relied on by the states observatories.

Borrelli urged colleagues to support his measures, saying it only affects his corner of the state. And he noted that this years version is not being opposed by the astronomy community, which helped kill the 2016 bill.

Sen. Lupe Contreras, D-Avondale, said that persuaded him to vote for this measure.

Farley, however, said these kinds of negotiations  and, from his perspective, surrender  set a bad precedent.

Every time thats happened they come back again the next year, he said.

And you add a little bit more, a little bit more until all of a sudden weve destroyed the golden goose that provides the golden eggs for our economy from our astronomy industry, Farley continued. We cant do that.

Sen. Olivia Cajero Bedford, D-Tucson, said she found it interesting that Borrellis legislation uses Laughlin as a central point.

Why are we allowing more billboards to help Laughlin? she asked, calling expansion of the area for electronic billboards mind-boggling.

Sen. Kate Brophy McGee, R-Phoenix, was the only Republican to vote against the measure. Other than Contreras, the other Democrats in support of SB 1114 were Sean Bowie, Robert Meza and Catherine Miranda, all of Phoenix.
The Tucson Symphony Orchestra gained a conductor this season and is losing a CEO.

After three seasons, Mark Blakeman will leave the orchestra in late May for a job in his native Oklahoma.

Blakeman, who served as TSO chief executive officer and president since August 2014, has been named the Marilynn and Carl Thoma Executive Director of the new McKnight Center for the Performing Arts at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. The 93,000-square-foot center, including a recital hall, 1,100-seat performance hall and an outdoor amphitheater, is expected to open in 2019 with the weeklong residency of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

Im filled with mixed emotion. Im excited and sad at the same time, Blakeman said Thursday. Ive just had such a great opportunity to connect with many, many lovely folks in Tucson and that, for me, is heartbreaking. I was just getting going.

The TSO Board of Trustees already has begun a search for Blakemans replacement.

Blakeman came to the TSO five months after the sudden departure in March 2014 of his predecessor, Andrew Birgensmith, who also served in the job less than three years and left in the middle of the search to replace George Hanson. The orchestra named Jose Luis Gomez music director in early 2016.

The cornerstone of Blakemans tenure has been his initiatives to bring young audiences to the Music Hall. Soon after he arrived, Blakeman, with the Board of Trustees support, launched the TSO Family Seriesthat builds on the audiences of the TSOs popular Just For Kids series. Blakeman said the family-friendly series, now in its second season, has helped bridge the gap between Just For Kids, which is geared toward really young children from toddler to elementary school, and kids 6 and older. He also and initiated TSO TEAMtix, with funding from the Marshall Foundation. That program provides free tickets to middle and high school band, orchestra and choir students, offers free tickets for students and a companion to TSO classics and MasterWorks concerts. The TSO distributed 1,262 TEAMtix in this years inaugural season.

My idea was that we wanted to encourage these young people who are pursuing music in some way, Blakeman said. For all of these kids, we wanted to inspire them and create a barrier-free opportunity for them to hear what I think is the best classical music in Southern Arizona.

The Oklahoma job was a chance for Blakeman to return home for the first time in 20 years.
Snow at Christmas and Easter, landscape-altering floods, deadly tornadoes and a hurricane that flopped are among the intriguing, surprising stories from the Arizona Daily Stars new release, 100 Years of Tucson Weather: The Events That Changed Our Landscape, Challenged Our Endurance and Broke Our Hearts.

The stories come from the pages of the Arizona Daily Star  some verbatim, and others an amalgam of reporting from days and weeks as the news unfolded. Photos are from the archives of the Star and the Tucson Citizen.

Culling and editing the book was a years-long process.

Research began with the National Weather Services list of the top 10 weather stories of the 20th century, says editor Maria Parham.

I didnt use the ranking, and, in fact, didnt agree with it in some instances, says Parham. The main reason (for not ranking), though, was that so many of the events involve tragic deaths. In my mind, theres no ranking which of those was most important.

Roberta Young, former Star administrative assistant, took the weather-service list and found the stories in the Star microfilm/microfiche archives.

We sorted through them, I made basic edits of the copies, which were not the easiest to read, and she began entering them into our system, says Parham, who retired from the Star in 2015 after 43 years in various editing positions, including Editorial Page editor, features editor and reader advocate.

The bottom line: It was a tedious task, but we both quickly became enthralled with the remarkable events, the storytelling and evolving style of reporting and writing. And then we added major events since 2000, she says.

Parham experienced some of the big weather stories.

I came to Tucson in 1970, so I was here for the biggest snow in 1971, the white Christmas of 1987, the 1999 snow on Easter and the floods of 1983 and 1993. While my home near todays Agua Caliente Park was not in the flooded area, my family was stranded on one side or the other of the overflowing Tanque Verde Wash both times, says Parham.

A few of the books most memorable stories for Parham:

The earliest story of the floods in December 1914 had its share of tragedy, but its also hard to resist a smile at the reporters over-the-top description: The milk of human kindness flows riotously through the veins of Tucsonans.

The two most heart-wrenching stories are of the lost Boy Scouts on Mount Wrightson and of the night in 1945 when cars plunged into raging water after a bridge collapsed.

Three Boy Scouts died in that early snowstorm and I had the honor of hiking to the spot the Boy Scouts were found with survivor Ralph Coltrin about a year ago, says Parham.

Ten drowned that 1945 night when the bridge collapsed on Tucsons south side, including a baby swept from his parents grips.

Certainly, though, the events affecting the most Tucsonans were the floods of 1983 and 1993.

The book offers a history of our area through its weather, reveals the human toll of many of the events and reinforces what should always be a healthy respect for Mother Nature, says Parham.

Laugh all you want at the do not enter when flooded signs, but as the photos and stories illustrate, theyre no joke, she says.
The Arizona Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Arizona will present the lecture "Stolen Legacy" by Dina Gold, 7 p.m. Monday, March 6 at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road.

Gold will speak about her book detailing her family's fight to reclaim a building in Berlin they lost when the Nazis took over.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some March 3 papers in history. With a subscription to newspapers.com you can search the Arizona Daily Star and many other newspapers using keywords or dates, and download articles or pages.
I am very proud that the UA is a founding partner and sponsor of the festival, and we are excited to host such an impressive number of venues for exhibits, author presentations and panel discussions. The festival is a site for education, discovery and fun for all ages, and I am confident that whether you are here for the first time or returning for another year, there will be something memorable for you in this celebration of creativity.
The long-standing tactic of using fraudulent identification to sneak past customs officers appears to be on the decline.

Arrests for using documents that are fake, altered or belong to someone else fell nearly 80 percent in the last decade along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics obtained by the Star through a public-records request.

Customs officers working at ports of entry caught about 35,000 people using fraudulent documents in fiscal year 2007. Those busts fell to 7,200 by fiscal year 2016, CBP records show. At Arizona ports of entry, busts dropped by 60 percent during that period, from 2,600 to 1,050.

The cause for the decline in arrests is unclear, but CBP officials pointed to better law enforcement at ports and the introduction of high-tech identification documents in 2009 as contributing factors.

Making documents harder to counterfeit or pass off as belonging to someone else likely contributed to the decline, but fraudulent border crossers also could be changing their tactics or making fewer attempts in general, said Doris Meissner, senior fellow at the Migration Policy Institute, which researches immigration from a rights-based perspective.

Whos crossing?

A review by the Star of 44 fraudulent-document cases in U.S. District Court in Tucson showed two basic categories: Mexican citizens trying to cross the border by themselves and U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents driving children across the border to be reunited with families in Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Minneapolis and elsewhere.

Few details are available from cases involving Mexican citizens crossing the border by themselves, which usually last about a week and end with the defendant pleading guilty to a misdemeanor and sentenced to about three months in prison.

Theyre not any different than the people who cross through the desert, said Tucson defense lawyer Saul M. Huerta.

Most people caught with fraudulent documents are trying to find work or reunite with relatives in the United States, he said.

Crossing through a port of entry is much less dangerous than crossing through the desert, Huerta said. He gave the example of a married couple splitting up, with the husband going through the desert and the wife taking the less-perilous route through a port of entry.

Court records show some of the people who use fraudulent documents live in cities in Mexicos northern border region, like Nogales and Caborca.

However, many of the 44 cases reviewed by the Star show defendants reside in the Mexico City area and nearby states like Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, Morelos and Guerrero. Others come from southern Mexico states like Chiapas and Veracruz.

Altruism and profit

Brenda Leyva Felix, a 39-year-old Mexican citizen and legal permanent resident of the United States, was arrested last March at the downtown Nogales port after she claimed the 16-year-old boy in her van was her nephew.

She presented a Minnesota birth certificate on his behalf, but later admitted he was not her nephew and the birth certificate belonged to someone else. She was going to be paid $1,000 to smuggle the boy into the United States, according to the criminal complaint.

Leyva Felix pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to transport an illegal alien for profit, but her attorney, Peter Raptis, disputed that she acted out of self-interest.

Her motive was altruism, not money, Raptis wrote in a sentencing memorandum.

Leyva Felix, who has no criminal history and is the mother of three children, drove the boy across the border as a favor to a co-worker in Minneapolis who had started crying at work, Raptis wrote.

Gangs were preying on the co-workers brother, who was caring for her son in Mexico. The co-workers brother rejected the gangs attempts to recruit him and his family, which was met with assaults and the death of one family member.

After the boy was assaulted, the co-worker pleaded with Leyva Felix to bring him into the United States, Raptis wrote.

Leyva Felix had a history of dealing with violent situations, including sexual abuse and beatings as a young woman and later as a wife, Raptis wrote.

Recalling her own bleak past, she agreed to go to Nogales, Sonora, and drive the boy across the border. The $1,000 was meant to pay for the trip back to Minnesota.

Her goal was to prevent the minor from suffering her own fate, Raptis said.

Leyva Felix was sentenced Dec. 14 to three months in federal prison and three years probation.

Impostor documents

The majority of fraudulent document busts in the past decade  85 percent in Arizona and 72 percent borderwide  involved what CBP calls impostor documents.

In these cases, someone uses passports, legal permanent resident cards or border-crossing cards  issued to border residents in Mexico that allow them to travel a short distance north of the border  that dont belong to them.

Despite the risk of losing a valuable resource like a legitimate border-crossing document, renting them out is a long-standing practice, said Meissner, who headed the Immigration and Naturalization Service in the 1990s.

People need to make money and there is always someone who is willing to take the risk, she said.

Customs officers confiscate impostor documents and turn them over to either the issuing agency or CBPs Fraudulent Document Analysis Unit, said CBP spokeswoman Teresa Small.

Fake and impostor documents can be bought on the streets of Nogales, Sonora, for as little as $50 to more than $500, Huerta said.

Impostor documents have the allure of being valid, and sellers tell travelers they are a sure-fire way to cross the border, Huerta said.

Although the new documents have made it difficult to fool customs officers, attempts will be made until land ports of entry have security similar to that at airports, Meissner said.

Before 2009, customs officers would accept any one of hundreds of identification documents from border crossers, including state IDs and birth certificates, according to Angelica De Cima, spokeswoman for CBPs San Diego Field Office.

But the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative reduced the number of acceptable documents to about six, all of which contain radio frequency identification chips that relay the travelers photo and other information to the customs officer, De Cima said.
The Theranos experience has not chastened Arizona in its chase for California tech companies.

Maybe Uber will.

Under Gov. Doug Ducey, Arizona has aggressively sold California tech companies on the benefits of moving to Arizona, especially for those businesses involved in the so-called sharing economy.

Theranos, a blood-testing company, was one of the favored few. The Legislature passed laws allowing people to request blood work without a doctors order, in large measure to accommodate the companys business model. Then that business model blew up in a flurry of revelations and investigations about a key technology that didnt work and that the company lied about.

All along, Uber has been a special favorite of the governor. After signing a law that allowed the company to operate all over Arizona in 2015, he helped persuade the company to locate a customer-service center here. He also invited the company to work on its driverless-car technology here  notably after California cracked down on the testing last year.

(In a surprise on Friday, news emerged that Uber will apply for a self-driving car permit from California and reiterated that it is "100 percent committed" to the state.)

But the future is cloudy for Uber, a company that has projected an image of a cutting-edge, disruptive business while at the same time cultivating Americas powerful interests for financial and political support. The reason, in short, is that it may never be able to make a profit.

A slew of stories have come out in the last week questioning whether Uber is, as one piece put it starkly, doomed. The recent problems are multiple: Ongoing questions about whether drivers should be classified as employees instead of contractors, an expose about rampant sexism within the notoriously macho company, a lawsuit by Google alleging an Uber employee stole driverless-car technology, and a videotaped argument in which Ubers CEO lambasted a driver who dared criticize the companys fare structure.

As a writer at the online auto-news site Jalopnik put it: Yet even when those factors are removed, its becoming more evident that Uber will collapse on its own. Barring a drastic shift in the companys business  an implausible rollout of self-driving car fleets across the U.S., an increase of fares by threefold, or a complete monopolization of the taxi and ride-hailing markets  Ubers lifeline is shrinking. Its business model could collapse if one court case, and there are many, goes against it. Or perhaps more pressing, if it simply runs out of cash.

To be fair, Arizona has not invested much in Uber, other than the states credibility and maybe its citizens safety. Under Ducey, the state made ride-sharing legal in Arizona. And Ducey very publicly brought Ubers self-driving vehicle project to Arizona in December, after California shut it down over safety concerns.

New reporting in the New York Times, by the way, shows that Ubers self-driving vehicles ran through six red lights in San Francisco before the project was transferred to Arizona. Nevertheless, Ducey has promised that Arizona will put peoples safety first in developing guidelines for the cars.

None of that may matter, though. Uber has never had anything but massive losses  likely somewhere in the vicinity of $3 billion for all of 2016. And its questionable whether it can ever wean itself from massive infusions of venture capital and start turning profits.

If it fails, itll be another example of Arizona naively handing our state over to a company and business model that we simply didnt know enough about. In honor of spring training, a baseball metaphor: These are home-run swings that lead to a lot of strikeouts, when the better teams have great fundamentals -- strong fielding, pitching and base-running -- not big swings for the fences.

Babeu for CBP?

Rumors have been swirling for weeks that former Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu is a candidate for commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency that oversees the Border Patrol and inspections at ports of entry.

Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, who was involved in the Trump administrations transition and remains in touch as an official of the National Sheriffs Association, confirmed for me Thursday that Babeu was a candidate who was being vetted.

Arizonas DPS Director, Frank Milstead, was also a candidate but no longer is.

As some readers know, Ive covered Babeu for years and would be aghast at his appointment. Repeatedly, my colleagues and I pointed out lies and exaggerations Babeu made in the service of a broader border-alarmist position. Theyre too numerous to list here, but those same alarmist positions made him a regular on Fox News. As has become clear, the president favors job candidates who present well on TV, so that is a real qualification.

It turns out, though, that as the Casa Grande Dispatch revealed, the FBI is investigating Babeus use of RICO money while sheriff. Investigators asked the department, as well as the Pinal County Attorneys Office, for materials on the use of RICO money over the last week. But with several members of the Trump administration under FBI investigation, who knows if thatll be considered a strike against him  or just another qualification.

Maybe the bigger question is: Has Babeu met the qualification of having forgotten a meeting with a Russian official?

TUSD recall rumors

Now that Superintendent H.T. Sanchez has resigned (more about that in Sundays column), talk is in the air of recall elections against various TUSD board members.

Curiously, the most serious inquiries so far have been about recalling member Kristel Foster. I say its curious because she was on the losing end of the vote to accept Sanchezs resignation, so replacing her would not make a difference in the balance of power on the board.

Rumors have circulated of other members being recalled as well, but the rules for such elections make it a tough prospect for anyone to carry out without significant financial backing. Once a person returns the application and maximum-200-word statement required to start a recall, the campaign must get 29,178 signatures from voters registered within the district boundaries.

Thats a high hurdle to clear. I asked Jimmy Lovelace, the accountant who headed an independent-expenditure group during the school-board campaign, if his group TUSD Kids First is involved in a recall. He said no.

Without that kind of financial backing, itll be a tough project to complete.
Facing financial pressure, Tucson behavioral-health agency Community Partners Inc. this week acquired Assurance Health & Wellness, creating a merged company that will be one of the largest mental-health-care providers in Arizona, executives say.

Its a good-news story, in spite of the challenges that may have contributed to the need for the merger, which was finalized Wednesday, said Fletcher McCusker, CEO of Assurances parent company, Sinfonia HealthCare Corp. Assurance runs a network of clinics that provide both behavioral and physical health care. The more services you have, the better it is for the patient.

The combined company will be a nonprofit like Community Partners, though Assurance was for-profit, said Neal Cash, who until the merger was CEO of Community Partners. Cash will now act as chief strategy officer of the merged company, with Community Partners executive Vanessa Seaney taking over as president and CEO.

Cash declined to share the value of the acquisition, but he said the combined company is expected to generate annual revenues between $40 million and $50 million.

McCusker said hes known Cash for 40 years and the two recently began discussing how either one of us survive independently. It became clear to us that we have a lot more fortitude combined.

Community Partners was previously known as CPSA, which for 20 years served as Pima Countys regional behavioral-health authority, or RBHA. The company reinvented itself as a provider in 2015, when the Southern Arizona RBHA contract went to Cenpatico Integrated Care. Cenpatico is the for-profit subsidiary of publicly traded insurance giant Centene Corp., based in St. Louis.

FINANCIAL SQUEEZE

Some Pima County behavioral-health providers have said Cenpaticos higher expectations of efficiency, reduced reimbursements and midyear contract reductions have made it harder for smaller providers to stay viable in Southern Arizona. Facing mounting financial pressure, Tucson-based Pasadera Behavioral Health Network closed its doors last fall. La Frontera Arizona announced layoffs in January.

As one of three RBHAs in Arizona, Cenpatico contracts with AHCCCS, the states Medicaid agency, to distribute Medicaid funding to on-the-ground provider agencies that treat patients with mental illness who are enrolled in AHCCCS, or Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System.

Under the states new integrated care model, adults with serious mental illness can get their physical health care covered by Cenpatico and its contracted providers.

Cash said Cenpatico isnt the problem as much as broad changes in the public behavioral-health-care system.

Consolidation has to occur to achieve the kind of economies of scale you need in this new kind of environment, Cash said. Its like every other business. Whether its good or bad, the mom-and-pop shops are needing to develop different strategies to survive.

Payers like AHCCCS and its contracted RBHAs are now shifting toward a value-based reimbursement model, rewarding providers financially if they achieve better outcomes for patients, such as reductions in hospital stays and securing employment or housing for clients, McCusker said.

At the same time, starting in April, the payment structure will move away from advance block payments that agencies have historically received each month, based on their spending history, in favor of a fee-for-service structure that pays agencies for care provided after they submit a claim.

While some behavioral-health leaders are optimistic about the shift, it represents a dramatic funding change.

Its going to be a huge changeover in cash flow for all of these providers who have been used to getting money in current month, McCusker said.

Larger agencies, with greater access to lines of credit, will be better positioned to handle the cash-flow challenges that will inevitably result from the double-whammy of financial pressure  both the squeeze from Cenpatico and the changes in reimbursement, McCusker said.

Ultimately, the behavioral-health landscape will evolve, McCusker said.

I think youll see fewer (providers) and larger providers that can manage cash-flow hiccups and adapt to new payment methodologies, he said.
Eleven days ago, Brandon Ensign was thinking about graduating from film school and getting his own apartment.

That all changed in an instant, when he was struck on his bicycle by a hit-and-run driver while on his way to work early in the morning of Feb. 21.

Despite his injuries, which included a fractured pelvis, broken eye sockets, fractured sinuses, multiple lacerations and a brain hematoma- Ensign, 28, said that the crash and his recovery hasnt brought him down.

At about 5:30 a.m., Ensign was riding his bicycle south on North Wilmot Road, when he was hit by a driver and left for dead at the scene, he said.

Although Ensign doesnt remember much from the morning of the crash, he was told that a passerby stopped to call 911.

Because no witnesses have come forward, the only lead that Tucson police have is some traces of white paint left on Ensigns bicycle and pieces of white plastic from a fender that were found at the scene.

The only question I have for the driver, is why did you leave me there? Ensign said Thursday. Things happen, ... but why did you feel you had to leave after what could have been the end of my life?

Police are asking that anyone who witnessed the crash or has information to call 911 or 88-CRIME.

Ensign has since moved from the hospital to a local inpatient rehabilitation facility, and is undergoing daily physical and speech therapies.

Im just trying to get back to the level I was at before the crash, and every step is worth it, he said. I grew up in and around hospitals, so I understand the rehab process. You have to fight deep down to be where you want to be.

Before the crash, Ensign remembers noting the route he biked to work wasnt very safe, with low visibility for bicyclists, especially early in the morning.

Despite the fact he took safety precautions, wearing a helmet and having lights and reflectors on his bike, Ensign says he knows now that sometimes its never enough.

I wasnt hurt as badly as I couldve been, and at this point I just need to rest, relax and recuperate, he said. Its going to be a tough road, but I hope to be back on track in a month or two.

Ensign, who is set to graduate from the Art Institute of Tucson at the end of the month, said that he looks forward to training for a full-time job after graduating and buying a car.

On Wednesday, a friend of Ensigns created a Go-Fund Me account to help offset some of his medical bills. As of Thursday afternoon, nearly $3,000 had been raised.
ABOVE: Students line up for an autograph from driver Jared Eichelberger of Maximum Destructions Max-D monster truck during a visit at Roadrunner Elementary School in Marana on Thursday. The team visited kindergartner Gabriel Gutierrez, a big monster-truck fan who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia last year. The visit was made possible by Arizona-based nonprofit HopeKids, which grants wishes to kids with life-threatening illnesses.

RIGHT: Gabriel Gutierrez, 5, center, takes in the size of his monster surprise with his classmates at Roadrunner Elementary School. Max-D and many other trucks will perform in the Monster Jam at Tucson Arena this weekend. There will be 7 p.m. performances on Friday and Saturday as well as 1 p.m. performances on Saturday and Sunday.
Northwest Fire District crews battled a mobile home fire Thursday on Tucson's northwest side.

The homeowners were not home and no injuries were reported, said Capt. Brian Keeley, a fire district spokesman.

Firefighters responded shortly before 2 p.m. to the 3000 block of West Emerald Circle after receiving multiple 911 calls reporting smoke and flames coming from the mobile home, said Keeley.

The neighborhood is west of Interstate 10 and north of West Ruthrauff Road.

When the first crew arrived, they found the home engulfed in flames. A porch collapsed and portions of the roof were comprised, causing firefighters to battle the blaze from the outdoors, Keeley said.

Twenty firefighters put out the fire in 30 minutes.

Northwest Fire investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire. The damage estimate is unknown.
March 2, 2017

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met March 1 in Islamabad on the sidelines of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) conference to diffuse recent tensions between their countries. Despite the photo op in the Pakistani capital, the two sides still hold opposing positions on a number of issues in the Middle East.

During the meeting, Rouhani said, The Islamic Republic of Iran insists on the territorial integrity of countries in the region and is opposed to any kind of violation of territorial integrity, especially in Syria and Iraq. His comment was indirectly aimed at Turkey, whose troops have crossed into both Syria and Iraq. Just before leaving for Islamabad, Erdogan said that Turkey does not plan to keep forces in Syria indefinitely and will leave at the end of military operations, which according to government officials are aimed at fighting the Islamic State and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. Rouhani also addressed the war in Yemen, calling for a cease-fire and adding that talks between rival factions could resolve the issue there.

Despite recent comments by Turkish officials blaming Iran for turmoil in the region, Rouhani attempted to strike a promising note, remarking that the two countries can improve economic relations, particularly in energy, banking and transportation. According to Iranian news agencies, Erdogan also called for an expansion of economic ties between their two countries, saying that he is committed to seeing trade between them rise from its 2016 level of $8.79 billion to $30 billion.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also attempted to diffuse tensions generated by remarks he made in February accusing Iran of spreading sectarianism in the region. At the ECO conference March 1, Cavusoglu said, We will never forget the night of the coup, when Mr. Zarif stayed up with us through the night and spoke with me four times, and we will always be grateful for this valuable attention.

Cavusoglu's original comments on fomenting sectarianism had elicited criticism from Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who said to an Iranian newspaper Feb. 22 that the Turkish officials making such allegations must have short memories, having forgotten Iranian officials' show of support on the night of the attempted putsch, speaking with Turkish leaders and trying to assist their government, which is not Shiite.

On Syria, Cavusoglu said of Iran and Turkey, [We] share the opinion that a cease-fire in Syria is a necessity, and the Syrian crisis should be solved through a political and diplomatic path. On the economic front, Cavusoglu said that Turkey can be a transit route for Iranian gas and oil destined for Europe.

Despite the promising messages exchanged by Iranian and Turkish leaders, their political interests in the region conflict in a number of countries. In Syria, Erdogan has sought to topple the Syrian government by supporting armed opposition groups, while Iran has spent considerable resources trying to keep the government of President Bashar al-Assad afloat. In Iraq, Turkey has expanded its ties with the Kurdistan Regional Government and has sent troops into Bashiqa, north of Mosul, to bolster local Sunni tribes. Iran on the other hand has lent its support to Iraqs central government.
OPINION: "Im sure you will see, as I have, that for all the 'God talk' that Christian nationalists throw around, their attitudes and actions are starkly antithetical to the gospel of love and inclusion for all advocated by the Jesus they claim to believe in," writes Rev. Gary Nelson, a form
Help India!

By Twocircles.net Staff Reporter

Thiruvananthapuram: After suffering for many months, Athira, a tribal student of College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram (CET), is finally upbeat, and for good reasons. She has been allowed by the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) to continue in CET.

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I am glad that my battle has brought results and I can pursue my studies in the leading college,Athira told Twocircles.net.

Athira, a second-year student of College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram (CET) had to suffer mental torture and a social boycott after she dared to raise her voice against discrimination towards Dalit Bahujan students.

Hailing from a tribal hamlet at Vanchivayal in Idukki district, Athira had been denied entrance to college hostel after she was portrayed as mentally disturbed. The issues started after she asked What is your opinion about reservation for a student in CET? in a Facebook group of the college students and staff.

I was treated as a criminal. Seniors along with teachers started to irritate asking why do you come up with unwanted questions?. This is the approach of educational institutions in the state, towards reservation, Athira had told Twocircles.net.

Being a year-out student, Athira has been forced to leave the college since the norms of Kerala Technical University dont allow a year-out student to continue her studies. She lost some months in the college while she underwent treatment for mental depression after she was branded as a mental patient.

Athira dared to take the issue with Kerala Governor P Sathasivam and Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. Following the intervention of Sathasivam and efforts by some of the college teachers, the KTU allowed her to continue in the college considering her case as special.

As per the order, Athira has to restart her studies from the second semester and has to clear two papers, Differential Equations and Engineering Graphics, which she missed during the first semester.

I have to start from the second semester. Still, I am happy that I can become a graduate from the leading college in the state, Athira said, thanking teachers and activists.

After completing B.Tech from CET, Athira wants to complete M.Tech from any IIT. She added that she would not avail a seat under the reserved category. I want to get recruited by the potential, not by reservation. I dont want someone to tell me that I got a job through reservation. I feel proud when someone speaks about my potential, she said.
Help India!

By Twocircles.net Staff Reporter

Eminent writer and political thinker Dr Krishna Kirwale was found dead at his MHADA residence in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Initial reports suggest that it was a case of murder, and the police have arrested one person in this regard. However, the motive for the murder remains unclear as of now.

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Dr Kirwale, who had contributed immensely to the Ambedkarite movement, was the chairperson of 31st Asmitadarsh Sahitya Sammelan which took place in Jalgaon, North Maharashtra in 2012. His research and his area were Ambedkari Jalsa.

Dr Kirwale had authored a book called Dalit Chalwal And Sahitya, Samagra Lekhak Baburao Bagul (Dalit Movement and Literature. Writer Baburao Bagul.) He was also the dean of the department of Marathi in Shivaji University, Kolhapur.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, the police arrested a suspect, identified as Pritam Patil, hours after Kirwales body was discovered. Preliminary investigation revealed that Patil was a resident of Kolhapur, but police refused to divulge any details.

Kolhapur is the same place where Dr Pansare was killed. Interestingly, Dr Kirwale was known for his intellectual activism. Reports in social media suggest that IPS Vishwas Nangare Patil was at the place along with other activists who were raising slogans near the house of Dr Kirwale. gathered activists made sounds and began slogan.

Dr Kirwale was born in Beed district on 4 May 1954 and completed his PhD from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Maratha University in 1987.
Help India!

By Twocircles.net Staff Reporter

New Delhi: A petition filed by the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) for the inclusion of Urdu as a medium for NEET 2017, a common entrance test for admissions in the MBBS and BDS courses across the country, led the Supreme Court to seek responses from the Central government and Medical Council of India (MCI) on Friday, March 3. The next hearing will be on 10th March 2017 said, Ravinder S Garia.

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A bench comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and R Banumathi said while taking note of the petition filed by Students Islamic Organisation (SIO), issued a notice to centre and MCI.

The bench also noted the submission that MCI was open to including any language as a medium of National Eligibility-cum- Entrance Test (NEET) if a request was made to it by states concerned. Besides the Centre and MCI, the court also issued notices to Dental Council of India (DCI) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and fixed the plea for further hearing on March 10.

Advocate Ravinder S Garia on behalf of SIO informed the court that Maharashtra and Telangana have already apprised the MCI that Urdu be included as one of the media for conducting NEET. In terms of a number of people speaking a language, Urdu ranks Sixth in India as the per the Census report. Also, Urdu is one the languages listed in Schedule VIII of the Indian Constitution. A large number of students study science in Urdu Medium for their Eleventh and 12th Class Exams. N.C.E.R.T textbooks for Eleventh and 12th class are available in Urdu when such textbooks are not available in several other languages such as Kannada. The seventh most spoken language Gujarati; the eighth most spoken language Kannada; the tenth most spoken language Oriya and the twelfth most spoken language Assamese have been given as options of medium for appearing in the said Entrance Exam but Urdu which is at the sixth rank has been arbitrarily excluded. It is further pertinent to mention taking note of the fact that a large number of students study science in Urdu Medium in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana etc., despite several State Governments making specific requests to the Union Health Ministry to include Urdu as a medium for National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test 2017, Urdu has arbitrarily and unreasonably left out as a medium for the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test 2017.

Earlier, the apex court had refused to give an urgent hearing to the petition, filed by SIO, alleging that exclusion of Urdu as one of the languages in NEET exam to be held on May 7 was arbitrary and violative of Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution.

The decision to exclude Urdu was discriminatory, arbitrary, unreasonable and violative of Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution, it said.

In December last year, members of the Students Islamic Organisation, the students wing of Jamat-e-Islami Hind had submitted a memorandum to the District Collectors of Beed and Parbhani, demanding the inclusion of Urdu for the 2017 National eligibility cum entrance Test (NEET) and launched a petition on Change.org to raise awareness for the same.
Abiageal Peters has been described as a Miracle Baby. Born four months prematurely at 23 weeks gestation and weighing 1.3lbs (609g). Doctors at St George's hospital, Tooting were called upon to perform major abdominal surgery to save her just six days after her birth.

Abiagail undergoes success surgery

Abiageal was finally discharged from hospital this week, just over four months after she was born. Despite an otherwise normal pregnancy Abiagael's mother, Louise Peters, went into early labour while at home in Hinchley Wood, Esher, and Abi was delivered at St Peter's hospital, Chertsey, on 26th October 2016.

She was immediately placed on life support.

As with many pre-term babies Abi was found to be suffering from perforated necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious gut condition. Premature babies with this problem often require an operation but Abi is the youngest to have undergone the procedure, the record previously being held by a baby of 25 weeks gestation.

Louise Peters said:

"They told us all the risks but they didn't say this is the youngest baby in the world who has been operated on, otherwise it might have scared us too much. ... "Bringing her home was brilliant. It's just been amazing. She has overcome every hurdle she has faced.

Consultant paediatric surgeon, Mr Mukhtar led the 10-strong team which carried out Abiagael's surgery, said: "My mother and grandmother taught me never to give up on a child.

"It's a real privilege to do this - it's amazing work. It's because we have this team of people who are really passionate about children's survival."

Mr Mukhtar said that Abiageal was the youngest patient ever to be operated on at St Georges before going on to say that:

We will continue to monitor her closely, but all the signs suggest we should be optimistic about her long-term prognosis.

The legal position

Abiagael's case is also remarkable in another way.

She was born at 23 weeks, and although her surgical team fought hard to keep her alive, at the same time other babies her age were being killed in the United. Kingdom.

The Prime Minister has, when she was Home Secretary spoken of her belief that the time-limit on abortions should be reduced below the existing limit. At present abortions are legal until 24 weeks gestation, and until birth in the case of foetal abnormalities.

It is the official position of the Royal College of Midwives that it should be legal for the full nine months of pregnancy and they recently threw their support behind a Ten-Minute Rule Bill proposed by Labour MP Diana Johnson which seeks to decriminalise abortions completely.

Johnson says: My 10 Minute Rule Bill is seeking to decriminalise the law on abortion applying to women and doctors.  England and Wales has some of the harshest criminal sanctions in Europe connected to abortion. Johnson's position is consistent with official Labour party view which has seen many MP's including former Deputy Leader, Harriet Harman, campaign for more liberal abortion laws.

Dan Boucher, Head of Publicity at the charity CARE, which is one of the numerous opponents of the bill has said:

It is very important to remember abortions are a taking of a human life and is not something that should be done lightly if at all.

He went on to say that: CARE is interested in the rights of the mother and the child and we don't think the removal of abortions from within the criminal law would be in the best interest of either.
So who else predicted that the DUP and Sinn Fein would top the poll in the first round of votes in the snap Northern Ireland Assembly election? If you made a bet on it, and it is a pretty safe bet to make, you are probably richer than you were before last night. So well done. And what will the result be after those excruciating three weeks of negotiations? Another DUP-Sinn Fein administration. This is just Business As Usual in northern ireland.

Failure to break ground

Northern Ireland's largest unionist and nationalist parties still dominate the country's politics after the UUP's and the SDLP's disastrous handling of devolution in the late 90s and early 00s.

It is hardly surprising they failed to gain any significant ground this year. And the moderate parties failed to break the mold.

It is disappointing that Northern Ireland's voters cannot break generations of voting habits. If one thought that this surprise election would solve the last administration's problems, then they should think again. There is no doubt that the new administration will witness similar problems to the last. After all, that is what happens when two parties remain in power for a long period of time.

No change

So in three weeks' time, don't get excited about change in Northern Ireland. It isn't happening.
Arlene Foster may have won the second round of votes, but one cannot deny the significance of her setback in the first round. The DUP's future seems uncertain now. It is no wonder the former northern ireland first minister has just commented that that this is 'a very good day' for Sinn Fein. But have the nationalists' gains been triggered by Brexit anxiety?

Tough negotiations

Sky's Ireland Correspondent David Blevins said the increased turnout from Republicans has been provoked by the disastrous energy renewal scheme and anger over Brexit. With the DUP expected to reclaim 30 of their 38 seats and Sinn Fein predicted to retain their 28 seats, there will be a difference of two seats between the unionist and nationalist parties.

So negotiations will be tougher than last year.

The 'Brexit effect'

However, this 'Brexit effect' will not substantiate into a sudden bid for reunification. If the Government can succeed in preserving open borders with the Republic, then that should lessen Northern Ireland's Brexit anxieties. And if EIRE chooses to rejoin the Commonwealth and if Euroscepticism rises in Southern Ireland as a result of last year's corporation tax scandal and future EU controversies, the only uncertainty is the Republic's future in the EU, not Northern Ireland's place in the UK post-Brexit.

So Foster is right; this is a good result for Sinn Fein. But once the Brexit effect lessens, don't expect their luck to substantiate further.
DUP leader, Arlene Foster, has suffered a humiliating defeat in the Assembly election.

The former Northern Ireland First Minister won the poll in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, but she was crushed in the first round. She will have to enter a second round.

Yet she was still hoping to get elected.

Other bruising defeats included Alex Attwood, SDLP, who lost his West Belfast seat, and Danny Kennedy, UUP, in Newry and Armagh. Both of them are former ministers.

Sinn Fein triumphs

The night belonged to Sinn Fein, who achieved significant gains overall, with voter participation at its highest since the 1990s.

All of Northern Ireland's parties competed in its 18 constituencies, but the DUP topped the poll in regards to share of the vote. Sinn Fein came a close second, behind the unionists by just 1,168 votes.

The DUP achieved 28.1% of votes cast, but their share of the vote has decreased by 1.1%. Despite this, Sinn Fein gained 27.9% of votes cast, with their vote share having increased by 3.9%. Even the Ulster Unionists witnessed their vote share increase by 0.3% to 12.9% and the Alliance achieved 9.1% of votes, an increase of 2.1%. However, the Social Democratic and Labour Party saw their vote share decrease by 0.1% to 11.9%.

The current Sinn Fein Stormont leader, Michelle O'Neill, was re-elected in her Mid Ulster constituency, as was Alliance leader Naomi Long.

64.78% of eligible voters in Northern Ireland participated in this snap election, which represents almost two-thirds of the country's population. This substantiates into a 10% higher turnout than last year's election.

Altogether, 812,783 votes were cast yesterday in an election that was sparked by the dismantlement of devolved government six weeks ago following a scandal over a disastrous energy renewable scheme.

Highest turnout since 1998

The last time the turnout was this high was during the first Assembly election in June 1998, after the Good Friday Agreement was signed, when 69.88% of the population cast their ballots.

But this bigger turnout may be mostly down to increased participation from nationalist voters and supporters of the centrist parties.

Fewer candidates, fewer seats

The Assembly consists of 90 seats, five in each of Northern Ireland's 18 constituencies. With the number of seats cut since last year, only 228 candidates contested this time, which marks a decrease since 2016.

This was part of a cost-cutting exercise to reduce Stormont's 108 seats in time for the 2021 election.

Former Sinn Fein Stormont leader, Martin McGuinness, resigned as deputy first minister and triggered the early election after the renewable energy scheme collapsed, which has soured relations between Northern Ireland's largest unionist and nationalist parties since. The scheme was expected to cost taxpayers 490m. Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire then issued the snap poll.

They will have three weeks to form a power-sharing administration or witness a return to direct rule, which has not happened since 2002.

Northern Ireland uses the single transferable vote- a type of proportional representation- to elect its members of the legislative assembly. Unlike first past the post, which is used for UK general elections, the number of seats reflects the number of votes cast. This was introduced to the nation to end unionist dominance.

The final round will be declared on Saturday.
Attorney general Jeff Sessions faces growing calls for his resignation amid claims that he lied under oath when he was signed into his position. It has been disclosed that Sessions spoke with the Russian ambassador to the US in the midst of Trump's election campaign. In process, Sessions contradicted his testimony to congress.

Democrats call for Sessions' resignation

Chuck Schumer, the senate minority leader, spoke to reporters in Washington today. Schumer said: 'I believe that it would be in the best interests of the United States if Sessions resigned.

Admittedly, speaking to the Russians is questionable in itself. However, the biggest issue here is that Sessions lied to congress under oath'.

The Democratic House minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, demanded consequences for Sessions' lies under oath: 'Perjury is a crime. There are consequences to these actions and the attorney general must face those consequences'.

Senior Republicans calls for Sessions to recuse

Although senior Republicans didn't call on Sessions to resign, they did call for the attorney general should recuse from involvement in the FBI's investigation into potential Russian interference in Donald Trump's election win.

Chuck Schumer stated that Sessions should be investigated by the Department of Justiceto determine if his contact with Russia has compromised the FBI's investigation: 'There can't be a scintilla of doubt about the impartiality of the attorney general'.

The news of these latest connections come after the media praised Trump for his address to congress. A spokesperson for Jeff Sessions confirmed that meetings occurred, but claimed that they weren't pertaining to the election.

During Sessions committee hearing on 10 January, he was questioned by senator Al Franken on what the procedure would be if Russian influence on the US election came to light.

The attorney general said: 'Im not aware of any activities linking Russia to the US election. Before, I have been labelled a surrogate but I haven't had contact with Russia'. Today, Franken labelled Sessions' remarks as 'extremely misleading' before demanding that Sessions should clarify his comments under oath.

President Trump has backed the attorney general, stating that he had 'total confidence in the attorney general' during a speech to a military base in Virginia.
It is another day and another controversy has erupted in the United States. We have already had one high-ranking figure leave the Trump Administration with Michael Flynn being fired last month after he misled the White House, particularly Vice-President Mike Pence, about his ties and communications with Russia. The latest individual who is at risk of a similar fate to Flynn is Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Why is he at risk?

The Washington Post, who cited U.S. Justice Department officials, reported that Jeff Sessions met Sergei Kislyak, a Russian ambassador, in July and September last year.

This contradicts Sessions statement at his confirmation hearing on 10th January 2017 where he stated, under oath, that he did not have communications with the Russians.

He has again reiterated that he has not met with any Russians at any time to discuss any political campaign, and those remarks are unbelievable to me and are false.

The Backlash

The revelations which have come out about Sessions have sparked outrage in the United States. This is especially the case within the Democratic Party. They argue that, because he lied under oath to Congress, Sessions should resign from his position as Attorney General or step aside from an FBI probe he is overseeing into the claims of hacking in the 2016 presidential election.

We are far past recusal. Jeff #Sessions lied under oath. Anything less than resignation or removal from office is unacceptable.  Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) 2 March 2017

And we need Attorney General Jeff Sessions  who should have never been confirmed in the first place  to resign. We need it now.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) 2 March 2017

Despite this, The White House has backed Sessions by criticising this "latest attack against the Trump administration by partisan Democrats".

What happens now?

We are certain to get more developments regarding this latest incident in the days and weeks to come. Still, in the immediate future, this incident enhances the controversy surrounding the Trump Administration in regards to its ties with Russia and it worsens the tension within the United States at this moment in time.

However, this incident could also, to some degree, unite the Democratic and Republican Part. Indeed, they could agree to finally have an independent panel that will thoroughly investigate the issue of Russian hacking into the election and give us the truth about the extent to which Russia interfered in the election.
Donald Trump condemned the democrats who rushed to demand the resignation of the Attorney General, for talks with the Russian ambassador in Washington, cataloguing their action as a "witch hunt" against Jeff Sessions. Trump called him an "honest man" and accused the Democrats because they have lost all touch with the reality and launched a "witch hunt".

"Sessions said nothing wrong."

"Sessions said nothing wrong. He could express his answer in a clearer way, but certainly he did it unintentionally, said Trump.

It is the first consequence of a scandal that overshadows Jeff Sessions` mandate, less than a month since he reached the leadership of the Ministry of Justice.

Sessions is charged that during the campaign, he was met twice with the Russian ambassador in Washington and when he was asked about this topic at the hearings, he fell.

"I decided to self-exclude from any investigation that has to do with Trump's campaign", said Sessions.

The Russian Ambassador to the United States was met with more advisers to the US President Donald Trump during the election campaign last year, apart from Justice Secretary Jeff Sessions, including his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, announced the White House. The contacts of some members of Trump`s campaign with Russia are subject to investigation of both the FBI and the commissions of the Congress.

Kushner met with the Russian Ambassador

Kushner met with the Russian Ambassador, Sergey Kisliak, in December at Trump Tower in New York, Trump's transition headquarters, the White House affirming that it was a "brief meeting of courtesy", in which took part including Michael Flynn, who was designate National Security Adviser by Trump.

Flynn was fired last month after he misled the vice president Mike Pence about a series of telephony conversations he had with Kisliak.

Also, The Associated Press and USA Today wrote that Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser during Trump`s campaign, spoke with Kisliak at the same event, organized by the Heritage Foundation, in which Sessions talked with the Russian Ambassador, in the summer.
Donald Trump was scheduled to appear at a Harley-Davidson factory, but it appears that will no longer take place. Citing concern over the threat of anti-Trump protests, the commander in chief will be forced to change his schedule.

Trump blocked

Since the start of his campaign for president, Donald Trump has been forced to deal with controversy hovering over him. Despite his controversial comments and policies that have cause backlash, the billionaire real estate mogul was able to generate enough support to win the election in a shocking upset over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

While that was cause, Trump still has millions of Americans who have voiced their opposition to his administration, which only increased over the weekend after signing the "Muslim ban" executive order. As reported by The Hill on January 31, Trump's plan to visit a Harley-Davidson factory on Thursday was canceled over fear of massive protests.

Trump cancels trip to Harley-Davidson factory over protest fears https://t.co/mZeRd6pdqW pic.twitter.com/B4vwPzgs2H  The Hill (@thehill) February 1, 2017

Donald Trump was planning a trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he was going to take a tour of the Harley-Davidson factory, and sign executive orders that related to American manufacturing. CNN first reported the news on Wednesday night, which comes less than 48 hours before the former host of "The Apprentice" was going to arrive at the factory.

Harley-Davidson contacted the White House and explained their reasoning for the cancellation, noting that they were "uncomfortable" over the news that protests were being planned.

Pres. Trump's trip to Milwaukee to visit a Harley-Davidson factory was canceled because the company feared protests https://t.co/N6xK3onSbv pic.twitter.com/iyKsQaWmmn  CNN (@CNN) January 31, 2017

Trump trouble

When Donald Trump signed the aforementioned executive order, otherwise known as the alleged "Muslim ban," it quickly sparked a major debate in the country, with Trump supporters backing the decision, and critics lashing out.

Protests took place at various airports in the United States, most notably Kennedy International Airport in New York. Celebrities at last Sunday night's SAG Awards also took time during their speeches to blast the president, while others used social media to express their disdain. Though backlash has only continued to increase, Trump and his administration don't appear willing to change their minds over the issue in question.
The week and a half that Donald Trump has been president has only highlighted the wide political divide in the United States. After signing his controversial "Muslim ban" executive order, backlash quickly followed, which was evident during a town hall event with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Pelosi on Trump

The 2016 presidential election was one of the most controversial in recent history. As the political left and right continue to butt heads, Donald Trump has signed several executive orders over the last week that has continued the tension in Washington.

When Trump signed his executive order last Friday that limited travel to select Muslim countries, the result was outrage among critics of the new administration. Protests took place around the country in various airports after news broke that certain Muslims were detained inside. This issue was front and center during a town hall event on CNN with Nancy Pelosi, as reported on January 31.

Pelosi to Yemeni refugee: "Your family is suffering because our president is reckless" https://t.co/qzremhe9fS https://t.co/UMhQJr7Ua2  CNN (@CNN) February 1, 2017

As Nancy Pelosi was taking questions from the audience, one woman was curious about the aforementioned "Muslim ban." The woman in question was named Bushra, who revealed that she was a refugee from Yemeni and that her mother was now unable to enter the United States because of Trump's executive order.

Bushra asked Pelosi what she and other Democrats will do to help "ensure that more families are not torn apart." In response, Pelosi didn't hold back her thoughts about the former host of "The Apprentice."

Nancy Pelosi: "What the President did and the manner in which he did it has not made us more safe" #PelosiTownHall https://t.co/eiZMIWJMh2  CNN (@CNN) February 1, 2017

"Your family is suffering because our president is reckless," Nancy Pelosi told Bushra, while stating, "his administration is incompetent." Not stopping there, the Democratic leader continued to rip into the new commander in chief.

"How and why they did this is because they're grand illusionists," she said, before adding, "Every time they have a problem with something, they create another problem." Pelosi continued, expressing her support for the recent protests.

Moving forward

After two Iraqi travelers were detained at Kennedy International Airport last Saturday, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the administration, leading to a federal judge ordering a stay on the order. As of press time, Donald Trump doesn't appear willing to back down, creating even further issues between the left and right in the United States.
To kick off the start off black history month, Donald Trump and his administration put together a White House event to honor the contributions of African-Americans. During a round-table discussion, the new president couldn't help but go off script to attack his favorite media target; CNN.

Trump on CNN

Beginning at the start of his presidential campaign just over a year and a half ago, Donald Trump has engaged in a war of words with the media. It started when he announced his candidacy in June 2015, when he referred to illegal immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and "murderers." Since that time, Trump has made controversial remarks, or proposed questionable policies, that his critics have labeled as "racist." In response, the billionaire real estate mogul has accused the media of being "terrible" and "dishonest" in an attempt to hurt his campaign, and now administration.

As reported by Mediaite on February 1, Trump even took time from his Black History Month event to smear CNN.

While offering praise for Paris Dennard, a Republican strategist who often contributes to CNN, Trump made sure to get a shot in on the cable news channel. "Paris has done an amazing job in a very hostile CNN community," Trump said, before stating, "He's all by himself, seven people and Paris." Continuing, Trump also added, "I'll take Paris over the seven."

Donald Trump Calls Out CNN During Black History Month Event: 'I Don't Watch Fake News' https://t.co/nRRfYdX9WF (VIDEO) pic.twitter.com/9EloqHyQIZ  Mediaite (@Mediaite) February 1, 2017

Going further, Donald Trump continued his attack on CNN during the Black History Month round-table, while also praising Fox News in the process.

"I don't watch CNN so I don't get to see you as much," Trump said to Dennard, noting, "I don't like watching fake news." The former host of "The Apprentice" then turned to the camera, before saying, "Fox has treated me very nice. Wherever Fox is, thank you." As expected, the president has had a mostly solid relationship with Fox News, as the network is known for its right-wing slant and conservative opinion shows, with Trump forming a close bond with host Sean Hannity over the last year.

Next up

As Donald Trump and his feud with the news media continues, it's likely that the gap between both sides will only widen over the next four years. While Trump and the press were often at odds during the election, the tension has only gotten worst since Inauguration Day, and it doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon.
On Monday, the Attorney General Jeff Sessions reiterated that, as the chief law enforcement officer, his main priority would be on reducing the Violent Crime rate in America. He added that the increase in murder rates have foreshadowed the other problem across the country.

More cases of marijuana

Attorney General Jeff Sessions told reporters that the cases involving marijuana are on the rise and experts confirmed the news. He said that his department is reviewing the memo presented by the Justice Department during former President Obamas administration.

The memo, once implemented, will give more power and flexibility to the states for passing laws related to marijuana.

Earlier last week, White House press secretary Sean Spicer, said that Justice Department is going to impose a federal law against the use of recreational marijuana. Even though Sessions did not say what they are going to do, he did add that he doesnt believe America to be a better place with a lot of Americans smoking pot.

Sessions told reporters that he is not impressed about the excess usage of marijuana. Distributing marijuana across America is the equivalent to violating federal law.

Some states have legalized recreational use of marijuana

Around 8 states, along with the District of Columbia, have legalized recreational use of marijuana.

The Justice Department said that they are not planning to challenge those state laws. Studies conducted by agencies found there is no correlation between violent crime rates and legalizing marijuana.

Drug traffickers taking advantage of lax marijuana laws

Law enforcement officers said that in states like Colorado, drug traffickers were taking advantage of legalized recreational use of marijuana law.

They are now growing in numbers and illegally shipping marijuana across the state lines so that they can sell it for higher prices.

There were reports that states like Colorado and other pot-legal states hadnt taken effective measures to stop drugs from going beyond the state borders.

Jeff Sessions worried about increase in violent crime

The preliminary data from last year shows there has been a big jump in violent crime. Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions have expressed their concern over the rise in violent crime. According to the data received, murder increased by 11% in 2015, it is the biggest rise in one single year in more than 40 years.

The attorney general also added that he is worried about the continuous rise in gun violence in Chicago. Jeff Sessions continued that the dramatic reduction of police stops and arrests are one of the major reasons for the violence in Chicago.
As new information continues to break involving Donald Trump's administration and their contact with Russia, the president has been backed into a corner. With the pressure piling on, Trump has decided to come to the defense of one of his favorite cabinet selections.

Trump on Twitter

On Wednesday night, the Washington Post uncovered that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had at least two private meetings with a major Russian official. The news comes just weeks after retired Gen. Michael Flynn was forced to resign from his position as National Security Adviser due to his contact with the Kremlin.

As expected, Sessions has denied any wronging, which was backed up by the White House via a statement, and from press secretary Sean Spicer in an interview with Fox News on Thursday morning. Despite this, Donald Trump returned to Twitter on March 2 and gave his thoughts about the controversy surrounding Sessions and Russia.

Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

"Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional," Donald Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday night.

"This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win," Trump continued, before adding, "The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election, and now they have lost their grip on reality."

...intentional. This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

...to win. The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election, and now they have lost their grip on reality. The real story...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

Not stopping there, the former host of "The Apprentice" then continued his attack on the Democrats, referring to the allegations against Jeff Sessions as a "witch hunt." "The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information," the president tweeted, while concluding, "It is a total 'witch hunt!'"

...is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total "witch hunt!"  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

Moving forward

The issue of Donald Trump and his relationship with Russia dates back to the start of his campaign for president.

Despite constantly denying a connection between himself and the Russians, the media has continued to release information about Trump that contradicts with the offical White House narrative, with the president labeling the leaks as "fake news."
Last night Melania Trump looked elegant in a simple Black Dress when her husband President Donald Trump addressed Congress. This black dress looked simple, but according to CNN the price tag on it was something most people wouldn't even consider spending on a dress. What are the details on this outfit that Melania Trump had on last night?

Melania's dress cost more than some people make in six months

It turns out that Melania Trump had on a $9,600 Michael Kors outfit during this speech. This outfit was fresh off the runway. You won't even actually be able to buy it until fall, but Melania got the chance to wear it last night.

She did get a standing ovation when she walked in looking classy in this outfit. It had hand-embroidered, sequined flowers and she wore it with a wide belt and chose not to wear a blouse under the jacket, even though you can do that. She got a lot of mixed reactions on the outfit she was wearing. Some felt like it was fit more for something like the Oscars than her husband's speech last night. Melania isn't responding to what people have to say at all.

Ivanka Trump also raised a few eyebrows with her choice of outfit last night. She had on an outfit that was off the shoulder and a lot of people went to social networks about how they didn't feel like this outfit was appropriate. Ivanka had on a $3,000 dress by French designer Roland Mouret.

What some people thought was a bra showing was actually a strap on her dress. Ivanka was sitting right next to Navy SEAL Ryan Owens' widow so she was shown a lot during the tribute to him.

Now that Melania and Ivanka Trump are in the public eye so much, they will have to be careful about every single outfit they pick out. People are going to love and hate what they decide to wear.

They will be criticized no matter what they end up choosing.

What do you think of the dress Melania Trump wore to her husband's speech last night? Are you shocked she spent so much money on a dress? Sound off in the comments section below on your thoughts.
A French petition has been developed attempting to get former President of the United States Barrack Obama to run for the next French President.

Realistically, Obama cannot actually win the office without citizenship

The campaign developed to promote the cause has been named "Obama 17" and promoted posters featuring Obama's face with the message, Oui on peut, a French translation of Obama's campaign tagline, Yes, we can. The campaign had already amassed 40,000 signatures, some of which do not include French citizens, however, and hopes to amass one million signatures by March 15.

Realistically, Obama cannot actually run for the candidacy, as one must be a French citizen in order to do so, but the campaign appears to serve as a satirical protest. According to a statement from the organizers, they claimed that they wanted to promote "a foreigner" for the role of office for the sake of giving "a lesson of democracy to the planet."

In addition to citizenship, it would also be needed to obtain signatures from 500 mayors out of 35,000 mayors across France by March 17.

What does the French election currently look like?

It has been speculated that the campaign has been put on to protest the candidacy of far-right candidate, Marine Le Pen who appears to be a strong candidate this year.

Len Pen appears to have a strong lead in the polls, and is currently above independent centrist Emmanuel Macron and the center-right candidate Francois Fillon. Reportedly, Macron's loss came from an attempt at moderate policies, and a financial scandal has similarly plagued Fillon. French socialists have also appeared to have gaining problems during this election, with their candidate Benoit Hamon fourth in the polls.

Le Pen's politics, notably a popular anti-immigration rhetoric, has led to comparisons with current United States President Donald Trump. Similar to the events of the recent American election, however, it is expected that Le Pens popularity within the polls might not guarantee her the election, and tactical voting may prevent her from winning.
Sergey Kislyak, the flamboyant #Russian ambassador to America is known for his social prowess. He is likely to debate fiercely with his American opponents on matters of grave international importance, and then suggest eating dinner afterward.

Case in point: he threw a prodigal dinner party to toast the new American envoy to Russia, Michael McFaul. The lavish affair took place in Kislyak's Beaux-Arts mansion that happens to be four blocks from the White House. Mr McFaul, talking to the New York Times, described it as an over-the-top, extraordinary dinner, with five courses of haute Russian fusion fare for fifty guests.

And those fifty guests were all government officials cozily involved in helping to formulate Russia policy for Obama's office. There were even figures from both the #Defense and State Departments in attendance.

I admired the fact that he was trying to reach deep into our government to cultivate relations with all kinds of people, Mr. McFaul said of the 2011 party that so impressed him. I was impressed by the way he went about that kind of #socializing, the way he went about entertaining, but always with a political objective.

Social, impressive, charismatic  and now apparently controversial

In fact, #Mr Kislyaks social and networking success has placed him in a tangled web of controversy that has earned inches of newspaper columns and the fury of politicians.

The fracas has made him the most conspicuous, and politically explosive, ambassador in Washington.

Last week the second adviser from Trump's administration got into trouble when it was discovered that he failed to expose his conversations with Kislyak As a result, #Jeff Sessions has recused his role in the Russian election-tampering investigation; many members of the House and Senate are calling for him to quit.

Nancy Pelosi charged that he should step down, claiming that the Republicans were willing to lie to stay in power, whilst Norma Kamal said that she too wanted Sessions to quit immediately.

And only weeks earlier, #Michael Flynn was forced to quit as the national security adviser, amidst a major uproar that was an embarrassment for Trump and his newly formed administration.

Today the New York Times reported that Mr Kislyak also met with Trump's son-in-law and adviser #Jared Kushner during the transition at the White House.

A career diplomat raised in the restrictive Soviet era, Kislyak, 66, may seem an improbable character in such a heated drama. He has been involved with American officials on both sides of the political spectrum for decades and has been known as a familiar face in the Washington scene. Some have described him as jowly and affable with a warm smile, and yet he can be fierce when advocating #Russias vigorous policies and objectives.

He has frequented think tanks to discuss weapons and arms control issues, where he unapologetically defend Russias much-criticized intrusion into Ukraine.

He was also known to attack #Americans for what he saw as their hypocrisy in international diplomacy and aggression  and then he'd be happy to sit down with his opponent and suggest a sit-down dinner.

Not all of us, myself included, initially appreciated his very tough, in-your-face style, Dimitri Simes, president of the Center for the National Interest, told the New York Times.

Diplomats and politicians mix and mingle

Simes introduced Trump to Kislyak last April at a speech his center hosted at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington. Kislyak noted that Sessions was there but couldn't ascertain if they actually spoke.

Last November Kislyak defended his meetings with #American officials at Stanford University when he was asked about allegations of Russian meddling in the elections. He echoed the Russian governments stance that it wasnt involved in hacking. It is natural, he claimed, for diplomats to attend political events where they mix with other candidates.
It would be easy for some to say that the allegations of Russian interference in the American presidential election are only a domestic matter, this is not so. President #Donald Trump must understand that the results of the investigations will have major effects on his foreign policy for his entire Presidency.

Russia

When talking about Russia, we must remember that it is the worlds second superpower and Americas greatest opponent on the world stage. In recent times Vladimir Putins secret services and armed forces have been involved in increasing activities in various parts of the world.

The Russian intervention in Syria against ISIS was a major surprise for all, but more than a battle against the so-called Islamic State, it was in support of its ally Bashar al-Assad and his regime.

The conflict between Russia and the Ukraine not only caused the downing of a Malaysian Airlines jet with 298 people aboard, but also led to Russias annexation of Crimea and continuing armed conflicts that never finished despite the international sanctions against Moscow.

New fears

As reported in the New York Times and other major newspapers, in recent weeks the presence of Russian troops for drills near the Serbia-Kosovo border raised fears that the region may once more become a battlefield. Sadly the recent incidents at the border have raised memories of Tsarist Russias Pan-Slavism that was one of the contributory factors of the Great War.

The news that Sweden is considering returning to compulsory military service to ensure that its army is at full strength is proof of the worries of increased Russian aggression by neighbouring countries and not only those such as Bulgaria that were once part of the Soviet controlled Warsaw Pact.

During his recent first visit to Europe as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was told by NATO leaders of their worries in regards to Russias activities and their worries of interference in the national elections in France and Germany this year.

Investigations

Thus the world is watching with more than passing interest the developments in the United States regarding the allegations of Russian interference in the recent presidential election in favour of the eventual winner Donald Trump.

Americas allies are not only in the front line against the Russian bear, but they also design their individual foreign policies to be in line with Americas international agenda.

So it is easy to understand the discomfort of many traditional allies in the developments regarding the man who now sits in the Oval Office.

Americans who follow the news on the social media and particularly Facebook know the high level of interest in all matters of American politics. The interest is not simple curiosity, but because what happens in Washington often has direct, often immediate impact in other countries.

The intelligence community understands these international worries and why the priority must be to address and the resolve the allegations. The CIA, FBI and other intelligence bodies are in constant contact and cooperate with allied agencies, so doubts about the election result would also have effects on these vital working relationships.

In every way the whole world is watching developments in the Russian hacking scandal, but not all do so because they are Americas allies. That is the bitter truth behind the allegations.

The Oval Office would do well to remember this truth because every comment coming from there, whether official, or by tweet will be analyzed by everyone, friend and foe.
The Trump Administration was born under a cloud created by the allegations of Russian interference in the presidential campaign and time has only provided more information to show that the cloud was real and not imaginary. It is now time for the Oval Office to face up to responsibilities and not downplay an issue that increasing numbers of people are viewing with concern.

Denial

After a few days of calm, President #Donald Trump once more went on the charge on Twitter. He had been quiet since his well received address in Congress on Tuesday evening, but the recent turn in news has put the address into the shadows.

Yesterdays decision by Attorney General Jeff Session to recuse himself from any involvement in the Justice Departments investigations into the alleged interference in the Russian election was in line with his declarations during his confirmation hearings.

This was the least that could have been expected by the public on an issue of national and international interest, but it will do nothing to lessen pressure on the White House and President Trump in particular to address the issue in a responsible manner. Making the comments on Twitter was not in a responsible manner.

On a day that the White House confirmed reports that meetings had occurred with the Sergey Kislyak the Russian Ambassador to the United States between Trump staffers, including former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and son in law Jared Kushner at Trump Tower in December the tweets simply contrasted the serious behaviour of Jeff Sessions with the Presidents knee jerk reaction in labelling the investigations as a witch-hunt.

Political realities

Criticizing legitimate investigations does not make the issues go away. The simple fact that the President himself stated that the allegations were real should have directed him to tone down the rhetoric and to await the results of the investigations before making any more comments on the matter.

Rather, the President continues to avoid two political realities that are a fundamental part of the job description.

The first is the necessity to follow the procedures of Americas system of government and to respect the roles of the various branches that operate within it.

The moment that the Justice Department undertakes any investigation the President should wait the outcome and not pre-empt any possible result. By their very nature investigations have the potential of uncovering anything and making any premature comment will only create further problems for the future, as we are seeing at the present time.

The other reality is one that is much harder for Donald Trump to swallow and it comes partly from his experience as an entrepreneur. As the President of the United States he is answerable for every action under his watch, whether he was directly involved or not.

Entrepreneur President

In private business he could hire and fire without explaining himself to anyone even for arbitrary reasons, once he sat in the Oval Office that was no longer possible. That is one of the reasons for the confirmation process for the most important government positions, even when the two Houses are friendly to the White House as happens now.

President Trumps choice for Attorney General was always controversial and although the Republicans confirmed the nomination, it was a choice that always had the potential to come back and hurt the Administration, which it inevitably did.

Like the Russian allegations, Jeff Sessions will always be a problem for the Administration and it is only a matter of time when it will come to a head.

President Trump can no longer afford to simply deny and accuse on these two issues. He has two choices, to keep his silence and wait for the results of the investigations, or to provide solid proof that the accusations are unfounded and risk that they may eventually be proven false by the investigations with all the consequences that will follow.

It is now up to Donald Trump to make the choice.
"Days Of Our Lives" comings and goings for the week of February 6 may make some fans a bit nostalgic and sad. According to Soap Hub, this week will mark the official last appearance of actor Joseph Mascolo as Stefano DiMera. The actor, who passed away in December, filmed one final time as the NBC soap's biggest villain, and viewers will say goodbye with Joseph's final scenes this week.

Joseph Mascolo returns to play Stefano DiMera one final time

As many "Days of Our Lives" fans know, Stefano DiMera was thought to be dead after Hope Brady shot him multiple times and then Rafe Hernandez helped her dispose of his body.

However, it seems that The Phoenix has risen again. Although Hope was sent to prison for the crime of murdering Stefano, evidence revealed that the evil head of the DiMera family seemingly wasn't dead at all. This lead Rafe, Shane, Marlena, Steve, Kayla, and Paul on a wild goose chase to look for their foe. This week, it seems the search will be over, and Stefano will finally be found.

However, what happens next with the character is still a mystery. Will Stefano finally be killed off the soap opera for good, or will he escape the clutches of his enemies yet again? Since Mascolo can not return as Stefano for any future scenes, it seems that the show would want to wrap up the character's storyline.

However, a recast or some other outrageous new plot twist could always have the villain return in the most shocking of ways.

So much drama in Salem

Meanwhile, "Days of Our Lives" viewers will also see actor Martin Harris return to play Officer Hasek on Friday. With all of the police drama going on in Salem, it's hard to keep straight which cops are on which cases.

Hope has escaped from prison and there is a manhunt going on for her.

All the while, the Kiriakis, DiMera, and Hernandez families are all in a wicked feud over a piece of technology that could make them millions, and someone is likely to end up hurt or dead as Deimos keeps Chad and Gabi prisoner to get his way. "Days of Our Lives" airs weekdays on NBC.
Donald Trump has only been the President of the United States for less than two weeks, but he's already creating controversy. After signing multiple executive orders, including the "Muslim ban," backlash has followed, especially from celebrities in Hollywood.

Trump backlash

Just days after Donald Trump was sworn into office on Inauguration Day, he quickly took pen to paper and started signing off on executive orders that have since been met with opposition by Democrats in Washington, as well as millions of Americans across the country. Last Friday, Trump signed the aforementioned "Muslim ban," which resulted on in various protests breaking out in airports around the United States, especially once news broke that Muslims were being detained inside.

In addition to the executive orders, Trump's cabinet picks have been heavily criticized, as has his nominee for the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch. As seen across Twitter on February 1, celebrities are using their popularity to call out the new president, with some going as far as demanding impeachment.

With the shit show going on inside the mentally ill liar's WH, thank God we're not facing an external crisis. But Pres. Bannon will save us.  Rob Reiner (@robreiner) January 31, 2017

"Calling on all patriotic Republicans to demand that Muslim ban be rescinded," actor and director Rob Reiner wrote on Twitter, before adding, "Gen. Mattis,Sen. McCain, you know this makes us less safe-SPEAK." Not stopping there, Reiner continued, this time calling out Donald Trump for being a "liar." "With the sh*t show going on inside the mentally ill liar's WH, thank God we're not facing an external crisis," Reiner wrote, before sarcastically adding, "But Pres.

Bannon will save us."

Calling on all patriotic Republicans to demand that Muslim ban be rescinded. Gen. Mattis,Sen. McCain, you know this makes us less safe-SPEAK  Rob Reiner (@robreiner) January 30, 2017

Moore speaks

Filmmaker Michael Moore took to his social media account to lash out at Donald Trump, this time targeting his Supreme Court nomination, while sending a message to congressional Democrats in the process.

"Senate Dems, let's be very clear: You will filibuster & block this SC nom or we will find a true progressive and primary u in next election," Moore wrote.

Senate Dems, let's be very clear: You will filibuster & block this SC nom or we will find a true progressive and primary u in next election.  Michael Moore (@MMFlint) February 1, 2017

King's take

Horror author Stephen King expressed his disdain for Donald Trump on his Twitter account, going after the "Muslim ban," and the president's constant complaining over the news media.

"Trump's view of fake news explained: "If it runs counter to what I believe or say, it's fake," King wrote, while pointing out, "The facts are irrelevant." On the executive order in question, King noted, "How about some extreme vetting of Donald Trump's tax returns?"

Trump's view of fake news explained: "If it runs counter to what I believe or say, it's fake. The facts are irrelevant."  Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 1, 2017

How about some extreme vetting of Donald Trump's tax returns?  Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 1, 2017

"Oh my, Takei"

Actor George Takei decided to step away from social media, and instead give his opinion on Donald Trump in a scathing op-ed for The New York Daily News.

Takei, who spent time in a Japanese Internment Camp during World War 2, has taken the "Muslim ban" personal, and isn't happy. Takei went on to say that Trump was "ignorant of history and facts" and that he "reacts based on his emotion and his 'alternative facts.'"

Going further, the former "Star Trek" star went on to label the new commander in chief a "terrorist." "He is ignorant, and because of his ignorance, he is fearful," Takei wrote, stating, "Actually, the real terrorist is Donald Trump. He's the American terrorist."
The votes have been tallied and the winners for the 37th Razzies have been announced. The annual Golden Raspberry Awards, popularly known as the Razzies, is a playful mockery of Hollywood's Oscars ceremonies which similarly awards some of the worst films.

The movie industry has much to be ashamed of for the poor quality of films released in 2016 churning out multitudes of stinkers which left film reviewers scratching their heads. But from the pile of filmmaking manure, the members of the Golden Raspberry Foundation managed to hold their noses and pick out the worst stinkers of all, producing a list of winning films which were not only compost worthy, but so bad they pushed the likes of "Zoolander" and "Dirty Grandpa" out of the top categories.

Tied with 4 Razzies each are Dinsesh D'Souza's "Hillarys America," a documentary attack on Hillary Clinton, and the warring superhero flick "Superman v Batman," starring Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill as Batman and Superman.

'Hillary's America's' Razzie owed to those upset with Trump win

After hearing about his nomination, conservative commentator and author, D'Souza told USA Today that he was honoured saying, I think the normal expected reaction would be one of dismay and embarrassment at being nominated as the worst film." Bemused by the accolades, he commented that the votes for his documentary's Razzie nomination were from those obviously miffed with the outcome of the presidential election with Clinton losing to Trump.

Either D'Souza's assessment is spot on or his documentary stunk big time with him managing to win the Worst Actor category beating out Hollywood stars Ben Affleck, Gerard Butler, Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro. Now that's something he can brag to all his colleagues about.

Ben Affleck and his BFF

In this round of awards, Batman v Superman received the Razzie for Worst Screen combo for Ben Affleck and his BFF (baddest foe forever) Henry Cavill.

In the same category, the Razzie site also gives nods to nominees Johnny Depp for his "vomitously vibrant costume" in "Alice Through the Looking Glass" and the "entire cast of once respected actors" in "Collateral Beauty".

Whether the winners will show up to pick up their gold spray painted raspberry trophies or not, the award ceremony is all in good fun.

Notably Ben Affleck is not new to the Golden Raspberry Awards, having accepted his Razzie award for Worst Actor in 2004. Other past Razzie winners who accepted their awards are Sandra Bullock, Tom Selleck, Bill Cosby, Paul Verhoeven (director of the movie "Showgirls") and Halle Berry.
A lot of people are now excited for the return of Making a Murderer Season 2 on television as Netflix officially confirmed its coming. Although the streaming service keeps things under wraps, the former Wisconsin district attorney Ken Kratz, who appeared in the first season, teased his possible appearance and a lot more in the coming sequel.

The lawyer has been Steven Averys murder prosecutor in the first installment of the documentary television series. In the first season, he was often criticized, thus he also condemned the shows filmmakers for portraying his character as an evil one.

Ken Kratz might come in Making a Murderer Season 2

In an interview with Radar Online, the legal representative revealed that the shows producers have called him to make an appearance in the new season. However, he narrated that he still left them hanging as he is not yet responding to them.

For him to be part of the sequel, he said that he wanted to be 100 percent sure that he would not be a victim of heavy editing again. This assurance should come from the TV series directors Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi. What Id like to see before I would agree to do that is a promise from them that theyre not going to splice this time, he told the publication.

District lawyer accused shows up filmmakers for fooling its viewers

In his new tell-all Avery: The Case Against Steven Avery and What Making a Murderer Gets Wrong, the author revealed that the shows filmmakers are editing the witnesses testimonies and interviews in the first season. He accused them of fooling people and it looks like they are so used in doing it.

He also claimed that the film producers are often biased for excluding major evidence in the documentary.

Ken Kratz also exposed that what people were seeing in the first season of Making a Murderer didnt really happened in real life. Hence, he proudly said that his book has the exact details of what really happened and real evidence from the case. What youre seeing in this docudrama wasnt what happened, he said.
A woman examines food imported from the United Kingdom at a supermarket in Beijing. [Photo/China Daily]

A growing taste for meat, dairy, beer and "afternoon tea" products among Chinese consumers contributed to a 51 percent increase in British food and drink exports to China in 2016, making it the United Kingdom's fastest growing market.

The UK exported 439.5 million pounds ($546.6 million) of food and drink goods to China last year, the fastest growth in exports to China in a decade, according to the UK's Food and Drink Federation. Total UK exports of food and drink grew by 10.5 percent to reach a record 20 billion pounds.

Ian Wright, director-general of the FDF, said there was a much greater potential in China for British food and drink exports. He said: "Our target is to grow branded exports by a third by 2020 to more than 6 billion pounds."

The UK government will soon embark on a five-year campaign to increase demand for UK products in China, having identified the country as one of the nine priority markets in the Government-Industry International Action Plan for Food and Drink 2016-2020.

The UK's Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs said the growth in demand for quality products in China is due to changing tastes as the country becomes increasingly affluent. Meat, dairy and alcohol account for roughly half of the UK's food and drink exports to China. The FDF attributed some of the growth in 2016 to favorable exchange rates following the UK's referendum vote to leave the European Union.

In descending order, the top five export products from the UK to China last year were milk and cream powder, salmon, pork, whisky and beer. Beer saw a 439 percent increase in exports following President Xi Jinping's visit to a Buckinghamshire pub with then-UK prime minister David Cameron in 2015.

The FDF also noted the growing interest in China for British "afternoon tea" products such as scones, jam, tea and cakes, linking the trend to the popularity of television programs such as Downton Abbey and the Great British Bake Off. Last year, exports of tea to China were up by 63 percent, milk powder by 134 percent, and cakes by 26 percent.

While the weak pound helped boost UK exports, it also made imports more expensive and the UK's food and drink trade deficit with the rest of the world grew by 5.7 percent to 22.4 billion pounds.
Shanghai may be well-known for being a fast-paced city that never sleeps, but there is one thing that its residents will slow down for - food.

The latest food craze in the city involves a palm-sized bun topped with dried meat floss and shredded sea sedges, something many Shanghainese normally dislike because of its coarseness.

The bun is sold by Master Bao, which was first established in a quiet residential neighborhood in Beijing in 2009. The company opened its first Shanghai outlet in People's Square in early February, right after the Spring Festival holiday.

The queue outside the shop can stretch hundreds of meters and a customer may wait as long as five hours during peak hours. The snack is sold for between 19 and 29 yuan ($2.8 to 4.2) per 500 grams, depending on the type of floss.

"I called in sick at work just so I could queue and buy this bread for my girlfriend who has been craving it for weeks," said Wu Wei, a hotel manager who queued for nearly two hours on a weekday afternoon. "This is the first and perhaps last time that I will spend so much time queuing to buy a snack."

Bao Caibin, the store manager of the Shanghai outlet, said that the craze in Shanghai is even larger than those that took place in Beijing and Tianjin. He said that the queue starts to form as early as 5 am and lasts till midnight. The store is currently limiting each customer to 2 kg of bread.

It remains a mystery to most foodies why the snack has become such a phenomenal hit. Unlike other wildly popular products like mooncakes filled with spicy crayfish meat or sticky rice balls stuffed with salted duck egg yolk, there is nothing new or innovative about Master Bao's buns. Similar products have been sold at most bakeries across the city for many years.

Most of the customers who were waiting in the line said they were simply influenced by social media posts.

On Taobao, China's largest online shopping portal, people have been flocking to place their orders with daigou (shopping on behalf of someone else) services.

The website showed that more than 10,000 such deals for the buns were made over the past 30 days. A shop assistant, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that nearly one third of the orders are placed by customers in Shanghai.

While most daigou businesses charge a fee ranging from 5 to 20 percent of the price of the product, the most popular daigou store on Taobao is selling the buns at the same price as Master Bao, citing the fact that they are buying these snacks in bulk from Beijing.

The shop, which is charging a delivery fee of 23 yuan, guarantees customers in Shanghai that they will receive their buns within 48 hours.

xujunqian@chinadaily.com.cn
Ahead of International Women's Day, two female mixologists in Shanghai talk about their motivations behind joining a male-dominated industry and why more females need to be behind the bar counter

A trusted confidant. An expert at reading people. An artist who paints with flavors.

Most bartenders would say that their profession places them in such roles, and how they are not mere service staff whose only job is to satiate the thirst of nocturnal crowds.

Many of them would also cite the love for meeting new people as the main reason they got into this industry, one that is today still largely an all-boys club.

"What I love most about this job is getting to interact with customers. You get to meet so many interesting people from all walks of life. Your world also becomes smaller as a result," said Faye Chen from Speak Low, a speakeasy-style bar in Shanghai that was rated China's top cocktail establishment in the inaugural Asia's 50 Best Bars listing in 2016.

"Bartenders become confidants to their customers. After a few drinks, people tend to get a little more emotional and conversations become more intimate. We end up knowing very personal things about them, such as when they broke up with their boyfriends or girlfriends."

Chen's parents, however, did not share this romantic point of view. Faye said that they were initially apprehensive about her choice of career because, at least among people of the older generation, such a job is commonly associated with indecent men, cigarettes and alcohol.

"But they're now fine with me doing this because they've managed to see the fruits of my labor which proves this is a legitimate and respectable job. They've even come down to the bar a few times to see me at work,"quipped the 29-year-old from Taiwan.

One of her most notable accomplishments to date is winning the China edition of the Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition in March 2015.

Moreover, Chen isn't just a regular bartender at Speak Low - she also runs the operations for her boss Shingo Gokan, an award-winning Japanese mixologist who is among the head honchos at New York bar Angel's Share.
Roger Hart is director of the Confucius Institute at Texas Southern University. May Zhou / China Daily

An early fascination with Chinese philosophy and classical literature leads to building bridges between two cultures and peoples

Roger Hart's favorite philosophers are Zhuang Zi and Lao Zi, and the Chinese classic Dream of the Red Chamber remains one of his favorite books.

His strong interest in the two ancient Chinese philosophers led Hart, director of the Confucius Institute and associate professor of history at Texas Southern University, first to Taiwan and then to the Chinese mainland.

He eventually mastered the language to be able to appreciate Tao De Jing and Zhuangzi - the two most influential Chinese books of all time - in their original Chinese.

As a young man, Hart loved philosophy and took his passion seriously.

"The foundation of philosophy is the science of mathematics in the Western tradition, so I went to MIT to study mathematics as an undergraduate and then to Stanford University as a graduate student of mathematics," Hart said.

Having read Zhuangzi in English and being fascinated by it, Hart joined an Asia volunteer program at Stanford and went to Taiwan to teach English for one year in 1983.

"I thought that if I didn't know the language, I would not really know what's going on around me. I couldn't learn much about China depending on a translator," Hart said, of how he started to study Chinese.

A year later, Hart wanted to study Chinese more and took another volunteer assignment at North China University of Technology in Beijing for two years.

"We were sent to smaller universities so that we would stay away from other foreigners to learn more about local culture and to be more helpful to others," explained Hart.

"I thought I was going to help people. When I got there, I realized that Chinese people are doing fine by themselves, I got more help to learn about China than what I offered."

Then Hart studied at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou for a year before going back to Beijing to study Chinese literature at Peking University. "I studied ancient, modern and contemporary Chinese literature," Hart said.

"As I studied more and more Chinese, I became more and more interested in Chinese history, culture and literature. Whatever I studied about China, it was absolutely fascinating. Today my favorite books remain Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi."

When Hart returned to the US five years later, he was well versed in Chinese. He contemplated his favorite Chinese philosophers by reading their original works. Hart read many Chinese classics, and Dream of the Red Chamber became his favorite.

"It is a very captivating and mesmerizing book. I'd forgot where I was after a chapter or two. The portrayal of thoughts and love, the real and unreal, all the logical twists, it's very critical that it makes you think in ways you normally wouldn't. I would put this book along with Zhuangzi, Tao De Jing, and Lu Xun's books as critical works; they make you think differently," Hart said.

It's a great pleasure to be able to appreciate the original works, he said.

"It's a completely different experience to read them in Chinese. A whole lot is lost in translation. If you read Shakespeare in Chinese, I imagine it's very hard to replicate the wordplay and puns in translation."

Hart went to UCLA to pursue a PhD, with a focus on Chinese science history. Afterward, he participated in various academic programs at Harvard, UC Berkeley and the University of Chicago.

He got his first tenure-track job at the University of Texas, and then went to Seoul National University on a fellowship. Hart jokingly calls himself "a migrant scholar".

In those years, Hart focused on research and produced two scholarly books: The Chinese Roots of Linear Algebra and Imagined Civilizations: China, West and Their First Encounter.

While traditional Western academic works view the 17th century Jesuit missions to China as a great encounter between two civilizations, Hart's second book offers a different perspective: the Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci went to China to serve the Chinese emperor.

Hart said his China study experience gave him a critical view of all things. When it comes to American ideologies and ideas, Hart thinks that he holds more objective views compared with some of his fellow academics.

"Many of my colleagues tend to think that the US is exceptional. A lot of books were written in the way to explain the alleged uniqueness of the alleged West. All these other countries were alleged to lack something in science," Hart said.

"Joseph Leedham [an esteemed British sinologist] tried to show China had science, but his argument was that China had early science but not modern science. People don't realize that China is now also a center of science."

To Hart, many American scholars have predicted the fall of China for the past 60 years and they have been wrong. "My work in China prepared me to realize that these views are not necessarily scientific and accurate; it's more like cheerleading for the US."

Hart took his current position at Texas Southern in Houston in 2013, when he came back from Seoul. "I spent 15 years in China-related research and lost a lot of my Chinese ability and lost track of how fast China is changing. This job gives me a chance to catch up with contemporary China," Hart said.

Hart finds his current job possibly his most rewarding experience so far because "I am building China-US friendship; I am trying to find a win-win situation for people involved. I am helping the TSU students learn about China, the global economy and the enormous changes that are happening."

Hart has been taking TSU students to China through programs at the Confucius Institute every summer for the past few years.

"Some students had never left Houston, some had never left Texas. The first time they flew, they flew to Beijing on Air China. It was quite an experience for them. For some, the trip changed their lives," Hart said.

"I hope that by being here, I can provide a model for students that it's possible to learn Chinese."

mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com
By Cecily Liu in London and He Wei in Shanghai | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-03-03 01:01

The British government is offering stronger support to exporters expanding into China's massive consumer market through cross-border ecommerce sales channels as Brexit creates uncertainty about the UK's trade links with Europe.

Chair of Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership Roger Marsh (R) and Zhang Lei, CEO of Kaola.com during the signing ceremony. [Provided for chinadaily.com.cn]

On Thursday, the local government in the city of Leeds signed an agreement in Hangzhou with the Chinese ecommerce platform Kaola.com that will support exporters from Leeds in selling within China.

The agreement follows on from a six-month pilot project to put 25 companies from Leeds on Kaola.com's platform last year. They are involved in selling perfume, alpaca wool bedding, skincare products, ceramics and glass tiles, toys and clothing. Successful sales among the initial 25 firms led to the new agreement, which looks to help more Leeds exporters follow the same path.

Roger Marsh, chair of Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, said the deal supports both the United Kingdom's vision of increasing exports and Leeds' vision of becoming an international trading hub. The agreement was signed by both Marsh and Kaola.com's CEO Zhang Lei.

"There is an enormous appetite to export into the expanding middle-class market developing at pace in China," Marsh said.

Zhang said Kaola.com sees the UK market as an important source of premium-quality products for the Chinese market, and through collaboration with the Leeds government, Kaola.com hopes to find more high-quality British brands for its platform.

"We also hope to find more well-known British brands that are not yet well-known in China, and help them grow their brands' popularity in China. This process will also satisfy Chinese consumers' demand for increasingly high-quality products."

Kaola.com has more than 5 million daily users, according to the company.

During the past year, the British government has been pushing for additional exports to China, especially through the use of large Chinese ecommerce platforms that allow exporters to sell products to China's massive consumer market with very little upfront investment.

Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox said in January that his team was working "to connect British suppliers to China's major ecommerce platforms, establishing reliable distribution channels for instant online sales between the UK and China".

Last year,the government agencyUK Trade and Investment, launched a China-UK Cross-border Ecommerce White Paper in London in partnership with the Bank of China. It was aimed at helping British exporters understand China's cross-border ecommerce market conditions, regulations and policies.

The white paper launch in London was attended by more than 10 Chinese cross-border ecommerce platforms, including Kaola.com. They held meetings with about 70 British exporters. Others attending included Alibaba and JD.com.

Although official figures on UK-China ecommerce trade are not available, growth is already being felt by ecommerce logistics firms, including STO Express, which saw its China-UK shipment volume in 2016 grow by 50 percent.

"China will become an increasingly important market for British exports, especially after Britain leaves the European Single Market," said William Franklin, founder of the London-based China Investors Club.

But Franklin also pointed out that, despite the optimism of Leeds' local government, the city's may have limited ecommerce products to offer to China because its economy is dominated by sectors such as advanced engineering, green technology, automotive and agriculture.

Contact the writers at cecily.liu@mail.chinadailyuk.com
KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia said on Friday that it will cooperate with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to bring the perpetrators of the VX nerve agent attack at the Kuala Lumpur airport to justice.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Malaysia "does not produce, stockpile, import, export or use any" toxic weapons listed in the convention concerning prohibition of the chemical weapons.

The ministry said it strongly condemns the use of the VX nerve agent by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. "Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," it said.

While the police have identified the poison used in the attack, which led to the death of a man from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as VX nerve agent, how the material was made or whether it was imported from outside Malaysia remains a mystery.

The visiting DPRK delegation in Malaysia queried the use of VX nerve agent on Thursday, insisting the DPRK man died of heart disease and asking the Malaysian side to hand over samples of the chemical to OPCW in The Hague.

The statement did not say whether Malaysia will send samples to OPCW, but said the organization has provided Malaysia with some technical materials to assist in its investigation.

Meanwhile, a DPRK suspect arrested after the killing was transported by the police to the immigration authorities on Friday morning. Malaysia's attorney general said earlier the man, Ri Jong Chol, will be released due to a lack of evidence and will be deported because his travel documents have expired.
Alex Yip is only 34 but he is a man to watch. He serves on the local council in Birmingham, Britain's second-largest city. But he has his eye on the national stage and hopes to stand for the Conservative Party to become a Member of Parliament in the 2020 British general election.

Alex Yip wants more people to be involved in local issues. [China Daily]

Yip, whose Cantonese-speaking family is from Hong Kong, is active in several groups that promote ties between China and the United Kingdom and is busy trying to improve his Mandarin.

"I had a really nice chat with the Chinese ambassador (Liu Xiaoming) in London just a few days ago, and as I left and said goodbye, he told me: 'Alex, you really need to improve your Mandarin!'"

As well as serving as a Birmingham City councilor since 2015, Yip is involved in several organizations that aim to give a louder voice to the Chinese community and deepen ties between the UK and China, such as the British Chinese Project, the All Parliamentary Chinese in Britain Group, and the Confederation of Chinese Business UK. He is also governor of the Overseas Chinese Association School, which offers Chinese language tuition in Birmingham.

He says he knew from an early age that he wanted to "make a difference" through civic and political activism. He studied history and politics before doing a master's degree in international relations, both at the University of Leicester.

He then worked as a volunteer in Ghana, Zambia and Botswana. He also taught English at Chang Zheng Secondary school in Shanghai.

"I loved my time in China and traveled to as many places as I could, including as far away as Jiayuguan (a prefecture-level city in Gansu province in the northwestern part of China)," he says. "I strongly identify with my Chinese heritage."

On his return from his travels, aged 24, he agreed with his parents to take over the family takeaway business while he started to explore a possible role in politics. He bought a couple more takeaways and ended up with roughly 20 staff.

Meanwhile, he joined the Conservative Party, which appeals to some immigrants and small businesspeople because of its emphasis on self-sufficiency.

"I believe strongly in striving for success from your own efforts," he says.

Yip, a committed Christian and member of the Church of England, also became a school governor and trained to become a magistrate. Magistrates, in the British legal system, hear more than 90 per cent of criminal cases, ranging from drunken driving to assault. They are volunteers who are given only travel and subsistence expenses. They do not have to be qualified in the legal profession but are given some training.

Yip said he wants to see more people from minority ethnic groups become magistrates. And younger people too.

Yip said: "In the UK, our legal system is based on being judged by your peersyour own community. Britain is very diverse and in Birmingham, almost 50 per cent of the people come from a minority ethnic group and we are one of the youngest cities in Europe. Having a representative bench is so important for people to have faith in our system."

"While I have been able to give something back as a magistrate, I feel I have learned and gained a lot more."

When his local councilor stepped down, Yip jumped at the chance and was elected in 2015.

He has found the job fascinating, fulfilling and frustrating. He gives the example of trying to get speed-restricting measures installed at a junction where many accidents have occurred. There was overwhelming local approval for it but not the37,000 needed for "just for a few signs and a bit of tarmac," he says.

"I felt it quickly became a political issue with the council run by the Labour group while the Conservatives are in opposition. I was surprised by how frustrating the whole process can be. The council is a huge monolithic beast and it can be hard to make simple and commonsense changes quickly for residents," he says.

"At the same time, being able to help an elderly resident get a200 rebate from her council tax, to help another with assistance with their waste collections, or getting funding for a local woodland area or community group, is very satisfying because you have helped someone in a small but meaningful way."

He is hopeful he will be selected by the Conservatives to stand in parliamentary elections in 2020 while being aware of the many problems facing the UK, not least Britain's decision to quit the European Union. He campaigned locally for the country to remain in the EU.

"Politics has always been something that the Chinese community has stayed away from, they are seen as a withdrawn and hidden minority ethnic group. But it's a true privilege to be part of our democratic system and visibly representing the British Chinese community. We need to use our voice. As they say: use it or lose it."
Women and children crossing together illegally into the United States could be separated by US authorities under a proposal being considered by the Department of Homeland Security, according to three government officials.

Part of the reason for the proposal is to deter mothers from migrating to the United States with their children, said the officials, who have been briefed on the proposal.

The policy shift would allow the government to keep parents in custody while they contest deportation or wait for asylum hearings. Children would be put into protective custody with the Department of Health and Human Services, in the "least restrictive setting" while until they can be taken into the care of a US relative or state-sponsored guardian.

Currently, families contesting deportation or applying for asylum are generally released from detention quickly and allowed to remain in the United States until their cases are resolved. A federal appeals court ruling bars prolonged child detention.

President Donald Trump has called for ending so-called "catch and release," in which migrants who cross illegally are freed to live in the United States while awaiting legal proceedings.

Two of the officials were briefed on the proposal at a Feb 2 town hall for asylum officers by US Citizenship and Immigration Services asylum chief John Lafferty.

A third DHS official said the department is actively considering separating women from their children but has not made a decision.

DHS, HHS and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.

About 54,000 children and their guardians were apprehended between Oct 1, 2016, and Jan 31, 2017, more than double the number caught over the same time period a year earlier.

Republicans in Congress have argued women are willing to risk the dangerous journey with their children because they are assured they will be quickly released from detention and given court dates set years into the future.

Immigrant rights advocates have argued that Central America's violent and impoverished conditions force mothers to immigrate to the United States and that they should be given asylum status.

LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

The policy would allow DHS to detain parents while complying with a 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals order from July 2016 that immigrant children should be released from detention as quickly as possible. That order said their parents were not required to be freed.

To comply with that order, the Obama administration implemented a policy of holding women and children at family detention centers for no more than 21 days before releasing them.

Implementing the new policy proposal "could create lifelong psychological trauma," said Marielena Hincapie, executive director at the National Immigration Law Center. "Especially for children that have just completed a perilous journey from Central America."

Hincapie said the US government is likely to face legal challenges based on immigration and family law if they decide to implement the policy.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly last week ordered immigration agents to deport or criminally prosecute parents who facilitate the illegal smuggling of their children.

Many parents who arrive on the US-Mexico border with their children have paid smugglers to guide them across the dangerous terrain.

Reuters
I wish I was one of those people who couldnt wait to hop out of bed in the morning to hit the gym at some ungodly hour. But I am SO not. A night owl by nature, my natural body clock would keep me up until around 2am, and sleep until 10 or 10:30am. Not exactly on par with societal norms.

Once Im up Im ready to work, and I hit my uber-productive, fabulously creative stride in the afternoon. At some point, I think, I should exercise today. But by then, Im on a roll with work and dont feel like I can stop to work out. By nightfall, Im tired. No exercise happening here.

Im making progress on the bedtime/wake-up time thing, but the exercise thing has eluded me. I just havent felt motivated. That is, until recently. My wake-up call (so to speak) came thanks to my parents. Around the holidays, I spent roughly five weeks with them (two each at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and one when I headed back east to take part in the Womens March on Washington.)

Theyve both been diabetic for a good two decades. My Dad has had a couple of mild heart attacks and a mild stroke. My Mom has autoimmune issues. And though Ive known this, seeing their day-to-day again firsthand was an important reminder.

What can we eat? How many carbs do I shoot for? Did you shoot your insulin? Check your blood sugar. These phrases dictate their life. They constantly have to think about what they eat, what they just ate, and what theyll eat later. If they dont shoot enough insulin, their blood sugar is too high. If they shoot too much, their blood sugar can fall too low and cause a diabetic attack (think Julia Roberts character, Shelby, in the beauty shop in the film Steel Magnolias.) Scary as hell, and potentially life threatening. I wish they didnt have to live like that, but Im grateful that they are managing it fairly well. And I finally decided, I want to avoid dealing with that if I can.

Which brings me back to the exercise thing. I know I have to do it, and it has to be a lifestyle change. So I am praying to God and sweet baby Jesus that I will stick with what Ive just startedthe Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) Weight Loss Challenge.

I had no clue what Orangetheory was until recently. At a pre-holiday dinner (read: WINE) with some girlfriends, several were RAVING about their workouts at this new place. I was like, Good for you guys! and I thought, That sounds hard. Im not a gym person. More power to em. But my curiosity was piqued. Fast forward several weeks of witnessing my folks daily diabetes adventures and what did I do? I signed up at Orangetheory Fitness Westside, hoping to become a workout fanatic.

The challenge lasts six weeks. You have to work out at an OTF location at least three times per week. OK, I can do this! I psyched myself up. Hubs was totally supportive. Youve got this, Baby, he said. I went to OTF before the challenge to get my fitness tracker (theyre all high-tech over there). I walked in a little unsure, and Bam! It was like a wave of positivity hit me  everyone was so friendly and encouraging. They got me set up and I weighed in. That was another wake-up call. I knew Id gained weight the last few years but seeing 170 on that scale did NOT impress me. They showed me the place (nice digs, lots of orange) and by the time I left I felt like Id just joined a fitness support group. Which I guess I kinda haveand truth is, I need the encouragement. So thats a good thing.

I kicked off the challenge the following Monday with a 7pm class (great for my body clock). Theyve got a row of treadmills, a row of rowing machines (say that real fast) and a weight area. I put on my fitness tracker and boarded a treadmill.

OK, where are my power walkers at? the instructor, Bobby, yelled into his microphone. Power walker, thats me! No jogging here (at least not yet). Okay, I want you to start at base level for 2 minutes, then were going up to a 6 percent incline.

Six percent. Okay, I can do that. Oh holy crap. Thats harder than I thought. Im doing it anyway. I will NOT be a diabetic. I will NOT be a diabetic, I repeated to myself. Bobby took us through a series of what they call pushes and all-outs where we switch up our speed and incline for one to two minutes at a time. I was huffin and puffin and sweatin but I kept moving. I also kept looking at the big screen that had my real-time fitness monitor stats. More sweat and heavy breathing and I finally hit the Orange Zone!

Woohoo!!!!! Thats when you reach your optimum heart rate for burning calories. The longer you stay in it, the more you burn, and that calorie burn continues for another 24  36 hours after the workout. More bang for my workout buck. Ill take it.

For every minute youre in the orange zone, you earn a splat point (Im still learning all of the cool terminology). Their splat symbol represents a fat cell bursting. Kinda gross to think about, but good. Burst little fat cells, burst!

After 25 minutes it was row time. We started with 400 meters. I pushed back with my legs and pulled the handles back with my arms in one fluid movement. Well, I was supposed to, anyway. It took a bit to get in the rhythm, and soon, my quads were on fire. But I was determined to finish those 400 meters! I was the last one to do it and head to the weights. We used hand weights to do bicep curls. Then we did sit-ups while holding a weight. The last exercise was using a TRX band to pull up our own body weight.

Bobby yelled instructions and encouragement. I kept checking my progress on the board. Come on, splat points! My calories-burned number kept increasing. Awesome. I sneaked peeks at the people beside me. Consistently, on the treadmill they were faster or at a higher incline; on the rower, they were faster; and they did more weight reps than me. But at least I did it.

I made it through the first workout. Hallelujah! Red-faced, sweaty, and breathless, I felt like Id really accomplished something. Because I had! After each workout, OTF emails your personal stats from your fitness tracker. Id burned 538 calories and gotten 20 splat points! 20! Not too shabby!

Little did I know my numbers would soon plunge drastically, which I chalk up to traveling. I left the next morning for North Carolina to see my folks before heading to D.C. I found an Orangetheory in N.C. so I could meet my challenge requirements.

Again, the staff was super cool and high-energy. But my numbers werent. I was tired. Because of my trip schedule, I exercised in the morning. And I felt it. My energy was lower and I just didnt have enough to give. My email from OTF confirmed my suspicions: 490 calories burned but only two splat points for my first N.C. workout. And 399 calories burned and zero splat points for the second. Zero!?!?!? Ugh!

The trainers said not to sweat it. They said the orange zone is optimal to burn calories longer, but lots of time in the green zone (just below orange) is still a great workout. Id spent 38 and 39 minutes in the green zone, so Im gonna consider that success. Surely at least some of my fat cells burst. Plus, at the Womens March on Washington my personal fitness tracker said I walked over 12,000 steps. Im totally counting that as a workout.

I was happy to have survived week one of the weight loss challenge. Ill chronicle my workout journey and let you know how it goes. Im excited to do it, and hope Ill notice results that spur me on towards better health (and no Diabetes). Wish me luck. And lots of splat points.


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On the occasion of the New Year 2017, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan grants Vietnam News Agency an interview about working results of the National Assembly in the past year as well as its main tasks in the new year. Below are main contents of the interview.

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In 2016, under the leadership of the Party and with the consensus of the entire people and army, many great events were successfully held in our country. Right in the early days of the year, the XIINational Party Congress was organized successfully, reviewing the past 30 years of doi moi and charting the course for national development in the new period.The 70anniversary of the first general election day of the Vietnamese National Assembly was also held.After that, on May 22, the elections of deputies to the XIVNational Assembly and all-level Peoples Councils for the 2016-21 term were organized in a public, democratic and lawful manner. Voters around the country cast ballots to elect 494 deputies who would represent their will and aspirations to decide on important policies of the country.Right after the elections, the new National Assembly held its first session to strengthen the organization and personnel of agencies of the National Assembly and the Government and elect high-ranking state leaders.At its second session, the National Assembly, for the first time ever, decided on a system of medium-term financial and investment plans. It also put forward practical recommendations and solutions, requiring the Government, sectors and local authorities to exert greater efforts to overcome existing shortcomings and weaknesses so as to ensure sustainable and stable economic development, guarantee social welfare, raise the peoples living standards, maintain political stability, strengthen national defense and security, and ensure social order and safety in 2017 and subsequent years.Right from the beginning of its tenure, the National Assembly has strived to further improve the quality and effectiveness of legislative work, oversight activities and decision on national important issues. The National Assembly has constantly improved and renewed its operational mode, making a strong impression on voters with its open and democratic debates. In legislative work, the promulgation of laws and ordinances is very important, but it is more important to ensure their practicality, consistency and feasibility. To put an end to the situation that a number of poor-quality laws and ordinances had to be revised time and time again, the National Assembly will continue to renew and improve the quality of legislative work, considering this an objective requirement for fulfilling the tasks in the new period.The year 2016 was the first year of implementing the 2015 Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents. At the first session of the XIVNational Assembly, deputies devoted time to discussing legislative work, identifying limitations and weaknesses and putting forth initial solutions for the strict implementation of the Law.In 2017, the central task of the whole political system is to continue implementing the XIINational Party Congresss Resolution and the 2013 Constitution. The National Assembly plans to pass 24 bills and consider 14 others. It will oversee the implementation of policies and laws on food safety and on renovation of the state administrative apparatus during 2011-16. At the same time, the National Assembly will consider and decide on many important policies.In order to raise the quality of legislative work in the coming time, the Government, the Supreme Peoples Court, the Supreme Peoples Procuracy, and related agencies and organizations should properly implement the 2015 Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents and the National Assemblys Resolution on the 2016 and 2017 law- and ordinance-making program.Drafting agencies must draft laws and ordinances on schedule and ensure their quality. They must also send dossiers of these draft documents to concerned agencies for comment according to regulations and regularly and closely work with the Ethnic Council and Committees of the National Assembly throughout the drafting process.So, drafting agencies will have to act more actively and responsibly in the drafting process, especially in studying the opinions of the National Assembly Standing Committee and the National Assembly to revise the drafts.In 2017, along with considering many important issues of the country, the National Assembly will renew its oversight activities, focusing on key issues in order to create substantial progress in the operation of the state apparatus from the central to grassroots level, ensuring strict observance of law.I also want to stress that the XIVNational Assembly will further raise the effectiveness of its oversight activities in order to express its role and responsibility for important issues of the nation and burning issues of public concern.The National Assembly is elected by the people and National Assembly deputies are representatives of the people. Therefore they must understand the peoples feelings and desires and speak the voice of the people. The National Assembly must discharge its three functions of making laws, conducting supreme oversight and deciding on important issues in conformity with the will and interest of the people.In order to strengthen the relationship with voters and the people, the National Assemblys agencies, National Assembly deputies delegations and every National Assembly deputy should spend more time with their voters, particularly with voters in the localities where they were elected. As National Assembly deputies represent not only voters in their constituencies but also voters nationwide, they should also learn about the life of the people as well as feelings and desires of voters anywhere, especially those living in ethnic minority areas, deep-lying, remote and difficulty-stricken areas, and overseas Vietnamese.Through the sessions of the National Assembly, voters may themselves assess the quality of operation of the National Assembly and National Assembly deputies, especially those they have elected. So that, in order to improve the quality of its sessions, the National Assembly will continue to provide training in professional and legal knowledge for National Assembly deputies and create conditions for them to update their knowledge. In my opinion, National Assembly deputies should unceasingly raise their professionalism.The National Assembly has recently deployed the implementation of the Party Central Committees Resolution No. 06 on effective integration into the international economy and maintenance of socio-political stability in the context of our countrys participation in new-generation free trade agreements. According to the National Assemblys program of action, the Committee for External Relations and the Economics Committee will make necessary preparations for the National Assembly to ratify new-generation free trade agreements at appropriate time. The Law Committee will work with the Committee for External Relations and related agencies to study and propose a program on revision of relevant laws and regulations in conformity with the countrys reality and international commitments.The National Assembly will further promote its relations with foreign national assemblies and parliaments and expand ties with potential partners, aiming at protecting our sea and island sovereignty and national interests and building a peaceful environment conducive to national development. In addition, the National Assembly will continue participating in an active, proactive and responsible manner in the multilateral parliamentary forums, especially the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly. It will expand parliamentary consultancy channels in order to enhance mutual understanding and trust, contributing to solving common problems.In 2017, the National Assembly will boost the operation of the parliamentary friendship groups and increase coordination among its agencies and deputies in promoting foreign relations of the National Assembly to heighten the prestige and position of our country in the international arena.At a time when the country is entering a new development era with both advantages and difficulties and challenges, in the spirit of solidarity, creativity and action, the XIVNational Assembly will further renovate and improve the quality and effectiveness of its operation so as to fulfill its tasks with better results. Every deputy and agency of the National Assembly will keep in closer contact with voters so as to identify their problems and put forward proposals to the National Assembly, thus helping the National Assembly fulfill its duties and responsibilities entrusted by the people.I would like to express my wish that people and voters at home and abroad will unite together to build and develop the country and continue to share and contribute valuable opinions for the National Assembly to better carry out its tasks.-
HA NOI  Nguyen Anh uc, General Director of the Vietnam Petroleum Institute (VPI) and Santiago Quesada Garmendia, Director of exploration and production and gas technology of Spain based Repsol S.A. energy company signed a co-operation deal on behalf of their companies.

The agreement, signed this week in Ha Noi, aims to boost collaboration between VPI and Reopsol S.A. in areas such as research of exploration methods, assessment of bore pit placement, design completion, a collecting and processing system, extraction methods, anti rust technology, energy saving, product development research, laboratory services and human resource training.

With the agreement, Repsol hopes to expand technology and establish joint co-operative projects with VPI to develop new technological solutions.

Meanwhile, VPI expects to upgrade managerial and technological abilities through advanced technology, increase global co-operation through joint research projects and work together on petrol technological services.

VPI also discussed the institutes capabilities and possibility for future co-operation with Repsol S.A.VNS
The domestic auto industry will need several supporting measures including technical barriers to create differences between locally-made and imported cars, officials and industry insiders agree.  VNA/VNS Photo Tran Viet

HA NOI  The domestic auto industry will need several supporting measures including technical barriers to create differences between locally-made and imported cars, officials and industry insiders agree.

At a seminar held in Ha Noi on Tuesday, officials of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and representatives of local auto makers discussed ways to address the challenges posed by the zero per cent import tax on cars from the ASEAN bloc, which takes effect next year.

Truong Thanh Hoai, director of the Department of Heavy Industry under the MoIT, said several firms currently assembling cars in the country are likely to switch to importing them.

He noted that some firms have reduced production to focus on key models that are more competitive in the market.

He said the use of cars is rapidly increasing, with consumption having reached the figure envisaged for 2020, but the domestic auto industry faced a lot of shortcomings, and will be hit hard in 2018 when taxes on ASEAN imports drop to zero.

Statistics compiled by his department show that in the 2013-2016 period, the volume of locally-assembled cars and imported cars accelerated with an average growth of 30 per cent per year. Of this growth, locally-assembled cars met 70 per cent of the market demand.

A few domestic businesses also entered the global auto manufacturing chain; however, after more than 20 years of development, the industry faced several shortcomings, Hoai said.

Its prices are high compared to other countries in the region, quality is not as good as imports, as per consumer evaluation, it has failed to develop into a real auto industry, remaining at the basic assembling level and it had a low localisation rate for cars with nine seats and less.

Toru Kinoshita, General Director of Toyota Motor Vietnam, said his firm had always tried to increase the localisation rate. However, in the current context, Toyota had reduced its production from five to four types of cars, whose volumes would be increased, he said.

The drop of import tax to zero per cent by 2018 is a good sign from a market angle, but a huge pressure on the domestic auto industry, said Kinoshita, who is also the President of Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association.

He said the Ministry of Industry and Trade needs to propose to the Government that it supports the domestic industry, failing which the automakers will run the risk of becoming uncompetitive and even going bankrupt as imported cars take over the market.

Kinoshita said it is possible for the domestic auto industry to develop, but the States management agencies need to consider policies which can create differences between locally-made and imported cars.

The ministry suggested three groups of measures to develop the industry, with the main targets being to maintain local manufacturing and boosting the supporting industry.

The first group would focus on creating technical barriers, preventing trade fraud in tax declaration and fraud in the certificate of origin for enjoying preferential tariffs.

The second group will support automakers cut the prices and raise competitiveness by issuing standards for components and parts, adjusting import taxes on components and parts.

The third group will focus on developing the supporting industry, with local businesses asked to take part in manufacturing components and parts. It will also help local parts suppliers through the supporting industry development programme.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade o Thang Hai said policies for automobile industry development would primarily target the communitys interest, not of group of businesses.

First of all, we will focus on maintaining local assembling and developing the supporting industry at the same time. The ministrys measures will aim to create the market capacity to ensure development, said Hai.

Based on this, it will boost other sectors production and ensure fair competition between imported and locally-assembled cars, Hai said.  VNS
QUANG NAM  The Korean Hyundai Motors and local Truong Hai Automobile Company (Thaco) have launched a mini bus manufacturing project with the total capacity of 10,000 units per year.

Its the first-ever manufacturing project in Viet Nam to build a new Hyundai mini bus model for export.

The first Hyundai mini buses will roll out from Quang Nam-based bus plant this year.

The bus model is the newest Hyundai model in the Vietnamese market, in co-operation with local car makers after series of trucks, dump-trucks, buses and commercial cars were produced from 2011.

Thaco said it had invested over VN2 trillion (US$88.5 million) to build a bus plant with total capacity of 20,000 seater/sleeping buses and mini-buses per year.

The nations biggest automaker plans to build three more plants with the total annual capacity of 215,000 trucks, vans, commercial cars, and achieve a localisation ratio of 16 to 46 per cent.

Thaco has so far manufactured and distributed vehicles of three foreign brands: Kia of South Korea, Mazda of Japan and Frances Peugeot.  VNS




A production line of CNC Viet Nam in Ha Nois Tu Liem District. The Government aims to intensify assistance for SMEs, especially for those in the support industry.  VNA/VNS Photo Danh Lam

HA NOI  Japanese and Vietnamese experts discussed support policies for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at a seminar hosted by the Ministry of Planning and Investment on Thursday in the capital.

Despite their role in Viet Nams socio-economic development, SMEs still encounter many difficulties including capital shortage, insufficient financial capacities and technological weakness, experts said.

The firms are also coping with harsher competition from foreign rivals as the country integrates deeply into the global economy, they said.

Experts suggested that the Government and relevant ministries and sectors should intensify assistance for SMEs, especially for those operating in the support industry.

According to Japanese experts, if SMEs developed sustainably, they would support the development of large-scale enterprises thanks to their sufficient supply of components and parts.

They added they SMEs could also be a key provider of jobs.

In his speech at the event, Hiroshi Arai from the Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises Agency under Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry spoke highly of SMEs key role in Japans economy.

Japan has paid special attention to building policies and mechanisms to support SMEs, and achieved remarkable results, he said. When any Japanese citizens decide to start businesses, they will receive consultations related to administrative procedures, legal regulations, production organisation and technology application, and financial planning, he added.

Japanese SMEs have also been assisted in training and on updated market information, he noted.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment ang Huy ong emphasised the importance of studying Japans experience, towards providing more effective assistance to its enterprises and promoting co-operation between the two countries.

Viet Nam and Japan have reached an agreement on a series of actions to tackle issues related to SME support. From now to the end of the year, the two sides will continue to co-operate on conducting surveys around activities such as financing to expand investment, technology transfer and personnel training.

Japan will also assist policymakers in drafting the law on SMEs and collaborate with Viet Nam to organise conferences on policies to support SMEs.  VNS
NHA TRANG  Senior officials from the 21 member economies sat together for the first working day on Thursday in Nha Trang, discussing three out of four priorities proposed by Viet Nam for the APEC Year 2017.

The priorities include fostering sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth; deepening regional economic integration; strengthening micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)s competitiveness and innovation in the digital age; and enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture in response to climate change.

The meeting comes at the start of what promises to be a difficult year as global and regional economic growth remains low, in addition to weak global trade and subdued investment.

There are many uncertainties, SOM chair and Deputy Foreign Minister of Viet Nam Bui Thanh Son noted in his opening remarks at the first Senior Officials Meeting (SOM 1) of the year.

In some corners, we are hearing concerns that the benefits of globalisation are not distributed fairly. New disruptive technologies, if not properly harnessed, run the risk of widening development disparity among economies.

But the Asia-Pacific region remains the engine of economic growth and integration, and a pioneer in advancing trade and investment liberalisation, Deputy FM Son affirmed.

Son said he believed APEC had all the resources, potential and capabilities to overcome these challenges and turn them into an impetus for further growth and development.

As a grouping of dynamic economies, our region can and will continue to move ahead on the path of development and prosperity, he added.

During the two-day SOM meeting, reports and recommendations from discussions of various APEC committees and working groups over the last 12 days are presented to senior officials who will exchange views on how to advance APECs agenda in the four priority areas to help APEC affirm its relevance and role as the premier regional economic forum.

Under the current context, there is lots of scepticism and concern about regional integration as well as globalisation, and liberalisation of trade and investment, thus, this is the time we must act in two fundamental directions, said Chairman of Viet Nams APEC 2017s Organising Committee, economist Vo Tri Thanh on the sidelines of SOM 1.

Thanh said it was necessary to make efforts to continue the process of integration, free trade and investment but in a smarter and flexible manner to produce intensive and evenly-shared profits among countries, economies, and regions.

That is to address at least three big issues: unequal development; the rise of the 4th industrial revolution which may see huge costs for transition, and higher unemployment rates; and the aging populations in Asia and other regions, the prominent economist said.

To that end, a new policy approach is a serious requirement.

Participants applauded the report by the Chair of the Finance Senior Officials Meeting and called for additional regular exchanges to ensure close collaboration between the banking and financial sectors to foster APECs common interests, APEC 2017 National Secretariats Deputy Director - General o Hung Viet told the media.

Based on a report by the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Chair, delegates affirmed the vital role of ABAC in helping APEC senior officials deal with the existing shortcomings of the investment and business environment; and enterprise communitys wishes to promote inclusive growth, address non-tariff barriers, facilitate small and medium-sized enterprises, and enhance womens contribution to the economy.

The Economic Committee Chairs report received opinions from 17 out of 21 representatives of member economies. The opinions express their concern over vital issues including structural reform, promoting co-operation, and support for MSMEs, and highly appreciated Viet Nams initiative related to enhanced co-operation in human resources.

Also on Thursday, delegates discussed ways to increase inclusive growth  a top concern of Viet Nam and common concern of the whole region  to make sure that all citizens and businesses can get the best benefits from globalisation and regional connection.

Besides APEC priorities, we also talked a lot about financial, economic and social inclusion, and female empowerment, said Marcela Otero, Director of Multilateral Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs General Directorate of International Economic Affairs of Chile  the host of APEC 2018. All these sectors need to be included in the benefits of trade globalisation.

Otero said the first working day was very interesting and looked like a promising Vietnamese Year for APEC as the officials on-going work also focuses on how to make concrete resources and concrete achievements, and the road to FTAAP, among others.

In the afternoon, senior officials discussed and approved reports by the Economic Committee and Committee on Trade and Investment. Numerous specific initiatives and measures have been put forward and discussed, focusing on the realisation of APEC 2017 priorities, particularly in fostering sustainable growth and inclusive growth, regional economic connection and MSMEs.

Today, SOM 1 will continue discussions on priorities and put forward orientations for APEC co-operation from now until the APEC Summit in central a Nang City in November.

What I hope to take away from this first SOM is a strong message reaffirming APECs essential role as the premier economic forum that is working for the people and businesses, SOM Chair and Deputy FM Son said.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday received the Chairman and CEO of Aeroports de Paris (ADP), Augustin de Romanet, saying that the French airport groups investment and business cooperation in Viet Nam will substantially contribute to the two countries strategic partnership.

He valued the ADPs investment in Viet Nam, particularly in transport, and its agreement with the Airports Corporation of Viet Nam (ACV) to become a strategic shareholder.

On the basis of the Viet Nam-France strategic partnership, cooperation between the ADP and the ACV would help enhance bilateral ties in a more substantive manner, he said, speaking highly of the groups experience in airport operation.

Phuc noted the fact that Viet Nam is one of few Asian countries that have provided e-visas, describing this as a favourable condition for tourists and investors to come to Viet Nan, which in turn will stimulate the growth of the aviation industry and the demand for upgrading airports.

He said the ADPs partnership with the ACV would help promote the latters airport operation capacity, thereby increasing the quality of services at local airports to the world level.

For his part, Augustin de Romanet said his group wanted to make long-term investment in Viet Nam and help to modernise local airports  an important momentum for socio-economic development.

He informed his host about the development of airports in France and considered this a useful experience for the Southeast Asian nation in airport upgrade and expansion.

He also hoped for continued support from the Vietnamese Government and relevant agencies for the ADPs activities in the country.VNS
HA NOI  The northern province of Bac Ninh on Thursday gave the go-ahead to a US$100 million project by South Korean firm Hanwha Techwin Security Company.

The provincial Peoples Committee granted an investment certificate to the firm, which specialises in manufacturing electronic circuits, semiconductors, chips, computers and cameras. The unit will be built on a six-hectare plot in Que Vo Industrial Park.

Bui Hoang Mai, head of Bac Ninhs Management Board of Industrial Parks, said that in the 2015-20 period, the province was prioritising the electric, electronic and mechanical manufacturing sectors. He expressed hope that the new project would generate more jobs for locals and contribute to the regions socio-economic development.

Nguyen Tu Quynh, the committees chairman, reiterated that the province would create optimal conditions for investors.

Yang Jinseol, a representative of the company, promised that the factory would be built quickly and would start operations as scheduled.

In the first two months of this year, Bac Ninh has attracted $2.7 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI). On February 24, it granted an investment licence to Samsung Display Viet Nam Co. Ltd.s $2.5 billion expansion project.

As of this February, industrial parks in Bac Ninh have attracted 1,086 projects with a registered capital of $15.87 billion, of which 659 are FDI projects worth $14.13 billion. These projects created jobs for around 230,000 workers and contributed VN7 trillion ($306.7 million) to the State budget in 2016.  VNS
HA NOI  The European Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nams Nutritional Foods Group (NFG) recommended that the Government remove the price ceiling on milk products for children under six years.

The NFG suggested that the State allows the return to market-based pricing. This proposal is a part of the 2017 White Book released in Ha Noi on Wednesday.

Under decisions 1079/Q-BTC and 857/Q-BTC issued by the finance ministry in 2014 and 2015, respectively, a price ceiling was imposed on milk products for children under six years of age from June 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016.

The NFG has proposed that the Government refrain from controlling the prices of these products by extending the existing price ceiling or through additional controls. The States intervention in the business activities of enterprises through administrative measures such as price ceiling run counter to its aspiration to achieve a full market economy, it said.

We are concerned that such measures not only impact the business performance of enterprises in the short- to medium-term, but also affect long-term trade and investment prospects in general. The Governments interference in the business decisions of enterprises sends a negative signal to investors that Viet Nams investment climate is not genuinely stable, open or integrated, the NFG said.

As per data released by market research company AC Nielsen in July 2015, the market for formula milk for children under six shrunk by 11 per cent in the 12 months after Decision 1079 was implemented. This might have been caused by the negative psychological impact the price ceiling had on consumer behaviour. Furthermore, up to 60 per cent of the public report that they have experienced moderate to no benefit from the States price intervention measures, the AC Nielsen report said.

According to the NFG, since the price ceiling regulation was put in place in 2014, many costs have increased, such as Viet Nams ong exchange rate and the cost of electricity and labour, all of which impact milk manufacturers and distributors. In this context, one of the biggest international milk companies decided to exit the Vietnamese market in 2016.

The group said the Government should clarify the objectives and the intended beneficiaries of its price control measures. When necessary, it should impose price stabilisation measures for a restricted period of time and only on essential products that are needed to meet the basic needs of the people, as stipulated in the Law on Pricing.

With regard to the milk formula market, the Government should not control the prices of products in the mid-tier and premium segments. It should impose price stabilisation measures only on the economy segment to improve low-income consumers access to these products, the NFG said.

The State must consider lowering price-composing factors such as import tariffs (5 per cent for imports from ASEAN and 10 per cent for other countries, which is higher than in other countries in the region) and value added tax rates to reduce the price of milk formula products for children under six years of age, it advised.

There are an estimated 888 milk products across the premium, mid-tier and economy segments, offering an incredibly diverse selection of products to meet the diverse needs of Vietnamese consumers.  VNS
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will inspect adherence to environment protection regulations at 520 production and business establishments, industrial, export processing and hi-tech zones.  Photo baodaknong.org.vn

HA NOI  The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will inspect adherence to environment protection regulations at 520 production and business establishments, industrial, export processing and hi-tech zones.

These establishments could potentially cause serious environmental pollution this year.

They are located in 21 cities and provinces, including Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Hai Phong and Gia Lai, as well as Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen, along with Vinh Phuc, ong Nai, Long An and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

Inspection will particularly focus on establishments with total waste water discharge of over 200cu.m. per day.

The ministry will also examine implementation of inspection results from 2014-2016 of 219 firms found to have caused environmental pollution in Quang Ninh, Hung Yen, ong Thap and Tien Giang, as well as Bac Lieu, Can Tho, Quang Tri and Phu Yen, along with Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Ngai.

The ministry is working with localities to continue inspecting and assessing sources of environmental pollution, polluted areas and areas with degraded environment nationwide to build a national data system on sources of pollution and map out solutions to address the issues.

It will also continue completing the draft of inspection results and administrative punishment decision on 825 establishments in 32 provinces and cities that were found to have polluted the environment in 2016.

Under the Governments latest Decree 155/2016/N-CP on administrative penalties in the environmental protection sector, which came into effect on February 1, the highest administrative fine for organisations caught violating regulations related to environmental protection is VN2 billion (US$88,800).

The decree has detailed regulations on the methods, levels of punishment, measures for strengthening penalties imposed on violators and inspections of the sector.

Violations related to environmental protection that are mentioned in the decree include violations of laws governing waste management, machines, import of material, biological substances and mineral exploitation.

It also includes violations related to biological diversity, natural ecology and animal protection.  VNS
HCM CITY  Three men travelling on French and American passports, were stopped last Sunday in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, in Quang Binh Province. They were hoping to trek into the worlds largest cave without porters, guides or tickets.

Officials from the National Park Management Board described their attempt as potentially deadly.

Travelling into Son oong Cave without professional equipment or proper guidance is dangerous and might lead to life-threatening situations, said Le Thanh Tinh, Director of the national park.

The group reportedly admitted that they were using navigation devices to attempt to access Hang En Cave and Son oong Cave, and agreed to pay an undisclosed administrative fine and proceeded to visit other approved destinations in the park.

Son oong opened to tourists in 2013, four years after members of the British Cave Research Association concluded their initial exploration and declared it the worlds largest cave. The 5km system contains at least 150 individual caves, a dense subterranean jungle and several underground rivers.  VNS
Thuy Linh

Son Tay district of the central province of Quang Ngai has long been dubbed the "Land of Areca" for its seemingly endless hills covered with areca palms. With mountains on one side and the sea on the other, Quang Ngai is also well-known for one of the most beautiful beaches in central Viet Nam, cultural vestiges of Chau Sa Citadel as well as a number of pagodas.

Son Tay is the westernmost district of Quang Ngai. Located at a height of 400 to 1,700 metres above sea level, nearly 100 kms away from the nearest city and with 80 per cent of the area comprised of mountain and forest, it beckons those seeking a healthy dose of nature.

Driving along curving roads from Quang Ngai city, one arrives at the Land of Areca - 1,000 ha of areca palms that are the major source of income for local residents. Areca is everywhere, even scattered on rice terrace fields. The landscape of vertical areca palms and the aromatic scent of its flower have been an inspiration for photographers and artists.

Areca has long been a local treasure  its firm trunk has been used as pillars for houses or rice stores, its leaves for thatch roofing and areca nut is for sale or exchange on special occasions, including engagement and wedding parties. Areca nut and betel leaf are traditional symbols of love and marriage. It is also used as an offering for ancestors and a cure for indigestion.

But Son Tay is not only about areca palms. It has golden rice terraces, mountain ranges and crystal clear water streams. Peace and fresh air are in abundance. The silence is only disturbed by the gurgling streams. The landscape is dotted with a few little stilt houses and some ethnic women dressed in colorful traditional costumes.

Son Tay is now home to two major ethnic groups - the Ca Dong (about 85 per cent) and Hre (7 per cent), who preserve their traditional customs and rich culture. Travelers are likely to catch sight of ethnic people wearing traditional brocade-decorated dress that they have made, on their backs a basket that they have woven.

Huy Mang stream in Son Dung commune has been recognised as a landscape relic by the province. Water flowing through the cracks between rough rocks creates interesting sounds. Along the two banks are climbing plants, wild flowers and big old trees under which one can cool off. Huy Mang stream, which winds through forested mountains, is nearly 1km long.

Thac Lua (Silk Waterfall), in Son Tinh commune, like its name, looks like a white silk thread running from the mountain peak to an abyss. At the foot of this waterfall lies the curving Xa Ruong stream. Feeling the coolness of flowing water in this stream and letting the playful fish run around ones legs is a fun experience.

Food is also a highlight of Son Tay travel. Grilled fish is a must. Locals use a type of local fish called nieng, which lives in the natural streams and eats algae and moss, giving the fish a unique taste of mild bitterness. Snail broth cooked with local vegetables is also a popular dish for its juiciness.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met on Thursday with visiting Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, hailing the friendship between the two countries and their people.

Prime Minister Phuc said he believed the visit by the emperor and the empress was a milestone that would foster co-operation between two sides in many fields.

Phuc expressed thanks for the affection that the Emperor expressed for Viet Nam and its people, and also for Japans economic support as Viet Nams leading trade partner. He also applauded the contribution of Japanese firms operating in Viet Nam to the countrys economy.

For their part, the Emperor and Empress said they were moved by the warm welcome offered by the Vietnamese Government and people. They also thanked Viet Nam for its support in the aftermath of the 2011 tsunami in Japan.

Prime Minister Phuc extended an invitation to other members of the Japanese royal family to visit Viet Nam next years on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Tokyo and Ha Noi.

Museum of Biology

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited the Museum of Biology at the Viet Nam National University in Ha Noi, where specimens of white goby fish and Onagadori chickengifts from the Japanese Royal Familyare preserved.

A passionate researcher of freshwater fish, Emperor Akihito discovered a new species of white goby fish in a Can Tho River tributary while conducting his PhD essay on fish in the south of Viet Nam in the 1970s. He presented a specimen of the fish to the museum in 1976.

Meanwhile, Onagadori is a specious breed of Japanese chicken that was given by Prince Akishino to the museum on August 17, 2012.

During the visit, part of their ongoing six-day State visit to Viet Nam from February 28, Emperor Akihito and his spouse showed interest in specimens of various animal and plant species displayed in the museum, especially rare ones.

Established in 1926 under the Biology Faculty of the Ha Noi University of Technologywhich is now the University of Natural Sciences under the Viet Nam National Universitythe Museum of Biology is the first of its kind in Indochina.

The museum is part of the Viet Nam National Museum of Nature system, which continues to keep and conserve hundreds of thousands of specimens of animals and plants collected since the late 19th century, including those from different areas across the world, which are presents from the heads of state, scientists and foreign museums.

Talking to Japan alumni

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, on the same day, met with Vietnamese alumni of Viet Nams first university in Ha Noi, Van Mieu  Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature), who studied in Japan.

To welcome the Emperor and the Empress, many Japanese living in Viet Nam gathered at the area near Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam with Japanese flags in hands.

Talking to the former students, Emperor Akihito called them the bridge that connects Viet Nam and Japan and expressed his wish that they continue to contribute to the good relationship between the two countries.

Ngo Minh Thuy, Vice Rector of Viet Nam National Universitys Foreign Languages and International Studies programme and the vice president of the Viet Nam  Japan Friendship Association and president of the Japan Alumni Club in Viet Nam, said it was a memorable day.

The Emperor and Empress were very friendly and down-to-earth, she said.

She also said that the Viet Nam  Japan Friendship Association has organised many activities to foster the relationship between the two peoples and nations.

The former students said they all share the desire to continue nurturing bilateral friendly ties.

In the same afternoon, the Japanese guests met families of Japanese war veterans living in Viet Nam.  VNS


The Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia is protecting the interests of oan Thi Huong, a suspect arrested on suspicion of the murder of a citizen of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea).  Photo AFP

HA NOI  The Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia is protecting the interests of oan Thi Huong, a suspect arrested on suspicion of the murder of a citizen of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea), according to the Foreign Ministrys Consular Department.

The embassys citizen protection measures aim to ensure that procedures in the case are objective and impartial, and Huongs legitimate interests are protected. The measures included seeking a lawyer for Huong in line with Malaysias legal regulations, the Consular Department said.

On Thursday, representatives of the Consular Department met Huongs family to explain the procedures in the case and detail the process of legal assistance, which must be in line with Malaysias law and international practice.

Earlier, the department informed the family of its consular visit to Huong and her health condition.

On Wednesday, at the end of a 14-day custody period, the suspects in the murder of Kim Chol were taken to a court in the Sepang District of Malaysias Selangor State to hear their indictment. Representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia were present.  VNS
HCM CITY  HCM City will focus on reducing pollution in rural districts and communes, local authorities said at a conference held in the city on Thursday to review the National Target Programme for New Rural Areas 2016.

The rural area programme and action plan for this year was organised by HCM Citys Party Committee.

From 2010 to 2015, all 56 communes of the city reached environmental standards but under the standards of new rural areas, only 24 of the total 56 communes reached safety level for environment and food hygiene, said Nguyen Phuoc Trung, director of the citys Agriculture and Rural Development Department.

According to rural district authorities, rubbish collection has been a great challenge, with most of it done by individuals.

In some places, rubbish is collected every three days, while in others, rubbish collectors ask for fees beyond the regulated price.

Most scrap collection centres have worked without permission and caused pollution, and many canals in rural districts are seriously polluted and need immediate upgrading.

To cope with problems related to environmental protection, the citys Natural Resources and Environment Department has finished its plan to upgrade environment standards in rural areas from 2016 to 2020.

The plan will focus on solutions to pollution, which has badly affected local residents, especially in places affected by climate change.

The plan will also build a new model for new rural areas based on urban civility.

Building a new rural area needs active contributions from organisations and ideas from local residents, said Tat Thanh Cang, deputy secretary of the Party Committee, and head of the Party Committees Steering Committee for New Rural Construction Programme.

Leaders of the party hierarchy and authorities must take a leading position to find proper way in implementing the programme, he added.

Cang also said the environmental sector should work closely with local authorities in dealing with rubbish collection and environmental protection.

Related authorities and local government should encourage residents to plant more trees, he said.  VNS
QUANG TRI  Trekking through Huong Hoa protective forest in ak Rong District of central Quang Tri Province, it is not hard to see dozens of tree trunks, branches and twigs lying in disorder on the pathway.

Right next to the forest protection station, illegal logging is still ongoing, Lao ong (Labourers) newspaper reports.

The newly-built route leading to the Khe Nghi hydropower plant project has paved a better way for loggers to take action. Moving deep into the forest, more and more trees with diameters of trunks ranging from 40cm to 70cm are reportedly chopped down. Red latex continues to pour out from precious logs.

The logs are then sawed vertically by half, cut into short pieces and moved out of the forest through a steep slope by motorbike.

A forest ranger in the area told Lao ong newspaper that he saw locals sawing wood but only advised them not to do it and reported the case to authorised units for further punishment.

Another forest guard said the punishment sounds difficult, as loggers are from local ethnic minorities.

They stop chopping when they see us. When we are away, they continue. They are warned of supervision teams visit so when we come, nobody is there, he said.

According to Tran Van Ty, director of Huong Hoa protective forests management board, the deforestation has gone on since November last year, adding that despite efforts of authorities to persuade and prevent the action, nothing has changed. Loggers have even threatened forest guards on duty.

The owner of the forest called for help from ak Rong Communes Peoples Committee and the ak Rong District forest protection directing team.

From November 25 last year until January 25 this year, forest owner, forest guards in collaboration with communal Peoples Committee were on duty in the forest. During this time, the deforestation cases reportedly declined. However, after that, loggers continued to chop down trees.

We made efforts but still feel powerless due to ineffective co-operation, Ty said.

Tong Phuoc Chau, head of forest ranger station of ak Rong District said the forest loggers have sophisticated techniques to chop the timber.

The deforestation level has not been statistically determined yet.

Last month, a forest ranger died while patrolling the forest. Colonel Phan Thanh Quang, head of Huong Hoa Districts police department said on Wednesday that the fatality was caused by a crash from a car bearing Lao number plate.

Local authorities are working with Lao authorities to expand their investigation.

Khong Trung, head of Forest Protection Department of Quang Tri Province, said From the forest owner to forest guards to local authorities, everyone knows the forest is being destroyed. Action must be taken. After fact-finding visit, we will clarify the case to penalise violators, and more importantly, to improve forest protection.

The forest owner must be the first one to take responsibility in fighting deforestation, he said.  VNS




BAC LIEU  Two sea dykes in Bac Lieu Province were damaged on Tuesday and Wednesday, threatening thousands of people living in the area, according to the provinces Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

A 24-metre section of the Nha Mat Sea Dyke in Bac Lieu City along Nha Mat Beach near Nha Mat Border Office has been damaged several times since the beginning of the year.

Tran Trung Luc, a resident in the citys Nha Mat Ward, said Ive lived here more than two years. Were very afraid of huge waves that could endanger our lives. I havent slept in the last few days.

Other cracked sections of the dyke could collapse at any time if there are huge waves and powerful winds in coming day.

Leaders of the province and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development visited the area recently to offer assistance at the Nha Mat Sea Dyke.

In Ganh Hao Town, an 870-sq.m area at the Ganh Hao Sea Dyke has eroded.

Duong Thanh Trung, chairman of the provinces Peoples Committee, said the breaching of the dykes had become more serious because of climate change and rising sea water levels.

Provincial authorities and scientists have told local agencies to warn residents to permanently relocate, if necessary, he said.

Solutions

The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Bac Lieu on Wednesday held a meeting with leaders of Government agencies and representatives of the Southern Irrigation Science Institute to discuss measures to protect the dykes.

Trung of the provinces Peoples Committee proposed that agencies focus on a treatment plan to handle incidents and protect residents life and property.

A representative of the Southern Irrigation Science Institute said a construction plan could repair the damaged section of the Ganh Hao Dyke. Reinforced concrete columns could be used on the section, and breakwaters should be rebuilt.

In addition, Tetrapods, building components of concrete blocks, could be used to repair the damaged section of the dyke.

Representatives of other agencies asked the Southern Irrigation Science Institute to propose solutions to ensure the safety of construction work and workers, and arrange materials and construction sites.

Trung said he supported the plan using Tetrapods and asked the institute to submit a more detailed plan on the technical requirements and needs to repair the Ganh Hao Sea Dyke, and to begin work promptly and efficiently.

He also asked the institute to conduct research on how to repair and protect the Nha Mat Sea Dyke.
HA NOI  The Division of Education and Training of Ha Nois Cau Giay District has banned all schools in the district from renting schoolyards for parking activities from this month onwards.

The move comes after the public, especially parents, raised concerns over the safety of children at schools as many were letting out their schoolyards as car parks.

Last December, Tran Chi Kien, a second grader at the districts Nam Trung Yen Primary School, was hit by a taxi while playing in the schoolyard. The taxi, carrying the schools principal and vice principal, rammed into the student and fractured his right leg.

Kien was taken by the vice principal to the schools health clinic to determine if he was injured. He was later taken to the National Hospital of Paediatrics for treatment. The taxi, meanwhile, left the site of the accident.

Pham Ngoc Anh, head of the division, said all schools -- from pre-schools to high schools  were ordered to strictly enforce the ban.

Heads of schools that flouted the rule would be held responsible, he said.

Teachers who drove their cars to school must arrive before the students and leave only when all the students had left. Their vehicles must be parked in permitted areas to ensure safety of students, he added.
The Quang Nam Peoples Committee said it has collected eight tonnes of waste mixed with oil clumps along the beach in Nui Thanh District, adding that these clumps were not the same as previous ones. Photo zing.vn

QUANG NAM  The Quang Nam Peoples Committee said it has collected eight tonnes of waste mixed with oil clumps along the beach in Nui Thanh District, adding that these clumps were not the same as previous ones.

Speaking at the conference on Wednesday, Huynh Khanh Toan, vice chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, said that hundreds of environmental workers and relevant agencies have collected 25 tonnes of waste after two weeks of focusing on collecting oil there.

Of which, eight tonnes were garbage with oil clumps. All the garbage has been destroyed.

Toan said the committee has asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to find out the cause of the phenomenon and the origin of waste and oil clumps.

On February 6, oil clumps, with the length of between 0.5 centimetres and 10 centimetres, were seen spreading 7 kilometres along the coast from Rang Beach in Tam Quang Commune to Chu Lai Resort in Tam Nghia Commune.

The oil clumps were found together with empty bottles and Chinese language packages.

Nguyen Hong Quang, chief secretariat of the provincial committee, said that oil clumps with such large amounts of waste were an abnormal phenomenon in the province.

Tran Van Anh, chief secretariat of the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said that oil clumps and waste were identified to drift from other sea zones through the ocean flow to the sea in Nui Thanh District.

Viet Nams Directorate of Sea and Islands have reported that bottles and packages were originated from Hong Kong and China. It has continued investigating the cause of the incident.

The directorate said that the amount of waste drifting to the beach has been four or five times higher than the previous years. This was the first time oil clumps were reported on the provincial beach in this year.  VNS
WATERLOO  Crossroads Center in Waterloo and College Square mall in Cedar Falls are now under the same ownership.

A holding company of Mason Asset Management of Great Neck, N.Y., acquired Crossroads Center in January, according to documents on file at the Black Hawk County Courthouse. A holding company of the same firm acquired College Square in March 2015 and last summer submitted a plan to city officials to recapitalize and revitalize that property.

The owners are evaluating plans for Crossroads as well.

Waterloo is an attractive market, I think, said Elliott Nassim, head of leasing for Mason Asset Management. Theres interest in Waterloo, from prospective tenants. We hope to capitalize on that and lease up the vacancies we have.

And were hopeful we can find some tenants, Nassim said. He noted the mall also has some undeveloped out lots.

Nassim said the company is evaluating its options on physical improvements to the malls. He said there is no cookie cutter strategy, and each property is different. But he said the company hopes for some changes at Crossroads over the coming year.

One major development at Crossroads was the addition of an At Home home decor store at the mall in April. It replaced J.C. Penney, which closed after 90 years in Waterloo, both downtown and later at the mall. It is only the second At Home store in Iowa for the Plano, Texas-based company.

In June, Nassims firm presented to Cedar Falls officials a proposal to subdivide College Squares commercial out lots for sale, part of a plan to generate revenue to revitalize the mall. The City Council approved that plan in November. Recent tenant additions have included Planet Fitness and the College of Hair Design, which relocated from downtown Waterloo.

Crossroads Center opened in March 1970. College Square opened in November 1969. Both malls have had a succession of owners and managers over the decades.

Prior to Mason Asset Managements January acquisition of Crossroads, New York-based real estate developer Extell Development Co. purchased the 846,434-square-foot shopping center in December 2013.
Cedar Valley Eye Care (CVEC) offers one-stop shopping for your familys eye care, ranging from routine eye care from three optometrists, to specialized treatment and surgery from three ophthalmologists and one retina specialist. Its all under one roof in several convenient locations.

CVEC has prided itself on always being in the forefront, using the latest technology in performing cataract surgery, corneal transplants and LASIK surgery, along with offering contact lenses, general eye examinations, eyelid surgery, retina care and other optical services. Eye care no longer entails just vision correction surgery or prescription eyewear.

Dr. Thomas Petrie is one of the newest additions to CVECs staff. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Northern Iowa, attended medical school at Des Moines University, and completed his ophthalmology residency in Columbus, Ohio.

One reason why I came back to join this practice, and something that I take pride in now as a part of it, is that the practice is always in the forefront and the providers are always looking for ways to not only improve the care provided, but to improve outcomes as well," he says.

Dr. Petrie says there is a huge demand for retina care with the aging population, from macular degeneration, to diabetic retinopathy, to retinal detachments.

CVEC uses the only excimer laser in the Cedar Valley and the most up-to-date technology, including Custom-Cap treatment for irregular patterns of astigmatism. The LASIK surgery can be performed without using any blades. CVEC also was the first area clinic to offer the new 3D eye-tracking laser. It allows the laser to use active radar to follow any eye movement during the LASIK procedure, eliminating the possibility of laser pulses being applied in an incorrect spot. This increases safety by removing less tissue and utilizing a larger optical zone.

Used during LASIK surgery, CustomVue Wavefront technology captures the unique imperfections in a persons vision that could not have been measured and corrected previously, providing treatment options that are individualized. It produces a map of the eye, much like a fingerprint, and provides 25 times more precision than previous options.

CVEC also was the first area clinic to offer the new 3D eye-tracking laser.

Dr. Petrie says cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgery the practice handles. CVEC also offers specialty intraocular lenses so a patient can decrease dependence on glasses.

Other services include corneal topography that maps the curvature of the cornea. The Humphrey Field Analyzer tests peripheral vision and aids in the treatment for glaucoma. The selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is an office laser procedure meant to lower intraocular pressures as an option for glaucoma treatment.

Most people are unaware that an ophthalmologist can also perform Botox treatments. Dr. Petrie himself is dedicating one-half day monthly, and perhaps one full day in the future, to cosmetic or medical Botox treatments at the Cedar Falls office. The injectable treatment relaxes the muscles in the face. Having an ophthalmologist perform Botox treatment can help to ensure the safety of the eyes and vision because the specialist is most familiar with all aspects of the eyes, including the muscles and structures surrounding them.

By grouping all the patients in one day, it allows me to offer perhaps the most competitive prices in town, he says.

Additional services include pediatric eye care, such as muscle surgery, eyelid procedures, and treatment for skin cancers around the eyelids.

Ophthalmology is a field that is always advancing from a technological standpoint, Dr. Petrie says. Its always a very groundbreaking specialty.

All of CVEC physicians are board-certified. Other credentials held by the providers include memberships in the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the International Society of Refractive Surgery, and the American Optometric Association.
WATERLOO  There will be a deacon ordination service for Dennis Hutt at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Crystal Cathedral of Faith Southern Baptist Church, 3040 Hammond Ave.

Theme is A Servants Call, and speaker is the Rev. Lovie Caldwell of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. Refreshments will be served following the service.

All are welcome to attend.

WATERLOO  The Apostolic Pentecostal Church will host a monthly prayer meeting for women from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday at 1645 Downing Ave.

The event is open for any woman who has a desire to pray for children and families. Call 234-2920.

WATERLOO  Hammond Avenue Brethren Church at 1604 Hammond Ave. will have healing services every Sunday in March starting at 10:30 a.m.

Anyone who needs healing for health, addictions, marital problems or spiritual troubles is urged to come.

CEDAR FALLS  Orchard Hill Church, 3900 Orchard Hill Drive, will present the Lenten Lunch Hour series in the Commons on Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

The theme is A Lenten Journey Through the Eyes of Mark, and there will be a meal of two soups, fresh bread and dessert, followed by a message. A $4 meal donation is suggested.

The schedule includes:

March 8: Ed Baker, Orchard Hill (vegetable beef and bacon corn chowder).

March 15: John Fuller, Prairie Lakes (broccoli cheese and chili).

March 22: Amy Wiles, First Presbyterian (Wisconsin cheese and colony club bean).

March 29: Laura Hoy, Link, CCD (chicken noodle and tomato cheese).

April 5: Jesse Henkle (vegetable beef and creamy potato and pie).

WATERLOO  A Discipleship through Social Justice disciple experience weekend is scheduled for April 28-30 at Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center, Hiawatha.

Topics discussed will be the seven themes or categories of Christian/Catholic social teaching.

The DEW is sponsored by the Adult Faith Office of Waterloo.

Participants can either stay overnight at Prairiewoods, or make their own arrangements.

A registration form for the weekend is available from the office at 320 Mulberry St., email dbqwcaf@dbqarch.org or call 234-9912.

CEDAR FALLS  Riverview Womens Ministry will host simulcast with Priscilla Shirer from 9 a.m. to 4:35 p.m. April 8 in the Event Center at Riverview Conference Center.

Priscilla Shirer Live is an inspiring womens conference, including worship with Anthony Evans.

Tickets in advance are $30, which includes a box lunch and snacks. Tickets at the door are $28, with no box lunch available. They are available at Riverview Conference Center, 439 N. Division St., by calling the office at 268-0787, or by emailing riverviewcc@gmail.com.
CEDAR FALLS -- Authorities investigating investment fraud in the Czech Republic want to know more about the dealings of a former Cedar Falls commodities broker who is now in prison.

Ladislav Kadlcik, a businessman in Prostejov, allegedly told investigators he borrowed money to cover losses from investing with Russell Wasendorf Sr.s defunct Peregrine Financial Group. Now Kadlcik is accused of bilking investors of some 260 million koruna -- about $10 million in U.S. money.

Based in Cedar Falls, Peregrine collapsed in July 2012 following Wasendorfs suicide attempt, which unveiled what prosecutors called a $215 million Ponzi scheme. Wasendorf is serving a 50-year prison sentence.

Acting on a request by the Czech Republics Office of Prosecutor General, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Iowa last week asked the court to appoint a commissioner to collect evidence to assist Czech investigators from the city of Brno who are looking into ties between Kadlcik and Peregrine.

The matter was unsealed Feb. 23 after Magistrate C.J. Williams appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney Pete Deegan to fill the commissioner role. Deegan is tasked with collecting evidence and issuing subpoenas inside the United States to assist Czech investigators.

Kadlcik is suspected of inducing people to enter into fraudulent loans in the Czech Republic between 2012 and 2016 by misrepresenting his financial status and the reason behind the loans. He allegedly told lenders he was investing in commodities when he actually put the money into payments on earlier loans.

Five of the investors came forward in April after Kadlcik allegedly failed to make good on promises to return their money with a profit, court records state.

Kadlcik told authorities he had invested in Peregrine and another brokerage based in Connecticut, and he said his Peregrine money had been frozen in 2012 when the Cedar Falls firm was placed under investigation.

Kadlcik admitted that, because his funds were tied up at Peregrine, he used borrowed money to repay other creditors, court records state.

Czech authorities searched Kadlciks home in July 2016 and found 310 loan agreements. They also searched his bank records and interviewed more about 100 victims and witnesses, court records state.

The Courier found Kadlciks name on a list of creditors complied in 2012 in Peregrines bankruptcy case. Prosecutors said Wasendorf defrauded more than 13,000 investors.
WATERLOO  A Waterloo man has pleaded guilty to federal meth charges.

Aldreias Jerome Campbell, 42, entered his plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine as a drug felon in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids on Feb. 16.

Sentencing will be at a later date, and Campbell remains detained until then.

Authorities searched a home at 936 Kern St. in April and found more than 36 grams of meth, a digital scale and a cutting agent in the basement where Campbell was staying. Meth was also found in the kitchen and an upstairs bedroom.

After the raid, Campbell allegedly continued to be involved in meth and sold 1 gram of meth to a confidential informant at a home at 219 Lafayette St. on Nov. 3, 2016. Police then searched the home and found a digital scale and $961 in cash.

Campbell has a prior drug conviction for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver in 2004 in Black Hawk County, according to court records.
WATERLOO  An overnight fire drove a family from their mobile home Thursday.

No serious injuries were reported, but two teenagers were examined at the scene for smoke inhalation, said Battalion Chief Mike Jenn with Waterloo Fire Rescue.

Residents at 1911 Manitoba St. woke to smoke around 11 p.m. Thursday and were able to escape, Jenn said. Waterloo firefighters extinguished the blaze, which started in a back bedroom.

The cause of the fire hasnt been determined, and the American Red Cross is assisting the residents with emergency shelter.
CHARLES CITY  The Floyd County Board of Supervisors took action this week requiring both applicants for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and the property owners to appear at public hearings.

The action come on the heels of a resolution they passed two weeks ago asking the governor and Legislature to make changes to improve the states master matrix system.

Tuesdays resolution requires both applicants for CAFOs and owners to appear at county hearings after being notified by certified letter of the date and time of the hearings.

If either or both fail to appear, a second letter would be sent with a new hearing date and time. If either or both failed to appear at the second hearing, the permit would be denied.

The board also is considering a resolution regarding protection of wellheads and groundwater monitoring wells on the sites of proposed CAFOs, but no formal action has been taken on that.

In its Feb. 14 resolution asking for the state to improve the master matrix, supervisors said CAFOs have been built at a much higher rate than the state anticipated when it created the matrix in 2002.

Supervisor Mark Kuhn said 22.4 million hogs produced in Iowa in 2016 is projected to be 30 million by 2020. He said the hogs produce roughly 10 times more fecal waste than humans and hog waste in Iowa contributes to two-thirds of the fecal waste in the United States.

Kuhn said if the waste is applied properly to farm fields, it is good for the economy and good for farmers using it as a nutrient. But if it is applied improperly, said Kuhn, it can leach into groundwater supplies.

After a public hearing, when the resolution was proposed by Kuhn, it died for lack of a second. After some discussion and the resolution came up for a vote again, Kuhn favored the concept but objected to some of what was included in the second version. It was approved by a 2-1 vote.

The resolution points out the matrix has failed to adequately differentiate between the geography, water sources and other critical considerations throughout the different regions in the state.

It further states the matrix fails to properly take into consideration information within the knowledge of local sources, highlighting the failings of the master matrix to protect the air, water, health, quality of life and economic interests of the citizens.

Floyd officials join Allamakee and Winneshiek counties in formally calling for changes in the state matrix. Leaders in Webster and Pocahontas counties last year wrote letters to legislators and the DNR, calling for a moratorium on factory farms and changes to the matrix. Johnson County officials have asked for more local control.

The Mitchell County Board of Supervisors in February approved establishing a formal committee to review master matrix applications. The board, which said it would begin participating in scoring hog confinement applications, had previously approved applications as presented.

Earlier this week, the Franklin County Board of Supervisors approved an application for a permit for an addition to an existing CAFO because the application met all the requirements of the state matrix.
DES MOINES  Emotions ran high Thursday as legislators frantically worked to keep pet bills alive for the remainder of the 2017 session.

The first funnel deadline -- requiring nonmoney bills to clear at least one standing committee to stay active -- claimed high-profile issues like reinstating the death penalty, raising the minimum wage and setting a higher interstate speed limit.

State troopers were stationed at several committee meetings where high-profile issues drew crowds.

A Senate committee approved a bill that would ban most abortions in the state after 20 weeks of pregnancy. But a separate personhood bill that essentially banned all abortions stalled.

Majority Republicans pushed ahead with bills to revamp workers compensation, force local governments to enforce federal immigration laws and create new voter ID requirements.

From what I can tell right now, were still on track with a lot of our priorities to continue moving them forward, said Senate President Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny.

We came into this session with a big, bold agenda to do major reforms and thats tough. It takes a long time, but were looking at doing reforms that will impact this state in a positive way for decades to come, he said. We know this is a two-year process. Were going to take our time and do it right.

Democrats, in the minority in the House and Senate this year, too, have little sway over that GOP agenda.

Theres been so much nonsense coming at us this week, said Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids. This is just nonsense after nonsense after nonsense, and were trying to sit here and say, 'Hey, you said you were going to work on the economy and schools. Where is it?' Its not happening. In fact, theyre taking us in the wrong direction.

A bill to reduce benefits for workplace injuries provoked sharp debate in the House Commerce Committee.

What youre doing today, if you pass this out of committee, is doing the wrong thing by those workers, said Rep. Abby Finkenauer, D-Dubuque. This is mean. This isnt who we are as Iowans. I beg you, vote no and lets stop this right now.

Her plea did not stop the committee from approving the plan on a 14-9 party-line vote.

A similar bill won 9-6 support in the Senate Commerce Committee.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock, said the workers compensation rewrite was designed to evaluate employee injuries in a fair manner and address the cost side for businesses.

But Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, noted the changes are being rushed through with an immediate effective date like an earlier collective bargaining change.

So if youre going to get injured, youd better get injured this week instead of next week, he told committee members.

In the Senate Local Government Committee, Republicans approved a bill 7-4 that would punish cities and counties that don't enforce federal immigration laws.

The third time wasnt the charm for an idea championed by Gov. Terry Branstad to eliminate licensing requirements for a wide number of professions, from social workers to mental health counselors.

Thats unfortunate, but not surprising, Branstad said.

We knew this was going to be tough, he said. Youre going up against all the organized special interest groups that want to protect their turf."

Branstad said he generally was pleased his priorities were advancing.

Im particularly encouraged about the public safety issues, the distracted and impaired driving and those issues that really involve the safety of the citizens. We knew those were not going to be easy. We feel good about that, the Republican governor said. Generally, things are coming along.

He also was encouraged a water quality bill advanced Thursday in the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee, saying its important lawmakers approve funding and policy provisions on that front this session.
DAVENPORT -- U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley dismissed as "nonsense" the idea Attorney General Jeff Sessions should resign in the wake of revelations he met last year with the Russian ambassador to the U.S., a report that had Democrats saying he should step down because he testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee there had been no meetings.

Grassley, the Iowa Republican who chairs the committee, didn't weigh in on the truthfulness of Sessions' testimony. But he said he had asked the attorney general to send a letter to the committee "to clear up any confusion regarding his testimony so we can put this issue to bed once and for all." Sessions said he would do so.

Controversy swirled around the attorney general all day Thursday after a Washington Post story broke saying he had met with the Russian ambassador last year at a time when there were allegations of contacts between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. Sessions, a senator on the Armed Services Committee at the time, was a Trump surrogate.

The Post story not only reported the contacts but noted Sessions told Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., during confirmation hearings "I did not have any communications with the Russians."

At a news conference Thursday afternoon, Sessions bowed to calls he recuse himself from any investigation into Trump ties to the Russians. And he acknowledged he should have "slowed down" during his testimony but said he was taken by surprise by part of Franken's question and his answers were honest.

Grassey praised Sessions for recusing himself. He called it the right thing to do, saying alleged conflicts, "no matter how flimsy," would be used against him.

Democrats spent much of the day criticizing Sessions. Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, said he should resign.

"It is now clear that Attorney General Sessions lied under oath during his confirmation hearings in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee," Loebsack said early Thursday.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, in her own statement, said she didn't have all the facts of the situation but "I support his decision to recuse himself."
WATERLOO  A push to revitalize homes in the historic Walnut Neighborhood soon may get financial backing.

JSA Development and Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity, in partnership with City Hall, are committing money and resources to restore and build new homes in the once grand but currently deteriorated neighborhood.

City Council members are expected Monday to consider an agreement for JSA Development to invest an estimated $1.2 million to save four houses  all more than 125 years old and falling apart  from the wrecking ball.

Its a different venture for the company headed by Jim Walsh, which has otherwise focused on historic renovations of downtown retail and upper floor residential properties.

It does get us out of our central business district model, which is a little bit out of our comfort zone in terms of where we view ourselves, said JSAs David Deeds. But downtown can never be as successful as it can be with challenged neighborhoods surrounding it.

To the extent that we could help set an example about how to help bring a neighborhood back, thats part of the goal as well, he added.

The proposed development agreement calls for the city to put a two-year moratorium on any building demolition in the neighborhood and pay for an estimated $20,000 historic survey to declare it a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.

The city would donate 519 E. Third St., 516 Pine St. and 521 Pine St., which are all vacant city-owned structures, and spend up to $60,000 buying 515 E. Third St. for JSA Development.

JSA Development would get $10,000 from the city for each property it successfully rehabilitates and a first right of refusal to take on additional properties the city may acquire in the Walnut Neighborhood.

Deeds said the creation of a historic district is critical to leveraging tax credits necessary to make the project financially feasible.

Were not sure it still is (eligible) because of the amount of demolition thats occurred already, but were going to give it a shot, Deeds said. Without the historic tax credit programs we would not even be talking about this.

A 1992 survey showed the Walnut Neighborhood  bounded by U.S. Highway 63 and Franklin, East Fourth and Dane streets  had numerous historic homes dating back to the late 1800s but was questionable as a historic district due to the loss of many other homes.

The homes JSA seeks to renovate were built between 1894 and 1892. The brick Italianate structure at 516 Pine served as a hospital in 1910.

Deeds said JSA Development would restore the homes as duplexes due to their size, but would be reconstructed in a way that allows them to be returned easily to single-family residences in the future.

Several other groups are joining with Walnut Neighborhood residents in the push to bring the neighborhood back, including Link Christian Community Development and Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity.

Ali Parrish, Habitats executive director, said the agency has been meeting with Walnut residents since August about their hopes for the area, and a desire for housing rehabilitation and construction was the top concern.

Habitat is planning to build at least two new homes on vacant Almond Street lots, which is the organizations best known program. But the agency also is working on a home repair and rehabilitation program in the Walnut area.

What were planning there is more holistic and comprehensive than weve done before, Parrish said. Theres been a lot more effort in the last several years (in Habitat) about the revitalization side of things  working with a neighborhood from the ground up.

Parrish said the collaboration with the neighborhood, Link CCD, the city and now JSA Development makes the effort even more feasible.

We cant come into a neighborhood and fix all the problems, she said.

City Council members voted unanimously in January to sign a memorandum of understanding to support and work with the newly formed Walnut Neighborhood Housing Coalition.

A public hearing on the JSA Development agreement is slated for 5:30 p.m. Monday at the City Council meeting in City Hall.
DES MOINES  A Senate committee in the Legislature approved a bill that would ban most abortions in the state after 20 weeks of pregnancy Thursday evening. But two other bills seeking to restrict abortions did not survive the sessions first funnel deadline.

Senate File 53 passed on a 9-to-3 vote in the Human Resources Committee. Two Democrats backed the bill after it was amended to include exceptions when the mothers life is in danger or the fetus has a fatal abnormality.

The amendment was added after Amanda Acton of Waukee offered emotional testimony Tuesday about having an abortion in her 21st week after learning her child did not have lungs.

We did listen, said Sen. Mark Chelgren, R-Ottumwa.

But that was not enough for some Democrats.

Not every pregnancy ends the way a family hopes it will, said Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City. Sometimes it ends in miscarriage, sometimes the mother finds out there is something seriously wrong with her baby. Abortions later in pregnancy may make us uncomfortable, but one thing we can all agree on is that a womans health and safety is crucial.

Bolkcom said the best way to prevent abortions is to fund family-planning services and support contraception.

Extreme bans do nothing to reduce abortions and hinder medical care, he said.

The bill next goes before the full Senate for a vote.

A similar piece of legislation, House File 293, which passed a House subcommittee Wednesday, did not make it out of committee. That legislation, along with SF 253, the so-called personhood bill  which could have effectively banned abortions  died Thursday afternoon.

The legislation  which womens health organizations called extreme and reckless  declared life is protected from the moment of conception so a fertilized egg is accorded the same rights and protections guaranteed to all persons.

Opponents, including Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, said the bill would have limited severely access to most forms of birth control and negatively impacted families seeking to use in vitro fertilization. Similar measures have failed in recent years in Colorado, North Dakota and Mississippi.

SF 253 was a thinly veiled, unconstitutional attempt to ban abortion in the state of Iowa, said Planned Parenthood of the Heartland in a statement. Even fellow Senate Republicans recognized it would have far-reaching unintended consequences and refused to vote in its favor.

Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, who chaired the committee and was a co-sponsor of Senate File 253, expressed disappointment the bill did not survive. But he added, This is how the process works.
WATERLOO  Bryan Sink put his best foot forward for his first Taste of Loo on Thursday.

The owner and chef of Bryans on 4th polished up his restaurant, had local musician Bob Dorr playing for guests and served up his most popular appetizer of stuffed baked potato shells.

While he wants to be sure to make an impression on the estimated 250 people who will ultimately walk through his doors for this years Taste of Loo, Sink also knows the event is about more than a single business.

Its just a really wonderful and unique opportunity to see just how far downtown Waterloo has come, Sink said.

His sentiment was widely shared by other first-timers at this years event.

Taste of Loo has been going on in downtown Waterloo for more than 20 years, but it brings in a mix of new businesses and long-time staples. Among the businesses new this year, all shared a desire to grow with downtown Waterloo.

We are really excited about all of the good things happening in downtown Waterloo, and were happy to join in when we can, said Andy Fuchtman, a partner at Sidecar Coffee, which just recently added a downtown Waterloo location in the historic Wonder Bread building.

Though Sidecar has locations in Cedar Falls and on Ridgeway Avenue in Waterloo, Fuchtman said this is the first time the business has been involved in an event of this kind.

Basal Pizza owner Tony Eischeid also is new to downtown Waterloo and said he chose to participate as a big supporter of downtown.

We are more than happy to be a part of events that promote businesses and encourage folks to frequent and support downtowns growth, Eischeid said.

Of course, like Sink, the new business owners know putting their best foot forward for Taste of Loo will be likely to help them grow their customer base in the future.

I have the chance to invite 300 people who want to be here into my business to try a few samples of some great food that we do, and expose folks who might not come in otherwise, and give them the opportunity to see what were doing, Sink said.

Tavis Hall, executive director of Main Street Waterloo that puts on the event each year, said the fact Taste of Loo continues each year is a testament to the restaurants that return each year  albeit offering new goodies each year as well as those that give people a chance to try out a new business downtown.

The timing of the event is meant to support businesses coming out of a harsh winter when few people want to leave their homes to sample new foods, though that has been less the case this past February.

It allows us to take a step back and to really appreciate all the growth that continues to happen in downtown, Hall said. Its always a good time, and its a good opportunity for folks to check out everything thats down here.
Clarification added 03/03/17: The image that is created as a result of the scan was not explained correctly. The image is not black and white, but it is generic and uses the same body outline regardless of gender.

WATERLOO  Travelers through Waterloo Regional Airport will be greeted with new security equipment that should make their screening process quicker and easier.

The advanced imaging technology unit was installed at the Waterloo airport and put into use Wednesday. Many major airports across the nation already have the new technology, and now the U.S Transportation Security Administration is bringing it to regional airports as well.

Carrie Harmon, a TSA spokesperson, said the biggest change for passengers will be they will now have to remove all items from their pockets as the technology detects both metallic and nonmetallic items that may be concealed.

We get a very positive response when we install this technology, Harmon said. Its particularly popular among people who have knee or hip replacements. Its also  very fast; its easy; it cuts down on the number of pat-downs; its efficient, so all those things make it very popular with passengers.

During a demonstration, Harmon showed, because the the unit specifies on a non-gender specific image of a person where there is an unidentified object, the TSA officials pat-downs would be targeted to the location of that object.

It also doesnt emit much noise to alert TSA officials of a concealed object, which is why Harmon said its popular among those with joint replacements.

The imaging technology unit uses electromagnetic waves that bounce off a persons body to create a generic image that identifies any objects on the person. Harmon said it emits 1,000 times less energy than international limits and guidelines. A person will generally be in the imaging unit for about 3 seconds.

Were very happy to have this equipment here, Harmon said. Its very quick, very targeted, very easy.

The units are paid for and installed by TSA at a cost of $120,000 per unit. But Harmon said the unit would not be installed without the partnership of the Waterloo airport.

Units also have been installed recently at Fort Dodge, Dubuque and Sioux City airports, Harmon said.

More information about the units is available at www.tsa.gov by typing advanced imaging technology into the search function.
WATERLOO  A new temporary art gallery is being installed at the Veridian Credit Union, 1827 Ansborough Ave., in Waterloo.

ArtShare will be unveiled at a premiere event from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday, featuring an exhibition of artwork created by students from four high schools in Waterloo and Cedar Falls.

It is the 11th annual ArtShare display at the Veridian location. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Its exciting for us, and we look forward to it each year. We feel its important to show our appreciation for the arts and raise awareness of students creativity and talent, said Julie Gage, public relations strategist in Veridians marketing department.

Other participating Veridian Credit Unions partner with a total of 10 Iowa high schools including Waverly, Cedar Rapids, Ankeny and Coralville.

There are 61 student artists participating from Waterloo East and West, Columbus and Cedar Falls high schools. This is the largest number of student participants from our schools that weve gotten since we started ArtShare, said Gage.

Each year, Veridian reaches out to high school art departments, explains the program, enlists teacher support and encourages participation from students.

The school partnerships make up Veridians ArtShare program, which was launched in Ankeny in 2002 to celebrate the talent and development of local student artists. Its our pleasure to recognize these student artists each year, said Jennifer Roberts, Veridians public relations strategist who oversees the program.

ArtShare helps make our branches a more inviting place while giving the artists a broader audience and giving the community a greater appreciation for local talent. Everyone benefits.

Featured artwork ranges from paintings to graphic design, sculptures, pottery, jewelry and more. Some work is framed for display, and other pieces will be shown in cases.

We pay the cost of framing, collaborating with Garland Angove at Heritage Art Gallery and Frame, so students whose work requires framing will get back a nice piece of professionally framed art at the end of the show, Gage explained.

The credit union also offers an ArtShare Scholarship for $2,000 toward tuition for an educational program leading to a career in the arts. The application deadline is March 31, and inclusion in the exhibit is not a requirement of eligibility. The application and details are available at www.veridiancu.org/scholarship.

The exhibition remains on display for about a year.

A premiere event also is planned featuring artwork from Waverly-Shell Rock High School participants from 6 to 7 p.m. March 27 at Veridian Credit Union, 315 Oak Ridge Circle, in Waverly.
Well, I mostly just fell into it. I got a job in the kitchen when I was 15, kept doing it and fell in love with itso I stuck to it, and here I am: a little breakfast and lunch spot of my own in Nob Hill.

What is your business philosophy?

Its simple really: to provide excellent food and coffee, using local and organic ingredients when possible, and really just trying to be a part of the community as much as possible by holding events here, doing dinners, supporting local artists, farmers and friends. We try to work as closely as possible with local farms and use thier produce when possible. We even go out and visit the farms and really see whats going on. We actually have a couple dinner-on-the-farm events in the works coming up soon. We host small gatherings like art exibitions and ice cream pop-ups, and even comedy shows from time to time in our restaurant, just trying to be a space that everyone can enjoy and feel like we are all part of the community.

What is your educational background?

None. I learned everything I know on the job. All my knowledge of food is from either working in kitchens, staging in kitchens across the country or research I've done on my own. I worked for and with a lot of great chefs, and I have them to thank for pushing me in the right direction.

Why did you choose to do business in Albuquerque?

Because Im from here, its my home, and I wanted to bring to it something it hasnt had, just change up the scene a little and bring people something new.

What significant changes have you implemented recently?

Well, we have been working really hard at getting the catering side of business rolling. We have been doing private dinners, luncheons, business meetings and even wedding caterings! Just to name a few. We got all the catering needs covered and really want to start doing more of that! I want people to know that we branch out from just breakfast and lunch and actually do things like plated dinners and buffet-style catering, and whatever else anyone could need!

I think, more than anything, we offer something a little different than most cafes offer here in Albuquerque. I mean, we have a few New Mexican staples like huevos rancheros and a breakfast burrito, but we do things that you wont find anywhere else like our chilaquiles and chorizo and egg torta! Another thing is that we really do care about the product we are serving: Our main goal is to provide excellent food and coffee to our customers at a reasonable price, and we use high quality, locally-sourced ingredients to do so.

Anything else you'd like to add?

If you are interested in anything we do here, give us a follow on Instagram or Facebook @theshopbreakfastandlunch. We post all of our specials and events we may be doing on those sites, so keep an eye out. Come check us out and youll be glad you did!!! Come in and find out why we keep winning awards for our food!
Wow! It turns out all Donald Trump had to do was speak softly and leave his big stick back at the White House.

The man who as a candidate boasted his supporters would stay with him even if he killed somebody in daylight on Fifth Avenue is now the leader battling the lowest early popularity rating of any recent president by saying the same things hes always said  in more dulcet tones. To which the critics cheered and the stock market soared! At least for the moment.

Americans were so relieved Trump wasnt yelling at them the other night they went to sleep on their sofas dreaming happily of better, cheaper health care, big pay raises, more fulfilling jobs and succulent steaks on new grills  all just around the corner.

Soon, very soon, if Trump is to be believed, America will be like Garrison Keillors Lake Wobegon. All the women will be strong, all the men will be good-looking and all the children will be above average.

During his speech, Trump shook his finger at the somnolent Democrats in the House chamber and warned them its time to end the trivial fights. He was, of course, referring to their frivolous opposition to ending health care for 20 million Americans, his signing a law letting the severely mentally handicapped buy guns, making mortgages costlier for low-income homebuyers, ending environmental and consumer protections, building an expensive wall, letting transgender children be bullied and making friends with killer dictators. You know, trivial stuff.

The dirty secret of all this is Trump has sent no details of any of his promises to Capitol Hill. He hasnt given us any plans on health care, corporate and individual tax cuts, infrastructure investments, entitlement reform or how to pay for any of it. Nothing.

Republicans have no idea how to replace the Affordable Care Act. They cant agree on an immigration reform plan. They dont know where to gut domestic spending to come up with $22 billion for a wall, $54 billion for defense and the billions more Trumps promised tax cut will cost. Trump wants to slash spending on clean air and water and our efforts to make foreigners like us. But entitlements make up two-thirds of the federal budget, and any cuts Congress agrees on are unlikely to make a notable difference.

By the way, whatever happened to Trumps secret plan to defeat the Islamic State? At least his speechwriters kept him from repeating what he had said just a few days before his first address to a joint session of Congress. He said America needs to start winning wars. You could interpret that as meaning he intended to start some wars just for practice. Yikes!

He purposefully repeated his mantra we are at war with radical Islamic terrorists, even though his new national security adviser pleaded Trump not use that term because it is inflammatory to nearly one-fourth of the worlds population, sending a message were at war with their religion. (That national security adviser, incidentally, is the first to hold the job without unhindered access to the president.)

Meanwhile, dozens of top administration jobs are unfilled because candidates cant pass a loyalty test proving they were on the Trump bandwagon months ago.

Our presidents also created a new office to spotlight violent crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, even though they commit far fewer crimes than U.S. citizens. He has spoken about ending violence in Americas cities but agrees to more unfettered access to guns.

This country wants and needs better roads, safer dams, stable tunnels, new bridges, deeper ports, modern airports, rural internet access and smoother rails. Trump says it will cost $1 trillion in public and private money. After that, no details. Nothing. If he expects a viable infrastructure plan to come out of Congress, hes delusional. He has to present one and elbow it through with all his might.

The newly presidential tone is welcome, if it lasts. We need a leader whos willing to forget about social engineering and force Congress to act in ways all hardworking Americans will applaud.

Sometimes, if you have a big stick, you have to use it. Wisely.
It isnt among our priorities for this years Iowa legislative session and we arent losing sleep about its chances for passage, but a bill to make the sale, purchase and use of fireworks legal in Iowa isnt something we oppose.

We revisit this issue today because Fireworks legislation is progressing through the Statehouse again this session. (A fireworks bill was passed by a Senate committee and is eligible for Senate floor debate.)

We understand both sides of this discussion.

On one hand, we respect opposition by organizations representing firefighters, emergency services providers and health care providers due to dangers associated with fireworks.

On the other hand, we acknowledge majority support of legalized fireworks among Iowans. A Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll conducted in February 2016 showed 66 percent of Iowans favored legalizing fireworks. (Forty-three states allow some or all types of consumer fireworks.)

Also, we appreciate the economic benefits of capturing part of a business Iowa loses to border states. (including Nebraska and South Dakota) each year.

We support revisiting the debate about legalized fireworks within these parameters:

1) Lawmakers should listen to and consider input from police, sheriffs and fire departments.

2) Minors should be prohibited from purchasing fireworks.

3) Use of fireworks should be confined to a limited number of days either side of Independence Day. Fines for violation should be stiff to provide a deterrent.

4) Reasonable boundaries about what is sold should be established. We dont need our state becoming a war zone over the Fourth of July.

5) Local governments should have the power to restrict sales and use of fireworks when public safety might be threatened (for example, during a summer of drought).

Any effort to meet demand in the state for legalization of more fireworks should embrace prudent safety steps and respect for all Iowans.
Q: What other holidays wont The Courier be publishing a paper?

A: Besides Presidents Day, we will not be published the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day, either Christmas or Christmas Eve and either New Years or New Years Eve.

Q: I believe a few years past there was legislation passed regarding the volume of commercials and how they could only be a certain decibel level than the TV program itself. What has happened with that? The commercials seem louder than before.

A: Plenty of people agree with you. The Federal Communications Commission asks consumers to help report offenders. To register a complaint, go to www.fcc.gov/complaints, or send to FCC, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, 445 12th St. SW, Washington, D.C., 20554. The FCC needs the state you watch in, whether it is cable television or broadcast television using an antenna, the date and time you saw the commercial, the name of the TV program it aired on and the TV station or channel.

Q: Are Tamara Taylor of Bones and Aisha Taylor of The Talk related?

A: Theres no relation we could find.

Q: Whatever happened to meteorologist Jennifer Delgado with the Weather Channel?

A: We couldnt find any details, but Delgado was severely criticized last fall after she said during coverage of a hurricane hitting Haiti deforestation on the island was so bad because people there eat the trees. It looks as if shes not listed on the channel website any more, and her social media accounts have not been updated.

Q: How old does an item have to be to be considered an antique?

A: At one point, an item had to be at least 100 years old before dealers or collectors considered it an antique. Many people, though, obviously use the word to mean any older object.

Q: I attended the Training Center housed at Valley Lutheran School. We donated a sizable amount to remodel to get back upstairs. More than $20,000 was collected. We were told in an email it was in a building fund account. Now that the Training Center is no longer there, what will happen?

A: According to Kay Cervetti, Those funds are still in the same account. Those funds will be used in the future to further the vision of the Training Center. Thank you for your continued interest.

Q: How many executive orders do presidents usually sign?

A: It has varied greatly. Presidents John Adams, James Madison and James Monroe issued only one each, while President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued more than 3,000 executive orders in his four terms. In recent history, President Barack Obama issued 277 executive orders, President George W. Bush issued 291, President Bill Clinton 364 and President Ronald Reagan 381.

Update

A question in the Feb. 28 paper asked about a reunion for the East High class of 1967. The reunion is set for Aug. 11-12; call Dan Weidman, 464-2200, for information.
WATERLOO  A judge has granted probation for a teen who pleaded to holding up a store at gunpoint in October 2015.

Under the terms of the deferred judgment, the first-degree robbery charge will be expunged from 17-year-old Seyveion Marchele James Hayes record if he completes two to five years of probation.

First-degree robbery carries a 25-year prison term with a 70-percent minimum before parole.

Even though Hayes was charged as an adult, the 17-year mandatory minimum didnt apply because he was 16 when he committed the crime.

Authorities said Hayes was armed with a handgun when he entered Mr. Jays Cafe on West Fifth Street on Oct. 12, 2015. He fled without any money and was later identified with the help of a security camera.

Hayes pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery in November 2016.

Drones lost over Charles City





CHARLES CITY  Police in Charles City are asking the public to be on the lookout for two lost drones.

The machines went missing recently during separate incidents reported in the same Charles City neighborhood, said Charles City Police Chief Hugh Anderson.

The first went missing about a week ago while being flown in the 900 block of Freeman Street. On Saturday, another went missing a few weeks ago while airborne near the 700 block of Allison Street, which is about a block and a half from the first disappearance.

We have a Bermuda triangle of drones, I guess, Anderson joked.

The machines, which were owned privately, were being used for recreational purposes.

The owner-operators werent sure what happened, Anderson said.

They have no idea if they crashed or if the wind caught them or what happened, he said.

Anyone who sees the drones or anything that looks like it might be related to them is asked to contact police at (641) 228-3366.

Officers will notify the owners.

Man pleads guilty

to meth charge

WATERLOO  A Waterloo man has pleaded guilty to federal meth charges.

Aldreias Jerome Campbell, 42, entered his plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine as a drug felon in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids on Feb. 16.

Sentencing will be at a later date, and Campbell remains detained until then.

Authorities searched a home at 936 Kern St. in April and found more than 36 grams of meth, a digital scale and a cutting agent in the basement where Campbell was staying. Meth also was found in the kitchen and an upstairs bedroom.

After the raid, Campbell allegedly continued to be involved in meth and sold 1 gram of meth to a confidential informant at a home at 219 Lafayette St. on Nov. 3, 2016. Police then searched the home and found a digital scale and $961 in cash.

Campbell has a prior drug conviction for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver in 2004 in Black Hawk County, according to court records.

Probation in

arrow shooting

CHARLES CITY  A Charles City man accused of shooting his roommate in the chest with an arrow from a crossbow has been put on probation for six months.

Devin Hundley, 19, originally was charged with felony willful injury causing bodily injury. He pleaded guilty last month to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct.

He was given a deferred judgment Wednesday in Floyd County District Court. If he successfully completes his six months of unsupervised probation, the conviction will be stricken from his record.

Hundley was assessed a $65 civil penalty.

Hundley was accused of shooting his roommate June 23, 2016, while attempting to kick him out of their residence in the 600 block of Second Street in Charles City, according to court documents.

Police said Hundley pulled the armed bow on the roommate, who then grabbed for the weapon and was shot.

The victim suffered a non-life-threatening wound to the upper right chest.

3 detained in

credit card scam

WAVERLY  A trio arrested last month in a credit card scheme at the Waverly Wal-Mart is suspected in similar scams in other parts of Iowa, according to authorities.

Waverly police arrested Liliany Meana DeArmas, 20, Pedro Alvarez Rodriguez, 35, and Dunieski Santana Moreno, 26, on Feb. 1 for six counts of forgery after they were found allegedly using other peoples credit card information to load funds onto gift cards, said Capt. Jason Leonard. DeArmas also was arrested for fifth-degree theft.

Before they were arrested in Waverly, the three had been at Wal-Mart stores from Sioux City to Mount Pleasant to Cedar Falls to Mason City, Leonard said.

From Jan. 29 to Feb. 1, they literally blanketed the state, Leonard said.

The scheme involved using cloned credit cards created by imprinting compromised card information onto the magnetic strip of a blank card. Those cards were then used at self checkout stations to load money onto gift cards or prepaid credit cards.

Court records allege the three came to the Waverly store Jan. 31 and then returned Feb. 1. Store workers became suspicious when they saw them using multiple cards at the checkout, Leonard said.

Police tracked the three to the Red Fox Inn and searched their room.

All three have Miami, Fla., addresses, and DeArmas and Moreno also have Louisville, Ky., addresses. Leonard said all three are originally from Cuba. DeArmas is a permanent resident and the other two are in country on expired work visas and are being detained.

While the three were caught because clerks noticed suspicious behavior, Leonard said people should watch their credit card billing statements for unfamiliar charges.
Astros take World Series title over Phillies in six games
By The Associated Press Mar. 01, 2017 | 09:49 PM | FRANKFORT, KY

As Republicans in Congress prepare to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's health care law, Kentucky's current governor and his predecessor are wrestling over the law's legacy -- and both sides claim the state as a case study of the law's impact.

Former Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear embraced the Affordable Care Act, expanding Kentucky's Medicaid program and setting up a state-run health insurance exchange. But Matt Bevin, Beshear's Republican successor, dismantled the state exchange and applied for a waiver to overhaul Medicaid, aiming to move people off the publicly-funded program and onto private insurance plans.

Their public feud was on display to a national audience Tuesday night, when Republican President Donald Trump quoted Bevin in a speech before Congress. Democrats turned to Beshear to give a nationally televised response.
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I have thought long in hard during the past years

Should I get Russian citizenship and tell America to bug off? Big question and lots of thinking has gone into this question. There are still benefits to keeping my USA citizenship and up till recently, I would have said, It works, so I will keep my US passport! Then

The last few years it has been very much anti-Russian from the American side. Not just someone like me spouting off about them damn Russians. But the Main Stream Media has acted like paid lackeys and gone way off the deep end. Now our, mine and your government of America has lost its gourd and I have been put against the wall

This is not a joke and is something very serious that is happening in America. The witch hunt is on and I am damn for sure not going to become a victim to that witch hunt. We all know how terrible history has been during witch hunts, involve hangings, firing squads and burning at the stake in most cases

What am I talking about?

The now Attorney General Jeff Sessions and (past) National Security Adviser Michael Flynn where the start of a serious witch hunt that should scare the living daylights out of anyone who has contacts with Russia. This is akin and mimicking the old days, when McCarthyism was formed and exploded all over our faces. It is a witch hunts that as always, one side has immunity and the other is hunted down to be burned at the stake

The media, the democrats, republicans looking for there gravy train back and a whole bunch of deranged snowflakes (Made up of 72 fake emotional genders, as I last looked Facebook has at least 58. I also last looked and we really still only have two important realistically usable genders, but who am I? that makes me stupid in many eyes), are all running around with anti-Russian on their forehead and pointing fingers at everything that has come near Russia

My mind has been made up, by what is transpiring now in America and much of the Western World

I live in Russia, I am married to a Russian, I write about Russia all the time, I write about what is wrong with America all the time, I live in a Tiny Russian Village, I have lived in Moscow for years, I drive in Russia, Talk in Russia, I walk in Russia, I eat in Russia, I sleep in Russia and my life is Russian now

But even all that I just spouted in the paragraph before this one, is almost not enough to send my passport packing

What is enough is the fact that America has gone off the sanity end of Anti-Russian propaganda and it has now become, Truth in their eyes. That is the issue with propaganda that is based on nothing but lies to begin with. You have to sell your soul to believe what you say and then sooner than later, you forget where you even got the information from in the first place. That is the beauty of a human. They can literally ignore and function somewhat, all information that does not please them.and or makes them feel good inside

Therefore

Since I love Svetochka (soon eleven years together) and I think Russia is a really moral, stable, with abundant freedom and liberty, plus being a friendly country! I have to start the process to become Russian

This is serious enough to worry about. Will I run into issues even traveling within vassal states of America? Such as Britain, Estonia, France, Spain and so on?

I would never want to hurt Svetochka, by not being able to return to Russia. It would destroy her life, as well as mine. And that my friend is a real possibility, for America, my home country. Has now gone McCarthyism 2.0

They made my mind up for me

WtR
This Friday I will be joining colleagues in international affairs, journalism, public policy and political science to talk about "Academics in the Media Landscape: The Role of Scholar-Columnist-Bloggers". The panel is part of Carleton's Visions for Canada, 2042 conference , which explores "the ways innovative collaboration among researchers and the community may be the most effective response to Canadas future challenges." As part of that exploration, us scholar-columnist-bloggers have been asked to talk about t r ends in our corners of the blogosphere, and make some predictions and prescriptions for the role of scholar-op-ed-writers-bloggers in Canada as it hurtles towards 2042. Here are my speaking notes for that event. The event is open to the public, if you would like to drop by.

I want to tell you about three blog posts. Two that I'm proud of, and one that I'm not. And all three of which say something about the beauty, and the perils, of being a scholar-blogger.

One of my less impressive blog posts was about the television show Battle of the Blades. (Battle of the Blades was like Dancing with the Stars, only on ice.) In the post I argued that the Russian skaters Valeri Bure and Katia Gordeeva were the best team in the competition. But they were not getting votes because of something called "home town bias". People prefer to vote for people like them, which gives Canadians an advantage over Russians. When the post appeared on the Globe web page, it got lots of likes and shares - and Valerie and Katia won the competition.

So what's the problem? I was pontificating on a subject I know nothing about - ice dancing. I was wrong. I now believe Theo Fleury was a better dancer than Valerie Bure, and my post helped the wrong team win. What's more, I relied on slightly dubious research - an unpublished working paper - because it said something I wanted to believe was true.

Scholar-bloggers walk a fine line. We have to be entertaining and easy to read, yet accurate. Original, yet grounded in solid research. Opinionated, and yet non-partisan. Academics' salaries are paid by students and citizens. Because of this, we have a responsibility to think of the public interest when we write; to abide by certain intellectual standards. And we don't always get it right, as that Battle of the Blades post shows.

At the same time, having a salary gives scholar-bloggers wonderful freedom. Here's a post I'm proud of: the macroeconomics of middle earth. In it, I discuss whether Smaug should be seen as a monetary or a fiscal phenomenon. Here's a taster of the comments - Pavlos arguing "the dwarven nation of Erebor would likely be best approximated as an industrial capitalist superpower coupled with an unfortunate, highly deflationary, mercantilist monetary regime."

That is the magic of blogging: people from around the world can come together and talk about ideas. Participate in a virtual seminar with smart, thoughtful peers. But that magic is elusive. Blog communities need nurturing. This is one of the big struggles I'm facing right now. There is greater scope for creativity, putting out substantive content, and enjoying serious intellectual engagement, when I write on things like the monetary impact of dragons. But there are greater external rewards associated with publishing an op-ed in the Globe and Mail.

I see the tensions about where to publish increasing over time. One of the big issues for scholar-bloggers is "does blogging count as research?" I believe that, as universities grow increasingly concerned about outreach, reputation and impact, they will give "public intellectual" type activities more recognition. Rewarding blogging has an obvious upside for bloggers. Yet I would not like to see blogging go where conventional academic publication seems to be heading - that is, to a place where metrics trump content.

Yet there is much to be said for the traditional op-ed. One of my all-time favourite columns was a Globe piece called "Sorry, Canada never was the best place to live". It dove into the details of how the United Nations' Human Development index is calculated. But people read the post. They were engaged. Informed. For me, that's the biggest thrill: when people say, "we were talking about your piece and..."

In economics, policy wonk-ery is one of the most important things scholar-bloggers contribute to the media landscape. We bring in expertise that 99 percent of journalists lack. That means that new kinds of stories get covered, and old stories get covered in new ways. The rise of the economics-scholar-blogger is a win-win-win. It's a win for us bloggers, because we have fun. It's a win for traditional journalists, because econo-bloggers break new stories. But once the stories are out there, journalists can keep the stories going - as they did with, for example, the cancellation of the long-form census. And economics-scholar-bloggers are a win for smart, engaged readers because at least some of us produce original, well-researched, interesting content.
Stevedores unions in Spain have been protesting against a proposed law to reform the Spanish Ports Act, and have issued strikes between March 6 and March 25.



Labor disputes have escalated at ports across Spain during the past few weeks, fueled by the governments plans to reform the Spanish Ports Act and change the existing labor system at ports in accordance with European Union regulations.

Consequently, this has caused discontent with the stevedores unions opting for several industrial actions against the prosed law, which were presented to the Parliament on Feb. 24.

Stevedores unions have announced strikes during odd hours on certain days between March 6 and March 25, Maersk Line said. Strikes are scheduled for March 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17 20, 22 and 24.

Reduced terminal productivity can already be experienced in Spanish ports and the situation is expected to continue, Maersk said. These actions will cause a serious impact on cargo flows in and out of Spain and more widely to our global network, especially due to the strategic importance of the port of Algeciras as a major transshipment port for cargo moving to/out of Europe, Africa and many other destinations, the carrier added.

Maersks especially strong presence at the Port of Algeciras is illustrated by BlueWater Reportings Port Dashboard tool. Of the 42 container shipping services calling the port, Maersk provides vessels on 20 of these loops, five of which are 2M Alliance services; and is a slot purchaser on two further loops calling the port. In addition, Maersks intra-European short-sea specialist, Seago, is a vessel provider on two additional loops calling the port.

Maersk has unveiled its contingency plan, which is based on the reduced presence in Algeciras during this period and the use of alternative ports in Europe and the Mediterranean.

Maersk said its customers may experience vessel rerouting, port omissions and additional transshipment of their cargo.

Westbound vessels on our Asia-Europe and Middle East services normally calling Algeciras will be diverted to other facilities in the Mediterranean where capacity has been secured and transshipment connections will be made there for cargo destined for Africa, Mediterranean, North Europe and Latin America, based on our existing network and additional capacity deployed during the contingency, Maersk said. Eastbound vessels will for the time being continue to call Algeciras and eastbound transshipment connections will be made there. We have also made special arrangements for Spanish import cargo taking into consideration various options available in the contexts of a port slowdown in Spain and consequent strike.

Should your cargo be directly impacted by any of the mentioned changes, you will continue to receive relevant information and personalized communication providing all the details of the revised transport plan, including any changes to ETD or ETA of your cargo through the standard Maersk Line process for contingencies notification, the carrier added.

In addition, Maersk said that proposed contingency plans may be subject to change due to urgent or unforeseen circumstances.
Allegations are that the U.S. government knew that hackers from Russia had successfully attacked and penetrated the election databases of at least 12 states and did not protect our democracy.

SANTE FE, NM, March 03, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- We were shocked when we found that there is a legal case that's made it all the way to a "Conference" before all 8 justices of the Supreme Court. APW News has confirmed that a petition to nullify the entire 2016 election has made it to the first step in arguing before the SCOTUS.



Three voters from the state of Massachusetts, Diane Blumstein, Nancy Goodman and Donna Soodalter-Toman have filed a suit to nullify the 2016 federal election. Allegations are that the U.S. government knew that hackers from Russia had successfully attacked and penetrated the election databases of at least 12 states and did not protect our democracy as required. It was further reported that Russia successfully penetrated both the Democratic and Republican parties but only leaked material damaging to Hillary Clinton and her campaign.



In an interview yesterday with Donna Soodalter-Toman, one of the plaintiffs in this case, we learned that the Conference coming up on the 17th of March will be a closed session. All eight justices will decide which cases will go to trial before the Supreme Court. If four of the Justices believe that the case has merit, they can bind it over for a full trial before the justices. The Supreme Court has the power of Injunctive Relief and can order a new election if they deem that the process was corrupted by a foreign power.



The Guarantee Clause of the US Constitution calls upon the U.S. government to defend against any invasion of any state. This is where it gets complicated. When the Constitution was written, an invasion involved ships, cannon balls and muskets. But according to the Appellate Court, there is no precedent to nullify an election even if the Constitution gives the power to the Supreme Court to do so.



The Plaintiff's in this case say that in the modern world an attack on our infrastructure is a modern day invasion and thus falls under the Guarantee Clause of the Constitution. And there is precedent for this legal line of argument. Individuals have been convicted of attacking computer systems based on the laws of the state where the server resides.



We asked Plaintiff Toman if there has been interest in this momentous legal case that has now made it all the way to a Conference before the Justices of the Supreme Court. She said there has been some interest but "Corporate owned Media has not picked it up." Snopes, a web site that rates articles on truth and accuracy, rated this story as half true. I was also startled with the Snopes response. They correctly stated that the case (16-907) is set to be heard by the Court in Conference. They then added their opinion that the case had "almost no chance of advancing." That's a heavy dose of editorializing on something that claims to the last word in factoids?



Plaintiff Toman was also surprised by Snopes opining that the case will not advance. It was unlikely that this case would get this far and every day more information comes out about the President's campaign communicating with Russian individuals and intelligent officers. It is true that very few cases make it this far or advance any further but in some ways it is up to us.



If thousands of us show up at the Supreme Court and demand that the Court do it's duty and protect us from foreign invasion with the intent to install their chosen President into office, the Court might see the importance of taking action. The President has attacked the Judicial Branch of government, our Intelligence Services, American Journalism, and defended the President of Russia.



If the Supreme Court decides that the election was tainted it can issue an order to remove the President, the Senators and Congressman chosen in that election and call for a new Election. Plaintiff Toman stated that they are asking for a "Special Election as soon as possible."



AParallelWorld.com, America's sustainability website, believes the President is a clear and present danger to our rights to choose sustainable alternatives. For that reason, we at APW will lend our social media platform to getting the word out that this case is at the door step of the Supreme Court.



APW calls on all Americans who want the truth about our votes counted and whether or not a foreign power installed this disastrous administration. We call these truth seeking Americans to stand up and let their voices be heard.



Join APW -- get the word out, share this post. And if you live in the Washington D.C. area, think about getting to the Supreme Court. Let those guys and gals in black know we Americans care about our democracy. We just want the Judicial Branch of Government to do its job and protect us from the specter of authoritarian leaders. These august robed elders are the last shreds of our government's checks and balances. It's up to us to convince them -- if they do not act they are allowing the country to be dragged down at least four years of bad road from which there may be no way back.



Since it's founding over four centuries ago, Santa Fe continued to encourage a pioneering spirit and a love of the earth. No wonder America's fledgling sustainability movement found fertile ground in the country's oldest capital. Yet after 45 years since the first Earth Day, the rest of America's markets have been slow to transition toward a post-carbon economy.



One Santa Fe sustainability movement luminary, Diego Mulligan, looked deeply at this puzzle. Diego hosted the public radio show, "The Journey Home" for 18 years. Diego interviewed hundreds of leading environmental thinkers. Most agreed: Corporate investments in the old technologies keep us stuck in the status quo. Corporate-owned mainstream media functions like an echo chamber, reinforcing the status quo as the only "realistic" option.



Given this "market entrenchment," we believe a market-based approach is the best way to succeed. In other words -- create a parallel marketplace to sell a revolutionary lifestyle. Turn our backs on old business models and use the power of mass marketing to affect the transformation we need. As enough Americans make the doable jump to learn How To Live the Parallel Lifestyle we reach a tipping point. Once ten per cent of any population adopts a superior technology, the rest follow quickly.



A Parallel World, LLC was founded by long-time green developer, Alan Hoffman. Alan envisions the mass market turning environmental challenges into solutions. Twenty-plus experts from Santa Fe and around the country stepped forward to help create Alan's concept. Set up like a cooperative, the APW Team launched the APW Marketplace, a "one-stop shop" for sustainable products and services at AParallelWorld.com. Get direct access to APW vendors you can trust while enjoying money-saving member discounts and bonuses.



# # #
Mar 3, 2017 | By Tess

Mike Draghici, a software engineer of Romanian origin, is hoping to build a full-scale replica of Romanias famous Bran Castle (often associated with Dracula) on his Washington estate with the help of 3D printing. Draghici has teamed up with Minnesota-based engineer Andrey Rudenko, the man behind the Rudenko 3D concrete house printer, to bring the castle to life.

The ambitious project is trying to raise funds ($1 million to be exact) through a Kickstarter campaign to get the plans and building in motion. Obviously, 3D printing a full-size castle is no easy feat, so Draghici is also seeking out investors, engineers, inventors, builders, carpenters, and more to partner with him.

Draghicis 40-acre estate, located in Washingtons wine country, is called Vampire Hills, a nod to his Romanian heritage. (Dracula fans will know that, while the tale was written by Irish author Bram Stoker, the famous fictional vampire is from Transylvania, a region now located in central Romania.) By 3D printing a replica of the famous Bran Castle on his estate, the software engineer is aiming to one day open a luxury estate winery that will host events and cater to upscale guests.

According to Draghici, he was able to get his hands on plans for the Bran Castle from Romanian relatives, and his team has already created the digital 3D models of the castle, bringing him one step closer to realizing his goals. Significant challenges remain, however, namely the funding for the project. As of writing, the Kickstarter campaign has only raised $8.66. It seems likely that funding for the 3D printed castle might have to come from other sources, such as deep-pocketed investors.

The real Bran Castle in Romania

The 3D printing technology for the castle will come from Andrey Rudenko, an innovator and maker who weve written about numerous times. Rudenko first came onto our radar in 2014 with a project that is still impressive by todays standards of 3D printed construction. Readers will likely remember his 3D printed backyard castle that was made using a modified 3D printer Rudenko himself built. The castle, which measures 3 x 5 meters, is featured on our list of top 3D printed housing and construction projects.

Andrey Rudenko's 3D printed backyard castle

Since then, Rudenko has also spoken about his plans to build a full-sized, fantasy-inspired 3D printed village, and teamed up with the Lewis Grand Hotel in the Philippines to develop the worlds first 3D printed hotel. On February 16 of this year, Rudenko announced that his most recent concrete 3D printer, the Stroybot2, was complete and is a a more advanced, faster, lighter, and user-friendly 3D Concrete Printing machine.

If the funding and land approvals come through for Draghicis 3D printed Romanian-style castle, there is no doubt that Rudenko and his Stroybot2 3D printer will be on board to help build it. Naturally, it might be years before the 3D printed castle even breaks ground, though we do hope it comes to fruition.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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Mar 3, 2017 | By Benedict

Aerosud and the CSIR National Laser Centre, makers of South Africas giant Aeroswift titanium SLM 3D printer, are in talks with Airbus and Boeing about the possibility of 3D printing aircraft parts. The Aeroswift research project is backed by the South African government, and will create local jobs.

Team Aeroswift

After 3D printing three aircraft demonstrator parts last year, it seems that South Africas monstrous Aeroswift 3D printer is now set for commercial usebeginning 2019, if reports are to be believed. Those three demonstrator parts, a pilots throttle lever, a condition lever grip, and a fuel tank pylon bracket, were printed in titanium using the Aeroswift, which is described as the worlds largest 3D printer for the laser melting of titanium. The success of these 3D printed aircraft parts has prompted aerospace giants Airbus and Boeing to invite the South African researchers to the negotiating table.

Additive manufacturing titanium parts allows manufacturers in a number of industries to replace heavier aluminum components with much lighter onessaving them money at the same time. And when those advantages are coupled with the sheer size of the Aeroswift 3D printer (200 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm), the opportunity for next-generation manufacturing is huge. Designed specifically for aircraft construction, the Aeroswift 3D printer is now being targeted by Airbus (which has been involved with the project from the start) and Boeing, both of which have emphasized their willingness to adopt additive manufacturing technologies in recent years.

According to Simon Ward, Airbus's vice president for international cooperation in Toulouse, Airbus is currently speaking with the Aeroswift team and the South African government to ensure that its involvement will be profitableboth for itself and for local South Africans, who have been promised job opportunities when the project starts commercial operations. How best to commercialize the process is a discussion we are currently having with the Aeroswift partners and relevant government agencies, Ward said. Airbus has also been providing Aerosud with consulting, benchmark information, and advice.

Airbus could use the Aeroswift 3D printer to fabricate titanium aircraft parts

Aeroswift developers say that South Africa is perfectly placed to operate a serious titanium 3D printing enterprise, since the country ranks fourth in the world for titanium reserves. Just as important for the projects success, however, is the 3D printer itself: Our machine is unique and the only one in the world, said Hardus Greyling, Aeroswift's contract coordinator. We have developed new technologies and patents which allows us to upscale the additive process to go significantly faster and significantly larger than other systems. Greyling says Aeroswift can print up to 10 times faster than other SLM 3D printers.

An announcement from the Aeroswift camp that some of its 3D printed parts would be making test flights this year was received positively by the industry. Terry Wohlers of Wohlers Associates told Reuters: It looks like the people at Aerosud and CSIR are on track and making very good progress toward carving out a slice of what is set to become a 3D printing market valued at tens of billions of dollars.

As of 2016, the South African government and its Department of Science and Technology had invested R107m ($8m) in the Aeroswift project, as it looks to position itself as a go-to destination for 3D printed aerospace parts. Amazingly, the Aeroswift may not even be the largest 3D printer in the country (when non-metal printers are taken into account). That honor (probably) goes to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), whose staff and students have built a five-meter-tall FDM 3D printer for printing wind turbine blades.

NMMU staff and students with their giant FDM 3D printer

These printers are normally used to print tiny things, such as parts required in the medical field, but we wanted to print wind turbine blades in a quick way, said Professor Russell Phillips of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. What is novel about this printer is its ability to print enormous structures. Phillips added that the 3D printer, which has already printed structures almost five meters in length, could also be used to build house.

Who knows, with Aeroswift 3D printing propellor blades and NMMU 3D printing turbine blades, perhaps the two camps will share some tips with one another.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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From January, Adam Tooze reviews Wolfgang Streeck's How Will Capitalism End? in the LRB (with a response from Streeck):

In early 2014, as the likes of Habermas and the late Ulrich Beck called on their fellow Germans to make the elections to the Strasbourg Parliament the constitutive moment of a European demos, Streecks mind was on darker themes. In January 2014 at the British Academy, he gave the lecture How Will Capitalism End?, which lends its dramatic title to this collection. If, as events in Europe and the US seemed to demonstrate, capitalism had broken free from its constraints, then visions of an ever closer union, at least in the form of the EU, were out of touch with reality. We should be bracing ourselves for a prolonged and agonising decomposition of the entire social fabric. It has been said that it is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism: Streeck believes we may one day witness the proof of that. Capitalism will end not because it faces serious opposition but because over the course of the coming decades and centuries it can be relied on to consume and destroy its own foundations. We should expect ever intensifying stagnation, inequality, the plundering of the public domain, corruption and the escalating risk of major war, all of this accompanied by a pervasive erosion of social order, generalised social entropy. Indeed, according to Streeck we have at least since the 1970s been living in what he refers to as a post-social society  a society lite. We cope individually with conditions of increasing uncertainty, while at the macro level both society and economy become increasingly ungovernable. Life in a society of this kind, he writes, demands constant improvisation, forcing individuals to substitute strategy for structure, and offers rich opportunities to oligarchs and warlords while imposing uncertainty and insecurity on all others, in some ways like the long interregnum that began in the fifth century CE and is now called the Dark Age.

Streeck isnt merely making a diagnosis, but a call to arms. He encourages his fellow sociologists to break through the disciplinary truce that in the 1950s divided the economy from the rest of the social world and hived it off as the exclusive domain of economics. But his hopes extend beyond the academic: Sociologists and political scientists, in alliance with heterodox economists of different stripes, have begun working on a new sort of political economy, a socio-economics that would again make the economic subservient to the social rather than vice versa, first as a theoretical and then, hopefully, as a political project. Streeck draws urgent practical conclusions: Bringing capitalism back into the ambit of democratic government, and thereby saving the latter from extinction, means de-globalising capitalism. Capitalism must be cut back to the scale of the nation-state, because it is at the level of the nation-state that Europeans have over the last two centuries been able to establish social cohesion and solidarity and governability.

More here.
Berk Ozler over at the World Bank's Development Impact:

New York Times published an article last week, titled The Future of Not Working. In it, Annie Lowrie discusses the universal basic income experiments in Kenya by GiveDirectly: no surprise there: you can look forward to more pieces in other popular outlets very soon, as soon as they return from the same villages visited by the Times. One paragraph of the article drew my attention in particular: One estimate, generated by Laurence Chandy and Brina Seidel of the Brookings Institution, recently calculated that the global poverty gap  meaning how much it would take to get everyone above the poverty line  was just $66 billion. That is roughly what Americans spend on lottery tickets every year, and it is about half of what the world spends on foreign aid.

Well, I dont know about you, but that paragraph makes me think that if we just were able to divert 50% of the current foreign aid budget towards cash transfers, we would eliminate extreme poverty. But, is that really true? The answer is: not even close.

See, that calculation assumes that we know exactly who is poor, how far below the poverty line each person exactly is, give them that precise amount, etc. (Actually, Zhang, Chandy, and Noe outline their simplifying assumptions in footnote 2 of this post.) How close are we to that in reality? Again, far away  at least in developing countries.

More here.
David Shariatmadari in The Guardian:

Tariq Ramadan knows all about travel bans. After all, he was never meant to end up here, in a pebbledash semi in north-west London. In 2004, he was on his way to the US, having been offered the role of professor of Islamic studies at the University of Notre Dame, in Indiana. Suddenly, nine days before his flight, a house already rented, kids enrolled in school, his visa was revoked.

The reasons given were vague at first, but eventually came down to the fact he supported a charity the Bush administration labelled a fundraiser for Hamas. They argued Ramadan should have known about the links. How could he, he said, when the donations were made before the blacklisting  in other words, before the US government itself knew? He believes, instead, that he was singled out for his opposition to the war in Iraq.

In 2010, Hillary Clinton, as secretary of state, revoked the revocation, but by that time, Ramadan had been embraced by St Antonys College, Oxford. Ramadan has no regrets. Im very happy that they prevented me from going. Im much better off here, he says, in gently accented English (he grew up in Geneva, speaking French and Arabic). Commuting to Oxford, he has made Metroland his home. In the States, he says, I dont think its a political atmosphere where you are free to speak. People are scared.

Its probably just as well he feels that way: the Trump administration wont be rolling out the welcome mat. As well as its plans for a new executive order designed to prevent millions of Muslims from entering the country, its considering designating the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation. That poses a problem for Ramadan, as it was his grandfather, Hassan al-Banna, who founded the movement.

More here.
Nestled in the stark desert landscape, amid jagged rock formations and sculptural cacti, are the highly sought after Airbnb havens known as the Joshua Tree House, a 1949 hacienda, and the Joshua Tree Casita, a two-bedroom home built in 1958. Both near the west entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, these homes offer artistic decor, vast desert views, and hot tub stargazing. The owners, San Francisco-based husband-and-wife designers Sara and Rich Combs, who moved to San Francisco in 2008 without ever having set foot in California, have transformed these spaces into stylish getaways.

The Joshua Tree House came to be after a one-night stay on a cross-country road trip in 2014. Sara and Rich fell in love with the area and decided they wanted to have a place to retreat, so they bought their first home there the following year. After putting it up on Airbnb and creating an Instagram account, it became wildly successful with a growing list of influencers who have stayed overnight, including New Darlings and Rocky Barnes. In 2016, they decided to buy their second home, the Joshua Tree Casita, which can also be rented on Airbnb.

"Everything we've curated for the House and the Casita is meant to encourage being present, from grinding and pouring your own slow-drip coffee to listening to an entire record on vinyl," says Sara. "Our goal is to have our guests appreciate the process rather than instant satisfaction. It's a place to reflect, reset, and create."









What was it about Joshua Tree that made you want to buy not just one, but two homes?

SC: We fell in love with the endless possibilities that the desert holds. As a small town nestled up against a surreal national park, it's a place that inspires us. Our ideas and dreams feel very possible here with its open space and affordable real estate. We've also found a very creative and welcoming community in Joshua Tree. Everyone here is working on their dream projects and pushing each other forward. That honest energy and passion gives us the creative energy to experiment and do our best work.





Why do you think people are so drawn to the Joshua Tree House and Casita?

SC: Honestly, we didn't have any expectations for the Joshua Tree House. We just wanted to make a creative space that we could retreat to from San Francisco. When we put it up on Airbnb for the first time, our only goal was to try to make the mortgage back.







How did you come up with the decor for the Joshua Tree House and Casita?





SC: We got very up close and personal with each space. Once we had a relationship with the house, we let it dictate its own aesthetic. Designing the rooms came down to factors like its location in the house, the room's relationship to the sun, the room's existing bones, et cetera. We love keeping as much of a space's existing character as possible, but we also love to bring older spaces into the present day with a few modern touches.

Most importantly, we put function over form, though we do believe you can almost always have both. We love making our spaces extra relaxing with hammocks, hanging chairs, day beds, lots of pillows. These elements automatically add a relaxed, bohemian touch.





What elements are most important when designing a space?

SC: It all comes down to the experience. We think about what experience we want someone to have when walking through a space we've designed, or scrolling through one of our websites. We get excited about awakening all of the senses, even through design on the web.





What's it like working with your significant other?



SC: It's our favorite way of working, which is why we have chosen to do so time and time again. We love that we can be completely honest and push each other forward. Even though we're both designers, we each have different perspectives and approaches. This allows us to constantly learn from each other.

We don't feel the need to separate our personal lives and work, because we love what we're working on and we're excited to be able to share that with each other.





Favorite places in Joshua Tree?



SC: Noah Purifoy's outdoor museum is definitely high up on our list, but so are many hikes in the national park. We've recently started to hike North View Trail which was recommended to us by a friend. BKB has our favorite local ceramics. We also love heading to La Copine for brunch and Pappy & Harriet's for dinner.Best places to shop for home decor in SF?

RC: Our favorite spot for home decor in San Francisco would have to be STUFF on Valencia. We love vintage, and that place is full of amazing finds. We're also always going to flea markets.
1. Bunions and Bunionettes

A misalignment of the bones in the big toe causes an enlargement of the joint at the base of the big toe. The smaller bunionette occurs on the other side of the foot near the little toe. The constant pressure of too-narrow shoes can cause a bunion on one side and a bunionette on the other. Treatment is essentially the same for both.

Symptoms

A prominent bump on the outside edge of the foot

Redness, swelling or tenderness at the joint

Restricted or painful movement of the toe

Causes

Bunions develop when the bone at the joint moves out of place toward the second toe. Wearing narrow shoes that squeeze the toes together is a major cause. Bunions also tend to run in families, and flat-footed people are more likely to develop them than others.

What you can do

Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes with plenty of room for your toes and use doughnut-shaped bunion cushions to take the pressure off the joint.

If the bunion is inflamed and painful, use an ice pack for about 20 minutes two or three times a day for relief.

What your doctor can do

Your doctor can show you how to tape and pad your foot to reduce stress on the bunion and ease the pain. She may recommend over-the-counter or prescription arch supports to provide relief. If those treatments don't work, you may need surgery. Newer procedures have cut recovery time from three months to six weeks. One uses screws to align and stabilize the bone, and another, called a "tightrope bunionectomy," uses a surgical suture threaded between tiny holes drilled in two adjacent bones to hold the bones in place.
Searching for a job can be full of irritations for older applicants. Among the most common is the resume black hole  when you don't hear a response after applying for a job.

In recent years, low unemployment rates made finding qualified candidates challenging, so employers had to work harder to attract the best and brightest talent. But, even then, they were not always able to connect directly with everyone who applied. Before the massive job losses and recession that began in spring 2020, the job information site Glassdoor reported that each corporate job received an average of 250 resumes. Of those, four to six candidates landed interviews.

Now that many more people are looking for jobs, it may be more difficult to ensure that your resume gets seen. Fortunately, there are ways to improve your follow-up approach in order to set yourself apart as a candidate. If you think your resume is being ignored, try these tips.

1. Offer helpful new insights

The most obvious way to follow up your application is to wait a few days or so and then send an email or place a phone call to the human resources department (or whomever you sent your resume) to check whether it was received, says Montreal-based talent strategist Stefano Faustini. This outreach works best if you can identify the recruiter in charge of filling the position. That may be done through a phone call or by asking someone you possibly know at the company.

But Amanda Augustine, a career expert with TopResume, a New York City-based resume-writing service, says there are other ways to use follow-ups in order to build relationships that help you stand out as an eager and enthusiastic candidate.

Stay on top of news from the company you're targeting. You can do so by reading the press release section or company blog on its website. In addition, set up a Google alert with the company's name and, depending on the size of the company, the division or department to which you're applying. If there is relevant breaking news on which you can provide helpful comments or congratulations, send an email to the appropriate contact.

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Using that note as more of a tool to communicate additional information  or at least to show that you are up and looking at the news and seeing what's going on in their industry  helps you to stand apart from some of the other applications, she says.
What county auditors want voters to know ahead of the midterm election

Forty-one South Dakota county auditors spoke with the Argus Leader about the sanctity of elections in the state.


Research Report by RB Milestone Group

Sydney, Mar 3, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Mustang Resources Limited ( ASX:MUS ) is pleased to announce the issuance of a research report compiled by New York-based consulting firm, RB Milestone Group LLC ("RBMG"), for distribution to its North American investor network.



About RB Milestone Group LLC



RB Milestone Group LLC ("RBMG") is a New York-based consulting firm that specialises in assisting small and venture-stage companies with enhancing corporate strategy, business development, market intelligence and research. RBMG partners with clients internationally and across a wide range of industry segments, including: energy, cleantech, mining, oil & gas, healthcare, professional services, consumer goods and technology. Staff specialists have diverse sector knowledge centered on capital markets. Website: http://www.rbmilestone.com



To view the full copy of the report, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/6F5H4K1C





About New Energy Minerals Ltd





New Energy Minerals Ltd (ASX:NXE) (FRA:GGY) is an ASX listed junior mining company, that recently announced the divestment of the Company's Caula vanadium - graphite project and the Montepuez Ruby project in Mozambique.
Primitive is the word he uses to describe flying in a B-24 Liberator during World War II.



The bomber wasnt pressurized and its open gunner-turret windows to the fore, aft and on both wings made the aircraft frigid for its crew members. They had to bundle up as best they could to stay warm, but according to the Rosalie May tail gunner, retired Master Sgt. Thomas Boyd, he would still freeze his buns off.



Ninety-one-year-old Boyd now lives in Sunnyvale, California, a much different environment than the cold, primitive B-24 he flew in as a young man. He suffered from vocal cord cancer two years ago, but he doesnt let that keep him from telling his story. Speaking through his daughter, retired Air National Guard Lt. Col. Cynthia Kepple, he spoke over the phone to 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Command Chief Master Sgt. Peter Speen.



Taking off was always the white-knuckle part of the flight because they were always overloaded and so they never knew if they would get off the ground, Kepple said, speaking for her father.



There were no seatbelts to be found, only oxygen masks and tanks at all the different crew positions.



Boyd was part of the 455th Bomb Group  the 455th AEWs WWII predecessor  and was one of the original Vulgar Vultures.



Though the 455th AEW now flies F-16 Fighting Falcons, HH-60 Pave Hawks, C-130 Hercules, EC-130 Compass Calls, MQ-9 Reapers and E-11As rather than the B-24, Boyds enduring lessons of resilience through adversity resonate across generations.



Boyd first arrived in Italy in 1944 and flew 26 missions. On his 19th birthday and only his second mission, Boyds aircraft was shot down.



His plane had just dropped bombs over Austria when they were hit in the bomb bay and one of the engines. Their pilot was able to get them into Yugoslavian airspace before they had to bail out.



The pilot rang the bell, telling the crew they had to jump.



My dad opened the hatch to bail out and saw the nose gunner fly by, said Kepple. He thought, well if he can do it, I can do it! So he jumped.



When he went to pull the ripcord and deploy his parachute, the handle came off in his hand. He says he fell about 9,000 feet before he was able to reach back and find the cord to release the chute.



Boyd found his way back to his crew with the help of the farmer whose field he landed in. They were put in contact with the Yugoslavian resistance movement.



[They] ran the show, when they said walk, they walked. When they said no talking, it was radio silence.



At those points when it was too difficult, he would say God, you pick my feet up and Ill put them down. Get me through this.



They were tired, hungry and injured. They walked at night to evade capture but sometimes came close enough to German soldiers that they could hear their conversations.



One of the Germans that was firing at them, his weapon was firing at a very slow rate, Kepple said. One of [my dads] crew mates, said Hey Boyd, go over there and adjust his buffer plate for him!



They returned to friendly control after four days of walking and were returned to their unit shortly after. After Boyd and his crew were de-briefed and de-loused, they went on to fly 24 more missions before the end of the war.



He credits his survival to humor, positivity and faith.



To the current members of the Vulgar Vultures, Boyd says: Stay safe and keep your guns clean.


20th FW kicks off Red Flag 17-2 at Nellis

The U.S. Air Forces two-week premier air-to-air combat training exercise Red Flag 17-2 began Feb. 27, 2017 and will conclude March 10.



Held multiple times each year on the vast bombing and gunnery ranges of the 2.9 million acre Nevada Test and Training Range, Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States, its allies and coalition partners, and is one of the Air Forces largest exercises.



The exercise incorporates all spectrums of warfare including command and control, real-time intelligence, analysis and exploitation, and electronic warfare, and gives participants an opportunity to experience realistic combat scenarios in order to prepare and train for future conflicts.



Red Flag allows us to operate in a combat training environment and simulate not only how we, as the U.S. Air Force, would fight, but how wed fight with coalition forces, said Maj. Casey Crabill, the 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron commander and Red Flag 17-2 Expeditionary Maintenance Group commander. Wherever we deploy, we rely on our coalition partners to be successful. Here at Red Flag, everyone leans on each other on an almost daily basis for equipment or expertise to ensure we collectively accomplish the mission.



The 20th Fighter Wing from Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, is participating in Red Flag 17-2 as the exercises core unit, meaning 20th FW senior leadership will be working closely with Red Flag staff to ensure exercise participants are aware of and able to properly leverage the capabilities of Nellis AFB, the host installation. In total, this amounts to 16 units from four different nations operating 92 aircraft.



The number one objective is integration with partner nations, said Col. John Bosone, the 20th FW vice commander and Red Flag 17-2 Air Expeditionary Wing commander. I want everyone who participates to realize that even though were fortunate enough to have outstanding equipment and weapons systems, its the people executing the mission that will ultimately ensure mission success.



The two-week exercise will pit the friendly Blue Forces against hostile Red Forces in real-time training scenarios simulating warfare in contested air, space and cyberspace.



The exercise typically involves a variety of attack, fighter and bomber aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft, electronic warfare aircraft, air superiority aircraft, search and rescue aircraft, aerial refueling aircraft, and command and control aircraft as well as ground-based command and control, space and cyberspace forces.
Silent Sentry: Defending the final frontier

Air, space and cyberspace - these are the three domains that the United States Air Force strives to defend. Of these domains, space has become one of the most crowded and competitive. At any given time, there are innumerable signals being transmitted to and from satellites, with each signal taking up space in the electromagnetic spectrum.



Space is now contested and congested, said Deborah Lee James, the former Air Force secretary, during her State of the Air Force address in September 2016. It is extremely important to everything that we do in the military, including precision guidance, navigation, missile warning, weather, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and communication.



With so much of the Air Forces capabilities relying on space assets, defense of these assets is becoming increasingly important.



So, how does the Air Force defend its resources in space? One answer to this question was a proof of concept system started in 2005. At that time, the 379th Expeditionary Operation Support Squadron was tasked with testing the capabilities of a new defensive space control system, which would protect U.S. Central Commands satellite networks. The proof of concept was so successful that the operation remained active, and is now called Operation Silent Sentry.



The current focus of Silent Sentry is to detect, characterize and monitor electromagnetic interference on signals of interest across the area of responsibility, said Capt. Marcus Losinski, the Operation Silent Sentry commander.



Since its inception twelve years ago, Operation Silent Sentry has grown and become an important asset to not only the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, but the entire CENTCOM theater.



2nd Lt. Kasey Crowe, a 379th EOSS Bounty Hunter crew commander , explained how the effectiveness of Operation Silent Sentry has increased through improvements made by its personnel.



Just as the battle tempo and rhythm changes constantly, Crowe said, so does a tactical operators perspective on how to be a more effective weapon in a fight. The Silent Sentry team members are just that, tactical operators and we are always trying to incorporate new tactics, techniques and procedures that will get us in the fight quicker and provide faster and more accurate products.



Recently, the Silent Sentry team has been improving on several processes to help gain faster responses to interference, thereby allowing for quicker decisions on how to resolve the issue. One method that the team has implemented is called the overwatch concept. This concept allows for the Silent Sentry team to monitor specific frequencies for known patterns of interference, rather than observing a large group of frequencies, and thereby eliminate excess information to process.



We have changed how we monitor the spectrum, Losinski said. We now follow an air tasking order-based signals priority list. This allows our weapon systems to be better tuned to catch and geolocate interference should it come up. That pre-tuning of the system allows us to get our data quicker and be more responsive.



The team has also transitioned from simply responding to interference, to taking proactive measures to find and anticipate certain patterns of interference before they surface. By doing this, response times are decreased dramatically.



When Silent Sentry planning processes can get ahead of the adversary by properly prioritizing tasking and proactively optimizing our resource allocation, we shift the philosophy towards anticipating what may come next rather than forcing ourselves into a responsive posture, said Master Sgt. Daniel Dempsey, the Silent Sentry superintendent, Our interference detection and refined geolocations process have been reduced from many hours to just minutes, and we can characterize that interference eight times faster than before.



As the tactics and procedures of the Silent Sentry team are continuously being improved and worked upon, so too is the foundation for future teams to further improve the security of future defensive space control systems.



As Silent Sentry continues its twelfth year of deployed operations, its operators will continue to defend space-based communications, and at the same time refine and shape the future of the defensive space control mission.
Vitthal Lokhare, a corporator from Mankhurd-Shivajinagar area of the city, would be the Congress candidate for March 8 election to the Mayors post.

City Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam told that Lokhare, a four-time corporator, will file the nomination on Saturday.

I approached NCP and Samajwadi Party seeking support for our candidate. NCPs Sachin Ahir has said their nine corporators will support us. We are waiting for reply from the Samajwadi Party, Nirupam said.

In the 227-member civic body, Congress has 31 corporators, NCP nine and Samajwadi Party six.

Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 84 seats in the February 21 elections, but fell short of the halfway figure of 114.
Geeta Gawli had demanded to head the standing committee or chairmans post of health department of BMC from Shiv Sena but the party refused hence she joined BJP.

At a time when BJP and Shiv Sena are competing with each other for staking claim for the Mayors post in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) corporator Geeta Gawli has come forward to extend support to BJP. Gawlis supports to into BJP will further increase the partys tally from 82 to 86. Geeta had met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at his bungalow Varsha and had an interaction with him about the current political scenario. Earlier, Geeta was planning to support Shiv Sena and also had talks with leaders Eknath Shinde and Anil Desai. She had demanded the post of standing committees president or chairmans post of health department of BMC from Sena. However, Sena refused to offer her these posts hence she switched her loyalty. Gawlis decision to join BJP has come as a huge setback for Sena which was trying to garner numbers for installing its Mayor in the civic body. On the other hand, BJP is willing to offer Geeta these posts.

She said, I will support a party which will focus on development issues. Right now, BJP is ruling the state government by having an alliance with Sena. The party has emerged victorious in various civic body elections in the state and provides good governance. Therefore I have supported BJP.

Geeta Gawli has decided to support BJP, a senior BJP leader said.

With her support, our strength has gone up to 86, as three other corporators have already backed us, the leader claimed.

Arun Gawli had formed the Akhil Bharatiya Sena when he was in jail. The ABS had helped the Shiv Sena-BJP combine in 2012 to prove their majority in the House. The Sena-BJP combine at that time had a strength of 106 and were short of eight votes to ensure the selection of their mayor.

In her previous two terms, Geeta had supported the Shiv Sena in the civic body. In return, she was made the chairman of the health committee and also accommodated in the standing committee.

Despite being partners in the state, BJP had severed ties with Shiv Sena as both parties had fought the BMC election single-handedly. The elections to the 227-member BMC threw up a hung verdict, with the Sena winning 84 seats and the BJP 82. Congress finished on the third spot with 31 seats, NCP got nine corporators while Raj Thackerays MNS bagged seven seats.

Shiv Sena has claimed support of some Independent candidates. The next Mayor of Mumbai will be elected during the first meeting of the new House on March 8 and Saturday is the last day for filing nominations for the post.
Tamil superstar and son-in-law of Rajinikanth  Dhanush  is going throw a real life drama. An aged couple have claimed that Dhanush is their son. However, they also alleged that the superstar has producing a fake birth certificate. Nevertheless, Dhanush had denied their claim and accused the couple of trying to blackmail him. He had produced a birth certificate which stated that he was born on July 28, 1983 at the Childrens hospital at Egmore, Tamil Nadu and that his parents were Krishnamoorthy and K Vijayalakshmi, he was given the name R K Vengadesha Prabu.

The old couple submitted that Dhanush was born at the Governments Rajaji Hospital in Chennai on November 7, 1985 and his name was Kalaichelvan. He had studied in Madurai district till the 10th standard. He was admitted to a private school at Tiruppatur in Sivaganga district. The Class 10 certificate of the actor that was produced by the couple points to a mole near his collar bone and a scar on his left elbow. They argue that the birth certificate presented by Dhanush is fake and obtained 10 years after his birth. The couple has claimed that Dhanush was their third son and also sought a monthly maintenance of Rs. 65,000 as they were in a very poor financial position.

This entire episode leaves many doubts here, if Dhanush is their son, why they didnt claims till now? Suddenly, how they discovered that he is their son? When son lost and found parents shows affection towards child, but here they are seeking monthly maintenance from him. What is the motive behind the drama? Is it for money sake or to seek publicity, as he is not only superstar but a son-in-law of a superstar? Meanwhile as per their claims, Dhanush is their 3rd son, why the other two children failed to take care of their parents? Why there is no claim against those two sons? If they are taking care of old couple, why they landed up demanding money from Dhanush? Is it the brain of those two sons that instigated parents get in this case?

Following the direction from the court, counsel for the actor submitted Dhanushs Class X education certificates and a transfer certificate establishing that he studied in Chennai. The court asked both the parties to submit the school documents after actor Dhanush filed a petition in the high court seeking to quash the couples petition in the lower court, which also sought maintenance. The actor denies that he is their son and believes that somebody is behind them (the couple) trying to extract money from him. That can be couples two sons. In addition to the school certificates, the actors counsel also submitted additional materials to prove that Dhanushs first movie Thulluvadho Illamai got released on May 6, 2002 contradicting the couples claim that the actor had registered for employment in June 2002 and that he was subsequently admitted to class 11 in a Sivaganga school.

Besides, it was said that the name of the father in the birth certificate is Krishnamoorthy. The records have a different story to tell. It shows that Krishnamoorthy changed his name as Kasturi Raja on February 18, 2015. However, one thing was evident that the Tamil movie Thulluvadho Ilamai, released in May 2002, was directed by Kasthuri Raja.

Now, the desperate couples have filed a sub-application for a DNA test. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court stayed all further proceedings in a maintenance case filed by a Melur elderly couple. After the actors counsel opposed the plea for a DNA test, the judge said it was unfair on the part of the couples counsel to have not filed a sub-application for a DNA test all these days.

The old couple  Kathiresan and Meenakshi  claim that Dhanush joined film director Kasturi Raja, who is believed to be his biological father, as a domestic help and was accepted as a son following his success in the film world. Mr. Kathiresan claims that Mr. Raja belonged to Naicker community (BC) from Theni district. Dhanushs lawyers, however, claim that the couple lodged a fake complaint in an attempt to extract money from the actor. Kathiresan, 63, works as a bus conductor while his wife is a housewife. Dhanushs father-in-law the super hero of Tamil film industry Rajinikanth was also bus conductor by profession before joining film industry.

In 2011, Dhanush received international attention with his popular song Why this Kolaveri Di, which became the first Indian video song to cross 100 million views on YouTube. Dhanush produces films under his production company, Wunderbar Films. He has won three National Film Awards and seven Filmfare Awards. Dhanush entered acting after being pressurised by his brother, director Selvaraghavan. Dhanush married Aishwarya, Rajinikanths daughter and they have two sons named Yatra and Linga who were born in 2006 and 2010.

In this entire story, one can establish the motive of the older couple that is purely a financial gain. They have nothing to express for the son or their grandchildren. If money is the only motive, the actor could have got rid of it by paying them, but if the claims are false, then truth has to be exposed and justice should be delivered.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)
Malaysia issued an arrest warrant Friday for a North Korean airline employee, the countrys police chief said, over the assassination of the half-brother of North Koreas leader Kim Jong-nam.

Police also requested the second secretary at the North Korean embassy in Malaysia to assist the probe as a diplomatic rift between Kuala Lumpur and Pyongyang widens.

Kim Uk-il, 37, works for North Koreas national carrier Air Koryo and arrived in Malaysia around a fortnight before the assassination.

Malaysian police issued an arrest warrant for the new suspect on Friday morning as border security checks were stepped up to prevent anyone fleeing to North Korea.

Two women have so far been charged with murdering Kim, who died just minutes after the toxic VX nerve agent was wiped on his face at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The two suspects, of Indonesian and Vietnamese nationality, were caught on CCTV appearing to attack their victim on 13 February.

As the brother-in-law of Kim Jong-un, he had been living in exile for several years and had begged the North Korean leader to spare his life after a previous assassination attempt.

Police are searching for others involved in the operation, including whoever supplied them with the VX, which is listed by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.
Amidst the ongoing tussle between the RSS and CPM in Kerala, three Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists were attacked at Elappulli in Palakkad district. Five unidentified men who came on motor bikes attacked the three activists- Rathish (30), Yousuf (31) and Sudheesh (28).

The attack in Palakad happened few hours before the bomb attack on RSS office in Kallachi in Kozhikode district on Thursday. DYFI is the youth wing of the CPM.

However, after the violence accelerated, RSS leader Kundan Chandrawat, who had announced a bounty of Rs. 1 crore for beheading the Kerala Chief Minister, has retracted his statement.

Police filed a complaint naming three BJP workers for attacking the two youths. In another attack, the CPM office in Vishnumangalam, Kozhikode area was set on fire on Thursday night. RSS supporter Virag Pachpor told that since the last eight months when the Communist Government came to power in Kerala, there had been continuous attacks on RSS people.

Chandrawat, RSS Sah Prachar Pramukh in Ujjain, claimed he got some phone calls from Kerala threatening to kill him and was being targetted in social media.

I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it (statement) and express my regret, Chandrawat said in a statement late last night.

I also got some phone calls from Kerala in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill me, he claimed.

Chandrawat, in a meeting here, had announced the bounty to avenge the killing of RSS workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI-M workers.

His speech sparked an uproar, drawing condemnation from the RSS, the CPI(M) and the Congress.

In a video, which went viral, Chandrawat is purportedly seen saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killing of RSS workers there and he will pay Rs. 1 crore to anyone who beheads him and brings his (Vijayans) head to him.

On Thursday, the entire Delhi universitys North Campus was filled with hoardings of random mutilated bodies and other disturbing images calling it to be an outcome of communist violence in the state. One of the hoardings had a photo of a mutilated body of an RSS worker from Kannur, Kerala, who was killed in 2008.

According to a statement issued by AISA, the hoardings were fake and illegally put at spots where hoardings were not allowed. AISA accused the Delhi Police to be in constant nexus with the ABVP in this entire episode.
By Anne Dachel



Jenni White is an epidemiologist, the numbers just don't make sense to her. She supports her position with facts. As she explains them, her concerns sound valid. The problem is, no one in the media is ever taken seriously if they have even an inkling of doubt about ANY ASPECT OF THE CURRENT VACCINE PROGRAM. She doesn't see a link between vaccines and autism, but she does challenge lots of claims about vaccines.

Of course there can be no consideration of the things she discusses. IF one thing is looked at with serious concern, the floodgate would burst, and they all known it.

Feb 27, 2017, The Federalist: How Vaccine Mandates Put Vulnerable People's Health And Lives At Risk

By Jenni White

Although I was conditioned to accept the Polio, MMR, and DPT vaccines, these additions had always frustrated me. From 1997 to 1999, I was employed as an epidemiologist with the Oklahoma State Department of Health. During that time, the state was becoming convinced of the need to require Varicella and Hep A vaccinations for children.
PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
The shortlist for the 2017 Sony World Photo contest has been revealed  see all the nominated work at the World Photography Organization. This years contest drew 227,596 images from 183 countries, including  for the first time  Armenia, Cuba, Iceland and Saudi Arabia. The winners will be announced 
Security in the Aftermath of ISIS

President Trump has garnered reams of coverage and criticism for his executive order on refugees, but so far the press has shown little interest in the Administration's professed desire to create safe zones in the Middle East to protect vulnerable civilians from the conflicts in Syria and Yemen. That's a shame, for there is some merit to the idea. In Iraq, in particular, the Administration ought to consider the creation of a safe zone in Nineveh Province's Tal Afar, Sinjar, and Nineveh Plain regions to protect the area's Turkmen, Yazidi, and Christian populations. These three communities have generally lived together in peace but have endured brutal violence in recent years--first at the hands of Saddam's oppressive regime and then from ISIS. They have never had an opportunity to build the stable, self-governing local communities that we take for granted in the United States. A safe zone would give them that opportunity. Last year, Chris Seiple, Robert Nicholson, and Andrew Doran wrote that decentralized governance, to include the creation of a province for vulnerable minorities in Iraq, could offer a model for stability in Iraq and possibly Syria. Whether one calls it a province, safe haven, safe zone, or protected area, the concept remains the same: decentralized, local governance based on the principle of equal citizenship that protects the interests and integrity of the distinct communities from which it was formed. A federated model is especially necessary where competing sectarian interests where the principles of centralization and pluralism are in conflict, where the idea of the common good doesn't exist, and where sectarian violence is the norm. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi in 2015 put simply what is on the mind of many in the region: "If we don't decentralize, the country will disintegrate." Disintegration is indeed often the result where decentralization does not occur, particularly where states are cobbled together without a sense of national identity. It can happen peacefully, as it did in Czechoslovakia, or amid much bloodshed, as it did in the former Yugoslavia, particularly Bosnia, where we can find examples of both failure and success. We believe Bosnia, in fact, provides a model for Iraq, and perhaps Syria and Yemen. In the Bosnian case, several years of NATO and UN inaction (1992--95) culminated in the summer of 1995 in a bloody massacre at Srebrenica. Even though Srebrenica had been declared a "safe haven" by international peacekeepers, they had no mandate to use force. The peacekeepers therefore could do nothing as Bosnian Serbs moved on the city, slaughtering thousands of civilians, most of them Muslim men and boys. The term "safe haven" was rightly besmirched in the aftermath of Srebrenica, but the tragedy also became a catalyst for the Dayton Peace Accords (1995), which brought representatives from the warring parties or their proxies to the table (Slobodan Milosevic stood in for Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic). An international implementation force (IFOR) then intervened to create zones of separation along sectarian lines. The "peacekeeping" mandate was replaced with "peace-enforcing." The operation quickly pacified and stabilized Bosnia. The peace there has held for more than two decades. Iraqi Kurdistan provides another instance in which international intervention in the 1990s succeeded in protecting a distinct group that had suffered genocide and war crimes at the hands of an oppressive regime. Operation Provide Comfort (known as Operation Haven by the British) in Iraqi Kurdistan involved the deployment of only a few thousand British soldiers to northern Iraq. Security was followed by humanitarian assistance. In the quarter century since, Iraqi Kurdistan has developed into a reliable U.S. ally and an autonomous region with independent elections and greater press freedoms than are enjoyed in surrounding areas. Bosnia and Kurdistan constitute perhaps the two most successful international interventions since the end of the Cold War. Both ended conflict, protected local populations, and brought stability. Safe zones in the Middle East can achieve these same objectives. It is likely that several will be needed. Like Bosnia and Kurdistan, some combination of boots on the ground and no-fly zones will likely be necessary. Nowhere is the U.S. (and its allies) better situated to create such a safe zone than in northern Iraq--specifically, the Tal Afar, Sinjar, and Nineveh Plain regions of Nineveh Province. The indigenous inhabitants of this geographically contiguous area--Yazidis, Christians, and Turkmen--have been designated as having suffered genocide at the hands of ISIS by the U.S. government. Not only do these communities yearn for local security, self-governance, and economic self-sufficiency; they are also natural allies. And it's worth noting that no U.S. troops have ever been attacked by Christians or Yazidis in northern Iraq. Like Bosnia, it is likely that U.S. and allied forces would endure few casualties. Casualties, more than cost, are the greatest deterrent to military intervention, whether that intervention's aim is to advance national security, humanitarian objectives, or both. U.S. troops have been deployed in Europe and Asia since the end of World War II, yet this has caused little in the way of fatigue. Why? Because the cost in blood has been minimal, so the cost in treasure has been overlooked. This proposal for a safe haven in Nineveh Province would likely result in few casualties. It is even possible that it could be undertaken with a token force and few, if any, U.S. troops. The region's Christians, Turkmen, and Yazidis--like the Kurds--have been reliable allies for the United States in the region and against ISIS in particular, and they are keen to provide for their own security. An international force, supported by close air support (in the unlikely event of an ISIS counter-attack against the area surrounding Mosul), would secure the region, after which it would need humanitarian aid for economic revitalization. Funds have already been allocated in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for "military and other security forces of or associated with the Government of Iraq, including Kurdish and tribal security forces, with a national mission, to counter the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) to December 31, 2019." The NDAA also calls for "a detailed blueprint on how humanitarian, reconstruction, and stabilization assistance will be provided to support a follow on governance structure," and to support "local security forces that are committed to protecting highly vulnerable ethnic and religious communities, such as Yazidi, Christian, Assyrian, and Turkoman communities, against the ISIL threat." The indigenous inhabitants of the proposed Nineveh Safe Zone must ultimately provide for their own security. The core contingent of these forces is already constituted for the most part. How would these communities, whose homes and infrastructure were largely destroyed during the ISIS occupation, revitalize their economies? There are billions of barrels of oil and natural gas in the proposed area. Foreign security and oil firms are eager to extract these resources, and the revenue derived from them, when placed in a transparent and equitably shared sovereign wealth fund could be used to help returning genocide victims rebuild communities and livelihoods. The Trump Administration has already demonstrated a commitment to private sector growth domestically. The communities of northern Iraq would benefit greatly from this approach. This would require a resurrection of aid models that were abandoned several years ago, such as the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO), which initially met with success in Afghanistan and Iraq. There was much resistance to this private sector approach within the foreign policy bureaucracy (particularly at State and USAID). Aid for the communities in the Nineveh Plain Safe Zone should be structured in the form of economic investment, including microfinance, from firms in North America, Europe, the Gulf States, Lebanon, and elsewhere. The Administration's executive agencies would facilitate economic revitalization and energy extraction to offset the cost of stabilizing the region, relying where possible on private security firms to protect infrastructure, train local security forces (with the oversight of a token international force and civilian advisors), and generally oversee stability and growth. In addition to traditional U.S. allies such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, and Germany, the United States could work to expand membership in the Coalition Against ISIS to include other regional partners such as Georgia and Armenia. (Armenia in particular may be looking to redefine its role in the region in order to build alliances with the West and get out from under Russia's thumb.) The Gulf States, which were apparently receptive to President Trump's overtures on safe zones for Syria's predominantly Sunni refugees may also be open to the creation of safe zones in which Muslims enjoy the benefits of equal citizenship, as a means of promoting stability in neighboring Iraq. The ideal time to create the Nineveh Plain Safe Zone is now. In fact, it needs to be incorporated into the larger strategic plan to defeat ISIS and stabilize the Mosul region. Mosul needn't be completely pacified for a safe zone to be established. Ramadi and Fallujah haven't been stable for any meaningful stretch of time since the fall of Saddam Hussein, yet stabilization efforts there continue (as they should). As international, national, and regional forces push ISIS out of Nineveh Province, planning the transition from combat to reconstruction must be a priority. The NDAA already contains a mandate to plan for the rebuilding and pacification of Mosul, and planners would be foolish to ignore the minorities displaced from these newly liberated districts, who will comprise the human foundation for any post-conflict order. One question looms large in considerations for any such safe zone: Will Baghdad agree to the plan? Decentralization and stability are ultimately in Baghdad's best interests, so it seems likely that Baghdad would follow American leadership if the United States government were to make it clear that this is an American priority, and that goodwill between countries depends upon it. Al-Abadi and other leaders, including the Iraqi Cabinet of Ministers, have acknowledged the need for decentralization for Iraq's minority communities. Any remaining concerns about infringement of Iraqi sovereignty are offset by the fact that there is already an overt military presence to which Baghdad has consented. The U.S. government is already coordinating with the Iraqi government to defeat ISIS, and ongoing U.S. security and economic assistance is not something Iraq can afford to lose. The Nineveh Plain Safe Zone would promote security, foster local (decentralized) governance by the principle of equal citizenship, and revitalize the area's economy. For the United States, this would, we believe, advance not only humanitarian but also strategic interests in the region. The U.S.-led and supported interventions in Bosnia and Kurdistan in the 1990s ended conflicts targeting minorities, eliminated or reduced conditions favorable to terrorist recruitment, and built security and stability on decentralized, local governance structures in which minorities thrived. This model could work in Nineveh Province. The lessons learned there will provide important insights into the creation of similar (albeit likely more complicated) safe zones in Syria and Yemen.

Andrew Doran is a senior advisor with In Defense of Christians. Robert Nicholson is the executive director of The Philos Project. Stephen Hollingshead directs the Haven Project and advises clients on political risk, government affairs, and strategy in developing markets. Robert A. Destro is professor of law and founding director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Law & Religion at The Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.
February 27, 2017

CAIRO  With some help from the government, Egyptian women might finally get their due, at least as far as inheritances are concerned.

Currently, Egypt has no sanctions in place to punish someone who keeps members of a family from receiving their rightful shares of an inheritance. The problem is not uncommon for women, especially in Upper Egypt and some rural areas. Often an inheritance is kept from a woman because the family fears property ownership would transfer to her husband and not be kept in the immediate family.

In March 2016, civil society organizations and the National Council for Women started pressuring parliament to issue a law guaranteeing inheritance rights for Egyptian women. In February, parliaments Legislative Committee approved an amendment proposed by the government to Inheritance Law No. 77 of 1943. The proposal will be submitted for a series of discussions, after which it will be voted on in a parliamentary plenary session.

Under this amendment, the law would include a chapter on sanctions. For the first time, a number of violations would be considered criminal offenses. Such violations would include intentionally depriving heirs of their rightful inheritance. The amendment proposes punishment of at least six months in prison and a fine of 20,000-100,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,250-$6,250).

Also covered would be withholding documents that could prove a person's legal right to an inheritance. In such cases, the offender would be sentenced to at least three months in prison and a fine of 10,000-50,000 pounds ($625-$3,125). If the violation is repeated, the amendment calls for a sentence of at least one year in prison.

Bahaa Abu Shaqqa, head of the Legislative Committee, said in a Feb. 15 press statement that the amendment meets all constitutional conditions.

In a related development, parliament member Nadia Henry had proposed Jan. 3 that the offense of refusing to hand over inheritances be included in the Egyptian Penal Code. The Legislative Committee delayed discussion of her proposal until they completed examining the government's amendment plan. Henry is expected to raise her proposal again.

Her plan calls for offenders to be imprisoned for one to three years and fined 15,000-50,000 pounds. It has sparked controversy because some parliamentarians, including Osama al-Abd and Mohammad Anwar al-Sadat, don't want to see inheritance deprivation included under Egypts penal code.

Abd, who heads parliament's Religious Committee, told Al-Monitor he is well-aware of the grave situation of women who are denied their rightful inheritance. However, he believes that punishments under the penal code do not take into consideration the social aspect of the problem and the possibility that this would lead to fragmented families. Violations of the inheritance law, however, are handled in the family court system, where efforts are made to resolve disputes before they actually reach a courtroom.

Ahmad Abu al-Azem, head of the legislation department at the State Council, also believes one of the advantages of the government's proposal is that it falls under family law, which safeguards Egyptian family ties.

In an exclusive statement to Al-Monitor, Amal Abdel Hadi, a human rights activist in the New Woman Foundation, said the problem is not whether the offenses of inheritance deprivation should be covered under the penal code or the inheritance law, but rather the difficulty of actually implementing such change.

Egyptian customs and traditions  will prevent women from claiming their rights to inheritance, even under the law. Girls and women who resort to the courts to claim their rights in those areas are criticized and even disavowed by their families.

She said social awareness campaigns must be organized to familiarize women with their rights and help women stand up for themselves.

A study by Salwa Mohammed Mahdi, a sociology professor at the University of Qena, revealed that many families in Upper Egypt give women or girls money if they waive their share of an inheritance. The study also noted that many women are afraid to claim their rights for fear of being accused of immorality. The study also noted cases where fathers sell their estates to their sons to deprive daughters of inheritances.

Mahdis survey showed women rarely resort to the judiciary to resolve inheritance disputes because they are convinced the court proceedings will be lengthy and lead to hostility from family members.

Under Egyptian law, shares in an inheritance are determined based on a person's kinship to the deceased, as identified by Islamic Sharia.
February 27, 2017

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt  While drama films have long portrayed fictional heroes of legendary love stories, sometimes real-life love goes beyond all imagination.

One such story began in Homs, Syria, when Mufids mother visited the house of Ghourouds parents to ask for her hand in marriage. Mufid was working abroad and his parents wanted him to marry a Syrian woman. Ghouroud, who is the neighbor's daughter, had only seen Mufid in photos.

Mufid and Ghouroud got married in 1999. Mufid, 57, owns a shop that provides sewing, ironing and tailoring services. Ghouroud, 50, helps him from home with some of the work such as sewing and ironing.

Four years into their marriage, Ghouroud was diagnosed with Harada syndrome that impaired her eyesight and hearing.

Mufid told Al-Monitor, We consulted specialized physicians inside and outside Syria and spent huge amounts of money on Ghourouds treatment. Ultimately she regained near vision in only one of her eyes and 50% of her hearing.

Since that time, Mufid has never left his wifes side. He even bought a two-story house and moved his workshop to one level to stay around Ghouroud and help her with the housework. They managed to cope with their new lifestyle until the war broke out in Syria in 2011, when the couple embarked on a new journey of suffering.

We were displaced four times inside Syria before being forced to leave the country when our old neighbor was slaughtered, Mufid said. We were not scared of death, but feared they would torture us and rape our women.

Mufid lost all of his belongings as a result of the shelling, except for his car. He said, The car was worth $10,000 but the war merchants bought it for only $1,300. We paid for the travel expenses and reached Egypt in 2013, where we rented a house. We had no money left.

Ultimately, Mufid found a job, working for six months in a sewing workshop in Alexandria city, but luck was not on his side. He recalled how one day while walking in the street he suffered a sudden stroke. A passerby took him to a hospital, but the hospital refused to admit him. He had to wait for four hours before receiving treatment; at that point it was too late and he had lost his eyesight.

He recalled the first moments when he reached the hospital, saying, I remember being put in a room where I saw nothing but total darkness. I kept hearing voices fading in the background. I thought I died and was put in a grave.

Ghouroud was not allowed to visit him and was told by those who had taken him to the hospital that he was being treated for high blood pressure. Recalling when Mufid returned home from the hospital, Ghouroud said, I was surprised when he returned home that he had lost his eyesight. I tried to pull myself together in front of him and not let him feel my sadness. I cried silently whenever I found myself alone. Now we are both blind.

Mufid said jokingly, She did not know what had happened to me. When I first stepped into the house, instead of holding her in my arms I held the washing machine. Thank God the stroke only damaged my eyesight, and I did not end up paralyzed at home. Now I still can go out. I go to the mosque, where I meet many of my Egyptian friends.

Ghouroud pointed out that she now worries every time he leaves the house alone, but Mufid said he always finds someone on the street to help him, whether a man or a woman. With a smile on her face, Ghouroud said she does not mind him being helped by women, but likes to mess with him from time to time. Stop flirting around, you are an old man now, she tells him.

Mufid and Ghouroud are not sorry they do not have children. When the war broke out and we saw how young men and women were slain in the streets, we thanked God we did not have any kids, he said.

When asked if they had any relatives in Egypt, Mufid looked at his wife, saying, She is my family.

Mufid talked to Al-Monitor about their most pressing problems, explaining that the medications that used to be sent to him and his wife by the Arab Medical Union, a medical partner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), were changed. The generic medicines I now take are causing me some problems. The treating physician affiliated with the UNHCR had written down on my prescription that this medicine should not be changed, he said.

For his part, Hani Fares, the public health department official at the UNHCR, told Al-Monitor, Generic medicines that have been recently distributed are as efficient as commercial medicines while both may be manufactured in Egypt. Generic medicines, however, are less expensive, which makes some patients think they are less efficient.

In October 2016, the UNHCR stopped supplying Mufid and Ghouroud with their needed medicines within the scope of the UNHCRs halt of refugee services to certain refugees.

UNHCR media official Marwa Hashim told Al-Monitor, Financial aid is given to the most vulnerable refugees in light of dwindling support from donor countries. The UNHCR assesses the vulnerability of refugees in Egypt and uses this assessment in drafting UNHCR and other partners assistance program packages as needed.

Ghouroud said that she needs her cortisone treatment. Physicians told me that if I stop this treatment I would lose my hearing just like I lost my eyesight, she said.

The couple had refused to travel to France when they were selected by the UNHCR resettlement program. Mufid said, Here people understand me. If I go to France I would not understand the language people speak and I would not be able to ask for directions to find my way back home.

Ghouroud and Mufid live up to the saying, Contentment is a great treasure that never perishes. They are always smiling, although they have no fixed income but the amount disbursed by the UNHCR that barely pays their rent.

The Jan. 31 UNHCR statistical report indicates that there are 117,591 Syrian refugees in Egypt. The October 2016 report within the scope of the UN Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan for Syria noted that during the Egypt Vulnerability Assessment for Refugees (EVAR), 94% of individuals have been identified as severely or highly vulnerable. They are living below the national poverty line, which is less than half of the agreed upon amount of the Minimum Expenditure Basket for refugees in Egypt (MEB) of EGP 592.4 (USD 79) per month, per refugee.

Ghouroud pointed out that the hardest thing they faced was when people offered them aid. We were very rich [before] and we would help out people and give them money, Mufid said.

Although Mufid is almost entirely blind, the couple never lost hope of finding a treatment that can give him back his eyesight. I have adapted to my situation, but I wish Mufid could regain his eyesight as he is the breadwinner of the household, Ghouroud said.
March 3, 2017

An official from the historic city of Babylon spoke out on Feb. 20 about radical parties threatening to fire on the city with missiles if concerts and other cultural activities continue to be held there.

Director of Antiquities in Babylon Hussein Fleih told the press on Feb. 22 that he had received a message threatening his life if cultural and artistic events continue in the city. Meanwhile, Babylons governor told Al-Hurra Iraq TV channel, Cultural events will persist in the city, but some will be banned if they contradict the prevalent norms in the governorate  meaning social traditions and religious beliefs.

Fleih told Al-Monitor in July 2016 that Iraq is seeking to add Babylon to UNESCOs World Heritage List in 2017.

Artist Shabib al-Medhati told Al-Monitor that this threat reflects an attempt to implement a conservative agenda seeking to Islamize daily life and turn cultural and social events into purely religious ones. He went on, Some artists realize the danger of radical inclinations and keep to topics that do not irritate the prevalent conservative political and cultural environment to avoid clashes with political and religious parties.

There is a strong religious influence that pushes many people to visit holy places rather than historic sites like Babylon for religious reasons.

Students from Babylon University responded to the threats against Babylon by holding a concert Feb. 22. Teachers at the Fine Arts Faculty in Babylon participated, along with local artists who sang national and traditional songs under the historical Ishtar Gate.

University student Ali Hassan told Al-Monitor, The students at the Fine Arts Faculty are facing down these threats and are challenging this radical agenda with art and music. He added, We will hold music concerts and cultural events regularly in the city, and we will not fear any threats.

A university teacher who participated in the event told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Religious currents in Babylon governorate have a certain agenda. They do not want the city to become a cultural center because it goes against their conservative tendencies.

Fleih told Al-Monitor over the phone, Radical terrorist parties threatened to kill me and to retaliate against Babylon by shelling it with missiles. But," he claimed, "the governorates religious parties and factions and other security forces fighting terrorism have nothing to do with these threats.

He added, These radical parties might seek to obstruct the inclusion of Babylon on the World Heritage List because it would jeopardize their regressive agenda.

Fleih noted, The Popular Mobilization Units, the governmental security forces and the religious institutions have underlined their rejection of the threats and reiterated their resolve to support including Babylon on the World Heritage List. They also promised to offer their assistance to achieve this goal.

A member of the parliaments Culture and Information Committee, Shawan Daoudi, told Al-Monitor, One of the causes of the threats to Babylon is the rampant proliferation of weapons in the hands of individuals and armed groups. Those people can carry out their threats at any time.

Fleih said, Babylon will keep welcoming tourists and cultural events. The citys administration has been reassured that the government and security forces will ensure security in all events, including cultural, artistic and touristic activities. Babylon's [status as] a cultural symbol has touristic significance and is economically beneficial for its citizens.

The efforts to halt cultural activities in the city of Babylon are nothing new. Singing has been banned since 2015 at the Babylon Festival for International Cultures and Arts, held yearly with the participation of both local and foreign artistic, cultural and academic figures. The organizing committee caved to pressure from conservative parties and forbade any vocal performances.

Daoudi said, The radical parties threatening of cultural and archeological sites is equivalent to the Islamic State's destruction of Mosul antiquities. He called on security forces in Babylon to take the threats seriously and expose the involved people to avoid the recurrence of incidents that would halt the development of the historical city.

In a clear challenge to threats against Babylon and its cultural and artistic events, head of Babylons writers union Jabbar al-Kawaz told Al-Monitor, The threats against Babylon are a form of cultural terrorism perpetrated by extremists.

Kawaz said the cultural and academic elites in Babylon are working to organize more cultural events, including concerts and theatrical shows to turn the city into a cultural hub. Such events help Iraqis build a connection between their everyday life and the history of Iraq. Getting Babylon added to the World Heritage List will also work to raise awareness among Iraqis about the significance of their history.

Whether the threats are serious or not, and regardless of who is behind them, they constitute a setback for the efforts to include Babylon on the World Heritage List. They also affect the touristic activity that Iraq needs to diversify its sources of income after the drop in oil prices. Citizens and tourists alike must be able to trust that the threats will not affect life in the city and that security will be upheld.
March 2, 2017

Congressional appropriators released March 2 a defense spending bill that would prevent President Donald Trump's administration from sending shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles to Syrian rebels in the latest showdown between the House and Senate over the issue.

Section 9013 of the fiscal year 2017 bill, a compromise between House and Senate appropriators, simply states that "none of the funds made available by this Act under the heading Counter-ISIL [Islamic State] Train and Equip Fund' may be used to procure or transfer man-portable air defense systems [MANPADS]." The restriction clashes with the annual Defense authorization bill that President Barack Obama signed into law in December; that legislation for the first time explicitly allowed the Pentagon to deliver such weapons to vetted rebel groups, under certain conditions.

"If Trump decides not to end American military support for the rebels, providing MANPADS could help the opposition maintain its positions in Idlib," Syrian opposition adviser Bassam Barabandi told Al-Monitor in December.

The March 2 spending bill would make that difficult by shutting off one of the main sources of funding for US military operations in Syria. According to an explanatory statement of the bill released by House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., the House initially included the funding ban while the Senate did not.

The bill combines previous train and equip funds for Iraq and Syria into a single counter-Islamic State fund, which would receive $980 million through Sept. 30, 2018. The Pentagon, however, could still use funds from other accounts or reprogram previously approved funds if it wanted to.

The March 2 provision is but the latest skirmish in a long-running battle between the two chambers of Congress.

Key senators such as Armed Services Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., have long sought to empower Syrian rebels by arming them against the air forces of Bashar al-Assad and his Russian ally. House members, by contrast, have been much more wary about handing over weapons that could be put to devastating use in the hands of terrorists.

The issue came to a public head in December after Senate Armed Services members overruled their House counterparts and incorporated the MANPADS authorization in the annual Defense bill. Seven senators and 34 House members voted against the bill, several of them citing support for the Syrian rebels as a reason.

"The final bill that passed today allows for the transfer of MANPADS, with some weak restrictions, which could allow terrorist groups to get ahold of them and use them against the United States and our allies," Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, said in a statement at the time.

Appropriators have also battled over the issue.

The last explicit prohibition on using the Syria Train and Equip Program to procure or transfer MANPADS was contained in the fiscal year 2015 Defense Appropriations Act. The following year, the House included a similar provision in its version of the Defense Appropriations bill, but it did not survive conference with the Senate; that year's spending bill did ban MANPADS funding through the Iraq Train and Equip Fund, however.
March 2, 2017

Off the coast of Alexandria, the underwater antiquities date back thousands of years and include palaces, columns, ships, castles and statues that sunk after Alexandria witnessed a series of earthquakes throughout history. The exhibition Osiris: Egypts sunken mysteries displays many artifacts discovered through underwater archaeological excavations, and is currently on display at the Rietberg Museum in the Swiss city of Zurich. Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anani opened the exhibition on Feb. 10.

The exhibition in Zurich displays 293 artifacts that tell the myths of Osiris, the Egyptian god of the underworld, and Egypt's sunken antiquities that were found in the towns of Heracleion and Abu Qir and the eastern port of Alexandria. The artifacts have been selected from several Egyptian museums.

In September 2015, the exhibition opened in France for a period of five months. Here, more than 250 artifacts were on display. The second place to host the exhibition was the British Museum in London, where the artifacts were on display in May-November 2016. The London exhibition displayed 293 artifacts, roughly 270 of which had been pulled from the depths of the sea off the coast of Alexandria.

Before the inauguration of the exhibition in Switzerland, Anani announced at a press conference Feb. 9 that the exhibition had been a success in the European capitals of Paris and London.

He said, The ministry will hold more archaeological exhibitions in various cities and capitals around the world given the high turnout of ancient Egyptian civilization lovers. The exhibition aims to introduce these fans to the archaeological treasures of the Egyptian civilization. This is the best promotional way that can help Egypt restore its touristic activity. The ministry has taken all the necessary legal and insurance procedures to protect all the exhibitions artifacts until they return to their homeland.

A diver inspects a statue that is thought to be a representation of Cleopatra II.

Mohammed Abdul Majid, the director general of the Underwater Antiquities Department at the Ministry of Antiquities, told Al-Monitor, The exhibition positively affects the sunken monuments and draws the worlds attention to the importance and originality of these antiquities.

Abdul Majid said, There are many missions that worked on the exploration of sunken antiquities, most notably the French mission led by Jacques Dumas in 1983 and 1984, which came to search for Napoleon's fleet in the waters of the Abu Qir Bay. The mission found the LOrient flagship as well as the L'Artemise and La Serieuse frigates. Another French mission for underwater archaeological research returned in 1986 and worked on finding a ship named Le Patriote off the coast of the Alexandria neighborhood known as al-Max." For its part, the mission of the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology discovered the royal quarters of the ancient city of Alexandria in the city's eastern port in 1996. Napoleon's fleet was rediscovered in 1998, while [the ruins of] east Canopus were discovered in 1999 and the city of Heracleion in 2000."

He added, The lighthouse of Alexandria is one of the most important discoveries of sunken antiquities. [Parts of it] were discovered in 1995 by the French mission of the Center for Alexandrian Studies, and the recovery operations are still ongoing in the waters of Alexandria to preserve the sunken antiquities."

Asked about the most important obstacles hindering the recovery of the sunken antiquities, Abdul Majid said, Natural factors cause the main obstacles that hinder the recovery operations due to poor vision in the depths of the waters of Alexandria; the recovery operations should be carried out when the sea is calm.

He noted, There is a project to create an underwater museum for sunken antiquities, but it requires [approval] from the Ministry of Antiquities. The state should be interested in such a project, so that all of the Egyptians can see their sunken antiquities.

An international competition was organized under the auspices of UNESCO to create an underwater museum for sunken antiquities, and the architectural design submitted by famous French architect Jacques Rougerie was selected. While the project was supposed to be completed in September 2009, it has yet to be achieved. In this regard, Anani said, The establishment of an underwater museum for sunken antiquities would cost up to $350 million, a difficult task amid the financial crisis plaguing the ministry.

One of the statues that was discovered is hoisted out of the sea.

Asked about the sunken antiquities exploration stages, Abdul Majid said, The first phase is the archaeological survey, followed by the antiquities evaluation and examination. Then there is the phase of excavation, documentation, drawing, photography and spotting of antiquities on the location map and the map of Egypt. The decision whether to pull out the antiquities or not is based on how much the artifacts can be restored, the effects of leaving them in the water and whether pulling them out with a net could impact their structure. The decision also depends on the artifacts proximity to diving sites and their potential relocation due to the waves.

Emad Khalil, a professor of Maritime Archaeology at the University of Alexandria, told Al-Monitor, Holding an exhibition for sunken antiquities in Western countries such as Switzerland contributes to the return of tourism to Egypt and to introducing valuable Egyptian antiquities to the West."

However, Khalil criticized the Ministry of Antiquities for holding the exhibition in several European capitals, but not in Egypt. He said this is odd as before the Westerners, the Egyptians should be made aware of the value and greatness of their own history.

Khalil added, Moving forward, the sunken antiquities issue must be dealt with differently, and only historic ships that adversely affect the salty sea water must be pulled out. The other antiquities must be left under water for display.
March 3, 2017

Egypt will soon launch an Uber-like e-hailing mobile application for horse carriages (hantoor) in the countrys tourist city of Luxor and then extend it to other tourist areas as part of efforts to reinvigorate the country's ailing tourism industry.

Through the app, tourists and local customers will be able to order any horse carriage in the city, know the prices, see the portfolio of the carriages driver and even rate his performance and that of the whole trip.

Luxor Gov. Mohamed Badr announced the launching of the app last week during his meeting with the citys horse carriage drivers.

During the meeting, Badr said that the hantoor drivers will also be given a unified uniform while receiving customers requests through the Uber-like mobile app. The governorate is also working on providing manure-catching bags for horses in order to keep the citys streets clean, Badr added.

Used as transportation in the days of the Pharaohs, hantoors are still making their way down modern-day streets in Egypt despite rampant technology and hard tourism times. It is not just Egyptians who enjoy a carriage ride. For tourists, a hantoor ride is a fascinating way to see Egypts sights.

In the countrys tourist cities, hantoor drivers can be seen amid the heavy traffic as they transport commuters from one part of the city to another or take visitors on a tour of the capitals famous landmarks. But with the political upheaval in the country and declining tourism, the trade of hantoor has been struggling. Many hantoor drivers have abandoned the profession.

Many believe that the new hantoor e-hailing application will be a good attraction for tourists and a boom for the hantoor business. They say that ordering hantoors using technology would be much easier and would give users more confidence in the service.

Eman Mohamed, a tour guide, said that the application is an out-of-the-box idea that goes in line with present technology. However, she added that before launching the new application, hantoor drivers should first be given training sessions on how to deal with the application as well as with tourists themselves.

The training sessions, Mohamed said, should also give tips on how to preserve the cleanness of the citys streets and abide by the traffic rules. The government should also issue certificates for the drivers after they successfully pass these courses. Then, the certificates can be a prerequisite for renewing the hantoor license, Mohamed told Al-Monitor.

Badr said that a website dedicated to hantoor trips and drivers will also be launched in order to allow tourists and locals to give their insights into the offered hantoor trips. According to the governor, unlicensed horse carriages will be prevented from operating in tourist areas.

Am Ramadan, an owner of a horse carriage in Luxor, told Al-Monitor that unlicensed horse carriages represent a real disturbance for them and distorts the image of the tourist city.

There are currently over 650 horse carriages roaming Luxors streets, out of which only 340 are licensed. They are negatively affecting the flow of traffic and overshadowing the beauty of the ancient city which has within its boundaries [many] of the worlds monuments, Am Ramadan said.

Ramadan added that the government also has to offer assistance for the horses themselves and offer high-quality grains for them in order to ensure that they get proper nutrition. The grains that are offered are of a very low quality and they cause the horses several diseases, Ramadan said.

Tourism has long been a main source of the national income. Before the January 25 Revolution in 2011, tourism employed more than 10% of the workforce and generated approximately $12.5 billion in revenue.

Before the revolution, the country received nearly 15 million tourists a year. However, the downing of a Russian jet that took off from the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh in October 2015 has prompted foreign holidaymakers to book their vacation elsewhere.

According to data released by the Ministry of Tourism, Egypt incurred monthly losses of 3.2 billion Egyptian pounds ($198 million) directly and indirectly after the bombing of the Russian plane in the Sinai Peninsula. Following the deadly incident, several foreign countries, including Russia, the UK and Germany, imposed travel bans on flights to Sharm el-Sheikh.

However, experts are upbeat about the outlook of Egypts tourism industry in 2017. According to Tourism Ministry data, Egypt attracted about 5.3 million tourists by the end of 2016 despite ongoing challenges.
March 3, 2017

There's been a lot of talk recently about US President Donald Trump's supposed effort to drive a wedge between Moscow and Tehran. The idea looks half-baked.

The Wall Street Journal last month cited "senior administration, European and Arab officials involved in the policy discussions" on Syria and the Islamic State (IS) as saying Trump is looking to partner with Russia while pressuring Iran, especially regarding its nuclear status.

Developing a missile defense system has naturally been part of Iran's military doctrine. However, it appears that the date Iran set for its test of a ballistic missile was not chosen spontaneously, coming two days after Trump implemented a travel ban Jan. 27 on nationals of Iran and six other Muslim-majority countries. Yet, even Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself probably did not expect Trump to react so quickly and so bluntly to the missile test, putting Iran "on notice" Feb. 1, introducing new sanctions and promising to increase pressure on the regime.

Demonstrations followed in Iran. Some protests coincided with traditional rallies on Feb. 10, the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Crowds also took to the streets in Tehran and other Iranian cities speaking out against Trump's general attitude toward Iran: His outwardly hostile approach is perceived as a harbinger of future attempts to encroach on Iranian policies.

The result of all the protesting was maximum domestic media coverage of the outrage. On the media front, conservative factions, which were warily observing the consequences of the 2015 nuclear deal, attained greater success than they had hoped.

By testing a ballistic missile, Tehran was probably also evaluating the new US administration's temper and demonstrating Trump's inability to prevent such tests. The test also could be considered Iran's notice to the world that its policies will be the same as they were when Barack Obama was in the White House.

Such an underlying motivation would mean Iran is being presumptuous. Tehran is simply adhering to its current doctrines, and some of its priorities happen to coincide with Russia's current view of world affairs. Thus, it would be premature to conclude that the United States is offering Russia another questionable "reset" so Moscow will snub Tehran in exchange for, perhaps, fewer US sanctions. Another popular theory, that Russia desperately needs Iran and their cooperation is strategic, also remains unproven.

Sounding equally unrealistic are two opposing theories. One, by neoconservative writer and historian Michael Ledeen, posits that Washington should target Tehran's regime to gain an upper hand in negotiating with Moscow. The second theory, by international relations specialist Mark Katz, speculates that if the United States were to go it alone in such an endeavor, Putin would fear that Trump would come after him next  which would drive Putin closer to Tehran.

Moscow and Tehran's interactions during the Syrian civil war have showcased the strength of their cooperation in terms of military strategy and security issues. It would be wishful thinking, however, to characterize their partnership as strictly strategic.

Tehran is largely on its own in securing one of its main priorities  preserving and strengthening the "axis of resistance," where the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah play pivotal roles.

Moscow, in turn, has its own priorities and does not care much for Hezbollah outside of those concerns  which include cooperating with Israel. The divergence of priorities between Moscow and Tehran does not prevent the two from successfully cooperating on mutual goals in the medium run  combating terrorist activities and extremism and their spread to Central Asia and the Caucasus. And a very sensitive issue for both is guarding the regions of their strategic interests against outside (read "American") influence.

The Moscow-Tehran partnership does have its own soft spots. One can see that even in military cooperation, the two sides tread carefully. Now there are no more after-the-fact announcements about Russia using Iranian bases, such as the one in August about Shahid Nojeh Air Base in Hamadan. Instead, there are more "politically correct" statements by Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani and Minister of Defense Hossein Dehghan about, for example, the possibility of allowing Russian warplanes to pass through Iranian airspace.

Also, Russian Vice Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin's trip to Tehran was canceled in February, allegedly because Iran publicized the plan when Russia wanted to keep their discussions on sensitive issues, such as the Syrian crisis, confidential. In the best case scenario, there was a miscommunication; in the worst, it may signal that the established communication rules are not always considered a high priority.

It's remarkable that Iranian media have remained silent on the future of the Russia-Iran relationship under the Trump administration. The issue is probably too delicate and too important to stir up with unreliable preliminary forecasts, especially if they disregard the pro-Western orientation of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's camp. Besides, the common belief among Iranians is that it will take time for the US political system to show Trump  despite his own ambitious plans  how foreign policy is really shaped and implemented.

Hard-liners, such as former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Yahya Rahim Safavi, have warned about the possible damage Iran could suffer because of Russian-US cooperation in Syria. However, in November, after Trump was elected, Iranian analyst Hassan Beheshtipour provided a meaningful and positive perspective on the future of the Russia-Iran relationship. Beheshtipour believes that Russian-US cooperation, at least as it pertains to fighting IS, could actually strengthen Iran's position in the Middle East.

Besides, as Beheshtipour correctly reminds us, Iran is not the only piece of the complex puzzle that Russia and the United States are considering to assemble. In fact, it appears that Trump's recent "stunts"  such as claiming Crimea must be returned to Ukraine, and US Defense Secretary James Mattis proclaiming that the US will be negotiating with Russia "from a position of strength"  have dented the Kremlin's enthusiasm.

Tehran and Moscow pursue their relationship based not on the abstract concept of "brotherhood," but on their own medium- and long-term goals. That is why Iran should in no way be considered a bargaining chip between Russia and the United States under Trump. It is true that some academics and politicians in Iran are still very distrustful of Russia, believing it would turn its back on Tehran for better deals with the United States, as it has on several occasions in the past.

So, it is not a "blind preference" for Iran over possible deals with the United States that might be expected here from Moscow, but a neat pragmatism that will keep Russia committed to its own priorities and the ways of upholding them.
March 3, 2017

Lebanese President Michel Aouns description of Hezbollahs weapons as complementary to those of the Lebanese army provoked strong reactions on the part of the United Nations, the March 14 coalition and the Future Movement, which is headed by Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

In an interview with Egypt's CBC during his visit to Cairo Feb. 12, Aoun said, As long as Israel continues to occupy lands and the Lebanese army is not strong enough to stand up to it, we feel the need to have the resistance army as a complement to the Lebanese army's actions.

Aoun said, The resistances arms are not contrary to the state project; otherwise we could have not tolerated it. It is an essential part of Lebanons defense."

Hezbollah represents the people of the south. They are the inhabitants of the land who defend themselves when Israel tries to occupy or threaten them, Aoun said, noting, It is no longer an urgent matter to discuss the need to strip Hezbollah of its weapons, because Israel continues to occupy our lands and is seeking to take over Lebanons waters, a reference to the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shuba hills areas that have been occupied by Israel since 1967.

Aoun also said he is confident that Hezbollah will not point its weapons at the Lebanese people or sow confusion in the country. He added that the issue is being discussed within Lebanons strategic defense plan, which might or might not include said arms, depending on what is necessary.

Commenting on Hezbollahs intervention in Syria, Aoun said the move came after terrorist groups entered Arsal. After the liberation of Qalamoun, the danger had passed as terrorist groups became restricted, he said.

Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said in a statement, UN Security Council resolutions 1559, 1680 and 1701 clearly call for the dissolution and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias. Keeping arms in the hands of Hezbollah and other armed groups outside the state framework would limit Lebanons capacity to exercise its sovereignty and full authority over its geographical area. We urge Lebanese to exploit the current political momentum to look into a defense strategy led by Lebanese themselves.

Fares Soueid, secretariat coordinator of the March 14 coalition, derided Aoun in a Feb. 11 tweet. We have read the statements of Aoun, who spoke about the weakness of the army and Hezbollahs ability to defend Lebanon, he said, asking in another, Why dont we demand the abolition of Resolution 1701 and place the armys weapons in the hands of Hezbollah?"

I understand if Hezbollahs secretary general defends the partys weapons, but I dont get it when the president does it. Relying on Hezbollah to stand up against Israel does not make sense, Soueid wrote in another tweet.

In still another, he said, If Aoun believes that Hezbollah is able to protect Lebanon, why dont we call on Hassan Nasrallah to move to [the presidential palace in] Baabda?

The Future Movement issued two statements in response to Aouns remarks. The first on Feb. 15 confirmed its commitment to Resolution 1701 and all other pertinent international resolutions related to Lebanon, which preserve Lebanons sovereignty and security. The statement clarified, The Lebanese states arms are the only legitimate weapons in Lebanon, as per UN Resolution 1701.

In the second statement issued Feb. 23, the movement condemned Nasrallahs remarks against Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries, saying that they would affect Lebanons relations with the Gulf after the recent improvement following Aouns visit to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In a Feb. 16 speech, Nasrallah said that some Arab Gulf states had started secretly normalizing relations with Israel and accused Saudi Arabia of occupying Bahrain and killing the Yemeni people.

The movement reiterated the importance of UN Resolution 1701, which aims to protect Lebanons security and stability in the south and along the coast, adding, Any decision seeking to evade or underestimate this resolution means to renege on international commitments, which could have negative repercussions at the security, political and economic levels, a jab at Aouns remarks.

A member of the Future Movements political bureau told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that he found it strange that Aoun chose to defend Hezbollahs arms and participation in the Syrian war during his visit to Egypt, only a month after he visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar to repair the Gulf-Lebanese ties.

The senior member does not expect Saudi Arabia to criticize Aoun in the media in response to his positions favoring Hezbollah and the Syrian regime, but discarded the possibility that Riyadh will resume the $4 million military grant that Saudi Arabia had suspended on Feb. 19 because Lebanon failed to condemn attacks on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.

The source believes there have been important shifts in Aouns orientations, starting with his Feb. 3 call for reconciliation with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as he represents legitimacy in Syria and counters terrorism and because it is important to consult with him to arrange for the return of Syrian refugees. Aoun has thus derailed the self-distancing policy followed by the Lebanese government since the start of the Syrian revolution in 2011.

Political analyst Abbas Sabbagh told Al-Monitor that it is no surprise for Aoun to state that Hezbollahs arms are necessary to counter Israeli aggression and liberate the occupied Lebanese territory. He said as much in his inaugural speech on Oct. 31, and the right to resist was also included in the ministerial statement. Sabbagh explained that Aoun is committed to a memorandum of understanding signed with Hezbollah in 2006, an alliance that brought him to the presidential seat.

Some may take the view that Aoun is returning Hezbollah the favor of backing him for the presidency. Others attribute this position to the escalating conflict over the elections law between Aoun and his allies and Hariri and his allies, in addition to the struggle for power in Lebanon between the Future Movement and its allies and Aoun and Hezbollah.
March 3, 2017

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  On Feb. 21, Ramadan Abdullah Shalah, secretary-general of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, gave a speech at the Sixth International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada in Tehran, during which he called for the need to unify fronts between Palestinian factions in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, in anticipation of Israel waging a war against either one.

This was not the first time a Palestinian figure made such a call. On Jan. 22, 2015, a similar call came from Mohammed al-Deif, the commander of Hamas military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Deif wrote a letter to Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, to express condolences following the death of Hezbollah members killed in the Syrian town of Quneitra by an Israeli raid on Jan. 18, 2015. In the letter, Deif called on the need to unify efforts within the Arab and Islamic nation to fight a single battle against Israel.

Shalahs suggestion, to which Hezbollah has yet to publicly respond, raises questions in the Palestinian street about the timing and goals of this call. The Palestinian Authority opposed this call, which was backed by Hamas and other Palestinian factions. For their part, Israeli media outlets, such as Channel 20, expressed concerns about Shalahs call.

In an interview with Defense News on Feb. 26, Brig. Gen. Yoel Strik, who previously served as the Home Front commander in the Israeli army and who will assume the Northern Command position in the coming weeks, warned about the thousands of rockets that would fall upon Israel in a single day, should a war erupt with Hezbollah or Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip. Strik also expects such a war to last for weeks, during which hundreds of thousands of Israelis would have to be evacuated from their homes.

Islamic Jihad leader Khader Habib told Al-Monitor that Shalahs call came in response to repeated threats made by Israel to wage a new war on the Gaza Strip or Lebanons south, noting that the unity of Palestinian factions is a crucial factor in confronting the all-powerful Israel.

He added, We hope the party, which Shalah addressed [Hezbollah], pays heed to this call, noting that there is coordination between Palestinian factions in Gaza and Hezbollah, which provides the Palestinian resistance factions with (military) assistance, information and training.

When asked about the possibility of the Islamic Jihad fighting a battle against Israel alongside Hezbollah, Habib said that it was too early to talk about this, but his movement and other Palestinian factions are carefully considering this probability.

Speaking to Al-Monitor, spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees Abu Mujahid confirmed that resistance factions in Gaza have been coordinating with Hezbollah, and their joint efforts will reap benefits in any battle Israel could possibly wage.

Abu Mujahid further explained that it would bode well for Palestinian resistance factions to open several military fronts against Israel, noting that the factions in Gaza are carrying out the required military preparations in coordination with Hezbollah, which has been secretly smuggling weapons into Gaza for years, to protect the Palestinian people.

Political and military experts concur that the tension prevailing over Hezbollahs relationship with Hamas and the Islamic Jihad could impede such a military agreement to unify fronts. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad refuse to take sides in the conflict in Syria and do not agree with Hezbollah, which is fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assads forces inside Syria.

Retired military expert Maj. Gen. Wasef Erekat believes that Shalahs call can only be answered if the leaderships of the parties in Gaza and southern Lebanon agree upon a unified political position. He further pointed out that the resistances resources in Gaza are limited and only enough for self-defense purposes, unlike Hezbollahs, which is backed financially and militarily by Iran.

Erekat told Al-Monitor that Hezbollah in Lebanon and Palestinian factions in Gaza cannot defeat Israel and expel it from the region once and for all; they only have enough resources to deter Israel, especially since the latter receives military, financial and political support from Western countries, namely the United States.

Al-Monitor tried to contact several sources close to Hezbollah, but they refused to comment on the topic.

Military expert Yousef Sharqawi shares Erekats views on the need to have a unified political stance between Palestinian factions themselves and with Hezbollah before unifying fronts. He stressed that unifying fronts against Israel is very important for both the Palestinian and Lebanese people in proving their superiority in any future confrontation with Israel.

Sharqawi explained that the most important element in that equation is Hamas, because it represents the largest resistance faction in Gaza and stands with the Qatari camp, which opposes Iran and Hezbollah, noting that should Hamas maintain this position, all calls to unify fronts will remain wishful thinking.

However, Sharqawi does not rule out the possibility of Shalah attempting to flatter Iran and Hezbollah through his call in order to receive more military and financial support.

He also warned about Israel exaggerating the Palestinian resistances resources, which could demonstrate an Israeli intention to enter into a new military confrontation in the near future.

One could only wait for a military confrontation to present itself in order to find out whether the call to unify fronts could be applied.
March 3, 2017

The ads promoting foreign exchange trading have proved to be too irresistible for many Turks over the past several years. Tantalized by the prospect of turning $1,000 into $1 million, tens of thousands of greenhorns put all their money into leveraged transactions only to end up flat on their backs.

Leveraged transactions on the foreign exchange market (forex) multiply earnings, but they can also deepen losses, especially for individual investors unversed in financial markets who tend to take high risks in the hope of making quick money. Until recently, the maximum leverage ratio on foreign exchange trading in Turkey was as high as 100:1, which led aspiring millionaires to turn the market into a virtual casino.

The daily trading volume for the global foreign exchange market is more than $5.5 trillion and is dominated by institutional investors, such as financial funds, companies and banks. In Turkey, the market was legally regulated only in 2011. Thousands of Turks with lower and medium incomes ventured into this relatively new realm, using their savings or selling homes and cars to raise starting capital. In several years, forex fever pushed the daily trading volume up to $16 billion-$17 billion. To grasp the magnitude of this figure, keep in mind that the daily trading volume at the Istanbul Stock Exchange stood at about $4 billion on Feb. 28.

The main driving force behind the forex rush was the high leverage ratio. Retail investors were able to trade in sums 100 times larger than what they had deposited. The result, however, was devastating.

People from various walks of life went broke and had their lives turned upside down. In October 2015, for instance, the press reported that some self-styled brokers, who had collected nearly 450 million Turkish lira ($121 million) from soldiers at various garrisons, had crashed on the foreign exchange market. Building a network similar to a pyramid scheme, they had promised big earnings and were able to gain soldiers' trust by initially delivering 10% profits. Eventually, however, they reportedly lost even the original capital.

In September 2016, 10 owners of major companies dealing in foreign exchange and gold at Istanbuls Grand Bazaar were charged over an armed altercation with brokers after allegedly losing $3.3 million in leveraged transactions at the foreign exchange market.

The grievances grew to such an extent that parliaments Petition Commission created a subcommittee to look into victims' complaints. Bulent Oz, a commission member for the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, told Al-Monitor that more than 20,000 people had been victimized and millions of dollars wasted. The losses are huge, Oz observed. The daily Sabah, citing government officials, reported Feb. 24 that the losses stood at about $500 million.

Arif Unver, head of the Capital Market Investors Association, said that on average 80% of retail investors lose money in leveraged trading on the foreign exchange market. According to him, [Turks] are eager to make a killing and exit the market rather than make long-term investments. As such, the dynamics of the forex markets mesh with the profile of the Turkish people.

From 2011 to September 2016, some 120,000 people put down deposits to open accounts for foreign exchange trading, according to the latest report of the Capital Markets Union. The number of active clients reached 37,000 in 2016, up from about 7,000 in 2012.

As a result of the growing controversy, the Capital Markets Board (SPK) took action Feb. 10 and lowered the leverage ratio from 100:1 to 10:1. This means that investors can now make a transaction of only 10 liras for every 1 lira they deposit rather than 100. In addition, the SPK set a minimum deposit of 50,000 lira for such transactions. This aims to prevent individual investors becoming potential victims of high leverage, the SPK said of the decisions.

The new regulations represent a victory for the three-year struggle of the Forex Victims Platform, which was instrumental in pushing parliament and the SPK to step in. In a statement hailing the restrictions, the group said, Our nation has been rescued from the teeter-totter fraud of the 100:1 leverage. For us, this is a day for celebration. The SPK has finally responded to the outcry of the nation, and Turkey has stepped back from the biggest mistake of its financial history. The statement noted that the leverage ratio in the United States was 20:1 and insisted that brokerage firms and the SPK jointly compensate people who had suffered financial losses.

Following the new restrictions, the daily trading volume fell sharply, to $2 billion. In a televised interview Feb. 23, Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli defended the restrictions, saying, Had we carried on for a little longer [with the old leverage], Turkey would have become a digital gambling house.

In remarks to Al-Monitor, Masum Turker, a former state minister for the economy, said that due to poor regulation and supervision at the outset, the foreign exchange market had encouraged dubious transactions and speculators taking advantage of digital technologies. Most people who lose money here are amateurs, he said. They are unable to closely follow [financial] developments, and thats why they lose.

Yet not everyone is happy with the tighter rules. Parliaments Petition Commission is now receiving complaints from brokerage firm employees who claim that 3,500 jobs are at risk in the sector due to the lower trading volume and want the leverage ratio raised anew.

The foreign exchange market is certainly not a casino, but it has the potential of being turned into one. Despite the risks involved, such a development is in full swing around the world as a tool institutional investors use to hedge their exchange rate risks.

Although Turkey has drastically lowered the leverage ratio for now, it could feel the need to raise it in the future, though not as high as 100:1. As former Treasury chief Mahfi Egilmez observed, a Turkey that wants to make Istanbul, its biggest city, a global financial hub cannot restrict or ignore one of the worlds major financial instruments.
March 2, 2017

The image of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar sitting next to him is more expressive than anything else of the tremors involving the government and the military in Turkey. Dressed not in military fatigues but in an elegantly tailored civilian suit, Akar is a subservient-looking general  which has to be the case in any democratic regime, indeed  with a troubled look and a nervous expression on his face, reflecting the increasing unease in the higher echelons of power.

While the fateful date of April 16  the day the constitutional amendments that could give Erdogan extraordinary executive powers and transform him into the "sultan president, as many observers and his critics allege  approaches, the possibility of rejection by popular vote surprisingly increases.

This by itself is a real matter of concern for Erdogan. He has proved to be a master of winning elections over two decades, and nobody could imagine that he would gamble the biggest prize of his long and successful political career. Every precautionary measure to secure a yes vote on April 16 has been taken.

Turkey is moving to the polls under unprecedented waves of crackdown that saw more than 110,000 people purged, sacked or detained, with around 44,000 put behind bars, including co-chairs of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), and many prominent journalists and opinion makers in the country. Any semblance of dissent against Erdogan is under threat of being severely punished. He characterizes anybody who announces or may think of casting a no vote as a villain, traitor and terrorist. A state of emergency is in force and will remain in place on election day.

Despite all the prerequisites for yes that are in place, the air in Turkey indicates that no has a real chance to prevail. The reason is presumably because the yes camp seems to have formidable cracks.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) under Erdogans leadership formed an ad-hoc coalition in parliament with the far right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) of Devlet Bahceli and managed to pass the constitutional amendments to be put to popular vote. But the MHP's grassroots do not see eye to eye with their chairman.

The MHP opposition led by Meral Aksener  a former interior minister and a very popular figure among MHP voters  to both Bahceli and Erdogan's monopoly of political power has been rapidly growing. Aksener and other loosely allied leading figures in the party are carrying out an effective campaign against Erdogan and the yes camp. The cracks within ultra-nationalist circles reflect to a certain extent the cracks seen within Erdogans own camp in his AKP power base.

There are widely circulated rumors that if Erdogan feels that a yes vote won't be secured April 16, he might invent a reason to call off the vote. And what could be that reason? Nobody is certain. But with a reputation of making quick decisions and an ability to move swiftly, Erdogan could take steps that could postpone the date of the vote. Situations in Syria or Iraq may present some pretexts for dramatic military adventures Erdogan and his loyalists in the high echelons of the Turkish state might initiate.

For that, Erdogan needs a docile and loyal army chief: Akar. However, Akar has become a magnet for attracting mounting criticism from within and outside of the military. The lifting of the headscarf ban for female personnel of the armed forces two weeks ago seemed to serve as the last straw for many in the military ranks already heavily burdened since the failed coup attempt of July 15, 2016. The headscarf move drew harsh criticism from staunchly secularist military circles who have been allied with Erdogan against the Gulenists for some time.

The disquiet that had been already gathered around Akar was laid out under the headline Military Headquarters Unease in the daily Hurriyet, the one-time flagship of the Turkish media. The report listed seven matters of concern of the top military brass. The decision to lift the headscarf ban was at the top.

Hurriyet emphasized the anger of military officials about criticism directed at them from opposition circles. At the same time, the Hurriyet headline triggered the worries of Erdogan loyalists as if it reflected unrest within the military and signaled an ongoing danger of a new coup attempt.

Speaking at a press conference before his departure to Pakistan, Erdogan accused Hurriyet of being very ugly, shameless, rude, and he added that the story not only bothered him but also deeply bothered the Turkish Armed Forces. With his grim, unhappy face, a worn-out Akar was living proof of what the president meant.

After his statement, the shares of Dogan Holding, the conglomerate Hurriyet belongs to, dropped drastically on the Istanbul Stock Exchange. The daily issued a statement of apology and its editor-in-chief was fired. It bowed immediately to a nervous Erdogan.

Notwithstanding a mainstream media that is acquiescent to the president and a chief of staff who has seemingly affixed his fate to that of Erdogan, the uneasiness within the military is hard to conceal. It is so traumatized, particularly in the wake of last year's failed coup, that its uneasiness does not suggest the potential for a new coup attempt. That, however, does not prevent Erdogan and the people around him from getting nervous as they feel as if they are challenged everywhere  from the traditional nationalist power base to the military, which does not seem totally subdued.

Erdogan is the incontestable strongman of Turkey. But he gives an image of an uneasy strongman  an oxymoron. His uneasiness is fed on one hand by a potentially noncompliant military and on the other by a populace that may reject his bid.

Thus, if the vote on April 16 is postponed or never takes place, that would not be a surprising outcome. On the contrary, it would reflect how acute the power struggle is behind the curtains in Turkey. Turkey vacillates even more as Erdogan strives to be even stronger. It has become chronic for Turkey to be on the verge of further instability.
Supporters of raising Birmingham's minimum wage to $10.10 an hour have filed an appeal that seeks to continue the case after a judge dismissed it earlier this year.

The Alabama National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Greater Birmingham Ministries filed an appeal Thursday in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, asking the court to reconsider the decision by U.S. District Judge David R. Proctor.

The plaintiffs filed the first lawsuit in April 2016 after the state legislature passed a law that forbade cities from setting their own minimum wage. The Birmingham City Council voted in 2015 to raise the city's minimum wage to $10.10 an hour through incremental raises. The Republican super majorities in the House and Senate put the bill on the fast track and ultimately voided the city's ordinance before it could take effect.

The plaintiffs' suit alleged that the bill, HB174, is tainted "with racial animus" and that is violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. It also argued the law violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by transferring control over minimum wages from Birmingham's officials - who were voted in by Birmingham's majority black electorate - to state officials, who were elected by a majority white electorate.

"We think we have solid grounds for the appeal and we're hopeful we'll prevail in having the case sent back to the district court for a trial on the merits," Richard Rouco, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement.

Proctor dismissed the lawsuit on the grounds that the state's motivations could not be linked to race. He wrote in his opinion that the allegations were "conclusory," and not supported by facts, in part because the economic policy is uniform throughout the state.

More than a dozen other states have laws that prohibit municipalities from setting their own minimum wage laws. Alabama is one of five states that has no minimum wage.
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Demystifying Jazz Jennings Real Name, Boyfriend & Family Of One The Youngest Transgenders Jazz Jennings is an unusual personality who became famous as a transgender activist and was recorded as the youngest documented public figure to be seen as transgender. She is also a YouTube personality and spokesmodel for brands, her fans, and other transgenders. She fought for acceptance in her high school with her super supportive family for over ...

Inside Fred Armisens Life  Ethnicity, Romantic Relationships and Gay Rumors Fred Armisen is an award-winning American comedian, he is also a writer, an actor as well as a musician. He was a cast member of the legendary comedy show, Saturday Night Live for 13 years and also one of the brains behind the successful satirical show Portlandia. Find out more about this incredibly talented guy ...

Ed and Lorraine Warren Biography: Cases, Kids, and Family Life Have you ever woken up with fear you could not explain, or felt a strange presence that made the hair at your nape rise or even experienced strange occurrences around you? Well, these were some of the promptings that made the well-known paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren delve into trying to explain the ideas ...

Truth About Tony Romos Wife, Kids and Life Since His NFL Retirement Tony Romo grew from the field as a quarterback to the screens as an American Football Analyst. He was a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the richest football league in the world (NFL) before retiring. As a junior, he was honored as an All-Ohio Conference Member, an Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and ...

Who is Brittany Venti, The Controversial Game Streamer and YouTuber? In recent times, many people live stream themselves playing video games. This has become a popular pastime on the internet and many highly skilled gamers have become internet celebrities through this means. However, some of them rather than becoming renowned for their gaming skills and great commentary, have become controversial and infamous. A good example ...

Rob Dyrdeks Family: His Kids And Relationship With Wife Bryiana Noelle Flores A multi-talented star and an elite pro skateboarder, Rob Dyrdeks success story began at a remarkably young age. Yet another proof that schooling doesnt always correlate with success, Rob has established himself not just as a phenomenal sportsman but also as a successful entrepreneur. Besides perfecting his skill as a natural talent on the board, ...

xChocobars  Biography and Everything You Should Know About Her Having distinguished herself and recorded massive successes in an industry notably dominated by men, it is very safe to say that Xchocobars deserves all the attention and cash she makes from her career. A household name on Twitch (a smart live streaming video platform), the online-gamer is popularly known for streaming classic games such as Stardew ...

Everything To Know About Mary Padian, Her Boyfriend and Net Worth Mary Padian is a famous American television reality personality best known for her involvements on the Reality show Storage Wars. She also has her own shop called Mary finds where she displays her antique collections. Since her childhood, Padian has been a creative learner. At the time, she used to create new items out of reusable ones and ...

Betsy Woodruffs Family Life: Is She Married or Related To Bob Woodruff? An old name in the world of journalism, Betsy Woodruff has warmed her way into the hearts of many with her impressive talents. Through hard work, Woodruff has carved a niche for herself in a very competitive field. Betsy has strong family and work values and is also an advocate for equal opportunities for everyone ...

Matpat (Matthew Patrick)  Wife, Height & Net Worth As far as internet business is concerned, Matpat remains one of the most dynamic and seasoned figures. He boasts a wealth of experience that has helped him in growing his business from one level of greatness to another. Like most successful people, MatPat started out small but today, he makes millions of dollars from his ...

Facts About Ricegum  His Girlfriend, Real Name & Net Worth Ricegum is an online gamer and YouTube sensation who ditched college; took advantage of the digital era, and made a name for himself on the internet. Though he began as a gaming YouTuber, Ricegum soon gained recognition as a controversial internet star following his many diss tracks. Here is everything you need to know about the youngster ...

Joy Taylor Once Married MLBs Richard Giannotti  Inside Look At Her Love Life and Family The erosion of the sexist idea that women have no business in sports broadcasting created a host of women celebrities who attained fame outside of modeling and acting. One of them, Joy Taylor, a radio personality and TV host for Fox Sports 1, has been in the industry since 2009, becoming one of the most ...

What To Know About Conan OBriens Wife, Kids & Family Today The name Conan OBrien is one that jumps right at you almost immediately you start talking about the most popular television hosts in the USA and this is no surprise because the man behind that name has risen to become one of the most admired men in the business. Known for hosting the late-night talk ...

David Letterman  Net Worth, Wife & Son In all of American, one man whose face has been seen frequently by late night TV talk show lovers is none but David Letterman. The comedian and TV show veteran has been hosting late night talk shows for more than three decades. His Late Night with David Letterman show began on February 1st, 1982 aired ...

Demystifying Sssniperwolfs Family Background And The Boyfriends Shes Had Since she launched her eponymously named channel in 2013, Sssniperwolf has been on the rise when it comes to video game influencers. She is one of the biggest names in the online gaming subgenre of YouTube videos. Real name Lia Shelesh, she started with Call of Duty: Black Ops II but has diversified with other ...

Lester Holt  Wife, Family & Net Worth Lester Holt is a multiple award-winning journalist, newscaster, reporter, and actor who has worked for notable media houses like WCBS TV, CBS, MSNBC and among others. His remarkable feat in journalism has endeared him to the hearts of many and earned him some awards and recognitions. Read on to get acquainted with his biography, ethnicity, ...

What Is Louis C.K. Doing Now, Where Are His Family And How Much Is His Net Worth? It is not easy to make it in comedy. It takes more than a funny bone and the ability to elicit a few giggles from a listening audience. For all the complexities that go into making a successful career in comedy, Louis C.K, the Washington D.C-born comedian, did it. For years, he was at the ...

The Progression of Hoda Kotbs Career, Her Ancestry and Family Life Hoda Kotb gained fame as a television host and news anchor for NBC. She anchors the shows signature show Today, and it has been an excellent vehicle for her skills in front of a camera. Kotb has won several awards, including Daytime Emmys and Peabody Awards. Simply put, she is one of the most successful ...

Jerry Seinfelds Family: All About The Amazing Comedians Wife and Kids Apparently one of the highly important entertainers in America, Jerry Seinfeld is a man of many talents. A very funny man, he is considered to be one of the most successful comedians in the USA who has been in the business as a professional rib-cracker for more than 40 years. As an actor, he has ...

The Rigors Of Sarah Silvermans Rise To Prominence And Rundown Of The Men She Has Dated A comedian, writer, and actress, Sarah Silvermans art and craft is as unique as you would ever find. Her poignant use of comedy to discuss social issues such as race, sexism, politics, and religion has gained her an impressive following. As unorthodox as her style is, so is her life experiences. She previously suffered from epiglottitis ...

Who Is Hannibal Buress, Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend & Why Was He Arrested? Making people laugh when they are tense or not in the mood is a tough order and to ply the trade, it must indeed take some guts and expertise, this is what the humor maker, Hannibal Buress has been able to achieve and sustain after his inital teething process. The African-American is a screen writer, stand-up ...

The Success of John Mulaneys Career Efforts Since His Work On Saturday Night Live and Facts About His Wife John Mulaney had been working as a professional comedian for years before Saturday Night Live changed his status for life and like many who are now his fans, you probably did not know of him then. However, that changed when he joined the sketch comedy show in 2008. Since then, he has been one of ...

Jeff Dunham  Wife, Children and Net Worth Ventriloquism is a very subtle method of making an inanimate object (like a puppet, doll or dummy) appear to be saying words which are actually coming from the person (holding the inanimate object). In effect, the individual throws his/her voice to the puppet and can even appear to be having a conversation with it. Not ...

Ellen DeGeneres  Net Worth, Wife  Portia de Rossi & Parents Ellen DeGeneres is an American female standup comedian who has proven that whatever a man can do, a woman can also do. Since her journey as a standup comedian started in 1981, she has held swirl as one of the finest comedians America and the world at large has seen. She is often referred to ...

Revisiting Joan Rivers Death  The Daughter, Husband & Net Worth She Left Behind Joan Rivers was a renowned American comedian, TV host, writer, and actress. Her brand of comedy consisted of scathing one-liners and no individual or topic is spared. She hosted her own talk shows in the 80s and 90s and was a pioneer for women in stand up comedy. She was the first woman to host a late night ...

The Struggles of Margaret Chos Childhood, How It Influenced Her Career Growth and Love Life Margaret Cho is best described as a comic star who knows how to maneuver everything related to life into a rib-cracking joke. She is also known to criticize every social and political problem, especially those involving race and sexuality. Apart from her talents as a comic actress, she does amazingly well as a singer and ...

Where Is Eric Bolling Today? Who Is His Son & What Is His Net Worth? Eric Bolling who was once a notable figure on Fox News, is an American TV personality, an author, and versatile Journalist. As a political and financial analyst/commentator, he anchored discussions bothering on finance for Fox Business Channel. Here is everything there is to know about his career, family, and allegations that led to his exit ...

Who Is Chelsea Handler and Does She Have A Husband or Boyfriend? Chelsea Handler is one of Americas top female comedians. She is also an actress, writer, television host, producer, and activist. She is known to be very outspoken even with things that are very personal. In separate interviews with The New York Times, Handler revealed that she had an abortion twice when she was 16. She has authored five books ...

How Did Laura Lee Achieve Fame, How Much is She Worth and Who is Her Husband? Laura Lee is a popular American YouTuber, make-up artist and beauty blogger. From posting videos of her makeup routines on Instagram, Lee has transformed into a beauty influencer and a YouTube sensation. Today, her YouTube Channel has over 630 million views and 4.5 million subscribers. Asides having millions of followers across all social media platforms, ...

Madison Gesiotto Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Measurements Madison Gesiotto is no ordinary woman; although she excelled in quite a number of pageants and competitions while she was in school, it is her views on politics and issues in America that has made her name known to most people. She possesses beauty and intelligence in a seemingly equal measure and has been able ...

Who Is Lil Tay? Parents, Brother, Sister, Age, Net Worth, Ethnicity Child stardom is nothing new in the entertainment world. With the advent of social media, we have seen more stars made from the internet than ever before, and Lil Tay is one of them. Her uploaded rap videos trademark is cursing, swearing, cash-throwing, and use of obscene languages. Her fame went wild after she dropped ...

What To Know About Tig Notaros Wife, Kids and Family Today Tig Notaro is an American stand-up comic star, writer, actress, and radio analyst. Since she started her career in 2001, she has become one of Americas best comedians, particularly when it comes to observational comedy. One prominent aspect of her routine involves her family, which includes a wife and two children. Interestingly, Tig Notaro is part ...

Who Is Chantel Jeffries? What To Know About Her Age, Ethnicity & Net Worth Chantel Jeffries is a lady of many talents. Beyond being celebrated as a DJ, she has fared well as a model, an actress, musician, and as an artist. She first rose to fame on Instagram where she has a large following. However, in recent times, she has hit the spotlight for her rumored relationships with some ...

Is Ellen DeGeneres Married, Who Is The Brother  Vance DeGeneres and Family Members? Ellen DeGeneres is one of a kind celebrity in todays world as she has used her wealth for the greater good for many people. She has served a host of famous awards shows like the Grammy, Primetime Emmy and Academy Awards. Moreso, she is probably one of the most decorated entertainment personalities around the world and ...

Carli Bybel Bio  Height, Boyfriend & Net Worth Video blogging is now on the rise and YouTube is the place where most of it happens. If you are a lady who cares about her looks or a guy who likes to help his woman out with her looks, then one person whose name rings a bell when it comes to giving beauty tips ...

Who Is Lexy Panterra? What To Know About Her Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth Lexy Panterra is one of the YouTube personalities whose breakout came through the Twerk dance videos she posted on her social media handles and YouTube which has so far generated over 13 million views for her. From there on, she created her LexTwerkOut workout program in 2014. She is sure very talented as she as moved ...

Who Is AnneMunition? What Is Her Ethnicity & Does She Have A Girlfriend or Boyfriend? AnneMunition is a professional gamer and content creator of American origin. She is one of the most sought-after streamers on Twitch  a popular online platform for watching and streaming videos, especially video games. AnneMunition has almost half a million followers on Twitch and her channel has accumulated at least 13 million views. Her favorite games ...

Norm MacDonald  Former Wife, Son & Net Worth Recently, 59-year-old former Saturday Night Live stand-up comic Norm MacDonald caused a not-so-funny stir when he expressed his personal opinion about the #MeToo movement speaking in defense of Louis CK and Roseanne Barr. Following the backlash of his actions, he is diligently doing damage control for his questionable opinion by posting a public apology on ...

Inside Iliza Shlesingers Life With Husband and How Much She is Worth Now Witty, spontaneous, and truly humorous, Iliza Shlesinger is an American comedian who is clearly proving that the stereotypical claim that women are not really funny is not only incredibly wrong but completely outrageous. Having been in the game for more than 10 years, Shlesinger has grown bigger with each step, stunning fans with her incredible ...

Who Is Nessa Diab? Details of her Parents, Ethnicity & Relationship With Colin Kaepernick Nessa Diab has gained more fame as the girlfriend of different footballers than in her career. She is currently with the popular National Football League (NFL) player, Colin Kaepernick, and has stood by his side during his most trying times. Also known for her mononym, Nessa, she recently engaged in a tweet battle with the ...

Samantha Bee  Inside the Life of Full Frontal Comedian and Presenter We have over the decades seen various brands of humor and personalities who have walked the ropes. One of the formidable forces in the world of comedy is no other than the iconic Samantha Bee of the Daily Show who now runs her own television show on TBS channel. She is a Canadian-American political commentator, ...

What Happened To Jessica Williamss Boyfriend And Which Are Her Best Works? Jessica Williams is a woman who has a lot of feathers in her cap  and keeps acquiring more. The former senior political correspondent of the comic Daily Show, who is also a comedian and actress whose recent movie appearance include starring as a playwright just recovering from a recent split with her boyfriend, Damon, and ...

Who is Nicole Byer? Here are 5 Facts You Need To Know About The Comedian Nicole Byer, an American comedian, actress, and writer, made a name for herself after she played supporting roles on MTVs prank show Ladylike and the reality show Girl Code. The latter was a series that featured comedians who analyzed in minute details, all the issues that young women deal with daily, from period to dating, to weird friendship dynamics and questions about sex. Currently, ...

A Closer Look At Bart Kwans Ethnicity, Height & Personal Life Bart Kwan is one of few Asians who is known for being successful in the comic industry at an international level. His fame broke out after the YouTube channel which he created with his close pal Joe Jo garnered up massive followings. The talented duo has been running the channel since 2007 and their success ...

Heres How VanossGaming Achieved Fame Online, His Worth and Other Facts About The Gamer For many years, the decision to drop out of college to pursue an online career was considered to be foolish and self-destructive by conventional wisdom. It was no different when Evan Fong, popularly known as VanossGaming, dropped out of college to pursue a YouTube career. However, that radical move paid off, and he stands shoulder to ...

Desi Perkins  Ethnicity, Net Worth & Husband YouTube is littered with videos of makeup tutorials by different people but if you are interested in learning how to do your makeup like a pro, there is just one person on that platform who you must follow. She is none other than Desi Perkins! She is a popular make-up artist, Instagram star, and vlogger. Desi, ...

The Phases of Casey Neistats Pursuits and His Love Story With Candice Pool YouTuber, vlogger, filmmaker, and creator extraordinaire; these are just a few hats that Casey Neistat wears and the story of how he got here is incredible. A native of Connecticut, Neistat started out by making refreshingly-authentic short films and videos that featured content that was based on everyday life and called attention to serious issues. He ...

Connor Franta  Inside The Life of American YouTuber YouTube has produced a lot of young celebrities in modern times and Connor Franta happens to be one of them. Apart from being a YouTuber, the young American is also an entrepreneur, entertainer, and writer. His journey to fame began almost a decade ago when he started a self-named YouTube channel where he uploads content ranging ...

Rhett and Link  Bio, Who are Their Wives, Net Worth and Family Facts Rhett and Link refer to an American comedy duo who are very popular on YouTube. They are known for their comic songs, viral commercials, skits and the daily show, Good Mythical Morning. Good Mythical Morning is the most watched daily show online, averaging 100 million views in a month. The show has featured guests such ...

A Walk Through The Maze of Ryan Higas Career Pursuits And Relationship With Arden Cho Ryan Higa is not only celebrated as a YouTube star, but he is also famed for appearing on television screens as an actor and comedian. Nigahiga, his Youtube channel, has gathered over 20 million subscribers and billions of views with his different comic acts, short films, and music videos uploads. With the rise in his career, ...

What to Know About The Shows That Made Craig Ferguson a Star and His Family Ties Rising to the top of your profession can sometimes be a hard and difficult process. It requires days and nights of working consistently hard to be better than what you were yesterday. It requires not giving up when all of your experiences seem to be pushing you to quit. It is because of these challenges ...

David Dobrik Married Liza Koshy for One Month  Inside His Family and Relationships David Dobrik is a YouTube sensation who has garnered fame not just for his vlogs but his love life too. Given his career as a YouTuber, his channel is one place where he shares his romantic escapades. With a cute boyish look like his, this Slovakian young man is definitely a good catch, and not ...

Merrell Twins Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Boyfriend One of the beautiful things about modern life is social media. As rudimentary as it might seem, it could turn out to be the greatest thing that would be invented in the next 50 years because of its impact on human life. Very few tools have revolutionized human behavior and culture as much as social ...

Who Is Bunny Meyer, Is She Married & What Is Her Net Worth? Bunny Meyer is a YouTube celebrity who has amassed over 8.8 million subscribers with 1.5 million viewers on her channel. She is popularly known as Grav3yardgirl and is one of the highest-paid YouTubers in the world. She initially started out as a fashion designer and later chose the path of a YouTuber. Grav3yardgirl has used her knowledge on fashion, makeup, ...

Ninja  Inside The Life of The American YouTuber and Internet Personality Ninja is a talented video game player known for his mastery of Fortnite and other seemingly difficult games he plays with ease. The video gamer made a career out of what is ordinarily the hobby of many people and has since then amassed a huge online following. Find out about him here, including the controversies that ...

What Is Eva Gutowskis True Sexuality and How Did She Rise So Fast As an Influencer? Ever since Eva Gutowski joined YouTube in 2011, it has been an interesting journey for her, moving from one milestone to the other. Backed by an army of young women and teenage girl fans known as Evanators, she has risen to become one of the most-talked-about personalities in the digital stratosphere. She has also leveraged ...

Emma Chamberlain Biography  Age, Height & Net Worth Before now, people in the entertainment industry could only achieve popularity after many years of dedication and hard work but since social media came into the scene, massive success and overnight popularity became possible. That is the story of Emma Chamberlain who encountered fame as a fifteen-year-old. Emma is one of the many young people who became ...

Anna Akana  Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth There is a new crop of YouTubers known by their different contents with a very strong uniqueness that stands every one of them out, some upload video games, some fashion while some others have comedy video contents to showcase on their channels. Anna Akana has used her platform to showcase her comedy contents to the ...

Revealing Truths About Lilly Singhs Ethnic Background, Family and Her Relationship With Yousef Erakat Lilly Singh is an Indian-Canadian YouTube personality, actress, and comedian also known as Superwoman. She kicked off her YouTube career in 2010 with the launch of her channel IISuperwomanII and followed it up with a vlog channel in 2011. This paved the way for her fame and success which led to a world tour. The ...

Who Is Andrea Constand, Is She Married and What Is Her Connection With Bill Cosby? Many people got sexually molested but could not voice out due to the stigma victims suffer and what will become of them thereafter. Very few of the victims danm every consequence to seek justice and bring the perpetrator to the book, like Andrea Constand. She never got any media buzz, not until her friend cum molester; ...

Who Is Lazarbeam (Lannan Eacott)? Here Are Facts You Need To Know Lannan Eacott became a person of interest after his YouTube channel, LazarBeam pulled him to the limelight. Initially, he started with uploads of Madden Challenge videos before deciding to build his own channel in January 2015. Within the space of three years, his YouTube channel had gathered over 7 million loyal subscribers. Today, he has not ...

Puzzling Facts About Wengies YouTube Success and More About Her Fiance Among the many YouTubers who have succeeded in winning the hearts of millions of people is Wengie. She is a Chinese-Australian YouTube personality, vlogger, singer, and voice actress. Wengie is famous for a lot of things, from her simple life hacks, DIYs, craft ideas to fun experiments, tricks and pranks. Her content portfolio also includes hair tutorials, diet & fitness tips, lookbooks, ...

Is Jeffree Star A Billionaire and How Much Does He Make On YouTube? If looks can be deceptive then theres no other person who proves this maxim better than Jeffree Star. A quick look at Stars pictures would likely leave you wondering whether or not to tag him a male or female. But who says being controversial has to be a curse? For Star, his looks have caught ...

The Place of Rosanna Pansinos Career Hats In Her Rise To Fame and Facts About Her Personal Life There are a few phrases that could summarize Rosanna Pansinos rise to fame. None of them can do it better than the famous axiom, no knowledge is lost. Her popularity YouTube comes out of her foray into other professions, specifically acting. Although acting now occupies one of the major professional hats in Rosannas resume, it was ...

Muselk (Elliott Watkins) Biography  Age, Girlfriend and Net Worth The new and best in-thing in terms of career is video gaming and we have over time seen young men and women make massive income from an activity that was purportedly designed to serve as a hobby or a relaxation activity. One of such individuals is the Australian-born YouTube Celebrity and Twitch streamer, Muselk, whose ...

PopularMMOs Biography: 5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know We have over the years seen social media millionaires, especially on the YouTube social platform. These celebrities cum millionaires have made names for themselves after carving out niches on the internet, and a typical example of one of such exciting media personality on the YouTube is American Minecraft gamer and YouTube star, PopularMMOs whose channel ...

Jason Nash Once Married Marney Hochman  What To Know About His Ex-Wife and Kids The now-defunct video-sharing app Vine was the path that led Jason Nash to fame. With it, he built an audience of over two million followers, which he parlayed into a significant YouTube career. That move has seen him become one of the most popular personalities on the internet, with the cash income to go with ...

Where Does Dantdm Live? What Do We Know About His Net Worth, Wife and Brother? Most parents buy video games for their kids to occupy their time leisure, while other parents frown at their kids when they play video games. Despite the disparity, every parent would be proud of their child if he/she eventually turns a celebrity or millionaire through playing video games like Dantdm. Biography of Dantdm Dantdm was born Daniel ...

LaurDIY  Biography: 5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTuber LaurDIY is the YouTube channel of Lauren Riihimaki which she created on December 1, 2011, when she was still a college undergrad with the sole aim of giving Do It Yourself (DIY) as well as practical fashion and beauty tips to her followers. She has used the channel to establish herself as a YouTube personality ...

Lachlan Ross Power  Bio And Family Life Of Australian The YouTube Star It is amazing the varied sources of income that the internet has made possible in this day and age. Internet fame can get its holder a whole lot of monetary and social benefits, but it must be noted that it does not come easy or cheap. For those who desire fame, content is the sacrifice ...

Alfie Deyes  Bio and Net Worth: Everything You Need To Know Alfie Deyes is one internet personality you definitely would like to know about. He boasts of over 10 million subscribers on three of his YouTube channels and has three bestseller books to his name. He is probably the most renowned young personality on YouTube today and his vlogging empire continues to grow by the day. ...

Colleen Ballingers Love Story With Husband Erik Stocklin and How Much She Is Worth Now Colleen Ballinger is an American comedian and YouTuber who is a very funny, adventurous, and highly talented woman. She is also an actress, singer, and writer. Collen is widely known for her work on YouTube where she posts content on her channel, Miranda Sings. The comedian has gained many subscribers over the years and has ...

Who Are The Dude Perfect Members and How Much Are They Worth? Entertainment in the 21st century can be digested in many forms and with platforms like YouTube, the creators and purveyors of entertainment have been democratized. Today, one of the most popular platforms to exhibit ones creative talents is YouTube, even though there are other platforms like Twitter, Facebook, who suffer in comparison to YouTube because ...

Who Is Rudy Mancuso, What Is His Earning Power and What Do We Know About His Girlfriend? Rudy Mancuso started his internet journey on Vine. He would later transition to YouTube where he solidified his place among the internets most beloved comedic creators. He is now regarded as one of the renowned internet personalities in the world, with a presence in mainstream TV and film projects like Comedy Centrals Drunk History and ...

Vsauce (Michael Stevens) Biography and Net Worth: All You Need To Know The advent of YouTube and the internet as a whole revolutionized how human beings consume information. With each passing year, the percentage of learning that is done in a traditional classroom decrease as a seismic shift to internet-based learning happens in our education industry. From open courses online to YouTube classes and videos, there are ...

How did Jake Paul Make His YouTube Big Break and Who is His Wife? One of the most interesting Social Media personalities of the 21st century is the young and popular Jake Paul whose elder brother is the famed Vine star, Logan Paul. Jake has utilized the power of the internet to bring himself to the limelight with a channel named JakePaulProductions that has amassed up to six billion ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About Reaction Time (Tal Fishman)  The American YouTuber Before 2015, the leading meaning of reaction time was the amount of time it takes to respond to a stimulus, until Tal Fishman started his channel, Reaction Time on YouTube and the dominant meaning changed. Today, a google search of Reaction Time would deliver Tal Fishmans videos and YouTube channel link with a few physics ...

Grace Helbig  Net Worth, Boyfriend and Family Life of The YouTuber Grace Helbig is an American internet personality, comedian, actress, and writer. She became popular due to her daily vlog series, DailyGrace, which ran on My Damn Channel from 2008 to 2013. Helbig is also popular for her own indie series on YouTube, ItsGrace, which she launched in 2014. Her vlogs which feature random stuff such as ...

Mark Wiens Bio  Ethnicity, Wife and Parents Food is a great way to connect with people. We all love to eat, if not for the pleasure of food, the satisfaction of quenching hunger, and the very process of providing and sharing that food is part of the strongest bonds that bind humanity together. Maybe it is our historical connection to food, where ...

Is Filthy Frank Dead, What Happened To Him and How Much Is He Worth? As George Kusunoki Miller, he was a nobody. However, as Filthy Frank, George was one of the most famous internet personalities on the planet. The Filthy Frank Show, a sketch series on his YouTube channel, TVFilthyFrank, was one of the platforms most influential creations. He is the reason a crazy dance song, Harlem Shake, made it ...

CaptainSparklez Bio  Net Worth, House and Cars of The Famous YouTuber Sometimes, what society wants from its citizens is quite different from what the citizens want for themselves. This is evident in the life and career of video blogger and American YouTube personality, Jordan Maron famous for his YouTube channel CaptainSparklez. He dropped out of school after discovering his talent in playing an online game called Minecraft. ...

Who is Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg)? Here are Facts You Must Know Canadian Youtube personality, Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg) originally started out polishing and designing nails even before it became a trendy culture in the social media. Simply Nailogica started out her showbiz career in her early days as a child actress, acting in commercials for game and toy companies. Aside from acting, she is blogger, vlogger, specializing ...

5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know About Huda Beauty In the world of entrepreneurship, it is interesting when an individual has a mentor who he/she looks up to, this yield more productivity on the part of the individual. The iconic and rich American beautician and makeup artist Huda Kattan nicknamed Heida is the founder of the Huda Beauty blog which is number one Instagram beauty blog ...

Is Dino MasterChef Gay? Details About His Ethnicity, Girlfriend, Where He Is Now Food, for the better part of the early years of human life, was nothing more than what we needed for survival. There was no artistry or curation to the method of cooking. The scarcity of food left no room for artistic expression until we figured out agriculture and we could make as much as we ...

Who Is Gabbie Hanna And How Did She Become Famous? As the world shifts to digital media and depends more and more on streaming services for its news and entertainment content, YouTubers have become one of the leading creators in the new media world. Their understanding of the online audience: how to create, maintain, and increase followers, are all handy skills that have primed them ...

Jacksepticeye  Height, Girlfriend & Net Worth Jacksepticeye is a YouTuber and actor who gained popularity with a series of gaming videos he uploads on his channel to the delight of millions of his subscribers. He is Known primarily for his comic video game series titled Lets Play and his vlogs. His channel was formerly ranked 46th in the list of most subscribed ...

Chris Heria Personal Details: About His Wife, Height & Ethnicity Background In this generation, keeping fit has become one of the major criteria for being hale and hearty. In fact, most occupations these days are majorly concerned with ones body mass, weight and looks. Unlike the past where most people have to register in a gym to keep fit, social media has made it quite easy ...

Everything You Need To Know About Game Grumps Gaming is becoming incredibly popular on YouTube these days with game vloggers make millions of dollars out of them yearly. One of the most popular up-coming gaming YouTube channels is Game Grumps. The Lets Play series was created in 2012 and celebrated its fifth anniversary on July 18th, 2017. In six years of its existence, the ...

Daithi De Nogla Biography, Girlfriend and Net Worth YouTube has created an avenue for many to make wealth and become famous from the comfort of their homes while having fun. Many have built a career out of the platform, uploading numerous videos that have earned them the admiration of viewers across the globe. For Daithi De Nogla, he is loved for his humorous commentary on ...

Does Phoebe Robinson Have A Boyfriend or Husband and What Do We Know About Her Family? Phoebe Robinson is a New York-based comedian, writer, and actress. She is best known as the co-creator and co-host of the WNYC Studios podcast 2 Dope Queens. Just like some other female comedians, she never had any original plans of becoming a stand-up comedian even though, according to her, she took a class on a whim at Carolines on Broadway. After ...

Who Are Lex and Alana from Listed Sisters? What Is Their Ethnicity & Is the Show Cancelled? America is a country built on diversity. Everywhere you look all over the country, a countless number of immigrants or children of immigrants have become an integral part of the fabric of the country. From entertainment to business, immigrants are creating a niche for themselves and climbing to the summit of their respective professions. One ...

Riveting Facts About Danielle Lombard And What She Is Best Known For The American entertainment industry is one that provides many avenues for aspiring hopefuls to express their talents and become famous. From films to television shows and game shows, there is no shortage of ways for men and women who desire fame to pursue and earn it in the United States of America. Another tested medium ...

Unearthing New Details About The YouTube Success And Personal Life of Alex Burriss of Wassabi Productions Wildly hilarious and truly audacious, Alex Wassabi is an American YouTuber who has become a very popular face on the video-sharing platform after having garnered millions of subscribers over the years by keeping people glued to his channel with his witty parody video releases. If you have always loved parody videos, there is every chance ...

Everything You Need To Know About H2O Delirious H2O Delirious whose full birth name is reported to be Jonathan Gormon Dennis has successfully kept himself mystified by hiding his face behind the masks leaving his loyal fans speculating who he really is for many years. The American YouTube star is easily identified by the Jason Mask Style with make-up which he wears on his ...

Who Is HolaSoyGerman and What Happened To Him? German Garmendia has certainly seen it all when it comes to internet success. His channels, HolaSoyGerman and JuegaGerman are in the top twenty most subscribed channel on YouTube. The Chilean YouTuber found a way to tap into one of the worlds greatest inventions and make a living from it. He has been able to build ...

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Following Charissa Thompsons Rise Through The Ranks Of Sports Casting and All About Her Boyfriend Superstar TV host and sportscaster, Charissa Thompson, has been hailed as one of the highest-profile women journalists in America, and the reason is there for all to see. She has worked for popular establishments such as Versus, Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, GSN, and Big Ten Network. She currently hosts the popular pre-game show, Fox NFL Kickoff, ...

Is Chris Kattan Gay or Does He Have A Wife? What Is His Net Worth? Chris Kattan is a popular American comedian and actor. He has appeared in several comic movies and TV series such as The Middle, A Night at the Roxbury and Bunnicula. Kattan is, however, most popular for his six-year stint as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. During his time on the legendary show, he ...

Everything You Should Know About the Rise of Insta Star Claire Abbott and Why She Gave It All Up A lot of young Americans have shot into the limelight for uploading different kinds of videos on YouTube. Some of these young stars include Connor Franta, Desi Perkins, Emma Chamberlain, the Dolan Twins (Ethan and Grayson), and Claire Abbott. The latter became a social media celebrity for uploading sexy bikini pictures of herself on social media. Apart from ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTube Channel  h3h3Productions H3h3Productions is a YouTube channel that specializes on Comic responses or reactions of other contents or trendy stories. The celebrity couple that created the channel has over time racked up sizable views for their commentaries and contents. Even though they had their own fair share of copyright cases, thankfully they scored an unprecedented victory in all ...

Lilypichu Bio  Height, Brother and Love Story With Albert SleightlyMusical Chang Like most popular internet celebrities, Lilypichu is one of those Twitch streamers who spend their lives on camera. From daydreaming about the possibility of becoming a full-time professional streamer, she grew to live out her dreams on the popular live streaming platform where people play games, make crafts, and showcase their day-to-day activities. Given the rise of ...

KSI  What To Know About His Girlfriend, Brother  Deji Olatunji & Net Worth Assuredly, when Internet inventors Vint Cerf and Bob Khan created the technological masterpiece, they probably did not know how massive the creation will be harnessed by many for different purposes including as a platform for earning money through content creation. One of such person who smiles to the bank regularly today for spending time creating ...

The Interesting Progression and Highlights of Carrie Keagans Career as a Host and Actress Carrie Keagan has garnered huge fame through her various stints on television. She is not just your regular TV host but one with a difference. Keagan has hosted several high profile events and TV shows, including VH1s Big Morning Buzz Live and Fox News Channels Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld. However, not many know she ...

The Gist On Elise Jordans Marriages And Her Rise To Prominence Political commentaries tend to be boring when it is handled by someone who does not have a knack for it. However, when you see the likes of Elise Jordan run the same commentary, you will have a lot of reasons to look forward to watching her again as the journalist is well-versed in the field ...

What Is Timmy Thick Best Known For and How Successful Is The Star? Thanks to the internet, many people whose talents would have ordinarily gone unnoticed have become famous. A very good example of this modern-day internet celebrity is Timmy Thick, an American social media star. He became popular on Instagram due to his penchant for posting raunchy pictures of himself. He also often posted videos of himself ...

What Does Heather Storm Do For a Living and Who Is She Dating? Reality Television is a great way to make a name for oneself as well as amass a fortune. Heather Storm can attest to this as she is one of those who have made a name and earned a lot from reality TV. She made her name appearing on shows like Car Fanatics, Awesome Autos, and, ...

Matt Carriker Biography  Net Worth, Wife & Height Unlike your regular veterinary doctor next door, Matt Carriker chose to spice up his noble profession with the unusual. Though he is known to many as a medical practitioner, Carriker is better renowned as a YouTube star and an animal lover. Having recorded huge successes on his various YouTube channels, the vet doctors name and ...

Jillian Mele of Fox News Career Achievements, Husband & Measurements There are quite a good number of presenters on radio and television who listeners and viewers may never wish to miss any of their shows because of their sensational golden voice, beauty or the special way or artistry they anchor their shows. Jillian Mele is one of such. She has been at the top of ...

Who is Gillian Turner of Fox News? Her Fiance or Husband and Net Worth Gillian Turner is well-known as a news correspondent for Fox News Channel but before she became a TV personality, she built an intimidating resume working for different institutions, including the American government. She served in different capacities at the White House National Security Council during the administration of former US Presidents  George W. Bush and Barack Obama. ...

Gloria Govan Bio  Age, Ethnicity & Height Even as Gloria Govan is famous as an American actress, author, a TV host, and reality television star, shes more popular as the wife of the former NBA player, Matt Barnes. She became known after appearing on the Florida version of the reality television series, Basketball Wives and later, Basketball Wives: LA  after Matt was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Sadly, ...

Michael Fishmans Interesting Start as an Actor and Why He Divorced His Wife of Many Years When one door closes, another one opens. As silly as that axiom may seem, it is the story of the resurgence of Michael Fishman, who plays D.J Conner on the popular show, Roseanne. Having played the character for several years as a child actor into his teenage years; when the show originally ended, Michael did ...

Who Is October Gonzalez  Tony Gonzalezs Wife? All You Need To Know October Gonzalez is a popular American TV host and media personality. Additionally, she is also a model. Gonzalez has hosted several TV shows such as Beat Shazam, Entertainment Tonight, and Rachel Ray. She has also featured in several reality TV shows. Gonzalezs fame is not just due to her profession but also because of her ...

Who Is Tony Berlin  Harris Faulkners Husband: His Children and Family Facts Tony Berlin is a popular American media guru. He has variously worked as a reporter, anchor, and producer for some of the biggest TV networks in America. They include CNN, CBS, NBC, and ABC (where he hosted the popular Good Morning America). Berlin has now diversified into public relations and owns his own PR firm. ...

The Progression of Gianna Tobonis Journalism Career and Details About Her Marriage to Kyle Buckley Gianna Toboni may not be your ideal newscaster but her unusual reporting is what made her a household name. The American journalist is renowned for her hard-hitting and authentic reportage. A motivator and activist for total press freedom, Gianna loves to explore pervasive cultural issues. Not only does this unique and ambitious journalist call for all ...

Dog The Bounty Hunters Family Including Details of His Late Wife and Kids Popularly known as Dog, a name which he got from the television series, Dog The Bounty Hunter, Duane Chapman, an American bounty hunter, and one-time bail bondsman, went from being convicted for a felony to being a reality TV star. He was brought to the limelight following the capture of the convicted criminal, Andrew Luster in 2003 and this eventually made ...

Vicky Karayiannis, Chris Cornells Wifes Bio, Children and Family The world of showbiz is made up of different people who serve different roles, and function in a variety of capacities, and one of the most important people are those in the background. Publicists are undoubtedly one of these background people yet they are vital to the life and fame of most of our favorite ...

Joe Rogan Has A Step-Daughter and 2 Other Kids With Wife Jessica Ditzel  Meet His Family Joe Rogan is a popular American stand-up comedian and TV host. His journey to stardom began in the late 80s and has seen him host several shows, the most popular is the game show titled Fear Factor. The exciting show dares contestants to face some of their greatest fears and embark on challenging stunts. The ...

Josh Gates and Wife Hallie Gnatovich Have 2 Kids But Who Has the Higher Net Worth? Best known for his explorations and adventures, Josh Gates, is a television presenter with a voracious appetite for seeing the world and the beauties in it. Some of that beauty, however, is in his home, in the form of two children he shares with his wife, Hallie Gnatovich. Not excluded is their marriage which has lasted ...

Holly Sonders Wiki, Plastic Surgery & Why She Divorced Her Husband  Erik Kuselias After trying everything within her capacity to have a low key wedding, Holly Sonders was drawn to the public because of her husbands controversy at his workplace. Well, the two are rumored to be divorced but the article below will give more light on how true these rumors are. Meanwhile, Holly Sonders is yet to ...

Nadeska Alexis Bio  Age, Boyfriend & Net Worth Journalism is one diverse profession that allows the practitioners to choose their area of specialty, build a career on it by reporting the truth and facts which in the long run will distinguish them as deserving commendation and recognition among their peers. Some choose to specialize in political journalism, while to others it is sports ...

Media Platforms Charlamagne Tha God Has Explored and All The Controversies He Has Courted Charlamagne Tha God is an American on-air personality, radio presenter, and more recently, author. He is popularly known as a co-host on New York radios nationally syndicated show, The Breakfast Club, a program he has been hosting alongside DJ Envy and Angela Yee since 2010. However, his early years had no connection to his current career ...

A Look At Jimmy Fallons Net Worth and Family Including His Wife & Kids Sometimes, a childs passion for something is a pointer to what he/she would become in the future. As a child, Jimmy Fallon was literally obsessed with watching the late-night comedy program, Saturday Night Live (SNL). Then, his parents would tape the clean parts for him to watch and later, he and his sister would re-enact sketches from the ...

Kay Adams Biography  Does The Sportscaster Have A Husband or Boyfriend? When you hear the phrase sports enthusiast, women are hardly the first group that comes to mind. Well, thats changing pretty fast. Especially with the rise of female sports analysts and broadcasters like Kay Adams who is famed for knowing more about sports than most men do. And why not, shes paid handsomely for it ...

Ben Shapiros Family  Meet His Wife, Kids and Sister Who is Popular for the Wrong Reasons A multi-talented man, Ben Shapiro is a man of controversial nature, an attribute that has made him an unusual public figure. An intellectual whose career path was clearly defined even before he became a man, the Jewish conservative commentator has always had his way with words. He became popular by sharing his critical and often ...

QVC Shawn Killinger Bio  Husband, Net Worth & Facts To Know Shawn Killinger is a prominent TV personality who has worked her way to the top. Though not initially a journalist by training, she defied the odds and today has established herself as a household name, as well as, worked alongside some industry legends. More than just being a reporter, newscaster, and anchor, heres all you ...

Liv Lo  Dissecting the Ethnicity, Parents and Personal Life of Henry Goldings Wife While many are aware that Liv Lo is the better half to Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, only a few understand why his beautiful wife appears increasingly endearing to fans. A former model turned TV personality, and fitness star, Liv has an impressive resume which when combined with that of her statuesque spouse is considered a perfect ...

Stpeach Age, Husband and Other Facts About The Twitch Streamer Lisa Vannatta, famously known by her online alias, STPeach is a Canadian video game streamer cum vlogger who has garnered fame through her appearances on different video-sharing/social networking platforms such as Youtube, Instagram, Twitch, Reddit, and Twitter. The beautiful lady got her career to a start in August 2015 when she joined the live streaming video platform, Twitch. She rose to ...

Insights into Seth Meyers Wife, Family and What His Net Worth Is Celebrities are mostly remembered and known for the work they do. For Seth Meyers, his career as a comedian, writer, actor, TV host, and producer is his biggest identifier. He was on Saturday Night Live SNL show as a head writer and cast member for more than ten years during which he built a reputation ...

Who Is Jessica Gadsden  Age, Net Worth & All About Charlamagne tha Gods Wife Jessica Gadsden is an American fitness coach as well as a personal trainer. She is better known as the spouse of popular American media personality, Charlamagne Tha God. Charlamange Tha God is a well-known TV and radio personality in the U.S. He has featured in several shows (both on the radio and TV) and is ...

Who Is Collins Tuohy  Michael Ohers sister ? Her Wedding, Husband & Net Worth Collins Tuohy is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, blogger, and social media personality. She is also better known as the adoptive sister of NFL player, Michael Oher, whose life story inspired the Hollywood blockbuster The Blind Side. The Blind Side tells the true life story of Oher who grew up in an impoverished background consisting of a ...

Eye-Popping Facts About The Personal Life And Career Success Of Sportscaster Heidi Watney Heidi Watney is a media personality who has created a niche for herself as a sportscaster. Starting out as a radio presenter, the brilliant young lady has gone on to work for several prominent sports networks, and currently, she is with the MLB. The sportscaster is also known to have been an avid sports lady right ...

Marty Lagina Bio  Siblings (Martina and Rick Lagina), Net Worth and Wife Marty Lagina is an American engineer and businessman who has risen to fame as a reality TV star. This is thanks to his involvement in the adventure TV series, The Curse of Oak Island. The Curse of Oak Island is a long-running TV series which airs on the history channel. The show aims to solve ...

Is Jordan Schlansky Just A Character or a Real Life Person and What Does He Do? The world of late-night television is an interesting one. Shows during that time are geared towards giving viewers comedic relief from a long day at work through interviews and comedy sketches. The often charismatic host of this show requires the balancing talent of a producer whose primary job is to deliver great episodes. It is ...

Heres How Wealthy Jimmy Kimmel Is From All The Phases of His Career, Marriages and Sons Health Jimmy Kimmel is a renowned late-night talk show host known for his charm, wit, and the A-list guests he features on his show. As the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! On ABC, Jimmy has been serving comedy to television viewers for years which played a pivotal role in launching him into mainstream fame and enabled ...

Natasha Bertrand Biography  Is She Married? Who Is the Husband & What Is Her Age? Natasha Bertrand is not just a young prominent journalist but a first-rate investigative reporter. With her natural beauty and smile, Natashas sharp, insightful political commentary also makes her a thorough reporter. Her sound political perspective and coverage in the country have made her a force to be reckoned with in the profession. Renowned for her ...

What Happened to Shane Kilcher? His Injury Update, Net Worth and More Shane Kilcher is well-known thanks to the Discovery Channel series Alaska: The Last Frontier. It is a show that documents the daily lives of the extended Kilcher family, people who live without plumbing or modern heating. The episodes follow their routines as they rely on hunting and farming for their nutritional needs as well as ...

Is Stephanie Gosk Gay or Lesbian, Who is the Wife or Partner  Jenna Wolfe? In August 2013, NBCs Today viewers were greeted with two shocking news. Today weekend anchor, Jenna Wolfe, announced that she was as a lesbian, introducing her partner as NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk, and said the two are expecting their first child. A long time has passed since then and certainly, a lot of things ...

Nikki Mudarris  Bio and Net Worth: 5 Interesting Facts You Need to Know Nikki Mudarris, also known as Miss Nikki Baby, is a reality television star, model and fashionista. Shes best known for VH1s reality TV series Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood. Her entrepreneurial skills enable her to create and run a successful lingerie line Nude by Nikki. Not only that, but Nikki has also successfully run the Las ...

5 Interesting Things You Need To Know About Kelly Nash Ever heard of the lady who gained national prominence for taking a selfie with a dangerous ball just a few inches away from hitting her? Its no other person than Kelly Nash, an American sports broadcaster currently working as host of The Rundown show which airs on MLB Network every weekday at 2 pm ET. ...

Understanding The Height of Fame John Oliver Achieved With The Daily Show and How He Met His Wife Without knowledge of who he is and his exemplary career, John Oliver cuts an unassuming figure of a regular man but he is one of the most influential personalities in America, especially on television. Since he began his career in 1998, he has been a loud and unapologetic agent of change, using his wit and ...

Why Did Big Chief Leave Street Outlaws, Where Is He Now And Why Did He Divorce His Wife? Justin Shearer, otherwise known by his professional name Big Chief is a famous street racer and television personality. He is famously known for being one of the main characters on the racing reality television series, Street Outlaws. Justin, who had been a significant part of the show since its premiere in 2013, appeared in a ...

Who is Josina Anderson of ESPN? Her Husband and Family Facts There has been a gradual paradigm shift in the world of sports which has today produced the likes of Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and other female athletes that are pulling great feats in different sporting fields. Their achievements have also been followed by the emergence of female sports journalists such as Jillian Mele, Eboni Williams, ...

Is Brittany Wagner Married, Who Is The Husband, How Old Is She? Brittany Wagner has been an inspiration to a lot of sports youngster. She has won the hearts of many athletic students with her role as a life coach and an academic counselor. She is well groomed in her career and has worked over a decade for The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and The National ...

Tati Westbrook Bio  Age, Husband & Net Worth With five videos dished out every week, alongside running her own brand, beauty guru, and YouTube superstar Tati Westbrook has proved to the world that theres utterly no impossibility or limit to whatever one is passionate about. Tati is best known for being the owner and manager of the worlds most-viewed beauty and lifestyle YouTube channel, ...

Cathy Areus Long Road to Becoming a Freelance Journalist and What to Know About Her Kids An American freelance journalist, news analyst, and author, Cathy Areu has built a lasting reputation for herself on cable television. Popular for her skillful and sassy presentation of professional views on varying topics including cultural and feminist issues, Cathy is an inspiration to many women across the globe. In addition to being a journalist, she ...

Tucker Carlsons Love Story With Wife Susan Andrews, their Children and Net Worth Today On the TV screens, Tucker Carlson is that fiery fellow who passionately dishes out his conservative and often controversial views on issues of national importance. Such brazenness has fetched him many enemies, especially on the left-wing, but it has also helped him cement a reputation as one of the foremost broadcast journalists in America. His ...

Paige Wyatts Net Worth, Boyfriend and Where She Is Now Paige Wyatt became popular after the Wyatt family began running the reality television show, American Guns. The Wyatt family comprises Rich Wyatt (father), Renee Wyatt (mother), Paige and Kurt Wyatt (children). Rich Wyatt originally ran a gun shop, the Gunsmoke Guns in Wheat Ridge, Colorado which is outside of Denver. The business which he ran together ...

The Progression of Howard Sterns Career As A Media Personality And Why He Divorced His First Wife Howard Stern is a legendary American radio host, who has also done some notable work as an actor, producer, author, as well as photographer. The radio personality achieved worldwide fame as a result of his self-titled radio program, The Howard Stern Show. As a professional radio personality, he has worked in different radio stations. Since 2006, ...

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Amanda Balionis Rise Through the Ranks of Sportscasting and the Identity of Her Boyfriend Amanda Balionis is an American sportscaster currently working as a golf broadcaster for CBS Sports. Among so many of her works in the field of sports reporting, Amandas PGA Tour coverage seems to be the most popular so far. She covered the Super Bowl working with CBS Sports social media team in Atlanta, where she ...

Dissecting Charles Paynes Sexual Allegations, Its After Effects and More About His Wife Charles Payne had a respectable career as an analyst on Wall Street before he made the transition to television and became a contributor and later a host on Fox. In that time, his expertise has come under scrutiny, and he has been at the center of at least one major controversy. The major controversy in question ...

Erik Asla And Tryra Banks Split: Everything You Need To Know Tyra Banks and Erik Asla have called it quits! The couple, who began dating in 2013 and have a son named York Banks Asla, has decided to end what everybody taught was the perfect relationship. Neither person has come out to give a reason for the breakup, but what is obvious right now is that ...

What to Note About Dr Terry Dubrows Qualifications, TV Works and Marriage to Heather Kent In the realm of people that we expect to see regularly on our screens, medical doctors are closer to the bottom of the list. Aside from the fact that their work has little correlation with TV, they are presumably too busy to pursue life as TV personalities. Yet, a few of them have usurped this ...

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Neil deGrasse Tyson  Family, Religion & Net Worth Neil deGrasse Tyson is a distinguished American astrophysicist and author who has been able to achieve so much after falling in love with astronomy at the age of 9. He has since attended and become an alumnus of prestigious universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia, and also recorded numerous achievements in his field of ...

Is Simon Cowell Gay? Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend and Why is He Famous? Simon Cowell is a well-known talent show judge, TV producer, entrepreneur and one of the most popular TV personalities that Britain has ever produced. In conjunction with his company, Syco, Cowell is the brain behind hugely successful talent hunt shows such as The X-Factor UK, The X-Factor US, Britains Got Talent, Americas Got Talent and ...

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Who Is Larry The Cable Guy? What To Know About His Wife And Net Worth Larry the Cable Guy is a self-professed country kid renowned for his trademark Southern accent and sensational catchphrase Git-R-Done! The famous comedian who talks about anything under the sun has gone on to become one of the most memorable characters in comedy history. Join us in unearthing lesser-known facts about the former on-air-personality, standup comedy superstar, movie ...

Who Is Patrick Starr, What Is His Net Worth and Gender? The make-up industry over the years has grown to become a billion dollar industry not just because there are probably more women wearing make-up but because a whole lot of men, especially the young ones, have become bold enough to wear it unlike before. A few of these men, like Patrick Starr, have even gone ...

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Jaclyn Glenn Biography  Age, Height & Ex-Boyfriend American Youtuber, Jaclyn Glenn, rose to prominence through her self-titled YouTube channel Jaclyn Glenn. She has remained an acclaimed atheist and continues to air her views on hot issues from politics, religion, animal rights, to atheism. During the heated 2016 US Presidential elections, Glenn featured in Hump Trump: Official Donald Trump Song. Her parallel acting career ...

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Inside Guy Fieris Family With Wife, Kids and Sister Who Died of Cancer Over the years we have seen men dominate the kitchen and churn out amazing delicacies from it. Some do it way better than their female counterparts and one of such men is Guy Ramsay Fieri  an American TV host, celebrity chef, restaurant owner, bestselling author of four culinary books, and game show host. His ...

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Bert Kreischer Is Married To LeeAnn Kreischer With 2 Kids  Meet His Family Those familiar with Bert Kreischer mainly have the image of a large-bellied party man whose college life inspired the National Lampoon film, Van Wilder. It is an image that one would not naturally associate with a wholesome family. The standup comedian still maintains his wild party animal image on stage. But, back at home, he is ...

How Brendan Greene Became a Game Designer to Look Out For and Facts About His Failed Marriage The name Brendan Greene may not easily ring a bell in the larger society but for gaming enthusiasts, he is considered a god and this is because of his invention of the video game, Player Unknowns Battlegrounds, also called PUBG. Based on the popular last-man-standing/battle royale concept, Greenes creation has taken the gaming world by ...

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This Is Everything You Should Know About Caroline Heldman, Her Career Portfolio and Other Facts Love it or hate it, there is no escaping the fact that feminism has come to stay in our world. The movement has continued to garner momentum over the years and this is due to the sustained push by several women, and even men, including the likes of Caroline Heldman. A Professor of Politics at ...

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Join us for another stop on our journey through Whitman, Alabama. The goal of the documentary series? Bridge the gap between people. Filmmaker Jennifer Crandall traveled hundreds of miles to capture the essence of America as people across Alabama bring "Song of Myself" by poet Walt Whitman to life. Crandall below tells us more about the Sullivan family she met in Mobile.

Whitman, Alabama site | On Facebook

Some people just hit you in the heart. I was at Yen Restaurant in Mobile, looking for a hit of comfort food--Vietnamese food--and Cathy, Samantha and Brandon walked in.

Samantha reminded me of myself-- half-Asian, half-white, sort of a tomboy. I approached them. Immediately they were open and warm. I asked Cathy if they might want to read for the project.

She said sure. No hesitation. She appreciated art and music. Samantha did, too. Cathy stenciled boats for a living. Samantha wanted to be an illustrator or graphic designer someday.

Sometimes if people think something isn't going to look good to other people, they won't let you see it, let alone film it. But Cathy threw open the doors in full welcome. Before I visited their home for the first time, Cathy texted the normal caveats--noise, chaos, cats:

It's crazy with the kids home from school. It's loud. And the house is a bit of a mess. We are not wealthy so it's a bit of a poor home. Just simple. My mother has a lot of cats, so it's a bit over the top . . .

Brandon was all over the place the day of filming - this little Einstein, running around. I wonder how well Brandon will remember the day we filmed. He'll probably thinks of us as those annoying people - the ones who tortured him and made him sit boringly still for an afternoon. If you watch the video, it's clear he embodies so many of the lines he read. "I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise...Stuff'd with the stuff that is coarse and stuff'd with the stuff that is fine..."

Cathy Sullivan, Samantha Sullivan and Brandon Bridgemon read Verse 16 of Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" for the documentary "Whitman, Alabama."

When Samantha and her mom read, they just put it out there. They stumbled, but they didn't beat themselves up, they'd just start again. At the end of the day, Samantha seemed happy. She was taking selfies with us.

After that Sam and I would check in with each other every so often to catch up. We hadn't spoken in some time, then she texted. Cathy was battling small cell lung cancer. Sam was very optimistic about the prognosis.

It's a cancer that gets big n then small but they said it's treatable. But she wanted to know how the project is going?

When Cathy died, they held a service at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. I remember seashells were embedded in the earthen pathways there.

Samantha arrived. Normally dressed down, she was dressed up. Like we can do when we face things that are unreal. We send in our skirted, suited stand-ins and we smile. We apologize, as Samantha did to me:

Sorry I don't feel like myself.

She opened her arms up big and gave me a hug. It felt like that, that she was giving the hug to me. She has that same generous spirit her mother did.

I think of my time with the Sullivans as a three-part story: You meet someone out of nowhere, you have no idea you're going to be so affected by them or understand all the ways and then they're gone. Maybe that's most stories.

I have so much emotion for this family, it's hard to even express. I was endlessly interested in them. The stories they contained could have made up an entire magazine piece. Told us so much.

I just wish that Cathy could see this.

By Liz Hildreth, as told by filmmaker Jennifer Crandall
Rabbi Jonathan Miller, the spiritual leader of Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham since 1991, has announced he'll be retiring this summer.

During his tenure, Miller oversaw a massive renovation of the historic synagogue, worked extensively in interfaith relations and was a prominent spokesman for Alabama's Jewish community, writing prolific commentary pieces for AL.com and other media.

He recently published a book,"Legacy: A Rabbi and a Community Remember Their Loved Ones," that includes 70 eulogies of members of Temple Emanu-El, along with Miller's reflections on life and death.

His last day as senior rabbi will be June 30, 2017. On July 1, he'll assume the title of rabbi emeritus.

Miller, 62, said he's in excellent health, but wants to spend more time writing and visiting his three grown children (Aaron, Alana and Benjamin), who all live in the Washington, D.C., area, along with his first grandchild. "The decision to retire was all mine," he said. "I'm in good health. No one was pushing me out."

His wife, Judi, will maintain her psychotherapy practice in Birmingham and they will maintain their residence in Birmingham, he said. "We'll be going back and forth," he said. "We want to be in both places."

It would be hard to leave Birmingham. Miller said.

"This is still my community," he said. "When you're in the clergy, sometimes family life becomes truncated. I want to spend a lot of time with my family."

Miller came to Birmingham on Jan. 2, 1991, from Los Angeles, where he was an associate rabbi at the Stephen S. Wise Temple in Bel Air, Calif. He's from New York and grew up in Boston, the son of a rabbi who traveled to Mississippi in the 1960s during the civil rights movement to help register black voters.

After a life in big cities, Birmingham suited him. "In the big cities, there's a lot more sizzle, but a lot less relationship," he said. "My happy quotient was best filled here."

In Alabama, he got to know generations of Jewish families.

"I've done baby namings and I knew the baby's great-grandparents," Miller said. "That's significant."

In 1999, Miller and lay leaders at Temple Emanu-El led a drive to renovate the sanctuary on Highland Avenue.

"We have one of the most beautiful facilities of any synagogue in the country," Miller said. "Our sanctuary is an architectural gem."

In 2001, the synagogue raised $17.5 million for construction, renovation and to start an endowment to assure a solid financial future for the congregation.

Membership has remained stable with about 700 families in the state's largest synagogue.

Miller believes his lasting legacy will be his commitment to caring for those families.

"It's not the sermons they'll remember, although maybe they'll remember a few," he said. "They learn to appreciate when you are there for them when they need you. What they'll remember most is, 'You cared for me when I needed caring.'"
Islamic.jpg

Romanian filmmaker Ingrid Serban wants to make a film of Islamophobic Americans on a trip to Egypt.

(Kindnessfilms.org)

Romanian-born filmmaker Ingrid Serban

A Romanian-born filmmaker is looking for someone who is afraid of Muslims but wouldn't mind a free trip to Egypt.

Independent filmmaker Ingrid Serban, who grew up in Transylvania, plans to make a film in which she takes Islamophobic Americans to Egypt. "For submissions, we're asking people to send us short videos of themselves telling us a bit about themselves and why they are interested in coming to Egypt," Serban told AL.com.

The details are on the web site for Kindness Films.

"Many people legitimately want to secure their own borders (e.g. Americans) and are talking about building walls and banning Muslims," according to the web site for Kindness Films. "This makes Muslims and other minorities afraid and creates deeper division and suspicion."

The idea is to immerse Islamophobic Americans in Islamic culture and see if it changes their attitudes.

"Kindness Films asked itself: Could there be another way? What if Muslims and those who are concerned by an Islamic threat shared time and experiences together?"

So this is the pitch:

"Are you concerned by an Islamic threat? We want to hear from you. Would you be courageous enough to accept an all expenses paid vacation to Egypt for you and your family? We would then be filming you and your experiences to share with others through a feature documentary film."

The deadline to submit a video is March 10.

"We would like to treat you to a holiday, have a chance to dialogue with you and really hear what you have to say! Be adventurous and tell us why you would like to come by submitting a video.

Serban's other projects include a feature documentary shot in her homeland, "Strigoi: The Real Vampires of Transylvania."
Etowah County officials pointed to a long table today at a press conference, representing the haul following a month-long push against drug crimes throughout many of its municipalities.

More than 50 pounds of marijuana sat in bags, with tens of thousands of dollars of seized cash. A box of used hypodermic needles spilled out next to drug pipes and confiscated weapons. Lining the walls were the mugshots of the hundreds of people arrested over the 28-day period.

In early February, law enforcement agencies and the City of Gadsden announced the beginning of a concentrated effort to combat drugs and drug crime. Friday was the fulfillment of a promise to report back on the results.

Sheriff Todd Entrekin said the most depressing thing was how the pace of offenses did not slacken off. As the push continued, he said, authorities could see offenders warning each other on social media about where officers were on certain nights. But instead of laying low, the activity continued.

"Our last night was the biggest one," he said. "I thought it would ease up after a week, but we were averaging 15 arrests a night and it just kept going."

The numbers tell the story. The Direct Action Response Team, formed from law enforcement agencies in Etowah County and comprising more than 65 officers, arrested 353 people in February. Of those, 270 had been arrested previously, and 16 were arrested multiple times over the month.

Of those arrested, authorities said 153 were white males, 105 black males, 58 white females, 21 Hispanic females, 15 black females and one Asian male. There were also 22 immigration checks or encounters.

Over that time, the law enforcement agencies involved in the push arrested 183 people on 232 drug charges. A total of 540 felony and misdemeanor warrants were issued, a 50 percent increase from the previous year, and 932 people were booked into the Etowah County Detention Center, a 45 percent increase over February 2016.

Inside those numbers were moments, authorities said, such as the seizure of several pounds of high grade marijuana and $50,000 cash at one bust and the uncovering of a fencing operation which began with the discovery of an explosive device. Many of the operations began with tips from residents about drug activity.

"My office has a lot of work ahead of us," said District Attorney Jody Willoughby, looking at the mugshots and evidence. "This is a proud day, because these guys have worked their tails off. Everyone involved - their professionalism has been outstanding."

And officials say the pace will continue. Gadsden Mayor Sherman Guyton said his city plans on financially supporting continued efforts against drug-related crime. Entrekin said, using grant money, the costs of the heightened operations were not too great.

However, authorities said the arrests show that last year's heralded sentencing reforms, aimed at reducing the state's prison population, are not curtailing crime. Entrekin said a month of heightened enforcement in Etowah County, the smallest in the state, show rehabilitation can only do so much to stem drug-related offenses.

"We need to build more prisons, and we need to rehabilitate, but folks need to go to jail for crimes," he said. "Because we're putting them back on the street and they are reoffending."
Gov. Robert Bentley and others today announced plans for commemorating the 200th anniversary of Alabama becoming a state, including the establishment of a historical park near the State Capitol.

Alabama became the 22nd state on Dec. 14, 1819.

The Alabama Bicentennial Commission, created by the Legislature in 2013 to plan the commemoration, is launching the celebration with events and programs this year.

Today marked the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the Alabama Territory by Congress.

The state will launch the bicentennial commemoration on May 5 in Cooper Riverside Park in Mobile, the state's oldest city, founded in 1702.

At a press conference today, Bentley announced the establishment of the Capitol Bicentennial Park in front of the two state office buildings that face the Capitol on Dexter Avenue.

Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell said the park will feature a series of ground-mounted commemorative plaques marking important eras and events.

"We have seen so much in our state and soon we'll be able to walk back through time and we'll read about the interesting history of the state of Alabama," Bentley said.

Other events and initiatives are in the works, officials said. The celebration will conclude in Montgomery on Dec. 14, 2019.

"There will be something for every person and every place that chooses to participate," Sen. Arthur Orr of Decatur, the commission chairman said.
Alabama and the 12 other states on Friday dismissed their lawsuit against the federal government for an Obama administration transgender directive that stated schools must allow student access to restrooms and locker rooms regardless of students' gender.

The lawsuit was dropped in the wake of the Trump administration's recent moves to rescind the directive. The U.S. Justice Department also had dropped its appeal of a nationwide injunction blocking enforcement of the now rescinded federal directive.

"I am pleased to announce that Alabama has officially won the battle in protecting the privacy of our students and upholding the rights of our local schools to oversee student safety," said Attorney General Steven T. Marshall.

"Alabama was one of 13 states to successfully challenge the unlawful federal student privacy directive last year, ultimately securing a nationwide injunction against the directive," Marshall stated. "School administrators, teachers and parents should hold the right to determine policies governing student access to intimate areas like restrooms and locker rooms, not federal bureaucrats who seek to rewrite the law."

On February 22, the Trump administration rescinded the Obama administration's "significant guidance letter" on school restroom and locker room access and on Thursday the U.S. Justice Department announced its decision to drop its appeal of the August 22, 2016, injunction by a federal judge to halt implementation of the directive.

The result of the Trump administration's dropping of the directive will be that states and school districts will now have to interpret federal anti-discrimination law and determine whether students should have access to restrooms in accordance with their expressed gender identity and not just their biological sex, according to the Associated Press.
house of representatives feb 9 2016 julie bennett.JPG

(Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

The Alabama House of Representatives has passed a bill requiring cellphone companies in the state to hand over location data to law enforcement agencies when asked.

The measure says communication providers would need to share a person's location in a situation involving a risk of death or serious bodily harm. It passed without opposition Thursday.

Republican Rep. Tommy Hanes of Scottsboro sponsored the bill and says it will save lives.

The legislation was named after 18-year-old Kansas murder victim Kelsey Smith. Hanes said police struggled to get her location data from a wireless carrier before her body was discovered in a 2007 killing.

He said 21 other states already have similar laws in place.

The bill moves next to the Senate for debate.
Chukotka Governor Roman Kopin has called on the federal government to reclaim some of the regional territories which are being polluted by industrial companies. This was reported on the official website of the Chukotka Autonomous Area. Kopin spoke out for this initiative at a meeting of the working group which maintains environmental safety, part of the State Commission for Arctic Development, in Moscow.

"The Government of Chukotka suggests reclaiming areas polluted by waste from the former Iultin tin-tungsten mining and ore-processing works, to assess current environmental damage, to eliminate sources of pollution and to reclaim the territory of the Pevek mining and ore-processing works, the Valkumei mine and to remove oil drums from the Chukotka, Iultin, Provideniye and Anadyr municipal districts," Kopin noted.

We need to treat the fragile and vulnerable Arctic nature in a particularly frugal manner; therefore the Government of Chukotka suggests focusing on the environmental safety of the Russian Arctic regions, Kopin stressed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with the leaders of Iceland and Finland on the sidelines of the Arctic  Territory of Dialogue international Arctic forum, which is to be held in Arkhangelsk on March 29-30, Mr Putin's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, RIA Novosti reported.

"Per tradition, Mr Putin will attend the forum and its plenary session. The president is expected to make a fairly long and substantive speech on Arctic matters. President Gudni Thorlacius Johannesson of Iceland and President Sauli Niinisto of Finland have confirmed attendance. Naturally, we expect that, in addition to taking part in the forum, the president will also hold separate bilateral meetings with these guests  the leaders of Iceland and Finland," Mr Peskov told reporters.

The forum will bring together more than 1,500 participants from 14 countries, including Australia, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada, China, Norway, the United States, Finland, Switzerland and Japan. "Among them will be the heads of groups of Russian and international companies operating in the Arctic, international experts and representatives of government agencies and the scientific community," the spokesman said.
Berlin, Germany  The most crucial decision for a person forced to flee their homeland is where to seek asylum. That is the hard lesson learned by Yemane Mesgen on his harrowing journey as a refugee.

Mesgen was born and raised in Eritrea, where the government has committed crimes against humanity, including indefinite military or police service, according to the United Nations. In 2008, after he was recruited to be a policeman, Mesgen decided to flee his homeland. He considered going to Europe, but was afraid of the dangerous journey across Libya and the Mediterranean Sea.

Instead, he chose Israel as his destination for asylum.

The Israeli government does not like refugees, the 28-year old Mesgen recently told Al Jazeera in the German capital. He spoke nearly fluent Hebrew, which he picked up during the seven years he lived in Israel.





Mesgen managed to safely cross Sudan through the Sinai desert  where many Eritreans have been captured and tortured  and entered Israel in 2008.

Unfortunately for Mesgen, however, the Israeli government has been unwelcoming to Eritrean nationals, granting refugee status to less than one percent of arrivals.

Israel does not deport Eritreans back to their dangerous homeland because that would violate the United Nations Refugee Convention. Instead, Eritreans get short-term visas that must be continuously renewed, but they have no right to work or access to welfare services.

READ MORE: Meet the Eritrean refugee turned rescue volunteer

Mesgen lived in this legal limbo for seven years, getting by by working illegally in restaurants and sharing a tiny Jerusalem flat with other Eritreans. Then, in 2015, Israeli authorities ordered him to reside in Holot, a detention centre for illegal immigrants, which has the capacity to accommodate 3,000 people, without freedom of movement or the right to work.

The only other alternatives offered to Mesgen  and other Eritreans  were to return home voluntarily or leave Israel for another African nation. I didnt want to go to Holot, Mesgen recalled. I told them I cannot go back to my country, but I will go back to Africa.

In July 2015, an Israeli immigration officer escorted Mesgen to Ben-Gurion international airport, handed him a one-way ticket to Rwanda with a travel document for Rwandan immigration officials, and $3,500 in cash  the reward for those who exit Israel voluntarily.

The initiative was launched by the Israeli Immigration Authority in 2013 to persuade asylum seekers to leave the country. Mesgen is one of more than 14,000 asylum seekers, mostly from Eritrea and Sudan, who have left Israel through the voluntary departure programme over the past three years.

Israel  a signee of the UN Refugee Convention  sends people who need protection to countries that do not protect them, in the process, forcing asylum seekers to go on dangerous smuggling routes, according to reports by international and Israeli NGOs and interviews that Al Jazeera conducted with Eritreans who made it to Europe.

False promises

Before leaving Israel, Mesgen received a letter that the Population and Immigration Authority distributed to Eritreans in the country. The letter promised those who leave voluntarily will be granted a residence permit and the right to work in the African country where they land. But when Mesgen arrived in Rwanda, he realised those promises were empty.

He said a man who introduced himself as John from immigration picked him up from a restricted area in Rwandas international airport, took away the Israeli travel document, escorted him to a villa in the capital Kigali where other Eritreans stayed, and told him not leave the premise. After two days, John told the Eritreans he would smuggle them to Uganda in exchange for $250 a person.

Mesgens story about what happened to him in Rwanda is similar to testimonies from other Eritreans who exited Israel via the voluntary departure procedure.

Research by the International Refugee Rights Initiative  a non-profit organisation focusing primarily on Africa  found Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers who left Israel voluntarily were sent to Rwanda and Uganda. Upon arrival, they were either encouraged to leave these countries, or live under the radar without legal status.

In the report Deported to the Unknown by the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants  a Tel-Aviv based NGO  Eritreans who left Israel voluntarily testified they were denied residence permits in Rwanda, held captive for days at a villa in Kigali, and eventually were smuggled to Uganda.

Secret agreements

The legality of Israels voluntary departure procedure was challenged in an Israeli court in 2014. The state declared it has secret agreements with two unidentified African countries to take in Eritreans and Sudanese who leave Israel. Revealing the identity of the two African countries and details of the agreements may harm Israels foreign relations, according to a letter that Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Nethanyau sent to the court.

Al Jazeera asked Israels Population and Immigration Authority what it does to ensure the safety of those who voluntarily exit. Spokeswoman Sabin Hadad said in an email she could not provide details because the agreements Israel has with the two unnamed African countries are confidential.

READ MORE: Eritrean refugees in Israel sent to Uganda and Rwanda

For Mesgen, the journey from Rwanda to Germany was both dangerous and costly. He travelled on smuggling routes across Uganda and into South Sudan, where he was caught and imprisoned for two months.

The South Sudan authorities told me, You dont have a passport so you might be a criminal. I told them I am not a criminal  I said I was in Israel and now I came here. They said to me you dont have a passport, you dont have any Israeli document, you dont have Eritrea passport, it is dangerous for us. We cannot let you out of the prison, Mesgen recalled.

He bribed his way out of jail and continued his treacherous journey through Sudan and Libya to the coastal city of Benghazi, where he boarded a 10-metre-long fishing boat that would take him to Italy.

There were 600 people on board, there was no space at all, people on top of each other, very tight. There were a lot of Eritreans and Somalis and other Africans, he said. It was, of course, very scary to board this boat, but what can I do, I had no other choice.

Burden-shifting

While the Israeli court legitimised voluntary departure, the United Nation High Commission on Refugees has been critical of its implementation.

We are concerned and we have raised the concerns with the government of Israel because we do have information that [refugees] are not necessarily having the necessary protection safeguards, UNHCRs representative in Israel, Walpurga Englbrecht, told Al Jazeera.

Englbrecht said Israel should provide assurances that asylum seekers who leave for the African countries will indeed be granted adequate documentation, residency permits, and the ability to work. UNHCR is not against voluntary departure, but Englbrecht said the procedure is problematic if it is not really responsibility-sharing, but more burden-shifting.

READ MORE: Calais  Eritrean refugees tell of torture and fear

Israel is not the only one to implement voluntary departure procedures  Australia and the European Union have similar systems in place. But the fact its agreements with Rwanda and Uganda are confidential raises red-flags, said Reuven Ziegler, a research associate at the Refugees Studies Centre at the University of Oxford.

Ziegler said asylum seekers have a very precarious status, if at all in Rwanda and Uganda, do not have access to Refugee Status Determination, and find themselves having to continue their journey and seek protection elsewhere.

That is exactly what happened to Mesgen and also to Aman, a 31-year-old Eritrean who spoke to Al Jazeera in Berlin. Aman  who today has refugee status in Germany  asked that his real name not be used because his mother and sister still live in Eritrea and he fears for their safety.

No monitoring

He fled his homeland in 2008 to avoid recruitment into the military. Relying on people smugglers, Aman tried to reach Israel where he thought he would be able to get protection status. On his way, however, he was abducted in Sinai  as were as many as 30,000 Eritreans  and held captive for 35 days until his family paid ransom for his release. Aman said he was tortured and beaten, and pointed to a broken front tooth as one of the consequences of that horrific experience.

In Israel, he never received refugee status and had to renew his visa every fours months. He managed to find work illegally as a kitchen cleaner, and made enough money to survive  even enough to send to his mother in Eritrea.

In Israel, I felt stress  I had some work but not freedom, Aman said. Theres no democracy in Israel.

In April 2014, after he was summoned to the Holot Detention Centre for Illegal Immigrants, he agreed to voluntarily leave the country. He said on his flight out of Israel 39 other Eritreans were with him, none ended up staying in Rwanda.





Israel does not monitor what happens to the Eritreans and Sudanese who land in Rwanda and Uganda, according to Sigal Rozen, public policy coordinator at the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants and author of the Deported to the Unknown report.

All the 47 interviewees that we managed to locate  were not asked to provide phone numbers or addresses to the Israeli authorities, and, of course, they had no contact with the Israeli authorities after they left, Rozen said.

The majority of Eritreans plan to smuggle their way into Ethiopia and try to survive there, while some head on the dangerous route through Sudan and Libya for Italy, with the hope of finding refuge in Europe.

We receive a lot of calls and emails from worried relatives around the world  and also in Israel  about people who left and disappeared, Rozen said.

Captured by ISIL

Aman said five Eritreans aboard his flight out of Israel tried to make it to Europe but were captured and killed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group in Libya. He pulled out his phone and played an online video by ISIL, known as ISIS  showing preparations for beheadings  and identified two people he knew being led to their deaths.

While Aman did not fall into ISILs hands, he faced significant danger and uncertainty. Similar to Mesgens story, Aman said when he landed in Kigali he was sent to a nearby hotel and two days later was smuggled out of Rwanda to Uganda.

From there, he tried to reach South Sudan, but was caught by border guards who did not let him leave until he surrendered all the money he had left from the $3,500 that Israeli authorities handed him when he left. They let him keep $50 and told him to go away.

I didnt have clothes, I didnt have a bag, nothing, Aman said.

WATCH: Identity of smuggler extradited to Italy questioned

His younger brother was in Israel at the time, but now also lives in Germany. He sent Aman some money to Juba, capital of South Sudan. After collecting the cash, Aman travelled to Khartoum, Sudans capital, where he met his wife who he had not seen in six years.

She is an Eritrean who had been living in a refugee camp in Ethiopia. The couple made their way through Libya  where they again were captured and forced to pay ransom  and then across the Mediterranean Sea on an overcrowded smugglers boat with hundreds of other people from various countries.

No data is available on how many asylum seekers who left Israel voluntarily made it to Europe. However, it is well documented that more than 10,000 people died in the Mediterranean Sea over the past three years trying to reach its shores.

Since 2008, about 123,000 Eritreans have applied for asylum in the European Union, mostly in Germany and Sweden.

The lucky ones

Aman and his wife arrived in Germany in October 2014. He said the journey from Rwanda to Germany cost $11,000, which was spent on official bribes and smuggler payments.

Mesgen  who was aboard a smuggling boat that was lost at sea for 48 hours before being rescued by the Italian navy  managed to reach Germany in September 2015. He said he paid $10,000 for a similar trip.

Both men were eager to tell their stories because they know many Eritreans still in Israel and wanted to raise awareness about the consequences of the voluntary departure programme. Aman and Mesgen emphasised how fortunate they were to survive.

There are 29,367 Eritreans still in Israel, according to the latest data published by the Israeli Immigration and Population Authority. As of last December, there were 1,860 Eritreans and Sudanese living in the Holot Detention Centre for Illegal Immigrants, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

In Germany, Amans and Mesgens asylum applications were reviewed within months, and they were granted refugee status with all its social and economic rights. Throughout the EU, about 93 percent of Eritrean asylum applicants are granted some form of protection.

Aman and Mesgen are currently full-time students at a state-funded language school, and both recently became fathers for the first time. Aman and his family live in the centre of Berlin, while Mesgen, his wife  also an Eritrean refugee  and toddler have a two-room flat on the southern outskirts of the German capital.

The rent for both their apartments is covered by Germanys welfare system, and each family gets a monthly allowance of about 1,000 euros ($1,050).

I am happy to be here, Mesgen said recently outside a Berlin church that serves a community of Eritrean refugees every Sunday morning. Here it is good, thank God. Im lucky.
The Russian High Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatiana Moskalkova, plans to petition to the Human Rights Commissioner of Azerbaijan, Elmira Suleymanova, requesting her to check the confinement conditions of blogger Alexander Lapshin, who is imprisoned in Azerbaijan, according to RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.

March 3, 2017, 14:58 Russia ombudswoman to petition to her Azerbaijan counterpart, regarding Lapshin

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 3, ARTSAKHPRESS: Journalists are a special professional community that works in risk zones, and requires special attention and respect, said Moskalkova. I made a statement in the case of our journalist [i.e. Lapshin], who was extradited to Azerbaijan by Belarus.

I regret that our colleagues from Azerbaijan did not listen. I will petition to Azerbaijans ombudsperson, so that she visit our citizen, and become convinced that he doesnt need medical assistance and doesnt complain about [his] confinement conditions.

After his visits to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in 2011 and 2012, Israeli Russian blogger and journalist Alexander Lapshin was blacklisted by Azerbaijan.

In June 2016, however, he paid a visit to Azerbaijan--but with a Ukrainian passport--and, subsequently, he published several articles criticizing the Azerbaijani authorities.

Afterward, Azerbaijan issued an international search for this famous blogger. On December 15, 2016, Lapshin was detained in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk, and based on this search.

On January 26 of the current year, the Minsk city court dismissed the blogger's appeal of the Belarusian General Prosecutor's Office decision to extradite him to Azerbaijan.

On February 7, the Supreme Court of Belarus dismissed the appeals that were filed into this case, and upheld the aforesaid decision by the General Prosecutors Office.

And on the evening of the same day, Belarus extradited Alexander Lapshin to the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku, where he was taken into custody.
Graffiti artist Suhaib Attar says his goal is to brighten up Amman and help people think outside the box.

Amman  In the dusty afternoon heat of downtown Amman, Suhaib Attar has laid out his spray paint cans on the ground. He paces back and forth, trying to figure out how to brighten up a nearby wall.

A group of curious children gathers behind him as Attar calmly puts on his headphones on and begins to sing softly in Arabic. He picks up one of the cans and starts to paint.

Street art is a relatively new phenomenon in Jordan, where more than 60 percent of the population is under 30 and unemployment rates among young people are twice the national rate, according to the United Nations Development Programme.

But Attar is fast becoming one of Jordans most renowned street artists, with his work appearing all over the country.

Poverty and pressure to provide for their families have dissuaded many young people from pursuing art as a passion, but Attar hopes to change that.

We are missing a lot in the art scene here because its very hard to make a living out of it, but Im hopeful it will become bigger as more graffiti is showing up on walls, Attar, 24, tells Al Jazeera. I think my work brightens up Amman, and the city definitely needs more of this. For some people, it can expand their imagination and it makes them think outside the box.

After 20 minutes of work, he stands back to examine the geometric panda he has drawn. His audience of children looks on enthusiastically.

The good thing about street art is that it is public, so everyone sees it, and I can use this whole country as my canvas, Attar says. I feel as though people are used to seeing the same drab colours of buildings, so if there is a huge mural in between, the colours put people in a good mood.

The good thing about street art is that it is public, so everyone sees it, and I can use this whole country as my canvas. by Suhaib Attar, graffiti artist

Growing up in a tough neighbourhood in east Amman as the eldest son of Palestinian refugee parents, Attar struggled as a teenager.

I used to be an aggressive kid, and I had a lot of problems at school, he recalls. I got into a lot of fights, but I found that art was like anger management, because I used to vent my frustrations into my sketches. It made me feel better and calmer, as it helped me stay out of trouble.

After attending classes at a local community centre, he learned about graphic design and digital art before discovering street art. Among the rows of old buildings outside Attars house, clumsy graffiti outlines are still visible from where he practised his skills as a teenager.

At 19, Attar began studying fine arts at university, but his passion for painting the streets of Amman soon led him to quit his studies and start working with NGOs and small businesses. Commissioned for advertising by agencies, such as the UN and the United States Agency for International Development, he worked on a number of projects dear to his heart, including efforts to increase womens empowerment and to secure regional peace.

A side street in the Jabal Al Weibdeh area of Amman displays one of Attars most striking murals to date: a 23-metre-high geometric deer, painted on an old building. It was his first large-scale piece and took two days to complete.

I started experimenting with the line art style, which I learned in university, so it was exciting to have an opportunity to make it into a huge piece, Attar says. People really love it, and it catches their eye because of its colour combination.

Amid the recent influx of Syrian refugees into Jordan, Attar has also started holding workshops with Syrian children, introducing them to his world of colour and expression. He works in conjunction with Awareness and Prevention Through Art (AptART), an NGO that specialises in working with vulnerable children.





Jordan has hosted refugees from across the region for more than half a century. There are a lot of conversations to be held in public spaces, and art offers an opportunity to do that, AptART director Samantha Robison tells Al Jazeera.

In Jordan, the concept of street art is much more unconventional than in other places, she adds. Its still in its beginning stages of social understanding and acceptance. Our aim is to amplify the voices of marginalised groups and put their ideas and identities in the public space. Street artists have an opportunity to convey a message to a large audience in a way that other artists might not. The world is their gallery; its art for everyone.

When the AptART team was working in Zaatari camp, home to almost 80,000 Syrian refugees, children as young as four were able to join in and write on walls about their hopes for the future.

These kids are stuck in the middle of the desert, in a camp, and there is nothing bright for them, Attar says. Young refugees didnt have any colours around them, and doing something simple like letting them play with paint put a smile on their faces. Writing their messages and ideas on a wall made them feel better about their lives, because they felt as if they were achieving something.

Meanwhile, one of Attars murals in Khalda, northeast of Amman, shows a different side of the Jordanian army: an officer with his bagpipes. I was given photos from the army archives to choose from and this mans features stood out for me, he says.

And in the Sweifieh district of Amman, Attars pastel-coloured whale stands out as a part of a project to raise awareness of Jordans water crisis. He and another artist each painted one side of a building with water-related themes in an effort to get people thinking about the environment.

Water gets delivered once a week, so families have to save their supplies to last for seven days  I think Jordan is one of the poorest countries in the world when it comes to water, so when people see this street art, they will take notice, Attar explains.

Im lucky to be doing this, he adds, touching the mural on the wall. Being up high and painting is where I find my inner peace.
The Peruvian region VRAEM, the valley of the three rivers Apurimac, Ene and Mantaro, has long been stigmatised by the outside world as a lawless region overrun by narco-terrorists. Its a description that holds some truth: about 70 percent of Perus cocaine is produced in the region and it is home to the last remnants of the Shining Path, a Maoist armed group that fought a war against the state between 1980 and 2000. Today an estimated 300 fighters remain in the region.

But for the more than 400,000 people living in the VRAEM, their story is predominantly one of struggling for survival, with basic needs such as education, energy, asphalted roads and clean water often unfulfilled. Here, the economic potential of coca, the plant used to make cocaine, is unrivalled and can offer some respite in the face of poverty. A soldier who grew up in the region, a local radio presenter and a leader of the coca movement give us their take on living in the VRAEM.

Omar Ore, 20, Soldier

Ask any man my age in the VRAEM, theyve all worked in the drug trade at some point. Everybody here is poor. Working in cocaine production offers a way out.

When I was 16, I used to ride my bike all the time and I started earning respect. This was when I started being offered work. At first I worked in a coca maceration pit, which is a clandestine cocaine lab in the jungle. I helped carry coca sacks and used chemicals to macerate the leaves and extract the coca alkaloids.

Later I began taking jobs as a mule, which is far more dangerous. We would go up the mountains and walk through no-mans land until we would get to secret stash points, from where others would take care of deliver. Out there, there are few rules. People are killed for what they carry. You cant trust anyone.

I quit because I sensed that I was getting in over my head. I started drinking and getting into fights outside of discotheques. Fights like those sometimes end up with someone getting shot. Some of my contemporaries ended up dead or with bullet wounds. Others ended up in prison or somewhere up the ladder of the drug trade risking everything. Very few left the drug trade behind altogether.

I chose to join the army when I was 18. I needed it to get a clear head so I could think about having a career and looking after my family. It hasnt been easy. My ID gave away where I was from. At first the officers thought I was an infiltrator from the Shining Path, [a Maoist armed group which fought a vicious internal war against the state between 1980 and 2000. They still have a small presence in the VRAEM, with an estimated 300 fighters remaining]. The intelligence service was constantly questioning me. I have since proved myself as a soldier and hope to become an officer one day.

I always come back to the VRAEM on leave. My family wont move from here. I sometimes speak to my father about whether things will ever change in the valley. Coca farmers are constantly in fear of having their fields eradicated. But from what Im told coca production has only expanded this year.

I wish there was another way to make money in the region. Perhaps through industrialisation of coca for other uses, such as tea and flour. Now that Im 20 years old, all I can see is that things are not the same as when I was growing up  they are intensifying. Life in the VRAEM used to be more rustic . Now many simple peasants have become master chemists.

A week ago I was working on our family coca field and I saw two plumes of smoke rise up not far from me. The police had discovered some cocaine labs and had blown them up. Thats an image most farmers are used to. Its an almost daily occurrence. The police sometimes even bring reporters along to show off their work.

Three days later a clandestine pit like that will be operational again  and the cycle continues.

Romulo Loayza, 40, Santa Rosa Radio Presenter

I used to come to the VRAEM as a teenager on holidays to visit my fathers coca fields. Those were dangerous times during the internal war with the Shining Path. Years later after finishing my studies in agronomy I returned and settled here in Santa Rosa, [a small town at the heart of the VRAEM].

Ten years ago a friend of mine dared me to present on radio. Since then I havent stopped. Today I host a daily programme where I read the news and discuss issues that matter to local farmers. Im known as Radio Chaski, which means the messenger in Quechua. I try to be as objective as possible, though I admit I also promote a line of fertilisers that I buy in Ayacucho.

I know what my fertilisers are used for coca production and, therefore, likely towards making cocaine. People here pretend otherwise, but thats what sustains the local economy.

The new Peruvian president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, came to power on a ticket saying he would change things. That he would review ancient coca cultivation and finally bring coca eradication by creating a strong alternative market. But weve heard this kind of talk before.

The previous government headed by president Ollanta Humala invested millions of soles into the VRAEM in a crop reconversion programme, but barely half of it went to help out farmers. Most of the money went into the pockets of greedy intermediaries. They gave each coca farmer in the VRAEM cacao plants hoping that in three years time when the plants produced, the farmers would reap their rewards and there would be a miraculous shift in the regions main crop.

But it will be difficult to displace coca. Cacao only harvests once a year while for coca its up to four times a year. And with coca the market comes to your door: the black market buyer will actually come to your farm. As it stands a coca farmer makes three times as much as any cacao farmer. Its simple economics: the demand from outside dictates the production. The only thing that could ever change the coca market is if synthetic drugs would replace cocaine in the West.

The government can talk big but its too scared to effect real change. Theres too much at stake for them. Eradicating the countrys coca production would be bad for the Peruvian economy. It would also cause an uprising among farmers who are prepared to sacrifice their own lives.

Between 1990 and 2000, more than 5,000 rifles were given out by the Fujimori government to help self-defence militias in the VRAEM fight the Shining Path. These rifles were never returned and these units still exist. They provide security to the community as police are largely absent in the VRAEM.

And lets not be naive. Last year army helicopters were caught transporting cocaine to the capital, Lima  even the military is involved in the drug trade.

Paulina Pariona, 34, Womens Coca Association Santa Rosa

My father was killed fighting alongside the self-defence militias against the Shining Path in 1986. Soon after, the Shining Path came to our house and killed my mother. I grew up with my brothers and sisters  we all endured great poverty and suffering. Those are times I prefer not to think about. But its what formed us. I never finished primary school.

Today Im a mother of four and a leader of the cocalero [coca producers] movement here in Santa Rosa. I will fight until my dying breath for the rights of coca farmers. Coca is what puts food on the table here in the VRAEM. Its our only significant cash supply.

All our lives the government has vilified people from this region  they see us as drug traffickers. We are farmers. We would gladly convert to other crops like coffee and cacao but they sadly dont bring financial results that can sustain us. Most of the earth in the VRAEM is too red with clay, barely suitable for anything else but coca.

What we want is for the government to review the system of legal membership of coca farmers, which was established in 1978. Today less than 20 percent of coca farmers in the VRAEM are registered under the scheme. What we want is something similar to whats happening in Bolivia. We want each coca farmer to be registered and allowed the same sized coca patch. Anyone who grows more than allowed would have their accreditation taken away, and possibly have their patch eradicated. The coca would then be sold to ENACO, the national coca agency, making sure it would not fall into the hands of cocaine producers.

Coca has great potential for being industrialised for its many medicinal properties. But its the West that keeps failing to see its other potential uses for curing stomach cramps, hangovers and altitude sickness. We as farmers chew coca; it keeps us strong when we are working the fields. For us it is sacred.

The politicians are all dishonest; they only befriend us in times of elections and then vanish. They never fulfil their promises. When I was a town councillor, I tried my best to improve education and health, but the investments from the government were minimal. We are still much in need.

We dont want to be demonised. We want to find a solution by legalising our coca fields, but the state has forgotten about us.
Not long after sunrise, mango juice cartons and small boxes of cookies are passed around to the children on the fishing boat, as tired eyes scan the mountainous coast of southern Yemen. The motor drowns out any talk, as dolphins  believed to be a good omen  appear alongside, as if they are showing the way.

After the 16-hour sea journey from Djibouti, the boat docks in the Port of Aden, where passengers are greeted by armed men and stale, humid air.

Yemen is a country at war, with numerous groups, including the Houthi rebels, al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) wrestling for power. An Arab coalition backing Yemens government has been conducting air strikes in the country for nearly two years, aiming to regain control.

But as the devastated country grapples with a massive humanitarian crisis, many Yemenis have become suspicious of one another. The countrys economic, urban and societal fabrics have been ravaged.

I am scared of what is going to happen [amid the] fuel crisis, food crisis, gas crisis, cash crisis  I never feel safe, university student Nisma Mansoor, 22, told Al Jazeera.

Some displaced Yemeni families are slowly returning to the country, but their boats are dwarfed by those departing. Many other Yemenis are desperate to leave, but have nowhere to go.

War was a lesson for us all that nothing remains the same, resident Taha Raed told Al Jazeera, and no one knows when he is going to die.
The Australian governments flirtation with Israel extends to a selective and dangerous approach to international law.

There is something troubling about the recent five-day trip to Australia by Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, something beyond the charade of pomp, bravado and contrived pleasantries.

The trip itself was heralded as historic, firstly because it was the first visit of a prime minister of Israel to Australia. The agenda was primarily related to trade negotiations, and more significant issues relating to Israels occupation were left off the official agenda.

What is troubling is the Australian governments apparent willingness to collaborate with Netanyahus plans, including  just as the United States President Donald Trump appeared to have done  engaging in Netanyahus fantasy version of a Palestinian state, which in essence is a form of limited occupation with de facto apartheid conditions, or occupation lite.

The troubling part is that the Australian position, which has shifted to the right since 2013, is flirting more intensely with this fantasy and, at the same time, encourages Israels breaches of international law.

Bipartisan failure to admit the truth





It makes no sense why Australia is in step with successive Israeli governments. Polling trends among the Australian public show a more responsible attitude to the Palestinian-Israeli issue than that adopted by Australian Labor and Liberal governments.

Under a Labor government with Julia Gillard as prime minister in 2012, Australia refused to recognise a Palestinian state and this has been the position of the current Liberal government.

The Labor opposition is still grappling with whether to adopt acceptance of statehood as a policy, and on the eve of Netanyahus visit, former Labor prime ministers, Bob Hawke and Kevin Rudd, and former Labor foreign minister Bob Carr have been actively calling for Australia (and the Labor Party) to recognise Palestine, and have sharply criticised Israels continued settlement expansion policy which they recognise is a violation of international law.

The Australian governments flirtation with Israeli demands has extended to a selective and dangerous approach to international law. Why is this the case? It can be described as an ideological attitude that permeates across other domestic policies.

In June 2014, Australia found itself in the middle of a serious diplomatic crisis when Attorney General George Brandis, who despite being the first law officer in the country, with no expertise or knowledge in international law, refused to accept East Jerusalem as occupied.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop agreed with Brandis saying the term was not helpful. Both Bishop and Brandis tried to defuse the policy shift as many Arab and Muslim majority countries threatened sanctions against long-standing trade links. Netanyahu at the time welcomed the change.

The Australian government and foreign minister are openly championing a warped view of the settlement enterprise - advanced only by the extreme fringe of Israel's supporters worldwide - that encourages disrespect for international law which Australia is duty-bound to respect, observe and ensure respect for globally. by

Then there is Bishops more recent affront to international legal fact. In a video posted on Twitter, journalist Latika Bourke asks Bishop if she believes that Israeli settlements are illegal. Bishop responds: Thats a matter for the final determination of the negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis. The point that Ive always made is that you cant have a unilateral imposition of a state, it has to be negotiated between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

This mirrored her first foray into this unusually Israeli position in January 2014 when she was interviewed in Israel, and said: I would like to see which international law has declared them illegal.

Of course Bishop is well aware of the law and the international legal position and she would be advised to look further given Australia is a party to the Geneva Conventions.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) recognises grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions as amounting to war crimes offences.

To add to that, Australia has codified the Rome Statute offences into its criminal code. So such offences are also offences against the Australian Commonwealth.

Trouble in its own backyard

That the Australian government and foreign minister are openly championing a warped view of the settlement enterprise  advanced only by the extreme fringe of Israels supporters worldwide  that encourages disrespect for international law which Australia is duty-bound to respect, observe and ensure respect for globally.

Netanyahu met with Bishop on the last day of his visit and expressed concerns about the prospect of prosecution in the ICC and sought Australias support in preventing investigations and an eventual prosecution for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Israels settlement enterprise is likely to be one of the issues that the ICC will focus on when, and if, a decision is made to open a formal investigation.

Israels Channel 2 and the Jerusalem Post reported that Bishop apparently assured Netanyahu that Australia will be an important player, and committed to defending Israel in hostile international forums as it has done previously.

Bishops assurance to Netanyahu runs contrary to the international communitys obligation to end impunity. The timing is important. Australia has just launched its bid in Geneva to claim a seat on the UN Human Rights Council.

Australias own record and violation of international law and human rights is evident. The policy of indefinitely detaining some of the most vulnerable people, those people seeking asylum, in offshore detention centres on tiny remote islands in the Pacific, has been the subject of sharp criticism and condemnation.

And, more recently, the conditions on Manus Island and in Nauru detention centres, have been alleged to amount to crimes against humanity in a recent communication lodged with the ICC by leading international academics and practitioners.

Australias xenophobic border protection policies have been viewed positively by the right-wing in Europe and President Trump.

OPINION  Australia: Occupied East Jerusalem a matter of grammar

Australias inconsistent approach to international law and human rights doesnt stop there, it has rejected calls for accountability for allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka, and instead chosen to partner with the Sri Lankan government to enact its boat turn back policy .

It is also silent on the oppression of the people of West Papua, and closer to home, has failed time and again, its indigenous people.

Australia needs to chart a foreign policy which is guided by respect for international law. It should also adopt a policy independent of Israeli demands with a view to recognising the human rights of the Palestinian people and their right to seek justice and accountability.

Rawan Arraf is a Palestinian-Australian human rights lawyer practising in the area of refugee protection.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Todays worst Islamophobes are not hailing from the ranks of the far-right movement, instead they claim to be liberals.

The disease of Islamophobia, the irrational and categorical hatred of Muslims and their religion  just as its corresponding malaise of anti-Semitism against Jews, racism against African Americans, misogyny against women, or homophobia against the LGBQT  will need a sustained course of critical thinking and persistent examination before we understand its pathological origins and globally expose and discredit its chief ideologues.

Today in the United States, the rising attacks by white supremacists against Jewish, Muslim, and African American people, institutions and icons have all come together under one propaganda outlet code named alt-right, whose chief ideologue Stephen Bannon (the Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the alt-right) is now sitting right next to the president of the US in the Oval Office as his top consigliere.

What is the nature of this disease, and where does it come from? We already have a number of excellent studies on the matter, among them I might mention Peter Gottschalk and Gabriel Greenbergs Islamophobia: Making Muslims the Enemy; Deepa Kumars Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire; Nathan Leans The Islamophobia Industry: How the Right Manufactures Fear of Muslims; and Carl Ernst (Ed), Islamophobia in America: The Anatomy of Intolerance; and to which we must add Terry Eagletons exquisite dismantling of the New Atheists, Reason, Faith, and Revolution: Reflections on the God Debate.

These studies have all been necessary and groundbreaking but nowhere near sufficient. The disease of Islamophobia  like any other kind of phobia  has varied symptoms and requires continued critical diagnosis.

Boastful ignorance





Today, the world attention is rightly drawn to top Islamophobes like Stephen Bannon and Sebastian Gorka or the conspiracy theorist Frank Gaffney and their ilk, all and more congregating around Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

Hidden from sight under their disguise is a far more pernicious version of the illness in the far more popular liberal circles best represented by the mass-media manufactured court jesters like Bill Maher and his sidekick Sam Harris.

If you were to ask me who is the single most pestiferous American Islamophobe alive today I will not say Bannon, Michael Flynn, Stephan Miller, or even Gorka, all of them now chief among the career opportunist zealot Crusaders cheering Trump on.

I would say, without a moment of hesitation, Maher and Harris, and before he passed away that careerist Christopher Hitchens, are far more dangerous Stormtrooper lieutenants of Islamophobia.

These liberal Islamophobes are finagling their hatred of Muslims with smiling faces, silly jokes, phony arguments, forced laughter and manufactured consent  with the full cooperation of otherwise perfectly respectable outlets.

Masses of millions of Americans are out demonstrating against those notorious racists gathered around Trump. Maher and Harris are snake oil charmers selling their hate on prime time television.

OPINION: Why cant Muslims talk about the Muslim ban on US TV?

These liberal Islamophobes, proverbially the enemy of that which they do not understand, pontificate their pathological fear of Islam and Muslims with fake authority and false familiarity.

Sitting next to Maher, Harris issues an Executive Order that Islam must be reformed. But by what authority, what education, what knowledge, what scholarship and who gave him that authority?

Between the two of them Maher and Harris cannot tell a word of Arabic from Persian, Turkish, or Urdu if it hit them in the face, and yet, they sit there and like two Taliban bandits sharp shooting through camera lenses to the periodic laughter of approval by their popped up audiences.

Today, there are two complementary threats to that necessary internal reform definitive to Muslim intellectual history since its fateful encounter with European colonialism: Baghdadi and his gang of cutthroat criminals on one side and Maher and his fraternity club of liberal and right-wing Islamophobes on the other. by

Think of it: Among the entire gang of liberal and conservative Islamophobes, they cannot tell an Arabic from a Persian word. They are the functional equivalent of ignorant sheikhs and their Shia counterparts across the Middle East who come and issue fatwas about the West without a word of English or any other European language to their names.

And right there is the predicament of our time caught in between two gangs of ignoramus xenophobes, pitting one battalion of armed ignorance against another.

Unhinged bigotry

They dare to talk about the battle of ideas without a single citation of any living or dead Muslim theologian, philosopher, mystic, poet, artist, or public intellectual evident in their vertiginously vacuous prose.

The monumentality of their ignorance is only sanctioned by their self-entitled white privileges. They are white; they can say whatever they want.

At the height of the Enlightenment modernity, Europe ended up in German concentration camps. At the height of American democracy, they are ruled by Trump. And they dare to talk about battle of ideas! What ideas?

The history of their own country began with the genocidal destruction of Native Americans, continued with the despicable history of African slavery, and at the heights of their technological achievements with dropping an atom bomb on Japan. Battle of what ideas against what ideas?

Such highfalutin nonsense about battle of ideas, however, is a subterfuge for a much simpler banality of ignorance. It is no longer a matter of accusing Maher of being the bigot that he is, for his open espousing of wanton racism is now a matter of public knowledge after his recent bromance with the notorious neo-Fascist poster boy Milo Yiannopoulos.

None of this is to say Muslims en masse are Gods gift to humanity. Islamophilia is as deranged as Islamophobia. There are an estimated 1.5 billion Muslims around the globe. They have their share of criminal thugs, homicidal sociopaths, psychotic gangs, etc.

But to address such pathologies you will need a minimum of sympathy for the common humanity of millions of other Muslims who have nothing to do with these criminals.

OPINION: Go ahead, blame Islam

Today, there are two complementary threats to that necessary internal reform definitive to Muslim intellectual history since its fateful encounter with European colonialism: Baghdadi and his gang of cutthroat criminals on one side and Maher and his fraternity club of liberal and right-wing Islamophobes on the other.

This historic rise of Islamophobia will have a transformative impact on Muslims and the current turn in their critical thinking. The most serious among Muslim intellectuals are today undergoing the pains of moral and imaginative rebirth.

Their enemies like Maher and Bannon are the enemies of humanity, for Islamophobia is a thin subterfuge for a much more malignant xenophobia, fear of anyone and anything that does not look or sound like them.

We Muslims are privileged, perhaps we are even destined, to fight for our civil liberties in renewed universal terms  not just for ourselves but for all the other subaltern components of humanity fighting against white supremacy in the US and Europe.

We will emerge from this fight having morally universalised our political particulars. We will face Maher and Bannon face to face, eyeball to eyeball, with our learned humanity against their illiterate barbarity.

Hamid Dabashi is Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Second day of operations comes a month after a botched raid left several Yemeni civilians and a Navy SEAL dead.

US fighter jets have carried out dozens of air raids on suspected al-Qaeda positions in southern Yemen for a second consecutive day, according to the Pentagon and sources on the ground.

The overnight operation on Friday included another assault in the Wadi Yashbum village in Shabwa province, where residents told the Reuters news agency that some of the strikes had hit civilian homes and a number of civilians were among the wounded.

The air raids also struck the home of al-Qaedas commander in the area, Saad Atef, tribal sources told the AFP news agency.

Security officials in the area told AFP that eight suspected al-Qaeda fighters were killed in the strikes.

Tribal sources also said that women and children were wounded in the air raids, which came a day after the Pentagon confirmed carrying out more than 20 strikes in the Shabwa, Abyan and al-Bayda provinces.

Residents and local officials said at least 12 suspected al-Qaeda fighters were killed in Thursdays strikes.

Reports of ground battles

In addition to Fridays air raids, residents reported two separate gun battles between US ground troops and al-Qaeda fighters overnight, according to Reuters.

Backed by drones and Apache helicopter, the troops descended on Wadi Yashbum midnight and engaged suspected al-Qaeda fighters in a battle that lasted nearly half an hour, residents said.

The second half-hour battle came three hours later in the Jabal Mugan area of neighbouring Abyan province, according to residents, who also reported air raids.

Later on Friday, the Pentagon confirmed Fridays new wave of air strikes but denied reports that US forces had been engaged in ground combat or conducting raids.

I know there have been reports of firefights, raids, there have not been any that US forces have been involved in [on Friday], Navy Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters.

He added that since Thursday there had been about 30 US air raids in total against al-Qaedas Yemen branch.

Adam Baron, visiting fellow at the Europe Council on Foreign Relations in Beirut, said the US was trying to assert its authority in Yemen.

What you have here over the past 24 hours is the US military launching a series of strikes in a way that does appear to be a strong action against al-Qaeda, even if the ultimate results of these strikes remain unclear, he told Al Jazeera.

It looks like theyre basically aiming to bombard various areas that are known as so-called strongholds of al-Qaeda and their backers. That being said, there is obviously a huge possibility of civilians being caught in the crossfire, Baron added.

So, there is a huge danger that, even if you are hitting al-Qaeda targets, that civilians will be caught in the crossfire, which risks blowback beyond being a violation of international humanitarian law.

READ MORE: Key facts about the war in Yemen

The latest operations come a month after a January 29 raid on al-Bayda that residents said killed 16 civilians as well as al-Qaeda fighters.

The operation, the first of its kind authorised by President Donald Trump, was hailed as a success by the White House and other US officials.

But critics questioned the value and effectiveness of the mission since it killed women and children, as well as Navy SEAL Ryan Owens.

Owenss father has described the mission as stupid, and declined to meet Trump.

Al-Qaeda has exploited a power vacuum created by two years of war between Yemens government and Houthi rebels who control the capital to consolidate its presence, particularly in the south and east.

Successive US administrations have kept up a drone war against al-Qaedas Yemen branch since soon after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
With frequent suicide bombings and assaults on Somalias hotels and military targets, the armed group al-Shabab continues to threaten stability in the war-ravaged country.

The emergence of fighters pledging allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group can only make things worse.

After vowing to target radical Islamic terrorism, US President Donald Trumps administration plans to pursue wider military involvement in Somalia as current strategies, including drone attacks, are not enough, security experts say.

Defeating al-Shabab and dismembering Somalia

Recommendations by the Pentagon sent to the White House would allow US special forces to increase assistance to the Somali National Army and give the US military greater flexibility to launch more pre-emptive air strikes.

The concern in Washington has been mounting for some time now. The Trump administration is simply reiterating what has been policy, with slight variations, said Rashid Abdi, a Horn of Africa analyst with the International Crisis Group. US special forces are already on the ground. Drone attacks have been scaled up.





Currently about 50 US commandos rotate in and out of Somalia to advise and assist local troops. The commandos have accompanied Somali forces in several raids against al-Shabab fighters, killing dozens, Somali intelligence officials told The Associated Press, insisting on anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the press.

Somalia, which has been without an effective central government since the fall of dictator Siad Barre in 1991, was one of the seven predominantly Muslim countries included in Trumps recent travel ban. That executive order has since been suspended by federal courts.

Al-Shabab emerged amid Somalias years of chaos. A regional military effort several years ago pushed the group from the capital, Mogadishu, and most other urban centres. But experts say that push against al-Shabab then weakened, allowing it to regroup and adapt to operating in the countrys vast rural areas. It recently stepped up attacks in the capital and elsewhere.

The US already has military bases in Somalia, although it has not publicly acknowledged them. They are often used for drone attacks against al-Shabab targets. One of the largest bases is at Baledogle airfield, a former Somali air force base in Lower Shabelle region where US military experts also train Somali forces, according to Somali officials.

Death from above

In the past year the US launched 14 air strikes  nearly all drone strikes  killing some top al-Shabab leaders, including Hassan Ali Dhore and Abdullahi Haji Daud, according to a Somali intelligence official who coordinated with the US on some of them.

The main successes against al-Shabab have come from the 22,000-strong African Union regional force that has operated in Somalia since 2007. But the African Union force plans to withdraw by the end of 2020, and cost is a primary reason.

The annual missions budget has risen from $300m in 2009 to $900m in 2016, said Ahmed Soliman, an analyst with Chatham House, the London-based think-tank.

Al-Shabab in recent weeks has increased bombings in Mogadishu, threatening the security efforts of new Somali-American President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, during whose time as prime minister in 2010-2011 the group was expelled from the capital.

The group continues to dominate remote towns and villages across the south and central parts of the country.

But a new security threat in Somalia  and a challenge to any US military efforts  is the emergence of ISIL-linked fighters, who officials fear could expand their foothold beyond the semi-autonomous north. The fighters broke away from al-Shabab and declared allegiance to ISIL in 2015.

Al-Shabab sees the splinter group as a threat to its operations.

Its only al-Shabab that can stand in ISIS way to expand its areas of operation  Somali forces are now too disorganised to stop them, said Ahmed Mohamoud, a retired former Somali military general.
Remains of children ranging from new-born to three years old discovered in sewers of a former Catholic Church-run home.

A mass grave containing the remains of babies has been found in the sewers of a former Catholic orphanage in western Ireland, according to investigators, confirming a local historians suspicions of the unmarked burial of hundreds of children.

Excavations found significant quantities of human remains in an underground structure divided into 20 chambers at the site of the former Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, County Galway, a report from a government-appointed inquiry said on Friday.

The judge-led Mother and Baby Homes Commission said DNA analysis of selected remains confirmed the ages of the dead ranged from 35 weeks to three years old.

The investigators did not say how many babies remains were recovered, or how many might still be buried in what are believed to be the homes sewage or waste water treatment system.

READ MORE: Can Ireland face up to its shocking past?

The announcement confirms decades of suspicions that the vast majority of children who died at the former home were buried in unmarked graves, a relatively common practice at such Catholic-run facilities amid high child mortality rates in early 20th-century Ireland.

In 2014, the government ordered an investigation after Tuam historian Catherine Corless said there was evidence of an unmarked graveyard at the facility.

Corless found death certificates for nearly 800 children who were residents at the Tuam home between 1925 and 1961, but a burial record for only one child.

Everything pointed to this area being a mass grave, said Corless, who recalled how local boys playing in the field had reported seeing a pile of bones in a hidden underground chamber there in the mid-1970s.

Katherine Zappone, Irelands minister for children and youth affairs, called the commissions findings sad and disturbing, adding that the investigators would work with local authorities to decide about the next steps.

Irelands once powerful Catholic Church has been rocked by a series of scandals over the abuse and neglect of children. The Archbishop of Tuam said in 2014 he was horrified and saddened by the historians discovery.

Unmarried mothers and their children were seen as a stain on Irelands image as a devout Catholic nation. They were also a problem for some of the fathers, particularly powerful figures such as priests and wealthy, married men.

Government records show that in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, the mortality rate for illegitimate children was often more than five times that of those born to married parents.

On average, more than one in four children born out of wedlock died.
Mayor of French port city criticised over rule preventing gatherings around former camp, where groups distribute food.

Human rights organisations on Friday expressed outrage after the right-wing mayor of Calais signed an order that could stop some refugees from receiving food from aid groups.

A decree published a day earlier banned gatherings at the site of the former jungle refugee camp, with the Calais authority saying that they spurred ethnic tensions and conflict between rival groups of refugees.





The order, signed by mayor Natacha Bouchart, said that the safety of residents was under threat as refugees fought with one another after food was distributed at the now-closed camp, according to the Reuters news agency.

Seven aid groups said on Friday that, despite the order, they were still distributing meals.

Francois Guennoc of Auberge des Migrants says the groups have changed meal distribution spots and would do so nightly, if needed, to evade police.

Gael Manzi, who works for local aid association Utopia 56, said: Youre talking about young people and children. You just cant deprive them of food.

Andrew Stroehlein, spokesman for Human Rights Watch, tweeted: Calais mayor aiming to win heartlessness award?

The mayors decree did not expressly bar food distribution, but said it was necessary to ban all gatherings at the site and block people from entering it.

Its not a directive against the distribution of meals, but against gatherings, because these lead to law and order issues, as well as security and waste problems, Bouchart told the AFP news agency. I took this decision to make sure that no permanent base or squat is created around Calais, she added.





Last month, NGOs said hundreds of refugee children had been returning to Calais, despite the dismantling of the camp late last year.

Calais has been a magnet for refugees trying to reach Britain for more than a decade, with French authorities repeatedly tearing down camps there.

From Calais, refugees try to break into trucks heading to Britain. Some locals resent their presence.

Several thousand people fleeing war or poverty in the camp last October were sent to accommodation around France, leading to fierce criticism from the far-right National Front party.
Several Armenian soldiers were injured while performing engineering work at a military position, and as a result of the explosion of an explosive device.

March 3, 2017, 17:00 Armenian soldiers are injured at military position

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 3, ARTSAKHPRESS: They sustained shrapnel injuries, and were rushed to the Ministry of Defense of Armenia Central Clinical Military Hospital in capital city Yerevan.

Artsrun Hovhannisyan, spokesperson of the minister of defense reported.

Three people are injured, he said. One is in very critical condition, the other twocritical.

The Investigative Committee has filed a criminal case on charges of negligence toward military service.
Warring sides agree to more negotiations as week of unsteady talks, threatened by a crumbling ceasefire, comes to close.

Geneva, Switzerland  Syrias warring sides have agreed to future negotiations at the end of a fourth set of talks in Geneva, a mild breakthrough after a week of stalled discussions and a steadily failing ceasefire.

Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy for Syria, announced on Friday the conclusion of the intra-Syrian talks in the Swiss city having secured a finalised agenda for another round.

He said he would invite the government and opposition negotiators to Geneva for a fifth set of discussions later in March.

We have a clear agenda in front of us, de Mistura told reporters. The train is ready, it is in the station  it is warming up its engine  it just needs an accelerator and the accelerator is in the hands of those in this round.

De Mistura held back-to-back meetings on Friday, first meeting with two minor opposition groups  the Moscow and Cairo platforms  and later speaking with the Syrian government delegation and the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), the central opposition umbrella group.

It is now clear to everyone [that] we are here to implement Security Council resolution 2254, and that is beyond dispute, de Mistura said.

Resolution 2254, adopted by the council in 2015, lays the foundations for a political transition  the oppositions central goal  based on three subjects, or baskets: accountable governance, a new constitution and UN-supervised elections within 18 months.

But before signing on to continue negotiations, government representatives demanded that a fourth subject focused entirely on anti-terrorism was added to the agenda.

The opposition has previously been hesitant to add terrorism to the agenda over fears that the government would use it to sideline discussions on political transition.

READ MORE: Syrias Civil War Explained

The agenda is reflected by the baskets, said de Mistura. Four baskets  three plus one.

The additional subject, said de Mistura, addresses within the context of the overall transitional political process, issues related to strategies of counterterrorism, security governance and also medium-term confidence building measures.

The first three subjects were given an implementation target date of six months, while the fourth was linked with separate Russian-led talks in Kazakhstans Astana, expected to take place on March 14.

Those talks, backed also by Turkey and Iran, would be in addition to the Geneva process and deal with the maintenance of the ceasefire, immediate confidence-building measures and operational counterterrorism issues, de Mistura said.

Future agenda

The government and opposition are now tasked with pursuing a framework agreement that outlines a political transition process envisaged within the 2015 UN resolution.

The fourth Geneva talks were part of the latest political initiative to bring an end to a six-year war that has killed nearly 500,000 people, wounded more than a million, and displaced nearly half the population.

The previous round of discussions in Geneva in April was suspended after a previous ceasefire collapsed and heavy fighting resumed.

READ MORE: Syria opposition calls for Russian backing in Geneva

While the opposition has pointed to signs of progress during this weeks talks, and praised de Mistura for seeming more engaged in political transition than before, violence in Syria threatened to derail the discussions.

Government representatives, meanwhile, accused the opposition of taking the talks hostage, alleging that some members of its delegation belonged to armed terrorist groups.

Ceasefire

De Mistura said consolidation and maintenance of the ceasefire were vital to the Geneva process, while talks in Astana would be reinforcing.

We are very much complementary. If Astana succeeds, it means ceasefire, he said. If a ceasefire takes place, we can have productive talks. If we dont have productive talks, a ceasefire cant last.

A successful truce, he said, would also facilitate nationwide humanitarian access and a prisoner exchange  another key opposition demand.

The UN envoy said the government delegation had put forward an interesting suggestion [on] the concrete possibility of exchanges of detainees and abducted people  and the obvious place for doing that is Astana.

The issue of detainees, abductees and missing people was raised and would continue to be raised, he said, referring to a meeting one week ago he had with five Syrian women  mothers, daughters and wives of prisoners, many of whom were former prisoners themselves.

Follow Dylan Collins on Twitter: @collinsdyl
US president lashes out at Democrats who call on top prosecutor Jeff Sessions to resign over Russia meeting lies.

US President Donald Trump has lashed out at Democrats over their demands for US Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign, calling their actions a total witch-hunt.

Sessions on Thursday announced that he would recuse himself from any probe into the presidential election campaign as the White House moved to forestall a snowballing controversy over its ties to Russia.

Following newly revealed meetings he held with Russias ambassador before the election, Sessions denied any impropriety or that he lied about those encounters in his Senate confirmation hearing.

The Republican US president declared his total confidence in Sessions  while adding he wasnt aware of contacts between Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and Sessions, who was a senator actively supporting Trumps campaign at the time.

OPINION: How Jeff Sessions should remind Americans of the past

He defended Sessions again in a statement calling Sessions an honest man and accusing Democrats of having lost their grip on reality and carrying out a total witch-hunt.

Sessions did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional, said the president.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also agreed with Trump on Friday, saying the attacks on Sessions looked like a witch-hunt, Russias RIA news agency reported.

Unswayed by Sessions account of events, top Democrats are maintaining their calls for him to step down immediately, accusing him of perjury.





They also called for an independent prosecutor to investigate contacts between the Trump campaign and Moscow, which US intelligence says interfered in the election to hurt Trumps Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

Adam Schiff, a Democratic ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, rejected Sessions claim that his contacts with Kislyak were unrelated to his work with the Trump campaign as simply not credible.

In the midst of a Russian campaign aimed at undermining our election, and as a highly visible proxy for candidate Trump, Sessions would have had to be extraordinarily naive or gullible to believe that the ambassador was seeking him out in his office for a discussion on military matters, and Sessions is neither, he said in a statement.

I have come to the reluctant conclusion that the attorney general should step down, he said, echoing calls made earlier by the top Democrats in both chambers of the Republican-controlled Congress.

Focus on Russian diplomat

Trump has come under increasing pressure over Russias interference in the election and alleged contacts between his entourage and Moscow.

According to officials, US intelligence agencies and the FBI continue to investigate just how and how much Moscow intruded into US politics, and whether that effort  which US intelligence chiefs say was directed by President Vladimir Putin  involved collusion with the Trump campaign.

Four congressional committees have opened probes into the issue, although Democrats fear that Republicans will seek to bury their investigations to protect Trumps young administration.

READ MORE: Jeff Sessions did not reveal Russia envoy meetings

Two weeks ago, Trumps newly appointed national security adviser Michael Flynn was forced to resign amid controversy over his discussions with Kislyak in late December, when the Obama administration was hitting Moscow with retaliatory sanctions and expulsions for its election interference.

On Thursday, The New York Times reported that Flynn had also met the diplomat in Trump Tower in December, with Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner also in attendance.

While meetings between political campaigns and diplomats are generally common, on Thursday a Clinton spokesman said there were no meetings or calls between her team and any Russian official during the campaign.

Sessions met Russian envoy twice

Sessions own meetings with the envoy took place much earlier, in July and September, just as accusations of Russian interference in the election were mounting, according to The Washington Post.

However, Sessions told his confirmation hearing in January he did not have communications with the Russians and did not know of any by other campaign staff.

Sessions on Thursday clarified that his denial referred to contacts made on behalf of the campaign. He said he met Kislyak in his capacity as a senator, and discussed mainly global politics with him.

Nevertheless, after reviewing ethics rules for his office, he said: I have decided to recuse myself from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for president of the United States.

Speaking to Fox News Wednesday evening, he reiterated that he did not discuss the campaign with Kislyak.

When I campaigned for Trump, I was not involved with anything like that, he said. You can be sure.

Independent probe

Despite the swirling controversy, few hard facts are publicly available on what US investigators know and suspect about the contacts and about Russias alleged operation to disrupt the election last year.

The New York Times reported two weeks ago, citing US intelligence sources, that three Trump campaign staff had communicated with Russian intelligence officers over the past year.

The White House labelled that report false and has accused Democrats, the media and the intelligence community of a political effort to undermine the Trump administration.

Trumps White House has lobbied the FBI, reportedly the CIA and two Republicans who head committees leading investigations into Russias election meddling, to knock down media reports on the alleged links.

That added to Democrats worries that investigations could be tainted, and politicians were pressing for an independent counsel to be named to study the web of allegations about Trump and Russia free from political interference.
More than 100 people rescued off Libyan coast, but 25 are still missing in latest boat disaster in the Mediterranean.

Up to 25 people attempting to cross the Mediterranean are feared dead following a search operation off the coast of Libya that ended with the rescue of 115 others, according to local authorities.

Libyas coastguard said the victims rubber boat sank around 3am (05:00 GMT) on Friday, some five kilometres off Tajoura, just east of the Libyan capital of Tripoli, because it was overloaded and taking on water.





Our coastguards carried out a search operation in that area off Tajoura in attempting to find the missing ones, but no one was found, naval forces spokesman Ayoub Qassem told the Reuters news agency.

Those rescued, including six women, were mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, the coastguard said.

One of the survivors was from Bangladesh, Qassem added.

Libya is the main human smuggling point for people hoping to reach Europe by sea, usually crossing in flimsy inflatable craft loaded with small amounts of fuel in an attempt to get them only as far as EU rescue vessels stationed in international waters.

Last month, the bodies of 74 people were found washed up on a beach in Zawiya, western Libya, after the engine of their vessel was stolen.

Hundreds of people have died en route to Europe since the start of 2017, according to the United Nations.

READ MORE: EU looks to fund camps in Africa to cut immigration

More than 4,500 people died attempting the crossing last year.

In early February, European Union leaders agreed on a controversial plan to help stem the flow of people from Libya.

Under the agreement, the bloc would provide Libyas government with funds to increase efforts to stop boats from crossing territorial waters and to break the business model of people traffickers who helped 181,000 refugees enter the EU through Libya and Italy last year.

The announcement was strongly criticised by human rights groups which said such plans increased risks and the chance of abuses.
Ankara and Berlin locked in acrimony as Turkish president lashes out at Germany over cancellation of ministers rallies.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has lashed out at Germany as tensions flared between the two countries over the cancellation of two Turkish ministers rallies in German towns, and the ongoing detention in Turkey of a German reporter.

They need to be put on trial for aiding and harbouring terror, Erdogan said on Friday, criticising German authorities for allowing outlawed Kurdish leaders to hold regular public meetings in Germany, yet this week blocked rallies where Turkish ministers sought to address the Turkish community.

Ankara on Thursday summoned the German ambassador to the country to protest after local authorities in the southwestern German town of Gaggenau axed a talk by Bekir Bozdag, Turkeys justice minister.





The talk was reportedly intended to promote a yes vote for constitutional changes in an upcoming referendum that would expand Erdogans powers.

Cologne authorities have also withdrawn permission for rallies where Turkeys Nihat Zeybekci, economy minister, was due to speak.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected Ankaras accusations that her government had a hand in scrapping the rallies, saying the decisions were taken by municipalities, and as a matter of principle, we apply freedom of expression in Germany.

Escalating tension

In his speech in Istanbul, Erdogan also said Deniz Yucel, a correspondent for Germanys Die Welt newspaper who is in detention, was a German agent and a representative of the banned Kurdish rebel group, PKK.

Yucel, who has both Turkish and German citizenship, was detained on February 14 after his reports about a hacker attack on the email account of Turkeys energy minister, according to Die Welt.

Erdogan accused Berlin of harbouring him for a month at the German Consulate in Istanbul before agreeing to hand him over to authorities.

He was charged with spreading terrorist propaganda on Monday.

Earlier on Friday, reports said that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke to his German counterpart, Sigmar Gabriel, on the phone and agreed to meet in Germany on March 8 to discuss relations between the two countries.
Number of civilians escaping heavy battles between Iraqi army and ISIL skyrockets amid reports of chemical weapon use.

A rapidly increasing flow of people is pouring out of western Mosul, fleeing fierce battles between Iraqi security forces and ISIL fighters, as medical workers warned that women and children have been exposed to toxic gas near the city.

Iraqs interior ministry said on Friday that 14,000 people fled the northern Iraqi city on Thursday alone, the largest wave of internally displaced people (IDPs) since a US-backed operation in west Mosul was launched on February 19.

The total number of IDPs who fled western Mosul since the start of the military push has reached 46,000, the ministry said.





The announcement followed a previous statement by the United Nations warning that around 4,000 civilians were fleeing the city, ISILs last major urban stronghold in Iraq, each day.

Al Jazeeras Stefanie Dekker, reporting from a refugee camp in Khazer, east of Mosul, said that IDPs there cited the intensity of coalition air strikes as one of the main reasons for leaving their homes.

People in the camp who just arrived explained how terrifying the situation was on those frontlines, she said.

Its a desperate situation for these people; they are being moved across the country to different areas to be housed.

Aid agencies are warning that they expect the numbers to rise, particularly because west Mosul is densely populated and the fighting has not even reached those areas.

IN PICTURES: Hunting down ISIL sleeper cells in Mosul

The quickening exodus comes as the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Friday that seven people were receiving treatment for exposure to chemical agents near Mosul.

During the past two days, the hospital has admitted five children and two women showing clinical symptoms consistent with an exposure to a blistering chemical agent, Robert Mardini, the Red Cross Middle East director, said in a statement, referring to a facility near Mosul.

The symptoms include blisters, redness in the eyes, irritation, vomiting and coughing.

The use of chemical weapons is absolutely prohibited under international humanitarian law. We are deeply alarmed by what our colleagues have seen, and we strongly condemn any use of chemical weapons, by any party, anywhere, Mardini said.

The statement did not specify whether the seven were wounded in one or more attacks, how the chemical weapons were delivered, or who was responsible.

ISIL, which holds the majority of west Mosul, has periodically used rudimentary chemical weapons in the course of its more than two-year war with Iraqi forces.

Fierce fighting

The push for western Mosul began after the eastern half of the city, which is separated from the ISIL-held west by the River Tigris, was declared fully liberated in January.

Mosul fell to ISIL in the summer of 2014, along with large expanses of northern and western Iraq.

READ MORE: Donald Trump vows to demolish and destroy ISIL

The Iraqi military believes several thousand fighters, including many who travelled from western countries, are hunkered down in Mosul among the remaining civilian population, which aid agencies estimated to number 750,000 at the start of the latest offensive.

The fighters are using suicide car bombers, snipers and booby traps to counter the offensive waged by tens of thousands of Iraqi troops, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Iranian-trained Shia paramilitary groups.
Malaysia has condemned the use of toxic nerve agent VX that killed the estranged half-brother of North Koreas leader at an airport packed with travellers, as authorities moved to deport a North Korean suspect.

Kim Jong-nam was murdered on February 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, where he was assaulted by two women who allegedly smeared his face with VX, a chemical classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.

Malaysias foreign ministry strongly condemns the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public, it said in a statement on Friday.

Who produced the VX poison that killed Kim Jong-nam?

North Korea has denied accusations that it was involved in the killing. It described as absurdity the belief that VX was used and suggested the victim died from heart failure.

Malaysias foreign ministry said it was in close contact with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), an inter-governmental organisation based in the Netherlands, regarding the incident.

Malaysia does not produce, stockpile, import, export or use any Schedule 1 toxic chemicals, including VX, and has made annual declarations to that effect to the OPCW, the statement said.





North Korean diplomat Ri Tong-il  who is leading a delegation to the country  said on Thursday that Malaysia should provide samples of the VX that police say they found on the body to the OPCW.

If it is true that it was used, he told reporters, then the samples should be sent to the office.

Ri, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the UN, said it made no sense to say the two women used such a deadly toxin without also killing or sickening themselves  and people around them.

He added that Kim had a history of heart problems and had been treated in hospital in the past. He said that he understood that Malaysian officials found medication for diabetes, heart problems, and high blood pressure in Kims belongings and concluded that he wasnt fit to travel.

This is a strong indication that the cause of death is a heart attack, Ri said.

Malaysia to cancel visa-free entry for North Koreans

Relations between Malaysia and North Korea, who have maintained friendly ties for decades, have soured since the killing of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged brother leader Kim Jong-un, who had lived for years in exile in Macau.

South Korean intelligence and US officials say the murder was an assassination organised by North Korean agents, though the only suspects charged in the case so far are an Indonesian woman and a Vietnamese woman.





They face the death penalty if convicted. They have told diplomats from their home countries that they thought they were participating in a prank for reality television.

Al Jazeeras Florence Looi, reporting from Kuala Lumpur, said questions remain about who else may have been involved with the women.

There are doubts they could have acted on their own because how would have they been able to obtain the highly toxic substance that was found on Kim Jong-nams body and apparently killed him, said Looi.

Another North Korean suspect, who was arrested on February 18 over the killing, was released from a detention centre on Friday and driven away in a police convoy.

Kim Jong-nam died about 20 minutes after VX poisoning

Ri Jong-chol was taken to the immigration office wearing body armour to prepare for his deportation to North Korea.

Malaysias attorney general said on Thursday that he would be released because of insufficient evidence.

Police have identified seven other North Koreans wanted in connection with the killing, including a senior embassy official in Kuala Lumpur. Four have left the country and are believed to be in Pyongyang.
Officials declare national disaster and appeal to international donors for $100m to help thousands affected by floods.

Floods in Zimbabwe have killed 246 people and left nearly 2,000 homeless since December, government officials said.

Saviour Kasukuwere, minister of local government, declared a national disaster and announced the death toll on Thursday, saying 128 people have been injured in the floods.

The southern African country has appealed to international donors for $100m to help those affected by the floods, which have washed away several bridges and roads and cut off some communities from surrounding areas.





There is an inadequate supply of tents, foodstuffs and drugs for the affected people, Kasukuwere told The Herald newspaper. There is a need for blankets and clothing for the affected families and they are at risk of contracting pneumonia and acute respiratory infections.

Unable to get balance of payment support from foreign lenders due to unpaid arrears, and with more than 90 percent of its national budget going to salaries, Zimbabwes public infrastructure has been crumbling for more than a decade.

After working hard responding to the effects of drought, the same people are now suffering because of excessive floods, Bishow Parajuli, of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), told The Herald.

Transport Minister Joram Gumbo told reporters on Wednesday that in the southern parts of the country, some sections of highways and bridges were completely washed away following the latest heavy rainfall.

Gumbo said the government would raise $100m to repair the countrys infrastructure. The national road agency would chip in with half of the money, which it would borrow from local banks, he said.

The state of our roads has further deteriorated to the extent that some sections of the national road network have become impassable, Gumbo said.

READ MORE: Zimbabwe nurses join doctors strike over unpaid bonuses

Meanwhile, health services in Zimbabwe are grinding to a halt after nurses joined a strike by doctors over unpaid bonuses.

Army medical professionals have been called in, but are struggling to deal with the number of patients.

While healthcare workers are out on the streets and the country is facing a national emergency as a result of the deadly floods, Zimbabwes president, Robert Mugabe, is in Singapore for medical treatment.

Critics blame the perennial shortages on Mugabes controversial land reforms which saw the seizure of white-owned farms for redistribution to landless blacks, most of whom lacked the means to farm.

Mugabe, 93, has blamed the poor yields on erratic rains due to climate change.
Joint operation involving Russian air power and Shia militia forces ISIL to retreat again from historic city.

The Syrian army said it has recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra from ISIL for the second time in a year with help from allied forces and Russian warplanes.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group seized Palmyra in a surprise advance in December after having been driven out eight months before.

With backing from the Syrian and Russian air forces, units of our armed forces recaptured the city of Palmyra, in cooperation with the allies, the military said in a statement.

Jaafari: Opposition holding Geneva talks hostage





The army and Iranian-backed militia advanced inside Palmyra on Thursday as ISIL withdrew completely, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said.

ISIL retreated to areas in the east, the Syrian Observatory reported. Government forces took control of swaths of Palmyra and conducted combied operations to clear landmines, it said.

During ISILs first occupation, which ended in March last year, the armed group destroyed some of Palmyras priceless archaeological heritage. It is believed to have razed other parts of the historical ruins after regaining control in December.

The Syrian army is also fighting ISIL east of Aleppo city, where it is pushing to reach the River Euphrates, and in the city of Deir al-Zor, where it controls an enclave besieged by fighters.

ISIL is on the back foot in Syria after losing territory in the north to an alliance of US-backed Kurdish-led militias, and to Turkey-backed Syrian rebel groups.

Government and opposition delegations are attending UN-sponsored peace talks in Geneva, where the governments chief negotiator hailed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for keeping his promise to retake Palmyra.

The Syrian opposition, however, declined to congratulate Assad on capturing Palmyra and suggested it was possible the city would change hands again.

ISIL pulls back from Palmyra

Before the civil war gripped Syria in 2011, Palmyra was a top tourist attraction, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year.

Syrian state television broadcast footage showing troops near the towns archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the historic citadel on Friday.

Archeologists have decried what they say is extensive damage to Palmyras treasured ruins.

Drone footage released by Russias Defence Ministry last month showed new damage ISIL had inflicted to the facade of Palmyras Roman-era theatre and the adjoining Tetrapylon  a set of four monuments with four columns each at the centre of the colonnaded road leading to the theatre.

ISIL has destroyed scores of ancient sites across its self-styled caliphate in Syria and Iraq, viewing them as monuments to idolatry.

Maamoun Abdu-Karim, the head of the Antiquities and Museums Department in Syria, told The Associated Press on Thursday this time around the damage to the ruins seemed less in magnitude.

We had expected the worst. However, the damage, according to the available photos, appears limited, he said.

But ISIL is not the only side in Syrias civil war, now in its sixth year, that has damaged Palmyra.

A 2014 report by a UN research agency disclosed satellite evidence of looting while the ruins were under Syrian military control. Opposition fighters have also admitted looting the antiquities for funds.
Sri Lanka slow in addressing atrocities, UN says, calling for a clear timeline for prosecuting crimes during civil war.

The United Nations has decried Sri Lankas worryingly slow progress in addressing wartime crimes, warning that a range of serious abuses, including torture, appear to remain widespread.

The world body and rights activists have previously accused the Sri Lankan military of killing thousands of civilians, mostly Tamils, in the last weeks of a 26-year civil war with Tamil separatists that ended in 2009 and have demanded redress.

In its latest report released on Friday, the UN expressed alarm that Sri Lankan security and police forces are reportedly still committing rape and torture, and said the country must investigate and prosecute those involved, as well as those implicated in past wartime atrocities.

READ MORE: Sri Lankan president  No allegations of war crimes

Cases of excessive use of force, torture, arbitrary arrests and failure to respect due process during arrests by the police also continue to be reported, it added.

The lack of accountability risks derailing the momentum towards lasting peace, said the report by the office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Zeid Raad al-Hussein.

I urge the government and people of Sri Lanka to prioritise justice alongside reconciliation to ensure that the horrors of the past are firmly dealt with, never to recur, Zeid said.

The authorities at all levels, from the head of state to military, police, intelligence and local-level leaders, need to publicly issue unequivocal instructions to all branches of the military, intelligence and police forces that torture, sexual violence and other human rights violations are unequivocally prohibited and will be punished, Zeid said.

READ MORE: Sri Lankan leader pardons man who attempted to kill him

OHCHR received credible information from a well-known human rights organisation according to which white van abductions, and torture and sexual violence, by the Sri Lankan security forces persisted. These allegations must be properly investigated, the report said.

The UN and activists have also demanded that Sri Lanka include foreign judges in a credible inquiry, which President Maithripala Sirisena has opposed.

A task force appointed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, however, said in January the country should bring in international prosecutors and judges.

Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the government maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards torture.

He said he expected draft legislation on a truth-seeking commission to be presented to the cabinet within the next two months.
Clashes broke out between rival Kurdish groups in northwestern Iraq after a force loyal to one party was deployed to an area controlled by another.

Fridays clashes took place in the Sinjar area near the Syrian border after forces loyal to Masoud Barzanis Kurdistans Regional Government (KRG) entered an area controlled by Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS)  a Yazidi armed group alleged to be loyal to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

#Shingal: First batch of pictures from #Khansor, where clashes are taking places between #PKK-affiliated YBS and Rojava-Peshmerga. pic.twitter.com/PnL18yvcZv  Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) March 3, 2017

This morning at seven clashes started with DShK [heavy machineguns]. Now there are martyrs and wounded on both sides, a Kurdish security source told Reuters news agency.

Friday mornings clashes came after Barzanis official visit to Turkey. YBS forces suggested that by deploying troops to the Sinjar area, the KRG was trying to force out the group affiliated with the PKK to please Ankara.

READ MORE: Syrias Civil War Explained

These efforts [by KRG affiliated Peshmerga] that comes after Barzanis visit to Ankara is not a coincidence. It is a provocative attempt, based on an order from Ankara, YBS said in a statement published by the Kurdish news agency Rudaw.

Barzani has close ties with Turkey and Turkish troops are currently stationed in the Bashiqa camp in northern Iraq with his invitation  and against Baghdads will  training local fighters who are supposed to take part in the operation to oust the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group from Mosul.





The PKK, on the other hand, is an armed group that has been fighting for Kurdish autonomy within Turkey since 1984. Turkey, the United States and the European Union designate the PKK as a terrorist organisation.

Yazidi groups in Sinjar, who are ethnically Kurdish, have been trained to fight against ISIL by the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG), an armed group which Turkey considers to be the Syrian arm of the PKK.

The Obama administration denied these claims and insisted that YPG was a reliable American ally in the fight against ISIL (also known as ISIS) group in Syria and Iraq.

The new Trump administrations policy on these Kurdish groups is still emerging.

Turkey will attack

In a separate development, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey may attack PKK affiliated Kurdish forces directly in northern Syria if they do not immediately withdraw from the town of Manbij.

We do not wish any of our allies to stand with terrorist groups, Cavusoglu told reporters on Thursday. We stated earlier that Turkey will hit the YPG unless they withdraw from Manbij.

READ MORE: Kurds pledge to fight Turkey to retain Syrias Manbij

Cavusoglu said Turkey and the US must not face off against each other because of Turkeys fight against other terrorist groups, meaning groups besides ISIL, the main focus of Turkeys Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Iraq.

The Turkish-led Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria began last August to improve security, support coalition forces, and eliminate the threats coming from ISIL and the Kurdish militia along the Turkish border.
On 3 March Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan received minister of the Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia David Tonoyan and director of the ministry's rescue service Mushegh Ghazaryan, Central Information Department of the Office of the Artsakh Republic President stated.

March 3, 2017, 19:43 Bako Sahakyan received minister of the Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia David Tonoyan

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 3, ARTSAKHPRESS: At the beginning the President congratulated David Tonoyan on being appointed to the responsible position wishing him success in his work.

Issues related to further deepening and widening relations between the corresponding structures of the two Armenian republics were discussed during the meeting attended by director of the State Service on Emergency Situations under the NKR Cabinet of Ministers Komitas Karapetyan.
Government delegation accuses opposition of holding talks hostage as they disagree over discussion on terrorism.

Geneva, Switzerland  The Syrian government delegation has accused the main opposition group at UN-led negotiations of holding the talks hostage in their final hours, adding that it would hold the opposition responsible for any failure.

After a week of indirect talks, little progress has been made in getting the two sides to the negotiating table.

And as a ceasefire on the ground in Syria steadily crumbles, it remains unclear whether the rivals will be able to agree even on the basic format of negotiations before this round of talks comes to a close.

We must not permit the Riyadh platform to hold Geneva talks hostage, lead government negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari told reporters, referring to the opposition, after meeting with UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura.

This did not come as a surprise to us because some members of the Riyadh delegation include members of armed terrorist groups.

In his first address to the press in nearly three days, Jaafari accused the High Negotiations Committee (HNC)  the main opposition umbrella group formed in the Saudi capital  of refusing to unify with two smaller opposition groups.

All real progress in the latest round of Geneva talks has been held up by arguments on two central issues: the make-up of the opposition delegation and the potential inclusion of terrorism as a core subject of discussion.

Adding terrorism to the agenda

De Mistura, the UN mediator, convened the talks with the goal of tackling UN Security Council Resolution 2254, a document that lays the basis for a political transition based on three baskets: accountable governance, a new constitution and UN-supervised elections.

But government representatives have demanded that a fourth basket focused entirely on anti-terrorism be included in the agenda before signing on to continue negotiations.

We discussed counterterrorism as a basket on equal footing with the other baskets, Jaafari said on Thursday.

Those who reject discussing this basket are the so-called Riyadh delegation  the Moscow and Cairo [platforms] have agreed.

The HNC views the other two opposition groups  the Cairo and Moscow platforms  as pro-Russia, government-tolerated groups that have no real base of support, and has urged their members to join up with the Riyadh-based group instead.

READ MORE: Hope is all I have, Syrian journalist says

In a press conference directly following Jaafaris address, lead opposition negotiator Nasr al-Hariri dodged questions on whether the opposition would accept the inclusion of a fourth subject of discussion.

The opposition has been hesitant to add terrorism to the agenda over fears that the government would use it to sideline discussions on political transition  the oppositions central goal.

Yahya al-Aridi, a political and media adviser to the HNC, told Al Jazeera that it was a given that the opposition was fighting terrorism, but refused to confirm whether the HNC planned on agreeing to its inclusion.

Its not a subject of debate, its a plague weve been suffering from for years, he said. We should be the ones discussing terrorism.

In an attempt to calm opposition fears during closed-door discussions over the past week, the UN envoy has reportedly said that the new basket would also include to the governments use of barrel bombs and chemical weapons on civilian population centres.

The opposition has also said that any discussion on terrorism should include the actions of Iran-backed militias fighting on behalf of the government.

Counter demands

In rushed morning meetings on Thursday, the opposition discussed countermeasures to government demands, according to a western diplomat, which included the transformation of the proposed fourth basket into a more comprehensive one that focused jointly on ceasefire and terrorism.

Discussions also included possible trust-building measures, such as the release of detainees or the end of government sieges on rebel-held areas. They also reportedly discussed the inclusion of a Russian guarantee that the three other baskets  governance, elections, and a constitution  would be discussed without preconditions.

If the opposition refuses to add terrorism to the agenda, according to a diplomat involved in the talks, who asked to remain anonymous, the government would effectively have an excuse to walk away from negotiations.

They have an out card if the opposition refuses to discuss terrorism, he said.

De Mistura wants the opposition to go along with the process because Jaafari will not deal with anything related to a political transition until the terrorism issue is cleared up, the diplomat said.

While some members of the HNCs higher negotiating team may be willing to accept the addition of a ceasefire and terrorism basket, they would need the go-ahead from a majority of the more than 20-member group in order to move forward.

Another diplomatic source told Al Jazeera that the opposition was more or less happy about negotiating all four baskets, which has left Jaafari and the government delegation backed into a corner on whether they are willing to negotiate a political transition.

Running out of time

De Mistura is desperate to achieve tangible results this time around in Geneva, according to aides and diplomats close the UN envoy.

If he is unable to officially secure a mutually agreed agenda by the time the talks wrap up over the weekend, he will most likely not be the UN moderator in the next round  if there is one.

De Mistura reportedly resubmitted to both sides at the beginning of the week a 12-point memorandum  much of which was already agreed upon by both parties last year  in an attempt to establish common ground between the warring sides.

But the government delegation returned the paper to the envoy on Wednesday with substantive changes, which some diplomats described to Al Jazeera as spoiler tactics and attempts to deflect talks away from substantive issues.

Both sides were due to meet the UN envoy on Friday in what could be the last formal meetings of this round of talks.
US carries out first major operation in Yemen since a botched raid left civilians and a Navy SEAL dead.

The United States said it carried out more than 20 strikes in Yemen targeting al-Qaeda on Thursday, in the first major operations against the group since a botched US commando raid against the group left a number of civilians and a Navy SEAL dead.

The Pentagon said the strikes targeted al-Qaeda fighters, heavy weapons systems, equipment, infrastructure and the groups fighting positions.

The raids, including drones and manned aircraft, were carried out in the Yemeni governorates of Abyan, al-Bayda and Shabwah.

The US military did not estimate the number of casualties in the strikes, but residents and local officials told news agencies that at least nine suspected al-Qaeda fighters were killed.

The strikes will degrade the AQAPs ability to coordinate external terror attacks and limit their ability to use territory seized from the legitimate government of Yemen as a safe space for terror plotting, Navy Captain Jeff Davis said, using an acronym for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

The raids were conducted in partnership with the Yemeni government, and coordinated with President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Davis said.

READ MORE: Yemen  Art, love, bombs and bans

The operations come a month after the January 29 raid on al-Bayda that residents said killed 16 civilians as well as al-Qaeda fighters.

The operation, the first of its kind authorised by President Donald Trump, was hailed as a success by the White House and other US officials.

But critics questioned the value and effectiveness of the mission since it killed women and children as well as Navy SEAL Ryan Owens.

Owenss father has described the mission as stupid, and declined to meet Trump.

Trump, the militarys commander-in-chief, has sought to pass blame for the death to the generals and stressed the raid yielded large amounts of vital intelligence.

The US periodically sends small teams of commandos into Yemen, primarily to gather intel, and in recent months has been increasing activity against AQAP.

AQAP has been a persistent concern to the US government since a 2009 attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day.

The group has taken advantage of a civil war pitting Houthi rebels against the Saudi-backed government to try to widen its control and influence in the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country, one of the poorest in the Middle East.

The conflict, which UN officials say has killed more than 10,000 people, has also forced the US to scale back its presence in Yemen, degrading US intelligence about the group, officials say.
UF researchers may have discovered a cheaper way to deter pests from avocado trees.

Researchers with the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, in a study published Feb. 18, found a repellent, made from methyl salicylate, that deters beetles on avocado trees. The chemical is emitted by the redbay tree, which is similar to avocado plants, said Xavier Martini, a UF professor of entomology at the institutes North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, Florida.

The chemical will prevent redbay ambrosia beetles from injecting deadly laurel wilt fungus into the trees, which grow mainly in southern Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Florida avocados contribute $100 million a year to Floridas economy, according to a UF press release.

Martini said researchers tested the chemicals on redbay trees and will begin testing its efficiency on avocado trees within a year.

We have a 90-percent reduction on the attacks from beetles on our logs, he said.

Avocado growers use verbenone to repel the beetles, but it costs about $500 per kilogram, Martini said. When verbenone is combined with methyl salicylate, it will be cheaper.

Mark Philcox, the president of Grove Services Miami Inc., said because of the fungus, its hard for growers to decide if they should grow avocados in the first place.

Its costing between $100 and $125 a tree to dispose of it, and its affecting the production, Philcox said. When you replant a tree it takes seven years before its in full production, so thats money out on that end too.

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After a rash of resignation announcements at UFs Multicultural and Diversity Affairs, details of the departments apparent instability have begun to surface.

One official called it a toxic environment. Another said it was crumbling. A third doubted it could change.

In a span of 11 days, three directors for UF Multicultural and Diversity Affairs announced their resignations, two of whom left after holding their positions for only about seven months.

In four years, 12 directors have resigned. Since MCDAs inception in 2002, which is intended to be a place to support underserved communities, the longest-serving director has stayed for five years.

UFs Vice President for Student Affairs David Parrott said turnover is common as people leave for other jobs.

Records show most of those who resigned said they wanted a new opportunity, but reports of infighting and structural disarray have cast doubt on the departments stability.

After four years, theres only so much you can take, said Vee Byrd, the former director of Black Affairs. Byrd has said she is one of many directors who have been essentially pushed out of the department.

  

On Feb. 1, Roxie Patton, the former director for LGBTQ Affairs, announced she would leave for a position at the College of William & Mary on Feb. 23, citing a new opportunity elsewhere.

On Feb. 7, Byrd announced she would leave for a position at Florida State College at Jacksonville, citing a changing university and new opportunity elsewhere, according to Alligator archives.

On Feb. 20, Krystie Nguyen, the director of APIA Affairs, sent in her resignation, citing a need for self-care.

Despite what their exit interviews said, however, deep tension may have contributed to their departures.

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But outgoing and former directors said the departments damaging culture made them leave. Ambassadors said some directors made them feel unsafe in their offices.

For Byrd, the final straw was when she said she was overlooked for the interim executive director position after former MCDA executive director Lloren Fosters contract was not renewed in September, according to Alligator archives.

Documents between Mary Kay Carodine, the assistant vice president for Student Affairs, and UF Human Resources show Foster was fired for multiple reasons, including lack of leadership, failure to meet deadlines and inappropriate communication  including him asking someone if they were having sex.

Sex helps your skin look clear, Foster said, according to the HR document.

Byrd said Carodine asked if she would consider the interim role. But after Byrd went on personal leave, she came back to discover she wouldnt be getting the position, despite feeling like she met qualifications.

That same day, Byrd told Carodine she was leaving UF.

I felt like I was backed into a corner, because theres only so many times youre going to get to disrespect me when I know what I bring to the table for the department, Byrd said.

For Patton, every day in the office came with anxiety. She said Krystie Nguyen, the former director of APIA Affairs, harassed her, mocking her partner and disability until Patton was desperate to leave.

After hearing APIA ambassadors similar experiences, Patton said she wishes she came forward with the legal action she considered.

It is the most toxic environment I have ever worked in in my entire life, Patton said.

Patton said the issue wasnt only Nguyen, but the work culture that allowed the situation to continue. She said several people were aware of her problems but were scared to speak up, in fear of being fired by Carodine.

Carodine said when the administration learned of the situation, they tried mediation and opened an investigation.

Patton said more could have been done.

Theres a sense of if I speak up, if I say anything wrong, Ill be next on the chopping block, Patton said.

Following news of Nguyens plan to resign, allegations surfaced detailing instances of her asking students to fold her laundry and clean her dishes.

Madeleine Hill, an executive director for Gatorship, a program under MCDA, said she feels the department is crumbling.

Its a perfect storm of bulls--- and an administration thats trying really hard in all the wrong places, Hill said.

  

MCDA began in 2002 under the Dean of Students Office. When Carodine moved from her position as an assistant dean to assistant vice president, five departments, including MCDA, moved with her to Student Affairs.

Carodine said since then, eight new positions were created, including an LGBTQ Affairs director in 2004 and an APIA Affairs director in 2011.

She said she requested the 2018 to 2019 budget to include funding for a full-time associate director, a director of intercultural engagement and another program coordinator.

She said the three recent resignations are an opportunity for the incoming executive director to choose their own team.

  

Alex Cena, the director of APIA Affairs from 2013 to 2016, said MCDAs purpose is unclear.

Wheres MCDA going? What is the five, 10-year plan? Cena said. What is the mandate from the university to MCDA?

Cena said the lack of clarity leaves directors confused about their roles and what to focus on.

Carodine said MCDAs purpose is to support, educate and advocate for students from different backgrounds. She said directors should know about their area and be able to work with students and stakeholders.

On Wednesday night, Carodine and Parrott met with some MCDA ambassadors to talk about their concerns. Theyve held previous meetings with ambassadors, specifically those from APIA concerned about Nguyen.

Hearing from Parrott gave Kalimah Ujaama, a Black Affairs ambassador, hope for the department. She said Parrott listens to students and seems willing to take action, but shes still cautious to trust them.

If we can fix the internal problems with MCDA, such as hiring new people, hiring a new team, if we can fix the trust, the lack of trust that we dont have and the lack of transparency and accountability, I think once that happens MCDA will be all right, she said.

  

Carodine said reference and background checks for some previous candidates werent to the caliber it needed to (be).

Moving forward, she said there will be extensive background checks. Although the search for an executive director is ending, there will be three new search committees created to fill vacant director roles.

Ujaama said in the executive search committee, some offices within MCDA werent represented.

Madeleine Hill, a Gatorship executive director, said the committee appeared stacked in favor of internal candidates: current interim executive director Will Atkins and current interim associate director Gabe Lara.

The least charitable reading I can give is that shes trying to stack it in favor of Gabe and Will, and the most charitable reading is she didnt even consider it, she said.

  

Byrd said her department was made to fight on behalf of communities it represented.

Yet as a director, Byrd said she did more fighting in-house than out, receiving the most support from students rather than the professionals in the office.

Byrd said her last month at UF was one of the worst months of her career. She said that in an HR meeting with Carodine, she was told not to be vocal about her concerns and to write down her feelings instead.

If thats the group dynamic, then thats something that we need to work on, not telling me to be quiet so that everybody else is happy, because Im damn miserable in the process, Byrd said

Lara, the interim associate director and current director of Hispanic-Latino Affairs, has been working for a year and a half, watching seven people leave or be fired.

A lot of people didnt expect me to last longer than a year or two, Lara said. But like I said in the (executive director) interview, I believe in MCDA.

Lara said seeing colleagues leave can be disheartening after building friendship with them.

At the same time, I understand why some left, why they needed to leave, why they werent happy. I get that, he said, pausing for a moment. It makes you wonder.

  

Cristobal Gonzalez, the graduate assistant for the Institute of Hispanic and Latino Cultures in 2015 said during his time, the administration appeared to be in shuffle.

Although Gonzalez had a good working relationship with Carodine, he said she micromanaged.

Hill, who works closely with Carodine on Gatorship, also said she can micromanage. Hill said Carodine is deeply involved with students and cares for them and fostering diversity, but she said Carodine can be resistant to feedback and surrounds herself with people who agree with her, causing some to be intimidated voicing opinions.

The expectation is definitely that were gonna just go by her vision, Hill said.

Carodine said if she gives benefits or promotions to certain people, its because theyve done their jobs well.

I believe that when each person in each department fulfills the goals we have set, then you get to do more, she said.

Hill said Carodine may have contributed to a crumbling MCDA, but doesnt think its solely her fault. She said its a structural problem.

Hill wants to see change, especially as a student who once benefited from the security and comfort of the LGBTQ Affairs office before quitting in Fall, saying the environment grew tense after Patton was hired.

Theres all this stuff about students having a voice, she said. But a lot of the time it feels like we dont.

Carodine said students do have power  the power to create the environment they want, to weigh in on searches and to create their own activities.

In a way, too, that rebuilds that to being the kind of space that we can all believe in, she said.

Byrd, Patton, Gonzalez, Hill, Cena and Ujaama are acknowledged there was no easy fix for the department. But Byrd said acknowledging the problem comes first.

I think there needs to be some personnel changes in things that are done, Byrd said. But I also dont think its going to happen.

  

A planned review will look at MCDA within the year, Carodine said. The review, done in part by an undetermined outside group, will make recommendations for future courses of action, Parrott said.

An upcoming forum with UF President Kent Fuchs is also being planned, Carodine said.

Agassy Rodriguez, an ambassador with the Institute of Hispanic-Latino Cultures, said he still remembers when he learned Eric Castillo, the former director of the institute from 2011 to 2013, was leaving.

Rodriguez said he trusted and confided in Castillo, one of the few Latino faculty members Rodriguez knew.

He said he felt heartbroken, unable to confide in anyone else.

As a student, you see professionals who look like you saying, This is not a place for me, Rodriguez said. What kind of a message does that send to the students?

Contact Romy Ellenbogen at rellenbogen@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @romyellenbogen
A former Macys employee was arrested Wednesday with the personal information, such as social security numbers and dates of birth, of 61 people, authorities said.

Raynard Vinton Newton

At about noon, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper pulled over Raynard Vinton Newton, 35, of Tampa, for speeding, tailgating and using the wrong blinker when changing lanes on Interstate 75, according to an arrest report.

When the trooper pulled him over near Micanopy, Florida, the smell of marijuana prompted the the trooper to search the vehicle.

The trooper found a cup with marijuana residue in the center console of Newtons car, according to the report. In the trunk, the trooper found a large blue plastic container containing clothes and a yellow envelope.

The envelope had pieces of paper with names, dates of birth, social security numbers and unidentified account numbers of 61 people, according to the report. None of this information matched personal information for Newton.

After his arrest, Newton told FHP he got the names and account numbers when he was an employee at Macys, according to the report. He said when customers called in he saved their information.

Police arrested Newton on 61 counts of fraudulent impersonation. Authorities took him to Alachua County Jail where he remains, as of press time, in lieu of a $610,000 bond.

@merylkornfield

mkornfield@alligator.org

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While many students leave Gainesville for Spring Break, UF student Stephanie Bittner will be spending much of her time with a 7-month-old kitten named Nala.

Shell be joined by a dog, gerbil, turtle, fish and two cats, which belong to Bittner.

The UF food and resource economics senior has turned her passion for taking care of animals into a job. For the past four years, the 23-year-old owner of UF Pet Sitting has offered to take care of pets year-round, taking care of dogs and cats for between $7 and $14 a visit.

But every Spring Break, pet sitters like Bittner, and Gainesville resident Stephanie Dorris see a spike in business.

Dorris, 53, owner and operator of A Dogs Life Pet Sitting, said she stops by about 10 to 15 apartments and homes every day during Spring Break. With many students traveling away from Gainesville, pet owners will leave their animals behind, Dorris said.

The demand is usually high for this week, she said. It keeps me busy.

She charges between $15 and $20 depending on the pet.

Bittner uses the website Rover to schedule her pet visits, which allow owners to track her with a GPS map.

I provide reliability and accountability, she said.

She has more than 12 customers for next week, including Caridad Santos, Nalas owner.

Santos, who was looking for a pet sitter for Spring Break, said Brittner offered her pet-sitting services on a Facebook page.

Santos said she doesnt mind paying $10 a day for Brittner to look after Nala.

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Its hard enough to have an animal in college, but anything helps, she said.

Bittner will take time off from her job at PetSmart to concentrate on pet sitting.

I like to get to know (the pets), she said.

@merylkornfield

mkornfield@alligator.org
Amid downpour and shouts of disgruntled drivers, a group of about 20 protesters rallied in Gainesville on Thursday in a fight against male circumcision.

The Bloodstained Men and Their Friends, a nonprofit organization, stood on the corner of Southwest Archer Road and Southwest 34th Street wearing white bodysuits with faux bloodstains on their groins.

The groups goal is to protect children and future generations from genital cutting, said founder Brother K, who legally changed his name in 1986.

All genital mutilation of children is gruesome, he said. Its a tragedy, and its a crime against humanity.

Hoisting signs that read phrases like Doctors lie, circumcision harms, and End male genital mutilation, the group cheered between the honks  both supportive and oppositional  of passing drivers.

The protesters have seen their fair share of retaliation, K said. Besides the occasional cuss word and middle finger, boxes of tampons have been flung at the group. In Ocala on Wednesday, a woman released her dog in front of the group and yelled, sic em.

I wont give up as long as I have breath in my body, the 69-year-old said.

The nonprofit was founded in 2012 in response to a policy statement released by the American Academy of Pediatrics that seemingly endorsed circumcision, K said. The group has traveled nationwide since then. They visited 60 cites in 2016.

The Florida cities on this years tour include Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Ocala and Panama City, said Harry Guiremand, a Bloodstained Men spokesperson. Gainesville was picked for this years tour because its a highly populated college town.

Guiremand has been protesting male circumcision nationwide for about 20 years. He said he fights for the babies who cant speak for themselves.

These babies cry because they do not want to be cut, Guiremand said. If somebody attacked your genitals with a knife, youd be screaming, too.

@chesnesmax

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mchesnes@alligator.org

Stacey Van Buskirk, 24, a University of Michigan alumna, leads a group of more than a dozen protesters across Southwest 34th Street on Thursday morning. The protesters were comprised of the nonprofit group Bloodstained Men and Their Friends, who protest "children and future generations from genital cutting," as stated on their flyer.










English News China ramps up overseas hunt of fugitive officials

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 3 Mars 2017



By the end of 2016, 2,566 fugitives had been extradited or repatriated from over 90 countries and regions, with assets worth about 8.6 billion yuan ($1.25 billion) recovered.

By Lin Xuedan from Peoples Daily Another Chinese corruption suspect who had fled overseas returned to China to turn herself in recently, another victory after China ramped up its international manhunt of fugitive corrupt officials.



Wang Chengjian, a former shipping finance executive in Shanghai, fled to the US in May 2005 after being accused of joint embezzlement.



She was number 67 of China's 100 most-wanted fugitives listed in an Interpol "red notice" and the 38th to return since the country launched its "Sky Net" campaign in April 2015.



By the end of 2016, 2,566 fugitives had been extradited or repatriated from over 90 countries and regions, with assets worth about 8.6 billion yuan ($1.25 billion) recovered.



The latest return of Wang is inseparable from the efforts made by the Fugitive Repatriation and Asset Recovery Office of the Central Anti-Corruption Coordination Group, a disciplinary watchdog established in 2014.



The "Sky Net" campaign was launched by the office in March 2015 to reinforce the overseas hunt for fugitive officials.



The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) started another campaign codenamed "Fox Hunt" to capture suspected economic criminals. The ministry has also established the household registration system to investigate dual citizenship in a bid to crack down on corruption of "naked officials."



So far, China has inked extradition treaties with 48 countries including France, Spain and Italy, and engaged in 15 multilateral anti-graft mechanisms including the UN, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Group of Twenty (G20) and the BRICS grouping.



China chaired the Anti-Corruption Working Group of the G20 in 2016, and a series of significant achievements have been accomplished under Chinas leadership.



While continuing the Sky Net campaign in 2017, China will improve its mechanisms and tighten the management, leaving corrupt officials nowhere to hide or flee.



Dans la meme rubrique : < > China's Beidou reaches world-leading level: white paper Silk Road e-commerce promotes trade among Belt and Road countries Irrigation project in Jiangsu gets world heritage designation Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
Recently, the Chicago City Council named a street in honor of Oscar Lopez-Rivera, the founder of the notorious terrorist group FALN. In President Obama's waning days in office, he commuted his sentence. He had been scheduled to serve until June of 2023, and after Obama's order, he still would remain incarcerated at the Federal Prison in Terre Haute, Indiana until May 17 of this year.

But early in February, a fervent Lopez-Rivera supporter, the far-left Chicago Congressman Luis Gutierrez, succeeded in having him transferred to Puerto Rico, where he will be with his daughter while under house arrest until his release this spring. "He got to go home to be with his daughter," said Gutierrez. But knowing the history of the FALN, which Lopez-Rivera founded and trained to kill, the same could not be said of the families of many of his victims.

In the 1970s and 80s, the FALN set off more than 130 bombs around the country. Twenty-nine of the bombings were in Chicago, where 10 people were injured, some of them seriously. But in New York, six were killed and scores injured, including four fatalities at the historic Fraunces Tavern in lower Manhattan on January 24, 1975.

Within 15 minutes after the bombing, the FALN boasted in a phone call and communique about the murderous attack. Lopez-Rivera's group would continue on until 1983, including bombings in Chicago, Miami, and Washington, and with two more fatalities in New York.

All of this was perpetrated in the name of independence, yet in three plebiscites since 1967, the island's residents have been equally divided between the current Commonwealth status and U.S. statehood. The vote for independence has never been more than 5.5%, and in a fourth plebiscite in 2012 the voters chose statehood by 61-33%.

The real goal of the committed terrorists, however, is to ally with Castro's Cuba. According to the FBI, the FALN had trained there and "had received instruction in guerilla war tactics, preparation of explosive artifacts and sophisticated methods of sabotage."

Throughout the 1980s what stopped the FALN's deadly rampage was their capture and incarceration. After 11 of its members were tried and convicted in Chicago, they all stood up one-by-one upon sentencing and threatened the trial judge. Lopez-Rivera was captured afterward, but not before bomb-making material was found in his home.

He received a 55-year sentence, including multiple weapons charges and seditious conspiracy. In 1987, he was convicted of conspiring with others inside and outside of Leavenworth Penitentiary to obtain several deadly weapons and basically murder his way to freedom, but the FBI thwarted the plan, and another 15 years was added on to Lopez-Rivera's sentence.

And any sign of remorse has never been in his vocabulary. In 1986, Lopez-Rivera said "we have the right to wage (violence) by any means necessary, including armed struggle." He added that "we can anticipate more violence."

In 1999, when Bill Clinton stunned the world and offered clemency to a dozen members of the FALN including Lopez-Rivera (in what was then a clandestine attempt to help Hillary win the Puerto Rican vote in her race for the U.S. Senate in New York) at first none would sign a letter of remorse that stated they "would refrain from the use or advocacy of the use of violence for any purpose." They were then shockingly given a month to sign, and on the last day all did, except for Lopez-Rivera.

In 2011, however, he petitioned for release to the U.S. Parole Commission. Then at a hearing at the Terre Haute prison, he refused to apologize to family members of the victims of his group who were in attendance and he was subsequently denied freedom. After Donald Trump's victory last November, renewed pressure intensified on Obama to release him. In an interview last fall but published in January two days before Obama commuted his sentence, Lopez-Rivera stated that there was a right to achieve their goals "by any means necessary, including the use of force."

On January 17th, when Obama commuted Lopez-Rivera's sentence he also pardoned or commuted 270 others, including Chelsea Manning, the former soldier convicted of espionage. Two days later, he commuted 330 more, a one-day record, bringing his final total of clemencies issued to 1,927, including some convicted of weapons offenses.

About Lopez-Rivera, Congressman Gutierrez was overjoyed, claiming that he was a national hero in Puerto Rico, and that "it will be a blessed day when I can walk and talk with my friend in the fresh air... and I am looking forward to that day." Last July from the floor of the House, Gutierrez said that Lopez-Rivera was "not beaten, broken or sad," an "elder statesman," who was nonviolent and an "exemplary inmate." Gutierrez also expressed his support for independence, and he has always supported the tactics of the FALN.

After successfully having Lopez-Rivera returned to Puerto Rico in early February, his longtime friend and ally, Chicago Alderman Roberto Maldonado moved to have a street named after the unrepentant terrorist. Maldonado had previously been married to Gutierrez's sister and had run some of his earlier campaigns.

In 1988, Maldonado resigned from an influential city job after it was found that he solicited campaign contributions for Gutierrez and had then received business from Maldonado's growing real estate agency. More recently, Gutierrez thought of retiring from the House, and Maldonado announced his campaign for that seat. When Gutierrez decided to run for reelection, Maldonado dutifully stepped aside and supported him.

When Alderman Maldonado moved to name a four-block long street in the Humboldt Park area of the city's West Side after Lopez-Rivera, the Chicago City Council, chaired by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and well known as one of the most corrupt in the country, made a special exception. They had already planned to discontinue the practice to name streets in honor of living persons, but slipped the Lopez-Rivera decision in under the wire on a 37-9 vote on a council dominated by Democrats 49-1.

The same day of the decision, the city suffered through seven more murders, including a woman who was eight months pregnant. The pace this year is already ahead of last year's record of 536 homicides, which had topped the 2015 record of 378, an increase of 42%. The question is, why would the city now honor an unrepentant terrorist?

Perhaps the council should have asked Joe Connor, who at the age of nine lost his 33-year old father Frank Connor in the Fraunces Tavern bombing. Lopez-Rivera is "a sworn terrorist, said Connor, and added that "he was convicted of bombings in Chicago that did injure people... and Chicago is gonna put up a sign in his honor?" Connor added that "the idea that people will walk by and see the street sign and think that Oscar Lopez was some sort of a great person is diabolical."

Perhaps the Council should have listened to the moving words of Diana Berger-Ettenson just days after Lopez-Rivera's sentence was commuted. She had lost her husband Alex Berger in the Fraunces Tavern bombing in 1975 while she was sixth months pregnant. "For me, the month of January is extremely difficult," she said. "Every January is like a hole in the gut all over again even though it's been 42 years."

Berger-Ettenson added that Obama's pardon a week before the anniversary was especially painful and noted that "while Rivera will soon walk away from his murderous past, his victims' loved ones will never have that same opportunity."
I don't fault Vice President Mike Pence for tweeting his admiration of civil rights activist Dorothy Height after the Postal Service issued a stamp in her honor this past month.

Very few Americans have heard of Dorothy Height, much less her connections to Margaret Sanger, the communist Front of the 1930s, and organizations dedicated to killing babies in the womb.

Height's lifelong involvement in communist-inspired activism, "reproductive freedom," and civil rights reveals just how intertwined all three were in the early decades of the twentieth century.

For too long, subversive civil rights icons like Height have been rewarded with Presidential Medals of Freedom, "Woman of the Year" awards, postage stamps, and accolades from unsuspecting leaders. The laudatory, emotional tributes to Height in honor of Black History Month do not mention her camaraderie with communists and gung-ho feminists hell-bent on making abortion on demand the law of the land.

Height died in 2010 at the age of 98. Barack Obama, the most pro-abortion president in U.S. history, openly wept at her funeral. The executive vice president of the Communist Party USA praised her online, stating truthfully that Height's "proper lady" persona masked a "militant fighter."

Indeed, Height's stylish dress and fancy hats, now donated to the Smithsonian, helped to disguise her militant fight against future generations of black babies. Height worked tirelessly to kill off children in utero. Like her Marxist sisters, Height saw no contradiction in her struggle to relieve the suffering of already born blacks while condoning the torture and deaths of the innocents waiting to be born.

In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control reported that blacks, who make up only 13 percent of the population, had 35 percent of all abortions, five times the level of non-black women in the United States.

The tens of millions of murdered black offspring are a direct result of Height's pioneering work in promoting Margaret Sanger's eugenics program to stop the breeding of blacks. Height's later involvement in the second wave feminists' war against the unborn led to Roe v. Wade.

In her 2003 autobiography, Height writes that she was part of the United Front in the 1930s. The Front included all kinds of radicals, communists, anarchists, and socialists who came together to share ideas and action plans.

Height's crusade to deny the most basic of civil rights, the right to life, to future children began in earnest during her college years.

While attending New York University in the 1930s, Height lived with relatives in Harlem during the vibrant years of the Renaissance. Already organizing since the age of 13, Height described those exhilarating early years at NYU.

I sought out friends who were wrestling with even larger issues [than civil rights], like the nature of capitalism, and the possibilities of other forms of government, or how to relate faith to social and political actions, the agenda always included unconventional thinkers who challenged us ... concepts like redistribution of wealth and the unevenness of opportunity.

Dorothy credited the communists with teaching her everything she knew about "changing someone's mind about something."

I got to know and work with Carl Ross, Henry Winston, Tony Morton and other leaders of the Young Communist League[.] ... [A]mong the Communists were some of the best minds I had ever come upon. The tactics I learned from them have something to do with my staying power today.

Those lessons from her communist mentors would serve Height well as she made it her mission to change women's minds to believe that aborting their babies is as sacred as giving life.

Height was not alone. She befriended other communist-inspired civil rights icons like Mary McLeod Bethune; WEB DuBois; and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. Powell and DuBois were on the advisory council of Sanger's "Negro Project."

Height worked at Abyssinian, close to where Sanger opened one of her first family planning clinics in 1930. Staffed by a black physician and black social worker, the clinic was endorsed by the Abyssinian, the Urban League and WEB DuBois. DuBois, the first African-American to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard, was a prolific author and a staunch anti-capitalist who finally joined the Communist Party in 1961, declaring communism "the only way of human life."

Height's biographer and friend, Smith College's "activist in residence," Marxist Loretta Ross, wrote a tribute to Height in Ms. Magazine soon after her death. Ross makes it chillingly clear that Height believed that having the right to abort black offspring is connected to the broader struggle for social justice.

Dorothy, prior to Roe ... had supported Margaret Sanger's campaign to provide birth control to the African-American community that had requested such services, and always cautioned that freedom to use birth control and abortion did not necessarily mean freedom from racism, sexism and oppression. Her vision for our community was interconnected and universal.

Height's years in Harlem and her close connection to black and white civil rights leaders, among them Bethune Powell; Eleanor Roosevelt; and Martin Luther King, Jr., contributed to what former Breitbart editor, Milo Yiannopoulos rightly called the "cancer of feminism"  a cancer that would metastasize into the global genocide of the unborn.

In 1966 the year Sanger died, another civil rights hero, Rev Martin Luther King, Jr., praised the Planned Parenthood founder. An enemy of Catholicism and religion, Sanger received high praise from Reverend King.

There is a striking kinship between our movement and Margaret Sanger's early efforts[.] ... Our sure beginning in the struggle for equality by nonviolent direct action may not have been so resolute without the tradition established by Margaret Sanger and people like her.

The similarity between Kings and Heights appreciation for Sanger is not coincidental. Height not only helped King organize the 1963 March on Washington, but was the only woman on stage with King when he gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. The pair's admiration for a socialist eugenicist whose efforts would lead to black genocide here in the United States extended beyond the years of Hitlers Germany, decades after the whole world had awakened to the horror of selective breeding.

In the same year the Civil Rights Act of 1957 was passed by Congress, Height took over the reins of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). Ms. Height merged the struggle for civil rights with women's reproductive issues. According to Height, leveling the playing field for black women rested on their right to control their own bodies.

Height did not hesitate to lend her support when asked if the NCNW would publicly speak out in favor of Roe v. Wade shortly before the Supreme Courts landmark decision. In Loretta Rosss Ms. Magazine testimonial to Height, Ross wrote:

NCNW offered unflinching and unapologetic support for abortion rights because they knew the benefits to black women[.] ... It might have shocked more timid members of the black community to say the 'A' word, but Dr. Height never backed down from her beliefs that abortion rights were closely tied to civil rights for black women.

With Height as president, the NCNW was one of the first endorsers of the National Organization for Womens march for abortion rights in 1986. She was a featured speaker at the rally and later collaborated with Donna Brazile of the National Political Congress of Black Women and Byllye Avery of the National Black Womens Health Project to publish a statement: "We Remember: African-American Women for Reproductive Freedom."

The statement was published, and 250,000 copies were distributed by the first black president of Planned Parenthood, who received an award for her efforts from the Congressional Black Caucus.

Height fought to keep abortion legal up until her death and never failed to link civil rights with mothers killing their future babies.

For her steely-minded determination to promote a culture of death, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994, the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004, and a postage stamp. Heights meeting with Obama in 2010 at the White House couldnt have been more symbolic of the gruesome relationship among communism, civil rights, and abortion.
These days we blame a lot of the ills of society on what kids absorb from all sorts of media, especially the internet, film and television, much of which originates overseas. In this sense good childrens literature in Papua New Guinea is very important as a counter to this trend.

Papua New Guinea has a long tradition of storytelling for children and it forms an important part of their development by presenting useful information, norms and ideas in an entertaining way.

Too often the temptation to be cute and cuddly is overwhelming, just as is the temptation to pander to kids liking for the crude and shocking.

IT IS a well-worn trope that writing for children is one of the hardest literary chores of them all.

At its best, this literature should reflect Papua New Guinean values and not reinforce the trite commercialism that imported childrens literature often displays.

Joycelin Kauc Leahy achieved this with her winning childrens story in the 2015 Crocodile Prize. The story is entertaining but contains an important underlying message about wildlife conservation, just as traditional Papua New Guinean stories have done in the past.

In winning the prize for a childrens story Joycelin became enthused about the concept of the Crocodile Prize and when it was handed over to Papua New Guinean control in 2016 joined Emmanuel Peni and his team in organising the awards.

_________

The song of the turtle

JOYCELIN KAUC LEAHY

THE night was dark. The dogs did not bark. The wind blew gently.

Children and babies had stopped crying and laid their heads to rest. Even the night birds were silent around the coastal Morobe village.

Below the whistle of the gentle breeze, Kalem heard a song. It was soft, beautiful and so sad it almost made her cry. It sounded very familiar.

Lying still on her woven pandanus mat that grandma had made for her, she searched through her memories - where has she heard this song? Her grandma had passed away last year. She missed her. After tossing and turning for what seemed like forever, Kalem knew she had to find the source of the song.

She picked up her mothers torch. Beside the torch was a piece of hard shell, a turtle shell she had found on the beach. She kept it for good luck. Suddenly she remembered - the song! It was the song of the turtles. Their nesting time happens near Kalems birthday, but they have not come to her village for a long time.

Tonight, something was wrong. Grandma said only the mother turtle sang the turtle song. No one in the village knew that song except her grandmother, her mother and now her. Grandma sung and taught the song to Kalem while they were fishing. Who is singing it now? Kalem wondered.

Afraid but excited, Kalem headed to the beach. As she walked, she remembered Grandmas words: Our people are connected to the ocean, we fish to survive but we must respect the lives in the ocean. We must never kill for nothing.

Not many people can connect to the animals and fish, but Grandma said their family had a special gift because their ancestors came from the sea and are tied to the ways of the sea. Kalem walked quickly along the beach as she listened for the song.

If you ever hear the song Kalem, you know, Mother Turtle needs you, her grandmother told her. When Kalem was born in the turtle season, grandma told her mother, This girl will one day meet Mother Turtle.

Kalem followed the song out of her village and along the shores, further and further away from her house. Her heart beat faster when she arrived at the river where the villagers washed. Where the river met the sea, villagers set fishing nets along the shoreline. Kalem heard a loud splash. She slowly stepped forward, flashing the torch.

Tied to a large driftwood stump on the beach was a long, green fishing net. On the calm surface of the water just offshore a big red buoy floated at the end of the net.

Something had been caught in the net. The thing splashed again. It rippled and frothed the seawater in a circle. It was large, dark and near the shore. It did not look like any fish or crocodile Kalem knew.

When she flashed the torch at the dark shape, she was shocked to find a very large sea turtle tangled in the net. It was so large Kalem was sure it must have been the mother of all turtles. She flashed the torch on the water.

She could see smaller turtles floating about, their heads bobbing in the water. The turtles circled the net. They were all making strange noises like they were crying too. The mother turtle was bigger than Kalems ten-year-old body, but Kalem had to try save to her.

Even with no strength left the mother turtle kept singing her song. Her tired flippers hit the net and her voice faded to almost a whisper. Kalems tears flowed down as she waded through the water quickly and tried to set the turtle free. After struggling with the net and the weight of the turtle, Kalem ran back to the village and woke her mother.

Help, wake up! Kalem cried. Its Mother Turtle - we must help her.

Kalems mother was confused. Often she thought her daughter was a daydreamer. After Kalem calmed herself and explained, she grabbed her mothers arm and led her back to the beach.

They took a knife and cut the net to set the mother turtle free. The large turtle swam up to Kalem and her mother. She bumped them with her nose before she and the other turtles disappeared into the deep, dark waters.

Kalem remembered Grandma telling her about the life of the mother turtle. Grandma said it took many years before the turtle was ready to make babies. Every two or three years, the mother turtle lead her group to her own nesting beach, where she was born. Sometimes she travelled long distances to get there. Usually she would lay over a hundred eggs, but only a few survived.

Other animals, people and large fish ate the eggs and baby turtles. Kalems people loved eating turtle eggs and meat. Their village was once a nesting-ground for turtles. Lately, less and less turtles have come to lay eggs.

Standing silently in the dark with her mother, Kalem thought of how scared the turtles were tonight.

They might never returnwe must teach our people to protect the turtles, she whispered to her mother.

I am so proud of you Kalem. The turtles will head to a safe place to lay their eggs. Maybe this was not the right place for them, but they will find a perfect home someday.

Her mother held Kalem close as they headed back to the village.
I am currently reading Excellent Daughters: The Secret Lives of Young Women Who Are Transforming the Arab World by Katherine Zoepf. One chapter discusses the use of the veil or the hijab and it is a most telling revelation about the astonishing differences of thinking in the traditional Islamic society as contrasted with Western thought. Zoepf recounts this encounter with a Muslim woman who proudly explains why she wears the hijab.

What if a man sees you girls walking in the street with your hair uncovered and becomes so aroused that he goes and abuses a child? Wouldnt you feel that it was your fault that this child was raped? I know that I could never live with myself if something like that happened. That is why I wear the hijab.

Although only two or three years younger than Zoepf, this Muslim woman named Asma is light years removed from the idea that blaming an unveiled woman for the actions of a child molester [is] outrageous [and] to argue otherwise [is] to suggest that men [aren't] responsible for themselves.

Zoepf quotes Fatima Mernissi, a Moroccan sociologist who has explained that the traditional Islamic society hardly acknowledge[s] the individual, whom it abhor[s] as a disturber of the collective harmony. Consequently, traditional society produce[s] Muslims who [are] literally submissive to the will of the group.

If seen in a positive light, this group cohesion creates a strong community bond where all Muslims are guardians of the others in the group. Thus, if someone slipped, then the guilt would be shared." Consequently, less important are the rights of the individual compared with the "rights of the community." This sense of group identity is certainly a common thread among tightly knit communities of many different religious organizations.

On the other hand, this misogyny disproportionately burdens female members. Thus, females who grow up under this constant scrutiny face a particularly difficult path, since the mere fact of their being in the public eye is often enough to raise suspicions about their modesty.

Herein lies a fundamental and clear-cut difference between a society based on individual responsibility for ones actions and one based on group conformity wrapped around a guilt-induced rationale. At no time does a mans accountability for assault enter this mindset. According to this point of view, the woman deliberately put herself in a position to be victimized and the community did nothing to stop the womans actions. This, is why Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali, Australia's most senior Muslim cleric can assert, without irony, that an unveiled woman is asking to be raped since she is "like uncovered meat who attract sexual predators." Moreover, al Hilali "suggested that a group of Muslim men recently jailed for many years for gang rapes were not entirely to blame" since there were women who "sway suggestively" and "wore make-up and immodest dress." He went on to say that if the woman "was in her room, in her home, in her hijab (veil), no problem would have occurred." Thus, the problem of rape lies entirely with the women victims.

And many followers of Islam concur. Abdul Jabar Azimi states that "Hijab prevents molestation" and mentions the Qur'an in the following verses of Surah Al-Ahzab: "O Prophet! tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested (Al-Qu'ran 33:59)."

Thus, the "Hijab has been prescribed for the women so that they are recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from being molested."

Which, of course, begs the question -- if a woman is uncovered, does that make her ripe for a sexual attack -- thus, if a non-Muslim woman is wearing Western garb, is it correct to presume that she is a proper target for an attack? Ask the rape victims of Cologne and other European cities.

In her graphic novel Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi demonstrates how in 1980, Iran was transformed under the Islamic Revolution so that she no longer could go to a French secular school but was forced to wear the veil, attend a segregated school, and fear for her mother, who was demonstrating for freedom and choice.

With the Shah's overthrow in 1979, alcohol was banned, clubs were shut down, and women had to be covered head-to-toe in public. Daniel Greenfield documents what happened recently to one young girl and her friends who had the audacity to remove their hijabs. The young people were taken to prison and the court issued its punishment -- for wearing a skirt, each girl would receive 40 lashes while the boys who had partied and listened to western music would receive 50 lashes.

Farhana Qazi was interviewed by Abigail R. Esman and recounts how she was "blessed to be an American Muslim woman who would not have had the same opportunities in life if she had remained in Pakistan." She explains that her father raised her to be a bridge between the East and West and she has used her skills in counterterrorism work. Her work focuses on the divisions in the Muslim world today -- "a broken mass of billions blinded by age-old customs, traditional, and patriarchal norms steeped in ancient cultures." She is trying "to understand the way that Islam has been destroyed by splinter groups, religious fanatics, and hardline conservatives, issuing fatwas that oppose women's rights."

Qazi maintains that many Muslim females join Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups because, the groups, e.g., ISIS, "empower these girls." This is because "many Muslim girls living in the West are still bound by cultural (read controlled) rules and have little freedom outside of their home environment; they aren't allowed to 'hang out' with Western friends and these girls certainly don't have the same opportunities as their brothers or male cousins. In these cases, girls look for alternatives, which terrorism provides" and the terrorist groups are only too happy to make use of the girls as "cannon fodder." And, if the girls do not obey, they will be silenced by being shot with paintballs, whipped, or stoned to death.

Qazi states that because Muslims "believe that God's love is only for the select few, then this teaching restricts children in many ways; they are unable to cope in a western society and compelled to stay with their own communities. They are quite vulnerable to extremist recruitment."

In 2010, Nonie Darwish wrote that President Obama

did not tell the Muslim world what they needed to hear, and should have heard from the leader of the Free world. He had a moral obligation to add that we need to protect the right of Muslim women not to wear the hijab and punish those who force them to do so. Many Muslim governments do not force the Islamic outfit on women. Egypt is one such country and the problem for the majority of Egyptian women is not being forced by their government to wear the hijab, but rather, they are forced by radical Islamists and their families. Mr. Obama should have known that the Egyptian government itself often discourages women from covering up and actually forbids the wives of Egyptian diplomats from wearing the hijab and even head covering. The reason I know that is because my brother is an Egyptian diplomat. The social and religious pressure on Egyptian women is huge and tyranny does not necessarily come from the top but often from Islamist Sharia enforcers on the streets who often want to take matters in their own hands. They use ridicule, pressure, intimidation, humiliation, and even throwing acid on women who do not wear the Islamic garb.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali writes that Muslim women, resigned to their circumstances, survive by reciting "Inshallah, God willing." Thus, if a woman does not submit, "then a man's good name, and his authority are damaged." This "belief is part of a larger one that individuals don't matter; that their choices and desires are meaningless, particularly if the individuals are women." As a result, "[t]his sense of honor and male entitlement drastically restricts women's choices [so that] a whole culture and its religion weigh down every Muslim, but the heaviest weight falls disproportionately on women's shoulders."

And recently, the military ruler for the region of eastern Libya, General Abdul Razek al-Nazouri, announced his decision to bar Libyan women from leaving the country unguarded by a male.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali also maintains that "the Muslim veil, [and the] different sorts of masks and beaks and burkas, are all gradations of mental slavery." In fact, a woman "must ask permission to leave the house, and when [she] does, [she] must always hide behind thick drapery. Ashamed of [her] own body, suppressing [her] own desires -- what small space in a [woman's] life can be called [her] own? The veil deliberately marks women as private and restricted property, nonpersons. The veil sets women apart from men and apart from the world; it restrains them, confines them, grooms them for docility. A mind can be cramped just as a body may be, and the Muslim veil blinkers both a woman's vision and her destiny. It is the mark of a kind of apartheid, not the domination of a race, but of a sex."

That a piece of cloth should be the center of so much attention should speak to the fact that it represents much more than a piece of material. Certainly, Muslims can wrap their explanations around the idea of modesty as much as they want, but, in reality, far too many women are gagging under the weight of the veil.

Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com
Yet another murderous wave is taking Egypts Coptic Christian minority by storm, leading to yet another exodus from their homes.

Last week in al-Arish, Sinai, Islamic State affiliates killed a 65-year-old Christian man by shooting him in the head; they then abducted and tortured his 45-year-old son before burning him alive and dumping his charred remains near a schoolyard.

Perhaps because of its sensationalist nature -- burning a human alive -- this story was reported by some Western media. Yet the atrocities hardly begin or end there. Below is a list of Christians murdered in al-Arish in recent days and weeks:

January 30: A 35-year-old Christian was in his small shop working with his wife and young son when three masked men walked in, opened fire on him, instantly killing the Copt. The murderers then sat around his table, eating chips and drinking soda, while the body lay in a pool of blood before the terrified wife and child.

February 13: A 57-year-old Christian laborer was shot and killed as he tried to fight off masked men trying to kidnap his young son from a crowded street in broad daylight. After murdering the father, they seized his young son and took him to an unknown location (where, per precedent, he is likely being tortured, possibly already killed, if a hefty ransom was not already paid).

February 16: A 45-year-old Christian schoolteacher was moonlighting at his shoe shop with his wife, when masked men walked in the crowded shop and shot him dead.

February 17: A 40-year-old medical doctor was killed by masked men who, after forcing him to stop his car, opened fire on and killed him. He too leaves a widow and two children.

It is likely that more Christians have been slain recently in Sinai; because they are being killed in quick succession, it is not clear if ongoing reports are documenting the same or new incidents. For instance, a recent February 24 report says On Thursday [February 23], a [Christian] plumber in the city was shot dead in front of his wife and children at their home... A day earlier [February 22], gunmen killed another [Christian] man before his pregnant wife, then calmly drank a bottle of Pepsi before taking off, witnesses told aid workers in Ismailia. Is the February 22 Pepsi drinking incident the same as the one reported above as occurring on January 30, or a different one?

This recent uptick in Christian persecution is believed to be in response to a video released earlier by the Islamic State in Sinai. In it, masked militants promise more attacks on the worshipers of the cross, a reference to the Copts of Egypt, whom they also referred to as their favorite prey and the infidels who are empowering the West against Muslim nations.

As a result of the recent slayings and threats of more to come, at least 300 Christians living in al-Arish have fled their homes, with nothing but their clothes on their backs and their children in their hands. Most have congregated in a Coptic church compound in neighboring Ismailia by the Suez Canal. (Note: Donations that go directly to the dislocated Christians of al-Arish can be made here).

In a video of these destitute Copts, one man can be heard saying They are burning us alive! They seek to exterminate Christians altogether! Wheres the [Egyptian] military? Another woman yells at the camera, Tell the whole world, look -- weve left our homes, and why? Because they kill our children, they kill our women, they kill our innocent people! Why! Our children are terrified to go to schools. Why? Why all this injustice! Why doesnt the president move and do something for us? We cant even answer our doors without being terrified!

For his part, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered military and security forces to completely eradicate terrorism in North Sinai. Such a response might be reassuring to al-Arishs Christians -- if it wasnt also deja vu. Back in 2012, and in response to what Islamists perceived as widespread Christian support for Sisis military coup of then president Morsi, Copts in Sinai were widely attacked: one priest, Fr. Mina Cherubim, was shot dead in front of his church; a 65-year-old Christian trader was beheaded; several other Christians, including youths, were kidnapped, held for ransom, and later executed when the exorbitant ransoms could not be met. Two churches were attacked, one burned.

Just as now, hundreds of Christians fled their homes; and, just as now, Sisi vowed to root out the jihadi nests in Sinai.

Incidentally, it should not be imagined that Christians in Sinai are only murdered when ISIS or other jihadis have a special reason (such as 2012s revenge spree against pro-Sisi Christians) or when a video inciting violence against Christians is released (as in the recent cases). For instance, in June 2016, Fr. Raphael Moussa 46, was randomly shot dead in a hail of bullets outside the Church of the Martyr of St. George in Sinai. In January 2015, masked gunmen stormed the home of a Christian man residing in al-Arish. After robbing him and his family at gunpoint, they shot him several times in the head, instantly killing him. According to the slain mans wife, her husband was murdered only because he was a Copt [i.e., Christian]. She pointed out that the masked intruders robbed everything in sight -- including the money in his pockets, the jewelry she was wearing, her handbag, cell phones, and even a Bible. Then, after stealing everything they could, and for no practical purpose, they shot the Christian infidel in the head. A month later, another Christian man in al-Arish was randomly and fatally shot.

Nor, it should be noted, is the slaughter of Egypts Christians limited to Sinai, which some downplay by pointing out that the peninsula is an already acknowledged hotbed of jihadi activity. Last month, few Western media reported on any of four separate murders of Christians that took place over the course of just ten days -- murders that occurred all around Egypt proper, not Sinai: in Alexandria (where a Muslim man crept up behind a Christian shopkeeper and slit his throat, murdering him); in Lower Egypt (where a Christian man, 62, and his wife, 55, were found slaughtered, with numerous stab wounds, in their home); in Upper Egypt (where a young and well liked Christian surgeon known for offering free services to the poor, was also found slaughtered with many stab wounds in his apartment). And of course there was Cairo -- the nations capital -- where, two months ago, an Islamic suicide bomber entered St. Peters Cathedral and killed nearly 30 Christians, mostly women and children.

In short, a new genocide appears to be unfolding -- the Obama administration itself admitted that ISIS is committing genocide against Christians and other minorities -- even as an old indifference looks the other way.

Raymond Ibrahim, author of The Al Qaeda Reader and Crucified Again, is a Shillman fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and a Rosen fellow at the Middle East Forum.
Our political drama has been beyond high for a very long year now. It has ratcheted up close to frenzy since the election in November. We've all watched as the left, from the highest leaders to the lowest voter, have melted down. The leftist media may be the worst of all in this; it's gotten so bad that the country may want to self-destruct if we hear one more ridiculous story about Russia hacking the election.

Trump's speech to Congress Tuesday night marks an end to this period of intensity and a beginning that may not be obvious. There are more than four different groups in America, but the direction of the following four major groups of people is about to change: (1) the Democratic Party and its politicians, (2) the Democrat voters, (3) the Republican voters, and (4) the Republican Party and its politicians. Trump's speech changed the stakes for all four groups and charted new directions each group will take.

The Democrat politicians literally sat through the speech, wearing virtue-signaling white (are they racist?) for the crowd. I almost felt sorry for them  most of their facial expressions were prune-like, glum, and sour. They all looked uncomfortable and seemingly earned the mantle of Dana Carvey's old "church lady" skits. They did themselves no favors as they kept trying to decide whether to stand and clap. Or not. They were transparently confused. Through advanced lip-reading skills, I'm fairly certain I saw Elizabeth Warren and another woman asking each other if they should stand and clap.

Yep, they continued the foolish confusion and pettiness demonstrated since November. Eventually, they will see what everyone else other than their hard-left voting base sees. They will have to change. Trump's uplifting message for Americans will force that to happen sooner or later. It will expose the huge rift between their two factions of left and lefter. An already diminished party, the left wing will be represented by the Clintons and Obamas, through the DNC chairman, Tom Perez. The lefter wing will be represented through their hard-left base, and by the Obamas, the Clintons, and Bernie Sanders.

You read that right. They are the party of confusion, and it's a mess.

Their confusion gets worse. The Democrat voting base is mostly following its leaders of left and lefter. The lefter and most deranged part, led by such deep thinkers as Michael Moore and Bill Maher, are busy trashing the widow of Ryan Owens for being used as a prop for the latest Hitlerian stupid genius leader of the Republican Party. However, the deranged part of their base may be finally getting tired of being outraged by sages such as these. A few of them may even be tired of blaming the Russians. A few of them may even be tired of always being angry.

But not many. Most of them are just confused. They know they are not winning; they know they are losing power; they know that their leaders, as left and lefter as they are, do not seem to have the capacity to dig out of their hole. Their outrage cannot last much longer without a deep crack-up for this group.

Now for the good news. There was an undetermined number of Democrat voting individuals who watched the speech, heard it, and actually liked it. Polling is showing that a substantial number of Democrats actually want their politicians to work with Trump, to work with the Republican Congress to make things better. This amalgamation of individuals is now trying to figure out its path. Polling shows they liked the speech  which means they can't have liked what their own elected leaders did (and looked like) during the speech.

Cognitive dissonance can be difficult to deal with. Watching this might be fun, but even better, it could help bring some healing to our country. This group may even try to become moderate, or at least pretend to. If they do, left and lefter will have another faction to deal with in their party  which would be great for America.

The problem the Democrats have is not going to go away soon. Their party is in as big a death spiral as their signature "affordable health care act." Without finding a new issue, without an agenda, and without any new leadership, they will continue to hike around in the wilderness, shrieking at rocks to move out of their way.

The Republican party base, and most Republican voters, saw a man in full. This is whom they voted for  this is the kind of speech they have been hoping for from a Republican president for decades, one that they hadn't seen since Reagan. They were excited, energized, and applauding what they were hearing. This is a man fulfilling his campaign promises. This is a man proposing an agenda to bring America to greatness once again, an agenda to make our economy strong, to make our military strong, to defeat radical Islam, to stop our insane illegal immigration problem, and to bring us to a stronger America of character, vision, and fullness. It's a big agenda that can only lead to a better America. The base is happy with the trajectory, the drive, the direction, and the hope that this new administration can bring.

Most Republican party officials and politicians were also energized with the speech. The NeverTrumps and those who might as well be NeverTrumps are withering on the vine and looking like bigger fools daily. They may be even more confused than the Democrats. Some #NeverTrumps were hoping Hillary Clinton would give that speech. If they do not forgo their silliness and join the Trump train, they are going to be stuck in a wilderness, muttering at the rocks to stop being so mean. For a long time.

Our Republican elected officials and leaders have a choice to make now. Trump's speech will help separate the wheat from the chaff. Our officials can go fetal, as they did for the better part of a decade, hoping the Democrat-media complex will not call them names. They can be "maverick" senators or Congresscritters, running to the media to criticize what the administration is doing. Or they even help the Democrats obstruct this great agenda. They can pretend to join the Trump train and halfheartedly support the agenda. In doing so, they can attempt to straddle history. Perhaps they can maintain their little power base and still be a part of that corrupt system called the swamp, all the while hoping to continue to gain wealth and power. I'm sure some of them will try to do just that.

But the smart ones will jump all in if they haven't yet done so. This is history in the making. Our country that once was dying is likely to come alive again if they join in. The agenda conservatives have hoped for since Ronald Reagan is in sight.

One warning to the Republican officials and media "stars": The only way this can be screwed up will be in becoming fractious, ambitious for power, and intellectually overly astute. Yes, we know there are differences and that mistakes will be made. Those will be seen and overlooked.

What won't be overlooked, now or by later historians, is for these people to sit by, carping, while our best chance to infuse our Republic with life passes by. What won't be forgotten is if they are timid, greedy, or self-serving while there is a need to unify behind this great agenda. It may be our great last chance to be the country we once were.
Now that hes gone from the White House (forever, one hopes), it is time to ascertain when Barack Obama became an overt black racist. Some will opine that he always has been, which may be true, but is less important than the racial divisiveness that occurred on the national scene between 2009 and 2017. I shall eschew commenting on his record as a youth, a community organizer, and an Illinois politico. Lets stick to his legacy at the national level.

Some say Obamas dislike of America undergirds what he did, but anti-white sentiments better explain his behavior, especially after 2012.

The historian in me says its too soon to have the perspective needed to make any definitive judgments on this topic. The political scientist in me, on the other hand, says Obama has a record and we need to explore it. Since my ultimate graduate degree is in Political Science, I shall apply that disciplines standards.

Obama emerged on the national scene with his keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. We begin there.

If you read the transcript of that speech, youd believe that the Barack Obama of 2004 sincerely believed in Americas unity. Aspiring candidates for national office give lip service to views that will play in Peoria, but set that aside. At one point, he told the delegates [t]heres not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; theres the United States of America. He added, [w]e are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

In his only direct reference to race, Obama criticized the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white.

Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006, Obama was actively seeking the presidency within months. The gist of his campaign in 2007 and 2008, insofar as it related to the race issue, was to be post-racial. As a product of a mixed-race relationship, Obama could not escape the question of race, which was made even more pertinent following revelations of incendiary remarks by his long-time pastor, Jeremiah Wright. Obama tried to defuse the more divisive implications of Wrights rants in a major address given in mid-March, 2008.

Although his acolytes in the mainstream media (MSM) quickly opined that Obama had defused the issue, a careful reading of that speech suggests otherwise.

Although, at points, Obama seemed to challenge Wrights belief that racism was endemic and a perpetual feature of American society, he also asserted that the Constitution, even though it contained the principles that would end the institution, was stained by this nations original sin of slavery. He also asserted that he could no more disown Wright than he could either the black community or his white grandmother. Obama stated that blacks and whites all want to move in the same direction, but he eventually made clear that America had much to do to perfect that part of its union pertaining to race, presumably because Americans have never really worked though racial questions.

Obama also called for black men to take more responsibility for the children they sired in his 2008 Fathers Day speech in Chicago. That speech, however, caused an outcry among some African American spokesmen. Subsequent Fathers Day addresses did not have overt racial connections.

Even after he became Chief Executive, Obama tried to maintain a facade of racial even-handedness, although his nomination of Eric Holder to be Attorney General should have alerted us to potential problems. Almost as soon as Holder became AG, he refused to imprison two New Black Panthers found guilty of voter intimidation in Philadelphia. It wasnt long before the Obama/Holder-led Department of Justice manifested an unwillingness to prosecute African Americans accused of racially motivated violations of whites civil liberties.

A turning-point in Obamas statements regarding race occurred in mid-July 2009 when, after Cambridge (MA) police arrested Harvard Professor Henry Gates, Obamas friend, for disorderly conduct, Obama said that, although he did not know all the facts, Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting Gates. Soon thereafter, Obama was forced to hold a beer summit between himself, Vice President Joe Biden, Prof. Gates, and Cambridge policeman, Sgt. James Crowley.

Thereafter, Obamas even-handedness in matters of race became less evident.

In the aftermath of white Hispanic George Zimmermans killing of African American Trayvon Martin in 2012, for example, Obama made his sympathies for the latter very obvious. He blurted out that, [i]f I had a son, he would look like Trayvon. The Obama administration and the DOJ provided assistance to the prosecutions ultimately unsuccessful effort to convict Zimmerman.

The Obama administration also pursued one-sided policies in the aftermath of the killing of African American Michael Brown by a white Ferguson (MO) policeman on August 9 2014. When race riots immediately broke out, the Obama/Holder-led DOJ sent agents to investigate the gentle giants death, but had to accept a grand jurys decision not to charge Darren Wilson, a decision followed by another round of race riots.

By late summer, early fall of 2014, any sense that Obama was interested in racial healing was threadbare.

One consequence of the crisis in Ferguson was the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement, an overtly black racist organization which had begun after the Zimmerman-Martin incident, but had not received nationwide attention.

Shortly after a raucus demonstration against police in New York City, Obama invited leaders of this racist clique to visit the White House.

In short, Obamas tack vis-a-vis race had shifted full-bore away from racial harmony.

Public opinion polls provide insights into public perceptions of trends in American race relations. Look at the Gallup poll, which asked the same question on several occasions: Would you say relations between whites and blacks are very good, somewhat good, somewhat bad, or very bad.

In mid-2008, 70% of whites said race relations were very/somewhat good, 29% opined they were somewhat/very bad, and 2% had no opinion. In mid 2016, 55% thought they were very/somewhat good, 44% opined they were somewhat/very bad, and 1% had no opinion. Among blacks in 2008, 61% thought race relations were very/somewhat good, 37% believed they were somewhat/very bad, and 1% had no opinion. By 2016, 49% of blacks still thought race relations were very/somewhat good, but 50% said they were somewhat/very bad, and less than one percent had no opinion.

Some polls show larger shifts in opinions about the state of race relations before and after Obama entered the White House, and they are always toward worsened perspectives, especially among African Americans. Far from being a racial uniter, Obama was a divider.

In short, both whites and blacks views of race relations soured while Obama was Chief Executive. If Obama believed that by becoming more overtly racialist, he would witness improvements in blacks perceptions of race relations, he had to be disappointed. One wonders, therefore, what the price of a presidents overt black racism is.

Obamas record on race relations indicates what may happen when the MSM refuses to vet an aspiring presidential candidate.
We are living in interesting times, as some famous Chinese man said centuries ago.

First, the outgoing president decides to live miles from the White House. I understand that we have not seen something like this since President Woodrow Wilson.

Second, we just learned that Valerie Jarrett is moving in with the Obamas:

Barack Obama is turning his new home in the posh Kalorama section of the nation's capital  just two miles away from the White House  into the nerve center of the mounting insurgency against his successor, President Donald J. Trump. Obama's goal, according to a close family friend, is to oust Trump from the presidency either by forcing his resignation or through his impeachment. And Obama is being aided in his political crusade by his longtime consigliere, Valerie Jarrett, who has moved into the 8,200-square-foot, $5.3-million Kaloroma mansion with the former president and Michelle Obama, long time best friends. Jarrett played a vital  if at times low-key  role in the Obama presidency. She lived in the White House, dined with the Obamas, and help shape his domestic and foreign policies.

I guess that takes the chief of staff position to a new level.

Before we get all bent out of shape, let's consider a couple of things.

First, how successful was Obama in politics? He did win and was re-elected. At the same time, he left behind a Democratic Party in its worst shape in decades. He was popular, according to polls, but not very good at electing Democrats. Does anyone seriously believe that Valerie Jarrett can do much from the Obama home to help Democrat incumbent senators in West Virginia, North Dakota, Indiana, Missouri, or Montana?

Second, Obama's efforts to allegedly bring down Trump will succeed only if the GOP fails to deliver, from repealing and replacing Obamacare to all of the other things promised in the campaign.

So good luck to Valerie and her new job.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
The Opposition Party, the Democrats and mainstream media, has suddenly discovered that Russia is our enemy, therefore nobody in the Trump administration should have spoken to the Russians before the elections.

The Opposition Party is upset because the Russians most likely leaked the emails of John Podesta and others that show that Hillary lied and Obama lied about Hillary's use of her private email server. The content of the disclosures, not denied by Hillary, are viewed by the Opposition Party as "interference" with our election because they revealed the truth about Hillary and Obama. These disclosures about Hillary's corruption did not affect Hillary winning the popular vote, which the Opposition Party constantly reminds us, so how could it be interference? There is no charge that the Russians tampered with the voting machines or voting results.

There is no charge or evidence that the release of the Podesta emails affected the election. Hillary won the popular vote. Even if the release of the Podesta emails swayed some voters, how is it "interference" to release the truth about Hillary?

As part of the Opposition Party's campaign, it is now a political crime for a member of the Trump administration to have spoken with anyone from the Russian government before the election, and there must be investigations.

First we had General Flynn. Now the Opposition Party is in full attack mode. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck "Lightweight" Schumer demand the resignation of Attorney General Sessions because he spoke with the Russian ambassador.

This had its intended effect. Sessions announced on March 3 that he will recuse himself from any investigation of Russian "interference" in our election.

Sessions should not have recused himself. He did nothing wrong. By recusing himself, he adds credibility to the baseless charges. He spoke with the Russian ambassador? Big deal. He did not sell uranium to Russia. He did not run guns to Mexico as Eric Holder did in Fast and Furious. He did not meet, as Loretta Lynch did, with Bill Clinton the day before the FBI questioned Hillary, not under oath, and then the FBI gave Hillary a pass.

The Opposition Party is using the "Russia is our enemy" line only to attack Trump. It does not seriously view Russia as our enemy.

For perspective, look at how the Opposition Party reacted to the news that Hillary and Bill Clinton profited from their contacts with Russia.

On April 23, 2015, the New York Times reported that Hillary Clinton, while secretary of state, agreed to sell to Putin's Russia twenty percent of the uranium production in the USA. A Canadian company, Uranium One, that owned the USA uranium sold its assets to a Russian company. Because uranium is a strategic asset, the sale had to be approved by the State Department and other departments. The executives at Uranium One made four donations to the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation, also known as the William J. Corleone Foundation, totaling 2.35 million dollars. In addition, Bill Clinton was paid $500,000 by a Russian bank involved with Uranium One for a speech Bubba gave in Moscow. Draw your own conclusions.

The Times article was based on the research by Peter Schweizer in his book, Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich.

The Republicans should have united to defend Sessions, which is defending Trump. Instead, Jason Chaffetz, Rob Portman, Susan Collins, and Lindsey Graham were touted by the Opposition Party as calling for Sessions to recuse himself.

The Opposition Party can always find appeasing Republicans to collaborate to attack and destroy fellow Republicans.

There were no investigations of Hillary's and Bill's profitable contacts with Russia. No investigations of Holder and Lynch. But General Flynn was forced to resign, and now Attorney General Sessions recuses himself from an investigation where there is nothing to investigate.

Speaking to the Russians is much more serious than selling uranium for kickbacks of $2.35 million and $500,000 disguised as "contributions" to the Clinton Foundation and speaking fees.
A French prosecutor in the city of Nanterre asked the E.U. parliament to lift the immunity of National Front leader Marine Le Pen for posting "violent images" and "incitement of terrorism" on Twitter. The images were of ISIS murders.

Yesterday, the parliament voted to allow Le Pen's prosecution. The loss of immunity for Le Pen is just the latest roadblock establishment French politicians are seeking to put in the nationalist's way.

CNN:

French law prohibits the distribution of violent images or incitement of terrorism. Announcing the result of the vote on whether to lift the immunity, EU Parliament President Antonio Tajani said a "clear majority" of members backed the motion. Le Pen told CNN she's not worried about her immunity being lifted. "I notice that freedom of expression of an EU member of Parliament who denounces the actions of ISIS allows the French government to take her to court," she said. "I will express myself in court and say what I think of all this. ... " As a member of the EU Parliament, Le Pen, leader of the National Front, enjoys immunity that covers freedom of speech  but that immunity can be lifted if authorities of the person's member state makes a request. In this case, a prosecutor in Nanterre, in the west of Paris, made the request. Under French law, the maximum penalty for distributing violent images is three years in prison and a fine of up to 75,000 euros (about $79,000). The lifting of Le Pen's immunity relates to this case only, and any action is unlikely to occur before the first round of voting in the French presidential election on April 23. A representative of Nanterre prosecutor's office said Thursday that it was too early to say when an indictment decision would be made. It's not the first time the EU Parliament has lifted Le Pen's immunity; it took a similar step in 2013. She was then prosecuted in 2015 with "incitement to discrimination over people's religious beliefs" after she compared Muslims praying in public to the Nazi occupation of France during World War II. She was acquitted by a court in Lyon.

As is the case elsewhere in the world, including the U.S., the old political verities in France are crumbling in the face of voter rage at the corruption and incompetence of political elites. France has been mired in economic stagnation for more than two decades. Attempts to rein in public spending  which accounts for an astonishing 57% of GDP, have failed. A quarter of French youth under the age of 25 are unemployed. Many more are working jobs that don't pay enough for them to go out and live on their own.

This insightful article in The Economist calls the French presidential election "the most exciting in living memory" as the two major parties are likely to be eliminated in the first round of voting in April.

The Socialist and Republican parties, which have held power since the founding of the Fifth Republic in 1958, could be eliminated in the first round of a presidential ballot on April 23rd. French voters may face a choice between two insurgent candidates: Marine Le Pen, the charismatic leader of the National Front, and Emmanuel Macron, the upstart leader of a liberal movement, En Marche! (On the Move!), which he founded only last year. The implications of these insurgencies are hard to exaggerate. They are the clearest example yet of a global trend: that the old divide between left and right is growing less important than a new one between open and closed. The resulting realignment will have reverberations far beyond Frances borders. It could revitalise the European Union, or wreck it. The revolutions proximate cause is voters fury at the uselessness and self-dealing of their ruling class. The Socialist president, Francois Hollande, is so unpopular that he is not running for re-election. The established opposition, the centre-right Republican party, saw its chances sink on March 1st when its standard-bearer, Francois Fillon, revealed that he was being formally investigated for paying his wife and children nearly 1m ($1.05m) of public money for allegedly fake jobs. Mr Fillon did not withdraw from the race, despite having promised to do so. But his chances of winning are dramatically weakened. Further fuelling voters anger is their anguish at the state of France (see article). One poll last year found that French people are the most pessimistic on Earth, with 81% grumbling that the world is getting worse and only 3% saying that it is getting better. Much of that gloom is economic. Frances economy has long been sluggish; its vast state, which absorbs 57% of GDP, has sapped the countrys vitality. A quarter of French youths are unemployed. Of those who have jobs, few can find permanent ones of the sort their parents enjoyed. In the face of high taxes and heavy regulation those with entrepreneurial vim have long headed abroad, often to London. But the malaise goes well beyond stagnant living standards. Repeated terrorist attacks have jangled nerves, forced citizens to live under a state of emergency and exposed deep cultural rifts in the country with Europes largest Muslim community.

So Le Pen must be stopped  not only because she represents an end to the mutli-culti "let's be tolerant toward our Muslim children who know not what they do" ethos, but also because her election would signify the total failure of French elites to run other people's lives. That they could consider prosecuting her for trying to alert the French people to the barbarity of the people who are murdering Frenchmen in the streets and playgrounds of Paris speaks volumes of where their priorities lie.

Le Pen is not a savior, but the movement she represents could signal a revival of the French spirit  so long suppressed by E.U. elites in Brussels who see any manifestation of nationalism anywhere on the continent as a threat to their existence. Given the odds, Le Pen may not win the presidency. But she will have made her party and her movement a force to be reckoned with for years to come.
After decades of being a good neighbor and spending more than half a billion dollars to build Tijuana's sewage treatment plants, Mexico has repaid the favor by intentionally unleashing 143 million gallons of stench-filled sewage onto San Diego's beaches over 17 days in February. It's the biggest spill in two decades, the San Diego Union Tribune reported. San Diego officials say it was done without warning, was deliberately done, and still has garnered no response from Mexican officials who won't even take U.S. phone calls.

Supposedly, the idea was to save millions in pumping costs by shipping it to the gringos up north. But it makes one wonder if it might just be sewage warfare, given Mexico's fury at President Trump's proposed border wall and Tijuana's bizarre silence. The mayor of nearby Imperial Beach calls it "the tsunami of sewage spills." KGTV reported that a binational investigation was announced Thursday.

It might just be window dressing.

The act came just days after Mexican president Enrique Pena-Nieto canceled a Jan. 31 visit to the U.S., reportedly after an unfriendly telephone conversation with President Trump. The White House has denied it, but supposedly, Trump threatened to send in troops if the Mexicans could not get rid of its drug trafficking "bad hombres," the AP reported. More significant still, a former Mexican official, Jorge Castaneda, threatened to unleash Mexican cartels onto the U.S. to retaliate for deportations of illegal immigrants and the construction of a border wall. Castaneda is not a standing official and does not belong to the same PRI that is now the ruling party of Mexico, but he's very influential in Mexican power circles and no doubt knows the local sentiment at a minimum. He also could be "plausible deniability" for the Mexican government as he issues the threat, while getting Mexico's message across. "Clearly, they will play dirty," wrote ZeroHedge's Tyler Durden.

It's significant, because this is a country that knows how to play poor man's warfare. Instead of unleashing nukes or hacking onto a hated rival, the Mexicans have always specialized in unleashing their least desirable people onto the U.S., like a pressure valve, either in accordance with their own domestic needs or as a stick to punish the U.S. with. Mexican officials have admitted as much in the past. The threat of releasing illegals has always been a tool for them.

With those threats, and the sudden emergence of sewage warfare  and Mexican officials refusing to take U.S. officials' phone calls  it appears they may be expanding their range of poor man's weapons.

It's tempting to snicker: so much for Tijuana officials' efforts to paint their city as a modern and responsible one, a haven for progress, as it now claims. It may look fairly modern, but its government is still the same old donkey show it's always been, this time with different donkeys, or asses, as the case may be. But Tijuana is no longer the ridiculous border town of lore. It is now one of Mexico's largest cities with more than a million people, and a city larger than San Diego. It would have influence among the solons of Mexico City as a power center.

The investigation should go forward, but if it hits a dead end with no one taking responsibility, it will be pretty obvious that the sewage problem extends to Mexico's highest levels of power. If that is the case, sanctions of some kind are in order. Mexican officials cannot be permitted to fling poo at the U.S. from their enclosure like the frustrated apes of the San Diego Zoo.
President Trump, with a Republican-controlled Congress behind him, has the means to roll back a surprising amount of the red tape and regulations that Washington bureaucrats have smothered the nation with in the past ten years. I'm referring to the use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA).

A traditional and undisputed understanding of this 1996 law allows Congress to override regulations published within 60 legislative days by a simple majority vote in both chambers. In the current session, the Ryan-led House has already voted to repeal 13 of the Obama-era damaging regulations of which President Trump has signed off on three so far.

But this rollback is a pittance compared to the full potential of the CRA. As conservative scholars and analysts at the Pacific Legal Foundation, the Heritage Foundation, the Federalist Society, and RedTapeRollBack.com examine the CRA, they see that the law gives significantly more oversight of bureaucrats than previously realized.

Todd Gaziano, a senior fellow in constitutional law at the Pacific Legal Foundation, says Congress has extraordinary powers to overrule regulations going back to the beginning of the Obama administration if those regulations were not reported to Congress as specified by CRA.

Here's what he means. The first line of the CRA requires any federal agency issuing a rule to submit a report on it to the House and Senate. The 60-day clock for Congress to act starts either when the rule is published in the Federal Register or when Congress receives the report  whichever comes later.

Whether it was through spite, arrogance, or incompetence, many rules have not been duly reported to Congress during the Obama reign.

According to the Wall Street Journal, a 2014 study by the Administrative Conference of the United States found at least 43 "major" or "significant" rules that had never been reported to Congress along with an estimated 1,000 smaller rules issued each year. The study focused on formal rules  not "guidances," which are also covered by the CRA.

Examples of guidances are the Obama administration's notorious instruction to K-12 schools on transgender bathrooms and Title IX and campus sexual assaults for colleges and universities.

The bottom line is that if a rule or a guidance has not been reported to Congress since the inception of the CRA in 1996, it can now be challenged in Congress.

But the CRA goes even farther. The law states, "Before a rule can take effect," the federal agency in question must submit a congressional report on it. The clear implication here is that the Trump administration can simply declare any rule not reported to Congress null and void.

The WSJ suggests a prudent way to approach this opportunity. It is as follows:

The White House would be wise to start by simply directing federal agencies to catalog which rules have reports  and then devise a strategy with Congress. Some rules might deserve to stay on the books. Some bad rules might get reported to Congress for repeal under CRA. Others could be declared null and void  which saves the trouble of formally revising them. This last approach might appeal to Congressional Republicans who are fretting that CRA crush is diverting them from healthcare and tax reform.

And there's one more thing: after analyzing the CRA, Paul Larkin of the Heritage Foundation concludes that once Congress overrides a rule, agencies cannot reissue it in "substantially the same form" unless specifically authorized by future legislation. This means that regulations (rules) that are overridden via the CRA cannot be resurrected by some future agencies in a Democratic administration without new supporting legislation.

As the WSJ puts it, Democrats will howl in response to an aggressive use of the CRA, but the law was designed to impose penalties on agencies that fail to keep Congress informed. As Mr. Gaziano says, "the entire point of CRA was to restore some minimal level of constitutionality accountability over agencies that take a broadly worded statute as a license to run wild."

The CRA is the most immediate means the Republicans have to reimpose democratic accountability on a lawless bureaucracy. Once again, the Republicans have the power in their hands to make meaningful changes in Washington. One can only hope that they will not shy away from using the CRA to its fullest and not worry about the hysterics from the Democrats and their media soulmates.
The Democrats and their allies in the media certainly couldn't allow the momentum from the speech to continue; do not want to focus on Trump's initiatives; don't want the public to see much about the meetings with different groups, especially minorities; and certainly do not want to talk about the massive increases in consumer optimism and business optimism or the trillions in increases in the stock market. Therefore:

They bring out the tried and true  people around Trump talked to Russians. It is too bad they didn't talk to the Iranians instead.

Hillary always bragged about all her contacts around the world, so I do not understand why the NYT, WaPo, and others haven't received any information on calls by her or anyone surrounding her the last few years to Russians or other world officials.

Were the intelligence agencies and Obama officials targeting calls only from Trump officials or from all campaigns, including Hillary's and Bernie's? Were their court orders involved to authorize the recording of calls?

In March of 2012, Obama whispered to a high-ranking Russian official to tell Putin he would have more flexibility if Obama was re-elected. Later that year, he chastised Romney for saying Russia is dangerous. Did the intelligence agencies record Obama officials that year for improper contact with Russian officials? Did the Justice Department Democrats and the media investigate whether Russia sought to influence the 2012 election? Wouldn't it be logical for Russia to want to re-elect the flexible Obama who had done nothing to limit Putin's expansion of power during his first term?

President Obama and others around him were actively campaigning to elect Hillary, so there could be an Obama third term. Wouldn't it be illegal and immoral for anyone surrounding Obama to illegally release classified information to damage Trump before and after the election? Isn't it sad that the compliant media willingly report Democrat propaganda to destroy a candidate they are against? It is especially pathetic when they report unverified gossip.

We know that Obama had the "independent" IRS target his political opponents to shut them up and violate their free speech and political speech rights prior to elections. Obama said there was not a smidgen of evidence that they did anything wrong. That is obviously a president who does not have a moral, legal, or constitutional compass.

We know that Obama used the "independent" Justice Department to threaten legal action against political opponents who dared disagree with him on climate issues.

We know that Obama and hundreds of officials in his administration clearly knew that Hillary was violating the law on classified documents starting in 2009 and neither Obama nor anyone else cared.

A president who targets political opponents throughout his eight years and obviously has people that continue to target his successor is much more dangerous than anything Nixon did with Watergate, which was a burglary and cover-up.

There is absolutely nothing illegal about talking to Russians or anyone else around the world. There is absolutely no indication that anyone surrounding Trump asked Putin or any Russian to help rig the election. The media are trying to change the subject.

Eric Holder was an attorney general who actually committed perjury before Congress and not one Democrat asked Obama to fire him or asked him to resign. The media also didn't really care.

When Sessions is asked what he and the Russian ambassador talked about, he should just say his grandchildren and their vacations. That is the same answer Loretta Lynch gave about her "chance" meeting with Bill Clinton a few days before the pretend FBI interview of Hillary.

When most of the media seek to destroy a president and political agenda because they don't like him while they sought to build up another president and agenda because they did like him no matter what he did, they are absolutely worthless. It is certainly not what the Founders envisioned when they enshrined freedom of the press in the First Amendment to hold the powerful to account.
AUBURN  With publishers set up along the Owasco River and a paper mill near where the prison is today, Auburn was once a center of publishing in the 1800s.

The latest exhibit by the Cayuga Museum, opening Friday, pages through downtown's history in publishing. Museum Executive Director Eileen McHugh said printing presses powered by the Owasco River churned out the first editions of many texts, such as "Twelve Years a Slave" by Solomon Northrup and "My Bondage and My Freedom" by Frederick Douglass.

"Pressing Ahead: Publishing in 19th Century Auburn" is set up on the museum's first floor. It will also open another exhibit Friday on the second floor called "Inside Standing Rock: Photographs by Alex Hamer."

The collection features 40 photos of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests taken by Hamer, a Syracuse resident shooting for Indian Country Media Network. Both exhibits will continue through May 27.

For "Pressing Ahead," McHugh said the museum already had many of the published works in its collection. She said that made the exhibit a natural choice, along with the popularity of the 2013 film "12 Years A Slave," which is based on Northup's narrative.

Meanwhile, an exhibit about the pipeline protests made sense given the relevance, McHugh said, while the broader issues of water quality tie in with recent challenges Cayuga County is facing with Owasco Lake.

"We're always looking to be able to tell stories about the objects in our collection," McHugh said.

'Pressing Ahead'

The common school movement in the 1800s spurred entrepreneurs in Auburn to heed the demand for more reading materials, McHugh said.

The "Pressing Ahead" exhibit showcases books, newspapers and other materials published in Auburn. That includes the earliest book published in Auburn in 1815, "An Authentic History of the Second War for Independence" by Samuel R. Brown.

The slave narratives published by Northup in 1853 and Douglass in 1855, which came a few years before the start of the Civil War, "really invigorated the abolition movement," McHugh said.

"They were two of the biggest and best-known of a genre of slave narratives that were being published before the Civil War to create empathy in northerners for the people who were enslaved in the South," she said.

Curator Kirsten Wise added, "Auburn was a really progressive city for a lot of different things, and publishing, I think, really made sense. We were progressive on social issues, industry and manufacturing."

Along with those works, Auburn was also the publication birthplace of "Fern Leaves from Fanny's Portfolio," a collection of newspaper columns written by an anonymous woman.

McHugh said the author, who published under a pseudonym, was one of the highest-paid newspaper columnists of her day and was the first serialized female columnist, with writings on a variety of topics like birth control, divorce and economic independence for women.

"It's completely forgotten today  who's ever even heard of it?  but it was a publishing phenomenon. It sold 50,000 copies in the first year and a half," McHugh said. She added, "The New York Ledger, alone, paid her $100 a week to run her column, which was an unheard of sum in those days."

The museum exhibit also features equipment involved in the actual publication process. McHugh said informational panels will explain the process in which books were made by hand back in the 1800s.

While many of the works featured in the exhibit come from the Cayuga Museum's collection and a few from the Seward House Museum, McHugh said much of the publishing equipment for the exhibit was donated by Wells College.

She said Auburn's status as a publishing center continued until around the early 1900s, when publishers began migrating to major cities like New York, Boston and Chicago.

'Inside Standing Rock'

Hamer's work makes a return to the Cayuga Museum after a selection of his photographs were featured in a previous 2016 exhibit on the Haudenosaunee.

Hamer visited Standing Rock during two separate one-week visits. On his first trip in August, Hamer said the presence of people near where Indian Country Media Network was camped out, in the area of the Cannonball River, was relatively light, with little media coverage to that point.

Photos from Hamer's second trip, however, show a much more crowded area. Hamer said the issue had appeared on the radar of mainstream media, with reporters and protesters among a very diverse cross-section of people that turned out at the Oceti Sakowin Camp.

Hamer said he attempted to capture stories and moments that showed the gatherings "beyond what mainstream media was reporting."

"It was a very powerful experience and a prayerful experience. Something that really changed the way I look at things," he said. On the protests, he added, "This was an indigenous youth-led council rally. We were greeted by lines of riot police."
Yesterday, we saw that the Democrats will not stop until they destroy the ability of the Trump administration to enact any meaningful legislation and make the changes he was elected to accomplish. Senator Schumer and his cohorts in the Senate have muddied the waters enough to confuse people regarding Attorney General Sessions's truthfulness. It is possible that former president Obama might have prompted his outgoing administration to leak the information regarding the Russian computer hacking of the DNC and attempts to disrupt our electoral process to damage the Trump program's effectiveness.

It is clear that the media will continue to utilize this information to undermine Trump. For the next four years, the opposition media will search for anything to pin on Trump's head and make him the target of ethical questions. Therefore, it is incumbent on Donald Trump to outsmart these "swampy" monsters. The president should have a respected, honest investigator, such as former attorney general Michael Mukasey, lead the effort to uncover all relevant material concerning the Russian computer intrusions. In this way, he can move this item off the front pages of the papers and nightly news reports.

President Trump cannot have his achievements reduced or eviscerated by the Democrats using attacks on his ethics. They fear that his policies will be successful, which will marginalize the Democrats for a decade. If they can delay his appointments long enough, then he cannot fill the operational positions in the agencies and Cabinet. Then they can continue the damaging leaks that challenge Trump's legitimacy.

The opposition has already caused the loss of General Flynn. He was a registered Democrat with more conservative social views. He was willing to argue against Obama policies regarding ISIS. He became a "traitor" as a result.

Now they seek Jeff Sessions, since he would lead an investigation against the leakers. The leaks are illegal. Congressional leaders see foreign ambassadors regularly. Destroying Sessions's effectiveness will allow these embedded Obama holdovers to continue the dripple of questionable material.

The aim of the opposition is to delay and destroy from the murky depths where few will tread. The Democrats have their own issues to reconcile, such as Senator McCaskill's misleading tweet about Russian contacts. But the press will not ruin her as a result.

Today, President Trump went to the new aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, but this effort was drowned out by the hyped news on Putin's Russia. It is necessary to end this issue for good.

Draining the swamp will be harder than thought initially. Those monsters take down their prey. Trump has to get the Obama holdovers out fast!
Attorney General Jeff Sessions is in hot water from congressional Democrats and the broader left for...talking to the Russians, while serving as the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Yes, it was a question of disclosure to the Senate at confirmation, as their complaint follows. But what we talking about was a gladhand with a Russian ambassador at the sidelines of a public event that both men were entitled to be at, as if that held the same reporting requirement as an SVR (formerly KGB) recruitment attempt. Democrats bring up that Sessions was an adviser to the Donald Trump campaign at the time, ignoring that this was a Senate event and that Sessions was serving in a Senate capacity. But Sessions's very reluctance to speak about it at his Senate confirmation points to problems within the Washington culture itself, which have gotten so bad that even an innocuous conversation with a Russian official is the equivalent of full-blown treason. Any questions as to why relations with Russia have been so persistently bad a quarter-century after the Cold War's end?

The problem of Not Being Allowed to Talk with the Russians is obviously a political gambit, but it's even more a bureaucratic one.

On the surface, the complaints against Sessions are the work of an embittered Democrat establishment still desperate to pin something impeachable onto Trump and to punish Russia for what it deludes itself into thinking was a Russian hacking role that secured Hillary Clinton's defeat. Never mind that Clinton was a bad candidate and that Trump got the votes in the critical swing states. At a telephone town hall meeting in the wake of Trump's Tuesday speech before Congress, the obsession was obvious from Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), who discussed with her constituents how many different ways they could consider to pin Russian linked charges onto Trump  everything from getting hold of his taxes to co-opting the intelligence agencies. There wasn't much talk at that citizen powwow about how to improve Obamacare so that consumers might want to buy it.

That's the situation we have in Washington as Democrats seek ever new ways to target Trump by hitting Sessions. They aren't interested in national security, and they never have been. If they were, they'd have halted the presidential candidacy of Hillary Clinton, who was found to have committed the Mother of All Security Violations in illegally securing a private server to handle her State Department email. They didn't. We don't need to bring up leftist Jane Fonda succoring the North Vietnamese while U.S. servicemen were being tortured, or Democrat Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) colluding with the KGB in his bid to halt Ronald Reagan's re-election.

It's a grotesque spectacle, given all that the Democrats have handed to the Iranian mullahs via the Iran deal, as well as the no-conditions normalization of relations with the monstrous Castro regime. The Russians are the big problem? A problem so big that a guy like Sessions dare not talk with them? The mullahs are laughing up their sleeves at that one.

The Beltway Hive is even more complicit in this sorry state of affairs.

Embattled intelligence agencies, facing layoffs and, more importantly, seeing their usefulness supplanted by the internet as well as spill-all traitors like Ed Snowden, are likewise doing their part to prove their value by demonizing the Russians. For them, it's bureaucratic survival. Having a security clearance is so common that it's hardly a national necessity; it's now a status symbol, a way of ensuring high salaries, zero-productivity jobs, and access to Washington suburb real estate, as well as a haughty sense of importance and entitlement. They've kept up the campaign of leaks to undermine Trump, like the Democrats, by using the Russians as a club.

The Russians must feel like a punching bag. All they've signaled since Trump's election is a desire for good relations and to cooperate in the battle to crush ISIS. For their efforts, they keep getting slapped with spy accusations minus evidence and pariah status. Reports from Moscow say they are starting to get discouraged. If so, it is one heck of a missed opportunity for the U.S. to wipe out terrorism from a Beltway elite desperate to hold on to its privileges.

Meanwhile, the media, which feed on leaks, continue to play their role as handmaiden to the Beltway elites. Thursday, the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, scolded CNN for "fake news" by reporting that an unnamed top U.S. intelligence official claimed that Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak was a "top spy and recruiter of spies."

Really? Shortly before he left office, President Obama threw out 35 fry cooks and other Russian embassy and consular staff, claiming that those guys were all the proven spies, despite no counterparty arrests of Americans who would have supposedly been their recruits. Kislyak, the old spy of spies, somehow did not make the list.

Anyone in the foreign policy establishment can tell you that ambassadors are almost never spies, and certainly not one of the high rank and importance of Kislyak, whose job is to ensure the best U.S.-Russian relations possible under the circumstances. Spying goes on from both sides, of course, but it is astonishing that CNN could claim that it found a high-ranking U.S. intelligence official to claim that the ambassador was the lowly spy recruiter. CNN's source, if he wasn't made up, undoubtedly wanted his name withheld not for national security reasons, but because he would be a laughingstock if he made that claim with his name attached.

It's frustrating, because all this power-gaming about sensitive information, national security, security clearances as status symbols on the Beltway  all have the effect of discouraging any new positive outcome between the U.S. and Russians.

As a matter of fact, everyone should be talking to the Russians.

Talking and communicating build relationships, trust, and new initiatives.

An ambassador is an envoy, a messenger, and always has been. Ambassador Kislyak is here legally and was just doing his job when he met Sessions, which is talking and meeting with officials. He has never spoken ill of our country, nor has he ever insulted us. That comes even as his country has endured some pretty strong provocations from the Obama administration.

Making Russians a pariah has the perverse effect of making the intelligence agencies seem important whether they are or not. But it also has the negative effect of discouraging knowledge and understanding in the broader population.

How many Russians do most Americans know, anyway? How many kids in school study the Russian language? On the other side of the equation, how many Americans do most Russians know? The connections are negligible. Other than from a small wave of immigrants from the 1980s and 1990s, the Russians are largely unknown to us. Since the Cold War's end in 1991, Russian language and Russian area studies at universities have dwindled precipitously, to just 371 bachelor's degrees, 12 master's degrees, and one  count 'em, one  doctoral degree. Those figures are from 2014, and the Department of Education hasn't gotten around to updating them in the past three years, but the trend line from the charts is clear: it's a 66% decline since 1969, and it's the only strategic language and studies area that has seen any such decline. Chinese, Arabic, and Korean have all seen soaring gains. Russian is the only one that has fallen. Neither we nor the intelligence community has the knowledge base needed to make informed decisions about the country.

The ignorance was obvious enough last week, when Sen. Lindsey Graham announced that 2017 would be "the year of kicking Russia in the ass," as if that would be a good idea with one of the world's largest nuclear superpowers. Does Graham care to say how many of our men and women in uniform he'd like to expend for that?

Eight years ago, the ignorance was obvious, too. Then-secretary of state Hillary Clinton's badly translated "reset" button was pretty much a sign of a depleted knowledge base. Did they really have not one person who could translate the word "reset" at the bloated Department of State?

Russia's ambassador Kislyak was doing exactly what he is supposed to do as the country's envoy to the U.S., as was Jeff Sessions. It's called diplomacy, something that up until now was what the radical left touted as a cure-all for every conflict.

Without it, it would be all weird news and strange interpretations of our intentions infecting the Russians' views of us because they cannot get good information. As for our knowledge, we'd pretty well get all of it filtered through a George Soros propaganda apparatus. That's the risk of not talking directly with the Russians. With two leading nuclear superpowers constantly at odds, what really helps is simply to know the Russians and to keep talking with them.

It's not going to happen so long as the bureaucrats, the Democrats, and the media keep using it as a career-killer for anyone on the Beltway who does so.
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AUBURN  A second corrections officer has been suspended without pay amid an investigation at Auburn Correctional Facility, the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision confirmed Friday.

In December 2016, DOCCS launched an investigation at Auburn prison after a corrections officer admitted to planting a weapon on an inmate. At the time, DOCCS suspended the officer, Matthew Cornell, without pay and placed two other unnamed officers on administrative leave.

Now, DOCCS' spokesperson Thomas Mailey said one of those officers has since been suspended without pay while the other has been reinstated at the prison.

"One of the two officers previously on administrative leave has also been suspended without pay," Mailey wrote Friday in an email to The Citizen. "The second officer has been returned to work."

DOCCS would not provide the name of the second suspended officer. However, Mailey confirmed that Cornell remains suspended without pay.

DOCCS Office of Special Investigations is in charge of the investigation at the prison. That investigation is ongoing.

After Cornell's suspension, Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said his office met with local judges on the matter and reached out to nine defendants charged in cases involving Cornell. Six of those defendants have since had their cases dismissed or convictions vacated.

We had sent out letters on six cases that were in various stages of prosecution here that we consented to dismiss or vacate," Budelmann said in a press release in January. "There were three other cases that we had notified but did not consent to vacate because the officer was minimally involved."

The district attorney noted that many of the defendants had previously pleaded guilty in these cases. However, Budelmann said his office decided the convictions should be vacated in the interest of justice.

Meanwhile, several local defense attorneys have brought additional cases to court with motions to vacate their clients' convictions.

On Thursday, defense attorney Rome Canzano asked Cayuga County Court Judge Thomas Leone to vacate the conviction of 29-year-old Peterson Ruiz. Ruiz pleaded guilty in September to first-degree promoting prison contraband.

As to why Ruiz pleaded guilty, Canzano said it came down to credibility, the word of an officer versus the word of an inmate.

"It has nothing to do with guilt or innocence," Canzano said in a phone call Friday. "In essence, we were provided information that we had a law enforcement officials' word about an event versus the word of a convicted felon and the defendant is forced to make a choice between taking the risk of losing at trial or admitting guilt and having a known outcome.

"It's two to four years in prison versus 15 years to life if they lose as trial," Canzano added. "That's the decision."

Defense attorney Ryan Muldoon also presented a motion to vacate a conviction Thursday in the case of Jkendric Agee, who was convicted of first-degree promoting prison contraband after a jury trial in November.

In both cases, Canzano and Muldoon argued that the credibility of the officers involved is questionable in light of DOCCS' ongoing investigation at the prison.

"I'm not attempting to besmirch the names of all corrections officers," Canzano said Friday. "However, without any specific names or information being released, it is impossible to know who was or wasn't involved in all of this."

Budelmann opposed both attorneys' motions, saying Cornell was not involved in either case.

"I am only aware of one correction officer implicated for putting a weapon on an inmate," Budelmann wrote in an email to The Citizen. "The implicated officer neither discovered nor recovered the dangerous weapon (Ruiz) admitting to possessing ... and (Agee's) case did not involve the correction officer implicated in this conduct in any way."

Ruiz is scheduled to reappear in court March 23. Agee's case has been adjourned until April 6.
A convicted sex offender who was wanted by the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office has been located.

Sean P. Starr, 50, was arrested Friday night in Canandaigua, according to the sheriff's office. He was arraigned in Sennett Town Court and is being held in the Cayuga County Jail without bail.

Starr is accused of failing to notifying authorities of his current address and for not providing an updated photo. His last known address was on Mutton Hill Road in Sennett. Authorities suspected that he was now in the Canandaigua area.

Starr was convicted of first-degree felony sexual abuse in 2008 for touching a 14-year-old girl while she slept. He was also previously convicted of sodomy and endangering the welfare of a child and, in 2011, Starr was designated a level-three sexually violent offender, meaning he posed a high risk of re-offending.
NEW YORK (AP)  A jilted ex-boyfriend is behind at least eight of the scores of threats made against Jewish Community Centers nationwide, plus a bomb threat to New York's Anti-Defamation League, in an effort to harass and vilify his former girlfriend, federal officials said Friday.

Juan Thompson, 31, was arrested in St. Louis and will appear in federal court in Missouri on Friday afternoon on a charge of cyberstalking, authorities said. There was no information on an attorney who could comment on his behalf.

Federal officials have been investigating 122 bomb threats called in to nearly 100 Jewish Community College schools, child care and other similar facilities in three dozen states. The first wave of calls started Jan. 9. Thompson made threats in his name and in the woman's name, and his first one was Jan. 28 to the Jewish History Museum in Manhattan, authorities said. Federal authorities say Thompson made up an email address to make it seem like the woman was sending threats in his name. He made threats this way to Jewish schools in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and Manhattan and to a JCC in Manhattan, authorities said.

He also made threats in the woman's name, authorities said. An email sent Feb. 21 to the Anti-Defamation League said the woman was behind threats made against "jews," authorities said.

"She lives in nyc and is making more bomb threats tomorrow," the email said, according to federal authorities.

The ADL received a phoned-in threat of a bomb that would detonate the next day. The threat was a hoax.

He sent a note to the San Diego JCC, too, and wrote that the woman "hates Jewish people and is the head of a ring and put a bomb in the center to kill as many Jews asap," authorities said.

According to a federal complaint, the pair broke up last summer. The following day, her boss received an email purporting to be from a national news organization saying that she'd been pulled over for drunken driving.

Thompson is also a former journalist who was fired from the Intercept last year after he was accused of fabricating several quotes and creating fake email accounts to impersonate people, one of whom was the Intercept's editor-in-chief, Betsy Reed. One of the stories involved Dylann Roof, the Charleston, South Carolina, church shooter.

The ADL said Friday that Thompson had been on its radar ever since he fabricated the story about Roof.
If you think about it, no wonder Donald Trump prefers the imaginative stylings of Fox News to the Presidential Daily Briefing. He's pretty much the network's target demographic: a daffy old-timer with time on his hands.

Intelligence reports tend to be complex, hedged with uncertainties. That's boring to an elderly adolescent. Rather like the big-screen evangelical churches that furnish much of the rest of its audience, Fox News delivers provocative melodrama that keeps viewers wide awake.

Hence Sweden, one of the safest, most prosperous democracies on earth, becomes a hotbed of terrorist violence. Never mind that Sweden's terrific crime novelists  Henning Mankell, Stieg Larsson, Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo  probably kill off more imaginary victims than the country has actual homicides.

Sweden has taken in many Syrian refugees; therefore, it must be hell on earth. Anybody who says different is spreading "fake news"  a term that has basically come to signify "I'm talking out my ... "

Well, making things up.

However, just because somebody's reality-challenged doesn't mean they're stupid. Even downright delusional people can be extremely cunning in service of their crackpot notions.

Consider what one is tempted to call President Trump's downright "Clintonian" non-denial denial during his recent press conference: "I own nothing in Russia, I have no loans in Russia, I don't have any deals in Russia."

"Russia," he insisted. "is fake news put out by the media."

Ah, but what about deals "with" or loans "from" Russia? Different question. Trump and his family have been up to their eyeballs in Russian cash for decades.

The president denying this well-documented fact is the rough equivalent of Bill Clinton denying he'd ever met Monica Lewinsky.

Indeed, father and sons used to brag about Russian money. In 2008, Donald Trump Jr. told a real estate conference that "Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets ... We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia."

After staging the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow, Trump boasted that most of Russia's financial elite attended a swank party he threw. "Almost all of the oligarchs were in the room," Trump told Real Estate Weekly. It's important to understand that politically independent Russian oligarchs do not exist. One way or another, Putin owns them all.

During a Republican debate, Trump even claimed a personal relationship with Vladimir Putin. "I got to know him very well because we were both on '60 Minutes.' We were stablemates," he said.

Except oops, Putin's segment was taped in Moscow.

Now Trump says the two have never met, which is probably true.

"Still, there has been the nagging sense for some time that there's something off about the way Trump speaks about Putin," the invaluable blogger Digby explains. "It's obsequious and submissive, which is very uncharacteristic of his normal style and one cannot help but wonder why that is. Trump is not servile toward anyone in this world  except Vladimir Putin. It would be one thing if we could chalk it up as another one of Trump's weird psychological tics and hope that he isn't so subject to flattery that he decides to help the Russian leader carve up Europe just to keep his approval. But it seems there's more to it than that."

It certainly does. Trump was similarly cagey about his campaign's reported contacts with Russian intelligence. Another series of non-denial denials: Not that he personally knows. He, Trump, had no Russian contacts. He's seen people on TV  people he scarcely knows, maybe he was in the same room with them once  denying any such liaisons.

It's all fake news to him.

So now comes yet another guy Trump hardly knows  a Russian emigre who channeled millions from Moscow investors to various (eventually bankrupt) Trump projects in New York, Fort Lauderdale and Toronto.

Felix Sater's name has surfaced in connection with a private "peace initiative" to settle the Ukranian-Russian dispute on terms highly favorable to Russia. According to highly detailed accounts in The New York Times and The Washington Post, the scheme was brokered by Trump's attorney Michael D. Cohen, a pro-Putin Ukranian legislator, and Sater, supposedly through the good offices of recently fired national security advisor Michael Flynn.

The scheme's absurd on its face. But what's truly amazing is Sater's participation, a twice-convicted felon: once for stabbing a guy in a bar fight, and later for a multi-million dollar securities fraud tied to the Genovese and Colombo crime families.

While awaiting sentencing, Sater lived two lives: one as a principal in Bayrock, an investment firm located in Trump Tower which funneled millions in Russian capital into several of Trump's characteristically grandiose projects, a second as a CIA informant on international arms smuggling. The dude belongs in a Jason Bourne movie.

In a 2013 deposition, Trump said he wasn't sure he'd actually recognize Felix Sater either. Chances are the rest of us will before this astonishing saga ends.
The Sedona International Film Festival will bring a special screening of The Eagle Huntress  shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature  next week as part of the festivals monthly Flagstaff Cinema Series.

The Eagle Huntress plays at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Harkins Flagstaff 16 Theatres (near the Flagstaff Mall). Tickets are $12, $9 for film festival members and $6 for full-time students, and will be available starting at 6 p.m. that day in the Harkins lobby. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling (928) 282-1177 or online at www.SedonaFilmFestival.org.

The acclaimed documentary follows Aisholopan, a 13-year-old girl, as she trains to become the first female in 12 generations of her Kazakh family to become an eagle hunter, and rises to the pinnacle of a tradition that has been handed down from father to son for centuries.

While there are many old Kazakh eagle hunters who vehemently reject the idea of any female taking part in their ancient tradition, Aisholpans father Nurgaiv believes that a girl can do anything a boy can, as long as shes determined.

The story begins after Aisholpan has been training with her fathers eagle for many months. As every eagle can only have one master, the time has come for Aisholpan to capture an eagle of her own.

Clambering down a sheer rock cliff with a rope, Aisholpan retrieves a fledgling eagle from its nest as its mother circles overhead. Her eagle will live, train, and hunt with her, until she releases it into the wild years later, so the cycle of life can continue.

After months of training her eagle with her father, Aisholpan is ready to test her abilities. She enters a renowned competition, the Golden Eagle Festival, and faces off against 70 of the greatest Kazakh eagle hunters in Mongolia.

The most arduous challenge is yet to come, as the rite-of-passage for every young eagle hunter is to take part in a hunt. Aisholpan must ride with her father deep into the frigid mountains and endure 40 below zero temperatures and perilous landscapes to prove she is a true eagle huntress.

While she practices an ancient art, Aisholpans story is a modern and inspiring one because she represents a world where a young girls dreams  no matter how challenging  can come true. A representative from the NAU Philosophy Department and Philosophy in the Public Interest will lead a discussion following the film screening.

 Seth Muller
- TUNIS 3 - Germany and Tunisia announced the signing of a new agreement regarding migrant flows on Friday during German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Tunis.



"The accord signed yesterday satisfies both Tunisia as well as Germany," said Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, during a joint press conference with Merkel at Carthage Palace. The agreement provides for, among other things, the repatriation of about 1,500 Tunisians currently living illegally in Germany.



Germany will provide 250 million euros in development aid to Tunisia, Merkel said.


Heavy fighting in strikes against al Qaeda in Yemen Witnesses, maybe helicopters were American,troops were on ground

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 3 - A series of attacks by drones and possibly American military helicopters has been launched against al Qaeda in Yemen, witnesses told pan-Arab broadcaster Al Arabiya.



Al Arabiya online reported that soldiers descended from the helicopters and engaged in a gun battle with al Qaeda militants for about a half-hour in the area of al-Saeed, in the Shabwah Governorate.(ANSAmed).




France organises cultural festival for Libya in Tunis Sponsored by Jack Lang, guest of honour Louvre president

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, MARCH 3 - The French Embassy in Libya (headquartered in Tunis) and the French Embassy in Tunisia have organised a cultural festival titled "For Libya/Min ajil Libya" to celebrate Libya and its traditions, culture, art and civil society, in Tunis on Saturday, March 11 and Sunday, March 12.



Festival organisers said the event is a way to show that "another Libya is possible".



The two-day festival will take place at the Institut Francais in Tunis and will offer food, music, roundtable discussions and meetings with writers and poets.



The event, which will be preceded on Friday by a half-day dedicated to the economy, is sponsored by Jack Lang, president of the Arab World Institute (IMA) and organiser of the international conference on endangered heritage in Abu Dhabi.



The festival's guest of honour will be Jean-Luc Martinez, president and director of the Louvre Museum in Paris and author of "Fifty French Proposals to Protect World Heritage", who will chair a roundtable discussion on Libyan cultural and archaeological heritage.(ANSAmed).




ROME - A series of attacks by drones and possibly American military helicopters has been launched against al Qaeda in Yemen, witnesses told pan-Arab broadcaster Al Arabiya.



Al Arabiya online reported that soldiers descended from the helicopters and engaged in a gun battle with al Qaeda militants for about a half-hour in the area of al-Saeed, in the Shabwah Governorate.
- Foggia - Two Mali nationals are dead after a massive blaze overnight at a migrant camp called the 'Gran Ghetto' (the big ghetto) in the countryside between the southern towns of San Severo and Rignano Garganico.

The fire spread to many shacks in the camp in a matter of minutes, destroying them.

The victims were identified as Mamadou Konate and Nouhou Doumbia, aged 33 and 36 respectively.

Hundreds of migrants working as crop pickers lived at the camp.

Firefighters, Carabinieri and State police were already on the scene due to a clearance operation that started on March 1.

The clearance was ordered in relation to a Bari probe into alleged criminal infiltration, although it was not completed as many migrants refused to leave.

"It was too violent and sudden," a firefighter told ANSA.

Prosecutors in the southern city of Foggia have found no evidence that the blaze at the Rignano 'ghetto' migrant camp in which two Malians died was caused by arson, sources said Friday. (ANSAmed).
State health officials are urging people to avoid eating soynut butter after four cases of E. coli infections were discovered in Maricopa and Coconino counties.

A press release from the Arizona Department of Health Services states that the infections are linked to soynut butter-containing products from the SoyNut Butter Company based out of Glenview, Illinois.

The Arizona Department of Health Services is recommending consumers avoid eating 'I.M. Healthy' brand soynut butter and other soynut butter-containing products, the press release advised.

The Coconino County Public Health Services District confirmed that there is one case of E. coli in the county recorded in Flagstaff with three other cases recorded in Maricopa County.

E. coli symptoms can include diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain. Young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems can develop Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, a life-threatening illness that can cause kidney failure.

Marie Peoples, Chief Health Officer for Coconino County Public Health Services, said that everyone should take the necessary prevention steps.

E. coli can be very serious especially for vulnerable people such as pregnant women, children and older adults, Peoples said. It is important that everyone take appropriate precautions to protect against food-borne illness through hand washing with soap and water prior to food separation or consumption.

All four cases in Arizona involve children under 5 years old with two of the cases requiring hospitalization; however, each child has recovered from their illness, according to ADHS. The Flagstaff case did require hospitalization.

Coconino County Health District Division Manager Randy Philips confirmed that the child who contracted E.coli had consumed soynut butter.

"We did make contact with the child's family at the end of January and the family confirmed that the child had eaten the food product associated with the this strain of E. coli," Philips said.

The health district also notified childcare facilities not to use or eat the product.

The department reports also state that all Arizona cases occurred on or after Jan. 16 and all involved eating soynut butter.

The Arizona investigation is part of a large multi-state investigation covering 12 cases in five states.

Director of Arizona Department of Health Services Dr. Cara Christ said an investigation is ongoing.

Our disease detectives are working on the state and local level to rapidly identify the source of this outbreak, Christ said. As we determine suspected food sources that may be linked to E. coli our state lab will test those products to determine if theres a match.

The SoyNut Butter Company issued a voluntary recall on all I.M. Healthy Original Creamy SoyNut Butter with a best by date of Aug. 30 or Aug. 31, 2018.

We decided to issue the recall for the sake of food safety, the company wrote in a statement. We take our product's integrity seriously and will update all our customers as we receive more information.

The Arizona State Public Health Laboratory will be testing samples to identify any potential products that could be involved in the nationwide outbreak. New information will be sent to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration so products can be removed from the marketplace.
ANSAmed - Weekly diary from March 6 to March 12

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 3 - The following are the main events scheduled in the Euro-Mediterranean area between March 6 and March 12, 2017.



MONDAY, MARCH 6.



TURIN - The Turin Islamic Economic Forum begins (until 7/3).



BRUSSELS - EU, Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting.



BRUSSELS - EU, Foreign Affairs Council meeting.



CAIRO - Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry departs for European visit. First stop Brussels. GENEVA - EU Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos chairs meeting on migration and security. TUESDAY, MARCH 7.



ROME - Francophone Film Festival begins, organised by the Institut Francais-Centre Saint Louis. (until 17/3). WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8.



TUNIS - Mediterranean Building Exhibition begins (until 11/3).



VARIOUS CITIES - International Women's Day.



THURSDAY, MARCH 9.



BRUSSELS - EU, European Council meeting, with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.



MOSCOW - Visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (also 10/3).



FRIDAY, MARCH 10.



NO MAJOR EVENTS SCHEDULED.



SATURDAY, MARCH 11.



MADRID - Anniversary of the terrorist attack in Madrid that killed 191 people.



SUNDAY, MARCH 12.



NO MAJOR EVENTS SCHEDULED.




Merkel in Tunis, focus on migrants and Libyan crisis Terrorism and relaunching economy also on the agenda

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, MARCH 3 - German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived Friday in Tunisia, directly from Cairo, to discuss, among other things, the migrant flow and the repatriation of migrants expelled from Germany.



Merkel, accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising the Minister of Economic Cooperation and Industry and some heads of business, is expected to arrive late morning in the country's capital where she will be received by Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi and Prime Minister Youssef Chahed.



At 15:00 the chancellor will give a speech before a joint plenary session of the members of parliament at the Bardo Palace.



She will then chair the Tunisian-German Economic Forum organized by the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA) together with the Tunisian-German Chamber of Commerce.



Agenda items there include cooperation on the control of migrant flows, the Libyan crisis, terrorism, and support for relaunching the Tunisian economy.(ANSAmed).




The Flagstaff Family Food Center is not only a food bank, but also a kitchen that serves community members who are in need of food assistance: from emergency boxes to helping community members have enough to make ends meet at the end of the month, no one is turned away.
AJW, which is headquartered near Gatwick, in West Sussex, has secured planning permission to expand its secondary warehouse by a further 175,000 square feet  effectively doubling it in size.



AJWs headquarters acts as its principal inventory hub for the dispersal of commercial aircraft spare parts throughout the world, and this extra storage capacity will allow it to respond even faster to operational demand from its global customer base.



Christopher Whiteside, President and CEO of AJW, said: We are pleased to be able to make this additional investment in our existing world class warehouse facility at our global headquarters.



AJW is highly regarded for its 24/7/365 AOG and critical response service and we are proud of our resources, in terms of expertise and inventory, which support more than 1000 airlines in 117 countries.
The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Centers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory recently welcomed Jeremy Giovando to their technical staff. Giovando joined as a research civil engineer (hydraulics). His research interests include climate change analysis, hydrologic studies and real-time water reservoir modeling studies. His groups mission is to conduct research and develop solutions for winter impact on Corps structures, ice jam mitigation, cold regions hydrology and river restoration.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Today marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. On March 3, 1992, as decreed by the first president of the Republic of Armenia, there came into being an organization which was entrusted with a pan-national mission of foremost importance and named HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND.



On May 16, 1992, the funds 24-member Board of Trustees issued a statement, which said, A devastating earthquake, thousands of homeless refugees, a dire situation faced by the Armenian population of Artsakh, an economy in shambles, and unrelenting blockades of the homeland: these and many other difficulties can be overcome only through the synergistic mobilization of the resources and efforts of the entire Armenian nation, and through united and harmonious work. Actively supporting the development and strengthening of Armenian statehood, which is the main prerequisite for the survival and prosperity of the Armenian people, and contributing to the economic, scientific, educational, spiritual, and cultural development of the homeland must be an honor and a matter of duty for each and every Armenian.



Today, in the 25th year of its existence, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund encompasses affiliates across the globe, legions of volunteers devoted to its patriotic mission, benefactors and grassroots donors who view the development of the homeland as a sacred duty, and a wide range of vitally important projects that have been implemented through collaborative work. In the past quarter century, thanks to the powerful unity of Armenians throughout the world, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has carried out a long string of projects, including roads, hospitals, schools and kindergartens, water and gas pipelines, and initiatives fostering excellence in the arts, sciences, and culture. Our each accomplishment is a message to the international community that despite facing a myriad of challenges, independent Armenian statehood perseveres, and that we must and will do everything it takes to defend and bolster it.



The achievements of the newest chapter of our history are the legacy we must leave to the new generation, to which we must also pass on a strong belief in collective strength and unwavering dedication to the homeland, the Funds statement reads.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Russian State Dumas delegation led by Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin arrives in Yerevan on a one-day official visit, the press service of the State Duma told reporters, reports Armenpress.

During the visit meetings will be held with President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and Parliament Speaker Galust Sahakyan during which the sides will discuss the situation and further development of bilateral parliamentary cooperation, the key topics of bilateral ties.

Issues related to the joint work in the parliamentary platforms, including the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and etc. will be in the spotlight of the Armenian and Russian MPs, the statement said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The Council of the European Union extended the mandate of the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Herbert Salber until 30 June 2018.

The Council told ARMENPRESS the objective of the mandate is to develop the EU's dialogue with governments, parliaments, the judiciary, civil society and other key political stakeholders in the region. The Council allocated a budget of EUR 2.99 million for the period from 1 March 2017 to 30 June 2018 to cover the expenditure relating to the EUSR's mandate.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. A round-table discussion was held over the modernization of state reforms in Kazakhstan with the participation of various sector representatives of Armenia and Kazakhstan, reports Armenpress.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to Armenia Timur Urazayev attached importance to the participation of Armenian partners in this issue from the perspective of making exchange of experience.

For us it is important to know how much the Armenian partners are interested in these reforms. For us it is important to not repeat the past mistakes of our country or neighboring countries, the Ambassador said.

RPA faction member Hayk Babukhanyan said for Armenia Kazakhstan is not only a good friend, but also a good partner. Kazakhstan has never been indifferent towards Armenias issues. We have witnessed the significant reforms carried out in that country within the last 25 years, Babukhanyan said.

On January 25, 2017, Kazakhstans President Nazarbayev addressed a message to his people on reorganization of the leadership. The major focus in the message was directed towards the modernization process of countrys political life.
A day after his confirmation on Wednesday, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke got to work rolling back Obama administration directives.

First up was the repeal of an order issued just a day before the Oval Office changed hands that has already received harsh criticism from hunting groups and wildlife management agencies. Citing the dangers of lead exposure to fish and wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service directors order would have gradually banned most uses of toxic ammunition and fish tackle on USFS lands, waters, and facilities such as refuges and wildlife management areas.

Zinke rolled it back.

In Arizona, a coalition of state and federal agencies and other groups have long worked on a similar goal through a voluntary lead reduction program for big game hunters on the national forest north of Grand Canyon. Despite intentions that align with the directors order however, the rule drew skepticism from them as well.

Among that group is Chris Parish, who has spent two decades working with the lead reduction program, which is aimed at saving endangered California condors in northern Arizona and southern Utah by incentivizing hunters to use non-lead bullets or haul out lead-tainted animal carcasses.

While his career revolves around saving condors from the toxic lead ammunition, Parish wasnt eager to stand behind the Obama administration ban.

He said he doesnt think it will do much.

I don't think this problem is going to be solved by a change of ink on paper, he said.

As proof, Parish compared the survival of California condors in Arizona, with its voluntary program, with survival rates in California, where hunters are prohibited from using lead ammunition within the birds range.

The two California populations and the Arizona-Utah population, which are all around 80 birds, each saw one lead-related death during the 2016 hunting season. The year before, the Arizona and Utah population saw fewer deaths than the California populations, Parish said.

There is no real damning evidence of success or failure of either program, Parish said. The last ban (in California) didnt make the problem go away.

GOING LEAD FREE

Parish named several reasons why he doesnt see bans as an effective mechanism to remove hunting-related lead from the environment. First is the fact that people dont necessarily comply with laws, Parish said. The growth of movements that have no scientific foundation also show its no longer enough to rely only on established science to change peoples behavior, he said.

Another challenge is that a national lead ammunition ban hasnt received the backing of any major hunting organizations, making it less likely the concept will gain traction, Parish said. The reason for the success of a 1991 ban on bird shot for waterfowl was because it was embraced by Ducks Unlimited, he said.

Also at play is the fact that hunters in particular are tied to a traditional way of doing things, said Allen Zufelt, California condor coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, who also shunned the idea of a national ban.

Getting them to try something different when they have so much faith in one thing is very difficult, Zufelt said.

Both men acknowledged the overwhelming scientific evidence proving the toxicity of lead to humans and animals.

Im aware of bounded piles of journal articles that talk about the dangers of lead in animals and lead in humans, Parish said.

With that in mind, both men said they still would advocate a state-by-state rollout of voluntary programs over any sort of ban.

The concept of Arizonas voluntary lead reduction program, and similar state efforts on an as-needed basis, also has the support of Tom Mackin, regional director of the Arizona Wildlife Federation.

Sandy Bahr, of the Sierra Club, looks at the issue differently. The fact that lead ammunition is still showing up in northern Arizona and still being used by hunters nationwide despite science proving its harmful effects demonstrates that something more needs to be done, Bahr said.

She had supported the Fish and Wildlife Service ban, saying it was an example of the federal government taking the lead on a public, animal and environmental health problem.

We have banned lead in bird shot for decades recognizing the extreme impact it was having on waterfowl, Bahr said. The fact that the secretary of the Department of the Interior wants to ignore the science and ignore the impacts on wildlife takes us a step backwards.

PROGRESS

Hunters have long used lead for ammunition because it is relatively cheap, easy to mold and forms into a mushroom shape when it enters an animal, which kills it more quickly and effectively, Zufelt said.

While non-lead bullets are made of harder materials that dont mushroom as well, advanced engineering has allowed them to get close, he said. The problem is that makes them more expensive than the bargain basement ammunition that many people use, Zufelt said.

But things are starting to change.

A new generation of people are taking up hunting because they want to better connect with their food and get clean, local meat on the table affordably, Zufelt said.

Those people are very much looking to do the cleanest, best, most ethical thing they can do, and that often includes choosing non-lead bullets, he said.

There are also people who prefer non-lead bullets to avoid having the heavy metal lodged in their meat and others who say non-lead ammunition shoots better, he said.

Parish said his programs success is evidence of the ability for hunters behavior to change if they are educated about a problem they can help solve.

Arizona has seen an 80 to 91 percent compliance rate over the past decade, while Utahs newer program has an 84 percent compliance rate, he said.

The number of condors with extreme lead exposure had declined from a peak of 60 percent in 2006 to a recent average of about 30 percent.

Weve seen pretty impressive results, we just still have a long ways to go, he said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Ex-Presidents of Armenia and Artsakh, Robert Kocharyan and Arkadi Ghukasyan sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Hayastan All Armenian Fund, the press service of the Fund informs.

Robert Kocharyan highlighted the contribution of the Fund in the prosperity of Armenia.

Ever since its launch, the Fund has remained loyal to its overarching mission of mobilizing the efforts of all segments of our people, in order to address issues of pan-national importance and work toward the achievement of our shared goals. In the past quarter century, the projects carried out by the Fund through pan-Armenian support have had an invaluable role in the development and prosperity of our homeland. Every Armenian who has made a donation to the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund can say with confidence that he or she has helped contribute to the economic development of the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.



I have had the honor of helping lead the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund for ten years. As I look back on those years, I appreciate them as a period of dynamic growth and far-reaching accomplishments in the history of the Fund.



The future of the Hayastan All-Armenian Funds mission depends directly on us, the entire Armenian nation, as a collective force; and each Armenian, as an individual. We must maintain the great stature of the Fund irrespective of the political circumstances of the day, and energetically support the purposive implementation of its projects and programs as well as the expansion of its activities, Kocharyan said.

Ex-President of Artsakh noted that the launch of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund a quarter century ago, in a time of great turmoil, was a historic imperative, as the Fund consolidated forces with organizations and individuals from across the globe to provide vital assistance to our homeland.

Thanks to the Fund, there emerged a permanent platform for cooperation and synergy between Armenia, Artsakh, and the diaspora, through which pan-national priorities have been defined and agendas have been set, and, accordingly, an enormous array of development projects have been carried out during the past quarter century.



In the course of the past 25 years, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund  which is a unique structure in Armenian reality  has helped rebuild war-torn Artsakh, breathed new life into scores of border communities in Armenia, and helped rebuild cities, towns, and villages devastated by the 1988 earthquake, Ghukasyan said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund stands out as one of the Armenian peoples greatest achievements, reads the congratulatory letter addressed by the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II to Hayastan All Armenian Fund on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Fund.

Ever since the restoration of our independent statehood in Armenia and Artsakh, the Fund has had an instrumental role in resolving key issues that have confronted our homeland, by mobilizing and streamlining the resources of the worldwide Armenian community. The Funds work has been focused on not only the resolution of urgent problems facing the daily life of our people, but also the comprehensive development, modernization, and prosperity of our homeland. It was toward a vision of these very endeavors that the late Venerable Patriarch Vazgen I had blessed the establishment of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund with a Pontifical Encyclical.

Today, we feel profound admiration for the hundreds of wonderful projects implemented by the Fund in the past quarter century  projects that were brought to fruition through the collaboration and generous support of compatriots from throughout the globe. Year after year, we have been delighted to witness the great enthusiasm with which our people participated in the Hayastan All-Armenian Funds fundraising events and took pride in its projects, thus embracing the Funds mission as a path of hope, optimism, and fresh prospects for the future. Therefore the 25th anniversary of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund also serves as an occasion to extol our peoples patriotic spirit, unity, and commitment to standing shoulder to shoulder in support of a strong, dynamic homeland.



Recognizing the vital importance of the Funds mission, we once again appeal to our people and churches worldwide to actively participate in and support the work of the Fund. As we do so, we ask merciful God to bless all those who have given generously of their time and resources for the creation and growth of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, and pray that our nation continues to make strides, with much vigor and confidence, toward the realization of our most cherished homeland-building goals, Armenpress reports, reads the letter of His Holiness.

Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has also congratulated on the occasion.

The Fund was launched immediately following the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Armenia, in order to enable our compatriots  particularly those in the diaspora  to provide tangible support for efforts of strengthening the homeland. Despite the dire circumstances of those days, the Fund quickly organized and launched its activities. It has since devised and implemented a vast array of projects in support of Armenia and Karabakh, encompassing humanitarian assistance, economic and infrastructure development, education, culture, and other spheres.



We regard the work of the Fund in the past 25 years as a mission in the full sense of the word, given its essence, depth, and goals. Indeed, the Funds projects, aimed at benefiting the strengthening of the various structures of the Republic of Armenia, the bolstering of Artsakhs independence, the improvement of the daily lives of the Armenian people, and the ongoing social, economic, and cultural development of the homeland, have been anything but ordinary. Accordingly, these projects have been carried out with not only outstanding professionalism, transparency, and accountability, but also, in particular, utmost awareness of and dedication to the fulfillment of a homeland-building mission unlike any other, mentions the letter of Aram I, calling on world-spread Armenians to continue to bring their active and generous participation to the work of the Fund.
YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Chairman of Armenias Constitutional Court Gagik Harutyunyan sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Hayastan All Armenian Fund, the press service of the Fund informs. According to him, the establishment of the Fund made it possible for each Armenian to contribute to the prosperity of the state.

The idea of creating the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund emerged from the wellspring of independent Armenian statehood, enabling every Armenian to contribute to the growth and burgeoning of our country  to enlist with sincere devotion in the noble quest of developing our homeland.



The diverse projects of the Fund turned the impossible into the possible, brought hope and new life paths to entire communities, and helped generations of Armenians to not only receive quality education and healthcare, but pursue their creative passions.



The Fund gave tens of thousands of our patriots opportunities to collaborate and feel rightfully proud of their shared accomplishments.



The Fund became the irreplaceable pillar for the security, dignified living, and stable economic advancement of our sisters and brothers in Artsakh.



The Fund lost no time to help those of our compatriots who had become hostage in the clutches of international terrorism.



I am extremely proud of the fact that I have helped contribute to the launch and growth of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund and the accomplishment of its mission. And I am deeply grateful to our colleagues across the world, who for decades have brought their unwavering dedication to the far-reaching work of the Fund.



The Fund has fulfilled and will continue to fulfill its historic mission, despite the tittle-tattle of naysayers that unfortunately still pervades Armenian reality.



I wish the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund every success in its quest for national excellence, Gagik Harutyunyan wrote.
Until very recently, the practice of modern history centred on, and was dominated by, the nation state. Most history was the history of the nation. If you wander through the history and biography aisles of either brick-and-mortar or virtual bookstores, the characters and heroes of patriotism dominate. In the United States, authors such as Walter Isaacson, David McCullough and Doris Kearns Goodwin have helped to give millions of readers their understanding of the past and the present. Inevitably, they wrote page-turning profiles of heroic nation-builders. Every nation cherishes its national history, and every country has a cadre of flame-keepers. Then, along came globalisation and the shake-up of old, bordered imaginations.
Syrian government troops have retaken Palmyra from Islamic State forces, with help from Russian air support, the Syrian army said in a statement on Thursday. (ISIS had been driven from the ruined city around this time last year, though the extremist militia retook it in December.) Few [eyewitness] details have emerged about the condition of the ancient site, where [ISIS] has previously wreaked large-scale destruction.
WASHINGTON  Environmental groups said Wednesday they will keep a close eye on new Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, a former Montana congressman who they see as having a mixed record on the environment.

Starting on day one at the Interior Department, well see which Ryan Zinke shows up, Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala said in a statement after the Senate voted 68-31 to confirm Zinkes nomination Wednesday.

The one who voted to grease the skids for selling our national public lands or the one with a backbone to stand up to some of Congress very worst instincts, her statement said.

But supporters welcomed the confirmation, saying the former Republican congressman has shown he can work across party lines and that he cares about protecting the environment, something even his critics concede.

Tribal officials, too, said they had a good relationship with Zinke in Congress and they look forward to working with him as secretary.

I am confident that we will benefit greatly from his lack of concern for partisan politics as well as his steadfast dedication to what is best for our country and our lands, Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Prescott, said in a statement after the confirmation.

Zinke, a fifth-generation Montanan and former Navy SEAL, said in a statement after his confirmation that he is committed to upholding Theodore Roosevelts vision for preserving public lands for the benefit of the American people.

Our public lands can once again be economic engines for our nation by creating jobs in energy, recreation, and conservation, Zinkes statement said. By working with President Trump and Congress to re-evaluate and fix flawed regulations that are barriers to job creation, we will unleash the economic opportunity within our borders.

That sort of talk worries environmental groups such as the Sierra Club, which said a key concern about the former Montana lawmaker is his history of supporting extractive development on public lands for oil, gas, coal and other mining interests over the protection of those lands.

Weve already seen a lot of attempts to weaken protection for public lands, said Sandy Bahr, director of the Sierra Clubs Grand Canyon Chapter. And you want an interior secretary thats really looking out for protection of the lands, protection of wildlife.

In Arizona, Bahr said her chapter is concerned that Zinke wont maintain an Obama administration ban uranium mining on 1 million acres around the Grand Canyon.

Athan Manuel, director of the Sierra Club Lands Protection program, said the 20-year moratorium on mining and development projects that was signed in 2012 cant be scrapped easily  there would need to be a public comment period before changes are made. But Manuel said the Sierra Club worries that Zinke, facing pressure from Trump administration officials who support land development, could cut the ban short in two years or less.

The organization does not doubt Zinke cares about protecting the environment, Manuel said, but is not convinced he will always act to do so.

Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Tucson, said in a statement Wednesday that one of Zinkes first challenges as secretary will be to push back on expected Trump administration cuts to the Department of the Interior budget, which Grijalva said could be as high as 10 percent. Zinke will also have to reject extreme proposals to give millions of acres of public land over to state and local control, Grijalva said.

Secretary Zinke has made important promises to the millions of Americans who support and enjoy our natural open spaces, and I join them in expecting him to keep those promises, Grijalvas statement said.

Tribal leaders at a February meeting of the Coalition of Large Tribes expressed optimism about the prospect of Zinke as secretary. William Bear Shield, a member of the Rosebud Sioux tribal council in South Dakota, said the coalitions 12 tribes are hopeful that Zinke can give them a voice in White House affairs, pointing to his open-door policy with tribes when he was a Montana congressman.

National Congress of American Indians President Brian Cladoosby said in a press release that Zinke fought for both Montanans and Montana tribes as a congressman and we have no doubt that Secretary Zinke will continue fighting for all tribes as secretary of Interior.

The council is looking forward to working with Zinke on a broad range of issues affecting Native communities today, to improving economic conditions in tribal communities and protecting natural resources while doing so.
With a rough election year behind us, many Americansand Arizonansare recovering from election fatigue. As we work to mend political wounds, now is also our chance to consider areas of our election system that merit reformespecially here at home.

Arizonas ballot initiative process is one that needs a serious overhaul. Thats why this year Im pleased to see the Arizona Legislature working to restore integrity, accountability and transparency to this critical component of our state election system.

Issues we vote on make it to the ballot in one of two ways: either by legislative referendum or citizen initiative. In the case of referendum, a proposed law makes its way through the legislative process, which includes public hearings, before its sent to the voters to make the ultimate decision.

Initiatives, on the other hand, allow citizens to propose new laws or amendments to state statute or the constitution. This is an important right, and a critical part of Arizona elections. Arizona voters deserve to know that the citizen initiative process is one that can be trusted and is a true reflection of the will of Arizonans. Unfortunately, unlike the referendum process, there are few safeguards in place to ensure the integrity of our citizen initiative process.

In the last few elections Ive seen too many abuses of our initiative process by outside special interests. To make matters even worse, ballot measures passed by voters are virtually impossible to reverse or modify. The original intention was to ensure the will of the voters sticks,and rightly sobut it works against us when outside groups hijack our initiative process. A law thats bad for Arizona will remain just that: a bad Arizona law with no ability to correct any damage it may inflict on the state.

For example, a national special interest group working to legalize recreational marijuana targeted Arizona last year through Proposition 205. The measure was narrowly defeated after a tremendous amount of effort and resources were invested to reveal the groups real intentions to create a monopoly industry at the expense of Arizonas children and our state budget, which would have been saddled with costly drug prevention and treatment programs.

There was also an attempt to cap the compensation of Arizona health care executives. A rogue out-of-state union brought in paid signature circulators from California to put a measure on the ballot that would have negatively impacted the quality of care in the states health care systems and risked hundreds of thousands of jobs. With a forceful challenge brought by the business community, the campaign withdrew its effort.

Citizen initiatives make it to the ballot by receiving a qualifying number of petition signatures. Troublingly, this is a part of our initiative process that is rife with error and fraud and almost wholly excludes those of us in rural communities.

For example, whether you supported Arizonas recent minimum wage increase or not, the campaign that supported the ballot initiative sued its own signature gathering firm because they were believed to have collected tens of thousands of fraudulent signatures due to the gatherers failure to properly register with the state. But the campaign still turned in the signatures to the Secretary of State knowing they were invalid, and the measure qualified for the ballot. How is that OK?

Issues with signature gathering and limits on the ability to challenge questionable proposals make it far too easy to get a bad idea on the ballot in Arizona. These bad ideas stick and can have lasting consequences for generations to come. And the real rub for those of us who live in rural parts of the state is that the vast majority of signatures gathered to place a measure on the ballot are collected in Maricopa and Pima counties, leaving us out of the process. Rural Arizonans deserve an equal say in which measures we want to consider on future ballots if they are going to dictate the way we live.

Our citizen initiative process is worth preserving to allow government by the people. Central to that goal is ensuring the process has integrity and can be trusted by voters.

Arizonans have come up with some good ideas over the years that have increased our states competitiveness and improved the lives of Arizonans. Weve made too much progress as a state to risk letting outside interests mess that up with bad ideas on the ballot.
The filmmaker said that Bruce Lee would not have become what he was if he posed like Tiger.

Mumbai: Several memes had surfaced on social media when Tiger Shroff made his debut in Bollywood with 'Heropanti', most of them trolling him for his lack of facial hair.

However, perhaps for the first time, a celebrity trolled Tiger on social media.

The actor celebrated his birthday on Thursday and while numerous stars took to Twitter to wish him, Ram Gopal Varma had a message for the youngster on the occasion.

The filmmaker posted a picture on Twitter of the scene from 'Baaghi' where Tiger comes out of the water, and had some serious advice on offer.

In a series of tweets, RGV told Tiger how Bruce Lee would have never become what he was if he posed like a bikini babe and that real men never pose in the Urmilaish (Urmila Matondkar) way.

RGV, who has worked with Tigers father Jackie in films like Rangeela and the recent Sarkar 3, added that he needed to learn machoism from his father and that he might not have the six-packs like his son but his eyes and body language had far more groups.

He also tells Jackie (@bindasbhidu) that all these tweets were purely because he was Jackie's fan and asked him to convey his thoughts to Tiger and his mother Ayesha.

We all know RGV always has an opinion on things, hope its not controversial this time.
The Quantico star posted a throwback picture of her in a black-hued bikini on Instagram for Throwback Thursday.

Mumbai: Fans of Bollywood stars always look forward to Throwback Thursdays on social media, as several celebrities share pictures of some of their important moments from the past.

Priyanka Chopra is also one of them, who likes to introspect every now and then.

Recently on Instagram, the Quantico star posted a throwback picture of her in a black-hued bikini and boy, does she look hot?! Calling the photo a I-dont-know-what-was-I-thinking moment, PeeCee wrote: One of those.. "what was I thinking" mornings.. I don't think I ever do.. and that's ok.. follow you heart. It'll never do u wrong.. #throwbackthursday #beachlife."

This post proves that this intelligent actress is all heart. Sweet!
The stunning actress neither dismissed the idea nor accepted the idea of going international in her career.

Mumbai: Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone's international projects have made headlines in the past few weeks and several actresses like Sonam Kapoor among others have also been linked to a move abroad.

And another actress, Katrina Kaif, seems to open about venturing into that territory.

Recently, a Dubai-based daily asked Kats if her starring in a Hollywood film is a possibility. Replying in her usual graceful way, the stunning actress neither dismissed the idea nor accepted it.

Kats reportedly said, You never know where your path can take you, I never say no to anything in life. Youll never know until that moment comes.

While Deepikas xXx: Return of Xander Cage is doing exceptionally well in countries like China, Priyankas big Hollywood debut movie, Baywatch, alongside Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron is slated to release on May 27.

Katrina, on the other hand, is busy with two of her much-awaited Bollywood films- Jagga Jasoos and Tiger Zinda Hai.
The blast resulted in the death of a civilian identified as Mohammad Ayoub Wani and injuries to a CRPF jawan Constable Daljit Kiran.

Srinagar: A civilian was killed and a CRPF jawan injured when militants hurled a grenade at security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir today, police said.

The grenade was hurled at the security forces deployed on law and order duty at Murran chowk in the district, 31 km from here, a police official said.

He said the blast resulted in the death of a civilian identified as Mohammad Ayoub Wani and injuries to a CRPF jawan Constable Daljit Kiran.

Security forces have been put on a alert and a manhunt has been launched for the militants, he added.
Madras HC junks 2 motivated petitions against soft drink majors.

Madurai: The Madurai Bench of the Madras high court Thursday dismissed two public interest litigations filed against supply of Thamirabarani river water to two companies engaged in bottling soft drinks and packaged drinking water for Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

The order also removed an interim stay passed by the court in November 2016, banning the co-packers of Pepsi and Coca-Cola from using the rivers water for their bottling plant.

A division Bench comprising Justice A. Selvam and P. Kalaiyarasan in the order charged one of the petitioners, D.A. Prabakar, secretary of Tirunelveli district consumer protection association, for approaching the court with vested interests.

The court, however, noted peoples anguish against the government for not taking steps to improve the irrigation system in the past 70 years to avoid surplus outflow of Thamirabarani river water into the sea.

The managing director of South India Bottling Co. Pvt. Ltd, co-packers for Coca-Cola Co., told the court that Mr Prabakar, who was dealing with the companys cases for nearly three years, was removed from service for unethical practices. He had since then been filing petitions against them before various forums and also in the National Green Tribunal, south zone, to settle personal grievances.

Prathishta Business Solution Pvt. Ltd, co-packer of Pepsi Cola Co., and South India Bottling Co., were operating on 30 acres each in Gangaikondan SIPCOT industrial area after signing a contract for 99 years with the state government. The government agreed to supply nine lakh litres and 15 lakh litres of water daily to these two companies, respectively, at a rate of Rs 37.50 per 1,000 litres.

Mr Prabakar and DMK MLA Appavu filed the two PILs in court, demanding a ban on the supply of Thamirabarani water as the river was the only source for drinking and agriculture purposes in five southern districts. The petitioners said the firms paid a paltry sum for using water while their products were priced high.
The protesters threatened to block essential services to the capital if their demands for reservation are not met.

New Delhi: The Jat quota stir on Thursday attained ominous proportions as thousands of community members protested at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital, threatening to block essential services if their demands for reservation are not met.

On Thursday evening, several thousands of Jat community members assembled and protested at the Jantar Mantar, pressing for reservation in jobs and educational institutions.

The protesters threatened to block essential services to the capital if their demands for reservation are not met. Life in Delhi will come to a standstill if reservation demands not met, the leaders warned.

Agitators from UP, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Punjab assembled with their demands, which also includes jobs to the next of kin of those killed in the 2016 violent agitation, withdrawal of cases against the Jats and action against officers who were involved.

Violence during the February 2016 agitation by Jats in Haryana left 30 people dead and over 200 injured. Government and private properties worth hundreds of crore were also damaged.

We have come here to protest against the insensitivity which the Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana has shown to our demands. We will march to Parliament with our demands, said Yashpal Malik, president of the All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti.

He said the community was prepared for a long-drawn battle and that essential supplies are likely to be affected.

It is for the government to come out with a solution, but the kind of attitude the Haryana government has shown, we dont feel it wants a solution. We are ready for a long-drawn battle and this march is an announcement of that, said Mr Malik, adding that over 50 lakh Jats from 13 states will be joining the stir.
UP has witnessed high voter turnout this time and women voters, especially from the minority community.

Muslim girls show their fingers marked with indelible ink after casting vote at a polling station during the fourth phase Assembly elections in Allahabad. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The BJP has asked the Election Commission to deploy women police personnel at polling booths in Uttar Pradeshs sixth and seventh phases to specifically check the voter ID cards of burqa-clad women in order to curb bogus voting. The party also demanded that para-military forces be deployed at sensitive and ultra-sensitive polling booths.

The Opposition, dismissing the prospect of bogus voting as a bogey, said that a desperate BJP is trying to polarise voters in the hope that Hindu votes will consolidate in its favour.

In a letter sent to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Wednesday night, the BJP said, The BJP demands that to establish the identity of burqa-clad female voters in the sixth and seventh phase of the UP polls, women police and central para-military forces be posted at the sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling booths Adequate deployment of female police would ensure proper checking of women voters, and at the same time, minimise incidents of bogus voting.

Campaigning for the sixth phase ended Thursday, and voting is scheduled for March 4. The seventh and last phase of voting is on March 8.

Uttar Pradesh has witnessed high voter turnout this time and women voters, especially from the minority community, have come out in large numbers to cast their vote.

Though the BJP leadership has been highlighting development and good governance as their main poll planks, given the sizable number of Muslims in almost every district of the state, the party is also banking on measured polarisation. Two of its Hindutva hawks  Suresh Rana and Sangeet Som  were deputed in Mau and Kushinahar respectively. The two areas, with a significant Muslim votebank, will go to polls in the sixth phase.

The two leaders are addressing small gatherings to avoid being monitored by the EC, which keeps a watch on politicians speeches during campaigning.

Mr Rana, an accused in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, is also the party candidate from Thana Bhawan seat in Shamli. He was also booked in January by the state police on charges of inciting hatred after he said that curfew will be imposed in Kairana, Deoband and Moradabad if he is elected. Mr Som, contesting from Sardhana, was also booked for showing a controversial video clip and violating the ECs guidelines.
She challenged him to visit Varanasis river banks to see the clean-up work done by her government.

Varanasi: BJP's firebrand leader Uma Bharti on Saturday mocked Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi over the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and said that he would run away to Thailand after seeing the results.

"I urge Rahul Gandhi not to run away to Thailand as he is likely to once the assembly election results are out," she told NDTV.

She challenged him to visit Varanasis river banks to see the clean-up work done by her government. "He should come with me to the Ganga and if work to clean it has not started, either he can jump into the Ganga or I will," she told NDTV

She also accused the Akhilesh Yadav government of posing hurdles to her mission to clean the river Ganga and adviced Rahul Gandhi to call off the alliance with Congress.

On Thursday, Rahul had hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and had accused him of making "conditional promises and deals" even with "Ganga maa".

"Modi told Maa Ganga that first make him the Prime Minister and then only he will carry out its cleaning works," said Gandhi while seeking votes for local party MLA Ajai Rai from Pindara assembly seat under Banaras Lok Sabha constituency.

While attacking Modi for allegedly making "conditional promises" to the people of Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi promised in the same vein if Congress-SP alliance forms government in UP it "will give Rs 20 lakh to youths for starting their own business."

"Modi strikes relationships with the Ganga maa saying he he is beta of Banaras and that Maa Ganga called him to Varanasi," said Rahul and asked, "Does Maa Ganga had only one son and that too from Gujarat??

"Ganga belongs to everyone and not to a single person." Referring to a slew of PM's alleged promises for Varanasi, Rahul said "Modi had promised Metro rail, did people get it?"

"Modi talked of making Benaras a Kyoto city, give each house clean drinking water, fly luxury planes over Ganga and to set up a Bhojpuri film city here," said Rahul asking if the city got any of these things till now despite lapse of over three years since he became the PM.

Exuding confidence that Congress-SP alliance would win the UP assembly elections, Gandhi said the polling in the last five phases has shown that voters favoured Congress-SP alliance while "Modi ji lost his smiles had looked sad as if he has already lost the polls."
China may vacate areas it illegally occupied in Aksai Chin in the north.

China wants India to give Tawang in the east.

New Delhi: India has rejected Chinas land swap proposal concerning Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh, which the latter said could help solve the border row.

The (Indian) governments position is well-known and has not changed, said a top government official who did not want to be named since the matter is sensitive.

Chinas former top diplomat Dai Bingguo had said the border dispute between China and India can be resolved if New Delhi accepts Beijings claim over the strategically vital Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh in return for an unspecified land swap.

China calls Arunachal Pradesh South Tibet. Indian officials were also quoted by news agencies in Beijing as saying that Mr Bingguos proposal is neither practical nor possible for India to accept.

Indias position is that Tawang is an integral part of Arunachal Pradesh and has sent representatives to Parliament in every election since 1950.

Mr Bingguo, who served as Chinas boundary negotiator with India from 2003 to 2013, had said, If the Indian side takes care of Chinas concerns in the eastern sector of their border, the Chinese side will respond accordingly and address Indias concerns elsewhere.

People familiar with the matter said he was referring to some areas in Aksai Chin in eastern Jammu and Kashmir, which China illegally occupied.

China could be thinking of vacating some areas it illegally occupied in Aksai Chin in return for India giving up Tawang and even other parts of Arunachal Pradesh.

The disputed territory in the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, including Tawang, is inalienable from Chinas Tibet in terms of cultural background and administrative jurisdiction, Mr Bingguo said.

He said the colonial British government which drew the McMahon Line accepted Beijings claim on Tawang. China has always rejected the McMahon Line in Indias case, but accepted it in settling boundary dispute with Myanmar.
Direct democracy can indeed be messy.

And sometimes you cant tell the players without a scorecard.

Back in the 1970s and 80s, when Democrats controlled most statehouses, conservatives leveraged the citizen initiative process to pass Prop. 13-style tax caps, marriage protection acts and gun rights expansion.

But now that the political shoe is on the other foot, it is liberal activists who are bypassing Republican legislatures and going directly to voters for higher minimum wages, legalized marijuana and tax hikes for education. Those measures have passed in states throughout the nation in recent years.

Business groups and social conservatives are not happy that their political clout in state capitals is being diluted by direct appeals at the ballot box. In Arizona, they mounted a well-funded campaign and defeated last years initiative on legal marijuana but werent able to stop a minimum wage hike. So now they are going full-bore after the process that allows such questions to make the ballot in the first place.

There are several problems with such an all-or-nothing approach, starting with the fact that Arizonas constitution clearly guarantees citizens direct access to the ballot via petition. Attempts to raise the hurdles so high that they make a petition campaign impractical wont likely pass legal muster.

A second objection is more tactical: Do Republicans really believe they will be in legislative control forever and wont need initiatives in the future?

Elsewhere on this page, we present the case made by the state chamber for why more restrictions are needed on petition circulators. Steve Pierce of Prescott, a former Senate president, recounts what he contends were procedural irregularities and undue outside influence on the marijuana and minimum wage initiatives last year.

But Pierce doesnt offer specific changes or say how tightening the rules for making the ballot would have improved the questions. And even if the proponents had played by what Pierce considers the rules, the state chamber would have opposed both of them based on their merits  or lack of them.

So what is the chamber really after? Based on the changes backed by the chamber and moving through the legislature this session, we can only conclude they dont want citizen initiatives to make the ballot at all. It already takes 150,000 signatures to qualify a statutory change, 225,000 for a constitutional amendment, and that means any sponsoring group needs to raise a lot of money to pay petition circulators for twice the minimum number of signatures. The chamber wants a ban on payment-by-the-signature to circulators, as if injecting money into the beginning of the campaign is different than the millions of dollars that opponents spend on ads at the end of it.

Republicans note that a former Democratic governor, Janet Napolitano, called for an end to signature payments, which she contended created an incentive for fraud and cutting corners. But they omit the other half of her recommendation: that the number of signatures be greatly reduced to allow ballot access by small, grassroots groups.

The chamber also wants a new requirement to collect signatures from all 30 legislative districts based on how many votes for governor were cast in the last election. Failure to meet the threshold in any one of the districts would nullify the entire petition drive. The stated reason is to assure widespread support for accessing the ballot. The effect, however, is to create a logistical hurdle to gathering signatures so high that no group could clear it in the time allowed.

At this point, most of the initiative changes are passing along party lines and are headed to the governors desk. But even if he signs them, most will need ratification by voters because they either change the constitution or amend previous initiatives passed by voters. The chamber will then need to convince voters to take the power out of their own hands and return it to the legislature. Our sense is that voters are willing to tighten up the initiative laws to prevent fraud but not throw them out altogether.

Pierce and others may believe that it was rogue, outside interests who used easy ballot access to foist deceptive minimum wage and legal marijuana questions on unsuspecting voters in not only Arizona but all across the country. We suggest lawmakers look in the mirror and ask why they havent reached out for compromise and passed responsive legislation that might have headed off those petition drives in the first place.
The launch of the portal I AM TROLLED to combat trolling by the Ministry of Women & Child Development is evoking both hope & scepticism.

After receiving physical threats and being trolled, Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur  who was participating in a social media campaign against Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP)  had to leave Delhi. In the wake of this, Ministry of Women and Child Development has announced the launch of I AM TROLLED portal and a shouting app.

The app will be launched for physical threats and trolls. The much delayed Womens panic button with additional feature of Shouting App will also become operational by end of March, said Maneka Gandhi at a day-long conclave on womens well-being organised by FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO).

The portal has originated from hashtag #IamTrolledHelp which was started by Maneka Gandhi to tackle online bullying, stalking and abuse last year.

The concept of the portal is generating a varied response, with some being guarded and sceptical about its effectiveness in combating trolls.

The problem is not that trolling is happening. Some stick to their opinion so much that they are not willing to let the other person speak. Recent examples are the debate on the film Lipstick Under My Burkha, womens rights movement  all of these movements have been trolled. It is a way to shut people up. Even if you report it on portals like I AM TROLLED, how will it help? What action will be taken once something has been said? Apart from threats that might be tracked down, will people really be punished? questions Sukanya Grover, a DU student.

Virender Sehwag was also trolling, will he also be questioned? Arvind Kejriwal also trolls the Prime Minister. Isnt that freedom of speech? Then why should common people come under the purview of such portals? No one with power will ever be punished for trolling and threatening. Will someone who is trolling under the garb of nationalism be punished? Plus this isnt about womens safety, because women also troll. The picture is murkier than it seems, she adds.

There are others who feel there is a need to take steps stronger than launching a portal. We have to see how the shouting app works, but as far as the portal is concerned, I stringly doubt if it will be very helpful. Only those people will be hauled up who they can afford to haul up. The people who have power, their trolls make a huge difference, but they wont be touched. Similar actions have failed in the past. The need of the hour is to work on cyber laws than opening web portals, says Mahika Banerji from Ambedkar University.

While some are cynical about the portal, there are others hoping it works. At first glance it may seem like tokenism, but one must wait to see the results of this app, and wish it success. Such portals and apps are habitually abandoned after the initial novelty wears away, opines Pulkeet Mehra from NGO RASTAFdn.

There are rumours that the IT cells of a political party troll a lot of people after selective targeting. Will there be actions against them, not to mention celebrities, the connected, and the well-heeled? I believe that trolling, unless in violation of the law like verbal and physical threats, is a part of freedom of speech and very much ingrained in modern internet culture. It is not so easy to police speech now, he adds.

Annie from a womens rights organisation believes that trolling is a digital form of violence. If the government really wants to take action, they should look at the reasons behind why people resort to such kinds of threats, be it online or offline. These issues and threats need to be addressed by the government, like attitudes of people towards rape, gender and nationalism, much before it reaches the platforms where trolling happens. It is important to also ask questions such as who will be protected by such apps, and who wont, which genders are included and which will be taken action against, etc. It is only helpful to people who have internet, but there is need to look at threats that are prevalent on ground as well. Online threats are only an extension of that.
The situation in Jammu and Kashmir, other border areas and the hinterland was discussed threadbare.

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday reviewed the security situation in the country, especially in Jammu and Kashmir and other border areas.



National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Director of Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain and other senior officials briefed the him about the prevailing situation in the country, official sources said.



The situation in Jammu and Kashmir, other border areas and the hinterland was discussed threadbare, they said.



Busy with the electioneering in Uttar Pradesh, Singh attended his office in the North Block after nearly three weeks.



He has been campaigning for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh for a month and had last attended office more than a fortnight ago.



However, the home minister has been in touch with senior officials, who have kept him in the loop on various issues regularly, sources said.
The move is being seen as a bid to woo voters ahead of municipal elections in April.

New Delhi: The AAP government on Thursday said it would soon roll out free rides in DTC and cluster buses for senior citizens and students up to 21 years of age, as well as a hefty concession in monthly passes for women commuters.

The move is being seen as a bid to woo voters ahead of municipal elections in April.

Transport Minister Satyendar Jain said a DTC monthly bus pass would be available for women commuters at Rs 250 Presently it is priced at Rs 850 for non-AC and Rs 1,000 for AC buses.

Speaking at a function in South Delhi, Jain also said that people with monthly income of up to Rs 20,000 would also be provided bus passes at Rs 250.

Sources said that the proposal, recently sent to Lt Governor Anil Baijal, also advocates free rides for MLAs.

"Delhi government will soon provide free ride for senior citizens (above 60 years of age) and students up to 21 years of age, in DTC and cluster buses," Jain said at a gathering here.

The decision is aimed at encouraging people to use public transport to reduce air pollution in the national capital, he said.

The Lt Governor had returned the file of Delhi government's ambitious proposal to slash fares of DTC buses by 75 per cent, asking the city administration to reconsider it.
While around Rs 26.30 lakhs were recovered from Mollah, Rs 12.20 lakhs were recovered from Ahmed.

Joint commissioner of police (crime) Vishal Garg interacts with mediapersons after the arrest of five for possessing fake `2,000 notes, at the Kolkata police headquarters in Lalbazar. (Photo: Abhijit Mukherjee)

Kolkata: In a major haul, fake currencies worth around Rs 57 lakhs, all of Rs 2,000 denomination, were recovered and a gang of five racketeers were arrested by the detective department (DD) of the Kolkata police from Watgunge in port area of the city.

The accused are Manaur Mollah, Sheikh Eklakh Ahmed, Sheikh Abul Kalam Azad, Syed Rehan and Balai Mandal. Mollah, Ahmed, Azad and Rehan are from Howrah while Mondal is from Bankura.

While around Rs 26.30 lakhs were recovered from Mollah, Rs 12.20 lakhs were recovered from Ahmed. Rs 8.10 lakhs were recovered from Azad with Rs 6.08 lakhs being found with Rehan. Rs 4.06 lakhs were seized from Mondal.

Many of them have cases pending against them in other states. Joint commissioner of police (crime) Vishal Garg informed that counterfeit notes totalling around Rs 56.74 lakhs were seized from the five who came in two-wheelers to buy mobile phones in large numbers at Fancy Market in the morning.

An anti-rowdy section team of the DD caught the five on a tip-off from the shop owner. The arrested five will be produced in the court on Friday. An appeal will be made to take them in police custody, Mr Garg added.
According to the police, the accused, a resident of Pratap Nagar in suburban Bhandup, is a neighbour of the 10-year-old victim.

Mumbai: A 28-year-old man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly sexually abusing a minor girl here, police said.

According to the police, the accused, a resident of Pratap Nagar in suburban Bhandup, is a neighbour of the 10-year-old victim.

The victim and her two friends were playing in the house of the accused on the ground floor when he called her in his room under pretext of helping him in packing his bags at around 12 PM.

The man then sexually abused the girl and also assaulted her, police said, adding he was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and arrested.

The girl was sent for medical examination and further investigation into the matter was underway, they added.
Maharashtra's Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil also said that there was no threat to the BJP-led government in the state.

Mumbai: With just a day left for filing of nominations for the Mumbai mayoral poll, a senior state BJP leader today said he is confident that his party and Shiv Sena will come together to govern India's richest civic body.

"I am 200 per cent sure that BJP and Shiv Sena will join hands in BMC," Maharashtra's Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil said.

"A formula which is acceptable to both the parties will be worked out," he said.

Patil's remarks came ahead of a crucial meeting of the state BJP core committee later today where the party is expected to decide its strategy for the mayoral poll.

The minister had recently said his party and Shiv Sena are natural allies who should put aside their differences and join hands once again to rule the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in the backdrop of the election to the civic body throwing up a fractured mandate.

Patil had also said that there was no threat to the BJP-led government in the state.

Suspense has been mounting over who will be the next Mayor of Mumbai, with the BJP and Sena eyeing the prestigious post though both the parties do not have majority of their own in the just elected House.

The elections to the 227-member BMC threw up a hung verdict, with the Sena winning 84 seats and the BJP 82.

The Congress has said it will contest the mayoral poll in BMC, which has an annual budget of over Rs 37,000 crore.

Ahead of the February 21 elections, the BJP and Shiv Sena split in BMC, which they had been ruling together for the last over two decades. However, they continue to be ruling allies at the state level and also at the Centre.
Khatundelivered around 10.30 pm, a time when the bogey she was travelling in was almost empty.

Mumbai: A 22-year-old Titwala resident, Sultana Khatun, who was heavily pregnant and on her way to civic-run Nair Hospital, delivered a baby girl in a running CST-bound train on Wednesday night, thanks to the help received from a Railway Protection Force (RPF) woman constable who was on night-patrol duty. The constable, Nirmala Khudchi, was travelling in Khatuns bogey and had rushed to assist the latter after realising she was experiencing unbearable labour pains.

Khatun finally delivered around 10.30 pm, a time when the bogey she was travelling in was almost empty. The young mother had boarded the train at Matunga station on the central line, while on the way to Dadar, from where she was to catch a train on the western line to reach Mumbai Central. She gave birth to her daughter at a time the train pulled in at Dadar railway station. After the delivery, Khatun and her baby were taken to the civic-run Sion Hospital in an ambulance by Khudchi and the railways emergency medical service personnel.

Khatuns husband Irshad Muhammad, who was accompanying his wife, said, She was travelling on the central line and was supposed to change trains at Dadar for Western line to proceed to Nair hospital, but she started labour pain in Matunga and delivered baby at Dadar railway station inside the train compartment. I was helpless.

He added, This is our second child. We lost our first one in the earthquake that hit the borders of Nepal where our hometown is located. We are happy and obliged to the police who has done this noble deed, he said, adding that Khatun and the child are fine.
Deputy commissioner of police Srikant Dhivare said that they were investigating whether the deceased was in the viral video.

Nashik: A 33-year-old soldier who was allegedly part of a recent expose by a website on the abuse of the British-era sahayak or orderly system in the army was found hanging in abandoned barracks on Thursday. The body of Roy Matthews, an artillery gunner, was found decomposed and hanging in a ruined barracks in the artillery centre of Deolali camp, Nashik. Matthews was working as a buddy to a colonel in the school of artillery.

Matthewss body was identified due to the batch number found on the person. He was a resident of Kollam in Kerala. Earlier, Matthewss family had registered a missing complaint in Kollam. Minister of state for defence Dr Subhash Bhamre said that an inquiry by a high-level officer would be conducted along with the home department. Everything will be inquired into, Dr Bhamre said. Though the reason behind the suicide is unknown, the police recovered a diary written in Malayalam and are deciphering the contents.

Meanwhile, the Defence ministry called the death a suicide and said preliminary investigations revealed it may be a result of the series of events which were triggered by media personnel managing to videograph the deceased by asking leading questions on his duties as a buddy without his knowledge.

Deputy commissioner of police Srikant Dhivare said that they were investigating whether the deceased was in the viral video. We have registered AD under 174 CrPC. We have found his mobile phone and a diary written in Malayalam language. His wife and father arrived in Nashik today. We handed over the body to them. The SP Kollam has said that they had registered a missing case at Kollam earlier, Mr Dhivare said. Matthews was allegedly in an army sting video, which went viral recently, purportedly showing a jawan complaining that they were made to work as domestic help by senior officials.
According to MMRC officials, the cost of one TBM is Rs 70 crore.

Mumbai: Orders approximately worth Rs 2, 200 crore for purchasing 17 tunnel boring machines (TBMs) required to excavate the citys first underground corridor between Colaba and Seepz, have been placed by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) contractors. MMRC is the executing agency of the 33.5-km-long corridor.

The orders have been placed with several international suppliers and are to be delivered by July this year after which the tunnelling for the corridor would take off in October.

According to MMRC officials, the cost of one TBM is Rs 70 crore; with additional technical components, the cost for one TBM increases to an approximate value of Rs 130 crore. The orders for the TBMs have been placed by the respective package contractors and is a part of the contract singed between us. There are seven companies that manufacture TBMs, with four being the best companies, said SK Gupta, director (projects), MMRC.

Mr Gupta added, Although countries like Germany, Japan and Australia manufacture TBMs, their manufacturing units are based in China. Out of the total 17, around four TBMs are coming from Delhi that were used by metro authorities in Delhi and are currently being refurbished. Currently, pre-tunnelling activities are being carried out.
Violent jihadists, on Gorkas account, are not non-Muslim or even bad Muslims.

Back in 1954, the Justice Munir Commission report into the anti-Ahmadi violence in Punjab famously complained that no two Pakistani clerics, or divines in the language of the time, could agree on the definition of a Muslim. Today, President Donald Trump might be finding himself similarly frustrated. His White House staff cannot agree on how to describe violent jihadists. Are they Islamist terrorists or just terrorists? Are they bad Muslims, non-Muslims or perfectly valid Muslims with a fringe point of view?

Last week, in his first speech to his staff, the Presidents new national security adviser, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, said the term radical Islamic terrorism wasnt helpful for US goals. His remark suggests he agrees with the approach taken by Trumps predecessor. When Barack Obama was still in office, the grieving mother of a US soldier asked why the White House would not use the term Islamic terrorist. ...Al Qaeda and (Islamic State)... they have perverted and distorted and tried to claim the mantle of Islam for an excuse for basically barbarism and death, Obama said. ...If you had an organisation that was going around killing and blowing people up and said, Were on the vanguard of Christianity. As a Christian, Im not going to let them claim my religion and say, youre killing for Christ. I would say, thats ridiculous.

In the aftermath of the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, French President Francois Hollande took a similar line. Those who committed these acts have nothing to do with the Muslim religion, he said.

Its a position that has sparked some debate amongst violent jihadists. Some have joked on social media platforms about being declared a non-Muslim  or being takfired as one put it  by Western politicians. After all, they ask, how can men such as Gen. McMaster, President Obama or President Hollande presume they have the scholarly credentials to declare who is and who isnt a Muslim?

But its not just jihadists who reject the McMaster/Obama/Hollande line. Dr Sebastian Gorka, the deputy assistant to President Trump, has for some years lectured the US military on the sources of violent jihadism. This isnt about poverty or lack of education, he has said, Its about people who are fighting for the soul of Islam  not a war with Islam, but a war inside Islam; as King Abdullah, as General Sisi has said, for which version is going to win.

Gorka is not arguing that violent jihadism is the only valid interpretation of the religion. On the contrary, other Muslims, he says, are struggling for their own interpretations to prevail. There are people every day risking their lives on their blog sites, in North Africa, in the Middle East pushing back on this, saying, Im a Muslim, but I dont think an infidel needs to be killed.

Violent jihadists, on Gorkas account, are not non-Muslim or even bad Muslims. Rather they are valid Muslims who believe in the use of violence to further their goals. Others in the new White House team have similar views. President Trumps most trusted adviser, chief strategist Steve Bannon, has been speaking about these issues for some years. In a speech given in Rome in 2014 he spoke of a coming clash between Christianity and Islam. We are in an outright war against jihadist Islamic fascism, he said. And this war is, I think, metastasizing far quicker than governments can handle it.

The extent to which religion can be used to justify jihadist attacks has also been debated in the UK. In 2014, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair complained that some Western commentators went to extraordinary lengths in their attempts to deny that these conflicts were about Islam, arguing instead that local or historic factors were more important. It was odd, he said, to deny that Islam was the central element of the various struggles.

Blairs successor David Cameron made similar remarks. In the aftermath of the 7/7 attacks on Londons transport system, before he was Prime Minister, Cameron said that: the Muslim community in this country doesnt support what is happening. But later he modified that position arguing that some Muslims, even if they do not use force themselves, agree with many of the ideas of the violent jihadists. Simply denying any connection between the religion of Islam and the extremists doesnt work, he said.

So what of the new American President? He may just have appointed McMaster as his national security adviser, but there is little doubt that Trumps views are more in line with those of Gorka and Bannon. In his remarks to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington last week, President Trump said this: So let me state this as clearly as I can. We are going to keep radical Islamic terrorists... out of our country.

By arrangement with Dawn
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Caste identity and in some contexts religious identity is shaping the choices of voters in UP.

After several rounds of voting and almost by the end of the election campaign, it is clear that this election in Uttar Pradesh was an issue-less election. There is hardly an issue which dominated the mind of voters in UP from the western region to Purvanchal. What dominated the election campaign were allegations and counter-allegations, charges and counter-charges and rhetoric. Like in other elections, even in the current Assembly election in UP, the political parties began their campaign with the fancy word development, which seems attractive to voters as well, but very often conversation tends to end with a strong sense of either caste or religious identity.

Caste identity and in some contexts religious identity is shaping the choices of voters in UP. The party that had managed to form a better social coalition is likely to be ahead in the electoral race in the state. There is no wave in these elections like there was no wave in the 2012 and 2007 Assembly elections. It is only the number of seats won by the Samajwadi Party in 2012 and the Bahujan Samaj Party in 2007 made many people believe (retrospectively) that those were wave elections.

It is unfortunate that demonetisation, which affected the livelihood of millions of people, did not become an issue in these elections. Findings from the studies conducted by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies confirms that people have divided opinions on this matter, but this is not the key issue shaping how they vote. Looking at the issues raised by political parties in different election rallies, one thing is clear: no party is keen on making demonetisation an issue. The BJP refrained from making demonetisation an issue out of fear that this might remind people of the hardships they had to face while depositing and exchanging money.

More so, this might remind millions of people who lost their livelihood, farmers who suffered losses due to demonetisation. Even the non-BJP parties (SP, Congress or BSP) have been hesitant in making it an issue as in the present discourse, those opposing demonetisation would be seen as the one standing in support of black money and corruption. Parties possibly cant afford to be seen as supporting corruption and black money. The election campaign mostly began with development rhetoric, but finally centred around caste and religious issues.

If this was not the guiding principle of voting for the people of UP, then why would Mayawati again and again make an appeal to Muslims to vote en bloc for the BSP? The electoral prospects of the BSP largely depend on how Muslims are voting in these elections, a strong dalit-Muslim coalition can result in Ms Mayawati leading over other political parties in the current electoral contest in UP. But the big question is can that happen? Another question that should worry the BSP is: will Ms Mayawati be able to hold on her dalit votebank? There is a strong possibility of shift in the non-Jatav dalits away from the BSP, signs of which were visible in last Assembly elections and the Lok Sabha elections held in 2014.

Muslim votes are crucial even for the electoral success of the SP-Congress alliance. This alliance hopes to get en-bloc support from Muslim voters. If this works in their favour, the alliance could take a lead, as the numerically-strong Yadavs seem to be voting for the alliance in large numbers. But the leaders of the alliance have been careful about not wooing Muslim voters openly in their campaign due to the fear of counter-polarisation of Hindu votes against the alliance. The leaders of the alliance in their rallies have always put the work of the current government on the forefront of their election speeches and banking heavily on the slogan Kaam bolta hai. This slogan seems to be going down well with voters as the government did manage to do reasonably good work, though nothing exceptional. But what makes the people believe in this slogan is the good image of Akhilesh Yadav, who is accepted amongst people as a good chief minister. The BJP hardly has any state-level leader to match Mr Yadavs popularity and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, though still very popular, is not being able to motivate voters in as large numbers as the party needs to steer a clear victory.

This has resulted in a situation where the BJP is also dependent upon Muslim votes for the partys victory, not in a positive way but in a negative way. What may take the BJP ahead of others in the electoral race in UP is either the consolidation of Hindu votes or the split of Muslim votes. In an attempt to divide Muslim votes in UP, knowing well that the prime consideration in the minds of Muslim voters will be to vote for the party that can defeat the BJP, it tried hard to divide the attention of voters about which party is in the electoral race. At times BJP leaders did mention that the real contest of the BJP is with the BSP, with the sole aim of confusing voters so that their votes may get divided. If the BJP succeeds in doing this, it may take a clear lead over the rival parties or the SP-Congress alliance. The party seems to get a lot of upper caste votes and has succeeded in attracting sizeable proportion of non-Yadav OBC and non-Jatav dalit voters towards it. True, the support amongst these sections of voters has made the electoral contest interesting, brought the BJP in serious contest, but its electoral success in UP also depends upon Muslim votes. A split in Muslim votes, advantage BJP; a consolidated Muslim vote will put the BJP on the backfoot.

The identity of caste and religion remained the focus of the election campaign for most parties and the issues of demonetisation, unemployment, poverty and other livelihood matters got pushed back. The final electoral outcome in UP would depend upon how well the party managed to weave in the social arithmetic based on either caste or religion, or both.
Pakistanis from shifting blame on its deteriorating security situation and growing intolerance on the footsteps of the Afghan government.

Pakistan is furiously cobbling together alternative geostrategic tieups with the prospect of a questionable future looming large with its traditional ally, the United States. Having escaped the first wave of Donald Trumps formal censure via the proposed seven-country immigration ban, Islamabad is equally aware of the parallel risks in punting exclusively on Beijing. China is the hardheaded apostle of realpolitik and its ostensible all-weather friendship with Pakistan is bereft of any cultural, civilisational or emotional context. It is the marriage of convenience and circumstances, forever susceptible to the vicissitudes of the fickle, need-based approach. Chinas economic largesse, for example the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its convenient non-preachy tolerance of Pakistans complicity in terror (often with a tacit encouragement e.g. Beijings invaluable help in stalling the designation of the Pak-sponsored, Masood Azar as an international terrorist), is a temporary counterpoise and relief to wary Pakistanis.

Pakistans two other principal blocs of geostrategic participation  Saarc and Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC)  are both floundering for Pakistan. While the OIC is mired with its own existential, imploding and sectarian challenges, Saarc has been less than propitious in recent times, with India lending the cold shoulder in the last Saarc meet in Islamabad. This has led to Pakistan investing in direct bilateral relationships (free trade agreements with Turkey and Saudi Arabia), as well as wagering on nascent blocs like the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO). The ECO is a sub-set of the OIC as it is a bloc of Muslim-majority countries, which span from Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan to the Central Asian countries  a geographical land mass that interconnects the landlocked, energy-rich Central Asian region with the Mediterranean ports in Turkey to the Arabian Sea ports in Iran and Pakistan.

However, the latest ECO summit in Islamabad too got a flavour of Pakistans increased international and regional isolation, when Afghanistan decided to send an unmistakable message of its displeasure to the host nation, Pakistan. Afghanistan refused to send the requisite high-level representation in the form of the President, chief executive or its foreign minister (all other member countries were represented by the seniormost officials). This open AfPak hostility is in the dark backdrop of the bitter innuendos and cross-accusations that has typified the Pakistani narrative vis-a-vis its neighbours  India, Iran and Afghanistan. The tone of Afghan belligerence and impatience towards Islamabads duplicity and insincerity has come a long way, since the initial long rope extended to the Pakistanis by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Today, the fingerprints in most terror attacks on Afghan soil are traceable to the benefactors in Pakistan, and worse, the Pakistani establishment. From the attack on the Indian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif to the recent Pakistani shelling on the fractious AfPak border, the slide in the relationship is blatantly confrontational.

This buildup of fractures was evident to all when the Afghan President lambasted Pakistan in the Heart of Asia summit at Amritsar last November, with Pakistans adviser to PM on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz in the audience  he lashed out at the Pakistani offer of aid by saying, We need to identify cross-border terrorism and a fund to combat terrorism. Pakistan has pledged $500 million for Afghanistans development. This amount can be spent to contain extremism, and further added: Afghanistan suffered the highest number of casualties last year. This is unacceptable... Some still provide sanctuary for terrorists. As a Taliban figure said recently, if they had no sanctuary in Pakistan, they wouldnt last a month.

In a quid pro quo, the Pakistanis have upped the counter-ante on the ostensible sanctuaries of anti-Pakistani militants in Afghanistans eastern borders. The bloody attack in the shrine of the Sufi saint, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan, Sindh, which left nearly 100 dead by the ISIS-Khorasan faction, has led to a reverse accusation and fingerpointing at Afghanistan. Even though the ISIS Khorasan faction is predominant in the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, and is embroiled in a bitter slugfest with the Afghan National Army  it didnt stop the Pakistanis from shifting blame on its deteriorating security situation and growing intolerance on the footsteps of the Afghan government. The tit-for-tat that followed saw the Pakistanis brazenly asking the Afghans to hand over 76 alleged militants, while the Afghans retaliated almost immediately with their own list of 85 militants (mostly from the ISI-aided Haqqani Network), supposedly in Pakistan along with a further list of 32 training centres!

Earlier in the year, on meeting the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Qamar Bajwa, the Afghan President had presciently stated: Those who have claimed responsibility for these recent attacks freely operate, live and recruit in Pakistan, but so far there has been no action against them. After the Sehwan terror strike, a perfect role reversal ensued with Islamabad summoning Afghan officials for strong words and a dossier of names to be neutralised.

This Pakistani blame game with Afghanistan is eerily reminiscent of the India-Pakistan equation wherein the terror sanctuaries get conveniently brushed under the Pakistani carpet with a rote non-state-actors line. This dangerously ensures that the Pakistanis continue investing in their flawed belief of retaining strategic depth, by supporting extremist organisations in the neighbouring countries. However, the vexatious jihadist ecosystem that the Pakistanis have singularly created and harnessed over the years, has a dynamic of its own that often spills out of the control levers of the Pakistani establishment and afflicts a bloody toll on its creator. This self-inflicted misery cannot be deflected onto Pakistans already suffering neighbours. Like India, the Afghans have lost faith and patience in Pakistans words and actions. The onus of dismantling the terror infrastructure in the Asian subcontinent resides squarely in Pakistan  once the fundamental shift in policy and outlook is enforced by Islamabad, the parallel collapse in the terror industry in Afghanistan and India is virtually guaranteed. The latest angst in the AfPak relationship is an evitable and extended outcome of the Frankensteinian project conceived by Pakistan itself.
LeEco has no plans to exit its operations in India and is gearing up for the launch of its next generation television in the country.

While the company did not provide any clarity on the job cuts, it said its resource headcount in India is "well aligned to the scale of operations envisioned and in line with industry benchmarks."

Chinese electronics maker LeEco said on Friday it has no plans to exit its operations in India and is gearing up for the launch of its next generation television in the country.

"India is one the most strategic markets for LeEco," the company said in a statement, adding that it had no plans to exit the market.

The Economic Times had reported earlier on Friday that the company was firing 85 per cent of its Indian arm and was looking to exit is operations in the country.

While the company did not provide any clarity on the job cuts, it said its resource headcount in India is "well aligned to the scale of operations envisioned and in line with industry benchmarks."
Ian Grillot, 24, was released from the hospital on Tuesday, The University of Kansas Health System said in a statement on Thursday.

Ian Grillot, during an interview in the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City. (Photo: AP)

Kansas City: A Kansas man who survived an apparently racially motivated shooting at a suburban Kansas City restaurant and bar is out of the hospital and has already visited the scene of the attack.

Ian Grillot, 24, was released from the hospital Tuesday, The University of Kansas Health System said in a statement Thursday. Grillot was one of three men shot Feb. 22 at Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas. One of the men, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was killed, and his friend, Alok Madasani, was wounded.

Both Kuchibhotla and Madasani were natives of India working as engineers for GPS-maker Garmin in Olathe.

A bullet hit Grillot in the hand and entered his chest when he tried to stop the suspected gunman, 51-year-old Adam Purinton, of Olathe. Purinton is charged with murder and attempted murder.

Witnesses say Purinton shouted racial slurs before shooting Kuchibhotla and Madasani.

On Wednesday, Grillot went to church and then stopped at Austins for "closure," the hospital said in a statement. He returned to the hospital on Thursday for a meeting with three officials from the Consulate General of India in Houston.

The dignitaries told Grillot and his family they were grateful for his actions the night of the shooting and invited Grillot and his family to visit India when he is able to travel. Consul General Anupam Ray told Grillot that his bravery is more representative of America than the violence at Austins, the hospital said.
In January, Sessions told a Senate panel that he had no contacts with the Russians during the campaign.

Washington: US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said on Thursday he would stay out of any probe into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election but maintained he did nothing wrong by failing to disclose he met last year with Russia's ambassador.

Sessions, a longtime U.S. senator who was an early and high-ranking player in President Donald Trump's campaign before becoming the country's top law enforcement official, announced the decision after several fellow Republicans in Congress suggested the move would be appropriate.

"I have recused myself in the matters that deal with the Trump campaign," Sessions told reporters at a hastily arranged news conference.

Sessions said he had been weighing recusal - ruling himself out from any role in the investigations - even before the latest twist of the controversy over ties between Trump associates and Russia that has dogged the early days of the Trump presidency.

The president backed Sessions, saying Democrats had politicized the issue and calling the controversy a "total witch hunt."

Sessions' announcement did nothing to quell concerns among congressional Democrats, a number of whom called for Sessions to step down.

Trump and Republicans who control Congress are trying to move past early administration missteps and focus on issues important to them, including immigration, tax cuts and repealing the Obamacare healthcare law.

U.S. intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russia hacked and leaked Democratic emails during the election campaign as part of an effort to tilt the vote in Trump's favor. The Kremlin has denied the allegations.

Sessions denied he had contact with Russian officials when he was asked directly during his Senate confirmation hearing to become attorney general whether he had exchanged information with Russian operatives during the election campaign.

He told reporters he was "honest and correct" in his response, although he acknowledged he "should have slowed down" and mentioned he had met with the ambassador in his role as a senator.

"I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign," Sessions said, adding he felt he should not be involved in investigating a campaign in which he had had a role.

In a statement on Thursday night, Trump said Sessions "did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional."

Sessions' meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak were disclosed on Wednesday night by the Washington Post. Sessions received Kislyak in his Senate office in September and also met him in July at a Heritage Foundation event at the Republican National Convention that was attended by about 50 ambassadors.

Trump fired national security adviser Michael Flynn last month after disclosures that Flynn had discussed U.S. sanctions on Russia with Kislyak before Trump took office and that Flynn misled Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations.

The recusal means Sessions, a powerful member of Trump's inner circle, will not be briefed on details of any probe. Should the Federal Bureau of Investigation decide to move forward with charges, Sessions would not be in a position to weigh in on whether the Department of Justice should take the case.

Calls to Resign

House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi urged Sessions to resign and said "his narrow recusal and sorry attempt to explain away his perjury" were inadequate.

Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said Sessions' explanation for failing to tell the Senate about his meetings "is simply not credible." He called on Sessions to step down and said the Justice Department should name an independent prosecutor to investigate Russian interference.

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee asked the FBI to launch a criminal investigation into Sessions' statements to Congress about his communication with Russian officials.

Sessions is one of many "subjects" of a government investigation of any contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia, two U.S. officials familiar with the probe said.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sessions was not now a "target" of the probe by the FBI, the Treasury Department, the CIA and the National Security Agency.

The investigation, one of the officials said, had a number of subjects because of the numerous contacts between associates of Trump, including Flynn, and the Russian Embassy in Washington as well as Russian and some Ukrainian businessmen and companies.

At least two other officials in Trump's campaign said they also spoke with the Russian ambassador at a conference on the sidelines of the July convention last July, USA Today reported on Thursday.

Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner also met with Kislyak in December at Trump Tower in New York, an administration official said on Thursday, confirming a report in the New Yorker.

While there is nothing legally wrong with such meetings, the reported contacts raise questions about the White House's repeated statements that it knew of no further contacts with Russian officials beyond those by Flynn.

Trump has accused officials in former Democratic President Barack Obama's administration of trying to discredit him with questions about Russia contacts. The White House dismissed the disclosure of the Sessions meetings as a partisan attack, saying his contacts with the ambassador had been as a member of the Armed Services Committee.

Trump called frequently during his campaign for improved relations with Russia, drawing criticism from Democrats and some Republicans. Ties with Russia have been deeply strained in recent years over Moscow's military interference in Ukraine, military support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria and President Vladimir Putin's intolerance of political dissent.

With his administration on the defensive over Russia, Trump's enthusiasm seems to have cooled, and his top foreign policy advisers have begun talking tougher about Moscow.

The Russian Embassy in Washington, shrugging off the uproar, said on Thursday it was in regular contact with "U.S. partners."
Aziz also said that Pakistan has shared a dossier with the UN on the alleged Indian involvement in its internal affairs.

Islamabad: Pakistan said on Wednesday that the government was not considering any option to extradite the alleged Indian spy back to his country.

Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz also said it has sought more information from India on alleged "Indian spy" Kulbhushan Jadhav who is under its detention.

"We have prepared an FIR and a case is in the process of registration to prosecute (the) Indian state actor for involvement in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," Aziz said.

The Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs, during the Question Hour session in the Senate, said a case was being prepared to prosecute the alleged Indian spy arrested last year in March.

"A list of questions has also been handed over to India to seek more information from them in the light of the statements of Kulbhushan Jadhav," he said, without elaborating when the questionnaire was given to New Delhi.

The discussion started when Senator Talha Mehmood asked Aziz whether the government was planning to hand over Jadhav to India like it extradited CIA contractor Raymond Davis in 2011 who had killed two men in Lahore.

He claimed that the arrested "spy" had "confessed" his involvement in militancy and there was no question of lack of evidence against him.

Aziz also said Pakistan has shared a dossier with the UN Secretary General on the alleged Indian involvement in Pakistan's internal affairs and in "subversive and terrorist activities".

"This dossier includes details about Kulbhushan Jadhav and his activities," he said.

Aziz said the government is also examining the possibility of sharing the dossier with other countries and international organisations.

Talking about the dossier presented to the UN chief, Aziz said it was based on thorough groundwork and inputs from various departments.

"This is a very delicate and sensitive issue and requires detailed preparations and home work as it relates to direct or indirect involvement of Indian state actor in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," he said.

Aziz also claimed that the world was accepting Pakistan's position on the issue of India's alleged involvement in militancy.

The government also came under criticism from the opposition when Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Aitzaz Ahsan asked why Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has never taken the name of the arrested "spy".

"I had announced that if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif mentions the name of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav in his speech, I will donate Rs 50,000 to Pakistan Association of the Blind," he said.

Ahsan asked Aziz if the Premier has spoken about Jadhav. However, Aziz said that the Prime Minister will speak about Jadhav at an appropriate time.
It was not immediately clear whether the issue of fighting terrorism would be part of the terms.

Bashar al-Ja'afari, Syrian chief negotiator and Ambassador of the Permanent Representative Mission of Syria to the UN in New York. (Photo: AP)

Geneva: Syrian peace talks are expected to conclude later on Friday with an "agreed agenda" and a plan to resume negotiations later in March, in Geneva, Western diplomats said.

It was not immediately clear whether the issue of fighting terrorism would be part of the terms, as sought by the Damascus delegation led by Syrian Ambassador Bashar al-Ja'afari.

A third Western diplomat said there had been movement from both sides on the agenda, but that the opposition was still looking for reassurances that the government would not use terrorism as a pretext to derail the talks.
The comments by Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag reflected a broader souring of relations between the two NATO allies.

Ankara: Turkey accused Germany on Friday of scandalous behaviour in cancelling rallies of Turkish citizens in two German towns due to be addressed by Turkish ministers and said Berlin provided a "shelter" for people committing crimes against his country.

The comments by Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, who had been scheduled to address a meeting in the southwestern town of Gaggenau until it was cancelled on Thursday, reflected a broader souring of relations between the two NATO allies.

"Let them look back at their history," Bozdag said in a speech suggesting a deeper rooted chauvinism in Berlin. "We see the old illnesses flaring up."

Berlin said it had no part in steps taken by city councils who, according to one mayor, acted purely on security grounds. The foreign ministry was doing all it could to help dialogue.

Gaggenau would have been part of efforts to garner support among 1.5 million Turkish citizens for an April referendum expanding President Tayyip Erdogan's powers - something he has sought with increased urgency since an army bid to topple him.

Erdogan has accused West European countries of failing to condemn the July putsch quickly or strongly enough. West European countries have expressed concern about his crackdown on journalists, judiciary, academics and others accused of links.

The city of Cologne also blocked an event where Economy Minister Nihat Zeybecki was to speak on Sunday. Zeybecki said on Twitter on Friday he still planned to go to Germany.

"We say the victory is God's...I will go from cafe to cafe, house to house," he said. "Nobody should worry, we will still meet with our citizens in Germany."

Authorities in Gaggenau evacuated the city hall on Friday after receiving a bomb threat, its mayor told n-tv German television. Asked if it was linked to the cancellation, mayor Michael Pfeiffer said: "We presume this at the moment, but we don't know for sure."

Turkey itself, a country of great strategic importance to NATO bordering as it does Syria, Iraq and Iran, has been hit by a string of militant attacks over the last year by Islamist militants and Kurdish rebels.

Relations were most recently tested from the German perspective by the arrest, on accusations of propaganda in support of a terrorist organisation, of Deniz Yucel, a correspondent for the prominent Die Welt newspaper, on Monday.

German Justice Minister Heiko Maas sent Bozdag a sharply worded letter after he cancelled their meeting scheduled for Thursday.

"When journalists, judges and attorneys are arrested simply because they are doing their jobs, simply because they are fulfilling their role in a constitutional state, then each arrest marks a degradation of the rule of law," he said in the letter. "It is the role of the state to protect journalists and not burden them with repressive measures."

Justice Minister Bozdag made no reference to the letter in his speech but declared:

"Germany today has become a shelter for all those who commit crimes against Turkey, the PKK, FETO, DHKP-C members. Those who carried out the coup and everyone who commits crimes against Turkey have fled there."

Erdogan accuses an exiled cleric of masterminding the coup, describing his organisation as the FETO terrorist group. Turkey also complains that Germany and other West European countries give succour to militant leftists and PKK Kurdish militants.

Germany is wary of rising tensions, seeking continued Turkish commitment to arrangements preventing large movements of refugees from Turkey to Europe.
When he let go of her, Marlene noticed that Sherelle was bleeding profusely and that he had stabbed her with a kitchen knife.

Brisbane: In February 2014, an Australian court heard a 44-year-old woman, who accused her husband of brutally stabbing her daughter to death, while she was forcibly held back from saving her dying daughter.

The 52-year-old man, Raymond John Mead, was arrested for murdering his stepdaughter in a fit of rage. He said that he hated his stepdaughter, Sherelle, 23. He held her responsible for problems in his marriage to her mother, Marlene Locke.

According to a report by The Sun, the Marlene and Sherelle caught up to spend some time together at Marlenes home in Boronia Heights, south of Brisbane, Australia. It was a Sunday evening and Mead was out, drinking. Marlene had expected him to go straight to bed, but when he returned home, he went straight to the kitchen and began rummaging in the drawers.

It was just around that time when the daughter spotted something funny in a catalogue and began laughing. The mother joined her too, which apparently drove the accused to fly into a fit of rage.

He stomped into the room, looking angry and charged at Sherelle. The mother said, He ran straight to Sherelle and pinned her to the sofa. He screamed, Do you think this is funny? and just then, he struck her. It looked as though Mead had punched her hard in the chest, but when he let go of her, Marlene noticed that Sherelle was bleeding profusely. He had stabbed her with a kitchen knife.

Sherelle cried out for help but the accused had gripped Marlene by the neck and held her against the wall. I sobbed as I heard Sherelle howl that she was bleeding, but Ray kept his grip around my neck, Marlene said.

When he finally did let her go, Marlene called the police immediately. When they arrived, Mead tried to put the blame on her, saying she had murdered her daughter. However, the police would not be fooled and arrested Mead. The paramedics tried to help the victim, but she was already dead.

Marlene told the court how Mead became controlling and abusive, suddenly after their marriage in 2008. He would control their finances and allegedly kicked her in her stomach when she was expecting a baby. After this, she filed for a domestic violence order against Mead and left the house. But he kept calling her to come back.

Eventually he wore me down and I moved back in with him, Marlene explained. Violence became a regular part of my life. Sherelle would plead with me to leave him. But it was not easy for Marlene since she had little money with her and two children, Zavannah and Owen, to care for.

Marlene regrets the fact that she let Mead back into her life, which ultimately caused Sherelles death.
China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to any visits by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama gestures as he speaks on "Reviving Indian Wisdom in Contemporary India' at a public event in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

Beijing: China on Friday warned India against allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause "serious damage" to the bilateral ties and peace in the disputed border region.

"China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told the media in Beijing.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to any visits by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area.

China had also aired similar concerns in October last year when India granted permission to the Tibetan spiritual leader to visit Arunachal Pradesh at the invitation of the state government.

The visit is expected to take place this year. "China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas," Geng said.

"China's position on the eastern section of China-India border dispute is consistent and clear. The Dalai clique has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and its record on the border question is not that good," he said.

Geng said China expressed its concern to India through formal channels.

"India is fully aware of the seriousness of the Dalai issue and the sensitivity of China-India border question," he said.

"Under such a background if India invites the Dalai to visit to the mentioned territory, it will cause serious damage to peace and stability of border region and China-India relations," he said.

"We have expressed concerns to the Indian side, urged India to stick to its political commitments and abide by important consensus the two sides have reached on the boundary question, refrain from actions that might complicate the issue, not provide a platform to the Dalai clique and protect the sound and stable development of the Sino-India relations," he said.

Geng's comments came in the backdrop of an interview to the Chinese media by former Chinese Special Representative on boundary dispute Dai Bingguo in which he said the border dispute between the two nations can be resolved if India gives up claim over Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

Asked about Dai's comments, Geng said he has not seen the interview.

He said China's principled position on the boundary question with India is to reach an early solution pending China-India border question is in the fundamental interest of the two countries.

"At present the two sides have reached a roadmap to find a solution based on political parameters and guiding principles.

They have also reached the important consensus that they are committed to an equitable, reasonable solution acceptable to the two sides," he said.

"China would like to work with India to work relentlessly on negotiation process and find a solution that is equitable, reasonable to all parties," Geng said.

Last year China also protested the visit of then American Ambassador to India, Richard Verma to the area.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488 km long Line of Actual Control (LAC).

While China claims Arunachal Pradesh as Southern Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covered Aksai Chin area which was occupied by China during 1962 war.
Northern Irish flour miller Neills Flour marks its 150th anniversary this year, with the likes of writer and TV personality Jenny Bristow paying tribute to the company.

Ive always used Neills Flour in my baking and would like to wish the team a big Happy Birthday for the companys 150th year, Bristow said.

Neills still has the same traditional values with regards to home baking that it did in the 19th century and Im proud to have worked with the company in recent years to research and develop new and exciting mixes of flour.

Based in Belfast, Neills Flour is Northern Irelands leading flour mill and a producer of a wide range of flour products for the bakery trade. The company was founded in 1867 by James Neill.

The company mills all types of flour including self-raising, Golden Fleece plain, self-raising soda bread flour, fine and coarse wholemeal flour.

Barry Kelly, general manager of Neills Flour, said there were not many companies in Northern Ireland that were still in existence after 150 years.

We are extremely proud to be celebrating this truly significant milestone in the history of Neills Flour, Kelly said. When James Neill started the business in 1867, his aim was to produce the best-quality flour possible for his customers and that remains our aim today. The high quality and unique taste of Neills Flour is loved around the world and we look forward to playing our own part in the companys history by developing the brand further as we look to the next 150 years.
In 2015, the World Bank estimated Pakistan's population at 188.9 million but the country uses the official 1998 figure of 134.7 million.

Islamabad: Fast-growing Pakistan will conduct its first census in 19 years in March, the statistics bureau said on Thursday, hoping to end years of wrangling by politicians concerned about how a survey would affect the makeup of their local electorates.

Changes could be significant in a country where 60 per cent of the population is under the age of 30.

In 2015, the World Bank estimated Pakistan's population at 188.9 million but the country still uses the official 1998 figure of 134.7 million. The population has exploded since its first census in 1951, when it had 33.8 million inhabitants.

Political leaders across the country have voiced concerns about the census, fearing a loss of influence from any changes in provincial demographics.

Chief Census Commissioner Asif Bajwa said the Pakistani army had been drafted in to provide security and ensure there was no harassment of officials.

"With every civil enumerator will be a military officer to ensure that the enumerator can enter the correct data without being intimidated by local political figures," Bajwa told a press briefing in Islamabad.

Electoral seats in Pakistan's parliament are assigned using population density data, and with rural populations fluctuating due to urbanisation, powerful feudal landlords and political families fear losing influence in Islamabad.

"Some regions are over-represented in the parliament and the political elite are wary of the census because it changes the voting pattern, changes the representation in the parliament," said Shahid Faiz, chief executive of Free and Fair Election Network, an organisation collecting electoral data.

Bajwa said 200,000 military personnel would assist civilian counters to complete the 70-day data-gathering campaign, which will start on March 15.

The inclusion of Afghan refugees in the census, confirmed by Bajwa, had been strongly opposed by leaders from the country's sparsely populated Baluchistan province, where separatists are waging an insurgency.

The ethnic Baluch fear being turned into a minority in their own province due to growing populations of other communities. Similar fears have been voiced by Sindhi politicians in southern Sindh province.

In January, normally conservative Pakistan announced that the country's transgender community would be included in the 2017 census.

Originally scheduled for March, 2016, the census was postponed due to the unavailability of army personnel to oversee security.

The United Nations Population Fund will assign international observers to oversee the administration of the census, Bajwa said.
He was accused in connection with killings during the 2011 Arab spring. The latest ruling ends the legal saga. Other members of his regime have also been acquitted. Al-Sisi was close to the former president and the military. Critics say the current government engages in the same abuses as Mubaraks. Meanwhile, jihadism is on the rise in Egypt.

Cairo (AsiaNews) - Egypt's Court of Cassation has acquitted former President Hosni Mubarak in connection with the killing of hundreds of protesters during the 2011 uprising. The verdict comes after lengthy proceedings that began in 2012.

Judge Ahmed Abdel Qawis decision ends the long legal process that saw the deposed president charged with the killing of 239 protesters during the uprising of January 2011. Mubarak always maintained his innocence.

The outcome did not surprise victims relatives considering the links between the current president Al-Sisi and Mubarak.

Initially, the ousted president was convicted and given a life sentence. But appeals courts ordered a retrial twice.

The Court of Cassation rejected demands by lawyers for the victims families to reopen civil suits, thus closing the case permanently.

Mubaraks supporters celebrated the ruling. The 88-year-old former leader had always said he was innocent, convinced that "History" would treat him as a patriot.

Lawyers of the families condemned the verdict as politically motivated. "This ruling is not fair and not just. The judiciary is politicised," said lawyer Osman al-Hefnawy.

President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, who served as Mr Mubarak's military intelligence chief, was reportedly reluctant to free him.

Since he overthrew President Morsi and won the 2014 presidential election, Al-Sisi has launched a tough crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood, whilst individuals linked to the Mubarak regime were acquitted.

Critics accuse the current government of the same abuses against which they had protested in 2011.

Despite his claim that he supports human rights, Al-Sisi said that the dangers the country faces require a "firm hand". Since he ousted Morsi, his anti-Islamist campaign has seen the growth of jihadism in Egypt.

The families of those killed in 2011, who had attended proceedings early on, were not present at the acquittal.

Unfortunately, the blood of our family was lost in vain...they're in a better place than we are now," said Taha Hussein Mahmoud, whose 19-year-old son was killed during the protests in Alexandria, speaking to Reuters.
by Fady Noun

For Ahmed el-Tayeb, the Muslim faith is not incompatible with religious pluralism. Christians should not be considered as a minority or "negative" element. Still, the notion of a civic and secular state is missing. What is needed is a renewed commitment to actual equality in diversity.

Cairo (AsiaNews)  Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the worlds foremost Sunni Arab institution, solemnly asserted that Islam is not incompatible with religious pluralism, and upheld the principle of equality in rights and duties for Muslims and non-Muslims within a "national constitutional state". The concept of "citizenship" is not foreign to Islam, the imam insisted; on the contrary, it is part of its foundations.

These three claims are the three main points of the recent Islamic-Christian conference held in Cairo (28 February-1 March), which reflected in particular the frank final declaration condemning all violence carried out in the name of religion, as well as every form of political power based on discrimination between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Interesting in itself, the declaration becomes even more important as it confirms a process of reflection undertaken by al-Azhar in the past few years. In 2012, in a paper entitled Citizenship and the future of Egypt, Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb noted that Islam does not call for a religious state, and opted for the notion of citizenship.

Subsequently, an important paper on freedoms, including religious freedom, was published in 2014. The document placed al-Azhar at the forefront of a moderate Islam advocating a Charter on private and public freedoms, including freedom of conscience.

Finally, in his weekly address on Egyptian television on 13 January, el-Tayeb said that Christians in Egypt are not and cannot be considered dhimmis, nor even "a minority", a term that has "negative connotations". The symposium on Wednesday and Thursday shows that Azhar is no longer hesitating from publicly expressing such principles, not only as mere opinions but as a commitment of the Muslim faith.

Ambiguities

However important such progress may be, after the Cairo conference, some Christian and Muslim speakers continue to see the discourse put forward by the great Sunni religious body as ambiguous and less clear than it needs to be. For them, "Much has been said about citizenship, but not much was said about the civic state, which is its corollary. One senses that the discourse does not contrast sharply enough with the conservative tradition."

These speakers noted that the notion of a civic state did not appear either in Imam Ahmed el-Tayebs address nor in the final declaration. "We are still talking about the national state (dawla watania). The step towards a civic state has not yet been taken, and one can enjoy civic equality that the same citizenship confers even within the framework of an Islamic State."

The source concludes by stating that progress is still necessary in order to arrive at a model of a modern civic state in which all religions are on an equal footing within the framework of a citizenship that includes diversity.

For their part, Lebanese speakers like Minister Pierre Raffoul, President Amine Gemayel, Fares Souhaid and Nayla Tabbara (Adyan Foundation) stressed the specificities of Lebanons model of coexistence, in particular the existence of a form of cultural osmosis within Lebanese society, so that there is a Muslim component in the personality of every Christian, and, likewise, a Christian component in the personality of every Muslim.

Al-Azhar declaration

The four, freely translated key points in the final declaration of the el-Azhar Symposium are as follows:

1 "The notion of citizenship is firmly rooted in Islam. Its first manifestation is in the Constitution of Madinah and the pacts and documents of the Prophet that followed, which regulate the relations between Muslims and non-Muslims. As a result, the concept of citizenship is not an imported solution, but an update of the first Muslim practice of power by the Prophet in the first Muslim society."

"This practice did not include any discrimination or exclusion against any part of the society at the time, but provided for policies based on the plurality of religions, races and social strata, a plurality operating within the framework of a comprehensive and egalitarian citizenship as contained in the Constitution of Madinah . . . which stipulated that non-Muslims and Muslims share the same rights and duties.

2- "Therefore, Arab and Islamic societies possess a well-established heritage of co-existence in the same society marked by diversity, pluralism and reciprocal recognition."

"The adoption of notions of citizenship, equality and rights leads to the condemnation of what contradicts citizenship and maintains practices based on discrimination between Muslims and non-Muslims contrary to the Islamic law (Sharia) [. . .] The first factor of cohesion and consolidation of the common will is represented by the national constitutional state based on the principles of citizenship, equality and the rule of law [. . .]".

3. [...] Christians and Muslims who took part in Al-Azhar conference declare that all religions are blameless of terrorism, in all its forms and condemn it as firmly as possible [. . .]".

4. "Therefore, the protection of citizens, their lives, property, freedoms and of all other rights conferred upon them by their citizenship and human dignity, is the primary duty of national states [. . .]".
Manila (AsiaNews / CBCP) - On the occasion of Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, the Filipino bishops have launched a last appeal to lawmakers asking them to oppose the reintroduction of the death penalty for drug-related crimes.



The government intends to ratify the bill on 7 March, in its third and final reading. The representatives of the Church have also urged the parliamentarians to express their views in a roll call vote.



Msgr. Broderick S. Pabillo, auxiliary bishop of Manila, also criticized the legislative assembly chosen to approve on second reading with a voice vote (anonymous), of the measure re-introducing capital punishment.



"The lower House has chosen death and not life. They were even afraid to be identified. They refused nominal voting, he said.

Rodolfo Diamante, executive secretary of the bishops Commission on Prison Pastoral Care, said yesterdays passage of the bill was largely expected. They have chosen the path to death instead of standing for life in this season of Lent.

Ramon Arguelles, archbishop emeritus of Lipa, has also said it is ironic that the measure was approved on Ash Wednesday, "the first day of a time of conversion from evil". The prelate added: "Lawmakers choose to go against the Word of God. They choose death in the name of the people".



Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila had earlier stated, in his call for parliamentarians to reject the death penalty, that men cannot pretend to be gods. He recalled that human life is a gift from God, because every person is created in His image and that every human being is saved by Jesus Christ. "In the presence of God, the source of life, we are humble. We cannot pretend to be gods - wrote Tagle.



"This is why - warned the cardinal - that ethic of life, a culture of life, is not consistent with abortion, euthanasia, human trafficking, mutilation and violence against innocent people and vulnerable. "
Bad habits take away peace and joy. God forgives, but confession and penance are needed. The community is important to experience grace. Penance, prayer and almsgiving are the three pillars of Lent.

Singapore (AsiaNews)  Mgr William Goh, archbishop of Singapore, has issued his traditional pastoral letter for Lent.

In it, he calls on the faithful to question the "vacuum in your life that you cannot explain. He also encourages believers to seek reconciliation with God, repentance and forgiveness, for this is the path to happiness and peace.

The sense of loss felt in life is due to the "bad habits" that destroy not just our health, but also take away our peace, joy and freedom."

For instance, he notes, You are living a double life. You are living a sinful life, a life of infidelity, cheating, fighting and negative towards people. You are addicted to anger, envy, sloth and greed, besides lust. You want to break free from the sins that hold on to you but you do not have the strength to come clean and start all over again.

By contrast, Lent is the best time to return to God and find joy again since All of us, as His children, are called to be the goodness of God.

According to prelate, Jesus was sent to help us understand that, by overcoming temptations, we can live in God's grace.

God wants to let us know that we are forgiven for this knowledge is required to forgive others. The Lord readily forgives us because He knows who we are, weak and frail sinners.

Yet, "The consequence of contrition of heart and repentance is the reward of joy and peace that manifests itself in the rediscovery a life of prayer and the joy of faith in God.

According to Mgr Goh, Lents greatness lies in not walking alone. We need our brothers and sisters to accompany us in our journey of faith. But How can we make our journey if we do not use the channels of grace made available to us?

For him, The three pillars of the Lenten program consist of prayer, almsgiving and penance.

The first is a necessary tool for conversion. Penance protects us from the slavery of sin. Almsgiving teaches us to open our hearts to the sufferings of others and in the process, encounter the joy of mercy that God wants to give us. The poor often reveal to us the face of God and give us the joy that money cannot buy.

Mgr Goh concludes by saying that " Lent is a season of grace" that should not be wasted. Together, believers should walk this journey of 40 days together to the Promised Land.
by Christopher Sharma

"Nepal Investment Summit 2017" underway, strongly supported by the local government initiative. More than 250 investors from around the world are discussing the fight against poverty, crime control and the growing Islamic terrorism. Continuous changes at the top do not create favorable conditions for funding; pockets of poverty are reservoir for the recruitment of extremists.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - The economy needs political stability. This is the message sent to the authorities in Kathmandu from over 250 international investors gathered to discuss investment, poverty reduction and crime control and the growing Islamic terrorism.

The 'Nepal Investment Summit 2017 " is underway in the capital, strongly supported by the local government initiative. The two day summit ends today. Participants includemany leading members of the world economy, such as Arun Jailey Indian minister of Finance, and Jin Liqun, president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. They have all stressed that the necessary condition for economic funding is a strong and stable leadership.

No obvious fact for Nepal: after centuries of Hindu monarchy, political forces are trying to build a democratic country, while weak cabinets delay recovery and development after the earthquake of April 25, 2015.

Investors - companies and individuals - are from India, China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the United States, Russia and Canada. The Summit was opened by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who spoke about the fight against poverty and how this can become fertile ground for the recruitment of young people without hope by terrorists.

"Poverty - he said - throws seeds for fundamentalism and terrorism. Nepal has many resources, but little capacity to invest on them. " Therefore, he added, "it is inevitable to seek the support of foreign direct investments that create economic prosperity and ensure peace and social solidarity." For his part, he assured, "the government will make every effort to create a favorable environment for investors."

The Indian minister Jaitley admitted that the Himalayan country "has huge economic opportunities, natural resources and tourist sites that could attract numerous investments." However, he stressed, "we need reforms and stability. We want to see a strong Nepal, which has a positive impact on India and on the entire region. Foreigners will be attracted to a lasting fiscal policy, better infrastructure and certainty in politics ".

The reference is to the continuous changes at the top in the last year, after the authorities approved the first secular and democratic Constitution, and delays in the reconstruction after the violent earthquake that caused more than 8 thousand victims.



Leaders of the opposition are committed to creating a climate of collaboration. Sher Bahadur Deuba, president of Nepali Congress, is certain that the Nepalese territory offers potential areas for development.

Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, former prime minister and head of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), is committed to fostering an "environment available to finance."

Finally Ram Sharan Mahat, former Finance Minister, stressed that the government has already implemented economic liberalization because of the restoration of a democratic regime. "Help us to improve the lives of people - he said - because then poverty no longer be a basin for terrorism."
There is "strong evidence." Ri Jong-chol, 46, is a chemist. The day of the killing he brought four North Koreans to the airport. Malaysia has canceled visas for North Koreans.

Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews) - Malaysia today decided to release the North Korean man arrested in connection with the murder of Kim Jong-nam, brother of the dictator Kim Jong-un.

Ri Jong-chol, 46, was the only North Korean of eight suspects caught by the police, who would have in some way helped to poison of Kim Jong-nam with VX nerve agent at the airport in Kuala Lumpur on February 13. Among those sought there is also an employee of the embassy of North Korea in Malaysia.

According to some news agencies, Ri Jong-chol, who has a degree in chemistry, brought four North Koreans to the airport in Kuala Lumpur on the day of the killing.

Justice Minister Mohamed Apandi Ali said that there was no "sufficient evidence" to charge him. And not having valid documents he will be deported to North Korea later today.



Two women, Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, and Indonesian Siti Aisyah, accused of killing Kim by smearing the the toxic substance on his face remain under arrest. The two women claim they thought they were taking part in a television prank.



Malaysia has not accused Pyongyang officially, but there are many signs that indicate responsibilities related to North Korea. This has rejected all allegations, as well as evidence of the death by poisoning of Kim, saying that he died of "heart attack."

Yesterday, for security reasons, Malaysia has decreed the cancellation of free visa transfers for North Koreans.
God delights in "the penitent heart", "the heart that feels it is a sinner and knows it is a sinner." "The other is hypocritical' fasting  this is the word so often used by Jesus - it's a fast to be seen or to feel right but in the meantime I do injustice, I am not just, I exploit people."

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - True fasting is "to break unjust fetters and undo the thongs of the yoke, to set the oppressed free", "share your bread with the hungry," "bring home the homeless poor", "clothing the naked when you see them" and not doing penance while performing injustices or to "be seen."



This was Pope Francis message as celebrated Mass this morning in Santa Marta, taking a cue from the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. The readings of the day speak about fasting; that is, the Pope explained, about the penance that we are called to do in this time of Lent, in order to draw closer to the Lord.

God delights in the contrite heart, the Psalm says, the heart of one who feels himself a sinner, who knows he is a sinner. In the first Reading, taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, God rebukes the false religiosity of the hypocrites who fast, while at the same time carrying out their own pursuits, oppressing their workers, striking with wicked claw: on the one hand, doing penance, while on the other being unjust, making dirty deals. The Lord calls us, instead, to a true fast, where we are attentive to our neighbour: On the other hand there is a fasting that is hypocritical  its the word that Jesus uses so often  a fast that makes you see yourself as just, or makes you feel just, but in the meantime I have practiced iniquities, I am not just, I exploit the people. But, [someone might say,] I am generous, I give a good offering to the Church. But tell me, [one might answer,] do you pay a just wage to your help? Do you pay your employees under the table? Or, as the law demands, [enough] so that they are able to feed their children?

Pope Francis told the story of an event that happened immediately after the second World War to Jesuit Father Pedro Arrupe, when he was a missionary in Japan. A rich businessman gave him a donation for his evangelical activities, but brought with him a photographer and a journalist. The envelope contained just ten dollars: This is the same as what we do when we do not pay a just wage to our people. We take from our penances, from our acts of prayer, of fasting, of almsgiving we take a bribe: the bribe of vanity, the bribe of being seen. And that is not authentic, that is hypocrisy. So when Jesus says, When you pray, do it in secret; when you give alms, dont sound a trumpet; when you fast do not be sad, it is the same as if He had said: Please, when you do a good work, dont take the bribe of this good work, it is only for the Father.

He quoted the passage from Isaiah where the Lord tells the hypocrites about true fasting  words, the Pope said, that seem to be spoken to us today: This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke;Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke;Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. Let us think on these words, let us think in our own hearts, how do we fast, pray, give alms? And it would help us to think about how we would feel about a man who, after a meal that cost 200 euros, for example, returns home and sees someone hungry, and doesnt look at him and keeps walking. It would do us good to think about that.
For the second time Government forces, supported by the Russians, have wrested the historic city from the Islamic state. In Geneva, the delegation from Damascus accuses the opposition of holding the peace talks "hostage". The anti-Assad front looks to Trump and the new US administration after Obama's "catastrophic" policies in the region.

Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Syrian government forces, backed by Russian air raids, have taken "full control" of the historical city-symbol of Palmyra; one of the places where the jihadist devastation was most ruthless in Syria, wresting back control of the militias of the Islamic State (IS). The army and pro-government militias have penetrated the city center, after having snatched control of a district in the western part of town a few days ago. Palmyra had been under IS control since last December.

Last night, the Syrian ambassador to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari confirmed that Palmyra had been retaken. He pointed out that the city has been "freed from the hands of the terrorist organization"; President Bashar al-Assad, he added, has kept his promise to drive them out.



In January, satellite images confirmed the devastation wrought by Daesh [Arabic acronym for the Islamic State, IS], who destroyed the Tetrapylon, and part of the ancient Roman theater. UNESCO chief, Irinia Bokova, termed the destruction a "new war crime".



Meanwhile, the peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups sponsored by the United Nations, currently underway in Geneva (Switzerland) continue without any results.

Yesterday the government delegation accused the High Negotiations Committee (Hnc), members of the opposition supported by the Saudis, of holding the talks "hostage". The refusal to place terrorism on the agenda, say the government, will lead to failure and the responsibility will fall on the opposition. "Progress in Geneva - said Bashar al-Jaafari - cannot be hostage to Riyadhs agenda."



In contrast, HNC leaders look to Washington, and hope that the new occupant of the White House can play a "positive" role in ending the war, overthrowing the "catastrophic" policies of his predecessor Barack Obama. The administration led by Donald Trump has confirmed that the priority in Syria is fighting IS and other jihadist groups.



Nasr al-Hariri, head of the HNC delegation, stressed that "the Syrian people are paying [still] the price of catastrophic mistakes made by the Obama administration" which has lost its "leading role" in the Middle East in recent years.
A group of thugs intercepted, beat, and forced Nguyen Trung Ton and Nguyen Viet Tu into a van. The abductors took them to a forest area where they stripped them, robbed and beaten with a metal bar. The victims were able to get home only with the help of locals who found them wounded and disoriented.

Hanoi (AsiaNews/Agencies)  In late February, a group of thugs attacked Rev Nguyen Trung Ton (pictured), a Protestant clergyman, and his colleague, Rev Nguyen Viet Tu, who were stripped, robbed and beaten with a metal bar. The attackers are thought to have been working for the police.

The two men were abducted in Ba on (Quang Binh province) where they had gone to meet other activists who had recently been subjected to police violence.

When they arrived at the airport at 9.30 am, Nguyen Trung Ton and the two were intercepted by a group of men who punched them and forced into a van.

In an interview with Radio Free Asia (RFA), Rev Ton said that the kidnappers were security police in plain clothes.

After covering the victims heads, the kidnappers drove them to a remote forest area on Huong Khe mountain where they stripped them, robbed and beaten them with a metal bar.

The two clergymen managed to get back to one of the pastor's home only with the help of residents who found them wounded and disoriented.

Rev Nguyen Trung Ton is a pro-democracy activist, and a defender of religious freedom. He was arrested in 2011 and sentenced to two years for "activities undermining the State" and "propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" (art. 88 of the Criminal Code).

After his release, he was subjected to repeated harassments and intimidation by Security Police, including death threats against him and his family.

What happened to the two clergymen is indicative of an increasingly repressive and violent climate against all forms of free expression in Vietnam.

At a protest on 14 February, police attacked hundreds of Catholics in Nghe An Province who were protesting against the environmental disaster caused by the Formosa Plastics Group.

"Vietnam ratified the UN Convention against Torture with great fanfare in 2015, but the base acts entrusted to police officers or hired thugs are blatantly acts of torture" said Vo Van Ai, president of the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR). "Vietnam must put an end to such practices and bring those responsible to justice".
Sayers the Bakers has been fined 170,000 after admitting 13 breaches of food safety laws at a shop and a cafe in Liverpool.

One customer vomited after finding mouse droppings on the pasty she was eating, Liverpool Magistrates Court heard yesterday (2 March).

Images presented to the court showed mouse droppings in a kitchen and food storeroom, a dead rodent lodged behind a freezer and debris across the premises.

The charges related to two sites: the Sayers-owned Pound Bakery and Cafe, in St Johns Shopping Centre in Liverpool city centre, and the Sayers bakery branch in the West Derby suburb of the city.

The court heard staff at the Pound Cafe had failed to deal with an extensive rodent infestation after a customer contacted Liverpool Councils environmental health team on 12 February 2016.

Johnathan Ball, prosecuting on behalf of Liverpool City Council, said: The customer explained that they had taken a bite out of the pasty and had subsequently vomited after noticing the droppings on the surface of the pasty, close to the portion they had just eaten.

Officers were clearly concerned by the nature of the referral and decided to visit the premises that day.

The inspection found evidence of a serious rodent infestation and managers agreed to immediately close the cafe.

Ball said mouse droppings were discovered in the main kitchen area, the storeroom and the basement, along with debris and grease.

The court heard a dead mouse was found behind a freezer in the basement, and the single wash basin provided for staff was blocked by equipment.

Ball said: The amount of droppings throughout the premises indicated that rodent activity had been on-going for a significant period of time.

The cafe was inspected on 15 February last year, when it was awarded a zero-star hygiene rating (meaning urgent improvement is necessary). It later reopened.

A follow-up inspection on 22 August  at the request of Sayers managers  uncovered a rotting mouse corpse under the food counter.

Officers commenced that inspection in the front counter area of the cafe and noticed an unpleasant odour, said Ball. A dead mouse was subsequently discovered on a snap trap under the counter and it appeared to officers that the mouse had been there for a number of days.

The cafe was given a one-star rating and representatives from the company were interviewed under caution.

Separate proceedings were also under way after a random inspection at the West Derby branch on 7 December 2015 that found evidence of an extensive cockroach infestation.

Ball said cockroaches were found caught in traps on the floor, and behind a fridge and freezer.

The court heard the 100-year-old company, which operates 169 stores, fully co-operated with the investigation and that both branches have since been awarded the highest five-star rating for hygiene.

James Heyworth, defending Sayers, said: It is a source of real regret to the company that their own systems failed on this particular occasion. They have done what the court would expect them to do in terms of their conduct afterwards.

Heyworth also pointed out that the mouse infestation at Pound Cafe came during major refurbishments to St Johns Shopping Centre, which he claimed caused the displacement of rodents in the building.

He described the issues as an uncharacteristic lapse, adding that staff at the store - many who have worked there for a number of years - have been very upset by what went on last year.

They very much take pride in their work, as does the management.

When contacted by British Baker, Sayers said in a statement: "Poundcafe in St Johns Shopping Centre, like many other businesses in Liverpool City Centre, was unfortunately affected by the considerable amount of construction work taking place late 2015, early 2016.

"This gave us challenges in relation to mouse infestation as their normal nests were disturbed. Unfortunately, we had an isolated incident in St Johns which should not have occurred. Health and hygiene is our top priority and this is the first time we have ever been charged with such an offence. We have now invited Liverpool City Council to re-inspect the shop to back up our thorough audit results. In addition we are appealing against the level of the fine.
by Uri Avnery

The soldier who shot a wounded and helpless young Palestinian man has failed to show repentance. The trial has been used to protest against the army and the state structure. A deep hatred between Ashkenazi and Mizrahi persists. Even the military is no longer a guarantor of unity. Ending the occupation would heal cleavages. Courtesy of Gush Shalom.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews)  I BELIEVE I was the first to recommend that the soldier Elor Azaria, the killer of Hebron, be granted a pardon.

But this recommendation was conditional on several requirements: first, that the soldier openly and unconditionally confess his crime, that he apologize and that he be sentenced to many years in prison.

Without these conditions, any request for a pardon by the soldier would mean an approval of his act and an invitation for more war crimes.

Sergeant Azaria, a medic in a combat unit, appeared on the scene after an incident in the center of the Jewish enclave in the ancient town of Hebron. Two young Palestinians had attacked an army control point with knives and been shot. We don't know how the first one died, but the second was filmed by a camera provided to the locals by the wonderful Israeli anti-occupation organization B'Tselem.

The camera shows the assailant lying on the ground, heavily wounded, motionless and bleeding. Then, some 12 minutes later, Azaria, who had not been present, appears on the screen. He stands less than a meter from the wounded Arab and shoots him point-blank in the head, killing him outright.

The photographic evidence, made public at once on Israeli TV (a fact not to be forgotten), left the army no choice. Killing a helpless enemy is a crime in any civilized military. Azaria was accused of manslaughter - not murder.

All over the right wing, he at once became a national hero. Politicians, including Binyamin Netanyahu and the present Minister of Defense, Avigdor Lieberman, hastened to adopt him.

Azaria was found guilty. In a sharply worded judgment, the military court stated that his testimony consisted of sheer lies.

The judgment aroused a storm of protest all over the right wing. The court was cursed and became the real accused. Facing this storm, the court buckled and this week sentenced Azaria to a ridiculous prison term of 18 months, the usual penalty for an Arab juvenile stone-thrower who has not hit anybody.

Azaria has not apologized. Far from it.

Instead, he, his family and his admirers stood up in the courtroom and broke into the national anthem.

THIS COURTROOM scene became the picture of the day. It was clearly a demonstration against the military court, against the high command of the Israeli army and against the entire democratic structure of the state.

But for me it was much, much more.

It was the Declaration of Independence of another Israeli people. It was the breaking up of Israeli society into two parts, the tensions between which have been growing more acute from year to year.

The two parts have less and less in common. They have entirely different attitudes toward the state, its moral foundations, its ideology, its structure. But until now, it was accepted that at least one almost sacred institution stood above the fray, beyond any controversy: the Israeli army.

The Azaria affair demonstrates that this last bond of unity has now been broken.

WHO ARE these camps? What is the most profound element of this division?

There is no way around it: it is the ethnic factor.

Everybody tries to evade this fact. Mountains of euphemism have been erected to hide it. Everybody is fearful, even frightened, of the consequence of it. Hypocrisy is an essential defense mechanism.

There are now two Jewish-Israeli peoples. They dislike each other intensely.

One is called Ashkenazi, a derivative of an old Hebrew term for Germany. It encompasses all Israelis of European and American origin, who adhere or pretend to adhere to Western values.

The other is called Mizrahi ("eastern"), They used to be called - erroneously - Sephardim ("Spaniards"), but only a small fraction of them are actually the descendants of the Jews expelled from Spain some 700 years ago. The great majority of these expellees chose to go to Muslim countries, instead of Europe.

The Mizrahi community encompasses all the Israelis whose families came from countries extending from Morocco to Iran.

Historically, Jews were often mistreated in Europe, and rarely so in Islamic countries. But Ashkenazim are proud of their European heritage, while in fact growing more and more estranged from it, while for the Mizrahim there is no greater insult than comparing them to Arabs.

How did the rift start? The Zionist movement was created mainly by Ashkenazim, who constituted the overwhelming majority of the world's Jews before the Holocaust. Naturally, they were also the main contributors to the new Zionist community in Palestine, though there were also some outstanding Mizrahi figures.

The deep division started right after the 1948 war. As I have often mentioned, I was one of the first who saw it coming. As a squad-leader in the war, I commanded a group of volunteers from Morocco and other Mediterranean countries (who, by the way, saved my life when I was wounded). I witnessed the beginning of the split and warned the country in a series of articles, dating from 1949.

Who was to blame? Both sides. But since the Ashkenazim controlled all aspects of life, their share of the guilt is surely larger.

Coming from two great but very different civilizations, it was perhaps inevitable for the two communities to differ on many aspects of life. But at the time everybody was befuddled by the Zionist world of myths, and nothing was done to avoid the disaster.

Nowadays, the Mizrahim see themselves as "the people", the real (Jewish) Israelis, despising the Ashkenazim as the "elites". They also believe that they are the great majority.

This is quite wrong. It is more or less an even split, with Russian immigrants, ultra-orthodox Jews and Arab citizens constituting separate entities.

An intriguing question concerns intermarriages. There are a lot, and once I believed that they would automatically heal the rift. That did not happen. Rather, every pair joins one or other of the two communities.

The lines are not drawn clearly. There are many Mizrahi professors, medical doctors, architects and artists who have joined the "elites" and feel part of them. There are many Ashkenazi politicians (especially in the Likud) who behave as if they belonged to "the people", hoping to attract votes.

The Likud ("unification") party is a phenomenon by itself. The preponderant mass of its members and voters are Mizrahim. Indeed, it is the Mizrahi party per excellence. But almost all its leaders are Ashkenazim. Netanyahu pretends to be both.

BACK TO Azaria.

Public opinion polls tell us that for the large majority of Mizrahim, killing a seriously wounded "terrorist" is the right thing to do. After the singing in court, his father kissed him and cried out: "You are a hero!" For many Ashkenazim, it was a despicably cowardly act.

One casualty of the affair is the Chief-of-Staff, Gadi Eizenkot. Until recently, he was the most popular person in the country. Now he is cursed by the Mizrahim as a contemptible lackey of the Ashkenazi "elites". Yet, in spite of his German-sounding name, Eizenkot is of Moroccan descent.

(A personal note. In the 1948 war, I saw with my own eyes many acts of real heroism: soldiers who sacrificed their lives to save a comrade or who fought on in desperate situations. I remember the deed of Natan Elbaz, a full-fledged Mizrahi, who threw himself on an activated hand-grenade to save the lives of his comrades. I feel insulted when a soldier is crowned with this title after cold-bloodedly shooting a wounded enemy.)

For more than 40 years now, the army has not fought a real war against a real military. It has deteriorated into a colonial police force, the instrument of a system of oppression of another people. In the performance of this role, many acts of brutality are committed every day.

Quite recently, an innocent Arab teacher, a Bedouin citizen of Israel, got involved by accident in an incident, when policemen clashed with the local population. They shot the teacher, in the erroneous belief that he was about to run them over.

The man was severely wounded and bleeding, with policemen all around him. They did not call the medics. He slowly bled to death. It took 20 minutes.

Only a soldier of the highest human quality, who grew up in a sound human family, can withstand this brutalizing effect. Fortunately, there are many.

I BELIEVE that it is there that the solution lies. We must get rid of the occupation, by all available means, the quicker the better.

Every true friend of Israel around the world must help.

Only then can we devote our mental and social resources to mending the Great Rift and become the people many of us would like to be.

And sing our national anthem with a clear conscience.
Sorry, no voting rights Women are less intelligent Edmonton sisters found okay

EDITORS CHOICE

Snapchats parent company has seen its share value go sky-high Thursday in what some are calling the richest IPO since Facebook. But others, like an investor committee advising the US Securities and Exchange Commission, does not like Snaps decision to deny shareholders voting rights or the secrecy it is planning around executive pay. Hmm.

SISTERS FOUND

Two Alberta sisters who hadnt been seen by family members since the mid-1980s have been located alive and apparently well in the US. Anna and Kym Hakze, who were last seen in Edmonton, were reported missing in 2003, after their mother hadnt heard from her daughters for more than a decade. At the time, Anna was 43 and Kym was 29. They are now 67 and 53. One of the two had been estranged from her parents but the sisters were close to each other. They decided to take off together. Lethbridge police put out a call for help from the public to locate the women, hoping the use of social media would turn up new leads. The investigation, which spanned almost two decades, hit a break in February when police in the United States made contact with Kym Hakze. The details of their whereabouts are being withheld so their lives are not disrupted, police said.

WOMEN MUST EARN LESS

And the EU parliament has a heard a rant from Polish politician Janusz Korwin-Mikke which we repeat here for the benefit of people who think that the rest of the world is like Toronto. Even unreconstructed European chauvinists were aghast as Korwin-Mikke pronounced that women must earn less because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent. They must earn less. That is all.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher has achieved its 21st consecutive year of growth with the firms gross revenue surpassing US$1.6bn, and profit per equity partner (PEP) growing to US$3.275m, in 2016.The firm saw all major financial metrics grow in the most recent full fiscal year. Top line grew 4.6%, according to The American Lawyer, while PEP grew 2.8% from US$3.185mn in 2015. Net income increased 3.4% to US$977.5mn while revenue per lawyer grew 2.4% to US$1.295m.Ken Doran, chairman and managing partner, said that the growth is notable especially given the uncertain environment in 2016 because of factors such as the Brexit vote and US presidential elections uncertainty.There were lots of headwinds and yet we managed to navigate through all of that, Doran told the publication.Among the firms best-performing groups were its transactional practice and its litigation practice. The transactional group advised on deals such as Wal-Marts US$3.3bn acquisition of Jet.com and Microsofts US$26.2bn acquisition of LinkedIn. Increased activity in privacy and data security boosted the litigation practice, Doran said.In 2016, Gibson Dunn grew its lawyer headcount to 1,239 lawyers from 1,212 in 2015. It added two new equity partners, making the pool 299-strong. Its partnership ranks grew 2.1% to 345.
A trio of Australian firms are in the giving mood, contributing to various charities in different ways in February. Gilchrist Connell partnered with Goodcompany, an Australia-based platform that connects people with more than 1,500 charities. It is the first law firm to partner with the organisation. Corrs Chambers Westgarth advised Aurizon as it donated 37 houses around Queensland to the Salvation Army. The Lander & Rogers band CrashLanders rocked out at Red Hill on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula to raise money for Medecins Sans Frontieres.Gilchrist Connel joins the ranks of other large corporates supporting Goodcompany, enabling staff to commit their time, talent, and treasure to causes they would like to support.Richard Wood, the insurance specialist firms managing partner, said that the partnership with Goodcompany was initiated by staff. The partnership is a progressive and practical way for the law firms staff to give time and skills where its needed, he said.The partnership was launched earlier this year along with a new staff volunteering policy, said the firm. It is encouraging staff across Australia to choose charities and projects they are passionate about.Goodcompany has so far enabled people to give more than 176,000 hours of volunteer work and has raised nearly $7.5m for charity.The top firm advised Aurizon pro bono for the donation of houses in Emerald, Moranbah, Cloncurry, and Dysart. The donation is aimed at helping women and children suffering from domestic violence and homelessness.The Corrs team was led by partner Daryl Clifford and supported by special counsel Rhys Lloyd-Morgan, senior associate Lisa Johnston and senior paralegal Rowena Nicholson. The team structured the transaction and helped with all aspects of the conveyance of the houses to the Salvation Army.CrashLanders performed at Redstock, a BBQ and concert, for more than 150 supporters who came together to raise money for Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders  MSF).The band includes Lander & Rogers compensation law partner David Whiting on guitars and family and relationship law consultant David Gillard on bass.
By Natalie Rens, PhD Candidate in Cognitive Neuroscience, The University of Queensland

Dog Run Pictures

If the popular media are to be believed, artificial intelligence (AI) is coming to steal your job and threaten life as we know it. If we do not prepare now, we may face a future where AI runs free and dominates humans in society.

The AI revolution is indeed underway. To ensure you are prepared to make it through the times ahead, weve created a handy survival guide for you.

Step 1: Recognising AI

The first step in every conflict is knowing your target. It is crucial to acknowledge that AI is not in the future; it is already here.

You are most likely using it on a daily basis. AI is the magic glue behind the ranking of your Facebook timeline, how Netflix knows what to suggest you watch next, and how Google predicts where you are headed when you jump in your car.

AI is not a new concept. It was born in the summer of 1956, when a group of pioneers came together with a dream to build machines as intelligent as humans. AI encompasses disciplines such as machine learning, which can find patterns in data and learn to predict phenomena, as well as computer vision, speech processing and robotics.

The main technique behind the current hype around deep learning is artificial neural networks. Inspired by models of the brain, these mathematical systems work by mapping inputs to a set of outputs based on features of the thing being examined. In computer vision, for example, a feature is a pattern of pixels that provides information about an object.









Modified from pixabay.com





Most commonly, the supervised learning approach requires the computer to learn these associations by training on big data sets labelled by humans. What began with classifying cat videos has now extended to applications such as driving autonomous vehicles.

Step 2: Identify where AI thrives

With this knowledge, we can start to understand where AI is optimally positioned to take over. Have a look around you and take note of tasks that require huge amounts of data processing.

For example, no human would or could look through everyones click patterns on Google to figure out what someone wants.

Even the more advanced capabilities that AI has demonstrated in winning AlphaGo, video games and, most recently, poker rely on training on thousands and thousands of trials.

Essentially, AI is particularly good at any task that requires an enormous amount of repetitive processing. If this sounds like your job, it might be time to start thinking of a survival plan.

To evaluate your automation risk, type in your job on this site to find out what researchers have calculated for your field. Even if youre not worried, have a look. The prepared person stays ahead.









Step 3: Devise an action plan

You now have two choices:

Option A: Resistance

Your first option is to fight back. This may be your natural reaction and, as in during the industrial revolution, you would not be alone in wanting to oppose the change.

The fact that common AI relies on pattern recognition means that you can sabotage the way it processes data quite easily. But pose too much of a threat and Arnold Schwarzenegger may go back to try and kill you as an infant.

The nature of the human race is that we will always strive towards the next advancement. Resisting change out of fear of its disadvantages may work in the short term but will only make you more likely to be left behind in the future.

Option B: Make friends with AI

The far superior strategy is to form a treaty. Accept that AI will increasingly become a part of society and look for possibilities to collaborate. There is a huge potential for AI to assist in places where humans fall short, precisely because of the processing power.

Companies are already using AI to aid clinicians in medical diagnosis, personalise customer experiences and create agricultural methods that reduce the cost to the environment.

Some are even developing this relationship one step further with integrated systems that merge the human brain with AI.

Be ready to upskill where possible. AI can learn very well but it cannot learn flexibly (yet). You can. There are new jobs now available that did not exist five years ago.

If you allow AI to do the grit work, this can create opportunity to embrace the attributes that humans excel at, namely creativity, social intelligence and manipulation.

As with every big change, there are fears about new technology like AI. Ultimately, the way to survive the AI revolution is to embrace the partnership. Understand the potential that AI has to improve the world around you and look for those opportunities to implement positive change.

If you prepare yourself, you may find the AI revolution allows you not only to survive but to be an even better version of your human self.

Natalie Rens receives funding from The Science of Learning Research Centre (Special Initiative of the Australian Research Council). Natalie is a founder of the Brisbane AI Interest Group, a not-for-profit aiming to raise awareness about AI research in the general public and creating opportunities for entrepreneurs in the AI field.

Juxi Leitner is a Post-doctoral Research Fellow in the Australian Research Council funded Centre of Excellence in Robotic Vision. Juxi is founder of the Brisbane Robotics and AI interest groups not-for-profit organisations aiming to raise awareness about robotics and AI research in the general public and creating opportunities for communities to interact with local researchers.

Originally published in The Conversation.
If you are looking to work in Australia in the fast food industry then you will no longer be able to do so under the 457 visa programme that allows overseas workers up to four years of employment.The Minister for Immigration Peter Dutton has ended the Fast Food Industry Labour Agreement which saw hundreds of foreign workers take jobs at fast food outlets across Australia.He said it is part of a plan to reduce the number of unskilled workers being employed from abroad when there are plenty of people in Australia who can do these kind of jobs.'Australian workers, particularly young Australians, must be given priority,' he explained, adding that the fast track arrangements for the fast food industry put in place in 2012 are no longer consistent with putting Australian workers first.Dutton pointed out that the 457 visa programme spiralled out of control under the previous Government and he is committed to reform that will stop deals being done behind closed doors.'The Government is committed to implementing reforms that strengthen Australia's skilled migration programme to ensure overseas workers supplement rather than provide a substitute for Australian workers,' said Dutton.'Businesses can still make requests under normal labour agreement arrangements to ensure that exceptional circumstances can be considered. Genuine business needs for overseas workers which contribute to economic growth will still be considered,' he added.Meanwhile, the Australian Border Force (ABF), Western Australia Police, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) have successfully conducted a major Taskforce Cadena operation in Western Australia targeting a suspected illegal foreign worker operation.Some 50 suspected illegal worker were located which included 27 unlawful non-citizens and 23 non-citizens who were working in breach of their visa conditions.Dutton said that it is another example of the Government's commitment to targeting visa fraud, illegal work and the exploitation of foreign nationals. 'The Government doesn't want non-citizens taking Australian jobs and we don't want workers being ripped off,' he commented.'The organisers of this type of activity, including labour hire intermediaries, blatantly flout the law by organising for overseas workers to come and work illegally in Australia and then exploiting them while they are here,' he explained.'This operation sends a strong message to individuals and syndicates involved that if you are exploiting workers, if you are in Australia without a valid visa, or if you work in breach of your visa conditions, you will be caught,' he added.The Government established Taskforce Cadena in June 2015 as a specialist multi-agency taskforce to target and disrupt the organisers of visa fraud, illegal work and the exploitation of foreign workers.Since its inception, Taskforce Cadena has been active in disrupting and disbanding illegal worker operations with 40 warrants having been executed as part of 14 separate operations.Employers found to be engaging illegal workers or exploiting foreign nationals may face a range of penalties under the Migration Act and Fair Work Act including hefty fines or criminal prosecution.
Hello!Have been trying to speak with different immigration lawyers and immigration themselves but im still stuck in dead end situation and hopeflly someone can give me some advice here.Situation is that:I came to Australia 5 years ago with my (ex partner) first two years I was with WH visa and then my ex partner applied for 457 visa and he added me in this visa also, then after year we split up and I never heard anything about him and was unable to get in contact and then I asked from immigration and explained the situation to them and Lady from there said that at the moment my visa is in effect and expires 4/2018 and i dont have to worry unless immigration notifies me about any changes in my visa so thats what I did but along the way I met another partner and he is from Australia and he wanted us to apply for partner visa and we prepared all the documents and wanted to give the documents in beginning of April but now yesterday I received a letter from immigration saying that my 457 visa has been cancelled and I was in shock as i never even received a notification that they consider cancelling so i wouldve have time to do something. I was able to find out as much as we can still apply for partner visa but what is now under question that if Im going to get bridging visa would I be still able to work ? as I dont think I could be out of work 12-15 months (expected waiting times for partner visas) If anyone can share their advice i would be very thanfulchhers!
Hi



Thanks for your reply. I know that a visa can take up to 6 - 12 months to approve, so I wanted to find out if there is a way for my wife to join me, so that she doesn't have to wait for 6 - 12 months for the visa before she can come to Australia with me. I was under the impression that there is a temporary visa available that we can apply for, so that she can join me in australia while we await for her PR visa approval.
Hey All,Just wanted to especially thank everyone for their support. After 7 months of waiting my partners 820 visa got approved.Reading everyone else's experiences has helped me get through the wait and best of luck to people who are still waiting
Making a business case for the LWB E-class was a challenge; carmaker counting on unique positioning and growth potential to drive volumes

Mercedes has created a new sub-segment in India with the newest addition to its portfolio: the long-wheelbase E-class. The German carmaker has a lot riding on it since the introduction of the sedan for our right-hand-drive (RHD) market has entailed a big investment.

India and China are the only two markets where the LWB version is sold, but since Chinese cars are left-hand drive, the carmaker has had to engineer a RHD version solely for our market. Besides, the carmaker found out that the market for the long wheelbase sedan wasnt sizeable in other countries. In fact, due to the rising cost pressure, the carmaker faced a challenge in proposing the idea to its headquarters in Germany.

It was not an easy sell to Germany because India was going to be the only country in the world to sell the LWB E-class in right-hand drive. Thus, all the costs related to homologation and crash testing in Germany are not distributed over a range of say 1,00,000 vehicles; they are borne by us in India. The same, naturally, puts a lot more strain on our volume planning, Roland Folger, managing director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, told Autocar India on the sidelines of the launch in Mumbai.

With over 34 percent of its total sales coming from the E-class line-up itself, the volumes just about justified the introduction of the long-wheelbase sedan. However, splitting the sales volume by offering the choice of the regular wheelbase (available globally) and long-wheelbase would render the exercise unprofitable.

So what sealed the deal for the decision to finally go ahead with the long-wheelbase for India? I think Germany understands that India has a significant potential for growth in the luxury car segment. And while the overall share of luxury segment among the car market in India is still relatively small, we have a market share of roughly 45 percent. So naturally it makes sense to invest in specific vehicles, said Folger.

The carmaker is also counting on the unique positioning that the LWB E-class brings with itself in the luxury car market in India, along with the preference for chauffeur-driven vehicles to drive volumes for the new E-class.
Meta (left) accepts Consignor of the Year award from Antich.

Tim Meta, national remarketing manager of Fifth Third Bank, was honored with the Consignor of the Year award, while the Nichols family of BSC America received the honor of Remarketer of the Year at a ceremony during the Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR).

Both awards are sponsored by Bobit Business Media and were presented by Automotive Fleet Editor Mike Antich.

The Consignor of the Year award is determined by professionals in the remarketing industry who select winners based on their ability to implement and encourage the use of best industry practices as well as create, embrace, and implement innovations to industry.

"I wouldn't be here without you," Meta said. "We're all out there trying to share ideas with each other."

At Fifth Third Bank, Meta manages the repossession process and the vehicle, RV, marine, mobile, and motorcycle consumer remarketing portfolio on a national level. Meta has worked in automotive financing for over 29 years, and he currently serves as the vice president for the International Automotive Remarketers Alliance (IARA). He has been involved with IARA initiatives and several of its committees during his tenure with the alliance.

Charles and Michelle Nichols (middle and right) accept the Remarketer of the Year award from Antich.

The Nichols family was also awarded with the Remarketer of the Year award during the conference. Raymond Nichols, chairman for BSC America, and his grown children Charles Nichols, president of BSC America; and Michelle Nichols-Neff, vice president of BSC America, were honored during the awards ceremony. Charles and Michelle accepted the award on behalf of the family.

"It's an honor and we appreciate all the relationships in this room," said Charles Nichols while accepting the award. "This industry has done a lot for us."

This is the first time that the award has been presented to a family rather than an individual.

The Remarketer of the Year award recognizes individuals in the remarketing industry for their efforts in encouraging the use of best practices, embracing innovations, and moving the industry forward with professionalism and the highest standards. Recipients of the award also actively share expertise and skills to advance the industry, participate in industry associations and groups, and mentor in the development of the next generation of remarketing professionals.

BSC America was founded by Raymond and Elaine G. Nichols, the late wife of Raymond and mother to Charles and Michelle. The company was originally started as Nichols Auction Company and grew from general auction business to a group of specialized asset management companies. The auction initially expanded from primarily serving lenders within the financial sector with real estate and equipment auction to the auto auction business in 1979. BSC America has flourished since the '90s with the acquisition of an additional auto auction and the expansion of management with the familys second generation of management in Charles and Michelle. Recently, the focus for BSC America has shifted to seek ways to develop and apply new technologies in its businesses, according to BSC America.
The New Age Space Conference will convene March 11 at the MIT Samberg Conference Center to discuss the future of the commercial space industry. Barret Schlegelmilch, the conference organizer and an MIT graduate student, told AVweb the conference is is one of the only places where youll find entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, astronauts, startup founders and aerospace engineers in the same room. The space industry is undergoing a period of major growth and commercialization, and this conference is set to explore the next exciting directions it will take.

The list of scheduled speakers includes representatives from Boeing, Blue Origin, NASA and Iridium, as well as many smaller organizations. Schlegelmilch wouldnt pick a favorite, but told AVweb he was excited to hear from Natalya Bailey, CEO of Accion Systems: Accion is a very successful startup out of MIT that is working to revolutionize satellite propulsion. Natalya should have some interesting stories about Accions growth and great insights into how to create a sustainable business model for a startup in the space industry.

The conference comes on the heels of SpaceX announcement that they intend to take two paying passengers to lunar orbit and back in 2018. NASA had planned an unmanned circumlunar flight in 2018 with humans to follow in 2021, but President Trump is reportedly pushing NASA to put humans aboard the 2018 trip, setting up an unlikely space race between NASA and private industry.
Several hundred pieces of software written by NASA engineers for air and spacecraft design, business optimization, systems interaction and biomedical applications have been released by the agency for free public use. The software is being made available through the NASA Technology Transfer Program (motto, Bringing NASA Technology Down to Earth). The available codes are listed in the NASA Software Catalog, now in its third edition, published this week. While much of the software is entirely in the public domain, some programs may only be released for use on a government project or are subject to export controls allowing use only by U.S. persons.

NASA awarded Software of the Year to two projects in 2016. The first, Traffic Aware Planner, is an in-cockpit tool to assist pilots in requesting the most efficient route of flight taking into consideration the position and track of nearby aircraft. Captain Scott Sander, Director of Fleet Technology at Alaska Airlines, is calling TAP a game-changing capability. NASA says several aerospace companies have acquired evaluation licenses to explore opportunities for commercialization. The second, Pegasus 5, is a computational fluid dynamics solver, which allows users to calculate the pressure and temperature of fluid flows to model system performance, such as lift and drag from an airframe in flight. Although likely not as popular as astronaut ice cream, the most requested piece of NASA software in 2016 was Schedule Test and Assessment Tool, a plug-in to Microsoft Project to automate reporting of project performance data.

For the full list of software available, see software.nasa.gov

Photo: Stuart Rogers, one of the inventors of Pegasus 5; Credit NASA
3 March 2017 10:37 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

A petition of a French lawyer urging the French government and international organizations to recognize Khojaly Genocide has already been signed by 10.344 people.

Placed on www.change.org by lawyer Olivier Pardo, Khojaly is one of one of the most gruesome and tragic acts of genocide in recent history.

Of 3,000 people who were in the town of Khojaly at the moment of the Armenian attack 613 were killed, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 elders. 487 people were severely wounded, including 76 children. 1,275 people were captured and subjected to unprecedented torture, the fate of 197 people still remains unknown. 8 families were totally annihilated, 130 children lost one and 25 lost both parents.

In his petition, Pardo expresses regret that the French public has little knowledge of this tragedy. As a country which attaches great importance to protection of human rights and recognition of war crimes and crimes against humanity, should not remain indifferent to this genocide, the petition says.

The petition is accessible at https://www.change.org/p/petition-pour-faire-reconnaitre-le-massacre-de-khojaly?recruiter=686290955&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive

February 26 marked the 25th anniversary of the bloody tragedy, which went down in history of mankind in the 20th century as the Khojaly Genocide.

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3 March 2017 11:13 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The Azerbaijani Air Forces detected and destroyed a tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Azerbaijans Agdam region on March 2 , the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported.

The statement reads that an X-55 UAV belonging to the Armenian armed forces attempted to carry out reconnaissance flights over the Azerbaijani positions. It was promptly discovered and destroyed by Azerbaijan's Air Forces.

Armenia uses UAVs against Azerbaijan from time to time. On February 25, Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed Armenian UAV and pillbox near the Talish village. Another UAV belonging to the Armenian armed forces was destroyed on January 22 in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz region.

Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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3 March 2017 15:03 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

More than 2,000 civilians were killed as a result of 373 terrorism acts committed by Armenians in Azerbaijan, said Lieutenant-General Madat Guliyev, the head of Azerbaijans State Security Service .

Guliyev revealed the horrifying numbers of the victims of Armenian terror victims while addressing a conference entitled The role of the youth in fight against terrorism, extremism and radicalism in Baku on March 3.

Even in the previous century, Armenian terrorists committed terrorist acts against Azerbaijan. Armenian terror regained a wide scope in 1980s, he said reminding that twenty percent of the Azerbaijani territories were occupied by Armenia.

Armenian aggression against its neighboring country resulted in the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijans internationally recognized territories, death of over 20,000 Azerbaijanis while over 4,000 ethnic Azerbaijanis were taken captive, hostage, or went missing as a result of the war.

In the years of 1989-1994, Armenian terrorists have blasted passenger busses, passenger trains and blew up electric train at Baku subway to spread horror among the Azerbaijani population during the Karabakh war.

The investigation led by the Azerbaijani authorities completely proved that all the terror attacks mentioned above were orchestrated, sponsored and logistically supported by functionaries of the illegal regime of Nagorno-Karabakh, special services and other governmental bodies of Armenia.

Guliyev further said that Azerbaijan is making its contribution to the fight against terrorism.

The fight against terrorism, extremism and radicalism, which seriously threaten the security in the world, is very important for Azerbaijan, he noted.

The head of the State Security Service added that Azerbaijan joined the anti-terrorism coalition without any hesitation. Azerbaijan actively participates in the international anti-terrorism coalition for ensuring peace and stability in the world. Azerbaijani servicemen participated in peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, he said.

He mentioned that some 900 Azerbaijani nationals joined terrorist organizations in Syria, Iraq and other countries, while most of them were killed.

Some time ago, an insignificant tendency of joining terrorist organizations abroad was observed in Azerbaijan, but now this trend is even less. Over the past year, 54 people were deprived of the citizenship of Azerbaijan due to such actions.84, who returned to the country, were brought to criminal responsibility, he added.

Guliyev further stressed that despite locating in a difficult geopolitical environment, Azerbaijan is the most stable country of not only the South Caucasus, but even of Europe.

This became possible thanks to the policy, the foundation of which was laid by national leader Heydar Aliyev. Today, this political course is being successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev, Guliyev said.

Guliyev emphasized that thanks to the policy of the President, Azerbaijan has taken a worthy place in the international security system by gaining the status of a reliable partner.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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3 March 2017 10:23 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

The 16th Caspian International Transport, Transit and Logistics Exhibition TransCaspian/Translogistica 2017 will be held at Baku Expo Center on April 26-28.

The TransCaspian/Translogistica exhibition is one of the leading transport events in the Caspian region. The exhibition brings together key public transport authorities and commercial organizations engaged in the rail sector, maritime industry, aviation, commercial vehicles and transport & logistics services.

The event will present a wide variety of products and services in transport sector: transportation by sea and rail, locomotives, passenger and freight cars, repair of rolling stocks, equipment and parts for railway transport, shipbuilding and ship repair, ports and port services, accessories for commercial vehicles, etc.

Along with the commercial companies, the exhibition will bring together public transport structures such as: Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, Baku International Sea Trade Port, Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping CJSC, State Maritime Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Ukrainian Railways.

As part of the exhibition program, AVP Technology and OJCS RIRTCD will conduct a seminar on the theme Advanced technology for locomotive facilities. Rusagrotrans CJSC will hold a presentation on transportation of grain cargos from Russia to Azerbaijan, Iran, Georgia and Turkey.

The Transcaspian/Translogistica exhibition is a unique opportunity to meet with managers and specialists of the state transport structures of Azerbaijan and the countries of the region, and showcase the latest developments of transportation technologies, to examine promising state infrastructure projects, to find new distribution channels, and meet with a wide variety of cargo.

The Transcaspian/Translogistica will take place alongside with Road&Traffic 2017, the Caspian International Road Infrastructure and Public Transport exhibition and CIBS 2017, the 4th Caspian International Boat and Yacht Show.

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3 March 2017 12:54 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijani artist Vugar Muradov has become a member of the UNESCO International Federation of Art, Trend Life reported.

The talented artist born in 1967 is one of the iconic figures of modern painting of Azerbaijan.

Muradov usually says that he has everything there that an artist could want: plentiful light suffusing the space through a glass wall and an open view across a bay in the Caspian to a cascade of oil derricks on the horizon. Standing guard over the district for more than a century, they evoke romantic thoughts and feelings.

His canvases Mugham, Adam and Eve, Old Nodding Oil Derrick are made up of many different faces contained in small squares and they gave rise to his cycle Faces, which professionals have hailed as a new word in artistic craftsmanship.

Muradovs paintings are mainly bought by private collectors and the worlds most famous museums, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York and the same citys Museum of Modern Art, the Argentinean company Guevara Films, the Central and Eastern European Art Foundation in Washington, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (Japan).

His painting "Garnet" was sold for $50,000 at Tokyo International Art Fair.

They embellish the offices of the Baltimore Sun newspaper (USA), Turkeys Ministry of Defence, the Lambri International company (Holland), the Peace Foundation, the French embassy in Azerbaijan and many private collections around the world.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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The Blue River 4-H Club met on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, at the First Christian Church in Beatrice. Rayna Shaw opened the meeting with leading the members in the 4-H pledge.

Brooke Morgan followed with the roll call. She had everyone answer with what project they were currently working on for the fair. Brooke also read the minutes from the last 4-H meeting and Alexis Mullins gave the Treasurers minutes. All reports were approved as read.

2017 Officers were installed and are as follows:

President: Rayna Shaw

Vice President: Taylor Shaw

Secretary: Brooke Morgan

Treasurer: Alexis Mullins

News Reporter: Isabelle Penner

Blue River members talked about the 2017 year including horse show, Quality Assurance, dues and horse practices. Refreshments and a craft were provided by Parker Hurley. The next 4-H meeting will be held Sunday, March 26, 2017, at 4 p.m. at the First Christian Church in Beatrice. Taylor and Rayna Shaw will provide snacks and a craft at the next meeting. Brooke Morgan motioned to adjourn the meeting and Isabelle Penner second the motion.
3 March 2017 10:57 (UTC+04:00)

United States-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC) has successfully concluded its annual conference at the historic Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, DC on March 1-2, 2017 with the support of the Embassy of Azerbaijan.

The conference was organized with platinum sponsorship of PASHA Bank, gold sponsorship of BP, SOCAR, Anglo-Asian Mining Plc and silver sponsorship of Gilan Holding, Baker McKenzie, Chevron, WCC International and Boeing. Seven reputable international organizations supported the conference as partners: the EBRD, the World Bank, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, AmCham Azerbaijan, Caspian Policy Center, Global Chamber and American Turkish Council.

The theme of 2017 USACC Annual Conference was Looking Ahead: Diplomacy, Business, Trade & Investment and celebration of 25th anniversary of United States-Azerbaijan diplomatic relations. The event brought together 38 distinguished speakers, over 250 participants representing American and Azerbaijani government agencies and companies, leading American think-tanks, international organizations, Americas Fortune 500 companies, large investment banks and funds as well as members of diplomatic corps.

USACC Executive Director Susan Sadigova and Co-Chairman Reza Vaziri opened the conference, welcomed the guests and recalled the importance of 25 years of friendship and successful partnership between the United States and Azerbaijan in various fields, including energy, trade and business and USACCs role in maintaining these relations over the past two decades. USACC Honorary Advisor, former Governor of New Hampshire, former Chief of Staff of President George H.W. Bush and well-known American politician John Sununu also delivered his congratulations on the occasion of 25th anniversary of bilateral relations, praised cooperation with Azerbaijan, stressed the strategic importance to the United States and prospects of moving the bilateral relations forward.

Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the United States Elin Suleymanov set the tone for the rest of the conference by commending the occasion of 25th anniversary of relations, outlining key issues that both countries face today and emphasized the importance of future strategic relations.

Ambassador then read the congratulatory letter to USACC members from His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan.

Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Sahib Mammadov delivered the next keynote remarks by touching upon the history of economic development in the country over the past 25 years. He highlighted the importance of economic diversification away from oil and gas and noted that Azerbaijan is the largest trade partner of the United States in the South Caucasus. According to Deputy Minister, the importance of the trade partnership is reflected in the number of trade missions of American companies to Azerbaijan, organized on a regular basis.

Next keynote speaker Mary B. Warlick, Acting Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs at U.S. Department of State called Azerbaijan a reliable partner and touched upon the third meeting of the Advisory Council of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), recently held in Baku. She then delivered the message from U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that reinforced the full support of the United States for SGC, and highlighted the priority role of Azerbaijan in diversification of energy routes, bringing additional gas sources and volumes to Europe and progressing relations with Azerbaijan.

Ambassador of the United States to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta congratulated the conference participants on the occasion of 25th anniversary, touched upon the historic relationship between the two countries and potential for further strategic cooperation.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Holly Vineyard also highlighted the importance of economic diversification and the role that American companies can play to support the country. Ms. Vineyard added that the United States is ready to support the modernization and diversification of Azerbaijans economy.

Keynotes were followed by six sessions throughout the day. Regional Strategic Goals session with the participation of former special envoy of U.S. Department of State Amos Hochstein, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) and others discussed the role of Azerbaijan in ensuring regional energy diversification, security and transit potential.

New Regional Energy Map session with the participation of SOCAR VP Vitaliy Baylarbayov, BP VP Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, Statoil VP Al Cook and others discussed the importance of SGC not only for energy diversification, but also its overall role in political transformation of the region.

The following sessions on Banking and Finance, Doing Business in Azerbaijan, Public-Private Partnerships and Investments Beyond Oil featured an exciting line-up of speakers representing PASHA Bank, ExIm Bank, BNY Mellon, Center for Analyses of Economic Reforms and Communications, OPIC, Azersun Holding, Gilan Holding, SOFAZ, Cisco, EBRD, the World Bank, Azerbaijan Investment Company, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Azerbaijan State Committee on Property Issues, Baker McKenzie, Dentons, Deloitte, PwC, Maroon Capital Group and other leading companies and entities.

Day 2 of the conference continued with closed roundtable meetings with the participation of Azerbaijani delegation and American companies.

2017 USACC Annual Conference had a record level of participation from both countries and generated significant interest on social media.

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3 March 2017 10:24 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Gurami Rogava, a journalist at the Georgian Imedi TV channel, was withdrawn from the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys list of foreigners, who are persona non-grata in the country.

Rogava wrote a letter to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, in which he expressed respect for Azerbaijans territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of its internationally recognized borders.

Rogava also stated that he visited the occupied territories as he was uninformed about the illegality of such a visit.

In his letter, he apologized to the people of Azerbaijan and noted that his visit did not mean to promote the illegal regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

The journalists appeal was reviewed and it was decided to exclude him from the Foreign Ministrys black list.

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.

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, media persons, businessmen, entertainers, and others, who violated Azerbaijans borders and showed disrespect to the sovereignty and territorial unity of the country.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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3 March 2017 11:31 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Malena Mard said that the status quo is unsustainable in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Mard, talking to reporters in Baku on March 3, expressed the EUs support for the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

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. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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3 March 2017 12:31 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The European Parliament must contribute to the stability in the South Caucasus and making long-term political decisions.

Head of the Delegation of EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Association Committee, Sajjad Karim, made the remark in his statement issued in connection with the illegal visit of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to the Armenia-occupied Azerbaijani territories.

Karim reminded that the Azerbaijani Prosecutor Generals Office issued three international arrest warrants this week against MEPs Eleni Theocharous, Frank Engel and Jaromir Stetina for having visited Nagorno-Karabakh region and having, through their behavior, supported the illegal regime created there.

On February 20, the MEPs named above carried out observations of a process organized locally in Nagorno-Karabakh region, he said, mentioning that no official European Parliament observation mission has been organized in Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Any impression given contrary to this is therefore without merit and completely unfounded, he said. The MEPs are free to visit areas of their choosing and promote their individual beliefs. At the same time, the MEPs should responsibly pay attention to the obvious fragility of the ceasefire and the need to support the political mediation processes in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and be clear of their unofficial individual status for all such visits.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions pay special attention to the illegal activity in the occupied areas of Azerbaijan. Unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied regions of Azerbaijan are considered illegal and individuals who pay such visits are included in the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys black list.

Earlier, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev said that the activities of those, who are included in the "list of undesirable persons" are reviewed in the complex and studied on crime element. "After that, legal prosecution mechanisms will be implemented if necessary. Hajiyev cited the case of blogger Alexander Lapshin as an example.

Lapshin will stand trial in Baku for his illegal visits to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. He paid a number of visits to Azerbaijans occupied lands, where he voiced support for "independence" of the illegal regime, and made public calls against Azerbaijans internationally recognized territorial integrity.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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3 March 2017 13:37 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Armenia has became more isolated during the Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian's eight years in office, and this resulted in Armenias turning into an unreliable and frivolous country having no position, said a spokesperson to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

Spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev made the remark while commenting on Nalbandians assumption that by the end of the year at least one country will recognize the so-called regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani lands.

The Armenian people realize that the military dictatorship in Armenia is rapidly leading the country to disaster and recession, Hajiyev said in an interview with APA on March 3.

The illegitimate regime created in the Azerbaijani territories as a result of Armenias military aggression has not been and will never be recognized by any state. Instead of staging provocations, Armenia must join the efforts to ensure lasting peace in the region.

Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal, but they have not been enforced to this day.

The spokesman further reiterated that the international community recognizes and supports Azerbaijans territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders.

Hajiyev went on to say that Armenias illegal referendum in Nagorno-Karabakh and provocations at the front line show that Armenias involvement in the talks is unserious and imitative. Armenias primary goal is to annex the occupied Azerbaijani lands, he added.

The spokesman pointed out that on the one hand, Nalbandian is hypocritically talking about his countrys involvement in the OSCE Minsk Group-mediated negotiations, but on the other hand Armenia acts against the efforts of the Minsk Group co-chairs and the whole process of negotiation.

Thats why there is no progress in the negotiation process. Azerbaijan has repeatedly said that Armenias impunity syndrome must be ended and all necessary political and diplomatic pressures must be put on Armenia to urge it to be serious about the negotiations, Hajiyev concluded.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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3 March 2017 16:08 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijans Permanent Mission to the OSCE has issued a statement to thank the EU member countries and the EU leadership for the position of non-recognizing the illegal referendum held in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

In a statement issued on March 3, the mission also welcomed the recent statement of the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, who stressed that the EU supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

Tusk also noted that the EU supports the OSCE Minsk Groups efforts to find the solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The so-called constitutional referendum was held on February 20 in Azerbaijans occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is now ruled by a puppet regime controlled by Armenia.

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, as well as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair states, namely Russia, the U.S. and France, a number of other countries and organizations confirmed that they do not recognize the referendum in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims to Azerbaijan. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions.

The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, but they have not been enforced to this day.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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3 March 2017 16:43 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Every frozen conflict in the OSCE area has its own specific, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier said, adding that it is difficult to define a common agenda at present.

He made the remark at the conference titled Europe under Pressure. The OSCE in a Complex Security Environment in Vienna on March 3.

When the Cold War ended we thought all problems are solved. Then conflicts in the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia emerged. Here the OSCE became necessary again, Zannier said addressing the conference.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, is one of the conflicts in the OSCE area, which cannot find its just solution for more than two decades.

The conflict between the two 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. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

--

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3 March 2017 17:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Russian Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) Tatyana Moskalkova will appeal to her Azerbaijani counterpart Elmira Suleymanova to check the conditions of detention of blogger Alexander Lapshin, RIA Novosti reported.

Lapshin will stand trial in Baku for his illegal visits to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. Currently, the blogger is in custody in Baku Investigative Prison No. 1 (Kurdakhani Pre-trial Detention Center) of the Penitentiary Service of Azerbaijans Justice Ministry, and his defense is being provided by lawyer Eduard Chernin, who was appointed by Lapshins family.

The blogger, who owns citizenships of several countries, paid a number of visits to Azerbaijan`s occupied lands, where he voiced support for "independence" of the illegal regime, and made public calls against Azerbaijan`s internationally recognized territorial integrity. He was arrested in Belarus and later was extradited from Minsk to Baku.

Representatives of the Russian Embassy in Baku met Lapshin once and representatives of the Israeli Embassy met the blogger twice since his extradition from Belarus.

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.

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3 March 2017 10:12 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has congratulated President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev.

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my most sincere congratulations to you and your country on the occasion of the national holiday of the Republic of Bulgaria, said President Aliyev in his congratulatory letter.

Azerbaijan and Bulgaria are bound together by ties of traditional friendship and cooperation, he noted.

Dynamic development of our relations is conditioned by ever-expanding political, economic and cultural ties, and our mutually beneficial cooperation, said the president. I believe that friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria will continue to develop and strengthen in a comprehensive and consistent manner in the best interests of our peoples.

On this remarkable day, I wish you robust health, success in your activities and the friendly people of Bulgaria lasting peace and prosperity, added President Aliyev.

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3 March 2017 10:21 (UTC+04:00)

A new print edition of the AZERNEWS online newspaper was released on March 3.

The new edition includes articles about: Revitalize yourself by visiting regions of Land of Fire, Envoy: Azerbaijan may be attractive destination for Czech tourists, State Agency: Social housing share in real estate market not to exceed 10pct, Novruz knocking the door with Wind Tuesday, etc.

AZERNEWS is an associate member of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).

The online newspaper is available at www.azernews.az.
3 March 2017 15:21 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

The European Union is committed to implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) project, said Malena Mard on March 3.

The head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan told Trend that Europe, Azerbaijan and other partners in the project proved this once again during the SGC Advisory Councils Third Ministerial Meeting, held in Baku this February.

The diplomat voiced hope that the Azerbaijani gas will be delivered to Europe in 2020.

The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian 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.

Reminding that the EU has been the largest trade partner of Azerbaijan over many years and the largest investor of the countrys economy, she said that the two sides will hold in the spring a next business forum, which will be a continuation of the sides meeting held in May 2016.

The EU and Azerbaijan will analyze the work done, as well as the results of economic reforms carried out by the Azerbaijani state, said Mard.

The envoy, commenting on the current status of the EU-Azerbaijan negotiations on strategic partnership deal, reminded that the talks have been launched during President Ilham Aliyevs visit to Brussels on February 7.

Mard said that both sides are currently preparing for the new round of the talks.

I think were rather ambitious about the preparation. The new round of talks will be held soon. We have a consensus as to developing our bilateral agreement in wider areas such as economy, migration, trade, administration, relations between people, and culture. So there are more issues to prepare for, added the diplomat.

Meanwhile, Mard will soon complete her tenure as the Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan.

She is expected to leave Azerbaijan in the near future. However, the exact date is not known yet, nor is it clear who will replace her.

The Delegation told APA that Malena Mards tenure is four years and that she will not leave Azerbaijan by the end of the summer. The diplomat has been acting as Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan since 2013.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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3 March 2017 18:38 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

A resident of Khachmaz region, has found an interesting way to heat his house.

Fakhraddion Bahadurov uses handicraft heating system, that draws significant attention being applicable in agriculture as well.

Only two sacks of nutshells is enough to warm the house during the day.

Installing this unique nuts heating system costed 1,500 AZN ($842).

Human activity is overloading an atmosphere with carbon dioxide and other global warming emissions.

Technological development has resulted in fast depletion of non-renewable energy resources, mainly coal and petroleum.

For these reasons, people have found other sources of energy that do not negatively impact the environment and human health.

Azerbaijan has good renewable energy resources. The wind, which blows more than 250 days per year and may generate 2.4 billion kWh of electricity annually, is the countrys preferred option because of its lower cost, environmental soundness and unlimited availability.

The country rich in oil and gas targets reducing dependence on non-renewable resources and has several initiatives to diversify its energy mix and increase energy efficiency.

In 2016, Azerbaijan joined almost 200 countries from every corner of the world to sign the Paris Agreement, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to support green planet.

In addition, Azerbaijan intends to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 35 percent by 2030.

Some experts believe that the era of alternative energy is coming forth in Azerbaijan.

The country invested 987.4 million manats ($613 million) in the development of alternative energy in 2005-2015. About 83 percent of this amount accounted for public investment, while another 17 percent for private sector.

Some 12 percent of public investment have been provided by the State Agency. Overall, the projects implemented so far will enable the country to save 1.1 billion cubic meters of gas in 2020, which will ensure the growth of the country's export capacity as well as 7.9 percent of GDP.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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3 March 2017 16:33 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry has criticized Kyrgyzstan for the countrys refraining from acceding the political clauses reflected in the Islamabad Declaration of the 13th ECO Summit.

The position of Kyrgyzstan, which didnt accede to the political clauses in the declaration adopted at the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit in Islamabad, is absolutely incomprehensible, Ministrys spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend.

In the declaration adopted on the results of the 13th ECO Summit Meeting on March 1, the member states expressed concern about the existing unresolved conflicts in the ECO region, including Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, which hinder the economic growth and realization of the full economic potential of the region and impede the development of economic cooperation on regional as well as broader level.

The ECO member states also stressed the importance of making increased efforts for the earliest resolution of these conflicts based on the norms and principles of international law, in particular the principles of respect to sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Hajiyev said that generally the links between economic development, regional cooperation, peace and security is a principle accepted by the entire international community, and this is the basis of the UN concept of sustainable development.

Therefore, Kyrgyzstans position is absolutely incomprehensible, Hajiyev said, adding such a position raises a serious question  which side is Kyrgyzstan on?

The ECO is an alliance of ten countries  Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. The purpose of the structure is to discuss ways to improve development and promote trade and investment opportunities in the region.

Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims to Azerbaijan. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions.

The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, but they have not been enforced to this day.

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3 March 2017 16:53 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Camal

Gasunie, a Dutch natural gas infrastructure and transportation company, has expressed interest in obtaining a 32-percent stake in Greek DESFA natural gas grid operator, as a new tender will be announced on privatization of DESFA soon.



Greek media reported that the Dutch firm plans to acquire the management of the natural gas grid operator.



Belgian Fluxys and Romanian Transgas also remain interested in acquiring a share in DESFA, while the participation of Italian Snam company in the new tender is not excluded either.

Back in 2013, Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR won a tender on the purchase of a 66-percent stake in DESFA for 400 million euros.



The Azerbaijani company intended to obtain a 31-percent stake from the Greek government and to buy a 35-percent stake in Hellenic Petroleum. But the acquisition stalled after the energy giant of Azerbaijan faced EU concerns about a potential breach of its competition law.

SOCAR was ordered to sell 17 percent of DESFA to a third party so that its stake drops to 49 percent and satisfy EU competition authorities.

The deal was expected to be closed after the purchase of at least a 17-percent stake out of SOCARs 66-percent by Italys Snam.



SOCAR, Snam and the Greek government have been holding intensive talks against the background of changes in legislation that affected DESFAs financial position and market value.



However, the parties were unable to reach an understanding and consequently, the deal was terminated on November 30 2016.

Greek nergy and Environment Minister Giorgos Stathakis earlier told Trend that the government opted for a clean start and will launch very soon a new tender process that will abide by the EU requirements and set qualitative standards, such as investment plans and job creation, for the prospective buyers.

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3 March 2017 11:25 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Moscow and Ankara have great expectations from the meeting of presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, scheduled for March 9-10 in Moscow, Prof. Dr. Salih Yilmaz of the Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University told Trend March 2.

Yilmaz, an expert in international relations, said Turkey is still expecting Russia to restore pre-crisis economic relations, as Moscow has not yet taken significant actions for import of Turkish products and a complete abolition of visa regime for Turkish citizens.

"During the meeting, Ankara intends to voice its position on the Gulen movement, accused of involvement in the attempted military coup in Turkey, as well as discuss Moscow's support for the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria, which is considered by Ankara as a terrorist organization, he said.

The expert added that in particular, Ankara expresses concern over the activity of PYD office in Moscow.

Yilmaz stressed that Turkey wants to purchase Russia's S-400 advanced surface-to-air missile systems to better protect its airspace, and it is expected to achieve progress in the matter in the meeting between the Russian and Turkish leaders.

He added that Russia also hopes for Turkeys reciprocal understanding on a number of issues related to the Syrian conflict and NATO.

"Moscow wants Turkey to continue its initiative regarding the Syrian opposition, he added. Russia is concerned over US President Donald Trumps policy on the safe zones, which can damage Ankara-Moscow cooperation.

Russia can also call on Turkey to control the presence of the NATO forces in the Black Sea region, which are creating tensions in the region," Yilmaz added.

The expert said Moscow and Ankara have learned from the Su-24 warplane incident, realize the mutual importance and try to avoid policies and actions that can jeopardize bilateral cooperation.

Yilmaz stressed that trust between Turkey and Russia will be discussed as part of Russian and Turkish leaders meetings.

Erdogan will visit Russia to take part in the meeting of the Turkey-Russia High Level Cooperation Council (HLCC).

Both leaders will chair the delegations during HLCC meetings.

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3 March 2017 12:07 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi appreciated once again the European Union's constructive role in striking a nuclear agreement, also known as the JCPOA.

"The EU played a significant role in clinching of the historic deal," Salehi said in a message to a joint high-level Iran-EU meeting on the issue of international cooperation in nuclear technology that took place in Brussels on March 1, according to the European Commission website.

Salehi also appreciated the valuable cooperation of EU Energy Commission and Canetes assistance in line with promoting mutual cooperation after conclusion of the deal.

"One of the achievements of the accord is the expansion of scientific and technical collaboration with the European Union," the AEOI chief said.

Salehi stated that for the time being, working out a cohesive framework encompassing diverse programs for promoting mutual cooperation in the field of nuclear technology promises a prospective future in various domains of peaceful nuclear technology.

The AEOI chief said that Iran and EUs resolve to move on the right track to give an impetus to mutual cooperation and interaction will prove fruitful for both sides.

The conference entitled "International nuclear cooperation: Expectations and Responsibilities" is the result of a joint initiative of the European Commissioner for Energy and Climate Arias Canete and Vice-President of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi.

The seminar is an important part of the growing cooperation between Iran and the EU in the implementation of the joint comprehensive action plan (JCPOA or nuclear deal).

The seminar was held with the participation of political directors of European diplomacy Service Helga Schmid and the European Commission Directorate-General for Energy Dominique Ristori.

The seminar was held with the participation of the high-level delegation from Iran, including members of parliament, as well as senior officials from the AEOI and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members of the European Parliament, representatives of a number of European External Action Service units, representatives of the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany).

Iran, five permanent UN Security Council members, Germany and the European Union signed the JCPOA in July 2015 to ensure the peaceful nature of Irans nuclear program. Then, the Islamic republic pledged to refrain from developing or acquiring nuclear weapons in exchange for the lifting of sanctions imposed against Iran.

The agreement provides that in return for verifiable abiding by its commitments, Iran receives relief from U.S., European Union, and UN Security Council nuclear-related economic sanctions.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) is the main official body responsible for implementing regulations and operating nuclear energy installations in Iran.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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3 March 2017 13:12 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

The Syrian army announced that it has recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra from ISIL for the second time in a year with help from allied forces and Russian warplanes.

The IS terrorists seized Palmyra in a surprise advance in December 2016 after having been driven out eight months before.

"With backing from the Syrian and Russian air forces, units of our armed forces recaptured the city of Palmyra, in cooperation with the allies," the military said in a statement.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has already reported to the commander-in-chief, President Vladimir Putin, that the historic city in Syrias Homs province has been liberated, RIA Novosti reported referring to Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov.

Syrian Army specialists have begun examining the historic part of Palmyra with the aim of demining the city, a RIA-Novosti correspondent reports.

Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was one of the most important centers of the Roman Empire. Palmyra fell under the control of Islamic State militant groups from mid-May 2015 with the terrorists blowing up several historic monuments, including the 1,800-year-old Monumental Arch of Palmyra, most of the Temple of Bel, and the Temple of Baalshamin.

After a two-week operation, Syrian army liberated the city in the end of March 2016 with the support of Russian ASF. However, the city was retaken by IS in a counteroffensive in December 2016, which forced the Syrian Army to retreat, evacuating 80 percent of the population.

Earlier, on March 2, the Syrian military took the strategic al-Tar heights near the city of Palmyra.

Armed conflict continues in Syria since March 2011. Government troops are confronted by militants of different armed rebel groups. Russia has begun airstrikes on terrorist facilities in Syria since 30 September 2015. The Russian military involvement follows an official request from President Bashar Assad to President Vladimir Putin.

The UN has repeatedly tried but failed to end the Syrian conflict, which has killed 300,000 and displaced 11 million since it began five years ago.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
3 March 2017 13:57 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Geneva talks over the Syrian crisis did not achieve any tangible breakthrough, but they have not come to a dead end as well as they mostly served as a preliminary stage for more serious and in-depth negotiations anticipated to begin soon.

A Syrian official in the main opposition delegation taking part in the UN-mediated talks in Geneva said discussions will continue on March 3 with a focus on the issue of political transition in Syria, according to AP.

Nasr al-Hariri said that his delegation held "very positive" and detailed discussions with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on the issue of political transition in the war-torn country.

Al-Hariri also stated that the political process is not an easy process, it cannot be concluded in one or two weeks, more effort and more time is needed and stressed that his delegation was willing to keep negotiating.

Head of the Syrian government delegation to Geneva talks Bashar Jaafari, in turn, stated that progress of the talks must not be held hostage to the position of the Riyadh platform.

Jaafari accused the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) - the main opposition group formed in the Saudi capital - of refusing to unify with two smaller opposition groups.

"We heard statements issued by Riyadh platform, which rejected the inclusion of the issue of combating terrorism as the fourth on the agenda (at the intra-Syrian talks)," he said at a press conference after a meeting with UN special envoy with Staffan de Mistura on March 2.

Jaafari added that Riyadh delegation will be responsible for any failure of Geneva talks.

Earlier, the delegation of HNC stated that the fight against terrorism is not a priority at intra-Syrian talks in Geneva as this topic can be discussed in Astana, the official spokesman of the delegation Salem al-Muslim stated.

The "difficult" topic of fighting terrorism may be assigned to the transitional government in Syria, when it is established, a member of the HNC delegation at the Geneva talks Abdulhakim Bashar said. Thats why the opposition delegation offers to focus on the issue of transition for now.

De Mistura has had a week of bilateral talks with both the Syrian government and opposition groups, which have yet to formally sign off on the agenda he proposed.

The fourth round of the UN-backed intra-Syrian talks between the government and opposition factions in Geneva will end on March 3, the new round is scheduled for March 20.

Armed conflict continues in Syria since March 2011. Government troops are confronted by militants of different armed rebel groups. Russia has begun airstrikes on terrorist facilities in Syria since 30 September 2015. The Russian military involvement follows an official request from President Bashar Assad to President Vladimir Putin.

The UN has repeatedly tried but failed to end the Syrian conflict, which has killed 300,000 and displaced 11 million since it began five years ago.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
3 March 2017 15:56 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Ashgabat and Tashkent are preparing for the upcoming official visit of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Turkmenistan.

The preparations for the visit were the key topic of a meeting between Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and Uzbek Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade of Uzbekistan, Elyor Ganiev in Ashgabat.

The sides reviewed a package of bilateral documents due to be signed in the course of the visit. The date of the visit has not been yet defined.

The two sides expressed satisfaction with the fruitful cooperation and stressed the need for further intensification of mutually beneficial partnership based on the principles of mutual respect and trust, the Turkmen government reported.

The two ministers also discussed the regional issues and ways to enhance cooperation within international organizations.

One of the strategic directions of partnership between the two countries is the sphere of energy. Turkmenistan supplies natural gas to China through Uzbekistan since 2009.

The two countries are discussing the project of creation a transport route Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman at this stage.

The new transport corridor will run from Uzbekistan across Turkmenistan and then to the Gulf via Iran, bypassing Afghanistan. The establishment of railway road communication from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to southern ports of Iran is expected to help create important transport network among the countries of Persian and Oman Gulfs and all Central Asian states.

The joint Uzbek-Turkmen Commission on trade-economic, scientific-technical and cultural cooperation operates since 1996.

In 2015, the volume of bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to about $320 million, in January-August of 2016 - $177 million.

Uzbekistan exports fertilizers, construction materials, fruits and vegetables, electrical and mechanical equipment, vehicles, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, services to Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan supplies oil products, propylene polymers, sulfuric acid to Uzbekistan.

In Uzbekistan, 7 enterprises operate with the participation of the Turkmen side. In Turkmenistan, there are 6 enterprises with participation of residents of Uzbekistan.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
3 March 2017 17:03 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

The Syrian army over the last month freed 52 settlements from militants and cleared more than 1,700 square kilometers of the territory, the Head of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Colonel-General Sergei Rudskoy said at a briefing.

The Syrian government troops continue conducting combat operations against terrorists of Islamic State and Dzhebhat en-Nusra with the support of Russian ASF.

"Over the past month the Syrian army liberated 52 settlements, cleared 1,702 square kilometers of the territory from militants," RIA Novosti quoted Rudskoy as saying.

The number of settlements in Syria that joined the ceasefire regime has increased up to 1,291, he added.

To date, the ceasefire agreement is signed with the representatives of the 1291 villages, Rudskoy added.

He also noted that the number of "moderate opposition" units, which declared the commitment to respect the cessation of hostilities has increased to 178.

Rudskoy added that in towns and cities, with which truce has been reached, and the objects of infrastructure and social services destroyed during military operations are being restored, while the supply of electricity and water is being resumed.

Russian Army Doctors continue to provide assistance to the residents of Aleppo where more than 9,800 people have already received it.

Russian aircraft and Special Operations Forces have made a crucial contribution to the defeat of ISIS group near Palmyra, Rudskoy noted.

The Syrian army recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra from ISIL for the second time in a year with the help from allied forces and Russian warplanes.

Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was one of the most important centers of the Roman Empire. The ancient city of culture of late antiquity fell under the control of Islamic State militant groups from mid-May 2015 with the terrorists blowing up several historic monuments, including the 1,800-year-old Monumental Arch of Palmyra, most of the Temple of Bel, and the Temple of Baalshamin.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
GASCOYNE, N.D.  About 230 miles worth of heavy steel pipe in a vast laydown yard near Gascoyne in far southwest North Dakota near the South Dakota border hasnt been moved an inch since it was unloaded in 2011. Now, years later, pipe for the abandoned Keystone XL project may be deployed across hundreds of miles.

The green-coated pipe owned by TransCanada was brought in to carry tar sand oil, and the original route out of Alberta just misses the far corner of southwestern North Dakota as it comes down through Montana into South Dakota to connect to the mainline in Kansas.

The pipe is stacked near the BNSF Railway loop between the ghost town of Gascoyne and the busier grain elevator town of Scranton, gathering dust, snow and tumbleweeds. Its about 65 miles south of Dickinson. It looked like it would either rust there indefinitely or be sold off after the Obama administration denied a permit two years ago.

Its a desolate place. Deer paw for food around the edges of the yard, manned by one security guard lonelier than the proverbial Maytag repairman, whose main job is keeping hunters and trespassers off the property.

Now, with the election of President Donald Trump, the project has new life after TransCanada recently submitted a new application at his invitation.

We welcome TransCanadas reapplication for a presidential permit to build the Keystone XL Pipeline," said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. "It will create jobs and economic growth, while also making our country safer by helping us to be more energy secure.

Locals have gotten used to the sight of the massive pipe yard alongside Highway 12 and some even use the word eyesore to describe it.

Nearby, Scranton Equity manager John Truetken said he doesnt expect a lot of business for the fuel and farm services company if the pipe yard is ever activated for construction. He said news that the pipeline could be restarted wasnt a surprise.

I figured it would either happen, or theyd haul it out to somewhere else. I dont know if it will happen that soon, said Truetken, adding it could generate a little fuel and convenience store business for the co-op, though it didnt generate much when the pipe came into the yard six years ago.

But I dont think it will really have a lot of effect on us, he said.

In Bowman  about 20 miles west of the pipe yard and 50 miles to where the pipeline would pass close to Baker  the towns mayor Lyn James said she isnt sure how much impact pipeline construction would have on her community.

She said it could provide some employment for oil field and oil company service workers, whove been laid off in the Bakken boom downturn.

Bowman County is in a longstanding oil production region and pipelines are a common sideline of drilling, while major transport lines have come under scrutiny and protest amid concerns about climate change and environmental consequences.

Bowman County Emergency Management, along with surrounding counties in Montana and South Dakota, started a working plan to deal with any protest after watching one against the Dakota Access Pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, James said.

Prior to the Dakota Access, we would have never thought it could happen here, but now we dont know, James said. Its sad that it happens, but it is reality.

The Keystone XL was also opposed for two years, though on a much smaller scale, in a Native American spirit protest camp in South Dakota that was the basis for the camps near Standing Rock.

South of Bowman, Buffalo, S.D., rancher Bret Clanton said hes not looking forward to a day when the pipeline cuts through 3 miles of his cattle ranch land. It changes the ground forever and affects the property value, he said.

Threatened with eminent domain, he said he and his neighbors joined to get the best deal they could with TransCanada in 2007-2008 for a perpetual easement, though it was for far less than Dakota Access paid to build through private property.

They should build it, or get the h-- out of here," Clanton said. "Its dragged on and on and on. I never thought it was dead, but a lot of things have changed. Theres not $100 barrel oil anymore and their funding has kind of dried up.

Clanton said he dreads the day construction comes through his land, along with more than 2 miles of access road, forever changing his ranch.

I didnt put it out of my mind; it was a sleeping giant. If I needed a reminder, Id just drive up to Gascoyne to see that pile of pipe, he said.

To the east, in Hettinger, economic development director Jim Goplin, said he thinks the resurrection of the Keystone XL will be good for the countrys energy independence, but perhaps not so much for the local economy. He said local unemployment is already very low and available motel rooms are fairly well blocked out.

Who knows? Goplin says. There could be some jobs. But we dont have a lot of motel rooms and theyre probably not going to drive this far.
Seventeen West High School juniors are now well-versed in a century of protest songs, and a visit to the Western Heritage Center will confirm that they know, as Marvin Gaye once sang, whats going on.

Courtesy of Billings Studio Theater, students were decked out Thursday in period costumes for the opening of their exhibit, Americas Mixtape: Music and Social Movements, 1920s-Present. The exhibit continues in the Hawkins Gallery through June 3.

Im a firm believer that music is a nice metaphor for exploring history, said the students teacher, Bruce Wendt. Staff here (at the center) chose the songs, and the students took it from there.

Since November, students have spent most Fridays at the center researching and exploring applying national issues from a local perspective. For each decade, students created a storyboard with an MP3 player attached featuring their song and the students talking about what they learned.

One example: The storyboard for the Cold War protest songs selected, When They Drop the Atomic Bomb by Jackie Doll and His Pickled Peppers and Im Gonna Dig Myself a Hole by Arthur Crudup, included an early 1960s guide published by The Gazette giving readers survival tips if, for example, the Cuban Missile Crisis ended badly.

Other songs selected are even better known, including Bing Crosbys Depression-era Brother Can You Spare a Dime? and Edwin Starrs War.

Working with these kids was such a blast, said Kevin Kooistra, the centers executive director. At first, they wanted us to tell them what to do. Toward the end, they were telling us what to do.

All these students  they are the curators, Lisa Olmsted, the centers operations director, told family and friends gathered for Thursdays exhibit opening. All we did is to say, heres your topic  now go with it. We told them this is your exhibit. Tell us how your story should be told.

Part of telling their story included the costumes students sported during the exhibit opening. Alyssa Tjaden wore a prim suit and smart hat from the mid-1940s as part of her project, illuminating the 1945 Big Bill Broonzy song, Black, Brown and White.

We learned there were a lot of racial issues going on then, she said. Its not just today, although it was worse then.

Students included photos and a report of Ku Klux Klan activity going on in the Billings area at that time.

It was all a little difficult to find, she said, but I wasnt surprised.

Jaylea Siroky attended in a bright blue 1960s-era dress, but her work focused on a 2003 song from the Black Eyed Peas, Where Is the Love?

We found out Time Magazine (in 1998) called Billings the nations crank capital, she said. I didnt know that until I did this project.

This is really a good way to study something, she added. Its exactly the right reason to come to school every day.
A longtime St. Vincent Healthcare employee who was fired is suing for disability discrimination, age discrimination and wrongful discharge.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters ruled Feb. 24 that the suit can proceed to trial in federal court in Billings.

Roxanna Jackson, who has special needs including learning and speech disabilities, was fired in August 2014 after 37 years from her job as an instrument technician, according to court records filed by her attorney, Eric Holm of Billings. Jackson, 61, now lives in Colorado.

Jacksons complaint against St. Vincent alleges it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Montana Human Rights Act by subjecting her to disability discrimination, age discrimination, retaliation and wrongful discharge.

She had no disciplinary issues until 2013, when she got a new supervisor, who wanted Jackson to work faster and perform more complex jobs, Holm said.

After a series of write-ups, additional training, which she passed, and a forced psychological evaluation by a St. Vincent doctor, the hospital fired Jackson, Holm said.

Holm declined to comment Thursday.

St. Vincents attorney, Eric Nord of Billings, could not be reached for comment.

Qualified

Jackson alleges the hospital ignored her requests for assistance and additional time to perform her job and did not offer to reassign her to another position.

Watters ruled against St. Vincents claim that Jackson could not prove she is a qualified individual with a disability.

To be a qualified individual under the ADA, Watters said, a person must have the skills, training and experience to do the job and must be able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without an accommodation.

St. Vincent argued that Jackson could not perform an essential function of her job, which was assembling instrument trays, even with accommodations, Watters said.

The judge ruled that what changed in 2013 was the speed with which Jackson was required to complete the instrument trays. A jury could find that Jackson was qualified for her job when terminated but needed a reasonable accommodation to perform its essential functions.

Assuming Jackson had been accommodated, there is no dispute that Jackson was otherwise qualified to perform her job, the judge said.

Reasons for termination

Watters also ruled against St. Vincent on the issue of pretext, or a challenge to the hospitals reasons for job termination.

The judge said there is substantial credible evidence to persuade her that a judge or jury could find St. Vincents explanation for terminating Jackson is unworthy of credence.

St. Vincent argued that Jacksons repeated mistakes on the instrument trays created patient safety issues because all Instrument Techs need to be able to complete all of the tasks, Watters said.

That argument, the judge said, seemed to be contradicted by what St. Vincent accepted from Jackson in the past. Jackson worked as an instrument tech for six years previously without any concerns by the hospital about patient health or safety.

This evidence casts doubt on St. Vincents purported reason for terminating Jacksons employment, the judge said.

Exempt

Watters further ruled against St. Vincents claim that, as a charitable corporation, it was exempt from discrimination claims under the Montana Human Rights Act because it is not considered an employer under Montana law.

This argument is frivolous, Watters said. Under the plain language of the statute, a charitable corporation that provides accommodations or services to non-members is an employer. St. Vincent provides services to non-members. The argument fails.

Retaliation

Watters ruled for St. Vincent and denied Jacksons claim of retaliation as untimely under the MHRA.

Holm said in court records that before Jackson got fired, she was earning about $38,000 a year plus benefits, lived independently in an apartment and was a well-functioning and important member of the Billings community.

After losing her job, Jackson also lost her independence, had to move in with her brother in Colorado and seek government assistance to cover living expenses, Holm said.

Jackson is now 61 years old, continues to receive government assistance and has moved out of her brothers residence. She works part-time at Goodwill, making about $500 a month, Holm said.

The suit initially was filed in state District Court, then St. Vincent moved it into federal court in 2015.

Jackson first filed discrimination claims with the Montana Human Rights Bureau, which granted her the right to sue St. Vincent.

The lawsuit seeks a jury trial along with damages for injuries and losses, punitive damages and other relief.
MISSOULA  The next time your phone rings from an unrecognized number, take note.

In the last week, several Missoulians have received spoof phone calls that appear on caller ID under real law enforcement agencies numbers, but are scams trying to get personal information or money.

One, using local FBI satellite office numbers, targeted international students at the University of Montana.

Several others used the Missoula Police Departments station number to try and obtain personal information from locals.

Xu Haodong, a junior exchange student from central China, got one of the bewildering calls last week.

A man spoke first, and apparently pretended to switch lines, although Xu said it sounded like he just handed the phone to another person.

This time a woman's voice asked what his post-graduation plans were. He said hed be in China and planned to find a job.

That woman started insulting, threatening me, he said. She told him she knew that Chinese students came to the United States to take American jobs.

Thats the point I realized, she may be just an extremist.

Xu started recording the conversation, first asking what office she was from.

She told him she was with the FBI, and to Google the number to double check.

He found the number matched up with the Billings satellite FBI office.

I still dont get this, how can you just call me? he asked.

I have the rights, I have the rights sir, she said.

She threatened to cancel his degree, contact the embassy to cancel his passport and put him in jail for two months before deporting him to China.

You dont deserve to live in the United States, she told him. Im going to inform to the officer, Im going to inform to the FBI right now.

The woman then pretended to call another FBI agent and gave her name as Lisa Smith. She told Xu he was now going to be arrested.

What? Xu asked, incredulous. Excuse me?

He finally hung up, saying he had to go to class.

When Xu told the director of the Global Engagement Office, Effie Koehn, about the call, she said three or four other Chinese students had gotten similar calls, but all were asked for bank account information.

The Missoulian reported last July that at least three UM students had received spoof calls from Montana FBI office numbers asking for immediate payment for unpaid school taxes.

The Missoula Police Department tweeted Thursday morning their main station number of 552-6300 was spoofed, or sent from an unknown source disguised as a source known to the receiver.

Public Information Officer Travis Welsh said in an email theyd received about 20 reports Thursday from people who received the spoof calls.

Welsh said he was only aware of one person who answered and spoke to the caller. They reported a male with a distinct accent who transferred the call to a female who also had a distinct accent, according to a post on MPDs Facebook page.

Welsh said the callers asked the person to confirm personal information during the short call.

After his scam call, Xu contacted UM Police and asked Koehn to report the calls to the FBI.

A few days later, his phone started buzzing in class. He didnt recognize the number and asked his friend to Google it.

It turns out it was just like the first number, Xu said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Only this one was the Helena office, while the first was from Billings.

I hope its just for money, Xu said. I dont want them to show up. Its too scary.

In the MPD's Facebook post, Welsh told people to ask the caller for their name and immediate supervisor and what authority theyre calling under  and then, call the Missoula Police Department and verify whether its a real phone call.

The post also reminded Missoulians to never give out personal, or identifying information over the phone unless you're certain of who you're speaking with.

Educating our citizens seems to be the best way to combat these scammers, Welsh said.
Closing arguments are scheduled to begin Friday in the Curtis Reeves "stand your ground" hearing.

Closing arguments in Pasco 'stand your ground' movie theater shooting case

Curtis Reeves, 74, facing second degree murder charges

Chad Oulson was shot and killed in theater in January 2014

Judge to decide outcome of hearing in coming days

Previous stories on this case

Reeves, 74, is facing second-degree murder charges in the Jan. 13, 2014, death of Chad Oulson. The shooting occurred inside Cobb Theatre in Wesley Chapel after an argument about Oulson using his cell phone during the movie previews. His attorneys are hoping to use a stand-your-ground defense, which is the purpose of the ongoing hearing.

The hearing has been going on for two weeks with multiple witnesses testifying about what they saw during the argument between the men that ended with the shooting death of Oulson, 43.

Oulson's widow Nicole, who was injured in the shooting, testified last week. The man at the center of the hearing, Curtis Reeves, told his version of the deadly events on the stand this week.

Reeves said he was in fear for his safety during the argument.

"He (Chad Oulson) was now a very definite threat, at some point in time because of the position I was in, I reach for my pistol," Reeves said on the stand, describing the moments before he fired his gun. "At that point it was his life or mine."

In an audio recording taken after the shooting, Reeves admits to Detective Allen Proctor that if he had to do it again, he would have moved seats that day like his wife wanted to.

"This is a life changing event that I would have avoided at all costs. It's a life changing event for me," Reeves said in the 2014 recording. "It certainly is for the man and the family."

Judge Susan Barthle will not make her ruling Friday. She said she will enter it no later than next Friday.

If Barthle rules that stand your ground applies, Reeves will be immune from prosecution, as well as civil action from Chad Oulson's family.
The man accused of dropping his 5-year-old daughter to her death off the approach to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in 2015 has been ruled competent to stand trial.

Judge rules John Jonchuck competent to stand trial

Phoebe Jonchuck, 5, died Jan. 8, 2015 when she was dropped from the approach to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge by her father

Previous stories on Phoebe Jonchuck

Pinellas County circuit judge Joseph Bulone confirmed the ruling Friday morning. A pre-trial hearing is set for March 27.

The judge's ruling comes weeks after a state mental hospital ruled 27-year-old John Jonchuck is competent to stand trial. Doctors have been treating Jonchuck to restore his competency to stand trial.

Jonchuck, 27, is accused of dropping his daughter Phoebe Jonchuck 62 feet to her death from the Dick Misener Bridge on Jan. 8, 2015 just after midnight.

He is facing charges of murder, aggravated fleeing and eluding and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle on a law enforcement officer.

A St. Petersburg police officer spotted John Jonchuck speeding by in his car early that morning onto the bridge, which is the southbound approach to the Sunshine Skyway, and then the officer said he witnessed Jonchuck drop Phoebe into the water.

Phoebe lived with her father in Tampa, and in the last day of her life, he made comments that frightened his lawyer so much she called authorities and frantically wondered aloud if she should have kept the girl at her office.

Since then, Jonchuck had been ruled incompetent and sent to a state hospital for treatment.

Jonchuck has had a long history of treatment for mental health issues, including schizophrenia, bipolar issues and an attention deficit disorder.

Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty.
In my last Ask the Judge column, I pointed out how important Supreme Court nominations are. Since that time, President Trump has nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Lets take an objective look at Gorsuchs qualifications.

Gorsuch grew up in Denver, Colo., but graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School, received a B.A. from Columbia in three years Phi Beta Kappa (which only recognizes students in the top 10 percent of their class). Gorsuch then attended Harvard Law School, graduating cum laude (top 25 percent of the class). Not one to rest on his laurels, Gorsuch then received a doctor of philosophy degree from Oxford. Clearly, Gorsuch checks all the boxes in the education department.

Gorsuch first clerked for a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals (D.C. Circuit) and then clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy. I once heard a quip that the US Supreme Court is the place where the best and brightest lawyers in American go and clerk.

For the next 10 years Gorsuch practiced law with a Washington, D.C., law firm, making partner after three years. Gorsuch was then appointed principal director to the associate attorney general in the Department of Justice, before he was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit by President Bush, where he has served the past ten years. Gorsuch was deemed well qualified by the American Bar Association, and was confirmed to the 10th Circuit by a unanimous voice vote by the Senate. Clearly, Judge Gorsuch has checked all the boxes for a stellar legal career.

I am not sure how a U.S. senator decides how to measure the qualifications of a judicial candidate. If it is on tangibles like education and legal career, Gorsuch would be hard not to support. It would be difficult to find finer education and career credentials.

While it is sometimes risky to look at a few decisions over a 10-year judicial career and come to conclusions, several of Gorsuchs opinions tell us something about his judicial philosophy. Gorsuchs most famous decision is Hobby Lobby Stores v. Sebelius (2013), where Gorsuch concurred in an opinion finding the Affordable Care Acts contraceptive mandate on a private business violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This indicates Gorsuch believes in religious freedom. This ruling was affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014).

In an interesting case where Justice Scalia and Justice Ginsberg agreed with Gorsuch in a dissenting opinion together, Reynolds v. United States (2012), Gorsuch argued a federal act possibly violated the non-delegation doctrine, essentially finding federal agencies cannot be delegated too much power by Congressional fiat.

I have a good college friend who has a plaintiffs civil practice in Colorado. He is a staunch Democrat. He praised Gorsuch as a mainstream conservative who follows the law, and is known as a nice guy.

Gorsuch believes judges should follow the law, not make it. That policy decisions are up to Congress, not courts. Gorsuch favors states rights over federal rights, and believes the Constitution should be given its original intent, not to be changed based on todays mores. Importantly for Montanans, Gorsuch is a fellow Westerner. In the end analysis, I believe the selection of Judge Gorsuch is a home run. He will make an excellent Supreme Court justice and should be confirmed without delay.
Montanas two U.S. senators again introduced legislation that would protect East Rosebud Creek in the Beartooth Mountains.

Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican, and Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, on Thursday reintroduced bipartisan legislation, Senate Bill S. 501, to permanently protect East Rosebud Creek under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, said spokesmen for the senators.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Leslie Ziegler, president of Friends of East Rosebud, said the organization greatly appreciates the senators bipartisan work to protect the creek.

This area is a special place where many Montanans have chosen to live and raise our families  some folks have been here for generations, Ziegler said.

The East Rosebud attracts visitors from all over the world, yielding significant economic value to surrounding communities and our state, Ziegler said.

This is the third try to get the creek designated as wild and scenic. Similar bills were introduced in 2013 and in 2015 but never made it to the presidents desk for final approval.

Frank Annighofer, vice president of the Friends of East Rosebud, said the 2015 bill had passed the senate committee unanimously last year, but it was too late in the process to go to a floor vote.

Tester said in a news release, This is another made-in-Montana solution that was built through years of on-the-ground collaboration that will allow folks to hike and fish the East Rosebud for generations to come.

When we designate the East Rosebud, it will become the first Wild and Scenic designation in Montana in nearly 40 years, Daines said.

The bill would designate two sections of East Rosebud Creek that run through Forest Service land. The creek originates in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and flows to the prairie when it joins the Yellowstone River west of Columbus. No private land would be affected by the legislation.
Montana's two-year community colleges could take a hit if current state funding proposals pass the Legislature.

Recommended changes to the way appropriations are formulated for two-year institutions would mean fewer dollars going to Miles Community College, Dawson Community College and Flathead Valley Community College.

The Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Education in the Montana Legislature discussed funding proposals before the break. House and Senate appropriations committees will consider a recommendation as part of the larger budget.

The community college funding formula is codified in Montana law, so changing it would mean altering the statute with a companion bill.

Leaders of those schools are pushing to keep the formula as is to avoid making up the losses by other means.

Certainly thats a big impact on the colleges," said Flathead Valley Community College President Jane Karas. "At our college, it would be about a 23 percent tuition increase.

The three schools serve about 1,900 full-time-equivalent students this semester, typically offering various associate degree and specialized vocational programs. As with some of Montana's larger institutions, the community college system has seen enrollment drops over the past decade.

The schools typically see more part-time students who work while taking classes. Karas said 70 percent of applicants to Flathead qualify for some sort of financial assistance.

The formula that determines funding from the Legislature has multiple factors, including the number of resident full-time students, the cost of education per student and a baseline budget from a previous year. Those factors mingle to form a projected total cost of education.

A percentage of that total cost, set by the Legislature, makes up the state's funding to community colleges. That had been set at 50.8 percent.

The subcommittee recommendation was to reduce that percentage to 47.05 percent. The end result is a cut similar to what Gov. Steve Bullock included in his budget proposal.

If the proposal goes through, the three colleges will receive about $2 million less than they would with the original formula and roughly $1 million less than in the previous biennium.

The proposed state funding is about $3.5 million for Dawson, $5 million for Miles and $17 million for Flathead, which has a substantially larger student population.

The schools also draw revenue from tuition and local levies.

While this might roil the community colleges, the smallest school in the system fears more cuts may come.

The other one that concerns Dawson directly is there was some early indication that Dawson was probably going to receive additional cuts," said Dawson Community College President Scott Mickelsen. "The word was even used, 'get ready because this is gonna be drastic.

Mickelsen sent out a press release ahead of its Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, asking the public to show its support. The release warned that the Legislature would "further reduce or eliminate" its state funding.

No bill has been drafted to outline proposed changes or additional cuts to the funding, but legislators are looking at options with Dawson. Enrollment at the college has dropped more sharply than that of its cohorts.

The school has 228 full-time-equivalent students this spring.

The number of students is going down at Dawson, and they're still being funded at normal levels, said state Rep. Alan Doane, R-Bloomfield.

Dropping state funding to Dawson for the biennium is not off the table, said Rep. Donald Jones, R-Billings, who chairs the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.

He said that as Dawson's enrollment declined, it maintained a larger amount of state funding per resident student. The college also has the lowest resident tuition in university system.

When you look at their numbers and how they're going downhill, its an option, Jones said.

Another proposal has been to cap the amount of funding per resident student that makes it to community colleges, Jones said.

Those options will be discussed in appropriations committees as the Legislature resumes next week.
North Shore Medical Center in Salem, Mass., which includes two campuses and is part of Boston-based Partners HealthCare, plans to lay off employees to help overcome financial losses, according to The Salem News.

North Shore Medical Center recorded a $36 million loss in fiscal year 2015, and its deficit grew to $48 million in FY 2016. In a Feb. 15 letter to employees, North Shore Medical Center Interim CEO Gregg S. Meyer, MD, said the organization is on track to lose even more money this year unless significant changes are made, according to the report.

In the letter, Dr. Meyer outlined NSMC's plan to slash its operating budget by $45 million over the next two years, which will put the organization on a path to break even by FY 2019. To reduce its operating budget, NSMC will first focus on cutting expenses and improving efficiency. This will involve some job cuts. On Thursday, a hospital spokesperson told The Salem News NSMC expects to lay off fewer than 200 workers.

To balance its budget, NSMC also plans to make changes to purchasing and revenue cycle practices and focus on service line development, according to the report.

NSMC's financial stabilization plan is part of Partners' systemwide strategy to improve efficiency. Partners ended FY 2016 with an operating loss of $108 million  the biggest operating loss in the system's history, according to the Boston Globe.

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The following health IT vendor contracts and go-lives were reported within the past week.

1. Cigna is utilizing Microsoft's technology to develop BioBall, a device that helps conduct health screenings.

2. Varian Medical Systems, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based medical device and software manufacturer, is integrating natural language processing technology into its Varian 360 Oncology care management platform.

3. Vermont providers can now access patient vital signs from home telemonitoring devices, thanks to a collaboration on a statewide health information exchange.

4. Blue Bell, Pa.-based Unisys launched a medical device management platform called Active Insights by Unisys.

5. Boca Raton, Fla.-based Cancer Treatment Centers of America is implementing a platform that gives NantHealth's eviti clinical support solution access to clinical workflows in the Allscripts Sunrise EHR.

6. AT&T and Zywie, a medical technology company, are collaborating to help physicians monitor patients with cardiovascular disease.

7. Atlanta-based ShepherdCenter and digital health technology firm Evidation Health formed a collaboration to quantify the lived experiences of individuals with specific neurological diseases, as well as the impact digital health interventions may have on patients' clinical outcomes.

8. Nokia is set to launch Withings' line of connected health products under the Nokia brand, after acquiring Withings in April 2016.

9. Royal Philips entered a partnership with Onelife Health, a German digital health startup, to develop mother and early child care solutions.

10. MCG Health, a Seattle-based care guidelines and informed care solutions provider, partnered with InterSystems to improve interoperability.

11. Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Cognition Kit, a wearable platform that monitors brain health, partnered for a pilot study on major depressive disorder.

12. HealthInfoNet, a statewide health information exchange in Maine, will integrate Orion Health's population health applications.
Metairie, La.-based East Jefferson General Hospital President and CEO Mark Peters, MD, is retiring, effective March 16, 2017.

Here are five things to know:

1. Dr. Peters led the hospital for 15 years, starting his tenure in 2002.

2. He joined the hospital in 2000 as medical director.

3. While he served as CEO, the hospital became Louisiana's first Magnet-designated hospital and also entered into an affiliation with Houston-based MD Anderson Cancer Center.

4. Dr. Peters led the hospital through the fallout from Hurricane Katrina.

5. Raymond DeCorte, MD, senior vice president and CMO, will serve as interim CEO until the hospital finds a replacement.
Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pa., named Paul VerValin interim president. Mr. VerValin is currently COO of Sayre-based The Guthrie Clinic.

Mr. VerValin's previous leadership roles include serving as president and chief administrative officer of Gainesville-based Northeast Georgia Physicians Group and senior vice president of Northeast Georgia Health System in Gainesville.

Mr. VerValin is taking over as leader of Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital, Guthrie's flagship hospital, following the departure of Marie Droege. During her tenure, Ms. Droege oversaw a number of projects, including the construction of two new replacement hospitals in Troy, Pa. and Corning, N.Y.

Guthrie will soon begin a nationwide search for a permanent replacement.
Sen. Rand Paul, MD, R-Ky., created a ruckus on Capitol Hill Thursday in his pursuit to find an elusive House draft health bill.

With a portable copy machine in tow, Sen. Paul led the charge to find the reportedly "top-secret" draft of an ACA replacement bill, according to a report from Vox. Reports surfaced Wednesday evening that the House Energy and Finance Committee had a draft and was allowing its members to review it in a dedicated reading room Thursday. Members were not allowed to remove copies of the bill from the room, according to Bloomberg.

I have been told that the House Obamacare bill is under lock & key, in a secure location, & not available for me or the public to view.  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017

Once Sen. Paul heard the news, he made it his mission to find the bill. Rumors began circulating the bill was being kept in House meeting room H-157, according to Vox.

I am heading to the secure location where they are keeping the House obamacare bill. I will demand a copy for the American people.  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017

Sen. Paul hightailed it to H-157 with a portable copy machine in case he gained access to the text.

.@randpaul wasn't allowed to see the House GOP's Obamacare bill. Brought his own copy machine, just in case. pic.twitter.com/KpAXhfltsV  Eli Yokley (@eyokley) March 2, 2017

When Sen. Paul arrived at H-157, Capitol Police guarding the door denied his entrance, according to the report. Sen. Paul was trailed by Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., and a group of Democratic Congress members. The police allowed House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., into the room. After going through the room, Rep. Hoyer reported there were no people or bills inside, according to the report.

The bill was not located, according to Vox, but the hunt garnered quite a bit of attention on Twitter with #WheresTheBill.

Despite the circus-like atmosphere surrounding the draft, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., issued a statement that the panel was following business as usual.

"Reports that the Energy and Commerce Committee is doing anything other the regular process of keeping its members up to speed on latest developments in its jurisdictions are false," Rep. Walden said in a press release. "Simply put, Energy and Commerce majority members and staff are continuing to discuss and refine draft legislative language on issues under our committees jurisdiction."

Editor's note: This article was updated at 10:00 a.m. CT on March 3.



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The following hospital lawsuits were reported in the past month, beginning with the most recent.

1. Lawsuit alleges NYC hospital charges double legal amount for medical records

A lawsuit filed Feb. 24 alleges NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in New York City charges patients twice as much as New York law allows for medical records.

2. Bermuda's ex-premier denies taking bribes from Lahey

Bermuda's attorney general filed a lawsuit against Boston-based Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in February accusing the hospital group of bribing the island's former premier Ewart F. Brown, MD, in exchange for preferential treatment in winning government healthcare contracts. In an interview with The Boston Globe, Dr. Brown defended his 20-year relationship with Lahey, claiming the lawsuit is racially and politically motivated.

3. Co-founder of Forest Park Medical Center pleads guilty in kickback case

Richard Toussaint, MD, co-founder of physician-owned Forest Park Medical Center in Dallas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks and one count of commercial bribery.

4. Laundry provider responds in UPMC mold case: 9 things to know

After an internal report commissioned by Pittsburgh-based UPMC pointed to its outsourced laundry provider as the possible cause of a deadly mold outbreak that temporarily shut down UPMC's transplant program in 2015, the laundry provider has been roped into at least three lawsuits.

5. Man sues St. Joseph's Healthcare System for refusing to perform gender transition surgery

A transgender man filed a lawsuit against Paterson, N.J.-based St. Joseph's Healthcare System for refusing to perform a hysterectomy as part of the man's gender transition process.

6. Texas psychiatric hospital pays $860k to settle false claims case

University Behavioral Health of El Paso (Texas) entered into an $860,000 civil settlement with the Department of Justice to resolve allegations the psychiatric hospital violated the False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law.

7. Bankrupt Louisiana hospital faces lawsuit over layoff notification

A former employee of Louisiana Heart Hospital in Lacombe filed a lawsuit alleging the hospital violated the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act when it laid off employees without proper notice.

8. Nurse files $6.5M retaliation suit against HCA, Florida hospital

A nurse filed a $6.5 million retaliation lawsuit against St. Petersburg (Fla.) General Hospital and its parent company Nashville, Tenn.-based Hospital Corporation of America. Although hospital officials told the nurse she was fired due to a positive drug test after being injured while at work, the nurse claims she was let go in retaliation for filing a discrimination complaint against the hospital with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

9. Physician alleges Sharp Grossmont forced his resignation after patient safety complaints

Patrick Sullivan, MD, a one-time chief of anesthesiology at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, Calif., filed a complaint against the hospital alleging administrators forced his resignation after he raised concerns regarding safety issues.

10. HCA inks $188M settlement in breach of contract case

Nashville, Tenn.-based Hospital Corporation of America entered into a $188 million settlement with the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City to resolve breach of contract allegations.

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DETROIT  For those who ridiculed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for mentioning potential grizzlies as a reason for keeping a gun in schools for safety, it may be time to start lining up to apologize: A bear put a pair of Connecticut schools on lockdown this week.

Two schools in Southington, Conn., were placed in Secure School Mode when a black bear was spotted nearby Tuesday morning, according to WFSB.com.

Though the bear eventually moved away from the schools and the Secure School Mode was only brief, the report says emails were sent out to parents and the schools took precautions to keep schoolchildren safe.

The timing of this incident is uncanny.

A few weeks ago, DeVos  a West Michigan native and Detroit charter schools advocate  was widely mocked when she suggested during her confirmation hearing that educators may need a gun in the school to protect from potential grizzlies.

Her point was whether the issue of guns in American schools is best left to locales and states to decide. But social media went off the rails after the grizzlies comment, with most people saying its preposterous to suggest a gun should be in a school, around schoolchildren, due to a threat of bears.

Even though a gun wasnt needed in this situation, a bear was found near a school  in Connecticut, not in Wapiti, Wyo., the school DeVos was referring to when she made the grizzlies comment.

DeVos was narrowly confirmed as secretary of education in a historic 51-50 vote, with Vice President Mike Pence casting the tie-breaking vote.
From a lawsuit alleging a New York City hospital overcharges for medical records to a drug treatment center CEO arrested for patient brokering, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits making headlines.

1. Lawsuit alleges NYC hospital charges double legal amount for medical records

A lawsuit filed Feb. 24 alleges NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center in New York City charges patients twice as much as New York law allows for medical records.

2. Drug treatment center CEO arrested on 93 counts of patient brokering

Daniel Kandler, owner and CEO of Delray Beach, Fla.-based drug treatment center Chapters Recovery, was arrested Feb. 23 on 93 counts of patient brokering.

3. Owners, operators of Texas home health company charged in $60M fraud scheme

Sixteen owners and operators of Novus Health Services, a home health and hospice provider based in Frisco, Texas, were charged for their roles in a fraud scheme that involved submitting false claims to Medicare.

4. Circuit court judge certifies overtime wages lawsuit against Cerner as class action

A judge certified a lawsuit alleging Kansas City, Mo.-based Cerner didn't pay certain employees overtime wages as a class action.

5. Owner of medical supply company gets 27 years for fraud

Daniel Thomason Smith, owner of DTS Medical Supply in Devine, Texas, was sentenced to 27 years in prison for his role in a $3.5 million healthcare fraud scheme.

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The rate of certain birth defects among Zika-infected pregnant women in the U.S. was 20 times higher in 2016 compared to when the virus was first introduced into the Americas, according to a CDC report.

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Using data from the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry, the study examined 442 completed pregnancies between Jan. 15 and Sept. 22 of last year. Researchers then compared it to population-based birth defects data collected in Massachusetts, North Carolina and Atlanta between 2013 and 2014, before the introduction of the Zika virus.

The pre-Zika data included 747 infants and fetuses with one or more birth defect such as microcephaly or brain abnormalities, neural tube defects and other early brain malformations, eye abnormalities and other central nervous system issues. The prevalence of these birth defects in the pre-Zika era represented 2.86 per 1,000 live births in the three states studied, according to the analysis.

However, data from last year reported 26 infants and fetuses with these same defects among 442 completed pregnancies involving mothers with possible Zika infection during pregnancy, according to the CDC. This reflected a prevalence of 58.8 per 1,000 live births, more than 20 times the previous prevalence of 2.86 per 1,000 live births.

"Although the ascertainment methods differed, this finding was approximately 20 times higher than the proportion of one or more of the same birth defects among pregnancies during the pre-Zika years. These data demonstrate the importance of population-based surveillance for interpreting data about birth defects potentially related to Zika virus infection," federal health officials said.
Four spine surgeons discuss the potential disadvantages for providers under President Donald Trump.

Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. We invite all spine surgeon and specialist responses.





Next week's question: What will MIS surgery look like five years from now in terms of innovation & adoption?

Please send responses to Anuja Vaidya at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com by Wednesday, March 8, at 5 p.m. CST.

Question: What are some disadvantages that spine surgeons may face under the new administration?

Richard Kube, MD. Founder and CEO of Prairie Spine & Pain Institute (Peoria, Ill.): It is hard to predict specific disadvantages. Frankly, that inability to predict is a major disadvantage in and of itself. The unknown can be costly. Anticipate too much and you can spend a lot of money going in the wrong direction. Anticipate too little and you can also spend money trying to catch up. It really means walking a fine line so that you can forecast and react as quickly as possible.

That added attention to an evolving array of policies takes added time and resources to study and remain current. For the small group, that means a significant strain on internal resources, both capital and personnel. However, with a smaller size, there is a greater ability to be nimble and best optimize one's practice as the political currents shift.

Kern Singh, MD. Co-Director of Minimally Invasive Spine Institute at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (Chicago): If the predictions are true and many Americans do lose their healthcare insurance under the new administration, we might see an increase in patients who allow their spine degeneration to progress without treatment or intervention. This can lead to more complex patients and worse outcomes overall than if these patients had been seen by a surgeon earlier on in the course of their disease.

Brian R. Gantwerker, MD. Founder of the Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: Mostly the fear of lack of clarity with the changes. The new administration will hopefully partner with actual physicians when writing the new policies and understand that having an insurance company [help] write the ACA was one of many egregious errors and inexplicable oversights when the first set of laws came out. Furthermore, I think some surgeons are concerned how they will get paid if there is a gap between repeal and replace.

Vladimir Sinkov, MD. Spine Surgeon at New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center (Nashua): As long as the new administration stays true to their campaign promises and enacts the reforms that will ease administrative burdens on physicians, I do not foresee any disadvantages.
Here are 10 spine surgeons who made the headlines this week:

Mountainview, Calif.-based El Camino Hospital's Jeffrey Coe, MD, performed two-level disc replacement surgeries with Zimmer Biomet's Mobi-C technology.

The Senate confirmed Ben Carson, MD, as the next Housing and Urban Development Secretary, the New York Times reports.

Alexander Ghanayem, MD, of Maywood, Ill.-based Loyola University Medical Center department of orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation treated Maywood fire chief Tracy Kenny's back pain.

Kalid Kurtom, MD, of Baltimore-based University of Maryland Community Medical Group plans to lead a medical mission trip to Jordan, where he will treat Syrian refugees free of charge.

Castle Connolly Medical honored Jason E. Lowenstein, MD, a spine surgeon in Morristown, N.J., as a top doctor in the New York metro area.

Johnny B. Delashaw, MD, resigned from his post as chair of the Seattle-based Swedish Neuroscience Institute on the Cherry Hill campus on March 1, 2017, amid a state health regulatory investigation into complaints filed against him.

TrackX Technology, a Durham, N.C.-based biotechnology company directed by Durham-based Duke Health neurosurgeon, Robert Isaacs, MD, sold a multi-million dollar stake.

Dom Coric, MD, of Charlotte, N.C.-based Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, and Michael Fehlings, MD, PhD, of Canada-based Toronto Western Hospital will present at the Spine Summit 2017, held from March 8 to 11, 2017, in Las Vegas.

Reginald J. Davis, MD, Director of Clinical Research at Tampa, Fla.-based Laser Spine Institute, discussed his study about minimally invasive spine surgery and where the minimally invasive spine field is headed.

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Predicting the unpredictable: 4 spine surgeons on challenges under Trump




The SpineHope Foundation sponsored a medical mission trip to offer spine surgeries for San Jose, Costa Rica-based National Children's Hospital patients, according to The Tico Times News.

Here are five highlights:

1. Four surgeons along with anesthesiologists, nurses and other medical personnel provided spine services to 11 patients.

2. The SpineHope Foundation first sent medical professionals to Costa Rica in 2012. The foundation has sent groups to Costa Rica five times since then.

3. The performed spine surgeries each took about eight hours.

4. The medical group also provided follow-up exams for patients they'd treated previously and recommended treatment plans.

5. Dr. Jorge Alpizar, who serves as director of the hospital's orthopedics department, commented the SpineHope missions offer immense benefit to Costa Rica.
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More than 30 jobs have been lost after Co Armagh mechanical installation firm Maurice Stevenson Ltd ceased trading, it has emerged. File image

More than 30 jobs have been lost after Co Armagh mechanical installation firm Maurice Stevenson Ltd ceased trading, it has emerged.

Administrators were appointed five weeks ago to the Lurgan family company, which had been in business for nearly 100 years.

Insolvency expert Gerard Gildernew said it had hoped to find a buyer for the firm, which installed ventilation and heating systems, but had not been able to do so. A spokeswoman confirmed the company had stopped trading, with 33 staff losing their jobs. An auction of its assets will now be held.

The spokeswoman said: "Following a comprehensive assessment of the options available in respect of the business, including efforts to find a buyer for the business, it has ceased trading.

"The administrator is proceeding to achieve the best outcome for creditors, and this will involve the company assets being placed at auction within the next fortnight."

Auctioneers James Armstrong will hold a public auction of the company's assets on March 11 at the company's headquarters on Annesborough Industrial Estate. The assets include a mobile site office, a Volkswagen Beetle Sport, office equipment and hammer drills.

In January, the company said the decision to go into administration had been painful. The spokeswoman said the death of director David Stevenson in 2012 had been compounded by industry challenges.

"The company has experienced a number of financial challenges following a downturn in the sector generally, resulting in contractors going into insolvency with consequential bad debts, compounded by increasingly tight margins and the marked reduction in public sector works orders," she said.

She added that Mr Stevenson's widow Alison's best efforts to keep the business going "could not overcome the toughening market conditions".

Mrs Stevenson said at the time: "It is with the deepest of regret that we find ourselves having to place the company into administration. I want to pay a heartfelt tribute to current and former staff who have worked hard and demonstrated immense loyalty to this firm and our family down through the years."

Other family-run companies in building materials and services have faced problems. Administrators BDO were appointed last month to run Cootes (Concrete Products Ltd) in Markethill.
Bushmills distillery is planning to build almost 30 huge warehouses to mature its world-famous Irish whiskey, it can be revealed

Bushmills distillery is planning to build almost 30 huge warehouses to mature its world-famous Irish whiskey, it can be revealed.

The Co Antrim distillery has lodged plans to add the buildings close to its existing historic site just outside the town.

Plans revealed the warehouses will be built gradually over more than a decade.

It comes little over a year after the new owner of Bushmills, Jose Cuervo, lodged plans to build a 30m expansion to its current distillery.

The company has now been given permission for the facility which, it says, will "effectively double production capacity".

Colum Egan, master distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery, told the Belfast Telegraph that the new extension will help the international whiskey brand grow across the globe.

"At Bushmills Irish Whiskey our primary focus is always on making great whiskey and introducing it to more and more discerning whiskey drinkers around the world.

"As part of that growth we have received outline planning permission for the expansion of a new distillery facility on 62 acres of agricultural land surrounding the existing site.

"Extensive consultations have been undertaken with the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council and a wide range of statutory bodies, to identify this particular area of land as the preferred site to build.

"It is an exciting time for the Irish whiskey category which continues to experience significant growth and this expansion is an important factor in facilitating the future growth of Bushmills Irish Whiskey."

The company that originally built the distillery was formed in 1784. The new expansion is part of a "masterplan" established in 2007 and it is expected to lead to up to 20 jobs with a 10-15% rise in the wages bill. The distillery currently employs around 150 staff.

Under the plan there will be around 3m of capital expenditure at the distillery every year for the next 10 to 15 years.

The application encompasses details of a new tourism and visitor centre. The company has previously said its aim is to produce a "world class" facility.

In the 34-page document, the plans stated that the "new distillery facility will effectively double production capacity".
Marks & Spencer revealed a return to sales growth in its clothing arm for the first time in nearly two years

Marks & Spencer has topped a ranking of positive brand impression among British women.

The high street giant achieved a score of 58, ahead of fellow favourite John Lewis which scored 54, according to the YouGov Impression Score Rankings, collected from BrandIndex surveys of around 2,000 women every day.

The result will be welcome news for the retail bellweather, which revealed a return to sales growth in its embattled clothing arm for the first time in nearly two years after a bumper Christmas on the high street.

The rest of the top five, based on women's impressions of major brands for the year to February, is made up of Heinz and Boots, both on 53, and BBC One at 51.

Ikea and Ben and Jerry's topped the ranking for under 35-year-olds, followed by Boots (54), Heinz (53) and YouTube (52).

Tesco was the most improved brand, up 13 points, while holiday operator Thomas Cook achieved a 12-point jump, just ahead of HSBC, WhatsApp and catch-up service All4.

YouGov BrandIndex director Michael Stacey said: "Despite reports of Marks & Spencer enduring a troubling time, particularly with regards to fashion, our findings indicate that underlying brand perception remains strong among women - which could be key if retail conditions deteriorate in the months ahead, as some analysts expect.

"Tesco's comeback over the past year is reflected in its improving score, while Ikea's position as the go-to furniture retailer for female millennials seems secure.

"Naturally, a focal point for all the brands on the list is to use this positive impression to nurture a long-term customer relationship that enhances good times and helps them through tougher times."
Leaving the European Union without a deal on future trade arrangements would be "not only wrong but irresponsible", the head of the CBI has warned.

Paul Drechsler, the CBI president, said that if the UK was left to fall back on World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules after Brexit, it would open a Pandora's Box of unforeseen consequences for the economy.

In a keynote speech at the City Lord Mayor's business and investment dinner at Mansion House, Mr Drechsler warned that British firms would face tariffs on 90% of their exports to the EU without an agreement, as well as a raft of new regulatory hurdles to negotiate.

While some businesses were already preparing for such a "worst case scenario", others were unable to do so because the costs were too high, the CBI president stressed.

With Theresa May on course to invoke Article 50, marking the start of the formal process of withdrawal from the EU by the end of the month, Mr Drechsler highlighted the deep unease among the business community over what happens next. "Right now, it feels like we're just reaching the top of the Article 50 roller coaster," he added.

"Any minute now, maybe next week, maybe the week after that, we'll suddenly drop into the twists and turns of negotiations."

Businesses on both sides of the Channel, he said, were concerned at the implications for future trade if the Government is unable to reach a deal with the remaining 27 member states.

"We should be under no illusions about what this would really mean," Mr Drechsler added.

"A 'no deal' scenario would open a Pandora's Box of economic consequences.

"Here in the UK and across the continent, firms are worried about this worst-case scenario.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has quit the The New Celebrity Apprentice with a parting swipe at the show's former host Donald Trump.

The Hollywood star revealed he was leaving the US show after just one series following a number of public rows with the President.

In a statement he blamed the show's "baggage" for his decision to leave.

The programme, which Trump once hosted and has remained as an executive producer, finished its latest series with the poorest ratings of any of its celebrity incarnations.

Schwarzenegger blamed the divisive US leader for driving away viewers with his continued involvement which left a "bad taste".

In an interview with Empire he said people "don't want to participate as a spectator or as a sponsor or in any other way support the show".

He added: "It's a very divisive period now and I think this show got caught up in all that division."

In January, Trump taunted the former California governor over the show's latest series in a tweet. He r eferred to himself as a "ratings machine" and said Schwarzenegger "got "swamped" by comparison.

The Republican later said the show had been a "total disaster" since Schwarzenegger took over, with the actor responding by suggesting they should switch jobs.

In a statement on Friday, Schwarzenegger said: " I loved every second of working with NBC and (executive producer) Mark Burnett.

"Everyone, from the celebrities to the crew to the marketing department, was a straight 10, and I would absolutely work with all of them again on a show that doesn't have this baggage."
Actor Patrick Stewart said he asked "Washington insiders" what he could do about the US President

Sir Patrick Stewart has revealed he has applied for US citizenship in order to "fight and oppose" President Donald Trump.

The British actor said he had asked "Washington insiders" what he could do about the controversial US leader when visiting last month.

He told US show The View: " My wife and I, we had gone to Washington to see good friends of ours.

"We wanted to ask them 'what do we do, what do we do?"

Sir Patrick, 76, said: "All my friends in Washington said there is one thing you can do. Fight, fight, oppose, oppose."

"But I can't do it because I'm not a citizen.

"Maybe the only good thing from this election is I am now applying for citizenship because I want to be an American too."

Sir Patrick reprises his role as X-Men founder Professor X in Logan, which is out on Friday.
The son of Cilla Black has said the late star would be thrilled with her life story being turned into a musical and that he is working on the production partly for "selfish" reasons, because he misses her.

Black died of a stroke in August 2015 after falling and hitting her head at her Spanish villa at the age of 72.

Robert, the eldest of Black's three sons, appeared on ITV's This Morning to announce a casting call for the musical production. He said: "She would have loved it and it would have meant a lot to her."

Although the leading role has yet to be cast, Cilla, The Musical will tour the UK and kicks off in Liverpool in September.
The election could leave Stormont in mothballs, and James Brokenshire in charge

Welcome to limbo land. Northern Ireland is now stuck somewhere between devolution and direct rule. A no man's land.

It seems likely to remain there for some time, regardless of how the votes stack up at the counts today. We have no Stormont government and no budget.

There are now no ministers in charge of our departments. Civil servants will be effectively running the place.

We haven't been here before and we don't know how it will pan out. We're not just in a play with no ending. There's no script.

The chances are that Secretary of State James Brokenshire will increasingly move centre stage. He certainly has some major lines to deliver soon.

When he landed the Northern Ireland Office role last year, he cannot have imagined such a bright spotlight shining down on him.

His first move post-election is entirely predictable. He will announce a new round of inter-party talks aimed at restoring devolution.

After that there are at least three big calls to make in the weeks and possibly months ahead.

For starters - how far should he push the threat of another election?

According to the official timetable, a deal is needed inside a month. Failing that, we're back to the polls again.

Even the most starry-eyed optimist would struggle to predict a swift deal.

But the very thought of another election is enough to bring some of us to tears.

You can be certain the parties won't want it. It'll be another big drain on resources, for a start.

It can also be safely said that it would do nothing to build public confidence in politics and politicians.

The Secretary of State can push through legislation in Westminster to postpone an election. But does that not ease the pressure on the parties in negotiations? It's one of the few levers he has.

Get a deal or get your posters up again and get ready to knock more doors and explain yourselves.

The trouble is the parties might conclude he's bluffing.

How does he counter that? Carry out his threat? That's the first Brokenshire dilemma.

Now for the next one - how long can the limbo land be allowed to continue? This brings us to the lack of a budget. If a quick talks breakthrough seems a big ask, then what are the chances of a deal, a new Executive and an agreed budget by the end of this month? If that doesn't happen and direct rule isn't introduced, budgetary responsibility is passed to the senior Civil Service, principally the top official at the Department of Finance. Contrary to some misconceptions, civil servants would not set a fully-fledged budget in those circumstances.

Their powers in this area would effectively involve keeping the lights on - ensuring funding still flows to departments and public services. It's basically an emergency stopgap measure.

Don't expect civil servants to take radical decisions - like drastically slashing other departments to generously fund the health service, or raising revenue through the likes of hiking rates or increasing student fees.

Their room for manoeuvre will be limited.

They could even find themselves exposed to the threat of legal action. Supposing a department decides to restrict spending - in light of budget uncertainty for the year ahead and the fact that money will be tight whatever is finally decided on the political front.

Any move to cut funding for particular services or organisations could be challenged through a judicial review. Civil servants would have to explain to a judge their authority for taking decisions in the absence of ministers and political accountability.

Budget uncertainty is the enemy of good planning in government. That's particularly the case in the health service.

The timing certainly isn't good for the Department of Health, given its need for significant funding to meet ever-rising demand, implement the radical reforms envisioned in the Bengoa Report and tackle the growing waiting lists.

In short, the stopgap measure of civil servants in charge of Stormont finances is not sustainable if weeks of political stalemate turn into months and months.

So how and when does Brokenshire step in? That's dilemma two.

If the talks drag on without any sign of a breakthrough, how long does he let the uncertainty continue?

Could he, for example, opt for a "weekend of direct rule" to put through a budget and sort any other pressing business piling up in the in-tray?

Alternatively, he could opt for a return to fully fledged indefinite Westminster rule.

None of the main Stormont parties want that. The same goes for the London and Dublin.

I'm sure if you asked Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, they would all agree that direct rule is a very bad idea for Northern Ireland.

Given all this consensus, it's quite something that it's widely viewed as the most likely outcome, if not virtually inevitable.

The last time devolution collapsed back in 2002, it took almost five years to put the Assembly back together.

How long would it take this time around, given all that has happened?

That takes us quite neatly to Brokenshire's dilemma number three.

Do Assembly Members keep getting paid if devolution does not return? And if so, for how long? Would the threat of an imminent pay halt encourage a talks breakthrough?

The MLA salaries kept flowing, albeit at a reduced rate, throughout the period of suspension from 2002 to 2007.

But that was a different era, before austerity and before expenses scandals.

If the pay continues this time, my old colleagues in the Nolan Show could fill the programme for weeks on this one subject.

Obviously, stopping MLA salaries would not spark protests in the streets. But what signal would it send on the likely return of devolution?

Assembly Members would soon start seeking work elsewhere. The brightest and the best would be the first to snap up new jobs - leaving the task of restoring functioning devolved institutions all the more difficult.

This politics business is not straightforward. Particularly in Northern Ireland right now.

Today, all the focus will be on the poll results, after a bruising and divisive campaign.

But it may well be that the election was the easy bit.

Former Executive Press secretary David Gordon - in his first article since leaving the Stormont post - explains how politics is now stepping into the unknown. We'll shortly learn the election results. But what happens next?
Michelle ONeill jokes with her children Ryan and Saoirse as they sit in an election caravan parked outside Clonoe polling station. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

It's the final photo call of the election campaign. The debates, the hustings, the doorstepping, the mudslinging, that's all over. The die has been cast.

If not quite all the votes...

And yesterday it was time for our political leaders and personalities to step up to the box themselves and do their democratic business in style. Accompanied, outside their respective polling stations, by the traditional phalanx of cameras.

The smiles were determinedly in place. At this point, if they were feeling nerves, nobody was going to get a glimpse.

So as they turned out, presumably to cast their own vote for themselves, it was interesting to note the sartorial first preference choice.

Arlene Foster

The DUP leader opted for what could only be described as a great coat. And it was a great coat. In this weather you can't beat something woolly and warm and long and weatherproof. The coat was black matching her trousers. And her black leather gloves. It was a look that said 'authoritative'. Lightened only by the peek of a blue blouse at the neckline and a really lovely sparkly brooch which, you wonder, might have some sentimental significance, this was Arlene seemingly signalling: "I'm in charge." Or maybe just: "It's cold out there. I'm taking no chances."

MIchelle ONeill

The always-glamorous Michelle opted for a vibrant shade of red. As she almost always does. Red suits her. She knows it. In that sense, Sinn Fein's northern leader is not green. The coat, trimmed with a stripe of black, was like Arlene's - a wise, cold weather choice. A warm appeal to the voters? And again she chose sensible black trousers, although in her case accessorised with a pair of racy, stiletto boots with towering heels. Maybe a message there about heading for highest office? Among those accompanying her was her first-time voter son Ryan. He looked proud. First vote for your ma!

Naomi Long

Naomi doesn't need colour to stand out in the crowd. The Alliance leader has got that fabulous red hair. And casting her vote yesterday, she chose a comfy cardigan, not a coat. Obviously the weather isn't quite so chilly in East Belfast. As with Arlene and Michelle, no party political symbolism in colour choice here either. Naomi voted for a dazzling shade of turquoise which in fashion terms could be described as independent. Again paired with black trousers which is the closest we've seen in some time to cross-party consensus.

Mike Nesbitt

Mike chose a suit of near-enough sky blue. Which given the current weather would suggest a certain optimistic outlook. The tie was a neutral grey. Red (with the white shirt) may have seemed a bit too... well, Proddy. The suit was conservative. But a sharp cut. The UUP leader was accompanied by his son - another good looking young voter - and wife Lynda Bryans. Lynda, again, is a lady who always looks glamorous. And again, dressed for the cold, she had a long, black puffa jacket with a logo on the breast. A vote there for Ulster Rugby?

Colum Eastwood

Colum arrived at the polls (the third party leader, interestingly, to cast his vote west of the Bann) in a sharp suit that would not look out of place in the office. But the election message was fairly first preference in the tie which was in a strong shade of nationalist green. The SDLP leader's most gorgeous "accessory", however, was his little daughter Rosa. A politician hugging a beautiful little baby? You really can't beat that look, can you?

Eamonn McCann

The People Before Profit leader looked coolest on a cold day in his traditional choice of all black. It always works. Mr McCann looked a bit like an ageing 60s Parisian revolutionary. Although, to be honest, still slightly more Stormont than Sorbonne...

Jim Allister

TUV leader Jim, who has hitherto been as close as we've got to an opposition at Stormont, cast his vote alongside his wife, Ruth. He faced the North Antrim weather in a man-of-the-people style classic coat with a flouncy, flamboyant red, white and blue rosette pinned to the lapel. Ruth, who is obviously the more stylish of the McAllister pair, had chosen a lovely deep blue scarf to keep out the winter chill. Meanwhile, an Irish language activist showed up in a crocodile outfit... maybe the most appropriate outfit of all for this snap election.
The preliminary plat for an upcoming housing development project was approved by Mandan's planning and zoning commission on Monday.

Koch Construction Inc. purchased two parcels of land from the Wetzstein properties earlier this year. The northern parcel will consist of a housing development that will be underway later this year, according to David Patience, land development specialist with Swenson, Hagen & Co., P.C., an engineering firm representing Koch Construction Inc.

"This is just the first step in the overall project," said Bob Decker, Mandan's principal planner, as he explained the blueprint of the northern parcel of land purchased by Koch.

Patience said by the end of the summer there will be streets, gutters, storm sewers and construction on new houses. By the end on the summer phase one should be completely constructed, with the expectation of the houses, said Patience.

The southern parcel of land is near Crying Hill, once a place for mourning, sacred events and rituals among native tribes including the Mandan, Hidatsa, Lakota, Sioux and Arikara, according Mandan's Historical Society.

Patience added that a firm that does cultural resource studies and environmental aesthetics was hired to survey both parcels of land. A lot of artifacts were discovered in the southern parcel of land, according to Patience. The northern parcel where the proposed housing development will be located had little archaeological significance. The artifacts found on the south parcel cannot be named at this time according to Patience because the firm has to file the findings with the State Historical Society of North Dakota.

Scott Davis, the commissioner for Indian Affairs and a Mandan city commissioner said, As long as the archaeological study was done by tribe and approved by the tribe then Im happy with that.

According to the Paul Ticha, the chief archaeologist at the State Historical Society, they are waiting on an official report from Juniper Environmental Services, which is expected soon.

Calvin Grinnell, the historian for the Mandan-Hidatsa tribe, said hes seen some photos of what was found during the survey. Grinnell looks forward to participating in a possible walk through of the land in the spring.

City and planning and zoning Commissioner Shauna Laber said, "Our due diligence is between the primary plat and the final plat and making sure that everything that they (Koch) plan to do is appropriate and that it meets the needs of the city meaning that it meets the needs of the surrounding neighborhood."

Laber also said her main concern is the storm water master plan and ensuring that it is being handled correctly due to the landscape of the properties.

Area residents voiced their concerns about possible special assessments, easement issues, disturbance to the local wildlife and preserving the historical significance of the area during Monday's meeting.
They know their politics in Portadown, the town that straddles the River Bann and gives the constituency its Upper Bann label.

And so they should know their political onions. For North Armagh MP Colonel James Saunderson (1837-1921), whose statue dominates the town centre, famously declared in Westminster, "Home Rule may pass this House, but it will never pass the Bann Bridge in Portadown".

There have been many political spotlights in the town since - in more modern times, the Paisley 'no surrender rallies', the rise and fall of local MLA and First Minister David Trimble, and, course, the Drumcree stand-off.

Portadown has seen it all, and maybe the fact that the Northern Ireland constituencies are labelled as 'East of the Bann' and 'West of the Bann' gives the town a real importance in this unexpected polling season.

To the east of the river, the main body of pollsters inhabit loyalist areas, while in the west, it's more evenly split.

At Garvaghy Road, SDLP and Sinn Fein were vying for support, although there was a poster or two eulogising the UUP, while the 'far west' was solidly DUP versus UUP and there was little sign of cross-community support.

On the east side of the Bann, the loyalist voters were at variance, although there were signs of changing 'orange sides' as voting all round approached the 40% mark early evening.

First stop in the east was Edenderry polling station, where great-grandmother Ann Irvine (75) insisted that the election was "totally unnecessary".

"I've voted DUP all along," she said. "But there has been so much in-fighting and waste among this Assembly that I'm switching to the UUP and Jo-Anne Dobson and Doug Beattie. I've never missed a vote in my life but I'm fed up with the extremes of DUP and Sinn Fein."

Eric and Rachelle Browne admired the local UUP candidate Captain Doug Beattie MC and his distinguished military record, "but we can't bring ourselves to support his stand for mixed marriage".

At Garvaghy Road, Sinn Fein candidate John O'Dowd was on duty and - like all sides in Portadown - predicted a slightly higher turn-out than in May last year.

Voter Leanne Halfpenny believed the election was vital "to instil a spot of working-together. I only hope that it works out towards more genuine co-operation among the parties," she added.

SDLP worker Eamon McNeill - who stood in the 2014 council elections - is hoping that the middle parties emerge and "that the extreme parties lose out".

He admired the stance of UUP leader Mike Nesbitt towards cross-party voting.

Portadown has a 10% migrant population, and voting - "as I do every time" - was Jose Conceigao from East Timor. "I hope it settles down," was his only comment.

Still west of the Bann, and at the Hart Memorial polling station, the DUP's Jonny Buckley was canvassing. Pensioners Ann and Joe Donaldson were voting for DUP and UUP down the list. They claimed Mike Nesbitt's call was "folly and premature", and believed Buckley would top the poll in Portadown.

Engaged couple Elaine Blair and Andrew Coulter felt that Sinn Fein "manoeuvred the election". They felt there would be a few months of Direct Rule when "Britain will bring in water charges and bedroom taxes, SF will blame Westminster, and things will settle down to Stormont Rule."

Overall verdict? Little will change.
It was a tale of two halves in East Belfast yesterday where voters at polling stations less than a mile apart gave polar opposite views as they arrived to cast their votes.

On the Lower Newtownards Road there was a slow but steady flow of people around lunchtime arriving at the Dee Street Community Centre, beside the famous Welders Social Club - arguably the heartbeat of East Belfast loyalism.

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scandal may have dominated the media headlines for the last three months, but here voters were more outraged at the suggestion that a unionist would give their second preference vote to a nationalist.

Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt publicly declared his intention to give his second vote in East Belfast to SDLP candidate Seamas De Faoite after his own party's Andy Allen.

"Mike Nesbitt is off his rocker," said voter Margaret Barnes. "He's put me off. They have lost a transfer from me."

James McCarter was of a similar view when he emerged after casting his ballot: "Nesbitt put me off voting UUP, he shouldn't have said it."

DUP leader Arlene Foster may have likened Sinn Fein to crocodiles during the campaign, but yesterday in inner East Belfast they were the bogey men.

"There's shinners in there," one man told two elderly ladies as they made their way to the polling station, while other voters blamed Sinn Fein entirely for the election. One pensioner admitted she didn't quite follow all the detail of the RHI scandal, and that the only reason she was voting was to stop Sinn Fein getting the chance of nominating a First Minister.

Margaret Barnes said: "Everyone makes mistakes, it has been blown out of proportion."

But there was less forgiveness for Alliance leader Naomi Long who despite being from this area remains the focus of stern criticism, still blamed for the change of policy at Belfast City Hall where the Union flag is now only flown on statutory days instead of all year round - even though she was not a councillor when that decision was taken.

"She was born and reared in a kitchen house the same I was, but from when she went into politics, I haven't agreed with her. I refused to even take a leaflet with her picture on it when they came round the doors," a voter who did not wish to be named said.

"If she wants a vote down here she may put that flag back up."

Another voter who wished to be known as AM said she felt it was easier when there were just two candidates on the ballot paper.

DUP candidate David Douglas greeted all as they arrived, handing each a leaflet. He admitted the nerves were going to kick in that night and that when he was first selected to defend his father Sammy's Assembly seat, he was so nervous he couldn't eat for days.

However veteran PUP candidate John Kyle was taking it all in his stride as he visited Dee Street and seemed to be Mr Popular, with passing cars beeping as they spotted him and one woman shouting out the window "good luck John".

Over at Dundela Infants School, there was a very different mood. While RHI may have passed by the Lower Newtownards Road, it was very much on the minds of voters here.

"We are not talking tens of thousands at stake here, nor even hundreds of thousands or millions, but hundreds of millions," one local resident said. "Yet it is hard to make people accountable. We have got to do better, they have got our budget in their hands and it is up to them to manage that appropriately."

Phyllis Graham said: "I always vote, there is no use sitting and complaining if you don't do anything about it. Whether it will make any difference or not, who knows. But I think people are really fed up."
MLAs will be paid as normal, even if there is no agreement to restore the Executive

MLAs will be paid as normal, even if there is no agreement to restore the Executive.

As counting to decide who fills the 90 seats of the new, smaller Assembly got under way this morning, it was confirmed that, once elected, MLAs are entitled to receive their salaries and other financial assistance.

Secretary of State James Brokenshire is required to call another election if the parties fail to restore the Executive within a fortnight of the first sitting of the Assembly.

But there is speculation the Government will instead rush emergency legislation through Westminster effectively mothballing the Assembly  and in that scenario MLAs would continue to be paid.

Stormonts most senior former spin doctor, however, hinted that the Government could use the threat of stopping MLAs pay to boost the prospects of agreement between the parties.

Former Executive Press secretary David Gordon, who lost his job just over six months after being appointed in controversial circumstances by Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness, said there would be no protests in the streets if salaries were stopped.

Writing exclusively in this newspaper today, the former BBC NI Stephen Nolan Show editor asks: Would the threat of an imminent pay halt encourage a talks breakthrough?

If the pay continues this time, my old colleagues in the Nolan Show could fill the programme for weeks on this one subject.

But an Assembly spokesperson said: Once those elected to the Assembly sign the undertaking and the members roll, they are entitled to receive their salaries and all other financial assistance so that they may carry out their functions as a member.

These functions include all of their parliamentary and constituency duties.

The speculation over salaries comes on top of the revelation that the MLAs who lose their seats today will receive substantial payouts from the public purse.

Among them are several representatives who had already announced they would not be seeking re-election, including the DUPs Alistair Ross, Sinn Feins Caitriona Ruane and Catherine Seeley and Ulster Unionist Ross Hussey.

The so-called resettlement payments shared among 32 departing MLAs following last Mays Assembly election totalled 696,331, with further winding-up allowances of 471,151.

Former First Minister Peter Robinson received 58,318 after quitting his East Belfast seat, but the highest payment of 79,981 went to veteran ex-SDLP North Belfast MLA Alban Maginness.

Self-appointed public spending watchdog the Taxpayers Alliance said: Ratepayers will find it strange that so much of their cash can be paid out in so-called resettlement payments to those who lose their seats at the ballot box.

When hard-pressed families are struggling to make ends meet, it is incumbent on all areas of the public sector to cut out wasteful spending, and a system that rewards failure needs to be challenged and reviewed.

The first results from yesterdays election are expected by mid-afternoon, although the full picture of the make-up of the new Assembly will not emerge until tomorrow.

Legislation requires the newly elected representatives to meet for the first time within eight working days, so it is expected that the Assembly will not hold its inaugural meeting until Monday or Tuesday of the week after next, March 13 or 14.

From that point, the parties then have just 14 calendar days to form an Executive, after which the Government can call another election.

Mr Brokenshire has repeatedly emphasised that he is focused on securing the restoration of a strong and stable devolved government.

A UK Government spokesperson said last night: When the election is over, the parties have a duty to come together and find a way forward to govern together in the interests of Northern Ireland as a whole.

Key election issues
UUP leader Mike Nesbitt pictured at the Park Avenue hotel in Belfast as he announces that he will be stepping down as party leader. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye.

Mike Nesbitt dramatically resigned as leader of Ulster Unionist Party following a dismal showing at the election.

And asked - almost instantly - if he would consider running for leader, the returned Upper Bann MLA Doug Beattie ruled it out "for now".

After almost five years in office Mike Nesbitt left an election count in Newtownards to announce his resignation. It came as the party looked like it was dropping from 16 to around 11 seats.

A day of disaster included the loss of former deputy Danny Kennedy and Jo-Anne Dobson. Others to lose their seats included Philip Smith, Harold McKee and Jenny Palmer.

The party's AGM is in two weeks time. Mr Nesbitt said he planned to stay on as an MLA.

Mr Nesbitt said it would be "the height of hypocrisy" if he was to stay on after criticising Arlene Foster for failing to take responsibility over the RHI scandal in recent months.

Alongside wife Lynda he declined to take questions.

In front of the Press at a Belfast hotel, Mr Nesbitt said: "We all know why we are here and I will make my statement and leave the stage.

"I have of course been reflecting on the implications of today's results for the party and for me as leader both in pure terms and contextually.

"When I say contextually I mean that I have been criticising another party leader for three months for not taking responsibility for actions that occurred on their watch.

Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Doug Beattie UUP leader Mike Nesbitt pictured at the Park Avenue hotel in Belfast as he announces that he will be stepping down as party leader. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye. UUP leader Mike Nesbitt pictured at the Park Avenue hotel in Belfast as he announces that he will be stepping down as party leader. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye. / Facebook

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"So it would be the height of hypocrisy if I did not take full responsibility for the results today for the Ulster Unionists.

"The buck stops here."

Nesbitt's campaign pledge to transfer a second preference vote to the nationalist SDLP appears to have been his undoing, with unionist voters clearly not keen on him voicing support for any candidate that favoured a united Ireland.

With the UUP failing to make any ground on the DUP, and losing a number of high-profile seats, the former TV anchor fell on his sword.

He said that he will remain in position while his successor is found.

"I led into this election, I was the one who argued it should be a referendum on RHI and on the 10 years of Sinn Fein and DUP leading our Executive," he said.

"I am the one who suggested people would vote on performance and the DUP and Sinn Fein did not earn another mandate. And I was the one that said this should be Northern Ireland's first post-sectarian election based on the economy, health, housing and education.

"The electorate disagreed and did not give me a mandate big enough for me to feel justified to continue so I shall not."

He added: "The results indicate that this society is more polarised than ever than it is committed to a shared future. Northern Ireland will vote in a normal democracy, it will vote in a post-sectarian election.

"It is now clear that will not happen in my political life-time."

Mr Nesbitt said it had been an "absolute honour" to lead the party.

Doug Beattie reacting said he was sorry over the resignation of a "personal friend".

He ruled out "right now" putting his name in the hat for the job, saying he had only heard about it 10 minutes earlier but said things could change.

"I only just heard about this 10 minutes earlier and I have not even spoken to Mike yet. So at this stage I have no intention."

He added: "Mike is a noble man and has taken it on his shoulders a poor showing for the Ulster Unionists. I wish he hadn't and instead stayed on to steady the ship.

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Photo by Peter Morrison / PressEye Wednesday 8th March 2017 DUP Leader Arlene Foster and Simon Hamilton pictured at Sormont Castle in Belfast. Picture By: Arthur Allison - Pacemaker Press Belfast 08-03-2017 Sinn Fein's leadership team pictured talking to the media at Stormont Castle, in Belfast. Sinn Fein MLAs left their brief meeting with Secretary of State James Brokenshire. Picture By: Arthur Allison: Pacemaker Press Belfast Sinn Fein's leadership team pictured talking to the media at Stormont Castle, in Belfast. Sinn Fein MLAs left their brief meeting with Secretary of State James Brokenshire. Picture By: Arthur Allison. Secretary of State James Brokenshire pictured at Sormont Castle in Belfast. Picture By: Arthur Allison. Pacemaker Press Belfast Pictured DUP Leader Arlene Foster addresses the media accompanied by party deputy Nigel Dodds Picture: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Sinn Fein holding a press conference on the first working day after the recent Election. Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire is to meet Stormont party leaders later to try to persuade them to form a new power-sharing executive. Pictured Gerry Adams waves to a group of Chinese tourist from Shanghai visiting Stormont as the Sinn Fein Electoral team pose for photos of the steps of Parliament Buildings. Picture: Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry speaks to the Media with party members Kellie Armstrong and Stewart Dickson at Stormont on Monday , following the recent election results at the weekend. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood with Party MLA's speak to the media at Stormont on Monday, following the recent election results at the weekend. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press 06/03/2017 Tom Elliott and Mike Nesbitt from the UUP speak to the media at Stormont on Monday , following the recent election results at the weekend. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press 06/03/2017 Northern Ireland parties return to Stormont after last eek's Assembly election. Sinn Fein's president Gerry Adams meets school children on the steps of Stormont's Parliament Buildings, east Belfast. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Northern Ireland parties return to Stormont after last eek's Assembly election. Sinn Fein's president Gerry Adams pictured going past a portrait of the former First Minister and DUP leader Ian Paisley as he leads his party to talk to the media on the steps of Stormont's Parliament Buildings, east Belfast. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Northern Ireland parties return to Stormont after last eek's Assembly election. Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill meets school children on the steps of Stormont's Parliament Buildings, east Belfast. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Pictured Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams and Michelle O'Neill looking towards the image of the late Ian Paisley hanging in the Great Hall before holding a press conference. Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX DUP Leader Arlene Foster pictured with Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds at Stormont on the first day back to the Assembly after the Elections. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye. Sinn Fein President and Michelle O'Neill with Party MLA's during a media Call at Stormont Pacemaker Press Belfast 06-03-2017: DUP Leader Arlene Foster pictured with Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds at Stormont in Belfast on the first day back to the Assembly after the Elections. Picture By: Arthur Allison. Sinn Fein's leadership team , Michelle O'Neill and Gerry Adams speak to the media during a press conference on the Falls road in West Belfast. Photo by Peter Morrison / PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 4 March 2017 - Sinn Fein's leadership team , Michelle O'Neill, Mary Lou McDonald and Gerry Adams take a selfie following a press conference on the Falls road in West Belfast. Photo by Peter Morrison / PressEye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 4 March 2017 - Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams take a selfie following a press conference on the Falls road in West Belfast. Photo by Peter Morrison / PressEye DUP party chairman Lord Morrow (right) with DUP leader Arlene Foster at Omagh count centre as he failed to be re-elected in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. PA PA DUP party chairman Lord Morrow (left) with DUP leader Arlene Foster at Omagh count centre as he failed to be re-elected in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA Sinn Fein candidate for Fermanagh South Tyrone Sean Lynch celebrates at the Omagh count centre having been deemed elected in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA Returned Green Party MLA Clare Bailey (right) celebrates with supporters at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast at the Northern Ireland Assembly election count. PA PA Returned Green Party MLA Clare Bailey (centre) celebrates with supporters at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast at the Northern Ireland Assembly election count. PA PA Returned SDLP MLA Nicola Mallon celebrates with supporters at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast at the Northern Ireland Assembly election count. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA OMAGH, NORTHERN IRELAND - MARCH 03: Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew (R), Sean Lynch (C) and Jemma Dolan (L) celebrate winning their three seats in the Fermanagh South Tyrone election as the Northern Ireland Stormont election count takes place on March 3, 2017 in Omagh, Northern Ireland. Voters went to the polls for the second time in 10 months after the collapse of the power sharing executive government. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images Sinn Fein candidates for Fermanage South Tyrone Jemma Dolan (left), Sean Lynch and Michelle Gildernew at the Omagh count centre having been deemed elected in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA Returned UUP MLA Andy Allen speaks with media at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast at the Northern Ireland Assembly election count. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Leader Arlene Foster celebrates as she is elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly at the count centre in Omagh, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, on March 3, 2017. Northern Ireland has voted in snap elections to resolve a political crisis fuelled by bad blood and Brexit, which is testing the delicate peace in the British province. / AFP PHOTO / Paul FAITHPAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - MARCH 03: Orlaithi Flynn stands for a photograph after Sinn Fein won four seats in West Belfast in the Northern Ireland assembly election on March 3, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A snap election was called following the resignation of the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuiness, with indications showing that voter turnout yesterday was considerably higher than in May last year. Voters went to the polls yesterday for the second time in 10 months after the collapse of the power sharing executive government. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images DUP candidates William Humphrey and Nelson McCausland at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast for the Northern Ireland Election count. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA UUP Party Leader Mike Nesbitt, followed by his wife Lynda Bryans and son PJ Nesbitt, after announcing his resignation at the Park Avenue Hotel, after his party failed to make a breakthrough in the Northern Ireland Assembly election. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill speaks to members of the media after arriving at the count centre for the Northern Ireland Assembly elections in Belfast, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, on March 3, 2017. Northern Ireland has voted in snap elections to resolve a political crisis fuelled by bad blood and Brexit, which is testing the delicate peace in the British province. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL MCERLANEPAUL MCERLANE/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Democratic Unionist party leader and former First Minister Arlene Foster consoles Lord Morrow who lost his seat in the Northern Ireland Stormont election count. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. UUP candidate for east Belfast Andy Allen pictured after being successfully elected. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Alliance Party candidate for south Belfast Paula Bradshaw pictured after being successfully elected. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 03 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Omagh Leisure Complex for West Tyrone and Fermanagh & South Tyrone constituencies. Rosemary Barton, UUP speaking after her election result. Picture by Trevor Lucy / Press Eye. Press Eye  Belfast - Northern Ireland 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey for East Antrim and South Antrim constituencies. Danny Kinahan MP Photo by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye  Press Eye  Belfast - Northern Ireland 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey for East Antrim and South Antrim constituencies. Paul Girvan DUP with his wife Mandy (Centre) and Daughter Victoria Photo by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye  Press Eye  Belfast - Northern Ireland 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey for East Antrim and South Antrim constituencies. Paul Girvan, DUP elected for South Antrim Photo by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye  Mark H. Durkan and his wife Anne celebrate after he is re-elected, on his birthday, as an MLA for Foyle at the count in the Foyle Arena. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com Sinn Fein candidates in Belfast West MLA's celebrate with Fra McCann, Orlaith Flynn, Pat Sheehan, and Alex Maskey holding up four fingers during their declaration speech at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast. Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA Returned SDLP MLA Alex Attwood during his declaration speech at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast during the Northern Ireland Election count. Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA Returned DUP MLA Paula Bradley (centre) speaking with media at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast for the 2017 Northern Ireland Assembly election count. Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA Sinn Fein Leader in the North Michelle O'Neill (right) speaking at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena. Niall Carson/PA Wire PA OMAGH, NORTHERN IRELAND - MARCH 03: Democratic Unionist party leader and former First Minister Arlene Foster makes her acceptance speech as the Northern Ireland Stormont election count takes place on March 3, 2017 in Omagh, Northern Ireland. Voters went to the polls yesterday for the second time in 10 months after the collapse of the power sharing executive government. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Getty Images DUP leader Arlene Foster speaking at Omagh count centre during the Northern Ireland Assembly elections. Brian Lawless/PA Wire PA NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Omagh Leisure Complex for West Tyrone and Fermanagh & South Tyrone constituencies. Sean Lynch, Sinn Fein pictured at the count. Picture by Trevor Lucy / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Banbridge Leisure Centre for Newry & Armagh and Upper Bann constituencies. Dolores Kelly of the SDLP celebrates after being elected. Photo by Tony Hendron / Press Eye. NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. DUP candidate for north Belfast Nelson McCausland pictured after he is eliminated from the count and fails to be elected. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. UUP leader Mike Nesbitt pictured at the Park Avenue hotel in Belfast as he announces that he will be stepping down as party leader. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Banbridge Leisure Centre for Newry & Armagh and Upper Bann constituencies. The Dup's Jonathan Buckley, left, celebrates being elected with fellow MLA, Carla Lockhart and Upper Bann MP, David Simpson. Photo by Tony Hendron / Press Eye. Count at Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey for East Antrim and South Antrim constituencies. Mark Cosgrove with John Stewart UUP Photo by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye  NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Banbridge Leisure Centre for Newry & Armagh and Upper Bann constituencies. The Old And The New...Outgoing DUP MLA, Sydney Anderson, left, and his replacement, Jonathan Buckley celebrate. Photo by Tony Hendron / Press Eye. NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. DUP candidate for south Belfast Emma Little-Pengelly(left) with DUP candidate for north Belfast Nelson McCausland. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Belfast west successful candidates are officially announced. The SDLP's Alex Attwood, who was elected, pictured on the declaration podium after the successful candidates were officially elected. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Omagh Leisure Complex for West Tyrone and Fermanagh & South Tyrone constituencies. Arlene Foster, DUP pictured during the announcement that she has been re-elected. Picture by Trevor Lucy / Press Eye. NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Foyle Arena in Derry for Foyle and East Londonderry constituencies. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood pictured at the count. Phoo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. Lorcan Doherty NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams talks to the media as he arrives at the count centre. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Left to right. SDLP candidate for north Belfast Nichola Mallon and SDLP candidate for west Belfast Alex Attwood. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena for North Antrim and Mid Ulster constituencies. Photo by John McIlwaine / Press Eye Sinn Fein candidates Linda Dillon and Ian Milne are congratulated by party leader Michelle O'Neill and Francey Molloy after their election to Mid Ulster on the third count Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Foyle Arena in Derry for Foyle and East Londonderry constituencies. Eamonn McCann, People Before Profit Alliance, and partner Goretti Horgan, pictured at the count. Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. Lorcan Doherty Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Foyle Arena in Derry for Foyle and East Londonderry constituencies. Elisha McCallion and Raymond McCartney, Sinn Fein, pictured at the count. Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. Lorcan Doherty Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister during the counting of ballot papers at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena, in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. PA Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Banbridge Leisure Centre for Newry & Armagh and Upper Bann constituencies. Danny Kennedy (UUP Newry/Armagh) pictured at the count. Photo by Tony Hendron / Press Eye. Carla Lockhart elected for Upper Bann, pictured with her husband Rodney Condell and mother and father Valerie and kenneth Lockhart. Picture Matt Bohill pacemaker People before Profits Gerry Carroll at the Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast on Friday for Belfast North, South East and West constituencies Assembly Election Count. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Omagh Leisure Complex for West Tyrone and Fermanagh & South Tyrone constituencies. Michaela Boyle, Sinn Fein and Barry McElduff, Sinn Fein pictured after the election results for West Tyrone. Picture by Trevor Lucy / Press Eye. NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Omagh Leisure Complex for West Tyrone and Fermanagh & South Tyrone constituencies. Thomas Buchanan, DUP pictured after the West Tyrone results were announced. Picture by Trevor Lucy / Press Eye. Lisburn Leisure Plex - Election Count - 3rd march 2017 Photograph by Declan Roughan Paul Givan elected - (L-R) Edwin Poots, Paul Givan, Uel Mackin and Alan Givan. Lisburn Leisure Plex - Election Count - 3rd march 2017 Photograph by Declan Roughan Paul Givan elected, arm raised by Uel Mackin. NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Alliance party leader and eat Belfast candidate Naomi Long(centre) celebrates with party colleagues after she tops the poll. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Alliance party leader and eat Belfast candidate Naomi Long(centre) celebrates with party colleagues after she tops the poll. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Michelle O'Neill pictured after topping the poll in Mid Ulster with 10258 votes. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye. Michelle O'Neill pictured after topping the poll in Mid Ulster with 10258 votes. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye. Mairtin O'Muilleoir celebrates his win in South Belfast PACEMAKER BELFAST 03/03/2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Sinn Fein candidate for west Belfast Orlaithi Flynn(centre) celebrates with party colleagues after she is elected. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Omagh Leisure Complex for West Tyrone and Fermanagh & South Tyrone constituencies. Arlene Foster, DUP arriving at the Omagh Leisure Complex for the results of the count. Picture by Trevor Lucy / Press Eye. NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Sinn Fein candidate for west Belfast Orlaithi Flynn(centre) celebrates with party colleagues after she is elected. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Ballots are counted in Ballymena, County Antrim for North Antrim and Mid-Ulster. Sinn Fein's Michelle ONeill arrives at the count centre with candidates Ian Milne and Linda Dillon. Picture By: Arthur Allison. Pacemaker Sinn Fein's Michelle ONeill arrives at the count centre with candidates Ian Milne and Linda Dillon. Picture By: Arthur Allison. Pacemaker Sinn Fein's Michelle ONeill arrives at the count centre with candidates Ian Milne and Linda Dillon and MP Francey Molloy Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye. Ballots are counted in Ballymena, County Antrim for North Antrim and Mid-Ulster. Sinn Fein's Michelle ONeill arrives at the count centre with candidates Ian Milne and Linda Dillon. Picture By: Arthur Allison. Pacemaker Counting gets underway at the Titanic Exhibition centre. Results for Belfast East, North, South and West are expected in by mid afternoon on Friday. Pic Pacemaker Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Lagan Valley Leisureplex in Lisburn for Lagan Valley and South Down constituencies. Paul Givan pictured at the count. Photo by Philip Magowan / Press Eye. Philip Magowan Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - Counting gets under way at the NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena for North Antrim and Mid Ulster constituencies. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye. PACEMAKER BELFAST 0303/2017 Counting gets underway at the Titanic Exhibition centre. Results for Belfast East, North, South and West are expected in by mid afternoon on Friday. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Lagan Valley Leisureplex in Lisburn for Lagan Valley and South Down constituencies. Brenda Hale pictured at the count. Photo by Philip Magowan / Press Eye. Philip Magowan NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena for North Antrim and Mid Ulster constituencies. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena for North Antrim and Mid Ulster constituencies. Jim Allister TUV candidate pictured at the count. Photo by Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye  Belfast - Northern Ireland 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey for East Antrim and South Antrim constituencies. Photo by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye  Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Aurora Leisure Complex in Bangor for Strangford and North Down constituencies. Steven Agnew (second right) leader of the Green Party watching the verification of the North Down vote. Photo by Brian Little / Press Eye. Counting underway in the Seven Towers Leisure Centre for the North Antrim and Mid Ulster seats in the Northern Ireland assembly election on March 3, 2017 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images Assembly Election 2017 Count at Aurora Leisure Complex in Bangor for Strangford and North Down constituencies. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Aurora Leisure Complex in Bangor for Strangford and North Down constituencies. Verification of the Strangford and North Down vote starts. Photo by Brian Little / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Banbridge Leisure Centre for Newry & Armagh and Upper Bann constituencies. DUP Councillor, Darryn Causby and SDLP hopeful Dolores Kelly pictured at the count. Photo by Tony Hendron / Press Eye. BALLYMENA, NORTHERN IRELAND - MARCH 03: Counting gets underway in the Seven Towers Leisure Centre for the North Antrim and Mid Ulster seats in the Northern Ireland assembly election on March 3, 2017 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. A snap election was called following the resignation of the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuiness, with indications showing that voter turnout was considerably higher than in May last year. The first declarations are expected around lunchtime today. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images Counting continues at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena, in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 3, 2017. This is the second contest in less than a year and early indications are that turnout has been higher than expected. See PA story ULSTER Election. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies.The boxes are opened for the count. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast for Belfast East, Belfast North, Belfast South and Belfast West constituencies. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Aurora Leisure Complex in Bangor for Strangford and North Down constituencies. Steven Agnew (second right) leader of the Green Party watching the verification of the North Down vote. Photo by Brian Little / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Lagan Valley Leisureplex in Lisburn for Lagan Valley and South Down constituencies. Sammy Morrison pictured at the count. Photo by Philip Magowan / Press Eye. Philip Magowan Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 3 March 2017 - NI Assembly Election 2017 Count at Lagan Valley Leisureplex in Lisburn for Lagan Valley and South Down constituencies. Brenda Hale and Paul Rankin pictured at the count. Photo by Philip Magowan / Press Eye. Philip Magowan Counting begins at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena, in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. Friday March 3, 2017. PA Counting begins at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena, in Northern Ireland's Assembly election. Friday March 3, 2017. PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp DUP leader Arlene Foster and party member Simon Hamilton MLA speak to the media before talks at Stormont Castle. Photo by Peter Morrison / PressEye Wednesday 8th March 2017

"He was the one who took the brave decision to take us into Opposition.

"I was only elected to the Assembly eight months ago. I am pretty new to politics and have an awful lot to learn and need to do some good work, an apprenticeship of sorts. So I am not the right man to lead the UUP at this time."

>>Live results centre - select a constituency - every result as it happens - North Antrim - East Antrim - South Antrim - North Belfast - East Belfast - South Belfast - West Belfast - Strangford - South Down - Lagan Valley - Upper Bann - Newry and Armagh - Fermanagh & South Tyrone - West Tyrone - Mid Ulster - East Londonderry - Foyle - North Down
Former Finance Minister Mairtin O Muilleoir accused the DUP of a "dark and fearful" election campaign as he romped home in South Belfast with an increased vote.

It came as DUP candidates Christopher Stalford and Emma Little Pengelly were left with an anxious wait until the very end of the count to discover whether they had successfully defended their seats.

Ms Little Pengelly conceded defeat shortly after 1am this morning, saying she "hasn't done enough" to be elected, even though the result had not been declared.

The urban constituency proved to be one of the slowest counts in Northern Ireland, with just three MLAs deemed elected by 10.30pm.

The SDLP's Claire Hanna polled strongly, and was second elected at stage six, although the party's vote was simply not strong enough to realise its hope of reclaiming its second seat lost by Fearghal McKinney last year.

The Alliance Party is likely to be pleased with a strong performance from candidate Paula Bradshaw, who was elected along with Ms Hanna at stage six.

However, all eyes were on the DUP and Green Party in the epic battle for the final two seats in the constituency.

There was little to separate Mr Stalford and Ms Little Pengelly, with the Greens' Clare Bailey just behind them.

Last night there was speculation that the DUP may lose out, with Ms Bailey more likely to benefit with transfers from Alliance and the SDLP.

Ms Bailey was one of just two Green MLAs along with Steven Agnew who were elected to the Assembly just eight months ago.

Last night she admitted feeling extreme nerves about the result, and told the Belfast Telegraph that she felt it was too close to call.

There was a loud cheer from Sinn Fein supporters after the first count as it was revealed that Mr O Muilleoir had received 7,610 votes - well up on the 5,207 he got last year.

The jubilant Sinn Fein man was the only candidate to reach the 7,176 quota.

Mr O Muilleoir said he did not expect the extra 2,000 votes, but said he believed they came from different parts of the political spectrum.

"It's a vote that reaches wider than the republican and nationalist community in South Belfast, although they came out in big numbers, very ebullient and determined not to be knocked around," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"I would like to think my vote was a peace-building vote.

"It was ethnic minorities, peace makers, the gay community, arts community - a broad spectrum, a rainbow coalition saying they want to stand up for equality.

"There is now a real united nations vote in South Belfast like never before, that's particularly following the Brexit vote.

"People voted for the bright future I put forward instead of the dark and fearful past that the DUP offered."

He added that he thought his surplus vote went mostly to the SDLP and Green Party.

Results centre - select a constituency - North Antrim - East Antrim - South Antrim - North Belfast - East Belfast - South Belfast - West Belfast - Strangford - South Down - Lagan Valley - Upper Bann - Newry and Armagh - Fermanagh & South Tyrone - West Tyrone - Mid Ulster - East Londonderry - Foyle - North Down
The counting process begins at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena

Michelle O'Neill, leader of Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland, celebrates winning her seat at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre in Ballymena

UUP leader Mike Nesbitt announces his resignation at the Park Avenue Hotel, Belfast, after his party failed to make a breakthrough in the Northern Ireland Assembly election

The Stormont election is set to deliver a significant boost to Irish nationalism at the expense of unionists.

Sinn Fein's vote has surged and the republicans could come within a seat or two of drawing level with the DUP - a party that came into the snap election holding 10 more seats.

Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt announced his resignation after his party suffered losses in a poll he predicted would deliver big gains.

Whatever the final shakedown when the counts conclude on Saturday, unionist representatives are unlikely to hold a symbolic overall majority in the slimmed-down Assembly chamber. They are still set to secure more seats than nationalists and republicans - given the number of cross-community Assembly members - but the gap will have narrowed sharply.

While Mr Nesbitt held his Assembly seat, other high-profile MLAs were not so lucky.

The SDLP's Alex Attwood, the UUP's Danny Kennedy, and the DUP's Nelson McCausland and Lord Morrow were four former Executive ministers who failed to secure a return to a Stormont legislature that is being cut from 108 to 90 members.

Away from Mr Nesbitt's dramatic announcement, the story of the election has been the surge in support for Sinn Fein.

The republican party came extremely close to securing more first preference votes than the long-time largest party, the DUP.

While the DUP saw its vote dip, the travails of the UUP means it is still set to reaffirm its position as the main voice of unionism .

Party insiders will take some solace from that, given so much of the election campaign was focused on the party's handling of a botched green energy scheme.

With the UUP failing to make any ground on the DUP, former TV anchor Mr Nesbitt fell on his sword.

His campaign pledge to transfer a second preference vote to the nationalist SDLP appears to have been his undoing, with unionist voters clearly not keen on him voicing support for any candidate who favoured a united Ireland.

Indicating that he will remain in position while his successor is found, Mr Nesbitt said it had been an "absolute honour" to lead the party.

"In pure terms, the buck stops here," he said.

He said his real regret was that Northern Ireland society appeared to have emerged from the election more polarised.

Mr Nesbitt said the electorate had rejected his hope for a post-sectarian vote.

"We will get there," he said. "Some day Northern Ireland will vote as a normal democracy. We will vote in a post-sectarian election, but it's now clear it will not happen during the duration of my political career."

Mr Nesbitt will remain a Strangford MLA.

Sinn Fein's northern leader Michelle O'Neill said: "I think it's a brilliant day for equality, I think it's a great day for democracy.

"I want to particularly commend all of our candidates that have been elected.

"The vote has increased. I think that is because people knew that action needed to be taken, they have had their say, we now need to get down to the business of fixing what's wrong and delivering for all citizens."

The poll was forced after Sinn Fein pulled the plug on the powersharing institutions in protest at DUP first minister Arlene Foster's handling of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) - an error-ridden scheme that left Stormont facing a potential overspend of almost 500 million.

The campaign exposed other major policy disputes between the parties.

After being elected in her Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency, Mrs Foster said: "I think it's very clear that was absolutely not about RHI. It may have been the excuse but it certainly wasn't the cause of the election.

"The cause of the election was Sinn Fein and republicanism wanting to rerun the election, they have mobilised their vote in a very effective way.

"I am pleased that the DUP has come out as the largest party in terms of votes. It is very clear in terms of unionism that it is the Democratic Unionist Party that speaks for unionism."

She added: "I do hope devolution will get back up and running as quickly as possible."

The DUP and Sinn Fein will have three weeks to resolve their multiple differences and form a new administration.

The re-imposition of direct rule from London is on the cards if the post-election talks fail.

If the three-week post-election deadline passes, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire is legally obliged to call yet another election.

In those circumstances, the Government may pass emergency legislation to suspend devolution for the first time in 10 years ahead of more lengthy negotiations.
Ballymena man is alleged to have stolen alcohol from Lidl.

A man has been banned from every Lidl store in Northern Ireland as part of bail conditions after he was charged with stealing a 13.50 bottle of vodka from one of their outlets.

Czech national Bedrick Wagner (37), of Clarence Street, Ballymena, is alleged to have stolen the alcohol on February 8.

A police officer said he believed he could connect him to the charge and the case was adjourned until March 16.

At Ballymena Magistrates Court, District Judge Peter King released the accused on his own bail of 500 with a condition that he is not to enter any Lidl store in Northern Ireland.
A man accused of stealing 2,700 in an alleged "breach of trust" case at a Co Antrim Royal British Legion is denying the charges.

Kenneth MacDowell (57), whose address was previously given as Circular Road in Larne, faces five charges of stealing cash from the town's Legion in 2014 and 2015.

He is also accused of the burglary of the Royal British Legion office in Larne's Point Street.

MacDowell's address is now listed as Dalharco Avenue in Patna near the Scottish town of Ayr.

He appeared at Ballymena Magistrates Court yesterday where he pleaded not guilty.

He is accused of stealing 700 from the Larne Legion between March 9 and April 1, 2014.

On February 28, 2015, he is accused of stealing 589.65 cash and on March 4 two years ago it is alleged he stole 194.35 cash.

The fourth charge relates to 280.80 cash allegedly stolen on April 2, 2015, and the fifth is that he stole 140 in cash from the Legion on March 18, 2015.

It is also alleged that on April 12, 2015, having entered as a trespasser an office within the Royal British Legion, Point Street, Larne, he stole two cheques.

A prosecutor said the case involved a total amount of 2,700 and was an alleged "breach of trust" matter.

The prosecutor said when all aggravating factors were considered a directing officer with the Public Prosecution Service decided the case should be dealt with in the magistrates court.

In court MacDowell elected to have the case dealt with at the magistrates court.

However, District Judge Peter King said it was an alleged breach of trust case involving a charity and he directed it should be sent to the Crown Court.

The case was adjourned for a preliminary enquiry - the legal step to send it to the Crown Court - at the end of March.
Either of my loyal readers may vouch that Ive been doing some volunteer legislator educating for Youthworks and mental health advocates. Then again, maybe they wont.

But thats what Ive been doing with my spare time along with teaching a class of people my age how to lobby our Legislature. For the record, the Legislature just finished crossover (all the Senate bills have passed to the House and vice versa) and the class has ended but Im happy to say that both my students are still engaged in the issues they decided to tackle (theyve even testified at hearings and buttoned-holed legislators, etc.).

As I look back over my career I guess I could say that I really enjoy helping people. My resume got underway when I was a psychiatric technician at the Jamestown State Hospital. I was one of those guys in white who spent eight hours a day with the patients. Outside of retirement it was probably the most fun job I had because I really got to know my patients and them me. I could have been fired for this but at the time I was also a full-time college student known to carry my books to work and it wasnt uncommon for me to hand the keys to my ward over to my patients. There were many times when Id be studying and a couple trustworthy patients would let me know that someone was at that door and theyd be happy to get it for me, all they needed were my keys, and no, they never took advantage of me.

My second career job was working at a reform school in Golden, Colo., called Lookout Mountain School for Boys. This wasnt a fun job, rather it was a place filled with kids whose least crime was six counts of armed robbery and a couple of 14-year-old murderers. It was a tough place where there were too many nights when I was really happy to get home. Once the kids initiated me, through various trials including assaults on me, I gained their respect and we got along well and most of the stories I have from there are rather hair-raising.

From there I became the clinical director for what used to be the N.D. State Industrial School (todays YCC) and after over three years there I landed a job as the executive for the Police Youth Bureau and if can say anything about all these jobs the more things change the more they remain the same. I saw a lot of misery and over time nothing people did to each other surprised me.

Ive forgotten more than I can recall about this phase of my life but as I listen to todays behavioral health professionals the problems they face are familiar. The services are much more defined than back in my day. Back then there were no such things as child protection teams, peer-to-peer counseling and such. Rather we were it. At PYB we handled the kids and their families for the cops, at YCC we took care of the kids who were interested in harming themselves or others, and we were all they had. There were a couple group homes, and detention centers, but not much else, and in retrospect all I can do is hope that my efforts resulted in more good than harm.

Today things are a bit different in the sense that those working with troubled families have a lot more tools available. Great strides have been made in understanding such things as the biological processes of depression and many other mental disorders. The spectrum of mental illness and the ensuing treatments are much better defined. This has resulted in better individualized approaches to care but, as usual there are quite a few systemic hitches that still need addressing and thats what Ive been focusing on this session

The Legislature has been studying this issue for three bienniums and their consultants have repeatedly informed them that their behavioral health system is in crisis. So far theyve been able to take some baby steps toward improving things. As usual the problem is money. Basically we have folks calling the suicide hotlines and being told to wait until they can get an appointment to help. In essence their caseloads are overloaded and the services available are either stuffed or nonexistent.

So the real problem is that the Legislatures plans for tomorrow arent taking care of the needs today and they know it. The behavioral health advocates have bent over backward in their attempt to keep legislators informed of the needs. The facts they present are rather damning and its my considered opinion that our leaders need to establish a solid foundation and build on it over the coming bienniums. The Legislature needs to at least implement a good faith effort to address this crisis before it gets worse. So Ive been walking the halls of our Capitol talking to our leaders and I guess well see what happens.

But back to my beginning; like I was saying about my students, both of them were surprised to see how easy it was to participate in the legislative process. Not only did they sit through hearings, they testified, they talked face- to-face with legislators, they asked questions, expressed their concerns and felt like they were welcomed to participate by everyone around them. Ive always been rather proud of North Dakotas citizen Legislature and it was really cool to watch others affirm such pride.

Heres hoping that you find ways to stay engaged in the of, for and by "the people" part of our Constitution.
Northern Ireland is losing two babies every week to stillbirth  a figure branded as "totally unacceptable" by a national bereavement charity.

And although the overall infant death toll has shown a slight downward trend in recent years, the Stillborn and Neonatal Death Society (Sands) said it remains alarmingly high, with 15 babies dying in the UK every day.

Sands Northern Ireland co-ordinator Steven Guy has urged politicians to support a forthcoming national campaign to find ways of further reducing the death toll by improving care, and easing the heartbreak of affected parents.

"There are two of these tragic events in Northern Ireland every week and the national figure remains totally unacceptable. We have to improve that," said Mr Guy, who lost daughter Danielle to stillbirth 24 years ago.

"There were 17 babies dying every day in the UK from stillbirth or neonatal death in 2009; there are 15 now. We must bring that number down."

Figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency show that there were 76 stillbirths here in 2015 - but Mr Guy claims the true figure is around 100 a year.

"There is a grey area where babies who die at, say, 23 weeks plus a number of days are not officially recorded as stillborn," he said.

"But we in Sands are recognising them as just that."

In official terms, stillbirth is the loss of a baby before birth, with death occurring in the womb or during labour, on or after the 24th week of pregnancy.

Belfast woman Alanna Salter, who lost her first child to stillbirth nearly two years ago, said the anguish associated with the experience was "indescribable".

In a moving interview in the Belfast Telegraph today, Mrs Salter also spoke of the trauma of having to go through with the birth of baby Isobel Olivia, whom she knew was already dead.

And the 33-year-old described the medics' decision to refuse her an immediate Caesarian section as "barbaric".

She and husband Simon were also sent home for 24 hours - it would have been 48 if they hadn't complained - after learning that Olivia had died in the womb due to what was diagnosed later as a rare placenta failure.

And, despite being in a private room in the Royal Victoria - one of four Northern Ireland hospitals without a bereavement suite for parents - there was little privacy to grieve, with the sound of healthy newborns coming through the walls.

Later, when family members came to visit the heartbroken couple, they were forced to "walk through a corridor full of balloons and everyone being happy".

Also, no one had prepared them for the additional anguish of seeing little Olivia's scarred body after it was returned to them following the post-mortem. Alanna and Simon have now set up a website to support other parents who have had similar, harrowing experiences.

Simon (33) said: "We didn't make an official complaint to the hospital but we made a report of everything and went through it with them afterwards."

In a statement, the Belfast Trust said the Royal Jubilee Maternity staff "fully recognised how sad and difficult a time this has been" for the couple.

The Department of Health said that the new maternity hospital at the Royal will include four "quiet" delivery rooms, which will be used by mothers and their partners in the event of bereavement.

"The new neonatology unit will have 15 single rooms for seriously ill babies, which will afford both privacy and dignity for end-of-life care," a statement said.

"Western Health and Social Care Trust have been working with Sands on the design and planning of a bereavement suite in Altnagelvin." Former Health Minister Michelle O'Neill said she was "very conscious of the tragedy and trauma caused to families by the loss of a baby".

"The implementation by the health and social care system of my department's maternity strategy is helping ensure high quality services across the North and reduce preventable tragedies," she said.

"However, unfortunately some losses are not preventable. In those circumstances, the importance of advice, information and support for families cannot be understated."

Mr Guy said Sands had been working tirelessly with the trusts and health professionals to improve conditions for parents who are confronted with these heartrending ordeals.

He also said a national campaign will be launched later this year to highlight that 15 babies are stillborn every day across the UK.

Medical journal The Lancet said the UK's stillbirth rate of about one in 200 births was one of the worst among the world's richest nations, ranking 21 out of 35, and behind poorer countries like Poland, Croatia and Slovakia.

The Sands NI helpline can be contacted on 07740 993450.
The Northern Ireland Executive has failed in its legal duty to adopt an Irish language strategy, a High Court judge ruled today.

Mr Justice Maguire held the administration to be in breach of a requirement imposed under decade-old legislation.

He said: "It cannot have been the intention of Parliament that after nearly 10 years from the coming into force of the Act in 2007 this obligation would remain unfulfilled."

His verdict came in a challenge mounted by campaign group Conradh na Gaeilge.

The body issued judicial review proceedings over a failure to comply with a pledge stretching back to the 2006 St Andrews Agreement.

Its lawyers argued that the Executive is in breach of a statutory duty and sought an order that it must implement plans for enhancing and protecting the language's development.

They also claimed the power-sharing regime has done nothing about its ongoing obligation since rejecting a blueprint in 2015.

A 20-year strategy for Irish was published at that time following consultation by former Culture Minister Caral ni Chuilin.

Counsel for Conradh na Gaeilge contended that the failure to take any further steps contravenes the 1998 Northern Ireland Act.

She insisted the Executive cannot be allowed to do nothing after rejecting that strategy.

The court also heard that the government is committed to implementing a European Charter for Regional or Minority Lanaguages.

A barrister representing the Executive countered that there had been no "inertia" on the issue.

He also rejected any suggestion of a "sham process" and maintained that the draft strategy was properly assessed.

But Mr Justice Maguire held there had been more than a reasonable time for the Executive Committee to perform its obligation.

He agreed to make a declaration that it has failed to adopt a strategy, in breach of a statutory duty under the Northern Ireland Act.

"It cannot escape its obligation by seeking to blame others," he said.

"The Executive Committee remains the key body which has been at the centre of the delivery of government in Northern Ireland and it cannot simply avoid doing what the law requires."

Parliament would have been aware of the difficulties in finding a political consensus for devising a strategy to enhance and develop the Irish language in Northern Ireland, he acknowledged.

Despite this, the judge said it had imposed the statutory obligation on Stormont to implement rather than merely consider a blueprint.

He concluded: "The result, after nearly 10 years, is that the purpose of section 28D (of the Act) to require the Executive Committee to adopt a strategy as aforesaid has been frustrated and section 28D has been robbed of any practical effect."
Victims campaigners last night branded the system for dealing with paramilitary threats "mayhem", claiming terrified families don't know where to turn.

This week police revealed they were dealing with a new death threat from paramilitaries every day.

The revelation came just days after news of a 14-year-old girl being ordered from her home by dissident republicans in west Belfast. But as the threats carry on coming, say experts in the field, the system for those on the receiving end is in disarray.

"It's mayhem at the minute," said victims' campaigner Raymond McCord. "As the police admit, there are people getting threats every day but they don't know where to turn. There are so many agencies who deal with one part or another, people get passed from pillar to post and they don't know where to go."

With a number of voluntary organisations and statutory agencies involved in different ways, from emotional and psychological support to practical help with funding and relocation, navigating their way to safety can be incredibly daunting - and confusing - for people already afraid for their lives.

The PSNI plays a significant part, as Supt Norman Haslett explained when speaking on the subject earlier this week.

Indeed, in many cases it is the police who pass the bad news on to people who are subject to a threat. But according to insiders, their involvement is often minimal after that.

One community worker said: "It's frustrating because while the police are usually the ones to drop off the threats in the first place, after they leave, in many cases, that's it. They hand over a letter and a booklet advising people to step up their security, and leave them to it."

The police say they have a "duty to protect life and to prevent the commission of offences".

Different tactical options are considered depending on the case, and once they have definite knowledge of a threat to someone's life they'll "take all reasonable steps to protect the person whose life is in 'real and immediate danger'".

John (58), not his real name, was shot in the legs, hip, chest, back, right arm and face by republicans in the 1970s. He was then subject to three paramilitary threats since 2008 - twice by loyalists for being a Catholic in their area and most recently by dissidents after he fled to the New Lodge when a known drug dealer was seen at his home in 2013.

"The police came to tell me I was under threat and dropped off a personal safety booklet," he said. "It said things like 'don't leave the lights on at night if you're walking past the windows, don't do the same thing every day'. They said they'd step up patrols round the house, but I didn't see any difference and I didn't feel secure."

Without help from the PSNI, John went to Mr McCord for advice. "Raymond went to the paramilitaries to discuss my options - to meet them and get a bullet in the leg, or get out," said John. "He told them I'd had a house secured and I'd be moving out of the area as soon as possible. Luckily they agreed. Unfortunately, it took two years for the house to be ready so I spent all that time locked up on my own in the house. I was terrified. I lost weight, bolted the doors every time anyone came to see me, I was in a state of panic."

When it comes to mediation with paramilitaries on behalf of people under threat, the PSNI simply doesn't do it. It's left to community organisations and volunteers like Mr McCord.

He said: "People think it's extreme to meet paramilitaries, but it can make a big difference. Sometimes when a threat comes the organisations will say this person is getting shot, that's it. But after negotiation with the family they'll be allowed to come to some arrangement. Surely that's better than having some young kid killed or left with life-changing injuries?"

Another vital element in the process is getting 'under threat' families moved, which is where the Housing Executive and crisis intervention project Base 2 come in. Base 2, as well as the PSNI, health professionals and other community groups, can make a case to the Housing Executive that intimidation is a real issue. But even when 'intimidation points' are taken on board, the process isn't quick.

According to Housing Executive figures, 288 applicants were moved in 2016 because of paramilitary intimidation - and on average it took eight months to rehouse them. It said these people would be offered temporary accommodation in the meantime, adding: "It is the individual's choice whether they wish to accept this or make their own arrangements."

But a Belfast-based community worker said that wasn't good enough. "They're waiting eight months to get rehoused, so what do they do in the meantime?" he said. "Stay where they are with a threat hanging over them, go to temporary accommodation only to move again, or rely on family far away to take them in? It's too much for people to cope with."

In some cases, under threat families have gone to extreme lengths to sort out problems for themselves. "I've heard of one woman whose only option after her son got threatened was to move to an area the whole family didn't want to go, so she made an arrangement that instead of moving away, her son would get shot," said the volunteer. "That is an extreme example, but that's how bad it can be. People are really desperate."

When youngsters under 18 are involved the process is especially complicated and social services step in. In some cases they will assist with relocating families.

Mr McCord added: "It's such a complicated situation that it's no good politicians saying paramilitary threats shouldn't be happening. The fact is they are. Yes, they need to stop, but in the meantime we've got to work harder to get threats lifted so people can live without fear of being hurt or sent away from their families. What I'm doing works, but there are a lot of people at the minute, and more every week, who are finding themselves in this terrifying situation and they need practical, effective help. I want to give that to them, but I need real backing."
A woman working in a bank's fraud department took 25,000 from a customer's account, the High Court was told yesterday.

Belfast-based Alina Cepoi claims she transferred the funds from the victim's savings under duress from a Romanian drug dealer, a judge was told.

The man has links with Romanian gypsies and caused the accused to fear for the safety of her elderly grandmother in her native country, it was claimed.

Prosecutors said searches of her home after bosses at the Halifax uncovered the alleged scam also led to the recovery of up to 6,000 of cocaine.

The 26-year-old Romanian national, of Woodstock Road in Belfast, faces charges of fraud by abuse of position and possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply.

Denying bail, the judge ruled that Cepoi's connections with Romania and Spain increased the risk of absconding.
Buckingham Palace has been told to reject a proposal to name a Newtownabbey play park in honour of Prince William, the Belfast Telegraph has learned.

An Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council committee will hear on Monday that the Royal Cabinet Office has denied permission to name the New Mossley play park 'Prince William Park'.

The loyalist housing estate's 100,000 play park at Ballyearl Drive hit the headlines after councillors revealed in 2013 that among the names suggested for the park by local people in a consultation exercise were the 'Lenny Murphy Play Park', and the 'UVF Recreational Centre'.

Murphy was leader of the notorious loyalist Shankill Butcher gang, who were responsible for the deaths of at least 23 people between 1975 and 1982.

But the most popular suggestion put forward was 'Prince William Park', which the Council then referred on to the Royal Cabinet Office.

The office advises the Sovereign on the use of Royal names on buildings and facilities.

Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Montgomery, who chairs the Council's Operations Committee, said he was disappointed at the decision not to grant the name change.

"We have to respect that decision - and hopefully at some stage in the future if there is a chance to name parts of the area appropriately, we would again apply and hope that generous consideration would be given to that request," he said.

Another UUP councillor, Mark Cosgrove - who was closely involved with the play park naming proposal - vowed that the rejection would not be the end of the matter.

"I'm taking this as a conditional refusal," he said.

"I think we have got to go back and provide some further evidence of the Royal links to New Mossley area - Prince Charles opened our civic centre in Mossley Mill, for example.

"This should not deter us from continuing to seek Royal assent, and we should continue to push for those links to be proven.

"It's a setback. But we're not going to give up," he vowed.

There is something of a tradition in the Newtownabbey borough for bestowing Royal place names, such as Prince Charles Way, Queen's Park and Jubilee Way.

The UUP councillor said he remained hopeful and said: "If not, we will have to come up with something else that the community can buy into.

"So I'm disappointed, but this is not the end of the matter as far as I am concerned.

"Community workers in the area are a bit disappointed, but they feel that we should continue to push for a Royal link," he added.

Mr Cosgrove vehemently condemned any suggestion that the park could ever have been called after one of the Shankill Butcher gang.

"No-one of any repute in the community would ever have dreamed of calling the park after Lenny Murphy.

"I think that was a sarcastic comment because of the situation in Newry, where a play park was named after an IRA terrorist.

"There is no way constitutional unionism would ever ask for a piece of council property to be named like that.

"That would be disgusting to most people," the councillor added.
The father of Lisa Orsi - whose organs saved several lives in the wake of her untimely death after climbing an Asian volcano - has backed a commemorative sculpture that encourages others to sign up to become a donor.

Dennis Orsi and his family are preparing to mark the second anniversary of the Londonderry woman's death - at just 22 - on Monday.

Lisa fell critically ill while on holiday in Indonesia. She suffered from extreme altitude sickness while climbing a volcano.

Mr Orsi described the decision by Derry and Strabane Council and the Western Trust to place a permanent sculpture in St Columb's Park in the Waterside in tribute to organ donors such as Lisa as "wonderful".

The sculpture is part of a wider plan to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first heart transplant operation, performed in Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town in 1967.

Mr Orsi said: "I think this is a wonderful idea that will mark publicly the incredible contribution made by organ donors in saving lives, and also enhancing the quality of life for many more.

"I cannot begin to describe how immensely proud I am that my fantastic daughter, despite her young age, had already made her wishes to become an organ donor clear before her death.

"While I would do anything to have Lisa still with us, it is a comfort to know that so many other families have been spared grief because of her brave decision.

"I would absolutely encourage all families to have that conversation - difficult and all as it might be - because if and when the time comes, knowing that you are carrying out the wishes of the person you love does ease the burden."

Karen McFarland, the Council's director of Health and Communities, said: "There is no greater gift that can be given than that of the gift of life to someone. Those who have saved lives through organ and tissue donation and transportation should be recognised and supported in our city and district and a prominent sculpture in the city marking this is appropriate.

"St Columb's Park is a place of beauty and tranquillity, a perfect setting for the new sculpture."

Teresa Molloy, chairwoman of the Organ Donation Committee at the Western Trust, said donors should be publicly and formally recognised within our hospitals or ideally in public spaces like St Columb's Park.

She said: "Approximately 7,000 people require an organ transplant annually in the United Kingdom. Sadly three patients per day and 1,000 people per year die before an organ becomes available. Therefore, the decision to donate and thereby gift life after death is an act that rightly deserves recognition."
Nearly two-thirds of people are in favour of a soft opt-out system for organ donation in Northern Ireland, a survey has found.

However, it showed we have lower levels of support for the system compared to England and Scotland.

The British Medical Association (BMA) questioned people across the three nations to gauge support for the introduction of a soft opt-out system.

Under such a scheme, people would have to register that they do not want their organs used to help save lives in the event of their death.

Even under a soft opt-out system, medics would still seek the permission of the next of kin before organs are used for transplant operations.

The system was introduced in Wales in December 2015 and figures released by the Welsh government in June the following year revealed the scheme had saved dozens of lives in the six months since its introduction.

According to the findings of the BMA survey, which questioned 2,011 people, 60% in Northern Ireland were in favour of a soft opt-out scheme being introduced here. This compared to 68% in Scotland, 68% in the south east of England, 61% in the Midlands, 63% in north England and 73% in the south west.

The survey also revealed that Northern Ireland had one of the highest rates of people willing to donate their organs in the event of their death out of the regions questioned, with 59%.

Only Scotland had a higher rate, with 63% of respondents stating they were happy for their organs to be used in the event of their death.

Last year an attempt by UUP Upper Bann candidate Jo-Anne Dobson to introduce a soft-opt out system in Northern Ireland was defeated.

It came after a number of high profile transplant doctors spoke out against the scheme.

Dr Paul Glover, the regional clinical lead of organ donation, said he believed such a move in isolation would be unhelpful and potentially damaging.

Dr Glover said it was important people are educated about the importance of organ donation and that they discuss their wishes with their loved ones.

However, responding to the findings of the BMA survey, Ms Dobson said she was extremely heartened by the results.

"I have a very personal reason for backing a change in our organ donation laws," she said.

"And that is my son Mark, whose life was saved because of the selfless generosity of others.

"I ask people who remain sceptical about updating our organ donation laws one very simple question - if you were in the position of needing a transplant to save your life, would you say yes and accept it?

"If the answer to this question is yes, then the soft opt-out system makes sense."
A limited number of copies of Softly Spoken are available free of charge at the Holywell Trust, Bishop Street, Derry

Women who suffered during the Troubles have told their stories in a new book.

Softly Spoken was inspired by a chance conversation between Catherine Cooke of Foyle Women's Information Network in Londonderry and a woman who had been tarred and feathered.

Public humiliation befell many women from the nationalist community who dated British soldiers.

For many of those who contributed to Softly Spoken, the fear felt then is still so real that they spoke anonymously.

One, the wife of a former member of the B Specials and UDR, wrote: "When we got married in 1967 my husband was in the B Specials, then they were disbanded and he joined the UDR, and then he was in the Royal Irish.

"My husband said it was either go into the UDR or go into a paramilitary organisation.

"The first UDR man to lose his life was Winston Donnell, whom we knew very well. The more people who were killed, the more you wondered who was going to be next.

"In Castlederg there is a cemetery with 28 or 29 UDR and RUC graves. My husband and I knew them all.

"They were dark days, very dark. Some people say to forget about the past but they have not got a clue about the heartache that is out there within the families who lost their loved ones, some of whom were tortured before they were brutally murdered, and most of these murders go unsolved to this day."

Rosemary McCormick Lawlor lost her brother aged 17 after he was shot by a soldier.

She wrote: "I grew up in Ballymurphy in Belfast - a community that was totally and utterly brutalised during the Troubles.

"My brother Eamon was shot by the British Army and that impacted on all of us for years and years, it still does.

"The life that I had planned with my husband in our own home that we bought in Seaforde Street bringing up our own family ended after Eamon died, because my daddy begged us to move back to Ballymurphy, because my mother just could not cope."

Rosemary agreed to take part in the book as she felt it important for women from across the divide to share their stories.

But the woman who inspired the book didn't feel able to contribute due to her fear and shame at being tied to a lamppost and tarred and feathered.

Ms Cooke said: "This experience left her deeply traumatised and ashamed. Unfortunately, this particular story has eluded us. But thanks to the Executive Office who funded the project, the stories of women that may never otherwise have been heard have been documented."
North Dakota Secretary of State Al Jaeger urged lawmakers Thursday to make what he considers a small but important change in statute to formally recognize a part of the state Capitol by its official name.

Jaeger told member of the House Political Subdivisions Committee that Senate Bill 2334 would place an official designation of Memorial Hall, located on the first floor of the state Capitol, in statute.

Memorial Hall, in the bill that totals eight lines of text, is referred to as the area on the first floor of the state Capitol from the legislative hall to the brass columns to the east of the double stairway.

Jaeger said the common reference to the area is the Great Hall, which long predates his time in office and often has been used in older publications.

This mistaken reference has happened even though, since at least 1932, the historical record is clear, said Jaeger, who provided packets to committee members containing background information including photocopies of the original floor plans for the existing Capitol. The original building burned to the ground in December 1930 and the existing building was completed in 1934.

Jaeger pointed to how the original floor plans refer to Memorial Hall. He added that the term Great Hall was coined decades ago but no one really knows where it originated.

I feel very strongly about it, Jaeger said.

In jest, Rep. Andrew Maragos, R-Minot, suggested a compromise.

How about if you call it the Great Memorial Hall? Maragos said.

SB2334 passed the Senate on Feb. 3 by a 45-0 vote.
A High Court judge is to decide whether doctors can withdraw life-support treatment from a baby boy who suffers from a rare genetic condition and is unable to cry.

Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London say seven-month-old Charlie Gard should move to a palliative care regime.

Charlie's parents disagree. Postman Chris Gard, 32, and Connie Yates, 31, of Bedfont, London, want to take their son to a hospital in America where they hope he can get pioneering treatment.

A judge examined preliminary issues in the case at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London on Friday.

Mr Justice Francis said issues would be fully analysed at a hearing in early April.

The judge said the case was tragic and offered his sympathy to Charlie's parents.

He said everyone involved had Charlie's best interests at heart.

The judge sat in open court.

He said everyone involved could be named because information about the case had emerged prior to the hearing.

The judge heard that Charlie, who was born on August 4 2016, had a form of mitochondrial disease - a condition which causes progressive muscle weakness.

A barrister representing doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital gave some detail of the little boy's difficulties.

Katie Gollop QC said Charlie could not cry and was deaf.

She said doctors thought that a withdrawal of life support treatment would be in Charlie's best interests and told the judge: "The hospital's position is that every day that passes is a day that is not in the child's best interests."

Ms Gollop said Great Ormond Street specialists had considered the type of treatment Charlie's parents wanted him to have in America and decided not to adopt it.

Barrister Sophia Roper, who represents Charlie's parents, told the judge: "His parents believe that he is in much better shape than the hospital does."

Mr Justice Francis heard that an American hospital had agreed to accept Charlie as a patient if treatment could be paid for.

The judge was told that Charlie's parents were trying to raise money.

He heard Charlie would have to fly in an air ambulance with nurses if he went to America.

Lawyers said a hospital in Spain had decided against accepting him as a patient.

Mr Justice Francis said Charlie's parents were "utterly devoted" to him.

The judge said the couple had his "deepest sympathy".

"It is the most tragic situation," he said.

"This is one of the saddest types of case that comes before this court."
David Davis said Britain exports goods worth 230 billion euro (200 billion) to the EU

Brexit Secretary David Davis said a future free trade agreement the UK seeks with the European Union is "massively important to both sides".

Mr Davis was speaking after meeting Slovak prime minister Robert Fico on Friday.

He said Britain exports goods worth 230 billion euro (200 billion) to the EU while EU nations export goods worth 290 billion euro (250 billion) to the UK.

Mr Davis said a recent investment of Jaguar Land Rover in Slovakia is "a component of that co-process... we want to preserve, enlarge and encourage".

He also said the Government wants to assure Slovak citizens in Britain "they will have equally good arrangements in the future as they have now".

AP
Jeff Sessions acted after revelations that he twice spoke with the Russian ambassador during the campaign (AP)

President Donald Trump has called for "an immediate investigation" into senior Democrat Charles Schumer's ties to Russian resident Vladimir Putin.

The president tweeted a photo of the two men holding coffee and doughnuts at a New York City petrol station and called the Senate Minority Leader "a total hypocrite".

Mr Trump did not say where the photo came from but Mr Schumer quickly pointed out that it was taken in 2003 when Mr Putin ventured to New York to celebrate the opening of a Russian-owned Lukoil petrol station in Manhattan.

Mr Schumer, in his own tweet, said he would "happily talk" under oath about his meeting with Mr Putin, which took place "in full view of press and public".

He then challenged Mr Trump to do the same and a short time later posted a follow-up in which he further poked fun at the photo, noting: "And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts."

On the same trip to the United States in 2003, Mr Putin travelled to Camp David, Maryland, where he met with Republican president George W Bush and the two held a joint news conference.

Mr Trump's tweet came just hours after the conservative website Drudge Report made the photo its lead image.

And that was a day after the photo was unearthed by the pro-Trump blog Gateway Pundit, which ran it with the headline "Where's the outrage?"

Trump targeted congressional Democrats for their encounters with Russians over the years even though the party's criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions centred on his failure to acknowledge his meetings when questioned at his Senate confirmation hearing and in written responses to the Judiciary Committee.

"I think he was asked a pretty straightforward question at his committee hearing and I do think he should resign," Senator Bernie Sanders said in an interview.

Mr Trump also tweeted on Friday about House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who was among the first to call for Mr Sessions to resign.

In his tweet, Mr Trump linked to a 2010 photo in which Ms Pelosi and other lawmakers are shown meeting with Russian officials, including then-president Dmitry Medvedev and ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Mr Trump demanded an investigation of the House minority leader. Ms Pelosi had initially denied ever meeting Mr Kislyak but her spokeswoman later clarified that they never had a one-on-one meeting.

Ms Pelosi then needled Trump by saying he did not "know the difference" between an official meeting photographed by the press and a "secret" meeting that Mr Sessions "lied about under oath".

Mr Sessions said on Thursday he would recuse himself from Russia probes after it was revealed that he had conversed with Russia's ambassador twice during last year's campaign, a contradiction of his testimony during his Senate confirmation hearings.

But that move has not satisfied many Democrats, who have called for Mr Sessions's resignation. They also demanded an independent investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia.

AP
The spokesman said the commander was the man who accompanied US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl when he was handed over to US authorities in 2014 (AP)

A top commander of the militant Haqqani network has been killed in a suspected US drone strike in the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan, a Taliban spokesman said.

The spokesman said the commander was the man who accompanied US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl when he was handed over to US authorities in 2014.

He identified the man as Qari Abdullah, saying he died in the "area of Khost".

Pakistani intelligence officials had earlier said a suspected US strike hit in Pakistan's lawless tribal region bordering Afghanistan's Khost, a Haqqani stronghold, killing two militants.

The Taliban spokesman would not confirm whether it was the same strike. A senior Pakistani official also confirmed Abdullah's identity.

Abdullah escorted Mr Bergdahl to the US military helicopter that was sent to pick him up.

Mr Bergdahl, who faces a court martial hearing on charges of desertion and misbehaviour in front of the enemy, was freed in exchange for five Taliban members who had been held at the US prison on Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, since 2002.

He is accused of endangering his comrades when he walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009. He is scheduled for trial in April and could face life in prison.

On February 24, a US military judge dismissed a request from Mr Bergdahl's defence lawyers to drop the charges.

They argued that comments made by President Donald Trump during the presidential election campaign in which he blasted Mr Bergdahl as a "traitor" prejudiced the trial.

The freed Taliban members were sent to the Middle Eastern state of Qatar where the Taliban have established their political office. Since their freedom they have kept a low profile.

Among them are Mohammed Fazl, former Taliban chief of army staff and deputy defence minister; Abdul Haq Wasi, who served as the Taliban deputy minister of intelligence; and Mullah Norullah Nori, described as one of the most significant former Taliban officials held at Guantanamo.

He has been accused of ordering the massacre of thousands of Shiite Muslims.

The other two Taliban members are Khairullah Khairkhwa, who was the Taliban governor of Herat province, the largest and most important province in western Afghanistan, as well as a friend of former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, and Mohammed Nabi, who worked as a radio operator for the Taliban's communications office in Kabul.

Pakistan's tribal regions have been the scene of CIA drone strikes and Pakistani army operations in recent years as militants fleeing from Afghanistan set up sanctuaries there.

Thousands of foreign and domestic militants have also been killed there since Islamabad became an ally of Washington in the war on terror.

After a 2014 offensive, Pakistan said it regained control of the area, which had also served as the headquarters of the Taliban and al Qaida.

However, both Afghanistan and Pakistan accuse the other of harbouring militants on their territory.

AP
The election is over and people have had their say. However, it is striking how little discussion there was in the pre-election debates about the scourge of paramilitary violence, which is still very much with us. Stock image

The election is over and people have had their say. However, it is striking how little discussion there was in the pre-election debates about the scourge of paramilitary violence, which is still very much with us.

This is ironic, to say the least, when one considers that the last weeks of the election campaign witnessed two murder bids on police officers, as well as punishment-style shootings and the expulsions of children, and a couple in their 50s who were brutally attacked in their home by paramilitaries.

In today's paper we also carry stories about the victims and survivors of our pervading violence.

But all these people received scant, if any, mention in the leaders' television debates and the campaign in general.

In the last leaders' BBC debate, which attracted a large audience, there was a degree of edginess that made for good television, but there was no detailed discussion of paramilitary violence.

In fact, Michelle O'Neill of Sinn Fein managed to face both ways by attending a commemoration in her home village of Clonoe in Co Tyrone for four IRA men shot dead by the SAS, while just a few days later she was outlining an anti-sectarian campaign. Loyalist paramilitarism did not feature strongly in the campaign either, and there was no mention of UDA leader Dee Stitt's membership of Charter NI, which received substantial funding from the Stormont administration.

At another level, Northern Ireland Secretary of State James Brokenshire has been accused of dragging his heels in producing a framework to deal with the past.

Have we still got no further forward on this emotive subject?

It seems as if we have become conditioned almost subconsciously to an "acceptable" level of violence, given the rate of punishment shootings and other dissident attacks, even if these are substantially fewer than before.

These are still unacceptable in terms of normalising society.

In any other part of the UK they would lead the news agenda for days.

The only tolerance we can have for violence must be zero tolerance.

If and when our MLAs reconvene at Stormont, with packed inboxes, they must find the time - and more importantly the will - to address this distressing and intractable problem that has defied any solution thus far.
For political anoraks, the next few days will be as if all their birthdays and Christmasses have come at once. The votes have been cast. Now begins all the excitement of the counts and recounts. The pundits will get to parse and analyse every tiny shift of opinion. The statisticians will crunch those numbers to their heart's content. There will be drama, especially with fewer seats up for grabs than in previous elections. High profile names are bound to lose their seats.

Outside political and media circles who thrive on this stuff, most people will probably look back at Election 2017 and wonder: What was that all about?

Stormont will look different, if only by virtue of being smaller, but the balance of power between the DUP and Sinn Fein will likely stay unchanged, and the same horse trading will go on behind closed doors to resolve the same issues until whatever new deal is cobbled together is unveiled as the latest in a string of fresh starts.

Alternatively, Humpty Dumpty won't be glued back together again and the election will have been for nothing anyway. Either way, what was the point?

That's not to say nothing has been learned from this campaign, though, the most significant of which may turn out to be that Arlene Foster is not as big a character as we thought, or perhaps hoped, she might become.

The once and (probably) future First Minister had a huge opportunity to take personal control of Northern Irish politics after her victory last year, putting the foundations in place to dominate for a long time to come, as Prime Minister Theresa May looks set to do in Britain.

The Tory leader has had a shorter time available in which to do it too, but seems to grasp instinctively that longevity comes from bolstering the centre then moving out to capture adjoining ground from your opponents.

Mrs Foster, by contrast, never grew into that bigger role, and spent much of this election retreating into an ideological ghetto, making her party look smaller and meaner than it should be at this point in its history.

Polling day was her focus rather than all the days that will follow it, and she made the fatal mistake of letting her opponents define her.

Her partners in the Executive have shown themselves to be equally short sighted. Sinn Fein brought down the power-sharing Government in a blaze of indignant glory. Having done so, they evidently didn't have the first clue what to do next.

With a new leader at the helm, SF should have been raring to go at this election, full of innovative ideas as to the way forward, ready to propel Michelle O'Neill to the same endorsement at the ballot box that Arlene received in May last year.

In truth, SF's pitch for power has been predictable and insipid. O'Neill was a highly competent minister, but as a leader she came across in the campaign as a dutiful figurehead for a yet unknown purpose, not a radical leader ready to grab SF by the scruff of the neck and prepare it for the future rather than reflexively defending the past.

This was a chance to showcase who she is and what she stands for, but she's surely as much of an enigma to the electorate now as she ever was.

So was the whole collapse of Stormont just a grandiose retirement present for outgoing deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness? Is SF really that cynical?

The SDLP didn't exactly stamp itself on this election either. Colum Eastwood is a nimble, superficially skilful leader; but whilst he may have the passion of a young prize fighter, he's exposed himself as lacking the technique that's needed in the political ring.

He just bounces around a lot, jabbing the air, whilst the party's reliance on a stream of establishment figures from down South, who came up to help, accentuated the impression that the SDLP doesn't have a plan of its own, but just wants someone to hold its hand, as if swapping Unionist over-reliance on London with Nationalist over-reliance on Dublin would be any improvement.

The one new thing we definitely did learn over these past few weeks on the stump is that Naomi Long's shiny new Alliance Party, far from being the paragons of civic virtue that they long (pun intended) to appear, can get down and dirty with the best of them, as supposedly secret messages from the party's inner circles showed them plotting to flood BBC airwaves with anonymous trained parrots squawking the party line.

This was undoubtedly satisfying for those who've found themselves on the receiving end of one of the holier than thou brigade's moral lectures, but it was also the strongest symbol of a familiar, depressing truth that was repeatedly laid bare by this election - there are no white knights; no one's riding to the rescue.

This is all we've got, and we're stuck with it, not least because the squeezing of smaller parties such as People Before Profit has knocked on the head any illusions of an emergence of a new politics locally.

The Ulster Unionists, for their part, end this election looking more and more like a one man band, built around the still uncertain personal appeal of Mike Nesbitt; but his campaign did highlight another grim truth, which is that breaking the sectarian mould is as far away than ever.

Nesbitt found himself on the ropes after revealing that he would be transferring his own vote to the SDLP.It's the logical thing to do if the two main Opposition parties genuinely want to break the dysfunctional DUP/SF stranglehold; but it was too much, too soon for some, proving again that the biggest lesson Northern Ireland ever learns is that lessons here are never learned. Far from it. History, as the philosopher Nietzsche famously said, simply keeps repeating itself - first time as tragedy, and the second time as farce.

Right now we're in the farce stage. It seems ludicrous to believe that tragedy could re-emerge, but that's what they thought in the former Yugoslavia too. Sectarian tensions were supposed to have been overcome there, but it turned out they were dormant, not dead.

The last thing we needed was another trip to the ballot box to prove the same holds true here too, but that's what happened all the same. In return, voters received another powerful reminder that elections generally solve nothing in Northern Ireland, they're just things you do when you've run out of other ideas.

But sure, we knew that already.
Committee rooms and legislative chambers were filled again beginning Wednesday with debate and discussion after a few days silence as lawmakers returned from their mid-session crossover break.

Lawmakers are waiting for a March 9 updated state revenue forecast before finalizing the 2017-19 state budget. A $512 million budget gap remains to be reconciled, which leaders have characterized as manageable and in line with past gaps at crossover.

In the meantime, members of both chambers are working to pass a number of bills to the governors desk. After crossover, there were 278 bills that had passed out of the House from a total of 434 bills introduced. Fourteen of 32 resolutions have made it through the House.

For the Senate, 249 bills out of 344 cleared the Senate, as did six of 13 resolutions.

According to North Dakota Legislative Council, 25 of the House bills and three of the Senate bills have passed both chambers and been sent to the governor, as of Wednesday.

Major bills receiving initial hearings in their second chamber this week include bills relating to the Public Employees Retirement System, Sunday morning business closure law and carving out part of the North Dakota Department of Health to create a separate environmental agency.

Legislative leadership has indicated theyre on track to complete their work this session in 70 days out of their biennial limit of 80 days. The goal is to preserve days in the event they might need to reconvene later to address federal health care law changes or other major federal law changes.
In this screen grab from an Islamic State online propaganda video dated May 19, 2016, children and adults show their passports before burning the documents.

Indonesia is moving to protect children from what officials describe as a growing threat of being exposed to radicalism by adults around them.

In late December, the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) recommended special measures be taken to shield children from such a threat, and in mid-February, the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) pledged to cooperate on the effort.

We agreed that children should be protected and shielded from terrorism, given the fact that the number of terrorism cases involving children continues to grow, BNPT chief Suhardi Alius said when signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with KPAI Chairman Asrorun Niam on Feb. 13.

Asrorun said the MoU was necessary considering research findings that children were prone to be exposed to terrorism, based on a KPAI survey. The survey has not been made public.

An example of this is the case in Medan. The perpetrator was only 16 years old and was exposed [to terrorism] on social media. Therefore, KPAI and BNPT felt it necessary to forge cooperation to shield children from terrorism, which they mainly get from digital media, he said.

Details on how the two agencies would work together on this effort were not released.

Abandoned

Incidents of what KPAI defines as child endangerment in the area of religion and culture rose 42 percent in 2016 from the year before, according to the commissions year-end report.

It said 256 cases falling under this category were referred to it in 2016, compared with 180 in 2015.

The cases included children who were victims of culture-based violence; children who didnt get religious education in school that matched their faith; and children who were victims of terrorism attacks and thus deprived of a parental upbringing, education and a sense of security.

They also included two teenagers who received five-year prison sentences after being convicted of terrorism offenses, and 34 children deported with their parents from Turkey after their parents attempted to enter Syria to join the so-called Islamic State.

Those children are in government custody at the Bambu Apus social center in East Jakarta to undergo rehabilitation from the social ministry.

Some Indonesian children are in orphanages in Turkey after being abandoned by parents who went to Syria, according to the BNPT, which is verifying the number of individuals involved. Under Turkish law, they can leave the orphanage only when their parents retrieve them or they reach age 18.

Victims or perpetrators?

Child-rights activists also assert that minors convicted of terrorism offenses should be protected. They should be considered victims, not perpetrators.

Andika Bagus Setiawan was 17 when he was convicted of plotting a terrorist act and sentenced to five years in prison. He reportedly had been in contact with Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian militant in Syria who masterminded the groups gun and bomb attack in Jakarta in January 2016 that killed eight.

Andika should have been given half the seven-year sentence demanded by prosecutors because he was a juvenile at the time, Supriyadi Widodo Eddyono, executive director of Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, told BenarNews.

The norm in child protection practice is that all juvenile offenders are in principle assumed as victims who needs rehabilitation, he said.

Ivan Armadi Hasugian, 16, failed to detonate a bomb outside the St. Yoseph Catholic Church in Medan, North Sumatra in August 2016. He was sentenced to five years in prison in October 2016 by judges of the East Jakarta District Court.

Because of his age, he should have been sent to rehabilitation instead of serving a prison sentence, said Ahmad Taufan Damanik, the Indonesian commissioner for child rights in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children from 2010 to 2016.

Each terrorism case involving children should be thoroughly investigated to determine whether the offenders were exploited to carry out the attack, took the initiative on their own or were just exposed to radicalism, he told BenarNews.

Lawmakers working to amend Indonesias counterterrorism law are deliberating how to prosecute minors. A draft of the revision states that minors should receive half the maximum sentence stipulated by law when convicted of terrorism offenses.
The original pipeline protest camp on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation closed Wednesday, as the Bureau of Indian Affairs encouraged people to go home rather than be found trespassing.

The final campers left the Sacred Stone camp after days of hurried cleanup that followed a warning from the BIA that the campers were trespassing on land majority-owned in trust for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Federal law enforcement officers put up a hard checkpoint at 11 a.m. at which time no one was allowed back into the camp, according to BIA spokeswoman Nedra Darling. After that, they did a walk-through and told the last 20 people they had to go, which most did. She said there were "no incidents at all."

Two people who did not want to leave were arrested without resistance for misdemeanor criminal trespass, and turned over to the Sioux County Sheriff, Darling said. A third, Native American person was also arrested by BIA officers on unknown charges.

On Thursday, representatives from the tribal environmental and preservation agencies will assess the closed camp for further cleanup, she said.

The Rev. John Floberg, an episcopal priest on Standing Rock, who was in the camp over the past few days, said most people left after notice from the BIA, because they wanted to go on their own terms.

"People saw Oceti go up in flames and they were determined that not happen at Sacred Stone," Floberg said. "They knew what the boundary was, and they respected the boundary that was set."

About 150 people left during the day Tuesday, and the final 25 left on Wednesday, he said. Most people moved out of the area with the help of some weekend fundraising for bus tickets and gas cards. Some went to the powwow grounds in Eagle Butte, S.D., where the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has invited people to stay.

"The people at Sacred Stone worked exceedingly hard to do as much as they possibly could in breaking down that camp, preserving property, preserving the land, preserving as best they could relations on Standing Rock," he said.

Over the past several days, campers took down the yurts and some other structures, Floberg said. Other donations and teepees are left there.

The protesters' move came after the BIA handed out a final notice of trespass to campers remaining at Sacred Stone on Monday. They were first alerted they were trespassing on Feb. 15. According to the BIA, the federal government owns a two-thirds share of the land in trust for the tribe, giving the tribe authority over how the land is used.

The camp was founded in April in opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline. For the first several months, it had the support of the tribe. In recent months, founder Ladonna Allard, who owns a minority share in the land, spoke of making the quasi-village a permanent "eco-camp to teach people to live on Earth again" and offer some services to the town of Cannon Ball.

But many residents in Cannon Ball did not want that. Frustrated with the closure of the Backwater Bridge, use of the local gym and alcohol and drug use in the area, the district passed a resolution in January asking the protesters to leave. The tribe adopted that resolution and asked the BIA for help getting the protesters to leave.

Allard did not respond to a phone and text message for comment on Wednesday.

Cannon Ball District Chairman Robert Fool Bear said his community was happy to hear the camp was closed. He expects the Seventh Generation/Blackhoop camp, which received a final trespass notice Wednesday, will meet a similar fate soon.

"We just need to get back to doing what we were doing prior to all of this," Fool Bear said.
Malaysian authorities are seriously considering expelling North Koreas ambassador and another diplomat from the reclusive states embassy in Kuala Lumpur over potential links to the murder of Kim Jong Uns estranged half-brother, two Malaysian government sources told BenarNews.

A proposal to declare Ambassador Kang Chol and second secretary Hyon Kwang Song persona non grata has been put forth in high government circles and is under consideration, the sources said, speaking on condition their names not be revealed.

Kang Chol openly criticized Malaysian investigations into the death of Kim Jong Nam while Hyong Kwang Song is wanted by police for questioning over the murder at a Malaysian airport outside Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 13.

Two reasons have been cited for the proposed expulsion of the two North Korean diplomats  possible involvement in the assassination of Kim Jong Nam and revelations that North Korea was making Malaysia a base for arms dealing in violation of international sanctions  the sources said.

No final decision yet, but we are discussing with the Foreign Ministry, one source told BenarNews.

Kim Jong Nam died within 15 to 20 minutes after VX, a lethal, internationally banned nerve agent, was smeared on his face by two women, according to findings.

A heavy price

Malaysia is among a small list of countries with close relations with the hardline communist regime in Pyongyang, which is under global sanctions over its illegal nuclear weapons drives and ballistic missile launches, the latest of which took place on Feb. 12.

Those ties have been shaken by the killing of Kim Jong Nam on Malaysian soil, with Kuala Lumpur already recalling its ambassador to Pyongyang and canceling visa-free entry to Malaysia for North Korean nationals beginning Monday.

Earlier this week, Malaysian authorities said they were aware of two North-Korean controlled companies that, according to a Reuters report, were using a Malaysian front company to sell battlefield radio equipment in violation of U.N. sanctions.

The two companies were being struck-off or removed from a registry of business entities in the country, Malaysias Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said in a statement.

On Friday, Malaysia rebutted the latest attempt by North Korea to reject its findings that the deadly XV nerve agent had been used in the killing.

The ministry strongly condemns the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

At a press conference Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi issued an apparent warning to Ambassador Kang Chol, who twice lashed out against Malaysian officials for their handling of the investigation.

If the rebukes keep coming from the ambassador, he will pay a heavy price, Zahid said. As an ambassador, although the script is coming from a source that only he knows, he must respect our law, ethics and culture here. Diplomacy must be respected.

Malaysian police said they are seeking seven North Korean nationals in connection with the killing, but four of them have returned to North Korea, while three are still in Malaysia, including second secretary Hyon.

Negative perceptions

Legal experts warned that taking action against diplomats could have serious consequences.

Malaysia has two options, lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri told BenarNews: asking North Korea to cancel the second secretarys immunity so he can be arrested, or declaring him persona non grata  thereby kicking him out of the country.

Any action taken will invite aggressive reaction from the North Korea. Malaysia, however, will face a negative perception from its own citizens and international community if it fails to seek justice for the deceased and his family, he said.

In other words, will Malaysia want to be labeled as a country willing to ignore justice because of its fear against North Korea?

Yusmadi Yusuf, another legal expert, said the persona non grata tactic should be the last option.

At this stage it is not advisable. It will create further tension," he said.

This is a crime issue, not a diplomatic issue, he said. We have to find a middle path to communicate better and address their concern. We have not exhausted our diplomatic engagement with them.

Meanwhile, Malaysian police on Friday issued an arrest warrant for North Korean airline Air Koryo employee Kim Uk Il, 37, one of three North Korean nationals wanted in connection with the crime who is still thought to be in Malaysia.

It also released and deported Ri Jong Chol, the only North Korean in custody to date, citing lack of evidence in the murder case along with immigration violations.

On Wednesday, two Southeast Asian women who allegedly smeared the toxin on Kims face were charged with murder.

North Korea sent a special delegation to Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday seeking to claim the body it has never identified as Kim Jong Nam and repair fraying bilateral ties.

Malaysia has so far refused to hand over the victims body. On Feb. 19, Malaysian police said they were giving Kim Jong Nams next of kin two weeks to come forward and positively identify the body, a time frame that expires on Sunday.

Fadzil Aziz contributed to this report.
North Korean national Ri Jong Chol (C) is escorted with a heavy police presence as he leaves police headquarters in Sepang, Malaysia, March 3, 2017.

Updated at 11:50 a.m. ET on 2017-03-03

Malaysia said Friday it was working closely with chemical weapons authorities in The Hague on its claim that Kim Jong Nam was killed by VX nerve agent.

The announcement came a day after a North Korean diplomat rejected Malaysias toxicology report and suggested that international chemical experts were questioning its findings.

[T]he Ministry is in close contact with the OPCW regarding the recent incident and the latter has provided the Malaysian authority with some technical materials that have been requested to assist in its investigation, a statement by Malaysias Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The Netherlands-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has further indicated its commitment to provide further assistance as required, the statement said.

Pyongyang on Thursday has asked the Malaysian government to send samples of the substance found on the body of Kim Jong Nam for verification by the OPCW.

Ri Tong Il, a North Korean diplomat heading a special delegation to Kuala Lumpur, rejected Malaysias toxicology report saying the North Korean man had died of a heart attack.

He said international experts were unanimously asking how two women who have been charged with murder in Kims death could have smeared the highly toxic substance on his face and survived.

And there is another unanimous request by international chemical experts, that in case it is true that it was used, then the samples should be sent to OPCW's office, it went on to say.

And in case it is proved by the two separate international laboratories, with the same conclusion, then they should come to identify who is the one who made it.

Banned

The foreign ministry statement stressed that Malaysia had fully cooperated and complied with OPCW regulations.

Malaysia does not produce, stockpile, import, export or use any Schedule 1 toxic chemicals including VX, and has made annual declarations to that effect to the OPCW, it said.

Authorities are investigating how the banned substance was brought into Malaysia, Malaysian top cop Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters recently.

The foreign ministry expressed alarm over the use of a substance that the U.N. lists as a weapon of mass destruction on Malaysian soil.

The Ministry strongly condemns the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public, it said.

Suspect released

U.S. and South Korean officials have accused North Korean agents of masterminding the murder of Kim Jong Nam, according to Reuters. His half-brother Kim Jong Un allegedly had a standing order for his assassination fearing he could be used in any overthrow of his brutal regime.

The only North Korean arrested to date in connection with the assassination, Ri Jong Chol, was deported Friday and left Malaysia on a flight out of Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

He will be escorted by two North Korean officials to Beijing and from Beijing to Pyongyang, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). We have also blacklisted him and he cannot enter this country again.

As Ri was led out of a Kuala Lumpur police station and released to immigration authorities, Khalid said he regretted that the North Korean was being freed.

We believe that Ri Jong Chol played a part in Kim Chols murder, but unfortunately we lack evidence to charge him, he told AFP, using the name given in the passport carried by Kim Jong-Nam.

Malaysian Attorney General Mohamed Apandi Ali on Thursday announced that Ri would be released because of a lack of evidence, then deported on immigration violations.

Ris 14-day remand expired Friday, two days after a pair of Southeast Asian women were charged with murder in the attack. Malaysian police are looking for at least seven other North Korean suspects.

The two women allegedly accosted Kim Jong Nam and smeared VX nerve agent on his face as he was preparing to board a flight to Macau from Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 on Feb. 13.

On the day of the murder, Ri drove four North Korean men to a Kuala Lumpur-area airport, a senior Malaysian government official close to the investigation told BenarNews.

Those four men are the ones listed on charge sheets released by police Wednesday as accomplices in the murder, the source said. But they left Malaysia later that day and returned to North Korea, according to police.
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As police made their long-anticipated march into the nearly empty Oceti Sakowin camp on Feb. 23, one grandmother stood waiting for them.

In her eyes, no one with treaty authority had negotiated for the police or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to enter. So she was not relieved from her stand.

Despite a young womans efforts to convince her to leave, she stood, shoulder to shoulder with fellow veterans, waiting. Not for the government to evict her, she said. But rather, for the Dakota Access Pipeline to stop.

Since the treaty was involved, it wasnt a matter of waiting for them to take us out. No, it was a matter of just staying until this pipeline stopped, said 76-year-old Regina Brave, the Oglala Sioux woman from South Dakota, whose face is now across the Internet and appeared on national newspaper front pages.

Police finally came around 11 a.m., first with machinery, then with men. They arrested 46 people who remained within the camp for obstruction of a government function.

The whole cavalry was there, she said.

She watched as the police handcuffed people who stood in a line by their camp, some pulled by police after they refused to walk up the hill.

Then police cuffed her -- in front, and fairly loose, she acknowledged -- and put her in a Jeep up the hill and then in a van to Morton County Correctional Center. There, the vans pulled up to garages where protesters were held in fenced cages before booking.

I expected they would put me in there with them, Brave said. I think they were trying to kiss my  and make brownie points.

Officials brought her into an office, cut the ties off her wrists and called Scott Davis, the director of the Indian Affairs Commission. She was given some food and met with a Morton County commissioner while she waited. She faces no criminal charges.

Bruce Strinden, the Morton County commissioner who met with Brave, said law enforcement felt they had to take her out of the camp, but did not want to file charges, as she was a respected elder.

"Law enforcement certainly could not leave her there," Strinden said. "It was cold. It was wet. It felt that at that point the best thing to do was to bring her to the law enforcement center, which they did."

Davis called representatives of the camp-affiliated womens society, which was arranging humanitarian help for women, children and elders leaving the camps, and they took her to a hotel where she stayed on Feb. 24.

Pretty much all of us on this side knew she wasnt going to leave, Davis said. We just wanted to get her out of there.

The Feb. 23 eviction came after a widely publicized notice from the corps to campers who remained on the land near the Missouri River where a camp set up in protest of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The camp once housed thousands of people. The land is owned by the corps, but many Sioux people say it still belongs to them by treaty. In recent weeks, state officials have expressed concerns about possible spring flooding and the corps made clear it would enforce an eviction deadline in order to allow for contractors to clean up.

During this last round here we went through, we made a concerted effort to announce that there were resources for them to leave, humanitarian and voluntary and so forth, Davis said. It just didnt work out that way.

For Brave, it just wasnt an option. A Navy veteran, she guarded a bunker at Wounded Knee in 1973. This eviction reminded her of centuries of native history and current battles around the world.

In the winter eviction, she thought of the poor relations between Native Americans and the Army that led to hunger, the Dakota War of 1862 and the execution of 38 native men at Mankato, Minn. She recalls how natural resources were taken from treaty territories and her frustration with poverty-stricken reservations and the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs.

She sees possibility in cooperation with developing nations and other indigenous communities to fight back. Technology, she noted, helped to connect people and show the world.

For 140 years, we have been prisoners of war, until Standing Rock happened, and it gave us unity to protect the water, she said.
For Immediate Release, March 1, 2017 Contact: Kelsey Kopec, (971) 717-6410, kkopec@biologicaldiversity.org Landmark Report: Hundreds of Native Bee Species Sliding Toward Extinction PORTLAND, Ore. In the first comprehensive review of the more than 4,000 native bee species in North America and Hawaii, the Center for Biological Diversity has found that more than half the species with sufficient data to assess are declining. Nearly 1 in 4 is imperiled and at increasing risk of extinction. The new analysis, Pollinators in Peril: A systematic status review of North American and Hawaiian native bees, revealed that more than 700 species are in trouble from a range of serious threats, including severe habitat loss and escalating pesticide use. The evidence is overwhelming that hundreds of the native bees we depend on for ecosystem stability, as well as pollination services worth billions of dollars, are spiraling toward extinction, said Kelsey Kopec, a native pollinator researcher at the Center and author of the study. It's a quiet but staggering crisis unfolding right under our noses that illuminates the unacceptably high cost of our careless addiction to pesticides and monoculture farming. The widespread decline of European honeybees has been well documented in recent years. But until now much less has been revealed about the 4,337 native bee species in North America and Hawaii. These mostly solitary, ground-nesting bees play a crucial ecological role by pollinating wild plants and provide more than $3 billion in fruit-pollination services each year in the United States. The key findings: Among native bee species with sufficient data to assess (1,437), more than half (749) are declining; (Click here to see a list of the bees as well as their status and geographic range.)

Nearly 1 in 4 (347 native bee species) is imperiled and at increasing risk of extinction.

Many of the bee species lacking sufficient data are also likely declining or at risk of extinction, highlighting the urgent need for additional research.

The declines are caused primarily by habitat loss, heavy pesticide use, climate change and urbanization. These troubling findings come as a growing body of research has revealed that more than 40 percent of insect pollinators are highly threatened globally, including many of the native bees critical to unprompted crop and wildflower pollination across the United States. To assess current population trends and threats as comprehensibly as possible for the 4,337 described species of North American and Hawaiian bees, Center staff reviewed the current conservation status of 316 species as established by state, federal or independent research. We then conducted a comprehensive review of all available literature on native bees to determine a status for an additional 1,121 species. We're on the verge of losing hundreds of native bee species in the United States if we don't act to save them, said Kopec, who spent more than a year analyzing the data. Almost 90 percent of wild plants are dependent on insect pollination. If we don't act to save these remarkable creatures, our world will be a less colorful and more lonesome place. The assessment highlights five imperiled native bees that offer a vivid snapshot of the unchecked threats driving declines in many native bee species: Yellow carpet solitary bee: This dark, olive-green bee, whose fate is intertwined with its floral host and California's dwindling vernal pools, is severely threatened with extinction. Sunflower leafcutting bee: This spectacularly large bee used to be seen patrolling sunflower stands throughout the Great Plains; it is now in steep decline and rarely seen. Wild sweet potato bee: Known for its unique three-lobed snout, this bee, once commonly seen foraging across much of the East, is now dangerously imperiled. Gulf Coast solitary bee: Completely dependent on the disappearing coastal plain honeycombhead plant and the barrier-island sand dunes where it nests, this bee is now found only within a shrinking portion of its range along the Gulf Coast. Macropis cuckoo bee: This nest invader, which takes over the nests of other bee species to lay its eggs, was once common across much of central and eastern North America but is now considered that region's most endangered bee.
For Immediate Release, March 3, 2017 Contact: Collette Adkins, (651) 955-3821; cadkins@biologicaldiversity.org Thousands Push Texas to Ban Harmful Wildlife 'Gassing' Endangered Species, Nontarget Animals Die Alongside Targeted Snakes AUSTIN, Texas The Center for Biological Diversity today submitted a petition with more than 5,400 signatures asking Texas wildlife officials to ban the harmful practice of using gasoline and other toxic substances to hunt rattlesnakes. Commonly called gassing, this indiscriminate hunting method harms habitats and nontarget wildlife, including federally endangered species that inhabit holes and crevices along with rattlesnakes. Texas is one of the last states where gassing is still legal. It's indefensible that Texas still allows gassing to hunt wildlife, said Collette Adkins, a scientist and attorney at the Center. Using toxins to hunt rattlers risks contaminating groundwater and hurts hundreds of other animals, including 20 endangered species also living underground in the state. When snake hunters in Texas pour gasoline or other toxic substances into holes and crevices, the fumes and drowning effect of the gasoline force the dazed and poisoned snakes from their homes, where they can be captured by hunters. Gassing harms a wide variety of animals not intended to be hurt, including endangered cave invertebrates and charismatic burrowing owls. Along with risking contamination of groundwater, gassing may also ignite a fire or explosion. And snakes doused with gas cannot be safely eaten, posing a human health risk. Not just snakes, but foxes, burrowing owls and toads can be killed when snake dens are gassed, said Adkins. Texas needs to stop caving to pressure from rattlesnake hunters and ban this outdated and harmful practice. Gassing is commonly used by Texas hunters targeting western diamondback rattlesnakes for rattlesnake roundups, such as the one being held later this month in Sweetwater, Texas. Because alternative hunting methods are available, a ban on gassing would not end rattlesnake roundups in Texas. In March of last year, the Center for Biological Diversity, Texas Snake Initiative and several Texas residents submitted a formal rulemaking petition to the state Parks and Wildlife Department to ban gassing. In response to that petition, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission in May directed the department to develop a proposed rule to prohibit gassing with a two-year delay on the effective date. But rather than finalize the proposed rule, officials with the politically appointed commission removed the issue from the November meeting agenda, and the department informed the petitioners that Texas would not be moving forward with a rulemaking. Most states across the country  including all states bordering Texas  have banned wildlife gassing. If today's outpouring of support prompts Texas Parks and Wildlife to amend the rules setting allowable methods for taking nongame wildlife in Texas, Texas would be the 30th state to ban gassing.
It can be tough to be a vegetarian. You have to work harder than everyone else to make sure youre getting all the nutrients your body needs. So, when its time to take a
Vodafone Zambia has announced a partnership with South African food retail chain Shoprite that allows the 4G internet provider to set up shop-in-shop stores at various Shoprite outlets. The move is a part of the company's latest attempt to reach out to its customers in different localities all while increasing convenience.

Vodafone Zambia CEO Lars Stork at the announcement of the partnership said he was extremely pleased that Vodafone had partnered with Shoprite to provide customers with a unique shopping experience at three Shoprite outlets namely Manda hill and Twin palm in Lusaka and Mukuba Mall in Kitwe as part of the first phase of the partnership.

We are delighted to partner with Shoprite in offering this service that offers customers the convenience and flexibility to access our products and services within their preferred food retail outlet. Our strategy is anchored on constantly providing innovative and superior products and services, because our customers are at the centre of everything we do. As such, we want to ensure that we consistently provide our customers with a brand new shopping experience that is based around convenience, transparency, simplicity and speed.

Vodafone Zambia launched its 4G TD-LTE high-speed data services on June 9, 2016. With an initial investment of approximately US$40 million in the deployment of its network, Vodafone Zambia has committed to making customer experience the heart of its business and will continue to focus on expanding its coverage base within Lusaka and Copperbelt as part of Phase 1 of its operations.
North Dakota women have an opportunity to learn about the legislative process by attending "WE Rise: Women Empowered" on March 13 in Bismarck.

Participants learn to advocate for policies that enhance the lives of women and families and how to participate in the lawmaking process. It provides opportunities to meet with lawmakers and network with other citizen advocates.

The North Dakota Womens Network sponsors this free one-day event at the state Capitol.

"WE Rise is the only North Dakota womens lobby day of its kind," said Renee Stromme, executive director of NDWN. "Its an opportunity for the women of our state to unite, have their voices heard and affect public policy."

Offered every other year, WE Rise corresponds with the biennial legislative session. More than 150 women and men participated in the event in 2015.

WE Rise runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and there is no cost to attend. A lunch is provided.

To register, visit WeRiseND.com.
The AB InBev Hops Network workshop taking place in George - one of only four locations in the Southern Hemisphere where hops have been successfully cultivated since 1935 - aims to introduce the South African varieties to the AB InBev craft industry and innovation department. The global business combination of SABMiller and Anheuser-Busch (AB InBev) is set to unlock South Africa's agricultural export potential by utilising unique South African hop varieties to become a net exporter by 2021.

CT Johansson via Wikimedia Commons

The expansion plan means that South African-bred hop varieties would be increasingly used in beers around the world and particularly in craft beers, which although they consist of just two percent of the worlds beers, use 20% of the hops produced.

Bringing the brewing world to South Africa

We are bringing the brewing world to South Africa because of the huge potential of South African grown hops. These interesting and special hops are unique because these varieties cannot be grown anywhere else, said Willy Buholzer, AB InBev Hops director. We hope they will be equally as excited about the quality and potential of these locally-bred varieties as we are, and want to use them in their beers globally.

AB InBev Africas agricultural development vision for South Africa is to increase hops produced by around 150 tonnes to 1,000 tonnes per year, of which more than 250 tonnes will be for the export market.

Most of the worlds hop production occurs in Europe and America, near the 48th parallel north. However, in George at 34 degrees South, hops breeders have bred specialist varieties that flourish with the warmer winter climate and shorter summer days. The South African Breweries Hops Farm (SABHF) hops breeding programme has successfully introduced six commercial varieties, with yields comparable to the rest of the world.

With 424 hectares of hops growing in the Southern Cape, SABHF and contracted private growers currently harvest less than one percent of the worlds total produce - up to 855 tonnes each year. Of this, around 735 tonnes is for SAB and the local craft industry and 120 tonnes is exported into Africa, primarily for SAB beers.

AB InBev has committed to continue supplying hops and malt to the craft industry and supplies the local market with more than 20 tonnes of hops annually.

Unleashing the potential of local hops

Our strategy is, firstly, to ensure local hops are used in local beers, such as Castle and Castle Lite, and secondly, to unleash the potential of these special varieties to be used by our brewers around the world, Buholzer said.

Hops add bitterness and aroma to beer and have been used for thousands of years. Ten years ago hops were mainly about bitterness, but the trend over the past few years is using hops for fruity aromas and flavours. The South African varieties have powerful aromas and flavours of citrus, berries, and fruitiness but anything is possible. New flavours have started to emerge - spice, chocolate, and vanilla. Everything wild and extreme and unusual is looked for.

Southern Brewer was the first locally-produced hop variety, with three more commercial varieties added in the 1980s and 1990s, known as the SABHF Power Hop varieties. In the last five years, SABHF has launched three new aroma and flavour hop varieties, namely Southern Aroma, African Queen and Southern Passion, and has increased to 24 hectares under cultivation for crop 2017. We are hoping to expand this to about 100 hectares bringing the industry to a total of 500 hectares as demand grows, said Lauren Steytler, GM of SABs Hops Farms.

All hops breeding is done naturally by crossing varieties and no genetically modified organisms are used. The South African growing season is from mid-October until March when the month-long harvest takes place.

Strengthening the South African agricultural landscape

As part of AB InBevs public interest commitments, the company has undertaken to invest R610-million into strengthening the South African agricultural landscape. We will support small-holder farmers by financing 800 new emerging farmers and 20 new commercial farmers to produce hops, barley, and maize with the strategic intent to create 2,600 additional jobs in the agricultural supply chain.

AB InBev will use our global experience to help enhance agriculture and enterprise development in South Africa, building on SABs current programmes to promote black entrepreneurs and enterprise development, with a particular focus on agriculture and agro-processing, said John Rogers, AB InBev Africa director of raw material procurement and agricultural development.

Hops are a labour-intensive crop which is costly to set up and grow but SAB has plans to aid emerging farmers across these barriers to entry.

In support of its public interest commitments, SAB is increasing investments in research and development, offering incentivised pricing structures and preferential loans for emerging farmers, as well as long-term contracts of up to 10 years to purchase their hops. The commitment will also support other enterprise development initiatives including farmer training and business incubation and the localisation of agricultural inputs into the production of beer.

Through a fund and loan from SABHF, a 20-hectare hop farm was purchased which will be managed by a black female entrepreneur. Through the delivery of key performance indicators and once the loan has been repaid, the farm will be 100% owned by the entrepreneur. Jobs and inclusive growth are central concerns to the local economy. AB InBev is excited about the growth opportunities and role that South Africa will play in the business, as we continue to make important contributions to the economy and society, said Rogers.
With only 16% of the world's tuna catch being Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified, Woolworths says it is delighted to announce the launch of its MSC certified canned tuna, caught in the Maldives using traditional pole-and-line catch method.

Pole-and-line, also known as one-by-one, is a highly selective and traditional way to catch tuna. A particular hook size is used to ensure that the undersized immature fish, which have not yet had a chance to breed, cannot be caught. This catch method also virtually eliminates the by-catch of other species, such as sharks, sea turtles and dolphins.

Through this Maldivian source of tuna, Woolworths customers will be supporting an important fishing community, which acts as custodians of the ocean environment that their livelihood depends on.

The retailers Fishing for the Future initiative is an on-going drive to meet various sustainability goals for the wild-caught and farmed seafood it sells. Currently there is no commercially available skipjack tuna in South African waters and there are not sufficient amounts of other tuna species for commercial canning. Consequently, there is no local tuna canning facility to source from.



The MSC is a global non-profit body which works to address unsustainable fishing and helps to safeguard seafood stocks for future generations. MSC certification is an assurance of sustainable and transparent fishing practices and ensures traceability from fishing boat to store.

Woolworths is taking its customers on an important stage of its Fishing for the Future journey, comments Martin Purves, MD of the International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF). Supporting small, one-by-one fisheries is the sustainable way to secure high quality, responsible and ethically caught tuna. It is fantastic to see one of South Africas leading retailers making such a commitment to this sustainable tuna fishing practice.

Customer competition

To celebrate the MSC certified canned tuna milestone, customers have the opportunity to win an 8 day/7 night luxury holiday for two in the Maldives valued at R150,000. The prize includes economy class international and internal flights, airport transfers, seven nights accommodation, breakfast and dinner daily, and a complimentary Maldivian cookery class. To enter, purchase any Woolworths branded MSC certified pole and line caught canned tuna, swipe a MySchool or Woolworths card at the till point, then SMS tuna and card number to 43858. Competition closes 28 May 2017.
If your business does not have digital intelligence at its core by 2020 you may as well go home. This is according to James McCormick, principal analyst: Customer Insights at Forrester, who spoke at the eCommerce MoneyAfrica Confex in Cape Town last week.

James McCormick

In his keynote, McCormick explained the necessity for businesses to become insights-led and data-driven in order to deliver the products and services their customers desire. In the age of the customer, businesses have given consumers a multitude of ways to engage with their brand; and essentially what thats done is put the power in their hands. All that digital engagement translates into a wealth of customer data, ripe for analysis; but many organisations are struggling to keep up.

What they need is to become digitally intelligent. Digital intelligence involves capturing and managing data insights to obtain a holistic understanding of our customers across a multitude of digital touchpoints. Then we use these insights to optimise our business decisions and customer experiences.

Delivering a premium customer experience is the only way for enterprises and SMEs to gain a competitive edge and retain their market share in industries being disrupted by innovative startups. But McCormick asked, How do we obsess about a customer that we dont know or understand? The answer is you cant.

Insights-driven versus insight-influenced

To McCormick, a large contributing factor to the success of startups like Uber and Airbnb is that theyre insight-driven. This means that they use data and analytics at every opportunity to drive action and better business decision-making.

The reality is that most organisations are insight-influenced, not insights-driven. Many are leveraging data and analytics to a certain extent to improve customer experience, but by no means are they doing that at every opportunity, at scale, and across the entire organisation.

We all aspire to be data gurus, but most of us dont actually know how to do it; we dont know how to drive action using data. Digital analytics by itself is not valuable, the intelligence is.

He warned that while digital intelligence is an opportunity now, it will be a necessity in a few short years.

Learn from the masters

McCormick advised that traditional companies learn from insights-driven businesses, which are masters at using data to drive action both internally and externally. According to a global Forrester study, these firms were generating a third of a trillion US dollars in 2015, and if their growth rate continues this total is expected to grow to $1.3 trillion by 2020.

Where is that revenue coming from? Its coming from products and services that just arent possible unless you are insights-driven.

"These startups dont buy technology for marketing or to deliver products. They buy it with the view to engage the consumer through the entire life-cycle of the brand, from the first time they discover the brand, to when they approach the company for products and services, to when they consume them.

How to become digitally intelligent and insights-driven

According to McCormick, digital intelligence needs to move from purely monitoring what customers are doing on websites to sitting at the heart of corporate strategy; and most importantly it needs to be present in the entire life-cycle of the business.

But how to do this in a business world with multiple digital touchpoints, and that has evolved passed standard data analytics systems?

Look at your digital intelligence architecture. You need to tightly combine your systems of insights with your systems of engagement.

To bring them together you need to manage digital backup, have an insights-generation system for analytics, and you need to have an optimisation capability where systems of engagement are optimised to face all those insights. And importantly, you need to be able to link this together across multiple touchpoints, with multiple prototypes and with multiple insights-generation systems.

McCormick said that the power doesnt lie within the individual technologies, but rather the holistic management of them. There are about 15 commonly used technologies today, including tag management, data warehousing and web analytics, but were using them in sporadic and isolated ways.

Your core competency as an enterprise will have to be the ability to manage multiple different technologies, whether built in-house or bought from a third-party vendor; and you need to be good at bringing them together.

Use every customer interaction you have and learn from it; then innovate. Doing this continuously results in a competitive insights strategy, which is the only way to keep up with the customer.

Where to begin

Many companies are web-obsessed and while there is a lot of mobile activity happening, this engagement is not being measured. Start measuring it and link your customer understanding from web to mobile and youll automatically be ahead of the competition.

Secondly, look at what portion of your digital interactions are optimised with data analytics, and how many interactions are you having on a daily basis? Spread the analytics from just marketing or e-commerce to your products and services, and across the entire ecosystem.

Wrapping up, McCormick urged businesses to ensure that digital intelligence filters down from those in charge.

Being insights-driven comes from the top of the organisation. If your CEO doesnt have it on his or her agenda, youre going to lose out to the competition. Build it into your digital transformation and be willing to learn from your failures. Tech is not the big challenge we need our business leaders to put insights at the heart of the business.
A N200m renovation project to sections of the Murtala Muhammed Specialists' Hospital in Kano, Nigeria has been completed, to complement a N7bn surgical and diagnostic centre (SDC), currently under construction.

The decision was taken to revamp the outdated facilities at 900-bed capacity hospital, reputed to have the highest number of inpatients in sub-Saharan Africa, to match the levels of service delivery expected from the new SDC.

The Dangote Foundation, which is financing the building operations, handed over a renovated maternity ward, two ultra-modern maternity laboratories, an upgraded water supply system, an eclampsia ward, theatre and improved sanitary environment befitting of a specialist hospital.

President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, explained that providing the healthcare facilities was in line with the focus of the foundation to contribute to improved health care service delivery in Nigeria as well as nutrition on the African continent.

He stated that his foundation has a mandate to intervene in the critical areas such as health, education and human development, which was why it has also embarked on some poverty alleviation programmes targeted at women at the grassroots.

Source: Hero Entertainment Aliko Dangote

The state commissioner for health, Kabiru Getso said the hospital was established about 92 years ago; with the maternity ward alone recording no fewer than 2, 000 deliveries monthly.

Head of the hospitals medical laboratory, Magaji Minjibir said the intervention by the Dangote Foundation was timely, because the state of the hospital has been appalling.

At chemical pathology, we had to wait for our equipment to cool down before we process results. The histology department had to stop work temporarily. Our autoclave is about 15 years old and outdated. We have only one microscope. Lab staff take turns to perform tests and these delays results especially for patients in emergency cases, Minjibir stated.

There is no doubt that our staff will now be motivated by the conducive environment made possible by the foundation. They can now perform their duties free of so many hazards. The wards now have bright light, functional tools, water and toilets. All these would enhance condition of patients and help healing process, said Hauwa Mansur Waziri, the maternity ward matron.
A section of a dental clinic at Johannesburg's Charlotte Maxeke Hospital has been cordoned off because part of a ceiling that collapsed in January has still not been repaired, according to two sources.

Speaking on condition of anonymity after Thursday afternoon's ceiling collapse at the hospital entrance, staff said a section at the dental clinic had already collapsed in January.

One worker said Gauteng infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo's statement that the rest of the building was safe, was false.

A worker said that, when staff arrived at the dental clinic on January 23, they found a part of the ceiling had caved in. The clinic is run by the University of the Witwatersrand.

Gauteng infrastructure department spokesperson Theo Nkonki could not immediately confirm the incident, but said Mamabolo was due back at the hospital on Friday to assess the situation.

A section of the roof at the large hospital in Parktown, Johannesburg, collapsed around 14:30 on Thursday. Seven people were injured, three of them seriously, Johannesburg emergency services said.

Shoddy workmanship

Speaking at the site on Thursday, Mamabolo alleged that shoddy workmanship by contractors who were waterproofing the roof had played a role in the collapse.

"The way they were removing the concrete stone, we could see they did not do a proper check on the strength of the building or the roof itself."

Mamabolo said the contractor had removed concrete stones and placed them on a thin roof that could not handle the weight, resulting in the collapse. Private construction workers were repairing a leak at the time.

The contractor was removed from the premises and an investigation was started.

The FF Plus believed the entire health infrastructure in the province was collapsing. It urged the infrastructure department to be more thorough with checks on contractors to avoid future catastrophes.

There must be accountability

The party said committees in the Gauteng legislature were often told of work not done properly, or jobs left unfinished because the contractor was either unqualified, or had ran out of money.

"Construction work comes to a standstill while the provincial government must go to court to get contracts suspended and to appoint new construction companies," said FF Plus MPL, Philip van Staden.

DA MPL, Jack Bloom called for an urgent infrastructure check at the hospital. A report dated 2012 had contained warnings of structural problems in the building, he said.

He wanted to know how the contractor was appointed, and recommended that future maintenance should be made the responsibility of the hospital's management.

"There must be accountability for this terrible tragedy that should serve as a wake-up call to give a far higher priority to maintenance and repair of our hospitals."

According to the infrastructure department's website, the Gauteng government planned to spend R42bn on socio-economic infrastructure programmes in the next three years.

A "maintenance crack team" had already implemented a pilot project of revitalising the Orlando Clinic dental ward.
Cabinet has announced the appointment of a low-key Free State official, Thabo Mokoena, to head the Department of Mineral Resources, which has been without a permanent head for a year.

Thursday's move brings to three the number of leaders in the department from the Free State, all newcomers to the mining industry. The others are the minister, Mosebenzi Zwane, and the head of mineral regulation, Seipati Dlamini, who oversees the issuance of mining rights.

The mining industry reacted with dismay to the appointment of Mokoena as director-general. He brings no visible mining experience and little management experience at this level.

Mokoena, the secretary of the Free State legislature, has a law degree from the University of the Western Cape.

He will take up the role in April, filling a position that has been occupied for a year by David Msiza, the chief inspector of mines, after the unexpected resignation of Thibedi Ramontja, who served with three ministers in the department.

The Chamber of Mines said it had been "caught by surprise" by the announcement, over which it had expected to be consulted.

"Consultation with key stakeholders, such as the Chamber of Mines and other relevant stakeholders, is important before [such an] announcement [on the director-general] is made and as the chamber we have been caught by surprise," the industry lobby group said in a statement.

"While the newly appointed director-general is a lawyer by training, there are concerns about the depth of his mining industry knowledge and experience, more so given that the industry has a twin challenge of attracting investments and growing the industry and is also dealing with challenges of transformation and inclusive growth," it said.

Mokoena's CV shows that even his experience in law has been limited. He occupied several junior political positions as a spokesman for the ANC, ANC Youth League and Young Communists League before an unsuccessful stint as the municipal manager of Ngwathe Local Municipality (Parys).

In 2011, while he was still in an acting position at the municipality, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and the provincial working committee had to step in after a spate of problems. In 2012, Mokoena was made permanent municipal manager, but by 2013 faced allegations of nepotism and corruption. A task team reported in July 2013 that he had offered jobs to his friends and paid them inflated salaries.

It is not clear if any action was taken against Mokoena after the task team's findings, but in 2014 he was appointed secretary of the Free State provincial legislature.

On Thursday, Mokoena referred all queries about his background to the department, which in a brief response said: "Advocate Mokoena has met all the requirements of the post as advertised."

Mokoena said: "It's only today that the Cabinet position was communicated ... and so it would not be professional for me to deal with matters of the department because I am not yet with the department."

He would not immediately comment on the allegations levelled against him when he was a municipal manager.

"I think those are things we can deal with once I have started [at the department]. If you have questions around those issues, I think they will be dealt with at the right time," he said.

Members of the legislature had very little positive to say about Mokoena on Thursday, describing him as "mediocre at best" and "having little regard for cost containment".

The chamber had hoped for strong leadership in the director-general position given the regulatory uncertainty around the third iteration of the Mining Charter and the pending amendments of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, which Zwane promised in February would be completed before March and June, respectively.

"Given the significant challenges facing the South African mining sector, including viability issues, policy uncertainty, a [departmental] draft charter that has many unworkable targets, static investment, falling employment and a South African mining industry that is now ranked 74th out of 104 mining jurisdictions in the Fraser Institute ranking for investment attractiveness, all of which will pose significant challenges for the new director-general," it said.

Zwane was plucked from obscurity as the agriculture MEC in the Free State government to be appointed mines minister in September 2013.

Dlamini was chief financial officer in the Free State department of agriculture when Zwane was MEC.

Both were involved in the payment of tens of millions of rand to a dairy project linked to the Gupta family, which went horribly wrong.

Zwane was singled out by former public protector Thuli Madonsela in her State of Capture report for his trip to Switzerland with the Guptas on a mission to persuade Glencore to sell the Optimum colliery to their company, Tegeta Exploration and Resources.

Zwane has denied accompanying the Guptas.
The Western Cape government could be the first to build a water desalination plant as the province finds itself in the midst of a crippling drought.

Desalination plant in Hamburg Harbour  Andrea Izzotti  123RF.com

Desalination is a process that removes minerals from salt water, and the province is now planning to spend millions of rands and create jobs for its residents with the first phase of a 450-million litre-per-day desalination plant, which could cost about R8bn to construct for a yield of 55-million cubic meters of water per year.

This cost, however, is only related to building the plant and excludes operating costs.

Briefing the Western Cape legislature, the Provincial Department of Water and Environmental Affairs said such costs would have to be recovered through the tariff and would have significant implications for the cost of water to residents.

While other provinces are experiencing relief from drought, with Gauteng celebrating the Vaal Dam reaching full capacity, the situation in the Western Cape remains dire.

The department said on Wednesday, 1 March, that it would soon roll out an awareness campaign to preserve water as resources dip to alarming levels.

According to statistics released by Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille, as of Monday, 27 February 2017, dam levels had dropped to 33%, which is 1.5% down from the previous week.

With the last 10% of a dams water not useable, dam levels were effectively at 23%. Consumption was at 837-million litres of collective usage per day, which is above the revised water consumption target of 700-million litres per day.

Consumption is therefore still way off the required mark, the department said.

At the current draw-down rate, and with dam levels at an effective 23%, the city could be looking at approximately 121 days of useable water left.

The department told the Select Committee on Environmental Affairs and Development Planning that it believes through government interventions, this situation could be controlled.

Outlining plans to fight drought, an official from the department said R1.8m has been allocated to drilling and equipping boreholes to augment bulk water, while a further R1.85m has been set aside to refurbish inlet and Water Treatment Works and address high leakages and network losses.

The department also said a water scarcity awareness campaign would play a major role in educating members of the public, targeting the whole of the Western Cape with a focus on citizens as well as industry through print media, broadcast and on-line campaigns.

There will be a hashtag, #H2OHero, created where the public would be asked to submit photographs of their brown/yellow lawn or dirty vehicles.
An increase in the proportion of women accessing microfinance services by just 15% could potentially reduce gender inequality, as measured by the Gender Inequality Index , by half in the average developing nation. The finding comes from a recent study published in Applied Economics Letters that also found that cultural characteristics can influence this relationship.

Gender equality refers to the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men, girls and boys. It does not imply that women and men are the same, but that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men should be taken into consideration while recognising diversity across different populations.

While the world has achieved progress towards gender equality under the UNs Millennium Development Goals, women and girls continue to suffer discrimination and violence in many parts of the world.

Take girls education for example, only 74 girls were enrolled in primary school for every 100 boys in 1990 in southern Asia. By 2012, enrolment had ratios remained the same.

Girls also face barriers to entering both primary and secondary school in sub-Saharan Africa, Oceania and western Asia. Disadvantages in education translate into a lack of skills and limited opportunities in the labour market. In northern Africa, for instance, women hold less than one in five paid jobs in the non-agricultural sector.

Microfinance and gender inequality

Microfinance gets its popularity and fame from Mohammad Yunus, who began experimenting with lending to poor women in the village of Jobra, Bangladesh, during his tenure as a professor of economics at Chittagong University, in the 1970s. In 2006, he won the Nobel Peace prize for pioneering the concepts of microfinance and establishing the Grameen Bank in 1983.

Since then, various forms of microfinance programs have been introduced in many countries.

Generally speaking, microfinance is the extension of small loans to the very poor, in combination with other financial services such as saving facilities, training, health services, networking, and peer support. This enables people to pursue entrepreneurial projects that generate extra income, thus helping them to better provide for themselves and their families.

The last 30 years have shown that microfinance is a proven development tool capable of providing a vast number of the poor, particularly women, with sustainable tailored financial services that enhance their welfare.

According to Microcredit Summit Campaign Report 2015, 3,098 microfinance institutions had reached over 211 million clients by 2013, 114 million of whom were living in extreme poverty. Of these poorest clients, 82.6%, or over 94 million, were women.

Conceptually, microfinance enables poor women to engage in income-generating activities that help them become financially independent, strengthening their decision-making power within the household and society. It is through this channel that economists argue that microfinance has the potential to reduce gender inequality.

But country-level community-based microeconomic research from across the developing world both supports and contradicts this premise. Given this inconclusive evidence, we thought a macroeconomic approach that pulls information from many countries together might provide a clearer picture.

Evidence from around the world

Our study uses data from 64 developing countries from between 2003 and 2014 to examine general international trends and patterns on gender inequality and microfinance.

Gender inequality is measured with two popular indicators from the UN: Gender Development-related Index (GDI) and Gender Inequality Index (GII). These are composite indices based on measures of differences in health, education, living standards, empowerment, and economic status.

The key variable of significance in our analysis is a gendered indicator of microfinance usage, defined as the proportion of female clients as a share of the total national population. We constructed this measure using microfinance data from MIX Market, a microfinance auditing firm.

We found evidence of a negative relationship between womens participation in microfinance and gender inequality. In other words, we found that gender inequality will potentially decrease when womens participation increases. As noted above, in the average developing nation, an increase in microfinance by around 15% is associated with a decline in gender inequality by about half.

But we also found that cultural characteristics that govern the relationships between men and women can potentially influence this relationship. For example, pressure on women to take on cooking and rearing responsibilities within the home could potentially limit their ability to fully adopt employment opportunities through microfinance-generated investments.

That religion does not necessarily play a role in explaining the interaction between microfinance and gender inequality is another one of our findings. Instead, national conservatism and microfinance firms adoption of culturally-appropriate local practices potentially does. Many firms acknowledge the difficulties associated with women working outside the house in certain communities, for instance, so they help women establish small businesses at home, sometimes pulling resources together across households.

Policy implications

More microcredit in developing nations then is clearly good news for women. Since gender inequality is measured as composite indices of health, education and income indicators, its natural to conclude that greater access to credit in womens hands will mean greater access to education and health as well as income-generating opportunities.

Given these positive outcomes, governments and international organisations in developing nations should continue to promote microcredit institutions to indirectly empower women. But they must keep in mind that microfinance does not automatically empower women.

Country-specific and cultural factors play a key role in determining how microfinance interacts with gender inequality. And these should be considered when assessing the impact of microcredit in the developing world.
The National Assembly has given the trade and industry portfolio committee its unanimous go-ahead to develop a bill amending the National Credit Act to provide indebted consumers with debt relief.

The aim of the bill would be to provide capped debt relief in the form of debt forgiveness to help heavily indebted consumers and promote change in borrowing and spending habits.

The proposed bill would also provide for simpler and more vigorous enforcement of the act, the criminal prosecution of lenders who contravene the law, legal certainty on the application of the in duplum rule and effective debt counselling for lowincome consumers.

The proposed bill is supported by the department of trade and industry, which is considering its own debt-forgiveness measures.

"These new provisions will have the effect of providing great relief to the overindebted in SA and further limiting the widespread abuse of consumers by unscrupulous lenders," the committee's report to the National Assembly read.

By the end of June 2016, 9,67m of the 24-million active credit-active consumers, had impaired records. These included being in arrears by three months or three payments, having an adverse listing with credit bureaus or having had a court judgment or administrative order against them.

Retrenchments have worsened the situation, as has continued reckless lending by credit providers, the report said.

The committee plans to do a socioeconomic impact assessment of its proposals to determine how best to intervene.

The report acknowledged that debt-relief measures would affect access to credit and cost of credit, but the economy would benefit in the long term.

Committee chairwoman and ANC MP Joanmariae Fubbs, who supports the proposal, said credit providers were acting with impunity in extending loans to indebted consumers.

However, DA trade and industry spokesman, Geordin Hill-Lewis said before any amendments were discussed, the powers in the act needed to be used to their full potential.

African Christian Democratic Party MP, Steve Swart agreed with Hill-Lewis and warned that debt relief could encourage irresponsible borrowing.

The EFF, Inkatha Freedom Party and other opposition parties supported the proposed bill, calling for indebtedness to be addressed with urgency.
SA's drought outlook has improved but restrictive measures on water use will remain in some places as the country counts the costs of one of worst dry spells on record. In 2016, SA recorded its driest year on record. At its worst, the drought devastated dam levels to record lows, highlighting the fact that SA is a water scarce country.

But there has been a respite, with recent rains lifting capacity with the country's 211 dams rising to 71% in February.

Gauteng, the Northern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal benefited the most from the rainfall, but the water situation in the Western Cape remains precarious, with its dams levels having dropped to just more than 30%. Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille has appealed for the metro to be declared a disaster area.

A joint meeting of the portfolio committee on water and sanitation and the portfolio committee on co-operative governance and traditional affairs was briefed by officials from the departments of cooperative governance and traditional affairs; agriculture, forestry and fisheries; water and sanitation; and the Treasury. Department of Water and Sanitation chief operating officer Trevor Balzer said drought recovery would take a while and that caution had to be exercised on water use.

"We monitor 211 major storage dams around the country. Our dams have increased 11.1%. While this is something to be excited about it is still a matter to be very cautious about in the long term," said Balzer.

While 65 dams across the country were at 100% or more, areas including the Western Cape system had seen their capacity reduced and Amathole District in the Eastern Cape still had serious water shortages.

Balzer said the use of water tankers in drought-affected areas had lasted longer than originally intended. "Tankering is not considered a solution to drought. It is a good emergency measure but it is not a sustainable supply system."

The Department of Agriculture said the El Nino system was transitioning and was expected to remain in the neutral phase for at least the first half of 2017.

The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform's Abigail Thabethe said it had allocated R174m of the R463m approved for drought interventions in 2015-16.

Source: Business Day
Gov. Doug Burgum has rejected a plea by North Dakotas American Indian tribes to give them exclusive rights to host internet gambling and sports betting in the state. But Burgum did endorse the tribes appeal to lower the legal gambling age from 21 to 19 at American Indian casinos and to allow use of credit or debit cards to bet. The tribes asked Burgum to approve the gambling expansion under tribal-state agreements. The tribes wanted gamblers using mobile devices to place bets that would be funneled through computer servers on tribal land. Burgum says state law doesn't allow that.
With 27% of global transaction volumes attributed to private buyers in 2016, commercial real estate remains an important asset class for private investors. The 2017 Knight Frank Attitudes Survey data shows that a full quarter of private client wealth is held in real estate investments (excluding their primary residence and second homes). This varies significantly from region to region, with Middle Eastern investors holding the highest proportion (33%) and North American investors the lowest (11%).

According to the Knight Frank Investment Trends Survey, the majority of investment into commercial real estate was primarily driven by the want of diversification, with real estate being used in portfolios to provide variation from both domestic economy and across asset classes.

The survey identified office property as the most popular sector in investors portfolios at 54%, a finding borne out by both long-term global transactions data and the results of the Attitudes Survey.

Safe haven for capital

Survey sentiment strongly shows that real estate continued to provide a safe haven for capital and a stable and secure income return in a low growth environment. A sentiment reflected in the surveys interview with Ian Bremmer, and the significance of safety of capital over size of returns. Despite an element of caution expressed from some parts, investors have a healthy appetite for further commercial real estate investment in 2017. Most survey respondents talked in terms of large double-digit percentage target increases in the level of assets under management.

The survey shows the majority of investors still feel under-invested in property and are looking to rebalance overall portfolios. Typically, respondents were looking to secure lot sizes from 20m to 50m, although a number talked of scaling up to over 100m. Respondents preferred locations varied considerably depending on their domicile, with Australia, Africa and the US all cited as investment targets for 2017. The majority, however, continue to look to Europe for their allocations, the UK being the most popular individual country. The reasons cited for this include the scale of the market, relative liquidity and the depth of opportunities available.

Logistics real estate

The findings also show that logistics real estate is becoming increasingly attractive with 15% already invested and 22% looking to invest. Retail property is being affected by a huge shift in consumer behaviour; specifically, urban logistics, as part of the new ecommerce supply chain is seeing the biggest step-change in how property is used and where it is located. It is in these urban, local facilities that are seeing the greatest potential for private investors seeking secure long-term returns, and looking to tap into the growth opportunities created by the rise of cities and increasing urbanisation.

The results of this first Investment Trends survey clearly show that family offices relationship with commercial property will only strengthen further over 2017. The asset class remains an important diversifier from their domestic economy and a real asset capable of providing both a store of wealth and a stable income component.

Anthony Duggan, head of capital markets research, Knight Frank, commented; Our long term view is that we expect private investor allocations to increase, with significant dry powder targeting the sector. Whilst offices remain the most popular sector, logistics is increasingly rising up the wish list as the strong fundamentals become clearer. Once again, these results reflect the outcome of our Attitudes Survey, where the majority of respondents favoured investment in Europe, by some margin, the preferred destination of global allocations for 2017, with the UK remaining top of the country list, despite the on-going uncertainty of Brexit.

Download the Knight Frank Wealth Report 2017.
There is no such thing as free education - someone has to pay.

This was the submission of the Financial and Fiscal Commission to the fees commission in Pretoria yesterday.

Ramos Mabugu, head of research for the independent constitutional advisory body, said the cost for last year's "no fee" increase ranged between R2.6-billion and R4.2-billion.

"One fairly objective approach is to begin with the weights from the consumer price index, where the cost of education accounts for 2.95% of consumer spending," Mabugu said.

"Given that the student protests were sparked by a mere 10% increase in 2016, an additional R4-billion needs to be covered.

"Fee-free university education would require the injection of an additional R40-billion from the public purse to the tertiary education sector," he said.
This year's inaugural Top 500 Awards  an auspicious gathering of South Africa's economic elite - is proud to announce that prestigious luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover's East Rand dealership has come on board as Registration Sponsor for the event.

From the page to the stage, the Top 500 Awards will see key decision-makers and luminaries from South Africa's most powerful companies gather at elegant Melrose Arch in Johannesburg, on 7 March 2017, to determine who will be crowned as the kings of corporate South Africa.

Jaguar Land Rover is a brand that's synonymous with distinction and excellence, and its East Rand dealership is proud to be associated with an event that recognises and honours the cream of South Africa's financial crop. The Top 500 Awards engages executives and public sector leaders at the highest level - many of whom are also Jaguar Land Rover owners and clients.

An event like this really epitomises Land Rover's ethos of going above and beyond', says Joe Senekal, Brand Manager at Jaguar Land Rover East Rand. He adds that the dealership is excited about aligning itself with a prestigious event like the Top 500 Awards.

It's the right kind of client profile for us. We're committed to associating our brand with events where our clients are honoured and recognised. Not only is this a great exposure opportunity for Jaguar Land Rover East Rand, but we look forward to actively interacting and engaging with existing and potentially new clients.

Jaguar Land Rover East Rand will have its most prestigious high-end vehicles on display at the awards ceremony. Look out for the pulse-quickening Jaguar F-Pace and F-Type Coupe models, including Land Rover's exhilarating and luxurious new Range Rover Sport. VIPs will be registered for a test drive in the most premium vehicle experience of their choice.

More on Top 500

Every year, Top 500  South Africa's Best Managed Companies profiles the top five companies in 100 business sectors. Together making up the economy's lauded Top 500', these heavyweight companies have an annual combined turnover of over R3.5 trillion and comprise the vanguard of corporate South Africa. Now, for the first time, qualifying leading companies in Top 500's 100 business sectors will step out of its pages and compete for grand honours at the inaugural Top 500 Awards to see who will be awarded with the coveted prize of South Africa's Best Managed Company. Visit www.top500.co.za to align with the Top 500 Awards as a sponsor - limited packages still available.




Joe Gebbia, entrepreneur and co-founder of Airbnb, was a highlight of day two at Design Indaba 2017. The company is currently worth US$30bn dollars with 2 million listings in over 191 countries.

Motivated by a lecturer while studying design, Gebbia was introduced to the concept of 'duct tape' design opportunities. He recounted the story of where duct tape came from and what a simple, yet life-changing solution it is to so many problems.

Joe Gebbia

"When you spot duct tape, it clearly means that something isnt working, there is a flaw in the current design. Its like design SOS," said Gebbia.

The Airbnb story

There was, of course, a duct tape solution that led to the creation of Airbnb. As designers, they saw a break in the system: there was a design conference in town and all the hotels were fully booked. He and his roommate had some extra space and they needed some money to pay rent. So, he decided to pull out an air mattress to accommodate designers.

Before they knew it, they made this makeshift solution - their very first air bed and breakfast website. They had people, an apartment, and the internet with which they created the duct tape solution that is Airbnb today.

Gebbia then started wondering how they could expand their services and mission to reach more people - even to those without a home, or those without a means to travel. They established a team within Airbnb to continually look outward and find out what the other areas of duct tape are.

The company is seeking to leverage its core competencies and constantly asking themselves questions like "what can we bring to the world?" and, "what are we well-positioned to do through our knowledge, resources and skills?"

Core strengths

Airbnb is the first and probably most immediate answer to hospitality. Its our signature trait to help people turn their homes into sources of income, sources of experiences and gives them a connection to the world, says Gebbia.

Another core strength is the ability to create complete trust between strangers.

Once we have an idea of which strengths we can leverage, we then ask the next question: Where would it be most useful? What kind of duct tape can we apply? So its basically a combination of what we do best in a situation where its needed the most, he explained.

We Accept

There are currently more displaced people in the world than ever before. Gebbia told delegates how Airbnb has been aiding these displaced people - whether their displacement is due to natural disasters or a refugee crisis.

He says that one of the most powerful design research questions to ask is what's the biggest challenge youre facing?

After researching and asking this question to these displaced people, they thought the area where they could have an immediate impact on was an issue in the US regarding short-term housing when a refugee family first enters the country.

They created a platform called We Accept that connects asylum seekers in need of short-term accommodation and people who have accommodation to offer. As of today, over 15,000 people have volunteered their homes for refugees on this platform.

Now theres a duct tape solution if Ive ever seen one.

Supper with Us

Another project the team is working on is called Supper with Us which allows people to host a refugee family for dinner. It's a great opportunity for people who can't offer accommodation but still want to contribute. It's also great for those who have the space but aren't necessarily comfortable hosting, to overcome a key obstacle - the "us vs. them" mentality.

Over the course of just two months, nearly 100 suppers were organised by members of the Airbnb community.

Experience hosts

Gebbia also explained how, once a refugee has settled into a country, the next step would be to establish a source of income. Many refugees are willing and able to work, but often aren't allowed. He used Amman as an example and explained the concept of experience hosts on Airbnb.

In essence, it's a market of experiences - from food and drink to art and sport - which enables people to share their skills, passions, talents and cities with travellers. It allows travellers to see a city through the eyes of a local while creating a livelihood for a refugee. Another small duct tape idea that makes a huge difference in the lives of many.

Gebbia encouraged designers to keep their eyes open for those duct tape opportunities in everyday life and to share it with him on Twitter (@JGebbia) using the hashtag #SpotTheTape.
There are seven new films released this week: Jackie is a searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history, seen through the eyes of the iconic first lady, then Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy; matriarchal rivals of neighbouring families in Chatsworth try despite their best efforts to keep their kids from falling in love in the local comedy Keeping Up With The Kandasamys; in the near future, a weary Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces in Logan: The Wolverine; when a woman discovers a secret room in their once-grand southern mansion it unleashes unexplainable events that test her sanity and slowly reveal the home's terrifying past in the psychological thriller The Disappointments Room; a struggling NYC artist is forced to navigate the small middle-American town he left behind in the hilarious and heart-breaking The Hollars; in the animated film Rock Dog, a wide-eyed Tibetan Mastiff leaves home to fulfil his dream of becoming a musician; and the National Theatre production of Peter Shaffer's Amadeus is screened at Nouveau.

Jackie

Natalie Portman delivers an Oscar-worthy performance in this searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history, seen through the eyes of the iconic first lady, then Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (Natalie Portman). This touching and insightful film places us in her world during the days immediately following her husband's assassination. Known for her extraordinary dignity and poise, here we see a psychological portrait of the first lady as she struggles to establish her husbands legacy and the world of "Camelot" that she created and loved so well.

Chilean director Pablo Larrain (Neruda, No) gives a boldly unconventional spin to the biopic genre, mixing historical footage with complete fictional re-creations, and excavating just one critical moment in Jackies life, but in all its intricately woven layers.

Portman explores the haunting territory of a woman juggling her incomprehensibly vast yet contained sorrow with a world watching, remembering and making meaning out of her every move. The result is an intimate portrait that provides a portrait of Jackie as weve not seen her: a deeply human, vulnerable woman confronted at once with the power of loss, love, self-preservation, public consciousness and history.

In the beginning all that I knew about Jackie was really quite superficial, Larrain notes. I knew her as the woman always seen in pictures next to JFK, the woman known for her fashion, taste and style. I think thats how most people know her in America and around the world. But I wanted to change up that point-of-view and dig further. The more I looked, the more I found a woman who was very sophisticated, very smart and who had an incredible political sense of her own. Most importantly, she was a woman who understood communication in a way very few people did in those times.

Keeping up with the Kandasamys

A family comedy directed by Durban filmmaker Jayan Moodley (White Gold).

Set in Chatsworth, the rib-tickling family comedy opens a window into the lifestyle and subculture of modern-day Indian South Africans; their aspirations, dreams, challenges and the things that make them laugh and love.

Keeping up with the Kandasamys stars Jailoshni Naidoo and Maeshni Naicker as the matriarchal rivals of neighbouring families, whose young adult children become romantically involved despite their best efforts to keep them apart, with hilarious results, they are forced to acknowledge that in the end love will always prevail.

Shanti Naidoo (played by Maeshni Naicker) is a typical type-A personality. Always on the move, going out of her way to please people, and overcompensating for her own perceived inadequacies by constantly cooking up a storm in her kitchen. Her life would be just fine, except that her neighbour Jennifer Kandasamy (Jailoshni Naidoo) always seems to have the upper hand.

When Jennifer realises her daughter Jodi (Mishqah Parthiephal) is in love with Shanti's son Prinesh (Madhushan Singh), she is determined to break them up. But in order to do that she will have to enlist her rival's help. Together the two women scheme and plot, recruit prospective partners and generally interfere with their kids wherever they can. Just how far will one go to serve one's own selfish needs? And will they learn that in the end, it really is just happiness that matters.

Its a case of love they neighbour but dont get caught.

Logan

From visionary writer-director James Mangold comes the defining chapter in the cinematic saga of one of the greatest comic book heroes ever created. Logan sees Hugh Jackman reprise his iconic role as The Wolverine for one, final time in a raw, powerfully dramatic standalone story of sacrifice and redemption.

Twenty years after the future events of X-Men: Days of Future Past, a now-older Logan is past his prime. His healing factor is still functioning but at a substantially lesser degree, allowing his face and body to be scarred from past injuries and battles. The X-Men have long since vanished, and the remaining mutants are being hunted by Nathaniel Essex and his Reavers, lead by Donald Pierce. Charles Xavier has survived in the care and company of Logan and Caliban, while slowly being affected by Alzheimer's disease. Now, Logan and Xavier must protect a young girl named Laura, as she is being hunted by the Reavers.

From a filmmaking perspective, Mangold says the rating freed him to take Logan in a more mature direction, to explore human frailty, mortality and the complicated bonds that bind families together. I didnt want to make a more violent, sexier, more explicit, more obscene movie, Mangold says. I wanted to make an adult movie. This is not a movie for nine-year-old children. When your movie is rated R, you suddenly are making a movie about more grown-up themes. Youre not under the pressure to make a movie for everybody.

But theres no question that the movie absolutely will speak to those long-time fans of Wolverine, those who have followed Jackmans portrayal over the last 17 years. In fact, it was critical for Jackman, as he said farewell to his extensive X-Man past, to put everything on the screen for this, his last mutant adventure.

There was a moment that I came to terms with the fact that this was my last one, Jackman says. I love this character, and hes been amazing to me. Id be lying if I said that I would have been okay if I didnt feel everything was left on the table. And I mean everything. Every day, every scene was a kind of battle to get the best out of that character, to get the best out of me.

Concludes Jackman: There was an element of life and death about it  I know that sounds dramatic, but thats how it felt.

The Disappointments Room

In this psychological thriller from the director D.J. Caruso (Eagle Eye and Disturbia), Dana (Kate Beckinsale), her husband David and their five-year-old son Lucas start a new life after moving from the hustle and bustle of Brooklyn, NY, to a stately old manor in the quiet countryside. After settling in, Dana starts to experience terrifying visions and dreams that she cannot explain. The mystery grows when she stumbles upon a secret room in the attic. After finding the key and unlocking the door, Dana discovers the dark history of the family that lived there in the 19th century.

In the mid-to-late 19th century, disappointments rooms were a tragic reality for some as there simply werent many resources for the mentally or physically disabled. These rooms were typically created by families of note or wealth who utilised a secluded part of a house where physically or mentally handicapped children led out their lives in isolation, thereby sparing the family from being politically or socially ostracised.

Escalation in emotion and terror is Carusos ultimate goal: We go to these movies because, as Hitchcock always said, we love to be scared, he remarks. We love to scream, and so we project ourselves into the movie, asking, If this was me, what would I do? Knowing that the audience is discovering this room and what is going on there as Dana unpeels the mystery makes it very interesting and, at times, horrifying.

The Hollars

John Hollar, a struggling NYC artist is forced to navigate the small middle-American town he left behind when news of his mothers illness brings him home. Back in the house he grew up in, John is immediately swept up in the problems of his dysfunctional family, high school rival, and an over-eager ex-girlfriend as he faces impending fatherhood with his girlfriend in New York.

From a script by Jim Strouse that is at turns hilarious and heart-breaking, John Krasinskis second feature is a poignant look at the bonds of family and friendship.

Amadeus

The next National Theatre Live broadcast to screen at Cinema Nouveau nationwide is the 2016 National Theatre production of Peter Shaffers Amadeus. The production stars Fresh Meats Adam Gillen and Misfits Karla Crome as Mozart and his wife, and Game of Thrones Lucian Msamati as the composers great rival Salieri.

The stage production of Amadeus, directed by Michael Longhurst, was filmed live for broadcast into cinemas globally at the National Theatre in London, with orchestral accompaniment by the 30-piece Southbank Sinfonia orchestra.

Shaffers iconic play follows Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Gillen), a rowdy young prodigy, who arrives in Vienna, the music capital of the world  and hes determined to make a splash. Awestruck by his genius, court composer Antonio Salieri (Msamati) has the power to promote his talent or destroy his name. Seized by obsessive jealousy, he begins a war with Mozart, with music and, ultimately, with God.

After winning multiple Olivier and Tony Awards when it had its premiere at the National Theatre in 1979, Amadeus was later adapted into Milos Formans Academy Award-winning film.

Amadeus releases on South African screens from Saturday, 4 March, for four screenings only: on 4, 8 and 9 March at 7.30pm and on 5 March at 2.30pm at Cinema Nouveau theatres in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town. The running time of this production is approximately 210 mins, including an interval.

Rock Dog

When a radio falls from the sky into the hands of a wide-eyed Tibetan Mastiff, he leaves home to fulfil his dream of becoming a musician, setting into motion a series of completely unexpected events.

Directed by Ash Brannon, the animated film features the voices of J.K. Simmons, Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard, Mae Whitman, Sam Elliott.

Read more about the latest film releases: www.writingstudio.co.za
There were several potential tax revenue windfalls that could increase the 2017-18 budget revenue estimate by more than R1bn, Treasury officials said in Parliament.

This would mitigate, to a small extent, any undercollection by the South African Revenue Service.

The proposed tax on sugary beverages was not factored into the R1,4trn estimate. Neither were the proceeds of the special voluntary disclosure programme which allows taxpayers with undeclared assets here and abroad to declare them without being penalised.

Source: SAICA

Also not included in the estimate are proceeds of a tax measure which took effect from the beginning of March to tax as a donation interest-free loans made to trusts.

Details of these potential windfalls were provided to members of Parliament's two finance committees by Treasury chief director of legal tax design Yanga Mputa and director of personal income taxes and savings Chris Axelson. They were giving the Treasury's responses to issues raised during public hearings on the budget.

PricewaterhouseCoopers tax policy leader Kyle Mandy said in his presentation during the hearings that anecdotal evidence suggested the tax on interest-free loans to trusts could raise R1bn while the sugar tax could raise about R2bn.

By late February, R600m had already been raised off disclosures of R3,8bn in foreign assets under the voluntary disclosure programme, which ends at the end of August. Several billions could accrue to the fiscus from these disclosures.

Tax experts also pointed out that, according to their calculations, the imposition of a 45% tax rate on the 103,353 individuals earning more than R1,5m should yield more than R6bn and not Treasury's estimate of R4,4bn.

Axelson said that while this was correct, the Treasury had introduced a "behavioural assumption" into its estimate which took into account that high-income earners would make use of various deductions or might not work as hard.

"There are a variety of reasons you might not get as much money with a higher rate. This reduces the amount of revenue that we expect to get from that top rate," Axelson explained.
After starting her food blog in 2010, Sarah Graham has published multiple cookbooks and has been travelling around the country cooking up a storm. Filming of Sarah Graham's Food Safari started in August 2015, with Food Lovers Market providing her produce where ever she lands. More recently, Graham brought out a recipe mag in partnership with Food Lovers Market, showcasing local dishes produced during her travels. We caught up with Graham and Lisa Currey from Hamiltons Advertising - the team behind the design of the mag - to find out what the recipe mag and her food travels are all about.

Tell us about your food travels and how it all started

Sarah Graham: I grew up on a small game farm in Zimbabwe, so Ive always had a love for the bush, and for living and eating simply. The concept for Food Safari was born from that  to share beautiful, locally-inspired food in some of my favourite corners of Africa.

When and how was it decided to bring out the recipe mag available at Food Lovers Market?

Graham: With 13 episodes in our latest season of Food Safari, and with an itinerary that takes us all the way from the palm tree-lined coast of Mozambique into the middle of the bush near Kruger National Park, we gathered a whole arsenal of delicious recipes, and we thought that the best way to share them with everyone, and encourage people to cook along, was to print a beautiful, inspiring recipe magazine.

Tell us about Food Lovers Markets role in your food safaris. How did this partnership happen?

Graham: The Food Lovers Market team have been amazing to work with. They have been 100% supportive, encouraging and accommodating, and we really couldnt have asked for a better headline partner. I have loved our collaboration so far, and feel privileged to work with a group who feel like a big family.

Our production company, Okuhle Media, handled all the specifics of the relationship with our sponsors, including our headline sponsor Food Lovers Market. From the start of the conversation, Brian Coppin and his head of marketing, Lisa Currey, were interested in all the details, and it was exciting and inspiring to see top management getting so involved.

It was also a pleasure working with a team who make decisions quickly, this is crucial to a successful production process. Also, Currey and her team at Hamiltons Advertising made sure that the work we did was tied into a bigger, very strategic marketing campaign, to leverage off their investment and enhance the relationship between the Sarah Grahams Food Safari brand and Food Lovers Market. For me, it never felt like a cold, calculated business arrangement but rather that I was being welcomed into a family who is sincere in their goal of delivering the best to their customers.

What is behind the recipe mag  the style, the design, the inspiration, the team? Take us through the process of producing the mag

Graham: The Hamiltons Advertising team are responsible for all the design magic and conceptualisation that you see. I was delighted to create and contribute the recipes.

Lisa Currey: The design approach for the recipe magazine was based on a natural, earthy aesthetic - which perfectly tied in with Sarah's journey and being in nature. The colour palette for the various recipes was based on where the recipes were filmed as part of the Sarah Graham's Food Safari - blues for Mozambique, naturals and deep oranges for the South African bushveld. We kept the font simple and wholesome and ensured that our paper had a natural finish to complete the final design.

Is it challenging to condense what I can only assume is a very rich and colourful experience into a few pages? What were the biggest challenges faced in producing the mag?

Currey: Time was the biggest challenge! Filming of the series ran up until 3 December 2016, and the recipe mag had to be designed, produced and printed before 24 December 2016 to ensure delivery to all Food Lovers Market stores in the first week in Jan.

Not only did the holidays put the pressure on, but the remote locations and lack of Wi-Fi played a major role. Photography for each episode had to be drip fed through to Hamiltons Advertising so that they could post, retouch images and layout the mag. You can imagine that it was just not possible to do with some of the locations - it was definitely a feast or famine experience.

Our designers worked around the clock to produce the 68 pages, and CTP Printers did a superb job of printing and bagging the magazines to get it into stores on time.

However it happened, it all came together! Thanks to Graham and her team, and the best creatives in the universe.

More and more South African chefs and foodies have their own food shows, blogs, and channels. What advice would you give them if they wanted to create their own recipe book?

Graham: Its a fairly long process to go from ideas to a published recipe book, so patience and perseverance are key! The chain of events goes something like this: Creating a concept with a strong unique selling point > Finding a publisher who likes the concept and is willing to invest in it > Creating all the recipes > Photography > Editing > Distribution  obviously with lots of moving parts within all of those stages. You can read more about the behind-the-scenes from the shoot for my latest book Wholesome (due out in April 2017) over here.
An exemption from OPEC's decision to cut global production, along with fewer incidence in the oil-producing Niger Delta, have helped sustain the increased output and allowed Nigeria to overtake Angola as Africa's biggest crude producer last year.

The countrys ministry of petroleum resources earlier this month revealed that production had reached the 2m-bpd mark. That figure is up from the first 11 months of 2016, when the country averaged 1,85m bpd, according to a December report by the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

OPEC exemption

A key contributing factor in Nigerias improved performance is its exemption from OPECs lower production targets, which come in an effort to shore up falling oil prices.

The organisation agreed late last year to limit output, together with 11 other non-member countries, including Russia, Mexico and Oman. Prices had reached a 13-year low of $26,05 per barrel early in 2016, averaging around $45 a barrel for the year.

A number of OPEC members have curtailed their production accordingly, with Kuwait and Oman both cutting output by more than 4%.

Nigeria was granted an exemption to the production cut due to the challenges it has faced maintaining output and broader economic headwinds, including its first recession in almost 30 years and a depreciating currency.

Crude output had fallen from 2,1m bpd in the first three months of 2016 to 1,7mbpd by the second quarter, while GDP is estimated to have shrunk by 1,54% over the year, according to the ministry of budget and national planning.

Rebel attacks

Equally important in achieving higher production is a decline in militant attacks in the Niger Delta.

Violent incidents from local militias  including bunkering and infrastructure sabotage increased in early 2016. This was partly due to uneven implementation of a 2010 amnesty agreement, as well as a move by the national government to deploy the army to guard the countrys pipelines  a role that was previously allocated to militants under the amnesty.

The impact of the attacks on output varied, but they slowed the countrys production noticeably generally by between 100,000 and 300,000 bpd, although sometimes rising to as much as 500,000 bpd. Overall, they ledt o a revenue loss of $4,8bn last year, according to Maikanti Baru, managing director of the NNPC.

However, a series of talks between militants and the government to review the amnesty agreement appears to have borne fruit, with the last major attack occurring in mid-November. More recently, the government announced that it will meet overdue payments to former militants under a 2009 amnesty deal.

The impact of the decline in violence was immediate, and led to a 28% month-on-month increase in output to 1,8m bpd in November, which rose to 1,94m bpd by the close of the year.

Regulatory reform

Continuing government efforts to reform the energy sector should attract additional investment and further enhance output.

Last year, top executives at the NNPC were replaced and the government initiated restructuring talks that could see the company relinquish policymaking and regulatory activities, with its constituent parts regrouped. This would leave policy and regulation to the ministry of petroleum resources, while giving the new oil company the ability to raise finance separately  including via capital markets  in a model similar to Brazils Petrobras.

In a move towards improved transparency, the company released its financial results in early 2016, the first time in 10 years.

Perhaps of equal importance, in November a portion of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) some 10 years in the making  passed a second reading in the senate. The pending passage of the PIB, and the policy uncertainty it has engendered, has been one of the key bottlenecks to spurring greater investment into the countrys upstream sector.

Drafts of the National Oil Policy and the National Policy on Gas were also approved by the Nigerian cabinet and submitted to the national assembly.

These moves have not gone unnoticed. A total of 224 oil companies submitted bids for this years crude oil lifting contracts, according to the NNPC, which it said was a testament to improved transparency.

While that number was a substantial drop on the 278 bids received last year, the NNPC attributed this to more stringent bid requirements. Of this years bids, 39 were successful, with lifting to account for roughly 1,3m bpd.
While the maintenance and development of infrastructure is an important element of addressing South Africa's water scarcity issues, changing peoples' attitude to water usage and effectively managing the demand for water are equally critical.

Sean Molloy, GIBB General Manager: Integrated Infrastructure Services

The preservation and efficient management of water has received increased priority by governments and corporate players globally. In South Africa, the drought crisis has highlighted the urgent need to conserve and manage water more effectively.

The Water Research Commission predicts that South Africa will demand 17% more water by the year 2030. The countrys water supplies are almost fully allocated, making it difficult for new enterprises to access water licences and placing a dampener on future economic growth.

Currently, up to 50% of water supplied to South African cities cannot be accounted for. This varies from between 30% and 50% in the metropolitan areas and between 40% and 60% in the smaller municipalities, amounting to an annual loss of about R7bn worth of water as indicated in governments nine-point plan.

This unaccounted water usage is largely as a result of water leaks and unmetered water usage.

According to the Water Research Commission, while South Africas post-1994 water legislation has been heralded as pioneering, there have been challenges in implementation. This is largely due to the legacy issues as a result of outdated water laws as well as the growing demands on South Africas existing water resources, intensified by population growth, rapid urbanisation, economic development and increased demand for higher levels of service.

There are solutions to South Africas water crisis, but they require committed collaboration between government and the private sector. The strategy needs to be two-pronged  firstly to reduce public demand for water and secondly to conserve the water already in the system.

Reduce public demand for water

Reducing public demand for water requires increasing the price for excessive water usage and educating the public on water-saving techniques. Whilst government has introduced initiatives to instil a water saving mind-set amongst South Africans, this does not seem to have had the desired outcome and efforts need to be redoubled, preferably with the help of the private sector.

South Africa could look to Botswanas Project Somarela Thothi for a workable public private partnership (PPP) model. The programme was initiated in March 2015 to reduce water losses during Gaberones worst drought in 32 years.

A partnership was formed between the German Development Corporation (GIZ), Water Utilities Corporation and First National Bank Botswana Foundation with the aim of reducing water demand by implementing social and technical water loss reduction initiatives.

The social aspect focused on creating awareness around conserving water through promotional material, school awareness programmes and outreach initiatives, while the technical aspect focused on bulk metering and sectorisation to assess leakage and the potential for pressure management.

Conserve water in the system

The technical measures form part of the second prong of an effective water conservation and demand management strategy, that is, to focus on the conservation of water already in the system.

Leaks occur in the bulk and internal water distribution systems as well as water systems on private properties. One of the most effective ways to reduce leaks is to reduce the overall pressure within the network and conduct a leak detection and repair programme of the water distribution system.

In addition, it makes economic sense to repair leaks within households. Many households do not have the means or expertise to maintain their housing water system. There are successful examples of initiatives to address this, which also create multiple employment opportunities.

One such initiative by government was the training of 15,000 artisans and plumbers to repair leaking taps in their communities, with the first intake of 3,000 trainees recruited in the 2015/16 financial year.

Importantly, applying just one or two of the above-mentioned solutions will not be as effective as implementing all solutions together. To do this, the public sector might consider kick-starting the process with a three-year programme, calling for private sector involvement. To achieve a sustainable process, government would need to commit to allocating the savings achieved to the ongoing implementation of the programme.

Ultimately, South Africans cannot afford to ignore this countrys most threatened resource and government cannot bear the water burden alone. Water scarcity is a significant societal challenge that needs to be shared between governments, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and society as a whole.
A North Dakota resident issued a stern rebuke to lawmakers weighing a bill that would create a commission to study the initiated measure process.

Keep your hands off the rights of the people of North Dakota, said Gladstone resident Ralph Muecke on Friday, characterizing the move as a step toward usurping the will of the people.

Muecke, who has been involved with several initiated measures in past years, told the House Government and Veterans Affairs Committee that Senate Bill 2135 was a witch hunt and a solution in search of a problem.

SB2135 would establish an interim commission to study the initiated measure process and would provide recommendations for possible 2019 session bills. The makeup of the commission was changed by the Senate before it was passed by a 38-8 vote last month.

Three lawmakers would be on the commission along with one tribal nation representative, three citizen members appointed by the governor and five representatives of various state organizations.

A total of $25,000 for commission member travel and expenses is provided for in SB2135.

Calling SB2135 an attack on the democratic process, Muecke said the argument that, if lawmakers dont follow the will of the people can be voted out, rings hollow.

It makes no difference because the damage is already done, said Muecke, adding that he also doesnt like the makeup of the proposed commission, which he said consists of a list of the usual suspects.

Primary bill sponsor Sen. David Hogue, R-Minot, said SB2135 isnt an attempt to undercut the process but to find ways to improve it.

How do we govern ourselves? Hogue said.

Measures are listed on the ballot with a short description of a sentence or paragraph, Hogue said. Sometimes, such as with the more than 30-page medical marijuana measure from November, theyre more complex than a simple description.

Is there a better way for the people to have a voice  without a 35-page bill? Hogue said.

Another concern, Hogue said, is who is pushing a measure.

He mentioned the victims rights law, Marsys Law, that passed in November. A couple million dollars were provided by a California businessman to push the measure.

That, I think, disturbs a lot of people, Hogue said.

Washburn resident Casey Buchmann also rose in opposition. He had many of the same concerns as Muecke and admonished the committee for not trusting the people to know what theyre voting for.

I do believe the people of North Dakota are smarter than you think they are, Buchmann said.
How do we design new ways of tackling poverty, new ways of innovating new products and services, new ways of thinking about the stuff that bugs us, the stuff that really matters? These are the kinds of challenges that drive the creative pulse of The Hasso Plattner Institute of Design Thinking at UCT, commonly referred to as the d-school, which officially launches at the university's graduate school of business Breakwater Campus in Cape Town on Thursday, March 9.

The d-school was founded in Cape Town in August 2015 with funding and academic support from Professor Dr Hasso Plattner, cofounder of global business software company SAP AG. It is the first and only academic institution on the African continent which offers academic training and capacitation in design thinking to university postgraduate students and the private sector.

The speakers at the launch include Director of the UCT Graduate School of Business Mills Soko; d-school director Richard Perez; director of the Potsdam d-school Uli Weinberg; and Professor Mugendi MRithaa, professor of industrial design at Cape Peninsular University of technology.

Professor Soko has a rich background in political economics as head of policy and legislative research in the National Council of Provinces. He is a research associate of both the South African Institute of International Affairs and the Institute for Global Dialogue.

Prior to his appointment to the d-school, Richard Perez spent three years as a director at the City of Cape Town where, he pioneered innovation as a strategy and management tool to advance the creation of effective human-centred development models. Before his city experience, Perez spent 10 years as a partner and director in XYZ industrial design. Perez is an industrial design engineering Masters-graduate from the Royal College of Arts in London, who also holds an engineering degree and a MBA from the University of Cape Town.

After 25 years of innovation work in the field of film and 3-D, of this - 13 years as professor at the University of Film in Babelsberg - Uli Weinberg leaped at the opportunity to visualise innovation in an even greater way as the director of the Hasso Plattner School of Design Thinking in Potsdam.

Speaking at Berlins social innovation conference, the Vision Summit, about the future of society last month, Weinberg explained the evolution of design thinking in a nutshell: From IQ to WeQ thinking, emphasing the fundamental importance of creative collaboration across disciplines and cultures.

Dr Mugendi K. MRithaa is a Professor at the Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Informatics and Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). Educated in Kenya, the USA, India and South Africa, he has a keen interest in socially responsible design with respect to majority world contexts.
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BEMIDJI, Minn.  A U.S. Department of State meeting in Bemidji meant to allow public comment on a proposed oil pipeline expansion may draw activists from as far as the Twin Cities and has prompted the creation of local opposition events.

The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, is the only one in the country, and will allow the public to submit formal comments on an energy companys plans to pump more oil through a segment of an existing oil pipeline known as Line 67.

Also known as the Alberta Clipper pipeline, Line 67 is owned by Canadian energy company Enbridge and runs from Hardisty, Alta., in Canada, to Superior, Wis. The pipeline passes through North Dakota and Minnesota on its way to Superior.

Most of Line 67 already transports 800,000 barrels per day of crude oil. But because a segment of the line crosses the U.S.-Canada border, the company needs a presidential permit before a certain three-mile portion can be allowed to also transport the 800,000 barrels. According to Shannon Gustafson, a communications supervisor for Enbridge, the company is currently able to bypass the three-mile portion through interconnects. The oil from Line 67 enters another pipeline called Line 3, stays in that line for three miles, and then is put back into Line 67.

Gustafson said Enbridge needs the presidential permit in order to provide customers with the amount of oil they have requested.

The meeting at Bemidjis Sanford Center will take the form of an open house, according to a State Department official. Attendees will be able to submit their comments via writing or speak to a stenographer. No speeches or presentations will be allowed, the official said.

Those who cannot attend the meeting can also submit comments via mail, online or by phone during the departments 45-day comment period, which began Feb. 10 after a draft of a supplemental environmental impact statement was concluded, and will end March 27.

Gustafson said the company had no say in the State Departments decision to hold just one meeting and did not choose the location. Bemidji was chosen because of its central location relative to the pipelines route, according to the State Department.

From near and far

Because Tuesdays meeting is the only one, environmental activism group MN350 has organized a bus that will travel from the Twin Cities to Bemidji on Tuesday to allow people from other parts of the state to attend. Fellow activist group Northwoods 350 will run a bus from Duluth.

This State Department public meeting is of statewide importance, you know. Its incredible that theres only one meeting, said Andy Pearson, the Midwest tar sands coordinator for MN350. A lot of folks have a lot of concerns, so we put a bus together so they can go up there and take part in this public process.

Those who ride the bus will pay what they can, Pearson said.

MN350 has also organized events that will take place before the State Department meeting. Jordan Morgan, an MN350 project coordinator stationed in Bemidji, said the opposition events will begin at 1 p.m. at the Rail River Folk School with what he called a solutions summit. Environmental activists, including Honor the Earth founder Winona LaDuke, BSUs Sustainability Director Erika Bailey-Johnson and others, will speak to attendees.

The summits really going to focus on...envisioning a world that has a sustainable energy grid, Morgan said. So talking about renewables and whatnot, and really just try to focus on the positive transition that we want to make from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

A jingle dress dance will follow the summit.

Because of the expected large number of participants, the city of Bemidji released a statement Thursday encouraging those attending the meeting to remain lawful and respectful.

The City of Bemidji strongly supports every individuals right to the freedom of speech and ability to participate at this event, the statement, attributed to Mayor Rita Albrecht, reads. We ask that those who share our support of this Constitutional right encourage others to remain respectful of everyones free speech rights. Limiting the rights of others or violating the law detracts from the legitimacy of all participants efforts.

Morgan said he hopes even people unfamiliar with MN350s environmental concerns attend the events and meeting.

I think that its our civic duty as American citizens to go to events like this and really give our testimonies and share our thoughts and beliefs, he said. Come out, learn more about whats going on in our community and get civically involved.
CARRINGTON -- About 100 people gathered for a candlelight vigil Thursday night singing the favorite hymns of the three children who died in a mobile home fire in Carrington that also injured their father last weekend.

Alex, 11, Melody, 8, and Spencer, 7, Tufte were killed in the fire that also destroyed the familys mobile home Saturday, Feb. 25. Their father, Brandon Tufte, 32, was taken to a Twin Cities burn unit for his injuries, and their mother, Dawn Tufte, 31, and roommate Garrett Phillips, 29, were treated and released.

The vigil began and ended with a prayer, and people gathered sang Amazing Grace, Jesus Loves Me and Lord I Lift Your Name on High, a favorite song of the Tufte children, requested by their mother.

Chelee Finch, a family friend, said she and other mutual friends, Amber Kruse and Tonia Erickson, thought a vigil would be a way to bring the community together to show spiritual support for the family and for Carrington, a small town of about 2,000 people in east-central North Dakota.

Dawn Tufte was receptive to the idea and specifically requested that it be a candlelight vigil at the site of the fire, she said.

This is a small town and we all know each other, Finch said. There has been an overwhelming response.

The Rev. Loren Franchuk of Calvary Baptist Church led the prayer service at the vigil. He said the tragedy affects the entire community.

I see it as a time of remembering these young lives and praying for the family and just supporting everybody who is feeling the pain of the loss, Franchuk said.

The fire was reported at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, and Carrington and New Rockford firefighters fought the blaze, which started in the front bedroom, said Carrington Fire Chief Ken Wangen.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the state fire marshal.

Brandon Tufte was taken to CHI St. Alexius Health Carrington Medical Center then airlifted Saturday to the burn center at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn. According to a journal entry on a CaringBridge page, Brandon Tufte suffered some burns to his face, back, shoulders and also inhaled a lot of smoke.

He is recovering from his injuries, and will be able to go home once hes off oxygen, Dawn wrote on the CaringBridge page Wednesday.

Erickson said when she found out about the fire on Saturday, she had to do something, so she asked Dawn if she could start a drive for clothes and other items, and later asked if she could look for a place for them to live.

Erickson located a home for the Tuftes to rent in Carrington on Wednesday, and by Thursday volunteers had it cleaned out and painted. Three electricians rewired the home, and parents belonging to Spencers wrestling club sorted out the many donated items and put them away in the home, Finch said.

The way the community has come together is just unbelievable, Finch said.

The GoFundMe page for the family has raised almost $68,000 for funeral expenses and other needs. The Tufte Family Benefit at Gate City Bank has surpassed $25,000, Finch said. People from all over the state have been generous, Erickson said.

There are really no words of how the community has come together, Erickson said. The community is wrapping its arms around the Tuftes. It doesnt matter if they knew them or not, everyone is doing something.

There are still things that the family will need, and the best way to help is to visit the Facebook page where needed items are posted, she said. There are donation boxes in Carrington at Gate City Bank, Christy's Closet and Harleys Place Restaurant.

Evans Funeral Home lists the visitation for the Tufte children at Trinity Lutheran Church in Carrington from noon to 7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday.

The funeral service for the children will be held on Wednesday, March 8, at 3 p.m. in the Carrington High School gymnasium.

Jamestown Sun reporter Tom LaVenture contributed to this report.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finished cleaning up the main Dakota Access Pipeline protest camp at the end of day Thursday, a full week after moving in with its contractors.

The Oceti Sakowin camp was the largest of three occupied camps on corps-owned land along the Cannonball River in southern Morton County. All three sprung up in opposition to the nearby Dakota Access crude oil crossing under the Missouri River/Lake Oahe.

Corps spokesman Capt. Ryan Hignight said the final tally of debris removed from the camp by all contractors was just over 2,000 cubic yards of material requiring more than 600 roll-off dumpsters.

The corps awarded a bid of slightly more than $1 million for its part of the work, which is in addition to cleanup contractors brought in earlier by both Standing Rock and Morton County, he said.

Once occupied by thousands of people, the camp had dwindled to a few hundred before it was evacuated Feb. 22 in a mostly peaceful process, though 46 people were arrested for failing to leave as ordered.

The corps contractors are still working on clearing out the Rosebud camp on the south side of the Cannonball River and expect to finish that over the weekend, he said.

The corps will next focus on cleaning the Sacred Stone spirit camp near the reservation town of Cannon Ball, the first camp to be established almost a year ago in April. Sacred Stone was vacated on Tuesday and Wednesday, after the Bureau of Indian Affairs served a finding of trespass on those occupying the camp. The camp ending was relatively quiet and undramatic.

Much of Sacred Stone is on corps property taken for flooding of Lake Oahe, though some of the campsites on higher ground were on Department of Interior land held in trust for the tribe. LaDonna Brave Bull Allard established the camp and has a one-fifteenth interest in the trust land, while the tribe has a two-thirds ownership. Allard organized a Gofundme fundraising account for Sacred Stone and received just over $3.1 million from 62,000 donations, with donations still coming in Friday.
Concerns over the impact of chronic wasting disease (CWD) spreading from farmed deer to Minnesota's treasured 1-million-animal wild whitetail herd--which generates "more than $500 million annually in economic activity tied to deer hunting"-- has lead to the introduction of HF1948, which would impose a moratorium on new deer farms until January 1, 2020.

While the headline at the Duluth News Tribune might make the casual reader think deer farms are now spas for captive whitetails, reading down column turns up this data:

Recap of current CWD investigations of farmed deer in Minnesota:  Merrifield (Crow Wing County): Herd of origin for the current CWD investigation. Positive CWD test from two white-tailed deer. Remains under quarantine.  Dassel (Meeker County): Positive CWD test from one white-tailed deer. Remains under quarantine.  Freeport (Stearns County): No CWD tests conducted. Remains under quarantine.  Brainerd (Crow Wing County): Negative CWD test from four white-tailed deer. Released from quarantine.  Mountain Iron (St. Louis County): Negative CWD test from one white-tailed deer. Released from quarantine.

The new article--and the bill--come on the hooves of investigative reporter Tony Kennedy articles in the Star Tribune, including Tensions over deer farming surface in Minnesota's double outbreak of CWD and National alliance calls for a review of Minnesota's handling of deer farms.

Kennedy reports in the first article:

A painstaking and high-stakes fight to stop a deadly outbreak of chronic wasting disease in wild deer in southeastern Minnesota has expanded to include faraway cases on commercial deer farms. The infections in captive deer  potentially cascading to multiple farms  have prompted state quarantines on five private deer herds and renewed tensions between the Department of Natural Resources and the Board of Animal Health, which regulates the business of deer and elk bred as livestock for fenced-in trophy hunts and other purposes. The double outbreak has both agencies scrambling to halt the mad-cow-like disease from spreading and becoming intractable, as it has in Wisconsin and other states. As recently as Thanksgiving, Minnesota was thought to be CWD-free. At risk is the states 1-million-animal deer herd, more than $500 million annually in economic activity tied to deer hunting and the states legacy of family and friends bonding over whitetails in the fall. Its tremendously important to Minnesota to get this right, DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr said last week while he waited for a Board of Animal Health CWD update. . . . Cozy relationship Minnesota is home to 460 deer and elk farms that generate rural jobs and economic activity last measured in 2011 at $17.6 million a year. Dr. Paul Anderson, a veterinarian and assistant director at the Board of Animal Health, said the so-called farmed cervidae industry is keenly focused on CWD prevention and mindful that transmission of the disease can travel in or out of the mandatory 8-foot-high fences that enclose private herds. The DNRs task is to deal with the wild deer and our task is to deal with the people who farm them, Anderson said. Were working on this thing together as a team. But while Anderson speaks highly of the cooperation between the two agencies, two DNR officials on the front lines of CWD prevention say they have been frustrated by untimely and incomplete information sharing by Animal Health staff. They also see coziness in the relationship between deer farmers and the board, made up of three livestock producers and two veterinarians appointed by the governor. I struggle with the closeness of the regulators and the industry, said Lou Cornicelli, the DNRs leading CWD tactician and top big game researcher. They are closer to their stakeholders than we are to ours. The DNR is particularly frustrated, agency e-mails show, about farmed deer escaping into the wild. The agency is also concerned the Board of Animal Health might change its CWD-related deer farm regulations, possibly compounding the threat to wild deer. . . .

Read the entire article at the Strib. Later in February, Kennedy reported in National alliance calls for a review of Minnesota's handling of deer farms:

The National Deer Alliance, an advocacy group for wild deer made up of public and private interests, is calling on Minnesota's Legislative Audit Commission to review deer farm oversight by the state Board of Animal Health. Federal Premium Conservation Director Ryan Bronson, a board member at National Deer Alliance, said Friday that the organization is concerned about the possible spread of chronic wasting disease from captive deer in Minnesota to the state's wild herd. The resource of more than 1 million free-ranging whitetails generates annual economic activity of more than $500 million. The alliance suspects that the Board of Animal Health is too cozy with the farmed deer industry to effectively regulate it, Bronson said. The state is home to about 460 deer and elk farms, including herds of penned animals sold for private shooting. "If the agency isn't protecting the interests of all Minnesotans  and it's not just hunters  that's troubling,'' Bronson said. Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, who is vice chair of the Legislative Audit Commission, said he received the audit request and forwarded it to Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles. Nobles could decide on his own to investigate, or the request will become a potential topic for consideration by the commission, Hansen said. Hansen said the audit request didn't come with a specific allegation of wrongdoing, but he supports an independent evaluation of the commission based on his belief that the Board of Animal Health is an example of "regulatory capture'' by the livestock industry. . . .

Hansen, himself a deer hunter on his farm in Southeastern Minnesota near Harmony, is the chief author of the bill. International Falls DFLer Rob Ecklund, Hermantown DFLer Mary Murphy, and Minneapolis Democrats Jean Wagenius and Diane Loeffler, are co-authors.

Maybe there's more than the ability to wear blaze pink while hunting with firearms that concerns women in the Minnesota House who care about the state's deer hunting heritage.

Photo: A whitetail deer with CWD. While the prion disease doesn't affect humans, it's awful for deer.

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We're starting to see one genuine rural-metro divide in Greater Minnesota media. Republican lawmakers carry on in legislative committees and to metro media about how their constituents hate environmental regulations almost as much as they hate the metro.

Meanwhile, reports in their districts' small town newspapers report that their constituents are showing up at town hall, demanding protection for the environment and the creatures in it.

Like pollinators. In the March 2, 2017 issue of the Pope County Tribune of Glenwood, Tim Douglass reports in Environmental issues dominate Town Hall meeting in Glenwood:

About 30 area residents showed up last Friday to voice their concerns at a Town Hall meeting that brought Rep. Paul Anderson, R-Starbuck, and Sen. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake, to the Pope County Courthouse in

Glenwood during the legislative session.



Anderson and Westrom heard opinions on a host of environmental concerns, including buffer strips, ditch mowing, solar panels, pollinators and clean-water initiatives. . . . After those comments, Anderson was questioned about the mowing of state road ditches. He said it had been a major issue through committee hearings and said that at this point the bill would take away the permit requirements and remove the any regulation on a date for mowing. Right now, the law, thats been on the books for nearly 30 years, states that the state road ditches cannot be mowed before Aug. 1. That, he said, was never enforced until the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) decided to enforce it this year.



One of those attending the meeting, said there is a real issue with diminishing numbers of bees, butterflies and other pollinators and I really think we shouldnt be cutting everything and start considering whats happening to our pollinators.



Anderson stated that he thought that there were other ways to increase and save pollinators, explaining that the there is another 8 million in state land that could be better utilized for pollinators. He also stated that there are about 250,000 acres of state roadside ditches and if the cost is just $10 an acre to mow, farmers are saving the state about $2.5 million per year. You have to consider that too, Anderson said.



Another attendee suggested that it was nonsensical to spend all this time getting rid of plants and now were going to have to start replanting those same plants somewhere else. An example was the milkweed.



When asked if there could be some kind of compromise on the date for mowing, Anderson said he would be open to that, since he didnt think the Governor would sign a bill that allows mowing of ditches at any time.



Residents at the meeting began peppering Anderson and Westrom, who showed up a few minutes late and walked in during the road ditch discussion.



The problem is the monolithic landscape, one man said. Theres no flowers for insects or grass for cover, just all corn and soybeans.



I agree we need to help our pollinators and thats important but Im not sure if not mowing road ditches will help.

Well why should we spend thousands of dollars reclaiming habitat, when we already have it with road ditches? another asked.



Buffer strips along the states waterways, something Gov. Mark Dayton has championed, was also part of the discussion and most at the meeting were in favor of buffer strips to protect waterways. One woman said she moved to Minnesota years ago from North Dakota and said the lakes now are not the lakes of my childhood. She also said that legislators are always talking about costs and thinking in terms of such a idolatrous economy instead of doing something to hold on to our clean water, land and something beautiful. . . .

Read the rest at the Pope County Tribune. The concerns residents share parallel those voice by residents in the other half of Westrom's district, according to the coverage in the Morris Sun Tribune, as we noted in Town hall buffer message to Backer not quite what he proposes in St. Paul.

Jeff Backer, R-Brown Valley, likes to tell anyone who listens that the buffer laws he worked on and voted for in 2015 and 2016 arent popular in his district and arent ready to be implemented.

But many his constituents are showing up at town halls and saying something else. Or writing letters to the editor like the Really smart guy in Stevens County who praises Jeff Backer for voting for 2015 & 2016 buffer bills.

We'll continue to watch these developments in the rural districts, as well as the idolatry at the state capitol.

Photo: Screengrab of Rep. Paul Anderson chairing the ag policy committee.

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Khaing Myo Tun was taken to court on 1 March but the plaintiff did not come so he was taken back to prison without his case being heard.

The witnesses have arrived to testify for Khaing Myo Tun, but the plaintiff  the Burma Army  didnt come so they couldnt testify. I see this as an act of human rights violation against Khaing Myo Tun by the Burma Army. They should either hand down the verdict or release him. But they dont hand down the verdict and they dont release it. They shouldnt prolong the time. This is human rights violation, she claimed when she was interviewed by Narinjara News.

Khaing Myo Tun was detained for his alleged role in the release of a statement by the ALPs Information Department on 24 April, 2016. He has been charged at Sittwe Township Court with Section 505 (b) and (c) for making the Burma Army loses its esteem.

In the statement released by the ALPs Information Department, the Burma Army was accused of committing human rights violations including forcibly recruiting civilians as porters and torturing them during the ongoing war between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Burma Army.

Khaing Myo Tun was arrested on 25 July, 2016 for his alleged role in releasing the statement.

This is the 20th time Khaing Myo Tun has been taken to court but he was taken back to prison because the officials from the plaintiffs side didnt come, an ALP military commander said, on condition of anonymity.

The next court hearing for Khaing Myo Tun is scheduled on 11 March.
The 55th Infantry Battalion (IB-55) confiscated our lands in 2000. Hotels are being built on these lands for business purpose now. We are protesting because we want our lands back, said Ko Soe Moe from Zee Phyu Kone Ward in Ngapali.

According to him, the Burmese government and the Burma Army have confiscated over 100 acres of lands from over 60 farmers in Ngapali Beach to carry out governmnet projects but hotels have been built on these lands now.

According to the protestors, Major Tint Sann (retired) confiscated 48 acres of land in Daung Thauk Taung, UG Company confiscated 58 acres of land in Sin Kyat, Daw Marlar Tint, wife of Major General Khin Maung Than (retired), confiscated 8.89 acres of land in Nat Mauk Taung, U Phyo Hla Wai confiscated 7.50 acres of land in War Taung Kwin Village, IB-55 of the Burma Army confiscated the lands near the Ngapali Beach, where Hotel Hilton, In the Rose, Max Myanmar, and Amazing Hotel have been built now.

We have submitted appeals to the President and the [Arakan] State Chief Minister more than ten times now. They still have not solved the issues so we have to hold the protest, Ko Soe Moe added.

The protestors marched from Ngapali to Doe Taung, which is at the entrance of Thandwe, at 1PM and continued to march to Thandwe.
The bank official made the statement in response to the problem rice farmers are facing in the state, with low demand for paddy rice and no buyers.

The farmers must repay their agricultural loan by March this year, but they have been unable to find buyers for the paddy rice. Due to this, peasants staged a protest in Mrauk-U on February 25, urging officials to extend the deadline for them repaying the loan.

In fact, the peasants should urge the government [to buy paddy rice]. Our department does not have authority to fulfil their request, said Aye Thein. The loan has been given by the government and the Economic Bank. Our Agricultural Bank does not have the right to extend the deadline.

In addition to the problem related to the loans, the farmers in Rakhine State also face the difficulty of feeding their families.

Agricultural Bank manager Aye Thein added that the peasants voices should be brought to the Union Parliament through the MPs in the area in order to create transparency.

March 2 in Myanmar is marked as Peasants Day, a holiday and period to reflect on how to improve the lives of farmers. Over 60 percent of working age people are employed in agriculture or related fields in Myanmar.
Speaking after the vote, Dr. Aye Zan said he plans to prioritize the development and integration of Mon State by promoting minority ethnic culture and uplifting the average person. The new minister said he will serve all of the states residents and ethnic social organizations, and plans to put a priority on spreading peace and development to every township.

It is time to move on from a system based on human whim, to one based on the rule of law. All residents of Mon State will soon feel the benefits of this shift.

He added that while Mon State is well-endowed with natural resources, residents must work hard to enjoy their benefits.

Dr. Aye Zan was nominated to the post on March 1 by Union President U Htin Kyaw and enjoyed broad support from the leadership of the Hluttaw. Dr. Aung Naing Oo, Deputy Speaker of the body, said he saw no reason to object to the new ministers nomination.

As a member of the government and a Hluttaw representative, I want to welcome Dr. Aye Zan. We have great hope for what he can do for the state during the remaining four years of this term.

Dr. Aye Zan, 63, was first elected to parliament in 1990 but was prevented from serving by the military regimes annulment of the elections results. He won the same Kyaikto seat in the 2015 general election and serves as chair of the Finance, Planning and Economic Committee, and the Natural Resources Committee.

President U Htin Kyaw accepted former minister U Min Min Oos resignation on February 23 following complaints about the latters conduct and conflicts of interest.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem described the U.S. border with Mexico as a war zone last year when she sent dozens of state National Guard troops there. Noem said theyd be on the front lines of stopping drug smugglers and human traffickers. But newly released records from the National Guard show that in their two-month deployment, the South Dakota troops didnt seize any drugs and sometimes went days without encountering any migrants at all. Noem justified the deployment and a widely criticized private donation to fund as a state emergency because of drugs making their way across the southern border to South Dakota. But the records cast doubt on whether the deployment was effective in addressing that.
Sai Kyaw Sein, the headman of Nam Ma tract, told Shan Herald that the village headman, Sai Sarng Pe, aged 57, was killed on February 26 at about 4:30pm near his farm in Nar Koon, Nam Ma tract, Hsipaw Township. He said that the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sai Sarng Pe is the leading member of the community in Nam Ma tract, he said. No one knows who shot him and who is behind the murder.

He said that he was shot at close range, a matter deduced by the fact that his body was beside his car which was not hit by any bullets.

The gunman was clearly experienced with weapons because the shots were to vital areas such as his forehead and his stomach, he said.

We want this case to bring to justice because Sai Sarng Pe was a respected person. He has been one of the community leaders for more 30 years. We want to know the truth about what happened.

In any case, whether this was related to drugs or logging, the matter should have been taken to court, not resolved in this [violent] way, he added. If assassinations are allowed to occur, then no one will want to be village headman. They will be too afraid.

He said they have reported the matter to the local authorities but have not heard about any progress.

This type of murder is happening in Shan State regularly, according to Sai Hor Hseng, the spokesperson of the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF), an active non-profit organization monitoring, investigating and reporting human rights violations and abuses in the region. He said that this is because there is no rule of law in Burma.

The law cannot be enforced across the country, especially in remote areas, because there is no rule of law and the government also does not have the power to do it.

When local people are faced with problems like this they do not know who to ask for help, he explained. Even though they are the leaders in the community they are frightened. They are afraid to become headman because they do not want to deal with the problems.

He added: Our people have been oppressed for so many years. The government must somehow step in and protect its citizens.

By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)
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A lawmaker has introduced a resolution to study whether to close a more than century old state-run institution for people with disabilities that is tucked away in the northeast corner of the state.

Sen. Nicole Poolman, R-Bismarck, primary sponsor of Senate Concurrent Resolution 4013, said she has a litany of questions about the Life Skills and Transition Center in Grafton. She was prompted by statewide disability advocates with the idea for the study, which would take place over the next two years.

People who advocate for those with disabilities are concerned that we are still institutionalizing some of our citizens," Poolman said Friday.

The study would be used to identify how people end up in the Life Skills and Transition Center. According to testimony in January from the center's superintendent, Sue Foerster, there are 57 adults and 19 youth housed there.

In December, the Bismarck Tribune published an investigation of the Life Skills and Transition Center, including its current number of employees, residents and efforts dating back to a lawsuit in 1980 that demanded the institution reduce its population.

Maggie Anderson, interim director of the North Dakota Department of Human Services, which oversees the institution, said, at the time, there were no plans to close the facility anytime soon.

Poolman said the resolution aims to find whether people with disabilities can be better served within their own communities, not just at Grafton. And then what state resources would be needed to make this happen.

In recent years, several states have moved to close their institutions and back community-based services.

Though the Life Skills and Transition Center has made reductions in the number of residents in recent years, Poolman said there are still questions about inefficiencies at the institution and whether resources could instead be deployed to local communities.

Poolman said her 14-year-old son, Nicholas, who has autism, receives an array of services through the Bismarck Public Schools District, including an individualized education plan, a case manager, special education teacher, speech and occupational therapy.

The Life Skills and Transition Center's current budget is about $60 million, and the institution has around 365 employees.

People dont realize that were spending $60 million there, Poolman said. It's hard to not ask the question, could we use that money in a way that builds new services, not only for the people who are in Grafton today, but for all of the people who are going to face disabilities in the future?"

These are questions that deserve answers," she said.

North Dakota Legislative Management would conduct the interim study. Poolman said, even if the resolution passes in both the House and the Senate, Legislative Management would still have to approve the study, which is among several other proposals.

This is the first step in a pretty long journey in order to get the answers, Poolman said.

To get support from the resolution from fellow legislators, Poolman said she plans to point to the center's budget and number of employees.

"I will focus, most importantly, on the services that we want to see closer to home," said Poolman, who indicated the study aligns with a similar one she did last session on substance exposed newborns. This session, she has introduced a bill on the issue.

Thats what I would hope this would lead to. That we would have two years to take a look at the landscape for people with disabilities and how can we improve," she said.
Proposed changes to the structure of the North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System, as well as to the states health insurance contract timeline, were debated in a Senate committee Thursday.

The hearing came more than two years after PERS announced Sanford Health Plan would become the insurance provider for its health plan members, a decision that was at the center of disagreements that extended the most recent legislative session.

Among the bills heard by the Senate Government and Veterans Affairs Committee was House Bill 1023, the PERS budget bill that includes a provision to eliminate the nine-member retirement board and create the Public Employees Retirement System Office. It also creates a seven-member board to advise the offices executive director, who would be appointed by the governor under the bill, as well as the governor and Legislative Management.

House Majority Leader Al Carlson, R-Fargo, cited increased spending for salaries and benefits in recent years in arguing state officials need to be extremely diligent managers of those funds. He also listed powers currently given to the PERS Board, including entering into insurance contracts.

Those are a lot of duties that we have designated to basically an unelected board, Carlson said. As a legislator, I take very seriously the jobs were given, and thats to pass laws and to appropriate money. Nobody else can do that except us.

The nine-member PERS Board does include two lawmakers, and one of them asked the Senate committee to carefully probe the proposed changes.

This is a drastic, drastic change that calls for more questions than it does statements, said Sen. Dick Dever, R-Bismarck. These amendments were added to a budget bill in the House so they never had a hearing in the House, there was no opportunity for those questions to be asked there. They need to be asked here.

Nick Archuleta, president of the public employees union North Dakota United, said his office has been contacted by employees who are nervous that these amendments are the first step in a scheme to eliminate their pensions.

Carlson said the proposal isnt meant to cut benefits.

Disagreements over the PERS budget forced lawmakers to reconvene in June 2015 after adjourning a few weeks prior. Part of the debate focused on maintaining coverage during the switch from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota to Sanford Health Plan.

One change instituted two years ago was to add two lawmakers to the PERS Board.

I think the Legislature has a bigger role than it understands itself to have, Dever said. The board does not act outside of any authority previously provided by the Legislature.

The Senate committee also saw two other PERS-related bills Thursday. One would require the health plan to go out for a full bid every two years instead of six years, and the term of the contract would begin on Jan. 1 of an even-numbered year.

Sparb Collins, the PERS executive director, said the changes could reduce future competition.

Having a required two-year bid process versus a six-year process could result in carriers being less aggressive in the bids knowing that they would face another bid in two years, he said in prepared testimony opposing House Bill 1406. A six-year process may encourage carriers to invest in the relationship by being more aggressive in pricing and other guarantees.

In a packet provided by Lisa Carlson, Sanford Health Plans senior director of market strategy, the insurer argued House Bill 1406 and House Bill 1407, both introduced by Rep. Carlson, would unconstitutionally impair its contract with PERS. House Bill 1407 limits the contract period to two years, according to Sanford.

The U.S. Constitution doesnt allow federal or state governments to change existing contracts between either two private parties or a private party and the state, the packet said.

Carlson said the contract allows the option for two-year renewals.

We dont have to exercise that option, he said.

The committee did not take action on the three bills Thursday.
GRAND FORKS -- Coming off one of the warmest Februarys ever recorded in Grand Forks, flood warnings continue in the Red River Valley, and meteorologists say areas north and west of the city face the greatest flood risk at the time.

Meteorologist Greg Gust with the National Weather Service said spring flooding will depend on snowfall and rain throughout March.

The overall risk of flooding is still near normal, Gust said.

A flood warning remains in effect along the Red River from Grand Forks and 25 miles north to Oslo, Minn. Walsh and Grand Forks counties are under the flood warning in North Dakota, while Polk and Marshall counties in Minnesota remain under a warning.

The flood warning in Grand Forks is in effect until Saturday afternoon. Thursday morning the river was at 28.7 feet, according to the weather service. The minor flood stage is considered at 28 feet. Gust said the river should continue to drop below the flood stage this weekend.

The Red River was measured at 27.5 feet on Thursday in East Grand Forks and is projected to continue to drop next week, though additional precipitation in March is likely.

Theres still a possibility for heavy spring snow or rain in the next month, Gust said.

Looking toward flood season, the weather service has deemed the Red River Valley from Grand Forks south as a minor to moderate flood risk.

Areas of primary concern are northwest of Grand Forks. Gust said the Park River and Grafton communities could be at risk of moderate to major flooding once the snowpack melts. Neche and Pembina in North Dakota are communities that meteorologists have marked as a major flood risk.

Gust said there is potential for state resources to be needed in the northern Red River Valley from Grafton to Drayton and north toward Neche. He said there is a 50 percent chance the river hits a 17.2-foot crest at Grafton. The area is considered to reach major flooding at 14.5 feet.

Oslo is considered a moderate to low-major flood risk. Flood risks are also high in the Devils Lake basin.

Meteorologist Bill Barrett said temperatures will rise into the 40s this weekend in Grand Forks, which could start to free up some water movement in the river.

Further south, the Fargo-Moorhead region is coming off its sixth-warmest February on record and will have a normal, minor to moderate flood risk this spring, Gust said.

Throughout the Midwest and upper Great Plains, Gust said there is an increased risk of thunderstorms this spring, which could bring additional precipitation in the region.
FARGO  Its been 10 years since Marie Jensen lived in New York City, but the Fargo native and Grand Forks resident has no plans to give up her cell number with its telltale 917 area code.

She received it with her first cellphone during freshman year at New York University.

Its hard to let go of, Jensen said. It feels like a part of my identity.

For Debbie Winzenburg, who moved to Denver from Fargo with her husband two years ago to be close to a daughter and grandkids, her North Dakota number brings memories of home.

Im just proud of my 701 area code. It brings up conversations with others and I don't plan to give it up, Winzenburg said.

When all we had were landlines, a persons area code was a direct indication of where they were living. Now, in a cultural shift, it can also signify a place where they grew up or one that has special significance to them.

As Jensen pointed out, being emotionally tied to ones area code was even a plot point in the Sex and the City movie, where Carrie Bradshaw complains about being assigned a new area code. No, I'm a 917 gal, always have been, the character proclaimed.

Area codes were developed in the late 1940s, according to the North American Numbering Plan Administration, which distributes and oversees telephone numbers in the U.S., Canada and some Caribbean countries.

Its website says AT&T came up with the numbering system to allow callers to sidestep live operators and dial long distance directly. Using three-digit area codes, the system helped carriers distinguish between those billable long distance calls and free local calls.

Geography is still a factor today, but like our phones, its gone mobile. Sometimes, that can lead to confusion.

Tom Knight, a former Fargo and Grand Forks resident, tried to retain his cell number when he moved from Northfield, Minn. to Little Rock, Ark.

I was being stubborn and wanted to keep my 507, Knight said of the code covering southern Minnesota.

But he soon discovered he was missing calls from people in Little Rock, where the area code is 501. When hed give them his number, they assumed he misspoke or wrote it down wrong  that it must be 501 area code, not 507.

It happened enough times, he said, that he finally gave in and changed it.

Some hold onto their area codes for sentimental reasons.

Garrett Boyer, a Carrington native now in St. Paul, received his first cellphone from his parents as a high school graduation present. Even though hes lived in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Minnesota since, he still has his original 701 number.

Wouldnt trade it for anything, Boyer said. Its just a simple reminder of my roots and where I came from.

Even spam calls from the 917 area code can leave Marie Jensen feeling nostalgic.

I look and say Ah, New York is still calling, she laughed.

Sentiment, pride and identity set aside, hanging onto a number is just a matter of convenience to others like Sherri Danielson, a former North Dakota resident now living in Florida.

Just because it would be a hassle to send new number to all my contacts, Danielson said.


Project 75 submarine Kalvari successfully launched underwater missile and engaged surface target. File photo of Kalvari submarine. Photo: Indian Navy.

NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian Navy on Thursday successfully test-fired an anti-ship missile for the first time from the indigenously built Kalvari class attack submarine, in yet another step towards further bolstering India's naval prowess.



The defence ministry described the launch as a significant milestone in enhancing the navy's "sub-surface" warfare capability.



The successful trial of the "intelligent missile" having "extended ranges" reflects culmination of a complex process and the submarine is now almost ready for integration, navy sources said.



The weapon was fired from the first vessel in the series of six Scorpene-class submarines and it "successfully hit" a surface target during the trial in the Arabian Sea. These warships are being built under Project 75 by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai.



All the six diesel-electric attack submarines will be equipped with the anti-ship missile, which has a proven record in combat, the defence ministry said, noting these missiles will provide the vessels the ability to neutralise surface threats at extended ranges.



"The missile successfully hit a surface target at an extended range during the trial firing.



"This missile launch is a significant milestone, not only for the Kalvari, which is the first in a series of Scorpene class submarines being built in India, but also in enhancing the Indian Navy's sub-surface warfare capability," the ministry said.



The strike range of the missile was not disclosed.



The sources said Khanderi, the second Kalvari class Scorpene submarine, is set to be inducted some time in December. The submarines have been designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS.



The Indian Navy is among a select few countries in the world to have anti-ship missile firing capability from submarines.



"The test firing reflects culmination of a very complex process. The successful trial of the missile brings a paradigm shift in naval warfare," the sources said.



They said the submarines will be inducted at intervals of around nine months each.



The key features of the Kalvari class vessels include superior stealth capability and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision-guided weapons.



The submarines will have communication and other modern equipment to provide interoperability with other ships of a naval task force.



The sophisticated vessels will be able to undertake multifarious missions like anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying and area surveillance.



India joined the exclusive group of submarine constructing nations on February 7, 1992, with the commissioning of the first indigenously built submarine INS Shalki.


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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/03/2017 (2074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Chocolate, coffee, wine and flowers are just a few of the certified fair trade products available in Brandon.

The fair trade commitment is on the rise locally, with 24 stores and 19 restaurants, cafes and gas bars now on board.

The efforts are being noticed on the national stage, and for the third year running, Brandon has been named Fair Trade Town of the Year.

Rachel Sparling Mireille Saurette (centre), chair of the Brandon Fair Trade Committee, accepted the Fair Trade Town of the Year award on behalf of the City of Brandon last week at the 2016 Canadian Fairtrade Awards in Halifax, along with fellow committee members and Marquis Project members. She is pictured with Jose Abad-Puelles, from left, Lynn Nightingale, Dinah Ceplis and Zack Gross.

We work diligently with the community, and I think one of our secrets is that we kind of plant the seed of fair trade in anything that we do, said Mireille Saurette, chair of the Brandon Fair Trade Committee, a Marquis Project initiative.

For example, the committee offers fair trade tea and sugar during local events, as well as fair trade coffee at global cooking classes available through Westman Immigrant Services.

The national award is one of 16 given out by Fairtrade Canada, and local representatives accepted the honour last week in Halifax at the 2016 Canadian Fairtrade Awards.

Another award went to a Brandon organization: Grace Mennonite Church received the award for Faith Group of the Year.

Other categories included Workplace of the Year (City of Selkirk), Campus of the Year (McGill University), Product of the Year (KICK ASS by Kicking Horse Coffee), to name a few.

The City of Brandon became Manitobas second and Canadas 19th Fair Trade Town on May 20, 2014. Brandon is one of 1,873 Fair Trade Towns designated worldwide and among 22 in all of Canada.

Fair trade offers producers in the Global South a better deal and improved trade conditions, according to the local committees press release. As a global movement, fair trade brings attention to people around the world who work under exploitative conditions and highlights the true costs of goods in global supply chains.

Internationally recognized principles and standards are set by Certified Fairtrade to promote greater justice in the global economic system. This includes environmental stewardship, protection against child labour, promotion of safe and empowering working conditions, respect for cultural identity, transparent and accountable business practices, and capacity development of producers to seek markets

There are a few requirements to become a Fair Trade Town, such as establishing a steering committee that is committed to promoting fair trade. Product availability is another aspect. A city of Brandons size must have 13 stores that sell at least two fair trade products and at least seven restaurants or cafes that offer two fair trade products.

Currently, Carolyns Floral Designs sells fair trade roses, Blue Hills Bakery offers fair trade coffee, while The Dock sells fair trade wine and beer.

Coffee Culture has coffee, tea, sugar and chocolate bars.

A full list of fair trade stores in Brandon can be found at marquisproject.com.

Other important aspects include public awareness, education, community events and political support, Saurette said.

We started this initiative when it was mayor Shari Decter Hirst and she was quite committed to the cause even before we started the process, she said. Mayor Rick Chrest has been very supportive as have the councillors. I think they recognize how this is bringing Brandon on the map, and were leaders here in Manitoba.

Chrest praised Saurette and the committee for Brandons commitment to this initiative.

Were fortunate weve got some people that are really passionate about this and they do the work and they do it in a real positive, inclusive manner and its just helped us to build and build, he said.

As more and more businesses get on board, the fair trade movement in Brandon continues to snowball.

Weve got a good solid core of organizations and businesses that are involved so thats helped to keep it going and keep it building, Chrest said.

The award will be presented to Brandon City Council on Monday evening.

 jaustin@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @jillianaustin
As a setback in the House of Lords leaves the UK debating how best to accomplish its departure from the European Union, perhaps the most neglected question is the moral one. Rev. Dr. Richard Turnbull, the director of the Centre for Enterprise, Markets, and Ethics (CEME) and also an Anglican minister, asked that leaders focus less on arguments based strictly upon metrics than upon Brexits deeper impact upon individual persons in a speech before the Oxford Union:

The most significant economic argument is concerned with access to markets. The reason it is the most important question is that economic growth is a necessary condition for individual, family, community and national welfare. This is a moral question. Without economic growth we damage employment prospects, reduce the tax base, and stifle innovation. Economic growth is not a zero-sum game and is also a prerequisite for the political debates around wealth and income creation and distribution. In other words, unless we bake the cake in the first place, we cannot debate how the cake should be divided.  [W]e know the EU represents the largest single market in the world (with the US being second). The UK is the largest market for exports from the EU (though only at around 16% of total EU exports), but for the UK around 44% of our total exports go to the single European market, though that percentage has been falling.

The exact parameters of the UKs access to the Single Market remain subject to negotiation. However, Economists for Free Trade (formerly Economists for Brexit) found that if the UK were to remove all trade barriers unilaterally, it would increase GDP by four percent and lower British consumer prices by eight percent  even if the EU did not reciprocate. Were Parliament to reject the burden of EU regulations imposed in Brussels, GDP would increase another two percent.

However, the Financial Times reports that the UK may have to maintain or copy the work of no fewer than 34 European regulators post-Brexit.

EU regulation significantly tilts the playing field in favor of the most powerful and prosperous (not to mention politically connected) firms, Rev. Dr. Turnbull said:

I think there is a cogent argument that EU regulation is an easier burden to bear for larger firms than smaller and medium-sized enterprises; and, in my view, it is SMEs who are the powerhouses of innovation, entrepreneurship and growth, indeed, collectively also of employment.  You can see how, with a regulation like the Working Time Directive, a larger organisation with the resources of an HR department, would find those rules easier to manage and implement than an SME.  [S]o, a significant number of effective, focused, co-owned and co-invested small investment management firms find the burden of the regulatory regime focused and geared towards the larger investment management firms, with their resources and capacity  all investment management firms with funds under management of more than 100m are treated the same, subject to the same requirements, reporting and regulations. So, I am persuaded that there is a negative impact of EU regulation.

Conservative MP Michael Gove made a similar statement at a conference hosted by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) on January 26 in London. Large firms, he said, can insist on rules that act as barriers for new firms and  they can also, at the same time, virtue signal by saying that these new rules  are regulations inspired by their love for the environment, or their commitment to families. Artificially erecting barriers that prevent smaller firms from competing, offering innovations, and allowing their owners (and employees) to prosper also has a moral dimension.

Rev. Dr. Turnbull asks those weighing the specific forms of Brexit to focus on one question: [W]hat will best enable the maximum flourishing of the economy which in turn will enable the flourishing of individuals, families, communities and the nation? Is access to the single market and its benefits too significant to surrender? Is the regulatory regime of the EU sufficiently oppressive and burdensome that it prevents SMEs from flourishing?

The answer to that question might vary from person to person, but let us at least ask the right questions, he concludes.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/03/2017 (2074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This years sixth annual Brandon Beer Tasting Festival is being put on by the Brandon Sunset Rotary Club and The Rotaract Club of Brandon. The event is taking place April 8 at the Victoria Inn Imperial Ballroom. You can purchase tickets at Brandon Liquor Marts or at BrandonBeerFest.com for $33 and I know Im excited to try out some of Manitobas newest breweries and some great craft brews available in Manitoba while supporting Brandons Food For Thought.

This week Im checking out Baltika 7 Export Lager by Baltika Breweries out of Russia. To be honest, this is the first time Ive had a Russian lager in many, many years. In fact, I thought that this was a Ukrainian lager  its not. The beer comes in a nice 500 ml pint-size green embossed bottle, the bottle cap is actually a can-style pop top opener where you have a little ring that removes the bottle cap for you so theres no need for a bottle opener or to scratch your fingers!

Baltika No. 7 was created as a tribute to the 1994 Goodwill Games that took place in St. Petersburg, Russia. The beer is brewed with purified drinking water, pale barley malt, malting barley, hop products and malt extract. The alcohol content is no less than 5.4 per cent ABV.

Submitted First Draught columnist Cody Lobreau says after trying Baltika 7 Export Lager, from Baltika Breweries out of Russia, he doesn't expect to buy this beer again. He says theres nothing in this beer that stands out for him other than the can-style, pop-off bottle cap.

Baltika 7 pours a clean, crisp and light straw yellow. The beer gives off a moderate amount of micro-carbonation just like your typical Budweiser or Coors Light. The head starts off with a nice fingers worth of white head on top only to diminish to a light amount of white foamy film skimming the very top of the glass in some places, especially near the side of the glass.

Baltikas aroma is your classic European lager  its a very malt  and hop-forward beer, but seeing that its in your typical green bottle, its been light-struck so you get that typical skunky aroma that you know and love (or hate) in beers like Heineken, Stella Artois or Moosehead. The aroma is sweet, grainy, a hint of an aroma reminiscent to homemade chicken noodle soup, but also, for the most part, skunky with a wet, fresh-cut grass aroma near the end.

The flavour of the beer is surprisingly lighter than what the aroma put out. The flavour is a light, wet barley grain flavour, reminiscent to a typical grain storage bin, a hint of lemongrass, light amount of hop extract that gives off a lightly bitter and grassy hop presence and a good deal of wet straw. Im surprised that this is my very first Russian beer and it tastes just like almost any European lager but without the full-on skunk for taste. If you like import lagers but only like the smell of skunk and not the taste, this might be for you. I honestly cant see myself ever buying this beer again as theres nothing in this beer that stands out for me other than the can-style, pop-off bottle cap. Its reminiscent to Lvivske out of Ukraine and Zywiec out of Poland. You can buy Baltika 7 (5.4 per cent ABV) for an incredibly affordable $2.56 per 500 ml bottle at Liquor Marts in Brandon, Flin Flon, Killarney, Minnedosa, Roblin, Swan River and The Pas.

New Releases

 Beaus Strong Patrick Irish Red  6.7 per cent ABV  Strong Irish Red with a lightly hopped aroma and is the perfect organic beer for St Patricks Day! $7.40 per 600 ml bottle at Liquor Marts in Brandon, Dauphin, Flin Flon and The Pas. Dont forget to try Beaus 80 Shilling Mild Ale at the 10th and Victoria Liquor Mart and Keystone Motor Inn Growler Bars.

 Dead Frog Udder Domination  7.9 per cent ABV  Imperial Milk Stout that combines flavours of dark chocolate, cappuccino and roasted nuts into a great stout. $7.35 per 650 ml bottle at Liquor Marts in Brandon and Flin Flon.

 Collective Arts IPA No. 1  7.1 per cent ABV  Yet another IPA out of Ontarios arts-based brewery in Hamilton. IPA No. 1 features Nelson Sauvin, Simcoe and Citra Hops to give off a nice bitter and lightly citrused IPA. This will likely sell out before you know it because Ive already purchased six cans and enjoyed them all! $3.65 per 473 ml can at Liquor Marts in Brandon and Flin Flon. If this beer is long gone when you get to one of the three Brandon Liquor Marts, check out Collective Arts Ransack the Hemisphere IPA.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/03/2017 (2074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Its always great to try new-to-you, or in this case, new-to-me, wines that end up being particular treats.

Ive confessed before that I usually find my favourites, keep buying them and dont seek out anything else. But happily, and luckily, I often have the chance to try certain wines without committing to the cost of a bottle.

I think thats what holds me back from purchasing wines that arent recommended by others I trust (and even then sometimes I still get burned because no two palates are the same), or just by going on spec  Gee, pretty label, maybe Ill try that! or Well, thats a wine from a producer I like, perhaps Ill give it a go. I just dont want to invest money in something I dont enjoy.

Case in point: After a lengthy and enthusiastic discussion with a friend about Pinot Gris, I purchased one he suggested. Although he hadnt tried it himself  I was the guinea pig in this situation, I guess  hed heard from several sources it was good. So I thought, What the heck?

But when I sat down to write a recent column that talked about some Pinot Gris Id sampled and liked, I thought, Oh! I should try that one, too! and cracked the bottle. To say the least, I was vastly disappointed. Its not that it was awful. It simply wasnt to my taste. It was far more citrusy than is my preference, and although it was fairly smooth, it seemed more like Sauvignon Blanc than Pinot Gris. And the bottom line was, I just didnt like it.

But because I hate to be wasteful, I gifted the remains to my husband, whos not nearly as picky as I am. And he didnt mind it. At all.

Truth is, Im usually a pretty black-and-white (perhaps I should say red and white!) kind of wine-drinker. Im rarely non-committal when it comes to the many variations of my beverage of choice. I either like them or I dont. Sometimes, I guess, I can be meh about a wine, but spending money on something that doesnt thrill  yes, thrill  me seems like a total waste both of hard-earned dollars and my time. A lovely wine can make my day, while a lousy or so-so one can break it. Which is kind of pathetic, now that I think about it, but thats just how large a role wine plays in my enjoyment of life.

Anyway, I had the opportunity recently to share a couple of bottles of wines I hadnt had before, and they turned out to be splendid!

I shouldnt be surprised I liked these wines, I guess, because there were elements of predilection toward each of them even before the corks were removed. I love the vintner of the first one, and am a huge fan of the varietal of the second.

But I was a bit trepidatious, too, because Im not always enamoured with blends, and thats what the first one was. I mean, most wines are blends to some degree  the amount of a certain varietal required to call something a Cabernet Sauvignon, for instance, changes from country to country, but a wine thats labelled a Cab must contain something like 70 per cent Cabernet grapes. I understand and have no problem with that. But I do like wines that are 100 per cent of a certain grape. Those are often extra satisfying.

Anyway, I had the absolute pleasure of being a guest at Francis Ford Coppolas Winery in Californias Sonoma Country last June, and while Id always loved Coppola wines  his Directors Cut Zinfandel, which we can get in Manitoba for $39.64, and the astonishing Archimedes, which can only be purchased (for $75 US) at the winery, are among my favourite wines. So I while I was a bit nervous about it, I was still more than keen to try Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Scarlet Label Diamond Red Blend. A concoction composed of 27 per cent Zinfandel, 26 per cent Syrah, 20 per cent Petite Sirah, 15 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 12 per cent Merlot, this was one impressive blend.

I was worried it might be sweet, and there certainly was the faintest touch of sweet vanilla oak in the mix. But the soft, silky texture and beautifully structured, subdued tannins were amazing. Spicy with notes of clove, cherry, plum, dark berries, and liquorice made this wine sing. And yes, at $28.04, its up there in cost. But its a truly lovely wine that will please almost any palate. I practically guarantee it.

Same goes for the Montes Alpha Carmenere ($22.61), a delicious Chilean product made from 90 per cent Carmenere and 10 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. With notes of green pepper  very common for this varietal, but in this wine beautifully tempered  the wine doesnt taste unripe at all. Along with black pepper, black berries and plums, along with chocolate, vanilla and a faint hint of mocha, this wine is gutsy and, while great on its own, even better with lamb chops and spicy beef (think Mexican food), as well as classic Spaghetti Bolognaise. Theres also a Syrah and a Cabernet Sauvignon in the Montes Alpha line  the prices of these other two varietals are within a few cents of the Carmenere, so if you like it, the others are probably worth a try, too.
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March 03, 2017

Iranian Film Depicts Destruction of U.S. Navy



A filmmaker in Iran has released a 90-minute movie depicting the destruction of U.S. Naval forces by Tehran.

Associated Press correspondent Nasser Karimi reported on the films release (Iranian film hails demise of U.S. Navy in imagined Gulf battle,? March 2, 2017). Iranian director Farhad Azima created the animated film, entitled Battle of the Persian Gulf II.? The movie is a sequel to an earlier work about the 1980s Iran-Iraq War.

According to the AP:

In the film, a character who closely resembles Gen. Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran's elite Quds Force, leads a single vessel against more than a dozen American warships. When a U.S. commander orders him to surrender or die, he replies: General, I am not a diplomat, I am a revolutionary!

He [Soleimani] warns that any American soldiers taking part in an attack on Iran should order their coffins, before his forces destroy the whole U.S. fleet.?

The movie depicts the U.S. Naval ships as being obliterated with a barrage of rockets, some of which tear American flags from their masts.? The battle follows an imaginary U.S. attack on an Iranian nuclear facility.

Azima asserted that the film was made with no government involvement from Tehran and that money was raised from ordinary people? in Iran. Yet, the ruling mullahs exercise considerable censorship and control over Iranian life; its unlikely that the movie was made without their tacit approval.

The AP dispatch claimed that, since the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, tensions are rising again? between the U.S. and Iran. However, this is not the first time in recent months that Iran has threatened U.S. armed forces.

In November 2016, an Iranian ship pointed its weapon? at a U.S. Naval helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz (Iranian ship threatens U.S. helicopter, media MIA,? CAMERA, Dec. 5, 2016). Iran also has threatened U.S. ships, in August 2016 and January 2017, among other instances (Official: U.S. Navy ship fires warning shot at Iranian boats,? CNN, Jan. 9, 2017). Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, told CNN in January 2017 that there were a total of 35 instances of Iranian ships acting belligerent towards U.S. vessels in 2016.

Posted by SD at March 3, 2017 08:08 AM

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Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/03/2017 (2074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GUELPH, Ont.  Ive worked in agricultural marketing for 25 years and have done a lot of work on branding, including developing logos. Logos have a great deal of power and there are many good ones  think Tim Hortons.

But one logo seen on some food products infuriates me  that of the Non-GMO Project. According to their website, The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization committed to preserving and building the non-GMO food supply, educating consumers, and providing verified non-GMO choices. We believe that everyone deserves an informed choice about whether or not to consume genetically modified organisms.

While that description is fine for the most part, the problem lies in the wording informed choice. Labelling these products has absolutely nothing to do with providing information on genetically-modified products.

Whats scary is that this group has verified more than 35,000 products worth in excess of $16 billion in sales across North America. They do this by completely ignoring what a genetically-modified organism (GMO) product actually is. Some of their approved products include, bizarrely enough, everything from water, maple syrup, coffee, honey and organic rose petal spread to pure vitamins (iron, B12, C, etc.), kitty litter, pink Himalayan rock salt, equine shampoo, toilet paper and, my favourite, condoms. (In the heat of the moment, do couples really care if their condoms are GMO?)

Oddly enough, as their website says, the Non-GMO Projects verification seal is not a GMO-free claim, but rather is independent verification for products made according to best practices for GMO avoidance. So they even know that their label doesnt really mean anything.

Whats worse, many of the products labelled Non-GMO are foods for which no GMO equivalent exists. Many people will be surprised to learn that there are only nine GMO (or genetically engineered) products on the market  corn, soybeans, cotton, sugar beets, canola, alfalfa, papaya (Hawaiian), squash and Arctic apples. Others are being developed but are not yet in the food system. That means a cucumber with a GMO-free sticker is simply a way for the supplier to charge a higher price by preying on consumer naivete.

The laws governing food labelling in Canada show that this is strictly illegal. The government of Canadas Canadian General Standards Board, under its standard, Voluntary Labelling and Advertising of Foods that are and are not Products of Genetic Engineering, clearly states:

Claims that a single-ingredient food is not a product of genetic engineering shall not be made for a single ingredient food of which no genetically engineered strains have been offered for sale, unless accompanied by an explanatory statement, for example, like all other oranges, these oranges are not a product of genetic engineering. The same rule applies to multi-ingredient foods where no GMO alternative exists.

So if this is illegal, why is it proliferating?

The answer has something to do with corporate profits. It also reflects the gullibility of many consumers who know little about science and what the term GMO actually means.

A better question is: how do we address this? Reporting violations to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is one option and anyone can do so. Simply search the web for CFIA reporting and fill out their form.

As a farmers daughter, I believe that we in agriculture need to take every possible opportunity to talk to people about what we do on the farm, and about the multitude of benefits (especially environmental) that GMO crops provide.

As a consumer, its up to me to demand truth and clarity in labelling and advertising.

Lets work together to denounce these scams and bring honesty and integrity back to food.

 Karen Daynard works in agricultural communications and lives near Guelph, Ont.

 Troy Media
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 03/03/2017 (2074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It may be very difficult for the federal Conservatives to throw stones at the Liberals if Kevin OLeary becomes leader. For the moment, it seems, the television personality and businessman is leading the pack to replace Stephen Harper, as the Tories look for a David to the Liberals Goliath  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Mr. Trudeau has been his own worst enemy of late, having engaged in questionable ethical practices. His Christmas visit with the Agha Khan for one thing  after all, he and his family along with his Liberal friends were wined and dined in the Bahamas, even taking a private helicopter to the island.

That was great fodder for the Conservatives  for awhile, until it was revealed that interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose had also spent the Christmas break on a billionaires yacht. Suddenly, there was no shade to throw.

Talk about glass houses.

Yes, Mr. Trudeau is politically vulnerable. His partys use of cash-for-access fundraisers made for terrible optics, particularly after Mr. Trudeau first denied there was anything wrong with these $1,500-per-ticket fundraisers or that they provided special access to politicians. Then he claimed he used the events to get support for policies on behalf of the middle class. He has now pledged legislation that will ban them in the future.

Given the circumstances, lets imagine Mr. OLeary is now Conservative leader. How could he attack the Liberals or Mr. Trudeau on this topic, when Mr. OLeary himself demands a minimum $50,000 an appearance and wont show up for anything less? Or that Mr. OLeary acknowledged in the Globe and Mail that he is backing an Alberta-British Columbia pipeline after one of its supporters helped raise $100,000 for the OLeary campaign?

Thats truly bought-and-paid-for access.

Imagine the Conservatives trying to take a shot at Mr. Trudeaus privileged upbringing and his life as an elite, with Mr. OLearys penchant for private jets, his US$30,000-an-episode salary for Shark Tank and his millionaire lifestyle? Or how about the Conservatives trying to tackle Mr. Trudeaus lack of experience, when Mr. OLeary has never run for public office and has never worked within government.

In fact, Mr. OLeary has many targets on his back that Liberal strategists are likely salivating over. Mr. OLeary has publicly stated he considers Boston his home.

Back in 2011, the Conservatives opened a barrage of attack ads aimed at former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff. It was an effective strategy that claimed Ignatieff was just visiting and that he didnt come back for you. Just imagine how the Liberal party would go to town with their own attack ads on OLeary. They write themselves.

And just this week, OLeary skipped the mandatory all-candidates debate in Edmonton, saying he didnt like the format. But critics suggest his lack of French language skills prompted him to skip it. That wont play well in Quebec, a province that the Conservatives need in order to gain back power.

His business dealings havent been entirely successful either. His company, OLeary Funds, performed poorly and was sold in 2015 after losing close to $800 million in assets. He was fired by Mattel and was later named as a defendant in a class-action lawsuit by Mattel shareholders accusing him  in part  of insider trading. He denied those claims and Mattel settled with the shareholders in 2003.

There are other examples.

A great deal of time has been spent comparing Mr. OLeary to U.S. President Donald Trump. But the first less than stellar month of the Trump presidency may make Mr. OLeary  or really anyone trying to bring Trump-style politics into Canada  an even tougher sell for those within the Conservative party looking for an opportunity to beat Mr. Trudeau.

Mr. Trumps declaration that nobody knew health care could be so complicated is just one more cringe-worthy quote from someone who had no experience and no understanding of the difference between business and government.

Canadian politicians should always be careful about building glass houses, but in the case of Mr. OLeary, its more like a glass mansion.

 Winnipeg Free Press & The Brandon Sun
Update 9pm: John Buckley has been located safe and well.

Earlier: Gardai are seeking the public's help in finding a missing man in Dublin.

55-year-old John Buckley was last seen on the Ninth Lock Road in Clondalkin on Tuesday at 8pm in the evening.

He is described as being five feet four inches tall with a slim build and short black/grey hair.

It is not known what John was wearing when last seen.

Gardai say they are concerned for his welfare and are urging anyone with information to contact them.
Nationalists in Northern Ireland have voted to oppose Brexit, Gerry Adams said.

With the prospect of a hard land border dividing the island of Ireland, the Sinn Fein president said the Stormont Assembly poll was a mandate for Northern Ireland to receive special designated status within the EU.

Mr Adams said it was the only way to prevent a land frontier between a European state, the Republic of Ireland, and the British state in Northern Ireland.

Sinn Fein is on course to become the largest party in nationalism in the next Assembly if the power-sharing institutions can be resurrected.

Mr Adams said: "It is also a re-assertion of our position on Brexit, that this part of Ireland should have a special designated status.

"Whatever your position is on the constitutional issue, that the only way to stop a land frontier between a European state and the British state on this island is to make sure there is a special designated status within the European Union for this part of Ireland."

Northern Ireland voted remain in the June EU poll by 56% to 44%.

However some largely unionist areas voted leave and the DUP, the largest party, campaigned for Brexit.

There are concerns among some businesses that the move will damage the economy of Northern Ireland, with pharmaceuticals moving to the Republic of Ireland, even though proponents point to benefits like freedom from EU regulation.

The border at present is porous and invisible, with people and goods passing freely back and forth.

The British Government has said it wants to create a frictionless frontier post-Brexit.

Mr Adams said it was a vote of confidence in his party's position.

"It is a vote for Irish unity, a vote for us together as a people.

"As Ian Paisley famously told Martin McGuinness, we don't need Englishmen to govern us."

He said it was about agreements which had already been made being implemented as well as a little bit of manners, respect and treating others the way you would want to be treated by unionists.

Mr Adams said: "It is a vote and a mandate, and it will have to be respected by the other parties and the two governments, for a step-change, for an end to the old status quo, for a new beginning to how we do our business."

He said it was a huge vote of thanks to Martin McGuinness, whose resignation as deputy first minister in January prompted the collapse of power-sharing.
A man charged in connection with the murder of Northern Ireland prison officer David Black in November 2012 has appeared at the High Court in Dublin on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.

Damien Joseph McLaughlin (aged 40), with an address at Glenties Rd, Belfast, was arrested yesterday in County Donegal by a member of the Special Detective Unit.

Mr McLaughlin is wanted by the authorities in Northern Ireland to face allegations that he aided and abetted in the murder of David Black on November 1, 2012, and was in possession of an article suspected of being for the commission of the act of murder.

Mr Black (aged 52) was shot dead on the M1 motorway by dissident republicans as he drove to work in Maghaberry jail.

David Black.

Mr McLaughlin is also charged with engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism and of being a member of a proscribed organisation.

Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce, of the Special Detective Unit, told counsel for the State Fiona Murphy BL today that he arrested Mr McLaughlin on Thursday in Donegal.

He said that he asked the accused man if he was Damien McLaughlin.

Mr McLaughlin nodded, the court heard.

The detective cautioned the man and he replied that he wanted to speak to his solicitor.

He was conveyed to Letterkenny garda station and shown a copy of the European Arrest Warrant.

The detective read over a summary of the offences and asked the accused man if he knew what they were about, the court heard, and Mr McLaughlin said that he did.

Under cross-examination, Det Sgt Boyce told David Leonard BL, for Mr McLaughlin, that the accused man was a passenger in a vehicle when arrested.

The court heard that Mr McLaughlin was dragged out of the car, and his legs were crossed and cable-tied.

Det Sgt Boyce did not agree with the barrister that Mr McLaughlin had been treated with more force than necessary.

The detective said that Mr McLoughlin is "a high-risk person" and that there was a "strong and real possibility" he had a firearm.

He was "dealt with in a prompt and appropriate fashion" and "not treated with any more force than necessary", the detective added.

Mr Leonard submitted to the court that excessive force was used and that "either disregard or insufficient weight was placed on the presumption of innocence".

In these circumstances the arrest was invalid, he said.

Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly rejected the application.

She said that Mr McLaughlin is accused of offences of terrorism.

"It is also alleged that he had been released on bail in Northern Ireland and he failed to abide by the conditions of his bail," she said.

She added that it is important gardai carry out risk assessments before arresting somebody and that she did not consider that excessive force was used or that there was a breach of the presumption of innocence

Mr McLaughlin was remanded in custody until March 20, when his case is listed for mention again.
Bertie Ahern is warning the scale of Brexit has not been recognised here.

The former Taoiseach said that, in his view, the reality of how much Ireland will be affected does not seem to have sunk in here just yet.
Dozens of solidarity vigils are set to take place around the country tomorrow in support of the mother who is walking from Cork to Dublin as part of her campaign for the legalisation of medicinal cannabis for her sick daughter, writes Eoin English.

Despite struggling with tonsillitis and knee-joint pains, mother-of-four, Vera Twomey, is continuing her 280km walk today, which started in Cork on Monday.

She left Cashel earlier and is due in Durrow in Co Laois this evening.

She embarked on the walk earlier this week to highlight the plight of her daughter, Ava, seven, who has a rare form of epilepsy called Dravets syndrome.

She can suffer several severe seizures every day.

However, an application made under a compassionate access programme for cannabis-based medication to treat her seizures was rejected because it wasnt signed by medical experts.

Ms Twomey said the only option for Ava now is the introduction of legislation to allow access to the potentially life-changing medication.

She has asked people to show their support for her campaign by gathering with placards in local towns and villages between 1pm and 2pm tomorrow, to take a photograph of the protest, and to post it on social media.

She is due to leave Cullahill tomorrow morning for Durrow and Abbeyleix. On Sunday, she plans to walk from Portlaoise to Monasterevin, before walking from Kildare town to Naas on Monday.

She hopes to arrive at the gates of Dail Eireann around 5pm on Tuesday.
Beauty and the Beast remake has been banned in a cinema in Alabama because of its inclusion of a gay character.

Henagars Drive-In Cinema has made the decision after director Bill Condon told Attitude Magazine that the film would feature an "exclusively gay moment" involving Josh Gad's character, LeFou, the buddy of vain villain Gaston (Luke Evans).
Around 1,300 suspected militants have been arrested in a sweep of hideouts in Pakistan's largest province of Punjab, police said.

The roughly two-week operation comes despite the provincial law minister's defence of some groups designated as terrorist organisations and banned by Pakistan but resurrected under new names.

Rana Sanaullah also embraced some sectarian leaders whose groups have been accused of fomenting violence against minority Islamic sects, raising questions about his commitment to ridding Punjab of militants.

Two police officials said another 36 militants died in shoot-outs with police and in paramilitary operations since the sweep began last month.

In an interview with The Associated Press, however, Mr Sanaullah questioned the label of terrorist for anti-Indian militant groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has resurfaced as Jamaat ud Daawa.

Last month, Pakistan placed Hafiz Saeed, a declared terrorist with a US-imposed 10 million US dollar (8.2m) bounty on his head, under house arrest.

However, Mr Sanaullah questioned allegations against Mr Saeed, who is connected mostly to militant attacks in Indian-held Kashmir, a Himalayan region whose ownership is contested by both Pakistan and India and claimed by both in its entirety.

"They are related to Kashmir. They feel Indian brutality in Kashmir is unacceptable," he said of Mr Saeed and his followers, adding that Pakistan's courts have twice freed Mr Saeed saying there was no evidence of his involvement in terrorism activities.

Mr Saeed is among India's most wanted men and is accused of masterminding attacks inside India and Indian-held Kashmir.

"Why is the world not concerned about India's violence in Kashmir?" Mr Sanaullah asked.

"There is no evidence of Saeed's involved in state terrorism."

In an interview, Mr Saeed's spokesman Yahya Mujahed denied Mr Saeed's affiliation with the outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Analysts and critics say the Punjab provincial government is sheltering sectarian and jihadi groups headquartered in its most populous province, while using the crackdown to target ethnic Pashtuns from tribal regions that border Afghanistan.

Mr Sanaullah said police were searching out areas in Punjab dominated by ethnic Pashtuns and unregistered Afghan refugees because some of the worst attacks carried out in the provincial capital of Lahore involved residents of the tribal areas.

He cited last year's Easter attack in Lahore that killed more than 75 people, including minority Christians, saying 11 men arrested in connection with the suicide attack were from Pakistan's Mohmand and Bajour tribal regions.

"They are from FATA (tribal areas) so we (have decided that we should) do action against those areas where people from Bajour and Mohmand are and where Afghan refugees who are not registered are residing," Mr Sanaullah said denying his government is employing profiling in its crackdown that targets ethnic Pashtuns.

A multitude of militant groups of varying size operate in Pakistan, many with violent sectarian leanings that have allowed the Sunni Islamic State group to gain a foothold despite repeated denials by the country's politicians.

IS took responsibility for last month's brutal attack on a Sufi shrine in southern Sindh province that killed 88 people and injured scores more.

"Ironically, Punjab tops all other Pakistani territories in terms of religious/extremist/outlawed groups density; as many as 107 of the 240 or so socio-politically lethal groups are headquartered in the province, with 71 in Lahore and around alone, including the one that is an eye-sore for Indians," said Imtiaz Gul, executive director of the Islamabad-based Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).

He was referring to Mr Saeed's Lashkar-e-Taiba.

"Out of this, 148 are sectarian outfits while 24 are jihadi organisations, while 12 outfits claim to work for the revival of an Islamic (caliphate) as their objective," which is the aim of IS, Mr Gul said in a blog published this week on the CRSS site.
Ben Carson has been sworn in as the next secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The retired neurosurgeon and former Republican presidential candidate was confirmed by the Senate.
President Donald Trump will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House later this month.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders says the meeting will take place on March 14.
The wife of the Orlando nightclub gunman has been ordered to remain in jail for the time being.

A federal judge issued the ruling in Florida, a day after a magistrate in California said Noor Salman could be released.

US District Judge Paul Byron, sitting in Orlando, made an order saying Salman should stay in jail while he decides if she should be detained or released pending her trial on charges that she helped her husband scout out potential targets and created a cover story for him.

A federal magistrate in Oakland, California, had ordered Salman's release as early as Friday, saying it was "debatable" whether the government had enough evidence to convict her.

US Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu also said Salman, 31, was not dangerous and there was no proof she had ties to the Islamic State group or held extremist views.

The criminal charges were filed in Florida, but the detention hearing was held in California because Salman was living in the Bay Area at the time she was taken into custody.

Salman has pleaded not guilty to charges of aiding and abetting, and obstruction of justice. She faces life in prison if she is convicted.

Salman's husband, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to IS during the attack at the Pulse gay nightclub on June 12.

The deadliest mass shooting in recent US history left 49 people dead and dozens injured. Mateen was eventually killed by police.

In their motion asking that she be detained, prosecutors said there is a presumption in the law for Salman to be held in jail since the crime involves terrorism, and that prosecutors need not show anything more than an indictment to back up their request.

"Here, the defendant proffered evidence of her husband's alleged abuse, the affidavits of friends and family, and her lack of overall danger in support of an argument that she does not constitute a flight risk or danger to the community," the prosecutors said.

"Such proffered evidence falls far short of justifying a finding in favour of release, particularly in light of the nature of the charged offence."

Salman's lawyer Linda Moreno said the motion seemed to be a rehash of what was argued in the California court.

"The court found that the evidence they claim supports these allegations was debatable," Ms Moreno said. "It's far more than debatable. It's groundless."

- AP
Update 9.41am: An arrest warrant has been issued for a North Korean airline employee over the fatal poisoning of the half-brother of North Korea's leader, Malaysian police said.

The warrant was issued for 37-year-old Kim Uk Il, who works for Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier, police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said.

He arrived in Malaysia on January 29, about two weeks before Kim Jong Nam was attacked with the nerve agent VX in a Kuala Lumpur airport terminal, police said.

Malaysian authorities have not said why they want to question Kim Uk Il.

Police have said they believe he is still in Malaysia.

Malaysia is looking for seven North Korean suspects in all, four of whom are believed to have left the country on February 13, the day Mr Kim died.

The only people in custody are two women - one Indonesian, one Vietnamese - accused of smearing his face with the banned nerve agent VX.

Earlier, they released another North Korean, Ri Jong Chol, citing a lack of evidence.

Mr Ri had been detained since February 17, was handed over to immigration officials for deportation.

Earlier:

Malaysian police have released the only North Korean detained over the killing of the half brother of North Korea's leader, as officials condemned the use of a banned nerve agent in the attack and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Ri Jong Chol, who had been detained since February 17, was handed over to immigration officials for deportation.

Police never said what they thought his role had been in the attack, but national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed he was released due to a lack of evidence.

Malaysian attorney general Mohamad Apandi Ali said he would be deported because he did not have valid travel documents.

Two women - one Indonesian, one Vietnamese - have been charged with murdering Mr Kim at an airport terminal on February 13.

They were caught on surveillance video smearing what Malaysian authorities say was VX nerve agent on his face and eyes, though both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Police are searching for seven North Korean suspects, including four believed to have left Malaysia the day Mr Kim, the estranged half brother of Kim Jong Un, was killed.

One of the suspects believed to still be in Malaysia is an official at the North Korean embassy.

Malaysia's Foreign Ministry ramped up the pressure on Pyongyang on Friday, saying it was "greatly concerned" with the use of the toxic chemical and condemning the use of such a chemical weapon under any circumstances.

"Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," the ministry said.

Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of being behind the killing, but the statement came hours after a North Korean envoy rejected a Malaysian post-mortem finding that VX nerve agent killed Mr Kim, saying he probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from cardiac disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Ri Tong Il, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, also said that if VX had been used, others would have been killed or injured.

The death has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. On Thursday, Malaysia announced it was scrapping visa-free entry for North Koreans.

Malaysian officials say the two female suspects smeared VX - a banned chemical weapon - on Mr Kim's face as he waited for a flight at Kuala Lumpur airport. He died within 20 minutes, authorities say. No bystanders reported falling ill.

The post-mortem finding that VX killed Mr Kim boosted speculation that North Korea orchestrated the attack.

Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons including VX.

North Korea is trying to retrieve the body, but it has not acknowledged the victim is Kim Jong Un's half brother, as Malaysian government officials have confirmed.

Pyongyang refers to the victim as Kim Chol, the name on the diplomatic passport he was carrying when he died. Malaysian police are doing the same, and are seeking next-of-kin who could provide a DNA sample and make a positive identification, steps they say are needed for authorities to give up the body.

Mr Kim is believed to have had two sons and a daughter with two women living in Beijing and Macau.
A man and woman have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a two-year-old boy.

Merseyside Police are investigating the death of the toddler, who was found unresponsive at a house in Birkenhead, Wirral, on Wednesday afternoon.
The ACT's infection rate of a key bacteria that causes gastroenteritis, campylobacter, was almost 1.5 times the national average last year, new data shows.

Laboratory-confirmed cases of the bacterial infection in the ACT have been consistently above the national average since at least 2012, with the latest disease data showing Canberra had a rate of 148.6 cases for every 100,000 people, compared to 101.9 across the country.

Hand and food hygiene is an essential part of protecting against bacteria that causes gastroenteritis. Gastro is transmitted contact with infected faeces or vomit, person-to-person, through contaminated food or water, or touching a contaminated surface.

Similar rates were recorded in the previous three years, ACT Health's communicable diseases database shows, with Canberra's rate between 60 and 32 cases per 100,000 residents above the national average from 2013 to 2015.

And while outbreaks of salmonella, such as two spates at local cafes in recent weeks, are rare, the data also shows a steadily increasing rate of those infections cases, both nationally and in the ACT, over several years.
Riharna Thomson at the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra. Credit:Facebook An emotional Olive said it was too difficult to process the loss of Riharna's life and her final generous act of organ donation. "That sums her up. She's given her organs and she'll save someone's life today," he said. "By the industry, she was well-liked by everyone. "It's just been such a tragic week, for a young life to be taken like that. It's tragic."

Canberra's premier race day, the Black Opal Stakes, will still be held on Sunday, no doubt with sombre undertones, with a ceremony in Riharna's honour to be held in the mounting yard at 1pm before the first race. Jockeys have said they will wear black arm bands and ride in her memory. An autumn lunch featuring John Singleton as guest speaker for the Canberra branch of the Thoroughbred Club of Australia was cancelled on Friday out of respect. However, some key figures in the racing industry are feeling extremely raw and want to avoid the track altogether. "The way I feel at the moment, I don't even want to go the races but I understand it has to go on," Olive said.

Canberra Racing Club chief executive Peter Stubbs said it had considered cancelling the Black Opal Stakes. "It's employment for a lot of people. It's the basis of the whole industry and there's wider implications," Mr Stubbs said. Mr Stubbs said Racing NSW Pastor Reverend Colin Watts would lead Sunday's trackside ceremony for Riharna, with her funeral expected to be held later in Tamworth. A later memorial service was also being planned for Canberra. "Everyone in the racing family at Thoroughbred Park is deeply affected by the passing of Riharna," he said. "She was a lovely person, dedicated to her job. She had her own pleasure horses which she looked after as well as looking after race horses as her job.

"There's 26 trainers based here at Thoroughbred Park and they have a lot of staff and they socialise together and travel together to race meetings, there's quite a number of female track riders, and when I was at the hospital on Wednesday, the waiting room was basically just packed with all those people." It is the second death connected to Thoroughbred Park with an apprentice jockey Anthony Martin dying after a fall during a barrier trial in 1972 Riharna suffered critical head injuries and was put on life support on Tuesday when the horse she was riding, Chosen Prayer, broke its leg in what has been described as a freak accident at Thoroughbred Park. Dryden said Riharna was riding her favourite horse when the accident happened. "She alternates between our Goulburn stable and Canberra and she was to go to Goulburn on the morning but she stayed there to ride that horse," he said.

Dryden said he was "too upset to take any part" in the Black Opal Stakes. Her father, Ian Thomson, was previously a publican in the little town of Walcha, north-east of Tamworth, but had since relocated to Nelson Bay. Riharna grew up in Walcha and attended the New England Girls' School in Armidale, which has a strong horse program, including its own equestrian centre. Toni Griffis, a cook at one of the pubs Mr Thomson used to own in Walcha, said Riharna had been "a beautiful girl". "She's going to be very missed up here," Ms Griffis said.

"She was the most beautiful, beautiful soul." NEGS' head of boarding, Stephanie Thomas, was then Riharna's year advisor from years nine to 12. "It's an absolute tragedy and our thoughts are with her family and friends," Mrs Thomas said. "She really embodied the NEGS' spirit of embracing life and trying everything." Canberra trainer Barbara Joseph said Riharna would be sorely missed.
Alarming rates of syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections in Indigenous communities - in some cases up to 132 times the national average - have prompted a call from within the government for urgent action and emergency funding.

The latest data, presented to the Turnbull government as part of the push, shows Indigenous people remain markedly more susceptible to STIs, particularly in remote areas, with growing concern the diseases are acting as a gateway to HIV.

A syphilis outbreak in northern Australia caused the number of diagnoses Australia-wide to rise to 2736 in 2015, with 16 per cent of those among Aboriginal people. The rate was six times higher than for non-Indigenous people, and up to 132 times higher in remote areas.

Gonorrhoea diagnoses stabilised at 626 per 100,000 Indigenous people in 2015 - 10 times higher than the general population, and up to 72 times higher in remote areas. Nearly 20 per cent of all cases were among Indigenous people, with Indigenous status unknown in another 36 per cent.
A Rebels bikie club member has been found guilty of murdering a custom car builder in the driveway of his shop after a dispute over a highly prized and unique motorcycle.

Laurie Starling, 29, was found slumped behind the wheel of his car with his mobile phone in his hand after being shot twice outside his business, the Chop Shop, in West Gosford in July 2014.

Laurie Starling was found dead in his car outside his business in West Gosford. Credit:Facebook

A NSW Supreme Court jury found John Weston, 36, guilty of murder on Friday morning.

Weston's co-accused, identified only as Witness G, pleaded guilty to murder last month and was enlisted to give evidence against his former associate.
A Polish nanny brutally beaten and raped north of Brisbane last year has died in a car crash in her home country days before her alleged attacker was charged.

The Queensland Police Service confirmed the 24-year-old woman died this week after returning to Poland in December.

Acting Detective Superintendent Mick O'Dowd said it was "a very sad set of circumstances" and all the police involved had been moved by the news, which came a day after police charged a 28-year-old Petrie man with rape, assault with intent to commit rape and acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm.

The man is accused of grabbing the 24-year-old while she was out walking in the Moreton Bay suburb of Petrie about 8.30pm on November 25, and bashing her so savagely in a council car park that he broke her nose and left her with facial injuries that required surgery. Police said she was also raped.
The former chief of the Defence Force has been appointed University of the Sunshine Coast's fourth chancellor.

Arguably Australia's pre-eminent defence elder, Sir Angus Houston nominated himself for the role that will begin on April 1.

Former chief of Australian Defence Force Sir Angus Houston.

"I'm looking forward to playing my part in a university that demonstrates high academic and research standards internationally and nationally and contributes substantially to its broader regional community," he said.

Sir Angus will follow from John Dobson OAM, who will retire on March 31 after 10 years in the role.
A wind farm big enough to power 240,000 homes will be built near Dalby by 2020, the Queensland government has decided.

In state Parliament on Thursday, State Development Minister Anthony Lynham announced the environmental impact study for the $500 million Coopers Gap wind farm proposed by AGL Energy had been approved by the Co-ordinator-General.

A new wind farm near Dalby is set to generate 350 jobs during construction.

"AGL has advised it will employ local people and use local contractors from across the Wide Bay Burnett and Darling Downs wherever possible," Dr Lynham said.

"This project will contribute up to $4 million each year to the local economy."
Founder of Boost Juice Janine Allis speaking at the Sage Summit. Credit:Penny Stephens

"Jeff was the type who often had more belief in me than I had in myself," she said. "When we started the business he did leasing and marketing and I did everything else, so he got the sites and he came home one day, really early on when we had about two stores. He said, 'I've done my job, 20 sites, done and signed'."

Because he wasn't involved in the other details of the business Allis said he had "no idea" the deal meant $5 million liability for the pair personally and hadn't thought of the implications of building 20 stores.

"For him it came down to, you can do it," she said. "So in one respect if someone thinks you are capable of it then you kind of just think 'I have to do it then don't I?'. That naive belief is one of those things he is good at."

This belief has been tested at times, particularly when the Allis' had to mortgage their house to fund the business.
Artificial human life could soon be grown in a laboratory, scientists believe, after they successfully created an embryo using only stem cells for the first time.

Cambridge University used two types of mouse stem cells to create a living mouse embryo which formed after just four days. It is the first time scientists have ever been able to create a living embryo without using sperm or an egg.

Artificial mouse embryos grow in the lab. Credit:Cambridge University

The breakthrough, described as a "masterpiece" in bio-engineering, could eventually allow scientists to grow artificial human embryos in the lab.

Growing embryos would help researchers to study the very early stages of human life and understand why so many pregnancies fail. But it is likely to prove controversial and raise ethical questions about what constitutes human life.
A bus crashed through the front of a take-away shop in North Melbourne after colliding with a truck just before 10am on Friday.

A kitchenhand at North Melbourne Take Away said staff were shaken after hearing a loud bang and finding a bus had ploughed five metres through the front of the store.

A kitchenhand in the cafe said staff were shaken but uninjured. Credit:Twitter/@3AW693

Speaking to 3AW, Matthew said the bus missed the only customer in the store by a minute.

"We were all fortunately in the back of the shop when all of a sudden there was a great bang. I thought it was a lightning strike and then all the power went out immediately."
The man charged with murder after allegedly starting the fire that killed three squatters in a Footscray factory has refused to leave his cell and is at risk of self-harm, his lawyer has told a court.

Darren Clover, 52, was due to appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday, but chose to stay in custody in the cells, defence counsel Katie Powell said.

Darren Clover is facing three murder charges over the fatal Footscray fire.

It is his legal right not to leave his cell.

Mr Clover is charged with three counts of murder over the fire that started late on Wednesday night at the old Kinnears rope factory and killed three people who were living there.
Perth sprawls over hundreds of kilometres, creating its unique set of infrastructure issues. Credit:Stefan Gosatti Y Research's Damian Stone reckons WA needs to take a deep breath and ask this question - what do we want to be? "Mining will always be there. But beyond that, are we a tourism hub? The new food bowl of Asia? The boarding school of the region? The new Silicon Valley of technology start ups? "Once we determine our place in the world, the government and private sector need to work together." Part two: Tourism can lead the way

WA is home to some of the world most beautiful beaches, finest wines, the most spectacular natural attractions and warm, friendly people who want visitors to come. Promoting it to tourists should be a no-brainer. And the way ahead is pretty clear according to the Tourism Council - cut the red tape to foster innovation, put more events on to raise visitor numbers and shout about it all from the rooftops. "We have great things in Perth and WA all ready to go, but we are not promoting them at anywhere approaching a level that will give us better results and allow us to grow," the council's Evan Hall warns. "We need to identify our markets again - in China, Indonesia, over east - put together packages and flog them hard. Get events in, get people to see them and then book them into more activities and stays. "To do that we need steady budget so we can market right and compete properly. Funding has been incredibly inconsistent for the sector. Right now we don't know year to year what our budget will be. It puts us at a huge disadvantage."

Swan River Seaplanes will charter day trips from Perth to Margaret River. Credit:Swan River Seaplanes Part three: Arts in the spotlight Perth's Fringe Festival and International Arts festival have packed them in this summer - but despite these high profile successes, overall the WA arts industry says it's doing what artists always do - starving. Henry Boston from WA's Chamber of Arts and Culture warns we'll miss the chance to make it a viable stream of WA's future economy if we don't take action. "In the last 14 years the population has grown by 36 per cent yet the investment in the arts industry through the arts portfolio has almost halved in percentage terms of total state expenditure," he said.

"More of the same will see a sector hamstrung by its uncertain existence, less adventurous and less diverse in its offerings to those that visit or live here. "The state has taken many years to shrug of its artistic backwater status yet there is every chance it will regress." To help bring that about, the arts sector in WA has been running a campaign called 'Arts Improves Lives' to argue its case in the halls of power and win the support of the community. "The Chamber has made a priority of an urgent injection of funding similar to the Ignite package made by Labor in 2007, in this case $25 million per annum over 4 years," Mr Boston said. Part four: Digital can be our new mining

The tech sector isn't towing the old ways of work and making money to the scrap heap - it's flinging them into the sun with a rocket assisted trebuchet. And for many years WA's economy has been insulated from this disruption, lifted up high by the mining industry, which although it employs plenty of tech has more of a blue collar focus. Flux is Perth's largest co-working space and is popular with the tech sector. Credit:Flux But as that vital sector continues to cool, Sharon Grosser from StartupWA warns WA could get quickly left behind by the rest of Australia and the world if we don't make technology a more central part of our economy and education system. "Without the capability to provide the products and services required in the digital economy, WA will increasingly rely on interstate and overseas companies," she said.

"Make government procurement processes visible and accessible to early stage companies, and set up seed and early stage co-investment funds." Part five: Growing agriculture and education The President of the Royal Agricultural Society of WA Rob Wilson says the future is bright for WA's farmers. "The agricultural sector is facing somewhat of a renaissance, with both the settling of the mining sector in WA and the demand for quality produce from both local markets and also from our Asian neighbours," he said. "However, the agricultural sector is still to realise its potential and in order to do so needs to become more cohesive and united."

The consensus in the industry is that WA is very well placed right now for an agricultural acceleration driven by increasing demand for high quality produce in Asia and also over east. Bathgate Farm grows heirloom potato varieties in its rich, peaty soil. Credit:David Allan-Petale The key, according to Rob Wilson from RASWA, is to encourage WA growers to focus on high end products then work together to get them to market. "WA nor Australia will ever be able to compete on price, as international markets where wages are significantly less than Australia, will always prove to be more price competitive," he said. "Growing Asian market demand, particularly for quality produce, will present a golden opportunity and if the sector can work together it may be able to maximise the affluent growth from these markets."

And for education, there are around 59,000 international student enrolments each year in WA, with each student adding their spending power to the local economy. It's a valuable sector - but Study WA's Executive Director Mike Ryan says it could be worth even more to WA's economy if we promote our state at a higher level. "International education numbers for new commencements in WA at YTD Nov 2017 are growing at around 8.6% compared with this time last year," he said. "This is lower than the Commencement growth in eastern Australia which is 9.8% and so WA continues to struggle to retain its market share which now sits at 7.8%." Loading
Cairo: Egypt's top appeals court has found Hosni Mubarak innocent of involvement in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ended his 30-year rule, the final ruling in a landmark case.

Mubarak was the first of the leaders toppled in a wave of Arab uprisings to face trial. In scenes that captivated Arabs, he appeared in a courtroom cage on charges ranging from corruption to complicity in the murder of protesters.

A small number of supporters of ousted former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak hold posters with his photo, as they celebrate his acquittal, Cairo. Credit:AP

The case has traced the trajectory of Egypt's Arab Spring, with Mubarak originally sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for conspiring to murder 239 demonstrators during the 18-day revolt, mainly centred at Cairo's Tahrir Square. The revolt sowed chaos and created a security vacuum but also inspired hope for an era of democracy and social justice.

But an appeals court ordered a retrial that culminated in 2014 in the case against the ageing former president and his senior officials being dropped. An appeal by the public prosecution led to Thursday's final retrial by the Court of Cassation.
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A third of students who have been handpicked for a Bristol University scholarship scheme - aimed at disadvantaged students - come from private schools.

Last year, the red-brick university launched the Bristol Scholars scheme, which aims to ensure pupils from the city have the opportunity to attend their local university.

The scheme  the first of its kind in Britain  was lauded by Education Secretary Justine Greening and was intended to improve social mobility in a city where one in four children live in poverty.

Pupils with high potential, who might want to do a course of their choice at the university, can now do so even if their results don't meet the grade usually expected.

But a third of the participants in the pilot scheme, starting this September, come from independent schools.

The other 67 per cent come from state-funded schools.

Some 13 schools chose to take part in the Bristol Scholars scheme  six private, and seven state-funded secondary schools.

When it was launched, the university said priority would be given to students who overcome their disadvantaged backgrounds.

The included those being the first in their family to attend university, were on free school meals, were living in care, or was a young carer.

Financial support would also be given to those whose household income was below 25,000.

Private students can pay up to 18,000 in fees annually.

However, many private schools offer scholarships for pupils from low-income families.

The university said the students  independent schools or not  met the criteria.

Is Bristol University too posh?

According to figures from the Higher Education Statistic Agency, 61.4 per cent of Bristols current students come from state schools.

That is fewer than Cambridge last year, where 61.9 per cent were admitted from state schools.

That means Bristol was the eighth worst in the UK for admitting state-educated students, behind places like Oxford, Durham and St Andrews.

In stark contrast, the student population of the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) is made up of 93.8per cent of pupils who came from state schools.

What does Bristol University say?

Lucy Collins, head of UK Recruitment at the university, said: "At the heart of the Bristol Scholars scheme is the determination to provide opportunities for local students whose potential is not recognised in their predicted A Level results.

The scheme is open to all schools with post-16 provision in the city and we received applications from both the state and independent sector.

"Bristol Scholars from independent schools who have been offered places had to fulfil one or more widening participation criteria in order to be selected.

For example, they may have faced a disrupted education due to ill health or family difficulties.

"This is a pilot year and only a subset of schools applied to take part in the scheme. Our ambition for the future is that all schools in Bristol will submit applications.

"The Bristol Scholars scheme complements the nation-wide contextual offer scheme, in which we reduce our standard offer by two grades, which is only open to aspiring schools and colleges in the state sector."
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A schoolboy who underwent surgery after his jaw was broken in an unprovoked attack, had his bike stolen while he was in a hospital bed.

Jack Pilkington was taking pictures of the derelict Royal Mail Sorting Office by Temple Meads for a school project when he was punched in the face by a man.

The 16-year-old bravely cycled to the Bristol Royal Infirmary, after being helped by a passing cyclist, but while he was in hospital his bike was stolen from outside.

Jack is now back at his Bedminster home recovering, but his mum Bridget is keen to track down the cyclist who helped her son.

Bridget said Jack, who attends Ashton Park School, had to have two plates in his jaw as a result of the attack.

The operation went well, but he is in a lot more pain, she said.

He has been a very cool customer about it and has a real inner strength.

But I think he is starting to realise that it was a really serious incident.

It has made me really angry and I am quite upset about it all, but I am trying to take inspiration from Jack and be a bit more calm and collected.

Jack was taking pictures of the derelict building for his photography coursework in the early afternoon of February 28.

It was in the day and so he didnt feel like he would be in danger at all and nor did I, the mum said.

He was taking pictures and was asked what he was doing.

Jack responded like a 16 year old would and was then punched.

A cyclist saw what happened and said to the guy why are you picking on a kid?.

He squared up to the cyclist before heading off. The cyclist stopped and gave Jack a drink of water.

I really appreciate him taking the time to check on Jack.

Detectives are investigating the assault and have released a description of the man.

He is said to be white, aged in his early 30s, approximately 5ft 9ins tall and of medium build. He had facial hair and was wearing a black beanie hat, a hooded top and a black jacket.

He was with a woman, also white, aged in her 20s and of petite build. She had shoulder-length wavy blonde hair and wore a purple puffa-style jacket.

Detective Inspector Adam Stacey said: This was a vicious attack on a teenage boy who was diligently taking part in school work.

This is a shocking incident and were doing everything we can to support him and his family.

As part of our investigation were appealing for anyone who saw the incident to get in touch with us as soon as possible.

Were particularly keen on speaking to the cyclist who came to the boys aid and to anyone who recognises the descriptions of the man and woman.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any other information, is asked to call 101 and provide the call handler with the reference 5217045361.
Learn seven ways to ease the interest rate burden, says broker
The New York City ordinance, like many others around the country, depends on the USDA database of Animal Welfare Act violations in order to function. The HSUS is continuing to push the USDA to restore its records on puppy mill inspections. Photo by Meredith Lee/The HSUS

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In an important ruling for dogs and a critical ruling for all animals protected by local and state laws, a federal appeals court today upheld New York Citys law restricting pet stores to selling only dogs obtained from breeders licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and with a solid record of compliance with the Animal Welfare Act, or dogs obtained from a shelter or rescue. The law strictly forbids pet stores from sourcing dogs from middlemen brokers who conceal the origin of the dogs. In support of the law, The HSUS submitted an amicus brief in the case before the Second Circuit  one of the most important appellate courts in the country.

Noting that the New York City law was passed to address a tangle of problems surrounding the companion animal businessincluding irresponsible breeding of animals destined for the City market, their subsequent sale to unwitting consumers, and an overpopulation of unwanted animals, the federal court found that the ordinance advanced important local interests, and rejected claims by breeders and pet stores that the law imposed unlawful burdens on out-of-state business interests. The court also rejected the plaintiffs claims that the federal Animal Welfare Act preempts local ordinances restricting the trade in animals. This ruling has implications for a larger set of issues, for example in instances where locales and states attempt to restrict the sale of dogs, ivory, meat, or other animals or animal products derived from cruelty or unsafe practices.

The New York ordinance, like many others around the country, specifically depends on the USDA database of Animal Welfare Act violations in order to function. The USDAs recent decision to block public and local law enforcement access to the online database will severely compromise the long-term effectiveness of the New York law, and many others around the country.

Also today, The HSUS released an investigation revealing that several pet stores in Palm Beach County, Florida, appear to have violated local laws designed to prevent their buying from breeders with serious animal welfare violations, while other stores were apparently violating laws that require the disclosure of certain information to potential buyers.

A Palm Beach County ordinance, which went into effect in 2016, requires pet shops to make information visible to consumers about where the puppies come from  a measure similar to the New York ordinance. It requires that pet stores buy only from breeders without severe or multiple (three or more) recent violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Under the USDA regulations, breeders must provide a clean cage, food, and water, but they can keep a dog in a wire cage for its entire life, as long as there is six inches above the dogs head, and in front of his/her nose.

So even in the best of circumstances, these laws are tough to enforce properly, because the commercials breeders and the pet stores are trying to skirt them. But now with the USDA database of animal welfare inspections pulled down, that enforcement task becomes virtually impossible. More than a half-dozen state laws that rely on the public availability of the USDA database are also crippled by the takedown of the materials from the website.

We are continuing to push the USDA to restore its records on puppy mill inspections. While the agency has restored some animal research data, theres nothing yet back up on puppy mills. With the Second Circuit affirming the constitutionality of the law, its a real issue, with consequences for consumers and for tens of thousands of animals who depend on people in government and in the private sector doing the right thing.
Yardley Friends Meeting at 65 N. Main Street in Yardley will host the documentary Organic Roots on Friday, November 18 at 7 p.m. Join director Al Johnson for a showing of this film followed by a discussion of the last 50 years of this movement. Organic foods are part of our life today and a tool in our concern for...
The brothers never see eye to eye on Supernatural. With Mary in the British Men of Letters, Sam and Dean are once again on different sides. Sam wants to give her a chance while Dean is quick to cut her out.

In The Raid, Sam visits the base for the British Men of Letters and gets a front-row seat to their strengths and weaknesses. The good news is that Sam finally gets his hands on the Colt and uses it on a very big bad.

Mary vs. Dean

The episode begins where we left off, with Mary explaining her involvement with the British Men of Letters to her sons. Dean is very unhappy with her decision, refusing to hear her out and kicking her out of the Bunker. Sam is more willing to try to understand her side of the story, which Dean doesnt like. Dean wants his brother to choose a damn side already and stop playing the middle.

Mary returns to the BMOL Base with Mr. Ketch. Its a pretty cool space, reminiscent of CTU from 24, only theyre fighting monsters, not terrorists. They even have the director (Miek Davies) plus a security specialist (Serena), gadget guy (Alton) and another American Hunter (Pierce).

The Vampire Extermination Plan

Mary begs Sam to hear her out and he agrees, going to the BMOL Base without telling Dean. Once there, Mick details their plan to kill all of the vampires in America. Its a solid plan as stage one involves killing all the vampires in the Midwest one nest at a time, doing recon and studying their network. Theres only one nest left and Sam seems into it.

Dean and Ketch

While Sam is with his mom, Mr. Ketch visits the Bunker to recruit Dean using scotch and the promise of a vampire hunt. Ketch enjoys the brutality of hunting and killing monsters, which appeals to Dean. They visit the vampire nest the BMOL is tracking, but its empty. They find one female vampire and Ketch starts to viciously attack her, but thats too far even for Dean. Dean gets her to admit that the nest is gone and theyre now hunting the Hunters.

The Vampires Become the Hunters

The Alpha Vampire (played once again by Rick Worthy) showed up at the vampire nest for a plan of his own. Instead of waiting to be killed, he takes the nest to the BMOL Base to hunt and kill the Hunters.

The vampires surround the best and inside, Sam, Mary and the BMOL hatch a plan. They need something to kill the Alpha Vampire, who the BMOL didnt even know was in America. Mick pulls out the Colt. Sam is shocked to see it and disappointed his mom was the one who stole it. But unlike the useless BMOL, Sam actually knows the spell to create new bullets for it.

Sam and Mary run out to kill some vampires while Mick, Serena and Alton make the bullets. Things turn bad when the Alpha Vampire shows up because Pierce is actually a mole on his payroll. Just like that, Alton and Serena are dead. These British Men of Letters people may think they know what theyre doing, but they have zero practical field experience.

The Alpha Vampire wants the BMOL to leave America for good. Sam and Mary show up and Sam grabs the Colt. Mick stages a distraction so he can get Sam the bullets he made. In a supremely cool sequence designed to highlight how important the moment is, Sam fires the Colt and kills the Alpha Vampire. I guess hes not one of the five creatures it cant kill.

Sams Choice

After the attack, Dean and Ketch show up. Ketch takes Pierce away to deal with him while Dean apologizes to his mom and lets her back in. Mick is still in shock at how unprepared the BMOL truly was, but the organization does get some good news.

Sam agrees to work with the British Men of Letters. After killing the Alpha Vampire, he sees the virtue in aligning with them. As for Dean, Sam promises to get him on board eventually. I feel like if the BMOL would just offer all of their resources to the Winchesters and then let them take the lead in America, everything would be so simple.

Supernatural airs Thursdays at 8/7c on the CW.

(Image courtesy of the CW)
UB to host 14th annual Safe Schools Initiative Seminar March 23

Ensuring school safety is critical in order for learning to take place. The topics of this years event are timely and build on the past success of the program.

BUFFALO, N.Y.  The University at Buffalo will host the 14th annual Safe Schools Initiative Seminar, Advanced School Threat Assessment Training, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Thursday, March 23, in the Center for the Arts on the UB North Campus. The event is free, but registration is required.

The goal of this years seminar is to help participants enhance their threat assessment program and gain experience using best-practice school threat assessment procedures.

The program will include an opening presentation by the FBI that will look at threat prevention and intervention in addressing violent extremism, and will address online propaganda used by violent-extremist groups to specifically target youth. The program will review the reasons U.S.-based individuals may travel to foreign conflicts, along with the need for partnerships between law enforcement and communities to counter this trend.

SIGMA Threat Management Associates, a national security firm specializing in behavioral threat assessment and threat management and violence prevention services, will review best-practice procedures for school threat assessment and conduct a group tabletop exercise on how to handle a threat case from start to finish using the best-practice procedures. Discussion will also address recent creepy clown sightings and how to use the threat assessment process to address these incidents.

SIGMA is a co-author of the federal model for school threat assessment developed by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education, which has been used as a foundation for successful threat assessment programs in schools, colleges and corporations across the country, and is recommended in the federal emergency planning guides for schools, colleges and universities.

Ensuring school safety is critical in order for learning to take place, said Amanda Nickerson, director of UBs Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention. The topics of this years event are timely and build on the past success of the program.

For the second year in a row, the FBI joins the annual Safe Schools Seminars founding program sponsors, The United States Secret Service, Buffalo Field Office; the United States Attorneys Office, Western District of New York; and UB, along with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, in presenting this years seminar.

The program is open to all school personnel who deal with school or building safety issues, including grade school, middle school, high school and district faculty, staff (administrators, counselors, psychologists, school resource officers, etc.) and school board members; college/university administrators, police officers and other law enforcement officials; first responders; elected officials; and school transportation professionals.

The Safe Schools Initiative Seminar has proven invaluable in developing the necessary partnerships to address the issue of targeted violence in our schools, said Lewis Robinson, special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Buffalo Field Office. This seminar brings together all stakeholders in a collaborative effort to plan for the prevention of and response to an incident of targeted violence in our schools. The annual Safe School Seminar further strengthens the vital bond between all participants in the effort to keep Western New York schools, colleges and university campuses safe for everyone.

The Utica National Insurance Group, which has provided vital support for the seminar since 2009, is the exclusive seminar sponsor. Community partners are the New York State Police, Erie County Law Enforcement Foundation and UBs Western New York Educational Service Council.

For more information and to register, visit https://www.ubevents.org/event/safeschools2017
MKM Building Supplies, 3i Group, LDC and Bain Capital Private Equity have announced a binding agreement for the sale of 3i and LDCs stakes in MKM to Bain Capital. Management will retain a significant shareholding in the business.

3is 2006 investment, which was partially syndicated to LDC, has supported founder David Kilburn with the firms ambitious growth plans. Since then, the business has also developed from a regional to a national player, expanding to 47 branches across the country. The business has grown like-for-like sales through service and category expansion, generating revenues in excess of 284m in 2016 and employing over 1,100 people.

David Kilburn, founder and executive chairman of MKM, said: MKM has enjoyed exceptional growth over the past 21 years and I would like to thank 3i and LDC for their long-term backing and support. We are looking forward to working with Bain Capital for the next stage in MKMs development. The UK builders merchant market is anticipated to grow to 13bn by 2020 and we expect to expand our UK branch network significantly.

Proceeds to 3i from today's transaction will be around 70m. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals. Subject to these approvals, the transaction is expected to complete by May 2017.

Matthias Boyer Chammard, principal at Bain Capital Private Equity, said: Bain Capital has a strong track record of applying its expertise in the building materials and construction sectors to successfully grow companies, including Ibstock in the UK. We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with the MKM management team to further expand the business throughout the UK.
Everything you need to know for MLS Cup 2022
Hunters and anglers deposit tens of thousands of tons of lead in our environment, and it is estimated that between 10 and 20 million birds and other animals die each year from lead poisoning. Above, an eastern screech owl with lead poisoning being cared for at one of our wildlife care centers. Photo by Cassie Langtry/The HSUS

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So much for sober-minded consultation, careful study of the data, and thoughtful analysis from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists and other experts on his staff. Before the chair in his office was even warm, and just after he dismounted from his horse, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke undid a directors order to phase out the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle over the next five years on more than 150 million acres of National Wildlife Refuges and other agency lands and waterways. The nullified policy had a simple and good purpose: it was designed to stop the needless, incidental poisoning of millions of wild animals each year by lead thats left behind in the routine pursuit of these field sports.

As the primary wildlife manager of tens of millions of acres of federal lands, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has a statutory duty to act to protect and conserve wildlife, and thats what it did by establishing the policy after careful deliberation last year. What Zinke ignored is that less toxic forms of ammunition are field-tested, cost-competitive, and readily available in the marketplace. Leaders of hunting groups huddled around him for his first official action, cheering on an action inimical to the imperatives of conservation and wildlife enhancement.

The NRA and the same crowd of hunting lobbying groups stamped their feet a quarter century ago when George H.W. Bushs Fish and Wildlife Service banned the use of lead ammunition for hunting waterfowl. President Bush, himself a hunter, showed his true commitment to conservation, even as detractors portended the demise of waterfowl sports.

History has proved them wrong  badly and unmistakably wrong. Waterfowl hunting has continued unabated, but just without the collateral poisoning of so many birds and other creatures.

And today, a quarter century later, theres absolutely no compelling reason not to require hunters and anglers to switch to these alternative metals for their ammunition. Just like theres no reason for oil companies to not use non-leaded gasoline or paint makers to keep lead out of their paint.

Weve known for thousands of years that lead is a deadly toxin. The lingering effects of lead pipes still pose hazards for communities, as weve seen in the ongoing crisis in Flint, Michigan, and the larger debate over crumbling infrastructure in the United States. Why wouldnt we also move to get lead out of the wildlife management profession, especially now that there are ready alternatives available to every single hunter and angler? Why oppose it? And why make it your first official action?

In 2014, The HSUS and other wildlife groups joined with some rank-and-file sportsmen to petition the Department of the Interior to require the use of nontoxic ammunition when a firearm is discharged on federal lands managed by the National Park Service and the FWS.

Hunters and anglers deposit tens of thousands of tons of lead in our environment, and it is estimated that between 10 and 20 million birds and other animalsincluding more than 130 speciesdie each year from lead poisoning. Thats a staggering toll, and an entirely preventable one, given our ability to manufacture better ammunition.

Scientists have called lead ammunition the greatest, largely unregulated source of lead knowingly discharged into the environment in the United States. Since it breaks into fragments upon impact, lead inevitably makes its way into the food chain as animals feed off carcasses left in the field by hunters. News stories continually emerge, including recently in Oregon and Pennsylvania, of dedicated, self-sacrificing wildlife rehabilitators struggling to treat predatory birdsincluding our own national symbol, the bald eaglefor acute lead poisoning. Hunting families are at risk too, since the meat from animals shot and cooked for the table can contain tiny lead shards. Children are especially vulnerable and even low levels of lead in their bodies can adversely impact their health for life. Why risk it?

Lead alternatives are readily available, and comparably priced copper and steel ammunition outperform lead and do not keep killing days, weeks, and months after leaving the gun. Ten years after the FWS required the use of non-lead shot for the hunting of waterfowl nationwide, researchers found significant improvements in the blood and bone lead levels in a variety of waterfowl species. The use of nontoxic shot reduced the mortality of mallards by 64 percent, and saved approximately 1.4 million ducks in a single fall flight.

Individual states, recognizing the negative impact of lead, are starting to act to remove lead sources from their forests, despite the anti-conservation bluster and threats of political retribution from the NRA. Last year, New Hampshire phased out the use of lead fishing sinkers and jigs weighing less than one ounce in order to help protect loon populations in that state. In 2013, California became the first state in the nation to phase out the use of lead ammunition for the taking of all wildlife, with a deadline of 2019 for completing the transition.

Sport hunters  including Mr. Zinke  often cite the legacy of Teddy Roosevelt. But too often they treat President Roosevelt and his commitment to conservation as a talking point or a historical artifact. They cast the idea of sacrifice and the common good as part of a scheme to erode their rights, and not as part of their duty to uphold the principles for which Roosevelt stood as a conservationist. Here is their test: youve got alternatives to lead and you know that lead kills wild animals by the millions. Show us that you treat conservation as a continuing commitment and not an abstraction or a word that you just discharge without any real meaning or force.

This is a very inauspicious start for Mr. Zinke, and it smacks of a political sop to the NRA. The nations wildlife and the health of our public lands depend on both his independence and tangible acts of policy that align with conservation-laden rhetoric.
The second of our five-part series, Stephanie Chai shares some of the best-kept food secrets in Southeast Asia

I think we can all agree that one of the best things about travelling is trying new food. Southeast Asia is known for its fantastic cuisine, but with so many options, where do you even begin? As founder and CEO of leading luxury villa booking portal TheLuxeNomad.com, as well as a self-proclaimed foodie, Stephanie Chai has tracked down all the best restaurants in Southeast Asia so that you don't have to. Below you will find her exclusive guide from cheap eats to fine dining, and everything in between.

This week, we head to Thailand's beautiful beach spot Phuket.

$: Somtam Yok Lor

This under-the-radar hawker stall was recommended to me by local Thai friends, and is a great place to grab some delicious Thai food before hitting the beach!

facebook.com/pages/Somtam-Yok-Lor

$: La Gaetana Phuket

A delightful family-run Italian restaurant in Phuket Town, owned by a hospitable Italian man Gianni and his lovely Thai wife. The decor is classic Italian, as is the food, with an unparalleled attention to detail and the most delicious tiramisu!

352 Phuket Road, Phuket Town, Phuket, facebook.com/pages/La-Gaetana

$$: Kata Rocks Restaurant

Known as the most romantic restaurant in Phuket, Kata Rocks is located right at water's edge at Kata Rocks Resort with spectacular sunset views. You'll come for the views but stay for the fabulous food, Mediterranean inspired cuisine and fresh seafood!

186/22, Kok Tanode Road, Kata Beach, Phuket, katarocks.com/dining

$$: Seafood at Trisara

Without a doubt Phuket's best seafood restaurant, Seafood at Trisara Resort is a gorgeous beachfront restaurant serving authentic Southern Thai food and only the freshest seafood. You must try the locally harvested Phuket oysters as well as the stir-fry squid in black ink!

60/1 Moo 6, Srisoonthorn Road, Cherngtalay,Thalang, Phuket, trisara.com
CenturyLink sold its data center business (57 sites) to a consortium of PE firms fronted by Medina Capital Advisors for $2.3B end of last year. Details were sketchy for agents who had clients in those data centers. And we are still waiting. At least now we know that the spin-off will do business as Cyxtera. [Colorado Buyer Inc. d/b/a Cyxtera Technologies].

Level3 CEO and President Jeff Storey is poised to get a huge prize for selling the company off. Isn't that great? For him, yes. He gets a "$1.2 million bonus after the Broomfield-based telecom's $24 billion acquisition by CenturyLink Inc. closes. In addition to the $1.2 million bonus payout, Storey is slated to receive an accelerated stock grant worth $3 million after the transaction with Monroe, Louisiana-based CenturyLink." Agents, meanwhile, get to wonder what happens post merger. How messed up will the networks be? How convoluted will ordering and quoting be?

After both Transbeam and NITEL announced that they are adding SD-WAN, MegaPath launches SD-WAN aimed at the SMB. That is the same place that SimpleWAN plays. SimpleWAN is up for the 2017 Venture Madness business competition in Arizona.

Velocloud raised a series D round for $35M. Many startups will look at this (and the SNAP IPO yesterday at $26B) and think that doing a startup is like buying a lottery ticket. In a sense it is, but building a business -- even to sell it quick -- still requires hard work, execution of an idea AND a plan, and sales. Velocloud is signing up partner providers faster than a PR firm can add them, but that doesn't result in meaningful sales for a long while!

You can learn from failure. #startup stories.

In the heat of SD-WAN, I wonder if people realize how shaky Cisco (and other router manufacturers like Juniper and ADTRAN) are? The SD-WAN white box is not a Cisco. It is an OEM that can be a router, a firewall, an access point, a Cradlepoint, darn near anything because we just push the software update to the box and either install the card/WIC or activate the card/WIC. The white box is replacing the traditional gear. Cisco and ADTRAN are in the box business. So are VARs. What happens next? Pay close attention - it will be a lot like the PBX Business, but decline a little faster.

Satellite ISPs OneWeb and Intelsat are merging. Consolidation in every sector of the ISP market - MSO, ILEC and now sateliite.

Verizon wins top honors from Frost & Sullivan for capturing more than a quarter of the North American VoIP and SIP Trunking Services Market.

CenturyLink makes changes to its Alliances and Strategic Partnerships programs.

In the EarthLink-Windstream merger, the ELNK channel chief, Olen Scott. emerges as the new channel head. "Jason Dishon, Windstream's former channel chief, has left the company to pursue other opportunities." It is a constant state of musical chairs in telecom.
The boycott of products from US-based beverage Coca-Cola and Pepsi in Tamil Nadu could be good for one Indian beverage manufacturer. Made in Tamil Nadu and sold in stores in rural and urban areas of the state, this drink, called Bovonto, could get a major boost if the boycott turns out to be successful. Reports from the state suggest that many retailers are willingly obliging the traders bodies which have called for a ban on the sale of products manufactured by Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
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Chinese electronics major Le Ecos journey in India has taken a hit. The firms top two executives here  Atul Jain and Debashish Ghosh  left the company few weeks ago. And speculation is rife that LeEco is planning to exit the country as it recently fired a significant portion of its workforce here.
Vijay Mallya, the embattled businessman who is in the UK, on Friday said faulty engines were one of the factors for the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines.

A group firm of Pratt & Whitney (P&W) has been sued for supplying defective engines to Kingfisher Airlines, Mallya said amid aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordering detailed inspection of P&W engines powering some Airbus 320 neo planes being operated in India.

Mallya has been declared a wilful defaulter and is wanted by Indian authorities for default in payment of loans related to Kingfisher Airlines that was grounded in 2012. He is also wanted in other cases.

"Not surprised at DGCA enquiry into Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines. Kingfisher Airlines sadly collapsed also due to faulty engines," he said in a tweet.





Not surprised at DGCA enquiry into Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines. Kingfisher Airlines sadly collapsed also due to faulty engines.  (@TheVijayMallya) March 3, 2017

DGCA has ordered detailed inspection of 21 Airbus 320 neo planes of IndiGo and GoAir that are equipped with P&W engines, which have been frequently facing technical glitches.

"We have sued IAE, a Pratt & Whitney Group Company, for compensation towards defective aircraft engines supplied to Kingfisher Airlines," Mallya said in another tweet.





We have sued IAE a Pratt & Whitney Group Company for compensation towards defective aircraft engines supplied to Kingfisher Airlines.  (@TheVijayMallya) March 3, 2017

Response to queries sent to a P&W spokesperson on the issue was awaited.

As many as 21 A320 neo planes that are using P&W engines would be examined and the exercise is expected to be completed in the next two weeks, a senior DGCA official had said on February 28.

The same day P&W said it is working with IndiGo and GoAir as well as the regulator over the issues.
Beauty and wellness brand is in the advanced stage of acquiring at least two companies, including a nutraceuticals company, in the near future. The company is looking at relaunching its IPO this year, which it delayed last year owing to market sentiments.
Delhi University saw another day of protests on Thursday as hundreds of ABVP student activists held a march against "anti- activities", even as President Pranab Mukherjee, in his first comments on the controversy, said there should be "no room in India for the intolerant Indian". He also asked students to refrain from "propagating culture of unrest".

Meanwhile, Gurmehar Kaur, the student who launched a campaign against the right-wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) after last week's clashes outside Ramjas College and kicked off a fierce debate on nationalism, has said she will never enter politics.

President Mukherjee, delivering the 6th K.S. Rajamony Memorial Lecture in Kochi, said that India's institutions of higher education "must resound with creativity and free thinking". "Those in Universities must engage in reasoned discussion and debate rather than propagate a culture of unrest. It is tragic to see them caught in the vortex of violence and disquiet," he said.

There should be "no room in India for the intolerant Indian". India has been since ancient times a bastion of free thought, speech and expression. Our society has always been characterized by the open contestation of diverse schools of thought and debate as well as discussion," Mukherjee said.

Two Union Ministers, Arun Jaitley and Manohar Parrikar, jumped into the debate on nationalism, with Finance Minister Jaitley saying that nationalism was a good word in the rest of the world but not in India, while Defence Minister Parrikar said that freedom of expression should be within the legal ambit.

Amid the growing politics over the issue, 20-year-old student of Lady Shri Ram College, Gurmehar Kaur, said she was "saddened" that the issue had gained a political hue and clarified that she would never enter politics. Kaur had last week launched a social media campaign #studentsagainstabvp, angering the RSS-affiliated body, and getting trolled on social media. Her comment that Pakistan did not kill her father but war did, led to even a union minister suggesting that her young mind was being "polluted".

"The issue on which I spoke went out of hand. I would like to clarify that I do not want to enter politics," Gurmehar told Hindustan Times.

"I just gave my opinion, and I never expected the whole thing to take such a turn. I had a really bad time. I am not in a state to talk about it, and I cannot take it anymore," said Kaur, who left Delhi for her hometown Jalandhar in Punjab, following rape and death threats on social media.

On Thursday, around 1,000 members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad held a Protest March near the DU's North Campus Arts Faculty with students raising slogans like "Hindustan mein rehna hoga, Vande Mataram kehna hoga" (To live in this country, you have to chant Vande Mataram), "Na Marxwad, na Naxalwad, sabsey upar rashtrawad" (Nationalism is above Marxism and Naxalism) -- targeting the left-wing All India Students Association.

The ABVP demanded strict action against those who supported "anarchism and anti-India propaganda".

"You are free to have conferences and rallies but freedom of expression doesn't mean that you will divide the country. Shouting about Kashmir's or Bastar's freedom is an anti- action," ABVP Media Convener Saket Bahuguna said during the protest. The ABVP had stopped Ramjas College from hosting a talk on February 21 addressed by JNU student Umar Khalid, who was named in a sedition case a year ago.

The CPI-M said the "vicious attack" on Kaur has "exposed the real nature of the nationalism the Sangh Parivar espouses."

Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said it is important to respond to the issues raised by Kaur than sidetrack them.

"Listen to her and respond to her if you have the guts," Sisodia said to a query on speculation that Kaur may be with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Kaur "is a daughter of this country, the daughter of a martyr", the AAP leader said. "Focus on what she said, the issues she raised."

The Delhi Police, probing last week's clashes, on Thursday said it has received 25 complaints regarding the February 22 violence at Ramjas College and begun recording statements of the complainants.
Ecuador is often described as a South America in miniature because this small country contains all the diverse landscapes of the continent packed together in one country: the beautiful beaches on the Pacific coast, the impressive Andes Cordillera, the diverse Galapagos Islands, and a portion of the largest jungle in the world, the Amazon Basin.

Ecuador is divided into four geographic regions: the Coast, comprising just over a quarter of the country; the Sierra, which extends in a double row of mountains and a narrow uninhabited plateau known as the inter-Andean valley; the East or Amazon region, east of the Andes; and the Insular region, aka the Galapagos.

The Coast

The Coast is a region that is located to the west of the Cordillera de los Andes and is crossed from north to south by a mountainous chain of minor height, full of extensive alluvial plains. The Ecuadorian Coast is formed by three main ecosystems: the tropical rainforests of the north, the tropical savannas of the central and southwest regions; and the dry forest of the western and southern peninsula.

Along the coastal littoral are distinguished two additional ecosystems characterized by their animal and vegetable communities: the entrances of mangrove and other areas, and the beaches and cliffs known for their peculiar rock formations.

The average temperature that prevails in the Coast is of 22 C (71.6 F). The winter lasts from December to May and the summer from June to December. The warm current known as Nino Stream causes an increase in rainfall rates between January and May.

The Sierra

Those who have never visited Ecuador often imagine it as a jungle land that is in the middle of the world, however, the Cordillera de los Andes represents a large area of the country, with volcanoes rising to the sky, the Cordillera divides the Ecuador into two wooded plains with a narrow intermediate strip bordered by the Avenue of the Volcanoes.

Here, one can find flora and fauna of indescribable richness that have adapted to the low temperatures, the strong winds, the intense ultraviolet radiance, the rain, the hail, the snow and the great heights.

In the Sierra, the rainy season or winter lasts from October to May, with an average annual temperature that varies from 12 C (53.6 F) to 18 C (64.4 F). However, the daily variation can be extreme, with very hot days and very cold nights. And yet, some people refer to the climate of the Sierra as an eternal spring.

The Amazon

The Ecuadorian Amazon extends over an area of 120,000 km (74,564 miles) of exuberant vegetation typical of tropical rainforests. The Andes Cordillera forms the western boundary of this region, while Peru and Colombia form the southern and eastern boundaries respectively. The Amazonian rivers have washed from the Andes a great amount of materials, forming alluvial soils and terraces that are used for agriculture.

The average annual temperature ranges from 24 C (75.2 F) to 25 C (77 F). Although the months of December to February are the driest, throughout the year they are evenly distributed of 300cm (118 inches) and 400cm (157 inches) of rain.

The Galapagos

Visit the Galapagos Islands means exploring nature in its pristine, purest state. So much so that they motivated the young English naturalist Charles Darwin, who visited the islands in 1835, to write his famous book entitled The Origin of Species and the world has not been the same since.

Located at 1,000km (621 miles), far from the coast of Ecuador, this mysterious and fascinating archipelago is composed of 13 large islands, six small islands and more than 40 islets. The entire archipelago has a total length of 8,010km (4,977 miles).

A large part of the archipelago is south of the Equator, where several marine currents converge. In short, the Galapagos are the fusion of all the elements necessary to create a zoological, botanical and geological wonder at the same time.

The islands emerged from the Pacific Ocean five million years ago, as a result of underwater volcanic eruptions. It is the lava formations and the volcanic rock that gives the tourist the impression of being in another world when he visits the Galapagos.

If you are looking to visit Ecuador you can enjoy the beauty of the country with a variety of Ecuador tours or learn all the tips and tricks to planning your next vacation, please subscribe to our Tours4fun Newsletter for exclusive deals.
On the basis of a complaint by a female Chinese student, who was allegedly molested by a pot vendor at her rented house in Kailash colony in South Delhi, the Delhi Police has arrested the accused.

In her complaint, the Lady Shri Ram College student alleged that a pot vendor had molested her, when she refused to buy his flower pot.

On the basis of her complaint, a case was registered under section 354 (molestation) against the culprit, identified as Avinish at the police station.

A manhunt was then launched to nab the accused on the basis of the description given by the complainant.
The administration today ordered removal of a "controversial" poster which sprang up on its campus demanding "freedom for Kashmir and Palestine".

The poster with "Freedom for Kashmir! Free Palestine! Right to Self Determination Long Live! DSU" written on it was pasted on the wall by the Left-leaning Democratic Students Union (DSU).

DSU's former members Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and others had organized the controversial event last year against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru at the during which anti- slogans were allegedly raised.

Khalid, Bhattacharya and former student union president Kanhaiya Kumar are out on bail in a sedition case over the event.

Some students noticed the poster on the wall of the new block of the School of Social Sciences (SSS) and informed the administration.

The authorities asked the university security to remove the poster in the evening.

"The university has already lost precious time and energy in such unnecessary controversies. Unfortunately, a small group of people are still trying to create another ruckus and vitiate the academic environment.

"We don't know who put up the poster as this has been the pattern in JNU. However, the administration has asked the staff to bring it down," a senior university official said.

The administration was unable to function for over 17 days due to the blockade of the administrative building by students in protest against changes in the admission policy and it was only early this week that the staff got access to the building and resumed work.
Under the Indian Constitution, for a bill to be enacted into a law, it has to be approved by both Houses of the Parliament - the Lower House (Lok Sabha) and the Upper House (Rajya Sabha). There is one exception to this general rule. A bill certified as a 'money bill' by the speaker of the Lower House can be enacted into a law by the Lower House alone, without any approval from the Upper House. The Aadhar Act, 2016 was enacted using this route. After being passed by the Lok Sabha, the Lok Sabha speaker certified the Aadhar Bill as a 'money bill'. Accordingly, amendments suggested by Rajya Sabha were not considered and the bill was enacted into law. This led to a controversy, ultimately leading up to a constitutional challenge by Mr. Jairam Ramesh before the Supreme Court. Mr. Ramesh alleged that the speaker incorrectly certified Aadhar Bill as a 'money bill', allowing Lok Sabha to enact the law completely bypassing Rajya Sabha. This matter is going to come up for hearing before the Court on March 14.
Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Friday pitched for "zero tolerance" for .

"We have decided to come down heavily on children begging. I am planning a meeting with the Commissioner of Police and say zero tolerance (sic). I am not against begging but there should be no children on the street for begging," Gandhi said at a conclave hosted by FICCI Ladies Organisation.

She said she will also meet the Delhi Police Commissioner to curb in the national capital.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)- the apex body for children under the Women and Child Development Ministry- had recently released its 'Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Children in Street Situations'.

The SOP lays down a sequence of actions to be taken for restoration and rehabilitation of street children. It has assigned NGO 'Childline' to be "the first point of contact" for rescuing street children.

Children recovered by the NGO will next be produced before a Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

Thereafter, the CWC will pass an interim order for short-term care and will send the child to the nearest Child Care Institute (CCI) or a "fit person" until his or her family can be contacted.

The SOP also aims to provide these children with an Aadhaar card, a bank account, health insurance as well as a sponsorship scheme to help meet educational, nutritional and medical needs.

Save the Children, an NGO which helped NCPCR formulate these guidelines, had also announced last month that they plan to provide Aadhaar cards to all 50,000 street children in Delhi in the next six months.
An Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) delegation on Friday met Lt Governor Anil Baijal over alleged "anti- activities" in the Delhi University (DU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), even as the Congress student wing Student Union of India (NSUI) approached the police over "provocative" posters put up in DU's North Campus by the RSS-backed body.

The two actions came against the backdrop of the recent violence in Ramjas college where ABVP and Left-affiliated All India Student Association (AISA) clashed over cancellation of a seminar invite to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid.

"We took a delegation to meet the LG seeking his intervention into the issue of anti- activities taking place in JNU and DU since a year. We submitted a memorandum to him demanding strict action against those who indulged in such activities," ABVP's National Media Convener, Saket Bahuguna said.

The Congress-affiliated NSUI objected to "provocative" posters put up by ABVP at various places in DU's North Campus.

The ABVP had on Thursday put up the posters with photographs purportedly showing "violence perpetrated by the Communists" in various parts of the country.

'DU against intellectual terrorism', 'Rapist AISA go back', 'DU against anti-nationals' were a few of the slogans written on the posters which drew sharp reactions from the Left-affiliated groups.

The NSUI today approached police as well as the varsity administration demanding that the posters be removed.

Meanwhile, the Left-backed Students Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students Federation of India (AISF) staged separate protests on Friday against ABVP members for their alleged involvement in inciting the violence at Ramjas college.
delivered the sixth KS Rajamony memorial lecture in Kerala on Thursday in which he alluded to the violence at Delhi Universitys Ramjas College last week.
The Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear next week the plea of a consortium of banks that $40 million, which liquor baron had allegedly transferred to his children, needed to be brought back.

A bench, comprising Justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and U U Lalit, considered the submission of senior advocate Shyam Divan, representing the consortium led by State Bank of India, that $40 million Mallya had allegedly received from British firm Diageo in February last year and transferred to his children in "flagrant violation" of various judicial orders, including those passed by passed by the Debt Recovery Tribunal and the Karnataka High Court.

The court decided to hear the matter on March 9.

The banks prayed that orders be passed to "secure the deposit of the said amount of $40 million before this court or the DRT forthwith, pending disposal of the further recovery proceedings."



The bench, on January 11, had granted three weeks to Mallya to file an affidavit in response to the plea of banks.

Divan said the banks had also filed a plea seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against Mallya.

It is a matter of record that Mallya and his firm owe over Rs 6,200 crore to the banks and the money should have been deposited here, he had said.

In October last year, the court had rapped Mallya for not making full disclosure of his overseas properties and had asked him to do so within a month.

The bench had also pulled up Mallya for not giving details of $40 million which he had allegedly received from British firm Diageo in February last year, saying it was of the "prima facie view" that proper disclosure as per its earlier order was not made.

The consortium of banks including SBI had alleged that the $40 million belonged to the consortium of banks which was now stashed in Mallya's Swiss bank account and said it should be brought back to India or the Supreme Court.

The banks had on August 29 last year told the Supreme Court that Mallya had deliberately not made full disclosure of his assets including the $40 million he received on February 25 from Diageo.

It had asked Mallya, who owes over Rs 9,000 crore to around 17 banks, to deposit a "substantial amount" with it to "prove his bonafide" that he was "serious" about meaningful negotiations and settlement.
President on Thursday said those in universities must engage in reasoned discussions and debates rather than propagate a culture of unrest, and said there should be no room in India for the intolerant Indian.
The ongoing pro-quota Jat stir entered the 34th day today in Haryana, even as All India Jat Arakashan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) chief said the protesters "will move towards Delhi on tractor trolleys" and convert it into "Jat land" on March 20.

"We will move towards Delhi on tractor trolleys and convert the capital into Jat land on March 20," Yashpal Malik, president of AIJASS, spearheading the campaign, said in Chandigarh on Friday.

He said the protesters have started non-cooperation with the government and will not pay electricity and water bills and also the instalment of loans they owe to the government.

Malik said that two members of the community have died during the ongoing protest by Jats.

He said that Vijay of village Suneria lost his life after falling from a tractor while returning to Bahadurgarh after Jats protest in Delhi on Thursday.

He announced a compensation of Rs 11 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.

In another case, he said that 65-year-old Dhup Singh of village Kharkaram died at the protest site in Jind due to cardiac arrest yesterday.

He demanded from the state government a compensation of Rs 10 lakh and a government job to next of the kin of Singh.

Meanwhile, he asked the community to get prepared for a protest march towards Delhi on March 20.

"Our protests will continue peacefully till demands are met by the Khattar government," he said.

The protests by Jats continued at Israna village in Panipat, Balla in Karnal, Jainpur Jattan in Kurukshetra, Deban in Kaithal, Dhani Gopal in Fatehabad, Raswala Chowk in Jhajjar, Baatda in Dadri, Jassia in Rohtak, Lath Jolly in Sonipat, Mayyar in Hisar, Dhanana in Bhiwani, Jagadhri in Yamuna Nagar, Nangal Chowdhary in Mahendragarh and Atul Kutiya in Gurugram.

Meanwhile, the paramilitary forces are keeping a vigil at many places, officials said.

Besides seeking quota in education and government jobs under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, Jats are demanding the release of those jailed during last year's stir, withdrawal of cases slapped during the protest and government jobs for the kin of those killed and injured while taking part in the agitation.

As many as 30 people were killed and property worth crores was damaged at many places in Haryana during last year's violent Jat stir.
in the banking sector continues to fall and has now registered a growth rate of 4.8 per cent as on February 17, data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showed.
President Donald Trump made his first school visit as president Friday afternoonand it should be no surprise, given the administrations emphasis on expanding school choice, that he picked a private, Catholic school in Florida near Orlando.

Its clear that school choice is the Trump administrations favorite education policy. Whats less clear is exactly how he plans to push it from the federal level. One possibility: a tax-credit scholarship program, like the one in place in Florida and in more than a dozen other states. Many of the students at the school Trump pickedSt. Andrew Catholic School, in Pine Hillstake advantage of the Sunshine States version of the program.

Tax-credit scholarships allow individuals or businesses to get a federal tax break for donating to scholarship granting organizations, which then turn around and give money to students who want to attend a private school. Floridas programStep Up For Studentsprovides about 100,000 scholarships of up to $5,886 a year to students from families whose average income is about $24,000, said John Kirtley, the programs founder. (More from Andrew on possible paths for a tax-credit scholarship here .)

Trump, who used the visit as a listening session said the school was doing a fantastic job and that it enriches both the mind and the soul. Thats a good education, according to traveling White House correspondents.

He asked 4th graders about their aspirations, and Janayah Chatelier, 10, told him that she wanted to go to Johns Hopkins University and open her own business.

Trump, a real estate developer, liked that answer. Thats a good idea. Make a lot of money right? But dont run for politics after, he said.

And in response to a question from their teacher, the students told Trump in unison that their goals were college and heaven.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who has sponsored a bill to create a federal tax-credit scholarship program, joined Trump on the trip, as did Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, as well as Trumps daughter Ivanka, who has been credited with helping him to train his focus on childrens issues, and Ivanka Trumps husband, White House aide Jared Kushner.

Also on hand: Trumps education secretary, Betsy DeVos, a billionaire philanthropist and long-time voucher advocate. Trump asked DeVos if she would be leading the charge to fix public education. You bet, she answered.

Tuition at St. Andrew is $5,990 per child. The maximum tax credit scholarship would come very close to covering that amount in full, at $5,886.

So how are kids who get tax credits at St. Andrew Catholic School doing? From 2012-13 to 2014-15, using test-score gains, the percentile ranking of the average scholarship student at St. Andrew Catholic school fell by 1.73 percentile points in reading, while the average scholarship students percentile ranking rose by 1.44 percentile points in math, in terms of national percentile rankings. Those numbers are from a 2016 report on tax-credit scholarship students put out by Florida State University. According to Step Up for Students, the scholarship-granting organization in Florida, essentially that means those students are maintaining the same learning gains as the average student nationally. The school uses the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, according to a recent column by the St. Andrew principal in the Orlando Sentinel.

Private School Push

Symbolically, its telling that Trump picked a Catholicnot publicschool for his first school visit. President Barack Obama, a charter fan, picked a charter in the District of Columbia for one of his earliest school tours, although he went to a Catholic school as president-elect, back in November of 2009. And President George W. Bush choose a public school in Tennessee. (You can read Bushs speech here, which touts testing as a way to push all schools to improve and includes the line, I think its racist not to test. )

Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, which backed Trumps opponent, Hillary Clinton, in the presidential race, said she was disappointed that Trump chose a religious school for his first stopover.

Its sad that rather than listening to the public they are sworn to represent and who have a deep connection to public schools, Trump and DeVos first official joint trip is to a religious school, which they use as a backdrop for their ideological crusade, said Weingarten in a statement. A better pick, according to Weingarten? Evans Community School, a public school in Orlando that pairs academics with wraparound services, like health.

And Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., noted that Trump and DeVos visit to the school came the same week that congressional Republicans moved to strike down accountability rules put out by the Obama administration for the Every Student Succeeds Act that civil rights groups say would ensure that states look out for vulnerable groups of students in crafting their plans for the new law.

True school choice means that all students have access to quality public schools no matter where they live, how they learn, or how much money their parents make, Murray said. If President Trump and Secretary DeVos really want to help our children succeed, they will abandon their plan to siphon away billions of taxpayer dollars from public education and will work with us to reinvest in quality public schools for all students.

President Donald Trump, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., left, and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos hold cards received from the children in a 4th-grade class during a tour of St. Andrew Catholic School on March 3, in Orlando, Fla. Trumps daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, are at rear.

--Alex Brandon/AP

President Donald Trump enters a 4th-grade class during a tour of St. Andrew Catholic School on March 3, in Orlando, Fla.

--Alex Brandon/AP

Assistant Editor Andrew Ujifusa contributed to this report.

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
If you are the kind who likes to visit his or her bank branch regularly to withdraw or deposit cash, the message from the big three new generation private sector banks (ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank) is very clear. They do not want you to come visiting their branches. Or at least not very regularly.
People dealing with small companies have made a pitch for changes in the goods and services tax (GST) legislation to avoid cash-flow problems for this sector even as the Council takes up crucial Bills at a two-day meeting beginning Saturday.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has said hospitals not providing details of the brand of stents they are selling patients would be prosecuted under the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
Despite the possible settlement of arbitration dispute between Tata Sons and NTT DoCoMo, remain concerned about sudden changes in rules for capital, land or labour, once projects get underway in India.
In a first of its kind initiative in India, the West Bengal government on Friday passed the West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Bill, 2017  aimed at making the segment more transparent and regulate arbitrary billing.
Emphasising that India has always been at the forefront of conservation of wildlife, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Anil Madhav Dave, said that common people too had been protecting the forests and wildlife even before India got its independence. Addressing the World Wildlife Day celebrations at the National Zoological Park here today, Shri Dave said that the number of lions in Gir stands at 522. India has the highest number of tigers in the world and other species such as one-horned rhinoceros. Conservation of wildlife is our collective responsibility and duty", the Minister added. He also urged the gathering to fight all obstacles to wildlife conservation. .

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Earlier, a symbolic ceremonial burning of the seized wildlife articles was organized at the National Zoological Park to mark the occasion. Some of the articles incinerated include 100 leopard skin, 5 tiger skin, 2 lion skin, 1451 snakes skin, 10 elephant tusks and 30 kg tiger bones. The articles will continue to burn for three days. A committee has been formed to oversee the burning. State Governments have also been requested to organize inviolable programmes, including symbolic incineration of seized wildlife articles on the occasion. The theme for this years celebration of World Wildlife Day is Listen to the Young Voices". .

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The Government has been providing financial assistance to State Governments to supplement their share for the purpose of habitat improvement and conservation of wildlife. Some of the assistance is through dedicated Projects", namely, Project Tiger and Project Elephant. The budgetary allocation for wildlife conservation has been enhanced from Rs. 346.38 crore in 2015-16, Rs. 475 crore in 2016-17 and Rs. 522.50 crore for 2017-18. .

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Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, in association with Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, National Zoological Park, National Museum of Natural History, Environmental Information System (ENVIS), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), TRAFFIC, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) and Sulabh International organised various competitions for school/ college students including Divyang students at the National Zoological Park. Films on different aspects of wildlife conservation and illegal trade are also being screened since February 27, 2017 at the Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jor Bagh, New Delhi, for school students to raise awareness among them regarding the importance of wildlife conservation. .

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India is renowned for the conservation of animals and birds. Wildlife is an integral part of our life. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal agency in the administrative structure of the Central Government for the planning, promotion, co-ordination and overseeing the implementation of India's environmental and forestry policies and programmes. Not only the animals and birds, forests are also worshipped in the form of Sacred Groves. Several communities like Bishnois of Rajasthan, the Maldhari communities of Gir in Gujarat have contributed immensely towards the conservation and protection of wildlife. The exemplary role played by the millions of people residing in the vicinity of forests is laudable and has resulted in increased populations of endangered animals like tigers, elephants, rhinos and other species. .

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Charge dAffaires, US Embassy, Ms. Mary Kay Carlson, Additional Director General, MoEF&CC, Dr. Anil Kumar, officers of MoEF&CC, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and students from Delhi schools were also present on the occasion. .

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In its efforts to enhance disaster preparedness, mitigation and response measures by building capacity at the local level through engagement with the paramilitary and armed forces, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a training conference here today on capacity building of the various organisations of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and other stakeholders. .

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Lt. Gen. N. C. Marwah (Retd.), Member, NDMA, who chaired the meeting, said it is very important for NDMA and CAPFs to work together for disaster preparedness and mitigation. Underlining the fact that the capabilities of our forces are not being optimally utilised, he urged them to proactively engage with the local administration and help in strengthening the overall capacity of the first responders. .

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Speaking on the occasion, he said, "A lot more needs to be done than what is being done today. With better planning, coordination, involvement and commitment, we would be able to make the country disaster resilient." .

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Sharing their experiences on Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes conducted by their respective organisations, participants highlighted the need for standardization of courses across CAPFs. They also underlined the need to upgrade training equipment and modernise training centres. Besides the need for maintaining a database of such trainers, a detailed deployment plan to fully utilise their capabilities for further trainings was also emphasised upon. .

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A discussion was held on strengthening the Disaster Management wings of CAPFs by retaining their personnel who have had a stint at National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as trainers in their DM training institutes. .

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The need to train volunteers right up to the village level and equipping them to act as first responders in the event of a disaster was also discussed. NDMA's 'Aapda Mitra' is one such volunteer training programme which aims to train at least 200 volunteers at the district level across the country. .

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Discussions at this conference will form a part of the deliberations at the upcoming National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) which will bring together all stakeholders to review the progress made so far in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and suggest ways to improve disaster resilience in the country. The NPDRR, being jointly organised by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), NDMA and National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), will be held next month. .

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Senior officials from NDMA, MHA, NDRF, NIDM, Fire Services, Home Guards and Civil Defence, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), National Cadet Corps (NCC), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Indian Coast Guard attended the conference. .

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The Honble President of India and Supreme Commander of Indian Armed Forces, Shri Pranab Mukherjee awarded the Prestigious Presidents Standard and Colours to 125 Helicopter Squadron and Mechanical Training Institute (MTI) respectively, during a grand ceremonial parade held at Air Force Station Tambaram today. The Commanding Officer of 125 Helicopter Squadron Group Captain VD Badoni and Commanding Officer of MTI Group Captain A Arunachaleswaran received the Presidents Standard and Colours respectively. .

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The ceremonial parade was commanded by Group Captain A Arunachaleswaran. The President also released First Day Covers of 125 Helicopter Squadron and Mechanical Training Institute at the function. There was a spectacular display of precision and daredevilry by the Air Warriors drill team. Fly past consisting of Mi-35 and Mi-17 Helicopters, Pilatus and Kiran trainer aircraft was synchronized with significant events of the parade. The grand ceremony concluded with a breathtaking air show demonstrated by Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT), which won the admiration of one and all. .

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The Governor of Tamil Nadu and Senior Government officials from Tamil Nadu Administration, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal C Hari Kumar, Air Officer Commanding in- Chief, Western Air Command, Air Marshal SRK Nair, Air Officer Commanding in-Chief, Training Command along with other Senior Defence and Civilian dignitaries were present on the occasion. .

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Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pranab Mukherjee Honorable President of India congratulated the awardee units and said that the nation is proud of the capability and competency of the IAF. Over the last eight decades, the IAF has emerged as an immensely professional and combat-ready force. It has achieved distinction in defending our skies and delivering vital humanitarian aid and disaster relief. The brave men and women in blue have displayed incredible courage and determination in the discharge of their duties, acquitting themselves with great confidence. The ongoing process of modernization will transform the IAF into an even more potent and strategic force that can take on all future challenges. The IAF will remain ever vigilant in protecting our skies and continue to maintain its cherished standards of excellence. .

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TS/NR/GN/03/2017
India and Nepal have wide ranging engagement in trade and investment and Nepal is well poised to attract further FDI from India .

The Union Minister of Finance, Shri Arun Jaitley, shared Indias experience in reforming its economy and attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) at the Nepal Investment Summit 2017 held at Kathmandu on 2-3 March, 2017 .

The Union Minister of Finance, Shri Arun Jaitley, shared Indias experience in reforming its economy and attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) at the Nepal Investment Summit 2017 held at Kathmandu on 2-3 March, 2017. He stated that Indian and Nepal share deep-rooted historical, cultural and religious ties which have enabled extensive cooperation in trade and economic fields between the two countries. .

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While addressing the Nepal Investment Summit 2017, the Union Minister of Finance stated that India and Nepal have wide ranging engagement in trade and investment and that Nepal is well poised to attract further FDI from India by creation of a conducive legal and regulatory framework. India is Nepals largest partner in trade and investment with more than 2/3rd of Nepals trade being with India and India accounting for nearly 40% of total FDI in Nepal. The two countries have open border, grant national treatment to each others citizens and millions of Nepali citizens live and work in India. Nepal has several important sectors such as hydropower, transmission lines, road and rail networks, health, education, tourism, irrigation etc in which it can attract Indian investments. India is ready to invest in the projects of Kathmandu-Nijgadh fast track road, second international airport at Nijgadh, Koshi High Dam etc. .

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During his official visit, the Union Minister of Finance called on the President of Nepal Smt Bidya Devi Bhandari and the Prime Minister Shri Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda. He also held meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Nepal Shri Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Industry Minister Shri Nabindra Raj Joshi. The Union Minister of Finance also paid obeisance at the Pashupati Nath Temple. .

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In his bilateral meetings, the Union Minister of Finance conveyed Indias abiding commitment to partner with Nepal in meeting its aspirations for socio-economic growth. Recalling the construction of several Integrated Check Posts, rail links, Hulaki roads, schools, health posts, etc with Indian assistance, Shri Arun Jaitley stated that India stands ready to make available more soft loans for new infrastructure projects which would enable Nepal grow at a fast pace. .

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In order to address the issue of high trade deficit, Shri Arun Jaitley suggested that Nepal may expand its export basket by attracting more Indian investment in export-oriented industries. Further, the early completion of power projects like Upper Karnali and Arun-III, Nepal would be able to export electricity to India. He urged that the issues of forest land and land acquisition which have delayed the projects should be resolved at the earliest. .

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The Nepali leaders thanked Shri Arun Jaitley for Indias development assistance and highly appreciated Indias assistance for post-earthquake reconstruction of Nepal. Deputy PM of Nepal Shri Mahara in particular thanked the Government of India for facilitating export of nearly 380 MW of electricity throughout this winter which has enabled several regions of Nepal become free of load-shedding. The two countries now have transmission lines for trade of nearly 500 MW of electricity, which would increase to over 750 MW by mid-2017. .

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The visit of Union Minister of Finance to Nepal highlights the importance India attaches to its relations with Nepal. The meetings were held in a warm and friendly atmosphere, which traditionally characterize the relations between India and Nepal. .

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Former US President has been named as the winner of the 2017 John F. Kennedy 'Profile in Courage' award.

According to a report in Washington Times on Thursday, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation has honoured Obama "for his enduring commitment to democratic ideals and elevating the standard of political courage in a new century."

The daughter of late Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, and her son Jack Schlossberg, will present Obama with the award on May 7 in Boston.

In a tweet, Obama said he was "humbled to be recognised by a family with a legacy of service."

"Throughout his two terms in office, President Obama upheld the highest standards of dignity, decency and integrity, serving not just as a political leader, but a moral leader, offering hope and healing to the country and providing young men and women of all backgrounds with an example they can emulate in their own lives," the foundation was quoted as saying.
A multi-state lawsuit over Obama-era guidance on the rights of transgender students will soon be coming to an end, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a court filing Thursday.

That guidance, which has since been rescinded by the Trump administration , put schools on notice that federal officials would find them in violation of Title IX if they failed to respect transgender students gender identities in decisions like which restrooms and locker rooms they use and what gender to use on documents.

Texas led a group of states and two school districts in a federal lawsuit challenging the guidance as federal overreach. That led a federal judge to place the guidance on hold last year while he considered the case, a move initially challenged by the Obama administrations Justice Department.

Now under the authority of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the Trump-era Justice Department asked the court Thursday to dismiss the appeal with the understanding that the plaintiffs would in turn drop their lawsuit.

There are still at least five other pending lawsuits in federal courts related to transgender student rights, including the case of Gavin Grimm, a transgender Virginia boy whose school restroom access will be at the center of U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments March 28.

Further reading on transgender students:

Follow @evieblad on Twitter or subscribe to Rules for Engagement to get blog posts delivered directly to your inbox.
Storytelling is a key part of human culture. Where politics and power are concerned, stories become something not only to be told, but to be shaped and influenced  so that, in many cases, they are used to mislead or deceive. Recent research for a lecture on fake news led me to wonder if there was a reason why it seems to spike at certain times. I came to the conclusion that three main factors seem to create the conditions for fake news to surge: a step change in communication or communication technology coupled with political uncertainty and armed conflict.

Theres no doubt that the world is still learning to adapt to the impact of social . Twitter was a fledgling platform ten years ago, now its the way the president of the United States talks to the world. It allows him to feel in control of his message. Political power has always wanted to do that: from the battles of the ancient world right the way through human history. In Britain, one might think of the Tudor dynastys attempts to control what was at the time new  the printing press  to consolidate their initially tenuous hold on the English throne in the late 15th century.
The only North Korean arrested over the Cold War-style assassination of Kim Jong-Nam was released today as diplomatic wrangling between Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur intensified over the murder.

47-year-old Ri Jong-Chol was freed a day after attorney general Mohamed Apandi Ali announced there was insufficient evidence to charge him and that he would be deported on today.

The vehicle carrying Ri, who wore a bullet proof vest, was escorted by a six police-car convoy and motorcycle outriders. Roads were sealed off as the motorcade left the police station where he has been held.

A senior police official who asked not to be named told AFP that Ri had been handed over to immigration authorities in the administrative capital of Putrajaya.

"I do not know when he will be deported as they will need to sort out the travel documents," he said.

Ri's release came two days after two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- were charged with murdering the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un with a deadly nerve agent.

Seven other North Koreans are wanted in connection with the killing, including a diplomat and an airline employee who are believed to be in Malaysia.

Four are thought to have fled to Pyongyang on the day of the murder.

Ri was arrested days after Kim suffered an agonising death when he was attacked at Kuala Lumpur Airport as he waited to board a flight to Macau.

CCTV footage shows two women approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth.

Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later, without reaching hospital.

Swabs of the dead man's face revealed traces of the VX nerve agent, a banned synthetic chemical so deadly that it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction.

Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, were charged with murder on Wednesday. If found guilty, they could be hanged.

Both women say they thought they were taking part in a prank video but police have dismissed the claims.

South Korea has pointed the finger of blame at North Korea, citing what they say was a standing order from Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother.

North Korea, which has not acknowledged the dead man's identity, has vehemently protested the investigation, saying Malaysia is in cahoots with its enemies.

In response, Malaysia has cancelled a visa-free travel deal with North Korea and recalled its envoy to Pyongyang.
The Russian Defence Ministry says the nation's top military officer has spoken to his counterpart for the first time in several years.

The ministry said Gen Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, had a phone call on Friday with Czech Army Gen Petr Pavel, the chairman of NATO's Military Committee.

It was the first such high-level contact since suspended a dialogue with Russia in 2014 over Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea and support for a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine.

The ministry said Gerasimov and Pavel discussed prevention of incidents, prospects for restoring military cooperation and acute security issues.

It said Gerasimov relayed Moscow's concerns about NATO's buildup near Russian borders and the generals confirmed the need for joint steps to reduce tensions.
Former Republican President George W. Bush has opened up about his friendship with former Democratic First Lady Michelle Obama, who are surprisingly close considering their political differences.

According to CNN, the 43rd President credits Michelle Obama's appreciation for his sense of humour as a key reason.

They have often been photographed together during formal events.

The photos of their warm interaction went viral when Obama embraced Bush at the opening ceremony for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture last September.

"When I saw her, it was a genuine expression of affection," the former Republican President said on Wednesday as he reflected on the moment.

Bush is back in the public eye to promote his new book, Portraits of Courage, a volume of his paintings of military veterans.

The Bushes and the Obamas join hands during the singing of The Battle Hymn of the Republic during an interfaith memorial service for the victims of Dallas police shooting on July 12 last year.

"She kind of likes my sense of humour. Anybody who likes my sense of humour, I immediately like," Bush said of .

"(The friendship) surprised everybody. That's what's so weird about society today, (the surprise) that people on opposite sides of the political spectrum can actually like each other."

The pair are often seated next to each other during events, including the interfaith memorial service, last year's funeral for former First Lady Nancy Reagan and the 2015 commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the historic civil rights march in Selma, Alabama.

"I can't remember where else I've sat next to her, but I probably have a few wise-cracks and she seemed to like it OK," Bush said.

"I needle her a little bit and around her, I'm fairly lighthearted. (The Obamas) are around serious people all the time and we just took to each other."

Most recently, the Bushes attended President Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, where they were seen chatting with the Obamas.
Australia's High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu today appointed eighteen high profile Alumni Ambassadors to champion prestigious Australian Government Scholarships across the South Asia region.

This year's group of Ambassadors - ten from India, and two each from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bhutan-will visit leading research and higher education institutions in their respective countries and share their experiences of studying in Australia with students, faculty and administrators.

The Australia Awards-Endeavour Ambassadors Initiative recognises the valuable contribution of alumni in raising the profile of Australia as a high quality study destination.

Since the commencement of this initiative in 2014, Australia has appointed 83 Alumni Ambassadors from various academic institutions across India and South Asia. A new group of Ambassadors is appointed each year.

The Australia Awards-Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships are an annual competitive Australian Government awards program for high-achieving students, researchers and professionals from around the world to study in Australia's world-class education institutions or undertake a professional development program.

Further information about the Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships can be found here: https://internationaleducation.gov.au

Applications for the 2018 round of the Australia Awards-Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships are expected to open in April 2017.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In the wake of furore over the Ramjas scuffle and the consequent Gurmehar Kaur row, triggering a debate on 'Nationalism', Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday advised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to read Rabindranath Tagore's book on the same.

"BJP leaders should study Rabindranath Tagore's book on nationalism. They might get to know what nationalism is. How many martyrs' homes have they visited? How many of them have got help from the BJP? They are only bothered about garnering votes. They are deceiving people in the name of nationalism; they are pitting one person against another," Yadav told in an exclusive interview to ANI.

Reacting to the recent juice remark, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrongly quoted Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Yadav said, "The fact that we have done so much work shows that the opposition is scrambling to find different and needless issues. The Prime Minister, it seems, has quoted a wrong report."

Downplaying the BJP's barb at the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance, Akhilesh said, "This is not an alliance between Lucknow and Delhi. This is an alliance of young leaders which will benefit Uttar Pradesh."

When asked as to whom the Samajwadi Party considers its close competitor in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Yadav said, "Since the Samajwadi Party is ahead of everyone, we are not bothered as to who is behind us. I have tried to highlight the achievements of our government and have always talked about development works undertaken by our government."

The Chief Minister hoped the Samajwadi Party would again emerge victories on March 11 and would form the government in the state.

"People have always wanted Uttar Pradesh to achieve progress and develop fast and believed that the Samajwadi Party government has worked for Uttar Pradesh. They were benefitted by our government's welfare policies. We made arrangements for ambulances, built better roads, have provided electricity. These have been well received by the people. They want our party to work more and on March 11, you will see that the SP-Congress alliance will form the government," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], Mar 3 (ANI): The tax department on Friday issued warning against those who undertake benami transactions as this would invite Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) of up to seven years under the normal I-T Act.

The tax department said the government will soon operationalize a 'Strong Team' to effectively deal with benami properties as well undisclosed foreign income and assets.

The Central Board of Direct Taxation (CBDT) is planning to form a special unit, which will dedicatedly investigate and act against 'benamidars' and black money holders having undisclosed foreign income and assets.

"There is a serious need of a separate unit, which will only probe and prosecute against benamidars and those black money holders who have undisclosed foreign assets like investigation and assessment unit of the income tax. This unit may be headed by Director General-level officer," a senior Income Tax officer told ANI.

Currently under the Finance Ministry, joint /additional commissioner of income-tax, an assistant / deputy commissioner of income-tax and a tax recovery officer in each region have been notified to perform the functions and exercise the powers of the approving authority, initiating officer and administrator respectively under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act (PBPT).

The Income Tax Department had identified 235 benami properties and attached properties worth Rs. 55 crore till mid February.

The government has already enacted the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016, which provides for rigorous imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine which may extend to 25 percent of the fair market value of the benami property.

It also empowers the government to confiscate deposits of the people using others accounts to convert unaccounted wealth into white money.

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Chinese tourism authorities on Friday warned citizens over their plans to travel to South Korea.

The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) warned Chinese to "seriously and fully study South Korea's entry policy before traveling," read a notice released on the administration's website, reports the Global Times.

It added that travelers should have a clear mind about the risk of traveling abroad and cautiously choose their destination.

According to the notice, the warning was issued after a rising number of Chinese were denied entry to South Korea's Jeju island, with some of the travelers being stranded in the Jeju airport for a long time.

Several Chinese tourists had been denied entry to the island in February for various reasons and were detained in a shabby "tiny dark" room in the Jeju airport, the Beijing News reported.

The CNTA has lodged serious representations to related authorities and met with several officials and diplomats from South Korea's embassy in China, according to the notice.

Jeju is the only region in South Korea that has a visa-free policy for Chinese visitors, who can stay up to 30 days in the island after entry. The policy was implemented in 2008.

The warning was made one day after South Korean media reported that China has set out to ban its people from traveling to South Korea in protest against Seoul's deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.

However, travel agencies on Thursday night and Friday said they did not receive any official or non-official notice on a travel ban to South Korea.

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Congress leader and former minister Kumar Bangarappa on Friday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Earlier in February, Bangarappa hinted of joining the saffron party when at a party meeting, he said he would soon announce his next political step.

He had said the workers and his loyal followers were asking him to join BJP by quitting Congress.

Bangarappa had alleged that there was no respect for loyal followers of Congress party in the Siddaramaiah government. He had also said there was a deep discontent among Congress activists against the style of functioning of the government and the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

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The clerk of the U.S. Supreme Court has formally admonished two lawyers who wrote friend-of-the-court briefs in support of the Virginia school board in the major case on transgender rights because the cover of the briefs refer to the transgender male student in the case as her rather than him.

The two filings were among 26 such briefs filed in January in Gloucester County School Board v. G.G. (Case No. 16-273) in support of the board, which is defending its policy that requires transgender students to use the school restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their biological gender. The policy is being challenged by Gavin Grimm, a female-born high school senior who now identifies as male.

One brief at issue was filed on behalf of two groupsthe National Organization for Marriage, a group that opposed the legalization of same-sex marriage, and the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence. The other was filed by the Child Protection Institute and its founder, Judith Reisman, a professor at Liberty University.

Each brief, on its cover page, listed the caption of the case in this way: Gloucester County School Board v. G.G., by her next friend and mother, Deirdre Grimm. (Emphasis added, as they say in legal documents, in italics.)

But the official caption of the case is Gloucester County School Board v. G.G., by his next friend and mother, Deirdre Grimm. (Emphasis added again.)

The caption uses standard language for when a party is a minor and must be represented in court by a parent or other next friend. By my search, there are no other references to Grimm as her in the body of those briefs.

The use of her in the two briefsall of the other friend-of-the-court briefs filed in support of the school board use him"seems to have gone unnoticed until last week, when Mark Joseph Stern of the online magazine Slate inquired about it with the Supreme Court.

The next day, on Feb. 24, the Supreme Court clerks office sent identical letters to the attorneys of record for the two briefs that say:

It has come to the attention of this office that the cover of your amicus brief in this case identifies the respondent as G.G., by her next friend and mother, Deirdre Grimm. In fact, the caption for the case in this Court, as in the lower courts, identifies the respondent as G.G., by his Next Friend and Mother, Deirdre Grimm. (Emphasis added.) Under Rule 34, your cover is to reflect the caption of the case. Please ensure careful compliance with this requirement in this and other cases in the future.

The letters are signed by Clerk Scott S. Harris and one of his staff members.

Stern wrote about the matter in a Slate piece later that day. These groups may passionately believe that Grimm is a girlbut unfortunately for them, they arent entitled to change his gender in the caption of their amicus briefs, he wrote.

Pronouns for referring to transgender people can be a fraught issue, as some transgender individuals prefer ones that match their gender identity, while others have embraced pronouns such as they or other variations. And some people refuse to use the pronouns preferred by transgender individuals.

Stern says in the piece that he asked Liberty Counsel, an Orlando, Fla.-based conservative legal organization that wrote the brief for the Child Protection Institute and Reisman whether the use of her was intentional. It was, the group told him, and it used a female pronoun because Gavin Grimm is a biological girl who now says she subjectively identifies as a boy. (Emphasis in bold evidently added by Liberty Counsel, which didnt respond to my request for a comment.) [UPDATE 8 p.m. March 5: Over the weekend, Liberty Counsel forwarded to me its letter to Harris that takes issue with whether its brief violated Supreme Court rules and accuses Harris and his deputy of giving the impression that they prejudged the issue in the case by concluding that Grimm is male.]

The attorney of record for the other brief that used her"the National Organization for Marriage and Center for Constitutional Jurisprudencedid respond to me via email.

John C. Eastman, a law professor at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., said the use of the female pronoun was deliberate and in accord with my clients wishes, because the caption provided by Plaintiff in the lower court conveyed an advocacy position on the central issue in the case that was contrary to the position being advocated by my client.

Eastman is also the director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, an affiliate of the Claremont Institute. (That would seem to make him one of his own two clients on the brief.)

Eastman also took issue with the Supreme Court clerks interpretation of court rules, and he referred me to several blog posts written about the contretemps this week by Ed Whelan, who writes the Bench Memos legal blog of the National Review.

Whelan wrote posts here , here , and here titled, Supreme Court Clerks Office as Pronoun Police?

Just as proponents of G.G.'s legal claim insist on using masculine pronouns for her, many opponents of that claim understandably decline to do so, wrote Whelan, who notes that the Gloucester County School Board pursues that objective in its merits brief by by studiously avoiding any use of third-person singular pronouns to refer to G.G.

Yes, Whelan refers to Grimm as her throughout his posts.

And Whelan, a Harvard Law School graduate and former law clerk to the late Justice Antonin Scalia, gets into some arcane arguments about Supreme Court procedure in support of his view that the briefs that used her to refer to Grimm did not violate the courts rule about proper captions, and at the very least the court has not been consistent about applying that rule.

The manner in which the clerks office handled this also strikes me as highly dubious, Whelan writes.

Lawyers for Grimm did not address the use of the female pronouns in the two friend-of-the-court briefs when they filed their merits brief on Feb. 23, but they informed the court that Grimm has legally changed his name, and he has a Virginia ID card and an amended birth certificate stating that he is male.

The deadline for friend-of-the court briefs in support of Grimm was Thursday (March 2), and not all the briefs were immediately available, though many are collected here at the site of the American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing Grimm.

I think we can presume that those briefs will follow the courts caption rule as interpreted by the clerks office and will refer to Grimm with a male pronoun.

Arguments in the case are scheduled for March 28, pending the courts consideration of letters from the parties about how to proceed after the Trump administration withdrew Obama administration guidance on transgender issues in schools.
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) summoned the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Jatin Narwal on a complaint of the Law Faculty Teacher's Association regarding lodging of an FIR against Satender Awana former president of DUSU and current president Amit Tanwa and others.

The DCW said it was not satisfied with DCP narwal's reply which is termed as insufficient and evasive.

It said prima-facie, serious cognizable offences are clearly made out against the above-mentioned persons and erring police officers are duty bound to register cases under relevant sections of the law.

The DCW said, the Delhi Police has failed to register an FIR on the said complaint till date despite the passage of considerable time.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a paper released, Trump administration has indicated that the United States is not bound by the Trade Organisation's rulings on trade disputes.

The stand taken by US is a big shift from the practice followed by previous presidents.

"Even if a WTO dispute settlement panel...rules against the United States, such a ruling does not automatically lead to a change in U.S. law or practice. The Trump administration will aggressively defend American sovereignty over matters of trade policy," CNN quoted the document, as saying.

Laying out many of Trump's trade plans in writing for the first time, the document said the Trump administration plans to strictly enforce U.S. trade laws, defend U.S. national sovereignty over trade policy, and use all possible leverage to open foreign markets to U.S. exports, the document said.

In recent decades, the 164 countries in the WTO, which includes China, have agreed to resolve disputes through WTO panels. The Obama administration filed cases in the WTO against China, which led to the U.S. slapping tariffs on Chinese steel last year.

The paper came from the office of the U.S. Trade Representative, a wing of the executive branch.

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Giving an optimistic update on his health, Hugh Jackman recently revealed that he is on the mend after sixth skin cancer treatment.

The 48-year-old actor, who recently revealed about his newest ailment on his Instagram page alongside a photo of him with a bandage on his nose, said on LIVE! With Kelly that he is "all good, almost completely healed," reports E! Online.

'The Wolverine' star said, "It's a basal cell carcinoma, everything's fine. It is skin cancer but the least dangerous form of it, so it's just something I have to get out after being an Aussie with English parents, growing up in Australia, it's sort of the new normal for me. But everything's fine. People have been so lovely, thank you."

Giving some sound advice, Jackman continued, "Wear sunscreen and get a check-up!"

On the movie front, Jackman's last ride as the Wolverine, 'Logan' is all set for a March 3 release in India.

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Four terrorists and two army officials were killed in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Frontier Region (FR) Bannu on Thursday, Pakistan military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The IBO was carried out in the Mullagano area of the frontier region as part of the countrywide Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad to eliminate terrorists.

"During an IBO at Mullagano area, Jani Khel, FR Bannu, four terrorists were killed," The Express Tribune quoted a statement issued by ISPR as saying. It added that Lieutenant Khawar and Naik Shehzad were killed in an exchange of fire with the terrorists.

Earlier in the day, security forces killed one suspected terrorist and detained 22 others in nationwide raids as part of Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad.

Military operation Radd-ul-Fasaad was launched by the Pakistan Army across the country following a series of terrorist attacks left over 100 people dead last month.

In an interview earlier this week, ISPR chief Asif Ghafoor said Radd-ul-Fasaad is aimed at countering the 'mischievous' elements whether they existed within the country or outside.

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The soon-to-be commissioned Gerald R. Ford USS is American craftsmanship at its best and represents the future of naval aviation, President Donald Trump said Thursday aboard the next-generation Naval aircraft carrier.

"Congratulations to all of the men and women who helped build it. This is American craftsmanship at its biggest, at its best, at its finest. American workers are the greatest anywhere in the . This warship, and all who serve on it, should be a source of shared pride for our nation. And, by the way, we're going to soon have more coming," said Trump according to a White House statement.

At the occasion he vowed to give the US military the best resources and finest equipments in the .

Praising the Naval aircraft carrier, the President said, "This ship will make an extraordinary addition to the fleet like no other -- like no other. Anywhere in the there's nothing like this. It represents the future of naval aviation. Our carriers are the centerpiece of American military might overseas. We are standing today on 4.5 acres of combat power and sovereign U.S. territory, the likes of which there is nothing to compete. There is no competition to this ship."

" It is a monument to American might that will provide the strength necessary to ensure peace. This ship will carry 4,500 personnel and 70 aircraft, and will be a vital component of our defense. This carrier and the new ships in the Ford class will expand the ability of our nation to carry out vital missions on the oceans to project American power in distant lands," he added.

The visit comes on the heels of Trump's proposal to increase the Defense Department's budget by USD 54 billion, a 10 percent increase over last year.

On the occasion, talking about his address to a joint session of Congress, he said he has asked Congress to eliminate the defense sequester and to support rebuilding of the United States military and the United States Navy.

He said that years of endless budget cuts have impaired the U.S. defenses.

"Our military requires sustained, stable funding to meet the growing needs placed on our defense. Right now, our aging frontline strike and strike-fighters -- the whole aircraft; many, many aircraft -- are often more likely to be downed for maintenance than they are to be up in the sky. Our Navy is now the smallest it's been since, believe it or not, World War I," Trump said adding, "We also need more aircraft, modernized capabilities, and greater force levels. Additionally, we must vastly improve our cyber capabilities. This great rebuilding effort will create many jobs in Virginia, and all across America, and it will also spur new technology and new innovation."

Named after former president Gerald Ford, who served on an aircraft carrier during World War II, the USS Gerald Ford is the most technologically advanced warship ever built and also the most expensive, costing USD 12.9 billion.

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A high school in Germany's western Wuppertal city has banned Muslim students from praying within the premises.

A circular was issued to teachers at the Gymnasium Johannes Rau school asking them to 'identify names' and report' any cases of Muslim students praying in school to management.

The circular further read that the ban should be pointed out to students in a "friendly" manner.

"In recent weeks, it has been increasingly observed that Muslim pupils in the school building are praying, clearly visible to others, signalled by ritual washings in the toilets, the rolling out of prayer mats and taking up certain postures. This is not permitted," DW news quoted the document as saying.

This is not the first time a school has asked its Muslim students to stop from praying.

In 2011, a high-school student from Berlin-Wedding approached a court after he was not allowed to pray publicly.

Germany's Administrative Court rejected his complaint on the grounds that his prayers would disturb the school peace.

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The Supreme Court on Friday postponed the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) matter till April first week after the Centre and West Bengal Government sought more time to file their replies on the same.

Earlier in January, the apex court had issued a notice to the West Bengal Government on the petition filed by GTA challenging refusal to transfer administrative power to it.

An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar, which then issued notice to the West Bengal Government, sought a reply from it.

The petition filed by GTA member Binay Tamang in September last year claimed that the state government's decision was "impinging upon the fundamental rights of the Gorkha people living in the hill areas of the district of Darjeeling".

The bench headed by the then Chief Justice T. S. Thakur had asked for the 2011 notification issued by the West Bengal Government promising transfer of power in terms of a memorandum of agreement (MoU) to be presented before the court.

However, the officials had then said the petition alleging the state government's refusal to transfer administrative power is misleading.

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The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists staged a protest in Hyderabad on Friday against the attack on their office in Kerala.

A crude bomb was hurled at the RSS office in Kallachy near Nadapuram last night.

At least three RSS workers sustained injuries in the attack and were rushed to the Government Medical College in Kozhikode.

The attack took place hours after RSS leader Kundan Chandrawat triggered a political row for announcing a bounty of Rs. one crore on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's head.

"If anyone beheads the Kerala Chief Minister, who is the murderer of RSS activists, and brings his head I will give my property worth more than Rs. one crore to him," he said yesterday while addressing a public gathering in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

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Defence experts today said security forces of India need to view Hafiz Saeed's son's speech last month with alarm, as he talked about a Dawood linked Jihad on India.

Flying Officer Shivali Deshpande said, "He hinted that Dawood and Jihad could be joined together and terrorism can be conducted. Now, this is a big alarm for Indian security forces that they are associating Dawood Ibrahim and also with terrorist activities."

She added, "I don't think there is any doubt regarding the fact that the terrorism and Dawood is far apart."

"This seems to be a big issue for the intelligence services and security forces of our country because we need to be very alert and vigilant now, especially because Dawood has also joined hands with Jamat-Ud-Dawa and jointly they will be conducting terrorist activities," she said.

Security Analyst Brigadier S.K. Chatterjee said, "Dawood is involved in so many terrorist attacks on India; even the United Nations has put his name in sanctions. His locations in Karachi were given to Pakistan."

A video shot on 'Kashmir Day' in Pakistan on February 5 has had Indian intelligence agencies on their toes.

In the video Jamat-Ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed's son, Talha is seen inciting a crowd to wage war against India using Dawood Ibrahim's name.

This is the first time that a Pakistan based terror outfit has made a direct reference to the don.

Talha asks the crowd if they wanted to become a judge, police or doctors to which the crowd says no.

He then asks them if they would want to become Dawood and the crowd shouts, saying "yes". Talha then goes on to ask them if they want to become Burhan Wani, and again gets a "yes" from the crowd.

The agencies are now probing if Dawood Ibrahim and Jamat-Ud-Dawa are operating in collusion.

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The Indian Navy on Thursday honoured twelve widows of the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) sailors who took part in the RIN mutiny in 1946.

At a function held at the Defence Security Corps Centre here, the Navy awarded Rs. 1 lakh each to the widows of the Royal Indian Navy's (RIN) sailors.

This initiative is part of the Indian Navy's effort to recognize the services of the RIN sailors, who were expelled from the service by the British after they took part in the naval revolt of 1946.

"The British called it mutiny and we treat it as uprising, but the services of the unsung heroes who participated in it have to be acknowledged," said Commodore Kamalesh Kumar, Commanding Officer, INS Zamorin of the Indian Naval Academy, who presented the cheques to the widows.

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There are few things that trigger outrage more than reports about sexual misconduct by teachers (Four ex-workers at prestigious Mass. boarding school molested students, investigation reveals , New York Daily News, Feb. 22). Although such reports affect public, private and religious schools, its hard to know for certain the extent of the problem because of the lack of a central database.

What we do know, however, is extremely disturbing. For example, in May 2016, the Los Angeles Unified School District agreed to pay $88 million to settle sexual misconduct claims filed on behalf of 30 students, involving two elementary school teachers. Over the past four years, the LAUSD has paid out more than $300 million to victims of educator sexual abuse and their lawyers (Predators in the Classroom , The Wall Street Journal, Oct. 8, 2016).

Elite private schools are not exempt. In May 2016, the Boston Globe reported sexual misconduct claims involving more than 200 students in 67 private New England schools over the past 25 years (Private schools, painful secrets ). Eleven employees moved on to other schools, with at least three accused again. Religious schools have also been the subject of similar charges.

Part of the reason for this picture is that no federal law requires states to conduct background checks before hiring or licensing teachers. In fact, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee permit local districts to set their own rules on teacher screening.

Another reason is the reluctance of courts to get involved in matters that are the province of schools officials. In Pell v. Board of Education, the Court of Appeals, New York States highest court, held that judges should typically defer to education officials who are ultimately responsible for the conduct of their employees (Why heroin and classroom sex arent enough to get teachers fired anymore , New York Post, Mar. 1).

When I was teaching in the LAUSD, all teachers in the mammoth district were required to attend a meeting dealing with the law about mandated reporters. We were told that it was better to err on the side of caution and report any suspicions, however remote they might be. Confidentiality was assured. Many teachers at my high school resented the meeting, viewing it as an insult to their professionalism.

Until the nations 13,500 school districts are required to follow a uniform process, I believe the scandal will continue. Even then, theres no guarantee that sexual misconduct will be eliminated.
A day after a bomb was hurled at a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office in Kallachy near Nadapuram, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) office at Vishnumangalam was put on fire by few unidentified people.

No casualty has been reported so far in the incident that took place last night.

In the attack at the RSS office, three RSS workers had sustained injuries. They were rushed to the Government Medical College in Kozhikode.

The attacks come after RSS leader Kundan Chandrawat offered Rs. 1 crore to anyone who would bring Kerala Chief Minister P. Vijayan's head to him.

"If anyone beheads the Kerala CM, who is the murderer of RSS activists, and brings his head I will bequeath my property worth more than Rs. one crore to him," he had said.

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Kathmandu [Nepal], Mar.3 (ANI): With about 70 days left for the holding local polls, the widening gap between political parties is posing a grave threat to them being held, former chief election commissioner Neel Kantha Upreti has warned.

In an interview with ANI, Upreti called on all political parties to arrive at a consensus to ensure the success of the mid- May local elections.

"Democratic political parties should participate in the elections. So, I would have thought that by this time, not only this time, but before this time, I should say, disputes, dissatisfactions of the political parties, those who are representing in parliament, must have been resolved and the date should have been announced after their acceptance of the Constitution and the amendment bill which has been now tabled in parliament. So, I think, the major obstacle of the election of mid- May is the consensus of the political parties and all parties should participate in the local elections," Upreti said.

"I think the government, the political parties and those parties who are still not satisfied with the process and also not satisfied with the Constitution should sit together, resolve and find out the point of compromise because, someone has to give something and other side also should give something in order to come to the point," he added.

The government led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, last month declared May 14 as the date for the holding local elections which ultimately has pushed the agitating Madhesh-based parties towards protest.

"Democracy is an important thing, more than anything else for the country. So, all should participate and those who are not democratic, I may not like to speak on them. We Nepali citizend are worried about this. It should have been resolved because it has been more than 16 months that we have had the Constitution by the people of this country. So, the first and the foremost challenge is the parties agreement for the electoral process and the garnering of political consensus," said Upreti.

Nepal has operated in a vacuum without local bodies for nearly two decades. Upreti said the timing of the elections is questionable.

"The timing itself is challenging because we have very limited time. Election Commission has asked for 120 days minimum for the holding of local elections, but then, they accepted it for less than 90 days. The country should be working on the war footing if the election has to be conducted on the given date. So, time is an obstacle and a challenge for preparing for the elections," he added.

The election commission is yet to receive the Local Level Restructuring Committee (LLRC)'s report on the basis of which it will hold the election.

Upreti said, "The LLRC report is a fundamental document for preparation and implementation of election and the dispute regarding the LLRC report needs to be resolved as fast as possible by the government and the political parties so that the process of preparing for elections can proceed with no problem. There is a question also about the legality of revisiting the LLRC report by the government or the executive because the commission is responsible for making necessary amendments where needed."

Campaign for the polls has started and a code of conduct has also been issued and announced.

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2016 saw a near-threefold rise in mobile malware detections compared to 2015 with a total of 8.5 million malicious installations identified. This means that, in the space of just one year, a volume equivalent to 50 percent of all the malware detected in the previous 11 years (15.77 million in 2004 to 2015) was released.

Leading the way were mobile advertising Trojans which now make up 16 of the top 20 malicious programs, up from 12 in 2015. These are the findings of Kaspersky Lab's annual Mobile Virusology report, which also highlights the evolution of mobile banking Trojans. Specialist officers from INTERPOL's Global Complex for Innovation have contributed an analysis of mobile malware on the Dark Web to the report.

In 2016, Kaspersky Lab mobile security products reported:

-Nearly 40 million attacks attempts by mobile malware, with over 4 million users of Android-based devices protected (vs 2.6 million in 2015)

-Over 260,000 detections of installation packages for mobile ransomware Trojans(an increase of almost 8.5 times, year-on-year)

-More than 153,000 unique users targeted by mobile ransomware (an increase of 1.6 times compared with2015)

-Over 128,000 mobile banking Trojans detected (nearly 1.6 times more than in 2015)

Advertising Trojan: is your device already rooted?

-The most widespread type of Trojan in 2016 was the advertising variety, accounting for 16 of the top 20 malware programs

-These Trojans are capable of seizing rooting rights, allowing the malware to not only aggressively display ads on the infected device, often making it impossible to use, but also to secretly install other applications. These Trojans can also buy apps on Google Play.

In many cases, the Trojans were able to exploit previously patched vulnerabilities because the user had not installed the latest update.

Further, this malware simultaneously installs its modules in the system directory, which makes the treatment of the infected device very difficult. Some advertising Trojans are even able to infect the recovery image, making it impossible to solve the problem by restoring the device to factory settings.

Representatives of this class of malicious software have been repeatedly

found in the official Google Play app store, for example, masquerading as a guide for Pokemon GO. In this case, the app was downloaded over 500,000 times, and is detected as a Trojan.AndroidOS.Ztorg.ad.

Mobile ransomware: further development

-In 2016, 153,258 unique users from 167 countries were attacked by Trojan-Ransom programs; this is 1.6 times more than in 2015.

Modern ransomware overlays windows with demand messages, thus making it impossible to use the device. This principle was used by the most popular mobile ransomware program in 2016 Trojan-Ransom.AndroidOS.Fusob.

This Trojan mostly attacks users in Germany, the US and the UK, but avoids users from the CIS and some neighboring countries. Once launched, it runs a check of the device language and, after achieving some results, it may stop execution. The cybercriminals behind the Trojan usually demand between USD 100 and USD 200 to unblock a device. The ransom has to be paid using codes from pre-paid iTunes cards.

Mobile banking Trojan: a skyrocketing threat

-In 2016, over 305,000 users in 164 countries were attacked by mobile banking Trojans,compared with over 56,000 users in 137 countries the previous year.

-Russia, Australia and Ukraine are the top 3 countries affected in terms of the percentage of users attacked by mobile banking Trojans relative to all users hit by mobile malware.

Mobile banking Trojans continued to evolve through the year. Many of them gained tools to bypass the new Android security mechanisms and were able to continue stealing user information from the most recent versions of the OS.

At the same time, the developers of mobile banking Trojans repeatedly enhanced their creations with new capabilities. For instance, the Marcher family, in addition to implementing the usual banking applications' overlay, redirected users from financial institutions' websites to phishing pages.

The Dark Web delusion

According to specialist officers from INTERPOL's Global Complex for Innovation, who have also contributed to the report, the Dark Web remains an attractive medium for conducting illicit businesses and activities. Given its robust anonymity, low prices and client-oriented strategy, the Dark Web provides a means for criminal actors to communicate and engage in commercial transactions, buying and selling various products and services, including mobile malware kits. Mobile malware is offered for sale as software packages (e.g. remote access Trojans - RATs), individual solutions and sophisticated tools, like those developed by professional firms or, on a smaller scale, as part of a 'Bot as a Service' model. Mobile malware is also a 'subject of interest' on vendor shops, forums and social media.

"In 2016, the growth in the number of advertising Trojans capable of exploiting super-user rights continued. Throughout the year, it was the top threat and we see no sign of this trend changing. Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the fact that most devices do not receive OS updates (or receive them late), and are thus vulnerable to old, well-known and readily available exploits.Moreover, we see that the mobile landscape is getting a little crowded for cybercriminals, and they are beginning to interact more with the world beyond smartphones. Perhaps in 2017 we will see major attacks on IoT components launched from mobile devices," concludes Roman Unuchek, Senior Malware Analyst at Kaspersky Lab USA.

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The Kremlin proceeds from the understanding that no U.S. officials have made any claims to the effect the Russian ambassador to the United Sates, Sergey Kislyak, may have intelligence links and that all media rumors to this effect are baseless and unconfirmed, Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

According to TASS news agency, Peskov described media rumors buzzing about Kislyak's involvement in intelligence activities as "bogus media speculations that keep fanning tensions."

Earlier, CNN quoted its sources as saying that US intelligence claims that Kislyak is a spy.

In related development, US President Donald Trump's Attorney General Attorney General Jeff Sessions is embroiled in accusations that he misled Congress by failing to disclose pre-election meetings with Kislyak, according to CNN.

Commenting on the calls to probe into the alleged contacts between members of the Trump administration and Russia, Peskov said that a highly emotional atmosphere surrounds the situation concerning the alleged contacts.

"We see a highly emotional atmosphere. But before making any evaluations, we should wait for everyone to calm down and the situation to stabilize," he said adding that he did not know whether Kislyak had held any meetings with Jeff Sessions.

The Kremlin spokesman drew attention to the fact that the ambassador's work generally consisted in holding as many meetings as possible with representatives of both the executive and the legislative branch of the country of the ambassador's residence.

Peskov noted, the US ambassador in Moscow "has lots of contacts with deputies of the Federal Assembly of Russia and this is absolutely normal.

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The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed former Uttar Pradesh Minister Babu Singh Khuswaha's petition seeking bail.

Senior Advocate Abhishekh Manu Singhvi submitted before the court that his client Kushwaha has been running around the court since last four years also the charges under which he is booked for has a maximum conviction of seven years, for which the court has still declined his submission and dismissed the bail application.

Earlier on February 17, the court issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case related to the NRHM scam against Kushwaha.

The apex court, which also sought a detailed reply from both parties by February 24, had earlier refused to grant interim bail to Kushwaha. The court also asked him to appear after four months.

It was alleged that a huge sum of money was siphoned off by politicians, bureaucrats and doctors from the fund meant for NRHM.

Kushwaha, who was a minister during the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) rule, was arrested on March 3, 2012, for his alleged involvement in this case.

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After the embarrassing 'Best Picture' gaffe at this year's Oscar ceremony, Academy's President Cheryl Boone Isaacs has sent a note to the members of the organisation.

Isaacs, addressing the 'rather chaotic ending of the show,' has told the members of the Academy, the changes will be implemented to ensure this thing never happens again, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

She notes, "The failure of PwC's accountants to follow established protocols and their delay in immediately remedying the situation." Adding, "PwC has accepted full responsibility for the error," she reassures members that changes will be made to make sure nothing similar happens in the future.

Boone Isaacs also offered praise for how those affected dealt with the unforeseen event. "The professionalism of the crew and stage managers, led by Rob Paine "the spirit and enthusiasm of all the presenters, including Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway; and that of the filmmakers, especially those from 'Moonlight' and 'La La Land'," Isaacs wrote.

"The grace and humility they demonstrated onstage, with the world watching, shows the strength of the bond that connects all the artists in our community," she added.

She also offered Academy members a two-minute video of highlights from the show that includes brief clips of the best picture drama. "And then this happened," the video reads before showing La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz announcing that Moonlight won. And the video then flashes the message, "And that led to a moment of grace and humanity," as Moonlight director Barry Jenkins is shown accepting the award.

Calling this year's broadcast "one of the best  and certainly most dramatic and talked about  Oscar ceremonies of all time," she said she was proud of the work and effort of all involved, starting with producers Jennifer Todd and Michael De Luca.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Kundan Chandrawat, who received flak for announcing bounty of Rs. One crore on anyone who can offer him Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the former was on Friday removed from his responsibilities.

"Kundan who made controversial statement at Ujjain protest mtg has been relieved of his responsibility in RSS: Dr MM Vaidya," the RSS said in a tweet.

The RSS yesterday condemned the statement by Chandrawat saying, "The RSS doesn't subscribe to any views advocating violence and strongly condemn it. Attached statement is loud and clear", said RSS spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya in a statement.

On this raging issue, RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha commenting on the controversial statement said that this was a wrong statement and won't be acceptable at all.

"We too condemn it and the language used is absolutely wrong," he added.

Chandrawat earlier in a public gathering in Ujjain said: "Three hundred pracharaks have been killed. Communists be warned, we will offer a garland of three lakh heads to Bharat Mata."

Aside from his statement, Chandrawat also announced a bounty of Rs. one crore on the Kerala Chief Minister's head.

"If anyone beheads the Kerala CM, who is the murderer of RSS activists, and brings his head I will bequeath my property worth more than Rs. one crore to him," he said.

When questioned, Chandrawat was unapologetic and said he stood by his comments.

Vijayan downplayed K. Chandrawat's threatening remark against him and said the right-wing group has taken heads of several people.

"Sangh Parivar has taken heads of several. But we are to travel na?" Vijayan told the media here.

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Condemning the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) minister's announcement on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Janata Dal (United) (JD (U)) on Friday said the saffron outfit is playing hate politics.

"Such a statement given for the Chief Minister elected by the people is condemnable. The RSS is playing hate and vehemence politics. All the political parties should condemn it," JD (U) leader K.C. Tyagi told ANI.

Another JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav said the minister should be arrested.

"He should be immediately arrested. It is weird to use such a language," Yadav told ANI.

RSS leader Kundan Chandrawat yesterday offered Rs. one crore to anyone who would bring Kerala Chief Minister's head.

"If anyone beheads the Kerala CM, who is the murderer of RSS activists, and brings his head I will bequeath my property worth more than Rs. one crore to him," he said.

However, the right-wing condemned the minister's statement, saying it doesn't subscribe to views advocating violence.

"The RSS doesn't subscribe to any views advocating violence and strongly condemn it. Attached statement is loud and clear", said RSS spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya in a statement.

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The Supreme Court will on Monday hear the issue of compensation in the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) project on the river Narmada.

The apex court had earlier in its order awarded a compensation of Rs. 60 lakh each to 681 families affected by the Sardar Sardar Project (SSP) in Madhya Pradesh and an amount of Rs. 15 lakh each to 1358 families affected by the project within two months.

Earlier on February 8, the court decided to set up a panel of three former judges of the apex court to look into the issue.

A bench of the Apex Court headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Jagdish Singh Khehar proposed to set up a three-judge panel to monitor the compensation and rehabilitation for the oustees of SSP on river Narmada in three states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Earlier, the Apex Court said that to ensure better deal for the project-affected families and had asked the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and states to suggest names of experts who could be appointed in the committee which would deal with the issue of resettlement and rehabilitation of the oustees.

While hearing the petitions pertaining to rehabilitation of oustees of the project, the court had made it clear that it would not allow stalling of the project.

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Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who is presently embroiled in accusations that he misled Congress by failing to disclose pre-election meetings with the Russian ambassador to Washington Sergey Kislyak, said on Thursday that he has decided recuse himself in the investigation.

In a statement issued by the United States Department of Justice, Sessions said that after several consultations, "I have decided to recuse myself from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for President of the United States."

"During the course of the confirmation proceedings on my nomination to be Attorney General, I advised the Senate Judiciary Committee that '[i]f a specific matter arose where I believed my impartiality might reasonably be questioned, I would consult with Department ethics officials regarding the most appropriate way to proceed," the statement added.

"During the course of the last several weeks, I have met with the relevant senior career Department officials to discuss whether I should recuse myself from any matters arising from the campaigns for President of the United States," it said.

The statement noted said that this announcement should not be interpreted as confirmation of the existence of any investigation or suggestive of the scope of any such investigation.

"Consistent with the succession order for the Department of Justice, Acting Deputy Attorney General and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Dana Boente shall act as and perform the functions of the Attorney General with respect to any matters from which I have recused myself to the extent they exist," it said.

It has emerged that Sessions spoke twice with the Russian ambassador to the United States during former's presidential campaign, according to CNN.

Sessions did not mention either meeting, during his confirmation hearings when he said he knew of no contacts between Trump surrogates and Russians. A Justice official said Sessions didn't mislead senators during his confirmation.

Kislyak is considered to be one of Russia's top spies and spy-recruiters in Washington by the U.S. intelligence.

Sessions met with Kislyak twice in Washington, in July on the sidelines of the Republican convention, and in September in his office when Sessions was a member of the Senate Armed Services committee. Sessions was an early Trump backer and regular surrogate for him as a candidate.

Sessions, a former senator from Alabama, who was among Trump's early and most vocal surrogates on the campaign trail, did not disclose the conversations when asked during his Senate confirmation hearing in early 2017 about possible contacts between Trump's campaign and Moscow.

Following the accusations several Democrats demanded his resignation.

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Judge Banned for Handcuffing Attorney

Robe-itis, the disease that sometimes infects new judges, usually is not fatal.

The malady transforms ordinary people into ogres when they put on the black robe. With time and experience, however, most judges survive and emerge as patient, dignified, and courteous representatives of the court.

But not Conrad Hafen of Las Vegas, it would seem. The former justice of the peace put on the robe and turned into Darth Vader. Now his judicial career is over.

No Peace for Justice of the Peace

The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline has banned Hafen from the bench for, let's call it "acute robe-itis." The last outbreak did him in.

In May 2016, Hafen ordered his bailiff to handcuff an assistant public defender for talking over him. The officer cuffed the attorney and seated her in a chair next to the jury box until the proceedings were over.

"I think she's learned her lesson," Hafen then said and ordered the bailiff to uncuff the lawyer.

Unfortunately, it was not the first time Hafen had taken out his anger on people so ceremoniously. In two other cases, Hafen ordered defendants jailed for disrupting his courtroom. He sent a woman to jail for 25 days for arguing with him.

No, He Can't Keep the Robe

For his behavior, the commission charged Hafen with violating judicial canons. He stipulated to the charges and the discipline against him. Darth Hafen can keep his bar license, but not the robe.

"Respondent therefore consents and agrees that he will not seek, accept or serve in any judicial or adjudicative position or capacity in the future in any jurisdiction in the State of Nevada," the orders said.

Banishing a judge is rare, even in Sin City. However, last year the Nevada commission kicked out a family court judge after he was convicted of fraud.

Related Resources:
Edappadi K. Palanisamy, who took oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister last month, will chair his maiden cabinet meeting at the State Secretariat in Chennai on Friday.

Palanisamy had won the vote of confidence by a steep 122-11 margin after eviction of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) members and walkout by its allies from a chaotic assembly session following a political stalemate in the state.

Palanisamy is the third All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader, who took charge as the Chief Minister in the last nine months.

Late AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa had powered the party to a rare successive term in office in the state in the May, 2016 Assembly Polls. After her demise, Tamil Nadu's politics faced a major struggle of power with her aide, V.K. Sasikala and former chief minister O. Panneerselvam vying for the chief ministerial chair.

Sasikala's loyalist Palanisamy eventually ascended to the throne after she was sentenced to serve the rest of her jail term in a 19-year-old disproportionate assets case.

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According to an expert, The US President Donald Trump's sexual and reproductive policy changes threaten women worldwide.

"Much progress has been made in the use of more effective contraception and in the reduction of unintended pregnancies," explained University of California's Daniel Grossman, noting "Trump's policies could roll back progress on women's ."

A concerning development is Trump's re-imposition of the Mexico City Policy, also known as the Global Gag Rule, which prevents US-funded organisations from providing, informing about, or advocating for abortion care in their countries.

"If reducing abortion were the aim of this policy," Grossman said, "it is not at all clear that this is effective," as data suggests the policy was associated with an increase in abortion in sub-Saharan African countries. This is possibly because affected organisations lost funding for contraceptive supplies.

Furthermore, Trump has made statements in support of reversing the Roe v. Wade 1973 landmark ruling that made abortion legal. While it is unclear that this ruling could be overturned, it is worrying because "state legislatures and the US Congress will certainly feel emboldened under the new administration to pass more restrictive legislation," explained Grossman.

Several policy proposals have the potential to severely limit access to contraception, continued Grossman.

This includes prohibiting clinics affiliated with Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding from sources such as Medicaid, and Title X, which help low income individuals. Evidence has shown after clinics in Texas were excluded, contraceptive usage declined significantly and unintended pregnancy increased.

Furthermore, if the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, is repealed, as Trump has promised, this may lead to more restrictions.

"It remains to be seen how many of these proposed policies will really go into effect," he explained. "But regardless, it is clear that the US political war on women has reached an all-time apex. Women's physicians have a critical role to play: we must be a loud voice in support of evidence-based health care that is unencumbered by political interference."

This study is published in the Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care.

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Youth Congress workers on Friday staged protests outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's house demanding that his government couldn't fulfill its promises made to people.

Delhi Police was compelled to use water cannons on youth congress workers when the situation turned out of control.

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More than 100 head of cattle were seized and a Bangladeshi smuggler arrested along the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya, a BSF official said on Friday.

Border Security Force (BSF) spokesman Sushil Kumar Singh said 107 head of cattle, meant to be smuggled to Bangladesh, were captured from South West Garo Hills and East Khasi Hills districts on Thursday night.

"The troops even lobbed stun grenade which resulted in the seizure of 88 head of cattle from Balughat area and the arrest of Bangladeshi cattle smuggler Jasmuddin Sheikh," Singh said.

In another incident, troopers seized 19 heads of cattle worth Rs 2.5 lakh from Nayabazar, Umsiang and Lyngkhat border areas in East Khasi Hills district.

Singh, however, said that other smugglers managed to escape taking advantage of darkness, hilly slopes and unfenced gaps.

"Cattle haats along the India-Bangladesh border are becoming a source of cattle for smuggling," Singh said, even as he revealed that there is sudden spurt of cattle smuggling in Garo Hills region.

The BSF has increased its vigil at border keeping in view of the increased attempts of cattle smugglers, he added.

--IANS

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At least 17 persons, among them three women, were killed and one was injured when a truck rammed into an overloaded jeep in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan on Friday.

The accident occurred between 9.45 a.m. and 9.55 a.m. when the jeep loaded with people collided head-on with the truck near Shergarh police chowki in the district, about 16 km from Hanumangarh town.

"Almost all those killed in the crash died on the spot," a police official told IANS.

The jeep driver who was injured in the accident has been taken to a government hospital.

Most of the victims belonged to nearby villages and hamlets, including Luckowali, Naurandesar and Matoriawali. All of the passengers in the jeep were going to Hanumangarh, while the truck coming from opposite direction was on way to Ravatsar.

"We have started investigations into what caused the accident," the police official said.

--IANS

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Telecom major Bharti Airtel on Friday said it has entered into an agreement with Millicom International Cellular to combine the operations of their subsidiaries in Ghana.

As per the agreement, Tigo Ghana and Airtel Ghana will combine their operations in the African country. Airtel and Millicom would have equal ownership and governance rights in the combined entity.

According to the telecom major, the combined business would serve nearly 10 million customers, 5.6 million of whom are data customers.

The new entity would cover more than 80 per cent of Ghana's population with high speed data, providing the widest 3G coverage across the country, and would have revenues close to $300 million.

The company added that the transaction is subject to obtaining approvals from the relevant authorities in Ghana and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

"The coming together of the two entities will benefit customers, who can now enjoy an extensive combined network and a wider range of affordable and innovative products and services," said Raghunath Mandava, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa.

"It will further strengthen our position in the market and offer huge benefits arising out of synergies in operations, resulting in better experience for the customers."

The telecom major elaborated that combined operations will give a major boost in both rural and urban network coverage -- in turn translating into better voice quality, high speed data services and reinforced network stability.

Airtel cited 'Mobile Financial Services' as one of the areas which will be greatly enhanced with the combined agent networks and platforms.

The announcement was made after the market hours. The company's scrip on the BSE closed the day's trade down 0.22 per cent to Rs 355.60 from its previous close of Rs 356.40.

--IANS

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The Indian Army's Southern Command on Friday virtually blamed the for the alleged suicide of a whistle-blower soldier, who was found dead at the Deolali Cantonment, Nashik, last week.

The soldier, Lance Naik Roy Mathew, had been reported missing since February 25 and his decomposed body was found hanging from the ceiling of an abandoned barrack.

As investigations started into his death, the Pune-headquartered Southern Command pointed a finger at the for the incident.

Deceased 33-year-old Mathew had joined the Indian Army some 13 years ago and was part of a video on the "Sahayak System", which went viral in the social .

Hailing from Karuvelil in Kollam, Kerala, he was posted as an orderly attached with a Colonel at the Deolali School of Artillery.

In the video, Mathew had reportedly said that higher officials allegedly mistreated their "Sahayaks" and forced them to do petty jobs like polishing shoes, washing clothes and taking their pet dogs for walks.

The alleged sting video, captured through hidden cameras with faces masked, had gone viral on social media networks, as he raised questions on the "Sahayak System".

The Indian Army said he was reported missing from February 25 onwards and was declared as "absent without leave" and an "apprehension roll" was registered with the local police.

"Preliminary investigations have now revealed that the suicide may be a result of a series of events, which were triggered by the media personnel managing to videograph the deceased by asking leading questions on his duties as a buddy without his knowledge," a defence statement said on Friday.

"It is very likely that the guilt factor of letting down his superiors or conveying false impression to an unknown individual, led (him) to take the extreme step," it added.

The statement said that the identity of the army personnel involved in the clipping was hidden and hence not known to the army, so there was no question of an inquiry being ordered against the soldier, thus ruling out any pressure on the deceased.

The army said a complaint had been lodged with the local police and an inquiry ordered into the circumstances leading to Mathew's death, and the army was offering all assistance to his family and the civil administration.

Meanwhile, the Congress has demanded that the government order a "fair probe" into the death of Roy Mathew as also into the allegations of harassment of BSF trooper Tej Bahadur.

"We demand the government should order a fair probe that why Tej Bahadur and Roy Mathew were harassed and intimidated after they raised concerns about the government. We ask the government to order a fair probe into the death of Roy Mathew," said Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill.

"We demand from Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to come out with the probe which he had promised on January 10 after Tej Bahadur's video surfaced," he added.

--IANS

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The Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) on Friday signed an agreement with a private market research firm for support in its housing projects, said an official.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Lt. Gen. Rakesh Sharma, Chairman (ex-officio), AWHO, and Samir Jasuja, MD, Prop Equity Analytics.

"AWHO has come up with a pragmatic business model called the 'Private Industry Collaborative Business Model' which will facilitate acquiring houses from reputed private builders at discounted prices," said a release from the Ministry of Defence.

"A Pilot Project is being undertaken in Delhi/NCR and based on its success, similar ventures will be executed in other locations," the statement said.

The business model is based on identification of suitable sites and selection of suitable builder through a market research, price negotiations with buyer-friendly terms and conditions.

AWHO provides housing to serving and retired army personnel and their widows on 'no profit no loss' basis in selected popular stations.

Prop Equity Analytics is a leading real estate data analytics consultancy firm and selected after a process to undertake the project forward.

--IANS

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The West Bengal Assembly on Thursday passed a bill to regulate functioning of private health facilities, providing for up to three year jail terms and trials under the IPC for offenders and fines up to Rs 50 lakh in case of death of patients due to medical negligence.

The West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Bill, 2017l, tabled by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee, was passed by voice vote, with the government rejecting the opposition demand that it be sent to the standing committee for scrutiny.

The government also turned down amendments moved by opposition members.

The legislation, aimed at bringing transparency, ending harassment of patients and checking medical negligence in private hospitals and nursing homes, also brings clinics, dispensaries and polyclinics under its ambit.

The bill makes it mandatory for private hospitals to pay compensations in case of medical negligence. Hospitals violating the new law will be liable to pay fine of Rs 10 lakh or more.

"If there is medical negligence then compensation will be given by the establishment. For minor damages, Rs 3 lakh, for big damages, Rs 5 lakh and in case of death, minimum Rs. 10 lakh. However, the compensation amount will not be more than Rs 50 lakh. This compensation will be given within six months," said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while addressing the House on the bill.

The bill has the provision to set up a 13 member West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission to monitor activities of private hospitals.

The high-powered commission, to be headed by a sitting or former judge and having the status of a civil court, is empowered to summon both parties in case of a dispute and examine the case before passing an order.

The penal measures range between compensation and scrapping the licence of the physician/hospital. The commission may also put the offender behind bars up to three years. It can also order trying the offender under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) provisions if it deems fit.

Banerjee also said hospitals will not be allowed to order unnecessary tests.

"Acid attack and rape victims and emergency patients must be given proper and prompt treatment. Hospitals will not be allowed to charge more than the designated amount specified in package for treatment. If there is additional cost then, they must provide an estimate for the additional cost. That estimate will not go beyond a certain limit and that limit will be decided by the Commission," she said.

Whether registered or not registered, private medical set-ups will be brought under the purview of the new law, she said.

"Dead bodies will not be held up. Hospitals will have to set up public grievances cell. FD certificate or PAN cards will not be taken up for submission by hospitals.

"Help desks must be set up to assist families of patients regarding any information about the bill or treatment. E-prescription systems have to be put in place. While discharging patients, proper documents will have to be given to the patient," she said.

Hospitals with more than 100 beds must start fair price medicine shops.

"If a hospital violates the new law, then a fine of Rs 10 lakh or more will be slapped," she said.

Hospitals are mandated to declare bed charges, ICU charges and package costs that can't be altered.

--IANS

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The Bihar government on Friday suspended an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer for his alleged role in a leakage of question papers, an official said.

"The state government has suspended Sudhir Kumar, Chairman of Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Bihar, a week after he was arrested from neighbouring Jharkhand in connection with a leakage of question papers," a General Administration Department official said.

The department has also issued a notification to this effect.

Kumar, a 1987-batch IAS officer, was arrested along with four of his close relatives from Hazaribagh district.

He had widely been known as a hard working and honest officer.

The Bihar IAS Association has protested against the arrest of Kumar and also demanded a CBI probe into the case.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue of Kumar's arrest in the ongoing budget session of the state assembly.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Bihar Police, which arrested Kumar, has submitted evidences against him to the state government. The SIT is said to have informed the government that it has strong evidences against the officer.

Last month after the leakage surfaced, the examination for recruitment of clerks in the state government, which was conducted in two parts on February 5 and 8, was cancelled.

The leaked questions appeared in the social media sites and WhatsApp on both dates and went viral in no time.

The SIT has also arrested the owner of a printing press in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, where the SSC, Bihar, question papers were printed.

During the interrogation of the owner, it was established that the papers were leaked from there ahead of the examinations, police officials said.

The Bihar government had suspended SSC Secretary Parmeshwar Ram before he was also arrested earlier this week.

More than 20 persons have so far been arrested over the leakage of question paper.

--IANS

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday accused the ruling BJP at the Centre of being a "party of goons" and said last week's violent students clashes in Delhi University has got parents worried about their wards.

"The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the ABVP are the party of goons and rowdies. Whoever opposes RSS or the BJP, they call them anti-national," the Aam Aadmi Party leader said on the sidelines of an event here.

He also expressed his unhappiness at the death and rape threats against Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur, who had launched a social media campaign against the RSS' students wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in the wake of the February 22 clashes outside Ramjas College that left over a dozen people injured.

"The way Gurmehar Kaur was attacked and given rape threats for opposing ABVP hooliganism, this is not good.

"Due to the current scenario in the universities and colleges, parents are worried about their children. The country will not tolerate this," the Chief Minister added.

--IANS

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Although Ireland's growth prospects remain strong, the country faces risks from the impact of the Britain's withdrawal from the EU and the prospect of corporate tax reforms in the US, ratings agency Moody's has warned.

In a research report, the agency on Thursday said Brexit will likely mean lower export growth, deeper disruption to well-established supply chains and the need to establish controls at the border with the Britain, its second-largest export market after the US.

It said higher foreign direct investment inflows could mitigate some of the negative impact, as Ireland will likely be a key beneficiary from the diversion of investment from the UK, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, Ireland faces important supply constraints, in particular in the area of housing and might not be able to realise its full FDI potential, the agency said.

Moody's said the scale of the second risk to the Irish economy was still unclear as details of any US corporate tax rule changes have yet to be announced.

It said multinational companies were a crucial part of Ireland's economic success and the country's low corporate tax rate has been an important driver for foreign direct investment.

Multinationals originating from the US account for around half of all foreign companies located in Ireland, implying that big changes in US corporate tax rules could heavily affect Ireland, according to the agency.

In Moody's view, new investment inflows into Ireland could be materially lower, while Ireland's public finances would also be negatively affected.

"Ireland has been growing strongly since 2014 and we expect it to continue to do so in the coming years," said Kathrin Muehlbronner, senior vice president of Moody's Investors Service and author of the report.

"But the UK's withdrawal from the EU could bring significant disruption to Ireland as the UK aims for a free trade agreement rather than participation in the single market.

"In addition, there is now the prospect of major corporate tax reforms in the US which constitutes an additional risk for Ireland's FDI-focused economic model," Muehlbronner said.

--IANS

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The mayor of Calais has banned the distribution of food to migrants in a bid to prevent the establishment of a new refugee camp barely four months after the "Jungle" shanty-town was demolished.

Natacha Bouchart, from the centre-right Les Republicains party, said she would implement policies "to prevent the distribution of meals to migrants", the Guardian reported.

Legal documents setting out the restrictions were put up in the vicinity of the camp on Thursday. Officials have already obstructed attempts by local charities to open showers for teenage migrants in the town.

Food distribution volunteers said they had been forced to do so in secret because of a heightened police presence. Refugee charities said they would ignore the ban but were taking legal advice.

The mayoral decree said the "regular, persistent and large presence of individuals distributing meals to migrants" in the area around the site of the former camp posed a threat to the peace and security of the area.

It banned any "repeated, prolonged gatherings" in the area, in effect making food distribution an offence.

Sarah Arrom, who has been helping to distribute food with the charity Utopia56 for the last four months, said police had fired teargas to prevent volunteers from giving breakfast to about 30 teenagers in a field near the motorway outside the city on Thursday.

"They wanted to stop the distribution and they wanted to stop people from sleeping in the area."

"There has never been teargas before when we've been trying to hand out food," Arrom added.

Teenage refugees had been detained by the police twice this week after visiting the Secours Catholique centre, which offers showers for refugees in the city, she said.

"Conditions are becoming more and more problematic for the migrants. They don't sleep, they can't take a shower, they are more and more tired. We are really worried about their future."

Christian Salome, the president of the Auberge des Migrants charity, said a ban would be catastrophic for refugee children. "Adults will always find a way to buy food in the shops, but for minors it will be a real problem -- they have no money at all."

France's Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux said that there would be no new camp in Calais during a visit on Wednesday. However, he added: "We will not prevent the distribution of meals."

It came as more than 400 migrants, mostly unaccompanied children, returned to northern France in recent weeks.

The former Calais camp was home to as many as 10,000 people before it was cleared in October.

--IANS

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China's top political advisory body started its annual session on Saturday here, vowing to take on a new mission for the nation's goal toward a "great modern socialist country".

Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, delivered a work report to 2,149 political advisors who gathered to discuss major political, economic and in the country, reports Xinhua news agency.

"We will focus our advice and efforts on the main issues in securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and embarking on a journey to fully build a modern socialist China," Yu said.

President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders attended the opening meeting at the Great Hall of the People.

Summarising the work and experience over the past five years, Yu said the CPPCC should remain committed to its nature as "an important platform for all Chinese political parties, social organizations, and people from all ethnic groups and all sectors of society to work together and participate in the deliberation of state affairs in a democratic manner."

He stressed that the top political advisory body shall uphold the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

In regards to its future work, the CPPCC would give top priority to studying and applying "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era", and earnestly study the new thinking on and requirements for the patriotic united front and the CPPCC, Yu said.

In a report on proposals, Wan Gang, vice chairperson of the 12th CPPCC National Committee, said over the past five years, a total of 29,378 proposals had been submitted by the CPPCC National Committee members, and 99 per cent of them had been handled up to February.

--IANS

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China has expressed serious concern over the joint military drill by South Korea and the US, which brought the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and other American strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula.

"The current situation on the Korean Peninsula is highly sensitive and complicated," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang was quoted as saying by Xinhua on Friday.

"Parties concerned should do more to ease tensions on the Peninsula and maintain the peace and stability of northeast Asia," he added.

He stressed China's opposition to the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in the ROK is consistent and clear.

"We urged relevant parties to stop deployment and refrain from going too far along the wrong track," Geng said.

The combined forces of the two allies launched the Foal Eagle field training exercise on Wednesday, which is scheduled to last until the end of April, according to local media.

--IANS

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The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Friday told the Supreme Court that it has decided to e-auction the Taj Mansingh Hotel.

"We have taken a decision to hold an e-auction. It would be an open auction. We will decide the date once this court permits us," Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain appearing for NDMC told the bench of Justice Pinaki Ghosh and Justice R.F Nariman.

The hotel's counsel told the court that "we were surprised by the decision (of NDMC) which was conveyed to us by news papers".

The bench asked Tata Group-run Indian Hotels Company Ltd. (IHCL), which runs the luxury Taj Mansingh Hotel to file its objections to NDMC'S proposal by March 22, the next date of hearing.

The Supreme Court on November 21 ordered status quo on Taj Mansingh Hotel, disallowing the NDMC plea that the hotel should not be allowed to take bookings after the year ends.

The IHCL had moved the apex court challenging the Delhi High Court's October 27 order, which had allowed the auctioning of the property.

The property, owned by the NDMC, was given to IHCL on a 33-year lease that ended in 2011. IHCL has since been managing the property on several extensions it has got from the municipal body.

--IANS

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A special court here on Friday sent Chhattisgarh's Indian Administrative Service officer B.L. Agrawal and his brother-in-law Anand Agrawal to 14-day judicial custody in a corruption case.

CBI Special Judge Virender Kumar Goyal remanded the two in judicial custody after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said they were not required for further custodial interrogation.

The court, however, allowed the CBI to quiz Bhagwan Singh, a resident of Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, and Syed Burhanuddin, based in Hyderabad, till March 6.

The senior IAS officer of the Chhattisgarh government, B.L. Agrawal, was arrested by the CBI on February 21 on charge of trying to "settle" a case being probed by the central agency against him.

The IAS officer and Anand Agrawal were arrested from Raipur while the alleged middleman, Bhagwan Singh, was arrested from New Delhi. Burhanuddin was arrested on February 23.

The other accused were arrested on the charge of helping B.L. Agrawal to "settle" the case.

The CBI registered an FIR on February 18 against the accused officer, Bhagwan Singh, Burhanuddin and others on the charge of criminal conspiracy and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI claimed the IAS officer had agreed to pay Rs 1.5 crore to Burhanuddin as gratification for helping him in a pending case.

The probe agency alleged that B.L. Agrawal first approached Bhagwan Singh on the issue, who arranged for his meeting with Burhanuddin on February 11 in Delhi.

Burhanuddin allegedly told the IAS officer that he works in the Prime Minister's Office in Delhi and will easily get the matter settled in his favour in lieu of Rs 1.5 crore.

Burhanuddin also allegedly assured B.L. Agrawal that he will get the case transferred from the CBI to the Chhattisgarh Economic Offences Wing.

--IANS

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Actor Dhanush on Friday expressed immense excitement over the audio of his upcoming Tamil directorial debut "Power Paandia.

"'Power Paandi' audio. Six more days to go. So excited about this audio. A Sean Roldan musical. I can't wait for you guys to listen to it," Dhanush tweeted.

The film, which stars veteran actor Raj Kiran, also features Dhanush in a cameo as the younger version of the former.

It's tipped to be based on the lives of a few stuntmen.

Also starring Prasanna and Chaya Singh, the film is slated for release on April 14, to coincide with Dhanush's mother's birthday.

The film has been bankrolled by Dhanush.

--IANS

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Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, who is visiting Israel, has met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit this year, most likely in June.

Netanyahu's office tweeted a photo of his meeting Doval in Tel Aviv.

"PM Netanyahu met with Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval as part of the preparations for Indian PM @NarendraModi's visit to Israel," the tweet said.

Israeli envoy to India Daniel Carmon also tweeted about Doval's visit, terming it a "short but very important visit".

The upcoming visit of Modi, the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel, comes as both countries celebrate 25 years of diplomatic ties.

Modi's visit comes after Israeli President Reuven Rivlin's trip to India last November, which marked growing closeness between the two nations.

Rivlin was the first Israeli head of state to visit India in nearly 20 years. The last Israeli president to visit India was Ezer Weizman, in January 1997.

The Israeli President's visit followed that by President Pranab Mukherjee's Israel trip in 2015 -- which marked the highest level visit from India since 1992, since establishment of diplomatic ties by the P.V. Narasimha Rao government.

Signalling its warming relations with Israel, India had in July 2015 abstained from a vote against Tel Aviv in the United Nations Human Rights Council that blamed Israel for "war crimes" during Operation Protective Edge.

Since the upgradation of relations in 1992, defence and agriculture have been the main pillars of bilateral engagement, with other areas such as science and technology, education and homeland security also important areas of cooperation.

Some major defence deals are expected to be inked between the two sides during Modi's visit.

--IANS

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The European Parliament has voted to end visa-free travel for Americans within the European Union.

It comes after the US failed to agree visa-free travel for citizens of five EU countries -- Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania -- as part of a reciprocity agreement, reported the Independent.

US citizens can normally travel to all countries in the bloc without a visa.

The vote by Parliament's civil liberties committee means Americans will have to apply for extra documents for the next 12 months.

The European Commission discovered three years ago that the US was not meeting its obligations under the reciprocity agreement but has not yet taken any legal action, according to the report.

Australia, Brunei, Japan and Canada were also failing in their obligations, but all four have lifted, or are soon to lift, any visa restrictions on travel for EU citizens.

Following the committee's vote, the Commission must act to suspend the visa waiver for Americans, but the European Parliament or the Council of the European Union may object, the newspaper said.

In December, MEPs pressed for the move in order to "encourage" Washington to play its part, according to a statement by the Parliament.

But Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos warned of "consequences", including potential "retaliation" and a drop in visitor numbers precipitating substantial losses for the continent's tourism industry.

Just days ago the Council said it would liberalise the visa regime for citizens of Georgia travelling into the EU.

Georgians can now, subject to final approval of the regulation, stay in any EU country for 90 days in any period of 180 days without needing a visa.

Carmelo Abela, Malta's Minister for National Security, said: "This agreement will bring the people of Georgia and the EU closer together and will strengthen tourism and business ties. It follows the completion of the necessary reforms by Georgia, addressing document security, border management, migration and asylum."

In February, it was reported that the EU was considering the adoption of a US-style electronic travel permit scheme - a move that could create a new administrative hurdle for British tourists after Brexit.

Immigration minister Robert Goodwill told Parliament the EU was discussing the possibility of introducing a version of America's Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA).

Currently foreign travellers must pay a fee of $14 (11) when they complete ESTA, an automated online system that determines their eligibility to travel to the US.

--IANS

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Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) chairman Gajendra Chauhan's tenure - marked by acrimony and one of the longest agitations by the student community there - ends on Saturday. However, there is no word on an extension for Chauhan or his replacement so far, an official said here on Friday.

Though appointed in 2014 to head the prestigious body, the well-known film and television personality actually took charge only in January, 2016 when he entered the FTII campus for the first time and chaired the governing council meeting.

His appointment was followed by a massive agitation by the FTII students and ex-students and a 139-day strike demanding his removal from the post.

On the night of August 18, 2015, the Pune police cracked down and arrested striking students who allegedly confined the then acting FTII director Prashant Pathrabe and other staffers for eight hours in their office.

Among other things, he was accused of pushing the 'Hindutva' agenda, but as the FTII cracked the whip, the student agitation gradually subsided with the calling off of the long strike.

Official sources said that during Chauhan's tenure, discipline returned to the institute, admission procedures and various courses were streamlined, work began on construction of a classroom theatre and acting studio, open day for citizens, and meeting time with faculty.

Unless granted an extension by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Chauhan will cease to head FTII, which was established as the 'Film Institute of India' in 1960, from Saturday.

The FTII, an autonomous body, was in the past headed by legendary film personalities including Shyam Benegal, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Saeed Mirza, Mahesh Bhatt, Mrinal Sen, Vinod Khanna and Girish Karnad.

Many popular film personalities have come out of FTII including Naseeruddin Shah, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Shatrughan Sinha, Raza Murad, Resul Pookutty and the late Smita Patil and Om Puri.

--IANS

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday accused the central government of manipulating the GDP (gross domestic product) figures, saying those are "based on lies".

"The whole nation knows that the figures are manipulated. They are based on lies," Kejriwal told reporters in New Delhi.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader's statement comes a day after the Congress also slammed the Centre, saying it "fudged figures" on India's GDP growth.

The official data released on Tuesday showed that India's GDP for the third quarter ending December 31 stood at Rs 30.28 lakh crore, recording a growth of seven per cent.

Kejriwal said the people of India had stopped trusting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government.

"When demonetisation was going on, every week they (central government) used to announce how many old notes had come back to the RBI (Reserve Bank of India). Now three months have passed and the Centre is still not making it public how many notes finally returned. They say the notes are still being counted," Kejriwal said.
Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur is in touch with Crime Branch officials in the ongoing probe into the rape and death threats given to her and is ready to join the investigations in the national capital, the Delhi Police said on Friday.

"Gurmehar is communicating with the Crime Branch on telephone and via email. She has responded of the emails sent by Crime Branch officers. Police are trying to identify the culprits. Her Twitter handle comments and Facebook comments are same (linked account)," Special Commissioner of Police Dependra Pathak told IANS.

The officer said though the Lady Sriram College student has deactivated her Facebook account, it will not hamper police investigation.

"The probe is on in a professional manner. Gurmehar, who is in Punjab at present, is ready to join the probe in Delhi too. She has taken 15-day leave from her college," he said.

The Delhi Police have sought the help of Google search engine and Twitter's headquaters to track the IP addresses from which the threats emanated, Pathak added.

The officer earlier said the police investigation is based on Gurmehar's complaint and a screen shot that the Delhi Commission for Women forwarded along with her complaint to the Delhi Police.

Gurmehar had complained of rape and death threats by unknown persons on social media sites after she launched a campaign against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad after the February 22 violence at Ramjas College on Delhi University's North Campus.

--IANS

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India has hailed the heroism of Ian Grillot, the American who tried to stop the Kansas shooting and was himself injured.

Anupam Ray, the Indian Consul General in Houston, shared with him on Thursday the tweet by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj that "India salutes the heroism" of Grillot, the Kansas City Star reported.

In a video posted by the newspaper, Ray told him: "We will stand with you, whatever you need."

CBS News said that Ray had invited Grillot to India.

Ray met Grillot in the Kansas City hospital where he had been treated for injuries from the shooting by Adam Purinton, in which Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed and Alok Madasani was injured last week in nearby Olathe.

Grillot had tried to stop Purinton, who turned on him and shot him several time. Purinton was at a bar where he saw the two Indians and shouted, "Get out of my country," before shooting them. News reports said that he later said that he thought they were Iranians.

Ray told Grillot that India would "celebrate" him in India and remember his heroism for ever.

Videos of the meeting showed Grillot wearing bandages on his right arm and shaking the diplomat's hand with his left.

Ray told him that Sushma Swaraj had 7.3 million followers and that her good wishes to him came with that of all of them.

--IANS

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A police sub-inspector shot dead his wife and tried to commit suicide by the same service revolver in Siddipet district of Telangana on Friday, police said.

The incident occurred in police quarters in Dubbak town.

Chitti Babu, who is serving as SI in Dubbak police station, opened fire on his wife Rekha. She died instantaneously.

The policeman shot himself with the same weapon. He was rushed to a hospital, where his condition is stated to be critical.

The SI was suspended on charges of corruption. He allegedly resorted to the action due to severe depression.

Police said they were investigating the reasons for the SI's action.

The family members alleged that he was being harassed by some senior officials. Some Dalit groups staged a protest, demanding action against those who harassed Chitti Babu.

--IANS

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As his tenure as Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) chairman comes to an end, actor Gajendra Chauhan says it is entirely the ministrys decision to grant an extension to his term, adding that he is a BJP soldier and will do any duty assigned to him.

Chauhan's tenure, which will end on Saturday, was marked by acrimony and one of the longest agitations by the student community there. Though appointed in 2014 to head the prestigious body, the well-known film and television personality actually took charge only in January, 2016 when he entered the FTII campus for the first time and chaired the governing council meeting.

Chauhan says he will accept the decision by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and is not having high hopes about it.

"The decision about extension is up to the ministry. Whatever decision they make I will accept. I am a BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) soldier. I will go wherever they send me. If they ask me to be at FTII I will continue, and if they ask me to go elsewhere, I will comply to it," Chauhan told IANS over phone from Mumbai in a candid chat on the eve of his last day as the chairman.

But is he hoping for an extension?

"I don't hope anything. Whatever they ask me to do I will do graciously -- be it yes or no," said Chauhan, best known for playing Yudhisthir in B.R. Chopra's "Mahabharat".

His tenure might be coming to an end, but for Chauhan it is certainly not the last stop, and he feels there is more to the story.

"I am not parting away. My tenure is ending... that means end of the date that has been mentioned in the letter. But we don't know what happens in the future," he said.

His appointment was met with several protests from students, former FTII students and members of the film industry. They expressed dissent over the lack of transparency in making such key appointments. Chauhan was accused of pushing the 'Hindutva' agenda, but as the FTII cracked the whip, the student agitation gradually subsided with the calling off of the long strike.

The logjam continued for 139 days with the strike demanding his removal from the post.

Asked how he sees his journey as FTII chairman, Chauhan says he is quite satisfied with his performance.

"I have been successful in my job. I have completed the task that I was given in whatever duration that I had in my hand...I never doubted myself, and if people had their doubts then I don't care. I was given a duty by the government and I did it in a professional manner, and given my best," he said, adding that he and the government are quite satisfied.

As far as students are concerned, Chauhan feels students - who protested his employment - will realise the value of his work gradually over time.

"They will realise my value and my work when they will reap benefits out of it," he said.

Talking about the changes he brought about, Chauhan said he started a new batch which was not there since the last two years, introduced a new syllabus which wasn't done for the past 20 years and also got in a new semester system.

As per Chauhan, he worked for a total of one year, one month and 26 days.

Chauhan's message for students is not to get carried away by politicians who want to use them for their own benefit.

He said: "Don't get into national politics. Beware of the politicians who want to use you as pawns. For example, politician Rahul Gandhi came to FTII (during the agitation) - which he didn't in the last 10 years or in the last one and a half year.

"What did he come for? What has he done after all the promises? It is also the responsibility of parents to guide them."

As an actor, he has three films in hand, and is working on two stage shows.

(Sugandha Rawal can be contacted at sugandha.r@ians.in)

--IANS

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The economic blockade of the Imphal-Dimapur and Imphal-Silchar roads, through which most goods enter the state, has overshadowed all other issues this election year in Manipur, the north-eastern state with one of India's highest poverty rates, high youth unemployment, and low growth.

Elections in Manipur, a state half the size of Haryana, with one-third the population of Mumbai, over 30 tribal groups, and six active terrorist groups, will take place in two phases, on March 4 and March 8.

The economic blockade -- a manifestation of the state's ethnic conflict -- is the "burning problem" right now, said Binod Kumai, a research associate with the Institute for Conflict Management, a New Delhi-based nonprofit. Prices of necessary commodities have skyrocketed, with cooking gas cylinders being sold for Rs 1,000 (Rs 651.50 in Delhi) and a litre of petrol for Rs 200 (Rs 71.33), he explained.

"People are not able to see beyond the hope of peace," said Pradip Phanjoubam, Editor of the Imphal Free Press, on the blockade ongoing since November 1 last year.

On December 8, 2016, the Manipur government issued a gazette notification dividing seven districts into 14 districts.

The blockade has been imposed by the United Naga Council, which demands the government go back on its decision to create new districts in the hill areas of Manipur. The group contends that Naga groups were not consulted before the decision, and some new districts divide what Nagas consider their ancestral land.

The government, led by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, said that new districts will help administer the region better. The new districts do not change assembly constituencies.

But the focus on the blockade has pushed other important issues in Manipur to the background.

The per capita income of Manipur, at Rs 24,042, is one of the lowest in the country, and trends over the last 10 years show a slow increase and, sometimes, even contraction in both the net domestic product and the per capita income of the state, according to information compiled by the NITI Aayog.

Tepid growth is also one of the causes of high urban unemployment. As many as 188 out of 1,000 people between the ages of 18 and 29 years in urban areas of Manipur are unemployed, compared to the Indian average of 139 people per 1,000 -- a challenge in a state with 23.3 per cent of its population between the age of 18 and 29 years.

"Unemployment should have been a big issue, but isn't because of the blockade," said Phanjoubam. "This election is removed from everyday realities."

Two of those realities appear to be in conflict: India's third-poorest state also has among the country's lowest infant mortality rate (IMR), which, at nine deaths per 1,000 live births, is better than Brazil, Argentina and Saudi Arabia, according to World Bank data.

Some reasons for low infant deaths include better medical facilities, more doctors and nurses and women empowerment. Manipur has one doctor for every 1,000 people, as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and better than the all-India average of one doctor for 1,700 people. The trained nurse to population ratio is 1:600 compared to the India average of 1:638.

The number and proportion of people below the poverty line in Manipur has fallen since 2009, but, in 2011-12, over a third of Manipur's population still lived below the poverty line of Rs 1,118 per capita per month in rural areas and Rs 1,170 in urban areas.

Only two states -- Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand -- have a higher proportion of people below the poverty line than Manipur.

Women in the state are also better off than most in India. A girl born is more likely to be educated; more likely to be working as an adult; more likely to survive childbirth and more likely to not be the victim of crime, than in most Indian states.

These health and gender indicators are high in spite of the insurgency, which began in the 1960s, after Manipur, home to over 30 tribes, became a part of the Indian union.

There are broadly two insurgent demands -- one from the Nagas who want Greater Nagaland, a state which would contain parts of Manipur. The Nagas are one of three major ethnic groups in Manipur, along with the valley-based Meiteis and the hill-based Kukis.

The other insurgent group, comprised of the majority Meiteis, wants to secede from India, and form a separate sovereign state. Despite the turmoil, deaths related to the insurgency have fallen.

Overall, since 2009, fatalities because of insurgent activity in Manipur have reduced, with a greater reduction since 2012. In 2016, 14 civilians and 11 security officers died, down from 107 civilians and 37 security officers in 2006, according to data from the South Asia Terrorism Portal.

Another issue of contention is the 59-year-old Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), which provides special powers to Indian armed forces in disturbed areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. These include the power to fire, even if it causes death, at any person who breaks a law, including assemblies with more than five people.

Detractors say it gives armed forces too much power and allows them to act with impunity. Residents have demanded the act be rescinded from Manipur.

Irom Sharmila, a Manipuri activist who was on a hunger strike against AFSPA for 16 years, broke her fast this year, to form a political party with the aim of repealing the Act from Manipur. Her party, People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Naga People's Front, are some major parties contesting for a government that has been run by the Congress party for 15 years.

(In arrangement with IndiaSpend.org, a data-driven, non-profit, public interest journalism platform, with whom Shreya Shah is a writer/editor. The views expressed are those of IndiaSpend. Feedback at respond@indiaspend.org)

--IANS/IndiaSpend

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India is planning to conduct a trial run of a container train between Dhaka and Kolkata this year - to move a step closer to a proposed 6,000 km trans-continental integrated freight railway network project connecting five countries - Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey.

But experts are wary of Pakistan playing spoilsport because the project, aimed to boost trade and economic development of the region, is seen as a response to China's One Belt One Road initiative.

A Railway Ministry official told IANS that "a demonstration container train between Bangladesh and India has been planned in the first quarter of the 2017-18 and the modalities of have been agreed by senior officials of both countries."

The official said that the railway heads of the five countries would also be meeting in Delhi later this month "to appreciate and sort out the issues" related to the trans-continental freight network, named the ITI-DKD-Y corridor that will pass through Dhaka-Kolkata-Delhi-Amritsar-Lahore-Islamabad-Zahedan-Tehran-Istanbul.

Pakistan railway chief Javed Anwar is also being invited.

The feasibility studies of the strategic route connecting the capitals of the countries have been done by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) as part of its Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) project for an integrated freight network across Europe and Asia.

Former diplomats are, however, apprehensive if Pakistan would be willing to join the project at this stage even if Islamabad in 2006 signed the overall 80,900-km TAR network project, that would originate from the Pacific seaboard of Asia and end on the doorsteps of Europe.

"This (ITI-DKD-Y) project is not feasible at this stage. Currently, we have a tough relation with Pakistan. How can this rail project be implemented if even the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline) has not been implemented. At this juncture the project can't be executed," Pinak Chakravarty, a former Indian envoy to Bangladesh, told IANS.

Chakravarty said India should plan to execute the project only after it is able to execute other pending projects involving Pakistan.

Sheel Kant Sharma, former Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, said the government should discuss the project with Pakistan to sort out issues related to "a way too ambitious project".

"The project has several obstacles in its way. India is trying to do this because its neighbour China has executed a rail project to London. At the same time Pakistan and China have cordial relations. In such a situation why will Pakistan let India execute the project," Sharma told IANS.

Railway ministry officials said various conferences have earlier been held with the countries involved in the project that would also include the rail networks in Nepal. Nepal can be connected via the existing and operational rail route of Birgunj (a border town in Parsa District of southern Nepal)-Kolkata.

Bhutan and Afghanistan that do not have rail connectivity at present may also be connected at a later stage, the officials said.

"Bhutan can be connected by road from Kolkata (existing route) and containers can be loaded in Afghanistan by connecting road routes with the railway network either at Quetta through Spin Boldak (in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan)-Chaman (capital of Qilla Abdullah District, Balochistan) or at Islamabad through Torkham (one of the major International border crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan," an official explained.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Attorney General said on Thursday he would stay out of any probe into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election but maintained he did nothing wrong by failing to disclose he met last year with Russia's ambassador.

Sessions, a longtime US senator who was an early and high-ranking player in President Donald Trump's campaign before becoming the country's top law enforcement official, announced the decision after several fellow Republicans in Congress suggested the move would be appropriate.

"I have recused myself in the matters that deal with the Trump campaign," Sessions told reporters at a hastily arranged news conference.

Sessions said he had been weighing recusal  ruling himself out from any role in the investigations  even before the latest twist of the controversy over ties between Trump associates and Russia that has dogged the early days of the Trump presidency.

The president backed Sessions, saying Democrats had politicised the issue and calling the controversy a "total witch hunt."

Sessions' announcement did nothing to quell concerns among congressional Democrats, a number of whom called for Sessions to step down.

Trump and Republicans who control Congress are trying to move past early administration missteps and focus on issues important to them, including immigration, tax cuts and repealing the Obamacare healthcare law.

US intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russia hacked and leaked Democratic emails during the election campaign as part of an effort to tilt the vote in Trump's favour. The Kremlin has denied the allegations.

Sessions denied he had contact with Russian officials when he was asked directly during his Senate confirmation hearing to become attorney general whether he had exchanged information with Russian operatives during the election campaign.

He told reporters he was "honest and correct" in his response, although he acknowledged he "should have slowed down" and mentioned he had met with the ambassador in his role as a senator.

"I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign," Sessions said, adding he felt he should not be involved in investigating a campaign in which he had had a role.

In a statement on Thursday night, Trump said Sessions "did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional." Sessions' meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak were disclosed on Wednesday night by the Washington Post.

Sessions received Kislyak in his Senate office in September and also met him in July at a Heritage Foundation event at the Republican National Convention that was attended by about 50 ambassadors.

Trump fired national security adviser Michael Flynn last month after disclosures that Flynn had discussed US sanctions on Russia with Kislyak before Trump took office and that Flynn misled Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations.

The recusal means Sessions, a powerful member of Trump's inner circle, will not be briefed on details of any probe.

Should the Federal Bureau of Investigation decide to move forward with charges, Sessions would not be in a position to weigh in on whether the Department of Justice should take the case.

CALLS TO RESIGN

House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi urged Sessions to resign and said: "his narrow recusal and sorry attempt to explain away his perjury" were inadequate.

Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said Sessions' explanation for failing to tell the Senate about his meetings "is simply not credible." He called on Sessions to step down and said the Justice Department should name an independent prosecutor to investigate Russian interference.

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee asked the FBI to launch a criminal investigation into Sessions' statements to Congress about his communication with Russian officials.

Sessions is one of many "subjects" of a government investigation of any contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia, two U.S. officials familiar with the probe said.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sessions was not now a "target" of the probe by the FBI, the Treasury Department, the CIA and the National Security Agency.

The investigation, one of the officials said, had a number of subjects because of the numerous contacts between associates of Trump, including Flynn, and the Russian Embassy in Washington as well as Russian and some Ukrainian businessmen and companies.

At least two other officials in Trump's campaign said they also spoke with the Russian ambassador at a conference on the sidelines of the July convention last July, USA Today reported on Thursday.

Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner also met with Kislyak in December at Trump Tower in New York, an administration official said on Thursday, confirming a report in the New Yorker.

While there is nothing legally wrong with such meetings, the reported contacts raise questions about the White House's repeated statements that it knew of no further contacts with Russian officials beyond those by Flynn.

Trump has accused officials in former Democratic President Barack Obama's administration of trying to discredit him with questions about Russia contacts. The White House dismissed the disclosure of the Sessions meetings as a partisan attack, saying his contacts with the ambassador had been as a member of the Armed Services Committee.

Trump called frequently during his campaign for improved relations with Russia, drawing criticism from Democrats and some Republicans. Ties with Russia have been deeply strained in recent years over Moscow's military interference in Ukraine, military support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria and President Vladimir Putin's intolerance of political dissent.

With his administration on the defensive over Russia, Trump's enthusiasm seems to have cooled, and his top foreign policy advisers have begun talking tougher about Moscow.

The Russian Embassy in Washington, shrugging off the uproar, said on Thursday it was in regular contact with "US partners."
On Peasants Day, on behalf of all peasants organizations, I would like to continue urging the current government to set the date for peasant day to that of the date that Saya San was hanged as he fought for peasants rights, Su Su Nway told Mizzima.

She said that she has made the request during the previous governments tenure, and will continue to do so until the date is changed.
Fashion Designer Namrata Joshipura will present a New York-inspired collection at the forthcoming Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW) Autumn Winter (AW) 2017 here.

Joshipura and cosmetics brand Maybelline New York have partnered for their show at the four-day fashion extravaganza, which starts on March 15.

On March 17, latest trends from the runways of New York will be showcased here.

"No one can deny that we, as Indians, love drama, and the easiest way to manifest it is through gorgeous make-up and an elegant sense of style. I'm thrilled to be working once again with Maybelline to create an eclectic New York-inspired collection that will be high on drama, fashion and of course some fantastic make-up looks," Joshipura said in a statement.

"It's going to be a diverse collection -- one that resonates with young women who believe in themselves and are always ready to make things happen," she added.

Talking about the collaboration, Pooja Sahgal, General Manager, Maybelline New York - India, said that Joshipura "understands the style, spirit and energy of our brand and represents it perfectly on the runway".

"We are looking at creating a powerful fashion and beauty statement, loaded with drama. And this is not just for the runaway; we want our consumers to enjoy, experiment and play with Maybelline's drama concept, in their daily lives," Sahgal said.

Sunil Sethi, Fashion Design Council of India's President, says that "Just like Maybelline, Namrata is also a fashion-forward brand in our industry, who creates her own trends. Her individualistic, bold and on-trend design sensibilities fit seamlessly with that of Maybelline's. Together, I am sure they are going to pull off a tremendous show."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
State Finance Minister Thomas Issac on Friday ruled out stepping down after the Congress-led opposition demanded his resignation over the leak of his budget speech on social media.

The goof-up occurred after the budget highlights prepared by his office for easy reference reached the hands of the media, a little after Issac began his budget speech.

"This should not have happened. The secrecy of the budget has not affected as 30 documents associated with the budget were intact. The question of resignation does not arise," Issac told reporters soon after he came out of the assembly.

Issac began his speech at 9 a.m and, by 9.50 a.m., proposals in the budget that he was yet to read out were flashed on TV channels and appeared on social media.

By 11.20 a.m., Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala raised the issue, holding up copies of what he said was the budget speech which was leaked on social media. Unhappy with the response of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who said the matter would be looked into, the Opposition boycotted the budget and walked out of the house.

Later, speaking to reporters, Chennithala said the sanctity of the budget has been lost and it was now just a bunch of papers.

"We are meeting Governor P. Sathasivam to brief him about this mistake. This budget is not even worth the value of waste paper as budget has a certain amount of sanctity, which has gone out of the window," said Chennithala.

Senior Congress leader V.D. Sateeshan pointed out that the morning's (Friday) edition of vernacular newspaper "Metro Vartha" carries certain tax concession announcements and the words are exactly same as those in Issac's speech.

"It was out at 9.50 a.m. and technically speaking only after the minister completes his speech, should the details of the budget come out. We will seriously look into what went wrong," said State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs A.K. Balan after a meeting with the Chief Minister at state party headquarters.

Former State Finance Minister K.M. Mani, who has presented 13 state budgets, told reporters in the assembly that this budget should be treated as null and void.

"The Chief Minister should ask Issac to quit and then appoint a new Finance Minister, who should present a new budget, as what Issac presented has no value at all as its sanctity has been lost," said Mani.

Lone BJP memeber in the assembly, O. Rajagopal said: "This goof up could possibly have happened because there is a serious difference of opinion between Vijayan and Issac and they do not have the best of relations."

Veteran legislator P.C. George, currently an independent legislator said he has been a legislator since 1980 and this is one of the best budgets he has seen.

"This leak does not mean anything and in the best interests of the state, Issac should not quit over this because nobody knows about finances like he does. There is not a single suitable candidate who is fit to be the Finance Minister, at a time when the state finances are grim," George said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A North Korean man detained over the killing of Kim Jong-un's half-brother got on an airplane heading to Beijing on Friday, after Malaysia released the suspect citing lack of sufficient evidence.

Ri Jong-chol, 46, was the only North Korean to have been detained in connection to the murder of Kim Jong-nam at a Kuala Lumpur airport on February 13. Investigators have also named four North Korean suspects, who are believed to have fled to Pyongyang.

Ri was released from a police station after he was questioned and taken to an airport in Kuala Lumpur, Yonhap news agency reported.

"He is a free man. His remand has expired, and there is insufficient evidence to charge him," Attorney General Mohamed Apandi Ali said.

The official said Ri did not have proper (travel) documents so he would be deported.

His deportation came a day after two detained Asian women were charged with Kim Jong-nam's murder.

In CCTV footage obtained from the airport, the two women were seen approaching Kim and rubbing a cloth on his face. Kim died within 20 minutes of being exposed to the lethal chemical.

The women -- one from Indonesia and the other from Vietnam -- claimed they believed they were taking part in a prank show for a TV network. If found guilty, they could face the death penalty.

The North has denied any involvement, saying that South Korea and Malaysia are colluding to fabricate charges against the country.

In its diplomatic feud with North Korea over the murder that took place on its soil, Malaysia has cancelled its visa-waiver programme with the North. It will take effect starting next week, according to reports.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A pregnant woman lodged a police complaint against fast food chain McDonald's after allegedly finding a deep-fried lizard in her French fries at an outlet here, police said on Friday.

Priyanka Moitra visited the outlet on Eastern Metropolitan bypass with her mother and four-year-old daughter and ordered French fries only to discover the deep-fried lizard in her snack.

"While having the French fries, I suddenly saw a burnt lizard in the packet. I ran to the washroom and started vomiting instantly. Thankfully, my daughter did not eat the fries as she was busy playing with her toys," Moitra said.

She further alleged that when they drew attention of the employees at the outlet, they responded very casually to the incident.

"When we called in the attendants at the outlet, they responded in a very casual way as if it was a small incident. I wonder what would have happened if my kid had eaten that. Also, I am six months' pregnant myself but they did not give any importance to it," Moitra claimed.

The woman took a picture of the food with the lizard and lodged a police complaint at Kolkata's Phoolbagan Police Station the same day.

"Moitra lodged a complaint on February 28 as they allegedly found a dead lizard in their packet of French fries at the McDonald's outlet in an E.M. bypass-based shopping mall here. She also gave a picture of the contaminated food item," said an officer from the police station.

Meanwhile, the MacDonald's India issued an official statement saying they are taking the situation seriously and have immediately initiated a thorough investigation to gather the facts about the incident.

They also said that the accused restaurant was allowed to be reopened only after a full inspection by the Food Safety Authority.

"We are taking the situation seriously. Immediately upon being made aware of the complaint, we launched a thorough investigation in an effort to gather the facts of the matter...it is still on-going.

"Meanwhile, the officials from Food Safety Authority have also fully inspected our restaurant including the kitchen, and have given us permission to reopen the restaurant. We are fully cooperating with the authorities involved," the official spokesperson of McDonald's India (North & East) said.

The officials at Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation said the incident has come to their notice and they are moving to the Municipal Affairs Department to see what steps can be taken.

"We are aware of the incident. Though we haven't received any written complaint, we are getting in touch with the Municipal Affairs team to see if any facts can be given to the Corporation, so that we can take adequate steps against these incidents," said Pranay Kumar Roy, Mayor in-council (Health) of the civic body.

"We generally conduct a periodical inspection at the food outlets to check the standard of food. We are discussing to make the process more frequent," he added.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Meghalaya Police chief Rajiv Mehta on Friday was appointed Security Advisor to Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.

Mehta, who was also former Narcotics Control Bureau chief, scripted history by becoming the first official in Meghalaya to hold the post of State Security Advisor.

Sangma said the Cabinet has approved Mehta for the post.

"The state will be requiring such persons to give suggestions, recommendations and adopting of strategies while dealing with various matters pertaining to security of the state as well as issues related to sister states in the northeast and borders with neighbouring countries, human rights issues, strengthening of police organisation among others," Sangma said.

Sangma said that the appointment of Mehta to the post is for a period of one year.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet US President Donald Trump on March 14, the German government confirmed on Friday.

When asked about media reports of the Merkel-Trump meeting, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said "we do not deny it", adding more details will be given at "appropriate time".

The White House on Friday also confirmed the visit. It will be Merkel's first trip to the US after Trump took office, Xinhua news agency reported.

Trump, during his election campaign, had publicly criticised Merkel and Germany's refugee policy as a "catastrophic failure" and "chaos".

The critics indicated a bumpy start for the ties between Berlin and Washington.

Last month, Merkel hosted the visit of US Vice President Mike Pence at Munich Security Conference, in the southeast German city.

Merkel then said world conflicts require "joint efforts", which was seen as a gentle reminder to Trump's unilateralism and anti-globalisation policies.

Trump is expected to visit Germany on July 7 and 8, attending the two-day the Group Twenty (G20) summit in Hamburg.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Sanjay Dutt, who was released from the Yerwada Central Jail in Pune last year, says he missed every moment of being with the people from the film industry, whom he fondly calls his family.

Asked how has he evolved over the years, Sanjay, who made his debut in Bollywood in 1981 with the film "Rocky", said here: "My experience with the industry has been fantastic...it has been 40 years...when I was in jail, I missed the moment of being with my family. This is my family -- the industry."

The 57-year-old was arrested for illegal possession of arms in a case related to the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, in which over 250 people were killed and several hundred were wounded.

Sanjay is making a comeback to the silver screen with Omung Kumar's directorial "Bhoomi", which revolves around a father-daughter relationship.

Talking about his comeback, the actor, who has two three children, said: "When I reached the 'Bhoomi' sets, I was back with a bang."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US Agency for International Development (USAID), Kiawah Trust and Dasra on Friday launched a new initiative to empower more than five million adolescent boys and girls in the country by 2021, an official said here.

Titled '10 to 19: Dasra Adolescents Collaborative' is targeted at girls and boys between the ages of 10-19 years and will work directly with them to help girls stay in school, delay their marriage age, nutrition, menstrual hygiene, reproductive rights, awareness about gender-based violence, improve decision-making skills and increase employment opportunities.

Speaking at the launch, DAC as part of the Dasra Philanthropy Week-2017, USAID/India Director for Health Xerxes Sidhwa said there are 250 million adolescents in the country, making it the largest youth population in the world.

Yet they face a variety of challenges daily with implications beyond their level of understanding and the DAC feels there is no greater investment than our youth.

"Only 47 per cent of girls enroll in secondary school, out of which 18 pe rcent of girls drop out even before they complete secondary school. India also ranks highest globally in adolescent pregnancies, with 12 per cent of pregnancies among girls ages 15-19," Sidhwa said.

Besides, there are issues of early pregnancy and childbirth which has significant consequences on health, social wellbeing and economic opportunities for the young mothers and their kids, he added.

Co-Founder of Kiawah Trust Lynne Smitham said the new collaborative wants every girl to have an education, be healthy and safe, have skills, a choice about her life and ability to make those decisions.

Launched by USAID, Kiawah Trust, a Britain-based family foundation, and Piramal Foundation, India, as the Girl Alliance in 2013, the DAC expands on that initiative as a $14 million multi-year programme.

In three years, the alliance created a network of more than 200 civil society organisation and leveraged more than $20 million in funding with support from strategic funders like Children's Investment Fund Foundation.

Dasra - meaning 'enlightened giving' in Sanskrit was founded in 1999 as a strategic philanthropic organisation aiming to transform India, accelerate social change by driving collaborative action with strong partnerships among various various stakeholders.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After starting off on the right note at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival, Rajkummar Rao and Anjali Patel-starrer "Newton" has been selected in the world competition section of the 16th Annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

The film's director Amit Masurkar is excited about it and is looking forward to showing it to the fest audience. The Tribeca Film Festival will take place from April 19 to April 30.

"Tribeca is one of the most exciting film festivals in the world. It has a fearless and independent voice. We are looking forward to showing 'Newton' to the cinema-loving New York audience," Masurkar said in a statement.

"Newton" is Masurkar's second film after "Sulemani Keeda" in 2014.

The film had its world premiere at Berlinale, and won the Art Cinema award for the Forum section there.

Now, the film will compete in the International Narrative Competition Section of the the 16th Annual Tribeca Film Festival.

"Newton", a political black comedy, revolves around a clerk placed on election duty in a conflict-ridden area of Chhattisgarh.

The film is produced by Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films, company best known for bankrolling critically-acclaimed projects such as "Masaan", "Ankhon Dekhi" and "Umrika".

According to Tribeca's official website, a total of 98 films will be screened at the fest this year across various categories.

"Extremely happy to share that 'Newton' is in the world competition section of Tribeca. Can't wait to be there. Congrats team," Rajkummar tweeted on Friday.

Mundra, Founder of Drishyam Films and producer of "Newton", said: "After the warm audience and critical reception at Berlinale, we are very excited to take 'Newton' to such a renowned festival as Tribeca for its North American premiere.

"This film is the result of our vision -- to tell stories that are local in flavour but global in scope, and I'm sure our journey has just begun."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A civilian was killed and a paramilitary CRPF trooper injured on Friday in a grenade explosion in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama town.

"Militants lobed a grenade at a security force party in Muran Chowk of Pulwama town," a police official said.

Muhammad Ayoub Wani, who was injured in the explosion, later died from his injuries.

"The injured paramilitary trooper, identified as Constable Daljit Kiran of 182 battalion of CRPF, has been shifted to hospital," the official said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Under a new proposal from the UK Law Commission, journalists who handle or report on leaked documents demonstrating corruption or government malfeasance would face prison sentences.

The recommendation applies to any documents that relate to the "economic wellbeing of the country" and other "national secrets"  including documents that relate to the ongoign Brexit negotiations.

JIM KILLOCK: Well, the idea that you can face a jail sentence for handling documents, for instance. I mean, that would just close down journalism where state secrecy is concerned. That is obviously, obviously wrong. And the lack of any sign of a public interest defense for somebody in the secret services, or handling national documents, national security documents to be able to work with journalists? That is also wrong. The Law Commission seemed to have said even before consultation that it doesn't think it's necessary to have those sorts of protections. That, if a whistleblower within the secret services needs to tell somebody in authority to get the word out somethings gone wrong, then they should be able to go to an ombudsman they say he will be able to solve the problem. That's plainly ridiculous. Ombudsmen would be open to political pressure, it may not be something you trust them over. You may not want to take that route and the public have an interest, they have a right to know ultimately. It shouldn't all be something that can be hushed up within the government's own processes. So, clearly, it's aimed up stamping out journalism and whistleblowing. And we just have to have a very much more open approach in our view.

New UK Secrecy Laws Include Harsh Sentences For Journalists Working With Whistleblowers

[Real News Network]

(via Naked Capitalism)





(Image: Palace of Westminster, London, Diliff, CC-BY-SA)
The Odisha government has so far granted 4.09 lakh individual titles and community titles under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, a state minister said on Friday.

"While 4,03,760 individual titles have been distributed, 5,891 community titles have been settled under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006," Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Minister Lal Bihari Himirika told the assembly.

The state government has settled these claims by end of January this year. It had received a total of 6.37 lakh claims, he added.

The minister said the government received 7,760 applications for individual titles in 2015-16.

During 2015-16, 28,529 Scheduled Tribes families were provided with FRA titles.

The Forest Rights Act provides legal rights to those who live in the forest and are solely dependent on it for their livelihood.

The idea was to empower forest dwellers, and by doing so, make conservation of forests a natural outcome, said informed sources.

The minimum eligibility for an individual or a community to get a title is 75 years of residence on forest land, totally dependant on forest produce for livelihood, the sources added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Over 1.72 crore voters will on Saturday decide the fate of 635 candidates in the fray for 49 seats in the sixth phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer T. Venkatesh said 17,926 polling booths have been set up for the voting in the penultimate round in the districts of Mau, Ballia, Azamgarh, Deoria, Kushinagar and Maharajganj and Gorakhpur.

Arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair polling, he said.

In the fray in the penultimate phase are many state leaders, including Bharatiya Janata Party's Swamy Prasad Maurya (Padrauna seat), former Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Surya Pratap Shahi (Pathardeva), BJP's Gorakhpur MP Mahant Adityanath and Muktaar Ansari, the don turned politician contesting the Mau seat from behind the bars.

Voting will also be held for the Azamgarh assembly seat. The parliamentary constituency by the same name is represented in the Lok Sabha by former Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Gorakhpur has a maximum of 127 candidates for nine seats while the minimum seven are contesting Mohammadabad Gohna seat in Mau. As many as 175 Independents are also in fray.

Of the total candidates in this phase, 126 have criminal cases against them whereas 160 are millionaires.

The BJP has fielded candidates on 45 seats and left one for alliance partner Apna Dal and three for Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, BSP on all 49, Samajwadi Party on 40 and Congress on nine seats.

In the 2012 assembly polls, 27 of these 49 segments were won by the ruling Samajwadi Party, nine by the Bahujan Samaj Party, seven by Bharatiya Janata Party, four by the Congress and two by others.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is likely to return its London-bound premier service Airbus 330 aircraft, which was wet leased from SriLankan Airlines, having already paid $19 million for it.

The aircraft was taken away from PIA's fleet to the engineering department where the national airline's logo was removed.

PIA had been allegedly paying $8,000 per flying hour for six months as part of the wet lease, Dawn reported.

The acquisition and subsequent return of the plane has raised many eyebrows in regard to the ethical nature of the decision taken by PIA -- which of late has been embroiled in a lot of controversy.

Aviation sources said that seat and load factors for the premier service were allegedly not according to plan.

Meanwhile, PIA spokesperson Daniyal Gilani said that the aircraft was obtained on market rate without any legal violations.

"The aircraft was new and according to the necessary requirements," the spokesperson said.

"The amount paid in the lease also takes into account the salaries of the foreign staff and any other associated expenses," he added.

The sources said that PIA will now operate the premier service through Boeing 777 aircraft. The airline has seven of these in its fleet.

The London-bound premier service was inaugurated on August 14, 2016, by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

As part of the service, passengers landing in London were offered limo rides to their respective place of stay from Heathrow Airport.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Russian Defence Ministry announced on Friday that it had restarted talks with after three years of silence.

EFE news quoted the Ministry as saying that Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov spoke with the Czech military committee chairman General Petr Pavel over the phone.

"The parties exchanged their opinions about topical issues of security, prospects for a recovery of military cooperation, prevention of incidents and participation of the Alliance representatives in activities held by the Russian Defence Ministry," a Ministry statement said.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Council had decided to freeze its relations with Moscow in 2014, after Russia illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula.

Pavel made the first move to initiate talks and both sides agreed to continue to cooperate.

"The parties confirmed the necessity of mutual steps aimed to decrease tensions and to build up stabilisation in Europe," said the Russian Defence Ministry.

The resumption of talks followed Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent call to cooperate more closely with the United States in the fight against terror.
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, facing widespread criticism over newly disclosed contacts with the Russian ambassador to Washington, recused himself from any probe into charges that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election, the media reported.

He made the remarks at a media conference on Thursday following Justice Department officials claiming on Wednesday that Sessions spoke to Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice last year, the encounters which he did not disclose during his Congressional confirmation hearing to become the Attorney General in January.

"They (Justice Department) said that since I had involvement with the campaign, I should not be involved in any campaign investigation," Sessions said, adding that he concurred with their assessment and would thus recuse himself from any existing or future investigation involving President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, The Washington Post reported.

However, Trump stood by Jeff Sessions on Thursday, saying the Attorney General did not make any misleading statements under oath during his confirmation hearings, but that he could have been more accurate in his responses to lawmakers.

"Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional," CNN reported citing the President as saying.

"This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win. The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election and now, they have lost their grip on reality.

"The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt," the President added.

Later Thursday night, Sessions told Fox News that he plans to submit a "supplement" to the record of his congressional testimony, detailing the meetings he did not mention at the time.

"My response went to the question indicated about the continuing surrogate relationship that I firmly denied and correctly denied, and I did not mention in that time that I had met with the ambassador," Sessions said.

"So I will definitely make that a part of the record as I think is appropriate."

Sessions said the decision to recuse himself followed his promise to the Senate Judiciary Committee to avoid any semblance of a conflict of interest between his new role and previous position as a strong supporter of the Trump campaign.

It was also the result of consultations with career Justice Department officials, he said.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer meanwhile billed the controversy arising from this news as a "partisan thing that we've seen over and over again".

"This continues to be a question of: there's no there there," Spicer said.

Several Democratic members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday night called on Sessions to resign from his post.

The Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation -- both under Sessions' supervision -- are in charge of investigating alleged Russian interference in the presidential election, besides alleged links between Trump's campaign and the Kremlin.

--IANS

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The Students' Federation of India (SFI) on Friday held a protest here against the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and its students body Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for their bid to curb freedom of speech and expression in academic institutions.

The Left-oriented students organisation, along with its supporters, walked from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar in the national capital, raising slogans against violence by the RSS and the ABVP in academic spaces.

The protestors were joined by CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury at Jantar Mantar.

This was part of a series of protests being organised by different students organisations in the wake of the February 22 disturbances at Ramjas College.

Clashes had erupted at the College between two students bodies after the ABVP forced suspension of an event to be addressed by JNU student Umar Khalid, who had been charged with sedition last year.

"This is a battle for having a democratic space on the campus," SFI Delhi unit President Prashant Mukherjee told IANS.

"The RSS and the the BJP have been attacking the educational institutions across the country. These attacks are not just physical but on the entire policy direction," he added.

Mukherjee also objected to the government's New Education Policy (NEP).

"The NEP, which has only been drafted but not implemented, speaks about the privatisation and commercialisation of education. In Delhi University, six colleges have forced to become autonomous," he said.

Mukherjee further said: "There would now be no control over their quality. There will not be enough funds coupled with skyrocketing fees."

He referred to the February 22 violence and said that "the ABVP-RSS combine manufactures such incidents in universities to hide their agenda. Their real agenda is to break the university and that is what we are protesting against."

--IANS

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A soldier who accused senior officers of harassment in a TV sting has been found dead at an abandoned barrack in a Maharashtra cantonment area, the Indian Army said on Friday, alleging that he committed suicide because of a "guilt factor of letting down superiors" in an interview during the secret operation by a Marathi language channel.

The body of gunner Lance Naik Roy Mathew, 33, was recovered on Thursday near Devlali Cantonment.

"Preliminary investigations have revealed that it may be a result of a series of events which were triggered by media personnel managing to videograph (Roy) by asking questions on his duties without his knowledge," an army statement said.

"It is likely that the guilt factor of letting down superiors or conveying false impression to an unknown individual led him to take the extreme step," the army statement said.

Mathew had gone missing from the cantonment after the video of the sting went viral. He had featured in the video showing juniors posted as 'sahayaks" alleging that they were made to tend to the personal needs of their officers.

The statement said no enquiry could have been ordered against Mathew as the identities of army personnel involved in the clipping were hidden.

"Complaint has been lodged with the local police and an enquiry has been ordered by army authorities to investigate the circumstances leading to his death. The army is offering all assistance in this regard to the family of the deceased and the civil administration," it said.

--IANS

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Taiwan is seeking a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)-like bilateral agreement with India to boost trade and investments even as its companies are looking to relocate some of their manufacturing facilities from mainland China to India and Southeast Asia.

"What we are looking for with India is an FTA-like agreement," Chern-Chyi Chen, Deputy Director General of the Bureau of Foreign Trade in the Taiwanese Ministry of Economic Affairs, said in an interaction here with a group of visiting journalists.

"The work for such an agreement started in 2012," he stated.

India and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations but both have representative offices in either country.

However, under a new foreign policy, dubbed the New Southbound Policy, adopted by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's government, the self-ruled east Asian island nation is striving to broaden exchanges and cooperation with India and five South Asian nations, the 10 member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), and Australia and New Zealand in areas such as commerce, culture and technology.

This will mean lesser dependence on mainland China for Taiwan's economic development. Taiwan is the world's 22nd-largest economy and was dubbed one of the four Asian tigers in the late 20th century, the others being Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea.

With the new foreign policy in place, Chen said that his "government is active and we want to move fast".

Asked if the New Southbound Policy would come in conflict with China's One Belt One Road (OBOR) policy, he stated: "I see this (OBOR) as very fundamentally different from our New Southbound Policy. We are not competing with China but what we are doing is integrating with the Asean countries and India more."

Stating that Taiwan was among the top four investors in China, he said that "we need to diversify our investments" but added that "we are not going to give up our market in mainland China".

Chen said that trade and investment cooperation, resources sharing, regional linkages and people-to-people exchanges were four important pillars of the New Southbound Policy.

"Ties between most of these countries and Taiwan are complementary," he said.

There are over 90 Taiwanese companies in India and over 50 per cent of them are in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, he said.

"In terms of industrial development cooperation with India, we are in the stage of stock-taking maybe in sectors like food processing and chemicals," Chen said.

Kristy Hsu, Director of the Taiwan Asean Studies Centre in the Chung Hua Institution for Economic Research, said that Taiwanese companies were already responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to Make in India.

"Companies like Foxconn and Wistron will make iPhones in India in the not too distant future," she stated.

Hsu cited figures of the World Investment Report according to which FDI outflows from Taiwan rose significantly by 16 per cent to $15 billion in 2015.

"Companies are gradually relocating manufacturing facilities from China to Southeast Asia and India to respond to the establishment of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) and Asean+6 (RCEP)," she said.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a mega-regional economic agreement being negotiated by the 10 members-states of the Asean and and their six FTA partners -- Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.

According to Kevin Lin, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Information Services in Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan wants to be a part of RCEP.

"We have many challenges. We will have to talk with individual countries and want win-win deals," he said.

Lin also said that Taiwan would like to join the China-initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) too, "but it depends on what conditions we are allowed to join".

(Aroonim Bhuyan visited Taiwan at the invitation of the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He can be contacted at aroonim.b@ians.in)

--IANS

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US President Donald Trump has defended Attorney General Jeff Sessions as "an honest man" amid calls for him to quit over his newly-disclosed contacts with the Russian Ambassador to Washington.

Trump on Thursday said Sessions did not make any misleading statements under oath during his confirmation hearings, but that he could have been more accurate in his responses to lawmakers, CNN reported.

"Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional," Trump said.

"This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win. The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election and now, they have lost their grip on reality...It is a total witch hunt!"

Earlier Thursday, Sessions bowed to intense political pressure and recused himself from any probe into charges that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election.

He made the remarks following Justice Department officials claiming on Wednesday that Sessions spoke to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice last year, the encounters which he did not disclose during his Congressional confirmation hearing to become the Attorney General in January.

"They (Justice Department) said that since I had involvement with the campaign, I should not be involved in any campaign investigation," Sessions said, adding that he concurred with their assessment and would thus recuse himself from any existing or future investigation involving Trump's 2016 campaign.

Later Thursday night, Sessions told Fox News that he plans to submit a "supplement" to the record of his Congressional testimony, detailing the meetings he did not mention at the time.

"My response went to the question indicated about the continuing surrogate relationship that I firmly denied and correctly denied, and I did not mention in that time that I had met the ambassador," Sessions said.

"So I will definitely make that a part of the record as I think is appropriate."

Sessions said his decision followed his promise to the Senate Judiciary Committee to avoid any semblance of a conflict of interest between his new role and previous position as a strong supporter of the Trump campaign.

Several Democratic members of the House of Representatives called for Sessions to resign.

Meanwhile, according to reports, two more members of Trump's campaign team spoke to Kislyak during the Republican National Convention last July.

Retired US Navy officer Jeffrey D. Gordon and oil industry consultant Carter Page spoke with Kislyak in Cleveland, but the contents of their discussion remain unknown.

Gordon, who managed the advisory committee as the Trump campaign's director of national security, said that while he also spoke with Kislyak in Cleveland, it was not unusual for a presidential campaign to interact with diplomats.

Page, also a member of the Trump campaign's national security advisory committee, cited "confidentiality rules" in declining to say what he discussed with the ambassador.

--IANS

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President Donald Trump touted his plans to bolster the US military in front of shipbuilders and sailors aboard an aircraft carrier in Virginia, the media reported.

"This is American craftsmanship at its biggest, at its best, at its finest," Trump told the gathered service members on Thursday on the deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford in Newport News, Virginia -- a brand new carrier that is expected to be commissioned this year.

"Hopefully it's power we don't have to use. But if we do, they're in big, big trouble."

"We will give our military the tools you need to prevent war and, if required, to fight war and only do one thing: win," ABC News reported citing the President as saying.

Trump has proposed an increase in the Defence Department's budget by $54 billion -- up 10 per cent from last year.

The $12.9 billion Gerald Ford is the Navy's most expensive warship, belonging to the next generation of aircraft carriers, which are replacing the Nimitz-class carriers first commissioned in 1975.

"The Gerald R. Ford class will be the premier forward asset for crisis response and early decisive striking power in a major combat operation," the navy said in a statement.

"Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers and carrier strike groups will provide the core capabilities of forward presence, deterrence, sea control, power projection, maritime security and humanitarian assistance. The class brings improved war-fighting capability, quality of life improvements for our sailors and reduced total ownership costs."

A Navy official told ABC News that the Ford will have more electrical power generation, replacing the steam catapult system currently in use.

Approximately 4,500 sailors will make up its crew.

The ship is expected to go through sea trials in the coming weeks, the official added.

--IANS

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The healthcare industry is a well-known information security dumpster fire, from the entire hospitals hijacked by ransomware to the useless security on medical devices to the terrifying world of shitty state security for medical implants  all made worse by the cack-handed security measures that hospital workers have to bypass to get on with saving our lives (and it's about to get worse, thanks to the Internet of Things>).

But the poor security of the medical device world doesn't just affect the devices themselves. The proliferation of literally insecurable medical systems running orphaned operating systems with thousands of know, unpatchable defects provides a soft target for identity thieves looked to pillage your health records.





One trojan, Medjack, enters healthcare facilities by penetrating these badly secured diagnostic and administrative systems and then fans out across the network, cracking patient record systems. These records are used for tax fraud and identity theft, and to steal narcotics prescriptions that can be filled from online pharmacies and then resold on the black market.

Security firm Trapx says that "every time" they visit a healthcare facility, they find Medjack infections running rampant on the network, using exploits designed to take over Windows 2000 systems to seize control of the creaking, non-upgradeable systems that are inevitably found in these facilities.

Meanwhile, Section 1201 of the DMCA and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act still impose possible criminal sanctions  including long prison sentences  on researchers who probe, reverse-engineer, or publish warnings about these sysems.

These attacks also constantly evolve. MedJack, for instance, has adopted new, more sophisticated approaches in recent months, according to network visibility and security firm TrapX. The company used emulation technology to plant fake medical devices on hospital networks, impersonating devices like CT scanners. As hackers probed and compromised these phony targets, TrapX observed that the MedJack attackers were intentionally using old malware to target their assaults at medical devices running outdated operating systems, like Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. By attacking legacy tech, hackers can avoid detection more easily, since other parts of a network running current operating systems won't flag the activity. Those newer services are already patched against the older malware, and automatically classify it as a minor threat. "Every time we've gone into a healthcare facility to demonstrate our product we unfortunately find that they're also a victim of this MedJack attack," says TrapX vice president of marketing Anthony James. "Most of these facilities have no clue, because no one is monitoring their healthcare devices for the presence of an attacker. No one is thinking about a CT scanner or an MRI machine and seeing a launchpad for a broader attack."

Medical Devices Are the Next Security Nightmare [Lily Hay Newman/Wired]
Two more persons, including a doctor, were arrested on Friday night by the CID in connection with the sensational child trafficking case in West Bengal, an official said.

"Mrinal Ghosh, the District Child Protection Officer from Darjeeling and Debasish Chanda, a member of Darjeeling district Child Welfare Committee, were arrested for their alleged involvement in the Jalpaiguri child trafficking case," special superintendent, North, CID, Ajay Prasad said.

Chanda was also an empanelled doctor of Jalpaiguri-based Bimala Sishu Griho, the child adoption centre that allegedly worked as a hub of child trafficking.

The CID sleuths earlier arrested four persons -- BJP women wing leader Juhi Chowdhury, chairperson of the child adoption centre Chandana Chakraborty, Chief Adoption Officer Sonali Mondal and fellow accused Manas Bhowmik -- in the last two weeks for selling at least 17 children through shady adoption deals.

Prasad claimed Chanda was involved in a back dated registration of the children adopted illegally in the centre. "His involvement with the home as an empanelled doctor is also illegal as he is a member of the district child welfare committee."

Ghosh was alleged to have played a role in Chanda doing the illegal registration.

The CID also intensely grilled Jalpaiguri District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Shashmita Ghosh in connection with the racket. Shashmita, the wife of Mrinal Ghosh, was earlier show caused by the District Magistrate for her ignorance about the thriving child trafficking racket.

She was allowed to leave the CID's camp office at Pintel Village here after several hours of questioning.

Meanwhile, CID sources said another prominent BJP women's wing leader could be called for questioning based on Chowdhury's interrogation. "The process for summoning her is on," the sources said.

The sources a day back claimed that Chowdhury had mentioned the names of some "influential political personalities" during her interrogation.

Chowdhury, a former leader of Bharatiya Janata Party's woman wing (mahila morcha) in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, was arrested by the state police's Criminal Investigation Department on Tuesday night from Batasia area close to the India-Nepal border in Darjeeling and was sent to 12 days CID custody on Wednesday.

Following the court order, the BJP removed her from the post of the State Secretary of the Mahila Morcha (women's wing), saying her activities have harmed the party's image.

CID sleuths are also looking for her father Rabindranarayan Chowdhury, a local BJP leader who looked after Juhi's financial transactions.

Chowdhury's arrest came after Chandana Chakraborty, arrested in connection with the scandal earlier, blamed her for wrongdoing and accused the young BJP leader of negotiating with the political heavyweights in Delhi about her child adoption centre.

The trafficking cse came to light after the Criminal Investigation Department acted on a complaint from the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), a statutory body of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, about some irregularities related to some adoption centres in Jalpaiguri.

The CID registered a case and detained Chakraborty, who ran three children's homes in north Bengal, as also one of her aides Mondal late last week. Both were subsequently arrested.

The CID has claimed that at least 17 children, inmates of the homes, were trafficked over the past one year. Some of them were sent for adoption to families abroad without following the laws of the land.

--IANS

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Two more members of US President Donald Trumps campaign team spoke to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at an event held during the Republican National Convention last July, a media report said.

Retired US Navy officer Jeffrey D. Gordon and oil industry consultant Carter Page spoke with Kislyak at the event in Cleveland, but the contents of their discussion remains unknown, the USA Today said the report on Thursday.

Gordon, who managed the advisory committee as the Trump campaign's director of national security, said that while he also spoke with Kislyak in Cleveland, it was not unusual for a presidential campaign to interact with diplomats.

"I'd consider it an informal conversation just like my interactions with dozens of other ambassadors and senior diplomats in Cleveland," Gordon told USA Today.

Page, also a member of the Trump campaign's national security advisory committee, cited "confidentiality rules" in declining to say what he discussed with the ambassador.

"I had no substantive discussions with him," said Page, who left the campaign later in the summer amid controversy over a speech he gave in Moscow also in July criticising American foreign policy and sanctions against Russia.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions also met with Kislyak during the event, The Hill magazine reported.

The former Alabama senator came under fire on Wednesday night amid Justice Department claims that he spoke with the ambassador twice during the campaign, once at the Heritage event and another time privately in September, encounters he which he did not disclose during his Congressional confirmation hearing to become the Attorney General in January.

Sessions announced at a press conference Thursday afternoon that would recuse himself from any existing or future investigations that relate to the Trump campaign.

Probes into Russia's attempts to meddle with the election reportedly involve examining Trump aides' contacts with Moscow.

The revelation that Gordon and Page spoke with Kislyak is the latest in a series of reports involving the Russian diplomat, the magazine said.

Trump's first National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned last month after it was revealed that he discussed sanctions with Kislyak in the month before Trump took office.

The New York Times also reported on Thursday that Flynn attended a meeting between Kislyak and Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner in December.

A White House spokesperson said the meeting was meant to "establish a line of communication" between the incoming administration and the Kremlin.

--IANS

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It's been more than a week since clashes erupted outside Delhi University's Ramjas College post the forceful suspension of an event to be addressed by JNU student Umar Khalid, but the situation in the varsity's north campus still remains unruly and disruptive.

Since the February 22 disturbances, there have been continuous protests by different student wings on the grounds of their respective political ideologies.

In fact, a protest march on Tuesday saw thousands of students coming together to demand peace and their right to expression in their colleges and in the university.

The high-on-vibe DU north campus always boasts of a great atmosphere, giving students the glitter of their college life.

Anybody familiar with its appeal feels distressed at the huge police force deployed around the campus for crowd control during the marches.

"It feels panicky with the police roaming all around the campus. Because the February 22 episode was so disturbing, you don't know when you might get beaten up," Akrity Raina, a first year student from Hindu College, told IANS.

"This issue cannot be resolved by giving it a left v/s right perspective. You have to deal with it from the aspect of the regular students here to normalise the atmosphere in the university," she added.

"They are unnecessarily politicising the issue," Khushboo Upreti from the same college noted.

Upreti said that she feels insecure with "barricades everywhere and shops getting closed every so often".

"The atmosphere is very bad. This is very new to the DU campus," she said.

Students with no political inclination are certainly finding it harder and more inconvenient than others to adjust to the commotion and turmoil. Most of them feel that the issue is being unnecessarily stretched and can only be resolved if both the parties decide to enter into a dialogue.

For Khalsa College student Jasmeet Singh, "coming to college has become so inconvenient" as he doesn't participate in any of the protests. "I come to college for my studies and to hang out with my friends," Singh told IANS.

"These protests will anyway not resolve anything," Singh maintained.

For Ramjas College student Nikhil Saini, "the matter could've been easily sorted. They have dragged it for their own political motives".

Students and professors feel that the spirit and colour of north campus has been lost in the darkness of protests.

Many of them complain that academics are getting affected with the rescheduling of classes and the deferment of internal tests.

According to Miranda House professor Nitish Kashyap, the disruption in the campus is going to affect the academic life as it attracts the masses. "You cannot keep the university immune from it," he said.

"If academics takes a spiral downward, it will badly affect the students," he added.

Hansraj College student Kriti Priya, recalling the February 22 disturbances, told IANS: "We were not allowed to move out of our hostels. There was so much of terror. Many of our friends were robbed of their wallets and phones. There is fear that something of the same kind might happen again."

"The issue is being exaggerated. All these protests are unnecessary. The atmosphere in campus these days is not student-friendly. Classes are suspended because of safety issues," said Hansraj College student Tanushree.

Ramjas College professors said that the number of students coming to class has gone down.

"There are too many protests happening in the university post the February 22 clashes. It is affecting the studies. Thirty per cent of the students don't come to class due to the fear of violence, Praveen Kumar, a mathematics professor at the college, told IANS.

Masters student Tazeen Ali felt that with the similar kind of sloganeering happening everyday, the police have got bored.

"Look at their faces! There is nothing new happening for them. I don't feel like I am coming to campus. The number of policemen and women tells us how grave the situation is," she said.

"My friends were groped by ABVP workers on the day of clashes. It's still unsafe to wander around the campus," said a Miranda House student who didn't want to be named.

Law Faculty student Pranav Shukla had the last word.

"Enough is enough," Shukla asserted while speaking to IANS.
US aircraft bombarded Al Qaeda positions in southern and central Yemen on Friday, sources said.

There was an undetermined number of dead and wounded, including civilians and fighters of the terror group, the sources told Efe news.

The air strikes destroyed homes in mountainous areas in three provinces -- Shebwa, Abyan, al-Bayda, witnesses said.

Al Qaeda members responded to the planes by firing anti-aircraft guns.

Amid the shelling in Shebwa, the aircraft destroyed a building material factory, as well as one gas station and a weapons store.

Dozens of families left the areas due to the attack and fled to the city of Ataq, capital of Shebwa.

On Thursday, US bombings took place in the same provinces where at least nine members of Al Qaeda were killed during the attack.

This is the second US ground operation in Yemen since Donald Trump became president, after another attack in January in which a US soldier was killed, as well as 14 Al Qaeda militants.

--IANS

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Vatican City, March 3 (IANS/AKI) The Vatican on Friday attacked the exploitation of agricultural workers, which it blamed for the deadly fire that killed two Africans and gutted an asylum-seeker camp in southern Italy.

"The death of two immigrants shines a spotlight on the terrible scourge of the gang-master system and its human and social ill-effects," Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano said.

The editorial referred to the deaths on Friday of two migrant agricultural labourers believed to be from Mali who were killed in a massive blaze that gutted the sprawling camp at San Severo in the Puglia region.

"The camp that went up in flames, known as the Big Ghetto, in the summer months housed more than 3,000 exploited migrant tomato-pickers in squalid conditions," the Vatican daily said.

Friday's blaze came after Italian police on Wednesday began evicting residents from the camp on the orders of local prosecutors after a probe alleged it had been infiltrated by organised crime.

But several hundred migrants had refused to leave and it was not immediately clear if the fire was accidental or arson, according to police, who had been guarding the camp.

"The migrants were agricultural workers who feared losing their jobs if they left the camp," L'Osservatore Romano said.

Fanned by strong winds, the fire reportedly spread in minutes through the camp's cardboard, wood, and plastic shacks. The blaze caused several canisters of gas used for heating and cooking in the camp to explode.

"The dynamics of events have yet to be established," L'Osservatore Romano said.

Catholic charity Communita di St'Egidio described the deaths of the two migrants as "an unacceptable tragedy". With the summer season coming and the arrival of more seasonal agricultural labourers, the charity urged the government to provide all such workers with safe accommodation.

--IANS/AKI

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Observing that 'jihadi terrorism cannot be tackled through military action alone, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Friday urged the United Nations to evolve policies to ensure demographic balance through equal population rights.

Referring to a report from American think tank Pew Research Center, VHP Joint General Secretary Surendra Jain pointed out that the Muslim population growth rate is 70 per cent, whereas the Hindus are growing at a rate of 34 per cent only.

"So, it is all the more important for India to have policies urgently to check demographic imbalance, as it is headed to become the country with largest Muslim population in the world by 2050," Jain said in a statement.

Terming the rising population of the Muslim community globally as the "biggest-ever threat" looming over the world, the VHP leader said at present, the Muslim population the world over accounts for 23 per cent of the total population, which will swell to 30 per cent by 2050.

"If jihadi terrorism can become such a big problem when the Muslim population stands at 23 per cent, the situation cannot be even imagined when their population hits 30 per cent," Jain said, quoting figures from the the Pew Research Center report.

"The VHP believes that military action alone is not the answer to jihadi terrorism; there is a need to eliminate the mindset influenced by Muslim invaders like Muhammad Ghori, Mahmud of Ghazni and Osama bin Laden," Jain added.

--IANS

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has raised the bar by which he will be judged after an unexpectedly restrained performance during his first address to the joint session of Congress. The Dow pierced the 21,000 mark, most Americans expressed approval of his agenda on the economy, terrorism, tax and immigration, and even the liberal press, recently condemned as fake media, offered fulsome praise. The muted cadences, the appeal to his opponents to allay trivial fights, the condemnation of hate crimes, the occasional human touch in acknowledging the wife of the Navy SEAL who died in a botched overseas operation, and the toned-down observations on immigration and health care all suggest that Mr Trump has finally absorbed the unsettling impact of his coarse rhetoric on a large proportion of the electorate and, indeed, on many world leaders. Unlike his countless campaign speeches and statements in his first month in the White House, fact checkers found no flat-out untruths in the hour-long address, though there were several misleading statements and claims notably on his job-saving successes with several American corporations, the job-creating potential of the two environmentally threatening oil pipelines, on Affordable Care and his claims to drain the swamp.
A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader has set a bounty of Rs 1 crore on the head of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan (pictured). At an protest in Ujjain on Wednesday, Kundan Chandrawat boasted how 2,000 Muslims were killed in 2002 Gujarat riots. After the video clip of the speech circulated on social media on Thursday, the distanced itself from Chandrawats statement.

The episode comes in the middle of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, where the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have made several communally sensitive remarks. With polling to 90 of 403 seats remaining, the incident is seen as another attempt at communal polarisation in the wake of the Ramjas College incident in Delhi.

The doesnt subscribe to any views advocating violence and strongly condemns it, RSS said.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general-secretary Sitaram Yechury said a chief minister being threatened by RSS was proof that they enjoy protection and patronage of government. RSS reveals its true colours as a terrorist outfit. Will the prime minister and his government stop remaining silent? Yechury asked. Kerala has a CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front government. On Wednesday, the RSS organised meetings in several cities across India to protest alleged atrocities by CPI(M) on RSS workers in Kerala.

At the meeting at Shahid Park in Ujjain, Chandrawat said: Three hundred pracharaks (RSS propagandists) have been killed. Communists be warned, we will offer a garland of three lakh heads to Bharat Mata. Chandrawat is Sah Prachar Pramukh, or joint propaganda/publicity chief, of the RSSs Ujjain unit.

Chandrawat reminded the gathering of the death of karsevaks at the Godhra railway station in February 2002 and the subsequent communal riots in Gujarat. They killed 56, we sent 2,000 to the graveyard, he said. Chandrawat said if anyone beheads the Kerala CM, who is the murderer of RSS activists, and brings his head, he will bequeath his property worth more than Rs 1 crore to him. On Thursday, Chandrawat told reporters that he stood by his comments. The protest was attended by the local BJP MP and RSS leaders.

When asked by reporters, Vijayan was quoted by news agency ANI to have said that Sangh Parivar has taken heads of several people.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Friday sacked its functionary Kundan Chandravat who had sparked a controversy by announcing a Rs 1 crore bounty for beheading Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

RSS's Madhya Pradesh Head Prakash Shastri issued orders for his removal from all Sangh posts, a day after Chandravat made his statement in Ujjain.

"Chandravat's controversial statement has created a wrong impression about the Sangh. He has been removed from all posts," Shastri said in a letter announcing his removal.

"Kundan Chandravat made a controversial statement at Ujjain meeting, therefore he has been removed from all responsibilities," the saffron body's Sah Prachar Pramukh (joint chief of publicity) J Nanda Kumar said.

Chandravat, the Sah Prachar Pramukh of the in Ujjain, had announced the reward for avenging the killing of its workers in Kerala, allegedly by Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) workers.

In a video, which went viral, Chandravat is purportedly seen saying that Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killings of workers in Kerala and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him and brings his (Vijayan's) head to him.

He had also claimed that 300 innocent people belonging to the RSS had been killed but the Kerala Chief Minister was turning a blind eye.

His speech sparked an uproar, drawing condemnation from the CPI-M, the Congress and even from the RSS on Thursday.

Late last night, Chandravat retracted his statement and expressed regret.

"I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it (statement) and express my regret," he said in a statement.

Earlier, the RSS distanced itself from Chandravat's remarks and strongly condemned his statement. It said that the Sangh does not believe in violence.

In a Facebook post, Vijayan had rejected the threat with "contempt" and said that RSS indulged in murders in several places.

Just because of that, it is not possible for us not to walk on roads, he said.

Hitting out at the Sangh, CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury had tweeted that Chandravat's comments "revealed true colours of RSS as a terrorist outfit".

Yechury had also questioned the "silence" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government over remarks.
Two activists of the DYFI, the youth wing of the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala, were injured in an attack on them allegedly by BJP activists at Elappulli in the district.

Police said six persons, who came on motorcycles, allegedly entered the houses of the victims last night and attacked them.

Rathish (30), a Democratic Youth Front of India activist, received injuries caused by sharp weapons, while another DYFI activist, Yousuf (31), suffered an injury in stone-pelting, police said.

The attackers fled soon after the incident and a hunt was on to nab them, police said, adding that the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital and their condition was stated to be stable.

Yesterday, four RSS workers were injured, two of them seriously, after unidentified miscreants hurled a crude bomb at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh officenear Nadapuram in the district.

Kerala has been witnessing clashes between the cadres of the BJP-RSS and the ruling CPI(M), especially in the northern district of Kannur, for a long time.

Both the sides have blamed each other for the cycle of violence which has claimed several lives.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UPDATE 3/5/2107 Peter Sjostedt-H emailed me: "Thank you for promoting my interview with Tim Scully. Tim has emailed me to ask if the title of your article could be altered a little as it is now factually incorrect: Scully did not manufacture "750,000,000 Doses of LSD" but only *wanted to*. He actually only manufactured about 3,000,000 doses of 300 ug.

Peter Sjostedt-H interviewed famous 1960s acid chemist Tim Scully for High Existence.

In 1977 Tim Scully was imprisoned for the manufacture of LSD, a high-standard variety thereof well known in the 1960s as Orange Sunshine. Following his release in 1980, Scully returned to a life concerned more with electronics than with acid-infused ideology. The story of his acid adventures with Nick Sand have been documented in the new film The Sunshine Makers  philosopher Peter Sjostedt-H here asks Tim Scully eight questions stemming therefrom.

In the documentary you complained of "bad trips" after your run in with the law. Do you believe that the so-called "bad trip" can be beneficial?

There wasn't room in a 90 minute film to explain this point fully. During the time from late 1966 through mid-1970 I was frequently followed by federal agents. I had to lose them before doing anything important. They knew that I knew that they were following me and I knew that they knew.

In mid-1968 my 2nd Denver lab was busted as shown in the film when I was out of town. I was arrested by federal agents in the spring of 1969 on a fugitive warrant from Denver. I was able to get bailed out but I was facing a possible 56 year prison sentence in Colorado and I spent the next several years commuting to Denver for court proceedings. That didn't stop me from continuing my work in the LSD underground.

In the summer of 1970 at the very end of my involvement in the LSD underground I went to Chicago to pick up a tablet machine and I found that I was being followed by federal agents after I drove away. In the past I'd been followed by federal agents many times but I'd always been able to lose them. That last time I was completely unable to shake the tail. That was frightening; at the time I was free on appeal bond from my bust in Denver and being followed by federal agents for the tablet machine was not a good thing, to put it mildly. I ended up arranging for that tablet machine to be sold to a company making candy. Then I returned to an LSD purification lab I had been working in and had a lab accident that caused me to get very high. That's when I had a really bad trip in which I saw federal agents in the woods surrounding the lab. I interpreted that as a clear message from my unconscious that it was time for me to quit and I did.

Yes I believe that bad trips can sometimes be beneficial even though they are very frightening. It may take some work to come to an understanding of the material that comes up in a bad trip but the result of that work can be useful insight.
A group of Australians today embarked upon a 45-day journey across nine Indian states to create awareness on child rights as well as raise funds for underprivileged children.

Inspired by "Motorcycle Diaries", Cameron Perry (25), Scott Grills (25), Ben Butcher (21) and Taylor Hogan (25) have undertaken the 'Ride for Rights' campaign in association with Child Relief and You (CRY), a non-profit organisation, as part of which they will travel across India on motorcycles.

Beginning its journey from Delhi, the group will travel across the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the next one and a half month.

"During the journey, we will not only meet and interact with the people from cities, towns, villages and along the highways and roads about child rights, but also raise funds for the underprivileged children," says Taylor.

"I came to India first in 2015 as a tourist. It was an eye-opener towards understanding how this country worked and I witnessed the conditions in which some underprivileged children lived. It left a huge impact on me," he told PTI.

The group will also make a documentary, recording their experiences as they move through different geographic locations, interacting with people of varied cultures.

"It is a personal journey for us as well. It is a way to understand the issues around us better. It can also impel and inspire other people like us to come out and make a difference," says Ben, a freelance photographer and filmmaker.

It was India's cultural diversity that drew the group to campaign in the country.

"When you move from one state to another, it is a 180 degree change in culture, weather, food, and language. Where else in the world can you find in one country so much diversity?"



"You have deserts, cities, ocean, forest, mountain peaks. There is everything here and it is incomparable," says Taylor.

The group also expressed a desire to travel to other parts of the world to campaign for the issue of child rights.

"Child rights is an issue that we want to advocate for all around the world. It is not limited to India alone. We would like to travel far and wide to raise awareness on the needs and equality for children anywhere," says Taylor.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After the passing of the West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Bill, 2017 today, private educational institutions in the state demanding huge donations from students appear to be on the radar of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Banerjee told the assembly today that she would soon call a meeting with the school representatives once the ongoing board examinations were over.

"I want to bring a policy keeping in mind both the common people and the authorities of the private educational institutions.

"We have very good private schools, colleges and universities in our state. But there are some which are charging so much ... Demand so much. I think there must be control at some point," she said.

During the meeting, Banerjee said she would ask the school representatives to chalk out a guideline working on which the state government will bring out a policy.

The state government would not interfere into the choices of people who can afford demands of those educational institutions, she added.

The West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Bill aims at ensuring transparency in functioning and activities of private clinical establishments.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Arunachal Pradesh will soon introduce the concept of smart classes in government-run schools, which will see use of information and communications technology (ICT) to impart education.

These classes would be introduced in all 264 government higher secondary and secondary schools across the state from class 9 to class 10 in a phased manner.

The decision was taken by Chief Minister Pema Khandu today during a cabinet meeting, in which a presentation with respect to the functioning of smart classes was made, an official communique stated.

"With the introduction of smart classes, the experience of learning will become simpler and grasping. Especially, it will help to demystify learning of mathematics and science subjects," Khandu said.

The chief minister also said, the introduction of smart classes would be carried out on a pilot basis at select government schools. On success of the project, it would be extended to the rest of the government higher secondary and secondary schools.

With the introduction of smart classrooms, the blackboards would give way to digital screens, and pens would be replaced with keyboards.

The smart classrooms would use Knowledge Yan, which is a compact teaching aid.

The state government also plans to equip students with tablets and multimedia kits so that they could get all required content in order to interact with the tutors easily.

This would make the learning process easier for the students to have better appreciation of the lessons taught, the communique said.

The chief minister, appreciating the project said that children would not be restricted to textbooks only but would be free to browse the internet in order to help themselves with answers.

The smart solutions for the teaching aid is also expected to come with an evaluation mechanism that would test the learning ability of the students, through a software developed by the EdCIL (India) Limited, a government of India enterprise.

The course content in the K-Yan kit would be based on CBSE and NCERT syllabus.

For successful implementation of the project, special attention would be given to impart training to the teachers on how to run digital classes.

Considering the poor power scenario in the state, the kit is expected to have power backup for 3 to 4 hours.

To alleviate any inconveniences due to power shortage in the online classroom teachings, the state government plans to back it up with Deen Dayal Upadhaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) schemes to be implemented in all government run schools, the communique added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With International Women's Day approaching, leading industry body Assocham today proposed a series of programmes aimed at empowering them.

Newly-appointed chairperson of Assocham's Women Council and famed beautician Keya Seth said the chamber would approach the West Bengal government with some proposals shortly.

Assocham, she said, favours the idea of introducing pink autos for the safety of women commuters in Kolkata.

These autos would be painted pink and the woman driver would be also dressed in a pink outfit, she said adding active cooperation by the state government in this regard would make the initiative fruitful.

The other initiative mulled creating new ITIs meant only for women for which the state government would be approached.

Seth said these initiatives would create job opportunities for women and help them make a living.

Assocham was also contemplating empowering women in rural areas as well, she said adding that the chamber would also guide them on developing a business model.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Assocham, apex industry body on Friday welcomed the budget proposals presented by Kerala Finance Minister, T M Thomas Issac in the state assembly.

"Major thrust on infrastructure sector is likely to further encourage private sector participation in Kerala," D S Rawat, National secretary general of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) said in a release here.

Promotion of fisheries sector, boost to hardware manufacturing in information technology (IT) together with perking up of state transportation and primary healthcare development are major initiatives that are likely to spur equitable growth of the state," Rawa said.
Bangladesh police have arrested a 'spiritual leader' of a banned Islamist outfit blamed for the country's worst terror attack at a cafe here as they intensified a crackdown on militants.

Maulana Abul Kashem was arrested from a hideout in the capital last night.

Officials of the police's elite counterterrorism and transnational crime unit said Kashem was the spiritual leader of the reconstituted Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (neo-JMB), which is believed to be inclined to the Islamic State terror group.

"He (Kashem) was a madrassa teacher in (northwestern) Joypurhat...," Monirul Islam, the chief of the unit, told reporters.

Islam said that the neo-JMB recruited Kashem to inspire its operatives to become extremists.

Kashem's arrest comes after a leading neo-JMB operative was killed in police custody in northwestern Bogra while another, who supplied weapons for the July 1 cafe attack, was arrested in the capital.

Islam said their investigations found that nearly 30 militants were directly linked to the attack on the Holey Artisan restaurant in Dhaka last year, killing 22 people, including an Indian girl.

Three top leaders of the outfit were subsequently killed in gunfights with police.

Bangladesh witnessed a spate of attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities since 2013.

The country launched a massive crackdown on militants specially after the Dhaka cafe attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Belgian police today released a suspect with a previous terrorism conviction who was held after a bomb scare involving gas canisters in his van, prosecutors said.

The man, said to be a friend of one of the March 2016 Brussels bombers, was arrested last night in a huge security operation that shut down part of central Brussels.

"The prosecutor can confirm that M.A. Has been released," prosecutor's spokesman Denis Goeman said, identifying the man only by his initials.

"According to the latest information, no element that could justify detention or an arrest warrant was found," he added.

Investigations showed that the gas canisters appeared to be for domestic use as the suspect had claimed, prosecutors said.

The man was initially arrested for running a red light, and "given his profile and the circumstances of his arrest," Belgian authorities decided at the time to open an inquiry.

A Belgian court sentenced the man in 2016 to five years in jail, partly suspended, for taking part in the activities of a terrorist group.

He was a "close friend" of Najim Laachraoui, one of two Islamic State-linked suicide bombers who blew themselves up at Brussels Airport on March 22 last year, a source close to the inquiry said.

The suspect had also tried to go to Syria twice, the source added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The CBI has moved a special court in Jodhpur seeking an inquiry against witnesses, who turned hostile in the Bhanwari Devi murder trial, for perjury.

The sensational case hogged media limelight in 2011 after the name of the then Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna cropped up in connection with the murder of the nurse.

The CBI has got recorded the sworn statements of several witnesses before judicial magistrates under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

But during the trial, some important witnesses turned hostile and retracted from their statements giving a jolt to the prosecution case.

Yesterday, the CBI moved the application before the special CBI court in Jodhpur to carry out an inquiry against such witnesses who were bound by the oath to state the truth during the trial but acted contrary.

The CBI has given a list of 18 witnesses who were to be examined by the special CBI court during the trial.

Sources in the agency refused to give details about the number and names of the witnesses who turned hostile as it may affect consideration of their plea by the court.

The CBI has so far filed three charge sheets against 17 accused including Maderna and former Congress MLA Malkhan Singh.

Among all the accused, 15 are in judicial custody, one is on bail while Indira Bishnoi has been absconding.

Bhanwari, posted as auxiliary nurse and midwife at a sub- centre in Jaliwada village, around 120 km from Jodhpur, had gone missing on September 1, 2011.

She disappeared after a CD allegedly showing Maderna in compromising position with the 36-year-old nurse became public with some channel broadcasting its content.

The CBI said Bhanwari was allegedly abducted from Jodhpur's Bilara area on September 1, 2011 and murdered.

Her body was handed over to another gang which burnt it in a limestone quarry and dumped the remains in a canal, it alleged.

Maderna (65), who then represented the Osian assembly constituency, was arrested on December 2, 2011 in Jodhpur by the CBI along with Parasram Bishnoi, brother of Malkhan Singh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bihar Government today placed under suspension senior IAS officer Sudhir Kumar, who was arrested by the police in the paper leak scam in clerical grade recruitment examination.

Notification of Kumar's suspension was issued by the General Administration Department (GAD).

The 1987 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, who served as Chairman of Bihar Staff Selection Commission chairman, was arrested on February 24 by a Special Investigation Team in connection with the paper leak scam in clerical-grade recruitment examination



He is presently lodged in jail in judicial custody since then.

During the period of suspension, Sudhir Kumar would be paid only subsistence allowance as per rule 1969 of All India Services (Discipline and Appeal), the notification said.

The officer has been arrested along with his four relatives in the paper leak scam.

Bihar Chapter of IAS Association has been agitating over manner in which he has been arrested.

After probe by state police chief P K Thakur and on recommendation of Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, Bihar Chief Minister had on February 8 last announced cancellation of BSSC exam held to fill up the posts of clerks in state government jobs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BSP president Mayawati on Friday attacked the BJP saying its own cadre would teach its leaders a lesson for fielding 'baagi' (rebels) and 'daagi' (tainted) candidates in the UP assembly elections.

"The BJP has become the Number One party of the baagi and daagi candidates... This time they have not given tickets to people of their own cadre but to those who joined them after leaving other parties... Tickets were given to rebels and with those having criminal antecedents," she told an election rally here.

"(Because of this) the cadres of the BJP will teach them a lesson in these elections," said Mayawati, who also addressed an election meeting in Mirzapur later.

Claiming that her party will form government with full majority, Mayawati said people of the state will celebrate Holi of communal amity and brotherhood after elections.

Accusing the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre of failing to fulfil the poll promises and checking the rising atrocities on dalits and backwards, the BSP chief said the saffron party was out to end reservation or make it ineffective according to the RSS' suggestions.

Making an appeal to the voters, especially Muslim, to vote for the BSP, Mayawati said it would keep the BJP out of power in the state.

"Voting for SP will only benefit the BJP," she said and promised that on coming to power she would end corruption, anarchy and the jungle raj of the Samajwadi Party and send criminals behind bars.
Bobby Hankinson interviewed director David Farrier about the craziest documentary of 2016: Tickled, which just premiered on HBO. I don't want to say too much. Just watch it.

Via Towleroad, Farrier opened up about the point at which things started to seem amiss:

Hankinson: Of course there was much more to it. There were so many red flags along the way, but what was the moment when you knew there was something much bigger at play? Farrier: When they flew three people from New York to Auckland, New Zealand to tell us specifically not to make the movie. By that point we had launched a Kickstarter campaign. When they flew in, that's when we knew we had to make a film, it was obvious. Before that, when they hired an attorney in New York and New Zealand to write us letters, that was another red flag. But flying people physically to us was the big one.

 'Tickled' Filmmaker Discusses How His Twisted Doc Is Like Trump, Scientology and Gay-For-Pay Adult Films: INTERVIEW (Towleroad)

 Tickled (HBO)
Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate are due to make an official visit to Germany and Poland in July, Kensington Palace announced today.

The visit, at the request of the Foreign Office, comes a few months after Britain is due to start the formal process for leaving the the European Union.

Britain is set to trigger two years of divorce talks with the EU by the end of this month.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are stepping up their royal duties on behalf of William's grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, who turns 91 in April.

The couple are already due to visit Paris later this month.

William, 34, second in line to the throne after his father Prince Charles, is stepping down as an air ambulance helicopter pilot to focus more on royal business.

Queen Elizabeth paid a state visit to Germany in June 2015. She and her husband Prince Philip visited the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp to mark the 70th anniversary of its liberation by British forces.

William travelled to Germany last year, visiting Dusseldorf for a series of events honouring the role of British armed forces based in the country.

Kensington Palace said full details of the visit would be released at a later date.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Asia's oldest bourse BSE today said it will suspend trading in securities of four companies, including ABG Shipyard and Mandhana Industries, from March 27 as they failed to comply with certain listing regulations.

The other two firms are Shree Ganesh Jewellery House and Shrenuj & Company.

In case the firms comply with the norms by March 21, they would not face trading suspension.

ABG Shipyard is an Ahmedabad-based shipbuilding company, while Mandhana Industries is a multi divisional textile firm. Its subsidiary Mandhana Retail Ventures manufactures, retails and distributes Bollywood actor Salman Khan's Being Human brand.

The exchange has also ordered freezing of the entire promoters' shareholding of these four companies from today till further notice.

"Trading in securities of the undermentioned companies will be suspended with effect from March 27, 2017 (being 21 days from issue of this notice); on account of non-compliance with Regulation 33 of Sebi (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 for two consecutive quarters -- June and September 2016," BSE said in a circular.

The Regulation 33 pertains to submission of financial results. Further, the exchange said the suspension will continue till such time these firms comply with the norms including payment of fines.

The exchange said that 15 days after suspension, trading in the shares of non-compliant companies would be allowed on restricted basis or in Trade for Trade basis in Z group only on the first trading day of every week for six months.

"Revocation of suspension would be subject to the companies further complying with the procedure and all extant norms prescribed for revocation of suspension," the exchange added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A cabbie and his friend were arrested for allegedly molesting a woman who had hired their car for travelling to Vijayawada, police said today.

The driver, identified as D Venu, and his friend B Immanuel (both 25), were arrested last evening at Chintalkunta check-post by the Special Operation Team of Rachakonda Commissionerate.

The incident occrred on March 1 when the woman (22), a hair stylist, hired the car for visiting her native place.

"After crossing the L B Nagar bus stop here, the cab driver Venu started misbehaving with the woman along with his friend Immanuel. When she raised an alarm, Immanuel got down from the car while Venu proceeded towards Chotuppal and started molesting the complainant. When she again started screaming, he pushed her out of the car and fled," said Rachankonda Police Commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The CBI today told a Delhi court that a plea of INLD leader Ajay Chautala, serving 10-year jail term in JBT scam case, for transfer of a disproportionate assets case against him to another court was "frivolous" and based on "flimsy grounds".

The CBI's response came on Ajay's claim that he apprehended that he would not get a fair trial if the case continued to be tried by the court presided by the same judge.

The agency said the concerned presiding officer, against whom the allegations of being biased have been made, has acted as per the law and without any bias.

Taking on record CBI's reply, District Judge Ravinder Kaur reserved its order on the transfer plea for March 7.

The CBI said, "If the applicant (Ajay) has any fear and apprehension in his mind, the same is to be challenged before appropriate legal authority in an appropriate legal manner but not by way of moving application for transfer of the case."



It sought dismissal of the application with costs, saying it was "false, frivolous and not maintainable".

Advocates Harsh Sharma and Vaibhavi Sharma, who appeared for Ajay, sought transfer of the case alleging that the presiding officer's conduct was "utmost unfair" and the evidence was being recorded in the "most illegal manner" by permitting the prosecution to put leading questions.

Co-accused Abhimanyu Singh has also filed a similar plea for transfer of the case.

On both the transfer pleas, the district judge had sought the comments of the presiding officer. According to sources privy to the case, the latter had said that the grievance of the accused persons was expeditious trial being done by the court as they were interested in delaying it by steps like appearing late for court proceedings from the jail.

The court is currently recording evidence in the DA case in which Ajay, son of former Haryana Chief Minister and INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala, is facing trial.

Ajay is serving 10-year imprisonment awarded in January 2013 by another CBI court in the 1999-2000 junior basic trained (JBT) teachers' recruitment scam.

Chautala was also sent to 10 years in jail in the JBT case. The Supreme Court had dismissed the appeals of Chautala and Ajay and had upheld their jail term.

CBI had chargesheeted Ajay in 2010 indicting him for possessing assets exceeding his legal income by 339.27 per cent. His legal income between May 1993 and May 2006 was Rs 8.17 crore, but he had acquired assets worth Rs 27.7 crore, it had alleged. All the charges have been denied by Chautala and his sons.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China today warned India against allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause "serious damage" to the bilateral ties and peace in the disputed border region.

"China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told the media here.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to any visits by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area.

China had also aired similar concerns in October last year when India granted permission to the Tibetan spiritual leader to visit Arunachal Pradesh at the invitation of the state government.

The visit is expected to take place this year.

"China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas," Geng said.

"China's position on the eastern section of China-India border dispute is consistent and clear. The Dalai clique has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and its record on the border question is not that good," he said.

Geng said China expressed its concern to India through formal channels.

"India is fully aware of the seriousness of the Dalai issue and thesensitivity of China-India border question," he said.

"Under such a background if India invites the Dalai to visit to the mentioned territory, it will cause serious damage to peace and stability of border region and China-India relations," he said.

"We have expressed concerns to the Indian side, urged India to stick to its political commitments and abide by important consensus the two sides have reached on the boundary question, refrain from actions that might complicate the issue, not provide a platform to the Dalai clique and protect the sound and stable development of the Sino-India relations," he said.

Geng's comments came in the backdrop of an interview to the Chinese media by former Chinese Special Representative on boundary dispute Dai Bingguo in which he said the border dispute between the two nations can be resolved if India gives up claim over Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

Asked about Dai's comments, Geng said he has not seen the interview.

He said China's principled position on the boundary question with India is to reach an early solution pending China-India border question is in the fundamental interest of the two countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Urban noise pollution and hearing loss are closely linked, according to rankings of 50 large cities in both categories released today.

High-decibel urban areas -- such as Guangzhou, New Delhi, Cairo and Istanbul -- topped the list of cities where hearing was most degraded, researchers reported.

Likewise, cities least afflicted by noise pollution -- including Zurich, Vienna, Oslo and Munich -- registered the lowest levels of decline in hearing.

This statistical link does not necessarily mean the constant din of city life is the main driver of hearing loss, which can also be caused by infections, genetic disorders, premature birth, and even some medicines.

The findings are also preliminary, and have yet to be submitted for peer-reviewed publication.

"But this is a robust result," said Henrik Matthies, managing director of Mimi Hearing Technologies, a German company that has amassed data on 200,000 people drawn from a hearing test administered via cell phones.

"The fact that noise pollution and hearing loss have such a tight correlation points to an intricate relationship," he told AFP.

Researchers at Mimi and Charite University Hospital in Berlin explored the link by constructing two separate databases.

The first combined information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Norwegian-based technology research group SINTEF to create a noise pollution ranking for cities around the world.

Stockholm, Seoul, Amsterdam and Stuttgart were also among the least likely to assault one's ears, while Shanghai, Hong Kong and Barcelona came out as big noise makers.

Paris -- one of the most densely populated major cities in Europe -- scored as the third most cacophonous.

The ranking for hearing loss drew from Mimi's phone-based test, in which respondents indicated age and sex. Geo-location technology pinpointed the cities.

The results were measured against a standard for age-adjusted hearing.

On average, people in the loudest cities were ten years "older" -- in terms of hearing loss -- than those in the quietest cities, the study found.

Stacked side-by-side, the two city rankings are remarkably similar, suggesting more than an incidental link.

The findings highlight the need for better monitoring, the researchers said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: Tamil Nadu chief Minister K Palaniswami today urged Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar to exempt Tamil Nadu from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

The Chief Minister "made a request" with Javadekar in this regard during a meeting here, a brief government release said.

The Chief Minister had taken up the matter during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week.

He had urged Modi to approve two Tamil Nadu bills,allowing exemption for the students from the state from appearing in NEET to get admission into medical and dental colleges in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Despite Congress' poor peformance in the recently-concluded civic and Zilla Parishad (ZP) polls, two senior party leaders are in a tussle to install their own supporter as the president of Ahmednagar Zilla Parishad, where it has managed to emerge as the single largest party.

Although the Congress has fared badly in the recently-concluded municipal and Zilla Parishad (ZP) elections in the state, it has managed to emerge as the single largest party in Ahmednagar ZP, with 23 seats in the 73-member house. Sharad Pawar-led NCP is at the number two position with 18 seats.

However, the Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and former Minister Balasaheb Thorat are trying to install their supporter as the president of the ZP in Ahmednagar, which is considered the fiefdom of these two leaders.

As per the decision taken by the Congress and NCP leadership after the elections, Congress and NCP will share power in 18 ZPs in the state. As per the post-poll alliance, while Congress will get the ZP President post, the NCP will get the Vice President post.

Sources close to Vikhe Patil say that Thorat had fielded rebels against the party's official candidates in two seats in the ZP polls.

They allege that Thorat had extensively campaigned for these rebels.

In one seat, the official candidate of Congress, who is from the Vikhe Patil camp, has won, while in the other seat, the rebel supported by Thorat won by a slender margin.

Vikhe Patil supporters claim that 16 out of the 23 winning candidates belong to their camp.

On the other hand, Thorat supporters say that fielding of Vikhe Patil supporters as candidates in the Sangamner taluka was an "invasion" in their area and hence there was a rebellion.

The Thorat camp is also demanding that their candidate be made the ZP president. At a meeting of the newly-elected ZP members belonging to the Congress on February 27, it was decided to leave the decision regarding finalisation of candidate to the State Congress leadership.

A meeting has been convened tomorrow at Tilak Bhavan, the state unit party headquarters in central Mumbai, to resolve the Ahmednagar issue.

Thorat holds sway in Sangamner taluka, while Vikhe



Patil's area of influence is Rahata taluka. The two seats where Thorat put up rebels are situated in Sangamner, but are part of Vikhe Patil's assembly segment Shirdi.

Ratnakar Mahajan, party's state unit Vice President and spokesman told
Vitthal Lokhare, a corporator from Mankhurd-Shivajinagar area of the city, would be the Congress candidate for March 8 election to the Mayor's post.

City Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam told PTI that Lokhare, a four-time corporator, will file the nomination tomorrow.

"I approached NCP and Samajwadi Party seeking support for our candidate. NCP's Sachin Ahir has said their nine corporators will support us. We are waiting for reply from the Samajwadi Party," Nirupam said.

In the 227-member civic body, Congress has 31 corporators, NCP nine and Samajwadi Party six.

Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 84 seats in the February 21 elections, but fell short of the halfway figure of 114.

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An employees union functionary of a co-operative bank here has lodged a police complaint alleging that a top official had issued a death threat to him for protesting against alleged irregularities in the bank.

In the complaint filed on behalf of the union, South Canara District Central Co-operative (SCDCC) Bank Employees Union office-bearer Chandraprakash said the bank official summoned him to his chamber and gave the murder threat since the union was raising the alleged irregularities in the bank.

City police commissioner M Chandra Sekhar said that legal opinion would be sought before registering a first information report on the basis of the complaint.

The SCDCC bank had been in the recently on account of allegations of accepting crores of rupees worth of scrapped high value notes during the demonetisation exercise without following the procedures.

The Income Tax officials had conducted a search in the bank last month following the reports.

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A police sub-inspector allegedly shot his wife dead before turning the gun on himself at his residential quarters in Dubbaka in Siddipet district of Telangana today, police said.

The incident occurred at around 12:30 PM when some police personnel heard sound of gunshots from the house of sub-inspector H. Chitti Babu, said an official attached to Dubbaka police station.

Police found Babu's wife Saroja lying in a pool of blood with a bullet injury to her head when they reached the spot, he said, adding that Babu fired the bullet from his service revolver.

Babu, who was critically injured after he apparently turned the gun on himself, was rushed to Hyderabad.

The motive behind the extreme step is not known yet, the official said.

According to sources in Babu's family, he was under stress at work.

Further investigation is on.

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A fake currency racket busted by the Kolkata police recently turned out to be a gang of petty criminals allegedly trying to pass off "poor photocopies" of Rs 2,000 notes as genuine.

The Kolkata police had initially claimed those were Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN), but on detailed examination it was concluded that the bills were mere "poor photocopies", official sources said.

All the wads had 'State Bank of India' tags wrapped around and carried identical serial number '4BG 460056', they said.

Five people--Manuar Molla, Abul Kalam Azad, Sheikh Eklash Ahmed, Balai Mondal and Syed Rehan were arrested by the Kolkata police from Watgunge area last afternoon.

The police seized photocopied notes of face value of Rs 56,74,000 from them.

The gang was caught when its members were allegedly trying to buy a mobile phone with these notes.

"The shop owner informed the police after he grew suspicious. They had an altercation. A police team which was close by, reached the place and arrested the five with the notes," Joint Commissioner Police (Crime) Vishal Garg told reporters.

West Bengal's Malda district has emerged as a major inlet for fake currency notes from Bangladesh and police have seized large quantities of such bills since the demonetisation exercise was launched last November.

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Four persons, including a woman, have been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Delhi court for murdering a 70-year-old retired Income Tax officer while committing dacoity in her house.

The court said huge amount of gold and diamond jewellery of the victim was recovered from the possession of the four convicts who had entered the house on the pretext of taking away an old sofa sold by the woman to her maid, a co-convict.

"All the facts clearly show and point towards the guilt of the accused that they, along with one more accused who is not yet arrested, committed dacoity in the house owned by the deceased and while committing dacoity one old lady was murdered," Additional Sessions Judge V K Bansal said.

The court awarded life imprisonment to victim's domestic help Sonia, her associates Rajesh, Arvind and Hardwari for murdering the woman while committing dacoity in her house and also sentenced them to 15 years in jail for the offence of dacoity. Boththe sentenceswillrunconcurrently.

The court, which imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each on the four convicts, said the amount should be given equally to both the daughters of the woman.

Victim Gurjeet Kaur, who was a former additional assistant commissioner with IT Department, lived alone when she was murdered on September 12, 2002 in her Sector-8 Rohini house.

Prosecution said on the day of incident, Sonia along with four men had come to Kaur's residential society and told the security guard that they had to take away an old sofa from the woman's house which she had sold to the maid.

The security guard after confirming the fact from Kaur, allowed the five persons to go to her house. They left the place after nearly an hour. However, the woman was found dead in her house in the evening when another domestic help came to do household work, it said.

Police had said the woman had employed Sonia as a part- time domestic help 15 days before the incident. During the trial, the accused denied the allegations and claimed they were falsely implicated.

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Noted Ambedkarite thinker Dr Krishna Kirwale was found murdered at his house in western Maharashtra's Kolhapur city today.

Police said his body was found with multiple stab wounds at his Rajendranagar residence.

Kirwale (62), was the retired head of the Marathi department of Kolhapur's Shivaji University.

Meanwhile, one person has been detained in connection with the murder, police said, adding that an unidentified person hurled stones at the suspect's house.

Among Kirwale's major contributions was a 'Dictionary of Dalit and Gramin (Rural) Literatures', a project undertaken under the aegis of the state government. Among his other books was a biography of pioneering Dalit litterateur, Baburao Bagul.

Kirwale also lectured widely on issues in Ambedkarite literature in particular, and Marathi literature in general.

Police officers didn't comment on possible motive behind the brutal murder.

Kirawale was also the head of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Centre for Research and Development of the varsity before he retired two years ago.

In 2015, communist leader Govind Pansare, 81, and his wife Uma were shot at with 7.65-mm country-made pistols in Kolhapur. Pansare died later in Mumbai.

In 2013, rationalist Narendra Dabholkar (69) was shot dead in Pune by the motorcycle-borne assailants who had pumped four bullets into him, again from a 7.65-mm country-made pistol.

Condemning Kirwale's killing, the leader of opposition in the Legislative Council, Dhananjay Munde said the incident shows the collapse of law and order situation in Maharashtra.

"This killing is serious as Kirwale was working in Dabholkar's movement as well," he said.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale said the government should order a probe into Kirwale's murder and punish the guilty.

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With the apprehension of a juvenile and the arrest of a man, Delhi Police today claimed to have busted a gang which allegedly stole valuables from vehicles after distracting the drivers.

The accused persons allegedly ran an organized gang known as the 'Thak-Thak' gang.

"The members of the gang distract the car driver either by knocking hard ('Thak-Thak' in Hindi) on the car windows or by puncturing tyres or by minor accidents.

"While the driver is distracted, one of the gang members flees with the valuables kept in the car. Juveniles are used for puncturing tyres as well as stealing valuables," said Ravindra Yadav, joint commissioner of police (crime).

A Chandni Chowk-based jeweller approached police with a complaint alleging that a bag containing gold and diamond jewellery worth Rs 1 crore was stolen from his car.

His car was allegedly punctured by the members of the gang near Barapullah flyover at Sarai Kale Khan.

A man, allegedly from the gang, knocked on his window to tell him that his car tyre was punctured and while the victim got down to change the wheel, a member of the gang fled with the bag, police said.

A Crime Branch team led by ACP Ishwar Singh was deputed to investigate the case under the supervision of DCP (Crime) Ram Gopal Naik.

The team gathered information about gangs with similar modus operandi and their active members.

On February 28, information was received that some of the accused persons had gone to Chandigarh to commit similar crimes.

A team was sent to Chandigarh and it was found that the accused have returned to Delhi, said Yadav.

The raiding team arrived in Delhi and the accused were apprehended on March 1 from near Sarai Kale Khan Bus Terminal.

One of the accused, Deepak (35) told police that he got associated with the 'Thak-Thak' gang for easy money and has been involved in 50 thefts across northern India.

The articles worth Rs 1 crore have been recovered.

The accused could not sell the jewellery items since they are expensive and if they went out to sell them it would have attracted attention, police said.

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Twenty-seven years of marriage, two British sons and a granddaughter could not protect Singaporean Irene Clennell from deportation, but now the feisty grandma is fighting to get back to her family.

Clennell, 52, was deported to Singapore on Sunday, despite being the primary caregiver for her sickly British husband John, who she said has sunk into a mire of depression since she left.

"He was crying," she told AFP in an interview at her sister's cramped suburban home in the Southeast Asian city state, where she is sleeping on the sofa as she tries to find a legal way back to her family in Britain.

John had femoral artery bypass in his leg last year and suffered a subsequent hernia. Since then, she said, he has struggled to walk far and needed help dressing himself.

Clennell has been holed-up at her sister's Singapore flat, talking to the media and trying to coordinate her legal fight to be allowed back into Britain since she was deported February 26.

Her British sister-in-law has hired an immigration lawyer and set up a crowdfunding campaign to cover her legal fees, which had raised more than 53,000 pounds (USD 65,000) by today.

Her husband is so desperate for them to be reunited he has written to a French minister asking whether they could live in France as a family, said Clennell, who arrived in Singapore with hardly any money or possessions after a period in UK immigration detention.

Clennell first arrived in Britain in 1988 and worked as a receptionist at a London hotel where she met her husband, a construction worker. She was subsequently granted indefinite leave to remain in the country.

But she lost this right after spending long periods of time in Singapore, initially to have help from her family raising her young children, and then to care for her elderly parents before their deaths.

Clennell said she now regrets leaving for so long as she didn't realise it would create so many problems.

Clennell applied for leave to enter Britain in 2008 but was rejected, as were two subsequent appeals. She spent five years in India working as a forex trader.

In 2013, Clennell managed to enter as a visitor and has remained since, overstaying her visa. She reported fortnightly to an immigration centre and it was during one of these sessions in January that she was detained.

Britain's controversial spousal visa system means that the British partner in a marriage has to prove earnings of at least 18,600 pounds and the couple have to demonstrate long stretches of uninterrupted time living in Britain.

While the Clennells meet the first criteria, the periods Irene spent out of the country have posed a problem.

The threshold was put in place in 2012 as part of efforts to drive down the number of immigrants arriving in Britain from outside the European Union.

A spokesman from Britain's Home Office said in a statement all applications are considered on their individual merits and in line with immigration rules.

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If you work in a desk-bound job and spend too much time sitting down, you may have a bigger waistline and increased risk of heart disease, a new study has warned.

The study suggests that waist circumference increases by two centimetres and risk of cardiovascular diseases by 0.2 per cent, for every additional hour of sitting on top of five hours, researchers said.

Also, bad cholesterol (LDL) increases and good cholesterol (HDL) decreases with each additional hour of sitting from five hours a day, they said.

The study led by William Tigbe from University of Warwick in the UK advises people to sit less and be more active.

Standing for as much as seven hours a day, and walking seven miles, may be needed to avoid heart disease, according to the study.

Tigbe kitted out 111 healthy postal workers with activity monitors for seven days; 55 were office workers and 56 delivered post for a living.

The study found that those who had desk jobs had a bigger waist circumference - 97 cm compared to 94 cm - and about one Body mass index (BMI) unit difference.

They also had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease - 2.2 per cent compared to 1.6 per cent over ten years. BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.

Only healthy, non-smokers, with no personal history of myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, coronary heart disease, hypertension or diabetes were included in the study.

None of the participants was on any lipid, blood pressure or glucose lowering medication.

"Our evolution, to become the human species, did not equip us well to spending all day sitting down. We probably adapted to be healthiest spending seven to eight hours every day on our feet, as hunters or gatherers," said Professor Mike Lean from University of Glasgow in the UK.

The research was published in the International Journal of Obesity.
With the Assembly witnessing chaotic scenes over SYL matter, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal today urged the political parties to refrain from politicizing the issue of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal.

Replying to a debate on the Governor's Address in the Assembly, he said while the state is close to achieving its goal, the political parties are "competing with each other" to take credit for the same.

Describing the SYL canal as the lifeline of the state, Khattar said its non-completion was adversely affecting not only Haryana, but the entire country.

He said in the 27th meeting of Northern Zonal Council held on April 25, 2015, he had urged the central government to mention the matter for Presidential Reference before the Supreme Court for an early decision in the matter.

Finally, hearing on the Presidential Reference resumed on February 29, 2016, after more than 11 years and concluded on May 12, 2016.

The judgement in the matter was delivered on November 10, 2016 wherein the Apex Court decided all the points referred to it in the Presidential Reference in 2004, in favour of Haryana.

The CM said Haryana is not able to bring its share of 1.88 MAF water that is 18.8 lakh acre feet, which effectively means that about 2600 cusecs of Haryana's share is being utilized by Punjab and Rajasthan throughout the year.

This water, if supplied to Haryana, would irrigate 10.8 lakh acres at the rate of 2.4 cusecs per 1000 acres. Water table in Southern Haryana is declining sharply due to non availability of this water, he added.

He said with the state not getting its legitimate share of water, the farmers were suffering losses to the tune of hundreds of crores of rupees annually which is matter of concern.

He said though the Supreme Court has announced its decision in favour of Haryana, the state is yet to get the water through SYL.

The next hearing on the SYL issue would be held on March 28 or 29, 2017 and it is hoped that Haryana would definitely get the additional water of Ravi-Bias through SYL canal, Khattar hoped.

This would also help the dark zone districts and Southern Haryana, he added. He said Hansi-Butana canal has been constructed to ensure water in the parched areas of Southern Haryana, but as a result of petition filed by the Punjab in Supreme Court against this project; this could not be made operational.

Efforts were being made to get this canal operational at the earliest, he added.

Referring to the INLD's February 23 programme to dig SYL canal in Punjab, Khattar said the state government did not stop INLD workers.

However, he said there was a Supreme Court order mentioning that law and order must be maintained. "In view of this, INLD workers were informed about the order. It was the government's responsibility," he said.

He said the state government gave permission of holding rally to INLD in Ambala.

Khattar said he has requested Union Minister for Water



Resources Uma Bharti through a written communication dated January 6 for the early completion of dams being constructed on Upper Yamuna and its tributaries.

He said that these projects had been lying pending for the last about 30 years. The Central government had released Rs 446.96 crore to Himachal Pradesh government on October 3, 2016 for land acquisition for Renuka Dam projects.

For construction of this dam, the amended estimates of Rs 5,242.89 crore have been submitted to Central Water Commission for technical and economic assessment.

Similarly, Central Government has sanctioned funds for Lakhwar Multipurpose project to Uttrakhand government on April 19, 2016. The tenders have been invited for construction of this project and these would be opened on March 18, 2017.

This matter is pending in the National Green Tribunal and it has been urged to accord approval for start of work on this project after complete inspection of environmental and social impacts. He said that Kishau Corporation is complying on some remarks raised by Union Ministry of Water Resources regarding detailed project report of Kishau project, he said.

The Chief Minister said that government is going to adopt mirco irrigation system with new technique. Under this, emphasis is being laid on construction of pipe based waterways instead on open waterways.

This would not only save the precious water but would also get rid of repeatedly break downs, he said.

Under a pilot project, construction work at a cost of Rs 25 crore in 13 districts is in process and it would be completed by the end of December 2017. After its success, this scheme would be implemented in every block, he added.
Dr Reddy's Laboratories today announced that it has acquired 100 per cent stake in Imperial Credit Private Ltd, a Kolkata-based non-banking finance company.

The acquisition was for a consideration of Rs 2.05 crore.

"The acquisition process was consummated on receipt of applicable regulatory approvals. The company proposes to undertake the group's captive financial activities through this entity," Dr Reddy's Laboratories said in a regulatory filing.

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DSP BlackRock Mutual Fund has stopped fresh investments in its open-ended equity growth scheme Microcap Fund.

It will review opening it again for new inflows at a later date, it said, adding that investors can evaluate DSP BlackRock Small and Mid Cap Fund for their investment needs.

"Having less than desired weightage in stocks that the fund invests in, could limit the fund's ability to generate returns in the future.

"Hence, in the interest of investors, we have taken a decision to stop accepting fresh investments -- both via lumpsum and SIPs. However, we will continue to accept flows coming from existing SIPs," DSP BlackRock Mutual Fund said in a statement.

"Depending on our views on liquidity and investment opportunities in the future, we will review the possibility of opening the fund for fresh investments again," it added.

DSP BlackRock Microcap Fund's current size is posing the bigger challenge of liquidity, it said.

DSP BlackRock Micro Cap Fund's assets under management as on January 31, 2017 was close to Rs 4,780 crore, making it among the largest funds in this category.

The company has suggested DSP BlackRock Small and Mid Cap Fund to investors and said the investment philosophy for the both the funds is the same.

Both funds follow a bottom-up stock selection approach with a significant amount of focus on identifying fundamentally strong companies which could create value over the long term.

DSP BlackRock Small and Mid Cap Fund's portfolio largely comprises securities ranked 100-300 by market capitalisation with a small exposure to securities ranked beyond 300.

DSP BlackRock Mutual Fund is a joint venture between DSP Group, a more than 150-year old Indian financial firm, and BlackRock, the largest investment management company in the world.

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The Election Commission on Friday night ordered registration of an FIR against office bearers "concerned" of Manipur Bharatiya Janata Party for publishing an advertisement without the requisite approval from the certification panel.

On the basis of a report by poll authorities in Manipur, it also directed the state chief electoral officer get FIRs filed against eight newspapers for publishing the election advertisement.

The ads were published on Friday and the first phase of elections in the state will be held on Saturday.

The Commission identified the papers as Sangai Express -- Manipuri and English editions -- Poknapham, People's Chronicle, Naharolgi, Thoudang, Imphal free press, Echel Express and Huiyen Lanpao.

While there is no bar on the publication of election advertisements 48 hours before the polling, a rule introduced by the Commission during the Bihar Assembly polls says that such advertisements should be cleared by a certification committee.

It states that without approval no newspaper will publish such advertisements.

The new rule came after the BJP brought out some controversial advertisements during the Bihar elections.
The Election Commission today rejected the response of the AIADMK on the elevation of V K Sasikala as general secretary, saying T T V Dinakaran, who signed the letter, is not in its list of party office bearers.

It has now asked Sasikala to either sign the response herself or by an authorised signatory who is in the Commission's list of AIADMK office bearers and send it again by March 10.

"... Dinakaran (Sasikala's nephew, who was hurriedly reinducted into the party and nominated AIADMK deputy general secretary) is not an office bearer of your party as per the Commission's record... The reply should either be submitted under your own signature or you may duly authorise somebody to do so on your behalf," the poll watchdog said.

Sasikala is at present lodged in a Bengaluru jail.

The AIADMK had defended the decision to appoint Sasikala as its interim general secretary, saying the general council of the party has the authority to make such an appointment.

In its response to the February 17 notice by the Election Commission, the AIADMK also said those who later complained against Sasikala's elevation had initially signed the resolution in her support.

The party had told the Commission that its functioning would have come to a standstill had a new general secretary not been appointed after the demise of J Jayalalithaa.

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A controversial European Union military headquarters to coordinate the bloc's overseas security operations will open in the coming months, EU diplomatic sources said today.

Brexit and doubts about US President Donald Trump's commitment to European security have given fresh impetus to EU ambitions to step up military cooperation, with France and Germany taking the lead.

"This is a big leap forward. It is supposed to start working initially in March and fully in June," one of the sources said.

EU foreign and defence ministers meeting Monday in Brussels will approve what is known as a Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) unit, the sources said.

It will oversee the European Union's "non-executive" operations -- those that do not use force -- such as civil-military training missions in Mali, the Central African Republic and Somalia.

The EU also runs Operation Sophia in the central Mediterranean, which can use force to stop migrant smugglers, and Atalanta, part of international anti-piracy forces off the Horn of Africa.

These "executive" operations have their own command centres which will remain separate.

The diplomatic sources said the MPCC would show the EU was prepared to do more to contribute to international security but also stressed its limited role, at least for now.

"So, no smoking guns, just training. For us it is important to bring together civil and military capabilities," the source said.

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker called for a common EU defence HQ in September after the Brexit vote, resurrecting an idea that had circulated in the EU for years.

But some EU nations such as Britain and the former communist states in eastern Europe, are reluctant to do anything that might undercut NATO's collective defence role, believing the US-led alliance is still the only real option in face of a more assertive Russia.

The MPCC, based in Brussels, will have a small staff and be headed by a "director" not a commander, to avoid overt military connotations, another EU source said.

"We are not looking at an enormous new building for the new structure... This is not about executive missions," the source said.

"The general intention is to explore ways of how to use our capabilities more effectively," the source added.

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People will have to wait for one more day to know the outcome of exit polls as the Election Commission today postponed their telecast to March 9 evening after elections to one seat each in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are over.

The last phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur is on March 8. But following the demise of two candidates in the Alapur (UP) and the Karnaprayag (Uttarakhand) constituencies, the Commission had postponed elections there and fixed March 9 as the new date.

If candidates of recognised parties-- in this case the SP and the BSP-- die before or on polling day, the election is postponed to allow the party field a new person.

The Commission today made it clear that the exit polls can be telecast after 5.30 pm on March 9, 30 minutes after polling ends in the two constituencies.

According to election laws, exit polls can be telecast half-an-hour after the end of polling in all the phases and states.

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A 24-year-old Indian sportsman has been arrested here on charges of sexually abusing a minor girl, days after he arrived in the US from Kashmir for a snowshoe competition. (FGN8)



Islamabad: Pakistan made it clear that it will not "extradite" alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav and said more information on him has been sought from India. (FGN27)



Washington: Pakistan must crackdown on terror groups like the LeT or handover terrorists to international tribunals for trials so that justice is served, an influential US lawmaker has said.(FGN20)



Beijing: The border dispute between China and India can be resolved if New Delhi accepts Beijing's claim over strategically vital Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh, China's former top diplomat has said, but Indian officials dismissed it as neither practical nor possible.(FGN11)



Beijing: China warned India against allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause "serious damage" to the bilateral ties and peace in the disputed border region.(FGN17)



Boston: Pollution from 2.6 million Volkswagen cars sold in Germany between 2008 to 2015 - tampered to falsely comply with emission standards - will cause 1,200 premature deaths across Europe, with each person losing as much as a decade of their life, a new study said.(FGN25)



Washington: Beleaguered Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from any probe into Donald Trump's election campaign amid the snowballing controversy over his alleged contacts with Russia which the US President described as a "witch hunt".(FGN21)



Houston: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has sent a personal message to 24-year-old Ian Grillot, who was injured while trying to intervene during a shooting in which an Indian techie was killed in Kansas, and wished him a speedy recovery.(FGN19)



Kuala Lumpur: The only North Korean arrested over the assassination of Kim Jong Nam was released, with frustrated Malaysian police saying they believed he was involved in the plot but lacked evidence to prove it.(FGN5)



Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia issued an arrest warrant for a North Korean airline employee, the country's police chief said, over the assassination of the half-brother of North Korea's leader.(FGN16)



Dhaka: Bangladesh police have arrested a 'spiritual leader' of a banned Islamist outfit blamed for the country's worst terror attack at a cafe here as they intensified a crackdown on militants.

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Three persons were arrested today for their alleged involvement in a string of burglaries in city, police said.

One of the accused, identified as Narayan Thevar alias Murugan (50), who is the kingpin of the gang, has allegedly been involved in burglaries for over 25 years and was convicted by courts multiple times, a police official said.

"We have arrested kingpin of the gang who has been committing such crimes since last 25 years and has been convicted by courts more than 25 times," said DCP Crime Vinay Rathod.

Murugan has been a habitual offender and he used to deploy ingenious strategies to trick the police.

"Once out of custody, he used to either regroup with old accomplices or form new gangs in jail to return to robberies," the official said.

In the latest incident in Dindoshi area on February 21, Murugan and his aides had committed a burglary in a mobile shop, taking away mobile phones worth Rs 2.75 lakh.

Police nabbed them after tracing the tower location of the stolen mobile phones to Kalyan.

The other two accused are identified as Ganpat Chavda (37) and Bharat Koli (26).

Police have recovered stolen property as well as the car used in crime, he added.

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Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has said he had the guts to dismiss a UN demand seeking foreign judges to probe the alleged war crimes committed during the conflict with the LTTE.

"I have shown the strength of my backbone," Sirisena said while addressing the executive committee meeting of his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) held here yesterday.

His comments are being seen as a response to criticism by his own SLFP party.

"Two weeks ago, the UN Human Rights chief had said Sri Lanka must have international judges in the accountability mechanism. The following day, I had the guts to dismiss it," he said.

Sirisena's unity government with the SLFP's arch rival United National Party (UNP) led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has rejected the United Nations Human Rights Council's (UNHRC) call for a hybrid mechanism with local and foreign judges to probe the allegations of war crimes during the last phase of the war with the LTTE.

The Tamil minority, however, insists on foreign judges, claiming that the local judicial system remains far from trustworthy to deliver justice to the large numbers of Tamil victims of the conflict.

Sirisena's comments came as Sri Lanka braced to ask for more time at the ongoing UNHRC session in Geneva to implement the 2015 resolution which stressed on the international hybrid mechanism.

Meanwhile, the Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians today signed a petition urging disallowing of more time to the Sri Lankan government on the resolution implementation.

Opposition leader M A Sumanthiran earlier this week said that Sri Lanka must be given more time, not to dodge implementation but to commit for implementation of each one of the obligations.

President Sirisena's SLFP is divided between him and former president Mahinda Rajapaksa whose nearly a decade-long rule was ended by Sirisena in 2015.

The Rajapaksa backers calling themselves the Joint Opposition stayed away from yesterday's SLFP parley despite invitations being extended to them, the party said.

They accuse Sirisena of betraying the war victory achieved by Rajapaksa by Sirisena's policy of give in.

Last month, Sri Lanka said it needed more time to probe the alleged war crimes committed during the civil war, even as it asserted that the proposed mechanism to deliver justice to the victims would be homegrown and not a copy of the South African model.

According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by the security forces during Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to nearly three-decades long civil war in Sri Lanka with the defeat of LTTE in 2009.

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Pakistan said today that it has sought more information from India on alleged "Indian spy" Kulbhushan Jadhav who is under its detention.

Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, during the Question Hour session in the Senate, said a case was being prepared to prosecute the alleged Indian spy arrested last year in March.

"A list of questions has also been handed over to India to seek more information from them in the light of the statements of Kulbhushan Jadhav," he said, without elaborating when the questionnaire was given to New Delhi.

The discussion started when Senator Talha Mehmood asked Aziz whether the government was planning to hand over Jadhav to India like it extradited CIA contractor Raymond Davis in 2011 who had killed two men in Lahore.

Aziz rejected the statement and said the government was not considering any option to extradite the alleged Indian spy back to his country.

"We have prepared an FIR and a case is in the process of registration to prosecute (the) Indian state actor for involvement in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," Aziz said.

He claimed that the arrested "spy" had "confessed" his involvement in militancy and there was no question of lack of evidence against him.

Aziz said Pakistan has shared a dossier with the UN Secretary General on the alleged Indian involvement in Pakistan's internal affairs and in "subversive and terrorist activities".

"This dossier includes details about Kulbashan Jadhav and his activities," he said.

Aziz said the government is also examining the possibility of sharing the dossier with other countries and international organisations.

Talking about the dossier presented to the UN chief, Aziz said it was based on thorough groundwork and inputs from various departments.

"This is a very delicate and sensitive issue and requires detailed preparations and home work as it relates to direct or indirect involvement of Indian state actor in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," he said.

Aziz also claimed that the world was accepting Pakistan's position on the issue of India's alleged involvement in militancy.

The government also came under criticism from the opposition when Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Aitzaz Ahsan asked why Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has never taken the name of the arrested "spy".

"I had announced that if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif mentions the name of Indian spy Kulbashan Jadhav in his speech, I will donate Rs 50,000 to Pakistan Association of the Blind," he said.

Ahsan asked Aziz if the Premier has spoken about Jadhav.

However, Aziz said that the Prime Minister will speak about Jadhav at an appropriate time.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
More than 1,000 people marched in Thailand's insurgency-torn south today to condemn the killing of a Buddhist family, including an eight-year-old boy, as a sudden spike in violence undercuts progress in peace talks.

The under-reported rebellion waged by Malay Muslim insurgents against the Buddhist-majority Thai state has killed more than 6,800 people, mostly civilians, since it erupted 13 years ago.

That toll rose yesterday after suspected militants ambushed the car of a deputy village headman, shooting him dead along with his eight-year-old son, wife and sister-in-law.

The family were driving to school on a remote road in the Ruso district of Narathiwat province when the gunmen attacked.

The ambush provoked outrage from religious leaders and civil society groups from both the Muslim and Buddhist communities, who came together for today's march through Ruso.

"The aim of the rally is to denounce the killing of innocent people," said Colonel Ruangsak Buadaeng, a local police commander.

Yesterday also saw a 44-year-old Muslim leader killed in a drive-by shooting and three plainclothes soldiers gunned down in front of stunned shoppers at a night market in Pattani province.

The insurgents, who operate in tight and secretive cells, rarely claim their attacks.

Shootings are frequent but it is often hard to work out whether they are related to the rebellion, criminal activity or personal disputes in the region.

But yesterday's wave of violence appeared timed to undermine recent gains made in peace talks between the army and the Mara Patani - an umbrella group claiming to represent the insurgents.

The Thai army and the Mara Patani this week agreed to create a limited "safety zone" in the region, as a trust building measure.

The deal, tantamount to a highly localised ceasefire, was a small but rare step forward in years of stuttering talks.

But analysts say the Mara do not represent the most active armed militant faction and have played down the significance of the "safety zone" announcement.

The Malay Muslim majority deep south was colonised by Thailand over a century ago.

Locals accuse Thailand of steam rolling their unique identity and culture as well as rights abuses.

Insurgents mostly aim their attacks at security forces, local officials and even public school teachers, who are viewed as collaborators with the state.

Last September a bomb planted outside a school in Narathiwat province left three dead, including a four-year-old girl, triggering widespread condemnation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
DMK Working President M K Stalin and CPI leader D Raja today lent their support to the ongoing agitation against the hydrocarbon project at Neduvasal near here by joining the protesters and urging the centre to shelve it.

"This is an issue concering the farmers. The Centre should declare that the project will not take off," Stalin said addressing the protesters.

He said though the Tamil Nadu government had assured that it would not give its nod for the project, he wanted it to exert pressure over the Cenre and get the project halted.

Stating that he expected the state and Centre to announce a "good decision," on the issue, he said in case if it did not happen "DMK will stand behind you in your protests."



"I have realised you (people) are inclined to continue the protest if the situation continues to be the same," he said.

The villagers of Neduvasal have been protesting against the project for more than a week with support from many sections, including students.

Later, answering questions, Stalin told reporters "it is our desire that a special Assembly sitting should be convened and a resolution be adopted (against the hydrocarbon project).

Answering another question, he balmed the state government for the situation.

Taking a dig, he said the government was not "having the time to ponder about such people's problems... They have time only to consult AIADMK chief Sasikala in Bengaluru jail."



He denied politicising the issue saying there was no need for DMK to do so and gain political mileage out of it.

Stalin also denied it was the previous DMK regime that had given the nod for the hydrocarbon project.

"It was methane project. When the Centre wanted our nod for studying the project, an MoU was signed and it is the Union government which has full powers to implement the project."



He said,"I urge the Centre to take a good decision in the matter. The protestors are continuing their agitation with the expectation that the Union government will come out with an assurance that the project will be shelved."



He wanted proper consultations among the people and farmers before implementing any project.

Raja, a Rajya Sabha member, in his address said Tamil Nadu already faced serious issues in accessing water for its drinking and farming requirements and if the hydrocarbon project was implemented it would lead to depletion of ground water availability in the region.

"Whatever is the availability of ground water, it will be affected and depleted. It will lead to devastation of agricultural operations," he said.

He assured the protestors that if the Centre did not take any decision on the matter his party will take up the issue in Parliament on March 9 when it meets.

Later, he told PTI, "the Centre should understand the gravity of the situation in Tamil Nadu and withdraw the nod for the Neduvasal project. We will pressurise the government to withdraw permission to the proposal.

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Director AL Vijay, who got divorced form actress Amala Paul, today denied reports that he is set to marry again.

Vijay and Paul were formally granted divorce by a family court on February 22 and rumors of his second marriage surfaced soon after.

"To my dismay, I found that there were rumors about my remarriage in a section of media. This is baseless. This kind of unchecked and unauthorised information disturbs me a lot," Vijay said in a statement.

"My commitment to the audience is to make films of substance and I will strive hard to deliver that," he added.

Vijay and Paul filed for divorced in August 2016 just two years after their marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.

They completed the mandatory six-month separation period two weeks ago, bringing the legal proceedings to a conclusion.

Vijay is currently awaiting the release of action adventure "Vanamagan", which has Jayam Ravi essaying the role of a tribal. The movie is slated for Tamil New Year release on April 14.

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Ian Grillot, who was injured while trying to intervene during a racially-motivated shooting in Kansas in which an Indian techie was killed, has been released from hospital and invited to India to be recognised for his heroics.

The University of Kansas Health System confirmed that the 24-year-old has gone home, but there's still a long road to recovery after he took two bullets, in the hand and the chest.

"He has been through many hurdles since the shooting and still faces physician appointments and other critical meetings in the days ahead," the hospital said in a statement.

Ian was injured when he tried to stop the February 22 shooting of the two Indian techies in Olathe area. Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed in the attack, while Alok Madasani was injured.

Ian was released late Tuesday after spending nearly a week in medical care. He went back to the hospital yesterday to meet with Anupam Ray, consul-general of the Indian consulate in Houston.

Ray told Ian and his family that people in India were grateful for his heroics during the deadly melee, according to the hospital.

An invitation was extended to Ian and his family to travel to India once he got the medical green light to travel.

Following his release earlier this week, Ian attended church on Wednesday and then returned to the crime scene for "closure," according to the hospital statement.

Adam Purington, 51, is accused of the shooting and faces both murder and attempted murder charges. The navy veteran is reported to have been harassing Kuchibhotla and Madasani - who both worked at GPS-maker Garmin - because he thought they were Iranian. Purington allegedly yelled "get out of my country" before opening gunfire on the pair, striking both along with Ian.

As he spoke to reporters on Tuesday, Ian recalled how he escorted Purington out of the bar where the shooting happened after he was was seen harassing the engineers. About half an hour later, Ian recalled, the shooter was back and firing.

"By the time he was done shooting, that's when I got up and tried to chase the...Guy down," he said. "When I was chasing him down, trying to subdue him so that way he could be held responsible for his terrible actions, that's when he turned around and shot."



Purington escaped, however, and was arrested hours later at an Applebees about 70 miles away from the crime scene.

Grillot said Tuesday he didn't want to weigh in on what type of punishment Purington should get if he's found guilty, nor if he thought it was a hate crime. But that doesn't mean he's ready to forgive the suspected gunman anytime soon.

"I do feel sympathy for him, but his actions were unjustified and uncalled for," he said.

Many have considered it a racially motivated attack, calling on the White House to take action. President Trump, in his first address to a joint session of Congress, also condemned the attack.

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The probe into the suspension of a woman forensic expert has hit a roadblock amid confusion between Goa's Directorate of Health Services and state health department over appointment of an inquiry officer.

Dr Svetlana Gomes, who was heading the forensic department of government's Hospicio Hospital in South Goa, was placed under suspension for alleged indiscipline over three months back.

When asked about the matter, state Director of Health Services Sanjiv Dalvi told PTI that, "It is for the Public Health Department to appoint an authority to set up inquiry against Dr Gomes. We can't do that."



On the other hand, a senior Public Health Department officer claimed that it is for health directorate to conduct the inquiry since the doctor was attached to it.

"It is for the DHS to conduct inquiry into the matter. We have no role to play in it," a senior official from health department said on condition of anonymity.

Gomes, who is among the 20 women doctors in the country practising in the field of forensic medicine, was suspended on December 16, 2016 for alleged indiscipline.

"For last more than three months, she has been reporting to DHS in Panaji without any inquiry," said a senior doctor at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

"The forensic department of Hospicio hospital has also been affected as two other morgue attendants were also suspended in January this year," he said adding that no inquiry has been held in their suspension also.

Two morgue attendants - Menino Pereira and Ratnakar Velip - were suspended on January 13 this year for alleged indiscipline by Directorate of Health Services administrative head Raju Gawas.

When contacted, state health secretary Sudhir Mahajan said, "I will enquire why there is delay and get back to you."



In the absence of a full-time forensic doctor, a team of GMCH has to be rushed every time to Hospicio Hospital, located in Margao town, to conduct postmortems.

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Global market research company Ipsos today announced the launch of Ipsos Public Affairs in India.

The public affairs wing has been launched with an aim to help customers identify what drives, builds and sustains social research and corporate reputation in India.

"India is at a very crucial juncture where public opinion plays an integral role in nation building. In this context the role and power of public affairs research will be an essential ingredient. We are excited to expand our Public Affairs segment in India and it is very timely for us to invest our local capabilities in social research and development," Ipsos Public Affairs CEO Darrell Bricker said.

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Shoppers Stop ties up with Riversand for data management * Fashion retailer Shoppers Stop today said it has partnered with data management firm Riversand for its master data management solution.

Riversand's MDM center will create end-to-end value to Shoppers Stop to strengthen its omni-channel play, the company said, adding that the procurement process will gather data and digital content from Shoppers Stop's vendors through a standardised process.

Shoppers Stop Managing Director and Customer Care Associate said: "We believe Riversand's solution will provide the foundation for master data management and scale in line with our aggressive business growth and omni-channel vision."



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Nestle India to create awareness about nutrition * Nestle India today said it has launched a project in Nagpur in association with a national NGO, MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child, to create awareness about nutrition and the benefits of breastfeeding to positively impact health at key life stages.

The objective of this initiative is improve care on health, nutrition and hygiene practices amongst adolescents, young couples and care givers, the firm said in a statement.

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Ambuja Cement develops roof rainwater harvesting technology * Ambuja Cement today said it has developed its roof rainwater harvesting technology and introduced consultancy and installation of rainwater harvesting services.

Customers can avail of Ambuja's Innovative roof rainwater harvesting system which is installed once the roof of their bungalow is completed, the company said in a statement.

"Interestingly, a meagre 100 cm rainfall annually on a 1,000 square feet roof can provide a full year's supply of water for drinking and cooking purposes for a family of five," Ambuja Cement added.

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Ikea holds workshop with various stakeholders * Swedish furniture major Ikea today conducted a multi-stakeholder workshop in Mumbai focussing on important needs of people with regard to the home furnishing market.

The workshop was attended by government officials, industry leaders, Ikea suppliers and NGOs, among others.

Commenting on the workshop, Ikea India CEO Juvencio Maeztu said: "We are overwhelmed with the enthusiastic participation and insights shared by all the key stakeholders.

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The Japanese government today awarded a financial grant to a Rajasthan-based civil society for building a hostel for underprivileged girls in Udaipur.

Rajasthan Bal Kalyan Samiti will receive the fund under Japan's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects, and the signing ceremony for the GGP contract was held at the Japanese Embassy here.

The project, the amount of which totals 8 million Yen (approximately Rs 46.7 lakh), will construct the girls hostel, in order to provide safe and healthy educational environment to underprivileged girls in Udaipur, the Embassy said in a statement.

The contract was signed between Japan's Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu and the representative of the recipient organisation, based in Udaipur.

The ambassador hoped, "This grant would improve the life of people of India through the expansion of education for underprivileged girls, and further strengthen the friendly relationship and cooperation between Japan and India."



Japan offers this financial assistance scheme for development projects designed to meet the diverse basic human needs of the people in developing countries.

Since 1989 the scheme has been supporting relatively small-scaled projects implemented by non-profit organisations, NGOs and educational and medical institutions, through Japanese diplomatic missions in developing countries.

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Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today announced that the state government would give land free of cost to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living to open a spiritual centre.

Let the spiritual guru inspire the people to remove Jharkhand's poverty, Das said while speaking at Ravi Shankar's programme, according to an official release here.

One's development would happen only when one is physically, mentally and ideally strong and then the state would develop, he said, adding it would be realised only with the inspiration of Ravi Shankar.

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The Delhi BJP today "condemned" Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for leveling "unfounded" allegations of corruption in the party-ruled three municipal corporations.

Both the BJP and the AAP have sharpened their attacks on one another in view of the MCD polls, scheduled in April.

The AAP has come out with a nearly 20-minute-long video of the party convenor Arvind Kejriwal.

In the video, which will be used in the campaigns for the civic polls, the Chief Minister has said that the Delhi government has given Rs 2,800 crore to the three MCDs, yet it has not been able to maintain the cleanliness in the city.

"There isn't a single work that the MCD does with out taking bribe. They even take bribe for issuing a death certificate," Kejriwal has alleged in the video.

Accusing the Kejriwal government of constantly denying the funds, Delhi BJP leaders said that the funds were needed by the municipal corporations to properly discharge their civic duties including sanitation services.

"This biased denial of funds has resulted in repeated breakdowns of civic services during last few years, stalling of maintenance and development works, and social welfare works due to lack of funds," said a joint statement by Delhi general secretaries Kuljeet Chahal, Rajesh Bhatia, Ravindra Gupta.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Manohar Lal Khattar government today faced acute embarrassment in the assembly with some of the BJP MLAs seeking the status of the colleges, promised to be built in their constituencies by the Chief Minister.

The embarassment for the government aggarvated all the more as the ruling party MLAs joined the opposition ones to corner the government on apparently unfulfilled promises of the CM.

During the question hour in the ongoing budget session of Haryana Vidhan Sabha here, three BJP MLAs sought the status of the colleges which were to be built in their areas. The Chief Minister had himself made an announced in this regard.

After INLD MLA Zakir Hussain asked a question on proposal of the government to set up a university in Nuh district, BJP MLA from Rewari Randhir Kapriwas said the announcement of setting up college in Rewari, made by CM Khattar, has not been implemented yet.

"Two years back, CM made an announcement of setting up a college in Rewari. But Rewari did not figure in the list of 21 new colleges, the announcement of which was announced recently," Kapriwas pointed out while asserting that students living in Rewari had to seek admissions in colleges in Gurgaon, Delhi and Jaipur because of lack of colleges there.

The then BJP MLA from Narnaul Om Prakash Yadav asked the education minister about an announcement made by the CM for opening a college in his constituency.

Moolchand Sharma, BJP MLA from Ballabgarh in his supplementary question asked the minister about the status of announcement of college, made in 2015.

Replying to the questions of BJP MLAs, Education minister Ram Bilas Sharma said BJP government was sensitive towards girls' education.

Sharma said the matter relating to setting up colleges in Rewari, Ballabgarh and Mahendragarh was under consideration of the government, while asserting that BJP government was not like previous government which just made big announcements of opening colleges and universities without making provision about hiring staff.

Later, BJP MLA from Panchkula Gyan Chand Gupta sought a



reply from the government, about an announcement made to appoint a gynecologist, radiologist and physician in a dispensary at sector 16 in Panchkula.

When Health minister Anil Vij said there was no plan to hire specialist doctors in Panchkula, Gupta said poor patients were forced to avail health services from private nursing homes which exploited them.

Vij, meanwhile, said the state government has decided to expand the network of dialysis centres in the state so as to provide the facility to the patients at an affordable price.

Vij said while dialysis centers have initially been opened in four districs of Panchkula, Gurugram, Jind and Sirsa on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, such centres would also be opened in ten more district hospitals.

These include Ambala, Bhiwani, Rewari, Panipat, Sonipat, Faridabad, Hisar, Yamunanagar, Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh. "We will try to open the dialysis centres in all districts in the state, he added.

Vij said the department has already signed agreements to open these centres. The patient will have to pay only Rs 959 for each dialysis as against Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 being charged for the same in market.

He said that Civil Hospital, Panchkula had got accreditation from National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers and was awarded "swachhta puraskar" for the second consecutive time.

It has the facility of 200 beds which would also be increased. Cath labs have also been set up in four districts, he added.
Actress Kim Cattrall has been cast as the US president in a new Swedish TV drama.

The "Sex and the City" star will appear in the hit crime series Modus, adapted from Norwegian lawyer Anne Holt's book Frukta Inte.

According to Deadline, an official visit to Stockholm leads to "devastating consequences" for Cattrall's character.

The upcoming second season of the drama is currently shooting and will hit TV screens this autumn (17). The series, which airs throughout Scandivania and in Canada, Australia, France, and Japan, premiered in 2015.

The 60-year-old actress is no stranger to international TV - she also produces 1featured in the BBC's "The Witness for the Prosecution."



She becomes the latest actress to portray the leader of the free world on TV - Geena Davis played President Mackenzie Allen in US TV series "Commander in Chief", Cherry Jones was President Allison Taylor in "24"and spin-off TV film "24: Redemption", and Patricia Wettig portrayed President Caroline Reynolds in "Prison Break.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: Konkan Railway will run Holi special trains on the Konkan route to clear the extra rush of passengers during Holi festival this year.

Accordingly the 01033/01034 Mumbai CST-Karmali-Mumbai CST special train will leave from Mumbai CST at 11.55 PM on March 10 andreach Karmali at 11 AM the next day.

The 01034 Karmali-Mumbai CST special will leave from Karmali at 11.35 PM on March 11 and reach Mumbai CST at 12.10 AM the next day.

The 01089/01090 Mumbai CST-Madgaon-Mumbai CST special train will leave from Mumbai CST at 11.55 PM on March 12 and reach Madgaon at 12 PM the next day, a railway release said.

The 01090 Madgaon-Mumbai CST special will leave from Madgaon at 7.40 PM on March 13 and reach Mumbai CST at 8.15 AM the next day, the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shiv Sena ministers today attended the first cabinet meeting of the state government after civic elections, and demanded that opposition leaders and journalists should be allowed to attend these meetings.

During the elections, BJP had targeted Sena, its alliance partner in Maharashtra government, over lack of "transparency" in the functioning of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

PWD Minister Eknath Shinde, Health Minister Deepak Sawant and Transport Minister Diwakar Raote were the three Sena leaders who attended the cabinet meeting at 'Varsha', the Chief Minister's bungalow, here today.

Shinde told reporters that he raised the issue of transparency, demanding that journalists and opposition leaders should be allowed to attend the cabinet meetings, and the Chief Minister was positive about the demand.

Shiv Sena had made the same demand during the acrimonious campaign for civic polls.

Education Minister and senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde said Fadnavis accepted the demand of more transparency.

However, as to allowing journalists and opposition leaders at cabinet meetings, secretary of Law and Judiciary department informed during today's meeting that it was not possible, Tawde said.

Journalists and opposition leaders are not bound by oath of office and secrecy unlike ministers, the secretary said.

"The CM said a committee would be set up to examine if any changes can be made in the present system," Tawde said.

He denied that BJP had gone on back-foot by accepting Sena's demand. "Shiv Sena too has accepted BJP's stand on transparency (in the civic body)," he said.

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A major fire broke out at a fabric processing unit at Ajanta Compound in the powerloom town of Bhiwandi in the district this afternoon, police said.

"A massive fire broke out at a fabric sizing company located at Dhamankar naka around 1.45 pm today," a police officer from Bhiwandi said.

"The blaze has spread through the entire complex of the unit. Fire engines from Bhiwandi, Thane, Kalyan and Ulhasnagar have been rushed to the scene. Water tankers have also been roped in," the officer added.

Personnel of Bhoiwada police station and fire brigade are engaged in the firefighting and rescue operation.

So far, no casualty has been reported, the police officer said.

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Integrated (Mauritius) Healthcare Holdings, an arm of Malaysian sovereign fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd, today offloaded a little over 6 per cent stake in Apollo Hospitals Enterprises for about Rs 1,070 crore through an open market transaction.

Pursuant to stake sale, Apollo Hospitals plunged by 5.42 per cent to close at Rs 1,249 on NSE.

According to bulk deal data available with the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the fund has sold a total of 84,39,148 shares, amounting to 6.06 per cent stake, of Apollo Hospitals.

The shares were offloaded on an average price of Rs 1,267.46, valuing the transaction at Rs 1,069.63 crore, data showed.

Meanwhile, DB International purchased 39.26 lakh shares of the healthcare company for Rs 497.42 crore.

As of December quarter, Integrated (Mauritius) Healthcare Holdings has 1.51 crore shares, or 10.85 per cent stake, in Apollo Hospitals.

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Malaysia issued an arrest warrant today for a North Korean airline employee, the country's police chief said, over the assassination of the half-brother of North Korea's leader.

Police also requested the second secretary at the North Korean embassy in Malaysia to assist the probe as a diplomatic rift between Kuala Lumpur and Pyongyang widens.

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Country's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) today launched Baleno RS at an introductory price of Rs 8.69 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), thus making its way into 'high-performance' hatchback segment in the country.

The Baleno RS brings Suzuki's latest powerful 1.0 litre boosterjet petrol engine, which delivers 20 per cent more power than a naturally aspirated 1.2 litre petrol engine.

"Baleno RS is for the performance enthusiasts who seek more power, throttle response and excitement in their day-to-day driving," MSI MD & CEO Kenichi Ayukawa told reporters here.

With the 1.0 litre boosterjet engine, Maruti Suzuki marks its entry in the high performance segment, he added.

Baleno RS is the sporty version of the company's premium hatchback Baleno that is sold through Nexa retail chain priced between Rs 5.98 lakh and Rs 8.43 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). MSI has already sold over 1.5 lakh Balenos in the domestic market.

Maruti Suzuki expects an additional 10 per cent of the Baleno sales to come from the new model.

"A boosterjet engine complements and strengthens brand of Baleno. With Baleno RS we expand brand Baleno and reach out to a new segment of customers - the performance enthusiasts - in India," Ayukawa said.

With Baleno RS, the company will compete with the likes of Polo GT and Fiat's Punto Abarth, which are priced between Rs 9.11 lakh to Rs 10.31 lakh.

The Baleno RS will be available in a single variant. It comes with advanced safety norms including pedestrian safety, side and frontal offset impact, ahead of regulation timelines.

It also has ISOFIX child-seat restrain anchorages in addition to dual airbags, seatbelts with pre-tensioners and force limiters. Besides, it also features disc brakes in all wheels, coupled with ABS and EBD.

Commenting on company's road map for complying with safety regulations, Ayukawa said: "I am happy to share that five Maruti Suzuki models - S-Cross, Ciaz, Baleno, Ignis and Ertiga - are already certified for advanced safety regulations on frontal offset, side impact and pedestrian safety.

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The AAP today dubbed the BJP-led NDA government as "anti-soldier" following the mysterious death of an army jawan who featured in a video on the abuse of the 'Sahayak' (buddy) system in the military.

Accusing the government of torturing soldiers, the party also demanded protection for soldiers who have "exposed corruption" in the armed forces.

"We hold Modi Sarkar responsible for Roy Mathew's mysterious death and demand an inquiry into it and complaints made by other jawans. What steps has Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar taken so far on these complaints?" senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said.

The deceased jawan Roy Mathew was shown in the video, with his face covered, narrating the woes of soldiers. The video also showed soldiers walking dogs of officers and taking their children to school.

Mathew, who hailed from Ezhukon in Kollam district of Kerala, was found hanging from the ceiling of a room in an abandoned barrack in Deolali cantonment in Nashik yesterday.

The sting operation had led to criticism of the British-era 'Sahayak' system.

AAP Delhi convener Dilip Pandey alleged that the NDA government has not yet granted full One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme.

"It the same party that questioned the mental state of retired army man Ram Kishen Grewal who committed suicide last year to demand full OROP.

"BJP's student body ABVP has hounded a martyr's daughter Gurmehar Kaur and Home Minister Rijuju made irresponsible statements about her. This is the true face of BJP. It hates the army and anyone who truly loves the country," Pandey added.

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Terming the Modi government as the world's "most anti-intellectual" for questioning experts on GDP figures, former Finance Minister on Friday said the economy will take 12-18 months to recover from the "devastating" impact of demonetisation.

"It (the government) even thinks that Amartya Sen, professor at Harvard is undeserving of any respect. It thinks that Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard are all useless," he said.

Speaking at a seminar on "Untold Stories of Demonetisation - Its impact on Indian Economy", organised by AICC, the senior Congress leader was critical of the government's criticism of noted economists like Nobel laureate Amartya Sen for questioning government's growth data post- demonetisation.

"We have the most anti-intellectual government in the world," he said.

Citing government data, he said going by the Gross Value Addition (GVA) figures it is clear that the economy has slowed down and the Q4 data of income will further confirm that the economy has been hit "very very badly" by note ban.

"It is clear from government's GVA data that the economy is in a clear declining trend... It is important that we understand that the devastating effect of demonetisation has interrupted India's economy story. It was an unnecessary interruption.

"To recover from this interruption, in my assessment, it will take between 12 and 18 months to recover. So you will see this impact into 2017-18 and may be right up to the end of 2017-18," Chidamabaram said.

He said demonetisation was done not on recommendation of the Reserve Bank of India to the government but on the "diktat" of Government of India to RBI.

"Every procedure and every norm was violated in taking this decision and announcing it," he said.

He also said that the objectives behind demonetisation like curbing black money, corruption and counterfeit currency, have not been achieved and the move has been a failure.

Chidambaram also said the "dazzle" of GDP data, released by Central Statistics Office (CSO), cannot hide the fact that crores of people were affected due to demonetisation.

He said 25 crore people who are daily wagers in informal sector, 15 crore people who are daily income earners like rickshaw-pullers, besides workers in small industries were "most gravely affected".

It is clear for anyone that the economy has "slowed down" even before the full impact of demonetisation and the Q4 data will show that this has deepened further, he said.

Another senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal alleged that the note ban decision was a "big scam" and demanded that there should be a national-level probe into it and suggested a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation.

"This is a conspiracy and the biggest scam... If anybody has made money in all this, it is the BJP. One day this will come out and there should be a complete probe by JPC,"he said.

Questioning the GDP data released by the government, he said "all this data is being given out for polls in Uttar Pradesh" and said the CSO has not captured rural data.

Noting that the RBI and the CSO were two institutions on which people had full faith and confidence, he said, "today people have started being skeptical of RBI and CSO. This has happened if you don't present full facts before public."



He alleged that BJP is the "richest party" and it benefited the most from the note ban decision, which will come to light some day.

Former Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia also felt that the effect of demonetisation will be felt in the coming quarters.

"There seems to be a deceleration in growth. The effect of demonetisation is in the informal sector and not on the formal sector including the government," he said, adding the revised estimates of Q3 will show bigger decline in growth.

Ahluwalia also said that "we need to improve our data system and CSO has to know what the rural data too and it would have been better to delay the announcement of such numbers.

He asked the government to share as to what are short- term pains of demonetisation and what are its long-term benefits.

Singh said that apart from loss of GDP, the note ban move has also caused a lot of inconvenience and it cannot be measured. He said however that implementation of GST will be better for the economy.
With focus shifting to the final phase of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be hitting the campaign trail in his Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday.

"Modi will arrive in the morning at around 9 o'clock and offer prayers at Kashi Vishwanath and Kaal Bhairav temples before leaving for Jaunpur where he is scheduled to hold an election rally.

"The Prime Minister will be back in his parliamentary constituency in the evening to address a public meeting," BJP national general secretary Bhupendra Yadav said.

Earlier, there were reports that Modi was to arrive in the evening and, after visiting the temples, head straight for his first rally in the city during the Assembly polls. ALSO READ: LIVE Battle in Varanasi: At PM's roadshow, supporters chant 'Har har Modi'

The Prime Minister is expected to hold two more election meetings here, one each on Sunday and Monday.

Top leaders of the party and members of the Union council of ministers have been camping in the city to galvanise public support in favour of the BJP, which is aiming at a revival in the state where it had been in decline for more than a decade before making a dramatic comeback in the 2014 general elections when it won a stunning 71 Lok Sabha seats in UP, its best-ever performance till date.

The ancient temple town is bracing for hectic electioneering on Saturday as besides Modi's visit, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi are scheduled to hold a joint road show criss-crossing through a major part of the city while BSP supremo Mayawati will be holding a rally on the outskirts.

Heavy deployment of forces is in place in the district where voting will be held for all the seven Assembly segments, five of them falling in the PM's Lok Sabha constituency, on March 8.
The Congress today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using army jawans for political gains but turning a blind eye to their needs and demanded a probe into the mysterious death of jawan Roy Mathew.

Pointing to the fresh video of BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav questioning the Prime Minister on removing corruption from the system, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said it shows the failure of the government in ordering a probe into substandard food served to jawans.

Army jawan Mathew was found dead after he featured in a video on the abuse of the 'Sahayak' (buddy) system in the military.

"We demand the government should order a fair probe that why Tej Bahadur and Roy Mathew were harassed and intimidated after they raised their concerns. We ask the government to order a fair probe into the death of Roy Mathew," he said.

"Indian National Congress strongly objects to any kind of politicisation of the Army - defence forces - but sadly the government of the day uses the Army only for its political gains and does not want to address their pain," he said.

Referring to the video, he said it reflects the "failure" of the government to address the concerns of the army jawans.

He alleged that for past two-and-a-half years, a trend has been seen that "this government is only addicted to praise and does not want to take any kind of criticism or questions".

Shergill said the video makes it amply clear that any person questioning the government and asking questions, criticises or asks about corruption in the system, "will be threatened, intimidated and humiliated or will go missing".

He said the Congress party asks the government and the Prime Minister specifically as to what is the fault of Tej Bahadur that he is being harassed on daily basis for simply asking the Prime Minister to remove corruption in the system.

"We demand from Rajnath Singh to come out with the probe which he promised after Tej Bahadur video surfaced. We demand to know from the Home Minister what he has done on complaints regarding food served to army jawans," he said.

"Today, it is a worrying trend when a wife of army jawan has to approach the Hon'ble High Court to find about the whereabouts of her husband. Is anybody safe in this country is the moot question we are asking," he said.

Shergill said the Prime Minister is busy campaigning in UP elections and he should "wake up" and hear concerns of army jawans. "Because when it comes to words, he fully uses the army jawans, when it comes to their concerns, he turns a blind eye," he said.

REOPENS DEL 48



The Congress leader alleged that the nation is paying a heavy price for "non-committal and non-serious" approach of the Prime Minister and his colleagues.

"PM Modi, we all know, is a trained 'Pracharak' but he is not a good administrator. When the army has to demand their well-deserved right for serving this nation but they are rewarded by humiliation and intimidation, it reflects on failure of Modi government," he said.

He pointed out that Tej Bahadur had raised serious concerns over food served in the forces and demanded healthy food and requested the Prime Minister for a fair probe.

"Rather than threatening and harassing him, the Home Minister and the PMO promised probe but it has been two months the government has done nothing and absolutely nothing to look into the allegation of the jawan and they are being mistreated and not being given proper treatment they deserve. It is very unfortunate," he said.
The Centre is likely to hand over to the NIA the probe into the busting of an alleged Pakistani espionage ring in Madhya Pradesh in which 11 people, including a 'member' of the BJP's youth wing, have been arrested.

A senior official said the Home Ministry is contemplating handing over to the National Investigation Agency the probe into the Madhya Pradesh spy ring, which had allegedly links with Pakistan's spy agency ISI.

"A decision will be taken very soon," the official added.

On February 9, the Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested 11 members of the espionage ring, allegedly having links with the ISI, from different parts of the state.

Among the arrested, Dhurv Saxena was allegedly a member of the IT cell of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). However, the saffron organisation has denied that Saxena was its member.

Those arrested were allegedly running call centres using Chinese equipment and SIM cards that helped ISI to spy on India's military operations.

Police said the ring members were allegedly operating parallel telephone exchanges using Chinese equipment and SIM-boxes.

The ATS confiscated several SIM-boxes, prepaid SIM cards, mobile phones, laptops and data cards.

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India is ready to provide more soft loans for new infrastructure projects to Nepal, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said, while asking it to develop a conducive legal and regulatory framework to attract more FDI.

Addressing the 'Nepal Investment Summit 2017' in Kathmandu yesterday, Jaitley said that with "early completion of power projects like Upper Karnali and Arun-III, Nepal would be able to export electricity to India".

The issues of forest land and land acquisition which have delayed the projects should be resolved at the earliest, he added.

Over 66 per cent of Nepal's trade is with India, which is its largest trading partner. India also accounts for nearly 40 per cent of total FDI flow to the neighbouring country.

Nepal has several important sectors that can attract Indian investments such as hydropower, transmission lines, road and rail networks, health, education, tourism and irrigation.

Jaitley shared India's experience in reforming its economy and asked the country to take steps to expand bilateral trade.

The two nations share deep-rooted ties which have enabled extensive cooperation in trade and economic fields, he said.

"India and Nepal have wide ranging engagement in trade and investment and that Nepal is well poised to attract further FDI from India by creation of a conducive legal and regulatory framework.

"India is ready to invest in the projects of Kathmandu- Nijgadh fast track road, second international airport at Nijgadh, Koshi High Dam etc," Jaitley said.

Recalling the construction of several Integrated Check Posts, rail links, Hulaki roads, schools and health posts with Indian assistance, he said "India stands ready to make available more soft loans for new infrastructure projects which would enable Nepal grow at a fast pace".

Jaitley called on Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. He also held meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Nepal Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Industry Minister Nabindra Raj Joshi.

The minister conveyed India's abiding commitment to partner with Nepal in meeting its aspirations for socio- economic growth.

In order to address the issue of high trade deficit, he suggested that Nepal could expand its export basket by attracting more Indian investment in export-oriented industries.

A finance ministry statement said the Nepali leaders thanked Jaitley for India's development assistance and also appreciated assistance for post-earthquake reconstruction of Nepal.

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Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "electric shock" jibe, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said he had not asked him to touch a wire and would never say anything like that.

"I had not asked the Prime Minister to touch the wire ..I had asked the Baba (Yogi Adityanath) but since there had been no breaking news, it seems that he had not touched the wire," Akhilesh said at a hurriedly-convened press conference here.

"I will not ask him (PM) to touch a wire..I will never say anything like this so that he becomes emotional and gets angry," he added.

"In fact, I had asked the Prime Minister to take oath in the name of 'Ganga Maiya' whether or not we are providing 24- hour power supply in Varanasi," Akhilesh said.

The Chief Minister's response came hours after Modi's attack on him during an election rally in Mirzapur.

"Akhilesh has dared me to touch an electric wire to find out whether power is really there or not," Modi said, adding "On March 11, election results will give electric shock to SP, BSP and Congress."



The Chief Minister asked the central ministers camping in Varanasi to tell the people what work has been done by their respective departments.

Taking a dig at them, he said they should make the payments for the 'kachauri-pakauri' being eaten by them through mobile and debit cards in keeping with the Prime Minister's push for cashless economy.

He also clarified that laptop distribution has been done in a transparent manner without any discrimination and read out the names of ten beneficiaries in Varanasi. He asked the BJP leaders there to check it up with them.

"How many youth have got laptops from the Prime Minister...In the days to come we want to give smart phones. The PM talks about graveyards and cremation grounds but we talk about laptops and smartphones," he said.

To a remark by Modi in Mirzapur today about rates of everything in the state being fixed, Akhilesh asked "what should be the rate for lodging complaints ...We have put everything online ..There is no rate for lodging complaints. If he has any information he should tell us," Akhilesh said.

The Chief Minister said that if returned to power, his government will waive off farmers' loans worth Rs. One lakh and refuted allegations of anamolies in police recruitment.

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Former Argentine army chief Cesar Milani has been charged with covering up the disappearance of a soldier during the military dictatorship of the 1970s.

A judge today indicted Milani in the case of Alberto Ledo, who was a 20-year-old university student assigned as an aide to Milani during his mandatory military service.

Prosecutors say Ledo vanished after a captain summoned him one night, and Milani helped present the case as a desertion.

The motive is not clear, though the military was carrying out a murderous purge of suspected leftists at the time.

Milani headed the military under President Cristina Fernandez until 2015. He also is under arrest for alleged participation in the kidnapping and torture of three people during the dictatorship, which ended in 1983.

He denies wrongdoing.

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Finnish company Nokia Technologies will partner with HMD Global to sell its smart health devices under the Withings brand by June in India.

"We are working with HMD as partner... We are putting in place a co-marketing programme. You can expect to see these products in stores along with HMD's Nokia branded products," Nokia Technologies Vice-President for Digital Health, Cedric Hutchings, told PTI in an interview.

Nokia Technologies acquired Withings in May 2016 for USD 191 million to launch its Digital Health business.

"We made many studies to comprehend that it was the right thing (Withings acquisition by Nokia) to do. In many markets, including India, there is much traction to have these products under the Nokia brand. Global relaunch of these products will happen under Nokia in summers, late second quarter this year, including in India," Hutchings said.

HMD Global has licence to sell Nokia-branded phones which recently re-launched Nokia's 17-year-old feature phone Nokia 3310.

"We have just put small partnership in place for distribution in September in India. Now what is changing is we will go with HMD," he said.

The company has a range of smart products to keep track of health like temperature, cardiovascular activity, sleep monitoring, blood pressure, etc with help of devices that will be connected through a mobile application 'health mate' through wi-fi or mobile data.

"Every beat the heart generates a wave, that propagates along the arteries. The propagation speed of this wave is directly linked to the health of your arteries. Faster speeds indicate stiffer arteries, which increase the risk of developing hypertension or cardiovascular disease. Body cardio senses it and provides all the measurements on health mate app," Hutchings said.

He said the Withings scale will also show body fat, water percentage, muscle and bone mass.

"We have patient care platform available for doctors that captures data generated by a range of our devices. We will partner with hospitals for health monitoring platforms so that they can remotely monitor health of their patients and also get alert on their health status," Hutchings added.

Withings products will sell in the range of USD 49-211 a unit.

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The Naga People's Front (NPF) today condemned the explosion near the Imphal residence of its candidate for Phungyar assembly seat in Manipur, K Leisiyo.

At least eight persons including the father of K Leisiyo were injured in the blast last evening.

NPF Media and Press Bureau in a release here today said such mindless act of terror is most detestable and should be condemned by one and all.

The NPF also appealed to all sections of the society to ensure free and peaceful polling and campaigning in the true spirit of matured democracy and not to indulge in any act of violence which would only alienate the people further from each other.

"While expressions of differences of opinions and views on public platforms are accepted norms of democracy, resorting to violent activities to convey one's point of view is most unbecoming in a progressive society," the NPF said.

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Congress today demanded a CBI probe into recent seizures of demonetised currency in various parts of Maharashtra, saying it showed that illegal exchange of old currency was still going on.

In a letter to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said that scrapped notes worth Rs 2.25 crore were recovered in Thane, while in Pimpri Rs 1.36 crore in scrapped notes were seized.

Though the Union Government had banned the possession of demonetised currency, these seizures showed that illegal exchange was going on, Sawant said.

"The recent incidents show that old notes are being exchanged for a commission and it proves our allegation that demonetisation was a big scam involving the government and the RBI officials," he said, demanding a CBI probe.

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Pakistan today made it clear that it will not "extradite" alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav and said more information on him has been sought from India.

Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, during the Question Hour session in the Senate, said a case was being prepared to prosecute the alleged Indian spy arrested last year in March.

"A list of questions has also been handed over to India to seek more information from them in the light of the statements of Kulbhushan Jadhav," he said, without elaborating on when the questionnaire was given to New Delhi.

The discussion started when Senator Talha Mehmood asked Aziz whether the government was planning to hand over Jadhav to India like it extradited CIA contractor Raymond Davis in 2011 who had killed two men in Lahore.

Aziz rejected the statement and said the government was not considering any option to "extradite" the alleged Indian spy back to his country.

"We have prepared an FIR and a case is in the process of registration to prosecute (the) Indian state actor for involvement in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," Aziz said.

He claimed that the arrested "spy" had "confessed" his involvement in militancy and there was no question of lack of evidence against him.

Aziz said Pakistan has shared a dossier with the UN Secretary General on the alleged Indian involvement in Pakistan's internal affairs and in "subversive and terrorist activities".

"This dossier includes details about Kulbhushan Jadhav and his activities," he said.

Aziz said the government is also examining the possibility of sharing the dossier with other countries and international organisations.

Talking about the dossier presented to the UN chief, Aziz said it was based on thorough groundwork and inputs from various departments.

"This is a very delicate and sensitive issue and requires detailed preparations and homework as it relates to direct or indirect involvement of Indian state actor in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," he said.

Aziz also claimed that the world was accepting Pakistan's position on the issue of India's alleged involvement in militancy.

The government also came under criticism from the opposition when Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Aitzaz Ahsan asked why Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has never taken the name of the arrested "spy".

"I had announced that if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif mentions the name of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav in his speech, I will donate Rs 50,000 to Pakistan Association of the Blind," he said.

Ahsan asked Aziz if the Premier has spoken about Jadhav.

However, Aziz said that the Prime Minister will speak about Jadhav at an appropriate time.

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Palestinians clashed with Israeli settlers today near the city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, an AFP photographer said.

Fighting broke out near a water source for the Palestinian village of Nabi Saleh, and residents of the Halamish settlement fired gunshots into the air.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said one settler was lightly wounded in the clashes after Palestinians tried to block the access road to the settlement.

"Security forces intervened and dispersed the Palestinian protesters," she said.

Nabi Saleh has for years been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Each Friday, Palestinians, foreigners and some Israelis protest in Nabi Saleh against the expansion of the nearby Halamish settlement.

In August 2015, pictures of an armed Israeli soldier in Nabi Saleh pinning down a crying Palestinian boy against a rock went viral on social media and made international headlines.

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A Pentagon spokesman says the US has conducted more than 30 airstrikes this week in Yemen aimed at an al-Qaida affiliate seen as intent on attacking the US.

Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters today that US warplanes over the past two days have targeted members of the group known as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, as well as the group's infrastructure, fighting positions and heavy weapons.

He said approximately 25 strikes had been launched yesterday and "several" more today, putting the combined total at more than 30.

Without specifying future plans, Davis said the US was engaged in a sustained campaign in areas of Yemen where AQAP is most active. He said no US ground troops have been involved in firefights there since a late-January raid.

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A Polish member of the European Parliament has launched another sexist tirade, calling it a "20th century stereotype that women have the same intellectual potential as men," and that the stereotype "must be destroyed because it is not true."



Janusz Korwin-Mikke's insults yesterday in Warsaw came two days after he told the European Parliament that "women must earn less than men because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent."



The president of the Parliament opened an investigation Thursday into the comments, for which Korwin-Mikke could face sanctions such as a reprimand, a fine or a temporary suspension.

His latest blast came after he was challenged by female lawmakers during a visit to the Polish parliament in Warsaw.

Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, from the Modern party, accused him of offending women and said she would not allow him to do it again.

"There are more women than men in Poland, we're better educated, and I will not let you offend Polish women, European women and women all over the world. It's a disgrace," she told him.

Korwin-Mikke has a history of getting attention for outrageous comments, including comparing the European Union to the Third Reich.

In 2015, he raised his arm in a Nazi salute to make a political point in the European Parliament, the EU's elected legislative arm, forcing the centrist government in Warsaw at the time to apologise and express shame for his behaviour.

Korwin-Mikke heads a small party which won just under 5 per cent of the vote in Poland's last parliamentary election in 2015, failing to clear the 5 per cent threshold to get any seats.

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BJP today accused Akhilesh Yadav of hiding rape accused minister Gayatri Prajapati at his residence and said the chief minister had become a "patron" of criminals in the state.

"The chief minister has hidden Gayatri Prajati in his residence and the police is enacting the drama of carrying out raids to arrest him," state unit president of the BJP Keshav Prasad Maurya claimed here.

"Can Akhilesh take a pledge in the name of the mother Ganga that Gayatri has not been kept at the CM's residence...If the Chief Minister really wants, Prajapati can be caught in ten minutes," he said.

The BJP leader alleged that Akhilesh had become a patron of big criminals in the state, adding that CM house should not be allowed to become a "haven for criminals".

Senior BJP leader Vijay Bahadur Pathak also charged the chief minister with campaigning for the gangrape accused and describing him as a capable leader before people. Besides, another minister Azam Khan had described the rape case as a conspiracy, he said.

"...Such an attitude encourages people with criminal mentality. They show scant regard for women's safety and blatantly indulge in henious crimes," Pathak said.

Prajapati is accused in separate cases of gangrape and an attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter. He has remained elusive and the Lucknow Police have initated steps to withdraw his 'Y' category security.

Acting on the Supreme Court's orders, police said they have been making efforts to nab him and they might even apply for cancellation of his passport so that the minister cannot escape from the country.

Interestingly though, the minister was seen moving freely from one place to other in his constituency seeking votes.

The last time Prajapati was seen in public was on February 27, when he spoke to the media saying he will win with a huge margin and will work under Akhilesh once again.

The 49-year-old is facing imminent arrest following an FIR lodged against him and six of his accomplices on the apex court's order at Gautampalli police station in the state capital on February 18 under various sections of the IPC and POCSO Act.

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President Pranab Mukherjee today said a strong deterrent is needed against those who want to adversely affect India's progress and security in view of the ever changing geo-political situation in the region.

He also honoured a helicopter unit for its meritorious works, including its stellar role in confining terrorists to a restricted area during the last year's terror attack on Pathankot Air Force Station.

"India is a responsible and emerging power in a multipolar, multilateral world. The ever changing socio- economic and geo-political scenario in our region of influence demands a strong deterrent against those with nefarious designs to affect the progress, prosperity and security of our nation," Mukherjee said.

Apart from providing deterrence against inimical entities, both external and internal, the armed forces have been at the forefront of providing succour to the citizens during natural calamities, he said.

"The operations by the Indian Air Force during floods in Uttarakhand, Kashmir Valley and Tamil Nadu deserve a special mention and will always be remembered by the entire nation.

"The relentless and selfless operations showcase the fortitude and determination of its gallant air warriors," Mukherjee said.

He was speaking after awarding the President's 'Standard' to 125 Helicopter Squadron and 'Colours' to Mechanical Training Institute at the Tambaram air base, one of the oldest establishments of the Indian Air Force, near here.

The awards of Standard and Coloursare given to a unit for its meritorious service.

The 125 Helicopter Squadron (Gladiators) since its formation in November 1983 has enhanced its operational capability over the years and earned accolades for its valour and strike capabilities when deployed internally as well as abroad.

When deployed under the United Nations flag in Sierra Leone, the Gladiators were instrumental in securing the release of 232 captured Indian Army personnel.

In January 2016, the Squadron played a stellar role in confining the terrorists to a restricted area during the Pathankot terror attack, thereby reducing casualties, the President said.

The Mechanical Training Institute at Air Force Station Tambaram is the oldest technical training institute of the force.

Raised in 1935, the institute has undergone changes in locations as well as in nomenclature over the years and was rechristened as Mechanical Training Institute in 1980.

The unit imparts fundamental technical training in aircraft maintenance and servicing to the young recruits in mechanical aviation trades.

The tradesmen are the backbone of the maintenance arm of the IAF, ensuring its operational capability and effectiveness.

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A man and his two nephews were apprehended today from Rajasthan's Barmer and Jodhpur districts for allegedly spying for Pakistan's ISI for the past few years.

The three had been on the radar of intelligence agencies after their names emerged during the interrogation of another spy, Haji Khan, who was arrested in February from Jaisalmer district.

According to Army Intelligence sources, those apprehended have been identified as Santosh alias Satram Maheshwari, a Pakistani migrant from Sarupe Ka Tala village in Barmer, and his two nephews Vinod Maheshwari and Sunil Maheshwari, from Ratanada area of Jodhpur.

Maheshwari was active in the illicit liquor trade for the past few years and had later come into contact with Haji Khan who made him the part of the budding spying network in the bordering region.

According to the sources, Maheshwari, who has travelled to Pakistan several times by the Thar Express, has shared information pertaining to the Army, Air Force and BSF including their movements and operations, and maps of the border areas with camping sites of Army units.

Both nephews live in Jodhpur and work in a cloth shop, and are said to have been assisting their uncle in gathering information and sharing it with Pakistani handlers.

All the three are being rigorously interrogated in Jodhpur and will soon be taken to Jaipur for further interrogation.

Agencies have also recovered some documents from Maheshwari and have been trying to extract information about other members of the spying ring and the information, shared by him with the Pakistani handlers so far.

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State Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria today refused to remove an SHO, justifying the action taken by the police against student union leaders who had blocked the roads following a clash between two groups last month.

During the zero hour in Rajasthan Assembly, BJP legislator Banwari Lal Singhal raised a question, to which Kataria responded by saying that police action is justified and none is above the law.

Singhal had demanded to remove the SHO (Station House Officer) on alleged misbehavior with some leaders of students' union.

"The matter is in my knowledge. Police action is justified and the accused will be arrested under the case registered by the police," Kataria said.

Earlier, Opposition chief whip Govind Singh Dotasara, independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal and other legislators tried to attack the government on rising police atrocities.

However, the Speaker did not permit them and instructed to strike down the comments of opposition.

Meanwhile, State health minister Kalicharan Saraf today said that community health centres are established on the laid guidelines of Union government.

He was answering to the supplementary questions raised by legislators in the state assembly during question hour. The minister said that ample health services are being provided as per the norms.

He assured that additional doctors will be appointed if the number of patients reporting at primary health care centre is high.

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Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain today exhorted doctors to reach out to mental patients with a missionary zeal and help demystify psychological ailments.

"There are a lot of misconceptions attached to mental ailments. But these are like other diseases. Many people ignore and hide mental ailments," he said at the inauguration of a long-stay home at Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) in east Delhi.

"But society should open up and listen to others more than speaking. That will help in addressing the issue of mental ailments," the minister said.

Jain also urged doctors and psychiatrists to reach out to people as social taboos keep patients in psychological closets.

"We see 'babas' (godmen) holding sermons and engaging people. I say, you (doctors) should also start something like that and engage people in talking about mental health issues.

"As well-qualified professionals, who spent years understanding obscure diseases, you should share with people, in simple language, what these diseases mean and help demystify it so that they (patients) do not feel hesitant," he said.

Jain said, as a society "if we start listening to each other more", then that would be a "revolutionary step" in combating the taboo associated with mental ailments.

The health minister also said that excessive playing of video games is not a healthy sign, and "people should go out in the open and play games to stay fit".

Reiterating that AAP government is committed to creating governance models worth emulating, Jain said, "Our Mohalla Clinics have been lauded in various parts of the world. We were earlier looking for successful models from America (the west), but now America (the west) will copy ours."



"We have tied up with NABH-accredited hospitals. If patients coming to Delhi hospitals have to wait for more than a month to get their surgeries done, they can get it done at these partnering hospitals," he said.

The scheme will be launched soon.

"Thirty of our hospitals and 21 polyclinics are part of this scheme," the minister said.

On December last, the Delhi government had tied up with eight private laboratories to facilitate free MRIs and CT scans for needy patients.

"Many people have complained about this scheme, saying where will the money come from or why only for Delhiites. I say, as our Chief Minister says, there is no dearth of funds but only willpower," Jain said.

"As Delhi has a population of two crore, we are addressing the issues that residents here are facing. Our target is to provide treatment for all people of Delhi, but we will have to work towards it steadily," he said.

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Members of RSS today organised a protest dharna here near the Deputy Commissioner office against the killings and brutal attacks on it's workers in Kerala, allegedly by the CPI(M) workers.

Addressing the dharna, the Sangh leaders one after the other strongly condemenned the Left forces and termed the CPI (M) rule in Kerala as "jungle raj".

They recounted the various attacks on their workers and their offices at different occasions resulting in the killings of several activists.

The dharna was addressed by senior Sangh leaders Yash Giri, Phool Chand Jain, Pawan Sharma and Dr Kanika Jindal.

Later, they submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner which was addressed to the President of India in which they demanded president's rule in Kerala.

Yestarday, four RSS workers were injured after some unknown persons hurled a crude bomb at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh officenear Nadapuram in the Kozhikode district in Kerala, police had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
RSS leader Kundan Chandravat, who had announced a bounty of Rs 1 crore for beheading the Kerala Chief Minister, has retracted his statement after it drew condemnation from various quarters including the Sangh.

Chandravat, RSS Sah Prachar Pramukh in Ujjain, claimed he got some phone calls from Kerala threatening to kill him and was being targetted in social media.

"I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it (statement) and express my regret," Chandravat said in a statement late last night.

"I also got some phone calls from Kerala in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill me," he claimed.

Chandravat, in a meeting here, had announced the bounty to avenge the killing of RSS workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI-M workers.

His speech sparked an uproar, drawing condemnation from the RSS, the CPI(M) and the Congress yesterday.

In a video, which went viral, Chandravat is purportedly seen saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killing of RSS workers there and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him and brings his (Vijayan's) head to him.

He also claimed that 300 innocent people belonging to the RSS had been killed but the Kerala Chief Minister was turning a blind eye.

The RSS was quick to condemn Chandravat's statement, stating the organisation did not believe in violence.

"The RSS strongly condemns such statement. The Sangh does not believe in violence. But we will continue to protest against attacks on our workers in Kerala in a democratic and peaceful manner," RSS national 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' (Joint Chief of Publicity) J Nandakumar had told PTI in Delhi.

Vijayan, however, dismissed the threat to his life, saying such calls would not prevent him from travelling around, while Kerala's ruling CPI(M) and Congress sought the arrest of Chandravat for his outrageous comments.

Kerala has been witnessing a series of political clashes between the cadres of BJP-RSS and the ruling CPI(M),especially in the northern Kannur district from where Vijayan hails, for a long time. Both parties have blamed each other for the cycle of violence which has claimed several lives on both sides.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The RSS today relieved Kundan Chandrawat, whose announcement of a bounty of Rs 1 crore for beheading Kerala Chief Minister P Vijayan triggered a controversy, of all his organisational responsibilities.

"The statement by Chandrawat has spread confusion about the Sangh. Therefore, he has been relieved of his responsibilities," Prakash Shastri, Prant Sanghchalak of RSS, said in a statement issued here.

Chandrawat, the Sah Prachar Pramukh of RSS in Ujjain, had last night retracted his statement and expressed regret.

"I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it and express my regret," Chandrawat had said.

"I also got some phone calls from Kerala in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill me," he claimed.

At a meeting here, he had announced a bounty to avenge the killing of RSS workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI-M workers. It sparked a controversy, drawing condemnation from the RSS, the CPI(M) and the Congress.

In a video, which went viral, Chandrawat is purportedly seen saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killing of RSS workers in the state and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him.

He also claimed that 300 innocent people belonging to the RSS were killed but the Kerala Chief Minister was turning a blind eye to the issue.

The RSS was quick to condemn Chandrawat's statement.

"The Sangh does not believe in violence. But we will continue to protest against attacks on our workers in Kerala in a democratic and peaceful manner," RSS national 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' (Joint Chief of Publicity) J Nandakumar told PTI in Delhi.

Vijayan dismissed the threat to his life, saying such calls would not prevent him from travelling around, while Kerala's ruling CPI(M) and the Congress sought the arrest of Chandrawat.

Kerala has been witnessing a series of political clashes between the cadres of BJP-RSS and the ruling CPI(M),especially in the northern Kannur district, from where Vijayan hails, for a long time.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Intended as a discussion group, the blog has evolved to be more of a reading list of current issues affecting our county, its government and people. All reasonable comments and submissions welcomed. Email us at: bill.pysson@gmail.com REMEMBER: To view our sister blog for education issues: www.district100watchdog.blogspot.com
The Trump administration's back-to-back controversies over its Russian ties now have at least one thing in common: Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Moscow's top diplomat in the US has become the Kevin Bacon of the Trump White House's Russia imbroglio. A Washington fixture with a sprawling network, he has emerged as the central figure in the investigations into Trump advisers' connections with Russia.

In a matter of weeks, contact with Kislyak led to the firing of a top adviser to the president and yesterday prompted calls for the attorney general to resign.

Separately, a White House official confirmed Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn met with Kislyak at Trump Tower in December for what the official called a brief courtesy meeting.

Flynn was pushed out of the White House last month after officials said he misled Vice President Mike Pence about whether he and the ambassador had discussed US sanctions against Russia in a phone call.

At issue yesterday were two meetings between Sessions and Kislyak, one in July and another in September, at the height of concern over Russia's involvement in hacking of Democratic officials' emails accounts.

Intelligence officials have since concluded Moscow ordered the hacks to tilt the election toward Trump. In his confirmation hearing, the Alabama Republican denied having contact with any Russian officials, neglecting to mention the meetings with Kislyak, which were first reported by the Washington Post.

The Russian Embassy did not respond to a request for comment.

Although the White House dismissed the revelation as part of a political witch hunt, Sessions' former colleagues took the omission seriously.

At the urging of some in his own party, Sessions recused himself from the Department of Justice's investigation. Still, Democrats called for him to step down.

Observers note Kislyak is a somewhat unlikely figure to cause controversy. Over the course of a long diplomatic career, he's led the life of a somewhat typical global envoy making himself a reliable presence on the circuit of receptions, teas and forums that make up the calendar of any ambassador.

Kislyak, who was appointed to his post in 2008, is regularly spotted walking around town, heading to and from meetings.

Early in his tenure, he often opened the doors of the Russian Embassy, hosting dinners for foreign policy professionals, Pentagon officials, journalists and Capitol Hill staffers.

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Russia today decried the uproar in the United States over Attorney General Jeff Sessions' meetings with the Russian ambassador as a replay of McCarthyism, voicing regret over the lack of any substantive dialogue with Washington.

Sessions recused himself yesterday from any investigation into communications between aides to President Donald Trump and Moscow following revelations that as senator, Sessions twice spoke with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 election campaign and failed to say so when pressed by Congress.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued that contacts with officials and lawmakers are part of any ambassador's duties. He added that the pressure on Sessions "strongly resembles a witch hunt or the times of McCarthyism, which we thought were long over in the United States as a civilised country."



In the 1950s, Senator Joseph McCarthy led a hunt for purported communist infiltrators in the US government, often involving unfounded accusations.

Trump blamed Democrats for the controversy in a statement last night, "They lost the election and now, they have lost their grip on reality. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!"



At a conference, Lavrov said Russia isn't going to mimic the US, but added that "if we applied the same principle to Ambassador (John) Tefft's activities in Russia and his contacts, it would have made quite a funny picture."



In a sarcastic Facebook post, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said she met Tefft in the ministry's lobby and warned him that he was putting himself in danger by meeting with Russian diplomats.

Asked to comment on the situation, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, cited the US leader: "We have nothing to add to the expansive definition given by President Trump."



The Sessions case is widely seen in Moscow as part of efforts by Trump's foes to block any possible rapprochement with Moscow. Russia-US ties plummeted to their lowest level since the Cold War times during Barack Obama's presidency over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and other issues.

Trump had come into office hoping to mend ties with Russia, expressing admiration for Putin.

Russian lawmakers and political commentators said the allegations by US intelligence that Russia meddling in the election to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton will likely continue to weigh over his administration and prevent it from launching a meaningful dialogue with the Kremlin any time soon.

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The Madhya Pradesh government has withdrawn financial and administrative powers from the mayor of Sagar city, Abhay Dare after an audio in which he was purportedly heard making a bribe demand from a contractor went viral.

In the audio conversation that surfaced about a fortnight back, Dare sought 25 per cent commission from a contractor to pass his pending bills of Rs 10 lakh.

"State government has withdrawn the financial and administrative powers from Sagar city mayor Abhay Dare, following an inquiry conducted by commissioner/secretary, urban administration department Vivek Agrawal," a public relations officer said today.

The probe confirmed that the audio was not doctored, the official said.

The government has also directed the authority concerned to register a case in connection with the matter with Economic Offences Wing, he added.

He apprised that chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had ordered an inquiry into the matter after the audio made rounds on social media platforms.

Dare was elected as mayor of Sagar, about 190-kms from the state capital, on a BJP ticket in December 2014.

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The 100 MW Sainj hydropower project in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh would be commissioned in April 2017 and filling of reservoir has commenced.

The project has an installed capacity of 100 MW with two units of 50 MW each and it would generate 322 million units per annum and fetch a revenue ofRs 128 crore to the state exchequer.

People residing in the vicinity of Sainj hydroelectric project have been warned not to venture near the river side from Niharni villageto the confluence of Jiva Nalla and Sainj river as the water can be released any time from the reservoir which may endanger their lives.

D K Sharma, Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh Power corporation Ltd (HPPCL), who is executing the project, said therun-of-riverproject has been developed on river Sainj, a tributary of river Beas in Kullu district andcomprises a diversion barrage on the river Sainj near village Niharni and underground power house on right bank of river Sainj near village Suind.

The project has a 6.36 km long Head Race Tunnel of 3.85 m diameter with two turbines of50 MW.

Construction of about 3 km intake road, three bridges on Sainj river and two traffic tunnels were the major challenges in the beginning which have been successfully tackled by HPPCL engineers.

Sharma said that after commissioning each project affected family will be provided 100 units of electricity per month for a period of 10 years.

In addition 1 per cent of revenue from power generation shall be contributed towards LADF (Local area development fund) during the operation stage.

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Urban India fares worse than the rural parts of the country in terms of sex-ratio, both overall and at birth, according to the latest health survey.

The overall for the country is 991, while in rural India it was 1009 and in urban areas 956, according to the Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) for 2015-16.

The at birth in the past five years has improved marginally from 914 to 919 girls per 1,000 boys but in urban India it was as low as 899.

In Haryana, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign, the overall child at birth in the past five years was 836, up from 762 in 2005-2006. But in urban Haryana it is as low as 785.

The survey found that there are 876 women per 1000 men in Haryana, but in the state's urban areas the ratio of women is to men is 846:1000.

In contrast to Haryana, the gender in Madhya Pradesh has widened. The sex-ratio at birth for the children born in the last five years has dropped to 927 from 960 while in urban areas it was 899.

Total sex-ratio in Madhya Pradesh is at 973, while in the urban part of the state it has been recorded at 933, it said.

The sex-ratio at birth for children born in the last five years has improved from 847 in 2005-2006 to 887 in 2015-2016 in Rajasthan.

The urban Rajasthan, however, has fallen behind the state average as it stood ten years ago and recorded a sex-ratio at birth at 845.

Here, the sex-ratio is at 973 according to the latest data and in urban Rajasthan is 928.

In Bihar, though, the figure for sex-ratio at birth in urban parts is higher than the state's average. In urban areas of the state it is 942, while the state's average was 934.

The gender gap in urban areas and in the rest of the state was quite stark in Assam where the sex-ratio at birth for children born in the last five years for the entire state was 929, whereas for urban Assam it is 794.

Explaining this trend across the country, Executive Director at Centre for Catalysing Change, Aparajita Gogoi said, "Sex selection has been more prevalent in urban areas primarily because people have access to technology like sonogram and sex determination tests.
Dozens of sex workers and human rights campaigners gathered in Kiev today demanding the legalisation of prostitution in Ukraine.

Some 50 activists holding red umbrellas and wearing red plastic helmets staged the first-ever march through the capital with the goal of revoking a legal ban on sex work in the post-Soviet state.

Wearing white plastic masks, the protesters held placards reading "Sex work is work", "We stand for decriminalisation of sex work", and "My work is my choice".

"It is the first time that we have had the courage to come out and say that we exist," Yuliya Dorokhova of Legalife. A Ukrainian non-governmental organisation for sex workers, said standing in front of the parliament building.

"We ask the authorities to lift the punishment for sex work. We would like to pay taxes rather than fines," she added.

According to human rights campaigners, there are some 80,000 sex workers in Ukraine who feel vulnerable - particularly to police abuse due to their profession being outside the law.

Being illegal in Ukraine, prostitution is punishable by a fine up to 255 hryvnias ($9/euros).

"We want our state to protect us. If a woman was able to sell sex legally, she would pay money to the state budget," Dorokhova said.

"The women who work in existing brothels have to hand police their her earnings as 'protection' money," she added.

Due to the legal ban on prostitution, Ukraine's police are often accused of demanding money from sex workers to avoid fines and even beating them.

"We often suffer from fines and even physical abuse (by the police)," sex worker Valya, 30, told AFP wearing a white plastic mask to hid her face.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Emergency officials say three suicide bombers set ablaze three fuel tankers in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri but killed only themselves.

Officials are blaming Boko Haram insurgents who many times have attacked Maiduguri, the birthplace of the Islamic extremist group.

Today's attack comes days before the UN Security Council is scheduled to visit Maiduguri on a tour of countries in the Lake Chad Basin, which has been devastated by the Boko Haram uprising.

Spokesman Abdulkadir Ibrahim of the National Emergency Management Agency says a fire caused by today's explosions is under control.

He says one bomber exploded beside a tanker, killing the two others and setting ablaze the other tankers.

More than 20,000 have been killed by Boko Haram over the past seven years, with 2.6 million people left homeless.

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has sent a personal message to 24-year-old Ian Grillot, who was injured while trying to intervene during a shooting in which an Indian techie was killed in Kansas, and wished him a speedy recovery.

The Indian Consul-General in Houston, Anupam Ray, met Grillot and his family yesterday at the University of Kansas Hospital and handed over the message from Swaraj.

"India salutes the heroism of Ian Grillot! Best wishes for speedy recovery," Ray wished Grillot on behalf of the minister and the people of India, KSHB-TV reported.

Grillot was released from the hospital on Tuesday.

Ray also said that Sushma Swaraj has 7.3 million followers, who all conveyed their best wishes.

"We will stand with you, whatever you need," he said.

Responding to this Grillot said, "I look forward to being able to go meet everybody."



Grillot and his family are invited to India as soon as he is able to travel, according to a release from the University of Kansas Health System.

Grillot was shot in hand last week when 51-year-old American navy veteran Adam Purinton, prior to opening fire, uttered racial slurs and yelled "get out of my country" at the two Indian victims.

Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed while another Indian man and his colleague Alok Madasani was critically injured.

In a video from his hospital bed, Grillot had said: "I was just doing what anyone should have done for another human being. It's not about where he was from or his ethnicity.

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The Haryana assembly today witnessed heated exchange of words between the treasury benches and opposition members on the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue.

The treasury benches charged the Congress with "creating obstacles" in the construction of SYL canal, while the Congress MLAs trooped into the Well of the House when one of their members was not allowed to speak on the issue.

Participating in the discussion on the Governor's address when the proceedings of the House resumed today, BJP MLA Prem Lata questioned the members of Congress that when the 95 per cent work on the SYL canal was completed why the remaining work was not done.

In response, Congress Legislature Party leader and former state minister Kiran Chaudhary said the 95 per cent work on SYL canal was completed by the Bansi Lal government and the remaining work could not be completed since the Devi Lal government took the reins of the state, leading to exchange of allegations between treasury benches and opposition members.

BJP MLA Krishan Bedi while turning the heat on the opposition benches said neither the INLD nor the Congress was "serious" on SYL issue as the canal was dug up from the tail end which was "not aimed to bring water" to the state.

Haryana minister Anil Vij blamed the Congress for "stopping" SYL canal and accused former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh of "terminating" the water sharing agreements.

Assembly Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar intervened and said a drop of water still has not reached the state and political parties are claiming credit for digging up the canal.

"Credit will go to only those who bring water to the state," the Speaker remarked, in an apparent swipe at Congress for not resolving the inter-state issue despite its repeated governments at the Centre.

Reacting to the Speaker's remark, INLD leader Jaswinder Sandhu accused him of favouring the state government.

As the Congress MLA and former Speaker Raghuvir Singh Kadiyan sought to speak on SYL matter, BJP members opposed and accused him of disrupting the proceedings of the House.

When he told the Speaker to allow him to speak on his point of order, the Speaker reminded him that it was the Chair's prerogative to accept or reject his request.

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Former telecom minister Kapil Sibal today said shifting J S Deepak from the Telecom Ministry was "uncalled for" and sends wrong signals to bureaucrats.

"I think this is really uncalled for, because what is the bureaucracy there for? Bureaucracy is meant to independently advise you, the political establishment, as to what is happening in the sector and what should be done," Sibal told PTI.

He alleged that the move sends a "signal to the rest of the bureaucrats that if you speak out and air your views which are not in line with the views of the present establishment, then you are not part of us".

Deepak could not be reached for comments.

On March 1, Telecom Secretary Deepak was named India's next Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) from June this year.

The order, which was effective immediately, came when Deepak was attending the Mobile World Congress at Barcelona. He will now serve as Officer on Special Duty in the Commerce Department till May 31 this year.

From June 1, he will take over as India's Ambassador/ Permanent Representative to the Geneva-based WTO till the date of his superannuation, that is July 31 next year.

Terming Deepak as a "fine officer", Sibal alleged that the transfer came after the bureaucrat flagged the sector's falling revenue and rising debt at a recent Telecom Commission meeting.

"They are supposed to speak out their mind so that political establishment can, after getting the inputs, then take a decision to whatever they want to do. If you want to stifle the voice of an independent bureaucrat, the message to the rest of the bureaucracy is that either you are with us or you are out," Sibal claimed.

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The week-long visit of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh next month will take place as scheduled, notwithstanding objections by China.

The Dalai Lama will be in the north eastern state from April 4 to 13 and Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, among others, will meet him there.

During his visit to Tawang bordering China, the spiritual leader will be hosted by the Buddhist Tawang monastery where he will be meeting his followers.

"The Dalai Lama will be a guest of the Arunachal Pradesh government and as a devotee, I will meet him in Tawang," Rijiju, who represents the Arunachal-West Lok Sabha constituency under which Tawang falls, told PTI here.

Peeved over the proposed visit, China today warned India against allowing him to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause "serious damage" to the bilateral ties and peace in the "disputed" border region.

"China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in Beijing.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to any visit by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area.

Rijiju, however, said the Dalai Lama is going to visit the state as a religious leader and there is no reason to stop him as his followers are demanding he should come.

Asked about China's objections, Rijiju said the central government is run by a nationalist party which considers the country's interests first.

"We are neither going to be dominated by anyone nor shall we dominate any of our neighbours. But we give prime importance to India's interests," he said, without making any reference to China.

Ignoring China's protests, the government had earlier allowed former US ambassador to India Richard Verma and Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje's visit to Arunachal Pradesh last year.

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Actor Saurabh Shukla feels theatre is the best medium to learn acting and wants more people to get associated with it and popularise it.

When asked what he thinks of today's actors, who pay a lot of attention to body building, looks and dancing skills, he says, "It's one's personal choice... What you think of art or acting is completely your choice. I am no one to judge other person's perspective. In my perspective if you are starting acting then theatre is the best medium to learn the craft of acting."



There are only few actors like Naseeruddin Shah and Shukla, who dabble into both mainstream acting and theatre.

Shukla feels more people should associate with theatre to make it popular and enable its reach to a wider audience.

"One can't force actors to come to theatre or watch plays, it's one's choice, it comes from within. For me, there was no planning. I could have utilised this time and done films but I chose to do theatre," the actor told PTI.

"I am happy doing the number of films I am doing and I am satisfied with the kind and number of films I am doing. I had some time left, so I felt why not polish myself," he says.

Shukla returned to theatre with "2 Tango 3 to Jive" because of his love and passion for the medium. The play is travelling to the US for its 100th show today.

"There is huge market for Indian plays in the US. But it is not easy to go there and put up a show, you need lot of planning. We have Indian population there and they become our main target audience. It's a good market to explore."



The "Satya" actor would like to take the play to other popular places like Australia, South Africa as they are a big market, thanks to the Indians residing there.

The urban Indian play tries to portray the perplexities of mid-life crisis, but in a comical way.

"He (the play's lead character) is feeling hollow and is desperately trying to do something that is not his plan of life, he wants to get into extra-marital affair and in the process he meets three women.

"So when he meets them the extra-marital affair thing goes on the back seat and other things crop up, like the philosophies of these three women.

"He is hit by new information and new angle of looking at life and gets confused, and that makes it funny," he says.

Shukla, who is known for his impeccable comic timing, feels the most serious issue should be expressed in a comical way for it to be communicated well.

Since mid-life crisis is a universal problem, Shukla too has been a victim of it.

"I had started questioning what have I done in life, what I have done so far, was it worth doing? It is a slightly disturbing period. I was discussing things with a friend and he said he is going through the same problem. We both realised we are going through mid-life crisis and we started laughing and it just passed away," he adds.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thousands of civilians fled Mosul overnight as Iraqi forces advanced north of a sprawling military base near the city's airport today.

Iraq's special forces pushed into the Wadi Hajar district in western Mosul and retook the area from the Islamic State group today, according to Brig. General Yahya Rasool, spokesman of the Joint Military Operations.

Special forces Brig. Gen. Haider al-Obeidi said clearing operations were ongoing in the area and his forces were close to linking up with the militarized federal police forces who were pushing up along the western bank of the Tigris river.

Iraqi forces, including special operations forces and federal police units, launched an attack on the western part of Mosul nearly two weeks ago to dislodge IS. Since the offensive began, more than 28,000 people have been displaced by the fighting, according to the United Nations.

Nahla Ahmed, 50 fled Mosul late last night, walking more than five kilometers (three miles) from her home in the Shuhada neighborhood.

"All the families were hiding behind a wall," she said, explaining how they escaped an IS-held part of the city. "We gave the children valium so they wouldn't cry and (the IS fighters) wouldn't catch us."



Ahmed, like most of the civilians who have escaped Mosul in the past week, fled through Mamun neighborhood. The district is partially controlled by Iraq's special forces.

Maj. Saif Ali, who is stationed in Mamun, said huge crowds of civilians began pouring into the area from neighboring districts just after midnight. Ali said civilians in western Mosul are becoming increasingly desperate as food and water supplies begin to run out.

"In total 7,000 people fled through this area last night," he said. "We were up all night trying to control the crowds."



By late morning nearly all the families had been moved out of Mamun. The neighborhood was littered with discarded clothing and blankets piled up in empty lots and on street corners.

Iraqi forces deployed east of Mamun advanced into Wadi Hajar, a neighborhood north of the Ghazlani military base.

The US-led coalition dropped more than 15 munitions in Mosul today, Ali said, saying they targeted car bombs, sniper positions and small IS mortar units.

Brig. General Wathaq al-Hamdani of Nineveh province's police force said IS targeted the Al Jazair District in western Mosul with "Katyusha launchers with missiles carrying chlorine gas" in at least two separate incidents over the past few days. He added that five civilians had been taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for asphyxiation.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement today that seven patients likely exposed to a toxic chemical agent were currently being treated at Rozhawa hospital, close to Mosul, where fighting is ongoing.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Madras High Court today granted anticipatory bail to AIADMK leader V P Kalairajan in a case filed against him for allegedly threatening O Pannerselvam last month when he was the chief minister.

Justice V Bharathidasan granted the relief to the South Chennai District Secretary of AIADMK when the matter came up.

The threat was allegedly issued after Pannerselvam revolted against the AIADMK leadership last month.

Police had registered a case against Kalairajan for the alleged offences under IPC Sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).

Kalairajan had moved the high court, claiming that he was innocent.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister K Palaniswami today took up with Centre the latest arrest of five Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy, saying the continuing detentions were creating a "sense of panic and unrest among" the community in the state.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said while 13 fishermen had been apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy yesterday morning, five more had been detained late last evening along with their boat and taken to Thalaimannar.

He had yesterday itself taken up the matter of the arrest of the 13 persons in a letter to Modi.

"The continuing apprehensions of our fishermen in their traditional waters of Palk Bay is creating a sense of panic and unrest among the fisherman community of Tamil Nadu," he said in the letter today.

He said the fishermen's right of life and livelihood and right to carry on with fishing in the waters of the Palk Bay were "continuously being infringed upon by Sri Lanka."



He requested Modi's "urgent intervention" to secure the immediate release of a total of 53 fishermen, including the five arrested last evening, and 123 boats.

Pointing that the annul festival at the Katchatheevu St Anthony's Church, attended by fishermen of both India and Sri Lanka, was due within a week, he said it would be a fitting gesture if the detained fishers and boats were released ahead of it so that all could participate in the event happily.

"A permanent solution to the problem lies in retrieval of Katchatheevu and early sanction of Rs 1650 crore for the Comprehensive special package for diversification of livelihood to deep sea fishing," he said.

The ceding of the islet by India to Sri Lanka through an agreement in 1974 had been challenged "on extremely valid and legal grounds" in the Supreme Court by late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in her "personal capacity" in 2008, he said, adding the state government had subsequently impleaded itself in the case.

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Low-profile US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson came under attack for failing to appear in public to launch his own department's annual human rights report.

President Donald Trump's chief diplomat, who has all but dropped from public view since taking office a month ago, penned a brief preface to the survey of the rights record of 199 countries.

But there was no event or conference to mark the report's launch, and the State Department provided only an anonymous "senior administration official" to respond to reporters' questions.

The report itself paints a bleak picture of the situation in many countries, but there is no attempt to draw out a global theme or to say whether things are generally getting better or worse.

Traditional American foes like Iran are, as every year, accused of arbitrary detention, torture and killing of detainees -- and friendly Saudi Arabia is tasked with "pervasive gender discrimination."



Rival great powers are not spared. China is accused of the "repression and coercion" of civil society groups, and Russia is said to have tortured Ukrainian citizens detained on its territory.

"The report speaks for itself. We're very, very proud of it," the senior official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. A former colleague was happy to go on the record to express his concern.

"Every Sec State since at least Warren Christopher personally released the human rights reports," declared Tom Malinowski, who was assistant secretary for human rights under the previous US administration.

In a Tweet, Malinowksi dubbed Tillerson "MIA" -- missing in action -- and warned that this was "bad for him and for the country."



International watchdog Human Rights Watch linked Tillerson's no-show to what it fears is a broader decision by Trump's administration to downplay America's leadership role on the issue.

"Trump's anti-Muslim refugee policy and hinted cuts to foreign aid have heightened concerns that the US won't be a vocal player on human rights issues abroad," HRW Washington director Sarah Margon said.

Tillerson's absence, she added "reinforces the message to governments, rights activists and at-risk minorities that the State Department might also be silent on repression, abuse and exploitation."



Even before the report -- a large database of country chapters on the State Department site -- was released, a senior lawmaker from Trump's own Republican party had expressed concern about the launch.

"For first time in a long time @StateDept #humanrights report will not be presented by Secretary of State. I hope they reconsider," tweeted Senator Marco Rubio, a member of the foreign relations committee.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Trump administration would be good for India as Washington sees New Delhi as a stabilising factor in the region, a top US industry body has said.

"I think US needs India for its presence in the region itself," Mukesh Aghi, president of US India Business Council (USIBC), a representative body of top American businesses having a footprint in India, told PTI.

Noting that geopolitically as India sits in a very turmoil arena, New Delhi needs Washington more.

"We feel that from the Indo-US relationship perspective, Trump administration will be good for India," Aghi said, adding that two principles could drive Indo-US relationship.

"First, this administration sees that the economic prosperity of India is good for America. Second, it also sees the military growth of India as a stabilising factor in the region itself," he said.

"We believe that India wants to see the US as a strong nation, sending a strong message out there because at this stage while India is trying to grow economically you do not want too much disruption in global order. We feel that the ties between the Trump administration and Modi government will be positive and much more deeper also," Aghi said.

Trump and Modi will also look at Indian IT companies to create and hire more Americans, Aghi said.

"The Indian companies will restart hiring Americans in the US. Geopolitically, India will stand by the US and US will support India.

"I feel that the partnership is going to reach a higher level as it settles down and the team takes shape in the US itself," Aghi added.

Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to meet sometime later this year.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar is currently in the US, probably for preparing ground work for Modi's visit and draw a road map of Indo-US ties under the Trump administration.

In addition to the political and strategic partnership, the two leaders in their forthcoming meeting are expected to talk about enhancing the economic and trade ties, Aghi said.

"I also believe that Make in India and Buy America, Hire America is not in conflict. They basically support each other.

"Make in India is more for domestic market. India is not a very large export benefaction country. India can support the US very much on pharma side. Indian pharma companies provide cost benefits to American companies and the country. Trump wants to bring the cost down. So he looks at Indian companies to help from that perspective," Aghi added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President today accused Democrats of conducting a "total witch hunt" against his Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other close advisors whose contacts with Kremlin officials have come into question.

"Jeff Sessions is an honest man," Trump said in a statement, accusing Democrats of having "lost their grip on reality."



However, Trump conceded that Sessions -- who failed to disclose recent contact with Russia's ambassador to the United States during his confirmation hearing -- "could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional.
Tunisia and Germany announced a new agreement on tackling illegal migration, during a visit today by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The accord follows frictions between the two countries over the case of a Tunisian rejected asylum seeker blamed for a truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market that killed 12 people.

This agreement "will satisfy Tunisia and will satisfy Germany," Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi said at a joint press conference.

Merkel, on a two-day trip which also included a stop in Egypt, said Germany and Tunisia agreed on speedier repatriations for rejected asylum seekers and job training for Tunisians.

"We agreed that questions on identities (of Tunisian asylum seekers) from Germany will be answered within 30 days," she said.

"We will also help Tunisia to set up a registration system. Replacement passports are then meant to be issued within one week."



Germany has previously said that Tunisian bureaucratic delays meant it could not expel the Tunisian suspect in the Berlin Christmas market attack, Anis Amri, even though his asylum application had been rejected six months earlier.

Speaking in Tunis, Merkel announced 250 million euros (USD 264 million) in development aid.

"The funds are for rural development, small and medium enterprises, but mainly for youths... Who especially need job training and employment opportunities," she said.

Merkel, who faces elections in September, is under pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to Germany, which has taken in more than one million migrants since 2015.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two women were arrested after 52 grams of heroin, allegedly smuggled from Myanmar, was seized from their possession in Seling village near here, police said today.

The women have been identified as Lalhmunliani (27), a resident of Aizawl and Lalramchangi (24),they said.

The duo have been arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, police said, adding investigation is underway.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
News / National

by Staff reporter

POLICE Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri has accused prominent human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa of seeking to jeopardise police investigations into Lebanese businessman Ahmed Jamal.Jamal is embroiled in a nasty $1,35 million diamond ring wrangle with First Lady Grace Mugabe.In his bid to shield the force in the pending civil suit, Chihuri this week issued the warning through the Officer Commanding Crime, CID Law and Order, Superintendent Nyambo Viera.According to Jamal's application deposited by Mtetwa, the Lebanese said Chihuri, Viera and Senior Assistant Commissioner Thulani Ncube should be joined in his civil suit in which he is suing First Lady Grace, her son Russell Goreraza and one Kennedy Fero for the return of his properties that were allegedly seized by police at the behest of President Robert Mugabe's wife.Commenting on the First Lady's involvement in the matter, Viera said: "The insinuation that the police are acting in concert with the second respondent (Grace) in the main case is ludicrous and meritless. The police are carrying out their mandate by investigating cases in which the second respondent in the main case is a complainant."But communication between Grace and Jamal allegedly showed the First Lady warning that Jamal could be barred from entering the country.Viera said Mtetwa's application on behalf of Jamal was "meant to jeopardise police investigations that are underway and are not connected" to the diamond ring saga."The police cannot divulge the finer details of the investigations to Ms Beatrice Mtetwa, who is representing the first applicant (Jamal), who is on the run. I remain cognisant of my duty to inform the applicant upon his arrest of the reason for his arrest. I cannot pre-empt to him as doing so will impact negatively on the investigations," Viera said."One wonders why his (Jamal) lawyer, who is an officer of this honourable court, is assisting her client to play hide-and-seek with the police. Ms Mtetwa is entitled to her thinking, but she should desist from interfering with police investigations."He said Mtetwa was surreptitiously hoping to get information which concerns police investigations by seeking the joinder of the law enforcement agency in her civil action."I aver that joining the police to the civil action will seriously prejudice police investigations as information which is going to be used against the first applicant will be availed to him and that would afford him the opportunity to conceal or destroy evidence, thereby defeating police efforts," Viera said.The police boss said he had been investigating Jamal since 2016 and had uncovered evidence that the Lebanese had committed a series of offences."For the sake of clarity, it must be noted that I (Viera) commenced investigating applicant (Jamal) in early 2016 after receiving information about his suspicious criminal exploits which include theft, fraud, money-laundering, contravention of the Exchange Control Act, contravention of the Immigration Act and his dealings in diamonds," Viera said."So far investigations have unravelled that there is credence to the information the police have gathered as a number of suspicious activities by the first applicant have been established which amounts to offences."Jamal has accused the police of acting on Grace's orders rather than follow due process.Viera further said investigations had also shown that Jamal accumulated vast wealth and properties which included both movable and immovable properties whose acquisition was also the subject of investigations, adding "a warrant of arrest has been issued against him (Jamal)."
Taking on Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over cleaning of the Ganga, Union Minister Uma Bharti today asked the Congress leader to refrain from making "frivolous" comments.

Bharti, Union Minister for Water Resources, claimed the work on cleaning the river was on and lay a wager that the Congress vice president "jumps into the river" if positive results of the first phase of the project were not evident by 2018 "otherwise I will jump".

The feisty sadhvi also targeted Gandhi for attacking Modi over his "son of the Ganga from Gujarat" comment, saying the Congress leader should know that his mother Sonia Gandhi "reveres the river" despite her Italian origin.

"He (Rahul) says Prime Minister is from Gujarat and calls Ganga his maa (mother)...Kafi chhote dimag ke aadmi hain Rahul (he is narrow minded). He is not aware that the entire world considers Ganga its mother," she said.

Rahul had yesterday accused Modi of making "conditional promises and deals" even with "Ganga maa".

Alleging that Modi did not only make promises to Ganga, but even struck deals with her, Gandhi said, "Modi told Maa Ganga that first make him the Prime Minister and then he will carry out the cleaning work."



"Modi strikes a relationship with mother Ganga saying he is the son of Banaras and that mother Ganga called him there (to contest Lok Sabha polls)," Gandhi told a poll rally in Varanasi yesterday.

Asking whether the Ganga had only one son and "that too from Gujarat", Gandhi had said the holy river belonged to everyone and not any single person.

Bharti, who heads the Modi government's ambitious Namami Gange programme as Union Minister for Water Resources, said phase I of the Clean Ganga Mission, launched in July 2016, was intended to be complete by October next year.

"Rahul says Ganga has not been cleaned yet. We will show results of phase I works in October 2018. Rahul should accompany me to Banaras then and I will show him that the work has been completed," Bharti told PTI over phone from Varanasi.

"If the work is complete, he should jump into the Ganga. If it's not, I will. He should not make frivolous comments about Ganga."



Bharti said Gandhi had aligned with "Ganga's enemy", the UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav who, she alleged, tried to hamper the project.

She alleged that Yadav did not give the 'No Objection Certificate' for starting the Phase I of the project in UP. She said the first phase covered five river basin states of Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, besides UP.

"I urge Rahul to not rush to Thailand after the (assembly) polls. He should come and see that the work is being carried out in four states.

"He is sitting with Ganga's enemy. I have evidence that Akhilesh did not give NOC. Will Rahul give up his friendship with Akhilesh if he actually swears by Ganga maa?" she said.

Bharti claimed Congress-led governments started working on cleaning the Ganga but "nothing happened" for 29 years.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The UN today denounced Sri Lanka's "slow pace" in addressing war crimes and warned that it may "derail" the momentum towards lasting peace and reconciliation with the minority Tamil community.

The UN human rights office also asked the country to appoint international judges to investigate allegations of rights violations.

"The slow pace of transitional justice in Sri Lanka and the lack of a comprehensive strategy to address accountability for past crimes risk derailing the momentum towards lasting peace, reconciliation and stability," it said.

The remarks came at the launch of a report in Geneva on Sri Lanka's progress in addressing crimes committed during the country's three-decade-long civil war that ended in 2009.

The report comes a day after Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said he had the guts to dismiss the UN demand seeking foreign judges to probe the alleged war crimes.

But the rights body did not drop its demand for a hybrid mechanism with foreign judges to probe the allegations.

"Adopt legislation establishing a hybrid court, which should include international judges, defence lawyers, prosecutors and investigators,to investigate allegations of violations and abuses of international human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law,and provide it with the resources necessary to enable it to try those responsible promptly and effectively".

At the same time, the report hailed the government for advancing on constitutional reforms and showcasing some positive developments on the broader human rights agenda.

"The fulfilment of transitional justice commitments has, however, been worryingly slow, and the structures set up and measures taken during the period under review were inadequate to ensure real progress," the report said.

"Party politics, including the balancing of power between the different constituencies of the coalition in the run-up to constitutional reforms, have contributed to a reluctance to address difficult issues regarding accountability or to clearly articulate a unified position by all parts ofthe government.

"The deployment of foreign judges on the accountability mechanism has presented the government with one such difficult issue.

"Unclear and often contradictory messages have been deliveredon transitional justice mechanisms. Public messaging around transitional justice and reconciliation has been generally confusing and at times contradictory," the report said.

High UN Human Rights Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein will formally present the report to the Human Rights Council on March 22in Geneva.

Last month, Sri Lanka said it needed more time to probe the alleged war crimes committed during the civil war and insisted that the proposed mechanism to deliver justice to the victims would be homegrown and not a copy of the South African model.

According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by the security forces during former president Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime that brought the civil war to an end by defeating the LTTE.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Polling for 49 Uttar Pradesh Assembly seats, with SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav's Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency being in focus, will be held tomorrow in the sixth phase amid tight security arrangements.

Assembly segments of Gorakhpur Lok Sabha constituency of firebrand BJP leader Yogi Adityanath, and Mau, where jailed gangster-turned-MLA Mukhtar Ansari is in fray, also figure in this penultimate phase of polling that will also cover some districts bordering Nepal.

Around 1.72 crore voters, including 94.60 lakh men and 77.84 lakh women, are eligible to cast their votes in this round to decide the fate of 635 candidates.

The districts going to polls tomorrow are Mau, Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Deoria, Azamgarh and Ballia.

Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency has 10 assembly seats, of which SP had won nine in 2012, but this time Mulayam has not addressed a single meeting in his parliamentary constituency.

The prestige of Union minister Kalraj Mishra, who represents Deoria in the Lok Sabha, too is at stake, besides that of Adityanath.

BJP is contesting 45 seats and its ally Apna Dal one. Another BJP partner Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party is contesting 3 seats.

While BSP has fielded candidates on all 49 seats, SP is contesting 40 seats and Congress 9 seats under an alliance.

Prominent candidates in this phase include BSP turncoat Swami Prasad Maurya from Padrauna (Kushinagar), former BJP state president Surya Pratap Shahi from Pathardeva (Deoria), Shyam Bahadur Yadav (SP), son of former Governor Ram Naresh Yadav from Fulpur Pawai (Azamgarh), SP turncoats Ambika Chowhdury and Narad Rai, who are contesting on BSP ticket from Fefna (Ballia) and Ballia Sadar respectively.

Mukhtar is contesting from Mau and his son Abbas is in fray from adjoining Ghosi seat in Mau district.

In the 2012 Assembly polls, of the 49 seats, 27 were won by the SP, 9 by BSP, 7 by BJP, 4 by Congress and 2 by others.

There will be 17,926 polling booths in this phase.

The highest number of 23 candidates are contesting from Gorakhpur and the least candidates, numbering seven are in pitted for Mohammadabad Gohna seat in Mau district.

Central Para Military Forces have already reached the constituencies and carried out flag march in sensitive areas.

Indo-Nepal border with Maharajganj and Gorakhpur, and border with Bihar have been sealed.

Police patrolling has been intensified along inter district borders and barriers have been erected on highways to keep an eye on movements of vehicles.

Campaigning for the sixth phase saw BJP state president K



P Maurya likening rivals SP, Congress and BSP to different types of venomous "snakes" and "social cancer" and urging people to eliminate them by voting for the BJP.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav countered BJP saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conceded defeat in the polls by talking about a hung house.

While mustering votes for BJP, Modi sought to prove wrong the prophets of doom after demonetisation saying the latest GDP data showed note-ban did not affect growth rate but rather improved it.

Mocking economists, he said, "Hard work, in fact, is much more powerful than Harvard."



Sounding highly optimistic of the poll outcome for BJP, Modi said the debate now is whether BJP will get two-third or three-fourth majority.

"Never have elections gone one way like this... There had been no dearth in enthusiasm of voters in all five phases," he said.

The PM also caught UP Chief Minister on the wrong foot and cited government website to nail him.

"Life in Uttar Pradesh is short and uncertain... Uttar Pradesh resembles Saharan Africa," Modi said quoting a para from the state government's official website up.Gov.In.

On the last day of campaigning BJP President Amit Shah held a road show in Gorakhpur yesterday. Similar road shows were organised at Kushinagar and Azamgarh.

During her campaign, BSP supremo Mayawati said the public is "disenchanted with BJP and SP" due to the "wrong policies" of the Union and the state governments, and accused Modi and Shah of "dreaming to destroy the state".
US warplanes pounded Al-Qaeda targets in Yemen for a second straight day today, killing eight militants, security and tribal sources said as Washington boosts its air war against the jihadists.

A defence official in Washington told AFP that American forces conducted "about 10" strikes in Yemen today.

The attacks hit similar targets as yesterday -- weapons caches, fighters and military equipment, the official said.

The Pentagon said yesterday it had carried out more than 20 strikes against Al-Qaeda in the southern provinces of Shabwa and Abyan and the central province of Baida.

Yemeni officials said at least 12 suspected militants were killed in those strikes, which came barely a month after a botched American raid against the group left multiple civilians and a US Navy SEAL dead.

Today, US warplanes hit three houses in the Yashbam Valley before dawn, one of them the home of Al-Qaeda's Shabwa province commander Saad Atef, the tribal sources said.

Security officials in the area said eight jihadists were killed, and tribal sources said that women and children were wounded.

The valley is a jihadist stronghold and was also one of the targets of the previous day's strikes.

Jihadists retaliated with anti-aircraft fire, security officials and tribal sources said, adding that US helicopters took part in the operation.

One resident said it had been a "terrifying night".

US President Donald Trump faced broad criticism at home after he authorised the January 29 commando raid during which Navy SEAL Ryan Owens and many civilians were killed.

As many as eight women and eight children were killed, a Baida provincial official said, drawing condemnation of the raid from human rights groups.

The US official said today the latest targets had been acquired long before the January 29 raid, but that some intelligence gathered then corroborated what was already known about the new targets.

"What we already knew about these sites was reconfirmed," the official said.

Al-Qaeda has exploited a power vacuum created by two years of war between Yemen's government and Shiite rebels who control the capital to consolidate its presence, particularly in the south and east.

Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said yesterday that Al-Qaeda had taken advantage of ungoverned spaces in Yemen to plot, direct, and inspire terror attacks against America and its allies.

He said yesterday's strikes targeted Al-Qaeda militants, equipment and infrastructure. Another US official said they had involved both fighter jets and drones.

Successive American administrations have kept up a drone war against Al-Qaeda in Yemen since soon after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Washington regards the Yemen branch to be the jihadists' most dangerous, and holds it responsible for several plots to carry out attacks in the West.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A top US Senator has strongly pushed for selling the state-of-the-art to India which "is going to be the next great thing of defence collaboration" between both countries.

Democrat Senator Mark Warner and his Republican colleague in the Senate Dan Sullivan, during a programme here, asserted that the erstwhile Obama Administration and the US Congress designating India as a major defence partner is a significant step forward in taking the India-US relationship to the next level.

While the two lawmakers were strong on India-US co-operation in Asia-Pacific region, in particular South China Sea, both appeared to be quite soft to when it came to India's interest with regard to terrorist safe havens in Pakistan  which has been responsible for a number of terrorist attacks from across the border.

Senator Sullivan argued the case for joint military operations by India and the US in areas of common interest.

India, notably, has shown reluctance to such a proposal from the US so far.

Warner, who is co-chair of the Senate India caucus and Ranking member of the powerful Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, expressed his displeasure at the role of the bureaucracy from the US State Department and Department of Defense in the possible sale of to India.

India had sought to purchase a significant number of for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean.

"I have been frustrated with the Defence and State Department in terms of the sale of guardian drones. This is going to be the next great thing of defence collaboration," Warner said, as he expressed his disappointment over what he said was India's inability to absorb the requirement of 30 per cent offset.

"Major Defence Partnership" which he said moves India into the category of non-NATO type ally, "is a great step in the right direction".

"Actually this (Major Defence Partner) status that is unique to India. The idea is to actually institutionalise (the relationship)," Sullivan said in his remarks at the Woodrow Wilson Center, a top American think-tank.

Responding to a question on Pakistan, Warner said that while India and the US have a very strong relationship between the intelligence community, there is enormous concern not only about Pakistan's role in unrest in Kashmir, but also the terrorist organisations from Pakistan.

Warner said that it is in the best interest of Pakistan to not differentiate between different groups of terrorists.

Praising India's patience, Warner said that India today has risen to a place where it sees itself as a major international partner. "I want to send a strong message that Pakistani can't play both ways, supporting one group of terrorists on one hand and taking action against the others," he said.

Sullivan said there is always an area of common interest with India.

"I believe we can have a strong relationship with both countries, particularly in the area of international terrorism," he said.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) today told the Supreme Court that it wants to e-auction the iconic five-star Taj Mansingh Hotel in the heart of the national capital.

A bench of Justices P C Ghose and R F Nariman agreed to hear the NDMC's plea on March 22 and asked Tata's Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL), which has challenged a Delhi High Court order allowing auction of the hotel, to file objections, if any, within a week.

The apex court had earlier asked the NDMC to reconsider its decision to auction the five-star hotel in the wake of the Attorney General and Solicitor General's opinion not to initiate any such process.

It had noted the fact that the opinions of both top law officers against the auctioning of the hotel was not placed before the Ministry of Home Affairs for consideration.

The bench had also taken note of the fact that there was an internal opinion of top NDMC officials against the auctioning process.

It had told Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain that NDMC had informed the ministry that opinions of the AG and SG favouring extension of lease, were still awaited.

"It is strange and doesn't look bonafide. The AG and SG's opinions should have been placed before the ministry concerned," the bench had said.

When the bench had asked ASG Jain, who was appearing for NDMC, whether the body agreed to reconsider the decision of going ahead with the auctioning process, he had replied, "No".

To this, the bench had said, "Why are you not agreeing to reconsider the decision. It not a matter of right. Do you not want to be fair to the party who has been paying the rent continuously for 30 years."



IHCL had earlier told the apex court that it was "not clear" why NDMC wanted to auction the prime property which gave the "best revenue" to it.

The company had earlier submitted that NDMC expert report suggests that the council would "lose revenue" if the hotel was auctioned to other players.

The apex court had on November 21 last year directed that status quo be maintained with regard to NDMC's auctioning process of Taj Mansingh Hotel.

The apex court had also refused NDMC's prayer that the



hotel should be restrained from taking any fresh bookings, saying "it is very difficult to restrain fresh bookings for a running hotel. Everything will be decided when we hear the matter."



IHCL, which runs the hotel, had on November 8 last year approached the apex court against the Delhi High Court's order that cleared the decks for auctioning of the iconic property.

The firm had challenged the October 27 last year's verdict delivered by a division bench of the high court dismissing IHCL's petition challenging the move by NDMC to auction the property.

The high court had dismissed IHCL's plea saying the company has "no right" for renewal of the licence period and NDMC was "within its power" to secure maximum consideration for grant of licence for the property located at the prime location of 1, Man Singh Road in Lutyen's Delhi.

IHCL had moved the division bench of the high court against the September 5 last year judgement of a single judge who had not acceded to the firm's request for renewal of licence for a further period, saying it was not entitled for the extension.

The property, owned by NDMC, was given to IHCL on a lease of 33 years. The lease had ended in 2011 and the company was given nine temporary extensions since then on various grounds, with three of them granted last year itself.

NDMC had earlier said it was in the process of assessing the assets of the hotel in preparation for the much-delayed auction.

IHCL had earlier approached the single judge bench of the high court seeking a decree of permanent injunction restraining NDMC from interfering in any manner with the possession, right to operate, run and maintain the hotel premises.
A court here today issued a bailable warrant against Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel for not appearing before it for the second time.

The court was going to frame charges against Hardik in a sedition case registered against him in the city.

Principal sessions judge Geeta Gopi issued the bailable warrant against Hardik.

Hardik's lawyer Yashwantsinh Vala said he could not come to Surat because he had to appear at Padhadhari court in Rajkot district in another case.

However, prosecutor Nayan Sukhadwala urged the court to issue a warrant, saying the Patel quota leader had played truant on Wednesday too, and had been ordered to appear today.

Hardik will now have to deposit Rs 5,000 at the nearest police station and get bail, his lawyer said.

The next date of hearing is March 10.

Hardik, currently out on bail, was arrested by Surat police in October 2015 for 'sedition' for allegedly asking a fellow activist to kill the police instead of committing suicide.

He is facing a sedition case in Ahmedabad too.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese electronics maker has no plans to exit operations in India, it said on Friday, refuting a media report that the company was preparing to leave the market although it has cut almost 80 per cent of its workforce.

"India is one of the most strategic markets for LeEco," the company said in a statement, adding that it had no plans to leave and was gearing up to launch its next generation television in the country.

The Economic Times reported on Friday that the company was firing 85 percent of its Indian workforce and was looking to exit is operations in the country.



LeEco, which entered the Indian market in 2016, did not mention job cuts in its statement. But a company representative said restructuring measures had resulted in a workforce reduction.

"The company at the moment has over 80 employees in India. At the end of last year, we had around 350 employees," the representative added.

In a letter to staff in November Chief Executive Jia Yueting said the company was experiencing a cash crunch as a result of expansion at an "unprecedented rate". Leshi Internet Information and Technology Corp Beijing is its listed smart TV subsidiary.

"Globally, the company has adopted several measures to counter cash shortage. The whole idea is 'profit or perish'. To that extent, steps to recalibrate towards that goal have been initiated," the representative added.

Market analyst Jaipal Singh at IDC India said competition in the Indian smartphone market was very stiff. "Timing of market entry is crucial and some manufacturers tend to fall behind," he said.

A former employee at LeEco's Mumbai office, who quit after six months at the company, told Reuters the CEO's letter in November had left him disillusioned and prompted him to resign.

Singh said challenges in the market had mounted as Indian consumers were value conscious but also look for more features in their products. "So innovation is a key criteria for these smartphone manufacturers while keeping the cost low," he said.
Indian banks' loans rose 4.8 per cent in the two weeks to Feb 17 from a year earlier, while deposits rose 12.8 per cent, the Reserve Bank of India's weekly statistical supplement showed on Friday.

Outstanding loans rose 62.60 billion rupees ($936.63 million) to 74.85 trillion rupees in the two weeks to Feb 17. Non-food credit rose 80.70 billion rupees to 73.80 trillion rupees, while food credit fell 18.10 billion rupees to 1.06 trillion rupees.

Bank deposits fell 757.10 billion rupees to 104.87 trillion rupees in the two weeks to Feb 17.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Former Education minister David Coltart has hailed Botswana President Ian Khama for calling for thanksgiving ceremony for the rains in his country at the same time lambasting President Robert Mugabe for only thinking about eating the cake and celebrating his life and over stay in power."President Khama calls for a day of National Thanksgiving for the rains. Now that is what I call presidential - not eating cake and imported chips before thousands of children who battle to get 3 square meals at home," Coltart posted on Face book.In his message to the nation Khama thanked God for the rains and urged the nation to have a thanksgiving ceremony.'My fellow Batswana, there is nothing more precious to us than the blessing of good rains. In this respect, we have been truly humbled these past few weeks by the rains that have occurred throughout our country. Today almost all our dams are full, including the Gaborone Dam for the first time in sixteen years," Khama said."In as much as these rains were an answer to our fervent prayers, it is only befitting that we should now give thanks to the Lord who makes all things possible. In this regard, I am declaring that this coming Sunday, the 5th of March 2017, should be a day of national thanksgiving.""I, together with my Cabinet and other citizens will be taking part in a small prayer gathering at Gaborone Dam this coming Sunday. It is my hope that our churches and other religious and civil institutions will also take this cue and give special thanks on the day."
Tata Sons will split a dispute settlement payment of $1.18 billion owed to NTT DoCoMo over the Japanese firm's exit from a telecoms joint venture, leaving it with about two-thirds of the amount to invest in India, a source said.

Both are likely to approach India's central bank within 15 days with a plan that will offer to split the payment into two parts, the source, who has direct knowledge of the matter, said.

While Tata Sons will pay the fair value of DoCoMo's 26 percent stake outside India, or roughly $390 million according to Reuters calculations, DoCoMo would need to invest the balance of $790 million in India, either for expansion or other joint ventures, the source added.

It was not immediately clear how DoCoMo would use the money if the plan were formalised.

"DoCoMo at least gets control of the money and can use it for investment in India," said the source, who requested anonymity, as the decision is not final.

Another possible alternative could be that DoCoMo receives the entire payment in India and retains it for future investment instead of repatriating it, a second source close to Tata Sons said.

Any deal is subject to the Reserve Bank of India's approval.

Tata Sons declined to comment. DoCoMo did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment.

Tata Teleservices, a unit of salt-to-software conglomerate Tata Sons, and DoCoMo formed a telecoms partnership in 2009. In the event of an exit, that deal guaranteed DoCoMo the higher of either half its original investment, or its fair value.

When DoCoMo decided to get out in 2014, Tata Sons was unable to find a buyer for the Japanese firm's stake and offered to buy the stake itself, for half DoCoMo's investment of $2.2 billion.

India's central bank blocked Tata Sons' offer, saying a rule change the previous year prevented foreign investors from selling stakes in Indian firms at a pre-determined price.

DoCoMo took the case to a London court and won the arbitration. Tata Sons was asked to pay a penalty of $1.18 billion, which it has deposited with the Delhi High Court in the Indian capital, where the case is being heard.

On Tuesday, Tata Sons and DoCoMo agreed to settle out of court, after a new chairman took charge at the Indian conglomerate. DoCoMo has also agreed to end all legal proceedings against Tata Sons in Britain and the United States for a period of time.
Yogender Pal Singh doesnt look a day older than 70. He will turn 80 later this year, but locals in Patla, a verdant village overlooking the Hindon in Uttar Pradeshs (UP) Modinagar, tell me that he works with the same verve he did 20 years ago. Singh roams around with a walking stick and is seemingly accompanied by the aura of a stern grandfather.
By the time Stalin died on 5 March 1953, the Soviet Union boasted the largest and best-funded scientific establishment in history, Simon Ings writes in Stalin and the Scientists. It was at once the glory and the laughingstock of the intellectual world.

The Bolsheviks viewed the ideology of Marxism as essentially scientific in its analysis of human progress, and science was always a vital part of their conception of the Soviet Union, which they trumpeted as the first state ever founded on scientific principles. Its rulers, particularly Lenin and Stalin, regarded themselves as manifestations of the dictatorship of the proletariat, which gave them the authority to adjudicate on everything in society, including the arts and sciences. Lenin was an intellectual, at home as much in the London Library as in the Kremlin. Stalin was a published romantic poet and enthusiastic autodidact with a library of thousands of books, not only read but annotated. They had the confidence to interfere in every genre of art and every discipline of science. Stalin would soon be hailed as the all-knowing coryphaeus (leader of the chorus in Greek drama) of science.

Their drive to modernise Russia and restore it to great-power status, while struggling to feed millions in a country ruined by World War I and civil conflict, meant science was also a practical necessity. The fact that most scientists (and artists) were middle and upper class added the tension of class struggle. Lenin, as always, put it most succinctly: Communism cannot be built without a fund of knowledge, technology, culture, but they are in the possession of bourgeois specialists. Among them the majority do not approve of the Soviet regime, but without them we cannot build Communism.

Ings, the author of A Natural History of Seeing, skillfully relates the life stories of these bourgeois scientists. There was Ivan Pavlov, who observed, among many other things, that dogs secreted saliva when they expected food. There were the psychologists Lev Vygotsky and Alexander Luria, who conducted research on cognitive development. (Luria could be said to be the inventor of the lie detector.) At first, the scientists were surprised to find themselves endowed with new equipment and honour. But the picture darkened once Stalin began demanding astonishing jumps in creativity and production, which in turn made the scientists more important but more dangerous and therefore more policed and persecuted.

Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press

Pages: 508

Price: $28

The heart of the book is the story of the Great Terror that struck the scientific establishment in the 1930s. Ings shows that scientists now depended for resources and promotion (but also for physical survival) on the power of patrons such as top leaders like Andrei Zhdanov, or the greatest patron of all, Stalin. He describes the rise of the maliciously cunning but childlike Trofim Lysenko, who notoriously became Stalins favourite scientist (though they met only once or twice).

Ings capably recounts how Soviet science became a laughingstock and often a human tragedy, but he doesnt explain how Stalinist technology produced colossal successes, too, from the creation of Tupolev and MiG planes to the best designed tank in the world, the T-34. And while Ingss research is impressive and his exposition of the science is lucid, the key stories of Lysenko and the nuclear project are well known and better covered elsewhere, as in David Holloways Stalin and the Bomb.

Whats more, Ingss history contains many mistakes starting with the birthday of Stalin himself: There is a choice of two. Officially it was December 21, 1879 (New Style). In reality, Stalin was born on December 6, 1878 (Old Style), or December 18, 1878 (New Style). This book muddles both and gives the birthday as December 18, 1879. In 1881, Alexander II was assassinated, but it is wrong to say his route never varied. He alternated routes, and that was why the terrorists had two plans. The Bolsheviks and Mensheviks didnt miss the 1905 revolution; they launched an armed uprising that had to be crushed by the army. Dzerzhinsky remained head of the secret police until his death in 1926, not giving it up when he became head of the Supreme Council of the National Economy. In 1940, Finland was not in Russian hands, but it did sue for peace.

Overall, however, Ings is an entertaining storyteller who often captures the essence of things  Stalin was indeed the last in a long line of European philosopher kings. Filled with priceless nuggets and a cast of frauds, crackpots and tyrants, this is a lively and interesting book, and utterly relevant today when the Trump administration is challenging the scientific establishment on climate change. We in the West have long laughed at the Coryphaeus of Science, but has the United States now elected its own?

 2017 The New York Times
The economic blockadea manifestation of the states ethnic conflictis the burning problem right now, said Binod Kumai, a research associate with the Institute for Conflict Management, a New Delhi-based nonprofit. Prices of necessary commodities have skyrocketed, with cooking gas cylinders being sold for Rs 1,000 (Rs 651.50 in the national capital) and a litre of petrol for Rs 200 (Rs 71.33 in the national capital), he explained.
When Narendra Modi decided to contest the Lok Sabha election from Varanasi in 2014, residents of the pilgrimage site in Uttar Pradesh welcomed him as one of their own. There was all-round excitement that a prime ministerial candidate had chosen this ancient city on the banks of the Ganga as his constituency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi and BSP supremo Mayawati will descend on Varanasi on Saturday making it their battleground ahead of the last phase of UP polls, a schedule that has put the administration on its toes.

According to the programme received by the district administration here, Modi is scheduled to arrive at his Lok Sabha constituency at about 3 PM and leave for the Kashi Vishwanath temple after resting for an hour at the guest house of the Benares Hindu University.

After offering prayers at Kashi Vishwanath, Modi will visit the Kaal Bhairav temple, situated a kilometre away.

Modi will then leave for the Kashi Vidyapith University where he is scheduled to address his first public meeting in the ancient temple city during the ongoing Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

In what is likely to cause jitters to the administration and badly affect traffic in the city known for its congested streets, the Prime Minister's tour will be coinciding with a joint road show by Gandhi and Yadav.

The road show was postponed twice last month and is now being held with two more days to go for campaigning in the final lap of seven-phase assembly polls.

A 10 km-long route has been finalised by the district administration in consultation with the elite Special Protection Group (SPG) which provides security cover to both Modi and Gandhi.

The road show will commence at the Kutchery and conclude at Girijaghar--a church situated in Godaulia locality--close to Kashi Vishwanath and Kaal Bhairav temples.

The SP-Congress alliance hopes to cause an upset in three of the five Assembly segments falling under Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency currently held by the BJP.

Fighting separately in 2012, the two parties had together polled more votes than the BJP in all the three seats, with the Congress finishing as the runner-up in two of these-- Varanasi South and Varanasi Cantt.

In Varanasi North, SP had finished third, behind BJP and BSP, and was followed closely by the Congress.

All the three seats--which cover almost the entire city-- are being contested by the Congress this time, while the SP is fighting the predominantly rural Rohaniya and Sevapuri.

The day will also be marked by a rally of Mayawati in Rohaniya.

The seat was wrested by the SP from the Apna Dal in a by-poll necessitated three years ago by sitting MLA Anupriya Patel's election to the Lok Sabha.

Patel is now a Union minister and her party has suffered a split.

The faction headed by her is contesting the polls in alliance with the BJP while the one led by her mother Krishna is fighting separately.

Although Modi's programme for March 5-6 is yet to reach the administration here, according to party sources, the PM is likely to return to his parliamentary constituency on Sunday evening to hold a rally.

He is likely to reach the rally's venue in a procession resembling a road show before going to the guest house of Diesel Locomotive Works where he might informally interact with nearly 2,000 distinguished citizens and, thereafter, retire for the day.

On Monday, the final day of campaigning for the seventh phase, Modi is expected to visit Ramnagar area across the Ganga, where Lal Bahadur Shastri had spent his early childhood, and garland a statue of the former Prime Minister.

Then, Modi is likely to sign off with a rally in Rohaniya.

Stakes are particularly high for the BJP in the Prime Minister's Lok Sabha constituency.

Top leaders like party chief Amit Shah and vice president in-charge of UP Om Mathur have been conducting whirlwind tours of the city while Union ministers like Arun Jaitley, Smriti Irani and Piyush Goyal have been interacting with citizens from different walks of life.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

A ZIMBABWEAN court on Friday 03 March 2017 convicted pro-democracy campaigner Linda Masarira and acquitted four other human rightsactivists in the first conviction of anti-government protesters who allegedly staged crippling protests against President Robert Mugabe'sadministration last year.Mbare Magistrate Stanford Mambanje convicted Masarira, who had been on trial since last year after she was arrested on 06 July 2016 togetherwith nine other Harare residents and charged with contravening Section 38 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 forallegedly obstructing or endangering free movements of persons or vehicles during the #ShutdownZim2016 anti-government protests.In convicting Masarira, who was represented by Kudzayi Kadzere of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Magistrate Mambanje labeledthe pro-democracy campaigner a notorious activist and a social media agitator.Masarira was granted bail on Friday 03 March 2017 pending sentence on Monday 06 March 2017.However, four other human rights activists who were also on trial with Masarira were acquitted. The other activists had been discharged at the close of the State case last year.Meanwhile, Harare Magistrate Nomsa Sabarauta on Thursday 02 March 2017 acquitted Shakespear Mukoyi, the MDC-T political party's YouthAssembly's Deputy Chairperson.In acquitting Mukoyi, who was represented by Gift Mtisi of ZLHR, Magistrate Sabarauta ruled that the State failed through its two witnesses to lead evidence, which a reasonable court might use to convict the MDC-T youth leader of any offence.Mukoyi had been on trial since January after he was arrested on Wednesday 26 October 2016 and charged with contravening Section 187 asread with Section 36 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 09:23.Prosecutors had charged that the 40 year-old Mukoyi contravened Section 187 as read with Section 36 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act after he allegedly unlawfully incited members of the public during a rally held on Sunday 23 October 2016 at Mukandabhutsu Open Space in Harare's Msasa suburb, where he allegedly uttered the words: "Kana mupurisa afarisa anenge angotirova ngaachigara kuChikurubi camp nekuti tikazomuona aine uniform achifamba famba tichazomurovawo".
The Union Commerce Ministry intends to investigate the complaints lodged by online vendors against e-commerce biggie Snapdeal for allegedly defaulting on payments due to them, a top official disclosed on Thursday.

"Yes, there are lot of people telling me about it. Lot of people have approached me through the social media. I need to work together with the Consumer Affairs Ministry on this," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told journalist. She said the government needs to ascertain whether it is commercial transactions going wrong or there are violations of policy. There are too many angles to it, she added.

Sitharaman said this while replying to a question about the complaints of vendors regarding non-payment of dues. ``Its not just the Commerce Ministry which has to do it, maybe, one or two more departments and ministries will have to come on board. I am conscious of what has been coming through in the market. I am working with them to find out how we can respond,'' she added.



ALSO READ: Snapdeal layoffs: Here's all you need to know

After Snapdeal recently began laying off hundreds of employees as part of its cost-cutting, online sellers appealed to Sitharaman to help safeguard their money that the company holds in the form of outstanding dues. The All-India Online Vendor Association has written to Sitharaman that in any given month as much as Rs 300 crore-400 crore of their funds is held by Snapdeal either in the form of outstanding dues and goods in transit or as refunds.

The e-Commerce Sellers Association of India has also cautioned its members to either stop selling on Snapdeal, or to ensure that their dues from the company do not accumulate. The Softbankbacked e-tailer has started laying off hundreds of employees across verticals as cofounder Kunal Bahl admitted to making a mistake in growing much before it could figure out the right economic model.

Struggling to raise fresh capital, loss-making Snapdeal has decided to stop all non-core activities, reduce costs drastically and sack employees to turn profitable. In a bid to soften the blow of the drastic decision, Bahl and co-founder Rohit Bansal have decided to take a 100 per cent salary cut. This has sparked a fear among the vendors that the company is facing a cash crunch and may not be able to pay the dues. Jasper Infotech Pvt Ltd, which runs Snapdeal, will lay off 500-600 employees across the e-commerce marketplace and its subsidiaries, mobile wallet Freecharge and logistics wing Vulcan Express, sources privy to the development said.

In an internal mail to the employees, Bahl said, with all the capital coming into this market, our entire industry, including ourselves, started making mistakes. We started growing our business much before the right economic model and market fit was figured out. We also started diversifying and starting new projects, while we still had not perfected the first or made it profitable. We started building our team and capabilities for a much larger size of business than what was required with the present scale, he wrote.

The formula to revive the company, he said, focus on only your core, stop all non-core activities, reduce costs drastically, turn profitable as soon as you can, and use those profits to spur further growth and new projects. The company had recently announced shutting down of its consumer to consumer marketplace Shopo as part of its move to cut losses.




PepsiCo Chairperson Indra Nooyi on Thursday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and offered the multinational giant's participation in the government's efforts to uplift the lot of Indian farmers.

"I shared with Prime Minister Modi, PepsiCo is well positioned to help the government deliver on the national development goals he has outlined for farmers and supporting their livelihoods,'' she said in a statement.

Nooyi further said: ``The Prime Minister and I had an engaging dialogue on how PepsiCo is making investments to grow, process and use more Indian-grown fruit for juice in our sparkling beverages. She also said they discussed on how PepsiCo is focusing on new health-oriented products with local recipes.

"We also discussed our launch of new Quaker Oats products that take traditional recipes and add in whole grain Quaker Oats to help Indians start their day in a healthy way,'' Nooyi added.

PepsiCo along with Coca Cola has been under fire for its sugary drinks which are seen as a major cause of obesity and diabetes due to the large quantities in which they are consumed.

With increasing awareness, Governments have cracked down with high taxes to discourage the consumption of these aerated drinks. The colas have even been banned in schools in the metros.

However, there is growing fear that the multinational giants are pushing their sugary drinks to smaller towns and developing countries to offset the drop in sales in the bigger cities and advanced nations.

Nooyi's trip also comes at a time when Tamil Nadu and Kerala are up in arms against the Cola giants as they use to much of scarce water which the farmers claim they need for irrigation.

COLA GIANTS WIN CASE IN HIGH COURT

However, on Thursday the Madras High Court allowed Coca Cola and Pepsi to draw water from a river in Tamil Nadu for their bottling plants but the lifting of the ban triggered protests by locals who stood knee-deep in the river.

The order came amid a call by the Traders Federation in Tamil Nadu to ban sales of Coca Cola and Pepsi that came into effect Wednesday with its President A M Vikrama Raja declaring the aerated drinks as 'toxic' for consumption.

In a major relief for the Cola majors, the Madurai bench of the court gave them permission to draw water from the Thamirabarani river for their bottling plants in Tirunelveli district for manufacturing soft drinks besides packaged drinking water.

Dismissing a PIL filed by D A Prabakar, a consumer activist, and one Appavo, a Division Bench of Justice A Selvam and Justice P Kalaiarasan lifted the ban earlier imposed by the court on the firms for drawing water from the river. The court had given the interim injunction in November last year.

The soft drinks companies sought a direction on lifting the ban on the ground that they were using only the surplus water. It was contended that drawing of water for the bottling plants of these companies deprived farmers of their livelihood, who were unable to take up farming activities. The companies paid only 37.50 paise per 1,000 litres of water extracted.
Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata on Friday called all the employees of Tata Group the 'inheritors and custodians of the Trusts' and of its 'belief in making a sustainable change' in society.

Tata said this in a letter written on the occasion of 178th birth anniversary of Tata Trusts founder Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata. The year also marks 125th year of Tata Trusts. The charitable trust owns 66 per cent of Tata Sons, the holding entity of all group companies.

While addressing the employees of the 148-year-old Group, Tata thanked them for their hard work. "You bring your zeal, your vigour, your integrity and most importantly your hard work. It is because of you that we can derive and obtain the opportunity and the privilege to serve our community and through that, our nation," Tata wrote.

Ratan Tata is known for informing employees and stakeholders about the company's developments. In recent past, he wrote quite a few letters especially after the removal of Cyrus Mistry as the group chairman.

Immediately after taking over as the interim chairman, Tata wrote to the employees saying the decision was taken 'in the interest of the Tata Group'.

"The decision to change the leadership of Tata Sons was a well-considered and serious one for its board members. This difficult decision, made after careful and thoughtful deliberation, is one the board believes was absolutely necessary for the future success of the Tata Group," Tata had said.

Ratan Tata also said that the Tata Group is in the safe hands of N Chandrasekaran, who would take it to a new level of progress and growth.

Introducing Chadrasekaran to the people of Jamshedpur, Tata expressed confidence that Chandra (Chandrasekaran) will take the group as well as the city to a new level of progress and growth.

"The Group and Jamshedpur city is in safe hand and it was a matter of pride that Chandra being an internal person of the group and had an impeccable record," Tata said after paying floral tributes to Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata on his 178th birth anniversary.

Chandra has an immense record in term of performance and the progress made by TCS under his leadership, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Chandrasekaran said, "I have been here in the steel city of Jamshedpur for last 36 hours witnessing, observing and feeling the impact of the city on human lives."

You can witness the Iconic brand Tata Steel and Jamshedpur almost inseparable being as one, which probably you could not have seen anywhere in the world, the Tata Sons Chairman said.

(With inputs from PTI)
In what can be called the biggest seizure of fake currency after demonetisation, the police have recovered counterfeit notes of Rs 2,000 with a face value of Rs 56,74,000 from Fancy Market in Khidderpore area of Kolkata.

According to reports, the notes were all in Rs 2,000 denomination and sealed in 'fake SBI packets'. This is the biggest such bust after the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes that was targeted at solving the problem of fake currency circulation, among other reasons.

The accused have been identified as Mamur Mollah, Sheikh Eklash Ahmed, Sheikh Abdul Kalam Azad, Syed Rehan and Balai Mandal. They had booked a few expensive cellphones from a shop in Fancy Market.

"When they were paying, the shop owner was doubtful about the currency notes and alerted the police. Officials of the Anti Rowdy Section (ARS) from the port division went there within minutes and nabbed the five," DNA quoted Joint CP (crime) Vishal Garg as saying.

He further said that the police was further investigating how the accused found the printing materials and if the notes were printed locally. The seized notes have been sent to Nashik for further investigation and the accused will be produced in court on Friday.

According to reports, the National Investigation Agency and the Border Security Force had earlier indicated that printing bases for fake notes had been established in Bangladesh.

Hindustan Times reported that as many as 10 out of 17 security features of a Rs 2000 note have been copied in the FICN.

Reports of fake currency notes, especially of Rs 2,000 denomination have been doing rounds within a short span of 2-3 months after the note ban announcement. Last month, the Border Security Force (BSF) seized 100 fake Rs 2,000 currency notes from Malda district in West Bengal.

On February 8, West Bengal Police arrested a youth with 40 fake Rs 2,000 currency notes from Murshidabad district, which is termed as the biggest such haul from the porous Indo-Bangla border region post demonetisation. The accused reportedly told investigators that the notes were printed in Pakistan.


A family trip to Mcdonald's turn into a nightmare for a Kolkata-based family after they found a fried lizard in their french fries.

According to media reports, a pregnant Priyanka Moitra took her daughter to the Mcdonald's EM Bypass outlet in Kolkata where they placed an order for french fries but as the food arrived, she spotted a dead lizard in it.

Priyanka said, "It was my four-year-old daughter's birthday on Tuesday. We had gone to the McDonald's outlet in Mani square, where we ordered burger and french fries. As we started eating, I noticed a dead lizard with the french fries, which got me vomiting. I immediately reported the matter to the outlet manager, who apologised and took away the order and offered to replace the same with fresh stuff."

Moitra was shocked with th eentire incident and filed a complaint. "Filing a police complaint was important. People should know about this incident as consuming such poisonous food can be fatal", she said.



ALSO READ: What is the RoRo service and how will it solve Delhi's traffic problem?

Meanwhile, over the bizarre incident, the official spokesperson of McDonald's India (North and East divisions) has said, "We have been in contact with the customer and are taking the situation seriously. As soon as we learnt about the complaint, we launched a thorough investigation to gather the facts of the matter. Probe into the matter is going on and we are fully cooperating with authorities involved."




The Apollo Hospitals stock fell in early morning trade after a unit of Malaysian sovereign fund Khazanah launched a block deal to sell Rs 1,089 crore ( $160 million) worth shares in the firm.

Khazanah Berhad's subsidiary Integrated (Mauritius) Healthcare Holdings sold over 8.4 million shares or 6 percent stake in the firm. Earlier, it held 10.85 percent stake in hospital chain operator.

The stock fell as much as 5.3 percent to Rs 1,250 on the NSE. On the BSE, the stock fell to intra-day low of Rs 1,252.20.



It closed 5.31 percent or 69.90 points lower at Rs 1,246 level on the BSE. On the NSE, the stock closed 5.42 percent or 71.55 points lower to Rs 1249 level.



As of Thursday's close, Apollo's stock had gained about 12 percent this year.

Deutsche Bank is the sole bookrunner for the deal.

About 1.14 crore shares of the company changed hands on the NSE. On the BSE, the stock saw turnover of 6.87 lakh after trading hours.




Rewind a decade and many of us can be seen getting awed by mobile savvy maids, guards and drivers who set up the very foundation of mobile revolution in India. Cut to 2016 the same mobile (now smarter) aided by demonetisation has marked the beginning of a new era for Digital Payment Companies.

The recent move by the Indian Government, which jolted the trade and business in India from obviousness and obliviousness, brought the focus on digital payment platforms. In absence of cash, Urban India lapped up the convenience of digital paymentand street hawkers were seen accepting payment through Paytm and other such platforms.Sight of Seniors making payments through digital wallets at local grocery shop or milk booth started losing its novelty.

However, as we stand today, in all this excitement, little does one realize the importance of security? We lock our cupboards, bolt and lock the doors to protect our valuables but are we essentially so cautious about our money lying in E wallets and such online transaction platforms? The sad truth is that most of us aren't even aware of the risks we undertake while transacting on the Internet.

Even in developed countries, multiple cases of online frauds and security breach are reported wherein people lose their money, securities or even crypto currencies like Bit Coin. Sadly the regulations and legislations don't move as fast as the fraudsters making legislative process reactive rather than being proactive. Since Internet knows no specific jurisdiction, application of laws of land has always been debatable and Governments are still grappling to find a workable solution.

Given the background, it is pertinent to look at and understand what are the legislative or other provisions available in India to keep the data and money safe.

If we look at the regulatory scenario in India, the main legislation around the Information Technology aspects is the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act). Further considering that the digital payment platforms deal with money, Reserve Bank of India, being the regulatory authority for currency movement was also given teeth to regulate such transactions in form of power to regulate digital wallet transactions by approval. Further, there are no minimum acceptable standards prescribed nor is there any definition of liability for loss due to breach/fraud except PCI-DSS and PA-DSS.

The Information Technology Act, 2000



Though the Act came in a decade ago, its use and powers have been evolving and have made little impact. Under IT Act, fintechCompanies are mandated only to maintain 'reasonable security practices and procedures'.

The IT Sensitive Personal Data Rules, 2011 issued under Section 43A, require such Companies to:

Have security practices proportionate to the data in their possession;



Such practices are required to be documented.

In the event of any loss due to inadequate practices or procedures or their compliance, the customer is liable to be compensated without any upper ceiling.

However, the pitfall is that the legislators failed to recognize the need for continuity of compliances. The provisions of the IT Act only require one time compliance and no liability in case the enterprise fails to update the security standards.

It would not be wrong to assume that in absence of any check, the compliance with provisions will be fairly low.

Since the law does not specifically address the matter, the contractual terms and conditions as signed by a customer become binding. What this means is that even if the payment portal has reasonable but inadequate security checks, customers cant hold them liable under the provisions of the IT Act. This also allows such portals to disclaim liability on account of lax security or any bugs.

Though Section 43A allows the government to issue such rules in consultation with proper professional bodies but nothing concrete has been worked up as yet. The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) plans to issue advisory and make reporting of unusual activities noted on platforms to Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) to ensure quick action and resolution of cyber security related

Reserve Bank of India

Unlike the powers exercised by RBI for banks, no such specific instructions or circulars have been issued for security for such digital payment platforms. RBI issued directions to banks and authorized card payment networks in February 2013 to initiate additional measures required in the wake of cyber-attacks becoming more unpredictable and electronic payment systems becoming vulnerable to new types of misuse. The directions required stakeholders to introduce certain minimum checks and balances to minimise the impact of such attacks and to arrest/minimise the damage. Accordingly, banks were required to put in place security and risk control measures for card payment transactions and electronic payments as well.



Payment Cards Industry-Data Security Standard



A welcome move in the said directive though was recognition of PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry-Data Security Standards) and PA-DSS (Payment Applications - Data Security Standards). The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards designed to ensure that ALL companies that accept, process, store or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment. Whereas Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS) is a set of requirements that are intended to help software vendors develop secure payment applications that support PCI DSS compliance.

Even though the recognition was limited to usage for card capturing terminals and merchant site, it helped provide statutory credibility to a private body standard. In the world of online payments, acceptance of such international standard would only help meet the global standards of security helping the Indian payment portals stay secure and relevant in international parlance.

Conclusion

The regulatory ecosystem around digital payments is still at a nascent stage and calls for a cautious approach on part of users in their own interest. Government can only do as much and create rules and regulations based on historical experiences mixed with limited foresight but in view of the rapid development of information technology, newer challenges will keep on surfacing making it pertinent for users of technology to be more cautious to protect money and belongings.



By, Nirav Maniar, Head of Legal, Regulatory and IT Practices at International Business Advisors
In a bid to keep Vodafone users from switching to Reliance Jio, Vodafone on Friday announced a new offer to counter services offered by other telecom operators.

The new plan, which will cost Rs 346 per month offers benefits like unlimited calls and SMS with 28GB data for a month. Vodafone in a statement said that this offer is valid only till 15 March.

Last month, RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani announced Jio's Rs 303 data plan along with the Prime Membership, which offers 28GB 4G data and unlimited voice calls without any roaming charges.

However, Reliance Jio Prime members get unlimited data but only 28GB of which will be available at 4G speeds and there is a 1GB/day limit as well.

For Vodafone customers, there is no membership required to avail the offer. In case of Jio, one has to pay Rs 99 untill 31 March 2017 to become a Prime member.

In wake of Jio's aggressive pricing, the telecom industry is gearing for more discounts and freebies.

Bharti Airtel chief Sunil Bharti Mittal recently acknowledged the tough competition in the telecom sector induced by Reliance Jio. He went on to say that Airtel will challenge every Jio offer with a similar Airtel offer.

Airtel also launched its new offer to take on the competition. The new Rs 145 data pack can get you a good 14GB of data for nearly half a month. This sets a direct comparison between this offer and Jio's 1GB per day offer.




Opinion / Columnist

AS in other parts of the world, immigration has taken a centre stage in the life of the nation. On the global stage, immigration has proven to be an emotive and contentious issue. It has been used to divide global citizens, with the view that it poses a serious threat and socio-economic challenges for receiving countries. South Africa is not unique in this regard. Manycountries are wrestling with anti-immigrant sentiments. Its manifestations may be seen in some of the issues affecting communities, and are discernible also in the issues exploited to perpetrate criminal activities.This is to a large measure a complex and delicate matter. Reckless abandonment of the core values of Ubuntu will only lead us into a clumsy and irresponsible reaction. We must respond in a humane and lawful manner, taking into cognisance the genuine frustrations of communities, while remaining mindful of tempers likely to spark violence and other acts of criminality.There will be no progressive and sustainable victory in xenophobic violence. Opportunistic individuals who partake in it erode the human face we have struggled very hard to acquire.While a more measured approach may not make me the most popular politician, I believe it is the right thing to do.Our democracy enshrines our hard-earned human rights. We are first and foremost humans. This reality cannot be diluted by your country of origin or what documents you hold, or lack thereof. Humanity, within the context of our constitution, is not only a cultural prescription of Ubuntu, it is also about legal compliance and respect for rights of all persons.Law and order are, therefore, critical factors when we talk about migration. We must address matters raised by communities, in a legal framework, while ensuring, at all times, they also raise matters within the confines of the law.Unfortunately, xenophobic violence is not new in South Africa. The country first experienced xenophobic violence in 2008, with attacks on foreign nationals mainly in Gauteng (Alexandra, Diepsloot and Tembisa) and the Western Cape. The 2008 attacks were investigated by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).According to the SAHRC, among the reasons for the violence were the following:Poor relations between local residents and key officials dealing with informal settlements,Corruption and indifference of leaders,Police unable to deal with attacks, and,Capacity problems, for those providing effective remedy and promotion of access to justice.In 2015, another wave of attacks was seen in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.It was sparked by a labour dispute over the employment of foreign nationals at the KwaJeena Store in Isipingo.Among the recurring themes had been contestation over scarce resources in a climate of unemployment, poverty and other socio-economic challenges.Currently, in 2017, there are renewed incidents of violence against foreign nationals in Rosettenville and Pretoria West. There are also communities agitating against foreign nationals. In this regard, a protest march is planned for the 24th of February 2017, in the Pretoria CBD by the Mamelodi Concerned Residents. Disgruntlement raised by communities is around competition for jobs, access to economic opportunities and alleged criminal activities involving foreign nationals; these include drug peddling and prostitution.I have met with protest organisers and have appealed to them to express themselves responsibly. Government responded speedily to the latest outbreak of violence. We have directed all security officials to be visible in communities and to objectively deal with criminality, regardless of whether it is committed by a South African or a foreign national.We led a government delegation, with the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, to Rosettenville on Monday 13 February, to make sure that law enforcement agencies are responding to issues raised by communities and to encourage dialogue between communities and the authorities. Arrests have been made, among others, for alleged drug peddling and acts of public violence.We called for visible and effective policing, precisely because, failure to respond would be irresponsible in the extreme, as it would serve further to fuel tensions among communities.We called for compliance with the constitution and other laws of the Republic, by citizens and foreign nationals. We prioritised documentation of persons in South Africa and deportation of those who are undocumented. This message to act responsibly, had been conveyed also to businesses in the country, starting with those in the hospitality sector, pointing to the folly and dangers of failing to comply with the laws of the Republic.Business is a critical partner in managing anti-immigrant sentiments and more will be expected of them.In many cases, business incentivises irregular migration and those contributing to questionable labour practices must be held to account. It is far easier and convenient for some to target desperate and vulnerable migrants than the unscrupulous employers who deliberately fuel tensions in the labour market. It is easier and convenient to target dwellers of rundown buildings than irresponsible buildings' owners.In this regard, a paradigm shift has been adopted, we will now target unethical businesses that employ illegal practises.Government is working with business on these issues, to ensure compliance, employment of locals and harmonious relationships desired for development, economic growth and empowerment of citizens. This work started before Rosettenville. As explained, businesses are a critical factor in some of the challenges. They should not fuel tensions, playing locals against foreigners, but should be on the side of the law.We have a commitment of the hospitality sector on the need to comply with SA's labour and immigration laws, especially the requirement to employ a minimum 60 percent of local people.This is the message we are taking to the rest of business, and will feature strongly in our upcoming meetings. There will be workplace inspections and penalties for employing undocumented foreigners will be imposed.We are making inroads, also in this respect. A total of 63 people who were employed by the Spar without documentation were arrested at three Spar supermarkets. Of these, 19 females are detained at Pretoria Noord SAPS and 36 males plus nine females are detained at Kameeldrift SAPS. The breakdown for these arrests is as follows:19 females and 28 males arrested at Montana Spar, and the manager was charged,Six females and nine males were arrested at Zambezi Spar, the Manager will be charged,One arrest at Doornpoort Spar, here the Manager was not available,I have directed my office to set up a meeting with the management of Spar to discuss labour issues.Malusi Gigaba is Home Affairs Minister, Republic of South Africa.
LOGAN  Cache County Sheriffs deputies have arrested a Hyrum man suspected of growing marijuana in his home and failing to register as a sex offender.

Sheriffs Lt. Mike Peterson said 48-year-old Kenneth D. Romine was arrested on Wednesday, after deputies raided his trailer home that was parked behind a residence in Hyrum. Inside they found several plants that he was allegedly cultivating. Its unsure yet if he was using the drugs for personal use or distribution.

Deputies had been searching for Romine after the Cache Rich Drug Task Force served a warrant to his prior residence last week.

Romine was booked into the Cache County Jail on suspicion of cultivating marijuana, obstructing justice and failing to register as a sex offender.

California criminal records show, Romine was convicted in 1995 of lewd or lascivious acts with a child who was 9-years-old at the time. He had lived in several states before moving to Utah.

Peterson said Romine never updated his sex offender registry after moving to Hyrum.

Court records show, state attorneys filed several charges against Romine in 1st District Court Thursday. They include knowingly producing a controlled substance, a second-degree felony, failure to register as a sex offender, a third-degree felony and a misdemeanor drug paraphernalia charge. A judge set bail at $11,000 and ordered him to appear in court on March 14.

<hr /><p style=text-align: center;>will@cvradio.com
Russias economic condition remains precarious, mostly due to low oil prices, whereas Western sanctions have created additional problems. There are so far few signs of public discontent and Putins approval ratings remain high. Yet the Russian leadership apparently does not exclude the possibility of mass protests similar to those erupting in early 2012, which could spread and create a problem for the regime. In response to this possible scenario, Putin announced the creation of a National Guard in April 2016, a process that should be completed in 2017. The National Guard incorporated Chechen forces loyal to Ramzan Kadyrov, which could be deployed by the regime as a last resort.

BACKGROUND: The creation of a National Guard as a sort of Praetorian force is not a recent invention. The idea started circulating among the Yeltsin elite in the beginning of post-Soviet history in 1991/1992, when the loyalty of the army in the territories of the Russian Federation was under question. Shortly after the bloody standoff with the Parliament/Supreme Soviet in 1993, Yeltsin entertained the idea of creating elite forces that would protect the regime in the case of future similar events.Yeltsins concern was justifiable, given that the army had wavered and tried to stay out of the conflict. Yeltsins position remained unstable and he again brought up the prospect of creating a National Guard in 1998. Yet Yeltsin then decided to retire and consequently felt no need for it.

Putin clearly has no such plans. He and Medvedev possibly entertained the same idea in 2009 and 2010, presumably in response to the violence in Kondopoga (2006), Stavropol (2007) and in Moscow (2010). All of these incidents were fueled by tensions between ethnic Russians and migrants from Russias North Caucasus, whom Russians called people of Caucasian nationality, and who were attacked by Russian crowds.

In 2012, after Putins reelection as president and the adjacent public protests, the idea of establishing a National Guard reemerged once again due to the leaderships fear of color revolutions. Observing developments in the Middle East during the Arab Spring, the regime became increasingly wary of collapsing authoritarian regimes and ensuing anarchy, and the risk of a similar scenario playing out in Russia.

IMPLICATIONS: The National Guard will consist of up to 400,000 men, and will be equipped with heavy weapons. Putins confidant General Viktor Zolotov has been named as its commander. Yet Putin will retain ultimate control of the Guard and can give orders directly, bypassing any intermediate leaders.

The large number of National Guard personnel should be sufficient to quell even wide-ranging public protests. The very size of the forces could, however, also create problems. If the Guards are locally deployed, they could develop associations with the local population and become unwilling to use force, especially deadly force, against them. Moreover, the National Guard forces could become fragmented over the use of deadly force against civilians.

Russian law enforcement has encountered this problem before, on several occasions. During a serious protest in Vladivostok in 2008, local law enforcement was unwilling to tackle the protestors and OMON (riot police) had to be brought in from European Russia. Similarly, local law enforcement in Moscow failed to quell a large protest in 2010, triggered by the murder of ethnic Russians by Caucasians, after which a huge crowd emerged in downtown Moscow and started to attack Caucasians and other people who did not look Slavic. The crowd could well have switched from attacking minorities to attacking the government. Since similar situations could emerge in future cases of mass protests, Kadyrovs Chechens could present a final and highly important reserve.

Kadyrovs forces  the kadyrovsti  number up to 30,000 and were also incorporated into the Guard. Some observers have assessed this as a heavy blow against Kadyrov, transforming his militia into a regular Guard unit, fully under Zolotovs command. Yet this is hardly the case  the Chechen fighters are predominantly loyal to Kadyrov and cannot be deployed without his explicit approval. Needless to say, Kadyrovs consent is needed in order to use these forces to maintain relative peace and stability in Chechnya. It is not surprising that Kadyrov has actually been exempted from Putins drive to increase the Kremlins control over the bureaucracy and general population.

In 2016, Putin gave the Chechen leader his blessing by reappointing Kadyrov as head of Chechnya, while also requiring that Kadyrov should respect Russian law. However, these demands appear to have been primarily for public consumption as Putin clearly provided Kadyrov with a license to do whatever he wanted, even engaging in murder.

The investigation of Boris Nemtsovs murder on February 27, 2015, uncovered a trail leading to Chechnya. But Kadyrov has resolutely refused to cooperate, relying not only on his personal access to Putin but also on a particular connection with Zolotov. Putin made it clear to the FSB that Kadyrov was off-limits in the investigation. In return, Kadyrov was anxious to demonstrate his usefulness to Putin. On January 22, 2016, Kadyrov called out a huge rally in Grozny to support him. Kadyrov implicitly sent signals to the opposition, and even more so to the Kremlin, that he had thousands of supporters who would follow his lead in dealing with any opposition to Putin. Almost simultaneously with the demonstration, Kadyrovs chief of staff, Magomed Daudov, posted a picture on Instagram of the Chechen leader holding back a massive Caucasian shepherd dog named Tarzan. The dogs teeth itch, Daudov wrote. Hes barely restrained.

It appears that Putin was pleased with Kadyrovs pronouncement and considers Kadyrov and his Chechen warriors a reliable force that will protect the regime even if the National Guard fails to do so.

CONCLUSIONS: Russia'spoor economic performance, mostly due to low oil prices, is a concern for the Kremlin. Putin clearly worries that an economic breakdown could lead to widespread protests, although there are so far no signs of public unrest. Yet in response to this potential threat, Putin has decided to establish the National Guard and increase centralization of the state apparatus, which has entailed a bloodless purge or retirement of many of his longtime associates. Kadyrov is a clear exception and he still enjoys permission to actually do whatever he pleases. The reasons for this approach to Kadyrov are manifold. Putin indeed regards him as the only force capable of providing a modicum of security in Chechnya. But Kadyrov and his Chechen warriors  loyal to Kadyrov and deeply alienated from the majority of Russians  could also play the role of peculiar Janissaries for the Kremlin; a last resort in case of a mass upheaval in Russia and the National Guard's inability to quell it.

AUTHORS BIO: Dmitry Shlapentokh is Associate Professor of History, Indiana University at South Bend.

Image source: kremlin.ru accessed on March 3, 2017
OMGYes Is The Ultimate Guide For Teaching Men How To Give Women Orgasms

Trending News: This Is The Best Guide To Making Her Climax We've Ever Seen

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

Why Is This Important?

Because who doesn't want to be a better lover?

Long Story Short

OMGYES is a website that wants to help anyone who cares to make sex more pleasurable for women. They've conducted tons of research and put together interactive how-to simulations to help make you a better lover.

Long Story

Theories about how to best help a woman reach orgasm are like buttholes  everyone has one, but few people have ever seen theirs in action. Some people believe they have it all figured out, even if one set of "moves" couldn't possibly work for every woman. On the other end of the spectrum, people dismiss any attempt at research or discussion with "every woman's different;" the "#AllLivesMatter" of sex. But one website, called OMGYES, is bravely crashing through those barriers to help lovers all over better understand, communicate and eventually bring about the Big O  and they're doing it in a decidedly high-tech way.

The basis for OMGYES' information is their research. They conducted in-depth interviews with 1,000 women, asking them things like how they discovered what works for them, as well as what techniques, specifically, get them off. Working with Indiana University and the renowned Kinsey Institute, they also surveyed a nationally representative sample of another 1,000 women. The results are in-depth and extensive. For instance, here's just some of the data they collected on multiple orgasms:

OMGYes

The resulting data is put in action on their website (they aren't an app, they stress) in what might be the greatest repository of clitoral orgasm knowledge ever created. Multiples, edging, hinting, rhythm, consistency  it's all there, and more. Under each area of exploration, there are graphics (like the one above) explaining why the techniques work so well, as well as videos of the participating women demonstrating their techniques. It's not porn  these women aren't actresses, and ambience is far more clinical than erotic  but it's still explicit. These are women demonstrating sexual techniques, after all, but I'd be lying if I said it still wasn't pretty hot to watch. You'll definitely pay attention.

The real value, though, is in the "touchable" videos that let you practice the techniques. They used thousands of images of each woman's vagina to create incredibly realistic simulations that respond to the speed, pressure, location and rhythm of your fingers on a touchscreen device. As you follow the instructions and perform the techniques correctly, you're rewarded with (again, pretty hot) audio feedback.

RELATED: Become A Master In Women's Pleasure With Help From This Site

The amount of content available in what they call the first "season" is almost overwhelming, and that's kind of the point. Yes, all women are different, but as you see and practice real-world techniques and understand how they relate to the larger concepts, you'll eventually be equipped with a toolbox of sorts for the bedroom. The female orgasm has been a taboo subject for far too long, to the dismay of both women and men. These people are doing phenomenal work with regards to making sex a better experience for everyone.

The first season is available now, for a one-time price of $29. It may be the best $29 you'll ever spend.

Learn more at OMGYes.com

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

Why are people so unwilling to talk about the female orgasm?

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If this doesn't help you become a better lover, nothing will.

Drop This Fact

65.5% of women say edging (the process of climbing to near-climax before backing off) builds stronger, more enjoyable orgasms.

AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use.
With technology becoming more and more a part of our lives, it was only a matter of time before it started to impact the way 
Ben Muna Wilson Musa

The lead lawyer for the defense counsel of incarcerated leaders of banned Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium, CACSC, Barrister Bernard Muna has revealed that his clients have refused having contacts with any group fighting for the independence of Anglophone Cameroon.

The Guardian Post reports that the legal mind was speaking to Journalists in a Press conference held in Yaounde on Wednesday March 1, 2017 at the Muna Foundation. He said Barrister Agbor Balla, Dr Fontem Neba and Mancho Bibixy mandated him to tell reporters that what they have been clamoring for is respect of basic rights of Anglophones.

Barrister Benard Muna made it clear that the detained leaders of the outlawed Consortium are not in alliance with any other group including Southern Cameroon national Council, SCNS, Southern Cameroons Peoples organization, SCAPO, AMBAZONIA, Southern Cameroon Youth League, SCYL, and Movement of the restoration of the Independence of Southern Cameron among others.

The legal mind said Barrister Agbor Ball insisted that they have not authorized anybody to link the Consortium to any other association. Ben Muna said the stand of the leaders is important because there is a document already circulating that they have joined other groups to fight for the restoration of the state of Southern Cameroon.

The lead Counsel for the defense of the three leaders said they are not less than 150 lawyers both from Cameroon, Britain and elsewhere but just about 10 were allowed to speak during the first court session last February 13, 2017 at the Military Tribunal.

Barrister Agbor ball, Dr Neba Fontem and Mancho Bibixy will be in court this March 23, 2017.

By Wilson MUSA
Signal Centers at 109 North Germantown Road, will host a 60th anniversary and grand opening of its new Life Activity Building on Thursday, March 30, from 4:306:30 p.m. The event will celebrate Signal Centers history of providing services to help those with disabilities and other challenges strive to reach lifelong independence. The event will also showcase Signal Centers new facility which houses a variety of programs and learning opportunities.

Signal Centers is commemorating our 60th anniversary and we are opening our first ever new building, said CEO Donna McConnico. It has an amazing recreation center, an art studio, as well as a state of the art technology suite to house our 3D printer and other technology. So many people came together to provide opportunities for children and adults to build strong, healthy, happy futures."

The celebration will include: tours from 4:30-5 p.m., a welcome program from 5-5:45 p.m. and 'Speed Dating of Signal Centers programs from 5:45-6:30 p.m.

Everyone is welcome. Sweet refreshments and beverages will be provided.

For more information on Signal Centers, visit www.signalcenters.org.






Des journalistes sur le terrain Archives

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a U.S. based independent press freedom advocacy organization, has tasked the government to give clarifications regarding the reported imprisonment of at least eight journalists arrested in the wake of the crisis rocking the countrys English speaking regions.

In an open letter to the Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, CPJ said the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms (NCHRF), had confirmed the detention of atleast five journalists as of February 20.

Since then we have heard reports of at least three other journalists jailed in Cameroon, CPJ said.

It reminded the communication minister that he claimed media practitioners in Cameroon can speak their mind" and there was no journalist was in prison in country.

You requested that we forward you a list of detained journalists. We did this privately the same day and repeatedly but unsuccessfully attempted to follow up with you directly, independent press freedom advocacy group reminded the minister citing a February 15 conversation.

CPJ said it is requesting the ministers assistance in reconciling his contention that no journalists are jailed in Cameroon with the conclusions of NCHRF, and request clarification on the location of Atia Tilarious Azohnwi of The Sun newspaper, Amos Fofung of The Guardian Post, Thomas Awah Junior, of the monthly Aghem Messenger magazine, Mfor Ndong of Voice of the Voiceless, Hans Achumba, of Jakiri Community Radio and Tim Finnian, publisher of Life Time newspaper among others.

It urged the minister to clarify the reasons for their detention, where they are held, and their current legal status.

The government spokesperson was yet to officially react to the letter which CPJ said was faxed to his office.

CPJ noted in the letter that it is aware the government has taken increasingly drastic steps to suppress the rights to transmit and receive information in Cameroon, particularly in predominantly Anglophone regions in recent months.

Media outlets have also been suspended, and journalists have been banned from practicing their craft, according to the CPJ.
Accord Cameroun-Nigeria sur le rapatriement des refugies - Yaounde, 02/03/2017 Ernest NFORMI

A tripartite agreement has been signed between the governments of Cameroon and Nigeria and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for the voluntary repatriation of Nigerian refugees living in Cameroon.

Signed in Yaounde on Thursday March 2, 2017, the tripartite agreement is a legal framework setting out the modalities for the voluntary return of refugees to their country of origin in safety and dignity.

It comes after reports went wide that Cameroon is forcibly sending back Nigerian refugees who fled into the country due to the Boko Haram insurgency.

The Cameroon Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization who signed the agreement on behalf of his country promised that the government will continue to ensure protection of Nigerian refugees on its territory and will spare no efforts to help those who want to return to their homeland, in accordance with international agreements, Emmanuel Rene Sadi said.

UNHCR statistics show more than 85,000 Nigerian refugees who escaped the Boko Haram riot in Northeastern Nigeria currently live in the Far North region of Cameroon with 62,000 living in the Minawao refugee camp.

A study by the International Organization for Migration recorded more than 23,000 other refugees live in host communities and UNHCR believes there are thousands more others who have not been reached by aid agencies because of prevailing insecurity.

Meanwhile a survey by the UNHCR conducted in the Minawoa camp show 71 per cent of 9,300 Nigerian refugees interviewed expressed their intention to return as soon as the situation is favorable in their areas of origin.

Nigerias interior Minister who penned the agreement for his country said the deal highlights the importance of working to bring long lasting solution to the situation of Nigerian refugees in Cameroon.

We as a government remain committed to ensuring that we create the conducive atmosphere to facilitate the return of our citizens in safety and dignity and in line with international protection principles, Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau said.

Signatories all agreed to provide people wishing to return with clear information on the security and economic situation as well as access to basic services in their areas of return.

The deal stipulates among others that repatriation will only take place on the basis of the freely will of the refugees.

The UNHCR representative in Cameroon, Kouassi Lazare Etien said by signing the agreement, Cameroon and Nigeria have demonstrated a real desire to find a durable solution to the worries of refugees who are willing to return in safety and dignity with the support of the UNHCR.

He said refugees who will not voluntarily choose to return will not be forced to, and their refugee status will be maintained and recognized by the host country.
| BY Ricki Green |

One of Australias leading insurers, in collaboration with Ogilvy Melbourne, has launched AAMI SmartPlates, an innovative app giving L-platers an alternative to the traditional logbook.

AAMI SmartPlates allows young drivers to track their learning progress in real time and pinpoints skills that need practicing. It uses smartphone technology to live-track a learners hours, route choice, weather, road and traffic conditions, and then provides comprehensive feedback on progress.

AAMI is a Suncorp brand and the companys chief customer experience officer, Mark Reinke, said: AAMI research indicates young Australian drivers are most at risk of being involved in an accident. As its no secret that millennials use technology to manage almost every aspect of their lives, we thought it was time to rethink how we teach our kids to drive and bring the Learner Driver program into the digital world.

Says David Ponce de Leon, executive creative director, Ogilvy in Melbourne: This massive digital undertaking is in line with Ogilvys belief that any brand can say, but great brands do. AAMI SmartPlates brings AAMIs Not Very Insurancey brand platform to life by evolving the insurance company from one that simply covers accidents, to one that aims to prevent them from happening.

Its a big idea that proves AAMI is truly different and we believe it can make a real difference to road safety.

The AAMI SmartPlates powerful Road Block feature switches on whenever a Learner starts driving. On Android devices, Road Block silences all incoming calls, sending the caller an automated response informing them their friend is behind the wheel. On iOS devices, Learners receive a personalised message of discouragement when phone access is detected.

Learner drivers using the app will also be exposed to an evolving database of more than 40 driving tips, written by qualified driving instructors.

Supported by a cinema, digital, film, social and outdoor marketing campaign, AAMI SmartPlates launches this week. Its the latest in a series of digital initiatives from the brand following the successful launch of the AAMI Access app and the AAMI Lucky Club.

South Australia is the first state to accept AAMI SmartPlates as an official record of completed learner driver hours.

The AAMI SmartPlates App is available for free download now on the App Store and Google Play.

Agency Credits  Ogilvy Melbourne

Creative Team

Executive Creative Director  David Ponce de Leon

Senior Art Director  Karsten Jurkschat

Senior Copywriter  Alex Little

Account Service team

CEO  David Fox

Head of Strategy  Gavin McMillan

Managing Partner  Michael McEwan

Group Account Director  Belinda Danks-Woodley, Sarah Bailey

Account Director  Belinda Bassingthwaighte

Account Manager  Jessica McColl

Digital Development Team

National Head of Digital  Jason Davey

Head of Digital  Alistair Bruyns

Technical Director  Josh Bondy, Tim Chapman

Senior Digital Project Manager  Alex McNeilly

UX Director  Gina Hughes

Design Team

Digital Art Director  Mark Tompkins

Senior Digital Designer / UX Designer  Rani Shabtai

Senior Designer  Jesse Steinfort

Agency Credits  Ogilvy PR

Public Relations Team

Associate Director  Kate Aurel-Smith

Senior Account Director  Bronte Tarn-Weir

Account Manager  Sonia Heng

Account Executive  April Gore

Client credits:

Project Team

Project Lead  Lauren Shepherd

Project Manager  Alok Pandit

Digital Self Service Specialist  Andrew Muir

Technical Team  Albert Kalaja, Kiran Abraham, Ngoc Nguyen, Michael La

Marketing Team

EGM Brand and Marketing  Kristi Woolrych

Head of Brand and Marketing  Tim Hernadi

EM, AAMI Brand and Marketing  Michelle Martinis
| BY Ricki Green |

Exit director Tom Campbell and director of photography Sam Chiplin are holding a joint exhibition of collected works, opening tonight Friday, 3 March from 6pm  9pm.

The exhibition runs until Saturday 18 March at JPC Studios 51-57 Cubitt Street, Cremome, Melbourne.

Campbells work titled Cross Street is a collection of street photography captured during a week long heatwave amongst the community of a single block in a culturally rich area of Downtown Durban, South Africa.

As a director of photography, Chiplin has traveled around the world and while on his travels has collected an incredible body of street portraiture.

Together, this creative collaboration between two friends had become a document showing both similarities and wonderful differences between cultures.
11/6/2022

The Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team is set to kick off the 2022-23 season as the squad hits the road to Charleston, S.C., to face the College of the Charleston on Monday evening inside ... more
"In a study of a cancer tumour growth, what happens is the vessels increase and the blood flow changes. We are able to plot the overall flow rate, which tells you how much energy the tumour is consuming."
"There's almost this shame that people have been tricked, and that leads to denial or the need to defend the offender because to acknowledge it occurred would be to recognise they had also been tricked."
The sources for the story are unclear. Linus Gitahi, CEO of brokerage AIB Capital, has written in a Nairobi newspaper, the Daily Nation, that the report exists and that it was written for the Communications Authority by the research company Analysys Mason.

Analysys Mason told Capacity: We are working on a study on Kenya but that report has not been finalised and nor have the recommendations. It is still a work in progress.

South Africas Business Day newspaper, which reported the recommendation is rather premature in its summary of recommendations and is inaccurate, said the Analysys Mason official.

Gitahi wrote that splitting off M-Pesa was included in a raft of measures supposed to level the telecommunications playing field and tame Safaricom, which has a 69% share of the mobile market.

He wrote that splitting off M-Pesa would have untold consequences, not just for the company but also for the economy of Kenya: about 79% of the countrys economy is processed through M-Pesa, a sum that was valued at $8.2 billion in the third quarter of 2016. M-Pesa is a critical nerve supporting the money transfer system. Ripping away M-Pesa from Safaricom would leave both in severe distress, wrote Gitahi.

The company is based in the UK but owned by South African IT consultancy Datatec. The Communications Authority told South Africas Business Day that it is reviewing the report before releasing it to the public. Vodafone owns 40% of Safaricom, but has kept the brand in Kenya rather than changing it to Vodacom, the brand it mainly uses in Africa.
As of last week, the company had yet to sign a deal with the US Department of Commerce (DoC), the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Treasury, but was granted a month-long reprieve from export restrictions.

According to reports from Reuters, ZTE is close to pleading guilty to the US criminal charges and will agree to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties over the alleged breach, which was unveiled by the news agency in 2012.

Citing a source familiar with the matter, Reuters said ZTE will plead guilty to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, along with other charge.

A guilty plea could result in a denial order, which would see ZTE barred from using US origin goods and technology, although any settlement is suspected to negate this.

This is a prospect ZTE has been facing since March 2016 when the DoC found evidence that the Chinese company was smuggling hardware and software to Iran through shell companies.

The embargo was extended in stages until 27 February, the first day of Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, when ZTE and the rest of the worlds mobile equipment makers met to sell their products to operators.

The latest reprieve allows ZTE to sell its equipment until 29 March, although with a deal understood to be just round the corner, the issue may be resolved before the need for any further extensions.

Last week ZTE announced quietly that former CEO Shi Lirong had finally left the companys board. Shi was one of the executives whose signatures were on the documents planning the conspiracy to export to Iran via shell companies.

He stepped down from the top position after the March 2016 revelations, but was still advising the board. ZTE paid tribute to Shis contribution to the company but made no mention of his role in the conspiracy.
Local students are a big part of the medical education program at the Advanced Center for Sleep Disorders on East Brainerd Road.

Dr Anuj Chandra, the medical director of ACSD, states One of the things we had in mind when the advanced center for sleep disorders first started was that we wanted to be extremely active in community outreach. Our goal is to educate the community about the diagnosis and treatment of all sleep disorders, not just sleep apnea.

ACSDs medical education program allows students who are in their transitional years before starting medical, nursing, or other health professional schools to gain valuable clinical experience and exposure.

The students not only learn about sleep disorders, but also how to deal with insurance companies, how to get medications and tests authorized, and how to thrive in a medical clinic environment. In addition to serving as the transitional home to many pre-med students and recent graduates, ACSD serves as a clinical rotation site for Lincoln Memorial University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harrogate, Tn.

Dr. Chandra said, Having our really bright UTC, Chattanooga State, and other area college pre-meds work for us for varying lengths of time has been an essential part of our program. When they go on to med school or nursing school, they take this whole body of knowledge with them. This experience provides them with the first-hand opportunity to see how patient-centered, evidence-based medicine is actually practiced says Dr Chandra.

Wittman Murphy, a Nashville native, spent his gap year before starting medical school working at ACSD as a sleep technician and later as Clinic Coordinator. He said, The experience (of working at ACSD) helped increase my knowledge in medical terminology, patient interaction and patient care, and I learned more about the business side of running a private practice than I would have learned in any other career opportunity offered to me. He attended UTC and majored in chemistry with a minor in biology. He is interested in pursuing orthopedic surgery after completing medical school at Lincoln Memorial University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Nathan Ballard, a fellow UTC graduate, also stated, Working here has given me the opportunity to gain invaluable patient care experience. It has also allowed me to learn a great deal about a medical specialty I had known very little about, sleep medicine. A Memphis native, he played lacrosse for UTC and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in pre-professional biology. He started working at ACSD as a sleep technician and quickly received praise from patients for his excellent bedside manner, it was stated. He now works as a clinic technician during the daytime. He will be receiving an Air Force Scholarship to attend medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton, Fla., after which he plans on practicing trauma surgery .

Jasbir Kaur, a Chattanooga native, has spent the last few summers volunteering and shadowing at ACSD, and now works full time as clinic coordinator. She states, It is an incredible privilege to be able to work at ACSD. Being able to be a part of a team that works together to provide the best care possible for a patient continues to fuel my passion for medicine and has allowed me to gain confidence in my ability as a future physician. She graduated from Boyd Buchanan School and attended Mercer University in Macon, Ga. She graduated magna cum laude as a member of the Honors Program with majors in biology and Latin and minors in chemistry and art. She is still undecided in which field of medicine she will practice, but will be attending New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine in Jonesboro, Ark.

Wittmann, Nathan and Jasbir have all been accepted into medical schools around the country.

Dr Chandra states, We are very proud of all three of our pre-med students even though it is quite hard to replace them every year when they get trained and they move on to bigger and better things, but it's something we have been doing and we are happy and honored that we are able to do.

QUOTES

We are extremely proud of all of 3 our pre-med students who have been with us in the past year and that all three have been accepted into medical school. They have just been really a huge asset to us. One of the things we had, when the advanced center for sleep disorders first started was we really wanted to be extremely active in community outreach to educate the whole community regarding how important diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders were, not just only sleep apnea. Having our really bright UTC, Chatt State, and other area college pre-meds work for us for varying lengths of time has been an essential part because when they go on to med school or nursing school they take this whole body of knowledge with them and even to date till recently there was not much emphasis of sleep disorder in med school and it also provides them with the first hand opportunity of seeing how medicine is actually practiced, that it is a lot more involved in terms of dealing with insurance companies, getting medicines authorized, getting tests authorized, that is just not as simple as seeing a patient and taking care of them, that there is a lot more that goes into the process especially with EMR. So they get a first hand experience of how it is to work in actual life in a medical practice. I think that it is really valuable exposure so we are very proud even though it is quite hard when they get trained and they move on bigger and better things to replace them every year and also bring the new people up to speed, but its something we have been doing and we are happy that we are able to do (DR C)

I dont believe that I could have spent my gap year in a more productive way than through finding a job at ACSD. The experience helped to increase my knowledge in medical terminology, patient interaction and patient care, and I learned more about the business side of running a private practice than I would have learned in any other career opportunity offered to me. I am going into medical school with a better understanding the medical field and with more confidence than I would have ever imagined before my time at ACSD (WITT)

Working at ACSD has been a great way to spend my gap year before going into medical school. Working here has given me the opportunity to gain invaluable patient care experience. It has also allowed me to learn a great deal about a medical specialty I had known very little about, sleep medicine. My time at ACSD has me going into medical school confident and more prepared than ever to tackle medical school (NATE)
Southern Champion Tray will celebrate 90 years in business on Wednesday, March 8. All team members from its Chattanooga Compress Street corporate offices and production facility and its Amnicola Highway distribution center and trucking operations will gather for a group picture and refreshments. Team members at Southern Champion Trays Mansfield, Tx. offices and production facility will also celebrate the occasion.



"Southern Champion Tray is recognizing this milestone as a way to acknowledge the incredible blessing it has been being part of the Chattanooga community and surrounding areas. This area is the home to the more than 500 individuals who come together each day to meet the needs of Southern Champion Trays valued customers," officials said.



Founded in 1927 as a subsidiary of an Ohio-based company to manufacture paperboard food trays, the company survived the Great Depression and World War II, going independent in 1947 under new majority owner, Milt Zeiser. Today, third generation family members John and Bruce Zeiser head the company following the leadership of their father, Chuck Zeiser, who stepped down as CEO in 1993.



"For 90 years, Southern Champion Tray has been manufacturing and distributing quality bakery, food service and catering paperboard and corrugated packaging, food and drink carriers and molded fiber tableware. Markets served include bakery, foodservice, frozen foods, supermarket, institutional, medical, pharmaceutical, personal care, cosmetic, retail, electronics, and more," officials said.
FourBridges Capital Advisors has been recognized as one of the top firms in the U.S. specializing in selling privately owned businesses.

FourBridges is the only firm headquartered in Tennessee to make the Axial Advisor 100 list, which features "the buysides most referred middle market banks and advisory firms." Axial's list is based on a nationwide survey that asked more than 1,000 private equity firms, strategic acquirers and family offices to name the advisors they trusted most when transacting in the middle market.

"We help our clients sell their businesses to sophisticated buyers, so we understand how to effectively translate the value of 'main street' companies to private equity firms and large strategic acquirers." said Andy Stockett, managing director of FourBridges.

Based in Chattanooga, FourBridges represents business owners who are thinking about selling their company, making an acquisition, or refinancing. The firm has specialized in structuring transactions where a privately held business can be sold to a large publicly traded corporation, a private equity fund or in several cases, international conglomerates.

An online platform and capital market, Axial is used by more than 11,000 firms to identify, connect to, and close M&A and growth financing deals. The Axial network serves CEOs, lenders, private equity firms, investment bankers and M&A advisors.
Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA) will host the 8th Annual Odyssey Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, March 15, at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Presented by First Tennessee Bank, the event is CGLAs signature fundraiser and begins at 10:30 a.m. with a silent auction. The luncheon and program commence at 11:30 a.m.Tickets are $65 per person.

This year Wintley Phipps, a pastor, world--renowned vocalist, motivational speaker, and education activist, will deliver the Odyssey 2017 keynote address. He is the founder, president, and CEO of the U.S. Dream Academy, a national afterschool program focused on breaking the cycle of intergenerational incarceration by giving children the skills and vision necessary to lead productive and fulfilling lives. Twice nominated for a Grammy Award, Mr. Phipps is the recipient of numerous service awards, most notably receiving the Use Your Life honor from the Oprah Winfrey Angel Network and named Philanthropist of the Year from the National Center for Black Philanthropy.



As noted by Dr. Elaine Swafford, CGLAs executive director, Odyssey is not only an annual fundraiser but also a celebration of student achievement. With more than 700 guests attending, Odyssey is a perfect time to congratulate and recognize young women who are exhibiting the attributes associated with academic and personal success, said Dr. Swafford. Our Rising Star and Shining Star awards spotlight students who are conscientious and disciplined; creative and insightful; eager and curious.



Event chairs for Odyssey 2017 are Kelly and Ted Alling and Jo Ann Yates. According to Donna Coleman, director of development at CGLA, these individuals are pivotal to sustaining CGLAs mission. Kelly and Ted Alling and Jo Ann Yates are concerned citizens who understand that quality education is essential to the health of a community. We are fortunate to have their endorsement and support.



Kelly and Ted Alling are the co--founders of Chattanooga Prep, an all--boys public charter school slated to open in 2018. We are ardent supporters of CGLA because Dr. Swafford and the faculty are redefining what is possible in public education, said Ms. Alling. CGLA demonstrates that children from all backgrounds can succeed in college and life.

Ted Alling expresses the same passion as his wife. Access to quality education is essential to escaping poverty, yet poverty is a barrier to accessing quality education. Research has consistently shown that schools offering a comprehensive, supportive environment can dramatically impacting the lives of disadvantaged youth, and CGLA is changing the lives of deserving young women in Chattanooga.



Preparing a diverse community of girls for a technologically - sophisticated and globally -competitive world requires excellent instruction fortified by earnest commitment and high expectations, said Jo Ann Yates, a long-time supporter and current CGLA board member. The CGLA faculty is always seeking new paths through which they can spark creativity and strengthen critical thinking. They are intent on building responsible, determined learners who can tackle the complex issues of today and frame the exciting questions of tomorrow.



Money raised from Odyssey supports the schools daily operation, which includes funding CGLAs STEAM centered academic program. STEAM is an approach that invites students to explore the connections between science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics. The STEAM process guides students through inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. Students take thoughtful risks, engage in experiential learning, persist in problem--solving, embrace collaboration, and work through the creative process. STEAM prepares CGLA girls for life in the 21st century.



First Tennessee Bank is the presenting sponsor of the 8th Annual Odyssey Awards Luncheon. Other major sponsors include Roof Curb Systems in Trenton, GA; Deborah and Mitch Everhart; Kristin and Gordon Davenport; Mustang Leadership Partners; Pinnacle Financial; SunTrust; Marion and Jim Steffner; Unum; Jo Ann Yates; Kelly and Ted Alling; Tennessee American Water; Thomas Bible Law; Priscilla McLaughlin, and Patten and Patten, Inc.



For more information, contact Donna Coleman, Director of Development, at 423 618-5362 or donnacoleman@cglaonline.com or visit cglaonline.com.
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.
Sometimes its good to be reminded of just how good a car is by giving it go once more. In the case of the Mitsubishi Xpander, its the smal...
Cleveland State Community College and the Tennessee Career Center are sponsoring Career Expo 2017 on Wednesday, March 22 from 10 a.m.  1 p.m. in the L. Quentin Lane Gymnasium on CSCCs main campus.



The Career Expo will provide students, graduates, and community members with an excellent opportunity to explore the different career options in our area and network with employers from companies like Denso, Coca-Cola, and USDA Forest Services - Cherokee National Forest.

Participants will receive valuable information and make contacts that could be very beneficial in obtaining a job.

For those graduates who plan on pursuing a four-year degree, there will be approximately 20 colleges and universities on hand ready to discuss transfer options with you.



Participants will be able to update their resumes, practice their elevator speeches, and prepare to make contacts with employers and colleges, stated Elizabeth Lambdin, Career Planning Coordinator. We hope everyone will take advantage of this great opportunity and join us for the Career Expo 2017!



For more information on this event or to register, visit the website at mycs.cc/expo2017 or contact Lambdin at (423) 473-2288.
Southeast Tennessee Veterans Coalition and Friends of the Festival have teamed up with Aspen Dentals MouthMobile to provide free dental care to veterans. The MouthMobile will arrive in Chattanooga at Rosss Landing on Thursday, March 16. Chattanooga is one of 34-stops that the MouthMobile is making across the country. Appointment times are required; veterans may call Bill Chapman at 423-756-2212 or email bill.setnvetcoal@gmail.com.

The MouthMobile is Aspen Dentals 42 foot long dental office on wheels. It travels state to state giving veterans the dental care they need for a healthy mouth at no cost. Since 2014, Aspen Dental practices across the country have donated over $7.5 million in dentistry and helped more than 12,000 veterans as part of the Healthy Mouth Movement. The Healthy Mouth Movement includes both the MouthMobile and a nationwide day of service, when Aspen Dental practices across the country open their doors on a designated Saturday to provide free care to veterans.

I am honored to be a part of giving back to our veteransI feel like it is a small gesture to give them free dental work one day a year when they risk their lives for me and my family. I am proud and blessed to be an American and am forever indebted to our military men and women I am excited and looking forward to serving as many veterans as possible on the Aspen Dental MouthMobile and truly believe in what Aspen Dental is doing for America, said Dr. Ashley Boling who is the Aspen Dental doctor that will provide care on the MouthMobile in Chattanooga.

As a veteran and some 120 days before the second anniversary of July 16, 2015, with Chattanooga emotions so patriotic, the Veterans Coalition is most pleased to be a part of providing a service so needed by veterans, said retired U. S. Navy Captain Mickey McCamish, Coalition Chairman.

What an honor for Friends of the Festival at the site that we produced Chattanooga Unite, brought LST 325 and the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial Wall to now host the Aspen Dental MouthMobile for veterans said Chip Baker, Executive Director, and Friends of the Festival.
In a bid to battle its air pollution, the city of Beijing could convert its entire taxi fleet from petrol-powered cars to electric vehicles.



That is the goal of a draft work program on air pollution control for Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and surrounding areas this year in a move which could cost approximately 9 billion yuan ($1.3 billion), reports National Business Daily.

There are almost 70,000 petrol taxis in Beijing and the plan says that alongside replacing all the existing taxis with EVs, all new taxis to hit the streets must be electric.

While it is currently unclear if and when this draft will be passed as law, the city will also require huge investments in its charging infrastructure to support an additional 70,000 EVs on the streets. It is reported that when Beijing added 200 electric vehicles to its taxi fleet in 2014, some drivers had to wait for up to six hours at charging stations.

Physicists at the University of California assert that approximately 1.6 million people die in China because of polluted air every year.

PHOTO GALLERY
VW released the full details for the new, bigger Allspace version of the Tiguan, destined for Europe as well as a Geneva premiere.



The new VW Tiguan Allspace is set to occupy the space between the normal Tiguan and the Touareg in the European market (no Atlas for them  yet), offering seating for up to seven passengers and a bigger boot.

One of the key differences is the 109mm (4.3 in) longer wheelbase and the 215mm (8.5 in) longer body, allowing VW to install a set of folding seats behind the second row, with the luggage capacity increased by 145lt to a total of 760lt when these are not in use. Passengers in the second row now have 54mm (2.1 in) of extra knee room as well.

Just like the regular Tiguan, the Allspace will be offered with on-road and off-road versions of the front end, with the latter getting an optional off-road package along with special underbody protection improving the models approach angle by 7 degrees.

The new VW Tiguan Allspace will also offer more kit as standard, including roof rails, the Composition Color Media System as well as full LED headlights and keyless access in the Highline trim level. In addition, VW will also offer their fresh 9.2-inch Discover Pro infotainment system with gesture control as an option.

Customers will be able to choose between six powerplants, with the Tiguan Allspace to be offered in both FWD and AWD configurations. The petrol range consists of a 147hp (150PS) 1.4-litre TSI and a 2.0-litre TSI with either 177hp (180PS) or 216hp (220PS).

As for the diesel units, VW will offer its popular 2.0-litre TDI with either 148hp (150PS), 187hp (190PS) or with a range-topping 236hp (240PS). All diesel engines come equipped with an SCR catalytic converter and a 12-litre AdBlue tank which helps reducing the nitrogen oxide emissions. Petrol and diesel models with 177hp or more come equipped with VWs 4Motion all-wheel drive system and a DSG transmission as standard.

The new VW Tiguan Allspace also offers a wide range of driver assistance systems, including Traffic Jam Assist with stop-and-go functionality, City Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Monitoring, Trailer Assist and more.

VW will start taking orders for the Tiguan Allspace this May, with the first deliveries expected in September. Prices will start from around 30,000 ($31,600 in current exchange rates).

PHOTO GALLERY
Ford has started talks to cut costs at its Bridgend engine factory in the UK, putting at risk more than 1,100 jobs as the company tries to shield itself from the slowing growth rates in Europe and the Brexit repercussions.



The Blue Ovals engine factory, which currently makes the four-cylinder EcoBoost units, is producing enough engines to guarantee the current employment levels, but the company says its expecting demand to fall after the latest three-cylinder EcoBoost unit hits the market, making a reduction in staff a possibility.

A Ford spokesman told Bloomberg that no job cuts are planned at the moment, but the companys review on its staffing beyond 2020 is not an unusual cycle in the industry.

It goes without saying, that in order to attract new business, the Bridgend operation would need to ensure its competitiveness, and addressing some of the current concerns relating to the plants efficiency would be high on the agenda, Ford said in a statement.

The company also said that it will work with the unions to find future business opportunities for the plant, which could be left with 600 employees if the job cuts take place.

PHOTO GALLERY
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is once again partnering with the Tennessee Fur Harvesters for the 2017 free trapper training camp to be held at the Hiwassee Refuge on March 17-19.

This three-day camp is packed full of great information for those interested in learning about the craft of fur taking. Participants will utilize live trap lines and learn about trap modification, set making, snaring and fur handling skills. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided on Saturday and camping is available.

John Daniel, the event coordinator said, Weve had a packed house in years past. We really enjoy the weekend and look forward to another great year. The Tennessee Fur Harvesters is dedicated to preserving the heritage of trapping and the management of Tennessees furbearers. They have several events throughout the year, including a fur sale.

Contact John Daniel to register for the training camp or for more information on fur trapping, 423 595-0986 or johndanielgc@gmail.com.
Just a few days before the Geneva Motor Show opens on March 7, what appear to be images of the final production version of the 2018 Honda Civic Type R made their appearance on the web.



The two photos showing the front and rear ends of the Civic Type R look almost identical to the near-production concept that has been making the auto show rounds for the better half of last year, bar a few minor changes.

These include the oh-so Honda (regular) white paint job instead of the studys brushed steel color scheme, the stainless center exhaust pipe that was painted red on the concept, and possibly, black plastic instead of carbon fiber spoiler bits, though, were not sure about the latter due to the low-resolution nature of these photos.

But otherwise, it looks just as Fast & Furious as the concept, from the spoilers and hood scoop right up to the massive rear wing and triple exhaust outlets.

Honda has confirmed that it will feature a newer version of its 2.0-liter VTEC turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 305hp in the current model, but it has kept technical details close to its chest. Carscoops understands that the newer model might get a power bump, while retaining its front-wheel drive setup.

Honda has said that, whereas the outgoing Type R was an afterthought for the Civic series, the new model was designed in from the start of the program, claiming that this will massively benefit its driving dynamics.

Production of the new Civic Type R will start in summer 2017 at Hondas UK plant in Swindon, with the hot hatch to be exported across Europe and to other markets around the world, including Japan and the US, marking the first time that any Honda-badged Type R has been officially sold in the States.

Photo Gallery
If you want to know just how well your heavily-tuned muscle car can compete with a relatively stock supercar, the Corvette Z06 makes a lot of sense as an opponent.



This showdown took place at Shifts3ctors California Airstrip Attack event in Coalinga, CA, and while the Z06 is believed to be close to stock, the Shelby Mustang GT350 is anything but.

In fact, it features ARH long tubes, OEM mufflers, a Fore fuel system and runs on E85. As for power output, the Cordes Performance Racing-built machine is said to put down no fewer than 923 RWHP, which is just bonkers.

Whats interesting though is the fact that this drag race featured a standing start, which rarely works out in favor of RWD muscle cars with hypercar-levels of power. On top of that, the Corvette Z06 is deceptively quick thanks to 650 HP & 650 lb-ft (881 Nm) coming from its 6.2-liter V8 engine. Its even been clocked it at 2.95 seconds as far as 0-60 is concerned.

Still, watch what happens when this juiced up GT350 starts hitting its stride.

VIDEO
Following on from reports on Thursday that said Frances PSA Group was closing in on acquiring Opel from General Motors, two people with knowledge of the plan told Reuters that the board of PSA approved the deal on Friday, with an announcement planned for Monday.



Both GM and PSA, which owns the Peugeot and Citroen brands, declined to comment.

The two companies finalized the deal after several months of discussions and negotiations, apparently overcoming differences on around $10 billion in pension liabilities at GMs European arm that includes Opel and Vauxhall, and which has been losing money for 16 years straight. The last time it recorded any profit was in 1999, having amassed more than $20 billion in losses since.

Another sticking point was GMs demands that a PSA-owned Opel be barred from competing against its own Chevrolet lineup in China and other overseas markets, according to the Reuters source, who said it was resolved after the American company bundled the issue together with the pension liabilities offering PSA more than the initial proposal of $1 billion to $2 billion to fund the pension plans.

Regardless of the details, PSA will have its work cut out with Opel that not only has many products competing with its own brands, but also comes with low profit margins making cars in countries with high labor costs, including Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as a surplus of production.

Nevertheless, in a statement last week, PSA boss Carlos Tavares said he believes the tie up will offer opportunity to create a European car champion with annual sales of over 5 million units. Furthermore, French sources have claimed that the acquisition of Opel can offer the group savings of up to 2 billion (around $2.1 billion).

Video
PSA Group is edging ever closer to purchasing Opel from General Motors in a move which will see PSA become Europes second-largest automaker.



Bloomberg reports that the two companies will negotiate throughout the weekend to reach and announce a deal on Monday. As further evidence that the deal is progressing, a tentatively-scheduled meeting between European labor union officials and PSA management has been set for next week.

PSAs chief executive Carlos Tavares is confident that he can create a restructuring plan to return Opel and Vauxhall to profitability and one that will allow Opel to serve as the companys premium German alternative to its solely French brands.

Before a deal can be reached, a few key issues need to be resolved. For one, a negotiating point will revolve around how PSA can achieve 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) in savings from the deal as well as how the pension plan for Opel retirees (currently underfunded by $9 billion) will be managed.

PHOTO GALLERY
A driver learned first-hand the hazards of winter driving, after losing control of his car and ended up in the ditch.



The video begins just as the driver was overtaking a Yaris. Nothing worrisome far, but just as the car was accelerating, the dry asphalt ended, and a thin layer of ice and snow made maneuvering all the more difficult and hazardous.

Almost instantly, the driver can be seen losing control and trying to regain it, as the vehicle starts wobbling left and right. Eventually, it can be seen heading towards the side of the road, head into a deep snow bank that caused it to flip onto its side. Good thing there was no one coming on the opposite side, as a head-on collision would have been unavoidable.

We cant tell you where it happened with certainty, but the voice coming from the radio inside the car whose dash-mounted camera suggest it might have been Russia..

VIDEO
Photo: CTV

Backcountry enthusiasts are being warned avalanche season is far from over.

In fact, March is the deadliest month for avalanche fatalities and Avalanche Canada is focusing its safety message on Albertas snowmobilers.

Last year, 15 people died in avalanches, 12 of whom were snowmobilers. As well, over the past five years, 45 people were killed in avalanches; 24 of them while snowmobiling.

All of the snowmobiling accidents over the past five years occurred in B.C. while two-thirds of the victims were Alberta residents.

Of those Alberta residents, 73 per cent were from communities within 150 km of Edmonton.

All of the victims were male.

Unlike other user groups, snowmobiling avalanche fatalities are showing a clear pattern, said Gilles Valade, executive director of Avalanche Canada. When we see such a cluster in terms of place of residence, it raises a concern that our safety messages arent reaching the people who clearly need it most.

Far too often we see terrain choices that simply do not fit the conditions, said Curtis Pawliuk, general manager of the Valemount and Area Recreation District, a popular snowmobiling destination for Alberta riders. These people are getting lucky. While the snowmobile community has come a long way, we need to start seeing greater buy-in and respect for the hazards of the backcountry."

An avalanche skills training course is the first step for anyone recreating in the backcountry, said Valade. More than 8,000 people take this training each season. Unfortunately, less than 15 per cent of these students are snowmobilers. Convincing more sledders to take this training where they will learn safe travel techniques for avalanche terrain and how to self-rescue is a significant goal for Avalanche Canada.

Everyone in a backcountry party needs to have an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel.

Current avalanche conditions can be found online.
Photo: Contributed

Penticton RCMP have been kept busy with a rash of crimes in the Apex Mountain area.

Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth said there have been a number of incidents over the past few days.

They are:

March 1

At 2:35 a.m., police received a report of an alarm at a residence on The Circle. When they arrived, officers found the front door had been kicked in. The owner of the seasonal residence was out of town at the time.

At 6 a.m., the owner of the pickup truck that had been entered the previous night on Apex Mountain Road called to report that his 2014 grey Silverado was now missing. The canopy to the truck was found abandoned on White Lake Road later in the day.

At 8:55 a.m., a report was received that a resident of The Circle had their unlocked vehicle rummaged through overnight. Police found a neighbouring home had damage to the front door, and a Keurig coffee maker and a Bose speaker were missing.

At 11:20 a.m., police received a report of a break and enter to a residence in the 1400 block of Apex Mountain Road. The home was ransacked with a television and stereo missing. The owner is out of the country and the matter is still under investigation.

A report was received that a vehicle had the passenger door pried open with a crowbar style tool and a wallet was stolen from within.

At 2:35 p.m., the Penticton Targeted Enforcement Unit spotted a grey Silverado pickup truck exiting the Sun Leisure Mobile Home Park at 3999 Skaha Lake Road with alleged property crime suspects inside.

The vehicle appeared to take off at a high rate of speed and was safely pulled over by First Nations Police Const. Mike Rampone near the PIB Band Hall, said Wrigglesworth. The truck was the same one reported stolen overnight from Apex Mountain Road and it had plates on it that were believed to be stolen from a Brandon Avenue address.

Identification was also found that had been stolen with wallets and credit cards from a vehicle on Clearview Crescent on Feb. 28. The 50-year-old male driver will appear in court today on charges of theft, possession of stolen property and dangerous driving.

Police received additional reports of vehicle burglaries and thefts from the 1200 block of Apex Mountain Rd. on Feb. 28.

The Penticton RCMP is seeking the publics assistance in preventing crime by ensuring your vehicle is locked and valuables are not left in parked vehicles, said Wrigglesworth. If you have any information that can further assist the investigators on any of the above noted crime, please contact Const. Dave Dixon at 250-492-4300 or Crimestoppers.
Photo: File photo

UPDATE: 5:30 p.m.

The man who organized a brutal sucker punch that put a young man in a coma was convicted of aggravated assault, Thursday in Kelowna. The nightclub bouncer who facilitated the vicious blow was convicted of assault.

The two-week trial of Steven Kaplan and Kyle O'Brien wrapped up last week, while the man who actually threw the devastating punch was sentenced to five years last May.

On the evening of Sept. 6, 2014, Steven Kaplan was involved in two fights with Michael Martin and a friend, outside the Liquid Zoo nightclub.

Following that, Martin and his friends made their way to Sapphire Nightclub, one block away.

Apparently not satisfied, Kaplan, now with the assistance of the much larger Steven Kollie, showed up at Sapphire and spoke with the two bouncers outside, one of whom was O'Brien.

Surveillance video shows O'Brien entering the club, finding Martin, and dragging him back outside in a chokehold, Martin's feet swinging above the ground.

Kaplan has a few words with Martin outside, before walking back to Kollie, who was in a nearby alley. As he walks away, Kaplan gestures to his eyes to O'Brien in a watch him manner.

After finding Kollie, Kaplan returns and engages Martin in conversation. Kollie walks towards the two men several seconds later, and as the large man approaches, Kaplan points to Martin. Seconds later, Kollie connects a thunderous left hand to Martin's face, making him unconscious as he falls to the pavement, according to Justice Allan Betton.

Martin fractured his skull on the pavement, putting him in a coma for several days and leaving him with brain damage.

During Thursday's judgment, Betton found that Kaplan was intent on furthering the confrontation with Mr. Martin following the initial fights and enlisted the help of Kollie in his altercation with the 130-pound Martin.

His actions throughout were deliberate and appeared calculated, Betton said of Kaplan.

Betton also found that O'Brien removed Martin from the bar at the request of Kaplan and Kollie, knowing the two men planned to assault Martin.

Betton ruled that O'Brien could not foresee the bodily harm that Kollie would cause Martin, and therefore convicted him of assault rather than aggravated assault.

A pre-sentence report has been ordered for both guilty men. Counsel will meet with Betton on March 27 to make sure the reports have been completed and to schedule a sentencing date.

The Supreme Court of Canada found last summer that Supreme Court trials should take no longer than 30 months from when charges were initially laid.

Kaplan's 30 months is up on April 20, which puts pressure on the timeliness of sentencing. If a trial takes longer than 30 months, an accused can apply to have the charges dismissed.

ORIGINAL: 3 p.m.

Two men have been found guilty over a vicious assault at Sapphire Nightclub in Kelowna.

Steven Kaplan was found guilty of aggravated assault after weeks of trial for the September 2014 incident, in which Michael Martin was sucker punched, knocking him out, fracturing his skull, putting him in a coma for two weeks and causing brain damage.

Kaplan's co-accused, Kyle O'Brien, was found guilty of assault, because the judge couldn't find that he had any foresight of bodily harm, despite knowing an assault would occur.

Kaplan had been banned from most bars in town, but spoke to O'Brien, who shortly thereafter dragged Martin out in a chokehold.

Minutes later, Steven Kollie approached the man, punching Martin and walking away, with neither Kaplan nor O'Brien in pursuit.

Kollie was given a five-year sentence last May after being found guilty of aggravated assault.

As this is a developing story, Castanet will update with more details soon.

 with files from Nich Johansen
Photo: The Canadian Press

Two Kelowna men are facing charges related to trafficking the deadly opioid fentanyl.

Ontario Provincial Police say two men were arrested by officers conducting a traffic stop on Highway 11 on Wednesday in Northern Ontario.

Police allegedly seized various types of controlled substances as well as drug paraphernalia.

Dillan Butler, 27, and 25-year-old Mitchell Spurrell  both of Kelowna  face charges that include possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking and possession of fentanyl.

They're also charged with possession of more than three kilograms of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and obstructing a peace officer.

They are being held in custody and are to appear in court on the allegations on Friday in Cochrane, Ont.
Study: Crime Has Dropped Near The 606 More Than In Other, Similar Areas

By Stephen Gossett in News on Mar 2, 2017 8:56PM



The 606. Photo by Braden Nesin/Chicagoist

Ever since its inception, The 606 trail has been greeted as a mixed blessing. It's a massively popular piece of alternative-transportation infrastructure that brings out communities and beautifies the neighborhoods it reaches. It's also been criticized for sparking gentrification and sending housing prices along its West Side stretch skyrocketing.

A new study adds a major check mark to the positive column: crime rates of several kinds have declined in areas along the trail since its inception, according to researchers.

Researchers took a look at crime rates from the time before The 606 opened (between June and November, 2011) and compared them to stats from the same timeframe in 2015, when the bike-and-walk trail debuted. Neighborhoods along the trail saw a decline in a variety of crimes over that period compared with neighborhoods with the same socioeconomics, according to a study called "Examining the Impacts of an Urban Greenway on Crime in Chicago," published in February in Environment and Behavior.

Rates of violent, property and disorderly crime all fell at a faster rate in neighborhoods along The 606 than in similar neighborhoods nearby, lead author Brandon Harris, a Chicago resident and onetime Chicago Park District intern, said in a release. The decrease was largest in lower-income neighborhoods along the western part of the trail.

Upticks in residential and business activity; foot traffic; and "a greater sense of community" prompted by the trail could all be contributing factors to the downtick, according to co-author Lincoln Larson.

Still, positive impact against crime only extended so far. When looking at crime rates within a half-mile of the trail, researchers found that, while property crime fell compared to similar neighborhoods within the study's timeframe; but there was no significant drop in violent or disorderly-crime rates.

Indeed, a pattern of armed robberies along the popular rail-to-trail conversion last fall prompted a community alert from the Chicago Police Department.

Despite the positive findings, researchers further cautioned against a magic-bullet interpretation of the study. Any park and green public space has to be properly funded and maintained to remain viable and successful, said co-author Scott Ogletree. Its not just the presence of parks that matters. Design and programming for parks is also critical, especially considering some of the troubling crime trends in Chicago over the past year," he said. If a trail is chartered through heavily minority communities, cities have to take extra precaution to make sure those communities feel invested in such ventures, the researchers noted.

It's something developers and planners will have to keep foremost in mind amid ambitious plans like the riverfront trail proposal and Pilsen's Paseo.

[H/T DNAinfo]
Photo: HikingAddiction

Are you addicted to hiking, but don't know anyone to tackle the climb with you? HikingAddiction has got you covered.

HikingAddiction is a volunteer run Kelowna organization aimed to help people explore the gems of the Okanagan.

HikingAddiction was born from a need for an outdoor activity group when founder Josh Hoggan first moved to Kelowna back in 2011. Over the past six years, Hoggan has brought on over 4,000 members, with anywhere between 10 to 60 individuals participating per hike.

"Our group is maintained by a small number of regular volunteers, but is very active outside of official events, as all members are welcome to host hikes and contribute in any way," said Hoggan.

More information can be found at HikingAddiction.
Photo: CTV Jarrod Bacon, right.

One of the three Bacon brothers is back in the community after being convicted of conspiracy to traffic cocaine in 2012, despite his own objections.

Jarrod Bacon was sentenced to 14 years in jail in 2012, minus time served, which put him up for statutory release this February.

Bacon has been transferred to a halfway house to serve out the rest of his sentence, despite him arguing it will put him in danger.

Parole Board documents show Bacon objected to the move, but the board was not convinced.

You were involved in street gangs and organized crime while you were a member of the Red Scorpions and the Bacon Brothers, board member Michel Lalonde said in the ruling. At that time, you were known to have considerable influence on the gang environment, and violence is implicitly linked to this environment."

In his argument for not being moved to the halfway house, Bacon noted his eldest brother, Jonathan, was killed in a mid-day shooting in Kelowna in 2011.

A Kelowna judge, meanwhile, decided Thursday that evidence found on a gang member's BlackBerry phone would be admissible in two upcoming gang-related trials, including Jason McBride's, who is accused of killing Jonathan Bacon.

Jarrod Bacon was released on several conditions, including avoiding anyone involved in drugs or crime, but the parole board documents noted he has kept gang connections while incarcerated.

"Security information about your associates indicates that you kept yourself in a position of influence. Obviously, this raises serious doubts about your genuine desire to rehabilitate yourself and lead a life free from criminality," the parole documents state.

The third Bacon brother, Jamie, is charged with first-degree murder in the 2007 Surrey Six killings, and is currently awaiting trial.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: Castanet Staff An ambulance tends to one of the victims of the Aug. 14, 2011 Jonathan Bacon shooting outside the Delta Grand Hotel.

The Crown will be allowed to use emails found on a gang member's cell phone as evidence in two gang-related murder trials, including the trial for the 2011 broad-daylight murder of Jonathan Bacon in Kelowna.

The defence for Jason McBride and Cory Vallee, two men facing separate first-degree murder charges for gang-related killings, applied to have evidence found on Amir Eghtesad's Blackberry ruled inadmissible, claiming the warrant to search the phone violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Jason McBride, dressed in a prison-issued red sweater, viewed the proceedings from a video screen in the Kelowna courtroom Thursday afternoon.

The phone in question was seized when Eghtesad, a United Nations gang member, was arrested in August 2011, but the contents of the phone weren't recovered until April 2014 thanks to technological developments that allowed decryption of the phone's security features.

Eghtesad was arrested on charges of conspiracy to murder Jonathan Bacon, three days before the Bacon brother was killed. He was given a seven-year sentence after pleading guilty in 2014.

McBride is charged, along with two other co-accused, of murdering Jonathan Bacon, a member of the Red Scorpion gang outside of Kelowna's Delta Grand Hotel in August of 2011.

Vallee's first-degree murder trial for the 2009 murder of Red Scorpion Kevin LeClair began in early February. He is also facing charges of conspiracy to kill Jonathan Bacon and others.

While both men are facing charges from separate killings, evidence was found on Eghtesad's phone that the Crown intends to use against both of them.

Justice Allan Betton ruled Thursday that the search warrant that granted police access to the phone was legal, and therefore the evidence found can be used in the two trials.

McBride's murder trial, along with Jujhar Khun-Khun and Michael Jones, is scheduled to begin May 1, almost six years after the shooting took place.
Photo: Nicholas Johansen

UPDATE: 11:30 a.m.

A Kelowna woman is disputing the fact that patients weren't being let in the hospital during Tuesday night's lockdown at KGH's emergency ward.

She says security was just being selective about who was allowed in.

The woman, who asked not to be named, had arrived at the emergency ward after her mother was rushed there previously.

"The hospital was on lockdown, there were cops all around," she said.

After a brief discussion with a security guard at the door, where she told him she was there to check on her mother, another hospital staff member came out and allowed her inside.

"I had my purse with me; there was no bag search," she said.

The woman's mother was being treated directly beside the shooting victim, and she says there were five police officers watching the back emergency area.

"The staff was really good and the security guards were just doing their job."

ORIGINAL: 5 a.m.

A Kelowna mother and her young daughter were in the emergency room waiting area at KGH Tuesday night when a white Jeep Cherokee, riddled with bullet holes pulled up to the drop off area and a man suffering from gunshot wounds sought treatment.

Nathalie Nicholson had been in the waiting room for about an hour with her daughter, who was suffering from stomach pains, when rumours about a vehicle full of bullet holes began circulating at about 6 p.m.

Soon after, security guards stopped letting people inside.

Patients that left the ER to go out for a smoke or whatever weren't allowed back in for over an hour, even though their names were being called, said Nicholson.

It was total lockdown for a good hour, almost two hours.

Nicholson never saw the man who suffered the gunshot wounds, as she believes hospital staff took him through a different entrance.

When security did begin letting people back inside, Nicholson says they were searching through everyone's bags who entered.

Despite the rampant speculation about what was going on at the hospital, Nicholson says staff never told them what was happening.

She eventually left at about 9 p.m., and a security guard was still checking bags at the door.

Police believe the shooting took place near Sexsmith Road and Pinto Road sometime between 5 and 6 p.m. They have yet to release information about any possible suspects, but believe it was a targeted attack.

Residents in the Rose Valley area of West Kelowna said police were knocking on doors there Tuesday night and Wednesday, and told a resident that the victim lived in the neighbourhood.

The victim was released from hospital Wednesday.
Photo: Interior Health

Those running clandestine drug labs make for lousy neighbours.

Some inconsiderate people running a drug lab near Rock Creek have possibly contaminated the area's water table, prompting a warning from Interior Health.

The RCMP recently found a drug lab near Sanders Road and Johnstone Creek Road West, in between Rock Creek and Bridesville, off Highway 3.

Police say those running the drug lab have been dumping solvents and other hazardous materials into the property's soil, possibly contaminating the water table.

Although the risk of exposure to the materials and potential health impacts are considered low, Interior Health has issued this warning as a precautionary measure until further investigation and water testing of the affected area is completed, the warning states.

The 'do not use' order includes water in a three-kilometre radius from the drug lab.

The order does not apply to those drawing their water from aquifers, deep wells, or hose downstream along the Kettle River. Additionally, those in Bridesville, Rock Creek and Midway are not affected.

IH believes about 25 properties are impacted directly, and are currently in the process of contacting all of the residents.

Police have not said what drugs the lab was producing.
Photo: Contributed

Richmond RCMP are investigating the discovery of a body on Fraserwood Way.

Shortly before 1 p.m. Thursday, police responded to the 20000 block of Fraserwood and confirmed the presence of a deceased male.

Cpl. Dennis Hwang says the death is considered suspicious, and the case has been handed over to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.

Officers were seen with a tarp-covered body in a gulley off Fraserwood.

No other details of the incident have been released.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the IHIT tipline at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448), email at [email protected] or call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Photo: The Canadian Press

Myles Himmelreich has struggled with significant joint pain since he was a teen, yet he didn't get a proper diagnosis of arthritis until he was in his mid-30s.

His young age and the fact he is diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder may have prevented doctors from considering testing his joints sooner  a problem he says is all too common for adults with the disorder, a spectrum of irreversible developmental issues resulting from alcohol exposure in the womb.

Himmelreich, CJ Lutke and Emily Travis co-authored a survey of 541 people living with the disorder in Canada and the United States to see how commonly they experience other physical and mental health conditions. Their findings are being presented Saturday in Vancouver at a conference hosted by the University of British Columbia.

Of over 260 questions pertaining to conditions in 25 areas, such as hearing, autoimmune or cardiovascular disease, they found that people with the disorder experienced health problems at a rate that was anywhere from two times to more than 100 times higher than the general population.

The three authors, who all live with the disorder, met at a previous international conference and advocate to reduce stigma about the disorder. They had the idea for the survey in 2013 while discussing their array of health issues and hearing similar complaints from others.

Completing the survey, they were surprised to find how prevalent those health problems are.

"Do our bodies age and break down faster? I think it seems like it. There are times where I especially feel like an old lady," said Lutke, 33.

Among the general population, about five to eight per cent of people suffer from a total of 80 autoimmune diseases. Yet the survey found that 29.5 per cent of people living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder who were surveyed reported having at least one of only 10 of those diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease and lupus.

The rate of chronic ear infections among adults who were surveyed was 147 times higher than the general population, and 8.1 per cent of those who took part in the survey reported having hearing loss or problems that began after the age of 20.

Early onset dementia, which happens in people under the age of 65, also affected people in the study at a rate that is 104 times higher than the general population. The average age of respondents in the survey was 27 1/2 years old.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with first responders and health-care workers in Vancouver today to discuss the illicit drug overdose crisis that has claimed 922 lives in British Columbia last year.

Following a tour of Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt near Victoria on Thursday, Trudeau said his government is taking the crisis seriously and monitoring the situation closely.

In his last visit to British Columbia in December, Trudeau said he met with people in the Vancouver's Downtown Eastside who raised concerns about expanding hours for safe consumption sites.

He said the recently announced $10 million of federal funds for the province is aimed at improving the response to the crisis.

While legislation to legalize marijuana is planned to be introduced before the summer, Trudeau said it's the only illegal drug under review.

He said regulating the sale of marijuana will protect young people and take money away from criminal gangs, but the government is drawing the line at pot when it comes to legalizing illicit drugs.

"We are not planning on including any other illicit substances in the move towards legalizing and controlling and regulating," he said.

Until new legislation is in effect, Trudeau said repeatedly that current laws criminalizing marijuana remain in place.

Despite his comments, the issue of pot shops which are rampant in several B.C. municipalities including the capital Victoria was not raised during his meeting with the city's mayor Thursday afternoon.

Instead, Mayor Lisa Helps said they discussed the overdose crisis, green technology, the city's cruise ship terminal and housing.

Premier Christy Clark met with Trudeau on Thursday evening in Vancouver, but no details about their discussion have been released.

Trudeau will be taking questions today at a conference for the Young President's Organization, a group that supports and connects young chief executives of companies around the world.
Photo: Drive BC Coquihalla Summit

UPDATE 11:15 p.m.

Drive BC is reporting the Coquihalla is closed to northbound traffic at Hope "due to poor road conditions and considerable avalanche hazard."

The highway is still open to southbound traffic, but travel is not recommended unless absolutely necessary.

Environment Canada says 35 cm has fallen on the pass since Friday morning, with another 10 to 15 cm still to come before the system moves east early Saturday morning.

UPDATE 4:30 p.m.

Those travelling this weekend on Southern Interior highways may want to give that a second thought if it isnt necessary.

The snowfall warning that has hung over the Coquihalla for four straight days has now been extended to Highways 1 and 3.

Environment Canada says the weather system that dropped 20 to 25 cm of snow on the Coquihalla summit over the past 12 hours remains stalled over southwestern BC.

It is expected 15 to 25 cm will fall on the Hope - Princeton Highway by Saturday morning.

Similar accumulations are also being forecast for the Coquihalla, Highway 3 from Paulson Summit to the Kootenay Pass and on the Trans Canada between Eagle and Rogers Pass.

ORIGINAL 8:00 a.m.

For the fourth day in a row, a snowfall warning has been issued for the Coquihalla Highway.

Environment Canada says the route between Hope and Merritt could see up to 30 centimetres of snow by Saturday morning.

Drivers are also warned similar conditions are expected on Highway 3  Hope to Princeton, via the Allison Pass.

"Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow. Rapidly accumulating snow will make travel difficult," says Environment Canada.

"If you must travel, keep others informed of your schedule and destination and carry an emergency kit and mobile phone."
Photo: Google Maps

A man who helped save a family from a house fire in northwestern British Columbia is now one of nine recruits to the fire department in Terrace.

James Giles has previous work experience in emergency response but was acting as a Good Samaritan last October when he rushed to help after spotting flames shooting from the home in Terrace, about 150 kilometres east of Prince Rupert.

Giles says he was impressed by the effective response of the firefighters and was moved to apply when the department launched a recruitment drive.

"I think it's a tight-knit group that it's going to be a pleasure to be a part of," says Giles.

He passed the required fitness test and joins eight others training to become volunteer members of the fire department.

Chief John Klie says the new additions will boost the volunteer component of the department to 26 members, backing up its 10 full-time firefighters.

Mayor Carol Leclerc says the city is lucky to have individuals like Giles volunteering their time. (CJFW)
IL Attorney General Says Job Search Sites May Be Age-Discriminating

By Stephen Gossett in News on Mar 2, 2017 10:34PM



Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Some of the most prominent job-search sites in the country could be engaging in age discrimination based on how their websites' function; and the Illinois Attorney General is warning them to fix the problem.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan sent letters on Thursday to six job-search companiesincluding CareerBuilder, which is headquartered in the Looprequesting information about procedures that appear to limit based on age how users can upload important resume details on websites and apps.

In addition to CareerBuilder, Madigan sent letters to Beyond.com, Indeed Inc., Ladders Inc., Monster Worldwide Inc. and Vault.

Some of the oversights described by the state AG's office sound particularly egregious for older prospective workers seeking employment. In one instance, users couldn't add any education or employment start dates prior to 1980, effectively shutting out persons older than 52, Madigan's office found.

Todays workforce includes many people working in their 70s and 80s, Madigan said in a press release. Barring older people from commonly used job search sites because of their age is discriminatory and negatively impacts our economy.

A spokesperson for CareerBuilder declined to comment on specific operational limitations on the company's website, but said the company is addressing the problem.

"CareerBuilder is committed to helping workers of all ages find job opportunities, and is fixing this unfortunate oversight," Jennifer Sullivan Grasz, vice president of corporate communications for CareerBuilder, told Chicagoist by email.

Ladders told Chicagoist via email that the company has has not received a letter from Madigan to date, but denied taking part in such practices. "Our site does not restrict the dates on resumes that people submit to us," Ladders said. "In fact, to combat age discrimination we do not ask for a year of graduation from college. Our optional work experience section limits your experience to the past 50 years. We have spoken publicly about this topic and feel very passionate about combatting age discrimination in the workforce. What we have shared with job seekers is our belief that to effectively market yourself it is best not to discuss work experience from more than twenty years ago. You can find that information here."

The Civil Rights Bureau of the state Attorney General is also looking into the companies' practices.

More Americans above the age of 65nearly 20 percentare working than at any time since the early 1960s, Bloomberg noted last year, in an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

This post has been updated.
Photo: Tourism Kelowna

Tourism in the Central Okanagan is worth $1 billion to the local economy, according to Tourism Kelowna.

The study shows that nearly two million yearly visitors to Kelowna contribute more than $1.25 billion locally, and the tourism industry generates $142 million in tax revenues.

Tourism is one of the Central Okanagans leading industries, providing jobs for residents, spending that strengthens our economy and taxation that funds programs and contributes to our quality of life, said Nancy Cameron, Tourism Kelownas president and CEO.

Tourism Kelownas mandate is to increase overnight visitation to benefit our local economy. We have seen visits to our destination continue to grow and this new economic impact data illustrates the importance of tourism to our communities.

Tourism Kelowna said total visitor spending in 2016 was $337 million. The industry is the area's third-largest employer, with 11,890 jobs. The total gross domestic product from tourism is $620 million, with a total economic output of $1.25 billion  which is an increase of 48.8 per cent since 2011.

Strategic marketing programs, strong industry partnerships, targeted sales programs, and a new visitor servicing strategy all contribute to this growth and success for the tourism industry and our communities, said Cameron.

The information is based on data from the Kelowna Census Metropolitan Area, Central Okanagan Regional District and the Big White Ski Resort. The full report is available on Tourism Kelownas website.
Photo: Facebook

A Kelowna woman at the centre of a media frenzy as an infant is now coming forward in search of her birth mother.

Teanna, who was famously known as Baby Mary when she was found abandoned in a garbage bag in a Calgary parking lot in 1987, has created a Facebook page in hopes of contacting the woman who left her there.

In a photo posted to Facebook under the profile name Mary Olympia Doe, the name she was given before being adopted, Teanna says: "Looking for my birth parents! I am known to the world as Baby Mary! I was left in a parking lot in Calgary Alberta... Found by two young boys. This all happened on Nov. 25, 1987. Please share this and help. Thank you."

The photo has now been shared more than 1,000 times, and the woman hopes the power of social media will encourage her mother to reach out to her.

Teanna, who has conducted radio interviews in Calgary, says she's not angry anymore, she just wants to connect the dots of her life.

After her adoption, her parents moved to Kelowna, and she was raised out of the spotlight until she decided to go public with her search.

Now almost 30, she says on Facebook she has been overwhelmed with the support she has received.

"Thank you to those who have taken the time to share the picture. It means so much!" she said.

"All I want to know is where I come from. Who brought me into this world?" she posted.
Photo: CTV

A truck driver spent two days trapped in his rig after crashing down a steep embankment in Manning Park.

The man was rescued late Thursday night after crashing off Highway 3 on Tuesday.

Police received a missing person report Wednesday and drove his planned route while search and rescue teams and RCMP Air Services looked to no avail.

The crash scene was discovered Thursday morning, about 35 kilometres east of Hope, in the Rhododendron Flats area.

Due to the difficult terrain and the tractor-trailer being about 70 feet down the slope, the pinned driver was finally freed about 11 p.m.

He was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, Const. Melissa Wutke said in a press release.

CTV reports the man was alert during the rescue, and rescuers had to disassemble the truck around him to extricate him from the wreck.

This was a very challenging rescue operation," said Wutke.



RCMP and Commercial Vehicle Safety & Enforcement are investigating the cause of the crash.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
A Kelowna woman is furious after watching a man driving while on his phone, oblivious to those around him.

Jamie was in the passenger seat of her truck while her husband was driving down Glenmore Road near Kane Road, when she noticed the man beside him was looking at his phone, surfing Facebook.

Jamie, upset by the man's actions, tried to get his attention.

I'm screaming, my husband is honking at him, and the kid is not even looking, Jamie said. I'm so upset.

Finally, the man looked up from his phone and noticed Jamie beside him.

When he finally realized that we were very close to him and videotaping him, he just stared at me, she said. We tried to stop him and he just took off on us.

ICBC says on average, distracted driving contributes to 81 fatal crashes per year in B.C. and a driver is five times more likely to crash when on the phone.

Those caught by police using an electronic device while driving can face a $368 fine and four driving penalty points.
Photo: Contributed

Families in Revelstoke will have an opportunity to comment on the future of education later this month.

On March 10, Ministry of Education staff will host an open house at Revelstoke Secondary school from 6-8 p.m. for people to share ideas on how to transform rural education in B.C.

Citizens and organizations can express their thoughts on rural education and share stories of the importance of rural schools and rural educational programs in a casual setting with a more formal, facilitated discussion planned for the last hour of the meeting.

The open house is part of a public engagement process to help develop a rural education strategy by the summer of 2017.

The public can go online to comment on the draft discussion paper summarizing what was heard from the first phase of rural education engagement, which included an online survey and discussion forum.

All feedback will help government shape a final report on an integrated rural education strategy, including recommendations for the future.

The strategy will aim to find long-term solutions for the challenges facing rural school districts and communities, including looking at the social, cultural and economic roles schools play in small communities.
Photo: CTV

An external investigation has found staff at the Vancouver School Board were bullied, harassed and endured a toxic work environment while carrying out their duties last year.

An executive summary of the report has been released, just over four months after the BC School Superintendent's Association filed a complaint about the treatment of employees at the Vancouver School Board.

A timeline supplied with the report's summary shows by the time the probe began, the board's secretary-treasurer, superintendent and entire senior management team were on indefinite leave, although all have since returned to the job.

Education Minister Mike Bernier fired the school board's elected trustees days later, on Oct. 17, for failing to pass a balanced budget, and replaced the elected board with sole trustee Dianne Turner.

Turner says she was deeply distressed by the findings in the report by lawyer Rosyln Goldner, and says harassment of any kind is not acceptable in the workplace.

WorkSafeBC says it has reviewed Goldner's report and the findings align with its own investigation, which concluded with an inspection report requiring the Vancouver School Board to adhere to policies on harassment and bullying.
So, how can anyone possibly take your "metric" survey results as meaningful when you left out one of the most commonly used measurements with both metric and Imperial scales?

I'm referring to speed limits. I would suggest they are probably the second most common measurement anyone encounters on a daily basis (after temperature).

Anecdotally I would say most (esp. young and urban) people speak of distance in terms of the time it takes to travel, not the actual distance - in modern life the time taken to travel seems to be the only meaningful measure. I use it myself, but my parents look at me funny and ask me "But how _far_ is it?" when I do.

However speed limits are seen by everyone who drives, young and old, and unless one's vehicle is older than they are, or was originally sold in either the USA or maybe England, then probably the metre used to measure its speed is marked only, or at least only visibly, in kilometres per hour.

BTW, in rural Canada, at least in the Prairies and anywhere where surveying was done on a grid, distances are probably still more commonly measured in miles, since that's how far it is between road allowances and if you count the corner posts on fences to gauge distance then you're counting in miles. Miles and acres are impossible to avoid in Western Canada. It's only within my own lifetime that older measurements such as chains and rods have fallen into disuse.

Greg A. Woods
Photo: Wayne Moore

You could excuse RCMP members at the Kelowna detachment if they have circled March 24 on their calendars in indelible ink.

That's the day the long awaited police services building on Clement is scheduled for substantial completion. That means it is fit for occupancy, although some internal work may still be finishing up in some parts of the building.

Andrew Gibbs, who is managing the project for the city, says the building will be turned over to the RCMP. They will do some security work in the building.

Furniture and other items will also be moved in at that time.

"The intention is, when that work is done, the RCMP will begin moving in May and June," said Gibbs.

"It will be fully operational then."

Ground officially broke on the three-storey, 107,000-square-foot police services building Sept. 9, 2015. The building was budgeted at $48 million.

Gibbs says the project is on time and on budget.

The new building replaces the current, 55-year-old, 49,000-square-foot detachment on Doyle Avenue.

Members of the media were given a tour of the new facility Friday morning, but because of security concerns, were only allowed to take pictures in the main entrance lobby and the media room.

What we can tell you is there are 29 prisoner cells located on the main floor of the building, compared with 22 in the current detachment.

Interview and processing rooms are also in the cell block area.

In the current building, prisoners have to be escorted through the building to get to interview rooms, which RCMP reserve Const. Kerry Solinsky says can be a security risk.

Solinsky, who's the Kelowna detachment's building co-ordinator, says design changes make the new building much more functional.

"It allows us to keep up with the new technology, and also the new ways of investigation," said Solinsky.

The new detachment, according to Gibbs, was designed to accommodate employment until about 2025, but he added expansion capabilities have been built in that can occur without interfering with the operation of the building.

The building will house RCMP members who have been working at other offices in the city because of space limitations at the Doyle detachment.

However, members of the regional Southeast district will remain in their current location.

The Doyle Avenue detachment will eventually be demolished. However Gibbs says a timeframe for that has not been determined.

Hazmat assessments will need to be done, and the city still has to determine exactly what will become of the former RCMP site.

The site is part of the overall Civic Block plan.That plan envisions a six to 13-storey mixed use development on the site. Expansion of the Art Walk could also be part of the site.
Photo: YLW

Spring into travel this weekend at YLW.

Kelowna International Airport hosts a spring travel event on Saturday at which travellers can meet air carriers, travel agents, hotel and resort reps  and maybe even win a vacation.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and visitors can get helpful travel tips and information on popular destinations.

This year, we have a fantastic lineup of booths for participants to connect with and learn about exciting new travel options from YLW, said airport director Sam Samaddar.

Money raised from draw ballots will go to the Sunshine Foundation of Canada.

YLW and its partners are giving away five prize packages:

Air North Yukon adventure for two, including airfare and accommodation celebrating Canada's 150th anniversary

Central Mountain Aira return trip for two from Kelowna to Prince George, Terrace, Smithers, Fort St. John or Fort Nelson

Pacific Coastal Airlinesa airfare for two and a two-night stay at the St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casinoa in Cranbrook

$250 Transata future travel voucher

$200 Air Canada Vacationsa travel voucher and four Maple Leaf Lounge passes

Free parking will be provided in the long-term lot during the event hours.

YLW served 1.7 million passengers in 2016.
Photo: Contributed

Yet another proposed class action related to the so-called '60s Scoop alleges the federal government was negligent in allowing aboriginal children to lose their cultural identities when they were taken from their homes and placed with non-native families.

The new claim, filed in Federal Court this week, comes hard on the heels of a ruling that the government was liable for the harm suffered by on-reserve children in Ontario who were placed in non-indigenous homes, and weeks after Ottawa announced it wanted to negotiate with all scoop victims across the country.

According to the unproven statement of claim in the latest case, the proposed class comprises all aboriginal children in Canada taken from their families and placed with non-aboriginals, who did not raise them "in accordance with the aboriginal person's customs, traditions and practices."

Among other things, the proposed suit alleges the federal government failed to prevent the children's loss of cultural identity and to ensure they were made aware of their aboriginal status, effectively depriving them of their treaty rights.

"Canada was careless, reckless, wilfully blind, or deliberately accepting of, or was actively promoting, a policy of cultural assimilation," the unproven statement of claim states.

The representative plaintiff in the proposed lawsuit is Wendy Lee White, 44, of St. John's, N.L. According to the statement of claim, White was born Pauline Numa in North West River, Labrador. She was taken from her Innu mother as a toddler before being adopted by non-aboriginal parents just before her third birthday.

The proposed suit, filed by lawyers for the firm Koskie Minsky in Toronto, seeks $500 million in damages for breach of fiduciary duty and negligence, and $100 million in punitive damages.

The claim specifically excludes the on-reserve '60s Scoop victims in Ontario who won last month after a bitterly fought years-long battle with the federal government.

In that landmark ruling, Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Belobaba ruled that Canada failed to take reasonable steps to prevent thousands of on-reserve children from losing their indigenous heritage after they were placed with non-native families between 1965 and 1984. Damages in that case have yet to be determined.

Shortly before he was set to rule, Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett announced the government wanted to negotiate with all scoop victims, prompting an 11th-hour effort by federal lawyers  which they later gave up  to block Belobaba from releasing his decision.

Bennett did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new action, which is one of several others already filed years ago in provinces across the country. None of them has been certified.
Chicago Area Police Rank Among Worst In Racial Disparity In Traffic Searches: Study

By Stephen Gossett in News on Mar 3, 2017 4:38PM



Getty Images / Photo: Brad Thompson

Black and Hispanic drivers were searched during traffic stops at rates disproportionately higher in Cook County police departments and the Evanston police departments than they were in other agencies, according to a recent analysis of traffic stops.

Four departmentsthe Palatine Police Department, the Cook County Sheriffs Department, the Evanston Police Department and the Chicago Police Departmentfared particularly poorly in a study that looked at the rates by which traffic stops lead to searches.

The study is based on 55 million stops that were conducted by more than 130 law enforcement agencies in 16 states8 states that legally require departments to publish traffic-stop data and eight that, at least intermittently, do so voluntarily. Illinois passed a law in 2003 that required a study of traffic stops to identify racial bias.

Among the departments studied, researchers found that, between 2008 and 2011, Chicago area departments represented the ten most disproportionate outliers in terms on black-to-white search ratios. In 2009 in Evanston, for example, black motorists were searched nearly eight times as often as white drivers.

"Illinois police agencies appear to have highly targeted practices of searching minorities," the researchers wrote.



"Racial Disparities in Traffic Stop Outcomes"

Area law enforcement agencies fared even worse in terms of how often Hispanic drivers were searched during stops compared to white drivers, particularly the Palatine Police Department and the Cook County Sheriff. The sharpest outlier in that data set was the Sheriff in 2009, when Hispanics were searched 18 times more often than white drivers.



"Racial Disparities in Traffic Stop Outcomes"

Researchers wrote that a combination of citizen's ability to document stops, increased use of dashcams and bodycams in police departments, and greater access to databases of police traffic stops were nonetheless signs of progress.

"Our current focus on race and justice is all too familiar, but this most recent surge in attention to these issues offers perhaps a special promise of progress because our abilities to document citizen interactions with police have never been better," they wrote.

[H/T Injustice Watch]
Photo: Flickr - BC gov't

Premier Christy Clark says a $40-million high-speed Internet expansion project will build infrastructure and create jobs in rural British Columbia.

She was at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in Merritt today to highlight the government's rural economic development strategy.

Almost $246 million of the initiatives that form the strategy were included in last month's budget.

Clark says the Internet improvement project will create jobs in rural communities and allow local entrepreneurs to explore new business ventures without moving to urban centres.

The government's rural strategy comes just weeks before the official start of May's election, where rural-urban economic differences are expected to be major campaign issues.

The latest B.C. Stats employment data shows unemployment at 10.5 per cent in the northeast region, while the jobless rate in the Lower Mainland is 4.9 per cent.

The regional council at Fort Nelson recently implemented widespread community cuts to weather the local economic downturn.
Photo: Contributed

The father of a nine-year-old girl who was drugged and killed by her mother told the woman's sentencing hearing Friday that he will never forgive her for the pain she has caused.

Duane Lucius said he can't understand how his former wife could do such a thing to her own child.

"I try to be strong for my family and friends," Lucius told a Calgary court. "I feel upset (about) how someone could do something like this to a little, innocent girl with a whole life ahead of her."

Laura Coward, 50, pleaded guilty last month to the second-degree murder of Amber Lucius and is facing an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for at least 10 years.

Holding a picture of Amber, Lucius told court he misses his daughter's warm hugs and thinks about her every day.

"I gave her mom time to spend with her, but Laura never thought it was enough. I would like to know how a person could do such a thing. I will never forgive her and I will never forget my daughter Amber because she meant a lot to me."

The girl was reported missing Aug. 31, 2014, and her mother was arrested two days later near Sundre in west-central Alberta. She was standing outside a burned truck in which her daughter's body was discovered.

Coward had Amber for the weekend, and on a trip to a remote area, gave her a toxic but non-lethal dose of a prescription sleeping medication. She mistakenly thought Amber was dead and filled the truck  with Amber unconscious inside  with paper and plastic totes before setting it on fire with a propane torch and closing the door.

An autopsy suggested the girl died of a combination of hypothermia, smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide toxicity.

A police officer who came upon the burned vehicle saw a handwritten note on the outside of the driver's door that read: "Help me. It was an accident. Locked keys in.''

Crown prosecutor Jillian Pawlow urged the judge to require that Coward spend 20 years in custody before she can seek parole.

"The Crown submits that the accused's primary motivation was revenge-motivated, meant to inflict the most serious and permanent pain and anguish on Duane Lucius by depriving him of his only daughter," said Pawlow.

"An offence such as this one ... alarms every decent citizen. It is incomprehensible how a parent could so cruelly take the life of their young child. For any parent going through a long and protracted custody dispute with an ex-spouse, this is most definitely the greatest fear realized."

Court documents described a bitter divorce between Coward and Lucius. A custody tug-of-war over their daughter had continued up until the girl was found dead.

In June 2013, a judge had named Lucius as Amber's primary caregiver and the girl moved back to his parents' farm with him. Coward and another daughter from a previous marriage moved to a nearby rural property to be closer to Amber.
Photo: Google Earth

A youth has been charged in a fire that destroyed the only school in a remote Nunavut hamlet.

RCMP say a 13-year-old is accused of arson in the blaze at the Kugaaruk school on Tuesday night.

No one was hurt, but officials are trying to find classroom space for hundreds of children.

Officials have said the firefighting effort was hampered by extremely cold temperatures which reached -60 C.

Kugaaruk sits on the southeastern shore of Pelly Bay off the Gulf of Boothia and has a population of just under 1,000 people.

Police say the youth has been released from custody on conditions and is to appear in court in Kugaaruk on April 5.

"The loss of the school has caused and will continue to cause hardship for the community as the school was used and utilized in several different roles," police said in a news release Friday.

RCMP are asking anyone with any information on the fire to contact them.

John Ivey, senior administrative official for Kugaaruk, said earlier this week that the fire threatened the community office as well as the hamlet's power plant and its diesel fuel supply tanks.

Ivey said the intense cold froze water lines and firefighters had to swap each other out to warm up.
Americas military is having its day in the sun. On February 27, President Donald Trump published a proposed federal budget boosting military expenditure by 10% while drastically reducing funding for the arts, education, environmental protections and social programs. He also recently appointed three military men to high-level cabinet positions  retired general James Mattis as Secretary of Defence, General John Kelly as Homeland Security Secretary, and Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster as National Security Advisor. This situation is unique in modern American history. Not since 1951, when president Harry Truman dismissed General Douglas MacArthur over the scope of the Korean war, has the possibility of conflict between political leadership and military interests been more likely. The same cant be said of Latin America and the Caribbean, with their long history of military rule. Interestingly, the regions 20th century military dictatorships often resulted from the same dilemma North Americans now face: choosing between a strong military elite and an incompetent commander-in-chief directing a chaotic national administration.

Trumps cabinet of generals

Trumps recent military appointments have been celebrated by some Americans, in part because of the three officers indisputable intellectual and professional merits. Coming on the heels of Michael Flynns resignation as National Security Advisor due to his still-murky, pre-inauguration engagement with Russian officials, the three generals seem credibly patriotic.

They also bring a sense of stability and experience to the erratic Trump administration. From extemporaneous announcements about potentially withdrawing from NATO to dropping out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, actions supposedly taken with the purpose of assuring American security and sovereignty have instead made many Americans feel more vulnerable than ever.

Trumps recent characterisation of mass immigration raids as a military operation required immediate public clarification by Department of Homeland Security chief Kelly that the military wont be used for deportations.

Not that it was an improbable idea in the Trump era. As Kelly admitted in the same press release, there had indeed been a draft proposal to enlist 100,000 National Guard troops in the apprehension of undocumented immigrants in several states.

So the US finds itself at a delicate juncture, given its long history of civilian control over the countrys armed forces. If the current West Wing continues to issue unconstitutional edicts, it could create a foreign policy vacuum that could justify the military having a determinant role in geopolitical decision-making.

Your neighbours know

In much of the rest of the Americas, the military has often been a decisive political actor. In 1980, two-thirds of the Latin American population lived under military rule.

Notable examples include the case of General Rafael L. Trujillo, head of the Dominican army when he assumed power in 1931, whose 30-year reign was one of Latin Americas most resilient dictatorships. Then theres Hugo Chavez, the comandante who staged a failed 1992 military coup before being elected president of Venezuela (1999-2013).

As documented (by A. Stephan, B. Loveman and T. Davies, and R. Diamint , among other thinkers), Latin American militarists valued authoritarian orders not simply because their democratic orders were weak, but because the arrangement benefited both political and military elites. They held power symbiotically and had each others backs.

Consider the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1988). His economic policies create an entrepreneurial military body that continued benefiting from massive national investment even after Chile transitioned to democracy, with many Chileans consent.

Our beloved military

The US armed forces, on the contrary, have long epitomised a bureaucratic or Weberian-type standing army. This emblematic American institution embodies professional discipline, technical training and high-tech warfare  all subordinated to, instead of a surrogate for, the civilian order.

But the arrangement is not infallible. In his seminal 1957 study, The Soldier and the State, Samuel Huntington reflected a paradox: civilian control requires keeping the military out of politics, but this goal can only be accomplished by militarising the military, making them the tool of the state.

Yet by putting the military in control of the states most powerful instrument  violence  it is enabled, even in a democratic regime, to undermine civilian control. Civilian control decreases as the military become progressively involved in institutional, class, and constitutional politics, Huntington wrote.

His warning now seems prescient. In announcing his proposed federal budget, Trump said he was fulfilling his pledge of substantially upgrading all of our beloved military, all of our military, offensive, defensive, everything, bigger and better and stronger than ever before.

Latin Americans would find little surprising in this arrangement: the militarys increasing supremacy in the Trump administration reflects the relative weakness of the civilian and political counterweights that have historically ensured democratic control of defence in the US.

The new president is unprepared to address the strategic challenges posed by extremist groups engaged in non-conventional wars, his behaviour toward tried-and-true allies is unpredictable and he disdains conventional structures such as NATO. So in come the generals.

Finding the right civil-military balance has been challenging in Latin Americas young democracies. In Ecuadors 1992 presidential elections, 65% of the population said they would prefer a military coup over Abdala Bucarams victory.

In Chile, even after democracy was restored, the army kept (and still maintains) substantial economic resources and veto power in strategic matters. The same was true when the Dominican Republic transitioned into a post-dictatorial regime in mid-1960s; it took a long while to reduce the militarys autonomy.

But over the last two decades, thanks to incredible effort from committed citizens, politicians, academics and social movements, most Latin American and Caribbean countries have at last largely expanded civilian control over the military.

Brazil and Chile did so as their congresses fought to obtain accountability and transparency regarding the military budget. In Argentina, Peru, Uruguay and Ecuador, civilian power grew more organically as part of the perennial battle to constrain the militarys proclivity to define its own missions and defence agendas as an expression of strength and autonomy.

US citizens can learn from their neighbours. All the warning signs are there, and civilian control of the military cannot be taken for granted. America, you dont know what youve got until its gone.

Lilian Bobea, Senior Researcher, Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO) - Dominican Republic

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
With important national elections scheduled this year in the Netherlands, France and Germany, European officials on edge about possible Russian interference are pursuing various measures to counter it. But with a daily onslaught of fake and misleading news, repeated attempts to hack computer systems of anti-Moscow politicians and political parties, their task is immense. Russian efforts to tilt elections and national referenda to suit its interests are ongoing. According to a report released by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Russias influence on the 2016 US election, Putins government has sought to influence elections across Europe. Hans-Georg Maassen, the head of Germanys domestic security agency, also warned of growing evidence of Russian attempts to influence Germanys federal elections, set for September. Alex Younger, the head of MI6, Britains Secret Intelligence Service, finds profound the risk to British sovereignty posed by the kind of state-directed fake news, propaganda, and other acts of subversion the Kremlin routinely engages in. Russia has denied interference in the US or European elections, and calls such accusations examples of rampant Russophobia in the West.

Undermining democracy

Disinformation campaigns, or what are also sometimes called active measures in the information space, have become an increasingly important feature of Russian military doctrine.

The goal of these campaigns is to weaken and undermine support for the European Union, NATO, and public trust and confidence in democracy itself. And with the rise of anti-establishment, anti-EU politicians across Europe, Russia has found an increasingly receptive audience for such operations.

Russian propaganda campaigns date back to before the Cold War. But the sophistication and volume of these efforts are greater today than in the past. The internet has opened up new modes and opportunities for Russia to influence foreign elections  and new vulnerabilities for democratic societies, for which the free flow of information is a fundamental feature.

There is evidence, for example, that Russia played a role in several key national referenda across Europe last year: in April, when Dutch voters rejected an EU treaty with Ukraine that would have led to closer political and economic ties; in June, when British voters opted to leave the EU; and in December, when Italian voters rejected constitutional reforms championed by then Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, leading to his resignation.

The results of each of these votes served Russias broad interest in undermining EU cohesion.

Russian interference in Western elections can take various forms. Its operators may disseminate false or misleading news via blogs, websites, and social media or hack into computer networks and email accounts to steal and then leak compromising information against politicians seen to be anti-Russia (for example, Hillary Clinton). At the extreme, hackers may rig computer systems to manipulate election vote counts.

Russias disinformation campaigns also aim to instil doubt, confusion, and cynicism in the democratic process, erode public trust in institutions and in the news media  even to the point of eliminating the very idea of a shared reality. This foments populist anger and anxiety.

Thus disinformation campaigns and cyberespionage are for Russia attractive means to undermine Western governments and societies.

Theyre also hard to track down and stop, offering Russia plausible deniability. Russian officials can operate covertly and through intermediaries, making it hard to find conclusive evidence directly implicating top Kremlin authorities.

It is often not clear if hackers are working with clear directions from Moscow or if they simply share sympathies with the Russian government and are acting independently.

A clear and present threat

Dutch authorities are so concerned about the possibility that its election could be manipulated that the interior minister announced that ballots will be counted by hand in the upcoming national election. Experts had warned that government computer systems were vulnerable to attack and disruption by state actors.

Likewise, the German government has advised of the possibility of a Russian cyberattack against the countrys federal elections. Russia is already suspected of hacking into the German Parliaments computer network in 2015. German officials also suspect that Russia was behind a computer hack last November that resulted in 900,000 Germans temporarily losing internet and telephone service.

Putin has a powerful incentive to undermine German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has been one of his most outspoken critics in Europe. She is also one of the strongest voices in favour of maintaining EU sanctions against Russia for its 2014 invasion and annexation of Crimea and its support for separatist rebels in the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.

In France, Emmanuel Macron, who is running on a pro-EU platform ahead of French presidential elections in April and May, has accused Russian hackers of targeting him in an attempt to smear his candidacy. Richard Ferrand, the secretary-general of Macrons En Marche party, has said that the campaigns website and databases have been subject to hundreds, if not thousands of attacks from inside Russia.

An existential threat

Gerard Araud, Frances ambassador to the United States, argues that Russian election interference and manipulation, if unchecked, could pose an existential threat to Western democracies.

European governments are taking various steps in response. They have tried to educate voters on how to identify fake news and have threatened retaliatory measures against Moscow if its subversive activities persist.

The EU has even created a team whose mission is to address Russias ongoing disinformation campaigns by weeding out false or misleading online news.

Despite the various successes it can plausibly claim, election interference can also backfire on Russia. US intelligence agencies have traced the hacking of the Democratic National Committee computer systems back to the highest levels of the Kremlin and before leaving office in January, President Barack Obama imposed a range of sanctions and other retaliatory measures on Russia.

Such public hacking and disinformation campaigns have further damaged its relations with the West. Russia will now be the primary suspect for any electoral problems or irregularities in the future.

With Brexit negotiations, the rise of anti-EU and anti-establishment political parties, and the uncertainty surrounding the presidency of Donald Trump, Europe already faces a precarious moment. But since Russian disinformation campaigns target the very foundations of liberal democracy, they represent something perhaps even more sinister, threatening, and potentially destructive than Europes many other troubles.

Richard Maher, Research Fellow, Global Governance Programme, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
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12 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend



Enroll in Cocktails 101 at The Violet Hour this Sunday. Image via The Violet Hour's Facebook page.

It's the freakin' weekend, and we're about to have some funwith comedy shows, the History Museum, the Chiditarod and more.

FRIDAY MARCH 3

LGBTQ HISTORY: The Chicago History Museums LGBTQ series, Out at CHM, steps into Art, AIDS and Activism at this weeks panel discussion. Hear how art has been used to speak out about the AIDS pandemic, advocate for its victims and critique public response from experts at SAIC, University of Illinois and Papi Project. Reception begins at 5:30 p.m. with panel discussion following at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.

FUNNY HA HA: Get Warm and Fuzzy at this episode of Funny Ha Ha hosted by Claire Zulkey at the Hideout. The live lit show features readings from Miss Spoken Co-Founder Carly Oishi, Second City's Pat Reidy, Huffington Post's Kim Bellware and many more. Entry is a $10 suggested donation at the door benefiting Sit Stay Read.

SPAMILTON: Every great production deserves a parody, and Spamilton is here to give Hamilton its due. The Off-Broadway hit celebrates, roasts and eviscerates the Tony Award winning blockbuster. The show, created by Gerard Alessandrini ("Forbidden Broadway") will run for 12 weeks only at Royal George Theatre. Tickets start at $59.

NOT SO SWEET 16 PARTY: Fireside Bowl will be the place to celebrate the end of the year that took Bowie, Prince, Leonard Cohen and others from us. FLOOD Magazine is throwing a party to kiss 2016 good bye with DJ sets from Greg Corner, Derek Berry and free bowling. RSVP for free entry and a free Deep Eddy cocktail. 8 p.m. to midnight.

PUNKTASTIC: The Menzingers grow up (a little) on this years After the Party. The tempos are a little slower, the lyric a little more introspective, but the band doesnt skimp on the hooks which keeps the energy up. Its not quite the blast furnace of punk-pop that was 2014s Rented World, but its still one of the better albums weve heard so far this year. Jeff Rosenstocks WORRY. Has proven to be a sleeper that has grown in our estimation since its release last year. Its the aural equivalent of drunkenly staggering all over the stage with every amp cranked into the red, tempered by hooks that sound deceptively simple and ready-made for punk rock party. Catch both groups, with Rozwell Kid opening, Friday night at The Metro.

LILLSTREET LOFT PARTY: Check out Lillstreet's new digs at a free party with cocktails, tarot card readings and creative experiences from 7 to 9 p.m. The Ravenswood art and event space underwent a redesign and guests are invited to drop in and enjoy two gallery openings at Lillstreet Art Center at the same time. RSVP here.



SATURDAY MARCH 4



Image via CHIditarod's Facebook page.

CHIDITAROD: The CHIditarod shopping cart race slash talent show slash food drive is back for another year. In the spirit of the Iditarod, teams of five take to carts instead of sleds and fill them with food to donate to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Its a chaotic scene as each team takes on a theme and puts on their costumes in the spirit of giving. Spectators will want to gather near the starting line at Wollcott and Hubbard. Race kicks off at 12:30 p.m.

MUSIC FROZEN DANCING: Who is crazy enough to throw an outdoor music festival in the middle of a Chicago winter? The Empty Bottle, thats who. The winter block party Music Frozen Dancing is back outside the small venue with noise rockers Metz and indie trio Screaming Females co-headlining. Keep warm out there with beers from Goose Island, coffee from Dark Matter and chili from Bite Cafe. Gates open at 1 p.m. Free.



Image via Chicago Beer Festival's Facebook page.

CHICAGO BEER FESTIVAL: If youve ever thought about knocking back some cold ones with Sue, now is your chance. The Chicago Beer Festival takes over the great hall at the Field Museum from 8 to 11 p.m. with more than 70 breweries sampling seasonal brews. Some of the museum exhibits will be open to peruse plus there will be music and food available. Get your tickets in advance for this one though, because they wont be sold at the door. Tickets are $45 ($55 for VIP which includes early entry at 7 p.m.).

HIDE N SEEK: The annual Chicago Children's Museum Hide N Seek fundraiser is back at the Navy Pier space. The event supports the museum's innovative exhibits, educational programs, and extensive community access initiatives while grown ups enjoy an evening of food, cocktails, music, raffles, and fun. This year's theme is " Spring Training" in honor of the World Series champion Chicago Cubs big win. Tickets are $120.



SUNDAY MARCH 5





2016 Chicago Polar Plunge from SCC/Special Olympics Chicago on Vimeo.

POLAR PLUNGE: While it hasnt been that cold this winter, were willing to bet that the water in Lake Michigan is still a tad bit nippy. A bunch of people will plunge into the freezing water anyway this Sunday, and its all in support of Special Olympics Chicago. Past plungers include celebrities like Lady Gaga, Vince Vaughn, Jimmy Fallon and our very own Mayor Emanuel. The first wave goes in at 10 a.m. at North Avenue Beach. Come just to watch the madness or register here to take the plunge. There is no registration fee, but plungers are required to fundraise a minimum of $200.

COCKTAIL CLASS: Learn the secrets of The Violet Hour's expert bartenders at their Cocktails 101 class from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $100. Email andrea@theviolethour.com or call 773-252-1500 for reservations.
What Exactly Is The City Doing About Vehicles Blocking Bike Lanes?

By Stephen Gossett in News on Mar 3, 2017 6:14PM



Photo: Steven Vance

If you ride a bike in Chicago, you've almost certainly had the experience: You're pedaling along the bike lane only to find the designated path ahead blocked by a delivery driver, or Uber car, or postal truck or any other of a seemingly endless parade of offenders. More than a nuisance, it's a very real safety hazard. So what exactly is the city doing to curb the practice?

Thanks in part to the efforts of individual cyclists and the advocacy group Active Transportation Alliance, the city appears to be moving in the right direction. A new "bike lane blockage" option was added to the city's 311 reporting options; and the Chicago Department of Transportation said it aims to improve the 311 system further in the future. The agency said it's also working with other departments to ramp up enforcement of such violations. The door may even be open to allow city staff other than police officers to assist with enforcement.

Active Trans sent a series of recommendations to CDOT in December after running Clear the Way, a campaign that urged the public to call 311 and send photos with to ATA when they encountered dangerous blockages on bike lanes and sidewalks or unsafe pavement. The campaign garnered more than 500 reports in its just one month.

"Responses even continued to troll in after we stopped tracking." Kyle Whitehead, government relations director at Active Trans, told Chicagoist. "The campaign really resonated at the grassroots level with people who are biking and walking every day. The issues are readily apparent and affecting how people get around."

Chicago cyclists had been pushing the issue even prior to Clear the Way, most noticeably by sharing photos of blocked lanes with the hashtag #enforce940060 (a reference to the ordinance that prohibits the parking violation).

Supplemented by its Clear the Way findings, ATA advised three recommendations to CDOT: further streamlined 311 reporting (including social-media and text functionality); posting contractor permits online, so that information about construction projects can be easily found; and increased enforcementincluding allowing city staff other than police to issue the pertinent violation.

"Some aldermen have been interested and supportive of [allowing other city staff to enforce the ordinance]," Whitehead said. "We recognize that police resources are limited and need to be applied to other issues. So perhaps other staff, such as public way inspectors, can help properly address safety issues."

Any time sidewalks and bike lanes are illegally blocked, it creates inconveniences and raises safety issues for everyone using the right of wayespecially more vulnerable users such as people walking and biking, Rebekah Scheinfeld, CDOT Commissioner, said according to ATA. "...[W]e look forward to continued collaboration with partners like Active Trans and other community stakeholders as we roll-out our Vision Zero action plan this year.

The Vision Zero plan aims to eliminate traffic-related fatalities by 2026. The long-in-the-works, multi-department plan is expected to be finalized later this month, CDOT spokesperson Michael Claffey told Chicagoist. According to the latest preview, one of the plan's components will be to analyze data in order to raise awareness of dangerous driving behaviors.
Eleven towns and cities in Britain, most of them off the tourist map, were named Thursday as bidders to be declared the next UK City of Culture.

They are eager to wear the cultural crown in 2021, following in the footsteps of the northeast England seaport of Hull which is holding the title this year.

The winner of the title is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors and tourists, earning millions of dollars for the local economy.

Included in the line-up is Britain's smallest city, St. David's in south Wales, with a population of less than 2,000. It is best known as the final resting place of St. David, the patron saint of Wales who was born in the year 500 AD.

Stoke-on-Trent, known for potteries, is celebrated as the home of famous pottery works by master potters such as Wedgwood.

The northern industrial town of Warrington, midway between the big cities of Liverpool and Manchester, is also in the race for the title. The town is best known for its World War II base for the U.S. military, which saw the town's Burtonwood area becoming Europe's biggest U.S. supply center.

Minister of State for Digital and Culture Matt Hancock announced the 11 bidders, which also includes Coventry, Hereford, Paisley, Perth, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Swansea and Wells.

The National Heritage Lottery Fund is to give a prize of 3 million pounds to the winner to boost local heritage.

Hancock said "UK City of Culture is a fantastic opportunity for towns and cities to celebrate their creativity and use culture as a catalyst for economic growth."

Hull is the second city to host the title. Its program this year includes 365 days of cultural events. It is estimated that being the UK City of Culture 2017 will deliver a 60 million pound boost to Hull's economy this year. The city has also seen a 1 billion pound investment since winning the title in 2013.

A shortlist of the bidding areas will be announced in the summer before the winning area is announced in December.
Holcim Croatia boosts revenues thanks to exports

ICR Newsroom By 03 March 2017

Holcim Croatia saw its revenues rise by seven per cent YoY in 2016 as it improved exports. In addition, the company reduced its expenditures and kept cash flow high.



However, the domestic market maintained the pressure to lower prices. Unfortunately, on the domestic market there is still a constant pressure to reduce prices, so all the effort we've invested as a team could actually have had a much better effect", the companys CFO, Denis Zupicic, explained.



He added that if prices were to drop, the industry would not be sustainable. "Every employee wants to be fairly paid for their work, including those in manufacturing, those in construction, as well as those in services, so it is time for everyone in the civil engineering business to start thinking sustainably and building deals based on real prices", he said.

Published under
Inner coffin of Seshepenmehyt of ancient Egypt. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The British Museum's highly-acclaimed A History of the World in 100 Objects has already attracted more than 1 million visitors during its world tour. This week, the exhibition began its China leg of the tour. It's on at the Beijing's National Museum of China until May 31, before traveling to Shanghai Museum from June to September.

The exhibition evolved from a broadcasting series that the London museum started in partnership with the BBC in 2010. Each 15-minute program introduced one of 100 objects from the museum's collection that revealed the communication methods of various human cultures over the course of 2 million years.

The exhibition is not intended to show the differences between cultures, but what they have in common.
A permanent fishing ban in all 279 aquatic reserves along the Yangtze River has begun, as China races to revive the flagging ecosystem of its largest river.

"Biodiversity in the Yangtze River has been shrinking. The Chinese paddlefish has not been seen in years and the Chinese sturgeon and finless porpoise are on the brink of extinction," said Yu Kangzhen, Vice Minister of Agriculture, at a meeting in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, on Thursday.

The numbers of four species of carp have decreased by 97 percent from the levels in the 1950s, Yu said.

The annual catch from the river is less than 100,000 tonnes, contributing very little to the 69 million tonnes of fishery production nationwide, he said.

The Yangtze River does not have sufficient conditions for fishery production anymore, and it is more important to emphasize its ecological functions and protect aquatic biodiversity, he added.

"People are even fighting for food against the finless porpoise in some places, damaging the reserves," Yu said.

A Ministry of Agriculture four-month fishing ban comes into force in several major rivers including the Yangtze on March 1. The ban is the first four-month ban in regions south of the Yangtze.

The ministry said it will help fishermen change jobs and impose the ban in a gradual way.

The ban is required by the "No. 1 Central Document" released in February, the first policy statement from the central authorities in the year, and traditionally devoted to agriculture.

The ban has been extended to four months from three and was extended to the Huaihe River last year. This year, the Pearl River and Minjiang River are included for the first time.
Bicycles, mostly from the bike-sharing company Mobike, were parked at a parking lot on Wednesday. [Photo/China Daily]

Authorities in Shanghai's Huangpu district have seized more than 4,000 rental bikes, most of them improperly parked, highlighting the poor management of bicycles rented over the internet and the shortage of parking areas, especially in downtown areas.

There are also concerns that the problems faced by Shanghai may quickly spread to other cities as competition intensifies.

At a parking lot on Zhizaoju Road, thousands of rental bikes were laid out in rows with their wheels connected by iron chains. Some web users described the venue as a graveyard of bikes.

Zhou Lan, deputy director of the urban management department of Huangpu, said the seizure serves as a countermeasure to fight illegally parked bicycles, instead of merely revenge on bike-sharing companies.

Zhou said that the regional government authorized two independent institutions to help with the proper parking of nonmotor vehicles, and to tow away those outside designated areas on sidewalks.

A small number of properly parked rental bicycles were seized to make way for other nonmotor vehicles.

It's estimated that in Huangpu, there are about 150,000 nonmotor vehicles - more than half of them electric bikes. But there are less than 1,500 nonmotor vehicle parking lots in the district, while the number of rental bikes has surged to more than 20,000.

Citywide, it's estimated that more than 280,000 rental bikes have been put on the streets. Guo Jianrong, secretary-general of the Shanghai Bicycle Association, said that by June, the city is expected to have 500,000 rental bicycles.

"The association is busy drafting three new sets of standards: the management standard for shared bicycles, for shared electric bikes and for their service providers," Guo said.

But for the time being, the struggle between bike-sharing startups and the regional government is continuing as business leaders in the sector said they won't reduce the number of bicycles in big cities.

"We will continue to put more bikes in operation in Shanghai, depending on user demand," said a spokeswoman for Mobike, the pioneer and now dominant player in the bike-sharing sector.

She said that Mobike has a management team of about 100 in Shanghai, plus 400 front-line operators.

In a news release on Thursday, the company said that it is collaborating with Baidu by taking advantage of its cloud computing service to fix the accuracy of the position of its parked bikes, which will help with management of the bikes.

A reward plan is also in the pipeline to encourage users to park bikes properly, the company said. Regarding the seized bikes, Mobike said that it will communicate with the urban management department and is willing to cover some of the department's management costs.
With the annual political cycle of the " Two Sessions " upon us, this is an opportune time to consider the most likely topics in science and education the government may address.

Annual staples include scientific approaches to curbing the country's persistent air pollution problems and the levels of basic research funding needed for Chinese scientists to play a global role. But this time around, discussions about the "double first-rate" initiative - dubbed "World Class 2.0" - may well take center stage where education policies and significant injections of funding are concerned.

The "double first" aspect refers to the cultivation of first-class universities supporting a number of disciplines that are or will soon become world-leading. It is meant to lead to education transformation and innovation at domestic universities, improving the teaching and learning experiences of their students, strengthening the research abilities of their professors, and contributing to the country's science and technology development.

The scheme was announced by the Ministry of Education in August 2015 and is said to specifically include creating hubs for international collaboration with overseas universities close to existing top university campuses, although separate from them, as part of a new internationalization drive to ensure that the best universities will eventually achieve world-class status.

With such ambitious goals, the new scheme exceeds the expectations of the two programs it has replaced, the so-called 985 and 211 projects, which were primarily aimed at improving the domestic research performance, encouraging universities to rise up the global university rankings and establish international reputations.

These developments have not gone unnoticed internationally. Sir David Greenaway, president of the U.K.'s University of Nottingham and chair of the Russell Group of elite universities, said recently, "This is very much Asia's century. China's growth has been astounding over the past 20 years and that has underpinned a big investment in research and development. Alongside that they are expanding their higher education [system and] they are growing their number of partnerships."

The World Class 2.0 project will predominantly support China's C9 group of elite universities, with the idea to transform six of these top institutions into global leaders by 2020. By 2030, the government's stated goal is to boost some of China's leading higher education institutions into the world Top 15. These aims are ambitious indeed, given that extensive studies have shown that it takes 20 to 30 years of sustained support to transform any university into a world-leading institution.

This focus on a small number of elite institutions, which comprise 3 percent of the country's researchers but attract 10 percent of the overall research budget, comes with the real danger of an increasing gap in attainment between the top universities and "the rest." While world-class status would certainly boost the reputation of China's university system, those institutions lagging behind may lose even more access to resources as a result. The government's deliberations may well consider how such an undesired outcome could be mitigated.

In the current international political landscape, unexpected opportunities seem to have arisen recently, creating unique opportunities for the Chinese leadership to capitalize on the changing flows of internationally mobile top talent. I am, of course, referring to the increasing isolationism enacted by the Trump administration in the U.S.

Anecdotal evidence already suggests that some top talents are less inclined to see the U.S. as an attractive destination than even a few months ago. With President Xi Jinping positioning himself as a global leader advocating open exchange at the recent economic forum in Davos, it seems that China could make a successful, sustained effort to attract the best and brightest to its academic institutions and top business ventures.

The lingering negative impact of the Trump administration's travel ban targeting citizens of a number of Middle Eastern countries has spilled over into negative perceptions of the U.S. as a preferred destination by nationals of numerous other countries as well. This is indeed an opportune time to capitalize on these sentiments and show the world that China welcomes such talents.

In the context of the current overhaul of the country's visa system, a number of small changes could potentially result in an immediate "brain gain." The U.S. has, for many years, issued special visas to international top talents. Their O and EB1 visas are the Americans' secret weapon to attract exceptional talent.

China would probably reap significant rewards from a similar talent-based visa track, facilitating the recruitment of those individuals that would offer real benefits to the country. While some schemes have been in operation to attract top talent, they have thus far mostly targeted overseas Chinese. It appears that political developments have created the right conditions to recruit top talent more aggressively. That can only be a good thing.

Richard de Grijs is a Dutch professor of astrophysics at the Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics (Peking University) in Beijing.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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The Syrian army announced in a statement that the Syrian forces captured the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria on Thursday after battles with the Islamic State (IS) group.

Capturing Palmyra constitutes a base for expanding the campaign against IS on many fronts and also helps suffocate the group's supply lines. [Photo/Xinhua]

Following a series of successful operations backed by Russian and Syrian air forces, the Syrian army and allied fighters captured the city of Palmyra and its surroundings, the army said in a statement.

The achievement came after the Syrian forces inflicted hefty losses on the IS militants, said the statement, adding that bomb squads are currently combing the city to defuse the leftovers of the IS roadside bombs and explosives.

"This importance of this achievement emanates from the cultural and historic value of Palmyra," said the statement, adding that the victory in Palmyra against IS also coincides with the victories of the Syrian army in the eastern countryside of Aleppo against IS.

"These victories deal a big blow to the terrorist group, which has started to retreat under the strikes of the Syrian army and allied forces," it said.

Capturing Palmyra constitutes a base for expanding the campaign against IS on many fronts and also helps suffocate the group's supply lines.

"The Syrian army and its allies are today more determined to continue the operations against IS and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front as well as other likeminded groups until restoring security and stability to every inch of the homeland," the statement concluded.

The Syrian army backed by Russian air force and fighters of the Lebanese Hezbollah group unleashed a counter offensive to retake the city on Jan. 14 this year, just days after the IS militants took the city for the second time.

Last December, the group stormed the city for the second time after losing it nine months earlier to the Syrian army.
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Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir reiterated on Thursday that the new government would include all political forces, without specifying a date for the impending formation.

Al-Bashir said at a press conference that consultations are still in progress to ensure consensus on all posts and at all levels.

He vowed that the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) would give concessions to ensure formation of a government that assimilates all the political forces.

The newly appointed prime minister, Bakri Hassan Saleh, would be entrusted with the file of reformation of the government institutions, he disclosed.

Saleh was sworn in on Thursday as Sudan's prime minister.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he has "total" confidence in Attorney General Jeff Sessions after media reports revealed Sessions had spoken with Russian Ambassador twice during Trump's campaign but didn't tell the Senate hearings for his confirmation.

Ahead of delivering a speech aboard the USS Gerald Ford in Newport News, Virginia, Trump told reporters he "wasn't aware" that Sessions had contact with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States.

Asked if Sessions should recuse himself from a Justice Department probe into links between the Trump campaign and Russia, Trump said "I don't think so."

"I have said that, when it's appropriate, I will recuse myself from the investigation," Sessions told MSNBC on Thursday.

Bipartisan pressure for Sessions to resign or step aside from any investigations into Russia's role in the U.S. 2016 elections is mounting as top Democrats at the Capitol, Nancy Pelosi in the House and Chuck Schumer in the Senate, are urging him to depart.

Sessions lied under oath at the Senate hearings, Pelosi said.

Schumer said the Justice Department should appoint a special prosecutor to examine the case.

Sessions spoke on the phone privately with Russian Ambassador to Washington from his office in September, said media reports Wednesday night.

Two months before the phone talk, Sessions also met with Kislayk and talked to him informally when attending an event held at conservative think tank Heritage Foundation along with 50 other ambassadors, Session's spokeswoman Sara Isgur Flores confirmed.

"It was short and informal," the spokeswoman said Wednesday night, adding that as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee at the time, Sessions regularly met foreign ambassadors.

Sessions was not trying to mislead fellow senators when he said during his confirmation hearing that he had not had contacts with Moscow, the spokeswoman said.

"I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It's false," Sessions released a statement around midnight in a failed attempt to count down the new wave of political storm.

However, during the Senate hearings, when asked what he would do if he learned a member of Trump's campaign had communicated with the Russian government over the course of the 2016 campaign, Sessions responded: "I'm not aware of any of those activities ... I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians."

Officials at the Justice Department said Sessions did not consider his talks with Kislyak relevant to the lawmakers' questions and did not remember their discussion in detail.

Sessions was an early Trump supporter and one of his top advisers during the New York billionaire's campaign last year.

Trump's first National Security Adviser Michael Flynn stepped down last month after it was reported that he had discussed U.S. sanctions with Kislyak in December, and misled Vice President Mike Pence about the details.
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The emotional atmosphere in the United States will harm a possible restoration of relations with Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

He made the remarks regarding a U.S. investigation into alleged contacts between U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak.

"This emotional atmosphere has led to certain opposition to the idea of establishing any dialogue with Russia. I think the negative effect is evident here," Peskov was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying.

U.S. mainstream media reported earlier this week that then-senator Sessions had spoken with Kislyak twice during Donald Trump's presidential campaign last year. Sessions has been called a "top spy and spy-recruiter" for Russia by American intelligence.

The Kremlin did not know about the meetings between Kislyak and Sessions and didn't want to get involved in this "emotionally-charged" scandal either, Peskov added.

Last month, Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security advisor, resigned for lying about improperly discussing U.S. sanctions on Russia with Kislyak before Donald Trump's inauguration.

Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to stabilize and deepen bilateral cooperation amid repeated accusations that Trump's campaign illegally coordinated with Russia.
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Malaysia said on Friday that it will cooperate with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to bring the perpetrators of the VX nerve agent attack at the Kuala Lumpur airport to justice.

Vietnamese national Doan Thi Huong (2nd R, in yellow) leaves the Sepang court as she is escorted with Malaysia special armed forces in Sepang, Malaysia, on March 1, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Malaysia "does not produce, stockpile, import, export or use any" toxic weapons listed in the convention concerning prohibition of the chemical weapons.

The ministry said it strongly condemns the use of the VX nerve agent by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. "Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," it said.

While the police have identified the poison used in the attack, which led to the death of a man from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as VX nerve agent, how the material was made or whether it was imported from outside Malaysia remains a mystery.

The visiting DPRK delegation in Malaysia queried the use of VX nerve agent on Thursday, insisting the DPRK man died of heart disease and asking the Malaysian side to hand over samples of the chemical to OPCW in The Hague.

The statement did not say whether Malaysia will send samples to OPCW, but said the organization has provided Malaysia with some technical materials to assist in its investigation.

Meanwhile, a DPRK suspect arrested after the killing was transported by the police to the immigration authorities on Friday morning. Malaysia's attorney general said earlier the man, Ri Jong Chol, will be released due to a lack of evidence and will be deported because his travel documents have expired.
Most students heading to college want that classic college experience. They want the parties, the mayhem, beer pong, toga parties, etc. Weve developed a very funny idea of what college is supposed to be, even if it doesnt live up to expectations. Theres a big barrier to entry, however, for a lot of students: skyrocketing college costs. Thats why community college is becoming an increasingly attractive option.

No, living in your mom and dads house and commuting to a local two-year school isnt glamorous. Its not going to deliver that college experience youre hoping for. And youre probably going to end up in classes with all sorts of people, not just other 19- or 20-year olds who are there to party.

But it can, and will, save you a lot of money. A report from Student Loan Hero proves it.

Student Loan Hero recently published a report detailing the per-credit savings you can get by attending a two-year public community college as a part of your overall education plan. The idea is to attend community college for two years, earn an associates degree, and then transfer to a four-year school to finish up. By following this blueprint, students can save as much as $20,000 when its all said and done.

The report is filled with interesting data, but were going to focus on one aspect of it: the 10 states in which students can save the most money by attending community college. For our list, were looking only at public schools; private schools are a different matter. But in each of these states, earning a two-year degree and then transferring to a university can offer savings of more than $15,000.

Here are the 10 states that can save you tons of cash. Considering the high cost of living in state No. 4, community college is even more attractive.

10. Delaware

On a per-credit basis, students in Delaware can save $263 by taking classes at a community college rather than a four-year university. Credits at four-year schools cost more than $400 each, meaning getting an associates degree and then transferring can lead to some huge savings. Overall, a trip to community college prior to university can save $15,773, according to Student Loan Hero.

9. Vermont

Vermont is a small state with a relatively small population. That means there isnt a huge tax base to help pay for things like youd see in larger states, such as California or Texas. For that reason, tuition at four-year schools can be expensive  more than $500 per credit. Community college credits, on the other hand, will run you $245 each. Total savings? $15,866.

8. South Carolina

College students in South Carolina can save $16,153 by attending a junior or community college prior to transferring to a four-year school. According to Student Loan Hero, credits at community colleges will get you about a 60% discount, running at $269 each. Compare that to a four-year school, and youre looking at $454. Overall, that presents one of the best opportunities for savings in the nation.

7. Michigan

Michigan is home to several large state schools. But that doesnt mean they are particularly cheap. Student Loan Heros report says the cost, per credit, at one of Michigans four-year public universities is more than $400. Credits at two-year schools, by comparison, average $136. Thats a discount of more than two-thirds, or 66.51% to be precise. Total savings come out to $16,230.

6. Arizona

Arizona is home to one of the nations largest universities: Arizona State University, with an enrollment of more than 70,000 students. But again, it isnt cheap. For that reason, community or two-year colleges are a great way to save some money. Average credits at an Arizona four-year school are $364 each, while credits at a community college are only $86. Total savings: roughly 76%, or $16,697.

5. Virginia

The average cost of a credit at a four-year university in Virginia is $464, one of the more expensive per credit prices in the country. That cost drops considerably, however, at two-year schools. Those credits are only $169 each  still more than in other states but 64% cheaper than at an in-state public university. In total, students can save more than $17,700.

4. California

We all knew California would show up somewhere on the list, and here it is at No. 4. The potential savings offered to students who go the community college route in California are enormous. The average cost of a credit at a four-year school is $359, while a two-year schools credit will cost you only $52. Thats savings of more than 85%, according to Student Loan Hero. And it could save you more than $18,400.

3. Pennsylvania

Credits at four-year public schools in Pennsylvania are incredibly expensive. Per credit, youll end up paying $521. At a two-year school? Only $210. Thats still considerably more than at a California two-year school, but for Pennsylvania students were talking savings of almost 60%. Overall, for a four-year degree, youre looking at saving $18,652.

2. Illinois

With a markup of more than 70% per credit, Illinois four-year public universities can bleed a student dry. The average credit at an Illinois four-year school is $487, but its only $142 at a two-year community or junior college. When you crunch the numbers, going to a two-year school and then transferring can save you some serious change: $20,707, according to Student Loan Hero.

1. New Jersey

The best bargain in the country? Its found in New Jersey, where you can save more than 67% per credit by attending a community college and then transferring to a four-year university. The average cost of a credit at a New Jersey four-year school is $519, but its only $169 at a two-year school. If you ride it out until the end, youre looking at savings of almost $21,000.

More from Money & Career Cheat Sheet:
With effect from 1st March 2017, Biesterfeld International will strengthen its business activities in France and show its presence in the country. Sales activities will be expanded and strategically developed in a focused process from the existing Biesterfeld Group location in Rueil-Malmaison, Paris.

France is a very interesting growth market for us. To satisfy the requirements of our customers in the demanding pharmaceutical and food supplements industry, we will now be advising them locally, explains Lennart Hess, Sales Manager France, Biesterfeld International.

The product portfolio includes pharmaceutical active ingredients for veterinary and human medicine. For the food supplements segment, Biesterfeld International supplies a wide range of amino acids, vitamins and plant extracts. The portfolio is rounded off by comprehensive customer service and individual advice on products and applications.
Julian Miller, co-founder and CEO of Learnmetrics, pitches at Impact Engine Demo Day in 2014. Four employees say theyve filed wage claims against the company after they say Learnmetrics stopped paying them in October. (Phil Velasquez / Blue Sky / 2014)

Employees who have worked for Chicago-based education technology startup Learnmetrics say the company owes them tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid wages.

The company, based at the Merchandise Mart tech hub 1871, sells a platform that helps educators monitor school, department and student progress and performance. The company has raised more than $2 million in funding from investors including Hyde Park Venture Partners, Ringleader Ventures and Educated Capital, according to research firm PitchBook Data. It also graduated from startup accelerator Impact Engine, which later reorganized as a venture fund.

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But four employees say they've filed wage claims against the company after they say Learnmetrics stopped paying them in October. The employees asked to not be named based on legal advice or future job considerations. According to the claims, three of the employees are seeking more than $13,000 each in unpaid wages from the company.

Two of the employees say they have formally resigned from the company.

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A spokesman for the Illinois Department of Labor confirmed wage claims have been filed against the company but would not comment further.

"We are a startup," co-founder and CEO Julian Miller wrote in an email to Blue Sky Wednesday. "Startups often hit cash crunches. We've been working on a resolution, which is at hand and we expect the matter to be fully resolved in the next few days. As a company, we are sorry that it came to this, but we're committed to resolving it, learning from it, and becoming a better company on the other side of it."

According to PitchBook, Learnmetrics employs 15 people. Miller did not respond to requests for comment on funding or current employee count.

A spokesman for 1871 said the organization does not comment on ongoing matters involving member companies and their employees.

mgraham@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @megancgraham
Mayor Rahm Emanuel suited up with safety glasses and a leather bib Thursday afternoon before slicing a power tool through a metal "ribbon" to officially open mHUB, a new facility for physical product innovation in Chicago.

The space at 965 W. Chicago Ave., which formerly housed Motorola Mobility, is designed to give entrepreneurs a place to develop and manufacture physical products  a traditionally long and costly process  and connect them with established manufacturers, venture capitalists, experts and other resources.

Emanuel joined attendees including top Chicago tech names, corporate executives, entrepreneurs and investors to officially open the space Thursday.

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mHUB Executive Director Haven Allen told Blue Sky the space is meant to address the unique challenges of an innovator making physical products.

Its not just creating the prototype  its managing inventories and supply chains, and knowing how to design a product for the process in which that product is going to get made, he said. If you dont do that, you can cause the cost per unit to go way up.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 9 Mayor Rahm Emanuel talks with the creators of SimpleCap  a universal safety needle that works with any aspirating syringe  at the grand opening of mHUB. (Keri Wiginton / Blue Sky)

The 63,000-square-foot facility includes 10 labs for 3-D printing, electronics, metal and plastic fabrication and other uses, with more than $2.5 million of prototyping and manufacturing equipment. The space will also give entrepreneurs access to a community of manufacturing mentors, experts and investors. The hub was incubated out of World Business Chicago's Advisory Council for Chicagoland Manufacturing.

The space currently has about 100 members.

Emanuel told attendees the creation of a space like mHUB is an investment in the future of manufacturing.

Manufacturings days are ahead of it if you do the right things and invest in that future, he said.

mHUB, a nonprofit, has received commitments of over $8 million from industry partners including GE Ventures, Marmon, World Business Chicago, Chase Foundation and other organizations.

GE Fuse, an initiative to create and build industrial products , is another tenant. The microfactory posts challenges, like finding a new way to inspect a hot jet engine between flights, and lets entrepreneurs vie for cash prizes.

I think Chicago is really unique, Beth Comstock, GE Vice Chairman, told Blue Sky. I think just the manufacturing footprint in Chicago means I think well be able to pull some really great intellect in here  youve got the students, youve got the manufacturing, the small suppliers, the big companies  I think its a really vibrant ecosystem.

mgraham@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @megancgraham
A driver uses his cellphone in his car Dec. 2, 2016, along East Ohio Street in downtown Chicago. Insurers have been raising auto insurance premiums, citing distracted driving as causing a growing number of car collisions. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

The auto insurance industry has been raising customer premiums, citing the hikes as a necessary evil to help cover expensive claims on a growing number of car collisions involving "distracted drivers."

Smartphones, along with fancy new ways to connect with the outside world from a car, mean the problem of distracted driving is going to become a more pervasive and risky gambit for consumers and businesses. Just Thursday, General Motors said it is rolling out unlimited data plans for its cars.

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On top of higher individual insurance costs, some employers  worried about getting slapped with distracted driver-related lawsuits  are banning their employees from using cellphones when driving for work.

More important, distracted driving is contributing to the deaths of thousands of people, many of them teenagers, and is a growing public health concern.

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"The proliferation of new technology is increasing so rapidly that the ways we can be distracted are infinitely higher," says Maureen Vogel, spokeswoman for the Itasca-based National Safety Council, a nonprofit that works with 13,000 companies on safety matters. "Before we used cellphones to text or talk. Now it's updating social media, making dinner reservations and voice dictation through the dashboard."

State Farm Insurance, the country's largest auto insurer, doesn't need to click on an app to understand what the National Safety Council is talking about.

State Farm, based in Bloomington, Ill., reported annual net income of $400 million, compared with $6.2 billion in 2015 and took a whopping $7 billion underwriting loss on its auto insurance business.

Other insurers are bracing for trouble too.

Matt Winter, Allstate president, recently told investors the company's watching for links between smartphone use and car accident frequency. "When we look at smartphone ownership statistics and smartphone use and compare that to accident frequency, the correlation is striking," he said.

Employers are also apprehensive.

The National Safety Council is recommending companies ban the use of cellphones for employees driving during work hours.

Already, over 469 employers nationwide have adopted the cellphone embargo and more are expected to follow.

This year, Minnesota-based Cargill became one of the biggest companies to go cellphone cold turkey. Employees who break the rules could be disciplined by management.

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Bosses worried the cellphone prohibition will crimp worker productivity shouldn't fret about it, says the council. It found only 1 percent of the 469 companies surveyed said the ban hurt employee productivity, even for salespeople who often use their cars as rolling offices.

Nationally, nearly 3,000 people died from distracted driving in 2014, according to the latest government transportation data.

Still, we probably don't know the full extent of the problem because distracted driver-related incidents often go underreported, experts say.

In some cases, those involved don't own up to being unfocused while driving so it doesn't make the police report. Or it may not be illegal to use a smartphone or some other device while driving, so it isn't officially documented.

Defenders of smartphones argue that distracted driving can be blamed on many other things: Fiddling with the radio, eating while driving, talking to passengers and even sprucing up by doing some personal grooming.

For sure, all that goes on.

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While traveling along the Kennedy Expressway a few years ago, I saw a man driving while brushing his teeth.

I'm not sure that's illegal in Illinois, but a 2013 state law prohibits talking into a hand-held cellphone while behind the wheel. Illinois also bans texting while driving.

But you wouldn't know it when you're out on the streets.

Despite such tough measures, how many drivers do we see chatting away on cellphones or looking down to text message while in the full swing of traffic?

Maybe you are one of them. After all, who hasn't stolen a glance at an email or riffed off a text message while lurching through a bumper-to-bumper drive?

"Anecdotally, all you have to do is look around to see how big the problem is," says the safety council's Vogel.

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True enough.

But it's pretty dumb.

After all, connecting with the information superhighway, while driving down a real one, can take a pretty big toll on everyone.

roreed@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @reedtribbiz
The U.S. Department of Transportation has put on hold a proposal requiring airlines to do a more thorough job of disclosing the fees charged to passengers.

The rule, proposed Jan. 19, would require airlines and ticket agents to display checked and carry-on bag fees from the start of the booking process, making it easier for consumers to compare the full cost of an airfare with fees.

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The process of collecting public comments on the proposal has been indefinitely suspended to "allow the President's appointees the opportunity to review and consider this action," Transportation Department officials said in a Federal Register filing Thursday.

Transportation Department officials also suspended comments on a request for information regarding whether it should regulate how airlines share information about flights and fares with online travel agencies. Websites raised concerns that consumers weren't seeing all their choices when shopping for tickets.

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The Obama administration announced plans for several consumer-protection rules for air travelers last fall, including more accurate reporting of on-time arrival rates and bag fee refunds if bags arrive "substantially delayed."

Airline industry trade group Airlines for America applauded the Transportation Department's decision.

"We applaud Secretary (Elaine) Chao's leadership today and look forward to an era of smarter regulation that protects consumers from unfair practices, but does not step in when action is not warranted," Airlines for America President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio said in a news release.

The Transportation Department also granted Airlines for America and Delta Air Lines' request for a delay in implementing a separate regulation requiring airlines disclose when they mishandle wheelchairs and motorized scooters for the disabled, the agency said in another Thursday filing. The rule will now take effect Jan. 1, 2019, one year later than planned.

lzumbach@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @laurenzumbach
Chicago  The founder of a suburban Chicago technology company has been sentenced to nine years in prison for a scheme that bilked investors out of $9 million.



Seventy-one-year-old Gregory Webb was sentenced Wednesday by a federal judge in Chicago.



The founder and chief executive officer of Elk Grove Village-based InfrAegis Inc. was convicted last year of nine counts of mail and wire fraud.



Federal prosecutors say he defrauded more than 200 investors, including Chicago firefighters and other first-responders, through his company.



Webb had portrayed the company as a thriving business on the verge of signing billion-dollar contracts with the city of Chicago and government agencies and municipalities worldwide. But prosecutors say there were no pending contracts and none of the company's products were fully developed or tested.
PricewaterhouseCoopers's epic screw-up at the Oscars could carry a high cost if jurors arrive at a malpractice trial next week suspecting the global accounting firm is error-prone.

Until a PwC accountant handed Warren Beatty the wrong envelope for the Best Picture award, its lawyers only had to worry about adversary MF Global Holdings. Now, PwC's attorneys will also be concerned that jurors who watched the Feb. 26 awards ceremony will begin the trial doubting the firm's expertise, jury consultants said.

That's particularly worrisome in a case where New York-based PwC is accused of contributing to the 2011 collapse of MF Global, the New York brokerage formerly run by Jon Corzine. MF Global is seeking as much as $3 billion.

"The MF Global meltdown is entirely unrelated to what happened at the Oscars," said Leticia Ostler, a jury consultant in San Diego. Yet jurors may ask "what's to say they're not making the same mistake in other areas?"

Richard Marooney, a lawyer for PwC, declined through a spokesman to comment on how PwC's lawyers will handle the Oscars issue.

PwC accountants Brian Cullinan and Martha Ruiz were backstage at the Oscars, tasked with safeguarding the envelopes with the names of the winners and handed over the wrong one, triggering a globally televised fiasco. The firm, which has collected and counted votes since 1935, apologized for the error.

Potential jurors may have seen Cullinan on the cover of the New York Post or the Daily News, the city's two tabloid newspapers, smiling broadly in his tuxedo and holding a PwC briefcase. A Post headline called him "The Twit who blew the Oscars." A Daily News article began, "Don't let this guy do your taxes."

"Most people know about the screw-up," said Thaddeus Hoffmeister, an expert on juries who teaches law at the University of Dayton. "I don't know if they necessarily connect it with PwC. There's a concern that you actually bring the topic up and then they're like 'Oh, I did not know that.'"

Jury experts said lawyers may snoop into potential jurors' social-media accounts to see if they've commented about the flub. And while they are instructed not to seek out information outside the courtroom, Hoffmeister said it's common for jurors to do research on the internet.

His advice: don't put millennials on the jury.

"They have more faith in Google than they do a witness on the witness stand," he said.

U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero delayed the case last month in hopes the parties would settle. They didn't. Corzine is expected to testify at the trial scheduled to start March 6 and is projected to last four to five weeks.

The trial will focus on a strategy pushed by Corzine when he took over leadership of MF Global in early 2010. Corzine had the firm make bets on European sovereign debt, financed through a type of bond repurchase agreement called a "repurchase-to-maturity" or "RTM" transaction.

MF Global claims PwC negligently signed off on its faulty RTM accounting, which in turn contributed to MF Global's meltdown. Daniel Fetterman, a lawyer for MF Global, declined to comment on the trial.

PwC says its accounting was correct and MF Global is wrongly trying to blame it for the failure of a strategy designed by Corzine and blessed by the firm's in-house accountants. Marooney, the lawyer for PwC, called the case a "lottery-ticket lawsuit," a long-shot attempt to force it to pay for MF Global's disastrous mistakes.
Archy Jamjun performs at the Truth Be Told storytelling event at the Gorton Community Center in Lake Forest on Feb. 25th. (Gina Grillo / Pioneer Press)

The ancient art of storytelling morphed into the North Shore debut of "Truth Be Told" at the Gorton Community Center in Lake Forest on Feb. 25. The event featured an urban-centered brand of intimate face-to-face storytelling, produced and curated by Scott Whitehair, creator of Story Lab Chicago and producer of the "This Much Is True" storytelling series, and co-produced by Anne Purky of Lake Forest.

The setting was the Gorton Center's Stuart Community Room with its crackling fireplace, where patrons were invited to enjoy cocktails during the telling of live personal narratives.

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"With the storytelling genre evolving on a national level, it falls directly in line with our mission to bring unique and city-centric experiences to Gorton, providing access to this growing art form without having to hop a train to the city  an event that appeals to the intellect, to the emotions, and to matters of the soul," said Ann Wildman, director of special events.

Whitehair's lineup included multiple Moth GrandSLAM winners and award-winning solo artists.

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"These storytellers are some of the finest around, and we put together an intimate evening of telling to share the heartbreaking, the hilarious and everything in between," Whitehair said.

Hilary Ward Schnadt of Grayslake brought her husband Corky to "Truth Be Told." Schnadt's grandfather was an Irish storyteller in vaudeville, and Schnadt started spinning her own tales while studying at Northwestern University in the mid-1990s.

"The current trend is telling personal stories that you can certify are true," Schnadt said. "Twenty years ago, I was telling folk tales inspired by a Hmong story cloth (stories embroidered on cloth), and translating these into stories that I could tell."

The storytelling format differs from that of other theater or a play, as the performance requires speaking directly to the audience. The contemporary resurgence of storytelling gained popularity, Whitehair said, mostly through podcasts, radio shows and story slams like The Moth storytelling group based in New York City, featured on the Moth Radio Hour and on NPR.

Melissa Cook of Fort Sheridan says she likes to share storytelling with her third grade students at Greeley School in Winnetka.

"An event like this in Lake Forest is really fantastic," Cook said. "It's an opportunity to gain insight into our common humanity, and it's always comforting when you can see yourself in someone else's story."

Whitehair says the next step will be to get people from Lake Forest and the surrounding North Shore communities to share their stories on stage.

"We all want connection, and telling our stories is a good way to build empathy, to understand ourselves and each other," Whitehair said.

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Gina Grillo is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
First the good news: Only 27 people were sleeping outside during the county's annual Point-in-Time count of the homeless conducted on the last Wednesday in January. Now the bad news: That number is the highest on record dating back a dozen years.

The answers to why those 27 were outdoors on a cold night when they could have been in a PADS shelter are varied, but the number of Lake Countians using PADS facilities has been declining, from 497 in 2013 to 299 in 2016. The number of homeless statewide also has decreased, from 14,009 in 2011 to 11,590 last year.

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As Waukegan has taken steps to make it harder for homeless people who had been using a PADS facility in the city, there is an ongoing legal battle over proposed housing for the unsheltered near Lake Zurich.

Waukegan officials temporarily pulled PADS' business license in response to complaints from owners of businesses near the facility, in the vicinity of Grand and Lewis avenues, of panhandling, loitering and littering. The license was restored, but with conditions. There are two task forces currently studying the issue to provide a better solution for Waukegan's homeless.

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But city officials aren't the only ones digging in against Lake County's homeless. In the case of the Lake Zurich plan for a homeless shelter, county officials want to turn Midlothian Manor, a former assisted-living facility, over to PADS. Current plans call for housing about a dozen chronically homeless residents. County officials have said a permanent housing facility could help break the cycle of chronic homelessness.

The county's zoning board of appeals initially allowed PADS to operate the homeless program at the building earlier in 2015, agreeing with the Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department that said the property could be zoned for government use. But the county zoning board reversed course after neighbors argued the proposed use for the building, located near single-family homes, should be classified as a group living site. That would have prohibited PADS from using it to house the homeless under the county's zoning code.

Nearby homeowners, who have been battling the Lake Zurich plan for more than two years in and out of court, say the project is well-intentioned but should be located elsewhere, i.e., not in their back yard. County officials say the property meets all building codes and zoning guidelines, while there will be on-site staff supervision.

January's Point-in-Time count -- required by the federal government every other year for grants totaling more than $1.5 million -- found homeless sleeping outside in all parts of the county, not just northern Lake County. Around 75 volunteers, who gave up a night of sleep to aid the canvass, found homeless in Barrington, Buffalo Grove, unincorporated Wheeling and, yes, even Lake Zurich.

The Lake County Coalition for the Homeless points out that, overall, 48 percent of the county's homeless are families; 8 percent veterans. Fifteen percent are chronically homeless. One in three homeless in the county is a child. Lake Zurich and Waukegan opponents of the homeless facilities seem to have jumped to conclusions about the individuals who use or will be using the facilities.

Apparently, many in Lake County have forgotten the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:40: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." It's time we help the least of our brothers and sisters.
The sign for Press Box, the concept conceived by TV show "Bar Rescue" for Wrigleyville's The Dugout bar. The switch was a disaster, the owner says. (Jonathon Berlin / Chicago Tribune)

Its not often that Cubs fans and reality TV aficionados can find a show to watch together, but that may be the case with a Chicago-based episode of "Bar Rescue" airing this Sunday.

But before you tune in, know that the Wrigleyville bar owner featured on the bar-makeover show is less than happy with the results.

You cant build a bar in five days. I dont care if youre Jesus Christ, said The Dugout owner Eddie Cressy of his experience with the television show, which airs on Spike.

"It was a complete nightmare, what he put me through," added Cressy about show host Jon Taffer.

Taffer declined to comment through a Spike spokesperson.

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The Dugout, stumbling distance between the Addison Red Line stop and Wrigley Field, is the star of the episode premiering 9 p.m. Sunday. Its the latest in the series in which Taffer and his team allegedly rescue bars across the country by overhauling everything from the decor to the menu to even the name.

A sneak-peek clip of the episode shows a fruit fly infestation and an employee using bare hands to handle a hot dog, presumably to be served to a customer, as examples that prompted the show to get involved.

"Bar Rescue" executed the makeover last fall, just weeks before I visited The Dugout for the Tribune's guide to every bar in Wrigleyville . By then, the space had already been renamed Press Box and decorated with faux ivy and giant typewriter keys, with a menu highlighting Coors Light and a hot dog.

Now, the basement bar has already changed its name back to The Dugout. Press Box, however, remains; Cressy moved the concept upstairs, into a closed pizzeria in the building. (He didn't want to invest in changing the sign again, he said.)

But if you were hoping for a watch party at either bar, you will be disappointed to learn that both are currently closed.

I had to redo all the things that Jon did wrong, said Cressy. For one, "he did a quick paint job that looked good on camera, but (he) used really cheap paint that flakes off, the bar owner said.

"They took up all my time in a 10-game home stand. It made no sense," said Cressy of the show.

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Cressy has also added an interior staircase and new finishes made from reclaimed lumber.

And forget the show's menu makeover. Cressy said hes dropped the new ham sandwich, which he said bombed, and is bringing back the bar's signature loaded tots with bacon, pulled pork, sour cream, onions, chives, tomatoes, jalapenos and cayenne pepper.

Cressy said he hopes to reopen The Dugout downstairs and Press Box upstairs March 9.

"Bar Rescue" has two other episodes set in Chicago expected to air in August. The show will not yet reveal which bars they feature in those episodes.

The Dugout and Press Box, 950 W. Addison St., 773-661-6043, www.facebook.com/dugoutchicago

lchu@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @louisachu






Every great city needs iconic foods  dishes that for some reason or another become wrapped up in the fabric of a metropolis. Mention Chicago, and people usually think immediately of deep dish pizza, Italian beef and the Chicago-style hot dog. While those classics are going nowhere, it is important to note that our city's food scene didn't stop evolving in 1960. If anything, our food scene is more vibrant than before.

So what are the modern classics of Chicago's food scene?

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I thought this would be easy, but I quickly realized I'd have to set some boundaries. First off, this isn't just a list of trendy dishes on the scene right now, because many of those dishes  like ramen, poke, fancy doughnuts  are popular all over the country. To qualify, the dish had to have a unique Chicago stamp. That doesn't mean it necessarily had to originate here, but it did have to transform into something new.

I also didn't want to include any dishes that were just at one specific restaurant, like Avec's bacon-wrapped, chorizo-stuffed dates in piquillo pepper sauce or Pleasant House's royal pies. While both are undoubtedly great, a truly iconic food needs to break free from one establishment, inspiring restaurateurs to make their own version.

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My ultimate test was the vacation test. If someone flew to Chicago for a weekend, what would be the dishes he or she absolutely had to try here that you couldn't experience anywhere else?

This, obviously, leaves out a lot of great food, which may be flawlessly prepared but doesn't have a particular Chicago connection. For example, though we are home to an incredible number of great Thai restaurants, I couldn't think of a dish that would be new to, say, someone visiting from Thailand.

See, this is hard.

Below are my picks for the new Chicago classics, in case you're ready to move past deep dish.

Griddled double cheeseburger

Chicago restaurants used to assume that the bigger the burger the better. Then Au Cheval opened in 2012, called a straightforward griddled double cheeseburger a "single cheeseburger" and stuck a steak knife through the center as an exclamation point. How'd the restaurant create such an iconic burger, when nearly every other restaurant in town serves one? By sweating the details. Both 4-ounce prime beef patties are seared until jet black, the buns are well-toasted on both sides, and a generous drizzle of dijonnaise adds a creamy, lemony tang. Mentioned often as one of the best burgers in the country (if not the world), it draws insane lines all the time. Fortunately, the style and detail-orientated construction has spread rapidly through the city. In a weird twist, this burger has a lot of similarities to the Big Baby, a double cheese burger with griddled onions that's been served on the South Side for years.

Find it: Au Cheval, The Loyalist, Maple & Ash, Johnny's Grill, Red Hot Ranch, Edzo's

No Mexican dish has been transformed in our city as much as the torta. And Xoco had a lot to do with that, using top ingredients, like this zucchini, egg and poblano combo. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

Mexican sandwiches

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Chicago has an astonishing amount of great Mexican food, but no dish has been transformed in our city as much as the torta. This is mostly thanks to Rick Bayless, who revolutionized the sandwich at Xoco by using top quality ingredients, combining them in distinctive ways and then placing them on extra-crusty rolls warmed in a wood-burning oven. While popular, they truly took off when he opened a stall in O'Hare called Tortas Frontera, giving millions the chance to sample the dish without leaving the airport. This has inspired other restaurants, including 5 Rabanitos in Pilsen and the recently opened Quiote in Logan Square, to further the evolution. And don't forget Cemitas Puebla, which introduced the regional Pueblan sandwich specialty in 2002 and upped its game more recently when it started baking its own exceptional cemita rolls.

Find it: Xoco, Tortas Frontera, 5 Rabanitos, El Taco Azteca, Jarabe and Quiote.

Boeufhaus restaurant's 55-day, dry aged rib-eye is a prime example of how steak has changed in Chicago. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

Approachable dried-aged steak

Thanks to the old Stock Yards, Chicago has basically always been a steak town, and millions of tourists help keep it that way. But the kind of beef that you'll encounter has changed drastically over the past 10 years. Thank David Burke's Primehouse (now just Primehouse), which lavished attention on the actual beef, building a Himalayan pink salt-lined aging room to get the right flavor. The pace of change sped up even more with the opening of places like Boeufhaus, which serves a stunning 55-day, dry-aged rib-eye, full of funky blue-cheese notes and fascinating minerality, in a pretension-free room with nary a white tablecloth to be found. It's not just steakhouses  butcher shops like Publican Quality Meats and Butcher and Larder sell locally raised, dried-aged beef for you to cook at home. This all ensures Chicago's steak supremacy will continue for a long time.

Find it: Primehouse, Boeufhaus, Publican Quality Meats, Butcher & Larder

The creatively topped hot dogs at now-closed Hot Doug's have had a seismic influence on Chicago. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Creatively topped hot dogs

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Doug Sohn single-handedly transformed the Chicago hot dog scene with Hot Doug's, opening up a whole new level of creativity and culinary obsession. While the Avondale restaurant closed a couple of years ago, its seismic influence still resonates in our city, from the excellent belly dog now available at Urban Belly to the duck fat dog at The Duck Inn. You can even pick up Sohn's notorious foie gras dog at Hot "G" Dog, which is run by former employees of Hot Doug's. Plus, Doug Sohn never went entirely away. Hot Doug's lives on as a small stand in the bleacher section of Wrigley Field during Cubs home games.

Find it: Hot Doug's at Wrigley Field, Urban Belly, The Duck Inn, Hot "G" Dog

The jibarito, this one at El Nuevo Borinquen in Palatine, has been embraced by Chicago, with dozens of restaurants, including many that don't serve any other Puerto Rican food, offering a version. (Rob Hart / Chicago Tribune)

The jibarito

The jibarito forgoes with one of the central tenets of sandwich orthodoxy, replacing the bread with fried plantains. It looks as if it shouldn't work, but the crunchy plantains lend a pleasing sweetness to each bite, making an excellent foil for the salty meat (usually thin slices of beef, though that's just the beginning). There's genuine debate about whether the sandwich was truly invented here by Juan C. Figueroa at Borinquen Restaurant or if it was simply an adaptation of a regional Puerto Rican dish, but there's little doubt that the dish has been completely embraced by the Chicago community. Dozens of restaurants, including many that don't serve any other Puerto Rican food, offer versions of the jibarito.

Find it: La Bomba, Papa Cache Sabroso, Cafe Central, Joey's Shrimp House

Watching an out-of-town guest suck back his or her first shot and react in genuine astonishment has become a Chicago rite of passage. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)

Malort

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Sure, Marlot has been around since the 1930s, but it wasn't until relatively recently that the odd, intensely bitter wormwood-flavored drink became the unofficial shot of Chicago. Since it's almost completely unknown outside our borders, watching an out-of-town guest suck back his or her first shot and react in genuine astonishment has become a Chicago rite of passage. It's so popular now that some bars have it on tap, and local distilleries, like Letherbee, have started crafting their own versions of the infamous intoxicant.

Find it: Basically every corner bar in the city, though definitely at Scofflaw

Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout has had more influence on craft beer in Chicago and the country than any other. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)

Bourbon County Stout

Craft beer has exploded over the past 20 years, but while there are a mind-boggling number of breweries around the city, no one specific beer has had as much influence as Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout. Though the year it was created is disputed, there is no question that the idea of aging an imperial stout in bourbon barrels was a completely novel idea. It put Chicago brewing on the map and still stands as one of our city's most distinctive creations.

Find it: Most well-stocked liquor stores in Chicago

nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @nickdk






What happens to the elaborate, often custom-made, dishes used at Next, Alinea, Aviary and The Office after the menus change? They're all carefully archived in a series of rooms in the West Loop that serves as a kind of museum for the restaurant group. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

It's like the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" storage facility, if Julia Child were in charge.

That, at least, is the impression one gets touring the suite of rooms one floor above Next restaurant, home to the various plates, props, machines and glassware that have graced the tabletops of Next, Alinea and their sibling restaurants over the years.

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Considering that Alinea will celebrate its 12th birthday in May, that Next, open since 2011, is serving its 19th themed menu and that the theatrics of the bar service at Aviary call for vessels of infinite shapes and sizes, that's a lot of stuff  boxed, wrapped, crated and stacked.

"We've talked about (selling some things)," Achatz says, referencing items like the plastic, 1980s-themed lunchboxes ("Hulk Hogan," "Star Wars," "Wonder Woman," "Scooby Doo," "Knight Rider") that held the dessert course in the childhood-themed menu at Next . "We have all these lunchboxes, got them on eBay, why not sell them and turn the stuff over. And, at some point, we just said it's really fun to have kind of a museum of serviceware."

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 38 Chefs Grant Achatz, left, and Jenner Tomaska give the Tribune a tour of their storage area that houses every piece of serviceware used at Next, Alinea, Aviary, The Office and Roister over 11 years. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

In one corner sit several bourbon barrels, which were used as outdoor tables for Next's Tapas menu (2015). On a nearby shelf are barrel staves, cut from full barrels, that held a charcuterie course for The Hunt (2013). Skis used as decorations for The Alps (2016) are tucked in a far corner; snowshoes, used for the same menu decor, stand 7 feet off the ground on a top shelf. On a lower shelf sits a pretty, divided glass plate, like a grandmother would have; it's used to hold whipped cream and other toppings for the ice-cream sundae at The Office, the bar below Aviary.

A few dozen duck decoys in various sizes have nested on another shelf stack; waiters used these to carry steamed dumplings and dim sum bites to guests at Alinea. The antique duck press, which starred in Next's inaugural Paris 1906 menu (2011) and returned for an encore with The Hunt, is here too. As we weave through the dozens of shelving units, arranged in rows to create narrow aisles, Achatz gently lifts a clear glass shaped like a bird, with a tiny opening at the end of its tail. These were used at Aviary; hard to clean, Achatz says, but "worth it because they're pretty cool."

"The only downside," he says, "is that you're drinking out of the bird's butt. But, whatever."

Achatz is leading this private tour with Next executive chef Jenner Tomaska, who worked as chef de cuisine in the Next kitchen for five years before taking the lead role last year. The two reminisce about dishes of menus past as we browse canes and walking sticks, at least one of which contains a secret flask. Trophies from countless antique-store excursions throughout the Midwest. Etched glasses, silver trays, candelabra and serviceware of a bygone age, including a hinged silver egg that opens to reveal compartments for crushed ice and caviar.

"I really like that piece," Achatz says. "We had a couple of months before we opened when we knew we were doing Paris 1906, so had time to shop for stuff like this."

#8220;The only downside is that youre drinking out of the birds butt," says chef Grant Achatz of this glass shaped like a bird, used at Aviary. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

Many pieces are such snapshots of a specific time and place it's hard to imagine that they'd ever be used again. For example: the multicolored threads of alpaca wool, used during the Peruvian part of Next's South America menu (2016), which now sit tightly wound around wood planks. But sometimes, a chef will show up at the warehouse to scout for a service piece that might work for a dish he's dreamed up  or, simply, to browse. An old piece may inspire a new dish.

It all looks haphazard and random  maybe the Ark of the Covenant really is in that locked crate that Achatz claims is equipment for off-site events  but it's actually somebody's job to ensure that it's not.

"Probably a year and half ago we hired a full-time warehouse manager (Pedro Fernandez) to keep everything organized and inventoried," Achatz says. "If we're up at Alinea and we know of a specific plate we want, we email Pedro and make a requisition, and he'll package it all up and deliver it. ... Last night, I asked for a photo of the ice shaver (used to create the opening taste of the 2016 South America menu), and we moved it up to Alinea. The only reason I thought of it was because I was down here the other day and saw it."

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As the warehouse expert, Fernandez had to not only learn the functions of all the items, but the sometimes counterintuitive names that the staffers gave them. A fearsome-looking antique sausage grinder is called "The General," for whatever reason. The delicate wire contraption that once held a single-bite PB&J  the opening course of Alinea's very first menu  is known as "The Squid." At least the cone-shaped ceramic sleeve, which holds a nitrogen-cooled core filled with fruit-flavored "snow," is called "The Cone."

The pieces are fascinating to look at, but the stories behind some of them are better. Why, for instance, is one clear bin filled with tubes of suntan lotion?

"That was used for aroma in a cocktail (at Aviary)," Achatz says. "We had patrons rub lotion on their hands before picking up the cocktail (a pina colada), so it would smell like vacation while they drank."

A stack of postcards, bearing a photo of a fully loaded Chicago hot dog, was part of Alinea's pop-up dinners in Miami and Madrid last year.

"We put the postcard on the table, topped by a glass monocle with a tiny cube that was a distillation of a Chicago hot dog," Achatz says. "It was fun to introduce Spaniards to what a Chicago hot dog looked like. (The cube) was Alinea-fied; it was highly manipulated and didn't look anything like a hot dog, of course, but we liked playing with that."

In these rooms, the priceless and profane share shelf space. On one table sit "super stacks," fine-china sets costing $300 or more, used to serve  mashed potatoes?

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"It was a white-truffle course," Achatz clarifies. "This year at Alinea, we did a Robuchon-style potato puree with toasted hazelnuts, brown butter and shaved white truffle. We place the charger prior to the food to build mystery and anticipation; we stack the plates in the kitchen, and once the potato puree was in the smaller top bowl, immediately place a glass cloche (dome) on top, run it to the table, lift the dome and shave white truffles tableside."

At the other end of the spectrum is a "Star Trek" plate depicting actor Patrick Stewart as Capt. Picard, purchased at a resale store a decade ago and served to an Alinea manager known to be a huge Trekkie.

"We talked about serving it to Patrick Stewart when he dined at Alinea," Achatz says, "but we decided against it."

Chef Jenner Tomaska holds a plate depicting actor Patrick Stewart as Capt. Picard in "Star Trek." It was purchased at a resale store a decade ago and served to an Alinea manager known to be a big Trekkie. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

Also cheap: three or four plastic Viking helmets, the kind you'd find in a pop-up Halloween shop. Neither Achatz nor Tomaska could recall what they were for. "I think it was a party," Achatz says, uncertainly.

Achatz has sourced art-quality plates from Austria, earthen pitchers from Berlin, and pieces from artisan craftsmen all over the country. But he also bought driftwood from an aquarium store, found items at Home Depot, and at least one of the platters used currently at Next was found at a Pier 1 Imports. Nothing, Achatz says, is off-limits.

"I'll walk by a storefront and see something and think, 'I can put food on that; I can use that,'" Tomaska says.

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"A lot of these items, both at Next and Alinea, are incredibly difficult to serve," Achatz said. "Not just from a chef perspective, but also a service perspective. Everything we do is pretty atypical in size and shape, and there are (challenges) in terms of scale  super-expensive stacked china, and placing things on barrel staves. But it's always been our mentality that if it elevates the concept or the dining experience, we just have to figure a way to make it happen. From deer pelts to barrel staves, we just have to do it."

An antique wineglass, floridly decorated with a narrowed, tapered bowl, was served with a fine Bordeaux at Alinea.

"Certain people might turn their nose up and say this isn't a proper wineglass," he said, "but completing the concept (of the course) as a whole felt more important than putting this in a Riedel stem. We have to make those decisions frequently."

A dozen or so slipper-shaped glass bowls are the same bowls used at the late El Bulli restaurant for its iconic carrot foam dish (a course replicated for Next's El Bulli menu). "These were very expensive," Achatz says, "and hard to come by."

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"I saw one recently," Tomaska interjects.

"Where?"

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"In The French Laundry," he says. "Holding potpourri. In the bathroom."

Discussions are well underway for pieces that will be part of Next's Hollywood menu debuting in May.

"(The possibilities) are basically endless," Achatz says. "Hollywood's all about props, right? So we feel we want to try to get into that."

Achatz might go ahead and order more shelves while he's at it.

pvettel@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @philvettel






Tania Castroverde Moskalenko has yet to find a favorite seat in the Auditorium Theatre.

"I am still trying them all out," she said, smiling as she stood in the majestic theater, which was royally silent one afternoon last week. "There are, you know, 4,000 of them."

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There are 3,901 seats to be exact, but who's counting?

Castroverde Moskalenko has been the chief executive officer of the Auditorium (formally the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University) since October and there is more than enough to keep her fully occupied, a plate full of details and demands and aspirations.

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The nonprofit operation has an annual budget in the neighborhood of $12 million and Castroverde Moskalenko's job is to creatively manage its finances, programming, marketing and fundraising. But it also entails, as she ambitiously puts it, the effort "to place the theater more firmly than ever in the hearts and minds of the people of this city."

The first time she set eyes on the theater was in July, when she drove to Chicago from Carmel, Ind., a charming town of some 80,000 people north of Indianapolis, where she had for four years been running Indiana's Center for the Performing Arts, a nonprofit organization that features three theaters and the home for the Great American Songbook Foundation.

"It is a wonderful place and I was happy there," she says. "I was not looking for another job."

But she was approached about the Auditorium position, had a few interviews via telephone and then came to town for an entire July day  8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  for a series of interviews. "I was, I will admit, a bit overwhelmed and I started to think during the interviews that there was no way I was taking this job," she said. "There was so much work to be done."

But then she walked inside the theater.

"It was just so breathtakingly beautiful," she says. "I began to wrap my arms around it and began to understand what a privilege it would be to serve this place and this city."

MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR

When offered the job, she took it.

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In announcing that, Charlie Gardner, chairman of the Auditorium Theatre's board of directors, said "(We) are thrilled to welcome Tania to the Auditorium.  We are confident she will continue the strong and unique vision and programming that has defined the (theater)."

Added Roosevelt University President Dr. Ali R. Malekzadeh, "Tania will be working with a team of experienced and talented staff  to assure the future of the Auditorium Theatre is as bright as its history."

That history began Dec. 9, 1889, with a glittering night and 5,000 "notable" Chicagoans and "Home Sweet Home" sung by Adelina Patti. The shows kept coming and coming, until the theater went bankrupt and closed in 1941. The next year it was taken over by the city of Chicago and used as a World War II servicemen's center, its stage and front rows converted to a bowling alley. In 1946, Roosevelt University acquired the building but, with no money for renovations, kept it dormant for nearly two decades.

In 1963, Beatrice Spachner (a sculpture of whom sits in the theater's lobby) created the Auditorium Theatre Council and raised nearly $3 million to bring it back to life, with architect Harry Weese overseeing the rebirth. It reopened Oct. 31, 1967, with a performance by the New York City Ballet.

There have been shows ever since, shows of all kinds. Continually undergoing refurbishment to its original Dankmar Adler-Louis Sullivan design, the Auditorium has often been called an "urban masterpiece." It is that, but also a portrait in endurance, prevailing over time and circumstances. It is estimated that more than 20 million have attended performances there.

Until very recently, Castroverde Moskalenko was not among those people.

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She was born in Cuba. When she was 6, Tania, her parents, an older brother and older sister boarded a plane from Havana to Miami, part of President Lyndon Johnson's Freedom Flights program.

"We were set to stay with my aunt in Miami but she was near a radio and didn't hear the announcement of the passenger manifests. So she was not at the airport to meet us," Castroverde Moskalenko says. "We waited and waited."

She remembers the day, "May 15, 1968," and she remembers that "we were told that we would be going to Chicago and were about to get on a bus when my aunt finally came to get us."

Her father worked in the health care industry and her mother eventually started a school transportation business; both are now retired. Tania was raised in Miami and that is where her love of music was first sparked, in the form of a white spinet piano delivered to the family's new home. Her mother sat down  "She was a great and talented pianist," says Tania  and started to play the music by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona. Tania was then 8t and she began to weep.

"This beloved music brought all of her emotions to the surface," she wrote in a very personal, revelatory essay for the National Endowment for the Arts (www.arts.gov/50th/stories/tania-castroverde-moskalenko). "At that moment, my love of the arts was born."

She explored dance and music throughout school, eventually earning a full scholarship at the University of Memphis, where she got a BFA in theater and dance. She then worked as director of the Buckman Performing & Fine Arts Center in Memphis from 1998 to 2005, moving on to become executive director of the Germantown Performing Arts Center in Tennessee.

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Then it was on to Indiana. And then the Auditorium.

She is married to Alexei Moskalenko, who she met when taking classes with a ballet company in Memphis. He was the principal dancer with that company; formerly a Bolshoi Ballet dancer, he has been in the U.S. since 1992. He works as assistant artistic director for the New York-based Youth America Grand Prix, a global network promoting and holding competitions for young dancers.

Castroverde Moskalenko has three grown children from a previous marriage and she and her husband live with their 8-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, a few blocks north of the Auditorium.

They are all happy and busy, exploring their new city. She has been especially active, meeting the other leaders of the city's cultural community, of which she has become a prominent member. Though she has yet to meet one-on-one with the mayor, she has been out and about. She must be a terrific luncheon companion, filled with charm, stories and curiosity.

"Whenever I start a job I always gain 20 pounds," she says. "Breaking bread is the best way to get to know people. It took me 48 years to get to Chicago and this theater. I sometimes think that one can't escape one's destiny but I've got a lot of making up to do."

rkogan@chicagotribune.com

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The first time "Whistler's Mother" came to Chicago, it was a sensation. It was the "Most Talked of Canvas" in the exhibition of celebrated works the Art Institute showed in conjunction with the 1933 World's Fair here, according to a Tribune headline of the time.

Now James McNeill Whistler's iconic but little traveled 1871 canvas is back for the first time since the 1950s, and it is, to hear curator Sarah Kelly Oehler tell it, a powerhouse fully deserving of its superstar status.

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"It's an extraordinary painting," says Oehler, who co-curated the "focused installation" "Whistler's Mother: An American Icon Returns to Chicago" that opens Saturday.

"It remains the most important American work residing outside the United States," the New Yorker critic Peter Schjeldahl wrote in 2015.

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How it got here is a tale in itself: In essence, according to Oehler, it was a trade for the Art Institute's "American Gothic" visiting France, where the national museums own "Whistler's Mother." But first, the work.

Viewed quickly  or, more likely, summoned from a memory of having seen a reproduction of it  it can look almost like an ivory cameo writ large, a sentimental portrait of an aged, austere, patient maternal figure. But look again.

There is so much more going on, Oehler says, and the artist considered the painting's ostensible subject to be almost irrelevant.

"It is interesting as a picture of my mother; but what can or ought the public to care about the identity of the portrait?" the American artist asked. Indeed, his original, full title for the painting pushed her into parentheses: "Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 (Portrait of the Artist's Mother)."

The public, of course, did come to care, so much so that the subject of the portrait took over the title, at least colloquially. Fueled by the painting's Depression-era visit, which included stops at museums nationwide, "the portrait of Anna McNeill Whistler has become an icon of motherhood" that spurred "a staggering quantity of critical responses, reproductions in various media, and references within popular culture," the museum says in describing this modestly sized exhibition.

Included in the installation, which occupies the museum's Gallery 272, are a 1933 Art Institute photograph showing Boy Scouts gathered in front of the canvas and a set of 1934 U.S. Postal Service stamps featuring a detail from the painting, the addition of a flowerpot, and the legend, "In Memory and in Honor of the Mothers of America. Three Cents."

"I think the rhetoric of the Depression was part of what made it so appealing," Oehler says, "his sense of American motherhood, of dedication ... That tour is part of what ramped it up into full-blown iconicity."

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Yet Whistler was an expatriate who executed the painting while he and his mother lived in London. That's a small irony. A bigger one is that the interpretation of it as a representation of the traditional belies its forward reaching tendencies. In significant ways, "Whistler's Mother" anticipated modernism.

While most people will see the work as figurative, "we're trying to help people understand that what he was doing was pretty complex," says Oehler, whose full title is Gilda and Henry Buchbinder Curator of American Art.

In the work, Whistler emphasized his painting, "what he called his sort of art-for-art's-sake aesthetic," she says. He argued "that a painting could be valuable for itself, not its subject matter. He's one of the people who helped to make that turn" in art.

He also was headed toward abstraction. "He wanted there to be no distinction between figure and ground, to sort of emphasize the surface qualities of it, the two dimensionality of it," Oehler says. "He paints this in a way that's meant to deny any sense of perspective or space. She's clearly in front of a wall but she's also very much a part of that wall."

And then there is the use of color that the painter emphasized in his original title. Remove the woman from the painting, as well as the framed image of another Whistler work, and you might be looking at one of the color field paintings to come out of the U.S. in the 1940s and 1950s. It becomes about the interplay between the gray and black of the wall, the brown of the floor.

One more key point about the "Mother": It is not shy. While "American Gothic" is smaller than people expect, "Arrangement in Grey and Black" is much bigger, occupying 25 square feet of canvas. "It has a major presence," says Oehler.

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With some 1300 of his works, the Art Institute has one of the richest collections of Whistler, a fascinating figure who also anticipated modernity's streak of self-promotion. Whistler and Oscar Wilde palled around London as dandies dispensing witticisms and, eventually, feuding.

After Wilde responded "I wish I had said that" to a Whistler bon mot at a party, the painter famously responded, "You will, Oscar, you will." Wilde, for his part, said that "Mr. Whistler always spelt art, and I believe still spells it, with a capital 'I.'"

After learning of the painting's loan here, there wasn't time to put together a major Whistler exhibition, Oehler says. So the focused installation tries to highlight the iconic painting and its meanings. Including a Whistler landscape demonstrating similar aspirations as the 'Mother,' the show features about two dozen objects and "also explores Whistler's use of family members as subjects, his abstract treatment of conventional genres such as portraiture and landscape, and the arc of his professional ambition," according to the museum.

The second time "Whistler's Mother" came to the Art Institute was also significant. In the catalog for the 1954 exhibition "Sargent, Whistler and Mary Cassatt," Art Institute curator Frederick A. Sweet argued that "Whistler now emerges as a great figure in the 'aesthetic movement' and his stature as a painter can no longer be questioned."

"The exhibition really reinvigorated interest in these three great expatriate painters," Oehler says. "It was sort of the beginning of the history of American art."

Yet the painting was bought by France in 1891 and has been primarily on display at the Louvre and then the Musee d'Orsay. It's at the Art Institute now because of another show the museum curated that traveled first to France and now is in London (where, incidentally, it has met glowing reviews).

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"This actually came about because we organized 'America After the Fall: Painting in the 1930s' last year," Oehler says, and agreed to lend "American Gothic" to the Parisian Musee de l'Orangerie as part of that exhibition's travel itinerary.

"We began speaking with the Musee d'Orsay about sending ('Arrangement in Grey and Black') as sort of an exchange of icons," she says. "One goes to Europe, the other comes back to the United States."

"American Gothic" is expected to return in June, and having "Whistler's Mother" in its place, broadly speaking, sounds like a reasonable trade. In trying to make a painting about painting, Whistler created something more enduring.

Here again is Schjeldahl, of the New Yorker, on what makes some paintings iconic: "The 'Mona Lisa,' 'The Scream,' 'American Gothic' and the best of Andy Warhol's 'Marilyns'"  some of which are also at the Art Institute  "all share with the Whistler the distillation of a meaning instantly recognized and forever inexhaustible. In this case, it's the mysteries of motherhood."

sajohnson@chicagotribune.com

Twitter: @StevenKJohnson

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When we were still innocent babes, pop songs prepared us for the things that couldn't be prepared for. Sex. Heartbreak. Nuclear annihilation.

Prince's "1999" urged us to get ready for two out of three. He was our coolest Cold War child, sensitive and streetwise enough to convince the masses that dancing in the nuclear twilight might even be fun. Now, as our new president blurts forth his vision for an increasingly weaponized planet, "1999" sounds disconcertingly fresh. We're a little bit closer to "over-oops-out-of-time." Old songs suddenly have new work to do.

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Pop's nuclear songbook is surprisingly thick, but its tensile strength has always been tested by the weight of our fears - fears that can feel dumb and irrational until smart, rational people start feeling them, too. So here's Philip Roth in the New Yorker back in January: "What is most terrifying is that (President Donald Trump) makes any and everything possible, including, of course, the nuclear catastrophe." Roth's 2004 novel "The Plot Against America" isn't about a farewell flash, but it does imagine a dystopia as chilling as those rendered in George Orwell's "1984" and Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" - all of which have enjoyed a sales spike since Trump's election. Readers crave wisdom in senseless times.

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But we listen to nuclear pop for different reasons. We borrow Joe Strummer's macho courage when we sing along with the Clash's "London Calling" ("A nuclear era, but I have no fear"). We pout with Morrissey when he begs for the bomb during "Everyday Is Like Sunday" ("Come, armageddon, come"). And when R.E.M. tells us that "It's The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)," we feel pretty fine, too.

That's because throughout the greatest hits of the apocalypse, the end rarely seems all that nigh - not even during "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall," a ballad that Bob Dylan first performed a month before Kennedy announced the existence of Soviet nukes in Cuba. Oblivion had never felt closer, but the dangers foretold in Dylan's prophecy sounded far away - the stuff of "seven sad forests" and "a dozen dead oceans." Then again, that was 1962. Maybe they're closer now.

In the '80s, mushroom clouds began to sprout on MTV with numbing regularity, as if the network's entire purpose was to toughen up the children of the Reagan era through a fit of atomic hiccups. You could spot the death-bloom in videos for David Bowie's "Let's Dance," and Genesis' "Land of Confusion," and Culture Club's "The War Song," and Time Zone's "World Destruction," and Donald Fagen's "New Frontier," and Fishbone's "Party at Ground Zero" - a song that cheekily dismissed these torrents of dread as "a B-movie starring you."

One way to stop fearing the bomb was to laugh it away. If not that, fantasize about your invincibility. Nena's cautionary "99 Luftballons" was sung from the perspective of a survivor, while the embryonic narrator of Kate Bush's "Breathing" was preparing to be born into the ruins. That's the funny thing about nuclear winter: Life goes on, but probably not yours.

Survival is a central theme in rap music, so when a new century approached, it only made sense that rappers began declaring themselves impervious to doomsday. And while Method Man, Three 6 Mafia and others funneled end-times bravura directly into their rhymes, it was Busta Rhymes who most eagerly espoused the end the of the world, turning his first three solo albums into an informal rapture countdown. The cover of 1998's "E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front" depicts the entirety of Manhattan deliquescing in atomic fire, making it the most horrific album jacket since Count Basie's "The Atomic Mr. Basie" circa 1958. As for the music itself, few rappers have sounded more defiantly alive in the face of death than Busta did in 1996 when he warned, "There's only five years left!" Don't mock the guy's miscalculations. There may only be five years left, someday. Keep listening.

Meantime, the durability of rap's most salient armageddon jam has more to do with systemic racial profiling than lingering nuclear paranoia. In the second verse of 1997's "Apocalypse," Wyclef Jean reports that Brooklyn has just "turned to Hiroshima," so with an entire borough vaporized, he flees to New Jersey, where the cops attempt to pull him over for driving while black. Amid the chaos, someone has robbed a gas station, and our hero matches the description. But it couldn't have been him - "I was at the Grammys with Brandy," Wyclef raps. "Didn't you see me on TV?" Twenty years later, the truth in this song still burns: American racism will survive the apocalypse.

Still, as sobering, thrilling and distracting as they may be, our greatest nuclear pop songs are little more than hedges against the void. We buy them up hoping that we'll never actually have to use them, like bicycle helmets, or the extra coverage at the Hertz kiosk. They feel insufficient. As they should. No one song could truly prepare us for a self-inflicted mass extinction - but there are two that bravely and generously try.

The first is "Nuclear War," a relatively obscure jazz prayer recorded by the visionary Sun Ra in 1982. Over a series of ascending piano chords, the bandleader casually draws the members of his legendary Arkestra into a devastating singalong: "It's a mother------, don't you know/If they push that button, your ass gotta go." The man sounds loose, relaxed, profoundly disappointed, but ultimately at peace with the fact that his wishes have no bearing on our planet's nuclear destiny. This is a piece of music that looks oblivion square in the eye and accepts it.

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And then there's "1999," a song that soothes our collective fear of collective death by inviting all of humanity to the greatest party ever thrown. Prince knew the score. "Everybody's got a bomb, we could all die any day," he sang, "but before I'll let that happen, I'll dance my life away." This wasn't platitudinous seize-the-day babble. It was an ecstatic expression of resistance. Still is. To resist fear is to deny the button-pushers power over your mind, your body, the lion in your pocket. And until disarmament or judgement day, it remains our only option.

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Just when you thought the subscription series at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra had settled into a predictable rut, along comes Esa-Pekka Salonen to shake things up with some enlivening blasts of new music.

The Finnish conductor and composer has, of course, been performing this kind of repertory rescue mission practically since his arrival at these concerts in 1988. Even so, the programs for his two-week March residency at Symphony Center are self-recommending for audience members who care about the music of today. The probing insights Salonen brings to the scores are value added.

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The world premiere of his own Cello Concerto, written for and performed by CSO creative consultant Yo-Yo-Ma, and scheduled for next week's concerts, promises to be one of the year's big classical events.

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Hardly less noteworthy is the unofficial mini-festival of John Adams works Salonen and the CSO are presenting in honor of America's foremost living composer's 70th birthday, an anniversary that's being celebrated all season throughout the classical music world.

Thursday night brought the first of two birthday tributes  the Chicago premiere of Adams' dramatic symphony for violin and orchestra, "Scheherazade.2" (2015), with the formidable American violinist Leila Josefowicz, for whom the work was written, doing the solo honors. The weekend performances mark a CSO reunion for Salonen and Josefowicz, who collaborated for the local premiere of his Violin Concerto almost exactly six years ago.

Given the abuse, oppression and violence suffered by millions of women in many parts of today's world, Adams' subtext feels searingly timely: it's a feminist anthem beyond politics. Scheherazade, the tale-spinning "Arabian Nights" protagonist immortalized in Rimsky-Korsakov's famous orchestral suite, is reimagined here as a proud, gritty, empowered modern heroine who's not about to submit to the casual brutality suffered by her distant namesake. In fact, she fights back.

Although Adams' four movements  a virtuoso violin concerto in all but name  do not trace an explicit storyline, the composer's program note offers a set of images to guide the listener through the neo-romantic currents and musings of his 48-minute symphony (in which, incidentally, not a note of the Rimsky "Scheherazade" is quoted).

On Thursday Josefowicz's violin soared in aching flights of lyricism practically from the start, its voice shifting in expressive character  intense, calm, pensive, animated, otherworldly  as it interacted with Adams' large orchestra. There is hardly a moment when the solo instrument isn't playing, isn't asserting its musical independence over the orchestra's sometimes combative surges of sound. This is the most lushly tonal orchestral music Adams has written in years.

Adding exotic color to the orchestral palette are various-sized gongs and a prominent obbligato part for cimbalom, a kind of hammered dulcimer, whose metallic clangor lends a threatening undercurrent to the violin-orchestra discourse. Chester Englander, Adams' cimbalomist of choice, dispatched the part wonderfully well.

That said, the first two movements tended to go on just a bit too long for my taste (Adams might well consider making a few judicious trims), and its tonal melodism, while gorgeous, felt rather diffuse at times. The final two movements were, however, a knockout. The violin eventually emerged victorious over a belligerent, rhythmically charged orchestra before escaping to a sanctuary of quiet, sustained strings. The closing pages trailed off into ethereal nothingness. Pure aural magic.

Josefowicz played the long, challenging solo part from memory and did so with a ferocious technical command and commitment that are uniquely hers. Salonen and the orchestra were the ideal musical foils, a brilliant match for her leonine virtuosity. She received a stentorian ovation.

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Salonen began the program with Debussy's "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun" and ended it with Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring." If the former work, composed in 1894, opened a crack in the floodgate of modernism, the Stravinsky, dating from 18 years later, tore it open with a vengeance.

Salonen's precise, sharply detailed performances set the musical content of these early 20th century masterpieces in high relief, as if the conductor had written them himself.

To the Debussy he applied the delicate but exacting brush strokes of a master Impressionist painter. The liquid line of principal flute Stefan Ragnar Hoskuldsson thrived within the cool lucidity of Salonen's orchestral framework.

If Salonen presented the primitive fury of the Stravinsky in a less overtly dramatic manner than some other interpreters of this modernist manifesto, his reading generated more than enough visceral excitement within its own, rather objective terms. Tempos moved propulsively, rhythms were firmly delineated, textures were cleanly scrubbed, balances carefully maintained. Those gnashing dissonances made their wonted effect within a clear, organized musical scenario  they didn't have to be italicized. As always, the corporate sinew of the CSO juggernaut was a force of nature in itself, awesome to behold.

The program will be repeated at 8 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $30-$218; 312-294-3000, www.cso.org.

John von Rhein is a Tribune critic.

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jvonrhein@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @jvonrhein

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A blood transfusion is given to a patient with sickle cell anemia, a condition that about 1 in 365 black children is born with in the U.S. (Getty Images)

Researchers are reporting early success using gene therapy to treat, or even potentially cure, sickle cell anemia.

The findings come from just one patient, a teenage boy in France. But more than 15 months after receiving the treatment, he remained free of symptoms and his usual medications.

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That's a big change from his situation before the gene therapy, according to his doctors at Necker Children's Hospital in Paris.

For years, the boy had been suffering bouts of severe pain, as well as other sickle cell complications that affected his lungs, bones and spleen.

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Medical experts stressed, however, that much more research lies ahead before gene therapy can become an option for sickle cell anemia.

It's not clear how long the benefits will last, they said. And the approach obviously has to be tested in more patients.

"This is not right around the corner," said Dr. George Buchanan, a professor emeritus of pediatrics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

That said, Buchanan called the results a "breakthrough" against a disease that can be debilitating and difficult to treat.

Buchanan, who wasn't involved in the research, helped craft the current treatment guidelines for sickle cell.

"This is what people have been wanting and waiting for," he said. "So it's exciting."

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disease that mainly affects people of African, South American or Mediterranean descent. In the U.S., about 1 in 365 black children is born with the condition, according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

It arises when a person inherits two copies of an abnormal hemoglobin gene  one from each parent. Hemoglobin is an oxygen-carrying protein in the body's red blood cells.

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When red blood cells contain "sickle" hemoglobin, they become crescent-shaped, rather than disc-shaped. Those abnormal cells tend to be sticky and can block blood flow  causing symptoms such pain, fatigue and shortness of breath. Over time, the disease can damage organs throughout the body.

There are treatments for sickle cell, such as some cancer drugs, Buchanan pointed out, but they can be difficult to manage and have side effects.

There is one potential cure for sickle cell, Buchanan said: a bone marrow transplant. In that procedure, doctors use chemotherapy drugs to wipe out the patient's existing bone marrow stem cells  which are producing the faulty red blood cells. They are then replaced with bone marrow cells from a healthy donor.

A major problem, Buchanan said, is that the donor typically has to be a sibling who is genetically compatible  and free of sickle cell disease.

"We've known for a long time that bone marrow transplants can work," Buchanan said. "But most patients don't have a donor."

That's where gene therapy could fit in. Essentially, the aim is to genetically alter patients' own blood stem cells so they don't produce abnormal hemoglobin.

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In this case, the French team led by Dr. Marina Cavazzana focused on a gene called beta globin. In sickle cell anemia, beta globin is mutated.

First, the researchers extracted a stem cell supply from their teen patient's bone marrow, before using chemotherapy to wipe out the remaining stem cells.

Then they used a modified virus to deliver an "anti-sickling" version of the beta globin gene into the stem cells they'd removed pre-chemo. The modified stem cells were infused back into the patient.

Over the next few months, the boy showed a growing number of new blood cells bearing the mark of the anti-sickling gene. The result was that roughly half of his hemoglobin was no longer abnormal.

In essence, Buchanan explained, the therapy "converted" the patient to sickle-cell trait  that is, a person who carries only one copy of the abnormal hemoglobin gene. Those individuals don't develop sickle cell disease.

"This is encouraging," said Dr. David Williams, president of the Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.

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But, he cautioned, "the caveat is, this is one patient, and 15 months is a short follow-up."

Williams and his colleagues are studying a different approach to sickle cell gene therapy. It aims to restart the body's production of healthy fetal hemoglobin  to replace the abnormal "adult" hemoglobin seen in sickle cell.

If gene therapy is proven to work, there will no doubt be practical obstacles to its widespread use, according to Buchanan. It's a high-tech treatment, and many sickle cell patients are low-income and far from a major medical center, he said.

But, Buchanan said, the new findings have now "opened a door."

The study was partly funded by Bluebird Bio, the company developing the therapy.

The results were published in March in the New England Journal of Medicine.






J.B. Pritzker's inherited billions would likely make him a serious contender for the Democratic nomination if he makes good on his threat to run for Illinois governor  but he can't count on the support of all of his famously wealthy clan.

Pritzker's cousin, Col. Jennifer Pritzker, told Chicago Inc. on Friday that she isn't ready to commit.

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"If he wants to run, that's his privilege," said the 66-year-old retired U.S. Army officer, who has contributed to Democratic aldermen in Chicago but has backed Republican candidates in state-level races. "I think he and I have some differences on certain issues. Right now, I don't know where his current positions are so I'd have to look at that. I can't really answer that now."

The colonel  believed to be the only transgender billionaire in the world  also made her first public comments about the social media gaffe her cousin made last week, when J.B. Pritzker tweeted that people should use the opposite gender's bathroom in protest of the Trump administration's decision to remove federal protections for transgender school children.

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That idea, which J.B. Pritzker later said he had not meant literally, was roundly criticized by both sides of the divisive issue, with Democratic Party supporters of transgender rights saying it tended to perpetuate what they say are the harmful stereotypes about the trans community and Trump supporters threatening to beat up any man who went into a women's bathroom.

"I think he was trying to be supportive," the colonel said of her cousin. "I don't think he realized that informal comments on social media become world news quickly."

In an emailed statement, J.B. Pritzker said: "I have nothing but love and respect for my cousin Jennifer. While we belong to different political parties, we share a deep respect for individual civil rights. I have and always will support her."

Though Jennifer Pritzker has been an advocate for the transgender community and has campaigned against a controversial North Carolina bill that requires people to use the bathroom that matches the gender on their birth certificate, she went easier on President Donald Trump than her cousin did on the subject of transgender rights.

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"I think we can take some cheer from Trump's personal actions," she said. "He meant it when he invited Caitlyn Jenner to use any facility in his hotels. There's a YouTube of her doing precisely that, and ... she went in and did what people do there, came out and that's the end of it."

"I think he's trying to get the issue away from federal government legislating bathrooms, and I think it would be helpful if he would do more to reassure people that that is his primary objective," she added of the president.

"I think if people would just calm down, look at it in a more objective light, do some education, understand that the person going through a medically supervised gender transition is not the same as a 'peeping Tom' " that people could agree on the issue, she said.

"Knowledge dispels fear," she added.

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The colonel was speaking to Inc. at a groundbreaking ceremony for a 50-unit residential building in Rogers Park, which her firm, Tawani Property Management, is developing.

kjanssen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kimjnews
A man peruses the shelves of the Nablus Library in the West Bank city of Nablus this week. World Book Day is April 23. (Alaa Badarneh / EPA)

In a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel I read years ago, most of which I've forgotten, there was a lonely monk walking in the desert.

The monk wore a simple robe with a rope belt and a hood, as they did in the Middle Ages. But this was in a future time. And the plague was most likely nuclear.

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I can't remember all the details. The main thing was that his task in life was to tell people about the things that had been lost.

The desert he walked wasn't all sand dunes as in some Hollywood movie. There were rocks and thorn bushes too, and a relentless wind. I think.

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Perhaps chunks of broken asphalt were in the story, and snakes or even a Gila monster with slitted eyes sunning on a flat rock. There may have been wolves out there in the shadows, with the sun setting behind cliffs.

And maybe along the horizon, he could see the spidery black bones of what used to be buildings. Or not.

Ahead of him, there was a cook-fire and human beings huddled around. Maybe they were waiting for him, anticipating the old monk. And just maybe there was the faint smell of hot pepper rabbit stew.

At least I think there may have been stew. All this may or may not have been in that story, the Gila monster and so on. Maybe he wasn't a monk. I can't say for sure. Perhaps I'm confusing my odd scraps of post-apocalyptic science fiction.

Richard Cahan reads from his book about Richard Nickel, Sunday, April 3, 2016, in Park Ridge. Cahan spoke at the Ianelli Studios about Park Ridge resident Nickel, a photographer and historic preservationist who died in 1972 when a building he was trying to salvage collapsed. (Jon Langham / Pioneer Press)

But if you recognize it, somehow, please drop me a line and tell me the title, if there ever had been a book like this.

Why?

Because I'm curious, and as I write this, it is World Book Day in the United Kingdom and Ireland, a day sponsored by the United Nations to promote reading.

It takes place on Sunday, April 23, when many libraries are closed, in the rest of the world. But the United Kingdom and Ireland celebrate, for some stubborn Anglo-Irish reason, on March 2 and they got ahead of us and took to social media.

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How do I know about World Book Day? I saw it on Twitter.

Who has time to read books anymore?

But I did spot a World Book Day warning from a Michael Clarke, with this rather upsetting tweet about a terrifying book.

It is a book with a title so repulsive that it should have been burned to a crisp in some 451 Fahrenheit degree fire.

"Microwave Cooking for One."

"Quite possibly the most depressing book I've ever seen," Clarke tweeted.

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Quite possibly the most depressing book I've ever seen. #WorldBookDay pic.twitter.com/YhjmvOKHZ3  Michael Clarke (@Mr_Mike_Clarke) March 2, 2017

It certainly looks depressing. On the cover there is a rather primitive illustration of a misshapen apple and cherries, and a ridiculous bowl of what could be pudding. Dominating the space is a plate, and on it is a brown lump of something, bordered by limp fries.

I thought of "microwave French toast," almost retched, and then clicked elsewhere to find that breaking news about Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the evil Russian spy.

That's what we do now. We don't turn the page. We click off.

Please don't get the wrong idea or think I'm raging at technology. That's ridiculous. I love technology and the great information age.

Technology and its precious child, social media, have given air to ideas, politics, human connections and knowledge many never dreamed of. We're in a time of renaissance.

And those who once curated, or hoarded information as if it was gold have had to give it up for free to people who use it as they wish.

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Though World Book Day is about books of sorts, most children are wired to the web, always on their phones. When their data runs out, they become quite desperate and twitchy.

Will the human brain be rewired? Fear merchants shriek that our technology may alter us in ways that we don't really understand, and that we'll become a different species before we know it.

But technology also offers us new ways of thinking in frenetic, disjointed bursts, so vastly different from that monk on his desert walk.

The story was written long before human beings became half cyborg as we are now, with our electronic devices connecting us (and our thoughts and wants) to the worldwide data mining conglomerates. And the monk had no phone.

But is that important? No.

The important thing is that he walked up to that cook-fire, to that small gathering of people out there in the wasteland, people alone with their illiteracy, and perhaps their goats.

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You can see them, can't you, the scruffy children squatting around the fire, the toothless old people, the haggard child bearers, the aboriginally thin hunters in goat skins. Maybe an old tin pot of stew.

After he'd been well fed, he'd begin his service of things that had been lost, saying something like:

Chocolate bars. Green beans in a can. Pencils and paper.

He might have told them about other things they had lost or didn't know about, like Italian licorice, or beefsteaks wrapped in paper, whipped cream in a can, of soap, and perfume, and other toiletries, of electric razors and machine tools, and on and on.

In the story I've all but forgotten, I think he may have recited each thing slowly, perhaps in chant, so the others around that fire might hold on to scraps of what had been before the world and humanity had been irrevocably changed.

I assume he may also have mentioned microscopes, creamed corn, root beer floats, tractors, automated looms, phones, jet planes.

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But did he mention books?

I can't remember.

Listen to "The Chicago Way" podcast  with John Kass and Jeff Carlin  at http://wgnradio.com/category/wgn-plus/category/thechicagoway.

jskass@chicagotribune.com Twitter @John_Kass
Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool stands with community and faith leaders on Feb. 14, 2017, at Lindblom Math & Science Academy in Chicago to announce a lawsuit against the state of Illinois and Gov. Bruce Rauner. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

The Chicago school board's lawsuit against Gov. Bruce Rauner and the state of Illinois over education funding faces "serious problems getting off the ground as a matter of law," an attorney for the state said in court Friday.

The state said it plans to file a motion to dismiss the case and a response to the district's request for a preliminary injunction by the end of the month.

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Thomas Ioppolo, of the Illinois attorney general's office told a Cook County chancery division judge that there are "a lot of issues of sovereign immunity, and separation of powers and whether a local entity like the Chicago Board of Education can even be a proper plaintiff under the Illinois Civil Rights Act."

"Those are all major and arguably significant threshold issues that need to be addressed first," Ioppolo said.

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In the lawsuit, filed last month, the school board demanded the state be found in violation of the Illinois Civil Rights Act for maintaining what the lawsuit called a "separate and unequal" system for funding school districts and pension obligations.

Chicago Public Schools upped the stakes of the lawsuit Monday when it warned that the school year could end June 1  nearly three weeks early  and summer school programs could be cut without a preliminary ruling in the school board's favor from Judge Franklin Ulyses Valderrama.

CPS said it wants the judge to rule on its preliminary motion by May 1.

"We need to give notice to principals, to teachers, to parents who need to make plans," said David DeBruin, a Jenner & Block attorney who flew in from Washington, D.C., to represent the Chicago Board of Education in court. "These dates are imminently upon us."

jjperez@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @PerezJr
The family of an 8-year-old Chicago girl beaten and strangled last summer is suing the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, alleging the agency missed "telltale signs" of abuse.

The tortured body of Gizzell Ford was discovered July 12 in her paternal grandmother's trash-strewn Austin apartment. The grandmother, Helen Ford, 52, and her son, Andre, 29, the child's father, are charged with murder and remain held without bail.

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A 2013 Tribune investigation into Gizzell's death found that a DCFS investigator failed to spot signs of trouble after visiting the ramshackle home one month earlier while the straight-A student was being brutalized.

The newspaper also disclosed that a respected child abuse doctor who examined Gizzell weeks before she died had questioned the grandmother about a suspicious injury on the child's buttocks but did not call the DCFS hotline, according to agency reports.

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In the wrongful death lawsuit, members of the girl's family accused DCFS and Dr. Norell Rosado of failing to protect Gizzell. The suit also names DCFS investigator Shirley Contreras, who no longer works for the agency, as a co-defendant.

"All of the warning signs pointed that something was very wrong in this household and indicated that Gizzy was being abused on a regular basis," said Martin Dolan, the family's attorney, who filed the lawsuit late last week in Cook County on behalf of the girl's mother and maternal grandfather. "Because DCFS sat idle while Gizzy was fighting for her life, she lost the battle."

DCFS spokeswoman Karen Hawkins declined to comment on the pending litigation. In an earlier interview, Rosado cited privacy laws that he said prohibit him from public comment about a case. But in that interview, he told the Tribune he never failed to notify DCFS if he spotted a sign of child abuse or neglect during an exam.

Contreras did not respond to a request for comment.

The only government intervention in Gizzell's short life came eight months before her death when a Cook County judge awarded temporary custody to her father, Andre Ford. The unemployed felon lived with his mother and used a wheelchair because of a debilitating illness. Ford had argued that the child's mother, Sandra Mercado, was homeless and failed to get Gizzell to school regularly.

Mercado, who denied the allegations, lived with her father in Melrose Park, she said. Mercado said she was about to return to court to try to get her daughter back when Helen and Andre Ford called DCFS and alleged that Mercado's boyfriend had molested Gizzell  an allegation that was later deemed unfounded.

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Rosado examined Gizzell as part of the ensuing molestation investigation. During the exam, he questioned Helen Ford about an injury that "looked like a healing loop mark over the buttocks," according to a DCFS report obtained by the newspaper.

Even though the doctor did not notify the hotline, his report was available to DCFS and members of a Cook County child advocacy center, which includes police and prosecutors, who should have reviewed it.

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Anger over the child's death sparked a legislative hearing in winter 2013 in which DCFS disclosed it made mistakes in recording statistics for child maltreatment deaths. The agency pulled its monthly death statistics from its website soon afterward and has yet to disclose data for the past two fiscal years.

The previous 30-year average was 77 child abuse and neglect deaths in Illinois, with about one-fourth of the cases having prior DCFS involvement.

"We don't want any more kids hurt or being killed like my granddaughter," said Juan Mercado, the child's maternal grandfather. "If DCFS had done their job, this wouldn't have happened and Gizzell would still be alive."

cmgutowski@tribune.com

Twitter @christygutowsk1
In the fall of 2011, the Cook County Board approved a sanctuary ordinance that limits ICEs ability to collect and deport people living in the U.S. illegally. (Ryan Marx/Chicago Tribune)

On most mornings, the names of people arrested and headed to bond court at Chicago's main criminal courthouse are written on paper lists tacked to a bulletin board in a hallway outside the courtroom. Anxious friends and relatives run their fingers down the sheets to make sure that they're in the right place, but they aren't the only ones scanning those lists.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents go through them by hand to find the names of immigrants who are here illegally and have been swept up into the local criminal justice system, federal officials say. That places them in ICE's crosshairs and potentially on a path toward deportation.

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That kind of primitive workaround is a reality for federal agents whose territory is Chicago, one of the largest cities to call itself a sanctuary and to implement policies aimed at defying federal crackdowns on illegal immigration  a movement that has gained steam as some governments in the Chicago area express their opposition to President Donald Trump's plans to increase deportations.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other local politicians, saying they value the contributions of immigrants, have trumpeted Chicago's status as a place that will welcome and shield those here illegally, including by not having the Chicago Police Department cooperate with ICE.

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"You're going to be safe here," Emanuel said in a message for immigrants. "You are going to be secure here. You're going to be supported here."

Here, sanctuary city status means ICE agents will get limited if any cooperation from local authorities, including the Police Department and the Cook County sheriff's office, which operates the jail. In fact, the number of detainers ICE has issued to the jail has dropped precipitously since the county adopted its sanctuary ordinance, forcing agents to look for the sort of workarounds they employ at the courthouse.

Julie Myers Wood, who headed ICE during President George W. Bush's second term, said she expected that the criminal justice system would continue to be a site for conflict and confusion as the federal government tries to implement Trump's new immigration policies.

"Someone is pulled over. What can the officer do? What must the officer do?" she asked. "If ICE wants to talk to that person, will they be allowed into a facility to make a determination about them?"

Other leaders in Cook County have joined the effort to shield immigrants, adding to the obstacles the government faces. Chicago Public Schools officials recently told principals to turn away ICE agents without warrants, and Cardinal Blase Cupich instructed priests in the Archdiocese of Chicago, which covers Cook and Lake counties, to do the same.

But being a sanctuary city offers limited protection to unauthorized immigrants; Chicago can't prevent immigration agents from raiding businesses in search of workers or detaining immigrants at their homes. As a result, neighborhoods have been on edge for weeks amid real detentions at O'Hare International Airport and home visits from ICE agents  as well as unfounded rumors on social media about immigration checkpoints on "L" trains.

"There's a lot of preparation for the worst," said local activist Tania Unzueta, of the national Mijente organization, a group dedicated to Latino organizing and a critic of the Trump administration's immigration policies. "I've already had to have conversations with people (telling them), 'You are a priority. You are in danger. If ICE comes and picks you up, I don't know that I can get you out.' "

Cook County Jail (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

ICE works without jail help

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The Cook County Board enacted its sanctuary ordinance in fall 2011. Commissioner Chuy Garcia, who was elected to the board in 2010, pushed the ordinance after immigrant advocates and clergy told him there were problems with aggressive ICE enforcement in the county. They invited Garcia to a protest against ICE's practice of deporting people "for the most minor infractions of the law."

"People were winding up at Cook County Jail for minor tickets and infractions of the law, mainly from incidents that were occurring in suburban Cook County, where police departments were pulling people over because (of failure to use) a turn signal, in a vehicle that a mom was driving to take a child to school or to the doctor," Garcia said. Sometimes people found themselves transferred to ICE custody "and people wound up getting deported as a result of that."

The city of Chicago also took action, adopting a welcoming ordinance in 2013 that generally prohibits disclosure of an individual's immigration status and bars ICE from city facilities. As a result, police "will never ask an individual's immigration status," said department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. Department orders do allow information-sharing with ICE on individuals who appear on lists of alleged gang members.

In both instances, local officials sought to send two messages: that immigrants who had come here illegally were nonetheless valued for their contributions to the area, and that local government was reluctant to spend the money or the resources to take on a federal responsibility.

Prior to passage of the sanctuary ordinance, ICE agents regularly worked with county prosecutors using the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System, or LEADS. Agents would thumb through sheets of new defendants' backgrounds, looking for those who could be foreign-born nationals. Those suspected of not having the proper paperwork to live legally in the United States would then be interviewed by ICE agents at the jail's intake area, and a "detainer" would be placed on people ICE wanted held if they were able to post bond.

"We would go at 6 or 7 in the morning to get people released pursuant to detainers, probably about 10 a day," said James McPeek, assistant field office director with ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations in Chicago. "Once the ordinance started, it went to zero."

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The county's ordinance seems to have had a clear effect. In the 11 months before the ordinance went into effect, ICE agents issued more than 1,400 detainers to Cook County Jail. In the most recent 12 months for which statistics are available, from October 2015 through September 2016, ICE issued fewer than 70 detainers to the jail.

ICE data for the six-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin show that 11,786 deportation orders were issued in the year before the ordinance, and 2,326 in 2016, a decrease that could reflect national shifts in policy.

One agency that does co-operate with ICE is the Illinois Department of Corrections. From Jan. 1, 2012, through Dec. 31, 2016, the department released nearly 4,000 inmates to ICE, records show. Most  2,456  were from Cook County.

Trump has set his sights on boosting deportations. Days after he was sworn into office, he signed executive orders promising 10,000 new ICE officers and broadening the agency's directives. A later Department of Homeland Security order directed agents to remove "aliens" convicted of, charged with or even suspected of committing crimes, potentially including offenses like shoplifting or entering the country illegally.

The executive orders differed from Obama administration priorities. Under Obama, ICE focused on immigrants here illegally who had been convicted of serious crimes, were considered threats to national security or had recently crossed the border.

Now facing broader orders to deport individuals, ICE agents in Chicago are still hamstrung by a lack of cooperation and must come up with ways to identify those they want to detain.

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At Cook County's Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago, agents run names from posted bond sheets in the corridors and no longer get cooperation from prosecutors. Those names are fed into a system that cross-references criminal information such as fingerprints with data on everyone DHS has ever come in contact with, including those who entered the United States legally or someone abroad who applied for a visa.

If a foreign national in the criminal justice system is identified, ICE still issues a detainer even though Cook County will not cooperate and hold anyone for them, agency leaders said. What's more, agents also are not notified by prosecutors or Sheriff Tom Dart's office when someone they are targeting is released on bond, breaking with past practice, meaning they have to run names through computers available to the general public.

Those who are identified by ICE's checks often are prioritized based on their crimes. If agents learn that someone they would like to detain has bonded out of the Cook County system, they can attempt to find them at home or somewhere else in the field, which ICE contends can potentially create more dangerous arrest situations.

McPeek said agents are frustrated by a system in Chicago that, from their perspective, makes little sense.

"We could have someone we removed for assault or robbery, who served time in state custody, and we deported them," McPeek said. "And then he illegally re-entered the United States and gets arrested for a low-level offense, and Cook County says, 'Oh well, that's a very low-level offense. We're not going to honor that detainer.' "

"I mean, they don't honor any of them, but that's one they wouldn't honor even though he had a prior criminal conviction that was egregious and he got deported previously," he said.

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As it has ramped up immigration enforcement, the Trump administration has issued vague threats to punish municipalities that don't aid deportation efforts. Trump also ordered the federal Office of Management and Budget's director to look into all federal grant money currently received "by any sanctuary jurisdiction."

In a Fox News interview, Trump said he's prepared to strip federal dollars from California, for instance.

"If we have to, we'll defund," he said.

It's unclear where the federal government would cut funding, but programs such as the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which helps reimburse local jurisdictions for the cost of incarcerating immigrants, could be vulnerable, according to experts.

Garcia said he believes the county will hold firm against Trump's threats. The county will, however, honor warrants, a court order that someone be held as opposed to a detainer, which is an ICE request to hold someone to determine their immigration status.

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"We uphold the Constitution," Garcia said. "We do not hold people but for probable cause. Any warrant presented by ICE will be honored in Cook County by the sheriff."

The county's ordinance notes that cooperating came with a cost  $43,000 a day for Cook County to hold all of the people on ICE detainers. Requests to hold people would be declined without a written agreement for reimbursement.

Officials said the question of expense is not expected to alter the county's position on the matter. Frank Shuftan, a spokesman for County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, noted that, in 2012, then-ICE Director John Morton offered to reimburse the county for costs incurred by the sheriff.

"President Preckwinkle respectfully declined the offer," he said. "It was then, and continues to be, our position that immigration enforcement is a responsibility of the federal government, not local jurisdictions or local law enforcement. Simply, the county is not mandated to serve as an immigration enforcement officer on behalf of ICE."

Whether the federal government and local municipalities escalate their dispute over sanctuary ordinances remains to be seen. Community groups have pledged to monitor ICE's new push to determine if it has a chilling effect on programs designed to aid immigrants, such as protections offered for younger immigrants by DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals order, signed by Obama.

Mark Fleming, national litigation coordinator for the National Immigrant Justice Center, which has been critical of the new administration's immigration policies, said the office is seeing a rise in arrests.

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"And we definitely have seen a ramp-up in the apprehension of individuals who have committed a minimal crime or no crime at all," Fleming said.

ICE officials, asked if the new administration's orders were leading to deportations for less serious crimes, said they could not comment beyond pointing to the executive orders themselves.

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But from Chicago neighborhoods like Rogers Park to Little Village, organizations are holding talks and passing out leaflets telling residents not to open the doors of their homes to ICE agents without a warrant. Already, activists are seeing an effect of the administration's directives in the community.

Many immigrants who are here without authorization already don't want to call attention to themselves in any way, just out of fear, advocates said, even to the point of not reporting that they were the victim of a crime.

"There are communities that are so vulnerable that people are not willing to do anything that might keep them from staying under the radar," said Bharathi Pillai, a general civil liberties fellow at the ACLU. "They are forced to make a risk assessment."

gpratt@chicagotribune.com

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jcoen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @royalpratt

Twitter @JeffCoen
Chicago State University spent about $1.2 million to fix a failed campus heating system last month that forced a temporary shutdown of the campus, school leaders revealed Friday.

The unanticipated and untimely expense for the cash-strapped public university came after the school has struggled with its heating system throughout this academic year.

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The problem came to a head in early February when all the boilers failed and temporary boilers were installed, assistant facilities director Monique Horton told trustees at their board meeting Friday. The university is renting the equipment and still needs to purchase new boilers.

University officials previously said the campus boilers were shut down for repairs the night of Feb. 8, but until Friday, had not specified what fixes were needed or why. The university has not responded to a Freedom of Information Act request from the Tribune seeking service records, invoices and communications related to the emergency fixes.

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School leaders initially told students and faculty the campus would be closed all day Feb. 9 because of "declining temperatures in buildings." Officials then changed course, saying they were able to make the repairs sooner than expected, and classes and some services resumed that afternoon.

University trustees typically must approve spending that exceeds $250,000, but the president can bypass that rule if it is determined that immediate spending is necessary.

The campus' boilers were old and needed to be replaced, Horton said. She said the university requested $3.1 million in capital funding from the state more than a decade ago but that money was never approved.

Some of the boilers were installed in the early 1970s when Chicago State first moved to its campus at 95th Street and King Drive, and another was installed in 2005. Such equipment typically lasts 20 to 30 years, Horton said.

Trustee Nicholas Gowen, one of four new trustees appointed by Gov. Bruce Rauner in January, questioned why the university had not acted sooner to replace the aging equipment.

"So we should have known this years ago," Gowen said. "In general, my questions are based upon my concern we're not budgeting to ensure our finances are being used in a diligent manner."

Chicago State has had to address failures with the heating system several times this year. Two campus generators had to be serviced with new parts in the fall. The university's heating plant generator malfunctioned in December, requiring the school to obtain backup equipment in that case as well.

Also this year, crews have had to replace underground piping that failed and cut off hot water to the dorm and student union.

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The maintenance costs come as Chicago State has no funds to spare during the most protracted state budget stalemate in Illinois history.

Chicago State, like several other public universities and colleges, has drained cash from its savings to support routine operations as state leaders have gone nearly two years without agreeing on a budget.

As a result, Chicago State has received only about $35.5 million in stopgap state funding for the past 20 months, compared with the $36.1 million it received in 2015, the last year of full state funding for Illinois' colleges and universities. The university is at risk of ending the year with a deficit.

Chicago State has reduced costs by laying off hundreds of employees, reducing library hours and cutting spending on travel and campus supplies.

Meanwhile, Chicago State's backlog of delayed maintenance work continues to grow. More than $59 million is needed to make all the necessary repairs, replacements and upgrades, according to university documents.

drhodes@chicagotribune.com

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A pregnant 16-year-old Joliet girl has gone missing, and Chicago police are now looking for her, authorities said Thursday.

Dymon Simons was last seen Feb. 25 in the 7800 block of South Vernon Avenue in the city's Chatham neighborhood, according to a missing person's alert issued by Chicago police.

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Dymon, who lives and goes to school in southwest suburban Joliet, may be with family members in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood, or in west suburban Maywood, police said.

Dymon, who is pregnant, is 5-foot-4, weighs 115 pounds, has brown hair, brown eyes and a medium complexion, police said.

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Anyone with information is urged to contact Area South detectives, 312-747-8274.
Cook County sheriff's officials were notified Feb. 27, 2017, that Garrett Glover, 29, had been released from Illinois Department of Corrections custody after being sentenced to four years in prison Feb. 23 in a 2014 attempted armed robbery case from Country Club Hills. (Illinois Department of Corrections )

Days after a man awaiting trial on murder charges was mistakenly released on parole, the Cook County Sheriff's Office says it will no longer send convicted defendants who still have pending cases to be fingerprinted and photographed by the Illinois Department of Corrections and then immediately returned to the county jail.

The release last week of Garrett Glover, who as of Thursday evening was still the subject of an intense manhunt, sparked a war of words and finger-pointing between the two law enforcement agencies. On Tuesday, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart sent IDOC Director John Baldwin a letter criticizing the agency for releasing Glover without checking his criminal history or calling his office.

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"Either step would have immediately revealed the existence of the open murder case," Dart wrote.

On Thursday, Baldwin responded, saying IDOC relies on the sheriff's office to provide accurate information and that a search of Glover's paperwork as well as a law-enforcement database showed no holds barring his release on parole.

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"We are always willing to assist your office in whatever way we can; however, we cannot take responsibility for your office's error," Baldwin wrote.

The dispute is over the nearly 1,200 Cook County "turnarounds"  defendants who have already served all of or more than the time they're sentenced to  that both agencies handle each year. The sheriff's office has offered IDOC space at the county jail to process turnarounds and avoid the expense of busing them to Will County and back, but IDOC said the proposal would be too costly.

Glover was sentenced Feb. 23 to four years in prison in a 2014 attempted armed robbery case from Country Club Hills. Under the state's truth in sentencing laws, he was due to serve two years but had already spent more time than that in jail, so he would be released on parole if there were no active warrants or other charges pending, officials said.

When Glover was taken by sheriff's officers to IDOC's processing center near Stateville Correctional Center outside Joliet, the officers did not have any paperwork indicating he was being held on $2 million bail for a 2012 murder, said IDOC spokeswoman Nicole Wilson.

He was not on a list of turnarounds that officers brought either, she said. So IDOC staff reviewed the handwritten mittimus indicating Glover had been sentenced to two years and then checked a law enforcement database to see if he had any active warrants before releasing him on parole.

"By law we have no authority to hold him," Wilson said, referring to the staffers' belief that no other charges were pending. The mistake wasn't caught until Monday, when a prosecutor discovered he'd been freed, officials said.

For years, detainees with multiple active cases who resolve one of them have been sent to IDOC to be processed. In 2015, the Tribune examined the turnaround system, finding the number of inmates from local jails transferred into the state prison system and sent home the same day had tripled between 2010 and 2014, costing the state as much as $800,000 to process inmates in one year alone.

The turnaround process is an "entrenched procedure" that Dart's policy chief Cara Smith described as "lunacy."

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"We can't let public safety rest on an exchange of paper," she said, adding that IDOC should have been running a criminal history search in the law-enforcement database before releasing people on parole.

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The sheriff's office will now do its own review to ensure defendants don't have pending cases before they are released to IDOC, Smith said.

Glover is awaiting trial in the Sept. 5, 2012, shooting of Larry Porter, 25, near 87th Street on the Dan Ryan.

Porter was driving a black 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee south on the expressway when he was shot by another motorist, police said at the time of his killing. Glover, Patrick Calvin and a third man  identified by Illinois State Police as Tyrone Mixon  shot at Porter from inside a maroon van they had borrowed from a North Side woman Glover knew, prosecutors said when the three were charged.

Another man in the Jeep was shot, but the then-27-year-old man in the back seat, later identified as the owner of the Jeep and the target of the shooting, wasn't injured.

The sheriff's office, IDOC's fugitive apprehension team and U.S. Marshals Service are searching for Glover, officials said.

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Twitter @SteveSchmadeke
Authorities investigating recent bomb threats against Jewish institutions across the country have arrested a former journalist who worked in Chicago and New York City, saying he was behind at least some of the threats as part of a campaign to harass a woman he dated.



The arrest appears to be the first in response to a wave of bomb threats at Jewish centers and schools across the country this year, as many as 100 across dozens of states, according to the Jewish Community Center Association of North America. Headstones also have been vandalized at Jewish cemeteries in Missouri, Pennsylvania and, most recently, upstate New York.



Juan Thompson, 31, was charged Friday with making eight threats to Jewish Community Centers. An FBI spokeswoman said Thompson is not believed to be responsible for all the threats to Jewish Community Centers across the country.

Thompson was arrested in St. Louis, not far from a Jewish cemetery in suburban University City, Mo., where 150 headstones were recently vandalized, but the spokeswoman said he is not believed to be responsible for that incident.



Thompson is a journalist who was fired from the Intercept, an investigative journalism website, for fabricating quotes and misleading colleagues to cover his tracks. In an editor's note last year, the publication said Thompson had engaged in "a pattern of deception" and wrote that he created fake email accounts to impersonate people.



"We were horrified to learn this morning that Juan Thompson, a former employee of The Intercept, has been arrested in connection with bomb threats against the ADL and multiple Jewish Community Centers in addition to cyberstalking," Charlotte Greensit, the Intercept's managing editor, said in a statement Friday. "These actions are heinous and should be fully investigated and prosecuted."



Greensit said Thompson worked at the Intercept from November 2014 until he was fired in January 2016.



Before working at Intercept, Thompson was an intern for DNAInfo in Chicago in July and August of 2013, and worked as an intern at WBEZ from May until August of 2014.



Thompson is accused of making the threats as part of a sustained campaign of harassment targeting a woman he had dated.



After their relationship ended, he began sending defamatory emails and faxes to her workplace, falsely reporting that she was involved in criminal activity and making threats to the Jewish centers in her name, according to the federal complaint. Attempts to reach the woman were not immediately successful.



In one email, a person claiming to be a TV producer for a national news organization said the woman had been pulled over for drunk driving and was being sued for spreading a sexually transmitted disease.



The woman herself also received a series of bizarre texts and emails related to Thompson from someone claiming to be his friend. One said  falsely  that Thompson had been the victim of a robbery and shooting, and was on life support.



The woman obtained a protective order against Thompson in August 2016 and renewed it in October and December. Law enforcement confronted Thompson in November 2016, after someone from his IP address reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that the woman possessed child pornography.



A New York police detective eventually got in touch with Thompson  who claimed his email accounts were hacked  and told him he should not attempt to contact the victim.



In the months that followed, Thompson began making threats to Jewish Community Centers, sometimes in the woman's name and sometimes in his own, though he claimed the woman was trying to frame him, according to authorities.



Thompson seemed to be aware of the news coverage of threats. Using an apparently hacked email address, he sent a message to the Anti-Defamation League in February 2017 saying the woman was "behind the bomb threats against jews. She lives in nyc and is making more bomb threats tomorrow."



The next day, the ADL received a call that said someone would detonate an explosive at the group's New York headquarters. Police searched and did not find a bomb.



Similar threats were relayed in various ways toward Jewish centers in Dallas and San Diego, a Jewish school in Farmington Hills, Mich., as well as the Jewish History Museum in Manhattan. A Jewish school in Manhattan received two separate threats, one of which said Thompson wanted "to create Jewish newtown tomorrow," a reference to the mass shooting of 20 children at a school in Newtown, Conn.



Thompson claimed on Twitter that the woman was stalking and harassing him, and that law enforcement had questioned him unfairly because of her. He also tweeted about the threats, seeming to condemn them. "Another week, another round of threats against Jewish ppl. In the middle of the day, you know who's at a JCC? Kids. KIDS."



The criminal complaint filed in federal court points to his Twitter page, where he rails about an ex-girlfriend he describes as a "nasty/racist #whitegirl."



Thompson's page also expresses disdain for President Trump and white people generally. "White folk are trash," he wrote in a tweet about the Oscars. He praised black women for their opposition to Trump "The only person to call Trump a fascist in the #dncdebate is a black woman," he wrote. "Of course. Black women are the root of left mvmnts."



Earlier this week, Trump condemned the recent anti-Semitic threats and vandalism, his second such condemnation, but in a meeting with attorneys general he also questioned who was behind it. His remarks appearing to suggest that it may have been the work of his political opponents disturbed some of those in the room.



Trump said that while the threats were reprehensible, sometimes it's "the reverse," according to two attorneys general at the meeting. He also said last month that some bigoted public sentiments could be traced to his opponents and "it won't be my people," but will be done to make his supporters look bad.



Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly recently pledged additional support to Jewish communities after "unacceptable and escalating threats and actual harassment directed at faith-based communities around the country, with a particular focus on threats to Jewish Community Centers."

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In a statement, Kelly had said he was directing the agency "to heighten our outreach and support to enhance public safety." As part of that, a branch of Homeland Security spoke with executive directors of the JCC association to offer more help with training and protective measures, he said.



On Thursday, the ADL said that at least 16 headstones were toppled at a cemetery in Rochester, N.Y., that it said has been used by the Jewish community there for nearly a century.



"A number of headstones were recently vandalized and toppled over at Waad Hakolel Cemetery in Rochester," New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) said in a statement. "Given the wave of bomb threats targeting Jewish community centers and disturbing vandalism at Jewish cemeteries nationwide, I am directing the state police to immediately launch a full investigation into this matter."



Chicago Tribune staff contributed
Nancy Lee Carlson has been getting 400 to 500 emails a day, she says, from people who want to see or buy her rare bag of moon dust.

Awarded the bag from NASA after a yearlong court fight, Carlson, from northwest suburban Inverness, says strangers have even come knocking at her door to see the bag, which was used to store moon rocks collected by Apollo 11 astronauts.

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She hasn't decided what she's going to do with it, she said, but she certainly doesn't have it at home. The bag is now kept by a security firm in a remote location she says is unknown even to her.

She had previously kept the bag in her bedroom closet and said she intended to show it at schools and bequeath it to her grandchildren, but she says with the publicity over the case that's not practical now.

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"I'm thrilled we won," she said. "This is like the Holy Grail." But, she added, "I'm trying to be as anonymous as possible."

The bag in question is the size of a dinner plate, made of cloth similar to that used in astronaut suits, has a zipper and a rip in the fabric, and contains dark dust that NASA verified is from the moon.

Carlson, a corporate and real estate attorney and a former board member at Community Consolidated School District 15 in Palatine, bought the bag for $995 in 2015 on a government website, www.forfeiture.gov. She sent it to NASA to verify its authenticity, and when tests showed it was legitimate, officials refused to return it, saying it was rightfully the space agency's property, since they had originally obtained it and weren't aware of its sale.

Previously, the bag had been in the possession of Max Ary, who ran the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchison, Kan., and was convicted of theft in 2006 for taking and selling items from the museum, some of which were on loan from NASA.

Federal government attorneys obtained a court order to sell some of the items recovered from Ary to pay restitution. The bag was confused with another bag that had been flown to the moon on Apollo 17 and was mistakenly sold to Carlson by auction, government attorneys said.

Carlson said she has gotten complaints that she shouldn't keep to herself a national treasure for which astronauts risked their lives. She believes she obtained the bag fairly and legally, but she was open to the idea of sharing it publicly.

"Like all children born in the '50s and '60s or '70s, I've always been interested in space, since I was a kid," she said. "This (moon landing) is what we watched on TV. I thought it was the greatest thing in the world  when man finally left Earth."

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She said it will take a couple of weeks for her to decide what to do with the bag.

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"Hopefully it will be for the greater good of everyone," she said.

Officials at the Adler Planetarium and Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago said they would be open to taking the bag, but they would have to consider how it would fit into their collections. The planetarium already has a moon rock on display, and lunar meteorites, from chunks of the moon that fell to Earth, as well as meteorite dust.

The museum's Henry Crown Space Center displays the Apollo 8 module and the Aurora 7 capsule, among many other exhibits.

Michelle Nichols, the master educator at Adler, said she wasn't sure how unique the bag was, since bags were commonly used for storing samples, but said, "I find it pretty fascinating, because it gives you a sense of the scientific process. By itself it doesn't tell the whole story, but with other things, it becomes part of a science and engineering story."

rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @RobertMcCoppin
Hundreds of student employees at Northeastern Illinois University will lose their jobs and nearly all staff will be required to take five furlough days later this month, the latest fallout from the state's protracted budget impasse.

Northeastern will shut down the week of March 20, during spring break, as about 1,100 employees take five unpaid days off. All university and instructional services, including computer labs, the writing center and the library, will be closed. Only police and engineers will be on campus as needed, officials said.

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Illinois colleges and universities have increasingly struggled during the state's nearly 20-month budget stalemate. Illinois has operated without a full budget since July 2015, leaving Northeastern and other public campuses without regular funding.

NEIU, on the city's North Side, serves about 10,000 students.

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"This is another extrapolation of the bind that state universities are being put in as a result of the budget impasse," NEIU interim president Richard Helldobler said in a recent interview. "The state is just putting us in an untenable position. It's time for the state to get their heads around the fact that we need a budget in order to support public higher education in the state."

About 300 student workers will be out of jobs in accordance with a new state rule that requires public universities to eliminate state-funded student and temporary positions before implementing a furlough program. The rule allows universities to keep student positions that relate to health and public safety, as well as those that are part of a student's financial aid package or academic credit.

The State Universities Civil Service System established the rule this year, and NEIU is the first university affected by it.

Jeff Brownfield, the system's executive director, said that while eliminating student jobs is not desirable, it is a strategy to help prevent schools from cutting permanent employees. The agency has long had a rule that student employment cannot take the place of civil service jobs, Brownfield said.

"We're not very happy that we have to have this rule," Brownfield said. "This is not a good situation for faculty, staff or students. It was one of those rules that came about out of desperation. We have all the sympathy in the world for our campus administrators, for our students, our staff, our faculty. At one level, this is the least onerous of really bad choices. There are no good choices."

But NEIU leaders are criticizing the change, saying it is unfair to students who rely on the jobs to pay for school and to others who depend on their classmates for things like tutoring. Students are employed throughout the campus, including at the recreational center, student union and writing center, providing services used by both students and the general public.

"It's just unthinkable to me that we would do this to students," Helldobler said. "The quality of the educational experience at Northeastern will be diminished because of this rule and the services that we can really extend to taxpayers will also be impacted as a result of this rule."

The furlough program  which will mean a one-week salary cut for nearly all employees  is another sign of the escalating crisis resulting from the state's historic budget stalemate.

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Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and a Democratic-controlled legislature have been unable to agree on a budget, leaving all Illinois public universities without regular funding. They have approved stopgap budgets that provided far less funding than the universities had expected to receive, and no funding has been approved for 2017.

NEIU got $36.9 million from the state during fiscal year 2015, but only $30.2 million total during the 18-month period after that.

In response to the funding situation, NEIU, Chicago State and other universities have laid off hundreds of employees, cut travel and other expenses, delayed maintenance projects and dipped into reserves.

Northeastern also implemented a furlough program last year that required employees to take one unpaid day off for each of six weeks, and university officials are warning that additional furlough days will be inevitable this year without "adequate state funding soon."

"As hard as this is for folks to go through, I think it's just a sign of how much worse things are going to be if it keeps going this way," said David DeThorne, an attorney for the civil service system.

NEIU spokesman Michael Hines said he was unable to provide an estimated cost savings from the furlough program.

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"We're confident that it will be enough to keep us afloat," he said.

In response to NEIU's announcement Friday, University Professionals of Illinois President John Miller blamed Rauner's "failed leadership and demand that his political agenda be passed before our students and universities receive funding."

"This is the second consecutive year where the university furloughed the hard-working staff and faculty to simply keep the doors open," Miller said in a statement. "Our students, employees, and state deserve better."

Illinois Secretary of Education Beth Purvis, responding to a request to the governor's office for comment, lamented the legislature's failure to move a budget forward.

"Higher education has been negatively impacted by the General Assembly's failure to pass a balanced budget, and this decision underscores the importance and urgent need for the Senate to reach a bipartisan compromise that is good for students, job creators and taxpayers," Purvis said in the emailed statement.

drhodes@chicagotribune.com

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After two years, an investigation by federal education officials and an unprecedented finding thatPalatine-based Township High School District 211 violated federal law, administrators agreed to make the accommodation for a transgender student seeking to use of girls' locker room. (Getty Images)

Long before the Trump administration announced it was pulling federal support for transgender students in schools, a Chicago-area teenager challenged a local district on locker room access and won a case with national implications.

Identified publicly as Student A, the teen filed a complaint with federal authorities in 2013 seeking access to a girls' locker room in Palatine-based Township High School District 211. After two years, an investigation by federal education officials and an unprecedented finding that the district violated federal law, administrators agreed to make the accommodation.

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Now it's unclear whether that settlement is jeopardized by the decision announced Feb. 22 by Trump Cabinet members to rescind the Obama-era guidance that paved its way.

Citing pending litigation, both the school district and the U.S. Department of Education declined to comment. Meanwhile, attorneys for the student and for the parents' group that filed suit seeking to undo the agreement have threatened to go back to court.

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The rollback of the Obama rule  which took the stance that the federal Title IX law prohibits discrimination of transgender students  has stoked an already divisive issue. School districts and families alike are scrambling to understand what it could mean for them. Officials from a number of districts in and around Chicago said they have no plans to modify their guidelines that allow transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms of their gender identity.

None of those districts, however, entered into a binding agreement with the federal government.

So far, the access provided to the District 211 student at the center of its federal settlement has not been changed, according the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which represents the student.

"Everything is the same, and she has every expectation it will remain that way for the foreseeable future," said ACLU spokesman Ed Yohnka. "She is happy to have access to the appropriate locker room and not be forced into a segregated locker room."

But attorneys for the group that sued District 211 and the federal government over the locker room access are encouraged by the Trump administration's move. Two days after the new guidance came down, federal officials formally notified the judge in the District 211 case about the rule reversal and called for further consideration of the legal issues surrounding the matter, court records show.

"By rescinding the guidance, the federal government is no longer in a position to pressure school districts like Palatine," said Gary McCaleb, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom, which represents the parents who sued. "What that means for the past agreement is something the parties are going to have to discuss and, if necessary, take back to the court. But in our view, it's a right step forward to restore the historic and clear meaning of Title IX as protecting sex and not gender identity theory."

He added: "Certainly, the federal government needs to make clear whether they're going to stand by an agreement that rested in guidance that now no longer appears to have any basis in the federal position."

The December 2015 agreement between District 211 and the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights sparked bitter debate among community members. The district risked the loss of millions of dollars in federal funding and legal action if it failed to reach a resolution.

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The agreement went beyond giving the student entry to the locker room. It required the district to consult a child and adolescent gender identity expert, revise its nondiscrimination notice and ensure the student has access to female facilities when traveling in district-sponsored events. While those conditions have been met, the agreement also called on the district to file regular reports and submit to monitoring through June 30, 2017.

Yohnka, of the ACLU, remains confident that the District 211 agreement will remain intact.

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"Frankly, if any school district in Illinois withdrew a policy that accommodated and affirmed students who are transgender simply because of the Trump administration's withdrawal of this guidance, we would seriously weigh legal action," he said. "The law didn't change, and there's no reason for the treatment of students to change as the result of that action by the administration."

Removing such a critical decision from the hands of the federal government likely will result in variability across states and even towns as to how transgender youth are treated, said University of Illinois at Chicago professor Stacey Horn, who chairs the educational psychology department.

"That inconsistent support opens up a window for these policies and procedures and protections being turned on and off at a whim, depending on who is in control, who is on the school board and what families move in to the community," she said. "The damage is that young people think, 'I feel safe. I feel supported. I can go to school,' but then all of a sudden that gets taken away from them, and what does that mean for their continued education and health? It wreaks havoc on their lives."

Sarah Schriber, director of the nonprofit Prevent School Violence Illinois, said there's already been an uptick in bullying and harassment motivated by transphobia and racism in recent months. She and a number of legal and school experts are watching closely the case of Gavin Grimm, a transgender student in Virginia who sued over access to the boys' bathroom. The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear the case this month, though attorneys for the Gloucester County school board have in recent days referred to the new guidance when asking the court to delay oral arguments.

"We're all holding our breath," Schriber said. "The guidelines themselves may become a moot issue, in a good way, and pass into the night. That's my hope."

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On Thursday, nearly 200 lawmakers filed a legal "friend of the court" brief in the Grimm case arguing that Title IX protects transgender and gender non-conforming youth. On the same day, more than 100 members of Congress  including a handful from Illinois  penned a letter to Trump, urging him to reconsider the reversal and to meet with transgender students and their families.

"What the president has done is put a cloud of confusion on how to interpret Title IX that would affect the most vulnerable young people," said U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky , a Democrat from Evanston who signed the letter. "What kind of person would do that? These are students, many of whom have experienced harassment and discrimination. It's just so mean, just cruel."

deldeib@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @deldeib
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will visit Chicago on March 3, 2017, to give a speech at the City Club and to raise campaign cash. (Drew Angerer / Getty)

Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Subscribe here.

Topspin

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio will give a speech to the City Club at noon today, but as is the case when many out-of-state politicians visit Chicago, the Gotham mayor is here for another draw  campaign cash.

De Blasio, who is up for re-election this year, will attend a fundraiser while in Chicago, a source with the mayor's campaign confirmed. Chicago is the first-stop on a three-day, three-city fundraising tour that also will take de Blasio to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. and Los Angeles to collect campaign donations, the source confirmed.

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Fundraising has been a problem area for de Blasio as he and his campaign have remained at the center of a federal investigation. Last week, federal prosecutors and FBI agents questioned de Blasio for four hours as they investigate whether the mayor or other city officials traded official City Hall actions for campaign cash.

A January poll from Quinnipiac University found de Blasio with a 45 percent approval rating and with 49 percent of New York City voters saying they dont believe he deserves to be re-elected. In the same poll, a hypothetical matchup of de Blasio versus former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton found Clinton leading 49 percent to 30 percent.

As for his speech Friday, de Blasio is expected to spend a significant amount of time talking about crime-fighting at a time when Chicago has been mired in a surge of gun violence that repeatedly has been criticized by Republican President Donald Trump.

"He'll be talking about crime-fighting progress in NYC, about how the federal government must step in to help cities tackle crime through comprehensive approaches to law enforcement, education, job training and creation," de Blasio press secretary Eric Phillips said in an email.

De Blasio will not have any other public events while in Chicago, his first trip to the city since 2014 and his second as New Yorks mayor. De Blasio, however, is scheduled to meet with Mayor Rahm Emanuel Friday morning, Phillips said.

The New York mayor hosted Emanuel at Gracie Mansion in August 2014 for a U.S. Conference of Mayors event as the Chicago mayor sought to bolster his liberal bona fides ahead of his tough re-election run. ( Bill Ruthhart )

What's on tap

*Mayor Rahm Emanuel has no public schedule.

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*Gov. Bruce Rauner is set to meet with Chance the Rapper, a summit initially postponed as the governor toured tornado damage in north-central Illinois.

From the notebook

*Credit downgrade coming after July 1? A key credit ratings agency said Thursday that Senate lawmakers may look back on their inability to reach a budget agreement this week "as a missed opportunity" and warned of another downgrade without action by July 1.

The report by S&P Global Ratings came shortly after the Senate left town Thursday after spending just a half-hour on the floor. Efforts to pass a bipartisan budget proposal crashed and burned a day earlier.

"U.S. states benefit from a range of inherent advantages starting with constitutionally protected sovereignty over their own fiscal structures. But for a state to enter a third fiscal year without enacting a comprehensive budget could indicate to us an erosion in political will that renders its credit quality and fundamental fiscal conditions as inconsistent with the state's current rating," S&P said.

Illinois already has the lowest credit rating of any state in the nation and was hit with a downgrade earlier this year by Fitch Ratings. (Monique Garcia, Haley BeMiller)

*Maybe next week ...: But rather than talk about the budget, senators approved a measure to limit the use of paper and allow notices to be posted electronically. The Senate's office supply vendor cut off services last month because of a lack of payment stemming from the state budget impasse.

Lawmakers also honored the late Robert Michel, a Republican congressman from Peoria who was House minority leader for 14 years. Efforts to cut through the budget debate fallout from Wednesday were left for another day.

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Democratic Senate President John Cullerton said the budget proposal is now on hold, accusing Republicans of jumping off the plan amid interference from Gov. Bruce Rauner. Cullerton has spent the last several months working with Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno to craft an agreement, and both had been pushing for a vote this week.

Radogno's GOP senators said the proposal is far from complete, though, nodding to demands from Rauner that the plan include a permanent property tax freeze in exchange for a permanent income tax hike. The Senate proposal initially called for a two-year property tax freeze.

Democrats say they are willing to compromise but would not simply bend to Rauner's demands, noting they are willing to change the plan to allow local voters to extend the two-year freeze by three more years. Local officials and school districts are opposed to a freeze because they rely on that money for day-to-day operations.

Senate Democrats also considered rolling back portions of the proposed income tax increase after several years, though that idea was not incorporated in the latest tax legislation filed Thursday. Under that legislation, the income tax would still jump to 4.99 percent, and the sales tax would be extended to cover services ranging from parking and landscaping to pest control and massages.

"The compromise is there, the governor's got to realize this is as good as it's going to get," Cullerton said earlier this week. (Monique Garcia, Haley BeMiller)

*Because it's Friday: Ribbon cuttings are not metal. This ribbon the mayor cut with a torch is metal.

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*How they voted, Carson and Perry edition: Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth both voted against confirming Ben Carson as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

It was the same story for the two Democrats with former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who was confirmed as the next Department of Energy secretary.

Carson was confirmed by a 58-41 vote Thursday. Perry did a few votes better, confirmed 62-37.

*On the Sunday Spin: Chicago Tribune political reporter Rick Pearson's guests this week are Constance Brewer, chief external affairs officer, Noble Network of Charter Schools; retired national political columnist Roger Simon; and Tom Cross, chairman of the Illinois Board of Higher Education and former Illinois House Republican leader. The "Sunday Spin" airs from 7 to 9 a.m. on WGN AM-720.

What we're writing

*Rauner the Governor, Chance the Rapper to meet Friday.

*Chicago man terminated for tweet about widow of Navy SEAL killed in Yemen.

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*VP Pence to give Notre Dame's commencement address this year.

*Illinois attorney general warns CareerBuilder and five other job-search firms about age bias.

*Gary schools chief files order of protection against board member, the Post-Tribune reports.

What we're reading

*A month after it announced it would move its HQ to the Chicago area, Caterpillar gets a visit from federal investigators.

*2nd person dies from LaSalle Co. tornado; 6 twisters confirmed in northern Illinois.

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*Links Taproom named best beer bar in Illinois.

Follow the money

*Rauner's campaign reported its first contribution of $1,000 or more since the governor deposited $50 million into his own account, this one a $1,000 donation from Stephen Murrill, owner of Profile Plastics Inc.

*Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here.

Beyond Chicago

*Attorney General Sessions will recuse himself from any investigations into links between Russia and the 2016 campaign.

*What will Trump budget cuts mean for federal workers?

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*Analysts say the stock market rise is related to both Trump and other factors.

*Syrian Army retakes town of Palmyra.
Chance the Rapper and Gov. Bruce Rauner speak about their meeting regarding Chicago Public Schools funding at the Thompson Center in Chicago on March 3, 2017. (Zbigniew Bzdak and Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) (Zbigniew Bzdak And Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Bruce the Governor and Chance the Rapper emerged from their much-hyped meeting Friday offering different perspectives on what went on behind closed doors for 40 minutes or so in the upper reaches of the James R. Thompson Center.

The South Side rapper said he was "a little bit flustered" and was disappointed he got "a lot of vague answers" as the two discussed state funding for Chicago Public Schools .

"The kids are on the table now," said the recent Grammy winner, referring to the school district's budget crisis, who later added, "I'm here 'cause I just want people to do their jobs."

The Republican governor called the encounter a "good exchange of views" and suggested Chance could help in the broader, lengthy state spending struggle in Springfield. Rauner also suggested that he and Chance could each use the power of their positions to "get big things done," and later said "if he has a staff member or a trusted person who advises him on education issues, I'd love to talk to them too."

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"I think we agreed that we're going to talk further in the coming days, and we talked about working together," Rauner said.

The meeting came against the backdrop of renewed focus on the dire financial situation of Chicago's public school system, which is suing the state for what its alleges are violations of the Illinois Civil Rights Act. The district contends that the state is maintaining a "separate and unequal" funding system that's disadvantaged CPS.

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 18 Students hold up a check for $1 million dollars from Chance the Rapper, right, who holds a press conference at Westcott Elementary School in Chicago's Chatham neighborhood on March 6, 2017. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

CPS says its financial problems worsened when Rauner in December vetoed legislation that would have provided the district with a one-time cash infusion of $215 million. The legislation had been part of a broader negotiation between Rauner and Democrats who control the General Assembly , and approval of the money was contingent on the two sides reaching an agreement on a separate effort to save money via cuts to state employee retirement benefits.

Rauner vetoed the CPS funding bill after Democratic Senate President John Cullerton publicly suggested there had never been a deal linking the two concepts. Rauner later acknowledged he was "a little emotional" when he vetoed the legislation not long after Cullerton made his comments.

Now without the $215 million, CPS has made moves to cut costs, furloughing employees and freezing school budgets. On Monday, the district announced it may make cuts to summer school and shorten the school year by about three weeks  for a savings of about $96 million  if the state or the courts don't intervene.

Both Chance and the governor agreed the vetoed legislation was at the center of Friday's meeting. Chance is a former CPS student and stressed the need to keep the district funded. But according to Chance's retelling, the meeting ended up becoming a background session on the politics behind the situation.

"I thought that that went a little different than it should have. I'm here 'cause I just want people to do their jobs. And I did speak with the governor," Chance said to reporters as he waited for an elevator outside the governor's office following the meeting. "...And you know, the kids are on the table right now. And we spoke for a second, it sounded like we were going to  sounded like we were going somewhere. But it sounds like it's hinged on passing other bills."

Appearing exasperated, the performer who was born Chancelor Bennett said Rauner had at one point asked him to suggest how the cash-strapped state should find the money to help CPS.

"He asked me where the $215 million was going to come from. You know what I'm saying?" Chance said. "And so, I don't know. I'm sorry. I'm not, like, a press person, so I don't know how to do this (stuff)."

The road to the Friday meeting started on social media, when Rauner's state Twitter account congratulated the 23-year-old for winning best new artist, rap album and rap performance at the Grammys. Chance responded by thanking the governor and saying he'd "love" to set up a meeting.

The decision to sit down with Chance came with some political risk for Rauner. The rapper has a history of criticizing government and speaking out against politicians, even the one his father worked for at City Hall .

Last year, in a Billboard magazine article, Chance criticized Mayor Rahm Emanuel for his response the fatal shooting by a police officer of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

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"In a time of crisis he tried to be strategic, and he should have been more compassionate," Chance said in the article. "There's a larger conversation we need to have about the role of police officers, their relationship to the people as enemy or executioner, when they're not supposed to be either."

The statement came as Chance's father, Ken Bennett , was transitioning from a position in Emanuel's Office of Public Engagement to a role as senior adviser at Choose Chicago, the city's tourism arm.

The normally pugnacious mayor did not fire back at Chance's comments, and on Friday, Rauner kept it positive.

"I said, 'You've got an incredible voice, a voice speaking to young people and also speaking on behalf of young people. That powerful voice can be a voice for good and for change, for better schools and more economic opportunity for everybody in Illinois, everybody in Chicago,'" Rauner recalled saying to the rapper.

He said he later made a pitch for the two of them to work together.

"I said, 'It's an incredible opportunity to change our system. If we stood together, Chance, I have some power. I have power in some ways, you have great power in other ways. If we stood together, worked together to figure this out, I think we could get big things done and I'd be excited to do that with you, work together in the coming days to try to get good things for, especially our low-income neighborhoods, our low-income schools in Chicago and around the state of Illinois,'" Rauner said.

The governor also suggested that the two could "propose something on Tuesday." Rauner aides did not respond when asked to explain what he had in mind for a Tuesday proposal. State lawmakers are scheduled to return to the Capitol that day.

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Later, Chance took to Twitter to tell his 3.36 million followers: "The fight has just begun."

In a follow-up tweet, he promised a plan of his own.

"Chicago Public Schools and I did not lose today," he wrote. "Please don't let that become the narrative. Monday morning I'll have a plan."

kgeiger@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kimgeiger
llinois Rep. Mike Bost argues legislation while on the House floor during a session at the state Capitol in Springfield on May 28, 2014. (Seth Perlman / AP)

CARBONDALE, Ill.  An Illinois congressman compared town hall meetings, which for many Republicans have turned into raucous affairs, to the practice of "cleansing" by "Orientals."

Republican Rep. Mike Bost made the assertion during a meeting with the editorial board of the Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale.

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Bost visited his 12th District last week, hosting a tele-town hall instead of an in-person one.

"The amount of time that I have at home is minimal, I need to make sure that it's productive," Bost told the editorial board. "You know the cleansing that the Orientals used to do where you'd put one person out in front and 900 people yell at them? That's not what we need. We need to have meetings with people that are productive."

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In a statement Thursday, Bost said he "used a poor choice of words" in describing "coordinated disruptions" he says are taking place across the country.

Bost spokesman George O'Connor said Bost's use of Orientals was a reference to sessions during China's Cultural Revolution when individuals were publicly humiliated and subjected to verbal abuse by a crowd.

"While there was no malicious intent, I regret that my words may have distracted from an important point," Bost said. "When the booing and shouting drowns out the conversation we're trying to have with our constituents, it becomes that much harder to govern."

Some Republicans in Congress have participated in rowdy town halls in which crowds have expressed concerns about President Donald Trump's policies. A few, like Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz, have been shouted down and booed.

Bost described the town halls as "out of control, which means you don't actually get to talk to people and listen, and we're looking for ways to do that."

In an editorial, the Southern Illinoisan noted that the people of his district want to have their voices heard, and doing it over the phone or the internet just won't do.

It went on to say, "It is part of his job description to, from time to time, take the heat. A leader should not be reluctant to meet with his constituents personally."

In 2012, as a state representative, Bost screamed profanities and referenced the Bible during a tirade directed at powerful House Speaker Mike Madigan. The outburst, which created an internet stir, came as House members prepared to vote on a contentious pension bill without a chance for debate or amendment.
During a joint address to Congress, President Donald Trump honored fallen Navy SEAL Ryan Owens and his widow, Carryn. The president claims that Owens was "a part of a highly successful raid" in Yemen. However, numerous elements of the operation went wrong, resulting in not only Owens' death but also a score of likely civilian casualties. Feb. 28, 2017.

(Chicago Tribune)
A former journalist fired for fabricating details in stories made at least eight of the scores of threats against Jewish institutions nationwide, including a bomb threat to the Anti-Defamation League, as part of a bizarre campaign to harass and frame his ex-girlfriend, federal officials said.

Juan Thompson was arrested in St. Louis and appeared there in federal court Friday on a cyberstalking charge. He answered questions and told the judge he had enough money to hire a lawyer.

A crowd of supporters who attended said Thompson had no criminal record. His lawyer didn't comment.

Federal officials have been investigating 122 bomb threats called in to Jewish organizations in three dozen states since Jan. 9 and a rash of vandalism at Jewish cemeteries.

A criminal complaint said Thompson started making threats Jan. 28 with an email to the Jewish History Museum in New York written from an account that made it appear as if it were being sent by an ex-girlfriend.

"Juan Thompson put 2 bombs in the History Museum set to go off Sunday," it said.

Authorities said he followed that up with similar messages to a Jewish school in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and to a school and community center in Manhattan.

In another round of emails and phone calls, he gave the woman's name, rather than his own, the court complaint said. The Council on American-Islamic Relations received an anonymous email saying the woman put a bomb in a Dallas Jewish center.

Thompson, who's black, then took to Twitter: "Know any good lawyers?" he wrote. "Need to stop this nasty/racist #whitegirl I dated who sent a bomb threat in my name." He later tweeted to the Secret Service: "I'm been (sic) tormented by an anti-Semite. She sent an antijewish bomb threat in my name. Help."

But police say it was a hoax created to make the woman look guilty. Thompson also made threats in which he identified the woman as the culprit, authorities said. It's unclear why Jewish organizations were targeted.

Republican President Donald Trump suggested in a meeting Tuesday with state attorneys general the threats against Jewish community centers may have been designed to make "others look bad," according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. Trump also has condemned violence against Jewish organizations.

Thompson was fired from the online publication The Intercept last year after being accused of fabricating several quotes and creating fake email accounts to impersonate people, including the Intercept's editor-in-chief. One of the stories involved Dylann Roof, the white shooter of black worshippers at a Charleston, South Carolina, church.

Thompson had written that a cousin named Scott Roof claimed the gunman was angry that a love interest chose a black man over him. A review showed there was no cousin by that name. The story was retracted.

The Intercept wrote Friday it was "horrified" to learn of Thompson's arrest.

Thompson had been accused of bizarre behavior before.

Doyle Murphy, a reporter at the Riverfront Times, an alternative weekly in St. Louis, said he was subjected to social media harassment after writing about Thompson's troubled past in the fallout from his firing at The Intercept.

Murphy said Thompson set up anonymous accounts on Twitter and other social media posing as a woman who claimed she had been sexually assaulted by Murphy. Murphy said he contacted Twitter but every time one fake account was taken down a new one popped up. He said he contacted police but there was little they could do.

"It was a nightmare, and there's not a whole lot I could do about it," Murphy said.

The Federal Communications Commission said Friday it will grant an emergency waiver allowing Jewish community centers and their phone carriers to track the numbers of callers who make threats, even if the callers try to block the numbers. It said Democratic U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer had requested such a waiver earlier in the week.

According to the criminal complaint, Thompson and the ex-girlfriend, a social worker, broke up last summer. The following day, her boss received an email purporting to be from a national news organization saying she'd been pulled over for drunken driving.

The harassment got worse, authorities said. She received an anonymous email with nude photos of herself and a threat to release them. Her company, a nonprofit that works to end homelessness, got faxes saying she was anti-Semitic. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children got a note saying she watched child porn.

Thompson's IP address was used for the emails, but he told police his computer had been hacked, the complaint said.

The ADL said Thompson had been on its radar since he fabricated the story about Roof. According to ADL research, Thompson also claimed he wanted to dismantle the system of "racial supremacy and greedy capitalism that is stacked against us." He said he was going to run for mayor of St. Louis to "fight back against Trumpian fascism and socio-economic terrorism."

FBI Director James Comey met with Jewish community leaders Friday to discuss the recent threats, the agency said.

University City, Missouri, police Lt. Fredrick Lemons told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that detectives will question Thompson about the 154 headstones toppled last month at a Jewish cemetery there.

Associated Press writers Jim Salter in St. Louis, Michael Balsamo in Los Angeles and Jake Pearson and Verena Dobnik in New York contributed to this report.
BRUSSELS  A radical Polish European Parliament lawmaker has launched another sexist tirade, calling it a "20th-century stereotype that women have the same intellectual potential as men," and that the stereotype "must be destroyed because it is not true."



Janusz Korwin-Mikke's insults on Friday in Warsaw came two days after he told the European parliament that "women must earn less than men because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent."



The president of the EU parliament opened an investigation Thursday into those comments, for which Korwin-Mikke could face sanctions such as a reprimand, a fine or a temporary suspension.



His latest blast came after he was challenged by female lawmakers during a visit to the Polish parliament in Warsaw. Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, from the Modern party, accused him of offending women and said she would not allow him to do it again.



"There are more women than men in Poland, we're better educated, and I will not let you offend Polish women, European women and women all over the world. It's a disgrace," she told him.



Korwin-Mikke heads a small party which won just under 5 percent of the vote in Poland's last parliamentary elections, in 2015, not clearing the 5 percent threshold to get any seats.



In 2015, the foreign minister of Poland apologized after Korwin-Mikke raised his arm in a Nazi salute during a debate on plans for standardized ticketing on trips across EU borders.

Korwin-Mikke opposed the measure, and raised his hand in salute and said: "Ein Reich, ein Volk, ein Ticket," a play on the Nazi-era slogan "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuehrer." (One People, one Empire, one Leader).



He has also previously used the n-word during a speech in reference to a policy of John F. Kennedy.

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Chicago Tribune staff contributed
The 11 states suing to stop the Obama administration's directive expanding transgender student rights agreed to drop their lawsuit against the move following the Trump administration's move to rescind the order.

The states, led by Texas, sued in May, arguing that the Obama administration had overstepped its authority when it directed the nation's public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity, regardless of the sex on their birth certificate. The Obama administration argued that barring students from bathrooms that match their gender identity is a violation of Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in schools.

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Texas was joined in the lawsuit by Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as the Arizona Department of Education, Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) and two school districts. Ten other states, led by Nebraska, also sued to challenge the directive in a separate lawsuit.

A federal judge in August issued a stay on the directive, barring it from being implemented while the case continued. The Justice Department appealed the stay, arguing that the stay should only apply to the 11 states challenging the directive.

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The Trump administration last week rescinded the directive, leaving it up to states and school boards to decide how to accommodate transgender students. The Justice Department, in a court filing Thursday, moved to drop its appeal of the stay and wrote that the states had agreed to drop the lawsuit.

Several other lawsuits involving questions about the rights of transgender students are working their way through the courts. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments later this month in the case of a Virginia teen who sued his school board after it barred him from the boys bathroom.
With reports swirling that President Donald Trump intends sharp cutbacks at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Detroit Free Press reports that a drastic reduction may be under consideration for Great Lakes restoration efforts, which in the past have received bipartisan support.

The National Association of Clean Air Agencies confirmed for the Free Press late Thursday that an initial proposal from the White House Office of Management and Budget calls for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to be cut from $300 million a year to about $10 million.

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The cut was first reported by Rob Davis, a reporter for the Oregonian, who tweeted a list of potential cuts  none of which have been finalized. Bill Becker, executive director of the Association of Clean Air Agencies, which includes the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality as a member, was unable to release the proposal but confirmed the figures. He said they could be appealed by the EPA before a budget request is finalized and presented to Congress, which is expected to happen this month.

Biggest losers in Trump's @EPA budget?



* S.F. Bay

* Great Lakes

* Endocrine disruptor research

* Education

* Chesapeake Bay

* Puget Sound pic.twitter.com/78xGL3OYVr  Rob Davis (@robwdavis) March 2, 2017

Neither the Office of Management and Budget nor the EPA responded to the Free Press on the report and whether such a cut was included in a list of initial reductions under consideration.

But as Davis noted in questions posed to him on Twitter, the report was in line with other media reports this week about proposed cuts at the EPA .

The Washington Post first reported this week that the White House was looking at cutting the EPA budget from $8.2 billion to $6.1 billion and reducing staffing by 3,000 employees as it looks to increase funding for the military and slash regulations.

If the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is targeted for such a drastic reduction  and it is by far the largest dollar cut on Davis' partial list from the association's data  it would decimate a program that has helped pay to restore wetlands and improve water quality across the Upper Midwest.

Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania  Great Lakes states that backed Trump in the election last year  have all received funding under the initiative, which many lawmakers of both parties in the region have steadfastly supported even when other Republicans have moved to reduce it.

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In Michigan, it has helped to pay for improved fish habitat and a pier at Detroit's Belle Isle; altered channels and dredged river bottoms to remove mercury pollution; created artificial lakes for lake sturgeon and other fish species, and added thousands of acres of wetlands to protected areas as well as funding scores of other projects.

Jordan Lubetkin, a spokesman for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, said that even with a long legislative process to follow when the Trump administration submits its final budget proposal to Congress, there are reasons to worry.

From what were hearing these kinds of cuts to EPA programs and EPA staff are very concerning and very troubling, he said. The scale at which these cuts are being discussed would be devastating.

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who helped launch the program in 2010, said in a statement: "It is outrageous that just days after delaying a critical plan to stop Asian carp, it appears that President Trump's budget is calling for a 97% cut in funding for the bipartisan Great Lakes Restoration Initiative."

The target list tweeted by Davis included deep cuts to efforts to protect other bodies of water, including Chesapeake Bay, San Francisco Bay and Puget Sound.

While the list was far from complete, it also included a $13-million reduction in compliance monitoring, the program through which the EPA ensures that drinking water standards are met.

An emergency was declared in Flint early last year because of high lead levels in drinking water after the EPAs partner in local compliance monitoring  the state DEQ  failed to require controls to keep lead from leaching from old pipes.

While reports of deep cuts at the EPA are worrisome to many in support of its mission and programs, any moves to enact those reductions still have a long way to go, however.

The new EPA head, former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, is expected to review any proposals for cuts before a budget plan is finalized. More significantly, those plans will have to be submitted to Congress, which typically drastically rewrites appropriations. And while Republicans hold majorities in both chambers, they do not have enough votes to unilaterally push a budget through the Senate.

"Whatever the president sends us does have to be scrutinized by the (House Appropriations) committee chair," U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., said in a telephone town hall with constituents on Tuesday. "There is a check and balance.  Congress in the final analysis will decide what these different agencies get."

Herb Jackson of the Record (Bergen County, N.J.) contributed to this report.
JANESVILLE, Wis.  Vice President Mike Pence joined House Speaker Paul Ryan on Friday in his Wisconsin hometown, promising during an invite-only speech that a replacement plan for the Affordable Care Act would come within days while dismissing recent protests at Republican town halls by people opposed to repealing it.

"Despite the best efforts of some activists at some town halls around the country, the American people know Obamacare has failed and Obamacare must go," Pence told about 350 employees of Blain Supply at the company headquarters in Janesville.

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About 50 protesters jeered Pence and Ryan from across the street, waving a large flag that said "RESIST," echoing similar protests they each faced in separate stops Thursday in Ohio and Rhode Island.

Ryan is working with House Republicans and the Trump administration on a repeal and replacement plan for the health care law. Pence said Trump and Ryan have a close partnership that will benefit Americans "for generations to come."

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Pence, Ryan, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican., also held an invite-only listening session with eight invited farmers and local business owners before taking a tour of the distribution center. Reporters were ushered out of the listening session after opening comments.

The Wisconsin stop was the second in as many days where Pence visited a private business and touted the Trump administration's plans for replacing the federal law. He visited a picture frame manufacturer in suburban Cincinnati on Thursday.

Ryan and House Republicans have been struggling to solidify support for their plans to reshape the nation's health care law, while being secretive about the details of what they're working on. Price, in his comments, said the Senate, House and administration was working together on the repeal and replacement plan.

"Our goal is to make sure no one falls through the cracks in this transition," he said.

Pence said he was consulting with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, also the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, on the health care law replacement. Pence said he was working with Walker to ensure that the plan gives states flexibility so it "will work for the people of their individual states."

Walker met with Trump and Pence earlier in the week and with high profile Republicans on Thursday in Washington, urging them to follow his state's lead when overhauling the federal health care law. Walker rejected the Medicaid expansion under the federal law but made other changes to extend insurance to others so everyone below the poverty level is covered.

Because of his Washington meeting, Walker was unable to attend the Pence visit in his state Friday.
NEW YORK  President Donald Trump, his administration under siege for contacts with Russian officials, is calling for "an immediate investigation" into Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer's own ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump's evidence? A 14-year-old photo of Schumer and Putin holding coffee and doughnuts in a New York City gas station.

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The president on Friday tweeted a photo of the two men, calling for a probe into Schumer's "ties to Russia and Putin" and called the New York senator "A total hypocrite!" Trump did not say where the photo came from, but Schumer quickly pointed out that it was taken in 2003 when Putin ventured to New York to celebrate the opening of a Russian-owned Lukoil gas station on Manhattan's west side.

Several news organizations covered that event, which drew far more political star power than the average gas station opening.

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Schumer, in his own tweet, said he would "happily talk" under oath about his meeting with Putin, which took place "in full view of press and public." He then challenged Trump to do the same. And, a short time later, he posted a follow-up in which he further poked fun at the photo, noting "And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts."

On the same trip to the United States in 2003, Putin traveled to Camp David, Maryland, where he met with Republican President George W. Bush and the two held a joint news conference.

Trump's tweet came just hours after the conservative website Drudge Report made the photo its lead image. And that was a day after the photo was unearthed by the pro-Trump blog Gateway Pundit, which ran it with the headline "Where's the outrage?"

Trump targeted congressional Democrats for their encounters with Russians over the years even though the party's criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions centered on his failure to acknowledge his meetings when questioned at his Senate confirmation hearing and in written responses to the Judiciary Committee.

"I think he was asked a pretty straightforward question at his committee hearing and I do think he should resign," Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in an interview.

Trump also tweeted Friday about House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who was among the first to call for Sessions to resign.

In his tweet, Trump linked to a 2010 photo in which Pelosi and other lawmakers, including Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, now the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, are shown meeting with Russian officials, including then-President Dmitry Medvedev and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Trump demanded an investigation of the House minority leader. Pelosi had initially denied ever meeting Kislyak; her spokeswoman later clarified that they never had a one-on-one meeting.

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Pelosi then needled Trump by saying he didn't "know the difference" between an official meeting photographed by the press and a "secret" meeting that Sessions "lied about under oath."

It is not improper for elected officials to meet with foreign diplomats.

Trump's White House has been battered by questions about his links to Russia, quashing any sort of political momentum he had earned from his highly praised address to Congress earlier this week.

In this Sept. 26, 2003, file photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and Sen. Charles Schumer D-N.Y., second from right, are escorted through New York's first Lukoil gas station by Lukoil President Vagit Alekperov, left, in New York City. Lukoil is the giant Russian oil company. Putin later traveled to meet with President George W. Bush at the Camp David presidential retreat. (Scout Tufankjian / AP)

Sessions on Thursday said he would recuse himself from Russia probes after it was revealed that he had conversed with Russia's ambassador twice during last year's campaign, a contradiction of his testimony during his Senate confirmation hearings. But that move has not satisfied many Democrats, who have called for Sessions' resignation. They also demand an independent investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia.

Several other Trump allies have also faced questions about their ties to Russia, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was ousted last month for misleading White House officials about his conversations with Kislyak before Trump took office.

Donna Cassata contributed reporting from Washington.
"Why this Democrat is voting for Rauner" was the headline of my commentary that the Tribune published on March 19, 2014. Borrowing a quote from President John F. Kennedy that said "sometimes party loyalty asks too much," I explained that as a Democrat I supported Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner because Illinois was in grave financial peril and that we needed to change our financial direction.

After Rauner was elected, the Tribune published another piece I wrote where I urged Gov.-elect Rauner to fire his campaign staff, stop campaigning and start governing with advisers "who are problem solvers, who are not partisans, and who know how to compromise."

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Sadly, our state's financial situation has continued to deteriorate. Problems have not been solved, bitter and excessive partisanship is accepted political strategy in Springfield, and "compromise" is a dirty word. I do not believe it's all Gov. Rauner's fault. It is the fault of both the Democratic and Republican parties. At least Democratic Senate President John Cullerton and Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno are trying to find compromise while House Speaker Michael Madigan insists it is his way or the highway. And while I continue to like and respect Gov. Rauner and his wife, Diana, I believe we need a change if we are to reach compromise and progress.

That is why I will enthusiastically vote for and support Chris Kennedy for governor of Illinois in 2018. As a friend of his mother and father for more than 60 years, I've known Chris since his birth. His dad, the late Robert Kennedy, and I were on the 1956 campaign staff of Illinois Gov. Adlai E. Stevenson when he ran for president. Because Bob Kennedy and I were about the same age, we were often roommates on campaign trips. And because we both had children of similar ages, we often talked about our families and our values. As the years passed, Chris grew up, married Sheila Berner, and moved to Chicago to manage the Merchandise Mart.

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As I saw Chris and Sheila raise their children, participate actively in good causes in our community, and later create Top Box Foods to help poor families have affordable nutritious food, I urged him to follow Kennedy family traditions and run for political office. Chris declined, waiting for his children to grow up, but he did take on important public service. Taught by his parents that a person should measure worth by how he or she has served the community, Chris worked to build and strengthen organizations that provide legal services to the elderly and disabled, provide early education, inclusion, and enrichment programs to children with special needs and their families, and offer shelter to our homeless and food to our hungry.

From 2009 through 2014, when the University of Illinois needed an independent and committed leader with integrity, courage and vision to reform and navigate the university beyond a public admissions scandal, Chris Kennedy served as chairman of the University of Illinois board of trustees to take on the challenge. He did it with success and distinction, and earned the respect of Democrats and Republicans.

Now, Illinois needs a governor who will restore bipartisanship and Illinois leadership for our nation. Adlai E. Stevenson, a great governor, led Illinois to become one of the most admired states in our country. Illinois has great men and women, great businesses, great labor, great universities, great artistic and cultural institutions, and a great future. We can renew Stevenson's vision for Illinois: "Here  on the prairies of Illinois and the Midwest, we can see a long way in all directions.  Here there are no barriers, no defenses, to ideas and aspirations."

Chris Kennedy's campaign will offer new ideas and aspirations to restore Illinois to its glory days.

Newton N. Minow is a Chicago lawyer and senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.
While Kellyanne Conway has many notable achievements to her credit, she may go down in history for inventing the term "alternative facts"  a euphemism for some of the Trump administration's glaringly false assertions. Although many commentators have discounted the lawyer who is a counselor to the president as a political flack making lame excuses, a group of 15 legal ethics professors think her behavior should not be so easily dismissed. Citing several of Conway's own untrue statements, they have filed a disciplinary complaint against her with the District of Columbia's Office of Disciplinary Counsel, alleging she has violated the rule prohibiting "dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation."

As a liberal Democrat, I have no sympathy for Conway's habitual disregard for truth. As a professor of legal ethics, however, I think this complaint is dangerously misguided and has the potential to set a terrible precedent.

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First, the complaint keys in on two specific statements, neither of which had any connection to Conway's law license. Those statements  her invocation of the nonexistent "Bowling Green massacre" and the false claim that President Barack Obama had once ordered a refugee ban similar to President Donald Trump's  were both made in a clearly political context, one in which overstatements are commonplace. Conway was defending her boss to the press, not testifying before Congress or implementing an executive branch directive. It might be different if she had been acting in an official capacity, which could be construed broadly as related to the practice of law, but she is a political adviser to Trump with no governmental responsibility.

Political debate is protected by the First Amendment, even when it strays into questionable territory, and it should not be the job of the bar authorities to police the exaggerations and misstatements of politicians just because they happen to be lawyers. (The complaint also takes Conway to task for defending White House press spokesperson Sean Spicer's use of "alternative facts"  as Conway put it  regarding the size of the inauguration crowd, and for hawking Ivanka Trump's clothing and accessories line on television. Those statements are maddening and irresponsible, but they are not fraudulent.)

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In any case, both statements were somewhat tethered to real facts. Two men were arrested in Bowling Green, Ky., for providing "material support to terrorists" in Iraq, although there had been no massacre, and Obama had tightened the admission of refugees in 2011, although not on anything like the scale of Trump's complete travel ban. Thus, the District of Columbia disciplinary counsel will almost certainly dismiss the professors' complaint on the grounds that the statements did not amount to punishable fraud. If that happens, you can bet Conway will boast of complete vindication, thus rendering the complaint both a futile exercise and a strategic blunder.

But the worst outcome would occur if the professors' complaint were actually to succeed. Imposing discipline on Conway  even the mildest slap on the wrist  would inevitably lead to a slew of new complaints against attorneys involved in public debate. Lawyer-candidates in the 2016 election cycle included Hillary Clinton, Tim Kaine, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Chris Christie, Rick Santorum, Lindsey Graham, and Martin O'Malley, with many others in U.S. Senate and House races (not to mention thousands of campaign aides). Each of these candidates presumably could have been subject to a bar complaint by a disgruntled adversary. If the Conway complaint works, every statement by a candidate or spokesperson is potential fodder for a politically motivated disciplinary complaint.

The professors, no doubt, have faith in the professionalism of the District of Columbia Office of Disciplinary Counsel, but the bar authorities in other states may not always be reliably even-handed or apolitical. It is hardly inconceivable that lawyer discipline might somewhere be used as a weapon against disfavored or minority candidates, or as a means to squelch protest movements and insurgent campaigns. In the 1940s and 1950s, suspected communists and alleged "fellow travelers" found their law licenses in jeopardy in many states. In the 1960s and 1970s, civil rights lawyers were hauled before the bar authorities in the South. The complaint against Conway is an unfortunate step back in the direction of using lawyer discipline against political enemies.

After all, no political party has a monopoly on hyperbole, and nobody in public life will ever be immune from an accusation of deceit. A statement by President Barack Obama  "If you like your health care plan, you can keep it"  was branded the "Lie of the Year" by the nonpartisan website PolitiFact, and he's a lawyer. Hillary Clinton was subjected to hours of congressional grilling over her initial, and incorrect, explanation of the terrorist attack on the Benghazi diplomatic outpost. Neither of them had to face bar discipline, but that might not be the case in the near future.

The professors recognize that bar complaints about public speech can "lead to mischief and worse" but argue that Conway, as counselor to the president, has a "higher obligation" than other lawyers to avoid dishonest statements.

I think this gets it exactly backward. Speech is most strongly protected when it is part of a robust political debate. If one of the president's chief advisers cannot freely speak her mind, even when it is full of nonsense, then who can? The late Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once said that the remedy for bad speech is more speech. Likewise, the best remedy for alternative facts should be real facts. That ought to be comeuppance enough for Kellyanne Conway.

Steven Lubet is a professor and director of the Bartlit Center for Trial Advocacy at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. This commentary originally appeared on Slate.com.
I have some disturbing news to share: Republicans might not be as deeply committed to proper email management as you've been led to believe.

During the campaign, the entire Republican Party argued that despite Hillary Clinton's copious qualifications for the presidency, it would be unconscionably dangerous to let her anywhere near the Oval Office because she had used a private email account while Secretary of State. Crowds at Republican events would chant "Lock her up!" whenever Clinton's name was mentioned. In one debate, Donald Trump said to Clinton that if he were president, "You'd be in jail." With FBI director James Comey's help, Trump and Republicans made Clinton's use of private email the single most important issue of the 2016 presidential campaign.

Which is why this story from Tony Cook of the Indianapolis Star is so interesting:

"Vice President Mike Pence routinely used a private email account to conduct public business as governor of Indiana, at times discussing sensitive matters and homeland security issues.

"Emails released to IndyStar in response to a public records request show Pence communicated via his personal AOL account with top advisers on topics ranging from security gates at the governor's residence to the state's response to terror attacks across the globe. In one email, Pence's top state homeland security adviser relayed an update from the FBI regarding the arrests of several men on federal terror-related charges.

"Cyber-security experts say the emails raise concerns about whether such sensitive information was adequately protected from hackers, given that personal accounts like Pence's are typically less secure than government email accounts. In fact, Pence's personal account was hacked last summer."

Well fancy that. When Mike Pence was debating Tim Kaine and said, "it's important in this moment to remember that Hillary Clinton had a private server in her home that had classified information on it," adding that "her private server was subject to being hacked" and "we could put cybersecurity first if we just make sure the next secretary of state doesn't have a private server," did he consider adding that he knew what he was talking about since he used an AOL account to talk about sensitive security matters and had himself been hacked?

The parallels don't stop there. According to the article, "Pence's office said his campaign hired outside counsel as he was departing as governor to review his AOL emails and transfer any involving public business to the state." Which was exactly what Hillary Clinton did  and what Pence and Trump so vehemently criticized her for. When Trump invited the Russian government to hack Clinton's email to recover what had been deleted, it was those personal emails he was talking about.

And Pence is not the only one: Scott Pruitt, President Donald Trump's Environmental Protection Agency administrator, not only used a private email account to conduct official business as attorney general of Oklahoma, he lied about it during his confirmation hearings.

Perhaps now that this has come out, Republicans will stop pretending that the email "issue" was anything more than a club to bludgeon Hillary Clinton with, and the deep concern they expressed for cybersecurity was utterly insincere.

But this actually matters beyond the question of catching Republicans in the act of hypocrisy.

That's because there are strong reasons to believe that the Trump administration is leaving sensitive information vulnerable, and may not be complying with the Presidential Records Act, which mandates that White House staff retain their communications  including their emails.

In late January, we learned that top White House officials, including Steve Bannon, Kellyanne Conway, Jared Kushner, and Sean Spicer, were using email addresses from the Republican National Committee  with a private server! Once the story broke their addresses were deleted, but presumably had it remained secret, they would have continued to use them.

That's not the only cybersecurity issue we still have to worry about. At the end of January, the New York Times reported that Trump was still using his old, unsecured Android phone, which is unbelievably reckless for the president of the United States. As Wired magazine put it , "All it takes is clicking on one malicious link or opening one untoward attachment  either of which can appear as though it were sent from a trusted source  to compromise the device. From there, the phone could be infected with malware that spies on the network the device is connected to, logs keystrokes, takes over the camera and microphone for surreptitious recording, and more."

According to some reports , the phone is a Samsung Galaxy S3, which is five years old and is no longer supported with security patches.

Now maybe steps have been taken to secure Trump's phone, though the White House hasn't said anything to that effect. And maybe his aides are in full compliance with the Presidential Records Act, though we do know that some staffers were using a messaging app called Confide, which deletes messages after they've been read (Sean Spicer was reportedly angry about the use of this app, since it could be used to leak to reporters without leaving any trace). Maybe this White House is taking both its legal obligations and the security of its communications with the utmost seriousness, and there won't be any problems from this point on.

But have they given us any reason to believe that?
He has spoken to senators.

He has spoken to generals, both regular and soon-to-be-attorney.

But as soon as he speaks his words vanish, as if they had never been.

No one can definitively state that they were in the room with him at any time. (This must create certain difficulties in his job as Russia's ambassador to the United States.)

His name is Sergey Kislyak, and he is the Most Forgettable Man in the World.

Pictures of him show a corpulent replica of Nikita Khrushchev. But these pictures apparently correspond to a man that no one has ever met. No one he has ever met or talked to seems to remember him. Not Michael Flynn. Not Attorney General Jeff Sessions. No one. Dementors speak of him with reverence, as the mere allusion to his presence removes not only happy memories but all memories of any kind.

He has made many phone calls. But it is only with great difficulty that intelligence agencies were able to make any record of these calls. His voice, like a tree falling alone in a Siberian forest, never makes a sound.

The second he meets with anyone, this meeting vanishes from their memories and their testimony. After meeting with him, senators will shake their watches and say, "But Sofia, I was supposed to meet the Russian ambassador two hours ago!" and Sofia will say, "He just came out of your office, sir."

He is a paradox of space and time.

He once slept on a memory-foam mattress and left no impression whatsoever.

Pigeons often fly directly into him, mistaking him for empty space.

As Amir Nasr noted on Twitter, he is the reason people in D.C. say "good to see you" rather than "good to meet you": No one can ever be entirely sure that they have not already met him.

Who can say what is discussed in his meetings? Those who were in them cannot recall. When people speak to him, they become different people. They receive new hats. They stop being campaign advisers and become Senate committee members only. They are transformed -- and then the memory vanishes. Other people will carelessly allege that Kislyak's conversation with Sessions was a series of simple surface pleasantries about the election, not an in-depth discussion, and definitely unofficial, but those in the room will not even say that.

Perhaps no words were even spoken.

Afterward, all his interlocutors have are images and feelings: warmth, security, ethics, definitely nothing that belongs in testimony.

Look, Kislyak is unmemorable, and nothing he has ever said to anyone involved in the Trump campaign can possibly have been of any interest. I do not know what this allegation is about and, also, it is false.

Are we sure that he exists? Is he even corporeal? Who can be sure? He melts away the second he is measured, like a Trump crowd on Inauguration Day.

It must be difficult to be so mild and self-effacing in a position of such international importance. How does he conduct diplomacy when no one can remember ever seeing or hearing him? Even Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who denounced Sessions for communing with him, discovered to her horror that SHE, TOO, had shared a group meeting with him.

Possibly we have all met with Kislyak and our minds are just shielding us from this knowledge.

Still, it is a good thing that some people have managed to keep records. Otherwise we might never know that he had talked to anyone at all.

Washington Post
It was a frigid December night, and I had just settled into the plump cushions of the living room couch with a book when I heard a sharp rapping on the front door. The sound startled me, mainly because it was 8:45 p.m., pitch black outside, and I was alone. My husband had left two days ago for a conference.

I sat thinking for a split second about who could possibly be at my door at that hour. I live on a really quiet street on the North Shore, about a block off the main road. Hours can go by without a car or pedestrian passing in front of my home, a small, modest house more than 100 years old.

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Another moment passed. More sharp rapping. And then a face pressed against the square window in my front door, and I made eye contact with the eyes in that face. A woman's face. She was saying something, but I couldn't make it out.

I wish I could say that my first instinct was to leap off the couch to help this mystery woman. But I hesitated. All the bad stories about women who open their doors to strangers  stories told in newspapers and magazines, on TV news, even stories dimly remembered from childhood slumber parties. Be afraid, be very afraid.

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I don't tread fearfully in my daily life, but still. Strange people at the door, in the dark, when you are alone  that makes you think a bit.

What went through my mind was this: What if I open the door and she isn't alone but has an accomplice hiding behind that big shrub, and then they both come in and murder me? As a writer, I am nothing if not one to see entire plots unfold before anything even happens.

I opened the door. If I was murdered, I had had a good life. And in my version of a life well-lived, I couldn't not open the front door.

She tumbled into my living room. "Gracias, gracias ... My phone  is dead." Speaking mostly Spanish, but interspersed with bits of English, the woman indicated that she was lost, her phone was dead and she needed to call her sister who was supposed to have picked her up at the train station but hadn't. So she had decided to try and walk to her sister's but had gotten completely lost in the dark.

I flicked on the gas fireplace and offered to make her some tea while we waited for her phone to charge enough so that she could show me her sister's address. I figured that if she had a murderous partner in the bushes, he was probably frozen by now.

Oddly enough, a similar situation had occurred the previous summer. I had just taken a late-evening shower, and when I came out of the bathroom in my robe, a young woman was sitting on the living room couch crying in front of my pajama-clad husband. A stranger to the area, she had taken a wrong turn, then another and was now completely lost. Even the GPS on her phone wasn't any help to her now. She was too agitated to think properly.

"She needs to get back to the highway," my husband said. "Do you think you can get back there?" he asked the young woman.

She shook her head, crying harder, and I got her a box of tissues.

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"Well, then, we'll get our car and you can follow us," said my husband. "Once you get on the highway north, you can't miss the turnoff you need."

So, at 10:30 p.m., in our pajamas, we drove the 10 minutes to the highway entrance she needed, waited until she passed by us and then headed back home.

In the December episode, my first thought upon seeing this young woman also was not so charitable. Maybe I have seen too many true-crime murder stories where the woman is sent as a decoy to lure the unsuspecting older couple to their doom. But, this new stranger and I chatted freely, even with our language difference. She was from Brazil, was in some kind of medical field and was visiting the University of Chicago. Her sister apparently lived close to me, and their signals had gotten crossed; thus her predicament.

The cellphone lit up, newly charged, and I saw that the address she needed was only about a half-mile away. I offered to drive her there, but she called her sister, speaking in rapid-fire Spanish, and in less than 10 minutes the sister was there in her Volvo station wagon.

The two women thanked me and ran off into the cold, dark night. I haven't seen or heard from them since.

Sometimes, at night, when I am alone, I think about these lost women. I also think about how I don't think I would open my front door to a man. I think of my house and wonder why two strangers felt safe enough to approach it. Maybe it's because I always leave the front porch light on until I go to bed. Maybe it's because of the front porch itself, which seems to say, "Come. Sit a spell. You are welcome."

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Kathy Stevenson is a freelance writer who lives in Lake Forest.
The nation's capital has been aflame with one of those scandals that may be forgotten by next year or remembered for decades to come. It concerns how Russia tried to affect the presidential election and whether it was working secretly with Donald Trump's campaign. Also, what was discussed in a pre-inauguration phone call between a Russian diplomat and Michael Flynn, and in meetings between that same diplomat and Jeff Sessions, former senator and now Trump's attorney general.

Flynn was forced out as Trump's national security adviser for lying about his conversation with Russian Ambassador. Sessions has been taking heat for two meetings he had with Kislyak during the campaign when he was on the Senate Armed Services Committee. During his Senate confirmation hearing to become attorney general, Sessions was asked whether he knew of any communications between the Trump campaign and the Russian government during the course of the campaign.

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"I have been called a (Trump) surrogate a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians," Sessions replied.

At a news conference Thursday, Sessions tried to douse the fire, acknowledging two meetings with Kislyak, but saying the campaign was never discussed. One meeting, around the time of the GOP convention, was brief and involved a group of envoys, including Kislyak. The second meeting, on Sept. 8, was sought by the Russian ambassador, Sessions said. Two of Sessions' senior staffers joined him. Kislyak and Sessions talked about terrorism and about Ukraine, but politics never came up, Sessions told reporters.

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Given that he was a Trump surrogate and a top foreign adviser to candidate Trump, Sessions took a step many Democrats and Republicans had urged: He recused himself from any probes related to the presidential campaign, including investigations into any Russian interference in the electoral process and allegations of Russian ties to Team Trump: "I feel I should not be involved in investigating a campaign I had a role in." That was the right move, though we believe he still should, under oath, give the Judiciary Committee a full account of his encounters with Kislyak, and his staffers at the second meeting should do the same. Vagueness got him into this mess, transparency can get him out of it.

But the Russia cloud over the Trump team isn't going away, and deserves a full investigation. The immediate question is who should conduct it.

"I did not have international relations with that mammal..." (Chicago Tribune)

Even before news of the Sessions-Kislyak meetings rocked Washington, some Democrats were calling for appointment of an independent counsel to parse allegations about Russia and the campaign. The Sessions news only intensified those calls. At least one Republican has proposed an independent counsel, Rep. Darrell Issa, of California, who last week said, "That is historically the right way to deal with something like this."

Actually, often as not, it's historically the wrong way to deal with something like this. This page has long been dubious of special prosecutors. They often burn through millions of dollars with underwhelming results  most infamously Kenneth Starr, who headed an investigation of President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton that lasted six years and ended with neither charged.

The Senate and House intelligence committees are looking into the allegations about Russia, and they deserve a chance to prove their mettle. "We're already starting to review the raw intelligence," Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the panel, said recently. "We are well down this path." With their specialized experience and top-secret clearances, the committee members are well-equipped to dig out the truth and assess its significance. Both have Republican majorities and chairmen, but that's no bar to an aggressive investigation.

Democratic members, you can be sure, will insist on pursuing every plausible lead  and will scream bloody murder if their GOP colleagues stand in the way. Warner had expressed faith in the commitment of committee chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C. After learning that the White House had persuaded Burr to call reporters to dispute allegations of contact between the Kremlin and Trump aides, though, Warner said he would "not accept any process that is undermined by political interference." He added that if the committee "cannot properly conduct an independent investigation, I will support empowering whoever can do it right."

We might second that motion. But the key word is "if." The public can afford to wait to see how the congressional committees handle this challenge. In the meantime, the news media may uncover additional facts that will clarify what happened and what it means.

If a cover-up appears to be afoot in the Justice Department or Congress, Trump's critics, inside and outside government, will go public with a vengeance. An independent counsel is an option to deploy only when those responsible for discovering the truth show that they're unwilling to do so. It's a club that, for now, is better left in the closet.

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Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.

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Gizzell Ford was a writer with a story to tell: her own.

She was an 8-year-old nicknamed "Gizzy," a spelling bee winner and A student who kept a rainbow-striped journal. "I am going to be a beautiful smart and good young lady," she wrote in 2013. "People say I'm smart and courageous and beautiful."

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A few weeks later, Gizzell was found dead in her grandmother's trash-strewn, vermin-infested apartment in Austin. She had been beaten and strangled. Her hands and ankles showed signs of having been bound; an electrical wire was found wrapped around the bottom of a bedpost. There was a gaping wound in the back of her head infested with maggots.

Investigators determined that Gizzy had been tortured by Helen Ford, her grandmother. Her father, Andre Ford, who was bedridden, also lived in the apartment. Video he shot on Helen Ford's cellphone captured some of the abuse: Gizzell was being punished, forced to do squats.

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"She's getting defiant," her father says in the video. "Stand up! Do your squats!"

"You see how she's acting?" the grandmother says. "She lies about every single thing."

A second video includes the grandmother saying Gizzy "made herself throw up" to avoid squats. There is a sock or rag stuffed in the little girl's mouth.

Gizzell's father died in Cook County Jail of an apparent heart attack in August 2014 while awaiting trial for his role in her death. The grandmother was convicted of murder Thursday. Gizzell had been beaten from head to toe, evidence showed. Prosecutors said the girl also was dying of kidney failure, having been deprived of food and water.

Gizzy chronicled the final days of her life in her journal. There are references to her love of school and jumping rope. But according to excerpts revealed at trial, the specter of abuse also appears: "I know if I be good and do everything I'm told I won't have to do punishments," she wrote.

By the end of Gizzy's life, according to the Tribune's Steve Schmadeke, who covered the trial, her once neat handwriting had become a jagged scrawl.

The diary "corroborates what we suspect," Martin Dolan, an attorney representing family members in a wrongful death lawsuit, told us. "There's a sense of fear in that diary that has to be analyzed, and it should have been. People should have recognized what was going on."

A Tribune report in 2013 plus trial testimony highlight the ways the legal system let down Gizzell. She was the subject of a custody dispute that involved eight Cook County judges. A Department of Children and Family Services investigator visited Gizzell's home about a month before her death, the Tribune reported, but did not take action. A child-abuse doctor examined the girl but never called the DCFS hotline to report a suspicious injury he observed. No investigators followed up.

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DCFS has been troubled not just for years but generations. It operates under a decades-old federal consent decree due to its continued lapses protecting children. The current director, George Sheldon, who joined in 2015, is the ninth leader of DCFS since 2011. He has said his efforts to overhaul the department are focused on intervening sooner in the lives of families. Those changes  ones that will identify and protect vulnerable children before catastrophe strikes  can't come soon enough.

Months after Gizzell died, the Tribune's Christy Gutowski examined the little girl's life and the safety net that failed to save her. "Gizzell was one of those who I knew would make a difference in the world  maybe as a teacher or writer," said Kathryn Wanicek, who taught the girl in first and part of second grade.

Gizzy had written this note:

Dear. Ms. Wanicek

I love you. I also love reading. Yeah!

Love,

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Gizzy Ford
Men help lift a fallen tombstone at the Jewish Mount Carmel Cemetery, February 26, 2017, in Philadelphia, Pa. Police say more than 100 tombstones were vandalized a week after a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis was desecrated. (Dominick Reuter / AFP/Getty Images)

There is hate and intolerance in America, as there is in every society. Will humans ever erase the urge to mistreat members of some groups because of their identity? Alas, humanity's imperfect nature suggests bigotry and discrimination will trail us  probably forever.

The more heartening perspective comes from observing what happens when ugliness appears. Do Americans know how to react? Yes, and it can be beautiful to see.

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The background: There has been an alarming spate of anti-Semitic acts this year. The JCC Association of North America has reported waves of telephoned bomb threats to Jewish community centers and schools, including 31 incidents on Feb. 27. Last month, a Chicago synagogue was vandalized, as were Jewish cemeteries in suburban St. Louis and Philadelphia. On Thursday, a Jewish cemetery in Rochester, N.Y., was desecrated.

Jews are worried. They are a minority fully integrated into American life, yet they feel vulnerable because the scourge of anti-Semitism remains. Fear of terror attacks  in Europe, but here, too  is ever-present. For Jews, when something bad happens it's never an isolated incident but part of a long history of being targeted. That's why the reaction by other Americans to anti-Semitism is important: Would the Jewish sense of isolation be affirmed, or might it be counteracted?

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We hope the Jewish community is feeling supported. In reaction to the desecration in Missouri, two Muslim activists sought to raise $20,000 in donations among Muslims through a crowdfunding website  and reached their goal in three hours. With Philadelphia also in mind, their effort to help repair damaged headstones passed $150,000 and is still going. "We extend our deepest condolences to all those who have been affected and to the Jewish community at large," the crowdfunding site said.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 155 (Scott Stantis/For the Chicago Tribune)

When cleanup efforts were organized in Philadelphia, dozens of volunteers turned up, among them a Catholic landscaper. A local Fraternal Order of Police lodge gave money. At the St. Louis-area cemetery cleanup, Gov. Eric Greitens, who is Jewish, was joined by Vice President Mike Pence. On social media, where you never know if you'll see more good or nastiness, a Chicago-area Marine veteran who is Muslim volunteered to stand guard at any synagogue or Jewish cemetery. Tayyib Rashid's tweet went viral; other Muslims joined his offer.

Many Jews were touched. As objects of hatred, they share space with Muslims  and can respond similarly:

In Florida, after an arson caused property damage at the Islamic Society of New Tampa, it was the Jewish community that stepped up. After Adeel Karim launched a fund to pay for repairs at the mosque, he was puzzled by some donations, which were in multiples of 18. Then he realized these Jewish contributors were giving gifts according to their custom because in Jewish numerology the word for 18 signifies "life." Karim wrote on Facebook: "The Jewish faith has shown up in force to support our New Tampa Islamic community. I'm floored."

There will never be a satisfying explanation for why some people victimize others over their identity. We are all "others" in a diverse nation, yet certain groups face harassment. It's reprehensible. Law enforcement response is crucial, as are denunciations by political leaders.

But what also counts are the symbolic gestures by individuals  little acts of the heart that confirm our better nature. After someone fired a projectile through the window of a synagogue in Evansville, Ind., the local Islamic society wrote on Feb 28: "We stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters against religious intolerance. We pray for your safety and ask God to protect us all from such injustices."

The best measure of American values is not when some among us behave poorly. It's when the rest of us stand together.

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.

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During Then-Senator and Trump campaign surrogate Jeff Sessions' confirmation hearing, Sen. Al Franken asks what he would do if he learned of any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of the 2016 campaign. Jan. 10, 2017. (C-SPAN) (Chicago Tribune)

I want you to stand in front of a mirror.

Now I want you to imagine Barack Obama is 40 days into his presidency, and that during his campaign he repeatedly and inexplicably praised Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Next imagine that late in the campaign and in the weeks that followed the election that brought Obama into office, American intelligence agencies determined conclusively that Russia had hacked the Republican National Committee and released thousands of stolen emails that were damaging to Obama's opponent.

And that Obama's campaign vigorously denied any contact with Russian officials before or after the election.

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Then, imagine that not long after the inauguration, Obama's national security adviser was found to have lied about having contact with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. He in fact spoke with the ambassador in December, the day the outgoing president issued sanctions against Russia for interfering with the election.

The adviser was fired.

Questions persisted. More evidence began to surface that people connected to Obama had been in contact with the Russians during the campaign.

Imagine that President Obama continued to deny there was any issue and brushed off reports as "fake news," criticizing the intelligence community for leaking information to the press.

As calls for an investigation into the Obama campaign's connections to Russia grew louder, news broke that Obama's new attorney general had been less than honest during his confirmation hearing when asked if he had contact with the Russians. He said he hadn't, but it turns out he had met twice with the Russian ambassador, one of those times during the Democratic National Convention.

Imagine the attorney general said his meetings were part of his work as a senator, but then news came out that the trip to the convention was paid for through the then-senator's campaign fund.

Under pressure, Obama's attorney general finally recused himself from investigations into issues surrounding the campaign and Russia.

Now imagine at this point, which again is in Obama's first 40 days as president, you learn that the fired national security adviser actually met with the Russian ambassador at Obama's house in Chicago, along with Obama's son-in-law. (You also have to imagine that Malia Obama is married and that a staffer in Obama's White House recently tried to push Malia's clothing line in a nationally televised interview. I know this is hard, just keep that imagination going.)

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Vladimir Putin talks to President Obama at the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China on Sept. 5. (Alexei Druzhinin / European Pressphoto Agency)

Next you learn that an Obama campaign official who made a change to the Democratic Party platform during its national convention, a change Russia would like  the only change that candidate Obama's campaign requested  also met with the Russian ambassador during the Democratic National Convention.

Imagine all of these things. And remember that President Obama and members of his campaign all said specifically and repeatedly that there had been no contact with Russia.

Imagine.

Now look into that mirror in front of you.

If this were true, would you think there should be an independent investigation into contacts between the Obama campaign and Russia? Are you angry?

If you answered yes to either of those questions and you don't feel the same way right now about the connections between Donald Trump's campaign and Russia, you need to ask yourself: What is the difference between these two men?

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Now look in the mirror again, long and hard. Because you have one last question to ask yourself.

And I think you know what it is.

rhuppke@chicagotribune.com

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One reasonably well-read speech does not a president make. President Donald Trump is being applauded for his even-toned, scripted, talking-point speech to a joint session of Congress. However, for me, what he said in a speech written by others for him to read and what he said, unscripted, earlier is a tale of two completely different leaders.

In his speech, Trump spoke about the need for clean air and water. Yet earlier that day, he signed orders urging a review and reconsideration of clean water regulations.

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In his speech, he spoke about the need to end racism and anti-Semitism. Yet, earlier in the day, he appeared to allude to recent attacks on synagogues and Jewish cemeteries as possibly prompted by Jews themselves who are trying to discredit his administration.

In his speech, he (rightly) honored the sacrifice of U.S. Navy SEAL William "Ryan" Owens during the raid in Yemen and described the raid as highly successful. Yet earlier, even though he is "commander in chief," he blamed both the Obama administration and his generals for any failures that have come to light, including Owens' death. Not only that, but there is an uncomfortable contrast in the way the Owens family has been treated and the way Capt. Humayun Khan's family was treated just last summer.

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What he reads is one thing. What he says and does speaks volumes more. We should all be listening carefully before applauding this administration.

 Susan Newstat, Waukegan
As President Donald Trump delivered his address to Congress on Tuesday, I listened in vain for a familiar presidential theme: the "forgotten man and woman." I didn't hear it. I hope he didn't forget to remember the "forgotten."

Franklin Roosevelt is most famous for invoking "The Forgotten Man" in a 1932 campaign radio address with that title. To FDR, the forgotten man was "at the bottom of the economic pyramid."

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That was quite the opposite aim of social Darwinist William Graham Sumner, who in 1883 described the "forgotten man" as the hard worker who yearned to be freed from the nagging needs of the undeserving poor.

Bill Clinton put his own twist on the phrase in 1991 when he announced his presidential candidacy as "a campaign for the future, for the forgotten hard-working middle class families of America."

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Small wonder that President Trump revived the theme in his victory speech and inauguration address. "The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer," Trump said in November. "Everyone is listening to you now."

Yes, everyone was. I was not happy about Trump's election. But after years of writing about how poverty, job loss and income inequality had entrapped more white people than people of color, I could not help but feel pleased to see poor and working-class whites turn out at a higher rate than any other group to vote for change.

That's how democracy is supposed to work. I was only surprised that the working-class hero of this decade turned out to be Donald Trump.

Will he remember them now? He didn't mention "forgotten men and women" in his speech to Congress. But I don't think his voter base minded much.

"It's still early of course, but every Trump voter I know loved the speech," author J.D. Vance told me in an email.

Vance is the author of the best-selling "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis," his story of growing up amid the socioeconomic troubles of rural Kentucky and the economically troubled steel town of Middletown, Ohio  where I, too, grew up about three decades earlier.

After reviewers tagged it as a must-read for those who want to understand Trump's voter base, the book soared up the New York Times bestseller list last summer, where it has remained ever since.

I'm happy for him. Although I grew up "too po' to afford the 'o' and the 'r,' " as my father used to say, Vance had it worse. I grew up in Middletown's era of steel mills, paper mills and prosperity. Vance came along during the city's Rust Belt phase at the end of the century, when hope was running out and new plagues like heroin and other opiates were moving in.

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"Many of Trump's voters have always felt a bit conflicted about him," Vance wrote. "On the one hand, he's able to identify and criticize many of the problems that people see in their own communities. But it often comes packaged with a personality or rhetoric that even his most ardent supporters sometimes roll their eyes at."

This speech was different, says Vance, "the first time that Trump  either as a candidate or a president  was able to harness the good, stay on message, and avoid the personality problems that bother many."

But can he fulfill his promises to his base? Or will he be just another ambitious salesman-politician who promises the world but fails to deliver?

His speech to Congress showed a welcome change in style, more soft-spoken and presidential instead of a rambling, looking-for-laughs monologue. But its substance offered the same grand hyperinflated promises he talked about on the campaign trail without any details as to how he's going to get the job done.

On his big promise to repeal and replace Obamacare with "something terrific," he mentioned "tax credits" and "expanded health savings accounts," which are fine for those who can afford them. But with almost half of the nation's workers making too little income to pay federal income tax, the tax credits and HSAs fall short of universal coverage that former President Barack Obama and other Democrats have sought.

Vance, as it turns out, is not waiting for politicians to catch up with our hometown's troubles. He's planning to move back to Middletown from San Francisco, he says, to start up a nonprofit to beat back the opiate overdose epidemic that, at present, has hit Ohio worse than any other state.

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Trump barely mentioned drugs in his speech to Congress. But the nation can't afford to forget it.

Clarence Page, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/pagespage.

cpage@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @cptime

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Horse trainer Kim Angerman speaks about the Galloping Out program at Tukaway Farm in Elgin on Feb. 18, 2017. The program helps thoroughbred racehorses find new homes after retiring from the racetrack. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

Horse trainer Jan Ely remembers the day she received a frantic phone call from an animal rescue volunteer who had identified one of the horses in a "kill pen" in Shipshewana, Ind., as Pushin Up Daisy  a thoroughbred mare who had been racing at Arlington Park just a few months earlier.

"She had left Arlington around the end of July of 2015 and just four months later, she had her foot on the banana," said Ely, the coordinator of Galloping Out.

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The nonprofit organization in Illinois has found homes for more than 180 retired thoroughbred horses who have raced at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights and Hawthorne Race Course near south suburban Cicero.

When Ely answered the call from Indiana about Pushin Up Daisy, the executive director of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association happened to walk by.

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"He gave me his credit card," Ely said. "I thought to myself, 'This horse doesn't know how lucky she is, or maybe she does.' But we purchased Pushin Up Daisy for $425, put her in our program and a few months later, she had a home."

Newly retired race horse "Nachas and Joy" pokes his head out of the stall at Tukaway Farm in Elgin. He and dozens of other horses are part of the Galloping Out adoption program. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Officials with the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, which represents horse owners and trainers at Chicago-area tracks, launched Galloping Out six years ago to give the animals the chance to enjoy productive and rewarding lives after they retire from racing, according to Chris Block, president of Galloping Out.

The nonprofit recently was accredited by the national Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, based in Lexington, Ky., following a rigorous review of the organization's practices and facilities, including site visits to the farms where the rescue horses await adoption.

Joining the ranks of 64 accredited rescue organizations in the U.S. and Canada that have assisted more than 6,000 retired thoroughbred horses, Galloping Out also received a $10,000 grant from the alliance with the recognition.

The Galloping Out program, which provides for the care, rehabilitation and retraining of retired thoroughbred racehorses, is funded by contributions from the horsemen's association and donations from supporters, Block said.

Last summer, more than 95 percent of horse owners at Arlington agreed to contribute a $5 start fee each race to help support Galloping Out, amounting to $21,000, which the track matched, bringing the total to $42,000, he said.

Officials at Hawthorne also contributed $25,000 to the organization, he said.

But the care and housing of retired thoroughbreds is expensive, Block said, and requires paying roughly $400 a month per horse to the farms that board the animals, as well as funding the cost of food, veterinary and blacksmith services.

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"We hope the horse is adopted out in under six months, if it's healthy and in sound physical shape, and doesn't have any bad vices," Block said. "But even when we're having a hard time finding an adoptive home for a horse, once they're in Galloping Out, we will continue to care for them, as long as they live, because they have no other avenue."

Horse trainer Kim Angerman checks on horses and feeds them at Tukaway Farm in Elgin on Feb 17, 2017. "Winston" is a former race horse whose name was "Gold Former" and retired into the Galloping Out program. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Ely, who coordinates the temporary placement of the Galloping Out horses while they are rehabilitated before adoption, said most of the equines find homes in Illinois, where they live as family horses who spend days trail riding, as well as jumping, competing in dressage, playing polo and serving as companion animals to children with developmental disabilities.

But the main goal behind Galloping Out is trying to limit the number of thoroughbred horses in the Chicago area that are killed at slaughterhouses by finding them permanent homes after retiring either because of age, injury or the simple fact that they are no longer winning races, Ely said.

Each year, roughly 130,000 American horses  racing, working, companion horses and even children's ponies  are transported long distances across the U.S. borders, heading for Mexico and Canada, where they are killed, according to the Humane Society of the United States' website.

Their meat then is shipped overseas for human consumption, the website stated.

Federal lawmakers, including, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a Democratic from Evanston, recently introduced legislation, called the Safeguard American Food Exports Act, designed to prevent the establishment of horse slaughter operations within the U.S. and end the current export of American horses for slaughter abroad.

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A longtime horse supporter, Schakowsky said in an email that horses sent to slaughter are subject to "appalling, brutal treatment."

"This practice is abhorrent and unconscionable. I was proud to reintroduce the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act earlier this year," she said. "This bill will ensure that these majestic and intelligent animals are treated with the respect they deserve."

Reflected in the window of room lined with horse ribbons, Emily Charnota, 17, and her horse "Winston" pause after practicing their jumping at Tukaway Farm in Elgin on Feb 17, 2017. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Horse rescue advocates say the majority of the horses sent to slaughter are young, healthy animals that could have led productive lives with loving owners if given the chance.

Tony Petrillo, the general manager of Arlington Park, said the track is well aware of the grim future that awaits  what he says  is a small number of retired thoroughbred horses who end up in the wrong hands.

The track also is a strong supporter of Galloping Out, both financially and philosophically, he said.

The track's house rules, for example, enforce a ban on horse slaughter, according to Petrillo.

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Horse owners and trainers stabled at Arlington are warned in a published notice that their stalls will be permanently revoked if they are found to have "directly or indirectly" sold a horse for slaughter.

"Arlington requires its horsemen to conduct due diligence on those buying horses and encourages them to support rescue and adoption efforts, and to find humane ways of dealing with horses unable to continue racing," the published warning reads.

While Petrillo said the track has safeguards in place to ensure that the horses on site during the racing season are safe and well cared for, he acknowledged that once a horse is "checked-out" and transported to another venue, the animal's owner and trainer ultimately is responsible for the horse's welfare.

"The alternative for some of these horses could be dire, and it's not what people in this industry are about," Petrillo said. "But just like any industry, you're going to have some bad apples."

Horse trainer Kim Angerman ineracts with former race horse "Winston" at Tukaway Farm in Elgin on Feb 17, 2017. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

As the director of Tuckaway Farm in Elgin, which currently is home to several Galloping Out horses awaiting adoption, Kim Angerman said she enjoys assisting retired thoroughbred horses as they are re-trained for their new lives as competitors in hunter/jumper and dressage events, as well as their new roles as family companion animals.

"These retired thoroughbred horses can have a rough start because some of them have been racing a long time," said Angerman, adding how she adopted a Galloping Out horse for her own family. "The teenagers who ride at the farm really like to work with these horses, knowing they're helping find them new homes, which is very satisfying."

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For many Galloping Out volunteers and supporters, the inspiration behind the work is the organization's many success stories, including that of Pushin Up Daisy, a horse saved from the Indiana kill pen at the last minute and who, today, has her own Facebook page.

"I always wanted to re-home a horse, so I arranged to drive up and see her, and as soon as we rode around, I knew, 'she's it,'" said Esther Sintim, 35, a high school teacher and married mother of two from West Lafayette, Ind.

She said Pushin Up Daisy was a Christmas gift from her husband.

"I had no idea that some racehorses that are not winning anymore or get injured end up in the kill pen," said Sintim, who has been riding since her childhood in northwest England.

Today, she visits her rescue horse at least four times a week at the stable where she boards, and she also is training for jumping and dressage events.

"Every time I look at her, I think, 'Oh my gosh  she's mine!'" Sintim said. "Whatever the reason is that we're together, I'm so glad I got her, and I hope she is, too."

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kcullotta@tribpub.com

Twitter @kcullotta
A Warrenville man was charged with felony burglary after a resident of an apartment complex on Aurora's Far East Side saw the man getting into a neighbor's car, Aurora police said.

Derrick D. Terrell, 18, of the 3S300 block of Pattermann Road, Warrenville, was charged about 10:30 a.m. Monday after he was seen inside the vehicle in the apartment complex in the 3800 block of East New York Street, police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said in an email.

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Before and after entering the car  from which he allegedly took a Bulls cap  the original witness and a maintenance crew said they saw Terrell pulling on door handles, Ferrelli said.

Terrell was seen jogging westbound out of the complex, Ferrelli said.

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Officers stopped him in the 3300 block of Kentshire Circle based on the description given by witnesses and he was taken into custody without incident, Ferrelli said.

Terrell is in the DuPage County Jail where he must post $1,000 bond to be released. He is next to appear on March 14 at the DuPage courthouse in Wheaton.

hleone@tribpub.com

Twitter @hannahmleone
Win or lose on Election Day, Richard Irvin had his Wednesday morning already planned.

The morning after securing a spot on the April ballot in a showdown for Aurora mayor, Irvin kept a commitment to talk with youngsters about growing up in the city's public housing, working clear of drugs and gangs, and becoming an Army veteran, an attorney and a candidate for mayor of Aurora for the third time.

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And he admits he completed the presentation Wednesday on adrenalin from Tuesday night.

"I haven't slept," he said Wednesday.

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The other top vote-getter, Rick Guzman, already had arranged to take the day off from work Wednesday to either sleep in or start making phone calls. He spent the day making and taking calls.

"We're moving ahead at full speed," Guzman said. "It's been a busy, busy day."

Irvin, 47, one of Aurora's aldermen at large, and Guzman, 39, assistant chief of staff in the mayor's office, survived the four-person mayoral primary this week. Irvin finished first with about 32.3 percent of the vote, and Guzman finished second with about 28.8 percent, according to figures from the Aurora and DuPage County election commissions.

They will face each other April 4 to see who will become Aurora's 57th mayor.

State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia finished third with about 24.9 percent and Ald. Michael Saville, 6th Ward, had 13.9 percent.

Irvin reiterated Wednesday that it was his more than 10-year-old "One Aurora" message that fueled his victory.

"It's about being a leader, a vision I had a decade and a half ago," he said. "We have started to implement that, and we need to build on that. But there were a number of reasons I won  we worked hard getting the message out, knocking on doors, working calls, sending out mailers."

Guzman credited a "grass-roots campaign" that included knocking on doors, visiting a lot of living rooms and making phone calls.

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"I relied on a lot of people contributing," he said.

Chapa LaVia said in a statement she was "disappointed in the results of yesterday's election."

"I am also disappointed in the nefarious third party attacks that were funded largely by supporters of my opponents," she said. "I believe that these are examples of a greater problem playing out across the country which is hurting our democratic-republic."

Chapa LaVia was referring to a final week of the campaign during which four "hit" mailings were sent out against her emphasizing her relationship with Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan. Two of the pieces were funded by a Republican-based political action committee in Springfield, and the other two were anonymous organizations that failed to register with the state Board of Elections.

"I am personally proud of the positive and issue-based campaign we ran," Chapa LaVia said in the statement. "It is my hope that the remaining candidates utilize and promote our economic development reform agenda and recognize the need for a higher level of transparency, accountability, and ethics within city government as described in our platform."

Chapa LaVia still is the 83rd District state representative. She was re-elected to that position last fall.

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Saville admitted he was surprised he did not do better than about 14 percent of the vote.

"I felt I ran an honorable and clean campaign that didn't throw mud or attack people personally," he said. "It wasn't the outcome I was expecting, but the voters always have the last say and I respect that."

Saville still has about two years left on his term as 6th Ward alderman.

Maybe most disappointing to some election watchers was the low voter turnout for the primary, about 20 percent of the 93,680 registered voters in Aurora, including the Aurora Election Commission area and the DuPage County section.

There does not appear to be enough outstanding ballots to affect the outcome. Linda Fechner, Aurora Election Commission director, said her office is waiting on 67 ballots, counting vote by mail, grace period and provisional ballots.

She estimated Wednesday the primary cost the Election Commission about $200,000 to run, not counting what it cost DuPage and Kane counties. A court order was one reason for a Democratic township primary, and because five people registered as write-ins who ended never campaigned nor raised any money.

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In that Democratic Party primary, Juan Reyna won the nomination for highway commissioner with 35.2 percent of the vote, beating Mark Semmler, who had 30.1 percent, Jason Owens, who had 21.1 percent, and Kevin Allen Hale, who had 13.4 percent.

In the race to nominate a slate of township trustees, the winners were Dolores Hicks with 19.8 percent of the vote, Juanita T. Wells with 17.6 percent, Brenda Hernandez with 16.3 percent and David Moore with 15.6 percent.

Fechner said she expected more turnout for a primary with four mayoral candidates.

"So 80 percent of the citizens of Aurora let 20 percent make their decisions for them," she said.

slord@tribpub.com
The Greater Aurora Area Coalition for Literacy met recently to discuss ways to address the growing number of immigrants seeking citizenship. Members include, from left, Catherine Pendergalt, Family Focus; Sister Kathleen Ryan, Dominican Literacy Center; Michaela McDaid, Waubonsee Community College; Jan Oncken, community volunteer; Violet Flores, Family Focus; Migdalia Ballona, Community Health Partnership of Illinois; and Julian Vargas, Family Focus. (Denise Crosby / The Beacon-News)

What a difference a few months  and a new president  can make.

When I showed up at one of the Dominican Literacy Center's citizenship classes before November's election, there were a couple of dozen students in attendance.

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These days, those class sizes have almost tripled, and because of the large number, "we had to split into two classes and find another teacher to help us out," said Sister Kathleen Ryan, executive director of the Dominican Literacy Center.

Family Focus is among the Fox Valley agencies experiencing a similar swell. Previous workshops introducing the citizenship process had between 20 to 30 people, said youth development coordinator Julian Vargas. But at the most recent workshop Saturday, more than 200 Aurora-area residents showed up. Because employees, working 12 hours that day, were able to only sign up 95, the rest "were told to come back on Monday," Vargas said.

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And even though World Relief officials said they are dealing with fewer refugees since President Donald Trump's executive order, about 150 immigrants showed up Saturday for a World Relief Citizenship Clinic, double the number at a similar workshop last fall.

Just as the Dominican Literacy Center has a long waiting list for tutors in English as a second language, Family Focus also had to double its ESL classes, going from two to four a day. And at St. Mary's Catholic Church, noted Ryan, enrollment in the citizenship class for seniors  not required to take the test in English because of their age  soared from four to 30.

"Past demand was manageable," Ryan said of the situation. "But this is a whole different story."

The issue has become so dire so quickly that how to respond was the focus of the Greater Aurora Area Literacy Coalition's meeting this week at the Aurora Public Library.

Funding cuts that hit literacy programs hard, noted Vargas, have especially impacted citizenship programs. While there is an obvious need for more classroom space  Family Focus could possibly repurpose a storage room, for example  local experts say what's even more urgent is a vision or structure in place to tackle the issue through a communitywide effort.

For one thing, the coalition is not even sure what other groups, churches or otherwise, are working with immigrants on the path to citizenship. Nor does the coalition know if this surge is temporary or, as Ryan described it, "the new normal."

"In the past six weeks, all of us are trying to respond to new policy changes and new needs within our communities," said World Relief Immigration and Legal Services Director Catherine Norquist, who described the situation as "intense."

"We are just now," added Ryan, "beginning to explore it all."

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The mission of the literacy coalition, formed eight years ago, was to promote lifelong literacy through community partnerships. Other members include the Aurora Public Library, Community Health Partnership of Illinois, Waubonsee Community College and Hesed House. While there are multiple groups offering assistance with citizenship applications  and some, like World Relief, provide tutoring  Family Focus and the Dominican Literacy Center also hold citizenship classes, which not only prepare students for the reading, writing and history portion of the test, but also help ready them for the interview section.

That interview, where they are grilled on what they put on their 20-page application, "is very detailed, very overwhelming, even for those who are native speakers," said Michaela McDaid, Waubonsee Community College's adult education faculty manager, who has gone through the process herself. "I speak English, and I was really nervous."

A lot of people are filling out applications, but without classes in ESL and citizenship  which, Vargas points out, "are so entwined"  chances of passing the test are greatly reduced.

The coalition's meeting Wednesday, they noted, was a jumping-off point and included discussions on each agency's needs, as well as the rise in the level of fear they are seeing among clients.

McDaid, for example, noted that more Waubonsee Community College students are expressing anxiety about enrollment information being used against them. Others are helping clients understand their rights if Immigration and Customs Enforcement comes knocking on their doors.

There is no doubt that considerable time and energy have gone into citizenship issues since Trump's election, and the coalition doesn't see the need abating. Most immigrants, members noted, already have their green cards. But because there is so much uncertainty and anxiety, immigrants believe legal permanent residency is no longer enough to protect them from deportation, said World Relief Executive Director Susan Sperry.

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The fact so many are now seeking the path to citizenship is a good thing, they all agree  if only fear wasn't the driving factor.

"These are people who want to follow the rules," Ryan said, adding that this growing need should not be a political issue.

"This is a unifying call," she said. "This is about education. And how can you be against that?"

dcrosby@tribpub.com
Knights of Columbus Support Victims of Church Bombing in Egypt

Gift of $75,000 made in wake of December attack at Coptic Church in Cairo



Contact: Joseph Cullen, 203-800-4923, joseph.cullen@kofc.org; Andrew Walther, 203-824-5412, andrew.walther@kofc.org; both with Knights of Columbus



NEW HAVEN, Conn., March 3, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Given the ongoing needs of those affected by the bombing of St Peter's Coptic Orthodox Church in Cairo on 11 December 2016, which claimed the lives of 29 people, mostly women and children, the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council has donated $75,000 to support the families of victims.



Photo: Bishop Angaelos of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom holds a copy of the report prepared by the Knights of Columbus and In Defense of Christians at a press conference in March 2016. A week later, the U.S. State Department declared that ISIS's crimes against Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East were genocide. (Photo credit: Knights of Columbus)



Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson spoke to His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, shortly after the bombing to arrange support for the families and communities affected by the tragic event.



Speaking on behalf of the Knights of Columbus, Supreme Knight Anderson said:

"The Knights of Columbus is honored to assist those affected by this terrible and tragic crime. Even long after events like those of December 11, the physical and emotional scars of such calamities continue to affect the victims, and it is our hope that these funds will help to heal those who have had to endure this assault. It is also our hope that this donation will highlight the solidarity we feel with our Christian brothers and sisters in Egypt. Their courage in persevering in the faith despite such attacks inspires us in our own faith, and while we are horrified by the attack, we are also deeply grateful for the Christian witness of forgiveness shown by those affected."

Commenting on the generous donation, His Grace Bishop Angaelos said:

"On behalf of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St Mark and the Coptic Orthodox Church, we are very thankful for the generosity of Knights of Columbus, and grateful for our ongoing relationship with them. Having worked closely with Supreme Knight Anderson and the Knights of Columbus in March 2016 on the campaign to highlight the genocide of Christians in the Middle East, we know that there is much that can be achieved when we stand together to witness for those persecuted around the world, whether in Egypt or elsewhere."

The K of C was founded in 1882 by Venerable Father Michael McGivney, a parish priest, in New Haven, Connecticut. The organization was formed to provide charitable outreach and care for the financial well-being of Catholic families, focusing on the protection of widows and orphans, and on strengthening the faith of its members. It has grown to include 1.9 million members worldwide.



The Knights set a new all-time record for charitable donations in 2015, with more than $175 million in donations and more than 73.5 million hours of service valued at $1.7 billion.
UPDATE:

Franklin Graham responded to critics in an interview with a Vancouver news station. The BGEA is calling the Festival of Hope a success.

The Billy Graham Evangelical Associations (BGEA) Festival of Hope is scheduled to start tonight, March 3, 2017 in Vancouver, Canada. On the docket is a gospel message to be given by Franklin Graham. Last week, clergy representing 60 percent of the 1 million Christians in the progressive city asked Graham not to come to his own event.

On Friday, February 24, 2017, the leaders issued a public letter expressing their concerns over Graham headlining the event, which is intended to draw thousands of people to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. The reason: Grahams ties with the unpopular President Trump.

Evangelical, Catholic and mainline Protestant leaders were already compiling their concerns when the mayor of Vancouver, Gregor Robertson, approached them in February to discuss the security threat Graham represented. According to the letter released by the clergy, Robertson and the Vancouver Police Department perceived Grahams appearance as potentially inciting violence.

In their letter, the clergy articulate the thrust of their concern over Grahams appearance at the Festival this way:

Our concern is that the contentious and confrontational political and social rhetoric that Mr. Graham has used has the potential to overshadow the message of Jesus and incite hostility in our highly charged social climate.

And, more pointedly:

Regrettably, Franklin Grahams public comments appear to compromise Jesuss mission of love and justice for all.

The letter goes on to detail the specific things Graham has said about Muslims, LBGTQ+ persons and the election of President Trump:

All Muslims should be banned from the United States because Islam is a very evil and wicked religion at war with the Christian West;

LGBTQ+ persons should not be allowed to enter churches or even enter as guests into Christian homes, because the Enemy [Satan] wants to devour our homes;

The outcome of the recent U.S. presidential election was due to the hand of God, giving the impression that the Christian church as an institution is partisanly aligned with an administration and its policies.

The letter is careful to cite its sources for these documented statements made by Graham, and even includes a link to a website that contains even more of Grahams controversial rhetoric.

An even greater concern arises in the letter: that of Grahams perceived intention of aligning the Christian church with the administration and policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. The letter calls such blending of politics and religion dangerous, and says it develops a false religious narrative to support an exalted and troubling American nationalism. To state the obvious, these are no small concerns the letter addresses.

According to The Montreal Gazette, the group has been trying to negotiate with Grahams team for almost a year. The group decided to release their letter to the public eye after they received a response they felt was inadequate on Grahams part. In a cover letter attached, the group explains they were encouraged that he gave us a gracious response and has publicly pledged to avoid controversial topics while in Vancouver and to focus on the simple Gospel. However, they went ahead releasing the letter due to the fact that Mr. Graham has neither retracted nor sufficiently addressed the harmful statements to which we drew his attention.

The event in question is free to the public and features several big-name Christian musicians, including Hillsong Young & Free, Phil Wickham, For King & Country, Michael W. Smith and The Afters. Representatives of BGEA Canada say they have been praying and preparing for the event for several months. The event site does not say when exactly Graham will be speaking, but he has confirmed he will speak sometime during the March 3-5 schedule.

Graham last held a festival in Canada in 2014, the Greater Toronto Festival of Hope, and has led several other events in Canada, the first of which was in 1989. BGEA will be streaming the event on its site.
About four years ago, master blender A.J. Fernandez consolidated his factory operations which were scattered across the city of Esteli to the new, massive Tabcaelera Fernandez. Since then, Fernandez has continued to grow and expanded his operation. This led Fernandez to acquire a new factory located about 50 miles north of Esteli just outside the Totogalpa and Ocotel area. The factory is called the San Lotano factory. While many know San Lotano as A.J. Fernandezs popular brand, it is actually also the name of the brand his grandfather started in San Luis Cuba. The new San Lotano factory is now in operation, and this past February 20th, I had an opportunity to visit the new facility

Prior to the Fernandez acquisition, the San Lotano factory was known as the San Rafael factory. It was owned by Fidel Olivas. This factory was best known for producing lines for J.C. Newman Cigar Company such as El Baton and Brick House.

2016 was a huge year for A.J. Fernandez Cigars and Tabacalera Fernandez. In addition to continuing to experience growth with its own brands, the company has taken on projects for companies such as General Cigar, Altadis USA, and La Palina Cigars. The company has also continued to work on smaller production and smaller batch projects such as Foundation Cigar Company, Boutique Blends, and Southern Draw Cigars. As a result, the increased demand on production led Fernandez to acquire the San Rafael factory last year.

There is another client that A.J. Fernandez has now taken on  that being Espinosa Cigars. While on a smaller scale, Espinosa has also had a challenge of increased demand from his La Zona factory. Late last year, a decision was made to move production of Espinosas 601 line to the new San Lotano factory. I managed to spend time with both Espinosa and Fernandez on my recent trip to Nicaragua  and I saw how the two cigar makers connected. I can see why the two decided to work together.

At the time of my February 20th visit, the factory was only operational for a couple of weeks. Right now, there is much training going on as the company has hired new workers. While not at full capacity yet, Espinosa told me that plans are to produce eight million cigars per year here.

The decision for the new Fernandez facility to be located some 50 miles and an hour outside of Esteli might seem unusual, but there is a reason for this. Espinosa and Fernandez both explained that it is getting very difficult to find loyal workers in Esteli. It is not uncommon for a factory worker to defect to a competitors factory. With the San Lotano factory, this problem is somewhat mitigated with the distance away from Esteli. I was also told that the reason why there is training going on in the San Lotano factory is to train workers in the A.J. Fernandez way of making cigars.

At press time, Espinosas production had not commenced at the factory, but he is expecting so in the upcoming weeks. Erik Espinosa informed Cigar Coop his brands will be rolled in a separate area within the factory  sort of creating the factory within a factory concept. Espinosa also told Cigar Coop that he is looking forward to leveraging some of the loyal, skilled workers he is expecting to have from this region of Nicaragua.

As for the facility, there was a real charm to it  whether it was walking through the building or outside on the grounds.

Finally, if you are convinced if there is going to be a complete slow-down in the cigar industry because of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Deeming Rules, you might want to think again. Based on what Im seeing from both A.J. Fernandez and Espinosa Cigars  especially with this new factory, it appears full steam ahead.

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
Pueblo state Senate candidates dispute claims made in 'dark money' ads

Incumbent Nick Hinrichsen and GOP challenger Stephen Varela have denied claims made by outside groups spending big money on competitive races
In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome!
Our weekly round up of other news affecting foreign investors throughout Asia:

Malaysias FDI Outlook for 2017: Trends and Opportunities

Malaysia is one of the most stable countries in Asia in terms of economic and operational risk. Read why the prospects for FDI in 2017 remain bright and where opportunities for investment may be growing.

Mongolia Receives US$5.5 Billion Bailout from the IMF

The cash-strapped Mongolian government has reached a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and sovereign nation funds from Japan, South Korea, and China to bail out its stricken economy. A US$5.5 billion bailout has been agreed to, part of which includes a US$440 million loan package.

Smartphones and India: Foreign Manufacturers Take a Bite

Indias smartphone market is worth US$10 billion and the government is encouraging foreign smartphone manufacturers to grab a slice, pushing forward the Make in India campaign.

Indonesia Has Huge January 2017 Import-Export Surge

Indonesias trade had a huge boost in January this year as it soared to a US$1.4 billion surplus, way up from US$10 million in January 2016.

Russia Becomes Worlds Largest Supplier of Crude Oil

Russia has taken over Saudi Arabia as the worlds largest supplier of crude oil, according to the Riyadh based Joint Organisations Data Initiative. This development will benefit Chinas Silk Road infrastructure ambitions, which link Russian oilfields directly to China.

Customs Procedures in Vietnam

Following the relevant customs procedures when importing or exporting goods from Vietnam is one of the most vital aspects of doing business in a country where manufacturing costs are leveraged to its favor



About Us Our Briefing updates are written by and provided by the various regional offices of Dezan Shira & Associates throughout Asia. To obtain a complimentary subscription to Asia Briefing please click here. To contact Dezan Shira & Associates concerning foreign investment and assistance in Asia, please email us at asia@dezshira.com

Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure

Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

An Introduction to Doing Business in ASEAN 2016

An Introduction to Doing Business in ASEAN 2016 introduces the fundamentals of investing in the 10-nation ASEAN bloc, concentrating on economics, trade, corporate establishment and taxation. We also include the latest development news in our Important Updates section for each country, with the intent to provide an executive assessment of the varying component parts of ASEAN, assessing each member state and providing the most up-to-date economic and demographic data on each.

An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2017

Doing Business in China 2017 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in China. Compiled by the professionals at Dezan Shira & Associates in January 2017, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Chinese market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to keep up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes.

An Introduction to Doing Business in Hong Kong 2017

Doing Business in China 2017 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in China. Compiled by the professionals at Dezan Shira & Associates in January 2017, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Chinese market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to keep up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes.

An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2017

An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2017 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in India. As such, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Indian market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to stay up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes.

An Introduction to Doing Business in Singapore 2017

An Introduction to Doing Business in Singapore 2017 provides readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Singapore and outlines the citys role as a trading hub within ASEAN. The guide explains the basics of company establishment, annual compliance, taxation, human resources, and social insurance in the city-state.

An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2017

An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2017 will provide readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Vietnam. Compiled by Dezan Shira & Associates, a specialist foreign direct investment practice, this guide explains the basics of company establishment, annual compliance, taxation, human resources, payroll, and social insurance in this dynamic country.
By Jake Liddle

The UKs lengthy process of leaving the EU is set to begin by the end of March 2017. While reaching a positive partnership with the EU is an immediate priority for the UK, as China is one of the UKs biggest trade partners, the prospect of a free trade agreement with China is becoming more and more of an issue.

The last British government worked hard to foster a good relationship with Beijing, but the conservative attitude of the present government  displayed by Prime Minister Theresa Mays protectionist stance on Chinese investment in sensitive infrastructure projects  poses a threat to the so-called golden decade, enthusiastically evoked by former prime minister David Cameron.

Already, doubts over the approval of the UKs Hinkley Point C nuclear station in Somerset had arisen because of the UK governments suspicion about Chinese investment, which dampened trust with the Chinese. Indeed, the UK will have to work harder to warm relations with China.

Impact of Brexit

London was viewed as a gateway to the EU market, and Chinas interest in the city was shown when China issued its first overseas sovereign RMB bond there. But when the UK departs from the EU, Londons status as a gateway will vanish, with the city providing access to a market of 65 million as opposed to 500 million.

As the UKs economy deteriorates, so will the value of Chinas investments made in past years. There are many more significant trading partners on Chinas list than the UK, particularly as the UK will not be a feasible option as a back door to the EU for China. Further, the EU will most likely enforce rules of origin to stop Chinese imports entering through the UK.

Trade prospects

Despite this negative outlook, there is still hope for the UKs trade prospects with China. China  EU trade has lagged in the past few years, and with the UK depending more and more on China in the future, this will present a new opportunity for trade. Furthermore, China sees the UK as a political partner and a leading voice for granting China market economy status.

RELATED: Business Advisory Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

According to the UK Balance of Payments 2015 Pink Book, China is the UKs seventh largest export market, accounting for 3.6 percent of the UKs overall exports. Services and goods are largely unbalanced, with a surplus of the former, and deficit of the latter.

Meanwhile, China is the UKs third largest source of imports, accounting for seven percent of imports. Overall, the UK had a trade deficit of around 19.6 billion with China in 2015. The following table details China-UK trade volume over the last 10 years.

As a country with the worlds largest population and fastest growing consumer market due to increasing disposable income, China represents a key market for British exports. Trade volume has been rising at a steady pace, and though there has been a dip in the recent years, if there is a trade agreement reached between the two countries in the future, this growth is sure to continue.

The UK exports a myriad of products to China, representing a cross-section of British industry and services. In order of volume, the largest export categories are:

The UKs share of the Chinese market has fallen to around one percent, and the reason the UK underperforms in regard to export performance in China is that its more successful exports are not in line with Chinas current demand. Other EU countries have stronger trade relationships with China, and competition in the Chinese market is very tough.

The sectors that provide the greatest income include machinery, fuels, metals, transportation services, business services, and travel services. However, the volume of UK exports to China is not exactly aligned with the rate of Chinas market growth.

As Chinas economy transitions from heavy manufacturing to a service driven economy, the balance of demand across the varying industries will shift. With services coming to the forefront of demand, the UKs greatest goods exports in terms of value to China (such as machinery, electronic products, precision instruments, and metals) will be less in demand.

These shifts in Chinas calibration should be monitored by UK-based businesses in order to align offerings with Chinas demands, especially as the UK already excels in its service exports.

Looking forward

The IMF predicts that Chinas import market will be worth over 3 trillion (US$3.6 trillion) by 2020. This presents a huge opportunity for the UK, and if trade patterns are identified and acted upon accordingly, the UK could close the gap with its European competitors in China.

While the UK will prioritize its negotiations with the EU, it will need to work significantly in rethinking its trade relationship with China in the future in order to come to a successful trade agreement. Britains relationship with China goes back centuries and includes stewardship of Hong Kong until 1999, when the territory initially developed as an international financial services hub.

Moves for the UK government to instigate free trade agreements and enhance existing double tax treaties are highly likely. Britain already has a double tax treaty with Hong Kong, and is expected to be enhanced in the financial services sector. The UK also has a double taxation agreement (DTA) with mainland China, though this is in need of updating as it does not sufficiently cover new IT technologies. Either way, there will be diplomatic and trade efforts to be put in by both sides.

For British enterprises looking to export to China, understanding the details of tax treaties and the regulatory environment can be the difference between success and failure when competing. Our firm, Dezan Shira & Associates keeps track of the trade and investment policies between both regions and enjoys an extensive, 25 year history of involvement in UK-China Trade and Investment. A background to our firms involvement with British business investing in China can be viewed here.



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.

Dezan Shira & Associates and the United Kingdom: Country Brochure (Complimentary Download)

This year, Dezan Shira & Associates turns 25 years old in Asia. We retain extremely strong ties to the United Kingdom, employ numerous British nationals throughout Asia, and have serviced several hundred British companies in China and the Asian region at large since 1992. Explore Dezan Shiras partnership with British investment in China in this brochure.

An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2017 (Complimentary Download)

Doing Business in China 2017 introduces the fundamentals of investing in China, including the various establishment methods and tax implications. Compiled by the professionals at Dezan Shira & Associates, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Chinese market, but also for companies who already have a presence in country and want to keep up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes.

An Introduction to Doing Business in Hong Kong 2017 (Complimentary Download)

Hong Kong remains a gateway to China and still operates a British-based legal system. With different rules and regulations than mainland China, Hong Kong offers investors into China the potential for tax reductions and enhanced financial services as regards China trade and investment. Doing Business in Hong Kong 2017 is compiled by the professionals at Dezan Shira & Associates and an ideal starting point for businesses looking to leverage their China business profitability through setting up a holding company in the territory.

Using Chinas Free Trade & Double Tax Agreements

In this issue of China Briefing, we examine the role of Free Trade Agreements and the various regional blocs that China is either a member of or considering becoming so, as well as how these can be of significance to your China business. We also examine the role of Double Tax Treaties, provide a list of active agreements, and explain how to obtain the tax minimization benefits on offer.


By Alexander Chipman Koty

Chinas political, economic, and social elite are converging in Beijing this weekend for the countrys annual landmark political event, the Two Sessions. The Two Sessions refers to the two meetings of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) and the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Little genuine debate will take place in public at the Two Sessions, as the NPC will reiterate top leaderships policies and resolutions, and the CPPCC is merely a consultative body. Both will likely approve what has already been decided by the Politburo Standing Committee, and all messages and resolutions will follow the direction set by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

However, the statements that do emerge offer insights into the Chinese governments political and economic priorities for the coming year, and therefore the overall policy direction the country will take going forward.

GDP growth targets

Coming off the slowest annual GDP growth in 26 years, the phrasing used by Premier Li Keqiang to describe Chinas 2017 growth targets will be highly scrutinized. It is expected that he will use the words about 6.5 percent, which may signal that the government actually forecasts growth to be slightly below that number. This would fall in line with the rating agency Moodys, which recently released its Chinese growth projections at 6.3 percent.

Although most expect Chinas growth to continue to slow, some are more optimistic. Earlier this week, China International Capital Corp revised its 2017 projections from 6.7 percent to 6.8 percent. Similarly, Liu Shijin, a former deputy chief of the Development Research Center of the State Council, stated that 2017 could mark the beginning of a decade of medium-rate expansion.

While some observers are more optimistic, Li and the rest of the CCP leadership seem poised to take a conservative view of the economys prospects. In 2015, the phrasing about seven percent was given for the economys growth targets, and the final figure clocked in at 6.9 percent. Last year, Chinas 6.7 percent growth fell in line with the governments target of 6.5-7 percent, a broad but more concrete range than a general approximation.

RELATED: Business Advisory Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

Budget deficit forecast

As Chinas growth continues to decline, many economists expect the government to reach into its pockets to boost economic growth through increased deficit spending. In 2016, Chinas actual fiscal deficit was 3.8 percent of GDP  significantly higher than the original three percent target.

Leading up to the Two Sessions, however, the government has signaled that it may opt to retain the status-quo three percent target rather than expand it. Li Pumin, secretary-general of the National Development and Reform Commission, remarked this week that China does not need a large flood irrigation type of stimulus. Some economists, such as Zhu Haibin of JPMorgan, expect the fiscal deficit target to be raised to 3.5 percent, however.

Concern has arisen in recent years over Chinas rapidly ballooning debt, and a tendency to spend in order to reach short-term growth targets in the place of long-term economic restructuring. By the end of 2016, Chinas debt-to-GDP ratio reached 277 percent, up from 254 percent at the end of 2015. Although the government may try to rein in its spending, strong stimulus measures will surely be on the table if the economy struggles.

Economic restructuring

State-owned enterprise (SOE) reform has long been a concern for Chinas economic restructuring, particularly so-called zombie companies reliant on government subsidies and riddled with corruption and inefficiencies. Vested political interests and fear over the effects of tens of thousands of employees suddenly losing their jobs have hampered reform efforts in the past.

Another area of SOE reform looks to reduce the capacity of bloated sectors such as coal, steel, aluminum, cement, and glass producers. SOEs in these industries out-produce real demand, and are also heavy polluters at a time when air quality and health concerns are at the top of peoples minds.

In 2016, an RMB 100 billion fund for laid-off workers was established as part of a plan to eliminate 1.8 million coal and steel jobs. The government appears committed to this goal, as Chinas labor minister announced last week that 500,000 jobs in steel and coal would be slashed in 2017.

In contrast to these embattled SOEs, the heads of several of Chinas prominent private companies will attend the Two Sessions as models for the economys new direction. Pony Ma, founder of internet giant Tencent, and Lei Jun, founder of the tech company Xiaomi, are two of the most prominent figures from the private sector attending the meetings. These leaders will lobby for their respective industries, offer insights from their experience, and be held as standards for Chinas emergent high-tech sector.

Xiaomi recently joined the ranks of Apple, Samsung, and fellow Chinese tech company Huawei as the only smartphone manufacturers to have designed their own chips. The Chinese government envisions its domestic tech giants, which also include Alibaba and Baidu, becoming world-class companies able to innovate and compete beyond the Chinese market as the country moves past imitation and low-cost manufacturing.

RELATED: The Changing Landscape of Chinas Manufacturing Sector

Setting the stage for the 19th Party Congress

In most years, the Two Sessions is the biggest political event. This year, it is second to the 19th National Party Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, which will be held in the fall. The congress will mark the end of President Xis first five year term and the beginning of his second, and, theoretically, final term.

However, Xi has consolidated power more quickly and aggressively than his predecessors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, and many expect that he will try to extend his stint as head of the CCP beyond 10 years. The upcoming congress will see older party officials retire and others fall from grace, while the next generation of the countrys leadership will take shape.

Accordingly, there will be considerable political jockeying at the Two Sessions and throughout the year, as officials compete for promotions and influence. Any movement of rising and falling political stars, down to minutiae such as who they shake hands with and where they sit, will be closely examined by observers.

The ability of officials to carry out what is resolved at the Two Sessions is therefore crucial to their ultimate political fates. As the country struggles with domestic concerns such as slowing economic growth, swelling property prices, and continual environmental and corruption issues, not to mention uncertainty vis-a-vis the US under the Trump administration, regional and state-level officials face a variety of challenges over the coming year.



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.

Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure

Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2017

Doing Business in China 2017 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in China. Compiled by the professionals at Dezan Shira & Associates in January 2017, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Chinese market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to keep up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes.

New Considerations when Establishing a China WFOE in 2017

In this edition of China Briefing, we guide readers through a range of topics, from the reasons behind foreign investors preference for the WFOE as an investment model, to managing Chinas new regulations. We discuss how economic transformations have favored the WFOE, as well as the investment models utility, and detail key requirements that businesspeople need to examine before initiating the WFOE setup process. We then walk investors through the WFOE establishment process, and, finally, explain the new and idiosyncratic Actual Controlling Person regulation.
Cartoon showing a Chinese family bearing huge financial pressure for a house purchase in a school district. [Photo / The Economic Observer]



Mr. Xiong (a pseudonym) recently spent 12 million yuan (about US$1.75 million) purchasing a 39-square-meter apartment in downtown Beijing at the price of 250,000 yuan (about US$36,394) per square meter. He was willing to make the deal as he wanted his child to go to a nearby good school.

The Hongmiao Primary School, located nearby the Financial Street of central Xicheng District, is among a series of local elite schools widely recognized by students and parents.

With its growing popularity, house prices in the district have soared over the past few years.

Nowadays, many parents in Beijing don't hesitate to buy wildly expensive houses to get their children to elite schools. This education fever is behind the skyrocketing house prices in Beijing districts like Xicheng and Haidian, the Economic Observer reported.

"It wasn't an impulsive decision for me to buy the apartment here," said Mr. Xiong who already has two other apartments in the Tongzhou District of southeast suburb Beijing. Like most parents, he focuses on the school's faculty, teaching hardware and good overall education environment.

The man said he had already looked at about 200 apartments located in Haidian and Xicheng school districts before deciding on the one that seemed to best fit his family in every way.

The quality of the houses in the school district is not as high as expected, the Economic Observer noted, but parents still continue to buy as long as it is convenient for their children to go to a nearby good school. For students who have got their names registered in an appropriate school in the district, even basements have become a choice of many families because the price will tend to be lower.

Mr. Xiong revealed that he had met a person who spent 6.4 million yuan on a basement located in a school district in Deshengmen. "Even many children born after 2000 were willing to consider this," he said, adding that he himself really could not accept such a damp, gloomy living environment.

Reasons for house price rises in good school districts

The Economic Observer said it had discovered through multiple channels that there were two main reasons for the continuously soaring house prices in Beijing's good school districts.

First, to popularize high-quality school resources as much as possible, Beijing's Dongcheng and Chaoyang districts have recently abolished the former "excellent students' recommendation system." Instead, they have adopted a computer-controlled allocation system that randomly allocates students to the nearest schools to their homes.

The approach, expected to be promoted in the whole city in the future, has contributed to the hot market of good school districts to some extent.

According to the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, since 2010, the number of school-aged children has increased by 20,000 year on year, an average annual growth of 20 percent. This trend has further exacerbated people's worries about school district resources.

Second, houses in good school districts offer relative stability and resistance to price drops, so are considered an important channel for the middle class to deal with currency devaluation, and the preservation and appreciation of asset prices, despite the emergence of a housing bubble.

Chu Zhaohui, a researcher from the National Institute of Education Sciences, said the hot house market of school districts has been triggered by many reasons, including business speculation, young parents' immature education philosophy, and unbalanced educational resources.

Chu said that, with educational resources expected to become increasingly balanced in the future the phenomenon is "only a flash in the pan." According to some educational statistics, a person's success is 62 percent determined by congenital factors and only 30 percent by acquired factors.

On Feb. 22, the Ministry of Education issued a notice on its website, stipulating that, starting in 2017, for compulsory education, all students in 19 major cities including Beijing should be enrolled in schools near to their homes, particularly in the areas with the prominent problem of "school district house purchase."
Photo taken on Jan. 29, 2016 shows the mine site of the company Shougang Hierro Peru, in the district of Marcona, province of Nazca, Ica, Peru. [File photo / Xinhua]

China, Canada and the U.S. will account for 53 percent of investments in the Peruvian mining sector in the next few years, according to the new guide for mining investments published Wednesday.

The guide, which was produced by Peru's Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) and Ernst & Young, showed that China will be the leading foreign investor in 2017-2018, with its companies planning to spend 10.189 billion U.S. dollars, or 21.6 percent of the total.

Canada will come in second place with 8.755 billion U.S. dollars, or 18.6 percent, and the U.S. in third with 6.55 billions, or 12.8 percent.

Chinese investments include the expansion of the Marcona iron mine in the southern region of Ica at a cost of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars, which is to be completed by December 2019. This will increase the mine's production to 3.5 million metric tons.

Jinzhao Mining is planning to invest 1.5 billion U.S. dollars at Pampa de Pongo mine, to complete an environmental impact assessment and begin production by 2021.
Travis Kalanick, current CEO of Uber [File photo / Xinhua]

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick apologized to all Uber employees in a note Tuesday evening after he was caught on a dashboard camera in a heated argument with a Uber driver.

"By now I'm sure you've seen the video where I treated an Uber driver disrespectfully. To say that I am ashamed is an extreme understatement," said Kalanick in the note shortly after Bloomberg published the six-minute video obtained from Fawzi Kamel, driver of the company's high-end service Uber Black.

The video caught the verbal altercation in San Francisco between Kalanick and Kamel, who was angry like many other Uber drivers about plunging fares and lower pay.

The quarrel started when Kamel argued with Kalanick for "raising the standards" while "dropping the prices."

"I lost 97,000 (U.S.) dollars because of you. I'm bankrupt because of you," Kamel complained, "You changed the whole business. You dropped the prices."

Kalanick answered back, "You know what? Some people don't like to take responsibility for their owns. They blame everything in their life on somebody else."

Kalanick climbed out of the car, spitting "good luck" behind him.

The video quickly sparked social media outrage and revived the campaign of #DeleteUber on Twitter.

Softened from his pugnacious mood in the video, Kalanick wrote in the note that the incident "cannot be explained away."

"It's clear this video is a reflection of me -- and the criticism we've received is a stark reminder that I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up," he wrote.

"This is the first time I've been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it," he continued. "I want to profoundly apologize to Fawzi, as well as the driver and rider community, and to the Uber team."

Changes in Uber's business model have hurt the income of many Uber drivers, as the company lowered fares to remain competitive against other ride-sharing companies.

As Bloomberg noted, an Uber Black ride cost 4.90 dollars per mile in 2012, while it now costs 3.75 per mile.

"We started high-end. We didn't go low-end because we wanted to. We went low-end because we had to because we'd be out of business," Kalanick said in the video.

ROCKY START OF YEAR

This is just the latest embarrassing story for Kalanick and Uber. The ride-hailing giant has been exposed in a string of negative press coverage over the past three months that all pointed the finger at its toxic corporate culture and dysfunctional management structure.

On Monday, Uber asked its new senior vice president of engineering to resign for failing to disclose a sexual harassment allegation against him at his former post at Google.

More than a week ago, a former engineer at Uber wrote a blog post alleging that the company's human resources personnel repeatedly ignored her sexual harassment claims as the company was reluctant to punish the "high performer."

In February, Kalanick quit from Trump's business advisory council amid intense public criticism, as his membership in the council was being read as support for the billionaire president's agenda.

In January, the company's decision to cut surge pricing was perceived by many, not to mention its many immigrant drivers, as undermining a strike by a New York taxi union protesting against U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban. It also triggered a wave of trend to delete Uber's app in a way to boycott the company.

In December, Uber pulled its self-driving fleet off the road in San Francisco, California, the company's home town, after the California Department of Motor Vehicles said they were operating illegally without an autonomous vehicle licence.
Bike-sharing boom reinvigorates manufacturers [Photo/Xinhua]

China's bicycle manufacturers are poised for a resurgence thanks to the booming bike-sharing industry.

The once dominant two-wheelers have given way to cars in recent years due to China's rising middle class. However, new bike-sharing services allow commuters to escape traffic gridlock and public transit for as little as 1 yuan (about 0.15 U.S. dollar) per hour. Users can unlock bicycles with a mobile app and drop them off anywhere for the next customer.

In the past couple of years, 29 brands have sprung up, placing more than 3 million bicycles on streets around the country and wrestling for domestic market share. Demand in China is estimated at around 20 million bikes, according to Liu Xuequan, who heads the association of the bike industry in Tianjin, the country's largest bicycle manufacturing base.

New boost

"The new business has given a push to a group of traditional bike manufacturers," Liu said.

A report from Beijing-based BigData Research showed the number of shared bicycle users exceeded 18 million as of the end of 2016 and is expected to approach 50 million by the end of this year.

"When there were no bike-sharing services, we had peak and slack seasons in production. But now, we are busy all year round," said Zhang Jinying, an executive with the Tianjin-based manufacturer Flying Pigeon, a supplier for bike-sharing service Ofo.

Four Flying Pigeon factories are scheduled to produce 900,000 bikes in March, with half of the orders from bike-sharing start-ups, Zhang said, adding that the manufacturer is working to expand production capacity and hire more workers due to ever-increasing orders.

The production standard for shared bikes is higher than for ordinary ones, since shared bikes require better endurance of some parts,

according to Zhao Kun, an R&D director at Flying Pigeon.

A bicycle's service life is around two years if five users ride it each day. That may lead to 10 million bikes that need repairs per year, creating a new market for manufacturers to compete for, according to Liu Xuequan.

Management headache

Fleets of brightly-colored shared bikes are becoming ubiquitous in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

They have also secured backing from the government. China's Minister of Transport Li Xiaopeng said in late February that bike sharing is innovative and should be encouraged and supported.

However, problems have arisen when users park bikes haphazardly, tarnishing the city's image and blocking traffic.

There have been a number of news reports of angry business owners or security guards who have damaged the bikes or stacked them up because the jumbled vehicles had affected their work.

In late November, urban management officers in Chengdu City, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, confiscated nearly 200 shared bikes because they violated the city's parking regulations. A similar seizure was reported in Hangzhou City, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, in December.

Some bikes have been damaged by drivers of motorbike taxis and electric tricycles because bike-sharing has taken away their passengers. Vandals and ill-behaved bike users have also caused trouble.

A set of photos that have gone viral have exposed such acts: abandoning bikes in a river, inserting needles into the saddle, and destroying QR codes in order to steal bikes.

In one photo, a yellow bike was reduced to its basic frame after being stripped of most of its parts, with a caption saying "Well, no problem, it is for 'sharing.'"

Such vandalism has prompted police intervention. On Feb. 28, Chengdu police detained a man who ran a traditional bike rental business for burning and burying more than 10 shared bikes from various brands two days earlier.

Liu Xuequan disclosed that manufacturers are working on technical upgrades to prevent bikes from being dismantled or stolen.

Ofo founder and CEO Dai Wei said bike misuse has not created a notable loss for the company.

"During the past three months, 'inactive bikes,' which means they might have been damaged or taken home, only accounted for 1 percent of the total," he said, while calling all users to treat the vehicles nicely.

Ofo has hired workers to ensure the bikes are returned in good condition and parked properly. Rival Mobike has enlisted its users to help track down lost bikes and maintain orderly parking. Some local governments have rolled out rules to regulate parking.

Minister Li Xiaopeng said it requires joint efforts from the government, service providers and customers to maintain smooth rides for shared bikes.
New era, new chances for courier service sector [Xinhua]

China's courier service sector entered a new era with the listing of all major players, Ma Junsheng, head of the State Post Bureau (SPB), said in an interview with Xinhua.

While the overall prospects for the sector are excellent, Ma pointed out some problems and called for efforts to turn challenges into opportunities.

THE NEXT TERA-YUAN INDUSTRY

The year started with a big bang for couriers, which posted a year-on-year revenue growth of 6.2 percent, collecting 31 billion yuan (4.5 billion U.S. dollars) in January.

On Feb. 24, the listing of SF Express on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange made it the last of the top five private courier services to go public. Its share price then rose for five consecutive days.

"With more capital, the industry enters a new stage of competition and will embrace a shake-up in structure," Ma said. "Giants with all-round capabilities and reaches will emerge."

He called these the "aircraft carriers" of the sector, technology-laden heavyweights with high risk resistance, offering quality services without damaging the environment.

China has about 19,000 courier companies, most of which are vulnerable small businesses in a fragmented market. Capital inflow is revving up competition and forcing out players. SF Express, backed by the capital market, is likely to become China's answer to global leader FedEx.

By 2020, China expects to have become the world's largest express delivery market with a business revenue of 800 billion yuan. Powerhouses able to generate over 100 billion yuan a year will emerge, and the country will be home to at least two leading world brands.

Courier delivery, buoyed by prospering online shopping in rural areas and cross-border e-commerce, should be the next sector worth over a trillion yuan.

BILLIONAIRE AND FOOT-SOLDIER

Following the listing of SF Express, photos of an ordinary courier standing next to the company's founder Wang Wei went viral on the Internet.

In April 2016, the young deliver man was assaulted by a man in Beijing after his electric tricycle struck the man's car. Flanking himself with a an ordinary delivery boy, Wang, one of the country's richest men, earned himself a groundswell of plaudits.

"The happiness and sense of belonging of delivery men must not be neglected," Ma Junsheng said, hailing Wang's respect for the rank-and-file.

The event also cast light on a sector which relies on a vast legion of low paid workers whose trips, mostly by scooters and tricycles, keep China's e-commerce revolution on track.

"They lack a sense of security and turnover is high," Ma said, recalling his visits to local courier service stations over past months. "Employers must improve pay and benefits."

TOMORROW'S HIGHLIGHTS

China's courier service sector has expanded by 50 percent in each of the last six years, which has brought new challenges.

The sector is heavily dependent on e-commerce, with 65 percent of parcels generated by online shopping, said Zhao Guojun with Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications.

That reliance has meant a price war and squeezed profit margins, ultimately encroaching on the welfare of grassroots workers, said Xu Yong, an industry analyst.

As the reshuffle continues, profit margins will further drop. Gross profits have plummeted from 30 percent in 2007 to below 10 percent. Besides, the sector needs to better integrate itself with manufacturing and agriculture, Ma said,

"The industry needs reform and innovation to turn today's difficulties into tomorrow's highlights," he said.
Hershey's chocolates are displayed at a food exhibition in Changzhou, Jiangsu province. [Photo/China Daily]

Hershey Co, the biggest chocolate maker in North America, will cut about 2,700 jobs from its global work force because of declining overseas sales, especially in China where its 2013 purchase of Shanghai Golden Monkey (SGM) has turned out to be more of a problem than a business builder.

The company said on Tuesday that the implementation of its "Margin for Growth" program will reduce its global workforce of about 18,000 by approximately 15 percent, primarily in its hourly headcount outside of the US. Hershey didn't specify where the job cuts would occur.

JP Morgan analyst Ken Goldman said he believed many would come from SGM, the Associated Press reported. Hershey CEO Michele Buck said the China business would undergo a transformation over the next three years, according to Reuters.

The layoffs are part of a plan to help its international businesses "return to profitability as soon as possible" and to boost profits, Buck said.

In its fourth-quarter report released last month Hershey said North American sales, which account for 85 percent of total sales, rose 3.2 percent, but sales in China declined 16.6 percent.

Hershey began an international expansion in 2013 with the purchase of a stake in SGM, which makes and distributes Golden Monkey candy, chocolates, protein-based products and snack foods in the Chinese mainland. Eventually Hershey acquired all of SGM.

In 2015, the Pennsylvania-based maker of Hershey's Kisses, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and Kit Kat and other products, cut its profit outlook and announced the elimination of 300 jobs due to slow sales growth in China.

David Mandel, a research analyst with Consumer Edge Research LLC, said Hershey may have taken on too much with the SGM purchase.

"They added thousands of employees and eventually SGM took down the company's international business," Mandel said in an interview. "I believe Hershey will now try to build its China business through an e-commerce approach."

Mandel said that could include working more closely with Alibaba's popular Tmall platform.

Hershey was optimistic about the SGM purchase and its expansion into other emerging markets like Brazil and India, hoping to increase revenue from the international business to 25 percent from 10 percent.

"They were hit by macro-economic problems and a slowdown in the emerging markets that really had nothing to do with Hershey," said Mandel.

Buck said Hershey will take $175 million in cost savings from the cutbacks to improve operating margins in its legacy brands and expand its offerings in the $100 billion US snack market.

The company also cut its long-term sales growth forecast to between 2 percent and 4 percent, from 3 percent to 5 percent.

Hershey faces challenges in the snack market as US consumers turn to healthier eating options and shop more online, which can reduce impulse buying at a store's checkout station. The company will also have to battle competitors such as Mondelez International, Pepsico and Mars.

Hershey rejected a $23 billion takeover offer from Mondelez last year.
Tiny fossils that scientists say are the oldest ever found offer evidence of life on Earth 3.8 to 4.3 billion years ago, when our planet was still in its infancy, researchers reported on Wednesday.

Even at the more primitive end of the spectrum, "the microfossils we discovered are about 300 million years older" than any runners-up, said Dominic Papineau, a professor at University College London, who made the discovery.

Dating puts the fossils "within a few hundred million years" of the formation of the solar system, he said.

The results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature.

The emergence of life not long after Earth formed would suggest it also could emerge on watery worlds outside our solar system at comparable stages of formation, the scientists said.

"If life happened so quickly on Earth, then could we expect it to be a simple process that could start on other planets?" asked the lead author, Matthew Dodd, a graduate student at the London Centre for Nanotechnology.

Earth and Mars are believed to have had liquid water on their surfaces at the same time, he noted.

"We could expect to find evidence for past life on Mars 4 billion years ago," Dodd said.

But it may be that Earth was "just a special case", he added.

The tiny fossils  half the width of a human hair and up to half a millimeter in length  take the form of blood-red tubes and filaments formed by ocean-dwelling bacteria that fed on iron.

Locked inside white, flowerlike quartz structures known to harbor fossils, they were found along what were once warm-water vents on the ocean floor, most often in deep waters.

Such iron-rich, hydrothermal systems still exist and are home to bacteria that may be similar to those unearthed by Dodd and his colleagues.

The site of the discovery, the Nuvvuagittuq Supracrustal Belt in Canada, contains some of the oldest sedimentary rocks known on Earth.

Scientists say they formed between 3.77 and 4.29 billion years ago, and may have been the habitat for the planets first life-forms.

It is still not known when, or where, life on Earth began, but these deep-sea vents are seen as a good candidate.

Earth is thought to be about 4.57 billion years old, scientists said.
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The State Council on Friday announced the appointment and removal of several leading officials.

Ding Xuedong was appointed State Council deputy secretary-general in place of Xiao Jie.

Wang Shuangquan was named vice justice minister, and Tang Jun has replaced Liu Yuting as deputy head of China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

Guo Shuqing was appointed chairman of China Banking Regulatory Commission. Shang Fulin no longer holds the post.

Chen Gang was nominated deputy director of the Office of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project Construction Committee under the State Council.

Wang Kun was named deputy head of China Geological Survey, and Luo Liming was removed from the post of deputy director of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.
The target [By Zhai Haijun / China.org.cn]

Over the past few years, Washington has attracted the attention of the world. Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, took office on Jan. 20, and on the same day the White House website announced the objectives of the new government. In his inaugural address, Trump criticized the U.S. government and said that a small group in the nation's capital had reaped the rewards of the government while the people have borne the cost. Trump declared that he is not only transferring power from one administration to another or from one party to another, but transferring power from Washington D.C. and giving it back to the people."

The change in American leadership has aroused great concern around the world. Meanwhile, the relationship between China and the United States is becoming a hot topic.

Why is the China-U.S. relation significant to the world?

Though in his inaugural speech Trump did not outline his domestic and foreign policy in details, his emphasis on "America first" clearly shows that American foreign policy will be done based on "American interests."

As a businessman, Trump views diplomacy and the development of the United States from a commercial point of view. Due to his business-oriented mindset, Trump ignores the principle of mutual benefit and common interests, and there is no comprehensive understanding of the American alliance system.

Based on "America first" policy, Trump's domestic and foreign policy is likely to be tightening. However, internal anxiety in the United States is gradually growing, and his policies will irritate international allies. Although Trump has made a spectacular American strategic layout for the United States, how much his ignorance of mutual benefit and win-win conception will promote American development is hard to predict.

What influence does Trump have on China-U.S. relations?

Trump gave speeches on the issue of "China Threat Theory" many times during his election campaigns. He accused China of affecting U.S. employment and of deliberately depreciating the RMB exchange rate to expand exports. Facts show that Trump's attitude towards China is biased.

From 1950 to 2016, China has offered various types of aid projects worth some 40 trillion yuan to more than 50 developing countries. Since the 1980s, China has attracted total foreign investment of over 170 trillion U.S. dollars. And after the outbreak of the international financial crisis, the contribution that China has made to the development of the global economic growth is more than 30 percent. All these figures show that China's development is an opportunity for the world.

Firstly, China is the largest trading partner of more than 100 countries and regions, as well as the country with world's largest intermediate goods trade. Chinese intermediate goods trade accounted for more than 60 percent of global trade, and these goods are mainly exported to the United States and the EU, which promote labor divisions and cooperation in the global value chain.

Secondly, the expansion of market capacity, the balance of domestic investment and consumption structure push the United States and the EU as well as other developed countries to export high-quality goods and high technology to China. Finally, the "Belt and Road" initiative spurs global infrastructure investment and accelerates the productivity in the global economy.

However, Trump regards China from a competitive point of view, and thus lacks a comprehensive vision. In the era of globalization, the interests between countries are so highly integrated and interdependent that no country can develop on its own. Trump has repeatedly put pressure on China in trade policy, ignoring the China-U.S. cooperation benefits. Sino-U.S. economic and trade relations are, in reality, mutually beneficial and win-win. Conflicts on trade will only damage each party and harm others.

As a Chinese old saying goes, "Practice what you preach;" there is a similar expression in the Western world: "Desire needs to be acted upon." No matter how arduous and tortuous it can be, China and the U.S. have the responsibility to work together for the well-being of themselves and for the peaceful development of the world as a whole. As President Xi Jinping said, "As long as we persevere and step forward firmly in one direction, we will promote the construction of new Sino-U.S. relations and benefit the people of all nations."

Zhang Shenglei, PhD in International Relationships, Macau University of Science and Technology.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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Turkey will attack the Kurdish-backed militants in northern Syria's Manbij city "unless they withdraw," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday, as reported by Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency.

Turkey will strike the Peoples' Protection Units (YPG), the military wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), if they do not withdraw from Manbij, said Cavusoglu.

Syria's PYD and YPG must exit Manbij as it is the next target of the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA), said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.

Manbij is a city in the Syrian Aleppo Governorate, about 30 km south of the border between Turkey and Syria.

The city is also a previous Islamic State (IS) bastion, currently controlled by Kurdish forces.

Turkey regards the PYD and YPG as terrorist organizations due to their links to Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Turkey's army launched "Operation Euphrates Shield "on Aug. 24, 2016, in order to drive out terrorist organizations from its borders including the IS and Kurdish militants, mainly the PYD.

Turkey has repeatedly vowed to prevent PKK and PYD from establishing a corridor for terrorists on Turkey's doorstep.
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The Islamic State (IS) group withdrew from the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria on Thursday, as the Syrian army swept into the city following intense battles, a monitor group reported.

The Syrian government forces were sweeping the city in search of mines and explosive devices, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The London-based watchdog group said that explosions were still being heard inside the city due to the large number of explosives and bombs.

The Syrian army backed by Russian air forces and fighters of the Lebanese Hezbollah group unleashed a counter offensive to retake the city on Jan. 14 this year, just days after the IS militants took the city for the second time.

Last December, the group stormed the city for the second time after losing it nine months earlier to the Syrian army.

Palmyra contains monumental ruins of a great city, one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world.

The IS militants blew up several 2,000-year-old monuments and relics in Palmyra during their first and second invasion of the city in 2015 and late 2016.
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The Kurdish-backed Manbij Military Council (MMC) said Thursday it has concluded a deal with Russia to hand over areas in northern Syria to the Syrian government forces.

In a statement, the MMC said it will give control of areas near the city of Manbij in the countryside of Aleppo in northern Syria to the government forces.

Such areas are on the frontline with Turkish-backed Euphrates Shield rebels, who were closing in to dislodge the Kurdish-backed rebels out of Manbij.

This way, the army forces will be separating the Turkish-backed rebels from the Kurdish-led ones.

The separation aims at sparing the civilians the woes of confrontation between both rebel groups, and to maintain peace and security in the city of Manbij and its countryside.

It also aims at cutting the road in front of the Turkish attempts to capture more Syrian territories, according to the statement.

This comes as the Syrian army has advanced against the Islamic State (IS) group in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, reaching the outskirts of Manbij.

It coincided with progress made by the Turkish forces and allied rebel fighters against IS in the city of al-Bab in the countryside of Aleppo.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that six Turkish-backed rebels were killed a day earlier during battles with the Kurdish-led ones west of Manbij.

For his side, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu repeated previous pledges that his forces will capture Manbij, following taking al-Bab, which was the largest IS stronghold in northern Syria, near the Turkish borders.

He said during a press conference on Thursday that if the Kurdish groups didn't withdraw from Manbij, "we will shell them."

He noted that his country has an agreement with Russia that the Turkish-led forces will not advance south of al-Bab, where the Syrian army has reached recently.

Still, it's not known how the Turkish-led groups will deal with the new agreement between the MMC and Russia.

Kurdish activists said Thursday that the Turkish forces shelled the village of Olashili west of Manbij, leaving property losses.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which is backing the MMC and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said Thursday that the YPG hasn't sent reinforcements to Manbij, adding that the MMC hasn't requested for backup yet.

As part of the growing Kurdish-Turkish tension, the SDF said the Turkish-backed rebels pounded SDF-controlled areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo with mortar shells on Thursday.

Tension is growing in northern Syria between the Kurdish-supported groups and the Turkish ones, as part of Ankara's determination to curb the influence of the Kurds in northern Syria, near the Turkish borders.

On the other side, the Syrian army, which has been critic and repeatedly condemned the Turkish operations in northern Syria, is apparently coordinating with the Kurds.

Reports said that the Syrian army will open a road between Manbij and Aleppo, to facilitate trade movements between Aleppo and the northeastern part of Syria, which has for long been isolated due to the presence of IS groups.
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U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday he will recuse himself from any current or future investigations into Russia's possible link with Donald Trump's presidential campaign, one day after media reports revealed he spoke with Russian Ambassador twice last year but didn't reveal it at the Senate hearings for his confirmation.

Attorney General-designate Jeff Sessions testifies at his nomination hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the United States, Jan. 10, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

"I did meet with one Russian official a couple of times", he said at a press conference Thursday afternoon, while dismissing any accusation that he tried to mislead the Senate about his contacts with Russia.

"That is not my intent. That is not correct", he said.

His agreement to step aside from such probes "should not be interpreted as confirmation of the existence of any investigation," Sessions added.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump told reporters that he has "total" confidence in Sessions over the controversy though he "wasn't aware" that Sessions, the then Republican senator, had contact with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States at the time.

But bipartisan pressure for Sessions to resign or step aside from such investigations is mounting as top Democrats at the Capitol, Nancy Pelosi in the House and Chuck Schumer in the Senate, urged him to depart.

Sessions lied under oath at the Senate hearings, Pelosi accused earlier Thursday.

Schumer said the Justice Department should appoint a special prosecutor to examine whether the ongoing probe has been compromised by Sessions.

Sessions spoke on the phone privately with Russian Ambassador to Washington from his office in September, said media reports Wednesday night.

Two months before the phone talk, Sessions also met with Kislayk and talked to him informally when attending an event held at conservative think tank Heritage Foundation along with 50 other ambassadors, Session's spokeswoman Sara Isgur Flores has confirmed. "It was short and informal," the spokeswoman said Wednesday night, adding that as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee at the time, Sessions regularly met foreign ambassadors.

"I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It's false", Sessions released a statement around midnight in a failed attempt to count down the new wave of political storm.

During the Senate hearings earlier this year, when asked what he would do if he learned a member of Trump's campaign had communicated with the Russian government over the course of the 2016 campaign, Sessions responded: "I'm not aware of any of those activities ... I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians."

Officials at the Justice Department said Sessions did not consider his talks with Kislyak relevant to the lawmakers' questions and did not remember their discussion in detail.

Sessions was an early Trump supporter and one of his top advisers during the New York billionaire's campaign last year.

Trump's first National Security Adviser Michael Flynn stepped down last month after it was reported that he had discussed U.S. sanctions with Kislyak in December, and misled Vice President Mike Pence about the details.
Kilamba, c. 2012 Anyone who has been to Luanda knows that the city lacks housing. The hotels are extremely expensive, and researchers h...
Ministry calls on retailer to abide by local laws

Beijing on Thursday strongly urged Seoul to halt the installation of an advanced US anti-missile system, and called on involved South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group to comply with local laws when operating in China.

China's Ministry of Commerce spokesman Sun Jiwen made the remarks on Thursday at a news conference amid Chinese netizens' anxiety and anger, stirred up by South Korea's planned deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, whose radar was reportedly able to cover parts of China and Russia.

South Korea signed a land swap deal on Tuesday with Lotte for the missile shield.

"South Korea's THAAD deployment plan not only gravely undermines China's strategic security interests, but also hurts the two countries' bilateral cooperation," Sun said.

He called on South Korea to "stop going further on the wrong path".

"We understand the legitimate concerns of the relevant parties in maintaining their own safety, but one country's security should not come at the sacrifice of another," Sun continued.

In the grip of the overriding sentiment, quite a few Chinese netizens expressed their opposition to Lotte's products and services.

In response to the simmering anger, Sun said, the government welcomes all foreign companies, including those headquartered in South Korea, to do business in China, and will always protect their legitimate rights.

"But the premise is that the enterprises must comply with Chinese laws", Sun added.

Lotte, South Korea's fifth largest conglomerate, has suffered sluggish retail business in the Chinese market, with its same store sale growth shrinking by 14 percent last year at year-on-year basis.

Lotte has opened 115 supermarkets in China since entering the country in 1994. It planned to close three retail stores in China in 2017 due to its declining performance in 2016, the company said earlier.

Being a latecomer to China's highly competitive retail market, Lotte has less than a 1 percent market share in the country, due to limited advantages in terms of location, merchandise and price, according to Jason Yu, general manager of market research firm Kantar Worldpanel China.

Last December, the group called an end to a $2.6 billion-worth theme-park project in Shenyang, Liaoning province.

Zhao Ping, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, under the Ministry of Commerce, said that from a long-term perspective, the incident would have limited impact on China-South Korean economic and trade relations.

Trade volume between China and South Korea was 166.7 billion yuan in 2016, down 2.7 percent from a year earlier, according to Customs data. China is South Korea's largest trade partner.
Joggers and pedestrians cross Westminster Bridge beside the Houses of Parliament and the Big Ben clock tower in London, UK, July 20, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Strengthening relations with Beijing is vital for the British capital, amid the uncertainty of Brexit, said the Lord Mayor of the City of London following his visit to China.

Andrew Parmley said he hopes to use his year as Lord Mayor to promote teaching of Mandarin in the United Kingdom's schools and to encourage British tourists to visit China.

Andrew Parmley, Lord Mayor of the City of London. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"Through understanding comes tolerance and friendship," he told China Daily on Tuesday.

His trip to Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Hong Kong included discussions about financial cooperation, green finance, financial technology and renminbi internationalization. Parmley described the meetings as productive.

"There is great scope for collaboration," he said. "We have experience in financial services, setting up financing vehicles and consultancy, and China has experience in major infrastructure development.

"We hope to be involved in all aspects. Every time I visit a country I say, 'give us your shopping list of things you hope to find to your benefit and we will find a team of financiers in London for it'."

Parmley's embrace of language and culture highlights a difference in his background from previous lord mayors, who have often been drawn from the banking sector. Parmley, who was born in Manchester in 1956, has been head of music at four secondary schools, and is an honorary fellow and visiting professor at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, a performance arts school in the center of London's financial district.

The Lord Mayor's visit came with London facing significant threats to its financial sector. The Brussels-based think tank Bruegel estimates the City of London could lose 30,000 financial jobs as European Union clients move business worth 1.8 trillion euros ($1.9 trillion) to the continent following the UK's departure from the EU.

Although Chinese financial institutions in London have not publicly talked about how Brexit might affect them, they are also threatened by it.

If the UK loses its passporting rightsthe right to sell financial services freely in the EUChinese banks may no longer finance European deals through their London branches. Renminbi products issued in London could also become a hard sell for European institutional investors and funds with mandates to only invest in European domiciled assets.

But having a good relationship with China could unleash new opportunities, such as the financing of business deals within countries impacted by the Belt and Road Initiative, an infrastructure plan that extends from Asia to Europe.

The UK government said last year it would invest up to 40 million pounds ($49.04 million) in the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which finances projects in the Belt and Road region.

Meanwhile, the City's financial experts expect London to still have much to offer China, especially through its ability to help internationalize the use of the renminbi.

"As the main hub for the offshore trading of the yuan, London will also be the incubator for modern financial products, including new financial technologies and green finance among others," said Jan Dehn, head of research at London-based Ashmore Investment Management.
BEIJINGCindat Capital Management Ltd, a Chinese investment firm focusing on overseas property, is seeking to spend $2 billion this year on elderly homes in the United States to capitalize on an ageing population.

The Beijing-based company, backed by bad-loan manager China Cinda Asset Management Co, is evaluating two investments of about $1 billion each into senior housing properties in the US, Co-Founder and CEO Greg Peng said.

"This is probably the only sector in the US where the supply has not met the fundamental demand," Peng said in an interview Wednesday in Hong Kong. "When the baby boomers turn 70 in the next five to 10 years, there'll be a huge increase in the old-age population, driving demand for senior health-care real estate."

The US population over 65 is projected to increase 18 percent in the five years through 2020 to reach 56 million, according to the US Census Bureau. Other Chinese investors have also been making acquisitions of senior housing and nursing homes in the country, with Taikang Insurance Group agreeing in November to buy a $1 billion stake in NorthStar Realty Finance Corp's health-care real estate portfolio.

Cindat teamed up with Beijing-based Union Life Insurance Co for a $930 million deal announced the same month to buy a 75 percent stake in a portfolio of US elderly homes owned by Welltower Inc. The assets include 11 senior housing properties leased to Brookdale Senior Living Inc and 28 post-acute care and nursing homes leased to Genesis Healthcare Inc.

The Chinese firm targets an annual nominal return of at least 10 percent from its senior housing portfolio, Cindat Managing Director Allan He said in the same interview.

"The investment returns are much higher compared with commercial properties, whose returns are usually capped at single-digit," He said. About 15 percent of the US population over 65 currently lives in elderly homes, a penetration rate that's set to rise, according to He.

BLOOMBERG
A potential homebuyer checks out a property project in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Dec 17, 2016. [Asianewsphoto by Long Wei]

HANGZHOU - Authorities in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou on Thursday unveiled more steps to restrict housing purchases in a bid to cool down the property market.

Hangzhou bureau of housing security and management announced that as of Friday, people without local "hukou" (permanent residence permits) need records of two years of income tax and social security payments made in the last three years if they want to buy a house there. Currently they only need to have paid for one of the previous two years to be eligible.

Those with local hukou are to be banned from buying third homes.

The bureau also expanded the ban to cover two more districts. Since the city resumed housing purchase restrictions in most of its urban areas in September 2016, large number of home buyers bought houses in Fuyang and Dajiangdong districts. Non-local buyers made more than 40 percent of purchases in Dajiangdong in the past three months, according to tmsf.com, a Hangzhou-based housing market research institute.

Similar purchase restrictions have been introduced in Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong.

Second-home sales in Shenzhen slumped 37.7 percent month on month, or 71.4 percent year on year, to 242,085 square meters in February, according to the city urban planning, land and resources commission.

Despite the decline in sales, the average prices remained resilient, edging up 0.7 percent month on month to 54,500 yuan ($7,900) per square meter.

Wang Feng, head of the Shenzhen real estate research center, said further tightening measures were expected, and prices in Shenzhen would likely fall about 5 percent in the first half of the year.

But in the mid- and long-term, the Shenzhen market will continue to boom, said Wang.
KATHMANDU - Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Jin Liqun said on Thursday that the China-sponsored bank has an important role to play in teaming up with governments and international organizations to address infrastructure challenges of the countries like Nepal.

Nepal faces infrastructure deficit up to $18 billion in this decade, having one of the poorest infrastructures in South Asia, according to a World Bank study.

Nepal, an AIIB founding member, is seeking financing from the bank to address this gap.

Addressing the Nepal Investment Summit on Thursday, Jin said that the AIIB was committed to work with Nepalese government and the private sector to make meaningful differences in Nepal's economic and social development through investment in infrastructure and other productive sectors.

According to the Nepalese officials, the AIIB has initiated process for lending to two of the five projects proposed by Nepal -- one on urban infrastructure development and the other related to electricity distribution system improvement.

Jin insisted the ethos of AIIB, saying the bank promotes lean, clean and green governance.

"As a multilateral development bank, a part of our job is to help countries to pick the projects that would help social and economic outcomes without environmental degradation and global warming," he said.

During the summit, Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said "Nepal is prioritizing to create good political environment for investors as well as introduce rules and regulations friendly to local and foreign investors."

Nepalese Industry Minister Nabindra Raj Joshi explained about investment in Nepal saying that the Himalayan country is one of the most open economies in South Asia.

"We allow 100 percent foreign ownership in most of the sectors. Our tax rates are lower than most of the countries in South Asia. The government is receptive to the constructive ideas coming from the investors. The reforms in our system and procedures are on-going," he said.

After introducing Industrial Enterprise Act, Special Economic Zones Act, Nepal is in the final process of introducing new company law. "This is expected to expect to make the exit easier and faster," said Joshi.
HANOI - High hopes are pinned on China to spur world trade and economic growth in the context of rising populism and simmering sentiment against globalization, said analysts.

China's strength against negative changes

"Britain leaving the European Union and Donald Trump becoming the US president signal the rise of populism, anti-globalization, objection of free migration and trade protectionism," said Do Tien Sam, editor in chief of the China Research Journal published by the Institute for Chinese Studies in Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, in a recent interview.

As an expert who has studied China for a long time, Sam said China's economic development is based on the three pillars of exports, investment and consumption.

"Among the three pillars, consumption plays a great role. Chinese people consume goods and commodities, which creates attraction, confidence for investors, as well as for other developing countries," said the expert.

In spite of difficulties in exports amid rising protectionism, China's "huge spending power" ensures it has a better position to deal with the challenge than others, said Sam.

Sam pointed out that if China can maintain its economic growth at 6.5-7 percent a year, it will be a contribution to the world economy, especially in the context of rising trade protectionism.

China has benefited from globalization, and now China will be the one that continues to boost globalization and shares its achievements with other countries, said the expert.

When talking about the coming meetings of China's National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference this month, Sam said they are of great importance in adopting measures to tackle profound changes in the world.

Active pursuit for common benefit

Public services proposed by China such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) are being recognized and welcomed by the world, said Chen Fengying, a research fellow at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

"In global governance, China has become an active participant and builder ... China's blueprint is not only for its own development but also that of the world as a whole," said Chen.

China has also been easing the inflow of foreign capital as part of efforts to facilitate its opening-up, reducing restrictive measures and opening more sectors.

China announced in January the modification of the Catalogue of Industries for Guiding Foreign Investment and related regulations to considerably lower the threshold for foreign investment in services, manufacturing and mining sectors.

Addressing a meeting in Beijing on Monday, Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan promised more efforts in briskly introducing foreign investment.

This includes propelling the development of free trade zones, pushing for reforms in foreign investment management, and improving the business environment, said Zhong.

Foreign direct investment on the Chinese mainland rose 4.1 percent year on year last year.

Overseas analysts have credited the Chinese leadership for accurate and coherent policies in the country's development.

Amid changing regional and international situations with numerous challenges, China has managed to gain enormous accomplishments under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said Tran Viet Thai, deputy director of the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.

"It is a huge effort, bravery and determination," said Thai.
Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan receives an interview before the opening of the fifth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, on Mar 3, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING  China will adjust the growth pattern in foreign trade from simply expanding the volume to improving structural quality, China's new Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said on Friday.

The Ministry of Commerce will make further efforts to strengthen China's role as a big trading nation and push for its increasing prowess in the sector, Zhong said on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

China's foreign trade has stabilized and returned to growth in recent months, but concerns are looming on rising trade protectionism in some countries that is likely to bring uncertainties to the outlook.

In a good start to 2017, China's foreign trade reached 2.18 trillion yuan (about $316.4 billion) in January, up 19.6 percent year-on-year.

Last year, total export and import value decreased 0.9 percent year-on-year to 24.33 trillion yuan, narrowing down from a 7 percent decline in 2015.

Zhong was appointed commerce minister to replace Gao Hucheng last month.
Andy Polansky, chief executive officer of Weber Shandwick. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Weber Shandwick leads from front in fast-moving market, says its chief

Disrupted by the wave of digital transformation coursing through industry, gone are the days when public relations professionals could solely focus on helping a client navigate a steady course within a predictable set of known business challenges.

But Andy Polansky, chief executive officer of Weber Shandwick, said his profession has never been needed moreor held in higher regardand for very good reason.

Marketers nowadays face a dazzling pace of change and ever-shifting and variable situations, where a single tweet can easily threaten a business reputation that's been decades in the making. But it is such uncertainty that makes offering solutions and strategic advice for brands more valuable than ever before.

With a history of 20 years in China, Weber Shandwick does not position itself as a traditional PR firm, distributing press releases and organizing media conferences. Polansky said it is instead a combination of designers, strategists, conversation-starters and storytellers, enabling homegrown brands and multinational corporations to grow a business or establish an international presence in the digital age.

Helping to serve the Olympics project in Beijing and the World Expo in Shanghai, Polansky's team knows intimately the complex dynamics of the Chinese market. He is launching what he says are some of the group's most pioneering programs in China before rolling them out to other markets.

The following are edited excerpts of the interview with Polansky:

What do you see as the major changes of the PR industry today?

First of all, social media is becoming a more serious business. The days of simply using it as a general content and conversational channel are over. But rather, platforms are a means to material ends, shifting coverage agendas, breaking news, micro-targeting ads, etc.

Second, brands lacking a business-driven, digital content strategy, and the data driven operations behind it will stumble, losing out to their competitors.

What are the emerging trends among Chinese brands on the PR front?

One thing for sure is that mobile will continue to drive plenty of conversation and investment. China is at the forefront of the whole mobile transformation, so there have been demands for multi-platform campaigns. So we coined a term called 3C: establish content suitable for mobile platforms, identify the right community to engage with them and then close what we call the commerce loop.

For instance, we helped a coffee brand establish a presence in China, not through traditional advertising. We opened a WeChat store first. We add creative content through the WeChat posts and build a strong fan base, so that when they think of buying coffee machines they can think of the brand and shop online.

What are the initiatives you first created in China and then used for the rest of the world?

Apart from 3C we also unveiled a key opinion leader network called Kloud, an influencer management tool, first in China, to engage leaders in the digital landscape. It's an in-house database of around 20,000 key opinion leaders.

With millions of social media followers in China and around the world, many Chinese influencers wield enormous power in the market. Yet brands in China have found it challenging to manage the large number of influencers in varied categories in a strategic, concerted way.

So we created this influencer engagement tool that assists organizations overcome this challenge, by identifying and tapping into relevant key opinion leaders, and using big data to spot passion points, topics, and trends as they emerge.

What is your competitive edge over your rivals?

Our strategy is to be a high-performing company and win market share, and that's not just within the realms of traditional public relations companies. I see Weber Shandwick as a major player in the broader marketing services industry. So we are thinking about digital and social media and look for opportunities to extend beyond the public relations sector.

Another strength we have is deep specialization. If you look at different industry sectorslike healthcare, technology, financial serviceswhat makes our business distinctive is that we have people who come from these industries. We have PhDs from the pharmaceutical industry, we have people who were working for banks, we also have a lot of former journalists. The most important thing is fostering collaboration in that culture. That's very hard to replicate from a competitive standpoint.

Are you optimistic about business in China?

Yes, I am optimistic. If you look at the public relations industry overall, there's been tremendous growth over the last five years. My view is that we will continue to escalate our growth over the next couple of years.

Currently a quarter of our clients are Chinese companies, up from merely 5 percent a decade ago. We may see lower growth rates, but there are always challenges in managing any businessand we think we see a lot of opportunities here, notably in areas like healthcare, consumer, and technology. We continue to evolve our model and we continue to bring in new talents.

We are also seeing a maturing trend in the industry. Clients used to hire PR firms for perhaps something very specific, like a product launch or a new service offering. Now companies look at their partnerships with the agencies much more holistically and in much broader terms. They have big aspirations, such as in trying to consider what their overall narrative is, or in shaping what their key message is to all the stakeholders, etc.

In terms of PR, what are your suggestions for Chinese companies going overseas?

We've seen Chinese companies naturally become much more acquisitive on the global stage, much more aggressive in establishing a major presence. And the great thing we see about Chinese clients is that they are much quicker and adopt a more scientific process in decision-making than they used to. I have two suggestions.

The first is about adaptation: understanding the media environment that is changing all the time and getting immersed in the culture. Storytelling is the dominant model of communications in most Western markets. Chinese companies need to understand the way local audiences consume information and what will attract their attention. Another big trend is to focus on employee engagement.

Companies increasingly recognize that employees are the ambassadors for their company. We are supporting them on how to communicate to their employees first, so that they are able to carry the same message to customers and out into the market.

What is your biggest achievement as CEO?

The biggest achievement is spearheading Weber Shandwick's transformation and continuing drive to become the leading international public relations and communications firm built for the digital age.

I started as a journalist and I always had an interest in communications even before starting my career. If you are an intellectually curious person, you want to learn about issues and the job gives you the opportunity be exposed to different types of industries and companies. But the thing that I enjoyed the most is building a great team and a great culture, and that's where we've had a lot of success.

How has the Belt and Road Initiative affected your business and market opportunities? How has globalization benefited your business?

This ambitious platform will create many opportunities for Chinese companies and for multinationals looking to expand their businesses across Asia and Europe. We are currently assisting a growing number of Chinese organizations to deepen their overseas involvement in sectors that will benefit from this sweeping push, and look forward to providing communications and strategic support to new and existing clients as the program unfolds.

What are your hobbies during leisure time?

One of my favorite activities is kayaking. It is great exercise and mirrors what life is about: sometimes the wind is behind you and you are moving fast, sometimes you are paddling hard and not advancing much but considering the possibilities, and at other times with a light wind you sense you are drifting along and know you must paddle harder.

What is your management philosophy?

Lead by example, with a strong work ethic, a collaborative spirit and a people-centric style. I think it's critical to get perspectives from the team. I do a lot of listening.

CV

Age: 55

Nationality: US

Career:

2012 onwards: Global CEO of Weber Shandwick

200412: Global President of Weber Shandwick

200104: President, North America of Weber Shandwick and Chair, Global Practices

19982001: President, North America of BSMG Worldwide

198398: General manager/other leadership positions at Bozell PR and Bozell Sawyer Miller Group

1982-83: Business writer for the Princeton Packet in Princeton, New Jersey

1981-82: Part-time municipal reporter for the Bucks County Courier Times in Pennsylvania

1980-81: Part-time sportswriter at The Trentonian in Trenton, New Jersey

Education: Bachelor of Arts, College of New Jersey

Family: Married with two children
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd displays its TVs at the CES show in Las Vegas, Nevada. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is speeding up its layout into the home appliances sector in Chinaranging from televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, air purifiers and robot vacuum cleanersas it continues its efforts to put behind it the global recall of its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone last year, triggered by reports of explosions involving the product.

"It is the 25th year since Samsung entered the Chinese market," the president of Samsung Electronics China, Bae Kyung-tae, told the Samsung Forum 2017 in Shanghai on Thursday.

"We are accelerating localization in research, factories and design to offer products that cater to the demand of Chinese customers," he said.

Samsung said it always regarded China as one of its most important markets in the world, and invested long-term resources and advanced technologies in the mainland.

The South Korean consumer electronics giant put emphasis at the forum on its QLED (quantum dot light emitting diodes) TV, considered as a next generation display technology after OLED displays given its enhanced picture quality.

Liu Junguang, vice-president of Samsung Electronics 's TV business in China, said sales of its curved-screen TV in China witnessed a growth of 87 percent year-on-year in 2016, while QLED sales increased by 91 percent in 2016 compared with previous year.

Samsung unveiled a new 75-inch QLED TV model at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. Kim Hyun-suk, president of the visual display business at Samsung Electronics, said at the show this year would mark a major paradigm shift in the visual display industry, ushering in the era of QLED.

In the TV content field, the company is in partnership with Mango TV, the Hunan-based online video streaming platform and iQiyi.com Inc, to provide plenty of video content which includes TV series, films and variety shows.
Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo, participates in a panel discussion at the 2015 Fortune Global Forum in San Francisco , US, Nov 3, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

SAN FRANCISCOYahoo is punishing CEO Marissa Mayer and parting ways with its top lawyer for the mishandling of two security breaches that exposed the personal information of more than 1 billion users and already have cost the company $350 million.

Mayer won't be paid her annual bonus nor receive a potentially lucrative stock award because a Yahoo investigation concluded her management team reacted too slowly to one breach discovered in 2014.

Yahoo's general counsel, Ronald Bell, resigned without severance pay for his department's lackadaisical response to the security lapses.

Alex Stamos, Yahoo's top security officer at the time of the 2014 breach, left the company in 2015.

Although Yahoo's security team uncovered evidence that a hacker backed by an unnamed foreign government had pried into user accounts in 2014, executives "failed to act sufficiently" on that knowledge, according to the results of an internal investigation disclosed on Wednesday. At that time, Yahoo only notified 26 people that their accounts had been breached.

The report didn't identify the negligent executives, but it chastised the company's legal department for not looking more deeply into the 2014 breach. Because of that, the incident "was not properly investigated and analyzed at the time," the report said.

Bell declined to comment through his spokeswoman, Marcy Simon.

Yahoo didn't disclose the 2014 breach until last September when it began notifying at least 500 million users that their email addresses, birth dates, answers to security questions, and other personal information may have been stolen. Three months later, Yahoo revealed it had uncovered a separate hack in 2013 affecting about 1 billion accounts, including some that were also hit in 2014.

The breaches, the two biggest in internet history, have already exacted a major toll.

Yahoo already lowered the sales price of its email and other digital services to Verizon Communications from $4.83 billion to $4.48 billion to account for the potential backlash from the breaches. That deal was reached last July, two months before Verizon and the rest of the world learned about Yahoo's lax security.

More than 40 lawsuits also have been filed seeking damages for the breaches. If Yahoo's sale to Verizon is completed as expected later this year, a successor company called Altaba Inc will be responsible for paying those legal claims.

Yahoo's handling and disclosure of the breaches is also under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission. The Sunnyvale, California, company said it has spent $16 million investigating the breaches and covering the legal expenses so far.

In a blog post on Yahoo's Tumblr service, Mayer said she didn't learn about the scope of the breaches until September and then tried to set things right. "However, I am the CEO of the company and since this incident happened during my tenure, I have agreed to forgo my annual bonus and my annual equity grant," Mayer wrote.

In its report, Yahoo's board said it decided to withhold a cash bonus that otherwise would have been paid to her. Mayer is eligible to receive a bonus of up to $2 million annually. The board said it accepted Mayer's offer to relinquish her annual stock award, which is typically worth millions of dollars.

Mayer said she wants the board to distribute her bonus to Yahoo's entire workforce of 8,500 employees. The board didn't say if it would do so.

Losing her bonus and annual stock award probably won't be too painful for Mayer, who is already rich after working for more than a decade as a top executive at Google and then as Yahoo's CEO for the past four-and-a-half years. She is also in line for a $44 million severance package if she doesn't go to work for Verizon after the sale closes.

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Deputies to the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) from Northeast China's Heilongjiang province arrive at Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, March 2, 2017. The fifth annual session of the 12th NPC will open on March 5. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) are gathering in Beijing for the top legislature's annual session, which will open on Sunday.

NPC delegations from outside Beijing all arrived in the capital on Thursday, and preparations for the session are complete, according to the press center of the fifth session of the 12th NPC.

Deputies from Northeast China's Heilongjiang province were the first to arrive.

NPC deputies are elected by people's congresses of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. The armed forces elect their own. Deputies from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan follow separate election rules decided by the NPC.

Lawmaker Tan Zhijuan, a researcher on agriculture from Heilongjiang, has brought two bills, one on agricultural cooperatives and the other on supply-side structural reform in the agricultural sector.

Lawmaker Weng Guoxing from East China's Fujian province, a medical doctor, said this year he would continue to focus his attention on health reform.

Documents for the meeting are translated into seven ethnic minority languages, including Mongolian, Tibetan and Uygur, and several foreign languages, including English, French, Russian and Spanish.

The NPC session will deal principally with the government work report, the central government budget and draft General Provisions of Civil Law.

The government work report will be delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the opening of the session when growth targets for the year will be unveiled.

The draft General Provisions of Civil Law have gone through three readings since June last year and are expected to be approved.
Both are needed to achieve effective governance of the internet, says official

Adhering to the principle of sovereignty does not go against the free flow of information, a Foreign Ministry official said on Thursday.

The pursuit of such a free flow and ensuring China's public security and interests should both be addressed to achieve effective governance of cyberspace, said Long Zhou, the Foreign Ministry's coordinator for cyber affairs, during a media briefing.

Long elaborated during the briefing on the International Strategy of Cooperation on Cyberspace, which was issued on Wednesday and is China's first international strategy on cyber issues.

Sovereignty is among the key principles put forward in the strategy.

"Countries should respect one another's right to choose their own path of cyber development, model of cyber regulation and internet public policies, and participate in international cyberspace governance on an equal footing," the strategy says.

It also says China fully respects citizens' rights and fundamental freedoms in cyberspace, while emphasizing that cyberspace "is not a place beyond the rule of law".

Long reiterated that the principle of sovereignty applies to cyberspace, and said it helps governments play "irreplaceable roles", such as protecting key infrastructure and fighting cybercrime.

Wang Jianchao, deputy director-general of the Bureau of International Cooperation of the Cyberspace Administration of China, said: "Just like the real world, cyberspace needs not only the advocacy of freedom, but also the assurance of order."

Countries' pattern of internet development should be based on their own circumstances, Wang said.

China hopes to work with all countries in the spirit of "win-win cooperation" - which the strategy set as its "core message" - to achieve lasting peace and shared prosperity of cyberspace, Long said.

He said international cooperation is "the only choice" for countries to deal with challenges and threats on the internet, including cyberterrorism and cybercrime.
Following the completion of an eight-month renovation project, Beijing's most notorious "haunted house" is expected to have new tenants after years of being abandoned.

The property, situated at 81 Chaoyangmen Inner Street, was originally built in 1910 by the French and is owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Beijing.

The property consists of two three-story buildings that were once used as a private residence, a school and later, a church hospital, said Fang Yuan, manager of Kongjianjia, the property's rental agency.

However, it was abandoned at some point between 1995 and 1997, and the lack of funding led to the lack of renovation over the years, Fang said.

With the property left abandoned up until last year, rumors circulated over the years that it was haunted. The property was even featured in the 2014 movie The House That Never Dies about paranormal happenings in abandoned mansions. The property had become a tourist attraction, with brave visitors from home and abroad venturing inside on exploration tours.

Meng Qi, the archdiocese's director of infrastructure, said the widely circulated ghost stories about the property are fictional. Zhao Zisong, a nearby resident, agreed: "No one living in the area was bothered by the rumors."

In 2012, Beijing's cultural heritage division initiated a project to renovate the property, which was listed as a historic and cultural site in 2009.

After renovation work from April to November last year, the European-style buildings are now equipped with modern facilities. The hardwood floor, large windows and painted walls leave no trace of the sad state the place was in previously.

The property has been listed on the agent's website as costing 10 million yuan ($1.45 million) a year to rent.

But after local media reported on it being ready for rent on Wednesday, it attracted numerous visitors the next day, including a film crew checking out the location with a view to shooting scenes for a new movie, and two teams who made live broadcasts on the property.

Wang Chenggang, vice-chairman of a Beijing-based company that specializes in urban infrastructure projects, said he went to check the property first thing on Thursday after reading about the renovation online the day before.

"It is rare to find such European-style buildings in Beijing nowadays, although the modern interior makes it seem less mysterious than it sounds. It is well located and spacious, although the price is high," Wang said.

Fang said the agency is not concerned about the property's reputation for being a "haunted house" scaring away potential tenants. "We are already discussing prices with two possible tenants," she added.

Guo Xiaojun contributed to this story.
Wang Guoqing, spokesman for the Fifth Session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, answers reporters' questions at a news conference for the session in Beijing on Thursday. More than 3,000 journalists, including 1,250 from overseas, are covering the annual political meetings this year.

Tensions in region eased since relations with Philippines were repaired last year

The concern about "freedom of navigation" in the South China Sea is "much ado about nothing", a spokesman for the annual session of the top political advisory body said at a news conference in Beijing on Thursday.

"There is an old Chinese saying that 'There's no trouble in the world, except for what the unenlightened agitate'," said Wang Guoqing, spokesman for the Fifth Session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, when asked about how China can ensure navigational freedom in the South China Sea.

"As a major trading nation and the biggest country along the South China Sea, China attaches more importance than any other country to navigational freedom and security in the South China Sea," Wang said.

He said the accusation of "China threatening navigational freedom", which has been raised by some nations, is a "fake proposition", as there have never been problems in that regard since China took back its islands in the South China Sea after World War II.

Stressing that the South China Sea islands are an integral part of China's territory, Wang said that it is "perfectly normal" for China to build facilities, including those necessary for defensive purposes, on its own territory.

The civilian facilities China has built on the South China Sea islands, such as lighthouses, have played a positive role in guaranteeing navigation safety and humanitarian rescue, Wang added.

On Feb 12, the US Navy Times reported that the United States navy was planning to dispatch warships to the South China Sea for "freedom of navigation" operations.

Last month, the USS Carl Vinson Nimitz-class carrier strike group began patrolling the South China Sea.

Luo Yongkun, a researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that since relations between Beijing and Manila were repaired last year after the new Philippine administration came to power, tensions in the South China Sea have been eased.

"The waters are at peace now, but Washington sent its carrier here in the name of protecting navigational freedom. It is obvious that we are not the one destabilizing the region."

Xinhua contributed to this story.
Zhao Xihai at a national award ceremony for the country's environmental role models in 2007.Du Yang / Xinhua

Former logger sets goal to improve ecology of area after having a change of heart

After spending almost half his life chopping down trees in Jilin province, Zhao Xihai decided it was time to make a change.

In 1989, the former logger and explosives worker formulated a plan to mitigate some of the damage he had done to the environment over the years - he would plant 100,000 trees before turning 70.

In the first spring following his retirement, Zhao bought 46,000 seedlings and set about planting them on a barren tract of land on Bagua Hill, 3 kilometers away from his home.

He set himself the goal of planting 1,000 seedlings per day, waking at 4 am each morning to walk to the hill, armed only with a shovel and some painkillers for his chronic stomach problems.

Every day for 46 days, come rain or shine, Zhao went to the hill to plant more trees, eating only small bites of snacks for sustenance and drinking from nearby streams.

He succeeded in completing his task in the time allocated, despite passing out from hunger and exhaustion one rainy day and having to be carried home by a neighbor.

Once the first 46,000 seedlings had been planted, Zhao continued with his task - albeit at a slower pace.

He persisted even after having a blood clot on the brain in 2004, which left him walking with a stick, telling his son: "I will not stop planting as long as I can move."

By 2007, Zhao had achieved his goal of planting 100,000 trees, but he did not stop there. Joined by his 36-year-old son Zhao Jingchun, who had recently been laid off, he set himself a new mission - to plant 1 million trees, including a number of rare or unusual species.

Within four years, the pair had managed to cultivate 750,000 seedlings, inspiring Zhao Xihai to present his son with a flag honoring his dedication and symbolizing the passing of responsibility to the younger generation.

In March last year, Zhao Xihai was hospitalized after his blood clot returned. He lost the ability to talk and now requires 24-hour care.

His son has vowed to continue his legacy, however, and is on schedule to plant his 1 millionth tree this year, according to Jilin's Hongshi Bureau of Forestry.

Some have questioned why Zhao Jingchun continues to plant trees when he has no income and a 13-year-old son to support. The entire family is also reliant on Zhao Xihai's pension.

"Planting trees will be beneficial for generations to come, therefore it is worth all the hardships - that's what my father would say," he said.

Guo Xiaojun contributed to this story.
With the hope of sending their children to the world's renowned universities and escaping from the stressful competition of the National Higher Education Entrance Exam, more parents are sending their children to international schools despite the colossal expenses. [File photo]

The once peripheral status of international schools in China has had a growing reputation among wealthy families across the country.

With the hope of sending their children to the world's renowned universities and escaping from the stressful competition of the National Higher Education Entrance Exam, more parents are sending their children to international schools despite the colossal expenses.

But will international schools truly lead the way to the world's prestigious educational institutes? The answer is definitely "no".

Despite a kaleidoscope of reasons for sending children to international schools, parents are beginning to realize that an international education is an irreversible course.

Admission to international schools is an opportunity available to rich families only. According to Zheng Yonghua, whose daughter is at an international school in Shanghai, the cost of the international school she attends is about 20 times the expense of a Chinese education. The tuition -- in addition to boarding, living, extracurricular learning and overseas travelling -- is at least 100,000 yuan (US$14,540) a year.

But money alone cannot have a final say.

As the size of applications to international schools has surged during the past few years, schools have tightened their admissions by denying candidates with no foreign identities or backgrounds. Moreover, parents are asked to be highly involved in community services and school curricula, and the children should also have a basic command of English that enables them to communicate in classes.

"It is ridiculous to have a child apply for international schooling without speaking English," Zheng Yonghua said, explaining that the lessons and programs in the schools are all in English.

Beijing Huijia Private School was among the first privately owned international schools in China. It began to open pedagogic lessons for those who expected to be accredited with foreign diplomas in 1997. From then on, international schools have flourished. There are also international classes in Chinese high schools.

Bao Xiaojuan, who used to teach in international schools, said, "The segregation among students in international schools is severe, as the children only befriend with those who speak the same language. So there are English groups, Chinese groups and French groups."

According to Bao, due to the lower levels of discipline compared to Chinese schools, many students in international schools indulge in hedonism.

A report on those who wish to study aboard while attending high schools, initiated by Fan Aiai from the Graduate School of Education, Peking University revealed that students applying for international study are usually those ranked between 26 and 50 percent with regards to grades. They are from wealthy families with annual incomes above 500,000 yuan ($ 72,730.45).

But once they choose to be international students, they have decided a future in which they can no longer take part in the National Higher Education Entrance Exam and have to study abroad at young ages -- a track they have difficulty changing, the report disclosed.
Group marriages are quite common, but have you ever heard of group divorces?

That's exactly what's happened in a village in East China's Jiangsu province, but it's not because the couples don't want to live together anymore.

When it was announced that a new hi-tech zone was to be built in the area, the villagers discovered that their homes were going to be demolished, and that they would all be eligible for compensations.

According to the rules, each couple would be entitled to a 220 square-meter house as relocation compensation. But it turned out that if that couple got divorced, apart from the house, the other partner would also be given a 70 square-meter home and 131,000 yuan (about $19,036 dollars) in financial compensation too, reports the Nanjing Morning Post.

So, the majority of the village's 160 or so couples filed for divorce just to get a better deal, says the local paper.

From newlyweds to seniors, the couples of the Jiangbei village agreed that as long as they could get more compensation, their "fake divorces " would not be in vain.

One man in his 80s said he and his partner have had a good marriage, but still, they got divorced.

Another villager said he wasn't concerned about whether he could successfully remarry his wife in the future.

"Everybody (in the village) is doing this, we will deal with other things later," he told the Nanjing Morning Post.

It's reported that most of the divorced couples still live together.

However, there may be a problem with their plan.

According to housing demolition and relocation regulations, if a couple's divorce registration was administered by a local office of civil affairs, only those who have been divorced for over five years would be eligible to get the extra house and cash payout.

The villagers have been told by a law firm that if spouses obtained a divorce through court proceedings, they could get the extra compensation regardless of how long they have been divorced.

The law firm is reportedly charging up to 15,000 yuan (about $2,180 dollars) to help couples in the village get a divorce in this way.

The Demolition and Relocation Office said the relevant government departments have been told about the situation, and the possible loophole, but are unsure if it will make any difference to the compensation arrangements when the demolition eventually happens.

A lawyer said the "fake divorces" could have potential legal consequences.

"It is not wise to utilize these loopholes for one's own benefit, it's very dangerous," the lawyer said.

Similar cases of divorce 'fabrication' to get more compensation have been seen in other places in Nanjing, such as Jiangxinzhou, Jiangning and Pukou districts.
BEIJING -- The State Council on Friday announced the appointment and removal of several leading officials.

Ding Xuedong was appointed State Council deputy secretary-general in place of Xiao Jie.

Wang Shuangquan was named vice justice minister, and Tang Jun has replaced Liu Yuting as deputy head of China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

Guo Shuqing was appointed chairman of China Banking Regulatory Commission. Shang Fulin no longer holds the post.

Chen Gang was nominated deputy director of the Office of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project Construction Committee under the State Council.

Wang Kun was named deputy head of China Geological Survey, and Luo Liming was removed from the post of deputy director of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.
Seven telecom fraud suspects have been prosecuted for causing the death of a university candidate in August last year, the Supreme People's Procuratorate announced on Thursday.

Xu Yuyu, 18, a resident of Shandong province, died of cardiac arrest after losing 9,900 yuan ($1,440) of her tuition money to the telecom scammers.

The suspects were found to have swindled student financial aid from students in impoverished families throughout the country, according to the prosecutors in Shandong province.

Xu, a resident of Linyi, Shandong province, was admitted to Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications last year.

On Aug 19, she received a phone call from an unknown person notifying her that she would receive 2,600 yuan in student aid. She had received a phone call from an education authority the day before, so her family did not question the authenticity of the call.

After the call, Xu wired a 9,900-yuan "activation fee" into the scammer's bank account as instructed, hoping the student aid money would be deposited into her student account, but it turned out to be a scam.

The family immediately reported the fraudulent activity to local police, and Xu was said to be devastated. On their way home from police station, she collapsed and was taken to hospital. After medical rescue, she died two days later.
China plans to conduct at least one asteroid exploration mission before 2025, a senior space scientist said on Friday.

Ye Peijian, a leading scientist on deep-space exploration at the China Academy of Space Technology and a national political adviser, told China Daily that the asteroid mission will be carried out after the country's first Mars expedition in 2020 and before 2025.

"The detailed schedule and the target asteroid have yet to be determined, but we are working on them. We want to explore asteroids because their resources will be important to mankind's development in the future," he said.

The country has also decided to send a probe to Mars to take samples and return to Earth around 2030, Ye said.

Additionally, Chinese scientists are conducting preliminary research on a Jupiter mission, he said.

In a white paper on China's space activities published in December, the China National Space Administration said that from 2017 to 2021, it would begin a feasibility study and research on key technology for explorations of Jupiter and asteroids. These deep-space expeditions will be used to help explore the origin and evolution of the solar system as well as the possibility of extraterrestrial life, the administration said.

Ji Jianghui, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, told Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday that Chinese scientists' long-term plans are to fly a probe past an asteroid; to fly side by side with an asteroid for a period; and to land on a third one to conduct sampling analysis on the surface.

By now, only the United States, the European Space Agency and Japan have carried out asteroid exploration missions.

The world's first dedicated asteroid probe was the US Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous, which was launched in February 1996 and landed on the near-Earth asteroid Eros in February 2001.

In 2006, Japan's Hayabusa became the first spacecraft to land on and return from an asteroid. It brought back a sample of material from the near-Earth asteroid 25143 Itokawa in June that year.

Pang Zhihao, a researcher of human space activity at the China Academy of Space Technology, said expeditions to asteroids will aid scientists' study of the solar system and asteroid resources and help to find methods of preventing asteroids from colliding with Earth.

Yang Yuguang, a member of the International Astronautical Federation's Space Transportation Committee, said an asteroid mission requires precision when the probe flies toward the asteroid.

Contact the writer at @chinadaily.com.cn
CPPCC spokesman upbeat on growth as gathering opens

Wang Guoqing, spokesman for the annual session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, greets the media at a news briefing in Beijing on Wednesday. Zou Hong / China Daily

Nation contributed a third of world economy

China will continue to be the engine of global growth as its economic fundamentals remain strong and resilient, a senior official said on Thursday, dismissing the pessimism regarding the country's economic prospects.

Wang Guoqing, spokesman for the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said China has made a good start in its 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) and the country contributed about a third of world growth in 2016, more than any other country's contribution.

"China's steady growth has brought in greater demand, investment and products to the world economy and created many opportunities for cooperation," Wang said at a news conference.

China's growth target, as well as its policy and reform priorities, will be closely watched as the annual meetings of the country's top legislature and political advisory body open this week.

The country will also help improve global prosperity and regional infrastructure as it pushes the Belt and Road Initiative, Wang said.

The value of investment in 53 countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative reached $14.5 billion last year, he said.

The annual meeting of the National Committee of the CPPCC, the country's top political advisory body, will open on Friday.

The National People's Congress, the top legislature, will convene on Sunday, with lawmakers reviewing and elaborating on Premier Li Keqiang's Government Work Report.

The consensus among economists is that China will keep its growth target unchanged at about 6.5 to 7 percent this year. The government will likely adopt a more expansionary fiscal policy by raising its budget deficits, while keeping its monetary policy neutral or even tighter to curb financial risks, they said.

Other reform priorities will include deepening supply-side reform, cutting excessive industrial capacity and reducing the burden for the corporate sector.

Ding Shuang, head of Greater China economic research at Standard Chartered Bank, said policymakers will emphasize economic and financial stability during the meetings and may raise the budget deficit to 3.5 percent of GDP, from last year's 3 percent, to maintain growth.

"In light of the impact of a cooling property market on investment and consumption, we think a more expansionary fiscal policy and higher budget deficit are needed to prevent growth from falling significantly below 6.5 percent," Ding said.

Xu Hongcai, an economist at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, said China will likely achieve 6.8 percent GDP growth in the first quarter, as the economy has made a mild recovery since last quarter.

"With improved foreign trade, domestic investment and manufacturing activity picking up, I expect the growth momentum to continue at 6.8 percent in the first quarter," Xu said.

"While the correction in the property market and decline in auto sales will weigh on economic growth, the rise of the new economic drivers, such as tourism, high technology and the innovative industry will offset the negative impact," he said.
Two sessions to highlight Xi's thoughts

Leader's speeches point way to 'great dream of revitalizing nation'

Having made headlines at the Davos World Economic Forum with his vigorous defense of globalization, President Xi Jinping is expected to take the spotlight in another gathering with global influence: the two sessions in Beijing. The fifth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress, will open on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

The annual sessions of the top legislature and top political advisory body are among the most important political events for the world's second-largest economy.

The NPC is the highest body of state power, enabling the Chinese people to exercise their power as "the master of state." New state leaders will be elected at the NPC session in March 2018 after the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress elects new Party leadership later this year.

It was at the first session of the 12th NPC in March 2013 that Xi was elected president. He had been elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in November of the previous year at the 18th CPC National Congress.

This year's two sessions are the first since Xi was endorsed as the core of the CPC Central Committee in October.

"Through the meetings, greater consensus will be gathered to build a moderately prosperous society and Xi's thoughts on state governance will be more clear-cut," said Xin Ming, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

Over the past four years, Xi's thoughts on governance have guided China's development. The book Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, a collection of his speeches, provides insight into his concepts, resolve and wisdom of governance.

Officials at all levels should align their thinking with Xi's strategic blueprint, the Four Comprehensives, which is a four-pronged strategy to achieve a moderately prosperous society, deepen reform, advance the rule of law and govern the Party strictly.

For China, the strategy creates routes to build a socialist modern country.

For observers, Xi's speeches and policy initiatives at the two sessions will send important signals about how China will march toward what Xi called the "great dream of revitalizing the Chinese nation."

Xi's thoughts on governance, ranging from economic and social reform to foreign affairs and military transformation, have been greatly influencing the country's course.

In the economic sphere, Xi has led the country to achieve remarkable growth. The country remains the top engine of global growth, with the International Monetary Fund predicting China's contribution would account for 39 percent of the world's economic expansion in 2016.

Xi has called the current phase of growth the "new normal," as China shifts to a more sustainable development and distributes the benefits more evenly.

To ensure this crucial rebalancing is successful, Xi advocates "a new political economy," which draws on and develops Marxist thought.

Supply-side structural reform is key to understanding the new political economy and China's future development. Fundamentally different from the "supply-side economics" in the West, which focus on tax cuts, China's supply-side structural reform involves a set of measures including dissolving overcapacity and developing the real economy.

Xi has led the country as it rolls out reforms across all sectors that advance state governance, such as consultative democracy and rule of law.

The reform-minded president also heads leading groups and commissions covering key areas including finance and economic affairs, national security, internet security and informatization, as well as military and civilian integration. The mechanism is believed to help strengthen centralized and unified leadership of the Party in State governance.

Xi stresses placing power into an institutional cage. The decision to establish the national supervision commission to place the use of power under close supervision exemplifies this model.

To build a clean and advanced ruling party, Xi has carried out a sweeping campaign against corruption, which he warned could lead to the collapse of the Party and the downfall of the State. Since Xi took the helm of the Party, the anti-corruption fight has gained "crushing momentum" and earned popular support by netting at least 240 centrally administered officials and more than 1 million low level officials for violating CPC and government rules.

Safeguarding Xi's core status is "a political issue of the utmost importance," said senior local officials at the recently concluded sessions of legislative and political advisory bodies in China's 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

Xi and his comrades must take steps to ensure China escapes the "middle-income trap"which few developing countries have managed to avoidand continues to open up to fuel global growth.

In his New Year speech, Xi called on the nation to "roll up our sleeves and work harder."

Before the two sessions, Xi visited Hebei province and said that poverty alleviation was fundamental to building a moderately prosperous society.

During the 2013-16 period, 55 million people have shaken off povertymore than the population of South Korea. China plans to eliminate poverty by 2020.

During an inspection of Beijing, Xi stressed building a people-oriented city by addressing problems of overpopulation, traffic congestion, soaring house prices and air pollution.

He also highlighted the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, an ambitious project to link more than 100 million people to become an important engine for the country's economic growth. Huge progress has been made in transportation, industry and the environment in the past three years.

At a workshop in February that was attended by officials at the provincial and ministerial levels, Xi urged them to "choose the heaviest burden and crack the hardest nuts" when pursuing economic and social development.

'Shared future'

Xi is also striving to establish a global landscape featuring win-win results, common development and equality, highlighting the country's image as a responsible and active player in global governance.

He attended the annual World Economic Forum meeting in January, inspiring the world by advocating free trade and warning against protectionism.

Xi told the forum that China is not only the beneficiary of economic globalization, but also a contributor to it. To this end, he has repeatedly called for building "a community of shared future for mankind."

In early February, Xi and his US counterpart Donald Trump held a phone conversation on bilateral ties, a good first step in consolidating relations between the world's two largest economies.

"They are the two leading nations and it is crucial that there are open communications so there are no misunderstandings," said Darrell West, director of governance studies at the Brookings Institution.

The two sessions are expected to drum up support for the country's next round of reforms. Thousands of deputies and political advisers will speak on various issues including economic globalization, national defense and diplomacy.

The whole Party and nation will closely unite around the CPC Central Committee with Xi as the core. "It is a necessity," said Zhang Zhao'an, deputy director of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. "While we are handling a complex situation at home and abroad, we cannot afford to lose direction."

It is unique that an 88-million-strong political party gathers around its leadership and then unites and leads over 1.3 billion people toward a common destination that delivers benefits not only to themselves but also to people around the world.

"Behind all the above is the Chinese philosophy of governance, including two concepts: minyi, or public opinion, and minxin, the hearts and minds of the people," said Wen Yang, a researcher at the Institute of China Studies at Fudan University.

"New ideas, thoughts and strategies of state governance under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi as the core have a solid foundation of public opinion. Proven successful by experience, they have won the people's support," he said.

"They will become an important theme of the 'two sessions' and the CPC's 19th National Congress."
From overseas media: What to watch during China's two sessions

Belt and Road Initiative

The meetings this year are expected to announce a framework to support exports related to infrastructure projects for the One Belt, One Road initiative rolled out by Chinese president Xi Jinping.

--South China Morning Post

Poverty relief

With the deadline of 2020 for achieving a "moderately prosperous" society looming, poverty alleviation is also of great importance, and President Xi Jinping last month emphasised the need to ensure that the rural poor shook off poverty as planned. He called for greater policy support for poverty relief, including fiscal, land, financial, education and health policies.

--The Straits Times

People's livelihood

Economic targets and reforms in a slowing economy will be a focus of China's annual parliamentary and consultative sessions, but for the Chinese people, bread-and-butter issues such as property prices will be of greater concern.

--The Straits Times

13th Five-Year Plan

The other keyword to be followed during the two sessions, according to the report, would be the implementation of the 13th Five-Year Plan, set in motion last year with a series of reforms to address the slowdown of the world's second-largest economy.

--Press Trust of India

Economic growth

Premier Li Keqiang will disclose this year's GDP growth forecast when he delivers his government work report during the Two Sessions. State officials will debate economic policies including the Chinese currency and the real estate market, and will take questions from the media. Provincial leaders may also reveal how their provinces are doing on the economic front.

--South China Morning Post

Supply-side structural reform

Once the principle of not sticking to blind growth is fixed, China will obviously examine supply-side structural reform. It will likely to announce intense restructuring measures in sectors like steel and coal. China could also declare its willingness to reform the state-owned enterprises once again.

--The Huffington Post
Two sessions: What to expect in the 'minister passage'

Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan receives an interview before the opening of the fifth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

The famous "minister passage" at the two sessions -- the annual meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee -- opened to the media this afternoon.

This year, reporters can not only ask ministers and ministerial attendees questions face-to-face along the corridor, they can also shoot their queries in a digital way -- through WeChat, according to cnr.cn.

The "minister passage", also known as "the ministers' red carpet", is the 100-meter passage near the northern gate of the Great Hall of the People where ministers and some other high-ranking officials must walk through before entering the meeting hall.

Session staff have launched a WeChat public account for the minister passage this year. Journalists who scan the QR code can send their questions to be asked of those who pass through the corridor. Journalists can also send their queries by text messages on phone.

For the reporters who cover the two sessions, the minister passage is like a mineral reserve of important information. Ministers and some other session attendees become the targets of constant bursts of camera flashes and face a barrage of questions.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has asked ministers of the State Council and heads of organizations directly under the State Council to address public concerns immediately.

The minister passage opened its door nine times last year, and saw high-ranking officials pass through, answering more than 70 questions from journalists at home and abroad, during the two sessions last year.

New ministers and officials: Who's who

There will be 14 officials at ministerial level who haven't walked through the corridor before. Let's look at who they are.
LONDON - The unelected House of Lords voted on Wednesday to amend and thereby delayed a bill empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to begin Brexit negotiations, demanding guarantees for EU nationals living in the United Kingdom.

In a major defeat for the government, peers voted by 358 to 256 for an amendment requiring ministers to protect the rights of more than 3 million European citizens after London leaves the bloc.

The change means the bill must return to the lower House of Commons for deliberation, delaying final approval just weeks ahead of May's deadline for starting Brexit negotiations by the end of this month.

Before the vote, May said her timetable for triggering Article 50 of the European Union's Lisbon treaty, which starts a two-year negotiating period, would not change.

A Brexit Ministry spokesman said it was "disappointed" at the Lords vote, which came after lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the bill last month. Lawmakers in the lower house defeated all amendments to the bill, including one on the rights of EU nationals.

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn welcomed Wednesday's vote as "great news", suggesting he may support the amendment when it returns to the Lower House.

A spokeswoman for May's office said the government would seek to reverse the change when it moves back to the Commons, where May's Conservatives have a majority.

If they succeed, the original bill would go back to the Lords in what is known as parliamentary Ping-Pong.

The delay may only end up being a few days, but the defeat signals the domestic opposition that May could face during the next two years of complex EU negotiations.

Intense worry

The June referendum vote was fueled by concerns about mass EU migration into Britain, and immigration promises to be a critical issue once negotiations begin.

May has said she will prioritize ending free movement of workers from the other 27 EU countries, even at the cost of trade ties with the bloc.

But the fate of those who are already in Britain remains uncertain, causing intense worry for people affected.

The prime minister has said she wants them to stay, but said she must also secure the rights of 1.2 million UK citizens living in the EU.

(China Daily 03/03/2017 page12)
GENEVA - A senior Chinese diplomat on Wednesday said that in order to promote and protect human rights, all countries should join hands to build a community of a shared future for human beings, to work together for the realization of peace, development and win-win cooperation for all.

Ma Zhaoxu, head of the Chinese mission to the United Nations in Geneva, delivered a joint statement on behalf of a cross-regional group of 140 countries during a high-level meeting of the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday.

"Countries should foster partnership characterized by mutual respect, promote and protect human rights through dialogue and cooperation," he said.

Ma Zhaoxu, head of the Chinese mission to the United Nations in Geneva

He said that each state is entitled to independently choose its path for development and social system, and the efforts and achievements of each state in promoting and protecting human rights should be respected.

The diplomat added that politicization of the human rights agenda should be avoided, and countries should be committed to multilateralism, not unilateralism, in addressing global challenges.

"All countries should work together like passengers in the same boat," he said.

He said all countries should enhance human rights capacity building through concrete and effective cooperation, and all aspects of human rights shall be treated on an equal basis.

"There is no such thing as a superior or inferior civilization. Different civilizations should respect each other, draw on each other to achieve common progress," Ma said, adding that diversity of civilizations should not be a source of global conflict. Rather, it should be an engine driving the advance of human civilizations, he said.

A solid foundation

He also highlighted the importance of sustained development in the human rights fields, saying that all countries should effectively implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which provides a solid foundation for the promotion and protection of all human rights.

Jorge Valero, permanent representative of Venezuela to the UN in Geneva, said that on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, Venezuela is pleased by this important initiative by China. "The NAM fully agrees that the international community must carry out efforts to build a shared future for humanity, namely a common, open and inclusive world of lasting peace, security and prosperity," he said.

Muhammad Aamar Aftab Qureshi, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan in Geneva, described Ma's remarks as "timely and brilliant", adding the most impressive point in the statement is the idea of building a community of shared future for human beings.

"We need to live with each other peacefully, we need to respect each other's diversity. We need to pursue our own objectives and our own goals according to our own social values and our own situations. This is of vital importance in order to achieve global peace in today's world," he said.

"Giving the challenges the world is facing and the efforts we need to take together, we should be grateful for China to bring up this great idea," he said.

(China Daily 03/03/2017 page12)
Malaysia to deport DPRK suspect in airport killing

By Xinhua | China Daily | Updated: 2017-03-03 07:36

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia said on Thursday that a man from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, who was arrested as a suspect following the killing of another DPRK citizen at Kuala Lumpur's airport, will be released and deported.

Ri Jong Chol, the 47-year-old man who worked at a local anti-cancer drug company, was arrested on Feb 17 for his suspected involvement in the case, in which a DPRK man with the passport name of Kim Chol was poisoned with the lethal nerve agent VX.

The incident happened on Feb 13. Ri was remanded for two weeks in police custody. The remand will expire on Friday.

Malaysia's Attorney General Mohamed Apandi Ali did not elaborate on the reasons of the release, but local media said it was due to a lack of evidence. During the investigation, the police did not reveal the connections between him and four other suspects believed to have fled the country.

On Wednesday, two female suspects who allegedly carried out the attack, one Indonesian and one Vietnamese, were charged with murder. If convicted, they will face death sentence.

Meanwhile, Malaysia will revoke visa-free entry for citizens from the DPRK starting Monday, Malaysia's Bernama news agency reported on Thursday, citing Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Zahid said the decision was made after taking into account national security as a priority, according to the Bernama report.

Malaysia grants visa-free treatment for DPRK citizens and is the only one that enjoys visa-free entry when its citizens enter DPRK.

A diplomatic row emerged between the two countries as the DPRK accused the Malaysian side of "colluding with hostile forces" and delaying the release of the victim's body. The DPRK government also sent a high-level delegation to Malaysia to discuss about the matter.

Malaysia insisted its objectivity and professionalism in the investigation.

(China Daily 03/03/2017 page12)
Fiction Reading is a collection of magazine columns by writer Bi Feiyu on his understanding of fiction classics, both Chinese and foreign. [Photo provided to China Daily]

When writer Bi Feiyu landed in Beijing recently for four book events and to do a show on China Central Television's hit program Readers, his presence created a stir among his fans, not unlike the one in London five years ago when he was there for an international book fair.

The winner of the 2010 Man Asian Literary Prize has a new book, Fiction Reading, a collection of magazine columns on his understanding of fiction classics, both Chinese and foreign.

The columns, which were first published in the Zhong Shan magazine, are based mainly on Bi's literature lectures at Nanjing University since 2013, where he is a professor.

His reviews of world-class writers, using a colloquial and humorous touch, are wildly popular online.

"I love to chat about novels. And, I used to have a 'bad' reputation for that because I would keep my chat partners for too long," says Bi.

But to him, fictional creations are like artifacts that he can examine carefully at any time and play with.

He played a game with his audience at Tsinghua University on Sunday, inviting them to turn the Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Li Shangyin's four-line poem about evening rainfall into a novel.

"Under Li's 28 Chinese characters in the poem, there lies a One Hundred Years of Solitude-like story that spans the passage of time," he says.

At his previous lectures, he played other games with his audiences, like changing all the major characters' names in the French short story writer Guy de Maupassant's The Necklace into Chinese ones.

Bi calls Ernest Hemingway a tough guy, which means he chooses stronger characters' point of views to tell stories, as in The Killers.

"Hemingway writes in a way that is enabled by his own character, and even by his strong body. If you ask Franz Kafka to write in Hemingway's style, he would pass out and what we would be left to do is to pinch Kafka's philtrum (a method of traditional Chinese medicine) to help him come around," says Bi.

Bi says that language is the key when it comes to the quality of novels, and that Leo Tolstoy is a master of party scenes.

Also, Bi prefers to speak more about the logic, instincts, character and intelligence of the writers who produced classic works, when analyzing their writings, saying: "It's far better than analyzing novels using social backgrounds, paragraph summaries and the key point", which is a common practice in schools.

Defending his style, he says: "You can not read a novel with a telescope."
Actor Wu Jing'an will work with Tianjin People's Art Theater to present The Country's Grain Fields in April. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chinese actor Wu Jing'an has portrayed honest and strong characters on screen and onstage in the past three decades.

So, it isn't surprising therefore that in his latest play, The Country's Grain Fields, Wu plays an upright official of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The play, produced by Tianjin People's Art Theater, will be staged in Tianjin on March 31 and over April 1-2, and in Beijing over June 9 to 11.

Wu's role in the play, Liu Tongxun, leads an anti-graft campaign to protect the rights of farmers. But he is set up by other officials, his rank is lowered and his life is threatened.

"Although the story takes place during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1711-99), it is significant in the current social and political environment in China," the 59-year-old actor says in a Tianjin interview.

"The challenging part of this performance is the long lines that I need to deliver and the use of words that are both precise and sharp."

He expects the audience to stay connected to the story as fighting corruption is an ongoing priority of the central government.

Born in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, Wu graduated from the People's Liberation Army Academy of Art. In 1996, he won the Plum Performance Award, the highest honor for Chinese theater artists, for his performance in the military-themed play, Xiang Jiang, Xiang Jiang (Xiangjiang River).

In 2014, he worked with Tianjin People's Art Theater for the first time in a drama titled Hong Qi Pu (The Red Flag), which premiered in Tianjin in March that year.

The play is based on the late Chinese writer Liang Bin's novel of the same name, which is about a peasants revolution in the late Qing Dynasty. It was widely appreciated.

In July 2014, while touring with the play in different parts of the country, Wu met with a bad car accident. After a long period of recovery, he returned to the stage in 2015.

"Since then I have become close to the members of Tianjin People's Art Theater," says Wu, adding that he wants to continue working on productions with them.

Explaining how the Tianjin People's Art Theater got involved with The Country's Grain Fields, Zhong Hai, president of theater, says Wu told him that its storyline would be great for stage.

The novel, on which The Country's Grain Fields is based, has also been adapted into a TV drama that will be broadcast by China Central Television this summer. The TV script has been written by Gao Feng.

"Wu sent me a few lines from the script and I was very excited. Although a play, in around 130 minutes, cannot summarize a script originally written for TV, we have tailored it to include some important elements," says Zhong, adding that the play will show innocent farmers being deprived of their land and corrupt officials using their influence for financial and personal gains.

Zhong has directed The Red Flag and will be doing the same for The Country's Grain Fields.

In the play, parched farmland will be used as the main stage setting, and should serve as a warning to corrupt officials in real life, he says.
Chinese has been added to the graduation exam list by an Italian high school and 29 students will take the test this year, the Guangming Daily reports quoting Italian local media.

Sophie Scholl, a high school specializing in linguistics, in Trento, northeastern Italy, has become the first school in the country to list Chinese as a graduation exam subject.

The Chinese course has been running at the Italian school for five years, and 145 of its 910 students have chosen to study the language.

Maria Silva Boccardi, director of the school, said Chinese will become a global language in the future and they set up the course because many students had asked for it.

"There were only a few schools (in Italy) who provided trial Chinese courses back then, but now, Chinese courses have become a crucial part of our overall teaching plan and we are welcoming our pioneer batch of graduates this year," she said.

Roberto, a Sophie Scholl student who is going to take the Chinese test before graduation, said writing Chinese characters is the most difficult aspect of learning the language.

"Although leaning Chinese is difficult for Italian students, when considering looking for better job opportunities overseas, China would definitely be my top choice," he said.

Maria Assunta Contino, a Chinese teacher at Sophie Scholl, said apart from the Chinese language, the school also provides Chinese history courses, and questions about Chinese history and cultures will also show up on the graduation exam.

Some students from Sophie Scholl are also heading to Shenyang, in Northeast China's Liaoning province, for an educational exchange with local Chinese students during the summer holiday this year.

Statistics show that there are now about 150 schools providing Chinese courses in Italy, according to Guangming Daily.
A polished bronze mirror unearthed from Haihunhou tomb was previously found bearing the earliest known image of Confucius. [Photo provided to China Daily]

An image of the Taoism god Dongwanggong (King of the East) has been found on a mirror unearthed from Emperor Liu He's tomb in Jiangxi.

The Jiangxi Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology said experts have confirmed this is the earliest physical representation of the ancient legend "King of the East meets with Queen of the West (Xiwangmu)", providing new clues for the study of Han Dynasty (206 BC-220) immortal culture.

Head of the archaeological team Yang Jun, said that the dressing mirror is composed of three parts; the body, the back and a cover. The back of the large mirror is wooden, almost a meter tall.

The images of the King of the East and Queen of the West are on the back of the mirror which is also decorated with phoenix patterns.

Yang said that the two gods were the most honored gods in the heavenly palace in Chinese folklore, symbolizing the ancient people's belief in the "dualism of yin and yang".

Since archaeologists began to excavate the tomb in 2011, more than 10,000 pieces of precious relics have been unearthed.

The Haihunhou tomb, the best-preserved cemetery from the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), belonged to Emperor Liu He.

The burial chamber, near Nanchang, the Jiangxi provincial capital, covers about 40,000 square meters and is one of the few imperial tombs that has not been looted. It contains eight small tombs and a burial site for chariot horses.
Discover the best things to do in Beijing with our weekly roundup of art and exhibitions, music and performances, and trending activities around town. For recommendations, please contact li-ping@chinadaily.com.cn.

Roman silver pepper pot from Hoxne, England. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Art:

Must-see items at Beijing's British Museum show

The British Museum's highly-acclaimed A History of the World in 100 Objects has already attracted more than one million visitors during its world tour. This week, the exhibition began its China leg of the tour in Beijing.

Each 15-minute program introduced one of 100 objects from the London museum's collections that revealed the communication methods of various human cultures over the course of two million years.

Learn more about its 10 must-sees here.

Time: Through Mar 31

Venue: National Museum of China, 16 East Chang'an Avenue, Dongcheng district.

Ticket: 50 yuan

Contact: 010-6511-6400
Betsy Beer is named for Cathay Pacific's first aircraft, a Douglas D-3 that traversed Asia in the 1940s and '50s. [Photo provided to China Daily]

If you've ever noticed that your favorite beer tastes a bit off when you're on an airplane, it's probably not because of improper storage or an old sell-by date.

It's your mouthand maybe how cabin pressure affects carbonation.

Cabin pressure and altitude both affect passengers' taste buds in flight, but Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Beer Co have teamed up to craft a solution. The airline is touting Betsy Beer as "the world's first hand-crafted bottled beer brewed to be enjoyed at 35,000 feet".

The brewer used both Hong Kong and UK-sourced ingredients for the new beer, which is being first served to first- and business-class passengers on flights between Hong Kong and destinations in BritainHeathrow, Gatwick and Manchesterfrom now until April 30.

"We know that when you fly, your sense of taste changes," says Julian Lyden, marketing manager for Cathay Pacific. "Airlines address this for food in certain ways. But nobody has ever tried to improve the taste of beer at altitude."

To find the perfect balance for a beer served both in the air and on the ground, the airline and the brewer pulled together an expert tasting panelincluding leaders of the Hong Kong Craft Beer Association; May Chow, recently voted Asia's best female chef for 2017; Willem van Emden, Swire Restaurants' general manager. Cathay Pacific's management, cabin crews and Marco Polo Club members also got a chance to sip in judgment.

Aroma is a critical factor with a change in altitude, and Betsy's stable aroma is partly driven by the inclusion of longan, or dragon-eye fruit, which enhances the brew's round, rich textural quality. The brewer also used a little New Territories-sourced honey to give the beer agreeable floral notes, and the Fuggle hop that gives many traditional British craft ales a pleasantly earthy flavor.

Betsy Beer also will be available on the ground at the airline's lounges in Hong Kong and Heathrow as well as a select number of Swire-owned restaurants in Hong Kong, including Mr & Mrs Fox, Cafe Gray Deluxe, Plat du Jour, Public, Sugar and The Continental for a limited time. Online shoppers in Hong Kong can grab bottles at Deli Delight (deli-delight.com), the exclusive retailer for Betsy Beer during March and April.

The beer is named after "Betsy", Cathay Pacific's first aircraft, a Douglas DC-3, which flew passengers around the region in the 1940s and 1950s.

Ningxia weather woes

China's premium wine region Ningxia will likely see a drop of 5 percent in wine production compared with last year due to heavy rainfall in September, wine expert Li Demei tells the trade publication dbHK. The fall rains caused a series of diseases including mildew, "the main reason for the production decline," Li explained, adding that a "5 percent decline is still within normal range".

Stimulated by local offerings such as Silver Heights and Helan Qing Xue that won international wine awards, the Ningxia government hopes to expand vineyard acreage in the region to 700,000 mu (about 46,667 hectares) by 2020, which will bring its annual wine production to 200 million bottles. Ningxia's current acreage is 40,666 hectares.

Li, however, remained cautious and called the official target a "suggestion". He told dbHK that while Ningxia has made inroads in global wine market in recent years, planting should be based on market demand and production capacity.
[Photo provided to China Daily]

Beijing's brand-new art and fashion venue Tru-M plans a series of dining events that pair food events with its exhibitions.

For the opening showcase, founding partner Michael Goo invited the culinary team at Beijing's TRB restaurant to collaborate for an ongoing five-night dinner series that ends March 5. The restaurant's executive chef Franck Pelux studied works in the gallery's exhibition Virtue by Korean artist Tae-gyeong Yoon, and created a five-course wine-paired menu for the When Art Meets Food & Food Meets Art event. Yoon's thread and paint multimedia work The Meaning of Deep Red, for example, was re-envisioned on a starter plate of Cherry Foie Gras by Pelux. Yoon's works of intertwining lines and dots represent humans' emotional and psychological roadmaps.

After viewing the art in the ground-floor gallery in the Sanlitun area, guests are escorted up a darkened stairway to a second-floor maze of white cotton ropes created by founding partner Tru Wang that echoes Yoon's art and leads to the moodily lit dining area.

If you go

888 yuan net ($129) through March 5 at Tru-M, Sanlitun Taikooli North N-2/16-26; RSVP with TRB at 010-8400-2232.

Related:

HK airline offers beer ready to be a high flier

Chef teaches Chinese about New Zealand, one scoop at a time
File photo of Ying Yong, mayor of Shanghai. [Photo/VCG]

Shanghai will strengthen its support and improve its services for foreign enterprises, said Ying Yong, mayor of Shanghai, at a meeting with more than 10 leaders of foreign-funded companies on Feb 27.

The meeting is part of the mayor's Pudong visit to investigate the current development of local foreign enterprises and to listen to their thoughts and advice on Shanghai's opening up.

The attendees shared the latest developments in their companies and advised on subjects such as upgrading the investment environment, and talent attraction.

Ying mentioned the important role that foreign enterprises have played in the city's development and economic growth over the past three decades.

Foreign enterprises have become a growth engine for Shanghai's economy and the major force to boost the city's scientific innovation, said Ying.

The mayor pointed out that the city intends to further its opening up policy and to create a more convenient investment and trade environment. Thus, he hoped that more foreign companies would grasp the opportunities to participate in the development of Shanghai.

The city will also work on creating a legal, international and convenient environment to do business, said Ying.

Foreign-funded R&D centers are allowed to join in the construction of turning Shanghai into a scientific and technological center. Simplified administrative approval systems have been launched to lower company costs. Talent attraction policies keep improving to lure more top minds to work in Shanghai. Related regulations will be carried out to better protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign enterprises and investors in Shanghai.

In addition to the meeting, Ying also visited the Asia-Pacific headquarters of US-based Honeywell International and Swiss-based drug maker Roche, to gain a better understanding of local foreign-funded enterprises.
Wang Ming, member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference from Tsinghua University. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

All members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, the country's top political advisory body, expect their proposals to play a role in policymaking. Over the past two decades, proposals from members of the National Committee of the CPPCC have tripled. Back in 1993, when the first session of the 8th CPPCC National Committee was held, the members submitted about 2,000 proposals; the figure increased to 5,000 in 2008 and has remained steady at around 6,000 since 2013.

This may prompt the public to ask the question: How many of these proposals evoke a response from the central government? And what kind of proposals are taken into consideration while making policies?

Most proposals from CPPCC National Committee members get responses from related executive government agencies, and some eventually lead to legislation.

Take my own experience for example. About 10 percent of my proposals in the past 15 years have been considered while formulating policies, some of which have already come into force. My proposal to allow all couples to have two children, which many other CPPCC National Committee members also voiced, eventually became a national policy.

Apart from being included in policymaking, such proposals can also affect public opinions and thus help reach a social consensus on a specific issue with the support of the media. This is a very important role proposals submitted to the CPPCC National Committee play, yet we don't pay enough attention to it.

One point needs to be made clear here: in most cases, it's not an individual's proposal that leads to a policy. Only when a proposal represents the needs of the majority of the people and promotes public interest will the CPPCC National Committee thoroughly discuss it. And only if the policymakers reach a consensus that the proposal enjoys enough support among the public can it be transformed into a policy. The agencies and departments of the State Council, China's Cabinet, for instance, realized the two-child-per-couple proposal enjoyed social consensus and only then gave a green light to the policy.

I always upload all my proposals, along with explanations, on my blog during the annual sessions of the CPPCC National Committee and the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, so that journalists can better understand them and disseminate them among the public. It's important to explain the proposals and their applications to the people, because their response will help us better formulate our proposals.

Step by step, I have realized the process of formulating a proposal is more like carrying out a systematic project. First, you need to raise a pertinent issue at the CPPCC National Committee session. Then you conduct a survey to collect more data and analyze all the available information. Finally, you submit a written proposal to the relevant department and wait for its response. So the process is more like research work.

Some CPPCC members lack the art of using a proposal as an important tool, while some don't know how to raise issues that people actually care about. CPPCC members have the responsibility to take care of people's needs, by definition their position is political.

As the last annual session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee opens on Friday, it offers the CPPCC members the chance to summarize their proposals and ideas over the five years. They need to use this opportunity and see submitting proposals as a really valuable political, economic and social duty. Using the proposals as a powerful tool that influences policymaking is very important in these times when our country progresses toward comprehensive and deepening reforms.

The author is a member of the 12th National Committee of the CPPCC, and vice-dean of the School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University. This article is an excerpt from his interview with China Daily's Wu Zheyu.
SHI YU/CHINA DAILY

The rental property market in Beijing has been warming up with the return of migrant workers after the Spring Festival holiday. The increase in house rent in the post-Spring Festival period is more than 10 percent this year, compared with 3 percent in the same period last year. The period immediately after Spring Festival in Beijing sees an increase not only in owner-tenant agreements but also house rent.

The rapid rise in housing prices last year played an important role in the unusual increase in house rent this year. When the real estate market is sluggish, more second-hand houses are offered for rent and prevent rent from rising rapidly. And if the real estate market is hot, more second-hand houses that otherwise would have been offered for rent will be sold, and as demand exceeds supply the rent rates will increase.

Housing prices in Beijing have risen sharply over the past two years, much higher than rent rates. So the recent sharp increase in house rent can also be regarded as a transmission effect of the rapidly rising housing prices.

Because of the rapid increase in housing price in first-tier cities, the average age of people buying their first house is gradually delaying to between 31 and 35, which could also have influenced the increase in house rent. Statistics show that in the first-tier cities about 77 percent of the tenants are aged between 20 and 30, and the period for which they rent houses has correspondingly increased.

With the development of subway lines and supporting facilities such as education, medical treatment and commercial real estate in suburban areas, more and more people in Beijing choose to rent houses beyond the Fifth Ring Road, which offer more rental properties. In addition, due to real estate control policies, the sale of second-hand houses has declined in Beijing for three consecutive months. This means more second-hand homeowners are postponing their decision to sell their properties and offering them for rent.

Since 2015 central and local governments have been focusing on the simultaneous development of the real estate and house rent markets to standardize the house rent sector. But the rapid increase in rent despite the ever-increasing supply of rental properties indicates the supply of houses is still not enough to meet the demand. For instance, the young generation's demand for rental properties has changed and the traditional house rent market cannot meet their individual demands.

Given these factors, the government should accelerate the formulation of legislation on the rental property market. On June 3 last year, the General Office of the State Council issued a guideline for the cultivation and development of the rental property market. Now, they should further strengthen the market rules and regulations, especially the inspection mechanism, and enforce the law more strictly against rule breakers to safeguard the legal rights of consumers and provide them with the necessary legal help.

The authorities should also encourage more enterprises and developers to offer their properties for rent. Till now about 90 percent of the houses for rent are offered by individual homeowners, as enterprises prefer to sell their properties instead of offering them for rent. So the authorities should encourage enterprises to offer their properties for rent by expanding their financial channel that will enable them to build more rental properties.

Moreover, the authorities should further regulate the rental property market by strengthening the supervision of the real estate agency service, and strictly implementing the professional qualification system of property agencies.

They should also build as well as encourage commercial developers to build more low-rent housing to meet the rising demand of consumers.

The author is a researcher at the Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi meets with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Feb 28, in Washington. [Yin Bogu / Xinhua]

A zero-sum mentality, which refers to game theory in which a gain for one side means an equal loss for another, has dominated the thinking of some when they look at China-US relations.

When US President Donald Trump released his new budget this week to greatly increase the defense spending by partly slashing State Department funding, some in the West were quick to conclude that this was a win for China. They claimed that the retreat of US diplomacy would allow China to expand its influence.

There has also been discussion in the United States about whether Trump's protectionist and isolationist policy equals a greater leadership role on the world stage for China.

For years, we have heard that China's growing investment and trade in Africa and Latin America means it will eclipse the US' influence in those regions.

Such zero-sum thinking is harmful, especially when they poison the thinking of pundits, journalists and government officials.

Episode 12 of Madam Secretary Season 3, a fictional TV series, features Secretary Elizabeth McCord jostling with a Chinese diplomat for business deals in Togo and other parts of Africa. In real life, former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton implied in 2011 during her tour to the continent that China's activities in Africa are neocolonialism.

Her zero-sum mindset aside, the comparison is a total disconnect from reality as I saw for myself during a trip to Ethiopia in 2014.When I recently asked David Dollar, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who has done extensive research on Chinese activities in Africa, he said it was mistake to use that phrase and, in some ways, it's insulting to African countries.

China is not perfect and it is still a learning process for many Chinese enterprises to operate overseas. But to dismiss their wonderful work in building infra-structure, investing in manufacturing and creating jobs in Africa reflects a zero-sum mindset.

China was playing a growing international role long before Trump took office. China has been the main engine for global growth for decades. It is one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping operations. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Belt and Road Initiative (the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road) help regional connectivity and development. The list goes on.

The US should applaud the greater role being played by China, after it has been calling for just that for years. In 2005, for instance, Robert Zoellick, then US deputy secretary of state, urged China to become a responsible stakeholder, and a few years ago the previous president Barack Obama blindly accused China of being a "free rider".

That said, it is inevitable that China will play a larger role given that it has become the world's second largest economy, the largest trading nation and is still the most populous country. Other emerging economies are also playing bigger roles.

China is not interested in leading the world alone, and since it is still a developing nation it cannot lead the world alone. As an established world power, the US should be more accommodating to the rise of China. The Trump administration should not adopt the mindset that Obama exhibited when he tried to prevent the US' allies from joining the AIIB.

China and the US both would be the winners if they help African development, Asian connectivity, and work together to address global climate change and ensure world peace. They must not look at each other as a zero-sum game.

The author is deputy editor of China Daily USA. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Police seize a simulated gangster during an emergency drill in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [MA YUAN/CHINA DAILY]

A sensational video purportedly by the Islamic State terrorist group, featuring an ethnic Uygur militant threatening to "shed blood like rivers" in attacks on Chinese targets, may or may not be what it was meant and believed to be, though some experts do see it as the "first", "direct" threat the terrorist organization has leveled against China.

But it justifies the Chinese government's worries regarding the seriousness of terrorist threats on home soil, given that some members of terrorist forces such as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement have been colluding with international terrorist organizations such as IS.

However, more often than not these concerns have met with denial and dismissal from the West: The most popular Western narrative of late being innocent Uygurs rebelling against Han-Chinese "repression".

The killing of a Chinese hostage in 2015 by the IS group and increasing recent evidence of Uygur fighters joining jihadists in Syria and Iraq via Southeast Asia have made Beijing's critics haver somewhat, and the video lends further credence to Beijing's claims, especially the oft-ignored assertions of links between domestic and foreign terrorist elements.

Although the authenticity of the video warrants suspicion and needs verifying, a 2016 study by Washington-based think tank New America reported more than 100 Uygurs from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region had joined IS. It also identified Xinjiang as the single largest source of foreign IS fighters outside of Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.

The video might just have borrowed the IS name in order to amplify its intimidating effects. But the footage of ethnic Uygurs undergoing terrorist training is a familiar element of similar previous terrorist propaganda.

The terrorist propaganda may lead to chain reactions in Xinjiang and beyond once it reaches its intended audience. It will also inspire heightened vigilance and precautions.

But it would be completely wrong to assume this is a hot potato that can be left to Beijing alone. There can be no more telling proof that terrorists threaten China as well as other countries.

The alleged IS fighter made it very clear the terrorists are targeting "infidels across the world", and they want to plant their flag "over America, China, Russia".

Whether or not the video is an authentic IS production, it reinforces the irrevocable fact that terrorism knows no national boundaries.

If the fight against terrorism continues to be bogged down in quarrels over definitions and standards, the whole world will remain vulnerable to the threats of terror.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said on Wednesday it will use remote satellite sensing to monitor illegal constructions in cities nationwide this year, which is more accurate and efficient than relying on inspections by the local authorities.

So far, the project, the first of its kind in China, has been monitoring 297 cities at the prefecture level and above. The ministry receives the monitoring results on a monthly basis.

In the past months, the ministry has handled eight severe cases of illegal construction, in which riverbeds, places of historic interest and ecological reserves have been illegally used for brick-and-mortar projects, in Gansu, Shaanxi, and Anhui provinces, among others.

The ministry has ordered the provincial authorities to take immediate actions to stop constructions that infringe upon public space, public interests and areas of ecological importance, or have serious potential safety risks, and to hold those responsible accountable.

The ministry will also start an evaluation of the implementation of urban comprehensive planning in 108 major cities, especially local authorities' performance in dealing with illegal constructions.

Officials that fail to monitor or deal with the problem will be held accountable as well.

The ministry has also clarified that illegal constructions will now be dealt with in accordance with the Criminal Law, rather than the law on urban planning.
Visitors try the latest smartphones of Xiaomi Corp at an industry expo in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province. [Photo/China Daily]

A TEACHER in a middle school in Deyang, in southwestern China's Sichuan province, told a student to smash his smartphone after discovering the student playing with the phone in class. Beijing News commented on Thursday:

Although the teacher was rightly urging the student to focus on the class, the teacher should have done so in a legal way. The smartphone is the student's personal belonging and therefore, according to the Property Law the teacher had no right to demand the destruction of the student's phone.

In fact, students are usually in a disadvantaged position in relation to their teachers and schools. Given their unequal status and power, without the consent of the students and parents and the authorization of the school, the teacher's act is too extreme.

Under the existing educational philosophy, the purpose of the school is to teach and educate children first. Providing guidance to those students behaving badly is always better than punishing them.

Maintaining order in the classroom in accordance with school rules is part of a teacher's duties, but this must be done in a legitimate and humane manner.

In view of this, when students use their mobile phones in class, the teacher should remind, advise, and educate them that this is not appropriate behavior, cooperating with the student's parents if necessary.
Tell a Chinese person you are headed to Chongqing and they will undoubtedly insist you sample the citys most iconic dishhotpot. The cauldron of flavor, which formidably combines spice, numbness, fragrance, and heat, derives much of its personality from locally produced hot pepper oil and related spices. However, contrary to local bravado, spice is not exclusive to Sichuan and a daring few have decided to import Indian red peppers to innovate the culinary classic.

In a first time move, a total of 14 tons of this Indian variant recently passed through Chongqing Lianglu Cuntan Inspection and Quarantine Bureau and is the first batch to do so, liangjiang.gov.cn reported on Feb 27.

With a total value of 266, 094 yuan ($38,640), the dry peppers, unquestionably the most important part of Chongqings hotpot seasoning, have been imported by a local company from the Chongqing Lianglu-Cuntan Free Trade Port Area.

India is a country famed for its range of culinary delicacies based around spice and here Indian farmers allow red peppers to dry in the sun. [Photo/liangjiang.gov.cn]

The authorities anticipate the import leading to a trend of peppers arriving from the South Asian country on account of the rising prices of locally produced peppers. Additionally, many believe that the differences in spice and color will add to the allure of importing from India.

The voyage made by these brave chili peppers was nothing short of a logistical mastermind and it took a grand total of 45 days from start to finish. First, loaded trains ran from Hyderabad, located in southern India, to the east coast. Next, goods were transferred onto ships and delivered to Shanghai Waigaoqiao. Upon arrival in China, the peppers were placed onto river boats and sent up the Yangtze River before eventually arriving in Chongqing Cuntan Port.

An official from Chongqing Lianglu Cuntan Inspection and Quarantine Bureau checks the recent arrival of dry red peppers in Chongqing Cuntan Port. [Photo/liangjiang.gov.cn]

Thanks to a novel mode of water transportation pioneered by the Chongqing Lianglu Cuntan Tariff Bonded Zone, cargos ships carrying freight such as fresh agricultural products and other time-sensitive products are allowed to be shipped to Chongqing at a low cost.

This development is rapidly changing the type and quality of goods arriving in the city and a president was set on Dec 22, 2016, when 13 tons of fresh beef arrived in Chongqing Lianglu Cuntan Tariff Bonded Zone from Australia. The continuation of the policy and the ambitions of local businessmen will ensure that Chongqings opening-up and economic development thrives.

The imported dry red peppers are inspected by officials from Chongqing Lianglu Cuntan Inspection and Quarantine Bureau. [Photo/liangjiang.gov.cn]

Edited by Richard Whiddington
A flock of swans on the Dongting lake in Hunan province, Mar 1, 2017. Many birds gather together near the Dongting lake district as they prepare to fly north. Each October, a significant number of migratory birds fly from the northern part of China to the Dongting lake to spend the harsh winter. A survey conducted in January this year showed that there were more than 180,000 migratory water birds in the region, which is the highest since 2006.[Photo/Xinhua]
Perceptions of World War II in the Asia Pacific theatre, for many, equates to genocides, atrocities and crimes Japanese soldiers committed against civilians of neighboring Asian countries, particularly China and Korea.

The collective memory of Chinese and Koreans related to that particular period of history remains a deep scar running down through generations. I can't believe that there are still a handful of Japanese right-wing extremists who habitually deny history, consistently mount offensives worldwide and ultimately try to foil any effort to spread the truth about WWII and honor its victims.

On Saturday, a local committee seeking to erect a comfort woman's statue in April in Atlanta, Georgia, said the Japanese government had sent diplomats to meet with local heavyweights in order to squelch the plan.

At a press conference, the committee said the statue, to be installed at the Center for Civil and Human Rights Museum, is to symbolize Korean victims of wartime sexual slavery.

Japanese Consul General in Atlanta Takashi Shinozuka was reported to have conducted intensive lobbying in local political and business circles after the committee announced its initiative in early February.

He threatened the economic fallout that would take place, citing the many Japanese companies now operating in Atlanta that would ditch the city if the statue were erected.

Korean-American Kim Baek-Kyu, leader of the 25-member committee, said she would push ahead with the statue installation and categorically rejected Japan's warning, saying there was no link between the statue and economic impact. She called it "fabricated."

Atlanta is not the only place where the Japanese government has tried to block memorials or monuments that showcase its war-related atrocities and crimes.

In early February in San Francisco, the municipal government announced that it expected to receive in March a "comfort women" memorial as a gift from an activist group. It's the first-ever memorial to "comfort women" in a major US city.

The statue, which depicts a trio of women with linked hands as a fourth woman looks on, is expected to be installed at St. Mary's Square in Chinatown this year. San Francisco's city board of supervisors in 2015 unanimously approved the project, which was pushed through by retired San Francisco Superior Court judges Julie Tang and Lillian Sing.

The inscription on the statue reads, "This monument bears witness to the suffering of hundreds of thousands of women and girls euphemistically called 'Comfort Women,' who were sexually enslaved by the Japanese Imperial Armed Forces in 13 Asian-Pacific countries from 1931 to 1945.

"Most of these women died during their wartime captivity," the inscription continues. "This dark history was largely hidden for decades until the 1990s, when the survivors courageously broke their silence. They helped move the world to declare that sexual violence as a strategy of war is a crime against humanity for which governments must be held accountable."

Opposition from the Japanese government and members of the Japanese-American community in the Bay Area has been fierce, calling the memorial's message "divisive".

The Japanese right wing tried to kill the project from the beginning by lobbying the San Francisco government at every level. The most prominent objection was from Hirofumi Yoshimura, mayor of Osaka, a sister city of San Francisco, who called the installation "unprecedented".

But San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee pushed back, writing in a Feb 3 letter to Hirofumi: "San Francisco has many public and private memorials that commemorate some of history's darkest moments, as well as call for peace and reconciliation."

The memorial is important because Japan has never formally apologized for the suffering it inflicted on these women. The Atlanta organization stressed the significance of establishing the statue to promote both human rights and as a reminder to never repeat the unfortunate history between the two Asian countries.

"Truth and justice shall prevail," said Ding Yuan, executive vice-president of the Global Alliance for Preserving the History of WWII in Asia, a Cupertino-based human rights organization established in 1994.

Contact the writer at junechang@chinadailyusa.com.
The expression "trolling" is internet lingo for posting inflammatory or impertinent remarks designed to get people worked up or upset. It's the cyber equivalent of harassment and usually ad hominem, off-topic and written to sting.

As more than a few US politicians have discovered in recent weeks, trolling is spilling out of the web and into the arena of town meetings. Representatives home from Washington on break have been getting an earful of scorn from sign-waving rabble-rousers who may or may not be getting paid for their efforts.

News comes of a successful Chinese-American author who unsuspectingly walked into a buzz saw of trolling in, of all places, an elite high school in Dallas. And the internet has been well put to try to make things right.

Highland Park High School administrators have sent an apology to New York Times best-selling author Jamie Ford, who was visiting the school last week to keynote its literary festival.

He describes the incident in a blog post titled "The highs and lows of Highland Park School".

After visiting 100 schools, he writes, from the kind in inner-city New York that require see-through backpacks and metal detectors to tony baccalaureates, he finally "had a school visit go sideways."

The students listened as the author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet took the stage, they politely laughed at his jokes when he talked about his high school career. Then they clapped and cheered and as he tried to speak again, they began clapping again.

"For twenty minutes as I tried to wrap up my presentation, you clapped and cheered randomly," he writes, addressing the students on his Facebook page. "A thousand students, trolling me."

"I was as perplexed as your teachers and your principal - who was just off stage - stood impotent, while you mocked me, a guest to your magnificent school," he goes on.

Despite the 1,000-to-1 odds, he stubbornly pressed on. "I wasn't about to be run off the stage by a bunch of children who had decided I was just another mark to be bullied," he said.

Ford managed to end his talk on a bittersweet note, talking about the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans and nationals [during World War II] and about how if Americans forget that piece of history, we are all diminished as a people.

"I got my point across and in that brief moment your impoliteness was forgiven and all was well. I thanked you for not clapping and cheering the Japanese Internment.

"Then you clapped and cheered the Japanese Internment. You couldn't resist. That showed me more about you than I wanted to know."

After the presentation, a handful of students sought him out to apologize. The school superintendent called to apologize. Positive comments, emails and messages poured in.

"Please don't judge all of Texas by Dallas," Monica Kilgore posted. "We know it's always been full of fifty dollar a day millionaires."

Jeffrey Willson wrote: "I can only hope that upon reflection those kids feel a deep sense of shame and recognize how monstrous crowds can become and that they are each to blame for pilling on or sitting silent."

A senior at the school, who had watched the presentation by remote feed from a classroom, wrote to explain to Ford that the students in the auditorium were 13-to-16-year-old freshmen and sophomores "who tend to make very stupid decisions, as you most likely did at that age. I find it very offensive that you have identified our entire school with the actions of these young students."

I remember reading about German-occupied Holland during World War II, one of the forms of passive resistance loyal Dutchmen would practice was similar. When assembled at mandatory rallies to listen to their Nazi-sympathizing mayors speak, they would cheer and roar and applaud thunderously every time he tried to open his mouth, drowning him out and not letting him get a word in edgewise.

And that's reminiscent of the great scene in the film Casablanca when Victor Lazlo tells the band at Rick's Caf to strike up the French national anthem to drown out the bellowing German soldiers' singing beer hall songs.

Those two examples of "trolling" were to push back against tyranny. In civil society, that kind of rancor should have no seat at the table.

Contact the writer at chrisdavis@chinadailyusa.com.
Tensions in region eased since relations with Philippines were repaired last year

The concern about "freedom of navigation" in the South China Sea is "much ado about nothing", a spokesman for the annual session of the top political advisory body said at a news conference in Beijing on Thursday.

"There is an old Chinese saying that 'There's no trouble in the world, except for what the unenlightened agitate'," said Wang Guoqing, spokesman for the Fifth Session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, when asked about how China can ensure navigational freedom in the South China Sea.

"As a major trading nation and the biggest country along the South China Sea, China attaches more importance than any other country to navigational freedom and security in the South China Sea," Wang said.

He said the accusation of "China threatening navigational freedom", which has been raised by some nations, is a "fake proposition", as there have never been problems in that regard since China took back its islands in the South China Sea after World War II.

Stressing that the South China Sea islands are an integral part of China's territory, Wang said that it is "perfectly normal" for China to build facilities, including those necessary for defensive purposes, on its own territory.

The civilian facilities China has built on the South China Sea islands, such as lighthouses, have played a positive role in guaranteeing navigation safety and humanitarian rescue, Wang added.

On Feb 12, the US Navy Times reported that the United States navy was planning to dispatch warships to the South China Sea for "freedom of navigation" operations.

Last month, the USS Carl Vinson Nimitz-class carrier strike group began patrolling the South China Sea.

Luo Yongkun, a researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that since relations between Beijing and Manila were repaired last year after the new Philippine administration came to power, tensions in the South China Sea have been eased.

"The waters are at peace now, but Washington sent its carrier here in the name of protecting navigational freedom. It is obvious that we are not the one destabilizing the region."

Xinhua contributed to this story.
The RMS Titanic leaves Belfast for sea trials on April 2, 1912. The ship was one of the most opulent liners to have ever been built and the largest steamship in the world. It struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City and sank on April 15, 1912. [Photo/VCG]
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks at a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, US, March 2, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON  Under intensifying pressure, Attorney General Jeff Sessions abruptly agreed Thursday to recuse himself from any investigation into Russian meddling in America's 2016 presidential election. He acted after revelations he twice spoke with the Russian ambassador during the campaign and failed to say so when pressed by Congress.

Sessions rejected any suggestion that he had tried to mislead anyone about his contacts with the Russian, saying, "That is not my intent. That is not correct."But he did allow that he should have been more careful in his testimony during his confirmation hearing, saying, "I should have slowed down and said, 'But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times.'"The White House has stood by Sessions in the latest controversy to dog President Donald Trump's young administration, though officials say they first learned about his contacts with the ambassador from a reporter Wednesday night. Trump himself said Thursday he had "total" confidence in Sessions and didn't think he needed to recuse himself  not long before he did.

One of Sessions' conversations with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak occurred at a July event on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. At that same event, the ambassador also spoke with Carter Page, who briefly advised Trump's campaign on foreign policy, according to a person with knowledge of the discussion.

Separately, a White House official said Thursday that Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn met with Kislyak at Trump Tower in New York in December. The official described that sit-down as a brief courtesy meeting.

Flynn was fired last month for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with Kislyak.

The Trump team's account of Flynn's contacts with the ambassador has changed several times. The White House did not disclose the in-person meeting, or Kushner's involvement, until Thursday.

Both the White House official and the person with knowledge of Page's discussion insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly disclose the meetings.

Trump has been trailed for months by questions about potential ties to Russia, and allegations of Russian efforts to interfere in the US election to help him defeat Hillary Clinton. The new president and his campaign officials have blamed such contentions on Democratic sore losers and have heatedly denied any contact with Russians concerning the election.

While there is nothing necessarily nefarious or even unusual about a member of Congress meeting with a foreign ambassador, typically members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee meet with foreign ambassadors, not Armed Services Committee lawmakers, such as Sessions, whose responsibility is oversight of the military and the Pentagon.

The latest development comes on the heels of what had been the high point of Trump's young presidency: a well-received address to Congress Tuesday night that energized Republicans and appeared to wipe away some lawmakers' concerns about the administration's tumultuous start.
Smoke rises over the rebel-held area of Ain Tarma, eastern countryside of Damascus, capital of Syria, on Feb 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

DAMASCUS -- The Syrian army announced in a statement that the Syrian forces captured the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria on Thursday after battles with the Islamic State (IS) group.

Following a series of successful operations backed by Russian and Syrian air forces, the Syrian army and allied fighters captured the city of Palmyra and its surroundings, the army said in a statement.

The achievement came after the Syrian forces inflicted hefty losses on the IS militants, said the statement, adding that bomb squads are currently combing the city to defuse the leftovers of the IS roadside bombs and explosives.

"This importance of this achievement emanates from the cultural and historic value of Palmyra," said the statement, adding that the victory in Palmyra against IS also coincides with the victories of the Syrian army in the eastern countryside of Aleppo against IS.

"These victories deal a big blow to the terrorist group, which has started to retreat under the strikes of the Syrian army and allied forces," it said.

Capturing Palmyra constitutes a base for expanding the campaign against IS on many fronts and also helps suffocate the group's supply lines.

"The Syrian army and its allies are today more determined to continue the operations against IS and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front as well as other likeminded groups until restoring security and stability to every inch of the homeland," the statement concluded.

The Syrian army backed by Russian air force and fighters of the Lebanese Hezbollah group unleashed a counter offensive to retake the city on Jan. 14 this year, just days after the IS militants took the city for the second time.

Last December, the group stormed the city for the second time after losing it nine months earlier to the Syrian army.
Pavlina Melicharova poses in Swayambhunath Temple, Nepal. Pavlina Melicharova, a 49-year-old woman from Czech Republic, embarked on an Eat Pray Love-style trip after she walked away from her unhappy relationship. She started by photographing herself at iconic sites wearing her own wedding dress - but changed tact around six months ago as part of a voyage of self-discovery. The mum-of-two has so far posed in around 150 traditional dresses - everything from glittering sarees to beaded tunics - in iconic or stunning settings. Describing herself as "model, photographer, designer, hairdresser, stylist and traveller in one" - she takes a 'follow me' photo from behind using a tripod. So far she has taken photos in villages, towns and cities in 20 countries including India, Mexico, Bolivia, Malaysia, Sir Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Thailand and the Philippines - and has no plans to stop. [Photo/VCG]
TOKYO/BEIJING -- Fang, a 36-year old Chinese woman, came to Japan a year ago on the promise of job training, decent pay and a chance to achieve a better life back home.

One year later however, she ended up getting a job that involves little training of any sort, but repetitive, strenuous work, skimpy pay and even humiliating scolding from her boss from time to time.

"I really regret coming to Japan," Fang said at her tiny, makeshift room converted from containers in Hiroshima, western Japan. She prefers her full name not to be made public.

Fang's job is sewing clothes at a home-run factory in a remote farmland area, where she works with 28 other Chinese "trainees" who were brought to Japan under a Japanese government-sponsored Technical Intern Training Program.

"We have to work at a hectic pace here, with almost no time to rest," she said, citing the fact that though the Chinese trainees already work very hard, the boss often scolds them for no reason, and yells at them to make them work even harder.

Despite such a heavy work load, Fang has not been able to earn much money as she had expected, as the wages for foreign trainees are only roughly half the amount Japanese workers are paid for doing similar work.

Meanwhile, the living conditions are poor as she has to share with five other trainees a 10-square-meter makeshift room which has neither kitchen, bathroom, air conditioner, heater nor TV and Wi-Fi. The rent for such a room, however, amounts to 120,000 yen (1,056 U.S. dollars) a month, which is much more expensive even than in Tokyo, the Japan's capital.

Lu, a 35-year-old Chinese trainee working at a construction company in Hiroshima, said that almost all the Chinese trainees working in Japan regret about their decisions as they earn a pittance and learn very little from the excessive labor here.

"I hope my compatriots could know what we've been through here in Japan, so that they won't be fooled and make bad choice like us," Fang said.

INTERNSHIP OR SERVITUDE

Fang and Lu's stories are snapshots of the sad experience of hundreds of thousands of foreign trainees working in Japan, many of whom found themselves only used as cheap labor and trapped in indentured servitude.

According to media reports, as of last June, there are altogether 210,000 foreigners working in firms and farms across Japan as what Tokyo calls trainees, among whom the Japanese Ministry of Justice has recently confirmed that some 85,000 are Chinese.

The program, which allows foreign trainees to stay in Japan for three years, was introduced by the Japanese government in 1993, and has been advertised as providing transferrable technical skills for them when they return home.

However, the program has been widely criticized as a platform to attract cheap labor from overseas to compensate for Japan's labor shortage caused by an aging workforce and immigration curbs.

With little legal protection, the foreign trainees are often underpaid, and illegally placed as oyster shuckers, construction workers and other unskilled positions. Many of the indentured work force are exposed to substandard, sometimes even deadly working conditions.

Lu said some Chinese trainees working for other Japanese construction companies are often scolded and even beaten by their bosses.

"I've heard that a Chinese trainee became a vegetable after getting his head seriously wounded by a falling excavator," Lu said, adding the trainee has already been hospitalized for several months but his company has done nothing to help him.

"I don't know what will happen to him in the next," Lu said.

He noted that many of the trainees, before landing in Japan, have already paid large sums of money in broker fees and saddled with insurmountable debts, as Japanese businesses have to hire them through either private or official middlemen according to the program.

Also, as their visas usually tie them to a particular company, they cannot change jobs even when they feel bad about their bosses.

In a system equivalent to modern-day slavery, many interns have escaped, though sometimes it meant breaking the law.

Local news outlet The Japan Times reported in October last year that a record 5,803 foreign trainees went missing in 2015 while working in Japan, among them 3,116 were Chinese, followed by 1,705 from Vietnam, 336 from Myanmar, 250 from Indonesia and 102 from Nepal.

The interns' situation has sparked widespread concerns and attracted the attention of the Chinese government.

The Chinese Embassy in Japan said it will take strong measures to protect the legitimate rights of Chinese nationals working in Japan under the intern training program.

"The Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in Japan attach great importance to protecting Chinese technical trainees in Japan, and have carried out consular protection and assistance work through various channels and means," the embassy told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The Chinese embassy said it will increase contacts with related Japanese ministries to urge the Japanese side to take concrete measures to protect the legal rights of Chinese interns.

The embassy said it has also visited on a regular basis the factories and workshops that hire Chinese trainees so as to learn firsthand about their difficulties and problems.

Last year, the embassy also provided consular protection for and assistance to the Chinese trainees involved in some 100 cases in the island nation, helping them negotiate better deals in labor disputes and offering them legal assistance, among others.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo (R) watches as former president Megawati Sukarnoputri and her daughter Puan Maharani, a minister in his cabinet, take a selfie with Saudi Arabia's King Salman (C) at the presidential palace in Jakarta, Indonesia March 2, 2017 in this photo taken by Presidential Palace Photographer. [Photo/Agencies]

JAKARTA - Saudi Arabia's King Salman has embraced the "selfie", taking part in a number of light-hearted self-shot pictures and videos during his tour of Asia that contrast with the pomp and formality of most of the octogenarian monarch's trips abroad.

In the first days of a lengthy regional tour, the king has appeared with top-ranking officials in Indonesia and Malaysia in pictures and clips that have been shared online millions of times.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo shared on Facebook a video of himself dining with the king at the presidential palace in Bogor, near the capital Jakarta.

In the video, both men comment on the visit, the first to Indonesia by a Saudi king in nearly five decades, and give viewers a rare peek into a state event.

As Widodo holds what appears to be a phone camera, the king is seen dining on soup and using gold-coloured cutlery before commenting in Arabic on his 12-day visit to Indonesia, the longest leg of his month-long tour of Asia.

"I'm very happy to be here in Indonesia and with the Indonesian people," King Salman says to the camera, as an interpreter sitting behind him translates into Bahasa Indonesia.

The king was also photographed posing for a selfie with former president Megawati Sukarnoputri and her daughter Puan Maharani, who is a member of Widodo's cabinet.

Indonesia has a high concentration of Facebook and Twitter users, and selfies are a mainstay of social media in the world's fourth most populous country.

Earlier this week, Salman was seen in a selfie posted on Twitter with Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia, during the first stop on his sweep across Asia.

Though rare, Salman has made occasional appearances on social media before, including when he posed last year for a selfie in Qatar with a teen who survived cancer.

The king is travelling with an entourage of several hundred people and nearly 500 tonnes of luggage, including two gold-coloured escalators.

After Jakarta, the delegation is set to take a break in the resort island of Bali, where up to four hotels and 300 luxury cars have been booked for more than a week, according to local police and a tour agency association.

Salman is also set to visit Brunei, China, Japan, the Maldives and Jordan.

Reuters
SYDNEY -- The Cairns Frog Hospital has been operating for 18 years in Australia and is believed to be the only one of its kind in the world.

After moving five times, the practice has occupied its current location for eight years, but with the owner of the building wanting to sell the property, the hospital will be forced to move again.

Finding an appropriate rental property for any business can be challenging at the best of times, but for a frog hospital, it is even more difficult than you might imagine.

"Real estate agents up here (North Queensland) are automatically spraying houses with pesticides, even if they don't need it," founder and President of the Cairns Frog Hospital Deborah Pergalotti told Xinhua.

"Once it has been sprayed, it is useless for our purposes."

In fact, the problem has not just made things challenging for frog hospitals, frogs themselves are globally in decline and Pergalotti believes it is down to the over use of these sprays.

"Frogs are very sensitive to chemicals and Australia is a very heavy chemical user," she said.

"It's not just farmers who use them, a lot of domestic households use these chemicals to and unfortunately it only takes a small amount."

Also adding to the stress of relocation is the inflated rental prices in the area.

"Rents are escalating up here something chronic, in a reasonable neighbourhood we are looking at around 450 Australian dollars (340 U.S. dollars) per week and that's at the bottom of the market," she said.

There has also been pressure on the hospital from the local council, who wants the organization to move onto an acreage property, which could cost anywhere from 800 to 2,000 Australian dollars.

"We've had to look in an area that starts two hours south of Cairns, right up to the region that is two hours north of Cairns, to find something that is not sprayed with pesticide and is a reasonable rental," she said.

Despite numerous challenges, the hospital is determined to continue its work and help the amphibious population survive.

"Even other frog groups thought we were nuts when we started to rescue and rehabilitate frogs, they thought that was a silly idea," she said.

"But over time we've learned a great deal about the animal, so it's quite a valuable and important process to do and why should a frog that has a broken leg be left to die, when it could be fixable?"
British designers who are known for their skill and high-quality craftsmanship are in demand in China, opening the door for a London-based furniture producer to contribute to a new school library project that blends Western concepts with Chinese culture.

Luke Hughes has created a mix of Chinese and Western styles in the library of a new Beijing school. [China Daily]

Luke Hughes, founder of one of the United Kingdom's leading furniture design companies, Luke Hughes, was tasked with designing, engineering, and making furniture for a library at a new international school in Beijing.

"I think one of the reasons the Chinese like some of the British brands is because they are good," he said. "We do the small things really wellthe cars, the clothes, shoes and so on. Mass production, we're not so good at, but craftsmanship is still alive in this country."

For the project that might have ordinarily taken 12 months to complete, Hughes had a time-frame of four months.

In that time, he delivered 24 metric tons of furniture, 85 percent of which was made in the UK.

Hughes, who has made furniture for both Oxford and Cambridge universities, the Supreme Court, and both Harvard and Yale universities in the United States, said the furniture made for the Chinese school included subtle nods to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) while blending Eastern and Western aesthetics reflecting the digital age.

"I think the Ming Dynasty furniture is particularly beautiful, it is probably the most beautiful period of Chinese furniture," Hughes said. "We wanted to influence the space with color, so we chose three very traditional ceramic colors associated with temples and on the wallsyellow of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), blue associated with Chinese ceramics and a warm red."

One of the aims was to create a space that students wanted to visit, ponder and "possibly stumble upon the unexpected".

He said libraries should not only be about housing books but also be places people fl ow through easily, feel comfortable in, and want to visit.

British sculptor Jill Watson also contributed to the library, designing bronze door handles for the main door in the form of two dragonsone Chinese and one Welsh.

Hughes said an inscription created by Caroline Webb also catches attention.

"The inscription, which is carved on slate, says By Leaves we Liveand it is a three-way pun," he said. "By leaves of trees, we can breathe the air and oxygen etc, by leaves of books we learn and we become enriched and our lives are better that way, and also through departures we grow."

He said the commission was about being inspired by both cultures.

"It isn't about an ego of Britishness that one tries to present here, what is presented is a mix of values of the best of the West and the best of the East," he said. "We have hints of this East-meets-West metaphor. A lot of clues like that, such as pictures around the library wall, including one of the Rosetta Stone."

Another British company experiencing similar interest from China is Arthur Brett, a bespoke furniture maker founded in 1860. Jeremy Loxton, a sales manager at Arthur Brett, said the company has been getting a lot of interest from China and Asia recently.

"Their interest tends to be mainly in classic British designssuch as designs from the Georgian and Regency periods," he said. "There is also an appreciation for the fact that our furniture is all made and finished by hand in England. This is one of our major selling points in all events, but this seems to be especially appreciated by Chinese clients."
Major Chinese chemical company Lianhetech has bought UK-based chemical manufacturer Fine Industries in a 103 million pound ($126.5 million) deal, securing more than 200 jobs and providing Lianhetech with its fi rst European base.

Shenzhen-listed Lianhetech purchased Fine Industries, based near Middlesbrough, from private equity firm North Edge Capital. Lianhetech is one of China's leading contract chemical manufacturersit has a market value of $2 billion and operates seven chemical production sites, two machinery production sites, and two research and development centers in China. Fine Industries will now act as Lianhetech's European headquarters from which it will work with clients in the agricultural, pharmaceutical and performance chemical industries.

Lianhetech chief executive Maggie Wang said: "The acquisition provides the capability and expertise needed to develop new products and better utilize Lianhetech's state-of-the-art tech for our customers worldwide. We expect Fine Industries' customer base, expertise and capabilities to strengthen our organizational offerings."

Fine Industries manufactures chemicals for agro-chemical and pharmaceutical clients. It employs 220 workers and delivered a turnover of 52 million pounds in 2016. NorthEdge originally invested in Fine Industries in November 2013.

Fine Industries chief executive Chris Gowland said that Lianhetech's brand and reputation was well known.

He said: "I expect the union of the companies to further strengthen our position in the global market. Becoming part of the Lianhetech team is a very exciting opportunity for Fine Industries and we feel privileged it has selected our business to be the platform for its European expansion strategy."

China has rapidly become the largest market for chemicals in the world, with an annual growth rate of 23 percent between 2005 and 2013, when China's share of the global chemical market reached 33 percent. Petrochemical industry research firm ICIS estimates it will have a 40 percent share by 2020.

Ray Stenton, partner at NorthEdge Capital, called Fine Industries the "ideal platform" for Lianhetech's European operations.

"As Lianhetech's first investment outside of China, this represents a significant strategic development and sign of their future ambition," Stenton said.
Though most foreign companies doing business in China understand the importance of delicately handling their employee terminations, too many do not understand the need to pay special attention to employee resignations as well. This is because it is not at all uncommon for a Chinese employee to claim that his or her resignation was not voluntary, and that in fact he or she was compelled to leave the company because it failed to follow Chinese employment laws. This means that you as the employer need to be clear on the reason for all of your employee resignations and, more importantly, you need to maintain written records documenting what led to your soon-to-be former employees departure.

The first thing you should do with an employee who is resigning is to make sure that his or her resignation letter properly lists the reason for the resignation. If your employee tells you orally or via WeChat or QQ that he or she is leaving for a job with a better fit, but the resignation letter lists the reason as compensation issues, you have a problem. The Chinese labor authorities recently just made clear their intention to crack down hard on employer failures to pay employees and in response to this, this bait and switch resignation letter technique has become quite common. The employee who writes you this sort of resignation letter may turn around and sue you for allegedly due back wages, plus interest, plus penalties, plus attorneys fees.

If you get this sort of resignation letter, we suggest you seek to clarify with your employee the compensation issues he or she is referencing in the resignation letter. Is your employee blaming you for having failed to pay wages on time or in full or both? If you approve your employees resignation letter by affixing your company chop to it resignation, you probably just admitted in writing to having violated Chinas employee compensation laws. And by doing so, you have just opened your company up to a lawsuit you will almost certainly lose.

To the extent you have any outstanding issues with one of your resigning employees, the best solution is usually to resolve those issues with your employee via a properly drafted, properly executed Chinese language settlement agreement. Settlement agreements in China are like settlement agreements pretty much everywhere else in that the key is that it prevents any future claims or lawsuits. And just to scare you a bit more, our China lawyers are often called in to resolve matters for foreign companies in China with DIY settlement agreements that are either 100% ineffective so bad they can be used against the foreign company as an admission of wrongdoing in a newly filed lawsuit.

Bottom Line: Treat all employee departures seriously. Document them and, if it makes sense to do so, resolve them with an China-appropriate settlement agreement.
(Photo : Getty Images. ) Chinas former border negotiator Dai Bingguo has once again proposed land swap deal to resolve the longstanding border dispute between India and China.

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One of China's to border negotiator has proposed a land swap arrangement to solve the decade long border dispute between China and India, which has long plagued the bilateral relationship between the two Asian giants.



Dai Bingguo, who represented China in 15 rounds of talks until his retirement in 2013, proposed the solution in an interview to the Beijing-based China-India Dialogue magazine. Dai proposed that India must willingly cede the Tawang region in the disputed Arunachal Pradesh while China will reciprocate by giving up its claim elsewhere.



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Dai justified China's claim on Tawang town by calling it an integral part of the Southern Tibet region. "The disputed territory in the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, including Tawang, is alienable from China's Tibet in terms of cultural background and administrative jurisdiction," he said.



The Chinese diplomat made a sweeping claim that even British colonist, who drew the McMahon Line, acknowledged Beijing's claim over the Arunachal Pradesh town. He then unhesitatingly suggested that if India addresses Beijing's concerns in the eastern sector then the Chinese government "will respond accordingly and address India's concerns elsewhere."



According to Indian analysts, the word "elsewhere" pertinently points toward the disputed Aksai Chin region, which Indian government claims to be an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir region. The disputed Aksai Chin is located in China's Xinjiang province, which is apparently China's only Muslim dominated province.



Both Asian giants even fought a war in 1962 over the Aksai Chin region, over which China took complete control after claiming victory in the war.



Dai minced no words as he squarely blamed India for not meeting China's reasonable demand, adding that both countries now "stand in front of the gate towards a final settlement" and the Indian side holds the key to the gate.



Dai Bingguo's comments on border dispute assumes huge importance given that he shares a close report with Chinese leaders and resultantly his views are immensely respected in China's power corridor. He put forward a similar comment on the border issue in his book that was published last year.



Both countries have held total 19 rounds of talk over the border dispute, with last four being held after Dai resigned in 2013. The 19th round of talk was held in Beijing last year between India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and China's State Councillor Yang Jiech.



The Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin issues supposedly figured in each round of these talks, but apparently have made little progress over both the tricky border issues. India stakes claim over the 38,000 sq km territory in Aksai Chin region, while China considers nearly 38,000 sq km in Arunachal Pradesh region to be part of Southern Tibet.



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Tagschina, China and India, China and India Border Dispute, Dai Bingguo, Tawang
(Photo : Getty Images.) While LeEco's management is tight-lipped over whether it is shutting down its operations in India, industry experts feel that the latest news about job cuts most certainly indicates an exit strategy.

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The embattled Chinese conglomerate LeEco has once again raised concerns over its declining business as the company begins to possibly wind up its business in the all-important Indian market. The once resurgent company announced that it is firing 85 percent of its Indian staff and is also allowing two of its top executives to resign.



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While LeEco's management is tight-lipped over whether it is shutting down its operations in India, industry experts feel that the latest news about job cuts most certainly indicates an exit strategy.



The world got a sniff about LeEco's troubled operation in November last year when it founder and billionaire Jia Yueting wrote an email to his employees that the company is heading towards a cash crunch situation. The founder made no bones about accepting the fact that his company made a mistake in aggressively expanding its business despite capital constrain.



Founded in 2004, the Beijing-based conglomerate over the years has fast expanded into different business including consumer electronics, automobiles, film, and even driverless car. The multinational company entered the lucrative Indian market in 2015 by launching a slew of electronic products. However, it entered the burgeoning Indian smartphone industry last year by launching three flagship smartphones.



But the Chinese company seems to have been faltered by its over-ambition as it failed to create a sustainable demand for its product in the Indian market. This despite the fact that its advertising budget over-exceeded that of Chinese rivals like OPPO and Vivo. By a rough estimate, the company was reportedly spending nearly 80 crore every month in running extensive advertisements campaigns.



The crack in LeEco's smartphone business first appeared in December after the company announced that it would stop selling its smartphones through offline stores. The news surely came as a dampener for the company's investors, who had already pressed the panic button after the news of cash crunch situation broke out.



Talking to an Indian newspaper, LeEco's India chief operating officer Alex Li accepted that the company is going through a tough time, but claimed that there is no exit strategy in place and the company very well intends to carry on with its Indian operation.



"All businesses need to be profitable to be sustainable. That has been the primary objective in taking certain measures," Li said on layoffs, but added that the number of layoffs being reported in the Indian media is incorrect.



Most industry analysts are taking Li's pep talks with a pinch of salt, claiming that the LeEco will most certainly exit the Indian business in a matter of few months.



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TagsLeeco, LeEco India, china, China and India
(Photo : MND) A Taiwanese Patriot PAC-3 SAM battery.

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China immediately responded to the Republic of China's (Taiwan) announcement yesterday of more naval and aerial patrols in the South China Sea by today sending its warships and warplanes to conduct warfare exercises in the disputed waters.



China's state-owned media revealed warships of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), and jet fighters, strategic bombers and other planes from the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) carried out joint drills at the Miyako Strait to the northeast of Taiwan and between the southern Japanese islands of Miyako and Okinawa.



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"This exercise is part of annual plans for the navy, is not aimed at a specific country or target, and accords with relevant international laws and norms," said China in a statement about the drill.



Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said it monitored the joint drills, which took place outside the country's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).



China's quick response ratchets up a new war of wills against Taiwan, which is rapidly rearming and modernizing the Republic of China Armed Forces (ROCAF) out of concern China will make good its promise to invade Taiwan before 2020.



Taiwan yesterday said the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) will increase the number of its patrols of the disputed South China Sea, and will conduct more joint drills with the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF).



"Looking ahead at the transformation of China's strategy and its investment in new weapons equipment, our military will practice new reforms in our training," said Taiwan's defense minister, Feng Shih-kuan, in a report to the Legislative Yuan, the country's parliament.



"The navy, during its regular South China Sea patrols, will conduct joint training with the air force in protecting fishermen and supply transports, and in humanitarian rescue drills to expand the combat readiness of our sea and air patrols," according to Feng.



The MND said that because of the rapid increase in China's military spending, ROCAF will enhance its combat preparedness through innovations in military maneuvers and training; flexible deployment of military forces and expanded exchanges between its armed services.



The Air Defense Missile Command, previously under the MND, has been placed under the Republic of China Air Force Command to facilitate a more unified air defense strategy and to strengthen Taiwan's combined air-naval combat capability.



More worrying for China, however, is the deployment of the MIM-104F Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile system to locations in eastern Taiwan where they can destroy more of its ballistic missiles.



PAC-3 batteries have been deployed to the Hualien and Taitung area of eastern Taiwan in response to changes in China's military strategy, said the MND.



Arguably the most advanced surface-to-air missile (SAM) system with an anti-ballistic missile capability, PAC-3 is dedicated almost entirely to shooting down anti-ballistic missiles. Due to miniaturization, a single canister can hold four PAC-3 missiles as against one PAC-2 missile per canister.



The PAC-3 missile is also more maneuverable than previous variants due to 180 tiny pulse solid propellant rocket motors mounted in the forebody of the missile.



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Tagschina, Republic of China, Taiwan, South China Sea, People's Liberation Army Navy, People's Liberation Army Air Force, Republic of China Armed Forces, MIM-104F Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile system
(Photo : Bundeswehr) Men of the Deutsches Heer in Lithuania.

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Germany will keep troops of the "Deutsches Heer" (the German Army) in Lithuania indefinitely to stiffen the Lithuanian Land Force, which only has 8,000 active duty personnel, in the face of a continuing Russian build-up aimed at invading Lithuania and the two other Baltic States of Estonia and Latvia.



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German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel on March 2 slammed Russia's unwarranted military build-up along its borders with the Baltic States as irrational, emphasizing Germany will keep troops in the region for as long as needed.



"The military potential that the Russian Federation has built up here at the border is completely irrational in my view because there is zero threat emanating from these countries," said Gabriel.



Gabriel gave no further details about German military deployments, but said the German troops would remain "as long as needed" in the Lithuanian military base where they are currently billeted.



Gabriel visited 400 German soldiers stationed in Rukla, Lithuania. These men are part of a German-led battle group of 1,000 troops in Lithuania.



They will be joined this year by U.S.-led forces in Poland; British-led soldiers in Estonia and Canadian-led troops in Latvia.



NATO is expanding its presence in the Baltic States to levels unprecedented since the Cold War, a deployment triggered by Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and Russian support for Russian-backed separatists seeking to dismember Ukraine.



In early February, men of the Deutsches Heer began deploying to Lithuania as part of NATO's push to better defend the three Baltic States, which Russia will attack first should a new European War erupt.



The German infantry, which arrived Feb. 7, will form part of a 1,200-strong NATO multinational battalion that will also include French, Dutch and Belgian troops. NATO plans to deploy four of these multinational enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) battalion battle groups throughout the Baltic States.



Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite hailed the German battalion's arrival, and said the deployment emphasizes NATO strong unity.



"Never before has Lithuania hosted military forces of such size and integrity. It sends a very clear and important message to all that NATO stands strong and united," she said.



"NATO deterrence protects peace."



The United States in January began deploying the first contingent of a US. Army Brigade Combat Team to Poland. This entire unit will number over 3,500 well-trained troops of the U.S. Army 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, U.S. 4th Infantry Division (3-4 ABCT).



3-4 ABCT is one of the best trained frontline units in the U.S. Army. Over the next few months, 3,500 men of 3-4 ABCT; 87 M1A2SEPv2 Abrams main battle tanks (the latest version); 144 M2A3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs), 18 M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzers and 2,500 other vehicles will be deployed to Poland.



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TagsGermany, Deutsches Heer, German Army, Lithuania, Russia, Baltic States, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, President Dalia Grybauskaite
(Photo : CAST) The completed Chinese Space Station.

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"Tianhe-1," the modular core module of the "Chinese Space Station" (CSS), will be orbited in 2018 as the first step towards assembling CSS, which will be the only one in space after the International Space Station (ISS) is retired in 2024.



Tianhe (Chinese for "Harmony of the Heavens") will be the payload aboard the new-generation Long March-5 heavyweight carrier rocket, said Bao Weimin, director with China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.



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Assembly of the core module has been completed and tests are currently under way, said Bao. This procedure will be followed by a series of launches for other components of the space station, including the six major components over the next four years or so.



The precursor to the CSS is Tiangong-1, China's first prototype space station. Tiangong-1 (Chinese for "Heavenly Palace") served as both a manned laboratory and an experimental test bed for orbital rendezvous and docking capabilities.



Tianhe-1 and Tiangong-3 will be components of the much larger Chinese Space Station, which will be parked in low Earth orbit like the ISS. CSS, however, will be one-sixth the mass of the ISS and half the size of the decommissioned Russian Mir Space Station.



CSS is expected to have a mass between 60 and 70 metric tons. It will be much smaller in size than the ISS, which spans 109 meters x 73 meters, and weighs 420 metric tons.



Bao claims CSS (also called the Chinese large modular space station) will function for "dozens of years." He also claims CSS was specially designed to withstand impacts from small pieces of space debris.



"For the big pieces (of space debris), we could conduct evasive maneuvers, and for those measuring less than 10 cm in size, we just take the hit," said Bao.



He said the next five years will see exciting advances in China's military-run space program.



Apart from Tianhe-1 and Tiangong-3, the other components of the CSS are:



* Wentian, or the Modular Space Station Experiment Module I. Wentian means "Quest for the Heavens."



* Mengtian, or the Modular Space Station Experiment Module II, Mengtian means "Dreaming of the Heavens."



* Tianzhou, or the cargo transport spacecraft. Tianzhou means "Heavenly Ship."



* Xuntian, an experimental module. Xuntian means "Heavenly Cruiser."



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TagsTianhe-1, Chinese Space Station, CSS, International Space Station, Bao Weimin, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Tiangong-1
A congregation of Coptic Christians in New York City will soon start services in a church building that used to be home to a Catholic congregation.

The group of Coptic Christians will repurpose the Catholic church Our Lady of Peace on New York Citys Upper East Side, which was closed in 2015 when its current Catholic congregation merged with a nearby parish.

Copts are the largest Christian minority in Egypt, according to Christian Today. In recent months they have experienced increased persecution, including attacks from the Islamic State, previously reported on by ChristianHeadlines.com.

According to a letter from the Auxiliary Catholic Bishop to the Catholic congregation that used to meet in the church, Some months ago, Cardinal Dolan had the occasion to introduce the New York Egyptian Coptic Orthodox bishop, His Grace Bishop David, to the Holy Father, at which time they spoke about their dream to purchase Our Lady of Peace as their cathedral.

Pope Francis was delighted to learn that your parish, together with the archdiocese, was interested in assisting the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church, in this way, the letter continues. Both Pope Francis and Coptic Pope Tawadros II have reportedly approved the NYC Coptic congregation taking over the church building.

Publication date: March 3, 2017
Meet the first known dramatist of Christianity, the most famous female exegete of the nature of the Trinity, and the author of the earliest known autobiography in English.

Hrotsvit von Gandersheim

Christianitys first known playwright

Hrotsvit lived in the tenth century (9321002) as a canoness of the Imperial Saxon Abbey of Gandersheim (Germany). She can best be described by a catalogue of pioneering achievements: she is the first known dramatist of Christianity; the first Saxon poet; the first female Transalpine [north of the Alps] historian; and the author of the only extant Latin epics written by a woman.

According to her own testimony she objected to the great popularity of [Roman author] Terences plays, which depicted lascivious pagan women frolicking in the pleasures of the flesh. She wanted to compose dramas substituting the heroines of Christianity: beautiful, chaste virgins, firmly resisting the insidious advances of pagan men. To show frail Christian virgins triumph with Christs aid was her stated dramatic intent.

Hrotsvit is a polished stylist who doesnt lack a sense of humor, either. In one of her plays, Dulcitius, the protagonist is a pagan would-be executioner of three Christian virgins. He imprisons them close to the pantry so as to visit and seduce them secretly at night. As he enters the pantry, however, he is miraculously deluded and mistakes the dirty pots and pans for the girls. The scene is related by the girls, who peeping through the keyhole observe the foolish Dulcitius romancing kitchen utensils.

Hrotsvits works were rediscovered centuries later by a German scholar, who in 1501 made her texts available for posterity.

Julian of Norwich

Writer of solitary devotion to God

Julian of Norwich is perhaps the most famous female exegete of the nature of the Trinityparticularly of Christs mediating role between God ...
OCP Releases Mass of Restoration -- A New Mass Setting for Contemporary Liturgy



PORTLAND, Ore., March 3, 2017 /



The pair sought to create a setting that honors the history of music and the traditions of the Church that would still appeal to today's parishioner. "Knowing Josh's strengths as a musician and songwriter, we were excited to offer this setting to parishes. As expected from Josh and Grae, the result of their work is a singable, well-written and comprehensive setting for any congregation," explained Rick Modlin, manager of music development at OCP.



In talking about his approach to writing music, Josh explains, "I believe that God inhabits the praises of his people, and people are being moved by powerful refrains, repetitive bridges and intimate lyricsmuch in the way I'm sure 'Ode to Joy' affected assemblies when it was introduced as a hymn in the early 1900s."



The accompaniments include vocal harmonies and keyboard and guitar parts, making it accessible for many different ensembles. The MP3 album is all acousticand truly stunning. To offer a glimpse of the simple beauty of Mass of Restoration, Josh, Grae and their bandmates, Blake Powell and Christian Gaudet, have made a series of videos for each of the Mass parts. Watch them



Mass of Restoration is one of more than 60 new and revised Mass settings OCP has published since the implementation of the updated texts from The Roman Missal, Third Edition in November 2011. The settings range in style from traditional and chant to contemporary, multilingual and more. Learn more about



For more information or media requests, please contact Kelcee Marcum at



About OCP

OCP, a not-for-profit publisher of liturgical music and worship resources based in Portland, Oregon, has been in operation for more than 90 years. Worship programs produced by OCP are used in over two-thirds of Catholic churches in the United States and are distributed worldwide. Find OCP on Facebook at

Share Tweet Contact: Kelcee Marcum, OCP , 503-460-5358PORTLAND, Ore., March 3, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- With five solo albums under his belt, Josh Blakesley is no longer a newcomer in the contemporary Catholic music world. This time around he joined forces with his guitarist Grae McCullough to bring us Mass of Restoration, a new Mass setting for contemporary liturgy that is joyful and approachable, yet fresh, dynamic and expressive.The pair sought to create a setting that honors the history of music and the traditions of the Church that would still appeal to today's parishioner. "Knowing Josh's strengths as a musician and songwriter, we were excited to offer this setting to parishes. As expected from Josh and Grae, the result of their work is a singable, well-written and comprehensive setting for any congregation," explained Rick Modlin, manager of music development at OCP.In talking about his approach to writing music, Josh explains, "I believe that God inhabits the praises of his people, and people are being moved by powerful refrains, repetitive bridges and intimate lyricsmuch in the way I'm sure 'Ode to Joy' affected assemblies when it was introduced as a hymn in the early 1900s."The accompaniments include vocal harmonies and keyboard and guitar parts, making it accessible for many different ensembles. The MP3 album is all acousticand truly stunning. To offer a glimpse of the simple beauty of Mass of Restoration, Josh, Grae and their bandmates, Blake Powell and Christian Gaudet, have made a series of videos for each of the Mass parts. Watch them here Mass of Restoration is one of more than 60 new and revised Mass settings OCP has published since the implementation of the updated texts from The Roman Missal, Third Edition in November 2011. The settings range in style from traditional and chant to contemporary, multilingual and more. Learn more about Mass of Restoration as well as OCP's other Mass settings at ocp.org/mass-settings For more information or media requests, please contact Kelcee Marcum at kelceem@ocp.org or 503.460.5358.About OCPOCP, a not-for-profit publisher of liturgical music and worship resources based in Portland, Oregon, has been in operation for more than 90 years. Worship programs produced by OCP are used in over two-thirds of Catholic churches in the United States and are distributed worldwide. Find OCP on Facebook at Facebook.com/OCPmusic
China Aid Releases 2016 Annual Persecution Report

Contact: ChinaAid Media Team, 432-553-1080 cell, 432-689-6985, media@chinaaid.org



MIDLAND, Texas, March 3, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- China Aid has released its 2016 Annual Persecution Report, detailing a seismic shift in the Chinese government's approach to religious policy which is expected to lead to further persecution.



The report's core subject tracks a deviation in the Chinese government's ideological approach to religious management. During the National Conference of Religious Work, held in April 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of religions "persistently following the path of Sinicization," and subordinate government departments adopted the policy as a catalyst for many persecution attempts. Previously, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) focused its efforts on encouraging religions and socialism to mutually adapt, which was introduced by former President Jiang Zemin.



Despite China's insistence that Sinicization is an integral ingredient in the harmonization between church and state, the policy pivots on the government's assumption that other countries are using foreign-based religions to undermine their authority. Therefore, actions carried out under this mantra target the activities of religious institutions and subject them to government oversight, effectively trimming pre-existing religious practices to fit the agenda of the CCP. This forces religious practitioners, especially Christians, to choose between comprising their deeply-held beliefs and risking being treated as violators of the law.



In an attempt to implement this Sinicization, local government departments across the country drafted and carried out work plans that took aim at house churches. Often, these departments ruled to identify unregistered house churches and coerce them to join the government-monitored Three-Self Patriotic Movement by threatening them with forced closure.



In addition to these attempts to tailor Christianity, China continued to persecute individual Christians at a frequency unseen since the Cultural Revolution. Comparing statistics gathered in 2015, China Aid discovered consistent increases across six different categories of persecution in 2016. These include: number of persecution cases (up 20.2 percent), number of people detained (up 147.6 percent), the number of people arrested (up 11 percent), the number of people sentenced (up 30 percent), the number of abuse cases (up 42.6 percent), and the number of people abused (up 69.5 percent).



This data illustrates China's alarming regression into a more Maoist regime, and conditions are expected to worsen this year as the Revised Regulations on Religious Affairs goes into effect nationwide. These new regulations seek to further limit religious activity and indicate a catastrophic potential to place more Christians behind bars.



"The key findings of what happened last year and the reports from these first two months of 2017 have shown the situation of religious freedom is rapidly deteriorating," said Bob Fu, founder and president of China Aid. "We call upon both the persecuted faithful in China and the international community to be increasingly vigilant and persevere in facing this harsher year. China Aid will continue to walk closer with the persecuted and oppressed faithful in China by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused, and equipping the leaders."



The full English version of the 2016 Annual Persecution Report can be read here. While China Aid hopes that someday religious freedom will be available to all, the majority of the reports we receive spotlight the persecution of Christians. As such, the report focuses on the CCP's persecution of Christians and should be read as a sampling of a much more widespread endemic of oppression, rather than a comprehensive analysis.



China Aid writes the Annual Persecution Reports in order to expose China's horrific treatment of people who believe differently from the state, stand in solidarity with persecuted Christians, and promote religious freedom, human rights, and rule of law for all.
Birmingham Council Under Fire For Challenging Christian School's Ban Of Islamic Headscarf

A British city council has been caught in controversy after its equality chief challenged the ruling of a Christian school to stop a 4-year old girl from wearing an Islamic headscarf at school.

Equality chief Waseem Zaffar of Birmingham City Council, attempted to overturn a decision by St Clare's Catholic School in Handsworth Wood, The Telegraph reports.

Zaffar said that the school's uniform policy, which disallowed young children to wear headwear, was in conflict with the UK's Equalities Act, and insisted on 'a change of policy'.

Dame Louise Casey, a government official leading integration efforts, said she was 'very concerned' by Zaffar's intervention, which she regarded as 'grossly unfair and undue'. Dame Louise asked whether 'sufficient lessons' had been learned from the 'Trojan Horse' controversy that occurred three years prior.

The 'Trojan Horse' scandal centred on the alleged targeting of Birmingham schools by hard-line Islamists seeking to provoke a conservative ideology. Ofsted, the leading regulatory authority for British schools, said that it had evidence that 21 schools in the city were under threat, and that head teachers were being 'marginalised' by extremists trying to influence the education system.

Ofsted's chief, Sir Michael Wilshaw accused Birmingham City Council of a 'serious failure' to regulate and protect the city's schools and its children. The council was subsequently placed under constant review by the government.

St Clare's states on its website that 'hats or scarves are not allowed to be worn in school', which it says includes headscarves.

Shaista Gohir of the Muslim Women's Network UK, which promotes equality for Muslim women, told the BBC: 'The school is allowed to set its uniform policy and schools do have to be mindful and inclusive and cohesive and make sure that they don't breach their duties under the Equality Act.

'But they haven't done anything wrong because there is no Islamic requirement for a four-year-old to be wearing a headscarf.'

Dame Louise said she questioned the 'wisdom and legitimacy' of Zaffar's actions, writing to Birmingham city council leader John Clancy, and also emphasised that Islam makes places no obligation on young children to wear headscarves.

She asked Clancy: 'Why councillor Zaffar thought that his actions were an appropriate use of his office? What action the council leadership has taken to address this? And why you think this won't happen again?

'I found it was women and children who were the targets of these kinds regressive acts.'

Birmingham City council said it has responded to Dame Louise's letter privately.
Church Stance On Gay Marriage 'Increasingly Untenable' For An Established Church, Say MPs

MPs are branding the established Church's status on sexuality 'untenable', 'unfair' and 'hard to justify' as they piled on pressure for a change.

Labour's Ben Bradshaw and Chris Bryant and Tory MP Robert Jenrick all voiced their concern after a bishops' report on sexuality was rejected by the Church of England's ruling body.

The report kept a conservative line on gay marriage and was criticised by members of the general synod for its tone towards LGBT people.

Ben Bradshaw, Labour MP for Exeter, who is Anglican and in a gay relationship, said: 'Is it not increasingly untenable for our Church, which enjoys significant privileges in this country because of its established status, to continue to discriminate against its own members simply because they happen to be gay?'

Robert Jenrick, Conservative MP for Newark, raised the case of Canon Jeremy Pemberton, a constituent of his, who was barred from taking a role as a priest because he entered a gay marriage.

In questions to the Church commissioners' questions, he said: 'Does my right honourable friend accept that allowing each bishop discretion in how to handle these, admittedly, complex issues is creating unfairness and variances that are quite hard to justify?'

Chris Bryant, a former Anglican priest who quit in protest over its stance on sexuality, raised Jeffrey John being blocked from being a bishop in the Church in Wales, which Christian Today revealed last week.

'The other bishops have refused to do what they have done in every other caseaccept what the members of the local diocese have wanted,' he said.

Responding to the criticism Dame Caroline Spelman, second Church estates commissioner, said the Archbishops of Canterbury and York had released a 'statement committing them to find a way forward'.

She added a new bishops' oversight group will 'work on how to be as generous as possible to welcome all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people into the Church'.

She said: 'Changes have taken place and more need to happen.'

The report was rejected by the clergy on general synod by 100 votes to 93. Although the majority of the opposition was from the liberal wing, some conservatives also voted against it over concerns the 'maximum freedoms' offered to gay clergy would cause confusion.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern and a member of synod said the result should not be seen as a victory for LGBT activists. She was one of a handful of conservative members who voted against the report fearing it would lead to blessings for gay couples.

'What was clear from the debate was that the report tries to straddle positions that cannot be reconciled,' she said.
Coptic Christians In New York Begin Services In Disused Catholic Church

A redundant Roman Catholic church building in New York is set to be brought back to life by a congregation of Coptic Christians.

Our Lady Of Peace, on the Upper East Side, was effectively closed in 2015. IThe existing congregation was merged with a nearby parish and, although some worshippers petitioned to keep the building open as a Roman Catholic church, it will host Coptic services from this Sunday.

Copts are the largest Christian minority in the Midde East and are mainly based I Egypt. They are vulnerable to persecution there and recent years have seen many violent attacks.

There are already Coptic churches in New York, but with a significant Egyptian population in the city, the new congregation will meet from this week.

It's even reported that the building could become a Coptic Cathedral. A letter from the Auxiliary Catholic Bishop to the existing parishoners said, 'Some months ago, Cardinal Dolan had the occasion to introduce the New York Egyptian Coptic Orthodox bishop, His Grace Bishop David, to the Holy Father, at which time they spoke about their dream to purchase Our Lady of Peace as their cathedral.'

The letter carries on, 'Pope Francis was delighted to learn that your parish, together with the archdiocese, was interested in assisting the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church, in this way.' It also suggests that Coptic Pope Tawadros II has spoken with Pope Francis about the church, 'both popes have given their blessings,' it reads.
Fears For Abducted Malaysian Pastor After Son Says He May Have Been Murdered

Fears are growing for a Malaysian pastor who has been missing for almost three weeks. Raymond Koh Keng Joo, 62, was abducted by masked men on 13 February.

Now, his son has filed a report with police on the suspicion he has been murdered, according to reports from Free Malaysia Today.

Jonathan Koh says he's reached the disturbing conclusion on the basis that the family hasn't received a ransom demand, and there is very little information about his father's whereabouts or condition.

Malaysia is a majority Muslim country and there have been periodic attacks on Christians. World Watch Monitor reports that, 'in 2011, Mr. Koh was questioned after being accused by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department of trying to convert Muslims to Christianity, following a raid on a fundraising dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church. That case was eventually dropped due to a lack of evidence.'

The pastor's wife is also quoted appealing for her husband's captors to give some information. 'I don't know what is happening. I appeal to whoever has taken him not to harm him,' she said. 'He is a good husband, father and pastor, who helps the poor.'

Thousands have signed an online petition calling for more to be done to locate the missing church leader.
God's Plan: To Console Wife Of U.S. Soldier, God Sent Her A Friend  Before He Was Killed In Combat

God was already at work to ease her sorrow even before her soldier husband died in combat.

Carryn Owenswho was the guest during U.S. President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress in Washington D.C. on Feb. 28had no idea that she was about to become a widow when a neighbour named Dana came knocking on her door to offer her friendship.

According to Pastor Dan Backens of New Life Church in Virginia Beach, as reported by CBN News, God made it happen for Dana to have the urge to initiate friendship with her neighbour Carryn.

"Here's a mother with children and a busy life, and she says 'OK, I'm gonna start loving a neighbour intentionally," Backens said in his recent sermon.

At that time, Dana had no inkling that Carryn would become a widow with the death of her U.S. Navy Seals husband in a military mission. But God knew it beforehand  because that was part of His plan, Backens said.

Although Carryn has lost Ryan, her husband, "she has a friend now, and this friend has a church," the pastor said.

Backens reminded Christians that they would never know how God would want to use them when they reach out to others with the love of Christ, CBN News said.

During his Congress speech, President Trump paid tribute to Ryan Owens, who was killed during a U.S. commando raid on an al-Qaeda stronghold in Yemen on Jan. 29the first U.S. combat mission authorised by Trump.

Trump made mention of the biblical verse John 15:13, saying, "For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater active love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our freedom."

Just a day after Ryan was killed, Trump personally called Carryn to express his condolences and to invite her and her three children to visit him at the White House, The Washington Post reported. Trump was just 10 days in office at that time.

"By the way," Trump told Owens, according to the White House, "I'm going to be giving this speech in February. If you feel comfortable, I would love to have you as a guest."

Owens accepted the invitation. She and her children visited the White House on Feb. 28 and met privately with Trump and some of his senior aides.
'He Lived To Save Others': The Legacy Of Dawson Trotman And The Navigators

Today marks the anniversary of the founding of The Navigators, now a discipleship charity known for its student ministry  but originally begun as a mission to sailors by a man named Dawson Trotman. Who was he, and why does he matter?

Dawson Trotman, known to friends as 'Daws' became a Christian at 18, and was soon inspired to share the good news he had learned with others. On March 3, 1933 Trotman began The Navigators, through which he and his friends reached out to sailors in the US military. Trotman was inspired by the principle of sharing life 1-1 with another, and through this relational model, sharing the gospel with many.

He taught a sailor called Les Spencer about Jesus, spending many hours studying the Bible, praying, and memorising Scripture. Spencer's life was changed, and when a fellow sailor asked him what had happened, Spencer brought him to Trotman.

'Teach him what you taught me,' Spencer said.

Trotman responded: 'You teach him!'

This vision of teaching people to teach others, echoing the call of Jesus' Great Commission and Paul's in 2 Timothy 2.2, is sometimes called 'passing on the baton'. It begins with one, but it can ultimately reach out to many. Spencer taught his sailor friend about Jesus, and eventually 125 sailors on the U.S.S. West Virginia had come to know Christ.

Dawson's mission began with one sailor, but he began a movement which spread across the Navy, and the rest of the military, so that by the end of World War Two thousands of men had caught the vision of 'spiritual multiplication' through 'life on life' discipleship. It is an approach that The Navigators maintain to this day.

Another iconic legacy of Trotman's is that of memorising verses of Scripture, with a focus on particular themes around Christian living. The 'Topical Memory System' is a popular tool of The Navigators born out of that spirit, and has helped many over the decades to store vast amounts of God's word in their minds, and share it with others.

Trotman also became close friends with the legendary evangelist Billy Graham, who enlisted Trotman's help in providing discipleship and Bible teaching for the many converted at Graham's famous crusades.

Today, The Navigators have come a long way since their beginning on the U.S.S. West Virginia. The Navigators began a pioneering mission to China in 1949, and now have ministries in over 100 countries all over the world. They serve many in different stages and walks of life, encouraging them to know the depth of life with God and to share it with others in a profound way.

In June 1956, Dawson went boating with some friends. One girl on the boat was unable to swim, and a wave threw Dawson and the girl overboard. Dawson saved the girl, but he himself drowned.

Billy Graham would preach at Dawson's funeral, where he mourned the loss of his friend who 'had personally touched more lives than anyone I have ever known'. As Graham said, in life and death, Dawson 'lived to save others'.
ISIS Tells Militants Cannibalism Of Non-Muslims Is OK, Instructs Them How To Cook And Eat Human Remains

It turns out that the Islamic State (ISIS) is not only a group composed of ruthless killers and savages but also of monstrous cannibals.

In a shocking revelation, an ISIS handbook has been discovered justifying and teaching cannibalism among the group's members, British media reported.

The document was found in one of the terrorist group's training centres and presented to the media by the Quilliam Foundation, a counter-extremist think tank founded by three former members of the Hizb ut-Tahrir radical Islamist group.

The handbook tells aspiring militants that Islam approves of killing captive non-Muslims and feasting on their remains should food become scarce, according to The Daily Mail.

The guidebook even provides details on the parts of the body that can be eaten and how these body parts should be prepared and cooked.

"We have found the curriculum that Islamic State use to indoctrinate fighters and the indigenous population in areas under their control," Quilliam CEO Haras Rafiq told The Daily Record. "There are all sorts of things in there, but one of the most horrific is a section on cannibalism which they are teaching in classrooms."

Rafiq said ISIS militants are being told that if they can't find food during a time of jihad, "it is OK to kill another non-Muslim or a Muslim who doesn't follow their version of Islam."

Rafiq said as a Muslim he finds no justification for cannibalism, which he called "revolting."

"These views on cannibalism are not mainstream but they are gaining traction," Rafiq said.

This is not the first time that ISIS has been linked to cannibalism. There have been reports on ISIS militants cooking the remains of non-Muslim captives they butchered and feeding them to the victims' family members.

In October 2015, ISIS militants reportedly fed a detained and starving Yazidi mother the meat of her very own three-year old boy whom she had not seen since being kidnapped by the militants some months back.

After being locked up in an ISIS cell for two days without food, the woman begged to be fed. The militants obliged, giving her a plate of rice with meat. But after she finished eating, to her utter horror the militants told her that what she had just eaten was the meat of her own son.

A Kurdish mother also had a similar experience when she went to the ISIS headquarters in Mosul, Iraq in March 2015 to beg for the release of her detained son, who was a Kurdish soldier.

The ISIS militants pretended to be gracious hosts, telling her to sit down and even served her a meal of cooked meat, soup, and rice.

After she finished the meal, she demanded to see her son. The militants reportedly burst into laughter, saying they had murdered her son and chopped him into pieces. "You've just eaten him," they told her.
Jesus Image Miraculously Survives ISIS Destruction Of Orthodox Church In Mosul

Jesus Christ is in Mosul, and the Islamic State (ISIS) is powerless to stop Him.

This impression was made when a team of humanitarian aid workers found something extraordinary inside an Orthodox church destroyed by ISIS militants in a liberated area in downtown Mosul, Iraq.

In an inspiring video posted on his group's website, Matt Willingham of Preemptive Love can be seen walking through the ruins of a church bombed by ISIS.

"I'm in a destroyed orthodox Church in downtown Mosul," Willingham begins his video annotation. "I wanted just to take a minute to show you the destruction. You can see the chandeliers are just blown to bits, you can see the ISIS flag up here. I mean, it's terrible."

A huge crater possibly caused by a mortar blast can be seen where the altar used to be.

But amid the gloom, Waleed, a Muslim member of Willingham's team, spotted something extraordinary. "As my friend and I were walking, he called me over and he said, "Hey, come look at this. And he pointed up, and we looked up and got to see this."

The camera then focuses on the ceiling where a beautiful image of Jesus can be seen, miraculously undamaged.

On his blog, Willingham says he stood silently and wept when he saw the image.

"It was just one of those moments where despite all that's around us, all the negativity and destruction. That little moment just caught my breath. Just this beautiful little glimpse of Christ, of hope.. it just keeps you going," Willingham says.

"That beautiful, bright image had hit my heart like mortar. It had been such a difficult day, and then... a little hope," he says.

Hope continues to burn brighter in Mosul as Iraqi forces continue to push their way into the heart of the ISIS-occupied city.

However, amid the ongoing offensive, more refugees from the western part of the city have fled and reached safer grounds. The Iraqi government has announced that as of Friday, the number of refugees has reached more than 31.000 as battles intensify between ISIS militants and Iraqi troops, Iraqi News reported.

The United Nations earlier warned that at least 250.000 could be displaced due to battles in western Mosul, which could lead to severe medical and food supply shortages in areas still under ISIS occupation.
Senators Call For $20m Funding For Faith Based Centres Following Spike In Bomb Threats

Two US Senators are calling for Congress to invest $20 million in security for Jewish and other faith-based community centres, following recent terror threats.

Jewish community centres (JCCs) across the US have enhanced their security after bomb threats have spike against the faith community.

Two Senators are now calling for assistance for these JCCs, and other vulnerable faith groups, putting forward a bill that would grant $20 million to improve their security, RNS reports.

The funds would come through the Department of Homeland Security's grant programme, known as the Faith-Based Community Center Protection Act.

'This legislation would help ensure that community centers like the JCC's have the added protection they need and can focus on serving the community, while the FBI and our Justice Department track down those responsible,' Democrat Senator Martin Heinrich said in a statement. Heinrich co-filed the bill with Republican Senator Dean Heller on Monday.

Over 100 bomb threats have been reported at Jewish communities across the US since Jan 9. Most of these (77) were made to JCCs in various states across the country. The JCC association reported 21 bomb threats against day schools and JCCs on Monday.

So far no explosives have been found. Investigations by the FBI and Homeland Security are ongoing.

The funds are for community centres, not houses of worship such as synagogues, mosques or churches, though attacks on such buildings have also increased. At a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia, 100 headstones were toppled, Police said on Sunday, following the vandalism of a Jewish cemetery in St Louis the week before.

Some Jewish groups have said the rise in violence and terror threats is a sign that anti-semitic groups have been empowered by the election of President Trump. Trump rose to power with the support of some prominent white supremacists, though he disavowed them.

On Monday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer addressed the rise in attacks, saying they contradicted America's founding principles.

'The president continues to condemn these and any other forms of anti-Semitic and hateful acts in the strongest terms,' he told reporters.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Talk About Jesus, Not About How The Archbishop Voted On Brexit, Bishop Tells Christians

The Bishop of Durham is urging Christians to talk about Jesus, not about Brexit.

He also suggested that anyone hoping to evangelise new Christians should avoid talking about the Church of England.

He was one of up to 25 bishops, including the Archbishop of York, in Durham for a four-day evangelism event, 'Talking Jesus'. They are examining a series of 450 outreach programmes ranging from abseiling to coffee mornings.

Rt Rev Paul Butler, one of the Church of England's top five bishops, warned hundreds to resist talking about the institutional church at a launch event in Durham Cathedral on Thursday.

'Avoid wherever possible talking about the Church or however the Archbishop voted [on Brexit],' he said. 'Let's keep to talking about Jesus.'

He told Christian Today: 'I think there is a danger that we get wrapped up in institutional conversations. Whereas the heart of what we are about is we are followers of Jesus. It is God's kingdom. Jesus is the Lord and Saviour. Not the Church.'

He said: 'We have unashamedly entitled the four days Talking Jesus. We want to make Jesus the topic of conversation and thought. We want to get people thinking about Jesus. We have opportunities galore to meet people face to face. Our focus throughout is to share Jesus.'

The Church of England has seen a year on year decline in regular attendance over the past decades with less than one million people going to church on a weekly basis.

With attendance across Durham's parishes at less than one per cent of the population Butler admitted the task can seem daunting.

'I think people are nervous. They are worried people will ask them questions they don't know the answer to when actually people want to hear the story,' he told Christian Today afterwards.

'Day to day it is about living the lifestyle of Jesus in our places of work and communities, praying for people and taking the opportunities to talk about Jesus when they can.'

The Archbishop of York and his team will join hundreds of other churchgoers, clergy and bishops in teaming up with local parishes for the weekend.

'If people in the United Kingdom talked more about Jesus than they talked about weather we might get some traction,' he told Christian Today. 'For me the greatest thing is that in Jesus Christ God invites us to be his friend, invites us to get to know him to get to love him.'
'The Shack' Star Octavia Spencer Defends Film From Critics, Says It 'Dispenses With Conventional Images Of God'

"The Shack" has drawn controversy because of its unusual depiction of the Holy Trinity. In the book-turned-movie written by William Paul Young, God is personified by an African American woman named Papa, Jesus as a Middle Estern man, while the Holy Spirit is depicted as a mysterious Asian woman named Sarayu.

Octavia Spencer, who stars in the film as Papa, knows a lot of evangelicals have been criticising the film and calling it heretical. But personally, she sees nothing wrong with it and even finds it inspiring how people of different races were put together to represent faith.

"I love the way the Holy Trinity is presented in 'The Shack.' It represents a very diverse group of people, which is what the world is," she told The Christian Post. "So it's quite refreshing that the Holy Spirit is this beautiful Asian woman, who feels like a breath of fresh air in real life. And Jesus is an amazing Israeli actor. And then you have myself, as God, and what I like about that presentation is it sort of dispenses with the conventional images of God and what we have in our minds as God."

Spencer said she grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, so it was impossible to grow up without a church background. "Where I'm from, you learned about God before you learned to read and write. Our faith is what grounds us," she shared.

The actress carried her faith even when she made it big in Hollywood where she confessed her faith is now being tested daily. When she took on "The Shack," she learned to understand true forgiveness and how a lack of it can negatively impact one's life. Because of the movie, Spencer can honestly say that she is now closer to God.

As for Sam Worthington, who stars in the movie as Mack, a grieving father, he told Metro that people can learn a lot about forgiveness from the Bible, and "The Shack" can give viewers a deeper understanding of it.

"The Bible is like a guideline for how to live a better life. The idea of 'The Shack' is learning to forgive others and that the healing process is going to take time. It doesn't happen automatically," he shared. "It's very hard to forgive people who have done you wrong, but here's some steps you can take."

"The Shack" opens in movie theatres in the U.S. on March 3, 2017.
Top UK Major General Who Is A Christian Praises Donald Trump's Defence Team

The most senior British officer behind the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq believes the security, defence and foreign policy team around President Donald Trump is 'potentially more competent all round' than in the previous two US administrations.

Major General Tim Cross, who is retired but is still a defence adviser to the British Government, also accused the British Government of overlooking displaced Iraqi Christians and other minorities, many of whom have been singled out for persecution since the invasion, by channelling aid through Muslim-run organisations.

He said that in meetings with officials from the Foreign Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development (DfID), they 'didn't really want to engage with' with the issue.

Speaking about the Trump administration's new team, he described US Defence Secretary James Mattis as 'a thinking man', able to influence the new president.

A practising Anglican Christian, Cross told Christian Today that Lieutenant General HR Mc Master, the National Security Adviser, who like Cross fought in the First Gulf War, is 'a very good battlefield commander, and a great thinker; he understands that there is this relationship with soft and hard power  you don't just bomb people into submission.'

Mattis has said he favours an 'accelerated campaign' against Islamic State.

McMaster is believed to support a more assertive policy in Syria.

The trio of Mattis, McMaster and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson together made a 'pretty good' team, said Cross.

'It's a return to a more traditional concept of American power and how it's used  a preparedness to engage and lead.'

Regarding the now under-review Executive Order barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, Cross defended Trump for saying the ban was in place 'until we understand what's going on here', saying that in 2003 he and the other planners of the invasion had not sufficiently understood what was going on.

Asked whether he believed Trump's pledge to increase military spending by $54 billion was a responsible use of resources, he quoted John McCain, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who argued that this was only a 3 per cent increase compared to spending in the most recent fiscal year, and that the US military was 'underfunded, undersized, and unready to confront threats to our national security'.

Cross said Barack Obama's foreign policy had allowed Russia's influence in the Middle East to increase, for example by not engaging militarily, even after it emerged that President Bashar al-Assad had used chemical weapons against his own people.

He said: 'If you look back at Obama's foreign policy over the years, it wasn't that successful. He's the guy who drew lines in the sand and then didn't do anything about it [when they were crossed]; he's the guy who allowed the void to develop for the Russians to step into.'

He added: 'Putin is not interested in Assad per se, but in maintaining his air and naval bases and exerting influence in the Mediterranean and the region.'

Regarding the Bush administration that drove the 2003 invasion, Cross described the attitude of Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and senior officials around him as 'very naive'.

Cross, who has publicly criticised the inadequacy of the pre-invasion planning, said: 'Rumsfeld's plan was, "We don't need a plan.' He added that Rumsfeld acted on popular post-9/11 feeling in America to 'do something about these brutal dictators', and assumed Iraqis would be grateful for the removal of Saddam Hussein and 'crack on' with creating their own country. 'There was no plan B, there was no plan C,' he said.

As for now, Cross said it was important that Britain maintained an ability to exert influence in Iraq, such as through providing military training, to prevent an increase in Iranian and Russian influence there. He warned against allowing the country's disintegration, which could further destabilise the region's Sunni-Shia power balance.

Cross was also critical of the UK's engagement with its ally Saudi Arabia, arguing that it should put more pressure on Riyadh to win hearts and minds in Yemen rather than only dropping bombs to quash the Shia-led post-coup government there. Overall, he said, 'I don't think we really understand what it is that we want to do in the region to keep the [Sunni-Shia] power balance in check in a way that's beneficial to us.'

Cross lamented persistent religious illiteracy at the FCO and DfID, where he said an official told him four years ago that Iraq's Yezidi community were Christians, and therefore believed that by aiding Yezidis they had helped Christians. While he said he agreed with the position of the previous Prime Minister, David Cameron  that Middle Eastern Christians should be helped to return home rather than resettle outside the Middle East  he said the British Government needed to acknowledge many were concluding they would never feel able to return. Accepting '50,500 or 5,000' as refugees would not solve the problem of Christians' vulnerability in the region, he said, but Middle Eastern governments such as Iraq's needed to be challenged on the extent to which they were protecting their vulnerable minorities populations.

Abigail Frymann Rouch is a freelance journalist specialising in religious affairs and the Middle East. In her recent MA in Middle Eastern Studies, she focused on the plight of Iraqi minorities since the 2003 invasion.

Find her on Twitter @abigailfrymann
10 things to know about Peter Doig

Ben Luke surveys the influential oeuvre of the Trinidad-based painters painter, including two works offered in our Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction in March 2017

1

He is a man of many nations Born in Edinburgh in 1959, Doig moved to Trinidad as a baby, yet grew up mostly in Canada. He studied in London, first in the early 1980s and again at the end of that decade, sandwiching a few years spent in Montreal. After his second bout of study in London, he settled there for many years, before moving back to Trinidad in 2002. Today, he lives between the Caribbean island, London and New York, and teaches in Dusseldorf. The constant movement has marked his painting. My thinking is always between places, he said recently. Something I would like to achieve in my paintings is a place in between places.

2

His early work, once hidden, has been reappraised Doigs 2008 retrospective at Tate Britain began with Hitch Hiker (1989-90), and his earlier paintings  expressive and dramatically coloured  were ignored. But a show at Michael Werner gallery in London in 2014 revealed these fascinating works, showing Doigs journey to his mature work. Many were significantly more urban than the landscape-based images for which he became renowned from the 1990s. They reflected the metropolitan inspirations that formed the young artist. Doig has described vivid memories of the London club scene in the early 1980s, for example, and the architecture of New York in particular had a huge effect on his early artistic development.

3

His original language grew out of paintings of homely subjects On his MA at Chelsea, Doig said that he made quite homely paintings, paintings of quite modest subjects. But this folkish subject matter, and the dense, intense approach Doig took to painting it, led to an original language that gained him attention: he won the Whitechapel Artists Award in 1991, and for the resulting show he made some of the works that became emblematic of his art.

4

Within the tumult of British art in the 1990s, he was not a bandwagon chaser Doig began to gain recognition in London just as the citys art world was being engulfed by the energetic scene triggered by Damien Hirsts 1988 Freeze exhibition, and dominated by work inspired by minimalism, Neo-Geo and conceptualism. Doig ignored the zeitgeist, yet achieved success when many other painters felt excluded. I really enjoyed being a painter then, actually, he said in 2013. And I think you can see I enjoyed it, too, in the work that I was making. I dont think I was chasing anything, I definitely wasnt a bandwagon chaser. I think thats a big mistake for artists  to try to chase something and want to be part of something.

5

Buildings in landscapes defined his classic period

Among the works that he produced for the 1991 Whitechapel exhibition was The Architects Home in the Ravine (1991), a vision of the architect Eberhard Zeidlers modernist home in Rosedale near Toronto. Doig had visited the house and taken photographs of it, but this was not a mimetic painting: it captured, in thrillingly lively paint, the experience and atmosphere of Doigs visit. Christies sold the painting at auction in 2013 for 7.65 million, and then again in 2016 for 11.28 million. Architecture glimpsed through trees was also the subject of a seminal group of works, the Concrete Cabin paintings, made in response to Le Corbusiers housing complex the Unite dHabitation at Briey-en-Foret in northern France, between 1991 and 1996. Cabin Essence (1993-94), a work from that series, sold at Christies in London for 9.6 million in 2015.

6

Doig is a great painter of snow, which he maintains draws you inwards I often paint scenes with snow because snow somehow has this effect of drawing you inwards, Doig said in 1994. In numerous works made around that time, Doig created hermetic snowy worlds  partly inspired by memories of his time in Canada  which hover poetically between abstraction and figuration and find the artist at his most virtuosic in mixing atmosphere and subject. They fuse the found image, perhaps in the form of a photograph he has taken or seen, and the poetic evocation of memory as those images are veiled or lost in paint. Cobourg 3 + 1 More (1994), offered in the Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction in March 2017 at Christies London, is one of the most evocative of all the snow paintings: is this a landscape in a blizzard, with figures at the side of a lake in this rural Canadian landscape, or a memory, fading and fragmented by the white noise of time? It sold for 12,709,000.

7

His work is largely drawn from a mixture of memory and photographic or still images The sources, however, can vary wildly, as can his treatment of them. Ski Jacket (1994) was based on a photograph he saw in a Toronto newspaper of a Japanese ski resort. For him, it evoked a black and white oriental scroll painting, but the diptych he produced transports the image into an entirely different realm by mirroring the scene and situating it in a field of veils, mists, drips and thick blobs. Blotter (1993), meanwhile, was based on a shot he took of his brother standing on a frozen pond that they had flooded to create more dramatic, reflective effects. Doigs use of photography goes in and out of focus, and since his move to Trinidad, the presence of the photographic image is less insistent. I dont see it being a big issue, the photographic side of the paintings, and I never really have. But its less important now to me than it was, he said in 2013. Maybe one day Ill abandon it altogether, but for the moment its still important.

8

He periodically reworks and recycles images I dont think of myself, God forbid, as being a series painter, Doig once said. Yet he does return to images periodically. The most famous example is a still from a closing scene of the film Friday the 13th, featuring a figure slumping out of a canoe, an image which he used in paintings including Swamped (1990), which Christies sold for $25.925 million in 2015 (the artists auction record) and Canoe Lake (1997-98). His paintings made in Trinidad have similar echoes. The paintings Stag (2002-05) and Metropolitan (Stag) (2004) feature the same bearded, behatted figure holding on to a tree trunk. But in each case, Doig invests the canvas with entirely different light, colour, handling of paint, and mood. Metropolitan (Stag), which had been owned by Dinos Chapman and Tiphanie de Lussy, was offered at Christies London on 7 March 2017 and sold for 485,000.

9

Trinidad has had a profound influence on his painting It took time for Trinidad to palpably enter Doigs painterly universe. But over time, certain shifts in his work have emerged. In works such as Pelican (2004) and Pelican Island (2006)  sold at Christies in 2014, you see the results of Doigs kayak journeys around the island, often with fellow Trinidad-based painter Chris Ofili. His handling of paint has changed, too: thinner layers, more expansive abstract passages, greater risks taken with the finish of the painting  a quality he much admires in Matisses work. But perhaps the biggest change is in the paintings light and colour, which has undoubtedly been affected by the Caribbean climate. He once said that in Trinidad, there are incredible contrasts of light, and extreme shadows as well.
10 Asian Art treasures with estimates under $10,000

From a 2,700-year-old bronze nomads dagger to a touching ink drawing of a young woman and her cat  10 gems that wont break the bank, offered during Asian Art Week in New York

1

A bronze feline-form weight

This bronze feline-form weight would have been used to hold down the voluminous sleeve of a traditional robe, or as a paperweight. It has a heaviness that makes it really satisfying to hold in your hand, as does the softly rounded form of the cats body. Estimated at $2,000-3,000, it has great provenance, coming to Christies from The Falk Collection of Chinese art.

2

A bronze dagger

This bronze dagger is well over two thousand years old, dating from the 7th-6th century BC. Despite its age, it remains in fantastic condition; the handle is intricately inlaid, and demonstrates the skill of the people who made it, in the region now referred to as Inner Mongolia. As nomads, they carried their wealth on their person, and the richest individuals would have owned everyday objects rich with embellishment. This dagger is both a luxury item and a tool for self-defence, and would have been worn in the owners belt.

3

Hu Yongkai, Lady and Cat

While aspects of Hu Yongkais depictions of women include traditional elements, such as the furniture in this painting, the posture of his subjects, along with their clothing and demeanour, are modern and fresh. The colour and simplicity of this painting  and the affectionate moment between a woman and her cat  create an appealing and emotionally uplifting image.

4

A gilt-bronze bear-form support fitting

This fun little piece would have been one of four bronze supports for a miniature table, and is cast in the form of a bear resting on its back legs, its mouth open in a powerful roar. Although it stands at just 2 in (5.1cm) high, its a piece with a big personality, and indicates the popularity of bear designs during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), when this work was made.

5

A small altered jade sword slide



Made during the late Eastern Zhou-Han Dynasty (3rd-1st century BC), this jade slide would have been fitted around a sword or dagger. Its a beautiful piece: the jade would have been green originally, but the ageing process has transformed it into an attractive ivory colour. Although it is very small  measuring just an inch and a half, or nearly 4 centimetres, in length  the carving on it remains precise and sharp to this day. At the time this work was made, jade would have been more valuable than gold, silver or bronze.

6

A glass-inlaid gold and silver-decorated bronze belt hook

This curved belt hook would have been used to fasten a garment, and features a hook, cast in the form of a dragons head, which would have functioned much like a button on a pair of jeans. Cast in bronze, each of its sides is inlaid with silver and, remarkably, glass beads that have remained intact since it was made, between 475 BC and 8 AD, a period referred to as the Warring States-Western Han Dynasty.

7

A small mottled grey jade bird-form ornament

This beautiful ornament dates from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and depicts a bird of prey, its head turned to the side. Both the front and the back of the object are covered with rich carvings. This might have been worn by a woman, in her hair, or as part of a hat. A channel carved behind the folded legs and feet on the reverse of the piece, which is just 1 in (4.2 cm) high, forms an attachment loop.





8

An enamelled porcelain pouch-form snuff bottle

This porcelain snuff bottle (shown front and back, above) is a small treasure. Its form resembles that of a purse or a wallet from the Qing Dynasty, which would have been used for carrying money. Presenting an object such as this as a gift would symbolise your desire for the recipient to accumulate wealth. Each side prominently features a mythical beast, a bixie and a tianlu, which were believed to ward off evil and prevent wealth from dissipating.

9

Feng Chaoran, Listening to an Oriole

Estimated at $4,000-6,000, this exquisitely painted hanging scroll is taken from our 14 March Fine Chinese Paintings sale, and features fine, detailed brushwork. The artist has depicted a scholar walking through a windy landscape, his attention caught by the sound of two birds  creating a scene that evokes a wonderful sense of calm and harmony with nature.

10

A silver and gold-inlaid bronze garment hook
Zeitz MOCAA: A game changer

To raise funds for the new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, 14 artists have donated works to be offered in the Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Auction on 8 March in London

One of the most exciting and momentous events of the 2017 art calendar is set to take place in September, with the opening of the eagerly-awaited Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town. The 100,000-square-foot space on the V&A waterfront will comprise 80 galleries spread over nine floors, and is the biggest museum to open on the continent for more than 100 years. Christies will play a major part in the establishment of the new institution when it offers donated works by 14 artists in its Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Auction on 8 March. Proceeds from the sale  including works by El Anatsui, Roger Ballen, Antony Gormley, Isaac Julien, Yinka Shonibare and Harland Miller  will go towards Zeitz MOCAAs endowment to ensure the long-term sustainability of the museum.

Mark Coetzee, Executive Director and Chief Curator, comments, The extraordinary generosity of artists from around the world in donating funds to this fundraising auction will guarantee that we fulfill our mission for years to come. The design to house the museum in the citys historic Grain Silo  a Cape Town landmark since 1921  has been undertaken by the innovative British architect Thomas Heatherwick. There was this building sitting like the elephant in Cape Towns room, he says, reflecting on the challenge of working on the most tubey building ever and turn[ing] that to your advantage.

The outside already had idiosyncrasy [but] we were in danger of losing the extraordinary cellular structure. So we took the idea of using just one of those billions of grains of corn, and scaling it up and using that as a tool to cut through. The resulting edifice promises to be an extraordinary home for the first major museum of contemporary art in Africa. We want to be a museum of the 21st century, so the collection is dedicated to everything from 2000 onwards, and it focuses on Africa and its diaspora, explains Mark Coetzee.
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This week mankind made strides in making air travel just a bit more tolerable.

On Thursday night Whataburger and Southwest Airlines were bragging about how they celebrated that holiest of Lone Star holidays, Texas Independence Day.

The burger chain and the airline teamed up to hand out free food to travelers getting off a plane at Dallas Love Field airport.

OF COURSE: Buzzfeed dubs Whataburger better than In-N-Out, Shake Shack

A Twitter user named Charlie tweeted the idea to both companies to see what would happen. Sometimes it doesn't hurt to ask.

"Yesterday Whataburger and Southwest Airlines teamed up on a fun surprise for some lucky passengers. Southwest Airlines tagged us in a customer's tweet, inviting us to partner to make a customer's idea happen by surprising fans with a meal on their flight," Whataburger VP of corporate communications said in a statement Friday.

"We were so excited to work together to provide a fresh, hot meal to brighten these customers' days. It's always fun to partner with other brands loved by our Texas fans, and it's even more fun when we're able to surprise and delight so many of our wonderful customers," she added.

SCORE!: Southwest Airlines to give employees $586 million in profit-share bonuses

There is a Whataburger in the Dallas airport, by the way, but this small act of kindness brought the food to the Southwest customers.

Now if only the two companies could somehow come to an agreement and serve burgers, fries, and other favorites on the plane itself.

Wait! What about a Southwest plane painted like a Whataburger restaurant? I have a tweet to send...
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President George W. Bush has been making the rounds on television to promote his new book,"Portraits of Courage."

Bush has painted ninety-eight impressionist-style portraits of wounded veterans for the book. The former commander-in-chief is donating all proceeds from the book to help veterans transition to civilian life.

The 43rd president has been remarkably candid with TV hosts who've been asking him questions about life after office and his new found talent for painting. Serious moments were shared during his TV interviews, but the former president also revealed some hilarious and intriguing tidbits about his life.

On Thursday, March 2, the former president appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Here's what we learned:

1. George W. Bush went on an arranged date with Tricia Nixon in 1969 while her father, Richard Nixon was president.

2. When he was 3 years old, Bush lived in Compton, Calif.

3. Bush exercised everyday during his presidency.

4. The former president took a photo of himself sitting in the bathtub.

5. Bush initially started painting dogs, and called himself a pet portrait painter.

6. Bush believes... "the best humor is when you make fun of yourself."

LOVE STORY: Barbara and George H. W. Bush's life together

Here's what we learned Wednesday, March 1, on Bush's visit to The Ellen DeGeneres Show:

1. Bush and Michelle Obama are BFFs; Bush hinted that he's closer to Mrs. Obama than the 44th president.

2. Not being able to put on a poncho runs in the family. His mother, Barbara Bush had the same trouble at one point.

3. Vladamir Putin dissed Bush's dog, Barney.

4. Bush described himself as agnostic on art until five years ago.

5. The 43rd president is the first to have to both parents living after his presidency.

George W. Bush might be out of politics, but we hope that he keeps painting beautiful portraits and visiting TV's funniest hosts.

Take a look at some of his artwork in the gallery above.
The search was continuing Thursday for a teenager reported missing from her home in west Houston, officials said.

The missing girl was identified as Stephanie Aguilera, 13.

She was last seen on Tuesday at her home in the 10000 block of Hazelhurst in the Shadow Oaks subdivision, authorities said.

Aguilera is 5-feet-3 and weighs 130 pounds. Houston police said she has brown hair and brown eyes but recently dyed her hair reddish pink.

Anyone with information about her disappearance is asked to contact the Houston Police Department's missing persons unit at 832-394-1816.
The Texas Medical Board on Friday placed a controversial Houston cancer doctor on probation and ordered him to pay $60,000 in fines and restitution for violating state medical rules.

Stanislaw Burzynski's lawyers celebrated the ruling, which spared the doctor from far more serious proposed sanctions. One of the attorneys, Greg Myers, told the Austin American-Statesman afterward that the decision "means he gets to continue to practice and save lives."

The ruling ends years of legal wrangling between the medical board and Burzynski, 73, whose cancer treatments are praised by some patients and criticized by many others who put their trust in Burzynski's unproven and controversial methods.

The ruling comes two years after the state filed a formal complaint against Burzynski  an internist with no board certification or formal training in oncology  and more than two decades after the federal government tried and failed to have the doctor imprisoned for improperly administering experimental drugs.

The drugs, known as antineoplastons, an unproven and controversial type of chemotherapy that Burzynski invented, were at the center of the state's case.

Lawyers for the state medical board spent weeks presenting evidence against Burzynski in 2015 and last spring in Austin, alleging that he had promoted his experimental therapy to patients, knowing he could not legally provide it to most of them. Instead, the board alleged, Burzynski gave them normal chemotherapy drugs in combinations that have not been scientifically tested, and whose toxicities posed an unnecessary danger to patients.

But for the most part, the three judges ruled, the state failed to prove its case. The judges found the doctor had inaccurately reported a patient's tumor measurements, leading to improper treatment; failed to properly supervise research assistants; failed to disclose his ownership interest in the pharmacies where he sent his patients; and failed to fully explain changes to a patient's treatment plan.

Myers, one of the attorneys who defended Burzynski, said he considered the ruling a major victory.

"When the state board filed this thing, it was a 202-page complaint," Myers said back in October. "They admitted into evidence close to 20,000 pages of records, and they made every allegation they could think of in a pretty clear attempt to strip Dr. Burzynski of his medical license. But the judges found the doctor complied with standards of care, and he prevailed in over 95 percent of these allegations."
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AUSTIN -- State lawmakers plan to unveil their plan to fix the state's beleaguered school funding formula Monday, setting the stage for a showdown between the House and Senate over how to fix the system and whether a school voucher program should be in the mix.

House Public Education Chairman Dan Huberty, R-Houston, said at an education symposium in Houston Friday he will unveil his plan for revising the school funding formula on Monday. He said his bill will specifically help school districts currently forced to give up local tax dollars to poorer school districts, like the Houston Independent School District, and charter schools.
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Gigi Hadid just made modeling history.

The 21-year-old American model, whose father is Palestinian, landed the cover of the first issue of Vogue Arabia.

Actually, the honor was two-fold, literally. Two covers were printed. A cover in English and one in Arabic show a stunning black and white photo of Hadid wearing a heavily and intricately beaded veil, with bare arms underneath.

The exquisite veil is strategically draped on the model's face to draw you into her enchanting eyes.

Editor-in-Chief, Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz said this about their inaugural cover model; "In one poised photograph, she communicates a thousand words to a region that's been waiting far too long for its Vogue voice to speak...there's no better first 'face' to lead the charge for Vogue Arabia than Gigi, a model who defines tomorrow's entrepreneurial and dynamic generation."

(Story continues below:)

PARIS RUNWAY: Kendall Jenner looked like a princess warrior on the catwalk

Another photo shows the model dressed in a purple and hot pink hijab with matching eye shadow and lipstick.

Gigi shared her thoughts about the cover on her Instagram, "I think the beautiful thing about there being international Vogue's is that, as a fashion community, we are able to celebrate, and share with the world, different cultures. Being half-Palestinian, it means the world to me to be on the first-ever cover(s) of @voguearabia,..."

The face of Vogue Arabia has also been met with some criticism on social media. Hadid is not Muslim and has been know for pushing the boundaries of modesty well past breaking with some racy styles on the runway.

Twitter user @chaneltherapper said, "Gigi Hadid: Half-Palestinian but not Muslim.

Vogue: Lets make Gigi Hadid wear a hijab because she's half- Palestinian so it's justified."

User @yagirlbushra tweeted, "1 ur not muslim stop using the hijab for "art"

2 stop using the title "half palestinian" for ur benefit when u dont even fight for ur people"

Take a look in the gallery above for more photos of Gigi Hadid modeling.
The Houston Police Department has confirmed the identity of the teen arrested Wednesday for the murder of 8-year-old De'Maree Adkins.

Jacobe Dante Payton, 19, is being held in the Fort Bend County jail with a $500,000 bail after being charged in the 240th State District Court in Fort Bend County in De'Maree's death.
The Wall of Hope at the Texas Children's Hospital features two new faces in the collection of stories of perseverance.

"Mighty" Max and "Joyous" Rhian, both born premature, now have their story on the walls of the NICU to help normalize the environment and give stories of hope for other families.

"The exhibit features photographs and personal stories of former Texas Children's patients," said Tamara Thrasher-Cateni, care specialist at Texas Children's Hospital. "Showing the progression from their time in the NICU to the vibrant children and adults they have become."

Surviving cancer from a young age, Kasey Davis, Eagle Springs Elementary teacher and mother of Rhian and Max, said seeing a high-risk doctor was vital to ensure her pregnancy went well.

"We were married in November 2002 and found out in February 2004 that we were expecting our first child," Davis said. "Aaron and I were both over the moon excited."

But reaching her 28 weeks mark, Davis started have contractions and rushed to the ER to see why that was happening, not knowing that she would soon meet baby Rhian Rae.

"I was put under anesthesia and Rhian Rae was born via emergency C-section at 30 weeks. She weighed 3 pounds 9 ounces," Davis said.

Rhian was immediately taken to NICU.

"I did not get to see my precious baby girl until two days after she was born because I had a fever, and they would not let me in the NICU," Davis said.

Then, she was discharged.

"I had to leave my sweet baby girl there," Davis said. "For the next few weeks I relied on family and friends to drive me to the hospital daily to see Rhian."

Rhian Rae was in NICU for four weeks before her family was able to take her home, weighing under 5 pounds. Joyous was chosen to describe Rhian because, Davis said, "from the second she was born, she filled our life with such joy."

After such a difficult delivery and post-delivery, Davis said she wasn't planning on having any more children soon after.

"We found out that we were expecting again just 6 months after Rhian was born. We were shocked and terrified, but hopeful," Davis said.

This time around Davis was monitored closely by her doctor and was not given any reason to be concerned, but at 25 weeks, she found out at an ultrasound appointment she was in labor.

"I was already 2 centimeters dilated and 80 percent effaced," Davis said. "I was immediately admitted to Kingwood Hospital and put on strict bed rest."

Max Russell was born July 29, 2005, weighing 2 pounds and 1 ounce.

"Kingwood Hospital was wonderful and brought in a neonatologist to take care of Max around the clock for the first 24 hours of his life," Davis said.

Texas Children's Kangaroo Care was soon informed Max was strong enough to be transported to their NICU from Kingwood, which gave Davis some relief.

"We knew he would receive the best possible care," Davis said. "God was with us, though, and Max made it to the hospital and got settled into his new home away from home."

While the transportation of Max gave the family a moment of comfort, Davis said Max was still set to stay in NICU for eight months.

"Max was on a ventilator with high amounts oxygen," Davis said. "He was given medicine to help his lungs develop. When he was two weeks old, he had PDA heart surgery."

Davis said they knew Max was a fighter, which is why they chose mighty to describe him, but they weren't ready to learn he was deaf.

"We were devastated at the news but had to be thankful because so many other things could have gone wrong in the last eight months," Davis said.

The exhibit, Wall of Hope, features 15 families total as part of Phase I while Phase II features 10 families.

"It's not an uncommon sight to see parents, who are just beginning their own NICU journey, stopping to read each story as they make their way down hallways of the newborn center," Cateni said.
In the summer of 1979, a small Central Texas resort turned into one of New Braunfels' most popular attractions and over the past 39 years, the goal of the family-owned business is simply to give visitors a water-filled fun time.

The story of Schlitterbahn's creation started with the Henry family when founders Bob and Billye Henry bought Landa Resort in New Braunfels in 1966. For the next 10 years, the family realized their resort guests were most attracted to the water slides they installed.

In response to the water slide demand, the owners continued to develop new rides and slides for guests to enjoy. Then by 1979, the couple opened Schlitterbahn - which is the combination of the German words for slippery (schlitter) and road (bahn).

FUN FACTS: 35 facts about Schlitterbahn you likely didn't know about before

Now Playing: Latest Local And State News Video: Houston Chronicle

In the beginning, the resort the Henrys bought was 15 acres and 32 cabins, which grew to 40 acres and over 100 units in the first 10 years. The constant improvement of the park's attractions has been a staple in the Henry family and continues today.

"We lived at the camp so we literally lived the business," said Gary Henry, the eldest son of Bob and Billye Henry. "My mother would answer the reservation line at night and if there was any problem, we would go and fix it. It was a way of life. It was what we did."

Today, Schlitterbahn New Braunfels guests enjoy over 70 acres containing 51 attractions. The park in New Braunfels opens for spring break on Saturday, March 10, and the rest of this year's schedule can be found here.

Click through the gallery above to see the vintage photos of the Landa Resort and Schlitterbahn in their early years and continue clicking to see photos and facts of what we know as Schlitterbahn now.

BIG SPENDER: Developer proposes $446 million water park, resort in Missouri

The Schlitterbahn family was devastated after a 10-year-old boy suffered a fatal neck injury in August 2016 while riding the Verruckt slide, the world's former highest slide in the world reaching a staggering 168 feet high.

"It was a devastating event and devastating to the staff that ran that ride and the park in general," Gary Henry said. "Our focus is on safety  every day  the way we open the park and check to see everything is operating properly. We don't only rely on our safety, but we also rely on others coming in to double check after us."

Henry says the Schlitterbahn brand is going to continue testing, revisiting and improving all of their attractions to continuously ensure the safety of their customers and employees.

"Whether it's the parking lots or the restrooms or the rides, every aspect has to be looked at to ensure it is as safe as possible," Henry said.

WHAT FUN: Impressive North Texas water park is open and it looks epic

Ed Hubbard has been going to Schlitterbahn New Braunfels for the past 25 years with his entire family each Memorial Day weekend. He says thanks to Schlitterbahn, there is something for every family member to do and no one is bored. He credits Schlitterbahn as the reason why his kids know their extended family.

"There's one particular time that repeats itself every Memorial Day. During the day, everyone goes their own way, but every night around 6:30 and 7 we all meet up for dinner and a prayer circle," Hubbard said. "So it is really the only time of the year when our whole family is together in such an important moment.

"There's no place like Schlitterbahn. No other place would compare."
Dickinson Police Department

A La Marque man is in jail after he allegedly shot a 29 year-old man in the chest Monday, Feb. 27, at a friend's house in Dickinson.

According to Dickinson police, Austonio Dwayne Justice, 38, arrived at a residence in the 2100 block of Greenlee Lane around 8:30 a.m. where the victim was visiting a mutual friend. When the victim opened the door, Justice reportedly pulled out a gun and fired a single shot into the man's upper chest and then fled before police arrived.
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The Anderson County Sheriff's Office is searching for a missing 8-month-old, who was last seen in Palestine, Texas.

Police are also looking for 27-year-old Jeremy Laymance and 24-year-old Morgan Mosley in connection with the abduction.
The recent release of a facial reconstruction of a woman whose body was found in west Houston in mid-February has prompted about a dozen calls to authorities.

The Virginia-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children created the image at the behest of Harris County officials to help identify the woman. She was between 15 and 25 years old when she died.
Phase two of the project to expand Texas 249 begins this month with construction of the stretch from FM 2920 to the Harris-Montgomery county line. It's expected to be complete in late 2019.

The project will ultimately extend the "Aggie Freeway" 10 miles from FM 1774 to Texas 105 in Grimes County, 23 miles south of College Station. It entails a two-lane electronic toll road with four direct connectors, along with five miles of frontage road requested by local officials.

Construction begins almost a year after the completion of phase one of the Tomball Tollway - a six-mile stretch of Texas 249 - was completed.

"We took three phases and made it two," said John Tyler, Assistant Director of Engineering at the Harris County Toll Road Authority, in a presentation to the Tomball Chamber of Commerce and other community stakeholders last month.

Tyler spoke about the 1.7 miles of Texas 249 that is now being widened from FM 2920 north to Spring Creek. He said the move to consolidate projects aims to streamline construction to make it easier for transportation officials and drivers who will maneuver roadways.

Montgomery County, which will begin work late this year, has allowed Harris County workers to cross the county line as part of those streamlining efforts.

The first phase is the construction of the southbound frontage road from Spring Creek to north of FM 2920. Additionally, it includes a northbound stretch from Zion Road across Spring Creek.

Phase two is the completion of the northbound frontage road in addition to building toll ramps. This phase involves the construction of temporary pavement to divert northbound traffic between Business 249 and Zion Rd. through the south bound lane. That southbound traffic will use the new frontage road heading from Magnolia to Tomball.

The final product will be a six-lane highway which will be completed with less interruptions because of the consolidated work according to Tyler.

James Baker, the Director of Transportation for Halff Associates' Houston region, also spoke at last month's chamber meeting. He touched on some of Montgomery County Toll Road Authority's progress - about 80 percent finished with the project's design.

It includes two lanes each direction, an overpasses at Hardin Store and Woodtrace, and three detention ponds. Bidding for the MCTRA project will be early next year. Construction is estimated to cost $63 million.

Construction is expected to last 20 months with a joint road opening in December 2019.
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Just days after President Donald Trump told Congress that he was removing gang members and drug dealers as he had promised, immigration agents deported a 31-year-old Houston father of two American children who has been here since he was 15 and had a temporary reprieve from deportation and no other criminal record.

Jose Escobar was arrested Feb. 22 when he went to the Houston immigration office for his annual check-in. He had a provisional stay of deportation and a work permit since 2012, when he was released from immigration custody after a media and congressional campaign drew attention to his case.

His arrest is part of a wave of detentions across the country after the Trump administration released new guidelines last month making practically every immigrant here illegally, even those like Escobar who have a provisional protection from deportation, eligible for removal.

"They didn't give us a chance to do anything," said Cesar Espinosa, whose advocacy organization FIEL Houston lobbied for Escobar's case.

Escobar's lawyer, Raed Gonzalez, was notified on Thursday morning that he had been deported back to El Salvador, a country he hasn't seen in 16 years.

"This is a terrible message to send," Espinosa said. "We're afraid people are going to stop showing up to their (immigration) check-ins, and it just sends a shock wave through the community. ... It's all coming to fruition, and it's very scary."

Unlike the violent criminals Trump has said he would focus on, Escobar landed in deportation proceedings because of a simple paperwork gaffe.

His mother sent for him when he was 15 and like her, he qualified for temporary protected status for people fleeing widespread disasters in certain countries.

She assumed his permit would automatically renew when she reapplied for hers. But it didn't.

Because they had moved, they didn't receive the paperwork informing him that he had missed the deadline.

When he finally figured out what had happened, he tried to reapply for the permit but it was too late. The government had already initiated deportation proceedings. Escobar's wife, Rose, said their lawyer told him not to show up at the court hearing or he would be deported. In his absence, the judge ordered him removed in 2006.

But with no one trying hard to find him, the Escobars lived a normal life, moving to New Orleans and then back to Houston. Their son Walter was born.

On June 6, 2011, immigration agents arrested Jose as he pulled out of his driveway to go to work. His wife consulted with lawyers, created a petition on Change.org, and recruited the help of U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Houston Democrat.

Her efforts paid off. After seven months in detention, immigration agents released Escobar in January 2012 on an order of supervision, a provisional stay of deportation in a process known broadly as prosecutorial discretion. He was required to check in with immigration agents once a year and given a temporary work permit.

It was part of a wave of reprieves announced that year by the administration of former President Barack Obama, who said he wanted to focus the government's limited resources on deporting violent criminals, rather than people with clean records who have been here for years and have American children.

But now such priorities have been rescinded. It's swept fear across the country that's been heightened by widespread raids and incidents like the arrest of 22-year-old Daniela Vargas in Mississippi this week. Vargas previously had a protected status for youth, known as Deferred Action for Early Childhood Arrivals, that expired last November though she had filed to renew.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman did not immediately return calls.

Rucks Russell, a spokesman for Jackson Lee, said the congresswoman was on a flight back to Houston.

Late Thursday, Escobar had already arrived in El Salvador and was staying with his wife's grandmother.

His wife, Rose, was devastated, Espinosa said. She had reassured their two children, 7-year-old Walter and 2-year-old Carmen, that Daddy would eventually come home.

"He just went somewhere boring," she told them last week.
Houstonians have been closely watching the recovery of officers Ronny Cortez and Jose Munoz, two police officers who were shot in Southwest Houston while responding to a burglary.

Earl Donnell Riley, who had a laundry list of previous criminal convictions and was just released from prison 10 months ago, was killed in an exchange of gunfire with the officers. In the wake of the shooting, Riley was identified as a known member of the criminal gang called the 52 Hoover Crips.
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In an unusual turn of events, an Odessa newspaper has filed a report with the local police department after an Odessa City Council member allegedly posted a threat on Facebook.

Councilman Malcolm Hamilton apparently used a private Facebook page Sunday to post the message, which the Odessa American said it learned about from multiple sources.

"You push me and you get push off a cliff!" the Facebook post said. "And as your falling off the cliff yelling and screaming looking up at the sky, Asking God why? I'm right behind you with my arm chocking your neck...."

In a telephone interview Thursday afternoon, Hamilton said he didn't consider the post a threat.

"If anything, it was sarcasm, a metaphor," he said. "There's a sign in the Permian High School locker room that says, 'Fight them until hell freezes over and then fight them on ice,' which means never give up. I'm never going to give up fighting for my district."

VIRAL VIDEO: Social media reacts to Walmart customer's racist rant

Hamilton was the subject of an Odessa American article that ran Saturday, raising questions about a 12-day trip the first-term council member made in January to Minneapolis, where he previously lived, at a cost of more than $2,100 to Odessa taxpayers. Hamilton told Chron.com that he extended his stay in Minneapolis due to a family emergency but did not stay in a hotel or rent a car for those days. Also, he said, he reimbursed the city the $310 it cost to change his return flight.

According to the paper, the only city business on the trip was a 75-minute meeting with a Minneapolis official and the Odessa city attorney.

The councilman's Facebook message was posted Sunday morning but appears to have been removed later, the paper reported. The next day, the publication filed a report with the Odessa Police Department.

Cpl. Steven LeSueur said Thursday that the department had submitted the report to the Ector County Attorney's Office for judicial review and was waiting to see if it constitutes a crime.

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Odessa American publisher Patrick Canty said Thursday it was the first time he had seen an incident like this during 35 years in journalism.

Although acknowledging that social media has changed the nature of public criticism, Canty said this was the first time he had felt compelled to report something to the police.

"We get criticism all the time, " he said. "That comes with the territory, but this is the first time I saw something like that in a public forum with hints of physical aggression. It's up to me to not only support my staff but make sure they're safe."

Hamilton said he thought the criticism of his trip was a form of "character assassination" because he has raised questions about the make-up of the executive board of Grow Odessa (formerly known as the Odessa Industrial Development Corp.) as well as disparities in economic development funding among the city's districts.

Although he has raised these issues previously, he recently "got louder about it," Hamilton said. "If I have to raise my voice to the heights of heaven, I will."
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.
The 2016 Presidential election shook the foundations of American politics. Media reports immediately looked for external disruption to explain the unanticipated victorywith theories ranging from Russian hacking to fake news.

We have a less exotic, but perhaps more disconcerting explanation: Our own study of over 1.25 million stories published online between April 1, 2015 and Election Day shows that a right-wing media network anchored around Breitbart developed as a distinct and insulated media system, using social media as a backbone to transmit a hyper-partisan perspective to the world. This pro-Trump media sphere appears to have not only successfully set the agenda for the conservative media sphere, but also strongly influenced the broader media agenda, in particular coverage of Hillary Clinton.

While concerns about political and media polarization online are longstanding, our study suggests that polarization was asymmetric. Pro-Clinton audiences were highly attentive to traditional media outlets, which continued to be the most prominent outlets across the public sphere, alongside more left-oriented online sites. But pro-Trump audiences paid the majority of their attention to polarized outlets that have developed recently, many of them only since the 2008 election season.

Attacks on the integrity and professionalism of opposing media were also a central theme of right-wing media. Rather than fake news in the sense of wholly fabricated falsities, many of the most-shared stories can more accurately be understood as disinformation: the purposeful construction of true or partly true bits of information into a message that is, at its core, misleading. Over the course of the election, this turned the right-wing media system into an internally coherent, relatively insulated knowledge community, reinforcing the shared worldview of readers and shielding them from journalism that challenged it. The prevalence of such material has created an environment in which the President can tell supporters about events in Sweden that never happened, or a presidential advisor can reference a non-existent Bowling Green massacre.

RELATED: Breitbart editor slams mainstream media in Pulitzer Hall

We began to study this ecosystem by looking at the landscape of what sites people share. If a person shares a link from Breitbart, is he or she more likely also to share a link from Fox News or from The New York Times? We analyzed hyperlinking patterns, social media sharing patterns on Facebook and Twitter, and topic and language patterns in the content of the 1.25 million stories, published by 25,000 sources over the course of the election, using Media Cloud, an open-source platform for studying media ecosystems developed by Harvards Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society and MITs Center for Civic Media.

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When we map media sources this way, we see that Breitbart became the center of a distinct right-wing media ecosystem, surrounded by Fox News, the Daily Caller, the Gateway Pundit, the Washington Examiner, Infowars, Conservative Treehouse, and Truthfeed.

Notes: In the above clouds, the nodes are sized according to how often they were shared on Twitter (Fig. 1) or Facebook (Fig. 2). The location of nodes is determined by whether two sites were shared by the same Twitter user on the same day, representing the extent to which two sites draw similar audiences. The colors assigned to a site in the map reflect the share of that sites stories tweeted by users who also retweeted either Clinton or Trump during the election. These colors therefore reflect the attention patterns of audiences, not analysis of content of the sites. Dark blue sites draw attention in ratios of at least 4:1 from Clinton followers; red sites 4:1 Trump followers. Green sites are retweeted more or less equally by followers of each candidate. Light-blue sites draw 3:2 Clinton followers, and pink draw 3:2 Trump followers.

Our analysis challenges a simple narrative that the internet as a technology is what fragments public discourse and polarizes opinions, by allowing us to inhabit filter bubbles or just read the daily me. If technology were the most important driver towards a post-truth world, we would expect to see symmetric patterns on the left and the right. Instead, different internal political dynamics in the right and the left led to different patterns in the reception and use of the technology by each wing. While Facebook and Twitter certainly enabled right-wing media to circumvent the gatekeeping power of traditional media, the pattern was not symmetric.

The size of the nodes marking traditional professional media like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN, surrounded by the Hill, ABC, and NBC, tell us that these media drew particularly large audiences. Their color tells us that Clinton followers attended to them more than Trump followers, and their proximity on the map to more quintessentially partisan siteslike Huffington Post, MSNBC, or the Daily Beastsuggests that attention to these more partisan outlets on the left was more tightly interwoven with attention to traditional media. The Breitbart-centered wing, by contrast, is farther from the mainstream set and lacks bridging nodes that draw attention and connect it to that mainstream.

RELATED: 10 tools to tackle common problems journalists face

Moreover, the fact that these asymmetric patterns of attention were similar on both Twitter and Facebook suggests that human choices and political campaigning, not one companys algorithm, were responsible for the patterns we observe. These patterns might be the result of a coordinated campaign, but they could also be an emergent property of decentralized behavior, or some combination of both. Our data to this point cannot distinguish between these alternatives.

Another way of seeing this asymmetry is to graph how much attention is given to sites that draw attention mostly from one side of the partisan divide. There are very few center-right sites: sites that draw many Trump followers, but also a substantial number of Clinton followers. Between the moderately conservative Wall Street Journal, which draws Clinton and Trump supporters in equal shares, and the starkly partisan sites that draw Trump supporters by ratios of 4:1 or more, there are only a handful of sites. Once a threshold of partisan-only attention is reached, the number of sites in the clearly partisan right increases, and indeed exceeds the number of sites in the clearly partisan left. By contrast, starting at The Wall Street Journal and moving left, attention is spread more evenly across a range of sites whose audience reflects a gradually increasing proportion of Clinton followers as opposed to Trump followers. Unlike on the right, on the left there is no dramatic increase in either the number of sites or levels of attention they receive as we move to more clearly partisan sites.

The primary explanation of such asymmetric polarization is more likely politics and culture than technology.

A remarkable feature of the right-wing media ecosystem is how new it is. Out of all the outlets favored by Trump followers, only the New York Post existed when Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980. By the election of Bill Clinton in 1992, only the Washington Times, Rush Limbaugh, and arguably Sean Hannity had joined the fray. Alex Jones of Infowars started his first outlet on the radio in 1996. Fox News was not founded until 1996. Breitbart was founded in 2007, and most of the other major nodes in the right-wing media system were created even later. Outside the right-wing, the map reflects a mixture of high attention to traditional journalistic outlets and dispersed attention to new, online-only, and partisan media.

The pattern of hyper-partisan attack was set during the primary campaign, targeting not only opposing candidates but also media that did not support Trumps candidacy. In our data, looking at the most widely-shared stories during the primary season and at the monthly maps of media during those months, we see that Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and Fox News were the targets of attack.

The February map, for example, shows Fox News as a smaller node quite distant from the Breitbart-centered right. It reflects the fact that Fox News received less attention than it did earlier or later in the campaign, and less attention, in particular, from users who also paid attention to the core Breitbart-centered sites and whose attention would have drawn Fox closer to Breitbart. The March map is similar, and only over April and May will Foxs overall attention and attention from Breitbart followers revive.

This sidelining of Fox News in early 2016 coincided with sustained attacks against it by Breitbart. The top-20 stories in the right-wing media ecology during January included, for example, Trump Campaign Manager Reveals Fox News Debate Chief Has Daughter Working for Rubio. More generally, the five most-widely shared stories in which Breitbart refers to Fox are stories aimed to delegitimize Fox as the central arbiter of conservative news, tying it to immigration, terrorism and Muslims, and corruption:

The Anti-Trump Network: Fox News Money Flows into Open Borders Group;

NY Times Bombshell Scoop: Fox News Colluded with Rubio to Give Amnesty to Illegal Aliens;

Google and Fox TV Invite Anti-Trump, Hitler-Citing, Muslim Advocate to Join Next GOP TV-Debate;

Fox, Google Pick 1994 Illegal Immigrant To Ask Question In Iowa GOP Debate;

Fox News At Facebook Meeting Is Misdirection: Murdoch and Zuckerberg Are Deeply Connected Over Immigration.

The repeated theme of conspiracy, corruption, and media betrayal is palpable in these highly shared Breitbart headlines linking Fox News, Rubio, and illegal immigration.

As the primaries ended, our maps show that attention to Fox revived and was more closely integrated with Breitbart and the remainder of the right-wing media sphere. The primary target of the right-wing media then became all other traditional media. While the prominence of different media sources in the right-wing sphere vary when viewed by shares on Facebook and Twitter, the content and core structure, with Breitbart at the center, is stable across platforms. Infowars, and similarly radical sites Truthfeed and Ending the Fed, gain in prominence in the Facebook map.

These two maps reveal the same pattern. Even in the highly-charged pre-election month, everyone outside the Breitbart-centered universe forms a tightly interconnected attention network, with major traditional mass media and professional sources at the core. The right, by contrast, forms its own insular sphere.

The right-wing media was also able to bring the focus on immigration, Clinton emails, and scandals more generally to the broader media environment. A sentence-level analysis of stories throughout the media environment suggests that Donald Trumps substantive agendaheavily focused on immigration and direct attacks on Hillary Clintoncame to dominate public discussions.

Coverage of Clinton overwhelmingly focused on emails, followed by the Clinton Foundation and Benghazi. Coverage of Trump included some scandal, but the most prevalent topic of Trump-focused stories was his main substantive agenda itemimmigrationand his arguments about jobs and trade also received more attention than his scandals.

While mainstream media coverage was often critical, it nonetheless revolved around the agenda that the right-wing media sphere set: immigration. Right-wing media, in turn, framed immigration in terms of terror, crime, and Islam, as a review of Breitbart and other right-wing media stories about immigration most widely shared on social media exhibits. Immigration is the key topic around which Trump and Breitbart found common cause; just as Trump made this a focal point for his campaign, Breitbart devoted disproportionate attention to the topic.

What we find in our data is a network of mutually-reinforcing hyper-partisan sites that revive what Richard Hofstadter called the paranoid style in American politics, combining decontextualized truths, repeated falsehoods, and leaps of logic to create a fundamentally misleading view of the world. Fake news, which implies made of whole cloth by politically disinterested parties out to make a buck of Facebook advertising dollars, rather than propaganda and disinformation, is not an adequate term. By repetition, variation, and circulation through many associated sites, the network of sites make their claims familiar to readers, and this fluency with the core narrative gives credence to the incredible.

Take a look at Ending the Fed, which, according to Buzzfeeds examination of fake news in November 2016, accounted for five of the top 10 of the top fake stories in the election. In our data, Ending the Fed is indeed prominent by Facebook measures, but not by Twitter shares. In the month before the election, for example, it was one of the three most-shared right-wing sites on Facebook, alongside Breitbart and Truthfeed. While Ending the Fed clearly had great success marketing stories on Facebook, our analysis shows nothing distinctive about the siteit is simply part-and-parcel of the Breitbart-centered sphere.

And the false claims perpetuated in Ending the Feds most-shared posts are well established tropes in right wing media: the leaked Podesta emails, alleged Saudi funding of Clintons campaign, and a lack of credibility in media. The most Facebook-shared story by Ending the Fed in October was ITS OVER: Hillarys ISIS Email Just Leaked & Its Worse Than Anyone Could Have Imagined. See also, Infowars Saudi Arabia has funded 20% of Hillarys Presidential Campaign, Saudi Crown Prince Claims, and Breitbarts Clinton Cash: Khizr Khans Deep Legal, Financial Connections to Saudi Arabia, Hillarys Clinton Foundation Tie Terror, Immigration, Email Scandals Together. This mix of claims and facts, linked through paranoid logic characterizes much of the most shared content linked to Breitbart. It is a mistake to dismiss these stories as fake news; their power stems from a potent mix of verifiable facts (the leaked Podesta emails), familiar repeated falsehoods, paranoid logic, and consistent political orientation within a mutually-reinforcing network of like-minded sites.

Use of disinformation by partisan media sources is neither new nor limited to the right wing, but the insulation of the partisan right-wing media from traditional journalistic media sources, and the vehemence of its attacks on journalism in common cause with a similarly outspoken president, is new and distinctive.

Rebuilding a basis on which Americans can form a shared belief about what is going on is a precondition of democracy, and the most important task confronting the press going forward. Our data strongly suggest that most Americans, including those who access news through social networks, continue to pay attention to traditional media, following professional journalistic practices, and cross-reference what they read on partisan sites with what they read on mass media sites.

To accomplish this, traditional media needs to reorient, not by developing better viral content and clickbait to compete in the social media environment, but by recognizing that it is operating in a propaganda and disinformation-rich environment. This, not Macedonian teenagers or Facebook, is the real challenge of the coming years. Rising to this challenge could usher in a new golden age for the Fourth Estate.

The election study was funded by the Open Society Foundations U.S. Program. Media Cloud has received funding from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Open Societies Foundations.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Yochai Benkler, Robert Faris, Hal Roberts, and Ethan Zuckerman are the authors. Benkler is a professor at Harvard Law School and codirector of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard (BKC); Faris is research director at BKC; Roberts is a fellow at BKC and technical lead of Media Cloud; and Zuckerman is director of the MIT Center for Civic Media.
When Jeffrey Zucker needs to get a lot done at work, he eats half a weed gummy. Far from putting him at risk of a Maureen Dowd-level stupor, the 5-milligram dose of THC he gets gives him just a slight buzz that makes him more focused and creative, he says.

Does Zucker worry that his boss might find out hes doing drugs at work? Well, no, because hes in charge. Zucker runs Green Lion Partners, a Denver-based venture firm that backs cannabis-related companies, and he says he encourages his employees to do whatever will make them the most successfuleven eat small amounts of weed-infused candy.

With recreational marijuana now legal in eight states and the District of Columbia, users have gravitated to low-dose edibles, such as brownies and mints with THC content of less than 5 milligramslow enough for a manageable high for first-time users. Often, companies market these products to first-time users or those with low tolerances. But weed sellers have found another use case for low-dose edibles: microdosing.

Microdosing refers to regularly taking small amounts of drugsgenerally, hard-to-get and illegal psychoactive ones, such as LSD or psychedelic mushroomsthroughout the day to boost creativity. Taken in such small quantities, the drugs dont make users trip. Rather, people claim the drugs improve their concentration, problem-solving abilities, creativity, and productivity and reduce their anxiety.

Some say ingesting small amounts of marijuana throughout the workday can have similar effects. And unlike LSD or mushrooms, weed is widely available and legal in many places.

Marquise Prentice, a 33-year-old director of IT at a law firm in Los Angeles, pops multiple low-dose mints per day. He says they help him with inflammation, indigestion, and managing stress and anxiety. Im not digesting a crazy amount of marijuana and falling asleep at my desk, he says. Im active all day, functioning, and completing my tasks.

People arent using drugs to get blasted into outer space, adds Christie Strong, the marketing communications manager at Kiva Confections, a California-based edibles maker. In a small amount, people are finding they are having more focus, instead of that typical cannabis experience when theyre a little distracted and hazy.

Kivas Terra Bites, chocolate-covered espresso beans with 5 milligrams of THC, are its bestseller. After hearing they were especially popular among workers and that some would have half of one before work, Kiva decided last fall to make a lower-dose productPetra Mints, 2.5-milligram mints that puts you in control.

Kiva markets the mints in part as a way for workers to enhance the workday. The small dose makes it possible to use cannabis as part of a daily routine, as there is no interference with work, focus, or energy levels, reads a guide to microdosing that the company put out with its mints. Theres also less risk theyll get you too high. (With a mint, you already intuitively know not to take a handful, says Strong.)

Employers have struggled with how to handle workers marijuana use as more states have begun legalizing it. A lot of clients are like, What do we do?' said James Reidy, an employment lawyer who helps companies with their HR and marijuana policies.

Legally, employers have a lot of leeway. Even in pot-friendly Colorado, the states highest court decided in 2015 that it was legal to fire an employee for using medical marijuana outside of work. Companies can face liability issues if workers hurt someone or have an accident in the office while theyre under the influence. Matt Biscan, a Denver-based employment lawyer who works with dozens of companies on workplace weed policies, says many of his clients have had problems with employees coming to work acting inebriated or funny.

Yet many companies already struggling to hire in a tight labor market have backed away from drug testing, and many turn a blind eye to using outside of work, said Reidy. About a third of employers surveyed in 2015 by the Society for Human Resource Management said they wouldnt hire someone who admitted to consuming weed, even for medical reasons.

But employers tend draw the line at using at work. Many workplaces have zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policies; Kiva, citing safety concerns, is one such office. (Medical marijuana, however, has led to some confusion. What is the definition of drugs?' said Reidy. Can I have my prescription drugs that I need?)

Still, even companies that take a hard line on employee drug use may have a hard time detecting microdosers, he said. Mints dont smell, and when workers are ingesting pot in such small amounts, they dont register as high.

For certain kinds of workers, the risk of using at work is low, argues Tim Moxey, who runs Botanica Seattle, which makes low-dose mints and brownies. His companys 5-milligram mint is the bestselling edible in Washington state, according to two cannabis data analytics companies, Lemonhaze and Headset.

Im not saying have cannabis and drive a forklift. That is a bad idea, he said. If you are professionally using your brain and find it works for you, go for it. I dont have any moral objection to that.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer of both men and women in the United States. Lifestyle factors that may increase your risk of getting colorectal cancer include:

* Lack of regular exercise

* A diet low in fruits and vegetables

* A low-fiber and high-fat diet

*Being overweight

*Excessive alcohol use

*Tobacco use

Living a healthy lifestyle can help lower your risk of colorectal cancer. But regular screening is also important. Testing can often find colon cancer early, when its most treatable.

Ninety percent of colon cancer begins when polyps become cancerous. A polyp is a small growth that attaches itself to the inner wall of the colon. Anyone can get colon polyps, but certain people are more likely to get them than others. You may have a greater chance of getting polyps if:

*you're 50 years of age or older

*you've had polyps before

*someone in your family has had polyps

* someone in your family has had cancer of the large intestine, also called colon cancer

* you've had uterine or ovarian cancer before age 50

The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is used as a screening tool to check for early colon cancer. Blood in the stool may be the only signs of early cancer. And, if found early, treatment can start right away, improving the chance of a cure.

Four Corners Health Department encourages you to get screened for colon cancer. This simple test can be done in the comfort and privacy of your own home. FOBT test kits are available for people age 50  74 years at no charge from Four Corners Health Department. During the month of March, you can also pick up a FOBT kit at Walgreens in York, Surgical Associates in York, and Pac-n-Save in Seward, if you fall within those ages. If you think you may be at a higher than average risk for colorectal cancer, talk to your doctor about getting screened earlier. If you are over the age of 75 and feel you need to be screened, contact your doctor.

Colon cancer is preventable, treatable and beatable!

If you have questions or need more information, please contact Four Corners Health Department @ 1-877-337-3573 or inquire at: info@fourcorners.ne.gov.
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A man faces a public indecency charge after being accused of exposing himself to a woman.

(File photo)

AKRON, Ohio -- Akron police dubbed a 27-year-old man a "serial exposer" after he exposed himself to several women in the city, according to a report released Friday.

David Thomas Jr. faces a charge of public indecency and is scheduled for an 8 a.m. arraignment hearing Saturday in Akron Municipal Court, according to Akron police Lt. Rick Edwards and court records.

The incident happened around 8:30 a.m. Friday in the area of Delia Avenue and Greenwood Avenue, Edwards said.

The victim told police that a man exposed himself to her and made rude comments as she walked her dog. She was able to get a license plate number from the man's car and later identified Thomas as the man who exposed himself, Edwards said.

Police say Thomas may have exposed himself to other woman over the course of several months, Edwards said. He has not been charged in any other incidents as of Friday.

He was taken to Summit County Jail where he is being held on no bond, according to the Summit County Sheriff's Office.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Friday's crime and courts comments section.
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A lead instructor for Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh's women's self-defense classes, Lt. Chad Cunningham of the University of Akron Police Department teaches a technique.

(Summit County Prosecutor's Office)

AKRON, Ohio - Women in Summit County can take free women's self-defense classes, sponsored by Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh.

The next class is set for Tuesday, March 21, 6-8 p.m. at the First Apostolic Faith Church, at 790 Easter Ave. in Akron.

The class will be led by Walsh and representatives from the Summit County Sheriff's Department. Lt. Chad Cunningham of the University of Akron Police Department, leads many of the classes.

As county prosecutor and woman who once fended off an attack, Walsh wants women to know how to stay safe in their community.

As a young Akron prosecutor, Walsh was attacked as she got into her car one morning. Using self-defense moves she learned in college, Walsh was able to fight off her attacker by screaming and fighting back. The suspect was later captured and identified as a serial rapist.

Since then, Walsh's office has sponsored nearly 60 classes, teaching self-defense moves to about 2,500 women.

The two-hour classes are designed to offer women the basic self-defense moves they need -- including verbal techniques like screaming.

Moves include:

how to breakaway if an attacker grabs your wrist

how to break a chokehold

how to escape if you are pinned on the floor

How and where to kick and slap

The classes are offered from fall through spring at various locations around the county.

Organizations that would like to host a self-defense class or safety presentation can call 330-643-7915 to schedule.
Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons attends the "Music On A Mission" benefit concert held at Lucky Strike Live - Hollywood on Sunday, August 16, 2015 in Los Angeles.

(Paul A. Hebert)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Gene Simmons can't be happy with this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class.

Rock acts Journey, Pearl Jam and Yes are being inducted. But the Kiss bass guitarist has been outspoken about non-rock acts being making their way into the museum and this year's class features one of the biggest in Tupac Shakur.

Simmons is set to headline this year's Wizard World Cleveland the weekend of March 17. In a new interview Canton's The Repository, Simmons once again stated his displeasure with the Rock Hall.

"There are people from different genres that I don't believe belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. There's disco and rap and all kinds of stuff," Simmons says.

"And I highly respect rap, but on the day Led Zeppelin gets put into the hip hop Hall of Fame, is the day I will personally accept rap artists as being brought into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"It just ain't the same thing. You go to Apple Music, and you go to different genres and you type in 'rock,' you're not gonna find a single rap band in that category. Likewise, if you look at hip hop or rap, you're not gonna see AC/DC or Kiss in the list in there."

Simmons grabbed headlines last year when he was critical of N.W.A. being part of the Rock Hall's Class of 2016. Over the years, Simmons has expressed his displeasure with everyone from Run-DMC and Grandmaster Flash to Madonna and Donna Summer being in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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South Euclid, as part of its centennial celebration, awarded its longest lasting establishments at a business mixer held Thursday at University Suburban Health Center. Shown clockwise from lower left are Karen Poelking, representing Notre Dame College; Telling Mansion owner Richard Barone; Mayor Georgine Welo; Black Forest pub owner Rick King; Interim Executive Director of the Heights-Hillcrest Regional Chamber of Commerce Karen Schaefer; Economic Development Director Michael Love; and Yvonne Sanders, president of development corporation One South Euclid.

(Jeff Piorkowski/Special to cleveland.com)

South Euclid's centennial logo

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- The city recognized some of its longest lasting businesses during this, its centennial year, at Thursday's South Euclid Business Appreciation Mixer.

Also known as SoEuBAM, the annual event was held at University Suburban Medical Center and gave local business people the opportunity to mingle to the live sounds of local band Gruve Tonic.

Warehouse Beverage, 4364 Mayfield Road, received the "Longest Operating Commercial Enterprise" award, while Black Forest owner Rick King took home the award for "Longest Operating Pub."

The Richard Barone Foundation received the "Best Adaptive Reuse" award for its work at the Telling Mansion, and Notre Dame College, the city's longest lasting institution, was the recipient of the "Historic Preservation Award."

Barone, who purchased the Telling Mansion, 4645 Mayfield Road, the former home of the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Library, said plans to re-open the building as the home of a porcelain museum are moving forward.

"Right now, we're looking at opening the museum in October, but we expect to have a couple of private events there before then," he said.

Barone, 75, who grew up in South Euclid and now lives in Florida half the year, bought the mansion in May, 2013. The porcelain museum will feature pieces from his own collection, as well as other collections that are being purchased for exhibition. He said that an endowment fund is being established to purchase future items for exhibit.

"The museum is getting a lot of attention from collectors all over the country, more than I expected," Barone said. "They're really excited to see it opening."

Barone said floors and walls at the mansion, built in 1928, have been renovated, and that lighting improvement work will also take place. The mansion closed as home to the library in September, 2015.

Mayor Georgine Welo, in presenting the award to Barone, said of the uncertainty that surrounded the library's closing, "We all wondered what would happen to the Telling Mansion."

She said Barone became "South Euclid's biggest hero" for purchasing the building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and giving it a new use. "Before that," Welo said, "everyone who came to me wanted to tear it down."

It was three years ago that King purchased the Black Forest pub at 4368 Mayfield Road, and undertook renovations. The bar was established by a German immigrant couple in 1935 and, King said, "The basement was used as a speakeasy during Prohibition.

"Our bar was in the basement when it was a speakeasy, then was brought up to the first floor when Prohibition ended."

King said he learned of the bar's history from the grandson and granddaughter of its original owners. He said he was told that the wooden bar was handcrafted more than 80 years ago by an Italian man.

Recently, King said, the bar began serving food. Fish fries are being held on Fridays during the Lenten season, and the establishment also sells bar food, such as chicken tenders, as well as steak dinners.

"We're not a restaurant," King clarified, "we're still a bar."

Notre Dame College Vice President of Board and Community Relations Karen Poelking, who grew up in South Euclid and has worked at the college since 1980, accepted the award given the institution.

Tuck-pointing and other work undertaken to preserve the college's Administration Building earned NDC its award. Poelking said that construction work on the Administration Building, the only other South Euclid building included on the National Register of Historic Places, began in 1926, two years after the Sisters of Notre Dame purchased farmland off Green Road. The college had been formed in 1922 on Ansel Road in Cleveland.

"The Administration Building was opened in 1928, when the college opened in South Euclid," Poelking said. "The north and east wings were completed. But then, with the coming of the Depression, work stopped on it. The building was finished when the west wing was added in 1961."

Members of the Speyer family, which founded what became Warehouse Beverage in the 1950s, were not present to accept their award. Economic Development Director Michael Love said the business was founded as Speyer Deli at another location on Mayfield Road in South Euclid in the 1940s. Upon moving, its name and purpose changed.

The award to the Speyer family was collected by Karen Schaefer, interim executive director of the Heights-Hillcrest Regional Chamber of Commerce, and a family relative.

The chamber co-sponsored the mixer along with the city of South Euclid and the city's development corporation, One South Euclid.

The awards given the recipients included the city's new, special centennial logo.

Welo announced that the city would celebrate the centennial throughout the year, but that June 24-25, the weekend of South Euclid's Rock the Block celebration on Mayfield Road, has been declared "Centennial Week."
Cuyahoga County Justice Center

An ordinance that would allow the city to move forward on an agreement with Cuyahoga County for jail operations could be introduced as soon as Monday. The agreement would require the city to pay the county a per diem fee for each prisoner. In exchange, the Cuyahoga County sheriff would house and care for Cleveland's prisoners in the county jail.

(Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland is again exploring the closure of the city jail and joining forces instead with Cuyahoga County for housing prisoners and suspects.

Legislation that would eventually allow for closing the jail is expected to come before City Council shortly, perhaps as soon as Monday.

The city could save about $5 million a year with such an agreement, according to Martin Flask, Mayor Frank Jackson's executive assistant for special projects who has been working on the issue.

A deal long in the making

Merging jail operations has long been discussed -- most recently in 2014. The city and the county each operate lockup facilities in the Justice Center complex in downtown Cleveland. But they've never been able to finalize a deal.

Flask, who addressed the issue this week during City Council's budget hearings, said the county would charge Cleveland $99 a day per person to house prisoners. The Cuyahoga County sheriff's staff would handle booking of all prisoners.

Cleveland already has been working toward getting out of the jail business. Neighborhood jails at police district headquarters around the city already have been closed, Flask told council.

Closure of the city jail could also allow Cleveland to consider a new police headquarters down the road. The headquarters is now in the Justice Center.

Potential for savings

The terms and savings are similar to what was discussed in 2014.

That plan called for the city to pay about $85 a day for each prisoner. In exchange, the county would assume responsibility for all aspects of prisoner care.

City Council approved that plan, but the deal stalled with the county. City Council President Kevin Kelley said the amount charged for the per diem fee became a sticking point. The current discussions would charge the city $14 more per prisoner.

Current figures weren't immediately available, but in 2014 Cleveland housed about 265 prisoners per day. At $99 a day, that would cost the city about $9.6 million over a year.

Jackson's proposed budget allocates $14.7 million toward the city's corrections division. That includes funding for more than 100 corrections officers that no longer would be needed as jailers.

Some of those officers could be shifted to the police department, which is looking to add officers.

More action needed

Even if the ordinance gets a first reading Monday, the process still would have a ways to go. Council's Public Safety Committee and Finance Committee would hold hearings before the legislation would come before the full council.

Kelley said the ordinance could clear City Council by the end of March.

Any agreement also would have to be approved by Cuyahoga County Council, Flask said.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Members of Greater Cleveland's Puncture the Silence have teamed up with several community organizations and professional archivists to document local accounts of abuse at the hands of police.

To that end, organizers launched A People's Archive of Police Violence in Cleveland and are inviting the public to share their stories at an April 8 gathering at the Martin Luther King Jr. branch of the Cleveland Public Library.

"We've had some terrible experiences here with police killings and no justice around them," said Carol Steiner, who spoke on behalf of Puncture the Silence -- Stop Mass Incarceration and sits on its steering committee. "We consider (the archives) part of the activism around that struggle for justice."

Steiner hopes the April 8 event will give residents an opportunity to share -- and preserve for the future -- their encounters with police abuse in Cleveland.

"If people have these experiences and they are just swept under the rug, they can keep on going on," Steiner said.

Attendees will have an opportunity to record their experiences on video, either anonymously or with their names attached. They can also share photographs, fliers or other materials that will then be uploaded to the group's online archive.

Puncture the Silence is inviting people to tell their own stories of abuse, but also give testimony on the effects of police violence in their communities.

Professional archivists will be on-hand at the event to help document residents' stories, Steiner side. Sponsors of the event include Black on Black Crime, Inc., Books and Breakfast, Cleveland Clergy Alliance, Committee to Free the RNC16, Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee, Ohio City Theatre Project, #OrganizeCLE and other individuals, according to the initiative's Facebook page.

A People's Archive of Police Violence in Cleveland was first organized in the summer of 2015, according to its website. Steiner said group members set up shop at a handful of community centers and other locations around Cleveland, where they asked residents to share their experiences.

That initiative came on the heels of the Puncture the Silence's People's Tribunal on Police Brutality, which occurred in April 2015 with the same goals of archiving local instances police abuse.

The upcoming event is an expansion of those efforts.

Residents can also opt to upload their testimonies or materials directly to the archive's website.

The gathering is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. April 8 at the MLK branch library, located at 1962 Stokes Boulevard.

To comment on this story, please visit cleveland.com's crime and courts comments section.
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The FBI is seeking a 17-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy in connection with a Monday carjacking in Euclid.

(Cleveland FBI)

EUCLID, Ohio - Investigators are searching for two teenagers in connection with a Euclid carjacking that may be linked to a Lyndhurst bank robbery.

The 17-year-old boy and the 15-year-old boy are charged with aggravated robbery in an attempted carjacking that happened Monday at Zappy's Car Wash in Euclid, the Cleveland Division of the FBI said in a news release.

The teens are also suspects in a carjacking that happened later the same day on Effingham Avenue in Euclid. The FBI is investigating whether the black Nissan Versa taken during that carjacking was used in a Monday robbery at Fifth Third Bank on Cedar Road in Lyndhurst, the FBI said Tuesday.

Three men caught on camera during the Lyndhurst bank robbery might be responsible for at least 10 similar incidents that happened in the past three weeks in Northeast Ohio, the FBI said Monday.

The teens charged in the Zappy's Car Wash incident should be considered armed and dangerous, the FBI said.

Reward money is available to anyone with information leading to their arrest and prosecution. Tipsters can remain anonymous when they contact the FBI, the Euclid Police Department or Cuyahoga County Crime Stoppers.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Friday's crime and courts comments section.
Derek Brown

Derek Brown

(Lorain Police Department)

LORAIN, Ohio - Lorain police are searching for a known drug dealer wanted for questioning after someone opened fire Monday during a drug deal, according to a police report.

Derek Brown, 30, is wanted in the shooting that happened about (time) at a house on West 39th Street near North Leavitt Street, police said. Brown was charged in a warrant with possession of a gun as a felon.

Brown's 27-year-old girlfriend was arrested Thursday, Lorain police said. She faces a complicity to trafficking in marijuana charge, though the charge has not been formally filed.

Lorain police responded Monday to the couple's house after neighbors reported hearing gunshots. Officers found evidence of a shooting in front of the house, and took Brown, his girlfriend and their infant child to the police station for questioning.

A short time later, officers learned that a man who said he was shot outside Brown's house turned up at MetroHealth, the news release said. Police took the victim's statement, which corroborated the evidence found at the house and contradicted Brown's story.

Police obtained a search warrant for Brown's house and found one gun and about one-half pound of marijuana.

In January 2013, Brown and his girlfriend were victims of an attempted home invasion robbery at the West 39th Street house. Two men tied up Brown and beat him, and his girlfriend called police. When officers arrived at the house, they found several weapons and a "significant volume of marijuana," police said.

Brown pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in connection with that case.

More charges are expected to be filed, police said. The investigation continues.

If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.
COLUMBUS  Bethany Ernst and Jessie Nelson are making a killing onstage  at least their characters are.

The Columbus High School students play two older women who are murdering people and burying them in their basement in the production of Arsenic and Old Lace.

Basically, we go around killing old men who dont have a family because we think it is very sad that they live by themselves. We think we are doing them a service, Ernst said.

The dark comedy will hit the stage 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday in Nantkes Performing Arts Center at the school. Tickets are $5 for adults and $4 for students.

The story line centers on Mortimer Brewster, who learns his aunts Abby and Martha, played by Ernst and Nelson, respectively, have been offing people.

Gabe Moseman, who portrays Mortimer, said his character is one of three nephews in the play. His favorite part is after Mortimer discovers a body.

I find it and then try for the rest of the play to connect things and make it so they (his aunts) dont go to jail, he said.

Dawson Jurado has the part of another nephew, Jonathan Brewster, a character he said acts crazy. He is enjoying playing someone with such a personality.

Its nothing like me at all. It is a very interesting role to play to try to be very scary and intimidating when that is not me at all, he said.

Getting into their roles has been a welcome test for the students.

I keep thinking about my body language and my voice to act so many years older than I am. It is very challenging, Nelson said. Also, trying to act innocent this whole time is a challenge because we think we are doing something fine and that there is no problem with that at all.

For the past few years, the schools winter play has been focused more on drama. Theater teacher and director Maggie Brokaw wanted a change of pace.

We had a really lighthearted show in the fall and I wanted to continue that, but this is a dark comedy. The whole idea of it is that terrible things are happening, but the writing makes it funny and the physical acting makes it funny, she said.

This is the first time in a comedy for most of the performers. Brokaw said the genre has its challenges, but the students are handling them well.

Comedy is way harder than dramas because it is all about timing. Dramas can sometimes work a lot of that magic itself. With comedy, if you dont have the timing, the joke doesnt play right. The audience doesnt get it if you dont say a line correctly and the pun is gone, she said.

The rest of the cast and crew members are Jaina Ervin, Noah Stoeckle, Coden Prokopec, Joshua Reiff, Stacie Bugay, Reagan Gausman, Sam Martinez, Natalie Raimondo, Hannah Haynes, Maddi Louderback, Sean McDonald, Dan Kruger, Alyssa Hartman, Jaedyn Boesch, Kaitlynn Meyer, Viviana Velazquez, Megan Endorf, Monserrat Huitron Horta, Brian Long, Trey Miller, Clay Purkerson, Lydia Johnson, Erik Matson, McKayla Mueller, Haley Richey and Kaylyn Beyer.
01-Preliminary Plan (11.21.16).jpg

Preliminary plan for the Preserve at Quarry Lakes housing development in Amherst.

AMHERST, Ohio -- The first of 100 new houses designed for middle-class buyers will begin construction next week in the Preserve at Quarry Lakes development.

Shaun Brady, managing member of Cambrad Development of Westlake, said the first model home will be ready for viewing by June 1. He said people can start moving into the new homes in mid-summer.

"We're very proud of this development, which is meant for teachers, firemen, nurses and other people who want to live in Amherst but might not be able to afford it," he said. "These new homes will sell for $175,000 to $240,000, depending on the model, and we expect them to sell very quickly."

The development will be built on a 30-acre field behind the existing Quarry Lakes subdivision off Cooper Foster Park Road west of Ohio 58, right on the border of the city of Lorain.

Examples of the styles available in the Preserve at Quarry Lakes housing development under construction in Amherst.

Brady said 67 percent of the acreage would be preserved as green space.

The homes will be built over the next three years until all 100 are completed.

Amherst Mayor Mark Costilow said a development of this size is a welcome addition to the city of 12,000.

"It means more income tax revenue and some nice, new, affordable homes," he said. "It's being built in an area that was not being used, so for the city it is a definite improvement."

Brady said they will offer five different plans for one- and two-story homes to be built at the site by Ryan Homes.

Brady has been involved in numerous residential and commercial developments in Northeast Ohio since the 1990s. One of their better known is the medical and professional offices at the Avon Point Professional Campus off Route 83 in Avon.

Brady said they are looking at other developments in the city.

"City officials have been great to work with," he said. "We plan to look around for other areas for additional development."
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The University of Akron may become the site of a branch campus of the University of Mumbai.

(Karen Farkas, cleveland.com)

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron is discussing hosting a branch campus of the University of Mumbai in India.

UA President Matthew Wilson recently hosted representatives from India and held preliminary discussions about the potential location of branch facility, the university said.

UA is one of several options for 160-year-old university.

The University of Mambai's vice chancellor visited several potential locations in the United States, according to timesofindia.com. Options include buying a building in Manhattan or a university in Houston. If neither works out, there's an option to set up a facility within UA, the website said.

UA has offered a building to the school.

UA officials are likely to visit Mumbai in May to detail the plans, the website said.

"Last year, our Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics hosted students from the University of Mumbai in conjunction with a program focused on the U.S. election process and system," Wilson said in a statement. "Building on this successful joint program, we have engaged in discussions about expanding our relationship further on several fronts, including initial discussions about potentially housing the University of Mumbai on the UA campus in some form or fashion."

The university wants to develop the Center for International Students and Scholars and create an Institute for Global Education and Engagement to increase the number of international students.

"While much remains to be researched and explored, a closer relationship with the University of Mumbai will function as another valuable enhancement to our global footprint and our efforts to expand our international programming," Wilson said.
TECUMSEH  Two inmates were killed Thursday during a riot at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution.

Damon Fitzgerald, 39, was serving 310 to 470 years for charges out of Douglas County including first-degree sexual assault, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, burglary and third-degree assault on a peace officer.

Michael Galindo, 31, was serving 12 to 21 years for attempted possession of a controlled substance and driving under suspension out of Buffalo and Scotts Bluff counties.

Corrections Director Scott R. Frakes said a prison staff member was assaulted earlier Thursday, before the disturbance began about 1 p.m.

Any loss of life is tragic," he said in a news release Friday morning. "The TSCI staff handled the situation extremely well, which limited the incident to a small number of participants and minimal damage."

It has been nearly two years since two inmates were killed at Tecumseh during the Mother's Day riot in 2015. The Thursday incident took place in the same housing unit badly damaged then.

And as in 2015, inmates set fires inside the unit and on the yard, but this time, damage was not extensive, the Corrections Department said.

Staff members reported a fire on a mini-yard connected to one of the housing units about 1:30 p.m., and about 40 inmates on the mini-yard and inside half of the housing unit were ordered to go to their cells but refused, the department said.

When it became clear it was unsafe, staff left the dayroom and secured the door leading to the rest of the housing unit.

Several altercations occurred between the inmates, and emergency response teams entered the area at 4:30 p.m. to secure it. Inmates set some fires in the housing unit.

On May 10, 2015, the maximum-security prison on the outskirts of Tecumseh in Johnson County was the scene of a riot that lasted two days and left two inmates beaten to death and two other injured. Nearly 20 prison workers were endangered and stranded in offices and the prison yard tower that day, and millions of dollars in damage at the maximum-security prison was caused by fires, broken windows and destruction of computers and cameras.

Understaffing and stress from mandatory overtime were among factors blamed in that Mother's Day riot. Since then, the Nebraska Legislature has investigated those problems and others.

No one has been charged in the deaths of sex offenders Shon Collins and Donald Peacock, but half a dozen men were charged in the fire and assaults.

Weve seen so many improvements over the last year and a half and I am proud of my team, said Tecumseh Warden Brad Hansen. This incident is a reminder that this is a dangerous business and we must remain vigilant as we keep people safe.

The Nebraska State Patrol is leading the criminal investigation and the Nebraska State Fire Marshal is conducting the investigation into the fires. Corrections staff and investigators will also conduct an internal critical incident review.
A Chinese aircraft carrier fleet operates during a training at South China Sea on December, 2016 in South China Sea, China. VCG | Getty Images

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"As the world's largest trader and the country with the most coastline along the South China Sea, we care about the safety and freedom of navigation more than any other country," he said, adding that the facilities China had built were necessary for defence and had contributed to navigational safety and rescue efforts. The US Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group was reportedly patrolling in the waters last week. And yesterday, a number of PLA Navy bombers, jet fighters and early warning aircraft flew east through international airspace above the Miyako Strait near Japan's Okinawa Island, conducting exercises with a Chinese naval fleet in the area, Xinhua reported. China has stepped up its naval presence in the Western Pacific, with the Liaoning aircraft carrier passing through the Miyako Strait last year before going through the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines.

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Guo Shuqing, chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, attends a press conference at the State Council Information Office on March 2, 2017 in Beijing, China.

The Chinese banking regulator's newly appointed chief on Thursday brushed aside suggestions that he would spearhead a merger of the country's three financial industry watchdogs, describing the talk as "rumour".

In his first public appearance since taking on the top job at the China Banking Regulatory Commission last week, Guo Shuqing vowed to strengthen oversight of the sector, but stopped short of saying what his role would be in overhauling financial regulation.

"If you'd asked me about the ways to improve rural toilets, I would say I knew three ways; but you've asked me about my plans for banking regulation, and at present, I have none," he said.

More from the South China Morning Post:

How Liu He went from government researcher to Xi's right-hand man

China lashes out at Lotte Group for providing land for anti-missile system

The return of the change agent: meet the man set to shake up China's banking industry

Guo, who was named CBRC chairman after four years as governor of Shandong, tried to tamp down speculation that he would lead the nation's effort to merge the regulators for banking, securities and insurance.

When asked if he had any idea abouts a suitable financial regulatory model, Guo said: "I have been in my [new] office for just three days, and I really have had no time to think about the problem thoroughly.

"I have been working on the real economy for the last four years, and I haven't thought about financial regulation too much  I need to learn from you as well."
The market is already pricing in a corporate tax cut, which means there could be trouble if those cuts don't get done, expert Robert Luna told CNBC on Thursday.

President Donald Trump has promised to slash the corporate rate from 35 percent to 15 percent, while the House Republican plan calls for a 20 percent corporate rate.

"If that's something that doesn't get passed, I think watch out below. A 10 to 15 percent correction is definitely something we're preparing our clients for," the chief investment officer for Surevest Wealth Management said in an interview with "Closing Bell."

Oliver Pursche, CEO of Bruderman Brothers, is also preparing his clients for such a move.

"The reality is that every day that passes, you get closer to a correction," he said. "That's OK because they're part of a natural cycle."

The market has soared since the election, but the rally took a pause on Thursday. For Luna, it's time to start looking at what to buy here and what to take off the table.

"Fear and greed are two of the most difficult emotions to judge in the market and I think we're getting to that point where you have to start looking at how greedy are people being. Valuations are a little bit stretched here," he said.

When it comes to what to buy, Luna said, "We're trying to find some industry-leading companies who maybe have been left out of this rally a little bit."

One name he's buying right now is Polaris , because of its good balance sheet and other "great things" going on with the company, he said.

Pursche would stay invested but reduce risk by focusing on high-quality balance dividends and stronger balance sheets.

"You reduce the risk by making sure that you are not using anything that's leveraged or that  is too volatile. So you pair down the volatility but not the level of investments," Pursche told "Closing Bell."
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India's largest bank was blindsided by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetization drive with daily business severely disrupted, the head of the lender said, but the outcome sees economy returning to "normalcy," and a surge in deposits from the cash swap has given more room on lending. "When we found out that 86 percent of the currency had been demonetized,  the sheer size of the task was intimidating. On top of that, remember we had no arrangements ahead of time," Arundhati Bhattacharya, chairwoman of the State Bank of India (SBI), told CNBC's "Managing Asia." On Nov. 8 last year, India implemented a shock currency swap that required all 500 and 1,000 rupee notes be exchanged for new tender in 500 and 2,000 rupee denominations by the end of 2016. Nearly all transactions were handled through the banking system to meet the deadline. That put the spotlight on state-owned SBI as the top lender and with a footprint that stands to become even larger if it succeeds in a planned merger with five of its associate banks.

An Indian bank employee counts old 500 and 1000 rupee notes in Guwahati, the capital city of the north-eastern state of Assam on December 30, 2016. Biju Boro | AFP | Getty Images

"(Demonetization) caught the entire system off guard  We had just 24 hours in which to set up exactly the processes by which we could do this  move cash around the country, ensure that there were enough counters for people to come in and get their money exchanged, get our own people trained on how these things would be done. So a huge amount of activity," Bhattacharya said. Access to cash was restricted during the swap and and there were complaints the drive impacted the poor disproportionately. But Bhattacharya said the initial shocks of demonetization were gradually wearing off and the Indian economy was "very close" to returning to "normalcy." "I won't say it is 100 percent but mostly, I think things have come back and if you look at the amount of revenues that many of the companies are getting, many of them are quite surprised at the very sharp V-shaped recovery they've seen," Bhattacharya said. Discretionary spending might have decreased during the period, but this was because of the absence of a "mode of exchange" rather than diminished demand, Bhattacharya explained. "Once the mode of exchange came back in, the demand has picked up again," she added. The positive sentiment was reflected in better-than-expected Q4 GDP figures released Wednesday that showed a 7 percent growth rate for the quarter, although some experts cautioned against prematurely celebrating the beat. Going forward, the SBI chairwoman said she believed India would bounce back as the world's fastest growing economy "in another two quarters time."

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The "Fast Money" traders weighed the credit card and payment services space after to compete with recent offers by other credit card issuers.



The financial services company added perks to the card's rewards program, such as a $200 Uber credit and another $200 credit for airline fees.

Trader Guy Adami said he prefers and over , but he said the company has "figured out their woes." The stock is up 40 percent in the last 12 months.



Trader Brian Kelly said the brand is what gives American Express its value, but called it "a melting ice cube."

Trader Karen Finerman agreed, but said that it is an issue for further down the road. She said she likes MasterCard because of the company's growth. MasterCard's stock is up 10 percent in the last three months.

Kelly said the payment space is changing with companies like Venmo and PayPal , his stock of choice, becoming popular for transactions.

Trader Dan Nathan said American Express's branding and its ability to get enticing perks for customers is a plus. He said the company can overcome environmental changes because of Apple Pay and other electronic means for the card to get used with smartphones.

Disclosures:

Guy Adami is long CELG, EXAS, GDX, INTC. Adami's wife, Linda Snow, works at Merck.

Dan Nathan is Long spy May put spread, XIV long March call spread, JNJ long APR puts.

Brian Kelly is long Bictoin, SLV.

Karen Finerman is long AAL, BAC, BAC short calls, C, DAL, FB, FL, GLMP, GOGO, GOOG, GOOGL, JPM, URI, LYV, KORS, KORS calls, KORS puts, MA, SEDG, SPY puts, TACO, WIFI long call spreads. Her firm is long ANTM, BAC, C, C calls, FB, GOOG, GOOGL, JPM, JPM calls, KORS, LYV, MOH, PLCE, SPY puts, WIFI, her firm is short IWM, MDY. Karen Finerman is on the board of GrafTech International.
In 2015, when I sat down to read all of Warren Buffett's annual letters from the 10 years prior, the world was, shall we say, slightly less interesting. China was or was not in a slowdown, the U.S. stock market was or was not in a bubble and the EU was or was not collapsing. The only thing you can add to those issues above, two years down the line, is that some countries are more, shall we say, nationalistic.

Warren Buffett released the most recent version of his annual letter a few days ago, and I felt it would be a good time to update my learnings by reading the 2015 and 2016 annual letters. So, here goes the (mostly) non-obvious business and life lessons from reading 12 years of Berkshire Hathaway letters to its shareholders.

More from Seyi Fabode:

Technology, Attention Merchants & the Snap IPO.

How Old Companies Like Microsoft & IBM Continue To Win.

I Read 40 Books This Year, Here's What I Learned (aka 10 Lessons for 2017).



1. Enable the people around you and you'll be amazed at how far they'll take you (regardless of what the markets are doing)

As much as the letters are about the numbers and how portfolio companies are doing, a lot of text is dedicated to the people behind the numbers. Warren Buffett (and Charlie Munger) have perfected the art of empowering the right people to achieve phenomenal outcomes. It's unsurprising, it's the foundation of the relationship between these long term friends.

Most investors do not share anecdotes about the people who run their companies, anecdotes abound about Lorimer Davidson of GEICO, Ajit Jain, Tad Mantross, Ted Weschler, James Hambrick of Lubrizol, Frank Ptak of Marmon, etc. Warren Buffett considers himself a contractor hired to help these business experts.

With a mindset like this, his people have no choice but to be inspired to achieve the great things they continue to achieve. The same will serve you and your teams/employee well.
Banks have raked in nearly $1 trillion in profits since the financial crisis, but they paid a steep price along the way.

In total, financial institutions have paid $321 billion in fines related to the crisis, according to a study released this week by the Boston Consulting Group. U.S. banks have shouldered most of those costs, though global institutions also have been hit.

The release comes the same week the FDIC reported that bank profits surged to a record $171.3 billion in 2016, boosted by a best-ever $45.6 billion in the third quarter. The year's proceeds brought the total post-crisis net (measured from the third quarter of 2009) to $987.8 billion, according to FDIC records.

Nevertheless, the study notes that banks have paid heavily for the problems they created and face a tough landscape ahead.

"Managing these costs is a major burden for banks, requiring the creation of a strong non-financial-risk framework to avoid errors of the past," the Boston Consulting authors said.
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A high school in Mountain View, California, has made millions from Snap's initial public offering (IPO) less than four years after investing $15,000 in the Venice, California-based technology company. Saint Francis High School was one of the first investors in the company behind the ephemeral messaging app Snapchat, having invested a small proportion of its endowment fund in Snap Inc's seed round of financing in 2012. Snap made its trading debut Thursday at the New York Stock Exchange. It had priced its IPO of 200 million shares at $17 each but shortly after the opening bell stock began trading significantly higher, eventually closing at $24.48 per share  up 44 percent on expectations. Saint Francis, a private Catholic school with annual tuition fees over $17,000, sold 1.4 million shares  two thirds of its overall stake  for $17 per share at Thursday's IPO.

Bobby Murphy, co-founder and chief technology officer at Snap Inc., from left, Evan Spiegel, co-founder and chief executive officer of Snap Inc., ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) with Tom Farley, president of the NYSE Group, during the company's initial public offering (IPO) in New York, U.S., on Thursday, March 2, 2017. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The school has not confirmed its overall return but it is estimated to have made nearly $24 million, according to officials cited by NBC. Simon Chiu, president of Saint Francis, announced the good news Thursday in a letter to parents. "The school's investment in Snap  which this morning announced the completion of its IPO  has matured and given us a significant boost as we continue our work towards realizing the bold vision and goals set out in our community-inspired strategic plan: leading with Hope & Zeal," noted Chiu in the letter. "This incredible boon will not, by itself, completely fund the goals of the strategic plan, but it will lay the necessary foundation and give us a remarkable head start," he added. The school first became involved in the technology firm in 2012 when Barry Eggers, a parent of two Saint Francis pupils and founding partner of venture capital firm Lightspeed Venture Partners, became intrigued by his children's use of the app.

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, February 13, 2017.

"There's always opportunities to improve trade deals. NAFTA has been improved a dozen times over the past 20 years," Trudeau told reporters at YPO Edge , a summit held in Vancouver, Canada of nearly 3,000 leaders from around the world. "We look forward to sitting down with President Trump to talk about how we can make sure that we are helping the middle class in both of our countries get good jobs and opportunities for themselves and their kids."

Still, he said he looks forward to working with Trump on expanding collaboration and "improving" the deal.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday that both the United States and Canada depend on the North American Free Trade Agreement, a deal repeatedly slammed by President Donald Trump .

"One of the central issues I've spoken repeatedly with the president and his administration on is the fact that it is good for the millions of jobs on both sides of the border between Canada and the United States that we have a close trading relationship."

Trump has called for a renegotiation of NAFTA, the deal implemented in 1994 that helped to make Canada and Mexico two of America's crucial trading partners, saying it has harmed American workers. Still, he has heavily suggested that he thinks the U.S. gets a worse deal from its southern neighbor Mexico than from Canada.

"We have a very outstanding trade relationship with Canada. We'll be tweaking it. We'll be doing certain things that are going to benefit both of our countries. It's a much less severe situation than what's taken place on the southern border," Trump said last month at a joint White House press conference with Trudeau.

Canada sends about 75 percent of its exports to the U.S. Canada was also the largest goods-export market for the U.S. in 2015, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

On Friday, Trudeau said the countries are "working together on expanding pre-clearance to strengthen security while also ensuring our businesses, our small business, our workers are able to benefit from the extraordinarily close collaboration, cooperation and even integration of our two economies."

Any major formal changes to NAFTA could take a while to happen.




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
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President Trump's "America First Energy Plan" was initially perceived by the market to be bullish for energy, and perhaps his policies will be. Less regulation, more drilling and infrastructure plays sound like a plan to revive an industry plagued by lower oil prices the last two years. But the potential issue with the plan, especially at a time when the market is attempting a supply/demand rebalance, is that it could create an environment where supply dominates and oil prices decline. CNBC's exclusive oil survey polled 14 traders, analysts, and hedge fund managers on the administration's impact on oil prices, and about half said Trump is not bullish for oil prices. Pumping more oil without a reciprocal boost in demand is net-net bearish. "The Trump Administration is modestly bearish for prices of crude oil, but demonstrably bullish for domestic crude oil production," said Dennis Gartman, the founder of The Gartman Letter.



A motorist fills her car with gas at a gas station near an oil field pumping rig in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Getty Images

Domestic crude production is already on the rise, adding roughly half a million barrels a day since late last year to get the U.S. back over 9 million barrels a day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency. EIA data also shows that exports of both crude and refined products is rising. The expectation is that exports will continue to increase under President Trump.

How exports will impact the market is unclear. A little more than one-third of survey respondents said exporting more U.S. product could lower prices by putting domestic product in competition with global products. A little less than a third said oil prices could rise on increased exports, because global consumption creates demand. The remaining 40 percent said there would be no impact at all. Meantime, opinions are also mixed on how the proposed border adjustment tax might influence prices. Slightly more than half of those asked said prices would rise because there would be more demand for domestic crude if imports fell due to the tax. The remainder said there would be no impact, weren't sure, or thought prices could move lower.

Saudi Arabia is the key to the market right now. John Kilduff founding partner, Again Capital

Despite a more bearish view emerging about Trump policies and energy, 60 percent of those polled said oil prices will "rise." Roughly the same amount said the market is more likely to see $70 crude before it sees $30 oil. In terms of price targets, the majority of respondents think crude will be between $50 and $59 in June; $60-$69 by the end of 2017. OPEC's recent 1.8 million barrel per day cut has added some support to the market, but it shouldn't necessarily be seen as the only bullish factor. About a third of participants feel prices will stay flat when the cuts expire and more than half said they may drop, but only "modestly." Still, OPEC's relevance can't be disputed, especially as the Saudis look to offer an Aramco IPO possibly later this year. "Saudi Arabia is the key to the market right now. They have cut more than their commitment under the deal, carrying the load that is driving the high compliance rate. If [the Sauids] waver on IPO'ing Aramco or see a real loss of market share, they could decide to produce full-out, again in response," said John Kilduff, partner of Again Capital.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he'll recuse himself from any current or future investigations related to President Donald Trump's election campaign amid backlash over his testimony about contacts with Russia. (CNBC)



Campaign-finance records reportedly show that then-senator Sessions used a campaign account for expenses related to last summer's Republican National Convention in Cleveland, where he met Russia's ambassador at an event. (WSJ)



Meanwhile, at least two more Trump campaign advisors also spoke with the Russian ambassador in Cleveland in July, with several more Trump campaign officials in attendance. (USA Today)



The White House is proposing to cut a quarter of the EPA's budget, targeting climate-change programs and those designed to prevent air and water pollution like lead contamination. (Reuters)



Mexico's economy minister is set to meet executives from Ford (F) and General Motors (GM) in Detroit today, as part of a visit designed to talk up the benefits of Nafta, which Trump wants to renegotiate. (FT)



Vice President Mike Pence used a private email account to conduct public business as governor of Indiana. Pence blasted Hillary Clinton for a similar practice when she was secretary of State. (Reuters)



Snap (SNAP) shares were continuing to climb in the premarket after soaring 44 percent on their debut. But Atlantic Equities downgraded the stock, a day after Pivotal Research initiated with a sell rating. (CNBC)



Caterpillar (CAT) was under continued pressure after slumping 4 percent Thursday on news that authorities searched three of its facilities. After the bell, the company said it believed the searches were related to a Swiss subsidiary. (AP)

Boeing (BA) unions confirmed earlier reports that the aircraft maker was offering voluntary buyouts, saying more than 1,880 workers have accepted buyout packages. (Reuters)



Costco (COST) missed estimates by a wide margin with quarterly earnings and also fell short on revenue. The warehouse retailer also announced plans to raise membership fees, effective June 1. (CNBC)



Uber plans to comply after all with California regulations and seek permits to put its self-driving cars back on state roads. It's an about-face following the company's legal fight with state officials in December. (Reuters)



Spotify has reached 50 million paid subscribers, growing 25 percent in less than six months and extending the Swedish music streaming service's lead over its closest rival, Apple Music. (Reuters)


Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell:

 Shares of the warehouse retailer were under pressure after the company missed estimates with its latest numbers and announced plans to raise its membership fees. Costco earned $1.17 per share for its latest quarter, 19 cents shy of forecasts, while revenue was very slightly below estimates.

 The discount retailer reported adjusted quarterly profit of $2.26 per share, beating estimates by 4 cents, though revenue was slightly below forecasts. Same-store sales were up 0.3 percent, shy of the consensus Thomson Reuters estimate of 1.2 percent.

 Citi upgraded the travel website operator's stock to "neutral" from "sell," expressing more confidence in Expedia's ability to grow its hotel business.

 Citi began coverage on the high-definition camera maker with a "sell" rating, citing market saturation and an overall decline for standalone imaging products.

 The beverage maker was upgraded to "buy" from "hold" at Jefferies, based largely on hopes for its November acquisition of Bai Brands and its antioxidant-infused beverages.

 Autodesk lost 28 cents per share for its latest quarter, smaller than the 34 cent loss forecast by analysts. Revenue beat forecast, but the business software maker is forecasting a bigger than expected current quarter loss. However, the company said its moves to control costs and continue its shift to a subscription-only model are going well.

 WPP cut its sales forecast for this year, with the world's largest advertising company citing a very competitive ad market.

 Lockheed is holding conversations with the governments of Spain, Switzerland, and Belgium about potential sales of its F-35 fighter jets.

 Caterpillar is on watch for a second day, after the stock fell Thursday on news that law enforcement officials had searched three of its facilities. In a statement issued after the Thursday closing bell, the heavy equipment maker said it believed the searches were related to profits earned by a Swiss parts subsidiary.

 Boeing unions confirmed earlier reports that the aircraft maker was offering voluntary buyouts, saying more than 1,800 workers have accepted buyout packages.

,  The drugmakers struck a joint venture deal to develop a vaccine for lower respiratory tract illness.

 Snap had a successful IPO debut, finishing its first day of trading at $24.48 per share after pricing at $17. Atlantic Equities has downgraded the stock to "underweight" from "neutral," citing valuation, a day after Pivotal Research initiated coverage with a "sell" rating and set a $10 price target.

 Kroger was removed from the "Conviction Buy" list at Goldman Sachs, with the firm citing increasing competition for the supermarket operator, although Goldman is maintaining a "buy" rating on the stock.
Fed Vice Chair Stanley Fischer cautioned against binding the central bank to rules when it comes to making decisions on monetary policy.

His speech on Friday, however, avoided any direct comment on monetary policy at a time when most of the market expects the central bank to approve a rate hike later this month.

Fischer's comments instead went to a philosophical  and political  question likely to come up in the days ahead regarding the Fed's deliberation process and ultimately why it chooses to act. A movement afoot in Congress seeks to tie the Fed to policymaking that adheres to rules, or to explain itself when choosing to deviate from selected yardsticks.

History has shown that policy is more efficient when committees deliberate rather than stick to specific triggers for policy, Fischer said in a speech at the U.S. Monetary Policy Forum in Chicago.

"Committees and rules each have their advantages. Committees embody a wider range of information and have a capacity for innovation," he said in his prepared remarks.

Rules have their place, he added, but should be employed as part of a discussion, not as the last word, for critical policy decisions.

"Rules can simplify central bank communications, a particularly important feature in forward-looking models of the economy," Fischer said.

"Putting it all together, committees are, on average, likely to make better monetary policy decisions than individuals  an assertion that has received support from academic experiments in which undergraduate students played a part," he added.
The far-right candidate in the French presidential election has been embroiled in two investigations, but that hasn't and will not impact her campaign, the Front National's project coordinator told CNBC on Friday.

The European Parliament lifted Marine Le Pen's immunity earlier this week, which allows French authorities to question her over the publication of aggressive ISIS photos on Twitter. At the same time, there are investigations into her party's alleged misuse of European funds. However, both cases do not seem to have impacted her polling numbers, as similar events did for other candidates.

"There will not be any consequence regarding the democratic evolution of the election because as you see the figures of Marine Le Pen regarding the polls are still very high despite all this judicial news coming from the European Parliament," Jean Messiha, Marine Le Pen's project coordinator at Front National, told CNBC on Friday.

He added that there's "a political agenda" behind these cases.

Most polls have indicated that Marine Le Pen will win the first round of the election. The latest projections point to about 26 percent of the votes for the Front National in the first ballot. However, they have also shown that she's set to lose the second round of the election.
Here's another possible consequence of repealing the Affordable Care Act: It would be harder for many people to retire early.

Americans reaching 65 become eligible for Medicare. Before reaching that age, some can get retiree coverage from their former employers. But not very many companies, especially small ones, offer medical insurance to retirees. If early retirees are poor enough, they could turn to Medicaid. To retire early, everybody else would need to turn to the individual health insurance market. Without the subsidies and protections the A.C.A. put in place, health care coverage would be more difficult to obtain, cost consumers more where available, and provide fewer benefits than it does today.

That means that if the A.C.A. is repealed, retiring early would become less feasible for many Americans.

More from New York Times:

How a money-losing Snap could be worth so much

Chinese lawmakers' wallets have grown along with Xi's power

Darren Woods, Exxon's new chief, begins to make his mark

This consequence is called job lock  the need to maintain a job to get health insurance. One of the arguments in favor of the A.C.A. was that it would reduce or eliminate job lock. With repeal of the law on the agenda of Congress and President Trump, there is renewed concern about how health insurance could affect employment and retirement decisions.

These relationships have been examined extensively by scholars. Though not all studies have found evidence of job lock in the pre-Obamacare era, a majority of high-quality studies have. That's the conclusion of systematic reviews conducted by the Government Accountability Office and several health economists.



Because people approaching retirement age are more prone to illness and high health care costs, employment-based insurance is particularly valuable to older workers  so much so that many studies document that it influences retirement decisions. One study found that workers whose employers offered retiree health benefits were 68 percent more likely to retire early than those who lack employer-based retiree coverage.

Another study found a smaller effect, 47 percent. But that study also found that workers in poor health who had retiree health benefits were 88 percent more likely to retire early compared with similar workers lacking retiree health benefits. Both those studies used data that are now several decades old. But a 2014 study that incorporated more recent data  though still pre-A.C.A.  also found that retiree health benefits encourage early retirement. The inference from these studies is that coverage options in the A.C.A. marketplaces would similarly encourage early retirement.

Deferring retirement because of health benefits is just one form of job lock. Another example: Many studies show that spouses are much more likely to work if their partners do not have employer-based family coverage. Other studies show that workers with cancer are more likely to continue working if that's how they get health insurance.

Two studies led by Cathy Bradley of Virginia Commonwealth University examined working women with breast cancer diagnoses. Both studies found that those who depended on their employment for coverage were more likely to remain working.

If not for job lock, we'd probably see greater job mobility and entrepreneurship. According to one analysis, two million more people would change jobs if it weren't for job lock  presumably finding work that makes them happier or that is better suited for them. One study found that 25-to-55-year-old married men with no other coverage options are 22.5 percent less likely to switch jobs compared with those who have alternatives. Another study, examining 24-to-35-year-old married men, estimated smaller effects, between 10 and 15 percent.

The evidence of sticking with jobs instead of starting a business is mixed, but the preponderance of it suggests this kind of "entrepreneurship lock" exists, affecting up to four million people. Workers without coverage from a spouse  therefore, more reliant on their own employers' coverage  are a few percentage points less likely to become self-employed, according to one study. Similarly, self-employment spikes when workers turn 65 and obtain Medicare coverage.

From the late 1980s to the early 2000s, tax deductibility of policies for self-employed workers was phased in, making those policies more affordable. Two studies provide evidence that this change increased self-employment. One found that it rose 10 percent among women without health coverage from a spouse versus those with such coverage. Another found that the tax change explained as much as half the total increase in self-employment between 1999 and 2004.

All of these studies suggest that job lock would be alleviated by more available and affordable coverage outside work. Whether Obamacare did that is less clear. Many policy experts expected the A.C.A. to reduce job lock. An analysis by the Urban Institute, conducted before the health insurance reforms were implemented, estimated that the self-employed would increase by about 1.5 million individuals as a result of the law. In 2014, the Congressional Budget Office anticipated that the A.C.A. would reduce the size of the labor force by at least two million people by 2024.

One post-A.C.A. study found that the prohibition of pre-existing condition exclusions for children increased job mobility for their parents. And in the months after the insurance market reforms rolled out, voluntary part-time work increased and the growth in the number of workers over age 55 slowed, both consistent with alleviation of job lock. But more rigorous studies of part-time work did not find an impact from the A.C.A.

According to a review of scientific papers by the economists Jean Abraham and Anne Royalty, for the University of Pennsylvania's Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, few other studies have found solid evidence that the A.C.A. reduced job lock or had other effects on the labor market. For instance, studies have not found that allowing children to stay on their parents' insurance until age 26 has influenced the labor market choices of young adults. Nor have they found that the A.C.A. increased early retirement or employment more generally.

One reason studies might not have found an impact on job lock could be because the law is relatively new, and there isn't enough data available to researchers to tease out all its effects. It could also be because the law has been under siege on multiple fronts since passage, rendering its status uncertain. This may have raised doubts in workers' minds about the wisdom of relying on it as a substitute for employer-offered coverage.

But it is clear that with A.C.A. repeal on the table, people contemplating early retirement may need to reconsider.
When Donald Trump was announced the winner of the 2016 presidential election, I said I was going to wait and see what happens. People promise all kinds of things when they run for office. President Obama vowed to close Gitmo. President HW Bush said "read my lips, no more taxes." So I gave President Trump a chance. But his plans to have the DEA come into states like Colorado where marijuana is legal and tell legal recreational marijuana users that they are breaking federal law and therefore must be prosecuted? Not on my watch.

It is completely wrong and unethical  not to mention unconstitutionalto reverse state law just because you feel like it. Shame on President Trump for even considering this.

Donald Trump ran his campaign as "a man of the people." Someone who vowed to end the corporate takeover of our government; someone who vowed to bring jobs back. Reversing state law and making legalized recreational marijuana illegal is going against the people's will. This is going against job creation and a reliable part of a state's economy. The citizens of these states voted to make recreational marijuana legal. It wasn't the politicians, it was We The People. The latest Gallup Poll shows 60 percent of Americans want legal marijuana! Obviously President Trump is following in the footsteps of every president that came before him: He thinks the government knows what is best for us. He's been president for a little over a month, and he's already forgotten that "We the People" are the government!

I'm sending President Trump a copy of my book "Jesse Ventura's Marijuana Manifesto" because he and Sean Spicer aren't getting their information about marijuana from scientific studies. In what world does marijuana use lead to opioid addiction? I have a list of scientific studies that I cite in my bookmost of which I pulled directly from the National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicinethat show the exact opposite. Marijuana is used in rehab settings to successfully curb alcohol, cocaine, meth, heroin and opioid addiction.
Alabama farmer David Bailey tosses hay to one of his remaining cows, in Dawson, Ala. Bailey had to sell off half of his cattle herd, more than 100 animal due to drought, because he doesn't have enough hay to feed them through the winter.

Roughly one-fifth of the U.S. cattle inventory is within areas facing drought, including dire conditions that have led some livestock producers to sell off herds early due to the lack of hay.

Some ranchers in parched areas of the Central Plains and Southern regions have relocated cattle herds to lands with greener pastures or where water is more available.

"We're just hoping for the rain to come and make it to the next cycle," said Monte Tucker, who runs a farming and ranching operation in Sweetwater, Oklahoma.

A Great Plains drought from 2011-2013 led to a herd liquidation phase of the cattle cycle, eventually resulting in the lowest U.S. cattle levels since the early 1950s. Cattle prices rose to lofty levels after the cow supply fell but the herd rebuilding phase has been underway for several years, pressuring prices.



As a result, cow-calf producers such as Tucker  those operators breeding cattle with plans to sell the offspring to feedlots  are getting squeezed with lower prices than they were getting just a few years ago. He also grows wheat and said the business is generally tougher for farmers due to the rising costs of equipment, fertilizers and other needed agricultural inputs.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 75 percent of Oklahoma is in moderate or more severe drought, based on figures released Thursday. Oklahoma ranks fifth in the nation in terms of cattle population.

The drought percentages are calculated by the U.S. Drought Monitor but based on a report published by the USDA.

Arkansas, Alabama and Georgia are three livestock-producing states with more extreme drought conditions. Nearly 60 percent of Alabama has drought conditions, and some farmers are selling off their cattle herd to cope.

Nationally, 19 percent of the cattle herd is located in areas with moderate or severe drought conditions, according to the USDA report. At the end of January 2016, the percentage of the nation's cattle herd in drought areas was just 11 percent.

"It seems to be upticking right now," said Brad Rippey, an agricultural meteorologist with the USDA. "The Central and Eastern United States has had this incredibly warm late winter, or January-February period."

The meteorologist said the core of the drought stretches from Alabama through the Southern Appalachians. He said some of the areas received winter rain but added that the "drought recovery was far from complete."

Rippey said in some drought areas where winter wheat is raised for cattle feed there have been reports that herds have been pulled off the wheat early to protect the development of the crop. "Pulling cattle from a natural feed source early could increase feeding costs because you have to supplementary feed them," he said.

Even so, Tucker said the low prices for wheat crop make sometimes still make it economical for cattle ranchers to continue to graze herds on wheat "because it's worth more to put it through the calf than out in through the combine."

Tucker, a fourth-generation farmer, recalls the 2011-2013 drought. Back then, he said some ranchers to sold their herds and looked for jobs in the oil and gas industry.

"We were really fortunate that the oil and gas industry was really booming back then," said Tucker. "Now the oil and gas industry is in kind of a slump, so it's going to be a little bit tougher this time around because those jobs are few and far between."

That said, Tucker considers himself "very fortunate and blessed" because rains a while back allowed him to grow about two years' worth of hay. He's also been able to beat the drought somewhat using well water, while other ranchers are not so lucky.

"Guys east of me are feeling the pinch a little harder," he said. "They have run out of water and right now they're moving cattle."

Texas, another major cattle state, has drought conditions too but not as severe as other states in the region. The Texas drought region is concentrated mostly the northeast portion of the state and represents only 5 percent of the state.

Elsewhere, Kansas and Missouri have at least 50 percent of the state in drought conditions. Colorado also makes the list with at least 40 percent of the state in mostly moderate drought.

While the Plains, Southeast and parts of the Northeast have drought conditions, Rippey said the West "is looking fantastic" in terms of drought.

Indeed, California's drought is largely gone but January and February storms caused flooding and heavy winds that have led to impacts to the state's agriculture.

The California Farm Bureau reported this week that one almond orchard grower in San Joaquin County experienced flooding three times in one month. Storms also caused wind damage to walnut and almond trees in the state.

Flooding from February storms brought heavy rains to Northern and Central California, resulting in several dairies relocating cows in low-lying areas along the Tuolumne and San Joaquin rivers.

Finally, vegetable and fruit harvesting last month slowed in northern and southern portions of the state due to muddy fields. A warming trend in parts of California allowed some areas to dry out this week, although rain is forecast over the weekend in several regions.
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When Exxon Mobil's new CEO spoke to Wall Street this week, high on his list of growth opportunities were the nontraditional oil fields in the United States, where the diversified energy giant can make a profit even when crude prices are just $40 per barrel. For the multinational Exxon, which invested globally in more expensive, deepwater and other long-term projects, the focus on its home base highlights how much U.S. oil majors see American production as a brighter part of the future. A big chunk of Exxon's upstream spending will go to shale this year. "More than one third of the capex [capital and exploration spending] will be invested in advancing our large inventory of  short-cycle opportunities. They are primarily Permian and Bakken unconventional plays and short-cycle conventional work programs. This component of our investment plan is expected to generate positive cash flow less than three years after initial investment," CEO Darren Woods told analysts. Woods' comments resonate across the U.S. oil sector, where domestic producers have been restarting operations as oil prices hold steadily in the $50-per-barrel range. Producers large and small are also reassessing capital and exploration spending and cautiously returning to develop projects, but the U.S. shale industry has also become more efficient during the industry downturn. "I think what you're seeing is the shale play was totally without majors," said Randy Foutch, founder and CEO of Laredo Petroleum , pointing back to a time years back when the majors were land holders but not such active players. "Chevron has a big position in the Permian, and Exxon just bought a new position. That's the kind of proof of the pudding that the independents like myself are saying, 'It's the best basin the world.'" Laredo is active in the eastern part of the Permian, in the Midland Basin. Like many in the industry, Foutch has found efficiencies during the oil-price downturn. In the last two years, drilling has improved so much, individual Laredo rigs are drilling 2.5 times more than they used to. "I don't think it's a question of getting back to the rig count we had. I would suggest we expand our activity more dramatically," he said. Chevron says it has about 2 million net acres of resources in the Permian Basin, and Occidental Petroleum is also a big player. Independents Concho , Pioneer Natural Resources and Apache are also active there. "The Permian has been around for a long, long time. It never left the stage, but its career has been relaunched. They understand the geology better, and there's a lot more oil to unlock there. It's the repercussion of the great revolution and the drilling that took place and everything that's been learned over the last decade. This is part of the reaction that we're seeing in the global oil market," said Jim Burkhard, vice president and head of oil market research at IHS Markit.

World energy summit

Foutch, Woods and other CEOs of majors and independents alike are heading to Houston next week for the annual CERAWeek by IHS Markit energy conference. Other speakers at the conference include the oil ministers of Saudi Arabia, India, Russia and Iraq, among others. The Permian Basin in Texas is certainly expected to be a big topic. The Bakken in North Dakota is also making a comeback, but the promise of much more oil to come from the Permian has been the buzz of the oil industry this year. Earlier this year, Exxon bought about 225,000 net acres in the Permian from the Bass Brothers of Fort Worth. Shale has also become the swing producer for global oil markets, and it is proving resilient with the swift return of U.S. production. The United States has produced more than 9 million barrels a day in the last several weeks, and IHS expects it to add back another 600,000 barrels a day by year end, bringing it close to its 2015 peak. "It's Permian-ania," said Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit, of what is now the hottest basin in the United States. Yergin said he expects the industry to discuss how it is increasing capital and exploration spending, but the word from CEOs of oil majors will likely be that the emphasis is on short-cycle versus long-cycle projects. "More prominent in this year's program will be that they are raising capex, but it's cautious," said Yergin. "It [spending] really peaked in 2014 and then just plummeted. It's picking up cautiously. It's notably picked up in the U.S. It's mainly projects being completed,' Yergin said.

Exploration 2.0

Exxon, for instance, said it is slightly increasing capex spending from the $19 billion level in 2016, which was off sharply from $30 billion the year earlier. "In 2017 we expect to spend $22 billion. This allows us to advance investments and adjust, either up or down, to commodity prices, price conditions and cash flow. We anticipate the average annual budget through the end of the decade will be around $25 billion," Woods told analysts Wednesday. Exxon Mobil has 5,500 wells in the Permian that return 10 percent or better, with oil at $40 per barrel. "A large chunk of those wells will make higher than 10 percent. ... It's a very prolific play. We're very excited about the opportunity in the Permian," Woods told CNBC. Woods said the shale plays help add flexibility to Exxon's range of oil holdings. "Our view on the oil price is there's still a lot of uncertainty in the marketplace, so while we have seen prices go up in the short term, we're not building our investment campaign based on the assumption those prices are going to be there forever," he said. "One of the advantages we have with this recent acquisition that we did in the Permian is we have a much bigger portfolio of short-cycle investments. That gives us the flexibility to move as the market moves, and raise our investment levels up to match what we see as opportunities in the marketplace." Exxon, which produces about 4 million barrels a day of oil equivalents, expects Permian and other shale plays to grow to about 800,000 barrels a day by 2025 from just under 200,000. Chevron, which will also be at the CERAWeek conference, announced a fourth year of cuts in capital and exploration spending last December. It said of the $19.8 billion it will spend this year, about $8.5 billion of planned capital spending relates to base-producing assets, which includes about $2.5 billion for shale and tight investments, mostly in the Permian.

Future outlook
Crude oil prices are being pumped by OPEC's production cuts, but they are at risk of being knocked down by a gusher of new U.S. shale drilling. OPEC and non-OPEC producers, like Russia, agreed in December to take 1.8 million barrels of crude off the world market. As a result, they have kept the price of oil in the $50s per barrel even with a supply glut, most apparent in the United States. At the same time, U.S. drillers, emboldened by the higher oil price, are drilling at the highest rate in more than a year and look on track to go back to record levels by year-end. All of these principals  the Saudis, other Gulf producers, Russians, Brazilians, Mexicans, big oil and U.S. shale drillers  will meet in Houston starting Monday, Mar. 6, on panels, at dinners and in the hallways of the annual CERAWeek by IHS Markit energy conference. The question now is who will blink first?

Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak (L) and Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih. Heinz-Peter Bader | Reuters

OPEC meets again in May and will consider whether to extend the deal. Then there's Russia, the world's largest energy producer, which has certainly been helped by price stability but is still feeling the pain wrought by crashing prices. There's also the U.S. shale industry. It's no longer a bunch of upstarts, but a cadre of the world's largest integrated oil producers alongside independent drillers, all eyeing unconventional drilling as a way to get quicker returns with lower costs on shorter horizon projects. The industry also has new vigor, with President Donald Trump setting a pro-hydrocarbon agenda from the White House, encouraging more drilling and construction of energy infrastructure, including the controversial Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines.

Dealing with a US hydrocarbon bounty

One of the hottest stories this year is the bounty of the Permian Basin, which runs beneath Texas and New Mexico and offers a new prosperity to the likes of even an Exxon Mobil , which can profit with $40 oil because of technological drilling advances pioneered by the U.S. industry. "This is the push/pull of the market," said Helima Croft, head of global commodities strategy at RBC Capital Markets. "I think OPEC is hoping that this remains largely a Permian story. ... That a lot of the cost deflation we saw will rise as prices rise. Service companies will again charge more. There's a sort of uncertain equilibrium they have to deal with in U.S. production. They hope it will remain largely Permian, but it could get away from them and require deeper cuts. I don't think the problem is compliance within OPEC, because the Saudis will do what it takes." Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak speaks Monday, and Saudi Arabia energy minister Khalid Al-Falih participates Tuesday. "That was a key relationship for the dialogue they made for this OPEC, non-OPEC agreement, which really hasn't happened before, and the compliance is higher than it's been in the past," said Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit. "I think they're committed to this deal, and that's one of the main things they want to convey," Yergin said. Analysts say the real issue is what Saudi Arabia and Russia say about future enforcement and whether they are ready to embrace extension of the six-month production deal in the face of new output from the United States.

Certainly, the Permian and unconventional play brings a new dimension to the marketplace, and it's just a question of how OPEC intends to respond to that. Darren Woods Exxon Mobil chairman and CEO

Saudi Arabia has been shouldering the largest portion of cuts. As the world's biggest exporter, it is the key driver of OPEC policy, and it's not clear how much pressure it will take on prices if the United States continues to up production. The United States, in fact, has been producing 9 million barrels a day recently. It has had a number of days this winter where it was exporting record levels of oil, at more than 1 million barrels a day. Some analysts see a collision coming between shale and OPEC if the U.S. industry puts enough oil on the market to push the price below $50. Exxon Mobil chairman and CEO Darren Woods told CNBC this week that OPEC has the lever of low costs, while the unconventional drilling business is driven by economics and market prices. OPEC turned to the new production-driven strategy after a failed plan to let the market set prices. That resulted in oil collapsing into the $20s per barrel after Russia and members of the OPEC kept pumping at record levels. "Well, you've seen OPEC make a difference in the market here in the short term. Certainly, the Permian and unconventional play brings a new dimension to the marketplace, and it's just a question of how OPEC intends to respond to that," Woods recently told CNBC. "You saw earlier on, their response was to continue to keep production up. The market got oversupplied. Prices came down. They've now backed off of that. You see unconventionals coming back up again. I think  the market is still in a bit of discovery, trying to understand how that conventional play fits in with more of the traditional dynamics," Woods said. Woods speaks at CERAWeek on Monday. Yergin said an issue for the U.S. industry is how long the price of drilling services will remain low, a big factor in helping drilling ramp up after prices and activity fell sharply.

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Investing more to reduce regional disparities and to mobilise regions and cities to create opportunities for citizens should be the key answer to the challenges of the post-Brexit scenario. This was the main message shared by members of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) at a meeting in Warsaw on 2 March with the European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu and the ministers for development from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia as well as Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovenia.

Cohesion policy  worth 454bn until 2020  is by far the largest investment tool of the EU, supporting inclusive and smart growth in every European region. It reduces development gaps, spreads innovation and enhances the competitiveness of the EU economies by involving EU institutions, national governments as well as local and regional authorities.

Nonetheless, EU regions and cities fear that the crucial objective of economic, social and territorial cohesion could be undermined in the EU budget post 2020, which is due to be proposed by the European Commission by the end of 2017. The main risks are linked to the impact of Brexit on the resources available as well as to attempts to centralise the management of EU's investment decisions, to replace subsidies with loans, and to divert resources to different priorities such as migration, external border management and support for structural reforms.

A day after the presentation of the European Commission White Paper on the Future of the EU, these concerns were discussed in Warsaw by members of the CoR's Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER). "A strong Cohesion Policy, showing the benefits and solidarity of the EU at local and regional level, is decisive to address the current cycle of despair and disengagement. Our message from Warsaw is that the objective of economic, social and territorial cohesion is a key element for the future of Europe," said COTER's chairman, Raffaele Cattaneo (EPP/IT), President of the Regional Council of Lombardy.

In Warsaw, local leaders discussed and adopted a draft opinion on the future of Cohesion Policy after 2020 , prepared by the President of the EPP Group in the CoR, Michael Schneider, Saxony-Anhalt's Secretary of State for EU Affairs.

"No other EU or national policy can achieve what Cohesion Policy has helped to create in countries such as Poland or Germany in the past decades. It is one of the EU policies that has truly an impact on the everyday lives of our citizens, by creating opportunities and support for jobs, growth  contributing to a sense of Europeanness in an age of growing populism. That is why we must ensure that Cohesion Policy remains 'the' investment tool of the European Union, supported in synergy by other funds and grants such as the European Fund for Strategic Investments or Horizon 2020," Mr Schneider emphasised.

European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu said: "Over the last months, we have heard more and more citizens tell us 'We feel politicians and institutions do not care about us, we feel left out!' Therefore, it is time to give them a strong signal. Our message to them must be that Europe cares. And what better way to prove it than through Cohesion Policy? Cohesion Policy's aim is to leave no one behind, to improve everybody's daily life. This is why we must fight for it and for its future as it is our common future. Jobs and growth through Cohesion Policy, yes; but jobs and growth for all, for all regions. "

"Poland  and specifically the Mazovia Region  is a perfect place to reflect on the impact of Cohesion Policy, both on the stronger and on the weaker regions of Europe, and on what is at stake for the Union," said Adam Struzik (EPP/PL), President of the hosting Region of Mazovia.

The meeting was held in parallel with a ministerial gathering of the Visegrad Group+4, at which ministries for economic development from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia as well as Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovenia adopted a document stressing the vital role of Cohesion Policy for the future of the EU.

"The Joint Paper of the Visegrad Group and their closest partners (V4+4) confirms that we have common ideas on the future of Cohesion Policy. It's very important that in the ongoing European debate we can speak with one voice," said Mateusz Morawiecki, the Deputy Prime Minister of Poland and Minister of Economic Development and Finance.

"Cohesion Policy must be reformed in a way to remain in the interest of all EU Member States and regions and be an important, useful instrument for the achievement of the EU's strategic long-term goals, while promoting issues of key importance for particular regions," added Deputy Minister of Economic Development Jerzy Kwiecinski.

At a high-level conference held on 3 March, experts and practitioners exchange views on how to simplify the EU's Cohesion Policy while making it more effective and more responsive to the needs of local economies.

The CoR will discuss and adopt its opinion on the future of Cohesion Policy at its plenary session on 10 May.

Note for editors

The EU's Cohesion Policy is implemented over a seven-year cycle (2014-20) through five European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI funds):

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) : promotes balanced development in the EU's regions.

European social fund (ESF) : supports employment-related projects throughout Europe and invests in Europes human capital  its workers, its young people and all those seeking a job.

Cohesion Fund (CF): funds transport and environment projects in countries whose gross national income (GNI) per inhabitant is less than 90% of the EU average. In 2014-20, these are Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) : focuses on resolving the particular challenges facing the EU's rural areas.

European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF): helps fishermen to adopt sustainable fishing practices and coastal communities to diversify their economies, improving the quality of life on Europe's seaboard.

The total allocations for 2014-20 are 454bn from the EU budget, matched by 183bn from national funds. With a total value of 638bn, Cohesion Policy is the Europe's main investment tool. It is managed in partnership by the European Commission, national governments and regions. More than 176bn have already been invested in the real economy of the EU since the beginning of the current programming period. For more information and country-specific trends and figures, please consult the Cohesion Open Data Portal.

Pictures can be found on the CoR's Flickr account .

Contact:

Pierluigi Boda (IT, EN)

Tel: +32 2 282 2461

Mobile: +32 473 85 17 43

pierluigi.boda@cor.europa.eu
The Hollywood Reporter says the Disney CEO is also considering a run, with a lot of nudging by his friends to put those Mickey Mouse ears on the White House. As a business leader widely believed to have fixed a governance mess at Disney when he took over, Iger seems like a logical choice to jump into politics. And who couldn't love a guy who's brought us all the popular pieces of the Magic Kingdom for so long?

The answer could be the voters. It's not that they'd hate Iger, it's just that you have to do more than have a strong resume to win elections. A candidate has to be persuasive and compelling to listen to and watch. Iger isn't a bad speaker, but he's no show-stopper. And he also hasn't ever had to face the kind of scrutiny a successful politician must endure to win an election. Remember, President Trump is in the White House now in many ways despite his CEO experience, not because of it.

3) Howard Schultz

The timing seems to be right for the Starbucks founder and CEO as he prepares to leave the company in time to mount a presidential campaign. In an interview with CNN Money last fall, he didn't rule out a run. And unlike most CEOs, including Iger, he's been an outspoken pundit on political issues and debates for a long time on live TV. He's a better speaker than Iger and even DiCaprio. And there's another factor very much in Schultz's favor: Geography. The unique 50 state reach of the Starbucks chain and Schultz's familiarity with those regions is reminiscent of the invaluable experience Ronald Reagan gained when he spent years touring General Electric plants across the country and getting to know how to connect with an eclectic array of Americans from all those regions.

But Starbucks is no Disney. Sure, half the country seems to be addicted to the product, but it's a company a lot of people truly hate and Schultz is the founder. He's also gone from promoting himself as an independent centrist to becoming much more of a liberal Democrat. That's fine for types like Senator Bernie Sanders, but CEO/outsider candidates do best when they present themselves as being outside the typical left/right divide.

2) Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey just refused to rule out running for the White House in a televised interview. Winfrey is so loved and revered by a significant segment of the population that she would be a formidable candidate for president even if she weren't also a billionaire with a massive media messaging machine at her disposal. This is especially true among white and black women, bridging a divide that made a profound difference in the 2016 election when President Trump won the white female vote. Her political clout is also enormous and has even been calculated by economists who believe her endorsement of Barack Obama in 2008 resulted in more than 1 million more votes for Obama over Hillary Clinton. And those 1 million votes made the difference. Winfrey's influence over the voters is considered to be so strong, that even some of the moderate Democrats at the New Republic wrote in 2011 that they were relieved she was retiring.

So could Oprah win? If we were talking about a statewide election, especially in Illinois, there would be no doubt she'd triumph. But a presidential run is a different animal. Winfrey is popular mostly among women, and you can't win the White House with only the women's vote. Just as importantly, her 30+ years of being treated like a god by her fans and a fawning media will work against her in the rough and tumble of a election filled with opposing candidates and opposition research. Winfrey is no wilting flower, and the struggles she overcame in her youth would serve her well on the campaign trail. But she's simply never had to face a more hostile media and political opponents before. That would likely make her angry, and there's a good chance the voters wouldn't like Oprah when she's angry.

1) Tom Hanks
Uncle Sam is taking a lot of heat from retailers.

With sales off to a rough start in the new fiscal year, chains from Wal-Mart to Foot Locker and Burlington to Best Buy are blaming a planned delay in tax refunds as one culprit.

The credits, which benefit low- to middle-income households with children, are being distributed later by the Internal Revenue Service this year to give the agency adequate time to validate claims.

Yet while traffic and sales trends are picking up as checks are delivered, their delay contributed to $57 billion less in refunds being doled out through most of February, according to Morgan Stanley.

They also contributed to muted expectations from several major retailers. Though not every company blamed late refunds for soft first-quarter trends, negative outlooks outnumbered the positive by nearly a 5-to-1 margin, according to Retail Metrics.

"We have seen, in our businesses and as reported by a third-party service, a substantial reduction in mall traffic in February," L Brands ' CFO Stuart Burgdoerfer told investors on the company's latest earnings call. "Is it tax refunds? Who knows what it is. But it was a substantial falloff."

Indeed, L Brands on Thursday reported a 13 percent decline in comparable sales for February, due in part to weak mall traffic and the discontinuation of Victoria's Secret swim line.

Analysts largely shook off the weak start to February, noting there were no major macroeconomic changes to indicate the drop-off would persist. Meanwhile, February is one of the lowest-volume months for retail sales, minimizing its impact on the quarter.

The Commerce Department will release February retail sales figures March 15.

It doesn't mean sales will come easy. With several major chains forecasting another quarter of revenue contraction, a record low number of Americans told the National Retail Federation that they'll spend their tax returns this year.

Instead, nearly half the survey's respondents who are expecting money back said they'll put it into savings. Roughly one-third said they'd use their refunds to pay down debt.

By comparison, just 20 percent will spend their money on everyday expenses, with less than 10 percent using it for major purchases. The NRF survey polled 7,609 Americans and had a margin of error of +/- 1.1 percentage points.

"Sure it hurts a little bit, but late tax refunds aren't the culprits for across the board misses," Stacey Widlitz, president of SW Retail Advisors, told CNBC. "Any new story that you're able to blame is great."
With the revelation that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had contact with Russian officials during the Trump campaignand even Republicans calling for an independent investigationwe are going to hear more comparisons between Donald Trump's Russian ties and the mother of all American political scandals:

Watergate.

If you weren't alive for Watergate and wonder how it compares to the early days of Trump's Russian scandal, here's what you need to know.

1. It will take a while to get to the truth.

On June 17, 1972, five men were arrested for breaking into the DNC headquarters, located in the Watergate hotel complex in Washington, D.C. On an intelligence-gathering mission during a presidential election, these burglars were essentially engaged in hacking when hacking meant prying open a locked filing cabinet with a crowbar.

More than two years later, on August 8, 1974, Richard Nixon became the first President to resign.

A two-year fall from a historic landslide reelection in 1972 to leaving public life in disgrace is a rapid descent. That said, if you believe the President engaged in a criminal conspiracy to win an election, two years can feel like a long time.

Americans in 2017and millennials in particularare not known for their patience.

However, investigating a potential constitutional crisis requires thoroughness and caution.

Sit back. This will take a while.

2. Trump will have good moments, even if the investigation heats up.

The seven months following the arrest of the Watergate burglars saw Richard Nixon at the pinnacle of his popularity and power.

He won reelection with 520 electoral votes and 60 percent of the popular vote. In fact, no candidate since Richard Nixon has won 60 percent of the popular vote. And in January of 1973, Nixon signed the Paris Peace Accords, ending the Vietnam War.

Clearly, Nixon had some good moments even as Watergate started to gain traction.

Trump will have some good moments, too. His address to Congress received positive reviews from Republicans and even some Democrats.

Trump's address was less an achievement and more reassurance that the President can at least appear restrained and cooperative. In the context of the early Trump administration, restraint and a nod to cooperation were welcome sights. There will be more welcome sights, and possibly some genuine achievements from the Trump administration.

But even as Watergate unfolded, some Nixon-friendly outlets used the President's good moments to argue the administration had moved beyond Watergate.

We know how that turned out.

3. Journalists will overreach, and the administration will try to use that overreach to discredit the entire story.

In their early reporting on Watergate, famed All the President's Men authors and Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein made a critical error. They incorrectly reported that a witness had given testimony to a grand jury about Nixon Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman's involvement in the burglary.

Though they would become arguably the most famous reporters in American history, and their reporting would uncover the full scope of the scandal, Woodward and Bernstein's mistake nearly stopped their investigation in its tracks.

The Nixon administration used this error to try and discredit all the Post's Watergate coverage.

Journalism is far more competitive now than it was in 1973. That fierce competition will cause a reporter or outlet to try and scoop his or her competitors, and an inaccuracy or unverified piece of information will get published. The Trump administration will use the existence of that inaccuracy to try and discredit the entire Russian story.

Arguably, Buzzfeed's January publication of the infamous "dossier" fits this exact pattern.

4. In the end, the system will workbut there can be enormous collateral damage to the country.

During Watergate, there were rumors that no matter what happened, Nixon wouldn't leave office. His ego, his love of power, and even an infamous 1970 decision to dress White House Secret Service in uniforms resembling a royal guard were all cited as evidence Nixon would not step down, even if he were impeached.

Then, in August 1974, Republican Senators Hugh Scott and Barry Goldwater and Republican House Minority Leader John Jacob Rhodes met with Nixon and told him he faced sure impeachment in the House and conviction in the Senate.

The system worked.

Three days later Nixon resignedbut in a way Watergate never really ended.

According to the Pew Research Center, in October of 1972, 53 percent of Americans trusted their government all or most of the time.

In October of 2015, 19 percent of Americans trusted their government all or most of the time.

Ironically, one of the biggest legacies of America's distrust of its own government may be the election of Donald Trump, a candidate whose main argument for election was a lack of experience in the Washington, D.C.

Will Russia become Donald Trump's Watergate?

No one knowsyet.

But if you're a millennial, you should know that 2017 is starting to sound a lot like 1973.

Commentary by Dustin McKissen, the founder and CEO of McKissen + Company, a strategy, marketing, and public relations firm based in St. Charles, Missouri. He was named one of LinkedIn's "Top Voices" in 2015 and 2016, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Organizational and Industrial Psychology. Follow him on Twitter @DMcKissen.



For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCOpinion on Twitter.






Atlantic Equities, a small London-based brokerage firm, downgraded Snap a day after the social-media company went public. Atlantic downgraded Snap to underweight from neutral on Friday, telling investor to avoid the stock as valuations following its initial public offering may be "unsustainable." "At current levels the stock is trading at a premium to Facebook after normalising for engagement levels. This seems unsustainable given Snap's unproven monetisation potential, structurally lower profitability and likely challenges in materially reaccelerating user growth," equity analyst James Cordwell wrote in a research note. The research firm made the unusual move of rating Snap before it went public. A few firms initiated coverage Thursday, but most will wait before putting out significant research on the new company. Many of the bigger banks, which were involved in the underwriting of Snap, are barred from putting out any research on the new stock for a period of time. Snap stock during its debut on Thursday Source: FactSet Instinet initiated coverage on Snap on Thursday with a reduce rating, saying future financial results will likely disappoint investors. The firm was the second on Wall Street to initiate Snap with a sell rating following Pivotal Research Group. Venture capitalist Gene Munster echoed that sentiment in a CNBC interview this week, telling investors the stock is likely to tread water in the months ahead. "This is an expensive stock, so I think it's going to be choppy for the next year," Munster said. Snap shares rallied 44 percent on Thursday, closing at $24.48 after the company priced its initial public offering at $17 a share. The hot startup is now valued at around $28 billion, about the size of CBS. "While valuation appears exceedingly stretched in our view, the risk to our downgrade is that in the near-term the stock will continue to trade on factors other than the fundamentals of the company," Atlantic's Cordwell said. In the next 12-months, Atlantic Equities predicts shares of Snap could trade at $14 per share, implying a loss of nearly 43 percent from where the stock closed on Thursday. CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this story. Disclosure: NBCUniversal is an investor in Snap.

A banner for Snap Inc. hangs on the facade of the the New York Stock Exchange on the eve of the company's IPO in New York. Brendan McDermid | Reuters
The city of Bethlehem is south of Jerusalem, in the West Bank. It is the biblical birthplace of Jesus and a major Christian pilgrimage destination.

Samer Khoury is not a diplomat, which makes his self-assigned mission of restoring the little town of Bethlehem that much harder. Despite incredible odds against violent protests in the wake of President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, this businessman has been able to attract the support from heavyweight patrons of all faiths, including Theodore McCarrick, the archbishop emeritus of Washington; Prince Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a senior member of the royal family of Saudi Arabia; and, more controversially, Sheikh Muhammad A. Hussein, the grand mufti of Jerusalem, the Sunni Muslim in charge of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

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The task requires a tenacious spirit. On one hand, the unassuming Athens-based construction magnate, one of the family that owns the $5.3 billion Consolidated Contractors Co., is dealing with the Israeli occupational government, which has a say in much of what happens in Bethlehem. The Palestinian city lies just beyond the wall that separates Israel and the Palestinian territories, in between Jerusalem and the Jordan River. The long conflict and military occupation have exacted a heavy toll on Bethlehem, which could otherwise be one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world. The GDP per capita in the West Bank and Gaza is $4,300. Bethlehem remains a poor city, where some families live in one-room homes and many young people lack jobs. Khoury's work and the life for the people of Bethlehem are harder now in the wake of the announcement in early December by Trump that the United States recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The announcement, which failed to mention east Jerusalem as the capital of an eventual Palestinian state  a long-hoped-for outcome by moderates in the Arab world  sparked violent protests across the Middle East. In Bethlehem, tourism has slowed to a trickle, and there have been some protests there, too. "What we sell is the Christian spirit and the message of hope and peace," Khoury said. He worries about what the next weeks and months will bring. "History has told us when something starts no one knows the end game in this part of the world," he said.

A political morass

Fractured politics mirror the fractured religions: The main attraction in Bethlehem is the Church of the Nativity, said to the be birthplace of Jesus. It has been governed for centuries by three denominations whose defense of their "zones" in the church is legendary and has sometimes come to blows: the Franciscan order of Roman Catholics, the Greek Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church. "They are not businesspeople," said Khoury, sounding pained, recounting the difficulties of getting the lights strung to decorate the church at Christmas. But, moved by his family's Greek Orthodox and Palestinian roots, Khoury has a new vision for Bethlehem: Within 10 years, he wants to see 3 million tourists a year thronging the narrow streets. Three years in, he said, "We're 5 percent to 10 percent there."

Paying it forward

Khoury's late father, Said, founded the Bethlehem Development Foundation, a nonprofit that has so far spent about $40 million, with projects underway to further restore the church, build playgrounds for children and buy buses to ferry tourists to sites in and around the town. The foundation also incorporated a fundraising nonprofit in the United States and plans a Washington dinner in early February. It aims to raise and spend $60 million more by 2027. "It's a sad city when you enter," said Khoury. "This is the center of Christianity, important for 2 billion people. My father said: 'It is going to be a ghetto if nobody does anything.'"

A pilgrim lays her hand on the silver star in the Grotto under the Church of the Nativity, which according to tradition marks the spot Jesus was born. David Silverman | Getty Images

Khoury, who picked up the reins after his father died in 2014, wants to do everything from spur tourism with a new hotel and new agreements with Israeli bus companies, to helping develop jobs-training programs for students at a local university. The streets of Bethlehem are lined with tiny shops, many selling olive wood trinkets and beautifully carved nativity sets, but they are struggling. Bassem Giacaman, one of the shopkeepers, said before the second intifada, his shop had revenue of $400,000 a year, and employed 12. Now, it brings in about $100,000 a year, enough to employ three people and earn him a tiny profit, perhaps $10,000. In the two weeks since Trump's announcement, only three people have visited his shop, and he doesn't know how he will pay his workers, he said. Still, he said, he wants to keep his family's workshop alive because he loves the Church of the Nativity. In 1948, the Christian population of the Holy Land was 18 percent; it's now 2 percent, according to the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation. Giacaman has tried to make his shop welcoming for everyone: It carries menorahs, Nativity sets, Arabic calligraphy  and welcomes tourists who need to use the toilet. "We just try to open the door and keep things going," he said. Khoury said he was in part inspired to continue his father's work when he talked to people like Giacaman. The foundation, with the initial donation of $30 million from the Khourys in 2011, is helping the Palestinian government manage the much-lauded restoration of the church. It also has helped refurbish Manger Square, where tourist buses park, start a small museum and finance a strategic solid waste management plan for the area. Among its long-term plans: a small shopping center and car park, a solar power station that could power small factories, and a small hotel of about 100 rooms. More from Global Investing Hot Spots:

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Some of the projects may be funded via investments  he said some projects could yield 10 percent annually  and some via donations. Though between 1 million and 2 million people visit the church every year  exact numbers are hard to come by  few stay overnight and little economic benefit comes to the town of about 25,000 people.

A philanthropic cause

Khoury's late father was a Greek Orthodox Palestinian who immigrated to Lebanon, founded CCC, and then moved it to Greece. "He was a true believer," Samer Khoury said of his father. CCC, now run by his three sons, has about 100,000 employees worldwide and had revenue of $5.3 billion in 2016, Khoury said. It builds projects of enormous scale: CCC builds or is a partner on projects such as the giant 60-kilometer Riyadh Metro in Saudi Arabia, a giant expo center in Kazakhstan, and  in the near future  oil platforms off the East Africa, Khoury said. CCC is a part owner of the power plant in Gaza, the southern part of the Palestinian territory. In Bethlehem, the scale of projects is much smaller. Sometimes, in the complicated politics of the town, the goals can get tripped up by something as small as a string of lights. For instance, stringing lights on the Church of the Nativity opened a fraught negotiation between the three denominations. An extra light hanging on the wrong side of a wall might have been taken as a sign one of the denominations had ceded territory in the church to another. In the Church of the Nativity, the walls, the windows and even a crack in the floor are claimed by one of the three. "It is funny," said Khoury, without laughing even a little bit. "It is not practical." He is a little frustrated, but he is not giving up.

The Church of the Nativity is seen during its restoration in Bethlehem, West Bank on November 28, 2016. Issam Rimawi | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

Though there are many nonprofits and aid agencies working in Bethlehem, Khoury's effort is different, observers said, because of its breadth, Khoury's business acumen, the money behind it and the expertise CCC is putting to the task. "What Samer Khoury has developed is an entire mechanism to restore and rebuild Bethlehem; a city whose international reputation precedes it but whose infrastructure, and most importantly, its people have been neglected for far too long. (He) is working  to bring hope back to the city's inhabitants," said Sir Rateb Rabie, CEO of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation and a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, named by the pope for services in the Holy Land. The Bethlehem Development Foundation has an engineer working in Bethlehem on restoration of the church, which started three years ago and will probably last three or four more years, Khoury says. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas first persuaded the three denominations to allow the restoration, but Khoury's foundation stepped in to manage payments for the highly specialized contractors doing the work, which has included replacing the 500-year-old wooden roof. Now, the restoration is moving on to restoring beautiful golden icons on the walls and an ancient mosaic under the floor that tourists tramp over on their way into the grotto said to mark the birthplace of Jesus. Among the discoveries during the restoration: a hole left from a stray bomb that fell during the 1967 War.

Against all odds
President Donald Trump lashed out at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Friday, who has called for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign over the uproar about his contacts with Russians.

Trump tweeted a photo of the Democratic senator from New York and Russian President Vladimir Putin laughing and holding Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Trump said "we should start an immediate investigation" into Schumer's ties with Russia, calling him a "total hypocrite." He did not accuse Schumer of any specific wrongdoing.

Trump tweet: We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite!

Schumer responded that he would "happily" talk about his contact with Putin. He said it took place in 2003 "in full view" of the press and the public. Schumer then asked if Trump and his team would talk openly about any contact with Russia.

Schumer tweet: And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts.

The tweets come a day after Sessions said he would recuse himself from any investigations related to the Trump campaign. Lawmakers raised concerns that he misled senators in his January confirmation hearing about his contacts with the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, while he was a U.S. senator and advisor to the Trump campaign.

On Thursday, Schumer called for Sessions to resign, saying he had "weeks" to "correct the record" about his testimony and did not.

Later Friday, Trump slammed House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who also called for Sessions to resign and accused him of perjury. The president said he demands a second investigation into the representative from California, linking to a Politico story that shows a photo appearing to contradict her Friday statement that she never met Kislyak.

Trump tweet: I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it.

Trump has called any developments about links between Russia and his campaign officials a "total witch hunt." He previously asked his first national security advisor, Michael Flynn, to resign after the former general misled top White House officials about his conversations with Kislyak.

Sessions oversees the Justice Department and FBI, which have led investigations into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and any links between Russia and Trump associates. Sessions' recusal will put a deputy in charge of the investigations that relate to the Trump campaign, but it is not entirely clear how broad that recusal will be.
George Rose | Getty Images

President Trump's executive order on "merit-based immigration" could have an unexpected beneficiary: Canadian start-ups. Venture capitalists and angel investors in Canada said his executive order could cause highly educated immigrants  an important talent pool for fast-growing technology companies who need engineers, developers and salespeople  to seek work in hubs across the border, like Toronto and Vancouver, rather than in Silicon Valley. The executive order, which Trump signed in January, prevents Syrian refugees from entering the United States for an indefinite period, suspended all refugees' admissions for 120 days and prevented citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States for 90 days. On Wednesday, administration officials said Trump will drop Iraq from the list in a new immigration order he is expected to sign this month. The Pentagon and State Department had urged the administration to reconsider, because Iraq has played an essential role in fighting the Islamic State Group. Drawing on links with cities farther south  like Seattle and San Francisco  Vancouver, Canada's third-largest city, has pulled in thousands of skilled workers and entrepreneurs in recent years. Now U.S. tech companies are increasingly sending inquiries to Canadian economic development authorities to see how they can shift workers north of the border. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson has been reported to say these requests have risen sharply. Many of the world's largest tech groups already operate in Vancouver. They include Amazon , which is looking to add to its staff of 700 in Vancouver. "There is a real shortage of talented people who can do the jobs that are needed," said Janet Bannister, a general partner in Toronto- and Montreal-based Real Ventures, which bills itself as Canada's largest and most active early-stage venture capital firm. "There are many very qualified, ambitious, hardworking people who will no longer be able to go to the U.S. Many of those people will come to Canada, as Canada embraces diversity. The Canadian business community will benefit as a result." Cost is also an important consideration. A skilled worker in British Columbia earns around $1,222 a week, compared to $3,400 in California, according to BC Stats, a government agency.

Protectionism unfurled

Trump is moving full speed ahead on his immigration policies, despite many protests against them. In his speech to Congress on Tuesday night, Trump said the country is taking "strong measures to protect our nation from radical Islamic terrorism." "According to data provided by the Department of Justice, the vast majority of individuals convicted for terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country," he said. "We have seen the attacks at home  from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon and, yes, even the World Trade Center." Trump also mentioned that his administration has been working on "improving vetting procedures." "[W]e will shortly be taking new steps to keep our nation safe  and to keep out those who would do us harm," he said. More than 50 lawsuits have reportedly been filed against the order.

I believe the influx of talented immigrants to Canada will increase due to Trump's archaic policies. Sid Paquette managing director, OMERS Ventures



Many in Canada's tech community opposed the original executive order. In response to it, more than 150 entrepreneurs, investors and others signed an open letter embracing diversity in Betakit, a publication that covers Canadian start-up news and tech innovation. The technology community in Canada includes a large number of transplants from other countries. In Toronto, one important hub, 49 percent of the population is made up of immigrants, of whom 31 percent arrived between 2000 and 2011, according to the city of Toronto.



watch now



The letter calls on the Canadian federal government to institute "an immediate and targeted visa providing those currently displaced by the U.S. executive order with temporary residency in Canada." "This visa would allow these residents to live and work in Canada with access to benefits until such time as they can complete the application process for permanent residency if they so choose," the letter says. "We encourage provincial and municipal governments across Canada to lend support as they can."



A call to action

Among the signers was Boris Wertz, founder and general partner at seed-stage investor Version One Ventures in Vancouver. "It's a message to our own country, as much as to the U.S., that we think diversity is a strength to the entrepreneurial ecosystem," says Wertz, who himself emigrated from Germany 15 years ago. As he and several other Canada-based investors pointed out, more than half of the billion-dollar companies in technology were created by immigrants. Research by the National Foundation for Immigration Policy, a nonpartisan think tank in Arlington, Virginia, found that immigrants started 44 of 87 U.S. start-up companies valued at $1 billion or more as of Jan. 1, 2016, with each company creating an average of 760 jobs. These 44 companies are valued at $168 billion, according to the study. Sid Paquette also signed the open letter. He is managing director at OMERS Ventures, the venture capital arm of OMERS, one of Canada's largest pension funds. "I believe the influx of talented immigrants to Canada will increase due to Trump's archaic policies," says Paquette. "We'll gladly keep our country open to everyone."



The talent chase
If the United States and Mexico were able to renegotiate a good trade deal, the beaten-down Mexican peso should really recover, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told CNBC on Friday.

Ross, a billionaire who made his fortune investing in distressed assets, said the peso has fallen on worries about President Donald Trump's desire to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Commerce secretary has been tasked by the president to find ways to level the playing field on international trade for American companies.

"I believe that if we and the Mexicans make a very sensible trade agreement the Mexican peso will recover quite a lot," Ross said on "Squawk Box."

Dollar/peso 2-day chart

Source: FactSet

The U.S. dollar fell sharply against the Mexican currency, dropping 0.74 percent to 19.84, after first spiking as Ross spoke.

The peso has fallen about 20 percent in value since June 2015. That's when Trump got into the presidential race with a fiery speech that was highly critical of Mexico.

Ross also said mechanisms need to be put in place to make the peso-dollar relationship more stable.
President Trump, in his address to Congress this week, honored Carryn Owens, the widow of William "Ryan" Owens. Chief Owens is the highly-decorated Navy Seal who was killed in a raid in Yemen on January 29th. Carryn received a heartfelt two-minute standing ovation from the crowd. Many hearts in the room and across the nation surely went out to her.



Not all hearts were so kind, though. Take Dan Grillo, a principal in the Chicago-area Liberty Advisor Group and a former Clinton and Obama volunteer. After the Congressional address, Grillo tweeted the following heartless and insensitive message: "Sorry, Owens' wife, you're not helping yourself or your husband's memory by standing there and clapping like an idiot. Trump just used you."



Grillo was fired the day after this ill-considered tweet, and that firing seems warranted for reasons the company gave in a statement.



The company described Grillo's tweet as "offensive and inappropriate," and said it was "inconsistent with the company's values." The company's statement went on to say, "Regardless of whether the comments in the tweet were intended to cause the hurt and anger that they ultimately generated, they were unacceptable to us, and the individual who issued the tweet is no longer affiliated with Liberty."



The company's decision was only strengthened by the fact that Grillo had named the company in his Twitter profile. So the company was at considerable risk for being associated with the tweet.



Grillo's firing, in my opinion, is a clear case of when an ill-advised tweet should lead to a dismissal. But under what less-clear circumstances should such a tweet or post result in a firing?



Should the only criterion be that a tweet or post that is offensive, inappropriate and inconsistent with the values of the company will lead to a firing? Should it matter that a post, like Grillo's, elicits widespread and uniformly negative attention?



It stands to reason that a company would give more weight to a tweet that is offensive, against the values of the company, and widely distributed. But what about when an employee makes a racist or sexist comment while having drinks with colleagues after work? If senior management later hears of the comment should they fire the employee even if they are confident that no one outside of that group of employees heard it?



That would depend chiefly on what matters most to the company. If the company is mostly concerned with its public image and risk management then they might reprimand but not fire the employee who makes the inappropriate comment over drinks. Less exposure means less risk of negative publicity.



But if the company is chiefly concerned with having a values-based culture, and sees its positive public image as a reflection of that culture, then they would have solid grounds for firing the employee even if the offensive comment is not heard outside of the company. A company cannot say that certain values matter if there are no consequences for action against those values. And a company surely cannot say that character and values matter if they not only employ but promote jerks and give them greater rewards, responsibilities, and ability to affect others.



Should it matter how sympathetic or not the target of the inappropriate comment is? Carryn Owens was as sympathetic as a person could be. But what if the target of the tweet was as unsympathetic as could be? What if, for example, the tweet mocked Martin Shkreli, the former CEO of Retrophin, who was described as "the most hated man in America" when, in 2015, he notoriously defended raising the price of Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 a pill?



A tweet targeting a sympathetic figure is surely more upsetting than a tweet targeting a jerk. But if the tone and content of the message is cruel, unkind or otherwise not the kind of thing that someone who gets the company's values would say, then it would seem that even an offensive tweet targeting an unsympathetic person should result in a firing.



Finally, how much weight should be given to the employee's condition or state of mind at the time of the offensive tweet? What if an employee is in an unusually bad way at the time of the offensive tweet?

Returning to our barroom hypothetical, if the bad condition is a result of imbibing, then little to no weight should be given to it. One should not be excused from an offense based on a condition that one has brought about him- or herself.

But what if the employee at the time of the tweet had just received news of a devastating loss or had just started taking a new medication that unexpectedly interferes with his or her judgment?



That should count more than being drunk or high, but if the tweet were sufficiently offensive and contrary to the company's values, the question could be raised whether an employee in any condition would be having such thoughts, let alone tweeting them out. And if character is what truly matters in a company then due weight should be given to the fact that character is sometimes most clearly revealed in difficult or challenging situations.



This is a suggestive list of factors to consider when deciding whether to fire an employee for an offensive tweet. Grillo's firing was a sad but easy case. Other cases might be less clear and more difficult, so each company more and more has to decide what criteria it will use in deciding whether to say, "You're fired."



Commentary by Joseph Holt, an associate teaching professor at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business who specializes in business ethics and leadership. Follow him on Twitter @busethicsdude.



For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.
Chief Engraver of the United States Mint Frank Gasparro works on his 1977 Flowing Hair Liberty dollar designs in this contemporaneous scene.

Gasparros Flowing Hair Liberty dollar design of 1977 inspired Grove Minting Co. to issue commemorative medals marking the 40th anniversary of Gasparros designs.

United States Mint Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro created a Flowing Hair Liberty dollar design in 1977, but it lost out to the Anthony dollar. Grove Minting Co. has issued commemorative medals marking the designs 40th anniversary.

When United States Mint Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro created a design for a dollar coin in the late 1970s, his sculpture eventually lost out to the underwhelming, critically assailed image of Susan B. Anthony.

But a modern minter is breathing new life into the classic pattern, offering a limited number of commemoratives marking the 40th anniversary of the 1977 Flowing Hair Liberty dollar trial strikes.

Jared Grove, of Grove Minting Company, announced the piece in mid-February. The Grove commemorative piece is based upon Gasparros original 1977 Liberty Dollar design, sticking closely in detail to the proposed obverse, including its 11-sided rim perimeter.

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The reverse of the Grove piece features the Eagle in Flight reverse by Gasparro, a flying eagle with outstretched wings, looking skyward, with 13 stars and 10 rays, with the addition of the Grove Minting coat of arms.

The 2017 medal was conceptualized from imagery now held at the Smithsonians National Museum of American History, donated by Gasparros daughter in 2009, according to Grove.

Within that collection appears a newspaper clipping of a fashion model wearing an Albert Nipon designer suit. With the quick stroke of a pen, Gasparro turned the models profile into the portrait of a Flowing Hair Liberty, which progressed into a final sketch for the coins obverse.

His reverse design sketches iterate several variations of an eagle in flight, bursting through the rays of the sun in the background, complete with 13 stars symbolizing the original colonies. The design is titled The Coming of a New Dawn, according to Coin World's Comprehensive Catalog & Encyclopedia of United States Coins.

The soaring eagle is vaguely remniscent of the one on the Saint-Gaudens double eagle type, although flying over a mountain sunrise, according to the Catalog.

The Nipon brand was launched in 1972, but Gasparro had the idea for a modern Flowing Hair dollar at least a few years earlier  he designed the medal for the American Numismatic Associations 1969 convention, which utilizes a Flowing Hair design. According to Jared Grove, The newspaper sketch could have rekindled thoughts in persisting his envisioned design forward to 1977.



Galvanos were prepared for an 11-sided, 26.5 millimeter diameter Flowing Hair dollar. Gasparro told Coin World's Paul Gilkes that trial strikings of his design were made at the Philadelphia Mint, but all were destroyed soon after.

A photograph of a presumed trial strike indicates a round planchet with plain edge, although at the time Mint officials were still seriously considering the 11-sided planchet, according to the Coin World book.

Gasaparros superior design was no match for suffragist Anthony, whose taciturn visage would enter circulation in 1979, to much ballyhoo.

The Grove firms Proof 2017 medal is struck in nickel, measures 25 millimeters in diameter and weighs 8.6 grams with a plain edge.

The medal has a mintage limit of 750 pieces that retail for $15 each, plus shipping.

This is the seventh exclusive commemorative design issued by the Grove Minting Co.

For more details or to order the medal, visit the firms website.
The coins involvement in the anniversary celebration is recognized with a raised edge inscription that reads ? 225th ANNIVERSARY ? three times, imparted once from each section of a three-part collar.

The coins obverse design is a modern rendition of Liberty as an African-American woman wearing a crown of five-pointed stars. The reverse design depicts an American eagle in flight, its wings in a downward thrust.

The 17922017-W American Liberty gold $100 coin will be limited to a maximum release of 100,000 coins when it goes on sale April 6.

UPDATE: The U.S. Mint updated its website at 3 p.m. ET April 5 by posting the initial price for the Proof 1792-2017-W American Liberty $100 gold coin at $1,640.

Sales will open at noon ET April 6 by the U.S. Mint for the 17922017-W American Liberty gold $100 coin.

Restricted to a maximum release of 100,000 coins, the high relief 1-ounce .9999 fine gold coin is being issued as part of the Mints year-long celebration of its 225th anniversary April 2.

Pricing for the coin will be specified closer to the release date, based on a pricing grid posted March 3 online at the Federal Register.

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If the spot price of gold remains between the weekly average gold price of $1,250 and $1,299 per troy ounce, the American Liberty gold coin would be initially priced at $1,690, but subject to change weekly.

The coins involvement in the anniversary celebration is recognized with a raised edge inscription that reads ? 225th ANNIVERSARY ? three times, imparted once from each section of a three-part collar.

U.S. Mint officials report the coins are struck at the West Point Mint, with what they refer to as a business-strike finish.

The coins obverse design is a modern rendition of Liberty as an African-American woman wearing a crown of five-pointed stars. The obverse was designed by U.S. Mint Artistic Infusion Program artist Justin Kunz and sculptured by U.S. Mint Medallic Artist Phebe Hemphill.

The reverse design depicts an American eagle in flight, its wings in a downward thrust. The reverse was designed by AIP artist Chris T. Costello and sculptured by U.S. Mint Medallic Sculptor Michael Gaudioso.

Medallic issues

The same designs that appear on the 2017-W American Liberty gold coin are to be issued later in 2017 on Proof American Liberty 1-ounce .999 fine silver medals, which are to be struck with four different finishes, one finish each at the Philadelphia, Denver, West Point and San Francisco Mints.
EquipmentShare officially celebrates expansion

EquipmentShare will expand its corporate office footprint in Columbia following the success of its application for a 10-year property tax abatement.
SB 97, Public Financing of Campaign Fixes, sponsored by Sen. Peter Wirth, passed the House Local Government, Elections, Land Grant & Cultural Affairs Committee unanimously today!

Our huge thanks to Rep. Daymon Ely for presenting the bill on Senator Wirths behalf and the support from NMs Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Olive and the League of Women Voters of NM today in committee. And thanks to the committee for a great conversation. Now we are off to the House Judiciary Committee!

SB 393, Lobbyist Reporting Requirements, sponsored by Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto and Rep. James Smith, passed by the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday. This bill amends the Lobbyist Regulation Act changing the reporting threshold to require cumulative reporting of expenses incurred under $100, in addition to the existing requirement for reporting single transactions over $100.

Lobby Reform bills scheduled for Friday, March 3 in Senate Rules Committee

SB 225, Estimated Lobbyist Expense Report Filing, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Steinborn  this bill adds a requirement for lobbyists employers to make an estimated lobbying expense report with the Secretary of State (SOS) no later than January 15th and May 1st of each year and outlines the contents of the required reports. The reports are required to also contain the actual expenses incurred by lobbyists employers for the previous reporting period.

SB 228, Post- Session Lobbyist Reports, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Steinborn  this bill would require each lobbyist or lobbyist employer who is required to file an expenditure report, to file a report with the Secretary of State (SOS) within one week following a legislative session. Each lobbyist or lobbyist employer would be required to disclose which legislation was advocated for or against by the lobbyist and their employer, and whether the lobbyist or lobbyist employer supported or opposed that piece of legislation.

Also, one bill we oppose

SJR 12, Fair Election Constitutional Convention, sponsored by Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, would call a Constitutional Convention to address Money in Politics. While CCNM obviously supports fighting big money in politics, we steadfastly oppose a Constitutional Convention. You can read our report, The Dangerous Path: Big Moneys Plan to Shred the Constitution and also review our fact sheet on the Con Con.

We have been told that there will be House and Senate committees meeting over the weekend and hopefully more of our priority bills scheduled for those agendas!

Please check in for an update from the Common Cause New Mexico team tomorrow so see what other bills may be added to committee calendars on the Democracy Wire page of our website!

Follow us on Twitter @commoncausenm & like us on Facebook for mid-day updates and remember to CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS!
Apple's Safari browser, like rival Internet Explorer (IE), has lost a significant number of users in the last two years, data published Wednesday showed.

The most likely destination of Safari defectors: Google's Chrome.

According to California-based analytics vendor Net Applications, in March 2015, an estimated 69% of all Mac owners used Safari to go online. But by last month, that number had dropped to 56%, a drop of 13 percentage points -- representing a decline of nearly a fifth of the share of two years prior.

It was possible to peg the percentage of Mac users who ran Safari only because that browser works solely on macOS, the Apple operating system formerly labeled OS X. The same single-OS characteristic of IE and Edge has made it possible in the past to determine the percentage of Windows users who run those browsers.

[ Further reading: Microsoft continues to bleed browser share at record rates ]

Net Applications measures user share by sniffing the browser user agent string of visitors to its customers' websites, then tallying the various browsers and OSes.

Safari's share erosion was much less than that suffered by Microsoft's browsers, particularly IE, during the same period. From March 2015 to February 2017, the use of Microsoft's IE and Edge on Windows personal computers plummeted. Two years ago, the browsers were run by 62% of Windows PC owners; last month, the figure had fallen by more than half, to just 27%.

Simultaneous with the decline of IE has been the rise of Chrome. The user share of Google's browser -- its share of all browsers on all operating systems -- more than doubled in the last two years, jumping from 25% in March 2015 to 59.5% last month. Along the way, Chrome supplanted IE to become the world's most-used browser.

It's impossible to be certain, but Chrome was probably the beneficiary from Safari's user share decline as well. In the last 24 months, Mozilla's Firefox -- the other major browser alternative to Chrome for macOS users -- has barely budged, losing just two-tenths of a percentage point in user share.

The downturn of both IE and Safari expose the fragility of what was once thought to be their biggest advantage: That they were bundled with their respective operating systems. Because they came with the operating system -- Windows in IE's case, OS X and now macOS in Safari's -- their position was believed unassailable; users, it was thought, would largely use what they were given, rather than seek out alternatives.

Microsoft became the agent of IE's destruction when the company unexpectedly called for the retirement of most versions of the browser, and told customers they must upgrade to IE11. Faced with that, many instead simply deserted to Chrome.

Apple did not make that same mistake, so reasons for Safari's decline are muddier. One possibility: Those who used both Windows and OS X/macOS -- perhaps one at work, the other at home -- may have shifted to the common denominator of Chrome for the convenience of bookmark and password synchronization. Under that theory, a small increase of Chrome on OS X/macOS was simply a side effect of the much larger rise of Chrome on Windows.
In November, President Donald Trump said on his first day in office he would order an investigation of H-1B abuses.

That never happened, though critics held their tongues. After all, Trump had repeatedly campaigned for H-1B reforms, even inviting laid-off Disney IT workers to speak at his campaign rallies. Even so, patience is ending.

[ Discuss this story. Join our H-1B/Outsourcing group on Facebook. ]

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill), a long-time critic of the H-1B visa program and co-sponsor of a reform bill with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), accused Trump today of failing "to put American workers first by cracking down on H-1B visa abuse.

"I am disappointed that you have broken your campaign promise to take action on the first day of your Administration to reform foreign guest worker visas - especially the H-1B visa - to put American workers first," Durbin wrote in a letter to Trump sent Friday.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Durbin's letter could be dismissed by some as a partisan attack by a Democrat, but he is not alone. The IEEE-USA has also warned that Trump is in danger of "letting down American workers."

A key issue is the upcoming April 1 H-1B visa lottery. Trump has voiced support for a merit-based distribution system. As it stands now, however, the H-1B visas for the 2018 fiscal year will be distributed by lottery, no different than any other year. As a result, the IEEE-USA has warned that unless Trump moves to change the lottery, thousands of visas will go to offshore outsourcing firms.

IT workers have long complained about training H-1B-holding replacements, and Trump has spoken of the problem.

"Companies are importing low-wage workers on H-1B visas to take jobs from young college-trained Americans," Trump said at a campaign rally last fall for Millennial-age voters in Ohio.

It's not clear how much authority Trump even has to change the lottery. There are three competing views.

The IEEE-USA believes Trump needed to make a regulation to change the annual H-1B distribution. But Trump needed to do so this week to meet a 30-day notice requirement. But an official from the American Immigration Lawyers Association believes the only way Trump can change the lottery is with legislation, which means he has to wait for Congress to act. A third view is that Trump can change the lottery right up to April 1 with an executive order.

The Trump administration has given no indication of what it will do about this year's visa lottery.

"The American people deserve an explanation for your decision not to pursue H-1B reforms on your first day in office," wrote Durbin.

"If you do not take action in the next few weeks, outsourcers will secure the right to import tens of thousands of low-wage foreign guest workers to replace American workers," wrote Durbin. "This is in addition to hundreds of thousands of H-1B workers who are already employed by outsourcing companies in the United States."
Read more articles by Chris Meehan.

Chris is a Denver-based freelance writer , editor and communications specialist. He covers sustainability, social issues and other topics.
Cllr Nick Paget-Brown is the Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council.

In the last few years, some 850 British residents are thought to have gone out to Syria and Iraq to join ISIS and other jihadist organisations. Many of those were young people, and several were from Kensington and Chelsea.

Of that 850, we know that about 75 have so far been convicted by the authorities and about 70 are believed to have been killed. Although it remains to be verified, one of those killed is probably Khadiza Sultana, one of the three Bethnal Green teenagers who went to Syria  she was 17 years old.

And of course for years now we have seen young British people getting involved in terror plots, domestic and foreign.

There is nothing new, sadly, about people from ordinary backgrounds and loving homes committing to belief systems that espouse hatred and sanctify violence. In fact, people have been prey to sudden-onset fanaticism at many different times and in many different cultures.

Sophisticated, ruthless people understand this; through experiment, trial and error, they have refined their techniques for recruiting the vulnerable. Some of the material these people produce and make available through social media can be frighteningly compelling and have clearly been effective in the West.

This is the perplexing  some might say terrifying  context in which the Governments Prevent strategy has been operating. Prevent is designed to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. It tries to counter terrorist ideology and challenge those who promote it. Crucially, it supports individuals who are vulnerable against becoming radicalised.

But if you think Prevent is only about Islamic extremism you are wrong. There is, for example, a growing problem with the far right, though that liberally applied term doesnt quite capture the problem. In parts of the UK, extreme ethno-nationalism  such as that espoused by Thomas Mair, the murderer of Jo Cox MP  is now said to be generating more Prevent referrals than Islamism.

Unfortunately Prevent itself has in recent months been under attack. Now it is understandable that members of some of the families and communities from which referrals to Prevent are made are going to be concerned. But those who know and understand the programme recognise that far from being an intrusive instrument of State control, Prevent is actually just another way in which teachers, youth workers, social workers, doctors and other professionals seek to safeguard the vulnerable from harm.

The harm in question is particularly pernicious and needs a suitably sensitive, sophisticated and joined-up response and  by orchestrating the efforts of families, communities and a wide range of professionals  that is what Prevent seeks to provide. And of the referrals they receive, only about ten per cent are referred on to Channel whose job it is to provide direct support to vulnerable people at risk. Thats right, the great majority of Prevent referrals are actually rejected, though in many cases they are vulnerable in some other way and are referred elsewhere for help. And heres the thing: there isnt even anything compulsory about Channel. Its ministrations are entirely voluntary; not exactly the KGB is it?

And who makes referrals to Prevent in the first place? They come from those very same liberal professions and also from desperate families, and worried neighbours and friends.

Predictably, none of this has stopped advocacy and human rights groups from attacking Prevent with the claim that it views Muslims through a lens of security or that it is a broad brush policy being applied to the entire Islamic community.

Just as predictably, these groups have found a chorus of support amongst student unions, a certain kind of academic, sections of the press, and politicians who prefer to turn away from uncomfortable realities.

I hope the wider public will treat these attacks as they deserve to be treated. In particular, I hope that worried families will not be swayed. My view is this: if you discover your son or daughter has been up all night watching internet material about Anders Breivik, or beheading videos on their mobile phone, if his or her behaviour has changed markedly, if he or she seems to have adopted a new world view that is angry and binary, if you are terrified your child might commit crimes against their fellow citizens, end up in prison or dead like poor Khadiza Sultana, then you should talk to those professionals whom in other contexts you trust implicitly, your head teacher say, your social worker if you have one, or your local childrens services department.

You could even talk to Prevent directly. Far from being a sinister arm of the state, it is simply an alliance of our some of best and finest doing all they can to safeguard our vulnerable people from extremist predators.
Iain Dale is Presenter of LBC Drive, Managing Director of Biteback Publishing, a columnist and broadcaster and a former Conservative Parliamentary candidate.

On Wednesday evening, I chaired a session at the Jewish Book Festival at Kings Place, which is also home to the Guardian. The guest was Malcolm Rifkind who was there to talk about his memoir, Power and Pragmatism, which I published last summer.

I was delighted that the event was moved to the big theatre because 250 people had bought tickets. They were a really engaged audience, and asked really good questions. I think they were surprised at how funny Malcolm was. To me, he is one of the great political speakers of our times, yet hes never really got the credit he deserves for his ability to make brilliant speeches with no notes, on whatever subject hes speaking on.

I remember watching him make a speech in the Commons when he was Transport Secretary on some very technical aspect of policy, which most ministers would have read out word for word. Not once did he look down at his notes, and he proceeded to make the house laugh  which isnt easy when youre talking about ports privatisation or some such policy.

         

Over the past fortnight or so, I have done something that I should have done years ago, and switched my energy provider. I switched to a new entrant to the market called Octopus Energy. It predicts that I will save more than 850 over a year.

Part me thinks, well, Ill believe that when I see it, but I am very impressed with them so far. I tweeted that I had switched, and within an hour both the Chief Executive and their main Twitter feed had replied, and said that they hoped I would be pleased with their service. Youd never get that from Npower or EDF, would you?

         

So it seems its now impossible for Theresa May to trigger Article 50 at the European Summit next week, given that the Lords has passed an amendment which will now ping back to the Commons.

So mid-March is now the most likely date for Article 50 to be triggered. Its immaterial now whether the Lords should have done this- they have, so we need to see what happens next. Assuming that the Commons pongs the amendment back, you have to assume that the Lords will back down.

In the unlikely event that they dont, and the ping-pong continues, I suppose its possible that the end of March deadline could be missed. This seemed to be recognised in Mays remarks at PMQs this week, when she said she plans to trigger Article 50 by the end of March, and also used the phrase It is my intention to

Thats a bit different to saying I will. Nuance maybe  but possibly significant too. I keep being told that the March 31 deadline was chosen because, were Article 50 to be moved after that, the Lisbon Treaty says the only way we would then be allowed to leave is if 14 members of the Council of Ministers vote to allow us to.

I have yet been unable to discover whether this is an urban myth or not. Those that claim that it would happen have so far been able to give me any proof. Can anyone here do any better? And if this all goes terribly wrong and we end up in a 1910-type situation, would Theresa May then be forced to create a hundred or so new peers? Lord Dale of Ashdon in the county of Essex has a nice ring to it, doesnt it?!? Ha ha.

         

The speech that Donald Trump gave to Congress this week is the one tht he should have given at his inauguration. There were lots of things in it that I disagreed with, but it was almost statesmanlike in its delivery. Perhaps he should use autocue a little more often.

One thing though. He promised to create an Office to Support the Victims of Crime by Immigrants. At least thats what I thought he said. And indeed he did. The proof is here. Jawdropping.

         

Ive got a new book project on the go. Jacqui Smith and I are going to co-edit a two-volume set of books marking the hundredth anniversary of the first woman to be elected to the Commons.

Since then, 456 women have been elected. In the present day Commons there are 455 male MPs, which just goes to show how the chamber is still very male-dominated. The first volume will contain biographies of the 168 women elected between 1918 and 1996. The second one will contain profiles of the 288 female MPs elected since 1997.

Its a massive project, and we are now contacting potential authors for the various biographical profiles. These will also be women, too. The books have a very Ronseal title  The Honourable Ladies.
A few months after he became Prime Minister, Gordon Brown pondered an early general election. This was briefed about by members of his inner political circle who were keen on the idea, and wanted to create a sense of momentum by getting the idea reported. Their efforts were a triumph in one sense at least. Browns musings became public. They werent denied, and thus gathered pace. That sense of momentum grew. It began to look unstoppable. And by the time it was stopped, the damage had been done. The man who had been marketed in his first months in office as not flash, just Gordon looked more like what his dithering had shown him up as: what Alex Salmond called the big fearty from Fife.

This tale from the past takes us to the present  and to Salmonds successor, Nicola Sturgeon. This is because, in feeding speculation about a second referendum on Scottish independence, she is behaving eerily like Brown himself. The polls are not as benign for her now than they were for the former Prime Minister in the summer of 2007. They show no shift towards support for independence. Perhaps Sturgeon sniffs a change in the wind that others are missing. Maybe she is bowing to internal party pressure. But it looks more as though she cannot help but pursue the cause that has let her prosper  regardless of where public opinion in Scotland may be.

Earlier this week, she took to the Times to claim that she has a cast-iron mandate for a second independence referendum and that the prime ministers sheer intransigence will be to blame if she does. In Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday, Angus Robertson suggested that May opposes letting powers on farming and fisheries go to Holyrood rather than Westminster when they are returned from Brussels. This was clearly intended, like so much that the SNP does, to ramp up a sense of grievance. Perhaps Sturgeons calculation is less to hold that referendum than to gain more powers  by using the threat of one to scare the Prime Minister into conceding them.

But either way, she is encouraging speculation about one to grow. May is clearly concerned: the Cabinet held a long discussion about how to deal with Sturgeons manoeuverings last week. Ben Gummer, profiled by Andrew Gimson on this site earlier this week, has charge, at the Cabinet Office, of co-ordinating the Governments response. But, to date, the Prime Minister is not for budging. En route to the Conservative conference in Scotland this weekend, she has accused the SNP of having tunnel vision about independence, and lambasted it for its failure to deliver better public services for Scotlands voters, particularly schools.

It may be said that Sturgeon isnt like Brown at all  that he backed off, and she will not. Perhaps this is right. Maybe she has already made up her mind. But what is happening looks more consistent with events creating their own momentum. In todays Daily Telegraph, Ruth Davidson says that if that second independence referendum is held I would be confident of victoryI think the arguments are weaker and I think the people of Scotland are just as switched on as they were three years ago so I think theres every chance that we would win by a wider margin. Most of this sites readers  though not all, as we have seen  will hope shes right. Or else hope that a poll wont take place at all.
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During President Donald Trump's speech to the Congress last Tuesday, February 28, he has already backed the use of tax credits in purchasing health insurances. This is also the first time that he has affirmed his support to replace Obamacare.

However, despite bring united to oppose former Democratic President Barack Obama's signature 2010 healthcare law, the Republicans who control the White House and the Congress failed to arrive on concrete details on how to replace Obamacare.

Reuters quotes, "We should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts," President Donald Trump explained during his speech. "But it must be the plan they want, not the plan forced on them by our government, " the president further added.

However, Democrats are still opposed to the changes that will be implemented with the Obamacare as it will affect millions of US citizens that were initially uninsured people.

Yet, a drafted Republican replacement for Obamacare already is already available and includes an age-based monthly tax credit that Americans who do not get health insurance from their work, could use to buy health coverage and can be used even as they transfer from one job to another. Some Republicans, however, showed resistance to this plan, but health insurers who have already met with President Donald Trump prior to the Congress meeting already implied the importance of tax credits to keep people in the market.

President Donald Trump also expressed an intention to repeal and replace Obamacare. "I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare, with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time, provide better healthcare," Trump said as quoted by The Guardian. He also further discusses that it should not be a mandate for American citizens to purchase a government-approved health insurance unless they want too.

The Obamacare, which President Donald Trump wants to remove, provided insurance to more than 20 million Americans via subsidized individual insurance plans that expand the public insurance program Medicaid. This program also creates consumer protections that dictate which benefits must be available in each of the health plans.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
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Dogs might be given the title of man's best friend but recent studies are looking at dogs to solve the puzzle about human evolution. In fact, a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Arizona found that human toddlers are more similar to dogs than chimpanzees when it comes to social intelligence.

According to the study, 2-year-old toddlers and dogs are more similar when it comes to social intelligence compared to 2-year-old toddlers and chimpanzees. This finding from the study could help researchers how social skills of human beings evolved.

The study, published in the current issue of the journal Animal Behavior, investigated whether distinct social skills shared by toddlers and dogs are merely superficial or unique to both species. Moreover, the study bases its hypothesis on previous studies which found that human beings develop basic social communication as early as 9-months-old and these social skills cannot be found in the human's closest living relatives which are the chimpanzees but found on dogs. In addition, these social skills are said to be what sets apart human beings from other species.

Based on the data collected and analyzed by tests performed by toddlers, dogs, and chimpanzees. The researchers collaborated with 552 dogs of various breeds, 105 2-year-olds who took a similar kind of game-based tests, and 106 chimpanzees at the wildlife sanctuary in Africa. The battery of tests involved the assessment of the physical environment, spatial reasoning, cooperative communication skills, and cognition.

The findings of the study found the both toddlers and dogs fared better compared to the chimpanzees. However, the chimpanzees did perform better when it came to tests involving spatial reasoning and physical environment, they failed on cooperative communicative skills.

Moreover, the researchers found that when a dog exhibits good performance on one social skill, it tends to reflect good performance on other social related things. These characteristics that are found in dogs are also found in toddles but surprisingly not in exhibited by the chimpanzees.

The researchers explain that the similarities between dogs and humans when it comes to social intelligence can be attributed to how both species experienced the same pressures that influenced the evolution of the respective species. Specifically, the researchers hypothesized that through the evolutionary processes, humans developed social skills similar to dogs when the species underwent domestication.

The researchers do emphasize that it is only through social intelligence that human beings and dogs are similar and not the rest of human cognition.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
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Child marriage in Bangladesh has now been legalized which are worrying human rights watchers around the world. In New York City, authorities are also taking action to end marriage for children as young as 14 years old.

Child Marriage In Bangladesh

On Feb. 27, the Bangladesh Parliament approved a law that allows girls under 18 years old to enter into marriage under "special circumstance." There is no minimum age for the child marriage to take effect as long as there is permission from the parents and the court.

Bangladesh has the highest rate of child marriage in Asia and in the world. Around 52 percent of the girls marry before their 18the birthday, while 18 percent marry before age 15.

Before the approval of the new law on child marriage, Bangladesh's legal age of marriage was 18 years old for women and 21 years old for men. Human rights advocates are now looking at the damage brought by the new law.

"Nothing can change the fact that this is a destructive law. But carefully drafted regulations can mitigate some of the harm to girls," Heather Barr, senior researcher on women's rights at Human Rights Watch, said. Child marriage in Bangladesh can harm girls with complications from adolescent pregnancy and abortion.

Child Marriage In New York

New York governor Andrew Cuomo is taking action to put an end to child marriage. Many are surprised that there is such a practice in the United States.

Indeed, child marriage is legal in the city of New York. There is a law that allows children as young as 14 years old to enter into marriage. There is a pending legislation to reform the law and ban marriages before the age of 17.

Countries in the world have committed to end child marriage by 2030. Nepal, Netherlands, Malawi, Spain and Sweden have already changed their laws to reduce child marriage.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
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While the UK had a decrease in cosmetic surgical procedures, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) had released on Wednesday the top cosmetic surgery in the United States. They have revealed that lip reduction procedures have increased dramatically last year. There were 3,547 lip reduction surgeries, representing a 283 percent increase from 2015.

Debra Johnson, plastic surgeon and president of ASPS said the procedure has been popular among Hispanic and African American women. The procedure can be carried out for less than $1,000.

There is no objective definition for normal lip size, but some people who have overly endowed lips get lip reduction for it to look a little bit like the normal range. Dr. Germaine Awad professor of educational psychology at the University of Technology wrote about how female African American college students define beauty.

Awad said one possible reason for lip reduction is the notion of striving toward a white European beauty ideal, which she said is also ironic. There are also a lot of other women who are increasing the size of their lips. There were 28,430 lip augmentation procedures last year based on ASPS numbers.

Another popular cosmetic procedure was labiaplasty, which reduces the inner lips of the vulva. A total of 12,666 labiaplasty procedures were carried out in 2016 which shows a 39% increase from 2015.

According to The Guardian, the top 10 cosmetic surgical procedures for 2016 were breast augmentaion (290,467), liposuction (235,237), nose reshaping (223,018), eyelid surgery (209,020), facelift (131,106), tummy tuck (127,633), breast lift (101,264), dermabrasion (88,182), neck lift (55,227) and forehead lift (43,038).

There were also 82 breast augmentation surgeries, 235,237 liposuction procedures and 223,018 nose reshaping surgeries in 2016. There were also non-surgical procedures which have increased, such as over 7 million Botulinum Toxin procedures or Botox, an increase from 786,911 in 2000.

Nigeria Today reported the top five non-surgical cosmetic procedures were Botox (7 million procedures), soft-tissue fillers (2.6 million), chemical peels (1.36 million), laser hair removal (1.1 million) and microdermabrasions (775,000).

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
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Parents from Ohio were arrested on child endangerment charges on Tuesday. Husband and wife were discovered overdosed by the police in separate locations with their children.

Nathan Carroll, 29, was found by the police with an infant in the backseat after his car stirred off the road. Samantha Schigel, 24, was found in their home, overdosed and in the presence of their other children.

Lorain police officials went to the couple's home to inform Schigel that they found Carroll overdosed. A child answered the door and said that her mom was sleeping and could not be woken up. Not all the children in the home had the same parents according to WCVB.

That was when the police determine that Schigel also had an overdose. Both parents were given naloxone, a heroin overdose antidote that reverses the effect of the drug. They were then taken to Mercy Hospital in Lorain.

Schigel told the police they had snorted a powder they believed to be heroin. Based on the police report, she said it was her first time to use the drug and she did it to treat pain.

Schigel was arrested for endangering children, while Carroll was arrested for implied consent to test, operating a vehicle under the influence, endangering children, driving under suspension and failure to control according to ABC News.

Children services was contacted and the five children were released to their respective paternal grandfathers. It was unclear whether Carroll and Schigel had attorneys.

In Ohio, more than 3,300 people have died from accidental drug overdose in 2015. It went up by 21.5 percent from the previous year based on the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ohio is among the five states with the highest death rates linked to drug overdoses.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
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People with autoimmune disease and conditions have a higher risk of developing dementia later in life. A research team from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom set out to examine how autoimmune disease leads to an increased risk of a dementia admission later in life.

Medical News Today reports that through a 14-year study, there were more than 1.8 million admissions recorded in hospitals due to autoimmune diseases. This includes 300,000 people with rheumatoid arthritis and 1,000 people with Goodpasture's Syndrome, a rare condition that affects the lungs and kidneys. Although the exact number of dementia diagnosis were not always identified, the risk was still observed to be around 6% higher for Alzheimer's and 28 percent higher for vascular dementia.

The researchers believe that this high risk associated with autoimmune diseases and vascular dementia is due to the risk factors for the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in general. The research also revealed that out of the 25 autoimmune conditions analyzed for 14 years, 18 of them showed significant associations with dementia.

This includes Addison's disease, Polyarteritis nodosa, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Multiple sclerosis posed a 97 percent increased risk of acquiring dementia among all the autoimmune diseases analyzed.

Telegraph UK reports that in Britain alone, ten million people with autoimmune diseases are at greater risk of developing dementia. Compared with people admitted in Britain hospitals for other causes, those with autoimmune diseases showed 20 percent more possibility of acquiring a form of dementia in their lifetime. People with coeliac were also recorded to have an 8 percent increase in the possibility of acquiring such mental health disease.

Further studies will be conducted for clinicians and epidemiologists to see how autoimmune diseases may elevate the risk of dementia. Results of this study also reveal evidence that shows how the immune system plays a very significant role in developing dementia. This also opens new opportunities in finding more effective treatments for such diseases.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
In fiscal year 2016, money wagered on California race cards was similar to the wagering total in FY2011, but compared with FY2011 California racetracks collected nearly $8 million less from the nearly identical betting total.

The California Horse Racing Board's annual report released earlier this month documents the challenge racing faces as the percentage of pari-mutuel money generated for tracks' and horsemen's purses declines as more handle shifts to advance-deposit wagering outlets.

Under racing's business model, after winning wagers are paid, the bulk of remaining pari-mutuel money has typically gone to tracks and purses. But as more bettors have chosen to wager through ADW sites, that third player in the equation also has to be paid, resulting in smaller percentages for tracks and purses.

In FY2016, $2,904,499,795 was wagered on California racing--for all breeds. That figure was nearly identical to FY2011, at $2,903,905,682. But the wagering in FY2016 only generated $111,997,219 for tracks compared with $119,907,554 in FY2011, a 6.6% decline.

A shift in wagering habits is behind the decline in pari-mutuel revenues generated for tracks. In FY2011, ADW handle through the licensed California ADW companies accounted for 21.1% of wagering on state tracks. In FY2016, that percentage ballooned to 30.4%, including 38% of the wagers by California residents. Because a percentage of that money goes to ADWs, there's not as much money left for track commissions and purses.

In FY2011, 4.79% of money wagered on California races went into the purse account. With a takeout increase ahead of FY2012 that committed a larger percentage of money to purses, that percentage would increase to 5.14%, but with wagering shifting to ADWs in the years that have followed, that percentage also has come down, checking in at 4.88% in FY2016.

Of course if the amount of pari-mutuel wagering was increasing, there'd figure to be more money for all involved and everyone would be happy--but that hasn't occurred. It's also safe to say that without the ADW option, total handle would have decreased rather than remain stagnant in recent years.

The ADW companies certainly deliver convenience but debate centers on the pricing of that service. In a message from Chuck Winner that begins the FY2016 annual report, the CHRB chairman said ADW companies will be asked to contribute more to the industry. He outlined the CHRB's efforts to use geo-location to count as on-track wagers bets made by on-track patrons who use their ADWs to make wagers. Winner said the CHRB also will require profit and loss statements from ADW companies and has asked ADW companies to voluntarily do more for California racing and equine charities.




Carren L. Chestnut

Carren L. Chestnut, age 61, of Boiling Springs, passed away Wednesday, March 1, 2017 at the Carlisle Regional Medical Center.

She was born September 25, 1955 in Carlisle to Roger Pete Calaman and the late Dorothy (Morrow) Calaman.

Carren was the office manager for Mira Orthopedics for Dr. Alan Miras entire career of 39 years. She loved to read and collected Longaberger baskets. Carrens family, friends and faith were the most important things to her. She was a member of Second Presbyterian Church where she was a former Deacon and assisted in teaching Sunday school.

In addition to her father, Carren is survived by: her husband of 42 years, Richard Chestnut of Boiling Springs; a sister, Joan (and husband Buz) Wolfe of Carlisle; her granddaughter, Leah Williams of Mt. Holly Springs; son-in-law, Matthew (and his wife Laurel) Williams of Mt. Holly Springs; an uncle, Richard (and wife Shirley) Calaman of Carlisle; an aunt, Jeannine Moll of Cle Elum, WA; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to her mother, Carren was preceded in death by her daughter, Jennifer Ann Williams.

A Service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at Second Presbyterian Church, 528 Garland Drive, Carlisle, PA with Rev. Dr. Jeffrey W. Gibelius and Rev. Jennifer J. McKenna officiating. Interment will be held privately and at the convenience of the family. There will not be a visitation prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Jennifer Ann Chestnut Award, c/o S. Middleton School District, 4 Forge Road, Boiling Springs, PA 17007 or to Second Presbyterian Church.

Hoffman Funeral Home & Crematory, 2020 W. Trindle Road, Carlisle, PA is handling the arrangements. To sign the guestbook, please visit www.HoffmanFH.com
Cloud News

Dell Boomi's First True Channel Chief Sees A Big Partner Play For Data Integration

Joseph Tsidulko

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Dell Boomi's first dedicated channel chief told CRN he sees his mission as preparing partners for a boom in cloud-based data integration fueled by the trend of digital transformation.

David Tavolaro, who became Boomi's vice president of global business development in December, said the independent software division within Dell would revamp its channel program later in the year to better facilitate partners that face a ramping demand for its Integration Platform-as-a-Service.

Boomi, based in Berwyn, Pa., offers a broad set of tools that enable partners to unify data across an enterprise environment. The platform was ranked highest on both axes of Gartner's last iPaaS Magic Quadrant.

[Related: Here Are The 5 Leaders In Gartner's 2016 Magic Quadrant For Integration Platform-As-A-Service]

With the proliferation of disparate applications and data sources, cloud-based integration platforms are increasingly essential components of enterprise digital transformation initiatives, Tavolaro told CRN.

"There are more endpoints, more applications than ever, and a need to go faster than ever," he said. "And that's where Boomi fits in."

Research firm MarketsandMarkets recently estimated the total iPaaS market would grow from $528 million in 2016 to nearly $3 billion by 2021.

Driving that 40 percent compound growth are efforts to modernize IT systems, add mobility and Internet of Things solutions, and challenges posed by mergers and acquisitions, Tavolaro told CRN.

Boomi currently works with more than 260 channel partners who drive more than half of its revenue. The company was always channel-centric, even before acquired by Dell in 2010, said its new channel chief, who spent most of his career working for large systems integrators.

Tavolaro came to Boomi from Anexinet, an SI based in Philadelphia. Before that, he was in the partner organization within CSC.

At those companies, he saw the value of integration technology.

"I came to Boomi because I saw this integration problem proliferating at all of our clients and at a rapid rate," Tavolaro told CRN.

Dell also saw the value in owning a leading iPaaS vendor, he said.

The IT giant sold off the bulk of its software assets to help finance its acquisition of EMC, but maintained Boomi. While Boomi operates independently of its parent, the relationship with Dell benefits the company, both as a channel for its product and a source of expertise when needed, Tavolaro said.

Boomi, in addition to application integration, offers master data management, Electronic Data Interchange and API management services. Together, those services constitute a unified platform that business partners, be they global SIs or ISVs, can leverage to address customer needs, he told CRN.

"That gives our partners a ton of functionality built into one platform, managed in the cloud, deployed wherever you want it to be," Tavolaro said.

Boomi is also seeing a lot of growth in its channel among managed services providers who are looking to maintain complex systems of integration for clients. Software developers looking to OEM the integration component are also increasingly common as partners.

Tavolaro said now that he's settled into the job over the last few months  Boomi never before had a leader solely focused on channel sales  changes are in the works for the global program. They will include measures to better enable partners with sales support, tools and training.

He also wants to focus more on Boomi Suggest, an artificial intelligence agent that evaluates the Boomi community to offer guidance in mapping data, and Boomi Resolve, which crowdsources error resolution.

Larry Cone, founder and chief solution architect at Kitepipe, headquartered in Wilmington, N.C., told CRN "the upside is limitless" in the market. He was first introduced to Boomi as a customer and has since created a practice that exclusively implements Boomi's platform.

Boomi was initially introduced as a simple solution at the lower end of the market, Cone said, and it certainly can be a simple tool to use. You can drag-and-drop shapes on a canvas to get an integration running in minutes.

But the platform's more sophisticated integration capabilities are increasingly in demand, and they can only be delivered by highly trained partners.

"Boomi has been going upmarket into larger organizations. The projects are bigger, service opportunities are bigger," Cone told CRN. "They're increasingly going to sell it as the enterprise-class integration platform, and that's going to drive the need for partners with deeper knowledge, more experience, and more templated solutions."

For that reason, Tavolaro, who Cone has yet to meet, has the right idea in focusing on partner enablement and training.

Even many Boomi partners "dont realize how deep and complex a tool it is," Cone told CRN.
Margee Ensign brings a vision of community formed in both academia and under the threat of terrorism to her new role as the president of Dickinson College.

Dickinson College announced Monday that Ensign will become the colleges 29th president on July 1. Ensign will fill the vacancy left by Nancy Roseman, who resigned as the colleges 28th president last year after three years in the position. Provost and Dean of the College Neil Weissman has served as interim president since July 2016.

Ensign said she wasnt able to visit Carlisle beyond the walls of Dickinson College as much as she would have liked during the interview process, but that she is looking forward to visiting the community and developing the important relationship between Carlisle and the college.

For an idea of what might be accomplished in Carlisle, Ensign referenced her previous work as president of the American University of Nigeria in Yola, Nigeria, and in leadership at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. In both positions, she said relationships were cultivated in a way that benefited the students and the community.

We established deep and strong community relationships, Ensign said.

The challenges at Carlisle will, however, be far different than those she faced during her term as president at AUN where she led efforts to care for internally displaced people who were fleeing Boko Haram in Nigeria. Boko Haram is a militant Islamic group working out of Nigeria, whose purpose is to institute Sharia, or Islamic law. Its militants mainly inhabit areas in the northern states of Nigeria.

In a video posted to the Dickinson College website, Ensign called the work the most important activity she had been involved in as the community at AUN came together to feed nearly 300,000 people and created programs that kept young people from joining Boko Haram.

Ive learned the power of community. Ive learned what happens when people from diverse backgrounds and diverse perspectives come together to solve problems, she said.

Ensign said she believes the basic principles of establishing a strong presence in the community are transferable between Nigeria and the relatively peaceful atmosphere in Carlisle. Its vital to gather the leaders before an intense situation arises, and, with them, to conduct an analysis of the communitys needs.

You have to make sure those who know the challenges are at the table, Ensign said.

The role of a new leader, then, is to listen to those on-campus and off-campus who can express their concerns and offer multiple perspectives, Ensign said. Its her plan to do just that.

Its up to me to learn what we are doing and how that can be extended, she said.
Computer users who have been affected by the Dharma ransomware and have held onto their encrypted files can now restore them for free. Researchers have created decryption tools for this ransomware strain after someone recently leaked the decryption keys.

Dharma first appeared in November and is based on an older ransomware program known as Crysis. It's easy to recognize files affected by it because they will have the extension: .[email_address].dharma, where the email address is the one used by the attacker as a point of contact.

On Wednesday, a user named gektar published a link to a Pastebin post on the BleepingComputer.com technical support forum. The post, he claimed, contained the decryption keys for all Dharma variants.

Interestingly, the exact same thing happened back in November with the keys for Crysis, Dharma's predecessor, allowing researchers to create decryption tools for it.

It's not clear who gektar is or what his or her reasons were for leaking the Dharma keys. The username appears to have been created on the forum just for this purpose and has had no other activity since then.

There's also no information about how the keys were obtained in the first place. However, they were included in a C header file, which could suggest that the leaker had access to the ransomware program's source code.

The good news is that the leaked keys are real, and researchers from Kaspersky Lab and ESET verified they work. The two companies have updated their Crysis decryption tools -- downloads at Kaspersky RakhniDecryptor and ESET CrysisDecryptor -- to work for Dharma affected files, too.

This should serve as a reminder to ransomware victims to keep a copy of their affected files, even if they decide not to give into attackers' ransom demands. Researchers sometimes find flaws in the encryption implementations of ransomware programs that allow them to break the encryption keys. Other times law enforcement authorities seize command-and-control servers used by ransomware gangs and release the decryption keys.

From time to time, like in this case, the keys find their way online due to unexplained leaks: Maybe a ransomware developer decides to close up shop and publish the keys, or maybe a hacker breaks into a rival gang's servers and releases the keys to harm its operations. The point is: Hold onto those files, for months or even years if you need to.

It's a good idea to check the tools section of the NoMoreRansom.org website regularly. The website is maintained by a coalition of security companies and law enforcement agencies and is frequently updated with new information and decryption tools.

It is free to comment on this story, head to our Facebook page.
Howard Schmidt, who passed away yesterday morning at his home after a battle with cancer, was a storied figure in world of cybersecurity.

He advised both President Brack Obama and George W. Bush on cybersecurity. He was a CSO at Microsoft and a CISO at eBay. He led several industry groups, and wrote books on cybersecurity.

But when security professionals remember him, it is not so much for his technical accomplishments as for the impact he had on the people around him. He is remembered as a mentor, a communicator, and an educator.

"He does have a very storied path of accomplishment," said Mary Ann Davidson, CSO at Redwood City, Calif.-based Oracle Corp. "From a security standpoint, he had a tremendous impact, the many roles he played, the work in the white house."

Davidson first met Schmidt when he was at Microsoft. Schmidt joined the company in 1997, and served as the director of information security, as CISO, and as CSO.

"I do not think I would have had the professional success I've had if not for Howard," she said. "He was just so generous for so many people. He was the most generous colleague you could possibly imagine. He drew people into his orbit, and he treated the lowly security newbie the same way as the very senior executive. He was very kind, very thoughtful. When he engaged with you, you felt like the most important person in the room. How many people can you say that about?"

It was those personal connections that have created the biggest impact on the industry, she said.

"The ripple effect has to do with the lives he touched," she said. "All those individuals who he encouraged with a kind word, drawing them into something, helping them gain experience and go forth and do great things in security."

One of those people was Kurt Van Etten, vice president, product management at Sunnyvale, Calif.-based RedSeal, Inc., who served as the director of information security programs at eBay under Schmidt.

"Howard was my first introduction into the information security space while he was the CISO at eBay," he said. "He did a lot for the team members to develop their careers, introduce them to other members in the security field, making sure to help them advance. In both the jobs I've applied for since I left eBay, Howard was one of my references, and both times he called immediately, spent 30 minutes to an hour with the hiring manager."

Schmidt took the time to make the call even though he was busy at the White House.

"That shows his passion with taking care of his team members," Van Etten said. "Having such an authoritative person take that kind of time helped me land these positions and I'm very grateful for that."

In government and in professional organizations, Schmidt's passion for security and his rare ability to talk about the subject with people from very different backgrounds, drew talent to him.

"He brought in really great people," said Ari Schwartz,managing director of cybersecurity services and policy at Washington, D.C.-based law firm Venable LLP. "He had the best mix of folks from the CIA, the FBI, State, the Commerce Department. Howard was just really great at making connections. He was really good at knowing who needed to talk to who, how to talk to a certain audience about security."

Schwartz worked at the Commerce Department when Schmidt was first ever White House cybersecurity coordinator. Later on, Schwartz himself moved to the White House, were he served as the director for cybersecurity privacy, civil liberties and privacy and then as the special assistant to the President and senior director for cybersecurity.

According to Schwartz, Schmidt could talk to people from the privacy side and understand what they wanted. He could talk to bankers, to retailers, to many different audiences.

"It's very rare, to be able to do that," Schwartz said. "There just aren't that many people who have been able to speak to all those audiences. And as security has become a bigger and bigger issue, we see the need for those types of people more and more."

Adrienne Hall, general manager at Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft Corp.: Howard was a pioneer in cybersecurity, and we were fortunate to have him as our chief security officer from 1997 to 2002. We extend our sympathy to Howards family, friends and colleagues.

Darin Anderson, co-founder and CEO at San Diego-based CyberUnited, Inc.: "Howard was a great relationship person and mentored me on two boards of directors that we were on together. He's somebody who definitely made the world a safer place with his good heart, good will, and tireless energy."

Carl Wright, general manager at San Mateo, Calif.-based TrapX: "Howard Schmidt was a leader and visionary in recognizing the impending escalation of the cybersecurity threat years before it was visible to most of us. Over his last years in government service within the Obama administration, Howard was able to bring important and progressive changes to cybersecurity policy that continue to positively impact all of us. Howard's past military service was also important - it helped shape his views and tolerance in positioning the right response to increased nation state cyber threats. The cybersecurity industry has lost a great mentor and a great leader."

Gadi Evron, co-founder and CEO at Pleasanton, Calif.-based Cymmetria, Inc.: "I'm saddened to hear about Howard A. Schmidt's passing. He helped build cybersecurity as a discipline, helped many, and did a lot for the security of the world at large -- in and out of the White House. He also advised Cymmetria for a while, helping me when I got things started. I'll need to process for a while. He will be missed by many."

Hank Thomas, partner and COO at Washington, DC-based Strategic Cyber Ventures: "I remember in 2010 when Howard was instrumental in developing an unclassified description of the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative. For the cyber community, it served as the first big publicly available announcement of the governments massive financial push into the shadowy world of cybersecurity. It opened the conversation to others critical to solving what is clearly our nations most pressing national security issue, impacting everything from our economy to our defense. His efforts led to the rapid development of many of the public-private partnerships that are instrumental to our cybersecurity posture today."

Jim Reavis, CEO at Seattle-based Cloud Security Alliance: "Howard was a key figure in many of the industry's seminal milestones, from the launch of Trustworthy Computing at Microsoft to the establishment of a cybersecurity capability in the federal government in the wake of 9/11. Howard was a bundle of energy that was fueled by intense patriotism and a great sense of humor. He had a friend in every port, and although he is gone too soon, he accomplished more in his time than any of us can dream to match. Godspeed Howard, and thank you for your wisdom and friendship."

Marios Damianides, past ISACA board chair and partner at London-based Ernst & Young: "First, my condolences to Howards family for their loss. It is a sad day for all of us, including his friends, colleagues and the security world. I worked with him some years back when we were working on closer alignment between our respective organizations -- ISSA and ISACA. It was my honor to present Howard with an honorary CISM certification in 2003, and his contributions as a member of ISACAs IT Governance Advisory Panel proved invaluable. He has always been a terrific leader and visionary in the security world and was not afraid to share perspectives and be provocative. He served his country with dignity and was always proud of that service as well as his contributions to the security industry and thinking. He will be missed."

Paul Calatayud, CTO at Overland Park, Kansas-based FireMon: I had the privilege of meeting Howard a few times when I was CISO. I found his understanding of the cyber industry truly fascinating and, more important, consumable by the masses. When you are in our field, the biggest challenge is not understanding the threats, its being able to apply the threats to business and national state leaders to allow them to be able to make key decisions. Howard had this gift and I truly respected him for his leadership.

Michael Barrett, founder and CEO at Mountain View, Calif.-based Stealth Security, Inc.: "I first met Howard back almost exactly two decades ago, when he started as CISO at Microsoft. I stayed in contact with him over the intervening years, and count him as one of my good friends in the cybersecurity business. As I was the first CISO at PayPal and he had just left the job as CISO at eBay a couple of months before I joined, I leaned on him a lot about where the bodies were buried and what the political landscape was. He was incredibly helpful to me over that period of time, and a big part of my initial success there can be directly attributed to the sage advice he gave me. In fact, that was another of Howards characteristics  he always paid it forward and did what he could to help those more junior in the industry. Even if you hadnt been directly helped by Howard, the fact that he was such a public role model for how it should be done was inspiring in its own right."

Leave your remembrances over on our Facebook page.
Decades ago privacy really wasnt that much of an ongoing issue. In the days of agrarian society everyone seemed to know about everyone elses business and personal lives. As we moved forward into an era of denser population centers due to the advent of of the industrial revolution suddenly, we collectively found a greater yearning for privacy.

In this current day and age we find ourselves slipping back to the agrarian mindset in some ways. Governments the world over are moving to strip privacy from their citizens under the guise of security. One was the battle cry was to protect the children which has given way, in most respects, to the fight against terrorism. That logic has the appearance of being sound for people who are afraid will be less likely to argue.

I personally have always loathed the argument that you have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide. Personally I say nuts to that. None of your damn business. The only thing Im a threat to is a cup of coffee. Now, with reports that the US government will be asking travelers to provide their social media accounts at border crossings it really sank in that it is time to say something about this trend.

I had the opportunity to speak with Adrian Mahieu, security expert and CEO of Cortex Insight about this very subject. I asked him the following, in the current political climate what do you see as the future of privacy?

Mahieu had this to say, Installation of Signal is at an all time high with month on month increase in users. More users installing Telegram and Wickr.

Awareness of WhatsApp metadata logging and media frenzy over a perceived issue that didnt really exist.Border search & seize of electronic device worries are at an all time high - good/bad travel advise is all over social media with respect to this.

One very interesting thing is happening though : These technical tools are now being used by Millenials as a matter of course - they as an age group care more about their privacy than many"

I must admit that I too use Signal. Shifting gears a little, I wanted to know about the push for governments to access systems. Taking in to account the move by governments to seek encryption backdoors is it safe to assume we are heading to a privacy crossroads?

Weve been there a while.

Every government from the past few elections has talked at some stage of backdooring encryption and we are not there yet.

As Alec Muffet said - 'There is no such thing as a secure backdoor.

Put one in and itll be more than the US/UK that will like it.

The thought that a countries products may come with backdoors haunts of the clipper era.

Europe in general will not tolerate products made in the US that are suspected of having such. Indeed at a security conference in France last year - the majority of buyers were said to be looking for French products developed in France. It is not a recent thing that German information security products are bought above any others in Germany. People are starting to care where their products are developed.

With increased trade pressure this may become more prevalent as it becomes harder to ship physical security products. With software and online distribution it may be easier."

Supply chain issues, as they relate to privacy, are no small matter when you consider the information that came to light as a result of papers disclosed in the Snowden breach. But, what of the penalties for companies that breach information? We have seen a precedent in the Yahoo data breach disclosures that had a massive impact on the sale of the company to Verizon.

I asked Mahieu, in light of the spate of privacy breaches that we have witnessed, such as Cloudpets, should there be damages for privacy violations?

Yes and this has already started and been going on for a while in some countries.

The information commissioner in the UK has the power to fine companies.

Back in 2010 it started: From Tuesday 6 April, the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) will get enhanced powers to fine organisations up to 500,000 for serious breaches of the Data Protection Act. Previously the maximum fine was a paltry 5,000. - still a drop in the ocean for some organizations"

This is a move that I believe will snow ball across the globe in an effort by governments to try and provide legislation as a vehicle to bring companies into line with how they handle privacy related data. I was curious if there was any more on this front. Mahieu had this to offer,

The bigger sticks are coming.. the biggest is GDPR.

GDPR - you are liable for a fine of up to 4% of your global turnover. Turnover - not profit. For companies with razor thin margins this could prove terminal. It applies to all companies operating in the EU.

There have been many briefings about GDPR from law firms and consultancies - trade organizations are highlighting it as well. "

In the past year we have seen some massive data breaches disclosed and the implications that arise from those breaches are clear. The time to hold organizations accountable for how they handle your data has arrived with bigger sticks.
There was a terrible noise that carried for several street blocks when the raging water tore away two spans of the Old Camelback Bridge.

The anxious eyes of hundreds of onlookers witnessed the spectacle of the Susquehanna River flowing fast at 20 feet above flood stage Saturday into Sunday, March 1-2, 1902.

The Daily Journal of Mechanicsburg reported how people had gathered on both banks to watch a path of destruction set in motion the day before by heavy rainfall and snowmelt upstream.

The Carlisle Daily Record described how the rush of runoff into the river brought with it huge cakes of ice and logs ... (that) whirled down ... the awful current early Saturday morning.

All that afternoon, bridge custodians watched as the debris hammered into the support structures of the second pier out from the Harrisburg shore.

The punishment continued into Saturday evening when shortly before 11 p.m., there was a loud crash followed by a vibration that shuddered the bridge.

The danger was so obvious, officials ordered all traffic to cease on the combination viaduct and Cumberland Valley Railroad bridge just downstream from the Camelback.

Residents switched on a searchlight around midnight March 2 to reveal the sagging timbers of an impending disaster that played out 75 minutes later when bridge spans separated from the pier with a loud crash.

What remained of the bridge crashed a short time later into the metal span that carried trains across the river to the West Shore and beyond to Carlisle, Shippensburg and Chambersburg.

The wood ground against the iron girders of the viaduct and set it vibrating to a perceptible extent, The Herald reported. The remnants of the span were gradually forced under the water and carried down in a twisted mass, the woodwork still clinging to a great extent.

The Cumberland Valley bridge was found to have been moved an inch or two by the shock with the spans carried away and some of the smaller structural iron was badly twisted, The Herald story read. No trains were allowed to cross until yesterday (Sunday) morning when examination showed that it had been materially damaged.

Flood waters

The demise of the Camelback bridge was just the culmination of days of front-page reports from newspapers across Cumberland County tracking a wave of flood water flowing down the valley. The miserable weather of that winter 115 years ago was destined to continue.

The Daily Journel reported on March 5 that Mechanicsburg was in the midst of a blizzard that put to shame the flooding before with drifts as deep as 14 inches in places.

The high water almost drowned J.W. Fulton, an orchard farmer from Adams County. Fulton was traveling with a Mr. Martin to Oakville, North Newton Township, when they drove the wagon into a deep hole in the road, The Herald reported on March 1.

The team (of horses) and men were all swamped in the water. The buggy was upset and the occupants were thrown out, escaping in an almost miraculous manner, Mr. Martin rescuing Mr. Fulton from a watery grave. They managed to recover and walk the horses to Oakville.

Road bridges across the county were swept away as though they were built of straw, The Herald reported. Flood water had washed away a 75-foot section of the Cumberland Valley Railroad near the Shippensburg Normal School  the future Shippensburg University.

Williams Grove in Monroe Township was submerged in a sea of water about 3 feet deep, The Daily Journal had reported on Feb. 28. As far as the eye can see not a particle of land can be seen. It surpasses anything ever before known to that section. The grove was the host site of the popular Grangers Picnic, which was one of the largest agricultural expositions in the country.

The extent of the flooding defied the living memory of Cumberland County residents. The Herald described how water covered fields on both sides of the Cumberland Valley Railroad from Mechanicsburg west to Carlisle.

Large ponds covering several acres each are seen in all directions, the newspaper reported on Feb. 27. A day later, The Evening Sentinel in Carlisle reported how the borough had suffered the worst flood in her history. Below is an excerpt:

The heavy rains of this morning swelled the old LeTort and other streams to tremendous proportions ... Beginning at North Street the whole East end of Carlisle is under water, almost as far west as East Street. The Conodoguinet is exceedingly high. Strange as it may seem the flood came in two hours time. At 6 oclock this morning the spring was not bank full. At 10 it was high, at 12 it was swollen into a rushing river of exceptional force, sweeping bridges, fences, porches, etc. before it as if they were mere toys.

The Sentinel reported how Porter Avenue residents were surrounded by water and had to be rescued by wagon. In the Addison ODonnell house on East Louther Street, the flood came in through the kitchen door and out through the front door. Elsewhere the steady flow caused a bridge on Main Street (present-day East High Street) to buckle in the center rendering its travel lane and footpath impassable.

The Gas & Water Co. plant was fully submerged and shut down. Lack of electricity sidelined local industry as the flood came within a foot of reaching the dynamo. The trolley power house on Pomfret Street had about 14 inches of water in its boiler room coming within five inches of extinguishing the fires.

The worst of the flooding in Carlisle was over by Saturday morning, March 1, when The Carlisle Daily Herald painted this word picture on its front-page above the fold:

The sun rose this morning in full splendor, as though a cloud had never darkened the heavens, and the LeTort flowed placidly in its customary course in apparent ignorance of its unseemly conduct yesterday. But beneath these pleasing appearances were vague memories and more substantial reminders of the big flood.

The lower stories of residences on East North, Louther, High and Pomfret streets, in which water had risen to the height of several feet, presented a sorrowful aspect. A sediment of hideous black and sticky mud lay several inches thick upon the floors and covered the furniture that had not been taken upstairs. The residents were busy at an early hour removing this unpleasant visitor.

The Herald reported that water almost 30 inches deep had flowed through the ODonnell home. The family lost 50 to 60 rabbits to drowning.

But Cumberland County and the lower Susquehanna Valley was not alone in its misery. Heavy rain and snowmelt caused creeks, streams and rivers to overflow throughout Pennsylvania. The Sentinel reported on March 1 how the flood destroyed a bridge near Bedford, swept away livestock near Wilkes-Barre, forced miners in Scranton to wade through neck-deep water and completely paralyzed industry in Johnstown idling 15,000 workers.
Calendar Girls / Contributed photo

You may have thought youd seen it all, but Calendar Girls might prove you wrong.

The Warner Stage Companys version of the hit 2003 British comedy film runs Saturday, March 11, to Sunday, March 19, at the Warner Theatre in Torrington.
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There's a vast landscape out there for nightlife. So when you're in the mood to head out for a night on the town, it's important to know what you're getting into.

We talked to podcast host and local bar expert Ken Tuccio to find out the different types of bars you'll encounter in the area.

Fairfield County

"Fairfield County is the most competitive market in the state. People want quality beer and cocktails and bar tenders who know what's up. They want to be able to walk into a bar and have the bartender give them advice," Tuccio said.



Fairfield County is known for being where the fancy people liveand to an extent that's true when it comes to the bar scene. As Tuccio said, New York City is the place from which all trends trickle down, and Fairfield County is right next door. So, it's no surprise that many of NYC's nightlife trends have been adaptedfrom craft cocktails, to knowledgeable mixologists, sophisticated lounge atmospheres and boozy brunch.

"A lot of the bars you see in Fairfield County are bars that were popular in NYC years ago," he said.



The Valley

Tuccio, who now lives in Norwalk, grew up in The Valley and said there's a unique culture there. They even have special drinking nights like Valley New Year, which is the night before Thanksgivinga huge night for bar hopping.

"These are meat and potato, salt of the earth people. They want to have a good time and hang out with friends," he said. "Some places have really high quality beer on tap, but people are also content going out with buddies and getting a Bud light. It's so different from Fairfield County."

Tuccio said the Hartford area has a similar vibe. Though West Hartford has adapted a vibe more similar to Fairfield Countycase in point, they have a bartaco and a Barcelona.

Greater Danbury Area

Champagne taste or not, the Danbury area has something for everyone. Tuccio likes the Greater Danbury area because you can find fancy cocktail bars as well as local watering holes where the locals have been coming for years.



"The Danbury area is nice because it's a combo of educated people who know what they likeand like qualitybut you also have that home-town feel. You can go to a local bar and see people you grew up with. It's the best of both worlds," he said.
NEW BRITAIN  Board of Regents President Mark Ojakian brought a self-described doom and gloom speech on the need to make drastic system budget cuts to students on Friday, hoping to generate fresh ideas.

Fundamental changes need to be made Ojakian said in an address streamed across the system from the Central Connecticut State University campus. You deserve the truth.

The state budget proposed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy does not go easy on the Connecticut State College and University system which includes four universities, 12 community colleges and an online degree program.

The system runs on $1.2 billion and gets 41 percent of its budget from the state. The states share has been shrinking for years.

Best case scenario for 2017-18, Ojakian said, is a 4.4 or $33 million state cut. Worst case, he added, is a $92 million cut if the state fails in an effort to get health and pension concessions from state employee bargaining groups.

There really is no good news here, Ojakian said. Tuition does have to be part of the equation.

Still, Ojakian pledged not to slap students with a double digit tuition increase.

Instead the answers will be found in shorter library hours, fewer support services, and perhaps less security on certain campuses.

That concerned Jonathan Malia, 22, a student senator at Naugatuck Valley Community College and resident of Sandy Hook.

Instead of getting rid of guards, he suggested student business clubs raise funds to support their campuses.

Ojakian called it a great idea and suggested Malia spearhead the effort.

Devra Baxter from Southern Connecticut State University worried about cuts to the Roberta Willis Scholarship program, a needs-based scholarship program run by the state. It is slated to be cut by $2.1 million over each of the next to years under the governors budget.

I wouldnt be honest if I said it wasnt going to have an impact, Ojakian conceded.

Lisa McCree, student senate president at Housatonic Community College, wondered if budget cuts are inevitable is there a way students can go after stipends and internships in the community to help them subsidize their education.

There is a lot of that happening already. We just need to take that to the next level, Ojakian said.

Other students called for smoother transfer policies and in-state tuition programs to draw in out-of-state students. One such program is starting in the fall at Western Connecticut state University in Danbury.

lclambeck@ctpost.com; @lclambeck
WASHINGTON  In the Democrats weekly radio address, Sen. Chris Murphy poked fun at GOP confusion over repealing and replacing Obamacare, telling Republicans they know where to find him if they want to stop playing politics, and start working together.

In the speech, recorded Friday, Murphy, D-Conn., called the impromptu Capitol Hill scavenger hunt Thursday in search of the GOP replacement quite a scene.

Several lawmakers, including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., scoured the basement passageways under the Capitol to locate a purported top-secret Obamacare replacement bill. But the mysterious draft was not where they thought it was, and the whole episode appears to have been a Republican prank.

The Democratic weekly address is the partys opportunity to rebut President Donald Trump, who delivers his own weekly radio address. Democrats divide the responsibility, and it was Murphys turn at the mic for this weekend.

Murphy went on to criticize the secrecy of Republican efforts, saying their refusal to allow even a peek at the draft underscores its unpopularity right out of the gate.

If Washington Republicans thought their plan would get praise, theyd let in the cameras, Murphy said.

He also said Republicans wont admit that the Affordable Care Act is working for many people, and that it can be fixed without repealing it. Murphy accused Republicans of trying to undermine Obamacare through an executive order allowing agencies to do what they see fit to ease the burdens of the act.

Republicans are trying to destroy the health care reform law so that they never even have to pass a repeal bill, Murphy said.

He also brought up Trumps meeting with insurance CEOs on Monday. Had the president met with patients instead, they would have asked him to work with both parties to keep what works in the Affordable Care Act, and fix the parts that could use improvement, Murphy said.

Trump met with several insurance executives, including those from Aetna and UnitedHealth, two of the largest health insurance companies that serve Connecticut. He has repeatedly called Obamacare a disaster in the final stages of a self-destructing death spiral.

Despite the critical tone toward his Republican peers, Murphys final message was its not too late for both parties to work to make the law better, reduce costs, and increase choice.

laura.lindarte@hearstdc.com
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WASHINGTON  U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Thursday that Attorney General Jeff Sessions misled him and other Senate Judiciary Committee members about Sessions contact with a Russian official.

Sessions should resign, Blumenthal said, if he cannot adequately explain his misstatement.

I think Jeff Sessions needs to be brought back before the Judiciary Committee and provide an explanation for how he could have omitted, and in fact denied, conversations with Russians during the campaign, while Russia was attacking our democracy through cyber warfare, said Blumenthal, D-Conn., who as a member of the committee participated in Sessions January confirmation hearing. If he cannot provide an explanation, his resignation is necessary.

The Washington Post reported Sessions met twice with Russias ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, but told senators, I did not have communications with the Russians.

In a late-afternoon news conference, Sessions declined to step aside, but told reporters he would recuse himself from all matters regarding contacts between Russia and the Trump campaign.

He insisted his answer to a question by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., at the hearing was honest and correct, drawing a distinction between meeting Russias ambassador and its intelligence apparatus.

However, Sessions acknowledged that, I should have slowed down and said, But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times. 

Sessions, a former senator from Alabama who was a constant presence at Trumps campaign events, reportedly met Kislyak in his Senate office in September, and then greeted him and other ambassadors after a speech in July at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

The attorney generals spokesman released a statement saying contact with the Russian ambassador was made in Sessions capacity as a senator and a member of the Armed Services Committee, not as a surrogate for the Trump campaign.

Republicans rallied to Sessions defense. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on MSNBC called the meetings a nothingburger.

On a visit to a Navy ship, the USS Gerald R. Ford, in Newport News, Va., Trump stated he had total confidence in Sessions.

With Trump praising Russian President Vladimir Putin during the campaign, Russias efforts to tilt the election were thought to be grounded in the hope Trump might lift sanctions on Russia for its aggressive behavior in Crimea and Ukraine. Any federal investigation likely would focus on any promises Trump campaign officials made to Russia.

Blumenthal was one voice in a chorus of Democrats calling on Sessions to step down.

At this point, the only way to get a fair investigation of Trump/Russia ties is with a new AG, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said in a tweet. Sessions should resign.

Blumenthal and other Democrats also called for appointment of an independent counsel to unearth any contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.

The continuing revelations underscore the need for a special prosecutor to assure public confidence in the integrity of this very serious investigation, Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn., said in a statement. If Attorney General Sessions is unable to provide a more credible explanation for his statements and actions involving the Russians in the course of this investigation, then he should resign.

Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., was among House intelligence members who spent three hours behind closed doors Thursday with FBI Director James Comey, who would be in charge of whatever investigation federal law enforcement is conducting on pre-election Trump campaign ties to Russia.

We had hoped that Comey would share with us all relevant information with respect to possible Trump campaign (contacts) with Russia, but he declined to do that, Himes said. I would not characterize the meeting as without substance, but there were a lot of questions Comey felt he couldnt answer.

dan@hearstdc.com
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Despite Gov. Dannel P. Malloys pledge to shield non-criminal undocumented residents from President Trumps immigration crackdown, Connecticut has a wide-ranging agreement with the federal government that gives ICE access to state data including Department of Motor Vehicles records.

That data includes names and home addresses of nearly 28,000 mostly undocumented immigrants who signed up for the states drive-only licenses, and potentially another 26,000 who have applied for them.

The Malloy administration says that federal privacy laws restrict the federal governments ability to use that data as part of Trumps crackdown. But an executive order Trump signed after taking office says that federal privacy laws dont apply to undocumented immigrants.

Its like an intact list with everybody illegal on it, said Danbury-based immigrant rights organizer Rolando Castro. They know where everybody's at.

The Department of Homeland Security released memos late last month pledging to hire 10,000 new officers in Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, to reinstate local and federal cooperation in deportation efforts and to expand the federal definition of criminality for undocumented immigrants. Shortly afterward, Malloy told local police departments that they dont have to cooperate with the crackdown and said the state wont hand over incriminating information to the federal government.

But experts say his pledges might do little to stop a DHS crackdown because the feds already have access to the Connecticut On-Line Law Enforcement Communications Teleprocessing system, or COLLECT, through a state-federal agreement that is renewed annually.

Malloy, when asked about COLLECT DMV data, said, Well enforce our laws and exercise our rights under the Constitution in support of our laws.

Spokesperson Kelly Donnelly said the state gives the DMV commissioner discretion over releasing information and records, and commissioner Michael Bzdyra, as were police chiefs, was advised last month not to take any special action against undocumented immigrants, she said.

No one can go to the DMV and ask for a mass download, Donnelly said.

Whats unclear, however, is whether the state has already unwittingly set the stage for a mass download if or when ICE agents see fit, immigration lawyers and advocates said.

To protect residents from being profiled, a slew of state and federal privacy laws make it illegal to use COLLECT to pull up the names and addresses of a subset of the data, such as a list of undocumented immigrants, said Michael Lawlor, state undersecretary for criminal justice policy and planning.

But in a Jan. 25 executive order entitled Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States, the Trump administration said those laws no longer protect undocumented immigrants.

Agencies shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law, ensure that their privacy policies exclude persons who are not United States citizens or lawful permanent residents from the protections of the Privacy Act regarding personally identifiable information, the order says.

State officials also say the COLLECT interface is an effective way of keeping ICE from using Connecticuts system as a pool to fish for undocumented immigrants. COLLECT searches are logged, and any agent using the system must be cleared to use the data set. For every search, an agent must input his name and the name of the person sought, therefore making a massive information pull difficult, Lawlor said.

But immigration rights advocates question whether the states safeguards are adequate.

Several city immigrant advocates said residents with drive-only licenses dont know what to think about the program in the Trump era.

Theyre all so on their toes, Castro said. We know nothing until something happens.

If ICE decides to use COLLECT, despite privacy laws and the states wishes, a court battle is likely, said Douglas Penn, a Stamford-based immigration attorney affiliated with the national American Immigration Lawyers Association.

In an ideal world, DHS attorneys would see they need probable cause, Penn said.

Yale University clinical law professor Michael Wishnie said he doubts the federal mandate to waive privacy rights for undocumented immigrants could be construed as a mandate to waive state ones. Other experts agreed.

Wishnie said that the state could renegotiate its agreement with the federal government if ICE starts using COLLECT in ways the state sees unfit.

This is very significant, considering that it appears that the DMV makes its data available to ICE, he said.

Malloy has been very careful to limit the states cooperation with ICE, and this agreement and its consequences seem incongruous with the states stance, he added.

This appears to be a blanket data dump, he said.

Drive-only licenses, put into effect in 2015, have been heralded as a step toward legalizing routine aspects of undocumented life.

Just last week, Danbury-based immigrant rights organizer Wilson Hernandez was among several other activists in Hartford lobbying against a bill to kill the program. But Hernandez said he and other advocates nevertheless have mixed feelings about it.

Whoever carries (drive-only) licenses are really automatically identified, Hernandez said. Many of my friends have them, they are very concerned  rightfully so.

State Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-New Britain), who co-sponsored the drive-only bill in 2013, said legislators didnt consider whether the program could be used against undocumented immigrants when they were crafting it. But, echoing Lawlor, he stressed that COLLECTs interface is an effective protection against federal agents using the database against the states wishes.

Tercyak added that those with drive-only licenses arent all undocumented. For example, a citizen could get one if he chose not to get a REAL ID-compliant license or forgot to bring proof of citizenship while visiting the DMV.

Though U.S. citizens can get a drive-only license, there is little incentive for them to do so and the program is marketed mainly to undocumented immigrants. The drive-only application checklist is available in Spanish, and the DMV overview web page says the DMV has started a Drive-Only program for undocumented individuals who are 16 or older and cannot establish their legal presence in the United States or may not have a Social Security number.

In Bridgeport last week, the city again delayed implementing city ID cards, fearing they could be used to identify undocumented residents.

The Department of Homeland Security pays the state about $27,600 a year for access to this database to perform criminal research and background checks in order to enhance ability to identify and locate criminal aliens, according to the states COLLECT agreement.

In DHS memos released last month, the agency expanded the definition of criminal undocumented immigrant and did away with Obama-era restrictions on who can be sought for deportation. Law experts say the DHS now paints undocumented criminality with a broad brush.

The state-DHS arrangement has an annual opt-in caveat every year through 2020. No contract spelling out what federal agencies can or cant see in the state database  which includes DMV records, state prison records and criminal histories  exists, state officials said.

Immigration experts are calling on the state to cut or curtail DHS access to the database when the agreement comes up for renewal in June.

If no contract exists, its likely the case that the feds have been turned loose, said Dan Barrett, Connecticut ACLU legal director. Unless I can see some restrictions, that means there are none  Theres an unavoidable inference of that. Are there no limitations on the feds use of COLLECT?

Lawlor said opting out is unrealistic because every police department needs the program to do its daily work, which seldom has anything to do with immigration enforcement. The state cant just pick which federal agencies it works with, he said.

Universal access to this information is how every state does it, Lawlor said.
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The Republican gubernatorial contender with the most cash in the bank for a presumptive 2018 run is catching flak from a GOP rival for contributing to a liberal New York congressman who refused to shake Donald Trumps hand this week.

Fairfield conservative Peter Lumaj gave $2,000 in 2009 to U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., a vociferous critic of Trump who represents parts of the Bronx and Westchester County, filings with Federal Election Commission show.

Engel caused a stir Tuesday when, for the first time in 28 years, he abandoned his practice of standing on the aisle of the House to greet the president and shake his hand before Trumps speech to a joint session of Congress.

Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst, who is exploring a run for governor like Lumaj, said giving to Engel contradicts the conservative principles his rival has been espousing on the campaign trail.

This guy makes Michael Dukakis look like Ronald Reagan, Herbst said, comparing Engel to the former Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic presidential nominee.

Lumaj said his conservative credentials are rock solid and that he has given $28,510 to Republicans candidates and just $2,000 to Democrats.

Eliot Engel is a personal friend of my family and personal friend of mine, said Lumaj. I do disagree with Eliot Engel on policy on everything.

A former Bronx resident whose law firm is located in the borough, though outside Engels district, Lumaj was the 2014 Republican nominee for secretary of the state. In 2012, the Albanian-born immigration lawyer briefly ran for U.S. Senate. He has raised more than $127,000 for a potential bid for the states highest office, more than any other Republican.

I think its way too early for anyone to start attacking each other as Republicans, Lumaj said. I believe in the 11th Commandment from Ronald Reagan, that we shouldnt start attacking each other.

Lumaj is hardly the first Republican to show up on a donor list of the opposition. In the not so distant past, Trump was generous to Democrats, and his Small Business administrator, Linda McMahon, gave $5,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2007. The following year, McMahon contributed $2,300 to Illinois Democrat Rahm Emanuel, the former DCCC chairman who would become chief of staff for President Barack Obama and now serves as mayor of Chicago.

Still, I dont think they supported anyone as left wing as this guy, Herbst said. This guy is off his rocker, big league.

In 2014, Lumaj contributed $60 to Herbsts unsuccessful campaign for state treasurer. Herbst gave $100 to Lumaj for his campaign for secretary of the state.

Herbst said Lumaj was sending mixed messages to Republicans.
The Pennsylvania Legislature is among the nations most prolific procrastinators.

I wrote last week about their dishonest approach to the state budget  building in revenue estimates that have no basis in reality. And worse yet, continuing to shrug off their responsibility to fix the ever-worsening state pension funding, which is now estimated to be $65 billion to $70 billion underfunded.

Lawmakers have been aware of the issue for 20 years or more and have only made it worse by sweetening their own pension plan as recently as the early 2000s.

But I digress ...

Legislative dereliction is also evident in the Real ID Act compliance.

In short, the federal government passed legislation in 2005, and has since modified it, to compel states to create a new, more secure, drivers license.

In the name of enhanced security at the borders, airports, and federal facilities, the feds want all states to develop a more secure license that is less susceptible to counterfeiting and fraud. Similarly, the credit card companies have moved from magnetic strips to chip cards.

Many frequent travelers have a U.S. issued passport that serves the Real ID purpose, but for most Americans the cost and wait time for a passport that may never be used for travel outside the U.S. is simply impractical.

It is not as if the feds gave states a short window to act. From the time of passage to the first implementation dates, the Department of Homeland Security provided six years notice.

Only 12 of the 50 states were in compliance with interstate sharing of their ID database as of January 2017. Another 14 states were in compliance with DHS criteria, but not the Real ID database.

Pennsylvania is among another 25 states and U.S. territories to be granted yet another extension, to mid-2018. Perhaps our state legislators find comfort that five states  Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana and Washington  have done even less than the Keystone state.

Excuses run the usual gamut, including cost, overreach/big brother, forcing states to do the feds work etc. ...

But lets get real. With a legislative majority party whose candidate ran on the ideas of a border wall, a travel ban for majority Muslim countries, and a huge spike in funding for the military and DHS, making an issue of the enhanced license is hypocritical.

Voters are correct to assume that what matters most to the Pennsylvania Legislature is getting re-elected and collecting a sweet pension.
MILFORD - Computer access is required to register your child for kindergarten, school officials say.

Families who do not have access to a computer are welcome to use the computers at the Milford Public Library, said a statement released Friday by the school district.

This is our third year of doing it this way, said district spokeswoman Kathryn Bonetti. But there are a couple options  besides the library, parents can come in here to the central office (in the Parsons Government Center) and well help you. Or, you can go directly to the school where the child will be attending.

But, in all cases, the child will have to be registered on-line, she said.

Kindergarten registration will open on Thursday, March 15, 2017 for children entering the Milford Public Schools this fall. Children who are 5 years old on or before Dec. 31, 2017 can enroll in kindergarten for the 2017-18 school year.

The registration process requires the completion of a registration packet and reserving a final registration appointment that occurs at the school. Both of these functions are completed exclusively online.

Parents are being asked to access the registration link that will appear on the districts website home page (http://www.milforded.org/) and then enter the required information to begin the process. It is important for parents to read the instructions first before they begin their online registration. It will take 30 minutes to complete the online registration materials.

Upon completion of the registration packet, the parent is then automatically directed to an online scheduling system where they will reserve their registration appointment for the school visit.

At the school registration appointment, parents will meet with staff to complete the validation process while their children visit with a selection of teachers, school nurses, and other professionals. These short visits with your child will give school officials the chance to meet the new students while ensuring any services that might be needed are in place when the school year begins. Parents can expect the appointment to last approximately 20 minutes.

In order to register your child, parents will need the following documentation, officials say. The actual documents must be presented to school staff at the time of the school visit.

 A certified copy of the child's birth certificate (with raised seal)

For homeowners: mortgage or deed or tax bill for the residence

 For renters: lease or rental agreement signed by the landlord and including the landlord's contact phone number

Two recent utility bills in the same name to the same address (landline phone, water, electric, gas, oil or cable tv)

 A copy of the students latest physical exam and immunization record

Additional questions can be directed to the school.
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BRIDGEPORT - Downtown merchants have long-wanted modern parking meters that offered visitors the convenience of paying with credit or debit cards, not just rolls of quarters.

Critics say they wound up with dozens of overly aggressive RoboCops quick to levy $40 parking violations through the mail that eclipse what many more thriving Connecticut cities charge, threatening business.

Were not ready for this kind of downtown yet, said Chef Pierre Desruisseaux of Metric Bar and Grill. We have no business. We dont attract people. And now we put meters to drive more away.

Kelvin Ayala, owner of Moes Burger Joint, agreed.

To go to this level of enforcement is overkill, Ayala said. Sales have gone down. People are afraid to park at the meters. They dont understand them.

Rowena White, Mayor Joe Ganims communications chief, said the city is open to adjusting the new parking enforcement system.

Were definitely listening to everything and paying attention, she said.

For now, White said, City Hall is focused on trying to better publicize the new meters online and through social media and break habits related to the antiquated ones that were policed by humans.

More Information For more information about Bridgeport's new parking meters, visit http://www.bridgeportct.gov/trending/?FeedID=2500 See More Collapse

White admitted she almost got a ticket when she pulled over to the curb quickly to answer her cell phone and wound up next to a meter. Installed this winter, the high-tech meters with their mounted cameras will automatically issue a violation if a payment is not made within a five minute grace period.

It does blink to give you a warning. Youre in the parking space. What are you going to do? White said. Its an education process.

But the fact is the new meters were also launched without a promised convenience of a mobile phone application that will remind drivers when their time is about to expire, and allow them to purchase more minutes. That app is coming, the city said.

Sauda Baraka, a member of the school board, said she was mailed a $40 ticket after driving her granddaughter downtown to a new art supply store. She said New Havens meters have a phone application, and wondered why Bridgeports do not.

It just seems like its a gotcha, Baraka said.

White said the meters, in operatoin Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a two hour limit and extended times around the court houses - are intended to help businesses so that people can come and go.

If Im a restaurant owner and three people are parked in front of my store or restaurant for hours on end, how many customers am I losing? White said. Theres no gotcha moment here. Thats not the intent at all.

Fidele Hernaiz, an employee at Jimmys, witnessed a woman who pulled up in front of the clothing store, then sat in her car for an hour.

Never got out and put a quarter in, he said. She probably doesnt know she got a ticket, but she got one.

Hernaiz and others said the city was not as tough enforcing the old change meters, so people just assume they can park for free.

People (were) leaving cars in one space all day, said developer Phil Kuchma. Thats not good for the businesses. People here longer term should be parking in a garage or lot.

We started reminding our customers and giving them a quarter to put in the meter, Hernaiz said of the new technology. People just have to get used to it.

Though meter proponents emphasize convenience and a better-organized downtown, there is also no question that this cash-strapped city is happy to rake in the meter money. For example, if a car pulls away before the meter time has expired, that extra time, though paid for, is canceled out and is not inherited by the next lucky driver. The opposite is the case with coin-operated meters.

And Bridgeport also has revenue-sharing agreements with the meter installer, MPS, which provided the equipment for free, and, to a lesser extent, with parking system manager LAZ.

Once the revenues - meter payments and $40 tickets - reach a guaranteed $97,000 per month, MPS, according to the agreement, will reap 100 percent of the meter profits for four months. After that the city receives 15 percent of the revenues and MPS 85 percent until that $97,000 in profits grows to $267,000 a month, or $3.2 million annually.

At that point Bridgeport will keep 80 percent of the revenues and MPS 20 percent.

Barbara Germaks work requires the occasional visit to downtown Bridgeport from her job in Trumbull to meet with interns and volunteers. She was mailed a $40 ticket, she believes, because she sat in her car for a few minutes doing some paperwork beyond the half hour she bought on the meter. Germak said she had not realized she had over-stayed her time, and also had not known about the automatic enforcement.

I must have been there 40 minutes as opposed to 30 minutes, Germak said. Innocent or guilty, the fact is it ($40) is a very steep fee for most people to pay today. Germak wrote Ganim, warning him that shoppers will not view Bridgeport as a friendly and happy place and continue to do business there.

Hartford fines drivers $45 for not feeding the meter at all, and $25 if the meter expires. But New Haven, Danbury and Waterbury charge $20 for parking meter violations, and Norwalk and Stamford charge $25, according to their parking enforcement departments.

Thats a problem, said Ayala. That ($40) fine needs to be reduced.

The fine was set by the City Council. White argued it was in line with the increase of the standard rate of living and subject to a public hearing.

No complaint or objection was raised, she said. So it was passed by the City Council.

Recently two council members - Scott Burns and Kathryn Bukovsky - met with city officials and urged them to do more to inform the public about the new downtown parking meters and how to use them.

Theres definitely concerns about people not knowing how it works, said Burns.

Asked if the city should have at least held off on implementing the meters until the mobile phone application was available, Burns said, That was their call.

But Burns said perhaps a longer grace period - eight to ten minutes - might be a little more consumer friendly.

Michael Mickey Herbert, the new head of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, said he has not fielded complaints from member businesses about the meters. But, Herbert emphasized, if the new technology is a problem, he wants to hear about it.

I would suggest it probably is growing pains, Herbert said. But, by golly, if I hadnt been downtown a long time and came down and got a $40 ticket from some robot meter, I might never want to come back. ... There ought to be a full scale effort to make sure visitors know how this works. We are trying to promote downtown businesses and do the best we can for them.
BRIDGEPORTThe pimp who allegedly tattooed his nickname on an abducted prostitute pleaded guilty to human trafficking Friday.

Brandon 14K Williams, 35, of Bridgeport, faces a possible life sentence for admittedly coercing the woman into prostitution, according to court documents from the hearing in a federal court in Hartford.

The minor victims sexual services were advertised on the internet websites Backpage and Cityvibe, said Tom Carson, spokesman of the office of Connecticut District Attorney Deirdre Daly, in a statement. He rented hotel rooms in which he and the minor victim stayed.

Williams faces a minimum of 10 years in jail with five years of supervised release and will have to register as a sex offender. Initial allegations from police included kidnapping the victim, forcing her to consume heroin, and tattooing her forehead with 14K and a dollar sign.

Williams allegedly had an associate, Jason Boots Prawl, 28, who face similar charges. He allegedly trafficked the same victim as Williams, plus another minor, known only as MV2 in his indictment. He pleaded not guilty on Oct. 27, 2016, according to court records.

Prawls trial is scheduled to start on July 13, according to court documents.

Both cases are being presided over by Judge Michael Shea, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala Nagala and David Novick, and investigated by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the Bridgeport PD.

The Prawls case also involved the Milford PD and Connecticut State Police.
BRIDGEPORT - All the Finkenaur family said they wanted was an admission of guilt.

Henry Russell was not a bad guy. Back in the states after spending years in the United Kingdom Russell claimed he instinctively was driving on the left side of the road when he crashed head on into 91-year-old Allen Finkenaur and his 91-year-old wife, Virginia, in Trumbull two days before Christmas, killing them.

We miss our mom and dad very much, one of the Finkenaurs three daughters, Claudia Allen, tearfully said following Russells guilty plea in the case Friday.

It was enough to hear him plead guilty, thats what we wanted, Allen said.

Dressed in a tailored grey suit with Harry Potter-style glasses, the 28-year-old Russell pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Kevin Doyle to two counts of negligent homicide with a motor vehicle.

Assistant States Attorney Tatiana Messina told the judge that under a plea bargain Russell will receive a suspended sentence with two years of conditional discharge, a type of probation when he is sentenced June 2.

Russell, who works in finance and is now living in Japan, is also going to be required to do community service.

Its a very dreadful situation, said Russells lawyer, Eugene Riccio, as he and his client left the Golden Hill Street courtroom.

Minutes later they were served with a $6 million federal wrongful death lawsuit by the Finkenaurs lawyer, William Bloss, of Koskoff, Koskoff and Bieder.

Shortly after noon on Dec. 22, 2015, police were dispatched to a crash on White Plains Road near Cedarcrest Road.

The Finkenaurs had been driving northbound on White Plains Road when police said they were hit head on by Russell.

Police said a witness told them he saw Russell driving the wrong way and tried to warn him but to no avail.

The elderly couple were taken to St. Vincents Hospital where Allen Finkenaur died on Christmas day from his injuries. His wife died 14 days later.

Russell was treated for facial injuries and released from the hospital.

He had recently moved from the United Kingdom and is accustomed to driving on the left side of the roadway, police said Russell told them.
As a startup founder, one of the most important roles you have is hiring and retaining the very best employees out there. But competition among startups is steep for top talent, so what can you do to stand out from the rest?

Related: 10 Examples of Companies With Fantastic Cultures

The answer: Have a positive company culture that makes smart people want to be part of your team; and offer good benefits and perks. All these factors differ from one other but are equally important for recruiting and retaining top talent. The details:

Building a culture vs. offering perks

When you begin building out your startup team, you should be thinking long and hard about the type of culture you want to establish. Every employee you hire should fit this culture, from your first employee to your hundred-thousandth (hey, dream big!).

What's important here is that the culture you establish be different from the perks and benefits you offer as part of a compensation package. Benefits include things like vacation days, 401K matching and health insurance. Perks might include catered lunches, free snacks complimentary laundry service and a free Uber home if an employee stays late.

Benefits and perks are great for recruiting purposes, but your company culture is how you retain happy employees. So, how, exactly, do you do that?

What is company culture?

Company culture is how your employees collectively define research and development, customer service and human resources. Culture is usually driven by a companys list of core values set by the founder or founding team. For example, Zappos lists ten core values that each employee must be able to get behind to be a good cultural fit:

Deliver WOW through service

Embrace and drive change

Create fun and a little weirdness

Be adventurous, creative and open-minded

Pursue growth and learning

Build open and honest relationships with communication

Build a positive team and family spirit

Do more with less

Be passionate and determined

Be humble

"Culture" outlines whats expected of employees when it comes to innovation, customer service and human resources. Yet, while some companies offer great perks, theirs is a negative company culture.

For instance, you may work for a company that offers six weeks' paid vacation, full health insurance coverage, 401K matching and free lunches. But if your boss expects you to work 60 hours a week and you have no flexibility with scheduling, then youre probably not very motivated because youre in a negative corporate culture that doesnt value the benefits of work/life balance.

Tony Hsieh, founder of Zappos, has said that culture is the most important aspect of running a successful business. Our number one priority is company culture," Hsieh said. "Our whole belief is that if you get the culture right, most of the other stuff like delivering great customer service or building a long-term enduring brand will just happen naturally on its own."

In fact, Zappos actually pays its employees to quit if they are not happy in their work environment.

Related: The 153 Best Company Cultures in America (and What You Can Learn From Them)

The right culture improves productivity.

Why in the world would Zappos pay employees to quit if theyre unhappy? Because at least one study has shown that happy employees are 12 percent more productive at work. According to the study researchers at the University of Warwick, We find that human happiness has large and positive causal effects on productivity. Positive emotions appear to invigorate human beings.

The study also showed that financial incentives, such as a raise or bonus, weren't enough to make the employees who were studied, happier. No matter how much an overworked employee makes, he or she will still be less happy and less productive than one who works in a culture that values work/life balance and positivity.

Fostering a great company culture not only improves employee productivity, it also improves the bottom line. When Johnson & Johnson made a commitment to improving its employees' health, according to the Harvard Business Review, the company saw $250 million in savings. From 2002 to 2008, it saw a $2.71 return for every dollar spend on health and wellness.

On top of that, happy and productive employees at J&J were less likely to quit, and that resulted in low turnover and reduced employee-acquisition costs.

This makes a lot of sense, as study after study has shown that overworked employees are often dealing with impaired sleep, increased stress, higher rates of Type 2 diabetes and an increased likelihood of heart disease. These health concerns lead to absenteeism (sick days), high turnover rate (quitting) and rising health insurance costs. And these things negatively impact a companys bottom line.

On top of that, impaired sleep coupled with higher stress leads to decreased efficiency and an increased potential for employees to make costly mistakes on a daily basis.

A happy culture leads to better profits.

The concept of a positive company culture leading to more profitability isnt new. It actually started in the early 1900s, back when it was common for factory employees to spend nine to 10 hours per day at work for minimal pay.

However, things changed in 1914; and auto magnate Henry Ford was the prime mover. After spending years doing in-house research on his workers and their productivity, Ford took the unprecendented step of doubling his workers' pay, and reducing the number of hours that they had to spend in Ford plants.

Initially, Ford was bitterly criticized for this move, but over the next five years, he witnessed his competitors adopting the same model after they'd seen his production soar. It was at this time that many companies saw that, If you wanted to keep your workers bright, healthy, productive, safe and efficient over a sustained stretch of time, you kept them to no more than 40 hours a week and eight hours a day.

By reducing hours, companies saw a decrease in worker disability, as well as fewer instances of damaged equipment, fewer lawsuits and happier shareholders.

Creating your own culture

Hopefully, you can see the importance of a positive corporate culture. And, getting started is as simple as writing out your core beliefs about how innovation, customer service and work/life balance should be approached by your employees regardless of seniority or role.

Related: How These 8 Founders Are Innovating Company Culture

Nailing down your core values will shape the future of your company. So, give this task some serious thought.

Related:



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Many Connecticut residents know the feeling of a back sprain: It starts with a cramp or stiffness or pain in the lower back and can last weeks, or even months. A recent data analysis shows that patients with back pains are a more common sight in doctors offices in Connecticut than in the rest of the country.

The healthcare startup Amino found that cuts and bruises are the most common ways Americans hurt themselves, but Connecticut residents suffer more frequently from sprained backs, concussions, sprained hips, and knee injuries than other Americans.

Sprained backs are about 1.6 times more common in Connecticut than in the rest of the country, Amino researcher Sohan Murthy said.

He looked at data from 1.3 million Connecticut patients and found that about a third of patients who went to the doctor for sprained backs in the last five years were treated by orthopedic surgeons. The rest saw a mix of primary care physicians and emergency room doctors. An undetermined number of people could have just skipped the doctors office.

Unfortunately, we can't figure out what proportion of patients sought treatment for these injuries, as we're only looking at patients who already went to the doctor, Murthy said. We can't see patients who got hurt but didn't go to the doctor.

Some states have an abnormally high number of odd injuries, Murthy found. You are more likely to be struck by an object in Indiana than anywhere else in the country, for example, while people from Texas get bad insect bites more frequently than Americans from any other state. Suffocation is the injury most unique to six Western states.

The team cant say for sure why some injuries happen more frequently in certain parts of the country than in others. But some doctors have noticed that Connecticut has the distinction of being a state of weekend warriors.

Spine surgeon Rudolph Taddonio, the interim chair of the department of orthopedic surgery at Stamford Hospital, said patients with sprained backs tend to be sedentary workers who overexert themselves at the end of the week.

In our state, in particular in Fairfield County, we have a lot of hospitals, businesses, insurance companies and big offices where people spend their time sitting. Then they exert themselves for one or two days on the weekend. They do so above and beyond the capacity of what their backs can handle and get a strain, Taddonio explained.

Poor sitting posture further deteriorates core muscles, making people more susceptible to injuries, he said. Taddonio recommends having an exercise program, even on weekdays.

It takes a little bit of time, he said. But thats the best way to prevent an injury to your back.
Last year, a coffee shop was sued over the amount of cream used in its cafe latte. The fact that someone would sue because of the lack of creamy goodness had many observers steamed.

Our civil justice system was designed as a last resort for parties to settle disagreements. But do you think our courts should be clogged with lawsuits because someone is in a froth over the amount of cream used in a latte? Well neither does the Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform (PCCJR), a group recently formed to address imbalances in our states civil justice system.

Highly publicized lawsuits around the country like the latte example may raise eyebrows, but day-to-day court actions here in Pennsylvania harm job creators, doctors, and hospitals in ways that also hurt local citizens pocketbooks and patients access to healthcare.

There is great cause for concern about the Pennsylvania civil justice system. Weve read news reports on scandal and resignations in our state Supreme Court, about the disbarring of a recent state attorney general and a pay-to-play type scheme of shunting state legal work to campaign contributors. On one court docket in Philadelphia, nearly half of the plaintiffs are out-of-state litigation tourists. Recently, the American Tort Reform Association put Pennsylvania on its Judicial Hellholes Watch List, citing an unfair legal climate in the Philadelphia and Allegheny County courts. The organization also describes how certain Pennsylvania court rulings create excessive uncertainty for litigants.

The U.S. Chambers Institute for Legal Reform ranks Pennsylvanias civil court system 37th in the nation, indicating that the legal liability climates of most other states are more favorable to economic growth. Pennsylvanias poor standing compared to its competitor states is estimated to reduce employment by 1.53 percent.

The United States has the worlds costliest legal system, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As a percentage of our economy, legal liability costs are double and triple those of the United Kingdom, France and Japan. Money spent on legal liability is money that wont be spent to hire new employees, develop new products, and grow our economy.

The PCCJR was created to lift Pennsylvania out of the liability doldrums by bringing fairness to the courts and civil laws and restoring competitiveness to Pennsylvanias economy. PCCJR will also work to educate Pennsylvania residents and their elected representatives about the negative effects of a lawsuit system out-of-balance, as well as promote common-sense policies that bring needed reform while ensuring meaningful redress for those injured.

After all, when courts are tied up with merit-less latte lawsuits, justice is delayed for the truly deserving. At the same time, we seek to protect citizens, employers and health care providers from harmful legislation that will only benefit the lawyers at the expense of jobs and access to health care.

Our state civil court system must become a strong example of our commitment to fairness and justice. We have a long way to go and much work to do to meet this goal. PCCJR is fully committed to taking on this challenge with the support of many groups and individuals across Pennsylvania. We hope you can join us as well.

Curt Schroder is executive director of the Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform, a not-for-profit and nonpartisan organization based in Harrisburg. Schroder served 17 years in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
From loans to real estate to insurance -- having a solid credit score can make or break your business. If your businesss score is on the lower end of the spectrum, youll likely run into a number of obstacles when looking for funding or applying for a loan.

Today, your credit score is a representation of your companys financial strength. Think about it: Would an investor trust you with $100,000 if you have a bad financial history? Probably not.

Related: 4 Steps to Establishing a Good Business Credit Score

And when it comes to small businesses, both your business and personal credit scores can come into play -- impacting your businesss ability to get financing. It's important to note, however, that the two types of scores are not calculated in the same ways. Unlike the personal credit spectrum of 850 points, business credit scores are much smaller, typically ranging from 0 to 100 -- scores at 45 and above are considered low- to medium-risk businesses.

Of course, factors such as timeliness, number of credit lines and consistency impact a score, but there are also more obscure factors such as location and even local policy climate that can influence a credit score.

So if youve only been focusing on your personal credit score, it might be time to start checking in on your business score. Nav.com, a site that gives business owners access to their credit scores, examined data from 15,500 of its small-business customers to uncover the top 10 states in the U.S. with the highest and lowest business credit scores.

Related: How Your Personal Credit Score Can Impact Your Business

Besides Alabama, it looks like most southeastern states have some work to do when it comes to their business credit scores. In addition, a number of midwestern states have a long way to go -- maybe they should take it from their neighbor Iowa, which scored number three on the list.

Here are the five states with the highest business credit scores, according to Nav:

Vermont (52) Nevada (49) Iowa (49) Alabama (47) Utah (46)

Image Credit: Nav.com

Here are the five states with the lowest business credit scores, according to Nav:

Nebraska (34) Montana (37) West Virginia (38) South Dakota (39) Kansas (40)

Image Credit: Nav.com

Check out the map below of average personal credit scores per state.

Image Credit: Nav.com

Related:

The States With the Best and Worst Business Credit Scores

How Your Personal Credit Score Can Impact Your Business

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WILTON  Police have released video footage and further details of the suspect involved in a bank robbery in Wilton.

According to Lt. Rob Cipolla, police have learned that a man who fits the description of the suspect involved in the Feb. 24 robbery of a Fairfield County Bank near the Georgetown-Wilton border was also involved in an attempted robbery in Southport.

On Feb. 22, around 4 p.m., a 5-foot-10-inch white male who is believed to be in his twenties approached the main door of the Peoples United Bank on Old Post Road in Southport, which was locked. The male yelled to an employee who had just locked the door and the employee told him that they were closed.

The male, who was wearing a mask with gloves and carrying a duffle bag, fled the scene southbound in a green, four-door 1997 Honda Accord, with a Connecticut Registration of 477 ZVD, which matched the registration on the getaway vehicle involved in the Wilton robbery.

Further investigation revealed that the Honda was purchased in Stratford on Feb. 21 for $380 on the Internet site Letgo. An interview with the seller of the Honda revealed that the person who purchased the vehicle is an African-American male in his 20s with a thin build and braids in his hair, police said.

A Stamford address was written on the bill of sale for the Honda, police said.

This individual arrived to purchase the getaway vehicle in a newer model Nissan Maxima, which was black with tinted windows. During the sale, one of the buyers allegedly texted the former owner, stating that he was coming from Wilton and had a young son whose grandmother was supposedly asked to watch him on Feb. 21 around 6 p.m.

After the Wilton robbery, the Honda was recovered a short distance away from the bank.

There is a reward for information that helps to identify the individuals who are responsible for these robberies. Anyone with information can contact Wilton Detective Kip Tarrant at Kip.Tarrant@wiltonct.org or 203-834-6260, or Fairfield Detective Bernie Kelley at bkelley@fairfieldct.org or 203 254-4840. All callers may remain anonymous.
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The Salt Lake TribuneMarch 1, 2017Complex ties  Anti-bigamy proposal sponsor says polygamists hijacked his Mormon faith; advocate of plural marriage says the church is behind the bill.About 51 weeks ago, polygamists and their supporters picketed in the Utah Capitol's Rotunda.They were protesting a bill meant to curb polygamy, but it wasn't just the measure's sponsor who drew their ire. Some signs were directed at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which abandoned polygamy in the late 19th century as a condition of Utah statehood and which excommunicates members found practicing it. The protesters suspected the LDS Church had lobbied for the bill.This year, there is another bill meant to curb polygamy, but it hasn't been polygamists who have been publicly discussing the LDS Church. It has been the bill's sponsor, Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, who is a member of the LDS Church. As the 2017 Utah legislative session has progressed, he has increased his criticism of polygamists, especially those who call themselves fundamentalist Mormons."They've hijacked my religion and I actually resent that," Noel told The Associated Press on Feb. 10 as polygamists were marching toward the Capitol in another protest.Then, on Thursday, Noel gave a speech on the House floor in support of his HB99. He called polygamous sects "organized crime" and complained that the public confuses polygamous groups such as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with his church."The fact that individuals come up there and testify they are FLDS Mormons insults me and bothers me," Noel said, raising his voice. "They are an apostate group and they are no part of my religion." HB99 passed 48-25. It is waiting for action in the Utah Senate. It is not scheduled for a hearing, and it is unclear whether the Senate will consider it before the Legislature adjourns March 9.LDS Church spokesman Eric Hawkins said Tuesday in an email that the Salt Lake City-based faith has not lobbied for the bill.Asked to state the church's position on it, Hawkins wrote: "The practice of polygamy remains strictly prohibited in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When it comes to laws governing polygamy, the church's primary interest is in looking after potential victims of such associations."The church is concerned that reducing the perceived seriousness of this criminal activity sends the message that such abuses are not serious criminal offenses."LDS Church support for keeping polygamy a felony motivated polygamists at the 2016 protest. One sign depicted two missionaries from the LDS Church peeking inside the bedroom of a man and woman under the covers. The sign read, "Mormon Bedroom Police."That 2016 bill died in the same place the 2017 bill is currently lodged  it failed to get a hearing or a vote in the Utah Senate.Joe Darger, who has three wives, has led the opposition to bigamy bills in 2016 and this year. He said Noel's opinions of fundamentalist Mormons  typically defined as people who adhere to the practices taught by LDS Church Presidents Joseph Smith and Brigham Young  are hardly unique among legislators."When I use the term 'plural Mormon families,' " Darger said, "I watch their faces all twitter."Darger said Noel's statements strengthen polygamists' arguments that the Legislature is crafting a law aimed at one group. Polygamists have called that unconstitutional.Amos Guiora, a University of Utah law professor who has published research showing polygamy is harmful to women and children, said Friday that Noel's statements are unlikely to cause any legal consequences. It is unlikely polygamists will be able to effectively use what Noel said as evidence in any lawsuit challenging the polygamy bill, Guiora said, because it is within the Legislature's purview to establish crimes and punishments."That strikes me not as targeting a particular group," Guiora said, "but protecting the vulnerable, which is exactly what a legislature should be doing."This year's bill adds criteria for being prosecuted for bigamy: The offender must live with the extra spouse and "purport" to be married. Current state law requires only one or the other. HB99 would keep the offense a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison, but those penalties could increase to one to 15 years if bigamy is prosecuted in conjunction with crimes such as abuse, fraud or human smuggling. Anyone leaving a polygamous marriage and reporting abuse or protecting a child would receive amnesty.Noel has done more than air theological disagreements. His district includes parts of Washington County, home of the FLDS, and he has said he was encouraged to sponsor his bill when he heard stories of abuse from former members of that and other polygamous churches.Debates over the bills last year and this year also have highlighted the complicated relationships between polygamy and the LDS Church. Noel has discussed how two of his great-grandfathers served time in jail for polygamy. Other legislators have discussed their own family history with polygamy.Polygamous groups that consider themselves fundamentalist Mormons worship from similar texts as the LDS Church. Used hymnals from LDS wards have found their way to polygamous congregations.LDS charities have helped people fleeing polygamous households. Many people from polygamous families choose to get baptized in the LDS Church, including two of Darger's children.Darger said Noel's statements show how the LDS Church should engage in a dialogue with lawmakers and polygamists about the proper way to address polygamy."It's clear the LDS Church is a stakeholder in this," Darger said, "whether it wants to be or not."ncarlisle@sltrib.comTwitter: @natecarlisle
Members of Faith Tabernacle, a faith-healing sect.

By Barbara MillerPenn LiveMarch 2, 2017A grandfather who is also a minister is charged with failing to report the death of his granddaughter, whose parents didn't seek medical treatment for her due to their faith.Rowland George Foster, 71, of the 400 block of North Ninth Street, Lebanon, is charged with failing to report child abuse, a third degree felony, court records say.Foster, police said, "had reasonable cause to suspect that the victim died due to a failure to obtain adequate medical care."Jonathan and Grace Foster of Upper Tulpehocken Township, Berks County, were charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment in the Nov. 8 pneumonia death of their daughter, Ella Grace, age 2.The Fosters, members of Mechanicsburg-based Faith Tabernacle church, attributed the toddler's death to "God's will," according to charges filed in the case.The Fosters told police their church does not believe in any medical treatment whatsoever, charging documents state.Rowland Foster is pastor of Faith Tabernacle's Harrisburg district, which includes Lebanon, Mechanicsburg, Shippensburg and Schuylkill Haven, and is also Ella Foster's grandfather.Rowland Foster told police he received a call from Grace Foster the evening of Nov. 7, after arriving home from a meeting of church elders in Philadelphia. She asked him to come to their home to anoint the child, which is performed in their faith when someone is ill.Foster said he knew the child had a cold, since she hadn't been at church the previous Sunday.The day after the anointing, Foster said he again visited the child, and found her in the same condition as the night before, which he described as "resting peacefully."As he left, he said Jonathan Foster was holding the girl in his arms, and that she "appeared peaceful and that there was no detection of anything out of the ordinary."Afterward, he said he got a call from Jonathan Foster telling him the child had died. Foster said he went back to the home to be with the family.Foster told authorities he saw Ella between 11 and 11:45 a.m. on the day she died, and recalled she was "not talking much during the morning, and that she sounded sick."The Berks County coroner said the child died between 3:20 and 3:24 p.m.As a minister, Foster was a mandated reporter, and is required to report child abuse, police said, which can include failing to provide a child with adequate medical care, police said.After arriving back at the home and seeing the child's body, police said he failed to report the child had died due to medical neglect.Foster was released on his own recognizance and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 8.http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/03/minister_and_grandfather_of_2-.html
In a ruling handed down by the Supreme Court of Missouri on Tuesday, the cases against David G. DePriest and his sister Natalie DePriest have been returned to the St. Francois County Circuit Court for further proceedings after the court vacated the sentences imposed by now-retired Circuit Judge Kenneth W. Pratte in November 2013.

Both defendants, who lived in Farmington at the time of their arrest, had been sentenced to serve 15 years in the Department of Corrections without the possibility of probation for producing a controlled substance by cultivating more than five grams of marijuana (count one) and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute (count two). In addition, David was given an additional seven years in prison for a charge of unlawfully possessing a weapon.

The DePriests were charged and sentenced in connection with an alleged marijuana growing operation in their Farmington apartment and were represented by the same attorney, Dan Viets  who was chairman of Show Me Cannabis and the state coordinator for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws  throughout the proceedings. They had pleaded guilty to the charges in August 2013 on their counsels recommendation. The DePriests entered their pleas during a group plea with several other defendants charged in unrelated cases.

While they were sentenced separately, Viets had asked the judge to place both individuals on probation. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Pat King had requested that the judge impose the maximum sentence with no possibility of probation.

After being sentenced, both DePriests filed motions seeking post-conviction relief. Natalies motion alleged ineffective assistance of counsel because Viets continued to represent both her and David even after it became clear during plea negotiations that there was a conflict of interest between them and that the conflict negatively affected Viets performance on her behalf.

Davids motion also alleged a conflict of interest through Viets continued representation of both defendants and that the prosecution exploited this conflict by making only joint plea offers, which forced David to act against his own best interests.

The circuit court overruled both motions without any kind of hearing.

The DePriests subsequently appealed to the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Eastern District, which instructed the circuit court to set aside Davids guilty plea and for the prosecutor's office to offer him the original plea agreement.

The court sided with David regarding his allegation that Viets counsel was ineffective because of a conflict of interest in representing both David and his sister.

The opinion also stated that the trial court had been admonished on multiple occasions for using group pleas and that group pleas should be conducted "sparingly," if at all. While the use of group pleas has not been ruled unconstitutional, the Missouri Supreme Court has noted that the practice increases the risk that pleas are either unknowing or involuntary.

The appeals court also ruled that Natalies guilty plea was involuntary and thus, invalid. The court remanded the case to the trial court, stating the St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney's office should reoffer her the original plea agreement. It stated Natalie should have an opportunity to decide whether to accept it with the advice of a competent and non-conflicted attorney.

The appeals court criticized now-retired Judge Pratte for not inquiring into the possible conflict of interest due to dual representation and differing culpabilities in the case.

Additional appeals filed by the state and the DePriests ended up in the Supreme Court of Missouri, which heard oral arguments on May 4, 2016 regarding the circuit courts overruling, without an evidentiary hearing, the DePriests motions for post-conviction relief in which they argued that Viets had an actual conflict of interest in representing them both during plea negotiations and at the group plea hearing during which they both pleaded guilty.

In its opinion, issued on Feb. 28, the Supreme Court stated that both of the DePriests' motions to the trial court set forth sufficient facts showing that their joint defense counsel acted under an actual (not merely theoretical) conflict of interest that adversely affected counsels representation of each defendant.

The court, recognizing that numerous facts and circumstances supported this conclusion, nevertheless chose to focus on just a few.

First, the opinion states, the motions allege that (Viets) acknowledged, almost from the beginning of the joint representation, that he believed the evidence of Davids guilt was strong but that the evidence of Natalies guilt was weak or non-existent. Despite this perceived asymmetry, the motions allege that the initial plea offers from the state tendered the same terms (at least with respect to the first two counts) to both defendants and that these offers were contingent upon acceptance by both defendants.

The motions further allege that defense counsel did not advise David to accept these initial offers, as David contends unconflicted counsel would have done. Instead, both motions allege that defense counsel advised David and Natalie, jointly, that neither should accept the terms because counsel believed the evidence against Natalie was far less compelling than the evidence against David.

The motions allege that the state exploited defense counsels conflict of interest by continuing to propose plea offers only on a both or neither basis and that defense counsel never sought to uncouple these offers until late in the negotiation process. Even then, the motions allege the state sought to leverage counsels conflict of interest by threatening to have defense counsel disqualified so the state could offer Natalie more favorable terms in exchange for testimony against David.

These allegations, together with the remainder of the allegations in the two motions, would  if proved to and believed by the motion court in an evidentiary hearing  be sufficient for the motion court to conclude that defense counsel had an actual conflict of interest and that this conflict adversely affected counsels representation of David and Natalie.

The ruling states that the state contends these allegations do not necessarily prove an actual conflict of interest and, even if they did, the conflict did not adversely affect counsels representation of either DePriest.

"The state argues that some of the allegations are not true or cannot be proven. But the question is not whether David or Natalie (or both) is entitled to relief but whether each of them is entitled to an evidentiary hearing and an opportunity to persuade the motion court that each is entitled to relief on this claim. At the hearing, the state is free to argue why it does not believe they are entitled to relief.

The Supreme Court also commented on the circuit courts failure to ask the DePriests about a possible conflict of interest regarding their dual representation by Viets.

It bears noting that, when David and Natalie appeared to plead guilty (and, later, to be sentenced), the trial court had an opportunity to inquire as to whether an actual conflict of interest had arisen and whether any such conflict had adversely affected counsels representation of one or the other (or both) of the defendants. The trial court never conducted such an inquiry, however, and the DePriests only remedy now is to raise a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel 

The courts opinion raised the possibility that trial courts' use of group pleadings may have been the cause of the failure to inquire about conflict of interest and advised against such practices.

 group pleas are fraught with unnecessary risk and should be avoided. It cannot be known  and does not matter  whether the use of this discredited practice is to blame for the trial courts failure to react to the obvious possibility that an actual conflict of interest existed between David and Natalie and that this conflict might have adversely affected defense counsels ability to represent either of them (let alone both of them) adequately. The possibility that the group plea procedure contributed to the trial courts failure to inquire into and make findings about these issues on the record, however, should be added to the long and growing list of reasons why this practice should be consigned to judicial history.

Concluding its opinion, the Supreme Court ruled that the circuit court erred in overruling the DePriests' motions without an evidentiary hearing, vacated the judgments of that court and sent the cases back to the circuit court for further proceedings that are consistent with the Supreme Courts opinion.

St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney Jerrod Mahurin did not want to comment on court's ruling since the case is again being prosecuted by his office.
We must rethink the U.S. response to infectious disease. Here's why.
A number of businesses, schools and other organizations are reaching out to the citizens in Perryville following the Feb. 28 tornado.

Among those businesses is Auto Plaza Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Farmington.

On Thursday, the store posted a photo on social media asking the community to help Stuff the Truck with items for those affected by the storm.

Its to help the families in Perryville, said Heather Zeleny, service manager at the dealership. (The tornado) hit half a mile from my parents' home. Some of their really good friends were hit hard. (Perryville) is a close enough community to us that we want to help.

Among the items the dealership is collecting are basics such as bottled water, non-perishable snacks and canned goods, toiletries, laundry detergent, new pillows and blankets, trash bags, gloves, buckets, laundry baskets, and wipes.

Another essential item needed are plastic totes with lids.

They are using the totes for families to put their belongings in while going through the debris, she said.

Zeleny said they are also accepting donations of Walmart gift cards to be distributed.

The collection runs through 6 p.m. tonight at the dealership, located on 970 Woodlawn Drive. Zeleny said she plans to leave for Perryville about 10 a.m. on Saturday to deliver the donations.

This is not the first time the dealership reached out to a community following a devastating storm. A similar drive was held after the Joplin tornado in 2011.

Other groups are lending a hand in whatever way possible. Students from St. Paul Lutheran High School are traveling to Perryville to volunteer with the American Red Cross. Reporter Craig Vaughn is traveling with the group as well.

The Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce launched Perryville Twister Relief to assist the numerous victims of the tornado.

The tragedy of the Perryville tornado can be felt throughout our community and it is our responsibility as friends and neighbors to assist those affected by this calamitous event, said Dick Womack, president/CEO of the Farmington Regional Chamber.

The chamber is asking area residents, businesses and organizations to purchase gift cards at local establishments. The cards can be brought to the chamber office, located at 302 N. Washington St. in Farmington and runs through March 10.

All gift cards collected will be delivered to the Perryville Chamber of Commerce for distribution to those affected by the tornado. The release states suggested gift cards include locations for food, lodging, personal items and daily needs. Cards of any value will be accepted and utilized.

It is a blessing to be able to help one another during this extreme time of need. We are honored to be of any assistance during the recovery period and will continue to support our community as needed, said Womack.

The chamber is also sharing other community efforts through their website and Facebook page.

Tickets are also on sale for a Tough as Diamonds raffle. According to the chamber, tickets will be available to win a prize package containing a $999 Steal Her Heart diamond necklace from Krekeler Jewelers in Farmington, $50 gift certificate from Mary Janes Burgers & Brew in Perryville, $75 gift certificate from 15 West in Perryville and a $75 gift certificate from 12 West in Farmington.

The cost for tickets is $5 each or six for $25. Tickets are available at the above donating retailers and through Marisa Zaricor (on Facebook or m_zaricor@att.net). The drawing will be held the weekend of March 18.

A live Facebook auction page kicks off today with the highest bidder winning a soft-side Hopper 40 Yeti cooler valued at $299.99 and containing several hundred dollars worth of additional Yeti merchandise. Items for the Facebook auction are donated by KREI/KTJJ and Gifford Lumber Company in Farmington.

Contact the Farmington Regional Chamber at 573-756-3615 or email at laura@farmingtonregionalchamber.com for further information.
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A humiliating put-down delivered to me by a Cambridge professor in my 1970s student days has stuck in my mind and rankled, on and off, ever since.

Id gone to a seminar run by the achingly trendy don in question, who was a pin-up of the Cambridge Left.

Think of Howard Kirk in Malcolm Bradburys savage satire on academic Lefties, The History Man, and youll be on the right lines.

We were discussing A Theory Of Justice, a new book (1971) by philosopher John Rawls, when the right-on professor invited us to imagine we were in a hot-air balloon, heading off to found a new society.

Tom Utley, a former Cambridge student in the 1970s, had lecturers with mixed political views, but if a study this week is anything to go by many of today's have Left leanings

The twist was that we would be shrouded in Rawlss veil of ignorance, meaning we couldnt know whether we were male or female, black or white, straight or gay, young or old, able-bodied or disabled. Wed find out only when we landed.

So what rules would we establish, while we were still in the air, to govern our new society and ensure we would all be happy in our brave new world?

To vigorous nods of approval from the professor, one of my fellow students said he would outlaw slavery, since he would hate to discover he was a slave.

Another piped up that he would introduce a tax-code to ensure the equal distribution of wealth, while a female undergraduate said she would ban racial discrimination. The professor was again delighted. But then came my turn.

Anger

Though most of my fellow students were confirmed Left-wingers, I had a touch of Harry Enfields Tory Boy about me even then. So raising my hand, I suggested that in our ideal society, we should be able to keep as large a proportion of our earnings as possible.

This would give us an incentive to work hard, I said, which would increase the whole communitys prosperity. So perhaps we should cap taxes.

I further ventured that since it was a powerful human instinct to want the best for our children, shouldnt we also have laws letting us pass on our wealth, great or small, to our young?

Flashing me a look of naked anger, the pin-up professor uttered the put-down I remember verbatim to this day. Those are very stupid suggestions, he snapped. Youve entirely missed the point of this exercise. End of discussion.

Well, I can see I may fairly be accused of having missed his little games point, which was clearly to make us parrot Left-wing platitudes and conclude that the ideal society would be perfectly egalitarian.

Tom Utley admits he had a of touch of Harry Enfields Tory Boy (pictured) about him at university. A professor reacted with anger when he suggested that in an ideal society, people should be able to keep as large a proportion of their earnings as possible

But to this day, I plead not guilty to the charge of stupidity (on that occasion, at least). After all, if those in the balloon were flesh-and-blood human beings  with all the virtues and vices of competitiveness, lust, jealousy, love of family etc  then what was so stupid about suggesting our new world order should put their natural instincts to work for the good of all?

At the very least, it was surely worthy of discussion. But the professor was having none of it. In his view, my fellow students had given the right (by which he meant Left) answers. Id been simply wrong.

But then luckily for me, I was not taught exclusively by Left-wing ideologues, cast in the mould of Bradburys Howard Kirk or the late Professor Ralph Miliband, father of David and Ed.

Indeed, one of my supervisors was Maurice Cowling, of Peterhouse, who was credited with inspiring a generation of Tory politicians such as Michael Portillo. Another, who taught me economic history, was the treasurer of the universitys Conservative Association.

Throw in a lugubrious Left-winger at Caius, who specialised in the history of the working class in the North of England, and it is fair to say that I was exposed to ideas from every part of the political spectrum.

No such luck for todays students. If a study this week by the Adam Smith Institute is to be believed, the overwhelming majority of academics now teaching in higher education have Left-wing views.

The free-market think tank cites a survey in 2015, which found that only 11 per cent backed the Tories while a whacking 46 per cent supported Labour, and 9 per cent the Lib Dems.

A report by the Adam Smith Institute showed that academics now are more left wing than they were in the 1960s. It urges universities to commit to ideological diversity with the same fervour they commit to gender, class and race diversity

Chasm

More remarkably still, 22 per cent of those who answered an online survey  thats more than one in five  said they would be voting for the Green Party in the last election.

Compare that with the 3.8 per cent of the wider electorate who voted Green, and a picture emerges of an ideological chasm between the academic world and the general population, who pay through their hard work and taxes to keep dons supplied with port, subsidised dinners, endless holidays and agreeable lodgings.

Add an astonishing YouGov survey in January, which found that no fewer than nine out of 10 academics believe Brexit will have a negative impact on UK higher education, and the gulf between their world and ours seems wider still.

Of course, many have tried to argue that Remainers predominate in universities because they are more intelligent than the rest of us. They include figures such as Professor Nicholas Boyle of Magdalene College, Cambridge, who has loftily dismissed Brexit voters as the lager louts of Europe.

But the theory simply doesnt hold water. Indeed, we can all name Right-leaning Brexiteers  Nigel Lawson, Daniel Hannan, Boris Johnson, Michael Gove etc  who could knock intellectual spots off the brightest of Remoaners in any debate.

As for thinking its more intelligent to be Left-wing than Right-wing, I reckon we all owe a huge debt to Jeremy Corbyn for proving the fallacy of any such a notion.

The free market think-tank said only 12 per cent of lecturers and researchers support the Conservatives, led by Theresa May (pictured)

Before he came along, preaching his pure Socialist creed from the Labour front bench, we didnt have to give much thought to the implications of being governed by the hard Left.

But since his election, he has focused our minds wonderfully. And as all but a fast diminishing minority can see, the answer is that life would be unendurable  and Britain bankrupt within months  if he ever put his principles into practice.

Monopoly

No, we must look elsewhere for the explanation of the Lefts vice-like grip on our universities. A part of it, I reckon, can be put down to simple self-interest. Like the BBC, academics rely largely on public funds for their comfortable livelihoods and are therefore naturally inclined to favour high state spending. Many also do nicely out of EU grants.

Another reason is their tendency to appoint like-minded people to the best jobs. Indeed, it often seems the sole qualification for a college headship these days is to have been a Left-wing journalist or Labour politician.

Think of former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger, now Principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. Or Labours Chris Smith, now Master of Pembroke, Cambridge. Or Guardian columnist Jackie Ashley, who has been made President of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge.

The report author Noah Carl said he rarely meets academics who support the Tories and has never met one who supports Ukip (former Ukip leader Nigel Farage pictured)

Whatever the explanation, the Lefts near monopoly of higher education affronts the whole point of a university, which is surely to open young minds to the widest possible range of ideas and encourage students to challenge every orthodoxy.

God knows, the snowflake generation of students  banning speakers they disagree with and demanding safe spaces in which nobody is allowed to challenge their prejudices  needs little encouragement to adopt an unthinking Left-wing line.

Why should hard-working taxpayers go on financing an academic elite that poisons their impressionable minds with political correctness and fills them with idiotic, identical views that could ruin our nation?

One last question. Which great philosopher has added more to the sum of human happiness? Adam Smith, the 18th-century prophet of free trade, whose ideas are still spreading prosperity today? Or Karl Marx, the advocate of an ideal egalitarian society, in whose name tens of millions have been condemned to poverty and violent death?

No doubt, my Cambridge professor would call me irredeemably stupid. But I know which I prefer  and it aint Marx.
Not for the first time, it fell to Norman Tebbit to speak for Britain. Why was it, he asked his fellow members of the Lords, that they were elevating the rights of foreigners over those of the British people?

It seems to me the first duty of this Parliament, of the United Kingdom, is to care for the interests of the citizens of this kingdom, he said.

If we are to be concerned about the rights of anybody after Brexit to live anywhere on this continent of Europe, it should be concern for the rights of British people to live freely and peacefully in those other parts of Europe. Why is everybody here today so excited about an amendment which looks after foreigners and not the British?

Its a pity Norman Tebbit isnt a few years younger. We could have put him in charge of the Brexit negotiations. At least hed speak for Britain

Fair point. But judging by the reaction in the chamber, youd have thought Norman had advocated rounding up all foreign nationals living in Britain and deporting them en masse, preferably at gunpoint. His perfectly accurate use of the word foreigners had some of the more sensitive Lords and Ladies gasping for breath and hissing their disapproval at this ghastly racist in their midst.

Lord Skinhead of Chingford was, of course, merely questioning the demand that before triggering Article 50, Theresa May gives a cast-iron guarantee that all EU citizens currently living in Britain will be allowed to stay after Brexit.

Actually, shes already tried to do that in exchange for a reciprocal assurance that the same will apply to UK citizens living in Europe. But she was knocked back by Angela Merkel, who refuses to enter any kind of negotiation until the Brexit process is formally under way.

It has become almost compulsory for everyone to agree that those EU nationals who have settled here keep the right to stay.

And its true that the majority of EU citizens who have arrived legally over the past few years make a valuable contribution to our economy.

But could the same be said of some of the less desirable elements who have moved to Britain? The Eastern European beggars and pickpockets littering the streets of our cities, for instance, or the assorted criminals we cant deport because of the European yuman rites racket?

The Remoaners dont want to talk about them, naturally. And, frankly, the Lords arent really that bothered about the rights of EU citizens living in Britain.

It is merely a convenient device to try to disrupt, and ideally prevent, Britains departure from the EU. They hold the democratically expressed wishes of more than 17 million voters in contempt and will do everything they can to frustrate the result of the referendum.

The debate on the amendment to the crucial Brexit legislation was far more bad-tempered than most sessions in the House of Lords

Why else would they want to force Mother Theresa to declare her negotiating position in advance?

No one in their right mind shows their cards before bidding in a poker game. Not unless they want to get taken to the cleaners.

No self-respecting union leader or businessman would offer up one-sided concessions before negotiations had even begun.

What the Remoaners refuse to accept is that Britain holds a winning hand. We buy more from the EU than they buy from us.

The Europeans realise that, which is why they are going to bluff for as long as possible. Can you imagine any politician in Europe behaving like the Remain camp in Britain?

Wheres the European equivalent of Project Fear, warning of the dire consequences of losing access to the lucrative British market?

Where are the apocalyptic warnings from the European Bank that millions of jobs will be lost and the EU will go into financial meltdown unless Brussels can strike a favourable deal with the UK?

Where are the demands in Berlin that Mrs Merkel offers British manufacturers free trade in exchange for BMW, Mercedes and Audi being allowed to continue selling cars tariff-free in Britain?

Wheres Hollands answer to Anna Soubry, touring the TV and radio studios in the Netherlands, complaining tearfully that the Dutch economy is doomed unless they give Britain everything she wants?

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST'S 'GAY MOMENT' The remake of Beauty And The Beast is to feature Disneys first exclusively gay moment. Why? Its not as if were short of gay role models on screen, either in Hollywood or on TV. From movies such as Brokeback Mountain to just about every British soap opera and comedy, homosexuality is well represented. So there really is no need for Disney to make a statement. Were not still living in the Seventies, when Dick Emery camping it up on the BBC was about as close as you got. Oh, you are awful, but I like you! Why insert gay characters in childrens stories like Beauty And The Beast, just for the sake of it? We already live in an age when even four-year-olds have to be taught about alternative lifestyles. Kids grow up fast enough as it is. Why does everything have to be sexualised? And, no, I dont just mean homosexualised, I mean writing any kind of gratuitous sex into childrens entertainment. Wheres it all going to end? Now that Disney seems to think that anything goes, Im dreading what will happen when they get round to remaking Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs. Hi-ho! Advertisement

Why arent French hardliners marching down the Champs Elysees, smashing windows and setting fire to police cars, demanding that Paris must agree unconditionally to Britains terms so they can carry on exporting their cheeses, wines and meat? I dont recall the European Parliament passing a motion forcing Jean-Claude Drunker to make any concessions to Britain before the formal Brexit talks start.

And unless Ive missed something, how many former German Chancellors, French Presidents and Italian Prime Ministers have openly sided with Britain, in the same way that Blair and Major have backed Europe against their own people?

No, all weve heard from across the Channel are threats to punish us, to cripple us economically, to make our lives hell once we are stupid enough to leave the EU.

Yet the overwhelming instinct of our political class is to bind the hands of our negotiators, to appease, compromise and, ultimately, surrender  with the unelected House of Lords acting as a pro-Brussels fifth column, determined to betray the majority of the people they are paid to represent.

Are they setting themselves up as the EUs Vichy government? Maybe they should move to Brussels.

In wartime, theyd have been put up against a wall and shot. In peacetime, they should be put out to pasture, for good.

Its a pity Norman Tebbit isnt a few years younger. We could have put him in charge of the Brexit negotiations. At least hed speak for Britain.

Fly-past? No, it's a military tattoo...

It was only a matter of time before the RAF fell to the trans brigade. But it was the statement justifying making women in the air force wear trousers instead of skirts which intrigued me:

There are concerns that by forcing RAF personnel to wear skirts its discriminatory towards a variety of people, such as those with tattoos and transgender people.

Hang on a minute. Since when did those with tattoos become a vulnerable minority? From what I can make out, those of us without tattoos are in the minority these days.

Since when did those with tattoos become a vulnerable minority? From what I can make out, those of us without tattoos are in the minority these days, writes Richard Littlejohn

How would RAF staff with tattoos be disadvantaged by wearing skirts?

Surely the whole point of having tattoos is displaying them.

Anyway, how many RAF women  or transgenders, for that matter  have tattoos on their legs?

I know that sailors have traditionally favoured anchors on their arms. Do the RAF go in for fighter planes on their calves?

And if they do, why would they want to cover them up?

Fine pair of Spitfires, show em off, show em off.

Last week, I wrote that I was having trouble coming up with a funnier nickname for the new Met Commissioner than Cressida Dick. Ive since heard from a number of readers with their own suggestions.

Most were unsuitable for a family newspaper and some of them could get me arrested.

Best of the bunch came from Mike Robinson, who thought Cressida could be the love-child of the late Jack Warner.

Dick Of Dock Green.

The police say they are so short-staffed they have been unable to apprehend tens of thousands of suspects, including hundreds of murderers and sex offenders, more than 1,000 of them wanted for rape.

Perhaps if they didnt spend so much time and money investigating historic sex offences, they might be able to catch some criminals who  unlike Jimmy Savile  are still alive.
A British backpacker whose friend dropped out of their trip around Australia may be feeling thankful for the last minute change of plan - after being inundated with offers from women who want to step in as his travelling companion.

Robert Keane, 27, from Ireland, had to cancel on his friend Paddy James, 23, just two weeks before their trip along the east coast this month and posted a message on the Australian Backpackers Facebook page, appealing for a replacement.

He helpfully included pictures of Paddy, from Southampton, showing off his chiselled chest on the beach and wading out of the ocean like Daniel Craig in his famous scene from the 007 film Casino Royale.

And within hours, Paddy was bombarded with messages from potential female travel companions, and even an offer of marriage from one ardent admirer.

Backpacker Paddy James, 23, from Southampton has been inundated with offers from female admirers after his friend posted an appeal for a new travelling companion for him on Facebook

One of the snaps of Paddy on Facebook (left) bore a remarkable resemblance to Daniel Craig's iconic appearance in Casino Royale (right)

'He didn't really expect that response,' Robert, who works in marketing in Sydney, told FEMAIL.

'It was heart-warming to see all the help and support people were offering. The offers were crazy.'

Paddy has since received around 100 friend requests and over 150 private messages from potential female travelling companions.

'My phone blew up for a couple of days,' Paddy, who used to work with Robert in Sydney, said.

Robert Keane, 27, had to cancel on his friend Paddy James, 23, just two weeks before their trip along the East coast of Australia in March. So he posted on a Backpackers Facebook group to help him find a travel companion

'I received a mixture of messages: some from people travelling around the same time, others asking me to go different dates.

Some were offering to show me around when I'm in different cities and some girls even asked me to visit their country.'

One girl even joked that she was going to Vegas with Paddy to 'put a ring on it straight away'.

Paddy (pictured) has received around 100 friend requests and over 150 private messages - all from girls

Paddy (pictured) did not expect to get so many offers from travelling companions, let along marriage proposals

Robert added: 'I felt bad I left him alone and was hoping someone would agree to go with him.

'Little did either of us expect him to get hundreds of offers.'

Despite the overwhelming response, Paddy has yet to find a travel companion who is leaving Sydney on the same date as he is.
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You never forget the moment you first lay eyes on your child, but so rarely does that moment last for longer than a split second.

But one Western Australia family will be able to cherish that instant forever thanks to this beautiful photograph that was taken as they first held little Reuben.

The gorgeous picture shows Meagan Snook, 36, holding her son in a birth pool, cradling him in her arms, as her proud husband Lee O'Sullivan beams with pure joy.

It is a beautiful moment, one that is all the more special for the family as it came nearly two years to the day that the birth of their first child

This is the beautiful moment Meagan Snook, 36, and her husband Lee O'Sullivan, 46, laid eyes on their son Reuben for the very first time

The couple's first-born came into the world under much different circumstances.

Lee, 46, told Daily Mail Australia that he often remembers the day his daughter Alice was born as 'the best and worst of my life'.

He was whisked away from the birthing room by midwives, leaving Meagan in a 'bath of red', before he had to hold a tiny oxygen mask to his daughter's face.

Lee had no idea what condition his wife was in, or if Alice was going to be okay. He took a photo with their daughter before Meagan even got the chance to meet her.

It was a traumatic experience for the family, so Lee was apprehensive when Meagan first told him she wanted to deliver their second child at home in November.

'When Meagan told me she wanted a home birth, most of what happened that day came flooding back,' he said.

Meagan chose to give birth in a pool at the couple's Western Australia home when she delivered Reuben in November

After such a chaotic delivery with her first-born, Megan wanted Reuben's entrance in the world to feel as natural as possible

'I had my concerns, but trusted Meagan's choice was the right one.'

After such a chaotic delivery with her first-born, Megan wanted Reuben's entrance in the world to feel as natural as possible.

Giving birth in the comfort of her own home also alleviated many anxieties, she added.

'I did not need to worry about travelling to a hospital in labour, worry about who would look after our daughter, worry if the birthing pool would be vacant,' she said.

'Having a home birth also reassured me that I would not be exposed to unnecessary interventions and that every effort would be made to follow my birth wishes.'

That comfort was paramount as Meagan went through six-and-a-half hours of labour during what she calls one of the hardest nights of her life.

But all that stress and pain melted away when Reuben calmly came into the world at just the right time.

'There's so much unpredictability with birth, but his timing was perfect because our daughter was asleep next door,' Meagan said.

Her daughter Alice woke up 10 minutes after Reuben was born, and then got to meet her little brother for the first time

The couple's photographer also captured the touching first moment that the entire family first cuddled together

As Meagan and Reuben first laid eyes on their newborn son, the rest of the world melted away.

'Birth for me was such an internal experience, I barely opened my eyes,' said Meagan.

'That relief once the baby is there and you can actually open your eyes and breathe again, it's such an amazing moment.'

'When Reuben was born all the happiness, relief, worry and stress surfaced in my emotions,' added Lee.

'Every parent I'm sure would describe the birth of their children as the most emotionally-filled day of their lives. You can add me to that list.'

Both parents completely forgot their birth photographer, Belle Verdiglione, was in the room as they stared into Reuben's eyes for the first time.

But as they looked at her photographs, they were able to relive the beautiful and peaceful experience all over again.

'I will be forever grateful to have these images,' Meagan said.

'Especially seeing the facial expressions of Lee seeing his son for the first time and Alice meeting her little brother for the first time. Priceless.'

Meagan said the family often forgot that their photographer Belle was in the room as they melted into the moment
As one of the most stylish members of the royal set, the Duchess of Cambridge has millions hanging on her every outfit.

But it appears Kate has some competition, as Prince Harry's girlfriend Meghan Markle and Lady Amelia Windsor are fast catching up when it comes to boosting clothing sales.

Fashion e-tailer Lyst.co.uk has revealed that a nod from a member of the royal inner circle like Pippa Middleton is enough to send a brand's sales through the roof with items selling out in hours. So who really wields the most style influence?

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Kate attends a reception at Government House during the September 2016 royal tour of Canada, left, in a red Preen gown, which went on to sell out within 10 hours of her appearance

Data experts have calculated just how much the royal inner circle affect our shopping habits, proving that the 'Kate effect' is alive and well after sales of a wool blazer shot up by 114 per cent, while Meghan Markle recently caused her favourite lace-up pumps to completely sell out.

From Diana's 'revenge' LBD to Pippa's infamous bridesmaid dress, we reveal biggest royal influencers.

THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE

Kate, 35, opted for a chic cowgirl look on a visit to Haida Gwaii, British Columbia during the royal tour of Canada in September 2016.

On the last day of her tour, online searches for 'bow blouses' increased by 62 per cent with cream and white proving the most popular colours for Kate fans.

Fashion site Lyst has revealed the true value of the royals' influence, with the 'Kate effect' in full swing during her Canada tour (pictured at the Haida Gwaii, British Columbia in September)

The Duchess' laid-back ensemble comprising a Temperley bow blouse, left, and Smythe blazer, right, was responsible for a surge in searches for similar styles, according to Lyst.co.uk

Intriguingly, 13 per cent of shoppers who snapped up cream blouses also bought a dark coloured blazer, suggesting they were hoping to emulate the Duchess' look for themselves.

Searches for 'Smythe Blazer' - like Kate's - increased by a staggering 114 per cent while the exact style sold out online within 48 hours.

Kate turned heads in a show-stopping red Preen by Thorton Bregazzi gown at a glittering reception that same week, which subsequently sold out on Lyst within 10 hours. The outfit also sparked a 102 per cent search for the term 'red dress'.

MEGHAN MARKLE

Prince Harry's girlfriend steps out for lunch in Toronto in November, just days after her romance with the royal was revealed - and sends sales of handbags and pumps soaring

Searches for Meghan's favourite Sarah Flint Lily Ankle-Tie Flats have gone through the roof, experts say, with the style completely selling out across Lyst's 450 retail partners

She's become a reluctant fashion icon since news of her romance with Britain's most eligible bachelor emerged late last year.

And Meghan has been credited with a spike in sales of pumps, boots and designer totes.

When the first pictures surfaced of Meghan and Harry holding hands while out shopping, her Burberry HazleHurst suede boots sold out on Lyst within 36 hours with searches for ankle boots and Burberry boots also soaring.

The Suits actress' trusty Sarah Flint ankle tie flats have also seen a huge surge in interest since November, selling out completely, while her Saint Laurent Sac Du Jour is thought to be behind a boost in searches for 'navy bags'.

LADY AMELIA WINDSOR

Lady Amelia Windsor opts for a laid-back look at the Shrimps of London presentation at LFW, left, sparking a boost in searches and sales for cami dresses by 78 per cent and 68 per cent

A surge in sales of this 335 Women's Striped Cotton And Linen-blend Wrap Jacket from Jacquemus is believed to be linked to Lady Amelia Windsor's LFW appearance

Tatler's 'most beautiful royal' and the 36th in line to the throne, is no stranger to the grunge look, and her outfit for the Shrimps of London presentation at London Fashion Week certainly turned heads.

The 21-year-old boosted searches and sales for cami dresses by 78 per cent and 68 per cent respectively, which data experts say is 'very surprising' for this time of year. Some 14 per cent snapped out a white s-shirt with their purchase too - just like Lady Amelia.

Pin stripe searches also jumped by 35 per cent, with a Jacquemus Women's White Pinstripe wrap jacket fast becoming the be most viewed item on Lyst.

PRINCESS DIANA

Diana turns head in a strapless LBD and choker at a Vanity Fair party at London's Serpentine Gallery - a retrospective style exhibition sparked a spike in interest in copycat LBDs

Copycat: The Row's women's black 'Hali' off-the-shoulder stretch crepe mini dress

The late Princess died almost 20 years ago but it appears she is still making waves in the fashion world from beyond the grave.

Perhaps her most iconic ensemble, the so-called 'revenge gown' which she wore to a charity dinner following news of her acrimonious split from Prince Charles in 1994, is believed to be behind an unprecedented surge in LBD sales according to experts at Lyst.

Last month, following the announcement of the Diana: Her Fashion Story exhibition at Kensington Palace, Lyst reported an unprecedented 87 per cent spike in searches for little black dresses, with 12 per cent of their LBD styles selling out altogether.

Meanwhile an off-the-shoulder crepe mini from The Row, almost identical to Diana's Christina Stambolian frock, has fast become the most-viewed LBD on the entire site.

PIPPA MIDDLETON

Pippa steals the show at her sister's wedding to Prince William in 2011, left, sparking a huge surge in searches for Alexander McQueen dresses on Lyst like this one, right

The youngest Middleton sister shot to fame thanks to her form-fitting bridesmaid gown at the 2011 royal wedding.

Thanks to her pert posterior, which made headlines all around the world, searches for Alexander McQueen dresses increased by a staggering 135 per cent.

Meanwhile, specific keywords such as 'figure hugging' and 'floor length' alongside 'dress' accounted for 81 per cent of all dress-related search queries.
Her trusty Launer handbag is as intrinsic to the Queen as crowns and corgis, but it turns out the accessory has a more important use than holding her spectacles on official engagements.

According to royal historian Hugo Vickers, the monarch uses her bag to send secret signals to her staff to indicate when she's ready to move on from a conversation.

He told People magazine that shifting her bag from one hand to the other is an indication the royal is ready to end a chat, and it's been said the Queen will place her bag on a table at events to signal that she's ready to leave.

A third secret signal is a discreet twist of her wedding ring, which the Queen uses to emphasise that she'd like to be moved on from a conversation quickly.

According to royal historian Hugo Vickers, if you see the Queen switching her bag from one hand to the other, it's a secret signal to her staff that she's ready to end a conversation

A discreet twist of her wedding ring is said to be a sign the Queen would like to be moved along from a conversation with speed

The Queen, pictured at Ascot in 2016, first started her love of Launer bags in 1968 and is believed to have more than 200

Of the handbag hand switch to summon helpers, Vickers said: 'Luckily, theyd let you down easy.'

'It would be done very nicely. Someone would come along and say, "Sir, the Archbishop of Canterbury would very much like to meet you".

According to Vickers, if the Queen is particularly keen to exit the conversation she will make the more significant gesture of twisting her ring as a sign to staff to intervene.

Also, while taking official meetings at Buckingham Palace she has the use of a discreet buzzer that gives staff the nod to open the doors and accompany the guest out.

It's previously been revealed that when the Queen places her bag on the table at an event, it's a five minute warning to her ladies-in-waiting that she's ready to leave.

The Queen is not the only one who makes her handbag more than just an accessory to complement her outfit.

SECRETS OF THE QUEEN'S BAG The monarch has each of her Launer handbags customised with longer handles so they don't get in the way when shaking hands. The Queen wants ease of opening, so that means no shoulder bag or zips. Her bespoke bags always come with a mirror, a matching purse and a glasses case. The Queen's love affair with Launer began when she was sent a bag in 1968 by Sam Launer, and the company was given the Royal Warrant. Although the black patent model is her favourite, the royal has been experimenting with more bold colours in recent years. It's been said her handbag always contains practical essentials like mints, a handkerchief, and a fountain pen. According to Sally Bedell Smith, who wrote Elizabeth the Queen: The Woman Behind the Throne, the royal handbag also contains a portable hook which is used to hang it beneath tables. Advertisement

The Queen, pictured on a visit to Liverpool in June 2016, carrying her black patent Launer bag, which is her favourite model

Switching her bag from one hand to the other sends a subtle signal to her ladies-in-waiting, according to a royal historian

THE QUEEN'S LOVE AFFAIR WITH LAUNER LONDON HANDBAGS The Queen's trademark structured handbags come from Launer London. Her love affair with the brand began when she was sent a bag in 1968 by Sam Launer, and the company was later given the Royal Warrant. Launer is since believed to have supplied more than 200 bags to the Queen. Although the black patent model is her favourite, the royal has been experimenting with more bold colours in recent years. The classic totes come with a price tag of up to 1,650, but are worn again and again by the royal, who recycles them for engagements and even has the fittings repaired rather than splash out on new models. Her Majesty, 90, 'likes her black patent' and usually wears the black-patent Traviata, costing 1,550. She also owns several different versions of the Adagio in black and patent cream, both 1,300, the Bellini, costing 1,250, the Royale, sold at 1,650, the Lulu in cream, priced at 740, and the Encore handbag in black calf leather. Advertisement

Recently, the founder of Beaumont Etiquette Myka Meier told Good Housekeeping that the Duchess of Cambridge always carries a clutch bag for a very particular reason.

She revealed that Kate, 35, often 'holds her bag in front of her in both hands when shaking hands might be awkward'.

Meanwhile, the Queen carries her bag over her left arm so that her right hand is free to greet people.

But what does she keep in there? Each bag comes with a glasses case, mirror and matching purse
A medicine student from the University of Western Australia, Denae Sinclair, has launched a Change.org petition ahead of a health seminar by controversial anti-vaccination advocate David 'Avocado' Wolfe.

Mr Wolfe, a self-proclaimed 'Health, Eco, Nutrition, and Natural Beauty Expert', is set to touch down in Perth next weekend to hold a three day wellness seminar at the Rendezvous Hotel in Scarborough.

He is best known for his controversial views on anti-vaccination, and believing the earth is flat.

David 'Avocado' Wolfe currently on tour in Australia promises to go 'beyond health to share new findings on how the world really works'

'At this conference, he will undoubtedly spew forth unscientific, false and frankly dangerous claims which can endanger the health, well being and lives of those who are subjected to it, and who may not possess the skills or education to seek better understanding,' Denae, a University of Western Australia medicine student, wrote on Change.org

Ms Sinclair told WA today that Mr Wolfe's contentious stance on a number of health issues was concerning.

'When I heard he was coming to Perth, to speak at a well-known hotel function center for $440 per ticket, I had to step up and say something.

The controversial anti-vaccination advocate who believes the earth is flat and gravity is a hoax has caused outrage during his appearance in Australia

'I fear that people will be harmed by his messages, and will forgo actual medicine for ineffective and dangerous 'natural' remedies,' she said.

'Anti-vaccinators promote dangerous ideas that lead to poor health outcomes in a society.'

But Mr Wolfe told WA today that he wasn't troubled by the petition.



'I don't really feel anything about it, I'm just going to show up and deliver my health message on nutrition, foods, superfoods, and herbalism,' he said.

'Sane and rational people understand that censorship leads to tyranny and this is a free country and freedom shall prevail,' he added.

But one commenter in support of the petition wrote: 'He cannot be spreading his ideas and therapies to the public. He shouldn't be given the opportunity to hold a seminar.'

Tickets are $440 for the full three days, and the event is hosted by Australian company Superfeast.

A Superfeast spokesperson said Mr Wolfe's personal beliefs were not relevant to the events' sole purpose.

'David is here to talk about nutrition, wellness and detoxification. Our interest as a company and for the event is enhancing all the participant's health practices and goals... we would like to reiterate that the tour is not, nor ever has been promoted as having anything to do with vaccinations,' she said.

Vaccine advocates in the Byron Shire have slammed the US-born 'conspiracy theorist' and urged vulnerable parents not to listen to his 'dangerous ideas'

Ms Sinclair explained on the post that she was fearful for impressionable individuals.

'(It will) further contribute to poor vaccination rates and increasing incidence of vaccine-preventable disease, as well as a general distrust of science and medicine,' she wrote on Change.org

David 'Avocado' Wolfe, currently touring Australia, promises to go 'beyond health to share new findings on how the world really works'.

On his website he claims that 'a growing body of evidence indicates that vaccines are not safe and that they can injure, permanently maim, or even kill you or a family member.'

He's set to speak in Byron Bay and vaccine advocates in the Byron Shire, which has the lowest vaccination rate in the country, have slammed the US-born 'conspiracy theorist' and urged vulnerable parents not to listen to his 'dangerous ideas.'

Last week, the Northern Rivers Vaccination Supporters sent an open letter to the host of the upcoming seminar, Jing Organics.

The Byron Shire has the lowest vaccination rate in the country (stock image)

'We wish to bring your attention to the upcoming talk that David 'Avocado' Wolfe has been booked for in Byron Bay,' the letter read.

'We have concerns that in this region of already dangerously low vaccination rates, a known anti-vaccination activist will be given a platform to spread his misinformation surrounding the safety and efficacy of vaccination.'

The organisation wrote that Wolfe's appearance will do 'nothing to help accurately inform the community about vaccines; but it does place them at risk by exposing them to falsehoods.

'We see this as a Public Health issue and ask that you support us in our efforts to prevent the spread of misinformation like that which Mr. Wolfe has spoken about in the past.'

Owner of Jing Organics Adam Kingsley says he too is an anti-vaccine advocate (stock)

Owner of Jing Organics Adam Kingsley told The Daily Telegraph he too is an anti-vaccine advocate.

'I'm anti-vaccine, I'm publicly open about that, just because stuff is peer reviewed doesn't mean it's true. David Wolfe is a world health expert,' Mr Kingsley said.

Wolfe, who calls himself a nutritionist and the 'rock star and Indiana Jones of the superfoods and longevity universe,' also believes the world is flat and gravity is a hoax.
Little Jack Sparrow may be tiny, but he has already made a huge impact in his short time in the world.

The nearly six-week-old baby, whose full name is Jack Riley Sadgrove, was born more than 15 weeks premature and weighed just 693 grams at birth.

Now his parents Amy and Brendan, from Sydney, are helping the little one fight for his life, and raising thousands of dollars for the hospital taking care of him in the process.

Jack Riley Sadgrove, nicknamed Jack Sparrow by his parents Amy (pictured) and Brendan due to his tiny size, was born more than 15 weeks premature and weighed just 693g at birth

Now his parents are helping the little one fight for his life, and raising thousands of dollars for the hospital taking care of him in the process

Jack's mother, Amy, knew something wasn't right when she went to the bathroom and saw a few drops of blood in the middle of the night.

She and Brendan decided to play it safe and go to the hospital, where a doctor informed them that the mum-to-be was already 6cm dilated.

'I am so sorry,' the doctor said. 'But you are probably going to deliver your baby tonight.'

Suddenly a 'dream' pregnancy had turned into a nightmare in just 24 weeks.

The next few hours became a swirl of doctors with scary statistics detailing the chances their little boy would survive and what disabilities he could face if he did.

One of the first questions the doctors asked Amy and Brendan was if they wanted to keep the baby, or terminate.

But 24 weeks was the first point of viability where a baby has any chance of survival if delivered prematurely. Little Jack had hit the 24 week mark that very night.

Jack had just hit the 24-week mark when Amy went to the bathroom in the middle of the night and saw spots of blood. The doctors then informed her she was in labour

One of the first questions the doctors asked Amy and Brendan were if they wanted to keep the baby, or terminate due to his low chance of survival

For Amy and Brendan, it was no decision.

The doctors advised the couple to stay calm in an effort to try and keep Jack in as long as possible.

Although it seemed like an impossible task, Amy utilised her yoga and meditation practice to relax and try and focus on the task at hand.

Brendan said that, for the next five days, Amy was in a 'state of calm' that he had never seen before.

On the fifth day, the doctors realised little Jack had to come out - whether they were ready or not.

An ultrasound revealed that Jack had turned, and the umbilical cord was dangerously below him.

They feared that if Amy's water broke in the middle of the night, the minimal staff and doctors on hand would not be able to handle a dangerous delivery.

It may have been less than a week, but those five days were still huge for little Jack.

Two courses of steroids and magnesium had given his lungs and brain a super boost of growth. Doctors said it raised his chances of survival by 10 per cent.

But 24 weeks was the first point of viability where a baby has any chance of survival if delivered prematurely. After five more days in hospital, Amy gave birth to little Jack

Two courses of steroids and magnesium had given his lungs and brain a super boost of growth during those five days. Doctors said it raised his chances of survival by 10 per cent

Jack, who completely skipped the third trimester, was delivered on January 21. Amy got to hold him a week after he was born.

It remains a long way back for little Jack, who is expected to remain in the NICU at the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney for up to four months.

There are multiple times a day when his tiny lungs become too tired and just stop, causing how heart to slow down.

And his struggle has been admittedly hard to watch for Brendan and Amy.

'Being the parent of any baby, let alone a preemie baby, is such a rollercoaster,' Brendan told Daily Mail Australia.

'It has been the kindness of friends, family and strangers and the incredible dedication of the hospital staff that have kept our feet on the ground.'

'Jack is our world. We are taking each day as it comes and each day my intention is to be able to take a steady and comfortable seat, no matter the circumstances,' Amy added.

'Of course this is easier some days, harder other days, but Brendan is such an amazing support that I know we will deal with anything.'

Brendan and Amy's friends decided to rally around the couple and set up a GoFundMe campaign to help raise money while they were away from work.

But the couple were adamant that all funds go to the NICU that is helping keep Jack alive.

Brendan said he is extremely proud of the boy who has 'already changed the world'. The family has raised more than $40,000 for the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney since his birth

Brendan had been speaking with the nurses during the first few days after Jack's birth, and learned how desperately they needed money for the simplest of things.

There were cushions they wanted to put in the parents' room and blankets for the humidicribs that were necessary along with lifesaving medical equipment.

The GoFundMe has since raised more than $40,000, already enough to outfit the NICU with reclining chairs for mum's to breastfeed and cuddle their newborns.

New parts for vital breathing equipment can now also be purchased, and some of the raised funds will also be used to refurbish the parents' room.

It has been an incredible achievement that all began thanks to one tiny baby.

'In such a short time, this little block has already changed the world,' Brendan said.

'I am so bloody proud of the little guy, I think I might explode.'

'When he was at his worst, I was holding his hand and I swear he was looking up at me and he knew I was there,' he added.

'I will never forget that look he gave me.'
She took to Instagram to celebrate gracing the cover of the first ever edition of Vogue Arabia.

But Gigi Hadid has been accused of 'cultural appropriation' by furious commentators who are unhappy about her sporting a veil in the magazine shoot.

The supermodel, who is half-Palestinian and whose father is Muslim, has sparked a backlash on social media with some accusing her of reducing the hijab to a 'fashion statement'.

Critics blasted Gigi for using the veil, worn by millions of Muslim women around the world, as a 'trend' rather than religious dress.

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Gigi posed for two separate black and white images wearing a beaded veil on Vogue Arabia's first ever print edition. In another image, she can be seen wearing a pink headscarf

Gigi, 21, posed for the black and white cover images in a beaded veil that covered half of her face on the the 'reorienting perceptions' issue of the landmark edition, shot by photographer duo Inez and Vinoodh.

In pictures featured inside, she can be seen posing in a colourful headscarf in what has been described as 'uniquely Arabian' styling.

Before the backlash ensued, Gigi gushed on Instagram that sharing 'different cultures' was a 'beautiful thing', speaking of the fashion industry's 'desire to continue to accept, celebrate, and incorporate all people & customs'.

But angry fans flocked to social media to accuse her of 'using the hijab as a fashion statement', with one telling Gigi: 'The hijab is not "cultural".

Angry fans have taken to Twitter asking Gigi to 'stop using the hijab as a fashion statement' with one suggesting she was 'appropriating' religious dress in her Vogue shoot

Gigi gushed that sharing 'different cultures' was a 'beautiful thing', speaking of the fashion industry's 'desire to continue to accept, celebrate, and incorporate all people & customs'

Some people took to Gigi's Instagram page and asked the supermodel why she doesn't 'speak out about Palestinian issues or culture' with another writing: 'Stop using the hijab as a trend'

Others suggested she was 'only Palestinian when it suited her' because the model has in the past stayed quiet on political issues in her father's home country.

MailOnline has contacted Conde Nast and Gigi's representatives for comment.

Gigi's veil is draped across part of the model's face in the Arabic language edition of the magazine, and significantly more of her face in the English language edition.

The debut print issue - which is on stands March 5 - is entitled Reorienting Perceptions.

'Vogue Arabia is me': The model's cover give her a chnace to celebrate her heritage as Gigi's father Mohamed Hadid (pictured last year) is Palestinian and Muslim

A guide to Muslim headwear Hijab A hijab is a veil traditionally worn by Muslim women in the presence of adult males outside of their immediate family. Their face is visible and it typically covers a woman's head and chest. Niqab A niqab is a veil which covers almost the whole face, showing only the eyes. Burka A burka is a full body cloak worn by some Muslim women. A piece of semi-transparent cloth in front of the eyes allows the woman to see. Advertisement

The shoot marks Gigi's 21st Vogue cover, but she took to social media to say that this one was a very special to her.

Gigi wrote: ''Being half-Palestinian, it means the world to me to be on the first-ever cover(s) of @voguearabia, and I hope that this magazine will show another layer of the fashion industry's desire to continue to accept, celebrate, and incorporate all people & customs and make everyone feel like they have fashion images and moments they can relate to... & learn and grow in doing so.'

Vogue Arabia's Editor-in-Chief, Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz, said the model was the perfect face to launch the magazine.

'In one poised photograph, she communicates a thousand words to a region that's been waiting far too long for its Vogue voice to speak,' she said.

Lending her voice: the magazine launched a digital edition last year and Gigi starred in a video teasing her involvement ahead of the release of its debut cover this week

'The collage of countries across the Arab world are long-deserving of a place in fashion history and there's no better first ''face'' to lead the charge for Vogue Arabia than Gigi, a model who defines tomorrow's entrepreneurial and dynamic generation.'

Gigi's mother Yolanda also re-posted to cover and dedicated it to Gigi's grandmother who ensured that her children and grandchildren embraced their cultural heritage.

What is cultural appropriation - and why do huge brands constantly fall foul of it? Several big names have found themselves accused of cultural appropriation - defined as 'adopting elements of one culture by another culture.' In September last year, designer Marc Jacobs sent dreadlocked white models - including Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner - down the catwalk at New York Fashion Week. The stylist behind the show, Guido Palau, was forced to defend the fact that the show consisted of predominantly white models and was widely accused of cultural appropriation on Twitter. One social media user wrote at the time: 'Why does Marc Jacobs think it's okay to use dreadlocks on white people?' And in December, lingerie goliath Victoria's Secret found itself in a similar scenario after it showed models wearing 'exotic' lingerie influenced by Asian and Mexican designs. Cosmopolitan Lifestyle Editor Helin Jung suggested that the company was being derogatory for thinking it might sell more lingerie in a country if it aped their cultural designs. She wrote: 'What condescension, for Victoria's Secret to think that by wrapping a model in a dragon, it could connect directly with a new consumer in China.' Advertisement

Yolanda said on Instagram: 'This one is for you KHAIR HADID, I know you are watching down on us from heaven........ #RIP #MyPreciousMotherInLaw I was blessed to be educated, eat her home cooked Arabic food, and experience the beauty of her Muslim traditions.'

She added: 'I know she would have been so proud to see her granddaughter on the first cover of @voguearabia @gigihadid #DutchArabAmerican #ProudMommy.'

Gigi's cover was was styled by Brandon Maxwell, Lady Gaga's stylist, who dressed Syrian refugee Hala Kamil, the subject of documentary Watani: My Homeland, for the Oscars.

Gigi attends the Tommy X Gigi Spring 2017 collection at Paris Fashion Week last month. The model has come under fire in the past for 'cultural appropriation'

Proud mama: Gigi's mom Yolanda also re-posted to cover and dedicated it to Gigi's grandmother who did all she could to show her children and their children their culture

The debut print issue of Vogue Arabia will be available across the Middle East and North African region, as well as international locations including London, Paris, and Milan.

The magazine - which launched a digital edition first late last year - is the 22nd international version of Vogue and promises women of the region and also Muslim women high fashion styled with modest flair.

The magazine will offer both an English and Arabic language editions. In a promo video released last year teasing Gigi's involvement the star said: 'Vogue Arabia is me'.
When he decided to combine his two passions  film-making and mountaineering  there was only going to be one place Joe French would end up: Everest.

The worlds highest and deadliest mountain has always drawn climbers, but to conquer it with a camera too was always Joes mission.

In his 11 previous trips to the Himalayas, however, the intrepid Brit (who lives in Scotland with his wife and two daughters, and is a member of the Ben Nevis mountain rescue team) had only gone so far up the iconic slopes.

Joe French believed that he had met his death when he was devoured by an avalanche on Everest

Tragedy seemed to stalk him. In 2014, he and his team from the Discovery Channel had arrived at Everest to film a special in which US mountaineer Joby Ogwyn was planning to jump from the summit in a wingsuit (which has fabric between the arms and the body and between the legs, making the user look much like a flying squirrel) and glide 10,000ft to terra firma.

Alas, events conspired against them, fatally. When Joes team were due to start their ascent, Sherpa guides went on ahead to prepare the difficult path over the ice fields. Disaster struck.

An ice avalanche on the Western spur of Everest killed 16 Sherpas, and what Joes team ended up filming was a desperate rescue and recovery operation.

Had Joe not woken early and decided to go for a walk, he believes he would not be alive today as his tent was flattened by the snow fall

Everyone sprang into action, he recalls. All the mountain guides and medics know what to do. It was terrible to watch them bring down the bodies, but it was the first time I became aware of what a vital job the helicopter rescue guys do.

The following year when he returned to Everest, it was with some trepidation. He talks of how this trip was to confront some of the horror of the previous year, but he ended up in the midst of an even bigger natural disaster  that almost took his life.

The Nepalese earthquake of April 2015 claimed almost 9,000 lives, 22 of them on the slopes of Everest as the earthquake triggered another huge avalanche.

Joe was at base camp at the time, at 17,600ft above sea level, preparing for the ascent that had not happened the previous year. It was the start of the climbing season so base camp was busy. Had Joe not woken early and decided to go for a walk, he believes he would not be alive today. My tent was flattened, he says. I would have died if Id been in there. I only survived because I decided to take a walk.

The aftermath of the 2015 avalanche that nearly killed Joe

Few live to tell the story of what it feels like to be hit by an avalanche. Joe not only survived it but filmed it.

He says when he first felt tremors he instinctively whipped out his camera, just in time to see the entire mountain rush towards me. There was a moment of disbelief. I remember thinking, Ive got the shot, then, This is going to kill me.

He took the full force of the avalanche. I was submerged by the snow, he recalls. People think of an avalanche as like a slide. When it happens, its more like a bomb blast, it comes at you so fast.

'I remember tent poles flying, my lungs filling with snow. Then a calm descended. There was a weird sense of acceptance. I think I was bracing myself to leave the planet.

By some miracle he managed to extricate himself from the snow, but many didnt. The two people closest to me didnt make it. His memories of that day are horrific.

The injuries people suffer in this situation are like bomb blast injuries. You have people with their faces hanging off, brains blown out. People were dying in front of us. It was like a war zone, but our group was cut off from the rest of the world.

Survivors did their best to administer first aid, and a makeshift morgue was set up. Then came the agonising wait for help to arrive from the outside world. When it did, the feeling was overwhelming.

I remember tent poles flying, my lungs filling with snow. Then a calm descended. There was a weird sense of acceptance. I think I was bracing myself to leave the planet

Ill never forget the sound of that first helicopter. It was barely audible at first, the faintest rumble, but then the sound builds and builds. One helicopter popped up, then another, then another. It was the most joyful experience ever.

Joe hadnt been back to Everest since that day until last year when he decided he had to return to film the work of the helicopter pilots who risk their lives every day to airlift injured climbers off the mountain.

These guys are incredible. They take those machines, which arent designed to go that high, and perform the impossible.

The nail-biting six-part series follows a team of helicopter pilots as they make often treacherous missions to reach climbers in peril.

These guys operate on a knife edge, explains Joe. Its often perilous, even in good conditions. Add in bad conditions and, well, I dont know how these guys stay so calm.

One team of climbers get stranded after their camp is blown away by a storm and the rescue teams simply cannot find them. Theyre forced to spend a night in the open, and when the helicopter does reach them it cant land because the ice shelf on which theyre stranded is not stable enough. All eight have to be winched out separately.

He admits he was crazy afraid going back up there, but he also feels the film needed to be made. These pilots are true heroes, he says. We all owe them so much.

Everest Rescue, Sunday 12 March, 9pm, Discovery Channel.
Alan Davies is waiting for his kids to come home from school. My wifes gone to collect them and the whirlwind will come through the front door any minute, he jokes.

Very often its Alan who does the school run, and he says he wouldnt have it any other way.

I work unusual hours so Im really like a mum because Im at all the kids activities: music groups, playgroups, school run, all that  Im quite often the only dad there.

Alan Davies says 'Parenthood is the greatest joy but fatigue is your enemy so you really have to try to go to bed a bit earlier'

Alan became a household name in 1997 when he landed the role of Jonathan Creek, a magicians assistant with a talent for solving unusual crimes.

Subsequently hes become the longest-serving panellist on quiz show QI, and hes the first to admit his life has been transformed over the past ten years.

Once synonymous with volatile relationships and eternal bachelorhood, the 50-year-old is now a happily married family man after meeting childrens author Katie Maskell 12 years ago backstage at QI, where she was visiting with a friend.

In fact, he now chooses jobs to maximise the amount of time he has at home in north London with their children Susie, seven, Bobby, five, and Francis, one, which makes the return of his comedy chat show As Yet Untitled  currently on its fifth series  all the sweeter.

I harbour no ambitions at all on the work front, admits Alan. I like working, but you change your priorities when you become a parent. Im not pushing for acting jobs like I once did because then youre on location 60 hours a week.

'As Yet Untitled is really fun and the guests are hilarious, we only film for two hours and the studio is really near where I live.

Alan is happily married to children's author Katie Davies (pictured together) and the pair celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary this year

He and Katie celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary earlier this year and while he couldnt be happier since becoming a dad, hes honest about how having children has affected their relationship. Its really hard, especially when you have the third one, he admits.

Its horrible because the thing you lose is your wife. You have to make sure you dont wreck what you had at the start. We had a family holiday the week before Christmas so we could build things up again, because you can look round and the kids have grown up and you dont even know each other any more.

You change and you have to allow for that and work at it. Every cliche youve ever heard about marriage and parenthood is true. Parenthood is the greatest joy but fatigue is your enemy so you really have to try to go to bed a bit earlier.

'Something has to give and unfortunately its the sauvignon blanc. When we watch TV at night, we dont drink wine any more, you cant be selfish  though we made up for it celebrating our anniversary.

Alan as Johnathan Creek with co-star Sarah Alexander as Polly Creek

Alan is now at peace with how lifes panned out. Growing up in Chingford, Essex, he was deeply affected by the death of his mother from leukaemia when he was six. He received no counselling.

The attitude was, the least said the better, he recalls. I was never encouraged to talk about her. My father was left to bring up three children while working full time in the City.

I loved primary school. After mum died my teacher really looked after me and when I was ten, before we went up to the final year of primary school, I remember the head teacher coming in and telling us, Youre doing so well with Mrs Thorogood, shes going to teach you next year too.

'Everyone cheered but I was in the corner with tears in my eyes because my father had decided to take me out of a school where I was thriving and send me to his old all-boys public school a year early.

It was a disaster, a terrible decision. I ended up in all kinds of trouble as a teenager and dropped out of school after the lower sixth form. But because of that I went to college to do media studies and drama, and if I hadnt done that I wouldnt have done comedy and I wouldnt be where I am now.

If I hadnt done Jonathan Creek, I wouldnt have been asked to do adverts for the Abbey National. They were directed by John Lloyd, who created QI, and he invited me to do the pilot. And if I hadnt done that I wouldnt have met Katie backstage after a show. Everything connects back to the appalling decision my father made.

Alan gained a reputation for extreme behaviour in the past. In 2007, the worse for wear after the funeral of Jonathan Creek producer Verity Lambert, he bit a tramps ear when he was approached in the street.

His wife said in 2010, Every few years he does something that he gets in trouble for. Therell be another one, you know. Thats part of his personality.

Is that still true? Hopefully not, he laughs. I dont really go out any more so its not a problem. I do get recognised but people look up and think, Oh, its that bloke and then go back to what they were doing. I dont get mobbed. But you never know when youll encounter someone who wants something that youre unable to give. Its not all roses being recognised.

After the success of the Jonathan Creek Christmas special, will there be more? Im told that did really well, so theres obviously an appetite for it. It depends on David Renwick, the writer; hes 65 and I dont know how hes written the episodes he has, never mind any more.

He hasnt killed Creek off, though there was a moment when I was reading the Christmas special where I thought, This is it, my Victor Meldrew moment! he says, referring to the death of Renwicks other famous character.

Meanwhile its onwards with As Yet Untitled, in which Alan holds an unscripted round-table discussion with four guests.

Each episode begins untitled  hence the series name  but a title is chosen at the conclusion of the episode related to one of the guests anecdotes. Alan says one of the joys of it is that he gets to meet a lot of up-and-coming comedians.

There are loads of people on this series I hadnt met, like Gemma Whelan and Tom Rosenthal, and we can now go back to series one and two and think, Who can we invite back?

'So we have Katherine Ryan, Jack Dee and others. We dont just have comedians though, we have people like Melanie C who was happy to indulge us asking about the Spice Girls.

Its a great job for me so Ill keep it going for as long as possible.

Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled, Tuesdays, 10pm, Dave.
Halima Aden - the hijab-wearing model who took the fashion world by storm after making her catwalk debut at Kanye West's Yeezy show - has issued a message for Donald Trump: 'Just educate yourself.'

Since her New York Fashion Week appearance, the 19-year-old has appeared on the cover of the influential CR Fashion Book and walked for Alberta Ferretti and Max Mara in Milan.

The Somali-American, who moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota when she was six and was born in a refugee camp in Kenya, told Cosmopolitan.com the President could learn valuable lessons by speaking to people from different cultures.

New star: Halima Aden, 19, pictured left walking for Alberta Ferretti and center for Max Mara in Milan and right at Yeezy Season Five in New York, has taken the fashion world by storm

Message: The hijab-wearing model, pictured on the cover of CR Fashion Book, said Donald Trump should 'educate' himself by speaking to people from different cultures

She said: 'What I do is I always try to educate myself about my neighbors, about the people I meet. I think that's something that our president could do.

'We all have different things that make us strong and weak, but if we communicate and we really open ourselves and open our hearts, you're going to be amazed by the things that you can learn.'

She added: 'Everybody that comes from a different culture, they always [know] something that you've never thought of. Something that you could use, you know? So just educate yourself.'

Aden first rose to prominence last year as the first Miss Minnesota contestant to wear a hijab and was recently signed to major model agency IMG.

The President's controversial proposed travel ban - currently suspended - could prevent people from seven Muslim countries from traveling to the US.

In demand: Aden, who lives in St. Cloud, Minnesota, pictured with model Gigi Hadid, has been the star of the season since walking catwalk debut at Kanye West's Yeezy Season Five show

New star: Aden, pictured backstage at Max Mara in Milan, walked in two shows at the Italian fashion week and appeared on the cover of the influential CR Fashion Book

In response, Aden said she is 'proud' of America's diversity and hopes that it will continue to be a central characteristic of life in the US.

'America has always been a land of diversity, basically made up of immigrants, and that is something I want to see continued. It's something I'm proud of when people think of America.

'I want them to see the richness - how we are close together even though we all come from different creeds, different backgrounds, different religions. That's something I want to see continue,' she said.

Aden applied for the Miss Minnesota pageant after she 'stumbled upon' Miss Universe online.

She said: 'Here's a company that's been celebrating diversity of beauty for over 65 years. I wonder if I could join.'

Identity: Aden, pictured with fashion consultant Tremaine Emory, said she is 'proud' of America's diversity and hopes that it will continue to be a central feature of US life

Suggestion: Aden said she tries to 'educate myself about my neighbors' and advised the President, pictured leaving the White House on Thursday, to do the same

Aden said she is 'proud' of the positivity around her story and of her faith and that the fashion world has 'welcomed me with open arms'.

She said that designers have been 'very accepting' of her faith and of her dressing requirements.

It was Carine Roitfeld, who is editor-in-chief of CR Fashion Book and a Yeezy stylist, who put her forward to walk in the label's NYFW show.

During the show she said she was in 'disbelief' that she was able to stay true to herself and be a catwalk model.

She said West was 'super nice', adding: 'He just welcomed me to the show and was super polite. That was fun. I got to meet Kanye.'
It has been the staple of women's healthcare for years.

From the age of 21, all females in the US are advised to start getting annual Pap tests.

The painless exam - placing a Q-tip inside the woman's cervix to take a sample - is the standard way to check for cervical cancer.

However, a growing swell of research suggests this method is too outdated and non-specific to be relied on.

Experts argue America should follow the Netherlands and Australia in dropping the Pap test in favor of HPV tests, now that we know most cervical cancers are caused by the sexually-transmitted disease.

But some claim even that is not enough.

The American Cancer Society has repeatedly warned that many women seem to believe a Pap test is a one-size-fits-all exam that catches any kind of cancer.

However, they warn 'silent killer' ovarian cancer is rarely spotted with anything other than a transvaginal ultrasound or a CA-125 blood test.

Experts warn the Pap test is too flawed to be a woman's only test for 'silent killer' cancers

WHAT IS THE PAP TEST?

The Pap test is named after Greek-American Dr Georges Papanicolaou, who developed the revolutionary method of scraping cells from the cervix in the 40s.

In his method, he would smear them on a glass slide and then examine them under a microscope to detect pre-cancerous changes.

In recent years the method changed, so it is now put in a test tube, meaning the name technically changed from 'smear' to 'test'.

The test was the first exam that could be used for screening women to prevent cervical cancer.

And since routine tests were introduced, the number of cases of cervical cancer plummeted.

Unlike many other cancers, cervical cancer does not develop suddenly.

Instead, the cells change gradually over many months or, in some cases, several years.

Therefore, detection at an early stage allows the abnormal cells to be destroyed relatively easily, before they have a chance to develop into full-blown cancer.

The Pap test is a painless exam - placing a Q-tip inside the cervix to take a sample - to check for cervical cancer. It was invented in the 40s, when we didn't know what caused cervical cancer

WHY DO SOME SAY IT IS FLAWED?

1. IT CANNOT DETECT OVARIAN CANCER - BUT MANY THINK IT CAN

The American Cancer Society noted that it is difficult 'for even the most skilled practitioner' to identify ovarian tumors with a Pap test - either in the early or late stages.

Usually, a gynecologist will also do a pelvic exam as well, feeling for enlarged organs.

However, the ACS warns that this method is also flawed, saying it is rare that doctors could feel ovarian tumors by hand.

The only sure-fire way of catching ovarian cancer is by using one of two tests: a transvaginal ultrasound and a CA-125 blood test.

Those tests are two of the best options out there - though neither is completely accurate.

The transvaginal ultrasound uses sound waves to look at the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries through an ultrasound wand.

That test can find a mass in the ovary - though it cannot tell if it is cancer or not.

In contrast, the second test detects levels of the protein CA-125 in the blood.

For women with ovarian cancers, their CA-125 levels are often high.

But, other conditions can also cause CA-125 levels to be abnormal - and not every woman with ovarian cancer has high levels.

That's why regular transvaginal ultrasounds and CA-125 tests are not recommended.

2. THE TEST IS BASICALLY A WAY OF LOOKING FOR HPV

When the Pap was invented, nobody knew what caused cervical cancer.

The test was a general way of detecting 'abnormal' cells - i.e.: cells that don't look exactly as they should.

Today, we know that 91 percent of those changes - leading to cervical cancer - are caused by HPV.

HPV is also the reason for 75 percent of vagina cancers and 69 percent of vulva cancers.

As a result, we now know that the Pap's purpose is almost always to detect HPV.

Indeed, current research indicates that the only way you can by 97 percent sure of catching cervical cancer (the highest probability) is by teaming the Pap with an HPV test.

HPV is a common virus that causes warts, including genital warts. Usually, the immune system clears the infection, but persistent infection with certain strains of HPV leads to cervical cancer in some women.

Today, we know that 91 percent of those changes - leading to cervical cancer - are caused by HPV. In other words, the purpose of the Pap test (pictured) is almost always to detect HPV

SHOULD WE SWAP IT FOR A COMBO OF HPV TESTS AND ULTRASOUNDS?

1. THE ARGUMENT FOR HPV TESTING AS THE STANDARD METHOD

HPV tests are more accurate than Pap tests at testing for the DNA of HPV.

Some tests specifically focus on HPV types 16 and 18 - the ones most associated with cancer.

Those who back the switch emphasize the savings it would earn patients: they could skip the co-pay of both Pap smears and HPV tests. They could also do the test at home.

Indeed, there is a global push to switch from Pap tests to HPV tests as the standard check for cancer.

Holland made the change last year, and Australia is switching by the end of 2017.

2. THE ARGUMENT AGAINST

In America, there is still push-back, given the high rates of false-positives.

Eighty percent of sexually-active Americans will contract HPV at some point in their lives. But in most cases, the virus goes away on its own and doesn't develop into cancer.

In 2011, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said that after reviewing all the clinical data, they would recommend against HPV tests, alone or in combination with smear tests in women under 30.

They said that screening for HPV causes more false positive cancer results than the smear alone.

However, they said there wasn't enough evidence to decide whether the HPV tests did more harm than good in women over 30.

The panel, which is highly influential in primary care practice in America, said women should just have a smear test once every three years between the ages of 21 and 65.

The scientists must weigh the potential benefits of early detection of disease through screenings against the potential harms to healthy patients who may be subjected unnecessarily to more invasive procedures or side-effects.

EXPLAINED: THE 5 GYNECOLOGICAL CANCERS AND HOW TO FIND THEM

1. ENDOMETRIAL CANCER

Endometrial cancer, also called uterine or womb cancer, starts in the lining of the uterus.

It can spread, infecting the cervix, the outer lining of the womb, the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the vagina, and the vulva.

Most sufferers will experience some tell-tale symptoms before the cancer develops, allowing it to be caught early.

However, unlike cervical cancer, standard tests (like pelvic exams and Pap tests) do not easily detect endometrial cancer.

The majority of women diagnosed with endometrial cancer (about 90 percent) have abnormal vaginal bleeding.

Some may experience a change in their periods (from heavy to light or vice versa), bleeding between periods, bleeding after menopause, or discharge tinted with blood.

These symptoms are not specific to cancer, but doctors advised seeing an ob-gyn to be safe.

Meanwhile some women may not see blood in their discharge, but rather a change in consistency. This should also be a warning sign, the American Cancer Society warns.

Other symptoms include pelvic pain and inexplicably losing weight.

As with many other cancers, if you feel a lump or mass, you should see your doctor.

Women most at-risk of contracting endometrial cancer are over 55, in late menopause, have never given birth, are infertile, are obese, have diabetes, have high blood pressure, or are on estrogen treatment or tamoxifen therapy.

An ultrasound is the most common test to detect endometrial cancer.

The next step is an endometrial biopsy, removing a piece of endometrium using a suction tube, to be tested.

In the case of a cancer diagnosis, CT, MRI and PET scans can then be used to see whether the disease has spread.

Finally blood tests can be carried out to detect whether a woman has a decreased blood count, since the cancer can cause anemia.

Treatments include surgery to remove the uterus, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

2. OVARIAN CANCER

Ovarian cancer is where the disease originates from the cells in and around the ovary.

The ovaries form part of a woman's reproductive system, storing her supply of eggs.

Each month an egg is released into the womb, ready for fertilization.

Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death in women and accounts for more deaths in the UK than all of the other gynecological cancers combined.

If diagnosed at an early stage, the outcome is good.

However, because some of the symptoms of ovarian cancer are similar to those seen in more common conditions, it can be difficult to diagnose.

As a result, vast swathes of patients are not diagnosed until the disease has spread, increasing the likelihood they will succumb to the disease.

In addition, it is important to note, most tumors found on the ovaries are not cancerous, but benign.

One in five ovarian masses found in women still having their periods are cancerous.

That figure rises in post-menopausal women to one in every two tumors.

In the majority of cases, ovarian cancer affects women over the age of 50.

The key early signs and symptoms to be aware of are:

These symptoms should raise concerns if they are frequent (happen more than 12 times a month), are persistent and new, not normal for you.

It is likely that these symptoms may not be a sign of ovarian cancer, but many patients experience the symptoms in the early stages of their disease.

Approximately one in every two women will develop ovarian cancer in their lifetime.

Though the cause of the disease isn't yet properly understood, age and having a family history of ovarian cancer, increases a woman's risk.

Two in 10 cases are thought to be linked to the inherited 'faulty' BRCA gene.

Carriers of the faulty BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, like Hollywood star Angelina Jolie, are also at greater risk of developing breast cancer.

3. CERVICAL CANCER

Cancer of the cervix - the neck of the womb - affects women of all ages, but is most common in those aged 30 to 45 years old.

WHY ARE MORE BLACK WOMEN DYING FROM CERVICAL CANCER? Black women are more susceptible to fibroids - benign masses in the uterus - which can cause cancerous symptoms. But research suggests that black women are more likely to have their cervical cancer caught at a later stage of diagnosis than white women. They may also receive different treatment compared to white women. One study found that black women had 50 percent lower odds of receiving surgery than white women. They also had 50 percent higher odds of receiving radiation compared to white women with the same stage and insurance. For most, the standard test of checking for fibroids is a pelvic exam, in which the gynecologist feels their patient's pelvis to see if anything feels enlarged. However that will only work if the fibroids have grown towards the front of the uterus. Anything towards the back will require an ultrasound - something not routinely offered. Advertisement

The disease is largely preventable, with screening programs where women have regular smear tests, detecting pre-cancerous cell, which indicate an increased risk of cancer if they remain untreated.

In the future the HPV vaccine will prevent most forms of cervical cancer, but until a time when all women have had the vaccination, screening will remain to play a vitally important role.

As with all gynecological cancers, the sooner cervical cancer is diagnosed, the better a woman's chances of survival.

Important early symptoms are:

Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by the common, sexually transmitted infection, the human papillomavirus (HPV).

Most women will have HPV at some point in their lives, though for most the virus clears up of its own accord.

But, where the virus doesn't go away, there is a risk of abnormal cells developing, which could morph into cancer over time.

To lessen the risk of developing the disease

Even if you have had the HPV vaccine and have a normal cervical smear result, it is vital you raise symptoms with a doctor.

4. VULVAL CANCER

Vulvar cancer is one of the rarest forms of the disease, with around 1,000 cases diagnosed in the UK each year.

Eighty per cent of those are in women aged over 60, while the pre-cancerous form of the condition - vulval intrepithelial neoplasia - tends to be diagnosed in those aged 30 to 50.

Symptoms of vulval cancer include:

While all these symptoms can also be a sign of other, more common conditions, it is vital to see your GP if any persist.

The HPV vaccine is among the greatest protection available to the disease, as many forms of vulval cancer are triggered by the virus.

5. VAGINAL CANCER

Vaginal cancer is a very rare form of the disease, with just 250 cases diagnosed in the UK each year, according to The Eve Appeal.

As with all gynecological cancers, it is most common in older women, in this case those over 60, while it is extremely rare in those aged under 40.

A condition called vaginal intrepithelial neoplasia, where there are changes to the cells in the lining of the vagina, can mean you're at increased risk of the disease.

The condition only triggers cancer where it is not treated.

Cervical screening smear tests can help detect any changes in the cells in the lining of the woman.

And the HPV vaccine offers protection as vaginal cancer can be caused by the HPV virus.

Early symptoms of vaginal cancer are:

As many as one in two women with vaginal cancer will have no symptoms at all.
The latest female star of Naked and Afraid has been forced to quit to seek medical help after a swarm of flies left her with a full-body rash.

Anastasia Ashley, an internationally-recognized professional surfer, joined YouTube star Cory Williams to try to make it for 14 days in the middle of nowhere in Belize.

However, Daily Mail Online can reveal the 30-year-old blonde has had to tap out of Discovery's show eight days early - and this photo shows why.

The normally bronzed beauty was left with redness and itchy bumps head-to-toe.

According to producers, she was attacked by sand flies, being bitten for 12 hours straight from 6pm to 6am on the sixth day.

'The flies had hatched and latched on to her,' Ashley's agent Drew told Daily Mail Online.

'She had to tap out. She was told not to scratch, but she was so itchy.'

Sand fly bites can be particularly alarming since sand flies are the biggest spreaders of leishmaniasis, which can affect the internal organs.

If not treated, severe types of visceral leishmaniasis can be fatal.

Anastasia Ashley, 30, (pictured) made it six days on the island in Naked and Afraid - but she had to tap out of Discovery's show early due to sand fly bites (right), which can be deadly

If left without treatment, the bites may go away, but will likely leave ugly scars - one of Ashley's motivations to throw in the towel.

In the US, patients will normally be prescribed hydrocortisone cream.

Ashley has been using antibiotic oils and camaline lotion in a bid to stop the bites developing into a worse infection like leishmaniasis, according to her agent.

There are two forms of leishmaniasis - one manageable, one potentially deadly.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis merely causes skin sores, which appear within days, and are treatable with cream.

However, visceral leishmaniasis can affects several internal organs including the spleen, liver, and bone marrow.

Ominously, many people have a silent infection of visceral leishmaniasis without any symptoms or signs for months.

Eventually, symptoms may start to appear such as fever, weight loss, swelling of the spleen and liver, and abnormal blood tests.

Sufferers may also have low blood counts, including a low red blood cell count, a low white blood cell count, and a low platelet count.

The most common way people get infected is through the bite of infected female phlebotomine sand flies.

REVEALED: DANGERS OF SAND FLY BITES Sand fly bites can be particularly alarming since sand flies are the biggest spreaders of leishmaniasis, which can affect the internal organs. If not treated, severe types of visceral leishmaniasis can be fatal. LESS SEVERE FORM Cutaneous leishmaniasis merely causes skin sores, which appear within days, and are treatable with cream. MORE SEVERE FORM Visceral leishmaniasis can affects several internal organs including the spleen, liver, and bone marrow. Ominously, many people have a silent infection of visceral leishmaniasis without any symptoms or signs for months. Eventually, symptoms may start to appear such as fever, weight loss, swelling of the spleen and liver, and abnormal blood tests. Sufferers may also have low blood counts, including a low red blood cell count, a low white blood cell count, and a low platelet count. HOW YOU GET LEISHMANIASIS The most common way people get infected is through the bite of infected female phlebotomine sand flies. They suck blood from a person, usually during the night. They rarely bite during the day unless you brush up against them. Scarily, they are silent, small (the third of the size of a mosquito), and at first the bites may not be noticeable. Advertisement

They suck blood from a person, usually during the night. They rarely bite during the day unless you brush up against them.

Scarily, they are silent, small (the third of the size of a mosquito), and at first the bites may not be noticeable.

The CDC urges anyone with a severe case of sand fly bites to seek medical attention, which Anastasia conceded to do.

The rash was a first for Anastasia, who is used to being outdoors and on the beach.

She started competitively surfing from the age of seven, and was professionally surfing by the age of 14.

Having won over 200 events including the prestigious Women's Pipeline Pro, she is currently one of the most followed surfers on social media with over 3 million followers and fans across her channels.

Anastasia's appearance marked a shift in the show's format.

Normally, participants have to engage in a 'black out' during filming, meaning they cannot tell anyone anything about their experience until it airs.

This time, the two survivalists were allowed to document their intense Naked and Afraid experience on social media.

It meant fans of the series could catch snippets of highlights and low pointsevery day in real time.

They will emerge from the challenge on the day of the premiere of Naked and Afraid: Season 7 on Sunday, March 5.

To follow their experiences with Discovery, go to Naked and Afraid on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter or on discovery.com.
Drug firms have lowered the prices of 14 key cancer medicines after the NHS threatened to stop paying for them.

The discounts mean the drugs will continue to be available to patients, the rationing watchdog NICE revealed yesterday.

The treatments faced being withdrawn from use after a review of the Cancer Drugs Fund, which was set up to provide medicines not routinely prescribed by the NHS, found that they cost too much.

Drugs giants including Bayer, Novartis and Pfizer have lowered the costs of 14 key cancer medicines after the NHS threatened to stop paying for them following a review of costs

But pharmaceutical giants including Bayer, Novartis and Pfizer responded to the threat by lowering the price of all the medications, allowing NICE to move them from the temporary fund into routine NHS use. Experts asked last night why it took the threat of action for the firms to cut the prices of leukaemia drugs and those for cancer of the breast, kidney, lung, prostate and bowel.

Professor Karl Claxton, a health economist at the University of York, said: The discounts the manufacturers have offered demonstrate that price negotiation is only possible when we are not willing to say yes at any price.

Others pointed out that NICE is still reviewing the Cancer Drugs Fund, and ten other drugs have yet to be assessed  including some that are not likely to meet cost-effectiveness guidelines.

Drugs still in the balance include Kadcyla  a revolutionary breast cancer drug costing 90,000 per patient, which NICE has already indicated is unlikely to be approved. Sir Andrew Dillon, chief executive of NICE, had warned drugs companies to change their pricing behaviour.

When its review began last May, he threatened to cut cancer therapies unless firms dropped their prices, adding: They have to recognise the economic circumstances the NHS is in and do their bit.

Last night, he said: The system is working well. Companies are co-operating well with our reviews and the good news for patients is that more cancer drugs than ever are being recommended for routine use. As drugs move off the Cancer Drugs Fund, we free up funding for new drugs coming down the pipeline, so patients will have faster access to promising drugs and the NHS makes the most of its resources.

The discounts remain confidential, but the new fees are thought to be significantly less than normal list prices, which can amount to tens of thousands of pounds per patient.

The treatments faced being withdrawn from use after a review of the Cancer Drugs Fund, which was set up to provide medicines not routinely prescribed by the NHS, found that they cost too much (stock image)

Professor Paul Workman, chief executive of the Institute of Cancer Research in London, accused pharmaceutical companies of charging the highest prices the NHS could pay.

He said the discounts were great news, but insisted Britains drug-development system had to be overhauled, adding: Even with these discounts, there are fundamental problems with the way cancer drugs are priced. We need to make sure drugs are priced at a level that makes cancer treatments affordable for the NHS, rather than companies pricing drugs at what the market can bear.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, of the charity Breast Cancer Now, said the way NICE vets drugs could delay the latest cancer treatment. She added: There are major flaws in the NICE process which may block new and more novel drugs. This system is not fit for purpose in assessing modern drugs.

The trade names of the drugs involved are Afinitor, Halaven, Xalkori, Alimta, Xofigo, Zytiga, Jevtana, Xtandi, Erbitux, Vectibix, Bosulif, Sprycel, Iclusig and Imbruvica.
The dairy industry is waging war on almond, soy and rice alternatives - claiming they are 'masquerading as the real thing'.

The feud dates back to 2000, when the National Milk Producers Federation first petitioned the FDA to protect the word 'milk' from vegan outsiders.

However, it reignited this week as it becomes increasingly likely that food companies will have federal backing to use the words 'milk' and 'sausage' - as long as they make clear the ingredients.

But do consumers care? Here, we analyze whether protected status for milk could help it survive the anti-dairy health fad - and why nutritionists prefer alternatives.

Is almondmilk milk? Dairy farmers claim it isn't, as they fight to maintain their identity

WHY SHOULD DAIRY MILK BE THE ONLY MILK?

Though soy milk and almond milk have become commonplace terms, milk's standard of identity says it is obtained by the 'complete milking of one or more healthy cows.'

That's a point the dairy industry is now emphasizing, with the support of lawmakers who last month introduced legislation calling for the FDA to enforce the guidelines.

'Mammals produce milk, plants don't,' said Jim Mulhern, president of the National Milk Producers Federation.

The federation says it has been trying to get the FDA to enforce the standard since at least 2000, and that the lack of enforcement has led to a proliferation of imitators playing 'fast and loose' with dairy terms.

Those products often refer to themselves as 'soymilk' or 'almondmilk,' single words that the dairy industry says is a way to get around the guidelines for 'milk.'

The Plant Based Foods Association, which represents companies like Tofurky and milk alternatives, says standards of identity were created to prevent companies from passing off cheaper ingredients on customers.

But the group says that's not what soy, almond and rice milk makers are trying to do.

'Those companies are charging more money, because consumers are gravitating toward them,' said Michele Simon, the group's executive director.

The FDA says it takes action 'in accordance with public health priorities and agency resources.'

WHY ALTERNATIVE MILK IS SO POPULAR

Indeed, most nutritionists recommend nut-based alternatives to dairy milk for patients who have gastrointestinal or skin issues.

While regular milk has health benefits, such as a high calcium content, it can cause problems for some people.

Scores of studies have found the only reason we are able to digest dairy is because we trained ourselves to.

In fact, despite our persistence, 75 percent of the world's population struggles to properly digest lactose - the main sugar found in milk.

That is because their small intestine does not produce enough of the lactose enzyme needed to break down the sugars.

The condition - an intolerance, not an allergy - is particularly common in Africa and Asia, where dairy consumption is the lowest in the world.

75 percent of the world's population struggles to properly digest lactose - the main sugar found in milk

Intriguingly, those two continents also have some of the lowest rates of the bone condition osteoporosis, suggesting dairy may not be the be-all-and-end-all for bone health.

Weighing in on the debate, London-based nutritionist Cassandra Barnes last year gave us her verdict of the different milks.

'As well as being a good source of calcium, protein, and fat-soluble vitamins, [dairy] milk and other dairy foods has been found to reduce the risk of diabetes and obesity,' she said.

'However, many studies have only found this beneficial effect with full-fat milk, and not skimmed or semi-skimmed milk. But there are also several good arguments against drinking milk.

'Many people may have a negative reaction to milk and other dairy products, with symptoms including digestive problems, or excessive mucus production. Being prone to earaches or a 'snotty nose' can be an indication that you have a problem with dairy.

'It may also cause particular problems for those with skin conditions such as eczema, and other immune system imbalances including autoimmune conditions.

'In summary, I'd say that for some people it can be fine to drink milk; for others, it's best kept to a minimum or avoided. It's very individual, and depends on the person's general state of health and symptoms that may indicate they don't tolerate it very well.

'For those who do drink milk, I'd advise choosing organic, and going for full-fat milk and not skimmed or semi-skimmed.'

OTHER FOOD FIGHTS

EDIBLE, BUT EGGLESS

The little-known Association for Dressing and Sauces showed its might in a 2014 mayonnaise melee.

The group repeatedly complained to the FDA that an eggless spread was calling itself Just Mayo, noting that under the federal rules mayonnaise is defined as having eggs.

Hellmann's mayonnaise maker Unilever, one of the association's members, had sued Just Mayo's maker citing the same issue. That lawsuit was dropped after the company faced blowback from the vegan spread's supporters.

The Association for Dressing and Sauces repeatedly complained to the FDA that an eggless spread couldn't be called Just Mayo because mayonnaise is defined as having eggs

The dressings and sauces group wasn't the only one upset by Just Mayo's name. The CEO of the American Egg Board, which represents the egg industry, also tried unsuccessfully to get a consultant to stop the sale of Just Mayo at Whole Foods.

The revelations led to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Soon after, the egg industry group's CEO retired earlier than expected.

As for Just Mayo, the company worked out an agreement with the FDA to keep its name - with some strategic tweaks to its label to make clear it does not contain eggs.

STRAINING FOR YOGURT

It was a milk protein concentrate at issue in a lawsuit over Yoplait Greek.

That ingredient isn't listed in the FDA's standard of identity for yogurt. What's more, the suit said General Mills relied on the ingredient to thicken its yogurt, rather than straining it the way other Greek yogurts are made.

'Not only was it not Greek yogurt, it wasn't yogurt at all,' said Brian Gudmundson, the Minnesota lawyer who filed the suit.

The case was ultimately dismissed by the judge, who said the matter would be better handled by the FDA. Gudmundson said he reached out to the agency afterward, but nothing came of it.

It was a milk protein concentrate at issue in a lawsuit over Yoplait Greek

Yoplait Greek's maker, General Mills, says it has since made recipe changes to its yogurts and it no longer uses milk protein concentrate in Yoplait Greek. The company had also noted in legal filings that the FDA said during a seminar that milk protein concentrate could be used in yogurt.

In 2002, the presence of milk protein concentrate in Kraft Singles was also called out in a warning letter from the FDA, which noted the ingredient was not listed as an ingredient in the definition for 'pasteurized process cheese food.' Kraft now labels the Singles as a 'pasteurized prepared cheese product.'

WYNGZ, NOT WINGS

'Wyngz' scored a high-profile TV appearance not long after DiGiorno launched frozen meals with pizza and the boneless chicken pieces in 2011.

The Colbert Show called the spelling out as a 'government-mandated' way to get around the fact that they're not made of wing meat.

'Colbert cited a page on the USDA's website that said the odd spelling could be used for a product that is 'in the shape of a wing or a bite-size appetizer type product,' but not made entirely from wing meat.

The Colbert Show called out the spelling of Wyngz as a 'government-mandated' way to get around the fact that they're not made of wing meat

'No other misspellings are permitted,' the website says.

The story behind the USDA declaration remains a bit of a mystery. DiGiorno owner Nestle said it wanted to call the boneless chicken pieces 'wings,' since it believes people understand that 'boneless wings' are not whole wings. The company says the USDA instead proposed 'wyngz.'

Nestle proudly noted that it believes it was the first, and perhaps only, company to approach the USDA with an issue that led to the 'wyngz' determination.

The USDA says a company had made the request to use the word to describe a product, and did not elaborate.

'COUNTERFEIT BUTTER'

It's not just soy and almond milk that have drawn the ire of the dairy industry. In 1886, dairy producers supported a federal tax on margarine, which was dubbed 'counterfeit butter' by representative William Price of Wisconsin, a major dairy state. In 1902, that law was amended to increase the tax on margarine dyed to look like butter, says Ai Hisano, a business historian at the Harvard Business School.

Some states went so far as to prohibit the sale of dyed margarine, which was naturally white. Hence a vintage ad that declares Parkay margarine 'Golden Yellow and ready to spread!' - with an asterisk noting, 'in 26 states .'

To get around state bans, Hisano said margarine makers provided yellow solution capsules so people could dye the margarine themselves.

Fast forward to today, and food identity more broadly remains a polarizing topic.

Groups such as the dairy federation say federal standards of identity ensure people get what they expect from products labeled with terms such as 'milk.'

Animal rights advocates who support plant-based alternatives question whether the standards of identity remain relevant.

Matt Penzer, an attorney for the Humane Society of the United States, said some standards are outdated, but are being used by the established players to fend off competition and innovation.
Parents try everything to try and get their children into the best universities.

But new research suggests there's no need to hire a private tutor to boost their youngster's studies.

Instead, sending them horse-riding could make them more intelligent and perform better at school, scientists claim.

While on the saddle, vibrations made by the animal activate the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory.

Sending children horse-riding could make them more intelligent and perform better at school, scientists have claimed

Known as the sympathetic nervous system, the effects were found to improve children's cognitive ability in the Japanese study.

Researchers from the Tokyo University of Agriculture examined the effects of horseback riding on the performance of children.

They were asked to complete simple response and mathematical tests directly before and after taking part in the activity.

While their heart rates were also measured in response to the movements created by the horses.

They found that riding on some horses greatly improved the ability of the children to perform behavioural tasks.

However, less of an effect was noted on their results when solving mathematical problems, according to the experts.

While on the saddle, vibrations made by the animal activate the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory

These results mean that the act of horse-riding could improve cognitive abilities in children, the study published in Frontiers in Public Health suggested.

These are brain-based skills of which an improvement can lead to enhanced learning, memory and problem-solving.

Study author Professor Mitsuaki Ohta said: 'One important characteristic of the horse steps is that they produce three-dimensional accelerations.

'The movement of the horse's pelvis may provide motor and sensory inputs to the human body and in this study.

'I believe some of the differences among the rider's performances might be due to these accelerations.'
The ongoing Jat agitation to claim reservation under Other Backward Classes status reached a decisive phase in the national Capital on Thursday after community leaders threatened to block all entry points into Delhi and cut essential supplies from March 20 if their demands are not met.

The protesting leaders at Jantar Mantar have already submitted a memorandum of seven demands to the Haryana government after showing the same to the Centre.

While addressing a big gathering of people from the community, supporting the cause, Yashpal Malik, the president of All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti said 'BJP-led central government and the Haryana government have cheated the community on the pretext of false promises.'

The protesting leaders at Jantar Mantar have already submitted a memorandum of seven demands to the Haryana government

In a veiled threat, he reminded that the Jats had blocked water supply in the past in Haryana, and said this time they have decided to choke Delhi from all corners.

'We have decided to start a nation-wide agitation from March 20 to bring people from Jat community, under OBC category, in both state and centre level together.

'Men from UP, Haryana, Rajasthan and other five states have been asked to reach Delhi on their own vehicles and if police of respective states stop them, they will take halt and start blocking roads then and there,' Malik said.

He added that Jats, who will go for non-violence, will reach Delhi in large numbers soon. The Jats have significant presence in western UP.

Women participating in Jat protest for OBC status and reservations at Jassia village (file pic)

They will start travelling with adequate rationing on NH 58 (connecting Delhi and Haridwar) and NH24 (connecting Delhi and Lucknow).

Similarly, people from Palwal to Agra and beyond will travel through Yamuna expressway and NH2 to reach Delhi. The people of Haryana will take NH 1 (GT Road) from Sonepat side and NH 8 for the people lives in southern Haryana and Rajasthan.

They were supported by followers of Baba Ram Pal.

'As a part of the strategy, women have been asked to stay in their native places and take part in peaceful agitation that's going on since the last 33 days,' Malik said.

'The Haryana government had agreed to bring five communities, including the Jats, under OBC category, after a meeting on March 18.

However, the decision was ruled out in Punjab and Haryana High Courts due to Haryana government's deliberate prosecution,' Malik said.
All the endangered monitor lizards in the reptile enclosure of Delhi Zoo are believed to have died

The spate animal deaths at Delhi zoo have taken a new twist, after a fresh complaint to senior officials of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) raised the concern of the illegal capture of animals and negligence by zoo officials.

The complainant has alleged that he is being framed after he reported these issues to seniors.

The recent blame game escalated after all four monitor lizards died inside the zoo.

This is not the first incident of deaths as the Delhi zoo is under severe criticism due to deaths of Cape buffalo, Ostrich, Giraffe, spotted deer, gibbon langur, King Cobra, Zebra in recent few months.

After Mail Today began inquiring about the curious case of the appearance and death of the monitor lizards in the reptile enclosure of Delhi Zoo, officials blamed its ranger for negligence causing death of reptiles.

On the contrary, documents available with the MoEF shows that the zoo ranger apprised senior officials of the ministry about the 'illegal' capture of capture of five monitor lizards by zoo officials ahead of their deaths.

In the complaint addressed to Inspector General of Forests (Wildlife), accessed by Mail Today, the zoo ranger has furnished documentary evidence before the ministry officials about the manipulation by the zoo officials.

He has also requested ministry officials to conduct an investigation from an outside agency into the deaths of animal inside the zoo.

He claims that head keeper and other ground level staff has admitted that they had captured two monitor lizards from inside the zoo and other three were illegally brought in from outside.

Sources claim that all the giraffes have allegedly died inside Delhi zoo, and the entire enclosure is now empty and unused. (picture for representation)

He mentions that he received threats to suppress the matter or he will end up losing his job. 'I was afraid and thought that it could be a conspiracy to frame me since the zoo officials were not happy with my work.

'I have refused to join their illegal activities in the zoo in the past. They forced me to suppress the death of the animals and asked me not to record the same in the beat registers,' he wrote in the letter stating that zoo officials have issued number of letters and memorandums to implicate him falsely in this matter.

Senior officials of the Delhi zoo were contacted but they refused to comment.

Zoo curator and spokesperson Riyaz Khan had earlier refused to comment to Mail Today on any matter related to deaths of animals.

The zoo officials have not confirmed the death of Cape buffalo, who allegedly died to lack of treatment

However, he now alleges that animals were illegally brought in as the zoo was to submit its quarterly inventory report, hence the animals were brought from outside to match it with the inventory.

'It is being alleged that the animals died due to disturbance during hibernation by me.

'I did not disturb any animals out of hibernation since all the five monitor lizards were brought from outside and there is no question of their disturbance,' he says in his defense.
If Tuesday was the Left's 'march for azaadi', with students and professors targeting the ABVP and 'slamming violence on DU campus', Thursday saw the Right wing students respond with their own protest march on the streets nearby Delhi University.

Amidst a heavy police presence, the ABVP students marched in demand of a strong action against 'anti-national elements invading the varsity's campus.'

The ABVP protest, which started from and ended at the Arts Faculty passed through Vishwavidyalaya metro station, Khalsa College, Patel Chest Institute, Maurice Nagar and Ramjas College, drawing huge numbers on the way.

Amidst a heavy police presence, the ABVP students marched in demand of a strong action against 'anti-national elements invading the varsity's campus'

'Anti-national slogans raised on the campus are wrong. Priority has to be given to nationalism over academics now.

'The anti-national JNU virus should not creep into Delhi University's campus,' Sunil Ambedkar, national organising secretary of ABVP told Mail Today.

He was supported by Saket Bahuguna, ABVP leader and media coordinator, who demanded 'termination of communism virus from spreading into the university premises'.

'We will not allow anti-national slogans on the campus or anyone who will glorify Maoists waging a war against India.

'It is not just the February-22 incident which is condemned by ABVP.

'ABVP workers will always object to anti-national elements on the campus. We're proud of fighting a national fight,' Bahuguna said.

ABVP activists during a protest against Delhi Police at Police headquarters in New Delhi

'Why are questions about communist violence not asked?

'While ABVP invites a vicharo ki ladayi (fight of opinions), it strictly objects to any thought which will divide India,' he added.

Even the students protesting along with ABVP volunteers in the Thursday march told Mail Today that they are in full support of the protest by the Right-wing group.

As said a student Gaurav Gera: 'We are against anything on the campus that divides the nation.'

Added Delhi University Students Union president, Amit Tanwar, 'It is a protest by the students of Ramjas College against those who have labelled our Indian army rapists.'

Bhagat Singh was an Indian socialist nationalist whose acts of dramatic violence against the British in India, hunger strike in jail, and execution at age 23, made him a folk hero of the Indian independence movement

The ABVP leaders feared that any delay in action from Delhi University against an incident like Ramjas College, can possibly trigger an outpouring of students on the streets which will be difficult to control.

'Freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and Swami Vivekananda are ideals, not Umar Khalid, who is the prime accused in the protests that shook JNU.

'It is time Delhi University chose its ideals,' Bahuguna saidin his speech.
Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu has said the act of raising azaadi slogans is treason. 'If this is not treason then I don't know what is,' the minister said, opening a debate on what defines sedition.

He also said the government is planning to change the existing sedition law - first introduced in the 1870s - to make it more stringent.

As the Ramjas College protest took a fresh turn with some videos allegedly showing students raising 'anti-national' slogans, the senior minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet said, 'The slogan of azaadi is followed by violence'.

Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu has said the act of raising azaadi slogans is treason

Sedition in India

Drafted by the infamous Thomas Macaulay, India's sedition law was introduced in the 1870s, to deal with 'increasing Wahabi activities between 1863 and 1870 that posed a challenge to the colonial government' of the age. In short, Section 124a in The Indian Penal Code makes 'words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government' punishable by law, a fine and a maximum punishment of life imprisonment. In the 19th and early 20th Centuries, the law was mainly used against Indian political leaders seeking independence from British rule. Mahatma Gandhi, who was frequently charged with sedition by the British, famously said the law was 'designed to suppress the liberty of the citizen'. In 1951, prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru described the law as 'highly objectionable and obnoxious'. He too had be imprisoned many times for violating the law. In 1962, the Supreme Court imposed limits on the use of the law, making incitement to violence a necessary condition. Advertisement

When asked about the government moving towards bringing a bill to amend the sedition law, Naidu said the Law ministry in consultation with the Home ministry will bring a bill.

Is is alarming that a senior Union minister is casually talking about plans to change the sedition law.

It hints at the government's plans to make itself more authoritarian by denying basic rights to express freely, especially on college campuses.

The current sedition law allows people belonging to a broad spectrum - be it Hardik Patel or Arundhati Roy - to be tried.

Seditious? Kanhaiya Kumar, former President, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union

The next move, it is feared, may be about a law that would make even criticising the government a seditious act.

The minister said, 'People raising slogans are taking to arms in Kashmir, in Chhattisgarh, in Jharkhand.

'They believe power comes from the barrel of the gun... Sponsors of terrorism (also) believe that they can get azaadi (freedom) by the use of force.'

The minister said, 'such acts on university campuses are trying to create a divisive mindset, and we have the right to condemn it'.

On the ideological battle with the Leftists, Naidu said, 'Your ideology has been rejected by people... they are now frustrated and making ridiculous statement.'

Left leader Sitaram Yechury had earlier wondered 'Why should people accept one standardised definition of nationalism?'

Naidu said Hindutva is a way of life, and said 'Hindu' is the broad, cultural identity of this nation and one cannot deny it.

The minister said he does not approve of BJP MP Pratap Simha drawing comparisons between 20-year-old Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, and called the martyr's daughter 'the daughter of India'.

He, however, said his party joined the Ramjas debate when 'others jumped in to support Umar Khalid'.

'The Congress and the Left joined the proponents of azaadi and that is when the functionaries of the ruling party joined the debate,' Naidu said.

The minister said the 20-year-old must be allowed to focus on her studies, and the larger debate is about azaadi and separatism.
Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt during the promotion of the movie Badrinath Ki Dulhania in Mumbai

A joint team of the Mumbai Police and the UP STF on Thursday arrested one Sandeep Sahu, the alleged gang member' of jailed mafia don Babloo Srivastava, for seeking extortion money from film director Mahesh Bhatt.

Sahu was arrested in Lucknow from the Ashaiana locality on Thursday afternoon.

SSP STF Amit Pathak said, 'On Wednesday, we received a call from senior officials of the Mumbai Police regarding an extortion call to Mahesh Bhatt.

'The caller demanded Rs 50 lakh and also threatened to kill Alia Bhatt and her mother Soni Razdan, in case his demand was turned down.'

Following the information, a joint team of UP STF and Mumbai Police laid a trap and successfully nabbed the accused.

'He posed to be a close associate of Bablu Srivastava. However, during interrogation he revealed that does not know him and made the extortion plan go get rid of his debts', Pathak further informed.

Bollywood filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt visit Hansraj College

According to Pathak, Sahu - a class-8 dropout - had been working at garment shops, collection agencies before setting up his mind to start his own business.

'In 2015, he took a loan of Rs 7 lakh from his relatives to start his own shop. However, the business incurred heavy losses.

Having failed to return the money, he moved to Mumbai in October 2016,' Pathak told the media.

Police said that legal formalities to take Sahu to Mumbai on a transit remand are being carried out in the court.

Indian Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt poses for a photograph




Approximately 1,300 suspected militants were arrested in a sweep of hideouts in Pakistan's largest province of Punjab, police have confirmed.

The two-week operation comes against the backdrop of provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah's opposition to these groups being designated by Pakistan as terrorist organisations.

Rana Sanaullah also embraced some sectarian leaders whose groups have been accused of fomenting violence against minority Islamic sects, once again raising questions concerning his commitment to ridding Punjab of militants.

Arrested suspects and recovered weapons display for media by Pakistan paramilitary forces following a search operation in Shah Kass, an area of Pakistani Khyber tribal region along Afghan border

Two police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the operations, said another 36 militants died in shootouts with police and in paramilitary operations since the sweep began last month.

In an interview with The Associated Press, however, Sanaullah questioned the label of terrorist for anti-Indian militant groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has resurfaced as Jamaat ud Daawa.

Provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah called into question why these groups are being designated by Pakistan as terrorist organisations

Last month, Pakistan placed Hafiz Saeed, a declared terrorist with a U.S.-imposed $10 million bounty on his head, under house arrest, yet Sanaullah questioned allegations against Saeed, who is connected mostly to militant attacks in Indian-held Kashmir, a Himalayan region whose ownership is contested by both Pakistan and India and claimed by both in its entirety.

'They are related to Kashmir. They feel Indian brutality in Kashmir is unacceptable,' he said of Saeed and his followers, adding that Pakistan's courts have twice freed Saeed saying there was no evidence of his involvement in terrorism activities.

About 1,300 suspected militants were arrested in a sweep of hideouts in Pakistan's largest province of Punjab, police said. Provincial law minister said police were searching out areas in Punjab dominated by ethnic Pashtuns and unregistered Afghan refugees because some of the worst attacks carried out in the provincial capital of Lahore involved residents of the tribal areas.

Saeed is among India's most wanted and is accused of masterminding attacks inside India and Indian-held Kashmir.

'Why is the world not concerned about India's violence in Kashmir?' Sanaullah asked. 'There is no evidence of Saeed's involved in state terrorism.'

In an interview, Saeed's spokesman Yahya Mujahed denied Saeed's affiliation with the outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Analysts and critics say the Punjab provincial government is sheltering sectarian and jihadi groups headquartered in its most populous province, while using the crackdown to target ethnic Pashtuns from tribal regions that border Afghanistan.

Sanaullah said police were searching out areas in Punjab dominated by ethnic Pashtuns and unregistered Afghan refugees because some of the worst attacks carried out in the provincial capital of Lahore involved residents of the tribal areas.

He cited last year's Easter attack in Lahore that killed more than 75 people, including minority Christians, saying 11 men arrested in connection with the suicide attack were from Pakistan's Mohmand and Bajour tribal regions.

Pakistani Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah

'They are from FATA (tribal areas) so we (have decided that we should) do action against those areas where people from Bajour and Mohmand are and where Afghan refugees who are not registered are residing,' Sanaullah said denying his government is employing profiling in its crackdown that targets ethnic Pashtuns.

A multitude of militant groups of varying size operate in Pakistan, many with violent sectarian leanings that have allowed the Sunni Islamic State group to gain a foothold despite repeated denials by the country's politicians.

IS took responsibility for last month's brutal attack on a Sufi shrine in southern Sindh province that killed 88 people and injured scores more.

Punjab in Pakistan has the most religious/extremist/outlawed groups according to the Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies

'Ironically, Punjab tops all other Pakistani territories in terms of religious/extremist/outlawed groups density; as many as 107 of the 240 or so socio-politically lethal groups are headquartered in the province, with 71 in Lahore and around alone, including the one that is an eye-sore for Indians,' said Imtiaz Gul, executive director of the Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).

He was referring to Hafiz Saeed's Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has been resurrected as Jamaat-ud-Daawa,.

'Out of this, 148 are sectarian outfits while 24 are jihadi organizations, while 12 outfits claim to work for the revival of an Islamic (caliphate) as their objective,' which is the aim of the Islamic State group, Gul said in a blog published this week on the CRSS site.
The US and Soviet Union had their Cold War from the mid-to-late 20th century, and now, many years later, India now finds itself fighting a Cold Code War with its nosy neighbours China and Pakistan.

In a bid to enhance its combat capabilities in the virtual domain, the defence ministry is working towards establishing a new cyber agency to tackle attempts by Chinese and Pakistani hackers to break into its systems and networks.

'The tri-services integrated defence staff (IDS) is coming up with a unit to tackle the cyber warfare domain and it will be staffed with personnel from all the three services,' senior government sources told Mail Today.

The head of the unit will report to the chief of integrated defence staff Lt Gen Satish Dua (pictured) who heads the organisation at present

The IDS is a tri-services organisation that works directly under the defence ministry but has officers and men from the army, navy as well as air force, and is responsible for tasks and projects involving the assets and men from all three services.

'The forces have already started pooling their resources in the cyber domain under the new agency, which would be headed by a major general-rank officer.

'The organisation will have both offensive and defensive capabilities in cyber warfare,' said the sources.

The development comes against the backdrop of around 22,000 pages of data purportedly related to submarines that a French government-owned company was building for the Indian navy being leaked to the media last year.

The organisation will have both offensive and defensive capabilities in cyber warfare

There have been thousands of online attacks on various government websites and systems including defence-related ones in recent years, with fingers often pointing towards China and Pakistan.

Until recently the army, navy and air force have their own separate cells dealing with cyber issues and they have also developed individual networks for safe communication and data exchange.

The information networks created by the forces are state of the art and are capable of detecting any violation at centralised locations within a few microseconds.

'If anybody puts in a pen drive in a computer of the military network, our men sitting in Delhi and other centralised locations can detect it within no time and prevent any leakage or attack immediately,' said the sources.

'This step of creating a new cyber agency, which would be a precursor to a cyber command, is in the right direction.

'Now the focus should be on creating infrastructure for manufacturing totally indigenous information and communication technology equipment,' said information warfare expert Pavithran Rajan.

There have been thousands of online attacks on various government websites and systems including defence-related ones in recent years

To test its capabilities, the new agency has also carried out its first cyber warfare exercise under which Indian forces carried out attacks on their own networks to check for loopholes and steps required to strengthen the system, the sources informed.

'The forces deduced that cyber should be the first agency to be raised for dealing with the increasing instances of attacks on military networks and systems,' they said.

The command of the new agency would be on rotational basis for the three services, which means that if it is first headed by an army officer, he would be succeeded by navy and air force officers.

The head of the unit would report to the chief of integrated defence staff Lt Gen Satish Dua who heads the organisation at present.

The information networks created by the forces are state of the art and are capable of detecting any violation at centralised locations within a few microseconds

The government had deferred the demand for creation of new commands for cyber, special forces and space under senior lieutenant general rank officers and asked the forces to first create capabilities for such commands.

The decision to put off the creation of new commands was taken soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi told senior military commanders that while global powers were reducing the number of their personnel, Indian forces were continuously demanding expansion in size.

The armed forces had initiated the demand for creation of three new commands during the UPA government where the three services had decided to take one command each for themselves, setting up three army commander- equivalent positions.

The country has only two operational tri-services commands including the strategically located Andaman and Nicobar command in Port Blair, which will now likely have an officer from the navy as its head permanently.

The other tri-services organisation is the strategic forces command, which looks after the nuclear arsenal including the Agni-series missiles for the nuclear command authority headed by the Prime Minister.

The government is now considering a four-star officer appointment in the form of permanent chairman for the chiefs of staff committee.

All tri-services issues are expected to go to him once the office is created.

IAF to get hack-proof laptops to prevent online espionage

After relentless attacks by Chinese and Pakistani hackers to break into military personnel's computers, the Indian Air Force is planning to provide hack-proof laptops to its personnel which would help them prevent cases of cyber espionage.

The IAF is taking this step after it was observed that personal computers or laptops used for surfing internet and official assignments, are getting hacked by outsiders as it is relatively very easy to break into such systems.

'The IAF is planning to provide laptops to its personnel for official work which will be internet-disabled to do away with the scope of getting cyber-attacked,' sources told Mail Today.

The Indian Air Force is planning to provide hack-proof laptops to its personnel which would help them prevent cases of cyber espionage

The laptops would be connected with the Air Force Network (AFNET) which is used for exchange of data and information across the country for which it has laid down a special optical fibre network, they said.

The IAF is moving ahead with this plan at a time when there have been cases where personal computers of officers have been hacked and official information has also been stolen from them.

'All IAF personnel have been told that they should be careful when they are using internet on personal systemthey would be taken to task if any official document or information is leaked or stolen in the process.

'They should not use personal laptops for official work or for storing any work-related data,' the sources said.

It would be difficult for the personnel to use the laptops when on leave as the system would connect with the AFNET which works only inside or near air force bases.

The Air Force has been taking a number of steps to prevent hackers from stealing classified information and has been the first among the services to arm its personnel with smartphones to protect them from offensives.

These are special smart phones that the IAF is in the process of providing to all its 1.75 lakh personnel, which are hack-proof as they too, can be used only with AFNET.

The phones are equipped with facilities of video calling, but it does not have any other apps like other general smartphones.

The phones also provide end-to-end connectivity at all times and at all air bases -from the world's highest battlefield Siachen Glacier to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Three days after registration of the case, Delhi Police have failed to identify the two suspects who allegedly threatened to rape and kill Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur, following her controversial tweet.

According to senior police officials close to the investigation, the display pictures on the suspects' account might have been changed - which is why the team is unable to identify the two suspects, who had threatened Kaur on social networking sites.

They claim the accounts could also have been deactivated after the matter was brought to their attention.

SFI activists shout slogan during their protest march against RSS and ABVP over their alleged the attack on Education, Democracy and Social Justice

On Friday crime branch officials contacted Gurmehar.

'The officials have been sending her emails and she is reverting all the queries. She has not been contacted over phone. So far, the information provided by her seems to be fruitful,' special commissioner of police (operations), Dependra Pathak told Mail Today.

Kaur, the daughter of Captain Mandeep Singh, and a student of BA first year of Lady Sri Ram college has deactivated her Facebook account.

Senior officials assured that deactivation of her account won't hamper the case.

In the initial probe, it has been learnt that her twitter handle and Facebook account are linked.

Whatever she used to tweet, was shared on her Facebook wall too.

Kaur, the daughter of Captain Mandeep Singh, and a student of BA first year of Lady Sri Ram college has deactivated her Facebook account after being targeted by trolls

When one such tweet got her into threats, Kaur approached the DCW with screenshots of the threats.

Based on that, the Delhi Police registered a case by the Cyber Cell under IPC sections 354A (Sexual harassment), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 67 of IT act (transmitting obscene material in electronic form).

On Thursday, the crime branch has written an official letter to the service provider regarding the access of details of the two Facebook users who had threatened her.

A senior official said they are waiting for a reply from the Facebook authority that is expected to come in next few weeks.

Kaur had started the campaign 'I am not afraid of ABVP', following recent cases of campus violence.

However, as the controversy grew, she withdrew it and left for Jalandhar to be with her family, requesting that she should be left alone.
Ram Babu had to be carried by his relatives due to the shortage of wheelchairs at the Delhi Hospital

Ram Babu was suffering from jaundice and was in no condition to walk. But his family could not find a stretcher or wheelchair at GB Pant Hospital, one of Delhi's biggest super-speciality healthcare centres.

So, relatives had to alternately carry and drag the patient to the third-floor gastroenterology department.

'This is my third visit to the hospital and I have not received a single stretcher or a wheelchair for easy commuting to the doctor,' said his wife, Sheela.

'It is very painful to reach the doctor.'

The super-speciality OPD for neurology, gastroenterology, cardiology and psychiatry caters to at least 2,000 patients every day, but has just one wheelchair and two trolleys to transport invalid patients.

Suleeman Ahmed carried his ailing son in his arms to the neurology OPD on the second floor.

'For the OPD patients, the hospital has provided only one stretcher and a wheelchair, despite knowing that there is a flood of critically ill patients.

'Not only me, all patients are facing a tough time here,' he told Mail Today.

India's public health system is underfunded and overburdened as it struggles to meet the needs of more than 1.2 billion people, about 40 per cent of whom live below the poverty line.

Another GB Pant Hospital patient being carried by relatives to see the doctor

Fifty-year-old Ramesh Kumar too was hauled by his relatives to the doctor's chamber.

His son, Vijay, says he is getting used to the inconvenience.

'This hospital fails to provide even basic facility to patients,' he said.

Requesting anonymity, a senior doctor said due to acute shortage of wheelchairs and trolleys, a serious patient has to crawl to the concerned department and this can even prove fatal.

'Despite being informed about the scarcity, hospital authorities have turned a blind eye to the problem,' he said.

Mail Today had in November reported how officials at the state-run hospital were asking patients and their relatives to wait their turn for an MRI scan till 2019 as demand was piling up with the lone scanner lying inoperative.

Patients allege the institute is also not well equipped with the necessary supplies of medicine.

GB Pant hospital in Central Delhi is a super-speciality OPD for neurology, gastroenterology, cardiology and psychiatry caters to at least 2,000 patients every day

A hospital source said, 'A patient is getting one out of five medicines listed in his prescription.

He or she is asked to buy other drugs from the market.' The hospital's medical superintendent Dr Dharmender Gupta refused to speak to Mail Today.

He asked the reporter to contact hospital director Dr Rajiv Chawla. Chawla too didn't respond to calls and messages to his mobile phone.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has tied up with 41 private hospitals to address the issue of delay.

Heath minister Satyendar Jain said the government would soon announce the scheme, which would also ease the burden on the government's health infrastructure.

The AAP government said it has joined hands with 41 NABH-accredited hospitals for the purpose.

The free facility will be provided to patients if the waiting period for surgery in government hospitals exceeds one month.

These surgeries, including heart bypass, kidney stone removal, cataract, would be provided free of charge under the scheme.

The government will reimburse the hospitals at CGHS rates for the complete treatment including pre-surgery consultation, surgery, medicines, food and hospital stay.
Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders has returned to the campaign trail, days after cancelling appearances amid security concerns.

The far-right politician said he was 'looking forward' to meeting voters ahead of the country's March 15 election.

In a press release on Wednesday, Wilders said that he was returning to the campaign as 'voters want to meet him and he wants to meet them.'

Geert Wilders visited the town of Volendam today after returning to the campaign trail. He cancelled appearances last Thursday amid security concerns

Geert Wilders raises his glass in a cafe during a visit to the town of Volendam. He is attempt to claw back support after his party lost its lead in the polls

Adding the security risks 'will be reduced to the minimum', he said 'I'm looking forward to it.'

Today he was spotted out-and-abou in the town on Volendam, in the north of the country, where he stopped in a local cafe for a drink.

Last Thursday, Wilders suspended open campaigning in the wake of an alleged leak of sensitive information by a security official from the team giving him round-the-clock protection.

Today's visit to Volendam was the first time Wilders has been seen in public after the arrest the one of his security agents from the Dutch security service DBB.

Last Thursday, Wilders suspended open campaigning in the wake of an alleged leak of sensitive information by a security official on his team, but today he was spotted sipping a beverage in a cafe in Volendam

This was the first time Wilders has been seen in public after the arrest the one of his security agents from the Dutch security service DBB

Wilders, whose populist Party for Freedom (PVV) is slipping in the polls, still remains on track to make big gains.

He has been ahead in the polls since mid-November, but the centre-right VVD, led by prime minister Mark Rutte, has now overtaken Wilders PVV.

Wilders, a Eurosceptic, anti-immigration fan of Trump, has dubbed the March 15 parliamentary election the start of a 'Patriotic Spring' in Europe, where French and German voters go to the polls in May and September.

His main rival Rutte is banking on a strengthening economic recovery to restore popularity lost during the austerity years of 2012 to 2014.

Geert Wilders gestures while in a cafe in the town of Volendam. Although his party is no longer in the lead, he still remains on track to make big gains

Wilders, a Eurosceptic, anti-immigration fan of Trump, has dubbed the March 15 parliamentary election the start of a 'Patriotic Spring' in Europe

Wilders has said he will hand out flyers in three Dutch cities before the election, and will also be taking part in debates and giving interviews in Dutch media.

He will face Rutte head-to-head in a televised debate on March 13.

The VVD is now projected to take 23-27 seats, which will guarantee its place in a governing coalition, and all but one party have ruled out sharing power with Wilders, whose policies are seen by many as offensive and sometimes unconstitutional.

If Wilders' PVV party finishes first but is unable to form a government, Rutte will be left trying to forge a centrist coalition with several parties that share little more than opposition to Wilders.

Wilders has said he will hand out flyers in three Dutch cities before the election, and will also be taking part in debates and giving interviews in Dutch media

In December, Wilders, who has gained notoriety for his trademark shock of platinum blond hair, was convicted of inciting discrimination for leading supporters in a chant that they wanted 'Fewer! Fewer! Fewer!' Moroccans in the country, but judges levied no punishment.

The 53-year-old's own family members have spoken out against him, with his brother Paul saying that the Freedom Party leader is scapegoating Muslims to achieve power.

His older sibling said Wilders was playing a dangerous game that could lead to violence on the streets of Holland, and claimed that the politician's mother, who was born in Indonesia and moved to Holland as a child, did not support him.

Wilders' brother said his mother is embarrassed by him, and opposed to his divisive policies that have prompted uproar across the continent, and would not be voting for her firebrand son.
Jaxon Buell was born with just 20 percent of his brain and most of his skull missing. He was blue and black and the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck.

Doctors had no idea what had caused such a huge defect but warned his parents that he would survive for hours  maybe a few days at the most.

Today, Jaxon is two and a half years old and is stubbornly opposing his bleak prognosis.

For a child who was never expected to walk, talk, hear or see, he is defying expectations and is learning to grab and hold things. He can even tell his parents: I love you.

Jaxon was diagnosed with a rare brain malformation called Microhydranencephaly. Little is known about the malformation, except that most babies who are born with it only live a few days. Doctors still dont know what caused it in Jaxon.

His father Brandon told DailyMail.com: There are difficult days. There are days that are very challenging. There are days that break our hearts to watch him go through a very difficult day, but what has encouraged us is truly watching him respond back to us and its just truly amazing.

Jaxon Buell was born with a rare brain malformation called Microhydranencephaly, which meant that he was born with only 20 percent of his brain and missing most of his skull

Jaxon's mom Brittany, 28, left, stays home to care for Jaxon because he still needs 24-hour care while dad Brandon, 31, right, works at a Christian radio station near their home in North Carolina

The three of us together, theres been a lot of things for us to go through, but were still here, were still together, were still experiencing joy with our son and I think thats the most important part.

Doctors first realized something was wrong with Jaxon's development just a few weeks into the pregnancy. The scans showed that Jaxon's brain wasn't growing normally, so doctors recommended an abortion. They didn't think Jaxon would survive.

However, Brandon and Brittany refused to terminate because of their devout Christian faith and Jaxon continues to outlive all the doctors' predictions today.

The unfortunately reality for the young family from North Carolina is that Jaxon may not live long. But their strong Christian faith helps them move forward every day and enjoy the time they have with their son.

Brittany said: It wont be the last time I see him. When I see him again, hell be in full form and hell be 100% Jaxon and be able to run up to me and give me a hug.

Doctors told Jaxon's parents that if he lived he probably wouldn't be able to walk, talk, hear or see. Today, Jaxon is developing his motor skills, he can see and hear and even say a few words

Brandon and Brittany adore Jaxon. Brandon said: 'He deserves the best from us as his parents. And thats what we strive to do every single day no matter what

So it doesnt really strike a nerve. Maybe every now and then Ill think too deeply into it and Ill get a little emotional, but we just treat him like a typical child. We give him everything that we can. We play with him like a typical baby and honestly, I dont think about it often because Ive already mentally prepared myself for that.

Itll happen and hes not really showing any signs of going anywhere anytime soon. So when the time comes, well cross that bridge when we get there.

Jaxon has about eight doctors and specialists and goes to both physical and occupational therapy. He is practicing grabbing and holding things and he has to be stretched frequently because his brain is signaling to his muscles to contract

The Buells have shared Jaxon's story on social media but as a result have found themselves the target of hateful comments and death threats. But with remarkable strength they brush off the threats and focus on what is important: supporting their son.

Jaxon has about eight different doctors and specialists. He goes to physical therapy once a week and occupational therapy every three months, but practices those therapies at home every day.

He is learning to grab and hold things in his hand and because his brain is signaling for his muscles to contract, he has to be stretched frequently.

Brittany, 28, stays home with Jaxon every day, working him through his different therapies and keeping him on a consistent routine with his food, medicine and day-to-day development.

We have good days and we have bad days, she said. Some days hes just not in the mood. Hes teething right now and that upsets him.

Maybe one day well have a bad day, well just snuggle all day and watch the TV. But other days we try to keep him active and we try to treat him like a typically developing child. So its really busy but he enjoys every minute of it.

Lately part of his routine is getting a bath on a regular basis because hes a little bit older now. He really lights up in the bathtub. I can barely get him washed before hes ready to go swimming, Brittany laughed.

Of course I hold him because he cant swim on his own, but I only hold his head. He kind of floats there and he uses his little arms and legs to kick around in the water and he really enjoys it.

Brandon, left, and Brittany, right, are devout Christians and their strong faith helps them through the difficult days. And even though they know Jaxon will most likely pass away before they do, they don't believe that will be the end

Brittany said: It wont be the last time I see him. When I see him again, hell be in full form and hell be 100% Jaxon and be able to run up to me and give me a hug'

WHAT CAUSES THE RARE DISEASE? Microhydranencephaly is a rare and severe abnormality of brain development. Doctors rarely know what causes the malformation, though some genetic testing can be done. 1 in 4,859 babies in the US are born with the condition each year, but most die soon after birth. The rare disease can be possibly inherited by a recessive gene, though in cases like Jaxon's, doctors still don't what the cause is. One neurologist has a theory that Jaxon's brain was developing normally, but a few weeks into the pregnancy, the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, blocking oxygen from getting to the brain. The scans didn't show the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, so doctors didn't realize it until after Jaxon was born. That theory isn't confirmed and the Buells have come to the conclusion that they may never know what caused the malformation in Jaxon. Advertisement

Brittany rarely has the opportunity to leave the house while her husband is at work because abrupt noises that many of us take for granted can put him into a seizure.

She explained: Theres a lot of things that he has a hard time tolerating outside of the house like grocery shopping, loud noises, the slamming of the shopping cart. If Im outside of the house and a motorcycle goes by  all of these abrupt noises will bring him into a seizure, so a lot of times I just dont leave the house...

'However, when we are here and if he is having a good day, well go around and walk around the neighborhood so its not too difficult.

But on the harder days, its nice when Brandon, 31, gets home from his job at a local Christian radio station giving Brittany the chance to run errands and get out of the house while Brandon takes over.

Brandon said: Ill come home from work and the first thing Ill do is I will put my bags down and Ill instantly go grab him, snuggle with him, talk to him about the day. And thats not just spending time with my son, thats also giving my wife a much needed and well deserved break.

Thats just honestly part of our daily routine, part of our life. Hes our only child  its all that we know. Its normal for us. And we love every minute of it, even if its completely exhausting, we still love it because he brings us so much joy.

As Jaxon is developing, he can say 'momma', 'addy' (for daddy) and even 'I love you'. He's even gotten to the point where he recognizes his parents and some of his favorite toys - all with only 20 percent of his brain

Jaxon has always smiled a lot, but now that hes older, he says words like momma and addy (for daddy). He even says I love you to his parents.

Sometimes its extremely clear, other times its just syllables, Brandon said. Hes showing us that he knows us. He communicating with us in his own way.

Jaxon is even starting to recognize his favorite toys.

Recently Brittany put Jaxon in front of his toys and he recognized his favorite  a hard-plastic green turtle that lights up when the buttons on its shell are pressed.

He actually grinned and gave it a hug, Brittany said. He grinned so big and gave it a huge hug and was pressing the buttons immediately.

One of Jaxon's favorite toys is his plastic turtle, pictured here. Recently his parents put Jaxon in front of his toys and Jaxon recognized the turtle, smiled at it and gave it a hug

Jaxon is also improving his arm movements, reaching and grabbing for things.

Brandon said: With everything hes up against and with the brain hes actually missing, the fact that hes able to do those things just blows us away.

Brittany added: He definitely surprises us by the minute.

It took doctors a year and six incorrect diagnoses before they finally determined Jaxon had Microhydranencephaly.

Though Microhydranencephaly can sometimes be inherited by a recessive gene, but there is no evidence that Jaxon inherited it. During Brittanys pregnancy, she, Brandon and Jaxon were all tested for it, but the results came back negative.

They are currently waiting on another, deeper genetic test to see if there are any indicators for the disease that are harder to find, but those results will take much longer to come back.

Doctors know very little about Microhydranencephaly and they are all still shocked he has lived this long. For the Buells that just means that every day is a gift. Brandon and Brittany know they will most likely outlive their son, but that doesn't make a difference to them, Brandon said.

The longer were blessed to be with Jaxon, the longer were blessed to have him and to hold him, the closer we get with him, the more that we love him and the more that bond is strengthened that means that that moment will be that much harder to withstand, but we dont talk about that very often.

In fact, we hardly discuss that because we already know it. No doctor has to re-tell us that. We know more than anybody else could ever imagine, the realization of our situation, but it does not change a thing It does not change at all how we view our life, how we view our family, how we view our beliefs and how much we love Jaxon because he deserves the best from us as his parents. And thats what we strive to do every single day no matter what.

When doctors realized that Jaxon's brain wasn't fully developing a few weeks into the pregnancy, they suggested an abortion because it was unlikely that Jaxon would live long if he survived the pregnancy. But because of their strong faith, the Buells refused to terminate

He added: If we were going to lose Jaxon, then there was really nothing we could do anyway, so why not choose joy. Why not just choose to celebrate his life no matter how long we are blessed to have Jaxon?

Brandon and Brittany started The Jaxon Strong Foundation in March last year as a way for Jaxons life to give back to others.

We believe Jaxon was created for a purpose, Brandon said. His life certainly has value and a purpose, so we built the foundation around that.

The foundation raises funds and awareness for neurological research, advocacy for people with disabilities and pro-life organizations. And in January the foundation donated to three organizations that each follow those areas of focus.

In September, the Buells also had a book published called Dont Blink, to help celebrate Jaxons life and to share his story with more people.

Brandon said: It gives background to Brittany and I, it gives background to the pregnancy and the diagnosis we first received and our decision and shortly after Jaxon was born and to be honest with you, Jaxon changes daily so the book is a great perspective on the beginning of our journey, but it certainly is not the end of our journey whatsoever.

Last year Brandon and Brittany started a foundation in Jaxon's name to raise money for three different causes that are important to their family and to Jaxon's life story. The Jaxon Strong Foundation raises money for neurological research, advocacy for people with disabilities and pro-life organizations

The Buells have also shared Jaxon's story on social media to give hope to others and while the majority of the responses they get have been positive, there have also been negative comments including hate mail, rumors and even some death threats

Along with the publicity, the Buells have also seen negativity, including hate mail and rumors about their family. Theyve even received some death threats  people saying they plan to go to the Buells home in Florida, where they lived before North Carolina, to kill the family.

But Brandon and Brittany arent phased by the hatred. They laugh it off as much as they can and refuse to respond.

Their hatred towards us has only caused us to have that much more conviction that were doing the right thing, Brandon said. We must be doing something right if they hate everything we stand for and they want to try and stifle anything were trying to do.

But as a family of faith, we just delete, we block those people. We dont respond in kind. And honestly, we pray for them because all our familys trying to do is do something positive. I mean, thats why we wrote a book. Thats why we started a foundation.

Despite the minor negativity that they get, the Buells have one goal in mind: to care for Jaxon and give him the best life possible

The Buells believe that Jaxons story is about inspiration and encouragement to others, which is why they share his story so publicly.

Honestly, were just so proud of Jaxon, Brandon said. Hes our son and we love him like any parent should love their child regardless of any obstacle, any challenging disability. Were just proud of him. Were trying to do the best for him, give him the best that he deserves.

And anyone that finds out about Jaxon, his life and his story, through the book, through the foundation, through any interview we do, through any speaking engagement I might do, its about advocating for his life, and that his life can benefit the next person.

Ultimately, we believe Jaxons life and story is about believing in life and believing in inspiration.

The Buells wrote a book about their experiences called Don't Blink and started a not-for-profit called The Jaxon Strong Foundation that raises money for neurological research, advocacy for people with disabilities and pro-life organizations.
The luxury flat where a rival of Vladimir Putin plotted to bring down the Kremlin before being murdered allegedly on the president's orders is on sale for 1.1million.

The Moscow penthouse is where Putin foe Boris Nemtsov wrote a damning dossier on Kremlin corruption before he was shot dead in an alleged contract killing in the Russian capital.

Nemtsov, 55, was walking back to the flat with his young lover, 25-year-old Ukrainian model Anna Duritskaya when he was shot from behind in a political assassination.

The former deputy premier used his flat in Moscow to enjoy trysts with Ms Duritskaya.

For sale: The luxury Moscow apartment where murdered Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, 55, plotted to bring down Vladimir Putin is on the market for 1.1million

Luxury bolthole: The luxurious two bedroom flat, where Nemtsov penned a dossier on alleged Kremlin corruption, is being sold by Irina Koroleva, his former secretary and partner

Love nest: the penthouse, pictured, is where Nemtsov had sex with his lover, 25-year-old Ukranian model Anna Duritskaya. A collection of erotic photographs of Ms Duritskaya in lingerie were found at the flat by murder detectives following his murder in February 2015

Lover: Ms Duritskaya, pictured, was walking back to the flat with the former Russian deputy premier Nemtsov when he was gunned down in the street outside the Kremlin. Nemtsov supporter Alfred Kokh this week claimed that only Putin could have given the order to kill him

Political ambition: Nemtsov, pictured with his daughter Sofia and former partner Ms Koroleva, was planning to stand against Putin in the 2018 elections

Gunned down: Nemtsov lies dead in the street outside the Kremlin in Moscow after being shot in the head in what has been described as a political contract killing. Five men from Chechnya are on trial over the murder but Russian state investigators are yet to identify the mastermind

Five Chechen men are on trial for the February 2015 murder, but Russian state investigators have failed to identify who masterminded the shocking killing.

A former colleague of Nemtsov's, Alfred Kokh this week claimed that only Putin could have given the order to kill the politician who was planning to stand in the 2018 election against the strongman.

Kokh, who served as a deputy premier under ex-president Boris Yeltsin, claimed on Facebook that Putin was 'the customer of Nemtsov's murder', as he had done with the London killing of dissident Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned by polonium.

'Putin ordered Nemtsov's murder,' he claimed, arguing that he feared the politician could become a viable alternative candidate in the 2018 presidential election.

The Kremlin has denied any role in his death.

It was said that Nemtsov was using the flat, a short distance from where he was gunned down, to write an a dossier to try to bring down Putin, which angered the President's inner circle.

Pied-a-terre: Nemtsov had been walking back to the flat, pictured, with Ms Duritskaya when he was killed. He bought the apartment together 13 years ago but spent most of his time at his countryside with Ms Koroleva

Dossier: It is in this study where Nemtsov was believed to have been writing a dossier into alleged corruption at the Kremlin to harm the reputation of his political foe, Putin

Views of the city: Estate agency pictures inside the Moscow apartment show the bathroom and main bedroom which has views over the spires and domes of the Kremlin

Capital residence: A Russian newspaper commented that Nemtsov lived quite ascetically - no frills in the interior and all the furniture is quite old, it said

Estate agency pictures inside the Moscow apartment show the bathroom and main bedroom which has views over the spires and domes of the Kremlin.

It was at the flat where a collection of erotic photographs of Ms Duritskaya wearing lingerie were found by police.

These were eventually leaked to the Russian media, along with a version of events - later discredited - that she could have been a plant by Ukrainian secret services, which was behind his death.

The two bedroom flat is being sold by Irina Koroleva, Nemtsov's former secretary and partner.

'We bought it 13 years ago, and the interiors are also from those times,' Ms Koroleva told newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda.

'The apartment was used very little... because we lived in the countryside. Nemtsov lived quite ascetically - no frills in the interior and all the furniture is quite old,' commented the newspaper.

Young girlfriend: Ms Duritskaya was with the Russia political heavyweight when he was gunned down. She was given a phone by a passing snowplough driver to call police. Ms Duritskaya has refused to give evidence at his murder trial because she remains traumatised

Accusation: Defendant Gubashev, who offered no evidence as to why he linked her with Nemtsov's murder, said: 'It is clear that Duritskaya knew perfectly where to take Nemtsov at a certain time'

Trial: In October five men went on trial in a military court in Moscow for carrying out the 'contract killing' for around 208,000. Pictured: Nemtsov's girlfriend Ms Duritskaya

Conpiracy claims: Anzor Gubashev, One of the five men on trial for murder, alleged that Ms Duritskaya, pictured, was involved in Nemtsov's death. He told the court: 'It is clear that Duritskaya knew perfectly where to take Nemtsov at a certain time. Everything was planned.'

Spy allegations: Gubashev claimed, with no evidence, that the gunman had shot Nemtsov in such a way as not to wound the Ms Duritskaya, who he accused of being an undercover 'agent'

'And the repair is clearly not fresh - the wallpaper and even tiles are yellowed. This is especially noticeable in contrast to the neighbouring flat, which is also offered for sale' - but at a higher price.

At the time of his death, Nemtsov was with Ms Duritskaya who has since refused to fly back to Moscow to give evidence at the murder trial in the wake of hostile media reports in Moscow based on law enforcement sources.

Nemtsov supporters fear that the trial is failing to answer key questions on whether Russian secret services was aware of the assassination, and precisely who ordered the killing.

The driver of a passing snowplough, who allowed Ms Duritskaya to use his phone to summon the emergency services, has vanished. Another witness, named Molodykh, has also disappeared.

Last October five men - including a member of an elite interior ministry unit in Chechnya - went on trial in a military court in Moscow for carrying out the contract killing for around 208,000.

'Contract hit': A supporter of Nemtsov, Alfred Kokh said the only person who could have ordered his murder is Putin. Pictured: Nemtsov with his former partner Irina

Target: Kokh, who served as a deputy premier under ex-president Boris Yeltsin, claimed on Facebook that Putin was 'the customer of Nemtsov's murder', as he had done with the London killing of dissident Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned by polonium. Pictured: Nemtsov

Vadim Prokhorov, the lawyer for Nemtsov's family, said: 'The investigation stopped at the level of those who carried out the murder but nothing has been done to find those who ordered it.'

The slain politician's final moments - walking over bridge which overlooks St Basil's Cathedral with lover Ms Duritskaya - were captured on CCTV and released two years ago.

The short clip purported to show the alleged killer appear moments after Mr Nemtsov and his companion walked across Great Moskvoretsky Bridge at around 11.30pm, before getting into a passing car at around midnight.

Ms Duritskaya refused to give evidence at his murder trial in November 2016, around the time her 'erotic' photos were discovered in his flat, because she was still traumatised by his killing

She gave testimony to state investigators at the time of his death before Russian authorities allowed her to return home to Ukraine.

She has rejected repeated attempts - including two subpoenas from the court in Moscow - to return to Russia to give evidence as a witness.

Accused: Defendant Anzor Gubashev, pictured, attempted to drag Ms Duritskaya into her lover's murder by claiming, with no evidence, that she was a spy. Ms Duritskaya has also faced a attempts by the Moscow media to blacken her name over Nemtsov's death

As a Ukrainian citizen in her own country, she could not forced to attend the trial.

The model has also faced a succession of attempts by the Moscow media to blacken her name over Nemtsov's death - even though there is no suggestion from Russian prosecutors that she was in any way involved and the court has heard evidence that the pair were 'in love'.

These have included innuendo she is linked to the Ukrainian secret services, yet no evidence has been produced to prove this.

A report by pro-Putin newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda cited statements by one of five defendants on trial for murder, Anzor Gubashev, who alleged that Ms Duritskaya was involved in her lover Nemtsov's death.

Gubashev, who offered no evidence, said: 'It is clear that Duritskaya knew perfectly where to take Nemtsov at a certain time. Everything was planned.'

Claiming that the killing was an SBU Ukrainian secret services plot, it suggested, without any foundation, that the gunman had shot Nemtsov in such a way as not to wound the 'agent' Ms Duritskaya.
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Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke arrived on horseback for his first day of work Thursday.

The morning after his swearing-in ceremony, the former Montana congressman and Navy SEAL joined the U.S. Park Police at their stables on the National Mall.

He rode a 17-year-old Irish sport horse named Tonto through downtown Washington to the Interior Department's headquarters. Nine park police also on horseback accompanied him.

'Secretary Zinke was proud to accept an invitation by the U.S. Park Police to stand shoulder to shoulder with their officers on his first day at Interior,' said Interior spokeswoman Heather Swift.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke arriving for his first day of work at the Interior Department in Washington aboard Tonto, an 17-year-old Irish sport horse

New Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke greets employees after riding in on horseback with a U.S. Park Police horse mounted unit to report for his first day of work

Secretary Zinke (2nd from right) rode on horseback with a U.S. Park Police horse mounted unit

Secretary Zinke tipped his cowboy hat after riding in on horseback

Zinke and Interior Twitter accounts posted photos that showed him in a black cowboy hat astride a brown bay roan gelding that stands just over 17 hands tall, a bus and typical morning traffic in the background.

At the department, hundreds of federal workers greeted Zinke, including an Office of Indian Affairs employee from the Northern Cheyenne tribe from Montana who played an honor song on a hand drum.

While Zinke's urban horse ride is unlikely to become a daily ritual, he seems committed to preserving his image as an avid outdoorsman.

He wears a bright orange ballcap and hunting vest in the bio photo of his new @secretaryzinke Twitter account. And he has already retweeted a photo showing him and his wife at Glacier National Park in Montana.

The Interior Department oversees 400 million acres of public land, mostly in the West.

Secretary Zinke is preserving his image as an avid outdoorsman. He has already retweeted a photo showing him and his wife at Glacier National Park in Montana

Vice President Mike Pence, right, shakes hands after administering the oath of office to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, left, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building

Vice President Mike Pence applauds as newly sworn in Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, right, speak in the White House complex in Washington

On his first full day in office, Zinke issued an order Thursday reversing a last-minute action by the Obama administration to ban lead ammunition and fish tackle used on national wildlife refuges.

Gun-rights supporters condemned the earlier order - issued a day before Obama left office January 20 - as nakedly political. The order was intended to protect birds from lead poisoning, the Obama administration said.

Zinke, a former Montana congressman and avid hunter, said the new order would increase hunting, fishing and recreation opportunities on lands managed by Fish and Wildlife Service.

The order reverses a decision by the Obama administration to phase out use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on wildlife refuges by 2022.

Zinke said the hunting order and another order directing agencies to identify areas where recreation and fishing can be expanded were intended to boost outdoor recreation in all its forms.

On his first full day in office, Zinke issued an order Thursday reversing a last-minute action by the Obama administration to ban lead ammunition and fish tackle

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, left, kisses his wife Lolita Hand after Vice President Mike Pence, right, administers the oath of office

'Outdoor recreation is about both our heritage and our economy,' he said in a statement. 'Between hunting, fishing, motorized recreation, camping and more, the industry generates thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity.'

Environmental groups slammed the new directive on lead ammunition, arguing that spent lead casings cause poisoning in 130 species of birds and other animals.

Switching to nontoxic ammunition should be 'a no-brainer' to save the lives of thousands of birds and other wildlife and to 'prevent hunters and their families from being exposed to toxic lead and protect our water,' said Jonathan Evans, environmental health legal director at the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity.

Evans called it ironic that one of the first actions by Zinke - a self-described champion of hunters and anglers - 'leads to poisoning of game and waterfowl eaten by those same hunting families.'
Video footage has emerged of a mutant piglet born in a village in China with a trunk-like nose.

The piglet was one of 20 babies born on March 1 in Bengbu, China's Anhui province.

It was born hairless with one eye and a trunk-like nose with a deformed snout. The other piglets were said to be normal and healthy.

The deformed piglet has only one eye and a trunk-like nose on the top of its head

Unfortunately the piglet did not survive after two hours the sow gave birth to 20 piglets

Mr Lin, the pig farmer told Pear in an interview that the piglet died just two hours after it was born.

It is unclear what has caused the deformity of the piglet.

Guo Baoyong, zoo president from Bengbu Zhanggongshan Park, said the piglet's genes could have mutated while the sow was mating.

The piglet has been sent to a laboratory for testing.

Unfortunately the piglet did not survive after two hours the sow gave birth to 20 piglets

A zoo president said the piglet's genes could have mutated while the sow was mating

Last year, a similar looking piglet was born with an elephant nose in Cambodia. It had fanned ears, a trunk-like nose.

The animal appears to be scrawny, limp and cannot open its eyes, with serious physical deformities.
The European Parliament has called for Americans to be made to apply for visas before visiting Europe this summer.

The decision is the climax of a long-running dispute with Washington, which refuses to grant visa-free access to people from five EU states - Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus.

People from the other 23 EU member states can enter using the US visa waiver programme but the State Departments Bureau of Consular Affairs says the five countries do not yet meet security entry requirements.

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Tourists on the Seine in Paris. The French capital would be one of a number of destinations which would be barred for Americans without a visa if European Parliament is successful

EU rules say there must be equal treatment for all EU citizens and the European Parliament has been raising pressure on the issue since 2014.

However, they have taken action only following the election of Donald Trump, who was openly opposed by nearly all leading European politicians.

It could be extremely expensive and counter-productive for countries like France, Italy, Greece, Britain and Ireland to impose visa restrictions on the millions of American tourists and business travelers who visit Europe each year.

Nonetheless, this week members of the European Parliament set the executive a May deadline to impose visas on Americans.

But the European Commission said it was pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the row and they are pinning their hopes on a meeting of EU and US ministers on June 15.

A Commission spokesman said: 'We will report on further progress made before the end of June and continue to work closely with both the European Parliament and the Council.'

She said they were pushing the State Department for 'full visa reciprocity'.

A crowd of protesters gathers outside of the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse as a judge hears a challenge against President Donald Trump's executive ban on travel from several Muslim countries. Now it could be Americans that face travel restrictions

Most EU countries are part of the Schengen zone that allows people to travel freely inside Europe without passport checks.

The European Parliament, by a show of hands, urged the commission to adopt restrictive measures against US citizens 'within two months' but they have little immediate power to ensure the executive complies with their demand.

Canada also imposes visa requirements on Bulgarian and Romanian citizens but says they will be lifted in December.

Trump was elected partly on a promise to strengthen America's borders, and shortly after taking office he courted controversy by imposing a ban on all immigration by citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries.
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Six children, including a nine-month-old baby, survived for eight weeks on their own in a bomb battered hovel in the Syrian city of Aleppo.

For two dreadful months, the siblings endured one of the most intense bombing raids since the six-year-long war for Syria began, as government forces supported by Russian bombing raids drove rebel forces out of the city.

They lived on a piece of bread a day and wiped their baby brother's bottom with scraps of paper from the endless mounds of rubbish outside, while eldest Mohammed, 12, drank perfume 'for its alcohol' to 'numb the pain' of their destitute life.

Alongside his younger siblings - Hanadi, ten, Ibrahim, nine, Doha, six, Zakaria, five, and and nine-month-old Yamen - the children were forced to fend for themselves after their rebel fighter father vanished and their mother was arrested as his accomplice.

'I'm not scared of living here,' said ferociously brave Mohammed who, despite his tender age, has taken his place as head of the family.

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Against the odds: Six Syrian children were forced to fend for themselves for two months in the bomb battered Syrian city of Aleppo after their father left to fight against the regime and their mother was arrested. Pictured from left to right: Mohammed, 12, Ibrahim, nine, Doha, six, Zakaria, five, nine-month-old Yamen and the only girl Hanadi, ten

Desperate: Charity workers, who found the children wrapped in soiled blankets, described how the room they shared stank of human excrement. With no nappies for the baby, they used tissues and scraps of paper to keep him clean. Five-year-old Zakaria (above) seemed particularly bewildered when rescuers picked their way through the rubble to find them

Destitute: For eight weeks, the siblings had sheltered in a single bedroom inside a destroyed building which had its roof torn off in Russian and Syrian bombing raids. They huddled under filthy covers, slept around a broken heater (above) and regularly had to stop strangers stealing what little food they had gathered

Daily life: The children showed rescue workers how they would clamber from roof to roof of the bombed out buildings to search for scrap metal to sell in exchange for food. The whereabouts of their father, a fighter for the Free Syrian Army, are unknown, while it is proving very difficult to locate their mother in prison

Survival: The siblings lived on a piece of bread a day and scavenged from the endless mounds of rubbish outside. They would exchange scrap metal for water and food from market traders. Pictured: Hanadi and her brother Ibrahim outside their 'home'

'Our home was destroyed. I don't know why my mother was arrested. I look after everyone now.'

The children, now living in the relative safety of a Syrian orphanage whose location cannot be revealed, were rescued by local Caritas workers supported by the UK's Catholic International Development Charity (CAFOD) on February 2.

Rescuers found them living in deplorable conditions - huddled underneath soiled blankets in a small room on the first floor of a half destroyed building.

The stench of urine and faeces filled the room and the stairwell was half-blocked by chunks of concrete torn from the roof in bombing raids, charity workers told MailOnline.

One Syrian rescue worker revealed how Yamen's expression always remained completely blank. 'I never saw him smile,' he said. 'I don't think he has ever seen one to copy.'

The Aleppo neighbourhood itself was devoid of electricity, heating, water, food and work - with not a single school or hospital left standing.

Harrowing photos show the children flanked by skeletal buildings pockmarked with bullets and empty, dusty streets.

The barefooted children would scour through the wreckage of fallen buildings for scraps of copper to trade for food and clean water from merchants looking to profit from the desperate situtation.

Mohammed explained: 'We eat once a day in the morning. It is usually just bread. Sometimes we get food from the charities.'

Remarkable: Baby Yamen (pictured) was just seven months old when his parents disappeared, leaving his elder siblings in charge of making sure he had enough to eat and drink. As head of the household, 12-year-old Mohammed is believed to have drunk perfume 'for its alcohol' to 'numb the pain' of their destitute life

Filthy: Surrounded by grubby mattresses, broken bicycle tyres and piles of rubbish, the children made this their home until they were rescued on February 2. Their family home was destroyed by a suspected barrel bomb attack while they were still inside, burying them under mounds of concrete

Street smart: The children had been buying food and clean water from local merchants who flooded back into the area after rebel forces were chased out by Syrian troops. Pictured: At the rescue centre with other desperate children before being sent to an orphanage

Heartbreaking: Syrian rescue workers revealed how baby Yamen's expression always remained completely blank. 'I never saw him smile,' he said. 'I don't think he has ever seen one to copy.' Pictured: Yamen was scooped up by charity workers and taken to a nearby orphanage with his siblings

Post-apocalyptic: Ibrahim, his hands encrusted with dirt, stands in the neighbourhood where the children fled after their family home had been destroyed. The area is devoid of electricity, heating, and clean, running water - and not a single school or hospital are left standing there

Past life: Hanadi, above, revealed how she and her oldest brother Mohammed had attended school before the war began, but the others had never experienced sitting in a classroom, their young lives filled only with bomb blasts and death

While Hanadi, the only girl, revealed: 'Before the war Mohammed and I went to school. The others have never been to school.

'It's scary at night here... A man comes in and steals our food. We try to block the door.'

The children had been living alone in the shell of a building since a barrel bomb destroyed their home while they were still inside, burying them in rubble.

Before the war Mohammed and I went to school... It's scary at night here. A man comes in and steals our food. We try to block the door. Hanadi, ten

'We were at home when a barrel bomb hit,' said Mohammed who, along with his siblings, was pulled from the debris by a bulldozer.

'We heard a loud bang and we were very afraid. There was a lot of rubble and smoke and it smelled like chlorine. We were rescued by neighbours and brought here.'

Charity workers had been going from house to house in Eastern Aleppo looking for those in need when they came across Mohammed walking the streets barefoot, his hair matted with dirt.

He took them to the room where his baby brother Yamen was being cradled by one of the older boys, their skin stained with dirt.

'It smelled appalling, like human waste,' said Patrick Nicholson, Director of Communications for Caritas International, said: 'You can imagine a baby without a nappy for two months... It was overwhelming.

'All the children were covered in dirt, living in this one room and there was a second room just full of rubbish.'

Horrifying: As charity workers were about to leave the children's wrecked abode, they noticed Mohammed, above, was trying to hide a bottle of perfume. He was drinking it for the alcohol,' said Patrick Nicholson of Caritas International. 'His neighbours said his parents would do it to... So he could have been copying them. And it may be that he was trying to dull the pain'

New start: CAFOD took the children to an orphanage in an undisclosed location in Syria (above), where they were bathed and clothed. Mohammed (left) was given a haircut and looks visibly relieved not to be solely responsible for caring for his family

Contrast: Before they were rescued, the charity took harrowing photos showing the Ibrahim and Hanadi standing outside wrecked buildings pockmarked with bullets and empty, dusty streets. No one seems to know where the children's mother is being held and if she is alive

New life: The siblings were taken to the orphanage where they were given food and a bath. They will stay there until a new life can be found for them and rescuers try and work out what has happened to their parents

One Syrian rescue worker revealed how the baby's expression always remained completely blank.

'I never saw him smile,' he said. 'I don't think he has ever seen one to copy.'

As they were about to leave the house with the children, charity workers noticed Mohammed was trying to hide a bottle of perfume he had secretly been drinking from.

Mr Nicholson told MailOnline. 'He was drinking it for the alcohol. It was extremely upsetting.

'His neighbours said his parents would do it to... So he could have been copying them. And it may be that he was trying to dull the pain.'

'He was incredibly brave. He got them through those two months and he was still alive, which shows he and his brothers and sisters have huge ingenuity to survive like that with absolutely no protection.

No one known what has happened to the children's parents and the rest of the family has fled to Turkey.

The whereabouts of their father, a fighter for the Free Syrian Army, are unknown, while rescue workers are not being told which prison is holding the children's mother.
Ben Keita (pictured), 18, went missing in November and was found dead in woods in Lake Stevens, north of Seattle, in January

The FBI is set to review the death of a black, Muslim teenager who was found hanged from a tree in Washington state, after the manner of death was changed from 'suicide' to 'undetermined'.

Ben Keita, 18, went missing in November and was found dead in woods in Lake Stevens, north of Seattle, in January.

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office initially labeled the death a suicide. But it later determined there was not enough information to make a ruling.

FBI investigators have agreed to review the case after a request from the teenager's family, who said he had no history of depression or anxiety and seemed happy before his disappearance.

A spokeswoman for the bureau told the Daily Herald newspaper of Everett the review doesn't necessarily mean the agency will open an investigation.

Lake Stevens Police Chief John Dyer said investigators believe it was a suicide but have conferred with the FBI and are awaiting laboratory results.

'Originally the manner of death in this case was classified as suicide,' associate medical examiner Stanley Adams wrote in an autopsy report published by KUOW.

The teenager's body might have been in a 'semi-frozen' state for several weeks in the Lake Stevens area (file picture) before he was found, according to the autopsy report

Ben wanted to become a medical doctor and work as a medical examiner, according to his father. His family said he had no history of depression or anxiety

The teen's father, Ibrahima Keita (pictured), said his son wanted to become a medical doctor and work as a medical examiner

'Although at autopsy I did not see any evidence of trauma beyond the evidence of hanging, the circumstances of the very high tree branch, uncertain location of the decedent for the six weeks prior to discovery (with a report that the area where the body was found had been previously searched), and lack of any reported suicidal ideation or attempts makes a definitive classification of the manner as suicide uncertain.'

The teenager's body might have been in a 'semi-frozen' state for several weeks before he was found, according to the report.

Ben, a Running Start student allowed to begin their college education while still in high school, had stopped going to class a few weeks before he went missing, police said.

He wanted to become a medical doctor and work as a medical examiner, according to his father, Ibrahima Keita.

'Ben was a happy, young man,' the father told Q13 Fox. 'We believe that somewhere, someone must know something about this case and we urge people to come forward and contact the police.'
Candidate William Matthew Wand Addison (pictured) is a land owner, farmer and the 4th Viscount Addison

Marquess of Abergavenny, 61, - Conservative

Christopher George Charles Nevill is the Harrow educated 6th Marquess of Abergavenny. The former stockbroker and businessman who now runs his family sprawling estates, which include 3,000 acres of rolling countryside in Kent.

He said: 'I offer my hands-on experience of urban regeneration; rural diversification; insights from two terms as a district councillor; experience with charities.'

Viscount Addison, 71, - Conservative

William Matthew Wand Addison is a land owner, farmer and the 4th Viscount Addison.

He said: 'Having personally farmed dairy and arable most of my life, I am still well-connected and understand the need for support to continue in all matters connected with farming the countryside and those who live and work in rural areas after Brexit.'

Earl Alexander of Tunis, 81, - Conservative

Shane William Desmond Alexander is the 2nd Earl Alexander of Tunis who was educated at Harrow. He is the son of WWII hero Field Marshal Alexander.

He said: 'A return to Parliament would assist my initiative to forge a closer relationship between the House of Lords and the Institute of Directors, of which I have been a member since 2000.'

Lord Bethell, 50, - Conservative

James Bethell, the 5th Baron Bethell, is another Harrow alumni. He heads up the Westminster lobbying company - Westbourne Communications and has worked for the US Senate.

He said: 'As the founder of a successful company, I am in the position to hand over the reins and commit myself to supporting the Government in the House of Lords. If elected, I would bring my experience as an entrepreneur in the media industries, and in politics.'

Lord Biddulph, 57, - Conservative

Anthony Nicholas Colin Maitland Biddulph is the 5th Baron Biddulph. His family home is Makerstoun House, a 100 acre estate on the banks of the Tweed in Scotland.

He said: 'It was an honour to sit in the House and I would be happy to serve again.'

Shane William Desmond Alexander is the 2nd Earl Alexander of Tunis who was educated at Harrow. He is pictured with his wife Countess Davinia Alexander

Lord Cadman, 78, - Conservative

John Anthony Cadman is 2nd Baron Cadman and the son of a mining tycoon. He was educated at Harrow.

He said: ' Lord Lyell (Charlie) took his seat aged 21 and spent much of his time in the House loyally serving his country under various prime ministers. An engaging and interesting character, I became acquainted with him as a member of the Defence Study Group. Replacing him will be difficult.'

Lord Colgrain, 65, - Conservative

Eton educated Alastair Colin Leckie Campbell is the 4th Baron Colgrain and a former banker turned farmer.

He said: 'My areas of expertise and particular interest are employment and financial services, following 30 years in the financial executive search sector, and rural affairs, regeneration and diversification, as partner in a family farming and property business.'

Lord Darling, 72, - Crossbencher

Robert Julian Henry Darling, 3rd Baron Darling, is a surveyor and has been a prison visitor for 19 years.

He said his experience includes, 'fund-raiser for social care charity, now Big Lottery funded, working with local group of surgeries and relieving bed blocking in regional hospital.'

Lord Gainford, 92, - No party affiliation declared

The 4th Baron Gainford, George Pease, describes himself as an architect, town planner and inquiry reporter.

He said: 'I would contribute to debates and committees where my expertise and experience may be helpful, but would not otherwise attend casually.'

Eton educated Alastair Colin Leckie Campbell is the 4th Baron Colgrain and a former banker turned farmer

Lord Hampton, 52, - Crossbencher

The 7th Baron Hampton, John Humphrey Arnott Pakington, is a former professional photographer who now teaches at a comprehensive in west London.

He said: 'After 25 years working in design and photography for big agencies and freelance, with a client list of big corporates and charities, I recently retrained as a secondary school teacher and now teach in a state academy in west London. I live in east London and coach junior cricket in Hackney.'

Lord Hankey, 79, Crossbencher

The 3rd Baron Hankey, Donald Robin Alers Hankey, is the founder of APG for Architecture and Planning.

He said he has 'professional experience in east Asia, China, Middle East, north Africa, Russia, Europe and Caribbean.'

Lord Harlech, 32, Liberal Democrat

Eton educated Jasset David Cody Ormsby-Gore is the 7th Baron Harlech and has worked in the creative industries, the arts and technology services.

He said: 'I wish to enter public service in order to stand for equality and progress. To work across parties to bring prosperity for all through long-term vision and practical action. I will also bring to the job youth, passion and commitment.'

Earl of Harrowby, 66, Conservative

Eton educated Dudley Adrian Conroy Ryder, the 8th Earl of Harrowby, divides his time between his family estates, Sandon Hall in Stafford and Burnt Norton, a 17th century manor house in Gloucestershire.

He said: 'Im a Midlander; I would work to promote the Midlands and its urban regeneration.'

Viscount Hood, 59, - Crossbencher

Henry Lyttelton Alexander Hood is the 8th Viscount Hood and the Queens Lord-in-Waiting, meeting dignitaries on Her Majestys behalf.

He said: 'Issues of social policy can command attention in the House of Lords. Recent examples include Lord Markss Bill to provide rights to cohabitating couples, and Baroness Deechs Bill to limit financial claims in divorce. While my sympathies are more with the first than the second, they together demonstrate the privilege that it would be to serve in the House of Lords.'

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos is met by the Queen's Lord-in-Waiting Viscount Hood (left)

Lord Kennet, 60, - Liberal Democrat

William Aldus Thoby Young is the grandson of 1930s health minister Hilton Young.

He said: 'If elected, I will work to fully realise benefits which include, improving economic competitiveness through science, technology and jobs and benefiting the environment and human health, addressing climate change, waste and pollution, renewables and energy security, and bio-diversity.'

Earl of Limerick, 54, - Conservative

Eton educated Edmund Christopher Pery is a trained solicitor and the former director of Deutsche Bank. He speaks French, Russian, Arabic and Wolof, a language of Senegal, the Gambia, and Mauritania, and the native language of the Wolof people.

He said he is, 'passionate about contributing lifetime experience in overseas commerce to make Brexit successful.'

Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, 66, - Liberal Democrat

Eton educated David Richard Owen Lloyd George is the great-grandson of WWI Prime Minister David Lloyd-George.

He said: 'My working life started aged 19 in shipping, finishing in political risk insurance. If elected, I would undertake to be a regular attender and to devote my maximum time and efforts to the Liberal Democrats and to the business of the House.'

Earl of Limerick, Edmund Christopher Pery, said he is, 'passionate about contributing lifetime experience to make Brexit successful'

Lord Macpherson of Drumochter, 38, - Conservative

James Anthony Macpherson is the grandson of Labour MP for Romford and business tycoon Thomas Macpherson.

He said he, 'wants to better harness his wide expertise to help drive national decisions and would be a very hard-working, effective peer'.

Lord Mostyn, 32, Crossbencher

Eton educated Gregory Philip Roger Lloyd Mostyn is one of the richest men in Wales and his estate, Mostyn Hall, is worth an estimated 48million.

He said: 'Being only 32 years old I can bring some much-needed youth to the House. I can also be a spokesman for the under-represented north-west of England and Wales as my base is located in north Wales. I have years of experience in local business as I run an estate that covers the length of north Wales.'

Viscount Mountgarret, 56, - Conservative

Eton educated Piers James Richard Butler, 18th Viscount Mountgarret, owned Stainley House in North Yorkshire, a 4,000 acre estate, which was put up for sale for 3.5million in 2014.

He said: 'Not for lack of trying, however we live in manifestly difficult and troubling times. Voices across the entire age spectrum can only serve to provide this House and the wider public with a broader sense of discussion, debate and wisdom.'

Lord Napier and Ettrick, 54, - Conservative

Francis David Charles Napier is the 15th Lord Napier of Merchistoun and runs a gardening firm just outside Cambridge. He was born deaf and has a cochlear implant, which enables him to hear 95 per cent.

He said: 'I have a clear understanding of the importance of small business to the national economy. I support charities for deaf, disabilities and disadvantaged.'

Viscount of Powerscourt, 54, - Crossbencher

Mervyn Anthony Wingfield succeeded to the title of 11th Viscount Powerscourt in 2015 and is a registered counsellor.

He said his concerns include, 'mental health and family wellbeing, root causes of poverty and social justice.'

Earl of Stockton Alexander Macmillan (pictured right) is the great-grandson of Harold Macmillan, the former Conservative Prime Minister

Lord Somerleyton, 46, - Crossbencher

Eton educated Hugh Francis Savile Crossley lives on the 5,000-acre Somerleyton estate in Norfolk and has 20 years experience in hospitality.

He said: 'I think the hereditary peerage is worth preserving and its principle creates a sense of innate commitment to the welfare of the nation.'

Earl of Stockton, 74, - Conservative

Eton educated Alexander Daniel Alan Macmillan is a former journalist who worked for the Glasgow Herald, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph, BBC and Toronto Star. His great-grandfather was Harold Macmillan, the former Conservative Prime Minister.

He said he is 'bilingual', speaking French and conversational Spanish.

Lord Strathcarron, 68, - Conservative

Ian David Patrick Macpherson founded Strathcarron Sports Cars. He did not supply a candidate statement.

Ian David Patrick Macpherson, Lord Strathcarron (pictured), founded Strathcarron Sports Cars

Lord Swansea, 60, - Conservative

Eton educated Richard Anthony Hussey Vivian is the son of John Hamilton Hussey Vivian, who was the Vice-Chairman of the National Rifle Association. He is a former financial journalist and runs a bookkeeping service for small businesses in Guildford

He said: 'As a Chinese speaker I closely follow the affairs of China and Hong Kong.'

Lord Windlesham, 49, - Conservative

Eton educated James Rupert Hennessy became the 4th Baron of Windlesham in 2010.

He said: 'I am willing and able to commit the time necessary to make an effective contribution. I am conscientious but can be independent-minded when necessary.'
Mobster John Gotti's namesake grandson has been sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to selling oxycodone pills in New York City.

The 23-year-old was arrested in August at the Queens home where his late grandfather once lived.

Gotti had been facing 25 years to life in jail before he pleaded guilty to the three drug-related charges in a plea deal last month.

Prosecutors say undercover officers bought more than $46,000 worth of oxycodone from Gotti on 11 occasions while he was running the $1.6 million-a-year drug ring in his Queens neighborhood.

Busted: John Gotti (above in August) was sentenced to eight years in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to selling oxycodone pills in New York City

In a letter to the judge, Gotti expressed remorse for his actions, which he called a youthful indiscretion.

At his sentencing on Thursday, Gotti's lawyer said his client will likely be out of prison in about four years.

Gotti, who is the third generation in his family to be jailed behind his grandfather and uncle, will also forfeit more than $250,000 in seized drug proceeds.

As he was being taken from the court room, Gotti waved to his father Peter and tearful mother Victoria.

His uncle John Jr. Gotti was also present in the courtroom.

Gotti's grandfather was the former boss of the Gambino crime family. He died in prison in 2002.

Gotti's grandfather John Gotti was the former boss of the Gambino crime family (pictured above in 1987). He died in prison in 2002

Gotti's father Peter (left) and uncle John Gotti Jr. (right) were in court to support the 23-year-old on Thursday

His uncle John Gotti Jr. said outside court: 'I feel like a failure as an uncle... I couldn't keep him off the streets'

His family spoke outside court following the sentencing, the New York Post reports.

'My heart is wherever he winds up,' his father Peter said.

Peter's brother John Gotti Jr. said: 'I feel like a failure as an uncle... I couldn't keep him off the streets.'

Gotti's defense attorney Gerard Marrone told reporters: 'He is a kid that had a problem, and then it escalated and it got out of control.

'And his last name is what his last name is, and he is always walking around with a target great. Certain people took advantage of that target, and here we are.'

The 23-year-old was one of seven people arrested in August after a year-long drug string that ended with police seizing $240,000 in cash after executing search warrants on John's business, his two cars and his home.

More than 850 Oxycodone and Xanax pills, drug ledgers and records were also discovered and seized by authorities during the search.

John's girlfriend Eleonor Gabrielle (above in 2015) was also arrested on charges of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance

John with his father Peter (left) and his uncle John Gotti Jr (right) in September

Undercover officers had allegedly purchased $46,080 worth of Oxycodone from John over the summer. They had installed a listening device in one of John's cars, which authorities claimed captured him saying the entire drug ring generated $1.6 million.

Justin Testa, Shaine Hack, Steve Kruger, Edward Holohan, Michael Farduchi and Melissa Erul were also arrested in the drug operation and are facing a number of different charges.

The first search occurred at John's home back in August, which has been in the Gotti family for over 50 years.

It was the first time that members of law enforcement had successfully executed a search warrant on the Gotti family home.

The search of the home also led to the arrest of Gotti's girlfriend Eleonor Gabrielli on charges of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Gotti's arrest came a little over a month after he was discovered with 205 Oxycodone pills, 18 methadone pills, marijuana, a testosterone bottle and close to $8,000 in cash in his car during a traffic stop.




An outside investigation into sexual assault allegations at a New Hampshire prep school has identified five former staff members accused of abuse, the latest evidence that the problem at the prestigious institution dates back decades and was more widespread than previously thought.

Phillips Exeter Academy disclosed the information Thursday in a letter to the school community. It brings to eight the number of ex-employees accused of sexual misconduct at the school.

The investigation by Holland & Knight, the law firm commissioned by Phillips Exeter several months ago, identified four teachers, including a drama teacher, and a psychologist who allegedly engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior involving a total of eight students from 1966 to the 1980s.

Scroll down for full letter from the school

Phillips Exeter Academy published the findings of an independent investigation into sexual abuse allegations at the prep school on Friday, naming four former teachers and a former school psychologist as possible abusers

'We have grieved as we learned that former students were harmed by some of the very people who were charged with the responsibility of keeping them safe,' said Nicie Panetta, president of the school's trustees, in the letter to the Exeter community sent Thursday. 'We sincerely apologize to those who were harmed and deeply regret their suffering.'

THE ACCUSED TEACHERS Donald Foster - Anthropology teacher from 1976 to 2011 Foster allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with two students, once in the early 1980s and again several years later. He declined to speak about the allegations with investigators. The school ash since stripped him of his faculty emeritus status and he has been barred from campus. George Mangan - English teacher from 1976 - 2009 Mangan allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior towards two students at an off-campus location in the 1980s. He died in 2009. Henry Ploegstra - English teacher from 1962 to 1980 Ploegstra allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior toward three students between 1966 and 1980. He denied the allegations. The school has barred him from campus. Eldeff Schwaab - School psychologist from 1965 to 1976 Schwaab reportedly engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior toward one student in the early 1970s. He died in 2003. Lane Bateman - Drama teacher from 1980 to 1992 Bateman was arrested in July 1992 on a charge of possession and interstate distribution of child pornography. His employment was terminated immediately after his arrest and never returned to the campus. Bateman was convicted on the charge and sentenced to five years in prison. Investigators uncovered a new allegation he may have sexually abused a student in the 1980s. He died in 2013. Advertisement

Two of the accused - psychologist Eldeff Schwaab and teacher George Mangan - have died.

Two others were barred from the Exeter campus and, in one case, stripped of his faculty emeritus status. One of them, Henry Ploegstra, an English teacher accused of inappropriate sexual contact with three students between 1966 and 1980, denied the allegations in a letter.

Contacted at his Michigan home Thursday, the 82-year-old Ploegstra said he did not want to comment.

A fifth former staffer, Lane Bateman, a drama teacher from 1980 to 1992, also has died. Bateman had been sentenced to five years in jail on child pornography charges. He also was accused of secretly videotaping students in dorm rooms and bathrooms.

Exeter Police Chief William Schupe told The Associated Press the department was provided with the cases last year. He said they didn't pursue three of them because the suspects were deceased and the two others were closed because the victims didn't want to pursue charges.

Last year, Arthur Peekel pleaded not guilty to charges that he assaulted Lawrence Jenkens when Jenkens visited the school in Exeter as a youngster in 1973. Peekel left the school soon afterward and went on to teach in Illinois, where he was named Teacher of the Year in 1992. He retired from Rolling Meadows High School in 2004.

The Associated Press generally doesn't name people who say they're victims of sexual abuse, but Jenkens said he wanted to discuss his case publicly.

Concerns about sex abuse at Exeter were first raised following revelations last March about former teacher Rick Schubart, who was forced to resign in 2011 after admitting sexual misconduct dating to the 1970s. Then, in April, teacher Steve Lewis was fired amid allegations he had sexual encounters with a student decades ago.

The string of abuse claims at Exeter and at several other prep schools in New England, including St. George's School in Rhode Island and St. Paul's in New Hampshire, has raised concerns that the schools failed to take allegations seriously in the past or bungled their investigations.

Since the allegations surfaced, Exeter has undergone what it has described as 'an intensive self-examination' that included the investigation by Holland & Knight as well as a second investigation into the handling of the Schubart case by the law firm Choate, Hall & Stewart. It also offered victims counseling and created a position, director of student well-being.

The Schubart investigation determined that the school appropriately reported the two cases of misconduct - one involving a student in the 1970s and another of a student in the 1980s - to the authorities and undertook its own investigation. But the school failed to look for other victims or encourage them to come forward.

'Choate Hall found that in the period from 2011 through the conclusion of its review, PEA did not have sufficiently robust governance processes in place to ensure that sexual misconduct, like the Schubart matter, would always be addressed appropriately,' according to the Exeter letter.
A Presbyterian supervisor at a farm school was known as 'Creeping Jesus' because of the way he crept up on boys at night to sexually abuse them in the 1950s, an inquiry has heard.

A former child migrant gave evidence to the child sex abuse inquiry sitting in London on Thursday, detailing the abuse he suffered after being shipped from the UK where he had been in foster care.

Michael Hawes, now aged 70 and living in Queensland, arrived in Australia in 1954 at the age of seven and was sent to the Presbyterian church's farm school at Dhurringile in Victoria.

A Presbyterian supervisor at a farm school was known as 'Creeping Jesus' because of the way he crept up on boys at night to sexually abuse them in the 1950s. Stock photo

He said he was constantly bullied by the older boys, was once tied up in barbed wire and pelted with rocks and one boy nearly succeeded in cutting off his finger with a pocket knife.

Holding back tears, Mr Hawes said he was abused by two staff members at the school, including one the boys dubbed 'Creeping Jesus'.

'You wouldn't hear him come, he'd go up the stairs and he'd pick a boy up and take him downstairs to a locked room,' he said.

Mr Hawes said he was forced to masturbate him but he refused to perform oral sex, telling the man he would bite.

The Dhurringile Rural Training Farm (above, file photo) operated from 1951 until 1964

A former child migrant gave evidence to the child sex abuse inquiry sitting in London on Thursday, detailing the abuse he suffered. Stock photo

He said such abuse went on at least once a week for up to four years, with boys thrashed if they didn't cooperate.

Mr Hawes said another man at the school would grope him down his shorts and strip off in front of boys to show his erection.

At age 12 he was reunited with his parents when they moved to Australia but he said they were like strangers to him by then and he later left home to drift from job to job.

He said the abuse had left him lacking self esteem and he still found it hard to trust people.

The Australian government issued an apology in 2009 for the cruelty shown to child migrants and the UK government apologised in 2010 for its part in the child migration program.

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged five to 25).
A woman sentenced to 93 days in jail after a judge caught her laughing during a family's victim statement at her daughter's deadly DUI sentencing has been released after giving a tearful apology in court.

Donna Kosal was jailed for contempt of court in Detroit, Michigan last week following the shocking outburst as her 25-year-old daughter Amanda was waiting to hear her sentence for killing father-of-five Jerome Zirker.

After spending a night in jail, Kosal returned to face Judge Qiana Lillard again as she sobbed through an apology.

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Donna Kosal was jailed for contempt of court in Detroit, Michigan on Tuesday but was released after just one night after apologizing to the judge

Donna Kosal (seen in her prison jumpsuit) was released from custody after just 24 hours after issuing a grovelling apology to the judge

'I deeply apologize for what I did, I was under a lot of stress... I just needed to get out. It is very hard for me,' Kosal told the judge in footage obtained by NBC.

Judge Lillard hit back saying: 'What you have to understand is that as hard as this is for you to see your baby go to prison, imagine what that family feels like when their child is dead.'

Kosal was released after just one night in jail.

She had initially been thrown out of the courtroom, along with her unidentified boyfriend, when the victim's sister took the stand and read a statement on behalf of his five children.

Video from inside the courtroom showed the judge losing patience with the man, and then Kosal, after she caught them smirking.

Donna Kosal is seen being escorted out of a courtroom in Detroit after a judge said she started laughing as her drunk driver daughter was sentenced for killing a father-of-five

Her daughter Amanda Kosal, 25, (above) was waiting to hear how long she would spend in prison for killing father-of-five Jerome Zirker when her supporters made the shocking outburst

She then ordered officers to bring the mother back in so she could sentence her to 93 days behind bars for contempt of court.

Judge Lillard slammed the pair for being disrespectful.

'It's time for him to go,' the judge could be heard saying in the video.

'I don't know who he is, but whoever can sit here at a tragic moment like this and laugh and smile when somebody has lost a family member... in the entire time that Mr Zirker's sister was speaking that clown, and that's what I am going to call him, a clown, was sitting there smiling and laughing.'

The judge then turned her attention to the mother.

'And you can go, too. Because if you don't know how to act, you can go to jail. So leave. Anybody that can sit there and laugh and smirk - take her, she's going in the back - anybody else wanna go?

'I understand that you all are very upset because your loved one is going to prison but guess what, she's going to prison for the choices that she made.

'These people are here grieving, saddened because a senseless act took away their loved one and you're sitting here acting like it's a joke?'

Victim Jerome Zirker's sister was reading a victim impact statement from his children when the judge noticed Amanda's mother and her mother's boyfriend acting up

'It's time for him to go': A man identified by the judge as Donna Kosal's boyfriend was the first to be thrown from court

Jerome Zirker (left) was killed in the crash. He left behind his fiancee Brittany Johnson (right) the single mother of five kids

Amanda Kosal pleaded guilty to killing Jerome Zirker, 31, and severely injuring his fiancee Brittany Johnson, also 31.

She was sentenced to three to 15 years in prison.

Amanda slammed into the couple after Zirker had picked up his fiancee from her 12-hour shift as a care worker at a group home, Click on Detroit reports.

Ordinarily, their five kids would have been with them but Johnson said they were at their grandmother's instead.

'(Amanda) took everything away from me and its horrible,' Johnson said. 'She took a good man off this earth. He was a good man who took care of his kids on a daily basis.'

She said she would have preferred Amanda not go to prison and instead stay out of it and help her support her children.

Donna (in the background in the white cardigan) was escorted out, but soon after the judge ordered her to return and sentenced her to 93 days in jail for contempt of court

Amanda Kosal, 25, pleaded guilty to being drunk when she slammed head on into the vehicle of Jerome Zirker and Brittany Johnson, killing Zirker (Kosal is seen in a police interview after the incident)

Zirker's fiancee, Brittany Johnson, survived the crash but now is a single mother to her five children. She is pictured in a hospital bed
Donald Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, the White House said on Thursday  in just the latest explosive revelation about a growing list of contacts between Trump associates and the Kremlin.

Kushner, the husband of Ivanka Trump who the president brought in as a top White House advisor, met with the Russian ambassador inside Trump Tower in December, the New York Times reported Thursday.

Also in on the meeting was Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, who stepped down as national security advisor after revelations about his contacts with Kislyak as Trump prepared to take office.

At the time Trump Tower was the unofficial White House, and every coming and going was in public - except those which the Trump transition team organized to keep under wraps.

Kislyak, regarded as one of Russia's most important spies, was therefore smuggled in by the Trump team for the meeting.

President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, met with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. in December, it was reported Thursday. Kushner was at the President's side Thursday on a trip to Newport, VA, and then with him when he returned to the Oval Office

Plenty of reporters in the lobby: Trump Tower was staked out by scores of reporters from dawn every day in December - but Russia's most senior diplomat, a man believed to be its top spy, was smuggled in by Jared Kushner

It is unclear where they met, but it is known that Kushner and Flynn had offices a floor below the one used by the then-president-elect.

'They generally discussed the relationship and it made sense to establish a line of communication, White House spokeswoman Hope Hicks told the Times.

Jared has had meetings with many other foreign countries and representatives  as many as two dozen other foreign countries leaders and representatives,' she added.

Trump has tasked Kushner with spearheading a host of complex issues, including Middle East peace initiatives.

But his contacts with Kislyak  who intelligence figures are said to regard Kislyak as a recruiter of intelligence assets  bring Kremlin contacts even closer to home.

The high-rise get together lasted about 20 minutes, Hicks said. Kushner hasn't met with him since, she said.

There was no mention of the meeting with the Kremlin big in the president-elect's public schedule, or in the reports compiled by pool reporters who set up camp in the lobby of Trump Tower from the November election until Trump took office.

The White House put out the information on a day when Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced he was recusing himself from any investigations related to the presidential elections  hours after it was reported that he met with Kislyak two times during the presidential campaign season.

One meeting occurred inside Sessions Senate office this fall.

'My staff recommended recusal. They said that since I had involvement with the campaign I should not be involved in any campaign investigation,' Sessions told reporters in a hastily-called press conference in the Department of Justice.

Before the press conference, Trump was asked if he knew Jeff Sessions had met Russia's ambassador before the election - and said: 'I wasn't aware at all.'

President Donald Trump says he has 'total' confidence in his attorney general and does not think he should recuse himself from Justice Department investigations involving Russia - but offered a lukewarm endorsement of his truthfulness

Not quitting: Jeff Sessions said he would sit out any decision on prosecutions which could arise from current investigations into whether Russia meddled in the election - but that he had not lied to the Senate

The president's intervention came as Sessions faced a firestorm over whether he lied to the Senate during confirmation hearings by failing to disclose his two meetings last summer with Vladimir Putin's man in Washington.

Asked as he visited the USS Gerard R. Ford in Newport News, Virginia, Trump was asked if Sessions told a Senate panel the truth about the communications. He gave only a half-hearted endorsement.

'I think he probably did,' Trump said.

Flynn left the White House after just weeks on the job after it was revealed he had multiple contacts with Kislyak where the Russia sanctions were discussed.

The Obama administration expelled 35 Russian diplomats in the waning days of the administration, following intelligence agency conclusions that Moscow backed U.S. election hacking.

It isn't just close Trump associates who met with the Russian ambassador, though Kushner, Flynne, and Sessions were among the most plugged-in Trump advisors.

Democratic Senators Dianne Feinstein of California and Claire McCaskill of Missouri were revealed to have met with the ambassador in the past.
A man who murdered the mother of his children with a shotgun bearing her name before stealing her drugs and leaving her for dead has been jailed.

Darren Kale Walters, 36, was in a jealous rage when he gunned down his on-and-off partner Leah Appleton, 34, in a car park under a West Perth apartment block in August 2015.

Walters was sentenced to 20 years behind bars in the Supreme Court of Western Australia for the 'callous' murder, which he claimed was an accident,reports ABC.

Darren Kale Walters, 36, brutally murdered his girlfriend Leah Appleton, 34, in 2015

The court heard the couple's drug addiction had spiralled out of control, leaving them living in a rental car with their two children at the time of the murder.

Walters was in an 'angry and jealous state' when he accused the mother of having an affair with another man she was with, Alex Thompson, who he attacked with the shotgun.

After Ms Appleton told him 'just shoot me', he fired a shot into her abdomen at point blank range and robbed her off her drugs as she lay bleeding to death, the court heard.

'It was a desperate act of a drug addict and a drug dealer,' Supreme Court Justice Bruno Fiannaca Fiannaca said.

He then stashed the shotgun  which was loaded with a cartridge inscribed with 'Leah' on it' - in a garbage bin and fled the scene, the court heard.

Justice Fiannaca said it was not a calculated murder but the desperate behaviour of a drug-addled man.

The court heard Walters was in a jealous rage when he gunned down the mother of his children Ms Appleton

Walters then stole her drugs, stashed the shotgun and left her for dead
A mother who allegedly tried to kill her two sons in the Murray River told friends that she 'had to drown my babies' the night before the horrific incident, a court heard.

The 27-year-old mother, who lives near Deniliquin in southern New South Wales, has been charged with the attempted murder of her nine-year-old son.

The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, allegedly took her son into the river in Moama, about 75km south of Deniliquin, and held his head under the surface as her younger boy, five, screamed from the water's edge, Bendigo Magistrates Court heard.

The nine-year-old was able to free himself and escaped, only to be mauled by a pitbull, called Buddy, that also went on to attack the mother, 9 News reported.

The court was told that she then took her five-year-old boy into the water. He was last seen floating downriver, face-down.

Police have suspended the search for the younger boy, who is feared dead, but will continue in the morning. The older son is recovering in hospital with serious dog bite injuries.

It has also emerged that the mother was on bail, having been released from prison just a month ago.

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The mother is pictured with her two boys, aged nine and five, who were involved in the horror incident on Thursday

The children's mother (pictured) has been charged with attempted murder after the incident at Moama on the Murray River on Thursday night

A nine-year-old boy is in hospital with serious dog bite injuries as police search for his five-year-old brother who is feared drowned in the Murray River (search for boy pictured)

The owner of the dog involved in the incident said her four-year-old pit bull (pictured) was likely reacting to the drama happening at the banks of the river

The mother was arrested after she handed herself in at Echuca Police Station in Victoria on Thursday night.

The court heard that the mother - who was extradited to New South Wales to face charges - told friends on Wednesday that she 'had to drown my babies'.

The court was also told that she was on bail for serious offences when the incident took place. It is not clear what those offences are. She did not apply for bail during the brief court appearance.

The children's grandparents released a statement tonight revealing that they had been caring for the boys for the last 18 months.

They claimed they repeatedly warned the authorities about the 'imminent risk' the boys faced after their mother was released on prison on February 2.

The grandparents' lawyers released a statement on their behalf, which said: 'The grandparents have had full-time care of the children for close to 18 months.

'We had made considerable representations to Family and Children Services and the Department of Correctional Services about the imminent risk posed to the little boys with their mothers release from prison.

'Both departments failed to act and consequently we now have a grieving family.'

A nine-year-old boy is in hospital with serious dog bite injuries as police search for his five-year-old brother who is feared drowned in a river (search for boy pictured)

Moama is a town in the Riverina district of southern New South Wales, close to the Victorian boarder

Police said the mother took her sons to a property near Moama at about 4pm on Thursday, telling them they were to go fishing in the Murray River.

Moama police were called to the scene and found the boy with dog bite injuries before discovering his younger brother was missing.

Divers recovered a small T-shirt from the river during the search.

Superintendent Paul Condon said police spoke with the older boy on Thursday night after he was taken to a Moama home with the serious bites.

He was transferred to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne where he required surgery. He remains in a serious condition.

'It is very unclear at this stage what happened at the riverbank,' Superintendent Condon said.

'The dog has been involved. The dog has bitten the 27-year-old mother and the nine-year-old. The actual circumstances are unknown.'

Victorian Emergency services personnel search the Murray River at Moama

New South Wales emergency services personnel search the Murray River

Police said the mother took her sons to a property near Moama at about 4pm on Thursday where they were fishing in the Murray River (search for boy pictured)

Superintendent Condon on Friday said the mother had been interviewed by Deniliquin detectives.

Superintendent Condon said the woman was released from jail about a month ago.

The attempted murder charge relates to the woman's nine-year-old son.

Asked if the mother could subsequently be charged with murder too, Superintendent Condon said: 'I don't know. It depends what the result of the search is.'

Supt Condon said there'd been 'a couple of incidents' involving the family since the mother had been released from jail.

The two boys have different fathers and police are trying to locate the men.

A woman has been arrested as police resume a search for a five-year-old boy missing in the Murray River

Police divers were called in on Friday morning to search for the five-year-old boy (search for boy pictured)

Some 30 searchers are involved from the Rural Fire Service, the SES, and Victorian and NSW police

The mother knew the owners of the property at Moama, where the nine-year-old was found with serious injuries on Thursday evening, Superintendent Condon said.

Some 30 searchers are involved from the Rural Fire Service, the SES, and Victorian and NSW police.

'We are starting from the rear of the premises where the boy was found with the dog and we are trying to expand obviously down river, following the current, but also upstream on the banks,' Superintendent Condon said.

Superintendent Condon said the 'devastating' incident would have a widespread impact.

'I think it will rock the community of Australia,' he said.

No other parties were being sought in relation to this matter, Superintendent Condon said.

'The dog belongs to a local family and police and emergency services were contacted by a local resident,' Superintendent Condon said.

'Contrary to rumours, the dog was not set on the child. This has been an extremely traumatic scene for all the first responders involved and welfare support is being offered.'

The owner of the dog involved in the incident, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Riverine Herald her four-year-old pit bull was likely reacting to the drama happening at the banks of the river.

She believed the dog may have actually been trying to pull the nine-year-old to safety.
A bus has slammed into the front of a north Melbourne takeaway shop, leaving destruction and debris in its wake.

It's believed a truck collided with the 401 express bus at the intersection of Victoria and Dryburgh Streets about 9.50am, causing the bus to veer off the road and into the front of the building.

The four passengers on the bus and the truck driver were not injured in the crash.

The bus driver was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition with no obvious signs of injury, Ambulance Victoria told Daily Mail Australia.

Scroll down for video

A bus has slammed into the front of a takeaway store in Melbourne's north, leaving destruction and debris in its wake

The 401 express bus smashed into the Victoria St takeaway shop at about 10am on Friday morning

Passengersthought 'this is it' as the saw the truck coming towards them prior to the collision

A man working in the store at the time told 3AW that he thought the impact was a 'lightening strike' and the power went out.

A customer had narrowly missed the bus, having left the shop just a minute before.

'We were all fortunately in the back of the shop when all of a sudden there was a great bang,' Matthew said.

'We put our heads around the corner and we saw a 401 has ploughed through the front of the shop.'

Passengers on the 401 express shuttle, which runs between the University of Melbourne and North Melbourne station, told Ten News that they thought 'this is it' as the saw the truck coming towards them prior to the collision.

Traffic was blocked at the intersection of Dryburgh and Victoria Streets.

Motorists were urged to avoid the area.

The 401 express shuttle normally runs between the University of Melbourne and North Melbourne station

A customer had narrowly missed the bus collision, having left the shop just a minute before

A man working in the store at the time said he thought the impact was a 'lightening strike'

The four passengers on the bus and the truck driver were not injured in the crash. The bus driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries
A woman has delivered her baby on the back seat of her car outside of a petrol station.

Isobel Hutchinson, unexpectedly welcomed son Louis on Wednesday - four days before her due date.

The Melbourne mother had taken her three-year-old daughter Sabine to her dance class in Lygon Street after ignoring 'irregular contractions' earlier that morning.

Isobel Hutchinson unexpectedly welcomed son Louis on Wednesday after delivering him on the back seat of her car outside of a petrol station

But Ms Hutchinson couldn't ignore her water breaking in the middle of Lygon street and desperately called husband Samir Younes who rushed to his wife's aid.

'I got a call around 11 to come to Carlton, her waters had broken in the middle of Lygon Street,' Mr Younes told The Age.

But on the way to the hospital Ms Hutchinson realised she wasn't going to make it and asked her husband to pull over.

So Mr Younes pulled into the BP station on the corner of St Georges Road and Bell Street and after a a frantic phone call to paramedics and only 10 minutes Louie was born.

'It was three pushes and then he popped out in my arms. It was amazing,' Mr Younis said.

Paramedics arrived a short time later and whisked the mother and newborn to Mercy Hospital.
There's been a complaint about my first report from Sweden.

A reader is very angry because I suggested the child raped by a 45-year-old migrant (posing as an unaccompanied minor) was 14.

In fact, he was 12.

This is the state of liberalism today. So determined to prove I am wrong, my observations erroneous, the stories I have on tape inaccurate, that it has lost all sight of the raped migrant child crumpled in the corner.

Similarly, the 'we know better brigade' are so puffed up with smug self-importance as they point out Trump got his dates confused over the troubles in Sweden, they cant see past their own chest to the riots in Rinkeby.

Katie Hopkins meets with Mattias Karlsson, the group leader in parliament for the Swedish Democrats

Where cars were set alight, shops looted and shopkeepers beaten while youths went on the rampage.

I asked Mattias Karlsson, leader of the Swedish Democrats - currently leading in the polls - why other politicians refuse to acknowledge the problems right in front of their eyes.

He explained that to accept there is a problem would mean accepting nearly 80 years of liberal thinking was wrong. That multiculturalism doesn't work, that mass immigration does not lead to integration, that Sweden has made a big mistake.

A stranger came up to me in a coffee shop to say much the same thing. She had read my first report. She implored me to shout louder.

She said Sweden cannot go on pretending it is some kind of utopia. That it is on a path to fail, that her friends fear Sweden is being overwhelmed.

The fears are real. The areas migrants inhabit have become sink suburbs, riddled with no-go zones, even for the police, where hand-grenade attacks are the accepted norm, women stay indoors, and the ambulances and fire engines need police escorts. God help any good people forced to live here.

Katie meets with Group Commander Fredrik Liljegren, who heads up Kista Fire Station. His is the toughest fire station in Sweden, dealing with the highest incident rate in the country

I met with Group Commander Fredrik Liljegren who heads up Kista Fire Station. His is the toughest fire station in Sweden, dealing with the highest incident rate in the country.

Four members of his team work full time to help migrant children understand why it is important to let these crews do their work. Not to throw rocks at the vehicles. Or slash their tyres. Or cut the hoses.

These feel like lessons in humanity, sadly lacking in this place.

I asked Mattias whether he thought these suburbs would end up being walled off, like mini-Mexicos, in an effort to contain the problem.

He told me it was more likely that gated communities would spring up  walls of another sort, to keep the bad out and protect those within, but no less depressing and divisive.

Here at the fire station he is not wrong. A reinforced fence is being built all the way around the premises to try to prevent break-ins. Five cutting tools have been stolen from this station alone  whilst the vehicles were in the station.

This is what multiculturalism looks like in 21st-century Sweden. I am stunned the moral bar has never fallen so low.

Five cutting tools have been stolen from this station alone  whilst the vehicles were in the station

Four members of Fredrik's team work full time to help migrant children understand why it is important to let these crews do their work. Not to throw rocks at them or slash their tyres

Still no one dares address the sharp rise in violent crime  stabbings, grenade attacks, automatic-weapon fire, violent rapes, the sorts of crime which terrorise communities.

Except one, Peter Springare, a police officer with 42 years of policing Sweden under his belt.

I went to meet him at his police station in Orebro to ask why he spoke out, in a place where silent acceptance seems mandatory.

He posted on Facebook, 'here we go; this is what I've handled from Monday to Friday this week: rape, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, rape-assault and rape....violence against the police, threats to police, drug crime, felony, attempted murder, rape again.

'Suspected perpetrators; Ali Mohammed, Mahmod, Mohammed, Mohammed Ali, Muhammad, again, again, again. Countries representing all the crimes this week; Iraq, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Somalia, Syria again, Somalia...

Peter Springare, a police officer with 42 years of policing Sweden under his belt, wants politicians to acknowledge there is a problem with immigrant criminals

Predictably, the left rushed in to call him a racist, calling him a Nazi, a xenophobe.

But if they listen, they'd hear he is surprisingly positive about the benefits of controlled migration. And does not believe in deporting criminal immigrants. He just wants politicians to acknowledge there is a problem with immigrant criminals.

He is clear about their intent to overload the police and overturn the Swedish justice system. He believes if this continues, Sweden will become a lawless country.

I think back to my 48 hours in Rinkeby. There, I wonder if the battle has already been lost. I watched American journalists flee under police escort from where I stood, frightened off by the masked gangs who control this turf.

I followed up on the riots last week. Not a single arrest was made.

After Peter's Facebook post, in which he drew attention to the volume of crimes allegedly perpetrated by migrants, he was branded a racist, a Nazi, a xenophobe

I spoke to residents who know burglaries will not be attended, rapes not prosecuted, car fires accepted with a shrug, pepper spray banned in case your rapist is hurt.

Gangs here have rewritten the relationship between crime and punishment. They have gained the upper hand. And they know it. For them, justice is delivered with guns or knives, dominance asserted by unbuttoning their fly.

But the only response the government know is to try to silence people like Peter. To pretend the problem away.

The establishment tried to make a case against him for 'inciting racial hatred'. But that fell apart. Now they are trying to make 'hacking police files and dereliction of duty' stick.

He will not be silenced. Nor will the stranger in the coffee shop who urged me to keep speaking out. Or the Swedish Democrats determined to force this debate into the centre ground. Or the victims of violent rape who don't care if you think the sexual assault graph is going up or down.

They share a single message; Sweden cannot begin to solve its problems until it starts talking about them.

I'd ask the politicians to step away from the pretty bits which look like the Sweden I imagined. And spend time with the men and women in the dirty places in between.

Places I spent time in pretending to be brave; where a white woman is a whore, first responders are under attack, and the streets are run by gangs who do not fear the law but laugh in its face.
Andy Parker has stepped down as head of Capita

The 2.7million-a-year executive in charge of the firm that collects TV licence fees has been ousted days after the Daily Mail exposed his staffs ruthless and underhand tactics.

Andy Parker stepped down yesterday as head of Capita, the outsourcing company paid 59million a year by the BBC.

The news came days after the Mail revealed how his TV Licensing staff were part of an aggressive incentive scheme.

An undercover reporter found officials were told to catch at least 28 evaders each a week.

He heard how staff could make 15,000 a year in bonuses and had to gather evidence so as many people as possible could be prosecuted.

Those taken to court in the past few days include a war veteran with dementia.

The Mails expose prompted the BBC to order an urgent investigation, insisting there would be swift action.

Theresa May instructed ministers to meet BBC bosses.

Within hours, BBC director-general Tony Hall wrote to 48-year-old Mr Parker, expressing his fears that vulnerable people risked being picked on by licence fee inspectors.

Lord Hall said Capita had fallen short of the standards the BBC has a right to expect on behalf of the British public.

Mr Parker, who has run Capita for three years, earned a total of 2.68million in 2015  the equivalent of 51,000 a week.

He will leave later this year when a replacement is found.

Exposed: How the Mail exposed the licence bullies on Monday and Tuesday

Capita has had a dismal year financially, with a string of profit warnings leading to it falling out of the FTSE100.

In 2016, pre-tax profits fell by 33 per cent, and its share price is down by more than 40 per cent over the past 12 months.

A Capita source said the firm has been discussing Mr Parkers future for two weeks following the poor results. The final decision was made in the hours before a crucial meeting at 6.30am yesterday.

The source added: On Wednesday they were in discussions and they decided overnight. The TV Licence stories cant have helped him. Everything counts.

On Monday, the Mail Investigations Unit revealed the tactics used by fee enforcers. TV Licensing manager Ian Doyle told the reporter: We will drive you as hard as we can to get as much as we can out of you because were greedy.

All households must have a licence if residents watch or record live TV programmes on any channel, or download or watch BBC shows on iPlayer. This applies to any device used.

People who do not pay can be fined up to 1,000 and face a criminal conviction. Of the 38 people jailed for not paying the fine in 2015, most were women.

Mr Parker lives with his wife Nadine and two sons in a 2million house in Loxley, Warwickshire. In addition to his 550,000 salary, in 2015 he earned a 550,000 bonus and shares worth 1.5million from a long-term incentive plan.

He also claimed 63,353 in benefits, including private medical care.

Capita said he was not stepping down as a result of the Mail reports. It claims it does not target vulnerable people, and its incentive scheme only applies to fee sales, not convictions.

A spokesman added: This mutually agreed decision follows weeks of discussions about the appropriate leadership to best support the group.

It is entirely inaccurate to suggest this board change is related in any way to the BBC TV Licensing contract.

A BBC spokesman said: Its our policy to only prosecute evaders as a last resort.
One of Hollywood's most iconic cars may have been found after being lost for nearly 50 years.

Steve McQueen drove a classic Highland Green 1968 Mustang GT in the movie 'Bullitt,' creating one of the most iconic on-screen automotive duos there's ever been.

During the film, there were two identical cars used - one that was kept to appear brand new, and one that was used during the movie's groundbreaking chase scene through steep streets of San Francisco.

Steve McQueen drove a classic Highland Green 1968 Mustang GT in the movie 'Bullitt,' creating one of the most iconic on-screen automotive duos there's ever been

A member of the Vintage Mustang Forum , Fede Garza, posted a photo of a Mustang that was about to be converted into a replica of the 'Eleanor' Mustang from the film 'Gone in 60 Seconds' at a restoration shop

One car was preserved and sold three times over the years, and is safeguarded by a private owner now.

The stunt car was so badly beaten up in production that it was supposedly sent to a junkyard, reported Fox News Auto.

However, it's come out that the same car has resurfaced in an unknown location in Mexico.

A member of the Vintage Mustang Forum, Fede Garza, posted photos of a Mustang that was about to be converted into a replica of the 'Eleanor' Mustang from the film 'Gone in 60 Seconds' at a restoration shop.

The car's owner researched the car's vehicle identification number (VIN) and learned that it might be the 'Bullitt' Mustang.

Owners were prompted to look into it based on other telltale features such as reinforced shock towers, a custom nine-inch rear axle, and holes in the trunk that are likely to accommodate a generator used to run the in-car camera lights

If it is proved to be authentic, the number matches the missing movie car

If it is proved to be authentic, the number matches the missing movie car.

The current owners were prompted to look into it based on other telltale features such as reinforced shock towers, a custom nine-inch rear axle, and holes in the trunk that are likely to accommodate a generator used o run the in-car camera lights.

Garza said that the Mustang had been rotting away in Baja California Sur for 20-30 years, reported Fox.

Kevin Marti, who is one of the world's top experts on classic Fords has said he is headed to Mexico right now to attempt to verify if the car is really the same one from the 1968 movie.

The Mustang was used during 'groundbreaking chase scene through the steep streets of San Fransisco

The 10-minute chase scene is regarded as one of the most influential in movie history and is considered to have revolutionized Hollywood's standards

Though he has only seen photos, he is very optimistic that they have found the missing car, and with his seal of approval, Garza said he plans to display the car at a local Ford dealership then send it north for a proper restoration.

If everything proves legitimate, the Mexican Mustang could be fixed up in time for the 50th movie anniversary.
Ministers are rethinking their reluctance to introduce a plastic bottle deposit and refund scheme.

Environment minister Therese Coffey has hinted the scheme could form part of efforts to reduce the 15million plastic bottles thrown away each day which clog up oceans and rivers.

The last Government introduced a 5p charge on plastic bags which has cut littering and the number issued at tills by more than 70 per cent.

Ministers are rethinking their reluctance to introduce a plastic bottle deposit and refund scheme

And while Westminster is currently drawing up a new litter strategy, which is likely to include higher fines, a first draft which was leaked a few weeks ago contained no mention of a plastic bottle deposit and refund scheme (DRS).

However, a campaign on the issue by the Daily Mail and a dramatic shift in position by Coca-Cola appear to have put the idea back on the agenda.

Two weeks ago, the US drinks giant, which has previously lobbied against a bottle deposit scheme for the UK, came out in favour of trials on the back of customer surveys that found two in three people support the idea.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently working on plans to ban the use of plastic microbeads in products to protect the oceans as well as the fish and shellfish eaten by humans.

Green campaigners argue the next logical step is to deal with the blight caused by the 15million plastic bottles thrown away in Britain every day. Miss Coffeys apparent willingness to reconsider a DRS for plastic bottles emerged as she answered questions in the Commons yesterday.

Environment minister Therese Coffey has hinted a deposit could form part of efforts to reduce the 15million plastic bottles thrown away each day

Tory Steve Double, the MP for St Austell and Newquay, raised the issue, where he cited a petition set up by Surfers Against Sewage calling for a bottle deposit scheme that has garnered more than 210,000 signatures.

Mr Double said: The Governments progress on banning microbeads is very welcome but there are other forms of plastic that are polluting our seas, including the 15million plastic bottles that are thrown away every day.

Would the minister meet with me to discuss how we can advance this petition and make progress on this issue?

In reply, she said: I would be happy to meet with you to discuss this matter. We are looking at this issue in terms of the litter strategy.

The Scottish government is already considering trials for a plastic bottle DRS which could start as early as next year.

Labour MP Kerry McCarthy also called on ministers to back a DRS for plastic bottles in England. She said: Larger plastics that break down and become microplastics within the marine environment are really the big issue. A deposit return scheme would make a really big difference.

John Read, founder of the Clean Up Britain campaign, said: Its very encouraging to hear that the minister seems to be indicating the Government is willing to look seriously at a DRS.

After opposing it for so long, Coca-Cola has recently indicated that it is open-minded about its introduction too, and deserve credit for this change of policy. Support for a DRS is now gathering discernible momentum, and we have no doubt its adoption would be a very effective weapon in the war on litter.
A lawyer who jumped to his death from his ninth floor Park Avenue apartment landed in front of horrified joggers on a terrace outside the building's gym.

Kenneth Freeling, 59, died on Thursday morning after falling from the balcony in is $5,100 one-bedroom apartment to the second floor terrace.

A woman and her daughter inside who were jogging on treadmills witnessed his death and called for help.

'We were on the treadmills facing this when a man fell out of the sky and landed on the terrace.

A lawyer jumped from the ninth floor of this Park Avenue apartment building and landed on a second floor terrace overlooked by its gym where two joggers witnessed his death

'I was looking at the TV and my daughter said, "Mom, a man just fell out of the sky."

'It was not pretty. She shook him and said, "Are you OK?"' the woman told The New York Post, declining to give her name.

Mr Freeling, a lawyer for Covington & Burling LLP, had been battling mental health and drug issues, according to police.

Ken Freeling, 59, was battling mental health and drug issues, according to police

There was no answer at his home on Thursday evening. His son, Sam, also took his own life in 2013.

At the time he was 21 and studying at the University of Rochester.

His mother Sue Cimbricz appeared on a Katie Couric Yahoo News special afterwards to raise awareness of undetected depression among young people.

Mr Freeling's death is the second suicide at a Manhattan high-rise building in as many days.

On Wednesday, father-of-two Kevin Bell died after leaping from his apartment on the Upper West Side.

The hedge-fund executive's two children and wife were at home when he took his own life at 7.20am.

Mr Freeling's son Sam took his own life in 2013 at the age of 25. His mother, Sue Cimbricz, (above) appeared on a Katie Couric Yahoo News special afterwards to raise awareness of undetected depression among young people

 For confidential help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here

 For confidential support on suicide matters in the UK, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here
In the dock: Derry McCann raped a stranger in a park hours before marrying Harry Kane's pregnant cousin

A groom raped a stranger in a park hours before marrying Harry Kane's pregnant cousin.

Derry McCann, 28, subjected the 24-year-old woman to a 'sustained and systematic' attack over two hours in Victoria Park in Hackney, east London.

Detectives believe he planned to rape a different woman but 'lost track' of her so grabbed the eventual victim as she walked home after a night out with friends in the early hours of January 13.

After repeatedly raping her he also stole her phone and bra telling the victim: 'Youre lucky I didnt video it'.

Hours later McCann married at The Vestry in Bromley-by-Bow and posted pictures of himself with his new wife Kerry Hogg, 27, on his public Facebook page.

Kerry, who had no idea about the attack and has recently given birth to McCann's son, is a cousin of England and Spurs striker Harry Kane. Her father and his mother are siblings.

She was not at Snaresbrook Crown Court yesterday when her husband admitted rape.

McCann's assault in January mirrors a similar assault for which he was jailed in 2006, after he attacked a lawyer in a park in east London, telling an accomplice he would 'have fun with this one'.

He was sentenced to life with a minimum of nine years, and the judge said there was a risk he would strike again.

The defendant, of Hackney, east London, fixed his eyes on the ground as he pleaded guilty to three counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration and one count of robbery.

Honorary Recorder Martyn Zeidman told the rapist he had carried out a 'terrible' crime and faced a 'very, very long time' in prison.

First dance: Derry Flynn McCann, 28, pictured with his new wife on their wedding day - the groom has since admitted rape, robbery and assault carried out that day

McCann played 'mind games' with his victim after dragging her into the undergrowth, taunting her by asking what she thought he would do next, Snaresbrook Crown Court was told.

McCann also snatched the woman's mobile phone and bra, the court heard.

Kate Bex, prosecuting, said: 'It was about midnight, just a little after, and the victim was walking a short distance home having been out to an art gallery, socialising with friends.

Kerry Hogg, McCann's wife, is cousins with Tottenham striker Harry Kane (pictured)

'She was almost within sight of her own front door when she skirted round the side of the park on her usual route home.

'She avoided walking through the middle of it because that was too dangerous, she walked around the side, but unfortunately when near the exit of the park the defendant grabbed her arm and pulled her to one side.

'He began a sustained and systematic attack, best described as mind games in an attempt to control her. Asking the victim what she thought he was going to do to her before actually carrying out the acts.

'He behaved oddly in other respects in interacting with the victim concerning the condom he used when he penetrated and ejaculated.'

McCann will be sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on April 28.

The court heard that in May 2006, when he was 17 and on a tag for burglary he preyed on the 30-year-old trainee lawyer as she made her way home through an east London park.

After snatching the woman's handbag he chillingly told an accomplice: 'I'm gonna have some fun with this one.'

The attack took place in Victoria Park, Hackney, pictured, in which a 24-year-old woman was sexually assaulted

He then dragged her down to the secluded banks of a pond in Mile End Park to inflict a string of disturbing sexual assaults.

McCann began his assault by biting her on the cheek before alternately beating and raping her.

During the prolonged assault he told her she was his girlfriend and he wanted her to have his child before saying he was going to chain her up in his basement where he kept other women.

A detective at the time said he put his victim through a 'life-changing trauma that will haunt her for the rest of her life'.

Judge Lindsay Burn had expressed deep concern over his 'clinical enactment of a catalogue of sexual desires', which amounted to 'torture'.

Snaresbrook Crown Court where McCann will return for sentencing on April 28 after admitting rape and assault

The judge said: 'Some of the most bizarre and worrying features of the evidence was your repeated threats to kill the complainant and your change of mood.

'On the one hand you were a sexual aggressor, then you almost completely switched to the role of boyfriend, talking to her in a normal way.'

Judge Burn was so concerned about him he ordered a transcript of his sentencing remarks to be sent to the governor of the prison.

He said: 'In my judgement there's a very substantial risk that you will commit further serious offences in the future and your conduct will cause serious harm to your victim or victims.'

As McCann was given a life sentence, with a minimum of nine years before he can be released on parole, he yelled out: 'B*******, you don't know me. F*** all you c****.'

He also warned the prison guards not to touch him as he was led away.

McCann's furious family were then escorted out of the building by 12 officers after shouting at the judge for jailing their 'innocent' son.

Crown Prosecution Service London reviewing lawyer Andrew Held said: 'This was a terrifying, violent and prolonged attack involving rapes committed by a man intent on inflicting fear and psychological suffering.

'The strong prosecution case which led to today's guilty pleas included victim testimony, an ID parade, CCTV footage, and bad character evidence based on a similar rape committed by McCann in 2006.

'I would like to thank McCann's victim for her courage in helping bring this prosecution and hope his conviction provides some sense of justice for her.'
Theresa May will today tell Nicola Sturgeon to stop playing games with Scotlands future, warning that the UK needs to come closer together with Brexit rather than further apart.

The Prime Minister will say maintaining the Union is a personal priority as she savages the First Minister for tunnel vision in which she sees independence as the solution to every problem.

In a scathing speech at the Scottish Tory party conference in Glasgow, Mrs May will claim that schools in Scotland are now performing worse than those in parts of Eastern Europe because of the nationalists obsession with independence.

Prime Minister Theresa May will today warn the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that the UK needs to come 'closer together' following Brexit rather than further apart

In an article for the Scottish Daily Mail last night, the Prime Minister gave her strongest indication yet that she will rebuff Miss Sturgeon if, as expected, she demands the power to hold a new referendum on independence.

She wrote: The SNP will always try to denigrate our United Kingdom to further their obsession with independence. But I am equally determined to ensure the truth about our United Kingdom is heard loudly and clearly.

As Britain leaves the EU and we forge a new role for ourselves in the world, the strength and stability of our own Union will become even more important.

We must take this opportunity to bring our United Kingdom closer together. Mrs May accused the SNP leader of using her position to agitate for independence rather than improve the lives of people in Scotland and said her record of neglect and mismanagement was a scandal.

Politics is not a game and should never be treated as such. It is a serious business, centred on improving peoples lives, she wrote.

Scottish schools, which once led the world in setting the highest standards of attainment, are now outperformed in every category by schools in England, Northern Ireland, Estonia and Poland.

Mrs May will say maintaining the Union is a personal priority as she accuses the First Minister of tunnel vision in which she sees independence as the solution to every problem

Education has been fully devolved since 1999 and under the SNPs stewardship for ten years. But standards have fallen, the attainment gap remains and Scottish young people are losing out.

In her speech today, Mrs May will add: People in Scotland deserve a First Minister who is focused on their priorities  raising standards in education, taking care of the health service, reforming criminal justice, helping the economy prosper, improving peoples lives.

My first visit as Prime Minister was to Scotland. I wanted to make clear that strengthening and sustaining the bonds that unite us is a personal priority for me.
A University Of Illinois student accused of suffocating her newborn son shortly after giving birth in her dorm's bathroom is set to plead guilty, her legal team said Thursday.

Lindsay Johnson, 20, of Monee, has decided to take a plea deal, her lawyers told the Chicago Tribune. They didn't specify which charges she would plead guilty to during the hearing in April.

The agricultural communications major faced up to 75 years behind bars if convicted of first-degree murder in her baby's death.

Johnson told investigators she gave birth inside a bathroom at her residence hall in Champaign in March, then tried to quiet him with her hand or a towel, according to the state's attorney's office.

Lindsay Johnson (pictured in March last year), 20, of Monee, is accused of killing her newborn son and will plead guilty as part of a plea deal, her lawyers said Thursday

'With the loving support of her family, Lindsay has made the difficult decision to enter into a plea agreement in April that will resolve the criminal charges filed against her,' the 20-year-old's lawyers said in a statement to the Chicago Tribune.

Johnson faced charges of murder, child endangerment and concealment of a homicidal death.

She gave birth to her son at Bousfield Hall on March 13, and killed him shortly afterwards, according to prosecutors.

Police were called to check on a student who had been inside the bathroom for several hours.

The student (pictured in a mugshot) gave birth to her son inside a bathroom at Bousfield Hall in Champaign on March 13, and killed him shortly afterwards, according to prosecutors

Police were called to check on a student inside the bathroom at Bousfield Hall (pictured) and said they later found Johnson with the dead baby in her backpack

There, they said they found evidence of childbirth and later found Johnson on campus, wearing a backpack with the dead newborn inside.

The student first told them that she had given birth to the baby earlier, but that the boy wasn't breathing at the time, according to the state's attorney's office.

But she changed her story after a witness said they had heard a baby crying, authorities said.

Investigators found searches made from Johnson's phone about pregnancy, miscarriages, and home abortions, the state's attorney's office said.

Johnson's next court hearing is scheduled on April 7.
John McDonnell, Shadow Chancellor, yesterday agreed to try to patch things up with Peter Mandelson. Mongoose to cobra, I say, snake, shall we have a breather?

We had been summoned to a penthouse room at the top of the Royal Festival Hall for a mid-morning speech by Mr McDonnell. Ostensibly the event was arranged to promote Labours economic arguments before next weeks Budget but the partys in-fighting proved a hotter source of interest.

In recent days Lord Mandelson said he was working every day to undermine Jeremy Corbyn (the only surprising thing about this was that anyone was surprised). And Tony Blair made that Norma Desmond speech blaming Mr Corbyns leadership for the Lefts Brexit difficulties. The Blairites are furious with Mr Corbyn for not being more anti-Brexit.

Mr McDonnell, who is Mr Corbyns political bodyguard, responded by asserting that there was a soft coup being attempted to topple Mr Corbyn. This revolution was planned, coordinated and fully resourced and the very existence of Labour was possibly in doubt. Mr McDonnell said the plotters were elements in the Labour Party and the Murdoch media empire. Cue some sulphurous organ chords.

John McDonnell summoned Quentin Letts to the Royal Festival Hall for a pre-budget speech

He made it sound rather John le Carre  certainly more exciting than the puddle of Labour activists who gathered at yesterday mornings do. Most of them were middle-aged men, the sort who wear anoraks, rubber soles and creased plastic bags.

The one flash of colour came from a woman in the front row. She had dyed her hair a startling red. As some of us shielded our eyes, a columnist from Grazia fashion magazine squinted painfully at the apparition and reported that the colour was somewhere between orangey carmine and candy-pink with an undertow of grey roots.

Meanwhile, a chap beside the red-haired woman wore an ironic pork-pie hat. He had the look of someone who might once have auditioned for the pop group Madness. It was all quite Citizen Smith.

I digress. Mr McDonnell was plainly bursting to talk about his partys civil war. We had expected him to say something along the lines of policies are more important than personalities but no, he eagerly accepted soft coup questions from the Daily Mirror and the BBC.

Labours factions needed to unite, he said in a gritty monotone. Referring to last weeks by-election in Cumbria, in which Labour lost a seat badly to the Conservatives, he explained: All of us have looked over the cliff of Copeland and said we dont want to go there. The most important thing is to unite.

I know Ive got a pugnacious approach. I need to learn a few lessons. And that is holding out a hand, from us in Momentum, to those people in Progress and, yes, Peter Mandelson. You heard it here first.

Mr McDonnell urged Chancellor Philip Hammond not to ignore the the NHS as his sets out his fiscal plans ahead of next week's budget

Leftist hard man McDonnell offers to hold Peter Mandelsons hand. Well, well. Along the way, he made markedly more anti-Brexit noises than we have recently heard from the Labour leadership.

As reconciliation scenes it still needed some work before Hollywood producers are on the line to buy up the rights. Miss Dannii Minogue had a song called Kiss and Make Up but that was not quite yesterdays mood. The Corbyn crowd do not radiate as much confidence as they did pre-Copeland.

Mr McDonnells tone was that of a grazed-kneed gurrier who has been told by his mum to make friends with an arch-enemy in the playground and has duly mumbled a few unwilling words to say he will stop trying to beat him up. The truce may not last long.

Sir John Major this week  in a bout of Tory in-fighting  mentioned Rudyard Kipling. To return to the mongoose analogy, Kiplings tale of little Rikki-Tikki-Tavi showed that cobras need to be fought long and hard. The mongoose who lets go of the snakes neck may soon become an easier target for venom. Mr McDonnell should beware.
The Liberal Democrats have ordered 90 camp beds so that their peers can stay overnight in Parliament in a bid to thwart Theresa Mays Brexit plans.

The party is preparing for a late-night stand-off with MPs as they seek to scupper the Brexit Bill, which gives the Prime Minister authority to begin leaving the EU.

Mrs May is determined to push ahead with triggering Article 50, which starts the process of quitting the EU, in the next few weeks despite the Lords inflicting her first parliamentary defeat over Brexit on Wednesday night.

Mrs May is determined to push ahead with triggering Article 50, which starts the process of quitting the EU, in the next few weeks

But she could face a Tory rebellion in the Commons that ties her hands in negotiations  and a final push by the Lords to cause problems.

Ministers hope MPs will strip out any amendments added by the Lords to dictate the terms of Brexit when the Bill returns to the Commons on March 13.

The Lib Dems yesterday held urgent strategy talks to discuss how they hope to retain these changes in a stand-off between the Lords and the Commons.

Baroness Smith of Basildon, the Labour leader of the Lords, has said peers are unlikely to fight further if MPs vote down their amendments.

But the Lib Dems hope to persuade pro-Remain peers to help them ping-pong amendments between the houses. Despite having just nine MPs, the party has 102 unelected peers in the Lords.

Some 90 folding beds have been ordered by the party in preparation for all-night sessions so they can be ready to vote at any point during the night. The peers will camp out in their offices.

A party strategist said: We are planning for every eventuality and preparing for all-night sessions. If that means pizza and food delivery at 3am then so be it. We have plans in place for sleeping bags and beds for our peers.

We think this matters and [Lib Dem leader] Tim Farron has said we will go through the lobbies time after time to defend the rights of 3.3million EU nationals who live and have made their home here.

A party strategist said Lib Dem leader Tim Farron (pictured) plans to 'go through the lobbies time after time to defend the rights of 3.3million EU nationals'

'We are also committed to fighting tooth and nail to give the people a final say on the deal.

Tory MP Andrew Rosindell accused the Lib Dems of desperation, saying: It seems they will go to any possible length to undermine the democratic wishes of the people  This is all unnecessary as the British people have voted in a referendum that we should leave the EU and the House of Commons has backed invoking Article 50.

I dont see what the Liberal Democrats think they are achieving  many on the Remain side now want this matter to be got on with and not dragged on any longer. It looks like they are desperate.

Peers voted on Wednesday to amend the Bill, to force the Government to guarantee unilaterally the post-Brexit rights of 3.3million EU citizens living in the UK  even though the EU has refused to discuss the rights of 1.2million Britons living in other member states.

Ministers made clear their intention to overturn the vote when the legislation goes back to the Commons this month.

Some 90 folding beds have been ordered by the party in preparation for all-night sessions so they can be ready to vote at any point during the night. The peers will camp out in their offices

But they face the prospect of a second defeat in the Lords next week on another opposition amendment, which would require Parliament to be given a meaningful vote on Britains final withdrawal.

The Government has promised a vote on any agreement with the EU, but opponents fear that if there is no deal the UK will simply leave, without Parliament able to intervene.

The amended Bill will go back to the Commons on March 13-14, when ministers are confident MPs will remove the amendment on EU citizens living in the UK. But pro-Remain Tories could join Labour and the Lib Dems to support the amendment on a meaningful vote.

When MPs voted on a similar amendment last month it was rejected by a majority of 33, with seven Tory MPs rebelling.

Europhiles believe that if it returns to the Commons, MPs could be emboldened by the defeats in the Lords and more pro-Remain Tories could be persuaded to rebel.
Aldi is launching online sales in China using Australian suppliers.

The German discount supermarket chain is hoping to appeal to Chinese consumers interested in German brands with a selection of wine, snack and breakfast products.

The company will sell its own brand products via online platform Tmall Global, operated by Alibaba, and will use its Australian suppliers to serve the Chinese market, it said on Thursday.

Aldi said an initial 'soft launch' on March 20, which typically sees a product offered to a limited audience, will be followed by a full launch event in Shanghai on April 25.

The discount supermarket chain is launching online sales in China using Australian suppliers

'We know there is a strong demand among Chinese consumers for Australian manufactured products and our goal is to provide a competitively priced alternative for shoppers seeking quality groceries,' an ALDI spokesman said.

'We believe our unique offer of high-quality Australian products at unbeatable prices will be an attractive proposition for Chinese consumers.'

A source with knowledge of Aldi's China operation told the Sydney Morning Herald that the company is moving 'slowly and sensibly' in the country  with orders increasing only slightly from March until August.

And a spokesman for ALDI Australia confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that the company has been undertaking feasibility studies in China for several years before deciding to enter the world's biggest market of almost 1.4billion customers.

The German discount supermarket chain is hoping to appeal to Chinese consumers with a selection of wine, snack and breakfast products

The company will sell its own brand products via online platform Tmall Global

'ALDI has enjoyed strong and long lasting relationships with many of our Australian suppliers since our first stores opened in 2001,' an ALDI Australia spokesman said.

'Our growth across the country has provided increased business for these suppliers, allowing them to invest this back into their own operations and contributing to their success.

'We look forward to further expanding these relationships as we develop further opportunities in Asia.'

The company added that the move to China follows a rapid growth in the ALDI Australia business, which they will continue to invest in.

The company added the move to China follows a rapid growth in the ALDI Australia business

Rival Woolworths has already been selling products  including baby formula, Weet-Bix cereal - through Tmall in China for more than a year.

Alibaba Europe manager Terry von Bibra said the Chinese middle-class was becoming more and more interested in 'Made in Germany' products.

The German discount chains are increasingly expanding abroad, with rival Lidl saying last month it would open its first stores in the United States this summer.

The Chinese foray is being run by Aldi South, which also owns Aldi US and runs the chain in Britain. It entered the Australian market more than 15 years ago.
For more than a decade, the Pakistani tribal area of North Waziristan has been the deadly epicentre of global terror.

This mountainous area on the remote Afghan border was the secure base from which Taliban and Al Qaeda warlords launched attacks across the world.

Many have been aimed at Britain.

The Pakistani army, pictured has been looking to reassert control over their northern border

The area of Waziristan is the location where the 7/7 bombings on London were planned

The area was also home to a plot to detonate liquid explosives on a trans Atlantic aircraft

For example, it was from here that Rashid Rauf (the Al Qaeda terrorist who at the time was described as one of the worlds most wanted) masterminded the 7/7 London bombings in 2005 which killed 52 and injured more than 770 people.

Rauf  born in Pakistan but radicalised by a sect in Birmingham in his late teens after moving to Britain in the early Eighties  was also suspected of being the ringleader of a foiled plot to detonate liquid explosives on a transatlantic plane in 2006, which a senior British policeman said would have caused mass murder on an unimaginable scale.

I have travelled regularly to Pakistan ever since the darkest days of the countrys descent into terror. At times, the country seemed on the verge of collapse. Indeed, at one point it was regarded by global intelligence agencies, including Britains MI6, as the most dangerous state in the world.

This week, I was the first Western journalist in many years to travel to the North Waziristan capital, Miranshah.

Until recently, it was from these streets that Taliban commanders ordered public beheadings and Al Qaeda chiefs groomed innocent children as young as ten to be suicide bombers.

It seemed unimaginable back then that Al Qaeda and the Taliban would be driven out of Pakistans tribal territories. Yet the Pakistan army now claims that every last Taliban fighter has been expelled.

The Pakistani army cleared the city of Miranshah of the Taliban following a massive campaign

Until recently, the Pakistani Taliban had the run of the area grooming children as young as ten to become suicide bombers and performed public executions on the streets of the city

It is nothing short of miraculous that Pakistan survived after so many atrocities and disasters.

This, then, is a story of optimism; of how the men of terror can be taken on and defeated.

After a sustained assault, Pakistani troops managed to take control of Miranshah. The terrorists fled  but left a scene of heartbreaking devastation.

Entire streets were reduced to rubble. The citys ancient market, once home to more than 600 shops, was flattened.

Pakistani troops have now expelled the Taliban from the region in a display of raw courage

The blight of terrorism in the area dates back to 9/11 in 2001, and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan by the Western allies in revenge for the attacks on America.

In order to escape pursuing British and U.S. troops, Taliban and Al Qaeda forces, including the latter groups leader Osama Bin Laden, fled from their traditional strongholds in Afghanistan into the tribal areas of Pakistan.

They were safe here under the protection of local tribes, many of whom had strong links to Afghanistan.

In due course, the Taliban used their new bases in Waziristan to attack British and American forces in Afghanistan.

Thousands of foreign fighters, including British Jihadis such as Rashid Rauf, who had been a student at Portsmouth University and had worked for a bakery in Birmingham, flocked to join them.

The Pakistan army was duly placed under huge pressure from the West to attack the Taliban in these tribal hideouts.

After protracted battles, the Pakistan military finally managed to clear the region of its last terrorist stronghold. But not before the Taliban had launched numerous reprisal attacks inside Pakistan itself, engulfing the country in a bloody civil war that claimed tens of thousands of lives.

Pakistani troops took on and defeated the Taliban but left behind a scene of devastation

My guide, Major General Hassan Azhar Hayat, is understandably triumphant. He claims that the destruction of the city was a price that had to be paid as the only way of driving out the terror chiefs who he says had held the citizens of Miranshah hostage.

Now, local people who had been forced to flee are returning to their homes.

Hassan, who commands Pakistans 7th Division on the north-west frontier, drove me through the ruins to visit the site of a former Taliban bomb factory in a Miranshah suburb.

Cynically, Taliban warlords had located it in the middle of a densely populated area, in the belief that the military would never attack for fear of causing massive loss of civilian life.

The West put pressure on Pakistani authorities to take control of their northern tribal region

We found ourselves in what was once a sophisticated complex. The terror chiefs had left behind large containers for glycerin, ammonium nitrate, manganese and nitric powder as well as machines to convert these raw materials into bombs.

The bombs would be used with deadly effect in indiscriminate attacks which claimed thousands of lives, almost certainly including those of British troops serving in Afghanistan.

Jihadist literature that was found at the site revealed that the factory was run by the Afghan Islamic Emirate  popularly known as the Afghan Taliban.

There was still much evidence of the bomb-makers: at the entrance were gas masks and rubber gloves to protect them. In a bizarre touch that belied the deadly nature of this bomb factory, the living quarters were decorated with murals depicting rivers, orchards and idyllic scenes from the countryside.

This was one of a number which had been discovered in the two-year operation to recover North Waziristan from terrorist control. In total, the army found 310 tons of explosives, 25,000 rifles and more than two million bullets.

The military also uncovered a terrorist infrastructure that included a media centre hidden in the basement of a mosque, secret prisons where kidnap victims were held, and deep tunnels to protect fighters from precision bombs. Major General Hassan described it as the terrorists version of the Pentagon in America.

The Taliban hid out in the centre of a densely populated area believing they were safe

There was also a military college  the Taliban equivalent to Britains Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst  where fighters were trained.

The Pakistan Army is now convinced that after 15 years of pure horror it has won the war on terror in Pakistans tribal areas.

Statistics now show that terrorist violence in Pakistan has fallen by three quarters in the past two years.

Hassan told me: We feel there is no threat now. Weve operated against terrorists of all colours and creeds here. There are no no-go areas any more.

The truth would seem to be that the terrorists have either been killed or have fled across the border into Afghanistan, where, sadly, they have regrouped to launch assaults against Pakistan border positions. There had been seven attacks in the ten days before my visit.

To counter the threat, the Pakistan army has built more than 1,000 border posts to prevent terrorists crossing back into the country.

And there have still been terrible atrocities, such as a recent attack on the shrine of Sufi Saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan Sharif which killed 88 and left many horribly injured.

Yet, overall, the progress against the terror cells has been remarkable. At the height of the attacks from North Waziristan three years ago, Pakistans commercial capital of Karachi was ranked the sixth most dangerous city in the world. Now, violence has fallen so sharply it ranks 32nd. Admittedly, the costs of this war have been horrifying. More than 4,000 Pakistan soldiers died in a conflict that  it is no exaggeration to say  has at times come close to bringing the country to its knees. Fighting the terrorists has cost the country tens of billions of pounds, and has had devastating consequences on the nations people.

At one point, terrorists controlled territories less than 100 miles from the capital, Islamabad. There were even fears that the Taliban might seize control of Pakistans nuclear warheads.

As ever in the world of terrorism, there is a wider context to these local issues.

During a two-year period, the Pakistanis recovered 310 tonnes of explosives, 25,000 rifles and more than two million bullets - and even a media centre hidden under a Mosque

Speaking privately, Pakistan military strategists blame Tony Blairs misguided decision to invade Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein in 2003 as the trigger for their countrys descent into horror.

One general told me that the Wests war against Saddam distracted world leaders from the fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda at a crucial moment, allowing terrorists to regroup in Pakistans tribal areas.

With passion, he told me: One day, Mr Blair will be tried as a war criminal.

Meanwhile, officially, the Pakistan military says the task today is no longer to defeat the Taliban in battle but to rebuild the city of Miranshah. Originally, the area developed after a key fort was built here by the British in 1905 to control North Waziristan and it was said that there could have been no place more dangerous in the whole of the British Empire.

The Pakistani authorities are busy building schools, hospitals and a market to replace the one destroyed in the fighting. In effect, this means the construction of an entire new city.

I was taken to the Golden Arrow High School which is due to open its doors to 1,000 students next month. Its chemistry classes, computer laboratory and library are said to be equal to any high school in the world.

Schools such as this will provide a desperately needed alternative education to that provided by the madrassas (Islamic religious schools) which have been breeding grounds for terror in this part of the world for many years.

Speaking to locals, there are raw memories of the horror of living under the Taliban.

One old man told us how he saw dead bodies of men left on the ground of the town bazaar after they had been executed because they were considered to be spies.

Inevitably, the success of the Islamabad governments operation to clear out the terrorists has been questioned by some.

Mohsin Dawar, a lawyer who was brought up in Miranshah but now works in Islamabad, claims that not all terrorists have gone. He said he had seen militants standing next to us in the queues as people were led back into the city and he questioned whether any real objective had been achieved.

Lets hope he is wrong.

In the nearby city of Peshawar, I visited the army school where 144 children and staff had been killed in an appalling attack by the Taliban. Today, though, a party was being held to celebrate students who were departing the school.

Munib, a 17-year-old student who had survived the attack, said he was still haunted by the memories of his dead friends. They still visited him in his dreams.

I asked him his ambition. I plan to become a doctor and work in their memory.

This is the indomitable spirit that gives the world hope that Pakistan has escaped from an age of unspeakable bloodshed and that the men of terror can be defeated.
Households have been told to brace themselves for another flood of nuisance calls from claims firms after the City watchdog yesterday set a final deadline for PPI complaints.

In an effort to draw a line under the most expensive mis-selling scandal in Britain, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said anyone who thinks they were mis-sold payment protection insurance will have to complain by August 29, 2019.

The watchdog will start a two-year communications campaign from August this year to alert consumers, but said consumers who intend to complain 'should do so as soon as possible'.

Households have been told to brace themselves for another flood of nuisance calls from claims firms after the City watchdog yesterday set a final deadline for PPI complaints

More than 26billion has already been paid out to customers mis-sold PPI alongside loans, credit cards, store cards and car finance.

But the City watchdog's deadline is expected to cause another wave of claims, pushing the final tally above the 35billion mark - which is the amount banks and building societies have set aside for pay-outs.

Lloyds alone has set aside 17billion for the scandal.

Consumer campaigners last night warned 'no win no fee' claims management firms would be ramping up their marketing activity following the FCA's announcement, sending out millions more nuisance text messages and cold calls to customers to persuade them to lodge a claim.

Some firms have recently splashed out on new expensive TV adverts, with We Fight Any Claim, hiring former Monty Python star John Cleese to front its campaign.

Although the mis-selling scandal emerged more than a decade ago, regulators are concerned many people have yet to complain  often because they are unaware they were sold PPI in the first place.

Andrew Bailey, chief executive of the FCA, said: 'Putting in place a deadline and campaign will mean people who were potentially mis-sold PPI will be prompted to take action rather than put it off. We believe that two years is a reasonable time for consumers to decide whether they wish to make a complaint.

The FCA's deadline is expected to cause a wave of fresh PPI claims and Lloyds alone has set aside 17billion for the scandal

'We have carefully considered the feedback we received and we still believe that introducing a deadline for PPI complaints and a communications campaign warning of the deadline will benefit consumers.'

Chief ombudsman Caroline Wayman said earlier this week that while PPI complaints had recently drifted downwards, 'there are some suggestions that this could be the calm before the storm'.

She said the PPI deadline could cause a surge in complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which deals with disputes if they are rejected by companies.

Some consumer groups have welcomed the deadline, arguing it gives customers plenty of time to complain if they haven't already.

But others have objected to the cut- off point, as they say it rewards banks and building societies which are still routinely rejecting legitimate complaints.

Figures released this week by the financial ombudsman  which only looks at a dispute once it has been rejected by a bank - showed that PPI continues to make up just over half of the complaints it receives.

Andrew Bailey, chief executive of the FCA, said the watchdog believe two years in 'reasonable time for consumers to decide whether they wish to make a PPI complaint

Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, said: 'The deadline is a mistake. The stats are plain. Flabbergastingly, in over half of all cases where after the bank rejects a PPI reclaim people take it to the independent ombudsman, the bank's rejection is overturned.

'Until we can trust banks to deal with complaints fairly in the first instance, this move to protect their balance sheets should not happen. It is putting the protection of the financial industry ahead of consumers.'

Mr Lewis also predicted the deadline would prompt an upswing in spam PPI calls as claims firms try to cash in.

Urging consumers to act themselves, he said: 'PPI was systemically mis-sold on loans, credit and store cards, and commonly mis-sold on mortgages and overdrafts.If you've had one of those in the last 20 years, check if you've got the paperwork, and if so if it had PPI on it. And ensure you reclaim for free - there's lots of help out there, you don't need to pay someone.'

Consumer group Which? said many people have been driven to use claims management companies after being fobbed off by their bank.

Vickie Sheriff, the group's director of campaigns and communications, said: 'It's been clear for years that the banks should be working much harder to resolve PPI claims fairly. The current process has been wholly inadequate and driven too many consumers to use claims management companies.

'Now the regulator has confirmed a deadline for the victims of this mis-selling scandal to make a claim, it must ensure that banks are doing much more to help customers get back the money they are owed.'
MPs have raised major concerns about the Governments ability to deliver major rail projects after the bungled upgrade of the Great Western railway.

In a report published just weeks before construction of the 56billion High Speed 2 line gets under way, the Commons Public Accounts Committee has delivered a withering assessment of both the Department of Transport and Network Rail.

MPs said it was staggering unacceptable that the estimated cost of electrifying the Great Western Main Line between London Paddington and Swansea had soared by 1.2billion in just a year.

The committees chair Meg Hillier said this was a stark example of how not to run a major project and criticised the appalling waste of taxpayers money .

MPs have raised major concerns about the Governments ability to deliver major rail projects after the bungled upgrade of the Great Western railway

The report pointed out that the upgrade will be delayed for up to three years, with the Department for Transport having to spend an extra 330million to keep old diesel trains running.

In the course of the committees inquiry, Network Rail has admitted failing to plan the project properly before starting construction, which led it to underestimate the costs.

This included failing to put in place a plan to get more than 1,800 separate permits from local authorities for works that could affect protected species or listed buildings.

The report said the Department for Transport also failed to manage the project properly and challenge Network Rails plans effectively, despite the very significant sums of public money at risk.

This includes initially being liable to pay 400,000 a day to lease new electric trains which could not be used until the overhead electrification was complete.

Faced with delays the Department for Transport eventually asked the Treasury to cancel its order for 21 electric trains and lease bi-mode trains instead which are capable of running on non-electrified tracks.

Meg Hillier, the Labour chair of the cross party PAC said: Mismanagement of the Great Western programme has hit taxpayers hard and left many people angry and frustrated. This is a stark example of how not to run a major project, from flawed planning at the earliest stage to weak accountability and what remain serious questions about the reasons for embarking on the work in the first place.

The sums of public money wasted are appalling  not least the 330 million additional costs the Department for Transport will have to pay to keep the trains running because of delays to electrification.

Protestors dressed as otters demonstrating against the planned High Speed 2 rail line

She added: The Department failed to adequately challenge Network Rails plans to carry out the infrastructure work and, even now, casts doubt on whether electrification work on this and other lines is even necessary.Government accepts it got this project badly wrong and must now demonstrate it has learned the lessons.

The previous government announced plans to electrify the Great Western Main Line in 2009. Great Western and the Midland Main Line were the last of the main line routes in the UK using diesel trains.

The project, which began in June 2010, involves erecting an overhead electric cable along 625 miles of track, connecting London, Reading, Oxford Newbury, Bristol, Cardiff and Swansea.

A new fleet of trains has been bought to replace the old diesel ones and the stations also have to be upgraded.

Ministers said the upgrade would cut journey times while newer trains would have 25 per cent more seats.
Senior police officers failed to investigate the death of a one-year-old baby because it happened before the weekend and they wanted time off, it was revealed yesterday.

A senior detective who ran the bodged inquiry into the death of Poppi Worthington explained that nothing was done because it was a weekend and we were off.

The excuses of Detective Inspector Amanda Sadler were among a string of failures disclosed in a report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which was made public more than four years after the 13-month-old died in hospital from injuries inflicted in a horrific sexual attack.

The report accused two senior detectives of gross misconduct in the case, a level of professional wrongdoing that in most businesses and public services results in instant dismissal.

Poppi Worthington was found dead with serious injuries at her home

However DI Sadler and Detective Superintendent Mike Forrester were allowed to retire rather than face punishment and public exposure.

Miss Sadler, a former beauty queen who was once crowned Miss Great Britain, was first spared the embarrassment of a public disciplinary hearing, and was then demoted rather than sacked prior to her retiremment.

The report also criticised the actions of Michelle Skeer, now the Deputy Chief Constable of Cumbria, the force responsible for the botched investigation.

John Woodcock, the Labour MP for Barrow, where Poppi died, called the officers retirement shocking. He added: Theresa May, who was Home Secretary when the Poppi fiasco occurred, should agree to reform policing so officers convicted of gross incompetence are sacked not reshuffled.

It is likely that Poppi will never have the justice she deserves but this at least should be a legacy of her terrible death.

Police failure to run a competent investigation means there have been no criminal charges because of lack of evidence. However a High Court judge has found that Poppi died following sexual assault by her father, supermarket worker Paul Worthington, 49, at her home in December 2012.

A High Court judge found that Poppi died following sexual assault by her father, supermarket worker Paul Worthington

Yesterdays IPCC report said officers tried only to establish that Poppi died from constipation, as claimed by her parents, and did not pursue any criminal line of inquiry, even though officers were aware of the fathers past.

They failed to secure her home, and allowed forensic evidence to be thrown away by a relative. They failed to keep records of their actions.

They ignored doctors who said Poppi had been attacked, and the report said the decision of Mr Forrester not to send for analysis a forensic swab taken from Mr Worthington was hard to comprehend.

The failures of Cumbria police were not a one-off, the report said. It found there had been a trend of not recording offences immediately and that investigations were being conducted with a view to recording a crime rather than recording a crime and then conducting the investigation. This was happening especially in sexual offences investigations.

Miss Sadler had said of the babys death, which happened on a Wednesday morning, that theres a real shame that there was a weekend involved, the IPCC report said.

It declared: This is evidence which might be considered as relevant to support the view that the investigation into the death of Poppi was not conducted thoroughly or appropriately.

A third, unidentified, detective, was said to be guilty of unsatisfactory performance

It added that Mrs Skeer and a colleague should have referred the case to the IPCC a lot sooner than they did.

The report added: It is incidents such as this that can undermine the publics confidence in the police complaints process, the report said.

The conduct of police, social workers and medical staff in the case was hushed up for three years. At one stage Cumbria council tried to persuade a court to ban all public reporting of the death until 2029 on the grounds that disclosure of alleged shortcomings by agencies might be unfair to the agencies.

The IPCC report was completed in March 2015 but has been held unpublished. An inquest into Poppis death  the second to be held  is expected this autumn.

An inquest into Poppis death  the second to be held  is expected this autumn

IPCC Commissioner Carl Gumsley said: This is an extremely sad case. It is clear from the evidence presented that Cumbria Constabularys original inquiry into Poppis death was not fit for purpose with many inquiries not being actioned for several months.

Cumbria Chief Constable Jerry Graham made his second apology over the case, but added: The public can be reassured that we have used the intervening time to ensure that our officers and staff are properly trained and equipped to undertake serious and complex investigations of this type.

Mr Woodcock said: This long suppressed report shows the scale of Cumbria polices failings are even worse than we thought. On top of all the other indications, it is chilling that Poppis father was not investigated for many months despite the police holding relevant intelligence on him, as the report reveals.

Cumbrias police force must now demonstrate clearly the ways in which they have improved safeguards so the incompetence of individual officers can never again fail to be noticed for so long. It is also inexcusable that Amanda Sadler was retained in a senior role despite her proven gross incompetence playing a major role in denying Poppi justice.
Some Australian companies are considering introducing 'love contracts' after a number of high profile affairs, including Amber Harrison's (pictured) relationship with Seven West CEO Tim Worner

After a string of scandals surrounding high-profile workplace relationships, some Australian companies are considering introducing 'love contracts'.

These agreements, which are common in the U.S., mean staff are required to disclose any office romances, especially between managers and junior employees.

In recent weeks both Seven West Media and QBE have been embroiled in scandals involving managers having affairs with assistants.

However, some have criticised the contracts, saying they could unfairly disadvantage women in the workplace who are often the ones forced to leave companies when things turn sour.

'No serious board can tolerate just assuming the woman should be the scapegoat in these situations, as they have been in the past,' RBA board member Katherine Wagg told The Australian.

Ms Harrison and Mr Worner (above) were involved in an ugly public spat earlier this year following the breakdown of their affair a few years earlier

RBA board member Katherine Wagg said contracts could unfairly disadvantage women

'Being female, I'm concerned women are disadvantaged, which often seems the case when they end up leaving organisations,' Ms Wagg, who is also the president of Chief Executive Women, added.

Love contracts stipulate that employees must disclose any relationships to the company.

In many cases, the staff member in the higher position would be required to change roles, not the more junior employee.

The discussion comes in the wake of a number of high profile cases such as the affair between Seven West CEO Tim Worner and his executive assistant, Amber Harrison.

The duo were involved in a very public spat following the breakdown of their relationship.

On Monday it was revealed QBE CEO John Neal (above) had his bonus slashed by more than $550,000 because he didn't disclose a romantic relationship with his executive assistant

Ms Harrison even released the pair's explicit text messages.

On Monday it was revealed QBE CEO John Neal had his bonus slashed by more than $550,000 because he didn't disclose a romantic relationship with his executive assistant.

It is understood that Mr Neal's pay was docked because he failed to notify the board in a timely fashion of his relationship  a breach of the company's code of conduct.

According to Nine Honey, 50 per cent of Australians will have a relationship with someone they work with during their life.
A woman shot in the chest by a mystery gunman is the mother of man who threw Molotov cocktails into the home of Carl Williams' father.

On Thursday at 11.50pm, police were called to a house in Glenroy, Melbourne's north, to find Leonie Stuart, 52, with a gunshot wound to her chest.

Her husband, Stephen Phillips, tried to force his way past police tape after arriving at the home on Friday morning with two of the couple's sons and said he 'knew who did it'.

Ms Stuart is the mother of Rodney Phillips, who pleaded guilty and will soon be sentenced for his involvement in shooting a police officer in 2015, after he allegedly threw the Molotov cocktails, The Age reported.

On Thursday at 11.50pm, police were called to a house in Glenroy, Melbourne's north, to find Leonie Stuart, 52, (pictured with her husband Stephen) with a gunshot wound to her chest

Ms Stuart (left) is the mother of Rodney Phillips (right), who will soon be sentenced for his involvement in shooting a police officer in 2015

Phillips pleaded guilty to recklessly causing injury and to reckless conduct endangering the officer and his partner, as well as criminal damage, arson, and firearm possession.

The officer was following Phillips after he and his co-accused Sam Liszczak allegedly threw the Molotov cocktails at the home of George Williams.

Mr Williams, who died in 2016, is the father of notorious gangland figure Carl Williams.

After the Ms Phillips was shot overnight, her distraught husband arrived home at 6.30am on Friday and told reporters he 'knows who did it'.

According to neighbours, the gunman was wearing a motorbike helmet when he arrived at the property, 7News reported.

Mr Phillips was held back by their two sons as he tried to get past police tape while yelling at officers to 'not touch' him.

Ms Phillips is pictured here with her husband Stephen and four of her sons

The partner of a woman who was shot in the chest was held back by their two sons as he tried to get past police tape while yelling at officers to 'not touch' him

'Ask, but don't touch,' he yelled at officers while trying to get past the police tape

'Ask, but don't touch,' he yelled at officers while trying to get past the police tape.

Mr Phillips' son then stepped in to physically remove him from the front of the home.

Mr Phillips said he was driving all night 'in the truck' and was not home when the shooting happened.

His wife is fighting for life at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Ms Phillips' son spoke from outside the property, saying he was 'lost for words'.

'It's very surreal, very surreal,' he said, according to The Herald Sun.

On being asked what he knew about the shooting, the man reportedly said he 'knew who did it'

On being asked what he knew about the shooting, the man reportedly said he 'knew who did it'. The home where the woman was shot is pictured

Mr Williams, who died in 2016, is the father of notorious gangland figure Carl Williams (pictured)
Lecturers have been banned from using the phrases mankind and man-made as part of a universitys clampdown on gendered language.

Cardiff Metropolitan University says the politically correct words should be used to promote an atmosphere in which all students and staff feel valued.

The rules are laid out in the institutions Equal Opportunities Policy, which warns contraventions could result in disciplinary action.

University lecturers have been warned college students have to be protected against previously innocuous words which are now deemed as offensive such as 'sportsmanlike'

It says inclusive language must be used throughout all academic programmes to comply with the Equality Act as gendered words could be considered discriminatory.

Other rules include using forename instead of Christian name to avoid offending people of a diverse range of faiths.

And staff should avoid using the phrase wheelchair bound because it is patronising and pitying, while wheelchair user is empowering.

The document states: Should individuals consider that in the course of interaction with students or staff that this code has not been adhered to and that further action is required, there are two courses of action.

For students please refer to the Bullying and Harassment Policy. For staff members the Disciplinary procedure applies, as it does in the event of students talking inappropriately to staff.

It says that politically correct terminology can change but lists a range of examples of words and phrases which staff should avoid.

These also include best man for the job, forefathers, housewife, man in the street, manpower and right-hand man.

Even terms such as headmistress and headmaster as well as Mrs and Miss are considered offensive, according to the guide.

It also says staff should avoid falling into the trap of making assumptions based on your own cultural background.

Academics at Cardiff Metropolitan University have been warned about offensive language

And it advises alternating the order of the genders when talking about women and men, he or she, mother and father so that neither are given undue importance.

It adds: If the gender of the person is unknown, dont make an assumption, but use he or she or, where appropriate, use the plural they.

Sexuality can be a minefield too, according to the policy, which advises against the terms homosexual and heterosexual because they are laden with the values of a previous time.

The new words to use are same-sex and other-sex relationships, the documents advises.

For disability, the disabled is advised against and instead staff should refer to people with disability.

However, the policy adds: Dont be too anxious about the use of language, though.

Blind people do use terms like see you later and being too careful can make conversation painful for both parties.

It emerged amid growing concerns about a culture of censorship of normal language in universities across the country.

Critics warn that it is breeding a snowflake generation who demand safe spaces from ideas they might find offensive.

They have questioned how such students will be able to deal with the hazards of the real world when they emerge.

A spokesperson for Cardiff Metropolitan University said: The University is committed unreservedly to the principle of academic freedom within the law.

It is also committed to providing an environment where everyone is valued and treated with dignity and respect. These two commitments are cornerstones of academic life at the University.

The Code of Practice on Using Inclusive Language sets out a broad approach to promoting fairness and equality through raising awareness about the effects of potentially discriminatory vocabulary.

In particular, it includes some suggestions to support gender equality; these are consistent with other guidance (e.g., British Sociological Associations information on Equality and Diversity).
Mafia boss Rocco Arico was sentenced to 14 years jail after he was betrayed by a childhood friend turned informant.

The drug lord who ran organised crime in Brunswick, Melbourne, as his 'personal fiefdom' was convicted last month of drug trafficking, extortion and weapons charges.

The 38-year-old must serve at least 10 years and will likely be deported back to Calabria in Italy where he has not lived since he was a nine-month-old baby.

The Australia Tax Office is also trying to seize $10 million of his assets under proceeds of crime laws.

Mafia boss Rocco Arico was sentenced to 14 years jail after he was betrayed by a childhood friend turned informant

County Court Judge Geoffrey Chettle said Arico was a 'violent and dangerous man' and 'complete outlaw' who showed no remorse for his crimes as he sat emotionless in the dock.

He said the relationship between Arico and childhood friend Arthur Vouthas, who he extorted by threatening to shoot him and his brother-in-law over a drug debt, seemed 'like an episode of The Sopranos'.

The judge quoted Arico: 'If the money's not paid this week... I have had enough of this, see you later.'

'Your history for violence and shooting people make these threats real,' Judge Chettle said.

He referred to Arico's past kidnapping attempted murder convictions, where he shot a man six times in a road rage incident while driving gangster Carl Williams' car.

The drug lord who ran organised crime in Brunswick, Melbourne, as his 'personal fiefdom' was convicted last month of drug trafficking, extortion and weapons charges

Arico was jailed for seven years but emerged a more dangerous criminal with a web of contacts, leading the judge to say he was 'not a rehabilitated man'.

Police tried to bring the notoriously careful Ndrangheta mafioso down for years but were unable to get him until one of his closest associates turned against him, according to the The Age.



Vouthas grew up in Brunswick alongside Arico and became part of his crew, with Arico bringing his family pizza from the Lygon Street cafe his family owned, and helping him out when he was short on money.

Vouthas only agreed to turn against his lifelong mate after the pair's relationship soured over a drug deal gone wrong with Bandidos bikie Toby Mitchell.

He recorded damning conversations with Arico by wearing a wire, and gave evidence for 14 hours including enduring intense cross-examination.

Childhood friend Arthur Vouthas testified against him after they fell out over a drug debt from a botched deal with Bandidos bike Toby Mitchell (pictured)

Vouthas tried to get Arico off his back by falsely taking credit for the shooting of Mitchell in 2011 outside Doherty's Gym in Bruswick (pictured). Arico was enraged when he found out

It started when Vouthas saw a chance to make some easy money by selling $350,000 worth of Arico's cocaine to Mitchell for $375,000 in December 2010.

But Mitchell ripped him off and gave Vouthas a box of Ralph magazines instead of the cash, leaving him heavily in debt to Arico.

After refusing to kill Mitchell to wipe out the debt, Vouthas worked as a drug mule, smuggling ice interstate on flights for Arico.

Then in November 2011, Mitchell was shot six time outside Doherty's Gym in Brunswick, but survived, and Vouthas took credit to get Arico off his back.

Vouthas had paid back $300,000 of the debt and Arico had waived the rest, but when Arico found out he ended the friendship and demanded he pay up.

'He said that he let me off [$50,000], but now because I lied, I owed $50,000, which was fair enough, I guess,' Vouthas testified.

Arico began a campaign of vandalism and intimidation to get him to pay up, spraying 'Pay Your Bills' on Vouthas' car (pictured), letterbox and house

The 38-year-old must serve at least 10 years and will likely be deported back to Calabria in Italy where he has not lived since he was a nine-month-old baby

Arico began a campaign of vandalism and intimidation to get Vouthas to pay up, spraying 'Pay Your Bills' on his car, letterbox and house.

His back fence and house were set on fire, as was his father's car, and his windows smashed as his family slept.

By mid-2014 Arico had upped the debt to $110,000 and Vouthas began talking to detectives about flipping on his former friend.

He finally agreed to wear a wire in 2015, recording a conversation where Vouthas admitted his mistakes and Arico said he put him in a position where he made him 'go crazy'.

'How could you do it to me? You f**king came to my wedding. You ate on my table. You came to my restaurant. I've been in your house. How could we do this to each other?' Arico said.

Vouthas grew up in Brunswick alongside Arico and became part of his crew, with Arico bringing his family pizza from the Lygon Street (pictured) cafe his family owned

They seemed to be on a path to reconciliation, but when Vouthas' wife missed an appointment to refinance their house to pay the debt.

Arico was so enraged he dropped his guard and threatened Vouthas' family in a phone call that policed tapped - an uncharacteristic mistake.

'I know where he is and I've got friends of mine there with him [in prison in NSW]. He's gonna get a message very, very shortly. We'll start with (Vouthas' wife's) brother first, okay? And then we'll work out  the rest after, okay?' he said.

That on top of the wire recording and Vouthas' testimony was enough for police and Arico was arrested the next week on the charges he will now be jailed for.
Eric Trump and his wife Lara have been pictured on the red carpet celebrating radio personality Elvis Duran's Walk of Fame ceremony.

Duran has been a permanent fixture on the New York City's radio for 20 years as the host of Z100's 'Elvis Duran and the Morning Show'.

His morning broadcasts are heard far beyond the New York City area though, as it is currently listed as the most-listened to Top 40 morning program in the country.

Eric Trump (L) and his wife Lara attended the Holly Walk of Fame ceremony on Thursday

Trump was pictured in good spirits during the ceremony and even stopped to take photos with a fan

The two were there to celebrate their friend Elvis Duran as he received his star on the Walk of Fame

On Thursday he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, on the same Block as his idols Jack Benny and Dick Clark.

Duran received the 2,603rd star in the category of radio during the ceremony, and was pictured grinning ear-to-ear and goofily posing next to it.

Eric Trump has had a relationship with Duran since he founded the Eric Trump foundation, which has donated close to $30million to the St Jude's Children's Research Hospital in California.

Eric Trump has had a relationship with Duran since he founded the Eric Trump foundation, which has donated close to $30million to the St Jude's Children's Research Hospital in California

Since then, the two have participated together and formed a team to benefit the St Jude's Give Thanks Walk, with the most recent walk taking place September 24, 2016.

Duran even attended Trump's wedding to Lara Yunaska at the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach in 2014.

Now it is was their turn to celebrate Duran, by watching as he received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Duran received the 2,603rd star in the category of radio during the ceremony, and was pictured grinning ear-to-ear and goofily posing next to it

Also at the ceremony were Chris Martin of Coldplay (top right), Leron Gubler (bottom right), and LA Reid (top left)

Trump was pictured smiling and laughing with his wife Lara during the ceremony

Trump has been a guest on Duran's famous morning show many times, with his first appearance being in 2014.

At the ceremony Trump and his wife were spotted heading down the red carpet, waving to fans and even posing for selfies.

When the ceremony took place, Trump stood and clapped as he watched his friend receiving his star.

However, despite the relationship between Duran and Trump, he has stood behind his decision to make 'Elvis Duran and the Morning Show' a politically neutral program.

He said in an interview with Variety that it can get uncomfortable when his listeners assume things, but he wants to be clear that politics are not a part of his show.

Trump has been a guest on Duran's famous morning show many times, with his first appearance being in 2014

At the ceremony Trump and his wife were spotted heading down the red carpet, waving to fans and even posting for selfies

When the ceremony took place, Trump stood and clapped as he watched his friend receiving his star
For weeks now, Jasmine has endured sleepless nights and tearful days. She has spent hours on the phone trying to explain her plight to bureaucratic jobsworths. And she has been threatened with arrest and even prison.

There have been moments when she thought it might be better to give in and pay the 370 fine she received through the post for non-payment of the TV licence fee  even though she doesnt actually own a television.

Instead, she has decided to have her day in court  in this case, Court Seven of Stratford Magistrates Courts in East London. The days hearings consists solely of TV licence cases.

Jasmine's story turns out to be all too familiar. It began with a knock on the door last autumn from a TV licensing enforcement officer from Capita

The setting is as drab as they come. One of the lights has conked out and a bucket is filling with water leaking from the ceiling.

The only people present at this bleak assize are a district judge, a court clerk and a prosecutor from TV Licensing (which is contracted by the BBC to administer and enforce the television licensing system).

Jasmine, 23, has no lawyer with her. But the graduate from South London has come armed with a bundle of paperwork which, she says, proves her innocence.

Before she is even summoned in front of District Judge Jonathan Radway, the prosecutor invites her to a room for a private chat. He listens to her story, takes one look at her papers and promptly sends her on her way. The case against her is so flimsy it is not even worth hearing in court.

She leaves feeling part elated and part furious that she has been dragged through one of the most stressful episodes of her life because of yet another blunder by the private sector bullies hired to enforce the BBC licence fee.

It is a huge weight off my shoulders but I am so angry that these people can throw around words like arrest and prison when they are the ones at fault, she says. And I can tell you one thing for certain: I will never open the door to a stranger ever again.

Her story turns out to be all too familiar. It began with a knock on the door last autumn from a TV licensing enforcement officer from Capita, the outsourcing company which receives 58 million a year from the Government for chasing licence-dodgers.

Jasmine told him that she rented a bedroom in the house, that it had a communal television and that the landlord split the licence fee between the tenants. She gave her name and the man asked her to sign the paperwork.

In Court Seven of Stratford Magistrates Courts (pictured) in East London, the days hearings consists solely of TV licence cases

The next thing she knew was that letter on the doormat ordering her to pay a 170 fine for evading the licence fee, despite not having her own television.

She immediately contacted her landlord, who assured her that the property had a licence and even sent her a copy to put her mind at rest. She figured it must have been a simple error and thought no more about it  until another letter arrived after Christmas informing her that her case had been heard and her fine increased.

Unless payment was received, she would be arrested. Jasmine decided to fight it all the way.

Ive never broken the law in my life and suddenly there I am crying down the phone to my mother about getting a criminal record, she tells me outside the courtroom.

She asks me not to print her full name because she works in television and says the whole business is extremely embarrassing for her.

The BBC itself has ordered an investigation, following the announcement Capitas chief executive Andy Parker is to step down from his job

But she is very grateful to the Mail for its campaign against Capitas sledgehammer tactics  a campaign now backed by the Prime Minister while the BBC itself has ordered an investigation. It follows yesterdays surprise announcement that Capitas chief executive Andy Parker is to step down from his job.

An undercover Mail reporter had found that ruthless and underhand tactics are used by Capita under an aggressive incentive scheme in which hundreds of enforcement officers have orders to each identify 28 evaders a week. Among the vulnerable targeted were a war veteran with dementia and a desperate young mother in a womens refuge.

Jasmine has every sympathy with them. I did feel like I was some sort of criminal and then I read all these other stories in the Mail and realised that there are loads of people in the same situation, she says.

The only Capita representative I see at the court today is a taciturn enforcement officer. He has come to testify against another defendant  Rashid, a construction worker from Romford caught watching television without a licence. Unlike Jasmine, Rashid hasnt bothered turning up.

Given that court papers reveal that he has a subscription to Sky  and therefore a television  he wouldnt have much of a defence anyway. The judge hands down a fine of 485.

But this guilty offender is very much in a minority.

Of 52 cases sent to this court by Capita today, just eight will result in a punishment. Three are appeals against earlier convictions, none successful, and there are a handful of adjournments.

But the majority of these cases are chucked out because the judge or the prosecutor  or both  decide that there is simply no point in proceeding. In some cases, people are being prosecuted despite not even living at the address in question.

One man has been prosecuted for not having a licence even though he is moving into a new home. Shockingly, one woman is contesting her conviction for not having a licence when it is perfectly clear that she had one all along.

I do wonder how that could occur, the exasperated judge wonders out loud, raising his eyes and dismissing yet another joke of a case.

One of the most shocking cases involves single mother Helen Jacovos, 27. She had missed one quarterly licence fee payment in 2015 after her brother had been involved in a serious accident.

The revelations come from an investigation by a Daily Mail undercover reporter interviewed for an enforcement job by Capita

She received a reminder, paid up the 37 and thought nothing more of it until a Capita heavy arrived last autumn to say that she had missed a payment. Although she could show an up-to-date licence, he pointed out that she had still admitted watching TV without one the previous year.

Three days before Christmas, bailiffs arrived demanding back-dated fines and costs of 956.

I got so panicky and upset and even began ringing family trying to raise the money, she says, but eventually I got through to the court who froze the action and gave me a court date.

The case is so ludicrous that the prosecutor chucks it out before it even comes before the judge.

I endured months of worry over 37. Im over the moon it is now over but I will be taking my complaint further, Helen tells me. I would love to know how it even got to this stage and especially where the figure of 956 came from.

She has a point. I would suggest that whoever replaces Capitas outgoing 2.68 million-a-year chief executive, he or she should do what I am doing and spend a day watching the consequences of the firms enforcers over-zealous, bonus-hungry door-knocking.

There are also, ironically, some disturbing trends which would surely appall the commissars in charge of the BBCs rigorous diversity standards (whose own salaries, of course, depend on the licence fee).

For example, there are twice as many women than men on todays court lists. Several have serious health problems. Perhaps half of those in court are from ethnic minorities, some of them with a very poor grasp of English.

Take, for example, Zohra Faizey, 38, of Manor Park. Originally from Afghanistan, she speaks very little English, a fact she tried to explain to the unsympathetic Capita inspector who knocked on her door last summer while her husband, a mechanic, was at work.

She also tried to explain that the family television was only used for video games. The officer wanted to enter the house to check. She agreed as long as he removed his shoes but he refused.

Mrs Faizey later received a fine through the post. And now she and her husband are contesting it in court through a family friend who has come to do the talking in the absence of an interpreter.

The judge hears that the household had subsequently acquired a licence and that this was a first offence.

According to BBC guidelines, first-time offenders who subsequently buy a licence should not be prosecuted. Inevitably, the judge throws it out and tells Mrs Faizey she is free to go.

Marco Serafini, 23, a bar worker originally from Italy, has turned up to contest a fine which he knew nothing about until he found that 200 had gone from his wages.

Last May, he answered the door to Capita enforcers who could see a television set through the window. Though it belonged to his landlord, he was asked to sign a document.

Having changed residence twice since then, he had no idea hed been prosecuted until money was deducted from his payslip. Fine enforcement agencies are entitled to do this if they obtain a National Insurance number. In a matter of minutes, the judge

dismisses the case and orders the money to be reimbursed.

Afterwards, Marco explains how the men from Capita cajoled him into incriminating himself. They got me to sign something on the doorstep which they said was an information letter for the landlord, he says.

I had already told them I didnt watch TV and the only set in the house was the landlords. I then moved house twice and didnt think any more of it.

He finds the whole process of being fined behind his own back quite worrying adding: They could have tried to speak to me first.

And so it goes on. There are, of course, several bogus dog ate my homework pleas today  all of them rejected by the court.

Certainly, some defendants are trying it on, such as a hollow-cheeked man in a tracksuit who admits that he is something of a regular at these courts. He insists that he only uses his TV for video games. The judge points out his purchase of an expensive Sky TV package. Ive cancelled it, the man insists breezily.

The judge adjourns the case so that the man can bring in paperwork to show that he really has cancelled his Sky deal.

Afterwards, the defendant tells me that whatever happens, he wont pay his licence fee because the BBC employed Jimmy Savile.

Plainly, there are a lot of dishonest people among the estimated five per cent of English and Welsh viewers evading the licence fee (the figure is slightly higher in Scotland and Northern Ireland). They deserve all they get.

But there are many who are being pursued not in the name of protecting the BBC, but to meet agency bonus targets.

For its part, when asked for a reaction, Capita refers me to TV Licensing which, in turn, issues a statement insisting that prosecution is a last resort. It goes on: If there is a decision to prosecute, it is TV Licensings duty to provide proof beyond all reasonable doubt that an individual was unlicensed without good cause.

If that really is the case, then why are so many of todays pitiful cases even on the list to be heard?

And for how much longer will anyone open the door when Capita comes knocking?




If there is one video that is sure to give you nightmares, then this is it.

A man in Boston has filmed a rafter of turkeys circling a dead cat.

Jonathan Davis uploaded the creepy video to Twitter on Friday and it's quickly gone viral.

A spooky video of a rafter of turkeys circling a dead cat was uploaded to Twitter on Friday by Boston man Jonathan Davis

The video was captioned: 'These turkeys trying to give this cat its 10th life'.

Davis, who describes the 24-second video as 'the craziest thing I have ever seen', shows 17 turkeys walking in a circle around the lifeless cat.

What makes the video even more strange is that the cat is lying in the middle of a road.

Turkeys are omnivorous, meaning they will eat a wide range of foods but pretty much eat nuts, seeds and fruits.

They also don't usually eat dead animals.

Wildlife biologist Mark Hatfield told Gizmodo that the birds were probably just sizing up the cat.

'They're just making sure that it's no longer a threat,' Mr Hatfield said.
The British taxpayer will do its bit to fund a 'private army' to help protect MEPs, it has been revealed.

Despite voting to leave the European Union last year, Britain will help to foot the bill as part of a record 1.7billion spending spree by the European Parliament next year.

All in all, Britain will be expected to stump up 230million towards the costs.

Britain will also put forward 4.5million towards a 33.3million pro-EU propaganda campaign for the 2019 European elections.

Despite voting to leave the European Union last year, Britain will help to foot the bill as part of a record 1.7billion spending spree by the European Parliament next year

It comes as the EU's annual budget rose to 1,971,883,373, with an in-house unit of 46 bodyguards among the latest expenses.

According to The Times, the private army - called 'Unit Protection' - will be split among into two separate groups.

One, made up of 12 guards, will be tasked with protecting the parliament's president Antonio Tajani.

The remaining 34 will take on the mantle of an armed response unit and will only be answerable to the parliament's administration.

It comes after the European Parliament voted to lift the immunity from prosecution for French far-right leader Marine Le Pen for tweeting gruesome images of Islamic State violence, a crime that carries up to three years in prison in France.

The parliament's president Antonio Tajani (pictured) will have his own personal bodyguard of 12

The legislature voted by a broad majority in Brussels to clear the way for the possible prosecution of Le Pen over tweets she made in December 2015 showing executions, including the killing of American reporter James Foley by Islamic State extremists.

French prosecutors in the city of Nanterre had asked lawmakers to lift the immunity that Le Pen enjoys as a member of the European Parliament.

Le Pen, a leading candidate in this year's French presidential election, posted her tweets in response to a journalist who drew an analogy between her anti-immigration National Front party and IS extremists.

She was trying to show the difference between the two groups but the effort backfired, drawing widespread condemnation.

Le Pen took down the tweet showing the killing of Foley after his family protested, but left up another image of violence by Islamic State extremists.
Killer farmer Ian Turnbull has suffered a stoke behind bars, his son's lawyer says.

Turnbull, 82, and his wife are being sued by son Roger who claims the pair have broken a promise to hand over ownership of their farmland to him.

In court on Friday, Roger's lawyer Jean-Jacques Loofs asked for proceedings to be sped up because of Turnbull's age and the fact that he has suffered a stroke.

Ian Turnbull, 82, the farmer jailed for 35 years for shooting dead environment officer Glen Turner, 51, has suffered a stoke in jail, his son's lawyer has said

Mr Loofs gave no further information on exactly when the stroke occurred, or how far his health has deteriorated since.

Turnbull was jailed for 35 years in June 2016 for shooting NSW environmental officer Glen Turner, 51, and detaining his colleague Robert Strange.

The farmer confronted Mr Turner and Mr Strange as they carried out compliance work near the farmer's property at Croppa Creek in the state's north in 2014.

Turnbull shot Mr Turner with a rifle, wounding his jaw and nicking an artery in his neck, before chasing him around for 22 minutes.

Mr Turner eventually made a break for a treeline before Turnbull shot him in the back.

The murder came after years of tensions between Turnbull and environment workers over the illegal clearing of land.

Turnbull used this rifle (left) to shoot Mr Turner in the neck, chasing him around for 22 minutes before firing another fatal shot into his back

Mr Turner and his colleague Robert Strange had been sent to investigate illegal land clearing at Turnbull's farm when the attack took place

On Friday, Mr Loofs told Justice John Sackar the civil trial was expected to run or up to 10 days, saying it was desirable to get the matter dealt with as quickly as possible.

'If he is unwell, there may be a very good reason to expedite the hearing,' the judge said.

He agreed to make an order requiring Justice Health to provide their records from when Turnbull went into custody and raised the possibility of the son's lawyers requiring him to be medically examined.

The expedited application will return to court on Friday.
This is the moment a mystery 'woman' (pictured) in a headscarf was spotted out the front of the house of TV presenter Kelly Landry prompting her to call police

This is the moment a 'mystery woman' in a headscarf and large sunglasses was spotted out the front of the house of TV presenter Kelly Landry prompting her to go to the police.

Daily Mail Australia can exclusively reveal the unusual 15 seconds of vision that led to sensational scenes in a Sydney courtroom this week as police unsuccessfully sought to toughen up her AVO against estranged husband Anthony Bell.

The footage shows an unknown, stocky woman in headscarf, dark glasses and a pastel yellow dress peering into the gate of the Watson's Bay property in Sydney's east on the afternoon of February 22.

The video, shown in court, led to bizarre scenes on Thursday with Sydney to Hobart yacht race champion Mr Bell being quizzed over whether it was him wearing a wig, or if he had ever dressed up like a woman.

He denied it, or knowing anything about the 'disguised' woman at the front of the home.

The magistrate then even remarked he never imagined the unknown woman could be Mr Bell in disguise.

The mystery woman was seen peeking her head into Ms Landry's front gate the same afternoon a black Aston Martin drove by the property and a strange man took photographs of Ms Landry's home.

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Kelly Landry is seen leaving the courthouse on Thursday following the bizarre hearing

The footage shows the unknown woman in headscarf, dark glasses and a bright yellow dress peering into the gate of the Watson's Bay property

Celebrity accountant Anthony Bell arrived at court with his 85-year-old mother Shirley on Thursday

Ms Landry went to police claiming she believed Mr Bell had been near her home that day, driving past in his car, while there was an apprehended violence order in place between the pair.

But Mr Bell told the Downing Centre Local Court he was at his office at King Street Wharf at the time he supposedly drove past the waterfront home.

A security guard at his business's complex at Darling Harbour, Daniel Saluni, and his executive assistant, Melanie Santos, both said they saw him at work at the time he supposedly drove by.

He denied knowledge of the mystery woman or photographer.

'It wasn't me,' Mr Bell said, while under examination from his lawyer Chris Murphy.

'Do you own a wig?' he was asked.

'No,' said Mr Bell.

'Have you ever dressed up as a woman?' Murphy asked, to which Mr Bell replied: 'No'.

Magistrate Barnett then said, to laughter: 'It never even occurred to me that I was being asked to make a finding that was supposed to be your client in drag'.

The court heard Ms Landry went to police after her brother claimed he believed he had seen Mr Bell's distinctive Aston Martin out the front of her home.

'I don't want to alarm you but Anthony is out the front of your house,' her brother said in a phone call about 2.15pm, the court heard.

Kelly Landry is seen leaving the courthouse on Thursday after she went to police claiming Anthony Bell was seen outside her house

Ms Landry - seen fronting court over the matter in January - did not respond to reporters' questions outside court on Thursday

Ms Landry has mostly maintained her silence about the public battle with her husband

Police prosecutors said Ms Landry was concerned about Mr Bell stepping onto the jetty out the front of their home when picking up the children on two occasions.

They told the court she held 'genuine fears' and wanted the AVO varied to bar Mr Bell from coming within 50m of the property.

'Your Honour, they are, in this scenario, after what Ms Bell Landry believes is a drive by by Mr Bell in a (Aston Martin) Vanquish)'.

Believing Mr Bell was out the front made her 'stressed and anxious', she wrote in a statement to the ocurt.

Prosecutors argued Ms Landry's concern about the mystery woman and the photographer only added to her concerns after she believed Mr Bell had done a drive by.

But the application was rejected by Magistrate Barnett.

'I am not suggesting for one moment that the fears expressed by Ms Landry are not genuinely held by Ms Landry,' he said.

But he said the 'facts as she perceives them' didn't justify a change to the order, which prevents him from entering the premises where she resides.

Magistrate Barnett said the whole situation could be 'rectified' by Mr Bell understanding the exact conditions of the current order.

A hearing date for the AVO matter has been set for May.

The couple, pictured here in 2010, separated earlier this year after Ms Landry claimed Mr Bell pushed her and embarrassed her. Mr Bell has denied these claims
They are one of the most notorious gangs in America.

Founded by immigrants fleeing El Salvador's civil war more than two decades ago, MS-13 has rapidly grown to more than 10,000 members in 46 states.

Today it has the dubious honor of becoming the first street gang to be designated as an international criminal group.

Members are accused of major crimes including murder, kidnapping, prostitution, drug smuggling and human trafficking.

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Founded by immigrants fleeing El Salvador's civil war more than two decades ago, MS-13 has rapidly grown to more than 10,000 members in 46 states (Snoopy shows off his gang tattoos in 2006)

Members are accused of major crimes including murder, kidnapping, prostitution, drug smuggling and human trafficking (file picture)

This week, 13 Long Island members were indicted for seven counts of murder including the grisly killings of two high school girls who were beaten and hacked to death.

Meanwhile in Houston, two other gang members, who had a satanic shrine in their apartment, face charges of kidnapping a 14-year-old girl and murdering another.

The group's violence  using a machete to hack a victim to death or shooting someone in the head in broad daylight, for instance  surprised authorities and even rival gangs.

'They saw a level of violence that hadn't been seen before,' said Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent Jason Shatarsky, adding that as the gang has expanded it has also become more sophisticated than many rivals.

Law enforcement officers take one of the suspected MS-13 street gang members into custody in Central Islip, New York Thursday, as more than a dozen members are charged with murdering high school students

Members, who have tattoos covering the body and face with gang iconography and the M.S. initials, often target recent immigrants to recruit for the gang

The gang founders took lessons learned from that brutal conflict to the streets of Los Angeles and built a reputation as one of the most ruthless and sophisticated street gangs, he added.

MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha gang, which is allied with several of Mexico's warring drug cartels, has a strong presence in Southern California, Washington and Northern Virginia, all areas with substantial Salvadoran populations.

Among the most high-profile killings attributed to MS-13 in Virginia was the 2003 slaying of a pregnant teenager who had become an informant. Brenda Paz, 17, was stabbed to death and her body was left along the banks of the Shenandoah River.

The gang that is terrorizing America: 10 illegal immigrant members of MS-13 among 13 arrested in New York for killing three high school students Thirteen members of the same gang were arrested in New York on Thursday for allegedly killing three high school students. The trio, including two best friends, were attacked with a machete and baseball bats as they walked through their suburban neighborhood. Thirteen alleged members of local cliques of the MS-13 street gang were charged with a slew of violent crimes and seven murders over a five year period, prosecutors and police announced. Among the dead: Brentwood High School students Nisa Mickens, 15, Kayla Cuevas, 16, who were ambushed by a carload of other teens on Sept. 13, and their former schoolmate Jose Pena-Hernandez, 18, whose corpse was found on the grounds of an abandoned state psychiatric hospital following his disappearance in June. Nisa Mickens, 15, (left) Kayla Cuevas, 16, (right) from Long Island, New York, were were ambushed by a carload of other teens on September 13 and killed. Thirteen members of the MS-13 gang were arrested on Thursday in connection with the slayings Advertisement

One of Trump's priorities is a crackdown on immigrants who are in the country illegally and have committed crimes.

He promised as much in his December interview with Time magazine, when he referenced a Newsday story about the killings.

'They come from Central America. They're tougher than any people you've ever met,' he said. 'They're killing and raping.

Members, who have tattoos covering the body and face with gang iconography and the M.S. initials, often target recent immigrants to recruit for the gang. They are allegedly involved in human trafficking, child prostitution, drugs and other serious offences.

In 2004, the US FBI started the MS-13 National Gang Task Force. The FBI also began teaming with law enforcement in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico.

In October 2012, the US Department of the Treasury labeled the group a 'transnational criminal organization.'
The mother of the three-year-old who died from horrific sexual abuse said she had the chance to take her away from her father but the little girl 'loved him too much'.

Matthew Lee Williamson has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his daughter Kyhesha-Lee Joughlin after she died in 2013 from an infected internal injury following the abuse at the Petrie unit, north of Brisbane.

The court heard the young girl was tied with rope to her bed, and regularly sexually abused.

Kyhesha-Lee's distraught mother Danielle Joughin said the little girl 'went through hell' and she 'blames herself'.

Matthew Lee Williamson has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his daughter Kyhesha-Lee Joughlin (pictured) after she died in 2013 from an infected internal injury

Photos provided to the court show a rope tied around a bedpost that Williamson is said to have used to keep Kyhesha-Lee locked in her room

Williamson has previously testified he didn't take his daughter to a doctor despite her vomiting green for days, having obvious bruising on her face and leaving blood in her nappies.

Williamson conceded he also ignored proof his daughter was being sexually abused when she showed she was oozing blood from her genitals and told him she 'didn't want any fingers up her bum anymore'.

'I didn't think anything of it at the time,' he said.

But prosecutor Phil McCarthy suggested that never happened and Williamson made up the incident to hide his sexual abuse.

At the time of her death Kyhesha was living with Williamson and Christopher Kent, who the court heard engaged in 'unorthodox sexual conduct' together.

Williamson (left) blames Kyhesha's fatal abuse on his former housemate Christopher Kent (right), who has also pleaded guilty to manslaughter

Kyhesha-Lee's distraught mother Danielle Joughin said the little girl 'went through hell' and she 'blames herself' for her daughter's death

Kent, who previously spent 19 months in jail before pleading guilty to manslaughter and receiving a two-year suspended sentence, told the court on Wednesday he witnessed Williamson regularly abusing the girl.

'It was like two adults fighting,' Kent said.

He said Williamson, who generally slept through the day, would lock his daughter in her bedroom for hours on end and would become enraged when she then ended up throwing her faeces inside the room.

Williamson admitted using rope to keep Kyhesha locked away but claimed it was to stop her from getting out at night.

Both men blame each other for the violent and sexual assaults on the child.

Williamson wept in the dock as photos of Kyhesha were shown to detail the extensive bruising she had when she died.

In another post, the mother-of-four admitted she had 'made mistakes' in regards to the toddler and was 'not perfect'

Williamson testified he didn't take his daughter to a doctor despite her vomiting green for days

This image shows the state of Kyhesha-Lee's bedroom in the unit she lived at with Williamson in Petrie

He also denied a raft of abuse allegations, including using a large sex toy on Kyhesha, punching her in the stomach, posing naked with her and pulling on her ear until it bled.

'I had the chance to take her from him and I didn't because she loved him so much,' Ms Joughlin wrote on Facebook just months after Kyhesha-Lee's death.

In another post, the mother-of-four admitted she had 'made mistakes' in regards to the toddler and was 'not perfect'.

'Knowing the s*** that was going on in that house while my daughter was there, may as well of thrown her in a room full of paedophiles,' she wrote.

Williamson told the court on Thursday Kyhesha complained to him she was bleeding, but he didn't take her to a doctor

Ms Joughin said the little girl was cremated and chose a pink urn with a teddy bear to hold the ashes.

Williamson blames Kyhesha's fatal abuse on his former housemate Christopher Kent, who has also pleaded guilty to Kyhesha's manslaughter.

After hearing two days of evidence, Justice Roslyn Atkinson was anticipated to hand down her findings on Thursday as to what role Williamson played in Kyhesha's death and his appropriate punishment.

Williamson is here pictured here leaving court in 2015 after he was granted bail for a second time

Ms Joughin said the little girl was cremated and chose a pink urn with a teddy bear (similar to the one pictured) to hold the ashes

Matthew Lee Williamson is being sentenced in the Brisbane Supreme Court for the manslaughter of Kyhesha-Lee Joughin, who died in March 2013

But Williamson's case was adjourned until March 16 after his defence barrister Michael Copley requested a report into whether a 'psychological abnormality' contributed to his conduct towards Kyhesha.

Williamson testified he didn't take his daughter to a doctor despite her vomiting green for days, having obvious bruising on her face, and leaving blood in her nappies.

He also conceded he also ignored proof his daughter was being sexually abused when she showed she was oozing blood from her genitals and told him she 'didn't want any fingers up her bum anymore'.

'I didn't think anything of it at the time,' he said.

Outside court, Kyhesha's grandfather Doug Joughin said the delay was a 'curveball'.

'We just want closure so we can just carry on,' he said.

Pictured is the rope tied from the bedpost and connected to a door handle to keep Kyhesha-Lee's door closed

Mother Danielle Joughin (pictured, outside court) has condemned her daughter's treatment while she was in the care of her father




A judge has been accused of helping an illegal Mexican immigrant escape a courtroom where immigration officials were waiting to arrest and possibly deport him.

Diddier Pacheco Salazar, 22, appeared before Judge Monica Herranz to plead guilty in a DUI case on January 27 in Multnomah County, Oregon.

Salazar entered the courtroom with his lawyer but never came back out again.

Diddier Pacheco Salazar (left) appeared before Judge Monica Herranz (right) to plead guilty in a DUI case on January 27 in Multnomah County, Oregon

Herranz is now under internal investigation after U.S. Attorney Billy Williams accused the judge of letting Salazar leave through her private entrance after staff realized immigration and customs enforcement agents were waiting for him.

Every courtroom in the Multnomah County Circuit Court has three doors - one for the public, a private judge entrance and one for inmates to be brought in from jail.

Williams told KOIN the only explanation was that Herranz - who is on the board of the Oregon Hispanic Bar Association - or a member of her staff helped Salazar to leave through another door.

ICE agents brought the matter to Williams after the incident allowed Salazar to evade the immigration officials.

It occurred just days after Donald Trump signed an executive order to start building the wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and to crack down on the deportation of undocumented immigrants.

Salazar entered the courtroom at Multnomah County Circuit Court (above) with his lawyer but never came back out again

Herranz is now under internal investigation after U.S. Attorney Billy Williams (above) accused the judge of letting Salazar leave through her private entrance

'I felt that it was inappropriate and delegitimizes the work of ICE agents who are out there doing their jobs,' Williams told Fox 12.

'When youre talking about the judicial system - whether its federal or by state - you have an expectation that people are going to abide by the law and not take steps based on their own motivations, their own politics.'

Salazar, a Mexican-born construction worker, was charged on January 1 with a DUI and initially pleaded not guilty.

He changed his plea at his second court appearance on January 27 in exchange for a deferred sentence and participation in a diversion program.

Salazar ended up being arrested two weeks later when he returned for another court appearance. He is currently being held in Tacoma Northwest Detention Center in Washington.

ICE agents decided not to pursue a criminal investigation against Judge Herranz, but she is being investigated internally by Chief Judge Nan Waller.

Every courtroom in the Multnomah County Circuit Court (above) has three doors - one for the public, a private judge entrance and one for inmates to be brought in from jail




The self-dubbed 'King of Instagram' is receiving backlash online for his most recent post.

Dan Bilzerian, who is known for posing in photos with scantily-clad women and huge guns, posted a picture on Tuesday of himself next to a woman in a bikini who is sitting on a 100-year-old Galapagos giant tortoise at Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island.

The species of tortoise is protected and listed as 'vulnerable' by the World Wildlife Fund, and the private island is involved in wildlife conservation efforts.

Dan Bilzerian received backlash online after posting a picture on Tuesday of himself next to a woman in a bikini who is sitting on a 100-year-old Galapagos giant tortoise at Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island

He also posted other photos from the trip, including a photo of himself and the woman who sat on the turtle standing on a beach in the Caribbean

Others got more vulgar on Twitter, with one user saying: 'and the best way to show one's appreciation for the animal is to stick a s***k on it, stay classy'

One offended Instagram user said: 'Probably not cool for your friend to sit on its back'.

Others got more vulgar on Twitter, with one user saying: 'and the best way to show one's appreciation for the animal is to stick a s***k on it, stay classy'.

Jamison Ernest runs a hedge fund and owns Yellow Fever Clothing, and addressed Branson, saying: 'I'm very disappointed to see your beautiful protected creatures as zoo rides', according to Page Six.

Bilzerian has garnered attention online for posting inflammatory photos of nearly-naked women and large guns

Bilzerian. who is an American socialite and professional poker player responded to haters about the galapagos pic, saying 'Get off your soapbox, the people working there said it's fine to sit on them'

Bilzerian responded saying: 'Get off your soapbox, the people working there said it's fine to sit on them'.

However, many Instagram and Twitter users pointed out that the Galapagos National Parks specifically asks visitors not to touch or otherwise disturb the tortoises.

Branson did not respond to Page Six for comment.

Bilzerian has garnered attention online for posting inflammatory photos of nearly-naked women and large guns.

He is an American socialite and professional poker player, as well as a self-dubbed 'trust fund beneficiary'.

The Florida native also jokingly announced his bid for President of the United States in June of 2015, before dropping out and endorsing Donald Trump.
The mother of a schoolgirl who killed herself after being gang-raped and severely bullied has called on police to reopen her case.

Linda Trevan, the mother of Melbourne schoolgirl Cassidy Trevan, who committed suicide in 2015, has asked officers to question the boys she claimed raped her.

Speaking to 9 News, Ms Trevan said: 'All I want is for them to be questioned. For them to not think they got away completely scot-free, no consequences.

'I want them to feel the fear that Cass felt.'

Linda Trevan (left), the mother of schoolgirl Cassidy (right) who killed herself in 2015, has asked police to reopen the case into her daughter's alleged rapists

Cassidy was gang-raped aged 13 while at school in Melbourne as part of a lengthy campaign of bullying that saw her suffer from PTSD, separation anxiety, and insomnia

Cassidy was badly bullied by two girls at a Melbourne high school in 2013, missing out on the fourth term of Year 7 because she could no longer face school.

When she returned for two days per week, the girls seemed to be keen to make amends, asking her to be their friend and inviting her to a festival.

But instead of taking her to the music event, the girls took her to a nearby house where Cassidy was raped by two boys who took turns while the other girls sat in an adjacent room.

The boys timed each other while attacking her, Ms Trevan said at the time, while another one stood guard at the door.

Cassidy contacted police after the attack, but she could not bring herself to give officers a statement, so her alleged attackers were never questioned

The attack left Cassidy suffering nightmares, insomnia, separation anxiety, panic attacks and PTSD.

Ms Trevan said the family met with Victoria Police's Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Team more than 20 times, but Cassidy could not bring herself to give them a statement, fearing that reliving the experience would push her over the edge.

Plagued by mental health issues, Cassidy eventually took her own life in 2015.

Because no official crime report was lodged before she died, the alleged attackers were never questioned over the incident.

But Ms Trevan believes the boys, who were 14 and 15 at the time of the attack, may still confess if confronted.

She says new evidence, including a text conversation with one of the female bullies in which she acknowledges the rape, could help the case.

Ms Trevan said one of the boys also confessed the attack to a male friend of Cassidy's when confronted about it, trying to excuse his actions by saying he was drunk and stoned at the time.

Ms Trevan (left and right, with Cassidy) says she has passed new evidence to police and believes the alleged attackers may still confess if confronted

She has passed the evidence to Victoria Police. A police spokesman refused to say whether any of the suspects had been questioned.

In a statement provided to Daily Mail Australia, the spokesman said: 'Detectives work hard to build rapport and trust with victims of sexual offences and to ensure their welfare is looked after as a priority.

'Breaching a victim's trust and proceeding with some investigative leads can, in some cases, be a severe detriment to the investigation and the victim's wellbeing.

'In this case, SOCIT detectives are confident that they followed all appropriate investigative leads.'
Maverick GOP senator Rand Paul sparked chaos on Thursday when he and a group of Democrat representatives marched to a locked office in the House side of the Capitol, and demanded to see a copy of the bill to replace Obamacare.

Paul and the House Democrats took the very public stand in protest about the lack of transparency about the new bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which they believe is being kept under lock and key.

'It's the secret office for the secret bill,' Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., proclaimed to reporters after being denied entry to the ground floor room where he said the measure was being shown to some lawmakers.

Maverick GOP senator Rand Paul sparked chaos on Thursday when he demanded to see a copy of the bill to replace Obamacare

An aide to Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., later said Paul was standing outside her office, not a hideaway for clandestine legislation.

'This should be an open and transparent process,' Kentucky Republican Paul said. 'This is being presented as if it were a national secret, as if this was a plot to invade another country, as if this were national security. That's wrong.'

Reps. Frank Pallone of New Jersey and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois also came up empty at Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy's office and then headed to Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden's office where they were also turned away.

The unusual search wound through the Capitol and labyrinthine Rayburn House office building.

Republican leaders are hoping to unveil the legislation next week.

Part of the new measure is currently being shown privately to GOP lawmakers without distributing copies.

Party leaders often closely hold major bills while striking final compromises, but this was an unusually stealthy move aimed at preventing leaks of the measure, which would replace much of former President Barack Obama's health care overhaul with Republican proposals.

Paul sparked chaos on Thursday when he and a group of Democrat representatives marched to a locked office in the House side of the Capitol, and demanded to see a copy of the bill to replace Obamacare

'It's the secret office for the secret bill,' Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., proclaimed to reporters after being denied entry to the ground floor room where he said the measure was being shown to some lawmakers

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., who is letting panel Republicans see his portion of the measure, refuted that his panel's work was anything less than transparent.

He said assertions his committee 'is doing anything other than the regular process of keeping its members up to speed on latest developments in its jurisdictions are false.'

Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, whose House Ways and Means Committee is writing other provisions, noted he and Walden had briefed senators including Paul on Wednesday.

'Clearly every senator in that room knows exactly the direction we're going,' Brady told reporters.

The secrecy surrounding the House draft presented a golden publicity opportunity to Paul, who like some other conservatives says the GOP plan doesn't go far enough in dismantling Obama's law.

'This is being presented as if this were a national secret, as if this were a plot to invade another country,' Paul told camera crews and reporters his office had alerted to his quest.

In an interview this week with NBC's 'Today' show, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Republican leaders were 'not hatching some bill in a backroom and plopping it on the American people's front door.'

Also launching pursuit were No. 2 House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and other Democrats, who rummaged through the Capitol and a nearby House office building. Parts of their expeditions were streamed on social media.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has insisted that Republican leaders were 'not hatching some bill in a backroom and plopping it on the American people's front door.'

At one point, Reps. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., were turned away from the offices of Walden and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., claimed to have checked the men's room.

'They don't want us to see the bill,' said Pallone.

Thursday's histrionics came as Ryan and other GOP leaders try delivering on one of their and President Donald Trump's top political priorities, despite lingering disputes.

At a closed-door conference, Ryan told Republicans that leaders would draft the overhaul legislation this weekend. Lawmakers have said the goal is for the two House committees to vote next week in hopes of pushing the legislation through the House and to the Senate before an early April recess.

One conservative foe, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said leaders pushed lawmakers hard Thursday to back the bill. He said leaders showed clips of Trump's congressional address on Tuesday, when he embraced key principles of the GOP plan.

This was 'very unconvincing,' said Massie.

One of the most contentious remaining disputes is a new tax sought by Ryan on part of the value of expensive employer-provided medical plans. Many Republicans are reluctant to vote for a tax increase - a reliable way to invite challengers in primary elections.

Many conservatives oppose a proposed tax credit that would be even for people who owe no taxes and is based on age, not income. Brady said he's considering whether to 'target' the credit, but didn't say how.

Obama's law expanded Medicaid to more lower-income people, a move that 31 states accepted, along with billions in added federal payments to cover it. The GOP plan would provide money for those states and for the 19 states, mostly run by Republicans, that didn't expand Medicaid.
The Oscars blunder that shocked Hollywood may cost the show's producer a new job as the boss of film company Paramount Pictures.

Oscars producer Michael De Luca was rumored to replace Brad Grey as the film company's CEO but sources told Page Six that is unlikely to happen now given the negative publicity.

'De Luca produced the Oscars and was about to get the job at Paramount,' the source told the publication.

'Now because of the Oscar disaster, he is very likely not to get it.'

Oscars producer Michael De Luca was rumored to replace Brad Grey as the CEO Paramount Pictures but sources have said that is now unlikely to happen given recent negative publicity

Former Warner Bros. boss Jeff Robinov, former Paramount chief operating officer Rob Friedman and 20th Century Fox CEO Jim Gianopulos are also tipped to be in the running for the gig.

It comes after De Luca compared the Oscars debacle to the 'Hindenburg report' after PricewaterhouseCoopers accepted the blame for mishandling the envelopes.

'I literally heard, "Oh my God! He got the wrong envelope",' Michael De Luca said in an interview with The Business on KCRW on Wednesday.

'And then it was slow motion. You perceive things slowly as the adrenaline rises and the cortisol floods your system.'

De Luca said that he was sitting next to his producer Jennifer Todd at the time, and that his biggest concern was getting host Jimmy Kimmel back on the stage to fix the situation.

The Oscars envelope blunder has reportedly cost De Luca a shot at the Paramount CEO gig

Oscar producer Michael De Luca (above with his producer Jennifer Todd) revealed what the scene was like backstage after the Best Picture flub on Sunday

'It was like the Hindenburg report. I literally heard, "Oh my God! He got the wrong envelope!"' he said in a new interview (Faye Dunaway above wrongly announcing La La Land as the winner)

There was nothing to worry about however as Kimmel was already one step ahead of the producers.

'He was sitting with Matt Damon to do the scripted final bit - it was going to be a kicker with Matt - and he saw what was happening and jumped onstage,' said De Luca.

The flub happened right when one of the best Oscar telecasts in recent years was winding down, and after a long and difficult day for the production staff and crew.

'We had a set collapse actually on us during rehearsal that day on Sunday because an elevator onstage was miscued,' said De Luca.

'We had to cancel the rehearsal while we put the set back together.'

There was also a meeting after the Best Picture flub to immediately discuss what happened and figure out the series of events that caused the embarrassing incident.

'After it was over and everyone was crowding backstage, I ran into the theater to scoop up my wife and kids and brought them back to my production office,' said De Luca.

'By the time I went back to the green room, [Academy CEO Dawn Hudson]was already in mid-conversation with the players, just trying to figure out what happened. Everyone was a little shaken. Everybody looked white-faced and the blood was just drained.'

Audience members look on in shock as the mistake was announced live on air (front row l to r: Casey Affleck, Christine Boldt, Michelle Williams, Busy Philipps and Ben Affleck; second row: Matt Damon, Jimmy Kimmel and Selma Hayek; third row: Rosalind Ross, Mel Gibson, and Lucas Hedges)

PricewaterhouseCoopers accountants Martha Ruiz and Brian Cullinan have been fired from all future Oscars telecasts (above on the red carpet)

In the end, De Luca said he was 'heartbroken' about what became of the night.

'I wanted the show to be remembered for the Katherine Johnson moment, the James Foley moment with Sting, and Dev Patel's wonderful introduction of Sting,' said De Luca.

'I wanted the heartfelt moments to be what we're talking about today, and I wanted the funny moments that Jimmy brought, the really inventive or irreverent bits. I wanted that to be the topic of conversation.

'The anger came later but I've been through all the stages now. Now, I'm into acceptance and forgiveness.'

As for whether or not he might do the show again, De Luca said: "I'm on record saying I want to do next year, because it's the 90th anniversary and I'm really jonesing for it.

He then added: 'I don't know if they'll pick me again, but I would absolutely come back next year. I loved it. I've got to say in all seriousness, with the mistakes aside, it was a great experience.'

De Luca also said that he would like to have Kimmel back again with him next year.
George W. Bush heaped praise on Jimmy Kimmel for his anti-Trump opening monologue at the Oscars on Thursday night, telling the comedian enthusiastically that his performance was 'damn good'.

In a rare and lighthearted television appearance, Bush steered clear of mentioning the current president by name but was led into several subtle jabs at him by his mischievous host.

Among the slights was a compliment for Kimmel's decidedly anti-Trump debut at the Academy Awards.

'I saw your opening. I thought it was damn good!' he enthused, adding later that Kimmel was a 'funny guy'.

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George W. Bush laughed along as Jimmy Kimmel roasted President Trump on Thursday night, heaping praise on the comedian who he said was 'damn good' at the Oscars. He indulged his host by sketching a quick portrait of him during an ad break

The 70-year-old resisted Kimmel's repeated attempts to coax him in to slamming Trump by name but roared with laughter at some of his attacks

During his opening skit at the award ceremony Kimmel on Sunday landed several blows on President Trump about how he'd made the rest of the world 'hate' America and described a divided country that no one could fix.

He then mocked Trump's assessment of Meryl Streep as one of Hollywood's most 'overrated actresses', sarcastically piling on to her apparent mediocrity.

President Bush, eager to portray his sense of humor on Thursday, appeared to wholeheartedly approve of the roast.

But Bush didn't stop there in allowing Kimmel to make pointed comparisons with the current commander-in-chief.

Unlike Trump who has complained incessantly about news networks and their coverage of him, Bush said he didn't ever watch television during office.

'You're pretty busy, there's plenty to do.'

He said he always enjoyed attending the White House Correspondents Dinner - something the current president boycotted - and even used it as an opportunity to poke fun at himself.

'I love humor, the best humor is when you make fun of yourself,' President Bush said, carefully resisting Kimmel's response: 'Tell that to the president!'.

While he admitted he hadn't ever watched Alec Baldwin in his role on Saturday Night Live, President Bush embraced the show's imitations of him while he was in office.

'Damn good': President Bush said he missed the catastrophic end of the Oscars but praised Kimmel's opening which was a stinging culmination of Trump jabs

KIMMEL'S OPENING SPEECH OSCARS JABS AT TRUMP Kimmel paid tribute to Trump foe Meryl Streep who took a bow at his request as he mocked the president's criticism of her 'This broadcast is being watched live by millions of Americans, and around the world in more than 225 countries that now hate us. And I think that is an amazing thing.' 'As you know, I dont have to tell anybody, the country is divided right now. Ive been getting a lot of advice. Its time to bring people together. You have to say something. Lets just get something straight off the top. I cant do that. Theres only one Braveheart in the room, and hes not gonna unite us either. Mel [Gibson], you look great. I think the Scientology is working. I really do.' 'You know, if every person watching this show  I dont want to get too serious, but there are millions and millions of people watching right now  and if every one of you took a minute to reach out to one person you disagree with, someone you like, and have a positive, considerate conversation  not as liberals or conservatives, as Americans  if we could all do that, we can make America great again. We really could. It starts with us.' 'I want to say thank you to President Trump. I mean remember last year when it seemed like the Oscars were racist? It has been an amazing year for movies. Black people saved NASA and white people saved jazz. Thats what you call progress. 'We are here tonight to honor great actors but were also here to honor the actors who seem great, but actually really arent. And of all the great actors here in Hollywood, one in part has stood the test of time for her many uninspiring and overrated performances.' 'Meryl, stand up, if you would. Everybody please join me in giving Meryl Streep a totally undeserved round of applause, will you? ... Nice dress by the way. Is that an Ivanka?' Advertisement

Worlds apart: Bush resisted mentioning President Trump by name but allowed several subtle slights at him

'I love humor': Several times throughout the segment Bush described his host as a 'funny guy'

Good sport: Bush took part in an earlier bit where he was asked on the street to critique a child's picture they said he'd done. He later said he loved humor, especially if it was self-deprecating

At the start of the segment, the show presented children's paintings to people on the street and passed them off as the president's

He let out a roaring laugh when asked if he was jealous of President Trump's inauguration size but stopped short of mocking his claims it was the 'biggest ever'.

Instead, President Bush redirected the jest to himself.

'He's a great guy': Bush said it was a 'joyous moment' to watch his father, George H. W. Bush, perform the coin toss at this year's Super Bowl after a brief stint in hospital

'I was there. I was the guy trying to put the poncho on!' he laughed, recalling his scrambled attempt to take cover when the heavens opened during Trump's speech.

Unlike Trump, who last year slammed The Wall Street Journal, President Bush said he relied on the publication for his daily news.

The 70-year-old diplomatically resisted Kimmel's several attempts to have him chide Trump by name.

He did let out an enthusiastic laugh when asked if he was jealous of the size of the crowds at Trump's inauguration.

The former president shared several upbeat anecdotes from his time and office.

He laughed off a hunting accident which saw Vice President Dick Cheney shoot lawyer Harry Whittington in the face. 'Every time Cheney would come in, a lot of people would yell duck!'

He also revealed that prior to his marriage to former first lady Laura Bush, he once went on a date with Tricia Nixon, President Nixon's daughter.

Nixon was president at the time and Bush, then in his twenties, took her to a dinner thrown by his father.

President Bush also joked that after Dick Cheney shot lawyer Harry Whittington in the face in a hunting accident, he would yell 'duck' whenever he entered a room in the White House

It was the first time he'd ever been to the White House and he collected her in a purple Gremlin, he said.

'It was an arranged date by my dad. It was interesting. I pulled up in a purple Gremlin. I took her to a dinner.

Memory lane: Bush revealed how he took President Nixon's daughter Tricia on a date when he was in his twenties

'My dad had a dinner for Frank Bourman who was an astronaut from Houston and I took her.'

He made a brief reference to his father's health, winning applause from the studio audience when he revealed both he and his mother are 'doing great'.

George Bush Snr, 92, was admitted to hospital at the start of the year due to a respiratory issue that caused him to miss Trump's inauguration. He was released in time to flip the coin for the Super Bowl with his wife Barbara by his side.

Asked how they were, he said enthusiastically: 'Thank you for asking, they're both doing great.

'When he came out to flip the coin at the Super Bowl it was a very joyful moment. He's a great guy.'

The former president was on the show to promote his new book, Portraits of Courage: Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors.

The book is compiled of oil paintings by the former president of members of the Armed Forces.

'I was the guy trying to put on the poncho!' Bush laughed off his scramble to take cover from the rain at President Trump's inauguration

President Bush is promoting his new book, Portraits of Courage, which is compiled of 66 oil paintings of post 9/11 veterans

He shared several self-portraits, joking that he created the nudes to test his Democrat art teacher's sense of humor

President Bush has been doing the media rounds.

On Wednesday, he spoke about his fondness for former first lady Michelle Obama during an interview with People.

He said that he and Obama shared 'a genuine expression of affection' for one another during that moment when they were photographed embracing in Washington last September.

Bush said he developed a lighthearted rapport with the former first lady, who took a liking to his sense of humor.

'Anybody who likes my sense of humor, I immediately like,' Bush told People.

Bush said that he and Michelle Obama (right) shared 'a genuine expression of affection' for one another during that moment when they were photographed embracing in Washington last September

In July, Bush and Obama held hands while singing The Battle Hymn of the Republic during the memorial service for five police officers killed by a sniper in Dallas

Bush, 70, and Obama, 53, found time to strike up a friendship while seated next to one another during official events, like the recent opening of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture and Nancy Reagan's funeral.

At the museum opening, Bush and Obama were photographed in a warm embrace. The image went viral and is often considered the definitive snapshot of their relationship.

In July, Bush and Obama held hands while singing The Battle Hymn of the Republic during the memorial service for five police officers killed by a sniper in Dallas.

Bush was evidently swinging his arms and appeared to be enjoying himself, prompting some to criticize him for not acting appropriately during a solemn occasion.

'I can't remember where else I've sat next to her, but I probably have a few wise cracks and she seemed to like it okay,' says Bush.

'I needle her a little bit and around her, I'm fairly lighthearted. [The Obamas] are around serious people all the time and we just took to each other.'

The public relations blitz by Bush is aimed at promoting his latest undertaking - an exhibition of his oil paintings depicting US military veterans.

An exhibition of the portraits will open Thursday at the former president's library in Dallas.

All of the proceeds from Bush's book will go towards a veterans program run by his charity

The collection, on display at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Texas until October 1, features 66 portraits and a four-panel mural.

Bush's paintings pay tribute to the nearly 100 wounded or traumatized personnel who he has known personally since leaving the White House in 2009.

As the 43rd US president Bush had commanded the US military members, who all served in the wars he launched in Iraq and Afghanistan following the attacks on September 11, 2001.

The former commander-in-chief released on Tuesday a book titled 'Portraits in Courage: A Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors,' which includes images of the portraits and the veterans' personal stories.

Bush said he wanted to use the paintings and book to highlight the veterans' struggles with post-traumatic stress and the transition to civilian life.

He will donate proceeds from the book to The George W. Bush Presidential Center which helps post 9/11 veterans and their families adjust to civilian life.
A man has been jailed for the 1983 murder of a Sydney nurse but the judge has said it's a 'forlorn' hope he would reveal the whereabouts of the woman's body.

Mary Louise Wallace lived for 33 years - the same length of time it took for her killer Robert John Adams to be brought to justice.

But while her sisters are happy Adams is now behind bars for at least 15 years, they desperately want him to reveal the whereabouts of her body.

Robert John Adams (pictured) has been jailed for 20 years for the murder of Sydney nurse Mary Louise Wallace in 1983

Mary Wallace (pictured) was last seen getting in Adam's car after he offered her a lift home from a wine bar in Crows Nest, Sydney under the pretence he was a policeman

In jailing the 64-year-old, Justice Richard Button noted their hope that one day Adams would reveal his secret so Ms Wallace's remains could be accorded a dignified burial.

'Regrettably.... I assess that hope as a forlorn one,' he said in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday.

Outside court, Ms Wallace's sister Anne Fraser said at least Adams had been made to pay for his crime, but it didn't bring back her sister.

'We wish he would say where she is, that would be something for us, but this is as good as we can get,' she said.

Ms Wallace's sister say they hope Adams (pictured) will eventually reveal the location of her body

Adams, who was jailed in 1976 after admitting raping another woman, was found guilty by the judge last year of murdering Ms Wallace in September 1983.

He had offered her a lift home from a North Sydney wine bar, falsely telling her friends he was a police officer so they were content for her to leave with a stranger.

'Each of them was very affected by alcohol; indeed, in the case of the deceased, she had been too drunk to stand,' the judge said.

He found that Adams had parked the car and applied pressure to her windpipe with his hands in an effort to force her to have sex, which led to her being asphyxiated.

Justice Richard Button said Adams had parked the car and applied pressure to ms Wallce's windpipe with his hands in an effort to force her to have sex, which led to her being asphyxiated

While her death was unintended, his intention had involved 'an invasion of her sexual autonomy'.

'This offence against a young woman in the prime of her life, simply for the sexual gratification of the offender, cannot be assessed as anything other than extremely grave.'

He found Adams had a tendency to choke women to force them into having sex, noting the rape conviction involved a brutal sexual assault after he tried to strangle his victim.

Justice Button said: 'This offence against a young woman in the prime of her life, simply for the sexual gratification of the offender, cannot be assessed as anything other than extremely grave'. Pictured is Adams being escorted to a prison van in 2016

Adams was arrested in 2013 after advances in DNA testing allowed experts to match hairs seized from his car boot in 1983 to strands from Ms Wallace's hairbrush.

As the defence made no sentencing submissions, the judge said he knew nothing about Adams' life since 1984 - his current relationships, his family if any, his work history, or his current state of physical or mental health.

Since he had no criminal convictions for decades, he seemed to have achieved some degree of rehabilitation.

The judge set a maximum term of 20 years, according to the sentences that would have been imposed at the time he committed the murder.
A prisoner in Florida who attacked a guard and tried to strangle him with a towel was tackled to the ground by fellow inmates when they stepped in to save the officer.

Security cameras inside the Falkenburg Road Jail in Tampa captured the moment Kiondre Zachery, 22, attempted to strangle Deputy D. Hernandez in the unprovoked attack on Tuesday.

Zachery could be clearly seen wrapping the towel around the 31-year-old guard's neck in front of 72 other inmates in the packed jail pod.

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Kiondre Zachery, 22, was captured on security cameras strangling Deputy D. Hernandez with a towel at Falkenburg Road Jail in Tampa, Florida on Tuesday

Deputy Hernandez was filmed struggling with the inmate before he managed to escape from Zachery's grasp.

Zachery was in prison for burglary but has now been charged with assaulting the guard

Zachery then appeared to try and punch the guard before his fellow inmates pounced and helped tackle him to the ground.

They helped Deputy Hernandez hold him down until backup arrived.

The guard suffered a twisted ankle, bruised knee and abrasions to his neck from the attack.

He has been a guard at the prison for 10 months.

Zachery was in prison for burglary.

He has now been charged aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and moved to an isolation cell.

Zachery (center) could be seen approaching the guard (pictured right with another inmate) with the towel in his hands in front of 72 other inmates in the packed jail pod

Security cameras captured the moment Zachery wrapped the towel around the guard's neck

Hillsborough County sheriff's office said the inmates had saved the guard from being seriously injured.

'Due to the overall professionalism and respect that detention deputies display towards the inmates on a daily basis, the inmates came to the deputy's aid preventing the deputy from being seriously injured,' the sheriff's office said.

'This incident highlights the extreme danger the men and women working at the Hillsborough County Department of Detention Services face everyday.

'It also shows that because most inmates know that the deputies inside the pods are not adversaries and are treated fairly and with respect.'
A man sentenced to 60 years to life in prison in 1989 has been released after serving less than half of his sentence due to a lack of physical evidence.

David Weinberg was convicted in 1989 of the murder of Joyce Stochmal, a 19-year-old college graduate and aspiring veterinarian.

Stochmal was stabbed to death in August 1984 while walking to her job at an animal clinic in a small Connecticut town.

Joyce Stochmal, a 19-year-old college graduate and aspiring veterinarian was stabbed to death in August 1984 while walking to her job at an animal clinic in a small Connecticut town

David Weinberg was convicted in 1989 of the murder of Joyce Stochmal, but was released Thursday as his conviction was cut short on Thursday, though he was not exonerated and his murder conviction remains intact

She was abducted, beaten and stabbed 17 times before her body was disposed of in a lake in Newtown, Connecticut.

Her parents, Charles and Mary Ann Stochmal, believe that the decision is a 'grave injustice'.

They said in a courtroom statement: 'Our family still grieves. Time should heal but in our case it intensifies now with an individual found guilty and convicted to 60 years is going free after not even half of his sentence,' reported Fox News.

Weinberg was initially sentenced to 60 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole, but was cut short on Thursday, though he was not exonerated and his murder conviction remains intact.

She was abducted, beaten and stabbed 17 times before her body was disposed of in a lake in Newtown, Connecticut

His 'sentence modification' happened through the help of the Connecticut Innocence Project, which is a nonprofit taxpayer-funded organization that works to exonerate wrongly convicted individuals through DNA testing.

Darcy McGraw, director of the group, told the judge that Weinberg has always maintained that he is innocent and that there is no physical evidence linking him to the crime.

Stochmal's family, however, said that state police and prosecutors conducted an intense investigation that proved Weinberg's guilt in a court of law.

They also said that Connecticut Innocence Project did not prove his innocence.

'David Weinberg was found guilty then. He is guilty still,' the victim's sister Marianne Hefferman told Fox News outside the courthouse.

'The fact that he is about to walk out of this courthouse as a convicted murderer is something that every resident in this state should be upset about. And he used taxpayer dollars to do it'.

On August 3, 1984, Stochmal had dinner with her family before leaving her home for an overnight shift at the Silver Kills Kennel in Ansonia, Connecticut.

Authorities believe that Weinberg was driving along Route 188 when he spotted her walking alone, her purse and duffel bag in her hand, which contained a small makeup case, Calvin Klein jeans and an orange T-shirt.

It is then reported that Weinberg grabbed her and took her to an area beneath a nearby bridge, where he stabbed her repeatedly and left her for dead in Lake Zoar.

Weinberg was arrested and charged with murder in May 1985, and a jury found him guilty three years later after 10 hours of deliberations, reported Fox

Her body was found three days later by people fishing in the lake, reported Fox.

Weinberg's then-girlfriend, Debby Lester, helped convict him, as she told investigators that his behavior was strange in the days following the murder.

She told investigators that he painted the rims of his car wheels from black to white, and stopped carrying a buck knife on his belt. She also claimed that he brought her to a small campfire near the Promperaug River, where state police recovered charred items belonging to the victim, including orange fabric consistent with her T-shirt and a Calvin Klein button.

Weinberg was arrested and charged with murder in May 1985, and a jury found him guilty three years later after 10 hours of deliberations, reported Fox.

Though his attorney immediately filed an appeal, he was sentenced to 60 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole on January , 1989. After 20 years of appeals, the state appellate court affirmed the conviction on Jan 13, 2009.

The Connecticut Innocence Project took his case in 2010, and filed a new habeas corpus motion.

Last month the State's Attorney Marueen Platt (pictured) and McGaw signed off on a motion for 'sentence modification'

Last month the State's Attorney Marueen Platt and McGraw signed off on a motion for 'sentence modification'.

Modification changes his life sentence without possibility of parole to 'time served', and in a testimony before Judge Roland Fasano of the Waterbury District Superior Court, McGraw stressed the lack of physical evidence linking Weinberg to the murder.

She also said that foreign DNA found under Stochmal's fingernail did not belong to Weinberg, which she believe 'excludes' her client.

McGraw further described Weinberg's then-girlfriend as 'seriously mentally ill', reported Fox.

However, Stochmal's family believes that Weinberg killed their daughter, and maintains the integrity of the investigation and original conviction.

Heffernan and her family all wore pins saying 'Justice for Joyce' on Thursday, and she said that the release reopened a 33-year-old wound.

She believes that Weinberg, who has a criminal record including sexual assault, poses a threat to the public.
An Illinois congressman has apologized for comparing town halls to 'cleansing by orientals' in Maoist China.

Rep. Mike Bost was discussing his poor attendance at raucous town hall events, which he described as counterproductive, when he used the racial slur.

'The amount of time that I have at home is minimal, I need to make sure that it's productive,' Bost told the editorial board.

'You know the cleansing that the Orientals used to do where you'd put one person out in front and 900 people yell at them? That's not what we need. We need to have meetings with people that are productive.'

Rep. Mike Bost was discussing his poor attendance at raucous town hall events, which he described as counterproductive, when he used the racial slur

He was referring to 'struggle sessions' - a brutal practice carried out by the Chinese Communist Party under Chairman Mao Zedong.

Political rivals or enemies of the regime were punished by being brought in front of a crowd who would verbally and physically abuse the victim until he or she confessed. Once they were forced to confess, they were often killed.

Bost has since apologized for his 'poor choice of words.'

'While there was no malicious intent, I regret that my words may have distracted from an important point,' Bost said.

He also called on people not to disrupt town hall events which made it 'much harder to govern.'

'It's time for Republicans and Democrats to get back to the point where we can disagree on the issues but give everyone a chance to have their voice heard.'

Bost visited his 12th District last week, hosting a tele-town hall instead of an in-person one.

Some Republicans in Congress have participated in rowdy town halls in which crowds have expressed concerns about President Donald Trump's policies. A few, like Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz, have been shouted down and booed.

He was referring to 'struggle sessions' - a brutal practice carried out by the Chinese Communist Party under Chairman Mao Zedong (Tibet's 10th Panchen Lama is seen undergoing a Cultural Revolution struggle session in Tibet's capital Lhasa, in 1964)

The representative described the town halls as 'out of control, which means you don't actually get to talk to people and listen, and we're looking for ways to do that.'

In an editorial, the Southern Illinoisan noted that the people of his district want to have their voices heard, and doing it over the phone or the internet just won't do.

It went on to say, 'It is part of his job description to, from time to time, take the heat. A leader should not be reluctant to meet with his constituents personally.'

In 2012, as a state representative, Bost screamed profanities and referenced the Bible during a tirade directed at powerful House Speaker Mike Madigan. The outburst, which created an internet stir, came as House members prepared to vote on a contentious pension bill without a chance for debate or amendment.

In response to the news, California Democratic Rep. Judy Chu, a Chinese-American, took to Twitter, saying, ''Orientals' perpetuates fear of #AAPIs as foreigners & certainly isn't a good excuse to skip town halls.'

Last year, the government moved to stop using the terms 'oriental' and 'negro' after former President Barack Obama signed the change into law.

Bost was among those who voted in favor of the bill.
A bikini model will likely deliver her first child behind bars after she was found guilty of supplying Class A drugs in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

Kirsty Dayment, 34, was revealed to be three months pregnant at her sentencing hearing on drugs charges on Friday.

Dayment earlier pleaded guilty to four charges relating to dealing cocaine and MDMA after detectives found the drugs in July 2015 in a Coogee unit she shared with her partner.

Kirsty Dayment pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine and MDMA from her Sydney beachfront apartment

Socialite and model Kirsty Dayment (right) arrives at the Downing Centre Court for her sentencing hearing on cocaine and ecstasy charges, Sydney, Friday, March 3

The Downing Centre court in Sydney heard she was a model citizen until she entered a 'violent and abusive relationship' that ended shortly before she started dating her co-accused Nicholas Riganias.

'Since [going on bail] she's gone back to a life of service and is on a path to full rehabilitation,' lawyer Ian Lloyd QC said.

It was not revealed who the father of her unborn child was as she and Riganias broke up last year and he was remanded in custody since their arrest in July 2015.

The couple were arrested when detectives allegedly found 107 grams of cocaine and a suitcase with 1.36 kilograms of MDMA in a Coogee unit in July 2015.

Kirsty Dayment, 34, was revealed to be three months pregnant at her sentencing hearing on Friday

The Downing Centre court in Sydney heard Dayment (pictured) was a model citizen until she entered a relationship with her co-accused Nicholas Riganias

Riganias reportedly started dealing drugs to pay for a $45,000 stem cell treatment for neuralgia, a chronic pain condition affecting nerves in the face.

Dayment said she became involved in the drug business because she was bankrupt from a failed fashion business.

Her defence did not contest she dealt cocaine but argued she had minimal involvement in the MDMA deal, explained as a 'one time thing' that was supposed to solve their money problems.

Kirsty Dayment arrives at the Downing Centre Court for her sentencing hearing on cocaine and ecstasy charges, Sydney, Friday, March 3

Kirsty Dayment arrives at the Downing Centre Court for her sentencing hearing on Friday, March 3

Dayment pleaded guilty to drugs charges

Lloyd said his client only asked customer Peter Biviano 'what the f**k he wants with that M' when she gave him a 1.4 gram sample of the cocaine.

Dayment's defence argued her fingerprints were only found on the MDMA bag because she showed it to the customer.

The crown agreed it was at the lower end of involvement but said texts showed she had asked Riganias about upselling MDMA to cocaine customers on multiple occasions.

Judge Sarah Huggett said a sentence of less than two years 'couldn't be justified'.

Sentencing will continue on April 7.

Ms Dayment is pictured posing dockside with some boats at Sydney's Darling Harbour
A man arrested in connection with the hunt for missing Corrie McKeague is a former special constable who works for the company at the centre of the investigation.

It is understood Haydn Stephens, 26, was arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and was quizzed by officers before being released on bail.

Stephens is a traffic dispatcher for waste management firm Biffa, and one of the companys lorries was seen in the area where the RAF serviceman, 23, was last seen in Bury St Edmunds five months ago.

Haydn Stephens, pictured, 26, is understood to have been arrested by police as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Corrie McKeague

Mr McKeague went missing in September and a man, believed to be Stephens, right, has been arrested by police investigating his disappearance and bailed until April

According to The Sun, Stephens job at Biffa is to assign drivers to vehicles and collection routes.

He is understood to have returned to his home in Bury St Edmunds following his release, where he lives with his fiancee and family.

A man at the property told the Sun: Hes innocent as far as we know. We all want this out of the way as quickly as possible.

His fiancees stepfather added: Its nothing to do with me, or my wife, or my stepdaughter. He left last night and he hasnt been back since. This has been dropped on us like a bloody bombshell. Were just honest people.

It is understood Stephens has worked as a special constable for Suffolk Police and has previously received an award for his dedication.

Suffolk Police have declined to comment.

Police are believed to have searched the bin lorry seen on the night of Mr McKeague's disappearance but did not find any evidence he had been in the vehicle.

It comes as his family said they believe 'several people' may have 'covered up' the reasons as to why he is missing.

Officers are also preparing to search a rubbish tip which Mr McKeague's mother believes may contain his body.

Corrie's father, Martin McKeague, said yesterday that he believes a group of people could be hampering the investigation.

Mr McKeague's father Martin, pictured right with his son, believes several people may have 'covered up' the reasons for his son's disappearance

Police released CCTV of two people in the area at the time of Mr McKeague's disappearance

He also shared a police statement concerning a knife which was found near where Mr McKeague went missing, but which is not thought to be linked to the disappearance.

Mr McKeague quoted the police as saying: 'Police are in possession of this knife after the person it was handed to was spoken to and brought it to the police station.

'The area where the knife was found was searched during the initial stages of the inquiry and no knife was located at that time, it cannot be said when this knife was left in the area or by whom and there is no link between this and Corrie at this time.'

Mr McKeague's mother has also spoke out in regards to the arrest and said the man was not a friend or relative of her son.

Police are now preparing to sift through thousands of tons of rubbish at a dump in Milton near Cambridge.

Police have released footage of two people they wish to speak to after they were spotted in the area where Mr McKeague was last seen.

Mr McKeague and girlfriend April Oliver. His mother has said she thinks his body may be found

Detective Superintendent Katie Elliott said: 'We are continuing to make progress on the investigation and we will be starting the landfill site search as soon as the preparatory work is complete.

'We have been carrying out a lot of inquiries behind the scenes and our work continues to find the truth about what happened to Corrie.'

Mr McKeague's mother, Nicola Urquhart, 48, said: 'I've spoken to the my other sons, Makeyan and Darroch, and the rest of the family, and were just trying so hard not to read more into this than their might be.

'It might end up being nothing or might end up being huge so we don't know. There actually isn't anything that I know that the police haven't put out there.

'They obviously contacted us to let us know that they had somebody in custody and they would be interviewing them.'

Mrs Urquhart has previously said there is a 'good possibility' her son's body will be found at the landfill site.

Speaking last month, she said: 'I think there's a good possibility that that's where he could have ended up, because I try to look at things logically.

'What we know is that he's not left on foot, he's not still in there now, so he's left in a vehicle. That means he could have gone in a bin and then in the bin lorry, or in one of the other vehicles that were there.

Mrs Urquhart added: 'I don't think anyone who has put Corrie there is going to come forward - they would have done it by now.

'But if someone knows how someone is behaving, if they are behaving oddly, we're going to find Corrie if he's in that landfill, so come forward now, so whoever has put him there doesn't get away with saying he's fallen in a bin and it's an accident.

'At least give us some more closure, not just finding Corrie, but also how he got there and what happened to him.'

Detectives have so far spent more than 300,000 in their search to find Mr McKeague, including using Cadaver dogs, trained to sniff out dead bodies.

Mr McKeague was last seen walking through Bury St Edmunds after a night out in September

The investigation is one of the most expensive ever carried out by Suffolk and Norfolk Constabularies.

Mr McKeague's family have also raised more than 50,000 to draft in private investigators to help and have organised three private searches in their desperate hunt for clues.

Since Corrie's disappearance, it has also emerged that his girlfriend April Oliver, 21, is pregnant with his child.

Miss Oliver said Corrie did not know about the baby which is due in late spring or early summer.

Corrie is originally from Fife in Scotland and moved down to Suffolk to live at RAF Honington where he worked as a gunner and team medic in the air force.

Anyone with information about his disappearance is asked to call the incident room at Suffolk Police on 01473 782019.
An arrest warrant has been issued for an airline employee accused over the death of the North Korean leader's half-brother, Malaysian police said.

It comes as the only North Korean arrested over the assassination of Kim Jong-un's brother was released from police custody.

Frustrated Malaysian officers believe Ri Jong Chol was involved in the plot to kill Kim Jong-nam, but were forced to free him due to a lack of evidence.

The 47-year-old IT worker, who is employed by a cancer charity, is among eight North Koreans suspected of being part of the killing the leader of the country's half-brother.

He was poisoned with a banned nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on February 13 and two women face execution over the death.

North Korean suspect in Kim Jong Nam murder, Ri Jong Chol, leaves a Sepang police station to be deported, in Malaysia March 3, 2017

The IT worker who is employed by a cancer charity was freed on Friday due to lack of evidence

Ri Jong Chol is the only North Korean arrested in connection with the assassination

Frustrated Malaysian officers believe Ri Jong Chol (pictured) was involved in the plot to kill Kim Jong-nam, but were forced to free him due to a lack of evidence

Indonesian Siti Aisyah (right), 25, and Doan Thi Huong (left), 28, from Vietnam, face the death penalty if found guilty

Shocking pictures show Kim Jong-nam slumped in a chair having been poisoned. He later died on his way to the hospital

Malaysia's attorney general has announced there was insufficient evidence to charge 47-year-old Ri and was deported on Friday.

As he was led out of a police station outside the capital under tight security and handed over to immigration authorities, police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said he regretted the release.

'We believe that Ri Jong Chol played a part in Kim Chol's murder but unfortunately we lack evidence to charge him,' he told AFP, using the name given in the passport carried by Kim Jong-Nam.

'We are frustrated because of a lack of evidence,' he said via text message from Saudi Arabia where he is on a religious pilgrimage.

However, he denied political or diplomatic pressure had been a factor in the release, saying it was purely an investigative issue.

A senior police official who asked not to be named said Ri had been handed over to immigration authorities in the administrative capital of Putrajaya.

'I do not know when he will be deported as they will need to sort out the travel documents,' he said.

The vehicle carrying Ri, who wore a bullet proof vest, was escorted by a six police-car convoy and motorcycle outriders. Roads were sealed off as the motorcade left the police station where he has been held.

North Korean Ri Jong-Chol (pictured) was released on Friday after Malaysian officials could not find sufficient evidence to charge in him connection to the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam

Malaysian police speak about detained North Korean Ri Jong-Chol, who was suspected of having involvement in the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam, the half brother of leader Kim Jong-un

Seven other North Koreans are wanted in connection with the killing, including a diplomat and an airline employee who are believed to be in Malaysia

A heavy armed police presence surrounded the women in court on Wednesday

Doan Thi Huong was captured walking through the airport on CCTV wearing a LOL t-shirt on the day Kim Jong-Nam was killed

Ri's release came two days after two women - one Vietnamese and one Indonesian - were charged with murdering Kim.

Seven other North Koreans are wanted in connection with the killing, including a diplomat and an airline employee who are believed to be in Malaysia.

Four are thought to have fled to Pyongyang on the day of the murder.

Ri was arrested days after Kim suffered an agonising death when he was attacked as he waited to board a flight to Macau.

CCTV footage shows two women approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth.

Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later.

Swabs of the dead man's face revealed traces of VX, a synthetic chemical so deadly that it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction.

Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, face the death penalty if found guilty.

Both women say they thought they were merely taking part in a prank video.

Indonesian suspect Siti Aisyah, center, is escorted by police officers as she arrives at Sepang court in Sepang, Malaysia on Wednesday. She was charged with murder, and if found guilty, she could be hanged

Vietnamese suspect Doan Thi Huong (left) leaves court after being charged with the murder of Kim Jong-Nam. She could also be hanged if she is found guilty

Facing their fate: Siti Aisyah, left, is escorted by police officers out of Sepang court and Doan Thi Huong leaves, right

Kim Jong-nam, pictured in 2001, was assassinated at an airport in Kuala Lumpur last month

South Korea has pointed the finger of blame at North Korea, citing what they say was a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother who may have been seen as a potential rival.

North Korea, which has not acknowledged the dead man's identity, has vehemently protested the investigation, saying Malaysia is in cahoots with its enemies.

In response, Malaysia has cancelled a visa-free travel deal with North Korea - a key conduit to the outside world - and recalled its envoy to Pyongyang.

On Thursday a senior North Korean diplomat leading a delegation to Kuala Lumpur reiterated Pyongyang's assertion that Kim had died of a heart attack, dismissing the use of a toxin, and urged Malaysia to release his body.

Police chief Khalid quashed the claims.

'Our investigations supported by expert reports confirmed that Kim was murdered. North Korea can say what they like but the facts remain,' he told national news agency Bernama.

Malaysia on Friday also stepped up its criticism of the use of the banned nerve agent, condemning 'the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances'.

'Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public,' the foreign ministry said, adding that the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was helping it investigate.

Huong is escorted for Sepang Magistrate Court after the hearing on Wednesday. The women maintain their innocence in the case

Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, were charged with murder on Wednesday.

If found guilty, they could be hanged.

Siti, wearing a red T-shirt, was brought in first to hear the murder charge read out before being taken away. Huong, also dressed casually, then heard the charge in Vietnamese.

Calls to ban the toxic chemical used to kill Malaysia ramped up the pressure on Pyongyang on Friday, issuing a statement condemning the use of a banned toxic chemical weapon in the killing of the brother of North Korea's leader. Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of being behind the Feb. 13 killing of Kim Jong Nam, but the statement from the Foreign Ministry comes hours after a North Korean envoy rejected a Malaysian autopsy finding that VX nerve agent killed Kim, saying the man probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. The statement from Malaysia's Foreign Ministry said it was 'greatly concerned' with the use of the toxic chemical and condemned the use of such a chemical weapon under any circumstances. "Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," said. Advertisement

Huong's lawyer S. Selvam said she told the court in Vietnamese: 'I am not guilty.'

Neither woman was asked to enter a plea and their trial is not expected to begin for several months.

They appeared to be wearing bulletproof vests as they were escorted from the building, with Huong looking tired as she was lead away.

South Korea has consistently pointed the finger of blame at North Korea, citing what they say was a standing order from Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother.

Pyongyang - which has never acknowledged Kim's identity - has denied the charge and disputes the autopsy, claiming Malaysia is in cahoots with its enemies.

The two countries, which had enjoyed relatively warm relations, have been at diplomatic daggers drawn since the killing.

On Thursday Kuala Lumpur, which had earlier recalled its ambassador, said it was cancelling its visa-free travel deal with Pyongyang.

The government was implementing the change on the grounds of national security, Malaysian news agency Bernama quoted deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying.

The cancellation will take effect on March 6, after which North Koreans entering Malaysia will be required to obtain a visa, the report added.

'We are not looking for enemies but if they use Malaysia as a platform to carry out their agenda, they should not accuse Malaysia and tarnish our image on the international diplomatic front.' Ahmad Zahid told a public event.

'We will act firmly to guarantee the safety of the people. Do not think you can use Malaysia to do what you want to do.

'Do not use Malaysia to carry out your illegal activities,' he added.
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Army bomb disposal teams have been working through the night to prepare for the removal of a Second World War device discovered on a building site.

A school, nursery and homes were evacuated yesterday after the device was found in Brondesbury Park, north west London.

Many local residents were forced to take shelter in a church overnight and told of 'scary' scenes as police knocked on their doors and told them to leave their homes on The Avenue, which has an average house value of 850,000.

The bomb, weighing 500lb, was discovered buried deep at the site in Brent, where construction workers were preparing to build an apartment block, according to reports.

Army bomb disposal teams have been working through the night to prepare for the removal of a Second World War device discovered on a building site in north west London yesterday, pictured

Experts from the Royal Engineers and Logistics Corps were constructing a blast protection layer around the device

A school, nursery and homes were evacuated yesterday after the device, pictured, was found in Brondesbury Park

Work on removing the explosive, pictured, is expected to continue throughout the day and local residents were forced to take shelter in a nearby church overnight

In the early hours of Friday morning, experts from the Royal Engineers and Logistics Corps were constructing a blast protection layer around the device.

The structure had to be put in place before they could begin work to make the device safe to move.

The Army said: 'The Army's Royal Engineer bomb disposal experts continue to work through the night with the emergency services and partner agencies in Brent where an unexploded German WW2 bomb was discovered yesterday.

'The soldiers are constructing a blast protection layer around the device before they can begin work on rendering it safe.'

According to Brent Council, work on the site is expected to continue until at least Friday afternoon.

Police set up a large exclusion zone after the bomb was found on Thursday morning, with schools, businesses and homes evacuated and roads closed.

British Red Cross volunteers were drafted in to support affected locals and more than 50 people had to stay at a rest centre set up in a church in nearby Kensal Green.

Scotland Yard said it was called to The Avenue, near Brondesbury Park, at around 11.30am.

Superintendent Nigel Quantrell said: 'I would like to thank the community for their continued support as we and our partners deal with this incident.

'I can assure you that we are working very hard to resolve the situation. The public's understanding and co-operation is deeply appreciated.'

The device is believed to be a German bomb that would have dropped in the area during the Second World War

Workers were at the site, pictured, preparing to build an apartment block before the discovery of the bomb

Residents spoke of their fear after police were 'banging on their doors' and a helicopter was 'flying above the road' after the discovery

The emergency services have thanked locals for their patience and support while the bomb disposal work takes place, pictured

Roxanne Landripet, 24, told the Evening Standard: 'There were police banging on people's doors and then I started to hear a helicopter flying around above the road.'

'A police officer knocked on my door and told me we had to leave because an unexploded World War Two bomb had been found.

'There were fire engines, ambulances and police cars everywhere. People were a bit panicky.'

Another resident tweeted: 'There's an unexploded World War Two bomb on a construction site near my house! Scary!'

And a third said: 'Police have just knocked and told us we must evacuate they have found an unexploded WW2 bomb opposite the building.'

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: 'The brigade is currently assisting police at the scene of a suspected World War Two bomb on a building site on The Avenue.

Discovery: Two fire engines and 14 firefighters were sent to the site following the discovery of the bomb yesterday

Close up: The suspected unexploded Second World War bomb was found on a building site

'Police have put cordons in place and there are road closures in the area. Some local buildings have been evacuated as a precaution.

'The brigade was called at 11.50am. Two fire engines and 14 firefighters and officers from West Hampstead fire station are at the scene.'

Property developer Regal Homes is building 74 one, two and three bedroom homes on the site, and said excavations had unearthed 'an object of concern'.

It added: 'We would like to thank the local authorities, police, army and emergency services for their extraordinary professionalism and bravery in the face of adversity.

'We would also like to extend our gratitude to our internal team who have worked throughout the night alongside all the aforementioned services to achieve a safe outcome and minimalize inconvenience to residents.

'We thank the public for their patience and understanding over the last 24 hours.'

Local residents told of 'scary' scenes as police knocked on their doors and told them to leave their homes on The Avenue, which has an average house value of 850,000

And Brent Council tweeted: 'A suspected unexploded WW2 bomb found near the junction of Willesden Lane. Army are on their way, residents advised to avoid area.'

Unexploded bombs are still being found in the present day across London following the Blitz, which was the most intense bombing campaign Britain has ever seen.

Between September 7, 1940 and May 21, 1941 there were major raids with more than 30,000 tonnes of high explosives dropped on 16 British cities.

London was attacked 71 times and bombed by the Luftwaffe for 57 consecutive nights. More than one million London houses were destroyed or damaged.

More than 40,000 civilians were killed, almost half of them in London. Birmingham, Liverpool and Plymouth were also hit eight times, and Bristol six.
A 'cult leader' facing allegations of grooming and sexual exploitation has met the Queen at a reception in Buckingham Palace.

Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Davar, 55, met the monarch at an event to promote ties between Britain and India.

He faces two civil court hearings to defend himself against allegations of 'sexual, financial and spiritual control' and 'grooming to manipulate into sexual submission'.

Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Davar, 55, met the monarch at an event to promote friendship between Britain and India on February 28

These allegations, which Davar calls 'completely false', were made by two former members of his dance ensemble.

After his visit to Buckingham Palace, Davar tweeted a photo of him with the monarch.

He said: 'Making memories is what life is made of. Meeting Her Majesty is a memory that I'll fondly remember always.' Davar says he is the 'custodian' of VRRP Spiritual Group.

VRRP follows the teachings of Khorsheed Bhavnagari, who wrote The Laws of the Spirit World, in which she claimed her two dead sons communicated with her.

Critics allege Davar became the spiritual leader of the 'sect' - as it is described in court papers - after Bhavnagari's death in 2007.

Percy Shroff, 42, and Jimmy Mistry, 35, separately claim they endured years of unwanted sexual touching at the hands of Davar. They want damages for psychological injuries.

And they allege he abused his authority as their spiritual leader to control all aspects of their lives.

In his claim form, Mistry accused Davar of 'sexual grooming', 'sexual advances' and 'sexual, financial and spiritual control'.

Separately, Shroff claimed Davar was guilty of 'sexual grooming', 'sexual harassment', 'spiritual control' and making 'sexual demands'. Both men have claimed VRRP was a 'cult'.

The court hearings are set to be heard at the Supreme Court of British Columbia next month.

Davar's lawyer told Ben Rossington of The Mirror in a statement: 'At no time did he misuse or abuse his position in the dance company and/or perceived position in the spiritual group.'

He faces two court hearings to defend himself against allegations of 'sexual, financial and spiritual control' and 'grooming to manipulate into sexual submission'

These allegations, which Davar calls 'completely false', were made by two former members of his dance ensemble. Seen at a press conference in Mumbai on December 1,(left) and at a wedding reception on February 13(right)

Critics allege Davar became the spiritual leader of the 'sect' - as it is described in court papers - after Bhavnagari's death in 2007. Pictured: Davar performing at a Hope For Haiti concert in March 21, 2010 in Mumbai





The Shiamak Davar dance company of 30 dancers performing a medley of Hindi films during the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's visit to India.

The British Council, which hosted the UK/India 2017 Year of Culture event, said Davar was not on its list of invitees.

MailOnline has contacted Davar's representatives for comment.




A Moroccan immigrant sparked panic on a packed Spanish high-speed train after threatening to detonate a bomb he claimed to be carrying.

Armed police arrested him at gunpoint at a railway station in the Catalan city of Girona after evacuating the area before the AVE train pulled in.

Police chief Xavier Domenech said the alarm was sounded by passengers on board the train from Barcelona to Girona who phoned 999 to say an Arab-looking man was shouting in French and Arabic he was carrying a bomb.

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Moroccan migrant being led away by officers having been arrested in Catalan city of Girona

The man appeared calm as he waited by the doors with what he said was a bomb in his hands

Dramatic video footage taken by a traveller showed the poncho-wearing mop-haired 30-year-old pinned to the ground and handcuffed as he stepped off the train when it reached Girona

Dramatic video footage taken by a traveller showed the poncho-wearing mop-haired 30-year-old pinned to the ground and handcuffed as he stepped off the train when it reached Girona.

He appeared to be calm and was waiting by the doors when it pulled in as other passengers stood around him - and seemed to offer no resistance as he was surrounded by police.

One officer could be overheard asking a passenger on the platform as the arrest was made: 'Did he have a bag or not?'

The drama occurred around 6.20pm local time on Thursday on a high-speed AVE train which had left Barcelona's Sants station 40 minutes earlier.

Police confirmed afterwards the suspect, who spoke in a foreign accent and told police he was Moroccan although he wasn't carrying any ID, was not armed or carrying a bomb.

The station was put on lock down temporarily before as the man, pictured, was taken away

A number of officers surrounded the suspect and pinned him to the ground in the station

The carriage he was travelling in was also given the all-clear to continue in service after an inspection with sniffer dogs.

The mystery man at the centre of the scare, who reportedly gave police a name which has not appeared on any of their databases, remained in custody today/yesterday (FRI) after being held on a public order offence.

He was expected to undergo a psychiatric evaluation before a decision on his future. His identity had yet to be confirmed early this morning/yesterday morning (FRI).

Police officers talking at Girona train station

The regional Mossos d'Esquadra police force confirmed the scare in a Tweet saying: 'False alarm over a supposed bomb on a train between Barcelona and Girona.

'A man who threatened to detonate it has been arrested in Girona.'

Last month it emerged Islamic State fanatics had issued a 'direct threat' to popular Spanish tourist resorts where millions of Britons will holiday this summer.

Government documents have pointed to the terror group publishing in Spanish in an attempt to increase its influence on radicals living in Spain.

The number of British tourists visiting Spain soared from a low of 12.5 million in 2010 to a record high of 17.8 million in 2016.

Many tourists have chosen Spain this year as a safer option to places like Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia.

There is no suggestion at this stage the man arrested over yesterday's/Thursday's false alarm had any links to Islamic terror groups.
An investigation has been launched into how a 10-year-old boy with a disability was left locked inside a bus for six hours near Wollongong.

The 10-year-old boy was left inside the bus for six hours at a depot before he was discovered by the driver.

NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia the child boarded the bus about 8am on Thursday morning from his home in Jamberoo.

A 10-year-old boy with a disability was left locked inside a bus for six hours near Wollongong on Thursday, before the driver discovered him at the depot. He was meant to be dropped at the Petersborough School in Warilla (pictured) with other students that morning

The bus arrived at the Petersborough School in Warilla about 8.45am where a number of students got off.

The boy apparently failed to leave the vehicle, which the driver returned to a depot and locked.

He was only discovered when the driver returned to the bus at 2.45pm, police said.

The school was notified and called paramedics, who assessed the child and deemed him unharmed.

The school was notified and called paramedics, who assessed the child and deemed him unharmed. The driver has since been suspended pending an inquiry (stock image)

'The child was in the care of staff at Peterborough School and was returned home to his family after the ambulance assessment,' a NSW Education Department spokesman said in a statement.

The Assisted School Travel Program and Employee Performance and Conduct Unit are investigating the NSW incident.

The driver has been suspended pending an inquiry.
This is the incredible moment a mayor interrupts a civic ceremony to dive off a pier and save a scuba diver who had fainted in the water.

Ismail Yildirim, mayor of the town of Karamursel in north-western Turkey's Koceli Province, was attending a ceremony to mark the anniversary of a ferry disaster.

Two divers were in the sea to place a wreath on the water in tribute to the 272 people who lost their lives in the Uskudar Disaster of 1958.

This is the incredible moment a mayor interrupts a civic ceremony to dive off a pier and save a scuba diver who had fainted in the water

Onlookers could hardly believe their eyes when Mayor Yildirim suddenly pulled off his shoes, tie and jacket and jumped into the water with an enormous splash.

He had spotted that one of the scuba divers, a woman called Senay Ertorun, had fainted in the water and was in difficulties.

The mayor, who is himself a qualified diver, swam over to the woman and pulled her to the shore.

Ismail Yildirim, mayor of the town of Karamursel in north-western Turkey's Koceli Province, was attending a ceremony to mark the anniversary of a ferry disaster

Two divers were in the sea to place a wreath on the water in tribute to the 272 people who lost their lives in the Uskudar Disaster of 1958

Onlookers pulled her, and her rescuer, on to dry land before handing the mayor a blanket so that he did not get too cold.

The mayor's quick-thinking and selfless actions in jumping into the cold water earned him a round of applause from the watching crowd.

Ms Ertorun was treated at the scene and has made a good recovery.

Onlookers could hardly believe their eyes when Mayor Yildirim suddenly pulled off his shoes, tie and jacket and jumped into the water with an enormous splash

The incident was captured on camera by eyewitnesses with smartphones and the footage is already proving popular on social media and video-sharing websites.

The Uskudar Disaster involved the sinking of a small passenger ferry, the German-built SS Uskudar, in the Gulf of Izmit in March 1958, with the loss of 272 lives.

Karamursel is historically known as the Town of The Wrestlers, and is also renowned for its fish restaurants and for its handmade silk carpets including the famous Hereke rugs.
Cashed up home owners who had a change of heart after purchasing a multimillion dollar property have lost a $100,000 deposit.

The Gold Coast locals bought a beachfront home last month for $6.5million on Mermaid Beach's Hedges Avenue - before changing their minds this week.

Instead, the buyers opted for a $6.3million vacant block on the same street, losing the sizeable deposit in the process, according to realestate.com.au.

The Gold Coast locals bought a beachfront home (pictured) last month for $6.5million on Mermaid Beach's Hedges Avenue - before changing their minds this week

The cashed up home owners are believed to have lost a $100,000 deposit after the change of heart

Hedges Avenue in Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast sits in one of the city's most sought after areas

Kollosche Prestige Agents principal Michael Kollosche told the publication the buyers forfeited a 'reasonable deposit'.

'The buyers have elected to buy something else where they didn't have to remove the house and it was $200,000 cheaper,' he said.

'The market down there (Hedges Ave) is so tightly held, there are only four homes for sale and two beachfront villas at the moment.'

Kollosche Prestige Agents principal Michael Kollosche said the buyers forfeited a 'reasonable deposit'

The agent said: 'The buyers have elected to buy something else where they didn't have to remove the house and it was $200,000 cheaper'

He said the property the buyers originally purchased would soon be snapped up by another buyer.

'We already have three other people looking at it so it will go pretty quickly,' he said.

An industry expert told the website the vendor may be entitled to further compensation in addition to the forfeited deposit.

The property the buyers originally purchased is expected to be quickly snapped up by another buyer
Theresa May has condemned the SNP's 'obsession' with breaking up the Union and accused Nicola Sturgeon of neglecting public services.

The Prime Minister vowed to protect the Union from 'tunnel vision nationalism' as she delivered Brexit, slamming the SNP for treating politics as a 'game'.

Mrs May lavished praise on Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson in a major speech to party conference in Glasgow as she said the party would stop the nationalists from 'getting away' with failure.

Despite opposing calls for a second independence referendum, Mrs May's speech will provoke claims she has launched a new campaign in defence of the Union.

The Prime Minister said strengthening the United Kingdom was a 'personal priority' for her and told the Tory faithful she was 'confident' and 'optimistic' for the future.

SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson claimed the speech was 'ironic, hypocritical and surreal'.

Theresa May has condemned the SNP's 'obsession' with breaking up the Union and accused Nicola Sturgeon of neglecting public services at the Scottish Conservative conference in Glasgow, pictured

The Prime Minister vowed to protect the Union from the nationalists as she delivered Brexit in her keynote speech, pictured

The Prime Minister said strengthening the United Kingdom was a 'personal priority' for her and told the Tory faithful she was 'confident' and 'optimistic' for the future

Mrs May rejected SNP claims that Brexit would mean more power being centralised in Westminster.

She said: 'As I have made clear repeatedly, no decisions currently taken by the Scottish Parliament will be removed from them.

'While the SNP propose that decision-making should remain in Brussels, we will use the opportunity of Brexit to ensure that more decisions are devolved back into the hands of the Scottish people.'

First Minister and SNP leader Ms Sturgeon has threatened to call a new poll on breaking up the Union over the Brexit vote if Scotland is now allowed to stay inside the EU single market.

But Mrs May today rejected the case, insisting she would get the 'best possible access' for the whole of the UK.

Mrs May insisted the SNP had been allowed to 'get away' with the independence obsession for 'too long'

She said: 'What the SNP don't point out is that the UK domestic market is worth four times more to Scottish firms.

'In fact, the EU comes third after the rest of the UK, and the rest of the world as a market for Scottish goods.

'And yet the SNP propose Scottish independence, which would wrench Scotland out of its biggest market.

'They think independence is the answer to every question in every circumstance, regardless of fact and reality.'

The Prime Minister added: 'We are all diminished when any part of the UK is held back, and we all share in the success when we prosper.'

Ahead of local elections in the spring, Mrs May urged Scots to back Ms Davidson.

In a stinging attack on the SNP, she said: 'People in Scotland deserve a First Minister who is focused on their priorities  raising standards in education, taking care of the health service, reforming criminal justice, helping the economy prosper, improving people's lives.

'Instead, they have an SNP Government obsessed with its own priority of independence, using the mechanisms of devolved government to further its political aims and all the while neglecting and mismanaging public services in Scotland.

'The SNP have been allowed to get away with it for too long.'

Mrs May today rejected the SNP demand for Scottish membership of the Single Market, insisting she would get the 'best possible access' for the whole of the UK.

Mrs May also paid tribute to her Scottish secretary and the only Scottish Tory MP David Mundell, pictured right at today's conference

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, pictured at today's conference, has claimed the SNP case for independence is 'weaker' than it was in 2014

Despite opposing a new referendum, Mrs May insisted: 'We should never be shy of making that positive case for the Union, because logic and facts are on our side.'

She added: 'These practical examples of the benefits of the United Kingdom reflect a deeper truth.

'The pooling and sharing of risks and resources on the basis of need across our United Kingdom is the essence of our unity as a people.

'All of the practical benefits which flow from our Union, and which are hallmarks of it, depend on that deep and essential community of interest which we all share.

'It has been shaped by geography and refined by history. And it has shown itself to be adaptable. Devolution is an example of that.'

Despite opposing a new referendum, Mrs May insisted: 'We should never be shy of making that positive case for the Union, because logic and facts are on our side.'

Mrs May said the Union transcended 'politics and institutions', telling the Tory faithful: 'The United Kingdom we cherish is not a thing of the past, but a Union vital to our prosperity and security, today and in the future.

'The Union I am determined to strengthen and sustain is one that works for working people across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

'A UK which everyone can feel secure in. A Union in which our national and local identities are recognised and respected, but where our common bonds are strengthened.'

Mr Robertson said: 'This was an ironic, hypocritical and surreal speech from Theresa May, who before the EU referendum supported a campaign warning that leaving Europe would be a disaster, but is now determined to pull us over the cliff edge of an economically catastrophic hard Brexit.

'Theresa May is guilty of mind-boggling hypocrisy  it is her government's constitutional obsession with a hard Brexit which is directly threatening Scottish jobs and livelihoods.

'In those circumstances, we have a duty to stand up for Scotland, and to have a plan in place to protect our vital national interests.

'And the Scottish Government has a cast-iron democratic mandate for an independence referendum if that is the chosen route to protect those interests. It was a specific manifesto commitment on which the SNP was re-elected just 10 months ago.

'Polling shows a majority in favour of a Brexit-related independence referendum, with fewer than a quarter of people opposed to any referendum.'

The Tory faithful inside Glasgow's SECC rewarded Mrs May with a standing ovation for her defence of the Union at the spring conference

But outside the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, protesters gathered to slam Tory policies on welfare

The Conservatives are urging voters in the Scottish local elections to back them to send a signal to the SNP not to hold a new referendum.

Ms Davidson told the Daily Telegraph if the SNP pressed ahead anyway, there was 'every chance' the Union would win out.

Polls suggest Scotland hangs on a knife edge. Most surveys show No ahead but few place firm support above 50 per cent.

The No vote secured 55 per cent at the 2014 referendum.

In an article for the Scottish Daily Mail last night, the Prime Minister gave her strongest indication yet that she will rebuff Miss Sturgeon if, as expected, she demands the power to hold a new referendum on independence.

She wrote: 'The SNP will always try to denigrate our United Kingdom to further their obsession with independence. But I am equally determined to ensure the truth about our United Kingdom is heard loudly and clearly.

'As Britain leaves the EU and we forge a new role for ourselves in the world, the strength and stability of our own Union will become even more important.

Prime Minister Theresa May will today warn the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that the UK needs to come 'closer together' following Brexit rather than further apart

'We must take this opportunity to bring our United Kingdom closer together.' Mrs May accused the SNP leader of using her position 'to agitate for independence' rather than 'improve the lives of people in Scotland' and said her record of 'neglect and mismanagement' was a 'scandal'.

'Politics is not a game and should never be treated as such. It is a serious business, centred on improving people's lives,' she wrote.

'Scottish schools, which once led the world in setting the highest standards of attainment, are now outperformed in every category by schools in England, Northern Ireland, Estonia and Poland.

Mrs May will say maintaining the Union is a 'personal priority' as she accuses the First Minister of 'tunnel vision' in which she sees 'independence as the solution to every problem'

'Education has been fully devolved since 1999 and under the SNP's stewardship for ten years. But standards have fallen, the attainment gap remains and Scottish young people are losing out.'

In her speech today, Mrs May will add: 'People in Scotland deserve a First Minister who is focused on their priorities  raising standards in education, taking care of the health service, reforming criminal justice, helping the economy prosper, improving people's lives.

'My first visit as Prime Minister was to Scotland. I wanted to make clear that strengthening and sustaining the bonds that unite us is a personal priority for me.'
A naked man 'forced himself into his neighbor's apartment in Houston, Texas, and raped her in front of her two young children'.

Bryce Scott, 42, entered the woman's home at 4am and forced her to undress in front of her six-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter and sexually assaulted her.

The father-of-two is said to have fled the block naked after the woman managed to sneak her phone to her daughter to call the police in the early hours of Thursday morning.

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Bryce Scott (pictured), 42, allegedly forced a woman to undress in front of her six-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter and sexually assaulted her after breaking into her Houston apartment

The father-of-two is said to have fled the block naked after the woman managed to sneak her phone to her daughter to call the police in the early hours of Thursday morning. The scene is pictured above

'He forced the victim to undress in front of her children, and then he raped her,' Sergeant Reginald Porter of the Houston Police Department told abc7's Eyewitness News.

'She was able to hand her phone off to one of the kids and told them in Arabic to call the police.'

Scott ran out of the back door of the complex naked and hid under a nearby truck. His feet are seen above as he was detained naked

Scott lived in the unit above the woman with his two children and his mother in the Memorial area.

The woman he allegedly attacked is an immigrant who had recently moved into the complex, police said.

Neighbors claimed the woman and Scott already knew each other and their children played in the complex's communal courtyard together.

The father-of-two is said to have fled the block (pictured) naked after the woman managed to sneak her phone to her daughter to call the police in the early hours of Thursday morning

Scott ran out of the back door of the complex and reportedly fled 40 yards to hide under a nearby truck.

He was found by police hours later - still naked - near Spring Forest Middle School and arrested on suspicion of aggravated sexual assault. He is now in custody.

'He heard the commotion at the door and ran out the back door without any clothes on,' Sgt Porter said.

Police said Scott was easily identified as he had left his clothing and ID in the mother's apartment when he ran out naked.

Neighbors described Scott as 'nice' and said they often saw him outside with his children.

Andria Perez, a single mother of two boys, expressed her shock while talking to Eyewitness News.

'They always always tell us "know your neighbors" but do you really know your neighbors,' she said. 'If you don't talk to them on a regular basis, you don't really know them.'

'He was naked when they caught him, and it's crazy because I have daughters,' another neighbor Brandon Hatcher added.
Terrified servicemen and woman on the aircraft flown by Flight Lieutenant Andrew Townshend, 49,(seen outside Bulford military court today) were 'pinned to the ceiling and thought they were going to die'

An RAF pilot who cost the Ministry of Defence millions of pounds when he caused a plane with 187 military personnel onboard to nosedive 4,400ft in seconds after his camera jammed with controls was today dismissed from the service.

Terrified servicemen and woman on the aircraft flown by Flight Lieutenant Andrew Townshend, 49, were 'pinned to the ceiling and thought they were going to die'.

The Voyager aircraft travelling from the UK to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, was cruising at 33,000ft when it suddenly plummeted 4,400ft towards the Black Sea for 29 seconds.

As he was dismissed from the RAF, a court martial heard details of how the terrifying incident in February 2014 meant the Ministry of Defence was unable to use any of their Voyager aircraft for 13 days, because they were all grounded.

Bulford Military Court, Wilts, heard Flt Lt Townshend was 'bored' and 'practicing taking long-exposure photography when his co-pilot left the cockpit to get a cup of tea'.

Crew and passengers thought they were going to die when the Voyager aircraft plummeted 4,400ft in a matter of seconds - after the camera jammed the controls (pictured)

Flt Lt Nathan Jones (pictured) was able to wrestle back control of the nose-diving plane after crawling back to the cockpit on the aircraft's roof with a fractured back

His Nikon DSLR D3200 was positioned in between his seat's arm rest and the plane's side stick which controls movement - and when he moved his seat forward the stick was suddenly pushed forward, causing the dive.

For 29 seconds terrified crew members feared for their lives until the pilot with nearly 30 years experience and co-pilot Flt Lt Nathan Jones wrestled with controls to retrieve control of it.

Giving evidence, Flt Lt Townshend said when he was told his camera caused the dive it was 'the worst day of his life'.

Flight Lieutenant Andrew Townshend pictured outside of Bulford Military Court

He added: 'I remember seeing an awful lot of ground in front of me which you don't see in planes and remember thinking 's**t, this is so bad'.

'I thought 'this is game over, I'm going to die in this seat'.

Townshend said he had a passion for star-gazing and had treated himself to the camera when his marriage had ended.

After the incident Flt Lt Townshend, who earnt 56,000 a year in the RAF, 'deliberately deleted' photos before he appeared at a service enquiry as he thought it looked 'unprofessional'.

Today at Bulford Military Court, Flt Lt Townshend, who admitted negligently performing a duty, held his head in his hands as he was told he was dismissed from the RAF.

Flt Lt Townshend's camera jammed between his chair's armrest and the side-stick control unit, which works like a joystick. After Flt Lt Jones levelled the plane, they diverted to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey

The court heard the father-of-two's blunder cost the RAF 'millions' and the Voyager fleet was out of action for 13 days.

Prosecutor Nigel Lickley QC said it set the RAF back 827,000 in charter costs, 690,000 in revenue and 207,000 in repairs.

Judge Advocate Alan Large added the Ministry of Defence was subject to a 14 million contract with a company called Air Tanker, but could not use the planes during this period.

Also imposing a four month sentence suspended for 12 months, he said Flt Lt Townshend had taken his 'eye off the ball'.

Judge Advocate Large said: 'The responsibility of remaining alert and making sure nothing happens to affect the passengers was yours.

'When (co-pilot) Flight Lieutenant Nathan Jones was out of the cockpit you should have been more vigilant.

Service personnel on board the jet (pictured) were immediately flung out of their seats and 'pinned to the ceiling' and feared for their lives during the descent

The RAF board was shown this photo, taken by the pilot before his plane went into a nosedive. It shows the cockpit of the Voyager aircraft on February 9, 2014

'It's clear when you were alone in the cockpit nothing was happening and you failed to stay vigilant. You allowed a dangerous situation to happen when you moved your seat forward.

'This was not a momentary lapse in concentration, your eye was well off the ball.'

Flt Lt Townshend was accused of lying about knowing his camera was there when filing a tech-log and in front of a service enquiry, but was cleared of two counts of perjury and making a false record after a four-week trial.

While flying, he took photos of the views, controls inside the cockpit and in the four minutes before the sudden dive he took 28 photos.

During the nosedive, Flt Lt Townshend said 'f*****king hell, s***, Jesus Christ' and afterwards announced to passengers he 'was not sure' what caused it.

RAF PILOT WHO COMPETED IN PRINCE HARRY'S INVICTUS GAMES HEROICALLY SAVED PLANE Flt Lt Jones, 34, pictured with Prince Harry at the 2016 Invictus Games Flight Lieutenant Nathan Jones, 34, left the cockpit of the Voyager aircraft to make a cup of tea when the plane was sent into a 4,400 feet nosedive in 29 seconds. He was left with a fractured back, a prolapsed disc and nerve damage after the 2014 incident. The co-pilot was pinned to the ceiling by the sudden dive and had to be extremely careful as he pulled back the controls for fear of 'snapping the wings off', the court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire, heard. He will captain Great Britain at this year's Invictus Games in Canada - an event created by Prince Harry which sees injured servicemen and women from 17 allied nations compete against each other in a range of adaptive sports. In the 2016 games, he won a bronze medal in the 50m backstroke race. Amazingly, he recovered the aircraft from the dive by pulling back on the side stick - but did it gently as he was 'aware that if I pulled back hard it would most likely snap the wings off'. He is still getting treatment today after undergoing surgery and other lengthy procedures, and has been medically downgraded since the incident. Advertisement

The flight then had to land at an airbase in Turkey so passengers could receive treatment.

Mr Lickley said today: 'He was the captain of the aircraft and therefore had an overall responsibility of all 187 passengers and crew.

'He had been using the camera throughout the flight and significantly when he was alone in the cockpit as the co-pilot had left he was using his camera to take 28 images in the four minutes leading up to it.

'According to a captain who the court has heard evidence from, when a captain is alone in the cockpit they should be focusing on the flight and controls solely.

'Passengers and crew felt weightlessness and feared for their lives. The welfare of the crew and passengers was put at risk by Flt Lt Townshend.'
The partner of a man killed by a dangerous driver had an emotional meeting her boyfriend's killer days before he was jailed.

Meg Williamson heard 24-year-old Lewis Stratford acknowledge the lives he had 'ruined' after causing the death of her partner Gavin Roberts, 28, by driving dangerously.

In the 50-minute meeting, filmed by the BBC, Stratford was the first to speak to a nervous Ms Williamson.

He said: 'I know I've caused a lot of pain for a lot of people with something that could have waited till the next day.

'I know what I've done. I know the lives I've ruined, I've ruined a lot of people's lives, happiness. I deserve everything I get from whatever comes now.

'I am sorry but I can't keep saying sorry because I know people don't want to hear - sorry's not going to make things better. Ever.'

He went on to ask if she was angry with him for taking away the life of her Australian partner.

Shaking her head and crying, she replied: 'A little bit but then so many people do it, so many people.

'But it was a stupid mistake. I don't want to hate you forever. I'm not that type of person.

Lewis Stratford was arguing with his girlfriend on his mobile phone when he crashed into and killed Gavin Roberts. This was the scene after the horrific head-on crash on the A34 in Berkshire last June

'And eventually I'll probably be able to forgive you. But I just needed some questions answering first.'

At his sentencing hearing at Reading Crown Court, the court heard Stratford was in a highly emotional state.

He phoned his then girlfriend multiple times in the run-up to the crash, accusing her of cheating on him, the court heard.

Speaking to the BBC about why he was using his mobile, he said: 'I was scared of losing her.

'They were emotional calls, they were shouty calls, high-emotion calls, raging calls that shouldn't have been made that night.

Victim Gavin Roberts' girlfriend Meg Williamson (left), who has since met up with the driver who killed him, said the rail worker (right) was on his way to his last night shift

'And I got to live with that forever and ever and ever and ever.'

The driver crashed into and killed the motorist while arguing with his girlfriend on his mobile phone has been jailed for three years and eight months.

Stratford was in the middle of a third 'emotional' call when he hit the central reservation and slammed into another car on the A34 in Berkshire.

A court heard today he had accused girlfriend Alice East of cheating on him and threatened to kill himself if she hung up.

Railway worker Gavin Roberts died after Stratford's Vauxhall Corsa collided head on with his BMW in the crash in June last year.

Ms East was still on the line when the accident happened and heard the screech of brakes and the sound of the impact.

Stratford was sentenced to three years eight months in prison

Jailing Stratford today, judge Stephen John said: 'This was a wholly avoidable accident which caused a wholly avoidable death. Only you are to blame.'

Australian Mr Roberts had moved to Swindon from Dapto, New South Wales, and worked as construction manager for Network Rail.

The 28-year-old, who was on his way to start what he hoped would be his last ever night shift when the crash happened, died in hospital four days later.

Mr Roberts' father said the actions of a speeding driver in an over-emotional state 'should not be regarded as an accident', but as a 'deliberate series of actions leading towards an inevitable and catastrophic collision'.

'My belief that Gavin's death was totally preventable makes it even more difficult to accept,' he told the court.

Miss Williamson wants her boyfriend's death to highlight the dangers of driving while calling

A statement by Gavin's mother Rose Joshua expressed forgiveness towards the man who killed her son - 'the youngest of my three beautiful boys'.

'I can think of no greater way to honour him than to move on in a positive way,' it read, before turning to address the defendant. 'Lewis, I want you to know that you have my forgiveness and also my compassion.

'I know you didn't mean this and I would not wish your life to be destroyed by what's occurred.'

Painter-decorator Stratford, 24, sat with his head in his hands for most of the hearing. He mouthed the word 'Sorry' to Mr Roberts and Miss Williamson before he was led away to be sent down to the cells.

The court heard that he admitted having consumed alcohol prior to the crash, but due to the nature of his injuries, no breath sample was taken.

Mr Roberts' girlfriend Meg Williamson and his father Geoff Roberts outside court today

A statement from his girlfriend, Miss East, stated: 'He said he was going to the pub with his friends to watch the football. Later that evening she checked her phone to find a series of text messages from the defendant.

'At 9.30pm she described him screaming down the phone at her and accused her of cheating on him and announced he was was on his way down to visit her.

'As he said that Alice East warned him not to drive down as he was ever so angry. She hung up the call and almost immediately she received a call back from the defending saying if she hung up on him he would kill himself.'

A witness picked up the phone after the crash and told Miss East, who was still on the line, what had happened.

After the crash, Stratford was placed in an induced coma and underwent surgery to repair a torn aorta and broken leg, leaving hospital three weeks later.

School teacher Ms Williamson told how she and her boyfriend had been planning a trip to his native Australia at the time of his shocking death.

Victim Gavin Roberts had come to England from Australia and worked for Network Rail

After her meeting with Stratford was filmed by the BBC earlier this month, Ms Williamson said: 'I'm just determined it doesn't happen to anyone else. When I see people using their phones while they're driving I want to tell them what I've been through.

'They know it's illegal, but I want them to be aware of the possible knock-on effect of those couple of seconds while you're staring at your phone.

'I know, Lewis knows and so do all Gavin's friends and family. But I want everyone else to know.'

During a tense and emotional 50-minute meeting between the pair, Stratford repeatedly apologised for what he had done.

Ms Williamson said she didn't want to hate her boyfriend's killer for ever and thought she would forgive him in the future.

In court today, Stratford's lawyer Giles Newell said he was full of 'deep and heartfelt remorse' and was 'eternally grateful' to Ms Williamson for having met with him.

A statement from Mr Roberts' mother stated that she had forgiven the driver who killed him

He said it was totally out of character for his client, who had a full, clean driving licence since 2013 and no previous convictions.

'He knows it is of little or no comfort to Mr Roberts's family that he is wracked with guilt, regret and shame as a result of this.'

Speaking after his meeting with Ms Williamson, Stratford said: 'No one thinks it will happen to them. I've lost my job, lost my car and I've ruined someone else's life. I learned the hard way, but it shouldn't take something like this.

'If I could live without a phone now, I would. I won't ever drive again. Ever. I know I've caused a lot of pain for a lot of people.

'I know what I've done, I know the lives I've ruined and I deserve everything I get from whatever comes now, hate, anger... I've got no excuse for what's happened and am just so sorry for everything. But sorry's not enough.'

The sentencing comes amid a push by police forces around the country to stamp out driving while on the phone.

During operations this week, scores of drivers have been given points and some have lost their licence as officers crackdown on the issue.

A lorry driver was jailed last November for 10 years for killing a family of four on the same stretch of road two months later. He too was using his mobile phone while driving.
A drink driver who was caught twice in one night shocked police when he confessed to a murder committed 25 years ago.

The 52-year-old was taken to a police station last week for getting behind the wheel while over the limit, but he told officers he stabbed a 38-year-old woman to death in November 1991.

He admitted having violent and homicidal fantasies as a 26-year-old student, and rung a woman's doorbell, handcuffed her when she answered and stabbed her repeatedly in Bonn, Germany.

The man admitted stabbing a 38-year-old woman 25 years ago in the city of Bonn (pictured)

Officers were shocked by the confession after they arrested him for drink driving (file photo)

Officers re-opened the harrowing file on the unsolved murder in North Rhine-Westphalia state and believe the man's confession is legitimate, according to The Local.

Investigators are now looking into whether the man from Lower Saxony committed any further crimes.

Police said the man was unsure of why he had offered up the explanation of the death after two and a half decades of silence.

He told officers he had lost hope because the drink driving offences would result in him being sacked.
Cruel video footage showing a bear being forced to perform tricks has shocked and outraged animal lovers.

The clip of two captive bears walking on their front paws during a circus in Iowa was shared by animal rights group Peta after it was taken by a spectator at the show.

In the video, the two bears arrive on a sleigh to join the ringleader.

The bear is led up to a performance platform and is encouraged to try a handstand for the crowds

The ringleader seems to use a whip or rod to encourage the movements, which Peta says shows coercion or force

The bear performs a stunt, getting onto his front paws to perform a handstand, while wearing its sparkly waistcoat and a skirt

One animal is forced to walk on its hind legs while it is pulled by a muzzle and lead around the arena.

The bears have been dressed in sparkly waistcoats and appear to be wearing skirts in the humiliating stunt.

One of the animals then performs his tricks, like handstands, on a raised platform, and walks along while standing on his front paws.

Peta says the bear urinates out of distress.

Peta Foundation director of captive animal law enforcement Brittany Peet said: 'Dragging sensitive bears from town to town and yanking them around for a circus show should have ended in the Dark Ages.

'Peta stands ready to transport these bears to a reputable sanctuary, where they'd never be tormented again.'

The foundation sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture asking them to investigate.

The bear walks down a ramp on its front paws with its back legs in the air. Peta says the urination indicates distress

The animal rights group has offered to transport the bear to a sanctuary and has raised concerns about the circus act

The video was taken by a spectator at the Tangier Shrine circus, produced by the James Cristy Cole Circus, and the segment is called Castle's Bears.

The animal rights group said they showed the video to a bear expert, who said the loud music and noisy crowd of a circus performance is inherently distressing to bears.

Castle's Bears also pulls and yanks on the lead and muzzle to force the animal to comply, which can cause long-term trauma to bears' nerves, spines, and muscles.

The videos were filmed at shows in Nebraska and Iowa.

The bear is muzzled and the leaders use a lead to guide it, which a bear expert says would cause damage to the animal's nerves

The animal is lead back to the centre of the arena after its performance on the raised platform

The animal is led to a seat next to another bear as the show continues. The circus website said it also had tigers and ponies

A spokesperson for Tangier Shrine Circus told the Sun: 'Tangier Shrine has been presenting a Circus in the Omaha Area for approximately 80 years.

'We do our best to contract with a reputable circus promoter. Our current promoter has been with us for over 25 years.

'We are very concerned with the humane treatment of any animals involved with the circus.

'Please direct any inquiries to the specifics of any acts in the circus to the James Cristy Cole Circus.'

On the website for the Tangier Shrine circus, produced by James Cristy Cole, it lists other animal acts including Royal Bengal Tigers, dogs and ponies, and African and Asian elephants.

James Cristy Cole Circuses have been contacted by MailOnline for comment.
The head of music at a 37,000-a-year top private school in Berkshire has been suspended following claims he sexually assaulted a s 12-year-old boy three decades ago.

Sean Farrell, 49, was removed from his post at Wellington College, in Crowthorne, 'several months ago' after a police investigation commenced.

His ex-wife applied for a gagging order to prevent his workplace and job being named when Farrell appeared at York Magistrates Court last week.

However, after it was challenged, the order was lifted, according to The Times.

Sean Farrell appeared in court charged with indecent assault and gross indecency against a boy at Ampleforth College, in North Yorkshire, in the 1980s

He is accused of two charges of indecent assault and two charges of gross indecency against a boy at Ampleforth College, in North Yorkshire, in the 1980s. Farrell denies the claims.

As of this morning, Wellington College, which was attended by pop star Will Young, Made in Chelsea star Caggie Dunlop and James Haskell, England International rugby player, still has Farrell listed on its website as head of music.

A spokesperson for Wellington College said: 'Wellington College confirms that a member of staff has been charged with sexual offences concerning a child.

'The offences are alleged to have taken place in the 1980s, many years before the member of staff was appointed to work at Wellington. He appeared in court on Thursday 23 February 2017.

'In line with our safeguarding procedures, Wellington suspended the member of staff concerned and excluded him from the school site as soon as it was made aware that the police were investigating these accusations.

'We cannot comment further on this situation until the criminal process is completed.'

The charge comes after other teachers at Ampleforth College were accused of sexually assaulting pupils.

Music teacher Dara De Cogan, 58, was recently charged with 12 counts of sexual activity with a child while in a position of trust. The offences were said to have taken place between December 2007 and December 2009.

He pleaded guilty to 10 of the charges and not guilty to two of them.

Cuthbert Madden, 61, the Abbot of Ampleforth College, stepped down from his duties in September last year after it was announced police were investigating claims of historical sexual abuse allegations against him, which were said to have taken place in the 1990s at the school.

He denied any wrongdoing and no further action was taken.

In December, the Charity Commission launched an inquiry into how the school has handled allegations of child sexual abuse.

It has now been revealed he is the head of music at Wellington College in Crowthorne, Berkshire

The commission said the inquiry will examine the administration, governance and management of the charities by the trustees and whether or not the trustees have fulfilled their duties and responsibilities.

In a statement, the commission stressed it will not be investigating the actual child abuse allegations.

It said: 'The regulator's statutory inquiry will investigate the charity trustees' approach to safeguarding and handling of allegations of sexual abuse.

'The investigation follows media reporting regarding individuals with links to Ampleforth College in connection with allegations of sexual abuse.'



Ampleforth College, which opened in 1802 as a boys' school, has more than 600 pupils and admitted girls for the first time in 2002.

Some of its famous former pupils include Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and former England rugby captain Lawrence Dallaglio.

The school has a history of allegations of abuse with a number of previous convictions, including Father Piers Grant-Ferris who was jailed for two years in 2006 for 20 counts of indecent assault on boys in his care.
A drag queen dressed as the Virgin Mary has sparked outrage in Spain - with thousands calling for him to be prosecuted, and a Bishop saying it traumatised him more than a plane crash which killed 154 people.

During his performance, Nelson Rodrigues, known as Drag Sethlas, donned the religious outfit and danced to Madonna's Like A Prayer.

After footage of the performance circulated, the Association of Christian Lawyers mounted calls for Rodrigues to be prosecuted, and a petition gathered 25,000 signatures.

The performance has been branded 'blasphemous' by a bishop, who said he was more upset by it than a plane crash which killed

Drag queen Nelson Rodrigues said it was not his intention to hurt anyone, but he did say he was looking to 'generate controversy

And Bishop Francisco Casas, who branded the act blasphemous, said it had made him sadder than the day a Spanair plane crashed in Gran Canaria in 2008.

In a statement to El Pais newspaper he said: 'I am sometimes asked what have been the happiest and saddest days of my time in the Canary Island and which day has been the saddest.

'Until now I would reply the day of the accident in Barajas involving the plane bound for Gran Canaria.

Religious leaders have hit out at the footage, and a call has been mounted to prosecute the drag queen

The footage was taken at the Las Palmas Drag Gala competition in Grand Canaria

'From today, I will say that I am living the saddest day of my time in the Canaries.'

His comments in turn attracted criticism from victims of the tragedy.

Pilar Vera, who heads the association of crash victims, and who lost a niece, said in a comment directed a the bishop: 'It wasnt just 154 people who died we are now dead in life, condemned to fight a system that has victimized us still further by denying us justice and truth, as well as wounding us with words like yours.

'If you have forgotten the victims, then do so completely and avoid mentioning them.'

The act has sparked a furious leader in Spain, where the Association of Christian Lawyers has called for Rodrigues to be prosecuted

The drag artist dressed as the Virgin Mary and sang Madonna's Like A Virgin in the footage

Rodrigues said it was not his intention to hurt anyone, but he did say he was looking to 'generate controversy'.

'I succeed in that,' he said.

The footage was taken at the Las Palmas Drag Gala competition in Grand Canaria.

Poland Castellanos, who heads the Association of Christian Lawyers called on the Prosecutor's Office to investigate.

He said, La Confidencial reports: 'Thousands of people have been offended after Drag Sethlas's performance for the value that the Virgin Mary and the crucifixion of Jesus suppose for them, and they have felt deeply hurt.

'Hundreds of people have shown us their discomfort and for them we have decided to go to Justice to investigate these facts.'

Las Palmas Mayor Augusto Hidalgo tweeted that the drag festival represented tolerance.
A teenage dancer who may never walk again says she has had her paralysis pinned on the controversial HPV cervical cancer vaccine by her GP - six years after she had the jab.

Chloe Brookes-Holder, now 18, was a normal 12-year-old who danced six days a week and dreamed of a career on stage when she had the vaccination at school.

But in the months that followed the healthy teenager fell ill with dizziness, headaches, fatigue and bone and joint pain, and her muscles weakened.

Chloe Brookes-Holder was a keen dancer who dreamed of carving out a career on the stage, but now she may never walk again

Since then her health has gradually deteriorated and now is completely paralysed from the waist down.

She has since lost three stone - dropping from 8st 2oz to just 5st - has lost all feeling in her legs and is fed through a tube.

Shocking photos show the teenager's emaciated body, hooked up to wires and drips, as she lies in hospital, where she has spent most of the last 12 months.

Devastatingly, she has been told she may never walk again - let alone waltz about a dance floor - because she still has no feeling in her lower body.

Her mother Sophie Brookes, 41, has even been forced to give up work as a hairdresser and is now her full-time carer.

Chloe's health deteriorated rapidly after having the controversial HPV vaccine

After years of medics telling her it was all in her head, Chloe says her doctor now believes the jab triggered an autoimmune response, causing her body to attack itself.

She is certain her symptoms are linked to the vaccine, which protects against the human papilloma virus and can cause cervical cancer, which kills around 900 women a year.

This comes as dozens of parents call for more research into the jab, which has been routinely offered to 12 and 13-year-old girls since 2008.

Chloe, of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, who was on course to achieving As at GCSE when she fell ill, said: 'At first, my family and I didn't put two and two together.

'We thought the vaccine was safe because they give it in schools and on the letter the parents were given to sign consent I remember reading 'it saves lives'.

'Who on earth would turn a new, supposedly effective form of treatment down?

'We trust our government to keep us safe but now, since getting sick from something the NHS gave me I don't trust any medical professionals that I don't know.

'Why? Because I've been treated in such a barbaric way. Its been hell on Earth.

'Before I got sick I did things girls aged 12 should do. I hiked, mountain biked, went to the park, roller-bladed, went to the cinema and birthday parties - I had friends.

Chloe used to live the normal life of a teenager, but has described her life over the past few years as 'hell on Earth'

Her mum Sophie Brookes, 41, has even been forced to give up work as a hairdresser and is now her full-time carer

'I danced six days a week and loved to go to after-school sport and dance clubs every night. I was on the right road to getting As at GCSE.

'I wanted to have a dance career and my heart bleeds with the torture knowing I may never walk again and therefore ever dance again.'

WHAT IS THE HPV JAB? The human papilloma virus is the name given to a group of viruses that affect a person's skin as well as the membranes lining the body - for example, in the cervix, anus, mouth and throat.

HPV is very common and highly contagious.

More than three quarters of sexually active women acquiring it at some point in their lives.

Most people are oblivious to the fact they have been infected and as a result can pass it on to a partner without realising.

There are more than 100 types of HPV - around 40 of which affect the genital area.

The majority (nine in 10) of infections disappear of their own accord within two years.

The HPV jab has routinely been given to 12 and 13-year-old girls since 2008.

Legally, all students have to sign a consent form before they can receive the vaccine.

Parents are not able to speak on their children's behalf over whether or not to get the vaccine. Advertisement

Chloe was given a course of three Cervarix injections while in year eight at Pittville School in Cheltenham, Glouscestershire, between November 2010 and June 2011.

Between the second and third jabs, she fell ill with a string of viruses, started experiencing debilitating muscle pain and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

A gastrointestinal disorder left her in agony every time she ate, she lost control of her bladder and was later diagnosed with POTS, which causes abnormal heart rate.

A year after having the injection, Chloe also began experiencing paralytic episodes and collapsing at school, unable to control her lower body.

Chloe said: 'My immune system hit rock bottom. It started to heavily affect my school and social life. I used to fall asleep in lessons no matter how hard I concentrated.

'I'd go home and get straight into bed with my uniform on, and despite sleeping up to 15 hours a day the exhaustion never went away.

'I had a gradual input of debilitating muscular pain, chest pain and dizziness, poor temperature control, and severe headaches.'

She added: 'Every day is a battle against the never ending symptoms. It is not 'just a coincidence' as those who don't want to believe it say.

Chloe pictured out and about on her travels prior to her diagnosis, which a GP has linked to the vaccine

'To all mums, dads and daughters out there who are considering getting the vaccine - don't presume, do research and educate before you sign on the dotted line.

'I'm not scaremongering, I just care about others. This is real. This is the pure ugly truth. I want to make people aware so they can make a decision for themselves.'

Chloe claims her GP, who wishes to remain anonymous, has filed a report stating in her medical notes that the cause of her condition is the vaccine.

Cervarix was given to six million girls and while it is no longer offered to girls at school by the NHS, a new HPV vaccine, Gardasil, is.

European Medicines Agency statistics show that up to January 2017, 3,683 adverse reactions to Cervarix were reported, and 11,802 to Gardasil.

Some 380 families, represented by the UK Association for Vaccine Injured Daughters, have called for more information in schools and research into potential side effects.

She began suffering problems after getting the course of three injections while a Year 8 pupil at Pittville School, Cheltenham

Chloe's legs are raised onto some cushions by her mother, who is now her full-time carer

Medics have dismissed their concerns and NHS England insists that the jab is not dangerous, writing on its website that it is a 'safe vaccine'.

Freda Birrell, of the UK Association for Vaccine Injured Daughters, said: 'Many medical professionals will not link the vaccine to the girls' health problems.

'Yet commonsense should speak loudly if their medical records were excellent prior to the vaccine and their health changed dramatically after they had the jab.'

Public Health England and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency issued a joint statement in response to the claims.

They said: 'As with all vaccines, the safety of the HPV vaccine is under constant review. Every report of a suspected side effect is taken seriously.'

They 'concluded that there is no credible evidence of a link between the HPV vaccine and a range of chronic illnesses.

'The European Medicines Agency has also ruled out a link to Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).'

MailOnline has contacted Pittville School for comment.
Remain Tory Anna Soubry said a meaningful final vote was 'critical' as she signalled a Tory rebellion on the issue in the Commons (file picture)

Tory MPs are poised to join a revolt over ensuring Parliament has a 'meaningful' final say on the Brexit deal.

If peers successfully defeat the Government over the issue on Tuesday night, around 20 Conservative MPs are prepared to defy Mrs May to stand behind the plan.

Rebels are determined that when Mrs May comes to Parliament with her Brexit deal the choices available will be more than accepting what she has negotiated or crashing out of the EU without an agreement.

Ministers are braced for defeat on the issue in the House of Lords but will be confident of defeating it when the issue returns to the House of Commons.

The Government insists the amendment would tie the Prime Minister's hands in the negotiations and encourage the EU to offer a poor deal in a bid to stop Brexit.

A similar amendment has already been defeated once in the Commons by a majority of 34.

But Remain Tories say a meaningful final vote is vital as they signalled their intention to rebel again.

Anna Soubry, a Tory MP, told the Telegraph: 'The 'meaningful' vote is absolutely critical, it's the deal breaker.

'I just want us to behave in a grown up way. People have to remember 48 per cent did not vote to leave the European Union.'

The cross party amendment, tabled by Labour in the Lords, would stop Mrs May agreeing a deal with the EU before votes of MPs and peers.

A Labour Lords source said that 'given the scale of the previous defeat and the building up of a cross party campaign on this issue, we are again likely to see the government defeated handsomely'.

Mrs May, pictured on Wednesday with new MP Trudy Harrison, has insisted no deal with the EU is better than a bad deal

And it would also require a vote in favour of leaving the EU without a deal - intended to force the Prime Minister back to the negotiating table if talks break down.

Mrs May has insisted no deal with the EU is better than a bad deal.

No 10 yesterday said it expected MPs to delete any amendments made by the House of Lords.

Mrs May's official spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister has made clear her intention that the Bill should be passed unamended.'
Security has been ramped up at a Belgian train station after an ISIS militant filmed himself there threatening to cop off the heads of civilians and fill the streets with blood.

Islamic State issued the sick threat to Belgium warning an attack on the country is imminent in an eerie video, which starts with a militant showing a piece of paper reading 'we are still here', and shows a terrorist walking through Antwerp.

It is filmed in and around the city's Central Station where police are desperately scouring CCTV footage in an attempt to identify the man behind the camera as extra officers have been deployed.

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The eerie video starts with the militant holding out a note which reads, 'We are still here'

Video which features the sick threats was filmed outside Antwerp Central Station (pictured)

With Islamic chanting in the background, threats to chop off civilians' heads and fill the streets with blood.

Ahmet S Springs, a senior research fellow and Professor of criminology, law and society at George Mason University released the video, which was shared via ISIS' telegram app.

The former counter-terrorism police chief, who is an expert on the terror group, said chanting in Turkish featured in the video says: 'We honed our knives, coming at you, we will chop off your heads and fill the streets with blood.'

Mr Springs said it was the same chanting used for propaganda videos for the Istanbul attack in which Adbulkadir Masharipov gunned down 39 people at a nightclub.

The video shows the man walking through crowds of people in the threatening clip

Chanting in the clip threatens to chop off the heads of Belgians to fill the streets with blood

The harrowing video cuts short just as the man enters the main hall of the Antwerp station

Local press have reported an increase in police officers at the station today after the video surfaced.

'The police will take the necessary steps to place the Central Station additional supervised pending research and threat analysis of OCAD,' spokesman Sven Lommaert told VTN.

'We are obviously examining the camera images of the station.'

The video shows the man walking along the street outside the station as people pass him on bikes, in cars and on foot.

It cuts off just before he enters the main hall of the station.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of ISIS, has been at the helm of the terror group as it carried out a number of attacks in Europe.
Richard Whiteley was part of a group of space enthusiasts visiting the Soviet Union in 1974 under the guidance of astronomer Patrick Moore. Pictured after starting work for ITN following his degree at Cambridge

The mystery over Richard Whiteley's alleged links to MI5 has taken a new twist after it emerged the Countdown star went to Moscow at the height of the Cold War.

Mr Whiteley was part of a group of space enthusiasts visiting the Soviet Union in 1974 under the guidance of eccentric astronomer Patrick Moore.

The news will fuel rumours of the presenter's links to the world of spycraft, which were started by actor Ricky Tomlinson but dismissed as 'nonsense' by former friends.

Mr Whiteley was one of '20 or 30' people on the trip who were 'all space geeks', a woman who took part told Sean O'Neill of The Times.

She said of Mr Whiteley, who presented a current affairs show for Yorkshire Television at the time: 'I don't know why he was on tour, no idea where he was there.'

However, the lady - now an academic - said that 'not at one moment' did she think he was a spy.

Mr Tomlinson, 77, made the startling claim that Whiteley worked for MI5 in an interview as he opened a relaunched Wetherspoons pub in Chester.

But Whiteleys girlfriend when he died, Kathryn Apanowicz, 56, a presenter with BBC Radio York, said: It is absolute bloody nonsense, there is no truth in it whatsoever.

Royle Family actor Ricky Tomlinson (pictured opening the pub in Chester, where trade union meetings used to be held) claims Richard Whiteley was a spy

The 77-year-old actor (left, on Who Do You Think You Are) believes the late Countdown presenter (right, with Carol Vorderman) was an undercover agent for MI5

Sir Patrick Moore, the astronomer and Sky at Night presenter who inspired a generation of stargazers, pictured in a photo released after his death in October 2012

If Richard was a member of the secret service then maybe Ken Dodd was in charge of MI5.

He couldnt keep a secret to save his life and he certainly wasnt a spy; in the Seventies he was driving around in a Ford Escort.'

Mr Whiteley was a student at Cambridge University between 1962 and 1965, graduating with a third-class degree in English from Christs College.

The university is known to be a recruiting ground for the secret services and was attended by the notorious double agents Kim Philby and Anthony Blunt.

But Gyles Brandreth, who was a regular on Countdowns Dictionary Corner, said he had known Whiteley for 40 years and never got any hint he was a spy.

And former Conservative MP Jonathan Aitken, who knew Whiteley, called the claims 'pretty good baloney'.

Mr Tomlinson, a socialist activist, claims Mr Whiteley influenced the jury when he was jailed in 1973 for conspiracy to intimidate, unlawful assembly and affray.

Along with his 'Shrewsbury Two' partner Des Warren, the actor had helped to organise the first national building workers' strike in the upstairs room of the same Wetherspoons pub where he first aired the claims, The Bull & Stirrup.

He believes that the jury's decision to convict him may have been swayed by an ITV documentary which featured the defendants that was aired on the day they retired to deliver their verdict - and which was fronted by Mr Whiteley.

He alleges the secret services wrote, produced and funded the documentary.

The 77-year-old actor is pictured with Caroline Ahern as Denise in the sitcom

A woman who was part of the visit to Moscow said of Mr Whiteley, who presented a current affairs show for Yorkshire Television at the time: 'I don't know why he was on tour'

He told the Chester Chronicle: 'I've got documents at home, which are printed "confidential", "strictly confidential", "not to be seen", but it involves the likes of Ted Heath, Woodrow Wyatt.

'And we've just discovered that they made a film which went out on television the night the jury were out considering the verdict called Red Under the Bed and it was so anti-trade union that two of the jury changed their mind and brought a majority verdict in of 10-2 guilty.'

He added: 'We found out this week that the film was designed, written, made and paid for by the security services.

'Woodrow Wyatt was a member of the security services and unbelievably so was Richard Whiteley who hosted the show.'

The 12-week strike took place after UK building contractors imposed what trade unionists called 'bogus self-employment' rules on their workforce.

The 1973 trial was seen at the time as an attempt to shackle militant, rank-and-file trade unionism.

Actress and radio presenter Kathryn Apanowicz, who was Whiteley's partner for 11 years. They are pictured together in 2004 at Buckingham Palace when Whiteley received an OBE

Whiteley, pictured with Carol Vorderman, fronted Countdown for 23 years

Mr Tomlinson, who appeared alongside Caroline Aherne in Royle Family, said the union meetings were held in The Bull & Stirrup where all the decisions were made.

In December 2015, former shadow home secretary Andy Burnham released documents showing that former prime minister Edward Heath's cabinet and the security services influenced the Red Under the Bed documentary.

The Shrewsbury 24 campaign is calling for the convictions to be overturned by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Mr Tomlinson, who also played Bobby Grant in Brookside, claimed his friend Warren, who died aged 66 in 2004, had effectively served a life sentence, because drugs given to him in prison brought on Parkinson's Disease.

He said: 'It killed him, didn't it? We know of four sedatives that were used on him. We also have certain evidence about a doctor that followed him into jail giving him injections.'

THE ACTIVIST TURNED ACTOR WHO WAS MONITORED BY MI5 Ricky Tomlinson was born as Eric Tomlinson in Blackpool, Lancashire, after his mother Peggy was evacuated there during the Liverpool Blitz in World War II. A qualified plasterer by trade, he worked on various building sites for many years becoming actively involved in politics - firstly with the far-right, then more predominantly with the far-left. Along with his 'Shrewsbury Two' partner Des Warren, Mr Tomlinson had helped to organise the first national building workers' strike. He is pictured with his wife Marlene after being freed from Leicester prison Mr Tomlinson (right), a trade unionist, is pictured left leaving a Trade Union Conference in tears In 1968, Mr Tomlinson joined the National Front in support of less immigration after Enoch Powell's Rivers of Blood speech. His views gradually changed over time and, in 1972, he joined the flying pickets in a building workers' dispute in Shrewsbury. The following year, Mr Tomlinson was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of 'conspiracy to intimidate' as one of the so-called Shrewsbury Two, alongside his partner Des Warren. He was released in 1975, he disrupted the TUC conference by shouting from the wings after he had been prevented from speaking from the stage. It was revealed in 2002 that MI5 had monitored him during the 1970s . The 12-week strike took place after UK building contractors imposed what trade unionists called 'bogus self-employment' rules on their workforce. Mr Tomlinson played an active role in the protests and was later convicted Advertisement

Whiteley died in 2005. Before Cambridge, he had attended the prestigious Giggleswick School in Yorkshire, where he was taught by TV presenter Russell Harty.

He joined Yorkshire Television in July 1968. In 1982, the channel started to produce Countdown and Whiteley was chosen as host. He remained on the show for 23 years.

For 11 years, he was in a relationship with actress and radio presenter Kathryn Apanowicz until 2005.

Whiteley had a son, James, with fashion journalist and television presenter Lesley Ebbetts who born in 1987.

He also dated Jeni Cropper for 15 years to him in the 1970s and 80s. He also had a brief relationship with Carry On film actress Angela Grant.
The accountant involved in the infamous Best Picture envelope blunder reportedly wanted to be in a sketch with Jimmy Kimmel during the Oscars ceremony.

Sources claimed Brian Cullinan had pitched a skit featuring him and his colleague Martha Ruiz interacting with the popular TV host - which was shot down by bosses.

The PwC employee, who was 'distracted' tweeting a picture of Emma Stone just minutes before the live gaff, was reportedly hoping for an onstage appearance.

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Sources claimed Brian Cullinan pitched a skit featuring him and his colleague Martha Ruiz (both left) interacting with the popular TV host Jimmy Kimmel during the Oscars

A PwC spokesperson denied the claims - insisting Cullinan simply spoke with producers to ensure he wasn't 'defamed in front of millions' following Chris Rock's parody of the Oscars accountants tradition last year.

'It is standard protocol for PwC to have conversations with the show's producers about the firm's involvement in the show,' a PwC representative told Variety.

'After last year's sketch when the firm was cast in a defamatory way in front of millions of people, Brian Cullinan spoke with the producers to ensure that the firm would not be cast in the same light.

'Brian did not want to perform a sketch during the show.'

Acid-tongued comedian Chris had introduced three Asian children dressed as Academy accountants in last year's Oscars.

Cullinan even asked what to do if the wrong winner was announced the day before the show. On the night, he spent much of his time snapping photographs and posting on social media

The PwC employee, who was 'distracted' tweeting a picture of Emma Stone just minutes before the live gaff, was reportedly hoping for an onstage appearance

Rock hailed the firm's 'most dedicated, accurate and hard-working representatives,' and then the trio walked onto the stage carrying briefcases and wearing tuxedos.

The joke - described as 'tasteless and offensive' at the time - played on the stereotype of Asians being extremely smart, studious and hardworking.

The skit had reportedly caught PwC employees unaware, as bosses hadn't told them about the routine.

Cullinan, who often goes on TV to discuss his Oscar accountancy duties and Tweets photos of celebrities, was reportedly 'distracted' backstage before giving presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway the wrong envelope for best picture.

Breaking her silence four days after the biggest blunder in the 89-year history of the Academy Awards, the president Cheryl Boone Isaacs claimed Cullinan was distracted backstage.

A PwC spokesperson denied the claims - insisting Cullinan simply spoke with producers to ensure he wasn't 'defamed in front of millions' following Chris Rock's parody of the Oscars accountants tradition last year

Acid-tongued comedian Chris had introduced three Asian children dressed as Academy accountants in last year's Oscars

He tweeted (and later deleted) a photo of Emma Stone in the wings with her new Oscar minutes before giving presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway the wrong envelope for best picture.

'They have one job to do. One job to do!' Boone Isaacs said. 'Obviously there was a distraction.'

The academy president said that Brian and Martha Ruiz have been permanently removed from all film academy dealings.

While Cullinan was responsible for handing over the errant envelope that led to La La Land mistakenly being announced as best picture rather than Moonlight, PwC said both partners failed to follow protocols and did not act quickly enough to catch the error.

Likes the spotlight? Cullinan often goes on TV to discuss his Oscar accountancy duties and Tweets photos of celebrities

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' relationship with PwC, which has been responsible for tallying and revealing Oscar winners for 83 years, remains under review, Boone Isaacs said.

'What angered me, I would say, in these last couple days is (the focus on) this 90 seconds and moving to the side the brilliance of the day,' she added.

It comes as Culinan and Ruiz had to be pushed on stage to fix their mistake, the show's stage manager has revealed.

The pair watched from the side of the stage as La La Land was wrongly declared the winner, staring on in horror as the film's cast and crew collected their golden statue and launched into victory speeches.

They were the only people who knew who had won and had been told to spring into action if a wrong winner was declared.

Instead, the pair reacted with 'no urgency' and waited a minute before alerting organizers of the faux pax, according to show staff.

Cullinan is even said to have led them to believe that it was Dunaway who'd messed up the award by reading out the wrong winner, failing to tell them at first that he'd in fact presented her with the wrong envelope.

They then refused to confront the stars on stage and had to be 'pushed' out, Gary Natoli, the show's experienced stage manager, said.

Though 'lovely', he said the pair weren't cut out for the job and that he was shocked by how they handled the catastrophic mistake.

Natoli said the pair had been told the day earlier to run out on to the stage immediately if the wrong winner was announced and that they should have grabbed the mic without hesitation when Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty declared La La Land the winner

'Im sure theyre very lovely people, but they just didnt have the disposition for this. You need somebody whos going to be confident and unafraid,' he told The Wrap.

Cullinan asked what to do if the nightmare scenario occurred the day before the show, being one of only two people asked to memorize the winners.

'I said "If you know who the winner is, you dont need to check with each other. You need to immediately go out and rectify the situation, ideally before the wrong winners get to the mic."'

'And he said, "OK, good, thats what we thought,"' Natoli continued.

On Sunday, Natoli was stood next to Ruiz at the stage left exit and watched as Dunaway declared La La Land the winner.

Gary Natoli, the Oscars stage manager (center wearing a headset) said PwC accountants Brian Cullinan and Martha Ruiz (far right) acted with no urgency after hearing the wrong winner be declared on Sunday and had to be pushed out on to the stage to face La La Land stars who had already taken to the microphone

She'd also been told to memorize the winners but did nothing when La La Land was declared. After around ten seconds, Natoli left for the lobby with host Jimmy Kimmel to start setting up for a comedy bit to close the show.

It comes amid claims Cullinan and Ruiz are now being protected by bodyguards paid for by their bosses after receiving death threats.

The duo have faced a barrage of abuse, leaving chiefs at their employer, PricewaterhouseCooper, fearful for their safety.

Following the blunder, pictures of Cullinan and Ruiz's homes were posted online and a stream of threats were directed at the accountants.

As a result, PwC bosses decided they and their families should be given protection.

Among the vile messages directed at them, TMZ reports, were: 'You f****** idiot, I will f*** you every day'. Another read: 'I hope you get fired and get cancer.'




A gypsy gang embroiled in a long-running feud has been jailed after they deliberately rammed a 32-tonne truck seven times into a house while a family slept.

Shocking CCTV footage showed the skip loader pull up on the road outside the property before rapidly reversing into the house, smashing past two parked cars.

Patrick Maughan, 37, Thomas Maughan, 37, and 52-year-old Frederick Price targeted the home as Simon Doherty, his wife and three children slept inside.

The terrifying attack in Goldenhill, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, caused thousands of pounds of damage in the early hours of October 12, 2015.

The truck reversed into the house in Stoke-on-Trent and managed to cause significant structural damage

The incident caused damage to the family's front room and the gang has now been jailed

Dramatic pictures showed the front wall smashed in and wooden pillars collapsed on the drive and six cars were damaged in the raid.

A court heard the victims were targeted as part of a long-standing row between members of the travelling community.

At least two other vehicles with other suspects inside were in convoy with the HGV on the night of the attack.

Patrick and Thomas Maughan, of Saint Helens, Merseyside, and Price, of Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, admitted conspiracy to commit criminal damage by being reckless as the whether life was endangered.

They were each jailed for three years and two months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Thursday.

During sentencing, Judge David Fletcher, said: 'It is tragic. The reason for the feud has almost been lost. People do not really remember what the starting point was.

'The 32-tonne lorry was reversed time and time again into the front of the property. It caused serious structural damage and at the time a family were inside and asleep.

'It must have been a wholly terrifying experience, especially for young children. The neighbours had no involvement in the feud.

'They were very frightened about what was going on.

'You may not have thought someone was living there. There was nothing or little done to check that out.

'This must stop here and now. The only thing that will happen if it doesn't is there are going to be more and more tragic consequences.'

Patrick Maughan (left) and Thomas Maughan (right) have been jailed for three years and two months each after admitting criminal damage and being reckless to the endangerment of life

A wall outside the property in Stoke was damaged (left) and Frederick Price (right) has been jailed for his involvement

Thomas Kenning, prosecuting, said Mr Doherty was asleep with his wife and three children when the lorry was reversed into the front of the house.

Mr Kenning said: 'The lorry was reversed into the front of the house approximately seven times, and it was a big lorry.

'There had in the past been bad feeling between two groups - the Maughan family and the Price family against the Doherty family.'

Mr Kenning said the group originally planned the ram attack in the early hours of October 12, 2015, but it was abandoned because a police officer was in the area.

Incredibly, no one was injured by the raid, but the Doherty family said they live in fear and are always 'looking over the shoulders'.

Simon Killeen, defending Patrick Maughan, said his client was remorseful and wants to move on and leave the feud behind.

He added: 'They believed the house was empty.'

Michael Davies, for Thomas Maughan, said the father-of-five has already served the equivalent of an 18-month sentence either in custody or the subject of a curfew.

Jonathan Duffy, defending Price, added: 'He allowed himself to get involved. It really wasn't his argument.

'It is 16 months since the event and there has been no repetition. This feud is over.'

This is the truck which the gang used to deliberately crash into the family's semi-detached home

The exterior of the home was damaged following the incident which was carried out following a feud between families

Eileen Price, 49, from Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, admitted the same charge but was handed a two-year sentence suspended for two years.

Ian Lloyd, 31, of Middlewich, Cheshire, admitted conspiracy to steal vehicles and was jailed for 16 months, suspended for two years.

Nathan Ward, 28, also of Middlewich, is due to be sentenced today after admitting conspiracy to steal motor vehicles

Detective Sergeant Adrian Webb, who led the investigation for Staffordshire Police, said: 'This attack was extensively and carefully planned to intimidate a local family.

'That family, including their three children, were in bed when their house was rammed - not once but seven times by a very large lorry.

'This attack was done at night, targeting a semi-detached house in a residential area.

'It was sheer luck that no one was injured when the lorry damaged the house.

'This attack not only targeted the intended victims but put other local residents at risk and caused thousands of pounds damage to several vehicles.

'Such criminal activity will not be tolerated in Staffordshire, and as we have shown, we will take positive action against those who engage in it.

'The safety of all our communities is an absolute priority.'
A stunned driver found himself caught in the middle of a bizarre police chase as officers pursued four horses in a head-on chase down an A road.

Michael Curtis, 40, from Ashington, Northumberland, was leaving for work at 4am on the deserted A189 Spine Road when he saw blue lights coming towards him on December 22 last year.

The baker could not believe his eyes when he spotted the four horses galloping down the road with the police vehicle in tow.

Michael Curtis was travelling down the usually quiet A189 road in Northumberland when he came across the strange sight

The four horses are galloping toward him with the police hot on their tails to try to lead them back to safety

Michael, a baker, usually travels early in the morning to get to work, so was particularly surprised to find himself sharing the road

Michael, who shared dashboard camera footage of the unusual encounter earlier this month, said the police's intervention saved him from careering into the horses in a potentially serious collision.

Michael said: 'I was just going to work as I do at the same time every other day and it is regularly very quiet at that time, particularly in this part of the world.

Michael Curtis, a baker from Northumberland, who came across the horses at 4am as he went to work

'I was driving along and saw a driver coming the other way flash his lights and wave his arm out of the window and thought that was a bit odd.

'Then I saw an oncoming vehicle with flashing blue lights and that was all I could see.

'It was only when I got 15-20 metres away that I saw the horses and that was a bit startling and a bit of a shock because you are going at about 60mph on that round normally.

'I thought that the police would have blocked it off because the horses were coming into oncoming traffic.'

Michael said the video was a hit with friends, family and other dashcam users.

He added: 'It was all quite bizarre and when I shared it, I got the usual horse jokes that you would expect so people seemed to enjoy it.

'I hadn't shown anyone the video to anyone outside my family until this week and they have all had a laugh about it.

Michael's dashcam caught the video and he said his family had thought it was funny, but he hadn't shared it wider until recently

The baker said it was a good thing the police had already started taking charge of the situation and admitted it could have ended badly

'But it was a good job that the police were there because I could have crashed into one of them.

'It is a funny video but it could easily have turned more serious - I believe that there has been a fatal collision between a car and a horse on that road in the past.'

Northumbria Police were contacted for comment.
An online joke linking Theresa May's lent promise to the closure of a crisp factory has been shared more than 50,000 times.

The Prime Minister revealed on Tuesday that she would not be eating crisps during the 40 days of Lent.

The following day, the first day of Lent, it was announced that PepsiCo was considering closing the Walkers crisps factory in Peterlee, County Durham.

This joke about Theresa May giving up crisps has been liked more than 130,000 times

Linking the two stories, Twitter user @matbeal posted pictures of two headlines, next to the caption: 'How many crisps was she eating?'

The joke has since been received more than 50,000 retweets and been liked more than 130,000 times.

The tweet's author joked that she had to turn the notifications off on her phone due to the huge response.

Her friends branded her a 'Twitter legend' while a number of other users passed the joke off as their own.

The post is far from the most retweeted message ever however, which is thought to be Ellen DeGeneres's famous selfie from the 2014 Academy Awards, which showed her with stars included Jennifer Lawrence, Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey.

It has been shared more than 2.2million times.
An animal lover saved the life of a python who had got itself into a sticky situation.

The big snake fell into a drum of tar and was drowning in the thick black liquid.

Luckily wildlife activist Saurav Borkotoki came to the animal's rescue in Tezpur, Assam, India.

He said: 'I was informed about the presence of a huge python on the campus of public road construction department.

'When I reached the spot, I was a python caked tar was lying still in one the tar drums.

'After taking a closer look, I realised the python had fallen unconscious apparently fighting long enough to free itself from the sticky material.'

An animal lover saved the life of a python who had got itself into a sticky situation

The big snake fell into a drum of tar and was drowning in the thick black liquid

The wildlife activist brought the python home and carefully removed all of the tar from the snake's skin.

After making sure it was back up to full health Saurav released the snake back to a pond last month.

The 30 second clip was shared online.
A White House spokeswoman said Friday that Vice President Mike Pence 'did everything to the letter of the law' after public records revealed that he used a private email account to conduct public business as Indiana's governor.

Comparing that mini-scandal to Hillary Clinton's more expansive problems stemming from her use of a private email server while she ran the State Department, said Sarah Sanders, is 'apples to oranges.'

'There's light years of difference,' she told reporters aboard Air Force One.

'He wasn't handling classified info like she was,' Sanders said, adding that the laws are different in Indiana and Pence followed them. 'All of his emails he turned over specifically to be archived, which is why anybody even knows about the account.'

And Clinton 'lost at least 30,000' emails  'who knows how many more?'

Pence himself told a pool reporter on Friday that 'there's no comparison whatsoever between Hillary Clinton's practice  having a private server, misusing classified information, destroying emails when they were requested by the Congress.'

And Clinton was photographed Friday on an airplane, reading a newspaper front page story about Pence's email woes.

Vice President Mike Pence was hit with news stories on Thursday about a personal AOL account he used to conduct state government business before he ran on Trump's ticket

A Twitter user posted a photo of Hillary Clinton on Friday, showing her on an airplane reading a USA Today story about Pence's email woes

The Indianapolis Star reported that emails provided through a public records request show that Pence communicated with advisers through his personal AOL account on homeland security matters and security at the governor's residence during his four years as governor.

The governor also faced email security issues. Pence's AOL account was subjected to a phishing scheme last spring, before he was chosen by Donald Trump to join the GOP presidential ticket.

Pence's contacts were sent an email falsely claiming that the governor and his wife were stranded in the Philippines and needed money.

As Trump's running mate, Pence frequently criticized rival Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server as President Barack Obama's secretary of state, accusing her of purposely keeping her emails out of public reach and shielding her from scrutiny.

On Friday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said comparing Pence's situation to Clinton's more expansive email problems was a case of 'apples' and 'oranges'

Sarah Sanders, the White House spokeswoman, doubled down on that defense, stressed to reporters on Air Force One that state and federal laws are different and claiming that is efforts to turn over the messages to be archived are 'why anybody even knows about the account.'

'He did everything to the letter of the law,' she said.

Pence spokesman Marc Lotter added that 'the comparison is absurd' because Clinton had set up a private server in her home at the start of her tenure at the State Department and, unlike Clinton, Pence did not handle any classified material as Indiana's governor.

Pence told the pool reporter that he is 'very confident we are in full compliance with all of Indiana's laws. And in my service as vice-president I will continue that practice.'

Pence blasted Clinton for 'having a private server, misusing classified information, destroying emails when they were requested by the Congress'' the issue contributed greatly to her stunning November election defeat

The governor moved to a different AOL account with additional security measures, but has since stopped using the new personal account since he was sworn-in as vice president, said Lotter.

Lotter said Pence 'maintained a state email account and a personal email account' like previous governors in the state. At the end of his term Pence directed outside counsel to review all of his communications to ensure that state-related emails were transferred and properly archived by the state, the spokesman said.

The newspaper reported that the office of Pence's successor, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, released more than 30 pages from Pence's AOL account, but declined to release an unspecified number of emails because they were considered confidential.

Public officials are not barred from using personal email accounts under Indiana law, but the law is interpreted to mean that any official business conducted on private email must be retained to comply with public record laws.

The state requires all records pertaining to state business to be retained and available for public information requests. Emails involving state email accounts are captured on the state's servers, but any emails that Pence may have sent from his AOL account to another private account would need to be retained.

At the end of his term, Pence hired the Indianapolis law firm of Barnes & Thornburg to conduct a review of all of his communications and that review is still ongoing, Lotter said. Any correspondence between Pence's AOL account and any aides using a state email account would have been automatically archived, he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has taken aim at The Project's team after he said he was not briefed about the questions before being ambushed live on air.

Mr Joyce was visibly perturbed when questions were posed to him about government sectors leaking private information on the Channel 10 program on Friday night.

Waleed Aly asked the deputy prime minister whether it was appropriate for governments to be leaking private information to journalists to settle a public debate.

The Project's Waleed Aly said it was 'fair' to ask the Deputy Prime Minister on government issues and they had briefed his media adviser

After a brief answer Barnaby Joyce unleashed on The Project panel claiming he was not briefed about the topic and it is unfair for them to expect him to be proficient in answering questions about every government sector.

'As you know, you should get the agricultural minister on to talk about agriculture not veteran affairs,' Mr Joyce said while pointing at the camera.

Waleed Aly said it is 'fair' to ask the Deputy Prime Minister to address government issues, which is when Mr Joyce dismissed the question.

Barnaby Joyce became visibly frustrated at the line of questions

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce took aim at The Project panel because he claimed he was not addresed on the appropriate topic

'Mate it would help if you actually called me before to tell me you wanted to talk about this,' he said.

'I heard about this discussion as I went from the centre of town to here, I mean fair go.

'I have driven about 300-400 kilometres today... the first I hear about this conversation is when I get from town to here. And you expect me to be proficient in every sector of every department, I'll give you my best shot but really and truly guys.'

Mr Joyce became uninterested after his response and looked away from the camera as the interview came to an end.

Mr Aly said he felt for Barnaby Joyce because the topic may not have been relayed to the Deputy Prime Minister before the interview.
The attorney for a young woman who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after speaking at a news conference about immigration says she's been told the woman will be deported without a hearing.

Abigail Peterson, an attorney for 22-year-old Daniela Vargas, tells news outlets that authorities informed her Thursday that Vargas' case will be handled as a 'visa waiver overstay,' which means she won't be given a hearing and will be flown back to her native Argentina.

ICE agents detained Vargas on Wednesday after she spoke at a news conference in Jackson, Mississippi, and called on President Donald Trump to protect immigrants like her.

Daniela Vargas (pictured) was one of several so-called Dreamers who spoke out at the press conference Wednesday. A few hours later she was under detention by ICE

Vargas' status in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program had expired in November 2016, and she applied to renew it mid-February after coming up with the $495 application fee.

Vargas was seven years old when her parents brought her from the city of Cordoba, Argentina.

She graduated from high school in 2013, attended community college and started at the University of Southern Mississippi, aspiring to be a math professor.

Miss Vargas said at the press conference: 'A path for citizenship is necessary for DACA recipients but also for the other 11 million undocumented people with dreams.'

She recalled watching ICE agents taking away her father and brother and said: 'I was scared for my life.'

Several Dreamers were invited to the joint session of Congress this week by Democrats as President Trump (pictured) made his first address. He has said he will retain DACA

Senator Kamala Harris, a Democrat from California, tweeted: 'Talking publicly about fears of deportation is not a crime and should not get someone detained.'

Another senator, Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, said he was seeking more information on her case from the Department of Homeland Security.

Sen Durbin tweeted: 'Disturbing that ICE may have followed her from an immigration press conference.'

Her attorney said she had been granted the two-year protection twice before, in December 2012 and in November 2014.

Ms Peterson said detaining someone with a pending DACA application was 'very unusual'.

'Why they would move forward the way they have is, honestly, mind-boggling,' she said.

An executive order President Trump issued in January compels federal immigration agents to step up enforcement, but Trump has said they would focus initially on criminal offenders.
A mother last night told of the nightmare of being given a month to save her babys life.

Connie Yatess son Charlie, who is seven months today, is desperately ill and doctors say he should be allowed to die.

Yesterday she begged a High Court judge for time to secure pioneering treatment in the United States. Mr Justice Francis agreed and gave her and her partner Chris Gard until April 3 to make their case.

Battle: Heartbroken Connie Yates and Chris Gard are in a race against time to raise money for their son Charlie (pictured together) to receive pioneering treatment in the United States

Battle: Parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard are trying to save their seven-month-old Charlie Gard, who suffers from a genetic condition, and were told they now have a month to prove their case

It felt surreal, a nightmare, said Miss Yates, 31. It is terrifying and we feel sick that in just a month Charlies fate will be decided. But we are grateful that we have this month to save Charlie. We have already done a huge amount of research into his condition but we will be working round the clock.

Described by the judge as utterly devoted parents, the couple have found an American doctor offering to treat Charlie.

Their son is believed to be only the 16th person in the world to be diagnosed with his particular strain of mitochondrial depletion syndrome  which saps energy from the organs and muscles.

Unwell: Six-month-old Charlie Gard is believed to be only the 16th person in the world to be diagnosed with his ultra-rare genetic condition

His lungs are so weak he is being kept alive on an artificial ventilator in intensive care at Great Ormond Street Hospital, in London. But there is no accepted cure for his condition and doctors there believe they have exhausted all treatment options.

The hospital has asked the High Court to agree it would be in Charlies best interests to withdraw the artificial ventilation and allow him to die with dignity.

Charlies parents looked red-eyed and bereft as they walked into the court yesterday facing a life-or-death legal struggle over their tiny son. Mr Justice Francis said it was one of the saddest cases to come before the court and the most tragic situation.

He promised them whatever the rights and wrongs of the case and whatever the outcome they had his deepest sympathy.

Bereft: Last night Charlie's mother said: 'It's as if Charlie is being sentenced to death'

The court heard that a hospital in Spain has also taken the view that Charlie cannot be effectively treated, but that medics in the US have offered an experimental therapy which is said to have shown promising signs.

The American hospital, which cannot be named for legal reasons, accepted Charlie as a prospective patient on Wednesday this week. He would require an air ambulance equipped with intensive care facilities and doctors and nurses to fly him there.

His family has set up a GoFundMe web page to raise money.

Miss Yates said last night: Today made us realise the magnitude and the huge battle we face. Yet we have taken strength by all the support we have received, for example reading the messages from Mail readers and on our GoFundMe page.

It has helped us so much to read these messages and know how much the public are supporting us.

We appreciated the kind words from the judge. He was right in what he said about it being a heart-breaking case and that gave us comfort. The American doctor we are in contact with is an eminent neurologist, one of the most respected doctors in the world and incredibly experienced in this field.

If we had any doubt that the treatment he plans for Charlie was not in his best interests  or it was not bona fide medical treatment  we would simply not even consider it. But we have seen unpublished research for ourselves  research from eminent US hospitals which we want the UK doctors to take a proper look at  and have seen how potentially good the results can be. This is why we still have real hope that this could save Charlies life and potentially other lives. The court was told Charlie is deaf and cannot cry, making it difficult to assess whether he is suffering.

Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London, where Charlie is in intensive care (pictured), is asking the High Court to sanction withdrawing his life support

Great Ormond Streets QC, Katie Gollop, said the hospital felt that every day that passes is a day that isnt in the childs best interests and would like his treatment to be withdrawn by Easter so he could die with dignity.

But 32-year-old Mr Gard told the Mail: When the hospital lawyer said that about every day that goes by isnt in the childs best interests, that was a like a knife to our hearts. We do not agree, because we can see Charlie is comfortable. He is growing and looks bonny  not signs of a child in any pain. Despite the hospitals application to the court, made last week, Charlies parents realised only this week that medics actually thought their son was better off dead. They rushed to hire a solicitor on the evening before yesterdays hearing, and then at midnight barrister Sophia Roper was instructed.

She told the court: His parents believe Charlie is in much better shape than the hospital does.

Miss Yates (pictured left with Charlie) wrote about how her son's plight has taken a toll on her (shown right)

Mr Justice Francis, sitting in the Family Division, said: This is a very, very sad and tragic case  one of the saddest types of cases to come before this court. His parents have been described as utterly devoted to Charlie and work extremely hard to be expert parents in this disease.

Charlie was born healthy on August 4 last year, weighing 8lb 3oz, but after delighting his first-time parents with smiles at just six weeks he became progressively weaker, and was admitted to hospital at eight weeks old.

For the past few months, Miss Yates, a carer, and Mr Gard, a postman, from Bedfont, south-west London, have practically lived at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Mr Gard spends 14 hours a day from 10am to midnight stroking his sons hand, reading him stories and chatting to him. Miss Yates arrives at 11am and stays until 4am. They take it in turns to lie on the bed and cuddle Charlie.

Charlie was born on August 4 and delighted his first-time parents (shown) when he began smiling at six weeks. But his health declined and at eight weeks he was admitted to hospital

How doctors can withdraw treatment For centuries, saving life was the fundamental principle of a doctor's work. This was enshrined in the Hippocratic Oath - named after Hippocrates, pictured, the founding father of medicine who died in 380BC. But since the 1990s, doctors have been ordered to act in the 'best interests' of patients, meaning they can withdraw treatment if they believe it is in a person's 'best interests' to die. Advance directives in which someone can order their life-sustaining treatment to be withdrawn if they become incapacitated were given legal force by Labours 2005 Mental Capacity Act. However senior judges have recently ruled that, despite the Act, advance directives should not be obeyed by doctors and that all cases in which withdrawal of treatment will result in death should be decided by a court. Advertisement

Yesterday the judge was told they were anxious to keep the hearing as short as possible to get back to his bedside.

Miss Yates has told the Mail how in those precious moments in that hospital room we are a family together, a team, adding: If we change his nappy, he moves his arms. Occasionally, he manages to open his eyes. It is such a struggle because this wretched disease affects every part of the body  it even makes his eyelids weak.

But if we lock eyes we can see him trying to open them wider. And we feel that our presence calms Charlie. Its not much, but every little flicker convinces us that we, his Mummy and Daddy, are doing the right thing to not give up on him.

Great Ormond Street Hospital has said in a statement: Charlie has a very rare and complex disease, for which there is no accepted cure.

Charlie was very unwell when he was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital and has remained under 24-hour care on our intensive care unit. We have tried to strengthen Charlie and give him the best possible chance of survival. But his condition has continued to deteriorate and we now feel we have exhausted all available proven treatment options.

We appreciate how hugely distressing this is for his family and we continue to support them in every way we can, while advocating, what we believe, is best for Charlie.

Yesterday the judge said: I will end by wishing everybody the best possible outcome to this appalling case.

To donate to Charlie's appeal, click HERE

A disease that harms EVERY cell in the body Mitochondrial disease affects the bodys cells and can cause heart, liver, kidney, breathing, sight and hearing problems. Every cell in the human body contains mitochondria, which have been described as the tiny power stations of our bodies, supplying the energy every cell needs. If our cells do not have enough energy, then the bodys organs and tissue do not work properly. Mitochondrial disease can cause energy blackouts in practically every part of the body. Approximately one in 200 babies born in the UK has slight genetic mistakes that can cause the disease. Charlie has a particularly rare type of the disease known as mitochondrial depletion syndrome, and within that he has a strain that is so uncommon he is believed to be only the 16th person in the world to have it. Mitochondrial disease can affect anyone. Depending on the underlying genetic error, it can be passed down from the mother or father or both, as in Charlies case  it seemed to be inherited from his parents who did not know they carried the rare gene. It is also possible that the mistake may have arisen for the first time in the affected person. There is currently no cure although some treatments have been found to partially alleviate the symptoms. Advertisement

Next step in fight to help Charlie live Charlie is in a stable condition and not believed to be in any pain, according to his parents. He is currently being kept alive with a ventilator because his lungs are too weak to breathe unaided, and he has a nasal tube for food and water. With doctors in the UK saying there is no hope, his parents believe his only chance lies in the US, where ground-breaking research might help him. They are pinning their hopes on an American doctor who is testing a new treatment called nucleoside bypass therapy. The idea would be to give Charlie compounds called deoxynucleosides, which healthy people produce normally, to repair his damaged DNA. But before Charlie can try the treatment, his parents need to convince the High Court it has a chance of working. Yesterday they took the first step by requesting all of Charlies medical notes from the NHS. Great Ormond Street Hospital, where he is being treated, has agreed to hand them over. These will be studied by the familys lawyers, and also sent to the US hospital, where doctors will assess his condition and write a statement explaining how they hope to treat him. The parents say the US medics are positive, and are hopeful the statement will help convince the court to give Charlie a chance. On April 3, a judge will hear arguments from both the parents and Great Ormond Street. Unless it changes its stance, the hospital will say its doctors do not believe nucleoside treatment will work for Charlie. Then a judge will decide whether to grant or refuse Great Ormond Streets application to withdraw his life-support. Even if this is refused, the parents face a further hurdle  the huge cost of transporting Charlie across the Atlantic and funding the treatment. The family believe they need to raise 1.2million to cover the cost of the transport, the treatment, their legal fees and the costs of staying in the US. Because of his condition, Charlie will need a private plane with intensive care equipment and doctors and nurses on board. The familys online fundraising page, entitled Please help to save Charlies life, had last night raised more than 120,000. Advertisement

'Every little flicker of his eyes tell us we're doing the right thing'

By Alison Smith-Squire

Officially there is no cure for mitochondrial disease, but Charlie's parents (pictured) discovered an American doctor is trialling a pioneering treatment

There is a routine Connie Yates and her partner Chris Gard have got into over the last five months. Every morning, shortly before 10am, Chris leaves his 'home', which these days is a small room reserved for parents of gravely sick children at Great Ormond Street Hospital, to visit his seven-month-old baby, Charlie.

Staff there are familiar with his frequently weary, but steadfastly positive presence arriving on the ward, as the doctors are finishing their rounds.

He then makes his way to the intensive care unit, where little Charlie awaits. For the next 14 hours, he will sit by his son's side, stroking his hand, reading him stories and chatting to him  telling him it won't be long until he's back home, going for walks in his pushchair, to the park to feed the ducks.

At 11am, Charlie's mother joins him. The couple will share a hug and a few catch-up messages, before they take turns to lie on the bed and cuddle Charlie. They leave only briefly, usually one at a time, to get a sandwich or coffee.

At midnight, Chris goes back to their room  their flat in Bedfont, south-west London has not been slept in for months  to get some sleep. Miss Yates will stay until 4am, occasionally stroking her baby's downy head as he sleeps, and soothing him as he wakes.

After kissing Charlie's cheek, she whispers: 'Keep fighting and we'll keep fighting for you'. And she will head off into the dark, and climb into bed next to Chris, before another day begins.

Chris Gard, 32, a postman, from Bedfont, South-West London, have kept a bedside vigil for his son (pictured together)

This is the routine that has given them hope over the last five months, as they await the treatment that potentially could save their much-adored boy.

Charlie has mitochondrial disease, a degenerative genetic condition which stops the body's cells producing enough energy to function. 'We need to be there, we need to spend every waking hour with him,' says Miss Yates.

'We know we may not have much time left. In those precious moments in that hospital room we are a family together, a team. If we change his nappy, he moves his arms. Occasionally, he manages to open his eyes. It is such a struggle because this wretched disease affects every part of the body  it even makes his eyelids weak.

'But if we lock eyes we can see him trying to open them wider. And we feel that our presence calms Charlie. It's not much, but every little flicker convinces us that we, his Mummy and Daddy, are doing the right thing to not give up on him.'

But that is exactly what they fear medics at Great Ormond Street are doing. They claim it is 'not in the best interests' of Charlie to continue his life-sustaining treatment. Last week the hospital applied to the High Court for the little boy's artificial ventilation to be withdrawn  ending his life. 'We were shocked and horrified to find we are being taken to court and that the hospital are asking for Charlie's life support to be switched off,' Miss Yates told the Daily Mail.

Charlie is in a stable condition and not believed to be in any pain, with the disease manifesting itself as weakness in his muscles, his parents say

'I can't put into words how horrible it is to see court papers with our baby's name on them. It's as if Charlie is being sentenced to death.

'Our parental rights are being stripped  yet we are not bad parents. We love our son and want the very best for him.'

Charlie was born a healthy 8lb 3oz in August last year, after a problem-free pregnancy. Aged just six weeks he began smiling, and his proud first-time parents were overjoyed.

'Charlie was such a bonny baby,' remembers Miss Yates, 31, a carer. 'I breastfed him from birth and he was reaching all his baby milestones, gurgling and smiling.

'But by eight weeks old I started to get worried. He was losing weight, and, as other babies seemed to grow more robust, he seemed to lose strength.

'I took him to our local hospital but he rapidly declined. He choked on his milk and after developing aspiration pneumonia in October, he was transferred to Great Ormond Street.'

Tests revealed Charlie had mitochondrial depletion syndrome  so rare he is believed to be only the 16th sufferer in the world. Tragically, it seemed to be inherited from his parents who did not know they carried the rare gene.

Doctors said there was little they could do for the condition, which leaves muscles so weak even the lungs cannot function without a ventilator. 'I'll never forget the day a doctor sat both of us down and said gently there was nothing they could do,' Miss Yates said. 'The best thing we could do was to let our son slip away.'

However, the couple refused to believe nothing could be done.

Miss Yates said: 'I spent countless days and nights on the internet researching the condition, speaking with doctors and scientists and eventually found a new treatment called nucleoside bypass therapy being trialled in the US.

'By giving Charlie the compounds a healthy person naturally produces  called deoxynucleosides  Charlie's DNA could potentially be repaired.

'The NHS couldn't pay because the scientific proof needed isn't yet published. But I spoke with a neurologist in the US and two others doctors, who are confident it will work, and we set up an online page to raise the 1.2million needed.'

Mr Gard claims he and his partner spoke with UK consultants who initially appeared supportive, and indicated they were prepared to wait while the couple found the money.

Charlie (pictured with father Chris) has an ultra-rare form of mitochondrial disease, a debilitating condition which saps energy from the body's organs and muscles

But they were dealt another blow  when last month a partial 'do not resuscitate' order was put on Charlie.

Miss Yates said: 'We were with Charlie when one day a lawyer turned up. After ushering us into a side room he dealt some devastating news. While ventilation would be continued, the doctors felt it was not in Charlie's best interests to give him any other treatment.

'So if he had a heart attack and died his heart would not be restarted. We were shocked but the way it was presented to us we had no choice.' Optimistic Charlie could be saved, the couple launched their fundraising page. Miss Yates recalled: 'Within hours money flooded in and our campaign was trending on social media with celebrities donating money.

'Every day we woke to messages from people we've never even met who identified with our nightmare. They kept us going.'

As their fund has grown  it last night stood at around 50,000  Charlie has grown too. Miss Yates said: 'When he went on life support in October he was terribly underweight but being tube fed he gained weight, and grew from this tiny, scrap of a thing to a gorgeous, beautiful, seven-month-old with dimples.'

The couple were stunned to read in court documents that UK doctors believe it is 'in Charles's best interests not to undergo nucleoside therapy'  with concerns over 'maintaining Charles's dignity'. 'When I read them I felt sick,' said Miss Yates. 'It was as if suddenly all our hope had been taken away. It seemed so cruel and pointless.'

She continued: 'We can't just let our baby die when there is hope and treatment available that might help him.

'If Charlie receives this treatment and it does work it won't just be his life that's saved, it will be many more children in future who are born with this horrible disease. If he dies at least we will have done everything we possibly can. Like any loving parents, we will do whatever it takes to save our baby's life.'
The man accused of setting fire to an abandoned Melbourne factory and killing three people inside could harm himself in custody, a court has been told.

Darren Patrick Clover, 52, is charged with three counts each of murder and arson causing death, and one count of arson.

He did not front court on Friday, choosing to stay in his cell.

Darren Patrick Clover has been charged with three counts each of murder and arson causing death, and one count of arson

Harrowing pictures show the charred beds from a fire that swept through an abandoned Melbourne factory

Images showed blackened clothing, furniture and piles of rubbish salvaged from the fire

Three people were burnt alive in the fire

Pictures show the charred remains from a Melbourne fire that killed three

Appearing on his behalf, Legal Aid lawyer Katie Powell told Melbourne Magistrates' Court there were 'significant concerns' her client would harm himself in custody.

Clover had a formal diagnosis of depression and was taking prescription medication, Ms Powell said.

She asked for a mental health assessment to be conducted.

Police arrested Clover on Thursday after firefighters discovered the bodies of three people, believed to be squatters, in an old Footscray ropeworks factory.

A fuel bottle found at the scene of a factory fire in Footscray, Melbourne

The bodies of three people were found inside a room at the rear of the factory

The victims' next of kin had yet to be notified, the court heard.

The factory site had been recently sold and was set to be developed into apartments.

Plans for the redevelopment had been approved by the council the night before the fire.

Police will be formatting CCTV footage related to the incident, and will be lodging forensic and DNA evidence for analysis, the court heard.

The police prosecution asked for more time for the hand-up brief to be compiled, considering the complexity of the investigation and the severity of the alleged crimes.

Police are still working to notify the victims' next of kin

Forensic officers bag evidence at the scene of a factory fire in Footscray

Three people died in the abandoned factory fire in Footscray, Melbourne

No application for bail was made.

Clover is due to appear via video link for a committal mention on June 9.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.

A fuel bottle was found at the scene of the blaze

The scene of the factory fire in Footscray, Melbourne. The bodies of three people were found inside a room at the rear of the factory
A major battle to liberate the Islamic State group's stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria is looming after victories on the battlefields of Mosul and Palmyra.

The Pentagon has drawn up a secret plan which is likely to lean on local allies with stepped-up American support, but questions still remain as to who exactly will lead the operation to kick ISIS out of its de facto capital.

Syrian government forces, Turkish troops and their Syrian militia allies, and US-backed Kurdish forces all have their eye on Raqqa.

Each vehemently rejects letting the others capture the city and would likely react in anger should the United States support the others, and it is not clear that any has the resources to take the city on its own.

The fall of Raqqa, the Islamic State group's de facto capital and largest remaining stronghold, would be the biggest defeat for the militants in Syria since they captured the northern city on the banks of the Euphrates River in January 2014.

An Iraqi Army officer (right) uses his mobile phone to film a rocket launched towards Islamic State militants during a battle with Islamic State militants in Mosul,Iraq

Iraqi family displaced due to fighting between the Iraqi army and ISIS, waiting at a temporary shelter to be sent to a refugee camp in Hamam Ali town, southern Mosul

Iraqi soldiers fire a rocket toward Islamic State militants on the outskirt of the Makhmour south of Mosul, Iraq

Smoke billows as Iraqi forces hold a position on a street in Mosul on March 1, 2017, during an offensive by security forces to retake the western parts of the city from Islamic State

Since October, US-backed coalition forces have been advancing on Mosul in an attempt to re-capture it from the terror group's control.

Civilians have been evacuated and ISIS have been driven out of the city one village and area at a time.

This morning, an Iraqi military commander says forces have taken control of another neighborhood in western Mosul.

Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, spokesman of the Joint Military Operations Command said despite bad weather, Iraqi special operations forces have completely retaken the Wadi Hajjar area from militants.

However, commanders on the ground say that clearing operations are still continuing.

Wadi Hajjar lies just northwest of the city's international airport.

Iraqi forces, including special operations forces and federal police units, launched an attack on the western part of Mosul nearly two weeks ago to dislodge the extremists.

Since the offensive began, more than 28,000 people have been displaced by the fighting, according to the UN.

Across the border in Syria, army units were clearing land mines and explosives left behind by ISIS in the historic town of Palmyra on Friday, a day after government troops and allied militiamen recaptured it from the extremists.

The military expects the process to be long and difficult due to the large number of mines planted by the terror group.

Syrian troops fully recaptured Palmyra on Thursday after a push that saw the militants' defenses crumble and ISIS fighters flee in the face of artillery fire and intense Russia-backed airstrikes.

The Tetrapylon and Roman Amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra is blown up in conflict

Fighters from the al-Qaida linked Islamic State, now called the Islamic State group, marching in Raqqa, Syria, where attention will now turn

Now, all eyes turn to Raqqa.

Faysal Itani, an analyst at the Washington-based Atlantic Council, said: 'Raqqa is more of an abstract goal: everyone wants it in principle, but no one is willing to commit the resources and bear the risks necessary.'

Turkey rules out a US compromise in Syria Turkey is ruling out compromise with the United States over the involvement of Kurdish militia fighters in an assault in Syria, an obstacle for Washington's plan to deploy its strongest allies on the ground in a decisive showdown with Islamic State. Donald Trump has made defeating ISIS one of the key goals of his presidency, and his new administration received a draft Pentagon plan on Monday to accelerate the campaign. Raqqa in Syria, one of Islamic State's two de facto capitals along with Mosul in Iraq, is expected to be the scene of the final battle to crush the jihadists' self-proclaimed Caliphate sometime this year, after a US-backed Iraqi government assault on Mosul already under way since October. But putting together a united ground force to take Raqqa has so far proven a confounding task in Syria, where the United States, Turkey, Russia, Iran and Arab states have all backed local forces in a multi-sided civil war since 2011. All the foreign powers oppose Islamic State, but their Syrian proxies have mainly fought against one another. Turkey, with the second largest army in NATO, is adamant that Washington should switch support for the planned Raqqa offensive from the Kurdish YPG militia to Syrian rebels Turkey has trained and led against Islamic State for the past year. Advertisement

President Donald Trump has vowed to 'obliterate' the group.

'We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet,' he told Congress on Tuesday.

The top US commander in the campaign against IS, Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, has said he believes Raqqa and Mosul will be taken within six months.

So far, the offensive on Mosul has been underway four months, with only half the city captured from the militants in ferocious street-to-street urban combat.

And that is using a relatively intensively trained and united military, backed by heavy U.S. firepower and commandos on the ground - a contrast to the comparatively undisciplined and fragmented forces the US has to choose from as allies in Syria.

Raqqa is a smaller city than Mosul, but the militants are believed to have dug in with powerful fortifications there.

In Syria, US-backed predominantly Kurdish fighters known as the Syria Democratic Forces, or SDF, remain Trump's best bet.

Aided by US-led coalition airstrikes and some 500 US special forces troops deployed in an advisory role, the force has been marching toward Raqqa since November.

Closing in on the city from different directions, it is now stationed some eight kilometers (five miles) north of the city.

The US military recently provided a small number of armored vehicles to the US-backed force to give better protection from small arms fire and roadside bombs as they get closer to Raqqa.

Further aid to the rag-tag group, however, raises sensitive questions over how to deal with Turkey, a NATO ally with much at stake in Syria.

Turkey considers the main Kurdish militia in Syria - known as the YPG, and an affiliate of the US-backed SDF - a terrorist organization, and has vowed to work with Syrian opposition fighters known as the Free Syrian Army to liberate Raqqa.

In a dramatic reversal of years of the Obama administration's calls for the ouster of President Bashar Assad, Trump has hinted he might be willing to work with Assad's army and Russia, whose year-and-a-half military intervention has propped up Assad's government.

Assad's forces are preoccupied with other battles, however, and would likely need significant US military involvement to take on Raqqa.

On Wednesday, the Syrian military recaptured the central town of Palmyra, a city located in the desert south of Raqqa that has gone back and forth between control of the military and the extremists several times.

The government forces have also clashed with the Turkish-backed Syrian fighters, who block their path to Raqqa.

Iraqi security forces inspect a recently discovered tunnel that had been used by Islamic State militants as a training camp, in western Mosul, Iraq on Wednesday, March 1. 2017

Syrians are sharply divided over who should enter Raqqa.

Many opposition supporters consider the SDF, which maintains a tacit non-aggression pact with Assad's forces, to be a hostile group.

There are also fears of tensions if Raqqa, home to a nearly 200,000 mainly Arab population, is taken by the SDF, a coalition of Kurdish, Arab and Christian fighters.

'Let us be frank that any force that will liberate Raqqa, other than the Free Syrian Army, is going to be a new occupation force with different flags and banners,' said Mohammed Khodor of Sound and Picture Organization, which tracks atrocities by ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim was even more blunt, warning that if the SDF enters Raqqa, it will hurt relations between Ankara and Washington.

Since the Mosul offensive began, more than 28,000 people like these have been displaced by the fighting, according to the UN

'We have said that a terror organization cannot be used against another terror organization,' the Turkish leader told the state-run Anadolu news agency.

The Kurds reject that notion and insist that only forces fighting under the SDF banner will liberate Raqqa.

'Turkey is an occupation force and has no legitimate right to enter Raqqa,' said SDF spokeswoman Cihan Sheikh Ehmed.

In a text message exchange from northern Syria, she said the SDF has the experience in fighting IS to finish the operation.

Battlefield victories by the SDF against the Islamic State group have brought growing Western support.

Asked if adding more US troops or better arming Syria's Kurds were options, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he will 'accommodate any request' from his field commanders.

In Mosul, the US-led coalition is playing a greater role than ever before in the fight against IS and coalition forces have moved closer to front-line fighting.

U.S. Air Force Col. John Dorrian says the increased support is an effort to 'accelerate the campaign' against the Islamic State group, noting that launching simultaneous operations in both Mosul and Raqqa 'puts further strain on the enemy's command and control.'

'It is a complicating factor when you don't have a partner government to work with,' conceded Dorrian, adding that whoever the coalition partners with in the fight for Raqqa is 'a subject of ongoing discussions.'

Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a Middle East analyst at the Jamestown Foundation who closely follows Kurdish affairs, says the US-led coalition wants to have a quick end to IS in Raqqa, from which external operations against the West are planned.

That means it would prefer to work with the Kurdish-led SDF forces 'since they are able to mobilize manpower unlike the Turks,' he said.

An ISIS flag flies in the city of Palmyra - but not for long as victory nears in the city

Allied forces stand on the rubble of the Tetrapylon and Roman Amphitheatre in Palmyra

An Iraqi soldier inspects a recently-discovered train tunnel, adorned with an Islamic State group flag

In any case, the battle for Raqqa is sure to be a long and deadly one. It took the SDF nearly 10 weeks to capture the northern Syrian town of Manbij from IS last year.

It took Turkish forces and allied groups more than three months to retake the town of al-Bab, a costly battle that killed dozens of Turkish soldiers and many civilians.

Raqqa is much larger than either Manbij or al-Bab.

Some Syrian opposition activists say the extremists dug a trench around it to make it difficult for attackers to storm it.

'It would be difficult for any troops,' said Itani of the Atlantic Council.

'Witness the slow and ugly progress in Mosul as well. Raqqa would be tough,' he said.
A jealous husband doused his wife in petrol and set her alight after flying into a rage over innocent selfies she posted on Facebook.

Chatchawarn Tarrin, 28, had been married to Nednapha Nuankhul, 26, since January last year but became possessive and abusive months into the marriage.

Ms Nuankhul posted three innocent pictures on Facebook in December - sending her husband into a jealous fury.

A jealous husband doused wife Nednapha Nuankhul, 26, (pictured) after she posted three innocent selfies on Facebook. Pictured right, one of the selfies Ms Nuankhul uploaded to the social media site. Pictured left, the woman after the horrific attack

Chatchawarn Tarrin, 28, flew into a rage after his wife posted the pictures on social media. The couple got married in January last year

The mother-of-one tried to flee but Chatchawarn allegedly poured fuel on her then set her alight at their home in Amphoe Chiang Kham, northern Thailand.

Ms Nuankhul suffered horrific burns across her entire body and face - needing three emergency operations and several more in the coming months.

But incredibly, Ms Nuankhul said she forgives her husband - who is awaiting sentencing - for the sake of their son who she doesn't want to be affected by the alleged attack.

The mother-of-one tried to flee but Chatchawarn allegedly poured fuel on her then set her alight at their home in Amphoe Chiang Kham, northern Thailand

Ms Nuankhul, who has now been released from hospital, said: 'It has scarred me on the outside and in my heart, too. But I have to forgive my husband because we have a child together.

'When the fire was burning I felt like I knew that hell was real. It was the worst pain and terror anybody could ever imagine.

'I'm like this now forever and I know that hell exists.

She has since been released from hospital. She said: 'I'm like this now forever and I know that hell exists.' Pictured, Ms Nuankhul when she was in hospital

Ms Nuankhul said she forgave her husband, who is awaiting sentencing for the crime. She said she wants to concentrate on caring for her son

'You can run away from anything but you cannot run away from karma. Nobody knew this would happen but some things we just cannot escape.

'My husband will be full of sin and he will feel karma one day, too. Now my husband cannot run away from anything. He has been put in prison and he has a son that needs care and a father.'

Friend Sudarat Khunarup took pictures of Ms Nuankhul to raise money for her medical care for bandages and treatment for the wounds plus skin grafts.

She said: 'Nednapha had oil poured on her by her husband. She survived it but she is in a lot of pain and needs a lot of medical help.

Pictured, two of the three selfies Ms Nuankhur posted on Facebook before her husband flew into a rage. Friend Sudarat Khunarup took pictures of her to raise money for her medical care for bandages and treatment for the wounds plus skin grafts

'She has had surgery on her neck, mouth and chin two or three times already. Her fingers are also very badly damaged and she needs more surgery on her right arm, and she has many ligament problems now.

'She cannot work and she her husband cannot support her because he is in prison. Now she needs help with necessities such as water, alcohol ointment for the wounds, cotton fabrics, dressings and other medical supplies.'

Chatchawarn is being held by police after admitting the attack. Officers at the Chiang Kham police station have not told Nednapha when he will be sentenced and for how long.

A spokesman said: 'This was a conjugal issue and it is currently being investigated so we can give the correct sentence.'
Russia's top diplomat says the uproar over U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' meetings with the Russian ambassador is a replay of McCarthyism.

Sessions recused himself Thursday from any probe that examines communications between President Donald Trump's aides and Moscow following revelations that Sessions spoke twice with the Russian ambassador during the campaign and failed to say so to Congress.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued Friday that contacts with officials and lawmakers are part of any ambassador's duties.

He says the pressure on Sessions 'strongly resembles a witch hunt or the times of McCarthyism, which we thought were long over in the United States as a civilized country.'

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Speaking out: Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov intervened in the row which centers on his ambassador in Washington's contacts with the Trump campaign

Not quitting: Sessions said he would sit out any decision on prosecutions which could arise from current investigations into whether Russia meddled in the election - but that he had not lied to the Senate

Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s led a hunt for communist traitors he believed worked in the government and the army.

Trump lept to the defense of Sessions on Thursday night, hours after the attorney general removed himself from all investigations involving the presidential campaign in a stunning turnaround to save his job - and the president also called the row a 'witch hunt'.

'Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional,' Trump said in a statement, which he later tweeted.

'This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win. The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election and now, they have lost their grip on reality.

'The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!'

Sessions defended himself in a similar manner in an interview with Fox News' Tucker Carlson Thursday night, saying he could only remember meeting with the Russian ambassador twice and that they hadn't discussed the campaign in any significant way.

The attorney general described his two encounters with Russian ambassador Kislyak, saying one was a 'non-political meeting' with about 25 ambassadors in his senator's office in September.

Sessions told Carlson his discussion with Kislyak had centered on Ukraine, and assured the host the talk wasn't 'improper'.

He also recalled giving a talk during the Republican convention in July, saying he had given a talk then mingled with the crowd, which happened to include Moscow's envoy.

President Donald Trump says he has 'total' confidence in his attorney general and does not think he should recuse himself from Justice Department investigations involving Russia. Pictured right is Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak

The attorney general insisted that he had decided to recuse himself because he had been involved in the campaign and therefore didn't think he could be objective - and pledged to do the same thing for all investigations possibly related to the campaign in the future.

Sessions remained tight-lipped during the interview about whether he believed Russia had influenced the outcome of the election.

Carlson asked him whether Trump's campaign believed Russia had favored the mogul, to which Sessions replied, 'I haven't heard that.'

THE SESSIONS 'LIES' WHICH STARTED THE RUSSIA ROW During Jeff Session's Attorney General confirmation hearing on January 10 he was question about the Trump campaign's relations with Moscow. Sen. Al Franken: 'If there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign, communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what would you do? Jeff Sessions: 'Sen. Franken, I'm not aware of any of those activities. 'I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.' Advertisement

The host then asked whether Sessions thought there had been a 'witch hunt' against him, echoing Trump's statement, to which the attorney general replied, 'I think it was hyped beyond reason.'

Asked about numerous leaks related to Trump's administration, the attorney general said he found them 'troubling' and part of an 'unhealthy trend'.

At a news conference, Lavrov said Russia isn't going to mimic the U.S., but added that 'if we applied the same principle to Ambassador (John) Tefft's activities in Russia and his contacts, it would have made quite a funny picture.'

In a sarcastic Facebook post, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said she met Tefft in the ministry's lobby and warned him that he was putting himself in danger by meeting with Russian diplomats.

Asked to comment on the situation, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, cited the U.S. leader: 'We have nothing to add to the expansive definition given by President Trump.'

The Sessions case is widely seen in Moscow as part of efforts by Trump's foes to block any possible rapprochement with Moscow. Russia-U.S. ties plummeted to their lowest level since the Cold War times during Barack Obama's presidency over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and other issues.

Trump had come into office hoping to mend ties with Russia, expressing admiration for Putin.

Russian lawmakers and political commentators said the allegations by U.S. intelligence that Russia meddling in the election to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton will likely continue to weigh over his administration and prevent it from launching a meaningful dialogue with the Kremlin any time soon.

In a conference call with reporters, Peskov lamented the lack of cooperation with the U.S. on the Syrian settlement beyond the U.S. diplomatic presence at peace talks in Kazakhstan's capital of Astana that Russia and Turkey brokered earlier this year.

'Similarly, there has been no movement forward regarding cooperation in the fight against terrorism, which causes regret,' he said.

'Without waiting for these contacts to start, Russia has been consistently contributing to the fight against terrorism and scoring results,' Peskov said, pointing at the Russian military's role in driving the Islamic State group from the historic town of Palmyra.

Putin: Aides lament lack of meaningful progress with Trump

Trump has repeatedly promised to cooperate with Russia in fighting the Islamic State group in Syria. Obama's administration had ruled out such cooperation because of Moscow's support for Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Other issues on the crowded Russian-U.S. agenda leave little hope for any quick progress.

On Ukraine, any Trump move to soften the stance on Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and its support for a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine would anger his Congressional foes and put him in an even more precarious position.

If Trump makes any attempt to ease the sanctions imposed on Russia by Obama's administration could face strong resistance in Congress.

On the nuclear arms control, Trump's intentions to modernize the U.S. arsenals and his criticism of the 2010 New START nuclear arms treaty would potentially put him on a collision course with Moscow, which has signaled its desire to extend the deal after it expires in 2021.

But for now, the Kremlin is trying to show patience.

Peskov sought to play down Trump's proposal to raise military spending by 9 percent, saying that's a domestic matter for Washington. 'It would hardly concern us until a rise in spending upsets the existing balance of strategic deterrence,' he said.
Pictures posted by a woman thought to show her preparing a bear's paw to eat have caused an outcry on China's social media.

The two images, reportedly uploaded by a businesswoman from Anhui, show the bear's paw submerged in water in a sink and on a chopping board.

Asian black bears are a protected species in China. Chinese police have launched an investigation into the matter.

The woman posted a set of two pictures showing a cooked bear's paw on a group chat

She captioned 'stewed bear's paw is no different to a pig's trotter...' but later denied eating it

According to a screen grab circulated on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, the pictures were uploaded to a group chat on Chinese messaging app, WeChat, on December 31, 2016.

However, the pictures were made public today causing shock and anger online.

According to a report in Beijing News, users of the WeChat group chat claimed that the uploader, known as 'Man Yoga - Tingting', is a woman from eastern China's Anhui province.

The woman, identified as Shi Tingting, is said to run a yoga club called Man Yujia (Man Yoga) in the Changping district of Beijing.

In the post, she wrote: 'Stewed bear's paw is no different to a pig's trotter...'.

The woman uploaded two pictures. One picture showed a comparison of the size of a human palm and a bear's paw. The other showed a bear's paw submerged in water in a sink.

Screenshots from the original post were uploaded to Weibo, China's equivalent to Twitter, this morning.

A volunteer took a screenshot of the post and reported to Beijing Forestry Department today

Beijing's Changping Forestry Police received reports from web users today.

According to Beijing news, police officers contacted Shi, but the woman denied the allegations.

Shi said she had downloaded the pictures from the internet and she wanted to share them with friends because she found them 'funny'.

The woman also mentioned that she is a vegetarian and has never eaten a bear's paw before.

Police authority are currently investigating the case.

Asian black bears are listed vulnerable under the red list from International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and grade II in endangered and protected species of China.

According to the Chinese law on the Protection of Wildlife, it is illegal to hunt, import or export any endangered species and shall be confiscated if found by customs.
Two Victorian MPs were reportedly chauffeured to Bruce Springsteen's regional concert in ministerial cars.

Attorney-General Martin Pakula and Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan clocked up 150km for a return journey to Hanging Rock in Victoria.

The revelations they used separate taxpayer-funded cars to see 'The Boss' on February 11, have reignited the Victorian parliamentary perks scandal.

Two Victorian MPs were reportedly chauffeured to Bruce Springsteen's regional concert in ministerial cars. One of them was Attorney-General Martin Pakula (pictured left)

Mr Pakula and Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan (pictured) clocked up 150km for a return journey to Hanging Rock in Victoria

Macedon MP and Cabinet Secretary Mary-Anne Thomas also attended the Springsteen concert as guests but caught the public bus from Woodend, reported the Daily Telegraph.

Mr Pakula defended he and his colleague on Friday evening, saying they were on government business.

'I was invited to the event in my official capacity as Minister,' he said in a statement.

'Jacinta Allen and I talked to the organisers about how we can draw more events to regional Victoria in the future.'

Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday announced all parliamentary allowances are under review after he sacked the Speaker and his deputy for claiming $140,000 between them to live in seaside towns rather than their electorates.

Macedon MP and Cabinet Secretary Mary-Anne Thomas also attended the Springsteen concert (pictured) as guests but reportedly caught the public bus from Woodend

The claims are being investigated by Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings and parliament's audit committee.

Opposition MP Brad Battin accused Mr Andrews of 'covering up' tax rorts by his Labor colleagues.

'The rorting from the Andrews Labor government is simply a disgrace. The premier is failing to address the issue. He is more interested in covering up and protecting his mates than doing the right thing,' he says.

However, Mr Andrews on Thursday said he would commit to providing greater public disclosure on parliamentary allowances.

Possible changes to the entitlements will be announced in the coming weeks.
Luke Monk (pictured) was captured on CCTV threatening staff in a Co-op store in Derbyshire armed with a knife

A robber who was captured on CCTV threatening Co-op shop staff with a knife before fleeing with more than 2,000 and cigarettes has been jailed for six years.

Terrifying CCTV footage shows Luke Monk, 28, and an unknown accomplice, bursting into the store armed with knives.

The 2.43-minute clip shows them bundling two female members of staff into the back office of the store in Sawley, Derbyshire.

At one point, Monk, wearing a motorcycle helmet, grabbed a terrified shop assistant while pointing a blade at another worker behind the till.

The crooks fled but Monk, of no fixed address, was caught following a police appeal last year.

He was jailed on Thursday after admitting robbery at Derby Crown Court.

Recorder Allan Mainds said: 'I saw the video of what took place. Frightening circumstances. You brandishing, clearly a substantial weapon, a knife.

'The impact, psychologically, on one of the ladies has been substantial. You took the leading role.'

The court heard Monk led the raid on the shop as workers were cashing up at 10pm on August 23 last year.

Monk was heard shouting: 'We want all the money - open the safes'.

After forcing the workers into a back office, Monk became 'angrier and angrier' as staff failed to open the safe, the court heard.

Monk was wearing a motorcycle helmet (pictured) and held a knife as he entered the Co-op store

Terrifying CCTV footage shows Luke Monk, 28, and an unknown accomplice - who was wearing a hat - bursting into the store armed with knives

When it became clear that they couldn't open the safe, Monk pointed his knife at one of the shop workers.

Sarah Slater, prosecuting, said: 'They tell him he can have cash from the tills.

'He takes what he can out of the safe and then goes towards the tills. The tills are emptied and all the cigarettes are put into bags.'

After grabbing 2,021 in cash from the till, Monk and his accomplice tried to kick the front-door down which was now locked, before a member of staff opened it and the fled.

Bizarre footage taken outside the shop then appears to show Monk skipping away while his accomplice carries a bag bulging with cash and cigarettes.

Monk went on the run but was eventually arrested on January 18 in Spondon, Derbyshire.

Footage showed Monk, wearing a helmet, go behind the counter and demand money from the till

The 2.43-minute clip shows them bundling two female members of staff into the back office of the store in Sawley, Derbyshire (pictured)

During the appeal, police took the unusual step of releasing a picture of him, saying he was the prime suspect.

A 58-year-old staff member later told police that she had to leave her job because of the impact of the robbery.

The court heard Monk had previously been convicted of offences of violence and of robbery when he was younger.

Alwyn Jones, defending, said: 'He has already, via the prison department, taken steps to transfer to HMP Dovegate, as they operate a therapeutic community programme, a programme he seeks to go on to address his offending.

'He is not a lost cause.'
Mohammed Humza, 26, seen outside Southwark Crown Court on March 3, falsely claimed he owned Sheikh Mohammed Alibrahims luxury motor

A supercar thief who stole a 97,000 Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe from a Saudi prince is facing jail.

Mohammed Humza, 26, tricked the DVLA by falsely claiming he owned Sheikh Mohammed Alibrahims luxury motor parked in Londons exclusive Mayfair district.

He then ordered new keys for the Rolls Royce and sold it to Shaks Specialist Cars in Huddersfield for 27,500.

This was along with a blue BMW 5 Series, worth 36,220 new and white Mercedes-Benz A Class.

Humza also used the same scam to claim he was the lawful owner of a Porsche 911 belonging to Nicholas Cattelian, a Ferrari California belonging to Sara Duncan, and an Aston Martin DB9 belonging to Jake Urich.

Today at Southwark Crown Court he admitted one count of theft and five counts of fraud by false representation.

Humza, wearing a grey Hugo Boss sweater and smart blue trousers, spoke only to enter his guilty pleas and remained stony-faced during the brief hearing.

Judge Martin Griffith said: You have pleaded guilty to what are clearly serious matters.

Mohammed Humza, 26, tricked the DVLA by falsely claiming he owned Sheikh Mohammed Alibrahims Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe,(pictured) which was parked in Mayfair

He then ordered new keys for the Rolls Royce (pictured) and sold it to Shaks Specialist Cars in Huddersfield for 27,500

'Im sure you have been told that the chances are you wont be leaving this court in liberty the next time you come.

As an act of mercy Im prepared to allow you time to sort out your family arrangements.

The court heard Humza fooled the DVLA by filing a bogus V62 form claiming he was the new owner of the Rolls Royce.

Sheikh Alibrahim says he was unable to reply to the DVLA on whether the ownership had changed because he was abroad.

Humza,from Watford, was released on conditional bail until his sentencing at Southwark Crown Court on 13 March. Pictured outside the court today, left and right

The prince said only he and his chauffeur were allowed to get behind the wheel and claimed the car was inspected every week.

Humza,from Watford, was released on conditional bail until his sentencing at Southwark Crown Court on 13 March.

He has been ordered to observe an electronically monitored curfew between 8pm-7am while he is on bail.
They are some of Australia's most spectacular tourist attractions, but they have still managed to attract some of the most spectacularly awful reviews online.

Disgruntled travellers have flocked to travel website TripAdvisor to leave scathing reviews about Australian landmarks including the famed Opera House, Surfers Paradise and even Uluru.

The reviews range from the hilariously frank to the downright cringeworthy.

Arguably one of Australia's most well-known landmarks, the Opera House was reduced to nothing more than 'brown concrete'

Arguably one of Australia's most well-known landmarks, the Opera House was reduced to nothing more than 'brown concrete' by one particularly unimpressed visitor.

'If you like brown concrete with dim lighting you're in for a treat. Life is too short  do something else,' they said.

Another visitor from February 2016 said the Opera House was only good for an 'iconic Sydney picture' but not much else.

'What looked alright from afar revealed its tired baggy eyes upon closer inspection,' they said.

Another visitor from February 2016 said the Opera House was only good for an 'iconic Sydney picture' but not much else

'Whoever decided teeny tiny white tiles was a good choice of building material should be locked away. Overall the appearance was simply dirty, dated and simply displeasing.'

Sydney was not alone in its ability to leave tourists with a bad taste in their mouth.

Queensland's usually beloved Surfers Paradise, on the Gold Coast, was referred to as 'white trash paradise' by a man going by the name Jonas G.

'One of the trashiest, most horrid places I have ever visited,' he said.

Queensland's usually beloved Surfers Paradise, on the Gold Coast, was referred to as 'white trash paradise'

'One of the trashiest, most horrid places I have ever visited,' one reviewer said about the beloved Queensland beach-side town

'The beach itself is paradise, hence the name I guess? The surroundings though are hell.

'Friday and Saturday night come and you even fear for your safety on the streets with poorly dressed, drunk holiday makers and pub crawlers.'

Surfers Paradise rakes in a staggering 12 million tourists each year, and has made a name for itself as one of Queensland's most popular getaway destinations.

But it failed to live up to the hype for one man who called it 'depressing and ugly'.

'The beach itself is beautiful, but the high rises everywhere lining the coast are depressing and ugly,' they said.

The Pinnacles in Western Australia were also hammered, with people claiming they were left utterly disappointed

The Pinnacles in Western Australia were also hammered, with people claiming they were left utterly disappointed.

'And that's it?,' a reviewer from the UK named Mark said.

'Really unsure as to what people are raving about. It's literally a collection of eroded jagged rocks sticking out of the ground, a large collection of them at that.'

Mark was not alone in his disappointment.

One reviewer from Singapore called The Pinnacles 'overrated and overpriced'.

'Horrible! Simply just rocks,' they said.

'Pot holes everywhere! Dangerous! Come on Australia, this is a major tourist road,' one woman said about the Great Ocean Drive

Further south, Australia's scenic Great Ocean Drive also fell victim to a scathing online attack.

'Pot holes everywhere! Dangerous! Come on Australia, this is a major tourist road,' one woman said.

In one particularly hilarious review, Charlie from the Gold Coast said they were left bitterly disappointed because Cockatoo Island in New South Wales didn't live up to its name.

'The whole island is full of birds and bird poo, but no cockatoos like the name suggests,' Charlie said about Cockatoo Island in New South Wales

'The whole island is full of birds and bird poo, but no cockatoos like the name suggests,' Charlie said.

'Angry seagulls come attack, especially when you walk near their chicks.

'It was wet, cold and windy when we went, so wasn't exactly the nicest day. Personally, I don't recommend wasting a day in Sydney going here.'

In the heart of the Northern Territory, Uluru, was also blasted on TripAdvisor.

'The champagne and food offered to all group travellers does not make up for the boring view and the trillions of flies and the fact that you have to lift the netting to eat,' one person said.

'I do not care how the sun sets, it's just not that pretty.'

'It'll cost you an arm and a leg to get here. After we paid to enter the park, we were told we couldn't climb the rock. It wasn't worth the time and expense to get here just to look at it and photograph it. To make matters worse, photos are even prohibited in certain areas,' another person said.

'The champagne and food offered to all group travellers does not make up for the boring view and the trillions of flies and the fact that you have to lift the netting to eat,' one person said about Uluru

The scathing online reviews of Australia's tourist hot spots prove a far cry from their usually glowing reputation.

The old Melbourne Gaol also failed to impress, racking up a cocktail of varied reviews.

Even locals claimed the gaol tour left them 'terrified', and not in a good way.

'I hated the tour of Melbourne Gaol. I had no idea what we were getting ourselves in for,' Lyndel from Melbourne said.

'Yelling, screaming and being treated like a prisoner I really think they should at least word you up on that sort of thing. Not nice.'
A BBC journalist has recounted the horrifying moment he and his camera crew were surrounded by thugs and assaulted for carrying out an 'illegal interview'.

John Sudworth was attempting to interview a woman in the Hunan Province in central China when he was forced to sign a confession saying he had broken the law and was guilty of 'behaviour causing a bad impact'.

He said since the attack, which saw the crew's equipment smashed, he has not heard from Yang Linghua, the intended interviewee, and has sought assurances from the Chinese government that she is safe.

John Sudworth and his camera crew were assaulted by a group of 20 thugs and forced to sign a confession for carrying out an 'illegal interview'

Ms Linghua had claimed that her father was beaten to death in a land dispute, but efforts to get justice were denied to her family, who were instead placed under house arrest.

They had intended to travel to Beijing, where The National People's Congress (NPC) was being held, to put their case forward.

When the team arrived in her village to carry out the interview, Sudworth recalled, they were surrounded by 20 thugs, as well as uniformed police officers and foreign affairs officials.

They were made to delete their footage and sign a confession.

Sudworth said the story 'reveals more about the exercise of power in China than any interview ever could'

Sudworth wrote on the BBC website: 'The story we ended up with... reveals more about the exercise of power in China than any interview ever could.

'It is one that involves violence, intimidation and a forced confession - my first in my long reporting experience in China - in which I found myself apologising for "behaviour causing a bad impact" and for trying to conduct an "illegal interview"'.

Recounting the ordeal, he wrote: 'As soon as we arrived in Yang Linghua's village it was clear they were expecting us.

'The road to her house was blocked by a large group of people and, within a few minutes, they'd assaulted us and smashed all of our cameras.'

Ms Linghua was hoping to travel to the National People's Congress to raise her family's plight

They were then chased and surrounded by a 20-strong group, including police officers, and made to sign a confession.

The journalist wrote: 'It was a very one-sided negotiation, but it at least gave us a way out - a luxury denied to the petitioners who find themselves on the receiving end of similar intimidation and abuse.'

He said Ms Linghua's predicament was not an isolated case, with a woman in her 70s who wanted to appeal for a longer sentence for her husband's murderer among those prevented from travelling.

He wrote: 'Meanwhile, on the eve of China's parliamentary gathering, many of its citizens - often those, it could be argued, who are most in need of parliamentary representation - face similar abuse.

'And despite having signed that confession I make no apology for trying to interview them.'
James Dwerryhouse (pictured) died in hospital nurses allegedly removed monitoring equipment following an operation

A seven-year-old boy has died after claims vital monitoring equipment was turned off for two hours at the same hospital where Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were born.

James Dwerryhouse, who had sleep apnoea and needed constant monitoring when asleep, died in hospital after his brain was starved of oxygen.

The youngster appeared fine following a routine operation into ongoing health issues and even enjoyed a FaceTime session with his siblings from his hospital bed.

But a Serious Incident Report has revealed nurses at London's Portland Hospital removed vital monitoring equipment after the operation at 1.15am and didn't reconnect it until 3.25am.

Just hours later his heartbroken parents, John, and Marguerite, both 51, were called back to hospital and told their son was unlikely to recover.

He was transferred to the Treehouse Hospice in Ipswich, Suffolk, where he died the following day on August 28 last year - just two days after his successful operation.

The nurses at the Portland Hospital are now being investigated by police over the death of James, from Ipswich, Suffolk, and the family have since launched legal action.

A number of celebrities - including Victoria Beckham, Claudia Schiffer and Liz Hurley - have chosen the hospital in Great Portland Street, central London, for childbirth.

Meanwhile, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were born at Portland Hospital.

Mrs Dwerryhouse said: 'It has been completely heartbreaking.

'James had health issues and needed a lot of health support in his life, but he was full of life, cheeky, funny, happy, and occasionally mischievous, like all little boys.

'Only days earlier he'd been to a summer club and he'd been chasing around, up and down the slides and having a great time.

The youngster (pictured) had sleep apnoea and needed constant monitoring when asleep

James (pictured with his parents John and Marguerite Dwerryhouse) died on August 28 last year

'He wasn't a fragile boy at all, he wasn't poorly, and he certainly wasn't a boy who was at risk of dying.

'This was a routine operation, and the operation itself was a complete success.

'To then lose him simply because hospital staff haven't cared for him and checked on him as they should is something we cannot accept and never will.

'We still don't know the full truth. We know the police have been looking into the matter, and now we also have solicitors acting on our behalf, so hopefully we will get there in the end. We need to for James.

'Until now we've been very quiet and even people close to us have been unaware of how James was let down and why he died.

'People need to know though, and we need to know exactly what happened that night.'

Despite emergency attempts to save him, James suffered an irreversible hypoxic brain injury and died after his life-support was withdrawn the following day.

Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice (pictured together) were both born at the Portland Hospital

Victoria Beckham (left) and Liz Hurley (right) both chose the Portland Hospital in Great Portland Street for childbirth

The nursing staff on duty that night have been criticised in the Serious Incident Report - which have now been passed to the Coroner, the Metropolitan Police, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and Medical Advisory Committee for further investigation.

Mrs Dwerryhouse added: 'James had successfully come through an operation to fit a colostomy bag at the hospital, which had been arranged to improve his bowel management and help ensure he was better prepared for moving into a new class at school.

'We cannot believe his life is now over and he will never get to join his class mates.'

James' family are now launching legal action against HCA Healthcare UK, owners of the Portland Hospital, through medical negligence specialists Hudgell Solicitors.

Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp, a clinical negligence solicitor, said: 'This case is that a huge, unforgivable error was made in that James' monitoring equipment was turned off when it should have remained on at all times.

'Had the equipment remained on, no matter what other things were happening that night on the intensive care unit, staff would have been immediately alerted to any danger.

'What is totally unacceptable is the lack of detail and clarity forthcoming so far with regard to the specifics of what happened that night.

'Conflicting accounts have been provided as to what exactly happened when James was found not breathing.

James (pictured) was transferred to the Treehouse Hospice in Ipswich, Suffolk, where he died

'This means it has yet to be made clear whether the alarm was raised immediately, or whether there was a 20 minute delay, which obviously could have had a big impact on James's chances of survival.

'Further serious questions now need asking by the relevant authorities, of all those involved in caring for James at the hospital that night. Answers must be forthcoming.

'This is a tragic case. This family took their son to hospital for a straight forward operation which passed without issue. He then died simply because of failures in monitoring. '

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: 'On August 28 2016, police were called to a central London hospital following the death of a seven-year-old boy.

'The boy was admitted to a central London hospital on Wednesday August 24.

'The death was passed onto the Westminster Coroner and Westminster CID officers are undertaking inquiries on behalf of the coroner.

'The death is deemed to be non-suspicious. No-one has been arrested.

'A date for the inquest has not yet been set.'

A spokesman for The Portland Hospital for Women & Children said: 'We send our deepest sympathy to the family of James Dwerryhouse.

'We are cooperating with all investigations, and we are unable to comment further until they are completed.'
A 40-year-old Thai man was frogmarched naked to a police truck after he was caught having sex with a cow in broad daylight.

Horrified villagers in Lampang province spotted the man kissing cattle before mounting one at 9.30am today.

He laughed about his bestiality upon his arrest, and said he could not help himself from feeling attracted to the cow as he watched it grazing.

The Thai man is walked to the police truck in handcuffs with a huge grin across his face

Locals in Lampang province chased the man when they saw him having sex with the cow

The man said he could not help but feel attracted to the cow (pictured) when it was grazing

When he was caught in the act on a strip of grass next to a busy road, locals chased the 40-year-old as he fled naked into the bathroom of a nearby farm where he barricaded himself inside.

Officers arrived 30 minutes later and handcuffed him, before hauling him naked into the back of a police truck where he laughed about his depraved act.

The man told police he 'felt the urge' to have sex with the cow and began fondling it before having sex with it.

He said he felt 'strong emotions' and could not stop himself.

Police arrested him after he admitted having sex with the cow and was taken to the station in a pair of blue shorts given to him by villagers.

The smiling man was given a pair of shorts to wear by locals before he was taken away

Farmer Tong Kai Charoonprasitporn, 65, who owns the animal, said: 'I saw the man snogging and groping and having sex with my cow.

'We chased him but he did not stop. We called the police and found him hiding in the bathroom of the house.'

Police, who are questioning the man, said he may have been drunk at the time and they are also assessing his mental health.

The brown cow was unhurt and carried on grazing afterwards.
Lawsuit was thrown out of court and her appeal to now been rejected by a judge

Trio were being sued for $250,000 under Racial Discrimination Act's section 18C

Incident came after she told one of them to leave an indigenous-only classroom

Cindy Prior claimed three students racially abused her on Facebook in 2013

An aboriginal woman who claimed she was racially abused on Facebook by three university students has lost her appeal to restart legal proceedings against them.

Cindy Prior, an administration officer at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), filed a $250,000 lawsuit against Alex Wood, Calum Thwaites and Jackson Powell after they allegedly posted racist comments about her online in 2013.

She claimed she had been racially abused by the trio after asking Mr Wood to leave an indigenous-only computer room at the university in Brisbane.

Her lawsuit under the Racial Discrimination Act's controversial section 18C was thrown out of court last year and a judge has now ruled that she cannot appeal.

Cindy Prior (left) has had an appeal to restart legal proceedings against three students (Callum Thwaites, right) she claimed racially abused her thrown out of court again

Ms Prior's lawsuit was originally dismissed by the Federal Court after a judge ruled she did not reasonable prospects of bringing a successful case against the three men.

Justice John Dowsett has now dismissed the case for a second time, saying the students had 'suffered more from legal proceedings than any other young person would have suffered in a lifetime'.

The QUT worker, who has been on stress leave since filing the lawsuit, has been ordered to pay more than $200,000 in costs and the legal fees of the three men, The Australian reported.

Ms Prior had argued she was unable to work face-to-face with white people following the incident in a computer lab at the QUT in 2013.

Ms Prior claimed she had been racially abused by the trio after asking Mr Wood to leave an indigenous-only computer room at the Queensland University of Technology (pictured)

Mr Wood allegedly made a series of Facebook posts after Ms Prior told him to leave the room, which was reserved for indigenous people only.

'Just got kicked out of the unsigned indigenous computer room. QUT stopping segregation with segregation,' he wrote.

The post attracted a number of responses, including one from Mr Powell who wrote: 'I wonder where the white supremacist computer lab is.'

Mr Thwaites is alleged to have written 'ITT N***ers', however he denied being responsible for the post.

Justice Dowsett's judgement appeared to criticise 18C as he said Mr Powell's comments were clearly ironic.

'To suggest that humour or irony cannot blunt the most outrageous of statements overlooks the history of such devices, and the extremes to which comedians, authors and speakers commonly use them today,' the judge said.

'No reasonably intelligent person would have understood Mr Powell's posts as other than humour or irony.'

The case has been a rallying point for opponents of 18C, which makes it unlawful to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or a group of people.
General Sir Adrian Bradshaw said Article 5 of the Nato charter  in which an attack on one member state is an attack on all  could apply to unconventional forms of warfare

Russias cyber hacking, meddling in elections and fake news could be deemed acts of aggression by Nato, Britains most senior officer in the alliance warned yesterday.

General Sir Adrian Bradshaw said Article 5 of the Nato charter  in which an attack on one member state is an attack on all  could apply to unconventional forms of warfare.

His comments signal a possible expansion of the interpretation of the mutual defence guarantee - which means all states in the alliance could decide to strike back.

The deputy supreme allied commander, who is a former director of UK Special Forces, said Nato must step up its defences to deal with the tactics.

He said the West needed a grand strategy to counter such threats.

Asked if disinformation and meddling, such as Russias alleged interference in the US election came under Article 5, he said: Article 5 is when its declared to be Article 5.

It is a political decision, but no, it is not out of the question thatblatant aggression, in a domain other than conventional warfare might be deemed to be Article 5.

Asked if disinformation and meddling, such as Russias alleged interference in the US election to help Donald Trump (right) came under Article 5, he said: Article 5 is when its declared to be Article 5.' Pictured left: Vladimir Putin in Berlin on October 19

General Bradshaw, who is due to step down from his post this month, helped to oversee a transformation within Nato which saw the alliance focus its efforts to eastern Europe.

In the coming weeks some 800 UK troops will deploy to Estonia as part of the biggest build-up on Russias borders since the Cold War.

The build-up is designed to send a message to Moscow. General Bradshaw told the Times: Do not mess with Nato.

You set foot in one of these countries youre taking on Nato with all that that implies so woe betide a nation that does that.

He said failure to respond to ambiguous warfare would increase the risk of military conflict.

He said: This is not just about military deterrence. What we require is hybrid deterrence.

Sir Adrian, pictured here meeting King Philippe of Belgium at the Royal Palace in Brussels, said failure to respond to ambiguous warfare would increase the risk of conflict

We require the ability to defend our vital assets from aggression in any area.

He warned President Vladimir Putin could seek to replicate the unconventional tactics used to destabilise Crimea before its annexation by Moscow in 2014.

The danger, he said, was that the Kremlin would create a situation where it believed it could use its military power to finalise the deal.

While the risk of a slide into military confrontation between Nato and Russia was small, the consequences if it happened would be catastrophic.

The concern is that by a combination of means Russia gets themselves in a position where they see an opportunity to employ the military arm of power and that could be incredibly dangerous, Gen Bradshaw told the BBC.

The danger, Sir Adrian said, was that the Kremlin (seen in this file picture) would create a situation where it believed it could use its military power to finalise the deal

We have seen it in Crimea - a combination of unconventional military and non-military means including cyber warfare, political agitation, economic leverage - where military forces then closed in to finalise the deal.

The risk of a slide into a military confrontation with Russia is small - very small - but because the consequences would be catastrophic we have absolutely got to deal with that risk.

Gen Bradshaws comments echo a recent warning by Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon that Russia was weaponising misinformation in a sustained campaign of destabilisation against the West.

In a speech last month, he accused Moscow of using cyber weaponry to disrupt critical infrastructure and disable democratic machinery in a series of attacks on western countries.
The UK's population will pass the 70 million mark in less than a decade, according to official projections.

Experts say the landmark will be reached by 2026 as the number of people living in the country increases 'steadily'.

Natural growth - more births than deaths - and net migration helped push the estimated UK population to a record 65.1 million in 2015, a rise of more than half a million on the previous year.

Experts added the growth in the size of the population is partly because it is ageing - with one in five expected to be aged 65 or over by the middle of the next decade.

The graphic above shows how net international migration and births minus deaths have steadily increased over time, contributing to the rise in the UK's population

Experts say the UK's population will pass 70 million by 2026 as the number of people living in the country increases 'steadily'

More births than deaths and net migration have helped push the estimated UK population to a record 65.1 million in 2015, a rise of more than half a million on the previous year

Number of UK inhabitants aged 65 growing At least one in four of the UK population will be over 65 in under 30 years, research by the ONS has revealed. This means that by 2045, 24.6 per cent of the population will be aged 65 and over. In 2015, there were more than 11.6 million people aged 65 and over and 1.5 million people aged 85. According to ONS, The number of males aged 85 and over has increased by 54 per cent since mid-2005, compared to a 21 per cent increase for females. It has been concluded that male mortality rates have improved due to improving treatments for circulatory illnesses and a reduction in smoking. However, there are still more females than males in the UK population. In mid-2015, there were 32.1 million males (49.3 per cent) and 33.0 million females (50.7 per cent). ONS adds that the ratio of females to males has decreased slightly over the ten year period from mid-2005, as the male population has grown faster than the female population. There are now 103 women for every 100 men compared to 105 women per 100 men in mid-2005. Advertisement

In an overview of the latest trends published on Friday, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said growth slowed during the 1970s after the 'baby boom' of the previous decade, before picking up again in the late 1980s.

Recent uplifts have 'generally coincided with an increase in the number of countries holding EU membership', the report added.

bitants are aged at least 65, with the percentage in this age group rising from 14.1 per cent in 1975 to 17.8 per cent in 2015.

Over the same period, the proportion of children aged 15 and younger has declined from over 24 per cent to less than 20 per cent.

It is forecast that a fifth (20.2 per cent) of the population will be aged 65 and over in 2025, rising to a quarter (24.6 per cent) in 2045.

Natural change has had an impact on the number of occupants. Since 1955, the number of births in the UK has been higher than the number of deaths in every year bar 1976.

The rise in the population since the 1990s has also been attributed to the growth of net migration - the number of people arriving to live in the UK minus the number departing.

Statisticians said the direct effect of net migration increased the population by more than 250,000 people per year on average from 2004 to 2015. This is about 50,000 more people per year than natural change for the same period.

A growing proportion of UK inhabitants are aged at least 65, with the percentage in this age group rising from 14.1 per cent in 1975 to 17.8 per cent in 2015

Current and past international migration also has 'indirect effects' on the size of the population as it changes the numbers of births and deaths in the UK, the report added.

Immigration has been higher than emigration since the early 1990s. In 2015, the inflow was 631,500 - more than double emigration at 299,200.

Top 10 most populated cities in the UK According to the 2015 mid-population estimates by ONS, below are the top 10 most populated cities in the UK. 1) London: 8,673,713 2) Birmingham: 1,111,307 3) Leeds: 774,060 4) Sheffield: 569,737 5) Bradford: 531,176 6) Manchester: 530,292 7) Liverpool: 478,580 8) Bristol: 449,328 9) Newcastle: 292,883 10) Sunderland: 277,150 Advertisement

The report said rises in immigration 'have tended to coincide with the expansion of the EU, allowing more people to freely migrate to the UK'.

In 2004, eight central and eastern European countries - Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia - joined the bloc, while Romania and Bulgaria became member states in 2007.

The UK is currently estimated to have the third largest population out of the EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

But it is projected the surpass Germany and France to become the most populous of the 32 nations at 77 million by 2050.

On the consequences of the population changes, the ONS report said: 'While living longer is a cause for celebration, an ageing population may result in fewer people of working age to support those of pension age.

'While a larger population increases the size and productive capacity of the workforce, it also increases pressure and demand for services such as education, healthcare and housing.'

Alistair Currie, head of campaigns at sustainability charity Population Matters, said: '70 million isn't just a number. More people puts a strain on all our natural and social resources that simply isn't sustainable. The patches we are using to deal with the pressures of population will simply make things worse in the longer term. Putting on more buses makes more emissions.

'Using young people to support more older people just means even more old people down the line. Our numbers underlie so many of our biggest challenges and what is needed today is a grown-up discussion on population and a long-overdue strategic approach instead of short term solutions.'
Robert Roy Farmer may have to register as a sex offender after he killed 21 cats in 2015

A 25-year-old man who killed 21 cats may have to register as a sex offender because he also sexually abused them.

Robert Roy Farmer was arrested on October 8, 2015, while he was asleep in his car.

San Jose police also found a dead orange tabby cat in the vehicle along with other cat collars.

Last year, Farmer pleaded guilty to 21 counts of felony animal cruelty and one misdemeanor battery and being under the influence, according to Mercury News.

On Thursday, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Sharon A Chatman said she wanted to hear from a psychologist before deciding whether or not he should register as a sex offender for his crimes.

Chatman said she wanted to hear from the animal control officer and the psychologist 'to make sure I have all the information to make a reasoned and fair decision'.

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Last year, Farmer (pictured in court) pleaded guilty to 21 counts of felony animal cruelty. On Thursday, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Sharon A Chatman, said she wanted to hear from a psychologist before deciding whether or not he should register as a sex offender

Farmer was arrested in October 2015, while he was asleep in his car. San Jose police found a dead orange tabby cat in the vehicle along with other cat collars. Surveillance video (pictured) captured him chasing and picking up one cat named Go-Go

Deputy District Attorney Alexandra Ellis said he 'would have the same consequences as anyone required to register as a sex offender' once he is eventually freed from prison.

A San Jose Animal Care and Services necropsy report determined the orange female tabby cat found dead in his car of blunt force trauma had dilated genitals.

The report also showed that a DNA match between Farmer and the cat was found under its claws. DNA tests linked Farmer to all 21 cats that were killed.

Farmer's attorney, Wesley Schroeder, said in an email to NBC that the '(tuolidine blue) test designed to highlight abrasions or subtle trauma from sexual assault failed to show any evidence of even the most minuscule trauma.'

Investigators said Farmer rounded up the cats, that he sometimes mutilated and abused, from Cambrian Park over a two-month period.

Surveillance video captured Farmer in the act as he chased and picked up one cat named Go-Go, leading police to him, according to ABC 7.

Go-Go's (pictured) owner, Miriam Petrova said they never found her 17-year-old cat's body. Only four of the animal's bodies have been recovered

Residents (pictured) have rallied to urge the judge to sentence Farmer to life in prison, asking supporters to sign onto 'Justice for our CATZ.' So far, the group has 232 members

'Farmer just took our sense of safety because he took it from our front yard,' Miriam Petrova told NBC in 2016.

Petrova's 17-year-old cat Go-Go, was one of Farmer's first victims. 'We never found Go-Go's body,' she said. Only four of the animal's bodies have been recovered.

Residents have rallied to urge the judge to sentence Farmer to life in prison, asking supporters to sign onto 'Justice for our CATZ.' So far, the group has 232 members.

Farmer, who has been in custody at the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas since October 2015, is due back in court on April 7 for the hearing.

He is facing up to 16 years in prison after admitting his crimes.
The father of Navy Seal William Owens, the first active service member to die in combat under the Trump administration, has renewed his criticism of the President.

Bill Owens told DailyMail.com that he was not backing down on his criticism of the president over his sons death  despite the SEALs widow, Carryn, being a guest of the President as he addressed a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday.

His son William Ryan Owens, 36, a member of the elite SEAL Team 6, was killed in a firefight as the special operations force carried out a raid on an al Qaeda target in Yemen on January 27.

It was the first time combat troops have been deployed on the ground in Yemen, the first operation ordered by the president, and Owens was the first combat casualty of his presidency.

The father of Navy Seal William Owens, the first active service member to die in combat under the Trump administration, has renewed his criticism of the President

A tribute to her husband provided the emotional high point of the address, as the political divide ended for a lengthy standing ovation in the special operators memory. At one point, Ivanka put a hand on her back to comfort her

On their feet: President Trump turned to applaud Carryn Owens after he paid tribute to fallen SEAL hero William 'Ryan' Owens

Donald Trump was present at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, as Owens body was repatriated, but the SEALs father later revealed he had declined to shake Trumps hand.

Now Owens, 68, tells DailyMail.com that he is not changing his mind, despite his daughter-in-laws acceptance of the presidents condolences and her decision to attend the speech.

A tribute to her husband provided the emotional high point of the address, as the political divide ended for a lengthy standing ovation in the special operators memory. At one point, Ivanka put a hand on her back to comfort her.

'We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William "Ryan" Owens. Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero  battling against terrorism and securing our nation,' Trump said.

'I just spoke to our great Gen. Mattis, just now, who reconfirmed that, and I quote, "Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies.

'Ryan's legacy is etched into eternity. Thank you,' he concluded.

After the clapping subsided, Trump added: 'Ryan is looking down right now, you know that, and he's very happy, because I think he just broke a record,' referring to the length of applause.

But at his home in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida, Owens senior, a military veteran and retired police detective, said he was not changing his mind on Trump - and that he had not voted for him.

I didnt want to meet him, the Blue Star father said.

I didnt like the way he conducted his campaign [to be elected President] and I didnt vote for him.

He hinted that he felt the raid had been motivated by Trumps own political agenda.

You only have to look at the timeline of Yemen to work it out, he said.

And asked if he meant his son might have been sacrificed by the new President to gain early political leverage, he said: I would never comment on that.

He added: But there are three investigations going on and we shall wait and see.

I didnt want to meet him, the military veteran and retired police detective, speaking from his home in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida (pictured) said. I didnt like the way he conducted his campaign [to be elected President] and I didnt vote for him'

He hinted that he felt the raid had been motivated by Trumps own political agenda. You only have to look at the timeline of Yemen to work it out, he said. Pictured, Owens senior pointing out his son's medals and honors hanging in his office

According to White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, several investigations of the Yemen raid will be carried out by the Department of Defense. The three will center on the circumstances of Owens' death, civilian deaths and the loss of a V-22 Osprey aircraft during the mission.

Owens senior had first made his criticism of the president before the Congressional address, calling the raid stupid and revealed his dissatisfaction at the military operation in which his son died.

He told the Miami Herald: Why at this time did there have to be this stupid mission when it wasnt even barely a week into his administration? Why?

For two years prior, there were no boots on the ground in Yemen, everything was missiles and drones, because there was not a target worth one American life. Now, all of a sudden we had to make this grand display?

Chief Special Warfare Officer Owens, 36, was killed with around 16 civilians and 14 militants in the Yemen assault, which the Pentagon said was staged in a bid to obtain information on potential terrorist attacks against the U.S. and its allies.

Planning for the operation had begun under the Obama leadership and carried out in the first week of Trump entering the Oval Office, it was reported.

But that, too, is in dispute. Colin Kahl, deputy assistant to Obama and national security adviser to Joe Biden, told PBS that specific raids were not authorized by the former president, but that the Pentagon proposed allowing 'special operations forces to more actively engage in direct raids to go after compounds.'

Kahl said details about specific raids, including particular targets, dates or times, were not discussed. He also said decisions like this were deferred to the Trump administration so it could effectively run its own process.

However, it has been reported that Trump inevitably gave the go-ahead on the raid during a dinner party with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and General Joseph F. Dunford Jr.
April the pregnant giraffe has become grumpy and restless while she prepares to give birth at 'any moment', said officials at the upstate New York zoo.

Zookeepers at Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville said the 15-year-old giraffe's behavior has changed over the past few days which is a sign she will soon go into labor.

April became a worldwide sensation last week when YouTube briefly pulled the 24-hour livestream which had begun on February 10, for 'nudity and sexual content', leaving millions of viewers outraged.

The live footage was later restored on February 24 and has since drawn in more than 15 million views from across the world.

April the pregnant giraffe has become a worldwide sensation after Animal Adventure Park announced she was giving birth in a global livestream last week

The long-legged viral star has been moving in 'different patterns' and has not been as 'lovey' as usual, the zoo said in a Facebook update.

Keepers were also able to 'get hands on the belly and make 'contact with baby' on Thursday, despite April appearing to be 'on edge'.

The animal has also displayed 'increased tail raising and holding,' her vet said.

Tens of thousands of people have been checking in through the giraffe cam, which streams footage from April's stall around the clock.

The news of the animal's pregnancy has become so famous that fans have created memes to capture their impatience.

Zookeepers said the giraffe's behavior has changed over the past few days and April seems to be 'on edge' and not as 'lovey' as usual

In videos posted on the park's Facebook page this week, zookeeper Jordan Patch said that he's been busy tending to his 200-plus other animals and that the flood of emails has become 'so overbearing' that he's asking people to stop sending them.

There's no doubt that the pregnant animal has developed a large following as fans have generously donated to the April's GoFundMe fundraising page and apparel is available for viewers to purchase.

Aprilthegiraffe.com includes a link for buying merchandise from baby clothing to adult-sized hoodies imprinted with a giraffe's head and '#Aprils View Crew.'

Giraffes can be in labor anywhere from hours to a full day. This will be April's fourth calf, but the Harpursville zoo's first giraffe birth.

The zoo plans to hold an online naming competition for the baby after it's born.
The grandparents of a boy feared drowned in a river by his own mother warned the authorities of the 'imminent risk' she posed to her children, they have claimed.

The 27-year-old mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly tried to drown her two sons, aged nine and five, in the Murray River on Thursday and has been charged with attempted murder.

The younger boy is still missing and was last seen floating downriver face-down, a court has heard. Police will continue their search for him on Saturday morning.

The older son is in hospital recovering from serious dog bites he sustained as he fled the scene near Moama, southern New South Wales.

The boys' grandparents claim they warned that the mother could endanger the children after she was released from jail last month, but claimed officials 'failed to act'.

The grandparents' lawyer Dale Brooks also claimed that the mother was addicted to methamphetamine.

The mother is pictured with her two boys, aged nine and five, who were involved in the horror incident on Thursday

The search for a missing five-year-old boy resumed on Saturday in Moama, in southern NSW

A five-year-old boy is still missing and was last seen floating downriver face-down (search for boy pictured)

The children's mother (pictured) has been charged with attempted murder after the incident at Moama on the Murray River on Thursday night

A nine-year-old boy is in hospital with serious dog bite injuries as police search for his five-year-old brother who is feared drowned in the Murray River (search for boy pictured)

The owner of the dog involved in the incident said her four-year-old pit bull (pictured) was likely reacting to the drama happening at the banks of the river

A statement released by the grandparents' lawyers said: 'The grandparents have had full-time care of the children for close to 18 months.

'We had made considerable representations to Family and Children Services and the Department of Correctional Services about the imminent risk posed to the little boys with their mothers release from prison.

'Both departments failed to act and consequently we now have a grieving family.'

It is not known what the mother was in prison for, but a court heard that she was on bail for a serious offence when she allegedly tried to kill her children.

A court heard on Friday evening that the mother allegedly told friends the night before the horrific incident that she 'had to drown my babies'.

The mother, who lives near Deniliquin in southern New South Wales, has been charged with the attempted murder of her nine-year-old son.

She allegedly took her nine-year-old son into the river in Moama, about 75km south of Deniliquin, and held his head under the surface as her younger boy, five, screamed from the water's edge, Bendigo Magistrates Court heard.

The nine-year-old was able to free himself and escaped, only to be mauled by a pitbull, called Buddy, that also went on to attack the mother, 9 News reported.

A nine-year-old boy is in hospital with serious dog bite injuries as police search for his five-year-old brother who is feared drowned in a river (search for boy pictured)

Moama is a town in the Riverina district of southern New South Wales, close to the Victorian boarder

Victorian Emergency services personnel search the Murray River at Moama

The court was told that she then took her five-year-old boy into the water.

Police have suspended the search for the younger boy, who is feared dead, but will continue in the morning.

It has also emerged that the mother was on bail, having been released from prison just a month ago.

The mother was arrested after she handed herself in at Echuca Police Station in Victoria on Thursday night.

The court heard that the mother - who was extradited to New South Wales to face charges - told friends on Wednesday that she 'had to drown my babies'.

The court was also told that she was on bail for serious offences when the incident took place. It is not clear what those offences are. She did not apply for bail during the brief court appearance.

Police said the mother took her sons to a property near Moama at about 4pm on Thursday, telling them they were to go fishing in the Murray River.

Moama police were called to the scene and found the boy with dog bite injuries before discovering his younger brother was missing.

Divers recovered a small T-shirt from the river during the search.

New South Wales emergency services personnel search the Murray River

Police said the mother took her sons to a property near Moama at about 4pm on Thursday where they were fishing in the Murray River (search for boy pictured)

Superintendent Paul Condon said police spoke with the older boy on Thursday night after he was taken to a Moama home with the serious bites.

He was transferred to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne where he required surgery. He remains in a serious condition.

'It is very unclear at this stage what happened at the riverbank,' Superintendent Condon said.

'The dog has been involved. The dog has bitten the 27-year-old mother and the nine-year-old. The actual circumstances are unknown.'

Superintendent Condon on Friday said the mother had been interviewed by Deniliquin detectives.

Superintendent Condon said the woman was released from jail about a month ago.

The attempted murder charge relates to the woman's nine-year-old son.

Asked if the mother could subsequently be charged with murder too, Superintendent Condon said: 'I don't know. It depends what the result of the search is.'

Supt Condon said there'd been 'a couple of incidents' involving the family since the mother had been released from jail.

The two boys have different fathers and police are trying to locate the men.

A woman has been arrested as police resume a search for a five-year-old boy missing in the Murray River

Police divers were called in on Friday morning to search for the five-year-old boy (search for boy pictured)

Some 30 searchers are involved from the Rural Fire Service, the SES, and Victorian and NSW police

The mother knew the owners of the property at Moama, where the nine-year-old was found with serious injuries on Thursday evening, Superintendent Condon said.

Some 30 searchers are involved from the Rural Fire Service, the SES, and Victorian and NSW police.

'We are starting from the rear of the premises where the boy was found with the dog and we are trying to expand obviously down river, following the current, but also upstream on the banks,' Superintendent Condon said.

Superintendent Condon said the 'devastating' incident would have a widespread impact.

'I think it will rock the community of Australia,' he said.

No other parties were being sought in relation to this matter, Superintendent Condon said.

'The dog belongs to a local family and police and emergency services were contacted by a local resident,' Superintendent Condon said.

'Contrary to rumours, the dog was not set on the child. This has been an extremely traumatic scene for all the first responders involved and welfare support is being offered.'

The owner of the dog involved in the incident, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Riverine Herald her four-year-old pit bull was likely reacting to the drama happening at the banks of the river.

She believed the dog may have actually been trying to pull the nine-year-old to safety.
A quick-thinking babysitter hid herself and her four-year-old niece during a burglary when an intruder kicked down her door and ransacked the home.

Savannah Jones, 14, was watching her niece Zoyee on Tuesday at their Montclair, California home, when she heard a knock at the front door.

She immediately became suspicious, and the two hid in a bathroom as Savannah called her mother for help and the man came inside by kicking her front door in.

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Savannah Jones, 14, was watching her niece Zoyee on Tuesday at their Montclair, California home, when she heard a knock at the front door

She immediately became suspicious, and hid with Zoyee, pictured, in a bathroom and called her mother for help

'I was very scared not so much for myself, but just Zoyee,' Savannah told KTLA.

'I could hear him going through my mom's room, and he came by the door where we were hiding. I was just hoping he wouldn't know that we were in there.'

She said after peeking through the peep-hole, she noticed the bald man standing outside and the door handle jiggling.

He began to knock on the door aggressively and then kicked down the door and rummaged through at least two rooms.

As Savannah tried to keep her young niece quiet, she was texting her mother asking for help, who was stuck in traffic

She hid Zoyee behind the toilet and said the man walked directly past where they were hiding

As Savannah tried to keep her young niece quiet, she was texting her mother, who was stuck in traffic, asking for help. She told her that she was worried that the man would take Zoyee or hurt them.

She told her mother Maria Muratalla that she was worried the man would hear her and asked her to come home. Maria then called her neighbor, who telephoned police and rushed over to the girl's house.

'She was very smart and brave,' Yesenia Barragan, Savannah's sister, said. 'She did everything right.'

She told her mother Maria Muratalla that she was worried the man would hear her and asked her to come home. Maria then called her neighbor, who telephoned police and rushed over to the girl's house

Unfortunately the man escaped before authorities arrived. Police had K-9 units explore the area but haven't located the burglar yet.

Police are offering a $1,000 reward for any information on his identity or whereabouts. He is described as a black man aged 20-30 years, bald and was wearing a dark colored sweatshirt and jeans.

Anyone with information about the crime can call Montclair Police Department at 909-621-4771
Australian tourists and expats have been warned about the growing terror threat in southeast Asia.

ASIO director-general Duncan Lewis issued the dire warning on Friday, citing the increasing influence of ISIL in the region, ABC News reported.

'One of the greatest terrorist threats to Australians is in southeast Asia,' Mr Lewis said.

The growing influence of ISIL in southeast Asia is posing a threat to Australian tourists and expats

ASIO director-general Duncan Lewis has warned of a growing terrorist threat in southeast Asia

Australians headed for a holiday in southeast Asia have been warned the region is 'one of the greatest terrorist threats to Australians' (stock image)

'This can be attributed to several factors including the rise of ISIL's influence in the region, as well as the fact a number of Australians live, work and holiday there.'

During a security briefing, Mr Lewis also revealed 64 Australians had been confirmed killed fighting in the Middle East since 2012, with 87 per cent aged under 30.

The youngest was 18.

Other figures released on Friday revealed 70 children of Australian fighters had either been taken to Iraq and Syria by their family or were born in those countries.

The number of Australians living, working and holidaying in southeast Asia makes the region the nation's greatest terrorist threat (stock image)

More than 100 Australian terrorists fighting in Syria and Iraq. Pictured is Senior Islamic State terrorist, Australian Neil Prakash

An estimated 200 Australians have gone to fight in Syria and Iraq and about 100 are still fighting in those countries.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he was aware of the threat posed by the foreign fighters returning home, the Herald Sun reported.

'We have that issue of foreign fighters very well in hand. We update and review our laws all the time,' Mr Turnbull said.
New South Wales has introduced classes for high school students advising them how to detect child brides and arranged marriages among classmates.

The government-funded curriculum includes 14 hour-long sessions on forced marriage for high school students in Year 9, 10 and 11, reported the Daily Telegraph.

The sessions feature a list of possible warning signs in fellow students including feeling scared or apprehensive about upcoming family holidays, or not being allowed out without a family chaperone.

The New South Wales government has introduced classes for high school students advising them how to detect child brides and arranged marriages among classmates (stock image)

They also include advice on what to do if students are taken to an airport against their will.

A 'safety plan' also shows students how to communicate without their parents knowing, where they can seek help if they want to leave home and tips on what to do if they are followed.

Students will also be tested on their general knowledge of arranged marriage.

If a student does seek help from a teacher, the teachers are advised not to let any parents be present at the meeting with the student.

According to Australian law, the crime of forced marriage can apply to legally recognised marriages, as well as cultural or religious ceremonies and registered relationships marriages that occur in Australia (including where a person was brought to Australia to get married), as well as where a person is taken overseas to get married.

The government-funded curriculum includes 14 hour-long sessions on forced marriage for high school students in Year 9, 10 and 11 (stock image)

It can also apply to the conduct of any person involved in bringing about the forced marriage, including family members, friends, wedding planners and marriage celebrants.

The New South Wales government reportedly helped 18 girls escape forced marriages in the last financial year - three times more than in 2015.

For further advice, visit My Blue Sky, call (02) 9514 8115 or text 0481 070 844. If someone is at risk of forced marriage, you can call the Australian Federal Police on 131 237. In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
President Donald Trump went after Democrats again this morning for the slow pace of his cabinet confirmations.

The president said on Twitter, 'It is so pathetic that the Dems have still not approved my full Cabinet.'

Of the 24 people Trump has said will hold the rank of cabinet member, 20 are in place. Four remain under consideration in the Senate.

The president's slap at the opposing party had odd timing, as half of his remaining eight nominees were sworn into office this week.

President Donald Trump went after Democrats again this morning for the slow pace of his cabinet confirmations

Wilbur Ross became the commerce secretary on Monday. Ryan Zinke took on the title of interior secretary on Wednesday. Rick Perry and Ben Carson were sworn in as the secretaries of Energy and Housing and Urban Development, respectively, last night.

The four cabinet-level nominees the Senate has not confirmed are Alexander Acosta to Labor, Sonny Perdue to Agriculture, Dan Coats as director of national intelligence and Robert Lighthizer for the role of United States Trade Representative.

Democrats had intentionally held up many of Trump's cabinet picks such as Jeff Sessions, now accused as attorney general of 'misleading' the Senate's Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing.

They tried to block billionaires like Ross and Steve Mnuchin, since approved for Treasury, from taking office.

Opponents of Trump's first nominee for Labor, Andy Puzder, a fast food executive, successfully blocked his confirmation. Puzder withdrew his name on Feb. 15 after allegations of spousal abuse of his ex-wife surfaced.

Trump named Acosta his replacement pick a day later.

Acosta met this week with the head of the committee that will oversee his confirmation process and the leader of the Senate, Mitch McConnell.

A date for his hearing has not yet been set.

Perdue, Trump's choice for Agriculture, is still awaiting a hearing, as well. But he was the last of Trump's cabinet members to be announced, aside from Acosta.

The former governor of Georgia was not nominated to the post until Jan. 18, two days before the Republican president's inauguration.

The president's slap at the opposing party had odd timing, as half of his remaining eight nominees were sworn into office this week, including Ben Carson, who now heads Housing. He's seen signing his documentation last night

That leaves Coats and Lighthizer.

Coats, the senator Trump tapped for director of national intelligence, did not have his confirmation hearing until this week, despite being nominating more than six week ago on January 7.

Despite the dramatics involving Russian-engineered hacking that was meant to disrupt the presidential election and Trump's vow to root out leakers in the intelligence community, Coats' nomination remained on hold until last week.

A retired Indiana lawmaker, Coats hit a roadblock because he opted not to seek reelection in 2016. He left the Senate on Jan. 3.

With his title went the security clearance he held as a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence committees.

Coats appeared before the Senate Intel committee on Tuesday and still has to answer written questions from legislators before they take a vote.

Democrats on the committee could draw out his confirmation process further by piling up paperwork for him and asking for delays but none have indicated they intend to do so.

The four cabinet-level nominees the Senate has not confirmed are Alexander Acosta to Labor, Sonny Perdue to Agriculture (left) Dan Coats as director of national intelligence and Robert Lighthizer for the role of United States Trade Representative (right)

Trump has shared his frustration with the process, opining at the news conference where he formally announced that he was nominating Acosta that Coats, 'one of the most respected men of the Senate, he cant get approved.'

'How do you not approve him? Hes been a colleague, highly respected -- brilliant guy, great guy, everybody knows it -- but waiting for approval,' the president said.

Congress in 2004 passed legislation that was meant to prevent a vacancy in such a sensitive position.

It encourages a 'president-elect to submit, for security clearance, potential nominees to high-level national security positions as soon as possible after the election,' the Congressional Research Service says.

The point of the advisory was to 'reduce the elapsed time between a new president's inauguration and the appointment of his or her national security team.'

Trump waited nearly two months after the election to name a director of national intelligence, contributing to the hold up.

Lighthizer's nomination has also faced complications.

Appointed by Trump on Jan. 3, he met with the head senator on the committee a week later. His hearing has not been scheduled yet, either.

BloombergMarkets has reported that lobbying Lighthizer did on behalf of Brazil in 1985 is tangling his confirmation up.

Congress passed a rule barring anyone who represented a foreign government from becoming USTR in 1995.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, a former USTR spokesman, has argued that the rule, passed a decade after the work, does not apply in this instance.

'Over 30 years ago, he briefly provided counsel to a Brazilian client in U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings -- in an effort to reach an amicable settlement with concerned U.S. producers. It would be absurd that such an action should prevent him from serving as USTR,' Spicer said.

Congress could also vote to make an exception if lawmakers determine that it does affect Lighthizer much the way it passed legislation allowing James Mattis to serve as Secretary of Defense even though he didn't meet a key requirement.

Senate Democrats are making that process take longer by insisting that Republicans attach the Miners Protection Act, which made it through the committee 18-2 last session, to a vote on Lighthizer's waiver.
Women should earn less than men because they are 'weaker', 'smaller' and 'less intelligent', an MEP has told the European Parliament.

Janusz Korwin-Mikke, 74, made the staggering remark on Wednesday - and then followed it today saying the idea that women are as intelligent as men 'must be destroyed'.

The Polish MEP, who has previously been sanctioned for making racist comments and remarks about the Holocaust, could face a heavy fine or suspension after an investigation was launched.

Today he said in Warsaw that it is a '20th-century stereotype that women have the same intellectual potential as men', and that the stereotype 'must be destroyed because it is not true'.

He told fellow MEPs: 'Of course women must earn less than men, because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent, they must earn less, that's all.'

The bowtie-wearing, moustachioed Korwin-Mikke made the comments after interrupting a speech by a female Spanish MEP Iratxe Garcia-Perez.

He first made remarks about women in sport and added: 'Do you know how many women are in the first 100 of chess players. I tell you: no one.'

Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke said women should earn less than men because they are 'weaker', 'smaller' and 'less intelligent'

After hearing the remark following complaints from other European Parliamentarians, chief Antonio Tajani said he had launched an inquiry over 'sexist remarks" that could result in a fine or suspension.

'Mr Tajani was immediately alerted to the incident by several MEPs,' the parliament said in a statement late Thursday, adding that he had watched footage of the incident.

Garcia Perez then shot back: 'According to what you are saying... I would not have the right to be here.

'I think I have to defend European women to men like you.'

Korwin-Mikke has previously courted controversy by claiming Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was 'not aware of the extermination of the Jews', calling refugees 'human garbage' and using a racist term to refer to black Americans.
Embattled NRL star Martin Kennedy, 28, has been arrested over his alleged involvement in an illegal international animal smuggling ring.

The suspended NRL player was arrested on Friday afternoon after police allegedly seized a number of snakes and other wildlife at his Bondi home, the Daily Telegraph report.

A federal police investigation into the trafficking of reptiles overseas, a multi-billion dollar industry, culminated in Kennedy's arrest on Friday.

Embattled NRL star Martin Kennedy, 28, has been arrested over his alleged involvement in an illegal international animal smuggling ring

Police allege the former Sydney Roosters and Broncos player was responsible for 16 packages sent from Thailand to Australia containing more than 200 animals.

Animals in the alleged smuggling ring included Chinese soft-shell turtles, alligator snapping turtles, snakehead fish, sugar gliders, veiled chameleons and freshwater stingrays, the Daily Telegraph report.

Six packages containing more than 40 native Australian shingleback lizards, bound for Sweden were also intercepted.

Kennedy was charged with 40 offences, 37 counts falling under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and three offences under the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Kennedy was charged with 40 offences, 37 counts falling under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and three offences under the Biosecurity Act 2015

A shingleback lizard, like that seized in the Friday raid, can be sold for up to $400 in Australia and even more if sold in overseas markets

The embattled NRL player faces a maximum of 10 years behind bars for his alleged offences.

Mr Kennedy's arrest comes after he was suspended from playing NRL in 2016.

He was suspended for two years and nine months for breaching the NRL's anti-doping policy.

Kennedy was found guilty of ordering performance-enhancing drugs during the 2012 season.

The embattled NRL player faces a maximum of 10 years behind bars for his alleged offences

He was later found guilty of trying to delete evidence from his phone and was suspended for a further nine months.

Mr Kennedy is just one of a number of people caught up in the alleged wildlife smuggling ring, where rare reptiles are caught in the outback and sold on the international black market, according to the Daily Telegraph.

A shingleback lizard, like that seized in the Friday raid, can be sold for up to $400 in Australia and even more if sold in overseas markets, a wildlife specialist told the Daily Telegraph.

The specialist said the wildlife racket endangered the animals and put them at great risk of injury and even death.

'(Smugglers) often just take a risk that the animals will survive the flights and they are heavily packaged,' he told the Daily Telegraph.

Federal police also seized large amounts of cash and evidence during their Friday raids.

Australian Federal Police crime operations manager Chris McDevitt told the Daily Telegraph the wildlife ring was part of a multi-billion dollar black market industry.

'This has been a complex investigation and the scale of criminality involved in the matter has been astounding,' he said.
There are grave concerns for a woman and her young son who haven't been seen for more than six weeks.

Police are desperately trying to locate Bobby-Jo Marshall, 32, and her son Shimma Wise, 14.

The pair were last seen in Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane, on 19 January.

Police are desperately trying to locate Bobby-Jo Marshall, 32 (left), and her son Shimma Wise, 14 (right)

Ms Marshall (pictured) and her son were last seen in Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane, on 19 January

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate the pair.

Bobby-Jo is described as being 170cm tall, thin build, with a fair complexion and blonde hair.

Shimma, is 14 years old, 170cm tall, with a thin build and tanned complexion.

Police have released pictures of Bobby-Jo and Shimma in the hope that someone might recognise them.

Anyone who sees Bobby-Jo and Shimma are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are being sent to Germany and Poland on official visits just weeks after the start of official Brexit talks.

William and Kate will tour the two countries in July at the specific request of the Foreign Office, run by leading Brexiteer Boris Johnson.

The Royal couple were already due to visit France later this month in a trip that will likely take place within days of Theresa May filing the Article 50 notification that will start irreversible Brexit talks.

And the royal charm offensive does not stop there. The Daily Mail can reveal that Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall are expected to tour a number of EU countries including Italy in late March and early April.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are being sent to Germany and Poland on official visits just weeks after the start of official Brexit talks

Royal visits to EU nations during the talks may help underline Mrs May's insistence that while Britain is quitting the European Union, it is not leaving Europe.

Senior Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg told MailOnline: 'An excellent move to secure and improve relations with an important ally.'

Laws handing Mrs May power over Article 50 - the clause in the EU treaties that contain the divorce procedures for the bloc - are expected to be law on or around March 15.

This will allow her to meet her timetable of triggering Article 50 and starting the two years of official exit talks before the end of the month.

The Royal Family have long been seen as crucial levers of 'soft power' to the Government.

William travelled to Germany last summer, visiting Dusseldorf for a series of events honouring the role of British armed forces based in the country.

During a gala event, where the Duke gave a speech alongside Chancellor Angela Merkel, William claimed the 'depth' of Britain's friendship with Germany would not change after Brexit.

The British monarchy has close ties with the European country, as a succession of sovereigns from George I, born in what is now modern Germany and who acceded to the throne in 1714, to William IV, who died in 1830, were also rulers of Hanover in Germany.

Royal visits to EU nations during the talks may help underline Mrs May's insistence that while Britain is quitting the European Union, it is not leaving Europe

The 300th anniversary of what is known as the 'personal union' was celebrated in 2014, and the year before the milestone, princesses Beatrice and Eugenie visited Germany to highlight the event.

During a state visit to Germany in 2015, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visited the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp to mark the 70th anniversary of its liberation by British forces.

Kate has yet to make an official trip to Germany and the Cambridges have not toured Poland before on behalf of the Government.

Kensington Palace said full details of the visit would be released at a later date.

A Whitehall source said: The work they do in establishing and nurturing relationships with other countries has always been invaluable and will be even more crucial as we try to strengthen bilateral relations after Brexit.
Patrick Stewart has revealed he is applying for US citizenship so he can 'fight and oppose' Donald Trump.

The Star Trek actor, 76, said on Thursday that getting an American passport 'might be the only good thing as the result of this election'.

The legendary thespian - who was born in West Yorkshire but lives in Brooklyn - added that he and his wife went to Washington last month to visit friends and ask them what they could do about the President.

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Patrick Stewart has revealed he is applying for US citizenship so he can 'fight and oppose' Donald Trump

Speaking on The View, he explained: 'I want to be an American, too.

'All of my friends in Washington said: "There is one thing you can do. Fight, fight; oppose, oppose." But I can't do it because I'm not a citizen.'

Sir Patrick, who lives in Brooklyn with his third wife Sunny Ozell, admitted that as a couple they had 'three separate dinners' with their 'Washington insider' friends to work out 'what we could do' about Trump.

He was also questioned about a Tweet he posed on February 10 in which he wrote: 'Had the worst sleep of my life last night.

The Star Trek actor, 76, said on Thursday that getting an American passport 'might be the only good thing as the result of this election'.

Stewart Tweeted that he had 'the worst sleep' after having dinner with his 'Washington insider' friends to ask them what he could do about Trump

'But I was sleeping less than 300 yds from where Donald Trump sleeps. Could there be a connection?'

Stewart explained that he posted the Tweet after the third dinner with friends, and insisted it was 'a fairly innocent Tweet' that 'didn't directly insult the President'.

Stewart has lived on and off in the United States since securing the legendary Star Trek role of Jean-Luc Picard in the 1980s.

The legendary thespian was born in West Yorkshire but has lived in Brooklyn with his wife Sunny Ozell since 2012

He has lived in Brooklyn since 2012 with musician Ozell - who he married in 2013 after five years together.

The actor previously took aim at Trump on social media last March, when he Tweeted a photo of a man carrying a sign that read: 'Give me a dollar or I vote for Trump.'

He wrote alongside the shot: 'Made me forget the humidity for a moment. Worth 5 bucks.'

He also claimed Trump couldn't be taken 'seriously' due to his 'antics' in an interview with Vice last May.

'Well, of course, we had no idea that Dreadful Trump would be up to these antics that he is up to now,' he told the website.

'And I call them antics because how could they possibly be taken seriously.'

Stewart reprises his role as X-Men founder Professor X in the Wolverine tale, Logan, which opens on Friday.

He revealed he'll be leaving the X-Men franchise after Logan earlier this month.

While onstage at a SiriusXM Town Hall with the film's leading man Hugh Jackman and director James Mangold, he recalled deciding to stop playing Professor X.

At the film's world premiere during this year's Berlinale: 'I realized there will never be a better, a more perfect, a more sensitive, emotional, and beautiful way of saying au revoir to Charles Xavier than this movie.'

The actor previously took aim at Trump on social media last March, when he Tweeted a photo of a man carrying a sign that read: 'Give me a dollar or I vote for Trump'

The 76-year-old remembered of the February 17 event: 'A week ago, Friday night in Berlin, the three of us sat, watching the movie. And I was so moved by it, much more moved than I had been the first time of seeing it.'

When he had a look at Jackman, who's also announced his departure from the franchise post-Logan, he noticed the man who played Wolverine tearing up.

At which point: 'I realized I had just done the same thing. Then, the movie ended and we were going to be taken up on stage, but not until the credits were over.'
Blog Hinangai

While there is much discussion in Guam about the economic benefits of increasing the islands military presence, the damages/dangers that they represent are rarely mentioned. This blog, a supplement to the Peace and Justice for Guam Petition, is meant to counter that by providing information about the US military in Guam, with the hopes of steering policy away from a dangerous unilateralist course to more sustainable notions of regional development and a strengthening international solidarity.
A woman who once sued financier sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for forcing her into sex acts when she was 16 has been charged with breaking into a Victoria's Secret and stealing bras.

Maximillia Cordero, 33, was arrested after allegedly breaking into the Victoria's Secret on 86th Street in Manhattan Monday around 11.30pm, reports the New York Daily News. She was charged with grand larceny and burglary.

A passing police officer noticed the revolving door to the store was damaged and found Cordero inside, stealing $1,000 worth of push-bras, G-strings, and makeup, according to the outlet.

Cordero was allegedly intoxicated. She was reportedly dressed in tattered clothing and a black coat.

She was checked into a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. She has a long-history of mental health problems.

Registered sex offender Jeffrey Epstein (left) was sued by aspiring model Maximillia Cordero (right) who said he pressured her into 'unnatural' sex acts when she was just a teen by promising to help her model for Victoria's Secret. She has been arrested for breaking into a store in Manhattan and stealing $1,000 of goods

In 2007, the aspiring model filed suit against Epstein, who served 13 months in prison for soliciting an underage prostitute, claiming that he had pressured her into oral sex and other 'bizarre and unnatural sex acts' when she was a teen and trying to be a model. She said that Epstein promised to help her model for Victoria's Secret, in exchange for sex acts.

The suit was dismissed in 2008, because Cordero was found not to be 'insane' at the time of the alleged forced sexual relations, reports the Observer.

Cordero didn't file suit until seven years after the alleged incidents, after the statute of limitations had expired, and two years after Epstein was accused of several instances of soliciting sex from underage girls, said the outlet.

A cop noticed that the revolving door to the store (above) was damaged and investigated, allegedly finding Cordero inside pilfering bras, G-strings and makeup

Police sources told the Daily News that in 2009, Cordero pulled a knife on an ex-boyfriend in 2009, and was charged with assault.

In 2014, she was arrested for burglary after stealing two bottles of perfume from a Columbus Circle Sephora and was sentenced to seven months in prison.

'Shes mentally unwell and on medication for her psychosis,' her lawyer at the time, William Unroch, told the New York Post in 2007.

On Friday, the Miami Herald reported that although feds had a sweeping indictment to charge Epstein with underage sex trafficking, but the US attorney office's lead, Alex Acosta, decided to stick with state charges after negotiating with Epstein's defense team.

If Epstein had been convicted of the charges in the indictment, he could have spent the rest of his life behind bars.
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Parts of Britain face more than two inches of rain in just 12 hours as the country prepares for a washout weekend.

On the first weekend of meteorological spring, the Met Office has issued a weather warning for heavy and persistent downpours in Scotland and Northern Ireland tonight and tomorrow with snow also possible on higher ground.

Parts of England and Wales are on flood watch today, with 18 alerts in place for areas around West London, Stafford and Shrewsbury, as well as a more serious warning issued for the North Sea coast at Bridlington.

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Umbrellas at the ready: People try their best to avoid getting wet in Cambridge today as Britain prepares for a wet weekend

Commuters stand on the platform at Petts Wood train station in Kent this morning as the UK endures wet and cold weather

Shoppers shelter from the rain in Southampton city centre in Hampshire today as the UK faces two inches of rain overnight

Tourists huddle under umbrellas as they try to enjoy punting on the River Cam in Cambridge today despite the bad weather

Tonight will be largely cloudy for Britain, with outbreaks of rain in most areas. Eastern and northern areas will see the most persistent downpours, while the South East of England could also see heavier bursts at times.

Rain will linger for much of tomorrow in eastern and northern areas, and will turn heavy in the far north of Scotland during the afternoon - while it will be drier and brighter elsewhere but with showers in the West.

On Sunday further spells of rain will push up from the South West, with heavy and possibly thundery showers developing for central and southern areas, while Scotland and Northern Ireland will also see outbreaks of rain.

The start of next week is not looking much better at the moment either, with unsettled weather forecast for Monday with showers and patchy rain in the North. Elsewhere, it will be bright but with a few showers around.

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The Met Office has warned of 2in of rain in Northern Ireland (left) overnight and 1.6in in eastern Scotland tomorrow (right)

Parts of England and Wales are on flood watch today, with 18 alerts (in orange) and one more serious warning (in red) issued

A Met Office warning for rain in eastern Scotland tells of an active frontal system pushing up from the south, bringing 1.2in (30mm) of rain quite widely - while some areas could see 1.6in (40mm) over higher ground.

A short period of snow is also possible on higher ground above 1,000ft before it turns to rain, while a warning for Northern Ireland forecasts more than 2in (50mm) to fall in a 12-hour period between tonight and tomorrow.

The highest rainfall recorded anywhere in Britain yesterday was 1.2in (30.4mm) at Capel Curig in North Wales, while the coldest place was Tyndrum in Scotland where temperatures fell to -4.9C (23F).

Meteorological spring began two days ago on Wednesday, while March 20 is the first day of astronomical spring.

Five fishermen are rescued after trawler sinks in bad weather

Five fishermen have been rescued from the water after their trawler sank in bad weather off Shetland today.

The crew called for help at around 6.50am when the Lerwick-registered vessel Ocean Way began taking on water.

Lerwick RNLI lifeboat and the Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Sumburgh both went to the scene, with the lifeboat arriving at 8.05am.

The crew called for help at around 6.50am when the Lerwick-registered vessel Ocean Way began taking on water

Two lifeboat crew, one of whom works on the Ocean Way, were transferred to the trawler with a salvage pump, while Norwegian fish carrier the Gerda Saele had already put a pump on board.

The helicopter began winching a third pump on board, however Ocean Way's skipper decided to abandon ship when it became apparent that the vessel was beyond saving.

Due to the sea conditions, it was too dangerous to take the lifeboat alongside, so the five crew and two RNLI volunteers jumped into the water minutes before the trawler sank at 8.20am.

They were picked up by the lifeboat, crewed by eight volunteers, and taken back to Lerwick, arriving at 9.50am.

The trawler crew were all wearing life jackets and had an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon on board the vessel which went off, pinpointing their position.

Rescuers praised them for having the correct equipment.

Lifeboat coxswain Alan Tarby said: 'While the third pump was being winched on board the skipper decided to abandon ship and within minutes of him making that decision they got off and it sank, so it was a good call by the skipper.

'The rescue was made much easier because the Ocean Way's crew were all wearing the correct safety equipment and had undergone safety training. It was a good outcome even although the vessel was lost, all the crew were unharmed.

'The lifeboat crew performed very well, especially the two men who were in the water with the fishermen.'

The fishermen were checked over by ambulance crew in Lerwick but did not need medical treatment.

Mark Rodaway, commander for the UK Coastguard, said: 'This was a difficult rescue in awful weather. In the sea conditions, the lifeboat had a difficult time trying to safely get alongside the fishing vessel which subsequently sunk.

'But I'm delighted to say that all five fishermen are safe and well and the fact that they were all wearing life jackets ensured that they had the best chance of survival.'
A pervert who raped a hen because he could not find a girlfriend tried to get a reduced sentence saying he was too afraid to chat up women.

Kevin Simiyi was caught in the vile act by the horrified owner of the chicken, which died from exhaustion shortly after the ordeal.

After asking for a lenient jail term, he was sent to prison for 15 months by a magistrate in Kenya for bestiality.

Kevin Simiyi was caught having sex with the hen by the animal's owner in Kenya

The pervert tried to bargain for a lenient sentence because he was a first-time offender

Magistrate Stephen Mogute sentenced him to 15 months in Bungoma Prison (pictured)

The 18-year-old told a shocked court he was too afraid to chat up women and they did not fancy him because he was poor.

When asked if he was guilty, he said: 'Yes, I did it.

'I was caught defiling the hen by its owner.

'I fear approaching women because of the high level of poverty and I feel women are very expensive.'

Judith Nasimiyu, the hen's owner, told the hearing the bird died of exhaustion last Friday as vets collected evidence against Simiyi.

The teenager pleaded guilty to bestiality in Bungoma, Kenya, and brazenly asked the court to be lenient because he was a first offender.

But magistrate Stephen Mogute sentenced him to 15 months in Bungoma Prison.
Federal authorities have arrested a disgraced former journalist from St. Louis for making a number of threats against Jewish institutions as part of a vicious internet campaign against a former lover.

Juan Thompson, 31, was arrested by the FBI in St. Louis on Thursday for allegedly making bomb threats against at least eight Jewish community centers, the US Attorney's Office said.

Thompson is alleged to have engaged in a campaign to harass and intimidate', prosecutors said.

Thompson is a former journalist who was fired from The Intercept after it was learned he had fabricated quotes and invented sources.

The news site, which focuses on national security issues, acknowledged last year that Thompson used fake email accounts to impersonate others.

He was also found to have attributed quotes to individuals in news stories even though those people later said they were never interviewed.

Thompson was charged in New York with cyberstalking a woman by communicating threats to JCCs in the womans name.

If convicted, Thompson faces up to five years in federal prison. He is due in a St. Louis federal court on Friday.

Federal authorities have arrested Juan Thompson (above), a disgraced former journalist from St. Louis, in connection with a number of threats made against Jewish institutions

Juan Thompson, 31, is a disgraced former journalist fired from The Intercept for fabricating quotes. He was charged by the federal government with cyberstalking

People are evacuated from the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie, Florida, on February 27 after a bomb threat. Thompson allegedly made threats against eight Jewish institutions in the name of a former lover

Thompson appears to have made at least eight of the JCC threats as part of a sustained campaign to harass and intimidate the woman after their romance ended.

Approximately 100 Jewish centers have been threatened in recent weeks. In addition, Jewish cemeteries have been vandalized and headstones knocked over.

Thompson will also be questioned about the tombstone desecrations, authorities said.

On Monday, 21 bomb threats were phoned in to 13 JCCs and eight Jewish schools in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia.

Thompson is also alleged to have sent 'defamatory emails and faxes' to the woman's employer as well as 'false reports of criminal activity' by the woman.

Thompson is also alleged to have sent 'defamatory emails and faxes' to the woman's employer as well as 'false reports of criminal activity' by the woman. He also used his Twitter to feed to allege that she was stalking him and trying to frame him

Federal authorities also say that Thompson used his Twitter feed to allege that the woman in question made threats against him as well as President Donald Trump

The tweet above was cited by the federal government in its complaint against Thompson. Here he tweeted that the woman in question was 'a filthy anti-Semite'

Federal authorities allege that Thompson had falsely claimed that the woman possess child pornography back in October.

When questioned about the claim in November, Thompson told investigators that his internet was hacked.

The government alleges that Thompson began to make threats against Jewish institutions back in January.

On or about February 21, Thompson allegedly emailed a threat to the New York offices of the Anti-Defamation League.

A St. Louis Police car is seen outside of Thompson's home in St. Louis on Friday

'[The woman] is behind the bomb threats against jews,' the email read. 'She lives in nyc and is making more bomb threats tomorrow.'

The next day, the ADL received a phone call stating that explosive materials had been placed in its midtown Manhattan office.

The federal government also alleges that on or around February 7, a JCC in Manhattan received an emailed bomb threat from an anonymous account.

'Juan Thompson put two bombs in the office of the Jewish center today,' the email read. 'He wants to create Jewish newtown tomorrow.'

'Newtown' is a reference to Newtown, Connecticut, the site of a December 2012 school shooting that left 26 people dead, among them 20 children.

On or about February 21, Thompson allegedly emailed a threat to the New York offices of the Anti-Defamation League (seen above)

Federal authorities also say that Thompson used his Twitter feed to allege that the woman in question made threats against him as well as President Donald Trump.

Thompson claimed in the tweets that the woman was trying to frame him.

'Y'all know how to get a social worker in NY barred?' he tweeted on Monday. 'I'm being stalked and harassed by a white nasty white woman in NYC.'

He tweeted that he had been questioned by the FBI and the Secret Service who were investigating the matter.

'The Secret Service visited me looked at my tweets, questioned my politics b/c some awful white woman I date reported me,' Thompson tweeted the same day.

'I won't be silenced.'

The ADL tweeted on Friday that the suspect behind the threat had been arrested

In a pinned tweet on his account, he wrote a rambling note filled with accusations against the woman and 'the racist FBI.'

Two years ago, after swearing off white women, I started dating one, he tweeted.

She seemed like a cool Brooklyn white radical. There were [sic] warning signs though; she didnt tell me she had herpes until AFTER we hooked up; she called me a thug, in an approving way, because she liked I was wearing Js and balling shorts after the gym; and she called herself captain save-a-thug  a reference to the type of black men she dated.

We broke up after someone showed me the light, and since then shes stalked and harassed me, he wrote. [She] threatened to have me killed, and said she was going to make me a prison statistic and looked forward to me being raped in prison.

[The woman] is a clinical [sic] director at a prominent NYC non-profit.

She, though I cant prove it, even sent a bomb threat in my name to a Jewish center, which was odd given her anti-Semitic statements.

I got a visit from the FBI. So now Im battling the racist FBI and this vile, evil, racist white woman.

Im afraidwe know what happens when white women use the law to go after black men.

On Sunday, Thompson re-tweeted a number of news stories about the bomb threats against the JCC as well as other historical articles and references to anti-Semitism and the Nazis.

'The hatred of Jews goes across all demos,' he tweeted in a post that was referenced in the US Attorney's Office complaint.

'Ask NYCs [employer of the woman in question,' he tweeted. 'They employ a filthy anti-Semite. These ppl are evil.'

'Thompsons alleged pattern of harassment not only involved the defamation of his female victim, but his threats intimidated an entire community,' FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney said.

'The FBI and our partners take these crimes seriously.'

After Thompson's arrest, Jewish community leaders met with FBI Director James Comey.

The JCC Association of North America said Friday's meeting included discussion of threats directed against Jewish institutions in the past two months.

The association says the Jewish community is deeply grateful for the FBI's 'extraordinary effort.'

It says representatives left the meeting 'with the highest confidence' that the agency will work to resolve the matter soon.
Bizarre footage shows the moment passersby try to rescue a luxury car after it drove into cement in China.

The driver did not realise that the road was unfinished and the cement was still wet at the time of the incident on March 1 in Foshan, southern China.

According to local media, the Lexus car was eventually freed after the driver spent hours cleaning cement from the vehicle.

The driver looks at the wheel as he tries to move the vehicle after driving it into thick cement

The footage shows the driver of the luxury car peering out the window and trying the move the vehicle.

Onlookers stepped in to help him try and push the car and lend a hand.

However the car appears to be stuck.

According to reports, the driver thought the road was finished and was shocked when the vehicle became stuck in the wet cement.

After hours of cleaning, the driver managed to get the car out of the cement.
President Donald Trump will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House for the first time on March 14.

Trump continuously criticized the German chancellor during the U.S. election for taking in so many refugees.

Merkel's open-door policy, he said, was a 'catastrophic mistake.' The conservative politician even accused his contemporary of 'ruining Germany.'

He'll attempt to put all that behind them later this month as plays host to his sixth foreign leader.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be meeting with Donald Trump for the first time in the White House on March 14

The two had previously spoken via telephone in January just days after Trump's inauguration.

Trump and Merkel discussed conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine and agreed on the importance of NATO, during the 'extensive conversation.'

Merkel, who wields significant sway in Europe, was critical of Trump's refugee and immigration travel ban, but the topic was not discussed during the phone call.

While former President Barack Obama had labeled Merkel an 'outstanding partner', there has been little known contact between the German leader and Trump since he took office.

Trump spokeswoman Sarah Hucakbee Sanders did not offer details today on what the two may discuss.

As a candidate, Trump given Merkel mixed leadership marks.

Although he claimed in March of 2016 that 'Germany's being destroyed by Merkel's naivete or worse,' he's also said he respected the foreign leader until she instituted the refugee policy.

'I think Merkel is a really great world leader but I was very disappointed that, when she, this move with the whole thing on immigration,' Trump in September said. 'I think it's a big problem and really you know to look at what she's done in the last year and a half.'

Continuing, he claimed, 'I was always a Merkel person. I thought, really fantastic, but I think she made a very tragic mistake a year and a half ago.'

A year before, in December 2015, he said of Merkel, 'Nice woman, I like her, I like her. I better like her, I may have to deal with her.

'Look, Putin likes me. I want her to like me too.'

Since moving into the White House, Trump has used Germany's problems as justification for his thwarted decision to tighten America's own refugee policies.

'We've got to keep our country safe. You look at what's happening in Germany,' he said a February rally in Melbourne, Florida.

Trump's second-in-command, Mike Pence, sought to extend an olive branch to Merkel during a trip to Germany over President's Day weekend.

Pence had a 'very friendly' conversation with Merkel, aides to her reportedly said, during which they discussed Iran.

The vice president on the same trip committed the United States to defending European security.

'This is President Trump's promise: we will stand with Europe today and every day, because we are bound together by the same noble ideals  freedom, democracy, justice and the rule of law,' Pence said.

Now in his second month in office, Trump has not yet traveled to any foreign countries as president but has hosted five other heads of government to the White House. The leaders of the U.K., Japan, Canada, Israel and Peru came in that order.

A rendezvous with the Mexican president was cancelled after they agreed to disagree on Trump's border wall
A hotel overlooking Israel's security wall - branded 'the worst view in the world' by its manager - has been opened by British artist Banksy.

The guest house, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, includes a mural by the secretive artist showing a Palestinian having a pillow fight with an Israeli.

The Walled Off Hotel also features a presidential suite and a museum with the artist's politically-charged work.

A statement from Banksy said it was themed around 'an English gentlemen's club from colonial times', acknowledging the historical role Britain played in the Middle East.

The guest house, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, includes a Banksy mural showing a Palestinian having a pillow fight with an Israeli

The hotel is awash in the trademark satirical work of the mysterious artist

It is far from a standard tourist spot though, with the decor including statues choking on tear gas, cherubs hanging from the ceiling, their faces covered by oxygen masks and oil paintings of refugee life jackets washed ashore.

I dont know why but it felt like a good time to reflect on what happens when the United Kingdom makes a huge political decision without fully comprehending the consequences. Banksy

The hotel was set up in secrecy over the last 14 months - Israeli military authorities in the West Bank did not immediately respond when asked if they had been aware in advance.

In a statement the artist said: 'Its exactly one hundred years since Britain took control of Palestine and started re-arranging the furniture - with chaotic results.

'I dont know why but it felt like a good time to reflect on what happens when the United Kingdom makes a huge political decision without fully comprehending the consequences.'

A statue of a chimpanzee bell-boy stands at the entrance, clothes falling out of the suitcase he holds.

It looks directly at the West Bank separation barrier erected by Israel to ward off potential Palestinian attackers.

An employee stands in the bar area of The Walled Off Hotel in the West Bank city of Bethlehem

A waiter in the hotel, which displays artwork from British artist Banksy

The barrier is heavily decorated by artists, and Banksy has previously painted several murals on a walled segment of it.

The hotel is awash in the trademark satirical work of the mysterious artist. The highlight is room number three, known as Banksy's Room, where guests sleep in a king-size bed underneath Banksy's artwork showing a Palestinian and an Israeli in a pillow fight.

The guest house also features a depiction of the signing of the 1919 Balfour declaration, in which British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour gave support to a Jewish homeland.

The hotel also has its own art gallery and an exhibition dedicated solely to the wall, which features contributions from Palestinians and Israelis.

The Walled Off is Banksy's biggest project since the 2015 Dismaland theme park at the English seaside, where staff carried balloons proclaiming "I'm an imbecile" and model boats full of refugees floated in a pond.

The view from the hotel of the Israeli security wall, which has been dubbed 'the worst view in the world' by the guest house's owner

A wall decorated with security cameras and slingshots is seen in the bar area of the hotel

The presidential suite of the The Walled Off Hotel in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, featuring work by British artist Banksy

Artwork in the restaurant area of the hotel, where the cheapest rooms are available from $30 a night

The cheapest rooms were available from $30 a night.

Banksy, whose real name is not known, described his guesthouse as having the worst view of any hotel in the world. Every room overlooks the barrier which is a symbol of oppression for the Palestinians.

Israel began building it in 2002 at the height of a Palestinian uprising in which Israeli cities were rocked by frequent Palestinian suicide bombings.

Palestinians dub it an 'apartheid wall' and an Israeli attempt to grab land in the West Bank, which they want along with Gaza and East Jerusalem, for a future state.

Banksy has made previous forays into the Palestinian territories. In one secret visit, he drew a painting of a girl pulled upward by balloons on the barrier facing his current project.

Last year, he is believed to have sneaked into Gaza to draw four street murals, including one on a metal door that depicted the Greek goddess Niobe cowering against the rubble of a destroyed house.

The Banksy statement said the hotel 'offers a warm welcome to people from all sides of the conflict and across the world" and was financed by the artist'.

The presidential suite of The Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem, which features work by British artist Banksy

A mural showing an Israeli having a pillow fight with a Palestinian is on the wall in one of the bedrooms

Manager Wissam Salsah said he was hopeful that the hotel would attract guests from around the world.

He said: 'We hope that were going to support a tourism that already exists in Bethlehem, known as Banksy tourism.

'I hope were going to generate millions of dollars for the economy of Bethlehem.'

Banksy's work is displayed in The Walled Off Hotel, which is next to an Israeli security wall in Bethlehem

Gavin Grindon of the University of Essex, who co-curated with Banksy the museum inside The Walled Off Hotel, stands by a re-enactment of the signing of the 1919 Balfour declaration in the in the West Bank city of Bethlehem

The painting, titled Bomb Damage, was drawn on the last remaining part of a two-story house that was destroyed in the 2014 war between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers.

The artist's satirical stencils - rats, kissing policemen, riot police with yellow smiley faces - first appeared on walls in Bristol before spreading to London and then around the world.

His artwork comments on war, child poverty and the environment. His identity remains a mystery, but his works have fetched as much as $1.8 million at auctions.

Previous work by Banksy includes a picture of a girl with balloons on a security wall in Ramallah, West Bank

A Banksy mural in Bethlehem, adourning a separation wall between Israel and the West Bank
The number of advisors linked to President Donald Trump who met with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. has grown to five  with two more acknowledging the contacts Thursday night.

Carter Page, who Trump identified as among his first foreign policy advisors, acknowledged the contact on MSNBC Thursday night when he didn't deny meeting with Kisklak.

Kislyak's role as the Kremlin's eyes and ears in Washington exploded onto the scene after it was revealed he met with a number of officials in Trump's inner circle during the campaign and after Trump won the presidency.

'I'm not going to deny that I talked with him," Page told MSBNC's Chris Hayes.

UNDENIABLE: Former Donald Trump campaign advisor Carter Page said he wouldn't deny speaking to Russia's ambassador to the U.S.

"I will say that I never met him anywhere outside of Cleveland, let's just say that much," Page said.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Thursday that he was recusing himself from any investigations involving Russia and Trump campaign ties after it was revealed he met twice with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. and didn't disclose it to Congress.

Page confirmed the contacts after a USA Today report, and after earlier in the interview saying he didn't want to talk about it because of confidentiality conditions.

Not quitting: Jeff Sessions said he would sit out any decision on prosecutions which could arise from current investigations into whether Russia meddled in the election - but that he had not lied to the Senate

President Donald Trump said he had 'total' confidence in his attorney general and does not think he should recuse himself from Justice Department investigations involving Russia - only hours before Sessions announced he would recuse himself

Page explained his meeting with Russia's ambassador, which occurred during a session in connection with the Republican convention in Cleveland, on MSNBC

'Im not talking about any meetings that I had there, because I learned confidentiality rules when I served in the U.S. Navy,' he said.

Page also downplayed his role as a Trump advisor. 'I never directly briefed Donald Trump. I was part of a named committee which was put together,' he said.

Page participated in a conference at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, where the contact occurred.

Also appearing were Sessions, and former Trump campaign aide J.D. Gordon.

USA identified Gordon as speaking to Kislyak at the event, something Gordon also confirmed to CNN.

Gordon told CNN that no inappropriate chatter came up in the conversation.

"This is not any different than anything I said publicly and on panels," he said.

USA Today and Gordon also identified Trump foreign policy advisor Walid Phares as speaking at the event. Phares didn't immediately return an email seeking comment.

A program for the event also shows Deputy National Security Advisor KT McFarland was there.

Former Trump national security advisor Mike Flynn resigned under pressure after it was revealed he met with Kislyak. According to administration officials, Flynn didn't reveal to Vice President Mike Pence that discussions of Obama-imposed Russia sanctions came up.

The list of Trump-connected Kislyak contacts includes Flynn, Sessions, Kushner, Page, and Gordon.

The New York Times reported Thursday that Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Kislyak inside Trump Tower in December.

He got smuggled into the building, since his appearance wasn't noticed by reporters camped out the building's lobby each day.

Kislyak's role is coming under increasing scrutiny amid the array of Trump contacts. "I don't think he's a spy literally. He is a veteran diplomat," John McLaughlin, the former acting director of the CIA told MSNBC. But he added that: 'He's very clever, he's very experienced. He would certainly be collecting information. That's what diplomats and spies do.'

U.S. intelligence agencies believe Russia hacked the U.S. elections. The FBI and the House and Senate intelligence committees are probing possible contacts between Trump associates and the Russians.

Page told MSNBC that during his three years in Russia, he didn't talk about sanctions or the alleged Russian hacking.

He also didn't want to delve into his role advising Trump, whom he said he never briefed.

'I dont like talking about internal discussions. Its the old first rule of Fight Club, you dont talk about Fight Club,' he said, quoting the film.
A Taco Bell employee was fired after writing 'F*** pigs' on the bottom of an officer's takeout bag.

The Houston police officer grabbed food from the Taco Bell on 8919 Spring Cypress Road on Tuesday.

After the officer took his food home and ate it, he discovered the derogatory phrase.

The officer immediately posted a photo on Facebook and called his union, which contacted Taco Bell.

A Taco Bell employee was fired after writing 'F*** pigs' on the bottom of a Houston police officer's takeout bag (pictured)

Taco Bell released a statement shortly after the incident and confirmed the employee responsible had been fired. The company also apologized to the officer and the entire Houston police force. The officer grabbed food from the Taco Bell on 8919 Spring Cypress Road (above)

'The officer was extremely upset when he saw that on his bag,' Joseph Gamaldi, vice president, Houston Police Officers Union told KPRC2.

Shortly after seeing the post on Facebook, Taco Bell initially said: 'We take this seriously. We don't tolerate discrimination and are looking into this immediately.'

Not long after, the company released a statement confirming that the employee had been fired and apologizing to the officer.

'B&G Food Enterprises, the franchise owner of this Spring, Texas location, and Taco Bell in no way endorse this sentiment.

'We are deeply appreciative of the men and women who serve and protect our communities and our country. The franchisee does not tolerate discrimination in any way, and in the course of the investigation has terminated the employee involved.'

The incident happened the same day two other officers were shot and hospitalized after an altercation with 52 Hoover Crips gang member, Earl Donnell Riley (pictured)

'B&G Food has contacted the officer and the Houston Police Officers Union to apologize directly and assure them of their ongoing support of law enforcement,' the statement read.

Gamaldi told KHOU that 'Taco Bell really stepped up to the plate' by firing the employee, apologizing to the officer and apologizing 'to every single Houston police officer'.

The incident happened the same day two other officers were shot and hospitalized after an altercation with a 52 Hoover Crips gang member.

Officers Ronny Cortez and Jose Munoz were shot in Southwest Houston while responding to a burglary, according to Chron.com.

Earl Donnell Riley, who was just released from prison 10 months ago, was killed in an exchange of gunfire with the officers.

Riley, who died at the scene of the crime, was one of two suspects. The second unidentified suspect is still at large.

Officer Munoz was released from a hospital on Wednesday, while Officer Cortez is still at Memorial Hermann with a bullet lodged close to his spine.


A Florida man accused of throwing his young daughter to her death more than 60 feet off a Tampa Bay area bridge has been found competent to stand trial.

Pinellas County Judge Joseph Bulone issued the ruling Friday.

In January, state mental health doctors determined 27-year-old John Jonchuck was ready to stand trial.

He was deemed incompetent in February 2015, the month after prosecutors say he dropped five-year-old Phoebe Jonchuck into Tampa Bay off the Dick Misener bridge.

John Jonchuck, left, is accused of throwing his young daughter Phoebe, right to her death more than 60 feet off a Tampa Bay area bridge in January 2015

Prosecutors say the father dropped the five-year-old girl into Tampa Bay off the Dick Misener bridge (pictured)

According to the Tampa Bay Times, just hours ahead of the incident Jonchuck brought his daughter to the office of an attorney - and he said he was the Pope, sought a DNA test, and wanted the attorney to read a Bible in Swedish.

That attorney contacted 911, and Jonchuck was located at a church by deputies who determined he wasn't displaying mental illness signs, the newspaper said.

Prosecutors say they're hoping for a fall trial.

Jonchuck will remain at the state hospital in Gainesville until the case is closer to trial, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Pinellas-Pasco Chief Assistant State Attorney Brian Bartlett says they're concerned Jonchuck will become incompetent again if he's not forced to take his medication.

The state is seeking the death penalty.

Johnchuck, seen in a January 2015 file image, has been found competent to stand trial

Michelle Kerr is the girl's mother and told the Tampa Bay Times: 'I don't know how to put it into words. I've been waiting for this day for a long time.'

Jonchuck's mother, Michele Jonchuck, also spoke to the outlet, saying: 'Oh my God. I hate what he did, but I still love him because he's my son.

'He took away something very dear to me because Phoebe meant the world to me.'

She said the death penalty 'would be too easy on him.

'My whole family and I have to deal with this every day, and I believe he should have to deal with it. But at the same time, I believe he needs help.'
Two Canadian sisters who vanished 36 years ago have been found alive in the US and claim they didn't know they had been reported missing.

Anna Hakze, now 67, and her sister Kym Hakze, now 53, were last seen by their mother in Edmonton, Canada in 1981.

She reported them missing in 2003, although it is not known why she waited for more than a decade after she lost contact with them.

She died four years ago, never knowing what became of her daughters.

Anna (left) and Kym Hakze (right) were last seen more than 30 years ago. They have been located alive and living in the US. Police say the Hakze sisters were last seen by family in Edmonton, Canada, in the mid-1980s

'After so many years, its very unusual for a case like this to end with good news,' said Staff Sergeant Scott Woods of the Lethbridge Police Service

Kym, who goes by a different name now, told police last week that she and her sister did not know they were subjects of a missing persons case, police said.

Hazke added that the pair had 'walked away' from their lives in Canada decades earlier and still wanted to maintain their privacy.

Lethbridge police have not yet talked to Anna, but US authorities have confirmed where she lives, the Toronto Star reports.

'After so many years, its very unusual for a case like this to end with good news,' said Staff Sergeant Scott Woods of the Lethbridge Police Service at a Thursday news conference.

After so many years, its very unusual for a case like this to end with good news Staff Sergeant Scott Woods

'Usually we find ourselves telling a family their loved one has met with some sort of tragedy or, more often than not in a case of this age, never being able to provide any answers', Woods added.

The investigation, spanning decades and many dead ends, was kept open by police in the hope of providing closure to the women's family.

At one point, police thought they might have been among the victims of convicted serial killer Robert Pickton, who killed several women in the mid-1990s and buried them on his Port Coquitlam farm, because there was information suggesting the pair had moved to Vancouver - but there was no DNA match.

Police also provided the sisters' fingerprints to the US databank for missing and unidentified persons, to no avail.

Lethbridge police issued several pleas for information in the case. In October 2015, they posted a rare statement on the department's Facebook page, urging the sisters to contact them.

Lethbridge police have not yet talked to Anna Hakze, but US authorities have confirmed where she lives

'We understand you may have walked away from your lives and it is not our intention to disrupt them. We only want to confirm that you are OK,' the post reads.

'We will not disclose your current location to your family or anyone else if you do not wish for them to know. Confirmation of your well-being is all that is needed to close your case.'

Then, in 2012, investigators got the lead they had been searching for.

Police traced an alias Anna Hazke used to a woman in Vancouver, but she was not the missing sister.

TIMELINE OF ANNA AND KYM HAKZE'S DISAPPEARANCE 1981: Anna, 43, and Kym, 29, Hakze are last seen by family in Edmonton, Canada, after their father dies 1984: Vancouver newspaper article about a book written by one of the sisters under an unidentified alias is published 2003: Their mother reports them missing to police 2000s: Lethbridge police suspect they are victims of convicted serial killer Robert Pickton 2012: Police get a tip that two unidentified women could be them 2013: Their mother dies October 2015: Lethbridge police post a rare statement on the department's Facebook page, urging the sisters to contact them February 2017: Kym Hakze, who goes by a different name now, contacts police. She and her sister are living in the US Advertisement

That woman, however, had saved a Vancouver newspaper clipping from 1984 about a book written by a woman with the same unusual name as hers. She thought it was amusing, so she saved it.

In 2012, police got a tip that two women - an author of several books that used a different name than the one in the 1984 clip and another that went by an alias Kym used - could be the sisters.

The duo used numerous aliases after leaving Lethbridge and making their way to the US.

Attempts to contact them in 2012 failed.

Then another story about the author mentioned in the 2012 tip was published with a photo.

There were no records under that name, but a search did find the author from the 1984 clip that listed a sister as the next of kin.

'Todays world is big, vast,' said Woods. 'But it also  because of travel and now the Internet  can be very small, too.'

Fingerprints confirmed that the two women are Kym and Anna.

At the time of their disappearance, Anna, then 43, was estranged from her family and struggling financially.

Despite being on good terms with them, Kym disappeared with her sister when she was 29 years old. Police said they were inseparable.

'They had just left due to some family turmoil and had moved on, and were living their own life,' Woods said.

Neither woman contacted their relatives after they left Lethbridge.

Police aren't releasing any more information about the sisters to protect their privacy.

The sisters' contact information has been given to their family, who have told police that they will not be making any public statements.

Police don't know if Anna and Kym Hakze were from Lethbridge, Canada, (above) originally

Ken Hakze, 57, was notified last week that police had found his sisters.

He is one of three Hakze brothers. Gill lives in Lethbridge and Jerry is in Texas.

'My brother Gill called me last week when he was told. He was so shocked. He was really without words at first. We were always hoping they were alive,' Ken told the Calgary Sun.

He said Anna did not get along with their mother but was close to their father, who worked in a coal mine in Coleman, Canada.

When their father died in 1981 she and Kym disappeared.

Ken said Anna had married an American man who went to prison in California and, upon his release, they ended up living together in poor conditions.

Over the years, Ken said the family hired detectives and went through numerous agencies and the police in a desperate search for his sisters.

Ken said he and the brothers are thrilled to learn that their sisters are alive and hopes it gives them a second chance.

'No, it's not a sense of closure. There's a longing there to see them. I'm very sad we lost all these years for some reason I'm not quite sure of yet,' said Ken.

'I have a real desire to see them and communicate with them, very badly. My heart goes out to have that opportunity if they would soften their hearts to that.'

Ken said he has not spoken with either sister yet because police cannot release their contact information to him.
Statements made to police by an Oregon man accused of pushing his 23-year-old girlfriend off a cliff to her death will not be admissible at trial.

The Oregon Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a detective should have stopped interrogating Stephen Nichols when the suspect said he did not want to discuss Rhonda Castos death.

The interview occurred shortly after Nichols February 2015 arrest at San Francisco International Airport, nearly six years after his partners death.

Legal victory: The Oregon Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a detective should have stopped interrogating Stephen Nichols (left) when the suspect said he did not want to discuss the death of his girlfriend, 23-year-old Rhonda Casto

Crime scene: Casto fell 100 feet during a March 16, 2009, hike on the Eagle Creek Trail in the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon (pictured)

Treacherous path: The hiking trail has a few narrow sections that drop off on one side into a ravine

A Hood River County judge had ruled the statement inadmissible, but the state appealed to the higher court.

Casto, an aspiring model and young mother, fell 100 feet during a March 16, 2009, hike on the Eagle Creek Trail in the Columbia River Gorge.

Nichols called 911 at around 6pm that night to say the woman slipped.

The popular hiking destination has been the scene of other accidents in the past due to a few narrow sections that drop off on one side into a ravine.

The trail was even more dangerous that day due to a battering of sleet and hail that made the path treacherous.

Records show that several months before the incident, Nichols, then working as a day trader, increased Castos life insurance policy to $1million.

The Bend resident was secretly indicted while living in China in April 2014. He has pleaded not guilty.

Court documents show Nichols and Casto became romantically involved in 2005, according to The Oregonian.

Beauty: Nichols, then a recently divorced 30-year-old day trader, met Casto, a 20-year-old aspiring model, in 2005

Casto's mother introduced her to Nichols, and the young woman soon moved into his Portland condo

In 2008, Casto gave birth to the couple's daughter (pictured), who would ultimately become the beneficiary of her mother's life insurance, along with her father

In an interview with CBS' 48 Hours last year, Casto's mother, Julia Simmons, said that she was the one who introduced Nichols to her daughter while renting a room in his three-bedroom condominium in Portland.

Nichols was 30 years old and recently divorced. Casto was 20 at the time.

'Everything about her was impressive. And I just immediately fell in love with her,' Nichols said in the March 2015 interview.

Before long, Casto moved into Nichols' home, and three years later they welcomed their baby daughter, who is now seven.

Casto's mother said that shortly before her fall, the 23-year-old told her Nichols had been pestering her about going on a hike

The papers reveal that the couple each bought a $1million life insurance policy in late 2008 from MetLife and named each other as beneficiaries. Their daughter was named as contingent beneficiary.

Nichols eventually agreed to split the money with Casto's mother and with the estate of his daughter.

In the 48 Hours interview, Nichols said that after delivering their baby, Casto said she wanted to lose the baby weight so she could start modelling again, so the couple took up hiking.

Simmons, Casto's mother, said that in the weeks leading up to the fatal March 2009 outing to the Eagle Creek Trial, her daughter told her that Nichols had been trying to convince her to go for a hike for a month.

'She says, "he's either gonna give me a ring or he's gonna throw me off the cliff,"' the mother said in the episode.

Nichols said March 16, 2009, started off as a nice day but the weather turned inclement as the couple were making their up the narrow, moss-covered trail

As they reached a particularly slippery portion of the pathway, Casto fell off the cliff to her death.

Nichols said he hiked down to the spot where his girlfriend came to rest and tried to give her CPR, but it was too late.

He would later claim that the 23-year-old mom was high that afternoon, was acting silly and running on the slick trail before disaster struck.
A furious mother has hit out at bullies who teased her son because he went to school for World Book Day dressed as his favourite Dr Seuss character.

Jodie Rose, from London, posted a sad story on Facebook about her son, Preston, who dressed up as The Cat in the Hat.

She said children at Preston's school mocked him for going as a character from an 'actual book' rather than a superhero - clearly missing the point of the day.

Jodie Rose, from London, wrote a sad story about her son Preston, who dressed up as The Cat in the Hat from the famous Dr Seuss book

She said children at Preston's school mocked him for going as a character from an 'actual book' rather than a superhero - clearly missing the point of the day

Mrs Rose said her son was so upset he stuff the costume in his book bag for the rest of the day.

She wrote on Facebook: 'My son loves the Dr Seuss books and chose this character himself, only to be shot down by children whose parents allowed them to choose outfits of characters they obviously know from films.

'The total point of world book day missed, and my son teased and bullied in the process.'

More than a thousand people have shared Mrs Rose's post, with lots of people writing comments in support of Preston.

More than a thousand people have shared Mrs Rose's post, with lots of people writing comments in support of Preston'. Pictured: The Cat in a Hat pictured in a cartoon book

Mrs Rose told MailOnline: 'We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of positivity Preston has received today.

'I've showed him the many many comments and the ITV This morning program, which mentioned him, and his face lit up!

'He has found his smile again and has just asked to read his book again and fix his costume! Together we can stamp out bullying.'

Sarah Swift commented below Mrs Rose's original post: 'Your son looks amazing!.. Some kids can be so cruel.'

Vicky Hoare said: 'He looks amazing, such a good job. So sad that these days children can't just enjoy being themselves instead of following the crowd.'

Others said there children had also gone as characters from books.

Dale Taylor Dakota Smith said: 'Jodie, he looks incredible! I had exactly the same issue with my 4-year-old daughter yesterday.

'Arwen chose to go as the mad hatter from Alice in Wonderland - because she didn't go as a princess some of the girls teased her and she came home heartbroken.

'Took me three days of solid sewing to make her costume & she looked incredible & loved it yesterday morning.

Good effort: Preston, right, looked impressively like The Cat in the Hat.(left) His mother told MailOnline: 'We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of positivity Preston has received today.

Mrs Rose, seen with Preston (left) and her daughter, Darcie,(right), said: 'I've showed him the many many comments and his face lit up!'

Sarah Swift commented below Mrs Rose's original post: 'Your son looks amazing!.. Some kids can be so cruel.' Pictured: Mrs Rose with her husband, Grant, daughter Darcie and Preston (left) and just Preston and Darcie (right)

'By the afternoon she was so unhappy she didn't even want to go to her after school club.'

And Donna Marie Sterling pointed out that Preston's choice of The Cat In The Hat was very timely.

She wrote: 'He looks awesome and it would of been Dr Seuss's birthday yesterday!'
Ryan Counsell has been jailed for eight years for trying to join ISIS-linked jihadists

A terrorist who wanted to abandon his wife and child to fight with ISIS-linked jihadists in the Philippines has blamed Brexit as he was jailed for eight years.

Muslim convert Asda worker Ryan Counsell, 28, was seeking an 'idyllic life' under sharia law, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

He was in the advanced stages of planning his trip to fight with terrorist group 'Abu Sayyaf' when he was arrested last July.

Counsell claimed that after Brexit there was increased tension in the Muslim community in Nottingham so he decided to leave.

He was convicted last month of three counts of possessing documents with terrorist material, and one count engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts, after a four week trial.

The jury heard how he spent almost 900 on military-style boots, camouflage clothing, Kevlar boxer shorts and a cheek pad to be attached to the stock of a rifle 'to engage in combat.'

Some was found inside a 'bag for life' from the store where he worked.

Asda worker Counsell had also booked a return ticket from London to Manila and a connecting flight to Zamboanga, 20 miles from Basiland where ISIS-affiliated Abu Sayyaf regularly clash with the Philippine Army.

The Asda worker had bought supplies for the war zone and planned to abandon his pregnant wife and three-year-old daughter in order to join a group called Abu Sayyaf

The group wounded 14 Philippine soldiers today and a German hostage was beheaded by them on Sunday.

The married father-of-two was arrested at Stansted Airport on 11 July while waiting for a flight to Eindhoven in Holland.

Counsell, who worked as a floor assistant at his local supermarket in Nottingham, had booked a week off work and was due to leave for the Philippines two days later.

He was not expecting to return.

His barrister John Kearney said Counsell was 'a bit odd' but not violent or an extremist.

Among the equipment he had stockpiled was Kevlar-lined underpants called 'Blast Boxers'

Mr Kearney said: 'He wanted to leave the UK to live a humble, simple life, in a Muslim community.

'He discussed going to Somalia. He considered going to Bosnia, and he considered the Philippines.

'He wanted to live in a community under sharia law with what he saw as an idyllic way of life.

'After Brexit there were divisions in his community in Nottingham, he was concerned about the way ordinary people were reacting to ordinary Muslims. So with that background he was looking for a different way of life.

'He was convicted on the basis that was what he intended to do but it not something he would have been able to do.'

Counsell had also bought combat knee pads and kevlar underpants, the court was told

Police raided his home after they were alerted to his purchases of military equipment from a website called UKMC Pro Ltd, beginning in August 2014.

On their arrival at his home, Counsell asked: 'Are you the counter-terrorism police?'

They found military and camping equipment and a 'wealth of Islamic extremist material', including copies of the al-Qaeda magazine Inspire, the ISIS version called Dabiq, and lectures by Anwar al-Awlaki, an influential extremist preacher.

Police also found bomb-making instructions, a document of practical advice for travelling to join ISIS and videos showed showing the decapitation of prisoners by terrorists.

'The defendant had a profound and enduring interest in extremist Islam, jihad and the propaganda of Islamic State and other terrorist organisations,' said Dan Pawson-Pounds, prosecuting.

Bomb-making instructions and the equipment for his trip was found at his Nottingham home

Among the electronic documents found were 22 copies of 'Hijrah [migrate] to the Islamic State' from 2015 which provided practical advice for someone wanting to travel to Syria to join ISIS.

The material also included 10 copies of the first edition of the online magazine Inspire, published by al-Qaeda, included an article titled 'Make a bomb in the kitchen of your Mom' which showed how to make a homemade pipe bomb.

Counsell married his wife, Fatima, in May 2012, after meeting her through an Islamic matchmaking service.

Fatima was originally from Somalia and her parents lived in the Netherlands.

Counsell said he did not tell his wife about his plans for the Philippines as she was 'sceptical' about the life he wanted to live.

He claimed his interest in the country was prompted by watching the series 'Lives in the Wild' presented by Ben Fogle, about a man who had moved to the islands.

Police raided his home after a website supplying military equipment tipped them off

The graphic combat videos found on his devices, including one which showed an Al-Qaeda suicide attack on an army base, were part of a 'catalogue of propaganda' which he said he planned to 'tastefully edit' and post online.

Counsell joked in a WhatsApp group conversation with four others on 22 March 2016, the day of the Brussels terrorist attacks: 'I heard in Holland's cafes they're always on high alert.'

But he dismissed his gloating and told the jury: 'We tended to joke about terrorism a lot.

He claimed he was interested in the Philippines after watching the series Lives in the Wild by the TV presenter Ben Fogle

'If someone asks me about terrorism I'm going to tell them I like a bang in the morning too.'

Counsell claimed he downloaded Dabiq and Inspire - the 'official propaganda magazines' of ISIS and Al-Qaeda respectively - because they showed 'their policy and explicit ideology.'

The married father-of-two added: 'It isn't something that's unofficial, this is an official document that shows their ideology and beliefs.'

He was also asked about five videos he kept on crown green bowling, with titles such as 'Bowling Approaches' and 'Bowling Shot Techniques'.

Counsell said: 'I like bowling, so I wanted to try to learn something.'

Judge Andrew Lees told Counsell: 'In those circumstances together with your ongoing interest in Islamic extremism and researches into Abu Sayyaf and Basilan, and the fact that you had reserved a hotel in Zamboanga City, I am sure you would have gone.

'I am prepared to accept that it may have been difficult and personally dangerous for you to join Abu Sayyaf, but, in my judgment there is no doubt that you were intending to seek out and join Abu Sayyaf and participate in their activities.

'How far you would have got or whether you would have come back without fulfilling your intention is difficult for me to assess.'

Counsell, of Nottingham, was sentenced to eight years in jail for count four of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts, and 18 months served concurrently for three counts of possessing a document containing terrorist information.
An injured puppy who was found dumped in a garbage can has been nursed back to health and is in foster care after her struggle went viral

An injured puppy who was found dumped in a garbage can has been nursed back to health and is in foster care after her struggle went viral.

Ivy was taken to a veterinary hospital in Delano, California last week after being found freezing and screaming in pain with a nasal and skull fracture and her right eye popped out.

Lorin Thomas, a volunteer who was at the hospital that day, posted a graphically heartbreaking video of Ivy in the hopes that someone would come forward with information about who was responsible for the crime.

The video has since been viewed over 200,000 times and has sparked outrage over the fact that someone would leave a puppy to die.

'Personally I don't think that you should have to tell someone that throwing a live puppy in the garbage is wrong but people need to know that there are other options,' Thomas told ABC 23.

Ivy was taken to a veterinary hospital in Delano, California last week after being found freezing and screaming in pain with a nasal and skull fracture and her right eye popped out

Lorin Thomas, a volunteer who was at the hospital that day, posted a graphically heartbreaking video of Ivy

She accompanied Ivy to be dropped off at pound puppy rescue in northern California on Thursday where she'll be cared for by Thomas and Kelli Hopper, who are fostering Ivy until she can be adopted.

After having stitches to close up her eye, she is doing better, but will need long-term support to make a full recovery.

In just a week, however, she has gone from squeals of pain to standing fully upright and even wagging her tail while playing with other dogs.

Thomas said on social media that they do not know if Ivy's medical bill is currently covered, but that donations are encouraged for her care in the future and for all animals that receive vital treatments from the veterinary hospital.

Those wishing to donate can do so by calling Delano Veterinary Hospital at 661-725-8614 and contributing to the Glenda Miller Memorial Fund.
A village in Nanjing has seen a rise in divorce rates as couples split in order to get better compensation for the demolition of their house.

A new hi-tech zone is set to be built in Jiangbei and the local government is compensating couples for their houses.

However residents discovered that if they divorced, one person would be entitled to a 220 square metre house while the other partner would be handed a 70 square metre home plus a handout of 130,000 yuan (15,378).

Citizens wait at the divorce registration centre in Shanghai (File photo)

Couples pose for photos during a group wedding ceremony in Wuhan (File photo)

According to China Daily, the majority of the 160 couples have filed for a divorce. However most of the couples still live together.

One man in his 80s has divorced his partner in order to get better compensation.

Another villager told reporters: 'Everybody is doing this, we will deal with other things later.'

However their efforts may all be in vain.

People line up to register for marriage or divorce in Shanghai (File photo)

Couples participate at a group wedding in Harbin, China (File photo)

According to housing demolition and relocation regulations in the area, if a divorce was issued locally, a couple will have to have been divorced for over five years to get the additional house and payout.

The villagers were advised by a law firm who told them that they would be eligible for the compensation and additional house. The law firm charges 15,000 yuan (1,770) to help couples obtain a divorce.

The demolition team told China Daily that they are aware of people trying to obtain the compensation.

This isn't the first time that people have divorced in order to get more compensation. There have been similar cases in Shanghai.

According to a report published by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, divorce rates are on the rise with four million couples divorcing in 2014.
Grant Muren, 24, was on Thursday sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing his roommate

A murderer convicted of strangling his roommate to death just hours after moving in delivered a rambling, hour-and-40-minute diatribe about Dr Jekyll, Hillary Clinton and Chris Christie as he was jailed for 20 years.

Grant Muren, 24, was on Thursday sentenced for the 2014 killing of his roommate Charles Clark, 55, in Naperville, Illinois, receiving the maximum penalty for his second-degree murder conviction.

The harsh sentence in the suburbs of Chicago followed Muren's rambling testimony at the hearing, in which the killer blamed the victim, judge, and prosecutor for his legal woes, the Chicago Tribune reported.

'There's no getting around it, Charles Clark was a vicious psychopath,' Muren said of the 55-year-old man he moved in with, allegedly had sexual relations with, and killed in the span of eight hours.

Muren launched into a detailed rebuttal and dissection of prior testimony in the case, claiming prosecutor Jim Scaliatine was 'desperate' to exaggerate his criminal history.

At one point, Muren pondered the fictional case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

'Obviously, the guy was a genius, but he had some personal issues,' Muren said. 'The power of being Mr. Hyde was intoxicating.'

The murder took place in this townhouse on a quiet cul-de-sac in Naperville, Illinois in 2014. Muren had just moved in with Charles Clark, 55, when he killed him and tried to burn the house

As the diatribe approached the 45 minute mark, Scaliatine objected to the length of the rambling testimony, but the judge noted that there was no time limit and allowed Muren to continue at leisure.

Muren heaped scorn on Scaliatine, saying the prosecutor 'lied more than Hillary Clinton and is fatter than Chris Christie'.

'So stipulated,' the prosecutor responded in wry deadpan.

The sentencing capped one of the most unusual cases in recent memory for the suburban town 30 miles southwest of Chicago.

In January of 2014, Clark, a self-employed computer specialist, posted a Craigslist ad seeking a roommate for his townhouse on a quiet tree-lined cul-de-sac, the Daily Herald reported.

Muren, who was 21 at the time, responded and moved in, and prosecutors believe the two men were sexually intimate, although Clark had a girlfriend at the time and publicly identified as straight.

Within hours of moving in, Muren beat Clark over the head with a chair or small table and bit the tip of the older man's right thumb off, prosecutors believe.

Clark had been drinking that night, and had some history of violence, according to court testimony.

However it began, the violent struggle ended in Clark's death by strangulation, the autopsy revealed.

Clark's girlfriend found the body on January 22, and noticed a strong odor of gas in the house.

Taking a page from the spy-thriller 'Bourne Identity,' Muren had apparently tried to destroy the murder scene by flooding the townhouse with natural gas from the oven and shoving the lease papers in a toaster oven.

He was arrested the following day during a traffic stop.

At Thursday's sentencing, Judge Brian Telander noted that Muren has refused to accept any responsibility for his crimes throughout the proceedings.

'You truly are your own worst enemy,' Telander told Muren. 'I have not been able to glean a glimmer of remorse or responsibility.'

Though prosecutors had pushed for a first-degree murder conviction, Telander ruled that Muren had believed, unreasonably, that the murder was in self-defense, and convicted him of second-degree murder and aggravated arson in the bench trial.

Illinois sentencing guidelines will make Muren eligible for parole in about nine years.
Mr Kaba (left), 24, was allegedly part of a group of five men who went to a Notting Hill Carnival after-party (inset) in east London in the early hours of August 30. They are suspected of conspiring to murder a 23-year-old rival who was shot on the dance floor at the Oval Space nightclub in Cambridge Heath. The victim was chased out of the nightclub and shot twice by a gunman before being taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. He was treated for gunshot wounds to both legs, but survived the attack. The four men appeared at Thames Magistrates Court on October 28 charged with conspiracy to murder. The newspaper reported that the prosecution will allege Mr Kaba helped plot the attack and was present at the incident. Mr Kaba, who died in Streatham Hill (right), south London, on September 5, was being followed by an unmarked police car with no lights or sirens turned on in the minutes before the shooting, Inner South London Coroner's Court was told last month.
Alistair Leiper has been jailed after pleading guilty to four counts of child sex offences

A police officer who prowled the web posing as a teenager and encouraged two 14-year-old girls to perform sex acts on Skype has been jailed for two years today.

Alistair Leiper, 37, told one victim he was 17-years-old before asking if she wanted to start a video chat and watch him masturbate on the internet chatting app in April 2014.

The serving officer began his advances by asking the child: 'Do you like older boys? Are you a virgin? How far you been?'

When the girl told him she hadn't 'even kissed a guy' the Leiper said: 'Want to see me w**king?

'Go on, you can finger yourself as you watch.'

In December 2013 the paedophile officer had contacted another girl asking: 'Hi sexy, what you up to?'

When she told him she was with her 15-year-old cousin, he replied: 'Do you want to both show boobs and I will show my d**k?'

Southwark Crown Court heard the youngster told the serving officer: 'Go jump off a cliff.'

Leiper's colleagues contacted the girls' mothers and later discovered three sex tapes on his computer when they raided his home in Streatham, south London, in February 2015.

The disgraced officer was suspended from duty at the Met's Westminster borough since his arrest in August 2015 and has since been thrown out of the force. He was charged in May 2016.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to engage in a sexual activity in the presence of a child and one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity on February 3.

Today, Leiper smiled at Southwark Crown Court as he was jailed for two years and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.

Prosecutor Dingle Clark said: 'The case goes back to February 2015 when police executed a warrant at the defendant's home in southwest London and when they went there they entered and spoke with him.

'As a result of that a laptop computer was seized and it was interrogated and two particular pieces of chat log were found.'

Edmund Gritt, defending, said: 'He is dismissed as a police officer, his time in custody will be inevitably severe for him.'

Leiper was seen arriving at Southwark Crown Court in London today to be sentenced to two years in prison

The court heard Leiper has signed up to the 'Stop It Now' programme which provides 'counselling to enable individuals to address this sort of behaviour to prevent it in the future'.

Mr Gritt added: 'He is a man who could and should be rehabilitated.'

Jailing him for two years, Judge Alistair McCreath said Leiper's attempts to masturbate as the children watched via Skype only failed 'because the children that you tried to expose to this behaviour themselves rejected your offer'.

He continued: 'Such remorse as you expressed was remorse that came extremely late in the process.

'It appears a great deal less genuine than if it came much much earlier.'

Leiper claimed in mitigation he had become 'isolated' at work and was 'stressed' after performing CPR on a man who later died.

Judge McCreath said: 'Your service as a police officer, stained of course by what brings you here today, stained and undermined by it, but other than that was exemplary.'

Referring to the length of time it took to charge Leiper, the judge said: 'The unhappy reality is that there is such a lot of this happening, the use of electronic media, that the resources that are available to deal with it are understandably depleted.'

Leiper, of Tooting, south west London, was jailed for two years for three counts of attempting to engage in a sexual activity in the presence of a child and one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He must also sign the Sex Offenders' Register for ten years and was served with a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order barring him from unsupervised contact with children and monitoring his internet access and use of devices.

A further count of making indecent photos of a child and one count of attempting to engage in a sexual activity in the presence of a child will lie on file.
A Mexican congressman says Donald Trump's planned wall on the border of the US and Mexico is useless - and he has the selfies to prove it.

Braulio Guerra, a congressman from Queretaro, posted video and photos of himself and a couple of other people on Twitter Thursday casually climbing a 30-foot fence along the border of the US and Tijuana.

He called the proposed wall 'absurd and unnecessary spending ... that does wrong and harms our good neighborliness'.

'I was able to scale it, climb it, and sit myself right here,' Guerra said in the video, according to ABC News. 'It would be simple for me to jump into the United States, which shows that it is unnecessary and totally absurd to build a wall.'

Scroll down for video

Queretaro congressman Braulio Guerra said he climbed this 30-foot fence between Tijuana and the US to show how 'absurd' a wall between the two countries would be

Guerra said he scurried to the top of this 30-foot fence that separated Tijuana from the US

The congressman just happened to meet up with two people who he said were also climbing the fence

Guerro said the wall can be climbed 'in an instant' and said it would be 'simple' for people to climb a new wall

'You can climb it with great ease, one climbs in an instant,' he continued. 'I climbed it in Tijuana, one of the highest parts, even from a distance this looks very complex, but there are young people that go up and down, at all times.'

Mexican congressman Guerra climbed a 30-foot fence to prove a point

Guerra said the two other people sitting on the fence in the photo happened to be climbing the fence as he was there.

Some irritated responders on Twitter suggested this means the US should build a higher wall, or one that is electrified or topped with barbed wire.

Still others questioned whether he had really climbed the fence himself, as the video doesn't show him doing it.

But several people commented that they themselves had also climbed the fence, one person claiming it took him ten minutes.

A US Border Patrol agent drives along the steel wall separating the U.S. (left) from Mexico (right) May 14, 2006 in Nogales, Arizona

Still others were outraged that a politician would take time out of his day to climb a fence.

'Why don't you worry about making your country a place where your citizens want to stay instead of one they [are] desperate to escape?' asked Christopher Lee.

President Trump has said he wants to build a wall along the complete border of the US and Mexico, and that Mexico would pay for it. President has said Mexico will not pay for a wall.

An internal Department of Homeland security report put the cost of a wall at $21billion, far higher than Trump's recent estimate of $12billion, reported CNN Monday.
Morgan Banks, 18, brutally attacked 17-year-old Sophie Smith

A teenager has been jailed for life for beating his girlfriend to death because he wrongly believed she had cheated on him.

Morgan Banks, 18, brutally attacked 17-year-old Sophie Smith, beating a false confession out of her before killing her as he demanded to know names of men she was supposedly sleeping with.

Banks had become paranoid that the couple's month-old son wasn't his and had thought Miss Smith was having an affair with his brother and cousin.

Leeds Crown Court heard Miss Smith suffered a catalogue of horrific injuries, which medics likened to those sustained in a serious road crash or a fall from an extreme height.

She suffered 11 broken ribs, a broken eye socket, broken nose and bruises all over her body, during the attack at her house in Beeston, West Yorkshire in the early hours of October 14.

Michelle Colborne QC, prosecuting, said: 'This is not the first time he had been violent to her.

'There is nothing to support the defendant's contention that the baby was not his.

'He contends she was unfaithful to her and was pregnant with someone else's child.

'He beat her until she agreed and her again until she was unconscious.

'She was in a comatose state for some time before she died.

'She was subjected to a four-hour punishment beating.'

Describing the night of the attack, Ms Colborne said Miss Smith called the emergency services at 12:29am and said 'help me' to an operator before hanging up.

The operator contacted police who called Miss Smith but the teen told them nothing was wrong.

Ms Colborne said that four hours later Banks was spotted in the street covered in blood.

Tragic: Sophie Smith, 17, with boyfriend Morgan Banks and their baby Harrison

Leeds Crown Court heard Miss Smith (pictured) suffered a catalogue of horrific injuries, which medics likened to those sustained in a serious road crash or a fall from an extreme height

She said: 'He was in a frenzied state. He was bare chested and was covered in blood.'

Banks then demanded a passerby call an ambulance before he ran off.

Ms Colborne added: 'Police and paramedics found Sophie Smith lying on the floor of the bedroom.

'She was laid beside the bed with her head closest to the door and was naked apart from a bra round her waist and a duvet covering her lower half.'

The post mortem examination revealed she had died of multiple injuries caused by blunt trauma - blows caused by fists and feet.

Banks was arrested at his grandfather's house at 5.55am.

When interviewed by officers Banks admitted carrying out the attack and said he had kicked her in the head and ribs while she was on the floor and had headbutted her.

Sophie Smith who was murdered by her boyfriend

Ms Colborne said Sophie had got together with Banks when she was 13 and he was 14.

Due to the couple's tumultuous relationships, Miss Smith had been assigned a social worker after she became pregnant with the couple's young son.

She said: 'She [Miss Smith] was torn between the belief his behaviour would change when the baby was born.

'On October 3 Sophie's attitude had changed and that her belief his attitude would change was wrong.

'She said she felt safe at the flat and would dial 999 if he called round.'

Ms Colborne said Banks had a troubled upbringing and was taken into care aged 10 after his dad was jailed for 10 years for beating up his mum.

Banks, who has a substantial criminal record of 30 convictions for 49 offences, was first in court when he was 11.

The court also heard he had been found guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm in his absence.

In a brutal attack Banks bit a man in the face after he was refused a cigarette.

Banks admitted ABH, failure to surrender and murder.

Sentencing Banks to life in prison, with a minimum term of 17 years, the Recorder of Leeds, Peter Collier QC, said: 'You carried out a dreadful assault on her.

'I have no doubt you will live with the memories of what you did to her for the rest of your life.

'Quite clearly this is a case where mental and physical suffering was inflicted on Sophie before she died. It was a savage and dreadful attack. This case is a real tragedy of human relationships.'
A brave girl, four, walked five miles on a frozen river through wolf-infested forest in Siberia to beg for help after her grandmother suddenly died.

Little Saglana Salchak braved chest-deep snow and -24C temperatures to reach her family's nearest neighbours in their remote cattle-breeding outpost close to Mongolia.

She had woken up early and went to to hug her grandmother - her main carer - but realised the 60-year-old woman was 'cold'.

Brave Saglana Salchak walked five miles through treacherous terrain and freezing temperatures to get help after her grandmother died

The frozen river along which the four-year-old walked. Saglana braved chest-deep snow and wolf-infested forest to get help for her blind grandfather

She then woke up her completely blind grandfather who feared his wife was dead.

Not realising it was only 6am and pitch black, he told her to find help by walking along the course of a frozen river in Siberia's remote Tuva region.

Despite the freezing temperatures and the threat of wolves on the route, the heartbroken girl completed her sad mission.

One local said: 'She was lucky not to be killed by wolves as there are many along this route and they often attack cattle.'

It took Saglana three hours to complete her arduous walk, and - close to exhaustion - she told her neighbours: 'It seems my granny is dead.'

Saglana being taken care of in hospital. Doctors confirmed that her 60-year-old grandmother had died of a heart attack

Saglana with her mother Eleanora. The little girl had woken early in the morning to find her grandmother was 'cold'

Map showing the location of Saglana's home near the Mongolian border

The family had a satellite phone and alerted the authorities.

Doctors rushed to the scene but confirmed the grandmother had died of a heart attack.

'Saglana was sent to hospital, but found to be none the worse for her ordeal,' reported The Siberian Times.

The home which Saglana shares with her grandfather is close to the Por-Bajin fortress

Local politicians have lined up to visit her in hospital and praise her bravery.

The home shared with her grandparents lies some 155 miles southeast of Kyzyl, the capital of the Tuva Republic.

The area is exceptionally remote and close to one of Siberia's most mysterious landmarks, the Por-Bajin fortress, a 1,300 year old mountain palace rumoured to have been built 'for a tragic Chinese princess' .
An 18-year-old Connecticut college student has died after falling from the roof of a building that houses a bar.

Deputy Chief Brian Foley says Taylor Lavoie, of East Granby, fell from the roof of the four-story Hartford building at about 12.30am Friday.

She was a student at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain.

The Angry Bull Saloon is on the ground floor of the building, and Foley says it is believed she was at the bar before her fall.

Foley says alcohol was involved, but it's unclear if the victim herself had been drinking.

'They were drinking up on the roof of this establishment and it looks like a fall of some sort,' Foley told WFSB. 'So it is an untimely death so all possibilities exist at this point.'

Taylor Lavoie (above), of East Granby, Connecticut, fell from the roof of the four-story Hartford building at about 12:30am Friday, police said

The Angry Bull Saloon is on the ground floor of the building, and Foley says it is believed she was at the bar before her fall

Foley says the woman fell down a roughly five-foot wide alley between two buildings.

He says whether she simply fell or was the victim of foul play remains under investigation.

The roof of the building has been described by police as 'treacherous'.

While the floors above the bar are vacant, police say that Lavoie climbed to the roof using a staircase from inside the bar.

Lavoie was also reported to have a 'very good' fake ID, which is used by underage teens to illegally procure alcohol.

Lavoie was studying to become a veterinarian, according to The Hartford Courant.

The owner of a local animal hospital said that she had been working there for two years.

Lavoie was studying to become a veterinarian. The owner of a local animal hospital said that she had been working there for two years

Police say Lavoie fell down a roughly five-foot wide alley between two buildings

Police say alcohol was involved, but it's unclear if the victim herself had been drinking

Dr. Peter Korten said that Lavoie was an easygoing person and model employee who loved animals.

'It absolutely wiped out the staff here,' Korten said of the tragic news of her death.

'She was great. It's a horrific loss.'

Police in Hartford notified state authorities last week that the Angry Bull Saloon was serving alcohol to minors, according to the Courant.

Foley says that the bar has been warned in the past about serving alcohol to underage people, according to Fox 61.

The owner of the establishment has voluntarily surrendered his liquor license until late March.

The bar is believed to cater to college students.

On its Facebook page, it advertises a promotion known as 'Thirsty Thursdays' when beers are 25 cents per piece.

The bar is believed to cater to college students. On its Facebook page, it advertises a promotion known as 'Thirsty Thursdays' when beers are 25 cents per piece. The Facebook post includes hashtags of local colleges and universities, including CCSU, Lavoie's school

Interestingly enough, the Facebook post includes hashtags of local colleges and universities, including CCSU, Lavoie's school.

By law, alcohol consumption is legal in the state of Connecticut for those at least 21 years of age.

'Right now we're focused on the untimely death investigation at the same time we have already launched a congruent investigation that would obviously involve the liquor commission,' Foley said.

The state has now launched an investigation.

East Granby Public Schools issued a statement on Friday.

'Taylor Lavoie, the brilliant, beautiful, compassionate and loving daughter of Edward and Karen Lavoie, passed away unexpectedly this morning,' the statement read.

'Taylor was a valued member of the East Granby High School Class of 2016, and she shared her gifts and talents extensively in the school community.'

'Taylor had a beautiful voice and was often the lead in many school plays. She shared her musical talents with the East Granby High School music program and musical theater.'

'In addition to her intellectual prowess, Taylor demonstrated athletic abilities as a member of the East Granby High School basketball team and the highly prized softball team that set records for East Granby High School in the NCCC league.'
President Donald Trump tried to blow a hole in repeated revelations about his associates' ties to Moscow by tweeting a photo of rival Democratic Senator Charles Schumer and Vladimir Putin.

As reports swirled about his own campaign's Russia ties  including an undisclosed meeting between son-in-law Jared Kushner and the Kremlin's ambassador to Washington  Trump blasted out a photo of Schumer, the Democratic Senate leader.

'We should start an immediate investigation into and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite!' Trump wrote.

Attached was a photo of Schumer and President Vladimir Putin enjoying Krispy Kreme doughnuts and coffee.

HOW SWEET: President Donald Trump went after Democratic Senator Charles Schumer by retweeting this photo of Schumer and Russian President Vladimir Putin

The 2003 photo was taken in New York, as Schumer welcomed Putin for an event commemorating Lukoil's first gas station in Manhattan, Gateway Pundit revealed.

An AP photo included in the post shows the two men smiling over coffee and doughnuts.

Schumer commented at the time: 'When I showed the president of Russia a Krispy Kreme doughnut and he ate it and said it was good, that was one of the more surreal moments Ive had in politics.'

He tweeted back at the president Friday: 'Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in '03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team?'

Trump sent out the tweet attacking Schumer as his own administration was under fire for Russia contacts during a year when Russia was believed to be behind hacking of the presidential election

Schumer responded that he would be happy to discuss his Putin contacts 'under oath. Would you & your team?'

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he would sit out any decision on prosecutions which could arise from current investigations into whether Russia meddled in the election - but that he had not lied to the Senate

A series of reports have catalogued contacts between Trump associates and Russia's ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak

Schumer welcomed Putin to New York to promote a new gas station being opened by Lukoil, the Russian oil company

The Trump administration has come under fire for Russia contacts, at a time when the Kremlin was under sanction following the country's invasion of Ukraine.

In 2003, at the time the Schumer meeting occurred, Putin had not yet fully emerged into his role as perpetual adversary to U.S. policy goals. In 2001, President George W. Bush famously said after meeting Putin, 'I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul.'

In the intervening years he cracked down on the free press, helped engineer his departure and return to power, put down a rebellion in Chechnya, and interfered in the politics of its neighbors.

The U.S. intelligence community has concluded that Russia hacked the U.S. elections.



IT'S A GAS: Media and pedestrians gather during the opening of Lukoil's gasoline station September 26, 2003 in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City. Lukoil, a Russian oil company, acquired Getty Petroleum Marketing Inc. and its 1, 300 stations in November 2000

FOREIGN INVESTMENT: Sen. Charles Schumer met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at an event commemorating a new Lukoil service station

Russian President Vladimir Putin (C) and Lukoil President Vagit Alekperov (L) listen as Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) (R) gestures as he speaks about U.S.-Russian relations during the opening of Lukoil's gasoline station September 26, 2003 in New York

Schumer has called for a special prosecutor to investigate Trump Russia ties and whether an investigation has already been compromised. He has called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign, and was among the first to call for Sessions to recuse himself from any investigation  something Sessions did on Thursday in a dramatic announcement.

'Because the Department of Justice should be above reproach, for the good of the country, Attorney General Sessions should resign,' Schumer said.

In addition to Kushner, former national security advisor Mike Flynn met with Russia's ambassador, as did attorney general Jeff Sessions, a key endorser and campaign advisor for Trump.

The Daily Caller reported at least 22 visits by ambassador Sergey Kislyak to the White House during the Obama administration.

The number of advisors linked to President Donald Trump who met with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. has grown to five  with two more acknowledging the contacts Thursday night.

Carter Page, who Trump identified as among his first foreign policy advisors, acknowledged the contact on MSNBC Thursday night when he didn't deny meeting with Kisklak.

Kislyak's role as the Kremlin's eyes and ears in Washington exploded onto the scene after it was revealed he met with a number of officials in Trump's inner circle during the campaign and after Trump won the presidency.

'I'm not going to deny that I talked with him," Page told MSBNC's Chris Hayes.

Deputy White House press secretary Sarah Sanders also brought up the Schumer incident when asked about Trump associates meeting with the Russian ambassador at a conference held during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

'Please explain to me how volunteers meeting at a conference where nearly 80 ambassadors attended is a story,' Sanders said.

'I guess its kind of lost on me where that would be newsworthy in any capacity. I mean Chuck Schumer sitting and having drinks with Putin and thats not a news story, but apparently a volunteer for a campaign bumping into one at a conference where theres again dozens of other ambassadors is newsworthy,' she continued.

Then she defended Sessions meeting with the ambassador, something she said occurred in his 'official capacity.'

'As a senator he obviously in his official capacity met with the ambassador. Again, that was as a senator not as a campaign official, so again, to try to muddy the waters in that way is I think pretty unfair to the attorney general,' she said.
Former President George W. Bush said on Thursday that he has no regrets about ordering the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

'I think it was the right decision,' Bush told NBC's Sunday TODAY show when asked about wounded veterans.

Bush is now working to promote the welfare of wounded war veterans.

He has been making the rounds on media in recent days to tout his latest undertaking - an exhibition of his oil paintings depicting US military veterans.

'I regret they got hurt,' the former president said of the veterans.

'I was heavy-hearted when I made the decision to both go into Afghanistan and Iraq because I knew there would be some dire consequences.'

The entire interview with Bush is scheduled to air this Sunday, March 5.

The US initially began to target Afghanistan almost one month after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Former President George W. Bush said on Thursday that he has no regrets about ordering the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan

The Americans began bombing targets belonging to the Taliban, the movement in power in Afghanistan, which harbored Al-Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden.

A year after the Afghanistan campaign began, Congress voted to authorize the use of force against Iraq.

On March 20, 2003, US-led forces invade Iraq from Kuwait to oust Saddam Hussein. The US-led effort crushed the Iraqi military and chased Saddam from power in a span of weeks.

Less than two months later, Bush had triumphantly declared that 'major combat operations in Iraq have ended' and that 'in the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.'

The US initially began to target Afghanistan almost one month after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks (above)

On March 20, 2003, US-led forces invade Iraq from Kuwait to oust Saddam Hussein. The US-led effort crushed the Iraqi military and chased Saddam from power in a span of weeks. US troops are seen above toppling the statue of Saddam in central Baghdad on April 9, 2003

As he spoke aboard the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, a banner behind him stated, 'Mission Accomplished.'

But US forces had difficulty stabilizing the country as the newly installed government was beset by a violent insurgency.

As US and Iraqi casualties mounted and the death toll skyrocketed, the war's popularity dipped.

By the end of Bush's two terms in office, the president's approval rating declined to 22 percent, according to CBS News, making him one of the least liked commanders-in-chief to leave office in the nation's history.

Since the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts began, at least 8,000 US and allied soldiers have died, according to CNN.

Tens of thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001, according to the United Nations.

The civilian death toll in Iraq is estimated to be somewhere between 170,000 and 190,000, according to Iraq Body Count.
A large flotilla of NATO warships arrived at Plymouth today for a week of advanced warfare training conducted by the Royal Navy.

The small fleet consists of nine frigates and nine countermeasure ships from around the world including Belgium, Spain, Germany and The Netherlands.

The Norwegian HNOMS Roald Amundsen was the first vessel to cruise into Devonport, arriving at 7am on Friday morning.

Dutch warship HNLMS Schiedham arriving into Devonport on Friday morning

HNOMS Hinnoy in the port. The flotilla consists of nine frigates and nine countermeasure ships

And crew members expected to meet with Royal Navy commanders.

The ships, from Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) and Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group One (SNMCMG1), are expected to stay in Plymouth for a week.

During this time they will be taking part in the Navy's Flag Officer Sea Training.

Norwegian Commodore Ole Morten Sandquist, who is leading SNMG1, told the Plymouth Herald: 'Our mission is first and foremost to provide NATO with a continuous maritime capability for operations and other activities in peacetime and periods of crisis and conflict.

'During the upcoming period, we will support Flag Officer Sea Training as a mock opposing force the ships undertaking their certification training.

Belgian Frigate BNS Louise-Marie from Standing NATO Maritime Group 1

German Tanker FGS Spessart. The NATO ships are expected to stay in the area for about a week

'We are looking forward to working closely with our allies in an advanced warfare training environment.'

Vessels were still arriving at the port on Friday evening with delays expected to ferry services across the River Tamar.

SNMG1 is one of four standing naval forces, operating mainly in the North Atlantic.
Kaela Eads, of Bristol, Tennessee, said she was just finishing her shift at a fast-food restaurant in Bristol when a woman ran up to the drive-thru window holding a small child

A teenage fast food drive-thru worker who learned CPR at school learned the training to save the life of an unresponsive toddler.

Kaela Eads, of Bristol, Tennessee, said she was just finishing her shift at a fast-food restaurant when a woman ran up to the drive-thru window holding a small child on Tuesday night.

The 18-year-old said that the woman told the workers at Pal's that her son wasn't breathing and asked if anyone knew CPR. Eads said instinct took over and she ran outside to help.

She told the Herald Courier: 'We were looking out the drive-thru window and saw a woman pulling up to the back dumpsters'.

Eads explained that it was pouring rain, and that with no umbrella the mother ran frantically up to the window to ask if anyone knew CPR.

Darrell Mears, a Bristol Tennessee Fire Department paramedic told the Bristol Herald Courier that the CPR administered by Eads saved the child's life.

Scroll down for video

CCTV footage shows the moment that Kaela Eads (pictured, wearing purple) administered CPR to a toddler who had stopped breathing. His mother is pictured standing, and the toddler can be seen on the ground

Eads said that it was pouring rain, but that when she heard the mother ask if anyone knew CPR instinct took over and she ran outside to help

She explained that she quickly put the toddler on the ground, and began administering CPR.

Several other Pal's employees an the boy's mother stayed near the two while he continued to check for vitals and perform chest compressions.

Eads said that administering the CPR she was hoping for a miracle, and that she is considering a career in the medical field

Eads said that she was hoping for a miracle, and that after about two minutes the compressions became tighter.

She told the Courier that she could tell there were faint breaths.

She administered CPR until the paramedics arrived and brought the child to the hospital.

Eads said her instincts and confidence kicked in, and that she doesn't consider herself a hero.

'It definitely was an adrenaline rush. I had only performed CPR on a dummy and this was a real child.

'I said to myself that i was going to try and get him the help he needed because I didn't want to have to come face to face with the inevitable that he could pass away,' she told the Courier.

Eads visited the hospital with her family, and took the time to pray.

She says she's considering a career in the medical field.
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Any kid can own a Marine One replica toy, but little Joseph Kushner is one of the few lucky tots to get a chance to ride on the real thing.

Ivanka Trump's three-year-old son brought along his toy version of the presidential helicopter on Friday, as the Kushners boarded Marine One on the White House lawn.

The toddler held onto the toy in his left hand while Grandpa Donald held onto his right hand, leading him and sister Arabella into the aircraft, his daughter and her husband following.

The family then took a quick flight over to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where Air Force One was waiting to take them to Florida.

Three-year-old Joseph Kushner clutched a mini Marine One model toy as he boarded the real thing on Friday

Joseph is Ivanka Trump's middle son with husband Jared Kushner, a white house advisor. He is pictured here with his grandpa

President Donald Trump led Joseph and sister Arabella out to Marine One on the White House lawn on Friday afternoon

President Donald Trump then helped his grandchildren to board the presidential helicopter on the South Lawn of the White House

First daughter Ivanka later posted a picture of the adorable moment her children boarded on Instagram

Ivanka and her husband followed the president and their two eldest children onto the helicopter

Noticeably missing from the pictures of the family getting onto Air Force One was Ivanka and Jared's youngest son, Theo, but Ivanka carried him out of the plane after they reached their final destination of Palm Beach.

First, the Trumps flew to Orlando, where the president visited St. Andrew Catholic School.

Trump visited the school in order to push his education agenda, which focuses on school choice.

He is spending the rest of the weekend with his family in Palm Beach, at the 'winter White House' Mar-a-Lago.

The Kushners' youngest son Theo was nowhere in sight as the family got on Air Force One to

The Kushners joined the president for a flight down to Florida, where he visited a private school in Orlando

The family will be spending the rest of the weekend at Trump's resort Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach

This is the fourth trip that Trump has made to Florida during his six weeks in the White House

Jared Kushner carries son Joseph as Ivanka and eldest daughter Arabella walk up the stares onto Air Force One

Joseph Kushner, center, hops into the presidential limo with his mother Ivanka Trump and President Donald Trump after arriving on Air Force One at Palm Beach

He started his tour of St. Andrew 's with a visit to a fourth-grade classroom, where he shook hands with students and talked about their history lesson.

He then joked to one girl who said she wanted to own her own business that she's 'gonna make a lot of money. But don't run for politics.'

Trump was joined on the tour by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

Teachers' unions were quick to criticize the visit, saying it shows Trump's hostility toward public schools and his intention to turn education into a profit-making industry.

After the school visit, Trump and his family got back on Air Force One and jetted down to Palm Beach.

Ivanka Trump, along with her husband Jared Kushner, disembark Air Force One with their children at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach

Jared Kushner walks down the stairs of Air Force One with Arabella Kushner, left, and Joseph Kushner, right, as his wife Ivanka Trump carries Theodore Kushner

Ivanka Trump steps off Air Force One with her son Theodore upon arrival in West Palm Beach, Florida, on March 3

The family later got back on Air Force One to jaunt down to Palm Beach, where they are spending the rest of the weekend. This time their youngest son Theo was seen in mom Ivanka's arms

Ivanka and her husband broke out in smiles as they arrived in Florida, holding onto Arabella

Ivanka blew a kiss after landing in Palm Beach on Friday

The family (Ivanka Trump and her family, husband Jared Kushner and children Joseph and Arabella Kushner left, and President Trump right) landed in Orlando just after 1pm Eastern Time on Friday

Ivanka Trump looks at her daughter Arabella as US President Donald Trump meets with parents and teachers at a school
The Keystone XL pipeline will not be constructed solely with U.S. manufactured steel despite President Donald Trump' decree that all future oil transportation projects would be built with American-made products.

Trump's administration is exempting Keystone company TransCanada from the clause on the grounds that the pipeline project Barack Obama's administration rejected was already under development.

'Since this one is already currently under construction, the steel is already literally sitting there, it would be hard to go back,' White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Friday.

The Keystone XL pipeline will not be constructed using U.S. manufactured steel despite President Donald Trump' decree that all future oil transportation projects would be built with American-made products

The president intimated on several occasions that the Keystone XL pipeline, as well as the Dakota Access pipeline, would be made will U.S. steel, creating thousands of manufacturing jobs.

He signed executive orders greenlighting the State Department to continue talks at the same time he issued a mandate that 'all new pipelines' be produced in the United States.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that the time that Trump was commanding his not-yet-confirmed commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross, to do a 'study looking into building the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines, as well as any other future pipeline with U.S. made steel and pipe and accessories.'

Now the White House says the Trump order will not apply to the TransCanada project because the Keystone pipeline is already under construction.

'Well the way that executive order is written...its specific to new pipelines or those that are being repaired,' Sanders told reporters flying to Florida with the president on Air Force One.

'But I know that everything moving forward would fall under that executive order.'

The first two phases of the Keystone Pipeline project, and most of the third, are complete. But the fourth section, the XL portion, was rejected by Obama's State Department.

After years of delays, Congress passed legislation at the beginning of 2015 bypassing the executive branch, but Obama vetoed it. Later in the year he relied on a State Department claim that the pipeline was not in the national interest to indefinitely halt construction.

Trump's orders directed his administration to expedite new reviews of the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines.

Trump insinuated that both pipelines would be made with American-manufactured steel at a Feb. 23 meeting with industry leaders, including U.S. Steel CEO Mario Longhi (far right)

A Jan. 24 order also instructed the secretary of Commerce to 'develop a plan under which all new pipelines, as well as retrofitted, repaired, or expanded pipelines, inside the borders of the United States, including portions of pipelines, use materials and equipment produced in the United States, to the maximum extent possible and to the extent permitted by law.'

Trump told Longhi: 'We put you heavy into the pipeline business because we approved, as you know, the Keystone Pipeline and Dakota. But they have to buy -- meaning, steel, so Ill say U.S. Steel -- but steel made in this country and pipelines made in this country'

'I am very insistent that if were going to build pipelines in the United States, the pipe should be made in the United States,' Trump said as he put his name on it. 'Companies are going to have to sort of gear up.'

Trump said too much pipeline is being purchased from other countries.

'From now on were going to start making pipeline in the United States,' he pledged. 'Its going to put a lot of workers, a lot of steelworkers back to work.'

Holding the signed document up, Trump announced, 'We will build our own pipeline, we will build our own pipes. Thats what it has to do with. Like we used to in the old days.'

At an on-camera briefing that day Spicer specifically stated that the memo directs 'the Commerce secretary to lead a study looking into building the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines, as well as any other future pipeline with U.S. made steel and pipe and accessories.

'This is the first step, and the president really delivered on his campaign promise to put American steel back at the backbone of the U.S. economy,' Spicer said. 'We're going to rebuild our infrastructure, and we're going to do it with American workers and with American resources.'

Since then, Trump has twice insinuated that both pipelines would be made with American-manufactured steel.

On Tuesday Trump bragged in his joint address, 'We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines thereby creating tens of thousands of jobs. And I've issued a new directive that new American pipelines be made with American steel.'

He directly linked the memo to the pipelines during a meeting with industry leaders, including U.S. Steel CEO Mario Longhi, on Feb. 23.

'And youre going to be doing pipelines now. You know that, right? We put you heavy into the pipeline business because we approved, as you know, the Keystone Pipeline and Dakota,' Trump told Longhi. 'But they have to buy -- meaning, steel, so Ill say U.S. Steel -- but steel made in this country and pipelines made in this country.'

Longhi replied, '100 percent, Mr. President. Well be there.'

Trump then added, for emphasis, 'So the pipe is coming from the U.S.'
Most people giving up cigarettes tends to opt for nicotine patches or gum.

But one supermarket in Yeovil has suggested a risque alternative to get rid of the bad habit.

Tesco Extra in Somerset placed its condoms under the 'smoking alternatives' section.

Tesco Extra is Somerset offered condoms as part of their smoking alternatives. Joel Belbin, 28, spotted the sign which seemed to encourage the risque alternative to giving up cigarettes

Joel Belbin, 28, spotted the sign which seems to encourage customers to swap one cigarettes for sex.

Former jockey Joel uploaded the hilarious photo to social media, with the caption: 'Love a trip to Tesco #EveryLittleHelps.

He said: 'I was just going to buy some vitamins and just looked across and there was a smoking alternatives sign above some condoms.

'If sex helps you stop smoking, I would have stopped a long time ago.'

Joel gave up smoking after 14 years a few months ago but said he never tried condoms to help him quit.

The photo of the sign in a Tesco in Yeovil, Somerset has sent become a Twitter hit.
Henry Chibueze, 36, who was responsible for killing up to 200 people, was busted out of police custody in January

A Nigerian mass murderer dubbed 'the Vampire' has been killed in a dramatic shootout with police.

Henry Chibueze, 36, was responsible for killing up to 200 people in a vicious campaign of kidnap and murder, which he began at the tender age of 11.

Following his death, the killer's body was paraded through the streets as crowds gathered to watch.

One onlooker cried out: 'Look at you now. You will go to hellfire', as the murderer's corpse went past.

The ruthless killer's victims include an ex-girlfriend, who he killed by storming her house in the Nigerian capital Lagos, murdering her and six children.

Chibueze had been in police custody, but was busted out in January by members of his brutal gang.

He went into hiding in the south of the country, but was eventually tracked down to dense forest in Rivers state.

Officers displayed his corpse on a white sheet next to surviving gang members who had been taken into custody

He was engaged police in a gun battle, which culminated in his death on Thursday morning.

Officers displayed his corpse on a white sheet next to surviving gang members who had been taken into custody.

They then dragged his body through the streets, parading their victory over the notorious killer.

'The terror, fear and anxiety caused by Vampire's escape is now a thing of the past,' Chief Superintendent Jimoh Moshood said.
The El Salvadorian criminal enterprise MS-13 which saw two of its members sport sickening smiles in court for the 'satanic' kidnap and murder of two female teens in Houston is estimated to have between 10,000 and 20,000 members nationwide.

MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha, is believed to have a presence in 46 states according to an independent study done by University of Pennsylvania.

The gang is thought to be behind a string of murders and violent crimes although the exact figures are not known.

Thirteen alleged members, ten of whom are illegal immigrants, were arrested in connection to seven slayings in Long Island over the last year.

The latest murders have begun to push into the public eye the decades of evil perpetuated by the group - and the terror of those living among it which sees female members inducted by being gang raped.

The first and only criminal organization in the United States to be named as 'transnational' by the FBI, MS-13 operates on the motto of 'Kill, Rape, Control,'

MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha has between 10,000 and 20,000 members nationwide, and have a presence in 46 states

Miguel Alvarez-Flores (right) smiles and waves at news cameras in Houston court on Wednesday, as the gang leader known as 'Diabolico' and his partner 18-year-old Diego Hernandez-Rivera (left) faced charges of aggravated kidnapping and murder

The MS-13 is the first and only criminal organization in the United States to be named as 'transnational' by the FBI and operates on the motto of 'Kill, Rape, Control,' Massachusetts Attorney Carmen Ortiz said.

The group was started nearly 20 years ago in Los Angeles after millions of immigrants from El Salvador came to the United States after a violent civil war left over 100,000 dead.

The gang has since spread all over the country, and are known widely as the best killers - due to their exceedingly brutal weapon of choice, a machete.

The group was started nearly 20 years ago in Los Angeles after millions of immigrants from El Salvador came to the United States after a violent civil war left over 100,000 dead

They have since spread all over the country, and are known widely as the best killers - due to their exceedingly brutal weapon of choice, a machete

Weapons on display at the U.S. Attorney's office following the arrests of gang members in Boston, in 2016, when 56 members of the MS-13 gang were charged on murder-related crimes

WHO ARE THE MS-13? The ultra-violent street gang MS-13 was the first to be designated as an international criminal group. With as many as 20,000 members in 46 states, the gang has expanded far beyond its initial roots. Members are accused of major crimes including murder, kidnapping, prostitution, drug smuggling and human trafficking. Major roundups of MS-13 members have taken place across the country since the early 2000s. In Charlotte, N.C., 53 gang members were arrested as part of Operation Fed Up, which targeted MS-13 members. In 2016, 58 members of MS-13 were rounded up as part of 'Operation Mean Streets'. Previously, two of their most notable killings include stabbing to death a federal witness in 2004 and chopping the hands off of a 16-year-old boy in 2005. Advertisement

The two young women killed by MS-13 in Long Island, Nisa Mickens, 15, and Kayla Cuevas, 16, were beat with bats and hacked with machetes so severely that their bodies were unrecognizable. They were both students at Brentwood High School.

On Wednesday, gang leader Miguel Angel Alvarez-Flores, 22, who also goes by 'Diabolico,' and 18-year-old Diego Alexan Hernandez-Rivera appeared in Houston court where they laughed, smiled and waved to cameras while facing charges of aggravated kidnapping and murder.

Prosecutors said the two kidnapped a 14-year-old girl after she left school around February 2, holding her in an apartment where she was raped by a gang member.

Authorities say she was held against her will there for two weeks, given drugs and alcohol to keep her disoriented, and sexually assaulted by some of the men.

She also said she was held down while Flores tattooed a giant grim reaper from her knee to her foot, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Nisa Mickens, 15, (left) Kayla Cuevas, 16, (right) from Long Island, New York, were were ambushed by a carload of other teens on September 13 and killed. Thirteen members of the MS-13 gang were arrested on Thursday in connection with the slayings

Two known MS-13 gang members, formerly of El Salvador, Miguel Alvarez-Flores, left, and Diego Hernandez-Rivera appear in court in Houston on Thursday for the murder of one young woman and kidnapping of another

The gang operates by targeting children as young as eight in urban areas heavily populated with Central American immigrants.

They use a complex system of identifying at-risk youths, usually who have difficult home-lives, to target, exploit, and turn them into killers.

Those who become part of the gang must first be 'jumped in,' which includes a savage beating for 13 seconds by all members of the gang.

Sin Nombre, a film which documented the reality of MS-13 gang members, showed the induction of a 13-year-old boy named 'Smiley,' who was picked up in Boston in 2016 when 56 members of the gang were arrested

If the hopeful inductee survives, then they will be welcomed with 'open arms,' according to an independent study done by University of Pennsylvania researcher Albert De Amicis.

Brenda Paz was a criminal informant for the FBI. She gave first-hand insight to authorities that allowed a better understanding of MS-13's complex operations

To build respect from fellow gang members, new inductees are encouraged to execute 'chavalas' - who are enemies of MS-13 and often rival gang member.

Sin Nombre, a film which documented the reality of MS-13 gang members, showed the induction of a 13-year-old boy named 'Smiley,' who was picked up in Boston in 2016 when 56 members of the gang were arrested.

In a particularly graphic scene, another gang member holds Smiley's hand steady while he shoots a chavala in the head. The gang leader then fed the victim's entrails to his dog.

In the case of the two Brentwood high school girls, Robert L. Capers, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York, told the New York Times how Kayla Cuevas had been 'feuding' with gang members at school and on social media.

It's possible they could have viewed her as a chavala and an outlet for retribution - and an opportunity for a new member to prove their stripes.

Women can also be inducted into the gang by being jumped in or 'sexed in,' which generally carries a lower social status.

Being 'sexed in' entails being raped by every member in the gang until they are sexually satisfied.

Many girls who undergo this horrific torture end up prostituting themselves for the gang across the country, according to Brenda Paz, who was a criminal informant for the FBI. She gave first-hand insight to authorities in the early 2000's that allowed a better understanding of their complex operations.

After being exposed as a 'rat,' she was stabbed to death on the alleged orders of her ex-lover Dennis Rivera, who was an imprisoned former gang leader. She was 17 years old and four months pregnant. He was later acquitted for the crime.

After being exposed as a 'rat,' Brenda was stabbed to death on the alleged orders of her ex-lover Dennis Rivera, who was an imprisoned former gang leader. She was 17 years old and four months pregnant. Rivera was later acquitted for her murder. This knife was shown preceding a news conference in Boston after 58 MS-13 members were arrested

To build respect from fellow gang members, new inductees are encouraged to execute 'chavalas' - who are enemies of MS-13 and often rival gang member

MS-13 has also reportedly been contracted by El Chapo to aid in his drug war and low-level distribution. De Amicis' research detailed statements that MS-13 and other Central American gangs have attempted to expand their own drug routes through collaborations with Mexican gangs like Los Zetas and the Sinaloa Federation drug cartel.

In addition to their lethal presence in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, MS-13 is also firmly rooted in their home of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Here in the US, Long Island, specifically Brentwood, seems to be receiving the brunt of MS-13's deadly force. Eleven gang killings in Suffolk County last year alone were attributed to MS-13.

Tensions have reached a breaking point between parents and school officials, as the recent deaths of Nisa Mickens and Kayla Cuevas have devastated the already gang-torn community.

In addition to their lethal presence in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, MS-13 is also firmly rooted in their home of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua

Evelyn Rodriguez, mother of Kayla Cuevas, 16, stops to talk members of the press gathered outside U.S. District Court Thursday, March 2

They worry that the increase of illegal immigrants from across the country's borders have indeed brought in a new wave of increasingly violent gang members.

'There's been a huge influx, to be honest with you,' said Ray Mayo, the president of the Brentwood Association of Concerned Citizens.

'It seems like a whole new set of gang members who have stirred the pot up.'

For El Salvadorian residents in Brentwood, it brings back old feelings of terror from the country's civil war that sparked their immigration two decades ago.

One woman who wished to be unnamed told the New York Times: 'It makes me feel bad that people think this of all Salvadorans,'

'Violence was the reason I left  when they killed my brother. And now we are experiencing the same violence.'
The person who Facebook live-streamed a man after he was shot at a motel will not be charged in the incident.

North Carolina authorities say Facebook helped them track down the person who filmed Calvin Louis Blackshire Jr. suffering from a gunshot wound at a Fayetteville Motel 6 on January 19. He died the next morning at the hospital.

But that person will not be charged in the incident because they were not involved in the shooting and there is no law against filming an injured person instead of getting help.

It's something that the victim's mother, Pamela Blackshire, had a hard time understanding when she spoke at a news conference on Thursday.

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Calvin Louis Blackshire Jr. (pictured) was shot at Motel 6 in Fayetteville, North Carolina on January 19 and died the next day

A bystander filmed Blackshire while he lay dying at the motel instead of getting help

The victim's mother, Pamela Blackshire, says she can't understand why someone would be so heartless

'I just want to know who in the world with any kind of decency would do something like that?' his mother said. 'Its a shame they couldnt be arrested for watching someone dying and not assisting.'

She said of the video: 'You could see people standing over my son, taking pictures, as if he was on a slideshow.'

The video has since been removed from Facebook. Facebook helped police identify the person who took the video, and police interviewed him or her. Police say the person was not involved in the murder and let the person go without charges.

Police continued to hunt for the person or persons responsible for killing Blackshire.

They believe the 27-year-old went to meet someone at the Motel 6 on Cedar Creek Road that night, and ended up getting robbed since his cellphone and shoes were stolen.

The person who filmed Blackshire dying will not be charged. Blackshire pictured on left in a picture with his son. His 1-year-old son is pictured on the right

But they aren't sure whether he was shot at the time of the robbery or after, or who he was meeting with.

At some point, the man or woman who shot the Facebook live video came across the man's body and started Facebook live-streaming the scene for about 10 minutes.

Blackshire died the next morning, after being transported to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. It's unclear who got help for the man.

His death came as a shock to his family. He leaves behind a 1-year-old son.

'He was a hard-working, young man,' his mother said. 'He didnt get into any kind of trouble and he never gave us any kind of problems.'
Nigel Farage received an 'honorary knighthood' in a bizarre stunt on the Kremlin-backed news channel Russia Today.

Farage, fresh from addressing his feud with MP Douglas Carswell, dropped to one knee to let a young 'Majesty' knight him.

The former UKIP leader was on Russia Today for an interview with host Sam Delaney.

Delaney said that he was giving Nigel a knighthood because it was, 'the one thing that we feel that you have been dreaming of secretly all your life'.

He didn't stop their either. Delaney also made Farage 'honourary British ambassador to America' and 'honourary MP for South Thanet'.

But the segment takes a turn for the awkward when the little girl says to Farage: 'My mummy says you hate foreigners.'

Farage and Delaney do their best to laugh off the incident, waving their hands and shaking their heads.

Farage was in good spirits as he kneeled to receive his honorary knighthood from Russia Today

The moment became awkward when the young girl says: 'My mummy says you hate foreigners'

Delaney says: 'You're not supposed to say that, that's very naughty!'

Nigel quickly regains his composure and replies: 'The Queen has to be non-political!'

The stunt comes after allegations that UKIP MP Douglas Carswell blocked an attempt to get Nigel Farage a knighthood.

Nigel laughs off the awkward faux pax, reminding the young Queen that she can't be political

The former UKIP leader is in the middle of a bitter row with UKIP MP Douglas Carswell

In an email obtained by the Daily Telegraph between Carswell and former UKIP leader Malcolm Pearson, Carswell says they could 'try angling to get Nigel and OBE' for 'services to headline writers'.

There has been much speculation as to whether a knighthood is in-keeping with Farage's 'anti-establishment' politics.
President Donald Trump forcefully went after both prongs of the Democratic congressional leadership, demanding investigations of both congressional Demoratic leaders after photos purported to show their own Russia ties.

It wasn't immediately clear if the president was serious in his call for an investigation of his rivals. At the moment, it is his administration's own contacts with Russia, and Russia's alleged election hacking, that is the subject of investigations by the FBI and the House and Senate intelligence committees.

'I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it,' Trump tweeted Friday afternoon.

Earlier, Trump went after Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer after a photo surfaced of Schumer and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2003. The two pols were enjoying donuts during an event for the opening of a Russian-owned gas station in Manhattan.

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President Trump demanded an 'investigation' of House minority leader Nancy Pelosi after a photo emerged showing her seated at a table with the Russian ambassador to the U.S.

President Donald Trump demanded an 'immediate' investigation of House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, after she said she hadn't met the current Russian ambassador, only to be revealed to have met him in a 2010 photo

'We should start an immediate investigation into and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite!' Trump wrote.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi appeared to give a gift to the Trump White House, which has been sent reeling by reports of Trump's Russia ties, when she fielded a question about at a Politico interview Friday about whether she had ever met the current Russian ambassador, Sergey Kisliak.

On Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any investigations involving the presidential election after it was revealed he twice met the ambassador during the campaign.

'Not with this Russian ambassador, no,' was Pelosi's response.

Within hours, a photo surfaced showing Pelosi seated around the same table as the peripatetic ambassador.

It was during a 2010 meeting in the Capitol, where the ambassador accompanied then-president Dmitri Medvedev, who was considered a modernizer in between President Vladimir Putin's two stints in power.

She was accompanied by then-House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland. Also attending was Sergey Lavrov, who is Russia's foreign minister.

NOW LET ME THINK ... House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Friday she hadn't met with the current Russian ambassador, only to be exposed in a seven-year old photo to have met him

The meeting was publicly acknowledged, and happened a day after Medvedev met with President Obama, and happened long before Russia was alleged to have hacked the U.S. elections.

But it's emergence was just the latest evidence that Russia's ambassador cultivated extensive contacts with multiple facets of the U.S. government and power structure, from both parties  and that not everyone either disclosed or remembered those ties.

Pelosi's spokesman, Drew Hammill, told Politico, which published the photo, that Pelosi had meant she'd never met solo with the ambassador.

'Of course, that's what she meant,' said Hammill. 'She has never had a private one-on-one with him.'

HOW SWEET: President Donald Trump went after Democratic Senator Charles Schumer by retweeting this photo of Schumer and Russian President Vladimir Putin

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM: Trump tweeted and then deleted his tweet  twice  before getting the spelling right, while visiting a Florida school with his Education secretary

Earlier, Trump tried to blow a hole in repeated revelations about his associates' ties to Moscow by tweeting a photo of rival Democratic Senator Charles Schumer and Vladimir Putin.

As reports swirled about his own campaign's Russia ties  including an undisclosed meeting between son-in-law Jared Kushner and the Kremlin's ambassador to Washington  Trump blasted out a photo of Schumer, the Democratic Senate leader.

'We should start an immediate investigation into and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite!' Trump wrote.

Attached was a photo of Schumer and President Vladimir Putin enjoying Krispy Kreme doughnuts and coffee.

The 2003 photo was taken in New York, as Schumer welcomed Putin for an event commemorating Lukoil's first gas station in Manhattan, Gateway Pundit revealed.

An AP photo included in the post shows the two men smiling over coffee and doughnuts.

Schumer commented at the time: 'When I showed the president of Russia a Krispy Kreme doughnut and he ate it and said it was good, that was one of the more surreal moments I've had in politics.'

He tweeted back at the president Friday: 'Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in '03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team?'

LET'S TALK: Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, Russian Federation president Dmitry Medvedev (R) at a meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California. The photo is credited to a photographer with the Russian TASS agency

Trump sent out the tweet attacking Schumer as his own administration was under fire for Russia contacts during a year when Russia was believed to be behind hacking of the presidential election

Schumer responded that he would be happy to discuss his Putin contacts 'under oath. Would you & your team?'

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he would sit out any decision on prosecutions which could arise from current investigations into whether Russia meddled in the election - but that he had not lied to the Senate

A series of reports have catalogued contacts between Trump associates and Russia's ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak

Schumer welcomed Putin to New York to promote a new gas station being opened by Lukoil, the Russian oil company

The Trump administration has come under fire for Russia contacts, at a time when the Kremlin was under sanction following the country's invasion of Ukraine.

In 2003, at the time the Schumer meeting occurred, Putin had not yet fully emerged into his role as perpetual adversary to U.S. policy goals. In 2001, President George W. Bush famously said after meeting Putin, 'I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul.'

In the intervening years he cracked down on the free press, helped engineer his departure and return to power, put down a rebellion in Chechnya, and interfered in the politics of its neighbors.

The U.S. intelligence community has concluded that Russia hacked the U.S. elections.



IT'S A GAS: Media and pedestrians gather during the opening of Lukoil's gasoline station September 26, 2003 in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City. Lukoil, a Russian oil company, acquired Getty Petroleum Marketing Inc. and its 1, 300 stations in November 2000

FOREIGN INVESTMENT: Sen. Charles Schumer met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at an event commemorating a new Lukoil service station

Schumer has called for a special prosecutor to investigate Trump Russia ties and whether an investigation has already been compromised. He has called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign, and was among the first to call for Sessions to recuse himself from any investigation  something Sessions did on Thursday in a dramatic announcement.

'Because the Department of Justice should be above reproach, for the good of the country, Attorney General Sessions should resign,' Schumer said.

In addition to Kushner, former national security advisor Mike Flynn met with Russia's ambassador, as did attorney general Jeff Sessions, a key endorser and campaign advisor for Trump.

The Daily Caller reported at least 22 visits by ambassador Sergey Kislyak to the White House during the Obama administration.

The number of advisors linked to President Donald Trump who met with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. has grown to five  with two more acknowledging the contacts Thursday night.

Carter Page, who Trump identified as among his first foreign policy advisors, acknowledged the contact on MSNBC Thursday night when he didn't deny meeting with Kisklak.

Kislyak's role as the Kremlin's eyes and ears in Washington exploded onto the scene after it was revealed he met with a number of officials in Trump's inner circle during the campaign and after Trump won the presidency.

'I'm not going to deny that I talked with him,' Page told MSBNC's Chris Hayes.

Deputy White House press secretary Sarah Sanders also brought up the Schumer incident when asked about Trump associates meeting with the Russian ambassador at a conference held during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

'Please explain to me how volunteers meeting at a conference where nearly 80 ambassadors attended is a story,' Sanders said.

'I guess it's kind of lost on me where that would be newsworthy in any capacity. I mean Chuck Schumer sitting and having drinks with Putin and that's not a news story, but apparently a volunteer for a campaign bumping into one at a conference where there's again dozens of other ambassadors is newsworthy,' she continued.

Then she defended Sessions meeting with the ambassador, something she said occurred in his 'official capacity.'

'As a senator he obviously in his official capacity met with the ambassador. Again, that was as a senator not as a campaign official, so again, to try to muddy the waters in that way is I think pretty unfair to the attorney general,' she said.
Gabby Kuhne and Vinnie, her West Highland White terrier

What price the loyalty of a canine companion? The average dog lover would, you imagine, say its priceless. Gabby and Florian Kuehn are certainly of that persuasion, though they can put an exact figure on it. In their case, it amounts to just south of 70,000 and its still climbing.

The eye-watering sum is the amount theyve paid in legal fees fighting to stop their Maltese-Yorkshire Terrier cross, Vinnie, being evicted from their spacious London flat.

As the Mail revealed earlier this week, the management company which oversees the Kuehns apartment complex maintains that it has a no pets policy  and when its members realised that Vinnie was living in the 1 million penthouse, they started legal action to see him off.

And after a two-day hearing this week, a judge ruled in their favour: Vinnie, he said, had to go.

But make no mistake: Vinnie  named after hard man actor Vinnie Jones, in defiance of his fluffy, runt-of-the-litter, 5kg frame  is not heading for the dogs home any time soon.

The thought that anyone could think we would do that honestly makes me sick, says Gabby. My dog is my companion. He de-stresses me. I miss him if we go away for a weekend, so the idea that anyone could imagine I would give him away makes me feel ill.

Getting rid of the dog means all of us packing our bags and leaving. Vinnie is part of our family. We consider ourselves a family, as do most of our friends with dogs.

The management firm Victory Place said the couple knew of the no-pets policy before they bought the property. The block of flats is pictured above

And so, she and her husband plan to appeal against the judges decision; a process involving more money, more time, and  given their vehement opposition to rehoming Vinnie  an ongoing question mark over how long they will be allowed to stay in the property they bought three years ago, thinking it would be their forever home.

Is this, then, a case of animal crackers? In blunter terms, there are some who might see this as a textbook case of a couple having more money than sense. Its a notion 45-year-old Gabby vehemently disputes.

The idea that we would knowingly have put ourselves in this situation is ludicrous, she says.

A lot of emphasis has been put on the money spent but of course we never expected it to come to this. We didnt set out thinking, lets throw lots of money at this.

Gabby adds: But as time went on, it became a matter of standing up for what we believe in.

Theres a principle at stake. We bought our flat in good faith after making all the necessary checks and what has happened is unfair.

Arriving at the Kuehns splendid home, on a gated estate by the River Thames in East London, I am half expecting to find Vinnie lounging on a velvet chaise longue being hand-fed foie gras by his devoted mistress.

In fact, he is wolfing down a tin of Pedigree Chum. Gabby, while clearly besotted with Vinnie, comes across as calm and measured.

Moreover, she is at pains to point out that while she and her husband are well-off, they have worked hard to get where they are.

I dont take for granted what we have, she says. Through a combination of hard work and luck we are very privileged.

I know people see this as stupidly spending money on our dog. But we are spending money on what we believe in. Were not asking for pity  just understanding.

Gabby, who was raised on a farm in Ireland and moved to London in her mid-twenties to take up a job in recruitment, met Florian, a German banker, when they were both working in the City.

They married ten years ago, settled in East London, near their current home, and assumed children would follow. And while that didnt happen, Gabby is keen to emphasise that their decision to get a dog was unrelated.

Gabby and Florian Kuehn lost a court fight to keep their dog Vinnie in their flat in east London

Rather, a stressful period in her life five years ago led her to realise that a canine companion would be helpful.

I had a lot going on and was under a lot of stress, she recalls. I was working from home a lot, and I had also got to know a lot of dog walkers locally. Everything just came together, and the circumstances seemed right.

And so, in May 2012, along came Vinnie, a three-month-old bundle of white fluff chosen, says Gabby, specifically because his size and demeanour meant he would suit urban living. Ive got friends who have bigger cats, she says.

Gabby and Florian were bowled over by Vinnie from the start. I guess it was love at first sight, she says. He was just this adorable little thing with a big personality.

There were no issues with dog ownership at the Kuehns previous apartment complex, but when the couple decided to  in Gabbys words  trade up for more space three years ago, they were aware they needed to make it clear they came as a trio.

They registered with estate agents who were, Gabby insists, aware that the Kuehns came with a dog. They saw a number of properties before, in 2014, settling on their current apartment in Victory Place.

Spread over two floors, with vast picture windows overlooking the marina, it had everything they were looking for. What about Vinnie?

Prior to purchasing, we made inquiries with the estate agent whether dogs would be permitted, says Gabby.

We were told it was not a problem, that all approval for consent was dealt with by the freeholder, and then it was countersigned by the board of directors who looked after the leasehold. Our understanding was that all this was a formality. We had no reason to doubt it.

The couple bought the property in September 2014 and promptly applied to the freeholder for a dog licence, which was granted a year later as they finished renovations and were getting ready to move in.

In October 2015, they took the licence to the management company  comprising five directors, all resident at Victory Place  assuming it would be signed off.

Instead, recalls Gabby, they came straight back to us saying absolutely no way, that the flats had a no-pets policy. I felt sick.

As far as we were concerned we had a licence. It hadnt crossed our mind there would be an issue.

And so, by the time the Kuehns moved into their sparkling new home in November 2015, the clock was already ticking for Vinnie.

His owners Gabby and Florian Kuehn, pictured with Vinnie, were told when they bought the 1 million property in Limehouse by the freeholder dogs were allowed

The same month, the couple received a letter from the management committee giving them 24 hours notice to remove Vinnie, followed, two days before Christmas, with a note telling them that the board had issued proceedings against them at Central London County Court. Merry Christmas, says Gabby, her eyebrows arching at the memory.

One can only imagine the atmosphere in the communal hallway on the odd occasion Gabby bumped into her neighbours when she went on her twice-daily dog walks. Was it difficult?

I am not going to get into a slanging match, but given that my neighbours took me to court over a 5kg dog, I think it is safe to say there were hostilities, she says.

What saddens me is that these people live in the same block, but no one came to knock on the door to say: Lets talk about this and see what we can work out.

Down the line, we offered to meet countless times, we offered mediation, but it was all rejected.

The ante was upped, meanwhile, when, in May last year, the Kuehns got a letter from the freeholder saying they were now revoking their licence following complaints that Vinnie was making too much noise. One resident, they were told, had kept a four-month diary of his barking, whining and growling. Two others had cited specific occasions in April last year when Vinnies barking had disturbed them.

All nonsense, insists Gabby, who is at pains to point out that not only does she never leave Vinnie alone for more than four hours at a time, but that when she does, he is confined to the kitchen and monitored by a camera to ensure he is not distressed.

Either Im there  so I know hes not barking  or Im not there and I know hes not barking, as the camera notifies me if he so much as blinks.

I can tell you categorically that my dog does not make any noise. This felt like part of an exercise to revoke our original licence.

Gabby says she had had to give up work because of the demands and stress of the case

It is true that Vinnie doesnt seem capable of making noise that would penetrate far, not least because the couples bedrooms are situated below their communal space, which in turn is surrounded by a spacious wraparound terrace.

In effect, we are our own neighbours, says Gabby.

Finally, after several agonising months  and 15 months after they moved in  the hearing unfolded this week. By then, Gabby says she had had to give up work because of the demands and stress of the case.

Were professional, so we tried to get on with it, but its very hard when you feel rather like youre at war, she says.

We just clung on to the fact that we were confident this would be overturned. We felt very strongly that the law was on our side and that a blanket ban was not democratic or fair.

As we have seen, however, things didnt go the couples way. The court heard that not only did the freeholder not have permission to authorise animals, but that in a residents vote over whether to change the no-animal policy, 75 voted to retain it against the Kuehns solitary vote in favour.

What does that tell you though? says Gabby.

Vinnie is named after Hollywood hard man actor Vinnie Jones

Seventy residents didnt vote, and the ones who did, I suspect, voted not really because they felt strongly about the pets issue but because they hoped to avoid a costly court battle.

Either way, the couple lost, with Judge Donald Cryan telling the couple that their defence had boiled down to little more than I love my dog.

Its an emotion which one can readily understand and indeed sympathise with, he said  but they were still in breach of their lease.

Obviously, Gabby vehemently disagrees. At the end of the day we had a professional decision and I am not going to criticise the judge for that. But I dont agree with him, she says.

The couple are now deciding whether to appeal  which will buy Vinnie more time at Victory Place, but will also cost more.

At the moment, the Kuehns costs stand at an estimated 49,000 and they have been ordered to cover 20,000 of their rivals legal fees. If we win our appeal, though, then we dont pay a bean, she says.

Of course, if they dont win, it will be several thousand more to add to the legal bill and Gabby admits it will hit them hard.

We are well off but we dont have a bottomless pit of money. A lot has been made of the fact we live in a 1 million flat  but then so do the residents who have taken us to court.

We are going to have to regroup, make cuts. We might have to sell the car. But we believe in it strongly enough to carry on.

We have been inundated with emails from people who are in the same situation but who dont have the means to fight. A lot of people will think we are crazy but there are also a lot who will be waiting to see how this works out.

Losing money would, of course, be just one issue: if they lose the appeal, the couple  and Vinnie  will have to move out.

It is a thought that fills Gabby with dread. Cuddling Vinnie tightly, she maintains that she and Florian are the victims.

I think its absolutely dreadful that these kinds of narrow-minded policies can exist, she says.

This is about more than a dog in a penthouse. We are meant to be a nation of animal lovers. It doesnt feel that way to me.
Donald Trump hopped on Air Force I on Friday morning to head down to Florida, where he joined his embattled Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in a visit to an Orlando religious institution.

The visit was meant to promote the administration's school choice agenda, with St. Andrew Catholic School being an example of an institution that contains a large number of students from the school voucher program in Florida.

It was the first school visit President Trump has made in his presidency, and during the time he spent inside the fourth-grade classroom of teacher Jane Jones he joked with students and complimented their work while urging them to avoid a career in politics.

When one young girl said she wanted to attend Johns Hopkin and become a doctor, President Trump told her: 'That's a good idea. Make a lot of money right? But don't run for politics after.'

President Trump was joined at the school by Senator Marco Rubio, his senior adviser Jared Kushner, who brought along daughter Arabella, and DeVos.

The most popular member of the group however was President Trump's daughter Ivanka, who made the dreams of one young boy come true by signing his leg cast.

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Catholic choice: President Trump visited St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando on Friday (above with Betsy DeVos, Arabella Kushner and Ivanka Trump) to promote his school choice agenda

Sign away: Ivanka Trump also attended the visit, and took some time to sign one young boy's cast (above)

President's pet: President Trump joked around with the children, telling one girl (above with hr classmate) 'don't run for politics' and then later promising to make her and another boy (right) 'famous'

It is unclear why President Trump chose this school, especially since the journey by Helicopter from the White House to Joint Base Andrews where the group boarded Air Force I to Orlando International Airport to then drive to the school took close to four hours.

And while the group received a warm greeting inside the classroom, it was anything but outside the school where close to 150 protesters were outside awaiting President Trump's arrival.

Many held signs referencing President Trump's planned border wall between the United States and Mexico and his deportation programs.

There seemed to be an equal number of people who were genuinely excited to see President Trump as well, waving and snapping photos as he drove by in his Secret Service envoy.

Once inside, President Trump told a story about one of the students at the school, Denisha Merriweather, who he claimed turned her life around through the voucher program.

Denisha was failing at her other school he explained, but is now thriving at St. Andrew Catholic, where students are taught that life's two biggest goals are 'college and heaven.'

'We want millions more to have the chance to achieve the success that you're achieving,' said President Trump.

Backlash: It was the first school visit President Trump has made in his presidency, and some were upset he did not visit a public school, while numerous protesters stood outside (above)

Crowded house: President was joined at the school by Education Secretary DeVos (center), Senator Marco Rubio (left), and his senior adviser Jared Kushner (back center with ivanka), who brought along daughter Arabella (hidden)

DeVos wrote about Denisha in a letter that was published by USA Today on Friday, stating: 'Denisha is living proof that school choice can break the cycle of poverty and provide transformative change.

'As a result of Floridas Tax Credit Scholarship Program, Denisha became the first in her family to graduate high school, college and, later this May, with a masters degree in social work.

'Denishas story is but one example of the opportunity we should afford to millions of students across our country.'

Meanwhile, a young boy by the name of Landon took time to praise President Trump, telling him: 'We went to thank you for serving America.'

On his way out, President Trump asked Landon and the other young girl who welcomed him, Janayah, to pose for a photo.

'We're going to make you famous, OK?' said President Trump to the 10-year-old students.

He also made a point of commenting on the hair of two young girls in the class.

'Oh that hair is beautiful. I love that hair, right?' he said to the first young student, and then later stated as he walked about another young girl: 'I love her hair!'

President Trump also repeated the comment he made on Tuesday during his speech to a joint session of Congress, calling education the 'civil rights issue of our time.'

Disembark: DeVos and Senator Rubio exiting the plane in Orlando on Friday (above)

Family affair: Arabella, Jared, Joseph, Ivanka and Theodore exit Air Force I in Palm Beach (above)

That comment came one week after President Trump lifted bathroom protections for transgender students in school.

And after the four hour journey to a Catholic school in Orlando for a 40 minute visit, President Trump was back on the plane and off to Mar-a-Lago for his fourth weekend visit in the seven weeks since he took office.

He was joined by Ivanka and Jared along with their three children for the trip.

It is unclear if they will be joined by First Lady Melania and Barron, who were in New York on Friday morning.

Meanwhile, soon after the visit President Trump was mocked on Twitter when he posted a comment about his visit and the importance of education followed by a tweet where he misspelled 'hereby' as 'hear by' and then changed to 'hearby' before finally getting it right.
Shares in Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, soared another 11 per cent to over $27 Friday after debuting to much fanfare on the New York Stock Exchange one day earlier.

Stock was at $27.09 at 4pm, having closed at $24.48 a share Thursday - 44 per cent higher than their IPO pricing of $17 a share.

Snapchat's IPO marked the biggest tech debut on the market since 2014, when Chinese online retailer Alibaba started trading.

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Shares in Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat , soared again Friday after debutin on the New York Stock Exchange one day earlier

The company's 26-year-old CEO Evan Spiegel and his co-founder Bobby Murphy, 28, rang the opening bell at the NYSE Thursday morning. But shy Spiegel quickly retreated to follow the day's trading in private.

His fiancee, model Miranda Kerr, proudly supported him from the trading room floor, where she took Snapchat selfies with friends during her soon-to-be-husband's big moment.

At the end of the Thursday, Spiegel was now worth more than $5.4billion, thanks to the more than 210 million shares he held onto and the 16 million he sold.

The wunderkind was still in shock when the final bell rang on Thursday, when the Los Angeles Times asked him how he felt.

'How do we feel? We were just thinking about how do we answer that question,' an 'exhausted' Spiegel told the paper. 'It's exciting.'

Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, debuted on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday. Co-founders Bobby Murphy, 28 (left), and Evan Spiegel, 26 (center), rang the opening bell

Spiegel (right), the company's 26-year-old CEO, is now worth more than $5.4billion after the company went public

Snapchat's IPO priced their stock at $17 a share, but the shares shot up to $24 in trading on Thursday. Above, a Snap Inc. banner covers the New York Stock Exchange building on Thursday

At the end of the day, Snap Inc's shares were valued at $24.48 a share - that's 44 per cent more than the company's IPO pricing

Los Angeles-born Spiegel got the idea for Snapchat while working on a school project at Stanford. He then dropped out of school in 2012, shortly before graduating, to focus on launching the app.

In 2013, Facebook offered to buy the company from Spiegel and his co-founders for $3billion - an offer they turned down. After the first day of trading, it seems that decision was a good idea.

The IPO has tested investor appetite for a social media app that is beloved by teenagers and people under 30 for applying bunny faces and vomiting rainbows onto selfies, but has yet to convert 'cool' into cash.

Despite a nearly seven-fold increase in revenue, Los Angeles-based Snap's net loss widened 38 percent last year. It faces intense competition from larger rivals such as Facebook's Instagram as it grapples with decelerating user growth.

Snap began trading into a market with keen hunger. The book was more than 10 times oversubscribed and Snap could have priced the IPO at as much as $19 a share, but the company wanted to focus on securing mutual funds as long-term investors rather than hedge funds looking to quickly sell, a source familiar with the matter said.

Spiegel's finacee, model Miranda Kerr, center, supporter her soon-to-be husband from the trading room floor on Thursday

Evan Spielgel's father John, left, is congratulated after shares in his son's company begin trading on Thursday

Underwriters often price their IPOs below demand in order to ensure a first day spike.

Such a pop, though positive for a company's momentum, does not ensure long-term success. Share of social media company Twitter Inc surged 93 percent when it first opened on the New York Stock Exchange in 2013, but are now trading at $15.84, down nearly 40 percent from its $26 IPO price and nearly 70 percent from its opening price of $50.09.

The New York Stock Exchange carried out a trial run last week to make sure the third-biggest technology IPO ever went smoothly.

Snap's offering was well timed, with investors clamoring for fresh opportunities after 2016 marked the slowest year for tech IPOs since 2008.

The broader market has also been buoyed in the months following the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, with the benchmark S&P 500 surging 10 percent since the Nov. 8 election amid optimism around the Republican administration's domestic proposals, including plans to reform taxes paid by businesses.

'The environment is terrific. Animal spirits are running through the streets here. What better time to price,' said Stephen Massocca, senior vice president at Wedbush Securities.

The launch could encourage debuts by other so-called unicorns, tech startups with private valuations of $1 billion or more.

Investors bought the shares despite them offering no voting power, an unprecedented feature for an IPO at odds with rising concerns about corporate governance from fund managers looking to gain influence over executives.

To justify its relatively high valuation and fend off concerns about slowing user growth, Snap has emphasized how important Snapchat is to its users, how long they spend on the app and the revenue potential of the emerging trend for young people to communicate with video rather than text.
Passengers faced huge delays after an easyJet plane was involved in a crash with a tow truck at Manchester Airport.

Flights were delayed by more than two hours after a tug, the vehicle that pushes the plane onto the runway, became stuck under a Copenhagen-bound flight earlier this evening.

EasyJet confirmed that passengers moved off the damaged plane will not get another flight tonight. A flight going to Basel, Switzerland was also cancelled.

Flights are delayed by up to an hour after a tow truck reportedly became stuck under a Copenhagen-bound plane at Manchester airport earlier this evening

Police and firefighters were called to help people off the runway.

Catherine Delve tweeted: 'Stuck on the tarmac at Manchester airport because an EasyJet plane's nose cone has fallen off behind us!

'2hrs30mins on the tarmac. Now feeling exceptionally grumpy & missing out on the @ccwinch weekend away.'

EasyJet said the flight is delayed until tomorrow because of an issue 'during pushback'.

A spokesman said: 'EasyJet can confirm that flight EZY1985 from Manchester to Copenhagen was unable to depart to due to an issue involving the tug.

'The flight is delayed overnight. All passengers disembarked normally and have been provided with refreshments in the terminal while we work on providing overnight accommodation for them.

'We would like to apologise for the delay and thank them for their patience.'

A passenger who was moved off the flight tweeted: Copenhagen flight cancelled, tow truck stuck under plane. Hope no one was hurt. Also disappointed that another flight not available

Catherine Delve tweeted: 'Stuck on the tarmac at Manchester airport because an EasyJet plane's nose cone has fallen off behind us! 2hrs30mins on the tarmac. Now feeling exceptionally grumpy & missing out on the @ccwinch weekend away'

A GMP spokesman said: 'Police and firefighters are there to assist with getting passengers back to the lounge.

'We have not received reports of any casualties. Police are involved as they would be with any other incident at the airport.'

A passenger who was moved off the flight tweeted: Copenhagen flight cancelled, tow truck stuck under plane. Hope no one was hurt. Also disappointed that another flight not available

More to follow.
An 88-year-old woman says she managed to talk herself out of being sexually assaulted after she lied to her would-be attacker that she had HIV.

Helen Reynolds was in her apartment on February 17 in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania when she told ABC-6 that a man came to her door dressed like an apartment complex worker.

When she opened the door, he pushed his way inside and then bound her mouth and hands with duct tape.

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Helen Reynolds, 88, said a man dressed as an apartment worker forced his way into her home

She said there he robbed her purse of $40 and was about to sexually assault her

She said he then took $40 from her purse and was about to rape her when she suddenly came up with a story. Despite having duct tape in her mouth, she said she was able to talk to him.

'I said to him, 'Well it's like this." You might as well know the truth. I have HIV and my husband died from it,' which is a lie,' she told the outlet.

She said as soon as she said that, the man left. 'That's the comment that saved my life,' she said.

Police say there have been a string of home invasions in Chester County, including a 72-year-old woman in nearby Brandywine Township who was assaulted, tied up, and left in a closet for four days.

Quick thinking Reynolds told the suspect she had HIV and he left immediately, she said

In that case, police arrested a 17-year-old who had escaped from a nearby behavioral health facility.

'Bless her heart. I know I thought of her ever since I heard about her,' Reynolds said of the other victim.

Asked by a reporter whether she had anything to say to the perpetrator, who hasn't been found, she said, 'I have nothing good to say about him. Nothing at all. Put him in jail, and leave the sucker there.'
Girlfriend arrested: Diamond Reynolds, 27, the girlfriend of the late Philando Castile, was arrested in Minnesota on Thursday in connection to a hammer attack

The girlfriend of Philandro Castile who livestreamed his fatal shooting during a traffic stop in Minnesota last year has been arrested for allegedly assaulting another woman.

St. Paul police say they arrested Diamond Reynolds and two other women Thursday after a 24-year-old woman reported being attacked and struck in the head with a hammer Tuesday.

The victim sustained what has been described as serious injuries and was transported to Regions Hospital, where she later identified her attackers.

Chnika Blair, 28, and Dyamond Richardson, 25, have been booked into the Ramsey County jail in connection to the incident, which took place at around 10.30am on Tuesday on Jessamine Lane near Hazelwood Street in St Paul, reported Twin Cities Pioneer Press.

Reynolds role in the alleged assault wasn't given in the police report. Police spokesman Steve Linders says charges are pending.

Reynolds, 27, made headlines last summer when she used Facebook Live to broadcast the bloody aftermath of the fatal shooting of her boyfriend.

Castile, a 32-year-old black man, was shot by a police officer during a July 6 traffic stop in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights.

Suspects: Chnika Blair, 28 (left), and Dyamond Richardson, 25 (right), have been named as suspects in Tuesday's incident in St Paul that left another woman injured

Prosecutors say the officer, Jeronimo Yanez, of the St. Anthony Police Department, a Latino, shot Castile seven times after the elementary school cafeteria worker told him he was armed. Authorities later discovered Castile had a permit to carry a weapon.

After the final shot, Reynolds frantically yelled: 'You just killed my boyfriend!'

Castile moaned and uttered his final words: 'I wasn't reaching for it.'

On Monday, Yanez pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and other charges. His trial is scheduled to begin May 30.

His attorneys say he had no choice but to shoot Castile after he saw a gun and perceived a threat to his life.

Prosecutors dispute whether the officer saw the gun.

Philando Castile (pictured), 32, was shot and killed by cop Jeronimo Yanez during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, on July 6

Minnesota cop Jeronimo Yanez (left, in his mugshot, and right, in his police uniform) has pleaded not guilty over the shooting death a black man who was in a car with his girlfriend

Castile had a permit to carry the weapon. Audio recordings, NBC News reported last year, also revealed the cop pulled the car over because Castile and his girlfriend: 'just look like people that were involved in a robbery'.

Yanez's lawyers argued their client feared for his life and had no choice but to shoot Castile.

The shooting garnered headlines around the world because Diamond Reynolds livestreamed the moments after the shooting on Facebook.

There were widespread protests after the shooting as a result of the footage being broadcast.

The shooting's gruesome aftermath was streamed on Facebook by Castile's girlfriend, who was with him in the car along with her young daughter. At first the cop's gun could be seen being pointed through the window (left), before Castile was then covered in blood after being shot

Castile slumped to the side after he was shot (left), as his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, live streamed the moments after the shooting on Facebook

It was revealed for the first time what Castile's final words were moments before Reynolds started filming.

'I wasn't reaching for it,' Castile said seconds after he was hit with the bullets that would kill him.

Yanez was the first officer to have been charged in more than 150 police-involved deaths in Minnesota since 2000.

If convicted, he could face 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
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For some people, smiling comes naturally but if you're having trouble perfecting the perfect grin then China has the answer.

Images show tour guides wearing traditional clothes and holding a chopstick with their mouth in order to have the perfect grin, reports the People's Daily Online.

The tour guides underwent training at Qingming Grand River Park on March 2 in central China's Henan province.

Practice makes perfect! Photos show tour guides wearing traditional Chinese dress practicing smiling using a chopstick

Smiles all round: A tour guide takes part in training at Qingming Grand-River in Kaifeng central China's Henan province

Helping hand: A tour guide helps another place the chopstick in their mouth to exercise their facial muscles

How to achieve the perfect smile: According to reports, the key to a perfect smile involves showing eight of your teeth

The tour guides were pictured being trained how to perfect a good smile.

According to reports, the perfect smile involves showing at least eight of your teeth.

In 2014, Communist party officials said the country needed to put on a cheerier face especially with tourists.

According to reports, chopstick biting is an ancient art and is being introduced in the service industries in order to deliver service with a smile.

The idea behind using chopsticks means that the facial muscles are exercised, training the body how to smile perfectly.

Lining up for inspection: The communist party announced that people in service industries needed to train their smiles

Say Cheese: The tour guides wearing traditional Chinese dress practice smiling by biting chopsticks in Kaifeng, China

Let's take a selfie: The participants take a photo of themselves to show how they can smile while using the chopsticks

Nice work! The tour guides can then be seen putting what they've learnt into practice without using a chopstick

Getting in formation: Biting on a chopstick to achieve the perfect smile is reported to be an ancient Chinese art

The tour guides wearing traditional Chinese dress practice smiling by biting chopsticks at Qingming Grand River Park
The latest iPhone 8 rumor should ease the frustration of many iOS users.

This week it was speculated that Apple was set to drop the current Lightning connector in favor of the USB format  sending some fans into an uproar.

However, the latest news about the iPhone 8 has suggested that it will keep the Lightning connector and add a USB-C Power Delivery for faster charging abilities.

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This week it was speculated that Apple was set to drop the current Lightning connector in favor of the USB format. Thee latest news about the iPhone 8 has suggested that the design will keep Lightning connector and add a USB-C Power Delivery (artist impression)

WHAT IS A USB-C? The USB Type-C connector was created for use with thinner, sleeker devices, such as tablets and ultra-books. It claims to be robust enough for laptops and slim enough for smartphones. It was built on existing USB 3.1 and USB 2.0 technologies. The plug is smaller than previous connectors, and more closely resembles the size of Micro USB 2.0 Crucially, it is reversible, meaning it will work whichever way it is plugged in. Advertisement

The statement was shared by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo with MacRumors, who also revealed that all of the iPhones launching this year will support fast charging, as they will be fitted with a larger L-shaped battery - a prediction Kuo has shared before.

New 2H17 models may all support fast charging. We believe all three new iPhones launching in 2H17 will support fast charging by the adoption of Type-C Power Delivery technology (while still retaining the Lightning port), Kuo explained in a research note obtained by MacRumors.

A key technical challenge lies with ensuring product safety and stable data transmission during a fast charge.

In order to achieve that goal, we think Apple will adopt TI's power management and Cypress's Power Delivery chip solutions for the new iPhone models.

We note the OLED version may have a faster charging speed thanks to a 2-cell L shaped battery pack design.

However, on Tuesday, an anonymous source outraged many iOS users when they told The Wall Street Journal that the tech giant was considering ditching the connector in favor of the USB-C port in its 10th-anniversary handset.

USB-C and Lightning allow for transmitting both data and power and have no up or down facing direction like more traditional USB cables, and so can be plugged in from any direction.

On Tuesday, an anonymous source outraged many iOS users when they told The Wall Street Journal that the tech giant was considering ditching the connector in favor of the USB-C port in its 10th-anniversary handset

USB-C (pictured) and Lightning allow for transmitting both data and power and have no up or down facing direction like more traditional USB cables, and so can be plugged in from any direction

A step towards a universal connection type would be beneficial for all technology users in the long run.

But the short-term and potentially costly consequence of switching formats once more is likely to provoke the ire of some.

Following the emergence of the news, a number of users took to Twitter to vent their frustration.

User Hilde Gerhard Burgel expressed what is likely to be a common reaction.

She said: 'Rumors about iPhone with USB C. Really Apple?! Do we have to throw away lightning or buy expensive adapters? Again??!! Im out.'

As of Thursday, it seems users can rest assure that Apple will most-likely not toss out the Lightning port. Sticking with the Lightning port allows Apple to keep its slightly slimmer designed

IPHONE 8 RUMOURS Several rumors have been circulating about the iPhone 8, and suggest the next device may have: - Dual-lens 3D camera - Augmented reality to generate real-time views of surroundings - Curved glass casing - Plastic OLED screen - Wireless charging - A folding element - Removal of the home button - New 5 inch (12.7 centimeter) and 5.8 inch (14.7 centimeter) model, which will have a wraparound OLED screen - 5.8 inch will be designed with the Touch ID finger print sensor 'under the glass and in the active display area' - A new 'pure white' model - Aluminium back will be replaced with two reinforced glass panes and a metal frame in the middle - Facial recognition Advertisement

Another user Daniel Ensign expressed similar concerns.

He said: 'Pretty stoked about the switch to OLED but why the switch to USB C. Apple just made us get new headphones.'

But not everyone is convinced that Apple will make the switch.

John Christensen said: 'So the next iPhone redesign is gonna have USB C instead of lighting? I'm gonna call bull****.'

As of Thursday, it seems users can rest assure that Apple will most-likely not toss out the Lightning port.

Kuo also shared with MacRumors that sticking with the Lightning port allows Apple to keep its slightly slimmer designed  compared to if they would have replaced it with a USB-C port.

He also suggested that Apple will take this route to sustain MFI program licensing income from Lightning accessories and because he believes USB-Cs high-speed data transmissions is still in niche application for iPhone, reports Joe Rossignol with MacRumors.

Earlier this month Kuo also made a prediction that Apple is planning to pack a larger battery inside its highly-anticipated iPhone 8.

A 2,700 mAh battery is set to be used in the 4.7-inch handset  putting the battery capacity on par with the firm's current iPhone 7 Plus.

By keeping the Lightning connector and adding a USB-C Power Delivery, the iPhone 8 will be designing with faster charging abilities

COULD THE IPHONE 8 HAVE A LARGER BATTERY? Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities has revealed to 9to5Mac that Apple plans to put a larger battery in the 4.7-inch iPhone 8. Kuo explained that it will be designed with a 2,700 mAh battery - putting its battery capacity on par with the iPhone 7 Plus. The iPhones launching this year will support fast charging, as they will be fitted with a larger L-shaped battery (middle) Will use a 'substrate-like PCB mainboard', which will allow the firm to implement an OLED display in the flagship handset. The new components are believed to be much more expensive in anything used in an iPhone before, which could increase manufacturing costs by 80 percent. However, it was revealed last week that iOS users should expect to pay a hefty price tag for their next iPhone. Advertisement

The report said that the new lower end handsets, which could be called the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus, will use a new 'stacked' motherboard, which is smaller - leaving more room for a battery.

This will 'make it comparable to their iPhone 7 and 7 Plus counterparts,' reports 9to5Mac.

Thanks to stacked SLP, we expect the OLED iPhone to have similar dimensions to a 4.7' TFT-LCD iPhone, and have comparable battery capacity (equipped with around 2,700 mAh L-shaped 2-cell battery pack) to a 5.5' TFT-LCD iPhone.'

'The battery life of the OLED iPhone could be better than that of the 5.5' TFT-LCD model as OLED panels are more energy-efficient than their TFT-LCD counterparts.'
Google is about to make more Androids even smarter.

The tech giant is rolling out its Google Assistant to devices running on the Nougat and Marshmallow versions of its Android software.

The firm first revealed the expansion at the Mobile World Congress and users in the US will be the first to receive the update  Australia, Canada, the UK and Germany are set to follow.

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Google is rolling out its Google Assistant to devices running on Nougat and Marshmallow. The firm first revealed the expansion at the Mobile World Congress and users in the US will be the first to receive the update  Australia, Canada, the UK and Germany are set to follow.

IS YOUR ANDROID ON THE LIST? Google has yet to reveal a detailed list of Android devices that are eligible to download Google Assistant. However, the firm noted in the announcement that 'hundreds of millions of Android users' will now be able to try it. Google also stated that the Assistant will be available for a number of older handsets from its partners including HTC, Huawei, Samsung and Sony. But the Androids must also meet the hardware minimums of at least 1.5 GB of RAM and a 720p screen. Users on Google Play version 10.2.98 or higher should find that Google Assistant is now activated or will be sometime this week. Advertisement

'Whether you need to know how to say 'nice to meet you' in Korean or just a simple reminder to do laundry when you get home, your Assistant can help,' Gummi Hafsteinsson, product lead for Google Assistant, shared in an announcement.

'With the Google Assistant on Android phones, you have your own personal, helpful Google right in your pocket.'

Although the firm has yet to release a list of eligible devices, they do promise that 'hundreds of millions of Android users' will be able to use Google Assistant.

The Assistant is already available on Pixel, Google Home, Google Allo and Android Wear.

But is set to reach older devices that also meet the hardware minimums of at least 1.5 GB of RAM and a 720p screen.

And users on Google Play version 10.2.98 or higher should find that Google Assistant is now activated.

Google Assistant was the firm's weapon to take on the other tech giants of the world  Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri and Microsoft's Cortana.

Google first unveiled the technology in 2016 when it launched its Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, then Assistant to Google Home and then Android Wear 2.0.

And now, it is making its way to even more devices.

It seems Google is excited about the rollout as it suggests a few commands users can check out by pressing on the Home button of their device or by saying 'Ok Google'.

GOOGLE ASSISTANT Google announced at the Mobile World Congress that it will be rolling out Google Assistant for older handsets. Set to expand into devices running on Android 7.0 Nougat and Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Google Play Services. And meet the hardware minimums of at least 1.5 GB of RAM and a 720p screen. Will start in the US, with Australia, Canada, the UK and Germany set to follow after. Although the firm has yet to release a list of eligible devices, they do promise that 'hundreds of millions of Android users' will be able to use Google Assistant. Advertisement

For example, users can ask 'what's my confirmation number for my London flight?'

Or they can make commands list 'take me to the Museu Picasso' and 'show my photos of sunsets in Tahoe'.

The Google Assistant will begin rolling out this week to English users in the US, followed by English in Australia, Canada and the UK, as well as German speakers in Germany,' Hafsteinsson explained.

'We'll continue to add more languages over the coming year.'

The Assistant will automatically be added to eligible Android phones running on Android 7.0 Nougat and Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Google Play Services.

Although the firm has yet to release a list of eligible devices, they do promise that 'hundreds of millions of Android users' will be able to use Google Assistant

HOW DO WE REALLY FEEL ABOUT VOICE ASSISTANTS? Creative Strategies, a service that tracks trends and develops deeper insight into key industry topics, released their findings that looked at how consumers are using these virtual assistants and how they really feel about them. The firm ran two studies: Once looked at Alexa that covered 1,300 early adopters across the US and the UK. And the other focused on 500 mainstream consumers and their use of smartphones based digital assistants. Creative Strategies revealed that 21% of its panel never used Siri, 43% never touched OK Google and 72% have never asked Cortana anything. They also found that 2% of iPhone owners have never used Siri and only 4% of Android owners have never used OK Google, which suggests those who own the phone do indeed call on the powers of the digital personas. Approximately 395 of consumers use their voice assistant in their home, 51 percent in the car, but only 1.3 percent at work and 6 percent in public. Creative Strategies explains that the reason most usage is in the car is due to the hands-free law that regulates driving and texting. Those who have never used a voice assistant reported feeling uncomfortable with talking to their technology  particularly in public. Advertisement

And it will also be available for some newly announced partner devices such as the LG G6.

'Our goal is to make the Assistant available anywhere you need it,' wrote Hafsteinsson.

'It came to Android Wear 2.0via new smartwatchesjust a few weeks ago and, as we previewed in January, the Assistant is also coming to TVs and cars.'

The tech giant unveiled its smart speaker in May 2016 that would be the new home for its assistant.

The Assistant will automatically be added to eligible Android phones running on Android 7.0 Nougat and Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Google Play Services - letting users reap the benefits of a virtual assistant

Called Google Home, the small speaker will be able to play music and access Google Assistant, a new AI system the search giant unveiled today.

It will harness the power of Google's search engine along with the AI technology the firm developed to beat a grandmaster at the ancient board game Go to create assistants people can talk and text with as if they were a human being.

'We want to be there for users, asking them 'Hi, how can I help',' said Google boss Sundar Pichai, who took over as the CEI when the firm reorganised as Alphabet earlier this year.

'We want users to have an ongoing 2 way dialogue with Google.'

GOOGLE VS. AMAZON Google's $130 Home speaker is triggered by the phrase 'Hey Google' while Amazon's Echo uses 'Alexa'. Amazon's smart speaker is available in two versions - the full sized $180 Echo shown here, and a smaller, $50 version called the Echo Dot. Google Home AI speaker (left) is triggered by the phrase 'Hey Google' . Amazon's Echo (right) uses 'Alexa' Amazon Echo relies on Microsoft's Bing search engine and Wikipedia, while Google Home uses the company's own Google Search. Both Home and Echo are continually listening for commands, though Google and Amazon say nothing gets passed back to them until the speakers hear a keyword  'OK, Google' for Home and 'Alexa' for Echo. Google's Assistant software is also able to answer follow-up questions on the same topic, in a near-conversation style, but Echo as yet cannot. However, Amazon's Alexa software has a wider range of skills on offer that enable it to link up with and control more third-party devices around the home. A light comes on to remind you that it's listening. You can turn off the microphone temporarily, too. Advertisement

In other recent new, it was revealed that Google Home was set to make its way across the Atlantic and into the homes of UK users later this year.

However, the company has now confirmed Home will go on sale in the UK during the 'second quarter' of this year, meaning it will be released before the end of June. The Google Home speaker costs $130, while Amazon's smart speaker is available in two versions - the full sized $180 Echo shown here, and a smaller, $50 version called the Echo Dot.

Google has yet to announce the official date or UK price for Home. Google's Assistant software is also able to answer follow-up questions on the same topic, in a near-conversation style, but Echo as yet cannot.

The Home speaker will give you the time, weather, estimated commute, the news and upcoming calendar appointments.
If trying to order dinner or find your hotel abroad fills you with fear due to your abysmal grasp of foreign languages, don't panic.

A new in-ear gadget claims to be able to translate speech like the Babel Fish in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, or the Universal Translator gadget in Star Trek.

The system, dubbed the Pilot, will cost $249 and go on sale later this year.

It uses two earpieces, one worn by each person in the conversation.

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The Pilot system comprises two earpieces (shown in three colours above) to be worn by two people who don't speak the same language

HOW IT WORKS The Pilot works as a normal set of wireless earphones. However, the user can take one out and give it to someone else. It uses specially designed noise-canceling microphones to filter out ambient noise from the speech of someone talking. The speech is then passed through the Pilot app, where layers of speech translation technologies occur. The translated language is sent to the other user wearing the second earpiece . It all occurs simultaneously without interruption, as each person speaks to one another. Advertisement

It is claimed to be the first 'smart earpiece' capable of translating between two languages, and was shown off at the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The company behind the technology, Waverly Labs, said: 'This little wearable uses translation technology to allow two people to speak different languages but still clearly understand each other.'

It will support five languages: English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, with other being added as upgrades at a later date.

If someone does not wish to wear the second earpiece, you can use the smartphone app which is included as the app can be used on speaker mode, the firm says.

It all occurs simultaneously without interruption, as each person speaks to one another.'

The firm said the first generation does not translate everything happening around you.

'It only translates with people who also have the Pilot earpiece, but future generations will be developed to translate everything around you.'

It is designed to work offline so it won't incur data charges when used overseas.

The New York- based company behind the Pilot said both wireless earpieces can be used by one person for listening to music.

The gadget was invented by Waverly Labs founder Andrew Ochoa who said he had the idea for it 'after meeting a French girl'.

The company behind the device (pictured above) said: 'This little wearable uses translation technology to allow two people to speak different languages but still clearly understand each other'. They earphones will also work as normal bluetooth headphones when not translating.

It's thought an accompanying app (shown) enables both earpieces to toggle between languages and a video shows the Pilot translating a conversation between French and English with only a small lag.

The firm warned: 'Every language has various dialects and the earpiece is designed to translate common dialects, although thick accents could disrupt this.'

The product will include two earpieces, a portable charger and access to the app, where languages can be downloaded for the earpiece.

UNIVERSAL TRANSLATORS MAY NO LONGER BY A THING OF SCIENCE FICTION The universal translator (UT) is a device used in Star Trek to translate alien languages. In the early series of Star Trek, the UTs were shaped like tubes. In Star Trek: Enterprise the UTs looked similar to a flip phone. In Star Trek: Next Generation, UTs are built into the communication pins on Starfleet uniforms. Ferengis, including Quark from Deep Space Nine, have implants in their ear from birth. While the first generation device works only when speaking to someone wearing an earpiece, future generations could listen to everything happening nearby, so pairs of devices won't be needed. It could be likened to the Universal Translator device (shown above) in Star Trek One exception is the Klingon language, which mostly can't be translated. C-3PO from Star Wars has the capability to understand millions of languages. The forthcoming in-ear gadget is claimed to be able to translate speech like the Babelfish in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (illustrated in a sreenshot) or the Universal Translator gadget in Star Trek High-tech translation devices also include the Babel Fish in The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. In the Douglas Adam book a small fish is inserted into the ear of a person, allowing all alien languages to be translated into English Professor Farnsworth of Futurama also created a similar device - though it translated only French. Advertisement

Skype says in its blog: 'With the continued adoption of Skype Translator, we are working on rolling out new languages and platformsbringing the translation feature to more Skype apps and implementing an even wider selection of languages.

'We are dedicated to continue the growth of this new chapter in communication which has enabled people to connect globally, for free.'

The Google Translate App, launched last year, allows users to use their camera to translate text instantly in 26 languages, and offers two-way automatic speech translation in 40 languages.
If you want to know how a woman will age, you are advised to look at her mother.

But the secret to looking a decade younger is not just in the genes, it has emerged, as a third of women who appear younger may simply have lived more sensibly.

A study has found getting eight hours or more of sleep a night, taking a multi-vitamin and doing regular exercise all make women more likely to look younger.

But less organised women, who forget to moisturise, sometimes leave off the sunscreen and do not manage to stay at their target weight all damage their chances of ageing well.

A third of women who appear younger may simply have lived more sensibly. A study has found getting eight hours or more of sleep a night, taking a multi-vitamin and doing regular exercise all make women more likely to look younger

Research by Harvard University, with the skincare company Olay, previously found some women aged 20 to 74 were frequently told they looked more than 10 years younger, and that these women had genes which expressed themselves differently.

A follow-up study by the firm found however that only two-thirds of these women carry the two main genetic variations now found to affect skin.

Looking at the third without good genes, they found sensibly sleeping enough made someone 10 per cent more likely to appear younger. Taking multi-vitamins increased their chances by 18 per cent and regular exercise by 14 per cent.

Unsurprisingly, smoking and sunshine remain bad for your skin, the research with genetics company 23andMe found.

Of more than 155,000 women surveyed, those who reported sunbathing frequently in had around a third lower likelihood of looking a decade younger.

Despite the pollution, it means women in cities are better off than those in the countryside, who tend to spend more time outside exposed to damaging ultraviolet light.

Unsurprisingly, smoking and sunshine remain bad for your skin, the research with genetics company 23andMe found

But the results show that, despite the old adage that ageing women can save their body or their face, that being thin is not bad for your skin.

Women who are overweight, with a BMI above 25, were found to cut their chances of looking young by a fifth. The researchers said it may be that putting on weight affects overall health.

Dr Frauke Neuser, principal scientist for Olay, said: The results of the study tell us that exceptional skin ageing is overwhelmingly determined by external environmental and behavioural factors that are within our control, with genetic factors playing a much smaller role.

If you want to know how a woman will age, you are advised to look at her mother. But the secret to looking a decade younger is not just in the genes

It comes down to smart lifestyle choices, the most important ones being avoiding sun (UV) exposure, and daily sunscreen use to mitigate its ageing effects, keeping the skin well hydrated and having a positive mental attitude.

The study found women who often or always had dry skin had a 30 per cent lower likelihood of looking young. But the firm said this could include women who failed to moisturise or who naturally had dry skin as their skin type.

There are 2,000 epidermal genes thought to influence how the skin ages, including those involved with DNA repair and replication and cell survival.

The latest research, which judged exceptional agers based on whether they were frequently told or believed they looked 10 years younger, will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Its psychological impact on victims is well-documented since being classed as a criminal offence in 2015.

But despite this, new research reveals that a majority of people would endorse the use of revenge porn when punishing a former partner.

Perhaps surprisingly, it's women - not men - who most approve of publicly sharing explicit material without consent.

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Online threat: A greater propensity to engage in revenge porn also co-inced with psychopathy, Machiavellianism and narcissism, researchers from the University of Kent have found

KEY FINDINGS - A third of people reported a likelihood to engage in revenge porn activity - 99 per cent expressed at least some approval of revenge porn - 87 per cent expressed some excitement of amusement with revenge porn Advertisement

Psychologists at the University of Kent studied one hundred adults aged 18-54, 80 per cent of whom were female.

Nearly a third of participants (29 per cent) reported a likelihood to engage in revenge porn activity.

But a staggering 99 per cent expressed at least some approval of revenge porn being posted online when presented with a scenario about a partner walking out on them.

The researchers also found that 87 per cent of participants expressed at least some excitement or amusement with revenge porn.

Led by Dr Afroditi Pina at the University's School of Psychology, the team also established a link between revenge porn proclivity and specific psychological characteristics.

Specifically, a greater propensity to engage in revenge porn also co-inced with psychopathy, Machiavellianism and narcissism.

Specifically, a greater propensity to engage in revenge porn also co-inced with psychopathy, Machiavellianism and narcissism

The researchers concluded that, although most participants would be 'unlikely to commit an act of revenge porn themselves', there is an 'acceptance' among the majority of behaviour they know is 'frequently occurring online'.

This, they say, could have significant implications 'especially if one considers the facilitating role of online bystanders in the rapid dissemination of revenge porn materials'.




More than four decades after man last walked on the moon, space experts are delivering lunar equipment so we can set up a permanent home.

Jeff Bezos, the boss of Amazon, says he wants to start delivering equipment to the moon to help set up the first human settlement.

The Earth-to-Moon cargo delivery service would carry as much as 10,000 pounds of goods to the Moon's South Pole and could be lifting off in 2020.

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Jeff Bezos owns a private space company called Blue Origin which he hopes to use to deliver equipment for early settlers on the moon - it could be the lunar equivalent of Amazon Prime

MOON DELIVERY The boss of Amazon wants to be delivering packages to the moon in 2020. He has already reserved a parking spot near the Shackleton Crater on the south pole. It has constant sunlight and water nearby could be used as a source of hydrogen for rocket fuel. The rocket could carry 10,000 pounds of goods to help the first human settlements. Advertisement

Bezos owns a private space company called Blue Origin and he hopes it will provide the lunar equivalent of Amazon Prime.

It will mainly be delivering equipment that early moon settlers would need, he wrote in a white paper outlining his ideas.

Bezos has already reserved his parking spot near the Shackleton Crater on the South Pole.

It's a prime spot because it has constant sunlight and water nearby could be used as a source of hydrogen for rocket fuel, according to The Verge.

The sunny spots of the moon are quickly becoming valuable real estate.

Shackleton Crater could be turned into 'an oasis of warm sunlight surrounded by a desert of freezing cold darkness' Nasa said.

Some experts believe that that routinely parking a piece of equipment on one spot could mean they take ownership of that piece of land.

This cargo service would help to enable 'future human settlement' of the moon, Mr Bezos wrote in his white paper, which was obtained by the Washington Post.

Bezos (pictured) has already reserved his parking spot - near the Shackleton Crater on the south pole. It's a prime spot because it has constant sunlight and water nearby could be used as a source of hydrogen for rocket fuel

'It is time for America to return to the Moon  this time to stay,' Bezos told Washington Post.

'A permanently inhabited lunar settlement is a difficult and worthy objective. I sense a lot of people are excited about this', he said.

This proposal came just days after Elon Musk said his company would fly two citizens around the moon next year.

This cargo service would help to enable 'future human settlement' of the moon. 'It is time for America to return to the Moon  this time to stay,' Bezos said

The Earth-to-Moon cargo delivery service would carry as much as 10,000 pounds of goods to the Moon's South Pole and could be up and running by 2020

Rather than visiting and then leaving, Bezos' plans would mean actually leaving things on the moon for the first time.

He said the mission could only happen with partnership with Nasa.

'Our liquid hydrogen expertise and experience with precision vertical landing offer the fastest path to a lunar lander mission.

'I'm excited about this and am ready to invest my own money alongside NASA to make it happen', he wrote in the white paper.

With the help of Nasa, Bezos wants to develop 'incentives in the private sector to demonstrate a commercial lunar cargo delivery service'.

With the help of NASA, Bezos wants to develop a commercial lunar cargo delivery service

Blue Origin has a range of rockets. As well as sending goods to the moon in 2020, the firm has also confirmed that it is still on schedule to send paying customers into orbit as soon as 2018

BEZOS' ROCKETS Blue Origin and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos unveiled a new rocket in October last year that will launch payloads and people into orbit. Called 'New Glenn', this launcher comes in two stages that make it larger than SpaceX's future Heavy rocket. 'New Glenn 3-stage' is 23 feet in diameter and stands 313 feet tall. And 'New Glenn 2-stage' is also 23 feet in diameter, but measures 270 feet tall. Each stage lifts off with 3.85 million pounds of thrust from seven BE-4 engines. A single vacuum-optimized BE-3 engine, burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, will power New Glenn's third stage. However, the booster and the second stage are identical in both variants. Blue Origin plans to fly New Glen by the end of the decade from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Advertisement

Just last month, Nasa's top staff were given instructions to assess the feasibility of sending humans to space with the first flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.

The mission was originally designed to be uncrewed, and was set to launch in 2018.

In a press conference in February, officials leading the study revealed the evaluations are now well underway, and they've already created a 'hard, crisp list' of everything that will need to change 'from a hardware standpoint' in order to add crew.

Blue Origin space firm has confirmed that it is still on schedule to send paying customers into orbit as soon as 2018.

The company completed a crucial in-flight escape pod test on its New Shepard rocket in October last year.

'We're still on track for flying people  our test astronauts  by the end of 2017, and then starting commercial flights in 2018,' said Blue Origin President Rob Meyerson, speaking at the International Symposium on Commercial and Personal Spaceflight (ISPCS) in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The company expects to build six New Shepard vehicles, which are designed to autonomously fly six passengers to more than 62 miles (100 km) above Earth, high enough to experience a few minutes of weightlessness and see the planet set against the blackness of space.
Most people want their final journey to be dignified and understated.

But, for those preferring to make a big exit, there could soon be a flashier option which provides a technologically-advanced funeral.

Designed by Mumbai-based agency Lunatic Koncepts, the Aeternal is a modern-day hearse which relies on driverless technology.

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The Aeternal is one of the world's few concepts in modern funeral options and incorporates modern technology - specifically, driverless technology

THE AETERNAL HEARSE The futuristic hearse concept uses GPS technology to follow a pre-programmed route, using motion sensors to steer its way around obstacles. Other features include: - Refrigerated glass casket - Multi-media fittings, such as a surround-sound music system - Hologram projector which could stream images onto the floor Advertisement

Incorporating GPS technology, mourning relatives would be able to pre-program journey, speed and destination details into the product's dashboard.

Using motion sensors, it would also be able to steer its way around unforeseen obstacles.

Other features include a refrigerated glass casket and multi-media fittings, such as a surround-sound music system and hologram projector which could stream images onto the floor.

A description on the product's site boasts that the Aeternal is 'made to be maneuverable in places like the funeral home, the church, and the cemetery.

'It can slowly rotate and execute maneuvers in tight spots since its equipped with mecanum wheels which move independently from one another, giving a wider range of movement. It can fit in any space and wont damage the floors.'

Using motion sensors, the driverless hearse would steer its way around unforeseen obstacles

It adds: 'Aeternals concept simply tries to imagine how todays hearses could evolve with integrated driverless technology, robotics, and multimedia.

'It tries to celebrate the departed in a new way.'

The rather bizarre concept is based on an earlier prototype called the Korbiyor.

Other features include a refrigerated casket and multi-media fittings, such as a surround-sound music system and hologram projector

Previously, Lunatic Koncepts worked on developing the Antipode - a hypersonic business aircraft designed to fly from New York to London in 11 minutes.

That was based on rocket boosters lifting the aircraft to an altitude of 40,000 ft and then propelling it to Mach 5, when scramjets would ignite - accelerating the aircraft up to Mach 24.

A nozzle in the aircraft's nose would then apply NASA's Long Penetration Mode concept to scoop-up air to cool the aircraft.
Robot probes sent in to study Japan's Fukushima site keep failing during their recon missions.

The radiation levels at the site are so high that previous clean-up bots have struggled to withstand conditions within the reactor for long.

Now the head of decommissioning for the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant said on Thursday that the company's robots were not able to get close enough to the core area.

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Robot probes sent in to study Japan's Fukushima site keep failing during their recon missions. This image shows a photograph taken by a probe sent into Fukushima's No. 2 reactor

HOW THE ROBOT PROBE WORKS Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), the company that owns the Fukushima plant, took radiation readings using a robot probe. The 60-centimeter (2-foot) -long robot has a lamp at the front and was designed to crawl like a snake through a 10-centimeter (4-inch) wide pipe into the containment vessel. From there it dangled and descended onto a platform just below the reactor core's bottom, an area known as the pedestal. There, the robot transformed into a U-shaped crawler and captured live images and temperature and radiation levels. It transmitted them to a control station outside the building. Advertisement

Robots have to be used to clean the site because the radiation is too dangerous for humans.

A probe failed its mission earlier this month after it was blocked by debris within the reactor, likely a mixture of melted fuel and broken pieces of the plant.

And two previous robots have also failed on missions after one got stuck in a small gap and another was abandoned after failing to find any fuel after six days.

New robot designs, built to deal with both the dangerously high radiation at the site and the debris, are needed as early as this summer.

Naohiro Masuda, president of Fukushima Dai-ichi decommissioning, claimed that more creativity is needed in developing robots to locate and assess the condition of melted fuel rods.

He said that more data, which must be collected by probes, was needed before a proper cleanup could begun.

'We should think out of the box so we can examine the bottom of the core and how melted fuel debris spread out,' Mr Masuda said.

A massive undersea earthquake on March 11, 2011 sent a huge tsunami barrelling into Japan's northeast coast leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing.

Three reactors were sent into meltdown at the Fukushima plant in the worst such accident since Chernobyl in 1986.

Japan's government said in December that it expects the total costs to reach 152 billion ($190 billion) in a cleanup process likely to take decades.

After a manually operated camera (pictured) probed the deepest point yet within the reactor last month, Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) estimate that radiation levels inside the plant's No. 2 reactor have hit a record high of 530 sieverts per hour

High radiation levels have greatly slowed operations.

Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), the company that owns the plant, has said it plans to eventually use robots to locate the fuel debris as part of the decommissioning process.

Mr Masuda said this week that at least one more robot must be sent in before they begin clearing the reactor's debris from the site.

TEPCO needs to know the melted fuel's exact location as well as structural damage in each of the three wrecked reactors to figure out the best and safest ways to remove the fuel.

The news comes after it was revealed last month that radiation levels inside a stricken reactor at Fukushima have hit a record high.

After a robot probe failed due to the stifling radiation, experts expressed concerns over how the disaster-hit facility will be safely dismantled in the future.

A manually operated camera probed the deepest point yet within the reactor in February.

Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) estimated that radiation levels inside the plant's No. 2 reactor have hit 530 sieverts per hour.

Radiation exposure at 530 sieverts per hour is enough to effectively shut down TEPCO's robot camera probes (pictured) in under two hours. TEPCO said last month that radiation is not leaking outside the reactor

The previous record at Fukushima was 73 sieverts per hour detected by sensors in 2012, TEPCO said. But TEPCO said the high reading focused on a single point with levels likely to be much lower at other spots

TEPCO said the radiation is not leaking outside the reactor.

The previous record at Fukushima was 73 sieverts per hour detected by sensors in 2012, TEPCO said.

But TEPCO said the high reading focused on a single point with levels likely to be much lower at other spots.

It added that future robot probes would not sustain severe damage because it was unlikely to linger for too long at a single point.

TEPCO's radiation readings were made by a radiation-resistant robot probe.

The three cameras mounted on the caterpillar-type robot are designed to withstand up to 1,000 sieverts in total.

The 60-centimetre (2-foot) long robot has lamps at the front and is designed to crawl like a snake through a 10-centimetre (4-inch) wide pipe into the containment vessel.

Once inside the reactor, the robot flips into a U-shaped crawler and captures live images and temperature and radiation levels.

The robot transmitted them to a control station outside the building.

The three cameras mounted on a caterpillar-type robot are designed to withstand up to 1,000 sieverts in total. The 60-centimeter (2-foot) long robot has a lamp at the front and was designed to crawl like a snake through a 10-centimeter (4-inch) wide pipe

Once inside the reactor, the robot transformed into a U-shaped crawler and captured live images and temperature and radiation levels

Images of the wreckage inside the No. 2 reactor show that the metal grating under the pressure vessel which contained nuclear fuel has largely sunken in, causing a hole about one metre wide.

Black debris that could be melted fuel is also seen in the images.

Fuel may have melted through the vessel and damaged the grating but the exact cause was not determined, TEPCO spokesman Tatsuhiro Yamagishi said Friday.

'It may have been caused by nuclear fuel that would have melted and made a hole in the vessel, but it is only a hypothesis at this stage,' he told AFP.

'We believe the captured images offer very useful information, but we still need to investigate given that it is very difficult to assume the actual condition inside,' he said.
A tragic house fire that killed a mother, five children and critically burned a father Wednesday in Riddle has affected friends and family who live in the Philomath and Monroe areas.

James Keith Howell, 39, was in critical condition in the burn center, Julie Reed, a spokeswoman for Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland, confirmed to The Associated Press Thursday.

Tabitha Annette Howell, 38, and Andrew Hall-Young, 13, died at a Portland hospital Thursday from injuries sustained in the fire. The fire earlier took the lives of Nicholas Lowe, 13, Isaiah Young, 10, Haley Maher, 7, and Gwendolyn Gracie Howell, 4.

Tabitha Howell graduated from Philomath High School in 1996; she was known then as Tabitha Maher. Her local past also included serving as the 1995 Philomath Frolic & Rodeo queen. James Howell is a 1996 Monroe High School graduate.

According to a Douglas County sheriffs deputy, Nicholas Lowe was a foster child. Tabitha Howell was the mother of all the other children and was married to James Howell, who is the father of the youngest victim.

Investigators were starting to put together a picture Thursday of what led to the devastating fire. Breaking out at around 2 a.m. Wednesday, Fire Protection District Chief Rich Holloway said in a social media post that combustible materials placed too close to a portable space heater ignited and started the fire.

Holloway wrote that a component of the homes fireplace had malfunctioned, and the family was using the space heater until they could get it repaired.

Holloway couldnt be reached but the authenticity of the post was confirmed by City Manager Kathy Wilson.

All the burn pattern indicators, witness statements and the statement from the father on first arrival, all collaborate, Holloway said.

Some members of the all-volunteer Fire Department knew the family, Wilson said. Riddle is located about 23 miles south of Roseburg.

In a small town like this, everyone knows each other, and this has been devastating, she said. It is just such a tragedy. It's something we've never seen before. It has affected everyone.

Community members held a candlelight vigil at a church late Wednesday that attracted more than 300 people.

Grief counselors were on hand at schools in the South Umpqua School District, where some of the children attended class, said Superintendent Tim Porter.

The district has just 1,450 students in all grades, he said.

In a statement released through Legacy Emanuel, family members at the hospital declined interview requests.

The community has been so generous in their response to our needs with prayer and offers of support, and we are very grateful, the statement read.

At this time, we are requesting continued prayers and your respect for our privacy, as we are grieving our loss.

An aunt of the children said in a phone interview that her nieces and nephews were always just so kind and outgoing and just so full of joy.

Heather Hendrick, who is married to Tabitha Howells stepbrother, said she last saw the family at a post-Christmas holiday dinner. Her son and Isaiah were born just 12 hours apart and shared a special bond, she said.

At the dinner, they wrestled and horsed around on the floor, she said.

They have always been just so kind and generous and outgoing and loving toward us, she said of the family.

Tabitha Howell was a U.S. Navy veteran and worked at a day care center with her mother, said Hendrick, of Roseburg. According to an article published in January in the Roseburg News-Review, Howell was a Navy hospital corpsman who served for 14 years. She was a preventive medicine technician who was deployed to Iraq twice and to Kuwait once. She spent nine years with the Seabees at Port Hueneme Naval Base in California.

A gofundme account has been set up for the family. All donations will go for expenses for medical bills and funeral costs. The account can be accessed at this web address: https://www.gofundme.com/tragic-fire-claims-children. The account was originally posted with a goal of $10,000 and as of 6:30 p.m. Thursday, it had generated donations of more than $32,000.
Want to get your hands on a mobile phone just as indestructible as your old trusty Nokia 3310?

If you've got 2,450 ($3,000) to spare, you can buy yourself a brand new 3310 coated in the world's toughest metal.

Luxury phone company Gresso has unveiled its own version of the retro Nokia classic called the Gresso 3310 - and the pricey new model is coated in grade five titanium.

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Luxury phone company Gresso has unveiled its own version of the retro Nokia classic called the Gresso 3310

GRESSO 3310 - Coated in 'indestructible' grade five titanium - 75-hour talk time - Three megapixel camera - 2,450 ($3,002) price tag Advertisement

It also features a three megapixel camera and its battery can last the length of 75-hour phone call.

The Moscow-based company behind the new phone said it could withstand a drop from 32 feet (ten metres) and is virtually 'indestructible'.

'The headlines from Mobile World Congress have focused on the release of the new Nokia 3310,' a spokesperson from Gresso said.

The pricey new model is coated in grade five titanium and its creators say it's virtually 'indestructible'

'The question on everyone's mind was if the new Nokia 3310 model would live up to the indestructible reputation of its 2000 predecessor.

'Crafted from grade 5 titanium, the Gresso 3310 is able to withstand a drop from 32 feet, making the world's 'unbreakable' phone actually indestructible.'

The new Nokia 3310, with a slick look that pays homage to its original design, was unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona.

The new Nokia 3310, a light plastic-based phone costing 41 ($51), was unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona

THE NOKIA 3310 - Thin, light and durable - 22-hour talk time - One month battery life - Four colours - red, yellow, dark blue and grey - Limited 2.5G internet capability - Costs 41 ($51) - Revamped version of Snake will come pre-installed - Expected to be released around April Advertisement

The iconic handset was a massive hit with users back in 2000 and now the mobile phone giant is relaunching it with a month-long battery, 22 hours of talk-time, and even its popular game, snake.

While the handset looks similar to its predecessor, Nokia has brought its new model up to date and instead of the original display, a monochrome 84 x 84, it has a colour screen.

However, it has limited internet capabilities, relying on 2.5G connectivity, with users browsing at speeds slower than if they were using 3G.

It also has a single camera which has just two megapixels.

The phone, which sold 126 million handsets until it was phased out in 2005, will be sold by Finish company HMD Global.
It may come as a shock to his wife Melania, but according to an AI, President Donald Trump uses social media 'like a bachelor'

A new algorithm that predicts user marital status by analyzing social media use has determined the US president tweets like a single man - identifying him as 'not-married' due to a string of late night messages.

However, researchers believe this is because Trump's assistants are also updating his Twitter account and they may be the ones that are not married.

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It may be common knowledge that President Donald Trump is married, but an AI has suggested otherwise. A new algorithm that predicts user marital status by analyzing social media use has determined he tweets like a bachelor - identifying him as 'not-married'

HOW WAS IT MADE? The algorithm was developed by mathematicians from ITMO in Saint Petersburg, Russia and National University of Singapore. The team gathered social media data from Twitter, Instagram and Four Square. They separated the data into sets, or vectors, of such parameters as an average tweet size, the most frequent objects in the photo, check-in distribution and so on. One of the researches fed the data to the algorithm and then input the information into the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. The scales describe a person in terms of how he or she interacts with the world, which is easiest to learn through their social media accounts. Advertisement

The algorithm was developed by mathematicians from ITMO in Saint Petersburg, Russia and National University of Singapore.

The team combined data from Twitter, Instagram and Foursquare to teach the system to make predictions.

And they found that the AI is capable of predicting marital status with 86 percent precision, which is 17 percent higher than using just one social network.

To demonstrate how the program operates, Andrey Filchenkov, associate professor of Computer Technology Department at ITMO University, collected and analyzed tweets of Barack Obama and Donald Trump, the 44th and 45th Presidents of the United States.

Using this data, the AI confirmed that Obama was married, but concluded that Trump was a bachelor.

However, the researchers said that this irregularity can be explained, as Trump himself does not always update his own social media accounts.

'We all know about his wife Melania,' said the researcher, 'But in this case, we are studying whether all Trump's assistants are married or not.'

'We are not guessing who Trump is, but who runs his social media.'

In order to train the algorithm to understand the data input, researches turned the social media activity of users in New York, Singapore and London into sets, or vectors, of such parameters as an average tweet size, the most frequent objects in the photo, check-in distribution and so on.

However, the researchers said that this irregularity can be explained, as Trump himself does not always update his own social media accounts. His assistants will share tweets on his behalf, which could mean they are the single ones

Then developers used these vectors in basic machine learning models.

One of the researches fed the data to the algorithm and then input the information into the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which is a scale of psychological types based on Jung theses.

When analyzing the data, the scale describes a person in terms of how he or she interacts with the world, which is easiest to learn through their social media accounts.

Many of Donald Trump's tweets that are deemed outrageous have been shared in the early hours of the day. For example, this tweet was shared at 2:07 AM

The AI determined that Trump was unmarried because it believed his tweets sounded as if he was a bachelor

'Many scientific sources associate a person psychological type with his marital status,' said Kseniya Buraya, a researcher at ITMO University's and co-author of the paper.

'So, we decided to check how precisely we can predict this parameter to use it for making human psychological portraits in the future'.

User profiling, according to the scientists, can have a wide range of applications.

Researches fed data from Barack Obama's and Trump's twitter accounts. But Trump was found to be 'not-married' due to the style of his tweets

Although Trump's style of tweeting suggested he is a bachelor, the researchers explained that his assistants also post tweets from his account

For example, recruiters can learn more about people who are applying for a job.

More generally, characterizing personality through activity in social media will help discover illegal groups as well as find people prone to depression or suicide and support them.

Although the AI was wrong in predicting Trumps marital status, The Donald has shown behavior that has made people question his marriage.

To demonstrate how the program operates, the team collected and analyzed tweets of Barack Obama (pictured) and Donald Trump, the 44th and 45th Presidents of the United States. Using this data, the AI confirmed that Obama was married, but concluded that Trump was a bachelor

Earlier this month an incident occurred when Trump would not hold his wife Melanias hand in public, but body language expert believe it is his way to be seen as a presidential alpha.

'Typically a hand-hold shows a couple as a unit,' body language expert Patti Wood told the DailyMail.com.

'But to me, I think he's been saying, "I want to be seen as the president on my own", which is very much alpha. "I want to be just the powerful me." And it's clear that that's his choice.'

Footage from the trip to Florida earlier this month, shows first Lady Melania was at first all smiles as she waited patiently to be reunited with her husband after his whirlwind week in Washington.

She gave the president a kiss when he got off the plane, in what was her first public appearance since Trump's inauguration.

Melania went to hold his hand as they made their way across the tarmac, but Trump then appeared to drop his wife's hand twice.

The couple initially walked behind a car on the tarmac while holding hands.

'Holding hands can communicate so much about an individual and a couple, depending on the position of the hands, who reaches in first, who breaks it first,' Wood, who has written a book on body language and first impressions, said.

'What's fascinating, I think to all of us, is that they're holding hands at all.'

'They hold hands in private, so we know that there's a coupleness that we weren't seeing in public or at the inauguration.'
Last week, an eerie ring of fire rose over the Southern Hemisphere as the moon passed in front of the sun in an annular solar eclipse.

Stunning footage from space now reveals the phenomenon cast a shadow over Earths surface.

Images from NASAs Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer show the massive shadow as the moon blocked sunlight over the Atlantic Ocean, creating what appears like a large ink-blotch just off the coast of South America.

The animation from NASAs DSCOVR Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera shows what this phenomenon looked like from space

'RING OF FIRE' ECLIPSE While other eclipses see the moon temporarily block the sun's light completely, in an annular eclipse the moon is too far from Earth. This means it's positioned perfectly to allow a ring of light or 'fire' to burst through - to spectacular effect. Advertisement

The annular eclipse was visible from the southern tip of South America all the way to southern Africa.

In one of these events, the moon passes between the sun and Earth, blocking the light  but, at this distance, it doesnt obscure it completely.

This creates the appearance of a ring of fire.

An animation from NASAs DSCOVR Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera shows what this phenomenon looked like from space.

While most of Earth appears normal, the waters between South America and Africa are marred by a large shadow.

While most of Earth appears normal, the waters between South America and Africa are marred by a large shadow. As seen in the animation, the clouds and surface below appear yellow-ish brown

Last week, an eerie ring of fire rose over the Southern Hemisphere as the moon passed in front of the sun in an annular solar eclipse. Stunning footage from space now reveals the phenomenon cast a shadow over Earths surface

Different views from the satellites show the shadows movement across the area.

An image from the Terra satellite caught the phenomenon over Patagonia at around 13:20 Universal Time (10:20 a.m. local time) on Feb. 26. 2017.

The surface and clouds beneath the huge shadow appear to be yellow-ish brown.

And, another view from the Aqua satellite shows the event over the South Atlantic Ocean at around 15:55 UT (12:55 p.m. local time).

An image from the Terra satellite caught the phenomenon over Patagonia at around 13:20 Universal Time (10:20 a.m. local time) on Feb. 26. 2017. The surface and clouds beneath the huge shadow appear to be yellow-ish brown

Another view from the Aqua satellite shows the event over the South Atlantic Ocean at around 15:55 UT (12:55 p.m. local time). Stargazers in South America were treated to the rare event on Sunday

Stargazers in South America were treated to the rare event on Sunday.

Stunning pictures from Brazil and Chile show the moon coming between the Earth and the sun to create the spectacular ring of fire.

More than half a billion people across the world had the opportunity to see the annular eclipse, which first passed through, Chile and Argentina before moving across the South Atlantic Ocean to Africa.

The moment of greatest eclipse occurred midway between the two continents at just before 10am ET (3pm GMT) when the moon covered more than 99 per cent of the sun.

More than half a billion people across the world had the opportunity to see the annular eclipse, which first passed through, Chile and Argentina before moving across the South Atlantic Ocean to Africa. The composite image shows the progression of the annular eclipse

These stunning pictures from Brazil and Chile show the moon coming between the Earth and the Sun, blocking most light of its light save for a 'ring of fire' around the moon. This picture was taken in Coyhaique, Chile

It ended just afte 5:30 p.m. GMT on Sunday in southern Africa - between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Later this year, the moon will completely block out the sun, in a total solar eclipse.

This will take place on August 21, 2017, and will cross the United States from Oregon to South Carolina.
Ride hailing company Uber Technologies has for years used a secret tool to deceive the authorities in markets where its service faced resistance by law enforcement or was banned, the New York Times reported, citing sources.

An Uber tool called Greyball used data collected from the Uber app and other methods to find and circumvent officials, the NYT reported on Friday.

The service was able to show them a fake app populated with 'ghost' cars and cancel their rides.

Uber has for years used a secret tool to deceive the authorities in markets where its service faced resistance by law enforcement or was banned, the New York Times has claimed.

HOW IT WORKS In one example, Uber was able to create a 'fake' service to fool investigators. Some of the digital cars they saw in the app did not represent actual vehicles, the NYT says. Uber drivers they were able to hail also quickly canceled, as Uber had 'greyballed' them as city officials  based on data collected from the app and in other ways. The company then served up a fake version of the app populated with ghost cars, to evade capture. Advertisement

Asked about the existence of Greyball, Uber said in an email, 'This program denies ride requests to fraudulent users who are violating our terms of service - whether that's people aiming to physically harm drivers, competitors looking to disrupt our operations, or opponents who collude with officials on secret 'stings' meant to entrap drivers.'

A current Uber employee familiar with the program confirmed to Reuters that Uber had used antifraud techniques to hunt for suspected undercover law enforcement and regulators.

The person said Greyball had not been used in the United States in more than a year.

The New York Times said Uber used the methods to evade authorities in cities including Boston, Paris and Las Vegas, and in countries like Australia, China, Italy and South Korea.

Greyball, which began as early as 2014, was part of a program called 'Violation of terms of service' (VTOS), aimed at finding people the ride-hailing company thought were using the app improperly, the newspaper reported.

It said Greyballing started as a way to scramble the locations of UberX drivers to prevent competitors from finding them, and Uber said that was still the tools primary use.

It says Greyball was approved by Ubers legal team.

UBER'S PORTLAND GREYBALL Ubers use of Greyball was recorded on video in late 2014, when Erich England, a code enforcement inspector in Portland, Ore., tried to hail an Uber car downtown as part of a sting operation against the company. He found cars cancelled on him, and suddenly none were available. 'There were two drivers that were available, and they both cancelled on me,' he said in the Oregonian video. At the time, Uber had just started its ride-hailing service in Portland without seeking permission from the city, which later declared the service illegal. Advertisement

Greyball and the broader VTOS program were described by four current and former Uber employees, who also provided documents, the NYT said.

It is the latest in a series of problems for Uber.

The Uber driver who filmed his argument with the company's CEO, Travis Kalanick, this week spoke out to explain why he confronted the executive.

Fawzi Kamel, 37, picked up Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, 40, on Super Bowl Sunday in San Francisco, and once he realized who his passenger was, he took him to task for lowering rates for the company's drivers. In the confrontation, Kalanick snapped, saying the accusation was 'bulls***,' before getting out and slamming the door.

After the incident, Kamel turned the video over to Bloomberg, which published the clip on Tuesday.

Fawzi Kamel, right, recorded his argument with Uber CEO Travis Kalanick (center), while giving him a ride in San Francisco earlier this month

KALANICK'S APOLOGY TO STAFF Team, To say that I am ashamed is an extreme understatement. My job as your leader is to lead...and that starts with behaving in a way that makes us all proud. That is not what I did, and it cannot be explained away. Its clear this video is a reflection of meand the criticism weve received is a stark reminder that I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up. This is the first time Ive been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it. I want to profoundly apologize to Fawzi, as well as the driver and rider community, and to the Uber team. Advertisement

In an interview with NBC News, Fawzi explained what caused him to complain directly to the company's chief executive.

'Uber kept dropping prices every season to gain more ridership to satisfy their growth, and it didn't matter to Uber if the driver is not even making minimum wage,' he said. 'And the worst part is, they call us partners, [but] they make the rules, set the price and they even choose the cars you can use.'

Following the video's release, Kalanick was forced to issue an apology, saying he was 'ashamed' and needs to 'fundamentally change as a leader and grow up'.

Uber is already facing horrific allegations that sexism, racism and homophobia are commonplace throughout its offices from former female employees who say they were routinely harassed.

Kalanick has brought in former US Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate the accusations.

One woman, who aired her grievances anonymously in a blog post last week, said 'abusive attitudes' she was subjected to were fostered by the CEO.

On Monday it was revealed that one of Uber's senior executives failed to disclose a sexual assault allegation from his previous employer, Google. Kalanick asked for his resignation after discovering the allegation.

The company is also under fire from its Silicon Valley competitors. Google's self-driving car entity Waymo is suing Otto, Uber's version, for stealing its technology.

Allegations of sexual harassment were shared by former engineer Susan Fowler (left) earlier this month. Later it was revealed senior executive Amit Singhal had been accused of sexual assault at his previous job at Google. Kalanick asked for his resignation

In a lawsuit obtained by DailyMail.com, lawyers allege that Uber engineers stole 14,000 documents which map out Waymo's lidar technologies.

Lidar is the network of lasers which map out the world around self-driving cars, allowing them to navigate themselves without drivers.

Kalanick also bore the brunt of a user boycott earlier in the year. Thousands deleted the app en masse in protest of its response to demonstrations against Trump's immigration ban at New York's JFK Airport.

While New York taxis stopped running as a show of solidarity to the protesters, Uber carried on operating but lifted the surcharge it normally applies when demand is high.

Many viewed the move as an attempt to capitalize on the gap despite Uber's intention to do exactly the opposite.

Kalanick later stepped down from Trump's economic advisory council as a result of the row.
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Vertigo-inducing footage shows a mountaineer climbing a terrifyingly vertical peak.

Norwegian explorer Tormod Granheim filmed himself ascending Schreckhorn mountain in Switzerland - and the result is exhilarating.

Mr Granheim, 42, faces directly into the vertical rock face, a dramatic drop either side and below him, as he uses his bare hands to clamber upwards.

Norwegian explorer Tormod Granheim filmed himself ascending Schreckhorn mountain in Switzerland - and the result is exhilarating

Mr Granheim, 42, faces directly into the vertical rock face, a dramatic drop either side and below him, as he uses his bare hands to clamber upwards

As he pauses, the viewer is afforded a glimpse of the amazing scenery of the Bernese Alps before Mr Granheim continues with his challenge.

He places his hands on the summit and can be seen negotiating where to place his feet.

It's a precarious process and when he looks directly downwards the full extent of the dangerous feat is clear.

The short clip ends as the daredevil looks up at the rock ahead which towers above him.

Mr Granheim - who also describes himself as a skier, motivational speaker and defence consultant - uploaded the clip to Facebook, tagging his friend and fellow-daredevil with the post: 'Feeling adventurous with Jacob Waerness,' and a grinning emoji.

As he pauses the viewer is afforded a glimpse of the amazing scenery of the Bernese Alps before Granheim continues with his challenge

It's a precarious process and when he looks directly downwards the full extent of the dangerous feat is clear

Mr Granheim, who grew up in a small village outside of Oslo, has previously said: 'I've always been very inspired by people who are pushed to their limits'

He places his hands on the summit and can be seen negotiating where to place his feet

The short clip ends as Granheim looks up at the rock ahead which towers above him

The adventurer recently revealed at an event attended by MailOnline Travel where his passion for adventure started. Granheim, who grew up in a small village outside of Oslo, said: 'I've always been very inspired by people who are pushed to their limits.

'I remember one thing that really inspired me was this Rolex advert on the back of a National Geographic magazine.

'When I saw this ad I saw a man climbing into the unknown and I wanted to be this man.'

In a video for one of his main sponsors, Bergans of Norway, Granheim explains that mental strength is the main quality needed when traversing the unknown.

He also notes that it's important 'to have a very solid respect for the limits'.
His private life eclipsed his movie and political careers when it emerged he'd fathered a son with his housekeeper and kept it secret for 14 years.

The revelation cost Arnold Schwarzenegger his marriage of 25 years to Maria Shriver, but the 69-year-old says he's looking forward not back.

Arnold told April's Men's Journal he's focused on having a great relationship with Joseph Baena, 19, who was born to Schwarzenegger's former maid and ex-mistress Mildred Baena.

Looking forwards: Arnold Schwarzenegger told April's Men's Journal he's focused on having a great relationship with Joseph Baena, 19, who was born to his former maid and ex-mistress Mildred Baena

The Apprentice star, who covered the issue, explained of keeping the secret: 'You do think about it every so often. I can beat myself up as much as I want - it's not gonna change the situation. So the key thing is, how do you move forward? How do you have a great relationship with your kids?'

He admits regret over the affair, saying: 'You can't go back - if I could, in reality, be Terminator, of course I would go back in time and would say, 'Arnold... no.' '

He adds: 'You know, it's always easy to be smart in hindsight. That's not the way it works.'

Arnold shared a post celebrating the teen's 19th birthday, in October, on Instagram.

'Happy birthday, Joseph. Great student, great athlete. I'm proud of you and I love you!' the Terminator actor wrote at the time.

Modern family: Arnold shared a post celebrating the teen's 19th birthday, in October, on Instagram

In 2011, Schwarzenegger admitted to being Joseph's father after being confronted by Shriver.

Together the couple have four children - Katherine, 27, Christina, 25, Patrick, 23, and Christopher, 19.

Joseph was born just one week after Schwarzenegger's youngest son with Shriver, Christopher.

The bodybuilder claimed he had no idea Joseph was his son until he was about 7 or 8 and began to resemble him, he told 60 Minutes in 2012.

'You can't go back - if I could, in reality, be Terminator, of course I would go back in time and would say, 'Arnold ... no,'' he told Men's Journal, adding: 'You know, it's always easy to be smart in hindsight. That's not the way it works.'

Better hair though: Arnold Schwarzenegger took the helm of Celebrity Apprentice and found himself slated by President Trump for the ratings

More recently, Schwarzenegger found himself in the firing line of President Trump, after ratings with him as the replacement host on Celebrity Apprentice came in lower than the leader of the free world's.

'Wow, the ratings are in, and Arnold Schwarzenegger got 'swamped' (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine, DJT,' Trump tweeted.

The President also wrote, despite being listed as an executive producer of the show: 'So much for....being a movie star - and that was season 1 compared to season 14. Now compare him to my season 1. But who cares, he supported Kasich & Hillary.'

The Kindergarten Cop star recalled to the publication his response to the criticism: 'Don't get into a stinking contest with a skunk.'

The former Governor of California also posted a video in response. saying: 'Hey Donald, I have a great idea. Why don't we switch jobs? You take over TV, because you're such an expert in ratings, and I take over your job and then people can finally sleep comfortably again.'

Marital split: With ex-wife Maria Shriver, he has Katherine, 27, Christina, 25, Patrick, 23, and Christopher, 19 (picture from December 2016)
Something memorable is about to go down with the funny females on Modern Family, as per usual.

Stars Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons were spotted filming a scene on Wednesday for an upcoming episode of the popular ABC sitcom.

The ladies were supposedly on their way to a Women's March when Sofia's character's car breaks down, forcing them to all fix it.

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The ladies! The females of Modern Family got together on Wednesday to shoot a scene for the popular ABC sitcom

Girl power seemed to be the theme of the episode as Ariel, who plays Alex Dunphy on the show, was seen wearing a light blue sweatshirt with the writing: 'To Femininity & Beyond.'

The 26-year-old star, Sarah, was also dressed in warm clothing wearing distressed denim overalls, a bomber jacket and a pink winter hat.

The Colombian beauty, 44, had a big smile plastered across her face as she covered up in a cream-colored pea coat, dark jeans and bright pink heels.

Julie, 46, wore a striped shirt, jeans and a vest as Aubrey, nine, wore a heart-printed shirt, denim skirt and patterned leggings.

Girl power: The plot seemed to revolve around Sofia Vergara's character's car that broke down on their way to a Women's March

'Femininity and Beyond': Ariel Winter donned a light blue sweatshirt on set that read 'To Femininity & Beyond' as Sarah Hyland covered up in denim overalls, bomber jacket and pink winter hat

Fun: The 44-year-old Colombian beauty wore a cream-colored pea coat on set paired with dark denim jeans and hot pink heels

The ladies of the show were having a grand old time, evidenced by a snap on Wednesday shared by Sofia on Instagram.

'Girls shoot!! [heart emoji],' Vergara wrote, with an image of the ladies in a set van traveling to location.

Meanwhile, the cast is currently wrapping up season eight of filming.

Good times: The stars were shooting an episode for season eight, as it wraps this week

Co-star cuties: Nine-year-old Aubrey Anderson-Emmons smiled while on set wearing a heart-shaped shirt, denim skirt and patterned leggings

The Hollywood Reporter recently learned that six actors on the sitcom have yet to begin negotiating contracts as season nine has not been announced.

The outlet reported that the hold-up is between 20th Century Fox and ABC over the cost of the show.

Although the show has not win an Emmy in two years, it still remains primetime's No. 2 behind Big Bang Theory.

What will happen? Fans will await to see this upcoming episode on ABC
It's the show that sees everyday people critiquing the latest programs on television.

And on Thursday's Gogglebox Australia, the cast did not hold back when it came to judging the Real Housewives of Sydney's Matty Samaei's lips.

'She can't talk properly,' Grant Jackson said, while Matt Dalton added that the 43-year-old socialite looked 'like a cartoon character.'

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'She can't talk properly': Gogglebox Australia stars mocked RHOS' Matty Samaei's lips on Thursday's episode, claiming the 43-year-old socialite looked 'like a cartoon character'

'I'm Matty Samaei, and I'm from Double Bay,' the reality star shared to camera.

'Did she say she's from Batto Bay, or Dubbo Bay?' Britney Jackson joked.

'I don't know 'cause she can't talk properly, ' father Grant chimed in.

Not holding back: 'Did she say she's from Batto Bay, or Dubbo Bay?' Britney Jackson (left) joked

Antics: 'I don't know 'cause she can't talk properly, ' father Grant chimed in

'Her lips hit the door before she opens the door!' Keith noted.

'Like a cartoon character,' Matt Dalton is heard saying as well.

However it appears Matty has no qualms in talking about her altered appearance.

'I've had my lips done, but my hair is real,' Matty said playfully to camera.

Hilarious: 'Her lips hit the door before she opens the door!' Keith notes

'Like a cartoon character': Matt Dalton is also seen joking about the star's appearance

Confident: However it appears Matty has no qualms in talking about her altered appearance. 'I've had my lips done, but my hair is real,' the mother-of-two says playfully to camera

Matty stars in the highly-anticipated Sydney franchise of the Real Housewives.

Residing in Sydney's exclusive suburb of Bellevue Hill, she's a proud mother to two children and a beauty expert.

Matty stars alongside fellow housewives Athena X Levendi, Krissy Marsh, Lisa Oldfield, Melissa Tkautz, Nicole O'Neil and Victoria Rees.
He's the radio star renowned for never being afraid to ask a controversial question.

And now Kyle Sandilands' colleagues have revealed he actually has quite a temper on and off air.

The 45-year-old was sitting down with co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson and the face of Saturday night's Mardi Gras television coverage Joel Creasey, when he told of an incident from during his time at 2Day FM.

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Quite a temper! Kyle Sandilands' colleagues have revealed some of his hot headed moments in a hilarious segment on KIIS FM on Friday morning

Talking about Faye Dunaway and THAT epic Oscars moment, the conversation soon moved on to how she was a renowned Hollywood diva - much like Kyle.

'People say that about me, but Im a very nice guy,' the KIIS FM star said.

'People always come in and say "wow, I was terrified to meet you and you couldnt be nicer".'

Revealing: Kyle himself admitted to throwing a chair through a window during his time at 2Day FM, before a colleague told of a time he threw a coffee at a wall

Diva! Talking with comedian Joel Creasey (pictured) about Faye Dunaway and THAT epic Oscars moment, the conversation soon moved to he rbeing a Hollywood diva - much like Kyle

Throwing it open to his colleagues to challenge, Kyle told how his producers literally ran towards the microphone to prove him wrong.

'Yeah I think the first week I worked with you, you threw a full coffee at a wall,' his co-worker Bruno said.

It seemed at that stage, Kyle may realised he may not be as much of a saint as he first thought.

'There was that time at 2Day FM when I through the chair through the glass window,' he admitted with a laugh.

Colourful character: 'There was that time at 2Day FM when I through the chair through the glass window,' Kyle (pictured with girlfriend Imogen Anthony) admitted with a laugh

Curious: A day earlier Kyle (left) was back to asking the awkward questions during an interview with Richard Wilkins' (far right) son 'Prince' Christian (right) on Thursday

A day earlier Kyle was back to asking the awkward questions during an interview with Richard Wilkins' son 'Prince' Christian on Thursday.

The radio host appeared fascinated by rumours surrounding the impressive size of the Today reporter's manhood.

'Why is he so c*** shy, your father?' Kyle bluntly asked the 21-year-old on Thursday.

'I think it's one of those topics where it's more important what other people say about your asset than what you say about your own asset,' Prince answered coyly.

Awkward! Prince laughed at Kyle's bizarre line of questioning and revealed his dad had called him before the interview to give him a heads up

Rumours or truth? Last month, the 62-year-old's allegedly impressive manhood was discussed on-air when Kyle declared: 'Richard Wilkins is renowned for his huge penis'

Earlier in the conversation, Kyle was very forthright in questioning Prince regarding his father's allegedly large anatomy.

'What's the real go? Because it's legendary amongst the Australian-Italian business, who's got the biggest d**k? Richard Wilkins, hands down,' Kyle claimed.

'It's a two-hander!' he added in disbelief.

Prince laughed awkwardly at the thought of discussing his father's penis on radio, telling the hosts he'd been warned about their line of questioning by Richard himself.

Ladies' man: Richard has had a string of relationships with high-profile personalities in the past, and welcomed his son Christian (pictured) with his second wife Michelle Burke

'He called me five minutes ago and he was like, "So Kyle, he might ask you about my penis, what are you going to say?"' Prince revealed.

The bizarre conversation comes just weeks after Kyle gushed about the 62-year-old's 'huge penis' on the show.

'Richard Wilkins is renowned for his huge penis,' the shock jock said last month.
It's been 16 years since The Princess Diaries first hit movie screens, and following the success of its sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement in 2004, Julie Andrews has revealed fans may be gifted with a third installment.

According to the veteran actress, both she and Anne Hathaway are keen on collaborating once again for the Disney fan favorite.

'Theres talk about it,' the 81-year-old star told BuzzFeed. 'And [Anne's] very keen to do it. I would very willingly and happily do it.'

The royal treatment: Julie Andrews reveals she and Anne Hathaway have spoken about reuniting for a third Princess Diaries movie

It's not the first time discussion of a sequel has emerged.

The film's late director, Garry Marshall, last year claimed he was onboard to make a third movie in the hit franchise.

'I was with Anne Hathaway a couple weeks ago, it looks like we want to do Princess Diaries 3 in Manhattan,' he told People in March last year. 'Anne Hathaway is very pregnant, so we have to wait until she has the baby and then I think were going to do it.'

Crowning glory: Fans of the hit movies will be thrilled by the news the film's stars are keen to make another sequel

Movie makeover: Julie and Anne - seen here with co-star Larry Miller - are keen to resume their royal duties on the big screen

However following the 81-year-old's sudden death in July last year, all plans for another sequel were seemingly shelved - until now.

'I think we might do it in honor of him,' added Julie. 'Annie had an idea that she wanted to pursue about it, and I'm all for it, so if she'd like to...'

While Anne has so far kept quiet on the reports of a sequel, she did mark Garry's death with a touching post on Instagram, proving the film and its cast and crew are never far from her heart.

Gone but not forgotten: The Oscar-winning actress shared this heartfelt post on Instagram following Garry Marshall's death last year

'I couldnt sleep last night,' the 34-year-old captioned a black and white photo of herself with the acclaimed director and Julie on Instagram. 'The moon was too bright and my heart was too full of fresh grief at Garrys passing.'

While it's still not known who would direct the third film instead, Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, 47, wrote the script for The Princess Diaries 2.

The Princess Diaries follows Mia Thermopolis, an average high school student, who unexpectedly discovers she's a princess after her grandmother, the queen of Genovia appears in her life.
Londoner Cynthia Erivo certainly made a glittering impression at the Oscars.

On Saturday night, the RADA graduate (who won a best musical actress Tony for The Color Purple in 2016) joined American actor Chris Jackson to sing three numbers from Lin-Manuel Mirandas musical In The Heights, at Harvey Weinsteins annual pre-Oscar party at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Weinsteins planning a screen version of the show that has played both Broadway and London.

Ms Erivo really let go with In The Heights infectious Latin rhythms, and I could see guests Nicole Kidman, Beyonce, Jay Z, Dev Patel (and Anita, his lovely mum)  in fact the whole room  moving to the beat.

Londoner Cynthia Erivo, pictured right, certainly made a glittering impression at the Oscars

The affair was sponsored by vodka firm Grey Goose, but I was amused to see Mr Carter (Jay Z) sipping a glass of Armand de Brignac . . . which he just happens to own. Apparently, he sent a few bottles of the champagne on to the hotel earlier in the day so he wouldnt be thirsty. I guess thats fine. I mean, I always travel with a supply of Fortnum & Masons Orange Pekoe tea bags.

Anyway, the next day  Sunday  Cynthia was on the Oscars red carpet, adorned with Tiffany gems. And a few hours later, she was in a gold lame gown, singing with the band at the Governors Ball.

The inexhaustible lady then hit the dance floor with Lucas Hedges (pictured left)  the Oscar-nominated young actor from Manchester By The Sea, who was soon on the red eye back to New York to continue in the excellent production of Anna Jordans play Yen.

Meanwhile, Cynthias rehearsing with newly-minted Oscar winner Viola Davis, Daniel Kaluuya, Elizabeth Debicki, Andre Holland and Michelle Rodriguez for Steve McQueens big-screen version of the Lynda La Plante TV drama Widows. Iain Canning and Emile Sherman (the producers behind Lion) are putting it together with London-born director McQueen.

SWEENEY TODD IS PIPING HOT Jeremy Secomb and Siobhan McCarthy Stephen Sondheim led the cheers for Rachel Edwardss Tooting Arts Club production of Sweeney Todd. Its relocated to Barrow Street Theatre in Greenwich Village (transformed into a pie shop by designer Simon Kenny). It is a piping hot smash hit, starring Brits Jeremy Secomb and Siobhan McCarthy. Advertisement

WHY SALLY'S IN A FIELD OF HER OWN

Joe Mantello, the director returning to his acting roots, is compelling as Tom

Sally Field  all 5ft 3in of her  has to haul a wheelchair up from the stalls onto the stage of Broadways Belasco Theatre.

Its a brilliant moment that serves a dual purpose. It shows, for starters, that Fields Amanda Wingfield  from Tennessee Williamss play The Glass Menagerie  is indefatigable. And the wheelchair isnt an idle prop. Madison Ferris, playing Amandas daughter Laura, is disabled, like her character, which adds a layer of realism to the piece.

Sam Golds stripped-back production is riveting. Joe Mantello, the director returning to his acting roots, is compelling as Tom, as is Finn Wittrock as the gentleman caller. But its Field who commands. Watching her is like getting a shot of adrenaline.

Im lucky to have seen both Cherry Jones (now in the London production) and Ms Field play Amanda, and both were luminous. The best actress category for the Tony awards in June will be sizzling!
She's one of the most sought after Victoria's Secret Angels.

And Sara Sampaio, 25, lived up to her reputation as she led the glamour at the Vogue Thailand & Angelys Balek dinner as part of Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2017 on Thursday night.

The stunner posed up a storm on arrival at the Loulou Club in a luxurious black, gold and blue sequin minidress.

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Glamorous: Sara Sampaio, 25, lived up to her reputation as she led the glamour at the Vogue Thailand & Angelys Balek dinner as part of Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2017 on Thursday night

The plunging garment was decorated with two roaring golden lions and glistened underneath the bright lights.

The thigh-skimming dress showed off Sara's lithe limbs which were accentuated by a pair of black heels.

She wore her raven locks in a trio of plaits tied tightly back while her eyes were decorated with a heavy, smoky shadow.

Lavish: The stunner posed up a storm on arrival at the Loulou Club in a luxurious black, gold and blue sequin minidress

Glam: The plunging garment was decorated with two roaring golden lions and glistened underneath the bright lights

Smouldering: Sara wore her raven locks in a trio of plaits tied tightly back while her eyes were decorated with a heavy, smoky shadow

Taking a leaf out of Sara's book: French model Cindy Bruna looked to have chosen a dress from the same collection as Sara, with the item boasting a matching colour scheme and similar sequin work

Matching: The two beauties looked flawless stood side by side

Girl power: The pair looked fierce as they gazed intently into the camera

Centre of attention: Host Angelys Balek joined Sara as did Maxim Sapozhnikov

Her lips were coated in a pale pink shade and her defined cheekbones were contoured to exaggerate their shape.

Controversial rapper Azealia Banks made an appearance in a lively bandeau gown and black evening gloves.

French model Cindy Bruna looked to have chosen a dress from the same collection as Sara, with the item boasting a matching colour scheme and similar sequin work.

Standing out from the crowd: Controversial rapper Azealia Banks made an appearance in a lively bandeau gown and black evening gloves

Happy! Azealia looked to be in a good place, smiling brightly upon arrival

Dressed to impress: Azealia and Angelys both pulled out all the stops with their outfit choices

Sonia Ben Ammar wore a classy black ensemble with a vibrant slick of rouge on her lips

Classy: Actress Kat Graham looked great in an understated black dress which she matched with an equally stylish box clutch

Brooklyn Beckham's ex Sonia Ben Ammar wore a classy black ensemble with a vibrant slick of rouge on her lips.

Actress Kat Graham looked great in an understated black dress which she matched with an equally stylish box clutch.

Models Lauren de Graaf and Susanne Knipper dressed in edgy ensembles, with the former donning a black dress with cut out panels and heavy duty boots, while the latter wore red leather trousers and a metallic top.
He's modelling's 'It' boy, known just as much for his high-flying lifestyle as his impressive jawline.

And Jordan Barrett perfected the off-duty look as he arrived at Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday, ahead of H&M's women's runway show.

The 20-year-old Byron Bay-born star, sported an all-black ensemble of a round neck shirt, cuffed trousers, a zip-up jacket left undone, and coordinating sneakers.

He's got street cred! Modelling's 'It' boy Jordan Barrett, 20, perfected the off-duty look in an all-black ensemble, as he arrived at Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday

Jordan highlighted his model figure in head-to-toe black.

A round-neck T-shirt was teamed with a pair of cuffed trousers that accentuated his lean legs.

Accessorising with a black zip-up jacket left undone and coordinating sneakers, a delicate gold necklace added a touch of bling.

Sporting a blemish-free complexion, Jordan's volumised blonde locks worked as his best asset, framing his striking facial features.

In style: A round-neck T-shirt was teamed with a pair of cuffed trousers that accentuated his lean legs

Details: Accessorising with a black zip-up jacket left undone and coordinating sneakers, a delicate gold necklace added a touch of bling

Mane appeal: Sporting a blemish-free complexion, Jordan's volumised blonde locks worked as his best asset, framing his striking facial features

Jordan was discovered at age 14 by a model scout working for international agency IMG.

The chance meeting took place when he was caught stealing matches from a convenience store.

Jordan told New York Magazine about the incident: 'I wanted to have a cigarette, but I couldn't get a lighter because apparently you have to be over 18, so I decided I was gonna take matches from the counter.'

Taking the modelling industry by storm, the genetically blessed star graced the runway for Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino and Versace at Milan Fashion Week.

Jordan has also proved to be a hit with some of the world's leading ladies, spotted getting cosy with Megan Blake Irwin, Hailey Baldwin and Lara Stone.

Chance encounter: Jordan was discovered at age 14 by a model scout working for international modelling agency IMG
Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain and DJ Zoe Ball have been pictured as the new hosts of the BBC's newest cookery show - which will air later in the year.

Going directly up against Channel 4's reincarnation of The Great British Bake Off - after they bought the format from the BBC last summer - the show has been titled The Big Family Cooking Showdown.

Throwing baking to the wayside and opening the spectrum up much wider, the latest foodie series will pit families against one another, rather than individuals, and feature all types of cooking methods.

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Pictured: Nadiya Hussain and Zoe Ball pose for a promo shot for BBC's The Big Family Cooking Showdown to rival The Great British Bake Off... following its move to Channel 4

It will launch in the autumn on BBC Two and bring chefs Giorgio Locatelli and Rosemary Shrager in to judge.

Locatelli, 53, and Shrager, 66, are taking over from Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry and decide which families will be whittled down through a series of challenges.

Hussain, 32, has carved out a successful career in food programmes since winning The Great British Bake Off in 2015, and Ball is the annual face of Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two.

The Chronicles Of Nadiya star Hussain said: 'Family and food have always gone hand in hand and I'm looking forward to getting to know the recipes and traditions of the different families taking part.

They've turned up the heat: GBBO champ Nadiya has been a firm favourite for the line-up

New faces: Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two host Ball and chefs Giorgio Locatelli and Rosemary Shrager will judge

'Having been through a food competition as an amateur cook myself, I know exactly how tough it can get and so I'll be there for them, alongside Zoe, as the pressure really builds.'

The Big Family Cooking Showdown, which was first announced last year under the working title The Big Family Cooking Challenge, will see 16 families from around the UK compete against each other with challenges set in their kitchens at home and at the programme's studio.

Ball, 46, said: 'It's time to celebrate passionate foodie families all over the country and this series will show us home cooking at its best, even if it's using old pans and mismatched crockery.

From competitor to presenter: Hussain, who has carved out a successful career in food programmes since winning The Great British Bake Off in 2015, will present the competition

It's over: After the rival network bought the format for 25 million per year, Berry and presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins sensationally quit, pledging their allegiance to the BBC

'We're meeting 16 very different families over the course of the show and witnessing their team dynamics.

'I'm not the world's best cook as my kids will vouch but I'm learning so much from these families and from Nadiya.'

The families taking part will showcase their favourite home recipes during the series which will have 12 one-hour episodes.

Locatelli said: 'I strongly believe that cooking at home is at the base of healthy family relationships.

New format: The Big Family Cooking Showdown is the latest foodie series to be commissioned by the broadcaster and will launch in the autumn on BBC2 in a search to find the UK's best family of cooks

As they were: Locatelli, 53, and Shrager, 66, are taking over from Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry and decide which families will be whittled down through a series of challenges

'For Rosemary and I to be given the opportunity to taste people's family dishes within their home is such an honour.

'I am looking forward to exploring people's heritage through the dishes they prepare.'

Shrager said: 'It's wonderful to be meeting families with their own recipes and to be judging good honest family food.

'I'm hoping to be inspired and surprised by the dishes these families cook at home to put a smile on each other's faces.

Winning: The last ever winner of The Great British Bake Off while it aired on the BBC was Candice Brown

'We'll be searching for a household where food is at the heart of their family, with kitchen duties and recipes shared between the generations.'

The big wigs at the BBC will surely be hoping they're new show - which, in effect, is an expanded version of the Bake Off format - will become the nationally loved hit that its predecessor was.

A show insider said: It is a warm, old-fashioned family entertainment show, but has a strong competitive element just like Bake Off.

And in the same way the Great British Bake Off was a slow-burner, so the hope is that this series goes to viewers hearts and becomes a hit.

New girls: Zoe and Nadiya will be taking Mel and Sue's places as show hosts

Mary 2.0: Channel 4's version of The Great British Bake Off remains shrouded in mystery, with the likes of Prue Leith rumoured to be joining remaining judge Paul Hollywood on the show, in place of Mary Berry

Channel 4's version of The Great British Bake Off remains shrouded in mystery, with the likes of Prue Leith rumoured to be joining remaining judge Paul Hollywood on the show, in place of Mary Berry.

After the rival network bought the format for 25 million per year, Berry and presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins sensationally quit, pledging their allegiance to the BBC.

Hosts rumoured to be taking over from Mel & Sue include Davina McCall, Dawn French and Richard Ayoade.
He recently stormed off set after co-hosts mocked his 'stegosaurus' hairdo.

This time, Richard Wilkins, 62, has managed to keep his cool during an interview with Harry Potter actress Miriam Margolyes.

After the film star revealed she never used to like him, the Today reporter quipped: 'Thats all we have time for!' Before calming down enough to let the hilarious guest tell him what she really thought.

Shock! Harry Potter actress Miriam Margoyles shocked Today show host Richard Wilkins during an interview Friday, revealing she never used to like him

The hilarious interview took a turn after Miriam, 75, responded curiously to Richard complimenting her voice.

'I like your voice, actually. I like you better now than I used to,' she began her assessment.

The upfront comments caused co-hosts Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson to erupt into laughter, as Richard turned his head in astonishment.

He then jokingly tried to cut the interview short before letting the guest continue.

Compliments to the host: The hilarious interview took a turn after Miriam, 75, responded curiously to Richard complimenting her voice.

'I like your voice': 'I like your voice, actually. I like you better now than I used to,' she began her assessment

'You mellowed and youre not just interested in you,' she said in a tone that implied that she didn't believe this was always the case.

Once again the co-hosts exploded into laughter as Richard stared at camera with a wry smile.

'Youve improved. You honestly have,' she also statement.

'He's like a fine wine!' Lisa joked in between laughs.

Erupted: 'You mellowed and youre not just interested in you,' she said as her co-hosts Karl Stefanovia and Lisa Wilkinson erupted into laughter

Keeping his cool, Richard replied: 'Well I always adored you, so there we go,' before his cast mates chose to change the subject.

They may have half-expected the Professor Sprout actress' unfiltered interview antics coming, after she had a strangely flirtatious interaction with Karl earlier in the chat.

'We've barely even scratched the surface,' the host said, after naming some of her career highlights.

'You can scratch my surface!' she quipped back with a cheeky smile.

Flirty: Earlier in the chat, Miriam replied to Karl saying they had only just 'scratched the surface' of her career, saying: 'You can scratch my surface!

The UK-born actress revealed that she now spends around half of her time living in Australia.

Her hilarious interview antics are better known in her home country, where she had earned several Graham Norton show call ups.

One conversation saw her slamming the film Mamma Mia for being 'dreadful' when she was sitting next to one of its stars in Dominic Cooper.

Well known: Her hilarious interview antics are better known in her home country, where she had earned several Graham Norton show call ups

Slammed! One conversation saw her slamming the film Mamma Mia for being 'dreadful' when she was sitting next to one of its stars in Dominic Cooper

Richard was impressive in his ability to take the honest feedback, after just recently storming off set in response to his co-hosts teasing him for his hair.

The awkward moment began after the show played a viral video of a toddler yelling at an apparent T-Rex visible off screen.

'Maybe it's Dickie's hair!' A giggling Sylvia said after the clip finished.

Impressive! Richard was impressive in his ability to take the honest feedback, after just recently storming off set in response to his co-hosts teasing him for his hair
She became a second-time mum just two months ago.

And it appears Teresa Palmer already has the juggling act down pat as she runs errands with sons Bodhi Rain, three, and Forest Sage, born in December.

The 31-year-old actress was spotted carrying her newborn in one arm while strolling with her firstborn in tow.

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Out with the boys! Teresa Palmer was spotted running errands in Hollywood with her toddler son Bodhi Rain and newborn Forest Sage

The Hacksaw Ridge star looked radiant in a ruffled yellow blouse as she was spotted in Hollywood on Thursday.

The stylish actress added jeans to her casual look, as well as a pair of light-coloured sandals.

Clutching onto her keys and a kid's jacket while carrying Forest on the same arm, the Adelaide-born beauty cut a relaxed figure as she crossed the street.

Juggling act: The 31-year-old actress balanced her two-month-old baby on one arm while also holding on to a jacket and keys

Teresa kept her eyes shielded from the bright sunshine with a pair of clear-framed sunglasses.

The new mum's blonde locks were worn out in natural waves, and she appeared to be makeup-free for the outing.

Young Bodhi wore a red T-shirt with light track pants as well as checkered Vans while walking alongside his mother.

Mum about town: The Hacksaw Ridge star and her husband Mark Webber welcomed their second son in December

Two-month-old Forest meanwhile, hung on his mother's arm while sporting a red one-piece suit.

Teresa and her husband Mark Webber, 36, welcomed their second son in December.

The blonde beauty recently took to her blog Your Zen Mama to encourage other women to embrace their mum bodies after giving birth.

Body confident: The Aussie actress shared a blog post to encourage women to embrace their post-pregnancy bodies

'Isn't it funny how easily we can forget to take a moment to celebrate our bodies!?' the actress began.

'We spend far too much time punishing ourselves over what we see as our sagging breasts, mum bums, cellulite, muffin tops, wobbly arms, thick thighs,' she added.

'In fact, take a moment right now to give your body thanks for creating life and nurturing that life,' the blonde encouraged.
The Australian actress turned 37 on Thursday.

And to celebrated her birthday, Rebel Wilson was attacked by stunt dogs on the set of Pitch Perfect 3.

The Hollywood star proudly took to social media to document the bizarre experience: 'My most hardcore stunt yet. I'm going to be attacked by dogs.'

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'My most hardcore stunt yet': Rebel Wilson celebrates her birthday by being attacked by dogs on set of Pitch Perfect 3 in a video posted to social media on Thursday

Happy birthday! The Australian actress turned 37 on Thursday

Willing to perform her own stunts, she was seen getting dressed in a large bite suit with sleeves to protect her from the dog's sharp teeth.

In the video she flailed her arms and shook her legs as she let out a scream while defending herself from two vicious German shepherds.

Exaggerating her actions for the rolling cameras, she yelled: 'Guys, a little help, seriously!'

Struggling to keep her balance as the police attack dogs dragged her to and fro, her face looked distressed as she kept readjusting her footing to remain standing.

'Guys, a little help, seriously!' In the video she flailed her arms and shook her legs as she let out a scream for help while defending herself from two vicious German shepherds

Distressed: Struggling to keep her balance as the police attack dogs dragged her to and fro, her face looked distressed as she kept readjusting her footing to remain standing

'Weighs like 80 pounds': It appears members of the military were on hand in case something went wrong, as the funnywoman put on a heavy protective suit before being set on by the trained dogs

It appears members of the military were on hand in case something went wrong, as they gave the order for the dogs to attack at the start of the brief clip.

Earlier on Snapchat the funnywoman showed a video of the cast and crew singing happy birthday to her from the outside set.

She later showed the process of getting dressed in her suit that she claimed 'weighs like 80 pounds.'

It followed with another video of the stunt scene being re-filmed, in which Rebel later joked to taking on the dangerous act: 'That's why I'm paid the big bucks.'

She has previously performed her own stunts, with a video emerging recently from the Pitch Perfect 3 set of Rebel kicking a stuntman in the groin.

Supporting cast: Rebel was sung happy birthday by the cast and crew on set, her trailer was decorated by her fellow Bellas and co-stars Shelly Regner, Elizabeth Banks and Ester Dean wrote touching posts on social media to the actress

While Rebel was working on her birthday, she claimed The Bellas decorated her trailer on set with balloons, streamers, posters and a pizza pinata.

Some of her fellow Bellas also took to Instagram to wish the Fat Amy star well wishes.

Shelly Regner (who plays Ashley in the Pitch Perfect series) posted a selfie with Rebel, writing: 'Crushing it with the birthday girl @rebelwilson . Happiest Day-o-Birth m'lady!'

Actress Elizabeth Banks (who plays Gail) captioned a colourful photo of the pair, with Rebel in pink angel wings: 'The happiest birthday to this OG Barden Bella and mermaid dancer. @rebelwilson.'

Ester Dean also happily shared a shout-out to the Australian actress: 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY My Main @rebelwilson.'

Pitch Perfect 3 is expected to be released in December 2017.

Coming soon: Pitch Perfect 3 is expected to be released in December 2017




She's midway through shooting the latest season of Made In Chelsea.

But Olivia Bentley was sure put her work to one side as she enjoyed a night without any of her cast-mates on Thursday night.

Nipping over to Raffles night club in London on the Kings' Road, Olivia was seen looking smart in an all-black ensemble to celebrate Ghost Vodka's latest promotional campaign.

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On the rocks: Made In Chelsea's Olivia Bentley teases her toned pins as she steps out in a tiny dress and thigh-high boots for Vodka launch party in London

Olivia looked chic in a short black dress, which revealed her leggy pins.

She wore velvet thigh-high heeled boots, also in black, and a sweeping pinstripe coat to complete the look.

Around her neck, the socialite slung a long silver chain, with a crucifix at the end of it.

She kept her make-up natural and wore her blonde locks loosely around her shoulders.

Suits you: Nipping over to Raffles night club in London on the Kings' Road, Olivia was seen looking smart in an all-black ensemble to party the night away

Plus one: Olivia attended the party with a chiseled-looking pal, who strutted alongside her in a loud jacket and ripped jeans as they made their way inside

Natural beauty: She kept her make-up natural and wore her blonde locks loosely around her shoulders as she posed with her friend Harry Baron

A pair of diamond earrings finished things off nicely.

Olivia attended the party with a chiseled-looking pal, who strutted alongside her in a loud jacket and ripped jeans as they made their way inside.

Also in attendance for ex-MIC star, Fran Newman Young, who has been absent from the series for a few seasons now.

She too kept it all black; her outfit echoed Olivia's in fact, with just a leather jacket and her sweeping brunette locks the only real difference to the look.

Mick Norcross, of TOWIE fame, was snapped popping in, also; as was Pandora Christie, who wore a navy blue number with feature gold buttons and a bright pink bag.

Former star: Also in attendance for ex-MIC star, Fran Newman Young, who has been absent from the series for a few seasons now

The Only Way Is Chelsea: Mick Norcross, of TOWIE fame, was snapped popping in, also

Olivia caused confusion last month as she was snapped shooting scenes for MIC, despite reportedly being banned from the reality series after getting caught up in a drugs scandal at the end of 2016.

But her appearance on set, surrounded by cast members, suggested the contrary, as the group were spotted on location in London filming for the upcoming season 13.

It was previously understood that the 22-year-old star - who burst onto the scene last year claiming to be an heiress to the Bentley cars dynasty (which turned out not to be accurate) - would not feature on any immediate new episodes.

Cheers! Pandora Christie wore a navy blue number with feature gold buttons

Slender: The Kiss DJ showed off her enviable figure in the strapless frock, which featured a saucy slit up the front

Sure to throw a spanner into the works where plot-lines were concerned, it was vaguely confirmed that the reality star would be reprimanded for her drug shame.

A representative for Made In Chelsea confirmed to MailOnline however that Olivia was indeed 'suspended from filming season 12' when the footage was leaked, meaning she would have missed out on certain scenes that were yet to be shot for that season.

Although the rep neither confirmed nor denied her appearance in the latest run of episodes, images from the set seem to suggest she will feature - meaning her blossoming relationship with Fredrik Ferrier will continue to be documented on the series.

Pastel dream: Meanwhile Olivia Cox brightened up the bash in a soft yellow shift dress with a quirky slit at the front, to tease at her red bra beneath
UGLY LITTLE LIES

(LYTTELTON, NATIONAL THEATRE)

VERDICT: FLIMSY LIES THE DRAMA

Rating:

Big performance. Small play. Whopping design. Terrible title.

In order of merit, Kate Fleetwood lays on a remarkable performance as Jess, a U.S. soldier returning to her small-town home in Florida. She is suffering from PTSD and extreme pain, thanks to severe burns sustained in Afghanistan.

The idea is that, with virtual reality therapy to help her explore fantasies of rejuvenation, Jess can learn to cope with the pain.

This is the tale of a big performance, small play, whopping design and terrible title

Indhu Rubasinghams production is perfectly likeable and there are charming performances

Until then, however, its down to Fleetwood to share with us what it might be like to suffer agonies every time you raise an arm; or live with disfiguring skin grafts over most of your body.

Hobbling gingerly on a walking frame, Fleetwood delivers an exceptional study of torment. Its an emotional journey, too; and Jess  at first snippy and judgmental  slowly learns to accept the dead-end town she abandoned for the army.

Fleetwood apart, I found Lindsey Ferrentinos play a rather slight sketch that belongs in a studio theatre. The themes dont match the central performance; and sweet as it is, the ending is too Disney-fied.

Ferrentinos strong suit is social awkwardness, so we get a lot of inept boyfriends, past and present. To justify the scale of the Lyttelton theatre, the drama really needs to take on the politics of the war on terror that lie behind Jesss injuries.

In lieu of something bigger, we get Es Devlins design, which seems to be on theatrical steroids. The piece de resistance is the virtual reality world of the Rocky Mountains, where Jess runs free of her agonies.

Indhu Rubasinghams production is perfectly likeable; and there are charming supporting performances from Ralf Little as Jesss ex, and Kris Marshall as her sisters idle boyfriend.

As for the title, it comes from an Albert Einstein rhyme about beauty being skin deep. All well and good; but Fleetwoods performance warrants bigger, tougher writing.
To give an indication of how raddled Hugh Jackman looks at the start of his valedictory outing as Wolverine, the mutant superhero with retractable claws and intractable melancholia, he could easily pass for Mel Gibson after a really heavy night out.

Thats the first sign that this will be an X-Men film like no other. And so it proves, but mostly in a good way.

I should add that there is grislier, more graphic violence than usual, not to mention an awful lot of effing and blinding, making it more like an XXXX-Men film.

The mutant superhero with retractable claws and intractable melancholia could easily pass for Mel Gibson after a really heavy night out

He is shaken out of his existential torpor when an intense, enigmatic young girl called Laura (brilliant newcomer Dafne Keen) is foisted upon him

Nonetheless, for anyone getting decidedly weary of superhero movies (hands up, your reviewer), this is the perfect antidote: a movie in which nobody is wearier than our superhero himself, and one which isnt in thrall to its own special effects.

Unusually in the Marvel universe, which tends to fudge references to time, we learn that it is 2029 and mutantkind is dying out.

Wolverine (or Logan to give him his human name) is down on his luck, battling an alcohol problem and reluctantly working as a limousine driver, ferrying hen parties round a dusty Texan town.

When some thugs try to pinch his hubcaps, he dispatches them almost reluctantly. He has to work much harder at invincibility these days.

Logans domestic life is no happier. His mutant mentor, Professor X (Patrick Stewart), is a shaky nonagenarian now, holed up in a ramshackle farmhouse near the Mexican border and cared for by a freakishly tall, goggle-eyed albino (played by freakishly tall, goggle-eyed Stephen Merchant).

His place is the nearest thing Logan has to a home. Its not much of a life, but he is shaken out of his existential torpor when an intense, enigmatic young girl called Laura (brilliant newcomer Dafne Keen) is foisted upon him by an anxious-looking nurse who has much to look anxious about.

The girl has special powers, too, but not, it seems, the power of speech.

I should add that there is grislier, more graphic violence than usual, not to mention an awful lot of effing and blinding, making it more like an XXXX-Men film

Logans domestic life is no happier. His mutant mentor, Professor X (Patrick Stewart), is a shaky nonagenarian now

She puts the mute in mutant. But this just adds to the air of mystery as, urged by the nurse, Logan takes her and Professor X from Texas to North Dakota in search of a fabled mutant sanctuary called Eden.

Logan is sceptical that such a place even exists. In one of many tongue-in-cheek nods at the superhero genre, he cites a reference to it in an old Marvel comic as proof that it cant be real. He also, incidentally, gives us the full Basil Fawlty when his car breaks down, frenziedly laying into it. This might not be the funniest X-Men film of all time (that would be last years Deadpool), but it has a pleasing air of irreverence. Thats not to say that it doesnt take itself seriously, however.

Maybe that is because it unfolds less like a superhero film and more like a western  one in which an ageing gunslinger, in cahoots with a child, faces a final, defining shoot-out.

This is not just me being fanciful, by the way. Director James Mangold (who significantly made not only the second Wolverine film but also a very good western, 2007s 3:10 To Yuma) deliberately brings the analogy to life by sitting his characters in front of the television at one point, watching the 1953 Alan Ladd classic, Shane.

It is Mangolds only misstep in a film that, maybe more than anything else, showcases what a fine actor Jackman is

We also get a slyly capable baddy (Boyd Holbrook), who is chasing our unlikely band the length of America on behalf of evil scientist Richard E. Grant

And as in all good westerns, we also get a slyly capable baddy (Boyd Holbrook), who is chasing our unlikely band the length of America on behalf of evil scientist Richard E. Grant.

Did I just write evil scientist Richard E. Grant? It sounds ridiculous and, frankly, looks it, too. Grant was born to play many characters, all of them rather woodenly louche. Evil really doesnt suit him.

It is Mangolds only misstep in a film that, maybe more than anything else, showcases what a fine actor Jackman is. He gives a performance of genuine depth and poignancy.

Although it is set in Cider With Rosie country, Trespass Against Us is lit not by the warm glow of nostalgia, but of caravan-site braziers and burning cars. The Cutlers are a lawless traveller family living in rural Gloucestershire on the outer margins of society.

The commanding, track-suited patriarch, Colby, is given to sitting outdoors on an armchair, surveying his scrap of wasteland as if it were 20,000 acres of Capability Brown parkland, pontificating about God and evolution.

He is played, with his usual magnetism, by Brendan Gleeson. Michael Fassbender is similarly fine as Colbys eldest son, Chad, and really this is his story, as he tries in vain to escape his fathers influence.

Brendan Gleeson and Michael Fassbender in Trespass Against Us

The Cutlers are a lawless traveller family living in rural Gloucestershire on the outer margins of society

For director Adam Smith, making his first feature (though he has plenty of TV experience) and presumably working with a limited budget, its a real coup to land Fassbender and Gleeson

Chad has promised his wife Kelly (Lyndsey Marshal) they will get a house and bring up their two children in more respectable surroundings. He is illiterate but wants his kids to have the education he never did, much to Colbys bemusement. But the apple doesnt fall far from the tree.

There is a very good scene when Chad and Kelly are summoned to the childrens primary school, to be told by a teacher that the childrens absences and behaviour can no longer be tolerated.

Meanwhile, Colby needs to keep Chad close, mainly because hes better than anyone else at country-house robberies, and is such a fearless getaway driver that even with the police on his tail he finds time to light a cigarette.

Although it is set in Cider With Rosie country, Trespass Against Us is lit not by the warm glow of nostalgia, but of caravan-site braziers and burning cars

But in the end, and despite some well-choreographed chase scenes, this is a psychological study of a man trapped by his own degeneracy

There are faint echoes in all of this of much bigger-scale crime dramas.

I was even reminded of The Godfather when Chad tries to persuade his father that the real money is in internet crime, not house-breaking.

But in the end, and despite some well-choreographed chase scenes, this is a psychological study of a man trapped by his own degeneracy; trying, in the only way he knows, to be a responsible father.

For director Adam Smith, making his first feature (though he has plenty of TV experience) and presumably working with a limited budget, its a real coup to land Fassbender and Gleeson (its rather a surprise to find two Irishmen playing travellers yet speaking in broad Gloucestershire slang).

They get top-class support from the likes of Sean Harris and Rory Kinnear (as the local policeman, constantly outwitted by the Cutlers).

So there is much to admire here, but its still a tale of deeply unpleasant people. You wont find anyone with whom to even vaguely empathise, let alone actually like.




PORTLAND  Albany resident Timothy Hagey of the Calapooia District of the Cascade Pacific Council of the Boy Scouts of America was recently recognized with the Silver Beaver Award for volunteerism.

The Silver Beaver is the highest award the local Boy Scout council can give to a volunteer mentor. Recipients are selected by confidential nominations of adult peers and only one award may be presented for every 60 troops.

Hagey is a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow and a Wood Badge Owl, who serves as adviser for Calapooia Chapter of the Order of the Arrow.

His career in scouting began as an assistant den leader with Pack 22, then assistant scoutmaster with Troop 22 in the Far East Council.

In 2006, Hagey became Troop 7099s scoutmaster and served in that role for eight years.

He has chaired the districts Webeloree, guiding the event's revitalization. He has also chaired the Klondike and Camporee on numerous occasions.

A retired Senior Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy, Hagey works at the Naval ROTC program at Oregon State University.

He has knitted nearly 100 hats which have been donated to the Click for Babies campaign and the Chemo Center in Kaiser.

Hagey and his wife Cheryl enjoy square dancing and belong to two square dance clubs. In 2016 they chaired the Mid-Winter Square Dance Festival, which brought 1,100 dancers from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and California to Albany for a weekend of activities.

The Cascade Pacific Council has more than 10,000 adult mentors working with more than 25,000 young persons.
Billie Lourd snapped an elevator mirror selfie of herself and Taylor Lautner giving the camera their best smoldering stares on Thursday.

The Scream Queens co-stars and paramours were in London, and both bundled up to face the wintry chill.

Lourd emphasized her enviably trim midriff in a tight black top with a sloping neckline, adding a dash of glitz with an elaborate pendant.

Crossing the pond: Billie Lourd snapped an Instagram selfie of herself and Taylor Lautner giving the camera their best smoldering stares while in London on Thursday

The 24-year-old's blonde hair had been gathered into a messy updo, and she'd flung a glinting black jacket over a warm-looking hoodie in the same hue.

Charcoal skintight trousers accentuated her vertiginous legs as she stood legs akimbo and took the Instagram photo on her phone.

Beside her, the 25-year-old Twilight star had let a bit of scruff sprout onto his face and had spiked up his hair at the middle.

Making it work: Meanwhile, Lautner had posted the selfsame photo in black and white, writing: 'Do we have to be in Paris to participate in fashion week? #thelondonlook #closeenough'

A silver pea coat sat over a burgundy hoodie, which itself he'd pulled over a grey T-shirt that complemented his black trousers and black shoes.

Lourd's Instagram caption to the photo featured a string of hashtags: '#fashun #thelondonlook #sunsoutbunsout #sunglasswithclass #mateswhoelevate #blaseontheoutsideblessedontheinside'.

Meanwhile, Lautner had posted the selfsame photo in black and white, writing: 'Do we have to be in Paris to participate in fashion week? #thelondonlook #closeenough'.

Family tragedy: Lourd recently lost both her mother Carrie Fisher and grandmother Debbie Reynolds, who died on consecutive days in December

Lourd recently lost both her mother Carrie Fisher and grandmother Debbie Reynolds, who died on consecutive days in December.

Two days before Christmas, the 60-year-old Postcards From The Edge author went into cardiac arrest on a transcontinental flight. She was pronounced dead in hospital four days later.

A day after her daughter, the Singin' In The Rain star died after suffering a stroke. Her son Todd Fisher's told TMZ that she'd said that day: 'I want to be with Carrie.' She was 84 years old.
They co-created a fashion label that's solely devoted to the beach lifestyle.

And Devin Brugman, 27, and Natasha Oakley, 25, simply stunned in their latest campaign shots for Monday Swimwear, taken by Emily Abay.

The Instagram sensations flaunted their ample cleavage, taut torsos and slender legs, while on location in Fiji, in January.

Curves ahead! Devin Brugman, 27, left very little to the imagination in a campaign shot for Monday Swimwear, taken in Fiji, in January, that accentuated her ample cleavage, taut torso and slender legs in a skimpy two-piece

Devin left very little to the imagination as she stood underneath an outdoor shower in a skimpy two-piece.

The triangle-style top accentuated her ample chest and taut torso, while a pair of high-cut briefs drew attention to her lean legs.

Allowing her wet tresses to fall behind her toned shoulders, the curvaceous personality offered the camera a good look at her stunning side profile, that appeared to be makeup-free.

Flawless: Another stunning image saw the blogger perched on a wooden chair, sporting a very low-cut one-piece that once again flaunted her generous bust

Another stunning black-and-white image saw the brunette perched on a wooden chair while sporting a very low-cut one-piece.

The daring neckline showed off Devin's generous bust and delicate decolletage.

Pulling her svelte legs to her chest with her lithe arms, the blogger opted for a low-key beauty look, sweeping her dark locks into a messy top knot.

White hot: Devin's business partner Natasha Oakley (left) 25, posed alongside the busty brunette in a white two-piece ensemble, flaunting her incredibly tiny waist and lean legs

Also on the shoot was Devin's business partner Natasha Oakley.

Working their best angles for the camera, the close pals posed in skimpy two-piece ensembles outside an island hut.

Natasha flaunted every inch of her lean frame, with an emphasis placed on her tiny waist.

While Devin put the attention on her pert derriere in Brazilian-cut briefs, and offered a glimpse of sideboob in a triangle-style top.

In profile: Natasha also posed for a close-up shot in the same ensemble that zoomed in on her washboard stomach and toned legs

The girls' tresses were left to fall in relaxed waves around minimally made-up complexions.

Natasha also took to the sand for a sizzling shot, laying provocatively in a low-cut white one-piece.

The star's bronzed legs and cleavage were hard to miss, while a hibiscus flower placed behind her ear drew the eye to a glamorously made-up complexion.

Leggy lady: Natasha also took to the sand for a sizzling shot, laying provocatively in a low-cut white one-piece




The landmark El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood played host to the premiere of Disney's new live action Beauty And The Beast film on Thursday.

Matt Damon turned up looking rather casual, leaving a couple of buttons undone to reveal his white undershirt as he posed on the red carpet.

Meanwhile, his wife Luciana Barroso had slid into a flowing off-the-shoulder jumpsuit that was midnight blue above the bust and a lighter blue below.

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With their arms about each other: Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso were among the celebrities in attendance when the landmark El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood played host to the premiere of Disney's new live action Beauty And The Beast film on Thursday

The 46-year-old had opted for a dress shirt that matched the top of his wife's outfit, leaving it untucked over a pair of dull grey trousers.

His grey shoes appeared to be made of suede, and he'd rolled up his sleeves halfway up his muscled forearms for his evening out.

Meanwhile, the 40-year-old had accessorized with a duo of necklaces and glinting earrings, letting her wavy hair tumble freely over her shoulders.

Relaxed look: Damon had turned up looking rather casual, leaving a couple of buttons undone to reveal his white undershirt as he posed on the red carpet

The pair have been married since 2005 and have got three biological daughters: 10-year-old Isabella, eight-year-old Gia and six-year-old Stella.

Barroso's also got a now 17-year-old daughter called Alexia by her first husband Arbello Barroso, whom she divorced in 2004.

Beauty And The Beast is adapted from the beloved 1991 cartoon version, the first of only three animated features ever nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.

Garnishing the look: Meanwhile, Barroso had accessorized with a duo of necklaces and glinting earrings, letting her wavy hair tumble freely over her shoulders

In the new version, Emma Watson will play leading lady Belle, voiced in 1991 by Paige O'Hara, while Dan Stevens will be the Beast, succeeding Robby Benson.

Other cast members include Ian McKellen, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Kevin Kline and Emma Thompson.

Directed by Bill Condon, the film enjoyed its world premiere in London last Thursday and will open to a wide release in both America and Britain on March 17.

Big shoes to fill: Beauty And The Beast is adapted from the beloved 1991 cartoon version, the first of only three animated features ever nominated for a Best Picture Oscar
Ireland Baldwin cut a patriotic figure on the set of a recent photo shoot in Palm Springs on Thursday.

Dressed in a red and white striped swimsuit, with a blue towel wrapped around her waist, the 21-year-old model shared a playful video of herself flipping her hair on Instagram, a photography light and boxes in the background.

Her left arm is covered with what appears to be a series of fake tattoos.

Busting out: Ireland Baldwin shared a series of sexy photos from a shoot in Palm Springs on Thursday

Beach babe: The 21-year-old model flaunted her curves in a red and white swimsuit, her left arm covered in tattoos

While Ireland is keeping quiet on what the photo shoot is for, cryptically captioning the video, 'bts from today,' she also shared a series of photos from the shoot.

In another picture, the statuesque blonde is seen leaping through the air in sneakers, black leggings, white shorts and an orange crop top.

Behind her is a rusty fence, windmills and mountains, while white sand covers the ground below her.

Leap of faith: The buxom blonde appeared to be flying through the air in one of the photos, which she posted on Instagram

She also shared another video of herself prancing across the sandy ground in a pair of white pants with green stripes down the side, a red and black striped crop top and silver metallic jacket.

She accessorized her futuristic look with a pair of matching green sandals and green sunglasses.

Clearly enamored with her surroundings, the rising star posted a photo of a picturesque street lined with shrubbery, the majestic mountains visible in the background.

Silver lining: In another video posted to Instagram, Ireland was seen sporting a metallic jacket and futuristic glasses

Picture perfect: The aspiring actress and model shared a photo of her serene surroundings with fans on Instagram

It comes just two weeks after the powerful storms in California left Ireland house bound in LA.

The blonde bombshell shared a photo of a giant fallen tree lying across her driveway, blocking the path to her home.

'So this is my drive way.... anyone expecting me to get anywhere this weekend it's not happening! thanks for understanding xo,' she captioned the photo.
Even when dressed down and heading onto a transatlantic flight, a model of Olivia Culpo's stature can't help looking fabulous.

The 24-year-old was radiant as she crossed LAX, skipping town to swing into Paris for Fashion Week, which began on Tuesday.

She'd slung on a largely black jacket by ALEXIS that featured striped zaffre sections curving about its neckline, as well as its hem.

On the move: Even when dressed down and heading onto a transatlantic flight, a model of Olivia Culpo's stature can't help looking fabulous

These stripes matched those that streaked down the side of each of her trouser legs, against fabric that draped about her vertiginous legs.

Her black top featured a sloping neckline, and she'd slicked her hair severely back, winding it behind her head. She flashed a peace sign to nearby cameras.

A large black leather purse was slung into the crook of her arm, and she clashed against the dark tenor of her outfit with bright white shoes.

L'Hexagone-bound: The 24-year-old looked radiant as she crossed LAX, skipping town to swing into Paris for Fashion Week, which began on Tuesday

She'd uploaded an Instagram photo of herself right outside the airport, holding her purse between her legs as she sat on one of six suitcases assembled around her.

'Just a few suitcases,' she quipped in her caption, adding a smiling face emoji before closing out: 'See you in Paris!! @lookfwrd @fwrd'.

Culpo stunned at the Academy Awards red carpet outside the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, wearing a glistening Marchesa gown.

Dashes of color: She'd slung on a largely black jacket that featured striped zaffre sections curving about its neckline, as well as its hem

Coordinated: These stripes matched those that streaked down the side of each of her trouser legs, against fabric that draped about her vertiginous legs

Miss Universe 2012's dress was made of Stella Artois chalices that had been melted, enabling the material to be refashioned into beads.

She'd told Ryan Seacrest on the carpet: 'It's in partnership with Stella Artois and Water.org. Stella Artois created chalices and for one chalice sold, five years of clean drinking water is provided for someone in the developing world.'

StyleCaster ran an interview on Thursday in which Culpo dished about how she readies herself in advance of an awards show gig.

Traveling light: She'd uploaded an Instagram photo of herself right outside the airport, holding her purse between her legs as she sat on one of six suitcases assembled around her

'I always do some kind of mask before, drink a ton of water, and lay off of caffeine and anything else that will dehydrate the skin,' said she.

She'd confided: 'I think its important to try your pose beforehand. Sitting is also another thing to think about.'

In her view, 'Its really important to stay in a good headspace and not get too stressed out and anxious. If youre not going to have fun, whats the point? When youre stressed or anxious it shows up on your face.'
He fronted the world-famous 'throw a shrimp on the barbie' Australian tourism advert in 1984.

But it's now been suggested Australian actor Paul Hogan wasn't paid for his role in the iconic campaign.

Speaking to Nova's Fitzy And Wippa on Friday, Kerri-Anne Kennerley revealed: 'He did it for nothing!'

'He did it for nothing!': Kerri-Anne Kennerley reveals actor Paul Hogan fronted the global 'throw a shrimp on the barbie' Australian tourism campaign for free during an interview with Nova's Fitzy And Wippa on Friday

Paul took the US by storm as the lovable ocker Aussie who urged Americans to 'put a shrimp on the barbie', a phrase still associated with Australians to this day.

Kerri-Anne expressed her shock at the star never being paid: 'Could you get a big star to do something for nothing these days? Especially on an international level like that?'

The Australian TV personality, 63, spoke highly of the star's involvement in the tourism campaign that reportedly saw the country soar from No.78 to No.1 on Americans' dream holiday list during the time.

'Could you get a big star to do something for nothing these days?': Kerri-Anne expressed her shock at the star reportedly never being paid for his involvement in the international ad (Pictured in the 1984 campaign commercial)

'It created jobs for Australia, it just started an enormous economic campaign and if you scratch the surface that was really Paul Hogan who was responsible for that,' she stated her opinion.

Kerri-Anne reminded the radio due that the Hollywood hunk 'wasn't even a star, he became a big international star with Crocodile Dundee he was 47' two years after the successful commercial aired.

The TV host said she first interviewed the 'fabulous bloke' the day Crocodile Dundee launched Down Under, saying he was 'so much fun then.'

'Paul Hogan who was responsible for that': Kerri-Anne spoke highly of the star's involvement in the tourism campaign that reportedly saw the country soar from No.78 to No.1 on Americans' dream holiday list during the time, saying he helped aid jobs and kick-started 'an enormous economic campaign'

'He has not lost what he's always had': Kerri-Anne says since meeting him more than 30 years ago he remains the same 'larrikin' he always was and is 'just Aussie to the bone'

She maintains more than 30 years 'he has not lost what he's always had' in terms of being a 'larrikin' and 'Aussie to the bone.'

A recent unauthorized biopic of Paul Hogan's life titled Hoges aired on Channel Seven to mix reviews of fans.

Paul himself even displayed his displeasure with the series to The Daily Telegraph before it aired in February: 'There are hardly any warts, it is lacking drama.'
She shot to fame as a '90s pop star, model and soap actress.

And Melissa Tkautz certainly wasn't shy about flaunting her figure in the past, with the 43-year-old seen stripping off for a nude photo shoot in her youth.

The reality star cut a sultry figure as she posed naked for a black-and-white shoot, taken before she joined the cast of The Real Housewives Of Sydney.

She's not shy! The Real Housewives Of Sydney's Melissa Tkautz wasn't shy about flashing skin when she posed for a nude photo shoot during her youth

The retro image shows the mother-of-two lying on a carpeted floor and leaning on one arm while concealing her nether regions with the other.

The blonde beauty oozed sex appeal as she shot a seductive gaze at the camera while nibbling on her finger.

The Read My Lips hitmaker channeled Old Hollywood glamour with her hair, styling her peroxide locks into a bouffant updo.

Triple threat: The 43-year-old was best known as a 90s pop star, model and soap actress

What's her secret? The age-defying beauty appears to have maintained her svelte figure and fresh-faced looks (pictured in 2004 on left and at the recent RHOS launch on right)

Before her foray into reality TV, Melissa was best known for her pop music career as well as role on the Australian series E Street.

Her 1991 hit song Read My Lips not only defined her career, but the video clip also starred The Mentalist hunk Simon Baker.

Speaking to Nova FM's Fitzy & Wippa, the housewife revealed that she dated Simon 'on and off for a year and a half.'

Read My Lips: The song and video clip for her 1991 hit became a career-defining highlight

Past fling: Simon Baker appeared as a greased-up boxer in the music video, and later dated the singer on-and-off

'I dated Simon,' she said. 'I was infatuated with him, he was gorgeous.'

And that's not the only high-profile hookup the blonde bombshell has enjoyed in her hayday.

She recently told The Daily Telegraph that her first kiss with was the late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence.

'I followed Michael pretty much everywhere': The reality TV star also confessed to sharing her first kiss with INXS frontman Michael Hutchence

The star confessed to being a 'huge fan' of the rock band when she was given a VIP pass to one of their Sydney concerts during the 1990s.

'I followed Michael pretty much everywhere and I ended up at [Darlinghurst] nightclub Kinsellas. We were walking through the crowd and Michael said, "youre Melissa, arent you?" and I went "[stares blankly]"... I just didnt have anything to say,' Melissa said.

Melissa is one of seven glamorous, outspoken ladies starring in the premiere season of The Real Housewives Of Sydney on Foxtel.
He once serenaded ex-Bachelor star Megan Marx during a TV interview.

And Dr. Chris Brown jokingly expressed his disappointment at failing to make it as the next Bachelor on Thursday night's edition of The Project.

The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! host was doing a cross-over with The Project panel when Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald took a swipe at his love life.

Laughing it off: Dr. Chris Brown jokingly expressed his disappointment at failing to make it as the next Bachelor on Thursday night's edition of The Project

'Just before you go, commiserations to you Browny as well 'cause I know how much you wanted to be the next Bachelor, they announced today that Matty (J) was gonna be the next Bachelor,' Fitzy said drawing laughs.

Chris sarcastically replied: 'Thanks Fitzy and I guess this will just condemn me to another year of you speculating falsely over my relationship status and creating rumours around the Sydney district.'

Fitzy's dig appeared to be payback after he was left squirming last week over questions about his brief romance with Tziporah Malkah (previously Kate Fischer).

Taking a swipe: The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! host was doing a cross-over with The Project panel when Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald took a swipe at his love life

The unsuspecting media personality was wrapping up a cross-over with hosts Chris and Julia Morris when he was suddenly bombarded with questions about James Packer's ex fiancee.

'Before you guys go, just one little thing. Tziporah has been very testy the last few days ... Fitzy would you have any clues as to how one might I guess placate Tziporah and make her feel good given your history?' a smirking Chris asked.

As Fitzy began to blush, co-host Carrie Bickmore asked: 'did you guys date?' to which he nervously replied: 'No!'

Awkward! Fitzy was left squirming as he abruptly ended an interview over questions about his brief romance with Tziporah Malkah (previously Kate Fischer)

Sneaky: The unsuspecting media personality was wrapping up a cross-over with Chris and Julia Morris when he was suddenly bombarded with questions about James Packer's ex fiancee

Shutting it down: 'Stuff you Browny! Browny we're losing you mate, have a great night. See you guys,' Fitzy said

Throwback: Tziporah (seen L, in 1994 and R, recently) had a brief romance with Fitzy after her split from James Packer in 1998

Amused and eager to draw out the awkward moment, Dr. Brown said: 'Please elaborate, what would I be talking about here?'

Adding to the awkwardness, Julia bluntly asked: 'Have you kissed her on the lips?'

A fed-up Fitzy laughed off the moment before quickly shutting it down.

'Stuff you Browny! Browny we're losing you mate, have a great night. See you guys,' he said.

Blast from the past: Fitzy and Tziporah are said to have 'kissed on the lips' during their time together

Reality star: Tziporah stars on the latest season of I'm A Celebrity...

Fitzy and Tziporah are said to have 'kissed on the lips' after she split from James in 1998 and Fitzy is now happily married to wife of eight years Belinda, with whom he shares two kids.

He previously spoke about his brief romance with Tziporah, who currently stars on I'm A Celebrity... .

'I got to know her...she sold her Bondi apartment that James gave her and she bought this amazing place down at Clovelly on the cliff, right down the road from Clovelly Hotel,' Fitzy said on his Nova radio show last year.

'And I used to be a bit of a local down there, the ladies used to know me down there. I met her one day and we became acquaintances and yeah...Kissing on the lips. Haven't spoken to her since.'

Case of the ex: James is seen here in January with his most recent ex Mariah Carey
She introduced her 10-foot pet python on the premiere of The Real Housewives Of Sydney.

And Lisa Oldfield has revealed her beloved snake 'has the run of the house'.

The 41-year-old spoke candidly to Daily Mail Australia about her pet's feeding and grooming habits, while also revealing that her young sons Harry, 6, and Bert, 4, often share a bath with the rescue serpent.

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Roams free: She introduced her 10-foot pet python on the premiere of The Real Housewives Of Sydney, explaining the snake has the run of the house

They do WHAT? Lisa Oldfield has revealed her young sons Bert, 4, and Harry, 6, often share a bath with her pet snake

'They get in the bath with her,' the reality star said of her snake named Shelley, adding that the boys also help to feed it.

The businesswoman went on to explain: 'When she's having a shed, she likes to be wet to help her loosen her skin.

'She loves the water and [the kids] love her.'

'They get in the bath with her': The Real Housewives Of Sydney star told Daily Mail Australia her sons love to bathe with the 10-foot python

Making yourself at home: Lisa shared this photo last week on Instagram while she had a wine with her unusual pet

It comes after the brunette beauty opened up about her parenting technique, admitting she's 'not a smacker'.

'I'm not really a smacker. It's more a threat,' the wife of former politician David Oldfield told Daily Mail Australia.

'I'm the typical parent who says "don't make me count to three",' she continued, before joking with a laugh: 'I prefer to f*** with them psychologically.'

'Not a smacker': The mother-of-two admitted she avoids smacking her sons, but does 'prefer to f*** with them psychologically'

Unique approach: It comes after the brunette beauty opened up about her parenting technique, admitting she's 'not a smacker'

It's no secret the reality star's blunt-speaking approach doesn't change when it comes to her children.

In an unedited clip from Sunday's episode obtained by News Corp, the mother-of-two was seen calling Bert, four, a 'd***head' for not jumping in the pool.

The toddler also didn't hold back, calling his mother a 'bloody f**king idiot'.

Rescue pet: Lisa rescued Shelley the serpent and the 10 foot long snake has become a part of the family

Speaking to the publication, the software company sales director admitted she wouldn't be surprised if she received backlash over her parenting technique.

'Oh yeah, I'm half expecting DOCS (Family and Community Services) to knock on my door,' she said.

'But they'd see a very well kept, very well loved little boy.'

She went on to say that despite the four-year-old being 'foul-mouthed,' he is in fact an 'honest and decent human being'.
Kate Beckinsale put her famed natural beauty on display Thursday as she ran errands in Santa Monica, California.

The English rose stepped out in skintight black leggings tucked into black leather boots paired with layers of a white tank over a pink top.

The 43-year-old Underworld star added a white knit cardigan and a pair of large sunglasses.

Stunner; Kate Beckinsale put her famed natural beauty on display Thursday as she ran errands in Santa Monica, California

She walked along with a black purse slung over one shoulder and her phone and another pair of glasses in one hand.

Kate still rocked the shiny nail polish she'd had done in her manicure before attending the Vanity Fair Oscars Party on Sunday night.

There, she had wowed in a breathtaking gown that featured dramatic netted shoulders and a plunging sequinned bodice.

The sheer embroidered skirt was embroidered with glittering silver beads and underneath, Kate wore just a pair of black underpants.

Casual: The 43-year-old Underworld star stepped out in skintight black leggings tucked into black leather boots paired with layers of a white tank over a pink top and a white knit cardigan

Headturner; On Sunday night, Kate had stunned at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in a breathtaking gown that featured a plunging sequinned bodice and a sheer embroidered skirt

Next up for Kate will be the release of the movie The Only Living Boy In New York in which she stars with Pierce Brosnan and Jeff Bridges.

Last year, the actress's Underworld director husband Len Wiseman filed for divorced after 12 years of marriage.

She has a daughter Lily, born in 1999, whose father is her former partner, actor Michael Sheen.
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She's the blonde beauty who accompanied Shane Warne to Chris Martin's 40th birthday party.

But just who is Emily Sears, the busty glamour model from Australia?

Now based in Los Angeles, the 32-year-old 'social influencer' boasts more than 3.9million Instagram followers and campaigned in 2016 against men sending unsolicited 'dick pics'.

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Who is the buxom blonde on Shane Warne's arm? Meet glamour model Emily Sears, 32, the busty beauty who boasts 3.9million Instagram followers and campaigns against dick pics

Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Emily Sears grew up being teased by other school kids because of her sizable rear end.

'I used to be bullied for having a big butt but thankfully its now considered a good thing,' she told Maxim Australia.

Emily started modelling in Australia, appearing on the cover of lad's mag Zoo Magazine several times before moving to Los Angeles five years ago.

'I used to be bullied for having a big butt': Emily Sears grew up being teased by other school kids

It was in the United States where her career really took off, appearing in a music video clip for Dr Dre and a raunchy Carls Jr burger advertisement.

More recently she has been featured as one of the models for Khloe Kardashian's Good American denim line.

She also added the job title of 'social influencer', racking up millions of followers on Instagram thanks to her sexy snaps, which she often uses for paid promotional gigs.

American fame: It was in the United States where her career really took off, appearing in a music video clip for Dr Dre and a raunchy Carls Jr burger advertisement

In January last year, Emily made international headlines when she began contacting the wives and girlfriends of men who had sent her unwanted sexually explicit photos or texts.

Emily told Fairfax Media she decided to start exposing males who sent her dick pics because the harassment was something all women dealt with to some degree.

'It doesn't matter how many of these messages I receive, it's never any less appalling or shocking to see,' she said. 'It's a confronting thing and always leaves you feeling unsettled.'

Viral sensation: Emily made international headlines when she began contacting the wives and girlfriends of men who had sent her unwanted sexually explicit photos

Keeps it private: While she has had enormous success thanks to sharing her life on social media, Emily has stayed mum on any potential men in her life

While she has had enormous success thanks to sharing her life on social media, Emily has stayed mum on any romances.

However she has revealed on Twitter that she has never been married and an ex boyfriend had cheated on her and then tried to win her back for five years.

On Thursday night, Emily was photographed meeting up with Shane Warne to attend Chris Martin's birthday party together.

Previous partner was unfaithful: She did reveal on Twitter last November that an ex boyfriend had cheated on her and then tried to win her back for five years

The two appeared close as they arrived at the celebration, with Shane kissing the model affectionately and pulled her close for a warm embrace.

He later shared a photo of the two together on Instagram inside the party, captioning the photo: 'Aussie mates hanging in LA = awesome.'
She's used to having busy schedule, but PR queen Roxy Jacenko has had a nightmare week of a different nature.

Aside from running her public relations company Sweaty Betty, the 36-year-old has been busy taking care of her two-year-old son Hunter who has been struck down with a virus.

She told Daily Mail Australia that he has been sick all week and unable to get out of bed, open his eyes or sit up on his own, even after seeking the assistance of two doctors.

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Treat after a terrible week: After spending the day in hospital, PR maven Roxy Jacenko has taken her two-year-old son Hunter, who has been struck down with a virus all week, to McDonald's to get a Happy Meal

'[It's] very hard to see and not know how to solve for me,' the Sydney socialite said.

'He spent this morning in emergency after last night but come this afternoon and after seven terrible days he is finally getting colour back,' she added.

Amid the hustle between home, the hospital, work and a meeting, she said she stopped by McDonald's to get Hunter a Happy Meal to lift his spirits.

Doting mum: She told Daily Mail Australia, 'He spent this morning in emergency after last night but come this afternoon and after seven terrible days he is finally getting colour back'

Mummy's hugs! She shared a sweet photo of Hunter in her arms and holding his favourite blanket as they waited at Rose Bay's South Head Medical Centre

'I think the McNuggets certainly did the trick,' she said.

'He is finally smiling again! They say a mother's work is never done  heck thats certainly true!'

Roxy took to Instagram to share an adorable snap of Hunter belted into his car seat with his favourite blanket on his lap, while digging into his nuggets and chips.

His hospital band is clearly visible on his wrist.

Sadly missing out on the treat was her eldest child, daughter Pixie, five, who was busy at school.

Just the trick! She said that the McNuggets put a smile back on his face after spending the day in the hospital

Her legions of followers liked and comended the mother for doing what she can to help Hunter feel better.

One said: 'Nuggets makes everything better! feel better Hunty xxxx'

Another commented: 'Best recovery food. Always know when they are on the mend if the can get it down!!'

While someone else wrote: 'A happy meal solves everything! I hope he improves quickly.'

Meanwhile, the busy mum of two couldn't resist sneaking in a quick selfie showing off her trademark blonde locks styled by her new client Toni And Guy Salons.

Sorry Pixie! Sadly missing out on the Happy Meal treat was her eldest child, daughter Pixie, five, who was busy at school

Earlier in the week Roxy took to her Instagram to post a picture herself with Hunter in her arms and holding his favourite blanket at Rose Bay's South Head Medical Centre.

She also shared snippets of her day with her social media followers and even tried to get him to wear the cute panda face mask to try and stop it from spreading to herself and Pixie.

'He thought it was so ridiculous it didnt last very long,' she said.
He's the restaurateur turned celebrity chef who has many a foodie batting their eyelids since joining My Kitchen Rules as a judge in 2013.

Now Colin Fassnidge has decided that 2017 is going to be the year he takes better care of himself, starting with his back and his teeth.

The Irish-born chef took to Instagram on Friday to reveal he was getting his teeth straightened with the help of braces, proudly including hashtags for 'braces nerd smile'

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Say cheese! MKR's Colin Fassnidge reveals he has gotten braces as part of a 2017 resolution to take better care of his health

The 44-year-old posted a picture on the social media site of the removable braces, explaining why he had made the decision to get work on his teeth.

'Day 1 and for the next year, it's the year of looking after my health,' Colin wrote.

'Stage 1 my back underway, stage 2 starts today my teeth #braces #nerd #smile.'

'It's the year of looking after my health': The 44-year-old posted a picture on the social media site of the removable braces, explaining why he had made the decision to get work on his teeth

Working on his smile: The Irish-born chef took to Instagram on Friday to reveal he was getting his teeth straightened with the help of removable braces

Colin's dentist work comes after the popular Channel Seven television personality revealed he was almost fired from My Kitchen Rules.

He told The Daily Telegraph that soon after he joined the hit Channel Seven show in 2013, he had some tense discussions with the show's producers.

The owner of popular restaurant Four In Hand, Colin was renowned for his brash and at times intimidating attitude in the kitchen.

But with the enormity of the job in front of him, he said he was afraid to be himself - leading to an awkward chat with executive producer Rikki Proost.

On the chopping block! Colin Fassnidge (pictured) has revealed he was almost sacked after his second episode on My Kitchen Rules

'I went in to My Kitchen Rules very blase, thinking it was easy and after the second episode I did, Rikki told me I was about to be evicted,' Colin said.

'It is not a very nice feeling being told you're not very good at something and you have 150 crew listening to that.'

Admitting that he needed to get back the attitude that he has in the kitchen, it did not take long for Colin to find his feet.

Now in his fifth season on the show, he has recently teamed up with fellow celebrity chef Darren Robertson to critique a new round of contestants.
He's a huge household name with his host of television shows on ITV - and Phillip Schofield says he met his wife, Stephanie when she worked in the business.

Talking to Christine Lampard on Lorraine on Friday, about brand new series Schofields South African Adventure, he said he was so pleased she joined him for filming.

Christine asked him if we would do another series with Stephanie and he said: 'She worked in television years ago, that was how we met, so she can do it, she just doesn't want to these days.

'I never forget how lucky I am': Phillip Schofield told Christine Lampard on Lorraine on Friday that he met wife Stephanie when she worked in TV

Sweet: Talking to Christine Lampard on Lorraine on Friday, about brand new series Schofields South African Adventure, he said he was so pleased she joined him for filming

'She told me, "I do trust you", so she will only film with me. She got more into it as we went along.'

Stephanie met Phil when she worked as a BBC production Assistant and he was working for the BBC Childrens television.

He said at the time: 'You'd have thought someone wouldn't be attracted to a man with a puppet and dodgy jumpers!'

He said of his wife: 'She worked in television years ago, that was how we met, so she can do it, she just doesn't want to these days'

He said at the time: 'You'd have thought someone wouldn't be attracted to a man with a puppet and dodgy jumpers!' - pictured in 1986

Lovely: Phillip and Stephanie have been keeping viewers abreast of their antics on social media

They married in 1993 and have two daughters together called Ruby and Molly.

The couple went diving with sharks for one instalment of the show which was intended for use on This Morning but was so successful, it has gone primetime.

Phillip said he wasn't at all scared at all and said it was important for him to highlight the sharks' beauty as well as their plight.

Doing good: On next week's episode, Phillip and Stephanie visit rhinos and help them

That's brave: Phillip also abseils down Table Mountain in the series

He also went diving with sharks and said he 'wasn't scared'

He said: 'They get a really bad press. There is a catastrophe happening in the seas with the killing that goes on.

'We could see a world without them in the future. They are very important to the food chain and very majestic.'

He also said playfully of their filming experience: 'I learned she can't drum. She is a very poor drummer. On tonight's episode, I abseil off Table Mountain and she said, "no thanks" to that.

'Next week, we do some work with rhinos. I really never forget how lucky I am.'

Back in the day: Stephanie met Phil when she worked as a BBC production Assistant and he was working for the BBC Childrens television

His love: Phillip and Stephanie married in 1993 and have two daughters together called Ruby and Molly

He concluded: 'Next week, we do some work with rhinos. I really never forget how lucky I am'
They have been a rumoured couple for almost a year, having first been spotted together at the Met Ball last May.

And Kristen Stewart and Stella Maxwell only added fuel to the fire on Thursday, as they stepped out for a low-key lunch together in Los Angeles.

The blonde model, 26, looked casually chic in a baggy Givenchy T-shirt as she headed for lunch with her rumoured girlfriend, also 26 - following her hectic Fashion Week stint in Europe.

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Loved-up? Kristen Stewart and Stella Maxwell fuelled rumours of a romance on Thursday, as they stepped out for a low-key lunch together in Los Angeles

The model perfectly achieved the shabby-chic look in her baggy designer T-shirt, which she paired with comfy leggings to show off her enviably slender figure.

Tying her look together in her trademark grungy style, Stella accessorised with a pair of chunky Doc Martens and a selection of silver stud earrings to add a rock-chic vibe to the look.

Sweeping half her hair into a messy bun and added only dark sunglasses to her face, the Belgian beauty appeared utterly relaxed, as she reunited with Kristen after a week of catwalk appearances in London and Milan.

Date day:The pair looked closer than ever as they spent a chilled out day off together - walking side by side to the restaurant and sharing a cigarette before heading off with their food

Meanwhile the Twilight actress put on a more colourful display in a sporty yellow bomber jacket, which she paired with low-rise boyfriend jeans to give a flash of her midriff.

Matching the edgy style of her companion, the brunette teamed the baggy strides with a classic pair of black Converse and a chunky gold chain around her neck.

The pair looked closer than ever as they spent a chilled out day off together - walking side by side to the restaurant and sharing a cigarette before heading off with their food.

Centre of attention: The pair were spotted leaving the Met Ball together in May - sparking initial rumours of a romance, although both parties have kept tight-lipped about their status

Although neither party has confirmed the relationship, Kristen and Stella have been nearly inseparable in recent months.

The pair were first spotted leaving the Met Ball together in May last year - sparking initial speculation of a romance.

Whilst they have kept their reported romance low-key, the pair have also been spotted kissing and out together on several occasions.

They are believed to have started dating in December, shortly after Kristen made her first public outing with then-girlfriend St. Vincent.

Busy bee: The Belgian beauty appeared utterly relaxed, as she reunited with Kristen after a week of catwalk appearances in Milan Fashion Week (Versace and Alberta Ferretti above, L-R)

Kristen was even seen supporting Stella at the Tommy Hilfiger catwalk show in LA last week from a coveted place on the FROW.

Back in July, Kristen Stewart came out as bisexual when she gushed about her then-girlfriend Alicia Cargyle to Elle magazine: 'I'm just really in love with my girlfriend,' she said.

'We've broken up a couple of times and gotten back together, and this time I was like: "Finally, I can feel again."'

The brunette then announced herself as 'so gay' during a skit on Saturday Night Live last month.
Joel Creasey will finally see Sydney's famous Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade for the first time on Saturday night.

And the comedian, a proud member of the gay community, will do so as host of SBS's coverage of the event alongside Em Rusciano, Patrick Abboud and Faustina Agolley.

The 26-year-old told Star Observer that he landed the gig despite never having attended the Mardi Gras showpiece.

At last: Comedian Joel Creasey will finally see Sydney's famous Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday night - as host of SBS's coverage

He said: 'I've never actually been to the parade which is crazy considering I'm hosting it, and I've only ever been to Mardi Gras one other time.'

While he missed the main event during his only previous visit to the LBGT festival, the Perth-born funnyman did meet his ex-boyfriend there.

And as he's currently single, Joel is hoping to meet someone special on his second visit to Sydney's famous celebration.

Big moment: Joel (pictured at the LGBTI Awards) told Star Observer that he landed the gig despite never having attended the Mardi Gras showpiece

Co-hosts: The comedian, a proud member of the gay community, will host SBS's coverage of the event alongside Em Rusciano (pictured), Patrick Abboud and Faustina Agolley

Fond memories: While he missed the main event during his only previous visit to the LBGT festival, the Perth-born funnyman did meet his ex-boyfriend there

He said: 'Because I missed the parade I went straight to the after party which is where I met my ex-boyfriend so Mardi Gras is hopefully an opportunity to meet a husband.'

The stand-up comic, who shot to national attention on the first season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, also told the publication about coming out to his parents.

Joel said his mum and dad were 'cool' about the revelation he made at 16-years-old, and says he'd known for a long time about his sexuality.

On the prowl: As he's currently single, Joel is hoping to meet someone special on his second visit to Sydney's famous celebration

Moment of truth: The stand-up comic, who shot to national attention on the first season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, also told the publication about coming out to his parents

He said: 'I think I always knew from a young age. I had a girlfriend for a week in grade nine but then I dumped her via text on my Nokia 3315.'

Joel has been performing gigs in the build-up to Mardi Gras in aid of just.equal, an organisation protesting for the legalisation of same-sex marriage.

You can see Joel and his co-hosts presenting live coverage of the parade on SBS On Demand from 7:30pm Saturday, or you can catch the full broadcast at 8:30pm Sunday on SBS.
Katherine Jackson's rumbling feud with her nephew-in-law Trent Lamar Jackson could come to a close with the help of her grandson TJ.

TMZ report that the mother of late superstar Michael and her relative to help mediate after it was claimed earlier in the week that she is 'too afraid of him to return to her home in Los Angeles, instead residing in London'.

The 86-year-old has been at loggerheads with her relative yet reports suggest that Trent has rallied with his lawyer Ron Rale to knock the feud of the head, with hopes to talk to TJ about the wrongdoing on either side.

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Living in fear: Katherine Jackson's rumbling feud with her nephew-in-law Trent Lamar Jackson could come to a close with the help of her grandson TJ

According to the NY Daily News, the Jackson matriarch said in legal documents filed Wednesday that she is 'under a doctor's care' in London, England, 'in part because of the stress this situation with Trent is causing me.'

It has now been claimed that TJ, who is lauded in the family for his unwavering loyalty, will sit down with Trent to decide which party is in the wrong - with Trent reportedly vowing to step back if he is proved to be in the wrong.

Trent and his lawyer are said to be suspicious of family members vying for Katherine's fortune - while believing the chat with TJ will expose opportunist relatives.

Katherine was granted a temporary restraining order February 9 against Trent after alleging she is the victim of elder abuse and that he has neglected her health needs.

Court order: TMZ report that the mother of late superstar Michael is calling in the singer's nephew to help mediate after it was claimed on Thursday that she is 'too afraid of to return to her home in Los Angeles, instead residing in London'

Trent, 52, who is related to Katherine via her husband Joe's side of the family, had been living in a guest house in the grounds of her Calabasas, California, home after serving for years as her personal driver.

Katherine states in her filing that she was bullied by Trent and resorted to desperate measures to escape his constant monitoring. 'I believe he has put cameras and bugs in my home, so the only place I can try and have a private conversation is in my bathroom,' she wrote.

She also claimed, according to TMZ, that she believes Trent has copied the key to her bedroom door, and she gets dressed in her closet out of fear he will walk in on her unexpectedly.

'I used to be very social with my friends, like playing Scrabble, walking around in the park, sharing meals, but Trent has given them various reasons why I am not available,' she added.

Trent, the son of Joe Jackson's half-brother, attended a court hearing in LA Wednesday seeking to have the TRO against him removed.

The temporary restraining order banned Trent from using Katherine's credit cards, staying in the guest house and coming within 100 yards of her.

He claimed through his lawyer he is not a threat to Katherine, the NY Daily News reported. The judge denied his motion to dismiss and set another court hearing for March 23.

It's complicated: Katherine is the mother of late superstar Michael Jackson and was by his side during his 2005 molestation trial as was his father Joe Jackson, pictured March that year

In a sworn statement, Katherine's daughter Rebbie, who is with her in London, said that Trent failed to call paramedics when her mother 'passed out' as Trent was driving her to Las Vegas.

'Instead of calling an ambulance, Trent called one of my nephews who told him to take her to the hospital,' Rebbie wrote.

'The doctors at the hospital said she was dehydrated and had high blood pressure. Instead of bringing her home where she wanted to be, Trent took her to a hotel in Santa Monica  again away from her kids.'

Rebbie claims Trent is looking to control her mother for his own financial and personal benefit.
Cara Kilbey has revealed her boyfriend Daniel Harris has departed prison just weeks after he was slapped with a two year sentence for stashing ill-gained cash last month.

The former TOWIE star took to Instagram on Friday to share a selfie with their 13-month-old baby daughter in which she penned a caption to her 346,000 followers reading: 'Daddy we're waiting... it's hometime'.

Daniel, who served a year of his spell in Wandsworth prison, was accused of masterminding a drugs empire yet was cleared of drugs charges and found guilty of stashing 116,000 in ill-gotten gains hidden in his daughter's bedroom.

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Yay! Cara Kilbey has revealed her boyfriend Daniel Harris has returned home from prison after he was slapped with a two year sentence for smuggling cash last month

Cara, who starred on the ITVBe show for four seasons before departing in 2012, has been patiently waiting while her partner languished in jail, shortly after the birth of Penelope, who she brought to visit him one to two times a week.

In her latest snap, the pretty star posed in a car, pouting while her daughter sat peacefully behind her - with the view of a police van and bars in the rear.

The image comes shortly after her LA-based brother Tom, who also appeared on TOWIE, took to Instagram to applaud the news that Daniel was to be released.

With a sweet image of Cara and Penelope, he added the caption: 'I don't think I've ever had a phone call that has made me cry like that, you have your daddy back.

Happier than ever: The former TOWIE star took to Instagram on Friday to share a selfie with their 13-month-old baby daughter in which she penned a caption to her 346,000 followers reading: 'Daddy we're waiting... it's hometime'

Happier times: Cara, who starred on the ITVBe show for four seasons before departing in 2012, has been patiently waiting while her partner languished in jail, shortly after the birth of Penelope, who she brought to visit him one to two times a week

'I love you so much Cara the s**t they have put you through this whole year, no one will ever understand but the truth always come out in the end. Thank you @hannahgaboardihair @shaunasmithxx for putting a smile on everyone's faces. To you Penelope and Daniel I love you three x'

Daniel was accused of making 'vast profits' by sending drug couriers on mopeds disguised as trainee cab drivers around central London over three-and-a-half years.

He was also charged over a 200,000 heroin deal which was scuppered by police in May 2015.

Relieved: He was cleared of making 'vast profits' by sending drug couriers on mopeds disguised as trainee cab drivers around central London

On the hunt: When police searched the lavish apartment Harris shared with Ms Kilbey and their daughter Penelope Blu in Theydon Bois, Essex, officers found 116,000 in cash in an Asda shopping bag inside a black holdall in the child's bedroom

An Old Bailey jury deliberated for a day to clear him of plotting to supply cocaine and heroin, but found him guilty of stashing the money.

Police launched a covert surveillance operation tracking Harris's movements over the course of more than a year before swooping to arrest him in March 2016. The couple have been separated for almost a year when he was taken into custody in early 2016.

The couple met while Harris was living out in Spain with his father and she was on holiday there. They returned to the UK in September 2015 when she fell pregnant.

Other men, some of whom were his friends, went on to plead guilty to their part in the plots and have been jailed for more than 68 years.

That was then... He lived in a luxury flat with the star and their baby daughter surrounded by designer clothes and shoes

Just the two of us: Cara appeared on the first four seasons of The Only Way is Essex, has 458,000 followers on Twitter and 344,000 Instagram followers

Mastermind: Jay Tripp, 34, was jailed for 16 years and six months (left), along with his right hand man Joseph Maloney, 33, (right) who was jailed for 15 years

Evidence suggested the cocaine gang had a turnover of nearly 500,000 a week at the height of their activities.

They kept it under wraps by hiring an East End flat and lock-up where they stored six scooters and packaged the cocaine after it was cut with benzocaine.

He knew some of his friends were drug dealers and, after being let in on their secret during a ski holiday to Verbier in Switzerland, he made use of the moped delivery service once, he said.

DRUGS GANG JAILED FOR OVER 68 YEARS The other defendants have already been sentenced for their various involvement in either or both of the drugs plots. Joseph Maloney, 33, of Tower Hamlets, east London, received 15 years; Jay Tripp, 34, of Fyfield, Essex, 16-and-a-half years; Jack Lyman, 28, of Bexley, Kent, seven years; Danny Ward, 34, of Beckenham, Kent, 11 years; Nial Kellaghan, 29, of Greenwich, south-east London, seven years; Dean Standen, 34, of Sidcup, Kent, seven years and nine months; and Daniel Crook, 32, of HMP Peterborough, five years. Frederick Jennings, 20, of south-east London, was handed 21 months' detention suspended for 18 months with 200 hours of unpaid work. Advertisement

Daniel's father was arrested in December 2015 for allegedly smuggling drugs from Spain to the UK but he said that he in 'no way' had anything to do with it.

Prosecutor Peter Clement told the judge that he had been 'no mere custodian' of the money, but arranged for it to be gathered, collected it and kept it for weeks before it was discovered - 'all with a view to smuggling to another jurisdiction'.

He acknowledged the offence was not motivated by personal gain, instead arising 'out of his father's crisis rather than his own'.

But, he said, an aggravating factor was that the cash was tainted by organised crime and that its intended destination was outside the UK - Spain.

Defending, barrister David Whittaker told the court the unemployed defendant had no money and had not funded the costs of his trial.

Mr Cooke ordered him to pay 4,576 costs to be paid within 56 days and a victim surcharge of 120.

He said he was satisfied that, while Daniel may not be able to pay the sum himself, he could draw upon others for assistance. While three men watched proceedings from the public gallery, the defendant's TV star girlfriend was nowhere to be seen.

From left: Nial Kellaghan, 29, jailed for seven years; Jack Lyman, 28, jailed for seven years and Dean Standen, 34, jailed for seven years and nine months

From left: Frederick Jennings, 20, 21 months' detention suspended for 18 months with 200 hours of unpaid work; Daniel Ward, 34, jailed for 11 years; Danny Crooks, 32, jailed for five years

From a distance: Cara's father Gary, 58, was called to give evidence as part of the defence case

Helping hand: Cara's millionaire father bankrolled the luxury lifestyle of his daughter and Daniel the court heard
She recently shot down eyewitnesses' claims that she had a huge public row with her boyfriend Pete Wicks over the weekend.

But things seemed far from rosy for Megan McKenna and her tattooed beau, as he pulled out joining her for an interview on ITV's This Morning on Friday.

Struggling to contain her emotions as she spoke with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, she said of her ability to be in the same room as Pete: 'Its complicated at the moment with me and him. Its not the best time for us to be together.'

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It's complicated: An emotional Megan McKenna revealed during an interview on Friday's edition of This Morning that things are 'complicated' between her and boyfriend Pete Wicks

Apart: The pair's romance recently hit choppy waters - and they're now spending time apart

Ruth - who had previously shared the news that Pete had pulled out at the last minute - proceeded to question Megan on how she'd react if her beau had joined her for the interview.

With her lips quivering, the brunette responded: 'Id be professional. Out of respect for each other we wont speak about each other. But right now its complicated.'

While Pete changed his mind about appearing on the show for the live interview, Megan was accompanied by her TOWIE co-stars Bobby Norris Cole and Kate Wright.

Brave face: Visibly moved while talking about Pete, Megan struggled to maintain a smile

Squad: Megan was joined by her TOWIE co-stars Kate Wright and Bobby Norris Cole

Going it alone: While Pete was scheduled to be on the show with her, Megan was forced to sit for the interview without him as he pulled out at the last minute

Denied: Megan and Pete had reportedly been spotted rowing in public - which a spokesperson for the brunette beauty was quick to deny

Another day at the office: The trio promoted the new season of their popular ITV2 reality show

And things appeared to be complicated on the romantic front for Kate, who recently faced rumours of a romance with retired footballer Rio Ferdinand.

She said that dating under the glare of the spotlight was 'really awkward', while admitting that she and ex Dan Edgar are now 'avoiding each other'.

Megan and Pete appear to have called time on their relationship in more ways than once, as The Sun reported on Friday that the pair have unfollowed each other on social media.

Candid: They spoke candidly about what to expect on the show, as well as their past storylines

Consummate professional: Megan did admit that she'd have been 'professional' had Pete not reneged on his agreement to appear on This Morning alongside her

Cutting ties: Megan's interview took place as it was revealed that she and Pete have unfollowed each other on social media

Keeping things respectful: Megan revealed that she and Pete aren't speaking about each other publicly out of respect

Brunette Megan's revelations about the state of her romance come days after eyewitnesses claimed to see the pair furiously rowing in public.

However, when contacted by MailOnline for comment, a representative for Megan refuted the claims, stating: 'There was no row. The Uber they were waiting for had just cancelled.'

Jovial spirits: Despite her heart-wrenching times, Megan was all smiles during her interview

Staying mum: Megan wouldn't confirm outright whether she and Pete have actually split

Emotional: Megan fought back tears as she spoke about her turbulent relationship with Pete

Best face forward: Megan looked glam, appearing on the show wearing lashings on makeup

Yet, their romance could be set to face even more issues in the coming months - with Pete's ex Harriette Harper reportedly the next in line to join the TOWIE cast.

According to The Sun, the glamour model, who is currently starring on MTV's Ex On The Beach, has attracted show bosses due to the drama she could cause on the next series - after Megan's fiery reaction to Pete's infidelity in October.

A source told the newspaper: 'Megan has unleashed utter fury on Pete before when he rekindled a relationship with an ex.'

'Bosses know Harriette will ruffle a few feathers, while obviously adding to the show's glamour.'

Group shot: Following the interview, they made their way backstage to pose for a group shot

Enduring hit: Their BAFTA-winning reality TV show TOWIE is launching its 20th season

Not short on drama: Over the seven years their show has been on the air, fans have been entertained by countless showdowns, pairings and breakups among castmembers

Glaring spotlight: During her interview, Kate spoke about the complication of dating on TOWIE

The (p)lace to be: Kate wowed as she appeared on the show in a cream lace-up sweater

The insider added of the beauty, who dated Pete in 2015 prior to his arrival on the show: 'Once Ex On The Beach finishes, she'll be free to join TOWIE.'

If she does make an appearance, Harriette will no doubt stir up Megan's famously fiesty temper which fans saw during The Only Way Is Marbs last year, after news of his sexting scandal came to light.

The brunette embarked on a screeching rant at the tattooed hunk on the beach in Spain after discovering that he had sent explicit text messages to several women.

All smiles: Ever the professional, the reality TV star was back to her smiling self as she greeted photographers posted outside ITV's London studios

Tearing up: The brunette cut a casually cool figure in a pair of severely ripped skinny jeans

Stepping out: Her TOWIE co-star Kate Wright was seen leaving the studios at the same time

Flip-flops: Like Megan, she took some pressure off her feet by throwing on a pair of flip-flops

However, it was only on Valentine's Day that the pair had put on a loved-up display on social media, as they recreated their first date at Quaglino's in London.

Taking to Instagram, the TOWIE couple shared several snaps from their romantic evening, with Megan revealing that she'd been 'spoilt' by her man, after being gifted with a giant bouquet of red roses.

The former CBB star looked delighted in the shot, which she captioned: 'Valentines with my [love]. He spoilt me... like always.'

Cold shoulder? Things had reportedly been frosty between the couple for quite some time

Drama: The ups and downs of the couple's romance have been well documented on TOWIE

A storm is brewing: Megan and Pete's romance could be set to face more issues in the coming months - with Pete's ex Harriette Harper reportedly the next in line to join TOWIE (above)
She's known for her very sexy selfies - and Emily Ratajkowski showed off her sartorial style when she was pictured heading back to her hotel in Paris on Friday.

The 25-year-old, who is currently staying at The Ritz, looked beautiful wearing a white and pink floral gypsy top in chiffon before she later slipped into a stylish green silk duster coat with a skimpy T-shirt.

She teamed the pretty number with a pair of Mom jeans but smartened them up with a pair of low backless court shoes in lemon and RAEN sunglasses, just hours before she opted for yet more denim to go with her second look of the day.

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'Puttin' on the Ritz': Emily Ratajkowski who is currently staying at The Ritz, looked beautiful wearing a white and pink floral gypsy top in chiffon before she later slipped into a stylish green silk duster coat with a skimpy T-shirt

Draping a cream trench coat over her shoulders, she gave photographers a sassy smile before heading inside.

In Paris for Fashion Week, she jazzed up her look further, wearing a pair of thick framed white retro shades by RAEN and carried a pink box bag in her hand.

Borrowing from the Sixties in style, the stunner nailed the funky yet fresh look with the light and bright shades perfect for the burgeoning spring sunshine.

Her later ensemble was equally stylish yet contrasting in theme as she rocked the fur trimmed silk duster coat to give her T-shirt and jeans look a touch more drama.

All in the details: In Paris for Fashion Week, she jazzed up her look further, wearing a pair of thick framed white retro shades by RAEN and carried a pink box bag in her hand

Looking incredible: Emily posed up a storm while outside her hotel

Sensational: Her later ensemble was equally stylish yet contrasting in theme as she rocked the fur trimmed silk duster coat to give her T-shirt and jeans look a touch more drama

The night before, the brunette beauty went for a very different look at the Cocktail Reception For The LVMH Prize 2017, flaunting her incredibly midriff in a striped shirt.

Emily's trip comes after she attended the Vanity Fair post-Oscars party on Sunday night, wearing an incredible ball gown.

She recently said that she hoped fashion could provide a positive message during these highly political times.

The actress, who has campaigned for Bernie Sanders and women's rights, said that she hoped clothes could help people who feel 'hopeless' in an interview with W Magazine.

Green with envy: Passersby were no doubt astounded by Emily's famous beauty

'I think a lot of people feel really hopeless,' she told the W reporter.

'Anything that has a positive message probably has a good impact, ultimately.'

However, Emily insisted that rallies were more important than fashion for making a political statement.

'Messages are really important, but you know, really supporting causes and getting out there for rallies is even more important, still.'

Midriff baring: Emily flaunted her incredibly toned tummy in a midriff-baring silk blue, red and white blouse at a LMVH cocktail reception in Paris the night before
April 8, 1959  Feb. 25, 2017

On Feb. 25, 2017, Rocky lost a long battle to cancer.

Born in Lebanon in 1959, he went to high school in Dallas.

Rocky is survived by his longtime partner, Marsha Richardson; son Brock Blacklaw; daughter Brittany Blacklaw; stepson Sean Richardson; mother Marcia (Davis) Skelton; stepfather Ned Skelton; brother Todd Blacklaw; sister Nicole Weaver; stepsister Kim Skelton; four grandchildren, Easton, Kora, Taylor and Braedon; and several nieces and nephews.

Rocky was preceded in death by his father, Ron Blacklaw of Lebanon.

Rocky spent most of his career in designing and engineering of hitching and coupling for the commercial trucking industry. He was instrumental in helping write the safety standards for the commercial trucking industry. Everything and anything Rocky ever built, designed, created was done to perfection. He was a wizard at fabrication and working with metals; there was nothing he could not create.

He loved to travel and spend time in the summer with his grandkids on the water. He will be missed beyond words and will forever leave an empty spot in our hearts.

Rocky never liked attention being focused on him, therefore at his request, there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Oregon.
They're the loved up couple who are not afraid of showing their affection for one another.

And soon Ruby Rose, 30, will be reunited with the woman who's stolen her heart, Jessica Origliasso, 32, just in time for Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival.

Ruby has flown home after a hectic week in Los Angeles filled with Oscars events, photo shoots and filming scenes for upcoming flicks Meg and Pitch Perfect 3 that prevented her being in Sydney to collect her LGBTI Celebrity Of The Year Award on Thursday.

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Mardi Gras homecoming! Actress Ruby Rose is returning to Sydney to watch girlfriend Jessica Origliasso perform for the LGBTI weekend celebration

She will fly in to Sydney watch The Veronicas perform for the LGBTI weekend celebration, according to a report by The Daily Telegraph.

Since going public with their romance last year, the Orange Is The New Black actress has been trying to make positive change for the Australian LGBTI community.

The Resident Evil star has even written, directed and played a starring role in The Veronica's music video On Your Side.

Beaming: Earlier in the week, Jessica accepted the LGBTI Celebrity Of The Year award on her Ruby's behalf and also revealed that they were living together

And on Thursday, Jessica accepted the LGBTI Celebrity Of The Year award on Ruby's behalf at the Sydney Opera House, taking the opportunity to reveal that the two were living together.

'We might not always be represented by our government, but it is such a huge victory when someone like Ruby is admired and embraced for her work and simply being herself,' the Hook Me Up songstress told the audience.

After thanking the crowds she said, 'I know Ruby will be so proud to put this front and centre in our home.'

Positive change: Jessica said, 'We might not always be represented by our government, but it is such a huge victory when someone like Ruby is admired and embraced for her work and simply being herself'

The 32-year-old looked radiant as she took the stage dressed in a floral kimono.

Wearing her brunette locks out, Jessica kept her signature makeup with a bold red lip teamed with a cat-flick eyeliner.

Meanwhile, Ruby will also attend the official ROVA drone launch party on March 6 at the Sydney Hilton but it's unclear if her 32-year-old love will accompany her.

Positive change: Jessica said, 'We might not always be represented by our government, but it is such a huge victory when someone like Ruby is admired and embraced for her work and simply being herself'

Heading home: According to a report in the Daily Telegraph Ruby will jet home to Sydney from her new base in LA to see Jessica perform at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mard Gras

Over the weekend the pair appeared hand in hand at a Kari Feinstein's Pre-Oscar Style Lounge at the Andaz Hotel in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, the couple cemented their love with a touching Instagram tribute on Valentine's Day.

Out in LA: Over the weekend the pair appeared hand in hand at a Kari Feinstein's Pre-Oscar Style Lounge at the Andaz Hotel in Los Angeles

Loved up: The pair cemented their love with a touching Instagram tribute on Valentine's Day

Having known each other for more than a decade, Ruby uploaded a collage of four pictures spanning their time together.

The Orange Is The New Black star's comical caption began: 'We have made some pretty bad decisions in our lives... mostly fashion related.'

Within the photos, the svelte performers were seen wearing a range of different styles, haircuts and ensembles from years gone by.

Music to their ears: Jessica and Ruby rekindled their romance after starring in the video clip for The Veronicas' single On Your Side

'We just jam every night': The Orange Is The New Black star has also offered a glimpse of her domestic life with The Veronicas singer

Ruby tenderly added: 'but one decision we have never regretted is loving each other.. happy Valentine's Day my @jessicaveronica.'

Jessica showed her appreciation of the post in the comments section, by using six love-related emojis, including two girls kissing, a love heart and a lipstick kiss.

Jessica and Ruby first dated in 2008 and rekindled their romance after starring in the video clip for The Veronicas' single On Your Side.
Gerogia Love had an 'absolute hoot' as she took part in Sydney's famous Mardi Gras celebrations.

The Bachelorette joined fellow celebrities Joel Creasey, Rhys Nicholson, Gina Liano, Matt Mitcham Lucy Durack, Dolly Diamond and Gretel Killeen for a night of 'outrageously naughty games' at the Seymour Centre.

Georgia clearly enjoyed her time at the event, dubbed GAYmes Night, taking to Instagram to upload a picture of their 'squad'.

Squad: Georgia Love (bottom right) joined fellow celebrities Joel Creasey, Rhys Nicholson, Gina Liano, Matt Mitcham Lucy Durack, Dolly Diamond and Gretel Killeen for a night of 'outrageously naughty games' at the Seymour Centre on Friday

She wrote: 'What do you get when you mix 2 comedians, a TV host, 2 reality stars, a musical theatre icon, a drag queen and an Olympic gold medallist? Only the most fabulous squad in our nation's history!

'@joelcreasey & @rhysnicholson's GAYmes Night was an absolute hoot and the perfect warm up for #mardigras tomorrow!! (sic)'

In an apparent blow to boyfriend Lee Elliot, the 27-year-old then declared she'd found a new favourite person in musical theatre star Lucy.

Alongside a snap of the duo, she wrote: 'Sorry to everyone else I've ever met but @lucydurack is my favourite of all the humans.'

Replacement: In an apparent blow to boyfriend Lee Elliot, the 27-year-old (R) then declared she'd found a new favourite person in musical theatre star Lucy (L)

Joining the party: Georgia is set to take part in the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday, appearing on Melbourne nightclub Poof Doofs float. Pictured with boyfriend Lee

According to the event organisers, Georgia had to battle it out on stage with her fellow celebrities in a series of naughty games.

Georgia is set to take part in the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday, appearing on Melbourne nightclub Poof Doofs float.

While all seems well with the TV star's personal life, she recently opened up about her struggles professionally.

After leaving her job as a regional newsreader in Tasmania to search for love on national television, Georgia admitted the gamble could see her struggle to be employed as a journalist again.

'I'm loving being back in the media': Georgia fears she will struggle to find journalist work after Bachelorette stint but 'absolutely loves' her gig as a regular guest on Studio 10

Risked it for love: Georgia said she understands that her no-holds-barred reality TV appearance could be a turn off for news organisations

She told The Daily Telegraph that she believes being 'vulnerable' on the reality show could see her find it hard to get journalism work, but has fortunately fallen in love with her work as a regular guest on Studio 10.

Georgia said she appreciates that her no-holds-barred reality TV appearance last year could be a turn off for news organisations.

'News directors might have a hesitation in having seen me be so vulnerable on the show and talk about my opinions and my views and things like that,' she said, 'as journalists, were not meant to.'

Previous work: Georgia left her job as a newsreader for WIN News in Tasmania to appear on The Bachelorette

Behind the desk: She has guest hosted The Project on one occasion with popular results

'I understand that was a risk in going on the show for me, but I certainly still have a passion for (journalism) and Im loving being back in the media,' she said.

But since leaving her job as a newsreader for WIN News in Tasmania to appear on The Bachelorette, Georgia has found success as a television panel host and media personality.

She has guest hosted The Project on one occasion and appears as a regular guest on daytime chat show Studio 10 since the end of last year.
They are two of the most well-renowned actors on the planet at the moment - and are starring together in new blockbuster action movie Kong: Skull Island.

And British hunk Tom Hiddleston revealed he got to film some pretty romantic scenes - including one in an open-doored helicopter at sunset over the Pacific ocean - with his stunning co-star Brie Larson.

So BBC Radio 2 show host Chris Evans couldn't resist trying to find out if there was a budding love affair between the stars when Tom stopped by the radio studios on Friday morning.

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Love in the air? Chris Evans couldn't resist trying to find out if there was a budding attraction between Tom Hiddleston (right) and his Kong: Skull Island co-star Brie Larson (left) during a radio interview on Friday morning

The red-haired host was pushing his superstar guest to say something about his Academy Award-winning co-star's stunning looks - but the British actor would not be drawn.

Though Tom did admit a Huey helicopter ride with Brie over a sunlit ocean was 'one of the great gigs'.

The Eton-educated actor, who has been tipped as a possible replacement for Daniel Craig as James Bond, told The Chris Evans Breakfast Show: 'Brie Larson and I got to go in the island of Oahu in Hawaii, at four o'clock in the afternoon, with no doors on the helicopter, the blades running..'

Chris interjected and jokingly said: 'Brie Larson sitting next to you, that must have been terrible.'

No holds barred: Chris was pushing his superstar guest to say something about his stunning co-star Brie Larson's stunning looks - but the British actor would not be drawn

Enthusiastic: Tom appeared to have enjoyed the interview, despite Chris' teasing, and he grinned broadly as he left BBC Wogan House in London after the early morning show, wearing a pair of grey Aquatalia shoes

Tom laughed nervously in reply, then added: 'It was lovely', before explaining how the two actors then flew out into the Pacific Ocean together.

The presenter interjected, saying: 'Weren't you tempted to propose at that point? To just have a go? You might as well have a go!'

Tom laughed and merely answered: 'It was a bit loud up there, you know.'



Chris repeatedly pointed out how gorgeous Brie is throughout the interview - and Tom refused to be drawn every time.

Dewy eyed? The 36-year-old British star would not be drawn on Brie's beauty but did admit a Huey helicopter ride with the actress over a sunlit ocean was 'one of the great gigs'

Working out: Tom said he was working out at the gym a lot while filming for his active role in the new blockbuster action movie Kong: Skull Island

But Tom did bond with the radio host over their mutual love of the same film, Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 masterpiece, Magnolia.

One of The Night Manager's co-stars in Kong: Skull Island is John C. Reilly, who also starred in the presenter and actor's favourite movie, which follows its Californian characters' interrelated experiences as they search for the meaning of life.

Chris said: '[John C. Reilly] is in my favourite film of all time.'

Tom asked: 'Which is?' and Chris replied: 'Magnolia'.

Tom, who sounded thrilled, said: 'I knew you were going to say that - mine too.' He then added: 'It's that great ensemble... Magnolia is amazing.'

Movie buffs: The actor and radio host both bonded over their mutual love of the same film, Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 masterpiece, Magnolia

Before things could go any further into film buff discussions, star of the moment Ed Sheeran arrived at the BBC Radio 2 show studios to do a live session - on the day his new album Divide was released.

The flame-haired chart buster then revealed that he and Tom are friends - and that he even played songs from Divide to his fellow British star more than six months ago.

Ed told the programme: 'I played Tom the album last summer and he still remembers.'

Tom said: 'I got a little preview, didn't I?'

Ed then confirmed he had shown his pal the songs while they spent time together in Rome last summer, and said that although 70 per cent of his new 'family oriented' album was ready at that time, he was having 'too much fun' to complete it.

Old pals: Ed Sheeran revealed that he had shown Tom Hiddleston songs from his eagerly awaited album Divide, released on Friday, last summer in Rome
She's known for her very racy outfits - but Rihanna was sporting a rather conservative look when she attended the a Dior photocall and fashion show in Paris on Friday.

The 29-year-old was rather covered up for the occasion ahead at the Christian Dior Fall/Winter 2017 showcase, wearing a dark long black coat and leather hat.

Adding her own quirky twist to her look, she wore a slick of dark berry gothic lipstick which made sure all eyes were on her.

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B**** better have my lipstick: Rihanna wore gothic dark berry make-up with a conservative coat and leather hat as she attended the Dior fashion show in Paris on Friday

Working it: She hid her eyes behind a pair of dark sunglasses and added some further glamour to her look with chunky jewellery

She hid her eyes behind a pair of dark sunglasses and added some further glamour to her look with chunky jewellery.

Her talons were long and painted forest green as she smiled for a series of photographs. She carried a patent mini bag which she wore across her body.

No doubt Rihanna's coat covered up an haute couture outfit which was worn underneath.

Stunner: The 29-year-old was rather covered up for the occasion ahead at the Christian Dior Fall/Winter 2017 showcase, wearing a dark long black coat and leather hat

Nailed it! Her talons were long and painted forest green as she smiled for a series of photographs. She carried a patent mini bag which she wore across her body

Covering up: She's known for her very racy outfits - but Rihanna was sporting a rather conservative look when she attended the a Dior photocall and fashion show in Paris on Friday

But she did flash a glimpse of her black suede heeled thigh-high boots which poked out the end of her coat.

As well as the photocall, Rihanna also attended the show and sat in the FROW alongside a host of celebrities.

Kate Moss, Rosamund Pike, Sienna Miller and Karlie Kloss were also there as well as British model Daisy Lowe.

Dior have recently been pushing a stunning and unique style comprising of a sporty style waistband adorned with Christian Dior writing, with frothy sheer over layers.

Here she is! Rihanna was introduced to the room by a Dior associate

All eyes on her: Adding her own quirky twist to her look, she wore a slick of dark berry Gothic lipstick

Pillar of eduction: The outing comes two days after Rihanna was named Humanitarian of the Year by Harvard University

Sheer delight: The models looked incredible in the trademark style Dior of late

The outing comes two days after Rihanna was named Humanitarian of the Year by Harvard University.

The pop star made an appearance at the Ivy League school to accept a plaque given to her by Allen Counter, the director of the Harvard Foundation.

The star, who never graduated high school, earned the prestigious award thanks to her various charitable efforts, including her role in creating an oncology center in her birthplace of Barbados.

Jet set: The pop star made an appearance at the Ivy League school to accept a plaque given to her by Allen Counter, the director of the Harvard Foundation, the day before the show

The FROW: Rihanna sat pride of place at the show as she flashed a glimpse of her thigh-high boots

Chatting away: Rihanna's leather look was incredibly chic
After making a name for herself on international runways, she's become a front row regular at Europe's major Fashion Weeks.

And Daisy Lowe, 28, stayed true to form on Friday afternoon, when she joined a long list of VIPs to attend Christian Dior's autumn/winter 2017 show at Paris Fashion Week.

The brunette beauty wowed as she arrived at the hot ticket presentation wearing a flattering black minidress, which boasted a high neckline and asymmetrical buttons.

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Passion for fashion: Daisy Lowe was among the guests at Christian Dior's autumn/winter 2017 Paris Fashion Week presentation on Friday

She added extra height to her frame with a pair of black heels, while a soft metallic handbag added a burst of brightness to her ensemble.

Wearing her raven tresses in a half updo, her blunt bangs perfectly framed her pretty face, which was treated to a smudge of deep red lipstick.

And she was in good company at the show, joining the likes of Rihanna, Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Karlie Kloss and Rosamund Pike.

Mini: The 28-year-old beauty stepped out in style, wearing a black high-neckline minidress

Burst of brightness: A soft metallic handbag added a burst of brightness to her ensemble

The night before, Daisy turned heads once again at the Chloe AW/17 after-party, where she opted for a sexy but sophisticated plunging gown.

She flaunted both her natural beauty and sensational body as she first arrived in a petrol blue frock, which plunged all the way to her navel to give a saucy glimpse of her famous cleavage to all.

The dress fell into soft sleeves with vintage pleats on the shoulders, before it nipped in at her womanly waist and skimmed her slender figure to the floor, to keep the look both sexy and classy.

Plenty to smile about: Daisy looked excited at the prospect of attending the Dior show as she strutted inside the star-studded fashion event

Leggy lady: The model's fantastic figure was on full display as she strutted her stuff

When in Paris! Rihanna looked painfully stylish in a lengthy navy coat paired with black boots and a leather black beret. She wore her hair in long loose waves pulled into a ponytail

What row? Larking around on the front row, Sienna Miller and Kate Moss looked worlds away from their famous feud, in which they fell out over Sienna's relationship with Jude Law during the mid-noughties, after becoming engaged in December 2004

The girls: Kate was not the only Moss in attendance as her younger half-sister Lottie (right) sat alongside her on the FROW although dodged her sibling's shadow by sitting with Charlotte Le Bon, Sai Bennett and Ana Girardot (left-centre right)

Tying the look together in a typically effortless fashion, the recent Strictly star accessorised with a nude leather bag and a selection of shimmering necklaces - which alluded further to her bust.

She left her hair in its sleek, everyday style and added only a light sweeping of bronzer to her face, to showcase her naturally glowing complexion in all its glory.

Daisy has been getting back to her fashion duties after touring the country with her Strictly Come Dancing co-stars.

As the tour came to an end last month, the beauty took to Instagram to pay tribute to her partner Aljaz Skorjanec, who she has formed a close friendship with since first appearing on the beloved BBC show in September.

Fashion, darling! The raven-haired beauty rubbed shoulders with the style elite

Off they go! The march of the models was in full swing as they strutted along the runway in a graceful formation

Sheer delight: The models looked incredible in the trademark style Dior of late

Sharing a photo of the pair onstage together, she wrote to fans: 'For the last time last night.... our waltz- thank you @aljazskorjanec for truly being the greatest partner I could have ever wished for... it was such an honour.'

The 30-date tour kicked off on January 20, 2017 at the Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham and featured Louise with partner Kevin Clifton; Danny Mac with Oti Mabuse as well as winner Ore Oduba and Karen.

Ed Balls was reunited with Katya Jones, Daisy danced once again with Aljaz Skorjanec and Lesley was partnered with Gorka Marquez.

Strictly's tour culminated in a final show at London's O2 Arena on February 12.

Taking the plunge: The night before, Daisy lead the glamour at the Chloe AW/17 after-party

Peek-a-boob! She arrived in a petrol blue frock, which plunged all the way to her navel to give a saucy glimpse of her famous cleavage to all
Jeremy McConnell was pictured arriving in Liverpool on Wednesday ahead of his permanent move to the city to be closer to his son, Caben-Albi.

The 22-year-old was pictured arriving at the airport with seven big suitcases, after leaving his home in Dublin.

While a friend was pushing five giant cases, Jeremy lugged two smaller ones.

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He's got a lot of baggage: Jeremy McConnell arrived in Liverpool permanently on Wednesday... as ex Stephanie Davis revealed they are 'committed to co-parenting'

Getting better: Jeremy has been staying close to Stephanie (pictured) and their six week old son after he was confirmed to be the father following a recent DNA test

Looking breezy, the former flame of Stephanie Davis wore a tight white T-shirt with black skinny jeans, completing his look with a leather jacket.

He wore a pair of chunky boots as he flashed a host of inkings.

Jeremy has been staying close to Stephanie and their six week old son after he was confirmed to be the father following a recent DNA test.

Moving on: The 22-year-old was pictured arriving at the airport with seven big suitcases, after leaving his home in Dublin

Over your allowance: Jeremy's pal kindly wheeled along five giant suitcases for him

He recently tweeted how much he had been enjoying his trip to Liverpool, following a short visit, writing: 'Had an amazing few days, feel blessed'.

Jeremy and Stephanie have finally let sleeping dogs lie where their year-long disagreement over the paternity of their child Caben is involved.

And having reconnected following the news that Jeremy is indeed the father, he and Stephanie have been spotted out and about together, caring for their newborn son.

In high spirits: Jeremy has been staying close to Stephanie and their six week old son after he was confirmed to be the father following a recent DNA test

On his way: He recently tweeted about how much he had been enjoying his trip to Liverpool, following a short visit, writing: 'Had an amazing few days, feel blessed'

In turn, the rumour mill has been sent into overdrive, speculating that baby Caben has in fact brought the previously warring couple back together romantically.

But Stephanie has now come forward to iron out matters.

A statement released by her representation, on behalf of the former Celebrity Big Brother star, said: 'Stephanie wants to address the rumours that have been reported in the press over the last few days regarding herself and Jeremy.

Settling in: Jeremy managed to fit all his cases in a black cab

And he's off: He had a smile on his face as he prepared to be reunited with his boy

'At this present time they're co-parenting and it works.

'Together they're discussing Caben's wants and needs and deciding what's best. Caben will always be their number one priority and being the best parents to their little boy is paramount to them both.

'Stephanie would like to thank everyone for all the support that they continue to give.'

Stephanie gave birth six weeks ago, and Jeremy is thought to have been spending much of the last fortnight with her and Caben, in her native Liverpool.

'We're co-parenting and it works!' Stephanie blasted rumours that she and Jeremy McConnell have rekindled their romance and insists they are 'deciding what's best' for new baby Caben

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Stephanie explained that she is truly finding her feet as a mother, noting the challenges and triumphs she has faced both before and after having her adorable son.

The 23-year-old former Hollyoaks actress divulged all about her changing body as she revealed she is using revolutionary 3D Lipo treatments to spring back into shape while shunning the gym to ensure she is with Caben as much as possible.

Stephanie's embattled 2016 was a hot topic in many headlines after she became involved in an ill-fated relationship with Irish hunk Jeremy when she met him in the Celebrity Big Brother house in January.

Bouncing back: The 23-year-old former Hollyoaks actress divulged all about her changing body as she revealed she is using revolutionary 3D Lipo treatments to spring back into shape while shunning the gym to ensure she is with Caben as much as possible

After a whirlwind and often toxic romance, the duo split shortly before the actress announced she was pregnant with their baby - despite Jeremy vehemently denying paternity - a claim obliterated by paternity test results released earlier this month.

Following her tough year, Stephanie proved she is on the up for 2017, after her ex-beau visited Caben for the first time last week - yet her independent woman stance and beautiful baby is what has given the Liverpudlian beauty a new lease of life.

In her exclusive chat with MailOnline, Stephanie said: 'There's nothing I regret because I've learned so many lessons and I wouldn't have Caben if I hadn't done everything. It's the way my life's panned out.

No big deal@ While she has certainly shaped her life up, the soap starlet insists shaping her body up is the last of her worries, although she revealed her 3D Lipo treatments are giving her the helping hand she needs without having to leave Caben's side

'I bought a house recently. Honest to God how boring is my life, I love picking the blinds and everything. I find it empowering, it was a tough year and I quickly had to get myself together and work hard and do what I can for Caben.'

While she has certainly shaped her life up, the soap starlet insists shaping her body up is the last of her worries, although she revealed her 3D Lipo treatments are giving her the helping hand she needs without having to leave Caben's side.

She said: 'When you see in the papers when people have babies people are so extreme with it. They're so quick to lose it and they're in the gym and they're too drastic with it. They go to the gym every day and they have a tummy tuck and keep it quiet.

'But I'm not doing (these treatments) because I want to be a size 8. I'm doing it for myself because when I look in the mirror it wasn't my body. I'm only young and summer's coming out and I want to feel confident again.

Lost love: Stephanie's embattled 2016 was a hot topic in many headlines after she became involved in an ill-fated relationship with Irish hunk Jeremy McConnell when she met him in the Celebrity Big Brother house in January

'I won't be losing drastic weight. Now I'm looking after a baby. I don't want to be bandaged up and not looking after him or going to the gym and not be with him. I can take him with me for the 3D Lipo and just lie there and I get a massage on my belly while getting fit at the same time.'

Of the changes her body went through, she admitted she struggled with her body evolving at the tender age of 23 - although was fond of her new found cleavage.

The star revealed: 'The biggest change is that I ended up with massive boobs which I never had before, that was nice. I had like G boobs, F boobs and now I don't know whats happened they've gone dead saggy.

'I always had such a flat stomach and looking back now I did have a flat stomach and I now have a belly. Now I wonder why I complain and wonder why I didn't have my belly out all the time!

'There's too much pressure on people to get back in shape. I've seen people pregnant in the gym every day. I've embraced my body and I love my stretch marks on my boobs and the way everything is is because I created him.

Stunner: The star revealed: 'The biggest change is that I ended up with massive boobs which I never had before, that was nice. I had like G boobs, F boobs and now I don't know whats happened they've gone dead saggy'

Her miracle: 'I love that I've created this miracle but I just wanna feel better in myself and just get rid of that flab a little bit quicker while i can be there constantly for Caben.'

'I love that I've created this miracle but I just wanna feel better in myself and just get rid of that flab a little bit quicker while I can be there constantly for Caben.

'Everyone's been so lovely and there saying they can't believe how good I look after six weeks already. I can see the difference. My mum said stop being so hard on yourself you had a baby six weeks ago and you look amazing but I think it's because I'm still young but I've got that saggy belly and stuff.'

After seven years in the spotlight, when she first appeared in Over The Rainbow in 2010 and later scooped her Hollyoaks role, she has naturally become accustomed to life in the glare or the public eye - and the negativity it carries.

She explained: 'My closest friends, I don't have a big circle. Some of them have babies and some don't. On new year we stayed in. Things change when they go out pulling but I say I've just changed five nappies. They love Caben like he's their own.

Hot stuff! After seven years in the spotlight, when she first appeared in Over The Rainbow in 2010 and later scooped her Hollyoaks role, she has naturally become accustomed to life in the glare or the public eye - and the negativity it carries

Star: She explained: 'My closest friends, I don't have a big circle. Some of them have babies and some don't. On new year we stayed in. Things change when they go out pulling but I say I've just changed five nappies. They love Caben like he's their own'

'In this industry there's a lot of hangers-on who want to take advantage but you have to grow up. I don't take for hangers-on and I could count on one hand my really close friends and that's it and I could trust them with my life. I like it that way. I've got my baby, my friends, my mum and my management and that's all need.

'You go out, you make mistakes, you party but it's a new life with Caben. That whole celeb going out thing is very shallow. I don't know how I did things without him. I'm loving being a working mum - just doing bits and bobs but focusing on Caben.'

Of her labour, Stephanie revealed the good and the bad as she said: 'I was working myself up with the birth - they were offering me a cesarean but I said no. I was so scared to get an epidural or getting a needle.

'You work yourself up but it's so natural you get through it. I was saying if I can have a baby anyone can. I can't believe I did it and I'd do it over again. I had moments where I panicked (about doing it alone). I had my mum there and my nan and my aunty but it wasn't the same. I was panicking a lot.

Done it! Of her labour, Stephanie revealed the good and the bad as she said: 'I was working myself up with the birth - they were offering me a cesarean but I said no. I was so scared to get an epidural or getting a needle'

Quick one: 'It was like getting on a rollercoaster and I was so scared. I can't believe how strong I was, I didn't even shout out in pain'

'It was like getting on a rollercoaster and I was so scared. I can't believe how strong I was, I didn't even shout out in pain. I got one of the midwives to film it and I didn't care what happened to me. I just gave everything to pushing him out. I pushed him out in 25 minutes! The whole labour was only 4 and a half hours.'

While she is evidently loving life with Caben, Stephanie insists the exhaustion is tough: 'I'm good just tired. He hasn't been sleeping through the night. The no sleep is killing me. It's been the best thing (having him). He's six weeks now and he's been smiling at me and he's quite advanced for his age.

'People say are you sure he's not older than he is because he's laughing away and he's trying to speak with little gurgles. I know all mums think their baby is gorgeous but he really is beautiful.

'Exhaustion is the hardest. When I was pregnant I was so tiny so I had this massive bump and I was never sleeping. People said to me: "Wait till you have the baby" and I thought: "It can't be worse than this" but literally I live off coffee and that is it and I'm so used to not sleeping and I can't remember what a hot coffee or tea is like as I'm so used to that being cold by the time I get to it. Cold coffee and no sleep that's how I'm rolling.

'I'm breastfeeding. I loved it as soon as he came out he found his way to my boob straight away. Over the past few days he's been working so hard on my boob that he's had a few bottles but I'm loving breast feeding.'
She's got the fashion world at her feet as she strikes up a career as a model.

Showcasing her sartorial ways, Anais Gallagher looked effortlessly chic in a Christian Dior mini dress as she attended the high fashion designer's AW17 fashion show in Paris, France on Friday.

The 17-year-old model's fashion choice featured darling embroidery detail throughout as she commanded attention at the star-studded runway presentation.

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Chic: Anais Gallagher looked effortlessly chic in a Christian Dior mini dress as she attended the high fashion designer's AW17 fashion show in Paris, France on Friday

Her nude coloured garment featured tulle overlay for a flirty feel as she posed for photos on the FROW.

The stylish teenager - who is pals with fellow celebrity offsprings Brooklyn Beckham, 17, and Rocco Ritchie, 16 - added inches to her petite frame as she slipped on a pair of patent nude heels while teetering to her seat at the show.

Anais - who the only child of legendary rocker Noel Gallagher, 49, and socialite Meg Mathews, 50 - let her dress do the talking as she offset her skin-toned number with an eye-catching powder blue clutch and sprinkling of silver rings across her hands.

Leaving her blonde locks loose, she worked her golden mane into a centre parting before letting it cascade down her shoulders in a loose wave.

Intricate: The 17-year-old model's fashion choice featured darling embroidery detail throughout as she commanded attention at the star-studded runway presentation

Pretty as a picture: The teen style queen looked lovely in her printed dress and nude heels

Model behaviour: Anais looked positively ethereal with her long blonde locks tumbling around her shoulders in loose curls and natural make-up emphasising her pretty features

Recently, the teen spoke to the London Evening Standard's ES Magazine about her relationship with hard-partying supermodel Kate Moss, 44.

Anais' mother and Kate have been firm friends for 20 years, with both of them members of the notorious Primrose Hill set.

The up-and-coming model recently called the supermodel her 'second mum' on Instagram.

When in Paris! Rihanna looked painfully stylish in a lengthy navy coat paired with black boots and a leather black beret. She wore her hair in long loose waves pulled into a ponytail

What row? Larking around on the front row, Sienna Miller and Kate Moss looked worlds away from their famous feud, in which they fell out over Sienna's relationship with Jude Law during the mid-noughties, after becoming engaged in December 2004

Close: Anais' mother and Kate have been firm friends for 20 years, with both of them members of the notorious Primrose Hill set

The girls: Kate was not the only Moss in attendance as her younger half-sister Lottie (right) sat alongside her on the FROW although dodged her sibling's shadow by sitting with Charlotte Le Bon, Sai Bennett and Ana Girardot (left-centre right)

Passion for fashion: Daisy Lowe was among the guests at Christian Dior

Anais said: 'She's hilarious - one of the funniest people I know. She is the most loving, motherly figure. She texts me at least once a week. It's a good relationship because she's not my mum.'

The fashion starlet added that the notoriously wild supermodel is keen to help Anais out on the town.

She explained: 'She sneaks me out so we can go out together, and she makes really good peanut butter on toast.'

Sheer delight: The models looked incredible in the trademark style Dior of late
She's been a creative consultant with skin care and make-up brand Neutrogena since 2013.

And on Friday morning the actress was pictured sitting in a make-up chair as artist Carola Gonzalez added the final touches of color to her flawless face before the launch of Neutrogena's Hydro Boost Cosmetics line in Los Angeles.

The sassy 40-year-old Scandal star was dressed in a white, scoop-neck T-shirt with long bell sleeves, white pants with a thin grey stripe and white platform sandals.

Star make-up: Make-up artist Carola Gonzalez added final touches to Kerry Washington's flawless face as she prepped for the bow of Neutrogena's new line in Los Angeles on Friday

Her raven tresses were styled straight to cascade down her back as Caroline applied foundation, blusher and lipstick.

Kerry owes her beauty to her mixed race background that includes African, Jamaican, Native American, English and Scottish ancestry.

She joined Neutrogena after discovering there was very little make-up for women with her darker skin coloring.

'I remember being a little girl at the drugstore with my mother, looking at stockings, and having a realization that when a package says "nude," they're not talking about me," ' she told Elle in February 2016.

Touch up: The 40-year-old has been a creative consultant with the skin care and make-up brand since 2013

Pucker up: The sassy Scandal star pursed her lips as Carola added color. The actress donned a white, scoop-neck T-shirt with long, bell sleeves plus white pants with a thin grey stripe

'That was traumatizing for me as a little girl. Like, "Oh, they're talking about someone else's nude body, they're not talking about women of color. " '

The Bronx-born star continued: 'When I first started [at Neutrogena] there was no foundation for me,' she said, adding that women wrote to the company asking, 'How could you hire Kerry Washington when you don't have a color for her.'

Things are very different now at Neutrogena, thanks to Kerry. The new cosmetics line includes lightweight foundation, concealer and hydrating lip shine.

The final touch: Carola fussed over her as Kerry got her phone ready to take a selfie

Say cheese: The award winner joined the brand after realizing as a little girl that there was very little make-up for women of color

Meanwhile, aside from Neutrogena, Kerry is busy both as a mother and actress.

She and her Crown Heights actor husband Nnamdi Asomugha, 35, welcomed baby Caleb on October 5, a brother for their two-year-old daughter, Isabelle.

The four-time Emmy nominee continues her role as crisis-management expert Olivia Pope on the sixth season of the Beltway melodrama Scandal, which airs Thursdays on ABC.

And Kerry is set to produce and star in an adaptation of Aimee Molloy's upcoming debut novel The Perfect Mother about a missing baby, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
These two have not been shy about their romance since putting on a romantic display last Thanksgiving.

And Mariah Carey and boyfriend Bryan Tanaka proudly held hands as the two stepped out for dinner at Nobu in West Hollywood.

At one point, the 46-year-old leaned into her beau and whispered something in his ear.

Date night: Mariah Carey, 46, and boyfriend Bryan Tanaka, 33, proudly held hands as the two stepped out for dinner at Nobu in Los Angeles

Mariah displayed her sporty side in bright blue bomber jacket complete with red and cobalt-coloured trimming.

The mum-of-two paired her top half with a set of distressed skinny jeans, fishnet stockings and sky high heels.

Boyfriend Bryan, 33, was casual in a black T-shirt, denim jacket, jeans and trainers.

Athletic chic: The singer displayed her sporty side in bright blue bomber jacket complete with red and cobalt-coloured trimming

Comfortable: Dancer Bryan was casual in a black T-shirt, denim jacket, jeans and trainers

Earlier in the week, loved-up Mariah took to Instagram to share a snap of them kissing.

'No one knows what it means, but it's provocative ... it gets the people going!' read the caption, a quote from the Will Ferrell film, Blades of Glory.

Despite an E! reality show documenting their romance, it was only last month that Mariah officially confirmed Bryan as her boyfriend.

'It gets the people going!: Earlier in the week, loved-up Mariah took to Instagram to share a snap of them kissing

In an interview with the Associated Press, the songstress confirmed the couple were indeed an item, but wasn't interested in discussing it further.

'I just don't feel comfortable talking about my personal life. ...Me and my boyfriend don't want to do that,' she said.

While she isn't interested in speaking about her romance with the press, she's not opposed to lavish date nights and cute selfies.

On Saturday, Bryan was Mariah's date to Floyd Mayweathers' 40th birthday, which included A-list guests such as Justin Bieber.

Prior to her relationship with the dancer, she was engaged to Australian businessman James Packer.
Shirley MacLaine has revealed she once accidentally sweetened a coffee with cocaine, while visiting Carrie Fisher.

In an interview with the Associated Press, the 82-year-old recalled hanging out at the late actress's house, when someone stopped her from stopped her from drinking the hot drug cocktail.

'I didn't even know what it was,' she admitted.

Whoops: Shirley MacLaine has revealed she one accidentally sweetened a coffee Carrie Fisher had made her with cocaine (pictured 2012)

Speaking about her life, she revealed that she was never into drugs.

'I think of those times when my buddies would go in the bathroom and I'm left alone in the living room. 'What are they doing? Why am I alone?' They were doing drugs.

'The word went around that I wasn't interested,' she said. 'I've smoked two joints. I'm a dumb-dumb when it comes to how you can enjoy yourself.'

Close one: In an interview with the Associated Press, the 82-year-old recalled hanging out at the late actress's house, when someone stopped her from stopped her from obliviously drinking the hot drug cocktail

MacLaine doesn't like to reflect on the scope of her career, because, she says, 'I think I'm going to live a long time.' Yet she'll tell stories for days about her films in the studio system and the icons she's worked with.

She smiled proudly recalling how she taught Audrey Hepburn how to swear and how Hepburn, in turn, taught her how to dress ('sort of'). She remembered getting a call from Paramount production head Don Hartman scolding her for gaining weight during the production of 'The Trouble With Harry' because of all the meals she was eating with Alfred Hitchcock.

'Look, I wasn't tall, thin, blonde, ethereal, and all that stuff that was essential for men to jump on. Hitch wasn't interested in me, but, he was interested in me as a food partner. So, he insisted I have every meal with him. I think I gained 20 pounds,' MacLaine said. 'I was just out of the chorus; I hadn't had a full meal in years!'

Missed: Fisher, who previously had problems with drugs, died in December aged 60

The only director she's ever had a problem with was Billy Wilder because, 'he had a problem with women.' And she was horrified that he wrote her character in 'The Apartment,' Fran, after observing her learning how to play gin with 'Dean and Frank' and the Rat Pack crew.

'God, is that what he really thought of me?' she wondered.

'He terrified Marilyn. That's why she was always late,' MacLaine says. 'He was Austrian and he wanted everything exactly his way.'

Sat on a patio at a sea view restaurant in Malibu, the actress discussed the onetime expectations of women of her generation.

Next: Shirley MacLaine stars with Amanda Seyfried and Ann'Jewel Lee in The Last Word

'I asked my own mother once, 'What are we supposed to be?'' MacLaine says. 'She said, 'You're supposed to have nice hair and nice clothes and look pretty.' She really said that to me.'

MacLaine defied those modest prospects at every turn. The gamine, natural beauty became a movie star when the popular look was lacquered glamour. She sued a studio when she knew she'd been wronged professionally. She demanded the best of everyone she worked with, sometimes leading to less-than-effusive assessments from co-stars.

And she has continued to remain relevant in the youth-obsessed industry at every stage of her career. As she matured, so did her characters.

She doesn't attribute it to ambition, however, but to dance.

Her mother famously enrolled her in dance classes at age 3 to strengthen her weak ankles. It was there that MacLaine fell in love, she says, with 'discipline, music, teamwork, pain, balance and strength.'

Crew: (standing L-R) Anne Heche, writer Stuart Ross Fink director Mark Pellington and actor Thomas Sadoski, join AnnJewel and Shirley during the Sundance Film Festival

'If you can get through a ballet class every day of your life when you start at 3 ... I'm just putting this together as a matter of fact ... If you can do that starting at 3, then you are confident,' she says. 'I wasn't like the other girls who were out there trying to be pleasing. I was in class trying to be strong and survive.'

Not unlike MacLaine and her journey, the character she plays in her new movie 'The Last Word,' now in theaters, is a woman (Harriet) who also rose above societal gender constraints to become successful in business. Now in her 80s, and lonely, Harriet is thinking about her legacy and impact on the world and hires a local obituary writer (Amanda Seyfried) to write hers.

'I love playing bitches,' MacLaine says with a smirk. 'I love the whole idea of being so impossible that it's funny.'

'I love playing bitches': the actress revealed she loves 'the whole idea of being so impossible that it's funny'

The actress much prefers the hands-off style of independent films like the 'The Last Word.' She has also found that the indie world is the only place where she can find character-driven films.

MacLaine will read any script that comes her way but studio tent-pole franchises hold no interest for her. She also wants to make films that service the senior community.

'I love getting older, I truly do,' she says. 'I like the wisdom of it, the complications of it. I do not like the invisibility. I notice with other people, who are not particularly famous, when they are old and no one notices they're there. That's awful. I want to do a movie about that. I've got one I'm thinking of.'

Working: MacLaine said she will read any script that comes her way but studio tent-pole franchises hold no interest for her. She also wants to make films that service the senior community.

MacLaine is grateful for her health - she eats whatever she wants, she says, and gave up smoking last year but thinks a lot of it has to do with her never having been a big drinker or doing drugs.

All in all, MacLaine is content with life. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has her 'doggies' (three rat terriers), her friends, her writing, her publisher and her 'An Evening With...' shows. She sees films (her favorites of last year were 'Moonlight' and 'The Edge of Seventeen'). She travels to New York for a few weeks a year to see shows, and tries to do about two films a year on location.

She also sees her younger brother, Warren Beatty, and his family sometimes, too. She says stories about them having been estranged are just not true.

'I have a very full life and at the same time a life where nothing much happens,' MacLaine says. 'It's the best I've ever been.'
They are genetically-blessed lovebirds who recently sent fans into a spiral of fierce speculation when Gigi was spotted sporting a ring on her wedding finger.

And Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid looked as gorgeous and loved-up as ever when they stepped out in Paris on Friday night.

The Victoria's Secret Angel put on a breathtaking display in a stylish gingham shirt dress and thigh-high heeled boots - but pulled her sleeve down to hide her finger from onlookers.

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The beautiful couple: Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid looked as loved up as ever when they stepped out in Paris on Friday with Gigi sporting a dramatic gingham shirt dress and thigh-high boots

The Vogue cover girl, 21, oozed sex appeal in the fashion-forward blue gingham shirt dress which she unbuttoned to reveal her tanned chest and toned shoulder.

Gigi teamed the dress with a pair of seriously seductive thigh-high skin-tight pointed-toe black boots which offered a glimpse of her sun-kissed skin.

She tied a thick leather belt around her waist, accentuating her gym-honed figure.

Sun-kissed supermodel: Gigi unbuttoned her shirt dress and flaunted her toned and tanned chest and shoulder

Sex appeal: Gigi donned a pair of seriously sexy thigh-high boots and clung on to Zayn's hand as the couple made their way along one of the French capital's cobbled streets

The beauty, who is known for her blonde beachy waves, slicked her tresses into a chic chignon bun.

She swept on bronze eye shadow and painted her lips with a berry stain.

Gigi finished her outfit with a pair of large hooped earrings as she hung on to Zayn's hand as the couple made their way along the French capital's cobbled streets.

Photogenic: Zayn, 24, competed with his fashionista girlfriend in the style stakes, wearing a neon yellow hoodie, leather leggings and a pair of Doc Marten boots

Helping hand: Zayn was every inch the protective boyfriend as he watched over the model

The fashionista's beau looked equally stylish for their night-time jaunt.

Zayn, 24, donned a neon yellow hoodie and a pair of leather trousers as he led Gigi through the scrum of photographers.

He paired his statement trousers with Doc Marten boots and added a black suede jacket to keep out any chill in the Paris air.

The One Direction star's tattoos were clearly visible as he held Gigi's hand.

The model recently sparked engagement rumours when she was pictured wearing an emerald ring on her wedding finger at the Tommy X Gigi fashion event in Paris earlier in the week.

Keeping it casual: The tattooed hunk was casually clad for his evening jaunt in Paris

Thigh's the limit: Gigi's stunning dress made the most of her endless legs

Engagement? Gigi sparked rumours earlier this week when she was spotted at a Tommy Hilfiger event wearing an emerald ring on her wedding finger

Back in January, Gigi had ignited rumours that the pair had become engaged when she was spotted wearing a simple band on her wedding finger.

The Victoria's Secret Angel was seen out and about in New York wearing the simple accessory - just weeks after reports suggested she has turned down a pre-Christmas proposal from Zayn.

A source close to the pair reportedly told Life & Style magazine: 'Shes only 21 and doesnt feel ready to tie the knot, so she turned him down.'

Keeping an eye on her: Zayn shot his girlfriend an adoring look. The pop star has accompanied Gigi to Paris Fashion Week where she faces a hectic schedule of catwalk shows

Implicating Gigi's mother Yolanda Hadid, the source continued: 'She's seen her mom go through two messy divorces, so Gigi wants to make 100 per cent sure Zayn's the one before she makes a lifetime commitment.'

Zayn has accompanied his girlfriend of two years to the city of love as she faces a hectic schedule of Paris Fashion Week catwalk shows.

On Thursday she put on a futuristic display at the Balmain runway show, going bra-less in a bondage-inspired caged sheer top, while her proud boyfriend watched from the front row.

Futuristic: The blonde beauty looked unrecognisable in the Balmain show on Thursday, wearing a bondage-style caged top and a gold lip ring

The versatile model stunned in the avant-garde show with her blonde locks styled into a tight cornrows and her pillowy lips embellished with a gold lip ring.

She sported dramatic eye makeup at the show with streaks of eyeliner transforming the Tommy Hilfiger model into a Gothic vision.

Boyfriend Zayn watched as his supermodel girlfriend stormed the catwalk, donning a camouflage and black sheepskin jacket and letting his silky black locks fall across one eye.

Supportive boyfriend: Zayn watched from the front row as Gigi strutted her stuff on the runway

Catwalk superstar: Gigi stormed the Balmain catwalk in brown-and-gold fringed ensemble

Gigi's career soared this week as she was unveiled as the first model to grace the cover of brand new magazine Vogue Arabia.

She looked stunning in the image, which she shared on Instagram, wearing a bejewelled hijab.

However the model, who is half-Palestinian and whose father is Muslim, was the focus of harsh criticism on social media as commentators accused her of 'cultural appropriation' and complained that the hijab was a religious garment which should not be used as a 'fashion statement'.

Vogue cover girl: Gigi appeared on the first cover of Vogue Arabia, looking sultry in a bejewelled hijab. But she faced a backlash when commentators accused her of 'cultural appropriation' and complained that the hijab was a religious garment not a fashion accessory

The couple's loved-up display comes amid news that Zayn has provided the financial backing so his mum, Trisha, 47, can open a beauty salon in Bradford.

The millionaire pop star famously bought Trisha a house - worth around 280,000 - when he first found fame in One Direction.

But now he has gone one further and helped his mother set up her own business.

Trisha announced the news in a sweet snap on Instagram.

Mummy's Boy: Zayn's mum Trisha revealed on Instagram that she is opening a salon in Bradford - and sources say that Zayn's pop star millions are behind the new venture

She wrote that the salon would offer customers spray tans, acrylic nails, manicures and pedicures among other treatments.

An insider told The Sun that Zayn thought the salon made good business sense.

'Zayn is putting up the cash because he reckons it is a sound business idea,' a source told the publication.

'The family hope that this will be the first of many in the area and hopefully across the country.

'Zayn may be an international superstar, but he is incredibly close to his family and will do anything he can to help them.'
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She's the older sister of Cheyenne, known for her modelling and acting talents.

And Tahyna Tozzi has come to headlines again, this time on the property front.

The 30-year-old mother-of-one has purchased a $1.5 million Hampton's style home in Caringbah South, in Sydney's Sutherland Shire, with former professional dancer husband, Tristan MacManus, 34.

Model grounds! Tahyna Tozzi, 30, purchased a $1.5 million Hampton's style home in Sydney's Sutherland Shire with husband Tristan MacManus, 34, that features three bedrooms, a swimming pool and cabana

Tahyna's new renovated abode features three spacious bedrooms.

A moderate-sized kitchen takes on a predominately white aesthetic with marble bench-tops, tiling and carpentry.

Made for entertaining, the home features a large swimming pool, cabana and deck area.

Family nest: The renovated three-bedroom abode features lush greenery

Modern: A moderate-sized kitchen takes on a predominately white aesthetic with marble bench-tops, tiling and carpentry

In style: A living area features wooden floorboards and a white and taupe colour palette, following on from the kitchen

Currently at one-storey, an additional level would allow for picturesque views over Port Hacking.

Tahyna and Tristan returned from his native Ireland in February last year.

Two months later they welcomed their first child, daughter Echo Isolde.

Clean: A spacious bedroom continues with the white aesthetic with views onto the open road

Functional: Another room in the abode is perfect for an office or bedroom with a built-in wardrobe and ample space for a desk

Social: The entertaining area features a spacious desk, looking out onto a swimming pool

Tahyna announced the unusual baby name via Instagram, writing: 'Our baby girl Echo Isolde MacManus was born 05/04/2016 healthy and happy. Tristan & I are so thankful for everyone's support Xx,' alongside a snap of their baby's name, handwritten on a piece of paper.

The personality was understood to have given birth in Australia after being based in her hubby's native Ireland.

Meanwhile, younger sister Cheyenne was the first to congratulate Tahyna, posting an intimate snap of Tristan and Tahyna in hospital.

Picture-perfect: Lush greenery is perfect for children or guests to lounge on

Inspiration: The renovated abode has taken on a very Hampton's-style aesthetic

Bundle of joy: Tahyna welcomed her first child, a daughter Echo Isolde, with husband Tristan in April last year

Family: Tahyna is pictured here with mother Yvonne, who counts Lara Worthington's mother Sharon Bingle as a close friend

'Welcome baby girl Echo Isolde MacManus @tahynavalentina,' she wrote in a caption alongside it.

Tahyna and Tristan dated for five years, after having been set up by mutual friends at a Thai restaurant in Los Angeles in 2011.

They tied the knot in Sydney's Cronulla in 2014.

Sibling: Tahyna is the older sister of model and television personality Cheyenne Tozzi, 27

History: Tahyna met Tristan, a former professional dancer in 2011 at a Thai restaurant in Los Angeles, after being set up by mutual friends

Model Tahyna, has also had a brief stint in acting.

She featured as Perri Lawe in ABC drama Blue Water High in 2005, before taking on her first feature film Beautiful, in 2009.

Tahyna later had a small role in Hugh Jackman's X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Husband Tristan is a former professional dancer, known for starring in Strictly Come Dancing.

The high-profile pair count Lara and Sam Worthington as friends.
Adele will perform two stadium-size concerts in Brisbane on March 4 and 5.

And to mark her first Australian tour, Brisbane comedian Mel Buttle took it upon herself to give the world-famous superstar some local tips.

The 35-year-old funnywoman took to Twitter on Friday with 15 hilarious nuggets of advice.

'Park at mine and uber in': Comedian Mel Buttle gives Adele hilarious advice to survive Brisbane like a local via Twitter tips on Friday

Within 140 characters or less, Mel wrote to Adele with quirky tales of parking, over-rated attractions, liquor stores and money-saving alternatives.

As it's been reported fans are expected to endure a three hour commute to The Gabba stadium for Adele's concert, the TV hosts first tweet appeared to poke fun of the unfortunate situation.

She wrote: 'Adele, you'll never get a park near the Gabba, park at mine and uber in, it be a nightmare otherwise.'

'Also, Adele, eat before, I know you'll be nervous, but everything is shut at 9pm, so grab a bite prior or you'll starve,' she continued her description of the Wooloongabba area.

'When you slay twitter over lunch': TV host and comic Mel Buttle appeared chuffed by fans reactions to her 15 tweets aimed at Adele

'It be a nightmare otherwise': As it's been reported fans are expected to endure a three hour commute to The Gabba stadium for Adele's concert and have been advised to leave the car at home, the TV hosts first tweet appeared to poke fun of the unfortunate situation

'Everything is shut at 9pm': Mel continued her description of the Wooloongabba area's dining scene

Mel didn't stop there though, as she continued by giving the English star money-saving advice, insisted to 'avoid Coles and Woolies' as they were 'too exey' and to avoid the Go Between Bridge and Clem 7 tunnel as they were 'a rip off.'

Helping her beat potentially hunger pains, she suggested a good local fruit shop for '49c a kilo' bananas, 'two for $10 deal on Rooster Rolls' and Red Rooster and how to get a cheaper chook at Coles for dinner.

One of the comic's highest liked posts, made reference to the rainy weather: 'Also Adele, if you want to write off a car that you're sick of, park it at Toombul outside, that car park always floods when it rains.'

'If you want to write off your car': One of the comic's highest liked posts, made reference to the rainy weather and how to ensure it gets totalled

Frugal superstar tips: Helping her beat potentially hunger pains, she suggested a good local fruit shop for '49c a kilo' bananas, 'two for $10 deal on Rooster Rolls' and Red Rooster and how to get a cheaper chook at Coles for dinner

'The sharks are actually tiny': Mel also thought it fitting to give Adele, who is in the country with her four-year-old son Angelo, advice to give Underwater World a miss, while suggesting some better places to visit, like Dan Murphy's bottle shop

Mel also thought it fitting to give Adele, who is in the country with her four-year-old son Angelo, some advice on attractions to avoid.

'Also, Adele, don't go to Underwater World, big queues, you can't get close to the glass for a good look, and the sharks are actually tiny,' she wrote.

Mel, clearly chuffed by the reaction of fans, took to Instagram later to announce: 'When you slay twitter over lunch.'

Lengthy commutes: Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor and transport committee chairman Adrian Schrinner advised Brisbane fans to leave 'between two or three hours early' to get to the event by its 7.30pm start time at Wooloongabba's stadium, The Gabba (pictured)

Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor and transport committee chairman Adrian Schrinner warned there would be major delays over the March weekend gigs due to limited transport resources in Brisbane.

He advised 'leaving between two or three hours early' to get to the event by its 7.30pm start time.

Adele kicked off her Aussie tour at Domain Stadium in Perth on February 28 and will perform shows in Brisbane on March 4 and 5, and Sydney on March 10 and 11.

Touring: Adele kicked off her Aussie tour in Perth on February 28 and will perform shows in Brisbane on March 4 and 5, and Sydney on March 10 and 11 (Pictured in Perth's Domain Stadium)




She wrapped up shooting the sixth season of Homeland earlier this week.

And on Friday, Claire Danes wore an off-duty look, shielding herself from the chilly New York City weather while out and about in her West Village neighborhood.

Spotted in front of The Greenwich Hotel, the 37-year-old four-time Golden Globe winner was inconspicuous, foregoing makeup and hiding in a puffer coat that reached well past her knees.

Covering up: Friday, Claire Danes, 37, wore an off-duty look, shielding herself from the chilly New York City weather while out and about in her West Village neighborhood

The talented actress looked furtive as she hurriedly made her way towards Robert De Niro's luxurious 5-star hotel.

Claire's navy blue puffer jacket was zipped half-way down and all the way up to the Little Women star's chin to protect her from the below 40F weather.

A fur-trimmed hood nearly concealed the mother-of-one's straight blonde tresses, and she wore blue skinny jeans with black Oxford shoes and red socks.

Prepared: Claire's navy blue puffer jacket was zipped half-way down and all the way up to the Little Women star's chin to protect her from the below 40F weather

For ease and comfort, Danes carried a black backpack and headphones peeked out from the pocket of her jacket, reaching around her neck and into her ears.

According to the Instagram account of Homeland newcomer James Mount - who plays Agent Thoms - the crew wrapped up filming the sixth season, which is currently airing, only earlier this week.

Danes leads the cast as bipolar ex-CIA Counterterrorism officer Carrie Mathison, a role which garnered the actress two Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes.

Homeland season six premiered on Showtime mid-January. Six episodes in with six to go, the show airs Sundays at 9 PM ET.
On Thursday they kissed in front of the cameras at the Hollywood premiere of Disney's Beauty And The Beast at the historic El Capitan Theatre.

On Friday, power couple Chrissy Teigen and John Legend were much more casually dressed as they held hands while walking across the concourse after jetting into Miami International Airport.

The 31-year-old model opted for a sheer, ankle-length white cardigan with frills around the neckline that she wore over a deep V-neck blouse plus distressed jeans, cropped at the ankle, and high-heeled white sandals.

Walking in lock step: Power couple Chrissy Teigen and John Legend held hands as they walked across the concourse after jetting into Miami International Airport on Friday

The co-host of Spike TV's Lip Sync Battle smoothed her brunette tresses into a chic updo and held hands with her 38-year-old husband as they made their way out of the airport.

John was dressed in black from head to toe in a jacket over a sweater and pants plus sneakers.

The All Of Me hitmaker and his lovely wife both hid their eyes behind pairs of celebrity must-have sunglasses.

Fashionista in flight: The 31-year-old model wore a sheer ankle-length white cardigan over a deep V-neck blouse plus distressed jeans, cropped at the ankle, and high-heeled white sandals

Monochrome crooner: John, 38, was dressed in black from head to toe in a jacket over a sweater and pants plus sneakers

Chrissy and John put on a similar PDA at the Beauty And The Beast premiere the previous day.

She was there to support the crooner who lends his voice to the remake of the titular song opposite Ariana Grande.

In keeping with the animated film's fairy tale story, Chrissy decided to go with the theme of the Gothic castle by donning a dark maroon tasseled dress by Raisa & Vanessa along with black lipstick.

Different view: The All Of Me hitmaker and his lovely wife both hid their eyes behind pairs of celebrity must-have sunglasses

Hair-raising: The Swimsuit Illustrated model styled her dark blonde hair into an updo

John suited up in a smart two piece with a crisp white shirt and a black bow tie.

The crooner snuggled up to his wife, kissing her on the cheek as they posed on the red carpet.

The couple share 10-month-old daughter Luna but there was no sign of her on Friday.
He's the former rock star who appears to have fallen on hard times in recent years.

And now the story behind Daniel Johns' epic party session that left him a little worse for wear on Sydney's streets have been revealed.

Friends of the 37-year-old former Silverchair frontman have told how before he was pictured staggering through the exclusive suburb of Double Bay last December, he'd been partying for days, the Daily Telegraph reports.

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Cutting loose: The story behind THAT Daniel Johns' party has been revealed by a friend. The Silverchair rocker was pictured staggering through an exclusive Sydney suburb last December

Johns was shirtless with makeup smeared all across his face when the infamous pics were taken of him walking alongside fellow rocker Joshua Mullane.

And now another of the Straight Line hitmaker's mates, who too was part of the wild celebrations that week, has given his account of proceedings.

'He had already been going for a little while when he arrived. He showed up really loose. I wasnt expecting to see him,' Anthony Lister claimed.

Big week? 'He had already been going for a little while when he arrived,' Anthony Lister, who partied with Johns that week, said

'I thought I should have ran with the I am haggard and Ive been up for four days look too.'

Lister, a professional street artist, was the host for one of the parties Johns attended.

However he admitted to not being able to keep up with the ARIA winner or Mullane, as the pair left his place and kicked on in Darlinghurst before the photos were taken.

'I was impressed with his whole rock n roll feel. He is living the part of an old-school rocker,' Lister claimed.

party pals: The Straight Lines hitmaker was seen stumbling through the streets alongside fellow rocker Joshua Mullane (right)

Fallen rocker: Friends of Johns have claimed he had been partying for days on end before the now infamous photos were taken

Rock 'n' roll: Johns was shirtless with makeup smeared all across his face when the infamous pics were taken

The revelations come little more than a month on from Johns' latest loose outing.

In late January, the musician promised to delete his social media accounts because of 'cruel people' and also shared selfies of himself pulling funny faces.

'A lot of you have been mean lately. To that I can only say I love you,' he captioned his first image.

'I'm gonna delete this account soon but thanks so much to the nice people!' he said alongside his second.

Disheveled: In January, less than a month on from his Double Bay outing, the ARIA winner took to social media to share a number of loose photos including this one of him 'flipping the bird'

'Really, really thanks ! And to the cruel people... it's been an absolute pressure (sic).'

Appearing to really be struggling with his time away from the limelight, a week prior Johns was pictured flipping the bird to the camera with both hands.

In a black and white image, he looked disheveled as he hunched over on a bench in a lopsided velvet top hat.

Quitting: 'I'm gonna delete this account soon but thanks so much to the nice people!' Johns threatened in one Instagram photo from January

The indie artist displayed his arm and neck tattoos in a black singlet partnered with oversized drop-crotch trousers.

Johns led his rock band Silverchair for two decades between 1992 and 2011.

He has won 21 ARIA awards during his time in the band and as a single artist.
A new expresso machine, gifted to the White House Press Corps by actor Tom Hanks, is set up in the kitchen area of the Brady Briefing Room of the White House on March 2, 2017

US actor Tom Hanks gave White House journalists a new espresso machine Thursday, calling their caffeine-addled plight to cover the news a fight for "truth, justice, and the American way."

The actor's gift comes amid President Donald Trump's feud with the US media, which he frequently blasts with insults and accuses of bias.

Hanks has previously brought the White House press corps espresso machines -- once under George W. Bush when the actor learned the journalists had no such apparatus and again in 2010 under Barack Obama when he learned the first had worn out.

But this time, he left the press corps with a special note of encouragement including an illustration at the top of American troops soldiering on.

"To the White House Press Corps," the note said. "Keep up the good fight for truth, justice, and the American way. Especially for the truth part."

Since his campaign days, Trump has repeatedly slammed the media, calling it "dishonest" and accusing major news outlets of fabricating sources and stories, while branding journalists "the enemy of the people."

Trump announced Saturday he will skip this year's annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner, a longstanding tradition that began in 1921 in which journalists invite the US president for a light-hearted roast.

The last time a president missed the event was in 1981, when Ronald Reagan was recovering after being shot in an assassination attempt. Reagan, however, phoned in with friendly remarks.

Richard Nixon, who despised the media, skipped the event in 1972.
North Korean national Ri Jong Chol (L) is escorted by police officers as he leaves the Sepang police headquaters, on March 3, 2017

Malaysia issued an arrest warrant for a North Korean airline employee Friday over the assassination of the half-brother of Pyongyang's leader, after frustrated police had to release their only other suspect from the isolated nation.

Ri Jong-Chol is among eight North Koreans suspected of involvement in the dramatic killing of Kim Jong-Nam, the half-brother of the reclusive nation's leader, who was poisoned with a banned nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Malaysia's attorney general had announced there was insufficient evidence to charge 47-year-old Ri.

The North Korean was deported Friday night, a government official, who asked not to be named, confirmed to AFP.

"He will be escorted by two North Korean officials to Beijing and from Beijing to Pyongyang," deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters earlier. "We have also blacklisted him and he cannot enter this country again."

"The police probe showed he was not working as stated in his documents but was involved in illicit activities detrimental to our security."

Earlier, as he was led out of a police station outside the capital under tight security and handed over to immigration authorities, police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said he regretted the release.

Assassination of Kim Jong-Nam: political fallout

"We believe that Ri Jong Chol played a part in Kim Chol's murder but unfortunately we lack evidence to charge him," he told AFP, using the name given in the passport carried by Kim Jong-Nam.

"We are frustrated because of a lack of evidence," he said via text message from Saudi Arabia where he is on a religious pilgrimage.

However, he denied political or diplomatic pressure had been a factor in the release, saying it was purely an investigative issue.

Ri's release came two days after two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- were charged with murdering Kim.

Seven other North Koreans are wanted in connection with the killing.

- Arrest warrants -

On Friday police issued an arrest warrant for a North Korean airline employee, Kim Uk Il, 37, in connection with the murder.

They also requested that Hyon Kwang Song, second secretary at the North Korean embassy, assist the probe.

Both are believed to be in Malaysia. Four others are thought to have fled to Pyongyang on the day of the murder.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (right) ordered the killing of his half-brother Kim Jong-Nam, according to South Korea

Ri was arrested days after Kim suffered an agonising death when he was attacked as he waited to board a flight to Macau.

CCTV footage shows two women approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth.

Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later. Swabs of the dead man's face revealed traces of VX, a synthetic chemical so deadly that it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction.

Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, face the death penalty if found guilty. Both women say they thought they were merely taking part in a prank video.

South Korea has pointed the finger of blame at North Korea, citing what they say was a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother who may have been seen as a potential rival.

North Korea, which has not acknowledged the dead man's identity, has vehemently protested the investigation, saying Malaysia is in cahoots with its enemies.

In response, Malaysia has cancelled a visa-free travel deal with North Korea -- a key conduit to the outside world -- and recalled its envoy to Pyongyang.

- 'The facts remain' -

Former North Korean deputy ambassador to the UN, Ri Tong Il, addresses journalists outside the N. Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, on March 2, 2017

On Thursday a senior North Korean diplomat leading a delegation to Kuala Lumpur reiterated Pyongyangs assertion that Kim had died of a heart attack, dismissing the use of a nerve agent, and urged Malaysia to release his body.

Police chief Khalid quashed the claims.

"Our investigations supported by expert reports confirmed that Kim was murdered. North Korea can say what they like but the facts remain," he told national news agency Bernama.

Malaysia on Friday also stepped up its criticism of the use of the banned nerve agent, condemning "the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances".

"Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," the foreign ministry said, adding that the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was helping it investigate.
Nepalese women Pabitra Giri (L) and Yum Kumari Giri sit by a fire as they live in a Chhaupadi hut during their menstruation period, in Surkhet District, some 520 km west of Kathmandu

The small thatched hut in western Nepal has no walls to keep out the cold. Inside is a raised platform where Pabitra Giri sleeps during her period, banished from her home by a centuries-old Hindu ritual.

Below the hut, known as a chhau goth, Giri lights a small fire to keep her warm. The smoke rises up to the small cramped area where she sleeps, making her eyes water.

"We think that if we don't follow chhaupadi bad things will happen and if we do, it (the gods) will favour us. I feel it does good, so I follow it during my periods," Giri, 23, explained.

"Now I am used to it. I used to be afraid in the beginning because I was away from my family during dark nights and the place is like this," Giri said gesturing around her.

The practice is linked to Hinduism and considers women untouchable when they menstruate.

They are banished from the home -- barred from touching food, religious icons, cattle and men -- and forced into a monthly exile sleeping in basic huts.

Nepalese woman Pabitra Giri checks her mobile phone inside a Chhaupadi hut during her menstruation period, in Surkhet District, some 520 km west of Kathmandu

In some areas, women are also made to spend up to a month in the chhau goth after they have given birth.

Two women recently died while following chhaupadi -- one of smoke inhalation after she lit a fire for warmth, while the other death is unexplained. These incidents have spurred fresh impetus to end the practice.

Chhaupadi was banned a decade ago, but new legislation currently before parliament will criminalise the practice, making it an imprisonable offence to force women to follow the ritual.

"Women were accepting chhaupadi as tradition. After defining chhaupadi an offence by law the tradition will be discouraged saving rights and lives of many women," Krishna Bhakta Pokhrel, a lawmaker pushing the bill, told AFP.

- For the gods -

Nepalese women Pabitra Giri (L) and Yum Kumari Giri prepare to have dinner outside their house during their menstruation period, in Surkhet District, some 520 km west of Kathmandu

But previous attempts to stop chhaupadi have failed to address the deep superstitious beliefs that underpin it.

Even in the capital Kathmandu, three in four homes practise some form of restriction on women during their periods, usually banning them from the kitchen and prayer room, said Pema Lhaki, a women's right activist who has campaigned for years to end chhaupadi.

Most attempts to end the ritual have focused on destroying the chhau goths but that hasn't stopped women being banned from their homes -- instead, in some areas, it has seen women forced to sleep in even more rudimentary huts or even outside, Lhaki said.

"Until we make the woman herself make the decision, the destruction of menstrual huts is more for external purposes. The menstrual huts should remain. Success is when they remain but they don't go into them," she said, accusing the government of encouraging the chhau goth to be destroyed to meet quotas set by international donors.

In a village a few miles from where Giri lives, Khagisara Regmi is considering building a chhau goth.

Nepalese shaman Keshar Giri (C) talks to AFP in Surkhet District, some 520 km west of Kathmandu

After her husband died eight years ago, the 40-year-old found it too difficult to follow chhaupadi -- which would bar her from cooking or touching her son when she was menstruating -- while bringing up her four young children.

But a few years ago, her only son started having fits. When a nearby hospital failed to cure them, Regmi turned to the local shaman who told her that her son's seizures where because she hadn't followed the ancient ritual.

"Because I didn't observe purity the gods were displeased. It wasn't favourable for my son," she said.

It is often the village shamans -- who fill a void left by woefully poor medical services in rural Nepal -- and the elderly who are the guardians of the ritual.

Sabitra Giri, 70, defiantly told AFP that the Maoists during Nepal's brutal civil war tried to end chhaupadi as part of an anti-religion drive -- but failed.

"You can cut me but while I'm alive this practice will continue," she said.

At a house on the edge of the village, shaman Keshar Giri, clad head to toe in white, explained that many illnesses were caused by women not following chhaupadi.

He often counselled women to follow the ritual if they came to him with problems, he said.

"It is not about individuals but the gods that we worship who ask women to not be near for those few days," he said.

"Its for the sake of the gods."
Balinese Hindu local security 'Pecalang' stand guard during a rehearsal ahead of the arrival of Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz, in Nusa Dua, on March 3, 2017

Luxury hotels have been booked out and security forces deployed across Bali as the resort island geared up Friday for the arrival of Saudi King Salman on the latest leg of his extravagant Indonesian tour.

Hundreds of top-end cars and SUVs are ready to transport the king, who arrives Saturday, and his vast entourage, while 396 tons of equipment have been flown in to the popular holiday island for the visit.

Salman is leading a 1,000-strong delegation, including princes and ministers, on the first visit by a Saudi Arabian monarch to the world's most populous Muslim-majority country in almost half a century.

He arrived in Jakarta Wednesday for a state visit to an elaborate welcome. After disembarking from his plane on a escalator, he was whisked in a convoy past cheering crowds and greeted at a presidential palace by a 21-gun salute and marching band.

He will spend a week on Bali, a Hindu-majority island famed for its palm-fringed beaches. Police said five luxury hotels have been booked around the upmarket Nusa Dua resort area for the monarch and his party.

Local media reported that among the king's baggage were his own luxury sofa and an 80-inch (200-centimetre) television to ensure he feels at home in his hotel.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdul Aziz (L) applauds next to parliament speaker Setyo Novanto, at the parliament in Jakarta, on March 2, 2017

About 2,500 police and military personnel, including snipers and bomb disposal experts, are being deployed around the island. The king's party will use 360 vehicles, including Mercedes, SUVs and buses, during the visit, according to local tourism official I Ketut Ardana.

Intelligence agency officials have checked over several tourist sites that Salman and his entourage might like to visit, including the sacred temple of Uluwatu and the island's cultural centre, Ubud.

"It is our obligation to ensure the safety of our guests and make them feel comfortable here," Bali senior police official Made Sudana told AFP.

Indonesia is one of the highlights on the king's three-week Asian tour, which is seeking investment opportunities as the country aims to diversify its economy away from oil.

He began the tour in Malaysia earlier this week and is also scheduled to visit Japan, China and the Maldives.
Bike rental costs can be as low as 1 yuan (15 US cents) per hour and the bikes can be left anywhere for the next user to come along

Shanghai has impounded thousands of brightly coloured bikes placed on city streets by cycle-sharing companies, in the latest sign of impatience with an explosion of the haphazardly-parked two-wheelers.

The bike-sharing sector has become one of the fastest-growing industries in the country, with users typically renting the bicycles for short periods by first unlocking them through the use of mobile phone apps.

Costs can be as low as 1 yuan (15 US cents) per hour and the bikes can be left anywhere for the next user to come along.

While hailed as a way to fight road traffic and pollution, the phenomenon has become viewed as a nuisance in some communities, with bikes often parked outside of designated parking areas, left in the middle of sidewalks or even on freeways.

Row upon row of mostly orange and silver bikes from the company Mobike sat collecting dust in a massive parking lot in Shanghai's Huangpu district near the city's famed riverfront Bund area.

They had been rounded up by a private firm hired by the government to oversee bicycle parking.

The bikes began to accumulate over the past month, said a woman whose balcony overlooks the crowded storage lot, declining to give her name.

Hundreds of thousands of bikes have been placed in dozens of Chinese cities

A Huangpu district government spokeswoman said shared bikes are not exempt from parking rules.

"Any vehicles that violate parking regulations will be impounded. It's the same for everyone," she said.

Mobike said in a statement that it was in touch with authorities and seeking to clarify what it called a "misunderstanding" by the company hired to round up the bikes.

The bike-share concept has attracted huge amounts of venture capital investment for key players Mobike and Ofo, who have funnelled that money into placing hundreds of thousands of bikes in dozens of Chinese cities.

China's state-run Xinhua news agency said Thursday that over the past two years more than 29 different providers have sprung up, placing more than three million bikes on streets around the country.

Impounded bicycles from the bike-sharing schemes Mobike and Ofo

A community in Beijing called Mentougou impounded hundreds of share bikes for similar reasons last month.

It later returned them to their providers.

More than 500 bicycles were dumped in huge piles on the streets of the southern city of Shenzhen in January, with images of the nearly three-metre-high jumbled stacks going viral.
Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel review a guard of honour in Tunis, on March 3, 2017

German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a new agreement with Tunisia on tackling illegal migration during a visit Friday, following tensions over the case of the Tunisian suspect in the Berlin market attack.

Merkel, on a two-day trip to North Africa that also included a stop in Egypt, said Germany and Tunisia had agreed on faster repatriations for rejected asylum seekers and job training for Tunisians.

The German leader, who faces elections in September, is under pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to her country, which has taken in more than one million migrants since 2015.

Merkel, who also addressed Tunisia's parliament, has urged North African states to step up border controls and expedite procedures to repatriate migrants whose asylum applications are rejected.

Germany has said Tunisian bureaucratic delays meant it could not expel Anis Amri, the suspect in the truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market that killed 12 people, even though his asylum application had been rejected six months earlier.

Merkel said the two countries had agreed that questions from Germany on the identities of Tunisian asylum seekers will be answered within 30 days.

"We will also help Tunisia to set up a registration system. Replacement passports are then meant to be issued within one week," she said at a joint news conference with President Beji Caid Essebsi.

Tens of thousands of asylum seekers use Tunisia and Libya as a launchpad to gain entry into Europe

This agreement "will satisfy Tunisia and will satisfy Germany", Essebsi said, adding that it concerned about 1,500 Tunisians whose residency requests have been turned down by Germany.

"Measures will be taken in the Tunisian consulates in Germany to help in their identification," he added.

Merkel's talks also covered ways to respond to years of instability exploited by people smugglers in neighbouring Libya, where winter departures on perilous boat crossings to Europe have spiked.

"We know the political situation in Libya is difficult," she said, welcoming Tunisia's efforts to help resolve the turmoil.

"No-one is more interested in political stability in Libya than its neighbours, but I'll say, because of the migration issue, it's also important for us Europeans."

- Aid funding pledge -

The migrants issue had already been contentious in Germany where sexual assaults by large groups of mostly North African men on New Year's Eve 2015-16 against women in Cologne provoked outrage.

Tunisian asylum seeker Anis Amri killed 12 people when he drove a hijacked truck through a Berlin Christmas market on December 19

Merkel's interior minister floated an idea for North African countries to build holding centres for returned migrants, but it was rejected by Merkel's centre-left coalition partners and rights groups.

The visit was also a chance for Merkel to pledge support for a country often hailed as a rare success story of the Arab Spring uprisings that shook the region and toppled autocrats including longtime Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has passed a new constitution and held free parliamentary and presidential elections.

But the nation faces high unemployment, social tensions and the threat from jihadists who have killed dozens of soldiers and police as well as civilians including 59 foreign tourists.

Speaking in Tunis, Merkel announced 250 million euros ($264 million) in development aid.

"The funds are for rural development, small and medium enterprises, but mainly for youths... who especially need job training and employment opportunities," she said.

- 'Beacon of hope' -

She later told parliament that Tunisia is a "beacon of hope" for Europe, praising both the pro-democracy protests and the country's subsequent managing of the "rocky path" to democracy.

"The fact that you as a freely elected democratic parliament exist is a legacy of the great courage of the citizens of your country," Merkel said.

"Tunisia is going its way, and your country, as a young democracy, can bank on our full support and cooperation, politically, economically and socially."

Merkel, who left for home later Friday, had also planned a trip to Algeria last week but it was called off after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika fell ill.

Her North Africa visits were part of a larger diplomatic push which took her last year to Mali, Niger and Ethiopia.

Germany, which this year holds the G20 presidency, has also announced investment partnerships in Africa with the long-term goals of reducing poverty and deterring people from leaving.

Merkel was joined on her trip by a business delegation that could bring much-needed investments.
UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria Staffan de Mistura shows a picture during a press conference as part of the Intra-Syrian peace talks at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, on March 3, 2017

The Syrian regime and opposition have agreed a "clear agenda" to seek to end the country's six-year-old war, the UN mediator said Friday at the end of sometimes fractious and slow-moving talks in Geneva.

Veteran envoy Staffan de Mistura said he hopes to invite both sides back to Geneva later this month for a new round of talks, which will include the issue of counter-terrorism at the request of Damascus.

"The train is ready, it is in the station, it is warming up the engine. Everything is ready, it just needs an accelerator," he said at the end of nine days of talks in the Swiss city.

"I believe that we have a clear agenda now in front of us," he told reporters, adding: "We did discuss procedure, .. but we also discussed substance."

- Seventh year of war -

More than 310,000 people have been killed in Syria's six-year civil war

The Geneva negotiations, the first since last April, were the latest effort to seek to end a conflict that began in March 2011 with protests against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Its seventh year begins on March 15.

Since then more than 310,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have fled the country, fuelling instability in neighbouring countries and creating Europe's biggest migrant crisis since World War II.

The warring Syrian sides have been joined in Geneva by envoys of key parties including notably Russia, a major ally of Damascus.

But as in previous talks the focus was almost exclusively on the agenda.

Under UN Security Council Resolution 2254 they should be framed in three "baskets" or areas of discussion: governance, constitution and elections.

But Damascus pushed hard for counter-terrorism strategy to be added to the agenda, against fierce resistance from the opposition who said the Syrian regime was "stalling" the talks to avoid engaging with political transition.

- Astana, Geneva talks -

Syria's main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) leader Nasr al-Hariri gives a press conference next to delegates during the Intra-Syrian peace talks at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, on March 3, 2017

The Geneva peace talks are running in parallel with negotiations in Astana, Kazakhstan, which are focussed on maintaining a fragile ceasefire brokered in December.

A new Astana meeting is expected to take place before the next Geneva talks. "Astana and Geneva are complementing themselves, and reinforcing each other," said the UN envoy.

The main opposition High Negotiating Committee (HNC) said the latest Geneva talks were "more positive" than previous rounds.

"We are closing this round without (a) clear result... but I can say this time was more positive," HNC delegation chief Nasr al-Hariri told reporters.

"It was first time we discussed in an acceptable depth the issues of the future of Syria and political transition," he added after the talks, the fourth mediated by de Mistura.

Manbij Military Council forces, part of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), drive a humvee as they patrol the surrounding roads of in the northern Syrian town of Manbij on March 3, 2017

The antagonism has been clear in briefings after each session of talks with de Mistura, with the Syrian regime delegation chief Bashar al-Jaafari lashing out at "terrorists" in the HNC.

The HNC meanwhile lamented the lack of a genuine "partner for peace".

The talks had hardly begun last weekend when they were rocked by a suicide assault which killed dozens in Syria's third city Homs, triggerig a demand from al-Jaafari that terrorism be made a "priority" in Geneva.

- No direct talks yet -

Speaking at the end of the talks, the UN mediator conceded that for the moment face-to-face talks are unlikely. "We will pursue that when we feel the moment is right," he said.

But he held up a photograph of the opening ceremony of the talks last Thursday, when both sides gathered in the same room, albeit only to hear a welcome address by de Mistura.

"This picture is much more than iconic. It is highly symbolic. This was a very special moment," he said, adding: "A psychological barrier was broken".

And he added: "I know there are still people in Syria who still believe that there is a military option or a military solution.

"That is fantasy," he said, adding that only a "political solution that addresses the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people" would ultimately prevail.
The Belvedere Zoo in Tunis has been in need of maintenance for years and will increase security to stop stone-throwing visitors

A zoo in the Tunisian capital where visitors stoned a crocodile to death is to close temporarily, the local affairs and environment ministry said Friday.

It will close its gates from Monday for "emergency cleaning and maintenance works and to set up measures to manage visitors entering and exiting", the ministry said.

The public was up in arms this week after the municipality posted gory pictures of the reptile, which it said died of an internal haemorrhage after being stoned by visitors.

The images on Facebook showed the dead animal's head next to what appeared to be a bloodied paving slab and another large rock.

Environment Minister Riadh Mouakher has decided to "increase the number of guards and deploy three environmental police agents" at the zoo, the ministry said.

Tunisia aims to introduce the environmental police nationwide from April.

The capital's Belvedere Zoo has been in need of maintenance for years, and social media users have called on authorities to save its scrawny lions from cramped living conditions and stone-throwing visitors.

Pictures of the zoo filled with litter last year caused an outcry on social media.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Chancellor Angela Merkel is planning to hold her first meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on March 14, a German government source told AFP Friday.

"Such a plan is in the works," the source said. Separately, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said that "we are not denying" reports of the planned meeting.

While former US president Barack Obama had labelled Merkel an "outstanding partner", there has been little known contact between the German leader and Trump since he took office.

Following Trump's shock election, Merkel reminded the billionaire of democratic values in their first phone conversation.

Any "close cooperation" must be on the basis of the "values of democracy, freedom, respect for the rule of law and human dignity, regardless of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political belief," she said then.

Merkel has also criticised Trump's decision seeking to ban citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.

In turn, Trump has been a strident critic of Merkel's liberal refugee policy that has led more than a million asylum seekers to come to Germany since 2015.
Iraqi forces launched an operation to retake west Mosul, the largest population centre still held by the Islamic State group, on February 19

Seven people, among them five children, have been hospitalised over the past two days near Iraq's Mosul with injuries from chemical weapons, the Red Cross said on Friday.

The Islamic State jihadist group, which holds the majority of west Mosul, has periodically used rudimentary chemical weapons in the course of its more than two-year war with Iraqi forces.

"During the past two days, the hospital has admitted five children and two women showing clinical symptoms consistent with an exposure to a blistering chemical agent," Robert Mardini, the Red Cross Middle East director, said in a statement, referring to a facility near Mosul.

"The use of chemical weapons is absolutely prohibited under international humanitarian law. We are deeply alarmed by what our colleagues have seen, and we strongly condemn any use of chemical weapons, by any party, anywhere," Mardini said.

The statement did not specify whether the seven were injured in one or more attacks, how the chemical weapons were delivered, or who was responsible.

Several Iraqi military officers said they did not have information about recent chemical weapons attacks in the Mosul area.

IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes and other support have since regained much of the ground they lost to the jihadists.

IS has periodically used chemical weapons in the course of the conflict, but while this has garnered widespread attention, the jihadists' bullets and bombs are far deadlier weapons.

Iraqi forces launched an operation to retake west Mosul, the largest population centre still held by the jihadists, on February 19.
Vandalized stones are scattered at Stone Road or Waad Hakolel Cemetery in Rochester, New York on March 3, 2017

More than 100 bomb threats against US Jewish organizations and the desecration of three Jewish cemeteries are stoking fears of a rise of anti-Semitism, with some analysts blaming the politics of the Trump era.

On Friday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested former journalist Juan Thompson over a handful of the bomb threats, saying he made them to frame an ex-girlfriend in what they called a revenge case rather than a hate crime.

But that left unsolved more than 100 other threats made since the beginning of the year, some of which forced the evacuation of Jewish community centers (JCC) and schools.

The Anti-Defamation League has tabulated a total of 121 threats reported since January 1, labelling them an "epidemic."

Unlike Thompson's emailed threats, the majority were made by a person or people by telephone using voice-masking, automated calling and spoofing technologies to hide their identity and location.

All proved to be hoaxes and no one has been injured.

(L-R) Richard Markus, Sidney Markus (C)and Sandy Rosenthal look at a vandalized gravestone at Stone Road or Waad Hakolel Cemetery in Rochester, New York on March 3, 2017

But on February 16, police in South Carolina arrested a man allegedly tied to white supremacist groups for allegedly planning to attack a synagogue.

Law enforcement authorities are meanwhile investigating attacks on Jewish cemeteries in three cities which saw hundreds of gravestones tumbled and broken.

The latest took place in Rochester, New York late Wednesday.

"Just because there's been an arrest today doesn't mean that threats have disappear or will stop," Evan Bernstein, New York regional director for the Anti-Defamation League -- also a target of the bomb threats -- told a press conference Friday.

"There are many more JCC bomb threats that have not been solved... and we hope all law enforcement will continue to be diligent."

- 'Normalization' of anti-Semitism? -

The bomb threats to Jewish community centers

Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama, which tracks racist and hate groups, said it is too early to say whether there is a real upsurge in anti-Semitic activity in the United States.

According to the ADL, there were more than 900 anti-Jewish incidents reported across the country in 2015.

But Potok says that the rise of Donald Trump to the White House has encouraged extreme right, neo-Nazi groups and boosted the confidence of activists with racist agendas.

A number of Trump advisors, particularly his chief strategist Steve Bannon, have had links to right-wing groups.

Bannon was previously head of Breitbart, which has been accused of being a focal point for the so-called "alt-right" -- an amorphous movement that comprises white nationalists, racists, anti-Semites, and anti-immigrant Americans who in large part fell in line behind the Trump campaign.

"Anti-Semitism is pervasive in the American radical right," Potok said.

"People feel the Trump campaign has brought their ideas into the mainstream.... This surge of anti-Semitic incidents reflects the normalization of these ideas."

He said the same force is behind the alleged torching of four Muslim mosques across the United States since the beginning of the year.

- Cyberstalking case -

People demonstrate at a Stand Against Hate rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 2, 2017

Investigations into the bomb threats have involved the Justice Department's anti-terror and hate crimes units. However, Thompson's case did not appear inspired by anti-Semitism or involve any racist group.

The 31-year-old African American, arrested Friday morning in St Louis, was blamed for eight emailed threats to Jewish organizations that were meant to implicate his former, white girlfriend.

The ADL said it had been monitoring Thompson's online activities, which it said had been strongly critical of white people.

He was charged with just one count of cyberstalking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

- Trump's role? -

President Donald Trump condemned the threats and vandalism, but earlier, Trump suggested the acts were aimed not at Jews but at making others look bad politically, according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro

The Jewish community has been nonplussed by the lack of a consistent and categoric denunciation of anti-Semitic acts from Trump.

Kenneth Stern, head of the Justus and Karin Rosenberg Foundation, which combats anti-Semitism, said the surge of anti-Semitic acts takes place in a "larger environment of xenophobia and racism engendered by Trump's political rise.

"The white supremacists felt empowered during and after the election," he said.

"What's different here is that, in the last few decades, you would have political leaders that reflexively, without prompting, react and condemn this."

On Tuesday, Trump did condemn the threats and vandalism in a speech before Congress.

Such acts "remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms," he said.

But earlier that day, according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Trump told a group of state prosecutors that some of the threats could be "the reverse," implying they were not real anti-Jewish acts, but fake threats aimed at making others look bad politically.

Shapiro told NPR radio Thursday that such mixed messages from the president "stokes doubt" in the public about what is going on.

"I don't know what the president meant," he said. "But here's what I know, is that presidents must speak with moral clarity, not through mixed messages.... And this kind of wishy-washy speech leaves too much open to interpretation by the wrong people."
According to the UN, more than 440 people have died or gone missing in January and February while crossing to Europe from Libya in the depths of winter

The Libyan navy said it rescued 115 migrants Friday headed for Europe whose overloaded rubber boat was sinking off the coast near Tripoli, and that another 25 people were missing.

"We rescued 115 illegal immigrants, six of them women, all African nationals except for a Bangladeshi," navy spokesman General Ayoub Qassem told AFP.

Qassem said the survivors told of 140 passengers on board the boat that had run into problems on Thursday night after setting off from a beach east of the capital.

"Our search for the missing was unsuccessful," he said.

The navy and coastguard had responded to a distress call from the migrants aboard the boat that was "taking on water and about to sink", Qassem said.

Italy's coastguard said 970 migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast Thursday, as the numbers trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe continue to rise.

More than 13,400 people had already reached Italy so far this year -- an increase of 50 to 70 percent compared with 2016 and 2015.

According to the United Nations, more than 440 people have died or gone missing in January and February while crossing from Libya in the depths of winter.

Six years after the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi, Libya is still in chaos and the country has become a major launching pad for migrants seeking to enter Europe.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was in neighbouring Tunisia on Friday where she announced a new agreement with the North African country on tackling illegal migration.

Her talks in Tunis also covered ways to respond to the instability exploited by people smugglers in Libya.
Migrant arrivals in Italy from Libya are up by between 57 and 81 percent this year in comparison to the opening two months of 2015 and 2016

The number of migrants rescued at sea this year in operations run by Italy's coastguard topped 15,000 Friday after another 900 people were saved, including eight-month-old Syrian twins and five other babies.

The latest operations confirm the pattern of a sharp upward spike in winter departures from troubled Libya.

Aid groups believe the exodus is being driven by worsening living conditions for migrants in the north African state and by fears the sea route to Europe could soon be closed to traffickers.

Migrant arrivals in Italy from its former colony are up by between 57 and 81 percent this year in comparison to the opening two months of 2015 and 2016, according to Italian interior ministry figures.

The coastguard said 10 rescue operations had taken place on Friday to help migrants aboard four large rubber dinghies and six smaller wooden vessels.

Norway's Siem Pilot, part of the European border agency Frontex's mission, and the Aquarius, operated by French NGO SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders (MSF), carried out the rescue operations.

Amid relatively calm seas, there were no reports of fresh casualties. The United Nations refugee agency estimates 440 people have lost their lives trying to make the crossing from Libya to Italy since the start of 2017.

- Smoking humour -

More than half a million migrants have reached Italy from Libya since the current migrant crisis began to spiral out of control at the end of 2013.

The vast majority of them have been Africans but the latest batches have included scores of Syrians and Bangladeshis.

Migrants and refugees sit on a rubber boat during a rescue operation of the Topaz Responder, a rescue ship run by Maltese NGO "Moas" and the Italian Red Cross with the help of the Libyan coastguards, off the Libyan coast in November 2016

Crew on the Aquarius told AFP that the people it had picked up included 16 nationalities, including a Syrian family of six with the two twin babies.

They were among seven less than one-year-old infants rescued by the Aquarius, which also saved 12 toddlers aged one to four.

Tom Kington, a reporter for British newspaper The Times, was onboard the NGO-operated boat and recounted a lighter moment in the day's dramatic events.

"Syrian man with sense of humour picked up today on #Aquarius when told he couldn't smoke: 'I want to go back to Libya'" Kington posted on Twitter.

One of the Syrian survivors, who only wanted to be identified as M., told the crew that he had been living in Libya for three years before deciding he had to try and get to Europe, where he has a brother living in Germany.

"My family is still in the region of Aleppo. I called them yesterday before leaving," the 35-year-old English teacher said.

- 'Only the blacks' -

"In Libya, it is a catastrophic situation, the militias, no money, no government, wars between two cities... I think that by the end of this year, there will not be any Syrians left in Libya," he said.

"Myself, I was hoping to return to Syria, but I couldn't. I had no other choice."

A Bangladeshi, J., said conditions in Libya were worse than those he and his compatriots had fled.

"We all have left Bangladesh because of violence and poverty, the situation is very bad there," said the former Dhaka resident.

"But Libya is definitely worse. You can't go to the market without fear of being shot."

This photo taken on October 27, 2016 shows a rescuer standing up as migrants and refugees sit beside him on board of the Topaz Responder, a rescue ship run by Maltese NGO MOAS during its arrival at the Brindisi's harbour

A survivor from Cameroon said black Africans were even more vulnerable.

"The Libyans sell people. You don't even realise at first that it is a kidnapping, someone tells you to go there for work but then if you ask to be paid for your work they threaten to kill you.

"The situation is very bad. When they see a black, they will take him, call his family to send money. Only the blacks, not the other people. The only way out of it is to escape. You always have to hide when you're black in Libya."
Syria's main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) leader Nasr al-Hariri gives a press conference next to delegates during the Intra-Syrian peace talks at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, on March 3, 2017

More than a week of UN-sponsored peace talks ended in Geneva on Friday, the main opposition group said, calling the results "more positive" than previous rounds.

"We are closing this round without (a) clear result... but I can say this time was more positive," Nasr al-Hariri, delegation chief for the High Negotiating Committee (HNC), told reporters.

"It was first time we discussed in an acceptable depth the issues of the future of Syria and political transition," he added after the talks, the fourth mediated by UN envoy Staffan de Mistura.

As in previous rounds, Syrian regime and opposition negotiators did not meet face-to-face, with de Mistura shuttling between the delegations.

The talks were focussed on the agenda, rather than getting into the substance of negotiations, with three main "baskets" or areas of discussion: governance, the constitution and elections.

The Syrian regime has tried to get counter-terrorism onto the agenda, while the opposition wants more focus on political transition, specifically the fate of President Bashar al-Assad.

"The international silence must come to an end. The international community must speak out .. to put an end to the ongoing massacres that have been taking place in Syria for six years now," said al-Hariri.

Manbij Military Council forces, part of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), drive a humvee as they patrol the surrounding roads of in the northern Syrian town of Manbij on March 3, 2017

The Geneva negotiations, the first since last April, are aimed at ending a conflict that began in March 2011 with protests against Assad. Its seventh year begins on March 15.

Since then more than 310,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have fled the country, fuelling instability in neighbouring countries and creating Europe's biggest migrant crisis since World War II.

The warring Syrian sides have been joined in Geneva by envoys of key parties including notably Russia, a major ally of Damascus.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, pictured in February 2017, will be visiting Kenya, a key country in the peace efforts taking place in Somalia and South Sudan

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will travel to Kenya on Sunday for talks with leaders on regional issues, his spokesman said Friday, as South Sudan and Somalia face famine.

Somalia is facing the threat of a famine while parts of northern South Sudan are already suffering from starvation.

Kenya is a key player in peace efforts in Somalia and has agreed to contribute troops to a new UN regional force for South Sudan.

Guterres, who took the UN helm in January, is pushing for a new strategy to end South Sudan's three-year war.
Manbij Military Council forces, part of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), prepare to head to the frontlines on the outskirts of the northern Syrian town of Manbij on March 3, 2017

US soldiers aboard Humvee armoured vehicles have been watching from a distance as two of their allies, Turkish-backed forces and a Kurd-Arab alliance, battle it out for control of Manbij in northern Syria.

An AFP correspondent on Friday saw the American soldiers on patrol north of the city of Manbij, just miles from the fierce clashes taking place further west.

Turkish forces and allied Syrian rebels have tried since Wednesday to capture Manbij, a former bastion of the Islamic State group, now under the control of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance.

The SDF is dominated by fighters known as the Turkish People's Protection Units (YPG) which Ankara brands as "terrorists".

Turkey launched a military campaign inside Syria in August, backing opposition rebels who captured a number of towns from IS jihadists, including Al-Bab near the Turkish border.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week said the next target would be Manbij, in Aleppo province.

And on Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu threatened to strike the YPG unless they pull out of the northern city.

On Friday, fighters from the SDF were on high alert in a farm near Arima, a village located half-way between Al-Bab and Manbij.

Heavy fighting and bombardment could be heard in the distance.

Serhaldan, a Kurdish commander who only gave his first name, told AFP that fighters from the Turkish-backed "Euphrates Shield" campaign "have attacked our forces but we repelled them".

He said the Turkish forces and their allies were using mortar rounds and heavy weapons as well as multiple rocket launchers.

The US-led "coalition is not helping us", he said, pointing towards the area of combat.

- 'High level coordination' -

Coalition aircraft have in the past carried out air strikes against IS and other jihadists in Syria, and provided cover for SDF forces in the past.

But on Friday, the AFP correspondent said no aircraft could be seen over the area.

Manbij Military Council forces, part of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), drive a humvee as they patrol the surrounding roads of in the northern Syrian town of Manbij on March 3, 2017

Last week, General Joseph Votel, who heads US Central Command (Centcom), made a secret visit to northern Syria where he met with SDF leaders.

According to a senior source in the SDF, "Votel confirmed the coalition's commitment to protecting Manbij from any attacks waged by Turkey or supported by it, as part of its previous commitment to protecting the area."

But Votel's spokesman, Colonel John Thomas, said that, while the general supported a peaceful transition of Manbij to a "thriving city", he did not say if the US would stop any Turkish move towards it.

The United States has special operations forces advising the SDF on the ground in Syria, but no combat units.

Sherfan Darwish, spokesman of the Manbij Military Council which is part of the SDF, tried to play down the absence of US forces in Manbij.

"The coalition is on patrol along the Sarjur river (north of Manbij) and there is coordination with the coalition at the highest level," Darwish told AFP.

"All our fighters in Manbij were trained by the Americans," he added.
The office of Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall, pictured here in March 2011, was unable to show receipts proving that $2.85 million of funds for rice and millet had been spent correctly

The mayor of Senegal's capital is facing a judicial probe into the disappearance of 1.83 billion CFA francs ($2.85 million) in city funds, the country's top prosecutor said Friday.

Khalifa Sall, a member of the coalition of ruling parties, has run Dakar since 2009 and has been seen as a probable contender in the 2019 presidential elections.

His office was unable to show receipts proving that funds earmarked for purchasing rice and millet for the city's population had been spent correctly, chief prosecutor Serigne Bassirou Gueye said.

"Next week I will refer to the judge of the court the case of Dakar city council regarding misappropriation of public funds, forgery and the use of forged documents," he said, before naming Sall specifically.

The money had been "taken from (city) coffers" over the last six years, Gueye said.

Almost half of the Senegalese population lives below the poverty line and many require assistance to feed their families.

Sall had repeatedly denied any malfeasance after a government monitor published a report raising a flag about missing funds.

Senegal is widely seen as one of Africa's most stable democracies.

But accusations of corruption have hit the brother of President Macky Sall -- who is unrelated to Khalifa Sall -- and plagued ministers in the administration of former president Abdoulaye Wade.
US-backed Manbij Military Council forces are seen March 3, 2017 as they patrol an area near Manbij, which has has become the center of geopolitical intrigue as multiple international powers with competing goals home in on the area

Russia and Syrian regime forces are moving "humanitarian" convoys carrying military equipment into the former Islamic State group's bastion of Manbij in northern Syria, the US Defense Department said Friday.

The move would likely make it more difficult for Turkish troops to strike Syrian Kurdish forces if they did not withdraw from Manbij.

"We have noticed and observed and are aware of the fact that these humanitarian convoys sponsored by the regime (of President Bashar al-Assad) and Russia have been moving into Manbij and that they have some armored equipment with them," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said.

He said the military equipment included "up-armored vehicles" and another defense official said the materiel appeared to be for "force protection."

Manbij has become the center of geopolitical intrigue extending beyond the fight against the Islamic State, as multiple international powers with competing goals home in on the area.

The United States is backing a Kurdish-Arab alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to fight IS, and these fighters pushed the jihadists from Manbij last year.

Around the same time, Turkey crossed into northern Syria and joined the anti-IS fight, while also working to keep in check the Kurdish fighters, which it views as terrorists.

Turkey threatened Thursday to strike the Syrian Kurdish militia forces if they did not withdraw from Manbij.

Russian and Syrian regime troops entering Manbij might be beneficial for the United States, as it could stop Turkey and Kurdish forces -- both of whom are US allies -- from fighting there.

"All I would say is we just continue to want to see all parties on the ground continue to focus (on IS)," Davis said.

He added that Russia had informed the United States about the convoys ahead of time through a special hotline.
Uber is one of the largest investor-backed start-ups with a valuation estimated at $68 billion

Uber on Friday acknowledged the use of a secret software program to steer drivers away from trouble, including sting operations by local authorities to catch lawbreakers.

In the latest in a streak of damaging news for the ridesharing giant, Uber came forward about its "Greyball" software after a New York Times report which said the program aimed to deceive authorities in markets around the world.

According to an Uber statement, the tool was used in cities where it was not banned from operating, and the main intent was to protect drivers from disruption by competitors using the smartphone application to interfere instead of summon legitimate rides.

"This program denies ride requests to fraudulent users who are violating our terms of service," an Uber spokesperson said in an email reply to an AFP inquiry.

"Whether that's people aiming to physically harm drivers, competitors looking to disrupt our operations, or opponents who collude with officials on secret 'stings' meant to entrap drivers."

Uber said the program was used in locations where drivers feared for their safety, and "rarely" to avoid law enforcement.

The New York Times report, which said Greyball was used in several countries, cited interviews with current and former employees whose names were cloaked.

The report said Greyball was part of a broader program created to reveal people trying to us Uber in "violation of terms of service" and had the blessing of the company's legal team.

According to the report, the program raised ethical and potential concerns, and had been a closely guarded secret in Uber's toolbox as it expanded around the world, clashing with regulators and traditional taxi groups.

- 'Geofences' -

Data collected about agents of regulatory authorities was used by the software to "Greyball" them, or mark them as city officials, according to the Times.

Greyballed officials trying to use Uber would have rides cancelled and be shown fake versions of the app, complete with maps showing icons of ghost cars appearing to be on the move, the report said.

Tactics used included identifying locations of government offices and then making them off-limits with "geofences" erected in mapping software, according to the Times.

Ways of figuring out which users might be regulators or police included checking whether credit cards used for accounts were linked to governments or police credit unions, the report said.

"Uber clearly lost its moral compass if it ever had one," entrepreneur and journalist John Battelle said in a Twitter post referring to the Greyball news.

- Adding to Uber woes -

The "Greyball" disclosure comes as accusations of sexism, cutthroat management, and a toxic work environment have Uber trying to pull its image out of a skid as competition revs in the on-demand ride market.

Uber chief Travis Kalanick this week apologized, acknowledging that "I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up," after a video showed him verbally abusing a driver for the service.

The incident, which circulated on social media, was another hit for the image of the global ridesharing giant, which faces accusations of sexual harassment and a lawsuit contending it misappropriated Google's self-driving car technology.

In the message to employees later, Kalanick wrote "To say that I am ashamed is an extreme understatement."

Uber is one of the largest investor-backed startups with a valuation estimated at $68 billion, and has operations in dozens of countries and hundreds of cities, even as it battles regulators and an established taxi industry.

Kalanick also faced criticism for agreeing to be part of a business advisory panel for President Donald Trump, but then quit the panel amid a campaign by Trump opponents to delete the Uber application.
Natalie Portman gave birth to a girl on March 3, 2017, six years after the birth of her first child Aleph

Hollywood star Natalie Portman has given birth to a girl, her representative said on Friday.

It is the second child for the 35-year-old Oscar-winning actress and her husband, French choreographer Benjamin Millepied, six years after the birth of their son Aleph.

"Natalie Portman and her husband Benjamin Millepied welcomed a baby girl, Amalia Millepied, on February 22. Mother and baby are happy and healthy," her representative said in a statement circulated to US media.

Portman attended the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards in January but skipped Sunday's Oscars, where she was nominated for best actress for her performance in "Jackie," about the late US First Lady Jackie Kennedy.

Critics raved about how accurately Portman managed to capture Kennedy's voice and personality.

Portman won a best actress Oscar for 2010's psychological ballet thriller "Black Swan," and it was on the set of the movie that she met Millepied.
A judge convicted a Chicago woman Thursday of first-degree murder for the horrific torture and strangulation death of her eight-year-old granddaughter.

Gizzell Ford, eight, was tied up and deprived of food and water for days while keeping track of the abuse in a journal later used as evidence.

Helen Ford, 55, could be sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 2013 slaying of the child. After the bench trial, Cook County Circuit Judge Evelyn Clay called the murder 'exceptionally brutal.'

Ford showed no emotion during the sentencing according to ABC7 News.

Helen Ford, 55, (right) was convicted of torturing and killing Gizzell Ford, 8, (left) in their Chicago home in 2013

'This murder was torture. That child suffered a slow and agonizing death,' Clay said as the victim's aunt sobbed in the packed courtroom. 'That little body looked like it had been pulverized from head to toe... Her treatment (of Gizzell) was evil.'

Eight months before Gizzell's death, a judge placed her in the custody of her father, Andre Ford, an unemployed felon who was living with his mother, Helen Ford, because of a chronic degenerative disease.

He also was charged in the girl's murder but died in Cook County Jail in August 2014 while awaiting trial.

The girl's father, Andre Ford, who died in jail in 2014, had been bedridden due to an autoimmune disease

Prosecutors in closing arguments cited the girl's journal entries before and after she moved in with the Fords.

'People say I'm smart, courageous and beautiful,' the honor roll student wrote when at the time she was a 'healthy, strong and vital' girl, prosecutors said. After she was taken to live with the Fords, her tone became more somber: 'I hate this life. I really think that I'm a jerk.'

On July 11, 2013, two days before her murder, Gizzy had written a journal entry stating: 'I hate this life because now I'm in super big trouble.'

Her body was discovered after a paramedic responded to a call of a girl who was having trouble breathing, the Chicago Tribune said.

When Ford blocked the woman from entering, the paramedic pushed through to find the Gizzell dead on the floor next to a bloody pillow.

Officials said the girl was found so badly beaten, most of the hair on the back of her head had been pulled out and medical examiners found maggots in a gaping head wound that had been left untreated.

Helen Ford (left) could be sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 2013 slaying of Gizzell Ford (right)

The apartment building where Gizzell lived with her grandmother and bedridden father

'She (Helen Ford) first broke her body, then she broke her spirit,' said Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer Coleman.

In asking for a conviction on involuntary manslaughter charges, Assistant Public Defender Jennifer Hodel said Helen Ford had 'too much on her plate' and only tied Gizzell up because she tried to attack her father and a cousin and tried to kill herself by jumping out the window.

'That was the way Helen was trying to keep order, if you will, in that home,' Hodel said.' Helen was overwhelmed. She was overworked. She was unable to overcome what was on her plate.'

Andre Ford had argued the girl's mother, Sandra Mercado, was homeless and failed to get their daughter to school regularly. Mercado was trying to regain custody of the girl at the time of her death. She has filed a lawsuit against the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, claiming a caseworker had visited the home where Gizzell was living and ignored obvious signs of abuse.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) - A mysterious odor at a Pennsylvania business park has sickened workers for the second time this week, sending several to the hospital with nausea and headaches.

About 400 people were made to leave businesses in Hanover Township just north of Bethlehem on Thursday morning.

Township Manager John Finnigan says five people went to the hospital with complaints of nausea and headaches.

By afternoon workers were being allowed back into the building.

The ordeal follows an odor complaint that caused evacuations and sent 31 people to hospitals for treatment of symptoms like vomiting and dizziness on Monday.

Finnigan says some complained of a gas smell when the heat turned on in the building Thursday.

Crews found no gas leak. Meters showed no signs of gases that could cause symptoms.
A rare clouded leopard's birth at the Nashville Zoo marks a milestone that could help rebuild the mysterious Asian cat's population, officials said Thursday.

The male cub is the first clouded leopard conceived through artificial insemination with frozen sperm, zoo officials said.

The birth is the result of a project between the Nashville Zoo and Smithsonian's National Zoo.

The father, named Hannibal, lives at the National Zoo in Washington. The mother, named Tula, was born and raised at the Nashville Zoo.

New arrival: A rare clouded leopard cub was born Wednesday at the Nashville Zoo. The cub is the first clouded leopard to be conceived through artificial insemination

Scientific breakthrough: The birth of the leopard cub is the result of a project between the Nashville Zoo and Smithsonian's National Zoo using artificial insemination

Hormones were used to induce ovulation in Tula, and semen was collected from Hannibal one week prior, Nashville Zoo officials said in a release.

'The team used a new technique depositing a very small volume of semen into the oviduct where the eggs normally rest after ovulation,' it said.

Dr. Heather Robertson, the director of veterinary services at the zoo, said in a statement: 'This is an enormous accomplishment for both Nashville Zoo and the team at the Smithsonian.

'It means we can collect and preserve semen from clouded leopard populations around the globe and improve pregnancy outcomes from AI procedures in this species.'

Clouded leopards are among the rarest of the world's cat species and have proved notoriously difficult to breed in captivity.

'It's been successful in other species,' Rick Schwartz, president of the Nashville Zoo, said of method of conception.

'But for some reason, clouded leopards just don't play by the same rules that other species do. It's probably the most difficult cat to breed in captivity.'

Pick a name: The cub, which was born Wednesday, has yet to be named. Nashville officials say the lead researchers at the National Zoo will name it

Hand-reared: The animal will be hand-raised by zookeepers in Nashville to ensure that it survives. It is seen in a photo taken by Amiee Stubbs

Zoo officials in Nashville and Washington hope the successful birth using the technique will increase the population of captive clouded leopards.

The cub, which was born Wednesday, has yet to be named.

Nashville officials say the lead researchers at the National Zoo will name it.

Dr. Adrienne Crosier with the Smithsonian Institute said in a statement: 'This cub, the first clouded leopard offspring produced with cryopreserved semen, is a symbol of how zoos and scientists can come together to make positive change for animals and preserving global biodiversity.

'Collaboration is the key to conservation of clouded leopards, along with so many other rare and endangered species we care for and study.'

The animal will be hand-raised by zookeepers in Nashville to ensure that it survives.

Nashville zoo officials said: 'This process also lowers animal stress for future hands-on care. The cub will stay at Nashville Zoo with plans to eventually introduce him to a potential mate.'

On Facebook, they wrote: 'because adult clouded leopards are known to be aggressive to potential mates to the point of severe injury or even death, clouded leopard cubs are hand raised to reduce parental predation as well as aggressiveness which allows us to pair breeding pairs at a young age.'
DALLAS (AP) - An immigration judge granted bond Thursday to a Salvadoran woman seeking asylum in the United States, allowing her to leave an immigration detention facility to seek treatment for a brain tumor.

Sara Beltran Hernandez's family in New York posted her $15,000 bond after the hearing and she was released late Thursday afternoon from the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, south of Fort Worth, an Amnesty International official said.

"She's going to get medical treatment hopefully in New York. She might get checked out here first to make sure she's OK to travel. Then she'll be treated there," Beltran Hernandez's lawyer, Fatma Marouf, said after the hearing in Dallas.

Dallas immigration attorney Fatma Marouf holds up a bond order in front of the federal building after leaving immigration court in Dallas, Thursday, March 2, 2017, from a federal immigration judge for Sara Beltran Hernandez, a Salvadoran woman seeking asylum. An immigration judge has granted bond to Hernandez so she can leave a detention facility to seek treatment for a brain tumor. (AP Photo/Claudia Lauer)

Amnesty officials said later Thursday that Beltran Hernandez was being seen by a doctor to make sure she would be OK to make the flight to New York.

Beltran Hernandez has been seeking asylum in the U.S. for almost a year and a half, saying she can't return to El Salvador because of the risk of domestic violence and threats of gang violence specific to her family. Beltran Hernandez has two small children in El Salvador who would be allowed to join her if she is granted asylum.

On Feb. 10, lawyers said Beltran Hernandez collapsed while talking to another detainee. Immigration agents took her to a Fort Worth-area hospital, where she was diagnosed with a brain tumor and remained for almost two weeks.

Her attorneys have said they had trouble visiting her and had difficulty reaching her by phone. Immigration and Custom Enforcement officials have said she was able to speak by phone with her family and her attorney of record while at the hospital.

Marouf said a specialist Monday confirmed that Beltran Hernandez has a large tumor on her pituitary gland. She said it was determined to not be cancerous and did not need to be immediately removed.

Marouf said the doctor recommended that the woman be monitored because the tumor had hemorrhaged, but was no longer bleeding, and that she return for scans every six weeks. She and the other attorneys said they were concerned that the necessary level of monitoring was not being done at the detention center's medical facility.

"I think she is just trying to absorb it all. I think she's going to be overwhelmingly happy to be with her family again. She really cries because she misses her family a lot," Marouf said.

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Follow Claudia Lauer on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ClaudiaLauer
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) - Five former Guatemalan army officers will face trial charged with the disappearance of a 14-year-old boy and the rape of his sister during the country's civil war.

Prosecutors say the 21-year-old woman was kidnapped in 1981 and taken to a military installation where she was tortured and sexually assaulted. She escaped eight days later.

The next day soldiers in civilian clothes went to her parents' home. She wasn't there so they took her brother, who was never heard from again.

A police officer frisks Benedicto Lucas Garcia, center, a former army commander before entering to a courtroom in Guatemala City, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Lucas Garcia and four other high-ranking military officers will stand trial for the kidnapping of 14-year-old boy Marco Antonio Molina Theissen and the illegal detention, torture and rape of his sister in 1981. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

A judge on Thursday ordered the trial to determine the defendants' responsibility.

Retired officer Hugo Ramiro Zaldana Rojas is one of the accused. He denied the allegations, calling them "revenge from the (political) left."

The United Nations says about 250,000 people were killed or disappeared during Guatemala's 1960-1996 civil war.

Ana Lucrecia Molina Theissen wears a button with the image of his disappearance brother Marco Antonio before a hearing at a courtroom in Guatemala City, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Five high-ranking military officers will stand trial for the kidnapping of Marco Antonio Molina and illegal detention, torture, and rape of his sister in 1981. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Emma Theissen, left, and Ana Lucrecia Molina Theissen, mother and sister of disappeared victim Marco Antonio Molina Theissen, wait for a hearing at a courtroom in Guatemala City, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Five high-ranking military officers will stand trial for the kidnapping of then 14-year-old Marco Antonio Molina Theissen and the illegal detention, torture and rape of his sister in 1981. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Edilberto Letona Linares, a former army officer, is escorted by police at a courtroom in Guatemala City, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Letona Linares and four other high-ranking military officers will stand trial for the kidnapping and of then 14-year-old Marco Antonio Molina Theissen and the illegal detention, torture and rape of his sister in 1981. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Benedicto Lucas Garcia, center, a former army commander, talks with a relative before entering to a courtroom in Guatemala City, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Lucas Garcia and four other high-ranking military officers will stand trial for the kidnapping of 14-year-old boy Marco Antonio Molina Theissen and the illegal detention, torture and rape of his sister in 1981. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Emma Theissen, mother of the disappeared victim Marco Antonio Molina Theissen, center, accompanied by her daughter Ana Lucrecia, second from right, wait for a hearing at a courtroom in Guatemala City, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Five high-ranking military officers will stand trial for the kidnapping and disappearance of 14-year-old boy Marco Antonio Molina Theissen and the illegal detention, torture and rape of his sister in 1981. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Francisco Gordillo Martinez, right, a former army officer, sits in a cell as he waits for a judge at a courtroom in Guatemala City, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Gordillo Martinez and four other high-ranking military officers will stand trial for the kidnapping and disappearance of then 14-year-old boy Marco Antonio Molina Theissen and the illegal detention, torture and rape of his sister in 1981. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Former army officersBenedicto Lucas Garcia, left, and Edilberto Letona Linares, sit in a cell at a courtroom in Guatemala City, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Lucas Garcia, Letona Linares and other three high-ranking military officers will stand trial for the kidnapping and disappearance of then 14-year-old boy Marco Antonio Molina Theissen and the illegal detention, torture and rape of his sister in 1981. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration's back-to-back controversies over its Russian ties now have at least one thing in common: Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Moscow's top diplomat in the U.S. has become the Kevin Bacon of the Trump White House's Russia imbroglio. A Washington fixture with a sprawling network, he has emerged as the central figure in the investigations into Trump advisers' connections with Russia. In a matter of weeks, contact with Kislyak led to the firing of a top adviser to the president and, on Thursday, prompted calls for the attorney general to resign.

Separately, a White House official confirmed Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn met with Kislyak at Trump Tower in December for what the official called a brief courtesy meeting. Flynn was pushed out of the White House last month after officials said he misled Vice President Mike Pence about whether he and the ambassador had discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia in a phone call.

FILE- In this Sept. 6, 2013, file photo, Sergey Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the U.S. speaks with reporters at the Center for the National Interest in Washington. Attorney General Jeff Sessions had two conversations with Kislyak during the presidential campaign season last year, contact likely to fuel calls for him to recuse himself from a Justice Department investigation into Russian interference in the election, the Justice Department said Wednesday, March 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

At issue Thursday were two meetings between Sessions and Kislyak - one in July and another in September, at the height of concern over Russia's involvement in hacking of Democratic officials' emails accounts. Intelligence officials have since concluded Moscow ordered the hacks to tilt the election toward Trump. In his confirmation hearing, the Alabama Republican denied having contact with any Russian officials, neglecting to mention the meetings with Kislyak, which were first reported by the Washington Post.

The Russian Embassy did not respond to a request for comment.

Although the White House dismissed the revelation as part of a political witch hunt, Sessions' former colleagues took the omission seriously. At the urging of some in his own party, Sessions recused himself from the Department of Justice's investigation. Still, Democrats called for him to step down.

Observers note Kislyak is a somewhat unlikely figure to cause controversy. Over the course of a long diplomatic career, he's led the life of a somewhat typical global envoy - making himself a reliable presence on the circuit of receptions, teas and forums that make up the calendar of any ambassador.

Kislyak, who was appointed to his post in 2008, is regularly spotted walking around town, heading to and from meetings. Early in his tenure, he often opened the doors of the Russian Embassy, hosting dinners for foreign policy professionals, Pentagon officials, journalists and Capitol Hill staffers.

Those who have attended the events describe him as a gracious and amiable diplomat, although perhaps not as polished - nor as confrontational - as his more famous boss, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

In 2015, when Kislyak invited a group of Washington-based journalists, including one from the Associated Press, to the Russian Embassy for tea, he used the meeting to push warmer relations between the two nations - despite the conflict over Russia's seizure of Crimea and the crisis in Ukraine.

Kislyak framed U.S.-Russian relations as salvageable and hoped specifically to combat what he considered cartoonish, anti-Russian depictions of his government in the American press.

At a press conference where he recused himself from the investigation into the Trump campaign's ties with Russia, Sessions said he discussed a number of things with Kislyak, including counterterrorism. He said the meeting became confrontational when the discussion turned to Ukraine.

Kislyak, 66, has bounced between the United States and Russia for most of his long career.

His first foreign posting was to New York where he worked at the Soviet delegation at the United Nations in the early 1980s. He spent the following years as the first secretary and then councilor at the Soviet Embassy in Washington before returning to Moscow in 1989, where he took a succession of senior jobs at the Foreign Ministry.

He did a stint as Russian ambassador to Belgium and simultaneously served as Moscow's envoy at NATO. He then returned to Moscow to serve as a deputy foreign minister, overseeing relations with the United States and arms control issues before being sent to Washington.

Kislyak's contacts have sparked questions about his role or involvement in the hacking, questions that are difficult to answer.

The U.S. and Russia, along with many other countries, have made it a practice to separate their top diplomats from espionage activities, although it is not uncommon for an intelligence agent to operate under the cover of a senior-level diplomat. Foreign diplomats to the United States likely expect that their activities will be monitored by U.S. authorities in the same manner that American diplomats are monitored in countries like Russia.

Russian ambassadors most likely are aware of the intelligence agents operating under diplomatic cover, but are not believed to part of the security services themselves.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday ridiculed the claims of Kislyak's involvement in espionage as "total disinformation" and part of efforts to sway public opinion.

"I'll open a military secret for you: It's the diplomats' jobs to have contacts in the country they are posted to," she said sarcastically. "It's their obligation to meet with officials and members of the political establishment."

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Isachenkov reported from Moscow. Associated Press writer Bradley Klapper and Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The Latest on a bribery trial for a former Utah attorney general (all times local):

6:35 p.m.

A jury is acquitting a former Utah attorney general of bribery and evidence tampering charges in one of the highest-profile scandals in state history.

Former Utah Attorney General John Swallow looks on during his trial Wednesday, March 1, 2017. The jury has begun deliberations in a bribery trial for a former Utah attorney general. The jurors heard distinctly different characterizations of John Swallow's interactions with campaign donors and business people during closing arguments Wednesday. (Scott Sommerdorf/The Salt Lake Tribune, via AP, Pool)

The jury announced its verdict against John Swallow on Thursday in a Salt Lake City courtroom following a three-week trial. Swallow was found not guilty of nine counts. He had faced one to 30 years in prison.

Prosecutors accused Swallow of hanging a virtual "for sale" sign on the door to the state's top law enforcement office by taking campaign donations and gifts like beach vacations from fraudsters and businessmen in exchange for favorable treatment.

Swallow's defense attorneys argued that the case was a politically motivated smear campaign and that prosecutors were twisting the facts to fit the story they wanted to tell.

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6:25 p.m.

A jury has reached a verdict in the bribery trial of a former Utah attorney general that became one of the highest-profile scandals in state history.

State court spokesman Geoff Fattah tweeted Thursday that the jury has made a decision. The verdict will be read shortly in a Salt Lake City courtroom.

John Swallow is charged with nine counts, including bribery and evidence tampering. He faces one to 30 years in prison.

Prosecutors say Swallow played a key role in a bribery scheme that went well beyond relationships allowed between elected officials and campaign donors, including trading luxury trips for favorable treatment.

Swallow's defense called the case a desperate "house of cards" built on claims from an untrustworthy fraudster to try to make routine political dealings seem criminal.

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1:25 p.m.

A judge has denied a mistrial request by attorneys for a former Utah attorney general charged with bribery.

The request was made after the jury received erroneous instructions that included a money laundering charge that was dismissed during the trial.

Judge Elizabeth Hruby-Mills said Thursday in a written ruling that the mistake likely had a minimal impact on the jury taken in context with what was said during the trial and closing arguments. She said a note explaining the error that was given to the jury remedies the mistake.

Hruby-Mills says the mistake appears to be nothing more than a clerical error.

The 54-year-old John Swallow is charged with nine counts, including bribery and evidence tampering.

A jury of five men and three women has been went back into session Thursday morning after spending a couple of hours on the case Wednesday night after closing arguments.

Swallow's attorney, Scott Williams, argued that a mistrial was needed because there's no way to know how the money laundering charge influenced jury's deliberations.

Prosecutor Fred Burmester countered that the error doesn't warrant a mistrial because the charge was hardly discussed during trial and not mentioned in closing arguments.

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12:15 p.m.

Attorneys for a former Utah attorney general on trial for bribery are asking for a mistrial after the jury received erroneous instructions that included a money laundering charge that was dismissed during the trial.

Judge Elizabeth Hruby-Mills said Thursday she will make a decision soon.

The 54-year-old John Swallow is charged with nine counts, including bribery and evidence tampering.

His attorney, Scott Williams, says a mistrial is needed because there's no way to know how the money laundering charge influenced jury's deliberations. The jury went back into session Thursday morning after spending a couple of hours on the case Wednesday night after closing arguments.

Prosecutor Fred Burmester countered that the error doesn't warrant a mistrial because the charge was hardly discussed during trial and not mentioned in closing arguments.

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10:11 a.m.

A jury has resumed deliberating in the bribery trial of former Utah attorney general, one of the highest-profile scandals in state history.

A jury of five men and three women went back into session Thursday morning after spending a couple of hours on the case Wednesday night after closing arguments.

The 54-year-old John Swallow is charged with nine counts, including bribery and evidence tampering.

Prosecutors said during closing arguments that Swallow played key role in a bribery scheme that went well beyond relationships allowed between elected officials and campaign donors, including trading luxury trips for favorable treatment.

Swallow's defense called the case a desperate "house of cards" built on claims from an untrustworthy fraudster to try to make routine political dealings seem criminal.

The former top lawman did not testify during trial.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesians are by turns shocked and bemused by Donald Trump's volatile presidency, but many in the world's most populous Muslim nation say his personality and actions - including his controversial travel ban - haven't changed their positive view of the United States.

There is a reservoir of goodwill in Indonesia toward the U.S., which Indonesians often see as a beacon for values they hope will flourish in their own country. Perceptions were particularly positive during Barack Obama's administration because of Obama's personal links to Indonesia and his efforts to heal divisions with the Muslim world.

The U.S. is one of the largest foreign investors in Indonesia. Phoenix, Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. operates one of the world's largest copper mines and the world's largest gold mine in Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua.

In this Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, Rudy Madanir, an English teacher, poses for a photo during an interview with The Associated Press in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. Indonesians are by turns shocked and bemused by Donald Trump's volatile presidency, but many in the world's most populous Muslim nation say his personality and actions _ including his controversial travel ban _ haven't changed their positive view of the United States. There is a reservoir of goodwill in Indonesia toward the U.S., which Indonesians often see as a beacon for values they hope will flourish in their own country. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Still, Trump's attempt to ban travel from seven predominantly Muslim nations is deeply unpopular with Indonesians, who see it as an anti-Muslim measure that could affect them even though their country is not one of the seven being targeted. Indonesia's foreign ministry warned that Trump's policy could undermine the global fight against terrorism, but President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo was sanguine, telling his country there was nothing to worry about.

In fact, some say, Trump just needs to visit Indonesia and learn more about Islam.

Despite the perceptions created by a vocal hard-line minority, Muslim Indonesians mainly practice a moderate faith and want their young but feisty democracy to remain headed by a secular government.

And like the U.S., Indonesia is a former colony that struggled for its independence and a nation of remarkable diversity, with hundreds of languages and ethnic groups.

A look at how some Indonesians view Trump:

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RUDY MADANIR, an English teacher in Jakarta, the capital, who has visited the U.S. as a tourist and wants to travel there again, said he was shocked by Trump's election, having never imagined that "this kind of man could be sitting in the White House."

But Madanir, 47, also said the protests against the travel ban showed there are many people in the U.S. who want to uphold values such as justice, freedom and nondiscrimination, and opened his eyes to how "beautiful" Americans are.

"Maybe tomorrow it will be Indonesia's turn (to be banned), who knows? With this weird and strange person sitting in the White House, anything can happen," he said. "I wish Trump can visit Indonesia, the world most populous Muslim country, so he will experience firsthand how Muslims are here. We are not as scary as he might think."

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TINGKA ADIATI, a 48-year-old housewife in Tangerang, a satellite city of Jakarta, said Trump's immigration policy did not change her image of America as a tolerant country open to people from around the world.

Trump is experiencing the "euphoria" of his victory, and given time, rather than Trump changing America, it will be him who is changed, Adiati said. His polices will also have to take into account the interests of American businesses in countries around the world, including Indonesia, she added.

"I'm sure Trump, with his life and business experience, he'll learn and become aware that what he was saying and policies he made were not always right, and he'll learn from that strong reaction from international society and his own people," she said. "He is bound to change. And do not forget, the U.S. also has a lot of interests in Indonesia. Surely he would not dare to issue such a ban to Indonesia."

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LUKAS CHRISTIAN, who owns a coffee shop in Tangerang, has a son at Wesleyan University in Connecticut who is planning to work in the U.S. after graduating this year.

Christian, 52, hopes his son's Indonesian nationality won't be a complicating factor. So far it hasn't, but the possibility still troubles him.

Indonesians consider America to be a tolerant society, and the travel ban shows Trump's own dislike of immigrants and Islam, he said.

Christian said Indonesia is "totally different" from the seven Muslim countries included in Trump's ban. "Although Muslims are predominant here, we have (the state ideology) Pancasila and a secular constitution that protects diversity. I myself respect diversity," he said.

"As a coffee seller, I can say this: There are many varieties of coffee in Indonesia, from Aceh to Papua, and people enjoy its variety, and it is just like the way of Indonesian thinking - tolerant," he said.

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MARIA KARTIKA SARI, a tour guide who lives in Jakarta, said she believes the majority of Americans disagree with Trump's travel ban. The 30-year-old said she has always considered the U.S. to be a tolerant nation of immigrants that is similar to Indonesia insofar as both countries have many different ethnic groups and religions.

"When I heard Trump banned the entry of nationals from seven Muslim nations, I considered it as his personal decision because Americans are not like that," she said.

The seven countries targeted by the ban are known as "troublemakers," she said, but that reputation stems from the actions of a few people, and it's unjust to impose punitive measures against an entire country on that basis.

"I want to say to Trump, he is a president now, no longer a businessman," she said. "I understand he's a stubborn old man, but it is good for him to know that today he leads the United States, not just a company. He should change."

In this Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, photo, Maria Kartika Sari, a freelance tour guide, poses for a photo during an interview with The Associated Press in Jakarta, Indonesia. Indonesians are by turns shocked and bemused by Donald Trump's volatile presidency, but many in the world's most populous Muslim nation say his personality and actions _ including his controversial travel ban _ haven't changed their positive view of the United States. There is a reservoir of goodwill in Indonesia toward the U.S., which Indonesians often see as a beacon for values they hope will flourish in their own country. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

In this photo taken Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, Tingka Adiati, a housewife, talks during an interview with The Associated Press at her residence in Tangerang, Indonesia. Indonesians are by turns shocked and bemused by Donald Trump's volatile presidency, but many in the world's most populous Muslim nation say his personality and actions _ including his controversial travel ban _ haven't changed their positive view of the United States. There is a reservoir of goodwill in Indonesia toward the U.S., which Indonesians often see as a beacon for values they hope will flourish in their own country. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
BEIJING (AP) - Instead of dramatic new reforms, Chinese leaders are likely to emphasize reining in surging debt and financial risks to keep growth steady at this year's meeting of the ceremonial national legislature.

The ruling Communist Party is trying to build an economy driven by consumer spending instead of trade and investment. But that could be complicated by trade tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump and slowing demand for export industries that support millions of jobs.

The meeting of the 3,000-plus members of the National People's Congress does little lawmaking. Instead, communist leaders use it to showcase themes for the year's government work.

FILE - In this Aug. 25, 2016 file photo, a couple walks in front of a work safety propaganda billboard in Beijing, China. Instead of dramatic new reforms, Chinese leaders are likely to emphasize reining in surging debt and financial risks to keep growth steady at this year's meeting of the ceremonial national legislature. Chinese character at right reads "Safe Production." (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

The meeting comes ahead of a party congress late this year that is expected to endorse another five-year term for President Xi Jinping as party leader. That increases pressure to avoid drastic change.

Analysts expect the legislature to focus on important but unglamorous goals such as controlling debt and beefing up regulation of financial markets.

"We believe maintaining steady growth, strengthening financial regulation and containing risks will be the overall policy emphasis," Citigroup economists Li-Gang Liu and Xiaowen Jin said in a report.

GROWTH TARGET: Chinese leaders are expected to announce an annual economic growth target of about 6.5 percent, among the world's strongest though slower than last year's 6.7 percent expansion. The leaders are trying to shift public attention to improvements in incomes, consumer spending and other indicators but the growth target still is closely watched. The leadership has warned the outlook is "L-shaped," meaning once the slowdown bottoms out, growth is unlikely to rebound to past double-digit rates. Last year's growth, the weakest since 1990, was supported by government spending and easy credit. Without a repeat of that this year, "the headwinds of painful structural reforms, tighter monetary policy and weak exports are likely to limit growth," said Diana Choyleva of Edono Economics in a report.

FINANCIAL RISKS: After a decade of credit-fueled growth, regulators are trying to control debt, clear unpaid loans off the books of state banks and reduce risk in financial markets. Total debt owed by Chinese companies and local governments has soared from the equivalent of 150 percent of annual economic output before the 2008 financial crisis to about 260 percent. That has prompted warnings it could drag on growth. Debt is "without a doubt the biggest challenge in the economy today," said IHS economist Brian Jackson. Regulators are hammering out deals for deeply indebted state companies to repay banks but borrowing still is rising. At a meeting Tuesday of the country's top economic planning body, President Xi Jinping said this year's economic work will stick to "seeking progress while maintaining stability," according to the official Xinhua News Agency. China's stock market regulator says this year's priority is to tighten oversight and eliminate risky trading.

ENTREPRENEURS: Reform advocates complain Beijing is moving too slowly on initiatives to open the state-dominated economy to private companies. The Cabinet has promised better foreign access to finance, insurance, telecoms, internet services and other areas but has yet to disclose details. Limits on foreign ownership and other hurdles have tempered enthusiasm for such pledges. Xi's government is promising to give market forces a bigger role and make the economy more productive. But reform advocates complain Beijing is failing to reduce the dominance of state companies that are a drag on the economy and benefit from monopolies, low-cost access to bank loans and other privileges.

TRUMP: A looming threat for Beijing is Trump's campaign promise to raise import duties on Chinese goods to 40 percent, potentially disrupting industries that support millions of jobs. American companies are frustrated with Chinese restrictions on market access and want Washington to be more assertive but worry Trump could disrupt an important trading relationship if he acts recklessly. The American president has proposed a "border adjustment tax" on imports that would make Chinese goods more expensive in hopes of compelling manufacturers to shift production to the United States. Chinese leaders want to reduce reliance on trade but need steady exports to preserve jobs.

OVERCAPACITY: Chinese leaders are shrinking bloated industries including steel and coal in which supply exceeds demand, but Washington and Europe want them to move faster. A supply glut has led to a flood of low-cost Chinese exports that are hurting foreign competitors and threatening jobs abroad. The government said last year it had eliminated 90 million tons of steel production capacity - 2015 production was 800 million tons, or half the world total - and planned to shut down another 150 million tons. Authorities said last year they planned to eliminate some 1.8 million jobs in steel and coal. This week, the labor minister said another 500,000 jobs in steel and coal would be cut this year but did not say if the reductions would include other industries like cement and glass. Foreign aluminum suppliers want Beijing to shrink that industry as well. Those reductions come at a cost: Beijing announced a 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) fund in February 2016 to cushion the hardships for laid-off workers and help them find new jobs.

FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2017 file photo, a woman comforts a child near replicas of gold bars at a mall in Beijing, China. After a credit-fueled growth boom, Chinese leaders are trying to rein in growth of debt, clear unpaid loans off the books of state banks and reduce risk in financial markets. Total debt owed by Chinese companies and local governments has soared from the equivalent of 150 percent of annual economic output before the 2008 financial crisis to about 260 percent, an almost unprecedented increase. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

FILE - In this July 17, 2016 file photo, a welder works at a construction site in Beijing. Chinese leaders are shrinking bloated industries including steel and coal in which supply exceeds demand, but Washington and Europe want them to move faster. A supply glut has led to a flood of low-cost Chinese exports that are hurting foreign competitors and threatening jobs abroad. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2016 file photo, a Chinese man holds up a Chinese newspaper with the front page photo of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and the headline "Outsider counter attack" at a newsstand in Beijing, China. A looming threat for Beijing is Trump's campaign promise to raise import duties on Chinese goods to 40 percent, potentially disrupting industries that support millions of jobs. American companies are frustrated with Chinese restrictions on market access and want Washington to be more assertive but worry Trump could disrupt an important trading relationship if he acts recklessly. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
AG's recusal portends continued pressure on Russia meddling

WASHINGTON (AP) - Attorney General Jeff Sessions may not have been clear about his contacts with Russian officials during the 2016 election, but this much is: The controversy over any Kremlin involvement in American politics is not going to fade away anytime soon.

Sessions on Thursday became the second high-ranking member of the Trump administration to take a hit over conversations with Russia's envoy to the U.S., recusing himself from any probe that examines communications between Trump aides and Moscow but facing down calls for his resignation. An early backer and key adviser for Trump's campaign, Sessions said his staff recommended that he step aside from a probe.

"I feel I should not be involved in investigating a campaign I had a role in," he said.

Sessions' action followed revelations that he twice spoke with the Russian ambassador and didn't say so when pressed, under oath, by Congress. Though he rejected any suggestion that he tried to mislead anyone, he did allow that he should have been more careful in his testimony.

"I should have slowed down and said, 'But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times,'" he said.

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Russia's top diplomat in US in eye of political storm

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration's back-to-back controversies over its Russian ties now have at least one thing in common: Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Moscow's top diplomat is a Washington fixture with a sprawling network, and he has emerged as the central figure in the investigations into Trump advisers' connections with Russia. In a matter of weeks, contact with Kislyak led to the firing of a top adviser to the president and, on Thursday, prompted calls for the Attorney General Jeff Sessions l to resign.

Separately, a White House official confirmed that Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn met with Kislyak at Trump Tower in December for what the official called a brief courtesy meeting. Flynn was pushed out of the White House last month after officials said he misled Vice President Mike Pence about whether he and the ambassador had discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia in a phone call.

At issue Thursday were two meetings between Sessions and Kislyak - one in July and another in September, at the height of concern over Russia's involvement in hacking of Democratic officials' emails accounts. Intelligence officials have since concluded that Moscow ordered the hacks to tilt the election toward Trump. In his confirmation hearing, the Alabama Republican denied having contact with any Russian officials, neglecting to mention the meetings with Kislyak, which were first reported by the Washington Post.

The Russian Embassy did not respond to a request for comment.

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Railroad thefts and guns: A deadly mix in Chicago

CHICAGO (AP) - When street-gang thieves slipped with ease into a Norfolk Southern rail yard on Chicago's South Side and ripped locks off one train, they likely expected to see merchandise like toys or tennis shoes. What they beheld instead was a gangster's jackpot: box after box of brand new guns.

The guns had been en route from New Hampshire weapon maker Sturm, Ruger & Co. to Spokane, Washington. Instead, the .45-caliber Ruger revolvers and other firearms spread quickly into surrounding high-crime neighborhoods. Along with two other major gun thefts within three years, the robbery helped fuel a wave of violence on Chicago's streets.

The 2015 heist of the 111 guns, preceded by one in 2014, and another last September from the same 63rd Street Rail Yard highlight a tragic confluence. Chicago's biggest rail yards are on the gang- and homicide-plagued South and West sides where most of the city's 762 killings happened last year.

Chicago's leaders regularly blame lax gun laws in Illinois and nearby states that enable a flow of illegal weapons to the city's gangs and criminals. But community leaders and security experts say no one seems to be taking responsibility for train-yard gun thefts.

Only 16 of the stolen Rugers have been recovered since the 2015 break-in, according to hundreds of recent court records reviewed by The Associated Press. One was used in a Jan. 22, 2016, shooting. Police woke an attempted-murder suspect and found one by his bed. Another was in a dealer's home amid 429 bags of heroin. Police recovered another during a traffic stop; the driver said his friend had just been shot 10 times and he had to protect himself. "It's a war going on over here," he told police.

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Rival groups race for control of Syria's Raqqa

BEIRUT (AP) - A major battle to liberate the Islamic State group's stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria is looming, with U.S. officials looking to build on momentum from victories on the battlefields of Mosul in Iraq. The Pentagon has drawn up a secret plan to do that, likely leaning on local allies with stepped-up American support.

The question is: who are those local allies in the tangled mess that is Syria's conflict?

Syrian government forces, Turkish troops and their Syrian militia allies, and U.S.-backed Kurdish forces all have their eye on Raqqa. Each vehemently rejects letting the others capture the city and would likely react in anger should the United States support the others. And it is not clear that any has the resources to take the city on its own.

"Raqqa is more of an abstract goal: everyone wants it in principle, but no one is willing to commit the resources and bear the risks necessary," said Faysal Itani, an analyst at the Washington-based Atlantic Council.

The fall of Raqqa, the Islamic State group's de facto capital and largest remaining stronghold, would be the biggest defeat for the militants in Syria since they captured the northern city on the banks of the Euphrates River in January 2014.

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US steps up in Somalia as al-Shabab proves a stubborn foe

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) - With frequent suicide bombings and assaults on Somalia's hotels and military targets, the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab has proved more resilient than expected, leading President Donald Trump's administration to pursue wider military involvement here as current strategies, including drone attacks, are not enough, security experts say.

Senior U.S. officials have said the Pentagon wants to expand the military's efforts to battle the al-Qaida-linked group. Recommendations sent to the White House would allow U.S special forces to increase assistance to the Somali National Army and give the U.S. military greater flexibility to launch more pre-emptive airstrikes.

The U.S. is likely to find counterterror efforts in Somalia difficult and expensive, analysts say - especially with the recent emergence of fighters pledging alliance to the Islamic State group.

"The concern in Washington has been mounting for some time now. The Trump administration is simply reiterating what has been policy, with slight variations," said Rashid Abdi, a Horn of Africa analyst with the International Crisis Group. "U.S. special forces are already on the ground. Drone attacks have been scaled up."

Currently about 50 U.S. commandos rotate in and out of this Horn of Africa nation to advise and assist local troops. The commandos have accompanied Somali forces in several raids against al-Shabab fighters in which dozens of militants were killed, according to Somali intelligence officials, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

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Atlanta history teaches the violent toll of anti-Semitism

ATLANTA (AP) - Amid a surge of bomb threats and vandalism at Jewish institutions nationwide, members of Atlanta's Jewish community have felt a familiar wave of apprehension about what may come next.

Because all of that, and worse, has happened there before.

Six decades ago, during the civil rights era's turmoil, 50 sticks of dynamite blasted a ragged hole in Atlanta's largest synagogue. A generation earlier, in 1915, Jewish businessman Leo Frank was lynched during a wave of anti-Semitism.

Some in Atlanta fear history is once again arcing toward the viperous climate that set the stage for earlier violence.

"It's heartbreaking to see the attacks and threats and desecration of Jewish cemeteries in recent days," said playwright Jimmy Maize, whose play "The Temple Bombing" is on stage this month at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre. "I have to say that writing this play feels too much like history repeating itself."

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Pence used a private email account to conduct state business

WASHINGTON (AP) - Vice President Mike Pence used a private email account to conduct public business as Indiana's governor, according to public records obtained by the Indianapolis Star.

The newspaper reported Thursday that emails provided through a public records request show that Pence communicated with advisers through his personal AOL account on homeland security matters and security at the governor's residence during his four years as governor.

The governor also faced email security issues. Pence's AOL account was subjected to a phishing scheme last spring, before he was chosen by Donald Trump to join the GOP presidential ticket. Pence's contacts were sent an email falsely claiming that the governor and his wife were stranded in the Philippines and needed money.

The governor moved to a different AOL account with additional security measures, Pence spokesman Marc Lotter said, but has since stopped using the new personal account since he was sworn-in as vice president.

Lotter said Pence "maintained a state email account and a personal email account" like previous governors in the state. At the end of his term Pence directed outside counsel to review all of his communications to ensure that state-related emails were transferred and properly archived by the state, the spokesman said.

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Art of the parse: Politicians finely split rhetorical hairs

WASHINGTON (AP) - Call it the art of the parse.

Everyone splits rhetorical hairs from time to time, but politicians are especially adept at trying to dance their way out of a bind with carefully crafted explanations.

Now, here comes Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who met with the Russian ambassador twice last year, maintaining that he was truthful when he told a Senate committee during his January confirmation hearing that he "did not have communications with the Russians." He was an adviser to Donald Trump's campaign at the time.

Sessions said at a news conference Thursday that his statement was "honest and correct as I understood it at the time" but that he'd be sending senators a clarification of his remarks.

He said his answer was truthful because the question had focused on Trump campaign contacts with the Russians, while he had met with the ambassador in his role as a senator, not as a Trump supporter.

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One N. Korean freed, another sought in nerve-agent killing

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysian police on Friday released the only North Korean detained in the killing of the half brother of North Korea's leader, and later said an arrest warrant had been issued for another whose whereabouts are unknown.

Malaysia is looking for seven North Korean suspects in all, four of whom are believed to have left the country Feb. 13, the day Kim Jong Nam died. The only people in custody are two women - one Indonesian, one Vietnamese - accused of smearing his face with the banned nerve agent VX.

Ri Jong Chol, who had been detained since Feb. 17, was handed over to immigration officials for deportation. Police never said what they thought his role was in the attack, but national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed Friday that Ri was released due to a lack of evidence against him.

Malaysian Attorney General Mohamad Apandi Ali earlier said Ri would be deported because he lacked valid travel documents. Immigration director Mustafar Ali said Ri would be escorted by two representatives from the North Korean Embassy.

The women charged with murdering Kim at an airport terminal were caught on grainy surveillance video smearing what Malaysian authorities say was VX nerve agent on his face and eyes, though both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

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Indonesians shocked by Trump, but still admire US values

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesians are by turns shocked and bemused by Donald Trump's volatile presidency, but many in the world's most populous Muslim nation say his personality and actions - including his controversial travel ban - haven't changed their positive view of the United States.

There is a reservoir of goodwill in Indonesia toward the U.S., which Indonesians often see as a beacon for values they hope will flourish in their own country. Perceptions were particularly positive during Barack Obama's administration because of Obama's personal links to Indonesia and his efforts to heal divisions with the Muslim world.

The U.S. is one of the largest foreign investors in Indonesia. Phoenix, Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. operates one of the world's largest copper mines and the world's largest gold mine in Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua.

Still, Trump's attempt to ban travel from seven predominantly Muslim nations is deeply unpopular with Indonesians, who see it as an anti-Muslim measure that could affect them even though their country is not one of the seven being targeted. Indonesia's foreign ministry warned that Trump's policy could undermine the global fight against terrorism, but President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo was sanguine, telling his country there was nothing to worry about.

In fact, some say, Trump just needs to visit Indonesia and learn more about Islam.
BEIRUT (AP) - After the battlefield of Iraq's Mosul, the next major campaign against the Islamic State group will be to take its de facto capital, the Syrian city of Raqqa. The Pentagon has drawn up a secret plan to do that, likely leaning on local allies with stepped up American support.

The question is: In the tangled mess that is Syria's conflict, who are those local allies?

Syrian government forces, Turkish troops and their Syrian militia allies, and U.S.-backed Kurdish forces all have their eye on Raqqa. Each vehemently rejects letting the others capture the city and would likely react in anger should the United States support the others. And it is not clear that any has the resources to take the city on its own.

FILE - In this undated file photo released by a militant website, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, militants of the Islamic State group hold up their weapons and wave flags on their vehicles, in a convoy on a road leading to Iraq, from Raqqa, Syria. A major battle to liberate the northern Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State militants is looming, with U.S. officials looking to build on momentum from the battlefields in Mosul. Armed with a new Pentagon plan to "rapidly defeat" the militants in both countries, President Donald Trump is now mulling options for upping the fight, which a top U.S. commander says he expects to be concluded within six months. (Militant website via AP, File)

"Raqqa is more of an abstract goal: everyone wants it in principle, but no one is willing to commit the resources and bear the risks necessary," said Faysal Itani, an analyst at the Washington-based Atlantic Council.

The fall of Raqqa, the Islamic State group's de facto capital and largest remaining stronghold, would be the biggest defeat for the militants in Syria since they captured the northern city on the banks of the Euphrates River in January 2014.

President Donald Trump has vowed to "obliterate" the group. "We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet," he told Congress on Tuesday.

The top U.S. commander in the campaign against IS, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, has said he believes Raqqa and Mosul will be taken within six months. So far, the offensive on Mosul has been underway four months, with only half the city captured from the militants in ferocious street-to-street urban combat. And that is using a relatively intensively trained and united military, backed by heavy U.S. firepower and commandos on the ground - a contrast to the comparatively undisciplined and fragmented forces the U.S. has to choose from as allies in Syria.

Raqqa is a smaller city than Mosul, but the militants are believed to have dug in with powerful fortifications there.

In Syria, U.S-backed predominantly Kurdish fighters known as the Syria Democratic Forces, or SDF, remain Trump's best bet. Aided by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and some 500 U.S. special forces troops deployed in an advisory role, the force has been marching toward Raqqa since November. Closing in on the city from different directions, it is now stationed some eight kilometers (five miles) north of the city.

The U.S. military recently provided a small number of armored vehicles to the U.S.-backed force to give better protection from small arms fire and roadside bombs as they get closer to Raqqa.

Further aid to the rag-tag group, however, raises sensitive questions over how to deal with Turkey, a NATO ally with much at stake in Syria. Turkey considers the main Kurdish militia in Syria - known as the YPG, and an affiliate of the U.S.-backed SDF - a terrorist organization, and has vowed to work with Syrian opposition fighters known as the Free Syrian Army to liberate Raqqa.

In a dramatic reversal of years of the Obama administration's calls for the ouster of President Bashar Assad, Trump has hinted he might be willing to work with Assad's army and Russia, whose year-and-a-half military intervention has propped up Assad's government.

Assad's forces are preoccupied with other battles, however, and would likely need significant U.S. military involvement to take on Raqqa. On Wednesday, the Syrian military recaptured the central town of Palmyra, a city located in the desert south of Raqqa that has gone back and forth between control of the military and the extremists several times. The government forces have also clashed with the Turkish-backed Syrian fighters, who block their path to Raqqa.

Syrians are sharply divided over who should enter Raqqa. Many opposition supporters consider the SDF, which maintains a tacit non-aggression pact with Assad's forces, to be a hostile group. There are also fears of tensions if Raqqa, home to a nearly 200,000 mainly Arab population, is taken by the SDF, a coalition of Kurdish, Arab and Christian fighters.

"Let us be frank that any force that will liberate Raqqa, other than the Free Syrian Army, is going to be a new occupation force with different flags and banners," said Mohammed Khodor of Sound and Picture Organization, which tracks atrocities by IS in Iraq and Syria.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim was even more blunt, warning that if the SDF enters Raqqa, it will hurt relations between Ankara and Washington.

"We have said that a terror organization cannot be used against another terror organization," the Turkish leader told the state-run Anadolu news agency.

The Kurds reject that notion and insist that only forces fighting under the SDF banner will liberate Raqqa.

"Turkey is an occupation force and has no legitimate right to enter Raqqa," said SDF spokeswoman Cihan Sheikh Ehmed. In a text message exchange from northern Syria, she said the SDF has the experience in fighting IS to finish the operation.

Battlefield victories by the SDF against the Islamic State group have brought growing Western support. Asked if adding more U.S. troops or better arming Syria's Kurds were options, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he will "accommodate any request" from his field commanders.

In Mosul, the U.S.-led coalition is playing a greater role than ever before in the fight against IS and coalition forces have moved closer to front-line fighting.

U.S. Air Force Col. John Dorrian says the increased support is an effort to "accelerate the campaign" against the Islamic State group, noting that launching simultaneous operations in both Mosul and Raqqa "puts further strain on the enemy's command and control."

"It is a complicating factor when you don't have a partner government to work with," conceded Dorrian, adding that whoever the coalition partners with in the fight for Raqqa is "a subject of ongoing discussions."

Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a Middle East analyst at the Jamestown Foundation who closely follows Kurdish affairs, says the U.S.-led coalition wants to have a quick end to IS in Raqqa, from which external operations against the West are planned. That means it would prefer to work with the Kurdish-led SDF forces "since they are able to mobilize manpower unlike the Turks," he said.

In any case, the battle for Raqqa is sure to be a long and deadly one. It took the SDF nearly 10 weeks to capture the northern Syrian town of Manbij from IS last year. It took Turkish forces and allied groups more than three months to retake the town of al-Bab, a costly battle that killed dozens of Turkish soldiers and many civilians.

Raqqa is much larger than either Manbij or al-Bab. Some Syrian opposition activists say the extremists dug a trench around it to make it difficult for attackers to storm it.

"It would be difficult for any troops," said Itani of the Atlantic Council.

"Witness the slow and ugly progress in Mosul as well. Raqqa would be tough," he said.

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Associated Press writer Susannah George in Mosul, Iraq, contributed to this report.

FILE - In this Feb. 17, 2016 file photo, soldiers from the Syrian army fire a rocket at Islamic State group positions in the province of Raqqa, Syria. A major battle to liberate the northern Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State militants is looming, with U.S. officials looking to build on momentum from the battlefields in Mosul. Armed with a new Pentagon plan to "rapidly defeat" the militants in both countries, President Donald Trump is now mulling options for upping the fight, which a top U.S. commander says he expects to be concluded within six months. (Alexander Kots/Komsomolskaya Pravda via AP, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 17, 2016 file photo, a volunteer fighter with the Syrian Government forces gestures as he sits atop a tank in the province of Raqqa, Syria. A major battle to liberate the northern Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State militants is looming, with U.S. officials looking to build on momentum from the battlefields in Mosul. Armed with a new Pentagon plan to "rapidly defeat" the militants in both countries, President Donald Trump is now mulling options for upping the fight, which a top U.S. commander says he expects to be concluded within six months. (Alexander Kots/Komsomolskaya Pravda via AP, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 17, 2016 file photo, soldiers from the Syrian army carry a rocket as they prepare to fire at Islamic State group positions in the province of Raqqa, Syria. A major battle to liberate the northern Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State militants is looming, with U.S. officials looking to build on momentum from the battlefields in Mosul. Armed with a new Pentagon plan to "rapidly defeat" the militants in both countries, President Donald Trump is now mulling options for upping the fight, which a top U.S. commander says he expects to be concluded within six months .(Alexander Kots/Komsomolskaya Pravda via AP, File)
BEIRUT (AP) - A major assault on the Islamic State group's self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa is expected to begin in the coming weeks, but various military forces eyeing the northern Syrian city are bitterly divided.

Here's a look at the players:

SYRIAN KURDS

In this undated file image posted by the Raqqa Media Center, in Islamic State group-held territory, on Monday, June 30, 2014, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, fighters from the Islamic State group ride tanks during a parade in Raqqa, Syria. A major battle to liberate the northern Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State militants is looming, with U.S. officials looking to build on momentum from the battlefields in Mosul. Armed with a new Pentagon plan to "rapidly defeat" the militants in both countries, President Donald Trump is now mulling options for upping the fight, which a top U.S. commander says he expects to be concluded within six months. (Raqqa Media Center via AP, File)

The U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces - a Kurdish-led alliance that includes Arab tribesmen and Christian militias - is the most effective ground force battling the Islamic State group in Syria.

With the help of American advisers and U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, the SDF has captured much of northern Syria and since November has been working to isolate the city. But the main Kurdish militia in the group is seen as a terrorist organization by Turkey, a NATO member which also has its sights on Raqqa.

TURKEY

Ankara sent ground troops into northern Syria in August to help Syrian opposition forces drive Islamic State militants from the border and curb the advance of Kurdish forces, which it sees as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency in southeastern Turkey.

The Turkey-backed forces recently captured the former IS stronghold of al-Bab after three months of grueling fighting that killed scores of Turkish troops and allied Syrian fighters.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last month that his troops and allied Syrian fighters would eventually march on Raqqa, and his prime minister has warned that an SDF takeover of Raqqa would harm relations between Ankara and Washington.

SYRIAN GOVERNMENT

Syrian government forces have also been on the offensive against the IS group in northern Syria, capturing dozens of villages from the extremists in recent weeks.

The troops are backed by battle-hardened members of Lebanon's Hezbollah group and operate under the cover of Russian and Syrian airstrikes. Syrian President Bashar Assad has suggested that Raqqa could be their next target, but his troops are overstretched and lack the resources.

Syria's government is fiercely opposed to any involvement by Turkey, which is a leading sponsor of opposition forces battling to overthrow Assad.

U.S. AND RUSSIAN FORCES

Around 500 U.S. special operations forces are in Syria helping to organize, advise and assist local forces, mainly the SDF. The U.S. military has also provided a small number of armored vehicles to the Syria Arab Coalition, part of the SDF, for better protection as they get closer to Raqqa.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday gave the White House a plan to "rapidly defeat" the Islamic State group, a strategy that could potentially deepen U.S. military involvement in Syria.

That may elevate the risk of a confrontation with Russia, which has been waging an intensive air campaign in support of Assad's forces since 2015. A U.S. general said Wednesday that a Russian airstrike in northern Syria hit the Syria Arab Coalition, adding than an unspecified number of American military advisers were a few kilometers (miles) away. Russia denied responsibility.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - President Donald Trump toured a private religious school in Florida on Friday, praising it as an ideal institution for "disadvantaged children" while re-emphasizing that his education agenda will focus on school choice.

Trump visited St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, dropping in on a fourth-grade classroom and shaking hands with students who said they were learning about the history of Florida. When one girl said she wanted to own her own business, he said with a smile that she's "gonna make a lot of money. But don't run for politics."

The president, who was joined by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, a longtime charter schools advocate, described St. Andrew as "one of the many parochial schools dedicated to educating some of our nation's most disadvantaged children."

President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos pose with fourth graders Janayah Chatelier, 10, left, Landon Fritz, 10, after they received cards from the children, during a tour of Saint Andrew Catholic School, Friday, March 3, 2017, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

"Education is the civil rights issue of our time," said Trump, repeating a line from his address to Congress this week.

Teachers unions were quick to criticize the visit, saying it showed hostility by Trump toward public schools and an intention to turn education into a profit-making industry.

Trump said he would ask lawmakers to pass a bill that would fund school choice for disadvantaged young people, including minority children. He did not offer any details.

Among his guests were Gov. Rick Scott, Sen. Marco Rubio and Denisha Merriweather, who used Florida's school voucher program to attend a private high school that she credits with turning her life around. Many of St. Andrew's students attend the school using the same voucher program as Merriweather, said White House spokesman Ninio Fetalvo.

"We want millions more to have the same chance to achieve the great success that you're achieving," Trump said. The president also told Latrina Peters-Gipson, the school principal, that "the love you have for what you do is really fantastic."

Despite being at the school, Trump also noted anew that he captured Florida in last year's election. After the visit, he flew to his coastal home in Palm Beach and later attended a Republican National Committee fundraiser that was closed to the news media. Trump was scheduled to return to the White House late Sunday.

DeVos has a long history of promoting charter schools and vouchers. Charter schools are funded with taxpayer dollars, but are run by private groups and have more freedom over curriculum, staff and budget. Vouchers are essentially publicly funded scholarships given to low-income families to help cover private-school tuition.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said earlier in the week that education is "a top priority" for the president.

"He has said many times before that education has the ability to level the playing field for the next generation," Spicer said, adding that Trump "is determined to provide choice for every parent and opportunities for every child, regardless of their zip code."

St. Andrew Catholic School teaches 350 children from pre-K to eighth grade. The school defines its mission as "developing the students' spirituality and creativity in order to be disciples of Christ in the 21st century." A photo on the school's website shows a smiling boy in school uniform holding a sign that reads "My goals: College. Heaven."

"It's a very powerful message," said Samuel Abrams, director of the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, referring to Trump's choice of school to visit. "Advocates of traditional public schools should be worried because this means a diversion of funds from public coffers and thus support for public education."

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said that by visiting a private Catholic school, Trump is continuing an "ideological crusade."

Weingarten said that in many cases voucher programs have not improved children's academic outcomes. She added that voucher programs are often not transparent in how they spend public dollars and in what the kids are taught.

"To borrow a word from President Trump - it's so 'sad' that the president and his secretary of education have demonstrated such an antipathy toward public schools," Weingarten said in a statement. "Trump is in Florida to push choice and a backdoor voucher proposal as a way to turn education into a commodity."

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Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writers Maria Danilova and Jill Colvin in Washington contributed to this report.

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This story has been corrected to show the expert's last name is Abrams, not Abramson.

President Donald Trump, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, his daughter Ivanka and Janayah Chatelier, 10, left, listen to Landon Fritz, 10, during a tour of Saint Andrew Catholic School, Friday, March 3, 2017, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump walks with his grandchildren, Arabella Kushner and Joseph Kushner, across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, March 3, 2017, before boarding Marine One for the short flight to nearby Andrews Air Force Base, Friday, March 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos arrives in along with President Donald Trump in Air Force One at Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Fla., Friday, March 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Willie J. Allen Jr.)
DUBLIN (AP) - Sinn Fein, the Irish nationalist party, has fallen just short of becoming the largest party in elections for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

In results declared early Friday, the Democratic Unionist Party led with 28 seats, just one more than Sinn Fein's total.

At stake in the outcome from Thursday's snap election is the revival or demise of power-sharing between Irish Catholics and British Protestants, the central objective of the U.S.-brokered Good Friday peace accord nearly two decades ago.

Sinn Fein's party leader for Northern Ireland Michelle O'Neill celebrates with party members Francie Molloy, left, and Ian Milne, right, after toping the poll in Mid Ulster, Ballymena count centre, Northern Ireland, Friday, March 3, 2017. Counting has begun across Northern Ireland with Irish Nationalists seeking to boost their vote in an early election that could shape the fate of the Catholic-Protestant cooperation in Northern Ireland. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Sinn Fein was seeking to overtake the Protestants of the Democratic Unionists and become the No. 1 party for the first time in Northern Ireland - an achievement that would have given Sinn Fein the right to the top government post of "first minister."

Sinn Fein's new leader in Northern Ireland, 40-year-old Michelle O'Neill, was mobbed by supporters as the results rolled in.

O'Neill, the daughter of an Irish Republican Army veteran with childhood memories of the conflict that claimed 3,700 lives, represents a leadership shift within Sinn Fein to the first post-war generation following the IRA's 1997 cease-fire and 2005 disarmament.

Friday's final Northern Ireland-wide total of first-preference votes - the core measure of party popularity - showed the Democratic Unionists narrowly on top with 28.1 percent, down 1 point from the last election 10 months ago. Sinn Fein trailed with 27.9 percent, up 4 points, the narrowest sectarian gap in Northern Ireland electoral history.

Commentators credited the Sinn Fein surge to Catholic voters' anger at the Democratic Unionists, especially outgoing First Minister Arlene Foster, who was blamed for overseeing a wasteful "green energy" program and for fostering a culture of insults and disrespect toward Sinn Fein.

Voter turnout reached nearly 65 percent, 10 points higher than last year.

Former Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness triggered the election by resigning in January, declaring the vote a referendum on Foster's leadership. McGuinness, a former IRA commander recently diagnosed with a rare and often fatal disease, didn't seek re-election.

Sinn Fein's party leader for Northern Ireland Michelle O'Neill talks to the media after toping the poll in Mid Ulster, Ballymena count centre, Northern Ireland, Friday, March 3, 2017. Counting has begun across Northern Ireland with Irish Nationalists seeking to boost their vote in an early election that could shape the fate of the Catholic-Protestant cooperation in Northern Ireland. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Sinn Fein's party leader for Northern Ireland Michelle O'Neill celebrates with party members Francie Molloy, left, and Ian Milne, right, after toping the poll in Mid Ulster, Ballymena count centre, Northern Ireland, Friday, March 3, 2017. Counting has begun across Northern Ireland with Irish Nationalists seeking to boost their vote in an early election that could shape the fate of the Catholic-Protestant cooperation in Northern Ireland. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Election workers continue to tally up votes in the count centre in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, Friday, March 3, 2017. Counting has begun across Northern Ireland with Irish Nationalists seeking to boost their vote in an early election that could shape the fate of the Catholic-Protestant cooperation in Northern Ireland. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Election workers begin counting for the Mid Ulster area at the count centre in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, Friday, March 3, 2017. Counting has begun across Northern Ireland with Irish Nationalists seeking to boost their vote in an early election that could shape the fate of the Catholic-Protestant cooperation in Northern Ireland. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Police officers patrol the count centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Friday, March 3, 2017. Counting has begun across Northern Ireland with Irish Nationalists seeking to boost their vote in an early election that could shape the fate of the Catholic-Protestant cooperation in Northern Ireland. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

People arrive to vote at a polling station in West Belfast, Northern Ireland, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Voting has begun Thursday in the British province of Northern Ireland to elect a new Stormont Assembly after the power-sharing government collapsed in January. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

A republican poster calling for people not to vote is displayed on a postbox in West Belfast, Northern Ireland, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Voting has begun Thursday in the British province of Northern Ireland to elect a new Stormont Assembly after the power-sharing government collapsed in Jan. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Sinn Fein supporters arrive at a polling station in West Belfast, Northern Ireland, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Voting has begun Thursday in the British province of Northern Ireland to elect a new Stormont Assembly after the power-sharing government collapsed in January. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.

A right delayed is a right denied.Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.

Martin Luther King Jr.

No one is born hating another person People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Nelson Mandela

We can disagree and still love each other, unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist

James Baldwin

There is a fine line between free speech and hate speech. Free speech encourages debate whereas hate speech incites violence.

Newton Lee

The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.

Albert Einstein
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) - Three suicide bombers set ablaze three fuel tankers in the center of Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri before dawn Friday, officials said, just days before a planned visit by the U.N. Security Council.

Soldiers fired at one of the bombers, a teenage girl, to avert what could have been a major attack on the city's main fuel depot, according to the police chief and a witness.

"We are lucky. Today could have been another sad day for us in Maiduguri," police commissioner Damian Chukwu told reporters at the scene, where firefighters were dousing several fires.

The attack, outside a gas station opposite the northeastern headquarters of the Central Bank of Nigeria, killed only the three bombers, said Abdulkadir Ibrahim, spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency.

Officials blamed Boko Haram insurgents who many times have attacked Maiduguri, the birthplace of Nigeria's homegrown Islamic extremist group.

An elderly woman bomber blew herself up beside a stationary tanker loaded with fuel around 3 a.m., witness Mala Gajibo told The Associated Press.

She was accompanied by a teenage boy and girl who continued down the road toward the fuel depot until they were challenged by soldiers, Gajibo said. Chukwu also said soldiers fired at one of the bombers.

"They ordered them to stop but they chose to run," Gajibo said. "The male suicide bomber detonated his explosives near S. Baba (gas) filling station, while the girl was shot at by the military and ran under a parked truck loaded with petrol products which went up in flames" when her explosives detonated.

Increased security by Nigerian soldiers and civilian self-defense fighters has averted many suicide bombings in recent months.

The attack comes just days before the U.N. Security Council is expected in Maiduguri as part of a four-nation tour of countries in the Lake Chad Basin devastated by the seven-year Boko Haram uprising that has killed more than 20,000.

The uprising also has left 2.6 million homeless and created what the U.N. has called the continent's worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 5 million people in urgent need of food aid.

Council members began their tour Friday in Cameroon. A multinational force headquartered in Chad has driven Boko Haram out of towns and villages where the extremists had set up an Islamic caliphate. But suicide bombings and attacks on remote villages and military outposts continue.

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This story has been corrected to show that Chad, not Cameroon, is the headquarters of the multinational force.

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Faul reported from Johannesburg. Associated Press writer Joshua Ola contributed from Maiduguri.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - A North Korean chemist deported from Malaysia accused police of threatening to kill his family unless he confessed to the assassination of the half-brother of North Korea's leader, calling it a plot to tarnish his country's honor.

Ri Jong Chol spoke to reporters in Beijing early Sunday while on his way to Pyongyang. Malaysian authorities have said there's insufficient evidence to charge Ri over Kim Jong Nam's killing at Kuala Lumpur's airport on Feb. 13.

Ri was detained four days after the attack but police never said what they believed his role was. Two women - one Indonesian, one Vietnamese - have been charged with murder after police said they smeared Kim's face with VX, a banned nerve agent considered a weapon of mass destruction.

North Korean Ri Jong Chol speaks in front of reporters at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing early Saturday, March 4, 2017. Malaysian authorities on Friday deported the only North Korean detained in the killing of the half brother of North Korea's leader after releasing him because of a lack of evidence to charge him. (Naohiko Hatta/Kyodo News via AP)

Ri said he wasn't at the airport the day Kim was killed but that police accused him of being a mastermind and presented him with "fake evidence." He said they showed him a picture of his wife and two children, who were staying with him in Kuala Lumpur, and threatened to kill them.

"These men kept telling me to admit to the crime, and if not, my whole family would be killed, and you too won't be safe. If you accept everything, you can live a good life in Malaysia," Ri said. "This is when I realized that it was a trap ... they were plotting to tarnish my country's reputation."

Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.

Immigration Director-General Mustafar Ali said Friday that Ri has been blacklisted from re-entering Malaysia.

Malaysia is looking for seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom are believed to have left the country on the day of the killing. Three others, including an official at the North Korean Embassy and an employee of Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier, are believed to still be in Malaysia.

Police on Friday issued an arrest warrant for the Air Koryo employee, Kim Uk Il, but didn't say why he is a suspect . Police say he arrived in Malaysia on Jan. 29, about two weeks before Kim was killed.

Kim's death has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. Malaysia said it was scraping visa-free entry for North Koreans, while the Foreign Ministry said it was "greatly concerned" about the use of the nerve agent.

Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of being behind the killing, but the ministry statement came hours after a North Korean envoy rejected a Malaysian autopsy finding that VX killed Kim. Ri Tong Il, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, said that the man probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

He said that if VX had been used, others besides Kim would have been killed or sickened. Malaysian police have brushed off Ri's claim of a heart attack and insisted he was murdered.

The two female suspects at an airport terminal were caught on grainy surveillance video smearing what Malaysian authorities say was VX on his face and eyes, though both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Kim died within 20 minutes, authorities say. No bystanders reported falling ill.

Police said the women had been trained to go immediately to the bathroom and wash their hands. Police said the four North Korean suspects who had left the country put the VX liquid on the women's hands.

Police can't confirm whether the two women may have been given antidotes before the attack. An antidote, atropine, can be injected after exposure and is carried by medics in war zones where weapons of mass destruction are suspected.

Malaysia's finding that VX killed Kim boosted speculation that North Korea orchestrated the attack. Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons including VX.

North Korea is trying to retrieve Kim's body, but has not acknowledged that the victim is Kim Jong Un's half brother.

North Korean Ri Jong Chol, right, speaks to reporters from behind a fence at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing early Saturday, March 4, 2017. Malaysian authorities on Friday deported the only North Korean detained in the killing of the half brother of North Korea's leader after releasing him because of a lack of evidence to charge him. (Minoru Iwasaki/Kyodo News via AP)

North Korean Ri Jong Chol criticizes Malaysian government's investigation, at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing early Saturday, March 4, 2017. Malaysian authorities on Friday deported the only North Korean detained in the killing of the half brother of North Korea's leader after releasing him because of a lack of evidence to charge him. (Minoru Iwasaki/Kyodo News via AP)

North Korean Ri Jong Chol speaks to reporters from behind a fence at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing early Saturday, March 4, 2017. Malaysian authorities on Friday deported the only North Korean detained in the killing of the half brother of North Korea's leader after releasing him because of a lack of evidence to charge him. (Naohiko Hatta/Kyodo News via AP)

North Korean Ri Jong Chol detained in the killing of the half brother of North Korea's leader, arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing early Saturday, March 4, 2017. Malaysian authorities on Friday deported Ri after releasing him because of a lack of evidence to charge him. (Minoru Iwasaki/Kyodo News via AP)

In this Friday, March 3, 2017 photo, North Korean Ri Jong Chol, center, waits for the departure inside a plane bound for Beijing, China, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia. Malaysian authorities on Friday deported the only North Korean detained in the killing of the half brother of North Korea's leader after releasing him because of a lack of evidence to charge him. (Daisuke Sato/Kyodo News via AP)
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) - Police in Bangladesh's capital have arrested the spiritual leader of a banned militant group that is responsible for a series of attacks in the South Asian country, an official said Friday.

Maulana Abul Kashem was arrested Thursday night, said Monirul Islam, chief of the police Counterterrorism and Transnational Crimes Unit. Kashem was a teacher at an Islamic school in northern Bangladesh and was acting as chief of a faction of the Jumatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh, or JMB, Islam said.

Police say Kashem played a key role in a July 2016 attack in which 17 foreigners were killed when five militants stormed a restaurant in Dhaka's diplomatic zone. Kashem was allegedly connected with Tamim Chowdhury, a Bangladeshi-born Canadian who was killed in a raid in August. Police said Chowdhury was the main planner of the group.

Some 40 suspects have been killed since July in a crackdown on militants ordered by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the July attack, but the government blamed the JMB.

Dozens of atheists, liberal writers, bloggers and publishers as well as members of minority communities and foreigners have been targeted by militants.
MOSCOW (AP) - The Russian Defense Ministry says the nation's top military officer has spoken to his NATO counterpart for the first time in several years.

The ministry said Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, had a phone call Friday with Czech Army Gen. Petr Pavel, the chairman of NATO's Military Committee.

It was the first such high-level contact since NATO suspended a dialogue with Russia in 2014 over Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea and support for a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine.

The ministry said Gerasimov and Pavel discussed prevention of incidents, prospects for restoring military cooperation and acute security issues. It said Gerasimov relayed Moscow's concerns about NATO's buildup near Russian borders and the generals confirmed the need for joint steps to reduce tensions.
BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union is still waiting for a "solid outline" from the U.S. on its goals for trade with the 28-nation bloc, a senior EU official said after the bloc's trade ministers met Friday, insisting that trans-Atlantic relations must be in both sides' interest.

There is widespread concern in Europe about the possibility of a more protectionist U.S. approach under President Donald Trump and about the administration's wider view of the EU.

One of Trump's first actions as president was to withdraw the U.S. from a trans-Pacific trade agreement. Talks on the long-planned Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the U.S. and EU are currently frozen, and that accord also faces opposition in parts of Europe.

"We await to hear a solid outline of the United States' plans and goals for trade with the EU," Economy Minister Christian Cardona of Malta, which holds the 28-nation EU's presidency, said after hosting fellow trade ministers in Valletta.

"There are risks for the multilateral trading system if the United States had to consider any extreme action, as in pulling out of WTO," or World Trade Organization, said Cardona, who spoke in English. He added that trans-Atlantic relations "should be in both the EU and the U.S. mutual interest."

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said there is still "a lot of uncertainties" about the new administration's direction.

She added that she was "very encouraged" to hear strong support for the EU's own trade agenda, which includes trade negotiations with Japan, Mexico and South America's Mercosur bloc.

They offer "a possibility for the European Union to show that we can do good trade deals, sustainable trade deals that are win-win," Malmstrom said.
MADRID (AP) - Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres was released from the hospital on Friday following a scary head-to-head clash which left him unconscious.

Atletico said a CAT scan did not reveal any damage to his head or neck.

Torres told local media shortly after being discharged that he was "all well."

"It all turned out to be a big scare, and I am counting the days and hours before I can be back with my teammates," he said.

Doctors have ordered the 32-year-old former Spain striker to wait 48 hours before practicing or playing again.

"In a couple of days I will be able to train again and be back ready," Torres said.

Torres collapsed and lost consciousness after knocking heads with Deportivo La Coruna midfielder Alex Bergantinos in the 85th minute of Thursday's 1-1 draw in La Coruna.

He was assisted for several minutes by doctors before being taken off on a stretcher and transferred to a hospital.

Torres will miss Sunday's Spanish league match against Valencia.
LONDON (AP) - Prime Minister Theresa May has told her Conservative Party's Scottish conference that preserving the unity of the United Kingdom is a key objective of her government.

She warned in Glasgow Friday that the Scottish National Party's focus on gaining independence for Scotland had become an obsession.

The prime minister told her supporters that the SNP led by Nicola Sturgeon suffers from "tunnel-vision nationalism which focuses only on independence at any cost".

Sturgeon has indicated she may push for a second referendum on Scottish independence because of Scottish opposition to Britain leaving the European Union. She says the May government has not listened to compromise proposals to maintain EU ties.

May said there is "no economic case for breaking up the United Kingdom."

Scottish voters rejected independence in a 2014 referendum.
ASIA:

CHINA-ECONOMY - China's top economic official trims its growth target and warns of dangers from global pressure for trade controls, as Beijing tries to build a consumer-driven economy and reduce reliance on exports and investment. By Joe McDonald. SENT: 940 words, photos. With CHINA-POLITICS-POLLUTION - China premier pledges: 'We will make our skies blue again.' By Louise Watt. SENT: 420 words, photos; CHINA-POLITICS-MILITARY - In break with past, China releases no exact defense budget. SENT: 130 words, photos. UPCOMING: 350 words by 0600 GMT.

JAPAN-POLITICS-ABE - Japan's ruling party approves a change in party rules that could pave the way for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to become the country's longest-serving leader in the post-World War II era. By Ken Moritsugu. SENT: 500 words, photos.

PHILIPPINES-GERMAN HOSTAGE - Philippine troops have found the remains of a German hostage who was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the country's south after a ransom deadline lapsed. SENT: 130 words. UPCOMING: 250 words by 0600 GMT.

NKOREA-SUSHI RESTAURANT - Sushi in Pyongyang? At a restaurant run by a Japanese sushi chef famous for working for North Korea's late leader Kim Jong Il? Kenji Fujimoto has opened his sushi restaurant in the North Korean capital, according to Canadian Michael Spavor, a consultant with a long record of working in the communist state. SENT: 440 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US:

The editor in charge at the AP Asia-Pacific Desk in Bangkok is Hrvoje Hranjski. Questions and story requests are welcome. The news desk can be reached at (66) 2632-6911 or by email at asia@ap.org. The Asia Photo Desk can be reached at (81-3) 6215-8941. Between 1600 GMT and 0000 GMT, please refer queries to the North America Desk in New York at (1) 212-621-1650.

Expanded AP content can be obtained from http://www.apexchange.com. For access to AP Exchange and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call (1) 877-836-9477.
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) - Britain's top official negotiating an exit from the European Union says a future free trade agreement his country seeks with the European Union is crucial for both Britain sides.

Speaking after meeting Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Friday, Secretary David Davis says "this is massively important to both sides."

Davis says Britain exports goods worth 230 billion euros ($242 billion) to the EU while EU nations export goods for 290 billion euros ($305 billion) to U.K. He says a recent investment of Jaguar Land Rover in Slovakia is "a component of that co-process ... we want to preserve, enlarge and encourage."

Davis also says his government wants to assure Slovak citizens in Britain "they will have equally good arrangements in the future as they have now."
FREDERICK, Md. (AP) - A Maryland woman imprisoned last year while visiting her native Gambia is back with her family in the United States.

News outlets report that Fanta Jawara arrived at Dulles International Airport on Thursday night, embracing her husband and daughters and greeting a crowd of supporters. She says she's "happy to be home."

Jawara is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Frederick. She and 17 others were sentenced to three years in prison after their arrest on charges of unlawful assembly, conspiracy and incitement to violence during an April anti-government protest. Jawara contends she was a bystander.

Fanta Jawara, center, a Maryland woman imprisoned last year while visiting her native Gambia, breaks down upon being reunited with her family on Thursday evening March 2, 2017, at the international arrival area of Dulles International Airport, in Frederick, Md. From left are her children Aminata Jawara and Sarah Jawara and her husband, Ebrima Jawara. (Dan Gross /The Frederick News-Post via AP)

She was released on bond in December after strongman ruler Yahya Jammeh lost the presidential election to Adama Barrow.

Jammeh stepped down Jan. 21 after a tense political standoff, clearing the way for Jawara's return.
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A Michigan lawmaker who quit office amid a sex scandal in 2015 is expected to face trial this spring on a perjury charge.

The Detroit News reports (http://detne.ws/2mSQYF0 ) Ingham County Circuit Court Judge William Collette set the May 22 trial, despite objections from Todd Courser's attorney who says the case is being rushed.

Courser is accused of lying under oath during a legislative hearing about misconduct. Collette dismissed charges accusing Courser of misconduct in office.

In 2015, Courser asked an aide to send a phony email to cover up his affair with fellow GOP state Rep. Cindy Gamrat. Lawmakers later expelled Gamrat, but Courser resigned before they could punish him too. Charges against Gamrat were dismissed.

Courser has been declared competent for trial.

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Information from: The Detroit News, http://detnews.com/
NEW YORK (AP) - The Fire Department of New York says it has put out an apartment fire at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Manhattan.

There were no serious injuries reported. One person refused medical attention.

The fire was reported around 4:15 a.m. Friday in a 47th floor apartment at the hotel on Central Park West, near Columbus Circle.

The cause has not been officially determined. However, the Daily News says it appears there may have been an electrical short circuit.
HAGATNA, Guam (AP) - A former Guam police officer has been found guilty of negligent homicide in connection to the 2015 shooting death of a fellow officer, but more serious charges have been dropped.

A Superior Court of Guam jury on Thursday found Mark Torre Jr. guilty of negligent homicide but acquitted him of murder and manslaughter, The Pacific Daily News reported (http://bit.ly/2lHh8Ku). He was also found guilty of felony aggravated assault and two special allegations of possession and use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.

Sgt. Elbert Piolo was shot with Torre's gun inside his truck at Torre's house on July 13, 2015.

Defense attorneys had argued Piolo was distraught over an extramarital affair and shot himself with Torre's weapon as the other officer tried to stop him.

Chief Prosecutor Phillip Tydingco said negligent homicide normally carries a sentence of zero to five years in prison, but because Torre is a first-time offender, they will recommend zero to three years. With the additional charges, Torre could be sentenced to a maximum of 28 years in prison.

Torre declined to comment after the verdict, but his attorney Joaquin Arriola Jr. thanked the jury.

"On behalf of the Torre family, we express our sincere thanks to the jury for taking the time and effort to sit through this very long and arduous process of trial and, most importantly, for deliberating over two days to make a decision in this case and not rush to judgment," he said.

Piolo's mother, Jerelyn Piolo, said she and the rest of her family had hoped Torre would be convicted of murder but that she has resigned herself to the outcome.

"I'm just leaving it to God," she said. "Karma will do the rest."
PHOENIX (AP) - Two years ago, Steve Ronnebeck's son was gunned down at work in a Phoenix-area convenience store over a pack of cigarettes. The man accused of pulling the trigger was an immigrant who was in the country illegally and had been released by federal authorities.

The suspected killer, captured on camera calmly stepping over the body of 21-year-old Grant Ronnebeck to grab a few more packs, faced deportation but was free on bond.

Ronnebeck and other families who have lost loved ones to crimes committed by immigrants now have a forceful advocate at the highest level with President Donald Trump in the White House. During his speech to Congress on Tuesday, Trump announced that he would create a new office to serve victims of immigrant crime and their relatives.

Mary Ann Mendoza poses for a photograph while holding a framed picture of herself and her son, Brandon Mendoza, on Thursday, March 2, 2017, at her home in Mesa, Ariz. Families who have lost loved ones to crimes committed by immigrants are praising President Donald Trump's announcement this week that he will create a new office to advocate on their behalf. Mendoza's son, a Mesa police officer, was killed on May 12, 2014, in a head-on collision with a man who authorities say was intoxicated and an immigrant in the country illegally. Both Brandon Mendoza and the other diver were killed in the crash. (AP Photo/Brian Skoloff)

Although immigrants are responsible for only a small fraction of the crimes committed daily around the country, the issue played an outsized role in the race for the White House. Trump repeatedly invoked such crimes at rallies and frequently appeared with victims on the campaign trail, pointing to case after case in which people were killed by immigrant assailants who slipped through the cracks.

Many of the families have doggedly pressed for changes in the immigration system for years, lobbying lawmakers in Washington and even disrupting congressional hearings to make their point.

"To lose a child, especially when it was preventable, you know there's no coming back from that. You don't ever recover, but to have a president that is putting Americans first and putting the victims' families first, it's amazing," Ronnebeck said. "Finally we're being heard. My family feels like we actually matter again."

The man charged in Grant Ronnebeck's slaying has pleaded not guilty to murder, armed robbery and other charges. Adolfo Altamirano is scheduled to go to trial Sept. 18 in Maricopa County.

Trump's new agency will be the office of Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement, or VOICE, and will be part of the Department of Homeland Security. Department Secretary John Kelly described the agency's planned work in a memo last month.

Under President Barack Obama, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency protected information about immigration cases from public inspection, including from victims. It also created a public advocate position in 2012 that helped immigrants facing deportation and answered complaints or offered explanations about the agency's work.

Opponents criticized the administration for using government money to advocate for immigrants in the country illegally.

Don Rosenberg said an office like VOICE would have been useful when he was trying to navigate the judicial system after an immigrant named Roberto Galo killed his 25-year-old son, Drew, in a car collision after striking the law student's motorcycle in San Francisco in late 2010.

Rosenberg struggled to keep track of hearings and did not know what his rights were as the father of a victim.

Galo did not have a driver's license and was in the country illegally, although he had temporary protected status, meaning he was shielded from deportation. He was sentenced to six months in jail but was let out after 43 days, Rosenberg said.

He was eventually deported to Honduras.

Rosenberg became vocal against policies protecting immigrants. He was detained by U.S. Capitol police in July 2015 after getting into an argument with another man at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining the Obama administration's approach to immigration. Rosenberg said he got loud but not violent while arguing with a man. He was not charged.

Several studies have concluded that immigrants are less likely to commit crime than native-born U.S. citizens. A 2014 study published in the journal Justice Quarterly concluded that immigrants "exhibit remarkably low levels of involvement in crime across their life course."

Not all relatives of crime victims agree with Trump.

Andy Ostroy, of New York, said it's wrong for the president and others to demonize a group of people based on the actions of a few.

Ostroy's wife, Adrienne Shelly, was an actor and filmmaker with a young daughter. She was killed in 2006 by an Ecuadorean immigrant who was working in construction without legal status. Diego Pillco strangled Shelly and staged her death as a suicide. He confessed, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Ostroy said a program such as VOICE will fuel anti-immigrant rhetoric.

"Let's just work on crime, period," he said. "Let's not go down a dark, dangerous path of demonizing whole segments of our population."

Mary Ann Mendoza is the mother of a Mesa, Arizona, police sergeant killed in 2014 in a head-on collision with a drunken driver who was suspected of being in the country illegally. The driver, Raul Silva Corona, who had been driving the wrong way, was killed in the crash.

Mendoza said she has been working with members of the Trump administration as they create VOICE and is grateful for the president's actions.

"So many times families are left grieving the loss of their loved ones, and they're left wondering what happened in the system," she said. "I wish we had leadership in our state that stood up for Americans and would reach out to our families."
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - The sale of Trump Taj Mahal casino to Hard Rock International has left some winners and losers in Atlantic City.

The winners included a union whose members were willing to lose their own jobs to stand up to Taj owner and billionaire investor Carl Icahn. And, a Native American tribe that had been toying with the idea of expanding its gambling operations to New Jersey will finally get to the Jersey shore.

The losers in the deal could include competing casinos that are just beginning to see the benefits of a slimmed-down gambling market in the resort town. Icahn, too, because he took a large loss on his ownership of the casino.

This Oct. 5, 2016 photo shows a sign outside the Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City N.J. warning that the casino is to shut down on Monday Oct. 10. On March 1, 2017, billionaire investor Carl Icahn sold the shuttered casino to Hard Rock International, which plans to rebrand and reopen it. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

On Wednesday, Icahn sold the Boardwalk casino that was opened by President Donald Trump in 1990 to the Florida-based Hard Rock. The sale came four months after Icahn shut it down amid a crippling strike.

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WINNERS

UNITE HERE LOCAL 54

The main Atlantic City casino workers' union went on strike July 1 against the Taj Mahal after it could not reach a deal with Icahn to restore employee health insurance and pension benefits that were terminated in bankruptcy court. With no end to the walkout in sight and losing millions of dollars a month, Icahn shut the casino down on Oct. 10. Many of the union members said they were prepared to lose their jobs rather than accept a two-tiered benefit system different from the city's other casinos. Now, many of the nearly 3,000 workers who lost their jobs could be rehired when Hard Rock Atlantic City opens in spring 2018.

HARD ROCK

The company, which manages gambling and resort operations for Florida's Seminole Indian tribe, has been toying with the idea of expanding to New Jersey for years. It announced a plan in 2011 for a small music-themed casino at the southern end of the Boardwalk - then soon abandoned it. It made an unsuccessful bid on the former Revel casino while it was in bankruptcy. And, it sought and received prequalification for a New Jersey casino license in 2015.

Hard Rock proposed building a casino at the site of the Meadowlands Racetrack with owner Jeffrey Gural, but a statewide referendum to allow casinos outside Atlantic City was crushed by voters last November. Language in the referendum would have given existing Atlantic City casino operators first crack at one of two casino licenses in northern New Jersey. On Thursday, state Sen. Paul Sarlo, one of the authors of that bill, would not commit to a similar clause in any future referendum.

THE SHOWBOAT (AND REVEL/TEN?)

Philadelphia developer Bart Blatstein last year reopened the former Showboat casino as a non-gambling hotel. But foot traffic on the northern end of the Boardwalk has been sparse since the Showboat and Revel closed in 2014 and the Taj Mahal joined them last year. A reopened casino at the former Taj site would bring new life and pedestrians to an area that has resembled a ghost town in recent years. (There's no indication when - or even if - Revel will reopen as the rebranded TEN resort, with owner Glenn Straub neck-deep in multiple disputes with state agencies.)

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LOSERS

CARL ICAHN

It's not a role the sharp-elbowed investor is accustomed to, but it is hard to see his association with the Taj Mahal as anything other than a swing and a miss. The idea was to have a second casino hotel to complement his Tropicana casino in Atlantic City. But it didn't go as envisioned; Icahn told The Associated Press in January he had lost $300 million on the Taj Mahal. (No sale price was revealed.)

COMPETING CASINOS

The seven casinos currently operating in Atlantic City (there were 12 three years ago) have just begun to adjust to the slimmed-down market, with revenue starting to inch up with less competition. The addition of another casino, particularly a successful one with a globally known brand, could upset that delicate equilibrium and revive talk of an oversaturated market. And even though it could benefit from additional foot traffic, Straub's TEN would be competing with Hard Rock for customers on the northern end of the Boardwalk.

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Follow Wayne Parry at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC

This Oct. 5, 2016 photo shows the exterior of the Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, N.J. On March 1, 2017, billionaire investor Carl Icahn sold the shuttered casino to Hard Rock International, which plans to rebrand and reopen it. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) - Pro-Russian opposition leaders in Montenegro have asked the White House chief strategist to help block the Balkan country's NATO bid, saying the Obama administration has presented false facts about its readiness to join the Western military alliance.

Two opposition officials, Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic, wrote in a letter to Steve Bannon, a senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, that the U.S. Senate should vote against the accession. The vote has been stalled because of objections by two senators.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter on Friday.

FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 23, 2016 file photo, two senior opposition leaders Andrija Mandic, left, and Milan Knezevic attend a press conference in Podgorica, Montenegro. Pro-Russian opposition leaders in Montenegro have asked the White House chief strategist to help block the Balkan country's NATO bid, saying the Obama administration has presented false facts about its readiness to join the Western military alliance. (AP Photo/Risto Bozovic, File)

So far, 25 of 28 NATO members have approved Montenegro's membership bid, but the U.S. endorsement is considered crucial.

Trump's stand on NATO, which he once described an "obsolete" organization, and his positive remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin have caused worries in Montenegro that the small country could be left without U.S. support amid the Kremlin's expanding influence in the Balkan region.

The Montenegrin opposition has boycotted parliament since the October election, when the country's pro-Western government accused it of attempting a pro-Russian coup that allegedly included plans to take over power and kill the then-prime minister, Milo Djukanovic, because of his NATO bid.

The letter, written on behalf of a coalition of opposition parties called the Democratic Front, warned that the security situation in Montenegro is "very complex" and that "the matter of relations to NATO demands exceptional caution." It added that Bannon should gain a "clear picture" of the situation before the final approval.

Mandic and Knezevic alleged that the U.S. has been presented with "false facts and superficial information" about Montenegro by the Obama administration.

They said Montenegro has been deeply split between those who seek NATO membership and those who reject it.

"Montenegrin society does not have a unique attitude regarding the admission to NATO as falsely alleged by the former administration in Washington," the letter stated. "In reality, Montenegro does not meet the criteria for admission to the Euro-Atlantic alliance because it cannot ensure its own internal stability and democratic system."

Russia has strongly opposed NATO expansion in Europe, especially if it brings countries like Montenegro that were considered close allies of Moscow into the military alliance.

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Jovana Gec and Dusan Stojanovic contributed from Belgrade, Serbia.

FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2017 file photo, White House chief strategist Steve Bannon listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with county sheriffs in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Pro-Russian opposition leaders in Montenegro have asked the White House chief strategist to help block the Balkan country's NATO bid, saying the Obama administration has presented false facts about its readiness to join the Western military alliance. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
BRUSSELS (AP) - European Union foreign ministers are to discuss whether to hold high-level talks with Israel soon amid concern over its settlement policy and commitment to a two-state solution, diplomats said Friday.

The diplomats said the EU must be clear in its dealings with Israel, especially given the U.S. administration's unclear position on the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

One said that any future official talks with Israel could not be "business as usual. Things have to be said very clearly to the Israelis."

The diplomats briefed reporters about Monday's foreign affairs talks in Brussels on the condition that they are not named.

The Palestinians want the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem - territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war - for their future state.

They and most of the international community consider outposts and settlements illegal and see them as an obstacle to creating that state.

EU-Israeli relations are governed by an "Association Agreement," which entered force in June 2000. It foresees routine ministerial-level meetings, or Association Councils.

Israeli media has reported that one such meeting was scheduled for Feb. 28, but EU officials deny a date was ever set.

"We want to have a unified and clear European Union position that takes into account developments on the ground," the diplomat said. "Once we have a clear position, then we can look at a date."

The EU is the biggest donor of aid to the Palestinians but holds little influence over Israel.

A senior EU official insisted that preparation for the talks goes on, despite suspicion that the Europeans might be stalling.

"It's not frozen, not at all. Work has started," she said.

She acknowledged that President Donald Trump's ambivalence about the two-state solution has caused concern in Europe.

"There is an ongoing policy review in the United States," she said. "So we will continue to use every opportunity, every occasion, also at the level of senior officials, to promote our views."

Dismayed by Israel's continued settlement expansion, EU lawmakers have called for a freeze on the agreement.

"The continued application of the agreement in spite of Israel's clear violation ... sends a message to Israel that its practices will be tolerated without any impact," Cypriot EU lawmaker Neoklis Sylikiotis said in the West Bank last week while leading a delegation of EU lawmakers.
NEPTUNE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) - Authorities are trying to determine what caused a fast-moving fire that gutted four homes and damaged three other structures in a historic New Jersey shore community.

Police Capt. Michael McGhee says flames broke out just after 5 a.m. Friday in a vacant hotel in the Ocean Grove section of Neptune Township, where homes are close together.

Flames and embers spread to the upper floors of the La Pierre condominium, across from Asbury Park. Two other structures were also damaged.

Emergency personal and investigators at the scene of a five-alarm fire that ripped through seven buildings on Seaview and Beach avenues Friday, March 3, 2017, in Ocean Grove, N.J. Authorities are trying to determine what caused a fast-moving fire that gutted four homes and damaged three other structures in a historic New Jersey shore community. Police Capt. Michael McGhee says flames broke out just after 5 a.m. Friday in a vacant hotel in the Ocean Grove section of Neptune Township, where homes are close together. (AP Photo/Doug Hood)

McGhee says everyone is accounted for and it could have been worse. Two firefighters had minor injuries.

The Red Cross is helping displaced residents.

Ocean Grove was formed as a religious community in 1869. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its extensive collection of authentic Victorian architecture.

Firefighters battle a blaze Friday, March 3, 2017, in Ocean Grove, N.J. Authorities are trying to determine what caused a fast-moving fire that gutted four homes and damaged three other structures in a historic New Jersey shore community. Police Capt. Michael McGhee says flames broke out just after 5 a.m. Friday in a vacant hotel in the Ocean Grove section of Neptune Township, where homes are close together. (AP Photo/James J. Connolly)

Emergency personal and investigators at the scene of a five-alarm fire that ripped through seven buildings on Seaview and Beach avenues Friday morning. Ocean Grove, N.J., Friday, March 3, 2017. Authorities are trying to determine what caused a fast-moving fire that gutted four homes and damaged three other structures in a historic New Jersey shore community. Police Capt. Michael McGhee says flames broke out just after 5 a.m. Friday in a vacant hotel in the Ocean Grove section of Neptune Township, where homes are close together. (AP Photo/Doug Hood)
FITZGERALD, Ga. (AP) - A second man was arrested Friday in connection with the slaying of Georgia high school teacher who vanished nearly 12 years ago, with warrants saying the new suspect helped the woman's killer dispose of her body.

The Ben Hill County sheriff's office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation declined to comment on the arrest of 32-year-old Bo Dukes, citing a gag order imposed by a judge earlier in the week.

But Georgia news media reported that arrest warrants showed Dukes was charged with concealing a body, evidence tampering and hindering the apprehension of a criminal in connection with the disappearance of Tara Grinstead.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2006, file photo, missing teacher Tara Grinstead is displayed on a billboard in Ocilla, Ga. Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge J.T. Ricketson tells multiple news outlets that investigators returned to a pecan farm Wednesday, March 1, 2017, searching for Grinstead's remains. Investigators dug through a wooded area Tuesday for Grinstead, who went missing from her Ocilla home in 2005. (AP Photo/Elliott Minor, File)

Grinstead, a former beauty queen and teacher, went missing from her home in October 2005. The case stumped investigators for more than a decade. But the GBI announced last week it had charged 33-year-old Ryan Alexander Duke with murder in the case.

Duke and Dukes were classmates at Irwin County High School at the same time Grinstead taught history there, said Wendy McFarland, a close friend of Grinstead's who still teaches at the school. McFarland said the two suspects are not related and that Dukes still lives in the area, though she wasn't certain of which county.

"He was just an extremely intelligent kid," McFarland said of Dukes. "I would absolutely not expect either of those to have been involved in this crime."

The second arrest came after GBI investigators spent several days searching a pecan farm near Fitzgerald, about 9 miles north of the rural farm community of Ocilla where Grinstead lived. The GBI has not said whether it found Grinstead's remains.

A search warrant said Dukes had helped "conceal and destroy" Grinstead's body in 2005, WMAZ-TV reported (http://on.wmaz.com/2lDkEVs ).

Dukes was released from jail Friday after posting $15,000 bond and waiving his first appearance before a judge, media organizations reported.

Superior Court Judge Melanie Cross, who is presiding over the murder case against Duke in neighboring Irwin County, issued a gag order Tuesday prohibiting attorneys, law enforcement officers, potential witnesses and relatives of the suspect and victim from discussing the case outside the courtroom.

GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles cited the gag order when she declined to release information on Dukes' arrest.

"We've been told not to make any comments at all," Miles told The Associated Press.

A woman who answered the phone at the Ben Hill County Sheriff's Office said reporters seeking information on Dukes' arrest must submit a written request for records in person. The Georgia Open Records Act does not require requests for public documents to be submitted in person or prohibit them from being submitted electronically via email.

The judge wrote in her order that Duke's "right to a fair trial may be prejudiced" by public statements made by parties in the case outside the courtroom.

Nancy Ross, Superior Court clerk for Irwin County, told The Telegraph (http://bit.ly/2mTXIm1) of Macon that she had been "verbally instructed" by the judge to seal court records in the case as well. The written order itself does not mention sealing court records from public view.

"The judge's order, however well intentioned, is overbroad," David Hudson, an attorney for the Georgia Press Association, told the Macon newspaper.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - A United Nations official who visited North Dakota in the wake of months of protests over the Dakota Access pipeline believes the concerns and rights of Native Americans haven't been adequately addressed.

Victoria Tauli-Corpuz is the U.N. special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples. She believes authorities used unnecessary force against protesters, that the Standing Rock Sioux tribe wasn't properly consulted, and that the issue of trash left by protesters has been overblown.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum says the state has respected legal protests. He says it focused on maintaining peace and protecting the environment. He says his administration is restoring relations with the Standing Rock Sioux.

Tauli-Corpuz will make a report in September to the U.N. Human Rights Council. It will have no force of law.
HAVANA (AP) - Cuba's tobacco farmers are celebrating a bumper crop after two bad years that coincided with a boom in demand set off by a surge of tourists and looser U.S. rules on cigar-buying.

One night of rain combined with a winter chill can ruin a tobacco crop, leaving farmers nervous until the growing season has ended and the harvest has begun. This spring, the fields in Pinar del Rio Province, some 90 miles (150 kilometers) west of Havana, are carpeted with healthy green tobacco plants.

"This year I can't complain," farmer Luis Martinez says. "The weather helped the harvest and I think it'll be the best crop in many years."

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, a picker collects tobacco leaves at the Martinez farm in Cuba's western province Pinar del Rio. Cuban tobacco farmers are celebrating a bumper crop after two bad years that coincided with a boom in demand set off by a surge of tourists and looser U.S. rules on cigar-buying. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Sales of Cuban cigars topped $430 million in 2016, with demand increasing both nationally and worldwide.

Cruise ship tourists, U.S. visitors and others are snapping up boxes of cigars in stores around the country. The Obama administration last year made it legal for travelers to bring unlimited quantities of rum and cigars back to the U.S.

Distributors abroad are also reporting record sales in an important source of foreign revenue for the cash-strapped government.

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, students pass through on a dirt road flanked by tobacco fields in Cuba's western province Pinar del Rio. This spring, the fields in the province some 90 miles (150 kilometers) west of Havana are carpeted with healthy green tobacco plants. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, tobacco farm owner Luis Martinez watches as a worker clears the ground of lose tobacco leaves in Cuba's western province Pinar del Rio. "This year I can't complain," Martinez says. "The weather helped the harvest and I think it'll be the best crop in many years." (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, farm hand Jorge Luis Leon Becerra uses a plow powered by oxen over an area where tobacco plants were recently harvested, at the Martinez tobacco farm in Cuba's western province Pinar del Rio, Cuba. Soaking rains that came too early, followed by drought conditions essentially wiped out last year's crop, following on the heels of bad yields in the previous year. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, tobacco picker Romerio Garcia collects leaves at the Alfredo Rojas farm in Vinales, Cuba's western province Pinar del Rio. This year, officials and farmers say, will prove to be a bumper crop of tobacco for the island, with yields from the country's tobacco plantations in the north showing healthy gains.(AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, tobacco picker Romerio Garcia collects leaves at the Alfredo Rojas farm in Vinales, Cuba's western province Pinar del Rio. The lush green fields are carpeted with healthy tobacco plants. One cooperative foreman says his workers have harvested three or four times what they were able to bring in last year. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, a tobacco picker moves freshly harvested tobacco leaves to a drying shed at the Martinez tobacco farm in Cuba's western province Pinar del Rio. The drying sheds are full of tobacco leaves, waiting for the moment when they are transformed into hard currency for the country, a welcome development for Cuba's ailing economy.(AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, a tobacco worker takes his daughter to school on horseback in Cuba's western province Pinar del Rio. Despite the flood of visitors since Cuba and the U.S. reestablished relations, some aspects of life in the provinces have changed little. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, tobacco curers play cards and video games during a work break at a state-run warehouse in San Luis, Cuba's western province of Pinar del Rio. Workers say they're eager to see more benefits of Cuba's increasing links to the outside world since the start of new relations with U.S., without losing the placid lifestyle of the last half-century. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, despalilladoras, who remove the central vein from tobacco leaves, take a work break, inside a state-run warehouse in San Luis, in Cuba's western province of Pinar del Rio. Cuban officials say this year's tobacco harvest will far surpass the last two years' yield, ending what had been a potentially disastrous shortfall in production at a time of soaring worldwide demand for the country's popular cigars. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, a worker hangs tobacco leaves in a drying shed, at the Martinez tobacco farm in Cuba's western province Pinar del Rio. The tobacco leaves will be hung to dry for almost two months before being sent off for cleaning and eventually rolled into cigars. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, images of the late leader Fidel Castro, revolutionary hero Ernesto "Che" Guevara, and tobacco farm scenes, decorate a wall inside a state-run "drying room" where tobacco curers take a work break in San Luis, Cuba's western province Pinar del Rio, Cuba. The drying sheds are full of tobacco leaves, waiting for the moment when they are transformed into hard currency for the country, a welcome development for Cuba's ailing economy. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, a worker removes fermented tobacco leaves from a box in preparation for the "breathing" stage, at a state-run warehouse in San Luis, in Cuba's western province of Pinar del Rio. Depending on the leaf, tobacco is left to "breath" in a dark space from anywhere between two months to several years. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 11, 2017 photo, workers who are responsible for handling freshly cut tobacco leaves, change into their street clothes at the end of their work shift at a state-run warehouse in Alquizar, in Cuba's western province Artemisa. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Feb. 28, 2017 photo, a "despalilladora" removes the central vein from a tobacco leaf inside a state-run warehouse in San Luis, in Cuba's western province Pinar del Rio. After the central vein is removed from each dried leaf, they're dipped in ammonium and water and dried again for at least two months. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Rollers make cigars at La Corona cigar factory in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Cuban officials say this year's tobacco harvest will far surpass the last two years' yield, ending what had been a potentially disastrous shortfall in production at a time of soaring worldwide demand for the country's popular cigars. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A roller puffs on a cigar while working at La Corona cigar factory in Havana, Cuba, March 2, 2017. Exports of Cuban stogies reached more than 430 million US dollars per year in 2016, with demand increasing both nationally and worldwide. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

A sorter selects cigars at the H. Upmann cigar factory in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Distributors abroad are reporting record sales, making cigar sales an important source of foreign revenue for the cash-strapped government. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) - A journalist was murdered in the troubled southern state of Guerrero, Mexican authorities said Friday, adding to a long list of reporter killings in what is considered one of the world's most dangerous countries for media professionals.

The Guerrero state prosecutor's office said in a statement that Cecilio Pineda Birto was shot dead Thursday evening in Ciudad Altamirano while in a hammock at a car wash waiting for his car to be serviced. Prosecutors said two attackers arrived on a motorcycle and one of them fired a handgun, according to eyewitness accounts.

Authorities were investigating, and there was no immediate word on whether his killing may have been related to his work.

Pineda was the founder of La Voz de Tierra Caliente, collaborated with various other media outlets and also published reports via Facebook, said Carlos Lauria, senior program coordinator for the Americas at the U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists, who has been working to document the case.

Lauria told The Associated Press that according to a witness, Pineda was shot at least 10 times, including once in the neck and four times in the chest.

Pineda was apparently receiving threats on a weekly basis, mostly through social media, according to Lauria. He added that Pineda escaped a previous attempt to kill him in September 2015 when a gunman shot at him at his home.

The man who shot at him then had apparently told Pineda's wife he was there to warn him that his boss didn't like what he was writing. Shortly after, Pineda said he received a phone call from the local organized crime boss nicknamed "El Tequilero" again warning him to lay off, according to government records.

One week after that attempt, a federal government unit that protects journalists had arranged for federal police to relocate Pineda and his family after judging his risk level to be "extraordinary," according to documents provided by the government. On the day of his scheduled departure, Pineda sent an email saying he was ill and unable to travel. Several more attempts were made to relocate him over the next year, but he never left.

Pineda told authorities that he had mainly covered crime and local politics since 2008. He complained of receiving threats from organized crime and politicians and began leaving names out of his stories.

In October 2016, officials from the unit met with Pineda again. He said he had changed homes and cars and had not received new threats. He declined to move to the government safe house because he said he would not be able to support his family. The unit decided to close his case.

Two weeks later, Pineda told them one of the Tequilero's hit men had called to tell him to be careful. Pineda said he was holed up in his house afraid to leave.

The unit again offered him and his family shelter outside the area, but he declined again and the case was closed.

Patricia Colchero, head of the interior ministry's human rights protection unit, said her entity had not found a way to protect Pineda if he would not leave the area.

"The area is very difficult and he was doing journalism calling out organized crime, calling out politicians who were tied to organized crime," Colchero said. "He received major threats."

Guerrero state security spokesman Roberto Alvarez Heredia called the Pineda "a model journalist" who "was very exposed" for his work reporting in a dangerous area.

According to the CPJ, at least 37 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 1992 for motives confirmed as directly related to their work. Forty-nine more were slain during the same period in circumstances that have not yet been fully explained.

"Mexico is clearly the worst, most dangerous place for journalists in the Western Hemisphere," Lauria said. "And what makes it worse is the impunity surrounding most of these cases that perpetuates a climate of violence where journalists are left wide open to attacks."

Ciudad Altamirano is in one of the most conflicted parts of Guerrero, an area where heroin-producing poppy crops are grown in a region disputed by several drug gangs.

___

Associated Press writer Jose Antonio Rivera reported from Acapulco and Peter Orsi reported from Mexico City. AP writers Maria Verza and Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed.
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - The world's first test-tube baby and America's first test-tube baby are going to meet face-to-face for the first time this year.

The Virginian-Pilot reports (http://bit.ly/2lDHyMg) that 38-year-old Louise Brown and 35-year-old Elizabeth Carr are scheduled to meet at a fertility conference in June in Chicago.

Brown became the world's first in vitro fertilization baby when she was born July 25, 1978, in Bristol, England.

Carr is the first IVF baby in the U.S. She was born Dec. 28, 1981, in Norfolk, Virginia.

Carr, who lives in Massachusetts and works for an organization that advocates for people with disabilities, said in a Facebook post that she's excited to meet Brown.

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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com
NORTH SOUND, Antigua (AP) - After Eoin Morgan's latest century, England squeezed the life out of the West Indies to win the opening one-day international of their cricket series by 45 runs on Friday.

Morgan's 10th ODI hundred anchored England to a competitive 296-6 after being sent in to bat.

The West Indies had to pull off its second highest run chase to win, and it was too much. The home side slumped to 39-3, then spinners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, after a shaky start, drip fed runs. Halfway through the chase, West Indies' required run rate was at 8 an over and it was ultimately bowled for 251 in the 48th over.

England's captain Eoin Morgan celebrates scoring a century against West Indies during a one day international cricket match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, Friday, March 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

The second match of three is on Sunday at the same Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Morgan became the first England captain to score five ODI centuries, surpassing Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook. He came in after Joe Root was bowled for 4 and England was at 29-2 in the eighth over, and he stayed in until he was run out in the final over for 107.

He made the home side pay for dropping him on 4 and 69.

Morgan hit 10 boundaries, and his second six, over deep midwicket, brought up his second century in three ODIs. It took him 113 balls. He faced three more balls when Carlos Brathwaite, the bowler who missed the wicket on 4, pounced on his follow through and caught Morgan stranded.

Morgan enjoyed significant partnerships with Sam Billings (42) for the third wicket, with Ben Stokes (55) for the fifth, and with Ali (31 not out) for the sixth.

Stokes suffered at the hands of the West Indies the last time they met, in the World Twenty20 final a year ago in Kolkata, where he conceded four sixes to Brathwaite in the final over and West Indies won.

The reunion was an anticlimax. Stokes the batsman mustered only seven runs off 10 deliveries by Brathwaite, and didn't bowl. He wasn't needed.

The West Indies openers began well but it all unraveled from the 10th over, when Evin Lewis hit fast bowler Chris Woakes straight to a man on the midwicket fence. In the next over, Kieran Powell edged to point on 1 in his first ODI in three years, and in the over after that, Kraigg Brathwaite was caught in two minds, and sent a half-hearted pull to mid-on. The West Indies was 39-3 and Woakes was 2-10 off four overs.

Ali and Rashid then turned the screws.

Although they took only one wicket between them, they were responsible for the rising desperation in the home side's ranks.

Jason Mohammed scored a team-high 72 before he was run out by a nifty kick from Steven Finn, but the run rate rose past 9 and 10 while he was in.

Woakes and fellow fast bowler Liam Plunkett benefited with four wickets each.

England's captain Eoin Morgan screams during a one day international cricket match against West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, Friday, March 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

England's captain Eoin Morgan plays a shot against West Indies during a one day international cricket match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, Friday, March 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

England's Ben Stokes plays a shot during a one day international cricket match agains West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, Friday, March 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

England's Steven Finn kicks the ball to hit the wicket and run out West Indies' Jason Mohammed during a one day international cricket match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, Friday, March 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
PITTSBURGH (AP) - In a story March 3 about fraud charges against officials at a firm contracted to produce Humvee parts for the military, The Associated Press erroneously reported that a manager at the government facility that prosecutors said was defrauded, and a businessman friend, were also charged in the scheme. Former Defense Department employee Anthony Shaw, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, was charged in a separate case with receiving over $1 million in illegal gratuities from the firm's owners, and businessman David Buckner, of Warren, Michigan, with unlawfully acting as the intermediary in those payments. Though announced at the same time, the charges involving the gratuities were not related to the window fraud case.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Brothers accused of overcharging US for Humvee parts

Two brothers who own Pennsylvania military supplier accused of defrauding US of $6 million in contract for Humvee parts

By JOE MANDAK

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Two brothers who own a military-supply business have been charged with a $6 million scheme to overcharge the Defense Department for Humvee window kits, federal prosecutors said Friday.

Thomas Buckner, 65, of Gibsonia, and John Buckner, 67, of Lyndora, defrauded the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command out of the money with the help of a shell company, according to court documents filed Friday by federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh.

The Army agency, also known as TACOM, is based in Warren, Michigan.

In a separate case not related to the alleged window fraud scheme, Anthony Shaw, 55, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, a former civilian deputy project manager at TACOM, was charged with accepting more than $1 million in illegal gratuities from the brothers.

Defense attorneys for the five defendants didn't return calls or emails seeking comment on the charges.

Prosecutors filed the charges in criminal informations, documents that are typically used when defendants have agreed to plead guilty to the charges.

The window scheme worked this way, according to prosecutors' court filing:

The Buckners co-own Ibis Tek, a Butler company that had contracts to supply window kits for Humvees.

The brothers inflated their costs to manufacture the kits by creating another company called Alloy America. Instead of manufacturing the aluminum frames, Alloy America purchased them for $20 each from a Chinese firm, then created records to make it appear Ibis Tek had paid Alloy America $70 for each frame.

Ibis Tek then passed on the $70-per-frame cost to TACOM.

The Buckner brothers also sold scrap aluminum relating to the manufacture of the frames but kept the money. The Buckners and Ibis Tek were supposed to credit the scrap revenue to TACOM as a way of helping the government agency control costs.

In addition to charges of fraud, the brothers are accused of income tax evasion.

Ibis Tek's chief financial officer, Harry Kramer, 55, of Wexford, was charged with helping the brothers carry out the fraud scheme and filing false tax returns that understated Ibis Tek's income in 2009 and 2010.

The company itself was not charged with any violations. It was not immediately clear if it remains a government contractor. Nobody returned a call to the company Friday.

The Buckner brothers each face up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $1.5 million, while Kramer faces up to 16 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine

In the illegal gratuities case, the government alleged payments to Shaw were funneled through a Michigan motorcycle business, D & B Cycle Parts and Accessories. That business is owned by David Buckner, of Warren, Michigan, described as a friend of Shaw's who is not related to the Pennsylvania brothers.

Shaw faces up to 19 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine if convicted of receiving a gratuity as a public official, tax evasion and making false statements.

David Buckner faces up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine on a charge of interfering with the Internal Revenue Service.
NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on an arrest in connection with threats made to Jewish institutions nationwide and the Anti-Defamation League's headquarters in New York (all times local):

7 p.m.

A former journalist from St. Louis accused of making threats to at least eight Jewish community centers had been accused of bizarre behavior before.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, center, member of Congress's bipartisan task force combating anti-Semitism, speaks during a news conference addressing bomb treats against Jewish organizations and vandalism at Jewish cemeteries, Friday March 3, 2017, in New York. At background left is Jonathan Miller, NYPD deputy commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism, and second from right is Arthur Schneier, senior rabbi at Park East Synagogue. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Juan Thompson is facing a federal charge of cyberstalking an ex-girlfriend. Authorities say the threats were made in an effort to smear her. His supporters say he has no criminal record.

A reporter at an alternative weekly in St. Louis says he was subjected to social media harassment after writing about Thompson's firing from a news site for fabricating stories.

The Riverfront Times reporter Doyle Murphy says Thompson set up anonymous accounts on Twitter and other social media posing as a woman who claimed she had been sexually assaulted by Murphy. Murphy says he contacted Twitter but every time one fake account was taken down a new one popped up. He calls the harassment a "nightmare."

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4:55 p.m.

The Federal Communications Commission says Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer requested an emergency waiver to Jewish community centers and their phone carriers in the wake of threats nationwide.

The FCC said Friday that it will grant the waiver to allow the centers and carriers to track the numbers of callers who make threats, even if the caller tries to block the number.

Thirty-one-year-old Juan Thompson was arrested in St. Louis and accused of making at least eight of the scores of threats against Jewish institutions, including a bomb threat to New York's Anti-Defamation League. He appeared in court Friday.

Federal officials have been investigating 122 bomb threats called in to Jewish organizations in three dozen states since Jan. 9 as well as a rash of episodes of vandalism at Jewish cemeteries.

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4:20 p.m.

Missouri's governor is thanking law enforcers for their work in arresting a suspect in connection with threats against Jewish community centers nationwide.

Republican Gov. Eric Greitens says in a statement posted on Facebook that anti-Semitism has no place in Missouri.

Juan Thompson was arrested Friday in St. Louis on charges of making threats against Jewish institutions.

Authorities say the 31-year-old Thompson made the threats in an effort to harass a former girlfriend. They say some of the threats were made in the woman's name.

Greitens says it is shocking to learn that the "disgusting actions" might have originated in Missouri.

He says anyone who threatens religious institutions in the state will be found and brought to justice.

Thompson's lawyer declined to comment in court.

____

3:40 p.m.

A former journalist accused of making threats to at least eight Jewish institutions as well as to the Anti-Defamation League's New York office has appeared before a federal judge.

Juan Thompson was handcuffed and wearing brown pants and a blue collarless shirt Friday in St. Louis. He politely answered questions.

He was charged with cyberstalking a former ex-girlfriend and was held without bail. Authorities say the threats were made in an effort to smear her.

Magistrate Judge David Noce asked if Thompson needed a public defender to represent him further. Thompson said he had "a little money" to hire a lawyer.

There were at least a half dozen supporters present who would say only that Thompson's record was clean. His lawyer refused to comment.

His next hearing is March 8.

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3:20 p.m.

A U.S. official says the Federal Communications Commission will grant an emergency waiver that allows Jewish community centers and their phone carriers to track the numbers of callers who make threats.

The official told The Associated Press the agency would issue the waiver that would allow JCCs nationwide and their phone carriers to obtain the phone numbers even when the caller tries to block the number.

The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the waiver and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

The waiver follows a series of threats made to Jewish Community Centers across the United States. On Friday, federal agents arrested a man suspected of making threats to at least eight Jewish institutions nationwide and the Anti-Defamation League's headquarters in New York City.

- Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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2:35 p.m.

Jewish community leaders have met with the FBI director after a man was arrested in threats against at least eight Jewish institutions nationwide and the Anti-Defamation League's headquarters in New York City.

The JCC Association of North America says Friday's meeting included discussion of threats directed against Jewish institutions in the past two months.

The association says the Jewish community is deeply grateful for the FBI's "extraordinary effort." It says representatives left the meeting "with the highest confidence" that the agency will work to resolve the matter soon.

Authorities say 31-year-old Juan Thompson made the threats in an effort to harass and vilify his former girlfriend. They say some of the threats were made in the woman's name.

Thompson is due to appear in court in Missouri later Friday.

___

12:55 p.m.

A Missouri police official says the man accused of threatening eight Jewish institutions and the Anti-Defamation League will also be questioned about the desecration of a Jewish cemetery.

Authorities say 31-year-old Juan Thompson made the threats in an effort to harass and vilify his former girlfriend. They say some of the threats against the institutions were made in the woman's name.

University City police Lt. Fredrick Lemons tells the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that detectives will question Juan Thompson about 154 headstones toppled at Chesed Shel Emeth (heh-SEHD' shehl EH'-meth) Cemetery in the St. Louis suburb.

Vice President Mike Pence visited the cemetery after the February vandalism and spoke out against acts of hatred, prejudice, violence and anti-Semitism.

There was no information on an attorney who could comment on Thompson's behalf.

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12:30 p.m.

The Anti-Defamation League says it's relieved and gratified after an arrest in connection with threats made against its New York headquarters and at least eight Jewish institutions nationwide.

The ADL said in a statement Friday that Juan Thompson, a fired former journalist, had been on its radar ever since he fabricated a story about Charleston, South Carolina, church shooter Dylann Roof.

Authorities say Thompson made the threats in an effort to harass and vilify his former girlfriend. They say some of the threats were made in the woman's name.

Thompson was arrested in St. Louis and will appear in federal court in Missouri on Friday afternoon on a charge of cyberstalking. There was no information on an attorney who could comment on his behalf.

___

10:10 a.m.

An arrest has been made in connection with threats made to at least eight Jewish institutions nationwide and the Anti-Defamation League's headquarters in New York City.

Federal authorities in New York said Friday that Juan Thompson has been arrested.

According to a complaint, the threats were made to harass a former girlfriend. The caller used the victim's name while making some of the threats.

The phone threat to the ADL's Manhattan headquarters was made Feb. 22.

Thompson was expected to appear in a Missouri court later Friday on charges that include cyberstalking.

There was no immediate information on attorney who could comment on his behalf.

In this image taken from video, Oren Segal, Co-Director of the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism, addresses the media at a news conference at ADL Headquarters in New York, Friday, March 3, 2017. Segal commented on the arrest of a Missouri man in connection with threats made to at least eight Jewish institutions nationwide and the Anti-Defamation League's headquarters in New York City. He also commented on the recent rise of anti-Semitic activity in general. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Two former Utah attorneys general who avoided convictions in a bribery case that was one of the highest-profile scandals in state history said Friday they were naive and made missteps but that the justice system got it right in not convicting them.

The Utah Democratic party chair, meanwhile, said he worries that other Republican leaders in the mostly-GOP state will now believe they are above the law after seeing how John Swallow and Mark Shurtleff avoided prison time.

A jury found Swallow not guilty Thursday night of nine counts that included bribery, obstruction of justice and evidence tampering. Shurtleff's case was dismissed last summer.

Former Utah Attorney General John Swallow talks to members of the media after his trial Thursday, March 2, 2017, in Salt Lake City. Swallow was acquitted Thursday of bribery and evidence tampering charges in one of the highest-profile scandals in state history. (Chris Detrick/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)

Prosecutors accused Swallow and Shurtleff of hanging a virtual "for sale" sign on the door to the state's top law enforcement office by taking campaign donations and gifts like beach vacations in exchange for favorable treatment.

The arrests of Swallow and Shurtleff culminated a shocking fall from grace for two men who vowed to root out fraud and uphold the laws of Utah as they served a combined 13 years as attorney general.

"I was naive and did some things I wish I hadn't have done, but nothing with any intent to be dishonorable in any way," said Swallow on KSL Radio's "Doug Wright Show" (http://bit.ly/2mjJGgn). "I believe the exoneration last night was an exoneration for his (Shurtleff's) administration and my administration."

Shurtleff, who was state's attorney general for more than a dozen years until his term ended at the end of 2012, said he also feels vindicated by the verdict. Though he wasn't on trial, his name was peppered throughout the trial as prosecutors told jurors he and Swallow worked together to carry out a "pay for play scheme."

Shurtleff said he realizes he was naive and arrogant and put himself in a position where convicted felons could make up stories about their interactions even if he never changed how he dealt with them.

Shurtleff said he plans to file state and federal lawsuits alleging abuse of power against authorities who investigated and charged him in the bribery case. He also plans to file a lawsuit on behalf of his family for the trauma they endured during a search warrant execution in the lead up to his arrest.

"It's not about getting revenge," Shurtleff said. "I'm just shocked and appalled at the unethical conduct."

But Utah Democratic Party Chairman Peter Corroon remains skeptical. He said the jury's acquittal of Swallow and prosecution's dismissal of Shurtleff's case doesn't mean they didn't commit ethical violations. Corroon still questions why the two top lawmen were associating at all with people like that.

He says the root problem is that Republicans dominate Utah's political leadership, creating a "one-party system" lacking in checks and balances. Swallow and Shurtleff are Republicans.

"The verdict gives license to the Republicans to believe that they are beyond the law, which is troubling," Corroon said.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said in a statement that it was a complex case where jurors were asked to consider matters that weren't black and white but "various shades of gray."

"This case fell squarely into the latter category," said Gill, a Democrat who repeatedly refuted allegations from Swallow and Shurtleff that charges were politically motivated.

Swallow resigned in late 2013 after spending nearly 11 months dogged by bribery and corruption allegations that emerged less than a week after he took the oath of office. Swallow adamantly denied breaking any laws and said he stepped down because the scrutiny had become too much for him and his family.

Shurtleff, who called it "twisted justice" in a tweet he sent out after the verdict was announced, echoed Swallow's comments by saying people should not believe everything authorities say.

"Be aware that there are those in the law enforcement and criminal justice system who will abuse your rights," Shurtleff said.

Former Utah Attorney General John Swallow listens, center, listens alongside his defense team, as the verdict is read during his trial in Salt Lake City, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Swallow was acquitted Thursday of bribery and evidence tampering charges in one of the highest-profile scandals in state history. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool)

Former Utah Attorney General John Swallow talks to members of the media after his trial Thursday, March 2, 2017, in Salt Lake City. Swallow was acquitted Thursday of bribery and evidence tampering charges in one of the highest-profile scandals in state history. (Chris Detrick/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)

Former Utah Attorney General John Swallow listens, center, listens alongside his defense team, as the verdict is read during his trial in Salt Lake City, Thursday, March 2, 2017. Swallow was acquitted Thursday of bribery and evidence tampering charges in one of the highest-profile scandals in state history. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local):

2:45 p.m.

President Donald Trump is praising a Florida Catholic school as the kind of school that disadvantaged children should be able to choose for their education.

President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos pose with fourth graders Janayah Chatelier, 10, left, Landon Fritz, 10, after they received cards from the children, during a tour of Saint Andrew Catholic School, Friday, March 3, 2017, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump visited St. Andrew Catholic School in Florida on Friday and told its principal that "the love you have for what you do is really fantastic."

The president was joined by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Trump repeated a line from his address to Congress on Tuesday, saying, "Education is the civil rights issue of our time."

He singled out Denisha Merriweather, a former failing student who turned her life around once she chose a new school, saying, "We want millions more to have the chance to achieve the success that you're achieving."

Trump also praised Florida, noting that he captured it in last fall's election.

Saint Andrew Catholic School principal Latrina Peters-Gipson listens at right as President Donald Trump speaks during a round table discussion at the school, Friday, March 3, 2017, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump talks to children in Jane Jones fourth grade class during a tour of Saint Andrew Catholic School, Friday, March 3, 2017, in Orlando, Fla. At left is Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos listens at left as President Donald Trump speaks during a round table discussion at Saint Andrew Catholic School, Friday, March 3, 2017, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump, accompanied by, from left, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, and Saint Andrew Catholic School principal Latrina Peters-Gipson, speaks during a tour of Saint Andrew Catholic School, Friday, March 3, 2017, at Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
HOUSTON (AP) - Two MS-13 gang members from El Salvador, both in the United States illegally, held three teenage girls against their will and killed one of them in a satanic ritual, authorities in Houston said Friday.

Miguel Alvarez-Flores, 22, and Diego Hernandez-Rivera, 18, have been arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping and murder - both first-degree felonies punishable by up to life imprisonment. Bonds totaling $300,000 have been set for each, but immigration detainers will keep both behind bars.

The 15-year-old girl's body was found Feb. 16 with gunshot wounds to the face and chest.

Two known MS-13 gang members, formerly of El Salvador, Miguel Alvarez-Flores, left, and Diego Hernandez-Rivera appear in court Thursday, March 2, 2017, in Houston. The pair, who had a Satanic shrine in their Houston apartment, are suspects in the killing of one teenager and the kidnapping of another. (Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Homicide detective Sgt. Chris Sturdivant said the girl's identity has not been officially determined but that investigators are confident they know who she is - a girl reported missing in January in nearby Jersey Village, Texas.

The captives were three "young, impressionable women" ranging in age from 14 to 16 who succumbed to the allure of gang life before being taken to an apartment and held there against their will, Sturdivant said. The 14-year-old girl told investigators that they were fed drugs and alcohol and forced to have sex.

The girl said the 15-year-old was killed in a satanic ritual because she had struck the gang's shrine to a satanic saint, according to investigators.

She told investigators that Alvarez-Flores made a peace offering to the figure in the form of a cigarette.

"He returned from the statue and told the entire group that the beast did not want a material offering but wanted a soul," state District Judge Maria Jackson said during the men's initial court appearance Wednesday.

The 14-year-old said she later awoke to find the 15-year-old gone, according to investigators.

The case comes as President Donald Trump is promoting concerns over criminal immigrants in the United States illegally. He has announced that he plans to create an agency, called Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement or VOICE, to serve victims of immigrant crime and their relatives. It will be part of the Department of Homeland Security.

"The majority of the MS-13 members we come into contact with are here illegally," Sturdivant said.

Attorneys for Alvarez-Flores and Hernandez-Rivera did not immediately return calls Friday night. Sturdivant said both men admitted their involvement in the abductions and killing after their arrests Monday. An FBI multijurisdictional anti-gang task force continues to investigate, and Sturdivant said authorities are seeking other gang members who were possibly involved in the crimes.

MS-13, also called Mara Salvatrucha, is believed to have been founded in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s by immigrants fleeing civil war in El Salvador. It is now a major international criminal enterprise.
DETROIT (AP) - French carmaker PSA Group is expected to announce Monday that it has purchased General Motors' money-losing European car business, according to two people briefed on the matter.

The announcement could still be delayed by last-minute snags but is likely to be made in France, said one of the people. Both people requested anonymity because the deal hasn't been formally announced.

The purchase price and exact terms of how the Opel and Vauxhall brands would be transferred to PSA were not available Friday afternoon. But a research-sharing agreement is likely to be included because numerous GM vehicles are at least partly engineered in Germany.

A PSA official on Friday would say only that "no communication on Opel is expected until Monday." Both companies confirmed last month that they were in talks about a sale.

GM has not turned a full-year profit in Europe since 1999, and since then has lost billions battling high labor costs and an intensely competitive auto sales market. The company has said it hopes to break even there next year.

PSA Chairman Carlos Tavares said in February that he hopes to create a "European car champion" with the combination and pledged to work with governments and unions that are worried about job cuts.

"Opel has been making red ink for 10 years, and burning approximately 1 billion in cash every year," Tavares said. "We believe we can help."

The move would give PSA access to technology and a larger scale to spread out engineering and other costs.

Pulling out of Western Europe, the world's third-largest auto market, is consistent with GM's plans to focus on bigger profit margins rather than sales and market share.

It's not clear whether GM would leave Europe entirely or still be able to sell some Chevrolet or Cadillac models.

____

Charlton reported from Paris.
NEW YORK (AP) - Arnold Schwarzenegger said Friday that he's through with "The New Celebrity Apprentice," and he's blaming President Donald Trump for the television reality show's recent poor performance.

The former California governor said he wouldn't mind working with NBC and producer Mark Burnett again "on a show that doesn't have this baggage."

Schwarzenegger replaced the president as host of the show, but Trump remained as an executive producer. The president taunted Schwarzenegger for the show's recent poor performance in the ratings, even mocking him during an address at the National Prayer Breakfast.

This Dec. 9, 2016 image released by NBC shows Arnold Schwarzenegger, the new boss of "The New Celebrity Apprentice," at a press junket in Universal City, Calif. Schwarzenegger said Friday that he's through with "The New Celebrity Apprentice," and he's blaming President Donald Trump for the television reality show's recent poor performance. The former California governor said he wouldn't mind working with NBC and producer Mark Burnett again "on a show that doesn't have this baggage." (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

The show, which wrapped up its 15th season last month, averaged fewer than 5 million viewers per episode. That was lower than any other incarnation except for a 2010 Trump-hosted edition without celebrities, and the most poorly-rated edition among the youthful viewers NBC cares most about, the Nielsen company said.

Even if he were asked again, Schwarzenegger said he wouldn't want to do it.

"With Trump being involved in the show, people have a bad taste and don't want to participate as a spectator or as a sponsor or in any other way support the show," he said in an interview with the Empire website. "It's a very divisive period now, and I think this show got caught up in all that division."

Shannon Coulter, co-founder of the #GrabYourWallet Trump protest, agreed. The effort aims to spur consumer boycotts of companies doing business with the Trump family, including sponsors of "Apprentice."

"My impression is that 'The New Celebrity Apprentice's' poor performance has everything to do with Donald's continued presence and the accompanying 'baggage' Mr. Schwarzenegger mentioned," she said in an emailed comment. "We applaud Mr. Schwarzenegger's decision to leave the show and to distance himself from the toxic Trump brand."

After Schwarzenegger's debut in January, Trump took to Twitter to report the show had been swamped "in comparison to the ratings machine, DJT" - using his initials.

Schwarzenegger shot back on social media that he hoped Trump would work for the American people as aggressively as he did for his ratings. The actor, like Trump a Republican, did not endorse Trump and said during last fall's campaign that he would not vote for him.

When "The New Celebrity Apprentice" ended its season last month, Trump tweeted that Schwarzenegger "did a really bad job as governor of California and even worse on The Apprentice, but at least he tried hard."

NBC had no immediate comment about whether the show would return with a new host.

___

AP Television Writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
LAS VEGAS (AP) - A man accused of attacking a mannequin that Las Vegas police positioned to resemble a homeless person following two slayings remained jailed Friday.

A judge has set bail at $50,000 for Shane Schindler, who is charged with one count of carrying a concealed weapon, the Las Vegas Review-Journal (http://bit.ly/2lnlDOa ) reported. Schindler was arrested last week following the Feb. 22 incident.

Schindler's arrest report says police set up the mannequin resembling a sleeping man after detectives had no leads on the slayings of two homeless men earlier this year in downtown Las Vegas. Authorities hadn't ruled out the possibility of "thrill kills" and placed the blanket-covered mannequin on the same spot where one of the two men was killed.

The report says Schindler, 30, approached the "decoy," looked around for traffic and struck it with a 4-pound engineer's hammer he had in a bag. Surveillance video captured the incident.

According to the report, Schindler told police he "knew it was a mannequin" before hitting it. But police dispute that statement.

"The decoy mannequin was staged in a manner which would have made it impossible for Schindler to have determined the mannequin was not a human being before he struck," according to the arrest report. "Schindler swung the hammer using both arms to generate maximum force to his blow."

Deputy public defender Ashley Sisolak described Schindler's bail as excessive. She said her "client has proclaimed his innocence, and I look forward to fighting these allegations."

Daniel Aldape, 46, and David Dunn, 60, were bludgeoned to death within a month's time earlier this year. Both had suffered apparent head trauma.

___

Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com
NEW YORK (AP) - President Donald Trump, his administration under siege for contacts with Russian officials, is calling for "an immediate investigation" into Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer's own ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump's evidence? A 14-year-old photo of Schumer and Putin holding coffee and doughnuts in a New York City gas station.

The president on Friday tweeted a photo of the two men, calling for a probe into Schumer's "ties to Russia and Putin" and called the New York senator "A total hypocrite!" Trump did not say where the photo came from, but Schumer quickly pointed out that it was taken in 2003 when Putin ventured to New York to celebrate the opening of a Russian-owned Lukoil gas station on Manhattan's west side.

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2003, file photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and Sen. Charles Schumer D-N.Y., second from right, are escorted through New York's first Lukoil gas station by Lukoil President Vagit Alekperov, left, in New York City. Lukoil is the giant Russian oil company. Putin later traveled to meet with President George W. Bush at the Camp David presidential retreat. President Donald Trump, his administration under siege for contacts with Russian officials, is calling for "an immediate investigation" into Schumer tie's to Russian Putin. Trump's evidence? A 14-year-old photo of Schumer and Putin holding coffee and doughnuts in a New York City gas station. (AP Photo/Scout Tufankjian, File)

Several news organizations covered that event, which drew far more political star power than the average gas station opening.

Schumer, in his own tweet, said he would "happily talk" under oath about his meeting with Putin, which took place "in full view of press and public." He then challenged Trump to do the same. And, a short time later, he posted a follow-up in which he further poked fun at the photo, noting "And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts."

On the same trip to the United States in 2003, Putin traveled to Camp David, Maryland, where he met with Republican President George W. Bush and the two held a joint news conference.

Trump's tweet came just hours after the conservative website Drudge Report made the photo its lead image. And that was a day after the photo was unearthed by the pro-Trump blog Gateway Pundit, which ran it with the headline "Where's the outrage?"

Trump targeted congressional Democrats for their encounters with Russians over the years even though the party's criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions centered on his failure to acknowledge his meetings when questioned at his Senate confirmation hearing and in written responses to the Judiciary Committee.

"I think he was asked a pretty straightforward question at his committee hearing and I do think he should resign," Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in an interview.

Trump also tweeted Friday about House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who was among the first to call for Sessions to resign.

In his tweet, Trump linked to a 2010 photo in which Pelosi and other lawmakers, including Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, now the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, are shown meeting with Russian officials, including then-President Dmitry Medvedev and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Trump demanded an investigation of the House minority leader. Pelosi had initially denied ever meeting Kislyak; her spokeswoman later clarified that they never had a one-on-one meeting.

Pelosi then needled Trump by saying he didn't "know the difference" between an official meeting photographed by the press and a "secret" meeting that Sessions "lied about under oath."

It is not improper for elected officials to meet with foreign diplomats.

Trump's White House has been battered by questions about his links to Russia, quashing any sort of political momentum he had earned from his highly praised address to Congress earlier this week.

Sessions on Thursday said he would recuse himself from Russia probes after it was revealed that he had conversed with Russia's ambassador twice during last year's campaign, a contradiction of his testimony during his Senate confirmation hearings. But that move has not satisfied many Democrats, who have called for Sessions' resignation. They also demand an independent investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia.

Several other Trump allies have also faced questions about their ties to Russia, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was ousted last month for misleading White House officials about his conversations with Kislyak before Trump took office.

___

Donna Cassata contributed reporting from Washington.

___

Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire

.
US attorney general Jeff Sessions has recused himself from an investigation into any ties between Moscow and President Donald Trumps 2016 campaign after revelations that he talked with Russias ambassador to the United States twice during Mr Trumps successful bid for the White House.

Mr Sessions had faced mounting pressure from both parties on Capitol Hill that he step aside or resign.

Here is a look at the known contacts between Trump associates and Russia:

Jeff Sessions

Jeff Sessions

The justice department acknowledged on Wednesday that the attorney general twice spoke with the Russian envoy when Mr Sessions was a senator and involved in Trumps presidential campaign. Those discussions with ambassador Sergey Kislyak, first reported in The Washington Post, seem to contradict Mr Sessionss sworn statements during his confirmation hearings when asked what he would do if anyone affiliated with the campaign had been in contact with Russia. Mr Sessions said in a statement on Thursday he never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. Two top Democratic politicians have since called on Mr Sessions to resign.

And we need Attorney General Jeff Sessions  who should have never been confirmed in the first place  to resign. We need it now.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 2, 2017

No spin from Trump admin can hide the fact that Sessions lied under oath and committed perjury about Russian ties. Sessions must resign.  Tom Perez (@TomPerez) March 2, 2017

Michael Flynn

Mr Trumps national security adviser resigned on February 13 after reports he misled White House officials about his contacts with Russias ambassador to the US  a situation Mr Trump was told about soon after he took office. Mr Flynn eventually lost the presidents trust after he said at first that he did not discuss sanctions with the Russian envoy during the transition, but later admitted he may have done so. Separately, in 2015, Mr Flynn gave a paid speech in Moscow and sat next to Russian President Vladimir Putin at a dinner.

Trump Organisation

Mr Flynn received a Ukrainian peace plan involving the Russian Crimea dispute just before he resigned. That plan was cobbled together by pro-Russian Ukrainian politician Andrii Artemenko and two men with ties to Mr Trumps namesake company  longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and former Trump Organisation business adviser Felix Sater, who confirmed the arrangement to the Associated Press. Mr Sater, a Russian-born former Mafia informant, was named by Mr Trump as an adviser to the Trump Organisation as recently as 2010, even though Mr Sater had been convicted in a major stock fraud scheme.

Paul Manafort

MUST WATCH: Paul Manafort doesn't sound very convincing here.



Interview was July 27, 2016 pic.twitter.com/N46Y2DOAJX  Yashar Ali   (@yashar) March 2, 2017

Mr Trumps former campaign chairman resigned in August after the AP disclosed his firms covert lobbying efforts on behalf of the former pro-Russian ruling political party in Ukraine. Those efforts, which occurred before Mr Manafort joined the Trump campaign, included attempts to get positive press coverage of Ukrainian officials and efforts to undercut sympathy for Yulia Tymoshenko, an imprisoned rival of then-Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych. More recently, The New York Times reported that Mr Manafort and other members of Mr Trumps campaign had repeated contacts with Russian intelligence officials; Mr Manafort said he had never knowingly spoken to Russian intelligence officers.

Donald Trump

Donald Trump

Mr Trump said during the election he did not have any deals in Russia, but he held the 2013 Miss Universe Pageant in Moscow. Mr Trump has been contradictory when describing his personal relationship with Mr Putin, insisting during the campaign he had no relationship with the Russian leader and no recollection of ever meeting him. But several times in prior years, he has said the opposite. Mr Trump has had conversations with Mr Putin since the election, speaking to him shortly after he won the presidency and again eight days after he took office.
Uber London Ltd has lost its High Court challenge over new language requirement rules planned for private-hire vehicles.

Opponents of the proposed Transport for London (TfL) package, which includes a requirement that drivers undertake tests in reading and writing basic English, claim it will lead to indirect racial discrimination and threaten the livelihood of around 30,000 drivers.

The company, which has a private-hire vehicle (PHV) operators licence, launched the action with three individually licensed drivers.

The Uber app (Lauren Hurley/PA)

On Friday in London, Mr Justice Mitting said TfL was entitled to require drivers to demonstrate compliance with the English language requirement and there was not any practical alternative.

The judge went on to quash other requirements relating to a telephone service to deal with complaints and insurance.

Tom de la Mare QC, for Uber and the drivers  Hungarian national Sandor Balogh, Bulgarian Nikolay Dimitrov, and Imran Khan from Pakistan  told the judge that the language requirement would over three years contribute to 70,000 applicants failing to obtain a licence.

The changes, involving insurance and the provision of call centre facilities, were also likely to lead to additional costs for PHV operators running into millions of pounds, he said.

The proposals would have a disproportionate impact on drivers from countries where English was not generally spoken and give rise to indirect discrimination on grounds of race and nationality.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (Mark Runnacles/PA)

TfL argued that the requirements were vital to ensure passenger safety and to raise standards.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: Im delighted that the courts have today backed my plans to drive up standards and improve passenger safety in London.

Drivers being able to speak English and understand information from passengers and licensing requirements is a vital part of ensuring passengers get the high standard of service they need and deserve.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are to make an official visit to Poland and Germany, Kensington Palace has announced.

William and Kate will tour the two European countries in July this year at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The Duke and Duchess will make an official visit to Poland and Germany this July at the request of The Foreign and Commonwealth Office. pic.twitter.com/zf4pPyD5g7  The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 3, 2017

The royal couple are already planning to visit the continent with a two-day trip to Paris scheduled for later this month.

William travelled to Germany last summer, visiting Dusseldorf for a series of events honouring the role of British armed forces based in the country.

During a gala event, where the Duke gave a speech alongside Chancellor Angela Merkel, William claimed the depth of Britains friendship with Germany would not change after Brexit.

The Duke of Cambridge and German Chancellor Angela Merkel

The British monarchy has close ties with the European country, as a succession of sovereigns from George I, born in what is now modern Germany and who acceded to the throne in 1714, to William IV, who died in 1830, were also rulers of Hanover in Germany.

The 300th anniversary of what is known as the personal union was celebrated in 2014, and the year before the milestone, princesses Beatrice and Eugenie visited Germany to highlight the event.

During a state visit to Germany in 2015, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visited the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp to mark the 70th anniversary of its liberation by British forces.

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Kate has yet to make an official trip to Germany and the Cambridges have not toured Poland before on behalf of the Government.

Kensington Palace said full details of the visit would be released at a later date.

It is not thought William and Kate will be taking their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte with them to Germany and Poland.
Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale has been suspended for two LaLiga matches for his dismissal against Las Palmas on Wednesday night.

The Wales international was shown a straight red card in the 3-3 home draw for a second-half kick and shove at opponent Jonathan Viera.

Bale will miss Reals LaLiga clashes with Eibar on Saturday and Real Betis next weekend. He has also been fined 600 euros (517) and the club 700 euros (604).

Real Madrid unleashes a shot at goal

Real have 10 working days to appeal the decision.
Eoin Morgans 10th one-day international hundred was the key to Englands 45-run victory at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium as they went 1-0 up in their three-match series against West Indies.

Morgan (107), dropped on just four, was patient and resourceful to help eke out a total of 296 for six - which proved beyond the hosts on a slow surface.

Liam Plunkett  with a career-best four for 40  and Chris Woakes (four for 47) did most damage to a chase undermined when West Indies first three wickets fell for the addition of only three runs after they had first reached 36 for none.

England win the opening ODI by 45 runs! Woakes and Plunkett prove the difference with the ball after Morgan's excellent  #WIvENG pic.twitter.com/g2MOZGsxof  England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 3, 2017

Jason Mohammed (72) responded with his maiden ODI half-century, in his third innings - putting on 82 in 14 overs with Jonathan Carter (52) - but England kept their composure to stay on top.

Morgans fine effort to overturn the disadvantage of losing the toss after a start delayed by heavy morning showers was therefore put into favourable context as his team began their final approach to this summers Champions Trophy with a reassuring success.

Eoin Morgan: "We produced everything we spoke about before the game. We've set a benchmark & have to continue on this upward curve." #WIvENG pic.twitter.com/oyWZ5uCrP3  England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 3, 2017

The captain figured in partnerships of 67 with Sam Billings (52), 110 with Ben Stokes (55) and 53 with Moeen Ali after coming to the crease at a sticky 29 for two.

England captain Eoin Morgan celebrates scoring a century

Morgan had to contend with a sluggish pitch and after being unperturbed when hit on the StemGuard by a Shannon Gabriel bouncer, he was rewarded with his second hundred in his last three ODI innings, completed with his second six over long-on off Carlos Brathwaite to add to 10 fours from 112 balls.

100 - Eoin Morgan has now recorded 100s in two of his last three ODI innings for @englandcricket. Leadership.  OptaJim (@OptaJim) March 3, 2017

England had lost Jason Roy and Joe Root early to Gabriel  near action-replay dismissals, the second a variation involving splayed off and middle-stumps rather than lbw but both batsmen defeated by marginal low bounce, a hint of movement and pace.

There was no cost for Jason Holders failure to hold a return chance from Roy on 13  but when Kieran Powell put down a straightforward slip catch, Morgans survival proved much more significant.

Billings unsurprisingly struggled as the new ball played plenty of tricks.

West Indies' wicket keeper Shai Hope misses a catch under the look of England batsman Sam Billings

He then played well for his near run-a-ball 50 but was rightly cross with himself for finding the man in the classic off-spinners position at straight midwicket.

Jos Buttler was promoted ahead of Stokes but could not muster his first significant score of the year, well-caught on 14 by Carter diving to his right at slip for Ashley Nurses second wicket.

Stokes was circumspect in his first international innings since sealing a record-breaking 1.7million Indian Premier League deal, taking 26 balls to reach double-figures but going on to make his first boundary  from his 44th delivery  Englands first six, over long-on off Mohammed at the end of the 40th over.

England's Ben Stokes plays a shot on his way to a half century

By then, there had been a second escape for Morgan  this time on 69, when Shai Hope failed to gather a stumping chance off Mohammed  and Stokes might also have gone but instead counted another leg-side six off Gabriel when Kraigg Brathwaite over-balanced beyond the rope and dropped the ball.

Stokes accelerated to his sixth 50 in his last nine ODI attempts but was caught at long-on, aiming for a fourth six.

50 up for Stokesy! Off just 56 balls, it's his 9th ODI half-century!  England 235-4 with 6 to go



Follow LIVE: https://t.co/fXgJ7ebpzP pic.twitter.com/l53JarIzwf  England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 3, 2017

Morgan saw his job through, until he was run-out with four balls remaining as 100 runs came in the last 10 overs of Englands necessarily back-loaded innings.

England did well there, after losing a tough toss. Without their first-choice attack, and better conditions for Windies, could be tight?  David Clough (@DavidBClough) March 3, 2017

The gameplan for West Indies reply was to follow a similar method. But Brathwaite and Evin Lewis each holed out naively off Woakes - and Powell paid for closing the face in Plunketts first over.

4 - @Liam628 has just taken his best ever ODI figures for @englandcricket (4-40). Stellar. pic.twitter.com/P84AI3d5sZ  OptaJim (@OptaJim) March 3, 2017

Hope and Mohammed put on 69 for the fourth wicket.

Then after the wicketkeeper cut Adil Rashid aerially to point, Mohammed and Carter kept England guessing with their twin 50s until the left-hander fell to a crucial, tumbling catch by Roy at deep square-leg off Plunkett.

Mohammed was still up for the chase only to be run-out by Steven Finn, kicking the ball on to the stumps in his follow-through to prevent a scampered single in the Windies eventual 251 all out in the 48th over.
By Huw Jones and Marc Jones

LONDON, March 2 (Reuters) - Banks based in Britain seeking to do business in the European Union after Brexit should apply early for a licence to set up actual operations and not "empty shells", European Central Bank supervisor Sabine Lautenschlaeger said on Thursday.

In the strongest comments yet on the subject from an ECB official, Lautenschlaeger warned lenders in Britain not to circumvent rules.

She declined to say how many staff a new banking operation should have, saying it would be looked at on a "case-by-case" basis.

She expected many of the 40 banks in Britain that currently serve continental customers to ask the ECB for a licence, and urged them to get in touch sooner rather than later.

"I do not see the ECB issuing banking licences to empty shell companies," Lautenschlaeger, who sits on the ECB's executive board, said in London.

"Our objective is to make the banking system safe and sound. I therefore expect banks which are seeking a licence in the euro area to meet our standards. There will be no race to the bottom in banking supervision," she said.

Weighing in on the contentious issue of keeping euro derivatives clearing in Britain, Lautenschlaeger said ECB consent would depend on whether the new, post-Brexit legal framework offered an unchanged level of involvement for the ECB, and ensured financial stability in the euro zone.

London dominates the clearing of derivatives denominated in euros, and the ECB is a member of the colleges of supervisors from different jurisdictions which oversees them.

Lautenschlaeger said that apart from remaining in supervisory colleges of euro clearers in London, other, unspecified conditions would have to be met which will depend on what sort of trading deal Britain and the EU agree after Brexit.

An attempt by the ECB to shift euro clearing to the euro zone was blocked by the EU court, but British Prime Minister Theresa May has said the UK will no longer come under the court after Brexit.

Banks in Britain that plan to permanently opt for "back-to-back" - trades transacted on the continent being booked in London to cut costs - will be disappointed, she said.

"This is not about a full ban of back-to-back booking. We rather aim at ensuring both an adequate local management of all material risks and the resolvability of the euro area entity," she said.

"Needless to say that I would certainly not accept banks booking all exposures with the euro area entity while having their risk management and internal control systems outside the euro area," she added.

Some banks are thinking of complementing or even replacing their licensed subsidiaries with investment firms or branches, which are supervised by national watchdogs or not supervised as banks, she said.

But regulators in Britain supervise such large firms as banks, and EU rules could be changed to allow its regulators to do likewise, she said.

"The current review of the European banking rules might provide an opportunity to do so," Lautenschlaeger said. (Additional reporting by Balazs Koranyi in Frankfurt; Editing by Robin Pomeroy and Ken Ferris)
KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 (Reuters) - Malaysia condemned the use of VX, the super toxic nerve agent that killed the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a Kuala Lumpur airport last month, as authorities on Friday prepared to deport a North Korean suspect.

Kim Jong Nam was murdered on Feb. 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, where he was assaulted by two women who allegedly smeared his face with VX, a chemical classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.

"The Ministry strongly condemns the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," it said in a statement.

The foreign ministry said it was in close contact with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, an inter-governmental organisation based in the Netherlands, regarding the incident.

"Malaysia does not produce, stockpile, import, export or use any Schedule 1 toxic chemicals including VX, and has made annual declarations to that effect to the OPCW," the statement said.

Relations between Malaysia and North Korea, who have maintained friendly ties for decades, have soured since the killing of Kim Jong Nam at the airport two weeks ago.

North Korea's envoy to Malaysia has said earlier that police investigations in the case cannot be trusted. North Korea has not accepted that the dead man is Kim Jong Nam, and said on Thursday that their citizen may have died of a heart attack.

South Korean intelligence and U.S. officials say the murder was an assassination organised by North Korean agents, though the only suspects charged in the case so far are an Indonesian woman and a Vietnamese woman.

A North Korean suspect held over the killing was released from a detention centre on Friday, and driven away in a police convoy, a Reuters witness said.

Ri Jong Chol, who had been detained a few days after the killing was taken to the immigration office to prepare his deportation to North Korea.

Malaysia's attorney-general told Reuters on Thursday that he would be released due to insufficient evidence.

Police have identified seven other North Koreans wanted in connection with the killing, including a senior embassy official in Kuala Lumpur. (Reporting by Praveen Menon and Angie Teo; writing by Jack Kim and Praveen Menon; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Friday.

PPI

Romanian industrial producer prices rose 2.6 percent on the year and 1.0 percent on the month in January, data from the National Statistics Board showed on Thursday.

DEBT

Romania plans to sell about 2.5-3.0 billion euros worth of eurobonds from the international markets and an indicative 48-50 billion lei ($11.63 billion) worth of domestic leu debt this year, the finance ministry said on Thursday.

Romania sold a planned 700 million lei ($162.93 million) worth of Feb. 2019 treasury bonds on Thursday, with the average accepted yield at 1.59 percent, central bank data showed.

UNEMPLOYMENT

Romania's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged down to 5.4 percent in January from December's 5.5 percent, the National Statistics Board said on Thursday.

CEE CURRENCIES POLL

The Czech crown could firm up more than 4 percent against the euro in the next 12 months as the central bank is expected to remove its cap on the currency, a Reuters survey showed.

Romania's leu is expected to gain 1.1 percent and the zloty 0.4 percent on the same horizon, while the forint could ease 0.7 percent and the dinar 1.1 percent.

CEE MARKETS

Central European equities markets mostly eased slightly on Thursday, taking a breather after the biggest swings since Britain's vote to leave the European Union last June.

U.S. VISAS

The European Parliament called on the EU executive on Thursday to force Americans to apply for visas before visiting Europe this summer, stepping up pressure to resolve a long-running transatlantic dispute on the issue.

The European Commission stressed it was pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the row, leaving it unlikely that it would act on the vote by lawmakers setting a May deadline to impose visas - a move that could hurt Europe's tourism sector.

For the long-term Romanian diary, click on

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For an index of all diaries, click on

For other related news, double click on: --------------------------------------------------------------- Romanian equities RO-E E.Europe equities .CEE Romanian money RO-M Romanian debt RO-D Eastern Europe EEU All emerging markets EMRG Hot stocks HOT Stock markets STX Market debt news DBT Forex news FRX For real-time index quotes, double click on: Bucharest BETI Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX -----------------------------------------------------------
Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Friday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 1 hour): PGG Poland's state-owned coal producer PGG wants to award 1,200 zlotys ($293.92) to each employee on the back of the firm's improved financial situation, the daily Rzeczpospolita reported, citing sources. Talks between the company's managers and labour union about raising salaries start on Friday.

BANKS

The banking sub-index WIG-banki on the Warsaw Stock Exchange rose 30 percent in the last three months and should the recent market optimism prevail, banks will be the biggest growth drivers, the daily Rzeczpospolita reported, citing analysts.

LABOUR MARKET

A record-low unemployment in Poland is forcing many companies to raise salaries and is causing difficulties finding qualified employees, the business daily Puls Biznesu reported.

ENEA

The Polish state-run utility Enea is close to finalising the purchase of Engie Energia Polska, the owner of the Polaniec Power Plant, Enea's Chief Executive Officer Miroslaw Kowalik told the business daily Puls Biznesu in an interview. Enea is still working on how to finance the acquisition, but is not considering taking funds from the coal miner Bogdanka, an entity of the Enea group. MEDIA

Poland's Culture Ministry has created a working group to come up with a project on changes to media ownership in Poland, which would limit foreign ownership, the daily Wyborcza reported.

****Reuters has not verified stories reported by Polish media and does not vouch for their accuracy.****

For other related news, double click on: Polish equities E.Europe equities Polish money Polish debt Eastern Europe All emerging markets Hot stocks Stock markets Market debt news Forex news For real-time index quotes, double click on: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX ($1 = 4.0827 zlotys) (Reporting by Warsaw Bureau; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath)
By Emily Chow

KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 (Reuters) - Malaysia has stepped up security checks at all border crossings to stop North Koreans linked to the murder of the estranged half-brother to North Korean leader Kim Jung Un from leaving the country, Malaysia's police chief told Reuters.

So far, prosecutors have charged two women - an Indonesian and a Vietnamese - with the murder of Kim Jong Nam on Feb. 13, in an assassination using a super toxic VX nerve agent that killed the victim in minutes.

While two women were seen on security camera footage assaulting Kim Jong Nam in Kuala Lumpur International Airport, police are looking for others involved in the operation, including whoever supplied them with the VX, which is listed by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.

U.S. officials and South Korean intelligence believe the assassination was run by agents from secretive, nuclear-armed North Korea.

Malaysian police identified eight North Koreans wanted in connection with the case, but the only one they apprehended, a man named Ri Jong Chol, was released on Friday due to insufficient evidence and was set to be deported after a week in custody.

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar told Reuters on Friday that "at least two of them" were believed to be still in Malaysia.

He did not name them, though police have said that they want to question 44-year-old Hyong Kwang Song, a second secretary at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur; 37-year-old Kim Uk Il, a staffer at North Korean airline Air Koryo; and an individual named Ri Ji U.

Khalid said Hyong has yet to contact the police despite a request sent to the embassy, and that an arrest warrant had been made for the Air Koryo staffer who "is missing too".

Shahriman Lockman, a senior analyst at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia, said it is possible that they were all hiding in the North Korean embassy - making them virtually untouchable.

North Korea has voiced outrage at the Malaysian investigation, and does not accept that the dead man is Kim Jong Nam though it has acknowledged the victim is North Korean.

"This can go on for some time," Shahriman said.

Meantime, officers have stepped up checks at all border checkpoints, including at jetties, airports and land routes to stop any of the suspects skipping the country, Khalid told Reuters via text messages.

The other four suspects are believed to have left the country on the day of the murder, and made their way back to North Korea by air, travelling via Indonesia, Dubai and Russia.

Malaysian police have requested help from Interpol to apprehend them.

Malaysia has cancelled visa-free entry for North Koreans entering the country from March 6 as ties between two countries that had maintained friendly relations for decades became increasingly strained. (Writing by Joseph Sipalan; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
By Pavel Polityuk and Natalia Zinets

KIEV, March 3 (Reuters) - Ukrainian state agencies sought to detain the head of the tax and customs service on Friday over the alleged embezzlement of around $75 million - a potentially landmark case after patchy anti-graft efforts from the Western-backed authorities.

Television footage showed an apparently unconscious Roman Nasirov being stretchered into an ambulance and taken to Kiev's Feofania hospital late on Thursday.

Reporters said he had suffered a heart attack. This could not be independently verified.

Anti-corruption prosecutor Nazar Kholodnytsky said investigators believe 38-year-old Nasirov helped exiled lawmaker Oleksandr Onishchenko deprive the state of 2 billion hryvnias ($75 million) in tax revenue linked to a gas deal.

"Detectives and a prosecutor went to Feofania," Kholodnytsky said on television channel 112. "Nasirov was notified of the allegation by a detective. I will find out if he was conscious or not."

Nasirov has previously denied all allegations of graft against him. His office would not immediately comment on the matter.

Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said Nasirov had been relieved of his duties while the case is pending. "It is in our interest that the investigation be impartial and effective. This issue is very important for Ukrainian society today," he said in a government meeting.

Prosecutor Kholodnytsky was openly sceptical about Nasirov's sudden hospitalisation.

"I, like many Ukrainian citizens, have doubts about the unexpected transfer to hospital, as this has become a historic tradition for the Ukrainian political elite and top management."

He cited the example of a former transport minister who in 2008 was found by investigators in a hospital after they sought to detain him on corruption charges.

If Nasirov is found guilty, it would be the first successful prosecution of a senior official for graft since the 2014 uprising that ushered in a Western-backed leadership promising to tackle endemic corruption.

FUR COATS, JEWELS AND CASH

"This is the destruction of the unwritten corrupt status quo in the country," said pro-European lawmaker Serhiy Leshchenko in a post on Facebook.

"Nasirov will be a valuable witness to the misuse of state money by those in the highest ranks."

Stop-start reforms over the past three years have raised concerns that Ukraine's political elite lacked the will to eradicate a deep-rooted system of cronyism and bribe-taking.

Nasirov's lawyer, Andriy Kuzmenko, confirmed that he was being investigated for embezzlement and said he could face up to six years in prison.

Opposition lawmakers and the finance ministry have previously called for Nasirov to be investigated for abuse of office.

In 2016, Nasirov clashed with an activist appointed to reform the graft-plagued customs of Odessa over her accusation that he had blocked her attempts to fire corrupt officials.

In an online wealth declaration tool aimed at boosting transparency, he disclosed last October that he and his wife held cash in euros and dollars worth $2.2 million and owned Swiss watches, diamond jewellery, fur coats and fine porcelain among other items. He told Reuters in an interview he had earned this money in the financial sector before taking office.

($1 = 27.0000 hryvnias) (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk and Natalia Zinets; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Catherine Evans)
By Gabriela Baczynska

BRUSSELS, March 3 (Reuters) - European Union states will take the formal decision on Monday to create a joint command centre for the bloc's military missions, a symbolic step in the renewed quest for more security and defence cooperation, officials and diplomats in Brussels said.

The politically-sensitive issue of pulling EU states closer together on defence has been stalled for years, but the theme returned to the EU agenda following Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and amid a growing threat from Islamic militants.

Suggestions by the new U.S. President Donald Trump that he could be less committed to the security of Washington's NATO allies in Europe if they do not meet their defence spending goals have galvanised the EU, creating a new sense of urgency.

Last December, EU leaders agreed to explore ways to establish "a permanent operational planning and conduct capability at the strategic level".

On Monday, foreign and defence ministers of the 28 EU states meeting in Brussels will decide on creating the so-called Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) so that it can take over this spring.

It would command the bloc's "non-executive military missions". These include the three military training missions the bloc now runs in Mali, Somalia and Central African Republic.

In the future, it would also cover any capacity-building, monitoring or demobilisation and disarmament military missions.

While symbolically significant, the MPCC would in practice consist of some 30 people and sit within the bloc's foreign policy service in Brussels. It will most likely be led by the current head of the military staff at the EU's foreign arm.

Highlighting how controversial the matter still is among EU states, they debated at length on whether the head of the new body should be called a "commander". They eventually settled for "director".

Any movement towards an "EU military headquarters" has long been opposed by Britain, the bloc's leading military power, but the idea has been revived by Germany and France since the British voted to leave the EU.

Another EU and NATO state Poland - which has for a long time based its hard security guarantees on Washington and the transatlantic military alliance - is worried that more defence cooperation in the European bloc could weaken NATO's resolve in Europe.

The incremental step is, therefore, a compromise.

"We are very excited, symbolically it is important. Whatever you want to call it, it is a step towards an EU military headquarters with a commander," a French diplomat said. (Additional reporting by Tom Koerkemeier; Editing by Toby Davis)
By Mark Weinraub

CHICAGO, March 3 (Reuters) - U.S. corn and soybean futures eased on Friday on profit-taking as the ongoing harvest of big crops in South America continued to weigh on the market.

Wheat futures also were lower, with concerns about additional supplies flooding the export market pressuring prices.

All three commodities were on track to post gains for the week, but Friday's bearish tone spurred investors to move money to the sidelines.

"Some traders (are) headed to the exits rather than get bruised by more volatile trading into the weekend," Farm Futures senior analyst Bryce Knorr said in a note to clients.

Soybeans notched the biggest declines as the South American export pace was expected to pick up after slowing this week.

At least 11 ships are facing delays in loading soybeans at Brazil's northern ports after rains washed out roads and disrupted the progress of trucks carrying beans from the center-west region, Brazilian officials said on Thursday.

"The export flow may pick up again next week, provided weather conditions have allowed enough road repairs to take place," said Tobin Gorey, director of agricultural strategy at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

At 10:05 a.m. CST (1605 GMT), Chicago Board of Trade May soybean futures were down 5-3/4 cents at $10.31-1/2 a bushel. For the week, soybeans have risen 0.6 percent.

CBOT May corn was down 1/4 cent at $3.79-1/14 a bushel. Corn was on track for a weekly gain of 4.1 percent, its biggest weekly rally since mid-October.

Soybean and corn futures rose earlier this week, supported in part by reports of potential changes to U.S. biofuel policy to boost production. Corn is the primary U.S. feedstock for ethanol and soyoil is used in biodiesel.

"The biofuel rumors in the U.S. have thrown uncertainty and confusion back into the market. They come as U.S. farmers are deciding which spring crops to grow," said David Sheppard, managing director at UK merchant Gleadell.

CBOT May wheat was 2 cents lower at $4.50-3/4 a bushel. Wheat futures have risen 0.3 percent so far this week.

Russia, among the world's largest wheat exporters, is considering exporting part of its 4 million tonne state grain stockpile to free up storage space before the new crop arrives, industry sources said. (Additional reporting by Nigel Hunt in London and Naveen Thukral in Singapore Editing by W Simon)
By Ivana Sekularac and Gabriela Baczynska

BELGRADE/BRUSSELS, March 3 (Reuters) - Nationalist Serbian lawmakers booed the European Union's top diplomat Federica Mogherini on Friday as she addressed their parliament during tour aimed at addressing concerns about rising tensions in the Balkans.

Mogherini's trip to all six Western Balkans states, still scarred by wars fought in 1990s along political, ethnic and religious lines, is meant to lay the groundwork for an EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday and a summit on Thursday.

Several EU leaders have expressed alarm at a variety of problems there and some blame Russia for seeking to destabilise the region, EU officials say.

At Mogherini's speech to the Serbian parliament, members of the Serbian Radical party chanted: "Serbia! Russia! We don't need the (European) Union!"

Four deputies from the nationalist Dveri party held banners reading: "Serbia does not trust Brussels."

Playing down the heckles during a speech that focused on the EU accession talks which Serbia hopes to complete by 2019, Mogherini later told reporters: "It is not nice to be rude to a lady!"

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic's pro-EU coalition has a comfortable majority in parliament but the popularity of pro-Russian nationalists is on the rise. In 2016, the Radicals returned to the Serbian assembly after several years.

At their summit next week, EU leaders are expected to reaffirm their commitment "to support stability and to deepen political and economic ties with and within the region," according to an early draft of their joint statement.

That is despite weariness in EU states including France and the Netherlands where eurosceptic parties pose a challenge to the status quo in their own elections in coming weeks.

The EU has made Serbia's accession conditional on normalising its ties with Kosovo but tensions have been on the rise this year. Serbia's ally Moscow refuses to recognise the 2008 independence of Kosovo, which has an association agreement with the EU.

Their neighbour Macedonia - which aspires to join both EU and NATO - has not been able to form a government since elections in December as the president has refused to give a mandate to a coalition that includes ethnic Albanians.

A genocide lawsuit that Bosnia lodged against Serbia at the International Court of Justice angered Bosnian Serbs as well as officials in neighbouring Serbia.

In Montenegro, both pro-Western and anti-Western opposition parties are boycotting the parliament following a recent vote in which they say people were intimidated to back the government.

Russia opposes the accession of Balkan states into the EU has accused Europe and NATO of meddling in Macedonia's political crisis.

The EU believes Moscow is encouraging Bosnia's Serbs to seek independence and may have encouraged a move to unseat Montenegro's leader as he seeks to join NATO.

A border dispute between ex-Yugoslav EU members Croatia and Slovenia, adds to the mix of instability, EU officials say. (Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald in Brussels; Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
By Tom Miles, John Irish and Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, March 3 (Reuters) - Syria's first U.N.-led peace talks in almost a year ended on Friday without breakthrough but the United Nations mediator said the warring parties now had a clear agenda to pursue a political solution to the country's six-year-long conflict.

Both sides could point to small victories. The opposition said that the question of political transition was seriously addressed for the first time, while U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura said counter-terrorism - an issue pushed by President Bashar al-Assad's delegation - had been added to the agenda.

"What I saw ... gives me some feeling that we are moving in the right direction," de Mistura told reporters at the end of eight days of talks, adding that he aimed to hold another round of indirect negotiations later this month.

He said counter-terrorism had been added as a "fourth basket" to the talks, alongside efforts to establish a "credible, inclusive government", drafting a new constitution and holding free and fair elections.

In theory, those issues are supposed to be addressed in a six-month time frame, but peace talks in Geneva have achieved little since they were first convened just over three years ago.

"I believe...and expect that the sides should now pursue a framework agreement containing an agreed political package so that a negotiated transitional political process can be implemented as indicated by (U.N.) Resolution 2254," de Mistura said.

Assad's chief negotiator Bashar al-Ja'afari left the talks without speaking to reporters. "He has terrorism, but has to engage on transition," one Western diplomat said.

Terrorism has been a mantra for the Syrian government, which regards all the rebels as terrorists, and described members of the negotiating delegation on Thursday as terrorists backed by Israel, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

De Mistura said the United Nations recognised only two terrorist groups: Islamic State and the former Nusra front, once an al Qaeda affiliate. Neither is part of the U.N. peace process.

MINIMAL EXPECTATIONS

The talks aim to reach a political solution to a conflict which erupted in March 2011 and has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced many millions. They were convened last week with minimal expectations for success.

"Although we are closing this round without clear results ... I can say this time was more positive," chief opposition negotiator Nasr al-Hariri said.

"It was the first time we discussed in acceptable depth the future of Syria and the future of political transition in Syria.

The opposition says that "political transition" means an end to nearly 50 years of Assad family rule, something the government has ruled out giving away through negotiation.

Russia, seen as holding the balance of power, met both sides behind the scenes during the talks.

Late on Thursday, Russian diplomats met representatives of Syrian armed groups, diplomats and opposition sources said, the second such contact in the past few days.

Despite those contacts, Russia accused the main opposition of trying to sabotage the talks by refusing to unite with two smaller dissident groups which have no military muscle but have Moscow's blessing as opposition voices.

Creating a unified opposition delegation is seen as the key to holding face-to-face talks, but de Mistura said he was not yet ready to do so.

A Western diplomat said Russia's push to unify the opposition was an underhand tactic.

"Russia is trying to do that to destabilise the talks. They insist on the opposition becoming one. This is a tactic to weaken the process. I hope that Staffan can push back on it."

The scope of the negotiation is much narrower than a year ago, when de Mistura also had to hear demands for a ceasefire and release of prisoners. A shaky ceasefire has been in place since December and separate talks in Kazakhstan, sponsored by Russia, Turkey and Iran, are dealing with military matters.

De Mistura said the government delegation put forward a suggestion on exchanging prisoners and abducted people, which should be taken up in Astana.

A new round of Astana talks is due on March 14, and Russian officials have said the Geneva negotiations could resume on March 20. (Additional reporting by Yara Abi Nader; Editing by Dominic Evans)
Attorney General Jeff Sessions met with Russias ambassador twice last year during Donald Trumps campaign run, but claimed during Senate confirmation hearing he did not have communications with the Russians in his capacity as an adviser to then-candidate Trump.



Despite being asked by Senator Al Franken about contacts between Trumps campaign and Russian officials, Sessions declined to mention his private conversations with Sergey Kislyak during the Republican National Convention in July and subsequently in his office in September.



House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said Thursday Attorney General Jeff Sessions should recuse himself from investigations.



The growing chorus of Democratic lawmakers calling for Sessionss resignation or recusal marks the most serious demands yet to remove Sessions.



The talks came at the height of what U.S. intelligence officials say was a Russian cyber campaign to influence the presidential race.Sessions released a statement late Wednesday night in which he said he never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the [Trump] campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false.

Washington Post, 2 March 2017 -
John Tory, the Mayor of Toronto, Canada, is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka as a part of a 10-day South Asian trip which would commence from March 15, the Star reported on Thursday.

The article published on the Star website said Toronto is paying for the Mayor, two city councillors and four city staff, while about 20 delegates from Torontos business and academic communities will be paying their own way.

The trade delegation is also scheduled to visit Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad in India.

The mayor will be attempting to lure offices and jobs to Toronto and promote trade between local firms and South Asian companies, with a focus on film, education, finance and innovation.

Tory, it says, is visiting Sri Lanka to learn more about where the Tamil community is from, why they left Sri Lanka, postwar developments, economic opportunities and to visit places of cultural interest to the Tamil community in Sri Lanka,

Toronto is home to the largest Tamil-speaking population outside of Sri Lanka.
The Rotary Club of Colombo West (RI District 3220 Sri Lanka & Maldives) held the Rotary Club weekly members luncheon meeting at the Galadari Hotel recently.

Several fellow Rotary members participated at the meeting chaired by Rotary Club President Roshan Perera. The head table also comprised of Senake Amarasinghe  Governor District 3220 and Harsha Rajan  Secretary Rotary Club of Colombo West.

It was the fifth meeting for the year 2017. The agenda was focused on building cordial relations and goodwill among Rotarians comprising of business and professional leaders with a view in providing humanitarian services to the community at large.

Roshan Perera in his welcome address invited Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy  Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to speak to the gathering on the current economic status of the country and for an exchange of views.

After a general presentation of the recent Clubs activities, the meeting was then devoted to a presentation by Dr. Coomaraswamy.

Dr. Coomaraswamy in his speech, outlined the Governments policies which he stressed should be pro-active and not merely for short term political expedience. He drew the attention of the audience to continuing worrying situation of the twin deficits; the budget deficit and deficit on trade. He reiterated that economic reforms are necessary, but should be consistent and steered with commitment and a clear goal of the envisioned outcome. He also spelt out proposed plans for economic recovery through the twin pillars for economic transformation, namely Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and Exports.

The speech was followed by a Q & A session enabling members to air their concerns and clarify doubts regarding the proposed roadmap for economic progress.

Rotary member Lalith Kahatapitiya in his vote of thanks on behalf of all the members, expressed satisfaction on the fruitful exchange of information and views during the meeting, and agreed that this type of discussion was useful and praised the Governor for his frank and genuine views and appraisal of the current economic status of the country.
As part of its long-term sustainability and CSR drive, DFCC Bank recently launched a commemorative staff tree-planting initiative where a tree is planted to celebrate each and every staff members birthday.

Additional trees are also planted at key sites, where reforestation is a priority and these programmes are carried out in collaboration with Reforest Lanka, a non-profit society committed to the protection and extension of forest cover in Sri Lanka.

Staff members whose birthdays are celebrated each month receive a personalised invitation to attend the tree-planting campaign. They also receive an e-tree dedication certificate after the tree planting campaign which provides the link to find the exact location of the planted tree on Google Maps.

In January alone, DFCC Bank planted a total of 960 trees in Aranayake, 160 of which were planted to commemorate staff birthdays in January. Furthermore, to coincide with Independence Day celebrations, a further 1,000 trees were planted alongside the Kaduwela  Kadawatha Highway, out of which 100 seedlings were planted in commemoration of staff birthdays in February. In addition, DFCC Bank will plant 1,000 trees at the University of Jaffna during the latter part of February.

These tree-planting programmes were attended by staff members and their families, as well as members of the local community, who came together to support the Banks initiative.

Commenting on the initiative, Arjun Fernando, CEO  DFCC Bank, stated, I would like to extend my congratulations to the DFCC Sustainability Unit and the entire team for successfully launching this initiative. In a short period of time, we have planted approximately 2,000 trees and actively engaged team members at every level of our organisation. This initiative has helped to instil a greater commitment towards protecting the planet and operating as a responsible corporate citizen internally which is in line with one of our core values; being socially responsible.

The trees planted will help to reforest key areas across the island, whilst giving back to the planet at large. The trees will help to improve soil quality in the areas and minimise soil erosion, whilst returning much-needed oxygen to the environment.
Two navy personnel including a commodore were arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today over the abduction and disappearance of 11 students from Tamil schools around Colombo in 2006.



The two suspects were summoned to the CID this morning to record statements in connection with the incident. (Nirangi Abewickrama and Indika Ramanayake)
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj

Case No. B 85/17 concerning the assassination attempt targeting Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna district MP M. A. Sumanthiran was taken up at the Kilinochchi courts before Kilinochchi District Judge A. A. Anandarajah on February 27, 2017. Five ex-LTTE members were again produced in courts as the chief suspects by the Police Terrorism Investigation Department (TID). The five ex-Tigers are suspected of being involved in a plot instigated, devised and financed by overseas LTTE operatives to assassinate MP M.A. Sumanthiran.



At the outset, the TID officials filed a further report outlining the progress made by the Police in investigating the assassination plot against the high profile lawyer MP who is also the accredited spokesperson of the TNA as well as its chief constituent the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK). The Police report in essence comprised three parts.



The first part was about information gathered from one of the suspects Gnanasegaralingam Rajmathan who had been taken by the Police to specific areas in the north where the would be assassins had planned to slay the MP by exploding a claymore mine. Police had earlier obtained permission from courts to do so when the case was heard by Judge Anandarajah on Feb 13, in Kilinochchi. While the suspect had been willing to re-visit places with the Police and re-trace the contours of the assassination conspiracy, the other four suspects had not consented to do so.



The second part of the report was about the information gathered from the other four suspects being held at the Anuradhapura prisons. Police had obtained permission from courts to do so when the case was heard by Judge Anandarajah on Feb 13. Since the five suspects have been remanded to fiscal custody and are not being detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) the Police have to obtain court permission to record statements and must also do so in the presence of prisons officials. The Police report incorporated further statements recorded from Karalasingham Kulendran, Murugaiyah Thavaendran, Velayuthan Vijayakumar and Mariyanayagam Lewis Ajanthan.

As the anti-terrorism sleuths pursued investigations there emerged clear evidence that the unholy trinity spearheading a coordinated campaign to revive the LTTE comprised Gobi, Appan and Deiveegan



The third part of the Police report was a status update on further investigations made about the overseas LTTE operatives involved in the assassination plot.Three persons known as Amuthan, Maran and Vetri allegedly operating from Malaysia, France and Australia respectively are suspected of masterminding, coordinating and directing the assassination attempt on Sumanthiran MP. While Malaysian officials have said that Amuthan was no longer on Malaysian soil, Australian officials have indicated that Vetri had been identified. Maran from France is suspected of being a Swiss resident who operated out of Paris in recent times. The trail had turned cold in all three cases after the ex-Tigers in Sri Lanka were arrested.



After submitting the report to Kilinochchi court the Police requested permission from Judge Anandarajah to escort Rajmathan to designated areas once again and re-construct the assassination further. Police also sought court permission to interrogate the suspects Kulendran, Thavaendran, Vijayakumar and Ajanthan further at the Anuradhapura jail. Police also wanted courts to sanction their interacting with relevant authorities

in the USA to gain further information regarding communications among the five ex-LTTE cadres arrested in Lanka and the overseas Tiger trio of Amuthan, Vetri and Maran. Mobile access Apps (WhatsApp/Viber) had been used to communicate. Judge Anandarajah granted permission for all requests made by Police.He also re-remanded the five suspects and set the date of the next hearing for March 13, 2017.



TID Director DIG Nalaka de Silva

As stated in these columns earlier, the probe into the Sumanthiran-assassination attempt is being conducted solely by the Police. It is reliably learnt that while the knitty-gritty aspects of the case are being handled on ground by different TID officials, the overall thrust of the investigation is being overseen by TID director DIG Nalaka de Silva himself. Usually in a case such as this, with overtones of political terrorism, the TID would have invoked the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and detained the suspects for a longer period. They would also have had unfettered access to the suspects in their custody and perhaps subjected them to an intensiveinterrogation.White vans would have scoured the north and east renditioning suspects particularly ex-LTTE cadres.



This however is not being done, as the Maithri-Ranil Govt has taken a policy decision to repeal and replace the PTA with new counter -terrorism laws. The old PTA is not operational any more,

Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms (SCRM) Mano Tittawela stated in Geneva this week. The decision not to utilise the PTA has been welcomed by the victim concerned Sumanthiran himself. The TNA MP cum lawyer who has appeared in several landmark human rights cases has been strongly against the PTA in the past.



As such the Police are handling the assassination plot case under normal laws of the land.With the suspects remanded to judicial custody the Police have to obtain court permission to continue further investigations by questioning them. All this leads to some delay in the pace of the probe. The law enforcement machinery used to decades of excessive power under the PTA and emergency regulations finds it cumbersome to proceed under normal laws. Despite the delay it is indeed commendable that the investigation is being conducted under normal laws. It is time for the country at large to free itself of baggage such as the PTA and proceed positively towards a brighter future.



What is troubling however is the deeply-divided security structures particularly the intelligence gathering apparatus. Intelligence gathering and analysing is of crucial importance in combatting attempts by the overseas LTTE to foment violence in Sri Lanka. Intelligence is essential to maintain and ensure national security.When Mahinda Rajapaksa was in power his brother Gotabhaya was the all-powerful Defence Secretary. It was he who oversaw

the intelligence agencies. One of the arrangements he put into place was to hold a weekly meeting for all relevant intelligence agencies and divisions. Gota himself chaired the meeting while the then State Intelligence (SIS) Chief Kapila Hendavitharane functioned as secretary.



The SIS, Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) of the Army, Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) of the Police, Special intelligence branch of the Police and the multi - disciplinary Colombo intelligence unit were all part of this weekly briefing/meeting. It is well known that all reputed law enforcement and national security agencies are plagued by inter -departmental rivalry. From the CIA - FBI divide in the US to the RAW - CBI schism in India, these Tensions go with the territory.

Effective leadership is required to manage these inter-departmental contradictions and undertake a coordinated effort to combat potential terrorism revival and safeguard national security.



Hiatus between police and intelligence agencies

This spirit of cooperation and coordination is conspicuously absent at present. The armed forces are under the Defence ministry while the Police are under the Law and Order Ministry. Worse still is the prevailing hiatus between the Police and the intelligence agencies. This has led to inter-service enmity of a very high order. This is patently visible in the probe into the Sumanthiran- assassination attempt. The TID is conducting it alone without enlisting the support of intelligence agencies. The intelligence agencies remain aloof without extending any help to the investigation. Both sides are also engaged in an unofficial campaign to blacken each other. Thus we see media reports critical of each other. On the one hand there are reports suggesting a military intelligence link to arrested ex-Tigers while on the other, reports say, there was no LTTE revival attempt.

The assassination attempt was planned and coordinated by LTTE operatives in the global Tamil Diaspora.



Against this backdrop of a divided security apparatus the chances of the Sumanthiran- assassination attempt probe proceeding beyond a certain stage seems uncertain. The TID has apprehended the would be assassins on ground but they are virtually clueless about the overseas angle. The assassination attempt was planned and coordinated by LTTE operatives in the global Tamil Diaspora. The ex-LTTE cadres arrested by Police were to execute the task assigned by the overseas LTTE.

The intelligence agencies remain aloof without extending any help to the investigation

A comprehensive investigation therefore requires the capacity to delve deeply into both the internal and external dimensions. The TID is primarily a law enforcement agency confined to Sri Lanka. It is the State intelligence Service and Directorate of Military Intelligence who have the best information about the overseas Tigers. In fact the intelligence agencies have even infiltrated some of the overseas Tiger structures. The TID has no knowledge of these aspects.



The plot to assassinate Sumanthiran is not one which should be treated lightly. This is the first time after the war ended in May 2009, that there has been a planned attempt to assassinate a prominent Tamil political leader on Sri Lankan soil. Five ex-Tigers have been arrested and there is evidence of Diaspora Tiger involvement in the exercise. It is therefore very important that a comprehensive investigation be conducted. For this, close cooperation and coordination between the TID and intelligence agencies are necessary.

They would also have had unfettered access to the suspects in their custody and perhaps subjected them to an intensive interrogation.



There have been several attempts by overseas LTTE to foment violence in Sri Lanka after the Tigers were defeated in May 2009. The most serious and well-organized attempt to revive the LTTE was discovered and crushed in early 2014. This attempt was spearheaded by a trio comprising Suntharalingam Gajatheeban alias Theiveegan, Navaratnam Navaneethan alias Appan and Ponniah Selvanayagam Kajeepan alias Gobi.



Well-organized effort to resurrect LTTE

This was the most serious well-organized effort to resurrect the LTTE in Sri Lanka after May 2009. This was thwarted by the concerted efforts of the Police and Armed Forces. A crucial factor in this exercise was the close cooperation of State Intelligence, Military Intelligence and Police TID in combatting a common threat. I have written extensively about this in the past. A re-run of those events relying upon such writings would help to emphasise the importance of a united security apparatus in combating perceived threats to national security.



A five week period from March 6 to April 11 in 2014 saw a concerted drive by the police and security forces to combat the resurgence attempt of the LTTE in Sri Lanka. Many cordon-and-search operations were conducted. A large number of people were rounded up, questioned and released.

Many persons were detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) for intensive interrogation. As the anti-terrorism sleuths pursued investigations there emerged clear evidence that the unholy trinity spearheading a coordinated campaign to revive the LTTE comprised Gobi, Appan and Deiveegan. All three were members of the LTTE who had not undergone rehabilitation after the fall of the LTTE in May 2009 at Mullivaaikkaal. The highly motivated trio had the single-minded objective of reviving the LTTE again in Sri Lanka. All three had been in foreign countries after May 2009 and had the option of leading a comparatively safe and comfortable life abroad. Yet they had voluntarily returned to Lanka with the blinkered vision of reviving the LTTE and pursued their goal with missionary zeal.

What is troubling however is the deeply-divided security structures particularly the intelligence gathering apparatus.



Deiveegan was born in Manthuvil in the Thenmaratchy division of the Jaffna district on May 2, 1979. He joined the LTTE voluntarily in 1995 and his real name

is Suntharalingam Gajatheeban. Among his many noms de Guerre and noms de plume are Theiveegan, Thevian, Navaneethan, Vallan and Devan. He served for a long time as a bodyguard of LTTE Leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran and wife Mathivathani. He had also obtained a piloting licence and participated in air strikes by the LTTE air wing Vaanpuligal (Air Tigers). Deiveegan has reportedly been involved in the aerial attacks on Kerawalapitiya and Anuradhapura during the war.



After the war ended in May 2009, Deiveegan went clandestinely to India and established contact with Nediyavan in Norway and moved to South-east Asia and later went to Europe and shuttled among different countries. He then returned to India and was placed in charge of operations in India and Sri Lanka by the Nediyavan group. Deiveegan is believed to have been moving back and forth between India and Sri Lanka on a false passport or by using clandestine country boats. Ponniah Selvanayagam Kajeepan alias Gobi

Gobi; whose real name was Ponniah Selvavanayagam Kajeepan was around 31 years of age. His other alias is Kaseeyan. Gobi hailing from Iyakkachchi in the Pachilaippalli division of Kilinochchi district also joined the LTTE voluntarily while in his early teens and served in the Kittu Artillery unit of the LTTE. Later he functioned in the LTTE intelligence wing commanded by Pottu Ammaan.



Gobi worked as an intelligence operative in the LTTE under Perinbam master. He was stationed in Colombo for a long time and was engaged mainly in reconnaissance and logistical transport. He reportedly spoke Sinhala fluently. Gobi was married to Sharmila Balamurugan from Paalaiootru in Trincomalee. Both were in the Wanni when the war ended. Gobi with his then pregnant wife posed off as a civilian and was housed at the Ananda Coomaraswamy Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Chettikulam. They were allowed to relocate to Sharmilas fathers house in Paalaiootru when the baby was born in the camp. Gobi who had a heavy vehicle driving licence went abroad from Trinco to Saudi Arabia to work as a driver.

After his Saudi contract was over, Gobi went to Europe and travelled to different countries from there. He reportedly met with Irumporai - the de facto leader of the Nediyavan LTTE faction in Europe. Gobi then made contact with Deiveegan and returned to Sri Lanka. He cut off links with his mother and wife. Gobi bought a lorry and rented it out for transport as an owner/driver. He used this as a cover and moved around the North and travelled to and from Colombo, recruiting people and setting up clandestine cells.



Appan, whose real name was Navaratnam Navaneethan was born in Oorani in the Jaffna district on December 22, 1978. He joined the LTTE voluntarily in 1996. Among his other names were Abishan and Thiru. Appan worked under LTTE leader Gandhi who was supervising the LTTE prisons and detention camps for many years. Later he was moved to the intelligence wing under Pottu Ammaan.

In 2006, Appan was sent to Colombo and worked under an LTTE operative known as Kaanthan. Appan like Gobi, was used for reconnaissance and transport and he was in Colombo when the war ended. He then moved to Qatar and worked as a driver. Appan also was in contact with Gobi while in the Middle-East. He too returned to Sri Lanka like Gobi and set about the task of trying to revive the LTTE. He too cut off contact with his family.



Appan, Gobi and Deiveegan, though having the opportunity of residing outside Sri Lanka made the choice of returning to the Island and reviving the LTTE. Fortunately for the country, and all its peace-loving people, the LTTE renaissance project that was planned, coordinated and executed by the three was detected in its formative stages and nullified beforehand through adroit action. Although it was thought initially that Gobi was the live-wire behind the enterprise, fresh information gained subsequently indicated that Deiveegan was the brainy dynamo who was primarily responsible for this attempted resurgence.



Apparently, the three revivalists were in charge of three broad wings. Gobi was in charge of intelligence, while Appan was responsible for propaganda. Deiveegan was responsible for operations or military strikes and was the overall chief of the new entity.



Envisaged LTTE had short, mid and long-term goals

The nouveau LTTE that they envisaged had short, mid and long term goals. They went about recruiting people and setting up safe houses. They targeted mainly LTTE cadres who had not surrendered to the armed forces and therefore had not undergone rehabilitation for recruitment. Next of kin to dead LTTE cadres or family members of those who had disappeared were also recruited. In some instances they also enlisted the services of some people who were actually innocent of the sinister design but had got involved without realising the diabolical machinations at play.



What was frightening about the LTTE revival project was that it had ample support from Tiger elements cutting across intra-LTTE divisions. Members from the LTTE branches as well as front organisations had been backing the Deiveegan-Gobi-Appan triumvirate. The funding for LTTE revival attempts seem to have been channelled through money transfer agents as well as reputed banks. The five key figures who had been funding LTTE resurgent activities in Sri Lanka from abroad are Yathavan alias Santhosham master in Switzerland, Veeramani alias Regan in France, Shanthi in Germany, Deva in Canada and Soori in Britain.



The money sent from abroad has been used by the Deiveegan-Gobi-Appan trio to help finance the LTTE revival attempt in Lanka. Lands and houses were acquired and vehicles also had been purchased. Equipment such as computers and cameras had been bought. Leaflets and posters were printed. More importantly money was liberally used as an incentive to recruit people. The abject poverty of many former LTTE cadres and families of ex-LTTE operatives had been exploited. Some were co-opted through lure of financial rewards and remuneration.



The entire network was broken up into three or four cells and linked to each other via the net. Overseas contact was maintained through internet and telephone. Most of the people functioned compartmentally on a need-to-know only basis. The lynchpins however were Deiveegan, Gobi and Appan. Of these three persons, Deiveegan adopted a relatively low profile. Much of the spadework in widening contacts and setting up cells was done by Gobi and to a lesser extent by Appan. While Gobi posed as the owner/driver of a lorry, Appan had his own three-wheeler. Both vehicles were purchased through a reputed firm in Sri Lanka.



State Intelligence, Military Intelligence as well as the Terrorism Investigations division of the police worked together on the matter. Traditional inter-departmental rivalry was shelved and the different arms cooperated wholeheartedly with the common objective of preventing a tiger renaissance. As investigations progressed and more suspects were detained and interrogated, it became glaringly obvious that the three persons evading arrest were the most important figures in the LTTE revival exercise.



Investigation had been a constantly evolving one

The investigation itself had been a constantly evolving one with many an unexpected twist and turn. In the preliminary stages when the name of Gobi cropped up the police had published wanted posters with Gobis name only. Later when Appan was also implicated his name too was added. Posters and leaflets saying both Gobi and Appan were wanted were distributed and rewards for information offered. Subsequently when the name of Deiveegan emerged another notice was issued separately for him.



When it was clearly obvious that the three were the kingpins of the LTTE revival attempt another type of posters and leaflets were issued. The names, images and descriptions of all three were published in one notice. A reward of one million rupees leading to their capture was offered. Telephone numbers were publicised where members of the public could ring and supply information. Official sources said 42,000 such leaflets were distributed as well as pasted in public places throughout the North. This made a terrific impact on the people and evoked a positive response at many levels.



Several tipoff and leads were received about movements of suspicious individuals. Many of these were followed up and found to be erroneous or false alarms. Finally a positive lead was received from the Vedivaiththakallu area in the Vavuniya North division. It was reported that people engaged in wood-cutting had seen suspicious movements in the dense forest. One informant was positive that it was Gobi who was moving around there.



The Vavuniya North division also called Nedunkerni division is a sprawling region in the Wanni. The sparsely populated Southern areas of the region are infested with thick jungles. Vedivaithakallu was about 8 miles to the south of Nedunkerni. Acting on the information received a contingent of troops were stationed in the area on the outskirts of the jungle. Small teams of military trained in jungle warfare were deployed to penetrate the jungle interior and scout around.



It was around noon at about 1.00 pm on Thursday April 10, 2014, when a deep penetration patrol stumbled upon a secluded spot under a canopy of trees where a makeshift hearth and army mess tins were discovered. The burning embers suggested that the fugitives had heard sounds of the soldiers approaching and had quickly run away. A rapid search in the surrounding bushes resulted in four military backpacks being recovered.



Three of the backpacks had jungle-survival items like medicinal capsules, ointments, spirits, bug repellents, bandages, knives, flash lights, small mirrors, batteries, handy instruments, lighters, matches, tinderboxes, cords, candles, light apparel etc. The fourth backpack was stocked with dry rations and eatables like noodle packets, canned beef and fish, soup cans, tinned milk, biscuits, chocolates, nutrition bars and chewing gum packets. A thorough examination of the contents suggested that the trio could have survived on the food items for about 7-8 days in the jungle.



Overall command of Maj. Gen. Boniface Perera

Once these backpacks were detected, the security apparatus went to work expeditiously. Additional military personnel were hastily deployed. 3,000 soldiers from Vavuniya, Kilinochchi and Mullaitheevu districts were detailed for jungle combing operations. They were under the overall command of the then Wanni security forces commander Maj. Gen. Boniface Perera.



The soldiers were put through training drills and exercises that would have been helpful in the jungle terrain search operations. The exercises were conducted in batches at points far away from the target zone so as to prevent the fugitive trio from being alerted. Once the training exercise was over each batch was transported quietly up to a point from where they proceeded on foot to the target area. The training exercises went on throughout the night.



The military operation went ahead as planned. Under cover of darkness the soldiers were positioned around the jungle area with about one soldier for every five metres at most places. By first light at the crack of dawn, deployed military personnel had surrounded the tract of jungle in which the fugitive Tiger trio was hiding in. Silently the soldiers waited for their quarry to emerge from the jungle and walk into the military cordon.



It was about 6.45 am on Friday April 11, 2014, when the trio came out to the edge of the jungle slowly. Apparently the Tigers did not expect the soldiers to be lying in wait for them. Since the area was of a secondary forest type with dense shrubs and thick under-brush, visibility was somewhat obscured. Deiveegan and Appan were in front with Gobi following behind.



Suddenly Deiveegan spied the soldiers through the bushes at a distance less than 10 metres. He whipped out a pistol and the soldiers also opened fire. There was a sharp exchange of gunfire. Both Deiveegan and Appan were hit. Deiveegan fell down on the spot while Appan ran back and fell. Gobi ran back as the firing started and took cover in a clump of bushes. Then he tried to drag the fallen Appan back into the bushes. The soldiers opened fire when they thought Gobi was trying to throw a grenade. He too was killed. The skirmish ended with the three Tigers being killed and two soldiers getting slightly injured. Apparently the military gave no quarter and had taken no prisoners.



A total of six telephones, including two satellite phones and a Global Positioning System (GPS) were recovered from the fallen Tigers. A large amount of cash in Sri Lankan, Indian and US currency was also retrieved. So too was a notebook with addresses and telephone numbers. Contrary to expectations, the three Tigers were not heavily armed. There was only a 9mm pistol used by Deiveegan and some ammunition rounds plus four hand grenades. When the latters gun was examined, it was found that 14 of the 16 shots in the magazine had been fired through it; it was not clear as to whether all the shots were fired in this particular confrontation.



The Kebbithigollewa Magistrate visited the spot and held an inquiry. Thereafter the three bodies were first taken to the Padaviya hospital and from there to Anuradhapura where the Judicial Medical Officer conducted a postmortem examination.The bodies were identified by family members. The father, sister and brother-in-law of Deiveegan identified Suntharalingam Gajatheeban. The mother, wife and father-in-law of Gobi identified Ponniah Selvanayagam Kajeepan. There was however a hitch in the case of Appan whose old mother was unable to identify her son as she had not seen him for 10 years. This caused a delay. Finally, Appans two brothers came and identified Navaratnam Navaneethan. All three bodies were buried according to a Court Order at the Vijayapura burial grounds in Anuradhapura. The last rites were conducted by a Hindu priest from the Kathiresan temple in Anuradhapura. Only family members of Deiveegan, Gobi and Appan were allowed for the funeral. The media and public were forbidden to attend.



Adopting a compartmentalised approach

Thus ended in 2014 the saga of the Tiger trio, Deiveegan, Gobi and Appan who embarked upon the quixotic mission of reviving the LTTE in Sri Lanka. It is too early to say whether MP Sumanthirans assassination attempt was an isolated instance or part of a larger conspiracy to revive the LTTE in Sri Lanka. One thing, however, is certain. The current situation where a divided security apparatus is adopting a compartmentalised approach can only weaken the efforts to combat attempts by the Diaspora Tigers to foment violence in Sri Lanka.



D.B.S.Jeyaraj can be reached at dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com
A workshop to discuss strategic aspects for developing a national system that supports innovation and entrepreneurship was held at the Development Strategies and International Trade Ministry recently.



Several distinguished personalities including government officials, representatives from the research and private sectors, investors, members of the startup community and World Bank experts marked their presence at the workshop. Among them were Science, Technology and Research Minister Susil Premajayantha and State Minister of International Trade Sujeewa Senasinghe.



Subject Minister Malik Samarawickrama addressed the gathering on the vision of the national economy as it liberalised trade with regional partners. Excerpts of the ministers speech:

It is well-understood that one of the key factors in establishing competitive advantage in aggressive markets is through the development and commercialisation of high-end products and services. To deliver such expectations, it is imperative that the country emphasises innovation and entrepreneurship. The successes of these two elements rely on research outcomes, be they funded publicly or privately.



The Sri Lankan Governments National Economic Development Plan (Balagathu Sri Lankawak) was unveiled in January this year, and it identifies that in order to create long-term employment and to improve income, we should move towards an export economy. Furthermore, it recognises the facilitating of business initiation and improvements, becoming a member of the global product chains and creating a powerful and modern digital economy as key aspects that need to be looked at in conjunction to achieve this objective.



In my opinion, innovation and entrepreneurship stand at the centre of all these components, thereby providing the basis to achieve our goal of creating a positive investment climate and trade regime which will generate more and better jobs for the countrys youth. Our plan to create development corridors that will be set up for investment in public and private sectors with the role of the private sector being duly recognised to offer additional exposure and opportunities for entrepreneurs and professionals with the focus on digital economy, tourism, commercial agriculture as well as accelerating the process of industrialisation, is a highlight that shows the government has identified innovation as a key driver for progress.



However, given the size of the small market of a mere 21 million people, we understand that the growth potential of Sri Lanka inevitably lies in global integration. To benefit from opening itself for trade, local products and services should be able to compete in the international markets.



A handful of Sri Lankan enterprises have been selected as they have shown rapid growth in export-oriented products. For example, the apparel industry has moved from a commodity-export model in targeting niche markets to higher value-added production. There is also an emerging but growing digital industry reflecting greater export potential. However, these islands of success are few in number. Compared to countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, the export product mix in Sri Lanka has not seen a drastic change since the 90s. In fact, exports, as a percentage of GDP, have declined significantly in the recent years. The sluggish growth of exports is due to very little diversification. When Vietnam added 48 new products/line items and Thailand added 70 to their export baskets, Sri Lanka has added only seven new businesses during 2000-2015. Further, Sri Lankan exports tend to be commodity products rather than higher-value products and services.

We are very ambitious that the GSP+ preferences will make a significant contribution to the local economy through increasing exports to the EU market beyond traditional exports. After signing the three FTAs with India and China, we will have access to a market of Rs. 3 billion. These are the avenues for new businesses and quality products.



At the same time, we need to identify our challenges, what forces might prevent our small businesses gaining new opportunities from such avenues. The following are a few findings that came up in the rapid assessment the World Bank team conducted on the request of the government on Sri Lankas innovative and entrepreneurial environment.

There are a number of factors that inhibit the formation and development of innovative startup companies which are often the source of innovative business models, products and services that can have a transformative economic impact. These detrimental factors include a variety of policy, regulatory and tax issues, the lack of a robust innovative technology pipeline and a very nascent early stage venture capital and angel-funding network in Sri Lanka.

SMEs in Sri Lanka generally lack the knowledge and experience required to adopt and adapt new technologies and thereby develop newer/higher value products and services to address domestic and international market opportunities. It is also the case that these SMEs are removed from and unable to access global value chains which may offer them the opportunity to sell their products and services in international markets.

The focus of the R&D that is being undertaken would benefit from a less traditional, academic focus to one that focusses on creating economic value for Sri Lanka. As a middle-income country aspiring to embark on a knowledge-based growth trajectory, Sri Lankas expenditures on R&D at 0.16 per cent of GDP could be a lot higher.

Over several years, the ministries made efforts to address these issues. It is evident that we cannot tackle all these challenges in isolation, but instead we need to come into one platform where we could have a holistic approach. I believe todays discussion will be the first step towards this path.



We welcome the opportunity to work in close partnership with the World Bank and other organisations to help Sri Lanka become a highly-competitive economy and fast track to an upper middle-income country.
Despite the continuing crises such as the debt-ridden economy, the lack of direct foreign investments and the soaring cost of living, the national government to a large extent is restoring democratic rights.

Civic conscious citizens need to be aware of the moral law that rights are linked to responsibilities. To the extent we fulfil our responsibilities, only to that extent could we claim or fight for our rights. Similarly to the extent we fail in our responsibilities, to that extent we forfeit our rights.



Reflections on these lines are essential in view of the growing number of strikes, demonstrations or work-to-rule campaigns that often affect innocent people. For instance the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), which proudly claims to be one of the most powerful trade unions in Asia, yesterday launched another unannounced strike at all public hospitals in the Western Province. The strike is part of the GMOAs growing campaign against the awarding of medical degrees to graduates of the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) at Malabe. The wildcat strike left thousands of patients, mostly poor people, stranded. At Kalubowilas Colombo South Teaching Hospital one patient said he had come on Thursday night all the way from Embilipitiya because yesterday was his clinic day.



President Maithripala Sirisena, who has personally intervened to resolve the SAITM crisis, says he is meeting all parties including the authorities, SAITM students and their families to find a solution that is just and fair to all concerned. But the GMOA, which is widely accused of sometimes playing party politics, appears to be unwilling to wait for this just and fair solution to be worked out. Yesterday the GMOA caused additional pain and suffering to thousands of mainly poor patients and it has been doing it on a regular basis since the SAITM crisis erupted last year though this private university was set up 2008.



Medicine or healing, in its highest sense, is a vocation where the well-being of patients is given top priority. Valid questions are being asked whether the doctors who suddenly struck work yesterday were aware or sincerely committed to the hallowed Hippocratic Oath which they took. Lest they forget a part of the oath is like this: I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant; I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow; I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required, avoiding those twin traps of over-treatment and therapeutic nihilism; I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science and that warmth, sympathy and understanding may outweigh the surgeons knife or the chemists drug



With the GMOA regularly breaking this oath and setting a bad example, we also see university students staging demonstrations on busy highways at peak times, causing delays and other problems to thousands of people including schoolchildren. This has led to calls even by civic rights activists that no group has a right to cause serious problems to thousands of innocent people -- and therefore there should be some restrictions on demonstrations at peak times on city highways.



Traditionally, most democratic countries have accepted the right to strike but it should be the last resort only when dialogue, consensus and other non-threatning means have failed. But now it appears that some organizations are resorting to the unacceptable position of striking first and talking later thereby causing all sorts of problems to thousands of people. When medical doctors resort to this it could amount to a death blow to democracy and also to poor patients.



If the physicians heal themselves we could see healing in many social justice issues that confront us today.
A strange sight awaited the residents of the Nawalapitiya Town yesterday when a man was found to have climbed an electrical post holding a high tension wire, carrying with him a pack of rice and a bottle of water.

Seeing the man climbing this post workers from the electrical department who had been in the vicinity had alerted the Ceylon Electricity Board who had acted quickly to cut off the power supply, thus averting a disaster.

The police, who were called in, together with the people in the town had managed to bring the man down from the electrical post and he was rushed him to the Nawalapitiya Hospital thereafter.

The man, believed to be around fifty years of age, was identified as a resident of Ulapone. (Suranga Rajanayake)
The great immigration debate has to become the great re-thinking and re-structuring debate. Charlie Brown is right when he says, No problem is too big and complicated that it cant be run away from.

In both the US and the EU the focus is increasingly on the problem of immigration. President Donald Trump talks of them being criminals, drug traffickers and scroungers. And then he wants to build a very expensive wall on the border separating countries that for a long time have not countenanced war or terrorism against each other. (By the way, there is a funny Mexican joke: Yes, its a good idea to build the wall- it will keep Trump out!)



There are good reasons for allowing low-skilled immigrants in. (In this column I use the word immigrants to include refugees.) Shika Dalmir has given eight good reasons why this should be so:

1) Americans are the customers of low-skilled immigrants, buying services from them, everything from hospital cleaning to childcare to repairs to the house.



2) These immigrants are mobile since they rent rather than own. So they can move to where the work is. Right now they are being encouraged to move to Detroit where much of the population has fled the citys decay and the mayor is trying to revitalise it.



3) They are good for American and European women. Often nannies, they enable many women to work. Many of these are high-skilled and therefore contribute a good deal to society.



4) Immigrants cost the state less than ordinary workers. They often dont qualify for benefits. Of course they cost the state when it comes to schooling or medical care. But then they pay taxes (unless they are illegals).



5) They create jobs. They reduce the costs of production and make American or European goods more competitive with Latin American, Chinese, Indian and African exports. Some economists argue that immigrants pull the wages of the host community down but Shakir Dalmir says they have got it wrong. She says that it is a win-win situation since immigration works to maximise the potential of the economy across the board. This lifts all boats.



6) As long ago as the 1960s research work done in London made the point, supported by academic work today, that immigrants, apart from refugees, only journey to a country if they hear on the grape vine that lots of jobs are available. If not they dont come.



7) A 2005 World Bank report found that if the wealthier countries allowed a 3% rise each year in the size of their labour forces through easier immigration the gains to Third World Countries over time would be about $300 billion. Fully open borders would double the national income of the world in a few decades, virtually eliminating global poverty.



John Stuart Mill, the great nineteenth century economist, wrote that migration was one of the primary sources of progress. Adam Smith also opposed restrictions on immigration. Ironically, it was Karl Marx who seemed to be against immigration. He wrote that Englands decision to absorb the surplus Irishmen driven out by the famine was a ploy by the English bourgeoisie to force down wages and lower the material and moral position of the English working class.



But there are arguments for limiting the flow in the future. If you fill an empty bottle with wine, it is good stuff until it overflows. Then it no longer is useful to the drinker.



In my book, Conundrums of Humanity -- The Big Foreign Policy Issues Of Our Day, I argue that there are enough immigrants already (apart from refugees who shouldnt be refused). Those who readily argue for more are the middle and upper middle class who not only benefit from their jobs but enjoy the food and music that immigrants bring with them. But it is the lower middle class and working class who often live cheek by jowl with immigrants. It is they who see their schools and health facilities becoming overcrowded.



Moreover, immigration put on hold older problems society should have been forced to confront earlier. It has put off the day when menial jobs should have been altered and improved and paid better to attract unemployed natives.



And why should older workers be thrown on the scrap heap when they are 65? There is plenty of work to be done for those with experience. If they are not put to good use, as the population ages millions of immigrants will be needed in Europe and the US. Can one expect societies to adjust uncomplainingly when they feel the country is slipping away from the natives?



Soon, sometime tomorrow, the bottle will be full. Now is the time to begin the necessary adjustment to stop it overflowing.



Note: For 17 years Jonathan Power was a foreign affairs columnist for the International Herald Tribune.
Kalutara Chief Magistrate Bharathi Wijeratne yesterday called for a report on telephone conversations that took place between individuals inside the prison and those outside on the day the Black Maria carrying inmates from the Kalutara Prison was ambushed, which led to the deaths of five prisoners and two prison officials.

The prisoners were being transported from the Kalutara Prison to the Kaduwela Courts when an unidentified gang attacked the bus.

She ordered the telecommunications companies to furnish the required details to court. Further Magisterial Inquiry was postponed for March 16. (Sunil Thanthriarachchi)
From left: Lanka Hospitals Chief Marketing Officer Nimal Ratnayake, Chairman Dr. Sarath Paranavitane and CEO Dr.Prasad Medawatte at the website re-launch

Pic by Waruna Wanniarachchi

Lanka Hospitals, the most accredited healthcare provider in Sri Lanka announced the relaunch of its web presence through URL www.lankahospitals.com with high-quality improvements and digital facets, beneficial for healthcare enthusiasts and patients.

The revamped Lanka Hospitals official web site is mobile responsive and delivers the identical user experience across devices, browsers and operating systems and is complete with content to support different individual user journeys.

www.lankahospitals.com was relaunched by Chairman Dr. Sarath Paranavitane, at an event held at Cinnamon Grand, Colombo recently. The new website of Lanka Hospitals is designed and developed to maximize medical tourism and aligns strategically with the Sri Lankan governments objective to promote the country as a medical tourism destination. Therefore this digital enhancement not only will benefit Lanka Hospitals but also Sri Lanka as a country, channeling in a lucrative avenue that could take Sri Lanka as the most preferred healthcare hub of Asia and the Asia Pacific region, said Dr. Paranavitane.

Chief Marketing Officer of Lanka Hospitals, Nimal Ratnayake noted that www.lankahospitals.com comprises Sinhala and Tamil language support and will launch in to more international languages in phase 2 of its continuous improvement plan.

The new website will host mini sites dedicated to centres of excellence such as womens wellness centre, gastroenterology centre, centre for blood disorders, IVF centre etc, which are targeted at stake holders specifically and generally looking for high quality information about these medical conditions, treatment options as well as facilities offered by Lanka Hospitals. He said.

The development of the new Lanka Hospitals website was carried out following thorough research on how individuals search for healthcare on the internet. More than the design aspect, we concentrated on the search engine optimization functionality based on how Google would rank the website and its pages over a period of time. It is developed to support 2K resolution and is completely moved away from the regular paradigm of web design as the website will continuously evolve according to the user behavior and the trends of the international and national healthcare markets, said Chief Information Officer of Lanka Hospitals, Ruwan Amarasekara.

www.lankahospitals.com, presents unique areas with unique user experiences designed for local and international patients, and will comprise more improvements in interactivity, social media integration and customer self-service facilities for obtaining medical services through the site for the benefit of all users in upcoming phases.
BRUSSELS AFP March2, 2017- The European Parliament on Thursday lifted French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pens immunity from prosecution over her tweeting of images of Islamic State atrocities.



The move paves the way for France to pursue a case against the far right National Front leader, after prosecutors launched a probe in 2015 over the graphic pictures, which included the decapitated body of US journalist James Foley.



The result is clear, a big majority is in favour of the lifting of immunity, acting parliament speaker Dimitrios Papadimoulis said.



The ruling is effective immediately for Le Pen, a National Front MEP, European Parliament officials told AFP.



But the decision concerns only the tweets, and not a separate probe into allegations that Le Pen misused public funds when hiring a parliamentary aide, they said.



The development is the latest twist in Frances dramatic presidential election campaign, coming a day after rightwing candidate Francois Fillon vowed to continue his bid for power despite the fact he is to be charged over his own fake jobs scandal.



Le Pen addressed the tweets in 2015 to a French television journalist who had likened her party to the jihadist group.
What does Patali know about politics that Harini doesnt know?

Sri Lanka is going through great pains to get its economy in order after the
The Ceylon Motorcyclists Association (CMA) today said they would organize a major protest rally at the Galle face green on Sunday against the gazette issued making it compulsory for motorbike riders and pillion riders to wear protective helmets which do not conceal any part of the wearer's face.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, CMA Secretary Chirantha Amarasinghe said around 5,000 motorcyclists are expected to attend the rally.

Facebook fans and members of other bike clubs have also confirmed their participation, he said. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)
The Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global has invested US $ 65 million in Sri Lankan stocks in 2016, compared to US $ 31 million in the previous year, a Royal Norwegian Embassy statement said.

The increase in investments is mostly a result of larger ownership in the companies they had already invested in, the statement said.

The Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global is a sovereign wealth fund, with a mandate to safeguard and administer the Norwegian governments revenue from the oil and gas sector.

Valued at US $ 890 billion, the fund is one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world, currently holding about 1.3 percent of the worlds stocks.

On appointment by the Norwegian Ministry of Finance, the fund is managed by the Norwegian Central Bank through the Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM).

NBIM made its first investments in Sri Lanka in 2015.

The fact that NBIM started to invest in Sri Lanka suggests that, the Sri Lankan investments opportunities and market standards have improved in the last couple of years, the embassy statement said.

In line with the goal to reduce risks, the Sri Lankan investments are diversified across several sectors. The biggest investments have been made in the industrial and financial services sectors with 63 percent of the total investment.

At present 16 percent of the funds investments are placed in Asia. Japan is the biggest market with 9 percent of the funds total equity placements, while emerging economies such as China and India have respectively 2.7 percent and 1 percent of the equity placements. Also, 0.6 percent of the equity is placed in Africa.

The fund historically has invested most money in highly developed countries. About 78 percent of its investments are currently placed in Europe and in North America.

However, this is likely to change as the Norwegian Central Bank has indicated that they will shift more of their investments toward emerging economies in the future.

As one of the largest sovereign funds, the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global has received global attention, and Norway has been put on the map as an international investor.

The Fund is not only distinguished by its sheer size, but also by how it is administrated. NBIM conducts what they call responsible investments, meaning that all investments must be ethically justifiable.

Firms that are deemed unethical by the funds Council of Ethics are excluded from the fund.

One of the fundamental principles of the Norwegian fiscal policy is the so-called budgetary rule. It states, the government may only spend the expected real return of the fund, estimated at 4 percent per year.

This ensures that future generations will also benefit from the petroleum revenue.

Meanwhile, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Colombo emphasized that the Norwegian Central Bank is completely independent from the Norwegian government and therefore, the fund is not used as an instrument of the Norwegian governments foreign policy, or as a tool in foreign aid.

The only mandate for the Norwegian Central Bank is to safeguard and ensure further growth of the fund.

Therefore, the investments in Sri Lanka from the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund are an indication of the investor confidence and the potential investment opportunities that are availab
Paris, (Daily MAil), 02.03.2017 - The Parisan home of French presidential candidate Francois Fillon was raided by police today  as he prepared to make a campaign speech 450 miles away.



Mr Fillon faces prison over a burgeoning fake jobs scandal involving his British-born

wife Penelope.



The couple, both 62, have been summoned before a judge where they face being indicted for a range of charges including embezzlement, which is punishable by up to ten years in prison.



Judicial police working to the examining magistrates today entered Mr Fillons Paris flat and gathered evidence connected to the case, according to an investigating source.Mr Fillon was meanwhile in the southern city of Nimes, preparing to speak at an election meeting tonight.



Both the Fillons are expect to be charged on March 15th  just five weeks before France goes to the polls to chose its next head of state.
REUTERS: The Sri Lankan rupee was slightly higher in dull trade yesterday as exporter dollar sales surpassed demand for the greenback by importers, dealers said.

Rupee forwards were active, with two-week forwards trading at 151.85/95 per dollar at 0602 GMT, compared with Thursdays close of 151.90/152.00.

However, dealers said the rupee would be under pressure due to dollar demand from importers ahead of the traditional Sinhala-Tamil New Year in mid-April, and as foreign investors continue to sell government securities.

Sentiment was also hit after ratings agency Moodys said in a report that lower agricultural exports and higher imports to make up for the loss in domestic production would weigh on the current account deficit and foreign exchange reserves.

The governments handouts to farming families affected by drought could make the fiscal deficit target a challenge, Moodys added.

Lower agricultural output due to the drought will force the government to increase imports, dealers said. For further imports, the government needs more U.S. currency while there will be fewer dollars coming in from agriculture commodity exports. Both will increase the demand for the greenback and put pressure on the rupee.

Sri Lankas fuel imports in January jumped to double the typical monthly levels, with the country rushing to plug an energy shortfall as severe drought hits its hydropower output, industry sources said.

Foreign investors sold a net Rs.15.37 billion ($101.62 million) of government securities in the week ended Feb. 22, extending the outflow from such instruments to Rs.64.5 billion.

Sri Lanka could face balance-of-payments pressure due to foreign outflows from government securities, a government document showed last month, even as the island nation was in the process of raising up to $2.5 billion from foreign borrowing.

The rupee has weakened 1 percent so far this year. It fell 3.9 percent last year, following a 10 percent drop in 2015.

Sri Lankan shares were down 0.06 percent at 6,123.57, as of 0606 GMT. Turnover stood at Rs.152.3 million ($1.01 million).
Social Empowerment and Welfare Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake, who refused to issue a letter requesting the extension of a sand mining permit, said today that his secretary had issued it without his knowledge using the seal which has his signature.

A secretary in my office has issued that letter using the seal and my letter head when I was not in the office. I have given a seal which carries my signature to my office at Divulapitiya as I often go out of office. The secretary has been interdicted following the incident, he said.

The deputy minister said he would never issue such letters while fighting to protect the environment from illegal sand miners.

When asked whether he was against sand mining he said it should be done legally and under the supervision of the Geological and Mines Bureau.

This is a business. It should be done legally. We cannot stop it and import sand and stones. At least 48 people have died because of illegal sand mining in Divulapitiya. The government loses million of rupees because of such activities, the deputy minister said. (Ajith Siriwardana)
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1 JULY BDO STATE AND LOCAL TAX ALERT 1 SUBJECT CONNECTICUT ENACTS MANDATORY UNITARY COMBINED REPORTING, IMPOSES NEW LIMITATIONS ON NET OPERATING LOSSES AND TAX CREDITS, AND MAKES SALES AND USE AND PERSONAL INCOME TAX CHANGES SUMMARY On June 30, 2015, Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy (D) signed into law House Bill 7061 and Senate Bill 1502, which together enact significant changes to the corporate income tax law, including the adoption of mandatory unitary combined reporting for tax years beginning after December 31, 2015, more restrictive limitations on the use of net operating loss carryforwards and tax credits for tax years beginning after December 31, 2014, the extension of the 20% corporate income tax surcharge through 2017, and the adoption of a 10% surcharge beginning in The enactment of these bills also causes several changes to: (i) the sales and use tax law (e.g., a change to the payment and return due date for monthly filers, and the expansion of taxable services to include creation, development, hosting, and maintenance of a website); and (ii) the personal income tax law (e.g., increases in tax rates, and delays to the increase in the personal exemption and the income thresholds used for purposes of reducing personal income tax credits). DETAILS CORPORATE TAX CHANGES MANDATORY UNITARY COMBINED REPORTING Effective tax years beginning after December 31, 2015, a corporation with Connecticut nexus is required to report income on a unitary combined basis with its combined group. A combined group for these purposes, unless elected otherwise, is determined on a water s-edge basis and is generally CONTACT: WEST: ROCKY CUMMINGS, Tax Partner / PAUL MCGOVERN, Tax Senior Director / NORTHEAST: JANET BERNIER, Tax Partner / MATTHEW DYMENT, Tax Principal / SOUTHEAST: ASHLEY MORRIS, Tax Senior Director / SCOTT SMITH, Tax Senior Director / ATLANTIC: JONATHAN LISS, Tax Senior Director / JEREMY MIGLIARA, Tax Senior Director / CENTRAL: ANGELA ACOSTA, Tax Senior Director / NICK BOEGEL, Tax Senior Director / JOE CARR, Tax Principal / MARIANO SORI, Tax Partner / RICHARD SPENGLER, Tax Senior Director / SOUTHWEST: GENE HEATLY, Tax Senior Director / TOM SMITH, Tax Partner /

2 BDO STATE AND LOCAL TAX ALERT 2 comprised of the following types of corporations that have common ownership and are engaged in a unitary business : (i) U.S. corporations with 80% or more of their property and payroll located in the U.S.; (ii) non-u.s. corporations with 20% or more of their property and payroll in the U.S. or that are incorporated in tax haven jurisdictions; and (iii) corporations that derive more than 20% of their income from payments for intangible property or service-related activities deductible from the income of other members of the combined group (but only to the extent of the related income and the apportionment factors). Common Ownership and Unitary Reporting Two or more corporations are under common ownership where, when applying Section 318 of the Internal Revenue Code, more than 50% of the voting control of each corporation is directly or indirectly owned by the same owner or owners whether corporate or non-corporate, and regardless of whether the owner or owners are members of the combined group. Unitary business for these purposes means a single economic enterprise, whether separate parts of a single business entity or a group of business entities, that is sufficiently independent, integrated or interrelated through activities so as to provide mutual benefit and produce a significant sharing or exchange of value among such entities, or a significant flow of value among the separate parts. World-Wide and Affiliated Group Reporting Elections As an alternative to reporting on a water s-edge basis, a combined group may make an election on a timely filed, original return to report on a world-wide basis (generally disregarding the entity restrictions imposed on a water s-edge group) or as an affiliated group. Once made, the election is binding for the current and subsequent ten (10) taxable years. An affiliated group for Connecticut purposes is generally the same as a federal income tax affiliated group with certain modifications, including a requirement to include a corporation in the Connecticut affiliated group even if it is included in the federal consolidated return of a different group. A Connecticut affiliated group may even include a corporation formed in a tax haven jurisdiction. Income Tax Liability The Connecticut corporate income tax applies only to a corporation that is subject to the corporate income tax (a Taxable Member ). A taxable member s tax liability is a product of the combined group s net income, the taxable member s Connecticut apportionment factor, and the applicable tax rate (currently 7.5%). Combined Net Income A combined group s net income is determined by adding the net income of every taxable and nontaxable member and deferring/eliminating intercompany transactions in a manner similar to the federal consolidated return rules. For this purpose, each member s net income is its separate company federal taxable income, which is then subject to certain adjustments (in addition to the standard additions and subtractions). These adjustments include the elimination of intercompany dividends, removal of gain or loss from the sale or exchange of capital assets, property used in a trade or business (i.e., property described in Section 1231(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code), and property subject to an involuntary conversion. The net income (and apportionment) of a non-u.s. corporation that is not required to file a federal income tax return is determined on the basis of a profit and loss statement prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ( GAAP ). This amount is then adjusted to take into account any book-tax differences required by federal or Connecticut law. Apportionment Formula A taxable member calculates its own apportionment percentage. The property, payroll, and sales factors of a taxable member are determined by dividing its Connecticut property, payroll, and sales by the combined group s everywhere property, payroll, and sales. The Connecticut sales of a taxable member includes its proportionate share of each nontaxable member s Connecticut sales factor as if the nontaxable member were subject to tax, which, in turn, is determined by the ratio of the taxable member s Connecticut sales to the Connecticut sales of the combined group. Transactions among combined group members are eliminated for purposes of determining the numerator and denominator of the apportionment factors.

3 BDO STATE AND LOCAL TAX ALERT 3 Net Deferred Tax Liability Deduction Publicly traded companies participating in the filing of a publicly traded company s GAAP financial statements as of January 1, 2016, are eligible for a net deferred tax liability deduction if the new unitary combined reporting requirements result in an aggregate increase or decrease in the members net deferred tax liability or net deferred tax asset, respectively. The deduction may be claimed in equal amounts for a seven-year period beginning in the combined group s first income year that begins in Any unused amount may be carried forward until fully utilized. To claim the deduction, a combined group must file a statement with the Department of Revenue Services by July 1, 2017, that specifies the total amount of the deduction to be claimed. NOLs and Credits Each taxable member of a combined group separately calculates its NOLs and credits, which it may carryforward to the extent allowed or share with another member of the combined group if the other member was a member of the combined group during the taxable year the NOL or credit was generated. A NOL or credit arising from a taxable year during which a corporation was not a member of the combined group may generally only be used by the corporation that generated it. Capital Gains and Losses Capital gains and losses removed from the income of a member are aggregated, apportioned to each member, and added to each taxable member s income. A loss apportioned to a member that is limited by Section 1211 of the Internal Revenue Code must be carried forward and treated as a short-term capital loss apportioned and incurred by that member for the year for which the carryover applies. Capital Base Tax Similar to the income tax, a combined group s capital base is the aggregate of the capital base of each taxable and nontaxable member. Intercorporate stockholdings are eliminated to avoid double counting. A taxable member s apportionment percentage is then applied to determine its apportioned capital base for purposes of computing its capital base tax. Also similar to the income tax, the numerator of a taxable member s capital base tax apportionment factor is comprised of its Connecticut property, and the denominator is comprised of the aggregated everywhere property of nontaxable and taxable members. If the aggregate amount of tax calculated on each taxable member s capital base exceeds the $1 million cap, each taxable member prorates its tax in proportion to the group's tax calculated without regard to the cap so that the group's aggregate additional tax equals $1 million. Designated Taxable Member The designated taxable member of the combined group makes all elections, files returns, and makes tax payments, including estimated tax payments, on behalf of the combined group. The designated taxable member is the common parent if it is a taxable member. If no such common parent exists, the designated taxable member is a taxable member selected by the combined group, notification of which must be made to the Department of Revenue Services by the due date (as extended) of the combined group s combined return for the initial taxable year that the return is required. NOL AND TAX CREDIT LIMITATIONS Effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2014, an NOL carryforward is subject to a new 50% of apportioned net income limitation, and the amount of tax credits that may be used may not exceed 50.01% of the amount of tax due. Under old law, the credit limitation was 70%. A combined group with over $6 billion in unutilized NOLs arising from taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 2013, may make a special election on its return for its taxable year beginning in 2015 regarding the utilization of NOLs.

4 BDO STATE AND LOCAL TAX ALERT 4 SURCHARGE AND PREFERENCE TAX The new law extends the 20% surcharge, which was previously set to expire for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2016, to taxable years beginning prior to January 1, For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, corporations will be subject to a 10% surcharge. A corporation with less than $100 million in annual gross income during the taxable year will not be subject to the 10% surcharge, unless it files as part of a combined return. Effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, the new law repeals the preference tax that is intended to recapture some or all of the tax benefit derived from the filing of a combined return under the elective combined return regime. SALES AND USE TAX CHANGES Following are some of the more notable sales and use tax changes in the new law: Effective July 1, 2015, the tax rate on luxury goods, which applies to motor vehicles with a sales price exceeding $50,000, jewelry with a sales price exceeding $5,000, and clothing, footwear and certain accessories with a sales price exceeding $1,000, increased from 7% to 7.75%. Effective July 1, 2015, car wash services, including coin-operated car washes, are subject to tax. Effective October 1, 2015, taxable computer and data processing services are defined to include services related to the creation, development, hosting and maintenance of a website, and are, therefore, taxable. Effective October 1, 2015, the deadline for remitting and filing monthly sales and use tax returns will change from the 20 th day of the month to the last day of the month following the month covered by the return. PERSONAL INCOME TAX CHANGES Following are some of the more notable personal income tax changes in the new law: Effective January 1, 2015, a 6.99% marginal tax bracket has been added for single filers with more than $500,000 in Connecticut taxable income, head of household filers with more than $800,000 in Connecticut taxable income, and joint filers with more than $1 million in Connecticut taxable income. Effective January 1, 2015, the 6.7% marginal rate increased to 6.9% and the flat income tax rate for trusts and estates increased from 6.7% to 6.99%. The scheduled $500 increase for the personal exemption from $14,500 to $15,000 has been delayed until January 1, The scheduled increase for the income thresholds used for purposes of reducing personal income tax credits has been delayed until January 1, The increase to the earned income tax credit percentage from 27.5% to 30% has been delayed until January 1, Effective January 1, 2015, federally taxable military pay is fully exempt from Connecticut income tax.

5 BDO STATE AND LOCAL TAX ALERT 5 BDO INSIGHTS Connecticut s change to mandatory combined reporting will likely present a significant departure from current law for many taxpayers since, Connecticut has historically required separate reporting, unless a taxpayer elected to file on a federal consolidated or unitary combined basis. Regardless, taxpayers should consider modeling the tax impact of filing combined returns on a water s-edge, worldwide or an affiliated group basis to ascertain which reporting method may be most advantageous. But do note that an election to file on a worldwide or affiliated group basis is binding for the current and subsequent 10 tax years. Connecticut has provided taxpayers that are publicly traded companies with a unique net deferred tax liability deduction to mitigate the financial statement impact of the law changes. However, the benefit of the deduction applies only to a combined group that has a taxable member in Since the new law was enacted on June 30, 2015, taxpayers should assess what, if any, impact these law changes would have on their existing deferred tax balances and adjust accordingly as of the enactment date. Due to the sales and use tax changes, taxpayers that have not historically charged sales tax on car wash services or services related to creation, development, hosting, and maintenance of a website should implement procedures to ensure the collection and remittance of sales and use tax on such services. The increases to the personal income tax rates, which were made retroactively effective to January 1, 2015, may impact employers and individuals who have likely been withholding taxes and making estimated tax payments based on old tax rates. These taxpayers will likely be required to make adjustments to their withholdings and estimated taxes to compensate for the differences resulting from the rate increases. Connecticut has exempted individuals from interest assessments due to an underpayment in estimated taxes created by the rate changes. The Tax Practice at BDO is among the largest tax advisory practices in the United States. With 58 offices and more than 400 independent alliance firm locations in the United States, BDO has the bench strength and coverage to serve you. BDO is the brand name for BDO USA, LLP, a U.S. professional services firm providing assurance, tax, financial advisory and consulting services to a wide range of publicly traded and privately held companies. For more than 100 years, BDO has provided quality service through the active involvement of experienced and committed professionals. The firm serves clients through 58 offices and over 400 independent alliance firm locations nationwide. As an independent Member Firm of BDO International Limited, BDO serves multinational clients through a global network of 1,328 offices in 152 countries. BDO USA, LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership, is the U.S. member of BDO International Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, and forms part of the international BDO network of independent member firms. BDO is the brand name for the BDO network and for each of the BDO Member Firms. For more information, please visit Material discussed in this tax alert is meant to provide general information and should not be acted on without professional advice tailored to your firm's individual needs BDO USA, LLP. All rights reserved.
Syrian regime fighters take position as they advance to retake the ancient city of Palmyra, from Islamic State (IS)(AFP)

BEIRUT AFP March2, 2017- Syrian troops backed by Russian jets completed the recapture of the historic city of Palmyra from the Islamic State group Thursday, the Kremlin said, in another blow to the jihadists. Bolstered by air strikes and ground troops from their ally Moscow, Syrian government forces battled through the desert for weeks to reach Palmyra.



The oasis city has traded hands several times during Syrias six-year civil war and become a symbol of ISs wanton destruction of priceless cultural heritage in areas under its control.



Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin of Palmyras recapture, a Kremlin spokesman told news agencies in Moscow.
From right: Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC Managing Director S.R. Gnanam hands over the sponsorship contribution to The Music Project Trustee Shalini Wickramasuriya

Tokyo Cement announced partnering with The Music Project, a non-profit initiative dedicated to empowering and uplifting the lives of children through music.

The partnership will see Tokyo Cement sponsoring three schools  two in Mullaitivu and another from Mawathagama, Kurunegala, to further their music education. Nearly 140 students from Yohapuram MV and Therankandal MV of Mullaitivu and 50 students from Gunananda MV of Kurunegala will benefit from this collaboration that will enhance their music education during the year 2017.

Speaking on the occasion of forming the funding partnership, Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC Managing Director S.R. Gnanam said, The Music Project aims to unite communities through children who love to learn music. By working with farming communities in the North and South of Sri Lanka who come from similar backgrounds, the project links these families who unanimously want to create better opportunities for their children, regardless of their race or religion.

Not just in music, the programme aspires to develop finer values in these children through respect for each other as they strive to achieve greater goals. We, at Tokyo Cement, are proud to be part of this far-reaching endeavour and hope to see these children reach their highest potential by tapping into their musical genius.

Now in its fifth year, The Music Project aims to make music accessible to children from all corners of the country who do not have access to required facilities. In addition to the many events and venues at which the children get to perform, it also conducts residential programmes alternatively in Kurunegala and Mullaitivu, giving the children of two formerly divided communities an opportunity to connect as a family united in music. The children of the North and South work alongside their peers, sharing musical scores and their lives while working and practicing together to make the orchestra happen.

At Therankandal MV in Mallavi, Mullaitivu currently 40 students practice during sessions conducted every Friday before the commencement of school. The heart-warming sight of young children accompanied by their parents from various walks of life, bustling to take their seats inside the meagre common room early morning is encouragement enough for the young teachers and volunteer instructors conducting the programme.

During the sessions, these students learn to play orchestral instruments including the recorder, flute, violin, cello, trumpet, clarinet and a wide variety percussion instruments. They have the benefit of learning from specialist instructors dedicated to the project as well as volunteers who visit from various parts of the world, who whet their appetite to learn the universal language that breaks all forms of barriers.

The Music Project, inspired by El Sisitema of Venezuela, aims to create opportunities for children to learn music through holistic teaching methods. We hope that the programme is a stepping stone for the children to be able to make choices or simply avail of a passion. We trust that orchestral participation instils valuable life skills such as collaboration, creativity, a sense of performance and thereby confidence and motivation.

We also feel that in the absence of an effective link language, the project has the potential, through music, to be platform to forge connections between the children of diverse communities. The programme has two locations in the north and south of Sri Lanka and we hope that the children of two farming communities would feel part of a global music community and their broadened horizons would enable them to fulfil a passion, said The Music Project Trustee Shalini Wickramasuriya, commenting on the benefits of the initiative.

The project is made possible by the generous contributions by philanthropists and leading corporations who believe in the power of music to heal and to bridge divides. Tokyo Cement comes forward as a sponsor this year, owing to their belief in building the foundation for tomorrows leaders through programmes such as this that encourage children to explore the world using exciting new tools and not be limited by standardised education.

Tokyo Cement has successfully integrated social welfare and environmental conservation into its corporate DNA and is on a continuous mission to enrich the country, its people and the environment. Its commitment to social responsibility breathes life through initiatives such as the Tokyo Cement Schools Super Quiz programme, the AYS Gnanam Construction Training Academy in Dambulla, which offers technical qualifications and accreditations to masons and builders and the partnership with the Foundation of Goodness, multiple environmental education programmes and impactful conservation drives such as Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Mangrove Reforestation.
Why chop ourselves to fit anywhere? Why not chop the world instead, stitch it, sew it and leave the hem unattended so it can give us the length and hope for freedom. Isnt that the ultimate salvation? Aren't we all fighting to be free? Aren't we all afraid of freedom, which is absolute and means not to be restricted by ideas of love or misplaced context of security via marriage and by defined limits of sexuality?

Former Harper's editor, the fashionably quirky Vreeland asked in 1936 for her Harpers Bazaar column, Why dont you paint a map of the world on all four walls of your boys nursery so they wont grow up with a provincial point of view?

Instead we painted the rooms pink and blue and stacked the shelves with pretty fragile looking dolls with porcelain complexion and flaxen fair or fighter jets and tankers. We only expressed ourselves in binaries of gender and never questioned why we played with a grown up Barbie and Ken as young girls. We never dared to ask ourselves what all of this meant and where it would lead us. We aspired to be Barbie.

We decided to feature her in our fashion special - The Song of Fire and Ice. Not as a charity case but nobody would have fit the bill better than her. Photo: India Today

We f*cked ourselves in the process, restricted ourselves and chained ourselves to stupid notions of beauty. Growing up, I didnt have a pink room. I never liked pink. It was too soft a shade for me. But then, we couldnt have afforded a pink room for a child then. And thank god for that.

In 2014, an Argentinian woman discovered that her toy doll had a little plastic penis, which could be moved up and down and even hidden depending on whether one wanted her to she or he or both and such gender situations cause disturbances in adults rather than children.

In any case, a transgender doll existing would help us a great deal in dispelling our biases and make lives easier for thousands of transgender people across the world.

I wish I had a trans doll. Many years later there appeared a drag Barbie called The Blonds Blond Diamond Barbie Doll modelled after drag artist Phillipe Blond.

In 2006, the CWA, a Christian conservative group, got after Barbies makers Mattel for offering a third gender option "I Dont Know" for barbie.com. Mattel later said the option should have been "I Dont Want to Say" and thats where the problem lies  in taking up a stand. I wish Mattel had the guts.

On Facebook, "Transgender Barbie Acasia" exists but isnt avialble in shops. In any case, I dont play with dolls anymore. And if I had a girl, Id make her a customized trans doll so she doesnt grow up in a restrictive world of binaries of gender.

It took me many years to understand that there was some truth to what Virginia Woolf said in A Room of Ones Own that it is fatal to be a man or woman pure and simple; one must be woman-manly or man-womanly... and after my first assignment in New York where I was almost embedded with a transgender woman trying to understand why she would buy so many red lace bras, I knew what she meant when she said to me that freedom is painful and it leads to estrangement and hence, very few of us remain slaves to notions. But then, she said, try wearing the right shoe in the wrong foot.

I couldnt walk. I chose freedom. So did Frances and so did Anjali Lama, the first transgender model to walk the ramp at the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week.

***

But that's just part of the problem. We don't have fashion editors like Diane Vreeland say important things that could mean a total dismantling of the status quo but we need people like her. We don't need sensationalism. We need stories that could empower people like me and Lama and anyone who seeks to break the label tags. We need hope.

I am extremely amused to see my own friends yearn for love and men as if it were the only natural corollary of being a woman. It makes me angry. They make the battle even more difficult.

And now, moving on to Lama, a beautiful transgender woman from Nepal, who is 32 and wants to make that one dream of hers come true. And in her dream, lies my ambition of breaking free from gender shackles. I am a single woman. Often I have wondered about what it means to be a woman. Is it to be oppressed by the ideas of beauty?

To be a woman is to be able to find an uninterrupted sky, a patch of grass and to walk without prejudices, without fear. It is to walk to nowhere and leave the pretensions of getting somewhere because it doesn't matter. And any of us could be a man or a woman or anybody else. Why must gender be the primary identity? Aren't we and what we hold enough for us to mark our place under the sun?

What does it mean to be me? Or is? It is to embrace the sudden glint of mercurial desire, to stare at ones body as if you could paint landscapes or write poetry on it, to see it as an artist would with a million possibilities and a million narratives. A person contains multitudes of worlds. We are the tesseracts. We are the light and the black hole, presence and absence, future and present and a reminder of the past. Sail on, sail on, we must tell ourselves.

A woman must be able to cup her breasts, feel her thighs and say to the world - Here I am and here is now and take me or leave me. I am contained within myself. A transgender should be able to cup her face and say to the world  Look at me. I am beauty. I am freedom.

***

I stumbled upon Anjali Lama on social network first. Hailed by everyone as the first transgender model to walk the ramp for Lakme Fashion Week, she was media's darling androgynous and transgender model but having been around for a decade, I knew this was just a story, an initial fascination, a crash course journalists are prone to indulge in.

I looked for her, found her and spoke to her and of course like everyone else, we wrote her story. A limited edition kind of story. A cool kind of story for us, the reporters, who want to add offbeat stuff to their repertoire of stories of the usual kind. But Lama isnt breaking news. She needs work.

She is here to make it in the modeling world and beyond the initial infatuation of the media with her story and beyond the lines of activism, the larger narrative is about the biases all of us carry toward those who are born different or choose to step outside the norms.

We decided to feature her in our fashion special - The Song of Fire and Ice. Not as a charity case but nobody would have fit the bill better than her.

I thought gold is priceless because it is untarnished and resistant to oxidation and silver is resilient as it lets the maximum heat pass through it and who else but Lama could sing that song for us. We weren't trying to prove a point. We just thought gender roles and constructs like those are overrated. It doesn't matter in the spectrum of gender if you are a pure woman or man or others.

I dismissed notions of heteronormative constructs long ago. Sexuality is a personal choice. I am happy to see designers in the west take up causes and try and be more political.

It is disappointing that Indian designers, at least many of them, including stylists, are often led by the imposed notions of beauty and one of them had once said to me how he was good at making people beautiful and that's what he would do. It wasn't feasible for him to delve into political and social contexts. It was quite disappointing for a young gay man to talk in these safe ways.

We call our story Nemesis because Lama made it to the cover. Not because she is transgender and we were trying to be cool. But because she represents the amalgamation of the metals. Her song is rugged and pure.

She is innocent. She and I can both understand the pain of being a minority. Women is a caste. Transgender is another caste. We are on the margins still and if Lama can be courageous and walk the ramp with her head held high, we should see it as hope. We need all the allies that we can gather. She is one of us. She represents our dreams and failures. She is the Nemesis.

It is easy to dismiss any attempts by fashion at being earnest by saying it is all tokenism but we must never undermine the impact of aesthetics. Art reflects our era, our evolution and exposes us in our denials. I am no advocate for fashion. I'd rather look at fashion as a story of our collective expressions.

I am neither a stylist nor a fashion writer. What we worked with was a concept that let us work with metals and human spirit. Lama comes from a small village in Nepal where she had not known what it means to be a transgender. But at the end of it all, it is a story of courage against all odds, of betrayals and abandonment, of dreams and failures and of constantly reminding oneself that perhaps the world isn't ruthless enough to break the human spirit and that it can't. Some models and agencies refused to be shot with her calling her a nobody and a transgender and I wish they had been more dignified.

***

I was a stranger on the other end. But I guess it is easier to confide in strangers about loss and other such things. At the end of the day, women and those choosing to be are gutsy. We strive to be us and the first battle pitch should be against the impositions of beauty standards and gender roles and perhaps fashion needs to be more political and fight with us because body is memory and our memories define us. Clothes are our projections. Fashion is personal and personal is political. Why make it so frivolous and pretty? Can we be anti-pretty? Can we dare? Can we break free?

Lama told me all this one night.

"I remember my village. There were mountains and a mother and a father and brothers and sisters. I remember the last time I went to my village. That was when my mother passed away. I cried all the way. She had told me once that it didn't matter whether I was a son or a daughter. I was her child like the rest. She had known all along that I wanted to be a girl. She would come to meet me. My mother told me this world is a tough place and I should keep on trying in the face of failures. It was a terrible loss. She was the only one I had. My mother knew my heart.

I used to keep reminding myself "I am a boy" and try and behave like men.

But it made me sad. I suffered throughout my childhood. There was a deep anguish. I didn't know what ailed me. I wanted to be a girl but I was afraid. In that remote hamlet nestled in the mountains with four or five houses and about 150 kilometres away from Kathmandu, I knew I hadn't belonged. They made fun of me at school. I never said anything. In my village in those days, we knew you had to be what were born as.

They were innocent. There was no television. There was no window to the outside world. After my high school, I came to Kathmandu and started to work in a restaurant to fund my college. We were poor and I struggled with keeping jobs. The employers would taunt me. They would say that because of my ways they were losing customers. I went through so much rejection but that was only the beginning.

In 2005, I was watching a television show called Sangarsh with my neighbours and the particular episode was about transgender and I thought these were my people and I wasn't alone anymore. I had been suffering with low self-esteem. The men around me started taunting looking at the transponders in the show and suddenly I felt less lonely. I set out to look for them.

I always remembered my mother told me that courage is the only way out. One night when I was returning from work, I saw two transgendered women walking to a night club and I followed them and accosted them. I told them I wanted to be a woman all my life. I told them I wanted to be with them. I told them I wanted to put makeup.

They looked at me and said it was brave of me to say all of this and gave them a number. I called the next morning and went to meet them at the Blue Diamond Society, an LGBTS rights organisation working for sexual minorities in a conservative country like Nepal. They counselled me and I started to work with them as an activist and moved in with a friend. My adoptive mother rechristened me as Anjali Lama.

I had wanted to be called Sonali because I really liked Sonali Bendre, the Bollywood actress, but Mamta Khan, my other mother in the transgender community, said Anjali would be the perfect name for me and we laughed. I had left my lodgings.

My brothers found me and asked me if I was transgender and I said I was and they asked me never to come home. I was the fifth child among seven that my mother birthed. My sisters would keep in touch and my mother would talk over the phone and visit me sometimes when she came to the city. But my father never spoke to me after I came out. We still don't talk.

That's a loss I don't want to talk about. But I had to be brave. I had to live my life despite everything. I was a pretty boy. My friends often said I should be a model. But it was enough struggle to survive in a society that treated us like outcastes. Modelling was never on my mind.

But in 2009, a national magazine in Nepal called Voice of Women decided to do a feature on the transgender community of Kathmandu and put Anjali Lama on the cover and that's when I thought I could be a model. But nobody approached me. Nobody gave me any work. So I decided to join a school for modelling and did a one month course but when they came to audition models, I was never selected. I asked the owner of the school and she said it was because I was transgendered.

To come this far and get rejected made me sad. I used to go to this boutique called Crossroad where Subexya Bhadel, a designer, became a friend. and she was going to have a show and I asked her if I could model for her. She said I could. That was my first break but then I auditioned for Nepal Fashion Week thrice and got rejected. I had decided to be brave about my gender identity and I had told the press I was transgender and that's when I became Nepal's first transgender model.

The press wrote about me but a section of fashion designers were against me. In 2010 I went for breast augmentation in Bangkok with my savings. I felt very happy. At least I could have part of what I always wanted - to be a woman. I was lucky to have no facial hair. I had started growing my hair since 2006.

I always dreamed of becoming an international model. Nepal gave me a break but it was touch so I came to India after researching online about Lakme Fashion Week. I first came in February 2016 and was not selected.

I was broken and bent and returned to Nepal to my job as an activist and tried to forget about modelling as a career or a dream. I was past 30 years of age. But then I wanted it so badly that I was almost obsessed with becoming an international model. So, I saved up money and returned to Mumbai in June for the audition for the Autumn/Winter season at Lakme Fashion Week. I was rejected again.

I came back. Then I remembered what my mother had told me - never give up. My friend was going to Mumbai and I asked him if I could stay with him in Mumbai and figure out. He said yes. This was my final flight. I had heard that one must always take risks and I left my job and came to Mumbai in November last year. I wrote to modelling agencies.

I didn't have a portfolio shot by big photographers. I had very little money and it was running out. Nobody wrote back to me. I spent countless hours in dark room thinking about my life. And then, I saw that Lakme Fashion Week was again having its auditions in December. I had about two weeks. I started exercising.

I decided to understand why I had failed. I had been nervous to see the girls. My gender was hidden between my legs. I was honest. I had written to Lakme asking if a transgender could audition and they said I could. I downloaded the videos of audition, I practised my walk, I learned to hold my gaze.

This was the final frontier for me. For 10 days, I trained myself. I taught myself not to be daunted by anything. This time around I was going to make mistake. This time I wasn't going to care.

I wasn't rejected.

I have come a long way from being born as Nabin Wabia from Nuwakot in Nepal, a lost child who wept during the nights because he didn't know what was wrong with him.
China this week announced its ambitious plan to double the length of the countrys entire bullet train network  already the worlds longest  by 2020, which will involve laying 14,000km of new track.

Chinas bullet train network  or high-speed rail (HSR) as it is known here  is already the worlds longest. As of last year, the total track length crossed 16,000km  a remarkable feat considering that the first HSR line, between Beijing and Tianjin, only went into operation in 2008. The new five-year plan (2016-2020) says the track length will reach 30,000km by 2020. The ambitious goal is to connect 113 cities by bullet train, and to link four out of every five cities with a one million-plus population.

The debate about how viable HSR trains are has been heated in India, which is slowly going forward with its first bullet train links. Land acquisition  as HSR trains run on entirely separate track  and costs have been cited as two obstacles. The first of the two, at least, shouldnt be a concern for India, Chinese planners say, citing their own experience where a large percentage of the network runs on elevated track that runs above farmland, thus alleviating the need for acquisitions along the routes.

China this week announced its ambitious plan to double the length of the countrys entire bullet train network.

The major acquisitions were for stations. Here, the argument is the stations will be hubs of development  enveloped by surrounding development projects  and will help create jobs and spur the local economy.

At the same time, China is making a heavy loss on its HSR investments. But the government argues this is a public investment that will bear fruits in the long run. Rapid connectivity and opening up hitherto inaccessible cities, the government hopes, will yield an economic dividend. Officials this week cited the example of tourism during the February Lunar New Year holiday, which they said grew 16 per cent domestically, largely facilitated by travel to newly opened up cities on the HSR network.

There are other indirect dividends. A study by Tencent, an Internet company that examined travel patterns of commuters, found an increasing number of people who were now moving not to already overcrowded tier-one cities but to satellite towns, and commuting using the HSR network.

The development of faster public transport is the key to this, and the high property prices in cities like Shanghai and Beijing are the main drivers, the study said. One of its case-studies was a pharmaceutical company employee in Shanghai, who because of high rents there found housing in the city of Kunshan, 55km away.

I take high-speed rails and subways, and thats not bad since I live near the highspeed train station in Kunshan, he said. It estimated that around one per cent of Shanghais population  more than a quarter of a million people  were commuting over 40km every day.

Based on our data, people who travel longer to work live near railways stations  highspeed trains and subways, Liu Chang, the R&D Director of Tencent Location Based Services, told state media. The trend is growing.
News of the mysterious death of Army sahayak Roy Mathew, exactly a week after he appeared in a sting that showed soldiers like him doing menial jobs in Deolali Cantt of Maharashtra, has left a trail of uncomfortable questions about the pressures felt by those in the uniform.

Mathew went missing on February 25, a day after he and several other soldiers were seen attending to the children and dogs of senior officers in the sting  which the website has removed since his death.

Roy Mathew was found hanging from the ceiling of a room in his garrison. Photo: Maharashtra Times

Mathew, recounting his buddy duties, had highlighted the deplorable conditions in which soldiers who are meant to serve the nation survive, much like the recent appeals made by other soldiers like BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav as well as Lance Naik Yagya Pratap Singh.

Days after his video on how soldiers of his company were served far from nutritious, substandard food went viral on social media, BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav made yet another appeal on March 3, claiming he is being harassed mentally and his phone compromised to show he has friends in Pakistan.

The veracity of their claims cannot be verified without independent investigations, but as more such harrowing disclosures emerge from serving soldiers, it is important to ask why no concrete proof of inspection or reports on their working conditions has been released by the defence ministry.

Defence ministry's press release says 'guilt' might have led to the soldier's death. Photo: Twitter

It is telling that these soldiers, recruited after rigorous training and often forced to work in the most trying circumstances, are increasingly taking to social media to appeal to the highest rungs of the government to focus on their terrible plight.

India has 1.3 million active military personnel engaged in the daunting task of not only protecting our borders but also effectively countering any national-level emergency.

From Chennai to Kashmir, we expect these soldiers to combat terror as well as natural calamities, but at what cost?

If a soldier is forced to commit suicide out of sheer guilt, as the defence ministry has suggested in Mathew's case, is it not alarming that the forces are succumbing to extraordinary pressure after speaking up for their dignity?

The brave forces of our country, those who take the oath to risk their lives in the face of monumental challenges, are now breaking down in front of the camera, literally begging to be treated as soldiers and not pawns.
Transcription

1 Reclaiming the Moral Case for Afghanistan By Jamie M. Fly Commentary Magazine April 2012 Following the killing of American soldiers and the recent protests sparked by the accidental burning of Korans by coalition forces, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich went so far as to suggest that the United States should abandon Afghanistan unless the Afghans apologize, adding that we should tell them, figure out how to live your own miserable life. This is the increasingly frequent refrain of war-weary conservatives who question President Barack Obama s leadership in the conflict, are tired of the war s financial and human toll, and doubt that it is possible, in Gingrich s words, to fix Afghanistan. They are worn out and disheartened, in part because Obama and his administration long ago ceased making the moral case for victory in Afghanistan. It is an American tradition for our leaders to support or oppose America s wars in moral terms. The moral case endows the fight with a meaning beyond a narrow conception of the national interest or the understandable fear of what might happen to the country s standing in the world should we lose the war. But the moral case is one President Obama has barely made, even as he was lengthening and deepening the national commitment to the fight. Now, as the administration attempts to wind down the war in Afghanistan after more than a decade of U.S. involvement, it has left the nation without a clear sense of why America is there and has given the loyal opposition no good reason to argue a case that seems to discomfit the commander-in-chief himself. That is not only a shame; it is a world-historical tragedy in the making. America s commitment to this war was never solely or even primarily about how to fix Afghanistan. It was a response to the horrific September 11, 2001, attacks, plotted from the safety of the country that the Taliban had controlled since That said, even before 9/11, prominent Americans across the political spectrum understood the connection between America s moral and strategic interests in Afghanistan a country United Nations envoy Lakhdar Brahimi described in 1998 as a failed state which looks like an infected wound. You don t even know where to start cleaning it. As international forces toppled the Taliban in the fall of 2001, the coalition s leaders emphasized that, beyond defeating al-qaeda and the Taliban, this was an effort to create a new future for the Afghan people. They promised not to abandon Afghanistan once again, as the United States had done after supporting the mujahideen in their fight to expel the Soviets more than a decade prior. Despite the soaring rhetoric at the war s start, by the time President Obama took office in 2009, many in his party and the country had lost sense of the rationale for staying in Afghanistan and were looking for an exit strategy. Yet, faced with the inescapable logic that such an exit strategy would lead to a disastrous defeat and bolstered by the success of the counterinsurgency efforts in Iraq, the president bucked his base to send additional forces, increasing the number of U.S. troops on the ground by more than 60,000 by In doing so, he implemented although with far fewer boots on the ground than were really needed a strategy that combined America s moral and strategic interests. Where forces could protect the population from the Taliban,

2 saving lives and pushing the bad guys back, they could inoculate the people against future radicalization and strangle the life out of the insurgency. With his reelection looming in November 2012, however, Obama has succumbed to those in his administration who have counseled him to adopt more limited goals. He appears intent on extricating the country from its longest war, in part through a negotiated settlement with the Taliban. The fact that a murderous, backward movement straight out of the Middle Ages is being discussed as a legitimate negotiating partner says much about current U.S. views of the war. The Taliban were once understood by virtually all Americans as the quintessence of murderous barbarism. Now they are being portrayed by senior administration officials as reasonable interlocutors. This pessimism about Afghanistan s prospects on the right and the Pollyannaish fantasy of a reformed Taliban on the left have taken root in large measure because our leaders stopped making the moral case for the war in Afghanistan. What we are left with is an endless, pointless struggle in the dirt. With support for the war dangerously close to bottoming out altogether, it s worth reviewing how we got to this point. The year was 1998 and Hollywood was up in arms over a new social cause: the plight of Afghan women under the repressive rule of the Taliban. Mavis Leno, wife of Jay Leno and chair of the Feminist Majority Foundation s Campaign to Stop Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan, told members of Congress, The U.S. bears some responsibility for the conditions of women in Afghanistan. For years our country provided weapons to the mujahideen groups to fight the Soviets. Leno and the Feminist Majority pushed an extensive U.S. campaign to delegitimize the Taliban until the rights of female Afghans were recognized. The Taliban enforced a strict morality code for both men and women, but women and girls bore the brunt of the most brutal repression. Women were prohibited from working outside the home except in certain fields and, in many cases, from leaving their homes unless accompanied by a close male relative. As the group Physicians for Human Rights noted the same year that Leno gave her briefing, No other regime in the world has methodically and violently forced half of its population into virtual house arrest. In addition to enforcement of laws requiring women to wear a burka completely covering their bodies, schools for girls were closed and basic health care was often denied. It is not surprising that such a moral wasteland came to serve as the staging ground for Osama bin Laden and al-qaeda as they planned the attacks of 9/11. Bin Laden s ideology and that of his Taliban hosts sprang from the same vile swamp. It thus made sense that Western leaders, in preparing a coordinated response to the attacks, began to talk about the looming battle in terms of morality. Their forebears had done much the same in framing conflicts, from the two world wars to the interventions in the Balkans. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, speaking of the victims families he had recently met in New York, told the Labour Party conference three weeks after the terrorist attacks: I believe their memorial can and should be greater than simply the punishment of the guilty.... To the Afghan people we make this commitment. The conflict will not be the end. We will not walk away, as the outside world has done so many times before.

3 This message was also broadcast on the other side of the Atlantic, where the Bush administration highlighted the plight of the Afghan people. In December 2001, upon signing the Afghan Women and Children Relief Act introduced by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and cosponsored by a bipartisan group of all female senators, President Bush said: In Afghanistan, America not only fights for our security, but we fight for values we hold dear. We strongly reject the Taliban way. We strongly reject their brutality toward women and children. They not only violate basic human rights, they are barbaric in their indefensible meting of justice. It is wrong. Their attitude is wrong for any culture. Their attitude is wrong for any religion. This was not a partisan issue at the time. Then Senator Hillary Clinton wrote an article for Time magazine in November 2001 rejecting the notion that the conflict was divorced from our values. We cannot simply drop our bombs and depart with our best wishes, lest we find ourselves returning some years down the road to root out another terrorist, Clinton argued. It is not only the right thing to do; it is the smart thing to do. In August 2010, after years of both military gains and setbacks, Time ran a cover story about an 18-year-old Afghan woman named Aisha. Her nose and ears had been cut off by a Taliban commander for having fled abusive in-laws. Provocatively titled What Happens If We Leave Afghanistan, the article and attendant images provoked a discussion about whether the United States was about to abandon the women and girls of Afghanistan to renewed oppression under the Taliban. The story received significant attention, and members of the media pushed a number of the war s opponents to square their opposition with the plight of Afghan women so vividly exemplified by the photo of Aisha. Then Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi did her best to skirt the issue: It s in our strategic national interests to be there for our own national security to stop terrorism and increase global security, she told ABC News, and she added that gains in women s education and health can t happen without security. One of the war s harshest critics, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, told MSNBC: It s just horrible how that young woman was treated. At the same time, we need to create a world where we try to make it safe for everyone, but America can t do it alone. We cannot be the policemen of the world. The moral case for helping Afghans had become too discomfiting for Democrats on the left. To raise the issue was to acknowledge its force, and for politicians eager to bring the war to a close, that meant ignoring it. Given the Obama administration s concerns about its base s objections to the war, it was only a matter of time until the case against the Taliban was scrapped as well. Sixteen months after the Aisha story was published, Vice President Joe Biden told Leslie Gelb, of Newsweek, that the Taliban per se is not our enemy. Weeks later, news leaked that the Obama administration had been pursuing secret talks with representatives of the Taliban with the goal of a negotiated settlement to the Afghanistan war. An ignoble, Taliban-negotiated exit from Afghanistan was not preordained. During his campaign for the White House in 2008, Obama famously called Afghanistan the good war in comparison with Iraq. He claimed, with some merit, that the Bush administration had not properly resourced the effort but that, as president, he would. Despite the hawkish campaign rhetoric, after an Afghanistan strategy review completed in mid- 2009, the Obama administration narrowed U.S. goals to make it clear the Taliban was not the

4 primary focus of American military efforts. Obama announced that the aim was to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-qaeda and its safe havens in Pakistan, and to prevent their return to Pakistan or Afghanistan. While the president acceded, in part, to his commanders requests for additional forces, he coupled his surge announcement with a promise to begin drawing down that same surge by June That announcement, which came about before a single additional member of the military had been deployed as part of the surge, set the effort back considerably, undermining the confidence of our Afghan and regional allies, and emboldening the enemy. Still, the Army soldiers and Marines who were deployed in the surge to Afghanistan allowed the coalition to make significant gains. In previously neglected regions in the south, troops implemented a counterinsurgency strategy that cleared the Taliban and provided the locals with an alternative to their repressive rule. These successes allowed local populations, especially women and children, to enjoy the benefits that many of their fellow Afghans in other areas of the country had already begun to experience in the years since It is understandable that many Americans look at Afghanistan after a decade of war and fail to see past the violence and lawlessness that still rages. But there is another story to this war. Over the last decade, Afghanistan has experienced improvements in almost every area of life. By 2010, according to the U.S. State Department, 35 percent of the 6.2 million students enrolled in Afghan schools were girls, up from zero percent among the fewer than 900,000 students enrolled during Taliban rule. U.S.-funded efforts have assisted the building of schools, the incorporation of women into Afghanistan s police forces, and the training of female teachers, politicians, lawyers, and judges. There are now 69 female members of the Afghan parliament. Afghanistan has also experienced a sharp decrease in infant and child mortality rates and significant increases in life expectancy for both men and women. These achievements undermine the criticism that our efforts in Afghanistan must fail because we are attempting to change deeply held societal norms and the inherent nature of Islam as practiced in Afghanistan s tribal society. Given the Taliban s track record, and ours, it is no surprise that Afghan women have responded to America s obsession with Taliban negotiations by demanding a seat at the table to ensure that women s rights remain protected. As a former Afghan female presidential candidate recently told the Christian Science Monitor: If [the Taliban] are bad, why are you bringing them back? Once the Taliban gets power and they are assured they will stay in power, then they will introduce their own values and there won t be any space for women. Recent Taliban rhetoric reinforces this skepticism. In a statement issued on January 12, the group said that its willingness to talk does not mean a surrender from jihad, and neither is it connected to an acceptance of the constitution of the stooge Kabul administration. As Karl Inderfurth, who met with Taliban officials some 20 times during the Clinton administration, wrote recently in Foreign Policy magazine, On a scale of one to ten on good-faith negotiations, the Taliban proved to be a zero. An Afghanistan that does not protect the rights of women, children, and minorities would be a devastating failure for the United States. As Hillary Clinton noted back in 2001, A post-taliban Afghanistan where women s rights are respected is much less likely to harbor terrorists in the future. Why? Because a society that values all its members, including women, is also likely to put a higher premium on life, opportunity, and freedom values that run directly counter to the evil designs of the Osama bin Ladens of the world.

5 Given the Obama administration s race to the exits, largely made politically thinkable by the killing of Osama bin Laden, what should those who are skeptical of the administration s intentions do to correct this slow-motion train wreck of an Afghanistan policy? It is unlikely that a future president will have the fortitude of President Bush in 2007 when he sent the surge forces into Iraq, defying public and expert opinion claiming the war was lost. It is thus imperative that, at a minimum, our commanders be allowed to maintain post-surge force levels through Similarly, recent decisions to downsize the Afghan security forces need to be reconsidered; and the administration needs to devote a renewed sense of urgency to negotiations with the Afghan government, not the Taliban, over a strategic partnership agreement that makes clear America s long-term interests in the fate of Afghanistan and its people. American policymakers may very well decide to abandon the Afghan people, but few seem willing to admit how dishonorable that would be. On a trip to Afghanistan last fall, I saw young girls in Helmand province shouting Ma-rine, Ma-rine as they flocked to a woman in our group. They thought she was part of the highly successful (and popular) Marines female engagement teams that provide basic medical services to locals. On a Blackhawk helicopter on our way to Taliban leader Mullah Omar s recently cleared hometown in Kandahar province, an Army general told us that when you see the kids, you will realize we can succeed. In other words, the moral case for Afghanistan is not only a matter of our being virtuous for the sake of virtue. Because we increasingly have the heretofore neglected population on our side, we can still win. As a result of the heroic efforts of coalition forces, al-qaeda has largely been forced to relocate to the tribal areas of Pakistan or outposts in Yemen and Somalia. Still, the Afghan government s stability is threatened as Taliban forces struggle to retake many districts. They can be stopped. But only if our leaders give our troops free reign to do so and avoid the temptation to give up the fight. Rehabilitating the Taliban or writing off a supposedly backwards country may be attractive options for politicians eager to pacify the war-weary American public. But doing so would undermine everything we have fought so hard for over the last 10 years. And there is no reason to believe either solution will lead to anything but an end far more disastrous, and morally haunting, than we can presently imagine. On February 23, the New York Times ran an article with a headline that, in 2002, could have appeared only in a satirical paper such as the Onion: Beheadings Raise Doubts That Taliban Have Changed. The governing force in Afghanistan in the 1990s performed such beheadings, and bodily mutilations, and deadly stonings, in stadiums and compelled thousands to attend and watch. They are no different today. The moral and strategic imperatives in Afghanistan are one and the same: Defeat the Taliban. Any other course is not only harmful to our national interest but also dishonorable and will do long-term damage to our national character.
The looks and the side glares haven't died down. The hush conversations that go silent as I walk past groups of people, are slowly becoming a norm, and the recent spate of "terror attacks" haven't helped my case either.

Or do we call something a terror attack only when a brown person shoots and kills or blows himself up? Its not something white folks do. When it comes to them, they are "lone wolves", and all those incidents are simply put as "hate crimes".

At a time when this country is divided, I'm fortunate to call New York City home. But am I really?

The Kansas shooting, where an Indian techie died in a premeditated hate crime, has given rise to tension in the Indian community and the fear is palpable.

With graffiti on walls, slogans in schools, robbing of a Hijab-wearing lady among more than 200 such hate crimes reported in the recent past, the man recently elected to office and who claimed to be a friend of all "Hindus and Indians" had kept mum for far too long about the killing of Srinivas Kuchibhotla.

Living the immigrant life is something I'm quite used to and calling places outside of India home is something I've been doing since I was 22. I know what it means to adapt to the local culture and its people.

In the past, many of my Indian friends would try and speak with an accent and only speak in English when we were out of our homes. I used to find it quite unusual then and often checked them for doing so.

We cannot let racism be the standard.

But I think the current times have made it imperative for us to adapt to this way of living. Any foreign accent or language seems to frighten people and puts them on the edge. We are trying harder to adapt, and, in the bargain, losing our identity not for want or will, but out of the sheer desire to be considered as one of them. And still the bigotry continues.

From being denied entry to a nightclub, to an upscale restaurant that just happened to shut early that day, to being cursed from across the street in Times Square, where I work, is not the America I hoped for or want to live in.

I am chasing the American dream, one trim and haircut at a time. Gone are the days when I supported "no-shave November" and compared beards with colleagues and friends and spoke about advancements in cancer research.

Friends in other cities across America often tell me how lucky I am to live in the microcosm called New York City, where Chinese food is sold 20m from the Pakistani chicken and rice cart, where there is a true mix of race and culture. Where standup comedians openly take digs, make racist jokes and still find an audience day after day and fill their venues with a crowd of mixed nationalities.

But the events around me are having an impact at a subconscious level. I see how the reluctance of the current government to openly condemn hate crimes has, in a way, encouraged people to lash out more often and openly.

I, for one, am more conscious of my surroundings and extra cautious about what I say and whom I am saying it to. I am not as trusting of people as I used to be and I'm as wary of their intentions as they, probably, are of mine.

It's a sad state of affairs when George Bush starts making sense and demands that the current President speak up on things that are unfolding around us every day.

Last I checked, this country prided itself on being the land of the free and the home of the brave. Since when has it become bravery to put those less fortunate than you down, and when did bigotry and xenophobia become synonymous with freedom?

With people from outside the status quo come fresh ideas, new vigour and an unrelenting attitude to thrive and create an environment to prosper in.

We cannot let racism be the standard, normalise hate crimes and consider those different than us, the enemy. Immigrants built America and we must never forget that. But it's easy for me to say that - I am one.
I am a retired newspaperman. I am 69 and live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 45 years, Lou Ann. We grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather.

More on who I am is here.

Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com
Look, I like a good harira and a sumptuous tagine as much as anyone. But I haven't been to Morocco more than a dozen times because of either. I first visited Morocco early in 1969; it was my first trip to a "non-Western" country. I loved everything about it, but it was the generosity and welcoming nature of the Moroccan people that blew my mind. That's not just why I keep returning but it was in part why I immediately embarked on a 2 year journey that took me through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, all Muslim-majority countries (as well as India which has over 170 million Muslims-- considerably more people, of all faiths, that live in Russia or Mexico).

1969 was also the first time I visited Holland, though more briefly than my stay in Morocco. Eventually though, I settled down in Amsterdam, got a job and lived there for almost 4 years. I wasn't happy a couple weeks ago when Dutch Trumpist politician Geert Wilders referred to Moroccan immigrants as "scum" while campaigning among Dutch versions of the Trump voters. What always shocks me about racists like the average Trump supporter and like Wilders is that they feel perfectly comfortable chastising an entire race or ethnic group based on their experience with generally desperate impoverished immigrants.

Geert Wilders, far-right icon, is one of Europes unusual politicians, not least because he comes from the Netherlands, one of Europes most socially liberal countries, with a centuries-long tradition of promoting religious tolerance and welcoming immigrants.





How he and his party fare in the March 15 elections could well signal how the far right will do in pivotal elections in France, Germany and possibly Italy later this year, and ultimately determine the future of the European Union. Mr. Wilders (pronounced VIL-ders) has promised to demand a Nexit referendum on whether the Netherlands should follow Britains example and leave the union.





The Netherlands is kind of a bellwether, a lot of trends manifest themselves here first, said Hans Anker, a Dutch political strategist who has worked both in the Netherlands and the United States.





I wouldnt rule out that Wilders could be prime minister, he added. This one is fundamentally unpredictable.





Remarkably, Mr. Wilders, 53, has managed to build a movement despite his infrequent public appearances. Living under threat since the police discovered plots against him in 2004 has turned him into a politician ahead of his time, using the internet and later social media to talk to voters without the filter of journalists.





It has proved a particularly effective means of reaching disillusioned citizens. Other politicians have followed his lead but almost none have done it as effectively, Dutch experts said.





Hes the most strategic, smartest politician out there, said Sarah de Lange, a political science professor at the University of Amsterdam. Hes very skilled. Hes a very good debater. He has media savvy. Internationally, hes compared to Trump. But with Wilders every tweet is thought through, calculated. With Trump its emotional.





Right now Mr. Wilderss party looks set to win more seats than any other or to come in second. However, he has historically polled better before elections than he has performed in them. Still, after pollsters underestimated the likelihood of both Brexit and the victory of Donald Trump last year, no one is relying on predictions.





But whether Mr. Wilderss party wins the most votes, or enters a government, hardly matters. He has already succeeded in one of his main ambitions-- to push politics in the Netherlands to the right and make possible a conversation about shutting out immigrants and dismantling the European Union that was unthinkable not long ago.





...Wilders describes himself as an outsider. Yet he is the third-longest-sitting member of the Dutch Parliament and has spent his life in politics since he was about 28... He maintains the image of being present through carefully dispensing Twitter posts, videos and television interviews. His rare public appearances guarantee that every time he ventures out he attracts a media circus.





Last week, he suspended his campaign appearances altogether after reports that a member of his police security detail was suspected of leaking his movements to a Dutch-Moroccan criminal gang.





Still, he manages to travel to give speeches outside the Netherlands, including at the Republican convention in Cleveland, where he spoke at the Milo Yiannopoulos Wake Up Party, a gathering of [severely mentally ill] lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people for Mr. Trump... He is described by political compatriots as friendly with Benjamin Netanyahu, the right-wing Israeli prime minister... [He] seems to try to outdo himself more for shock value and to grab attention than for practical effect, particularly on immigration.





In 2012 his position was no new mosques in the Netherlands; now it is close all the mosques,  said Michiel Servaes, a Labor Party member in Parliament who has served with him. In 2012 it was limit asylum seekers to 1,000 a year; now its no new asylum seekers.





Yet Mr. Wilderss stands have brought the mainstream right to advocate strict limits on aid for immigrants and helped spawn new small right-wing parties, all with strong positions against immigration and in support of stricter rules to push immigrants to accept Dutch culture, Mr. Servaes said.
I'm sure there will be endless debates about who is the worst of the worst in Trump's nasty little proto-fascist kleptocracy. There's Bannon , of course, who would be the hands down early fave, but let's not forget Stephen Miller , Betsy DeVos, Wilbur Ross , Tom Price, Scott Pruitt... and, yes... there's also the Hungarian neo-Nazi, Sebastian Gorka, who we took at look at last week. And we're not the only ones looking closely at the neo-Nazi from... well, no one really knows when he was born or where he was born but people who know him swear he's an earthling who once served as a British spy and, later, as a professional fascist in his ancestral home, Hungary. Eventually he married an unfortunate-looking somewhat older American heiress-- like him, a psychotic islamophobe and hate-monger-- and managed to acquire U.S. citizenship that way. They were bothbloggers who help Bannon drive Trump further and further from mainstream thought on national security issues.

Anyway, most people who know anything about him claim Gorka is certifiably insane. You'll probably come to the same conclusion by listening to the taped phone conversation (on the 2 YouTubes above) that he had with Republican South Carolina counterterrorism expert Michael Smith. Gorka doesn't like Smith's twitter feed and phoned him up to threaten him with a lawsuit. Listen as Smith, tapping the call after the first 5 minutes, draws him out; it's funny-- or chilling, depending on your perspective. At first Smith, who has been outspoken about Gorka's obvious lack of competence for his job, thought it was a prank call. Smith, who says he voted for Trump says he was "stunned that the administration would hire him to work in the White House on such critical issues as counterterrorism. This could blow up in our faces, to have basically an amateur working on such important policies and working with people like Steve Bannon."

You'll notice if you listen to the taped call that Gorka invited Smith-- over and over and over-- to meet him at the White House. The day after the call, though, he withdrew the invitation. "Given your statements for the latest attack piece and continued disparaging Tweets against not only myself but the administration and president, consider your invitation to meet withdrawn."

Gorka apparently used his personal cell phone, with a northern Virginia area code, rather than making the call from his White House office or government-issued cell phone, where it would be officially logged, Smith says. The terrorism expert says he suspected Gorka was trying to conceal the call.





Smith says he did not begin recording the call until after Gorka allegedly threatened to sue Smith. In an email to Newsweek, Smith said that, Gorka asserted my tweets about him merited examination by the White House legal counsel. In effect, he was threatening to entangle me in a legal battle for voicing my concerns on Twitter that he does not possess expertise sufficient to assist the president of the United States with formulating and guiding national security policies.





...Smith has kept up a steady stream of jabs at Gorka since he learned that the Hungarian born, British-educated terrorism specialist had been hired by President Donald Trumps top adviser Steve Bannon. Both Bannon and Gorka came from the far-right Breitbart News, where Bannon was editor-in-chief and Gorka was national security editor. On his Twitter page, Gorka describes himself as deputy assistant to the 45th president of America and an Irregular Warfare Strategist.





His views on the global jihadist movement, as he calls it, align with a small cadre of right-wing observers who depict Islamist militants and extremists as being driven principally by passages from the Koran, rather than by government repression, or sectarian, tribal, political or economic factors.





On Tuesday, Smith tweeted that Gorka doesn't know the enemies' ideologies well enough to combat them. In an earlier tweet directed at Trump, Smith wrote: You are endangering the lives of Americans by hiring fake terrorism experts.





...[Q]uestions about Gorkas views and credentials to speak authoritatively on Islam and terrorism were severely criticized in lengthy feature articles in the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal in recent days. He also received a wave of unfavorable publicity in January 2016 when he was arrested for trying to pass through a TSA checkpoint at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. carrying a loaded handgun. He was charged with a misdemeanor and sentenced to six months probation.





One of his most influential critics is Cindy Storer, a leading former CIA expert on the relationship between religious extremism and terrorism.





He thinks the government and intelligence agencies dont know anything about radicalization, but the government knows a lot and thinks hes nuts, Storer was quoted as saying in the Post.





Smith asked Gorka why he didnt telephone Storer, "who called you nuts in the Washington Post, to complain. Gorka responded that Storers remark wasnt in a Twitter feed that is being sent to people on Capitol Hill.





Gorkas scholarship has also come under scrutiny by Mia Bloom, an expert on transcultural violence at Georgia State University. He doesnt understand a fraction of what he pretends to know about Islam, Bloom was quoted as saying by the Journal. Bloom has participated in TV appearances with Gorka and at a panel last year at the Defense Intelligence Agency.





Nor has Gorka-- who does not speak Arabic and has never lived in a Muslim-majority nation, according to news accounts-- submitted any of his articles for review in scholarly journals, says Lawrence P. Rubin, associate editor of Terrorism and Political Violence, the leading journal in that field.





Gorka has not submitted anything to the journal in the last five or so years, according to my records and we have never used him as a reviewer, Rubin tells Newsweek. We would not have used him as a reviewer because he is not considered a terrorism expert by the academic or policy community.





A government expert on Middle East radical movements, who asked not to be named for fear of being fired, tells Newsweek she was disturbed to hear Gorka suggest at a talk he gave in Israel a few years ago that he knew of a specific person in the [Obama White House] who was deliberately misleading the government on terrorism issues. He said he wouldnt name the person on stage but would provide the particulars privately to anyone there who wanted to know, she said. Noting the audience was full of potential adversaries, she called Gorkas remark beyond the pale.





Several times during his call with Smith, Gorka invited him to the White House to hash out their differences face to face, man to man, as he put it in one exchange. They set a tentative date for March 8.





But Smith warned Gorka that in absolute fairness to you, what you will hear is that I have very serious concerns about our national security, and in particular Gorkas role as an adviser to the president of the United States.





If you make a devastating case, then so be it, Gorka said.





So be it? Smith answered. Then what, youll acknowledge you're out of your league?





Yeah, absolutely, Gorka said. Bring it on."





Late Wednesday, Gorka withdrew his invitation.
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Several area restaurants are pitching in to help out a local chef who is recovering from a severe workplace accident.

A GoFundMe page has been established for Allie Redshaw, a chef who suffered a traumatic injury Wednesday when her right hand was caught in a meat grinder at Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria. According to the page, Redshaw was rushed to the University of Virginia Medical Center, but doctors were unable to save her hand and had to amputate it up to her wrist.

Described as a phenomenal chef and mother to a 16-month-old girl, Redshaw is facing mounting medical expenses and a long road to recovery, the page reads. With hopes of raising $150,000 to cover bills, therapy, child care, a future prosthesis and more, the page has been able to raise more than $75,500 as of Friday evening.

Some of the highest donations to the fund have been made in the name of other area restaurants: Continental Divide on West Main Street and The Virginian on the Corner appear to have dished out hundreds of dollars to support their industry peer, for example.

Asked about whether Lampo had noticed the support coming from other eateries, co-owner Andrew Cole responded absolutely.

Weve had contact with almost everyone in town as far as scheduling meals and making sure that shes got the support that she needs right now, said Cole.

Pearls Bake Shoppe, Baggbys Gourmet Sandwiches and the Barbeque Exchange in Gordonsville also have contributed, according to a quick scan of the nearly 800 donations logged on the GoFundMe page.

A former sous chef for Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards and head chef for Timbercreek Market, Redshaw formed her own catering company, Sobo Catering & Production. Redshaws husband, Ian, is head chef at Lampo.

Lampo closed Wednesday after the accident but since has reopened.

Our only focus is her recovery, and our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family, Cole said.
Federal research grant funding at the University of Virginias School of Medicine rose almost 25 percent last year, bringing UVa to 35th nationwide.

UVa won a total of $126 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health in 2016, which doles out research funding to selected projects around the country. Thats a significant increase above the $101 million won in 2015.

Dr. David Wilkes, dean of the School of Medicine, reported the findings to the Board of Visitors on Thursday morning.

Wilkes said UVas efforts to invest in new technology and an aggressive faculty hiring push, pillars of a long-term plan passed in 2013, are beginning to pay off. UVa is attracting many applicants who want to bring their research to Charlottesville, Wilkes said.

The word is out that something is happening at UVa, Wilkes said. Its not just different, but something really extraordinary.

About 60 percent of the new funding was generated by existing faculty and staff, Wilkes said, while new recruits  who brought their grant-funded projects with them  accounted for about 40 percent.

Rector William H. Goodwin said he wants UVa to push harder and break into the top 20.

The first step, he said, is to gain the status of comprehensive cancer center from the National Cancer Institute. The institutions in this category must meet strict standards, but investigators from these comprehensive cancer centers win roughly three-quarters of the investigator-initiated grants from NCI.

I think youve done a great job  but I think we ought to have some goals, Goodwin said. To get into the medical rankings, we have to face the fact that we need to be a comprehensive cancer center.

The UVa Cancer Center is trying to meet the goal of gaining NCIs top-tier designation by 2020.

The new partnership with Inova  finalized in November  will give UVa access to a wider pool of patients in Northern Virginia, which will improve UVas ability to run medical trials, Wilkes said.

But in the next few years, UVa could face a crunch in research space. That could be a pressing issue, Wilkes said, and the board will need to act soon.

Within the next 10 months, if we secure the next round of hires, space will become limited very quickly, he said.

Also on Thursday, the board voted to appoint third-year student Bryanna Miller, of Lewes, Delaware, as its student member for the next academic year.

Miller  who currently serves as president of the Black Student Alliance and sits on Student Council  was selected after interviews and discussion held in closed session.

The student member does not have a vote but acts as an ambassador between the board and UVas student body. The student member serves in an advisory role and is supposed to represent the interests of students during board discussions.

Current student member Phoebe Willis, a second-year student at the School of Law, has worked on bringing student voices into discussions on spending the annual payout from the $2.3 billion Strategic Investment Fund.

Connecting the board with the students they govern was one of Willis chief goals, and she said she hopes Miller continues her work.

I think that relationship has improved, but its not a perfect relationship, Willis said. Its an opportunity for Bryanna to come in and really make her own mark on it.

Millers term will begin June 1.
RICHMOND  Former State Inspector General June Jennings, who was ousted recently by the General Assembly for her office's failure to thoroughly investigate the death of a mentally ill inmate, has been appointed to a new role in Gov. Terry McAuliffe's administration.

McAuliffe on Friday appointed Jennings to fill a vacant position as deputy secretary of finance. She will serve under Secretary of Finance Richard D. "Ric" Brown and alongside Gina Burgin, another deputy.

The position Jennings is filling had been vacant for months, said Brian Coy, McAuliffe's spokesman.

"Junes experience as an accountant and state government auditor will make her a valuable asset to the Secretary of Finances office," Coy said.

Deputy secretaries are not subject to the approval of the General Assembly, Coy said.

In February, the General Assembly voted to approve all but one of McAuliffe's hundreds of appointees.

Jennings was excluded, lawmakers said, because her office failed to get to the bottom of Jamycheal Mitchell's death at Hampton Roads Regional Jail in August 2015. A mentally ill Portsmouth resident, Mitchell lost 46 pounds behind bars and died of extreme weight loss and heart problems.

Jennings maintained that her office did not have the authority to investigate jails.

Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, who led the charge for Jennings' ouster, disagreed with her assessment, but said even if that was the case, her office should have tried to dig deeper into the medical records kept by the private company that contracted with the jail to provide health care to inmates.

Bell said he wanted Jennings to be replaced with someone more suited to conducting death investigations.

She may be wonderful for other positions," he said from the floor of the House of Delegates in February. "But its clear from the evidence in front of us shes not right for this position.

He declined to comment on Jennings' new appointment Friday afternoon.

Prior to joining the Office of the State Inspector General, Jennings worked for the Virginia Department of Corrections as inspector general and internal audit director, according to the governor's office.

Jennings, a native of Chesterfield County, is a Certified Public Accountant who graduated from Radford University with a bachelor of science in accounting.
Amid criticism, Rep. Tom Garrett, R-5th, is changing the ticket distribution method for his in-person town hall in Charlottesville later this month.

According to a news release posted to his Twitter account Friday, tickets for the event, still set for 6:30 p.m. March 31 in Garrett Hall at the University of Virginias Frank D. Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, will be distributed through a lottery overseen and operated by a nonpartisan organization separate from Garretts office to maximize inclusion, diversity and convenience.

Details about the lottery will be released March 20, according to the statement, and no submissions will be accepted until that date.

According to Garrett spokesman Andrew Griffin, the event is still limited to 135 tickets. It was unclear if there is guaranteed seating for 45 Batten School students, as previously announced.

The release also said local political organizations will no longer be involved with ticket distribution. That aspect of the event had come under heavy criticism by area Democrats, who said Wednesday that they were not asked in advance to distribute tickets and that they did not agree to do so. Both the Charlottesville and Albemarle Democratic parties had said they would not participate. Griffin said at the time that those unaffiliated with a political party were more than welcome to call their local units they most identify with and request tickets."

David Singerman of Indivisible Charlottesville, a recently formed progressive political advocacy group, said Friday that while the group was glad that Garrett listened to his constituents, the 135-ticket limit is still totally inadequate for the thousands of people in Charlottesville and across the district who clearly have questions for him. He should move his event to a venue that will let him hear the concerns of as many people as possible.

A release sent Monday laid out several ground rules: As per the rules set forth by Batten, there will be no signs allowed. Furthermore, cheering, clapping, booing, and chanting are also not allowed. All questions will be addressed to the moderator/congressman and not to other attendees. All questions and answers will be respectful and professional. No topic is off limits.

A town hall meeting held without Garrett by Indivisible Charlottesville drew at least a thousand people last Sunday. Garrett, who held Facebook Live events in previous weeks, announced plans to hold two in-person town halls a few days prior to the event. Indivisible Charlottesville originally planned to hold its town hall the day before, but Garrett was unable to attend because he was in Germany fulfilling his responsibilities to both the House Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security committees, Griffin previously said.

To accommodate his travel schedule  he was scheduled to return from Germany that Saturday  the town hall was moved to Sunday, but Garrett still did not attend.

"There is an empty seat in a Sudanese prison because I did my job," Garrett said in a text message to The News & Advance of Lynchburg late Wednesday night, discussing his diplomatic efforts in Germany on behalf of a formerly imprisoned Czech national. "The next live town hall I have will be one more than my predecessor had in six years," he said, referring to former Rep. Robert Hurt.

Another in-person town hall is planned for May 9 in Moneta. Details for that event have not been announced.
CHARLOTTESVILLEA Charlottesville man has pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine.

According to evidence presented in the citys federal courthouse on Thursday, 35-year-old Ricco Jamel Harris distributed crack cocaine throughout the Central Virginia region between late 2012 and November 2015. The evidence established that Harris was a major supplier of cocaine in Charlottesville who gave cocaine to members of a major drug distribution ring operating out of the Culpeper area.

During that timeframe, agents from the Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement Task Force made a series of controlled buys from Harris and seized over 75 grams of crack cocaine during a traffic stop. It was ultimately determined that Harris was responsible for the distribution of over 4 kilograms of crack cocaine.
A Flat Run man died Thursday evening following an afternoon collision in Orange County.

Rescue personnel transported William Henry Day, 82, to Mary Washington Hospital following the crash which occurred at about 4:20 p.m. Day died about two hours later.

According to Virginia State Police spokesman Sgt. Les Tyler, Day was traveling north on Indiantown Road near the intersection of Russel Run Road when his 1997 four-door Acura crossed the center line and hit an oncoming vehicle head-on.

The southbound car, Tyler said, was a 2001 four-door Chevrolet operated by Megan Dodson, 26, of Unionville. Dodson was taken to Novant Health UVa Health System Culpeper Medical Center for treatment. The extent of her injuries is unknown at this time.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation by Trooper F.W. Stanley, Jr., said Tyler. Lake of the Woods Fire and Rescue assisted at the scene.
ELKO  While Elko may often seem a bucolic place to live, our region has suffered its share of disasters.

According to historian Jan Petersen, many events from the past can be classified among the worst tragedies of our history as a community. However, the five that hold title as the most severe in terms of loss of life and property damage include the Great Pandemic, the Winter of White Death, the City of San Francisco train wreck, the TransLuxe Airline crash that killed all but one passenger, and the Stockmens Hotel fire.

The train wreck caused chaos, said Petersen. Twenty some people were killed and over 100 were injured.

Here is the list of northeastern Nevada disasters, in chronological order:

Winter of White Death

The Winter of White Death went down as one of the worst in the regions history. The winter of 188990 was devastating to ranchers here in Northern Nevada. Estimates claim that nearly 95 percent of the areas cattle died that year due to deep snows and frightfully cold temperatures. A legend from the time says that a person could walk a hundred miles along the Marys River and step from cow to cow without touching the ground.

Two important changes emerged from this tragedy. After that time ranchers decided it was best to have a ton of hay on hand over the winter for each brood cow. Prices for land where hay could be raised essentially rose. Devastation to the cattle industry opened way for the development of sheep ranching, which caused friction between these two forms of commerce due to grazing rights.

Spanish Flu

The Great Pandemic was the first of two pandemics involving the H1N1 influenza virus. It is recorded as one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history, infecting some 500 million people worldwide. People in the Arctic and as far flung as the Pacific Islands were stricken with the disease. Deaths are estimated to be between 50 and 100 million, nearly five percent of the worlds population at the time.

The Spanish Flu, as it was nicknamed, was atypical in that it predominantly killed healthy, young adults rather than youth and the elderly.

In Nevada reports of the illness were slow to be validated. Getting information to the Public Health Service was much more difficult in the rural areas.

On Oct. 15, 1918, health officials confirmed 38 cases of influenza in the state. Counts of infection and deaths increased.

In Elko County, teacher Eleanor Holland scoffed at wearing a then required face mask.

It didnt seem so funny when I came down with the flu and nearly died. Fortunately, none of the other teachers got it though they all helped take care of me.

The flu coincided with WWI and soldiers often made their way to and from service via train. A doctor was stationed in Montello to check the health of people on board. The town hotel was made into a makeshift hospital. There is a simple, granite monument in the graveyard stating that 10 unknown soldiers died there of the flu epidemic. They have never been identified.

The railroad contributed to the spread of the disease. Wendover, Halleck, Starr Valley, Deeth, Montello, Elko, Carlin, Battle Mountain, Winnemucca and Lovelock were highly impacted due to their location along the train route.

In all of Nevada, which had a very small population at the time, the State Board of Health reported 3,914 cases of flu. They recorded a total of 734 deaths, but the number is believed to be as high as 800.

City of San Francisco

Southern Pacifics steamliner, the City of San Francisco, was billed as the fastest and most powerful ever built. It was nearly a quarter of a mile in length and could travel from Chicago to the West Coast in about 40 hours. The locomotive was claimed as the safest engineering in rail travel.

The City of San Francisco wrecked after leaving Carlin in the evening of August 12, 1939. The westbound train derailed 40 miles west of Elko.

Engineer Ed Hecox said he saw a tumbleweed on the rails right before the accident. It was later believed that the train was sabotaged, but a guilt party was never discovered.

As the engine stopped I ran back, said Hecox. All I could hear was the screams and moans of the injured and dying. Everywhere there was dust. I could not see a single living person.

Passenger F.S. Foote Jr. said the train was hitting the curves uncomfortably after they left Carlin. He said two beers were propelled from a table and that a woman was hurled from her seat to the aisle, making everyone laugh. This was just a few minutes before the derailment.

The train lurched at around 9.33 p.m. and then jumped the tracks. It shot out from the rails about 900 feet with five cars ending up in the river.

Frantic rescue attempts ensued for the next couple of hours and with the addition of onlookers any evidence of wrongdoing was destroyed. Later, investigators discovered a couple of jackets and tools were found in the water near the crash. Some speculated that the railroad was at fault. Suspects were questioned and the railroad conducted a hearing but, in the end, no one was ever charged and the accident remains a mystery.

Trans-Luxury Crash

Tragedy struck once again on Sept. 5, 1946. During the early hours of the morning a San Francisco bound Trans-Luxury Airliner tried to land at the Elko airport. Heavy fog hung low along the ground and upon descent, the airliner crashed and burned.

Twenty-one people were killed, including one infant. Miraculously, there was one young survivor.

When help arrived after the crash rescue workers found 18 bodies thrown from the plane and three others inside the smoldering wreckage.

The plane was still burning, wrote Elko Daily Free Press editor Chris Sheerin. Bodies were strewn for more than 100 feet around. They thought all were dead. Then they heard a child crying.

The young child was found in the brush near a woman who was unconscious but later died.

I heard the baby crying, said mortician Robely Burns. He was bawling something awful. His crying was loud enough to be heard over the crackle of the flames.

The boy was taken to the hospital.

He was cold as ice when he came in, said nursing superintendent Marie Herbster.

The child was later determined to be Peter Link from Brooklyn. He complained of pain in his chest and arm but was later was determined to be physically fine. However, for the short time that Peter was in the hospital he continually cried for his mother. As it turned out, Peter lost his entire immediate family in the crash, including his 6- month-old sibling.

News of the devastating crash spread across the country amidst the gloom of a nation trying to recover from the horror of World War II.

While the nation received the news of the fatal crash near Elko this morning with its usual calm, being used to great disasters, it was electrified by the fact that a blue-eyed boy of 2 years had escaped miraculously from the wreck, Sheerin wrote.

Later, the boy was determined to be 3 years old.

Peter was soon deemed the miracle boy. Gifts poured in along with letters from the public offering to care for the orphan.

Blood relatives came forth and about a week after the crash Peters uncle arrived from Brooklyn and took the boy back to his grandmother.

The crash was later investigated and it was determined that headwinds between Sinclair and Rock Springs, Wyo. had caused too much fuel usage. The speed of the plane had dropped severely and the pilot made the decision to land at the nearest airport. The pilot was warned of the ground fog but he made an emergency judgement that turned out to be fatal for many.

Records show that as of 2002 Peter Link was 59 years old and living in New York City.

Stockmens Fire

In 1957 a blaze took a city landmark. The Stockmens hotel, location of many big band performances, caught fire causing extensive destruction and a number of people escaped death with the help of hotel employees and firemen.

According to an article in the Elko Daily Free Press, it was the most destructive blaze in Elkos history.

Manager Dick Toothman later told the newspaper that the fire started from an oil leak in one of the kitchen ranges at around 8:30 p.m. By 10:30 p.m. the entire building had been reduced to ruins. Onlookers feared the blaze would spread to nearby buildings.

The doomed hotel was an economic axe to the city. The hotel losses were estimated to be more than $1.7 million. The blaze also put 108 employees out of work.

The Future Farmers of America was holding a banquet at the hotel that evening with 212 people in attendance. When the blaze was learned of the attendees rushed throughout the hotel warning people to escape.

We were extremely fortunate that the fire broke out at the hour it did, said Toothman. There were some 50 or 60 people in the rooms. If it had been later there would have been more and it is almost a certainty that some lives would have been lost.

During the razing a huge sign at the top of the building crashed to the ground as the wall beneath it crumbled. National guardsmen were called out to maintain the hundreds of curious spectators and keep them from harm.

During the blaze there was concern that an explosion might occur if liquid gas storage containers caught fire. The gas was released without explosion but huge flames did shoot out.

As the building burned, owner Dan Bilbao announced that he would make immediate plans to erect a new building.

We will build again as soon as possible, he said about the disaster.
Last week, President Donald Trump erupted with fury over a series of public revelations of private facts  some top-secret and some office gossip  that painted him and his White House in a bad light. The president ordered the FBI to investigate some of these so-called leaks and his own White House counsel to investigate others.

There are numerous issues related to the leaking of government information. They include the leaking of classified information, the leaking of confidential communications and the publishing of leaked material.

Here is the back story.

It is a felony to reveal classified information to any person who lacks a classified clearance, as some in the intelligence community have recently done to embarrass, control, intimidate or infuriate the president. The National Security Agency employs over 60,000 domestic spies, but they work in compartmentalized areas. Thus, not all of them have access to all the data collected by all of their colleagues. Only about 100 spies have access to the top-secret data that was leaked about the president.

When members of the intelligence community leaked lurid allegations about the future presidents alleged behavior in a Moscow hotel room, which he has vehemently denied, and when some leaked the partial transcripts of telephone conversations between retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn and the Russian ambassador to the U.S.  shortly before Flynn became the presidents national security adviser  and when some leaked an intelligence report that contradicted the presidents publicly stated conclusions on the likelihood of dangerous people immigrating to the U.S. from the seven predominately Muslim countries named in the presidents now enjoined temporary travel ban, one can understand the presidential anger.

And leaks are a two-sided coin. Adding to Trumps woes caused by too much revealing is the other side of that coin  too much concealing. This comes into play when one has a duty to reveal. That duty arises from the legal obligation of spies to pass on to their superiors  and ultimately to the president  all of the material information they have acquired about Americas friends and enemies.

Selectively concealing and revealing this type of intelligence data, thereby manipulating the presidential judgment, when one has a duty to reveal substantially all of it is a form of interference with a governmental function  namely, the presidents exercise of his judgment  and that is a felony.

As if all this were not enough for a young presidency to deal with, Trump finds himself with a White House staff leaking to the press Oval Office gossip about confidential conversations from within the White House that the participants in those conversations had every reason to believe would not be made public. This resulted in the temporary seizure of government-issued cellphones held by a dozen or so staffers so their bosses could learn whether any had spoken to the press. The cellphones episode was itself leaked, apparently by a participant not happy with it.

Whats going on here?

These events are either the growing pains of a new presidential administration, still partially staffed by those loyal to former President Barack Obama, or the product of sinister forces from people attempting to exercise their own judgment about Americas foes by frustrating and manipulating the judgment of the president  whom the voters elected to exercise the constitutional powers to make those judgment calls. The latter situation would be perilous, as it would mean we have unelected, unaccountable and unnamed people pulling the levers of power in the field of national security.

The leaks of confidential communications from within the White House may be a pain in the neck for the president, but they are not criminal. And generally, a boss can look at an employees cellphone, as long as the employer of the boss and the employee owns the phone  except when the employer is the government. The Fourth Amendment insulates government employees from governmental reach into its employees cellphones. Absent an employees waiving his Fourth Amendment rights, the government may not seize work-related (governmental) or personal phones without a search warrant.

Can the media publish these leaks?

In a word, yes. The media may publish anything that is of material interest to the public, notwithstanding its level of secrecy or how it was acquired. The First Amendment  which the courts have construed to treat the media as the eyes and ears of the public  protects absolutely the publication by the media of leaked data, whether gossip or top-secret, that the public wants to hear.

The courts have also ruled that everything about the president is of material public interest  meaning no criminal or civil action can be taken against the media for the publication of any leaked materials that reflect on the president as a person or as a government official. When The New York Times published a probably stolen copy of Trumps tax returns, it did so with impunity.

One can see why Trump rails against the press. Yet he has taken an oath to preserve, protect and defend the very constitutional principles that protect and liberate a free press from the anger of the government, no matter how well-grounded that anger may be. One of his predecessors who was savaged by the press, Thomas Jefferson, wrote that accountability and transparency in government are of such overriding value that hed prefer newspapers without a government to a government without newspapers.
The environmental division of Spains State Attorneys office is to investigate the displaying of Iberian wolf cadavers in public places in the northern region of Asturias, where three cases have been reported in recent days, the last strung up from a traffic sign.

The wolf found in the Teverga municipality of Asturias. FAPAS

The investigation has been opened after the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) sent a letter on February 27 to the State Attorneys office saying that the killing and display of the animals was creating a situation of impunity and alarm.

The WWF says that over the last year up to nine Iberian wolf bodies have been found in the mountainous region by roadsides, on bridges, in a supermarket car park, and even in the vehicle of a regional park ranger.

This is an exercise in obscene exhibitionism, says Alberto Fernandez, a biologist with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and a member of ASCEL, an association dedicated to the study and conservation of the Iberian wolf.

Who are they sending a message to? I dont know: society at large, he adds.

For park ranger Xurde Gayol, however, the answer is clear: I think the message is for the authorities and environmentalists. These [displays] have become a trend, he says.

Culling wolves is the sole responsibility of the authorities: hunters are forbidden from doing so, but to date nobody has been found responsible for the attacks on the animals.

This is an exercise in obscene exhibitionism Alberto Fernandez, biologist

Farmers and local mayors complain that authorities only killed 29 animals from January 2016 to February 2017 while the upper cut-off is 45 wolves. The latest census shows there are 38 packs or family groups in Asturias.

Farmers dont think we kill enough wolves, while for environmentalists the figure is too high, says Manuel Calvo, Director General of the Asturias National Resources Department.

Roberto Hartasanchez, president of Spains Fund for the Protection for Wild Animals (Fapas), accuses the regional environmental department of Asturias of failing to manage its wolf population. Everyone does what they want, says the environmentalist, who has filed complaints in the wake of earlier cases of dead animals being strung up along the regions roadsides.

Regional environmental authorities in Asturias passed the most recent appearance of a wolf cadaver, which was found on February 26 in Teverga, in the south of the region, to Seprona, the Civil Guards environmental department, but the agency did not investigate the incident, saying no complaint had been formally made.

Just days earlier, two other examples of the protected species were found dead in a parking lot in the village of Arriondas.

Seprona, has, however, formally questioned 20 people  nine farmers and 11 park rangers  as part of an investigation into the alleged falsification of wolf attacks carried out in order to fraudulently claim government compensation. Public prosecutors say defendants doctored photographs of damage that didnt actually exist in what authorities believe could constitute systematic criminal fraud.

The Civil Guard says some 200,000 was falsely claimed in compensation and that these false attacks could have played a role in generating an atmosphere of [social] rejection of Iberian wolves.

English version by George Mills and Nick Lyne.
The Madrid regional assembly on Thursday unanimously approved the final draft of a law regulating palliative care in the last stages of life. The new legislation stipulates that terminally ill and agonizing individuals may receive comprehensive palliative care in a hospital (either public or private), or in their own home, if they so wish. The law also sets out the duties of health professionals and provides for their legal security.

Madrid thus becomes the ninth Spanish region to pass this kind of legislation, following the example of Andalusia in 2010. The others are Galicia, Asturias, Catalonia, Basque Country, Navarre, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands.

However, none of these laws contemplates either euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide.

These laws have not improved quality of life; only a voluntary death law will do that

Luis Montes, Right to Death With Dignity

The Madrid bill was first introduced in July by the Socialist Party (PSOE), and provides a legal framework for patients and health professionals alike. The former may reject treatment, palliative sedation and life support if they so wish. Patients will also have to be constantly appraised of the situation, so they can freely make informed decisions.

Palliative care is cross-disciplinary, extending not just to the patients but also to their families and other relevant individuals. The goal is to keep pain and other symptoms under control in people who are not responding to curative treatment, in order to preserve the best possible quality of life until the end.

Jose Manuel Freire, a Socialist assembly member and spokesman for health issues, said that this new law means all citizens will have the right to receive this kind of care. According to existing figures, in 2014 this kind of care was only reaching 20% of individuals in need of it, he added.

The law includes the right to leave instructions at relevant agencies in the event that patients should lose the ability to personally express their wishes following an accident or disease. This possibility already existed, but forms could only be filled out at a single office on Sagasta street. The Madrid Health Department will now create new offices where people may indicate their wishes, and this information will have to be added to a patients medical history.

A real death with dignity

But Luis Montes, president of the association Derecho a Morir Dignamente (Right to Death with Dignity), is asking for a voluntary death law that liberalizes the whole death period.

There are two pieces of national legislation covering the process of death, said Montes, who is himself a doctor. The Penal Code makes euthanasia and physician-assisted death a crime. The 2002 Patient Autonomy Law recognizes a patients right to refuse treatment.

Dr Luis Montes says the new law does not really create the right to a dignified death. Gorka Lejarcegi

Regional laws like the one just passed in Madrid do not allow patients to die when they desire, explains Montes. Instead, they stipulate that health professionals must inform patients about their options, that patients may leave early instructions regarding whether they wish to die in hospital or at home, and who should be with them at the moment of death. The laws also guarantee the right to palliative care.

But ultimately, these laws have not improved quality of life; only a voluntary death law will do that, said Montes.

In January, the leftist Unidos Podemos group introduced a proposal in Congress asking for voluntary death to be decriminalized. Such a move would bring Spain closer to Belgium or The Netherlands.

English version by Susana Urra.
South America continues to lead global cocaine production and consumption, according to the UNs 2016 International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) report, which was presented in Vienna and Bogota on Thursday. South America remained virtually the sole supplier of cocaine to drug abuse markets around the world, it notes, adding: The prevalence of cocaine consumption increased markedly in the region.

US Drug Enforcement Administration agents lead a suspect away. AP

More information Aumenta la produccion y el consumo de cocaina en Sudamerica

Referring to other studies by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), and the UNs Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the INCB report attributes the increase to the amount of land dedicated to coca plant cultivation in Colombia, which from 2014 to 2015 rose by almost 40%, from 69,000 to 96,000 hectares.

It attributes the rise, at least in the short term, to the peace process in Colombia.

The expectations surrounding negotiations on the peace process may have contributed to raising farmers hopes about the benefits of prospective alternative development programs and acted as motivators for further illicit cultivation, which, combined with the cessation of eradication by spraying of glyphosate by the authorities in 2015, accounted for the almost doubling of coca bush cultivation in the country, explain the authors of the report, adding that, at the same time, illegal cultivation in Bolivia and Peru has fallen.

The UN is concerned at the spread of plant-based psychoactive substances

The INCB report also addresses consumption, noting: The abuse of coca paste is concentrated in South America, and the annual prevalence of cocaine abuse continues to increase, although cannabis remains the most widely used controlled substance in the region.

According to CICAD: Last year, the annual prevalence rates of abuse of cocaine among secondary school students were higher in South America than in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, the UN body also expresses its concern at the spread of plant-based psychoactive substances such as Salvia divinorum, khat, hallucinogenic mushrooms, ayahuasca and Cacao sabanero, the psychoactive component of which is the alkaloid scopolamine, also known as burundanga.

In the past, they were destined solely and exclusively for the religious rites of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. However, data from the most recent surveys show that young people from other backgrounds were abusing such substances, it says, noting that in Colombia, the use of such substances was higher than that of LSD, ecstasy or methamphetamine.

The amount of land dedicated to coca cultivation has nearly doubled in Colombia

The INCB report takes a detailed look at the situation in Colombia. The UN is confident that in the longer term, the peace process, the incorporation of the guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) into civilian life and the crop-replacement programs to end the cultivation of coca bushes will help to reduce drug production and use, of cocaine in particular.

One of the pillars of the agreement is related to drug matters and related crime, it notes, adding that it will continue to be at the disposal of the authorities in the implementation of the agreement, within the sphere of its mandate, regarding the implementation of the international drug control treaties.

English version by Nick Lyne.
Twelve months ago Honduran environmentalist Berta Caceres died after being shot three times in the stomach when armed men broke into her modest home in the city of La Esperanza. The murder of the woman who had won the Goldman Environmental Prize  considered the green Nobel  shocked the world.

A demonstration in Tegucigalpa in remembrance of Berta Caceres. REUTERS

More information La muerte inutil de la ecologista hondurena Berta Caceres

The United States, the United Nations, the Vatican and Venezuela all demanded that her killing be properly investigated, and Caceres has since become a symbol for environmentalists everywhere.

But a year after her death, the anger and the sadness have borne little fruit. The Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam project  opposition to which cost Caceres her life  remains in the hands of Honduran company Desarrollos Energetico SA (DESA), and plans that will see the draining of the River Gualcarque  a sacred site for the indigenous Lenca people  are still set to go ahead.

Honduras remains the worlds most dangerous country for environmentalists  123 activists have been killed in the last six years  while those responsible for the murder of Caceres remain free despite eight arrests.

The economic elites of Honduras are behind Bertas death Gustavo Castro, friend of Caceres

At the same time, the activists killing has revealed the deep links between a handful of Honduran families, the army and the ruling party when it comes to several large hydroelectric dam projects. DESA itself is owned by the powerful Atala family and headed by Roberto David Castillo Mejia, a former military intelligence officer and employee of the state energy company of Honduras.

The project is going ahead despite indications from within the Caceres murder investigation that company director Sergio Ramon Rodriguez Orellana, also a former military man, ordered the activists death.

But the murder by military experts did not come off as planned. When assassins entered Caceres home on March 2, 2016 they discovered she was not alone; a friend, Gustavo Castro was staying with her. He was shot at point-blank range but the bullet only grazed his ear. However, he began to bleed profusely and was left for dead.

Gustavo Castro is the only witness to the murder of Berta Caceres. SAUL RUIZ

Behind Bertas death are the economic elites of Honduras; they are the ones with the most to gain from pushing ahead with these projects that threaten indigenous communities, Castro told EL PAIS from Barcelona. As the only witness to the killing, he has received death threats and is keeping out of the spotlight.

As the links with the army have become apparent, the investigation has become more opaque, he adds.

According to investigators, the DESA director asked one of his security chiefs, retired lieutenant Douglas Geovanny Bustillo, to organize the killing.

Caceres had publicly stated she had received deaths threats from Bustillo.

They have only arrested the middlemen while those guilty of ordering the killing my mother are still free. They havent investigated the factors that led to her death, the daughter of Caceres, 25-year-old Berta, told EL PAIS.

The message is clear: if you are involved with human rights and you annoy people in power, they will kill you, says Erika Guevara Rosas, Director for the Americas at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International.

The organization Global Witness has called on the Honduran government to arrest those responsible for ordering the death of Caceres and to set up mechanisms ensuring the security of environmentalists.

English version by George Mills.
Cecilio Pineda. FACEBOOK

Crusading journalist Cecilio Pineda Birto was gunned down on Thursday evening in Ciudad de Altamirano, in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero, federal police have confirmed.

The 38-year-old freelancer, who was a contributor to leading daily El Universal, was waiting while his car was being washed, when at around 7.30pm local time several armed individuals on motorcycles gunned him down and then fled. He died from his injuries before an ambulance arrived.

Pineda specialized in local news stories in Guerrero, one of Mexicos most violent states, where waves of grisly killings have taken place as cartels battle over drug-trafficking routes and clash with security forces.

More information Matan a otro periodista mexicano en el Estado de Guerrero

Active on Facebook, where he had more than 31,000 followers, Pineda had earlier on Thursday posted a video about El Tequilero, the alleged head of a gang of kidnappers that has been active in the region.

There will be more deaths, because the authorities dont want to do what they should be doing. It seems there is strong agreement between the government and this criminal leader, he said on the social network.

The authorities say they have begun an investigation into Pinedas slaying.

According to eldiario.mx, based in Ciudad Juarez on the US border, this was not the first time Pineda had been targeted. In September 2015, he was shot when he arrived at his house in Coyuca de Catalan, some 50 kilometers inland from the resort of Zihuataneco.

Mexico is widely considered to be the most dangerous country in the Americas to be a journalist

In 2014, 43 student teachers disappeared in Guerrero. According to an official investigation, they were arrested by corrupt police officers who handed them over to drug hitmen, who then killed them and burned their bodies.

But their families and human-rights groups believe that the army was involved in the death of the students and that the Mexican government is involved in a cover-up.

The International Court of Human Rights at the Hague says that Mexico is the most dangerous country in the Americas to be a journalist. The Committee for the Protection of Journalists say that at least 48 journalists were killed in the world in 2016, up from 72 the previous year. The UN, Reporters Without Borders, the Inter-American Human Rights Commission, and the Inter-American Press Society have all criticized the climate of impunity in Mexico.

With information from Pablo Ferri.

English version by Nick Lyne.
The fight over Madrids transphobic bus has moved to a new battleground  or at least to a new vehicle. After a bus displaying a message viewed as a potential hate crime was impounded by local authorities, the ultraconservative group behind the campaign has rolled out a motor home with a similar ad.

The transphobic motor home gets ready to roll. Carlos Rosillo

This time, Hazte Oir (or, Make yourself heard) has modified the message to read: Do boys have penises? Do girls have vulvas? after a Madrid judge said on Thursday that the bus would not be allowed on the citys streets as long as it continued to bear the ad: Boys have penises. Girls have vulvas. Dont let them fool you. If you were born a man, youre a man. If youre a woman, you will continue to be one.

The bus was detained by municipal police, who fined organizers for violating a local ordinance banning advertising on any vehicles other than public transportation. A judge later ruled that the bus should be impounded as a preventive measure until the matter of whether its message constitutes a hate crime is cleared up.

I lament that the Gay Inquisition has imposed its dictatorship

Ignacio Arsuaga, president Hazte Oir

On Friday, Hazte Oir rolled out the motor home, which was stopped and fined on the same grounds.

But the president of the organization, Ignacio Arsuaga, has already warned that we will not be intimidated.

The Catholic group, which has campaigned against abortion and LGBT rights in the past, is portraying the matter as a fight over freedom of speech.

Adherents of Hazte Oir believe the group is being victimized by the leftist administration of Manuela Carmena, who secured the mayors seat thanks to support from the anti-establishment Podemos party.

A protester from Hazte Oir holds brochures titled 'The laws of 'Sexual indoctrination' during a Madrid protest on Wednesday. Paul White (AP)

Arsuaga claims that the bus has been hijacked and that authorities are violating their own right to express our ideas in public spaces.

The Hazte Oir campaign is widely viewed as a response to an earlier set of ads run by a transgender children support group called Chrysallis. Those ads said: There are girls with penises and boys with vulvas.

But the Catholic group denies that they are running a counter-campaign.

Our campaign is in favor of families fundamental right to educate their children freely, according to their own values, said Hazte Oir organizers on Friday.

The judge who decided that the bus should remain at the pound argued that its message was directly aimed at people with a different sexual orientation in order to deny and damage their dignity.

But the group has already filed an appeal against that decision, even as Arsuaga renewed his attacks against the LGBT community.

I lament that the Gay Inquisition has imposed its dictatorship, he said.

English version by Susana Urra.
Last month, aviation regulator DGCA had suspended Kathpalia's flying licence for three months for allegedly skipping the mandatory pre and post-flight alcohol test.

New Delhi: The government-owned Air India has shunted out its controversial head of operations, A K Kathpalia, replacing him with A K Govil.

Last month, aviation regulator DGCA had suspended Kathpalia's flying licence for three months for allegedly skipping the mandatory pre and post-flight alcohol test.

Kathpalia, who is also a senior executive pilot at the airline, has been made the Executive Director for Special Projects, in a major reshuffle of the top deck early this week, an Air India official said today.

Govil was earlier serving Air India as its ED, Inflight Services. As part of the major top management rejig, the national carrier has also replaced its ED Training AS Soman, the official said.
New Delhi: Budget carrier AirAsia India has scaled up its workforce by more than 50 per cent to 1,050 people in the last one year as the airline looks to fly overseas and expand its fleet.

The existing workforce not only meets the current requirement but will also cater to future demand, AirAsia India CEO and MD Amar Abrol said during an informal interaction here.

"We grew from 650 odd people to about 1,050 (since March 2016). It covers about 12 aircraft (operations) from cabin crew and engineers' perspective and about 10-11 aircraft from the pilots' perspective," Abrol said.

AirAsia India, which is a joint venture between Tata Sons and Malaysian airline group AirAsia, currently has a fleet of eight Airbus A320 planes.

It operates 58 flights per day to 13 domestic airports with Delhi and Bengaluru as its two bases.

Abrol also said that the airline plans to induct six more aircraft in this calendar year, while another six planes are expected to be added in the fleet by the middle of next year.

"We will expand from the current eight planes to fourteen by October depending on the business performance," he added.

Once the airline has 20 aircraft in its fleet it will qualify to fly international as per the regulations.

AirAsia India also plans to induct the latest single aisle aircraft from Airbus, the A 320 Neo, in its fleet next year.

Asserting that AirAsia India will fly overseas most likely from the second half of the next calendar year, Abrol said, "there is a whole host of work which we need to do before we start flying international."

"There is a project team which is already working to get AirAsia India ready for overseas operations, which is likely to commence either from next summer or at the most by autumn."

Abrol said the airline will look at international destinations which are in the radius of four to four-and-a -half hours from India to begin with, adding, "Naturally our strength lies in the east. So, look east will be the first port of call whenever we fly abroad".

On the domestic front, AirAsia India's strategy will be connecting tier-2 cities with metros he said, while emphasising that the domestic market offers ample opportunities for the airline.

AirAsia India has opened two new routes (Srinagar and Bagdogra from Delhi last month) and is also setting up Kolkata as its third base where it plans to station three planes.

There are also plans to connect the northeastern region with Kolkata and then potentially connect eastern region with the western region, he said.
Mumbai: A group of 17 public sector lenders have ratcheted up their efforts to recover around Rs 9,000 crore money granted to now defunct Kingfisher Airlines run by liquor baron Vijay Mallya.

Banks on Friday urged the Supreme Court to force Vijay Mallya to deposit $40 million in court. Banks also requested the apex court to ask Mallya to be present in court if he failed to deposit money, according to ET Now.

According to the filing by the consortium of banks in SC, Mallya "illegally transferred Diageo deal money outside India". Last year, Mallya reached a settlement with United Spirits that cleared him from claims of mismanagement.

Under Diageo deal, Vija Mallya was given $75 million which the banks wanted frozen at the Debt Recovery Tribunal through a plea. DRT in early 2017 allowed group of banks to start recovery process.

The total debt that Mallya owes to banks included interest payments as well that accrued to the principal amount over the years since Mallya failed to repay them.

The embattled businessman who has been living in a self-imposed exile in the UK was declared a wilful defaulter by the State Bank of India, that has been leading the consortium in pursuance of loan default case.

Apart form that a special PMLA court in Mumbai has labelled him as a proclaimed offender as he has failed to appear before court on several occasions despite many bailable and non-bailable warrants due against him.
Jamshedpur: Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata today said the Tata Group is in the safe hands of N Chandrasekaran, who would take it to a new level of progress and growth.

Introducing Chadrasekaran to the people of Jamshedpur, Tata expressed confidence that Chandra (Chandrasekaran) will take the group as well as the city to a new level of progress and growth.

The Group and Jamshedpur city is in safe hand and it was a matter of pride that Chandra being an internal person of the group and had an impeccable record, Tata said after paying floral tributes to Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata on his 178th birth anniversary, here today.

Chandra has an immense record in term of performance and the progress made by TCS under his leadership, he said. "I am confident that Chandra would take the Tata group to a new height of progress and growth," Tata added Speaking on the occasion, Chandrasekaran said "I have been here in the steel city of Jamshedpur for last 36 hours witnessing, observing and feeling the impact of the city on human lives."

You can witness the Iconic brand Tata Steel and Jamshedpur almost inseparable being as one, which probably you could not have seen anywhere in the world, the Tata Sons Chairman said.
New Delhi: Vijay Mallya, the embattled businessman who is in the UK, today said faulty engines were one of the factors for the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines.

A group firm of Pratt & Whitney has been sued for supplying defective engines to Kingfisher Airlines, Mallya said amid aviation regulator DGCA ordering detailed inspection of P&W engines powering some Airbus 320 neo planes being operated in India.

Mallya has been declared a wilful defaulter and is wanted by Indian authorities for default in payment of loans related to Kingfisher Airlines that was grounded in 2012. He is also wanted in other cases.

"Not surprised at DGCA enquiry into Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines. Kingfisher Airlines sadly collapsed also due to faulty engines," he said in a tweet.

DGCA has ordered detailed inspection of 21 Airbus 320 neo planes of IndiGo and GoAir that are equipped with P&W engines, which have been frequently facing technical glitches.

"We have sued IAE, a Pratt & Whitney Group Company, for compensation towards defective aircraft engines supplied to Kingfisher Airlines," Mallya said in another tweet.

Response to queries sent to a P&W spokesperson on the issue was awaited. As many as 21 A320 neo planes that are using P&W engines would be examined and the exercise is expected to be completed in the next two weeks, a senior DGCA official had said on February 28.

The same day P&W said it is working with IndiGo and GoAir as well as the regulator over the issues.
JP Associates had last year announced the sale of its cement business to the Kumar Mangalam Birla-led Ultratech for around Rs 16,000 crore

New Delhi: Jaiprakash Associates today said it has got the approval of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for transfer of its cement plants to the Aditya Birla group firm, UltraTech Cement.

"NCLT Allahabad bench has sanctioned the scheme of arrangement whereby the company proposes to transfer identified cement plants owned by the company and its wholly owned subsidiary M/S Jaypee Cement Corporation to M/S UltraTech Cement on slump exchange basis," the company said in a BSE filing.

JP Associates had last year announced the sale of its cement business to the Kumar Mangalam Birla-led Ultratech for around Rs 16,000 crore, marking the biggest consolidation in the cement sector.

The deal will help the Jaypee Group firm to reduce debt, which runs into thousands of crores of rupees. The deal was subject to various regulatory approvals. The group's cement operations have a total capacity of 17.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) spread across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Andhra Pradesh.
Mumbai: Tata Sons will split a dispute settlement payment of $1.18 billion owed to NTT DoCoMo (9437.T) over the Japanese firm's exit from a telecoms joint venture, leaving it with about two-thirds of the amount to invest in India, a source said.

Both companies are likely to approach India's central bank within 15 days with a plan that will offer to split the payment into two parts, the source, who has direct knowledge of the matter, said.

While Tata Sons will pay the fair value of DoCoMo's 26 percent stake outside India, or roughly $390 million according to Reuters calculations, DoCoMo would need to invest the balance of $790 million in India, either for expansion or other joint ventures, the source added.

It was not immediately clear how DoCoMo would use the money if the plan were formalised.

"DoCoMo at least gets control of the money and can use it for investment in India," said the source, who requested anonymity, as the decision is not final.

Another possible alternative could be that DoCoMo receives the entire payment in India and retains it for future investment instead of repatriating it, a second source close to Tata Sons said.

Any deal is subject to the Reserve Bank of India's approval.

Tata Sons declined to comment. DoCoMo did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment.

Tata Teleservices, a unit of salt-to-software conglomerate Tata Sons, and DoCoMo formed a telecoms partnership in 2009. In the event of an exit, that deal guaranteed DoCoMo the higher of either half its original investment, or its fair value.

When DoCoMo decided to get out in 2014, Tata Sons was unable to find a buyer for the Japanese firm's stake and offered to buy the stake itself, for half DoCoMo's investment of $2.2 billion.

India's central bank blocked Tata Sons' offer, saying a rule change the previous year prevented foreign investors from selling stakes in Indian firms at a pre-determined price.

DoCoMo took the case to a London court and won the arbitration. Tata Sons was asked to pay a penalty of $1.18 billion, which it has deposited with the Delhi High Court in the Indian capital, where the case is being heard.

On Tuesday, Tata Sons and DoCoMo agreed to settle out of court, after a new chairman took charge at the Indian conglomerate. DoCoMo has also agreed to end all legal proceedings against Tata Sons in Britain and the United States for a period of time.
Indian IT industry actually contributes immensely to the US economy in terms of jobs that are created in America, both directly and indirectly.

Washington: The debate in the US over H-1Bvisas has become a political and emotive issue as there is a "yawning gap" between the facts and perception, IT industry body NASSCOM has said, contending that Indian IT firms contribute immensely to the US economy and jobs creation.

"This narrative has been going on for a while now that Indian IT workers come to the US and that they take away jobs, that in general they simply displace American workers and that these are low-paid, not even necessarily high-skilled people who are actually taking away jobs from better paid and skilled American workers," NASSCOM president R Chandrashekhar told PTI.

Chandrashekhar was here this week leading a delegation of IT industry body to engage with members of the new US administration on issues like clampdown on work visas and flow of skilled manpower between the two nations.

"That's really the kind of narrative which has got built up, sort of anecdotal examples are being cited, which also are not necessarily accurate. Because it has been presented with a mix of emotive anecdotal stories, I think a counter narrative and facts have really not been recognised. If you look at the facts, then the facts actually tell you a very, very different story," he said.

He said, "The data, not just our data, but the US governments own data also tells a very, very different story." Chandrashekhar met a number of influential American lawmakers, opinion builders, members of think-tank community and the officials from the new Trump Administration and interacted with them on the H-1B visa issues.

The visit of the NASSCOM delegation came in the wake of the ongoing debate in the US and reported moves by the Trump Administration to bring out an executive order to curtail the use of H-1B visas, widely used by Indian IT majors.

"The purpose is to put across our point of view so that a more balanced approach is enabled," he noted.

Chandrashekhar said the Indian IT industry actually contributes immensely to the US economy in terms of jobs that are created in America, both directly and indirectly.

"Close to half a million jobs have been supported in the US as of 2015. The number of jobs have also been growing at 10 per cent per year as against a two per cent growth in the rest of the job market," he said.

"The biggest contribution to jobs, of course, is what the industry provides in terms of services to US corporates, 75 per cent of the Fortune 500 companies, which enable them to be more productive, more efficient, and more globally competitive, and thereby helps them to be the job creation engine in the US," the NASSCOM president said.
Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

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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

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The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

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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
New Delhi: Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya today said he will soon discuss bringing back old General Provident Fund scheme with the Finance Minister as many employee organisations are unhappy with the new pension system.

A delegation of central government employees today called on Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and demanded restoration of the old GPF scheme, which was replaced with the contributory pension scheme, NPS, from 2004.

Dattatreya said the Labour Ministry has been receiving such demands from all quarters across the country. The minister further said he will take up the issue with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley soon.

"A delegation of central government employees has given me a memorandum to bring back old General Provident Fund (GPF) scheme because they want retired government employees to avail social security like pension benefits, dependent benefits, insurance and other benefits," Dattatreya said.

From January 2004, the government replaced the earlier defined contribution pension system for retired employees, except for armed forces, with the contributory pension system under NPS.

The Labour Minister said employees are not happy with self contributory pension scheme under the National Pension System (NPS) post 2004 as they are deprived of social security.

Exerting commitment to address labour issues he said: "Our social benefits will reach the lowest level of society. We have provided security to construction, Aanganwai, Aasha, mid-day meal workers and we now plan to bring auto rickshaw drivers and domestic workers also under this fold".
Mumbai: World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva has backed November 8 note ban saying drive would leave a "profound and positive" effect on India's economy.

Georgieva told Hindustan Times that sudden recall of notes might have caused hardships in short term but in long term "demonetisation will help foster a clean and digitised economy".

What India has done will be studied (by other countries). There hasnt been such demonetisation in a country so big, HT quoted her as saying.

Last year, the International Monetary Fund also said words of compliment for demonetisation that was widely seen as a corruption control measure. The anti- black money step sucked out over 86 per cent of cash in circulation.

Georgieva drew parallels between Prime Minister Modi's money ban and calling back of high denomination bills by European Union, which is effecting note ban in a phased manner.

On November 8, last year the government announced it was scraping legal tender status of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 note effective midnight. The 50-day long drive saw people crowding at banks and staying in long queues to withdraw cash.
As per an estimate, currently only 65 per cent saving accounts are seeded with mobile numbers and only 50 per cent with Aadhaar.

New Delhi: The government has instructed banks to link all savings accounts with mobile and Aadhaar numbers by March 31, 2017, and enable mobile banking for such customers.

All banks have been advised to undertake this in campaign mode, an official statement today said. Mobile number seeding and enabling the same for m-banking are a pre-requisite for making mobile payments while Aadhaar number seeding is a pre-requisite for using Aadhaar Enabled Payments System (AEPS), it added.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), according to a recent Cabinet Secretariat notification, has been given the responsibility of promotion of digital transactions, including digital payments.

As per an estimate, currently only 65 per cent saving accounts are seeded with mobile numbers and only 50 per cent with Aadhaar. Out of the 65 per cent accounts already seeded with mobile numbers, only 20 per cent are enabled for mobile banking.

"To make this process convenient to customers, MeitY has advised the banks to explore 'Over the Air' customer consent instead of requiring customers to visit the bank branch or ATM as is required currently," the statement said.

The campaign is to be launched with immediate effect. The progress of seeding and mobile bank enabling will be monitored by MeitY along with the Department of Financial Services.

Banks will have to give adequate publicity in national, regional and local media, besides conducting camps for on-the-spot seeding of bank accounts. Also, they have been advised to utilise their extensive branch network as well as banking mitras or correspondents to carry out an effective outreach programme, especially in rural areas.

The process of enabling bank accounts for mobile and Aadhaar based banking is completely voluntary. "However, given the benefits of these banking channels, a large number of customers are expected to opt for it," it said.

Accordingly, banks have been advised to be prepared with adequate infrastructure to facilitate this process effectively with no inconvenience to customers.
Mumbai: After impressing everyone with the quirky trailer of Phillauri, Anushka Sharma is all set to release the party song from the same movie in a reality show. Sources say that she will launch Naughty Billo on Rishing Star. In fact, she and Diljit will perform to the song live!

The episode will also see the introduction of two wild card entrants  those contestants who had to exit because they didnt get enough votes the first time round.

The film also stars Suraj Sharma of Life of Pi fame and is slated to release on March 24.
Mumbai: Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khans son Taimur has become quite the social media sensation. While a recent picture of the little one went viral for the adorable features he possessed, it had all started with Twitteratti welcoming him by trolling his name as it resembled the name of a 14th century autocratic tyrant.

This was followed by a report which said that Kareena referred to her first child as Little John. Kareena has finally responded to the reports and slammed them in style.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, the actress said, "No. I want to clarify that (referring to Taimur as Little John). How can anyone think that? Why would I call my son Little John? My sons name is Taimur. It is the most beautiful name, and he is the most beautiful and gorgeous man (smiles). And, no, I dont call him Little John. Please address him as Taimur Ali Khan."

The actress has also been saying that she is the best phase of her life and enjoying motherhood as she has started attending events and will soon begin shooting her next film Veere Di Wedding.
The actress will next be seen in Sonakshi Sinha's 'Noor'.

Mumbai: Bollywood diva Sunny Leone has partnered with Emojifi to release her series of sticker emoticons which can be used across chat applications i.e. whatsapp, fb messenger, hangout, hike, etc.

The stickers are designed so that her fans can use and share the stickers in their daily conversations with friends and family.

Stickers are suggested live as you type during your chat conversation.

All the stickers will be available on the emojifi app which is available on Google Playstore and App Store.

Sunny, who was last seen performing the iconic Laila O Laila in Shah Rukh Khans Raees, will next be seen in Sonakshi Sinhas Noor and Ajay Devgns Baadshaho doing special cameos.
Mumbai: The White House press corps recently got a special caffeine boost, courtesy of Tom Hanks.

In his very unique way to surprise the reporters covering the Trump administration, the ' Forest Gump' star sent a brand new espresso machine to them, adding a note of encouragement.

It read, "Keep up the good fight for Truth, Justice and the American way. Especially for the Truth part."

The note, typed in Hanks' signature style, includes an illustration with the caption, "Fresh, spirited American troops, flushed with victory, are bringing in thousands of hungry, ragged, battle-weary prisoners."

Journalist Peter Alexander took to Twitter to thank Hanks for the gift and wrote, "BREAKING: White House press corps receives brand-new espresso machine from @tomhanks. Come for the coffee... stay for his note."

Reportedly, this is the third espresso machine sent by the ' Sully' actor to journalists covering the White House, as part of a tradition he started in 2004.
The former frontman of the group Noise Addict explains the religion's core beliefs with references to the Koran. (Photo: AFP)

Distraught by the treatment of Muslims in Donald Trump's America, indie rocker Ben Lee felt he could seize on his own skills to encourage understanding.The former frontman of the group Noise Addict has recorded an album of songs about Islam and, hoping for the greatest impact, geared them toward children.

With chipper arrangements that would be at home in kindergarten classrooms, "Ben Lee Sings Songs About Islam for the Whole Family" explains the religion's core beliefs with references to the Koran.Lee, an Australian who lives in Los Angeles, said he knew the power of songs through his career and also by observing his seven-year-old daughter.

"That's the beauty of the pop song -- you can say anything, and if you say it in two and a half minutes with a catchy chorus, it becomes digestible," said the affable 38-year-old."I think I'm at the point in my life where you start realizing that any lasting effect that you're going to have on the human race is going to be through the influence you can make on the next generation," he told AFP with a chuckle.

Lee will donate all proceeds from the album to the American Civil Liberties Union which has aggressively challenged Trump on rights issues including his sweeping ban -- since suspended by the courts -- on travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations.

Non-literal take on faith

But Lee does not see his album, which comes out Friday, as political. Instead, he is hoping to bring a nuanced understanding of religion.Lee, who grew up Jewish, said he had reached a spiritual "fork in the road" where he could no longer take religions literally but wanted to appreciate them.

The album's goal "is to focus on the commonalities and on beginning to think mythologically about these cultural narratives -- and introducing children to thinking in that way as opposed to thinking literally," Lee said."All of these religions are like Greek myths or Shakespeare. They provide great insights into humanity."

The music on "Ben Lee Sings Songs About Islam for the Whole Family" is upbeat and direct.On "Ramadan," Lee strums a folk-rock guitar to maracas and a bit of jazzy piano as he explains the holy month of fasting."Ramadan, oh Ramadan / We're so happy when you come / And sad to leave you when you're gone / We'll miss you, Ramadan," he sings.

On "La Ilaha Il Allah," Lee turns the core Arabic-language creed of Islam -- "There is no God but God" -- into a campfire-like sing-along alongside religious stories. Lee then goes into a rocking chorus to tell the religion's meaning on "Islam Means Surrender."

Full respect intended

Lee said he has read much of the Koran and studied Sufism, Islam's mystical movement that embraces music as a spiritual path.More conservative Islamic schools, notably the Wahhabis who dominate Saudi Arabia, frown on music in religion.Lee said he fully intended his album to be respectful.

"I'm not depicting pictures of Mohammed," he said, in reference to Islam's general prohibition on images of its prophet, "I'm singing songs. I would never want to do something that's perceived as an insult."Lee has been working on five separate albums on major religions -- Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism -- but said he hurried out his latest work in light of current events.

Lee, who has collaborated with leading alternative rockers including Liz Phair and Dinosaur Jr.'s Lou Barlow, in 2013 put out an album on his experiences with ayahuasca, the psychedelic brew from Amazonian shamans."I've always been interested in taking fairly fringe concepts and making them palatable," he said.

In a political climate that some have described as "post-truth," Lee said his look into religion was all the more timely."All religions -- no matter how much they've been misinterpreted by fundamentalists and by orthodoxy and literalists -- at their core are about a search for truth," he said.
The patient's gallbladder was extremely inflamed and had grown six times its original size (Photo: AFP)

New Delhi: A 60-year-old woman, who was suffering from acute stomach pain, had over 830 stones removed from her gallbladder at a city hospital here, doctors said today.

The patient, suspected to be suffering from a cancerous tumour, had also been experiencing intermittent bouts of fever and was advised to go for an ultrasound and CT scan.

A team of specialists at Fortis Hospital in Shalimar Bagh performed a two-hour laparoscopic procedure on the patient in January to remove her gallbladder.

"The patient's gallbladder was extremely inflamed and had grown six times its original size. As per plan, this was a laparoscopic surgery wherein her gallbladder would be removed," said Amit Javed, consultant, gastrointestinal surgery at Fortis Hospital.

"However, after its removal, when we opened the gallbladder to look at what was inside before sending it for biopsy, to our astonishment, we found several hundred small and large gall stones inside it. In total, there were 838 gallstones," Javed said.

Gallstones cause inflammation of gall bladder, severe pain and symptoms of indigestion and complications like blockage of the bile duct, leading to jaundice, severe infection, and pancreatitis. They are also commonly found in patients with gall bladder cancer.

"The only remedy to both gallstones as well as cancer of the gallbladder is complete removal of the organ. Gallstones are masses formed abnormally in the gall bladder or bile ducts from bile pigments, cholesterol, and calcium salts.

"Gallstones can also develop when there is too much cholesterol in the bile secreted by the liver. The incidents of gallbladder cancer in North and Central India are very high, and commoner in women. Northern India is much more prone to gallbladder cancer than South India," Mahipal Bhanot, Facility Director at the hospital said.
New Delhi: With India Beach Fashion Week all set to hit Goa soon for its 4th season, here's a sneak peek at the thrilling ride ahead.

Crocs, is the associate sponsor for India's biggest resort-wear fashion event, where the brand will collaborate with six designers from the resort wear segment of the fashion industry.

The three-day extravaganza, which will kick-start from March 6 to March 8, will witness a wide variety of beach-friendly styles for men, women and kids in the collections from designers Asmita Marwa, Flirtacious, Ken Ferns, Sanjay Hingu and Asif Merchant.

Stylish mesh sneakers, heels, wedges, funky sandals, slides, beach flip flops and many more designs have been selected as a part of their runway collection for the ramp show.

Sanjay Hingu and Asif Merchant's blue and white range of resort wear will be going the casual way, while brand Flirtacious will be sporting fun wedges by Crocs to compliment their multi-coloured swimwear collection.

Ken Ferns' fun collection full of prints and twisted colors paired with the best of the shoes that Crocs has to offer will tempt you to get your hands on the complete look right away. Adding to the fun, celebrities like Lopamudra Raut and Rhea Chakraborty will be seen walking the ramp.

Crocs is all for promoting new talents and this will be showcased on the ramp by 8 Gen-Next designers on Day 2. Asmita Marwa will be sporting multiple styles from Crocs with a surprise element for the audience on Day 3.

Deepak Chhabra, Chief Executive Officer, Crocs India said: "India Beach Fashion Week has emerged as Asia's largest consortium of designers under the same category. We believe that this festival will be a good opportunity to connect with an engaged and targeted audience. We are excited that this collaboration will help us reiterate our brand's ethos of creativity, playful energy and love for fashion. I am confident that this show will be a spectacular success."
Azerbaijan escalated situation on the border to silence its people - Shahin Mirzoyev (video)

The recent tensions on the Karabakh-Azerbaijan border are resulted by Aliyev's domestic policies, says Shahin Mirzoyev, an activist and member of Azerbaijans ethnic Talysh minority, who fled Azerbaijan and was granted political asylum by the Armenian authorities. It is well known that Aliyev appointed his wife [Mehriban] as first vice-president and Minister of Internal Affairs appointed his son as his deputy, which caused public outcry. They aggravated the situation to silence their people, he said. Mirzoyev understands the Talysh families who have remained in Azerbaijan despite their great desire to leave the country. A needless word or step and it will mean an end not only for them but also for their relatives, he said adding that his relatives in Azerbaijan are also in danger. Shahin Mirzoyev says he is threatened every day. Even members of the Azerbaijani parliament offer to execute him as an enemy of the state. Mirzoyev says people in Armenia treated him very well and he is trying to adapt to local life. He thinks the karabakh conflict will be resolved only after the collapse of the Aliyev regime. The weapon of each and every leader is his people, but Aliyev does not have that weapon, he said in conclusion.
The tribute video to Baba Ramdev now has over nine lakh views on Youtube. (Photo: Youtube)

Baba Ramdev has amazed quite a few thousand people and with his regular antics we cant help but be amused with the yoga guru. A Youtuber has paid tribute to the Baba with a hilarious yoga dance that is also going viral.

The Youtuber Shraey Khanna along with a dance troupe is seen grooving to a fusion of yoga and contemporary dance moves. The video obviously has the popular voice of Baba Ramdev in the background during his yoga sessions and obviously that signature laugh.

The video also features some of Baba Ramdevs health tips mimicked by the dancers. The funny video now has over nine lakh views on Youtube and we bet even the yoga guru would enjoy watching it.

Watch the video here:
I was sitting with a 40-year-old woman in a burqa, talking to men about womens safety in Mandaveli in East Delhi, when a man said that it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to provide safety to women who are stepping out to work and they are all so sexy, it gets difficult. The woman in the burqa protested that she was grabbed a day ago! That is when I realised that these men are not even talking about real women. They are viewing women from a certain perspective due to a certain kind of porn that is circulating on social media, says filmmaker Madhureeta Anand.

Madhureeta is making a documentary on how porn is shaping mens thoughts about women. Even sex workers are complaining that men come and want to try all sorts of weird things. Sex workers tell them that there is a difference between pornography and real life. Ideas about BDSM have been messed up. A lot of porn is confusing young people. So, I have realised that teaching women about womens safety makes no sense. We need to reach out to men.

Madhureeta says that she enjoys porn as well but people need to understand what kind of porn is not right to watch. No, we do not want to ban porn at all. We recognise the fact that people want to watch porn and banning something is never the solution. Anyway, we are living in a digital age and no matter what you do, people will find a way around it. There can be policing for people who watch rape videos and child porn; but everything else is a useless pursuit. We want to work with people who are watching porn regularly.

The past four or five years has seen an explosion of male WhatsApp groups leading to a free sharing of porn. The person who is receiving it doesnt really have a choice. These videos dont consider factors like the state of the receivers mental health. Many people sharing and receiving these videos dont even know that its illegal to watch child porn and rape videos. I feel this a ticking time bomb and needs to be addressed at large. Young people do not know if there has been any manipulation in these videos and the figures are alarming, rues Madhureeta.

A 2014 study, by the NGO Rescue, showed that 80 per cent of college students are accessing porn on their phones. About 40 per cent of them watch rape porn regularly. Of the ones watching rape porn, 76 per cent said that they really feel like raping women after watching it. This is the kind of direct result that we have seen. Men are showing off porn videos now. It has gotten a sense of acceptance. Many youngsters want to be like the men in these videos. It is not just the safety of women but also the mental well being of men that is at stake here, she explains,

The awareness series that Madhureeta wants to make will be circulated on men-only WhatsApp groups and will also be given to schools if they want it. It will also be dubbed in several languages for a wider reach. We are dealing with factors like illiteracy and the fact that this series wont be watched with family. So we plan to have a direct communication, we will also be providing helpline numbers, she says.

While doing research for this documentary, a lot of information emerged about porn viewing habits in India, most of which happens to be illegal. But we dont want to put out messages that judge people who watch porn. The last thing you want to tell an addict is that it is morally wrong. It is a sure way of putting them off, she adds.

Madhureeta has also met men who say they are fed up of the overdose of explicit porn videos. I asked them why dont they get off these groups? I was told that the moment you get off these groups your friends call to ask what happened, you went soft? This sort of crude stuff occurs. So for an attitude change, someone from the inside will have to make a positive move. To make this happen, Madhureeta has tied up with some NGOs that work with men, who will take it to communities and schools and start talking about it.

Talking about the role of cyber cell to stop illegal videos from circulating, she says, They have banned quite a few websites that have child pornography. The efforts are real but not enough. The main issue is that people dont think it is really bad. They havent really understood the exact implications of something like this. If a cop is sitting with a guy who is watching a rape video, he is not likely to arrest him. It is because nobody has made the effort to make him understand that this kind of porn is totally illegal. No body has understood the legality and our position on matters relating to sex and sexuality is already very private. You can consume porn privately but you are not supposed to talk about it publicly. There are blurry lines. The court has given some really good judgements related to rape and child porn, but people dont know them.

Madhureeta is trying to tell people that they can differentiate between legal and illegal porn. For example, in the West if you are watching a rape video or child porn, you certainly know that you are doing a wrong thing. But in India we are not sure. Such is the mindset. Of course we are not telling people what to watch, everyone has different preferences when it comes to porn. But we will definitely tell people that if rape and child porn is found on you, you can go to jail for ten years. They should start to tell the difference themselves. In the documentary series she also plans to include quotes by people who many men look up to.

Crowdfunding for the project on Wishberry, Madhureeta adds, I am not only getting funders but partners in this movement too. The idea is to impact society. It is about people. Every person who puts in money for this is sort of committing to this cause. I hope this documentary will create enough awareness and let people choose their porn wisely.
New Delhi: On the basis of a complaint by a female Chinese student, who was allegedly molested by a pot vendor at her rented house in Kailash colony in South Delhi, the Delhi Police has arrested the accused.

In her complaint, the Lady Shri Ram College student alleged that a pot vendor had molested her, when she refused to buy his flower pot.

On the basis of her complaint, a case was registered under section 354 (molestation) against the culprit, identified as Avinish at the police station.

A manhunt was then launched to nab the accused on the basis of description given by the complainant.
Kohima: One kilogramme of a banned drug commonly know as 'Horse Drug' was seized and one person was arrested in this connection by police from the Nagaland-Manipur inter-state check gate.

Police seized one kilogramme of Horse Drug having composition of methamphetamine and caffeine from the possession of Hussain Ahmed (26) of Brahmanshsan Block-2, Karimganj district of Assam yesterday while conducting routine frisking of vehicles, said PRO Kohima Police Atu Zumvu.

The illegal drug was found neatly wrapped in four packets, he said.

As per preliminary statement of the accused, the drug was procured from Senapati in Manipur and was supposed to be delivered to a client at Dimapur in Nagaland.

This illegal drug is especially popular in Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines where it is imported from Burma or Laos.

In this connection a case has been registered at Khuzama Police Station under NDPS Act and further investigation is in progress, Police added.
Ludhiana: Two teenaged sisters, who were thrown into a canal by their parents over suspicion that they had boyfriends, were forced to write a note by their father, to make the murder look like a suicide.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, one of the sisters, 15-year-old Jyoti, died while her sibling Priti survived. They were found floating in the water by a passerby at the Sidhwan canal near Barewal bridge in Ludhiana.

It was the girls mother who cracked and told the police that she along with her husband had hatched a plan to murder their daughter by drowning them in a canal. The father forced them into writing a suicide note to escape police action. They had planned to file a missing persons report after getting rid of their daughters.

The couple had drugged their daughters and threw them into a canal, on suspicion of having boyfriends without their approval, police said.

According to the police, the girls had come late on Monday night, which 'confirmed' the parents doubts that they were in a relationship. Both of them were studying in Grade 10.

Her father offered them food laced with drugs. When they lost consciousness, their parents threw them in a canal, Sub-Inspector Davinder Sharma was quoted as saying.

He further added that the parents had tried to strangle Jyoti before throwing her into the canal.

Priti had first claimed that she was an orphan and used to beg for food. She also said that she used to beg for food at a nearby temple and became unconscious after eating food given by a stranger.

However, after persistent questioning, the girl narrated the incident.

The police are on the lookout for the parents -- Uday Chand and Laxmi  who have been charged with murder and attempted murder.
The MLAs personal assistant J. Ashok Reddy not only abused the lineman but also hit him in the presence of Congress workers and leaders. (Representational image)

Hyderabad: Angry at Telangana State Transco department lineman D. Ramesh for disconnecting the power supply to his residence in Parigi town on Wednesday evening, local Congress MLA T. Rammohan Reddy abused and even threatened to take action against him.

Mr Rammohan Reddy went to the extent of telling Mr Ramesh that one day, he will be the minister for power or the chief minister when the Congress returns to power in the next elections to beheld in 2019.

The MLAs personal assistant J. Ashok Reddy not only abused the lineman but also hit him in the presence of Congress workers and leaders.

MLAs assistant booked for assault on lineman

Angry at power lineman D. Ramesh for disconnecting supply to his residence in Parigi town on Wednesday evening, Congress MLA T. Rammohan Reddy abused the linesman while his PA beat him up.

Mr Ramesh disconnected the power supply because the MLA had not paid his power bill of Rs 6,000 for January before the due date of February 25.

On a complaint from the lineman, Parigi police registered a case against the MLA's PA for assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging his duty (353), voluntarily causing hurt (323) and intentionally insulting (504), of the IPC.

We are collecting evidence. Based on that we will proceed, sub-inspector Y. Nagesh told DC. Mr Ramesh had gone to the residence of Mr Rammohan Reddy on Wednesday to demand payment of the overdue power bill. The MLAs assistant was sitting with a group of Congress leaders and workers and when Mr Ramesh told him that he would have to disconnect the supply if the power bill was not paid, an angry Ashok Reddy told him: Is this how you demand payment? You want to defame the MLA in presence of his partymen? We wont pay you anything... go and do whatever you want to.

Mr Ramesh then spoke to his superior in the power department and immediately came back and disconnected the supply. Mr Ashok Reddy then attacked the lineman and beat him up.

The MLA, who was away at the time, called up Mr Ramesh and abused him, warning him he will one day be a minister or Chief Minister. At around 10 pm, Mr Ramesh lodged a police complaint against Mr Ashok Reddy. Neither the MLA nor his assistant responded to calls by this correspondent.
The head was completely detached from the torso. Police could not confirm if the victim was murdered or died of natural cause. (Representational image)

Hyderabad: The headless body of a middle-aged man was found at the polo ground in Secunderabad on Friday. The body was decomposed and was being dragged by a pack of dogs. Locals found the skull and torso of the victim when dogs were feeding on it. Police suspect the body is around five days old.

Begumpet police, who shifted the body to the morgue, said there are injuries on the hands and legs. The head was completely detached from the torso. Police could not confirm if the victim was murdered or died of natural cause. The body was found in a corner of the ground where bushes are there. No one had noticed it. We are not sure how the body ended up there, said a police officer from Begumpet. Police said the man has not yet been identified.
M. Abhishek, 22, and K. Samyuktha, 21, poured kerosene over their bodies and set fire to themselves at a flat in Ramnagar. (Representational image)

Hyderabad: A BTech student died and her boyfriend suffered serious injuries when they both set themselves ablaze at their friend's house at Musheerabad. The duo, engineering students of JNTU, visited their friend's house on Friday and when her friends went out, they set themselves ablaze.

M. Abhishek, 22, and K. Samyuktha, 21, poured kerosene over their bodies and set fire to themselves at a flat in Ramnagar. Neighbours and their friends broke into the house and tried to rescue them. While Samyuktha died on the spot, Abhishek is undergoing treatment at Gandhi Hospital with severe burns.

Police suspect they decided to end their lives as their families were against their marriage.

Police said Abhishek and Samyuktha belonged to Narsapur in Medak district. They have been in a relationship for a while. They frequently used to visit their friend's house in Ramnagar.

"On Friday, they came to their friend's house and stayed there saying they wanted to prepare for an upcoming examination. When their friend went out they committed suicide," said a police officer from Musheerabad.

Police officials said that Abhishek had undergone a kidney transplant surgery six months ago and both he and his girlfriend were worried about his health. Cops are investigating if this was one of the reason for their suicide. Musheerabad police booked a case and started an investigation.
The toddler was seen completely engrossed in playing with a paper boat she was holding. (Representational image)

Bhopal: A local court here on Thursday evening witnessed a heart-rending sight with a three-year-old girl, a rape victim, seen fiddling with a paper boat all through the proceedings involving her and her mothers deposition in the case, apparently being oblivious of the tragedy that had befallen on her.

The toddler was seen completely engrossed in playing with a paper boat she was holding. She occasionally also looked at the ink on her fingers applied by the court officials to take finger prints.

Her nervous looks and blank stares during her deposition turned the court proceedings into a somber affair.

She was a very lively and vivacious girl before the incident. She now appears completely nervous, the childs kin who were accompanied her told the media here.

We are devastated, they said. Her parents learnt about sexual abuse of their child, a nursery student, when they visited a doctor after they noticed her injuries.

They later approached the Kolar police station here to register FIR against the accused, Ashutosh Pratap Singh who ran the preschool.

But, they were turned away by the in-charge of the police station Gaurav Singh Bundela and the FIR was registered three days later on February 27 following intervention of a senior police officer. The accused was arrested on March 1 and remanded to police custody till March 14.

Incidentally, a video showing the accused in the company of the station house officer of the police station Bundela, has gone viral forcing the authorities to shun him.

According to the preliminary medical examinations the girl was raped. Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh human rights commission has sought a report from the police seeking an explanation on the delay in registering an FIR in the case.
Hyderabad: Following alleged harassment from senior officials and facing charges of corruption, sub-inspector G. Chittibabu, 55, shot his wife dead with his service revolver and killed himself in Siddipet district on Friday.

Chittibabu was recently attached to the ACP office from the police station at Dubbaka. DIG, Hyderabad range, Akun Sabharwal said the Medak assistant superintendent of police would inquire into the case.

The murder-suicide occurred less than an hour after senior police officials had addressed a press meet in Dubbaka regarding the arrest of some persons pretending to be journalists.

Chittibabu and his wife Sarojana had returned to their home at the police quarters in Dubbaka from Siddipet in the afternoon.

Siddipet commissoner insulted dad, says son

When his driver Prabhakar went to their house to arrange lunch, he found them lying in blood.

Prabhakar called his colleagues who rushed to the spot. They found Sarojana dead and Chittibabu gasping. They rushed him to a hospital where he died.

Chittibabus family alleged that he committed suicide as he was unable to bear the harassment of his superiors. His son Prem Kumar said the Siddipet commissioner, ACP and inspector had been harassing his father as he was a Dalit. Even yesterday he told me that the commissioner had insulted him, Mr Prem Kumar alleged.

Scores of villagers and Dalit activists staged a protest in front of the Dubbaka police station. Senior BJP leader Raghunandan Rao claimed it was a government murder.

Siddipet police commissioner Shivakumar said Chittibabu had been suspended on March 1 after complaints of irregularities and involvement in civil disputes, but the orders had not been served.
Civil activist enters 10th day of hunger strike

Activist Hayk Kyureghyan has entered the 10th day of his hunger strike in support of Artur Sargsyan (nicknamed Bringer of Bread). Artur Sargsyan drove his car through a police cordon on July 26 to take food to the members of the Sasna Dzrer group who remained barricaded in a police station they had seized two weeks ago. Sargsyan has been on hunger strike at the Convicts Hospital for more than 20 days in protest against a court decision to release him from pre-trial detention on his own recognizance. A1+ Company learned from the Penitentiary Department of the Justice Ministry that Kyureghyans condition is satisfactory and he is under medical supervision. In September 2015, civil activist Hayk Kyureghyan was sentenced to nine years in prison for firing an air pistol in the direction of police in July, 2014. He was detained following an incident that occurred on July 12, 2014 before a trial of opposition Tsekhakron Party leader Shant Harutyunyan and his friends. The young man climbed atop a car in a court yard and shot an air pistol off several times in the direction of the police to protest the way political trials are handled in Armenia. The prosecutor in the case had asked 14 years for the activist. Hayks father, Armenak Kyureghyan, does not have any news about his son. Hayk has not contacted his family since he started the hunger strike. Inmates usually make telephone calls to stay in contact with their family members. They phone in turn. Hayks turn has not come yet, says Armenak Kyureghyan. Hayk is serving his prison term in the Armavir penitentiary institution.
Kollam: Mathew Roy, a Lance Naik in the Indian Army who had been shown as part of a sting operation highlighting the controversial 'sahayak' system, was found dead a few days after he went 'missing' and his crushed family is crying out for justice.

Roy Mathew's decomposing body, indicating that he was dead for at least three days, was found in a barrack in Maharashtra's Deolali Cantonment late on Thursday.

In the sting operation earlier, Roy allegedly appeared and exposed the system in which jawans were often subjected to tasks by officers including walking dogs and taking children to school.

A troubled Roy had called his family after the sting operation was aired on the television, and had conveyed that his life was in danger, following which he mysteriously disappeared.

"He called me about what was being shown on the TV channels and was crying. I told him that everything will be alright and not to worry. After that I tried calling him again but his phone was switched off. I need to know what happened to my husband," said Roy's wife Fini amid tears.

After Roy's disturbing phone call, his family immediately filed a complaint in the local police station, alleging that the soldier was being harassed in his work place.

However, the Army has categorically ruled out murder and has asserted that it seems to be a clear case of 'suicide'.

"Preliminary investigations have now revealed that the suicide may be the result of a series of events which were triggered by media personnel managing to videograph the deceased by asking leading questions on his duties as a buddy, without his knowledge. It is very likely that the guilt factor of letting down his superiors or conveying the false impression to an unknown individual, led to take the extreme step," the Army said in a statement.
They also protested against the laxity on the part of the authorities in handling the case.

Madurai: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed two PILs filed against supply of Thamirabarani water in the manufacture of the two popular colas of American multinational corporations.

The order also removed the interim stay passed by this court in November 2016 banning the co-packers of Pepsi and Coca-Cola from using the water from the river for their bottling plant. While the division bench comprising Justice A. Selvam and P. Kalai-yarasan in the order charged one of the PIL petitioners  DA Prabakar, secretary of the Tirunelveli District Consumer Protection Association  for approaching the court with malafide intention for vindictive enmity, they also recorded their anguish against the government for not taking steps to improve the irrigation system during the last 70 years after independence to avoid the surplus outflow of Thamirabarani river water into the sea.

Even after micro level study and recommendations to conserve the surface water in the upper reaches by forming new tanks/ponds according to the topography of the area to avoid surplus outlet into the seas as well as transferring the surplus water of Thamirabarani basin to adjoining basins, nothing has moved.

The managing director of South India Bottling Co (P) Ltd, co-packers for Coca-Cola Company, SIPCOT Industrial Growth Centre, Gangaikondan village, Tirunelveli, in his counter, told the court that Prabakar, who was dealing with the companys cases for nearly three years, was removed from service for unethical practices.

He had since then been filing petitions against them before various forums and also in National Green Tribunal, South Zone to settle personal grievances, and his writ petition does not involve any issue of public interest. Considering this, while the court condemned Prabakar it also observed that PIL shouldnt be allowed to be misused for enmity.

Prathishta Business Solution Pvt. Ltd, the co-packer of Pepsi Cola Company and South India Bottling Company, were operating in 30 acres each in Gangaikondan SIPCOT after signing a contract for a period of 99 years with the state government. The government also agreed to supply 9 lakh litres and 15 lakh liters of water daily to these two companies respectively at a rate of `37.50 per 1,000 litres.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the RSS leader who offered bounty for his head (Photo: PTI/ANI)

Ujjain: RSS leader Kundan Chandravat, who had announced a bounty of Rs 1 crore for beheading the Kerala Chief Minister, has retracted his statement after it drew condemnation from various quarters including the Sangh.

Chandravat, RSS Sah Prachar Pramukh in Ujjain, claimed he got some phone calls from Kerala threatening to kill him and was being targeted in social media.

"I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it (statement) and express my regret," Chandravat said in a statement late last night.

"I also got some phone calls from Kerala in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill me," he claimed.

Chandravat, in a meeting here, had announced the bounty to avenge the killing of RSS workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI-M workers.

His speech sparked an uproar, drawing condemnation from the RSS, the CPI(M) and the Congress on Friday.

In a video, which went viral, Chandravat is purportedly seen saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killing of RSS workers there and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him and brings his (Vijayan's) head to him.

He also claimed that 300 innocent people belonging to the RSS had been killed but the Kerala Chief Minister was turning a blind eye.

The RSS was quick to condemn Chandravat's statement, stating the organisation did not believe in violence.

"The RSS strongly condemns such statement. The Sangh does not believe in violence. But we will continue to protest against attacks on our workers in Kerala in a democratic and peaceful manner," RSS national 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' (Joint Chief of Publicity) J Nandakumar had told PTI in Delhi.

Vijayan, however, dismissed the threat to his life, saying such calls would not prevent him from travelling around, while Kerala's ruling CPI(M) and Congress sought the arrest of Chandravat for his outrageous comments.

Kerala has been witnessing a series of political clashes between the cadres of BJP-RSS and the ruling CPI(M),especially in the northern Kannur district from where Vijayan hails, for a long time. Both parties have blamed each other for the cycle of violence which has claimed several lives on both sides.
New Delhi: The daughter of Pathankot martyr Lance Naik Moolraj on Friday urged Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur not to insult her father Captain Mandeep Singhs sacrifice.

I just want to ask Gurmehar to stop insulting her fathers sacrifice. Please Gurmehar stop criticizing the people, who have given their lives for this country and the people, who have lost their sons and fathers, the girl Pooja said.

Gurmehar shot to limelight last week after her Facebook post taking on the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP) went viral. She also drew flak after one of her older social media posts on her father, killed in Kashmir during the Kargil war, and her perceptions about Pakistan and war surfaced.

Pakistan did not kill my father. War killed him, read one part of the post.

Clashes had erupted last week after the ABVP allegedly manhandled and thrashed students protesting the cancellation of an event at Ramjas College at which controversial JNU student Umar Khalid was scheduled to speak.
New Delhi: Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi today pitched for "zero tolerance" for child begging.



"We have decided to come down heavily on children begging. I am planning a meeting with the Commissioner of Police and say zero tolerance (sic). I am not against begging but there should be no children on the street for begging," Gandhi said at a conclave hosted by FICCI Ladies Organisation.



She said she will also meet the Delhi Police Commissioner to curb child begging in the national capital.



The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)- the apex body for children under the Women and Child Development Ministry- had recently released its 'Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Children in Street Situations'.



The SOP lays down a sequence of actions to be taken for restoration and rehabilitation of street children. It has assigned NGO 'Childline' to be "the first point of contact" for rescuing street children.



Children recovered by the NGO will next be produced before a Child Welfare Committee (CWC).



Thereafter, the CWC will pass an interim order for short-term care and will send the child to the nearest Child Care Institute (CCI) or a "fit person" until his or her family can be contacted.



The SOP also aims to provide these children with an Aadhaar card, a bank account, health insurance as well as a sponsorship scheme to help meet educational, nutritional and medical needs.



Save the Children, an NGO which helped NCPCR formulate these guidelines, had also announced last month that they plan to provide Aadhaar cards to all 50,000 street children in Delhi in the next six months.
Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition in Kerala Assembly staged a walkout on Friday after alleging that the government has leaked excerpts of the Budget for 2017-18 on Facebook.

Congress-led opposition legislators read out details of the state budget even as finance minister Thomas Isaac was presenting the document in the Assembly.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the finance minister should resign, because the budget was leaked from his office and its details were on social media before his speech.

The sanctity of the budget has been compromised. It has never happened in the legislative history of the country. The finance minister has no moral responsibility to continue in office, Congress spokesman Rajmohan Unnithan was reported as saying.

Meanwhile, Kerala government ordered a probe into the matter. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called it an unprecedented situation and Speaker Sreerama Krishanan said if the budget was leaked out it was a serious issue.

Isaac said that highlights of the Budget were sent to media by the Finance Minister's office and some of the announcement was released even before it was presented in the Assembly.

Only highlights meant for media were circulated, said Thomas Isaac.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the RSS leader who offered bounty for his head (Photo: PTI/ANI)

New Delhi: RSS leader Kundan Chandravat may have regretted announcing a bounty of Rs 1 crore for beheading the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, but the Sangh Parivar doesnt seem to think its enough. RSS sacked him from all posts in the organisation for his remarks that stirred a political storm in Kerala.

Kundan who made controversial statement at Ujjain protest mtg has been relieved of his responsibility in RSS, (sic) said a statement issued by the official Twitter handle of RSS.

Read: RSS leader 'regrets' offering Rs 1 cr for Kerala CMs head, retracts statement

Chandravat, 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' (Joint Chief of Publicity) of RSS in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, announced the reward to avenge the killing of its workers in Kerala, but the Sangh had immediately distanced itself from the comments.

Facing massive backlash from all quarters, the leader said he regretted his statement.

"I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it (statement) and express my regret," Chandravat said in a statement late Thursday night.

In a video, which went viral, Chandravat was purportedly seen saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killing of RSS workers there and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him and brings his (Vijayan's) head to him.

He also claimed that 300 innocent people belonging to the RSS had been killed but the Kerala Chief Minister was turning a blind eye.

The RSS had condemned Chandravat's statement, stating the organisation did not believe in violence.

"The RSS strongly condemns such statement. The Sangh does not believe in violence. But we will continue to protest against attacks on our workers in Kerala in a democratic and peaceful manner," RSS national 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' J Nandakumar had told PTI in Delhi.

Vijayan, however, dismissed the threat to his life, saying such calls would not prevent him from travelling around, while Kerala's ruling CPI(M) and Congress sought the arrest of Chandravat for his outrageous comments.

Kerala has been witnessing a series of political clashes between the cadres of BJP-RSS and the ruling CPI(M),especially in the northern Kannur district from where Vijayan hails for a long time. Both parties have blamed each other for the cycle of violence which has claimed several lives on both sides.
RSS activists protest against attack on their office in Kerala. (Photo: ANI Twitter)

Kozhikode: A day after bomb was hurled at a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office in Kallachy near Nadapuram, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) office at Vishnumangalam was set on fire by unidentified people on Thursday night.

No casualty has been reported so far in the incident.

In the attack at RSS office, four workers were injured after some unknown persons hurled a crude bomb. The injured have been identified as Babu, Vineesh, Sudhir and Sunil, police said.

While Babu and Vineesh, who suffered severe injuries in the abdomen and legs, have been admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH), the other two have been taken to a private hospital here, a senior police official said.

Investigation is underway to ascertain the motive behind the attack, he said.

The attack took place hours after an RSS functionary in Madhya Pradesh announced a Rs one crore bounty for beheading Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Kundan Chandravat, 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' of RSS in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, announced the reward to avenge the killing of its workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI-M workers.

"The Kerala Chief Minister is killing our RSS workers who want to take this country forward. I will pay Rs one crore to anyone who beheads him even if I have to sell my house," Chandravat was seen saying in a video, which has gone viral.

The RSS, however, distanced itself from Chandravat's remarks.
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday reviewed the security situation in the country, especially in Jammu and Kashmir and other border areas.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Director of Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain and other senior officials briefed the him about the prevailing situation in the country, official sources said.

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir, other border areas and the hinterland was discussed threadbare, they said.

Busy with the electioneering in Uttar Pradesh, Singh attended his office in the North Block after nearly three weeks.

He has been campaigning for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh for a month and had last attended office more than a fortnight ago.

However, the home minister has been in touch with senior officials, who have kept him in the loop on various issues regularly, sources said.
Mr Juluri, a Indian-origin professor, teaches media studies and Asian studies at the University of San Francisco and is the author of Saraswatis Intelligence. (Photo: AP/Representational image)

Visakhapatnam: Is the caste system the very essence of Hinduism? Had the social hierarchies existed only in the Hindu society? Is Brahminism synonymous with Hinduism? At least, Californias education officials believe so. This has resulted in a lawsuit by a US-based Hindu group against the US officials.

According to the lawsuit, the official history curriculum in California has taken a lenient view of other religions by refusing negative examples, which could lead to prejudice against their followers. However, Hinduism was not viewed from the same lens.

It is unfortunate that state board officials have chosen to single out Hindu children for such negative treatment. We submitted many suggested revisions to the curriculum last year, but almost all were refused, leaving us with no choice but to file this case, said Arvind Kumar, a director of the California Parents for the Equalization of Educational Materials (CAPEEM), a Hindu-American advocacy organisation. The lawsuit was filed by CAPEEM and three community members.

Reacting to this, Professor Vamsee Juluri, who is not involved in the lawsuit, said: I do think it is (lawsuit) a needed step in order to demonstrate the inequities that still persist in the curriculum. The board backed off on the move to erase India last year, but many errors and discriminatory points on Hinduism have still remained there.

Mr Juluri, a Indian-origin professor, teaches media studies and Asian studies at the University of San Francisco and is the author of Saraswatis Intelligence.

The perspective of religions other than Hinduism is provided through each religions teachings, which include many virtues and characters central to those faiths. But Hinduism is not described as virtuous and the standards do not mention any traditional Hindu characters or narrative, read the lawsuit filed against California.
Join us! Armenian Civil Society Organizations Call to the Diaspora

With this open letter we, a group of civil society and human rights organizations from Armenia appeal to the Diaspora Armenians  individuals, organizations and non-formal groups - to take an active stance in the political life of Armenia. We have always felt the great love of Diaspora for our country and are indeed grateful for immense and tireless support that our compatriots abroad were rendering to the people of Armenia throughout many years. However, since Armenias independence in 1991, we have lived  and you have witnessed  the heart-breaking conditions of our country: poverty, depopulation, and the slow surrender of our national sovereignty. Continuously rigged elections and political corruption have concentrated almost all socio economic power in the hands of an unrepresentative oligarchic elite. Natural resources are depleted to serve short-term and small group interests; poverty and social injustice grow in parallel with the remarkably improving welfare of a number of decision-makers. Civic and political rights of citizens are systematically violated, peaceful assemblies against the injustice are brutally cracked down and the controlled judiciary fails to ensure fair judgments, increasing the number of political prisoners. After all, the 4-day war of April 2016 revealed how the uncontrolled and unpunished corruption exhausts the resources of the Armenian Army and threatens the security of Armenia. Twenty-five years after the Independence, we can no longer consider these conditions to be the birth-pains of a new republic. Though it may not seem apparent upon first glance, the lack of democracy underpins nearly all other national issues. Indeed, democracy is at the heart of nation-building in the 21st century. We, the undersigned, have worked and fought tirelessly for rule of law and democracy in Armenia. We have developed the infrastructure and activated our citizens in monitoring elections  the single most fundamental process of democracy. But our resources have been limited. We are writing to tell you that we need you. Not your donations or remittances, but you  your spirit and physical presence in Armenia  here on the ground, at the voting precincts  engaging, observing, and taking ownership of your role in this historic quest for Armenian democracy. The upcoming Parliamentary Elections are of paramount importance for the country. As a result of the Constitutional Referendum of 2015, which was itself marred by rampant corruption, Armenia now begins its transition to a parliamentary republic. This means there will be no further presidential elections, and the upcoming Parliamentary Elections will decide the future of Armenia. We urge all the Diaspora organizations, institutions and active individuals to join us in our endeavors and render your support to promote justice, human rights, free and fair elections, accountable governance, civil rights and dignity. Get in touch with us, come to us and lets walk this path together. The future of Armenia is democratic, and that future begins today, with your participation and solidarity. Join us! Find out how to join our election observation efforts by visiting www.citizenobserver.am or emailing [email protected] We encourage all Armenians of the Diaspora to join, regardless of age, citizenship, political affiliation, or fluency in Armenian. Signed, Transparency International Anticorruption Center Journalists Club Asparez Europe in Law Association Helsinki Citizens Assembly Vanadzor Goris Journalists Club Centre for Community Mobilization and Support Sose NGO National Young Womens Christian Association of Armenia The Northern Branch of Eurasia Partnership Foundation Peace Dialogue NGO Womens Resource Center Public Information and Knowledge Center Foundation against Violations of Law Guarantee Center of Civil Society Lori Citizens Union LogoS NGO Regional Development and Research Center (RDRC) NGO Martuni Women's Community Council NGO "Farmers' movement" NGO Yerevan Press Club Urban Foundation Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression "Shogher" (Shines) Union New Generation Humanitarian NGO Media Initiatives Center Analytical Centre on Globalization and Regional Cooperation NGO Institute to Comprehensive Information For Equal Rights NGO Araza NGO Family and Community NGO Armenian Progressive Youth NGO Confidence healthcare NGO Havat Public Organization of Hard-of-Hearing Childrens Mothers Small and Medium Business Foundation Family Health Care Network Charitable NGO Blejan NGO World Vision Armenia Center for Economic Rights NGO Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Center Women Support to Community NGO
New Delhi: The Election Commission has rejected the response filed by AIADMK on V.K. Sasikalas elevation as interim general secretary of the party. The reason cited was that the reply was submitted by Sasikalas nephew T.T.V. Dinakaran, who is not on the poll panels list of party office bearers.

The poll body said that a response should be submitted by Sasikala herself and it should come in by March 10. Since Dinakaran is not on the list of party office bearers, hence the reply should either be submitted under your own signature or you may duly or you may duly authorise somebody to do so in your behalf, the EC notice said.

The AIADMK has defended the decision to appoint Sasikala as its interim general secretary, saying the general council of the party has the authority to make such an appointment.

It further said that the functioning of the party would have come to a standstill had a new general secretary not been appointed after the demise of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

In its response to the February 17 notice by the EC, the AIADMK also said the reply was signed by Dinakaran who was hurriedly reinducted into the party and nominated AIADMK deputy general secretary just before she left for a Karnataka prison to serve her remaining sentence in a disproportionate assets case.
New Delhi: Airports across the country have been alerted about the possibility of UP minister Gayatri Prajapati, accused of rape, trying to flee the country. A Letter of Cancellation will soon be opened against him and all airports have been alerted to prevent the 49-year-old Prajapati from fleeing the country, official sources said.

A letter of cancellation is a technical term used for alerting immigration authorities about any possible move by a suspect to leave the country.

Whenever passport of the suspect comes for immigration clearance at any exit point of the country, the automated system warns the official to not let the person leave.
Senior government sources said that regular meetings of the Commission deal with technical matters concerned with implementation of the Treaty and do not amount to talks between the two governments.

New Delhi: In a major development highlighting some improvement in ties this year and triggering speculation of a re-think of sorts by New Delhi, India has accepted Pakistans invitation to attend a meeting on the 1960 Indus Water Treaty between the two countries that will take place in Lahore later this month but senior government sources said the move does not amount to talks between the two governments and that there is no shift in the Indian governments position.

New Delhi seems to be downplaying the acceptance of the invitation. Senior government sources said that regular meetings of the Indus Commissioners are only to discuss technical matters and not political issues. But it may be recalled that in the wake of the Uri terror attack last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared at an internal meeting to review the treaty last September that blood and water cannot flow together.

After the meeting back then, the government had reportedly decided to suspend further talks and increase the utilisation of rivers flowing through Jammu and Kashmir to fully exercise Indias rights under the pact.

Senior government sources said that regular meetings of the Commission deal with technical matters concerned with implementation of the Treaty and do not amount to talks between the two governments.
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palanisamy on Friday urged Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar to exempt Tamil Nadu from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

The Chief Minister "made a request" with Javadekar in this regard during a meeting in Chennai, a brief government release said.

The Chief Minister had taken up the matter during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week.

He had urged Modi to approve two Tamil Nadu bills, allowing exemption for the students from the state from appearing in NEET to get admission into medical and dental colleges in the state.
Recently, Saudi police arrested him after the school van he was driving had an accident. (Representational image)

Hyderabad: Debts forced Srinivas, 26, from Parigi, to go to Saudi Arabia. Srinivas started working as the driver of a school bus three years ago. Recently, Saudi police arrested him after the school van he was driving had an accident.

On Thursday, his family received word that Srinivas had committed suicide three days ago. His family alleged that Srinivas was murdered by Saudi police. They demanded a thorough inquiry into his death and to bring his body home.

Oditha Srinivas was the third son of Oditha Govinda Naik and Manibai, farmers hailing from Ibrahimpur tanda in Vikarabad district. While his two elder brothers Shankar and Santosh took up farming, Srinivas went to school. But his poor finances forced him to quit studies after SSC. Since then, he had been helping his father and brother on the farm.

The situation became worse due to the monsoon failure four years ago. Srinivas, who had heard the stories of villagers who went to the Gulf, decided to go there so that he can clear his family's debts.

He always spoke about clearing debts first and then save something for the future. But he is dead in a distant land now. We are waiting to have a last look at him, his father said.

Nearly 10 days ago the school van which he was driving met with an accident and he was arrested. A court convicted him to 10 days imprisonment and fine. Three days ago he was found hanging in the prisons bathroom.

My brother is not likely to commit suicide. There is something suspicious behind his death. We appeal to the government to inquire into his death and ensure that his body reaches us, his brothers said.
Kollam: An Army man from Kollam who had alleged that he was mistreated in his Army camp, was found dead under mysterious circumstances. The body of gunner Roy Mathew, 33, of Cherukulathu Veedu at Karuvelil, Ezhukone here, was found from near the Army camp at Nasik in Maharashtra on Thursday.

Roy Mathew had joined the Indian Army about 13 years ago and was working as a gunner with the rocket regiment 214 in Nasik camp for the past one year.

The issues started as three Army men with the camp, including Roy Mathew, had given statements to a local channel there that the higher officials were mistreating them inside the camp, even forcing them to polish their shoes and wash the laundry. The visuals were taken with a hidden camera and aired with their faces masked. However, this was found out by the senior officers, allege the relatives of Roy Mathew. They said Roy Mathew had contacted his wife Fini Roy for the last time on February 25 after which he went missing. Roy had told his wife that he had some issues at his workplace. He was crying over phone, she said.

A commanding officer from the camp contacted us on Thursday morning and said a body similar to that of Roy was found from near the Army camp. It was three-day-old and was shifted for autopsy. The last time we heard from him was on February 25 when he was mentally disturbed, said Roys brother John Mathew. Thereafter, his phone remained switched off. The relatives also tried to contact the Army officers, but in vain. Roys wife has also filed a petition with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the incident.
He hanged himself using a nylon rope when his parents were not at home on Thursday evening.

Chennai: A plus-2 student in Oorapkkam in Kancheepuram district committed suicide by hanging himself after he could not perform well in the Tamil language examination on Thursday.

Police identified the deceased as K Santhosh Kumar. He hanged himself using a nylon rope when his parents were not at home on Thursday evening.
The budget has virtually doubled the allocation for paddy cultivation from Rs 385 crore last year to Rs 700 crore but agriculture as a sector has not got the impetus it deserved. There will be little for the government to boast about the increase in funds unless it is able to ensure that the farmers get the money, and that too, on time. What is actually required is a revolving fund exclusively for paddy farmers. At present, the farmers get Rs 14.70 and Rs 7.80 per kg as central and state government subsidy, respectively. They now get is separately and it will be a big boon for them if the government makes arrangement to disburse them together.

The governments behave as if it is their mercy when it comes to paddy procurement. Farmers will feel contented if the government gives them the assurance that their welfare will be taken care of. The two villains which attack paddy farmers are weeds and pests that have brought down productivity by 30 to 40 per cent. The normal production from an acre is about 2000  2250 kgs of rice but the attack by weeds and pests has seen it come down by 500 kgs. Who will take efforts to ward off this loss?

The budget is silent on the insurance scheme for farmers. A farmer gets a paltry Rs 5,000 for the loss of crops in one acre while his actual loss is its several fold. The government should have included a natural calamity fund in the budget. The intrusion of salt water in to paddy fields in Kuttanad has also not been addressed in the insurance scheme. Similarly pumping subsidy which has been allocated to them before every harvest season has also been pending since 2015.

(Author is executive director, Kuttanad Vikasana Samithi, as told to Cynthia Chandran)
KOCHI: The Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) on Friday welcomed the Kerala governments allocation of five acres of land to set up a permanent venue for the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in recognition of its impact in popularising art. This is in addition to sanctioning of a working fund of Rs 2 crore for the Biennale for the 2017-18 fiscal year. Finance Minister Dr Thomas Isaac in his budget speech announced that the state government will acquire around five acres of land, including the current Biennale venues, Aspinwall House and the Cabral Yard in Fort Kochi, to create a permanent venue for the art event.

KBF president Bose Krishnamachari said he was heartened by the governments confidence in the project, noting that Kerala is the only state to recognise the soft power of art and culture. Our prime aim is to make art and culture a part of our education system and we have been rolling out a number of initiatives to achieve it. The latest Budget allocation shows the confidence the state has in us and that is a great recognition, he said. The budgetary provision is in line with Chief Minister Mr Pinayari Vijayans assurance at the inaugural ceremony of KMB 2016 in December that efforts were being made by his government to develop the Kochi event along the lines of the Venice Biennale. KBF secretary Riyas Komu said the move also reflects the perseverance of all stakeholders in proving to the government as well as the public that the Biennale is a celebration of art and culture that is worth promoting.

In the current scenario of widespread funding cuts for such programmes, the Kerala government is setting an example by investing back into art and culture, he said. This is now 'People's Biennale'. A permanent venue had always been a dream; it will now become a reality. We also welcome the governments commendable move to encourage artists by promising grants," he said. The state government had earlier allocated Rs 7.5 crore in the budget for the ongoing KMB, which is witnessing participation of 97 artists from over 31 countries. The third edition of the Biennale, which runs for 108 days, will end on March 29.
Guwahati: Terming the BJP-led Assam government as "courage-less", former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday demanded assurance from the Centre that the Naga Peace Accord will not affect the state.

"Has the Sarbananda Sonowal government informed the Centre that there has been widespread resentment against privatisation of oilfields? Have they told that it will go against the interest of the people? They simply do not have the courage," Gogoi said at a press conference at Assam Assembly complex.

He alleged that the proposed amendment to Citizenship Act will go against the people of the state as it will allow Bangladeshi immigrants to settle in Assam.

On the agreement signed with militants of Nagaland, Gogoi said, "The Naga Peace Accord has been kept under the wrap for so long. Why? Not make it public. It must be confined to constitutional boundary of Nagaland. Let Assam government make it clear and we want assurance from Modi government."

Nagaland peace accord was signed in August 2015 by the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) to end insurgency in Nagaland.

Talking about the law and order situation of Assam, Gogoi alleged it has deteriorated since the BJP-led coalition came to power in the state.

"When Sarbananda Sonowal became Chief Minister, he announced he would take minimum security and remain a common man. Now he has taken Z Plus security. Why? What does this mean?" the veteran Congress leader quizzed.

Gogoi also alleged that the BJP government working for big capitalists and privatisation at the expense of the poor people.
Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

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

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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

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
Varanasi: Known to be outspoken, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Uma Bharti on Friday launched a no holds barred attack on Rahul Gandhi for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She challenged him to visit Varanasis river banks to see the clean-up work done by her government and told NDTV that either he can jump into the Ganga or I will."

She also mocked him over the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and said that he would run away to Thailand after seeing the results.

"I urge Rahul Gandhi not to run away to Thailand as he is likely to once the assembly election results are out. He should come with me to the Ganga and if work to clean it has not started, either he can jump into the Ganga or I will," she told NDTV.

She also accused the Akhilesh Yadav government of posing hurdles to her mission to clean the river Ganga and adviced Rahul Gandhi to call off the alliance with Congress.

On Thursday, Rahul had hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and had accused him of making "conditional promises and deals" even with "Ganga maa".

"Modi told Maa Ganga that first make him the Prime Minister and then only he will carry out its cleaning works," said Gandhi while seeking votes for local party MLA Ajai Rai from Pindara assembly seat under Banaras Lok Sabha constituency.

While attacking Modi for allegedly making "conditional promises" to the people of Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi promised in the same vein if Congress-SP alliance forms government in UP it "will give Rs 20 lakh to youths for starting their own business."

"Modi strikes relationships with the Ganga maa saying he he is beta of Banaras and that Maa Ganga called him to Varanasi," said Rahul and asked, "Does Maa Ganga had only one son and that too from Gujarat??

"Ganga belongs to everyone and not to a single person." Referring to a slew of PM's alleged promises for Varanasi, Rahul said "Modi had promised Metro rail, did people get it?"

"Modi talked of making Benaras a Kyoto city, give each house clean drinking water, fly luxury planes over Ganga and to set up a Bhojpuri film city here," said Rahul asking if the city got any of these things till now despite lapse of over three years since he became the PM.

Exuding confidence that Congress-SP alliance would win the UP assembly elections, Gandhi said the polling in the last five phases has shown that voters favoured Congress-SP alliance while "Modi ji lost his smiles had looked sad as if he has already lost the polls."
Back in 1954, the Justice Munir Commission report into the anti-Ahmadi violence in Punjab complained that no two Pakistani clerics could agree on the definition of a Muslim. Today, President Donald Trump might be finding himself similarly frustrated. His White House staff cannot agree on how to describe violent jihadists. Last week, in his first speech to his staff, the Presidents national security adviser, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, said the term radical Islamic terrorism wasnt helpful for US goals. His remark suggests he agrees with the approach taken by Trumps predecessor. When Barack Obama was in office, the grieving mother of a US soldier asked why the White House would not use the term Islamic terrorist. ...Al Qaeda and (Islamic State)... they have perverted and distorted and tried to claim the mantle of Islam forbarbarism and death, Obama said. ...If you had an organisation that was going around killing and blowing people up and said, Were on the vanguard of Christianity. As a Christian, Im not going to let them claim my religion and say, youre killing for Christ. I would say, thats ridiculous.

In the aftermath of the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, French President Francois Hollande took a similar line. Its a position that has sparked some debate amongst jihadists. Some have joked on social media platforms about being declared a non-Muslim  or being takfired as one put it  by Western politicians. After all, they ask, how can men such as Gen. McMaster, President Obama or President Hollande presume they have the credentials to declare who is and who isnt a Muslim? But its not just jihadists who reject the McMaster/Obama/Hollande line. Dr Sebastian Gorka, the deputy assistant to President Trump, has for some years lectured the US military on jihadism. Its about people who are fighting for the soul of Islam  not a war with Islam, but a war inside Islam,

Gorka is not arguing that violent jihadism is the only valid interpretation of the religion. On the contrary, other Muslims, he says, are struggling for their own interpretations to prevail. There are people every day risking their lives on their blog sites, in North Africa, in the Middle East pushing back on this, saying, Im a Muslim, but I dont think an infidel needs to be killed. Violent jihadists, on Gorkas account, are not non-Muslim or even bad Muslims. Rather they are valid Muslims who believe in the use of violence. Others in the new White House team have similar views. President Trumps most trusted adviser, chief strategist Steve Bannon, has been speaking about these issues for some years. In a speech given in Rome in 2014 he spoke of a coming clash between Christianity and Islam. The extent to which religion can be used to justify jihadist attacks has also been debated in the UK. In 2014, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair complained that some Western commentators went to extraordinary lengths in their attempts to deny that these conflicts were about Islam, arguing instead that local or historic factors were more important.

It was odd, he said, to deny that Islam was the central element of the various struggles. Blairs successor David Cameron made similar remarks. In the aftermath of the 7/7 attacks on Londons transport system, before he was Prime Minister, Cameron said that: the Muslims in this country doesnt support what is happening. But later he modified that position arguing that some Muslims agree with jihadists. Simply denying any connection between Islam and the extremists doesnt work, he said. So what of the new American President? He may just have appointed McMaster as his national security adviser, but there is little doubt that Trumps views are more in line with those of Gorka and Bannon. In his remarks to the Conservative Political Action Conference last week, Mr Trump said, We are going to keep radical Islamic terrorists... out of our country.

By arrangement with Dawn
The discourse during the run-up to the state Assembly elections in Manipur has confined itself to critical local issues like corruption, the ongoing four-month-long economic blockade by a frontline Naga group, fears on whether a deal with Naga rebels could see the state losing some of its Naga-inhabited territory, development or the lack of it, and, of course, insurgency and law and order. But what is brand new for Manipurs politics is that two national parties  the Congress and the BJP  are battling it out, the only two parties contesting all the 60 seats. The other major player is the Naga Peoples Front (NPF), a BJP ally which is the dominant ruling coalition partner in adjoining Nagaland. The NPF had contested 12 seats in Manipur in 2002 and had won four. This time, the NPF has put up candidates in 15 seats. Adding interest to the contest is Manipurs iron lady and rights activist Irom Sharmila and her party, the Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA), which is engaged in a symbolic fight, contesting only three seats. Ms Sharmila, who had ended a 16-year-long fast against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, is pitted against veteran Congress leader and chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh in Thoubal constituency. There are a host of other regional and Left parties in the fray.

The Congress in the state, led by its mascot Ibobi Singh, had a near free run for the past 15 years in a row, having won three elections in the absence of a strong or determined Opposition. This is for the first time in 15 years that the Congress is faced with a real Opposition that is threatening to unseat the party. For the BJP, the Manipur elections are extremely important because if it manages a win, it would add one more north-eastern state in its kitty after the decisive victory in Assam in April last year. Arunachal Pradesh too has a BJP government now, but that has not come about after an electoral verdict. In Nagaland too, the BJP has a presence in the state government by way of the party being a part of the ruling NPF-led coalition. A victory for the BJP in Manipur will help the party establish its claim as a pan-Indian entity that is there to stay, and drive home the message that it is a party that appeals to Indians across the length and breadth of the diverse nation. Similarly, for the Congress, retaining Manipur is vital to rejuvenate the party whose electoral fortunes have not been on the high for long now. It is not surprising, therefore, to see leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Union home minister Rajnath Singh and other bigwigs campaigning in Manipur, braving security threats from insurgents.

As the BJP geared up its efforts to wrest Manipur, and vested the responsibility on master strategist Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam Cabinet minister and convenor of the BJP-led North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), chief minister Ibobi Singh came up with a masterstroke. In early December last year, the state government created seven new districts, six of which were carved out from the existing hill districts inhabited by Nagas, Kukis and other ethnic groups. The Congress must have done this with two objectives in mind  enlist the support of the tribes people in the new districts as elevating these areas to districts would bring them some development and additional infrastructure, besides jobs, and to possibly alter the district-wise demographic balance. The Nagas got highly agitated by this move. Manipurs apex Naga body, the United Naga Council (UNC) had already launched an economic blockade on November 1, 2016 after the Manipur government announced plans to grant full-fledged district status to two subdivisions in the hill areas. When the Ibobi government went a step further and created seven new districts, the UNC intensified the blockade that is still on.

The genesis of this lies in the deep divide between the people in the hills and the Imphal Valley dominated by the Meiteis. The valley has 40 Assembly seats although it comprises only 11 per cent of Manipurs total geographical area. The hills with an area of 89 per cent have only 20 seats. Therefore, a section of Nagas in both Nagaland and Manipur has been hoping to break away from Manipur and perhaps merge with adjoining Nagaland. Politics, not surprisingly, has come into play with the Congress and Mr Ibobi Singh himself saying Manipur could be dismembered if the BJP comes to power because the NDA government at the Centre, he alleges, has entered into a secret pact with the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM). That is the reason why Rahul Gandhi too demanded in his Manipur campaign tour that New Delhi should make the August 2015 framework agreement with the NSCN(I-M) public. This forced Mr Modi to clarify in Imphal that Manipurs territorial integrity is under no threat and is not linked to a possible deal with the NSCN(I-M).

Aside from intricate issues as this, the Congress is facing a strong anti-incumbency wave. Charges of nepotism and favouritism by the Ibobi Singh government in matters of recruitment to state government jobs are flying thick and fast. Questions are also being raised on the degree of development that the Congress could usher in during the past decade and a half. Most importantly, the issue of fake encounter deaths (a case is pending at the Supreme Court on 1,528 such deaths in Manipur during Congress rule) will also weigh heavily on the mind of voters. The Congress has certainly conceded some ground to the BJP over all these, but the fact also remains that the BJPs organisational base in Manipur is not really strong so far. Moreover, the party has been forced to bear in mind that several of its candidates have been senior leaders in the Manipur Congress until recently. The BJPs only claim to success in the state in recent times was when it won 12 of the 30-odd seats in the Imphal municipal body. The Modi magic will be subject to scrutiny on Saturday when 38 seats go to the polls in the first phase. The second and last phase of voting on March 8 will determine whether the lotus blooms in Manipur or whether Mr Ibobi Singh is going to be fourth time lucky.
Masking appears to be the favourite term of pessimists who feel demonetisation had an adverse effect on growth and are sceptical of GDP figures claiming a surprising seven per cent growth rate for October-December. These analysts/economists had predicted 6-6.5 per cent growth. It is possible the December quarter is riding high on the October-November festive season sales, or even that third quarter GDP figures were revised downwards too drastically. The government, however, is thrilled that the pessimists were proved wrong, with finance minister Arun Jaitley hitting out at those who predicted dire consequences after demonetisation. The ground reality is that those with high cash transactions faced a problem that could have been partly offset by a rise in digital transactions and various incentives by the government to encourage use of digital payment methods.

The opening of bank accounts, particularly in rural areas through the Jan Dhan Yojana last year, helped to some extent to cushion the blow. The success of the digital mode is evident in the soaring revenues of one payment firm and many others who were suddenly in demand. The reality, however, is that labourers in rural and urban areas who are paid cash daily faced huge problems as employers had no cash to settle their dues. Labourers in rural areas, specially in textile and other hubs, mainly in South India, had to go back to their villages as their employers didnt have cash to pay them. Its not known how many have returned. Perhaps the GDP statistics didnt take these factors into account. What is intriguing is the silence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after Mr Jaitley lambasted the critics of demonetisation for painting a picture of factories closing down etc. One would have thought he would have harped on the suit-boot sarkar being uncaring of the distress to rural labourers after demonetisation.

Its true, agriculture didnt suffer much as farmers had already started sowing before the November 8 withdrawal of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes that saw the sucking out of nearly 80 per cent of the currency in circulation. But there are also stories of growers selling vegetables and produce at throwaway prices as traders didnt have cash to pay them. It would be prudent for the government to give details of all sections of the economic spectrum to get a truer picture. We still dont know how much currency has actually come back into the system, as both the Reserve Bank and the government have remained silent on this. The GDP figures for the January-March quarter may be more revealing of the true impact of demonetisation as the effects of the cash crunch could probably see some overhang. This would then indicate if the third quarter GDP figure was fact or fiction.
In the backdrop of the recent disturbances at Delhi University, in which the RSS-affiliated student body ABVP disrupted an academic seminar in the name of nationalism, President Pranab Mukherjee observed in Kochi on Thursday that there should be no room in India for the intolerant Indian... While delivering a lecture, the President said universities must engage in reasoned discussion and debate. But who is listening? Defence minister Manohar Parrikar, answering journalists questions, said he was for the freedom of expression within the legal framework, although he clarified that he was only making a general observation unrelated to the current controversy. Here is someone who has taken oath of office on the Constitution which guarantees every Indian freedom of expression, like it offers freedom to practise ones faith, but the minister is fighting shy of saying he will protect free expression, come what may.

Will he protect freedom to practise ones faith, or the freedom not to be part of any faith? We hope Indians never have to pass such a test. Finance minister Arun Jaitley rushed to the defence of the ABVP, his former organisation, in a less circuitous manner. He said it was only in India that nationalism was a bad word. Thats not true. Its the version of nationalism propagated by the ruling party  more properly called majority-religion chauvinism  which raises doubts as it questions the notion of national unity (of people of all faiths, regions, language groups and classes) that flowed out of the freedom movement, in which the RSS forgot to participate.
Chickens lay eggs and

Eggs breed chickens

We call it the vicious circle.

Get really vicious, smash the egg

Defy the karma start anew

Nothing in nature waits for you!

From The Jig Jig Proverbs

by Bachchoo

The elite of Britain are being silly and ask forgiveness for sounding like Donald Trump. I meant by that not the political elite but the elite-in-waiting of the British universities. First there was the no-platforming of speakers with whom some undergraduates disagreed. They banned the founding modern feminist Germaine Greer from speaking at a university because she had said that men who have their penises chopped off and undergo hormone treatment dont become women any more than humans who have their ears floppily extended become cocker spaniels. And now Pembroke College at Cambridge is changing its weekly menu for students who have to eat in Hall  a compulsory part of keeping terms. One or two undergraduates have spent their time protesting about microaggressions and cultural misrepresentation! They were served a dish with mango and beef and the Pembroke chefs called it Jamaican stew. An undergraduate who identified him or herself as half-Jamaican posted something on the Internet saying show me where in the Caribbean they mix meat and fruit? Another undergraduate complained about a dish of cauliflower, tofu and date tagine with Tunisian rice and coriander yogurt. This complainant said: Sorry, but what is this, we dont eat these things in Tunisia.

The bursar of the college said s/he was taking the complaints seriously. I have no idea what the bursar means. Will the kitchens be instructed to refrain from serving up innovative multicultural dishes, which to me sound delicious and a far cry from what the Pembroke College kitchens dished out in Hall when I was an undergraduate there in the mid-1960s. I went straight from Poona on a Tata scholarship to Pembroke College, Cambridge, knew about eating in Hall  a compulsory ritual, and inescapable anyway, as I didnt have any money to eat out or even buy a sustaining sausage. The college served a meat and two veg meal every evening which alternated between beef, pork, chicken, lamb, all minimally roasted or cooked; cabbage and some form of potato, roasted or boiled. That was it! No tagine or mango stewed with anything, my dear boys and girls! Hall was entertaining with the likes of Clive James holding forth on any and everything in politics, literature and pop and with the boys from public schools perpetuating their childish habit of throwing bread buns at each other across the Hall.

The food was dull, the lessons in the British differentiations of class and taste instructive. So what are these undergraduates complaining about? In our time we demonstrated against American involvement in Vietnam. We protested against discrimination against ethnic minorities in this, that and the other institutions of Britain. I can remember a number of protests and demonstrations when we faced and even fought, justifiably or not, the British police. I cant recollect any protest against the labelling of food on the Pembroke College kitchens menu. This is new. This is token and sissy politics. What is the person, protesting through a qualification of being half-Jamaican, saying? Should the dish, some attempt by the chefs to be multicultural, be banned or renamed? Will the banning or the renaming be a heroic revolutionary triumph? Was the complainant protesting against the amalgam of European and Jamaican cuisine as an act of miscegenation? Does this stricture against the cross-fertilisation of British and non-British cuisine apply to the promulgation of children? Should s/he have a word with his/her mixed parentage about it? Does s/he believe, out of ethnic cultural purity, in not existing?

Food (leave aside the more profound subject of the mixing of races) has traditionally in all cultures been cross-bred, transferred from continent to continent and amalgamated in very many ways into universal cuisine. It is common knowledge that Marco Polo brought pasta to Italy from China or that, chillies and potatoes came to India from America via the Portuguese and the British colonialists. Generations of Indians have cooked their signature dishes using chillies and aloo this and aloo that! Its time the undergraduates and bursar of Pembroke digested the fact that bastardisation is the essence of cuisines worldwide. My mother would feed us French toast  something the French have never heard of  and then there was on occasion a dish called Country Captain, which was clearly a jumble of ingredients that hadnt been thrown together before. On a trip to lecture at Bologna University I was taken by my professorial hosts to dinner at their favourite restaurant. When asked what Id like I naively said: I suppose that in Bologna one should eat spaghetti Bolognese.

The company didnt know what that was and asked the maitre if he did. He looked puzzled. They asked me to describe the dish and I did. They identified it immediately saying Ah! Raggu! I did point out that all over the world, in every Italian restaurant abroad, and no doubt even at Pembroke, spaghetti with meat sauce is known as Bolognese. The idea of cultural miscegenation of food is at best the product of idle minds and at worst an indication that a phalanx of the present university generation have lost any sense of what real political action means and are desperately in search of phrases to ban. Its humourless, futile and as any historian of food will tell you, ignorant. As is the concept of cultural expropriation  another idle Western undergraduate shibboleth. Yes, even I think that Idi Amin in a kilt is an absurdity, but the undergrads who protested against a white musician who wore his hair in dreadlocks were guilty of the sin they condemned. No less than Bob Marleys granddaughter told me that she was journeying to Varanasi to trace the origin of the hairstyle among the ancient sadhus of India.
The case is scheduled to be argued on March 28, but the school board is seeking a delay.

Apple, IBM and Microsoft are among 53 companies urging the Supreme Court to rule that a transgender teenager has the right to use the boys' bathroom at his Virginia high school.

The businesses signed onto a brief filed Thursday in high school senior Gavin Grimm's lawsuit against the Gloucester (GLAH'-stur) County school board.

Grimm says he wants to use the bathroom that matches his chosen gender. He is challenging the board's policy that prohibits him from using the boys' bathroom.

Airbnb, eBay, PayPal, Tumblr and Williams-Sonoma also are part of the brief that argues that "transgender individuals deserve the same treatment and protections" as everyone else.

The case is scheduled to be argued on March 28, but the school board is seeking a delay.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Samsung has reportedly begun mass production of Galaxy S8 at its production facility in Vietnam with over 10 million units set for initial production volume.

According to the report by a Korean website, Samsung will be producing 4.7 million units of Galaxy S8 smartphone in March and 7.8 million in April.

Samsung will be releasing two models of its next flagshipGalaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus. At a press conference held in Barcelona this week, the firm confirmed to unveil Galaxy S8 on March 29, which is speculated to be held in New York.

Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus could carry a price tag of $950 (approx. Rs 64,000) and $1050 (approx. Rs 70,000) respectively.

The two smartphones are rumoured to be launched in three colour variants, including Black, Gold, and Orchid Gray.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy S8 rumour round-up: Specs, price, release date

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, left, shakes hands with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, prior to their meeting at the presidential palace in Carthage, near Tunis, Tunisia. (Photo: AP)

Tunis: German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a new agreement with Tunisia on tackling illegal migration during a visit on Friday, following tensions over the case of the Tunisian suspect in the Berlin market attack.

Merkel, on a two-day trip to North Africa that also included a stop in Egypt, said Germany and Tunisia had agreed on faster repatriations for rejected asylum seekers and job training for Tunisians.

The German leader, who faces elections in September, is under pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to her country, which has taken in more than one million migrants since 2015.

Merkel, who was also due to address Tunisia's parliament, has urged the North African states to step up border controls and speed up procedures to repatriate migrants whose asylum applications are turned down.

Germany has said that Tunisian bureaucratic delays meant it could not expel Anis Amri, the suspect in the truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market that killed 12 people, even though his asylum application had been rejected six months earlier.

Merkel said that the two countries had agreed that questions from Germany on the identities of Tunisian asylum seekers will be answered within 30 days.

"We will also help Tunisia to set up a registration system. Replacement passports are then meant to be issued within one week," she said at a joint news conference with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi.

This agreement "will satisfy Tunisia and will satisfy Germany," Essebsi said, adding that it concerned about 1,500 Tunisians whose residency requests have been refused by Germany.

"Measures will be taken in the Tunisian consulates in Germany to help in their identification," Essebsi said. Her talks also covered ways to respond to years of instability exploited by people smugglers in neighbouring Libya.

"We know the political situation in Libya is difficult," she said, welcoming Tunisia's efforts to help resolve the turmoil.

"No-one is more interested in political stability in Libya than its neighbours, but I'll say, because of the migration issue, it's also important for us Europeans."

The migrant issue had already been contentious in Germany where sexual assaults by large groups of mostly North African men on New Year's Eve 2015-16 against women in Cologne provoked outrage.

Merkel's interior minister floated an idea for North African countries to build holding centres for returned migrants but it was rejected by Merkel's centre-left coalition partners and rights groups.

The visit is also a chance for Merkel to pledge support for a country often hailed as a rare success story of the Arab Spring uprisings that shook the region and toppled autocrats including longtime Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali

Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has passed a new constitution and held free parliamentary and presidential elections.

But the nation faces high unemployment, social tensions and the threat from jihadists who have killed dozens of soldiers and police as well as civilians including 59 foreign tourists.

Speaking in Tunis, Merkel announced 250 million euros ($264 million) in development aid.

"The funds are for rural development, small and medium enterprises, but mainly for youths... who especially need job training and employment opportunities," she said.

Her trip is part of a larger diplomatic push by the German leader, who last year visited Mali, Niger and Ethiopia.

She had also planned a trip to Algeria last week, but it was called off after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika fell ill.

Germany, which this year holds the G20 presidency, has also announced investment partnerships in Africa with the long-term goals of reducing poverty and deterring people from leaving.

Merkel was joined on her trip by a business delegation that could bring much-needed investments.
California: There is a lot that defies the norms when it comes to the two roommates in California -- Ben Stern and Lea Heitfeld. There is a sizable generation gap, the gender divide and mainly the fact that one of them is a Holocaust survivor and the other one is a granddaughter of Nazis.

According to a report by the Washington Post, 95-year-old Stern lived in ghettos and concentration camps, but never lost faith in human kindness. He and his family lost their home in Poland to the Nazis. 31-year-old Heitfeld is a German graduate student at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, whose grandparents were active members of the Nazi Party.

Unconventionally, she has decided to pursue a masters degree in Jewish studies and is also very keen on learning about Jewish culture.

Stern said sharing his house, with a kin of the very people who forced him from his childhood home, felt like an act of justice. "It was the right thing to do. I'm doing the opposite of what they did", he said.

Heitfeld gives company to Stern, whose wife of more than 70 years was recently admitted to nursing home because of her worsening dementia. The pair watch TV together, eat dinner together on most nights and enjoy snacking on herring salad and crackers before meals. They share similar interests and have conversations about history and current events.
HHK rep.: We are ready to cooperate with HAK (video)

The Republicans in Armenia do not see a great contradiction between the word security [used in their campaign slogan] and the notion peace envisioned by the electoral alliance formed by Armenian National Congress (HAK) and Peoples Party of Armenia (HZhK). If there's no peace, there's no security. Everything else - progress, development and democracy -depends on them, says Vahram Baghdasaryan, who heads the parliamentary group of the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). He is not against normalizing relations with Azerbaijan but only after solving the issue of self-determination of the Artsakh people. The HHK is going to the elections with the slogan Security and Progress" which reflects the obvious concern given the background of the April War, and the staggering economic situation in the country. Should the HAK want to go with us under the same motto, we are ready to discuss possible cooperation, Mr Baghdasaryan says. The HAK-HZhK alliance has chosen Peace, Reconciliation and Good Neighborliness as its slogan in the election campaign. The ARF-Dashnaktsutyun sees a kind of defeatism in the slogan. Azerbaijan does not intend to compromise anything, says Dashnaks. How is the HAK going to achieve peace under these circumstances? The easiest way [to end the war] is to surrender [to the enemy]. Let us do it and say that it is what Azerbaijan longs for. It wants us to satisfy its whims, says Armen Rustamyan, Head of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary faction. Rustamyan has got the impression that HAK Leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan has not recognized the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic until now. He [Ter-Petrosyan] should call on the head of Azerbaijan to recognize the independence of Artsakh. Only after it can he speak about compromises. Saying the independence of Artsakh, Armen Rustamyan means the territory of Karabakh during the proclamation of independence, including Shahumyan region. Plus Sochi and Istanbul Why not? HAK member Aram Manukyan hints back at the Dashnak lawmaker. Dashnaktsutyun proposes a toast expressing its wishes. Mr Manukyan says they want their political platform for the April 2 parliamentary election to be approved by people, not by the Dashnaks. We recognize the right to self-determination of the Karabakh people. Armenia can take steps to get other countries to recognize that right. If you can be strong enough to do it, please act.
Washington: An Indian-American has been sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in a sophisticated and large-scale identity theft and credit card fraud resulting in a loss of USD 25 million.

Amit Chaudhry, 44, who was sentenced on Thursday by a US court in Virginia, has also been ordered to pay USD 4.1 million in restitution, and had pleaded guilty to the charges in September 2016, federal prosecutors said.

An Indian national, who became a US citizen in 2011, court documents said, was part of a large, international wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy that involved processing stolen credit card numbers and laundering the proceeds through hundreds of bank accounts.

Some of these bank accounts were set up in the name of shell companies, which did no real business. This fraud and money laundering conspiracy was carried out in part by teams of individuals working together in India, the US, Europe and elsewhere, the prosecutors said.

According to court documents, while some members of this group obtained the personal identifying information of real people; other members would obtain the credit card information from actual credit card customers, and yet others would be responsible for electronically processing the stolen credit card transactions.

Chaudhry helped launder the proceeds of the credit card fraud and assisting co-conspirators who would come to the US from India to open bank accounts used to hold and receive fraud proceeds.

There were more than 1,000 victims of this fraud, which used various sophisticated means to conceal the identities of the conspirators.

According to court documents, from 2001 to 2016, Chaudhry and others conspired to commit visa fraud by submitting false and fraudulent H-1B visa applications by and through various entities that the Chaudhry and others owned and controlled, including Networkxchange, Technologyxchange, Secure Networks, and the Knowledge Center.

The conspiracy involved the submission of false and fraudulent applications and supporting documentation to the US Department of Labour (DOL) and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

"Some of these documents were signed using the name John King, a journalist who is CNN's chief national correspondent," federal prosecutors said.
Houston: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has sent a personal message to 24-year-old Ian Grillot, who was injured while trying to intervene during a shooting in which an Indian techie was killed in Kansas, and wished him a speedy recovery.

The Indian Consul-General in Houston, Anupam Ray, met Grillot and his family on Thursday at the University of Kansas Hospital and handed over the message from Swaraj.

"India salutes the heroism of Ian Grillot! Best wishes for speedy recovery," Ray wished Grillot on behalf of the minister and the people of India, KSHB-TV reported.

Grillot was released from the hospital on Tuesday. Ray also said that Sushma Swaraj has 7.3 million followers, who all conveyed their best wishes.

"We will stand with you, whatever you need," he said. Responding to this Grillot said, "I look forward to being able to go meet everybody."

Grillot and his family are invited to India as soon as he is able to travel, according to a news release from the University of Kansas Health System.

Grillot was shot in hand last week when 51-year-old American navy veteran Adam Purinton, prior to opening fire, uttered racial slurs and yelled, "get out of my country" at the two Indian victims.

Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed while another Indian man and his colleague Alok Madasani were critically injured.

In a video from his hospital bed, Grillot had said: "I was just doing what anyone should have done for another human being. It's not about where he was from or his ethnicity."
Washington: Pakistan must crack down on terror groups like the LeT or hand over terrorists to international tribunals for trials so that justice is served, an influential US lawmaker has said.

"Pakistan needs to crack down on groups like the LeT, close down those campuses as well. Pakistan needs to understand that if they are not going to bring perpetrators of the terrorist attacks to justice they should turn them over to The Hague so that they can be tried in international tribunals and justice can be served," Congressman Ed Royce said on Thursday.

The Chairman of powerful House Foreign Relations Committee was speaking at an event hosted by Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi-based think-tank, at the US Capitol in Washington.

He also said that Pakistan needs to be serious about closing down 600 Deobandi madrassas in the country, underlining that there is a prevailing sentiment in the Congress and Trump administration that such schools are breeding ground for terrorists.

"I think, the sentiments are Pakistan needs to be serious about closing down the Deobandi schools, there are about 600 of them as they churn out people who do not know what to do except to really either argue for or carry out jihad," he said.

A founding member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, Royce said the Congress and the new Administration is focused on some new issues.

"One is that concept of USD 500 billion in trade between India and the US. That is where we are trying to push the policies...So we need an effective bilateral trade agreement treaty with India. We are pushing to liberalise trade further," Royce said.

"At the same time, we are delighted that among the Indian-American population that we have in the United States, one-half of them have postgraduate degrees. When we think about what that pertains...we know that there is a very bright future for Indian-Americans," he said.

India and the US, he said, should form their policies on the "core values of rule of law, democracy, freedom of expression and freedom of belief".

"We do not always hit the mark in the US. Those are our goals. India does not always hit the mark. But those are Indias goals," he said. India, he said, is now the ninth largest trading partner of the US.

The counter-terrorism co-operation has also increased over the past several years and the defence ties have strengthened in the last one decade, he said.
22-year-old Miguel Alvarez-Flores and 18-year-old Diego Hernandez-Rivera appeared in court Wednesday on charges of aggravated kidnapping and murder. (Photo: AP)

Houston: Authorities say two MS-13 gang members from El Salvador who had a Satanic shrine in their Houston apartment are suspects in the killing of one teenager and the kidnapping of another. The members are also accused of gangraping one of their victims.

22-year-old Miguel Alvarez-Flores and 18-year-old Diego Hernandez-Rivera appeared in court Wednesday on charges of aggravated kidnapping and murder.

Prosecutors say a 14-year-old girl was kidnapped after leaving school early last month and taken to the apartment the men shared with others.

Authorities say she was held against her will for two weeks, given drugs and sexually assaulted by some of the men. The gang members also allegedly forcibly gave the teen a tattoo of a Satanic figure, prosecutors said, according to CBS affiliate KHOU.

Its not clear what led investigators to the kidnapped teen, the station reports. Alvarez-Flores and Hernandez-Rivera were reportedly arrested Monday at the aparment after a four-hour SWAT standoff.

The teen told investigators that a second girl also was held at the apartment who lashed out by destroying the makeshift shrine to a Satanic saint. A gang member who went by the name Diabolical took offense and made a peace offering of a cigarette to appease the saint.

But he then told the group, the beast did not want a material offering, it wanted a soul, a prosecutor said in court.

On Feb. 16, prosecutors say Diabolical and another gang member drove the second girl to a southwest Houston neighborhood where she was shot once my each man, in the head and chest and close range. The girls body was found dumped on the side of a Houston road two weeks ago by a man driving his children to school, reports KHOU.

The slaying victim remains unidentified. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has developed a composite image of how she would have appeared and Houston police released a photograph of three rings found with her body. Theyre asking anyone who may be able to help identify her come forward.

KHOU reports Alvarez-Flores and Hernandez-Rivera are undocumented immigrants from El Salvador. Bond was set at $300,000 for each, but federal immigration officials have reportedly placed a detainer on them.
Ian Grillot was released from the hospital, The University of Kansas Health System said in a statement. (Photo: Facebook)

Kansas City: A Kansas man who survived an apparently racially motivated shooting at a suburban Kansas City restaurant and bar is out of the hospital and has already visited the scene of the attack.

Ian Grillot, 24, was released from the hospital on Tuesday, The University of Kansas Health System said in a statement on Thursday. Grillot was one of three men shot February 22 at Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas. One of the men, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was killed, and his friend, Alok Madasani, was wounded.

Both Kuchibhotla and Madasani were natives of India working as engineers for GPS-maker Garmin in Olathe.

A bullet hit Grillot in the hand and entered his chest when he tried to stop the suspected gunman, 51-year-old Adam Purinton, of Olathe. Purinton is charged with murder and attempted murder.

Witnesses say Purinton shouted racial slurs before shooting Kuchibhotla and Madasani.

On Wednesday, Grillot went to church and then stopped at Austins for "closure," the hospital said in a statement. He returned to the hospital on Thursday for a meeting with three officials from the Consulate General of India in Houston.

The dignitaries told Grillot and his family they were grateful for his actions the night of the shooting and invited Grillot and his family to visit India when he is able to travel. Consul General Anupam Ray told Grillot that his bravery is more representative of America than the violence at Austins, the hospital said.
Online campaign 'Muslims Unite to Repair Jewish Cemetery', has raised more than USD 115,000 to repair the gravestones toppled over in Missouri. (Photo: AP)

Washington: In a show of inter-faith unity, Muslim military veterans in the US have offered to guard Jewish sites amid a spike in bomb threats against Jewish centres and vandalism targeting the community's cemeteries.

Many Muslim US military veterans have tweeted their support for Jewish people in the wake of threats and vandalism targeted at the community.

In a tweet, a former Muslim marine, Tayyib Rashid, pledged, "If your synagogue or Jewish cemetery needs someone to stand guard, count me in. Islam requires it."

Rashid, known by his Twitter handle @MuslimMarine, said in his Periscope video that, "I've seen a tremendous outpouring of love and support from all Americans, from Muslims, from my fellow Jewish Americans, from Christians, from atheists, from everyone".

His tweet has gone viral and has prompted other American Muslims to offer their support to the Jewish community. Another Muslim veteran tweeted, "I'm a Muslim Veteran in Arizona and will readily stand guard at any Jewish Synagogue or Cemetery at any hour. #WeAreOne."

"Houston area Jewish community, I spent ten years protecting our country and I will gladly protect Jewish places of worship if you need," another Muslim veteran said.

However, it was not just Muslim veterans tweeting support, other Muslims joined in too. Emmy Award-winning TV Broadcaster Momin Bhatti took to social media to pledge support in his call to protect Jewish sites.

"I'm a Muslim in #Harrisburg. If your synagogue or community centre needs someone 2 stand guard, I will stand guard for you. Islam requires it," he said.

This show of solidarity follows an online campaign called 'Muslims Unite to Repair Jewish Cemetery', which has raised more than USD 115,000 to repair the gravestones toppled over at the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in the St. Louis suburb of University City, Missouri, Fox News reported.

Earlier this week, dozens of volunteers from various faiths helped clean up the Mount Carmel Cemetery in Philadelphia, which was vandalised over the weekend. President Donald Trump has condemned these types of attacks.

"We are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms," he had said. There has also been a surge of bomb threats against synagogues, Jewish centres and schools around the US.

This week alone, there were threats made against numerous Jewish centres and at least one school in California, Washington, Nevada and Arizona, The Huffington Post reported. The FBI and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division are probing the threats.
The party enjoyed a 2,000-euro ($2,100) banquet at the Hotel Carmen restaurant in Bembibre, northern Spain, before promptly doing a runner. (Photo: Representational/Pixabay)

Madrid: Spanish police were on Friday hunting for more than a hundred restaurant customers who fled without paying the bill.

The party enjoyed a 2,000-euro ($2,100) banquet on Monday at the Hotel Carmen restaurant in Bembibre, northern Spain, before promptly doing a runner.

"They were dancing, then suddenly they had disappeared. In one minute, a hundred people had left," restaurant boss Antonio Rodriguez told Cadena Ser radio.

"They didn't leave in little groups -- no, they went all at once." The restaurant staff was unable to stop them, Rodriguez said. "You can't do anything when there's so many of them."

The Guardia Civil police declined to confirm media reports that the fleeing diners were from Eastern Europe, but an official from the force said they were not Spanish nationals. "We know roughly where they are," he added.
A Polish extreme-right MEP faced on Friday an inquiry over sexist remarks in the European Parliament after he said women should be paid less because they are weaker and less intelligent than men.

Janusz Korwin-Mikke, 74, has previously been sanctioned by the EU assembly for making racist comments and remarks about the Holocaust. Of course women must earn less than men, because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent, they must earn less, thats all, Korwin-Mikke told parliament.

He previously courted controversy by claiming Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was not aware of the extermination of the Jews.
Beijing: China, on Friday, warned India against allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause "serious damage" to the bilateral ties and peace in the disputed border region.

"China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told the media here.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to any visits by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area. China had also aired similar concerns in October 2016 when India granted permission to the Tibetan spiritual leader to visit Arunachal Pradesh at the invitation of the state government.

The visit is expected to take place this year. "China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas," Geng said.

"China's position on the eastern section of China-India border dispute is consistent and clear. The Dalai clique has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and its record on the border question is not that good," he said.

Geng said China expressed its concern to India through formal channels. "India is fully aware of the seriousness of the Dalai issue and the sensitivity of China-India border question," he said.

"Under such a background if India invites the Dalai to visit to the mentioned territory, it will cause serious damage to peace and stability of border region and China-India relations," he said.

"We have expressed concerns to the Indian side, urged India to stick to its political commitments and abide by important consensus the two sides have reached on the boundary question, refrain from actions that might complicate the issue, not provide a platform to the Dalai clique and protect the sound and stable development of the Sino-India relations," he said.

Geng's comments came in the backdrop of an interview to the Chinese media by former Chinese Special Representative on boundary dispute Dai Bingguo in which he said the border dispute between the two nations can be resolved if India gives up claim over Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

Asked about Dai's comments, Geng said he has not seen the interview. He said China's principled position on the boundary question with India is to reach an early solution pending China-India border question is in the fundamental interest of the two countries.

"At present, the two sides have reached a roadmap to find a solution based on political parameters and guiding principles. They have also reached the important consensus that they are committed to an equitable, reasonable solution acceptable to the two sides," he said.

"China would like to work with India to work relentlessly on the negotiation process and find a solution that is equitable, reasonable to all parties," Geng said. Last year China also protested the visit of then American Ambassador to India, Richard Verma to the area.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488 km long Line of Actual Control (LAC). While China claims Arunachal Pradesh as Southern Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covered Aksai Chin area which was occupied by China during 1962 war.
Beijing: The border dispute between China and India can be resolved if New Delhi accepts Beijing's claim over strategically vital Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh, China's former top diplomat has said, but Indian officials dismissed it as neither practical nor possible.

Dai Bingguo, who served as the China's boundary negotiator with India from 2003 to 2013, told Chinese media, "If the Indian side takes care of China's concerns in the eastern sector of their border, the Chinese side will respond accordingly and address India's concerns elsewhere."

Elaborating China's stand, Dai who conducted border talks with five Indian Special Representatives starting with Brajesh Mishra in 2003 said, "The disputed territory in the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, including Tawang, is inalienable from China's Tibet in terms of cultural background and administrative jurisdiction."

He said that colonial British government which drew the "McMahon Line" accepted Beijing's claim on Tawang.

China has rejected "McMahon Line" in India's case but accepted it in settling the boundary dispute with Myanmar.

"Even British colonialists who drew the illegal McMahon Line respected China?s jurisdiction over Tawang and admitted that Tawang was part of China's Tibet," Dai told the China-India Dialogue magazine.

Dai was China's top diplomat and held the post of State Councillor in the previous Hu Jintao administration. His interview was published by the magazine in its January edition ahead of India-China Strategic Dialogue held in Beijing in February, co-chaired by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.

Dai, regarded as a wily negotiator, did not specify where China is willing to make a concession along the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control (LAC).

He also did not specify this in the book he wrote in the Chinese language on the border talks. Indian officials, however, said Dai's proposal is neither practical nor possible for India to accept considering that Tawang is an integral part of Arunachal Pradesh and has sent representatives to Parliament in every election since 1950.

In his interview, Dai said essential nature of the China-India boundary question is the "need to correct wrongs" made by colonialists and to restore fairness and justice.

"For historical reasons, India now controls the majority of the disputed territory. The boundary question was not created by China or India, so we shouldnt be inheriting it and letting the ghosts of colonialism continue to haunt our bilateral relations," he said.

Though published afresh in Chinese media, Beijing has been making such a demand for a concession for long. Former National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon who was India's Special Representative for border talks and held several rounds of talks with Dai until the present NSA Ajit Doval took over in 2014, has mentioned the issue in his recently released book "Choices: Inside the Making of Indias Foreign Policy".
Kathmandu: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, on Friday announced that Nepal would soon get exchange facilities for the demonetised high-value Indian currency notes to ease difficulties faced by Nepalese citizens.

Jaitley, who was here on a two-day visit to attend the Nepal Investment Summit, said necessary steps have been taken to facilitate the exchange of demonetised currency as per Nepal's request.

He said Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) would set a modality of exchange soon and settle the related issues.

The Indian currency is widely used in Nepal for day-to-day transactions, especially in the border areas.

Also, Nepalese citizens working in India send remittances to their families in Nepal in higher denomination notes. Nepal, a landlocked country, depends on India for trade and supplies.

According to the NRB, nearly 33.6 million Indian rupees in Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 banknotes are currently in the Nepali banking channel. However, it is not known how much such banknotes are in the hands of Nepali traders, families of migrant workers and the general public.

Earlier, Nepal's central bank had assured the RBI that it will introduce strong vetting process for those coming to exchange demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in the country and ensure that the system is not misused.

A two-member RBI team had arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday to hold talks on the management of demonetised Indian notes possessed by Nepali banks and financial institutions as well as the public.

The team held discussions with the officials of the NRB and representatives of commercial banks on a range of technical issues on providing exchange facility for demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 Indian currency notes in Nepal.

The Indian government on November 8 banned high-value currency notes as part of its efforts to combat corruption.
Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday, vowed to eliminate terrorists without any "discrimination" and said action against them would continue until the "set targets" are achieved.

Sharif chaired a high-level security meeting at the Prime Minister's House where participants reviewed the military operation 'Radd-ul-Fasaad', which translates roughly to 'elimination of discord', and unanimously resolved to continue their action against terrorists.

"Pakistan has made immense sacrifices in its war against terrorism. We are fully determined to remain steadfast in our commitment and duty to undertake all steps for eliminating terrorists without any discrimination of geographic region, colour or sect," Sharif said.

The participants agreed to continue the offensive against terrorism and extremism in all its forms and manifestations with the fullest might of the state, and get rid of the irritants in the country's collective objective of ensuring a secured, peaceful and stable Pakistan.

They unanimously resolved that action would continue till the country achieved the "set targets" on combating terrorism. They further reiterated that national unity and support are indispensable for successful implementation of the anti-terror strategy.

The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Advisor to Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz, Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, National Security Advisor Lt General (R) Nasser Khan Janjua and DG ISI Lt General Naveed Mukhtar.

Last month, Pakistan security forces killed at least 100 militants in a nationwide crackdown after an Islamic State suicide bombing at a crowded Sufi shrine in Sindh province claimed 80 lives and injured nearly 250.
The border dispute between China and India can be resolved if New Delhi accepts Beijing's claim over strategically vital Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh, China's former top diplomat has said, but Indian officials dismissed it as neither practical nor possible.





Dai Bingguo, who served as the China's boundary negotiator with India from 2003 to 2013, told Chinese media, "If the Indian side takes care of China's concerns in the eastern sector of their border, the Chinese side will respond accordingly and address India's concerns elsewhere."



Elaborating China's stand, Dai who conducted border talks with five Indian Special Representatives starting with Brajesh Mishra in 2003 said, "The disputed territory in the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, including Tawang, is inalienable from China's Tibet in terms of cultural background and administrative jurisdiction."



He said that colonial British government which drew the "McMahon Line" accepted Beijing's claim on Tawang.



China has rejected "McMahon Line" in India's case but accepted it in settling boundary dispute with Myanmar.



"Even British colonialists who drew the illegal McMahon Line respected Chinas jurisdiction over Tawang and admitted that Tawang was part of China's Tibet," Dai told the China-India Dialogue magazine.



Dai was China's top diplomat and held the post of State Councillor in the previous Hu Jintao administration.



His interview was published by the magazine in its January edition ahead of India-China Strategic Dialogue held here last month co-chaired by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.

Dai, regarded as a wily negotiator, did not specify where China is willing to make a concession along the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control (LAC).



He also did not specify this in the book he wrote in Chinese language on the border talks.



Indian officials, however, said Dai's proposal is neither practical nor possible for India to accept considering that Tawang is an integral part of Arunachal Pradesh and has sent representatives to Parliament in every election since 1950.



In his interview, Dai said essential nature of the China-India boundary question is the "need to correct wrongs" made by colonialists and to restore fairness and justice.



"For historical reasons, India now controls the majority of the disputed territory. The boundary question was not created by China or India, so we shouldnt be inheriting it and letting the ghosts of colonialism continue to haunt our bilateral relations," he said.

Though published afresh in Chinese media, Beijing has been making such a demand for concession for long.



Former National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon who was India's Special Representative for border talks and held several rounds of talks with Dai until the present NSA Ajit Doval took over in 2014, has mentioned the issue in his recently released book "Choices: Inside the Making of Indias Foreign Policy".



While China demanded concessions in the Western sector before the 1962 war, it changed the line to East after 1980s.



"Chinese officials began saying in the 1980s that Beijing would compromise only if India made major adjustments first, adding that once India indicated concessions in the East, China would indicate concessions in the West," Menon wrote in the book.



"In 1985, China specified that the concession it was seeking in the East was Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, something that any government of India would find difficult to accept, as this was settled area that had sent representatives to every Indian Parliament since 1950," he wrote.



"The Indian Supreme Court also held in the Berubari case in 1956 that the government could not cede sovereign territory to another government without a constitutional amendment, though it could made adjustments and rectifications in the boundaries of India," Menon wrote in the book, highlighting India's problem in accepting China's demand.



Apparently China's stand on the border settlement was different earlier lacking consistency.



Menon wrote that former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai during his visit to India in 1960 "suggested that China might recognise the McMahon line boundary in the East in return to India accepting Chinas claim in the West" to provide strategic depth for China along the Aksai Chin road between Xinjiang and Tibet, which is now China National Highway 219.



Menon said India for the first time had Chinese troops at the border only after the People's Liberation of Army (PLA) took control of Tibet.



After the occupation of Aksai Chin area in the 1962 war, China's stand reported to have changed.



While China says the border dispute covers Arunachal Pradesh which it claims as Southern Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covered Aksai Chin area.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi and BSP supremo Mayawati will descend on Varanasi tomorrow making it their battleground ahead of the last phase of UP polls, a schedule that has put the administration on its toes.





According to the programme received by the district administration here, Modi is scheduled to arrive at his Lok Sabha constituency at about 3 PM and leave for the Kashi Vishwanath temple after resting for an hour at the guest house of the Benares Hindu University.



After offering prayers at Kashi Vishwanath, Modi will visit the Kaal Bhairav temple, situated a kilometre away.



Modi will then leave for the Kashi Vidyapith University where he is scheduled to address his first public meeting in the ancient temple city during the ongoing Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.



In what is likely to cause jitters to the administration and badly affect traffic in the city known for its congested streets, the Prime Minister's tour will be coinciding with a joint road show by Gandhi and Yadav.



The road show was postponed twice last month and is now being held with two more days to go for campaigning in the final lap of seven-phase assembly polls.



A 10 km-long route has been finalised by the district administration in consultation with the elite Special Protection Group (SPG) which provides security cover to both Modi and Gandhi.



The road show will commence at the Kutchery and conclude at Girijaghar--a church situated in Godaulia locality--close to Kashi Vishwanath and Kaal Bhairav temples.



The SP-Congress alliance hopes to cause an upset in three of the five Assembly segments falling under Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency currently held by the BJP.



Fighting separately in 2012, the two parties had together polled more votes than the BJP in all the three seats, with the Congress finishing as the runner-up in two of these-- Varanasi South and Varanasi Cantt.



In Varanasi North, SP had finished third, behind BJP and BSP, and was followed closely by the Congress.



All the three seats--which cover almost the entire city-- are being contested by the Congress this time, while the SP is fighting the predominantly rural Rohaniya and Sevapuri.

The day will also be marked by a rally of Mayawati in Rohaniya.



The seat was wrested by the SP from the Apna Dal in a by-poll necessitated three years ago by sitting MLA Anupriya Patel's election to the Lok Sabha.



Patel is now a Union minister and her party has suffered a split.

The faction headed by her is contesting the polls in alliance with the BJP while the one led by her mother Krishna is fighting separately.



Although Modi's programme for March 5-6 is yet to reach the administration here, according to party sources, the PM is likely to return to his parliamentary constituency on Sunday evening to hold a rally.



He is likely to reach the rally's venue in a procession resembling a road show before going to the guest house of Diesel Locomotive Works where he might informally interact with nearly 2,000 distinguished citizens and, thereafter, retire for the day.



On Monday, the final day of campaigning for the seventh phase, Modi is expected to visit Ramnagar area across the Ganga, where Lal Bahadur Shastri had spent his early childhood, and garland a statue of the former Prime Minister.Then, Modi is likely to sign off with a rally in Rohaniya.



Stakes are particularly high for the BJP in the Prime Minister's Lok Sabha constituency.

Top leaders like party chief Amit Shah and vice president in-charge of UP Om Mathur have been conducting whirlwind tours of the city while Union ministers like Arun Jaitley, Smriti Irani and Piyush Goyal have been interacting with citizens from different walks of life
The debate in the US over H-1B visas has become a political and emotive issue as there is a "yawning gap" between the facts and perception, IT industry body NASSCOM has said, contending that Indian IT firms contribute immensely to the US economy and jobs creation.





"This narrative has been going on for a while now that Indian IT workers come to the US and that they take away jobs, that in general they simply displace American workers and that these are low-paid, not even necessarily high-skilled people who are actually taking away jobs from better paid and skilled American workers," NASSCOM president R Chandrashekhar told PTI.



Chandrashekhar was here this week leading a delegation of IT industry body to engage with members of the new US administration on issues like clampdown on work visas and flow of skilled manpower between the two nations.



"That's really the kind of narrative which has got built up, sort of anecdotal examples are being cited, which also are not necessarily accurate. Because it has been presented with a mix of emotive anecdotal stories, I think a counter narrative and facts have really not been recognised. If you look at the facts, then the facts actually tell you a very, very different story," he said.



He said, "The data, not just our data, but the US governments own data also tells a very, very different story."



Chandrashekhar met a number of influential American lawmakers, opinion builders, members of think-tank community and the officials from the new Trump Administration and interacted with them on the H-1B visa issues.



The visit of the NASSCOM delegation came in the wake of the ongoing debate in the US and reported moves by the Trump Administration to bring out an executive order to curtail the use of H-1B visas, widely used by Indian IT majors.



"The purpose is to put across our point of view so that a more balanced approach is enabled," he noted.



Chandrashekhar said the Indian IT industry actually contributes immensely to the US economy in terms of jobs that are created in America, both directly and indirectly.



"Close to half a million jobs have been supported in the US as of 2015. The number of jobs have also been growing at 10 per cent per year as against a two per cent growth in the rest of the job market," he said.



"The biggest contribution to jobs, of course, is what the industry provides in terms of services to US corporates, 75 per cent of the Fortune 500 companies, which enable them to be more productive, more efficient, and more globally competitive, and thereby helps them to be the job creation engine in the US," the NASSCOM president said.



The NASSCOM president argued that the services that the IT industry provides in the US actually create a lot of jobs.



"This in fact, aligns extremely well with President Trump's objective of having more jobs in the US. That's why the need to make this counter narrative well understood," he said.



"There is misperception that American workers and qualified American workers are being displaced by the recourse to a couple of anecdotal stories, whereas the reality is that there are 2.4 million jobs, which are unfilled in the US because they require STEM-qualified workers, and they simply arent available," he said.



By 2018, the projection is that the number will touch 3.4 million, and half of them will be computer and IT related areas, he observed, adding that the unemployment rate among STEM workers for computer and IT related skills is around two per cent.



"It is well known and recognised by all experts that anything under four per cent indicates a shortage. If it is around two per cent, then that indicates the extent of shortage. This myth that there are qualified people who are being deprived of a job is far from the truth," he asserted.



"The third aspect is, if you look at even the American universities, which are the source of skilled workers going forward, more than 70 per cent of the students in the STEM programmes are international students. Even if you wanted to hire from American universities, you'll still need a visa to hire those skill sets.



"These are the facts, and those are the perceptions. The gap between the two is wide, it's a yawning gap between the facts and the perceptions," said the top Indian IT leader.



In developed economies especially those experiencing slower growth, a certain level of unemployment among unskilled people, and at the same time, a shortage of skilled workers, he said is a "political dynamite".



"Because you are dealing with a shortage in one part and unemployment in another part of your workforce, and it requires extremely sagacious leadership to actually be able to formulate a more open-minded, balanced, far-sighted and pragmatic approach in dealing with this issue and differentiating between these two," he noted.



"From the perspective of an American worker who is being displaced it does not make a difference whether he is displaced by a visa-dependent company or a non-visa-dependent company or a 50-50 company or whatever.



"Why would such a provision, which is ostensibly to protect American workers be applied based on a definition which ultimately only singles out Indian companies. I think the argument is that this is not correct, and this is not even protecting American workers," Chandrashekhar said.



"I would argue that if the American workers are to be protected, then please protect them fully. Dont protect them by closing a side door and leaving the front door open," he said.


India today downplayed its participation in an upcoming meeting in Pakistan to discuss sharing of Indus river water, saying it does not amount to resumption of government-level Indo-Pak talks, which have been stalled over terrorist strikes by Pak-based groups.





Senior government officials insisted the Permanent Indus Commission, which will meet in Lahore later this month, deals with technical matters concerning implementation of the Indus Water Treaty and not with any political aspect.



India's participation comes nearly six months after New Delhi decided to suspend talks on the pact in the wake of the terror strikes by groups based across the border.



Noting that the commission has met 112 times since 1960, they said the Indian representative to the commission has accepted an invitation by his Pakistani counterpart for the meeting. No date has been set for the meeting.



"Mutually convenient dates and mutually agreeable agenda are worked out directly by the commissioners themselves and the government has no role in this regard," said a senior government official.



"The commission is not concerned with political aspects," he said, adding that "there is no shift" in the government's stance.



Declaring that "blood and water cannot flow together", Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held a meeting in September to review the treaty in the backdrop of the terror strikes, including the Uri attack.



After the meeting, officials had announced that the government has decided to suspend further talks and increase the utilisation of rivers flowing through Jammu and Kashmir to fully exercise India's rights under the pact.



The last meeting of the commission was held in May 2015. The commission, which has officials from both the countries as its members, was set up under the 57-year-old treaty to discuss and resolve issues relating to its implementation.



The commission is a body entrusted with everyday implementation of the IWT, which mandates it to meet at least once every year, alternately in India and Pakistan.
Malaysia issued an arrest warrant for a North Korean airline employee today over the assassination of the half-brother of Pyongyang's leader, after frustrated police had to release their only other suspect from the isolated nation.





Ri Jong-Chol is among eight North Koreans suspected of involvement in the dramatic killing of Kim Jong-Nam, the half-brother of the reclusive nation's leader, who was poisoned with a banned nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.



Malaysia's attorney general had announced there was insufficient evidence to charge 47-year-old Ri.



The North Korean was deported Friday night, a government official, who asked not to be named, confirmed to AFP.



"He will be escorted by two North Korean officials to Beijing and from Beijing to Pyongyang," deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters earlier. "We have also blacklisted him and he cannot enter this country again."



"The police probe showed he was not working as stated in his documents but was involved in illicit activities detrimental to our security."



Earlier, as he was led out of a police station outside the capital under tight security and handed over to immigration authorities, police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said he regretted the release.



"We believe that Ri Jong Chol played a part in Kim Chol's murder but unfortunately we lack evidence to charge him," he told AFP, using the name given in the passport carried by Kim Jong-Nam.



"We are frustrated because of a lack of evidence," he said via text message from Saudi Arabia where he is on a religious pilgrimage.



However, he denied political or diplomatic pressure had been a factor in the release, saying it was purely an investigative issue.



Ri's release came two days after two women -- one Vietnamese and one Indonesian -- were charged with murdering Kim.



Seven other North Koreans are wanted in connection with the killing.

Today police issued an arrest warrant for a North Korean airline employee, Kim Uk Il, 37, in connection with the murder.



They also requested that Hyon Kwang Song, second secretary at the North Korean embassy, assist the probe.



Both are believed to be in Malaysia. Four others are thought to have fled to Pyongyang on the day of the murder.



Ri was arrested days after Kim suffered an agonising death when he was attacked as he waited to board a flight to Macau.



CCTV footage shows two women approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth.


Airports across the country have been alerted about the possibility of UP Minister Gayatri Prajapati, accused of rape, trying to flee the country.





A Letter of Cancellation (LC) will soon be opened against him and all airports have been alerted to prevent the 49-year-old Prajapati from fleeing the country, official sources said.



A letter of cancellation is a technical term used for alerting immigration authorities about any possible move by a suspect to leave the country.



Whenever passport of the suspect comes for immigration clearance at any exit point of the country, the computer screen warns the official to not let the person leave.



The Sashtra Seema Bal (SSB), guarding Uttar Pradesh's border with Nepal, has also been alerted about the possiblity of such a move by Prajapati.



The UP Police has registered an FIR against the ruling Samajwadi Party politician, who continues to elude them, for allegedly gang-raping a woman and molesting her daughter with his aides. The FIR was filed recently following a directive of the Supreme Court after the alleged victim woman approached it.
A shuttered tailors shop, a nondescript bank, a former radio station. Often lost in the busy hum of todays Taipei, this is the time of the year when these buildings reverberate with violent echoes from 70 years ago, when Taiwans modern identity was born.



The 2/28 Incident, as it has come to be known, was an uprising that flared on February 28, 1947. It soon spread to other parts of the island, and was crushed in the massacre of up to 28,000 Taiwanese by the troops of Chiang Kai-shek, a Nationalist leader of China. The revolt was followed by four decades of martial law and divisions between Taiwanese whose roots in the island predated the Nationalists arrival in 1945 and the Chinese mainlanders who came after.



Yet it was the eventual willingness to confront these events that enabled Taiwans people to begin to heal those divisions and achieve the voice in their government that the protesters demanded seven decades ago.



In recent years, the quest to redress February 28 has been a very important development, said Su Ching-hsuan, executive secretary of the Taiwan Association for Truth and Reconciliation. Its had a major influence on Taiwans democracy movement.



And that quest continues. Last week, a committee of scholars released six new volumes of files related to the uprising, which they said reinforced the conclusion that ultimate responsibility for the massacre lay with Chiang.



The February 28 episode actually began a day before, outside the Pegasus Teahouse in Dadaocheng, old Taipeis commercial district. A widow selling cigarettes illegally was confronted by inspectors and police. After an inspector struck her head with his pistol, enraged passers-by surrounded the officers, one of whom shot and killed a bystander before the officers escaped into police protection.



Unable to pressure authorities into giving up the officer that night, hundreds of protesters gathered the next morning to march from Dadaocheng to the office of Taiwans governor, Chen Yi, to demand justice.



Taiwanese anger at the Nationalists had been building for months. Nationalist soldiers were originally greeted as liberators by Taiwanese, who had lived under Japanese colonial rule for 50 years. For a fleeting moment, there was optimism that Taiwan would enjoy greater self-determination. They wouldnt.



When the Chinese arrived, people thought their situation would improve, because many Taiwanese were of Chinese descent, but things became even worse, said Hsieh Tsai-Ming, who has been leading tours at the Taipei 228 Memorial Hall since it opened on February 28, 1997.



Chen had taken a ham-handed approach to ruling the Taiwanese, Hsieh said. By mid-1946, he had shut down all Japanese-language publications and had made Mandarin the official language of the local government, essentially shutting out many Taipei residents. Locals were aghast at the unruly behaviour of Nationalist troops, while Nationalist officials seized public and private property.



Besides that, residents simmered under corruption, mismanagement and the shifting of resources to the Chinese mainland, where the Nationalists were fighting Mao Zedongs Communists. The marchers of February 28 headed south from Dadaocheng toward the north gate of the old city wall, their numbers steadily multiplying.



Chou Ching, a local journalist, recorded the moment he arrived at the north gate. I saw a giant banner coming my way, he wrote in his 1993 book, Love and Hate: Feb. 28.



Written on it were eight big characters reading, Severely punish the killer  a life for a life. A leather drum 2.5 chi (about 3 feet) across, following behind the banner, rattled eardrums  behind the drum followed a trail of innumerable people joining the petition procession. There were men and women, elderly and children, but it was primarily youth.



The march took a violent turn after arriving at a Taiwan Monopoly Bureau office, Chung

Lee-ho, a novelist, wrote in his diaries, also published in 1993. Regardless of what it was, the crowd grabbed and carried everything they could from the Monopoly Bureau and burned it, even cars, bicycles and rickshaws, Chung wrote.



Shortly after the unarmed crowd reached the governors office, soldiers opened fire, killing several protesters and wounding dozens. A group fled and took over the provincial radio station, calling for an uprising against the Nationalists, an end to corruption, and a greater say in the islands economy.



Revolts broke out in all major cities. Taiwanese people were soon in charge, managing government offices and keeping order in the streets. Chen played along, biding his time until military reinforcements arrived from the Chinese mainland. Then the killing began. Streets were cleared by soldiers in jeeps with machine guns, who then rounded up Communists and anyone else considered suspect. Most were tortured and killed.



Although most victims were not Communists, a Communist presence in Taiwan was setting up an underground resistance. One party member, Xie Xuehong, had an important role in the uprising, an angle that Chinas Communist government has used over the years to lay a claim of solidarity with the people of Taiwan, which it considers the last Chinese province yet to be reclaimed from the vanquished Nationalists.



Ulterior motives



China has long commemorated February 28, usually quietly. This year, for the 70th anniversary, it took a more public approach, organising a symposium in Beijing on February 28 is a part of the Chinese peoples liberation struggle, said An Fengshan, a spokesman for Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office, at a news conference February 22. He added, For a long time, this incident has been used by certain Taiwan independence forces for ulterior motives.



During the martial law years, discussion of the February 28 uprising was banned. After martial law was lifted in 1987, some people found the confidence to speak up, with the tacit encouragement of President Lee Teng-hui, the first leader of modern Taiwan who was born there. In 1995, Lee became the first senior official to mention February 28 publicly, opening the floodgates for discussion.



Today, a small plaque where the Pegasus Teahouse once stood marks the location, most recently occupied by a tailors shop. The Monopoly Bureau office is today a bank. And the former radio station houses the Taipei 228 Memorial. In 2009, Ma Ying-jeou became the first president of Taiwan to visit the memorial to commemorate February 28, which he did in each of his eight years in office. On Tuesday last, Tsai Ing-wen made her first visit as president.



Hsiao Ming-Chih, a curator at the 228 memorial, said Mas visits were an acknowledgment of the Nationalists original sin. Seventy years on, as one of Asias freest democracies, Taiwan has made significant progress in eliminating the old Chinese-Taiwanese divisions. Most young people claim a Taiwanese identity, regardless of when their ancestors arrived. But for some, closure may never come.



Mas commemoration of the event, overseeing reparations to victims families and other displays of concern definitely had an impact, Hsiao said. But whether relatives, or people of different political stripes, find that acceptable, thats another matter.



International New York Times
Angered by his estranged wifes refusal to return to him, a man fatally stabbed her elderly parents on Friday night, police said.





Senthil Kumar (35), a native of Tirupattur, Tamil Nadu, had arrived in Bengaluru to take his wife, Sathyavathi (30), back home. His in-laws hail from Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, and have been living in Bengaluru.



Senthil and Sathyavathi, both working at a garment factory in Tirupattur, got married three years ago after dating for sometime and have a son. The marriage hit rough weather as the couple started quarrelling frequently.



Four months ago, Sathyavathi deserted Senthil and left his home to live with her parents. But he kept trying to bring her back. He often pleaded with her parents  Kumar (60) and Murugamma (55)  but they didnt relent.



Around 8.30 pm on Friday, Senthil arrived at his in-laws house at Konanakunte, south Bengaluru, and asked his wife to come back to him. Sathyavathi and her parents ignored his demand and asked him to get out of the house. He didnt take it lying down and picked a fight with them. He took out a knife he had carried along and pounced on all of them.



Sathyavathi raised an alarm and tried to keep him at bay. But he pinned her and stabbed her. He also knifed her parents who died later. Manjunath (34), a neighbour, heard the commotion and rushed into the house. He tried to stop Senthil but was overpowered and ended up being stabbed, too. Senthil then darted out of the house and fled.



Speaking to DH, DCP (South) Sharanappa S D said the jurisdictional Annapoorneshwari Nagar police had registered a case and were hunting for Senthil.
Satyadev IPS, dubbed into Kannada from Tamil and slated for release across the state, ran into rough weather on Friday.





Sporadic protests against dubbing prevented its screening. For decades, the Kannada film industry has resisted dubbing, but recent judicial verdicts have overruled the informal ban.



Producers of the dubbed version and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, a pro-dubbing film body, attributed the no-show to technical problems.



The film stars Ajith and is titled Yennai Arindhaal in Tamil. The film was not released in Bengaluru, while screening was cancelled in Hubballi and Davanagere because of protests and poor audience response. Krishne Gowda, chairman of the pro-dubbing chamber, said the film was screened successfully in 16 theatres across the state.



Twenty more theatres will start screening the movie from Sunday, he said, adding the film would hit screens in Bengaluru on March 10. G Krishnamurthy, producer of the dubbed version, said the movie had collected about Rs 4,000 for the morning show.



Some vested interests are spreading rumours that violence erupted at a few theatres. Owners of some theatres tore off the posters as they wanted to screen other movies, he said, adding he had spent Rs 45 lakh on replacing the Tamil dialogue with Kannada.



We wanted to release Satyadev IPS in at least one theatre in every district to know the audience reaction to dubbing, he said.



Satyadev IPS is the second film dubbed into Kannada after the ban was overruled. The first, Nanu Nanna Preethi, was dubbed from Hindi and released in October 2016.



Krishnamurthy said Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) president Sa Ra Govindu was behind the protests.



Govindu refused to comment, saying KFCC was already facing a case before the Competition Commission of India. Commenting at this point would amount to contempt of court, he said.



Rally on March 11



Leaders of some Kannada organisations in Bengaluru demonstrated against the release. Kannada Chalavali Paksha president Vatal Nagaraj demanded senior actors come out and protest.



We have called a meeting to discuss dubbing on March 6, and will take out a rally on March 11, he said.



Kannada stars role



Kannada industry stars should stop giving dates to producers of films in other languages. We should stop importing heroines, musicians and artistes. Collective efforts should be made to prevent dubbing, which Dr Rajkumar had opposed, said Munirathna Naidu, president, Kannada Film Producers Association.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj hailed the heroism of Ian Grillot and sent a message to the US citizen, who was injured while trying to save two Indian IT professionals in Kansas on February 22.





Anupam Ray, Consul General of India in Houston, travelled to Kansas to meet Grillot and his parents at Kansas University hospital. He conveyed to Grillot the message from the External Affairs Minister.



Grillot was hit by bullets when he tried to save Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani when they were targeted in an apparent hate crime at a bar in Kansas. Kuchibhotla was killed and Madasani injured.



Kuchibhotla and Madasani worked for multinational company Garmin Limited at Olathe in Kansas. They were shot at by a local resident Adam Purinton, who, according to some reports in US media, hurled racial slur at his victims.



Grillot was discharged from Kansas University hospital on Thursday. Kuchibhotla's wife Sunayana Dumala also thanked Grillot in a Facebook post. Meanwhile, a report from Houston Grillot has been released from the hospital.



The University of Kansas Health System said that Grillot was released from the hospital on Tuesday and has been invited to India to be recognised for his heroics.
Pakistan Rangers have raised an objection to the proposed installation of Indias largest tricolour on the tallest flagpole, a whopping 360-foot high (110 metres), close to the border zone in Attari near Amritsar.





The tricolour, measuring 36 metres in length and 24 metres in width will be inaugurated on Sunday, Amritsar district Public Relations Officer Sher Jung Singh told DH.



The flagpole  which is at least 30 metres taller than the Qutab Minar  and the flag will be under the care and supervision of the Border Security Force (BSF). It will be visible from Amritsar and Lahore in Pakistan, which is just about 20km from the Attari-Wagha international border.



Sources said the Pakistan Rangers, during a recent meeting with the BSF, expressed concern over such a tall structure being installed just 200 metres from the international border. The concern revolved around security and surveillance issues. The BSF for its part discounted the apprehensions as unfounded.



A special crane has been requisitioned from Mumbai for the installation of the flagpole. This assignment alone will cost about Rs 61 lakh. The entire project will cost at least Rs 4.5 crore and is being funded by the Amritsar Improvement Trust.



A whopping 55 tonnes of metal has been used in the gigantic flagpole which has a 20-foot deep foundation. The BSF has been provided with nearly 20 flags in case replacement is required due to damage.



The unit is capable of withstanding heavy winds and tremors. At present, the countrys largest national flag is located in Ranchi with a flagpole measuring 293 feet. It was hoisted last year by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Lance Naik Roy Mathew, who was part of a video criticising the sahayak system that went viral, was found dead at the Deolali Cantonment in Nashik district of Maharashtra.





Even as investigation was underway, the Pune-headquartered Southern Command blamed the media for the death of the soldier.



Mathew (33), a gunner, was an orderly attached to what is described as buddy duties with a Colonel at the School of Artillery in Deolali. He is from Kollam in Kerala. Lance Naik Mathew had joined army around 13 years ago and was posted in Deolali.



Mathew had reportedly given statements that higher officials were mistreating sahayaks inside the camp and they were made to do petty jobs, including polishing shoes, washing laundry and taking dogs for walks. Visuals were shot using hidden cameras and before posting them, faces were masked.



The soldier had contacted his wife on February 25 and thereafter he was reported missing. In the video, he had raised issues concerning the sahayak system. On Thursday, his body was found in a decomposed state in an abandoned barrack. Initial reports said that it could have been suicide.
India is weighing its options for restarting engagements with Pakistan, but is keen to keep low-key subtle moves it has been making to de-escalate tension in bilateral relations.





Though its representative to the India-Pakistan Permanent Indus Commission is set to attend the annual meeting of the panel in Lahore later this month, New Delhi insists that it should not be construed as a move towards resumption of its stalled dialogue with Islamabad.



The Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) comprises two commissioners, one each from India and Pakistan. The Indus Water Treaty of 1960 mandated the commission to discuss issues related to the sharing of waters of the cross-border rivers and manage implementation of the pact.



New Delhis commissioner at the PIC, P K Saxena, an officer of the Ministry of Water Resources, accepted an invitation from his counterpart in Pakistan to hold the meeting of the commission at Lahore later this month.



The PIC is set to meet just six months after India decided not to hold any meeting of the commission with Pakistan to protest cross-border terror from the neighbouring country.



Soon after the terror attack on an army camp at Uri in north Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 26 reviewed the implementation of the Indus Water Treaty and decided that India would not hold a meeting of the PIC with Pakistan, as long as the neighbouring country continued to export terror.



Not climbdown



India, however, insists that its commissioners recent decision to accept the invitation by his counterpart in Pakistan should not be seen as a climbdown or shift of stand.



New Delhi insists that the PIC met 112 times in the past and its meetings cannot be seen as parleys between the governments of India and Pakistan, because the commissioners are independently setting the agenda of the meeting and finalising the dates.



India is treading cautiously on restarting its stalled dialogues with Pakistan, because a similar move by New Delhi initiated in December 2015 had to be aborted due to a series of cross-border terror attacks in 2016, ceasefire violations and escalation of tension over Kashmir.



Indias Indus commissioner agreed to meet his counterpart in Pakistan, at a time when both New Delhi and Islamabad sent out several signs of a thaw in bilateral relations.
The Delhi University remained the epicentre of student politics for the 10th consecutive day as the Students Federation of India (SFI) took out a march and held demonstrations against the RSS and its affiliates, accusing them of disrupting education and democracy.





Hundreds of students from various states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and West Bengal, participated in the protest march on Friday amid heavy deployment of police.



The Delhi Police have tightened security in and around the campus in view of the protest at Ramjas College last week. We will protest until there is freedom of speech and expression on campuses, SFI president V P Sanu said.



Meanwhile, a delegation of Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad leaders called on Lt Governor Anil Baijal demanding an FIR against communist students who raised Azadi slogans at Ramjas College on February 21.



In its memorandum, the ABVP termed the slogans anti-national and said it spoiled the academic harmony of the university.



The raising of such slogans led to a scuffle among the students as the elected body of Ramjas College opposed it. Several complaints were lodged in this connection. Though video recordings and other evidence were submitted to the police, they did not lodge an FIR against the accused, an ABVP member said.



File charge sheet



The outfit also demanded that Baijal direct the Delhi Police to file a charge sheet against the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students who were booked for anti-national sloganeering at an event organised in memory of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru last year.



It described JNU research scholar Umar Khalid as the prime accused in the case. The accused are openly spreading intellectual vehemence in academic spaces, the memorandum read.



Meanwhile, the Congress-backed National Students Union of India held a campaign holding placards and roses in Delhi University, seeking peace.
China on Friday warned India against allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause serious damage to the bilateral ties and peace in the disputed border region.





China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told the media here.



China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to any visits by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area. China had also aired similar concerns in October when India granted permission to the Tibetan spiritual leader to visit Arunachal Pradesh at the invitation of the state government.



The visit is expected to take place this year. China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas, Geng said.



Chinas position on the eastern section of China-India border dispute is consistent and clear. The Dalai clique has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and its record on the border question is not that good, he said.



Geng said China expressed its concern to India through formal channels. India is fully aware of the seriousness of the Dalai issue and the sensitivity of China-India border question, he said.



Under such a background, if India invites the Dalai to visit the mentioned territory, it will cause serious damage to peace and stability of border region and China-India relations, he said.



We have expressed concerns to the Indian side, urged India to stick to its political commitments and abide by important consensus the two sides have reached on the boundary question, refrain from actions that might complicate the issue, not provide a platform to the Dalai clique and protect the sound and stable development of the Sino-India relations, he said.



Gengs comments came in the backdrop of an interview to the Chinese media by former Chinese Special Representative on boundary dispute Dai Bingguo in which he said the border dispute between the two nations can be resolved if India gives up claim over Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.



Asked about Dais comments, Geng said he has not seen the interview.Geng said Chinas principled position on the boundary question with India is to reach an early solution. Finding a solution to the pending issue is in the fundamental interest of the two nations, he added.
In a development that gives a big boost to the aviation industry in Karnataka, aerospace major Boeing is holding talks with the state government on setting up a new aircraft manufacturing facility near Bengaluru.





Top officials of the state government held discussions with representatives of Boeing recently. Availability of land close to Bengaluru, tax incentives and special packages the government can offer to the company were discussed. But nothing has been finalised yet, nor has the company submitted a formal proposal to the government on its investment plans, sources in the government said.



We are holding talks with Boeing. The company has plans to set up a new manufacturing facility near Bengaluru. Talks are still in preliminary stages, Industries Minister R V Deshpande told DH. The minister, however, refused to divulge details on the companys investment plans. Boeing recently launched its Engineering and Technology Centre in Bengaluru.



A few months ago, the US aircraft manufacturer had revealed that it was keen on investing in a new futuristic Indian factory under the Make in India initiative. The company had said that it wants to create an entire aviation ecosystem for building its fighter aircraft, F/A-18 Super Hornet.



The F/A-18 Super Hornet is a twin-engine, supersonic, multirole fighter jet capable of landing and taking off from an aircraft carrier. But it is not clear whether the company is holding talks with the state government on establishing the factory near Bengaluru.



AP too is wooing



Sources in the Commerce and Industries department said that neighbouring Andhra Pradesh is also wooing Boeing to invest there. Andhra Pradesh has been aggressive in attracting investments. But, the Karnataka government is not lagging behind in this regard. Karnataka has an edge over other states as Bengaluru is an aviation hub, the sources added.



The sources said one of the reasons for the state government to hurriedly approve a proposal to relax land allotment rules for industrial purposes, is to compete with Andhra Pradesh in attracting Boeing. Projects coming in single unit complex bracket will get land on lease-cum-sale basis and absolute sale deed for the land will be issued to the investor after 15 years, as per the governments decision.



Hitherto, land for industrial purposes was given only on 99 years lease. The Andhra Pradesh government has already simplified its land allotment rules.


BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa on Friday said that by scrapping the steel flyover project in Bengaluru, the Congress government has admitted that kickbacks were received for the project.



Yeddyurappa told reporters here that scrapping of the controversial infrastructure project also proves the veracity of the entries in the Congress MLC K Govindarajs diary, which was seized by Income Tax officials from the bedroom of his house. He charged that Rs 65 crore was paid to the family members of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for the steel flyover project. Siddaramaiah should retire from politics if the allegations of bribe are proved or else I will retire from politics, he challenged.



The former chief minister said that an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will prove that Rs 450 crore to Rs 600 crore of taxpayers money was 'sent' to the Congress high command in Delhi. He demanded that the state government hand over the case to CBI if it is so sure of being innocent. As the scam spreads across states, the Union government can also ask the CBI to investigate the issue, he said.



Yeddyurappa said the Sahara papers and Govindaraj diary cannot be compared, as in the Sahara case it is just a piece of paper, while Govindaraj himself has accepted that the diary is his. The diary will stand the scrutiny of law, he added.



Cong MLAS to join BJP?



Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa said that a minister and more than 10 Congress MLAs are knocking on the doors of the BJP. We will welcome them only if they resign three to four months before the Assembly elections, he said and added that the ticket to such leaders to contest the Assembly polls will be considered only after consulting with the partys core committee.



BJP spreading lies about graft in govt: CM

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said the BJP is spreading lies about corruption in his government and he will not respond to the charges. Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru that the BJP is repeatedly going to town spreading lies about the contents of the diary reportedly belonging to Congress MLC K Govindaraj.



The BJP on Thursday had claimed that the state government had scrapped the controversial steel flyover project following the exposure of the contents of the diary that purportedly has entries on kickbacks received by Siddaramaiah for sanctioning the project.



The BJP leaders have no documents to prove their charges. They are telling lies and I will not respond to them, Siddaramaih said.
The BJP seems to have emerged a favourite among politicians shifting their party affiliations with at least five former legislators set to join the saffron fold this month.





Party observers feel the trend is an indication of the growing clout of the party at the cost of the Congress at the grassroots. Besides, hundreds of supporters follow their leader into the party, increasing its base. The party, at this point, has not been selective when it comes to opening its doors to new comers. All those joining, except maybe former minister V Srinivas Prasad, are not imposing conditions, the sources said.



The trend of party-hopping started in January this year when Prasad quit the Congress to join the BJP. Prasad was unhappy that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had unceremoniously dropped him from his Cabinet. The Assembly elections are a good 14 months away. But the first litmus test for the party will be the outcome of the Nanjangud and Gundlupet Assembly byelections, dates for which are expected to be announced in the third week of March. Prasad will be contesting from his home constituency of Nanjangud on a BJP ticket.



On more familiar ground for the party in Uttara Kannada, former MP and Congress leader K Jayaprakash Hegde is likely to join the BJP on March 8. Hegde represented the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency and has a good rapport with voters from the Bunt community in the coastal region. Sitting MP Shobha Karandlaje is likely to quit the Lok Sabha constituency to contest the Assembly elections next year and Hegde, in all probability, will contest from the seat.



Kundapur MLA Haladi Srinivas Shetty, who had contested successfully as an independent candidate in the 2003 Assembly elections, has mended fences with the BJP and is likely to formally rejoin the party this month. Political churning is happening in the Malnad region too with party sources stating that former minister Kumar Bangarappa is likely to join the BJP within the next few days.



Down south, Parimala Nagappa, who had won the Hanur Assembly constituency in Chamarajanagar district in 2004, will join the BJP tentatively on March 16. Parimala Nagappa is at present with the Congress and the BJP has no presence in Hanur.

Congress leader and former Bhatkal MLA G D Naik will also join the BJP.



Earlier this week, former MLA and JD(S) leader from Uttara Kannada Dinakar Shetty and Congress leader from Yellapur Pramod Hegde joined the BJP.



They are likely to be given the ticket to contest from Kumta and Yellapur Assembly constituencies respectively, at present held by Sharada Mohan Shetty (Cong) and Arbail Shivaram Hebbar (Independent).


Jailed underworld don Arun Gawlis daughter will support the BJP in the mayoral polls of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.





A third-time corporator, Geeta Gawli (34) is the president of the Akhil Bharatiya Sena. Arun, who is currently lodged in the Nagpur central prison and serving life imprisonment in a murder case, has been a one-term MLA in Maharashtra.



On Thursday, Geeta met senior Shiv Sena leaders Eknath Shinde and Anil Desai and BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.



During the separate meetings, Geeta put up two demands  one-term chairmanship of the health committee and membership to the standing committee. Though BJP leaders have not yet commented officially, it is learnt that she would be supporting the party.
The Indian Institutes of Technology want the government to bear the tuition fee of students belonging to scheduled caste (SC), scheduled tribe (ST), besides persons with disability (PwD).





These students currently get a complete fee waiver at the IITs and the premier technical institutes bear the cost from their own resources. The elite engineering colleges now want the government to pay the tuition fee of these students, with the inclusion of newer categories of students in the fee waiver scheme last year.



The IITs, which have been expressing difficulty in bearing the additional financial burden thrust upon them, have urged the HRD Ministry to accord top priority to this issue at their meeting on IITs in April, sources in the IITs told DH. HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar will preside over the meeting.



Last year, the IITs increased their tuition fee for general category students from Rs 90,000 to Rs 2 lakh with approval of their Council. However, they also had to accept the HRD Ministrys proposal for full fee waive of special category students as well as those with annual family income of up to Rs 1 lakh, besides the existing fee waiver for SC/ST students.



The IIT Council also had to accede to the ministrys direction to waive two thirds of the tuition fee of students whose family income is between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh. An interest-free loan scheme was simultaneously introduced to facilitate payment of the balance of the tuition fee entitled for waiver of two thirds of their fee.



This has strained our financial resources as the number of claimants of fee waiver increased with inclusion of newer categories. Increase in the general tuition fee did not help us ease our financial burden as the total spending on education of one student is three times higher than the fee we collect from the student, sources from one of the IIT administration said.
The government may nudge bankers to wait for sometime before imposing a fee on cash transactions beyond a certain limit. Some private sector banks have informed their customers that they will impose transaction charges after four or five transactions.





We will talk to banking management. I do not think any public sector bank has resorted to the move so far, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said.Though the government has not issued any directive to public sector banks, government-owned banks, too, will resort to the practice from April 1.



The countrys largest public sector lender, State Bank of India, said that it has already levied Rs 50 beyond three transactions, and will renew the same from April 1. The Oriental Bank of Commerce, however, resorted to the practice from March 1.



Withdrawals from ATMs are also likely to be charged in the same way as it existed before demonetisation. While SBI allows 10 free transactions from its ATMs, others give concession up to four or five.



It is not yet clear whether the government will ask bankers to completely withdraw the charges or increase the limit of transactions beyond which the levy should apply, but officials said Jaitley may ask them to give people more time to get used to digital transactions.



During an election rally in Varanasi on Thursday, Jaitley said that banks have been asked to procure more point of sale machines and make it available to traders in order to facilitate digital payments.



The Confederation of All India Traders has called the proposed levy a type of financial terrorism, adding that putting people through hardship was not the way to promote digital transactions.
On Friday, March 10, the Solana Beach Civic and Historical Society will present an evening with Richard Lederer. His presentation will be Fascinating Facts About Our Presidents. The program will begin at 5 p.m. at the Community Center at Fletcher Cove in Solana Beach.

Lederer is the author of more than 40 books about language, history and humor, including his best-selling Anguished English series and his current books, Amazing Words, Lederer on Language and Presidential Trivia. Lederers column Lederer on Language appears weekly in The San Diego Union-Tribune, and he is a founding co-host of A Way with Words on KPBS Public Radio. He has been named International Punster of the Year and Toastmasters Internationals Golden Gavel Award winner.
The Torrey Hills Community Planning Board is re-igniting its attempts to restripe the Carmel Mountain Road and El Camino Real intersection.

The board first made a request to the city back in 2009 to add a second northbound turn lane onto Carmel Mountain Road.

Currently traveling to Carmel Mountain Road from I-5, one lane turns right onto Carmel Mountain Road, one lane goes straight onto Carmel Creek Road and three lanes turn left onto El Camino Real.

According to planning board member Guy Ravad, due to the current lane configuration, a line of cars gets stacked up all the way back to the freeway and drivers are forced to cheat over to make illegal right turns from the straight-through lane. Drivers who want to head straight on Carmel Creek to the communities of Greenbriar, Monte Clare and Triology end up using the far left turn lane and sneaking in at the last minute to avoid those using the straight-through lane to turn right.

All activity is worse now more than ever, said Ravad at the boards Feb. 21 meeting.

In the past, the city had issues with what they perceived to be low traffic counts at the intersection as well as preserving the bike lane. The planning boards request would be to keep the bike lane and make one lane a straight and a right.

At the meeting, the board approved sending a letter to expedite the re-striping to Mayor Kevin Faulconer and San Diego City Council.
At its Feb. 23 meeting, the Carmel Valley Community Planning Board heard public input from local residents about a new 10-home housing development in Carmel Valley. Called Lighthouse Ridge, the development is planned on a vacant lot at the end of Lighthouse Way in a neighborhood behind Congregation Beth Am  neighbors shared concerns about the impacts of building new homes on a steep slope above Chelterham Terrace.

According to Matt Semic of Latitude 33 Planning and Engineering, the developers could potentially break ground on the homes as soon as the end of the year. The project is in its second round of reviews with the city and developers hope to continue meeting with the neighbors and come back before the planning board in April for approval.

The existing owner took ownership a year ago  before that, the property was owned by a trust.

Residents said they anticipated homes being built on the western side of the lot, where it is more flat but the eastern side is a steep slope and they never guessed there could be houses there.

Semic said the county is unfortunately seeing more pocket developments like this one, wedging new homes into already developed neighborhoods. He said because big homebuilders can no longer build 200 to 300 homes at a time as theres not hundreds of acres of land left, they must embark on what is considered a suburban infill development.

Neighbors on Chelterham Terrace below the proposed project said they are concerned about not only the massing of their homes but maintaining their privacy if the new homes will look down on their properties.

Semic said the view will be pretty challenging due to the grade difference and heavy tree coverage between the lots.

Just as valuable as your privacy is, its just as valuable for the potential homebuyer, Semic said.

Carmel Valley Planning Board Chair Frisco White made a request that the developers make an effort design-wise to respect the topography and not to use fill to make the pads any higher.

Residents also expressed concerns about the neighborhoods narrow streets and construction going on in their backyards for 18 months. White said the planning board can make construction conditions a part of the project approval.
Dont be surprised when you start to see more and more bestselling authors coming out of San Diego.

Over the past five years, the CCA Writers Conference  the only free writers conference for high school students in the country  has continued to grow and encourage aspiring young writers, drawing in hundreds of teens from more than 20 area high schools and attracting top names in publishing.

On Saturday, March 11, Canyon Crest Academys Creative Writing Club will present the sixth annual conference, and it looks to be the biggest one yet.

Twenty-two authors will lead workshops in a variety of subjects from screenwriting to poetry to comics and graphic novels. Students will have the opportunity to participate in six different sessions with a choice of four workshops per session.

The day will begin with a keynote address by Mary E. Pearson, author of several award-winning books for teens, including the bestselling Jenna Fox Chronicles.

The conference has gained recognition by both authors and publishers, and authors have actually started to reach out to us, requesting to speak, which is really great, said Julia Camilleri, president of the CCA Creative Writing Club. This year, we have the largest number of New York Times bestselling authors presenting, and attendance is soaring!

Camilleri, a senior at CCA, joined the Creative Writing Club during her freshman year, and took over after former president and conference founder, Devyn Krevat, graduated.

As a sophomore, Julia stepped into the role of president with poise and competence, said Kathy Krevat, author of the bestselling Chocolate Covered Mystery series and conference consultant. She balanced it all with a heavy academic workload and other extracurricular activities.

In fact, Camilleri not only founded an after-school writing club for middle school students but she also piloted a creative writing program for at-risk teens in partnership with Words Alive, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to literacy.

In addition, she is working on her Gold Award, the highest award that can be achieved in Girl Scouts.

Although all of these projects revolve around writing, Camilleri plans to pursue a pre-med course of study in college, with the goal of becoming a pediatrician.

Writing is a hobby and de-stressing activity that I enjoy on the side, she explained. It has and will continue to be a creative outlet for me and an important tool in my future endeavors.

Camilleri believes that any high school student considering a career in writing should take advantage of this conference.

Its a great learning opportunity, and students even have the chance to meet a literary agent in a workshop about getting published, she said. Every author has a unique experience to share about the process of becoming successful. Plus, theres something for everyone, whether youre interested in journalism, creative writing, poetry, graphic novels  pretty much any genre related to writing.

Krevat agrees. As an author myself, I think there are three valuable takeaways from this conference. 1) Students learn how to navigate the publishing industry, which is more complex than they realized. 2) They see that the speakers were once just like them, which is empowering. 3) They get to be around people who love what they love. So many attendees said they found their tribe at this conference.

According to Camilleri, fantasy, action and horror tend to be the most popular genres among attendees. Top workshops have been Grand World Building in Fantasy, Writing Great Action Scenes, and College Essay Writing, and all are back by popular demand.

This years conference is bittersweet for Camilleri because it will be her last.

I love the excitement around the day, and the buzz you can feel during the whole event, she said. We start registration at 8 a.m. and there are always students turning up earlier because theyre so excited.

Camilleri remembers dozens of moments that stand out to her from past conferences.

One image that will always stay with me is of a student who had brought all his savings to the conference, she said. He was walking back to his car and his hands were piled high with 30 books he purchased and had signed by the authors at the conference. He looked so happy!

This year, Camilleri is looking forward to meeting keynote speaker Mary E. Pearson, whose book, The Adoration of Jenna Fox, will soon be heading to the big screen. Shes also excited about presenting an award to spoken word poet Viet Mai, who will close the conference with an inspirational performance.

Last year, we initiated a Jonathan Maberry Inspiring Teens Award to acknowledge the authors support of the conference and all that he does to promote teen literacy in San Diego, said Camilleri. It was such an honor to be able to present the award to him, and I cant wait to present it to Viet Mai this year.

Camilleri is grateful to have worked with all the authors whove donated their time to appear at the conference, Krevat, her fellow Creative Writing Club students and the CCA Administration, especially Brett Killeen, Milan Perisic and the CCA ASB.

Although Camilleri will soon be passing the baton to the new club president, you can bet she will be as busy as ever.

Once the conference is over, I am going to be focusing my time on enjoying my last few months in high school, she laughed. Oh, and deciding where Ill be going to college!

The 6th Annual CCA Writers Conference will take place on Saturday, March 11 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Canyon Crest Academy, Proscenium and Media Center, 5951 Village Center Loop Road, San Diego. The event is for high school students only. Admission is free and includes programs, handouts, paper, pens and a free lunch from Chipotle Carmel Valley. Preregistration is required.

For a donation of $50 or more, book clubs, organizations and individuals can sponsor a speaker and be acknowledged in the conference program.

For more information or to make a donation, visit ccawritersconference2017.weebly.com
Too many school board members regard their elected positions as full-time careers and have served on school boards far longer than is reasonable.

Term limits have been supported by citizens for many elected posts, including the president of the United States, state and federal office holders, and numerous county and city positions.

Mark Powell, in a San Diego Union-Tribune op-ed last year, wrote that polling consistently shows support for term limits for elected officials. Yet its not done for school board members.

Powell, who was just elected to the San Diego County Board of Education, wrote, Serving as a school board member should not be a career and that serving for decades can lead to stagnation and a lack of fresh decision-making.

He said, School boards thrive when new ideas are allowed to flourish and that a school board works best when people are allowed to infuse new ideas and come up with creative and innovative teaching strategies.

In this newspapers feature last August on the San Dieguito Union High School District candidates running for school board, incumbent Joyce Dalessandro is quoted as saying, I love my job!

Dalessandro was just elected last November to her sixth term.

No one will deny that experience counts for something. But as Powell said, its not supposed to be a job or career.

SDUHSD board member John Salazar agrees with Powell and supports the idea of term limits.

Salazar, who was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014, said in a March 3, 2016 San Diego Union-Tribune article, It makes sense to get some turnover.

His proposal as envisioned would not apply to sitting trustees, only to future school board members.

Dalessandro, who has served on the San Dieguito board since 1996, said in the same U-T story that she would not support term limits for school board members.

Term limits limit the choice the public has, she is quoted as saying. If you have a great board member, they then can get termed out. What is the intelligence there?

It takes a long time to learn the ins and outs of a school district. Its a very long learning process, added Dalessandro, who if she finishes her term of office in 2020 will have served for 24 years as a San Dieguito trustee.

Unjustly vilified

That its a long learning process may be true. But almost all elected officials have a learning curve to get up to speed. No one walks in fully knowledgeable.

Yes, long-time board members may be more educated about how school districts operate, due to longevity, and they have historical perspective.

But school board members are not unique among all other elected positions. They do not require special knowledge or higher intelligence. Its nothing that smart, committed individuals cant learn.

After serving multiple terms in office, trustees feel protective of the legacy theyve helped to create and the need to preserve a particular ideological point of view. But this shuts out others who may have much to contribute and may be quick studies.

Encouraging potential candidates with similar views to run in their stead is a tactic frequently employed by veteran trustees who decide they want out.

This protects the long-time school board members agenda by ensuring that their pet issues remain intact and their particular ideology continues.

But does it cross the line when trustees hand-pick their successors, get the backing of special interests, and work behind the scenes to unduly influence the election?

Qualified candidates who can infuse a school district with fresh vitality, energy and new ideas are often discouraged when faced with the decision to challenge entrenched incumbents. It takes a special kind of person to take that on.

Last year, there was no more qualified, knowledgeable and energized San Dieguito school board candidate than Lucile Lynch. But because she was running against two long-time incumbents, Dalessandro and Beth Hergesheimer, she lost.

Perhaps the bigger reason she lost is because she was unjustly vilified by the San Dieguito teachers union which campaigned vigorously for the two incumbents who had just months before approved a huge raise for teachers.

Lynch is a woman who reasonably  and very respectfully  questioned board decisions about the budget, salary increases, spending priorities and vendor contracts.

She was not, as the union insisted, a rubber stamp for an anti-teacher agenda. She was an independent thinker who owed allegiance to no one, not least of all the board minority. She was engaged, articulate, dedicated and intelligent.

And yet she lost, a loss for students and parents in the district as well. Beating veteran incumbents, especially incumbents endorsed by the teachers union, can be an insurmountable challenge.

Fresh enthusiasm

For local school districts, the following trustees are serving three or more terms of four years each:

San Dieguito Union High School District:

*Joyce Dalessandro, first elected in 1996, now serving her sixth term which expires in 2020

*Beth Hergesheimer, first elected in 2004, now serving her fourth term which expires in 2020

Encinitas Union School District:

*Marla Strich, first elected in 1998, now serving her fifth term which expires in 2018

Cardiff School District :

*Nancy Orr, first elected in 1988, now serving her eighth term which expires in 2020

Solana Beach School District :

*Vicki King, first elected in 2006, now serving her third term which expires in 2018

*Rich Leib, first elected in 2008, now serving his third term which expires in 2020

*Debra Schade, first elected in 2002, now serving her fourth term which expires in 2018

The Rancho Santa Fe School District and the Del Mar Union School District each have five trustees, all serving either their first or second terms of office.

In the cases of Cardiff and Encinitas, its less of an issue when only one trustee out of five is a long-timer. But in San Dieguito and Solana Beach, its time for new blood.

No one would question that longevity offers advantages. But someone  especially a younger board member who still has children attending district schools  can offset the loss of a veteran by providing the district with new, exciting ways to think about problems and solutions and by contributing fresh enthusiasm that prevents school boards from becoming stagnant.

Maybe the limit is two terms, maybe three. But beyond that, it becomes tedious and even obstructionist, as newcomers who would like to contribute to the process as public servants are shut out.

At some point, veteran trustees need to step aside  and step aside completely  to give other voices a chance to be heard. Term limits may be the only way to force the issue.

***************

There is potential good news on the legislative front for proponents of later school start times.

On Feb. 13, Democratic state Sen. Anthony Portantino introduced Senate Bill 328 which would require all Calif. middle and high schools to start school no earlier than 8:30 a.m.

The science is clear, he said, that starting the school day later improves the quality of education, health and welfare of our children.

Portantinos news release cited studies that confirm that insufficient sleep in teens poses a public health risk and has an adverse effect on academic success.

In addition, later start times would improve attendance. Since funding is tied to attendance, Portantinos office said that the Los Angeles Unified School District, for example, would gain about $40 million per year if attendance improved by just 1 percent.

The benefits of later school start times for adolescents struggling with changing circadian rhythms have been irrefutably documented by leading scientific and medical professionals and organizations for so many years that its astonishing why districts like San Dieguito continue to be unresponsive.

Excuses  like a disruption of bus schedules and after-school sports, and an inconvenience to parents and teachers  ring hollow when districts claim to support their students health, well-being and academic success.

A 9 a.m. start time would be even better, but 8:30 a.m. is progress.

School districts have ignored the data on the benefits of later start times for decades now. Finally, they may be forced to act in students best interests.

Sr. Education Writer Marsha Sutton can be reached at suttonmarsha@gmail.com.
The Samoa Submarine Cable Company (SSCC) has commissioned two eCentre data centre solutions from Flexenclosure.

The solutions will be deployed as cable landing stations terminating the new submarine TUI-Samoa cable at Vavaisse and Tuasivi.

Following the contract signing in Hawaii in January, construction of the cable landing stations has already begun at Flexenclosures factory in Sweden and the ground breaking ceremonies have taken place in Samoa. Operational deployment and full commissioning of both eCentres is planned for June of this year.

The eCentres will terminate the new submarine TUI-Samoa cable, connecting Samoa, Fiji, and Wallis and Futuna. The TUI-Samoa cable will reduce the current dependence on satellite communications and accelerate the launch of innovative new services.

Samoan people and the region will benefit from fast, reliable and affordable Internet which will open up opportunities for social and economic development, said Emmanuel Delanoue, CEO, SSCC. Given the national importance of this project, we chose Flexenclosure to supply the cable landing stations as they have a very strong track-record in deploying turnkey, customised and ruggedised solutions able to withstand the harshest of weather conditions like those of the Pacific.

We are very excited to be a part of such a transformational project for the country and people of Samoa, said David King, CEO, Flexenclosure. eCentre is the worlds most versatile data centre building and we expect to see significant growth of our cable landing station business over the coming months and years.

Flexenclosure is a specialist in prefabricated eCentre cable landing stations specifically for the submarine cable industry. They can be built to accommodate permanent staff or to be unmanned 24 x7 facilities. With eCentres modular construction, facilities can easily be expanded to accommodate additional equipment as data traffic grows, without interrupting on-going operations.
KGI's Ming-Chi Kuo refutes an older claim that iPhones will switch to USB-C port like company's 2016 MacBook Pro lineup. Apple is also expected to support fast charging with the introduction of 2017 iPhone lineup

Apple's 2017 iPhone lineup will keep the lightning port, but switch to USB-C standard for power delivery. According to KGI's Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will finally bring fast charging to iPhones with the adoption of USB-C power delivery. Apple recently joined the Wireless Power Consortium and the company is likely to add wireless charging support to iPhones this year.

Earlier this week, a Wall Street Journal report claimed that iPhones will switch to USB-C port like the company's 2016 MacBook Pro lineup. Kuo refutes that claim stating Apple will keep the proprietary lightning port but the internal components will change to support 'Type C Power Delivery'. The design advantage and royalties program is seen as major reason to continue using the Lightning port.

Kuo has already revealed that Apple will adopt 2-cell L shaped battery design for the next-generation iPhone 8. The new report suggests Apple will source components from Texas Instruments and Cypress. The USB-C port supports faster data transfer rates than Apple's Lightning but the Cupertino-based company finds it a 'niche application' and not a compelling upgrade.

The proprietary Lightning port has a slimmer design when compared to a USB-C port. Apple also licenses Lightning port design under its MFi program to accessory makers. Apple's switch to USB-C port would make the next iPhone incompatible with thousands of Lightning accessories and could also draw criticism from companies part of the MFi program.

Apple is expected to launch three new iPhones later this year. Two of those models are expected to serve as an incremental updates to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, while the third one could be a redesigned iPhone with an OLED display. Kuo predicts that Apple will include a Lightning to USB-C cable instead of the traditional USB-A cable with the next iPhone model.
Legendary Investments announced on Friday that its investee company VirtualStock had been appointed by the John Lewis Partnership to implement its supply chain management system The Edge.

The AIM-traded firm said John Lewis would be utilising The Edge platform's capabilities including its availability and order management functionality to develop the retailers supplier direct channel.

It said VS would connect suppliers with John Lewis' systems and processes, enabling improved real-time inventory updates through a centralised system, with The Edge providing a collaborative workspace enabling John Lewis and its suppliers to work together.

VS had previously deployed digital solutions to leading retailers including Tesco, Maplin, Sainsbury's Argos, Dixons Carphone and Office Depot.

The partnership is excited to be working with VirtualStock in building functionality to continue moving forward as Britain's leading omni-channel retailer, said John Lewis head of direct-to-consumer Edward Osborne.

Andrew Mills, chief executive of VS, described the firm asdelighted to welcome John Lewis as a client.

We look forward to delivering digital transformation, improving the customer experience and helping John Lewis to remain at the forefront of the market.

Zafar Karim, executive chairman of Legendary Investments, said the board there was also pleased with VirtualStock's continued progress.

Early last year, VirtualStock had three household retailers - Tesco, Sainsbury's Argos and MapIin as clients.

It now has more than double that number, including the John Lewis Partnership.

VirtualStock is now established as a leading supply chain solution in retail, and it is in discussion with several additional retail clients.

Karim said early last year, VirtualStock also had one NHS trust - Guy's and St Thomas' - as a client.

In February 2015, VirtualStock procurement solution was described as exemplary of best practice in employing digital technology to deliver significant cost reductions in Lord Carter's productivity review of the NHS.

VS's client portfolio now includes the Shelford Group, which comprises ten leading NHS multi-speciality academic healthcare organisations as clients, and it is in discussions with several additional NHS trusts.
Lighthouse Group has won a new one-year contract with the Money Advice Service to provide of financial advice to its employees.

The AIM-listed advisory firm will provide advice on savings, investments, pensions, protection and mortgages to employees of the Money Advice Service, an organisation that aims to enhance the general publics knowledge of financial issues.

This contract builds on its recent contract wins from UNISON, Unite, BA Clubs, Prospect, the Fire Brigades Union and the Royal College of Nursing.

Lighthouse chief executive Malcolm Streatfield said: "We look forward to developing our relationship over the coming months and working closely with the Money Advice Service employees, who themselves are dedicated to helping others, and assisting them with their financial planning requirements.

He added that the company remains committed to increasing its affinity partnerships throughout the UK.

Shares in Lighthouse Group were down 0.32% to 15.45p at 0806 GMT.
US citizens will no longer be able to travel to the European Union without a visa, after the EU's civil liberties committee voted to block free access to to its member states in response to the failure of the US to agree to a similar agreement with five European countries.

MEPs called on Washington to grant visa-free conditions to citizens fo Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, Romania and Cyprus, as it does to the other 23 member states of the EU.

A visa waiver program which is currently in place allows US nationals to travel freely to any of the bloc nations, but the European Parliament vote on Friday now refers the policy to the European Commission.

A report published by the Commission in December said the EU was working towards a resolution of the visa standoff and "using all opportunities to explore the way ahead and all options or necessary actions to be taken to achieve this objective."

The US Department of Homeland Security has claimed that the five European nations concerned had not been upholding the requirements set out under the reciprocal agreement.

UK immigration minister Robert Goodwill called on the Eu to introduce an ESTA-style system for European travellers to the United States.

"British people are now used to the US ESTA scheme and, therefore, we view with interest how the European scheme might develop and what similarities, and differences, there may be to the US scheme," Mr Goodwill said.

"This type of scheme is generally there to help enhance security. To get to know as much as possible about the people who are intending to travel."
US President Donald Trump will oversee a massive overhaul of the Environmental Protection Agency 's funding, with the total budget for the regulatory body to be cut by 25%, and a key climate protection programme to lose 70% of its funding.

The White House has proposed the budget cuts for the EPA in order to reverse the Obama administration's push towards climate change regulation, but the President has promised that the funding cuts would not damage the air and water quality in the US.

According to Reuters, the EPA's annual budget will be slashed to $6.1bn, including 12,400 staff, when Trump presents his budget proposal for 2018.

The cuts will have to be approved by Congress however, such is its control over administration spending.

Trump's proposal will however be the first blow in a lengthy battle to push through widespread budget reductions in order to finance a huge increase in military spending.

EPA programmes that focus on lead cleanup and grants to aid Native American tribes will face heavy reductions, with the programme to battle greenhouse gas emissions facing the biggest reduction of 70% to $29m.

The EPA has played a crucial role in curbing the actions of companies who have overstepped the mark in relation to their emissions output.

Most notably, the agency uncovered the Volkswagen emissions cheating scandal, in which the German carmaker had fitted technology to vehicles in order to cheat tests on its harmful substance output.

Trump's plans to cut climate change funding have not gone down well among environmental organisations, with Sierra Club campaign director John Coequyt commenting that the cuts will not pass Congress.

"States and Congress won't go for this. They are proposing cutting programs that are connected to jobs in states and programs that address environmental issues," Coequyt said.
Markets in Asia finished lower on Friday, taking their cue from a red session overnight in the US as markets looked to price in the increasingly high risk of a rate rise from the Federal Reserve by the end of the month.

Japans Nikkei 225 lost 0.49% to 19,469.17, with banking stocks now on the back foot, as Mitsubishi UFJ lost 0.59% and Mizuho was 0.33% softer.

The yen strengthened against the greenback during the session, though it pared back slightly after hours and was last 0.04% weaker at JPY 114.15 per $1.

That led to a drop in the share price of some of the major exporters, with Mitsubishi Electric down 1.01% and Toyota off 0.23%.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite was down 0.34% at 3,219.18, while the smaller tech-focussed Shenzhen Composite was up 0.21% at 2,001.90.

South Koreas Kospi was down 1.14% to 2,078.75, with geopolitical tensions between China and South Korea reportedly rising.

The countrys retail sector suffered, with Hyundai Department Store off 3.37%, Lotte Shopping finishing down 0.93% and Shinsegae losing 4.92%.

Those falls came after reports emerged late on Thursday that a cyber attack originating from a Chinese IP address brought down the Lotte Duty Free website.

The attack came soon after Lotte International gave the go-ahead for a land swap, to allow the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence System to be built on its now former property, in direct response to the missile threat from North Korea.

Reports in Seoul also told how Chinese authorities had ordered tour operators in that country to halt the sale of trips to South Korea, as a response to the US defence deployment.

Down in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index finished down 0.74% at 23,552.72.

Oil prices were slightly higher during late trading in Asia, with Brent crude last up 0.47% at $55.34 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate adding 0.34% to $52.79.

Australias S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.81% to finish at 5,729.60, with almost all subindexes closing the day in the red.

The weighty financial subindex was down 0.71% as most bank stocks dropped, with Australia and New Zealand Banking Group down 0.57%, Commonwealth Bank of Australia losing 0.79%, National Australia Bank off 0.93% and Westpac Banking Corporation 0.96% softer.

Gold miners were also lower in the sunburnt country as a stronger dollar pushed gold prices down.

Alacer Gold was off 5.16%, Evolution Mining lost 5.09% and Newcrest was 2.99% lower.

In New Zealand, the S&P/NZX 50 was off 0.2% to 7,160.86, led lower by subscription broadcaster Sky - unrelated to its London-listed namesake - the worst performer, down 2.7% a week after its proposed merger with Vodafones New Zealand operations was denied by the local competition regulator.

Manuka honey and health products exporter Comvita was the winner of the day adding 2.4%, while dairy products and infant food manufacturer A2 Milk was up 1.3%.

The down under dollars were both weaker, with the Kiwi last losing 0.54% to NZD 1.4237 against the greenback and the Aussie weakening 0.23% to AUD 1.3236 per $1.
Over a third of British manufacturers see no benefits to the government's proposed apprenticeship levy, a survey of the industry has found.

Many manufacturers see the apprenticeship levy -- where about companies with a payroll of 3m or more, which represents roughly the largest 2% of UK businesses, will from 6 April will be required to invest 0.5% of this payroll into the government's apprenticeship scheme -- as a tax on business, according to industry body the EEF.

The organisation said that although manufacturers were warming to the levy, with a quarter of those surveyed by the EEF believing it will increase the quality of apprenticeship and a further quarter expecting it to attract more young people, they have reservations about its viability and long-term prospects.

The levy will come into effect on the first day of the new tax year and the government hopes it will increase the number of apprenticeships in England to three million by 2020. Businesses that pay the levy will still have access to government funding to go towards costs for apprenticeships.

The report by EEF and Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking surveyed 114 senior company executive in the manufacturing and engineering sector and found that 75% are worried they will not get back what they put in.

While 61% were concerned about cost, half of those surveyed were concerned about the timescale to implement the levey and 44% had apprehensions over the uncertainty about the future rule and rate changes to levy.

However, EEF said that manufacturers that operate across the UK with employees in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland would lose out on funding because of an incompatibility between the levy and devolved skills policy across the country.

EEF chief executive Terry Scuoler said: Clearly the apprenticeship levy has the potential to bring benefits, but not enough to outweigh our sectors reservations. With skills such a high priority these fears are entirely understandable and must be swiftly addressed.

This report confirms that the apprenticeship levy remains a work-in-progress and must be treated as such - it requires further refining and we would urge the government to continue to engage with business in order to make some much-needed improvements.

But some were positive about the levy as 26% believed that it will increase the responsiveness of providers to deliver relevant training and 29% said they would be better able to buy the training their business really needs.

Amid doubts about the viability of the levy, EEF has called for an independent employer-led review of the roll-out of the levy by the end of 2018.

Dave Atkinson, UK head of manufacturing at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said manufacturers are firmly behind apprenticeships in securing business skills to drive productivity growth and have a long track record of providing high quality apprenticeship opportunities that lead to long-term careers, very often with the same employer.

But he stressed that it was important that the apprenticeship levy builds on this by supporting manufacturers training ambitions and acting as an enabler so that many more feel able to offer these valuable and aspirational roles.
BritVic , the owner of Robinson's juices and a bottler for PepsiCo brands, has completed the 56.8m acquisition of Brazilian drink firm Bela Ischia Alimentos.

Following the completion of the due diligence process, the FTSE 250 drinks company bought Bela Ischia for 218m Brazilian reals in order to strengthen BritVic's brand portfolio and distribution footprint in the country as the acquisitions complements its existing assets in Sao Paulo and the north east.

BritVic expects the acquisition to generate at least 10m Brazilian reals of cost from joint efficiencies in procurement, production, logistics and administration.

However, about 3.5m of exceptional costs will be incurred this year due to the acquisition and integration of Bela Ischia.

Bela Ischia generated revenue of 160m Brazilian reals and earnings before interest, tax depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 18.5m Brazilian reals in 2016.

Phil Carroll, analyst at Shore Capital, said: "As we have stated previously, whilst not having any prior knowledge of Bela Ischia as a business but taking into account its strong brand position in certain important geographies, we see this as a sensible deal at a reasonable valuation based on revenue (1.4 times historic revenue).

"Assuming a cash/debt neutral position for the business, the enterprise value and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) ratio of 11.8 times is more punchy but we note the opportunity for significant synergies both in costs and revenues and the underlying double digit growth in the business."

Carroll calculated the deal would add roughly 40m of revenue to the group, taking the contribution from Brazil from near 8% to 10% of group revenue, "so not a game changer in any way but we do see this as management once again being pro-active in looking for opportunities to create shareholder value".
Global executive recruitment and professional services group Harvey Nash issued a trading update in advance of its final results for the full year to 31 January on Friday, which it confirmed would be announced on 27 April.

The London-listed firms board said it expected to report adjusted pre-tax profit for the year in line with market expectations.

Overall gross profit increased by 8%, though it dropped 1% on a constant currency basis.

While growth was held back in the UK and Ireland by Brexit uncertainty, the board said gross profit was up by 18% in Mainland Europe , or 4% on a constant currency basis.

The constant currency decline in its Rest of World market was reportedly due to challenging market conditions in Hong Kong, while in Offshore Services it was due to increased costs in Vietnam as a result of the depreciation in the value of sterling during the year, the board explained.

Net cash of 5.5m at the year-end was achieved due to tight control of working capital, the board added, and it confirmed the group held no term debt.

The group has delivered a resilient trading performance despite the significant uncertainty created by the referendum, said chief executive officer Albert Ellis.

Mainland Europe, which accounts for 40% of total gross profit, continued to make satisfactory progress.

Cash flow has materially exceeded expectations with the year ending in a positive net cash position, some 5 million higher than 31 January 2016.
Rio Tinto has appointed Philip Richards as its new group head of legal, replacing Debra Valentine.

Richards, who has been acting in the role since December on secondment from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, where he was a senior partner specialising in corporate law, will be responsible for all group legal services.

Rio said he has extensive experience in governance, corporate advisory and transactional work, including four years running Freshfields' office in Italy, and leading the firm's financial institutions group.

His previous experience includes acting for a broad range of global companies including Barclays, Tesco, Prudential, LSEG, Liberty Global and Swiss Re.

Chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques said: Philip has demonstrated in his time with us that his significant almost 40-year experience in legal affairs will be a real asset for our company. He has quickly embraced the strong Rio Tinto culture and I am very pleased to have him join our team."
News that Tanzania had banned exports of gold/copper concentrate has hit the shares of London-listed Acacia Mining , which is the east African country's largest gold miner.

On Friday, the President of Tanzania revealed the directive via a Ministry of Energy and Minerals press release.

Acacia, which has three producing mines in north-west Tanzania, last year generated around 30% of revenues from gold/copper concentrate.

"At this stage, Acacia has ceased exports of gold/copper concentrate and is urgently seeking further clarification from the Ministry of Energy and Minerals," the company said in a short statement.

The company's shares were already moving lower on Friday as the gold price dropped, but after the announcement emerged in London afternoon the shares dropped over 11% to 470.82p.

On Monday there were reports that the ban was part of a government effort to increase domestic beneficiation.

But Investec analysts said Tanzania hardly has the concentrate production to justify its own smelter.

"We expect this issue to be resolved but are concerned it is part of ongoing government attempts for a greater tax grab. ACA has a good balance sheet (cash of US$318m) so is able to withstand a concentrate inventory build-up although not indefinitely."

They noted that as concentrate amounted to 30% of 2016 revenue, or $316m or $26m per month, Acacias $363m decline in market cap on Friday was equivalent to more than an entire year of concentrate losses.
Prime Minister Theresa May has criticised Scottish National Party's drum beating for a second independence referendum to break away from UK as lacking an "economic case".

After last June's referendum, which saw Britain vote to quit the EU, Nicola Sturgeon's party has become increasingly vocal about the need for a new ballot on independence. A referendum in 2014 saw Scotland vote to remain in UK.

Brexit negotiations will begin soon after May triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which is expected to happen in March.

SNP representatives have said a so-called "hard Brexit" will leave Scotland with no choice but to call another referendum. Scotland voted 62% in favour of the UK remaining within the EU.

"Time and again the benefits of the union, of doing together, collectively, what would be impossible to do apart are clear," said May, speaking at the Scottish Conservative Party Conference.

"Indeed the economic case for the union has never been stronger. There is no economic case for breaking up the United Kingdom, or of loosening the ties which bind us together."

May also suggested that Sturgeon and her party should focus more on improving the livelihood of young Scottish people rather than talking up a referendum.

"As prime minister of the United Kingdom, I am just as concerned that young people in Dundee get a good start in life and receive the education they need to reach their full potential as I am about young people in Doncaster and Dartford," May said.

Sturgeon has argued that many of those Scots who voted to remain part of the UK in 2014 did so on the basis that it would still be a member of the EU, and lambasted the "Westminster diktat" espoused by the British government.

"The Scottish government's approach since the EU referendum has been to offer compromise and to seek consensus at every turn -- in return the UK government's has so far been one of obstinacy and intransigence," Sturgeon said in a statement.
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Q. An estimated five billion lives have been saved by the 105 scientists celebrated on the ScienceHeroes.com website. Can you name any of the top heroes or their discoveries?

A. No. 1 and No. 2 are German scientists Fritz Haber (1868-1935) and Carl Bosch (1874-1940), who developed a synthetic fertilizer that saved some 2.7 billion lives by helping the world grow nutritious food, says the website. Without their discovery, the expansion of the world's population from 1.6 billion in 1900 to over 7 billion today would not have been possible.





. . .
Do you know an outstanding young Donegal person between the age of 18 to 40 who you think deserves recognition for their achievements?

The local branch of Junior Chamber International (JCI) is currently seeking nominations for The Outstanding Young People (TOYP) of the year competition before the Friday, March 10 deadline.

JCI Donegal is part of a global organisation aimed at focusing on leadership, entrepreneurship and active citizenship. The organisation has a strong focus on developing young leaders by involving them in the running of many worthwhile projects which add to, and enhance, community life in Donegal.

The TOYP competition is a drive to identify young people for their dynamism and enthusiasm in their fields. There is a local awards ceremony in which winners will receive a commemorative trophy and be recognised by their peers. After the local awards, the Donegal winners may go on to be recognised nationally and possibly internationally for their achievements. Every year, JCI selects ten outstanding young people under 40 to be recognised for living the JCI Mission in extraordinary ways.

JCI Ireland shone last year with Ciara Judge from Cork bringing a world award back home after being recognised in an awards ceremony in Quebec, Canada. If you know someone who can follow in Ciaras footsteps, there are ten categories under which

nominations can be made, relating to the fields of business, politics, academic achievements, culture, moral/environmental leadership, contribution to children/world peace/human rights, humanitarian/voluntary leadership, scientific/technological development, personal improvement/accomplishment and medical innovation.

fREE TO ENTER

This competition is free to enter. Members of the public are now invited to take some time to show someone they admire and respect what he/she does and believe his/her contribution should be recognised.

Ms Ann-Louise McClintock, President of JCI Donegal, said the local branch is excited to be running the awards for the fourth year in a row.

In 2016 we had two national winners with Nikki Bradley and Seamus McGrory and our local winners were exceptional.

Donegal is full of incredible young people and we are privileged to recognise them, Ms McClintock said.

Send in your nominations now by filling in the online form on www.jciireland.ie/toyp, or email

info@jcidonegal.ie

Entries close on Friday, March 10, at 5pm. Make sure you check out JCI Donegal on facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths:

- Raymond Taylor, Tullyvinney, Raphoe

- Charlie Roarty, Bunbeg

- Eileen Peoples, Letterkenny

- Breid Boyle, Narin, Portnoo

- Terence McDermott, Ballyshannon

- Archie Smith, Letterkenny

Raymond Taylor, Tullyvinney, Raphoe

The death has occurred of Raymond Taylor, Tullyvinney, Raphoe. Reposing privately at Gibson's Funeral Home, Convoy. Family and friends welcome between the hours of 6pm to 10pm. Funeral Service there on Friday, March 3rd, at 11am and afterwards to Lakeland Crematorium for cremation at 3pm.

Charlie Roarty, Knockastolar, Bunbeg

The death has occurred of Charlie Roarty, late of Knockastolar, Bunbeg, Gaoth Dobhair.

His remains are reposing at his home in Knockastolar. Removal from there to St Mary's Church, Derrybeg for Funeral Mass on Friday, March 3rd at 1pm followed by burial afterwards in Magheragallon Cemetery.

Eileen Peoples, Letterkenny

The death has taken place of Eileen Peoples, 81 The Grange, Letterkenny and formally of 57 Port Road, Letterkenny.

Remains will be reposing at her residence from 5pm on Thursday, March 2nd. Removal from residence on Saturday 4th at 10.20am going to St Eunan's Cathedral for requiem mass at 11 o' clock with interment at Conway cemetery in the family plot.

Family time from 10pm to 10am and on the morning of the funeral.

Breid Boyle, Narin, Portnoo

The death has taken place of Breid Boyle, Narin, Portnoo. Removal from Shovlin's Funeral Home Sandfield on Thursday afternoon, March 2nd, at 3pm, travelling to her late residence.

Funeral from there on Saturday morning at 10.30am to St Conal's Church, Kilclooney for 11am requiem Mass, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. Family flowers only, donations if desired to St Francis Hospice c/o any family member. House private from 10pm until 10am.

Terence McDermott, East Rock, Ballyshannon

The death has occurred of Terence McDermott late of East Rock, Ballyshannon. Mass of the Resurrection on Friday morning at 11am in St. Josephs Church with interment in the adjoining cemetery.

Family flowers only, donations in lieu if so desired to The Rock Nursing Unit Patients Comfort Fund c/o Patrick McKenna Funeral Directors, Ballyshannon.

Archie Smith, Letterkenny

The death has taken place of Archie Smith late of 74 Foxhills, Letterkenny and formerly of Scotland.

His remains are reposing at his late residence. House strictly private on Friday and on the morning of the funeral.

Removal from his home on Saturday morning at 10.30 to St. Mary's Chapel, Derrybeg for funeral service at 12 noon with burial afterwards in Magheragallon Cemetery.

Family flowers only. Donations in lieu to the Donegal Hospice.

* If you wish to have a death notice included, please e-mail: editorial@donegaldemocrat.com and include a contact telephone number for verification.
A 40-year-old Tyrone man suspected of being involved in the murder of a police officer in 2012 was arrested yesterday in Ramelton in an intelligence-led operation.

The swoop - carried out by the gardai with the assistance of the PSNI - saw Damien McLaughlin, a father of two from Dungannon - arrested at around three o'clock this afternoon amid dramatic scenes on Ramelton's famous bridge.

The van in which he was travelling along with a 59-year-old man was boxed in by unmarked garda vehicles with flashing lights.

Mr McLaughlin was taken to a Dublin garda station and is due to appear before the High Court in Dublin on foot of a European Arrest warrant this morning, Friday.

A 47-year-old woman was arrested in Belfast as part of the same operation and was taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite for questioning.

Mr McLaughlin is facing four charges in relation to the killing of David Black. The 52-year-old father of two was the first Northern Ireland prison officer to be murdered in nearly 20 years.

He had been on bail since May 2014, but had not been seen for months at an address in Belfast were he had agreed to reside as part of his bail conditions.

The PSNI and gardai had been working closely in relation to his whereabouts, and the gardai made their move yesterday afternoon after learning of his movements in the Ramelton area.
Already today there is a huge exodus from Ardara as up on 200 members of the closely knit community travel to Dublin to see one of their own honoured as the 2016 Donegal Person of the Year in the Regency Hotel on Saturday night.

The recipient of this year's award Stephen Mc Cahill told the Democrat this morning, the whole thing is really all surreal and I suppose it is only beginning to really sink in now.

As I said previously this accolade is for the great community in Ardara, I am only a symbol of the great spirit in this town.

Stephen, who is well known for his daily trips on his bicycle, had the famous two wheeled bike in reserve but perhaps wisely decided on the four-wheeled option for the trip to Dublin!

He added, We are heading up now and as far as I know many from the locality are heading today as well. In Ardara we like to celebrate whether at home or away!

No doubt there will be some great yarns and craic around the Harcourt and Cassidys pub this evening.
The man charged in connection with the murder of a Northern Ireland prison officer in 2012 who was arrested in Ramelton on Thursday afternoon appeared this morning at the High Court in Dublin on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.

Damien Joseph McLaughlin (40), with an address at Glenties Rd, Belfast, was arrested with another man by a member of the Special Detective Unit in an operation carried out by the gardai with assistance from the PSNI

Mr McLaughlin is wanted by the authorities in Northern Ireland to face allegations that he aided and abetted in the murder of David Black on November 1st, 2012, and was in possession of an article suspected of being for the commission of the act of murder.

Prison officer David Black (52) was shot dead on the M1 motorway by dissident republicans as he drove to work in Maghaberry jail.

Mr McLaughlin is also charged with engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism and of being a member of a proscribed organisation.

Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce, of the Special Detective Unit, told counsel for the State Fiona Murphy BL on Friday that he arrested Mr McLaughlin on Thursday in Donegal.

He said that he asked the accused man if he was Damien McLaughlin.

Mr McLaughlin nodded, the court heard.

The detective cautioned the man and he replied that he wanted to speak to his solicitor.

He was conveyed to Letterkenny garda station and shown a copy of the European Arrest Warrant.

The detective read over a summary of the offences and asked the accused man if he knew what they were about, the court heard, and Mr McLaughlin said that he did.

Under cross-examination, Det Sgt Boyce told David Leonard BL, for Mr McLaughlin, that the accused man was a passenger in a vehicle when arrested.

The court heard that Mr McLaughlin was dragged out of the car, and his legs were crossed and cable-tied.

Det Sgt Boyce did not agree with the barrister that Mr McLaughlin had been treated with more force than necessary.

He was "dealt with in a prompt and appropriate fashion" and "not treated with any more force than necessary", the detective added.

Mr Leonard submitted to the court that excessive force was used and that "either disregard or insufficient weight was placed on the presumption of innocence".

In these circumstances the arrest was invalid, he said.

Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly rejected the application. She said that Mr McLaughlin is accused of offences of terrorism.

"It is also alleged that he had been released on bail in Northern Ireland and he failed to abide by the conditions of his bail," she said.

She added that it is important gardai carry out risk assessments before arresting somebody and that she did not consider that excessive force was used or that there was a breach of the presumption of innocence.

Mr McLaughlin was remanded in custody until March 20th, when his case is listed for mention again.
Could you use $763? The IRS could have that much or more just waiting for you.

It's yours as long as you don't miss the 2013 tax return tax deadline.

Photo by 401(k) 2012 courtesy Flickr Creative Commons

Nope, that's not a typo. More than 1 million taxpayers didn't file their federal returns three years ago and that oversight has left the Internal Revenue Service holding more than $1 billion in unclaimed refunds.

If some of that money is yours, the IRS wants to send it to you.

But you have to ask by filing a 2013 Form 1040 (or 1040A or 1040EZ). And you must get your three-year-old return to the tax agency by this filing deadline, which falls this year on April 18.

If you don't file for your unclaimed refund by that date, then by law the U.S. government gets to keep your money.

Smallest, biggest possible checks: Of the $1.06 billion sitting in the U.S. Treasury, the median amount of tax year 2013 unclaimed refunds is $763. That means that half of the checks will be less than that, but half will be more

The smallest median potential refund amount is $619. That amount goes to Idaho nonfilers in 2013.

Other states where late filers could get $600 or more are Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah and Wisconsin.

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't refuse more than 600 bucks!

Alaska and Wyoming residents are at the top end of 2013's unclaimed refunds. Both state's break the $900 mark, with the Last Frontier's median refund from three years ago hitting $917 and the Cowboy State's median unclaimed tax check is close behind at $911.

Now I definitely wouldn't turn down almost a grand from Uncle Sam.

Most negligent, diligent filers: As for actual amounts of nonfilers three years ago, my fellow Texans are once again the least diligent filers. There were 104,700 of us in 2013 who didn't send the IRS a tax return.

Now I know there are lots of tales about all the rich ranchers and oil rig owners in my native Lone Star State. Thanks, J.R.

But that's a myth. There are more of us who definitely could use any and all amounts of unexpected cash.

Overall, my nonfiling neighbors account for almost $116 million in tax year 2013 unclaimed refunds. If these Texans get their filing acts together by April 18, they could be the owners of one of the state's potential median refund checks of $829.

Vermont also was a repeat winner, relatively speaking, as the home to the most conscientious tax filers. Just 2,000 folks there failed to fill out a refund-producing federal tax return three years ago.

The Green Mountain State's total unclaimed refund amount from 2013 is almost $1.9 million, with a median potential refund of $747.

Yes, I know that there are a lot more people living in Texas than in Vermont, so the raw numbers are not necessarily the best number to use in gauging federal tax filing habits. But those are the figures the IRS provides.

You can see where your state stands in the ol' blog's special web page showing the state-by-state breakout of 2013 tax year unclaimed refunds.

Why folks don't file: Sometimes people get busy and simply don't get around to sending their returns to the IRS. Others think their refund is too small to mess with filing a 1040. (If that's you, let's talk!)

Some people don't even know they might be due a refund. That's why even if you aren't legally required to do so, it's sometimes a good idea to file a tax return anyway.

Whatever the reason, the IRS wants you to come and get your cash and soon.

"People across the nation havent filed tax returns to claim these refunds, and their window of opportunity is closing soon," said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.

And if you're still hesitant to file now because you're worried about facing sanctions for not filing a return three years ago, don't be.

"Remember," noted Koskinen, "there's no penalty for filing a late return if youre due a refund."

Three-year window closing: But you have to do so by April 18.

The deadline is not just the IRS setting a time. It's the law, which says that if no return is filed to claim a refund within three years, the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.

Since 2013 returns were due in April 2014, that three-year filing window closes forever on 2017's tax due date.

By then, 2013 forms must be filled out -- by hand as there's no e-filing of old returns -- properly addressed, and in the U.S. Postal system in time to be postmarked by April 18.

You can download prior year tax forms and instructions at IRS.gov's forms and publications page or call toll-free 1- 800-829-3676.

If you need old W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 forms to fill out your 2013 tax return, request copies from your employer, bank or other payer. If you can't get these documents that way, try the IRS' Get Transcript Online tool to obtain a Wage and Income transcript. You also can file Form 4506-T to request a transcript of 2013 income and use that information to file the old tax return.

Also double check that you filed your taxes for the 2014 and 2015 tax years. If you didn't, your belated 2013 refund claim might be held.

In addition, your old refund amount could be reduced if you owe any amounts to the IRS or other federal agencies, such as for a student loan, as well as have debts to a state tax agency for such things as unpaid child support.

Annual issue: As unbelievable as it may sound, unclaimed tax refunds are common. I've been writing about this tax phenomenon as long as I've been blogging.

You can see what the numbers were in prior years in my previous posts on nonfilers due refunds 

And if in 2013 you lived in a state that has an income tax, chances are that if you overlooked your IRS filing, you also missed sending in your state return. Check with your state tax department about what you need to do about that oversight.

The extra (and old!) tax-filing effort could be quite rewarding.
Students of Enterprise State Community Colleges first graduating class, the Class of 1967, relived some of their most memorable moments on the campus during a luncheon for their 50th Homecoming celebration on Monday, February 27, 2017.

The luncheon was hosted by the Colleges Interim President, Dr. Vicky Ohlson. In attendance were 12 graduates and five instructors from the inaugural class. Dr. Joseph Talmadge, who served as the Dean of the College from 1965 to 1981 and the President from 1981 to 1994, was the keynote speaker.

Dr. Talmadge regaled the crowd with stories of improbable success in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles during the colleges infancy.

Dr. Talmadge credited the success of the college to the determination and creativity of the administration and faculty who could pull together and provide for the students using very limited resources.

ESCC Associate Dean of Students Dr. Kevin Ammons followed Dr. Talmadges speech with a presentation on the birth and history of the college.

It was incredible as an employee of the college and a former student to hear the stories of those first days, said ESCC Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning Andrew Davis. I think its a testament to the impact that a few competent, passionate people can have on a community and that legacy certainly lives on today at ESCC.

George Landingham, a member of the Class of 1967, said that this was the first time he had been back on ESCC campus in 50 years.

My wife and I had not been back on the campus since we graduated 50 years ago and our memories were refreshed of the great time we spent there, Landingham said. It was wonderful seeing some old classmates and former faculty.

It made me remember that Enterprise State Junior college gave me all the foundation I needed to go on to Auburn University and from there to a successful career. The college truly changed the course of my life.

Roy and Beverly Powell, graduates of the Class of 1967 who are now married and live in Samson, said it was great being back on campus as well.

It was enjoyable to be back on campus and to see our classmates and several of the professors who were there, Beverly said. The college opening when it did was unbelievably good for all of us who were graduating from high school at that time.

A lot of us probably would not have been able to have gone to a four-year school because of the cost in it. It was just a blessing to all of us to have such a wonderful experience with the amazing faculty that Dr. Talmadge had assembled.

Dr. Ohlson said that having the first graduating class back on campus after 50 years was a wonderful experience and reminded her of how great an impact the college has on the lives of its students, giving them the opportunity for a first-class college education close to home and at a fraction of the cost for the same courses at a state university.

Ohlson said that she is looking forward to having the Class of 1967 back on campus for this years graduation ceremony, where one of their own, Bill Carr, an extremely successful local entrepreneur and CEO of the 21st largest CPA firm in the nation  Carr, Riggs and Ingram  will deliver the commencement address.

Anyone who attended ESCC in the past and who is interested in becoming part of the ESCC alumni organization should contact Andrew Davis at the College alumni@escc.edu or 334-347-2623, ext. 2309.
Jurors are expected to start hearing opening statements next week in what will be the second trial for Ariton man, Willie James Dickerson, in the death of Willie David Pugh. Dickersons first trial was declared a mistrial after a hung jury was declared after almost six hours of deliberation over a two day span.

Jury selection is set for Monday morning at the Russell County Courthouse in Phenix City according to Barbour County District Attorney Ben Reeves. I look for the jurors to start hearing opening statements by Monday afternoon, Reeves commented.

Circuit Court Judge Albert. L. Johnson will preside over the trial for a second time, having taken the case after Barbour County Burt Smithart recused himself from presiding over Dickersons case in an effort to avoid the appearance of impropriety after being accused of illegal actions regarding the case by an internet blogger.

It took three years after his arrest for Dickerson to have his first trail in June of 2015, and after the resignation of several lawyers, he will go back to court next week to face a reduced charge of Murder instead of Capital Murder. A new attorney, Connie Cooper from Phenix City will represent Dickerson during the upcoming trial.

Dickerson was arrested by Barbour County Sheriffs officers in the death of Clio man, Willie David Pugh, on May 23, 2012, and charged with capital murder while incarcerated in the Houston County Jail on unrelated charges of two counts of second-degree sodomy and a single felony count of second-degree rape.

The victim, Pugh, who was 26 year-old at the time of his death, disappeared January 14, 2012, after dropping his girlfriend off at a relatives house in Clio to run a couple errands. When he failed to return, the girlfriend began looking for him. He was officially reported missing on January 15.

The vehicle Pugh had been driving was located approximately 500 yards from Dickersons residence in the Doster community in southern Barbour County on January 15, behind an abandoned mobile home. A search of the car conducted by investigators with the Barbour County Sheriffs Office turned up the victims bloody clothing inside the car.

An intense search for Pugh that involved multiple law enforcement agencies, search and rescue teams and volunteers was called off over a week later due to no evidence of the mans location being found, but within a couple days an individual found the body of Pugh.

The victim was located in a wooded area off of Sutton Dairy Road on January 24, 2012, and transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery for an autopsy. The autopsy revealed the victim died from stab wounds and blunt force trauma.

Dickerson has been out on bond since the end of the first trial, as Judge Johnson downgraded the charged against Dickerson, making him eligible for bond.
A Dale County man originally charged with murder, and who subsequently pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide, will serve his sentence through community corrections.

Circuit Judge P.B. McLauchlin sentenced James Hunter Jackson on Thursday to 12 months in jail to be served through community corrections. Hunter was charged in the 2014 shooting death of Anthony Roberts at the Holiday Village Mobile Home Park on Rucker Boulevard near Enterprise.

District Attorney Kirke Adams told the Dothan Eagle in January that the criminally negligent homicide plea was offered in part because of the wishes of the victims family and because there was no evidence the killing was intentional.

Hunter was also assessed a $2,500 fine and various court costs totaling more than $1,000. A restitution matter is pending in civil court.
In its nascence, every new presidential administration begins, it seems, with an overwhelming distraction hanging overhead. Bill Clinton had Whitewater. George W. Bush, nine months in, had 9/11 shape his legacy.

Now it appears more and more that Russia has become Donald Trumps grizzly bear. Questions about Russia toppled President Trumps choice for National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, after information emerged linking Flynn to the Russians prior to Inauguration Day. Now information has come to light suggesting that Alabamas native son Jeff Sessions, the new administrations Attorney General, had conversations with a Russian ambassador, although he testified before the U.S. Senate that he didnt have communication with the Russians, when asked if about any member of the Trump campaign having communication with the Russians during the course of the campaigns.

On Thursday, Sessions took the high road, announcing his recusal from any potential investigation related in any way to the campaigns for president of the United States, and reiterated  strongly  that conversations with the Russian ambassador were not in contradiction to his testimony.

Partisan backlash is to be expected. Many Democrats called for Sessions to step down, and GOP lawmakers response was more measured, suggesting that he withdraw from any Department of Justice investigation. Thats the more prudent course, and we commend AG Sessions for responding quickly, and stepping aside in the best interest of the American public. While much of what goes on in Washington is borne of partisan bickering, theres no doubt that the interest of the nation should take priority.

We encourage Sessions, from a position of influence, to urge a swift investigation into every allegation involving foreign influence into U.S. government, regardless where it might lead.

America deserves the truth, and those who may be unfairly suspect should see their names cleared.
Ferrari has released a short film that pays tribute to the beauty of the Australian outback.

Part of an international series starring the California T, Night Into Day depicts the brand's classically-styled convertible in Sydney and the bush.

Shot near Broken Hill by an Australian ream led by Benjamin Gartland, the minute-long production is the result of several months' work.

Broken Hill mayor Darriea Turley says she is "absolutely thrilled by the outcome".

"Broken Hill has exceptional beauty and that's something the Australian team was able to capture in their imagery," she says.

"This will have a global impact on our image."

Ferrari Australasia chief executive Herbert Appleroth says the work highlights the diverse array of Australia's driving environments.
1. What is it?

The latest member of the Volkswagen family to get a special edition named after the company's hometown in Germany.

The formula is the same as before, with VW adding some extras, both mechanical and styling, to make it stand apart from the standard Passat Alltrack.

2. How much does it cost and what do you get?

Priced from $54,990 (plus on-road costs), it is $5700 more expensive than the regular Alltrack.

But the extra money does bring some meaningful goodies. For starters VW has included its Adaptive Chassis Control, which means you can adjust the powertrain and suspension settings across a variety of modes (Comfort, Normal, Sport and Off-Road).

It also gains 19-inch alloy wheels (up from 18s), LED headlights and taillights, darker rear window tint and a hands-free power tailgate that opens with the swipe of your foot under the bumper.

Inside, you get VW's Active Info Display (a fully digital instrument screen), black Nappa leather seats, black headlining, piano black interior highlights and ambient lighting as well as steering wheel gearshift paddles.

It also comes with an exclusive colour option - Crimson Red metallic - or standard options of white or grey metallic.
Home Four wheelers Honda Mobilio Production Ends  What Went Wrong For Honda's MPV Dream? oi-Rajkamal

The Honda Mobilio production has come to an end, as demand for the MPV fell. Honda Cars India has stopped manufacturing the vehicle and has exhausted stocks.

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Home Four wheelers Hyundai Creta Crosses Another Milestone oi-Sreejith

South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai has been able to record sales of over 1.5 lakh units of Creta in India. The Hyundai Creta also claimed the title, the Indian Car of the Year in 2016. The popular SUV became the third consecutive car from Hyundai to win the title after the Grand i10 and Elite i20.

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Home Off beat Saudi King's Luggage Is 500 Tonnes Of Royal Opulence And Includes Two Limos oi-Rajkamal

Kings from the middle east are rich, like King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, who is in Indonesia on an official trip. Unlike a regular traveller, the King has brought along with him some goodies, that will blow your mind away.

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OnePlus 5/ OnePlus 4 reportedly might retain its name as OnePlus 5 on its launch. The Chinese flagship phone will reportedly feature a glass and metal body. OnePlus is rumored to jump straight to OnePlus 5 naming ditching the OnePlus 4 branding as the number "four" considered unlucky in China.

According to Mobipicker, OnePlus 5 might feature a glass and metal body. With this feature, it is considerably noticeable that the OnePlus is heading towards a square off with the Samsung Galaxy S8. This would also mean that the affordable price consumers recently look forward to might be dropped in view of this feature, as glass and metal body does not come cheap.

However, a glass and metal finish on a smartphone could also mean that OnePlus 5 might support Qi wireless charging feature. If this speculation is true, then it might underwrite a higher release price at launch.

OnePlus 5 is also said to sport a Ceramic body just like the Xiaomi Mi MIX. On chipset side, the reports claim that the OnePlus may wait for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor.

Inside OnePlus 5 might feature 6GB RAM with 64GB internal memory and will run on the latest Android 7.0 Nougat. The device is also said to support USB Type-C for connectivity.

On the camera front, OnePlus 5 will have a 16MP front camera along with a 23MP rear camera. The device will pack a 4000mAH battery that will support company's Dash Charge technology for fast charging, according to Indian Express.

When OnePlus entered into the smartphone market, it gave users an absolute steal of a smartphone with a very affordable price. However, there is still no information about official launch date or pricing on the OnePlus 5. Of course, the details need to be taken with a pinch of salt as its authenticity can't be verified directly from the OnePlus.
It has been two months since the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus rolled out in India, and now Moto is bringing that same update to United State users. However the update also includes the old December 2016 Android security patch.

According to Republic Wireless, Motorola has started an Android 7.0 Nougat soak test for the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus, so it may start a nationwide rollout soon. It looks like the update, with build number NPJ25.93-13, will include the rather old December 2016 Android security patch, despite the fact that we're now in March 2017.

Motorola's official support page for the update shows that, they will include some exact additions just for Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus devices. One is a way to shrink the screen with just a swipe that can be enabled by opening the Moto app, then tapping on "Actions" and then finally by tapping "Swipe to shrink the screen".

The other feature which is coming with the Nougat update is just for the Moto G4 Plus. The feature will allow G4 Plus owners to disable and enable locking the phone's screen when it is on and when they touch the phone's fingerprint sensor, according to Android Police.

Both Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus can right now be bought unlocked in the US, being compatible with most relevant carriers. The two smartphones will soon be outshined by the brand new Moto G5 Plus, which should hit shelves in the coming weeks. Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus will be running Android Nougat out of the box.

You should also keep in mind that this update is likely to be a large one, so you will want to use your Wi-Fi connection to download it. The Moto G4 or Moto G4 Plus should have at least a 50 percent charge before downloading and installing the update and it also takes up to 20 minutes for it to complete the install process. Yaou can also manually check your device's Settings menu and then choose about phone, and finally System update to see if the update is ready to be downloaded to your phone.
Deep Water Energy is about to install its first underwater hydropower Oryon Watermill on the Suriname River, near the village of Duwatra. The 30 kW off-grid power station will generate enough electricity to support the inhabitants of a total of three villages.

Installation is planned for July this year and, once fully operational, it will be passed on to the local population to replace the current polluting diesel generators.

The selected location on the Suriname river.

Suitable location

DWEs international sales manager Dolf Pasman and business partner Jaap Ory started talks on the project with the responsible Suriname government departments in January 2012.

The talks led to the choice of an off-grid location and recently the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) decided to support the project financially.

Increase of electrical output

The Oryon Watermill is an underwater construction consisting of a housing that directs the flow of the river water to a turbine.

The water pushes the turnable blades on one of the three wings that are connected to a vertical axis.

A special funnel shaped housing can accelerate the river water up to 80 percent, increasing the electrical output.

Lowering of the Oryon Watermill at the demonstration location at Ulft, the Netherlands in 2014.

Demonstration

DWE placed its first Oryon Watermill in the forced water of a weir at Ulft, the Netherlands, in 2014. Here the fish-friendliness and the actual power generation were tested.



This installation also served as demonstration location for interested parties to observe the performance of the watermill. The location has been visited by delegations from the Philippines and Suriname.

Growing interest

Dolf Pasman and Jaap Ory see a growing interest for their watermill all over the world: We receive new requests for information and quotations almost on a daily basis.

They realise these requests will not lead into orders straight away. We are talking about long and complicated processes. But this year we expect first substantial orders, said Pasman and Ory.

This news item was originally published on the website of Deep Water Energy.

Read also on this website

 Unesco-IHE and RIVM trained management Suriname Water Company on Water Safety Plans, 9 January 2017

 Conservation International Suriname halts coastal erosion with permeable dams of poles and bamboo, 21 June 2016

 World Fish Migration Day 2016: Helping hydropower into the 21st century, 24 May 2016

 Country: Suriname



More information

Deep Water Energy

Arnhem, the Netherlands

+31 26 20 20 299

www.oryonwatermill.com

Video presentation on the functioning and the numerous applications of the Oryon Watermill.



Testing of the Oryon Watermill on its fish-friendliness and constant and high return in Ulft, the Netherlands.


Mobile recruitment platform Found has closed its most recent funding round, bringing its total funding to $2.5 million. Red Bull Holden Supercars owner Roland Dane, Dimmi founder Stevan Premutico and MYOB CEO Tim Reed have come on board as investors, with the latter two joining Founds advisory board.

Established by Andrew Joyce and Peter Marchiori in 2015, the Sydney-based start-up enables job seekers to instantly apply for jobs on their mobile phone with a single tap, without having to prepare CVs, cover letters or email.

The co-founders will use the proceeds to improve the companys proprietary talent algorithms and support the rollout of the Found Talent employer platform, built specifically to connect larger employers and recruiters with mobile job-seekers.

Joyce spoke to Dynamic Business about Founds success to date and its approach to engaging investors.

Dynamic Business: How did you select your investors?

Joyce: Both Tim and Stevan are true experts in the Australian tech scene. Theyve both run (and grown) material players in the Australian market, and understand what it takes to build a business that spans a large part of the Australian small-business market. I also know them both personally, and am very excited about having them on the Advisory board.

Separately, Ive known Roland for some time  hes an exceptionally successful guy in everything that he does, and has a track-record of again building and running high performing businesses all around the world. He also has one of the best business brains that Ive come across, and is a great supporter of what were doing at Found.

Our other investors (who want to stay private at this stage) include a major family office, current and former private equity executives, senior partners at global management consulting and big-four accounting firms, and a range of people whove been successful entrepreneurs and business-people in the own right. Its a great group, that Im both exceptionally flattered and excited to have involved in Found.

Dynamic Business: What attracted these investors to the business?

Joyce: Every one of our investors has at some stage been in the position of needing to hire staff  and they can all relate to the pain that this causes businesses of all size every day around Australia. Many of them also have children, and so have first-hand understanding of the transition to mobile, and the changes in behaviour this is driving.

Dynamic Business: what support will they provide moving forward

Joyce: Given the breadth of our investor base, we have access to extensive professional networks, expertise in all aspects of scaling the business as we require it, as well as a great perspective on the pain-points and problems experienced by businesses looking to hire staff.

Dynamic Business: What does the latest capital raise say about Found?

The capital raise validates Founds business model, demonstrates market faith in the changing behaviour of modern job seekers, and the need for employers to evolve the way that they find and hire staff.

How would you qualify the companys success to date?

In the 12 months since launching, weve gone from a standing-start, to now being one of the major players in the Australian jobs market. Through the latter half of 2016 we were consistently one of the top three jobs-apps on the iOS app store (along with Seek and Indeed), and every month were processing over 200,000 job applications. Our apps have been downloaded over 250,000 times, and were consistently ranked by our candidates as the #1 most useful jobs platform in the market.
Seventeen businesswomen were inducted into the Businesswomens Hall of Fame this week. Now in its 19th year, the initiative celebrates female business owners, including social entrepreneurs, who are not only trailblazers in their industries but role models for other women.

The Businesswomens Hall of Fame was developed by Suzi Dafnis, the founder and CEO of HerBusiness  a national community of 30,000 business owners.

The initiative recognises women business owners who are industry leads, champions of the community and quite achievers who are working towards creating great impact in business and in their customers lives, Dafnis told Dynamic Business.

Inductees are nominated for the Businesswomens Hall of Fame by alumni, industry and business groups and the HerBusiness advisory board. A highly-respected selection panel, which features a diverse group of women in business, past inductees, government and industry representatives are responsible for the selection process and review each year.

Dynamic Business spoke to five of the 2017 businesswomens Hall of Fame inductees about the secrets to their success, key motivators, challenges overcome and lessons learned. We put questions to:

Bronwen Healy , 2014 Australian of the Year finalist (QLD) plus founder and CEO of Hope Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation helping women wanting to be free from addiction and prostitution.

, 2014 Australian of the Year finalist (QLD) plus founder and CEO of Hope Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation helping women wanting to be free from addiction and prostitution. Emily McWaters , founder and CEO of the SOL Group (Gifts Australia) , an online giftware marketplace boasting five gifting websites. [See also: From rundown cafe to e-commerce giant: the rise and rise of Sol Groups Emily McWaters]

, founder and CEO of the , an online giftware marketplace boasting five gifting websites. [See also: From rundown cafe to e-commerce giant: the rise and rise of Sol Groups Emily McWaters] Kim Liddell, founder and managing director of NDEA, a non-destructive excavation services for construction industry.

a non-destructive excavation services for construction industry. Roslyn Campbell , founder of Tsuno, a social enterprise providing disposable, sustainable bamboo fibre sanitary pads.

, founder of Tsuno, a social enterprise providing disposable, sustainable bamboo fibre sanitary pads. Jodie Fox, co-founder and chief creative officer of Shoes of Prey, an online retailer enabling women to deisgn their own shoes.

Dynamic Business: What does this recognition mean to you?

Bronwen Healy: That years of hard work have been worth it. Great things are being achieved by truly incredible women in the NFP sector, so to be considered in their league is an honour.

Emily McWaters: It came as a very pleasant surprise. Running an online business, its easy to create a bubble around yourself. Being recognised like this has allowed us to pause and reflect on our accomplishments.

Kim Liddell: Not only is it an absolute honour and a privilege, its also validation of 12 years of triumphs and challenges in the civil construction industry.

Roslyn Campbell: Its an honour being recognised amongst a diverse line-up businesswomen. It proves hard work and perseverance are valued and that you dont need to be head of a multi-billion-dollar multinational to receive kudos for doing well in business.

Jodie Fox: This years inductees set the bar for their respective industries and fields, so I feel honoured to be counted amongst them. The recognition strengthens our resolve to continue providing women around the world with a unique shopping experience where they can design their own shoes. When we started, no one else did what we were doing (i.e. custom-designed shoes, at scale, in an online retail space) so it wasnt immediately clear whether we were serving a need in the market. Being inducted into the Businesswomens Hall of Fame demonstrates we are. It has also allowed us to consider how far weve come and how much more we can offer.

Dynamic Business: How did you respond to your greatest challenge?

Brownwen Healy: There have been many, including the launch of our Social Enterprise cafe, The LoveWell Project, in 2016. Ive learned to respond by leaning in to my faith and the incredible army of people around me who help The Hope Foundation flourish  the Board, our staff, the volunteers, the donors and my husband.

Emily McWaters: Being a self-funded operation, a key challenge for SOL Group has been cash flow. The best decision I ever made was to move away from wholesale and focus entirely on online retail. Because there are multiple revenue streams (e.g. website, eBay, third party retailers, corporate gifting), payment is more consistent and timely. The refocus allowed us to reinvest smartly into the growth of the business.

Kim Liddell: Several years ago, there was a severe downturn in construction, by some accounts the worst the industry had seen in 30 years. To survive trying times, we had to build NDEA into a stronger, healthier company.

Roslyn Campbell: The biggest challenge, especially in the beginning, was striking a work/life balance. I am now settling into making sure that my health and relationships take equal priority, alongside running my business, by being disciplined with work hours, etc.

Jodie Fox: The biggest challenge I faced was right at the very beginning. It was incredibly scary leaving a stable job to create something that hadnt existed before because it meant there was no guidance. My co-founder Mike Knapp gave me advice that I still use to this very day: fail fast. Its easy to feel out of your depth and fall into the trap of trying to make everything perfect when starting a business and forging a new path. Informed decisions involve continuous research and laying the necessary ground but the best way to determine your strengths and weaknesses it to jump straight in  youre able to identify, early on, where you need to invest your energy and what youre already doing well.

Dynamic Business: Whats the most valuable lesson youve learned?

Bronwen Healy: I am not alone. I might be the dreamer, visionary and pioneer BUT its the people around me who bring the dream to life!

Emily McWaters: Never ever rest on your laurels. I am fortunate to have a thriving business but weve been bitten once or twice before when weve become complacent. Its not necessarily about being fiercely competitive, its more about always striving to do better and not accepting the status quo.

Kim Liddell: Learn your strengths and weaknesses and then surround yourself with a team of experts, i.e. the right people for the right jobs.

Roslyn Campbell: If you are not physically and emotionally looking after yourself, it doesnt matter how many hours you put into your work  it will suffer too.

Jodie Fox: Do everything before youre ready. Regardless of the industry, its always better to act sooner than later and not wait until youre ready. There arent courses that provide entrepreneurs with the lessons you can only learn by doing. You need to dive in, have confidence in your business idea and yourself and do what you love.

Dynamic Business: What key factor has fuelled your success?

Bronwen Healy: Never giving up! Even when times have been tough  and its seemed like financial partners and donors have been pulling out left, right and centre  weve believed in the vision and mission of Hope Foundation to come alongside women wanting life change, whether its from addictions and/or the sex industry, with the key message: you are loved, valued and created with a purpose. If it worked for me, it can work for them!

Emily McWaters: My two sisters, Amy and Libby, work in the business and together, we set a different trajectory for the business. It was never by design. Three years ago, the stars aligned and I realised we could all contribute in different ways and balance each others skills. Without my sisters, Sol Group would only have excelled at half the rate it has, I believe.

Kim Liddell: Persistence and resilience. Success is a staircase not a doorway.

Roslyn Campbell: The ability to engage a supportive customer base from day one. Without our customers, and the relationships I have formed with them, Tsuno would not be here today.

Jodie Fox: Our customers. From the beginning, we constantly looked to feedback from our customers who were taking the journey with Shoes of Prey to ensure our offering met their wants and needs. Feedback has alerted us to any gaps we need to fill. A perfect example is when we were making a big push into the US market, we realised how cold the weather can get and flats arent going to cut it! We listened and understood the demand from our customers and then launched our customisable boots range.

Dynamic Business: What inspires you to continue leading your business?

Bronwen Healy: The brave and courageous women we support  they are CHOOSING life and they inspire me to keep going every day! Witnessing them be loved back to life and finding freedom is a truly remarkable thing!

Emily McWaters: When I first started out in business, my drive was wanting to prove myself  I was young and inexperienced but I believed that if anyone could do it, I could. Today, my inspiration comes from an innate desire to achieve and better myself. I really, really want to become Australias leading online gift company.

Kim Liddell: Im motivated to make a positive difference in the world and to inspire and empower others in any path they choose.

Roslyn Campbell: Seeing an idea not only come to life but also start to work gives me such a buzz and I get so excited with every little win, and more determined any time a problem arises. In the end, I am trying to make the business work so I can help send girls in Sierra Leone to school, and the better the business does, the more girls will have the opportunity to change their lives, thats incredibly motivating.

Jodie Fox: Being able to empower women all over the world to design their own shoes inspires me to continue leading and growing the business. Shoes of Prey is all about embracing and feeling confident in your unique style, and I love that we allow women to do that.

Dynamic Business: Where to next for you and your business?

Bronwen Healy: We want to expand. Hope Haven is our drop-in space and we would love to see similar spaces pop-up in all the places across Australia where our women are currently located when there is contact they tend to flourish more. Eventually, wed like retreats for our women called Acres of Hope! One step at a time

Emily McWaters: Weve been focused on innovating our operating model by leveraging core products and infrastructure. Notably, weve created two new websites (now a total of five) and a corporate gifting platform, and weve launching a personalised product range, produced in-house. Our focus this year is to allow each of these new offerings to hit their stride.

Kim Liddell: As we continue to learn and grow we are continually focussed on achieving a better way of doing things. We have some exciting projects in the pipeline, so watch this space!

Roslyn Campbell: Growth! Being a low-value consumer goods brand, I really rely on selling in volume and at the moment Tsuno is doing well but it could be reaching more women all over the world and that is something I am focusing on quite heavily. Finding great retail partners and distributors to sell my product for me all over the world

Jodie Fox: Shoes of Prey is constantly evolving, and were always looking at what we can do to create the best user experience, whether thats launching new products, or evolving our platform. One day, Id like to see Shoes of Prey offer women an on-tap custom design printer. Id like to open my wardrobe, have a screen there thats checked my calendar, the weather and knows who Im meeting, and will print out my shoes while Im in the shower. If Shoes of Prey is just a website in the future, Ill be disappointed. Fashion should be fun and exciting, and the less time spent on having to worry about what youre going to wear, the better!
The news broke on January 20, 2017 that as many as 38 schools could be closed in Michigan, 24 of those in Detroit, due to poor academic performance. Parents in the city, and throughout the state, were understandably stunned, as this announcement represented an abrupt change in the states previous position on school closings:

Gov. Rick Snyders administration has switched its stance on how soon Detroits poorest performing schools can be closed. His administration previously said a massive $617 million Detroit Public Schools bailout legislation prevented officials from closing any of the citys worst schools prior to 2019 because of certain stipulations in the school rescue package.

Those who have paid close attention to Michigan politics will be able to trace the line between the mention of the school rescue package and the influence of our new Secretary of Education, West Michigan billionaire Betsy DeVos. As Ive written about previously, here, Ms. DeVos fingerprints were all over this rescue package:

After years of mismanagement by the Snyder administration, the financial crisis in the Detroit Public Schools could no longer be ignored, and state lawmakers decided that drastic measures needed to be taken. A solution that included a Detroit Education Commission with authority to open and close charters was approved in the state Senate, but was then voted down in the House, due almost entirely to DeVos-applied pressure: At one point, Rep. Henry Yanez (D-Sterling Heights) posted a picture on Facebook of [GLEPs Gary) Naeyaert watching the legislative action from the House gallery. Yanezs post said, The masters watch their minions from the gallery making sure they follow their orders on #DPS bill$. Asked about the post this week, Yanez said, Maybe I am a conspiracy theorist or maybe I just see whats placed in front of me. When I step out in the hallway and I see the people from GLEP and the people from the charter schools  I know why theyre there, he added. I think its pretty clear. It became clear that Betsy and Dick DeVos were the major players in the negotiations to replace the Senate plan with a House version that carved out special protections for school choice and charter schools, even going so far as to freeze out a leading Republican senator and Detroits mayor from the deliberations: The role of donors and groups they fund has been so impactful in the ongoing Detroit Public Schools (DPS) debate that one lawmaker involved in the negotiations alleged this week that it was the only factor in a recent House vote. And some are even raising concerns about whos being given the chance to sway lawmakers on the matter. They note that the lead GOP senator on DPS and the mayor of Detroit requested but werent granted the opportunity to present to House Republicans in a closed-door caucus meeting. But the House GOP says that had to do with timing. According to campaign finance disclosures, six of the stakeholders trying to sway the future of education in Detroit and their relatives have given roughly $10 million over the last decade to sitting state lawmakers, their caucuses and their political parties. The contributions have touched just about everyone in the Legislature. The biggest donors have been members of the West Michigan-based DeVos family who are charter school proponents. Over the last 10 years, members of the family have given at least $6.1 million directly to the Michigan Republican Party, about $752,200 to the Senate Republican Campaign Committee and about $1.1 million to the House Republican Campaign Committee. And now, groups the DeVos family supports are urging lawmakers to safeguard charter schools and school choice in whatever DPS solution is reached. Its something House Republicans did when they voted on a package last week. Its crystal clear that had the DeVoses not been opposed to this, it would have had a different future, one source involved in the negotiations alleged.

It would appear that two things are true based on the previous account:

1. The complete lack of accountability with respect to Detroits charter schools is completely attributable to the financial influence of Betsy DeVos and her familys foundations and organizations, such as the Great Lakes Education Project.

2. The DPS rescue package was like throwing a dumbbell to a drowning person. The only thing it did was to exacerbate the problems in DPS schools by unfettered competition and choice by providing even morecompetition and choice.

A reasonable person might wonder at this point how closing schools would help improve them. Well, reasonable persons seem to be in short supply in Michigans school reform community. Consider, for instance, that the states Office of School Reform/Redesign was moved out of the Department of Education and into the Department of Technology, Management, and the Budget in 2015. Why?

Snyder has no direct control over the Michigan Department of Education, which has housed the state reform office since it was created by the Legislature in 2009. The department is run by the soon-to-retire State Superintendent Mike Flanagan, who is hired by an elected State Board of Education. That eight-member board has a strong Democratic majority, unlike the Legislature and governors office, which is controlled by Republicans.

The move garnered the predictable responses from the various stakeholders involved in education in the state. Then-President of the state school board, John Austin, was dubious of the move:

Moving the authority to a state agency with no educational abilities nor mandate will make it harder, not easier to improve educational outcomes for children in chronically failing schools, Austin said. He said it would also undermine the ability of the board, the governors office and the next state superintendent to work together.

Dan Quisenberry from the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, the states charter school booster group, was far more positive about the change:

Its important that we establish policies and take action to hold all schools accountable for their performance, and the governors decision is a step in that direction, Quisenberry said. Our students only have one shot at an education, so its vital that each of them is in a school thats delivering a quality education.

Even other local charter advocates, however, think the charter sector in Detroit is out of control. Excellent Schools Detroit, an education reform organization in the city, characterizes the situation like this:

Detroit has the third largest percentage of charter school students in the country at 37%. However, the ecosystem is chaotic with 32 separate authorizers and lots of operators but brand name operators are glaringly absent.

So, who is responsible for carrying out this draconian plan to close 24 Detroit schools? The Department of Technology, Management, and the Budgets Office of School Reform is led by Natasha Baker, and Ms. Bakers profile looks a lot like the typical fast-track school reformer.

After college, Ms. Baker taught for two years, and then began her dizzying ascent up the education reform food chain. She earned her masters degree from Howard University and then spent two years in New Orleans, post-Katrina, first as a middle school principal and then as the chief academic officer for FirstLine Schools where she oversaw four charters. From there she has rarely spent more than a year or two in any position, working her way up the ladder from principal, to chief academic officer, chief schools officer, school improvement consultant, deputy superintendent, and eventually, state school reform officer.

During this time, Ms. Baker was formulating a rather odd and troubling plan: to develop a public boarding school for black boys in Detroit: Ive done a lot of research on inner-city education, and Detroit has always been on the top of lists of problems with boys of color, she says. Higher death rates, higher illiteracy rates. Her model, such as it is, is based on two wildly different boarding schools: SEED, an inner-city charter boarding school in Washington, DC, and the Cranbrook School, a private college prep boarding school located in the upper middle class Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills.

Leaving aside the controversial and disturbing history of boarding schools in the United States, the model itself is extraordinarily expensive and difficult to implement:

Theres no doubt that the school Baker envisions would be an expensive proposition. At SEED, for example, the per-pupil annual cost is about $35,000, according to a New York Times report. Baker says there are feasible ways to reduce that cost, though she didnt refute the estimates. That compares to $7,580 per pupil Detroit charter schools receive from the state. Her school would have to raise funds for the difference. On top of all that, there is the cost of the school itself. For a location, Baker is targeting Southwest Detroit Hospital, abandoned since 1991. On the plus side, the facility is large enough to house and educate the 400 students DCPA would have (100 per each high school grade level). On the downside are the undeniably high renovation costs of turning an abandoned hospital into a school with dormitories, where students would receive three meals a day and be watched over by resident advisers.

The costs dont improve closer to Detroit, where the tuition for room and board for one year at the elite Cranbrook School is $45,200. Ms. Baker didnt seem to have many ideas for where the missing funding might come from.

Without a charter authorization in hand, Baker is having little luck in gaining attention from the philanthropists and grant providers whose support is crucial if something as expensive as a public boarding school is going to be financially feasible. Conversely, charter authorizers are reluctant to green-light a school that lacks secure funding.

In spite of lacking the funding needed to open her proposed boarding school, or even a charter authorizer, Ms. Baker went so far as to apply for a planning grant for $110,000 from the Michigan Department of Education in 2010, when she was working for a charter management company in New Orleans. As is far too common in the charter industry, the grant was approved, Baker received the $110,000, the boarding school never opened, and there was never even a feasibility report submitted to the Department of Education explaining how the money was spent.

Instead of being held accountable by the Department of Education for what was essentially a bad loan, Ms. Baker was hired in 2012 as the Chief Schools Officer for their Detroit Rising College Prep Schools. In 2013, Emergency Financial Manager Roy S. Roberts announced that she had been appointed to the position of Chief Innovation Officer of Charter Schools in DPS.

While Baker seems to have abandoned her plan for an inner-city boarding school in Detroit, she appears to be committed to closing as many of the citys schools as possible, as quickly as possibleperhaps to clear the way for even more charter, private, and religious schools in Detroit in anticipation of Ms. DeVos stated intention of expanding private school voucher programs across the nation.

Predictably, DeVos education reform watchdog group, the Great Lakes Education Project, tried to pour cold water on the criticisms of Bakers plans to close schools. GLEPs executive director, Gary Naeyeart, had the following to say as recently as last August:

The Governors office doesnt foresee the closure of more than 10 schools for chronically being within the states lowest 5 percent performing schools and that any that are closed will be after consultation with local officials (See SRO: No Priority Schools Closing Immediately, 8/17/16). However, the panic that has ensued among local officials has been so pronounced, Austin is calling on Gov. Rick SNYDER to rein her in and get sensible about bringing in resources and additional help to those schools where the students consistently perform poorly on state tests. Because the way he sees it, Bakers goal is to shut down large numbers of public schools so privately run charters can come in to skim profits off Michigan taxpayers to the detriment of the states poorest children.

In retrospect, Naeyaert (who has had more, ummpressing problems to deal with recently) was pretty much spectacularly wrong, and Austin was presciently correct: Bakers plan to close schools was much more far-reaching than GLEP had predicted, and the timeline was moved up by 2 years with zero advanced notice. The result has been to throw thousands of Detroits families into a state of chaos and uncertainty.

Many in Detroits education community are opposed to Ms. Bakers plans.

Alycia Meriweather, the districts interim superintendent, said shes thankful the board is willing to fight to keep our schools open. At the end of the day we are keenly aware that we have to make some improvements, Meriweather said. The management team, Meriweather said, is working around the clock to develop improvement plans for those schools. Within the next 10 days, she said, those plans will be finalized. There are going to be some very different approaches being made, under local control, Meriweather said. I dont work in this district to close schools, Meriweather said. I work in this district and I took this job to improve school  Im confident that were going to be able to move that forward.

The states teachers unions also object to the school closing plan, and wonder why state officials havent worked harder to identify the causes for the challenges these schools have faced before turning to the radical solution of mass closings:

First, closing schools without finding out why those schools are struggling isnt a viable long-term strategy, said Steven Cook, Michigan Education Associations president. Why have these schools been struggling for so long? Whats the cause? For many years, MEA has advocated for rigorous educational audits of struggling schools to get to the bottom of why they arent succeeding. Simply closing schools and up-ending the lives of students wont fix any problems if the root causes arent adequately addressed.

Sec. DeVos, Gov. Snyder, and Ms. Baker dont seem to appear troubled by the fact that their approach to school reform is based on untested and unproven business practices more than educational or pedagogicalor even moral or ethicalprinciples, and the decision to close 38 schools is hardly designed to give parents and children more choice. They are playing a cruel game of educational whack-a-mole, indiscriminately shutting down schools across the city without any apparent concern for what these moves will mean for Detroits children.

Detroiter Leyonne Harrell, 29, said he recently moved into a house near Thirkell Elementary-Middle School because the school sits nearby. Now he has to consider the possibility of sending his son Andre, 8, to another school, with Thirkell being among the bottom 5 percent for the past three years.

Its bad because this is the local school for my son, Harrell said. This is like walking distance. Hopefully, well find another school and hope that one wont be another one on the list.

Ms. Baker, on the other hand, seems alarmingly aloof and unconcerned about the effects of her plan on Detroits citizens:

If a parent wants to stay in a chronically failing school, theyre well within their right, Baker said.

Ms. Baker appears not to have learned that there are two purposes for evaluation: accountability (she gets that one), and the improvement of instruction. Focusing on accountability without improving the capacity of schools and teachers to use the results of systematic school evaluation to improve their practice isnt educationits punishment.

When a school is closed, it creates more problems than when your local auto dealer or bank branch closes. While you may have to find a different place to buy a new car or cash your checks, closing a school disrupts an entire community. Closing a school fractures families, scatters colleagues, and damages neighborhoods. Schools are not just places that children go during the day when their parents go to workthey are complicated, complex ecological and social systems that provide spaces for learning communities to develop and flourish. Schools are places where children go to feel safe, and to feel valued. Schools are places full of music, movement, art, critical thinking, food, lively discussions and play. Closing a school is like ripping apart a family. When children struggle in public school, we teach them more, and we teach them harder. We dont punish them for what they dont know. We stay after school, or come in early, and we try new strategies in an attempt to reach them in different ways. We dont close the classroom door. We call home, and talk to their parents to try to find out if there is something happening at home thats getting in the way of their learning. We dont suspend them from school.

Closing a school is punishment, not improvement. Its educational malpractice, and indicative of an intellectually-barren approach to thinking about the problems faced by schools, teachers, and children.

Closing a school is never a viable option for helping communities, schools, and families.

Now, I can think of an educational institution whose closing would improve the quality of education in Detroit and in Michigan: the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budgets Office of School Reform.
House Republicans plan to keep their repeal and disgrace plan secret until the last possible moment

First, the good news:

Showing up and getting all up in your Representatives grills, especially during Congress recess, left elected officials blown away.

Republicans still cant agree a plan to replace the Affordable Care Act because, according to Politico, the process has been bogged down by policy disputes over issues such as whether there should be refundable tax credits, whether a Medicaid expansion is going to be repealed and how to pay for it.

The ACA keeps getting more popular and even most Republicans dont want to repeal it until a replacement has been announced.

By forcing the GOP to come up with a replacement, we see the cruelty of what the GOP is proposing  massive giveaways for the wealthy and abject cruelty for the sick, poor and older Americans, especially individuals ages 55 to 64, whose costs would increase by $5,118 per year. Okay, thats terrible news but its good we know it.

Now, the bad news:

Republicans are determined to go through repeal anyway.

They cannot back down because their donors want the massive tax breaks, $7 million a year for the richest 400 Americans, and their base, 81 percent of all Republicans, want the bill gone.

They can still pass a bill with only Republican votes as long as they do not lose more than 24 votes in the house and 2 votes in the Senate.

Just 3 conservative Senators can kill the bill and Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and Mike Lee are saying they will not vote for anything less than full repeal. So if a bill passes it will be probably the worst possible outcome for America  the least generous approach to health insurance possible. Like 2009 but with 20+ Americans about to be stripped of their coverage.

So we have them on the run.

Like, literally. Theyre hiding the bill.

Jonathan Cohn reports:

For now, according to Bloomberg, leaders are planning to make the bill available only to committee members, who will have to view a printout in a dedicated reading room. No copies will be allowed out of the room. Committee rules call for making legislation public no less than three calendar days before hearings, which means that Republicans will have to post a version by 11:59 p.m. on Monday if they want markup to start sometime on Wednesday. But Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.), who sits on the committee, told Bloomberg that the vote might take place before the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation get a chance to produce formal estimates of the bills effects on insurance coverage and the federal budget.

Theyre going to vote on it without any details on the damage it will do to Americans or the deficit or the health care industry, all things Republicans have recently pretended to care about.

We have to note what a case of fuckery this is.

You know fuckery, right?

You cant miss it these days. Its Donald Trump deporting moms and dads while hiring guest workers to work at his winery and resorts. Its guys who wanted to lock Hillary Clinton up for imagined crimes lying to the FBI. Its Paul Ryan pretending to have a human heart.

The Urban Dictionary defines fuckery as absolute bullshit; utter nonsense; something rather suspicious that can bring forth uneasy, angry and irritated feelings. Shawn Hamilton succinctly notes, It makes a mockery of the very idea of truth.

The House GOP plan absorbs every complaint the GOP made about the passing of the ACA and enacts it as perfect parody designed to reveal how little Republicans care about the words that ooze from their mouths.

Luckily, the bill still has to pass the Senate, where Democrats have some control and Republicans have very thin margins.

Thats when the debate and the real trouble for Republicans begins, Paul Waldman explains:

Right now they cant agree on what a replacement should be, and the disagreements arent minor at all. It isnt as though one group of Republicans thinks there should be a $4,000 tax credit for people to buy insurance, and another group thinks it should be $5,000. The disagreements go much deeper.

Basically the disagreements come down to How much to we screw the poor and blow the rich? And you know which side theyll come down on.

So get your pitchforks ready.

In short:

Stay in your Reps faces and keep calling their local offices  this site makes contacting your reps easy as hell.

Democrats need to start focusing on three-to-four huge messages to preserve this law so we can get on to the important work of actually insuring the rest of America. I favor pointing out that repealing the ACA gives the richest 400 Americans a $7 million tax break a year  because it blows my bean brain every time I hear it.

Dont ever lose sight of this fight, not even for a day, as Andy Slavitt explained.

We need to focus on all of the wrongdoings of Trumps GOP but even as we focus on his potential collusion with Russia we have to note the bigger point.

What is that point?

Glad you asked.

I think it was me who once said, or wrote, that Trump is A minority president with a negative mandate under a cloud of inscrutable suspicion is pursuing a largely unpopular agenda with possibly irreparable consequences.

He must be stopped.

[Image by Ted Eytan | Flickr]
His first week in office, Pr*sident Trump met with top CEOs from around America and told them the hob-nailed boot of regulation were going to be removed from their neck so they could finally start earning some profits. Were going to be cutting regulation massively, he told them. Now, were going to have regulation, and itll be just as strong and just as good and just as protective of the people as the regulation we have right now.

What does this mean in terms of environmental protections? In a word: #SAD.

Trump has already rolled back an Obama-era protection of streams known as the Office of Surface Minings Stream Protection Rule which was put in place to protect streams that feed rivers that dump into lakes and oceans from coal mining waste. Trump called it a job-killing rule. Environmentalists and those who care about our nations waters call it something quite different.

He has also ordered his new EPA chief to look into getting rid of the Obama administrations Waters of the United States rule:

The Trump administration is moving to roll back an environmental rule intended to define which small bodies of water are subject to federal authority under the Clean Water Act. President Trump signed documents Tuesday directing the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to review the Obama administrations Waters of the United States rule. In doing so, Trump said he is paving the way for the elimination of the rule.

Trump claims the move is to help minimizing regulatory uncertainty. It should also serve to minimize how many streams, rivers, and lakes are free from pollution.

However, the most nefarious move yet appears to be in the making. Trump looks to be poised to slash funding for clean-up of the Great Lakes by a whopping 97%:

The White House is proposing to slash Environmental Protection Agency funding that pays for Great Lakes pollution cleanup by 97 percent, according to a budget document obtained by the National Association of Clean Air Agencies. The potential cuts are part of President Donald Trumps initial 2018 budget proposal, detailed in a U.S. Office of Management and Budget passback to the EPA that outlines drastic cuts to an agency Trump has called a job killer and promised to reduce to tidbits as a candidate. The proposal would virtually eliminate annual Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding, slashing it from $300 million to $10 million among other cuts that would altogether reduce the EPAs total budget by a quarter.

Its worth noting that the Great Lakes contain about 21% of the worlds supply of surface fresh water.

They are also delaying plans to fight an incredibly invasive species  the notorious Asian Carp  from entering the Great Lakes basin, as well:

The Trump administration has indefinitely delayed release of a long-awaited plan to keep invasive Asian carp from slipping into the Great Lakes after GOP congress members wrote to the president fretting that the plan might disrupt commerce on Chicago-area waterways. U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, a Holmes County Republican, was among those who signed the letter. On Feb. 28, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was scheduled to release a draft of a study launched two years ago on potential changes to keep the carp from passing through the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, near Joliet, Illinois, and harming Great Lakes fisheries. But shortly before that deadline, the Corps indefinitely postponed the reports release to allow further coordination between government and non-government stakeholders involved in its evaluation, according to Corps spokesman Allen Marshall.

All of this is, apparently, what Trump sees as good, strong, and protective regulations. It wont be long before hes calling for a repeal of the Lead and Copper Rule because, as anyone (from Flint, Michigan) knows, preventing the powerful neurotoxin lead from entering our drinking water supply is the true cause of our countrys economic stagnation.

Make no mistake, Donald Trump did not have eliminating the clean up of the Great Lakes as one of his campaign pledges. There are going to be some Trump-voting sportsman and recreational users of our nations abundant freshwater who are going to feel betrayed. And they SHOULD feel betrayed. This was NOT was Trump promised. He did NOT promise to make the Great Lakes not great again.

Oh, and if youre cool with polluted water but its the air you care about, hes got his sights on that, too:

One executive order  which the Trump administration will couch as reducing U.S. dependence on other countries for energy  will instruct the Environmental Protection Agency to begin rewriting the 2015 regulation that limits greenhouse-gas emissions from existing electric utilities. It also instructs the Interior Departments Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to lift a moratorium on federal coal leasing.

Like I said: #SAD.

UPDATE: Trump is also set to roll back fuel economy standards put in place by the EPA under the Obama administration:

The Environmental Protection Agency plans to announce its intent to withdraw final determination on strict fuel-efficiency standards for future cars and light trucks, the latest signal by the Trump administration that it is charting a new course on climate change. [] While automakers struck a 2009 deal with the Obama administration to set the first-ever carbon limits on cars and trucks, many of them now say it will be difficult to achieve these long-term targets given the lower price of gas and Americans preference for sport-utility vehicles. The EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration agreed to review the 2022-2025 standards when they set them five years ago, but the EPA concluded in December that no revision was necessary. It finalized the standards a week before Trump took office.

*Donald Trump is the biggest loser of the popular vote ever to win the U.S. presidency.
Facing growing pressure to respond to growing wireless data demands in the U.S. mobile phone market, Verizon finally relented. The company on Sunday announced its own unlimited smartphone option while keeping alternatives open for lighter data users.

Verizons new introductory plan provides unlimited data on smartphones or tablets, along with unlimited texts and phone calls, for US$80 per month. The deal is restricted to customers who sign up for autopay.

The Verizon plan includes HD video streaming, mobile hotspot service, calling and texting to Canada and Mexico, and 500 MB a day of roaming in those countries.

Customers also will have the option of adding a connected smartwatch, GizmoPal or other connected device for $5 a month, or an overseas TravelPass allowing up to 500 MB per day for $10 a month.

Customers will get 10 GB of 4G LTE data per month, and 3 GB after that, the company said. After 22 MB of data usage, Verizon may prioritize customers in the event of network congestion.

Weve built our network so we can manage all the activity customers undertake, said Ronan Dunne, president of Verizons wireless division.

Verizon customers who dont use a lot of data will have other options, including 5G small, medium and large plans, he said.

Bad Business?

Verizon, one of the leading wireless carriers in the U.S., has resisted offering unlimited plans for years  last month, it even ran a full page ad touting the fact that it didnt have to so.

Most customers did not need unlimited plans, former CFO Fran Shammo told a Goldman Sachs investor conference last fall, warning that unlimited plan abusers can wreak havoc on your network and hurt cash flow.

All of the competing firms with unlimited plans eventually would show cracks in the armor, as tests showed problems due to the high usage of video under those plans, he also warned.

Verizon claims to have the nations largest 4G LTE network, covering 2.4 million square miles and 314 million people.

Resistance Was Futile

Verizon was forced to react to competing plans because new customers were choosing its competitors and some existing customers were jumping ship, suggested telecom analyst Jeff Kagan.

It was never a matter of it, only when Verizon Wireless would do this, he told the E-Commerce Times.

T-Mobile, considered the market leader in terms of promoting unlimited plans, reported last month that it added 8.2 million net customers in 2016, marking the third year in a row that it added more than 8 million customers.

Told You So

The CEO of T-Mobile took to his familiar practice of throwing shade on Twitter, blasting Verizon for coming late to the party.

OMG. FINALLY. Only took @Verizon 4 years to realize customers dont want limits. #bouttime #yourewelcome https://t.co/KARKmCmRGA

 John Legere (@JohnLegere) February 12, 2017

Verizons unlimited plan might be the most expensive ever, Legere also tweeted, and he suggested they might want to include taxes and fees, as T-Mobile does.

Legere returned to social media Monday afternoon to announce that T-mobile would one-up Verizon by throwing in HD video and 10 GB of hotspot data.

6/ Starting Fri, #TMobileONE price includes HD video & 10GB high-speed hotspot data all at no extra charge. AND taxes & fees are included!

 John Legere (@JohnLegere) February 13, 2017

The Verizon bashing didnt end with T-Mobile, as Sprint piled on.

Not much we can say to speculate on Verizons decision making, except theyre likely trying to catch up to Sprint, said John Votava, spokesperson for Sprint.

Verizon said time and time again that customers dont need unlimited. Now theyve changed their tune, he told the E-Commerce Times.

The Sprint unlimited plan offer allows customers to get unlimited talk, text and data for $50 per month, Votava said, noting that the deal is available until the end of March.
The Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday issued a joint statement following the FCCs temporary stay of data security regulations.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and FTC Acting Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen issued the statement to address the FCCs decision, in essence, to overturn rules designed to bolster broadband consumer privacy.

Both chairs had disagreed with the FCCs unilateral 2015 decision to strip the FTC of any authority over broadband providers privacy and data security practices.

Pai was one of the dissenting FCC commissioners, along with Michael ORielly, in last falls 3-2 vote that limited how much of Internet subscribers data companies could sell, share and trade.

The FTC has a long track record of having guarded privacy and security protection online, Pai and Ohlhausen noted, and the decision to remove it from that role did not serve consumers interest.

The stay will remain in place until the FCC is able to rule on a petition that would reconsider privacy rules online.

The federal government should not favor one set of companies over another, especially when it comes to a marketplace as dynamic as the Internet, the agencies maintained.

Winners and Losers

The FCCs recent privacy rulings have been controversial, and staying implementation of those rules likely will trigger more disagreement.

This is, in essence, a restoration of rules that favor Internet providers, said Roger Entner, principal analyst at Recon Analytics.

The new rules were meant to level the playing field for edge providers, including Google, Facebook and Amazon, he told the E-Commerce Times.

However, opponents viewed the new rules as distorting the market, so the losers now are Facebook and Google, and the winners are the ISPs, Entner said.

The negative consequences may not be limited to the tech giants, however.

Internet service providers benefit from this decision, and customers lose, suggested Steve Blum, principal analyst at Tellus Venture Associates.

At least they will if the FTC ultimately applies the same rules to ISPs as they currently do to run-of-the-mill websites, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Fair Competition

The agencies new stance met with enthusiasm from many who do business online.

Staying the data security provision will allow providers to avoid spending a potentially significant sum to retrain thousands of employees across the industry and alter their internal procedures in response to a regulation that might not even be on the books in a few months, said Ryan Radia, regulatory counsel at the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

Subscribers, in turn, will benefit from their provider investing more in services that actually matter to consumers, instead of complying with an unnecessary and legally dubious regulation, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Complying with last falls mandate could have caused irreparable injury to businesses and consumers, Radia maintained.

Privacy Concerns

Central to the rules is the issue of consumer privacy, a concern that is only likely to grow.

Its fine to say that everyone should play by the same rules, but thats only a valid argument if everyone is playing the same game, said Tellus Blum.

Theres a big difference between your ISP and, say, Facebook, which only has the information you voluntarily give it, he pointed out.

Users are the ones who choose to go to Facebook, pick a user name and password, and upload information about themselves, he suggested, but your ISP can see all that too  and you should be able to decide whether or not your ISP can use that information.

Regardless of how companies acquire data, Americans should have their privacy protected equally, argued Recon Analytics Entner, and there should be no expectation that privacy will be protected differently by ISPs and edge providers.
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Charles Koch

Although many high-profile economic positions in the Trump administration have been filled with former Goldman Sachs partners, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , Special Adviser to President Steve Bannon and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn , the Koch brothers influence on the Trump administration should not be underestimated.Cohn just announced senior staff appointments at the NEC, three are former assoictaes of the Koch brothers.Cohn hired DJ Gribbin to oversee the presidents infrastructure policy, a major league position for potential cronyism.Gribbin previously headed the government advisory for Macquarie Capital, a role in which he led advisory teams structuring public-private partnership transactions for governmental clients. He has also worked for Koch Industries and HDR helping clients "develop innovative ways to deliver infrastructure."Brian Blase will oversee health policy at the NEC after working at the Koch-funded Mercatus Center, which has Charles Koch on its board.Geroge David Banks will serve as Special Assistant to the President for International Energy and Environment. He worked at the Koch-funded American Council for Capital Formation and according toalso lobbied for for energy corporations.He also worked as a diplomat for the U.S. State Department and analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency.
Chancellor Thomas Conway Installation Ceremony March 10

While Elizabeth City State University Chancellor Thomas Conway took office in January 2016, on Friday, March 10, 2017, he will be officially installed as the 11th Chief Executive Officer, and sixth Chancellor of ECSU.

The installation ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. in the Mickey L. Burnim Fine Arts Center, Floyd L. Robinson Auditorium. University of North Carolina President Margaret Spellings will lead the installation, while The Honorable J. Carlton Cole will give the oath of office.

Prior to joining ECSU, Dr. Conway was appointed in 2008 to serve as Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff at Fayetteville State University.

He came to Fayetteville State University after his 32 year tenure at North Carolina State University where he served as dean of Undergraduate Academic Programs. His responsibilities included increasing the quality of academic advising afforded to all students; the interpretation, review and revision of academic policy for the University; and, support for efforts by academic programs to develop balanced assessment-based environments for critical decision making. In addition, Dr. Conway, a veteran administrator of student success programs, was charged with developing an institutional framework for NC State's student success efforts.

Dr. Conway holds an undergraduate degree in agricultural education (1971) and a masters degree in guidance and counseling (1976) from NC A&T State University and earned a Ph.D. in counselor education from NC State in 1994.

A native of Louisburg, North Carolina, he is married to the former Mychele Jenkins of Hollywood, Florida, They have two adult children.
(Photo:  Helen Putsman / WCC)Veronica Flachier, Ecuador, holds a bottle of water from Jerusalem and a glass of dirty water near Geneva in December 2014.

The Ecumenical Water Network of the World Council of Churches has urged churches and ecumenical organizations in Europe and North America to consider eliminating the use of bottled water due to the its adverse impact on the environment.

The International Reference Group of the EWN after a meeting in Geneva said in a 24 July statement that the use of bottled water is an impediment to realizing the human right to water.

It cited research reports that bottled water wastes fossil fuels in production and transport.

Rather than being recycled, about 75 percent of the empty plastic bottles end up in landfills, lakes, streams and oceans, where they may never fully decompose.

The EWN argues that many times governments shun their responsibilities to provide safe drinking water to the poor through their water distribution system, because people have the alternative of "bottled water."

The availability of bottled water allows the elites to ignore the government's failure to provide the necessary infrastructure to provide safe drinking water, they argue.

Through aggressive marketing strategies, bottled water industries have successfully captured the minds of people, particularly in the "developed" countries, to think that "bottled water" is safer and healthier than tap water.

Today not only people from countries where tap water is not safe to drink buy bottled water at much higher prices, but also people in developed countries in Europe and North America, where tap water is safe to drink.

The EWN, a project of the WCC, has been raising awareness among churches and ecumenical organizations about water and sanitation issues, including the use of bottled water.

EWN INTERNATIONAL REFERENCE GROUP

The meeting of the EWN's International Reference Group was held July 15-17 in Geneva.

The group also agreed to launch its Lenten campaign Seven Weeks for Water from Palestine in 2016 as a "pilgrimage of justice and peace in Jerusalem."

The campaign, which addresses water issues from a justice perspective, will also provide a focus for the EWN's upcoming meeting in Egypt.

The International Reference Group also welcomed the recently issued encyclical Laudato si by Pope Francis, singling out the document's specific attention to issues of water and sanitation and praising its "deep insight and timely commentary."

The group's response commends the way in which the papal encyclical connects crucial issues of water injustice, climate change and the loss of biodiversity.

"The encyclical manifests the Holy Father's deep concern about the water issues that are at the core of EWN's global advocacy efforts, including realization of the human right to water and sanitation, privatization and corporate water grabbing, water for food and attainment of the UN sustainable development goals," the EWN group said.

"We must learn to govern our lives by these values and extend them to the whole of creation.

"As Pope Francis indicates, we need to change our overly consumptive lifestyles, and profoundly alter our society's approach to water and other elements of nature, to address the critical water problems we have created," reads the response.

The EWN's International Reference Group includes representatives of the Catholic churches in Latin America and Africa, regional ecumenical organizations, specialized ministries and representatives of the WCC's Orthodox and Protestant member churches.

The group said it will participate in the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, where a series of 17 post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals will be launched.
(Reuters/Maxim Shemetov)Patriarch Krill leading an Orthodox Easter service.

Orthodox Christians in Russia were the first to begin Lent this year on Feb. 27 beginning a 40-day period of fast and sacrifice followed by Western Christians on Ash Wednesday, March 1.

For some Christians the period of Lenten sacrifice will entail cyber sacrifices such as abstaining from using the social media application WhatsApp and others are being urged to have an iPhone fast.

This year is a special Easter.

Those Orthodox who follow the Julian calendar like the Russian Orthodox and those who follow the Gregorian calendar along with Western churches will celebrate Christianity's greatest feast day on the same day, April 16.

The last day before Great Lent for Russian Orthodox was Forgiveness Sunday, which rounds up the week of Maslenitsa or Pancake festival celebrations,

Lent is the longest and strictest fasting season of the year in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Tass news agency reported.

The Eastern Orthodox Lent always begins on a Monday, which is designated as "Clean Monday."

That is the day Orthodox faithful begin a spiritual and moral purification through fasting, prayer, meditations, repentance, attending Lenten religious services and partaking of the Sacraments of Confession and Communion.

For Russian Orthodox believer products of animal origin and bad habits can be prohibited during that time and believers are encouraged to work on uplifting and strengthening their character, visit churches more often, take communion

In Zimbabwe, however, Roman Catholic youths across the country have been encouraged to go on a fast of WhatsApp for 40 days during the Lenten season.

Tendai Karombo, a youth representative in the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe, implored youths to abstain from using the free messaging application which is wildly popular with young people in the Southern African nation.

Speaking on a pre-recorded video during the launch of the 2017 Roman Catholic Church Lenten DVD in Harare, she said this was an opportunity for youths to show their commitment.

"Lenten season is that time when we journey together with Jesus, the passion, His crucifixion and His resurrection that is the moment we show Christ our allegiance to Him.

"But as Catholic youths, the concept of fasting is something which is not clear to us. However we do fast. Those who fast mainly fast food following the dictates of their parents but this coming Lenten season we will try and fast WhatsApp. We have never done it but I want to believe that we can do it," said Karombo.

Father Reki Mashayamombe from Seke Rural parish said abstaining from WhatsApp as a form of fasting is a prudent idea because so many young people spend their time on the platform.

"If they abstain they will concentrate on God during the Lenten season and also it shows an act of sacrifice," he said.

iPHONE FAST

In the United States, many people fast everyday things like alcohol, soda and sweets. This year, certain dioceses of the Catholic Church have suggest an iPhone fast for parishioners to sacrifice for Lent.

Some church leaders have taken to Twitter, like Archbishop Leonard Blair in Hartford, Connecticut, who is promoting the "#iPhoneFast" campaign online, ABC News reported.

With the current political climate and the division on social media, Archbishop Blair is asking people to turn off their smart phones, if not for the entire month, at least for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

In Sacramento the Downtown Cathedral was packed at noon Wednesday with parishioners waiting to receive ashes.

"This is just a reminder that we are from dust and dust we shall return so everything we do in between really matters," Cathedral Youth Director, Titi Kila said.

Young adults from the church were asked if they thought the #iPhoneFast was possible, with one girl told saying "no way" and Jose Esparza said definitely not.

"I mean I can give up social media but I can't give up my phone completely," Esparza said.

The broadcaster found 23-year-old Jheryssa Florintino who did the #iPhoneFast last year. She encourages other millennials to do the same.

"It was a great way to reconnect to my faith and take away my time from all the technology really," Florintino said.

The campaign slogan is, "Shut off your phone and let God call your heart."


It has been revealed that principal Chris Griffiths and deputy principal, Joumana Dennaoiu, who headed the largely Muslim Punchbowl Boys High School in Sydney, had barred female teachers from taking part in official events.

The NSW Education Department confirmed to The Educator that both school heads were removed from their roles following an investigation into the school.

As a result of a recent appraisal of Punchbowl Boys High, there has been a change in the leadership of the school, a Department spokesman said.

A new principal and deputy principal will commence work at the school today.

The spokesman added that, importantly, there is no disruption to teaching and learning and the education opportunities provided to students.

The removal of the two school heads comes as NSW Education Minister, Rob Stokes, seeks legal advice over Hurstville Boys School in Sydney permitting its students to decline to shake hands with women in accordance with an ancient Islamic practice.
The notion of making federal special education funding portable"allowing money to follow individual students with disabilities so they can pay for the schools and services they choosehas been on the drawing board in conservative circles for several years.

Now, the idea has at least one well-placed supporter: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who gave the concept a positive mention during a brief exchange at her confirmation hearing.

Much of the media focus during the run-up to DeVos razor-thin confirmation focused on her responses to questions about whether the rules of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act should apply to all schools that receive federal funds.

Less discussed was her response to Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who asked DeVos whether she would do anything to send more special education dollars to the states. That is an action that would help every single school district in this country, Collins said.

Determining the amount of money that is allotted for special education is actually the role of Congress, which determines the budgets of individual federal departments. Currently, about $11.9 billion is allocated for special education grants to states. But DeVos said that she would commit to looking into the issue.

I actually think this is an area that could be considered for an approach that would be somewhat different, in that maybe the money should follow individual students instead of going directly to the states. I think thats something we could discuss, and I would look forward to discussing with members of this committee, she said.

Previous Proposals

Such a change would have support among some lawmakers.

Sen. Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina, introduced a bill called the CHOICE Act that would allow states that already have voucher programs aimed at students with disabilities to add federal special education dollars to them. Currently, 12 of the 26 voucher programs operating nationwide are for students with disabilities. A bill with largely the same provisions has been introduced at least twice before by Republicans.

And, though President Donald Trump did not speak about such issues on the campaign trail, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney made IDEA and Title I portability a feature of his education plan when he was the GOP presidential nominee in 2012. Title I is a federal funding stream that supports schools with high numbers of disadvantaged students.

Allowing federal special education money to follow students would be a radical departure from the current funding mechanism, a complex formula that is tied to a states overall share of students as well as its population of students in poverty. And if a voucher program were financed only with federal money, each students share would be small based on current funding levels: about $1,800 per student for those ages 3 to 21 with disabilities, according to U.S. Department of Education figures.

The Complexity of Special Education Funding The funding formula for federal special education aid was last adjusted in 1999. That formula, however, has not kept up with population shifts, changes in the number of students with disabilities, or the types of disabilities that students have. Currently, the federal government pays about 16 percent of the cost of educating a student with disabilities, or less than $1,800 per student.

But having a vocal school choice advocate in a leadership position could garner additional consideration for the proposal. In a letter responding to questions from Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., DeVos said that parents of students with disabilities need more options.

Offering parents of students with disabilities the opportunity to choose between a private school, a different public school, or a nonpublic school setting empowers the parents to receive what works best for their child, she said.

The last time Congress touched special education funding was in 1997, during a reauthorization of the IDEA. (The special education law was also reauthorized in 2004, but the formula for distributing money did not change.) The formula is based on a states overall student enrollment and the number of students in poverty. Additional calculations come into play, based on factors such as how much a state received in a previous year or changes in year-to-year federal allocations.

The nearly 20-year-old formula has led to some inequities, according to New America, a Washington-based think tank that investigated it in 2014. Notably, New America found that small districts get proportionally more money per student than larger ones and that districts that are losing enrollment receive more money per student than growing districts.

Another, bigger problem from the perspective of school districts: Congress has never funded special education at the level that is authorized under the IDEA. Back in 1975, Congress said that it would fund special education at up to 40 percent of average per-pupil expenditure in public schools. But the federal contribution is hovering at around 16 percent.

Pushing Back on Portability

Special education funding is due for a re-examination, but unraveling the system through funding portability is not the answer, said Scott Sargrad, the managing director of the K-12 education policy team for Center for American Progress, a left-leaning Washington think tank.

This would be a massive shift in IDEA, not just in funding but in the way the program works, Sargrad said.

And a voucher system for students with disabilities is a risky proposition for many families, he said. For example, students with disabilities who enroll in private schools do not have the same individual special education rights as students in public schools.

They lose significant rights by taking on these vouchers and going to a school that doesnt have to comply with IDEA, Sargrad said.

Such policies also drain significant resources from the public school system, but they dont necessarily reduce costs by all that much. They still have services that they need to provide to all students, he said.

Lindsey Burke, who leads the Center for Education Policy for the conservative Heritage Foundation, said providing federal money to parents who have already chosen to place their children in private schools is an intermediate step that might garner less pushback than a wholesale reform of the present system.

Under the IDEA, private schools are entitled to some special education services, provided by the local district where those schools are located. That support from the district must be equitable among all the private schools, but individual private school students are not guaranteed a full range of services under current law.

That federal money is already there, so maybe we can make this a little more flexible, instead of running it through a formula, Burke said.
Former Los Angeles superintendent John E. Deasy is heading up a new magazine for school district leaders aimed at promoting civil discourse in education.

The magazine, called The Line, promises to examine some of the most vexing education issuesfrom school funding and school choice to the impacts of immigration and accountabilitybut to do so in a way that will cultivate consensus and learning rather than calcify differences, according to Deasy. Frontline Education, a technology company that markets its software to school administrators, helped found the magazine and is providing financial backing for the publication, which will be free to educators.

The magazine is neither left, right, nor center, Deasy said, and, in an increasingly polarized political environment, will endeavor to be a venue where educators can present ideas and learn from each otherparticularly from those who may hold ideologically different views.

Its an incredibly challenging point in the country, and I really think that without both using and modeling civil discourse in education, common ground is really going to erode under our feet, said Deasy, who is The Lines editor-in-chief. And thats going to have a profoundly detrimental effect on the  young people in our public schools.

Deasy resigned from his post as schools chief in Los Angeles in 2014 after an at-times tumultuous tenure there.

The magazine made its debut in print and online last week. Some of its inaugural articles offer a glimpse into how the magazine intends to try to bridge divides.

Differing Viewpoints

One article, based on email correspondence between Deasy and Chester E. Finn Jr., a senior fellow and president emeritus at the conservative, Washington-based Thomas B. Fordham Institute, shows the two men discussing whether lawmakers and everyday Americans fully understand the economic impacts of a failing education system, the ways in which schools need to change, and how people from different regionsurban and rural, black and whitecan come together to think about K-12 schooling.

Deasy said he was surprised at how much they agreed.

Another article looks at a perennial K-12 concernschool fundingand approaches districts and states have taken to maximize their resources. And the issue includes discussions of the Every Student Succeeds Act implementation by Arne Duncan, the former education secretary; Michael Mcgee, the CEO of Chiefs for Change; and Hanna Skandera, the education secretary in New Mexico.

It also featured a leader spotlight, with Kaya Henderson, the former District of Columbia schools chancellor.

Members of the magazines editorial advisory board reflect its effort to represent political and geographic diversity, as well as the perspectives of individuals who serve in different education roles. Advisory board members include Frederick Hess, resident scholar and director of education policy studies at the conservative American Enterprise Institute; Tom Boasberg, the Denver superintendent; Paul Toner, the executive director of Teach Plus Massachusetts and the former president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association; Vicki Phillips, the former head of K-12 grants at The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and Allen Grossman, a senior fellow at the Harvard Business School.

Toner, a longtime union leader, said the magazines approach to finding common ground was similar to the path that has guided his career.

I have found throughout my career that the unions that claim all the education reformers are ill-intentioned are misinformed, and all the ed-reformers who claim that all union leaders want to put up roadblocks and prevent good things from happening and are only focused on self-interest, are also incorrect, he said. I really think in a perfect world we would bring these people together and have a serious dialogue about how we work together.

William Hite, the Philadelphia superintendent, is a member of the editorial advisory board. He said the publication could be an essential resource.

This inability ... to be respectful when there is difference in our country right now is concerning, he said. I do think here is an opportunity for everyone to learn from those differences.

Less Yelling

Hess agreed that there should be less yelling and more listening in education debates.

But, he said later, actions are ultimately more important than words.

Its hard to create policies, routines, and systems that support teaching and learning when we are engaged in bitter fights and calling each other nasty names, he said. I think if we can talk about things, disagree about these questions in a more responsible, serious fashion, that lets us tackle things like accountability and choice and virtual learning and teacher-quality in a way that doesnt let us get stuck in some of the potholes that we have been stuck in in recent years.

The Line emerged from several discussions between Deasy and Tim Clifford, the CEO of Frontline Education, after the two met at a conference in Boston last year. Frontline had recently launched a research arm, Frontline Research & Learning Institute, and was looking to expand its role in districts beyond being a vendor to share insights from data it had amassed over the years from working with districts.

The magazine will be published twice in print this year, but will be updated more regularly online. Online users will be able to annotate articles as they read them and participate in discussions in what Clifford calls an online town green. The magazine will be available online at TheLineK12.com.




Ukraine's largest poultry integrator to use EMKA Incubators

Ukraine's Mironovsky Hliboprodukt, the largest poultry integrator in the country, has chosen to use Belgium's EMKA Incubators for its latest project.

The first stage will be delivered by mid-2017.

After visiting the EMKA headquarters in Kuurne, Belgium, Mr. Bezhynets Vasyl, Director of Production Department, decided to go with EMKA Incubators.

The main reason he cited is because of the unique cooling system "Teggnologic27" that is able to achieve superior uniform chick quality through a "Dry Hatch" and the "DECS" cooling and spraying system.

The Dry Hatch improves the drying time of the newly hatched chicks, resulting in faster closed navels and a healthier start to life while running the cooling water at a temperature of 27 degree Celsius. This temperature is above the dew point which means that there will be no condensation in the incubator. This provides a perfect humidity, temperature and ventilation control while reducing any possibility of mould, bacteria or fungal development.
To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020.
In an exclusive interview, Mexican Ambassador to the U.S. Carlos M. Sada said the Mexican government would take back Mexicans who are deported from the United States but emphasized that the Mexican government would refuse to reimburse the U.S. for the construction of a border wall.

In his first televised interview as president last month, President Trump told ABC that immediate construction of the border wall would first be funded by taxpayers "and we will be, in a form, reimbursed by Mexico."

"I'm just telling you there will be a payment," Trump said, vowing "100 percent" reimbursement from Mexico. "It will be in a form, perhaps a complicated form."

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said last month in a televised address, "I've said time and again: Mexico won't pay for any wall. I regret and condemn the decision of the United States to continue construction of a wall that, for years, has divided us instead of uniting us."

The Trump administration's draft deportation guidelines prioritize undocumented immigrants with criminal records for removal from the interior of the United States.

When asked the ambassador if the Mexican government would accept all deportations of migrants who have committed crimes while living illegally in the country.

"As long as they are Mexicans, yes. As long as they are not Mexicans, no," the ambassador said after his meetings at the National Governors Association winter meeting.
Drivers urged not to leave keys in car

Police are urging Manx motorists not to leave their keys in their vehicles following a series of car thefts.

Several cars have been reported stolen in the last couple of weeks.

Officers say a common factor in most cases was that the keys were left in the vehicles.

Police warn motorists should take their keys out of their car and make sure the vehicle is locked to deter thieves.
Dog attack owner urged to come forward to ensure pet's safety

Officers investigating a dog attack which left four sheep dead say they can guarantee to animal won't be destroyed if the owner comes forward.

The attack happened at Glen Dhoo near the Ballaugh Plantation, resulting in the deaths of four sheep and orphaning a lamb.

The Northern Neighbourhood Policing Team says police won't destroy a dog that has attacked livestock, but will prosecute the owner.

However, officers warn the farmer has the option to shoot the dog during an attack, so the animal could be at risk if it attacks again.

Anyone with information on the attack at Glen Dhoo is asked to contact Police Headquarters.
Hollywood actor, Brad Pitt, is reportedly in contact with his ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, while going through the Brangelina divorce. Several reports have now confirmed that the actor is, in fact, speaking with the "Friends" actress.

E Online, through its unnamed source, has confirmed that Brad Pitt, 53, is in contact with Jennifer Aniston, 43, amid the messy Brangelina divorce. The former couple, as what noted, shares a "friendly but limited relationship."

The news of Brad Pitt reaching out to Jennifer Aniston first surfaced in the issue of Us Weekly. According to Us Magazine, the actor did not have Aniston's number but he tracked it down through "a tangled web" of contacts. He wanted to wish the "Mother's Day" actress a Happy Birthday on Feb. 11 and they started talking soon after, the anonymous source said.

The former couple exchanged several text messages talking about the Brangelina divorce and how he is "having a hard time," Us Magazine reported. Brad Pitt is currently battling Angelina Jolie, 41, for joint custody for their children: Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 10, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. The actress, filmmaker and humanitarian, first filed the divorce in September 2016.

This shouldn't really come off as much of a surprise, especially for the fans who have been following Jennifer Aniston over the years. The 43-year-old actress, in 2015, has openly revealed her relationship with the actor, a decade after their divorce in 2005.

Aniston, on her talk with The Hollywood Reporter, said then that she was in contact with Brad Pitt but not on a daily basis. "We wish nothing but wonderful things for each other. Nobody did anything wrong," she continued.

Meanwhile, Jolie has recently spoken with BBC to promote her upcoming film "First They Killed My Father" and to shed some light about the Brangelina divorce. She admitted that this is a "difficult time" for her and her family. Further noting that her focus at the moment is their children.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has been one of the anticipated handsets to arrive this year. Recently, a well-known tipser named Evan Blass has revealed that the upcoming flagship device from the South Korean tech company will be bearing SM-N950 model number.

According to ValueWalk, Evan Blass who has been known for being a great tipser has delivered interesting information about the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. Blass suggested that the upcoming phablet from the South Korean tech company will be bearing a model number of SM-N950.

Aside from that, it was also predicted that the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 may possibly outrank the iPhone 8 when it comes with the power. As a matter of fact, it was believed that it will boast an enormous 6.2-inch display. Samsung is possible to slim down the bezels of the handset which was something that Apple would do its upcoming iPhone 8.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is also expected to be armed with Bixby AI assistant and an iris scanner. It might also be engineered with an Exynos series 9 chipset that will be paired by a gigantic 6 GB of RAM. Internal memory wise, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 can be equipped with 256 GB of inbuilt storage which will definitely make its patrons happy.

As for the release date, Expert Reviews has noted that the Samsung Galaxy Note will be launched in last quarter of this year. Tracking the release dated of its predecessors, it can be remembered that the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was unveiled in September 2016; the Galaxy Note 5 in August 2015; the Galaxy Note 4 in October 2014 and the Galaxy Note 3 in September 2013. The last four members of the Galaxy Note family were launched in the second half of the year which might also happen to Galaxy Note 8.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is expected to be tagged at a high price point, mainly its because the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 cost 749. Furthermore, it is suggested to wait for further details from Samsung as these data are just based on rumors and predictions.
"Prison Break" Season 2 will start to air on April 4 featuring Michael and Lincoln's return. The upcoming season of the TV series will reportedly showcase a darker storyline as hinted by a recently released poster of the show.

According to Den of Geek, the "Prison Break" Season 5 is now established to return on April 4 consisting of nine episodes. It also appears that Michael and Lincoln will be going through serious problems when they return to the screen.

Furthermore, The Christian Post has noted that the recently released poster of "Prison Break" Season 5 having a statement "First, it was a prison. Now, it's a nation" is actually teasing the avid viewers a darker storyline for the upcoming season. With this, it appears that the brothers will go through a lot more hurdles as Lincoln convince his friends to help with Michael's jail-breaking plan.

It is pretty obvious that the "Prison Break" Season 5 will be presenting the reunion of Michael with Lincoln. The patrons are also expecting to see Michael's reconsolidation with Sara (Sarah Wayne Callies) and his son. Nevertheless, this plot is not yet confirmed and should be taken with a grain of salt. After all, Sara is already wedded to someone else.

The audiences of "Prison Break" Season 5 could also look forward to the introduction of Inbar Lavi. It can be remembered that formerly it was revealed that Lavi will play the role of Sheba who is a Yemeni activist. Moreover, it is still uncertain how she will touch Michael's scrape but she is believed to be someone who will be involved with Lincoln.

Earlier this month, Lavi divulged that Sheba's story will be important. She even stated that Sheba's story is something that should be open to the world. "We have to give these people a voice now more than ever, and I am so, so, so delighted and proud to be able to be that voice for them," Lavi further added.

The "Prison Break" Season 5 which was previously expected to premiere in January is now confirmed to air starting April 4. This season is consists of nine exciting episodes to watch over.
Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe remains to be one of the most controversial relationship in Hollywood considering that neither of them has actually admitted that they were dating. Many of "Outlander" Season 3 fans who have been rooting for them since day one are wondering if there was really a relationship to begin with. Was it over even before it started?

It's a sad time for "Outlander" Season 3 fans as reports about Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe split has been making its round on the internet. For months, fans and loyal shippers of Jamie and Claire's "Outlander" tandem have been wishing and crossing their fingers for a real relationship to happen. According to still unconfirmed reports, Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe split have been caused by a third party.

Is there any truth to Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe split? Or were the "Outlander" Season 3 stars never a couple? According to Just Jared, Sam Heughan recently went public with alleged girlfriend, MacKenzie Mauzy in an Oscars weekend kick-off party hosted by The Weinstein's Company and Piaget. This was reportedly the first time that Sam Heughan and MacKenzi Mauzy appeared together as a couple.

With this in mind, many are wondering if MacKenzie Mauzy is the reason behind Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe split. According to sources, Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe are reportedly not in very good terms with each other for the past few weeks. Could the Oscars-party be the tipping point of their relationship not only as alleged lovers, but as co-stars as well?

It seems like a rift between Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe might make things awkward on the set of "Outlander" Season 3. According to ET Canada, the "Outlander" stars revealed that their characters, Jamie and Claire, are going to have more intimate scenes despite of the 20-year time jump in the upcoming season. As of of writing, the Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe split issues remain to be addressed by the parties involved.
Disney's announcement of not renewing "Girl Meets World" Season 4 brought sad news to the fans who were following the story of Maya and Riley. While the series sadly came to an end on Jan. 20, 2017, many of the fans are still hoping for a "Girl Meets World" renewal, be it on Disney or on another channel.

There have been reports that Disney has decided to cancel "Girl Meets World" Season 4 because of the plot is already going in a more mature direction. Given that the characters are real humans who are experiencing real life maturity both physically, emotionally and mentally, the characters that they play in "Girl Meets World" will be inevitably affected.

"Girl Meets World" stars, Sabrina Carpenter and Rowan Blanchard, have already expressed their sadness that their beloved Disney show had to come to an end. The three "Girl Meets World" Seasons proved to be a stage for the two young ladies to prove not only to the world, but also to their own selves that they can be successful actresses.

Starring in a hit show in Disney like "Girl Meets World" is definitely a big honor tucked under their belt for future projects that they would like to pursue. Now that the fate of "Girl Meets World" Season 4 remains floating in the air, how are Sabrina Carpenter and Rowan Blanchard doing with their careers?

According to Just Jared, Sabrina Carpented is venturing into the world of modeling, with Marc Jacobs as the stepping stone for her career in the catwalk. The 17-year old "Girl Meets World" actress reportedly made her modeling debut by walking in Marc Jacobs fashion show in the 2017 New York Fashion Week.

Meanwhile, fellow "Girl Meets World" star, Rowan Blanchard, has also made her presence known during the New York Fashion Week. According to Teen Vogue, the 15-year old "GMW" star attended the Milly Show during the 2017 NYFW.

As of writing, "Girl Meets World" Season 4 is still tittering on a continue or delete button, waiting for a green light for production and filming to begin again. Stay tuned to Enstars for more "Girl Meets World" Season 4 news and updates!
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reported to attend a wedding in Jamaica this weekend. Royal family fans are excited to know whether the young prince will also bring "Suits" actress to Pippa Middleton's wedding on May.

It was ironic that Prince Harry has broken up with Cressida Bonas over a row about attending a friend's wedding. With Meghan Markle, there was no confusion as the two lovebirds will attend a three-day party at a super-exclusive Round Hill Hotel and Villas according to a report by The Daily Beast. The location is private 110-acre plantation style resort with cottages built for the rich and famous in the 1950s.

Many are thrilled that Prince Harry is introducing his girlfriend Meghan Markle to a wider circle of friends. On January and February this year, the American actress was reported to have spent much of the time with the prince on his place in Kensington Palace.

According to sources of Daily Mail, Prince Harry is head over heels about Meghan Markle. The wedding in Jamaica will be the first time the couple will socialize openly. Some considered it as a significant step up in their relationship. "This one could go all the way," the source said.

The next big step on the relationship of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is Pippa Middleton's wedding to James Matthews on May 20. Many are expecting that the 32 year old prince will bring the "Suits"star on one of the royal family's big event.

Pippa Middleton and James Matthews' wedding will be a great avenue for Prince Harry to introduce Meghan Markle to the royal family. However, rumours are rife that the Queen has forbid the prince to bring his actress girlfriend. Still, fans are hoping that Prince Harry will soon propose to Meghan Markle and the next wedding they will attend will be their own.
Among the new coinages that have gained currency in public debate in the Kerala of the new millennium, the most prominent one, undoubtedly is sadaachaara policing, or moral policing. The coinage gained velocity of circulation in and through the anti-Hindutva Kiss of Love protests in 2015, when young people protested at the rock-solid sexual conservatism that dominates public spaces in the state, reinforced by religious conservatisms. The Kiss of Love struggles gave a name to the widespread surveillance imposed and violence perpetrated against especially young people, or more broadly, against all those who transgress conservative sexual normsand it quickly became a part of youth vocabulary, as a synonym for a dirty practice. However, this practice is not new at all, though the sudden rise of media attention towards incidents of moral policing may convey the impression that it has suddenly reached grave proportions.

Indeed, if there is anything that is characteristic of Keralas moral policing, it is its very normality, its banalityit is certainly not something that follows in the wake of a moral panic. Also, moral policing need not involve the state at all, though both the police and judiciary here are enthusiastic proponents of moral policing, even in violation of the law. Typically, the perpetrators are gangs of men (though women are equally capable of it, particularly school and college teachers, and in a very recent incident, policewomen) who accost couples or groups, allege sexual impropriety, and go on to publicly humiliate, assault, or threaten them. Often they incarnate as naattukaar (local people)civil society, so to say, zealous of protecting decency and even the security of women in their localities. But the vigilante brigades may also be political party activists keen to target the leaders or prominent members of their rivals. So common, so normal, were these acts that they were even counted as evidence for the goodness of rural people, rescuing others and their localities from vice.
The case that rewrote a 145-year-old core law. The case that launched the first corruption investigation into Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The case that set up new yardsticks for corporate ethics in India. The case that helped clean up the polity. The case of what are known as the BirlaSahara Papers could have been any of these three. Instead, it became a case of quick burial by more than one branch of the administration, in a manner that most likely needs the legal equivalent of exhumation.

On 11 January 2017, Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy of the Supreme Court dismissed interim appeals seeking investigation into the BirlaSahara Papersa set of documents, emails, spreadsheets, diaries, notebooks seized during raids on the Aditya Birla Group and the Sahara Group. The papers suggested that off-the-book payments were made to several senior politicians in India holding public office, including Prime Minister Modi. Justices Mishra and Roy wrote a 23-page order with a terse last sentence: "The applications deserve dismissal and are hereby dismissed" (Common Cause v Union of India 2017). With that, an important case appeared to have hit a wall triggering a host of questions, legal and political.

How It Came to This

The case is not merely that of the BirlaSahara Papers. It involves the merits, or lack of them, of India's central vigilance commissioner, the happenings in the scandal relating to allotment of coal blocks, the raids by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Income Tax (IT) department on two leading corporate houses in India, and possible leads into corruption in high places unearthed in those raids.

In 2015, a Delhi-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), Common Cause, and others filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court asking that the appointments of Central Vigilance Commissioner K V Chaudhary and Vigilance Commissioner T M Bhasin be set aside, because they were "not of impeccable integrity." The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is the designated agency to receive allegations of corruption and misuse of public office in India. An important function of its chair is to oversee the working of the CBI about allegations of bribery and corruption by public servants.

In 2015, unrelated to the petition against the CVC, a set of papers from the IT department obtained as a result of two search-and-seizure raids in 2013 on the Aditya Birla Group and in 2014 on the Sahara Group reached a few journalists, some of whom reported on them. The IT raid on the Aditya Birla Group came after a CBI raid relating to coal block allocation. The CBI found about 25 crore unaccounted cash and several documents described as "incriminating" in a New Delhi office of an Aditya Birla Group firm. The CBI informed the IT department, who then conducted a raid the next day. The BirlaSahara Papers hadamong other thingsreferences to possible payoffs to senior politicians in clearly legible words. For instance, there are references to payments made to "Modiji" and "CM Gujarat" in the Sahara Papers.

Common Cause filed interim appeals asking for a special investigation into what the BirlaSahara Papers contained, in the context of what appeared to be links to Prime Minister Modi when he was chief minister of Gujarat. Why did Common Cause intervene? Its director Vipul Mudgal offers a rationale:

The case is among many others relating to probity in public life. We believed that the evidence was strong enough to merit an investigation. It was with a similar faith that we filed PILs [public interest litigations] in the coal block allocation and 2G spectrum cases which eventually transformed the way natural resources are allocated in India. Both these cases started similarly with fragments of strong though unconnected evidence but a court-monitored investigation made all the difference by connecting the dots. The case involving the BirlaSahara Papers is like the 2G and coal block cases.[1]

The case, thus, became important. Initially, Justices J S Khehar and Arun Mishra heard the first interim appeal of Common Cause. Senior Supreme Court Advocate Shanti Bhushan and his co-advocate Prashant Bhushan argued the case. Justice Khehar used the phrase "zero material" to trash Common Cause's case. Prashant Bhushan argued that Justice Khehar was (then) due to be appointed Chief Justice of India (CJI) and this might willy-nilly compromise his freedom to judge a case with possible links to the Prime Minister, who would approve his appointment as CJI. Justice Roy took Justice Khehar's place to hear the second appeal, when he co-authored the order dismissing the appeal as without merit. But, the dismissal of an appeal as meritless does not immediately mean that a case is equally meritless. The manner of this dismissal, thus, raises a few important questions.

What Constitutes Evidence?

The dismissal of the appeal hinged on the quality of evidence. Justices Mishra and Roy referred to Section 34 of the Indian Evidence Act of 1872 to dismiss the Common Cause interim appeals. The act is a core law that defines evidence in all crime, blue collar and white collar. Section 34 of this act deals with "Entries in books of account when relevant." It says: "Entries in books of account, regularly kept in the course of business, are relevant whenever they refer to a matter into which the court has to inquire, but such statements shall not alone be sufficient evidence to charge any person with liability." In 2003, the Government of India amended this section by replacing the phrase "such statements" with "such entries."

In paragraph 20 of their order, Justices Mishra and Roy say: "Loose sheets of papers are wholly irrelevant as evidence being not admissible under Section 34 to constitute evidence with respect to the transactions mentioned therein being of no evidentiary value" (Common Cause v Union of India 2017: 15). Justices Mishra and Roy referred to portions of a 1998 Supreme Court judgment in the Jain Hawala case (Central Bureau of Investigation v V C Shukla 1998). This case too hinged on the quality of evidence. The case was about the notebooks and diaries that the CBI found during a raid on businessman J K Jain's house in southeast Delhi. The diaries contained records of what appeared to be payments received and payoffs made to people in high places. These entries were in an abbreviated form. Hawala, in an Indian context, is a parallel and often illegal method of transferring and exchanging monies.

What Is a Book?

Justices Mishra and Roy quoted the portions of the 1998 judgment to explain what constitutes an account, a book, and thus evidence, which merits examination.

An account presupposes the existence of two persons such as a seller and a purchaser, creditor and debtor. Admittedly, the alleged diaries in the present case are not records of the entries arising out of a contract. They do not contain the debits and credits. They can at the most be described as a memorandum kept by a person for his own benefit which will enable him to consider the same whenever the need arises to do so for his future purpose. Admittedly the said diaries were not being maintained on day-to-day basis during business. There is no mention of the dates on which the alleged payments were made. In fact, the entries therein are on monthly basis. Even the names of the persons whom the alleged payments were made do not find a mention in full. They have been shown in abbreviated form. Only certain "letters" have been written against their names which are within the knowledge of only the scribe of the said diaries as to what they stand for and whom they refer to.

On what constitutes a book, the 1998 judgment said,

The term 'book' in Section 34 [of the Indian Evidence Act 1872] may properly be taken to signify, ordinarily, a collection of sheets of paper bound together with the intention that such binding shall be permanent and the papers used collectively in one volume. It is easier however to say what is not a book for the purposes of Section 34, and I have no hesitation in holding that unbound sheets of paper, in whatever quantity, though filled up with one continuous account, are not a book of account within the purview of Section 34.

Thus, the Common Cause appeals were dismissed because the BirlaSahara Papers did not have a spiral or permanent binding and because the documents were not part of official accounts. Corruption tends to be off-the-books, although at times official financial statements have been found as falsified to hide bribes. The Common Cause appeal rested entirely on the premise that unaccounted payments were made to politicians, possibly for favours done to the corporate houses in question. The chances of such payments being part of regular business accounts are minimal or non-existent.

What Is an Account?

Justices Mishra and Roy also quoted the argument on what constitutes an account put forth by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for the Jains (he was later a minister in both the United Progressive Alliance governments headed by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh). He said that in business parlance "account" means a formal statement of money transactions between parties, arising out of a contractual or fiduciary relationship. His view was that books of account need to reflect such a relationship and not merely contain entries of monies received from one set of persons and payment thereof to another set of persons. Sibal then said books of account relating to a business would not be admissible under Section 34 if they were not regularly kept. The words "regularly kept" mean that the entries in books are contemporaneously made at the time the transactions take place, and not long after.

Facts and Entries

And then, Justices Mishra and Roy referred to the evidentiary value of what Common Cause presented. In paragraph 19 of their order, they quoted the 1998 Supreme Court judgment on the Jain hawala case:

With respect to evidentiary value of [a] regular account book, this Court has laid down in V C Shukla, thus;

"37. In Beni v Bisan Dayal it was observed that entries in books of account are not by themselves sufficient to charge a person with liability, the reason being that a man cannot be allowed to make evidence for himself by what he chooses to write in his own books behind the back of the parties. There must be independent evidence of the transaction to which the entries relate and in absence of such evidence no relief can be given to the party who relies upon such entries to support his claim against another. In Hira Lal v Ram Rakha the High Court said that the rule as laid down in Section 34 of the Evidence Actthat entries in the books of account regularly kept during business are relevant whenever they refer to a matter in which the Court must enquirewas subject to the salient proviso that such entries shall not alone be sufficient evidence to charge any person with liability. It is not, therefore, enough merely to prove that the books have been regularly kept during business and the entries therein are correct. It is further incumbent upon the person relying upon those entries to prove that they were in accordance with facts."

Common Cause counsel Prashant Bhushan disagreed with this. In a statement after the judgment, he said,

Among the documents seized [in a raid by the IT department in November 2014] were detailed accounts maintained in spreadsheets in the computers of an employee of Sahara which contain details of 115 crores of cash received in the year 201314, out of which 113 crores had been paid out to various public servants.

The spreadsheets contained details of dates, amounts and source from which amounts were received, which is mostly from a marketing company of Sahara called Marcomm. It also contained details of payment of this cash on different dates of different amounts to different people at different places and through named delivery persons. This spreadsheet contains details of two payments amounting to 10 crore to [the Chief Minister] CM of Madhya Pradesh, one payment to [the] CM of Chhattisgarh, nine payments amounting to 40 crores to CM of Gujarat, who is also referred to as Modiji.

Before the IT Department, Sahara claimed that these were fictitious records created by a disgruntled employee to implicate another employee of Sahara. This explanation was disbelieved by IT, who came to the conclusion that these documents represented the true state of affairs for several reasons, most importantly because the cash received mentioned in these documents from Marcomm tallied with the entries and ledger books of Marcomm itself, which were also recovered. (CatchNews 2017)[2]

However, the IT Settlement Commission on 10 November 2016 had granted the Sahara Group immunity in this case, and brought it to an unusually speedy conclusion (Sarin 2017). In their dismissal order, Justices Mishra and Roy refer to the IT Settlement Commission's

10 November 2016 order saying the papers have no evidentiary value.

In case of Sahara, in addition we have the adjudication by the IT Settlement Commission. The Commission has held as well that the Principal Commissioner, IT  [has] not been able to show and substantiate the nature and source of receipts as well as nature and reason of payments and have failed to prove evidentiary value of loose papers and electronic documents within the legal parameters.

Curiously, Justices Mishra and Roy referred to the immunity given to the Sahara Group as a factor in dismissing the Common Cause appeals, without questioning the nature of this immunity and the speedy conclusion of the case.

Holes in the Judgment

Justices Mishra and Roy, therefore, concluded that the BirlaSahara Papers do not meet the required yardsticks for books, accounts and evidentiary value as described in Section 34 of the Indian Evidence Act 1872. This implies that the processes of maintaining accounts and their evidentiary value have not evolved from 1872 and 1998. This cannot hold. Much has changed in how businesses maintain account books. It is an archaic, limited and unfair application of the mind to understand account books in 2017 as a collection of sheets of paperblank, written or printedbound together in a manner which cannot be disturbed or altered except by tearing apart. This is from a pre-internet era. Modern software understands account books differently. In the internet era, everything related to accounts is maintained on electronic devices. There are Excel spreadsheets, Tally software, "cloud" architecture and more. Justices Mishra and Roy may have applied the letter of the law but seemingly not its spirit.

Evidence of crime may come in various forms. Blue collar crime, say, murder, may be solved by investigating a trash bin where there is hardly formal evidence of the crime. White collar crimesay, corruption and briberyoften has evidence that does not fit the formal definition of evidence from 1872. Off-the-books entries are often in the form of codes meant to help the persons dealing with it, but not necessarily an accounts wing in a business house that deals with formal money matters. Laws need to evolve with crime. The Parliament of India has an opportunity here to amend the 1872 act to avoid future dismissal of cases of this nature.

The reference to the IT Settlement Commission order is a tad perplexing. The Supreme Court justices appear to have overlooked a few simple facts here. The accounts in the Sahara Papers seem like they have been maintained over a long period. They tally with entries in the ledgers of Marcomm, from where the money paid to politicians was received and distributed. And then, the Sahara Group agreed to pay taxes on the 137 crore unaccounted cash seized during the raid. Also, Section 132 of the Income Tax Act of 1961 lays down the legal presumption that documents seized during an IT raid are presumed to be genuine and belonging to the person or firm seized from, unless proven to be otherwise.

The use of the Jain Hawala case as precedent to dismiss the Common Cause appeal appears out of place here. The evidence in the BirlaSahara Papers is far stronger than in the Jain Hawala case. The BirlaSahara Papers have full names of the people to whom the money was paid, the names of the people who paid the money, the locations of the fund transfers, the quantum of monies, and the dates when the payments were made. The Jain Hawala case was dismissed after the CBI investigated and filed a charge sheet against the accused. The court then said that the CBI charge sheet was not able to establish the charges against the accused based on the coded entries of alleged payments. There is, thus, a fundamental difference. The Common Cause appeal sought an investigation to establish the veracity of the BirlaSahara Papers. If the Jain Hawala case was the yardstick, then Justices Mishra and Roy ought to have ordered an inquiry into the contents of the BirlaSahara Papers. The findings of an independent court-monitored inquiry would have been the appropriate basis of further action; not the mere appeal for an inquiry.

Now, we come to the yardstick of accounts as applied by Justices Mishra and Roy. The IT department considered the Birla Papers incriminating not because they refer to seller and purchaser or creditor and debtor, and not because they contain formal statements of money transactions between parties arising out of a contractual or fiduciary relationship. They are deemed incriminating because they seem to record off-the-books transactions, which basically cannot be accounted for in the formal sense. Allegations of corruption and bribery in public office almost never involve formal statements of accounts.

Periodically, courts worldwide have ruled on fraudulent activity to falsify financial statements, although it is not mandatory that such activity account for bribes. The Common Cause appeals asked for investigation into the BirlaSahara Papers because they seem to indicate serious corruption in high places. An investigation would have established the degree of incrimination in the documents seized. It was an opportunity to establish the spirit of law on allegations of corruption and bribery in public office. The application of yardsticks for accounted money to unaccounted money is self-defeating. It is a case of law writing unto itself that evidence does not hold even before establishing the veracity of the evidence.

Role of the Judges

Why, then, did the two judges act so? We could simply suppose that they applied their mind the best way they saw fit. Not every judgment can please everyone. But, there are strands of a chilling nature that do not allow us to apply this basic assumption. Justice Mishra missed elevation to the Supreme Court three times before he made it. There are reports saying the collegium, which appoints judges, asked for a background check on Justice Mishra (Balaji 2013). This was during the tenure of recently-deceased Justice Altamas Kabir as Chief Justice of India. The background check was apparently on Justice Mishra's proximity or otherwise to a right-wing NGO that treats the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as its political wing. After being passed over more than once, Justice Mishra was elevated to the Supreme Court in July 2014, six weeks after Modi took charge as Prime Minister.

In late 2016, Justice Mishra held wedding receptions for his nephew in New Delhi and Gwalior. Among the guests was Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Bhushan 2017), of whom there is an apparent reference in the Sahara Papers as the "CM MP" to whom 10 crore was allegedly paid through a person named Neeraj Vashisht. Also among the guests were union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, and a host of BJP seniors.

Should Chouhan's presence trigger concern about Justice Mishra's presence on the bench hearing the Common Cause appeal on the BirlaSahara Papers? Is there reasonable ground to believe that Justice Mishra presiding over the appeal contravenes the code of conduct for judges in India? This code, formally known as Restatement of Values of Judicial Life,[3] was adopted in a full court meeting of the Supreme Court in May 1997 and then adopted in December 1999 at a New Delhi conference of Chief Justices of High Courts (Venkatesan 2000). Point 6 of the 16-point code says, "A judge should practice a degree of aloofness consistent with the dignity of his office." Point 7 of the code says, "A judge shall not hear and decide a matter in which a member of his family, a close relation or a friend is concerned."

Justice Mishra's conduct appears to conflict with both points. Hosting and receiving many guests from the union government and the political party heading the government, at a nephew's wedding reception, is not aloofness consistent with the dignity of the office of a Supreme Court judge. Chouhan's presence indicates a level of proximity that might fall under the definition of "friend." Although Justice Mishra served as a judge in the Madhya Pradesh High Court and as Chief Justice in the Rajasthan High Court, he ought not to have anything to do with the chief ministers of those states in a personal capacity. His wedding reception was not an official event. It was purely personal. Justice Mishra, thus, behaved in a manner not consistent with point 7 of the code of conduct.

Of Justice Khehar, who presided over the Common Cause appeal until Prashant Bhushan said he should not, there is more. Chief ministers in India do not usually kill themselves. The suicide of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul in August 2016 was, therefore, a shock (Press Trust of India 2016). He appears to have written a 60-page booklet in Hindi called "My Thoughts," in which the last entry is a day before he was found hanging in his official bungalow. Pul was chief minister for a few months in the first half of 2016. This happened after a revolt by members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) belonging to the Congress unseated chief minister Nabam Tuki. President's Rule was imposed after which Pul was sworn-in and proved his majority with the help of rebel Congress MLAs and BJP MLAs. Tuki went to the Supreme Court against the imposition of President's Rule.

In an exhaustive 329-page constitutional order on 13 July 2016, comprising three judgments of a five-judge bench, Justice Khehar's leading judgment restored the government of Nabam Tuki. On page 12 of his diary, Pul alleges, "I received phone calls asking for 86 crore to give a judgment in my favour. But my conscience did not permit this. I didn't want to hurl the state into a well. Why should I therefore misuse government and public money to save my government?" On page 38, Pul claims, "I lost faith in the courts after this Supreme Court judgment. The MLAs of Arunachal Pradesh can be bought. The Congress party is also up for sale. But I never thought that the judges of the Supreme Court can also be bought. They contacted my associates and I several times to discuss a judgment in my favour. They asked for a bribe of 86 crore. I don't have the kind of money to buy the Supreme Court, its judges and its judgments. Neither do I want to."

On page 39, Pul further alleges, "Virender Khehar, the younger son of Justice Khehar, contacted my associates and asked for 49 crore. And Aditya Misra, the brother of [the second-most senior judge of the Supreme Court] Justice Dipak Misra, asked me [for] 37 crore." On page 40, Pul contends, "I was contacted till 9 pm on 12 July 2016 that if I paid an advance of 9 crore, then the judgment would be deferred for a month and I could pay the rest of the 77 crore after a judgment in my favour was delivered. I did not agree to pay." On page 41, Pul says, "Until today, 25 July 2016, Ram Avtar Sharma has been contacting me on behalf of Justice Khehar. He is talking of how to get the judgment changed. He has taken the business of how and when to file a petition upon himself. He asked me 31 crore for this. ... People must learn to recognise these brokers and traders in law and these corrupt traitors. The government should keep a close watch on the orders of judges and they must draft a law to challenge the judgments of the Supreme Court. So that such a law may be used to stop corruption among the judges."

Pul's diary came into the public domain in February 2017, six months after his suicide. But the administration had it all the while. How much did Prime Minister Modi know of it when he signed the order appointing Justice Khehar as chief justice? How much did other seniors in the union government know? How much did Justices Khehar and Mishra know before they dismissed the Common Cause appeal? Is Pul's diary a dying declaration? Dying declarations have consequences. Are there grounds to reopen the case after Pul's diary and Justice Mishra's wedding reception? This is a case allegedly involving the Prime Minister, partly overseen by the chief justice and with allegations of corruption against the chief justice by a chief minister. Should this case not be reopened?

What the Birla Papers Say

The Birla Papersdocuments seized during raids in 2013 at the Aditya Birla Management Corporation Pvt Ltd (ABM- CPL)have testimonies and email conversations relating to unaccounted cash, hawala transactions and what appear to be corrupt practices involving investigative wings of the Government of India. The principal testimonies are from Anand Kumar Saxena, then deputy general manager (DGM), accounts, ABMCPL, and Shubhendu Amitabh, group executive president and in charge of ABMCPL. Saxena and Amitabh have signed on the documents. They affirm everything they say. There are signatures of IT officials Ankita Pandey and R D Verma corroborating this. These are statements recorded under Section 132(4) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

Saxena says he was responsible for managing cash and accounts at the

ABMCPL, but he does not know how 25 crore was in the almirah only he had the keys to. He says that "no record is kept about receipt and payment or disbursal of said cash" and that "in view of this, we cannot produce any records or account in support of the availability of said cash."[4] Why are there no records of such a large sum of money? Was this normal practice?

Saxena says he has "no idea" how the ABMCPL keeps track of inward and outward movement of cash. He says that he receives cash from hawala operators (whom he describes as angarias) regularly and explains how this happens. He further says that,

we are instructed by Shubhendu Amitabh to disburse or make payment of a particular amount through our senior officers of the company to some persons but the purpose of such disbursal or payment is not communicated to us. The procedure adopted for making the disbursal or payment in cash is such that we cannot identify the persons to whom it is paid.

Saxena names four ABMCPL officers as conduits for unaccounted cash transactions: M Ravishankar, Assistant Vice-President; Vinod Verma, Assistant Vice-President; K M Sunil Kumar, DGM; and P R Seshamani, Advisor. Saxena refers to an incident where he "sat back in the car while my senior colleagues deliver the cash."[5]

Saxena says that he followed Amitabh's orders in making entries of unexplained cash transactions under various heads he did not understand. Nor, he says, did he know the source, nature and purpose of such cash and transactions. He says that the notebooks that contained the dates of unaccounted cash transactions before 2011 were destroyed, but that he knows of unaccounted cash transactions happening in the ABMCPL for five years and that he maintained records of some of them.[6]

Saxena says he used to collect unaccounted cash from hawala operators on occasion.[7] He provides details of virtually daily hawala transactions at ABMCPL in the range of 50 lakh to 1.5 crore. He gives names and contact details of the hawala operators and details the amounts of cash received from these hawala operators at the ABMCPL office. He explains how all this was done: with the hawala operators having code words for amounts and tallying the serial numbers of currency notes of 10 and 20 denominations, which would be matched and money exchanged.

Amitabh initially says that he cannot remember much. He says the coded account heads are "not known" to him. He repeats at several places that he does not remember anything. He then says he used codes so that no one in his office would know. He adds that he used formal office names as codes to "make Saxena feel comfortable and to keep guises under check." And finally, Amitabh says in an affidavit that the 25 crore unaccounted cash found in the October 2013 raid was his. He says this money came from his dealings in real estate and moneylending. He further says that the money for his dealings in real estate and moneylending came from a company called Sunbeam Trading & Investment Private Ltd.

Amitabh says Sunbeam Trading & Investment is an unlisted company of the Aditya Birla Group with its registered office at Kolkata and engaged in the business of iron ore trade from the years 200708 until 201011. He says this company also had an office in the same building as the ABMCPL on Parliament Street, New Delhi. He says Sunbeam told him that some money would be paid in cash at its Parliament Street office and asked Amitabh to take charge of the funds for "safekeeping." Amitabh says he used this money for his dealings in real estate and moneylending, through which he earned handsomely. A part of these earnings was the unaccounted 25 crore found in the October operation.[8]

Did Amitabh, as Group Executive President, ever inform his seniors at the Aditya Birla Group that he was keeping vast sums of unaccounted personal cash in the ABMCPL office? If so, what did the Aditya Birla Group say or do? Is it normal practice for the ABMCPL head, as Amitabh was, to store one company's cash in another company's office?

Amitabh explains his change in stance thus: "I was very very anxious in those moments when I sat down to pen my answers. Anxiety, apprehension, fear and a severely troubled mind had little reasoning [his word] to cheer about. In that moment of gross tension with a sinking worldmy office, home, etc, around meI had only a confused mind to offer. Though I did know of the coded entries but lacked the stability to reason through the maze. I never maintained a record of details and did all of this in a rather ad hoc unscientific manner."

IT Appraisal of the Birla Papers

The IT Appraisal Report says that the ABMCPL routinely used a network of hawala operators to receive and disburse huge amounts of unaccounted cash. It says that it has established how at least one hawala operator, Jalu Ram, conducted his business with the ABMCPL in which at least two officers of the ABMCPL are named, Saxena, DGM, Accounts, at ABMCPL, and G K Tulsian of Grasim Industries, who is also Director at Sunbeam.[9]

The report says that a search of Amitabh's residential premises resulted in seizure of "highly incriminating" documents that revealed "very largescale evasion of income tax."[10] It says that the ABMCPL explained the unaccounted 25 crore found in the October 2013 raid as solely belonging to Amitabh and not to the ABMCPL.[11]

The report says that Saxena and Amitabh "seem to have come out only with part truth about the true nature of transactions and appear to have made certain claims which do not seem to be true."[12] Amitabh was reporting directly to Aditya Birla Group President and Chairperson Kumaramangalam Birla.[13] Did Amitabh brief Birla of his unaccounted cash?

Amitabh said initially that he did not remember anything about the coded heads under which Saxena made unaccounted money entries. He said: "I reiterate that all entries, for obvious reasons, were coded. None other than myself knew of this. And, since this was being done in a state of guise, my accounts department too were not in [the] picture. I never maintained a record of such detail and did all of this in a rather ad hoc, unscientific manner." He also said: "I maintain that I do not remember names and other specifics of individuals or parties that I deployed funds with."[14]

The report states,

However, after a letter dated 25 December 2013 was filed by ABMCPL on 26 December 2013, he suddenly changed his mind and surprisingly his memory came back to remember all the alleged coded entries in respect of which he had earlier feigned ignorance. ... This sudden change in his stand, his reluctance to reveal the truth about the transactions and his theory of alleged moneylending and real estate business activities without any corroborative material whatsoever, other than his claim and similar uncorroborated supporting claim makes it obvious that while he has some inclination to pay taxes on undisclosed income, he is not inclined to come out with the full truth about the real nature of such transactions.[15]

The report refers to contradictions in Amitabh's stance on the alleged Sunbeam money when he refers to a Sunbeam Director, R P Pansari, as the person who told him to keep 34 crore of Sunbeam money safe, which was from the period 200708 to 201011. Pansari says he became a Sunbeam Director on 9 October 2013, which means he did not tell Amitabh anything about the 34 crore.[16]

The Gujarat CM Entry

Amitabh said that an entry found on his laptop, "Gujarat CM25 crore (12-done-rest?)," relates to Gujarat Alkali Chemicals. He explained it thus: "These were purely personal notes. The note was for my knowledge and consumptiona business development at Gujarat Alkali Chemicals, a company engaged in caustic soda as well. This was an update for my knowledge only. Only for personal consumption. I used abbreviations. Guj CM stands for Gujarat Alkali Chemicals."

The report states that Amitabh was asked if he used a similar abbreviation, Gujarat CM for Gujarat Alkali Chemicals, anywhere else and if it was used by anyone else in the Aditya Birla Group when referring to Gujarat Alkali Chemicals.[17] Amitabh says that he uses a lot of abbreviations in personal diaries and notings and that he wrote "WEF" about "Gujarat CM." If he was writing an email, Amitabh said, he might have written Gujarat Chemicals or World ECO Forum, but since it was a personal note, he did not expand. He adds that the "25 crore" and "12 done-rest?" referred to the reduction in Indian mutual funds shareholding in Gujarat Alkali Chemicals. "It very sharply reduced from 1225 crore. My personal random notes reflect this trend only." He does not expand on "coded names" when asked about entries saying, "Gujarat PCC Patel" and "6 crore friend for Bihar."

What exactly does "reduced from 12-25 crore" mean? How does "12 done-rest?" relate to a drop in mutual fund value? For what exactly is the reference to the WEF? What was "his team" doing in Gujarat?[18] Given that the report says Amitabh was evasive and made unbelievable turnarounds by turn, does the entry "Gujarat CM" not merit more attention?

The Sunbeam Puzzle

Sunbeam wrote to the IT authorities after the October 2013 raid that it is a private limited company with its registered office at Industry House, 10 Camac Street, Kolkata 700017. Sunbeam said that although the company was incorporated in 1997, its iron ore business occurred only between the financial years 200708 and 201011. Sunbeam said it conducted its iron ore trade through a broker, Vijay Mundhra, who "insisted" on making part payment in cash outside the books. Sunbeam said that it then arranged for the safe custody of its cash with Amitabh.

A search on Google for Sunbeam Trading & Investments Private Ltd at the Kolkata address it gave opens to a Non Banking Financial Company (NBFC) listing, where Sunbeam is listed as a chit fund company.[19] Its page further opens to a blank page.[20] A Google search of Sunbeam Trading & Investment Private Ltd Kolkata, without typing the full address, leads to a listing on the Zauba Corp website.[21] A point of interest in this listing is that G K Tulsian is listed as one of its four directors. Details of his association with other companies are also listed on this website.[22]

There are at least six Aditya Birla Group companies that Tulsian is associated with, including Aditya Birla Money Limited, Aditya Birla Power Company Limited, Aditya Birla Commodities Broking Limited, Aditya Birla Retail Limited, and Birla Telecom Limited. Of interest is that Tulsian is the name mentioned by hawala operator Jula Ram as the one who gave him the money in Mumbai to be handed to Saxena in New Delhi.[23] Also of interest is that Saxena said that one of the coded heads under which unaccounted cash entries were made was "Mr G K Tulsian." Under this head 6 crore was entered between 26 October and 18 December 2010, Saxena said. This amount was then transferred to another account coded as "HQ."[24] He describes Tulsian as an employee of Grasim Industries Ltd, an Aditya Birla Group company. Tulsian, thus, pops up as a Grasim employee, as the person who handed over unaccounted cash to a hawala operator in Mumbai for transfer to Delhi, as a director in Sunbeam, the company whose unaccounted cash Amitabh took charge of in the ABMCPL office on Parliament Street, and as a person associated with a clutch of other Birla companies.

The report says that Sunbeam owned up to 34.63 crore as undisclosed income, which was in Amitabh's custody.25 These suggest that there may be a chain that links the Aditya Birla Group to Sunbeam, to hawala transactions, to Amitabh, to Saxena, and so on.

The DRI Connection

The Birla Papers contain printouts of several emails that ought to interest an investigator. There is one in January 2013 from Bhuvan Chandra, who reported to Shubhendu Amitabh, that refers to ways of retrieving incriminating material and peddling influence on the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), a premier investigating wing of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. It speaks of "preventing DRI investigations business operations of other group companies" and restricting a DRI probe into "iron ore only."

DRI officials would support our contention in Settlement Commission and request for settlement directives. Thereafter, we need to get back all the electronic devices and records from the possession of DRI to avoid any other action by any other agency. As per the arrangement, all records, electronic devices and other evidence would be returned to us. We can destroy the evidence immediately thus avoiding further penal action by any other agency which may be detrimental to our interests.

Another email from Chandra to Amitabh in July 2012 talks of DRI officers investigating a case of under-invoicing "seeking undue favours leading to precipitation of matters." There is talk here on how to scuttle probes, weaken investigations, and how they could go all the way to the "TOP." An April 2013 email from Chandra to Amitabh talks of how the "DRI would return evidence, not share its findings with other agencies, and bury the matter as they too would be exposed." There is a reference to the DRI letting the Aditya Birla Group "go with a rap on the knuckles" in an investigation into fake invoices.

A January 2013 email from Chandra to Amitabh lists five names of key officials, including Y Kumar of the Central Board of Direct Taxes, who is described as "Linkman and trusted aide of TOP." A September 2012 email from Chandra to Amitabh refers to deals with the DRI on limiting damage by limiting official information. It also lists officials who were likely to be appointed to top positions in the union finance ministry before they were appointed. All these mails have a code "Tourists," presumably for the DRI. An April 2013 email from Chandra to Amitabh talks of success in reducing penalty, "doctoring statements," and how "friendly officials trusted by the DRI and the Aditya Birla Group would complete obligations" and "take back records."

Birla Chairman's Diwali Gift List

An interesting email from K V Sunil (dated 16 October 2010), who reported to Amitabh, offers insights into whom Kumaramangalam Birla wanted to send Diwali gifts. It is a detailed list with subheads and is from the 201011

period with the subject line "Chairman's listDiwali gifts." The first subhead is "politicians": Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, Pranab Mukherjee, A K Antony, P Chidambaram, S M Krishna, Kamal Nath, Anand Sharma, Veerappa Moily, B K Handique, Digvijaya Singh, Motilal Vora, Kapil Sibal, Salman Khurshid, Sri Prakash Jaiswal, Prithviraj Chavan, Jairam Ramesh, Shashi Tharoor, Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, Milind Deora, L K Advani, Nitin Gadkari, Venkaiah Naidu, Narendra Modi, Jaswant Singh, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Dina Nath Mishra, Amar Singh, Mamata Banerjee, Dayanidhi Maran, Kanimozhi, Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Prem Chand Gupta.

The second subhead is "bureaucrats" and lists the [then] Cabinet Secretary

K M Chandrasekhar, T K A Nair prime minister's office [PMO], Christy Fernandez (secretary to president of India), G K Pillai (home secretary), Ashok Chawla (finance secretary), Sunil Mitra (Department of Revenue), R Gopalan (Department of Financial Services), P Umashanker (power secretary), Javed Usmani, Shatrughan Singh (PMO), Vini Mahajan (PMO), I S Chaturvedi (PMO), C Balakrishnan (coal), V Vijayakumar (mines secretary), Nirupama Rao (secretary, external affairs), Ajay Shankar (secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion), Rahul Khullar (secretary, commerce), Alok Perti (additional secretary, coal), P Dilipkumar (director general, forests), one Mahajan (joint secretary, coal), D S Chowdhary (private secretary to the coal minister), Alok Singh (private secretary to the corporate affairs minister) and I C P Kesasi (joint secretary, power).

A third subhead is "important target audience": Vincent George (10, Janpath), one Madhavan (10, Janpath), Mr Pillai (10, Janpath), and from the PMOMr Bala, Mr Punar, Mr Sundaram, |Mr Sudhankar, Mr Parmar. The last name in this list is Mr Mahajan (PS to Ahmed Patel).

This list shows how the Aditya Birla Group already had Narendra Modi in sight when he was Gujarat's chief minister in 201011.

Fight of the Lawmakers

While the court battle was on, two lawmakers clashed on the BirlaSahara Papers outside court. Rahul Gandhi announced that he had "bulletproof" information on the "personal corruption of Prime Minister Modi" and that there would be a political earthquake if he (Gandhi) spoke on it (Ansari 2016). Subsequently, Gandhi referred to the BirlaSahara Papers as his source. Modi then ridiculed Gandhi as a youngster "learning to speak" and that he was glad "there was no chance of earthquake" (Pandey 2016).

Ordinarily, this might come across as routine banter between politicians of opposing political parties. But this was no ordinary context. The BirlaSahara Papers seemed to indicate serious corruption and bribes in high places. The appeal to have them investigated was dismissed based on a law from 1872. Gandhi is an important lawmaker and Modi is the principal lawmaker in India. On them rests the task of forming and amending laws like the Indian Evidence Act. What they say and do, thus, becomes an important marker.

It is more incumbent on Modi to ask for an inquiry. In his 2014 election campaign, Modi spoke of a "Jayanthi Tax," a reference to the alleged bribes paid to Congress politician Jayanthi Natarajan during her stint in the Ministry of Environment and Forests (Times of India 2014). The Birla Papers refer to a 7.5 crore payment to "Project JMinistry of Environment and Forest." If the Birla Papers were good for Jayanthi Natarajan, they ought to be good for Modi too. The source is the same.

Conclusions

One day soon, Indian lawmakers would have to expand the scope of Section 34 of the Indian Evidence Act of 1872 so that it reflects contemporary times and business practices. This would then enable courts to adjudicate differently from the Supreme Court dismissal of the Common Cause appeal. The dismissal was about the nature of the evidence and not about the case itself. And then, other aspects of the case that came before the BirlaSahara Papers are alive: that of the CVC's integrity, the allegations of impropriety in coal block allocation, and so on. It should be remembered that the raid on the Aditya Birla Group company took place when the coal block allocation scandal was being investigated by the CBI under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court.

Also, the Supreme Court order hardly establishes the innocence of the Aditya Birla Group and the Sahara Group. Corporate ethics and the aggravating nature of relationships between top business groups and the legislature are important factors in how modern India is being shaped. On the face of it, therefore, there appears to be enough material to recall what the two-judge bench ruled.

Notes

[1] Email communication with the author, 2 February 2017.

[2] The EPW had published an article by Paranjoy Guha Thakurta (2016) detailing the alleged payments made by the Sahara Group and asking whether Modi received over 55 crore from them when he was Gujarat's chief minister.

[3] http://rajasthanjudicialacademy.nic.in/docs /3_s1.pdf (viewed on 28 February 2017).

[4] Page 23 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV, answer to Question 27; p 25 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV, answers to Questions 40, 43.

[5] Pages 2324 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV, answers to Questions 29,30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39.

[6] Pages 2627 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV, answers to Questions 45, 47, 48, 49, 50.

[7] Page 27 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV, answer to Question 51.

[8] Pages 5254 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV.

[9] Pages 31, 4649 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV.

[10] Page 50 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV, para 8.2.1.

[11] Page 51 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV.

[12] Page 62 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV, sub-section 8.3.

[13] Page 84 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV, sub-section 8.3.2.

[14] Page of Appraisal Report 277, 282, Vol I.

[15] Page 86 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV.

[16] Page 102 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV.

[17] Pages 11415 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV, answers to Questions 12225.

[18] Page 105, Appraisal Report, Vol IV.

[19] http://www.nbfc.biz/List.aspx?ct=NBFC&pnm=Kolkata&page=527 (viewed on 28 February 2017).

[20] http://www.nbfc.biz/details.aspx?typ =SUNB EAM%20TRADING%20&%20INVESTMENTS %20PRIVATE%20LIMITED, viewed on 28 February 2017.

[21] https://www.zaubacorp.com/company/SUNBEAM-TRADING-INVESTMENTS-PRIVATE-LIMITED/U67120MH1997PTC253259, viewed on 28 February 2017.

[22] https://www.zaubacorp.com/director/GOPIK RISHNA-KRISHNA-TULSIAN/00017786, viewed on 28 February 2017.

[23] Page 48 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV.

[24] Page 38 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV.

[25] Page 55 of Appraisal Report, Vol IV.

References

Ansari, Javed (2016): "Evidence against Modi Bullet-proof, Rahul Gandhi Assures Congress MPs," India Today, 15 December, viewed on

28 February 2017, http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/narendra-modi-rahul-gandhi-bulletproof-evidence/1/835160.html.

Balaji, R (2013): "Top Court Berth Eludes Judge," Telegraph, 31 August, viewed on 28 February 2017, https://www.telegraphindia.com/ 1130901/jsp/frontpage/story_17298108.jsp#.WLV4j9J 97IV.

Bhushan, Prashant (2017): Twitter post, 25 January, 3:40 pm, viewed on 28 February 2017, https://twitter.com/pbhushan1/status/82419775 4113167360?s=03.

CatchNews (2017): "SC Buries SaharaBirla Payoffs Case: 'No Probe on Basis of Flimsy Evidence,'" 11 January, viewed on 28 February 2017, http://www.catchnews.com/yahoo/india-news/sc-buries-sahara-birla-payoffs-case-quot-no-probe-on-basis-of-flimsy-evidence-quot-1484147848.html.

Common Cause v Union of India (2017): "Interlocutory Application Nos 3 and 4 of 2017 in Writ Petition(Civil) No 505 of 2015," judgment pronounced by Supreme Court on 11 January, viewed on 28 February 2017, http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgs1.aspx?filename =444 8 6.

Central Bureau of Investigation v V C Shukla (1998): SCC, SC, 3, p 410.

Guha Thakurta, Paranjoy (2016): "Did Modi Receive Over 55 Crore from the Sahara Group as the Chief Minister of Gujarat?" with the assistance of Advait Rao Palepu, Economic & Political Weekly, Vol 51, No 47, viewed on 28 February 2017, http://www.epw.in/journal/2016/47/web-exclusives/did-modi-receive-rs-55-crore-sahara-group-gujarat-cm.html.

Press Trust of India (2016): "Kalikho Pul's Forensic Report Shows He Committed Suicide, Says Senior Cop," NDTV, 21 October, viewed on 28 February 2017, http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/kalikho-puls-forensic-report-shows-he-committed-suicide-says-senior-cop-1477400.

Sarin, Ritu (2017): "Sahara Gets Immunity, Tax Panel Accepts Its Claim That Seized Papers Not Evidence," Indian Express, 5 January, viewed on 28 February 2017, http://indianexpress.com/article/india/sahara-gets-immunity-tax-panel-accepts-its-claim-that-seized-papers-not -evidence-kejriwal-rahul-gandhi-raid-445 9535/.

Pandey, Alok (2016): "No Chance of Earthquake Now That He Has Spoken, PM Narendra Modi Taunts Rahul Gandhi," NDTV, Deepshikha Ghosh (ed), 22 December, viewed on 28 February 2017, http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pm-narendra-modis-counter-after-rahul-gandhis-charge-both-in-uttar-pradesh-today-164057 5.

Times of India (2014): "'Jayanthi Tax' Derailed Crucial Projects: Modi," 13 January, viewed on 28 February 2017, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Jayanthi-tax-derailed-crucial-projects-Modi/articleshow/28719671.cms.

Venkatesan, V (2000): "Of a Code of Conduct," Frontline, Vol 17, No 4, viewed on 28 February 2017, http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1 704/17041320.htm.
The European Union is seeking to counter the US President Donald Trump on his plan to tighten implementation of the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement, hoping to convince him to stick to the deal. EU leaders are planning to present alternative solutions to their American counterparts in the coming weeks. However, President Trump has repeatedly criticized the deal and his administration has its own view on the agreement. EU policymakers, however, believe that if they proactively come up with solutions and B-plans, they will demonstrate their responsiveness to Mr. Trumps concerns.

The options that Europeans are now considering include, for example, stepped-up inspection of Iranian activities or stricter interpretations of key provisions of the accord, whose aim is to prevent Tehran from getting a nuclear weapon. However, although Brussels is trying to show its flexibility, Washington and Brussels might collide over the future of the Iranian deal, some analysts fear. The test of what will happen to the deal will come in May when President Trump will have to decide whether to extend Barack Obamas executive waivers that he had used to suspend some restrictive sanctions.

Meanwhile, Congress has started preparing new legislation that could expand sanctions over Irans activities in the region and charges of Iranian support for terrorism and of human rights abuses. Although the EU generally agrees that the nuclear deal does not preclude restrictive measures for other issues, they fear that Washington wants to impose economic pressure on Tehran. So far, the United Nations International Atomic Agency (IAEA), which oversees the Iranian nuclear deal on the ground, reported that Iran has been complying with the deal.


Illustration: Pete Ellis

There are few topics Abdul Hafiz Mansour will not address, but ask him if his line of work regularly makes him the target of threats and he will likely fall silent.

That should come as no surprise. As the head of Lebanons Special Investigation Commission (SIC), the countrys anti-money laundering unit, Mansour is seen as an enemy by those who have sought to use Lebanons financial institutions to hide illicit funds. Just last year, the SIC froze more than 60 bank accounts and investigated hundreds of suspicious transactions.

Asked again if he faces pressures because of his work, Mansour replies, evasively: Sometimes the nature of the business puts you through situations.

A stocky, austere man, Mansour meets Euromoney in early February, at a conference in Dubai dedicated to the fight against financial crime in the Middle East and north Africa.

As the head of the Middle Easts first anti-money laundering unit, he is well-known to the conference delegates: regulators, lawyers and bank compliance officers from across the region. The unit he leads is said to be the most powerful in the region.


Paraguays finance minister Santiago Pena



This year Paraguay is marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of its most famous writers, Augusto Roa Bastos, who once described his landlocked country as: An island surrounded by land. The small Latin American country, with a population below 7 million, has long been overshadowed by its large neighbours of Argentina and Brazil.

Paraguays finance minister Santiago Pena remembers attending a lecture on Latin America by economist Jeffrey Sachs as a post-graduate at Columbia University. He says Sachss lecture covered all of the Latin American countries before closing with the briefest remarks about Paraguay: About which he said he wouldnt give any details because he simply didnt know any. So you can either get upset about that or you can try to reverse this.

The country has been attempting the latter. It re-entered the international markets in 2013 with a $500 million 10-year bond and has been a regular issuer since (including a $1 billion 30-year benchmark in August 2014).
Santander Brasils CFO

Angel Santodomingo

Angel Santodomingo, Santander Brasils CFO, has had a ringside seat for the latest round of consolidation in the countrys retail banking sector. As HSBC and then Citi put their Brazilian retail operations up for sale, the Spanish-headquartered bank (although it is listed in Brazil) participated in both auctions. It was not to be successful in either of its bids, with the countrys two dominant private-sector banks each taking one apiece.

Analysts had been quick to point out that either would have been better for Santander, which is currently ranked third-largest private bank with its 12% market share, than it was for Itau or Bradesco. For these domestic players, neither acquisition can be labelled transformational.

But as Santodomingo greets Euromoney on the 27th floor of a shiny tower that casts its shadow over one of Sao Paulos newest, most expensive  and not coincidentally emptiest  shopping malls, he appears far from dismayed at being priced out of these opportunities for acquisitive growth.
Argentina wants to bring in regulations that will encourage Latin Americas private bankers to register to operate in the country.

The countrys securities commission, the CNV, is proposing to create a new financial classification of global investment adviser agent (agente asesor global de inversiones or AAGI). The motivation behind the move is to formalize the participation of foreign-based wealth managers, many of who operate across the border in Uruguay.

Once the AAGI becomes official (the CNV is still working out what the minimum requirements will be for authorization), foreign-based private bankers will be able to operate freely in Argentina, subject to local registration and taxation.

Miguel Sulichin, Advise

Miguel Sulichin, CEO and senior investment adviser at Advise Wealth Management based in Uruguay, says he is already looking at a big Argentinian acquisition to take advantage of the liberalization of the countrys broking laws.

We are waiting on both the senate and the congress to pass the law that would allow companies to provide wealth management advice, he says. We are also talking to large banks and investment managers (operating in Argentina) to provide their clients with investment allocation advice, while they continue to provide the custody services. They have no real appetite to deliver advisory as it brings them more risk than its worth  which is where we come in.

Local lift

The CNV is drafting the new regulation with the explicit aim of enabling those wealth managers operating in Uruguay (and elsewhere) to participate in their local market by requiring registration and taxation. It will likely boost the local market for banking talent and office space, as well as encourage foreign exchange flows.

Argentinas successful 2016 tax amnesty led to an influx of private-client wealth into the country, and more is expected to follow in 2017. According to government statistics, almost $100 billion was declared by Argentine nationals in 2016, which provided the state with 1.3% of GDP in extra revenue. An additional $20 billion to $30 billion was expected to be declared in early 2017, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch. That would add another 0.3% of GDP for this financial year.

According to Sulichin, most of the money that was declared was being held in Switzerland and did not negatively impact the private banking market in Uruguay. Last year Advise also bought a domestic Uruguayan operation, Global Wealth Management, as part of the markets continued domestic consolidation.

We expect the Argentine economy to grow at between 3% and 4%, says Sulichin, who adds that his firm saw a 20% increase in wealth management mandates in the last 12 months. Plus, now the money from the amnesty is clean, there is a huge opportunity to incorporate that AuM into the private banking industry.
Its already been two years since the signature of the Minsk 2 ceasefire agreement in Eastern Ukraine, yet the lack of genuine diplomatic advances at the last Normandy Format meeting in Munich speaks volume about the reality of the conflict in Donbas.

Forget about the Donbas coal blockade. Forget about the Artemenko scandal. Forget about the February 18 recognition of Peoples Republics passports by Russia. Not that these events are not important  they are. Its just that they represent a setup to the bigger picture: the conflict in Eastern Ukraine is freezing up, Minsk 2 is stalling, and everybody seems to be happy and content about it.

Clausewitz would probably not approve but the fog of war surrounding the conflict in Donbas is still thick and heavy on many aspects, in three areas in particular.

First, military and tactical aspects. The battle of Avdiivka (January 28-February 5) perfectly embodies the current situation along the contact line in Donbas. For the past few months, both sides have been assertively trying to resorb the negative consequences of the Minsk 1/Minsk 2 conundrum by nibbling on the frontline  for lack of a better word  through targeted military operations aimed at gaining control of contested territory. Whereas Kyiv acknowledges the Minsk 1 (September 2014) frontline as the valid one, Russia insists on keeping the separatists territorial gains enshrined within Minsk 2 (February 2015). As two frontlines (un)officially exist, the situation cannot advance other than through low-level military escalation along the contact line, constant ceasefire violations, and tactical nibbling. This situation seems to rule out, at least for now, any potentially massive offensive coming from one side or the other aimed at changing the present status quo.

Second, the diplomatic side of things. If the war in Donbas is slowly freezing, conflict resolution at Minsk 2 has already reached an ice age. After several months of fruitless negotiations, the dialogue is completely mired, without any real hope the situation can be unlocked, due to maximalist positions and an unwillingness to compromise on both sides. The heart of the problem lies in the diverging narratives and interpretations of the sequence of implementation of the agreement. Kyiv insists on the prioritization of the implementation of the military clauses (withdrawal of troops and heavy weapons, a full and comprehensive ceasefire, and access to the border). Moscow and its separatist proxies seeks to impose a political settlement of the conflict and enshrine a special status for Donbass and the organization of local elections into Ukrainian law. Hence, both parties do not speak the same language nor do they compute on the same level of understanding. Without unwanted compromises, no advances will come from this stalemate.

Third, in terms of any possible evolution of the situation, both Ukraine and Russia offer competing narratives and have divergent expectations. Externally, Kyiv is operating a victimized persona, clearly playing for time in order to foster increased international assistance and generate overall interest and sympathy for the fate of Ukraine. Internally, the country  at least in the Rada and among politicians  is divided into three major currents that cancel each other out in terms of influence: those wanting to fight until full military victory; the disillusioned proponents of soft capitulation and compromise with Russia; and the positivists seeking isolation or de-occupation of Donbass [1] in order to pass the poisonous pill to Russia.

Moscow is using the full spectrum of its grey area diplomacy (namely the use of the territorial control as a weapon and the instrumentalization of separatism therein) and its shrewd knack at piloted chaos to fulfill its strategic objectives in Ukraine: keep Kyiv away from Euro-Atlantic structures. One might also wonder to what extent the war in Donbass is simply just a smokescreen aimed at shifting the attention of the international community away from the annexation of Crimea.

Ultimately, what could be the future of the conflict in Ukraine?

As the Minsk 2 process is now merely a self-sustaining diplomatic fiction, it has consequently become pointless; but it has also become indispensable. The present status quo and neither war nor peace scenario is benefiting everybody, including the international community, as it justifies its lack of deeper involvement.

The question remains whether Donbas will be inscribed into geopolitics textbooks as yet another frozen conflict in the post-Soviet space, certainly as a category of its own but alongside the likes of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transnistria or Nagorno-Karabakh.

Yet, talking about a Transnistrization of the conflict would be too much, or at least too early. The present neither war nor peace situation can go on for years, at least until the Kremlin decides that giving back the deadweight separatist territories to mainland Ukraine will not endanger its aforementioned strategy on Ukraine  namely keeping Kyiv weak and away from NATO and the EU.

One thing is certain: conflict settlement in Donbass and the full implementation of Minsk 2 would be an inverted Pyrrhic victory, namely whoever will inherit the separatist territories will, in fact, have lost the conflict. The implementation of Minsk 2 will not mechanically bring a natural form of stabilization and pacification of Donbass. The region will undoubtedly remain a source of insecurity and instability. Certain political conditions of settlement  such as political amnesty for separatist leaders, if applied, as well as the financial cost of rehabilitation and reabsorption might be prohibitory high, especially for Kyiv. The human cost of addressing grievances, starting confidence-building measures, and altogether healing a wounded country might also prove too much to bear.

****

[1] Pushed forward by the Samopomish party in the Rada, the deoccupation plan for Donbas envisions passing a law on occupied territories that would legally recognize the freezing of the conflict and subsequently stop any exchanges with the separatist entities by isolating them from the rest of Ukraine. This move aims at transferring the responsibility of the territories directly onto Russia.

The opinions articulated above represent the views of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Leadership Network or any of its members. The ELNs aim is to encourage debates that will help develop Europes capacity to address the pressing foreign, defence, and security challenges of our time.
Despite a minor dive to $1240, Bitcoin is holding close to lifetime highs of around $1280, a price that sees the crypto-currency now cost more than gold.

Since breaking out to new lifetime highs on 23 February, BTC has not looked back and has clocked seven consecutive closes above the previous highs as of March 01.

Speculation regarding the approval for the Bitcoin ETF is fuelling the rally.

What is the need for a Bitcoin ETF?

Over the years, cryptocurrencies are gaining widespread acceptance in the mainstream economy, with bitcoin being the most popular. Introduction of the bitcoin ETF makes it easy for the retail investor to grab a share of the bitcoin rally without having to worry about finding the legitimacy of the website offering a trading account and a vault to keep the bitcoins safe.

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss have proposed a $300-million fund, the Winklevoss Bitcoin ETF (NYSEBATS:COIN), to allow the retail investors hassle free entry into trading bitcoins. If the Securities and Exchange Commission awards the approval, one can expect the IPO to come within a matter of a few months.

The ETF will follow the model used in SPDR Gold Trust ETF (NYSE Arca: GLD). With every investment, the fund will buy and store the bitcoins securely and charge a management fee for their services.

A SEC hearing is necessitated because the Winklevoss ETF is for a digital commodity unlike the usual practice of a physical commodity like gold or oil.

Two other proposals by bitcoin ETF candidates the Solid X Bitcoin Trust and the Bitcoin Investment Trust (OTCMKTS: GBTC) are pending with the SEC for approval.

Bitcoin expert Vinny Lingham, who serves on the board of the Bitcoin Foundation believes that the timing is not right for a bitcoin ETF, especially when the bitcoin is hitting new lifetime highs on a daily basis.

"The role of the SEC is really to protect the public," Lingham wrote in a recent blog post.

"I don't think that allowing an ETF as Bitcoin reaches the previous all-time high is a good idea, especially given the risks that Bitcoin still faces," reports Money Morning.

However, the markets certainly believe that the SEC will award the approval. Either way, we will know the result latest by March 11, hence, trade carefully with very close stop losses.
its no different from working as an employee in that there is no registration of any sorts required. As an independent contractor (self employer) you will likely be given a T4A from your client and you file taxes ay the end of the year. Thats all that will be required from you. If you earn more than $30,000 CAD in a year then you will be required to register with Canada Revenue Agency for GST/HST if the service you provide is taxable. Depending on your province and again the service you will be required to collect PST.



Registration comes in if you decide to incorporate your business, in which case the process varies by province.
Hi guys,



I have booked my theory driving tests for class 1(car) and class 6(motorcycle) in the coming weeks. The next steps for me would be to book for practical tests, i have been told by numerous people that people intentionally fail in spite of following all the rules.



Is there any specific testing center you recommend for the practical tests, please do let me know.
Hello,



I am on a quota work permit that will eventually expire. I am wondering if it is possible to apply for a new critical skills permit from inside South Africa. Does anyone have experience with a similar situation?



Additionally, I have also been told by an immigration consultant that if I do apply from within South Africa I will need to provide "compliance letters" with regards to my current quota work permit. Unfortunately I do not have such letters, but I have remained in the same position with the same company for which my original quota permit was issued, for the duration of my permit. Can I supply such confirmation in hindsight? It would be easy to prove...Is such confirmation even a requirement for Critical skills?



Finally, I was told that if I leave and apply from outside of South Africa, that such compliance letters are not required. Anyone familiar with this?



Thanks in advance.
London is now cheaper for businesses locating their employees from overseas due to Brexit, offering significantly better value than New York and Hong Kong, new research has found.It means that the gap between the UK capital and a second tier of cheaper cities including Paris, Tokyo and San Francisco is far less pronounced, according to the study from international real estate firm Savills.  This time last year London was the most expensive world class city for international businesses to rent office and living space for their employees, but the devaluation of sterling means it now ranks closer to Paris and Tokyo.This leaves the two most expensive cities for expat employees, New York and Hong Kong in a league of their own with much higher accommodation costs at US$111,900 and $105,400 respectively with London in third place at $88,800.The impact of Brexit, driven by the fall of Sterling means that London is now 10% cheaper for accommodation costs per worker than it was in December 2008, the Live Work index shows.At the same time, Hong Kong has continued to close the gap on New York, as new stamp duty charges implemented in November encouraged more people to rent rather than buy and caused a demand shock and living and working costs increased by 4% in the second half of 2016.New York remains twice as expensive to locate employees as in rival US city of Los Angeles and 71% pricier than San Francisco. Similarly, Hong Kong is well over twice the price of rival Asian world class cities Singapore and Shanghai.The gap between London and Paris has closed from over $24,000 per person per year to under $14,000. However, Dublin and Berlin, both often cited as potential post Brexit alternatives to London, still represent savings of over $40,000 and almost $60,000 respectively, and this despite robust rental growth in Dublin across both residential and commercial sectors.The real test of whether a city is good value for occupiers lies in how productive an organisation can be in that city and how competitive a city is in attracting human capital to its job market, said Yolande Barnes, director of Savills World Research.In many cities, the cost of office accommodation pales into insignificance against the cost of personnel and residential rents will impact wage demands, hence the inclusion of housing in our live-work index, she added.On average, residential costs make up 75% of the total accommodation costs recorded in the survey and in some cities, like Dubai, Dublin and Paris, they are over 84%.While accommodation costs are only a small part of a companys decision making process when choosing where to locate teams of staff, this analysis is a guide to the shifting relationship between world cities on an annual basis, Barnes explained.Cities may become more or less competitive on a short term basis but it is their long term costs that need to be taken into consideration when signing leases or building accommodation, she pointed out.For successful organisations, business location is a long term play, not a short term decision so sound business fundamentals are of course far more important than decisions based on the cost of accommodation at a given point in time. Londons relative advantage may be eroded if sterling rallies but our view is that the appeal of London as a world city will continue, she concluded.
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Three companies have raised $1 billion to build a 730-mile oil pipeline from the heart of West Texas to the Gulf of Mexico in Corpus Christi in what would be the states longest pipeline since at least 2008.

The EPIC pipeline  which stands for Eagle Ford, Permian, Ingleside and Corpus  would transport upward of 440,000 barrels per day of crude oil and condensate out of the Permian Basin Shale field to the Corpus Christi region when it comes online in the first quarter of 2019.

Additionally, Eagle Ford connections could add upward of 150,000 barrels of capacity, bringing the total to 590,000 barrels a day.

The Permian production is growing at an incredible rate with lots of money being spent on acquiring acreage, and the rig counts continue to grow, said Jeff Dorrow, the vice president of business development for TexStar Midstream Logistics, the lead company on the project.

The pipeline to the port in Corpus Christi is necessary since the refineries in the Houston market all are full, Dorrow said.

The port has become increasingly important as U.S. production takes off. Almost $1.5 billion in oil was exported out of Corpus Christi last year, according to the website U.S. Trade Numbers.

The ports website says more than 29.7 million tons of crude oil was outbound from the port in 2015, which would equal more than 217 million barrels for the year or 600,000 barrels of oil a day.

With Texas drilling more oil than it can handle, the next barrel thats going to be produced is going to hit the water and be traded on the water borne market, Dorrow said. Corpus is the shortest distance and the most effective way to get a barrel from the Permian into an on-the-water.

The Sand Hills Pipeline, built by Denver-based DCP Midstream in 2011, is almost as long at 720 miles. It carries natural gas liquids from West Texas through South Texas, ending near Houston.

The EPIC pipeline is more than half the size of the Keystone XL pipeline extension that TransCanada Corp. has been trying to build since 2012. Keystone would be 1,179 miles long and would transport a maximum of 830,000 barrels of crude oil a day from Canada into Nebraska once built.

The EPIC pipeline project is being developed by San Antonio-based midstream company TexStar, Texas-based midstream company Ironwood Midstream Energy Partners and Stamford, Connecticut-based commodities trader Castleton Commodities International. Ironwood maintains its engineering and operations in Dallas, with business development and finance units in San Antonio.

Calls to Castleton were not returned.

Dorrow said the companies have obtained at least 10 percent of the right of way and that Castleton has permitted and engineered a brand-new waterborne terminal at the Port of Corpus Christis Inner Harbor. The terminal will have upward of 1 million barrels of storage capacity in addition to a 3 million-barrel storage facility near Taft, on the north side of Nueces Bay.

Construction is set to begin in June and is scheduled to be completed by March 2019.

The project is being funded by private equity investors, but Dorrow would not say who or what institutions may be involved.

An open season has been declared for bidding on the first 200,000 barrels of pipeline capacity that will be closed in the next 45 days. The companies are meeting with at least a dozen oil producers whom Darrow wouldnt identify, citing confidentiality agreements.

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The new pipeline will be the second Permian Basin-to-Corpus Christi regional project. Houston-based Plains All American owns and operates Cactus Pipeline, which moves 250,000 barrels of oil a day and is expanding to 390,000 barrels per day.

Jarl Pedersen, the chief commercial officer for the Port of Corpus Christi, said the EPIC pipe would more than double crude oil coming into the area.

Its great for us, for the port because we strongly believe that  we have to find more flexibility for market access for oil from the Permian, Pedersen said.

The EPIC pipeline could export crude from the marine terminal in Corpus Christi or the terminal in Ingleside or feed it into one of the areas refineries.

It will run a batch system, meaning it will transport and store two types of crude from the Permian and one from the Eagle Ford, Dorrow said.

This is different than other pipelines such as ones running through Cushing, Oklahoma, a major oil and gas hub where incoming oil can be mixed with other crude types, potentially leading to dilution of the product.

San Antonio-based NuStar Energy operates crude oil pipelines and storage terminals in Corpus Christi, and the majority of the crude oil inputs come from South Texas Eagle Ford Shale play.

The company has seen declining usage as Eagle Ford production has slowed over the past year along with declining oil prices.

rdruzin@express-news.net
USAA recorded a historic year for catastrophe-related insurance claims in 2016, but the storms didnt dampen compensation for some of its top executives.

CEO and President Stuart Parker received more than $2.7 million in pay from four USAA insurance companies last year, up nearly 19 percent from about $2.3 million in 2015, figures reported this week to the Nebraska Department of Insurance show.

Parker received a salary, bonus and other compensation from four USAA property and casualty insurance companies that report to the Nebraska agency. They are USAA, USAA Casualty Insurance Co., USAA General Indemnity Co. and Garrison Property and Casualty Insurance Co. He receives additional money from the companys investment services and banking operations that isnt publicly disclosed.

USAA Life Insurance Co. also reports executive compensation figures to Nebraska, but Parker wasnt among the listed executives.

Other USAA executives had big increases in pay from the four property and casualty companies, as well.

Chief Operating Officer Carl Liebert collected about $2.2 million in pay from those companies last year, a nearly 21 percent increase from his 2015 compensation of more than $1.8 million.

Alan Krapf, former president of USAA Property and Casualty Insurance Group, was paid $3.5 million last year  a 42 percent increase over his 2015 compensation of $2.5 million. Krapf has been serving as special assistant to Parker but previously announced plans to retire early this year.

Wayne Peacock, who had been executive vice president of enterprise strategy and marketing before succeeding Krapf last summer, received almost $2.2 million in pay last year, up 29 percent from $1.7 million in 2015.

As stewards of a member-focused organization, USAA maintains strong governance and controls over its executive compensation program, USAA spokesman Roger Wildermuth said in a statement.

In Nebraska, where USAA conducts insurance business, the law requires public disclosure of insurance company executives pay.

USAA recently reported that its employees received a 16.8 percent annual performance bonus for 2016, a slight decline from the 17 percent award in 2015. It was the lowest payout since 2008. Eligible workers receive the extra pay as a percentage of their base salary.

At the time, the company said its 2016 financial performance  one of the components used in calculating the bonus  was impacted by several factors, including what it described as a historic year for catastrophe-related insurance claims.

Claims climbed 2 times last year over 2015, due in part to hailstorms in San Antonio and Colorado and Hurricane Matthew, which battered parts of the southeastern U.S. The company, which provides financial services to about 11.8 million members, has yet to report its 2016 financial results. It services veterans, active military and their families.

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Wildermuth said its in USAAs best interests to pay our employees and executives appropriate appropriately so we can recruit and retain the best talent.

USAA has about 30,000 employees, including 18,000 in San Antonio.

Parker took the helm at USAA in March 2015. He succeeded Joe Robles, who retired after a more than 20-year career at the company.

Records show USAA paid Robles a $535,632 bonus last year. His compensation package included some deferred pay. In 2014, his last full year on the job, Robles was paid more than $7.8 million from the companys insurance divisions.

Parkers compensation from the four property and casualty companies included almost $400,000 in salary and a $1.8 million bonus last year.

pdanner@express-news.net

Twitter: @AlamoPD
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Ricardo Romo is no longer president of the University of Texas at San Antonio, choosing to retire early just two weeks after he was placed on administrative leave during an investigation into his conduct.

I have been made aware that the manner in which I embraced women made them uncomfortable and was inappropriate, Romo said in a statement Friday. I understand and respect Chancellor (William) McRavens concerns about my behavior, and I deeply apologize for any conduct that offended anyone.

In a longer statement issued later, Romo called the embraces abrazos and indicated that he would have liked to apologize to the women who were offended personally.

That I had no improper intent giving or receiving abrazos is of no consequence, he said in the statement. If they were thought improper and offensive, then they were, and but for a prohibition in contacting anyone involved, I would have already directly apologized.

The announcement that Romo was retiring effective immediately instead of in August, as had been announced last year, was made by Steve Leslie, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs for the UT System.

Pedro Reyes, formerly the UT-Austin special assistant to the chancellor, will continue to serve as president until the university finds a replacement. Leslie said the university still plans to hire the next president by fall.

Romo was placed on leave Feb. 14 pending a review of allegations related to his conduct. Several sources close to the investigation said the review was related to sexual harassment allegations. UT System spokeswoman Jenny LaCoste-Caputo said the Office of General Counsel has closed the investigation. She declined to discuss details.

At the time he was put on leave, Romo said he looked forward to clearing his name.

Sources previously told the San Antonio Express-News that Romos chief of staff, Sonia Martinez, was placed on leave along with the president. They also said two staff members had been fired earlier, possibly in retaliation for some unnamed action, but were subsequently rehired. No information about Martinezs situation or the other two staff members was available Friday.

On Friday, Romo wrote off any accusations beyond unwanted abrazos as falsehoods and rumors. He said he had been prepared to wage a legal battle had he been accused of anything beyond that.

The chancellor is correct in establishing that there is no abrazo exception for a 73-year-old retiring university president. I accept that this is the world we live in. But he has taken no action giving any false rumor or accusation credence. This I would have fought without hesitation, he said in the second statement.

Romo had announced in September that he would retire in August after 18 years as head of UTSA. After retirement, he had planned to work for a year with the Institute of Texan Cultures as director of the Texas History Center. In his statement, Romo said he would no longer assume that position. Instead, he said, he would continue assisting with San Antonios World Heritage designation efforts and the citys upcoming Tricentennial Celebration.

Falsehoods did not drive my decision to retire now. I made it clear to the chancellor that I was not afraid of the truth, and that I would not run from a lie, he added in his second statement.

Last month, community leaders close to Romo told the Express-News that they were shocked by the allegations and said they would continue to support Romo. They also said they were disappointed by how the UT System had handled the situation.

Judge Nelson Wolff said Friday that he contacted Leslie to let him know his disappointment with how the whole process was handled.

Being so close to retirement, I thought he should have been able to retire and, well, thats what theyve done today. If thats what they had done to start with, it would have been better for everybody, he said.

Wolff is a close friend of Romo and remains loyal. Romos acknowledgment of embraces in the workplace made Wolff question whether the whole complaint was overblown.

I dont think its inappropriate to hug anybody. I do that all the time, women and men, he said. Its a tradition in the Hispanic community that you do that. The first thing you do when you come up to somebody is put your arm around them and give them a hug. Now, if theres anything else beyond that, I dont know. Its just a tradition, one that I participate in.

Theres nothing wrong with a hug. My god, if we get that far in society, we may end up never talking to each other, Wolff added.

Wolff said Romo told him they were harmless hugs, the result of a cultural miscommunication, and that he believes Romo.

But again, I dont know what the other side is. Theres always two sides to every issue, he said.

Meanwhile, Bonita Roberts, a St. Marys University law professor who specializes in sexual harassment, said there shouldnt be hugs or excessive touching in the workplace.

Im not talking about a pat on the back or shaking hands, but an embrace or a hug is readily misconstrued, regardless of the persons intent, and that can lead to what you might call unintended consequences, she said.

All employees ought to remember that behavior that is socially acceptable outside the workplace might not inevitably be appropriate inside the workplace, she added.

Wolff said Romo is still the same man he knew.

I hope to be able to get together with them soon and have dinner, he said.

On campus Friday afternoon, several UTSA students said they were shocked by the allegations and Romos apology. Junior Daniela Ruiz said she thought that it was appropriate for him to step down, considering the nature of the complaints and the effect they would have on campus culture if he had stayed.

Senior Ivan Cuervo said he had always perceived Romo as a friendly president with good intentions. Over his four years at UTSA, he said, he observed the school strengthen its academics, adding that he hopes the allegations do not tarnish Romos legacy.

Its just sad to see him go this way, Cuervo said.

In a statement released Friday, McRaven, the UT chancellor, thanked Romo for his 18 years of service to UTSA and credited him with changing the culture of education in San Antonio.

I wish him all the best, McRaven said.

lcaruba@express-news.net

sfosterfrau@express-news.net
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A federal judge denied bail Thursday to Sara Richford, who is charged with helping a man accused of robbing and shooting a mail carrier Feb. 11 and then shooting at pursuing law officers in the days that followed.

Magistrate Judge John Primomo found Richford, 26, a danger to the community. Suspect Bradley AHearn, 22, had been ordered held without bail last week.

The judge delayed ruling on bail for a third suspect, Piper Lee, 40, who is accused of helping Richford and AHearn three days into their alleged rash of crimes.

Federal agents revealed new allegations against Richford and Lee. Richford told investigators that she shot at pursuing officers during a car chase Feb. 13 as AHearn drove the wrong way on U.S. 281 while also shooting, Postal Inspector Robert Strande testified.

She said she got caught up in the moment, Strande said.

Including the officers return fire, more than 15 shots were fired before the pursuit was halted out of safety concerns, according to testimony.

Strande also said an officer identified Lee as having shot at police along with AHearn from a getaway vehicle during another wild pursuit Feb. 14 on the North Side. Lee shook his head in disagreement.

That chase lasted at least 20 minutes, left bullet casings near MacArthur High School and sent a bullet through a window and into a TV at a Jims Restaurant on Broadway, according to testimony.

Previously, authorities had alleged that AHearn, alone among the three, had done the shooting during the Feb. 11 robbery and the subsequent gunbattles with officers.

Lees lawyer, Don Flanary, objected to postponing his bail hearing, which Primomo said was to allow prosecutors to amend their criminal complaint. Primomo said the complaint appeared to charge Lee with being involved in the shooting of the mail carrier. But the judge also said he had heard no evidence to support that.

Primomo asked why state prosecutors didnt charge Lee for allegedly shooting at officers Feb. 14.

They could have charged him with attempted capital murder, from what Ive heard here, Primomo said.

The U.S. Postal Service mail carrier was shot in the legs in the Comal County community of Spring Branch during a robbery and carjacking. On Thursday, federal investigators, as they had at earlier hearings, placed AHearn there with Richford and said both were at the two other crime scenes.

Strande testified that Lee joined the pair Feb. 14 and drove them in a car that the trio abandoned at North Star Mall, eluding a police dragnet with a timely ride from a friend of Richfords who later told police their hiding place. The three were arrested at a motel on the South Side on Feb. 15.

Previous testimony had revealed that one of the guns the group possessed was given to a man known as Hot Wheels Mike after they left the mall. After prodding from the judge, Strande on Thursday identified the man as Mike Murchison. Inspectors recovered the Glock handgun from Murchison on Feb. 15, and tests show that it likely was used in all three shooting incidents, Strande said.

He said that during a search of Lees apartment, stolen mail was found everywhere inside it.

AHearn and Richford are charged with assault on a federal officer, carjacking, interfering with commerce by violence and mail theft. If convicted of all, they could get sentences totaling 65 years if theyre stacked.
Three people were arrested, two on warrants, after one man allegedly kidnapped his former spouse and their child during a hand off Wednesday evening in a South Side parking lot.

Jesus Longoria, 26, was charged with aggravated kidnapping, theft of a vehicle, and possession of a controlled substance, according to Bexar County records. His bail totaled $95,000.

San Antonio Police Department Sgt. Tom Alonzo said police were called after the 23-year-old woman and her child, under 3 years old, were kidnapped at about 7:45 p.m. from a parking lot at 3150 Southwest Military Drive.

Witnesses told police that Longoria had refused return one of their children to the woman during the exchange. He was then seen grabbing the woman and dragging her to into a 2004 Silver Jeep, according to Longorias arrest warrant affidavit.

The woman could be heard screaming and yelling for a friend who accompanied her to call police.

While the woman was in the car, she was able to text her friend for help, police said. Her friend told police that they were near Omaha Street on the East Side.

Two hours later, a disturbance was reported in the 100 block of Omaha involving a Jeep that resembled the one Longoria had been using, police said.

A witness told officers they saw Longoria entering a home on the block, adding that he sometimes stays at the home.

Officers from the East Patrol found the (Jeep), which was in fact stolen and had a weapon inside of it, Alonzo said.

At first, three people were taken into custody as police surrounded the home, he said.

Afterward, three more were placed in police vehicles as officers continued talking to the people inside.

We have to proceed with extreme caution when were dealing with children, Alonzo said. The safety of the victim and the children are our priority.

Longoria, the kidnapped mother and two children, both under three years old, were the last ones out of the house at about 11:45 p.m., Alonzo said.

Police arrested Longoria shortly afterward. He was to be charged with aggravated kidnapping, Alonzo said.

Two of the seven people who emerged, not including Longoria, were arrested on minor warrants, Alonzo said.

jbeltran@express-news.net

Twitter: @JBfromSA
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Mayor Ivy Taylor and Councilman Ron Nirenberg were part politician and part fact-checker Thursday at a mayoral debate, spending some of their time in front of a live studio audience correcting statements made by opponent Manuel Medina.

The three, running for mayor in the May 6 election among a field of 14 candidates, argued over issues ranging from ethics reform to transportation and planning.

At times, Nirenberg attacked Taylor, while she went on the offensive against him. But the two seemed in unison for part of the evening as they both turned their focus to comments from Medina they said were wholly inaccurate.

Referring to himself several times in the third person, Medina repeated his campaign promise that he would lead the way on constructing a commuter rail line between San Antonio and Austin  an effort thats been under way by others for more than two decades.

He accused the mayor and council, however, of having been against the plan before coming around to support it  after he made it a campaign promise  now that theyre in election season.

Taylor bristled at the notion.

I have to step in and correct that. Everything the chairman just said, respectfully, is totally inaccurate, Taylor said, drawing laughter from the studio audience. The city of San Antonio provided funding for Lone Star Rail, to support that organization for many years, and we have been committed to this idea of rail to Austin.

Medina retorted that Taylor was partly accurate, that the city had funded some operating costs for the Lone Star Rail District, but had refused to spend big dollars to move the project forward.

Then Nirenberg, who sits on the board of the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, interjected.

Thats simply not the case, he said, responding to the assertion from Medina, who repeatedly has said he wants to be the transportation mayor, among other things. Even four years ago ... the situation with the funding at both ends of Lone Star Rail was Austin agreed to the planning process and San Antonio agreed to construction.

Everyone along this corridor wants to see this regional rail happen, he said.

When Medina said he would make it happen, Taylor retorted that shed be interested to see how hed accomplish it, given his complete lack of experience in such matters.

During their discussion on transportation, Medina repeated his promise that he would reduce drive times in the citys 50 most-congested corridors by 10 percent, though on Thursday he didnt include a time frame.

He also said he would push Councilman Rey Saldanas proposal to transfer some city dollars to VIA Metropolitan Transit to increase bus frequency on key routes.

Medina also said as mayor, he would push local businesses to increase the number of employees working from home and to change their work schedules to ease congestion during morning and evening rush hour.

Taylor and Nirenberg reiterated their positions on the need for expanded transit options, including various forms of public transportation.

KSATs Steve Spriester, who moderated the debate at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, asked the trio to stake out positions on the so-called bathroom bill currently under consideration by the Texas Legislature. The bill would require people to use the bathrooms associated with their sex at birth.

Its passage would wreak economic havoc in Texas, opponents say. San Antonio likely would lose the 2018 NCAA Final Four, estimated alone to have a $135 million economic impact, city officials have said.

Medina said it appears House Speaker Joe Straus already has largely killed the bill and stated that Republicans oppose it because of its harm to the economy while Democrats reject it on moral grounds.

I havent seen all the details and I dont have all the information, he said of Senate Bill 6. What I do know is Manuel Medina is pro-equality and Manuel Medina is anti-discrimination.

Taylor, meanwhile, said shes been working closely with the Bexar County delegation and Straus  along with the local business community  to shore up opposition.

Its important that the business community be engaged. We dont want it just coming from the city, she said. Lawmakers need to hear from the business community as well.

Nirenberg used the moment to allege failed leadership by Taylor, saying she didnt make her position clear on the matter until the business community said it would be economically detrimental.

Its also a human issue, he said. We need to make sure we stand up for nondiscrimination as well as negative effects on our community.

jbaugh@express-news.net
Federal authorities in San Antonio have indicted four more alleged members of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club and added charges for the killing of a man in Austin who reportedly tried to start a chapter of the California-based rival, the Hells Angels.

The Bandidos have long been suspected of the hit on Anthony W. Benesh III, who was gunned down by a sniper in 2006 in front of his girlfriend and two children as they left Saccones Pizza in Austin. When the three top Bandidos leaders were arrested last year, an FBI agent testified at a hearing in Houston for Bandidos national president Jeffrey Fay Pike that agents believed that the Bandidos carried out the murder, the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News reported at the time.

The new indictment, filed Wednesday in San Antonio and unsealed late Thursday, puts it in writing. It added San Antonio residents Johnny Downtown Johnny Romo, 47; Robert Romo, 45, Jesse James Kronic Benavidez, 40, and Norberto Hammer Serna Jr., 35, as defendants  alongside Pike and the Bandidos national vice president, John Xavier Portillo.

The four new defendants were arrested Thursday  three in San Antonio and one in Waco  and ordered held without bond pending bail hearings next week. Portillo, 57, of San Antonio has remained in jail without bond since his arrest in January 2016, while Pike, 61, of Conroe, was released last year on bond. Their trial is scheduled for Aug. 7 in San Antonio.

The 12-count indictment identifies Johnny Romo as a national sergeant-at-arms who led a self-described enforcement arm of the Bandidos called the Fat Mexican Crew. The document also says the other three are members of the Bandidos San Antonio Centro Chapter, and identifies Benavidez as its sergeant-at-arms, a title that has carried out duties including being an enforcer, prosecutors have said.

The indictment charges the four new defendants with one count of discharging a firearm during a murder in aid of racketeering. Johnny Romo and Robert Romo are also charged with murder in aid of racketeering.

Benesh had been wearing a Hells Angels riding vest despite being told by the Bandidos that he could not do so in Texas, which is Bandidos territory, and that he would be killed if he didn't stop, the indictment said.

In a news release, the FBI, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Attorneys Office said the four murdered Benesh on March 18, 2006, to protect the power, reputation and territory of the Bandidos enterprise.

The Bandidos and Hells Angels are decades-long rivals and Hells Angels are forbidden from setting up chapters in Texas the same way Bandidos can't open up shop in California.

It is the second killing the feds have pegged on the Bandidos. The indictment also added new charges against Portillo of discharging a firearm during a murder in aid of racketeering for the slaying of Robert Lara in January 2002 in Atascosa County. Authorities said Lara killed Javier Negrete outside a San Antonio bar in October 2001.

Pike and Portillo are accused of directing, sanctioning, approving and permitting members of the Bandidos to carry out racketeering acts including murder, attempted murder, robbery, assault, intimidation, extortion and drug trafficking to protect and enhance the organizations power, territory, reputation and profits.

If convicted, all defendants face up to life in prison.
A San Antonio couple pleaded guilty Thursday to defrauding immigrants out of thousands of dollars that the pair used for luxuries that included prime Spurs tickets and designer shoes.

Eric Jon Alva, 39, and Jessica Rivas Alva, 37, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire theft and aggravated identity theft in a hearing before U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez.

The pair admitted that between March 2015 and May 2015, they conspired to collect legal fees from incarcerated immigrants and their families using false pretenses. They face a maximum of five years in prison and up to $10,000 in restitution when Rodriguez sentences them in June.

Released on bond pending sentencing, the couple smiled and hugged outside court, but had no comment.

In April 2015, the Alvas faxed forged letters using the names and Texas State Bar numbers of two San Antonio lawyers to enable Jessica Alva to gain access to two immigration jails in Louisiana, prosecutors said in a news release. While at the jails, Jessica Alva met with detained immigrants and offered to have the attorneys provide legal services for a fee, the release said.

The immigrants families were instructed to pay those fees by depositing money in the Alvas bank accounts. Jessica Alva was not an attorney and was not working for either attorney at the time she made the false statements, the release said.

And at the time, she was prohibited by a Bexar County judge from entering any immigration facility unless she was accompanied by a lawyer for whom she worked. The pair also admitted that, during telephonic immigration court hearings for a detained immigrant, Eric Alva impersonated one of the San Antonio lawyers and claimed to represent the immigrant.

In 2015, a state district judge found that by accessing the jails and falsely claiming to work for immigration lawyers, Jessica Alva violated a 2014 injunction that stemmed from prior misrepresentations to immigrants. That judge found her in criminal and civil contempt and ordered her jailed for 18 months. She was also ordered to pay $1,500 for her violations of the injunction, $997,500 in civil penalties, and $5,450 in restitution, court records show.

gcontreras@express-news.net

Twitter: @gmaninfedland
The Cibolo City Council has given the green light to a Dallas firm that hopes to construct and operate a toll road  called Cibolo Parkway  leading south from FM 1103 in town to Interstate 10.

Although criticized by some locals and the group Texans for Toll-Free Highways, most residents are taking a wait-and-see attitude on the project thats far from a certainty at this point, Mayor Allen Dunn said Thursday.

The development agreement approved by a 6-0 city council vote on Tuesday clears the way for the would-be builder, Cibolo Turnpike L.P., to commission feasibility studies on the proposed seven-mile, four-lane expressway that would align with the existing FM 1103.

If the studies support proceeding with it, the firm could then solicit investors to fund the $125 million project, which could open to traffic as soon as 2020.

What were doing is helping them finance this road so their tax revenues can be used for other needs like water, sewer and police protection, said John Crew, company president.

Traveling the full distance in a private vehicle would cost $2 to $2.50 in tolls, according to preliminary estimates.

The firm would split revenues with the city after reaching a certain level of net income from tolls, according to people familiar with the 50-year agreement, which city officials said would be released publicly once last-minute amendments are incorporated into it.

The way this works is the city owns the road and all of the facilities associated with the road that are constructed as part of this project, Dunn said. The only things Cibolo Turnpike is getting out of this is the right to develop and operate it and collect tolls.

He added, Its very important for people to know that the city is not putting one red cent into this, and that any expenses the city has incurred to this point will be reimbursed. No local, state or federal taxpayer money is going into this project.

The new toll road would constitute the long-planned southern leg of FM 1103, which currently runs from Interstate 35 to just north of FM 78, for which the city has unsuccessfully tried for years to secure state funding to construct.

Although the city has committed itself to the venture, Dunn said the development agreement allows Cibolo Turnpike LP to walk away if the feasibility studies dont justify the project or if inadequate commitments are received from investors.

Crew and Dunn both disputed claims made by Texans For Toll-Free Highways in a press release issued Wednesday.

It accused city officials of keeping the project secret from the public before Tuesdays vote, of approving the project out of desperation for economic development and of seeking with the project to drive farmers off their land to allow construction of big-box stores.

This little town got completely out-lawyered, Terri Hall, president of the anti-toll group, said Thursday.

The only way the project could be stopped now is if Crews own feasibility study convinces him to halt it or discourages investors, but those feasibility studies always suffer from severe optimism bias, she said. He wouldnt lay down his money until he got an ironclad agreement that he wouldnt lose money when the local (opposition) gets too hot.

Dunn said the new road, which has been part of the citys thoroughfare plan since 2006, is needed to expedite traffic flow and to open up additional southern areas for development in the fast-growing city of nearly 30,000 residents.

Were doing something to alleviate traffic, not just the traffic that is here today, but what we know is coming in 20 or 30 years, Dunn said. Right now, if youre going to get out of Cibolo, youre pretty much stuck in traffic going to I-35, and only back country roads connect to I-10.

Besides building and operating the toll road, Cibolo Turnpike LP also plans to seek state permission to add two center express lanes to the existing northern leg of FM 1103, which the Texas Department of Transportation plans to soon expand from two to four lanes.

Although the proposed express lanes would not be tolled, they would  in combination with the new toll road  provide a direct link from I-35 to I-10.

Such a cut-through also would promote economic development, Dunn said, noting, Theres a lot of land for sale south of FM 78, but people arent buying it because you cant get to it.

Crew, who is also president of the Texas Turnpike Corp., said he made several concessions during closed-door negotiations to secure the city commitment.

They wanted a buyout clause so, if at any point at time they wanted to take it over, they can do so, he said. They also have exclusive rights to determine where the road path is, so it comports with the city thoroughfare plan.

The agreement removed the political risk so I can make a $12 million investment in soft costs and the feasibility studies, he said, estimating the studies will be done in seven months.

Crew said he expects to spend $30 million to add the two center lanes to the existing FM 1103, if TxDOT approves of that plan. Were fixing to meet with them shortly, he said Thursday.

Staff Writer Bruce Selcraig contributed to this report.

zeke@express-news.net
This election is different for John Courage.

In the past, Courage, a school teacher and longtime Democratic Party activist, had serious political ambitions. He carried those ambitions into two failed City Council races, two unsuccessful challenges to U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith and a 2012 loss in a state Senate race against Donna Campbell.

But as Courage approaches his 66th birthday and comes to the end of his 27-year teaching career, he's just a civic-minded North Side resident who wants to serve. Along those lines, Courage is trying to elbow his way into a crowded District 9 council race that features 10 candidates, resigned to the fact that this will be his last race if he falls short.

Before we consider the meaning of Courages underdog bid, we need to recognize two important facts about this plain-spoken Air Force veteran.

First, no San Antonio political candidate has ever been blessed with a more perfect surname. Courages name always felt like a divine gift to the makers of campaign signs.

He put that name to use most memorably in 2006, with a campaign slogan that tied his opponent, Smith, to the unpopular Republican administration of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney: Bush needs a brain, Cheney needs a heart and Congress needs Courage.

Second, no San Antonio political candidate has been so consistently cursed with an ideology at odds with the voters he needed to reach.

Time after time, Courage found himself trying to sell an unabashedly progressive agenda in a conservative district. Thats true again this year, as he campaigns in a district that has elected a string of fiscal-hawk Republicans such as Carroll Schubert and Elisa Chan.

Courage, however, believes that ideology and party preference are irrelevant in a council race that comes down to transportation, public safety and other basic needs.

It is a conservative district, no doubt about it, Courage said. But when it comes to city politics, I dont think the nature of the conservatism is the same. Is there a Republican or a Democratic way of filling in a pothole?

Courage said he drifted into the race after hearing that District 9 incumbent Joe Krier did not plan to seek another term.

I thought to myself, Courage said, Who do I know who lives in the north-central part of San Antonio whos been active in the community, whos pretty well known? I looked around and didnt see anything.

Courages presence guarantees District 9 a wild smorgasbord of candidates beyond anything that the district has seen in recent years. Youve got the chamber favorite (Marco Barros), the state legislative aide (Lynlie Wallace), the former military doctor (David Doc Cohen), the retired dentist (Bert Cecconi), the libertarian-leaning Republican (Patricia Gibbons), the Planned Parenthood-hating social conservative (Patrick Von Dohlen) and the mental-health clinician (Sandra Martinez-Deyarmond).

Courage, who teaches Technology and 8th-grade History at Little Flower Catholic School, made his strongest run in 1989, when he garnered more than 39 percent of the vote in a District 10 council race against incumbent Jimmy Hasslocher.

Some political watchers see Courages current candidacy as part of an effort by mayoral candidate Manuel Medina, the Bexar County Democratic Party chairman, to create a slate of like-minded council candidates. Courage, however, says he has not endorsed anyone in the mayors race and decided to launch his own campaign before he knew Medina was running.

He also differs with Medina on a key issue: revenue caps. Medina has favored the concept  pushed by Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick  as a way to bring tax relief to local property owners. But Courage shares the position held by city leaders, that revenue caps would stymie local control and cost the city much-needed revenue during boom years.

Courage also talks about incentivizing growth on the South Side, to reduce overcrowding at North Side schools and create more balance in school-district funding. He says there is too much group-think on the council, and too little willingness to question the recommendations of City Manager Sheryl Sculley and her staff. He defines himself as an independent voice who will question assumptions.

I would be a good neighbor for the people in my community, he said. The kind of guy that you can talk to over the fence about whats going on in your neighborhood.

If the talk centers on potholes and not party affiliation, Courage just might have a chance.

ggarcia@express-news.net

Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Spring begins the busiest time of year on the farm. Summer is chaos. Fall harvest is hectic. Winter is when farmers wrap-up the current season and plan for the next. We may spend less time on outdoor chores in winter, but we stay busy indoors; working on the farm business, networking at Ag conferences, and improving our skills with education.

Life on a farm is often referred to as the simple life. Agriculture evokes pleasant images of amber waves of grain, farm kids bottle-feeding a baby calves, and country folks passing time on the front porch. Make no mistake, there is simplicity in unpretentious life on the farm, especially when compared to commuting in back-to-back traffic to cubicle city, but referring to farming as simple is simply false.

Farming can be hard, stressful and lonely work. Long hours take a toll on family life. Low margins threaten our livelihood. Farmers are business people whom wear many hats. We are producers, marketers, finance officers, veterinarians, packers/processors, customer service representatives and distributors. We must navigate complicated food safety regulations, volatile markets and farm labor issues. Finding work-life balance on the farm is as big of a challenge as it is in other occupations.

A lifehack is a tip that makes life easier and more efficient. A time-flow worksheet, turning busyness into bonding, and support from family and friends are three farmhacks that can help you find balance in work and life on the farm.

Farmhack #1. Time-flow worksheet

Time management experts suggest identifying tasks, prioritizing, and scheduling time to work on each task. The system works in a controlled office environment, but not on the farm. On my farm in southern Ohio we make hay while the sun shines when the forecast shows three dry days of weather in a row.

Grain farmers say the same. Harvest consumes every minute of fieldwork days in fall. One farmer told me he might as well sleep in the tractor during harvest, because a few hours of sleep is really not worth the drive home before hes back at it.

A time-flow worksheet can help. I made a time-flow worksheet from a cash flow template. I modified the worksheet by replacing the word cash with time, and listed critical tasks under the months I will accomplish them. The result is a snapshot of my workload throughout the year. The time-flow worksheet helps me identify potential breaks when I can plan trips or events, and potential problems when I need to find help to prevent burnout.

Farmhack #2. Turn busyness into bonding

Farming is not a typical 9-5 job. There is always something requiring our attention on the farm. Plants and animals do not take weekends off, so we dont either. Instead of letting busyness take a toll on family life, I turn busyness to bonding.

On New Years Eve my husband promised hed take me out on a real date  the kind you put-on clean jeans for. While enjoying our restaurant dinner, he used his phone to log-in to the barn cameras and saw one of our animals having difficulty giving birth. Our date ended before dessert.

A similar situation occurred this spring when I splurged on rodeo tickets at Nationwide Arena and planned a night out in downtown Columbus. Unfortunately, we had to cut that date short to treat an animal for mastitis. We spent the evening taking turns applying cool compresses and massaging a goat udder with Vics Vapor Rub.

Instead of stewing in disappointment, we turned busyness into bonding. We celebrated the birth of New Years twins, and the full recovery of our dairy doe. Often my husband and I reflect that we are building the farm together and willing to make sacrifices for it. I believe our marriage is made stronger by busyness we tackle together.

Farmhack #3. Support from farm family and friends

Support from family and friends makes farming possible. At a recent Ag conference, a farmertte and mother of three told me, My mom and dad have the kids tonight. The other set of grandparents will take them tomorrow night. We are lucky to have a great family that watches the kids so we can attend conferences and focus on the farm business.

Our neighbor offers assistance hauling our hay wagons from field to storage so we can keep baling. A friend volunteers his teenage son to help us stack bales. Family friends drop-off food on long hay-days when we dont have time to make ourselves a nourishing meal. Their encouragement keeps us working hard.

Relationships are a two way street. It is important to add value to others lives when they add value to ours. We return the favor by sharing labor and equipment with fellow farmers. We offer assistance with breakdowns and sick animals  any way we can ease the difficulties of farm life.

Finding work-life balance on the farm is a challenge, but a time-flow worksheet, turning busyness to bonding, and support from family and friends are three farmhacks that help, and give greater meaning work and life on the farm.
We think weve got a great product that tastes great and it is so nice when customers say the same thing  this is a really nice independent endorsement of the product when more than 14,000 customers across Australia have voted us the best gluten free product, Mr Wiese said.
Sir Patrick Stewart is applying for US citizenship so he can protest against President Donald Trump.

Sir Patrick Stewart

The British actor - who has lived in America for several years - is strongly opposed to the viewpoints of the new commander-in-chief but understands he can't make his voice heard in any significant way unless he undergoes the process to be recognised as a legal member of the country and plans to do so in order to "fight and oppose" the Republican regime.

Asked on 'The View' about a "fairly innocent" tweet he posted last month while staying in Washington D.C. - in which he stated he had the "worst sleep" he'd had but was "less than 300yds" from where the President sleeps - he said: "I did not directly insult your president."

Co-host Whoopi Goldberg interrupted to say: "Not mine."

The 76-year-old actor replied: "He's not mine either. We have our own problems. We have Brexit.

"I'm not a citizen. However, there is, maybe it's the only good thing as the result of this election: I am now applying for citizenship because I want to be an American too, because all of my friends in Washington said, 'There is one thing you can do. Fight, fight, oppose, oppose.' But I can't do it because I'm not a citizen."

The 'Logan' star - who has two children from his first marriage and wed third spouse Sunny Ozell in 2013 - likes to make fun of himself on social media but also sees it as a platform for making "serious" statements and has no desire to stop using Twitter any time soon.

He told The Rake magazine: "Of course, there is an individual in the United States who is giving Twitter a very bad name, but I think it would be a narrow-minded point of view to stop because of that.

"What I do on social media -- a lot of which is with the support and advice of my wife, who has a much more intensive and surefooted way of understanding social media than I have -- is meant for humour and for storytelling, and occasionally for making statements that are serious and on which we hope to have an impact."
Kit Harington has been announced as the face of Dolce and Gabbana's latest fragrance.

Kit Harington

The 30-year-old actor is the representative of the luxury Italian brand's new male scent titled The One, and the star will feature in the designer label's beauty campaigns in September this year.

The news of the 'Game of Thrones' star's upcoming venture was announced on social media by the fashion house.

Alongside a picture of the dark-haired hunk, which was shared on the Dolce and Gabbana Instagram account, it read: "The British actor #KitHarington will be the new face of Dolce&Gabbana's fragrance line #DGTheOne for Men starting September 2017 #DGBeauty (sic)."

The brand's founders and fashion designers Domenico Dolce, 58, and Stefano Gabbana, 54, have praised the British star for being the ideal figure to represent the brand because he is "young, naturally charming, charismatic" and has a "rich personality".

Speaking in a statement about the star, the creative masterminds said: "Kit Harington is exactly how we see the Dolce & Gabbana man: young, naturally charming, charismatic, with a personality rich in traits."

And they believe there is "no other face" more suitable for the position and to helm the labels campaigns.

They continued: "There could be no other face for The One for Men."

Kit will follow in the footsteps of fellow actors including Matthew McConaughey, 47, who previously fronted Dolce and Gabbana's fragrance commercials.

Meanwhile, the heartthrob, who is dating Rose Leslie after the pair met on set of the American drama series, found it "easy to fall in love" with his 30-year-old girlfriend.

When asked what his favourite series of 'Game of Thrones' to shoot was, he said previously: "Because the country [Iceland] is beautiful, because the Northern Lights are magical, and because it was there that I fell in love.

"If you're already attracted to someone, and then they play your love interest in the show, it becomes very easy to fall in love."
Screenwriter Chris Roessner teams with director Fernando Coimbra to bring new Netflix original movie Sand Castle to streamers across the globe later this year, with stars Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road), Henry Cavill (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) and Logan Marshall-Green (Spider-Man: Homecoming) leading the cast.

Credit: Netflix

Built on the foundations of Roessners real life experiences in Iraq, the film aims to present an honest look at the Second Gulf War, told through the eyes of a group of American soldiers fighting on the front line. Netflix have revealed the first official trailer for the movie, which you can see below:

Hoult plays Private Matt Ocre, a man whos sent with several other soldiers to the outskirts of Baqubah to repair a water pumping station damaged by American bombs. The journey ahead however is a dangerous one, with resentment and anger festering in areas the soldiers simply want to help. Here, he and his colleagues will discover the true cost of war.

Beau Knapp (The Nice Guys), Glen Powell (Everybody Wants Some!!) and Neil Brown Jr. (Straight Outta Compton) also star.

Sand Castle comes exclusively to Netflix around the world on April 21, 2017.

by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Buckingham Palace's 360 million repair bill be footed by the government, a temporary committee of MPs have decided.

Buckingham Palace

The Royal family will also reportedly benefit from their income being doubled after it took the group of politicians - named the Seventh Dedicated Legislation Committee - just 13 minutes to debate the funds being released.

The only party members to object against the decision was Tommy Sheppard and George Kerevan from the Scottish National Party.

According to Independent newspaper, Sheppard said: "We cannot support this decision and this statutory instrument being passed in this way.

"It is not a suggestion that Buckingham Palace is not a public asset of historic importance that deserved to be preserved.

"What we object is using a change in the Sovereign Grant to pay for an infrastructure project. If a major investment of 400m needs to be made, then that should be treated as a separate capital project.

"It would be similar to saying the works that needed to be conduced at the Palace of Westminster should be funded by doubling the salary of MPs and asking them to make a contribution."

Works on the property, which was built in 1703, are expected to start next month and will see the royal residence's refitted with 100 new electric cables, water pipes, electrical sockets, lights and thousands of new radiators.

Last year, Queen Elizabeth was urged to foot the bill for the renovations herself.

A petition of more than 100,000 people was signed demanding the 90-year-old monarch pay for the repairs, which will take 10 years to complete.

The campaign called 38 Degrees was headed up by Mark Johnson, who feels more money should be spent on education and health care rather than the upkeep of the royal residence in London.

He said: "There is a national housing crisis, the NHS is in crisis, austerity is forcing cuts in many frontline services.

"Now the Royals expect us to dig deeper to refurbish Buckingham Palace."

Several MPs have also had their say on whether public money should be spent on the project.

Labour shadow business secretary, Clive Lewis said: "I think the Queen could contribute quite a bit towards that - she's one of the wealthiest people in the country. Why not?"

A final decision is to be announced next week, with the SNP's objections and a potential 'deferred vote' not expected to change the plan of action.
Sir Ken Dodd received his knighthood on Thursday (02.03.17).

Ken Dodd

The 89-year-old veteran comedian from Knotty Ash in Liverpool, was honoured by Prince William at Buckingham Palace for outstanding his career his dedication to his art and his charity work.

Sir Ken - who found fame playing Diddy Men characters in the 60s and is known for his unruly hair and protruding teeth and his red, white and blue "tickling stick" - quipped that he felt "highly tickled" to be knighted by the Duke of Cambridge.

According to the Daily Mirror newspaper, he said: "Being a Sir is a curious feeling ... I feel the same. But It's lovely for my family and friends. I'm delighted and highly tickled."

The celebrated performer - who is now officially named Sir Ken Dodd - became popular in the 60s in the UK with his recording of Tears', which was the UK's third-best-selling single back then, rivalling The Beatles.

Sir Ken, who became an OBE in 1982, is still seen touring the country with shows which are famous for going on well past the curtain call.

Talking about his passion for performing live, he said: "One of the happiest things is the joy and pleasure it brings to your family and friends and then you say to yourself it is a great honour and I just hope I'll be worthy of it."

And he has vowed to continue performing despite turning 90 in November.

He said: "I won't hang up my tickling stick up, till I have to."
Meghan Markle has joined boyfriend Prince Harry in Jamaica for a close pal's wedding.

Meghan Markle

The 'Suits' actress will be introduced to the 32-year-old royal's inner "circle" of friends including groom, Tom 'Skippy' Inskip, who is marrying his agent fiancee Hon Lara Hughes-Young.

The flame-haired hunk flew from London's Gatwick airport to Montego Bay on Wednesday (01.03.17) and the 35-year-old beauty flew in last night (02.03.17) in time for the wedding, which is being held at a luxury 1,600-a-night resort, which has been sealed of just for guests of the groom and bride today (03.03.17).

A source told the MailOnline: "This the first time that she and Harry have socialised so openly as a couple and is a significant step up in their relationship.

"Make no mistake, he is heads over heels about her. This one could go all the way."

Harry - who is reportedly Tom's best man - and Meghan are believed to be staying in one of the pool-side villas on the resort and will have the option to order in breakfast by their own staff over the weekend.

It comes following rumours that Harry is set to propose to the brunette beauty by the "end of summer".

The couple have been dating for almost a year, and sources close to the pair believe he will pop the question later this year as they have openly discussed taking their relationship to the next step.

Speaking about the couple's relationship, a source recently said: "They will be engaged by the end of summer. [They] have spoken candidly about their future. They see a life together."

And Meghan has admitted she will have to move to London in the future because her beau will not be able to "uproot" to her hometown in Toronto.

The source added: "Meghan feels a move to London is inevitable. It's not like Harry can uproot."
The Disney Channel new animated series DuckTales will be coming to fans later this year, with Broadchurch and former Doctor Who actor David Tennant stepping into the recording booth to take on the iconic role of Scrooge McDuck. Disney Channel have today released some first look images from the show, which also showcase Huey, Dewey and Louie, voiced by Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz and Bobby Moynihan respectively.

David Tennant voices Scrooge McDuck

Marc Buhaj, Senior Vice President of Programming and General Manager at Disney XD comments: Fans around the world are eager and were looking forward to introducing viewers to the all-new DuckTales. This early season two order is a testament to the quality work the creative team, led by Matt and Frank, and the cast are delivering.

Disney Channel have also released an exciting 90-second first look trailer for the series, which you can check out below:

Matt Youngberg serves as executive producer on the series, with Francisco Angones as story editor and co-producer, and Sean Jimenez as art director.

Kate Micucci voices Webby Vanderquack, with Beck Bennett as Launchpad McQuack and Toks Olagundoye as Mrs. Beakley.

Looking to recapture the original magic that make the DuckTales series such a staple of the Disney franchise, these first looks at the new series are very promising. We cant wait to see the show in full later this year.

DuckTales will premiere in the UK on Disney Channel in late 2017.

by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Despite the drudgery of daily life bogging you down, your paw-some buddy always gives you a reason to smile. However, your constant cheerleader can get also bored with its daily routine; be it life within the four walls, visits to the not-so-great outdoor park, a quick game of ball in the backyard or a leashed walk in the neighbourhood. So, why dont take your buddy on a vacation for a change? Heres how you can plan your travels with your pet:

Before setting out

Neerja Khede, campaign coordinator, PETA India, says, Its important to keep your pets temperaments and travel logistics in mind before you get packing. Dont travel with an ill, injured or pregnant pet. Leave your pet at home with a trusted caretaker.

Cats usually become apprehensive when put into unfamiliar surroundings and so its best to leave them at home.

Doctors visit

A visit to your vet to ensure that your pet is healthy enough is a must. Dr Hitesh Swali, a veterinary physician, shares, You may not be allowed to board without a certificate from a doctor. Its important to consult your vet on travel dos and donts and also about the mandates and list of vaccines that need to be administered prior to the journey.

The destination

While a number of hotels across the country claim to be pet-friendly, most of them cater to dogs. Before finalising on your accommodation, it is important to look up on the policies on animals with hotels, suggests Neerja.

You wouldnt want to finalise a place where your four-legged buddy wouldnt be welcomed.

Mode of travelling

Neerja informs that one can travel with their pets either in the AC first class or first class of the Indian Railways, after reserving two or four berths exclusively. Youll need to put a muzzle on your pet so that they dont disturb or scare their co-passengers.

Airlines offer options for pets to travel in the cabin if they meet certain specifications, or else, via cargo. However, you need to inform the airlines about your pet well in advance.

The perfect crate

Your crate should be IATA approved, have enough room, be durable and have your contact information on it, cautions Dr Swali. Dont forget to equip your pets crate with some of his/her favourite toys and enough water to ensure hydration. Blankets, toys, and treats make for the perfect illusion of a cozy den.
Your best days are the ones when you are a kid and your best friends are those who are always there with you.



Shalaka and I grew up together. We were neighbours and our homes were just opposite each other's. She belonged to an educated and well-to-do family. I would always consider her to be very lucky, the one who got everything in life and that too at the right time. Like any other kid, we also had our share of joys, jealousy and competitiveness. But I always remember her as a strong individual -- mature but at the same time naughty. As we grew up, she turned into a lady who was content, knew exactly what she wanted and did not get into unnecessary competition.



She got married at the age of 23 and moved to the United States. I really missed her during those years. However, as years passed by, I think the distance was well accepted and so was our reality of being busy. I really don't remember if we ever spoke over the phone for years. We briefly met each other whenever she was in India. We both were active on the social networking sites and I did see her enjoying her life to the fullest. I really admired her dedication and will power as she completed CPA and started working for one of the best government organisations in the US. She was a great cook, wife, daughter and a friend. All her friends would miss her presence if she didn't attend any of the get-togethers. I remember meeting her after she lost her father and she greeted me with a smile. I think she was strong-hearted and believed to live in present.



She moved back to India after 10 long years and I didn't find even the slightest of dissatisfaction, regret, or irritation in her even after leaving one of the best jobs or luxuries of life. She still was content and happy and wanted to work for an NGO.



I was happy that she moved to India. During the same period, I got married and she even came to attend my wedding. Post my marriage, I got too busy and didn't meet her even once until she was at the last stage of cancer in the hospital. I remember she asked me multiple times to meet her but I never knew that she was suffering from cancer and was going through a traumatic breast cancer treatment. I met her only when she reached the stage where she was unconscious and breathing her last. I just couldn't accept the reality. I was shocked, horrified and questioned god at least 1000 times.



Just 15 days before she passed away, she had sent me a text message saying, 'It's high time; you have not met me even once after your wedding'.



Even today and probably till I breathe my last, I will live with the guilt that I was not with my friend in her bad times. I can completely understand why she didn't disclose about her illness to her friends, but if I had met her even once in those last 6 months, probably I would have been able to support her emotionally. I think technology has taken over our lives and we assume that staying active on social media means we are in touch. I rarely remember calling any of my friends on their birthdays instead of sending a message to check about their well being.



This episode of my life has made me understand the importance of loved ones and spending time with them. Life is beautiful, especially with all your family and people around. However, sadly many of us understand this when it's too late.



(By Anjali Thorat)



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If you think grief over breaking up is a private, solitary affair, think again. In this age of bare-all, opinion-spewing social media, private has become public. So, apart from online PDA, expect some spectacular display of breaking up on internet as well. In the past few days, two such instances have raised a cyber storm. Recently, social media posts about a "break-up shoot" of a twenty-something ex-couple in the US drew a barrage of comments. Another video, featuring 23-year-old exes who were discussing why they split, went viral. In fact, the latter drew angry, exasperated comments. These make one wonder, do we need to make break-up an online spectacle? Also, what could be the social media etiquette to follow after a break-up? Here are some points:



Should you wash dirty linen in public?

If a break-up has been ugly, experts caution against spontaneous outpouring of hate and abuse against your ex on social media. By doing that, you can get some commiseration, but you are also exposing yourself to ridicule and hate.



Should you stalk your ex on social media?

And demand an explanation? Experts say no. In fact, after a break up, you should 'unfollow' your ex so that you won't be able to see posts from him. That can save you further heartache.



Should you celebrate break-up online?

Often one tends to bombard friends and followers on social with photos of how she is living it up after a break-up. It could be irritating to some while others would regard this excessive show of mirth after a break-up as disingenuous.



Should you make a video?

Videos showing you grieving or discussing reasons for your break-up can be termed ludicrous and mocked at. Channelise your energy into other creative pursuits. Keep yourself busy in your actual social life.



Pleading to get back together

Experts say that after a break-up, you should give yourself enough time to heal. Severing all ties with your ex can be helpful as well. Experts say there's no point in sending missives on social media for a reunion - it can only compound your grief and lead to more despair.

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The Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMIT), a private body promoting Italian textile machinery, has announced that its member companies involved in the production of machines for nonwovens are set to participate in INDEX 2017, a leading nonwovens exhibition, from April 4, to 7, 2017, in Geneva, Switzerland, in booth 4145.INDEX is the main trade show for the nonwovens sector. For many Italian textile machinery companies involved in nonwovens sector, the show is usually an occasion to show the most updated technology for nonwovens sector to potential customers.

The Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMIT), a private body promoting Italian textile machinery, has announced that its member companies involved in the production of machines for nonwovens are set to participate in INDEX 2017, a leading nonwovens exhibition, from April 4, to 7, 2017, in Geneva, Switzerland, in booth 4145.#

At INDEX 2017, for the first time, ACIMIT and ICE-Italian Trade Agency have organised a meeting point, where 6 Italian machinery manufacturers involved in the production of machines for nonwovens will show their innovative solutions. Among these companies ACIMIT members are Aigle, Durst, Testa, Ugolini, and Unitech.In recent years nonwovens sector has grown on a global scale, much more significantly than the traditional textile industry. The demand for nonwovens items in many end-markets has thus boosted production of technologies, characterised by a high level of innovative content in both end products and production processes. The increased demand for innovative solutions is precisely what enhances the role of Italian textile machinery manufacturers. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The first Belarus-Pakistani forum of manufacturers of textile, apparel and footwear goods will be held to offer an opportunity for discussion of joint projects and networking of the international businesses. It will take place on the margins of the BelTEXlegprom Spring 2017 exhibition of textile, apparel and footwear goods from March 29-31 in Minsk, Belarus.

The two countries aim to look at new avenues for bilateral cooperation in the form of joint ventures and investment projects during the forum, according to a Belarusian news agency.

Andrei Yermolovich, Ambassador of Belarus to Pakistan recently met Hassan Iqbal, secretary of the ministry of textile industry of Pakistan to discuss their plans and reached an agreement to organise the forum.

The first Belarus-Pakistani forum of manufacturers of textile, apparel and footwear goods will be held to offer an opportunity for discussion of joint projects and networking of the international businesses. It will take place on the margins of the BelTEXlegprom Spring 2017 exhibition of textile, apparel and footwear goods from March 29-31 in Minsk, Belarus.#

The embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has also invited Pakistani textile, apparel and footwear production enterprises to take part in the 40th BelTEXlegprom. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
More than 700 multi-brand outlets (MBO) and retaile chain stores attended the 10edition of a trade fair organised by the Apparel Manufacturers of India (AMI) in Chennai. About 111 brands participated in the event to showcase their upcoming spring summer 2017 collections. Visiting retailers placed orders worth more than Rs 500 million at the show.

The trade fair by AMI, a group of leading apparel manufacturers and traders, was a three-day event that took place in the presence of leading manufacturers and traders of readymade and unstitched garments of men, women and kids.

"We are very glad with the response we have received at our fair this time in Chennai. We had nearly 700 MBOs and retail chain stores attending our event and discussing the industry growth trends. We look forward to organise a garment conclave at a much higher scale and take the trade fairs across different cities. We want AMI to be a platform where members act as catalyst for each other's growth," said Nikhil Furia, key organiser, AMI.

More than 700 multi-brand outlets (MBO) and retaile chain stores attended the 10th edition of a trade fair organised by the Apparel Manufacturers of India (AMI) in Chennai. About 111 brands participated in the event to showcase their upcoming spring summer 2017 collections. Visiting retailers placed orders worth more than Rs 500 million at the show.#

Retailers like T Natarajan of Ram Silks, Pondicherry; the purchase team of Pothys; L Raveendran of S Nallaperumel & Sons, Nagercoil; Prabhuram, purchase head of Arrs Silks, Salem; Sudhakar from Hi Style; Ram, the sole buying agent for Sarvana Stores; Das of Nalli Silks and purchase manager of RMKV were present at the event, said the organiser in a press release.

AMI has already conducted 9 fairs in Kochi, Chennai and Hyderabad and for its 10th fair, it reached out to more than 3500 retailers, MBOs and chain stores across Tamil Nadu.

The association kicked off their first exhibition in January 2015 with the aim of bridging the gap between retailers, agents and suppliers. Its core purpose is 'to grow together' and build a strong network for mutual growth and it believes that entrepreneurs can easily make their dreams a reality if each one helped other, enough to achieve their goals. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The US Government is carrying out a required five-year review of the Cotton Research and Promotion Act (Act) Amendments of 1990 to determine whether a referendum is needed on the continuation of these amendments. The government has invited comments from producers, importers and others interested to take a final decision, expected later in 2017.

The US Government is carrying out a required five-year review of the Cotton Research and Promotion Act (Act) Amendments of 1990 to determine whether a referendum is needed on the continuation of these amendments. The government has invited comments from producers, importers and others interested to take a final decision, expected later in 2017.#

The review is being carried out by the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service or AMS. In the referendum, producers and importers would determine whether they favour continuation of the amendments to the Cotton Research and Promotion Order or not.

The US Government is carrying out a required five-year review of the Cotton Research and Promotion Act (Act) Amendments of 1990 to determine whether a referendum is needed on the continuation of these amendments. The government has invited comments from producers, importers and others interested to take a final decision, expected later in 2017.#

Under the Cotton Research and Promotion Act, it is the Cotton Board which administers the national promotion and research programme to maintain and expand markets for upland cotton. AMS monitors the operations of the cotton research and promotion programme.

The US Government is carrying out a required five-year review of the Cotton Research and Promotion Act (Act) Amendments of 1990 to determine whether a referendum is needed on the continuation of these amendments. The government has invited comments from producers, importers and others interested to take a final decision, expected later in 2017.#

The department will accept comments on the matter till April 28, 2017. (SV)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Wacker Chemie AG, the Munich-based technology leader in the chemical industry, has announced that it is expanding its silicone production at its Jandira site near Sao Paulo, Brazil. The multi-purpose facility for antifoam compounds and functional silicone fluids will help the company to solidify its position as a leading supplier of high-quality silicones.The expansion is Wackers response to growing regional demand for specialty silicones needed in the textile, paper, household and personal care, and cosmetics industry. Investments for the expansion will total around 7 million. While the reactor for silicone fluids is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2017, the plant for antifoam compounds is expected to come on stream by the end of the year. In Jandira, Wacker already manufactures silicone products for the construction, textile and pulp and paper industries.

Wacker Chemie AG, the Munich-based technology leader in the chemical industry, has announced that it is expanding its silicone production at its Jandira site near Sao Paulo, Brazil. The multi-purpose facility for antifoam compounds and functional silicone fluids will help the company to solidify its position as a leading supplier of high-quality silicones.#

The new production complex is a key addition to the Jandira sites supply chain. With the two new reactors for silicones fluids and antifoam compounds, Wacker is able to produce important precursors and starting materials for specialised antifoam, impregnating and release agents and for additives for the pulp and paper, cosmetics, and household care industries.Wacker executive board member Auguste Willems said, In South and Middle America, the market for our silicone solutions is growing, especially in the personal care, household, and textile sectors. In order to meet this increasing demand over the long term, we will extend our production in Jandira. After the completion of the polysilicon production site in Tennessee, the Group has concluded its major investments and is now focusing on plants for intermediates, sales products, and specialty products.Adriano Magalhaes, managing director of Wacker Quimica do Brasil said, With the expanded silicones production in the year of Wackers 40th anniversary in Brazil, we can offer considerable added value to our local customers and partners. The new facility makes it possible to enlarge our portfolio and adapt our products even better to customer needs and local industry requirements. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Director : Deven Bhojani



Cast : Vidyut Jammwal, Adah Sharma, Freddy Daruwala and Esha Gupta



Quick take : High on action thriller with a bizarre storyline



Filmfare rating : 2.5/5



Vidyut Jammwal reprises his role here as Captain Karanvir Singh Dogra from the first Commando (2013). While the earlier was a high action romance carrying shades of Rambo, the present film is more on the lines of the Raid Redemption films, what with the hero entering the hide out of the bad guys on several occasions and single-handedly taking out all the goons. From a commando unit, our hero is transferred to a super secret command dedicated to carrying out black ops both in India and abroad and flush out the black money launderers. Given the rhetoric by the present government about bringing back the black money to India, the filmmakers have taken the right emotional track. They have even shown that people in the highest echelons of power are part of the nexus and given a chance, they can reform and turn a new leaf.



The plot has more twists than a jalebi. Writer Ritesh Shah must have developed a headache keeping track of it all at the end of the day. Indian government sends a high level team of officers to bring back a dreaded hawala racketeer from Malaysia. The job of course isn't easy as it sounds but after surmounting innumerable hurdles, being backstabbed at every step and made a fool of by a cunning female, our hero triumphs in the end.



The action sequences are mounted straight out of a first person shooter game, like the Call of Duty. It's shoot, load, repeat all the way with some kung fu kicks and punches thrown in. Vidyut Jammwal shines in sequences where he runs through crowded Bangkok streets Parkour style and almost catches up with the villain's car. His forte also is hand-to-hand combat and there is plenty of that to satisfy the lust of action buffs. The whole film is designed to keep Vidyut's strengths at play and as a result, Freddy Daruwala, who plays a hot-tempered policeman and Adah Sharma, who believe it or faint is an encounter specialist, are short charged. Involving them more in key action scenes would have added variety to the film.

Actor Deven Bhojani, known for his comic timing, impresses with his technical finesse over the action genre in his directorial debut. A little more attention to the plot would have turned it into a far better product than it is right now. But if the ultimate aim is to showcase your hero as a badass killing machine, should you really care about cohesive narration?
critic's rating: 1.5/5

Director: Keshhav Panneriy

Cast: Arbaaz Khan, Manjari Fadnnis, Himansh Kohli, Ashutosh Rana, Rati Agnihotri, Prem Chopra, Supriya Pathak

Quick take: Decent idea killed by shoddy exectuion

Rating: 1.5/5

Theres a difference between, knowing what to make and knowing how to make it. Unfortunately, in the world of cinema, good ideas are laid to waste all too often. Director Keshav Panneriys Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai is a perfect example of that fact. They wanted to make a film where a girl muster up the courage to stand up for herself in a mans world. Not just that, her journey takes her from the limiting environs of rural India to the more globalised setting of the US. While in theory, all of it looks fantastic, the jaded and downright stilted execution makes this well-intentioned movie seem like a major embarrassment.

Even though the idea of a girl proving herself against chauvinism, closeted mindsets and exploitation is cliched, it still retains a certain potential to tell a strongly feministic tale. But Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai chooses to take that concept and set it exotic locations, but apart from that everything about this storytelling effort seems woefully jaded. The screenplay and the editing of this film are frankly substandard. The story depicts Alias (Manjari Fadnis) journey growing up, falling in love, being forcibly married to an elitist chauvinist and then eventually finding her stride in the USA. Along the way, the camera captures some beautiful and exotic locations. Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai certainly looks like a slick film. But the use of dialogue and the design of situations is so passe that you just cant invest any emotion into the movie. The singular idea of a girl proving herself worthy and rightful goes on and on. It doesnt help that the likes of Ashutosh Rana and Supriya Pathak Kapur get such terribly corny lines. These truly great actors are reduced to caricatures thanks to the abysmal writing.

Manjari Fadnis Alia falls in love, nurses heart break and then discovers compassion again. But even that seemingly complete character arc doesnt allow her to rise above the mediocrity of the movie. Arbaaz Khan in a role of the gentleman and the proverbial Knight in shining armour is decent. Though his performances does not make the movie any better. At close to three hours, the film just keeps going on and on. And then you also have to deal with distasteful ideas like men fighting tigers and homosexual people raging on hormones.

Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai turns out to be as uninspiring as its unoriginal name. The only reason someone could sit through this movie is for the pretty visuals and the somewhat average performances of the cast. But even that will require insane levels of patience.
Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung and Ambassador Sugi Ryotaro (Photo: VOV)

Hanoi will work closely with the Japanese Embassy in Hanoi to carry out the sponsorship in the earliest time, he said.

Chairman Chung confirmed that the city paid great attention to preventing fires and natural disasters, especially as climate change leaves more and more negative impacts on Vietnam.

He added he hoped Japan would share more experience and advanced technologies in these areas. Hanoi has studied Japans models of firefighting teams at residential areas, and carried out them at residential areas and apartment buildings, he went on to say.

According to Ambassador Sugi Ryotaro, Japan plans to invite 500 people from 10 ASEAN member countries to Japan to join a training course providing skills on the prevention of fires, explosions, natural disasters and calamities.

The contents of the training course will be recorded in images to be disseminated in each country, according to the ambassador. I hope that Vietnamese students and experts will disseminate the knowledge among communities, contributing to creating a safe living environment for all, he said.

As agreed by the Japanese Government, the Ambassador has chosen some 100 large ladder firefighting trucks to present to Vietnam./.
Have Kareena Become Good Friend With Kangana?

When asked about the same, Bebo said, "Friend' is a term that is used so loosely these days. You are friends with people you've known for years. In the industry, you meet people, socialise and have fun. Having said that, of course, I have met Kangana, and she is a solid person. She is someone I can really relate to. She speaks her mind and heart. I always love people like that."

Kareena, indeed praised Kangana, for her outspoken nature but cleverly hinted that she and Kangana are not good friends!

Kareena On Changing Taimurs Name to Little John

When HT quizzed Kareena about the same, the actress denied the rumours and told, "No. I want to clarify that. How can anyone think that? Why would I call my son Little John? My son's name is Taimur. It is the most beautiful name, and he is the most beautiful and gorgeous man (smiles). And, no, I don't call him Little John. Please address him as Taimur Ali Khan."

Kareena On Getting Too Much Attention

If there's any actress whose name has been trending on the social media from past few months, then it has to be Kareena Kapoor Khan! Ever since, Kareena made her pregnancy official to the date she delivered her baby, the actress is constantly under the eyes of the paparazzi.

Is Kareena Finding It Difficult To Handle All The Attention?

On that, Kareena says, "I have been an actor for 17 years and I know that one should let certain things go. I am happy that people considered it inspiring. It's fine, and I have nothing to shy away from or hide. Of course, everyone wants to have a perfect figure, but I feel it's fine to start working two months after my delivery and look glamorous. That's the way I love it. I am enjoying every phase and every moment of it."

Kareena On Giving More Time To Taimur Than Saif..

"It's an extremely personal journey. It's a relationship that one develops over time, organically. I am still learning the ropes. In fact, Saif says my attention has completely shifted [to Taimur], and keeps complaining about it. I told him maybe [that will be the case] for a while . Now, I don't like leaving home too much," told Kareena.

Kareena On Working With Vishal Again..

"Saif and I have worked with Vishal in Omkara (2006), which is one of Vishal's greatest films. I would love to work with him, and it will be as great a role as the one I played in that film. I am a huge fan of him and his work. I hope we work together soon," said Kareena.

Kareena All Set To Kick-start Her Next Film

In the same interview, Kareena Kapoor Khan also revealed that she will kick-start the shooting of her next film, Veere Di Wedding in May, this year.
Years 1977 and 2002 are interlinked and provide an emotional recollection of incidents to the Kannada Thespian. Wondering what the article is about? Here is the story.

Kannada film industry was blessed with many popular stars during 70s era but it was Dr. Rajkumar who was largely adored, worshipped and celebrated by the film fans. Almost every artist and technician would have constructed a dream of working with "Annavru" (as he was fondly referred to by his fans, well-wishers and most industry insiders) at least once in a lifetime.

Such was the desire of a certain young lad as well who was just a 2-year-old toddler in the film fraternity. The young actor was offered a role for Dr. Rajkumar's Girikanye movie (1977) and the former had no bounds for his excitement and happiness.

Little did he know that he would be disappointed on the first day of shoot as the production house and direction team had other plans which eventually snatched the character from the young actor and was given to an already established actor, Thoogudeepa Srinivas.

Rajkumar, who witnessed the scene was moved by the dejection faced by the budding actor. He called on the latter, took out a small portion of 'Kumkuma' (vermillion), applied it on to the forehead of the actor and said "Don't be disappointed! You will be highly successful in the future. Millions of fans will follow you. You would be inundated with stack of cash. Who knows, I myself might ask for your call sheet one day". Dr. Raj remarked with this piece of motivation to keep up the spirit within him.

The young actor took the advice from his idol and was more than contented to have got the personal attention from the Nata Sarvabhowma himself.

The then young actor was none other than the Superstar of Indian Cinema who is loved by millions and millions of fans across the globe. He also is the second highest paid actor in Asia and his name is RAJINIKANTH!

Yes, Dr Rajkumar's prophecy became thoroughly factual in the year 2002. The Thespian actor's youngest son debuted into the Sandalwood, which created waves and went on to become a blockbuster. To commemorate the success of the movie, Dr Rajkumar's family had requested Superstar Rajinikanth to embrace the occasion as the Chief Guest and the invitation was accepted by the Superstar graciously.

The incident was said to be recollected by Dr. Rajkumar in the mid-2000s during a casual conversation with his close aide, Channa.

We all know both Dr Raj & Rajini are the epitome of simplicity and humility and it was once again proved with these connecting incidents. Rajkumar was modest in consoling and motivating the then budding actor in 1977 and Rajinikanth was modest enough in accepting the invitation cordially in 2002.
Young actor Tovino Thomas is all set to impress the audiences with the exciting projects that he has in his kitty. The actor's Oru Mexican Aparatha has hit the theatres today and he also has one more biggie scheduled for release in the first half of 2017.

Tovino Thomas's next big release will be Godha, directed by Basil Joseph. Now, reports are doing the rounds that the movie might hit the theatres in May 2017. Actor Tovino Thomas himself revealed this during an exclusive interview given to Manorama Online.

Earlier, the movie was planned as a February release and the first posters of the movie suggested the same. But later, they had to push forward the dates owing to the theatre strike.

The shoot of the film has been completed and post-production works of Godha is going at a full swing. The first teaser of the movie was released along with Prithviraj starrer Ezra and it opened to a grand reception.

In Godha, Tovino Thomas will appear as Anjaneya Das, who is a wrestler. Apart from him, the film also features Renji Panicker, Wamiqa Gabbi, Aju Varghese etc., in pivotal roles.
LONDON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The Global Brands Magazine awards, among the world's most recognized branding awards, announced Institut Jantung Negara as the winner of 'Most Advanced Healthcare Brand in Malaysia for the year 2016'. The awards recognize the institute's excellence in setting a benchmark in offering medical expertise in cardiovascular and thoracic care.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160518/369255LOGO )



Global Brands Awards' honours hospitals that have set a benchmark for excellence and responded to changes quickly. The hospital was recognized as part of a study and was awarded for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance for cardiovascular and thoracic care. The data was collected and reviewed by an independent external agency to provide complete robustness to the study conducted.

Since its inception in 1992, IJN has been leading the way for cardiovascular healthcare in Malaysia. The institution has grown leaps and bounds over the last 25 years, with many accolades and awards under its belt. It also boasts of many firsts for the industry, be it locally or regionally, as it strives to be the best-of-the-best within the sector.

"We have made great stride as a relatively young organization along with our contributions to the healthcare sector, especially heart care in Malaysia. We are playing a role as a regional player in the field as well," says Dr. Mohd Azhari.

Jay Reddy, Head of Branding at Global Brands Magazine added, "While the award is designed to inspire better performance, we would like to congratulate Institut Jantung Negara for being pro-active in adapting new technology to deliver better care for patients and at the same time being consistent in delivering the best health care available to its clients. We wish the hospital all the best and more success in the near future."

About Global Brand Awards

Global Brands Awards was established with the aim of honouring excellence in performance and rewarding companies across different sectors. The award honors companies who have performed extraordinarily well in the field of finance, education, hospitality, automobiles, lifestyle, education, real estate and technology. The awards are given to acknowledge key players who strive for fineness & provide a platform for recognition. The award also aims to identify, create awareness about the significance of exceptional service delivery and reward their performance with the ultimate global recognition. More than 4000 Companies were evaluated as a part of the recent study conducted.

About Global Brands Magazine

Global Brands Magazine is the one of the world's best loved branding publication. A fully autonomous branding magazine, Global Brands Magazine represents an astute source of information from across the industry. The magazine provides the reader with up- to date news, reviews, opinions, polls on leading brands across the globe. The Magazine is head-quartered in United Kingdom. For More information please visit http://www.globalbrandsmagazine.com

About IJN

Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) was set up in 1992 and is dedicated to the management and treatment of heart diseases by providing cardiology, paediatric cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery services for adults and children.

Today, IJN is reckoned to be among the best medical centres for cardiovascular and thoracic care in Malaysia and the region. IJN has kept abreast with the latest medical advances, from handling a simple hole in the heart surgery to heart and lungs transplantations.

Media Contact:

Edwin Martin

Phone: +44-208-133-3927


MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 03/02/17 -- Aurvista Gold Corporation ("Aurvista" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: AVA)(OTCQB: ARVSF)(FRANKFURT: AV2) announces that the Board of Directors has approved the issuance of 475,000 incentive stock options (the "Options") to certain employees and consultants of the Company. The Options are exercisable at $0.40 per share for a period of five years from the date of grant. The Options will be subject to a vesting schedule with 1/4 to vest immediately and 1/4 to vest on each anniversary of the grant date until the Options are fully vested. The Options were granted pursuant to the Company's shareholder-approved stock option plan and are subject to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and any applicable regulatory hold periods.

Douay Gold Project and Company Profile

Aurvista Gold Corporation is a junior gold exploration and development Company advancing one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in Quebec. The Company has 134,034,900 shares outstanding trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and OTCQB in the US. Aurvista's Douay Gold Project consists of a 100% owned interest in 250 contiguous claims totaling 133.1 km2, plus a 90% interest in 5 contiguous claims totaling 0.2 km2 and a 75% interest (25% held by SOQUEM) in 32 contiguous claims totaling 11.9 km2. In total, there are 287 claims covering 145.3 km2 located along a 20 km segment of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone in the prolific Abitibi Belt of northern Quebec. Douay is located 40 km SW of the Matagami Base Metal Camp and 150 km N of the Val-d'Or-Malartic Gold Camp (both in Quebec). For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.aurvistagold.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 PRESS RELEASE.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. When used herein, words such as "anticipate", "will", "intend" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Aurvista Gold Corporation's filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company's website at www.aurvistagold.com.

Contacts:

Mr. Jean Lafleur, P. Geo.

President and CEO, Director

Cell: +1 514 927 3633



Mr. Keith C Minty, P. Eng., MBA

Chief Operating Officer

Phone: +1 416 682 2671




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/02/17 -- Eagle Graphite Incorporated (TSX VENTURE: EGA)(FRANKFURT: NJGP)(OTC: APMFF) ("Eagle Graphite" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Torey Marshall, BSc(Hons), MSc (Geology) as Executive Vice President of Business Development effective immediately, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Working in conjunction with the existing Eagle Graphite team, Mr. Marshall's role is to help drive the business forward.

Mr. Marshall brings to the Company over 15 years of global resources experience, particularly in the project financing arena. He is presently the Principal at Vibrante Solutions Pty Ltd (his own consulting firm), and a Director of African Power & Coal (private company). His previous roles include those of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of WAMA Gold, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Rampart Energy Ltd. and Earth Heat Resources Ltd. He has been involved in the identification of circa $500m in funding to progress various resources projects around the world. His particular area of expertise is assisting companies fully realize their asset base and opportunities, rebuild their market appeal, and accelerate growth on existing projects through achieving scalable financings when required.

Jamie Deith, CEO comments "Torey is exactly the sort of person we need on this team. He brings a powerful combination of technical aptitude and a successful track record of helping projects achieve their financing objectives."

Mr. Marshall adds, "I am excited to join Eagle at this juncture as I believe the next phase of growth is imminent. Through extensive due diligence conducted over the last year, I have been thoroughly impressed with what the team has achieved to date and what we, as an expanded team, will achieve in the near future. Eagle is well positioned for a changing economy and we are intent on exceeding expectations as this industry continues to evolve."

About Eagle Graphite

Eagle Graphite Incorporated is an Ontario company that owns one of only two natural flake graphite production facilities in North America, located 35 kilometres west of the city of Nelson in British Columbia, Canada, and 70 kilometres north of the state of Washington, USA, known as the Black Crystal graphite quarry. The Company's shares are listed on the TSXV under the symbol "EGA", on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "NJGP", and on the US OTC market under the symbol "APMFF".

Cautionary Statements

Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Such information is based on assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management in light of its experience, current conditions and its expectations of future developments as well as other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information and accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on such information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. In evaluating forward-looking information, readers should carefully consider the various factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward looking information. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company or its securities, its financial or operating results, as applicable.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Eagle Graphite Incorporated

Jamie Deith

Chief Executive Officer

(604) 909-4237

jdeith@eaglegraphite.com




DALLAS (dpa-AFX) - AT&T (T) said that AT&T Southwest wireline operations has reached a tentative agreement with the Communications Workers of America or CWA in wireline contract negotiations. The four-year agreement covers over 20,000 employees in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. It will be submitted to the union's membership for a vote in coming days. The two sides agreed to start negotiations early. The current contract expires on April 8, 2017. If the agreement is ratified on or before April 7, 2017, a ratification bonus of $1,000 will be paid to each eligible employee. The agreement would be effective April 9, 2017 and expire April 10, 2021. The agreement includes general wage increases in each year of the contract - 3 percent the first year, 2.5 percent the second year, 3 percent the third year, and 2.25 percent the fourth year. It maintains one of the most robust health care plans in the nation. The agreement also includes two weeks of paid parental leave to help mothers or fathers bond with a newborn or newly adopted child. 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.
Hitachi Ltd Corporate Communications Tel: +81-3-3258-1111

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, Mar 3, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501) today announced the establishment of Hitachi Elevator (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. in Phnom Penh City, the capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia, to primarily stimulate sales and services of elevators and escalators in the country. Hitachi Elevator Cambodia is a joint venture between Hitachi, Siam-Hitachi Elevator Co., Ltd., the local subsidiary of Hitachi's elevator and escalator business in the Kingdom of Thailand, and CMED Group Co., Ltd. in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Hitachi Elevator Cambodia fosters engineers at the Asia Training Center, which was established by Hitachi and Hitachi Building Systems Co., Ltd. in January 2017 in Thailand. The company will provide safe, high-quality products and services to Cambodia and contribute to rich and comfortable living environments.Currently infrastructure development in Cambodia is rapidly progressing, including roads and electricity network, which are indispensable to development of the country. The GDP growth rate of Cambodia is expected to be more than 7% per year until 2020. In addition, investments from overseas are centered on the manufacturing industry and real estates. The demand for elevators and escalators in urban areas is also expected to expand at more than 10% a year.Since Hitachi delivered escalators to Cambodia in 1982, it has provided sales, installation, and maintenance services for high-quality elevators and escalators through Siam-Hitachi, including the case in 2014 when Hitachi delivered elevators and escalators for Royal Phnom Penh Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in Cambodia. Moving forward, in addition to sales to Cambodian customers, Hitachi will put efforts into sales for projects in the country by foreign companies, including Japanese-owned companies. Hitachi will aim to expand its shares in the elevator and escalator market in Cambodia, and accelerate the expansion of the business in Asia.About Hitachi, Ltd.Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society's challenges with our talented team and proven experience in global markets. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal 2014 (ended March 31, 2015) totaled 9,761 billion yen ($81.3 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes power & infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, construction machinery, high functional materials & components, automotive systems, healthcare and others. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at www.hitachi.com.Source: Hitachi, Ltd.Contact:Copyright 2017 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
GUIYANG, China, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Guian New Area, a national-level economic zone in China's southwestern Guizhou Province, haslaunched the Huaxi University Town project to promote local innovation and entrepreneurship, which hasrealized US$4.65 billion inlocal investments.

Huaxi University Town will have a total area of 683 square feet. Nine universities have already settled in the town, which plans to house a total of twelve.The number of teachers and students in the town has already reached 150,000. In addition, backbone transportation networks currently cover an area of 9.65 square miles, and the town has witnessed US$4.65 billion worth of investment already made.

As part of a five-year blueprint, Huaxi University Town will explore a growth model that is based on the synergies between infrastructure, talent pools, big data and big ideas. Driven by innovation, Huaxi University Town will focus on setting up R&D centers, labs, and scientific institutes, as well as businesses in big data and healthcare.

Huaxi University Town was launched by Guian New Area to help fresh talents pave their career path and speed up the promoting oflocal small enterprises and innovative start-ups with full support. Huaxi University Town aims to form a vibrant ecosystem around universities, companies and the government to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

Guian New Area won government approval to set up an innovation and entrepreneurship park inMay, 2016, one of the first zones in the country to be authorized. The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Park is composed of two buildings with total construction area of about 430,556 square feet.

Nine intermediary service firms and six big data companies have settled in Building A, which has adopted a business pattern of integrating big data with services, cultural and creative industries, education, management and analysis. In Building B, the second and third floor is home to the university town's incubator base, which has attracted over 60 startups, while the fourth and fifth floors have lured five companies that integrate big data with healthcare.

Under the Huaxi project, promising startups have established partnerships and cooperation agreementswith thelocalgovernment and institutions of higher education.

ChinaDataPay.com

The company has already set up close partnership with agencies including Jiaotong University, Peking University and theChina Smart Healthcare Industry Federation, and has built a team of 300+ to provide data pricing, asset management, security and other customized services.

Guian Big Data Service Co.

The company's business includes data collection, analysis, mining, and the development of data products. The company is currently developing a big data project with the Guizhou Supreme People's Court. The company's main products include financial big data platforms, investment research platforms and the CBN financial data terminal.

About Guian New Area

Guian New Area, the eighth national-level new area inChina, shoulders three major responsibilities - be a key driver of economic growth in western China, break new ground in the opening of new markets, and set thestandard forsound and vibrant eco-system zones.

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/474352/GUIAN_NEW_AREA_Huaxi_Project.jpg
LINKOPING, Sweden, Mar 03, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

International medical imaging IT and cybersecurity company Sectra (STO: SECT B) has signed a ten-year contract with Isala Hospital, in the Netherlands. The contract comprises Sectra's IT solution for reviewing diagnostic images. The solution enables physicians at Isala Hospital to access and review medical images from any of its two hospitals, regardless of where current and prior images were taken. The joint solution also enables the two sites to efficiently share resources.

Isala Hospital's two facilities are located in the Dutch cities Zwolle and Meppel, and Sectra's solution will replace the two imaging solutions that are currently used at the two sites. It will handle approximately 400,000 examinations each year.

"With this joint solution from Sectra, information will follow the patient instead of the other way around. Sectra's proven track record of extremely high system availability was another important aspect for us in the choice of vendor and is also key in delivering efficient healthcare," says Roel Venema, member of the board of directors at Isala Hospital.

Sectra Enterprise Image Management

The solution ordered by Isala Hospital is part of Sectra's complete enterprise imaging offering which is modular and supports the most image-intense departments-radiology, pathology, cardiology and orthopaedics. Being built on the same technical platform, customers can easily extend a departmental solution to create a comprehensive VNA and enterprise image management solution without major investments or the replacement of existing components.

Meet Sectra at ECR 2017

Sectra's Enterprise Image Management solution will be showcased at booth #411 at ECR in Vienna, 2-5 March. Read more about Sectra at ECR and book a meeting at www.sectra.com/ecr.

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Torbjorn Kronander,

CEO and President Sectra AB,

Phone: 46 (0) 705-23-52-27

Marie Ekstrom Tragardh,

Executive Vice President Sectra AB and President Sectra Imaging IT Solutions,

Phone: 46 (0)708-23-56-10

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/sectra/r/dutch-multi-site-hospital-invests-in-imaging-it-solution-from-sectra,c2203785

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Photo: VNA

The Minister Counsellor encouraged the flood victims, who were seriously affected by abnormal floods in early 2017 that caused major damage to people and property, disrupting the lives of millions people.

He affirmed that, with good feelings between the two peoples and responding to the call of the Government of Thailand, the Vietnamese Embassy called upon the Vietnamese community in Thailand to raise funds to support the flood victims.

The gift showed the sentiment and good heart of the Vietnamese community for residents in southern provinces of Thailand, as well as contributing to further promoting the Vietnam - Thailand strategic partnership.

On behalf of the Thai Red Cross Society and the Thai people, Ms. Priyangsri Watanakul expressed appreciation for the precious sentiment and mutual love of Vietnamese people and committed to transfer the gift to the flood victims as soon as possible./
The packed show floors of days two and three of the PV Expo in Tokyo were in stark contrast to the relatively subdued opening day, and perhaps a reflection of Japan's reticence to rushing in. Zero Energy Homes (ZEH) were 'a thing' at last year's show: a government-approved way of building new homes that places emphasis on a lower carbon footprint, namely by becoming 20% more energy-efficient. The vagaries that shroud the hows and whens of ZEH remain, but there could be no denying the impact that this government-backed 'plan' is having. Talk of ZEH opportunities was more prominent this year, particularly after the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Investment (METI) confirmed on the opening day that the FIT for residential-sized solar installations will fall from JPY 31-33/kWh ($.029/kWh) to JPY 21/kWh ($0.18/kWh). This cut had been widely anticipated, as evidenced by the sheer number of solar module and home energy management system (HEMS) solutions on display across the show floor. Wuxi Suntech exhibited its ZEH solution bundle that comprises a hybrid lithium battery inverter (3-4kWh), control management system and either rooftop-mounted or BIPV modules. Suntech Japan president Zhan Gao told pv magazine ...

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - March 03, 2017) - Zadar Ventures Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: ZAD) (OTCQB: ZADDF) (FRANKFURT: ZAV) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has increased its interests in lands prospective for lithium bearing petrobrines in Manitoba from 38,000 hectares to 51,000 hectares by way of newly filed claim applications. Manitoba is a jurisdiction well-known for its oil production in the southeast section of the Province and historic lithium production in east central Manitoba at the Tanco Mine at Bernic Lake, Manitoba.

In an effort to quickly assess the value potential of these prospective petrobrine lands, the Company plans to initiate testing waste water from the producing oil wells in the area of these claim applications within the next several weeks.

Company President Paul D. Gray, P.Geo. commented, "We are excited to get involved in a new area of lithium exploration in well-established petroleum production basins. The demand for low cost lithium production in stable jurisdictions is going to be the key driver in the ever growing energy storage space. These Manitoba petrobrine fields offer a rare opportunity to leverage on the existing handling of saline waters potentially enriched in lithium at surface, and Zadar will be determining if this is an economically viable opportunity."

Petrobrines are considered to be saline formational waters associated with petroleum production which could potentially be utilized as feedstock for mineral extraction, including lithium ("Li").

Production of Manitoba petroleum reservoirs has been consistent since the mid 1980's and many of these oil production reservoirs are either in direct contact with carbonates hosted within the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, such as within the prolific Bakken Formation or are hosted within the actual carbonate lithologies, such as with the Three Forks Formation oilfields. These sedimentary carbonate rocks are potential source rock for lithium brine accumulation.

In almost all cases oil production wells in these areas produce petroleum that is intimately associated with formational waters. This water is considered a waste by-product of petroleum production, and typically rich in dissolved mineral solids and of high salinity. These saline waters are, in normal course, disposed of by pumping the saline waters into other, usually deeper, sedimentary formations. As the production well nears its end of life, it is the cost of this water disposal that usually causes the well to be uneconomic to further produce. A normal well could produce 2000m 3 water per month, all of which could contain an elevated number of dissolved solids.

The determination of the lithium content of these saline waters within the producing petroleum fields is the next step in lithium exploration as these waters are being brought to the surface and handled on a regular basis. The potential to process these waters and extract any lithium is the target of petrobrine lithium exploration.

Lithium occurs naturally in granitic pegmatites and has historically been exploited in east central Manitoba from such sources. Original deposits underwent erosion, releasing Li + ions, and it is these lithium ions that would have entered the ground water system and potentially charged vast ground water reservoirs with elevated Li. During the Devonian period, carbonate rocks were forming in this part of modern day Manitoba and, due to lithium's affinity for carbonate, Lithium Carbonate (Li 2 CO 3 ) would have formed. Because of lithium's partial solubility at standard atmospheric temperatures and pressures, the lithium would have not likely migrated over great distances. The Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin's edge can be found in eastern Manitoba and it has been demonstrated that meteoric water recharges the Basin by underground migration in an east to west direction. The natural lithium deposits can be found just east of this Basinal edge and it is possible undiscovered lithium deposits lie buried west of the Basinal edge. It is this unique situation within east central Manitoba, proximal to the edge of the Western Sedimentary Basin that could potentially afford lithium groundwater interactions with the carbonate deposits of Western Manitoba.

Zadar Ventures Ltd. is a Resource Company focused on the acquisition and exploration of economically viable green energy resources in jurisdictions favorable to mining and industry. For more information we invite you to visit the company's website at www.zadarventures.com.

This news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Paul D. Gray, P.Geo., who is the Company's qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,

Paul D. Gray, P. Geo.

President & CEO

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 this release. This press release may contain certain forward-looking information. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in the company's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Zadar Ventures Ltd.

Paul D. Gray

President

604-682-1634
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Maxtech Ventures Inc. (CSE: MVT)(CSE: MVT.CN)(OTC PINK: MTEHF)(FRANKFURT: M1N) ("Maxtech" or the "Company") is pleased to report that John Harper B. Sc., P. Geo. will be supervising the regional exploration programs.

Peter Wilson CEO said, "The market for manganese is three fold, in fertilizer it is an essential nutrient in photo synthesis creating greener crops, for steel production in the creation of alloys and of course in high-grade form it is becoming more prevalent in the battery market. Maxtech is well positioned to increase its licence holdings as it conducts these regional exploration programs."

Prospecting and mapping, combined with systematic geochemical soil surveys, and ground based geophysical surveys will be performed to identify and develop manganese mineralization and its trends. There are two styles of manganese mineralization and each method requires different techniques to explore and develop the resource. Mineralization occurs as local cobbles and clasts within the colluvium and saprolite horizons above weathered hydrothermal pyrolusite bearing veins and the hydrothermal veins themselves.

The current exploration program is designed to test the character and expand the size of colluvium showings that have been identified on the property. Close control for the dimensions and grade will be accomplished utilizing techniques including hand dug pits, mobile auger drills and trenching with backhoes.

Maxtech's green field exploration strategy for areas with extensive forest cover will be inexpensive, quick and effective while having the least surface disturbance of any exploration method. The hydrothermal vein mineralization is hosted beneath the surficial, weathered horizons. Development of these showings will require further geophysical surveys, both ground and airborne based. Follow up by traditional core drilling is expected as exploration advances.

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. John Harper B.Sc., P. Geo. who is a Qualified Person with respect to Maxtech's manganese project as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

The Company also announces that pursuant to the Company's Stock Option Plan it is issuing 1,500,000 incentive stock options at an exercise price of $0.47 cents per share to certain officers, directors and consultants. In accordance with the Company's Stock Option Plan, the options granted are exercisable for up to five years from the issue date.

About Maxtech Ventures Inc.

Maxtech Ventures Inc. is a Canadian based diversified industries corporation with gold and manganese mineral properties. Its focus is on mining and the products that are derived therefrom.

Further information about the Company is available on www.SEDAR.com under the Company's profile.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements contained in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward-looking information") as those terms are used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated", "anticipates" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the business of the Company, the Property, financing and certain corporate changes. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

Contacts:

Maxtech Ventures Inc.

Peter Wilson

Chief Executive Officer

604-484-8989

peter@maxtech-ventures.com



info@maxtech-ventures.com

http://www.maxtech-ventures.com




BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 3:45 am ET Friday, Markit Economics is due to release its services PMI figures for Italy. PMI reports for France and Germany are due at 3:50 am ET and 3:55 am ET, respectively. The services PMI for the Eurozone is due 4:00 am ET. Ahead of the reports, the euro traded mixed against the other major currencies. While the euro rose against the franc and the pound, it fell against the greenback and the yen. As of 3:42 am ET, the euro was trading at 0.8584 against the pound, 1.0655 against the Swiss franc, 1.0515 against the greenback and 120.16 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.
Hong Kong International Jewellery Design Excellence Award Results

Rhythm



HKTDC Communication and Public Affairs Department Joe Kainz Tel: +852 2584 4216 Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org

HONG KONG, Mar 3, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - The biennial International Jewellery Design Excellence (IJDE) Award presentation was held yesterday (2 March) at the cocktail reception of the 34th Hong Kong international Jewellery Show. The Japanese designer Natsumi Odate won the highest honour "Champion of the Champions" with her necklace "Rhythm", which is made using 3D technology."Champion of the Champions" shows nature's beautyA total of 165 awarded designers from 27 countries and regions participated in the competition this year. The winning piece by Natsumi Odate called "Rhythm" was created using 3D technology. The necklace simulates the form of wild grape leaves. The leaf designs change shape throughout the piece, from real-life forms to more abstract designs, symbolising the rhythm of leaves transforming step by step. Using 3D technology, the designer cast in platinum to express the delicacy of a natural form. At the same time, the abstract designs show the accuracy of craftsmanship. A magnetic fastener makes the jewellery easy to wear.The Russian designers Natalia Tarasova and Tatiana Tarasova won the Innovative and Uniqueness in Design Award with their ring "For Form". The ring design was inspired by geometry, with the form of a whirl sucking the grain of jewel ember. Through the piece, the designers wish to express the important things that could be easily overlooked and lost in the whirl of life.Meanwhile, the Craftsmanship Award went to another Russian designer Viktor Moiseikin. His ring and earrings set "Firebird Feather" is a fabulous treasure full of glaring light and glittering gems made with excellent craftsmanship. The sparkling plumage is bejeweled with diamonds and demantoids. Artistically set by the Waltzing Brilliance(R) technology, the gems always whirl as if hovering in the air. Chatoyant and shining, they depict wing strokes and a fantastic flight. The sapphire drops decorate the inner side of the ring and earrings. The reflection of sapphires in diamonds gives a light sky-blue hue.The Aesthetics Award went to the Thai designer Alessio Boschi for his piece "Homage to the renaissance". Consisting of a pair of earrings and a necklace, this set of fine jewellery is a tribute to the magnificence of the Renaissance and especially to the Italian city of Florence, considered to be the birthplace of the Renaissance movement in the 14th century.Facilitating industry exchange through IJDEThe judging panel included Lawrence Ma, Chairman of HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show 2017 Fair Organising Committee; Michelle Ong, Founder and Design Director of Carnet; Jeff Chan, Specialist of Christie's Asia; Emme Wong, Executive Director of Galtiscopio; Irina Slesareva, Chief Editor of Jewellery Review; Fei Liu, Director of Fei Liu Fine Jewellery; Christina Ko, Editorial Director of Prestige Magazine; and Ruth Faulkner, Editor of Retail Jeweller.Lawrence Ma, Chief Judge of the IJDE, said the event has a rare ability to gather outstanding designs from many countries, facilitating cultural exchange as well as information sharing among the jewellery industry. He said, "The entries this year are excellent. The winning piece in the 'Champion of the Champions' category in particular is eye-catching and creative."Emme Wong, one of the judges of IJDE, said that excellent jewellery design requires a delicate balance between creativity and craftsmanship. It is even more important that the consumer can be inspired by the designer's idea through the piece, and in turn see the world through a wider perspective. "This is my first time as a judge of the IJDE. It was really eye-opening. The designers have made use of various materials to create delicate jewellery with extraordinary creativity."Awarding winning pieces showcased in Jewellery ShowThe IJDE Award is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and co-organised by the Hong Kong Jewellers' & Goldsmiths' Association, Hong Kong Jewellery & Jade Manufacturers Association, Hong Kong Jewelry Manufacturers' Association and Diamond Federation of Hong Kong, China Ltd. The award gathers award-winning designers from all over the world to compete for a number of accolades that honour outstanding jewellery designers as well as provide an opportunity for the industry to exchange experiences, expertise and craftsmanship. The winning entries are now on display at Hall 1D concourse during the 34th Hong Kong International Jewellery Show at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.Organised by the HKTDC, the International Jewellery Show runs from 2 to 6 March at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, while the fourth edition of Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem and Pearl Show runs from 28 February to 4 March at the AsiaWorld-Expo. The two shows attracted a record of about 4,480 exhibitors from more than 50 countries and regions.Fair Websites:HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show: http://www.hktdc.com/hkjewelleryshowHKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show: http://www.hktdc.com/hkdgpPhotos Download: http://bit.ly/2mhlzPdMedia representatives wishing to cover the event may register on-site with their business cards and/or media identification.To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc(Photo 1:) The winning entries of the 2017 International Jewellery Design Excellence (IJDE) Award are announced. The award ceremony was held during the cocktail reception of the International Jewellery Show Gala Dinner on 2 March.(Photo 2:) Champion of the ChampionsTitle of Winning Design: RhythmDesigner: Natsumi Odate (Japan)Sponsoring Company: Kuwayama corporationCategory: NecklaceAbout HKTDCEstablished in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdcTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdcLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-councilSource: HKTDCContact:Copyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
PUNE, India, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The report"UV Stabilizers Marketby Type (HALS, UV Absorbers, and Quenchers), Application (Automotive, Packaging, Agriculture, Building & Construction, Adhesives & Sealants), Region (Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, and RoW) - Global Forecast to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global market is projected to reach USD 1.51 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 6.7% from 2016 to 2021.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 131 market data Tables and 48 Figures spread through 160 Pages and in-depth TOC on"UV Stabilizers Market"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/uv-stabilizer-market-122183376.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

UV stabilizers find application in packaging and automotive industries, and are used with HALS and UV absorbers. The increasing demand for UV stabilizers from these industries has promoted the usage of UV stabilizers. The rise in demand for greenhouse films is expected to drive the UV stabilizers market during the forecast period.

Ask for PDF of the Report at http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=122183376

Based on type, the HALS segment is expected to lead the UV stabilizers market during the forecast period

Based on type, the HALS (Hindered Amine Light Stabilizers) segment is expected to lead the UV stabilizers market during the forecast period, owing to their ability to protect polymers from degradation from UV light exposure while providing durability and long shelf life. HALS are used in thin and thick cross-section applications such as extrusion, blow molding, fibers, films, tapes, and injection molding, among others. The increasing demand for non-degradable, durable, and high-performance products in automotive, packaging, and furniture & construction industries has fueled the growth of the global UV stabilizers market for HALS.

The packaging application segment is expected to lead the UV stabilizers market during the forecast period

The packaging is the largest application segment of the UV stabilizers market, owing to the increasing demand for packaging from food and non-food industries in Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe regions. The ability to maintain the properties and quality of packaging materials even when exposed to UV radiations, weathering resistivity, and long-term durability is the major factor driving the UV stabilizers market in packaging.

Asia-Pacific is expected to lead the UV stabilizers market during the forecast period

The Asia-Pacific region is estimated to lead the UV stabilizers market. This dominance of the region can be attributed to the presence of a large number of UV stabilizers manufacturers, rising foreign investments, and growing demand for HALS and UV absorbers from plastics, polymers, and automotive industries in the region. China is leading the Asia-Pacific UV stabilizers market due to the growth in the use of UV stabilizers in packaging and automotive industries, among others, and numerous developmental strategies adopted by the manufacturers.

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The UV Stabilizers Market has several global players. These companies are actively investing in various strategies such as new product development, expansions, acquisitions, and joint ventures to increase their market shares. Major manufacturers such as Songwon Industrial Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Solvay SA (Belgium), ALTANA AG (Germany), BASF SE (Germany), Clariant AG (Switzerland), and Addivant (U.S.) have adopted various organic and inorganic strategies to expand their businesses.

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Packaging Additives (Functional Additives and Barrier Coatings) Market by Type (Antioxidants, UV Stabilizers, Antimicrobials, Metalized Coatings, and Organic Liquid Coatings), by Application (Food, Beverage, Cosmetic & Personal Care), and by Region - Global Trends & Forecast

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/functional-additives-and-barrier-coatings-market-86258744.html

Plastic Additives Market by Type (Plasticizers, Stabilizers, Flame Retardants, Impact Modifiers), Plastic (Commodity, Engineering, and High Performance Plastic), and by Application (Packaging, Construction, Consumer Goods, Automotive) - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2021

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Toronto, Canada--(Newsfile Corp. - March 7, 2017) - Nevada Zinc Corporation (TSXV: NZN) ("Nevada Zinc" or the "Company") announces that at the request of IIROC, this document retracts and updates in its entirety, the press release disseminated by the Company on March 3, 2017. The Company advises and cautions readers that the retracted disclosure may continue to be found in the public domain and the Company advises readers not to rely on such documents that are hereby superceded by the press release of this date.

The Company is pleased to report that it has correlated several lines of evidence including a new 2017 government report (Colpron et al, 20171) to define a significant bedrock gold target on its Livingstone gold project ("Livingstone Project") within the Tintina Gold Belt in Yukon. The Company has determined that a strong, steeply west dipping electromagnetic ("EM") conductor, identified in a comprehensive 2017 Yukon Geological Survey study (Colpron et al, 20171) coincides with soil geochemical anomalies identified by Nevada Zinc geologists. The anomaly also coincides with an area that covers the upstream portions of five active placer creeks, known for producing coarse placer gold (Colpron et al, 20171)(Colpron et al, 20162) for which no significant bedrock source has yet been discovered (Colpron et al, 20162). This is also the same area where Nevada Zinc geologists discovered gold values in outcrop that have geochemical indicator elements similar to those in the local placer creek gold nuggets (Stroink, L., 19923).

Bruce Durham, Nevada Zinc President and CEO, commented: "When we first identified Livingstone as a high priority bedrock gold target in 2010, we acquired the best available ground as a starting point for field investigations. Over the past six years our work produced positive results and we expanded our land position repeatedly based on those results. Now we have the targets defined and are ready to drill test some of these high priority targets. No drill holes have been reported in the district to test for the bedrock source of the estimated more than 50,000 ounces of placer gold that has been recovered (Colpron)1 in the Livingstone area. We have identified gold mineralization in bedrock at the head of one of those creeks, Cottoneva Creek, where Colpron1 postulates the placer gold may have originated, clearly identifying this largely overburden covered area as a prime drill target."

Yukon Gold Properties

Nevada Zinc controls a number of land package along the Tintina Gold Belt, a 2,000 kilometre gold district spanning Alaska and Yukon. Nevada Zinc's three priority projects in Yukon are the Livingstone Project, the VIP Project, and the Goodman Project, all in the Tintina Gold Belt. All three are 100% owned, have identified geochemical and geophysical targets, and have never been drilled.

Livingstone Project

The Livingstone Project (156 mineral claims) which covers an area of roughly 14 x 4 kilometres, is located 85 kilometres northeast of Whitehorse, Yukon and is accessible via a winter road and fixed wing aircraft and helicopter. Five west draining creeks, four of which have their headwaters on the Company's property, have produced some very large placer gold nuggets with individual nuggets reportedly weighing as much as 20.5 ounces4 and 39 ounces5 from Livingstone Creek and Summit Creek respectively (link to nugget photos). Colpron1 refers to the source of the placer gold as elusive. There has never been a hole drilled to test for gold in bedrock along the project's 14 kilometre length. Recently released 2016 and 2017 Yukon government reports highlight areas on the Company's property as a potential source for the placer gold (Colpron et al1,2). Airborne geophysical surveying, new geological mapping, age dating and interpretation point to the area along the western margin of an extensive felsic intrusion in contact with a strong conductive geophysical zone as an area likely to be a possible source of the placer gold (mostly on the Company's property). The Company has identified gold associated with galena bearing quartz veins in bedrock correlating to the target area identified by Colpron.

Colpron in the abstract for his recent Yukon Government report (Colpron, et al 20171) summarized as follows:

"The Livingstone Creek area, known for its coarse placer gold, is underlain by mid-Paleozoic metasedimentary, metavolcanic and metaplutonic rocks of the Yukon-Tanana terrane. These rocks were penetratively deformed, metamorphosed under high-pressure conditions in the Permian, and retrogressed to amphibolite facies before the Early Jurassic. A new VTEMTM Plus, helicopter-born geophysical survey over the area has helped to enhance the interpretation of the bedrock geology and to identify potential exploration targets. The lithological, geochemical and isotopic characteristics of metavolcanic rocks, as well as Early Mississippian U-Pb dates from two metagranitoid plutons in the Livingstone Creek area are consistent with the regional character of correlative assemblages in the Yukon-Tanana terrane. Mid Permian and Middle Triassic U-Pb dates from two granitic intrusions further constrain the timing of development of transposition foliation in the area. Magnetic anomalies and electromagnetic conductors define potential exploration targets for the source of placer gold in the centre of the Livingstone Creek area."

Much of this newly identified target identified by Colpron lies on land held by the Company. The full report and a presentation of the data (Colpron 2016) have been posted on the Company's website.

The Company has plans to carry out additional work on the Livingstone Project in 2017.

Any references to gold quantities or gold nugget size in this press release is historical in nature and as such could not be verified sufficiently by the Qualified Person.

VIP Project

The VIP Project (837 mineral claims) covers 17 kilometres west along the main structural trend from Goldcorp's recently acquired Coffee gold deposit (total indicated mineral resource of 63.7 million tonnes averaging 1.45 g/t Au for 2,968,000 ounces of contained gold, and a total inferred mineral resource of 52.4 million tonnes at an average grade of 1.31 g/t Au for 2,212,000 ounces of contained gold6) at a cost of approximately $520 million. The VIP Project contains the East Big Creek target, a 700 metre long northwest trending gold-in-soil and pathfinder element geochemical anomaly that remains untested and open in both directions along strike. The anomaly is up to 250 metres wide. An extensive, prominent magnetic low in airborne magnetic data defines a northwest trending structure directly associated with the East Big Creek target that remains open ended and unexplored along trend for several kilometres.

Goodman Project

The Goodman Project (379 mineral claims) covers 20 kilometres of favourable stratigraphy located along the projection of the Potato Hills Trend and immediately southwest of Victoria Gold's Eagle Gold Deposit (222,193,578 tonnes indicated mineral resource grading 0.68 g/t Au containing 4,992,821 ounces gold and 77,930,767 tonnes inferred mineral resource grading 0.60 g/t Au containing 1,578,707 ounces gold7). The Goodman Project covers the upper reaches of at least five current or historic placer creeks for which there is no known source for the gold. A recent Company airborne magnetic survey clearly outlines a 5 x 1.5 kilometre elongate felsic intrusion (termed the Murphy Intrusion) similar to the host felsic intrusion at the Eagle Gold Deposit. This magnetic anomaly correlates with numerous geochemical anomalies, particularly an extensive, prominent magnetic low in the airborne magnetic data along the southeast margin of the Murphy Intrusion that may reflect strong alteration, possibly the result of gold mineralizing fluids.

Bruce Durham (P.Geo), President and Chief Executive Officer of Nevada Zinc, is a Qualified Person, as the term is defined in Canadian regulatory guidelines under National Instrument 43-101, and has read and approved the technical information contained in this press release.

Early exploration activities and results are preliminary in nature and not conclusive evidence of the likelihood of a mineral deposit.

References

1Colpron, M., Carr, S., Hildes, D. and Piercey, S., 2017. Geophysical, geochemical and geochronological constraints on the geology and mineral potential of the Livingstone Creek area, south-central Yukon (NTS 105E/8). In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 2016, K.E. MacFarlane and L.H. Weston (eds.), Yukon Geological Survey, p. 47-86.

2 M. Colpron, D. Hildes, S. Casselman, J. Bond, 2016. Geophysical constraints on the geology and mineral potential of the Livingstone Creek area, south-central Yukon

3 Stroink, L. and Friedrich, G., 1992. Gold-sulphide quartz veins in metamorphic rocks as a possible source for placer gold in the Livingstone Creek area, Yukon Territory, Canada. In: Yukon Geology, vol. 3, Yukon Geological Survey, p. 87-98.

4Whitehorse Daily Star; July 26, 1974 $6000 Gold Nugget Found Near City

5 Lindsay, Mark, 2006. LIV Assessment Report Livingstone Creek Area Yukon Territory Yukon Mining Recorder Assessment file 094603

6Kaminak Gold Corporation press release January 6, 2016

7Victoria Gold Corp, MDA dated June 22, 2012 SEDAR

Note: The referenced materials referred to above by Colpron et al from 2016 and 2017 will be posted on the Company's website.

About Nevada Zinc

Nevada Zinc is a discovery driven mineral exploration company with a proven management team focused on identifying unique mineral exploration opportunities that can provide significant value to its shareholders. The Company's existing zinc and gold projects are located in Nevada and Yukon, respectively.

Nevada Zinc cordially invites everyone to meet with its management in the Investors Exchange during the upcoming Prospectors and Developers annual conference in Toronto. We look forward to discussing the progress of the Company at booth #2215 on Tuesday March 7, 2017 and Wednesday March 8, 2017. Registration to attend the Investor's Exchange is free.

For further information contact:

Nevada Zinc Corporation

Suite 1660, 141 Adelaide St.

West Toronto, Ontario M5H 3L5

Tel: 416-504-8821

Bruce Durham, President and CEO

bdurham@nevadazinc.com

www.nevadazinc.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 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.
Hodes clients across Europe can now activate their employer brand through Symphony Talent's next-generation recruitment technology while Hodes' distinct creative & brand offering rolls out globally

LONDON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Hodes UK, a London-based full-service creative employer branding agency, announced today its position with Symphony Talent, a New York-based comprehensive talent acquisition solutions provider. This strategic realignment will bring together Hodes UK and the U.S.-based Hodes arm under a new Hodes Global brand within Symphony Talent. The synchronicity of the Hodes creative and employer brand capabilities with the solutions that sit under Symphony Talent -- from next-generation recruitment marketing to employee engagement technology -- will redefine how employers connect with talent. As part of the transition, Hodes UK Managing Director, Simon Phillips, will take on the role of chief creative & brand officer for Hodes globally, and will also serve as the managing director of Symphony Talent in Europe.

"Bringing Hodes under the Symphony Talent umbrella is an important step in our agency's evolution. Not only will we continue to provide our clients with the award-winning creative and strategy that we've become so well known for, but we'll also be able to activate Symphony Talent's candidate and employee technologies for a more powerful employer brand experience for our clients," stated Phillips. "This distinct combination of insight-based and intelligent creative, meeting industry-leading technology, sets Symphony Talent apart in serving companies looking to reach, attract and retain the best talent. We're already at work activating this additional firepower with some of our Hodes clients across Europe."

As part of the integration, Hodes clients can now leverage Symphony Talent's next-generation technology solutions to create more unified and more effective recruitment efforts, while Symphony Talent clients worldwide can now more seamlessly leverage the creative power of Hodes. Additionally, this move expands the global reach of Hodes' creative, brand and research staff throughout the United States, London and worldwide. Both in the UK and abroad, companies competing for the best talent possible can tap into a comprehensive suite of solutions designed to unify and improve the recruitment cycle:

Experience Cloud - an omni-channel platform that addresses recruitment marketing, candidate experience and employee engagement,

Media Cloud - an artificial intelligence-based media buying platform that automatically optimizes recruitment advertising efforts, and

Hodes - award-winning creative designed to build effective and engaging employer brands.

"Hodes has continually evolved to meet and exceed the employer branding needs of some of the world's most notable companies," stated Roopesh Nair, CEO of Symphony Talent. "Today, it serves as one of three critical capabilities in Symphony Talent's offering designed to help companies attract, engage and retain the best talent. We look forward to expanding our presence in Europe under Simon's leadership, arming companies across the region and around the world with a distinct and powerful combination of technology and creativity."

Hodes has updated its branding -- including its logo and website -- to reflect the transition into the Symphony Talent team. Operating in Europe since the mid-90's and having relaunched as a completely new agency at the end of 2014, Hodes UK works with major brands such as Unilever, Dixons Carphone, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, L'Oreal and The Body Shop. Most recently, the agency achieved acclaim as the 2016 CIPDrma Agency of the Year.

About Symphony Talent

Symphony Talent is redefining how employers and talent connect. Applying data-driven consumer marketing best practices to talent acquisition, we provide relevant, personalized engagement between employer brands and candidates through smart technology and creative solutions. At the same time, we simplify the process recruiters go through every day to find, engage and manage the right candidates. The result is a unified end-to-end experience for candidates, employers and employees alike. Companies such as Northwell Health, Chili's and UnitedHealth Group rely on Symphony Talent to hire the best talent possible. For more information, visit: www.symphonytalent.com.

About Hodes

As Symphony Talent's creative and brand agency, Hodes has earned a reputation for excellence in shaping and activating incredible employer brands. Blending passion and creativity with strategic thinking, Hodes provides creative and engaging solutions that span research, campaigns, internal communications, bespoke websites, social media and analytics. The exceptional creative and brand work Hodes delivers is embedded in all of the Symphony Talent technology solutions and products. This unique combination ensures that there's strategy and creativity in everything we do. For more information, visit: https://www.hodes.com/.

Press Contacts

Zinnia Gill

mPR, Inc. for Symphony Talent

zinnia@mpublicrelations.com

Maggie Habib

mPR, Inc. for Symphony Talent

310.916.6934

maggie@mpublicrelations.com

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/474369/LOGOSymphonyTalent_Hodes_logo_Logo.jpg
DUBLIN, Mar 03, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "US Patent Practice " conference to their offering.

US and European patent practice differs in many essential ways.

The comprehensive programme of this course, with practical examples, will highlight and explain these differences from a US point of view, giving delegates a better understanding of the US system, and enabling them to work more effectively with their US counterparts



Key Topics To Be Covered At This Seminar



- US Patent Law Update

- Claim Interpretation

- Subject Matter Eligibility

- Sufficiency of Disclosure

- Novelty, Nonobviousness, Utility

- Inventorship

- Double Patenting

- Inequitable Conduct and the Duty of Candor

- Procedural aspects of US Patent Prosecution

- Interferences Post-grant Review under the AIA

- Reexamination and Supplemental Examination

- Reissues

- Direct and Indirect Infringement

- Patent Litigation



This interactive seminar will explain:



- The latest changes in statutory law

- Recent Federal Circuit and Supreme Court jurisprudence

- Claim construction

- Successful US claim drafting

- Subject Matter Eligibility

- Sufficiency of the specification

- Nonobviousness

- Double Patenting

- Fulfilling the Duty of Candor

- Patent prosecution: Rules, Regulations and Best practices

- Interference and derivation

- Post-grant procedures

- Direct and Indirect Infringement

- Patent Litigation



This seminar merits 12.5 hours under the UK Solicitors Regulatory Authority self accreditation scheme (refg. CJA/MAFO) and may also be relevant training under the IPREG CPD self accreditation scheme.



Agenda:



Day 1



09:00 Registration and refreshments



09:30 Introduction to the seminar



11:00 Refreshments



11:15 US patent prosecution - general flow



12.30 Lunch



13.30 Definiteness - Nautilus - the reasonable certainty' standard



14.45 Refreshments



15.00 Utility Patent Law Treaty Implementation



17.00 Close of day one



Day 2



08.30 Refreshments



09:00 Novelty/prior art (if necessary)



10.30 Refreshments



12.30 Lunch



13.30 Restriction practice



14.45 Refreshments



15.00 Post-issuance practice



17.00 Close of course



For more information about this conference visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/rkc3cp/us_patent

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
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Hungary's foreign trade surplus declined less-than-initially estimated in December, latest figures from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office showed Friday. The trade surplus for December was revised up slightly to EUR 579 million from EUR 556 million reported earlier. In the corresponding month last year, the surplus was EUR 637 million. Exports climbed 7.6 percent year-over-year in December, just below the 7.7 percent gain seen in the flash report published on February 9. Imports grew 9.3 percent annually in December, revised down from 9.9 percent. Separately, the statistical office revealed that flash retail sales increased at a faster pace of 3.7 percent yearly in January, following a 3.3 percent rise in the prior month. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Photo: VNA

With a capital of over VND1.5 trillion, the hospital will provide 100 boarding sick-beds and 250 sick-beds for outpatients. All the departments will meet global healthcare accreditation services provided by the Joint Commission International (JCI), in order to detect and give early diagnosis and treatment to cancer patients.

Covering around 5,000 square meters, this hospital will also operate in accordance with the model of Japan and US standard hi-tech hospitals, and be equipped with testing devices standard in these two countries modern hospitals. In particular, the hospitals pathological analysis and diagnosis centre has an Internet connection with Japanese and US partner hospitals for consultancy, to put forth the most exact medical results.

Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien stressed that there was an increase in the number of non-infectious disease patients and deaths, including cancer patients and fatalities caused by cancer.



The increase puts pressure on the healthcare system as well as the cancer prevention network, with an overcrowding of cancer patients at hospitals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city, according to Minister Tien.

She added that the building of the hospital reflected increased cooperation between the Vietnamese and Japanese governments. The hospital, once being put into operation, will help reduce the number of patients at medical foundations in Hanoi, provide better treatment to people, and restrict patients from having to go abroad for treatment, she said.

Chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Nguyen Duc Chung asked the investor to carry out the project with the planned schedule and quality, ensuring that it would be put into use by the first quarter of 2018 as scheduled.

Statistics show that each year, the country reports an additional 200,000 cancer patients with some 100,000 fatalities. Cancer patients can be cured if their pathological signs are detected early and they follow appropriate treatment methods./.
TORONTO, ON -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Easton Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTC PINK: EAPH) Announces it has closed on an interim financing with additional financing funds committed

Easton Pharmaceuticals has closed on an interim financing facility up to $2,000,000, of which it has been provided access to. This facility also provides for an additional commitment of funds depending upon the company's requirements. Terms of the facility are in the form of a loan, convertible to restricted common shares of Easton stock. Easton intends to use the funds to complete various acquisition targets of revenue generating companies that are strategic in the company's growth plan which includes possibly expanding its licensed products and the utilization of a possible sales force for further sales in Mexico, Central and Latin America.

Although moving slower than expected, the proposed acquisition of iBliss Inc. announced in early February is progressing well with negotiations on various terms and outstanding items nearing consensus. An anticipated closing is to be finalized shortly. There are currently several companies Easton has been in discussions with as target acquisition(s) and / or joint venture opportunities, which includes the Cannabis market. Easton expects to finalize and close on any number, which are expected to deliver millions of dollars in revenues for the company.

Evan Karras, CEO of Easton Pharmaceuticals, stated, "The financing facility is an important step to move the company forward allowing us to finalize some potentially lucrative acquisition(s) / joint ventures which includes a possible expansion of our licensed products and future sales force in Mexico, Central and Latin America as part of our strategic growth plans." Mr. Karras further commented, "We are optimistic with our recent 'Gynofit' product launch through our distribution partners Gedeon Richter and their Mexican subsidiary company, which would complement the anticipated closing of iBliss and their growing international sales of vaporizers, e-liquids and medical marijuana initiatives as drivers of success for 2017 and well into the future for Easton Pharmaceuticals."

Easton and its partner BMV Medica are nearing completion of its late stage negotiations with 2 multi-national pharmaceutical companies on a sub-licensing distribution agreement for 2 other women's diagnostic products which Easton / BMV hold licensing rights for in Mexico and other parts of Central and South America. AL-Sense, one of the 2 products, is an Amniotic Fluid Diagnostic Leak Test, which is a patented women's diagnostic product that is currently being sold in the United Kingdom, and has European Approval. It serves a huge market where the birth rate in Latin America is three times the birth rate of North America and most of Europe. The target market for BMV/Easton has a population exceeding 200 million people. Sales in Latin America for pharmaceutical and diagnostic products are expected to grow at a rate five times that of North America and Europe as a result of a much higher birthrate in the region including other factors.

About Easton Pharmaceuticals

Easton Pharmaceuticals is a diversified specialty pharmaceutical company involved in various pharmaceutical sectors and other growing industries. The Company previously developed and owned an FDA-approved wound-healing drug and currently owns topically delivered drugs to treat cancer and other therapeutic products to treat various conditions that are all in various stages of development and approval. Easton has partnered with BMV Medica SA de C.V. and together, own the exclusive distribution rights in Mexico and Latin America for patented women's diagnostic and preventative care products from CommonSense Of Israel, along with two generic cancer drugs, Paclitaxel and Docetaxel from BioLyse Pharma of St. Catherine's Ontario, Canada.

For More Information On Easton and Affiliated Company's Visit:

http://www.eastonpharmaceuticalsinc.com

http://www.bmvmedica.net

http://ecigmarkets.com

http://finance.yahoo.com/q's=eaph

https://twitter.com/eastonpharma

Safe Harbor

This news release may contain forward-looking statements or expressions within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (The "Act"). In particular, when certain words or phrases such as "hope", "positive", "anticipate," "pleased," "plan," "confident that," "believe," "expect," "possible" or "intent to" and similar conditional expressions are expressed, they are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any of the forward-looking statements. Any investment made into Easton Pharmaceuticals would be classified as speculative and may contain risks. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, general acceptance of the company's products and technologies, competitive factors, the ability to successfully complete additional or adequate financing, government approvals or changes to proposed laws and other risks and uncertainties further stated in the company's financial reports and filings.

Contact:

Evan Karras

CEO

Tel: +1(416) 619-0291

Tel: +1(347) 284-0192

Email: info@eastonpharmaceuticalsinc.com




Additional Phase 3 Study Data Show Significant Efficacy of Guselkumab in Patients Experiencing Inadequate Response to STELARA in the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis

Janssen Research Development, LLC (Janssen) announced today new findings from two pivotal Phase 3 studies reporting the efficacy and safety of guselkumab in the treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.1-3 Data from the VOYAGE 2 study showed that patients treated with guselkumab experienced significant improvements in skin clearance and other measures of disease activity compared with placebo, and significantly greater improvements compared with the anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha treatment Humira (adalimumab).1-2 VOYAGE 2 is the second Phase 3 study to demonstrate superior efficacy of guselkumab versus adalimumab following VOYAGE 1.4 Data from a third Phase 3 study (NAVIGATE) showed that patients who had an inadequate response following treatment with the anti-interleukin (IL)-12/23 monoclonal antibody (mAb) STELARA(ustekinumab) and who then switched to guselkumab, showed significantly greater improvements in skin clearance compared with patients who continued to receive ustekinumab.3 These Phase 3 data are being presented at the 2017 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, 3-7 March.1-3 Guselkumab, a subcutaneously administered anti-IL-23 mAb, is currently under review by health authorities in the US and EU for the treatment of adults living with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

VOYAGE 2: Efficacy and safety of guselkumab compared with adalimumab for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis

In the VOYAGE 2 study, the co-primary endpoints were met at week 16, with 84.1% of patients receiving guselkumab 100 mg at weeks 0 and 4 and then every 8 weeks achieving an Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) score of cleared (0) or minimal (1) disease compared with 8.5% of patients receiving placebo (P 0.001).1 In addition, 70.0% of patients receiving guselkumab achieved a Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) 90 score (near complete skin clearance) compared with 2.4% of patients receiving placebo (P 0.001).1

Major secondary endpoints in VOYAGE 2 achieved statistical significance in comparisons of guselkumab versus adalimumab administered subcutaneously at weeks 0 (80 mg), 1 (40 mg) and then 40 mg every other week (all P 0.001).1 At week 16, following three injections of guselkumab and ten injections of adalimumab, significantly higher proportions of patients receiving guselkumab versus adalimumab achieved IGA 0/1 (84.1% versus 67.7%, respectively) and PASI 90 (70.0% versus 46.8%, respectively).1 Guselkumab continued to demonstrate superiority versus adalimumab at week 24 for both the IGA 0/1 and PASI 90 scores.1 Among other secondary endpoints, significantly higher proportions of patients receiving guselkumab compared with adalimumab achieved Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores of 0/1 (indicating no impact of psoriasis on health-related quality of life) and PASI 100 scores (complete skin clearance) at week 24.1 Additionally, at week 16 and 24, 34.1% and 44.2% of patients receiving guselkumab achieved PASI 100 responses, respectively.1

"The majority of patients treated with guselkumab achieved high levels of skin improvement at week 16, while this was rarely seen in patients receiving placebo; a difference that was highly significant. Higher rates in efficacy in major secondary endpoints comparing guselkumab with adalimumab were also demonstrated and significant," said Kristian Reich, Ph.D., M.D., Dermatologikum Hamburg, VOYAGE 2 study investigator. "These findings are consistent with the previously presented Phase 3 VOYAGE 1 study results and further demonstrate the important role of selectively targeting IL-23 in an immune-mediated disease like plaque psoriasis."

Through week 16, the placebo-controlled period, 44.8%, 47.6% and 48.4% of patients receiving placebo, guselkumab and adalimumab, respectively, reported at least one adverse event (AE).1 Serious AEs were reported in 1.2% of patients receiving placebo, 1.6% of patients receiving guselkumab and 2.4% of patients receiving adalimumab.1 Serious infections occurred in one patient receiving placebo, one patient receiving guselkumab and two patients receiving adalimumab.1 During this period, no malignancies were reported, and one major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) was reported (in the adalimumab group).1

Through week 28, the active comparator period, 58.3% of patients receiving guselkumab and 62.9% of patients receiving adalimumab reported at least one AE. Serious AEs were reported in 3.6% of patients receiving guselkumab and 3.6% of patients receiving adalimumab. Infections and infections requiring treatment were also comparable between guselkumab and adalimumab groups.1 Three serious infections each were reported in the guselkumab and adalimumab groups. One malignancy of prostate cancer in the guselkumab group and two non-melanoma skin cancers (one squamous cell carcinoma in the guselkumab group and one basal cell carcinoma in the placebo to guselkumab group) were reported.1 Two MACE were reported (one myocardial infarction each in the guselkumab and adalimumab groups).

NAVIGATE: Efficacy and safety of switching to guselkumab in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis patients with an inadequate response to ustekinumab

The NAVIGATE study evaluated the efficacy and safety of guselkumab in patients who continued to experience mild to severe skin symptoms (IGA of 2 or more) following 16 weeks of treatment with ustekinumab.3 Patients who switched to guselkumab consistently showed greater improvement in their psoriasis between weeks 28 and 40, compared with patients who continued to receive ustekinumab, having twice as many office visits with at least a 2 point improvement in IGA from week 16, and an IGA score of 0 or 1, the study's primary endpoint (1.5 and 0.7 respectively; P 0.001).3 Guselkumab also demonstrated superiority across major secondary endpoints in comparisons with ustekinumab.3 Major secondary endpoints included the number of visits that patients achieved a PASI 90 response or IGA score of 0 between weeks 28 and 40, and the proportion of patients that achieved an IGA score of 0 or 1 with at least a 2 point improvement from week 16 at week 28 (all P 0.001).3 In addition, a significantly higher proportion of patients in the guselkumab group achieved an IGA score of 0 or 1 and at least a 2 point improvement from week 16 at week 52, and a PASI 90 response at weeks 28 and 52, compared with ustekinumab (all P 0.001).3

"Findings from NAVIGATE showed treatment with guselkumab provided significant benefit to patients who were not achieving clear or almost clear skin with ustekinumab treatment," said Richard Langley, MD, FRCPC, Professor, Division of Clinical Dermatology Cutaneous Science, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, NAVIGATE study investigator. "These data show the effectiveness of guselkumab in patients who had an inadequate response to treatment with ustekinumab and provide further insights into the therapeutic profile of guselkumab in this patient population."

Through week 60, AEs were reported in 64.4% of patients receiving guselkumab and 55.6% of patients receiving ustekinumab.3 Serious AEs were reported in 6.7% of patients receiving guselkumab and 4.5% in patients treated with ustekinumab, including three myocardial infarctions (two from the guselkumab-treated group and one from the ustekinumab-treated group) and two malignancies (bladder carcinoma and a fatal squamous cell carcinoma of the neck, both in the guselkumab-treated group).3 A serious infection occurred in one patient receiving guselkumab.3

Results through week 48 for both the ongoing VOYAGE 1 and VOYAGE 2 studies were recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.5,6 Together with NAVIGATE, these three Phase 3 studies comprise the comprehensive clinical development programme evaluating guselkumab in the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

"At Janssen, we are committed to building upon our understanding of psoriasis and bringing forward innovative therapies that continue to meet the needs of people living with immune-mediated diseases like psoriasis," said Newman Yeilding, MD, Head of Immunology Development, Janssen Research Development, LLC. "Data from the Phase 3 VOYAGE 2 and NAVIGATE studies continue to demonstrate the potential that guselkumab may offer patients and physicians, and we are committed to working with health authorities around the world on our current and future applications."

About VOYAGE 2

The Phase 3 VOYAGE 2 trial is a randomised, double-blind, placebo- and active-comparator controlled study with randomised withdrawal and retreatment from weeks 28 to 76, data that will be presented in the future.1,7 The trial is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of guselkumab compared with placebo and adalimumab and of guselkumab maintenance therapy compared with withdrawal of therapy in adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.1,7 Patients (n=992) were randomised to receive subcutaneous (SC) injections of guselkumab 100 mg at weeks 0, 4, 12 and 20; placebo at weeks 0, 4, and 12 with crossover to guselkumab at weeks 16 and 20 or adalimumab 80 mg at week 0, followed by 40 mg at week one and every two weeks through to week 23.1,7

About NAVIGATE

The Phase 3 NAVIGATE trial was a randomised, double-blind, multicentre study evaluating the efficacy and safety of guselkumab compared with ustekinumab in adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who had an inadequate response to treatment with ustekinumab.3,8 Patients (n=871) received SC injections of ustekinumab 45 mg or 90 mg (based on weight) at weeks 0 and 4 during open-label treatment.3,8 At week 16, patients (n=268) with an IGA score greater than or equal to 2 were considered inadequate responders and were randomised to receive guselkumab 100 mg at weeks 16 and 20 and then every eight weeks through week 44, or to continue on ustekinumab every 12 weeks through to week 44; patients (n=585) who achieved an IGA score of 0/1 at week 16 continued to receive ustekinumab every 12 weeks.3,8 Safety results were monitored through to week 60.3,8

About guselkumab

Guselkumab is a human monoclonal antibody with a novel mechanism of action that specifically targets the protein interleukin (IL)-23 and is currently under review by health authorities in the US and EU as a subcutaneously administered therapy for the treatment of adults living with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Results of a Phase 2 study evaluating guselkumab in the treatment of patients with active psoriatic arthritis were presented for the first time at the 2016 American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ACR/ARHP) Annual Meeting and will also be presented at the AAD Annual Meeting 2017. A Phase 3 programme evaluating the efficacy and safety of guselkumab for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis is planned.

About ustekinumab

In the European Union, ustekinumab is approved for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults who failed to respond to, or who have a contraindication to, or are intolerant to other systemic therapies including ciclosporin, methotrexate (MTX) or psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA), and is also indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adolescent patients from the age of 12 years and older who are inadequately controlled by or are intolerant to other systemic therapies or phototherapies. In addition, ustekinumab is approved alone or in combination with MTX for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis in adult patients when the response to previous non-biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy has been inadequate. In November 2016, the European Commission approved ustekinumab for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease who have had an inadequate response with, lost response to, or were intolerant to either conventional therapy or a TNF-alpha antagonist or have medical contraindications to such therapies.

The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson maintain exclusive worldwide marketing rights to ustekinumab, which is currently approved for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in 89 countries, paediatric psoriasis in 39 countries, psoriatic arthritis in 79 countries and Crohn's disease in 33 countries.

Important safety information

For complete European Union (EU) prescribing information, please visit: http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/medicines/human/medicines/000958/human_med_001065.jsp&mid=WC0b01ac058001d124

About Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune inflammatory disorder that results in the overproduction of skin cells, characterised by raised, inflamed, scaly, red lesions, or plaques, which can cause itching and physical pain.9 It is estimated that as many as 125 million people worldwide have psoriasis,10 including 14 million Europeans,11 and approximately 20% of people affected have cases that are considered moderate to severe.12

About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies

At the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson, we are working to create a world without disease. Transforming lives by finding new and better ways to prevent, intercept, treat and cure disease inspires us. We bring together the best minds and pursue the most promising science. We are Janssen. We collaborate with the world for the health of everyone in it. Learn more at www.janssen.com/emea. Follow us at Twitter.com/JanssenEMEA.

Janssen-Cilag International NV, Janssen Research Development, LLC and Janssen Biotech, Inc. are part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson.

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding the potential benefits, and plans for continued development, of guselkumab. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialise, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Research Development, LLC and Johnson Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; manufacturing difficulties or delays; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2016, including in Exhibit 99 thereto, and the company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson Johnson. Neither Janssen Research Development, LLC nor Johnson Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments.

Humira is a registered trademark of AbbVie Inc.

References

1. Reich K, et al. American Academy of Dermatology (AAD 2017); 3 Mar-7 Mar, 2017; Orlando, Florida; P4749.

2. Reich K, et al. American Academy of Dermatology (AAD 2017); 3 Mar-7 Mar, 2017; Orlando, Florida; P4827.

3. Langley R, et al. American Academy of Dermatology (AAD 2017); 3 Mar-7 Mar, 2017; Orlando, Florida; P4915.

4. Blauvelt A, et al. American Academy of Dermatology (AAD 2017); 3 Mar-7 Mar, 2017; Orlando, Florida; P4766.

5. Reich K, et al. J Am Acad Dermatol 2017;73(3):418-431.

6. Blauvelt A, et al. J Am Acad Dermatol 2017;76(3): 405-417.

7. A study of guselkumab in the treatment of participants with moderate to severe plaque-type psoriasis with randomized withdrawal and retreatment (VOYAGE 2). https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02207244. Accessed March 2017.

8. A Study of Guselkumab in Participants With Moderate to Severe Plaque-type Psoriasis and an Inadequate Response to Ustekinumab (NAVIGATE). https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02203032. Accessed March 2017.

9. National Psoriasis Foundation. Psoriasis fact sheet. https://www.psoriasis.org/sites/default/files/psoriasis_fact_sheet.pdf. Accessed March 2017.

10. National Psoriasis Foundation. People of All Races Overcome Psoriatic Disease. https://www.psoriasis.org/advance/features/people-of-all-races-overcome-the-challenge-of-psoriatic-diseases. Accesssed March 2017.

11. Ortonne J, et al. Eur J Dermatol 2004;14:41-45.

12. The Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance (PAPAA). About Psoriasis. http://www.papaa.org/resources/about-psoriasis. Accessed March 2017.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005227/en/

Contacts:

Media Contacts:

Brian Kenney

Office: +1 215 628 7010

Mobile: +1 215 620 0111

or

Emily Bone

Mobile: +44 7876 394360

ebone1@its.jnj.com

or

Investor Contacts:

Johnson Johnson

Joseph J. Wolk

Office: +1 732 524 1142

or

Lesley Fishman

Office: +1 732 524 3922
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Toronto Real Estate Board President Larry Cerqua announced that TREB Commercial Network Members reported a combined 271,918 square feet of industrial, commercial/retail and office space leased through TREB's MLS System, on a per square foot net basis with pricing disclosed, in February 2017. This result was down by 25 per cent compared to 362,720 square feet of leased space reported in February 2016.

The year-over-year decline in leased space was driven entirely by the industrial segment, where the amount of space leased was down substantially compared to last year. The amount of commercial/retail and office space leased was up on a year-over-year basis.

Despite the annual decline in industrial space leased, the average lease rate was up over the same period by 13.5 per cent to $6.94 compared to $6.11 in February 2016. The average office lease rate was up by 12.1 per cent year-over-year to $17.03. The average commercial/retail lease rate was down compared to February 2016, largely due to a compositional shift in the size and location of deals this year compared to last year.

"The outlook for Canadian economic growth is positive. However, there does remain some concern surrounding the revival of exports, which obviously could impact some economic segments in the GTA and southern Ontario more broadly. The evolving economic trends over the next few months will be key in firms' decisions to take on more space," said Mr. Cerqua.

The total number of industrial, commercial/retail and office sales reported through TREB's MLS System with pricing disclosed, at 57, was up slightly compared to 55 transactions reported in February 2016. Changes in average selling prices, on a per square foot basis, were up on an annual basis for the industrial and office market segments, and down for the commercial/retail market segment. Changes in average selling prices from one year to the next can be due to both changes in market conditions and changes in the type and location of properties sold.

February 2017: Per Square Foot Net Commercial Leasing Summary

Lease Transactions Completed on a Per Square Foot Net Basis with Pricing Disclosed on TREB MLS System

Leased Square Feet Average Lease Rate Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. 2017 2016 % Change 2017 2016 % Change ------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Industrial 142,402 280,517 -49.2% Industrial $6.94 $6.11 13.5% ------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Commercial 90,332 53,516 68.8% Commercial $13.88 $20.16 -31.2% ------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Office 39,184 28,687 36.6% Office $17.03 $15.20 12.1% ------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Total 271,918 362,720 -25.0%

February 2017: Commercial Sales Completed with Pricing Disclosed on TREB MLS System

Sales Avg. Sale Price Per Sq. Ft. (Price Disclosed) (Pricing Disclosed) Feb. Feb. % Feb. Feb. % 2017 2016 Change 2017 2016 Change ------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Industrial 10 17 -41.2% Industrial $129.42 $106.67 21.3% ------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Commercial 30 21 42.9% Commercial $295.06 $355.58 -17.0% ------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Office 17 17 0.0% Office $438.41 $347.91 26.0% ------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Total 57 55 3.6% Source: TREB NOTE: Some table totals may differ due to conversion and rounding.

Greater Toronto REALTORS are passionate about their work. They are governed by a strict Code of Ethics and share a state-of-the-art Multiple Listing Service. Over 46,000 residential and commercial TREB Members serve consumers in the Greater Toronto Area. TREB is Canada's largest real estate board.

Contacts:

Media Inquiries:

Mary Gallagher

Senior Manager Public Affairs

(416) 443-8158

maryg@trebnet.com

www.TREBhome.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Nighthawk Gold Corp. ("Nighthawk") (TSX VENTURE: NHK) is pleased to announce commencement of its 2017 exploration program on its 100% owned Indin Lake Gold Property in the Northwest Territories.

Activities are expected to run from early March until late September and will include upwards of 25,000 metres ("m") of drilling at its Colomac Gold Project and select priority gold targets within its extensive regional land package. The objectives of this campaign are to better define and expand the dimensions of higher-grade mineralization intersected to-date, to test for the possible convergence of high-grade Zones 1.5 and 2.0, to explore for other potential new zones of near surface higher grade material, to expand the current resource leading to delivery of a resource update by late 2017, and to continue exploring throughout the extensive regional land package. Two drills are currently on site with delivery of a third expected shortly.

HIGHLIGHTS:

-- A 25,000 m drill program is to be completed by late September 2017, directed at Colomac Zones 1.0, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5, and the Goldcrest sill; expanding known high-grade zones along strike and to depth and testing other potential zones of higher-grade mineralization within the sills. -- Phase 1 winter drilling will begin at Colomac Zone 1.5 (Figure 1) building on the success of Nighthawk's 2016 results where hole C16-03 intersected 52.07 m of 7.72 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold, including 25.47 m of 14.25 g/t gold (September 13, 2016 news release), and 72.65 m of 5.58 g/t gold, including 17.80 m of 17.72 g/t gold, from hole C16-03B (October 12, 2016 news release). Planned holes will test the high-grade zone further to depth along its current 125 m strike length. -- Phase 1 holes will also drill the resource gap between Zone 1.5 and high-grade Zone 2.0 (located immediately to the south / Figure 1) testing for a possible link between the two, that if present, may result in a single high-grade domain that extends for upwards of 300 m in strike. -- Drilling within the Goldcrest sill will continue to test shallow high- grade mineralization to depth and target new opportunities within untested regions along strike to the north and south. -- Extensive prospecting and mapping programs are planned for the summer field season and are directed at generating drill targets within the recently discovered Nice Lake sill (February 7, 2017 news release), and to advance Nighthawk's many regional showings and deposits to a drill ready status.

Nighthawk President and CEO, Dr. Michael Byron, commented, "2017 will be our most active and extensive exploration program to-date. The discovery and delineation of high-grade zone 1.5 not only validates the Colomac/Kalgoorlie analogue (June 20, 2012 news release), but emphasizes the incredible high-grade opportunities that have only recently been realized. Zones 1.5 and 2.0, have the capacity to host substantial ounces of gold, and given their impressive true widths, it's not surprising that the search for similar targets has quickly become Nighthawk's principal focus. We are confident that our new understanding of the Colomac system will lead to additional discoveries of magnitude, even beyond those ounces that will be delivered into the planned 2017 resource update. It's still very early in the growth of Colomac but we are confident in its multi-million ounce expansion potential".

Figure 1. Winter 2017 Phase 1 Drill Sites

To view Figure 1, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1087713_fig1.jpg

About Nighthawk

Nighthawk is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on acquiring and developing gold mineral properties in the Northwest Territories. Including the mineral claims and leases of the Colomac Gold Project, Nighthawk's Indin Lake Gold Property comprises a total land package of 222,203 acres in the Indin Lake Greenstone Belt, located approximately 200 kilometres north of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories and includes an Inferred Mineral Resource estimate, prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"), of 39.815 million tonnes with an average grade of 1.64 g/t gold for 2.101 million ounces gold using a cut-off grade of 0.6 g/t gold. Nighthawk also holds a 100% interest in the property known as the Superior Project, which covers 39,015 acres approximately 85 kilometres north of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Nighthawk is well financed with approximately $38.4 million in working capital, of which $20.2 million in flow-through expenditure commitments remain to be spent by December 31, 2017 ($8.7 million) and December 31, 2018 ($11.5 million).

The technical aspects of this press release have been reviewed by Dr. Michael J. Byron, Ph.D., P.Geo., President & Chief Executive Officer of Nighthawk, who is the "Qualified Person" as defined by NI 43-101 for this project.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the timing of future drilling, the expansion of the mineralization, and the remediation of historic reclamation sites. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Nighthawk, including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, risks associated with the uncertainty of exploration results and estimates, currency fluctuations, dependency upon regulatory approvals, the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing and exploration risk. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. This press release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States.

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:

Dr. Michael J. Byron

President and Chief Executive Officer

Nighthawk Gold Corp.

Tel: (705) 560-2382

mbyron@nighthawkgold.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: ELO)(FRANKFURT: P2Q) ("Eloro") is pleased to announce it has signed a letter agreement (the "Agreement") with Cott Oil and Gas Limited ("Cott") (ASX: CMT), granting Cott an option to acquire up to a 25% interest in Eloro's wholly-owned La Victoria Gold Silver Project ("La Victoria" or the "Property"), by completing up to C$5 million in expenditures by July 31, 2018. The Property covers approximately 80.4 square kilometres and is held by a Peruvian-based Eloro subsidiary and is located in Huandoval District, Pallasca Province, Ancash Department, in the prolific North-Central Mineral Belt of Peru.

The Agreement

Under the terms of the Agreement, Cott can earn an initial 10% interest in the Property by expending C$2 million (exclusive of all applicable taxes) by or before October 30, 2017 ("Stage 1 Earn-in Period"), and a further 15% interest ("Stage 2 Earn-in Period") by expending an additional C$3 million (exclusive of all applicable taxes) by or before July 31, 2018. At the end of either the Stage 1 Earn-in Period or the Stage 2 Earn-in Period, a joint venture would be formed between Eloro and Cott on the basis of their respective interest in La Victoria on the typical terms for a joint venture, with Eloro being the operator and the typical dilution provisions.

Pursuant to the Agreement, Cott would grant Eloro a right of first refusal ("RFR") pursuant to which Cott would be obliged to give Eloro at least 60 days prior written notice of any proposed sale of any interest in the Property to a third party and Eloro would have the right to exercise its RFR within 30 days of receipt of such notice from Cott by matching the third party offer. Additionally, should Eloro propose to sell all or a majority of its interest in the Property to a third party, Eloro must first consult with Cott about the identity of the third party and the proposed terms of sale. If Eloro proceeds with the sale, Cott will be obliged to sell its interest to the third party on a pro rata basis in accordance with the terms of Eloro's sale to the third party.

Eloro and Cott have agreed to proceed to the execution and delivery of a definitive agreement ("Definitive Agreement"), incorporating the terms contained in the Agreement. The execution of the Definitive Agreement is subject to the satisfactory completion by Cott of its due diligence investigation of the Property and also subject to the approval by the Boards of Directors of Eloro and Cott, and in the case of Cott, the approval of the ASX Limited and if applicable, shareholders of Cott, and in the case of Eloro, the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Eloro Resources at the PDAC

Eloro will be participating at the PDAC 2017 convention in Toronto and invites you to visit us at Booth 2326 (Investors Exchange) in the South Building, Metro Toronto Convention Centre from March 5 - 8, 2017.

About Eloro Resources Ltd.

Eloro is an exploration and mine development company which holds a 100% undivided interest in the La Victoria Gold/Silver Project, located in the prolific North-Central Mineral Belt of Peru. The La Victoria Gold/Silver Project covers 80.4 square kilometers and is within 50 km of several large, low-cost producing gold mines, with three producers visible from the property. Infrastructure in the area is good with access to road, water, and electricity and is located at an altitude that ranges from 3,100m to 4,200m above sea level. Eloro also holds a portfolio of gold and base-metal properties in northern and western Quebec.

About Cott Oil and Gas Limited

Cott is an ASX publicly-listed company that sold its oil and gas interests in late 2016 and has since been looking to diversify into the mineral resource sector. The Chairman of Cott, Mr. Stephen Dennis, has been actively involved in the mining industry for over 30 years and is also Chairman of several listed resource companies in Australia. Mr. Dennis was for 8 years, up to 2015, Managing Director and CEO of CBH Resources Limited, a significant producer of silver, lead and zinc, which is the Australian-based subsidiary of Toho Zinc Co. Ltd., a Japanese company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Information in this news release may contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information express, as at the date of this new release, the Corporation's plans, estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations, or beliefs as to future events of results and are believed to be reasonable based on information currently available to the Corporation. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For additional technical information on the La Victoria Project, the reader is referred to the NI 43-101 Technical Report on the La Victoria Au-Ag Property, Ancash, Peru filed under Eloro's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).

Contacts:

Thomas Larsen

President and CEO

(416) 868-9168



Jorge Estepa

Vice-President

(416) 868-9168




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Gowest Gold Ltd. ("Gowest" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: GWA) is pleased to announce that it has engaged Cementation Canada Inc. ("Cementation") as the mining contractor to assist in the underground development of the Bradshaw Gold Deposit ("Bradshaw") as part of the Company's Advanced Exploration - Bulk Sample program.

Greg Romain said, "We are extremely pleased to have Cementation, with their wealth of mine development knowledge and focus on safety, as a key partner in developing Bradshaw, the next new mine in Timmins."

Roy Slack, President of Cementation Canada Inc. also commented, "All of us at Cementation are pleased to be partnering with Gowest on the Bradshaw project. It is an exciting mine development with substantial potential."

Bradshaw Development Update:

-- Gowest is currently working on site development and construction of the water treatment ponds, which are expected to be completed in mid-April, with portal work beginning immediately afterwards. Please see Bradshaw Development Timeline (http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/gwa0303timeline.pdf). -- The Company has ordered an ore-sorter from Steinert US, which is to be used to sharply reduce handling costs and increase gold grades of ore sent for processing. Delivery of the unit is expected mid-year 2017.

The Company also announces the extension of its previously announced non-binding letter of intent with Northern Sun Mining Corp. ("Northern Sun") relating to the creation of a 50/50 joint venture corporation that will own and operate the Redstone Mill. It is now anticipated that definitive documentation in respect of the transaction will be completed on or prior to April 14, 2017, and closing will occur as soon as practicable thereafter. While negotiations are progressing positively, given time constraints on both the Company and Northern Sun, the parties require additional time to complete due diligence and complete definitive documentation. For additional details concerning the proposed joint venture, please refer to the Company's press release dated January 23, 2017.

About Gowest

Gowest is a Canadian gold exploration and development company focused on the delineation and development of its 100% owned Bradshaw Gold Deposit (Bradshaw), on the Frankfield Property, part of the Company's North Timmins Gold Project (NTGP). Gowest is exploring additional gold targets on its +100-square-kilometre NTGP land package and continues to evaluate the area, which is part of the prolific Timmins, Ontario gold camp. Currently, Bradshaw contains a National Instrument 43-101 Indicated Resource estimated at 2.1 million tonnes ("t") grading 6.19 g/t Au containing 422 thousand oz Au and an Inferred Resource of 3.6 million t grading 6.47 g/t Au containing 755 thousand oz Au. Further, based on the Pre-Feasibility Study produced by Stantec Mining and announced on June 9, 2015, Bradshaw contains Probable Mineral Reserves, using a 3 g/t Au cut-off and utilizing a gold price of US$1,200 / oz, totalling 1.8 million t grading 4.82 g/t Au for 277 thousand oz Au.

About Cementation

Cementation is a mine and facilities contracting and engineering company. The Cementation group of companies delivers underground mine development and infrastructure as well as surface material handling and processing facilities solutions for mining projects worldwide. Cementation Canada Inc., Cementation USA Inc., Cementation Sudamerica SpA, Cementation AG and Merit Consultants International are part of the Murray & Roberts group of companies with operations around the world. For more information on Cementation, visit www.cementation.com.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Kevin Montgomery, P.Geo., Gowest's Manager of Exploration, who is the Qualified Person for the technical information in this news release under National Instrument 43-101 standards.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, all statements relating to the status and timing of on site development and construction, the time for delivery of ore sorter, and the entering into and timing of definitive documentation relating to the proposed joint venture, and the satisfaction of conditions precedent relating to the proposed Transaction. Words such as "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "expect", "intend", "potential" and similar expressions may be used to identify these forward-looking statements although not all forward-looking statements contain such words.

Forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results, performance or achievements may vary materially from those expressed or implied by this press release. These factors should be considered carefully and reader should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and, other than as required by law, the Company does not intend to or assume any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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.

Contacts:

Gowest Gold Ltd.

Greg Romain

President & CEO

(416) 363-1210

info@gowestgold.com



Gowest Gold Ltd.

Greg Taylor

Investor Relations

416 605-5120

gregt@gowestgold.com




DELRAY BEACH, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Protext Mobility, Inc. (OTC PINK: TXTM) ("Protext" or "the Company"), a biotech company engaged in the development of pharmaceutical applications for the highly bioavailable Phytofare catechin complex, announced today that it conducted a series of meetings across the island country of Mauritius, capped off with a meeting at the State House where company Chief Executive Officer, Roger Baylis-Duffield, had a private meeting with Mauritian President, Professor Ameena Gurib-Fakim. Protext management had been in Mauritius evaluating the potential for conducting a forthcoming human clinical trial on Type II Diabetes.

Mauritius is being evaluated as a trial site because, according to the World Health Organization and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the prevalence of Type II Diabetes in Mauritius in 2015 was a world-leading 16.28%. Worldwide as of 2013, 382 million people, or 8.3% of the adult population have diabetes, with Type II Diabetes making up about 90% of the cases. In 2014, the IDF estimated that diabetes resulted in 4.9 million annual deaths.

Among the topics discussed with her excellency was the epidemic of diabetes plaguing the country and the potential for the Company's Phytofare extract to help manage blood-sugar levels in those afflicted. President Gurib-Fakim is a world-renowned scientist with a PhD in organic chemistry specializing in finding medical benefits from plant phytonutrients. Mr. Baylis-Duffield and Pres. Gurib-Fakim explored mutual common interests in developing plant based solutions to help address diabetes and other health concerns and the desire to grow the biotech industry in Mauritius through research and potential manufacturing opportunities.

In addition to meeting the President, the company met with executives of the St. Aubin tea estate, one of the country's oldest plantations dating back to 1798. The Company reviewed the extensive St. Aubin holdings and discussed various business development opportunities. Protext management also held extensive meetings with the Centre International de Development Pharmaceutique (CIDP) (www.cidp-cro.com) to review their research facilities and discuss human clinical trial opportunities in Mauritius.

Roger Baylis-Duffield, Protext Chief Executive, commented, "It was a tremendous honor to be invited to the State House to meet with President Gurib-Fakim, a scientist with a passion for plant research that marries perfectly with the objectives of Protext. We had very productive discussions and I am confident that she will be a tremendous ally as we move forward in our Diabetes research. We look forward to discussing further advancements of our meetings and business developments in the coming days."

Please visit us on social media for Company photos in Mauritius and South Africa:

www.instagram.com/protextm/

https://twitter.com/protxtm

About Protext Mobility, Inc.

Protext Mobility is engaged in the research and clinical testing of "bioceutical" products -- all natural ingredients formulated for pharmaceutical applications and processed under pharma-grade conditions. The Company has the exclusive worldwide license to develop pharmaceutical applications and products using the Phytofare catechin complex, which was developed by Plandai Biotechnology, Inc. Phytofare is a highly bioavailable extract produced from live green tea leaves. Our initial product, Phytofare Catechin Complex, has been clinically shown to have 10 times greater bioavailability over generic catechin extracts. What this means is that Phytofare can deliver a therapeutic level of catechins, which function as powerful antioxidants, to the system where they remain active for over 24 hours. Plandai grows the raw materials on its 7,500 acre Senteeko green tea estate in South Africa, where it produces the proprietary Phytofare extracts in-house, allowing the Company a continuity of supply as well as quality control throughout the entire process. Targeted applications for the Company's products include arthritis, inflammation, anti-viral, and diabetes-related metabolic syndromes.

Please visit http://www.protextm.co for further information.

Safe Harbor Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, we can give no assurance or guarantee that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of words like "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to: adverse economic conditions, competition, adverse federal, state and local government regulation, international governmental regulation, inadequate capital, inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans, loss or retirement of key executives and other specific risks. To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, including statements as to revenue projections, business strategy, outlook, objectives, future milestones, plans, intentions, goals, future financial conditions, events conditioned on stockholder or other approval, or otherwise as to future events, such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. The company disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement. This press release shall not be deemed a general solicitation.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Protext Mobility, Inc.

Info@protextm.co

(435) 881-3611




LONDON, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Peter Fragiskatos, Member of Parliament for London North Centre, and Kate Young, Member of Parliament for London West, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario, will make an important announcement to support entrepreneurs in southwestern Ontario.

Media are invited to tour the company prior to the official announcement.

MP Fragiskatos and MP Young will be available to answer questions from the media, following the event.

Please note that all details are subject to change. All times are local.

DATE: Friday, March 3, 2017 TIME: Tour - 11:00 a.m. Announcement - 11:30 a.m. PLACE: Tour: Stiller Centre 700 Collip Circle London, Ontario N6G 4M3 Announcement: NRC Building 800 Collip Circle London, Ontario N6G 4M3

Contacts:

FOR INFORMATION (media only):

Media Relations Office

FedDev Ontario

416-954-6652

fdo.mediarel-relmedias.fdo@canada.ca




3. March 2017 Announcement no. 13/2017



Notice convening the Annual General Meeting of Topdanmark A/S on Tuesday 4 April 2017, 15:00 (CET), at Tivoli Congress Center, Arni Magnussons Gade 2-4, 1577 Copenhagen V.



The AGM will be broadcast live on Topdanmark's website www.topdanmark.com ? Investor. Following the AGM, the broadcast will also be available on the Company's website.



The Board of Directors will submit:



I. Report on the Company's activities in the past year.



II. Presentation of the audited Annual Report signed by the Board of Directors and the Executive Board.



III. Adoption of the Annual Report and decision on the appropriation of profits according to the Annual Report as adopted.



IV. Any proposals submitted by the Board of Directors or the shareholders.



Proposals from the Board of Directors:



A. Proposal for amendments of the Articles of Association A.1. Proposal for authorization of extraordinary dividend In order to enable the Board of Directors to prepare the Company's earnings distribu-tion policy in the most appropriate manner, it is proposed that, according to section 182(2) of the Danish Companies Act, the AGM authorizes the Board of Directors to decide to distribute extraordinary dividends in accordance with the provisions of the Danish Companies Act.



The Board of Directors proposes the following as new Article 8:



"Article 8 The Annual General Meeting has empowered the Board of Directors to decide on dis-tribution of extraordinary dividends in accordance with the provisions of the Danish Companies Act."



It is proposed to consequentially amend the former Article 8 to becoming Article 9 and so on.



A.2. Proposal for how to distribute dividends It is no longer possible to distribute dividends via cheques.



Consequently, it is proposed to amend Article 7 to:



"Article 7 (1) Dividends on shares registered in the name of the holder shall be paid by transfer to the shareholder's bank.



(2) Dividends on inscribed shares shall be paid by transfer to the shareholder's Nem-Konto."



Consequently, the Board of Directors proposes amendment of Article 10(1) (before adoption of item IVA.1 Article 9(1)), to:



"Article 10 (1) Dividend amounts remaining unclaimed three years after the relevant Annual General Meeting shall revert to the Company."



B. Proposal for reduction in share capital The Board of Directors proposes that the share capital be reduced by 5,000,000 own shares of DKK 1 each with a total nominal value of DKK 5,000,000. Subsequently the shares will be cancelled.



Pursuant to Section 188(1) of the Danish Companies Act, the reduction in capital is ef-fected by cancellation of previously acquired own shares, i.e. a capital reduction for payment to the shareholders. The reduction in share capital will be at a price of DKK 175.27 per share corresponding to the average buy-back price of the shares. Thus, a total of DKK 876,349,555 will be transferred.



After the expiry of the deadline for creditors to file their claims and the completion of the reduction in capital, Article 3(1) of the Articles of Association will be amended to read as follows:



"The share capital of the Company amounts to DKK 90,000,000 and is fully paid up."



C. Proposal for changes of the remuneration policy The Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (DFSA) has decided that options granted to the Executive Board, Significant Risk Takers and the Friday Team under Topdan-mark's revolving option programme must be considered variable pay. Furthermore, the DFSA has issued executive order 2016-12-02 no. 1583 on salary policy and re-muneration in financial services companies and financial holding companies, accord-ing to which, the definition of employees whose activities have significant impact on the company's risk profile (Significant Risk Takers), is extended compared to previous provisions. The Board of Directors proposes a change of the Topdanmark Group's remuneration policy accordingly.



The full wording of the remuneration policy after the proposed changes is available at www.topdanmark.com - Investor - News and calendar - General meetings.



D. Proposal for remuneration of the Board of Directors The Board of Directors proposes that the ordinary basic remuneration to be paid to the Board of Directors remains at DKK 350,000 for the 2017 financial year.



Proposals from shareholders:



E. Proposal from shareholder, Sampo plc: E.1. Proposal to revoke the authorization granted to the Board of Directors to ac-quire the Company's own shares Sampo plc has submitted a proposal that the AGM, with effect from 5 April 2017, re-vokes the authorization granted at the AGM to the Board of Directors to acquire the Company's own shares until 15 April 2020.



Comment on the proposal by the Board of Directors: If the proposal is not adopted at the AGM, it is the intention of the Board of Directors that Topdanmark will switch to a combination of share buy-back and payment of dividend as earnings distribution.



E.2. Proposal for amendment of the Articles of Association regarding the casting vote for resolutions of the Board of Directors Sampo plc has submitted a proposal that the Deputy Chairman shall have the casting vote in the event of equality of votes in situations where the Chairman of the Board of Directors is absent.



Consequently, it is proposed that the wording of the last sentence of Article 17(6) be amended to:



"In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman, or in his absence, the Deputy Chairman, shall have the casting vote."



Comment on the proposal by the Board of Directors: The Board of Directors supports the proposal.



F. Proposal from shareholder, Thomas Meinert Larsen: Thomas Meinert Larsen has submitted the following proposal:



The AGM urges the Board of Directors to conduct its business within overall limits en-suring support of the UN global climate agreement from 2015 (the Paris agreement) on keeping the increase in global average temperature to a maximum of 2C, and as close to 1.5C as possible.



In its reporting for 2017, Topdanmark is recommended to observe "the Recommenda-tions of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures", prepared at the re-quest of G20's Financial Stability Board.



Comment on the proposal by the Board of Directors: Topdanmark has chosen to join the UN Global Compact and i.a. reports on CO2 emissions and climate strategy via an annual climate report, in accordance with the Carbon Disclosure Project. It is the opin-ion of the Board of Directors that Topdanmark conducts its business within limits ensur-ing the necessary consideration of public interest, including climate and environment taking into account the relevant legislation for insurance groups. Consequently, it is the opinion of the Board of Directors that currently, further or other initiatives are not re-quired. Therefore, the Board of Directors does not support the proposal. The full word-ing of the comment on the proposal by the Board of Directors is available at www.topdanmark.com - Investor - News and calendar - General meetings.



V. Election of members to the Board of Directors



All Board members elected at the AGM are up for election.



Topdanmark's main shareholder, Sampo plc, wants to increase its number of mem-bers of Topdanmark's Board of Directors elected at the AGM from one to three.



The Board of Directors finds Sampo plc's proposal understandable and proposes accordingly election of: A. Torbjorn Magnusson B. Petri Niemisvirta C. Lone Mller Olsen D. Annette Sadolin E. Ricard Wennerklint F. Jens Aalse



A detailed description of each Board member is available on Topdanmark's website www.topdanmark.com - Investor - News and calendar - General meetings. These descrip-tions have also been sent to the shareholders who have requested a written invitation to the AGM.



VI. Election of one state-authorised public accountant to serve as auditor.



The re-election of Deloitte, Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab, is proposed according to the recommendation by the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee has not been impacted by third parties, and has not been subjected to any agreement with a third party, that limits the AGM's choice to certain auditors or auditing firms.



VII. Any other business



Conditions of adoption The adoption of the proposals referred to in items III, IVC, IVD, IVE.1, IVF, V and VI requires a simple majority of votes.



The adoption of the proposal referred to in items IVA.1, IVA.2, IVB and IVE.2 is conditional upon the affirmative votes of not less than two thirds of the votes cast as well as of the voting capital represented at the AGM.



The votes will be based on the principle of one vote per share.



Size of share capital, shareholders' voting rights and date of registration The share capital of Topdanmark totals DKK 95,000,000 divided into 95,000,000 shares of DKK 1 each. Topdanmark's holding of own shares, which do not entitle the holder to vote at the AGM, is 9,294,900 shares. Therefore, the number of voting rights at the AGM is 85,705,100. Danske Bank is the share issuing bank, through which shareholders may exercise their finan-cial rights.



The date of registration will be 28 March 2017.



Shareholders who own shares in the Company on the date of registration are entitled to attend the AGM and vote on their shares. A shareholder's shareholding is calculated on the date of registration based on the registration of the shareholder's shares in the Register of Owners and the information of ownership received by the Company for registration in the Register of Owners. The attendance of a shareholder is also dependent on the shareholder having obtained in a timely manner an admission card as described below.



Admission card Shareholders who want to attend the AGM should obtain admission cards no later than 31 March 2017 on www.topdanmark.com com - Investor - Investor service ? InvestorPortal or by applying to Topdanmark A/S, Share Administration Department, Borupvang 4, 2750 Ballerup, Denmark, telephone + 45 4468 4411, email aktieadm@topdanmark.dk.



It will be possible to receive the admission card by email. Shareholders who want to receive the admission card by email must state that when ordering the admission card. In order to do so, the shareholder's email address must be registered in InvestorPortalen. After registration, the shareholder will receive an electronic admission card that must be presented at the AGM using a smartphone or a tablet. If the shareholder has forgotten the admission card for the general meeting, it can be obtained against presentation of appropriate proof of identification. Ballot papers will be handed out at the entry point of the general meeting.



Proxy and vote by letter Shareholders may grant the Board of Directors a proxy. Proxies can by revoked at any time. Shareholders may vote in writing by letter. Votes by letter cannot be revoked. Shareholders may grant their electronic proxies and votes by letter on Topdanmark's investor portal available on www.topdanmark.com - Investor ? Investor service - InvestorPortal. Paper proxy forms and votes by letter forms can be downloaded from the Company's website www.topdanmark.com - Investor ? News and calendar - General meetings. Shareholders who want to grant the Board of Directors a proxy or vote by letter need to do so by post or email to aktieadm@topdanmark.dk to reach the Company by 31 March 2017.



Further information The Notice Convening the AGM, information on the total number of shares and voting rights on the date of the Notice, those documents to be presented at the AGM, the agenda and the complete proposals as well as those forms to be used for voting by proxy or letter will be available on the Company's website www.topdanmark.com - Investor - News and calendar - General meetings during the three weeks prior to the AGM. The material is also available from Topdanmark's Share Administration.



Questions from shareholders Pursuant to Section 102 of the Danish Companies Act, shareholders may ask questions about the agenda or about documents etc. to be used at the AGM or on matters important to the assessment of the Annual Report and the Company's position or to questions to be decided at the AGM. Prior to the AGM, such questions can be asked by contacting, in person or in writing, Topdanmark A/S, Share Administration Department, Borupvang 4, 2750 Ballerup, Denmark, telephone + 45 4468 4411, email aktieadm@topdanmark.dk.



BOARD OF DIRECTORS



Please direct any queries to: Steffen Heegaard, Group Communications and IR Director Tel: +45 44 74 40 17 Mobile tel: +45 40 25 35 24



Topdanmark A/S Reg.No. 78040017 Borupvang 4 2750 Ballerup

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FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- VPR Brands, LP (OTC PINK: VPRB) is proud to be a part of the 2017 SE Petro-Food Marketing Expo in Myrtle Beach, SC Wednesday, March 8-9th. The Company will showcase VAPORIN, it's national convenience store Electronic Cigarette brand at booth# 1615. Vaporin's innovative technology offers the look, feel and taste of traditional smoking, but without the tar, tobacco, ash, smoke, or odor. Vaporin offers a variety of vaporizer's and e-liquids focused toward the Convenience customer.

"Vaporin has one of the more modern and comprehensive display programs that brings a vape store selection to a shelf or counter top. The Vaporin display program offers a self-service display packed with high-end vape units and premium USA made e-liquids for the smokers as well as flavor chasers. Showcasing this brand at the Southeast Petro show will allow all of the gas stations and C-stores attending to take advantage of this great assortment of vaporizers that is our rapidly growing flagship C-store brand," says Dan Hoff COO of VPR Brands LP.

"Our C-store program is what originally made the company successful and after all these years our Brands are still some of the industry's most widely recognized; KRAVE, VAPORIN and VAPORX Brands have all been carried by many of the largest wholesale and retail distributors in the country. We are working to update our programs and re-introduce them back into the retail channels where they were successful. We offer high quality, features, and design while maintaining affordability and value to the consumer," says Kevin Frija CEO of VPR Brands LP.

About Southeast Petro-Food Marketing Exposition:

The 36th Year of the Petroleum/C-store Industry's Largest Regional Show! 2017 Southeast Petro-Food Marketing Expo is a two-day trade show and exposition that will feature the latest in retail and petroleum technology and marketing, educational seminars, as well as networking with industry leaders from throughout the region. Approximately 460 companies exhibit at the show with approximately 3000 reps and about 1700 buyers in attendance over the 2-day show. The show is sponsored by, North Carolina Petroleum & Convenience Marketers www.ncpcm.org, South Carolina Petroleum Marketers Association www.scpma.com, South Carolina Association of Convenience Stores www.scacs.org, Virginia Petroleum, Grocery & Convenience Association www.vpcga.com

About VPR Brands, LP:

VPR Brands is a technology company, whose assets include issued U.S. and Chinese patents for atomization related products including technology for medical marijuana vaporizers and electronic cigarette products and components. The company is also engaged in product development for the vapor or vaping market, including e-liquids, vaporizers and electronic cigarettes (also known as e-cigarettes) which are devices which deliver nicotine and or cannabis through atomization or vaping, and without smoke and other chemical constituents typically found in traditional products. For more information about VPR Brands, please visit the company on the web at www.vprbrands.com and http://www.vaporin.com

Forward-looking statements:

This news release contains statements that involve expectations, plans or intentions, and other factors discussed from time to time in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These statements are forward-looking and are subject to risks and uncertainties, so actual results may vary materially. The company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The company disclaims any obligation subsequently to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

Contact Information:



VPR Brands, LP

Kevin Frija

CEO and CFO

(954) 715-7001

info@vprbrands.com




It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the


CREVE COEUR (dpa-AFX) - China National Chemical Corp.'s or ChemChina's purchase of Syngenta (SYT) and the combination of Dow Chemical (DOW) and Dupont are heading towards European antitrust approval, an important hurdle for the first two of three politically charged mega mergers reshaping the global food industry, the Financial Times reported citing people familiar with the matter.



The $43 billion purchase of the Swiss seed company is China's largest cross-border transaction and is the second of three agribusiness deals, together worth nearly $250 billion, that Margrethe Vestager, EU competition commissioner, will examine this year.



Dow DuPont's $140 billion merger is on track for approval in March after the companies offered to sell some research and development capability. The sale will address the regulator's concern that a combined agri-company might launch fewer new crop protection products, the report said.



The third agri-deal, Bayer's $66 billion purchase of Monsanto, was announced last September and will start its European approval process before the summer. The US Department of Justice and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, Cfius, are both considering the deal.



The commission opened an in-depth probe because the companies did not offer any remedies to address its concerns at an early stage. However, the commission has not followed that up by sending a statement of objections, which lays out its formal case against a tie-up.



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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2017) - CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQB: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N) ("CanAlaska" or the "Company") will be exhibiting at the PDAC mining conference in Toronto, March 5-9, and is pleased to provide this project update to shareholders.

Waterbury West Uranium Project

AREVA as operator of the Waterbury UEM joint venture with Cameco is currently drilling at the Waterbury West property. The Company sold the project to Cameco in early 2016, and the property was transferred to the joint venture. CanAlaska retains a 2% royalty interest. Discussions are underway with other uranium groups on the Company's other Waterbury properties.

Moon South Uranium Project

Denison has now completed line cutting in preparation of the DCIP Resistivity survey which is scheduled to commence in early April 2017. A second phase drill program is planned for the summer 2017. Work will be focussed along the CR-3 conductive trend which is located approximately 2 kilometres west of the K-trend which hosts the Gryphon deposit on Denison's adjacent Wheeler River property. An initial hole drilled at Moon South in 2016 (MS-16-01) on the CR-3 trend, near the southern boundary of the Moon South property, intersected 0.1% U 3 O 8 over 0.5 metres at the sub-Athabasca unconformity and was encompassed by a significant sandstone alteration and geochemical halo. The CR-3 trend has been interpreted over a distance of approximately five kilometres on the Moon South property and is completely untested to the northeast of drill hole MS-16-01.

West McArthur Uranium Project

Cameco has advised us that they expect to provide details of their 2017 drill program to us by March 14. It is expected that drilling will resume at Grid 5, and additional planning for a drill program at Grid 1.

NW Manitoba Uranium Project

We are awaiting drill program information from operator Northern Uranium. The details of a number of proposed targets can be found on their website presentation (http://www.northernuranium.com/projects/)

West Athabasca Diamond Project

We have received all property data from De Beers, and have commenced geophysical review of the targets which show potential for pipe-like features. Discussions have commenced with third parties concerning exploration of the targets.

Alberta Diamond Project

We have flown 40% of the property with low level, close spaced airborne magnetics. A number of positive and negative magnetic features have been identified, and modeling is currently being carried out on 30 of the most significant targets.

North Ruttan Copper-Zinc Project

We have two large geophysical targets adjacent to and northeast of the past producing Ruttan copper-zinc mine. This mine was the third largest mined VMS deposit in Canada (82 million tonnes). Our target immediately north of the mine has been outlined by 15 shallow drill holes along a 1.2 kilometre strike length. The next drill program on this target will be to test the VMS horizon between 100 metres and 500 metres depth. In March we expect to mobilize a diamond drill for two exploratory holes on a further large target located seven kilometres to east of the North Ruttan zone. This target, labeled "Nisku", shows evidence of a large magnetic and conductive target which is believed to be near surface for approximately 1,000 metres.

At the current time the Company has a cash position of $1.6 million. The current funding is sufficient for at least two years of operations and activities based on the Company's continued project generation and third party operations. The Company has a further seven uranium projects ready for third-party option. Further information about the Company's projects is available at www.canalaska.com.

Shareholders and interested parties are invited to meet management at the PDAC conference in Toronto March 5-9, at Booth 2140.

About CanAlaska Uranium

CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQB: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N) holds interests in approximately 500,000 hectares (1.2 million acres), one of the largest land positions in Canada's Athabasca Basin region - the "Saudi Arabia of Uranium." CanAlaska's strategic holdings have attracted major international mining companies Cameco, Denison, KORES, and KEPCO. CanAlaska is a project generator positioned for discovery success in the world's richest uranium district. For further information visit www.canalaska.com.

The qualified technical person for this news release is Dr Karl Schimann, P. Geo, VP Exploration, for CanAlaska.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Peter Dasler"

Peter Dasler, M.Sc., P.Geo.

President & CEO

CanAlaska Uranium Ltd.

Contacts:

Peter Dasler, President

Tel: +1.604.688.3211 x 138

Email: info@canalaska.com

John Gomez, Corporate Development

Tel: +1.604.484.7118

Email: jgomez@canalaska.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking information

All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events.
ATLANTA, GA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Atlanta Public Schools (APS) and 2020 On-site, the only company bringing state-of-the-art mobile vision centers on-site to schools and businesses, announced today that they have partnered to provide Atlanta students with eye exams and eyewear. 2020 On-site will bring its mobile optometry vehicle to schools throughout the city, beginning with a March 3 eye exam event at Booker T. Washington High School.

Students with uncorrected vision problems are at a disadvantage in the classroom. In many cases undiagnosed visual disorders and uncorrected vision is the cause of poor school performance. By law, public school students must undergo simple vision screening in school, but many families don't follow up with the comprehensive annual eye exams recommended by the American Optometric Association (AOA), which are necessary to correct visual disorders. Serving other school districts, 2020 On-site has found that more than half of students need vision correction (the company provides eyeglasses, which are shipped directly to school nurses after the exam for distribution directly to students).

"As APS continues to build our comprehensive health support strategy, we are excited for this partnership with 2020 On-site to provide eye exams and glasses to our students," said APS Superintendent Meria J. Carstarphen, Ed.D. "Poor vision can be a huge barrier to learning. We want to help our students gain access to the necessary health services so they can reach their highest academic potential."

Informational packets are provided to parents of APS students to grant permission for their child (ren) to receive a comprehensive eye exam. Forms can be found here: http://www.2020onsite.com/schools. Once a school can provide at least 30 signed parental forms, 2020 On-site schedules a date and time to visit the school site, to ensure they can see as many students as possible.

Howard Bornstein, founder of 2020 On-site, said that the APS partnership is modeled after a successful program established with the Boston Public Schools. In Boston, 2020 On-site has provided eye exams for nearly 1000 students, and put more than 500 pairs of glasses into those students' hands.

"We believe that students should have the same access to high-end vision care that we currently provide to companies throughout Atlanta," said Bornstein. "Many of the students we see are already being impacted by vision problems that they may not know they have. These children can't see a smartboard clearly, or the faces of their teachers or classmates. That's going to have an impact on them academically, socially and recreationally, and why it's critical to get them the care they need."

2020 On-site is headquartered in Boston, where it serves 300+ clients including Boston Public Schools, Wayfair, Microsoft, Ocean Spray and Pfizer. The company expanded to Atlanta in April 2016, and already more than 50 area businesses have signed up for the service, including Kimberly Clark, MailChimp, Jackson Healthcare, and Randstad.

To learn more about 2020 On-site's services or to schedule a vision care day at your business or school, visit www.2020onsite.com.

About Atlanta Public Schools

Atlanta Public Schools is one of the largest school districts in the state of Georgia, serving approximately 50,000 students across 98 learning sites. The district is organized into nine K-12 clusters with 87 schools, 16 charter schools and two citywide single-gender academies, where students are offered rigorous instructional programs that foster success in school and life. For more information, visit www.atlantapublicschools.us

About 2020 On-site

2020 On-site is revolutionizing how vision care is delivered. 2020 is the only company bringing state-of-the-art mobile vision centers to businesses and schools so employees and students can get a comprehensive digital eye exam right outside their front door. Each mobile vision center is outfitted with a retail store that enables customers to purchase contacts and glasses on board. 2020 On-Site has more than 300 clients in Boston, Atlanta and Chicago, and is continuing to expand across the country. For more information please visit, www.2020Onsite.com.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3115476



APS Contact:

Latisha Gray

Director of Communications

+1 404-802-2816

Email Contact



2020 Contact:

Michelle Faulkner

+1 617-510-6998

Email Contact




DALLAS, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Zen Technologies, Inc. (Zen), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The CHRON Organization, Inc. (OTC: CHRO), announced today a full suite of social media channels for its home services business, as well as the launch of a weekly blog entitled, 'Thank God It's Zen (TGIZEN).' This blog collection hosts content covering a range of topics relevant to the Smart Home industry. Among these topics are original articles by the Zen Team, Q&A's with employees, third-party articles, insights and trends, tips and tricks, and sometimes, fun, quirky "smart" things from around the web.

The purpose of this weekly blog is to educate consumers about the Smart Home industry and to build brand awareness so the consumer is better informed when ready to make a buying decision. Each Friday, the Zen Team posts new content on the blog, which is shared across the Company's social networks. Shareholders and the general public can subscribe to and access the blog by clicking here.

Over the past several months, the Company has been strategically developing its digital ecosystem, with creative assets based on branded content from the livewithzen.com website, the Company style guide, and other content marketing resources. Effective today, all of Zen's social media outlets are live and can be accessed via the following links:

Facebook: Zen Technologies

Twitter: @livewithzen

Instagram: @livewithzen

YouTube: Zen Technologies

Google+: Zen Technologies, Inc.

LinkedIn: Zen Technologies, Inc.

CHRON Chairman Byron Young remarked, "We understand that we live in a tech dependent society in which a vast majority of the world's population keeps up with the news via social media, more so than any other channel today. So, having a quality social media ecosystem is no longer a luxury for brands, but a necessity, which is why we've been so vested in establishing a vibrant social media presence for Zen."

Over the past few months, Zen has been using all of its social networking platforms to communicate its brand message as an innovative technology company poised to bring Smart Homes to the masses across the U.S. Some of Zen's social media posts include the popular customer testimonial YouTube video series dubbed, 'My Zen Story.'

"A strong, consistent online presence across social media platforms is arguably as integral to a forward-thinking brand like Zen as an entire traditional marketing department," stated CHRON President and Zen CEO, Alex Rodriguez. "Over the past few months, we've witnessed increasing awareness of the Zen brand among our shareholders and the general public, courtesy of strategic Facebook and Instagram posts, timely tweets, and creative YouTube videos."

The Company has been creating and sharing a host of content communicating its brand message of being the premier modern smart home services company converging home automation, home security, and energy conservation services, all in one affordable offering.

Young added, "We're encouraged by the level of engagement we are already seeing from the general public in response to our social media content -- from likes to comments and shares, a trend we expect to continue as we grow our audience. We invite all CHRON shareholders and investors to interact with Zen through the weekly blog and social media sites and help us share our collective Zen Story across the country."

To keep up with Company news, updates, milestones, and promos, shareholders and the general public are strongly encouraged to subscribe to the blog and follow the Company on its various social media sites.

ABOUT ZEN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Zen Technologies, Inc. (Zen) is a next-generation technology company committed to bringing all the benefits of the "Smart Home" to millions of homeowners and apartment dwellers across the US, at an affordable price. Zen provides consumers a custom suite of products and services to enrich their lifestyle, however they want. Zen offers home automation, security monitoring, and energy conservation services, so families and individuals can connect to their home to perform everyday functions from the comfort and convenience of their smartphones or internet-connected smart devices. Zen combines our exclusive and customizable product solutions with green energy services, which allows our consumers to save money on their monthly energy costs, while reducing their long-term carbon footprint. To learn more, visit www.livewithzen.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "expect," "should," "intend," "estimate," "projects," variations of such words and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not a forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements are based upon the company's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements are risks that are detailed in the company's filings at www.OTCMarkets.com

INVESTORS & MEDIA CONTACT:

The CHRON Organization, Inc.

Email: investors@chronhomeservices.com

Phone: (469) 626-5275

Fax: (469) 626-5277




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Eastmain Resources Inc. (TSX: ER) ("Eastmain" or the "Company") welcomes you to meet with management during the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada 2017 Convention held March 5 - 8, 2017, at the Metro Convention Centre South Building in Toronto.

Core Shack: Booth: #3100 Session B (Tuesday and Wednesday) Corporate Presentation: Claude Lemasson, President and CEO Tuesday March 7 @ 3:40pm Session in Room 803: Gold Development 2

About Eastmain Resources Inc. (TSX: ER)

Eastmain is a Canadian exploration company with 100% interest in the Eau Claire and Eastmain Mine gold deposits, both of which are located within the James Bay District of Quebec. Clearwater, host of the Eau Claire deposit, is the Company's core asset with access to superior infrastructure in a favourable mining jurisdiction. Eastmain also holds a pipeline of exploration projects in this new Canadian mining district, including being a partner in the Eleonore South Joint Venture.

Forward Looking Statements - Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Eastmain, including, but not limited to details and timing of exploration programs of Eastmain currently proposed for 2016, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, dependence upon regulatory approvals and the availability of financing. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

Claude Lemasson

President and CEO

+1 647-347-3765

lemasson@eastmain.com



Alison Dwoskin

Manager Investor Relations

+1 647-347-3735

dwoskin@eastmain.com




MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario, will make an announcement in support of an innovative telecommunications company.

Minister Bains will be available to answer questions from the media, following the announcement.

Please note that all details are subject to change. All times are local.

DATE: Friday, March 3, 2017 TIME: 2:30 p.m. - Tour 3:00 p.m. - Announcement PLACE: iS5 Communications Inc. #1-1815 Meyerside Drive Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1G3

Contacts:

Media Relations Office

FedDev Ontario

416-954-6652

fdo.mediarel-relmedias.fdo@canada.ca






WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - US President Donald Trump has announced plans to undertake a major expansion of the US Navy fleet, including a fleet of 12 aircraft carriers.



Speaking from the deck of America's newest aircraft carrier Thursday, Trump said he spoke with Navy and industry leaders and discussed his plans. 'In these troubled times, our Navy is the smallest it's been since World War I. Don't worry, it's going to soon be the largest.'



Currently, the US Navy has a fleet of 10 aircraft carriers, some of which are more than four decades old.



Trump said that after years of endless budget cuts that have impaired US defenses, he is calling for one of the largest defense-spending increases in history. 'And by eliminating the sequester and the uncertainty it creates, we will make it easier for the Navy to plan for the future and thus to control costs and get the best deals for the taxpayer,' he told sailors aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford.



Trump described the huge military vessel, which will carry 4,500 personnel and 70 aircraft, as a monument to American might that will provide the strength necessary to ensure peace.



The military requires sustained, stable funding to meet the growing needs placed on US Defense, according to him. 'Many of the aging frontline strike-fighters are often more likely to be downed for maintenance than they are to be up in the sky.'



Trump stressed the need for more aircraft, modernized capabilities, and greater force levels, as well as the need to vastly improve cyber capabilities. 'This great rebuilding effort will create many jobs in Virginia, and all across America, and it will also spur new technology and new innovation.'



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OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Northern Graphite Corporation ("Northern" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: NGC)(OTCQX: NGPHF) announces that it plans to complete a non-brokered private placement of up 8.33 million units at a price of $0.30 per unit for gross proceeds of up to $2.5 million. Each unit will consist of one common share and one half of one common share purchase warrant with each full warrant entitling the holder to purchase one common share at a price of $0.40 per share for a period of two years. The securities to be issued will be subject to a four month hold period from the date of closing and the placement is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. It is anticipated that the net proceeds of the placement will be used to:

1. Finalize operational permitting for the Bissett Creek graphite project; 2. Update the bankable feasibility study for the project to reflect a substantial decline in the CDN/US exchange rate, lower oil prices and more competitive equipment pricing, and to integrate some modifications to the flow sheet; 3. Conduct a pilot plant test of the Company's proprietary purification process which has the potential to provide a substantial competitive advantage in the manufacture of anode material for lithium ion batteries; and 4. Working capital and general corporate purposes.

Finders' fees will be payable on part of the placement and consist of 6.5% in cash, and warrants equal to 6.5% of the units issued with each warrant exercisable to acquire one common share at a price of $0.35 for a period of one year.

This press release is for informational purposes only and shall not be constituted as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the units nor shall there be any sale of the units in any jurisdiction in which such sale would be unlawful.

About Northern Graphite

Northern is a Canadian company that has a 100% interest in the Bissett Creek graphite deposit located in southern Canada, relatively close to all required infrastructure. Bissett Creek is an advanced stage project that has a Full Feasibility Study and its major environmental permit. Subject to the completion of operational and species at risk permitting, which are well advanced, Northern could commence construction in 2017 pending financing. The Company believes Bissett Creek has the highest margin, best flake size distribution and lowest marketing risk of any new graphite project, and has the added advantages of low capital costs and realistic production levels relative to the size of the market.

Gregory Bowes, B.Sc. MBA, P. Geo., a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101, has reviewed and is responsible for the technical information in this press release.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which can be identified by the use of statements that include words such as "could", "potential", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "likely", "will" or other similar words or phrases. These statements are only current predictions and are subject to 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 those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

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:

Northern Graphite Corporation

Gregory Bowes

CEO

(613) 241-9959




NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- First Foods Group, Inc. (OTCQB: FIFG) (the "Company"), a fully reporting Company with planned diversified interests in the food and food service industry, is pleased to announce the effectuation of the Company's formal name change from Litera Group, LLC, to First Foods Group, Inc.

The name change was approved by the Company's Board of Directors and its majority shareholder on February 15, 2017 and the stock is now trading under the ticker "FIFG."

"We are most pleased to see our business model appropriately aligned with our corporate name and trading symbol," said Harold L. Kestenbaum, Chairman and interim CEO of First Foods Group, Inc. "I believe we have assembled an exceptional team of industry veterans and creative thinkers to explore an array of opportunities and I expect to provide updates on a number of projects in short order."

Kestenbaum brings to First Foods Group a wealth of experience and c-level relationships in the franchise industry. As a lawyer who has specialized in franchise law and other matters relating to franchising since 1977, Kestenbaum previously served as general counsel and Director to Sbarro, Inc., the national franchisor of more than 1,000 family-style Italian restaurants and served as president and chairman of the board of FranchiseIt Corporation, the first publicly traded company specializing in providing business franchise marketing and consulting services and equity financing to emerging franchise companies, which he also co-founded. He has also advanced the franchise successes of leading brands including Nathan's Famous, Five Guys Burgers, Bagel Boss and more. (For a full list of clients visit http://franchiseatty.com/clients/)

"We are also pleased to announce that Integrity Media has been retained to handle our interaction with current and prospective shareholders, financial media, and other members of the financial community. Integrity Media has a long history of increasing transparency, quality of communication, and assisting shareholders of their client companies," added Kestenbaum.

About First Foods Group, Inc.:

First Foods Group, Inc. ("1st Food") was formed to provide management services and funding options for new foodservice brands and menu concepts. First Foods Group, Inc. is also growing its own new concepts, both through proprietary development and through mergers, acquisitions, and licensing arrangements. 1st Food has assembled a team of distinguished food service professionals with experience and success at the highest levels of the industry.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In addition to statements which explicitly describe such risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements labeled with the terms "believes", "belief", "expects", "intends", "anticipates", "will", or "plans" to be uncertain and forward looking. The forward-looking statements contained herein are also subject generally to other risks and uncertainties that are described from time to time in the company's reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

CONTACT:

Investor Relations & Financial Media

Integrity Media

888-216-3595

info@integrityir.com



COMPANY:

First Foods Group, Inc.

201-471-0988

info@firstfoodgrp.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Aumento Capital V Corporation (TSX VENTURE: AMN.P) ("Aumento") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive acquisition agreement (the "Agreement") with WeedMD RX Inc., a corporation existing under the federal laws of Canada ("WMD"), which outlines the terms and conditions pursuant to which Aumento and WMD will complete the transaction that will result in a reverse take-over of Aumento by the shareholders of WMD (the "Transaction"). The Agreement was negotiated at arm's length and is effective as of March 2, 2017.

The Transaction is subject to requisite regulatory approval, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV").

Aumento is incorporated under the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) with its registered and head office in Toronto, Ontario. It is a capital pool company and intends for the Transaction to constitute its "Qualifying Transaction" as such term is defined in the policies of the TSXV. Aumento is a "reporting issuer" in the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta.

Since the Transaction is not a non-arm's length transaction, Aumento is not required to obtain shareholder approval for the Transaction.

Trading in the common shares of Aumento has been halted. It is unlikely that the common shares of Aumento will resume trading until the Transaction is completed and approved by the TSXV.

Conditions to Transaction

Prior to completion of the Transaction (and as conditions of closing, among other things):

-- The parties will prepare a filing statement in accordance with the rules of the TSXV, outlining the terms of the Transaction. -- WMD will obtain the requisite shareholder approvals for the Transaction. -- All requisite regulatory approvals relating to the Transaction, including, without limitation, TSXV approval, will have been obtained.

The Transaction

Pre-Closing Capitalization of Aumento

As of the date hereof, Aumento has 1,939,682 common shares ("Aumento Shares") issued and outstanding and options to acquire an aggregate of 184,832 additional Aumento Shares at an exercise price of $0.60 per Aumento Share.

Pre-Closing Capitalization of WMD

As of the date hereof, WMD's authorized capital consists of an unlimited number of common shares ("WMD Shares"), of which 36,738,573 are issued and outstanding, and another 900,000 which are contractually to be issued upon the occurrence of certain events. WMD also has outstanding securities exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, or other rights to acquire, an aggregate of 1,759,990 WMD Shares at an exercise price of $1.00 per share. WMD has also granted 2,650,000 stock options held by officers, directors and consultants of WMD with each option exercisable into a WMD Share for a period of 10 years at an exercise price of $0.75 per WMD Share for 2,400,000 options and $1.00 per WMD Share for the other 250,000 options.

Concurrent Financing

In November 2016, WMD closed a principal amount $7,600,000 convertible debenture unit financing (the "Convertible Debenture Financing") with a syndicate of agents led by Dundee Securities Ltd., and including Canaccord Genuity Corp. and Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. (the "Agents"). Pursuant to the Convertible Debenture Financing, WMD issued 7,600 units (the "Units"), with each Unit comprised of one debenture (a "Debenture") with a principal amount of $1,000 and 1,333 warrants (the "Warrants"). Immediately prior to completion of the Transaction, the principal amount of the Debentures will be automatically convertible into common shares of WMD at a conversion price of $0.75 per share. The Warrants are exercisable into common shares of WMD at an exercise price of $1.00 per share (upon completion of the Transaction, such Warrants to be exercisable into common shares at an exercise price as adjusted by the Exchange Ratio (as defined below)) for a period of two years from the completion of the Transaction.

As partial consideration for their services, the Agents were issued 352,000 compensation options (the "Compensation Options"). Each Compensation Option will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one unit of WMD at an exercise price of $0.75 for a period of two years from the completion of the Transaction, with each unit being comprised of one common share of WMD and one Warrant (all as adjusted by the Exchange Ratio).

Terms of the Transaction

Aumento will acquire all of the common shares of WMD pursuant to the terms of the Definitive Agreement by exchanging 1.25 common shares of Aumento for each common share of WMD (the "Exchange Ratio").

Directors and Management of the Resulting Issuer

The following are summaries of those individuals considered Insiders of the Resulting Issuer. The summaries include each individual's expected positions with the Resulting Issuer and relevant work and educational backgrounds:

Bruce Dawson-Scully - Chief Executive Officer & Director - Bruce has worked in the Long-Term Care industry for 22 years, most recently for Leisureworld Senior Care Corporation. He brings both management and government relations expertise. Bruce has been the operations lead on 15 large company, government-regulated startups in long-term care and retirement industry. Bruce has experience in international healthcare consulting to Chinese government in Beijing. He is currently serving as Vice President of MICBA, a non-profit organization that supports seniors in Peel. Bruce has also had extensive experience in all aspects of the development of over 15 luxury retirement and long term care facilities across south western Ontario.

Keith Merker - Chief Financial Officer & Director - Keith holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and has over 15 years of experience working as a Finance Professional, with extensive emphasis on emerging growth public and private companies, corporate finance, accounting, business development, mergers/acquisitions and raising funding in the capital markets.

Dr. Luc C Duchesne - Chief Scientific Officer - Luc holds a PhD in plant biochemistry and has published 85 peer-reviewed scientific articles, book chapters and books. He enjoys 30 years' experience in the issues associated with the production and commercialization of natural products. He has taught as an adjunct professor in 8 universities and has acted on the editorial boards of scientific journals and has received multiple science and business awards including the 5NR Award for Leaders in Sustainability. He is a founding director of Autism Canada Foundation. He brings a unique understanding of regulatory compliance, experimental research and production.

Michael Kraft - Chairman & Director - Michael is a visionary and entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in sales, marketing and corporate management, with a strong record of success in both public and private company leadership. He has a formidable international network of industry and government leaders including 10 years of hands-on experience in China and other global markets. Michael has secured in excess of $100 Million in equity financing for projects in China, Latin America, Africa and abroad.

Gail Paech - Director - Gail is a highly focused, seasoned professional with over 25 years of senior executive experience in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She is a former Associate Deputy Minister, Economic Development and Trade and Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health. During her tenure as a senior civil servant, Gail gained the reputation for her ability to head up large-scale, high-profile, provincial initiatives that resulted in system transformation and lasting change in the delivery of core public services. She possesses in-depth knowledge of government decision-making processes, having been responsible for policy formulation of both sector specific and government-wide policies, programs and the regulatory process. As interim CEO of the largest Long Term Care Association in Canada, Gail assisted in the development of consumer-oriented strategy that unleashed the innovation potential of the Long-Term Care sector while generating value for the healthcare system. As President and CEO of a large downtown Toronto hospital, Gail was responsible for implementing strategic direction which successfully repositioned the hospital during the province- wide restructuring program. Gail has considerable experience with a global consulting company where she was National Director responsible for the development and future direction of the healthcare practice across Canada. She conducted large scale health system redesign projects across the country.

David Danziger - Director - Mr. Danziger is a Chartered Professional Accountant and the Senior Vice President of Assurance Services at MNP LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, the fifth largest financial services and accounting firm in Canada. He also leads the firm's Public Markets practice. Mr. Danziger is experienced in management consulting and business advisory services. He was Chief Executive Officer and a director of Aumento Capital Corporation (now Annidis Corporation), a capital pool company that completed its qualifying transaction in June 2011, Aumento Capital II Corporation (now The Intertain Group), a capital pool company that completed its qualifying transaction in February 2014, Aumento Capital III Corporation (now Exo U Inc.), a capital pool company that completed its qualifying transaction in June 2013 and Aumento Capital IV Corporation (now GreenSpace Brands Inc.), a capital pool company that completed its qualifying transaction in April 2015. He is currently a director of Eurotin Inc. (TSXV), Euro Sun Mining Inc. (TSX), Era Resources Inc. (TSXV), Poydras Gaming Finance Inc. (TSXV) and Jackpotjoy PLC (LSE). He graduated with a B.Comm from the University of Toronto in 1978 and was designated a Chartered Accountant in 1983.

Rick Moscone - Director - Rick is a partner at the law firm of Fogler, Rubinoff LLP and acts for several public companies on the TSX and TSX Venture Exchange. Rick obtained an LL.B. from Queen's University and an MBA from Schulich School of Business.

About WeedMD RX Inc.

WeedMD is a licensed producer of medical cannabis pursuant to the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). WeedMD operates a 25,000 square foot, scalable production facility in Aylmer, Ontario with four acres of property for future expansion. WeedMD is focused on providing consistent, quality medicine to the long-term care and assisted living markets in Canada through its comprehensive platform developed exclusively for that industry. WeedMD is dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners and furthering public understanding of the role medical cannabis can play as a viable alternative to prescription medication in relieving a variety of chronic medical conditions and illnesses.

Financial Information

Based on financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2015, audited in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards, WeedMD had a net loss of $2,581,425. As at December 31, 2015, WeedMD had total assets of $3,095,021 and total liabilities of $488,501 and negative shareholders' equity in the amount of $5,596,669.

Sponsorship

Eight Capital has been engaged by WeedMD to act as sponsor in respect of the Transaction.

All information contained in this news release with respect to Aumento and WMD was supplied by the parties respectively, for inclusion herein, and each party and its directors and officers have relied on the other party for any information concerning the other party.

Aumento will issue additional press releases related to the final legal structure of the Transaction, officers and directors of the resulting issuer, sponsorship and other material information as it becomes available.

Completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSXV acceptance and, if applicable, pursuant to the requirements of the TSXV, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be 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. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the terms and conditions of the proposed Transaction; the terms and conditions of the proposed Convertible Debenture Financing; future developments; use of funds; and the business and operations of the resulting issuer after the proposed transaction. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; delay or failure to receive shareholder or regulatory approvals; and the results of continued development, marketing and sales. 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. Aumento and WMD disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Contacts:

For further information regarding

the Transaction, please contact:

David Danziger

CEO

(416) 515-3923

david.danziger@mnp.ca




First Korean IT Services Solutions Provider Recognized for Its Mobile Solution Satisfying the Need for Enhanced Security and User Convenience

Samsung SDS announced it won the GSMA Global Mobile Award (Glomo) in recognition of the company's integrated mobile solution, Samsung Mobile Security Management Suite, at the MWC 2017 in Barcelona, Spain, on February 28 (local time).

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005125/en/

Samsung SDS wins GSMA Glomo Award for Best Mobile Security or Anti-Fraud Solution. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Considered the Oscars of the IT industry, GSMA Glomo Awards are announced during the MWC event every year. This year's nominees were selected from a wide range of mobile solutions, services, and devices introduced to the market in 2016 and evaluated based on their level of innovation and contribution to the mobile industry. Rising above a crowded field, Samsung SDS was recognized as the "Best Mobile Security or Anti-Fraud Solution."

Samsung SDS Mobile Security Management Suite is a powerful, integrated offering that connects NexsignTM, a biometric authentication solution that verifies identity using fingerprint, voice, and facial information, to Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM) to enhance user convenience and tighten security on mobile devices at the same time.

Nexsign is the only PKI-based biometric authentication solution to have achieved Common Criteria certification, while Samsung SDS EMM received the first-ever U.S. Common Criteria certification for both AndroidTM and iOS.

Samsung SDS Mobile Security Management Suite continues to evolve as a leading solution in the public sector and financial services industry, further validating Samsung SDS's reliability, quality, and trustworthiness.

"SDS was honored to receive this world-renowned award for its competence in mobile security that global companies are focusing on," said Won-Pyo Hong, president of Solution Business at Samsung SDS. He added, "We hope to be a good example for many domestic and international businesses that are keen on promoting both security and user convenience."

To learn more about Samsung SDS visit our website.

About Samsung SDS America, Inc.

Samsung SDS America (SDSA) is the U.S. subsidiary of Samsung SDS, a global IT solutions company. SDSA provides purpose-built technology solutions in the areas of enterprise mobility, security, advanced analytics, mobile sales productivity, and training. We enable our customers in the public sector, finance, retail, and other industries to achieve greater freedom, more operational efficiency, and smarter decision making as the driving force for their competitive advantage. SDSA is headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, with offices in Herndon, VA, and San Jose, CA.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005125/en/

Contacts:

Samsung SDS

Diane Carlson, 201-359-4102

d.carlson@samsung.com
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - U.S. forces conducted a series of precision strikes in Yemen against the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula terrorist organization Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said. In a statement, Davis said more than 20 strikes targeted militants, equipment and infrastructure in the Yemeni governorates of Abyan, Al Bayda and Shabwah. Conducted in partnership with Yemen's government, the strikes were coordinated with President Abd Rabuh Mansur Hadi, Davis said. The strikes will degrade the terrorist group's ability to coordinate external terror attacks and will limit its ability to use territory seized from Yemen's legitimate government as a safe space for terror plotting, the spokesman said, adding that targets of the strikes included militants, equipment, infrastructure, heavy weapons systems and fighting positions. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has taken advantage of ungoverned spaces in Yemen to plot, direct, and inspire terror attacks against the United States and its allies, and U.S. forces will continue to work with Yemen's government to defeat the organization and deny it the ability to operate in Yemen, Davis said. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2017) - Molori Energy Inc. (TSXV: MOL) (OTCQB: MOLOF) ("Molori" or the "Company") is pleased to report that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a 25% working interest in certain leases owned and operated by Ponderosa Energy, LLC. This acquisition is in addition to the 25% working interest in certain leases acquired on June 6, 2016 and further builds Molori's interest in the Texas Panhandle region to 79 leases.

The additional properties comprise of 24 leases and 156 wells of which 70 are presently producing. In January 2017 these leases produced an average of 108 barrels of oil equivalent per day ("BOEPD") and in February 2017, production increased to an average of 124 BOEPD.

The terms of the agreement require for Molori to pay 2,000,000 common shares and provide US $1,000,000 in cash at closing, which Ponderosa will apply to its ongoing program of work overs and enhanced production.

Joel Dumaresq, CEO of Molori stated: "In addition to increasing Molori's share of the Ponderosa Energy production, this latest acquisition further fortifies the Company's balance sheet and enhances cash flow. As operator, Ponderosa has outperformed our expectations and we are excited to be expanding our relationship."

The transaction is subject to TSX.V approval.

* Per BOE amounts have been calculated by using the conversion ratio of six thousand cubic feet (6 MCF) of natural gas to one barrel (1 bbl) of crude oil. The BOE conversion ratio of 6 mcf to 1 bbl is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. Given that the value ratio based on the current price of natural gas as compared to oil is significantly different from the energy equivalent of 1:6, utilizing a conversion on a 1:6 basis may be misleading as an indication of value.

About Molori

Molori Energy Inc. is an oil and gas production company with current operations in the Texas Panhandle. Founded in 2011, the experienced management team is aggressively acquiring select properties which provide immediate cash flow and development opportunities, now and in the years ahead. Molori is seizing the opportunity, in the current oil & gas environment, to assemble oil and gas production in nearby and politically safe jurisdictions. Molori is pursuing a business plan, whereby the Company either purchases producing oil and gas assets at highly attractive rates, or in some cases simply takes on existing assets by way of purchasing or assuming default notes from small regional lenders and institutions.

Contact Information:

Joel Dumaresq

CEO and Director

Molori Energy Inc.

(604) 336 3193

joel@molorienergy.com

www.molorienergy.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 NEW RELEASE.

Cautionary Notes Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This News Release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include but are not limited to those with respect to the prices of oil and gas, the estimation of oil and gas resources and reserves, the realization of oil and gas reserve estimates, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, permitting time lines, currency fluctuations, requirements for additional capital, Government regulation of oil and gas operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims and limitations on insurance coverage and the timing and possible outcome of pending litigation. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words 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 statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the actual results of current exploration activities, conclusions or economic evaluations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, possible variations in grade and or recovery rates, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes or other risks of the oil & gas industry, delays in obtaining government approvals or financing or incompletion of development or construction activities, risks relating to the integration of acquisitions, to international operations, and to the prices of oil & gas. While the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, 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 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 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 except as required by law.
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.
Positions the company to deliver next generation autonomous driving solutions

ON Semiconductor Corporation (Nasdaq: ON), driving energy efficient innovations, today announced it is establishing a new sensor fusion design center in Europe. This team has combined experience of more than 1,200 years in silicon design for digital and analog technologies. The center positions ON Semiconductor to extend its market leadership in image sensors for automotive ADAS and viewing applications with new capabilities in imaging and video signal processing for automated driving systems. By combining this design center with its recently acquired mmWave radar technology and design center in Israel, ON Semiconductor is uniquely positioned to provide sensor fusion solutions for next generation highly autonomous vehicles.

"The automotive image sensor market is growing rapidly driven through higher attach rates for ADAS and viewing systems and new applications for image sensors, such as driver monitoring, e-mirror and 360-degree sensing," said Ross Jatou, vice president and general manager Automotive Solutions Division of the Image Sensor Group. "Expanding our design capacity positions us to extend our leadership in established segments and to deliver new, world-class solutions for emerging segments."

The new United Kingdom design center for ON Semiconductor reports directly into the Automotive Solutions Division (ASD) within the Image Sensor Group. The new design center is located in Bracknell, England, and expands a global sensor design footprint that now includes major locations in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, India and Israel.

About ON Semiconductor

ON Semiconductor (Nasdaq: ON) is driving energy efficient innovations, empowering customers to reduce global energy use. The company is a leading supplier of semiconductor-based solutions, offering a comprehensive portfolio of energy efficient power management, analog, sensors, logic, timing, connectivity, discrete, SoC and custom devices. The company's products help engineers solve their unique design challenges in automotive, communications, computing, consumer, industrial, medical, aerospace and defense applications. ON Semiconductor operates a responsive, reliable, world-class supply chain and quality program, a robust compliance and ethics program, and a network of manufacturing facilities, sales offices and design centers in key markets throughout North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific regions. For more information, visit http://www.onsemi.com.

Follow @onsemi on Twitter

ON Semiconductor and the ON Semiconductor logo are registered trademarks of Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC. All other brand and product names appearing in this document are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders. Although the company references its website in this news release, information on the website is not to be incorporated herein.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170307005341/en/

Contacts:

ON Semiconductor

Kris Pugsley, 312-909-0661

Corporate Communications Media Relations

kris.pugsley@onsemi.com

or

Parag Agarwal, 602-244-3437

Vice President Investor Relations and Corporate Development

investor@onsemi.com


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A cross section of the US media hailed President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of the Congress which was marked by a shift in tone, even as he made no major policy changes.



Political observers say that Trump, after reaching the White House with fiery rhetorical attacks and a combative message, pitched his agenda to voters and Congress Tuesday night with language that was much more presidential and traditional in tone. He also issued a call for American renewal in stark contrast to the aggressively nationalist posture he outlined at his inauguration in January.



The White House released a compilation of editorials written on a number of newspapers analyzing the Trump speech.



New York post described it as the best speech of his life and the most remarkable speech in decades by a Chief Executive to a Joint Session of Congress.



'This was Trump's best day in the White House, because for the first time he expressed a desire to unify the country without baiting his speech with insults for his opponents. . This man looked presidential,' says Arizona Republic in its editorial, titled 'The Night Trump Became Our President.'



Springfield Republican wrote an editorial under the banner 'Trump Hits Reset Button With Address to Congress.'



What Americans will take away from Tuesday's address is a president who at last struck an inspiring, even bipartisan tone, according to Minneapolis Star Tribune.



In a welcome departure from his previous public speeches, President Donald Trump delivered a speech that was 'Poised and Disciplined,' Albuquerque Journal wrote.



In Lakeland Ledger's opinion, Trump delivered the most impressive speech of his fledgling political career.



The White House also quoted from the editorials of dailies such as Omaha World-Herald, Tulsa World, Charleston Daily Mail, Washington Times and Providence Journal.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE U.S.

Rubicon Minerals Corporation (TSX: RMX)(OTC PINK: RBYCD) ("Rubicon" or the "Company") announces it has closed its previously reported bought deal private placement financing of 3,895,000 flow-through common shares of the Company (the "Flow-Through Common Shares"), which includes the exercise of the underwriters' option in full, at a price of C$2.57 per Flow-Through Common Share for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of C$10,010,150 (the "Offering").

The Offering was conducted by a syndicate of underwriters led by BMO Capital Markets, Mackie Research Capital Corporation, and TD Securities Inc.

The gross proceeds from the Offering will be used for Canadian Exploration Expenses (("CEE")(within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada)), and the Company will renounce such CEE with an effective date of no later than December 31, 2017.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the account or benefit of a U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

About Rubicon Minerals Corporation

Rubicon Minerals Corporation is an advanced gold exploration company that owns the Phoenix Gold Project, located in the prolific Red Lake gold district in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Additionally, Rubicon controls over 100 square miles of prime exploration ground in Red Lake and approximately 350 square miles of mineral property interests in the emerging Long Canyon gold district that straddles the Nevada-Utah border in the United States. Rubicon's shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (RMX).

RUBICON MINERALS CORPORATION

George Ogilvie, P.Eng., President and CEO

Cautionary Statement regarding Forward-Looking Statements and other Cautionary Notes

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes", "intends", "may", "will", "should", "plans", "anticipates", "potential", "expects", "estimates", "forecasts", "budget", "likely", "goal" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results may or may not be achieved or occur in the future. In some cases, forward-looking information may be stated in the present tense, such as in respect of current matters that may be continuing, or that may have a future impact or effect. Forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements regarding the anticipated use of proceeds of the Offering.

Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and represent management's best judgment based on facts and assumptions that management considers reasonable. If such opinions and estimates prove to be incorrect, actual and future results may be materially different than expressed in the forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Rubicon to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery or throughput rates; uncertainty of mineral resources, inability to realize exploration potential, mineral grades and mineral recovery estimates; actual results of current exploration activities; actual results of reclamation activities; uncertainty of future operations, delays in completion of exploration plans for any reason including insufficient capital, delays in permitting, and labour issues; conclusions of future economic or geological evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents and other risks of the mining industry; delays and other risks related to operations; timing and receipt of regulatory approvals; the ability of Rubicon and other relevant parties to satisfy regulatory requirements; the ability of Rubicon to comply with its obligations under material agreements including financing agreements; the availability of financing for proposed programs and working capital requirements on reasonable terms; the ability of third-party service providers to deliver services on reasonable terms and in a timely manner; risks associated with the ability to retain key executives and key operating personnel; cost of environmental expenditures and potential environmental liabilities; dissatisfaction or disputes with local communities or First Nations or Aboriginal Communities; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; market conditions and general business, economic, competitive, political and social conditions; the implementation and impact of the Restructuring Transaction; our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or obtain adequate financing to fund our capital expenditures and working capital needs and meet our other obligations; the volatility of our stock price, and the ability of our common stock to remain listed and traded on the TSX; our ability to maintain relationships with suppliers, customers, employees, stockholders and other third parties in light of our current liquidity situation and the CCAA proceedings.

Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Rubicon disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Readers are advised to carefully review and consider the risk factors identified in the Company's annual information form dated March 21, 2016 under the heading "Risk Factors" and in other continuous disclosure documents of the Company filed at www.sedar.com for a discussion of the factors that could cause Rubicon's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Readers are further cautioned that the foregoing list of assumptions and risk factors is not exhaustive and it is recommended that prospective investors consult the more complete discussion of Rubicon's business, financial condition and prospects that is included in this news release. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Contacts:

Rubicon Minerals Corporation

Allan Candelario

Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Development

+1 (416) 766-2804

ir@rubiconminerals.com

www.rubiconminerals.com




LONDON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

2016 saw a near-threefold rise in mobile malware detections compared to 2015 - with a total of 8.5 million malicious installations identified. This means that, in the space of just one year, a volume equivalent to 50 per cent of all the malware detected in the previous 11 years (15.77 million in 2004 - 2015) was released. Leading the way were mobile advertising Trojans which now make up 16 of the top 20 malicious programs, up from 12 in 2015. These are the findings of Kaspersky Lab's annual Mobile Virusology report, which also highlights the evolution of mobile banking Trojans. Specialist officers from INTERPOL's Global Complex for Innovation have contributed an analysis of mobile malware on the Dark Web to the report.

In 2016, Kaspersky Lab mobile security products reported:

Nearly 40 million attack attempts by mobile malware, with over 4 million users of Android-based devices protected (vs 2.6 million in 2015)

Over 260,000 detections of installation packages for mobile ransomware Trojans (an increase of almost 8.5 times, year-on-year)

More than 153,000 unique users targeted by mobile ransomware (an increase of 1.6 times compared with 2015)

Over 128,000 mobile banking Trojans detected (nearly 1.6 times more than in 2015)

Advertising Trojan: is your device already rooted?

The most widespread type of Trojan in 2016 was the advertising variety, accounting for 16 of the top 20 malware programs

These Trojans are capable of seizing rooting rights, allowing the malware to not only aggressively display ads on the infected device, often making it impossible to use, but also to secretly install other applications. These Trojans can also buy apps on Google Play.

In many cases, the Trojans were able to exploit previously patched vulnerabilities because the user had not installed the latest update.

Further, this malware simultaneously installs its modules in the system directory, which makes the treatment of the infected device very difficult. Some advertising Trojans are even able to infect the recovery image, making it impossible to solve the problem by restoring the device to factory settings.

Representatives of this class of malicious software have been repeatedly found in the official Google Play app store, for example, masquerading as a guide for Pokemon GO. In this case, the app was downloaded over 500,000 times, and is detected as a Trojan.AndroidOS.Ztorg.ad.

Mobile ransomware: further development

In 2016, 153,258 unique users from 167 countries were attacked by Trojan-Ransom programs; this is 1.6 times more than in 2015.

Modern ransomware overlays windows with demand messages, thus making it impossible to use the device. This principle was used by the most popular mobile ransomware program in 2016 - Trojan-Ransom.AndroidOS.Fusob.

This Trojan mostly attacks users in Germany, the US and the UK, but avoids users from the CIS and some neighboring countries. Once launched, it runs a check of the device language and, after achieving some results, it may stop execution. The cybercriminals behind the Trojan usually demand between $100 and $200 to unblock a device. The ransom has to be paid using codes from pre-paid iTunes cards.

Mobile banking Trojan: a skyrocketing threat

In 2016, over 305,000 users in 164 countries were attacked by mobile banking Trojans, compared with over 56,000 users in 137 countries the previous year.

Russia , Australia and Ukraine are the top 3 countries affected in terms of the percentage of users attacked by mobile banking Trojans relative to all users hit by mobile malware.

Mobile banking Trojans continued to evolve through the year. Many of them gained tools to bypass the new Android security mechanisms and were able to continue stealing user information from the most recent versions of the OS. At the same time, the developers of mobile banking Trojans repeatedly enhanced their creations with new capabilities. For instance, the Marcher family, in addition to implementing the usual banking applications' overlay, redirected users from financial institutions' websites to phishing pages.

The Dark Web delusion

According to specialist officers from INTERPOL's Global Complex for Innovation, who have also contributed to the report, the Dark Web remains an attractive medium for conducting illicit businesses and activities. Given its robust anonymity, low prices and client-oriented strategy, the Dark Web provides a means for criminal actors to communicate and engage in commercial transactions, buying and selling various products and services, including mobile malware kits. Mobile malware is offered for sale as software packages (e.g. remote access Trojans - RATs), individual solutions and sophisticated tools, like those developed by professional firms or, on a smaller scale, as part of a 'Bot as a Service' model. Mobile malware is also a 'subject of interest' on vendor shops, forums and social media.

"In 2016, the growth in the number of advertising Trojans capable of exploiting super-user rights continued. Throughout the year, it was the top threat and we see no sign of this trend changing. Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the fact that most devices do not receive OS updates (or receive them late), and are thus vulnerable to old, well-known and readily available exploits. Moreover, we see that the mobile landscape is getting a little crowded for cybercriminals, and they are beginning to interact more with the world beyond smartphones. Perhaps in 2017 we will see major attacks on IoT components launched from mobile devices," concludes Roman Unuchek, Senior Malware Analyst at Kaspersky Lab USA.

To learn more about the mobile malware evolution in 2016, read the blog post available at Securelist.com.

About Kaspersky Lab

Kaspersky Lab is a global cybersecurity company founded in 1997. Kaspersky Lab's deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company's comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialised security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky Lab technologies and we help 270,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them.

Learn more at www.kaspersky.co.uk

Editorial contact:

BerkeleyGlobal

LaurenWhite

kasperskylab@berkeley.global

Telephone:+44-(0)-118-909-0909

1650ArlingtonBusinessPark

RG74SA,Reading



KasperskyLabUK

StephanieFergusson

Stephanie.Fergusson@kasperskylab.co.uk

Telephone:+44-(0)-771-410-7292

2KingdomStreet

W26BD,London


VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Alset Energy Corp. (TSX VENTURE: ION) ("Alset" or "the Company") is pleased to report on recent laboratory results. This work tested leaching characteristics of soils, or unconsolidated salar infill material, collected at three of the Company's lithium-rich salars in Mexico. These tests were done to better understand the recovery potential of lithium. The results demonstrate 79%, 86%, and 97% Lithium ("Li") recovery using a weak acid leach and are summarized in Table 1.

Allan Barry Laboucan, President and CEO of Alset Energy stated: "After we received very encouraging lab results on the chemical compositions of 30 historical samples (see Alset PR December 7, 2016), our team is now delighted that we have passed another important milestone with the recovery of up to 97% of the lithium from soil samples using a weak acid leach. This shows that our salars soils are a promising source of lithium that warrants further investigation. Our next major milestone will be the granting of drill permits - these applications are well underway. The goal of drilling will be to better understand the historical work conducted to date, to explore for brines within the salars and provides an opportunity to collect new soil samples to further investigate the lithium recovery potential from this material. The body of historical results are significant to our investigation and are currently being interpreted. We are also excited to announce that we have entered into a consulting agreement with Synexus (Pty) Limited ("Synexus") as we move forward in investigating cost-effective process options for the recovery of lithium and other values from the salars."

Synexus is unique in their utilization of membrane separation technology for the selective recovery of lithium. Membrane technology has significant advantages compared to traditional evaporation pond-type lithium recovery methods, amongst others; dramatically reducing production time, higher recovery rates, mitigating challenges associated with higher Mg/Li ratios, and allows recovery of other values found at economic concentrations within our salars.

Table 1: Lithium Results

Activation Laboratories - Report Number: A16-13646 (report dates: 2/2/2017; 21/2/2017; 22/2/2017)

4-Acid Digestion Composite Sample Number Salar Li (ppm) -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------- COMPOSITE A16-10795 (1-10) Santa Clara 464 COMPOSITE A16-10795 (11-20) La Salada 1460 COMPOSITE A16-10795 (21-30) Caliguey 1040 Weak Acid Leach Recovery Li (ppm) (%) ------------------------------- ------------------------------- 368 79 1250 86 1010 97

Lithium head assay results range from 464 to 1460ppm Li, which closely mirrors of recent and historical results. The weak acid leachate results range from 368 to 1250ppm Li representing 79 to 97% recovery of lithium from soils.

In addition to the encouraging lithium leach results potassium ("K") leach results, summarized in Table 2 indicate this value may represent a by-product with economic significance. The potassium head assays range from 24700 to 41000ppm K. The weak acid leach demonstrated a recovery of 40 to 82%, or 15500 to 20300ppm K.

Table 2: Potassium Results

Activation Laboratories - Report Number: A16-13646 (report dates: 2/2/2017; 21/2/2017; 22/2/2017)

4-Acid Digestion Composite Sample Number Salar K (%) K (ppm) ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- COMPOSITE A16-10795 (1-10) Santa Clara 4.1 41000 COMPOSITE A16-10795 (11-20) La Salada 2.47 24700 COMPOSITE A16-10795 (21-30) Caliguey 3.84 38400 Weak Acid Leach Recovery K (%) K (ppm) (%) -------------------------------- -------------------------------- 1.97 19700 48 2.03 20300 82 1.55 15500 40

These results are considered preliminary investigations into the leaching characteristics of the soils, or unconsolidated salar infill material. The favorable Li recoveries using a weak acid leach indicate further sampling and leach testing is warranted. Selected results of interest are reported; the complete table of results will be posted on Alset's website or can be obtained by request.

Methodology: In order to achieve representative leach results of material from the Santa Clara, La Salada and Caliguey salars, one composite sample was created for each salar. The composite sample was created by combining material from thirty historical samples that were collected during historical sampling efforts completed by LitioMex (2009-2011) and submitted to Activation Laboratories (Zacatecas, Mexico and Ancaster, Ontario) in 2016 for geochemical evaluation and X-ray diffraction analysis (see Alset NR October 4, 2016 and Alset NR December 7, 2016). Upon completion of these analyses, the remaining material was used to create composite samples by mixing and homogenizing ten samples from each salar into one composite sample to represent each salar. A portion of the sample was then analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) procedure with a four-acid total digestion to determine the geochemical composition or "head" grade. The remaining material from each composite sample was divided into two aliquots, one was leached with hot water and the other with weak acid (aqua regia). Both leachates were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine their composition.

Emily Hanson, PGeo, Vice-President of Exploration for Alset Energy Corp., is the qualified person responsible for this release and has prepared, supervised and approved the preparation of the scientific and technical disclosure contained within the release.

About Alset Energy (ION.V)

Alset Energy is a TSX-V listed junior exploration company focused on exploring and acquiring mineral properties containing the metals needed by today's high-tech industries. The Company is actively exploring in Mexico and Canada.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Alset Energy Corp.,

Allan Barry Laboucan, President and CEO

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.

Allan Barry Laboucan

(604) 505-4753

www.alsetenergy.ca




LONDON, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario)

A new incubation program, BURST, will provide 30 innovative technology entrepreneurs in southwestern Ontario with the skills they need to succeed now and in the future.

Today, Kate Young, Member of Parliament for London West, and Peter Fragiskatos, Member of Parliament for London North Centre, announced that FedDev Ontario is providing TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario with up to $1.32 million to deliver the new program. Through TechAlliance's BURST, companies will receive mentoring and business guidance, seed funding, exposure to potential investors and access to a dedicated working space in Western University's Discovery Park.

As entrepreneurs establish and grow their businesses with help from this program, it is expected that up to 45 new full-time jobs will be created.

Building on London's history of innovation in health sciences, a unique partnership with the London Medical Network will also be established to help eligible medical technology companies receive funding.

The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario.

For more information on this program, funded through FedDev Ontario's Investing in Business Innovation initiative, please see the backgrounder.

Quotes

"The support that TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario provides for businesses in this region is invaluable. The Government of Canada is proud to help TechAlliance expand its offerings to include access to seed funding, which is critical for early-stage businesses."

-- Kate Young, Member of Parliament for London West

"FedDev Ontario's support for TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario is helping local entrepreneurs develop their business skills and launch promising start-up companies. With a focus on commercializing medical technologies, this incubation program builds on this region's strengths and resources in the life sciences sector."

-- Peter Fragiskatos, Member of Parliament for London North Centre

"The BURST program will unite many of the services and resources available to the city's entrepreneurs in a whole new way, representing a unique and exciting opportunity for London. We appreciate the support from FedDev Ontario and the London Medical Network to help give 30 companies an opportunity to succeed, create jobs and bring new revenues into the city's economy."

-- Marilyn Sinclair, President & Chief Executive Officer, TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario

Quick Facts

-- TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario is a not-for-profit corporation that offers services to help start, grow and connect companies, at all stages of growth, in many industries including digital media, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and clean technology. -- TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario was founded in 2002, and in 2010 it was integrated as one of the 17 Regional Innovation Centres (RICs) established within the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE) program. -- TechAlliance serves companies in its catchment area of Lambton, Huron, Elgin, Middlesex, and Oxford counties. -- This project will leverage up to $900,000 in matching funding from companies participating in the program. Eligible medical technology companies will receive the required matched funding from the London Medical Network.

Related Products

Backgrounder: FedDev Ontario's Contribution to TechAlliance's BURST Program

Associated Links

Investing in Business Innovation initiative TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario TechAlliance's BURST Program

Backgrounder

Through the Investing in Business Innovation initiative, FedDev Ontario is providing TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario with a non-repayable contribution of up to $1.32 million to deliver the BURST program. This new incubator program will provide skills development opportunities, mentorship and access to capital to innovative early-stage technology companies in southwestern Ontario. As entrepreneurs establish and grow their businesses with help from this program, it is expected that up to 45 new full-time jobs will be created.

TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario will run the BURST program in three cohorts.

Each BURST recipient will receive:

-- Up to $30,000 in seed financing, matched by the business; -- Up to $10,000 in training, mentoring and business guidance; and -- Access to dedicated working space at Western University's Discovery Park.

Eligible technology companies from the life science, medical device and health information fields will be provided with the required matched seed funding of up to $30,000 from the London Medical Network.

Mentoring and training will focus on four fundamental pillars needed for a successful company: market validation, company structure, intellectual property and investor readiness.

Local organizations, such as Leap Junction, the Centre for Imaging Technology and Commercialization, the Ivey International Centre for Health Innovation and the Southwestern Ontario Angel Group will refer start-up companies to the program and provide expertise to BURST participants.

Each cohort will conclude with a Demonstration Day, where participants will showcase their technologies to potential investors and industry representatives.

Applications are now being accepted for the first cohort. For further details, including how to apply, please see the BURST website.

About TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario

TechAlliance offers services to help start, grow and connect companies in many industries including digital media, the life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and clean technology. These services include access to valuable expertise, seed funding, educational programs and workshops, industry-specific events, and a comprehensive membership program.

London Medical Network

The London Medical Network is a new initiative, bringing together the city's world-class medical and healthcare practitioners, researchers and academics. The Network is a cross-discipline, world-class enterprise that will initiate and translate medical discoveries into market-ready health care solutions, contributing to a healthier world and a wealthier local economy.

FedDev Ontario's Investing in Business Innovation Initiative

The Investing in Business Innovation (IBI) initiative aims to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in southern Ontario. It helps new entrepreneurs become investment-ready through seed financing and skills development. It helps early-stage businesses with a product or service to further develop and bring it to market.

Related Products

News Release: FedDev Ontario Invests $1.32 Million to Support 30 Companies and Create Jobs

Contacts:

Media Relations

FedDev Ontario

416-954-6652

fdo.mediarel-relmedias.fdo@canada.ca

Toll Free: 1-866-593-5505

www.FedDevOntario.gc.ca




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- North Sea Energy Inc. ("NSE" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: NUK) announces the following:

At the request of IIROC the Company wishes to confirm that the Company's management is unaware of any material changes in the Company's operations that would account for the recent increase in market activity.

About NSE:

The Company, founded in February 2007, is a UK focused oil and gas exploration and appraisal company quoted on the TSX-V. NSE, along with its wholly owned subsidiary, North Sea Energy (UK NO2) Limited, holds a 20% interest in two high impact opportunities in the UK North Sea. These opportunities are the Bagpuss and Blofeld prospects located in blocks 13/24c and 13/25 of the UKCS.

Forward-looking statements

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "forecast", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information.

In particular, there can be no certainty that analysis of the hydrocarbons and reservoir will result in commerciality being established. Factors which may cause commerciality not to be established include risks and uncertainties such as analysis concluding that the hydrocarbons are not of a commercially interesting grade, logistical challenges associated with extracting in the North Sea, oil prices, access to financing (for a full list of risks please refer to our financial statements and management discussion and analysis filed on www.sedar.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.

Contacts:

North Sea Energy Inc.

Ian Lambert

CEO

416-366-4700

ilambert@northseaenergy.ca

www.northseaenergy.ca




Technavio analysts forecast the global carbon nanotube (CNT) marketto grow at a staggering CAGR of almost 22% during the forecast period, according to their latest report.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005030/en/

Technavio has published a new report on the global carbon nanotube (CNT) market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global CNTmarketfor 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of CNTs worldwide.

The production capacities of CNTs will expand due to their growing demand. Factors such as the need to enhance the efficiency of electronic and semiconductor products, high use of CNTs in the aerospace and defense sectors, and the need to increase the efficiency of energy-sector-related devices are driving the market.

Request a sample report: http://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=56756

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

Technavio hardware and semiconductoranalysts highlight the following three factors that are contributing to the growth of the global CNT market:

Advantages due to physical properties

Potential to replace other materials

Rise in production capacities

Advantages due to physical properties

The structure of CNTs is closely related to graphite, which is traditionally made by stacking sheets of carbon on top of another. These sheets can easily slide over each other. CNTs are made by rolling these sheets into a cylinder, with their edges joined. This structure offers extraordinary electrical, mechanical, optical, thermal, and chemical properties to CNTs.

Sunil Kumar Singh, a lead embedded systems analyst at Technavio, says, "Being a carbon-based product, CNTs are not vulnerable to environmental or physical degradation issues. Due to this advantage, CNTs are in high demand and are used in multiple applications such as medicine, aerospace and defense, electronics, automotive, energy, construction, and sports

Potential to replace other materials

CNTs have the potential to replace the key materials in some industries such as semiconductor and energy. Research centers are developing CNTs that can be used in solar cells as an alternative to silicon, which is the key material used in producing electricity from solar energy. By using CNTs instead of silicon, the conversion efficiency of solar cells can be enhanced.

"CNTs have the potential to replace indium-tin-coated films, which are fragile and expensive. These films are used in liquid crystal displays, solar cells, organic light-emitting diodes, touchscreens, and high-strength materials like bulletproof vests and hydrogen fuel cells used to power cars," adds Sunil.

Rise in production capacities

Production capacity for CNTS for 2015 was 4,567 metric tons globally. MWCNT dominates this market space due to its low production cost and high-scalability. Whereas, SWCNT still has issues with scaling up the volume produced and reduced the cost. Techniques available for CNT production such as substrate-free growth and substrate-bound growth while deploying vapor-solid-solid (VSS) and vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) are widely adopted for catalyst-based synthesis.

Many CNT vendors are investing heavily in new production facilities to meet the growing demand from sectors such as consumer goods, electrical and electronics, energy, healthcare, automobile, and aerospace and defense. Among countries, China has increased the production of CNTs backed by high government funding for nanomaterials.

Top vendors:

Cnano Technology

Nanocyl

Showa Denko

Browse Related Reports:

Global Carbon Fiber Market 2016-2020

Global Advanced Composites Market 2016-2020

Global Nanofiber Market 2016-2020

Become a Technavio Insights member and access all three of these reports for a fraction of their original cost. As a Technavio Insights member, you will have immediate access to new reports as they're published in addition to all 6,000+ existing reports covering segments like displays,lighting, and sensors. This subscription nets you thousands in savings, while staying connected to Technavio's constant transforming research library, helping you make informed business decisions more efficiently.

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/20170303005030/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 630 333 9501

UK: +44 208 123 1770

www.technavio.com
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2017) - Grizzly Discoveries Inc. (TSXV: GZD) (OTCPK: GZDIF) (FSE: G6H) ("Grizzly" or the "Company") has issued the first payment of shares to AGORA Internet Relations Corp. ("AGORA") pursuant to a "shares for services" advertising agreement with AGORA (the "Agreement") announced on February 23, 2017. The TSX Venture Exchange has accepted the Agreement.

The Company issued 180,800 common shares to AGORA for a deemed value of $9,040 based on the closing price of the Company's common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange on March 1, 2017. The deemed value includes $1,040 in HST.

The Agreement requires additional share payments to AGORA in common shares of the Company with aggregate value of $32,000 plus HST in equal quarterly installments with the next payment due subsequent to June 1, 2017. The common shares have been issued to AGORA in reliance upon available prospectus exemptions and are subject to restrictions on trading until July 3, 2017 in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

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 GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC.

Grizzly is a diversified Canadian mineral exploration company with its primary listing on the TSX Venture Exchange with 52.6 million shares issued, focused on developing significant Potash assets in Alberta and its precious metals properties in southeastern British Columbia. The Company holds over 235,000 acres of precious-base metal properties in British Columbia; more than 205,000 acres of properties which host diamondiferous kimberlites in the Buffalo Head Hills region of Alberta; and metallic and industrial mineral permits for potash totaling more than 250,000 acres along the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.

On behalf of the Board,

GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC.

Brian Testo

CEO, President

Tel: (780) 693-2242

For further information, please visit our website at www.grizzlydiscoveries.com or contact:

Nancy Massicotte, Investor Relations

IR PRO COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Tel: 604-507-3377

Toll Free: 1-866-503-3377

Email: ir@grizzlydiscoveries.com

www.irprocommunications.com

or

Ian Lambert

COO, Grizzly Discoveries Inc.

Tel: 416-840-9843

Email: ilambert@grizzlydiscoveries.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.



Caution concerning forward-looking information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This information and statements address future activities, events, plans, developments and projections. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information and statements are frequently identified by words such as "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and similar terminology, and reflect assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management of Grizzly in light of its experience, current conditions, expectations of future developments and other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking information and statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause Grizzly's actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information and statements and accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed thereon.

Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary include but are not limited to the availability of financing; fluctuations in commodity prices; changes to and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including environmental laws and obtaining requisite permits; political, economic and other risks; as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in our annual and quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis and in other filings made by us with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. Grizzly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements except as may be required by law.
MONCTON, NB -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Bulletproof's Quality Assurance (QA) and Testing Division has signed a Master Services Agreement (MSA) with Intralot USA. This deal will see Bulletproof's Moncton-based Software Quality Assurance & Testing division provide QA & Testing services to Intralot USA's lottery clients.

Bulletproof has a strong, world-wide portfolio of lottery and gaming-based testing clients. The addition of Intralot USA as an anchor client solidifies Bulletproof's market presence, especially in United States-based lottery operations.

Intralot USA Chief Operating Officer Christos Tzoumaras said, "We are happy to see this agreement signed and are eager to move forward. We were looking for a partner like Bulletproof to provide high caliber resources, not only in testing but in lottery domain knowledge, and a best-in-class testing program to increase the quality of our products and services to our clients. This partnership will drive new and repeat business for us while realizing bottom-line results."

Bulletproof Director of QA & Testing Kelly Black said, "We are excited about this partnership with Intralot USA. Securing a deal with a leading gaming solutions supplier and operator, who is active in 57 regulated jurisdictions around the globe, opens many doors and opportunities for Bulletproof to grow and expand operations in Moncton, NB. The opportunity to work on best-in-class gaming systems and product solutions and services from Intralot USA will allow us to further build upon our technical capabilities. This growth will enhance Bulletproof's ability to offer premium testing services to the lottery market."

"Bulletproof is growing. This deal, among others, has resulted in the need for us to expand our Moncton office. This is a further validation for our recent expansion into the United States, and we are excited for what lies ahead," said Bulletproof Vice President of Quality Assurance and Professional Services Greg Doucette. "The Software Quality Assurance & Testing division is currently building a new test lab to house our growing test team and to house test lab equipment. The space is expected to be fully functional in April 2017 and will allow our QA & Test team to double in size and provide full-service, end-to-end testing for all of the team's clients."

To learn more about Bulletproof and the company's current product offerings, please visit www.bulletproofsi.com.

ABOUT BULLETPROOF: Bulletproof was founded in 2000, began operations in 2001 as a Security Consulting Firm, and quickly diversified into offering a wider menu of Information Technology (IT) services with a focus on Professional and Managed Services. Bulletproof's competitive advantage is its agility and responsiveness to its clients, proven track record, and security-centric approach to delivery. Bulletproof executives are approachable, accountable, and committed to client success. For more information, visit www.bulletproofsi.com.

For more information:

Ashley Abernethy

Bulletproof

506-452-8558 ext. 6038

Email: Email Contact




CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- International Frontier Resources Corporation ("IFR" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: IFR)(OTCQB: IFRTF) reported today that it has closed its previously announced private placement (see news release dated January 31, 2017) ("Financing") to raise aggregate gross proceeds of CAD$5,059,085 effective March 3, 2017, which consisted of the sale of 18,068,160 common shares at a price of CAD$0.28 per common share.

The brokered portion of the private placement led by PI Financial Corp. consisted of 8,094,445 shares for gross proceeds of CAD$2,266,445. PI Financial Corp. was paid a commission of 6% on the brokered portion of the Financing.

Concurrently, the Company announced the closing of a non-brokered private placement that consisted of 9,973,715 shares for gross proceeds of CAD$2,792,640. The Company will pay finders fees in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange in the amount of CAD$11,760.00 in respect of the non-brokered portion of the placement.

All shares issued under the brokered placement and non-brokered placement are subject to restrictions on resale expiring July 4, 2017.

"We have received significant interest from institutional and high net worth investors as well as strong support from our shareholders," said Steve Hanson, IFR's President and CEO. "IFR is now fully funded to meet its 2017 work commitments at Tecolutla. We look forward to advancing the development on the block and putting Tecolutla into production with workovers and new wells planned to be drilled this year."

The proceeds from the Financing will be used to fund the Company's minimum work program and under its previously announced license contract for the Tecolutla Block in Mexico (see news release dated August 26, 2016) and to earn into the block. Funds will also be used to participate in the 2.3 bid round auction and for general working capital.

The Tecolutla Block was awarded to joint venture company Tonalli Energia as part of the first round and third call of Mexico's oil and natural gas "mature fields" bid round ("Round 1.3"), the first in almost 80 years. Each of the blocks offered in Round 1.3 attracted multiple bids. (see news release dated May 12, 2016.)

About International Frontier Resources

International Frontier Resources Corporation (IFR) is a Canadian publicly traded company with a demonstrated track record of advancing oil and gas projects. Through its Mexican subsidiary, Petro Frontera S.A.P.I de CV (Frontera) and strategic joint ventures, it is advancing the development of petroleum and natural gas assets in Mexico. The Company also has projects in Canada and the United States, including the Northwest Territories, Alberta and Montana.

The Company's shares are listed on the TSX Venture, trading under the symbol IFR and on the OTCQB under the symbol IFRTF. For additional information please visit www.internationalfrontier.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 or accuracy of this release". The Company seeks Safe Harbor.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes certain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" for the purposes of Canadian securities regulation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the assumption was made. IFR has tried to identify such forward-looking statements by use of such words as "could", "should", "can", "anticipate", "expect", "believe", "will", "may", "intend", "projected", "sustain", "continues", "strategy", "potential", "projects", "grow", "take advantage", "estimate", "well-positioned" and similar expressions, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements.

These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. IFR believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date specified in the statements. By their nature, such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which could cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated, expressed or implied by such statements, including those material risks and assumptions discussed in our most recently filed annual Management's Discussion & Analysis and Annual Information Form.

Therefore, IFR's actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking estimates and if such actual results, performance or achievements transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, there can be no certainty as to what benefits IFR will derive therefrom. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required pursuant to applicable securities laws. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to IFR or persons acting on the Company's behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.

Contacts:

International Frontier Resources Corporation

Steve Hanson

President and CEO

(403) 618-7346

shanson@internationalfrontier.com



International Frontier Resources Corporation

Tony Kinnon

Chairman

(403) 607-6591

tkinnon@internationalfrontier.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Cadillac Ventures Inc. (TSX VENTURE: CDC)(OTC: CADIF) ("Cadillac" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a proposed investment of $900,000 in Cadillac through a non-brokered private placement. The company has negotiated an offer from several independent investors for a total of $600,000 to acquire 12,000,000 units at $0.05 each, with each unit consisting of one common share and one warrant exercisable at $0.07 to acquire one common share for a period of 24 months from closing. A second $300,000 closing is planned for the end of March 2017 for an additional 4,615,385 units at $0.065 per each, with each unit consisting of one common share and one warrant exercisable at $0.08 to acquire one common share for a period of 24 months from closing. A four month hold period will apply to the securities issued. The proceeds from the private placement will be used for general working capital.

Cadillac before the issuance of the units has 52,669,881 common shares issued and outstanding. There will not be any new shareholder of over 10% on the basis of either the share issuance or the exercise of the associated warrants. No current insiders will be participating in the offering. The Company has been advised that no shareholders will be exercising their right of first refusal agreement to maintain their percentage holdings.

A finder's fee will be paid on each closing in cash equal to 7% of the gross proceeds raised and a number of warrants equal to 8% of the units issued, with 960,000 warrants exercisable at $0.07 and 369,231 warrants exercisable at $0.08, each for one shares for 24 months.

Closing of the offering is subject to receipt of all required documentation and TSX Venture Exchange approval. The private placement is scheduled to close in two tranches by March 31, 2016. "Cadillac is very pleased to have arranged this additional private placement with a Chinese investment group. This additional investment reflects we believe an existing Chinese investment base in Cadillac and the impact of improving copper prices. China is possibly the world's largest consumer of copper," stated Mr. Brewster, President and CEO of Cadillac.

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:

Cadillac Ventures Inc.

Norman Brewster

President and Chief Executive Officer

416 203-7722

www.cadillacventures.com




MITCHELL, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- "The members of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Processors Association (OFVPA) look forward to the changes announced by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Jeff Leal today. Working with our grower partners, we believe there is an excellent opportunity for improvement that will benefit the whole value chain," said Steve Lamoure, President of OFVPA.

According to Leal, the government took action to protect the industry, "one that produces high quality food for the consumers of Ontario, contributes positively to our economy, provide good jobs for Ontarians and ultimately, is a decision that supports farmers, processors and consumers for the well-being of the sector and the province of Ontario."

"We look forward to working jointly with the OPVG, their appointed trustee, and our grower partners in putting together the details for this progressive move," Lamoure stated.

Don Epp, Executive Director of the OFVPA added, "Ontario growers produce some of the best product in the world. This is a great opportunity to increase employment, economic investment, and grower tonnage. Working together truly works."

Contacts:

Don Epp, Executive Director

Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Processors Association (OFVPA)

519-498-8105

donaldjepp@gmail.com




WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - March 03, 2017) - Aviation Week & Space Technology has announced the winners of the 60 th Annual Laureate Awards, honoring extraordinary achievements in the global aerospace arena. The winners of the 2017 Laureate Awards were honored last evening at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.

The winners are:

SPACE: Blue Origin, for successful reuse of the New Shepard suborbital booster on a total of five flights, culminating in an inflight abort test on the final mission. Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos accepted the award on behalf of the company. See here for video link to interview with Jeff Bezos.

CIVIL AVIATION: Bombardier, for entry into service of the C Series, the first clean-sheet narrowbody airliner to enter service in more than 20 years.

DEFENSE: DARPA, Naval Air Systems Command and Lockheed Martin, for development of the stealthy Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile to meet an urgent U.S. Navy operational need.

MRO: Lufthansa Technik, for pioneering innovations in MRO, including launch of the Condition Analytics platform combining condition monitoring and predictive analytics.

BUSINESS AVIATION: Wheels Up, the membership air transportation provider, for expanding access to business aviation to a broad range of business and leisure travelers.

TECHNOLOGY: BAE Systems and Gulfstream, for the first commercial active side-stick controller, to be certified in the G500 and G600 business jets.

INNOVATION: Jaiwon Shin, NASA Associate Administrator for Aeronautics, for leadership in developing a compelling strategy to guide U.S. civil aviation research.

HEROISM: The Kenn Borek Air crews that, in a nine-day rescue operation in the extreme cold and darkness of an Antarctic winter, evacuated two people from the South Pole for medical treatment.

THE PHILIP J. KLASS AWARD for Lifetime Achievement

Maj. Gen. Charles Frank Bolden, Jr., (USMC-Ret.), for his nearly 50 years of service as a Marine Corps aviator and test pilot, astronaut and NASA administrator.

John Tracy, for leadership in developing composite primary structures for commercial aircraft during his 35-year career at Boeing, culminating as chief technology officer.

"These winners were selected by our senior editors after a rigorous review of nominations from within the Aviation Week Network and across the global aerospace aviation, aerospace and defense industries," said Aviation Week & Space Technology Editor-in-Chief Joseph C. Anselmo. "They embody the spirit of exploration, innovation and vision that will inspire others to strive for broad-reaching progress."

During the event, four cadets and midshipmen from U.S. military academies were recognized as Tomorrow's Leaders, honoring young men and women who have chosen career paths in the armed forces. They are: Cadet Lieutenant Michael Cremins of Burr Ridge, Illinois who is studying mechanical engineering with a focus in aeronautical engineering at the U.S. Military Academy; 2/c Cadet David Creswell of San Diego, who plans to attend flight school for the Coast Guard, building on the aviation-related activities he has pursued at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy; Midshipman First Class Ryan Speir of LaGrange, Illinois, who studied Aeronautical Engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; and Cadet Colonel Young Yuyang Wu, a senior at the U.S. Air Force Academy majoring in aeronautical engineering.

In addition to the Laureates Awards, Aviation Week & Space Technology hosted a luncheon yesterday honoring the "20 Twenties" in partnership with American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). This program recognizes the accomplishments and drive of 20 science, technology, engineering and math students in their 20s and currently enrolled in a master's degree or bachelor's degree program.

First held in 1957, the Laureate Awards annually recognize great achievements in aviation, aerospace and defense. The event is one of the aerospace industries premier events, drawing several hundred pioneers and through leaders from around the world to honor today's innovators, tomorrow's leaders and individuals who are crossing the finish line of storied careers. For a list of previous winners, click here. Aviation Week & Space Technology is the event's official publication. Media support is provided by Air Transport World and SpeedNews.

Complete coverage of the Laureate Awards is available on http://www.aviationweek.com and in the next issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology. For more information on all Aviation Week events, visit http://events.aviationweek.com. On Twitter, follow @AvWeekEvents, @AviationWeek, AWLAUR.

ABOUT AVIATION WEEK NETWORK

Aviation Week Network is the largest multimedia information and services provider for the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries that has a database of 1.2 million professionals around the world. Industry professionals rely on Aviation Week Network for analysis, marketing and intelligence. Customers include the world's leading manufacturers, suppliers, airlines, business aviation operators, militaries, governments and other organizations that serve this global market. The product portfolio includes Air Transport World, Aviation Week & Space Technology, AC-U-KWIK, Aircraft Blue Book, Airportdata.com, Air Charter Guide, AviationWeek.com, Aviation Week Intelligence Network, Business & Commercial Aviation, ShowNews, SpeedNews, Fleet and MRO forecasts, global maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) tradeshows and aerospace & defense conferences.

ABOUT INFORMA

Aviation Week Network is part of Informa, the international business intelligence, academic publishing, knowledge and events group. Informa serves commercial, professional and academic communities, helping them connect and learn, and creating and providing access to content and intelligence that helps people and businesses work smarter and make better decisions faster.

Informa has over 7,500 colleagues in more than 20 countries and a presence in all major geographies. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Elizabeth Kelley Grace

Elizabeth@thebuzzagency.net

561.702.7471 (m)
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario)

Canadians working for a Mississauga-based manufacturer of telecommunications products will develop faster, more secure ethernet switches and other network equipment as a result of a $750,000 investment from the Government of Canada.

This investment in iS5 Communications Inc. is expected to create up to 12 skilled jobs - nearly doubling its workforce and allowing the company to develop new products that can be sold globally.

FedDev Ontario's funding, through the Investing in Business Innovation initiative, was announced today by the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario and Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Malton.

iS5 Communications provides mission-critical industrial ethernet products to industries, such as the utilities, defence and transportation sectors. The company produces network equipment that is resistant to extreme temperatures, signal interference and cyber attacks. The resilience of these products allows information and data to be transmitted faster and more securely. iS5 Communications Inc. to be the first of its kind to release a unique cyber security platform and technology to operate reliably in temperatures ranging from -40C to +85C without being affected by frequency interference from other sources.

The Government's Innovation Agenda aims to make Canada a global centre for innovation - one that drives economic growth by creating better jobs, opportunities and living standards for all Canadians. This investment is an example of that vision in action.

Quotes

"Where innovation happens matters because that's where the best jobs are located. When companies such as iS5 Communications innovate, they create well-paying, middle-class jobs. And those jobs spin off into more good jobs in every community where innovation happens. That's how innovation leads to a better Canada."

-- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

"I am very appreciative of our federal government's support of Canadian technology companies, which is helping us to thrive and grow as a company. The repayable contribution received from FedDev Ontario will help iS5 Communications Inc. to commercialize our products, including our latest innovation, "Raptor," and optimize our supply chain to improve our competitiveness in the global market."

-- Clive Dias, President and Chief Executive Officer, iS5 Communications Inc.

Quick Facts

-- iS5 Communications Inc., founded in 2012, provides telecommunications solutions for the utility, industrial, transportation, defence and surveillance industries to markets all over the world. -- FedDev Ontario's repayable contribution of up to $750,000 will attract an addition $1.5 million from accredited members registered with the Canadian Venture Capital Association and the York Angel Investors. -- As a result of increased sales and the development of new products, the company will be increasing the number of Ontario based suppliers by 30 percent.

Associated Links

Investing in Business Innovation initiative iS5 Communications Inc.

Subscribe to our news updates and follow us on Twitter @FedDevOntario

Contacts:

Media Relations

FedDev Ontario

416-954-6652

fdo.mediarel-relmedias.fdo@canada.ca

Toll Free: 1-866-593-5505

www.FedDevOntario.gc.ca




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump took to Twitter once again Friday to lash out at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., accusing the Democratic leader of hypocrisy. Trump tweeted an old picture of Schumer eating doughnuts with Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggested there should be an investigation of the Senator's ties to Russia. 'We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite!' Trump tweeted. The tweet from Trump comes as Schumer has called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign following revelations of meetings with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. during the presidential campaign. Schumer has also urged Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Responding to Trump's tweet, Schumer noted that his meeting with Putin took place in 2003 in full view of the press and the public. Schumer said he would happily talk about his contact with Putin and his associates and questioned whether Trump and his team would do the same. 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.
The global cotton market is expected to have a more promising future after consecutive annual declines in overall production. Among all the latest news in the global cotton market, the forecasted world production growth, China's stock plummet and Vietnam's soaring imports are some of this week's hottest cotton topics on BizVibe. BizVibe is the world's smartest B2B marketplace and allows users to connect with over seven million companies around the globe.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005781/en/

The global cotton industry is expected to bounce back in the near future. (Graphic: Business Wire)

World cotton production is expected to rise in 2017/18

After a significant decline, world cotton production is expected to pick up as the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) forecasts that world cotton output will rise by 2% to 23.4 million tonnes in the upcoming financial year 2017/18, mainly due to an increase in cotton planted area around the world.

When it comes to cotton prices, ICAC predicts that average cotton prices are likely to be around 77 cents a pound, due to the downward pressure ahead on cotton prices which should shrink the country's stocks to the lowest in six years.

Connect with nearly 20,000 cotton companies listed on BizVibe

China cotton stocks plummet as government sets to sell its reserves

A huge volume of cotton stocks in China is set to be sold via auctions from March 6th to the end of August 2017. The Chinese government is expected to offer about 30,000 tonnes of cotton a day for sale over the next several months. ICAC predicts that around 2.6 million tonnes of China's cotton stocks will be sold by the government this year.

China's total stocks, including those in the private sector, are estimated to down to around 9.3 million tonnes at the end of this financial year, representing about 53% of world cotton stocks. China's ending stock is likely to further drop by 19% to 7.5 million tonnes by the end of 2017/18, representing for 45% of world stocks.

Connect with nearly 1,300 textiles companies in China listed on BizVibe

Vietnam's soaring cotton imports reflect a growing textile sector

Due to the staggering growth of Vietnam's textile and apparel industry, the demand of raw cotton in Vietnam has had a significant growth over the last six consecutive years, driving the imports of cotton totalling 5 million bales in the 2016/17 financial year, of which over 40% are imported from the US.

Much of Vietnam's growth in cotton product exports has been driven by declines in cotton spinning in China. Today, Vietnam is home to over 100 spinning mills with an estimated capacity of over 900,000 tonnes of cotton-based and man-made yarns. Up to two thirds of Vietnam's cotton imports are spun in foreign-owned mills, with much of it exported to China.

Connect with nearly 35,000 textiles companies listed on BizVibe

BizVibe is home to 50,000+ apparel and textile companies across 200+ countries, covering all sectors. The BizVibe platform allows you to discover the highest quality leads and make meaningful connections in real time. Claim your company profile for free and let the business come to you.

About BizVibe

BizVibe is home to over seven million company profiles across 700+ industries. The single minded focus of BizVibe's platform is to make networking easier. Over the years, we've searched far and wide to figure out how businesses connect and enable trade. That first interaction is usually fraught with the uncertainty of finding a potential partner vs. a potential nightmare. With this in mind, we've designed a robust set of tools to help companies generate leads, shortlist prospects, network with businesses from around the world and trade seamlessly.

BizVibe is headquartered in Toronto, and has offices in London, Bangalore and Beijing. For more information on the BizVibe network, please contact us

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170303005781/en/

Contacts:

Jesse Maida

BizVibe Media Marketing Executive

media@bizvibe.com

www.bizvibe.com
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: AVU) (FRANKFURT: 8AM) (OTC PINK: AVPMF) announces that its partner on the Alvalade VMS copper/zinc joint venture project in the Iberian Pyrite Belt of southern Portugal is in default of the earn-in agreement. Avrupa expects the partner, Colt Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: GTP) ("Colt"), will also be unable to meet required government exploration expenditure requirements on the project, and Avrupa can now either re-purchase the project or dilute Colt.

Avrupa has been working with Colt for the past 14 months to eliminate the issues, but has continued to experience numerous delays in managing the expenditures. Avrupa's largest shareholder invested funds into Colt to pay the Alvalade property license fees in the spring of 2016, as Colt was unable to make that payment. A final extension for payment to Avrupa of all required expenditures was granted to Colt in September 2016, with deadlines set at the end of 2016. These deadlines were not met.

More recently, Colt replaced their president due to internal issues outlined in their news release of January 31, 2017. To date, Colt has still not provided funds for payment of Avrupa's fees, for suppliers' invoices, care/maintenance costs for the project, and now for the 2017 property fees. Colt has not met the 2015 and 2016 annual work plans and expenditure requirements set by the DGEG, the Portuguese mining bureau. Colt has now missed two periods of required project exploration expenditures under the earn-in agreement. In addition, Colt has not made the payments required under their assignment agreement with the former partner, and is in default under that agreement also.

Avrupa is working to ensure that Colt's defaults in funding the work expenditure commitments will not cause Avrupa to lose its interest in the Alvalade license.

Avrupa will provide its shareholders with further updates as the situation progresses.

Avrupa Minerals Ltd. is a growth-oriented junior exploration and development company focused on discovery, using a prospect generator model, of valuable mineral deposits in politically stable and prospective regions of Europe, including Portugal, Kosovo, and Germany.

The Company currently holds nine exploration licenses in three European countries, including six in Portugal covering 3,821 km2, two in Kosovo covering 47 km2, and one in Germany covering 307 km2. Avrupa has three joint ventures, two in Portugal and one in Kosovo, including:

-- The Alvalade JV, with Colt Resources, covering one license in the Iberian Pyrite Belt of southern Portugal, for Zn/Cu-rich massive sulfide deposits. The partner is currently in default under the terms of the JV agreement, and Avrupa is working on a route to consolidation of the program; -- The Covas JV, with Blackheath Resources, covering one license in northern Portugal, for intrusion-related W deposits; and -- Avrupa's partner at the Slivovo Gold Project in Kosovo is fully funding the program, allowing Avrupa to dilute its ownership in the JV operating company Peshter Mining JSC. If AVU ownership goes below 10%, the interest in the project converts to a 2% NSR.

Avrupa is currently upgrading precious and base metal targets to JV-ready status in a variety of districts on their other licenses, with the idea of attracting potential partners to project-specific and/or regional exploration programs.

On behalf of the Board,

Paul W. Kuhn, President & Director

This news release was prepared by Company management, who take full responsibility for its content. Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, a Licensed Professional Geologist and a Registered Member of the Society of Mining Engineers, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has reviewed the technical disclosure in this release. Mr. Kuhn, the QP, has not only reviewed, but prepared and supervised the preparation or approval of the scientific and technical content in the news release.

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:

Avrupa Minerals Ltd.

1-604-687-3520

www.avrupaminerals.com




LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- All amounts in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated

Onex Corporation ("Onex") (TSX: ONEX) today announced it has completed the acquisition of Parkdean Resorts for GBP 1.35 billion. Parkdean Resorts is a leading operator of caravan holiday parks in the United Kingdom. Onex Partners IV and certain limited partners as co-investors made an equity investment of $627 million. Onex' share of the investment as a Limited Partner in the Fund and as a co-investor was $170 million.

About Onex

Onex is one of the oldest and most successful private equity firms. Through its Onex Partners and ONCAP private equity funds, Onex acquires and builds high-quality businesses in partnership with talented management teams. At Onex Credit, Onex manages and invests in leveraged loans, collateralized loan obligations and other credit securities. The Company has approximately $24 billion of assets under management, including $6 billion of Onex proprietary capital, in private equity and credit securities. With offices in Toronto, New York, New Jersey and London, Onex invests alongside its fund investors and is the largest limited partner in each of its private equity funds.

Onex' businesses have assets of $44 billion, generate annual revenues of $29 billion and employ approximately 161,000 people worldwide. Onex shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the stock symbol ONEX. For more information on Onex, visit its website at www.onex.com. The Company's security filings can also be accessed at www.sedar.com.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on management's current expectations and are subject to known and unknown uncertainties and risks, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Onex is under no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein should material facts change due to new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts:

Onex Corporation

Laura Carrigan

Director, Investor Relations

416.362.7711




TORONTO, ONTARIO and ZUG, SWITZERLAND -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- (Unless otherwise provided herein, all dollar amounts in this announcement are expressed in U.S. dollars)

Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited ("Fairfax") (TSX: FFH)(TSX: FFH.U) and Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG ("Allied World") (NYSE: AWH) today announced that they have agreed to extend to March 10, 2017 the deadline by which Fairfax has the option to increase the cash consideration, and correspondingly reduce the "Fixed Value Stock Consideration" under the terms of the previously announced definitive merger agreement entered into by Fairfax and Allied World on December 18, 2016, pursuant to which Fairfax agreed to make an exchange offer to acquire all of Allied World's outstanding ordinary shares.

In connection with the transaction, Allied World will hold a Special Shareholder Meeting on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 where holders of ordinary shares will be asked to consider and vote on: (i) a proposal to amend Articles 8 and 14 of Allied World's Articles of Association to remove the limitation on the voting rights of a holder of 10% or more of its ordinary shares; and (ii) a proposal for Allied World to pay, as soon as possible after the closing of the exchange offer, a special dividend of $5.00 per ordinary share to holders of outstanding ordinary shares as of immediately prior to the closing of the exchange offer and to forgo the $0.26 March 2017 quarterly dividend.

About Fairfax

Fairfax is a holding company which, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance and investment management.

About Allied World

Allied World, through its subsidiaries and brand known as Allied World, is a global provider of innovative property, casualty and specialty insurance and reinsurance solutions. Allied World offers superior client service through a global network of offices and branches. All of Allied World's rated insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries are rated A by A.M. Best Company, A by Standard & Poor's, and A2 by Moody's, and our Lloyd's Syndicate 2232 is rated A+ by Standard & Poor's and AA- by Fitch.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT

This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute or form part of an offer to sell or exchange or the solicitation of an offer to buy, exchange or subscribe to any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, sale or exchange would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This communication is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. No offering of securities shall be made in the United States except pursuant to registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, or an exemption therefrom.

In connection with the exchange offer for all of the outstanding registered ordinary shares of Allied World, Fairfax has filed a registration statement on Form F-4, which includes a preliminary prospectus, and expects to file a Tender Offer statement on Schedule TO (the "Schedule TO"), and may file amendments thereto, and soon thereafter Allied World will file a Solicitation / Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the exchange offer and may file amendments thereto. The exchange offer has not yet commenced. The exchange offer will be made exclusively by means of, and subject to, the terms and conditions set out in, an offer document containing and setting out the terms and conditions of the offer and a letter of transmittal to be delivered to Allied World, filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and mailed to Allied World shareholders. The exchange offer will be made by Fairfax or an affiliate of Fairfax and not by any other person.

The release, publication or distribution of this communication in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which this communication is released, published or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions.

SHAREHOLDERS OF ALLIED WORLD ARE URGED TO READ ANY DOCUMENTS REGARDING THE EXCHANGE OFFER CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE (INCLUDING THE EXHIBITS THERETO) AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXCHANGE OFFER.

The registration statement, the Schedule TO and other related documents in relation to the exchange offer, as well as Fairfax's other public filings with the SEC, may be obtained without charge at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, after they have been filed. Any materials filed with the SEC may also be obtained without charge at Fairfax's website, www.fairfax.ca. This material is not a substitute for the registration statement, the Schedule TO and other related documents in relation to the exchange offer that will be filed with the SEC or sent to shareholders in connection with the proposed transactions.

Any proxy statement and any other relevant documents filed by Allied World with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents and Allied World's other public filings with the SEC, may be obtained without charge at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, after they have been filed. Any materials filed with the SEC may also be obtained without charge at Allied World's website, www.awac.com.

This communication does not constitute an offer or a solicitation in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. An offer will not be made in, nor will deposits be accepted in, any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the laws of such jurisdiction. However, Fairfax may, in its sole discretion, take such action as it may deem necessary to extend an offer in any such jurisdiction.

Participants in the Solicitation

Fairfax and Allied World and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in any solicitation of proxies from Allied World's and, if necessary, Fairfax's shareholders in favour of the proposed acquisition. Information about Allied World's directors and executive officers is available in Allied World's proxy statement dated March 10, 2016 for its 2016 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. Information about Fairfax's directors and executive officers is available in Fairfax's management proxy circular dated March 11, 2016 for its 2016 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, are contained in the definitive proxy statement, the prospectus and other relevant materials filed with the SEC regarding the acquisition. Investors should read the definitive proxy statement and the prospectus carefully before making any voting or investment decisions.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws and are made pursuant to the "safe harbour" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Fairfax, Allied World or the combined company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current views of management of Fairfax and Allied World and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on many assumptions and factors, including general economic and market conditions, industry conditions, corporate approvals, regulatory approvals, operational factors and other factors. Any changes in such assumptions or factors could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. All forward-looking statements attributable to Fairfax and Allied World, or persons acting on their behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth in this paragraph. Undue reliance should not be placed on such statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Such factors include, but are not limited to the risks and uncertainties described in: (i) Fairfax's most recently issued Annual Report which is available at www.fairfax.ca and in its Supplemental and Base Shelf Prospectus (under "Risk Factors") filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com; and (ii) Allied World's most recently issued Annual Report filed on Form 10-K, which is available on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Each of Fairfax and Allied World disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any future revisions to the forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

There can be no assurance that the offer and/or the merger will occur or that the anticipated benefits of the offer and merger will be realized. The completion of the offer and the merger is subject to various approvals, including competition, antitrust and insurance regulatory approvals.

Contacts:

Fairfax

Paul Rivett, President

John Varnell, Vice President, Corporate Development

(416) 367-4941



Allied World

Media: Faye Cook

Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications

(441) 278-5406



Allied World

Investors: Giuseppe Montefinese

Manager, Strategy & Investor Relations

(646) 794-0690




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/17 -- Revelo Resources Corp. ("Revelo" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: RVL) announces that its joint venture partner, Minera Newmont (Chile) Ltda. ("Newmont"), a subsidiary of Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE: NEM), has elected to withdraw from the Montezuma copper project ("Montezuma") in northern Chile and return its earned interest to Revelo in exchange for a perpetual 1% NSR Royalty interest in the project. As a result of signing definitive documentation to this effect, Revelo, consequently, owns 100% of the Montezuma project.

Tim Beale, President and CEO of Revelo, commented: "We are grateful to Newmont for their efforts exploring the Montezuma project. Revelo will focus its efforts over the next calendar quarter to fully understand and reinterpret the extensive database of information available for Montezuma, including re-logging drill core and drill chips, in order to redefine targets for further work. We remain convinced that Montezuma has a series of exciting targets located in the heart of one of the world's principal porphyry copper districts."

For further details of the Montezuma Project please refer to the Montezuma Project page on Revelo's website (http://www.reveloresources.com/projects/montezuma).

Dr. Demetrius Pohl, Ph.D., Certified Professional Geoscientist (CPG), an independent consultant, is the Company's Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosures for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators, and has approved the written disclosure of the technical information contained in this news release.

ABOUT REVELO

Revelo has consolidated an outstanding portfolio of 25 projects prospective for copper, gold and silver located along proven mineral belts in one of the world's top mining jurisdictions - Chile. Revelo's total exposure to mineral tenements in northern Chile is around 300,000 hectares, of which about 60,000 hectares (2 projects) are subject to 3rd party exploration expenditures.

Revelo is a Canadian company and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX VENTURE: RVL). For more information, please visit Revelo's website at www.reveloresources.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Timothy J. Beale, President & CEO

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 STATEMENT

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Revelo expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "indicate" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Revelo 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.

Contacts:

INVESTOR CONTACT: Revelo Resources Corp.

Chiara Orrigoni

Investor Relations Manager

+1 604 687-5544

info@reveloresources.com

www.reveloresources.com




CLEARWATER, Florida, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Enigma Software Group USA, LLC ("ESG") announced that it reached a settlement in the lawsuit it filed last year against Bleeping Computer LLC. The case will now be dismissed. ESG filed suit against Bleeping Computer in federal court in New York on January 5, 2016. The complaint alleged false advertising, defamation, and related claims.

The terms of the settlement are confidential, but Bleeping Computer explained in its press release on the settlement that it has now removed the posts written by its staff member that gave rise to ESG's lawsuit. All of Bleeping Computer's counterclaims in the lawsuit will be dismissed by the court with prejudice, along with ESG's dismissal of the case.

Bleeping Computer had moved to dismiss ESG's lawsuit, alleging that its statements were protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The court rejected that motion in a decision handed down last summer.

Ryan Gerding, a spokesman for ESG, said of the development, "ESG is pleased to put this matter behind us and to get back to making the best anti-malware products on the market. It is unfortunate when litigation becomes necessary, but ESG is grateful to the court for its assistance."

About Enigma Software Group USA, LLC

Enigma Software Group USA, LLC is a privately held international systems integrator and developer of PC security software, with offices in the United States and the European Union. The company's specialties are the development of PC security software, online security analysis, adaptive threat assessment, and detection of PC security threats, as well as malware custom fixes for its millions of subscribers worldwide. ESG is best known forSpyHunter, its anti-malware software product and service. To learn more about ESG, visit www.enigmasoftware.com.

Connect with ESG on Twitter|Facebook|Google+ | LinkedIn|YouTube

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/452052/Enigma_Software_Logo.jpg




Matrix Analytics, a Denver, CO-based provider of a registry software system for hospitals to track pulmonary nodule patients, closes a seed funding round with Mark Cuban.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

The capital will be used to increase distribution of LungDirect.

Led by Christine Spraker, President, and Dr. Aki Alzubaidi, Founder and CMO, Matrix Analytics provides LungDirect, an automatic registry software system enabling hospitals to track lung cancer screening patients and other at-risk pulmonary nodule patients from detection through diagnosis.

LungDirect registers incidental pulmonary nodules and screening patients to a dashboard and makes a user aware of these patients so they can be followed and treated according to standard clinical care guidelines.

FinSMEs

03/03/2017
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (OPC) (TYO: 4578), a global healthcare company headquartered in Japan, is to buy Neurovance, a Cambridge, Mass.-based clinical stage neuroscience-focused company that develops treatments for ADHD, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Under the terms of the deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2017, subject to customary closing conditions, OPC will pay Neurovance $100m up front in cash, plus up to $150m in additional payments contingent on achievement of development and regulatory approval milestones, plus additional future payments contingent on achievement of sales milestones.

Led by Jeff Bailey, Chairman and CEO, and Brian Goff, COO, Neurovance discovered and developed centanafadine (CTN), a triple reuptake inhibitor that represents a novel approach to help adults and children with ADHD.

The company is funded in a venture capital investment by Novartis Venture Fund, Venture Investors, Tekla Capital Management, GBS Venture Partners, State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) and Timothy J. Barberich.

FinSMEs

03/03/2017
Sydney/Singapore: The man who last year made global headlines by claiming to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of bitcoin, is working with a fugitive online gambling entrepreneur to file scores of patents relating to the digital currency and its underlying technology, blockchain.

Craig Wright, the Australian computer scientist who made the Satoshi claim, has the backing of Calvin Ayre, a wealthy Canadian entrepreneur, according to people close to Wright and documents reviewed by Reuters. Ayre has been indicted in the United States on charges of running online gambling operations that are illegal in many US states  an accusation he rejects.

Wrights expertise combined with Ayres support make a potentially formidable force in shaping the future of bitcoin and blockchain, the ledger technology that underlies digital currencies. Wright and his associates have lodged more than 70 patent applications in Britain and have plans to file many more, according to documents and emails reviewed by Reuters and sources with knowledge of Wrights business. The patents range from the storage of medical documents to WiFi security, and reflect Wright's deep knowledge of how bitcoin and blockchain work.

Their total compares with 63 blockchain-related patents filed globally last year and 27 so far this year by multinationals from credit card companies to chipmakers, according to Thomson Innovation.

Neither Wright nor Ayre would comment for this story on their business relationship, details of which are revealed here for the first time, or their goals. But their interest in bitcoin and blockchain highlights two key trends.

First, an increasing number of entrepreneurs believe blockchain, which can circumvent the need for big financial intermediaries, will challenge traditional payment systems. Various banks are investing large sums to explore how blockchain could revolutionise payment systems and cut costs. Bitcoin involves sending payments directly, securely and potentially anonymously between two people's digital wallets, whereas all mainstream transactions, including those using intermediaries like Paypal and credit card lenders, run through banks and usually require named accounts and verification.

Second, blockchain has the potential to defy authorities trying to enforce borders and national regulations  and it already does so in areas such as online gambling.

In internet chatrooms some online gamblers say that using bitcoin enables them to disguise their identity and transactions.

The confidentiality conveyed by the currency is one source of its popularity. Bitcoin hit a record high this week, partly because of speculation that the first bitcoin exchange-traded fund is set to receive US regulatory approval. After a sharp rise this year, the cryptocurrency reached more than $1,200 per bitcoin.

Ayre said last year that he saw a growing convergence of bitcoin and online gambling, according to the website CalvinAyre.com. Documents reviewed by Reuters show Wrights links to online gambling go back decades and that bitcoin grew out of code originally developed with gambling in mind. Early bitcoin code, seen by Reuters and analysed by a computer coding consultant with no ties to Wright or any blockchain-related project, contains unimplemented functions related to poker.

Wrights vision for bitcoin, though, goes much further than gambling, according to his research papers and interview transcripts. It remains unclear whether he is Satoshi Nakamoto or not, and even whether Satoshi is one person or a group of people. But some of the documents, including two folders of computer code for early versions of bitcoin, support Wrights claims that he was closely involved in the development of the cryptocurrency before it became public in 2009.

Whatever Wright's original role, he has suggested bitcoin could have widespread applications. In a paper from November 2015, also reviewed by Reuters, he wrote: The bitcoin blockchain can be scaled up to replace all existing payment system networks to become the world's single global economic infrastructure.

The paper is unpublished, but it gives an insight into the global scope of his plans for the technology. While it's far from clear the two will be successful in their patent applications, bitcoin and patent experts say Wright's project represents the single largest filing of bitcoin-related intellectual property they've seen. "It's certainly bullish," said Justin Hill, a patents expert with law firm Olswang. "With the ambition comes the risk."
The pat by World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva for the positive impact of demonetisation is perhaps the biggest international endorsement that Narendra Modi could have hoped for in recent times. Moreover, her suggestion that other countries should study this move literally makes it a global best practice.

While many economists predicted India would slow down drastically because of demonetisation, Georgieva has said that it will grow at seven percent, a figure close to what Modi government claims.

Georgievas praise is clearly a shot in the arm for Modi and his government; but what it also highlights in the process is the absolute undependability of economists, or rather the macroeconomists who decide our vital economic policies.

Barely a month ago, the World Banks twin, the IMF, had a totally opposite view to that of Georgieva: that demonetisation had hit Indian growth hard and that it would slow down to 6.6 percent from its earlier projection of 7.6 percent. The IMF claimed that it would decelerate the growth even during the next fiscal year by about 0.4 percentage point.

Its not just the IMF, but also many other international economists who had similar opinions. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen was rather harsh when he said that demonetisation was a gigantic mistake, a despotic decision, and Modis Napoleon moment. Former prime minister and an ex-IMF economist Manmohan Singh called it a mammoth tragedy and predicted that the economy would slow down by at least two percentage points, twice as much as the IMF had predicted. Another World Bank veteran, Kaushik Basu said it would fail. The Marxist government in Kerala said that demonetisation affected 56 percent of its economy.

On the other hand, there were a host of experts such as Jagdish Bhagwati, Arvind Panagariya, Arvind Virmani and Bibek Debroy, who studied and practised the same discipline of economics in similar national and international organisations, with a diametrically opposite view. According to them, it was a bold step and would only have a positive impact. They even questioned the facts and assumptions that the other camp relied on. The star professor-economist from Harvard, Gita Gopinath appeared unclear how it would pan out.

Even while factoring in the competing schools of thought, the politics, the changing variables and the inherent unpredictability of the subject, this division is disconcerting because ultimately our economic policies  both national and provincial  are formulated by economists. If the famed practitioners of a discipline that claims a fair amount of scientific rigour are way off the mark  notwithstanding what they predict  do we even need them to play with our policies, or rather our lives?

From the divided opinions, predictions and emerging data, all of their scientific premises look speculative - a bizarre equal probability game deciding the most vital aspect of our public policy. What Cambridge economist and popular author Ha-Joon Chang said a few years ago that economics, as it has been practised in the last three decades, has been positively harmful for most people" appears prophetic.

Its time that we took the modelling, calculations, predictions and opinions of the economists with a pinch of salt. Probably this is why the great American mathematician Norbert Wiener called economics a one or two digit science. According to him, one shouldnt take the mathematical formulae they use seriously. Just as primitive peoples adopt the Western modes of denationalised clothing and of parliamentarism out of a vague feeling that these magic rites and vestments will at once put them abreast of modern culture and technique, so the economists have developed the habit of dressing up their rather imprecise ideas in the language of the infinitesimal calculus.

What bothers one is the absolute authority with which one makes assertions, that too involving precise numbers. Stating the limitations upfront is an ethical prerequisite for any research, and statistical and methodological artifacts are unavoidable features of scientific studies; but none of these economists care even to nuance their predictions. Its strange that they jump into conclusions when the fact of the matter is that their science is extremely unreliable for many reasons such as the inability in undertaking controlled studies, bad data, excessive faith on a certain political philosophy and unpredictable behaviour of people. Thats why post-demonetisation, we get Manmohan Singh speculating a two percentage point reduction in growth and the World Bank predicting a positive impact.

And this chasm will make politicians smirk, exactly the way Modi did early this week when he made fun of intellectuals from Harvard and Oxford buoyed by the strong growth figures that maintained India as the worlds fastest growing economy. This fuzziness helps people like him manipulate our biases.

The real calamity in the process is the truth. In the end, who was right? The doomsayers or the Pollyanna? Or the uninformed vassals? Will we ever know? Are these growth figures for real and the science behind them sound? If its indeed a game of chances, as it turns out to be now, should we really trust these hallowed economists?

As Ha-Joon Chang wrote in his best seller "23 Things They Dont Tell You About Capitalism", Good economists are not required to run good economic policies. The economic bureaucrats that have been most successful are usually not economists. During their miracle years, economic policies in Japan and (to a lesser extent) Korea were run by lawyers. In Taiwan and China, economic policies have been run by engineersIn the old industrial countries such as Germany and France too, its the quality of engineers and designers, not economists.
New Delhi: The GST levy may go up to 40 percent after the GST Council proposed raising the peak rate in the Bill to 20 percent, from the current 14 percent, to obviate the need for approaching Parliament for any change in rates in future.

The model Goods and Services Tax Bill will replace the clause which states the tax rate "not exceeding 14 percent, with "not exceeding 20 percent" when it comes up for debate in Parliament during the second phase of Budget session beginning next week.

The change in the peak rate will not alter the 4-slab rate structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 percent agreed upon last year for the moment, but is only a provision being built into the model law to take care of contingencies in future, two officials in the know told PTI.

The revised draft of model GST law, which was made public in November 2016, provides for a maximum rate of tax under the new regime at 14 percent (14 percent central GST and an equal state GST, taking the total to 28 percent).

"There shall be levied a tax called the central/state goods and services tax (CGST/SGST) on all intra-state supplies of goods and/or services... at such rates as may be notified by the central/state government... but not exceeding 14 percent on the recommendation of the Council and collected in such manner as may be prescribed," the draft law states.

Officials said this will now be changed to say the rate will not exceed "20 percent".

The GST Council, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and comprising representatives of all states, has agreed to keep the upper band of the rate in the law at 20 percent.

"For the moment, we will not tinker with the rate structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 percent. The GST Council has decided to keep the upper cap higher at 20 per cent so that in future in case of need to hike tax rate, there is no need to approach Parliament for a nod and the GST Council can raise it," the officials said.

This means the central GST and state GST can be up to 20 percent each, leaving the scope for a maximum levy at 40 percent.

"The 4-tier rate structure that has been decided will hold for now. By keeping the upper cap at 20 percent, we are just keeping an enabling provision which the Council can exercise at a later date after deliberation," the officials added.

Mirroring the model GST law, the CGST, the SGST and the UTGST law will be firmed up by the Centre, states and Union Territories, respectively.

The Centre plans to introduce in Parliament the Central GST (CGST) Bill in the forthcoming session beginning March 9.

After it is ratified, the states will introduce the State GST (SGST) Bill in their respective legislative Assemblies.

The central and state officials will soon start the exercise to determine which goods and services should fall in which tax bracket and the same will be taken to the Council for approval soon.

Together with this, they will also decide the goods and services that would attract a cess on top of the peak rate to create a corpus that can be used to compensate states for any loss of revenue from implementation of GST in the first five years.

The government is looking at GST rollout from July 1.
New Delhi: Chinese e-commerce major Alibaba, along with investment firm SAIF Partners, will pump in US $200 million in Paytm's online marketplace unit.

Alibaba Singapore E-Commerce Pvt Ltd will invest US $177 million in Paytm E-Commerce Pvt Ltd, the demerged unit of digital payments company, One97 Communications that operates under Paytm brand. The remaining amount will come from SAIF, an early investor in One97, according to a filing with the Registrar of Companies.

Post the investment, Alibaba Singapore E-Commerce will have a shareholding of 36.31 percent, while SAIF Partners India will own 4.66 percent in Paytm e-Commerce.

Paytm declined to comment on the matter.

This deal is expected to pave the way for the much-awaited entry of Alibaba into India, where the Chinese firm will go head-to-head with American online retail giant Amazon and homegrown player Flipkart.

Alibaba also has a stake in Indian online marketplace Snapdeal.

Earlier this week, Paytm launched a separate smartphone app and website for its online marketplace called Paytm Mall and is aggressively hiring people for expanding the operations.

One97 Communications has three units -- Paytm E-Commerce, Paytm Payments Bank (payments bank and mobile wallet service) and Paytm Mobile Solutions.
Tata Sons will split a dispute settlement payment of $1.18 billion owed to NTT DoCoMo over the Japanese firm's exit from a telecoms joint venture, leaving it with about two-thirds of the amount to invest in India, a source said.

Both companies are likely to approach India's central bank within 15 days with a plan that will offer to split the payment into two parts, the source, who has direct knowledge of the matter, said.

While Tata Sons will pay the fair value of DoCoMo's 26 percent stake outside India, or roughly $390 million according to Reuters calculations, DoCoMo would need to invest the balance of $790 million in India, either for expansion or other joint ventures, the source added.

It was not immediately clear how DoCoMo would use the money if the plan were formalised.

"DoCoMo at least gets control of the money and can use it for investment in India," said the source, who requested anonymity, as the decision is not final.

Another possible alternative could be that DoCoMo receives the entire payment in India and retains it for future investment instead of repatriating it, a second source close to Tata Sons said.

Any deal is subject to the Reserve Bank of India's approval.

Tata Sons declined to comment. DoCoMo did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment.

Tata Teleservices, a unit of salt-to-software conglomerate Tata Sons, and DoCoMo formed a telecoms partnership in 2009. In the event of an exit, that deal guaranteed DoCoMo the higher of either half its original investment, or its fair value.

When DoCoMo decided to get out in 2014, Tata Sons was unable to find a buyer for the Japanese firm's stake and offered to buy the stake itself, for half DoCoMo's investment of $2.2 billion.

India's central bank blocked Tata Sons' offer, saying a rule change the previous year prevented foreign investors from selling stakes in Indian firms at a pre-determined price.

DoCoMo took the case to a London court and won the arbitration. Tata Sons was asked to pay a penalty of $1.18 billion, which it has deposited with the Delhi High Court in the Indian capital, where the case is being heard.

On Tuesday, Tata Sons and DoCoMo agreed to settle out of court, after a new chairman took charge at the Indian conglomerate. DoCoMo has also agreed to end all legal proceedings against Tata Sons in Britain and the United States for a period of time.
Editor's note: Friday, 3 March 2017, could be the last day in office for Film and Television Institute of India chairman Gajendra Chauhan. His two-year stint was marked by a 139-day strike by students, who protested against what they felt was a politically-motivated appointment of a candidate who was ill-qualified to head the premier institute. As Chauhan's two-year term comes to an end  at this time it is unclear if he will be granted an extension  an FTII student looks back over what his tenure has meant.

The students strike began on 11 June 2015. The FTII I know has a very clear demarcation: Before Strike, and After Strike. And in the After Strike era, things have changed drastically.

When Mr Gajendra Chauhan visited the campus on 7 January 2016, we were protesting outside the gates. Students were arrested by the city police; we spent the whole day at the police station and some of us were beaten up. Now when we think about speaking up against something thats wrong, it is those horrific images that come back to us. Students who are currently on campus tell us that they dont feel free; in that sort of environment, I dont think anybody can work.

Our strike at FTII lasted for 139 days, and in many ways, we did achieve our objective  which was to question what was happening. It was never about  Hum iss bande ko hata kar hi rahenge! If something is wrong, we must ask questions. If you dont ask questions, you arent being a good citizen. And this is something we intend to continue doing in the future as well, with the films w emake and the stories we tell.

When we launched our strike in June 2015, there was a feeling that if we don't speak now, we'll never be allowed to speak again. It was an entirely new experience for us  that if you say something, you're put in this zone, you're labeled as belonging to a particular ideology. Even you yourself don't know that you believe in this ideology, you're branded: Leftist or Naxalite or whatever It was a very disturbing experience. At the same time, it was also very liberating. Liberating, because that was when we found out that whenever we raise our voices, there will be forces that try to suppress us  but there is no reason to fear those forces. We still need to ask questions, we still need to do the right thing.

Gajendra Chauhan's controversial 19-month tenure as FTII Chairman ends on 3 March

Were the fears we had when we decided to strike unfounded? No, I think those fears came true. (A little after Mr Chauhan took over) students requested permission to organise a film festival on gender equality. The director didnt give us approval. Instead, a festival on the Mahabharat was screened (Mr Chauhan has incidentally played Yudhishtir in the TV version of the epic). I have nothing against the Mahabharat, but I think  looking at the current situation  gender equality is more a topic on which people need to be sensitised.

Those of us who participated in the strike were targeted by the administration. The court case filed against 35 of us is still pending. Theres the abuse we faced  when someone calls you an anti-national or a Naxalite, it doesnt feel very good. Of course, thats very common nowadays. But there were more practical issues as well  students who were part of the strike were denied scholarships; they were denied opportunities for exchange programmes. And some faculty members who had supported the students found that their contracts were not renewed.

The independence and artistic liberty we once enjoyed at FTII is no longer there. For instance, the government council is proposing a new rule which seeks to do away with students involvement in the academic council. This is ridiculous. Since the beginning of FTII, students have had a major part to play in the academic council, in selecting, shaping and implementing the syllabus. It's basically the collaboration between students and experts that had made FTII so much better than other places.

Also, if your liberty is taken away, what is the point of a new syllabus or digital equipment? The first responsibility of any art form is that it must represent the truth of our society. If students are not free to do that, then I don't think the new syllabus can help. No matter how good the infrastructure is, when your ideas are not liberated, I don't think any good can come out of it.

If Mr Chauhan considers introducing the new syllabus and digital campus as his achievement, he can do so. But if anyone thinks that just focusing on digitisation will help the artistic work, they are being naive. Because the work of an artist is not based on equipment. Of course equipment provides you better results, but if the thoughts, ideas, ability of free thinking isnt there, how can we expect better quality of work to come out of FTII?

After the FTII protest, many other schools and colleges have raised their voices and questioned the government. And that is very much needed. Many people have asked us, What did your strike achieve? Aap logon ne hunger strike bhi kar liya, par kya mila? Gajendra Chauhan wahin ka wahin hai. Ive stopped explaining to them that the strike was never against one person, it was about a much larger issue. If we look at what is happening in the country right now  from Delhi to Hyderabad  its as though you cannot say a single word without courting controversy. It's not like everybody has a political agenda. We didn't. We didn't have any political affiliation at the time of our strike, or now. We were only fighting for what we believed was right.

Tracking FTII protests: From Gajendra Chauhan's appointment to midnight arrests

People may think that the debate we see going on around us now has nothing to do with FTII. But we feel that it is aligned with what we were saying at the time. It was about expressing your emotions, ideas, to make the films you want to make. Our intention was not to disturb anyone  it was to create a cultural dialogue in which all ideologies can co-exist. Where people with different ideologies can talk to each other, differentiate from each other, without hating each other.

In my last month at FTII, we were celebrating the one-year anniversary of our strike. And we decided then that we would support every student who raises his or her voice in the country. We would stand with them in solidarity.

We do have a lot of expectations from whoever is appointed the next chairperson. We hope that whoever comes next has the right credentials, that they respect the institute and understand artistic sensibilities. There are lots of pending issues too that need resolving, pertaining to the staff, the cases against students and revising those new rules and norms that arent in the students best interests. Let's see what happens

With the case against us still pending, I dont know what will happen next. I'm personally proud of my participation in the strike. I believe it is the responsibility of every citizen to speak up when they feel something is wrong. If you stay quiet, if you don't speak up, then you'll see your freedoms being infringed. If not today, then tomorrow  it will affect you. Even if you feel now, this is not my fight, this is not my argument, it is not affecting me, why should I speak about it? This was something we encountered as well, when we were trying to drum up support from students of other institutions for our strike: It's not our fight, it's just one institution, it's your chairman, why should we raise our voices? But now I'm very sure that if you look around, you will feel that it wasn't about one person, it was about a chain of events. Now when their freedoms are also being threatened, these other students also realise how important it is to raise your voice when something bad is happening.

The writer, an FTII student, was at the forefront of the 139-day strike that rocked the campus in 2015
Why is this film 170 minutes long?

Why is this factory worker father in blue overalls wearing so much make up?

Perhaps if father and mother Parker cut down on their make up expenses they would not have to downgrade their daughter Alias school and could afford her school fees, right?

Why do mama and papa Parker treat their oldest child and only daughter like a slave?

Which time period is this film set in?

What is the location? It is Udaipur? Is it Austria? Is Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai set in a fictional place located on the border between the two, where it is hot at one moment and suddenly snowing in another?

Why does princely Vikram Pratap Singhs (Ashutosh Rana) den look like (what I imagine) Totos Garage bar and pub (familiar to Mumbai residents) looks like with all lights on?

These were some questions that came to my mind in the first 40 minutes of watching director Keshav Panneriys film Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai. By the 49th minute, I had abandoned my quest for any real moments between the characters and for a semblance of logic in Amreetaa Roys script.

Admittedly I did question why Supriya Pathak played a Rajasthani royal handmaiden Laxmi with a Gujarati accent. But that was my last question. Thereafter I sank low into my seat and, like persecuted girl child Alia, began to accept my fate.

Suffice to say the action in Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai unfolds in some year and some place where there is a floating palace in a lake and a king who epitomises every chauvinistic male stereotype.

He has his own evil type background music following him as he covets college student Alia (Manjari Fadnnis) and virtually buys her hand in marriage from spineless father Patrick Parker (one bottle of scotch is all it takes).

There is nothing likable about said arrogant King, and Alia continues to be a victim who, with Laxmis help, finally manages to escape to Mumbai with a baby girl in her belly. Theres no return to her old life. No mention again of parents, brother or lost love Alex (Himansh Kohli).

In Mumbai, Alia is mentored by a poet played by Prem Chopra who runs a gossip rag where Alia lands a job. She also finds a guardian angel in NRI millionaire-type Aditya Kapoor (Arbaaz Khan) who takes a shine to Alia.

Luck seems to be on her side at last when Alia lands a job in New York City. We see the NYC skyline with the twin towers of the World Trade Center intact. Unless its a major faux pas, we finally have context  its sometime before 9/11. This is reinforced when the editor of the Manhattan Times deputes Alia to go to the Middle East and report of the state of widows of the Gulf War. The tented military camp is so cute its almost glamping.

The production design team of Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai has pulled out all stops and bypassed all efforts in research and realism.

Do look out for the song shot partly against a green screen, and the chroma key graphics which is like Disneyland but on a hallucinogenic drug high.

A testing film that tries to deliver messages on womens rights, upliftment, female foeticide etc also resorts to dreadful and offensive attempts at comedy via characters such as Silly Lilly, a bimbo secretary, and an exaggeratedly effeminate waiter.

Clearly funds were not an issue for Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai since sections have been shot on location in Rajasthan and in the USA. But time and energy should have been devoted to script development, editing, directing and applying logic.

Theres only so much Fadnavis  who works so hard to deliver a sincere performance  and her two portly leading men, can do to distract us from all the flaws and the feeling of regret at having lost three precious hours of ones life.
Sanjay Dutt is currently in Agra, shooting for his upcoming film, Omung Kumar's Bhoomi. TV reports have now claimed that violence has erupted on the set of the film, near Taj Mahal.

A complaint has been filed against Dutt'a guards in Taj Ganj Police Station in Agra, for manhandling journalists who were present to cover the shoot. TV reports are claiming that atleast 5 journalists have been severely injured.

Sanjay Dutt's guards beat up journalists, 5 severely injured pic.twitter.com/TPhi46TOVl  NewsX (@NewsX) March 3, 2017

According to sources from Firstpost Hindi, the row began due to the massive turnout on the sets of Bhoomi. The film was being shot in the VVIP lane of Taj Mahal, and a massive crowd had appeared. When journalists went to cover the chaos of the sets, reportedly Sanjay Dutt's guards and bouncers attacked them. Sources from the location have claimed that it was Dutt himself that signaled his guards to take charge, but this has not been documented yet.

A couple of days ago, Times of India reported that the shoot of the film had to be stalled due to massive, unruly crowds that had gathered on location.

It is being reported that the journalists who have been attacked have now filed an FIR against Dutt and his guards. Here is a copy of the letter:

A few videos have emerged from the location, where chaos broke out between Sanjay Dutt's guards, and the crowd gathered. In the video, Dutt is seen trying to take stock of the situation.

While the release date of Bhoomi has not been officially confirmed yet, it will be Sanjay Dutt's first film in years as his last outing was Rajkumar Hirani's science fiction satire PK, in which he played the supporting role of a traditional Rajasthani band member.

Indian Express reports that Bhoomi will be a revenge drama, and it costars Aditi Rao Hydari, who plays Dutt's daughter in the film.
BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, who in January triggered an uproar by posting a video on Facebook alleging the poor quality of food served, has posted another video. In the new video, Yadav claimed to have been persecuted by the forces for exposing the corruption and has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene.

Yadav alleged in the video that his phone was taken away on 10 January and it may have been tampered with to show that he has contacts in Pakistan. "However, I request you not to believe any of these false rumours until I make a video myself, BSF jawan said in the latest video.

He appealed to the prime minister to come out in his support as he is being targeted for exposing corruption. Yadav said, "I want to ask the prime minister that despite exposing the substandard quality of food, why am I am being tortured mentally?"

Yadav adds that he was following prime minister's goal of eradicating corruption when he uploaded the first video. I request all of you to ask the prime minister if this is what a jawan gets in return for exposing corruption?, Yadav said.

A BSF spokesperson said that a probe was still on, adding that no harassment was meted out to Yadav. He is not in any confinement or being tortured. An investigation is under way about his earlier claims and proper action will be taken after the probe is over, the spokesperson said, according to The Indian Express,

The new video started circulating on WhatsApp around five days ago. Now, it has found its way to social media. The video was shot when his wife went to meet him in Jammu, following a petition in this regard in the Delhi high court. The curtains shown in the video are the ones put on the windows of the Jammu guesthouse where the meeting took place in the second week of February, said a senior Border Security Force (BSF) official, according to Hindustan Times.

Hindustan Times reported the official saying, When his wife went to meet him, she presented him a new phone that he is using. No work has been assigned to him and there are no restrictions on his movement also. There is due process of inquiry and his voluntary retirement application cannot be processed now due to pending inquiry against him.

According to CNN-News18, both the BSF and the Ministry of Home Affairs have serious doubts about Tej Bahadur's motives behind airing his grievances on social media.

A top official in the Home Ministry, to which all paramilitary forces report, told CNN-News18 that he would have recommended the dismissal of Tej Bahadur for continually flouting the rules and posting videos on social media. "We don't interfere in the day-to-day management of the force. That is the BSF DGs prerogative. But if I were the DG, I would have dismissed him. You can't breach discipline repeatedly," the official said.

Tej Bahadur Yadav had on 9 January posted a video on Facebook which showed a meal box comprising a watery soup-like dal, which he said had only turmeric and salt and a burnt chapatti. He had said this is what jawans were served at mealtime on duty at places including the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and that jawans often went to bed on an empty stomach. He had also alleged that the senior officials illegally sold off the food supplies meant for the troopers.

Pursuant to the video going viral on the social media, the Prime Minister's Office had sought a detailed factual report on it from the Union Home Ministry and the Border Security Force (BSF).

A PIL was also filed in the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the government to depute higher officers to supervise cooking of proper healthy food and its distribution. It sought a status report regarding the quality of food served to soldiers along the LoC.

The high court had issued notice on the petition to various paramilitary forces, including the BSF, seeking their stand on the allegation of poor quality of food being served to the troops. It had also directed BSF to produce before it the investigation report and the steps taken with regard to the allegations levelled by the BSF jawan.

Meanwhile, the Home Ministry has taken strong exception to the fresh video of Yadav and has asked the BSF to look into it as part of the inquiry. According to India.com, senior ministry official said Yadav has crossed the line of discipline and broken service rules by posting the second video.

The BSF in its preliminary enquiry had dismissed Bahadur's allegations. The final enquiry report is expected in three weeks.

The trooper faces an inquiry on various charges, including indiscipline. His plea for voluntary retirement was also rejected by the authorities.

With inputs from agencies
Almost three and half years after Narendra Dabholkar's murder, the CBI has announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for the two wanted accused and Sanatan sadhaks  Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar. The duo has been absconding ever since they were named in the 2009 Madgaon blast case. Interpol had even issued a Red-Corner notice against them. Meanwhile, SIT has questioned the founder of Sanatan Sanstha  Jayant Athavale.

Dabholkar was shot dead on 20 August, 2013 by two men on motorcycle on Vitthal Ramji Shinde Bridge in Pune. Activists and family members of Dabholkar had demanded a probe into the role of the Right-wing extremist group  Sanatan Sanstha. The case was initially being investigated by Pune police, but they failed to reach any conclusion. They had released the sketches of two suspects based on information from witnesses and CCTV footages. It was Dabholkar's son Hamid who noticed that the sketch of one of the suspects resembled Akolkar. The family moved the high court and filed a writ petition demanding that the investigation takes place under the supervision of the court. The case was then transferred to the CBI. However, there has been no significant development made in the investigation until now.

On 16 February, 2015, Govind Pansare and his wife Uma were shot near their home in Kolhapur when they were coming back from their morning walk. Pansare succumbed to his injuries on 20 February, 2015.

Sameer Gaikwad, a member of the Sanatan Sanstha, was arrested in Sangli by SIT in September. Though this brought the sanstha under scanner, there was no progress made in the case after the arrest. Kannada writer MM Kalburgi was shot dead last year in a similar manner. The families requested the court that all three agencies investigating these cases should work in collaboration. The investigators turned their focus on the Sanatan Sanstha, looking into their call record details, locations of sadhaks, their links etc.

In June last year, the CBI searched the houses of Sanatan sadhaks  Virendra Tawade in Panvel and Akolkar in Pune. They retrieved some data from their emails and hard disks. Following these raids, Tawade who is also a member of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, was arrested in connection to the Dabholkar murder case. This was the first arrest made in the case. Police soon found his links to the Pansare murder case. He became the prime accused in both the cases. A witness from Kolhapur, also a former member of the sanstha, met CBI officials and revealed the links  it was a breakthrough moment in the case.

According to the chargesheet, Tawade  an ENT specialist  was associated with the sanstha since 2000. Tawade first worked as the district coordinator in 2000 and was later appointed as the district head. He went on to work as the state head of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti from 2005. He had organised demonstrations against programmes organised by Dabholkar and Pansare. According to a witness account mentioned in the chargesheet, Tawade had asked Akolkar to show him firearms. He also asked the witness if he can produce similar firearms. He also ordered Akolkar and Pawar to conduct a recce and allegedly conspired the murder of Dabholkar and Pansare. The witness account further said that Akolkar and Pawar (who according to the NIA have been absconding since 2010) were residing in Kolhapur for almost one and half months. The chargesheet also revealed that Tawade has been communicating with the duo via emails and used code words like chocolate for bullets and books for firearms. He had also contacted Gaikwad on the day of Pansare's murder. The chargesheet also mentioned a list compiled by the suspects that included names of people doing 'anti-religious' work and whom they planned to murder. They have been charged under IPC 120(b) and 302.

Akolkar and Pawar were both residing at the santha's Goa ashram before the Madgaon blasts and have been absconding since their names came up in the investigation. According to the chargesheet, they are the ones who fired the shots at Dabholkar and Pansare. Dabholkar's picture with a cross mark on it was published in the Sanatan Sanstha's publication Sanatan Prabhat. A week after the killing, an article applauding the murder was published.

"We are probing into the whereabouts of the absconding accused. We have also questioned the sanstha chief and probed into the operations of the organisation," said Sanjay Kumar who is leading the special investigation team.

It has been a long wait for Dabholkar and Pansare's family. The CBI announcement has given them fresh hope. "We have been demanding that the CBI collaborate with the NIA and expand their search for Akolkar and Pawar. The authorities have finally published a notice. If they had expedited the investigation after murder, then Pansare and Kalburgi might have been alive today," Dabholkar's son Hamid told Firstpost. "We hope the investigating agencies nab them soon. It is an important development and the CBI should act fast. As long as they are roaming free, they remain a threat to the rational thinkers of the country," he added.

Pansare's daughter-in-law Medha said, "We have been constantly following up the case and things are moving because of the pressure from the court. They have finally declared Akolkar and Pawar as absconding in Dabholkar case. But SIT has still not done this in the Pansare case, though both of them have been named as the prime accused in the chargesheet. We hope that they do it soon now." She also expressed concern about the constantly changing investigating officers. " If a dedicated team is appointed, they will be able to concentrate on the investigation," she added.

Sanatan Sanstha has denied these allegations. Abhay Vartak, their spokesperson, said, "The SIT came to the sanstha ashram in Ramnathi (Goa). They held discussions with Virendra Marathe, a trustee of the sanstha. The sanstha has always cooperated with the investigations and will continue to do so."

The sanstha claims to be a non-profit organisation and their main objective is to present spirituality in scientific language and guide the seekers.

The next hearing of the case is scheduled for 17 March. Investigating agencies are likely to submit the details of the probe to the court. But will this lead to any conclusion? Not till these two absconding accused are arrested, say the family members.
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) on Friday declared Vector Bank (Kyiv) insolvent, the central bank has reported on its website.

Decision No. 112-rsh/BT was made by the NBU board on March 2 over the large reduction of liquidity of the bank and submission of untrue statistics reports.

The NBU said, referring to the statistics report of Vector Bank, that ending stocks on its correspondent account in the central bank is critical: as of March 1, 2017 there were UAH 76,000 on it or 0.1% of the bank's liabilities.

The only owner of the bank did not provide for the financial support to prevent bank's insolvency.

When Vector Bank was placed on the list of troubled banks facts of hiding the unsettled transactions of clients in accounting reports were established.

"Thus, Vector Bank is not able to implement legal claims of creditors in the full amount and in the terms approved over a lack of funds," the NBU said.

The central bank said that 95% of depositors of the bank  852 depositors  would receive their deposits in the full amount, as their size is equal or less than the guaranteed sum of UAH 200,000.

The Individuals Deposit Guarantee Fund will pay around UAH 77.7 million.

As reported, the NBU registered Vector Bank on January 31, 2014.

Early August 2016, the founder of Digital Space IT company Andriy Pekal became the full owner of the bank.

The bank ranked 86th among 93 operating banks as of January 1, 2017, in terms of total assets worth UAH 203.834 million, according to the National Bank of Ukraine.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday expressed grave concern over farmers' suicide due to indebtedness and crop failure and said it felt the government was going in a "wrong direction" in tackling the real problem. Asking the Centre to apprise it of the policy roadmap to address the burning issue, a bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar said the issue of farmers' suicide was of "extreme importance" and paying compensation to the families of such victims "post-facto" was not the real solution.

"This issue is of extreme importance. Tentatively, we feel that you are going in a wrong direction. Farmers take loan from banks and when they are unable to repay, they commit suicide. The remedy to the problem is not to pay money to farmers after the suicide, but you should have schemes to prevent this. "Farmers' suicides have been happening for so many decades and it is surprising that no action has been taken to address the causes behind suicides." The bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul, said "if the matter is moved on a right track, a lot can be achieved" and fixed the plea for further hearing on 27 March.

Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that the government has initiated many schemes for farmers and the 2015 crop insurance scheme would drastically reduce such fateful incidents. The ASG said other schemes also needed to be strengthened to make farmers feel that the government would stand behind them in distress. The court was hearing the plea, filed by NGO 'Citizens Resource and Action and Initiative' on the plight of farmers in Gujarat and suicide committed by many there. The bench had expanded the scope of the petition to the entire country.

Advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the NGO, said that government policies have been existing since long but the main issue was to implement the schemes on the ground. He also referred to the studies conducted by renowned agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan and eminent journalist P Sainath on farmer suicides and suggested that they may also be asked to put forth their recommendations and views. The PIL was confined to Gujarat had sought compensation to the families of 619 debt-ridden farmers who had allegedly committed suicide since 2003.

The NGO had also sought a direction to the state to pay compulsory financial aid of Rs 30,000 per hectare to the farmers who had suffered crop failure. It had challenged the July 10, 2013 order of the Gujarat High Court dismissing its plea for compensation and alleged that the farmers were being neglected by the state government. Earlier, the apex court had indicated that the suicides may be linked to certain inherent deficiencies in the National Policy for Farmers, 2007, which may be revisited.
President Pranab Mukherjee delivered the sixth KS Rajamony Memorial Lecture in Kochi on Wednesday.

The president talked about the importance of reasoned discussion and debate in universities in India, the country's growth rate and the importance of discussions in the Parliament and state legislatures.

Here is the full text of the president's speech:

I am happy to be in Kerala to deliver the 6th Memorial Lecture in honour of eminent lawyer and former Member of the Kerala Public Men Inquiry Commission, Shri KS Rajamony.

I have visited Kerala many times in different capacities during my public life. It has been the gateway to India for traders and religious missionaries from different parts of the globe. The people of Kerala are known for their progressive thinking. The States impressive achievements in the field of literacy, education, health, gender equality, tourism and culture have brought it global acclaim.

The Kerala High Court, its Judges as well as lawyers enjoy high reputation across the country. Luminaries like Justice VR Krishna Iyer made very valuable contributions in delivery of justice to the poor and underprivileged.

The topic of todays lecture is India at 70. This August 15, India will complete seventy years since we became independent. For 50 years before Independence, the economic growth rate of India was 0% to 1%. In the fifties, our growth rate rose to 1  2%, the sixties 3  4% and in the 90s, with economic reforms, to 6 to 7%. In the last decade, our growth rate has averaged around 8%, making us the fastest growing large economy of the world.

Indias population in 1950 was 360 million. Today, we are a 1.3 billion strong nation. Our annual per capita income has gone up from Rs 7,500 at the time of independence to over Rs 77,000. GDP growth rate has risen from 2.3 percent to 7.9 percent in 2015-16. Poverty ratio has declined from over 60 percent to less than 25 percent. Average life expectancy has gone up from 31.4 to 68.4 years. Literacy rate has gone up from 18 to 74 percent. Food grains production has gone up from 45 million to an estimated 272 million tonnes in 2016-17.

India led a ship to mouth existence in the early days of independence. We had to survive on import of food grains from abroad. Today, we not only produce enough food grains to feed ourselves but are also exporting the same.

In 1947, we had no industry worth its name. In contrast, today we are the 10th largest industrialised nation in the world. Our technological base as well as network of research laboratories and higher education institutions are looked upon by the world with admiration. Indias space, IT, bio-tech and pharma industries are of a global standard. Only two weeks back, Isro set a world record launching 104 satellites into space at one go, a feat no other country has achieved. We not only reached Mars in our very first attempt but also achieved it at a cost far lower than anyone else in the world.

In the last 70 years, tangible change can be seen in every aspect of our lives. India has transformed itself from a poor under-developed nation into the third largest economy in the world in PPP terms within a short span of seven decades.

Equally important is our success in consolidating the unity of our nation and our democracy in the midst of extraordinary challenges and tremendous diversity. We have firmly established within our country the rule of law, an independent judiciary and vibrant media as well as civil society. We have also created strong institutions like the Election Commission and the CAG who stand as pillars of our political system. Every known religion in the world, over hundred different languages used in everyday life, 1600 dialects and multiple cultures are united under one flag and one Constitution. Around 553 million people voted in the 2014 General Elections, an exercise matched in scale and scope by none else in the world.

Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The most important legacy bequeathed to us by our founding fathers is our Constitution.

A Constitution is a charter for the governance of a nation. The notion of what is good governance must be defined by the need of the times and enriched by the experience of the decades. Yet, the Constitution enshrines certain timeless values that should never be compromised. It is against the touchstone of these values that we must constantly measure our performance.

The Preamble records the resolve of the people of India to secure to all citizens justice  social, economic and political as well as liberty, equality and fraternity. It also establishes the principle of secularism.

Justice  social, economic and political  is in the life of any nation a journey more than a destination. To achieve social justice requires not mere governance but a recasting of mindsets and the transformation of social ethos. That is the job not just of the legislature, the executive or the courts, but of each one of us.

The ultimate goal of any democracy is the empowerment of the individual, irrespective of his economic, religious or social standing. This may appear to be a utopian dream for many, but the strength of a system lies in its capacity to ceaselessly work for its accomplishment. The goal of political justice requires the continuous empowerment of marginalised sections of our society. We owe ourselves to create a system in which access to politics is not limited to a privileged few but an average Indian also feels empowered enough to contribute.

Economic development is vital to good governance. We cannot distribute wealth which we do not possess. Therefore, production of wealth must necessarily be one of the predominant objectives of state policy. However, this must be imbued with the principle of equality on which there can be no compromise.

An egalitarian society can only be created when growth is inclusive. It is important to ensure that there is justice and equality of opportunity and the state does not create conditions in which the privileged few gain at the cost of the multitudes who suffer endemic poverty. A sustainable society can only be based on the principles of equity and justice. The Indian Constitution has been rightly described as a Magna Carta of socio economic transformation.

When India became independent, many in the world thought our democratic experiment would never succeed. They looked at our diversity, poverty as well as the lack of education of our people and predicted that India would lapse into authoritarian rule or military dictatorship. But, the people of India proved these prophets of doomsday wrong.

Yet, we must be conscious of the fact that our democracy requires constant nurturing. At no cost should we allow the exploitation of the fault lines. Those who spread violence must remember that Buddha, Ashoka and Akbar are remembered as heroes in history; not Hitler or Genghis Khan.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I do not consider a society or State to be civilised if its citizens behaviour towards women is uncivilised. When we brutalise a woman, we wound the soul of our civilisation. Not only does our Constitution guarantee equal rights to women but our culture and tradition also celebrate the feminine as divine. Protection and safety of our women and children must be a nationwide priority. The acid test of any society is its attitude towards women and children. India should not fail this test.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

There should be no room in India for the intolerant Indian. India has been since ancient times a bastion of free thought, speech and expression. Our society has always been characterised by the open contest of diverse schools of thought and debate as well as discussion. Freedom of speech and expression is one of the most important fundamental rights guaranteed by our Constitution. There must be space for legitimate criticism and dissent.

Friends,

India was a world leader in the field of education when our Universities like Nalanda and Takshshila were at the height of their glory. Nalanda and Takshshila are not mere geographical expressions but representations of the idea for free thought which flourished in these great Universities of the past. Our premier institutions of higher education are the vehicles on which India has to propel itself into a knowledge society. These temples of learning must resound with creativity and free thinking. Those in Universities must engage in reasoned discussion and debate rather than propagate a culture of unrest. It is tragic to see them caught in the vortex of violence and disquiet.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Our first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, believed that democracy was something deeper than voting, elections or a political form of government. He said, "In the ultimate analysis, it is a manner of thinking, a manner of action, a manner of behaviour to your neighbour and to your adversary and opponent."

Our leaders and political activists must listen to the people, engage with them, learn from them and respond to their needs and concerns. Our lawmakers must never take the people for granted. They must focus on the fundamental task of law making and raising of issues of concern to the people as well as finding solutions to their problems.

Legislation is the first and foremost responsibility of a Parliamentarian. It is most unfortunate that time devoted towards legislation has been gradually declining in our Parliament. To illustrate, the first Lok Sabha from 1952-57 had 677 sittings in which 319 bills were passed. In comparison, the fourteenth Lok Sabha from 2004-2009 had 332 sittings and passed just 247 bills. The fifteenth Lok Sabha had 357 sittings and passed 181 bills while the sixteenth Lok Sabha has had 197 sittings and passed only 111 bills (upto the 10th session).

Figures are available for the time lost due to interruptions/adjournments from the Tenth Lok Sabha (1991-96) onwards. 9.95% of total time was lost due to interruptions in the Tenth Lok Sabha, 5.28% in the Eleventh Lok Sabha, 11.93% in the Twelfth Lok Sabha, 18.95% in the Thirteenth Lok Sabha, 19.58% in the Fourteenth Lok Sabha, a shocking 41.6% in the Fifteenth Lok Sabha and about 16% in the Sixteenth Lok Sabha (upto the 10th session).

Ladies and Gentlemen:

No one who holds any elected office has been invited by the voters to occupy that office. Each one has gone to the voters and pleaded for their votes and support. The trust placed by the people in the political system and those elected should not be betrayed.

Our Legislatures and Parliament must not turn into arenas for combat. Floor tests are not meant to be muscle tests. The opportunity to represent the people is not a right or entitlement but a moral obligation and duty. Our elected representatives owe it to the people of our country to act as models of exemplary conduct.

Friends,

The Parliament of India and our Legislative Assemblies are central pillars on which the edifice of our democracy rests. They are the supreme institutions comprising of members directly elected by our people. It is through them that governments are held accountable by the people. If they become dysfunctional, it results in not just paralysis of those institutions but creates an adverse impact across the system. The debate and discussions which ought to take place in the open in the House of Parliament and Assemblies cannot be replicated elsewhere. When they cease to function effectively, issues spill out onto the streets. The very basis of our democracy gets undermined.

Let me read certain extracts from the well known speech made to a Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949 by Dr BR Ambedkar. He said and I quote:

"however good a Constitution may be, it is sure to turn out bad because those who are called to work it, happen to be a bad lot. However bad a Constitution may be, it may turn out to be good if those who are called to work it, happen to be a good lot. The working of a Constitution does not depend wholly upon the nature of the Constitution. The Constitution can provide only the organs of State such as the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. The factors on which the working of those organs of the State depend are the people and the political parties they will set up as their instruments to carry out their wishes and their politics.

"Will Indians place the country above their creed or will they place creed above country? I do not know. But this much is certain that if the parties place creed above country, our independence will be put in jeopardy a second time and probably be lost forever. This eventuality we must all resolutely guard against.

"..If we wish to maintain democracy not merely in form, but also in fact, what must we do? The first thing in my judgement we must do is to hold fast to constitutional methods of achieving our social and economic objectives. It means we must abandon the bloody methods of revolution. But where constitutional methods are open, there can be no justification for these unconstitutional methods. These methods are nothing but the Grammar of Anarchy and the sooner they are abandoned, the better for us. (Unquote)

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I recall a famous story of Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States. Walking out after conclusion of deliberations of the Constitution Convention of 1787, a lady, Ms. Pomel of Philadelphia asked him "Doctor, what have we got, a Republic or Monarchy? With no hesitation whatsoever, Benjamin Franklin responded, "A Republic, if you can keep it.

The time has come for collective efforts to re-discover the sense of national purpose and patriotism that alone can lift our nation on to the road of sustained progress and prosperity. The nation and the people must always come first. Let us strive to arrest the moral decline in our society and ensure that our core civilisational values find firm root. Let us exert ourselves to strengthen Indias pluralism and diversity. Let us be uncompromising in rooting out violence, prejudice and hatred.

Let us strive for rapid progress but even as we do so, ensure that the benefits of economic progress percolate down to the poorest of the poor and those living in the furthest corners of our country. Let us make the poorest in our land part of the story of a rising India. Let us embrace education, skill development and innovation which will enable us catapult India into the future and build a knowledge economy, riding the technological wave of the 21st century.

I see a very bright future for India. Our Constitutional values, young population and entrepreneurial abilities as well as capacity for hard work provide us the fundamentals required for rapid progress as well as the building of a caring and compassionate society. India has changed dramatically in the last 70 years. I am confident that in the next ten years, we will see even greater progress as we steer our nation, focused on further strengthening our open, democratic and inclusive society.

Thank you,

Jai Hind!
After years of subtle and not-so-subtle attempts to get India to cede control of the Tawang Tract (in Arunachal Pradesh), China has made another play for that territory. Former Chinese diplomat Dai Bingguo was quoted as having told a Chinese daily that India ceding the Tawang Tract to Beijing could set the wheels in motion for an early resolution of the India-China border. This is an offer that has been made to India in the past too, but New Delhi has always declined it.

The unsettled border is one of the biggest sources of disagreement between the two countries and after 19 rounds of talks  a large number of which were chaired by Dai  between special representatives of both countries, a solution appears no closer in sight. That said, this statement by Dai, that comes close on the heels of the first strategic dialogue between the two countries, requires further analysis.

Dai was quoted as having said, "If the Indian side takes care of Chinas concerns in the eastern sector of their border, the Chinese side will respond accordingly and address Indias concerns elsewhere... China and India are now standing in front of the gate towards a final settlement. The gate is a framework solution based on meaningful and mutually accepted adjustments. Now, the Indian side holds the key to the gate."

Which is all well and good for China. After all, Beijing refers to the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, claiming it to be "inalienable from Chinas Tibet in terms of cultural background and administrative jurisdiction". Speaking of this cultural background aspect, it is believed that control of Tawang will tighten China's grip on Tibetan Buddhism.

There are a number of reasons India has rejected this offer in the past and is likely to continue to do so in the future for the following reasons:

First, there's a problem of nomenclature. To India, Tawang refers to a small town in Arunachal Pradesh. Just what China means by the 'Tawang Tract' is as-yet-unknown to India. It could mean the town or it could mean the entirety of Arunachal Pradesh.

Second, there's the strategic importance of the disputed area. Control of Tawang would give China the ability to cut India's North East from the rest of the country.

Third, there's the Bhutan factor. Thimphu has no diplomatic relations with Beijing, and remains one of New Delhi's closest partners in the region. Control of Tawang would give China the ability to flank Bhutan from the East, and allow it to put pressure on the country.

Fourth, there's the message that would go out to Pakistan. Seeing India cede territory to China would send Islamabad the message that New Delhi is in the mood to hand out swathes of land. And this will lead to more trouble in Kashmir.

It is primarily for these reasons that India is unlikely to take China up on this idea.
The number of Indian Muslims is projected to rise to more than 300 million by 2050, making India the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, according to the latest data released by the Pew Research Center, a US-based think tank. The estimated change in the population size worldwide from 2010 to 2050 is projected to be 73 percent for Muslims and 34 percent for Hindus. Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in terms of population currently.

By 2050, India will have the largest populations of two religions in the world: Hinduism and Islam. The actual number of Muslims in India will be about 311 million in 2050, about 11 percent of the global Muslim population. As per the research, rise in the Muslim population is high due to the young median age of 22 and high fertility rates, while 26 is the median age for Hindus in India. In India, Muslim women have 3.2 children per woman on average, while the figure for Hindu and Christian women is 2.5 and 2.3 children respectively.

These population trends may cause anxiety among non-Muslims worldwide, who already appear to be affected by issues involving Islam. For example, the rise of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in the Middle East has caused migrations to Europe, while there are concerns on the nature of Islam itself, as it affects communitarian relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims in many parts of the world. In the streets of London, groups of Islamist men stop non-Muslim couples from holding hands in public, saying it is un-Islamic; European cities are witnessing the emergence of Islamic enclaves where only Sharia laws are practised by Muslims who do not use the local policing and legal systems, and run their own courts.

India is already a Sharia-compliant State in many respects, notably on the issues of marriage, divorce, inheritance and a host of religious institutions as well as a large number of madrassas funded by the secular Indian State.

There are also cultural movements that are affecting the liberty of Muslim women. For example, there were no burqas in the villages and towns of India about two decades ago, but now there is a flourishing trend in favour of them, which appears to be altering the character of Indian society in a fundamental way. By 2050, India's towns will have social enclaves in which Muslims will have their own Islamic lifestyles and distinct Arab food and clothing, which will no longer resonate with the pluralism and co-existence of India of today.

Furthermore, no Indian think tank is presently studying the Arab influences brought in by Muslims working in the Gulf. The new population projection of Indian Muslims will also adversely affect the Muslim-Hindu relations.

India is already holding contentious debates about different issues involving Islam, especially with regards to the arbitrary practice of triple talaq sanctioned by the dominant sections of Islamic clergy in India. There is a fear that the rights to equality and liberty of Muslim women can no longer be protected by the Indian State due to the Muslim community's behaviour, which prevents the State from making substantive policies for Muslims.

Indian Muslims are opposing a movement for equal rights to be legislated as part of the Uniform Civil Code despite not knowing yet what specifics will constitute such a code finally. The rising population changes the Muslim community's political and cultural behaviour. There are regions in India which are being proudly described as "mini-Pakistan" by Muslims, not by Hindus. In the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and many other pockets, Muslims no longer behave as a minority community. In fact, this so-called minority community is electorally assertive and politically demanding, while forcing the majority Hindus to behave as a minority, notably at the election times by wearing caps and courting their minority votes.

Largely due to the incompetence of the Union Home Ministry, whose job it is to shape the country's rule of law, the Indian State too has learnt to bend its law enforcement to suit the Muslims. For example, Hindus such as Kamlesh Tiwari can be arrested for criticising the prophet of Islam, but the Indian State seems to be totally powerless against Islamic clerics who publicly announce rewards for beheading anyone who criticises Islam.

This political behaviour of Indian Muslims, emerging from their growing demography, is also disturbing for another reason: It is difficult for police officers to arrest Muslim criminals hiding in Muslim localities; for such an arrest to be made, the police need to have an entire battalion to enter the locality.

The behaviour of Indian Muslims is overwhelmingly shaped by Islamic clerics, not by mainstream Muslim intellectuals or non-governmental organisations (NGOs) run by Hindus who basically endorse the anti-liberty and anti-women positions of clerics, thereby bearing upon the character of the Indian State and its ability to manage communitarian relationships.

This is complicated by the fact that the world's largest Islamic movements have their headquarters in India. For example, the headquarters of the Barelvi-Sufi Islam is in the town of Bareilly. The global centre of the Deobandi-Wahhabi Islam is in the town of Deoband. The international headquarters of the Ahmadiyya Muslims is in the town of Qadian in Punjab. The global headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat is situated in India's national capital. All of these are revivalist movements in Islam.

With the rising Muslim population, these Islamic groups are becoming more assertive and are also seeking to influence the country's politics by aligning with different political parties whose leaders go on to endorse the Muslim communal behaviour in the name of secularism which basically is pro-Muslim sectarianism in the Indian context.

The Congress party brought in the Right to Education Act, which could have allowed for madrassas to be declared as non-schools, thereby hoping that some educational reforms in the early 6-14 age group for Muslim children could have ensured progressive reform among Muslims.

However, to suit their so-called secularism, the Indian State again went down on its knees and exempted madrassas, which are centres of religious excellence and counter-liberty movements, not educational institutions. This surrender by the Indian State in the case of the RTE Act was similar to the Indian State's surrender before the Islamic clerics in the Shah Bano case, when the behaviour of Indian Muslims prevailed upon the Supreme Court, whose judgement in favour of maintenance for the destitute Muslim was quashed via a parliamentary legislation.

In the coming decades, Indian Muslims' rising population will force the State to behave repeatedly in a similar way, though the Narendra Modi government has signalled some fundamental change in the nature of the State, with its pro-liberty stance on the issues of triple talaq and UCC.

The Pew population projections are for 33 years later. If we look back for roughly the same period in history, we see some templates. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iranian women could wear skirts and participate in public life alongside men. Today, women in Iran are forced wear chador, a type of burqa. Before the arrival of Soviet troops in Afghanistan, the liberal women of Kabul could walk in skirts to colleges and offices. Now, burqas are everywhere.

Freedom of women and minorities has been a major casualty of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran. As a consequence of the Afghan war in the 80s, a number of militant commanders went on to establish their own small militant groups in the Middle East.

The likelihood is that a number of militants fighting in Syria and Iraq will go on to form their own jihadi nuclei in different parts of the world. While democracy emerged from the debris of the World War II and began spreading to the rest of the world, it was only after the Islamic Revolution in Iran that it entered a serious competition against the State-backed theocratic system of Islam.

The rise of increasing overt religiosity among Muslims in India and elsewhere, the supporting role of Indian Islamic movements worldwide and the emergence of the next-generation of jihadis will likely change the character of democracies worldwide.

The problem is that in India, no political party shows any understanding of how to shape a modernist path for Muslims, while the Bharatiya Janata Party remains diffident in tackling Muslim issues.

Former BBC journalist, Tufail Ahmad is a contributing editor at Firstpost, and executive director of the Open Source Institute, New Delhi. He tweets @tufailelif
New Delhi: India on Friday downplayed its participation in an upcoming meeting in Pakistan to discuss various aspects of the Indus Waters Treaty, saying it does not amount to a resumption of government-level Indo-Pak talks, which have been stalled over terrorist strikes by Pak-based groups. Senior government officials insisted the Permanent Indus Commission, which will meet in Lahore later this month, deals with technical matters concerning the implementation of the Indus Water Treaty and not with any political aspect.

India's participation comes nearly six months after New Delhi decided to suspend talks on the pact in the wake of the terror strikes by groups based across the border. Noting that the commission has met 112 times since 1960, they said the Indian representative to the commission has accepted an invitation by his Pakistani counterpart for the meeting.

No date has been set for the meeting."Mutually convenient dates and mutually agreeable agenda are worked out directly by the commissioners themselves and the government has no role in this regard," said a senior government official.

"The commission is not concerned with political aspects," he said, adding that "there is no shift" in the government's stance. Declaring that "blood and water cannot flow together", Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held a meeting in September to review the treaty in the backdrop of the terror strikes, including the Uri attack. After the meeting, officials had announced that the government has decided to suspend further talks and increase the utilisation of rivers flowing through Jammu and Kashmir to fully exercise India's rights under the pact.

The last meeting of the commission was held in May 2015. The commission, which has officials from both the countries as its members, was set up under the 57-year-old treaty to discuss and resolve issues relating to its implementation. The commission is a body entrusted with everyday implementation of the IWT, which mandates it to meet at least once every year, alternately in India and Pakistan.
Srinagar: The Union Home Ministry's decision to authorise Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to procure additional 5000 pellet guns with whooping six lakh cartridges to be used on Kashmiri protesters would only "aggravate the situation" in Valley, noted human rights activists and academicians said.

"I don't think the weaponisation can control the situation in Kashmir, it will only aggravate it," human rights defender and coordinator of Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, Khurram Parvez, told Firstpost.

He said that the central and state governments want to control dissent through violence.

"This shows that the government of India has not come out of the idea of controlling dissent through force and engage in a meaningful dialogue," Parvez said.

According to a report, after the Home Ministry's authorisation for 4,949 pellet guns for CRPF, their total number will rise to 5,589 which will be powered by 6 lakh cartridges. Every CRPF company will be equipped with nine pellet guns.

Hundreds of protesters were blinded partially or completely during last year's turmoil due to the indiscriminate use of pellets by forces. The people hit by pellets in their eyes have to undergo multiple surgeries to correct their vision. Over the years, at least six people have lost their lives by pellet guns.

"I don't understand the logic behind the idea of increasing the number of pellet guns in Kashmir when the use of this so-called non-lethal weapon has already backfired. Is India preparing to blind another generation of Kashmiris?" a political science professor at Kashmir University, who wished not to be named, told Firstpost over phone.

"The Government of India should shun the policy of meeting Kashmiri protestors with weapons. It is a failed policy. It seems that the policy corridors in Delhi are facing intellectual bankruptcy when it comes to think about Kashmir," the professor said.

The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir has banned the use of pellet guns in Valley last year. But both the Union and State Government dishonored the Court decision and went ahead with the use of pellets on protesters during the 2016 anti-India protests in Valley.

"We are yet to hear that the government wants to engage in a dialogue to resolve the dispute of Kashmir. They are worried about the upcoming summer but if they would engage Kashmiri leadership (Hurriyat) in a political dialogue why would people come out on roads?," Khurram said.

He said that the decision to increase the number of pellet guns in Kashmir was a clear policy of militarisation, weaponisation and not politics of resolution.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has also announced the use of modified or 'tweaked' pellet guns to minimise the impact of aluminum pellets on people. However, the people said the "modified" guns won't make any difference.

According to the protocol, the pellet guns or any other crowd control weapons should be aimed at the legs of the protesters to make them less lethal. However, the number of injuries caused by pellets last year in Kashmir only suggest that they were aimed above the waist height, to damage vital parts of the body including head.

"We should not be surprised if many more youth will be blinded by forces this year," a Kashmiri researcher based in New Delhi said.

The modified guns, according to CRPF, would have a 'deflector' fixed to the muzzle so that the shot does not go up the waist height of a protester.

"The pellet guns are one of the many options that we will use when we operate to control protesters in the coming days. PAVA (packed with chilli) shells have a long shelf life and they are good in certain situations. But we have made it clear that the CRPF man on ground will use whatever the situation demands," outgoing CRPF Director General, K Durga Prasad, told PTI.
By Shreya Shah

The economic blockade of the Imphal-Dimapur road and the Imphal-Silchar road, through which most goods are brought into the state, has overshadowed all other issues this election year in Manipur, the north-eastern state with one of Indias highest poverty rates, high youth unemployment, and low growth.

State elections in Manipur, a state half the size of Haryana, with one-third the population of Mumbai, over 30 tribal groups, and six active terrorist groups, will take place in two phases, on March 4 and March 8, 2017.

The economic blockadea manifestation of the states ethnic conflictis the burning problem right now, said Binod Kumai, a research associate with the Institute for Conflict Management, a New Delhi-based nonprofit. Prices of necessary commodities have skyrocketed, with cooking gas cylinders being sold for Rs 1,000 (Rs 651.50 in the national capital) and a litre of petrol for Rs 200 (Rs 71.33 in the national capital), he explained.

People are not able to see beyond the hope of peace, said Pradip Phanjoubam, editor of the Imphal Free Press, on the blockade ongoing since November 1, 2016.

On December 8, 2016, the Manipur government issued a gazette notification dividing seven districts into 14 districts.

The blockade has been imposed by the United Naga Council, which demands the government go back on its decision to create new districts in the hill areas of Manipur, Firstpost reported in February 2017. The group contends that Naga groups were not consulted before the decision, and some new districts divide what Nagas consider their ancestral land.

The government, led by chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, said that new districts will help administer the region better, as the Hindustan Times reported in January 2017. The new districts do not change assembly constituencies.

But the focus on the blockade has pushed other important issues in Manipur to the background.

Low per capita income, unsteady growth

The per capita income of Manipur of Rs 24,042 is one of the lowest in the country, and trends over the last 10 years show a slow increase, and sometimes, even contraction in both the net domestic product and the per capita income of the state, according to information compiled by the NITI Aayog.

Source: NITI Aayog

Tepid growth is also one of the causes of high urban unemployment. As many as 188 out of 1,000 people between the ages of 18 and 29 years in urban areas of Manipur are unemployed, compared to the Indian average of 139 people per 1,000a challenge in a state with 23.3% of its population between the age of 18 and 29 years.

Unemployment should have been a big issue, but isnt because of the blockade, said Phanjoubam, editor of the Imphal Free Press. This election is removed from everyday realities.

Source: Report on Youth Unemployment, 2015-2016, Ministry of Labour and Employment; *Ages 18-29

A third of Manipuris live under poverty line, but good basic-health indicators

Two of those realities appear to be in conflict: Indias third-poorest state also has the countrys lowest infant mortality rate (IMR), which at nine deaths per 1,000 live births is better than Brazil, Argentina and Saudi Arabia, according to World Bank data.

Some reasons for low infant deaths include better medical facilities, more doctors and nurses and women empowerment, as IndiaSpend reported in February 2016. Manipur has one doctor for every 1,000 people, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), and better than the all India average of one doctor for 1,700 people. The trained nurse to population ratio is 1:600 compared to the India average of 1:638.

The number and proportion of people below the poverty line in Manipur has fallen since 2009, but, in 2011-12, over a third of Manipurs population still lived below the poverty line of Rs 1,118 per capita per month in rural areas and Rs 1,170 in urban areas.

Only two statesChhattisgarh and Jharkhandhave a higher proportion of people below the poverty line than Manipur.

Source: Planning Commission reports here and here, Ministry of Development of North-eastern Region estimates

Women in the state are also better off that most in India. A girl born is more likely to be educated; more likely to be working as an adult; more likely to survive childbirth and more likely to not be the victim of crime, than in most Indian states, as IndiaSpend reported in November 2016.

Source: Census 2011; Census 2011; The National Sample Survey Office Report; Regional Institute of Medical Sciences Manipur 2010-11; Sample Registration System Report 2010-12; NCRB Crime in India 2015 Report.

Note: Rankings are among 29 states; they do not include union territories.

These health and gender indicators are high in spite of the insurgency, which began in the 1960s, after Manipur, home to over thirty tribes, became a part of the Indian union.

There are broadly two insurgent demandsone from the Nagas who want Greater Nagaland, a state which would contain parts of Manipur. The Nagas are one of three major ethnic groups in Manipur, along with the valley-based Meiteis and the hill based-Kukis.

The other insurgent group, comprised of the majority Meiteis, wants to secede from India, and form a separate sovereign state. Despite the turmoil, deaths related to the insurgency have fallen.

Reduction in insurgency-related deaths: Down 90% over 10 years

Overall, since 2009, fatalities because of insurgent activity in Manipur have reduced, with a greater reduction since 2012. In 2016, 14 civilians and 11 security officers died, down from 107 civilians and 37 security officers in 2006, according to data from the South Asia Terrorism Portal.

Another issue of contention is the 59-year-old Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), which provides special powers to Indian armed forces in disturbed areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. These include the power to fire, even if it causes death, at any person who breaks a law, including assemblies with more than five people.

The AFSPA also gives an officer the power to arrest without a warrant a person who has committed a cognisable offence (serious crimes for which a police officer can start investigation without permission of the court), or if the officer has suspicions that the person might commit one. An officer working under this Act cannot be prosecuted without the sanction of the central government.

Detractors say it gives armed forces too much power and allows them to act with impunity. Residents have demanded the act be rescinded from Manipur.

Source: South Asia Terrorism Portal

Irom Sharmila, a Manipuri activist who was on a hunger strike against AFSPA for the past 16 years, broke her fast this year, to form a political party with the aim of repealing the Act from Manipur. Her party, Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Naga Peoples Front, are some major parties contesting for a government that has been run by the Congress party for 15 years.

(Shah is a writer/editor with IndiaSpend.)
As campuses are in the midst of a debate on sedition, freedom of speech and expression, president Pranab Mukherjee made a few references to the importance of tolerance. Advocating free thinking in university campuses, President Pranab Mukherjee said students and faculties must engage in "reasoned discussion and debate rather than propagating a culture of unrest."

Giving a speech at the KS Rajamony Memorial Lecture in Kochi, Kerala, he said: "There should be no room in India for the intolerant Indian. India has been since ancient times a bastion of free thought, speech and expression."

His comments come in the backdrop of the ongoing tussle between RSS-affiliate ABVP and Left-backed AISA supporters in the Delhi University and a raging debate over free speech and nationalism following recent tweets of one of the varsity's students Gurmehar Kaur.

Mukherjee also cautioned against the exploitation of "fault lines" in the society, intolerance and attack on women. The views of Kaur, daughter of an army officer killed in action against militants, evoked sharp reaction from Union minister Kiren Rijiju who went on to ask, "who is polluting her mind". Kaur was allegedly threatened with rape on her Facebook page and was mocked by sportspersons and celebrities who questioned her pacifist approach.

He added that India has always been a place where "diverse schools of thought" existed and that "freedom of speech and expression" is one of the key rights given to Indians by the Constitution. "There must be space for legitimate criticism and dissent," he said.

As far as universities are concerned, he referred to Nalanda and Takshashila as "representations of the idea for free thought" and that it is through premier institutions that will help push India into a knowledge society.

"These temples of learning must resound with creativity and free thinking. Those in Universities must engage in reasoned discussion and debate rather than propagate a culture of unrest. It is tragic to see them caught in the vortex of violence and disquiet," he said.

The president invoked Jawaharlal Nehru and said, "In the ultimate analysis, it is a manner of thinking, a manner of action, a manner of behaviour to your neighbour and to your adversary and opponent.

Mukherjee, who has been in public life for almost six decades, advised lawmakers and political activists to listen, engage, learn from people and respond to their needs and concerns. Asking the lawmakers not to take the people for granted, he said they must focus on the fundamental task of law making and raising of issues of concern to the people as well as finding solutions to their problems. "No one who holds any elected office has been invited by the voters to occupy that office. Each one has gone to the voters and pleaded for their votes and support. The trust placed by the people in the political system and those elected should not be betrayed," he said.

"An egalitarian society can only be created when growth is inclusive. It is important to ensure that there is justice and equality of opportunity and the state does not create conditions in which the privileged few gain at the cost of the multitudes who suffer endemic poverty," he added.

Read the full text of the president's speech here.

With inputs from PTI
One civilian was killed and five others, including four CRPF jawans, were injured in a fresh attack on an army unit in South Kashmir's Pulwama district.

The incident was reported from the Muran Chowk area of the Pulwama district, when some militants lobbed a grenade targeting a police party in the area, in which one civilian succumbed to his injuries, while another trooper remains critical, according to The Greater Kashmir.

"Militants lobed a grenade at a security force party in Muran Chowk of Pulwama town," a police official said.

Muhammad Ayoub Wani, who was injured in the explosion, later died from his injuries.

The critically injured jawan has been moved to Srinagar for advanced treatment, while others injured are being treated at the local military hospital.

"The injured paramilitary trooper, identified as Constable Daljit Kiran of 182 battalion of CRPF, has been shifted to hospital," the official said.

Of late, there has been a perceived increase in the incidents of militancy in South Kashmir region in recent months after the end of the summer unrest of 2016. Just days before this incident, three army soldiers and a civilian were killed in the neighbouring Shopian district as militants ambushed an Army patrol party. More then 29 security personnel have been killed, including some in natural calamities, just in the last two months.

The police said that around 100 locals have joined militant ranks in last one year and 59 of them joined after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani was killed.

With inputs from IANS
"Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro saalon ko." This is one of the many such incendiary slogans chanted by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers at a North Campus rally held on Thursday.

Go ahead! Nominate a Nathuram Godse amongst you to shoot them all, hang them at public squares, threaten rape. And you if you can't pull the trigger yourself, put a bounty on their head; just like a RSS worker did on Thursday when he announced a reward of Rs one crore for Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan's head.

But first, we need to decide who the real gaddars (traitors) of India are; who are the real enemies, of not just this great nation, but of humanity?

For starters, here is what President Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday, on the idea of India and its educational institutions: "They must reverberate with creativity and freethinking. They should promote free exchange of views and free expression of thought,"

"We have celebrated diversity. We have never attempted to constrain it, any attempt to replace diversity with uniformity has failed," Mukherjee said at an event on Thursday. He went on to castigate the culture of intolerance in India.

In essence, the president reminded us that India was founded on principles of tolerance, diversity, creativity, free-thinking, freedom of expression and the right to dissent and debate.

So, who then is trying to destroy the basic tenets of the 'idea of India'? Who is muzzling free-thinking, denying fellow countrymen the right to speak freely, disagree and debate? Who is trying to silence independent voices with threats of rape, violence and by using the might of a pliant state?

Who is the real gaddar of India?

India doesn't get weakened when a 20-year-old college student, Gurmehar Kaur, rises above her personal loss, biases and hatred, and speaks up for peace; when she rightly points out that soldiers are killed-in-action because nations fight each other, caught in a vortex of violence and hatred, and not because of the enemy (in this case, Pakistan).

In fact, a nation becomes stronger when people like Kaur show their courage of conviction, stand up for peace and harmony, and fight for ideals and principles they hold close to heart. It shows that India still has people with a conscience, critical thinking and integrity, the pre-requisites for robust growth of humanity.

India gets weakened from within when pseudo-nationalists attack its founding principles like termites. When students resort to thuggery, to disallow others to express their opinion, proving how their minds are closed to new ideas and opinions and that their education  and thus intellectual growth  has stopped.

When chants like ''goli maaro saalon ko" replace civilised, nuanced debates; when doctored videos are used to hound rivals and to brand them as anti-nationals; when wielding a jhanda (National Flag) and shouting 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' become the defining traits of a nationalist; such tendencies become the real threat to India... their perpetrators are the real traitors.

Unfortunately, the current lot of 'traitors' is not just destroying India from within but also attacking the core values of civilisation. In their rabid fury, they are inflicting incalculable harm on principles of equality and justice  the two ideas that shape free, fair and fearless societies.

During his speech, Mukherjee pointed out that the acid test of any society is its attitude towards women and children. "I do not consider a society or state to be civilised if its citizens' behaviour towards women is uncivilised. When we brutalize a woman, we wound the soul of our civilisation," he said.

Consider how these traitors to humanity treated two women during the recent debate in Delhi University. First, they denied Shehla Masood a platform to express her opinion. Then, when Kaur stood up against their goonda-ism, they trolled her, tried to silence her voice with rape threats and jokes mocking her ideals and her father's death.

The defining moment of this cacophony of traitors was the concerted attack by ministers and parliamentarians of the ruling dispensation, questioning her ability to think and speak up independently, comparing her with Dawood Ibrahim. So much for respecting a woman and her rights.

In an Indian Express report, Pratap Bhanu Mehta argues that the Right is actually subverting institutes of higher learning. He writes: "... there is the organised attempt to delegitimise what remains of the public university system. An organised pattern is emerging. Use the 'JNU pretext', as it is now called, to unleash the ABVP or, in some cases, university administrations, to harass, intimidate and engage in violence."

This, Mehta argues, is being done to create a conflict and then use it politically. Mehta fears the demise of the Central universities because of the way the Right is asserting itself.

The ABVP and its ideological mentors are attacking the core foundations of India  diversity, debate, dissent and freedom. They are attacking the basic principles of civilisation, of treating women with respect and equality. And, by becoming a political tool, they are destroying the very system  public universities  they claim to protect.

Who then is the real traitor? Perhaps the ABVP should keep a few mirrors handy when it chants the next time: 'Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro saalon ko'.
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) does not support the creation of the export-credit agency, NBU Governor Valeriya Gontareva has said.

"You know that the National Bank did not support the creation of this agency, as we have capitalized state-run export-import bank [Ukreximbank], which can provide all support and guarantees to our exporters and work with our importers," she said at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday.

She said that the memorandum of cooperation between Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) does not give direct instructions on the issue.

"As far as I know the memorandum would have brief information about it: if the agency does not have capital and there were no sources to finance it, there is a recommendation not to start active work until it is decided how it will work," she said.

As reported, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on December 28, 2016 enacted bill providing for the aggressive exports expansion of Ukrainian manufacturers via insuring, guaranteeing and cheapening of exports crediting No. 2142a and envisaging the creation of the export-credit agency.

The export-credit agency will support exports of Ukrainian labor and services and goods made by processing industry under some foreign activity codes.

The bill describes the procedure for creating the agency, its structure, goals and key tasks. The agency will protect Ukrainian exporters from a risk of payment failures and financial losses related to the implementation of foreign economic contracts using insurance, reinsurance and guarantee tools.

The agency is created in the form of a public joint-stock company. The state in the person of the government is the founder and a shareholder in the agency with at least 50% plus one share of the share capital.
An army jawan who had been part of a sting operation in February criticising the 'sahayak' (orderly) system was found dead under mysterious conditions on Thursday in a barrack in Deolali Cantonment in Maharashtra.

A report in The Times of India said that 33-year-old Sahayak Roy Mathew's decomposed body was found hanging from the ceiling of an abandoned barrack outside the unit lines in Devlavi Cantonment. Doctors said that Mathew could have died three days ago.

CNN-News18 has further reported that the army has said that Mathew committed suicide.

Mathew had gone missing on 25 February, after which he was declared "Absent without leave" by the army and a

According to the Indian Army's official Statement, the suicide could have been prompted by the feeling of "guilt for letting down his superiors or conveying false impression to an unknown individual."

Mathew was among several jawans seen in a video which showed soldiers walking officers' dogs and taking their children to school.

Another report in Hindustan Times says that Mathew's family members suspected foul play in his death and have demanded a probe into his demise.

The distraught family has said that Roy was upset after his videos were played on media channels, as they demanded to know the exact circumstances that lead to his death.

He (Roy) called & said channels are playing my visuals & was crying;want to know what happened to him: Fini Roy, wife of soldier Roy Mathew pic.twitter.com/kGU24EzbVl  ANI (@ANI_news) March 3, 2017

Don't have wealth or political influence,there's no one to help; want to know what happened to my son: Mathew, Father of soldier Roy Mathew pic.twitter.com/1zpY5ShEJT  ANI (@ANI_news) March 3, 2017

However, the Army in its statement has denied any sort of pressure post the alleged sting operation, stating that the "identities of the Army personnel in the clipping were hidden... hence there is no question of any enquiry against the deceased."

The Army has however, lodged a complaint with the local police and ordered an inquiry into the circumstances leading to his death.

Mathew's death comes after a spate of videos released on social media by BSF, CRPF and other armed forces personnel that alleged poor working conditions and harassment.

The first video was released by BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav on 9 January. His social media post on sub-standard food quality had triggered a controversy.

On 15 January, addressing a function organized on the occasion of Army Day, army chief General Bipin Rawat had warned that those using social media to air their grievances could face disciplinary action.

With inputs from PTI
On 27 May 2015, the Supreme Court of India in the case of Shabnam vs Union of India gave a ruling which would have far-reaching consequences in so far as the procedural aspects of awarding the death penalty are concerned. The apex court held that trial courts should not issue death warrants unless the convicts had exhausted all legal remedies available to them- an appeal to the high court, then to the Supreme Court, then again review and curative petitions before the top court, and finally, an appeal for clemency to the President of India.

However, despite this dictum, it appears that trial courts in India are handing out the death sentence in undue haste, and without according all due process rights to convicts. In five cases, trial courts issued the death warrant without according the convicts the opportunity to appeal to higher courts.

A death warrant is formally known as a warrant for execution of a sentence of death. Form No. 42 in the Second Schedule of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973 contains the form of the death warrant or black warrant. It is addressed to the superintendent of the relevant prison who is supposed to return the warrant to the court after certifying that the death sentence has been carried out.

Sections 413 and 414 of the CrPC state that upon the high court confirming a death sentence, the sessions court shall cause that order to be carried into effect by issuing a warrant. In practice, however, since an appeal lies to the Supreme Court against a death sentence, a sessions court would normally refrain from issuing a death warrant.

In case of Javed Khan, the Sessions Judge in Aurangabad issued a death warrant only because the High Court had enhanced his life sentence to one of death. In another, that of Singraha, the warrant was issued within days of his death sentence being confirmed by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, without giving him the chance to appeal to the Supreme Court.

These find mention in the latest report of the National Law University, Delhis Centre for the Death Penalty. The report gives all the details of death sentences in India in 2016, and shows that almost the twice the number of death sentences were awarded in that year than in 2015. The numbers stood at 136 for 2016 as opposed to 70 for 2015. The figures are alarming, because as per available data, between the years 2000 and 2015, a total of 1790 death sentences were awarded, bringing the annual average to approximately 119.

Rarest of Rare doctrine going unheeded?

As per the settled law laid down by the Supreme Court, the death penalty is to be awarded only in the rarest of rare cases. Courts are also to follow all necessary safeguards to ensure that capital sentences are only sparingly given- they should be the exception, not the norm. The issue of trial courts handing out a proliferation of death sentences becomes both significant and worrisome because not all of them are executed- an overwhelming number of cases result in complete acquittals or commutations to life terms. This is borne out by numbers.

In 2016, high courts acquitted 14 people, and commuted the sentences of 44. The numbers of acquittals and commutations for the Supreme Court stand at 3 and 7 respectively. Thus, the data shows that adherence to the apex courts dictum lies in shambles. The year 2016 comes third in the line of annual number of death sentences awarded- it was 186 in 2007, followed by 164 in 2005. With a total number of 397 persons on death row at the end of the year, surely, it is high time for remedying this shambolic state of affairs?
Houston: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has sent a personal message to 24-year-old Ian Grillot, who was injured while trying to intervene during a shooting in which an Indian techie was killed in Kansas, and wished him a speedy recovery.

The Indian Consul-General in Houston, Anupam Ray, met Grillot and his family yesterday at the University of Kansas Hospital and handed over the message from Swaraj.

"India salutes the heroism of Ian Grillot! Best wishes for speedy recovery," Ray wished Grillot on behalf of the minister and the people of India, KSHB-TV reported.

Grillot was released from the hospital on Tuesday. Ray also said that Sushma Swaraj has 7.3 million followers, who all conveyed their best wishes.

"We will stand with you, whatever you need," he said. Responding to this Grillot said, "I look forward to being able to go meet everybody." Grillot and his family are invited to India as soon as he is able to travel, according to a news release from the University of Kansas Health System.

Grillot was shot in hand last week when 51-year-old American navy veteran Adam Purinton, prior to opening fire, uttered racial slurs and yelled "get out of my country" at the two Indian victims.

Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed while another Indian man and his colleague Alok Madasani was critically injured.

In a video from his hospital bed, Grillot had said: "I was just doing what anyone should have done for another human being. It's not about where he was from or his ethnicity."
Agartala: After traces of formalin were found in fish imported from Bangladesh, the Tripura government has banned imports from that country through its seven Land Customs Stations (LCSs), a minister said here on Friday.

Health and Revenue Minister Badal Choudhury said the preservative -- formalin or formaldehyde, mixed with water and used for preservation of biological specimens -- was found in fish imported from Bangladesh. It is dangerous for human consumption.

"Health officials have been asked to take stringent legal action against those using formalin and other illegal preservatives.

"The government has asked customs and other authorities to prevent the import of fish from Bangladesh through the seven LCSs, except the Agartala-Akhaura Integrated Check Post (ICP)," Choudhury told IANS.

The seven LCSs are in Agartala, Srimantapur, Khowaighat (western Tripura), Kamalpur, Old Raghnabazar (northern Tripura), Belonia and Sabroom (in southern Tripura).

Agartala-Akhaura ICP is the second-largest trading point along the India-Bangladesh border after Petrapole-Benapole land border in West Bengal.

"Since no adequate infrastructure and manpower is present at the seven LCSs, import of fish through these border points would be risky," he said.

Choudhary said that following media reports, Health Department officials had collected 40 fish samples from Agartala, out of which formalin was found in 11.

Of these 11 samples, five were collected from two main fish markets of Agartala and six from fish imported from Bangladesh," Choudhury said.

Formalin, a poisonous and anti-decomposition chemical agent, is used as an antiseptic, disinfectant and preservative in various items.

The minister said food safety officers are collecting samples randomly from markets and getting them tested at laboratories.

Under the Food Safety Security Act and Rules, 2011, anyone found guilty faces a penalty of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, or imprisonment, or both.

An official of the Industries and Commerce Department said that, on average, 25,644 kg of fish are imported daily from Bangladesh and 26,180 kg bought from outside the state, including from Andhra Pradesh.

"These fish imported from Bangladesh and brought from other states are being sold in Tripura markets without any lab tests," the official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides, making up for 85 percent of the state's 856-km international border.

However, there are no LCSs or border fencing in many areas on the India-Bangladesh border along the northeastern states of Tripura, Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) and Assam (263 km) due to which informal trade and smuggling flourishes.

"Informal trade leads to supply of imported fish which are a health hazard," said Dr Chandan Sarkar, working at the government-run GB Panth Hospital.
Kolkata: The West Bengal Assembly on Thursday passed a bill to regulate functioning of private health facilities, providing for up to three-year jail terms and trials under the IPC for offenders and fines up to Rs 50 lakh in case of death of patients due to medical negligence.

The West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Bill, 2017l, tabled by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee, was passed by voice vote, with the government rejecting the opposition demand that it be sent to the standing committee for scrutiny.

The government also turned down amendments moved by opposition members.

The legislation, aimed at bringing transparency, ending harassment of patients and checking medical negligence in private hospitals and nursing homes, also brings clinics, dispensaries and polyclinics under its ambit.

The bill makes it mandatory for private hospitals to pay compensations in case of medical negligence. Hospitals violating the new law will be liable to pay fine of Rs 10 lakh or more.

"If there is medical negligence then compensation will be given by the establishment. For minor damages, Rs 3 lakh, for big damages, Rs 5 lakh and in case of death, minimum Rs. 10 lakh. However, the compensation amount will not be more than Rs 50 lakh. This compensation will be given within six months," said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while addressing the House on the bill.

The bill has the provision to set up a 13 member West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission to monitor activities of private hospitals.

The high-powered commission, to be headed by a sitting or former judge and having the status of a civil court, is empowered to summon both parties in case of a dispute and examine the case before passing an order.

The penal measures range between compensation and scrapping the licence of the physician/hospital. The commission may also put the offender behind bars up to three years. It can also order trying the offender under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) provisions if it deems fit.

Banerjee also said hospitals will not be allowed to order unnecessary tests.

"Acid attack and rape victims and emergency patients must be given proper and prompt treatment. Hospitals will not be allowed to charge more than the designated amount specified in package for treatment. If there is additional cost then, they must provide an estimate for the additional cost. That estimate will not go beyond a certain limit and that limit will be decided by the Commission," she said.

Whether registered or not registered, private medical set-ups will be brought under the purview of the new law, she said.

"Dead bodies will not be held up. Hospitals will have to set up public grievances cell. FD certificate or PAN cards will not be taken up for submission by hospitals.

"Help desks must be set up to assist families of patients regarding any information about the bill or treatment. E-prescription systems have to be put in place. While discharging patients, proper documents will have to be given to the patient," she said.

Hospitals with more than 100 beds must start fair price medicine shops.

"If a hospital violates the new law, then a fine of Rs 10 lakh or more will be slapped," she said.

Hospitals are mandated to declare bed charges, ICU charges and package costs that can't be altered.
Mumbai: With just a day left for filing of nominations for the Mumbai mayoral poll, a senior state BJP leader on Friday said he is confident that his party and Shiv Sena will come together to govern India's richest civic body. "I am 200 percent sure that BJP and Shiv Sena will join hands in BMC," Maharashtra's Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil said. "A formula which is acceptable to both the parties will be worked out," he said.

Patil's remarks came ahead of a crucial meeting of the state BJP core committee later on Friday where the party is expected to decide its strategy for the mayoral poll.

The minister had recently said his party and Shiv Sena are natural allies who should put aside their differences and join hands once again to rule the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in the backdrop of the election to the civic body throwing up a fractured mandate. Patil had also said that there was no threat to the BJP-led government in the state.

The minister had recently said his party and Shiv Sena are natural allies who should put aside their differences and join hands once again to rule the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in the backdrop of the election to the civic body throwing up a fractured mandate. Patil had also said that there was no threat to the BJP-led government in the state.

Suspense has been mounting over who will be the next Mayor of Mumbai, with the BJP and Sena eyeing the prestigious post though both the parties do not have majority of their own in the just elected House. The elections to the 227-member BMC threw up a hung verdict, with the Sena winning 84 seats and the BJP 82.

The Congress has said it will contest the mayoral poll in BMC, which has an annual budget of over Rs 37,000 crore. Ahead of the 21 February elections, the BJP and Shiv Sena split in BMC, which they had been ruling together for the last over two decades. However, they continue to be ruling allies at the state level and also at the Centre.
On Thursday, Kerala's Kannur traveled to Delhi University. Hoardings with photographs of BJP and RSS activists killed or maimed allegedly by CPM activists dotted North campus. Without a doubt, they were disturbing pictures but the intention was precisely that. To show that Kannur was the Wild West of Kerala. The occasion was the ABVP march to protest against it being blamed for the violence in Ramjas college last week and what it calls the anti-national utterances by Leftist groups.

On Friday, Kerala will be in Hyderabad where a mass protest has been organised against the "CPM-sponsored violence on nationalists in Kerala". It is obvious that the BJP has found in the nearly five decade old political violence of Kannur, an opportunity to hit several birds with one stone.

The beginning has already been made on social media. Given that universities, the new akhadas of confrontation, have largely been a right wing versus Left battle  be it at JNU, Delhi University or Hyderabad Central University, any voice that is perceived as pro-Left is greeted with the "What about Kannur?" rhetorical question. The bloodied land of Malabar, the BJP reckons, can be showcased to establish that the party and its affiliate organisations are under attack.

Bringing Kerala to Delhi has worked in terms of shock value, especially with people outside the southern state largely ignorant about the realities on the ground and the history of political killings. A few years ago, I remember a news editor in Delhi asking me if Kannur, Coonoor and Kurnool are indeed different places and wondered why south Indians gave similar sounding names to their towns!

How does making India aware about Kannur help the BJP? On the face of it, it would seem strange for the BJP to give so much important to the Left, given it is a political force on the decline, with no presence beyond Kerala, Bengal and Tripura.

One, the right-wing is looking at the youth, the gen-next voters in the universities. It gives the ABVP an opening to make its template more acceptable to the younger crowd. To take on the more liberal way of thinking of the Left, the ABVP wants to push its brand of nationalism as an alternative. Where the dos and don'ts are clearly defined and wrapped in the tricolour, with the armed forces as a shield. It is this idea of India that the right wing wants to convey, is being targeted brutally by the Left in Kerala.

Two, it helps make inroads into the opposition space in Kerala at a time when the Congress is in comatose state after its defeat in the assembly polls last May. The BJP admittedly has a long way to go from the lone MLA it has in the Kerala assembly now but it would hope that projecting itself as the victim and the Reds as the aggressor, would help politically.

In April last year, when I was touring Kannur, a top cop in the district told me how when a CPM activist gets killed, only the state media picks up the news. But when a BJP activist is the victim, it invariably becomes a national issue because the saffron party projects as if only it is being targeted.

The facts on the ground are very different. It has been a scoreboard culture since 1968 when the first killing  that of a RSS activist V Ramakrishnan  took place. Over the years, without fail, a killing on one side is avenged within hours with a killing on the other side of the political divide. The CPM versus RSS rivalry in Kannur has seen over 250 people being killed and several hundreds maimed for life, since the late 1960s.

Professor T Sasidharan, who teaches political science at Kannur's Sree Narayana College has researched extensively on the political violence in the district and says the conflict arises out of Kannur being a CPM stronghold and the RSS attempt to capture it. Senseless as the murders may sound, for the party-worshipping brainwashed cadre of both outfits, revenge killings are seen as adding sheen to an activist's CV.

BJP Kerala general secretary K Surendran alluded to it while addressing a BJP function in Mangalore last week, pointing out that his party has retaliated to every murder of its workers by the CPM in Kerala. The right wing protest against Vijayan's visit to Mangalore was an attempt to broaden the geographical sweep of its political battle against the Left.

As if on cue, emerged the video of Madhya Pradesh-based RSS activist Kundan Chandrawat who announced a reward of Rs one crore to anyone who beheaded Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. While the RSS distanced itself from Chandrawat's remark, the BJP leaders from Madhya Pradesh saw it as an expression of the right wing anger and anguish at what was happening in Kerala.

Not that the BJP's upping the ante has had any effect on the ground. On Thursday night, country bombs were hurled at the RSS office in Nadapuram in Kozhikode district, injuring three activists. The needle of suspicion, as always, points to the CPM.

The political violence in Kannur is not a one-way street and both sides have displayed their worst side in the bloody war. It is not enough for Vijayan to blame the BJP-RSS alone. As chief minister, he is expected to behave like a statesman and get his party to engage in peace talks. But then, the political calculation in Kerala is that a BJP on the ascent will help divide the anti-Left vote. Which is why there is little attempt to ensure no more lives are lost at the altar of selfish politics.

At the RSS office in Thalassery, Sangh member N Suraj showed me the wall on which were mounted photographs of all activists who were hacked to death by CPM. This is the martyrs gallery, which the BJP is now showcasing to portray Vijayan as a murderer. The BJP believes it is targeted more when the LDF comes to power, accusing the police force of being subservient to the CPM leadership.

The CPM pleads innocence, a claim that rings hollow. Since the LDF came to power last year, the Kannur model of revenge politics has been replicated in other districts by both groups. If left unchecked, this will be Kerala's death knell. By attempting to reap political benefits in the killing fields of Kerala, the leadership of the two political parties have ensured that only they stand to gain by encouraging this dark underbelly of political violence.
The spurt in threats from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, even from places outside Kerala, in the wake of a major move to end the political violence in Kannur district has raised eyebrows in the state.

The latest threat to Pinarayi has come from a little known RSS leader in Madhya Pradesh. While the RSS units in various parts of the country tried only to block the Kerala leader, Kundan Chandrawat who is the RSS saha prachar pramukh (joint publicity chief) at Ujjain, has gone a step further and called for his head.

Holding Pinarayi responsible for the killings of more than 300 RSS pracharaks and activists in the state, the RSS leader announced a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head and promised to offer a garland of three lakh human skulls to Bharat Mata in revenge while speaking at a public function in the temple town on Wednesday.

Many believe there was no ground for such a hyperactive reaction at this juncture when both the warring sides had resolved to give peace a chance in the violence-ridden district. There have been no major incidents of violence after the all-party peace meet convened by Vijayan on 14 February who had decided to make sincere efforts to end the three decades-old political hostility between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Sangh Parivar.

RSS state chief Gopalan Kutty Master was all praise for the efforts made by Pinarayi for restoring peace in Kannur. State BJP general secretary AN Radhakrishnan also felt that the outburst of Chandrawat was uncalled for.

What then prompted the RSS leader to vitiate the atmosphere by making a Taliban-style speech? Political observers see more to the threat than meets the eye. While a section of the analysts view the threat as a clear indication that the Sangh Parivar does not want peace to prevail in Kannur, another smells a conspiracy behind the concerted personal attacks against the chief minister.

The RSS has grown in Kannur, the cradle of the communist movement in Kerala, by taking on the CPM for more than three decades. RSS leaders think that they can maintain the growth only by encountering the CPM so that there are no incursions into their bastions. Therefore, they dont want to drop arms until the hard-fought gains are translated into votes," says IV Babu, senior journalist from Kannur.

Even if the parties want peace, the criminals will not allow it since they have reaped huge benefits from the cycle of violence that began in the district in eighties. The criminals promoted by the parties have transformed themselves into mafias and are controlling not only politics but also economic and social spheres, Babu told Firstpost.

Leftist writer and thinker Umesh Babu agrees with him. He said there is a huge infrastructure for criminal activities in the district. Permanent peace in Kannur will not be possible without demolishing this infrastructure. Umesh told Firstpost that he was doubtful whether it will be possible in the near future.

However, he sees a deal behind the onslaught on the chief minister from the RSS outside Kerala. Umesh, who was active in the CPM till 2007, believes that it has got a lot to do with the SNC Lavalin corruption case hanging over Pinarayis head. He suspects the hand of the BJP government at the Centre behind the repeated adjournment of the hearing on a revision petition filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Kerala High Court challenging the CBI court verdict discharging Pinarayi and six others.

The hearing was adjourned thrice due to the absence of the CBI counsel in the last three months. I firmly believe that the CBI counsel was keeping away from the court because of a tacit understanding between the chief minister and the BJP government. There is every ground to believe that the CBI is giving Pinarayi time to influence the judge, says Umesh.

The CBI case was that Pinarayi, while serving as electricity minister from May 1996 to October 1998, along with the other accused, hatched a criminal conspiracy to award the contract for the renovation and modernisation of three power plants to SNC-Lavalin at an exorbitant cost resulting in a loss of Rs 273 crores to the state exchequer.

The case may mar the career of the Marxist leader if the high court orders a re-trial in the case. There is a strong possibility for the same since the Thiruvananthapuram CBI court had discharged him without a hearing of the final CBI report, says the writer.

Umesh, who was sacked from Purogamana Kalasahitya Sangham (Progressive Artists and Writers Forum), a highly influential body of Marxist writers and thinkers, for his sarcastic comments against certain party leaders alleged that Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was helping him in averting the legal setback.

The BJP leader is using the RSS to cover up the deal. The personal attack on the chief minister is to show that the BJP is fighting him nationally. Actually, they are not. The recent protests against him fall into a pattern. It is an orchestrated action to save Pinarayi, says Umesh.

He said that the protests against Pinarayi were spearheaded by little known RSS leaders, who had no knowledge of the ground realities in the state. Protests were mounted against him when he visited Delhi, Bhopal, Bengaluru and Mangalore, where the CPM is not at all a threat to the BJP.

The RSS in Mangalore had observed a hartal and threatened to block Pinarayi when he visited the city for addressing a peace rally for communal harmony organised by the CPM barely 10 days after the all party peace meet in Kannur. When Pinarayi defied the threat with the help of the Congress government in Karnataka, the RSS activists unleashed violence in several parts of the district.

Incidentally, a petition filed in the high court against the frequent postponement of the hearing has also alleged collusion between the lawyers representing the chief minister, the CBI and the central government. The petitioner contends that such postponement was against a Supreme Court ruling that stipulates criminal cases involving ministers and Members of Parliament and Legislature should be decided expeditiously.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 9 March. The CBI court had split the chargesheet in the case, leaving the SNC Lavalin and its representatives based in Canada, and discharged Pinarayi after he submitted that the case going on since 1996 had affected his political career.

Umesh feels that the double play by the BJP government was also evident in the case related to the brutal murder of CPM rebel leader TP Chandrashekharan. He said that the BJP government was sitting on the demand of the slain leaders widow K Rema for a CBI probe into the conspiracy in the murder despite assurances from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Rema, who had met both the leaders personally, believes that her husband was eliminated under a conspiracy hatched by senior CPM leaders, including Pinarayi. Chandrashekharan was hacked to death after he floated a parallel movement following his expulsion from CPM for questioning its ideological deviations.

Though 11 persons, including three CPM leaders, have been sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2014 in connection with murder, Rema feels that she will not get justice until those involved in the conspiracy are brought to the book.

Curiously, some of the convicts figure in the list of 1,750 prisoners sought to be released prematurely. Governor P Sathashivam has detained the list by raising several objections against the selection of the prisoners for remission.
Ujjain (MP): RSS sacked its functionary Kundan Chandravat who announced Rs 1 crore bounty on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's head. Kundan Chandravat had retracted his statement after it drew condemnation from various quarters including the Sangh. Chandravat, a former RSS Sah Prachar Pramukh in Ujjain, claimed he got some phone calls from Kerala threatening to kill him and was being targetted in social media.

Sangh ka nirnaya mujhe maanya hai. Mai Sangh ka swayamsewak hoon aur hamesha rahunga: K Chandrawat on question of his expulsion from RSS pic.twitter.com/zU9KGnipV4  ANI (@ANI_news) March 3, 2017

"I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it (statement) and express my regret," Chandravat said in a statement late last night. "I also got some phone calls from Kerala in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill me," he claimed. Chandravat, in a meeting here, had announced the bounty to avenge the killing of RSS workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI-M workers. His speech sparked an uproar, drawing condemnation from the RSS, the CPI(M) and the Congress on Thursday.

In a video, which went viral, Chandravat is purportedly seen saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killing of RSS workers there and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him and brings his (Vijayan's) head to him. He also claimed that 300 innocent people belonging to the RSS had been killed but the Kerala chief minister was turning a blind eye. The RSS was quick to condemn Chandravat's statement, stating the organisation did not believe in violence.

"The RSS strongly condemns such statement. The Sangh does not believe in violence. But we will continue to protest against attacks on our workers in Kerala in a democratic and peaceful manner," RSS national 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' (Joint Chief of Publicity) J Nandakumar had told PTI in Delhi. Vijayan, however, dismissed the threat to his life, saying such calls would not prevent him from travelling around, while Kerala's ruling CPI(M) and Congress sought the arrest of Chandravat for his outrageous comments.

Kerala has been witnessing a series of political clashes between the cadres of BJP-RSS and the ruling CPI(M), especially in the northern Kannur district from where Vijayan hails, for a long time. Both parties have blamed each other for the cycle of violence which has claimed several lives on both sides. (with inputs from the PTI)
National joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy believes that the switch of its large debtor  state-run Odesa Port-Side Plant  to the tolling scheme is unlawful. The company is ready to challenge the step in court, Naftogaz Board Chairman Andriy Kobolev has said.

"This violates Ukrainian legislation and gas market regulation. We would have to appeal to court against the plant and the gas supplier/leaser/partner in the tolling scheme," he wrote in comments to the post of Head of the State Property Fund (SPF) of Ukraine Ihor Bilous on his Facebook page about the resumption of the operation of the plant using the tolling scheme.

The partner in the launch of the plant  ERU Trading LLC  selected by the fund is ready to discuss these claims of Naftogaz Ukrainy in court, the co-owner of ERU Trading Andriy Favorov wrote. The fund and the plant have not yet presented their position on the issue.
The Kerala state Assembly witnessed unprecedented scenes midway the finance minister's presentation of the state budget on Friday, as the Opposition led by the Congress party alleged that the budget had been leaked to television channels and social media.

What seemed like a usual day in the office for Finance Minister Thomas Isaac in the Assembly was interrupted by opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, who was seen waving papers which he claimed were leaked excerpts of the budget  before Isaac could even read it.

As chaos reigned inside the House, the minister's budget speech had to be stopped and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured the House that an inquiry would be conducted into allegations of a leak. Vijayan has even asked the chief secretary to immediately conduct an inquiry into the leak.

An agitated opposition staged a walk-out from the Assembly, amid demands for the resignation of Finance Minister Isaac, even as he continued with his speech. What then took place was perhaps unprecedented in the history of Kerala's legislative Assembly.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala read out what he called a "parallel budget" in the media room, which was telecast live by the Malayalam media along with the finance minister's speech on a split screen, putting the state government in an embarrassing position.

"We received these parts of the budget even before the finance minister had read it out. How can that happen, if someone hadn't leaked it out from his own office. The budget has a sanctity and that has been lost today," said Chennithala.

It was Chennithala's office that first flagged off the suspicion that those parts which are yet to read by the finance minister had been leaked. At the crux of the issue is an email sent allegedly from the finance minister's office at 10.26 am, an hour and 26 minutes into Isaac's speech.

Though the government claims that only the highlights were out and not the entire budget proposals, it was a 15-page PDF document that went to media houses, and contained every scheme that the government was proposing and their respective costs.

The media soon flashed it across television channels and the opposition pounced. More damaging perhaps for the Pinarayi Vijayan government is the fact that the PDF also revealed the figures from the budget. The numbers pertaining to total revenue, capital expenditure, revenue and fiscal deficit were all out in the open even before the minister had the time to say it himself on the floor of the house.

The only figures missing in the document were the tax proposals, which would have been the last nail in the LDF coffin. A visibly flustered finance minister soon cut his speech short, reading out only the major portions after taking permission from the speaker to skip various paragraphs of the budget.

"The budget as such has not been leaked. What came out in the media is a copy of the highlights section, which was prepared to be given to the media after the budget presentation. This was given in advance this time round, which should not have happened. This needs to be investigated," said Thomas Isaac in a press statement after the session.

Vijayan is reported to be furious at the turn of events that soured an otherwise "people centric" budget, which was also the first full-fledged budget his government has prepared after coming to power in May 2016.

Sources close to the Chief Minister's Office say that heads are likely to roll very soon and even the removal of the finance minister cannot be ruled out at this point. Meanwhile, the opposition has registered an official complaint with the Speaker of the House, who has assured them of a thorough probe into the issue. The opposition would also be meeting the governor over the issue.

Protest rallies have been planned across the state by the Congress, the BJP and the Indian Union Muslim League in the coming days. The state Assembly is also expected to witness uproarious scenes as the budget proposals would be taken up for discussion in days to come.
New Delhi: As many as 29 crorepati candidates are in the fray for the second phase of Manipur assembly elections to be held on 8 March, says a latest report.

Manipur Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 98 candidates from 13 political parties, including five national parties, four state parties, four unrecognised parties and nine independent candidates who are contesting in the second phase of Manipur assembly elections to be held on 8 March, 2017.

According to the report, out of the 98 candidates analysed, 29 are crorepatis.

Among party wise crorepati candidates, Delhi-based ADR said that 10 of 22 fielded by INC, 8 of 22 from BJP, one of seven from NPP, five of 11 from Naga Peoples Front, one of four from Manipur National Democratic Front and two Independent candidates have declared assets worth more than Rs one crore.

The average assets per candidate contesting is Rs 1.33 crore, it added.

Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 22 INC candidates is Rs 3.11 crore, 22 BJP candidates (Rs 1.29 crore), 7 NPP candidates (Rs 38.02 lakh), 5 LJP candidates (Rs 37.58 lakh), 6 AITC candidates (Rs 6.97 lakh), 11 Naga Peoples Front (Rs 90.37 lakh), 2 CPI candidates (Rs 24.25 lakh) and 9 Independent candidates (Rs 1.40 crore), it added.

The top five richest candidates contesting in the second phase are Alfred Kanngam S Arthur of INC with total assets worth over Rs 36 crore followed by Independent R Haba Pao (Rs 8 crore), Mayanglambam Rameshwar Singh of BJP (Rs 6 crore), INC's Jangamlung Panmei (Rs 5 crore) and Moirangthem Okendro also from INC (Rs 5 crore).

A total of 11 out of the 98 candidates have not declared their PAN details.

Eleven candidates have declared total annual income of more than Rs 15 lakh. Kangujam Ranjit Singh of INC has total income of over Rs 34 lakh, while that of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has over Rs 25 lakh, the report by the think-tank said.

Besides, out of the 98 candidates analysed, only one has declared criminal cases against himself.

On the education details of candidates, the report said that 24 have declared their qualification to be between 5th pass and 12th pass, while 72 having a qualification of graduate and above. One candidate has declared himself as just literate.

A total of 46 candidates have declared their age to be between 25 and 50 years, while 52 between 51 and 80 years.

In the second phase of Manipur assembly election this year, 4 women candidates are contesting, the report added.
Imphal: Election campaign for the first phase election of the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly officially came to end on Thursday. The first phase of the election will be held in 38 assembly constituencies located in the districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Phezerol districts.

A total of 168 candidates is in the fray for the first phase election. Among these candidates, six are women.

The total number of voters who can exercise their franchise in the first phase is 11,19,271, among whom 5,75,221 are women. The Election Commission had established 1,487 polling stations in the 38 assembly constituencies.

In this first phase election, BJP is fielding candidates in all the 38 assembly constituencies while the ruling Congress could field only in 37 seats.

One of the oldest regional parties of the state, Manipur Peoples Party which had even form a government in the state, this time could field only 13 candidates. Lok Jansakti Party, which has a legislator in the current Assembly is fielding candidates in 12 Assembly constituencies. The Trinamool Congress has fielded candidates in 10 Assembly constituencies while Manipur National Democratic Front has fielded candidates in 10 assembly constituencies. The North East India Democratic Party has fielded candidates in eight Assembly constituencies in this phase of the poll. Irom Chanu Sharmilas political party Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance is also contesting in three assembly constituencies. However, only one candidate will fight in the first phase. Eighteen candidates are fighting the election as independent candidates in the first phase.

Among the candidates contesting in this phase of the poll is Congress candidate Th. Lokeshwar of Khundrakpam Assembly Constituency, who is also the speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly. Other Congress ministers, I Hemochandra of Singjamei Assembly constituency, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president TN Haokip, Public Works Minister KH Ratankumar, Commerce and Industries Minister K Govindas, IFCD Minister Ngamthang Haokip and Social Welfare Minister AK Mirabai, who is also one among the two lady candidates of

Congress party.

Among the BJP candidates, some of the prominent figures contesting in this phase are former Union minister Th Chaoba, former minister Y Erabot, former minister N Biren, former chairman of the HAC V Hankhalien, veteran politician Okram Joy.

Former Minister in the Okram Ibobi Singh-led Congress government Phunzathang Tonsing of Churachandpur assembly constituency, who had joined the NPP after his name has been announced as Congress candidate is also contesting as NPP candidate from the same assembly constituency. Former minister L Jayentakumar of Keishamthong Assembly constituency who was denied Congress ticket is also contesting as an NPP candidate.

The election is billed as a major test for the Okram Ibobi Singh-led Congress government in the state which has been in power for the last 15 years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh were the star campaigners in the first phase, all of whom addressed multiple rallies.

During campaigning, there were bitter exchanges between the Congress and the BJP over the ongoing economic blockade in the state and the Naga Peace Accord.

The Congress accused the BJP of "compromising with the territorial integrity" of Manipur, an allegation the saffron party has vociferously denied.

The Naga Peace Accord, also called the "framework agreement", was signed between the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) and the Centre in August 2015.

The state has been saddled with an indefinite economic blockade since 1 November 2016, imposed by the United Naga Council, causing immense hardship to the people as the supply of essential commodities, especially fuel, in the land-locked state has choked.

The blockade has been imposed on Manipur's "lifelines"  national highways 2 and 37, in protest against the state government's decision to carve out seven new districts from the existing ones.

The blockade has become a major poll plank in the north-eastern state.

The second and final phase of the Assembly polls is scheduled on 8 March and the results will be declared on 11 March.
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Autorickshaw rally for Congress party in Thoubal district, Manipur. The state goes to polls on 4 and 8 March.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking in Manipur ahead of the Assembly polls, accused the Congress and Chief Minister Okram Singh Ibobi of creating confusion and vowed that the territorial integrity of Manipur would not be affected. Singh said that there was no law and order situation in Manipur and the major evil was the corruption by the Congress. Manipur goes to the polls on 4 and 8 March.

The BJP has been on a tear in Manipur, on the last day of campaigning before the first phase of polling. Campaigning in Manipur officially ends at 3 pm.

Activists of Kangleipak Students Association on Thursday, demanding justice for extra-judicial killings in Manipur, burned effigies of Manipur Chief Minster Okram Ibobi Singh, Addl SP AK Jaljit and ex DGP Y Joykumark on Thursday. The Kangleipak Students Association (KSA) is demanding the repeal of Afspa and justice for fake encounter cases, including the 23 July, 2009 case, in which a pregnant woman and a former PLA militant were killed in broad daylight. On Wednesday, a group of irate student activists belonging to the association allegedly vandalised the state unit office of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) situated in the heart of Imphal city after being denied a meeting with BJP leaders.

The 33-year-old Harvard-educated Erendro Leichombam, was attacked by unknown people in Manipur on the day of the first phase of polls in the state. This US-returned former World Bank Fellow, who also served in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is the convener of People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA), a party started by Irom Sharmila. Trained in Economics at the Soka University of America and in Mathematics at the University of California, Irvine, Erendro refused to live the life of an NRI and joined Irom Sharmila's party to bring about a social change in his home state.

Over 80 percent voter turnout was recorded in the first phase of polling in Manipur in 38 constituencies spread across six districts in the hill state. Officials said the final figure would go higher as this was only the preliminary report at 3 pm when polling officially ended. The second and final phase of polling will be held on 8 March.

The second and final phase of polling will be held on 8 March.

Haokip also said he was confident of the Congress winning 40 seats in Manipur Assembly polls. The second and final phase of polling will be held on 8 March.

State unit Congress president TN Haokip has said that the BJP and the United Naga Council are the two faces of the same coin.

A troop of 25 Assam Rifles apprehended four Kuki National Front (P) militants at Churachandpur on early Sunday morning. The militants were nabbed at 5.30 am. Two AK-56 rifles, two pistols, four cell phones and 148 rounds were recovered during the counter-insurgency operation. The militants were then handed over to the Churachandpur police.

HuffPost-CVoter poll has predicted that the Congress will win fewer seats than the BJP in Manipur. According to the poll, the BJP's voteshare in the state will see a huge increasefrom 2.1 percent in 2012 to 32.1 percent in this electionmeanwhile, the Congress' voteshare is estimated to fall from 42.4 percent in 2012 to 31.3 percent.

At least six persons including four women sustained injury in an IED blast near Kasturi Bridge in the hear of Imphal city on Wednesday evening at about 5.40 pm as the last phase Manipur polls ended. The police said that the two women among the five injured in the blast, which took place in the Kasturi Thong area in Imphal, were admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Science, a government hospital.

Manipur unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to file a counter-FIR against the State Election Commission (SEC) for "mentally harassing" the party's office bearers, and for allegedly creating confusion with regards to advertisements that were published in local dailies in Imphal, Manipur, on 3 March.

There was tight security at the polling stations to ensure that there was no untoward incident.

Voters stand in queues at a polling booth in Manipur. PTIVoters stand in queues at a polling booth in Manipur. PTI State Chief Election Officer Vivek Kumar Dewangan disclosed that the repolls were being held as per directives of the Election Commission.

Peaceful repolls were reported in 34 polling stations in eight districts of Manipur on Thursday.

Voter turnout of 67% recorded till 1 pm in second & final phase of voting in #ManipurElection2017 pic.twitter.com/1QXIUaMmve

Polling ends at 3 pm in the second and last phase of #ManipurElection2017 pic.twitter.com/miuhmwwktJ

State Chief Electoral Officer VK Dewangan has ordered repoll in 34 polling stations which went to the hustings in the first phase on 4 March. The re-poll will take place on 9 March from 7am till 3pm in the 34 polling stations. CEO Manipur Vivekumar Dewangan said re-polling would be held in five polling stations of Andro AC, one each in Uripok, Saikot and Singhat AC, 12 in Saikul, three in Saitu, six in Thanlon and five in Henglep.

At least six persons including four women sustained injury in an IED blast near Kasturi Bridge in the hear of Imphal city on Wednesday evening at about 5.40 pm as the last phase Manipur polls ended. The police said that the two women among the five injured in the blast, which took place in the Kasturi Thong area in Imphal, were admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Science, a government hospital.

Manipur unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to file a counter-FIR against the State Election Commission (SEC) for "mentally harassing" the party's office bearers, and for allegedly creating confusion with regards to advertisements that were published in local dailies in Imphal, Manipur, on 3 March.

There was tight security at the polling stations to ensure that there was no untoward incident.

Voters stand in queues at a polling booth in Manipur. PTIVoters stand in queues at a polling booth in Manipur. PTI State Chief Election Officer Vivek Kumar Dewangan disclosed that the repolls were being held as per directives of the Election Commission.

Peaceful repolls were reported in 34 polling stations in eight districts of Manipur on Thursday.

Elections in Manipur will be held in two phases  on 4 March and 8 March  with the results being declared on 11 March. Representatives from 60 constituencies will be elected.

The previous Assembly election, held in 2012, resulted in a landslide victory for the Congress, giving them 42 seats and allowing Okram Ibobi Singh to be re-elected as chief minister for an unprecedented third consecutive term.

While Manipur has been a Congress stronghold for over a decade, thanks to the leadership of Ibobi, a savvy political operator, the BJP has been upbeat about its chances, buoyed undoubtedly by its success in last year's Assam elections. All eyes are also on Irom Sharmila, who shocked many political observers by giving up her 16-year fast against the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (Afspa), and decided to enter politics.

Manipur's Iron Lady has formed the People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) and will be taking on the chief minister in his own den  Thoubal constituency  only time will tell if this is a masterstroke or a blunder.

Sharmila, while announcing her decision, had said: "During his 15 years of leadership he has not done anything to repeal Afspa. Since I realise that no politician shall repeal it, I am planning to contest the election, become the chief minister and repeal it."

Here are some quick facts about the state:

Number of Parliamentary Constituencies: 2

Number of Assembly Constituencies: 60

The present ruling party: Indian National Congress

Opposition Party: Trinamool Congress

Chief Minister: Okram Ibobi Singh

Governor: Dr. Najma A. Heptulla

Chief Electoral Officer: Oinam Nabakishore Singh



Political Parties in Manipur

The Indian National Congress (INC)

The Bharatiya Janata Party

The Rashtriya Janata Dal

The Nationalist Congress Party



The main regional political parties are :

Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party

Manipur State Congress party

Lok Jan Shakti Party

All India Trinamool Congress

Manipur People's Party (MPP)

Federal Party of Manipur

Manipur National Conference

Naga People's Front

National People's Party (India)

Nikhil Manipuri MahasabhaManipur Assembly Election 2017
Manipur, a state strife with communal conflicts and political violence, goes to polls on 4 and 8 March. Issues like economic blockade, Afspa and the anti-incumbency wave are likely to impact the poll outcome.

The major players in the state are the ruling Congress, BJP, Naga People's Front (NPF), Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Irom Sharmila's Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA).

The state, which has the country's smallest population after Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, mainly comprises of three major communities: Meitei, Naga and Kuki. The three lived side by side for centuries and developed their heritage in parallel within their respective ethno-social boundaries. But today they engage in what can be loosely termed as tribal politics.

While most Nagas are Christians and Meiteis Hindu, their religion is not the talking point this election. So how does this diverse electorate decide upon a government, and which political party holds court with which tribe?

To understand this dynamics better, let's start with the geographical placement of the state.

Geographical location and division of states

Geographically, the state of Manipur is divided into two distinct parts  the hills and the valley. The Nagas reside in the hills, the Meiteis in the valley. Between the hills and the valley, there are total 16 districts, seven of which were recently created by the Ibobi government (for political gains). The nine existing districts are Bishnupur, Thoubal, Imphal East, Imphal West, Chandel, Churachendpur, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul. The new districts are: Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal, Pherzawl, Noney, Kamjong, Jiribam and Kakching which are carved out of the existing districts.

Manipur is a land-locked state and shares its boundaries with three other states  Nagaland, Assam and Mizoram  and with Myanmar. The hill districts of Senapati and Tamenglong which have a greater population of the Naga community share their boundary with Nagaland. Tamenglong also shares its boundaries with Assam. Churachendpur is the only district which has proximity to Mizoram whereas Ukhrul and Chandel are the gateway to Myanmar.

Manipur has a population of around 2.3 million, majority of which are Meiteis living in the valley. The rest of the population is divided into Nagas, Kukis, Komrem and Meitei Pangal (Muslims).

Of the 60 seats in the state, 40 are in the hills and 20 are in the valley, hence the major political parties are trying to maintain a balancing act wooing the Nagas and the Meiteis.

Let's take a look at which tribe favours what party:

Meiteis: With a population of over 1.3 million, Meitei is the oldest tribe of Manipur, in fact the state was once known as Mitei-Leipak. According to 1891 census, the Meiteis were recorded as a forest tribe and they mainly inhabit the valley, although they have presence in some of the hill districts too. Meiteis is not a recognised Scheduled Tribe by India's Constitution, although they are wrongly categorised as tribe by the outsiders.

This indigenous tribe was converted into Hinduism in the 18th century, which is why a suffix of Devi/Singh is enforced to their names, at least by mainland India.

Politics of the valley

According to experts, the main political battle in the valley is between Congress and the BJP. Okram Ibobi Singh, the current chief minister of the state who has served three terms, is a Meitei and belongs to the Congress.

Since most of the Meiteis are confined to the valley, they have in the past held protests, demanding promulgation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state.

The ILP  a system introduced by the British and already existent in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland  protects tribal people by preventing 'outsiders' from buying land or settling in their area.

The Meitei wanted the ILP to be introduced in the state to prevent unrestricted entry of 'outsiders'. One of their major grievance was that the they could never buy Naga land in the hills but that was not the case for their land.

During the Meitei protest, schools were shut for weeks, prices of basic commodities rose and the streets were filled with violent protesters. Witnessing this scene, the Manipur Assembly passed three bills aimed at giving more rights to indigenous groups who accuse "outsiders" of taking their land and jobs.

That eased the Meiteis, but upset the Nagas and Kukis, and hence a visible divide between the communities is visible.

The other tribes have often taken up arms to protest against the special treatment Meiteis get from the state government. Hence in all likelihood, the Meiteis of the valley are in support of the Congress government, despite the anti-incumbency.

With BJP's entry in the state, questions are raised whether the Hindu Meiteis will be swept away by the Modi wave. Too many Congress leaders have already jumped ship and alleged themselves to BJP, however, experts believe that the Meiteis still view the newcomers  BJP with suspicion.

According to Firstpost writer Seema Guha, the Hindu Meiteis see the BJP as backing the Christian tribes living in the sparsely populated hill areas of the state. This is because of the Naga Peoples Front (NPF) ruling Nagaland is aligned to the BJP. Meiteis are also wary of the BJP giving in to the NSCN-IM demands.

However, the RSS-BJP workers have made inroads in the state with their work with the tribals, and pointed out the lack of development in the state by the Congress government. This is reflected in the act that in September 2016, when BJP president Amit Shah held a meeting in Imphal, there were reportedly about 30,000 booth level workers attending it. BJP leaders are promising a wave of development in the state with better infrastructure and better governance.

Manipuri people have historically chosen a parties based on leader representing their constituency as opposed to the face of the party, says a local expert. If the leader promises to work for the people and shows potential, he gets elected. With an increasing number of Congress leaders leaving the party to join the BJP, there is an uncertainty regarding which party the Meiteis will choose.

Nagas: The Nagas are an indigenous tribe which became a part of the British India in 1881 after the British annexed Assam in 1826.

The total population of Nagas in Manipur is more than three lakh. One of the oldest demands for this indigenous tribe is the creation of Greater Nagaland  a state which would contain parts of Manipur.

This ethnic group is an amalgamation of various sub-tribes like the Tangkhul, Maram, Anal, Maring, etc. and also the old Kukis who like to be recognised as the new Nagas.

The Nagas mainly reside in the hills in districts like Senapati, Ukhrul and Tamenglong which have close proximity to the Naga state Nagaland.

Politics of Naga Peace Accord

On 3 August, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a peace deal with Nagaland insurgents which rests on a breakthrough formula not involving redrawing of the states borders.

This was touted as the Naga Peace Accord, the contents of which were not revealed to the media. The deal allegedly involves creating a mechanism which would create institutions like allowing autonomy to Naga tribes living in Manipur.

Recently Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Ibobi criticised the deal made between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM), which is the largest Naga rebel group, and asked the government to reveal the contents of that draft.

A report by The Indian Express suggested that a degree of autonomy in Naga homelands would be part of the Naga Peace Accord that hopes to please all factions in the state. This includes a majority of the Meitei people, who are also sensitive about territorial integrity

The BJP hopes to use the Naga Peace Accord as a means to prevail peace in the state and garner votes this election season.

Anti-incumbency politics

The anti-incumbency in Manipur is largely driven by the Naga community and its sub tribes. The United Naga Council (UNC), which claims to be a common platform for Nagas in Manipur, imposed a blockade of two key highways  Imphal-Dimapur (NH2) and Imphal-Jiribam (NH37)  from 1 November, 2016 to protest against the state government.

In December, 2016, Ibobi declared creation of seven new districts for better administrative purposes. The number of districts in Manipur from nine to 16. The Nagas living in Manipur took offence to this creation. A local Naga leader talking to us said, "This is our land. The decision to divide the land was taken without our permission."

The UNC called tripartite meetings with the Government of India and the state government to resolve the issue of creating new districts. However, the Ibobi government deferred claiming that no administrative decisions could be made till the assembly elections concluded.

Hence with the green signal from both the NSCN-IM, the UNC organised an economic blockade. Manipur, like many of the North Eastern states, is land-locked and the trucks are the mainstay for suppliers. As the national highway runs through Naga-dominated areas, the valley can be easily cut off.

The NDA-led government at the Centre has shown enthusiasm to resolve the economic blockade issue, however, the state government has not lifted a finger. The Nagas perceive this as a betrayal by the Congress govt and hence find themselves leaning towards the outsiders  BJP  who promise to bring peace and development.

Kukis: With a population of over 2 lakh, most of the Kuki sub-tribes reside in the Churachendpur district in south Manipur. Some Kukis also reside in Naga dominated Senapati and the old Kukis which have a small population of over 30,000 reside in Naga areas identifying themselves as the new Nagas.

The Kukis too have a history of violence in the state. On 1 September, 2015, nine civilians, including an 11-year-old boy, were killed in Churachandpur district, Manipur. But till date, the bodies of the dead have not been buried. The nine people killed in the firing are now called martyrs in Churachandpur.

The deaths were a consequence of the three bills passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly  the Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015, the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015, and the Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015  on 31 August, 2015.

The bills were passed in response to the demand of the valley people demand for the implementation of the ILP system in the state.

The interpretation of these bills caused all the trouble in this Kuki-dominated area. While the valley people, who are predominantly Meiteis, viewed the bills as a mechanism to protect the state from outsiders, the Kukis (and also the Nagas) viewed it as a threat to their identity and land.

The non-burial of those nine bodies is viewed as Kukis silent protest against the Congress government for implementing the ILP. According to local experts, there is dissatisfaction among the tribe over the handling of state affairs by the Congress. Hence it is safe to assume that there is major anti-incumbency in these constituencies against the Congress.

New players with no footing: Human rights activist Irom Sharmila, who was on hunger strike for over a decade for the removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (Afspa) from Manipur, is also in the fray. Her party, Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA), with little money or organisation has also fielded five candidates.

Irom Sharmila's popularity in the state could have won her a lot of support, however, her decision to end her hunger strike in 2016 turned a lot of people against her. She is also not viewed as a serious career politician by the people of Manipur.

The TMC is contesting in 24 seats in the 60-member Assembly. In the 2012 Assembly polls, the TMC had bagged seven seats, but later all of its MLAs switched sides joining either the Congress or the BJP.

Hence it can be safely concluded that the real fight this election will be between BJP and Congress, or whichever party which manages to buy the most amount of votes.
Ghazipur (Uttar Pradesh): Refuting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim of ISI's involvement in the Kanpur train accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has alleged that BJP leaders were used to seeking votes by "misguiding" people.

"Our railway minister could not take care of the tracks in Kanpur and gave a false report to the prime minister that the ISI had damaged the tracks. I want to say that since the incident occurred in Uttar Pradesh, at least I should have been informed about it. But no information, no truth in it," he said during an election rally.

Akhilesh also alleged that the leaders of the saffron party were "used to seeking votes by misleading the people".

Ghazipur is the Lok Sabha constituency of Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha. As many as 150 people were killed in a train mishap in Kanpur on 20 November, 2016, and another train got derailed there on 28 December. It was said that Pakistan's ISI was responsible for the incidents.

Regarding Union ministers and senior BJP leaders campaigning for the ongoing Assembly election in the state, the chief minister said, "Had the prime minister brought his work here (in Uttar Pradesh), his ministers would not have been required to campaign for his party."

In a veiled reference to the ongoing campus row in Delhi University involving ABVP, Akhilesh asked, "I want to ask those patriotic people of the BJP, who are displaying their nationalism in Delhi, what have they done for the soldiers who laid down their lives for the country? What help was extended to their families? Only the SP government helps the families of soldiers who laid down their lives.

The Samajwadi Party chief claimed that his party has already secured a lead in the first five phases of the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh Assembly election due to the works of its government and added that the "demoralised faces of the BJP and BSP leaders" said it all.

The sixth phase of the polls will be held on Saturday, while the seventh and final phase will be on 8 March. Results will be declared on 11 March.
Leading up to the penultimate phase of polling in the Uttar Pradesh (UP) election, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief, Mayawatis speeches have turned more confident, scathing and at times condescending towards her opponents. From taunting the Samajwadi Party (SP) chief, Mulayam Singh Yadav, his son Akhilesh and the extended family members including Mulayams younger brother Shivpal Yadav for their family feud, she has gone on to term prime minister Narendra Modi a liar and called the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a 'Bharatiya Jumla (sweet-talk) Party' with no substantial ground work to back the claims of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

While she is reserved in her verbal attacks, in contrast to the shamelessness many leaders from other parties have shown during the campaigning, her body language exudes a quiet triumphalism. She is smiling more and speaking impromptu at times. That is a good sign, says Parag Saini, a BSP worker from Chandauli who was at a rally she addressed recently. Workers from the party cadre claim this is a sign that victory can be achieved in these elections and that most of the work might have been done already.

Voters have spoken, but silently, says Basant Saini, a lawyer based in Amroha in western UP, who is also a member of the All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (Bamcef), the parent body of the BSP which was founded in 1978 by Kanshi Ram, much before a political plan for the Bahujan Samaj was even devised.

Political pundits across the media have also been talking of the 'silent vote' that Mayawati will be getting, but hardly any seem to allude to the possibility that substantial gains have been made by the party. With the BJP squirming ahead of the last two phases and resorting to last-ditch attempts through usual communal jibing, and with Modi claiming victory despite all practical predictions and terming the last phases the bonus that the electorate will give his party, BSP is claiming victory. While the BJP is set to make most of its gains in these very phases, eastern UP being its traditional strong base, BSP workers are confident of their own gains, most of which they say have already been achieved.

Is baar paschimi hawa chali hai (this time the wind rages from the west), says Basant Saini, referring to the fact that the assembly elections in 2012 began in eastern UP where SP made huge gains last time around, and swept the state subsequently. This time, with west UP beginning first and BSP expected to win substantially in the region, he says the trend will hold through till March 8.

The BSPs gains, if at all made, have been through smart strategies and consolidation of communities that have been at the receiving end of the SP rule over the past five years. The Gujjars have led the way in western UP, especially in the districts adjoining Delhi and Haryana, where they outnumber both Thakurs and Yadavs. While they have hardly found representation in SP earlier, the BJP has gone for Thakur candidates predominantly, with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singhs son Pankaj Singh, considered a rookie, being fielded from Noida to ensure him a safe victory. Gujjars have sided with the BSP as a result. It has been a similar story across the state, with communities like Kurmis and even Brahmins supporting the BSP openly.

These gains are not the result of the BSP cadres efforts alone. Bamcef has quietly thrown its weight behind the party, ensuring a serious political tilt across the social spectra. Members had not supported Mayawati in 2012 due to a failure in policies and had openly favoured Modi in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, but have been rooting for the BSP for more than a year now. With over one lakh members in its National General Body, most of whom are from UP, and many more in state and district level units, Bamcefs capabilities as a ground-level organizer can be matched up only by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), the parent body of the BJP. The difference between the two organizations, however, lies in Bamcefs largely multi-religious, multi-caste and mostly secular balance while the latter is a religious organization with caste and religious biases clogging its veins.

With the Bamcef standing up for Mayawati, the exchange of ideas gets a boost, most importantly in the hinterland. Mohammad Mustaqim, an electrical engineer with the state electricity department in Shahjahanpur who is also a member of the Bamcef, says, I travel to at least 25-30 villages in my district every week and members from both the Dalit and Muslim communities as well as from other communities come up asking what Behenji will be doing this time around. I quietly tell them that she is the only sane choice and whatever can be done will be done only by her and nobody else. We should all give her the chance to set things right. Mustaqims phone constantly rings during the evenings nowadays, and at times he cant even recognize people (through voices) yet keep(s) talking till they are convinced and disconnect.

The most important contributors to the gains made by the BSP through Bamcef, however, are the lawyers, judicial officers and even helpers posted at the various district courts across the state. With caste-consciousness and biases, both perceived and real, playing an important part in everyday life in the towns and cities, most people tend to approach lawyers who come from their communities or from communities they do not see as a threat to themselves. More than anything else, this binds us all together. We understand the turbulences that this society brings us and connect through that, says Atif Saifi, a judicial officer based in Meerut who says most of his clients are either Muslims or from the Dalit communities. These interactions, Saifi says, also help organize people into a broad thought process on deciding the best leader to vote for in the elections. Personal discussions ensure a dilemma is placed in the minds of the voters and they do not get swayed by appeasements from local leaders, rather swaying away from it at crunch moments, suspicion of their intents playing a crucial role when they go out to cast their votes.

This is the secret to the silent vote that goes to the BSP, many say. Arvind Kumar (name changed), who is a close relative of Mayawati but has formed his own small party after getting a snub from the BSP higher-ups, says, Bamcef does not work for Mayawati, it works for the Bahujan Samaj and decides keeping in mind what is the best for the communities at the receiving end of the caste and class bias in our society. This time the BSP is the best option. I too am relying on Bamcef support and contesting only from the seats where the BSP seems weak so as to only dent into opposition voter bases. The silent vote, he says, is the result of the call to consciousness of the poor and marginalised as well as the socially aware communities which leads to a coming together of seemingly incompatible and unimaginably distant castes and classes.

One such coup was achieved by the BSP when the Brahman Mahasabha decided to openly support the party in the state ahead of the assembly elections, declaring that it was under Mayawati during her previous rule that the community got the most representation and most respect. The BSP gave tickets to 86 Brahmin candidates in 2007, which fell to 72 in 2012 and has fallen to 66 this time around. The deal was brokered by Satish Chandra Mishra, Mayawatis legal counsel and considered her closest aide. He too used the links through the legal fraternity and court employees to approach the Brahmin leaders, insiders say.

There is good coordination between Bamcef members and people from the Brahmin communities who work in various government departments (state or Central). We approached a lot of people through those channels and it helped us. It must also be seen that Brahmins, despite being ahead in academics and government jobs, lack political representation. Mutual respect delivers favours to both negotiators, and it has done so for us, a senior BSP leader claimed on the condition of anonymity. Brahmins constitute around 10 percent of the total voter base in the state, and the BSP is banking on this, which the Brahman Mahasabha claims to represent in a big way.

The Muslim voter base is also divided and is expected to be the biggest gamble for the BSP since it is traditionally considered a SP stronghold. While the BSP has consistently garnered a good chunk of the votes from among the Muslims, especially those from the backward castes, this time around it is expecting an en masse vote in its favour barring the upper caste Muslims who have found safe refuge with the SP over the past two decades. Firstly, there is no space for Shias in SP since it is dominated by Sunnis. They would not even let us close. Secondly, the fiefdoms of leaders like Azam Khan suck away the benefits that should trickle down to the poor from the community. At least equal treatment can be expected, as the track record shows, from Behenji, says Atif Saifi.

The BSP cadres, on the other hand, have gained confidence of the people since the schemes announced by the party are village-centric and also focus on maintenance of law and order. The SP rule brings with it a backlash from the OBCs who are either in direct confrontation with the Dalit communities owing to local farming-level rivalries or simply because they own more land and hire Dalits to work on them. Either ways their dislike of the rise in the Dalits social and financial status fuels violence that is only withheld, not curtailed, over a long period under the SP. The promise of efficient policing and maintenance of law and order, even if uptight, gives the Dalit communities a sense of security which results in a strong favourable vote-fest for the BSP on polling day.

And the turnouts have been good till now, BSP workers say. We have received quiet confirmations from almost all regions till now that we have gained considerably; the people are with us. This will continue in the next phases too, hopefully. BJPs desperation shows they are losing and Behenjis confidence shows we are going to win. Whether or not we come to power, a strong BSP will benefit all, says Parag Saini.
Lucknow: Polling for 49 Uttar Pradesh Assembly seats, with SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav's Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency being in focus, will be held on Saturday in the sixth phase amid tight security arrangements.

Assembly segments of Gorakhpur Lok Sabha constituency of firebrand BJP leader Yogi Adityanath, and Mau, where jailed gangster-turned-MLA Mukhtar Ansari is in fray, also figure in this penultimate phase of polling that will also cover some districts bordering Nepal.

Around 1.72 crore voters, including 94.60 lakh men and 77.84 lakh women, are eligible to cast their votes in this round to decide the fate of 635 candidates.

The districts going to polls are Mau, Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Deoria, Azamgarh and Ballia. Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency has 10 assembly seats, of which SP had won nine in 2012, but this time Mulayam has not addressed a single meeting in his parliamentary constituency.

The prestige of Union minister Kalraj Mishra, who represents Deoria in the Lok Sabha, too is at stake, besides that of Adityanath. BJP is contesting 45 seats and its ally Apna Dal one. Another BJP partner Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party is contesting 3 seats. While BSP has fielded candidates on all 49 seats, SP is contesting 40 seats and Congress 9 seats under an alliance.

Prominent candidates in this phase include BSP turncoat Swami Prasad Maurya from Padrauna (Kushinagar), former BJP state president Surya Pratap Shahi from Pathardeva (Deoria), Shyam Bahadur Yadav (SP), son of former Governor Ram Naresh Yadav from Fulpur Pawai (Azamgarh), SP turncoats Ambika Chowhdury and Narad Rai, who are contesting on BSP ticket from Fefna (Ballia) and Ballia Sadar respectively. Mukhtar is contesting from Mau and his son Abbas is in fray from adjoining Ghosi seat in Mau district.

In the 2012 Assembly polls, of the 49 seats, 27 were won by the SP, 9 by BSP, 7 by BJP, 4 by Congress and 2 by others. There will be 17,926 polling booths in this phase.

The highest number of 23 candidates are contesting from Gorakhpur and the least candidates, numbering seven are in pitted for Mohammadabad Gohna seat in Mau district.

Central Para Military Forces have already reached the constituencies and carried out flag march in sensitive areas.

Indo-Nepal border with Maharajganj and Gorakhpur, and border with Bihar have been sealed.

Police patrolling has been intensified along inter district borders and barriers have been erected on highways to keep an eye on movements of vehicles.

Campaigning for the sixth phase saw BJP state president KP Maurya likening rivals SP, Congress and BSP to different types of venomous "snakes" and "social cancer" and urging people to eliminate them by voting for the BJP.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav countered BJP saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conceded defeat in the polls by talking about a hung house. While mustering votes for BJP, Modi sought to prove wrong the prophets of doom after demonetisation saying the latest GDP data showed note-ban did not affect growth rate but rather improved it.

Mocking economists, he said, "Hard work, in fact, is much more powerful than Harvard."

Sounding highly optimistic of the poll outcome for BJP, Modi said the debate now is whether BJP will get two-third or three-fourth majority.

"Never have elections gone one way like this... there had been no dearth in enthusiasm of voters in all five phases," he said.

The PM also caught UP Chief Minister on the wrong foot and cited government website to nail him. "Life in Uttar Pradesh is short and uncertain... Uttar Pradesh resembles Saharan Africa," Modi said quoting a para from the state government's official website up.gov.in.

On the last day of campaigning BJP President Amit Shah held a road show in Gorakhpur. Similar road shows were organised at Kushinagar and Azamgarh.

During her campaign, BSP supremo Mayawati said the public is "disenchanted with BJP and SP" due to the "wrong policies" of the Union and the state governments, and accused Modi and Shah of "dreaming to destroy the state".
In my travels through the Muslim-dominated regions of Uttar Pradesh over the past few weeks, I have tried to understand the mindset of the community and assess whether the Muslim vote could swing in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the ongoing Assembly election in the state.

A senior Islamic cleric, who teaches at the Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama  a world-famous seminary in Lucknow believes that the BJP is in a far better position than Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), whose inefficient rule in its previous regime made it fall out of favour with the Muslim community.

During the ongoing polls, the Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama has sent out contradictory messages to Muslim voters. Renowned Islamic scholar Maulana Salman Al-Husaini Al-Nadwi has expressed his support for the BSP, while another top cleric at the seminary criticised him for his "wrong decision."

On the other hand, the seminary's principal Maulana, Saidur Rahman, expressed support for the Samajwadi Party (SP). "I support SP because at this point the SP-Congress alliance is better for the country," Rahman said.

While the Nadwatul Ulama, as an institution, doesn't endorse any political party, statements made by its clerics have often confused the Muslim voters.

The situation is similar in different sects of Islam as Shia clerics, Kalbe Sadiq and Kalbe Jawwad of Lucknow, expressed support for the BSP while Sunni cleric Maulana Khalid Rasheed, of the Darul Uloom Farangi Mahal, lay his allegiance with the SP. Maulana Ashraf Miyan Kichhauchhvi, who belongs to the Sufi school of Islam, has also expressed his support for the BSP.

In Bareilly, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, who has his own Ittehad-e-Millat Council party, is facing resistance from Muslims. He could not strike a deal with any party. It appears that local Muslims shunned him to vote for the SP.

Kulsum Mustafa, an independent journalist in Lucknow, says that varied appeals from the Islamic clerics have confused the Muslim voters in UP. Hasan Ibrahim, who works with the Urdu daily Roznama Inquilab, said that the clerics' appeals for votes had absolutely no impact on educated Muslims, but added that the common Muslims who read Urdu newspapers are heavily influenced by the clerics and Sufi mystics.

This point is relevant because educated Muslims no longer read Urdu newspapers, while for the common Muslims, the Urdu-Islamic media remains relevant. Islamic clerics have also grasped the use of television to advance their message by organising press conferences and other events geared to attract media headlines.

A quick reading of Urdu newspapers indicate that the bulk of Muslims in UP have voted in favour of the SP so far, while some have voted for the BSP.

Assessing BJP's position among the Muslim voters, Hasan Khalid, a writer from Aligarh, said, "The Muslim youth is definitely voting for the BJP but their numbers are miniscule. And even those who are voting for the BJP cannot say it publicly, because they will be shamed in the community."

In Lucknow, journalist Amit Srivastava says that most Muslims are voting for the SP but added that many have expressed their support for the BJP because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stand on the triple talaq issue. Modi's decision to give LPG cylinders to women has also helped the BJP's cause. Their numbers, however, may not be that consequential.

While many psephologists and commentators have argued in the past that BJP has indeed managed to attract a larger share of the Muslim votes, it was largely unbelievable in view of the mass mobilisation of Muslims by Islamic clerics, the Urdu press and the so-called secular parties to vote against the BJP.

So, the argument is not that Muslims are voting for the BJP in large numbers. The only party which Muslims are voting for in large numbers is the SP. This might be because educated Muslims are not in favour of Modi and often fear him; a stark contrast with Atal Bihari Vajpayee's era, when Muslims were receptive to him to an extent.

The BJP has not fielded a single Muslim candidate in the ongoing UP elections, thereby strengthening the view that Muslims are opposed to the BJP. Though it is understandable why Muslim candidates fielded by BJP cannot win in UP, Lucknow-based commentator Faizan Musanna said that all the parties use Muslims as tissue paper for electoral gains  use them for the elections and trash them afterwards  and wonders if BJP should have done the same. Faizan argues that if the political parties cannot field Muslim candidates due to electoral calculations, they could at least involve them in their organisational decision-making processes.

We know that Muslims in Gujarat and Assam had voted in favour of BJP in the recent past and that a section of Shia Muslims had publicly expressed support for the BJP. Mohsin Raza Alvi, of the BJP's UP unit, said that a certain percentage of Muslims are voting for the BJP and that has caused "fear" among the other parties. The bulk of the Muslim voters, however, are still casting their votes against the BJP.

Hriday Narayan Dikshit, BJP's UP spokesman, makes an interesting observation: "Earlier, Muslims would consider the Congress as a Hindu party, or the Muslim League as a Muslim party." His point highlights a shift in Muslim attitudes towards the Congress  from the 1930s and 1940s to after the Partition, when Muslims started voting for the Congress. Dikshit points out that many Muslim writers and women have expressed support for the end of triple talaq.

On 23 February, polling day of the fourth phase of the Assembly polls, Roznama Inquilab carried four news headlines that must have stunned the Muslim readers. One headline quoted Asaduddin Owaisi as saying: "If Akhilesh Yadav can be forgiven for the Muzaffarnagar riots, then Narendra Modi too should be forgiven for the Gujarat riots."

Another headline quoted Dr Muhammad Ayub of the Peace Party as saying that 'Owaisi's All India Muslim Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen wanted to destroy the Muslim leadership.'

A third was a three-column news story as per which Lucknow-based Ulama Committee had urged Muslim voters to be aware of anti-Muslim policies of the Akhilesh Yadav government: "The Akhilesh government is anti-Muslim, and an enemy of Urdu," declared the headline.

A fourth item was a half-page advertisement by Varanasi-based Muslim leader Firoz Khan, which declared: "Fear Allah, not the BJP."

The Muslim votes for BJP are insignificant but the Muslim attitudes towards the party are changing for sure. "Why not BJP?" is a question running through Muslim minds, and if the BJP manage to win in UP, then the Muslims in the state will be forced to revisit their long-entrenched political attitudes towards the BJP.

The author, a former BBC journalist, is a contributing editor at Firstpost and executive director of the Open Source Institute, New Delhi. He tweets: @tufailelif

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Ukrainian businessman and President of DCH Group Oleksandr Yaroslavsky is interested in acquiring only a controlling stake in Turboatom (Kharkiv).

"I will participate in the open tender [to sell the controlling stake in Turboatom] Otherwise, who will?" he told reporters on Friday.

He also said that if a 20% stake is put up for sale, he does not intend to take part in the tender.

"20% - no. I like to do something myself. If I undertake something, I must respond," he said.

As reported, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said on February 24 that he opposes the full privatization of public joint-stock company Turboatom. He said that some shares from the state-owned 75.224% stake could be sold.

"If we can attract global manufacturers of the same products during the public sale of some shares leaving the state control this is absolutely normal, I think," he said.

He said that in partnership with global leaders in the sector Turboatom would have a chance to enter the global market. He said that Ukraine has 3,500 state-run enterprises and the state is a bad manager.

Head of the State Property Fund (SPF) Ihor Bilous said in an interview with Business weekly earlier that an option to enlarge Turboatom via the transfer of the generator production complex of Electrotyazhmash plant (Kharkiv) is being considered. A new enterprise that would compete with global leaders as Alstom and Simens could be created.

"If Turboatom is sold as it is now, Alstom and Siemens would pay $500 million for it without batting [an eyelid] and actually stop the plant," Bilous said.

He said that first the plant should be expanded and its capitalization should be increased. Then 25% of its shares could be placed on an exchange, for example, the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE).

"Finally the state could leave a blocking stake and the rest of the shares will be diluted among various holders," he said.

Turboatom is the sole producer of turbine equipment in Ukraine for hydro, heat and nuclear electricity stations. Turboatom specializes in manufacturing turbines for thermal and nuclear power plants, hydraulic turbines for hydroelectric power plants and pumped storage power plants, gas turbines for thermal power plants, steam and gas equipment, and other power equipment.
One of the most fascinating segments of voters who will be going to the polls over the seven phases of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election is the millenial voter. Parth MN, who is travelling through Uttar Pradesh, has filed a series of ground reports on millennial voters in the state, with a special focus on the concerns of young voters. This, the final part of the series, will focus on first-time voters of Varanasi.

Mehboob Ali says his business has been getting better. It is almost up to 40 percent of what it used to be prior to November last year. "We sat idle the next two months," he says. "It is gradually picking up over the past few weeks."

The famous weaver's community of Varanasi, numbering almost two lakhs in the district, is still grappling with the effects of demonetisation. Ali, 20, who is steering the business his grandfather started, says the family has been struggling to make ends meet. "We are still standing in bank queues for bearer cheques, on which our business runs," he says. "We have to pay salaries of Rs 2,000 every week to every laborer. Their bread and butter is in our hands. We know how guilty it feels to delay their payment."

Ali did not study beyond high school, and joined his father's business at the age of 10. He has four younger brothers in school, who he hopes would not join him. "I quit studies because I could help my father make more money and my younger brothers would be able to study," he says. "I want them to find better jobs. Move out of Varanasi, if possible, Uttar Pradesh."

Most of the millennial voters in the weaver community express their desire to break out of the family business, but mention lack of employment in the same breath. If they can afford better education and are lucky enough to get a job, they say, they would take it. Family business, which is not in the best of shapes, is a fallback option.

Unlike the rest of Uttar Pradesh, where Modi is hailed as a crusader against corruption, weavers in Varanasi question the motives and objectives behind demonetisation. Their vote is mostly going to Akhilesh Yadav. "Electricity rent for the machine is only Rs 85 a month," says Ali. "Akhilesh did that. We have done better under his government."

But Varanasi is a complex place, where Bismillah Khan played his eternal shehnai and, at the same time, thousands of devout Hindus take a dip in the Ganges.

Along with the weavers, Brahmins form a formidable votebank in the district. Brahmins  who constitute about 13 percent of the state's population  are pivotal in about 20 parliamentary seats, especially in eastern UP. Varanasi is one of them, which is why cries of reservation are louder among the millennial voters.

Bhumika Shukla, studying conflict management and development at BHU, says her father is in the Uttar Pradesh police, and transfers and promotions are extremely biased. "The Yadavs are favored above others," she says. "And it is true everywhere. It is much more difficult for me to get a government job as compared to a Yadav. There is a reason why they say 'yeh Yadavoki sarkar hai'. The reservation system has to be revisited."

Students say they don't think of caste or religion, but only of development ahead of casting their vote. But they are vocal about reservation and know which party has fielded how many Brahmin or OBC candidates across the state.

There is 27 percent reservation for OBCs and it's said the Yadav community benefits most from it, with the Samajwadi Party often accused of favoring them over others. There are murmurs of an anti-Yadav vote being consolidated behind BJP. However, even though it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency, it does not seem like a cakewalk for the BJP.

Eight constituencies from Varanasi will go to polls on 8 March. Three seats lie in the city of Varanasi, and five in the rural district. In the north Varanasi seat, two BJP leaders are contesting independently because they did not get the party ticket. If they eat into the BJP's voteshare, the SP-Congress alliance could sneak through. In the south, 55 percent are Muslims, who are likely to consolidate behind the alliance as well. In the cantonment seat, the contest is too close to call. Of the five rural constituencies, Ajay Rai and Surendra Patel of the gathbandhan are difficult to beat.

Apart from criticism of Modi and Akhilesh echoing through the rest of the state for communal and not being able to handle law and order, respectively, among the youth in Varanasi, there is a sense of disillusionment with the prime minister, for the city has hardly changed after he became an MP. It still suffers from the issues it suffered earlier. "There is no proper drainage facility, the city is full of dirt and filth," says Ankit Yadav, an MSW student at Kashi Vidyapeeth. "Modi has made a lot of promises but he hardly keeps them. The Rupee is falling. GDP has taken a hit. Where is 'achche din'?"

Further, the changing discourse at educational institutes in India is also a talking point among students at BHU. After appearing on Rajdeep Sardesai's show, Manesha Shukla and her three friends received rape threats for speaking out against gender injustice. "Girls cannot participate in protests or debates, there is injustice with the food we are served, and there are restrictions on clothes and timings as well," says Manesha, a BSC second year student at BHU. "They keep an eye on who we hang out with."

Students who have spent more than three years at BHU say the culture was liberal, and the discourse was free prior to the current vice-chancellor's appointment. Now, celebrating Valentine's Day can lead to cancellation of hostel. Even teachers say they hesitate expressing their socio-political views on social media, and the posts of students and teachers are monitored. Teachers with Right leanings have it easier, they say, and discussions on Gandhi have reduced, while those on Golwalkar have increased in seminars.

A 24-year-old girl, pleading anonymity, says she was happier with the earlier vice-chancellor, and lately feels claustrophobic because of increasing restrictions. "The ABVP is also getting belligerent at BHU," she says. "They ride around with their bikes and indulge in moral policing. We have seen what they did at Ramjas and JNU. Personally, I would not have minded voting for the BJP. But with the rising influence of ABVP and decreasing free space at universities, I will now think twice before voting for them."

Read the other reports in the series:

I. How Lucknow's first-time voters are gearing up for the polls

II. In Sonia Gandhi's adopted Udwa village, millennials are impressed with Modi's 'audaciousness'

III. In VIP constituency of Raebareli, millennial voters vexed with Congress, inclined to vote for Akhilesh

IV. In Amethi, millennial voters are looking beyond Rahul Gandhi
Indian elections, especially in northern states, have always been more captivating than the finest of Hollywood thrillers. This interesting contrast between a thriller movie and a close election arises from the fact that though the characters and the screenplay are largely predictable, the ending is not. The dynamic determinants in elections have always been sharp. One such determinant particular to the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections is the caste factor.

Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) attempt to play their hand at caste politics had failed miserably in the 2015 Bihar Assembly election. In that regard, it is interesting to see if the party have rethought their strategy.

Surendra Yadav, a resident of Budhipur Village of Ghazipur constituency, represented by minister of state (Rail) Manoj Sinha, said: All the Mauryas, Chauhans and Binds of the constituency of this Assembly segment are voting for the BJP this time around... they had had voted for the Samajwadi Party (SP) in the 2012 elections."

No caste... only Modi. Bhumihars are voting for a Apna Dal (BJP alliance partner ) candidate, Neel Ratan Patel, in Sewapuri and the Patels are voting for a Bhumihar BJP candidate, Surendra Singh, in the adjoining Rohania constituency, said Manohar Patel, a Babupurwa village resident of Sewapuri constituency in Varanasi, represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a caste ridden state like Uttar Pradesh, BJPs management of different social segments without upsetting any others seems to be paying dividends. The party has diligently designed a model to defeat the caste champions SP, on their own turf.

The prelude to the battle lay in consolidating the traditional upper caste vote base by acknowledging them and in bringing non-Yadav OBCs and non-Jatav SC votes into the BJP fold, by igniting dissonance and attracting them using Modi's charisma.

BJP has always been perceived as a party belonging to a certain caste and class. Most of its national faces have for long been reinforcing this image. Kalyan Singh was an exception, as he managed to gain political power and position while effectively maintaining his status among the cadre as well as the masses. His support base, in contrast to today's BJP leaders, was strongly rooted among the OBCs.

After his withdrawal from the electoral landscape of UP, BJP were left with hardly any other OBC face  someone who has had acceptability among the OBC masses.

Then came the era of 'Modi magic' in Indian politics. He not only presented himself as a mascot of development but also complemented his persona with modern day gadgets, an elegant dressing sense and his honesty about his humble background. This made Modi the tallest OBC leader in contemporary Indian politics. His likeability cut across social and economic classes and he soon developed a pan-India image.

Banking on his image, the BJP have been successful in implementing a three-pronged strategy in Uttar Pradesh:

Dethroning Mulayam Singh

Displacing the SP patriarch from the unstated position of an 'OBC messiah' has been the first accomplished agenda of the BJP. Mulayam, who till recently was the tallest OBC leader  not just of UP but also the country  has been reduced to a Yadav leader.

Mulayam has largely been (dis)credited with the superlative preference assigned to Yadavs for government appointments and premium postings. The BJP, using this, were successfully in instigating a feeling of dissonance and disgruntlement among non-Yadav OBCs.

The theory was successfully subscribed to by the target segment. Keshav Maurya was made UP BJP president and many of the OBC leaders joined the party with much fanfare. Alliances with two caste based political outfits further augmented the BJPs position among non-Yadav OBCs, especially in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Demonetisation

Unlike popular media perception, the note ban has been hugely beneficial for the BJP. The drastic decision was perceived as a step towards 'right wing communism'. The poor and the down trodden  largely belonging to SC/ST and OBC categories  found satisfaction in seeing the foul riches being stripped away from the corrupt.

Many in the state hope that a subsequent chunk of that money will be coming their way. The political merits of the move were repeatedly ratified in BJP's electoral engagements since demonetisation.

Primacy of non-Yadav OBCs

BJP's final masterstroke was to give preference to non-Yadav OBCs while distributing tickets for unreserved seats. Sections with higher population and higher voting percentages received a higher share in ticket distribution. This strengthened BJP's position among non-Yadav votes.

The strategy, though a risky proposition, helped the BJP significantly as other parties could not keep pace with the political dynamics and hence failed to leverage the opportunity. Naveen Pandey, a teacher, wrote on Facebook: Many of the Brahmins have approached me to vote for the Brahmin candidate contesting from my Assembly constituency of Jangipur and not for an OBC candidate fielded by the BJP. He further writes it is not just me and my family but 60-70 percent of the Brahmins in my village who are going to vote for BJP.

The net gain for BJP has been a wider acceptability among a majority of social groups of the state, that brings it closer to the finishing line. SP largely appear to be the favourites among Yadavs, Muslims and other traditional socialists, which restrict its prospects.

Bahujan Samaj Party, on the other hand, does not seem to be receiving the warmth of any social groups other than its traditional Jatav votes and Muslims, especially those from belonging to rural areas and the conservatives. A section of non-Jatav SC votes have moved to the BJP and the social groups that joined the BSP faction in the 2007 UP Assembly elections have largely deserted.

It is a tough race and any one can win. But at the macro level, 30 percent of the total polled vote is the minimum yardstick of winning the state. At constituency level, 60,000 is the minimum votes needed to win. This is possible only when a large group votes in favour of a particular party.

The social engineering employed by BJP appears to enjoy greater acceptability among the wider social groups and the party may have finally mastered the art of caste politics.

The author is professor, faculty of management studies, Banaras Hindu University.
Airports across the country have been alerted about the possibility of UP Minister Gayatri Prajapati, accused of rape, trying to flee the country. A Letter of Cancellation (LC) will soon be opened against him and all airports have been alerted to prevent the 49-year-old Prajapati from fleeing the country, official sources said. BJP on Friday accused Akhilesh Yadav of hiding rape accused minister Gayatri Prajapati at his residence and said the chief minister had become a "patron" of criminals in the state. "The chief minister has hidden Gayatri Prajapati in his residence and the police is enacting the drama of carrying out raids to arrest him," state unit president of the BJP Keshav Prasad Maurya claimed here.

"Can Akhilesh take a pledge in the name of the mother Ganga that Gayatri has not been kept at the CM's residence...if the chief minister really wants, Prajapati can be caught in ten minutes," he said. The BJP leader alleged that Akhilesh had become a patron of big criminals in the state, adding that CM house should not be allowed to become a "haven for criminals". Senior BJP leader Vijay Bahadur Pathak also charged the chief minister with campaigning for the gangrape accused and describing him as a capable leader before people. Besides, another minister Azam Khan had described the rape case as a conspiracy, he said.

"...such an attitude encourages people with criminal mentality. They show scant regard for women's safety and blatantly indulge in heinous crimes," Pathak said. Prajapati is accused in separate cases of gangrape and an attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter. He has remained elusive and the Lucknow Police have initiated steps to withdraw his 'Y' category security. Acting on the Supreme Court's orders, police said they have been making efforts to nab him and they might even apply for cancellation of his passport so that the minister cannot escape from the country.

Interestingly, though, the minister was seen moving freely from one place to other in his constituency seeking votes. The last time Prajapati was seen in public was on 27 February, when he spoke to the media saying he will win by a huge margin and will work under Akhilesh once again. The 49-year-old is facing imminent arrest following an FIR lodged against him and six of his accomplices on the apex court's order at Gautampalli police station in the state capital on February 18 under various sections of the IPC and POCSO Act.

Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav on Friday promised full cooperation with regards to the case of rape-accused elusive minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati as per the directions of the Supreme Court.

"The matter is in the Supreme Court...The government will fully cooperate and go by its order," Yadav said in response to a question at a hurriedly-convened press conference here. When his attention was drawn to the tweet by state BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya, Akhilesh asked the mediapersons to follow him with their cameras to check for themselves.
By Ayman al-Warfalli

| BENGHAZI, Libya

BENGHAZI, Libya An armed faction entered a major Libyan oil terminal and an airport at the neighbouring one on Friday, after attacking forces that have controlled the terminals since September, officials and residents said.It was unclear who controlled the ports late on Friday as fighting continued. There was no statement from the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC), which reopened the ports after the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) took them over seven months ago.Since then the LNA's opponents have launched several unsuccessful attacks against the ports in Libya's eastern oil crescent. Earlier on Friday the LNA said it had used air strikes and ground troops to repel the attack by the Benghazi Defence Brigades (BDB). But port engineers and a Libyan oil source said the BDB entered Es Sider port, and the BDB posted pictures of its fighters at an airport in neighbouring Ras Lanuf.The oil source denied reports that workers at Es Sider had been evacuated, and port officials said operations had not been affected.

Later, the LNA said it had retaken control at Ras Lanuf airport. A medical source said at least three LNA troops had been killed and five wounded in the fighting. Es Sider and Ras Lanuf are among four ports that the LNA took control of in September. That allowed the NOC to reopen three of the ports which had long been blockaded, leading to a sharp boost in Libya's oil production. The Benghazi Defence Brigades are composed partly of fighters who were ousted from Benghazi by the LNA, where LNA commander Khalifa Haftar has been waging a military campaign for nearly three years against Islamists and other opponents.

The LNA brands its opponents as Islamist extremists, and both sides accuse the other of using mercenaries from Libya's sub-Saharan neighbours to the south. Libya has recently been producing about 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil, more than double its output early last year but still far less than the 1.6 million bpd the OPEC member was pumping before the 2011 uprising.

But production remains vulnerable to political turmoil and continued insecurity, with factions based in the east and west of Libya repeatedly clashing in recent weeks in desert areas southwest of the Oil Crescent whose ports suffered major damage in previous rounds of fighting and are still operating well below capacity. Tankers have been loading at Es Sider since December, with the Amalthea due to arrive on March 7 to load 630,000 barrels for Austria's OMV (OMVV.VI).The NOC has been lobbying foreign firms to return to Libya and invest in the oil and gas sector as it tries to push production to 1.2 million bpd later this year. Es Sider and Ras Lanuf have a potential combined production capacity of about 600,000 bpd. (Additional reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar and Julia Payne in London; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
There is no economic case for breaking up the United Kingdom, British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday, in a speech attacking Scottish nationalists for being "obsessed" with independence.

Since last year's Brexit vote, Scottish National Party leader and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly said she could push for a new independence referendum if the country is forced into a clean break with the bloc.

"The economic case for the union has never been stronger," May told her Conservative Party's Scottish conference in Glasgow. "There is no economic case for breaking up the United Kingdom, or of loosening the ties which bind us together."

May also said that no decisions currently taken by the Scottish parliament will be removed from it when Britain leaves the EU.

Britain will trigger the legal process for leaving the European Union by the end of March, Brexit minister David Davis said on Friday.

"Are we going to trigger Article 50 by the end of the month? Yes," Davis told a news conference in Bratislava after meeting Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Beijing: China on Friday warned India against allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause "serious damage" to the bilateral ties and peace in the disputed border region.

"China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told the media.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to any visits by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area.

China had also aired similar concerns in October last year when India granted permission to the Tibetan spiritual leader to visit Arunachal Pradesh at the invitation of the state government. The visit is expected to take place this year.

"China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas," Geng said.

"China's position on the eastern section of China-India border dispute is consistent and clear. The Dalai clique has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and its record on the border question is not that good," he said.

Geng said China expressed its concern to India through formal channels.

"India is fully aware of the seriousness of the Dalai issue and the sensitivity of China-India border question," he said.

"Under such a background if India invites the Dalai to visit to the mentioned territory, it will cause serious damage to peace and stability of border region and China-India relations," he said.

"We have expressed concerns to the Indian side, urged India to stick to its political commitments and abide by important consensus the two sides have reached on the boundary question, refrain from actions that might complicate the issue, not provide a platform to the Dalai clique and protect the sound and stable development of the Sino-India relations," he said.

Geng's comments came in the backdrop of an interview to the Chinese media by former Chinese Special Representative on boundary dispute Dai Bingguo in which he said the border dispute between the two nations can be resolved if India gives up claim over Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

Asked about Dai's comments, Geng said he has not seen the interview.

He said China's principled position on the boundary question with India is to reach an early solution pending China-India border question is in the fundamental interest of the two countries.
In his address to the joint session of Congress, President Trump came through well. Gone were the barbs and blusters one saw in his speeches during the presidential election and even at the time of swearing-in ceremony just a month ago. Here he was addressing the members of Congress with respect the American legislators deserve. A CNN poll said 57 percent of the people found his speech satisfactory.

He sketched his administrations policy before the Congress. Largely he talked of how his administration will deal with the number one issue America, not unlike other democracies, faces today  unemployment. However, unemployment caused by American manufacturers outsourcing American jobs, relocating their companies to countries like Mexico or China (because of lower wages in these countries) is a major problem for them. Trump has often expressed (in his campaign rallies or tweets) that he would like to stop this export of American jobs by giving large tax incentives to companies. He he enjoys the support of American labour and businesses on this issue.

Immigration was one of the biggest agenda of his presidential campaign. Soon after he took over the White House, he decreed a ban on immigration from seven Muslim countries. The judiciary objected to his decision and several states condemned it calling it discriminatory. Since then he has toned down his approach by permitting immigration on merit basis.

Trump has to reckon with the system of checks and balances of this sturdy democracy, now 251 years old. Trump is soon realising that his ideological zeal has little place in a system that has well established institutions and practices. His biggest climb down from his original election platform is on the issue of health. In March 2010, former US president Barack Obama had passed the Affordable Health Care act which was a first considering even Franklin Roosevelt, one of the most popular US presidents, failed to give the American people a public health system.

Since Obama achieved this fete in 2010, Republicans who dominated Congress during his tenure decided to block all legislation by the Democratic government. This was much similar to the Indian situation on the GST issue. A legislative-executive deadlock hurts people. Donald Trump who said during the election that he would demolish 'ObamaCare' now stated in his address to the Congress that he would put in its place a new health care measure. Whatever the name he gives it, its basically ObamaCare, and the Democrats in the Congress thunderously applauded it as their own.

The Trump administration has bluntly said no to Obama administrations move of creating a Pacific community, for free trade of 12 countries, consisting of American and East Asian Pacific countries. This they did on the grounds that such a policy would rob of American people of its jobs . Trump administration's foreign policy is majorly going to be governed by these factors  immigration, jobs and health.

On two foreign policy issues the administration has reversed its policy: Nato and Russia. Before Trump took office he criticised Nato. Now in his address to the Congress he says Nato is of vital importance to the country. It is the lynch-pin of American security. He also reiterated his position on Russia at the time UK prime minister Theresa May's visit last month: sanctions of Nato countries on Russia remain. As long as Putins Russia appears to be a threat to the European members of Nato, the American commitments to the security of Europe remains, Trump reportedly said to Theresa May.

There is a new dimension to Americas relations thats going to make this relationship very choppy. Democrats and now increasing number of Republicans are asking for an impartial investigation into links, if any between the Trump's campaign team and Russian president Vladimir Putin. There are louder calls by members of both parties that the present Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, resigns from the investigation team looking into this affair. Earlier the presidents national security advisor Michael Flynn had to resign for his calls to the Russian embassy in Washington.

It should be recalled here that as a candidate of the Republican Party he expressed vicarious joy in Russian hacking of Hillary Clintons emails. Should any such links between the Trump's campaign team and the Putin administration be discovered, the Russia-America relations will crash. It was premature of foreign secretary S Jaishankar to say, as he did, at a recent MEA gathering, that Russian-American relations have never been as good as they are today  a gross exaggeration.

There are no deeply divisive issues between us and Trumps America. The thing we need today is hard analysis of our own foreign relations and less of grand pronouncements.
By James Giahyue

| MONROVIA

MONROVIA The family of a Liberian Ebola nurse named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" in 2014 wants to sue a hospital whose staff they say were too scared to treat her when she died of complications around childbirth.The hospital in the capital Monrovia rejected that claim, saying staff had done all they could save Salome Karwah, who died after giving birth by caesarean section last week. Liberian authorities said this week they are investigating her death.Karwah worked with charity Doctors Without Borders as a nurse after herself recovering from the often deadly hemorrhagic fever. She was one of five people featured on the Time magazine cover for their work in fighting Ebola. "The ... family is going to take a lawsuit against the hospital," her brother Reginald Karwah told Reuters by telephone. "The mismanagement of our (sister's) condition was due to the fact that they had people on shift who did not handle her case professionally."Since her previous exposure -- when Ebola ravaged her village and killed a number of her relatives -- had rendered her immune, Karwah was able to make direct contact with sick patients that most carers could not.

Time reported that she could even "spoon-feed elderly sufferers, and rock feverish babies to sleep".In June last year the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Liberia free of active Ebola virus transmission, the last of four West African countries at the epicentre of the world's worst outbreak of the disease.Traces of Ebola can hide in survivors' bodies long after they have recovered, but health experts say the risk of Ebola re-emerging and being transmitted to others is extremely low. Despite that, there is a great deal of stigma around survivors of the virus in West Africa.

Liberia's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Francis Kateh told Reuters by telephone the family were "not looking at the reality"."I don't think [stigmatisation] is an issue. She stayed there for days before she was discharged, so if there was a stigma against someone with Ebola they would not have touched her or operated on her," when in fact they did, he said. "Had ... no one touched her, no one looked at her, then you could say stigmatisation (occurred)," he added, denying that this is what happened.

But Karwah's husband James Harris said he had argued with doctors and nurses at the hospital for three hours to let her in while she lay unattended in an ambulance."I feel very bad and angry. My wife fought Ebola, saved other people's lives and now this was the time for the healthcare workers in Liberia to pay back but they refused." The epidemic killed more than 11,300 people and infected some 28,600 from 2013, as it swept through Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, according to WHO data. (Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Catherine Evans)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
New Delhi: The Indian Commissioner of the Permanent Indus Commission has accepted his Pakistani counterpart's invitation for talks on the Indus Waters Treaty scheduled to be held in Pakistan in the second half of March.

However, given the extremely strained relations between the two South Asian nuclear neighbours, the Indian establishment here does not see this as official talks of any sort with Pakistan, it is reliably learnt.

The Permanent Indus Commission is a bipartisan body entrusted with everyday implementation of the World Bank-brokered Indus Waters Treaty that was signed in 1960.

The Commission, which is mandated to meet at least once every year, alternately in India and Pakistan, comprises Indus Commissioners from both sides and discusses technical matters related to implementation of the Treaty. It has met 112 times since 1960.

It is learnt that mutually convenient dates and mutually agreeable agenda are being worked out directly by the Commissioners themselves and the Indian government has played no role in this regard.

New Delhi sees this as just another regular meeting of the Commission to deal with technical matters concerned with implementation of the Treaty and which does not amount to talks between India and Pakistan.

The Treaty had come close to be jeopardised following the cross-border terror attack on September 18 last year on an army base at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 19 Indian soldiers.

Blaming the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed for the attack, New Delhi said it would consider revisiting the Indus Waters Treaty, which has withstood three wars and is seen as one of the most successful international agreements.

According to the agreement, India has control over three eastern rivers -- Beas, Ravi and Sutlej -- all flowing from Punjab.

Pakistan, as per the treaty, controls the western rivers of the Indus -- Chenab and Jhelum that flow from Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu and Kashmir has been demanding a review of the treaty as it robs the state of its rights to use the water of the rivers.

The current processes under the treaty concern the Kishenganga (330 MW) and Ratle (850 MW) hydroelectric power plants, being built by India on the Kishenganga and Chenab rivers, respectively, to which Pakistan has raised objections.

In November last year, India had pointed out the legal untenability of the World Bank launching two simultaneous processes for appointment of a neutral expert -- requested by India -- and establishment of a court of arbitration -- requested by Pakistan -- to adjudicate technical differences.

In December, the World Bank announced a pause in the separate processes initiated by India and Pakistan to allow the two countries to consider alternative ways to resolve their disagreements.

"We are announcing this pause to protect the Indus Waters Treaty and to help India and Pakistan consider alternative approaches to resolving conflicting interests under the Treaty and its application to two hydroelectric power plants," World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim had said in a statement.

"This is an opportunity for the two countries to begin to resolve the issue in an amicable manner and in line with the spirit of the Treaty rather than pursuing concurrent processes that could make the treaty unworkable over time."

This year, weeks after discussing the Indus Waters Treaty issue with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad, World Bank Chief Executive Officer Kristalina Georgieva met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley here.
Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Rozenko has said the work on the memorandum with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) still continues, the draft document does not contain any specifics concerning the pension reform.

"The work on the memorandum is ongoing. I think we'll be able to speak about the completion of the work on the memorandum with the International Monetary Fund or a letter of intent with the International Monetary Fund only when the IMF will make a final decision to continue providing its financial assistance to Ukraine, when this will be approved by the IMF," Rozenko said on the air of 112.ua on Friday.

The deputy prime minister said the memorandum doesn't give any details about the pension reform, but only emphasizes the need for its implementation.
The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is holding its first summit meeting in Jakarta on 5-7 March on the 20th anniversary of its formation. The regional organisation, which is a grouping of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean, has the unusual format of an annual conference in three sections with representatives of government, business and academia. Indonesia, the current chair of IORA, in an effort to energise the regional body has elevated the annual conference to summit level by inviting presidents and prime ministers.

Can Indonesia energise the slow moving, low profile grouping and set it on track to evolve into a dynamic regional organisation? The theme of the leaders' meeting is 'Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable, and Prosperous Indian Ocean'. There is a general view that IORA has tremendous potential as an economic organisation in a region where economic cooperation is still expanding. But IORA is yet to develop into an effective body. Unlike other high-profile regional organisations across the world, IORA has continued to function at the ministerial level. Indonesias move to upgrade to summit level has come just at a time when the Indian Ocean has gained greater strategic importance.

India has made an increased effort to engage with island countries of the Indian Ocean and with countries in Africa in recent years. India is strategically placed in the centre of the Indian Ocean and about 90 percent of its maritime trade travels across the Indian Ocean. About 16 leaders are expected to attend the annual meet in Jakarta, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be attending it. The prolonged election process for five states has held up the prime minister. India will be represented by Vice-President Hamid Ansari, who has been taking forward the governments foreign policy agenda during his travels. But Modis presence will be missed when a revitalised organisation is in the making.

An Indian Ocean grouping was first suggested by South Africa in the 1990s when it was transiting to multi-racial democracy. The clumsily named Indian Ocean Rim Arch of Cooperation (IOR-ARC), stretching from South Africa to Australia was founded in 1997 with India as one of its main backers. It was accepted as a good concept and there was a rush of countries seeking membership in the grouping. Its membership went up to 18 before a moratorium on new members was declared. However, further consolidation was slow as political issues bogged down the body, the tides of globalisation and economic reforms were slow to reach many parts of the region.

IORA membership has grown to 21 with seven dialogue partners but it remained a low-key, low-profile body, seeking to promote economic cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. The IORA membership includes India, Indonesia, Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malyasia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Its seven dialogue partners are the US, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Japan and the UK. The political rivalries have receded as the need for greater economic cooperation has increased.

The Indian Ocean region has seen many changes in the past 20 years since the IORA was set up. The African economies are being transformed; some of the fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa. Indonesia has shown greater interest in developing its maritime potential under President Joko Widodos vision of making Indonesia a maritime power. Trade, investment, and tourism are major items on the IORA agenda, but maritime security and disaster risk management are areas of primary concern to Indian Ocean Rim states as are management and conservation of fish and marine resources.

IORA still eschews politics, but the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 6 March, 2017 in Jakarta is expected to finalise a set of documents that aim to set out the future direction for the Indian Ocean Association. These documents comprise a draft accord, an action plan and a declaration. The summit of leaders of the region is expected to approve the documents and place the IORA in a faster track.
DAMASCUS Damage to the World Heritage site of Palymra by Islamic State militants may be less than earlier believed, Syria's antiquities chief said on Friday.Maamoun Abdulkarim told Reuters that video from Palmyra after it was recaptured by the Syrian army has shown less damage than archaeologists feared when pictures emerged at the beginning of the year suggesting Islamic State had smashed more monuments. Under heavy Russian air cover, the Syrian army and allied militias drove the jihadist group out of the UNESCO world heritage site on Thursday, two months after they had seized it in a surprise advance. Fears of a new assault on Palmyra's heritage were raised after pictures in January showed the group had destroyed parts of the Tetrapylon, one of the city's most iconic monuments, and the facade of the second-century Roman Theatre. They had already destroyed other landmarks, including a 1,800-year-old monumental arch, during their first occupation of the city which ended a year ago last March. But Abdulkarim said preliminary photographs and video from the city showed almost no further damage than what was already known. "Really, our hearts had been overwhelmed with fear of a complete explosion of the theatre," Abdulkarim said. "We thought the situation would be much worse, that there would be eradication, that they [Islamic State] would complete their crimes from the first occupation," he added.

Abdulkarim said he would visit the area soon for a better assessment, but added: "At least there is some sense of tranquility after we received the initial photos. The general situation is reassuring." Some of the damage could be repaired, he said. "Except for the previous destruction, the state of the theatre looks good," Abdulkarim said. "Even that destroyed section could be repaired. It had already been restored, and it will be again." Palmyra, known in Arabic as Tadmur, stood at the crossroads of the ancient world. "We had received terrifying information that there might have been a revenge crime against the entire citadel," Abdulkarim said. "There is some damage, but in general, the citadel is fine too."

FRONTLINES

Broadcasting live from inside Palmyra on Friday, Syrian state television showed pro-government forces and army troops celebrating atop the historic citadel on the outskirts of the city.

The army narrowed in on the militants from three different directions, a field commander said on state television. "We opened frontlines along all those directions," he said.In December, Islamic State swept into Palmyra as the army and its allies focused on defeating rebels in Aleppo. Eastern Aleppo fell to the government in its most important gain of the war, which has killed hundreds of thousands and created one of the world's worst refugee crises.Islamic State is now on the back foot in Syria after losing territory in the north to an alliance of U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led militias, and to Turkey-backed Syrian rebel groups. The Syrian army is also fighting Islamic State east of Aleppo city, where it is pushing to reach the Euphrates river, and in the city of Deir al-Zor, where it controls an enclave besieged by the militants.However, the jihadist group still holds swathes of territory in Syria, including around the Euphrates basin and the country's eastern deserts along the border with Iraq. (Reporting by Kinda Makieh in Damascus and Ellen Francis in Beirut Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Maher Chmaytelli and Isabel Coles

| BAGHDAD/ERBIL, Iraq

BAGHDAD/ERBIL, Iraq The number of civilians escaping the fighting in Mosul has increased significantly as battles intensify between U.S.-backed Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants, and some have been exposed to chemical agents, the Red Cross said on Friday. Iraqi armed forces meanwhile said they had captured another district as they push toward the densely packed old city centre where the fighting is expected to become tougher.Among casualties in the past 48 hours, five children and two women were treated for exposure to chemical agents, suffering blisters, eye redness, vomiting and coughing, said the International Committee of the Red Cross. The United States has warned that Islamic State could use weapons containing sulfur mustard agents to repel the offensive on the northern Iraqi city.Iraqi forces captured the eastern side of Mosul in January after 100 days of fighting and launched their attack on the districts that lie west of the Tigris river on Feb. 19.Defeating Islamic State in Mosul would crush the Iraqi wing of the caliphate declared by the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in 2014, over parts of Iraq and Syria, although the group is expected to continue a campaign of insurgent attacks.The Iraqi military believes several thousand militants, including many foreigners, are hunkered down in Mosul among the remaining civilian population, which aid agencies estimated to number 750,000 at the start of the latest phase of the battle.

The battle for Mosul has killed and wounded several thousand people since it started on Oct. 17, according to aid agencies."We have noted a significant increase in displacement in last week, 30,000 in west Mosul, 4,000 a day or so," Matthew Saltmarsh, a spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, told a news briefing in Geneva."Of course the military fighting is intensifying by the day," Bastien Vigneau, the emergency director for Mosul operations at the U.N children's agency UNICEF, told the briefing.Speaking from Erbil, east of Mosul, he said over 100,000 children are among the 191,000 who have been displaced in total from the city since October.

Among them, UNICEF identified 874 children who were unaccompanied or separated. More than half have been reunited with parents, and the rest are being taken care of by extended family.The militants are using suicide car bombers, snipers and booby traps to counter the offensive waged by the 100,000-strong force of Iraqi troops, Kurdish peshmerga fighters and Iranian-trained Shi'ite Muslim paramilitary groups.The Iraqi forces captured the Wadi Hajar district on Friday, an advance that allows them to link up all their forces in the south of the city, starting from the Tigris river and ending in the Mamoun district, according to military statements. Intra-Kurdish fighting erupted on the sidelines of the battle, highlighting the risk of conflict and turf war between the multiple forces arrayed against Islamic State, many of which lean on regional patrons for political support and arms.

The clash broke out when Peshmerga Rojava forces moved towards the border with Syria, encroaching on territory controlled by a local affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).The Peshmerga Rojava is made up of Kurds from Syria and was formed and trained in Iraq with the backing of Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdish Regional Government in northern Iraq.The clashes, which lasted several hours, pitted them against the YBS, which was set up there by the PKK after it came to the aid of the Yazidi population when the area was overrun by Islamic State in the summer of 2014.Most Yazidis are still displaced from their homes, but some families who returned to Sinjar fled again on Friday."It's a struggle between two political parties but the victims are the Yazidis," said 19-year from the town of Khanasor where the clashes took place. "Aren't they supposed to be fighting Daesh (Islamic State)? Let them go and get rid of them." (With additional reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; Writing by Maher Chmaytelli)

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Jerusalem: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval has held talks with Israel's top leadership as part of preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's much-awaited visit, the first by an Indian premier to the Jewish country.

Modi is expected to visit Israel by the middle of this year.

Doval landed in Israel on Wednesday and met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his Jerusalem office. Doval also met his counterpart, Israel's acting National Security Adviser and Head of the National Security Council, Brig Gen (retd) Jacob Nagel.

The discussions "revolved around Prime Minister Modi's expected visit this summer", officials told PTI.

Doval left for India on Thursday morning after a short trip.

India's relations with Israel have made steady progress since the two countries established diplomatic relations 25 years ago in January 1992, irrespective of the party in power in New Delhi, but a prime ministerial visit to Israel has been long-awaited.

President Pranab Mukherjee visited Israel in October, 2015, in what was the first such visit by an Indian Head of State to the Jewish country.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin made a reciprocal visit last year at Mukherjee's invitation in what was the second visit by an Israeli Head of State to New Delhi coming after a gap of almost 20 years.

The only visit of an Israeli Prime Minister to India happened in 2003 when Ariel Sharon visited New Delhi. BJP-led government under Atal Behari Vajpayee was in power at that time.

Modi's visit is being discussed amid talks of a "close chemistry" between him and Netanyahu.

The two leaders have already met twice on foreign soil on the sidelines of UN-related events and are said to have been in touch with each other over the phone.

"I am happy that often we can talk easily on telephone, we can discuss everything. It has very rarely happened. In your case it has happened," Modi had told Netanyahu during their meeting on the sidelines of Paris climate summit in 2015.

The Israeli premier had then promptly responded by saying, "in your case too".

India's abstention in a UNHRC vote in 2015 on a UN report critical of Israel's offensive in the Gaza war of 2014 was described by many as a sign of a "qualitative leap" in relations which had transformed into "completely normal" ties without any "hangups" with many crediting the closeness between the two prime Ministers for the "change in heart".

New Delhi, however, later clarified that the vote was a "principled" stand it had taken with the International Criminal Court having a reference in the resolution and did not mark "any shift in policy".

Starting with humble figures of USD 200 million in annual trade in 1992, the two countries registered bilateral trade of about USD 4.5 billion last year.

The defence ties between the two countries have often drawn worldwide attention and acquired strategic dimensions.

Modi's visit is expected to push Israeli defence companies to set up manufacturing units in India under the much publicised 'Make in India' campaign.
Washington: US President Donald Trump, who received five deferments from the Vietnam War draft, has angered military veterans by wearing a flight jacket and an Admiral's cap during a visit aboard an aircraft carrier.

Trump donned the olive military jacket and hat during a tour of the new Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier in Newport, Virginia, on Thursday as he pledged to boost defence spending, USA Today reported.

The jacket and hat, which were personalised with the words "POTUS 45" on the back, were a gift from the crew.

"They said, 'Here Mr President, take this home.' I said, 'Let me wear it'," Trump said during his address to the crew, drawing laughter.

"And then they gave me the beautiful hat, and I said, 'You know? Maybe I'll do that'."

Trump continued, "We have a great 'Make America Great Again' hat, but I said, 'This is a special day, we're wearing this'."

Though the items were a gift to the President, his choice to wear the clothing wasn't received well by veterans on the social media.

"As a Veteran watching a 5 time draft dodging COWARD saluting a Marine guard is the epitome of HYPOCRISY Impeach this cowardly b------ NOW!!!," tweeted one user.

"My skin crawls watching this man wear the uniform of my service. This is disgraceful," said another Twitter user.

Author and broadcaster Joy Reid tweeted: "Trump - who got five deferments from Vietnam - is currently cosplaying as a military man, complete with hat and jacket."

"As a vet, I am appalled to see draft-evading #trump donning a military cap & jacket on a naval aircraft carrier! Insult to navy seal who died," a user said.

Trump during his visit also met sailors and military leaders as he pledged to provide "the finest equipment in the world" and give the military the "tools you need to prevent war".

The President angered veterans last year also when he attacked Senator John McCain, saying: "I like people who weren't captured."
By Philip Wen and Benjamin Kang Lim

| BEIJING

BEIJING When China rejuvenates its top leadership team towards the end of the year, sources close to senior leaders say President Xi Jinping could reveal his grip on power with a possible leapfrog promotion for Guizhou Communist Party boss Chen Miner.Chen, a trusted confidant of Xi, has already ridden on the coat-tails of his former boss since they worked together in Zhejiang, where Xi was provincial party leader, and three sources with leadership ties think he could jump straight into the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) during the 19th party congress in the autumn.In national politics, Chen is currently only a member of the 205-member Central Committee, and an elevation to the PSC, which has ultimate power over the world's second-largest economy, would involve a two-step promotion, missing out the 25-member Politburo."Chen Miner is a dark horse," said a Chinese official who has worked with Chen. "He has a good relationship with Xi and is very competent. He gets things done.""At the very least, Chen Miner will become a member of the Politburo," a source with ties to the leadership told Reuters.Chen spent the first three decades of his career steadily rising through the party ranks in his native Zhejiang, where his career began to dovetail with Xi's from 2002, when the latter secured his first top provincial-level appointment.An avid reader and Chinese calligraphy buff, Chen worked closely with Xi for more than four years as Zhejiang's propaganda chief, running Xi's regular column in the provincial newspaper and cultivating his growing profile.In 2012, he left Zhejiang for the first time in his career to become Guizhou deputy party secretary. Less than a year later, and within roughly a month of Xi becoming president, Chen was promoted to governor, before being promoted again to his current role as Guizhou party boss in 2015."This is a person you certainly should pay a lot of attention to ... Xi Jinping really paved the way for his promotion," said Cheng Li, an expert on Chinese elite politics at the Brookings Institution. "He's known not only for his close ties with Xi but he's also a popular leader both in Zhejiang and Guizhou, so that puts him on a very fast track for promotion."

China's State Council Information Office, which doubles as the spokesman's office for the cabinet and the party, and the Guizhou government did not respond to requests for comment.TOP PRIZE

For decades, Guizhou was one of China's most backward provinces, but in recent years the central government has poured in billions of yuan, with a focus on poverty alleviation and big data.

Guizhou's economy almost doubled between 2012 and last year, when it recorded the second-highest growth among China's 31 provinces and municipalities, and Chen has not been reticent in drawing attention to either his achievements or connections."Chen actually says he is close to Xi," said one China-based diplomat who has met him.Other allies of Xi seen as possible contenders include Li Zhanshu, who heads the party's general office, and Zhao Leji, head of the Organisation Department, which oversees personnel decisions.Another Xi lieutenant, top corruption buster Wang Qishan, who is already on the PSC, could be kept on despite having passed the unofficial retirement age of 68.The PSC is ostensibly chosen by a vote in the Central Committee, but results are typically preordained by an opaque process involving horsetrading between the president, outgoing standing committee members, and party elders who remain influential.

If Xi does prove strong enough to appoint Chen to the PSC, it could be at the expense of candidates from rival factions, such as Guangdong party chief Hu Chunhua, from the Communist Youth League grouping close to former-president Hu Jintao, or Sun Zhengcai, who runs the metropolis of Chongqing.Chongqing, however, was criticised by the party's anti-corruption watchdog this month for not doing enough to root out the influence of the city's former party chief Bo Xilai, jailed for life for a graft scandal in 2013.Two-time Politburo member Wang Yang, a vice-premier from the Youth League faction, is also a contender.Sun and Hu are also Politburo members, which puts them theoretically ahead of Chen in the pecking order, but there are plenty of high-profile examples of fast-rising cadres being groomed for the top with a jump from the Central Committee straight to PSC.Both Xi and Premier Li Keqiang were fast-tracked in this fashion at the 17th party congress in 2007, as was former president Hu at the 14th congress in 1992.If Chen makes the leap, that could leave the ultimate prize within his grasp when Xi steps down. (Reporting by Philip Wen and Benjamin Kang Lim; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Will Waterman)

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Lahore: Police on Friday said that about 1,300 suspected militants were arrested in a sweep of hideouts in Pakistan's largest province of Punjab. The roughly two-week operation comes despite the provincial law minister's defence of some groups designated as terrorist organisations and banned by Pakistan but resurrected under new names. Rana Sanaullah also embraced some sectarian leaders whose groups have been accused of fomenting violence against minority Islamic sects, raising questions about his commitment to ridding Punjab of militants.

Two police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the operations, said another 36 militants died in shootouts with police and in paramilitary operations since the sweep began last month. In an interview with The Associated Press, however, Sanaullah questioned the label of terrorist for anti-Indian militant groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has resurfaced as Jamaat-ud-Daawa.

Last month, Pakistan placed Hafiz Saeed, a declared terrorist with a US-imposed USD 10 million bounty on his head, under house arrest, yet Sanaullah questioned allegations against Saeed, who is connected mostly to militant attacks in Kashmir.

"They are related to Kashmir. They feel Indian brutality in Kashmir is unacceptable," he said of Saeed and his followers, adding that Pakistan's courts have twice freed Saeed saying there was no evidence of his involvement in terrorism activities. Saeed is among India's most wanted and is accused of masterminding attacks inside India and Kashmir. "Why is the world not concerned about India's violence in Kashmir?" Sanaullah asked. "There is no evidence of Saeed's involved in state terrorism."

In an interview, Saeed's spokesman Yahya Mujahed denied Saeed's affiliation with the outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba. Analysts and critics say the Punjab provincial government is sheltering sectarian and jihadi groups headquartered in its most populous province, while using the crackdown to target ethnic Pashtuns from tribal regions that border Afghanistan.
Beirut: Syrian troops backed by Russian jets completed the recapture of the historic city of Palmyra from the Islamic State group on Thursday, the Kremlin and the army said, in another blow to the jihadists.

Bolstered by air strikes and ground troops from their ally Moscow, Syrian forces battled through the desert for weeks to reach Palmyra.

The oasis city has traded hands several times during Syria's six-year civil war and become a symbol of Islamic State's wanton destruction of priceless cultural heritage in areas under its control.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin of Palmyra's recapture, a Kremlin spokesman told news agencies in Moscow.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group, said that the jihadists had totally withdrawn from the desert city but not before mining several areas.

"The Syrian army is still clearing neighbourhoods of mines and has not spread out into the whole city yet," said its director, Rami Abdel Rahman.

An army statement carried on state news agency SANA said its forces had "regained control over Palmyra and surrounding territory after a series of successful military operations".

Islamic State has suffered a string of setbacks since taking over swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014, and its two main strongholds of Mosul and Raqa both face assaults by forces backed by a US-led coalition.

The jihadists first seized Palmyra in May 2015 and began to systematically destroy and loot the Unesco world heritage site's monuments and temples.

They were driven out in March 2016 but recaptured the city in December when the government was focused on seizing rebel-held east Aleppo.

Before Islamic State first entered the city, Palmyra boasted temples, colonnaded alleys and elaborately decorated tombs that were among the best preserved classical monuments in the Middle East.

But many of the structures have been destroyed and much of the heritage looted for sale on the black market.

Moscow's support has been key in the Syrian army's Palmyra push, and its warplanes continued to bombard Islamic State positions inside and near the city today, the Observatory reported.

A decades-old ally of Damascus, Moscow launched an air campaign in September 2015 in support of President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

After losing ground in the early years of the war, Assad's regime has regained significant territory  including by pushing rebel forces out of second city Aleppo last year  thanks in large part to Russian support.
PARIS A teenager who attacked a Jewish teacher in France with a machete was sentenced to seven years in jail on Thursday by a French juvenile court, judicial sources said.The 17-year-old was convicted at a closed-doors trial for slightly wounding the teacher who was wearing a traditional Jewish skullcap, or yarmulke, while walking to school in January 2016 in the southern city of Marseille.Prosecutor Brice Robin said shortly after the attack that the teenager, who has not been identified because of his age, said he had acted in the name of the Islamic State militant group.The teenager, a Turkish citizen of Kurdish origin, was 15 at the time of the attack. He was charged with attempted murder in connection with a terrorist attack, with the aggravating factor of anti-semitism.

The head of the Jewish community in Marseille advised Jews in the city soon after the attack to avoid wearing the kippa (yarmulke) in the streets. "It really hurts to reach that point but I don't want anyone to die in Marseille because they have a kippa on their head," Zvi Ammar told La Provence daily.

France is home to both the largest Jewish and the largest Muslim populations in Europe.Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a number of large-scale attacks in France, including a truck attack that killed 86 people in the Riviera resort of Nice in July 2016 and a coordinated series of attacks in Paris in November 2015 in which 130 people were killed.

(Reporting by Chine Labbe; Editing by Adrian Croft and Pritha Sarkar)

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By Tulay Karadeniz

| ANKARA

ANKARA Turkish leaders condemned Germany on Friday for cancelling rallies of Turkish residents due to be addressed by Ankara's ministers and accused Berlin of giving "shelter" to Turkey's enemies.As the diplomatic spat between the two countries became increasingly angry, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said a German journalist being held in Turkey was a "German agent" and a member of an armed Kurdish militant group.A source in Germany's foreign ministry on Friday night told Reuters those accusations were "absurd". Earlier, comments in Berlin by Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, who had been scheduled to address a meeting in the southwestern town of Gaggenau until it was cancelled on Thursday, reflected a broader souring of relations between the two NATO allies. "Let them look back at their history," Bozdag said in a speech. "We see the old illnesses flaring up." The city of Cologne also blocked an event where Turkey's Economy Minister Nihat Zeybecki was to speak on Sunday. Police said shortly after that a second gathering he had been due to attend in the western town of Frechen was also cancelled.Zeybecki said he still planned to go to Germany."We say the victory is God's...I will go from cafe to cafe, house to house," he said. "Nobody should worry, we will still meet with our citizens in Germany."Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking in Tunis, said her government had played no part in steps taken by city councils who, according to one mayor, acted purely on security grounds.She renewed her criticism of Turkey's arrest of Deniz Yucel, a correspondent for German newspaper Die Welt."We support freedom of expression and we can criticise Turkey," she told reporters.

The German foreign ministry urged Ankara to refrain from "pouring oil on the fire".GERMANY "ABETTING TERRORISM"

Erdogan said in Ankara the cause of the tensions between the two countries was Germany's support for Turkey's enemies."It isn't because a correspondent of Die Welt was arrested," Erdogan told an awards ceremony in Istanbul."It is because this person hid in the German embassy as a member of the PKK and a German agent for one month. When we told them to hand him over to be tried, they refused."

"So, they won't let our justice minister and economy minister speak," Erdogan added."They need to be tried for helping and abetting terrorism."Gaggenau would have been part of efforts to garner support among 1.5 million Turkish citizens for an April referendum expanding Erdogan's powers - something he has sought with increased urgency since an army bid to topple him.Erdogan has accused West European countries of failing to condemn the July putsch quickly or strongly enough. West European countries have expressed concern about his subsequent crackdown on journalists, judiciary, academics and others.On Friday evening the Dutch government said plans by Turkish authorities to hold a referendum campaign rally in Rotterdam were "undesirable".

The leader of an association of Dutch Turks said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was planning to attend the March 11 rally, hoping to persuade the Netherlands' hundreds of thousands of dual citizens to vote for the new constitution giving Erdogan greater powers.Authorities in Gaggenau evacuated the city hall for hours on Friday after receiving a bomb threat, its mayor told n-tv German television. Asked if it was linked to the cancellation, mayor Michael Pfeiffer said: "We presume this at the moment, but we don't know for sure."In a phone call between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel, the ministers agreed to meet in Germany on March 8 to discuss tensions between the two countries, foreign ministry sources in Ankara said.Journalist Yucel, a German-Turkish dual national, is charged with propaganda in support of a terrorist organisation. The German foreign ministry said it had not yet been granted consular access to Yucel or five other Germans arrested since the July 15 coup attempt.German Justice Minister Heiko Maas sent Bozdag a sharply worded letter after Bozdag cancelled their Thursday meeting."When journalists, judges and attorneys are arrested simply because they are doing their jobs, simply because they are fulfilling their role in a constitutional state, then each arrest marks a degradation of the rule of law," he wrote. "It is the role of the state to protect journalists and not burden them with repressive measures."Erdogan accuses an exiled cleric of masterminding the coup, describing his organisation as the FETO terrorist group. Turkey also complains that Germany and other West European countries give succour to militant leftists and PKK Kurdish militants.Germany is wary of rising tensions, seeking continued Turkish commitment to arrangements preventing large movements of refugees from Turkey to Europe. (Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal in Berlin, Andreas Rinke in Tunis and Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara; editing by Andrew Roche)

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Kharkiv tractor factory is starting to emerge from the blockade of components supply organized by Russia, Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has said.

"Today we have discussed in detail with the management [of Kharkiv tractor factory]: we are starting import substitution, we are beginning to emerge out of that blockade of the components supply which was organized by Russia," Poroshenko said at Kharkiv tractor factory on Friday.

According to the president, they discussed the possibility of replacing engines produced at Yaroslavl Motor Plant with German-produced DEUTZ engines and Chinese engines.

"Those who cannot afford DEUTZ, may be offered Chinese-produced [engines]. We talked about having a credit program with our Chinese partners for the supply of engineering products. Why not create synergy? So that they [engines] could be afforded by Ukrainian farmers and would help create orders for Ukrainian machine builders," Poroshenko said.
By Yeganeh Torbati

| WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON The U.S. State Department released its annual report on human rights around the world on Friday, but the release was overshadowed by criticism that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson gave the report little of the traditional attention or fanfare.Tillerson declined to unveil the report in person, breaking with precedent established during both Democratic and Republican administrations. A senior U.S. official answered reporters' questions by phone on condition of anonymity rather than appearing on camera, also a break with precedent."The report speaks for itself," the official said in response to a question about why Tillerson did not unveil it. "We're very, very proud of it. The facts should really be the story here."The report, mandated by Congress, documents human rights conditions in nearly 200 countries and territories and is put together by staff in U.S. embassies. This year's report was largely completed during former President Barack Obama's tenure.According to the report, Philippine police and vigilantes "killed more than 6,000 suspected drug dealers and users" since July and extrajudicial killings have "increased sharply" in the Philippines in the last year. Philippine officials say their government does not tolerate human rights violations or state-sponsored extrajudicial killings.The report's language on Russia remained broadly similar to that of years past, noting the country's "authoritarian political system dominated by President Vladimir Putin."President Donald Trump has said he would like to improve U.S. relations with Russia.

Traditionally, the secretary of state unveils the report with public comments emphasizing the centrality of human rights in U.S. foreign policy and highlighting specific findings.Tillerson's Democratic predecessors John Kerry and Hillary Clinton gave public comments on the report in 2013 and 2009, their first years in the post, respectively, and continued to present it throughout their tenures. In 2005, during Republican President George W. Bush's administration, the undersecretary of state for global affairs, Paula Dobriansky, presented the report on camera on behalf of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.So far in his one-month tenure, Tillerson has not held a news conference and has mostly refrained from answering questions from the media.

Human rights groups criticized the way the report was rolled out."It's just signalling a lack of basic interest and understanding in how support for human rights reflects what's best about America," said Rob Berschinski, senior vice president for policy at Human Rights First.Berschinski was deputy assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labour until Jan. 20, and helped coordinate the report.

On Friday, the U.S. official quoted from Tillerson's confirmation hearing to offer proof that he views human rights conditions as crucial to U.S. interests, adding, "These statements are very clear about our commitment to human rights."In the introduction to this year's report, Tillerson wrote "our values are our interests when it comes to human rights."But in his confirmation hearing, Tillerson sidestepped questions on human rights conditions in other countries, declining to condemn countries like Saudi Arabia and the Philippines, saying he wanted to see the facts first.Republican Senator Marco Rubio on Thursday criticized the low-key rollout of the report."For 1st time in a long time @StateDept #humanrights report will not be presented by Secretary of State," Rubio tweeted. "I hope they reconsider." (Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Yara Bayoumy and Leslie Adler)

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By Phil Stewart, Mohammed and Mukhashaf

| WASHINGTON/ADEN, Yemen

WASHINGTON/ADEN, Yemen The United States carried out a second day of air strikes against al Qaeda in Yemen on Friday, U.S. officials said, in the latest sign of increasing U.S. military focus on a group whose strength has grown during Yemen's civil war.Since a January commando raid, the United States has shown a desire to both strike al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and to recover from what U.S. officials acknowledge has been an intelligence shortfall about the group since Yemen's civil war forced the closure of the U.S. Embassy in 2015. "We have a lot of gaps in our understanding of the organisation," a U.S. defence official said, adding the pullout of U.S. personnel two years ago "certainly did not help our understanding of the situation."Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said at a news briefing that the United States had carried out more than 30 strikes over the past two days in Shabwah, Abyan and Al Bayda provinces. The U.S. military did not disclose how many al Qaeda fighters were killed on Friday although Reuters reported that Thursday's strikes, using manned and unmanned aircraft, left at least nine militants dead. The U.S. military did not rule out further strikes in the days ahead."I don't want to telegraph future operations but this is part of a plan to go after this very real threat and ensure they are defeated," Davis said at a Pentagon news briefing.VITAL INTELLIGENCE?America's military strategy in Yemen has become a political lightning rod issue after the late January raid against AQAP, authorized by President Donald Trump, resulted in the death of one of the commandos, U.S. Navy SEAL William "Ryan" Owens.

Critics questioned the value of the mission. That prompted a fierce rebuttal from Trump, who said during a televised address to Congress that "large amounts of vital intelligence" was seized in the operation. Trump's speech featured a standing ovation for Owens' widow.The U.S. defence official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity on Friday, shied away from describing the intelligence as "vital," saying that was a subjective term.The official said the intelligence was "good" and "potentially actionable," suggesting that phone numbers and other information about AQAP's network seized in January would require analysis or development before leading to new U.S. strikes or raids."It's definitely helping us understand the network and further develop it out ... This has been good information," the official said, adding the United States seized "an awful lot of telephone numbers."Strikes over the past two days have not been based on intelligence from the January raid, the Pentagon says.

After its pullout in 2015, the U.S. military started returning to Yemen in small numbers last year to support a successful April push orchestrated by the United Arab Emirates, with support from Saudi Arabia, that ejected AQAP from Mukalla, home of Yemen's third largest port, where AQAP had raised tens of millions of dollars. The U.S. defence official said losing Mukalla degraded AQAP but also cautioned the group did not leave its money or many of its recruits behind.GUN BATTLES

Residents told Reuters on Friday that U.S. air strikes were accompanied by gun battles, which they thought involved U.S. soldiers on the ground in Yemen.The Pentagon denied U.S. involvement in any ground combat and it was unclear if one of the United States' Gulf allies might have been engaged in gun battles.U.S. intelligence and military officials still view AQAP as a real threat to the United States, as do allies like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.The group has plotted to down U.S. airliners and claimed responsibility for 2015 attacks on the office of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris. AQAP also has boasted of the world's most feared bomb makers, Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, and the Pentagon estimates it has between about 2,000 and 3,000 fighters.The defence official said the group was well armed and U.S. strikes since Thursday have included AQAP's heavy weapons."We would expect that they certainly have light anti-aircraft and they possibly have MANPADS, that is a possibility we have seen," the official said, referring man-portable air defence systems.Davis noted that al Qaeda, even more than the Iraq- and Syria-based Islamic State, had U.S. blood on its hands.In 2000, al Qaeda bombers steered a boat full of explosives into the side of the USS Cole, a U.S. Navy destroyer, while it refuelled in the Yemeni port of Aden, killing 17 U.S. sailors and wounding about three dozen others. (Writing by Katie Paul and Phil Stewart; Reporting by Mohammed Mukhashaf in Aden and Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali in Washington; Editing by Bill Trott and James Dalgleish)

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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has stated he is ready to help Kharkiv Tractor Plant seek new markets and restructure debts to the budget.

"This is the road to both ways. On our part, we help find new markets, define and restructure debts to the budget and repay it if there is a need for this. We do everything to return high-quality products to the Ukrainian market, while the investor has to face people and explain what he is doing," Poroshenko said.

He talked with the workers and they confirmed the investor, DCH President Oleksandr Yaroslavsky, has fully paid wage arrears.

"I walked along the conveyor, talked with the workers. All they said there are no wage arrears. Moreover, the advance money has been paid," Poroshenko said.

"The only thing I asked was what the wage is, but not everyone responded. But yet it is somewhat 'modest.' But we've agreed that there is the presidential order by the end of the year to double wages," the president added.
Apple has expanded its ongoing legal battle against Qualcomm by adding a new lawsuit in the U.K, according to a report from Bloomberg. This is the third patent lawsuit by Apple against Qualcomm this year.

At the beginning of this year, Apple filed a $1 billion lawsuit against Qualcomm saying that Qualcomm has been charging royalties for technologies they have nothing to do with. In the same month, the company filed second lawsuit against Qualcomm at the Beijing Intellectual Property Court in China seeking 1 billion yuan ($145.32 million) in damages.

The details about the latest UK lawsuit are minimal at the moment but as per the report are related to patents and design. Apple did not say anything about the latest lawsuit and provided the same statement as January.

Qualcomm built its business on older, legacy, standards but reinforces its dominance through exclusionary tactics and excessive royalties. Despite being just one of over a dozen companies who contributed to basic cellular standards, Qualcomm insists on charging Apple at least five times more in payments than all the other cellular patent licensors we have agreements with combined.

Source
Paytm E-Commerce, the online marketplace arm of One97 Communications is all set to raise $200 million from Chinese e-commerce major Alibaba, along with investment firm SAIF Partners, as per a latest PTI report.

Alibaba Singapore E-Commerce Pvt Ltd will invest $177 million in Paytm E-Commerce Pvt Ltd, the demerged unit of digital payments company, One 97 Communications that operates under Paytm brand. The remaining $23 million will be invested by SAIF Partners. The investment will give Alibaba access to Paytm merchants and logistics partners. Alibaba Singapore E-Commerce will have a shareholding of 36.31%, while SAIF Partners India will own 4.66 % in Paytm e-commerce, post the investment.

Last year, Paytm had split its e-commerce business from its larger payments unit to create two separate entities-Paytm E-Commerce and Paytm Payments Bank Ltd. One97 Communications has three units: Paytm e-commerce, Paytm Payments Bank (payments bank and mobile wallet service) and Paytm Mobile Solutions.

Alibaba has been expected to foray into Indian e-commerce market since last year. If the company enters India it will compete directly with Amazon India and Flipkart. The latest funding news comes only days after Paytm launched a standalone online shopping portal Paytm Mall.

Source
Employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) have detained the head of the State Fiscal Service Roman Nasirov in Feofaniya hospital. Nasirov is under investigation for corruption in the so-called "gas case."

"Yes, it's true. Nasirov was arrested as part of the investigation of the gas case," the NABU press service told Interfax-Ukraine.

Sources, close to the NABU, told the agency that the searches were carried out on Thursday at the State Fiscal Service by the NABU. The Specialized anti-corruption prosecutor's office (SAPO) is also involved in the probe, which is looking into the restructuring of rent payments for gas production companies associated with Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine deputy Oleksandr Onyshchenko.

MP Tetiana Chornovol earlier said orders for installment payments were personally signed by head of the State Fiscal Service Roman Nasirov.

Nasirov himself stated that it was common practice and such installments were received by more than half of participants of the oil and gas market.
Nasirov responsible for about UAH 2 bln in losses to state budget, PGO will call for his sacking

Investigators believe actions by the head of Ukraine's State Fiscal Service Roman Nasirov resulted in the loss of about UAH 2 billion to the state budget. Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) will recommend Nasirov's sacking, head of the PGO's Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) Nazar Kholodyntsky has said.

Kholodnytsky said Nasirov acted in the interests of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine deputy Oleksandr Onyshchenko in the so-called "gas case" and authorized delayed payments for a number of enterprises.

He said SAPO will check the circumstances under which Nasirov was served a notice of suspicion on Thursday evening and why the doctor at the Feofaniya hospital, where Nasirov is currently located, did not permit SAPO agents from visiting him there.

"The SAPO prosecutor was not allowed access to Nasirov. An agent of the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine served him notice. I am waiting for information from detectives about what happened. I read on the Internet reports that he was unconscious and am checking these reports," Kholodytsky said.

The SAPO chief said serving notice to Nasirov does not mean he is a suspect, adding that NABU has two months to conduct a pretrial investigation of the case.

SAPO's press service said that during the evening on March 2, 2017 NABU detectives, acting on an order received from SAPO, served Nasirov notice of suspicion of his involvement in crimes pursuant to Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (misuse of public office resulting in significant negative consequences).
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Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets since Donald Trump won the presidential election.

But a majority of voters would tell protesters: its time to move on. Thats according to a Fox News Poll of registered voters released Thursday.

The poll asks, What message would you like to send to people who are protesting President Trump and his policies? Over half, 53 percent, would tell them its time to move on, while 44 percent would implore them dont give up the fight.

Not surprisingly, these results are highly partisan. Fully 81 percent of Democrats want the protesters to keep fighting, while even more Republicans (87 percent) say its time to move on.

Some of the most widely publicized protests center on women, who voted for Hillary Clinton over Trump by a 13-point margin (54-41 percent), according to the Fox News exit poll. Those rallies include the Womens March the day after President Trump was inaugurated and next Wednesdays, A Day Without A Woman strike.

However, women are split on protesting Trump: 49 percent would tell protesters to move on and 48 percent would say dont give up. That divide comes from 83 percent of Democratic women falling in the keep fighting column, while 88 percent of Republican women feel the opposite.

By a 57-38 percent margin, men say its time to move on. Men backed Trump in the election by an 11-point margin (52-41 percent).

Overall, about one in seven voters (14 percent) say theyve taken part in a protest or demonstration since the election.

More voters have taken action in other ways. One in three has contacted a public official (33 percent) and about one in five has contributed money to a political cause or candidate (22 percent) since the election.

About three in ten Democrats (29 percent) and those backing Clinton (31 percent) have participated in a protest versus hardly any Republicans (2 percent) or Trump voters (1 percent).

Democrats are twice as likely (30 percent) as Republicans (15 percent) and independents (17 percent) to have made a political contribution. Similarly, 43 percent of Democrats report contacting a public official compared to about one quarter of Republicans (24 percent) and independents (26 percent).

The Fox News poll is based on landline and cellphone interviews with 1,013 randomly chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from February 11-13, 2017. The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points for all registered voters.
Over the past day the militants shelled Ukrainian positions 116 times in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone, which resulted in 15 wounded soldiers, seven injured, and one killed soldier, the press center of the ATO headquarters said on its Facebook page on Friday morning.

"A total of 116 attacks have been recorded. Some 15 Ukrainian military have been wounded, seven injured, one killed," a statement says.

In the Mariupol sector the enemy employed BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers in the direction of our positions in Vodiane. A tank was applied in Hnutove area, mortars fired on Krasnohorivka, Novotroyitske, Vodiane and Hnutove. Grenade launchers and small arms were used to attack Shyrokyne, Starohnativka, Lebedynske, Maryinka and Talakivka. Shyrokyne, Lebedynske and Maryinka were shot by a sniper, while Novohryhorivka and Hnutove - by infantry combat vehicles.

In the Luhansk sector, Novozvanivka and Lysychansk were under fire from 152-mm artillery. The militants used mortars of various calibres to shell Novo-Oleksandrivka, Novotoshkivske, Novozvanivka, Katerynivka, Krymske and Malynove.

In the Donetsk sector a tank and mortars of 120-mm and 82 mm calibers shelled at Avdiyivka, Novoluhanske, Zaitseve, Pisky and Butovka mine. Ukrainian positions in Opytne, Pisky and Kamyanka areas were fired on from rocket-propelled grenades. Infantry combat vehicle was used to attack Luhanske, firearms were applied to attack Mayorske and Nevelske. Kamyanka, Novhorodske and Novotroyitske were under the sniper's fire. Anti-aircraft guns fired on Troyitske and Avdiyivka.
When the nation is divided on seemingly every issue, its no surprise many voters feel the jitters.

Sixty percent say theyre nervous about American politics today. And thats after the election helped settle some anxieties: last March, 82 percent felt nervous.

On the flip side, the number saying theyre confident has tripled: 33 percent, compared to only 11 percent last year.

Thats according to a Fox News Poll conducted prior to President Trumps address to Congress Tuesday.

Check out this Trump effect: In 2016, roughly equal numbers, about 8 in 10, of both Democrats (80 percent) and Republicans (84 percent) felt uneasy about politics. Now, 92 percent of Democrats and just 29 percent of Republicans are nervous. Thats a 63-point gap.

Anxiety among independents is down 28 points, from 82 percent a year ago vs. 54 percent now.

In addition, more people are focusing on Washington these days. About nine times as many voters say theyre paying more attention to politics rather than less attention (52-6 percent). Another 42 percent say theres no change.

Meanwhile, three-in-four voters (77 percent) say the 2016 election made them more likely to vote in the next presidential election. That includes 80 percent of both Democrats and Republicans, and 66 percent of independents.

The Fox News poll is based on landline and cellphone interviews with 1,013 randomly chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from February 11-13, 2017. The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points for all registered voters.
A group of law enforcement leaders are standing up to President Trumps immigration policy calling for local police to be excluded from enforcing immigration laws.

The 63 police chiefs and sheriffs that make up the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force issued a letter saying the cities they police should not be penalized for sanctuary immigration policies.

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke said the statement issued by the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force is disappointing.

Sanctuary cities provide a safe haven for criminal illegal aliens involved in some very heinous crimes against members of the community. Look, you cant have it both ways if they dont want to participate, he said.

According to Clarke, it is part of the law enforcement officers code of ethics to cooperate with other law enforcement agencies in the pursuit of justice.

I have an obligation to protect the law-abiding people of my community. Weve had criminal illegal aliens in Milwaukee County that have been involved in some very serious crimes, including drunk driving that has led to deaths, things like that, he said.

When illegal immigrants commit crimes, Clarke said other illegals dont report them for fear of being discovered themselves.

Were seeing underreporting of domestic abuse, child abuse, sexual assaultthings like thatbecause if youre in the country illegally you say I cant call the police because they might discover me. That allows the criminal illegal alien to continue to victimize these folks over and over and over again, Clarke said.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff said the statement made by the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force is a disservice to the communities and people they serve.

You cannot allow people to cross your borders, come into your country illegally and set up residence and thats what this is doing, he said.

When asked if he would consider a possible Senate run, Sheriff Clarke said, Thats a big decision. I havent made that decision. I never say never, but at the same time thats not real high on the priorities.
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft says the political storm surrounding Attorney General Jeff Sessions reminds him of the way Democrats targeted his father, John Ashcroft, during his time as Attorney General in the administration of President George W. Bush.

"I think that weve had a prior [Obama] administration that is concerned that the truth is coming out about what theyve done and about how they acted. Now we have people that are focused on the truth and governing and the rule of law and theyre scared, Ashcroft told the FOX Business Networks Stuart Varney.

Sessions announced he would recuse himself from any potential investigation into Russias role in the 2016 presidential race and contacts with the Trump campaign team as the controversy mounts over Sessions' meetings with the Russian Ambassador.

Ashcroft said he believes the controversy is overblown. "This is the silly season of politics. The opposition party has been pushed out of power by a President thats focused on governing and making America greater for the people of the country and the opposition party just has to play partisan politics.

Politics, Ashcroft said, means Sessions' decision to recuse himself likely has not diminished Democratic opposition. "This has never been about truth or what logically should happen. Jeff Sessions, Attorney General Sessions, is an honorable individual that has done whats right for the people of this state, the people of this nation and he will continue to do that...this isnt about the truth, this is about appearances, this is about politics, partisan politics.
President Trump showed support for a merit-based immigration system used by Australia and Canada on Friday.

The president sent out a tweet showing his support for the immigration system after watching Green Card Warrior author Nick Adams on Fox News Channels Fox and Friends.

Nick Adams new book, Green Card Warrior, is a must read. The merit-based system is the way to go. Canada, Australia! @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

During an interview on FOX Business Networks The Intelligence Report, Adams said he is in favor of a strategic immigration system that will reward individuals who will culturally assimilate and economically contribute to the United States.

If this is going to remain the best country in the world, we gotta make sure that only the best can come, he said.

The Australian-born author said the current immigration policy towards families of U.S. citizens should be changed to ensure America will no longer be used by immigrants.

We want people to come to America that are going to be American, that are going to understand and appreciate the virtues and the values that catapulted this nation to the pinnacle one on this earth, Adams said.

According to Adams, the merit-based system is a common sense approach that emphasizes patriotism and traditional values.

We are basically saying that this is our country. We are going to determine who comes to this country and the circumstances under which they come. We want to make it really, really easy for good people to come and impossible for bad people to come, he said.
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When Autumn Reeser was asked to play Leslie Bellcamp, a no-nonsense Hollywood agent who refuses to slow down despite being heavily pregnant, she jumped at the chance.

I thought the contrast between a woman whos very aggressively pursuing her career in this hyper-masculine world and was simultaneously eight months pregnant was a really fun contrast for me to play, explained the 36-year-old actress on her new role for E!s The Arrangement.

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It was fun," she told us. "It says a lot about who she is as a character and as a woman.

The new scripted series follows a young actress name Megan Morrison (Christine Evangelista), who auditions for a major summer movie alongside top Hollywood action movie star Kyle West (Josh Henderson). When Megans audition leads to a first date with Kyle, shes then presented with a marriage contract created by Terence (Michael Vartan), Kyles mentor and leader of the Institute for the Higher Mind.

LEAH REMINI SAYS TOM CRUISE COULD 'SINGLE-HANDEDLY' END SCIENTOLOGY

The upcoming series has since stirred headlines for reportedly being inspired by Scientology and Tom Cruises marriage to Katie Holmes, but the cast has since dismissed those claims. Reeser said the show has a different message that many people can easily identify with.

What I can say is that I think [The Arrangement] is exploring what is that line between truth and what people want you to believe is true, she said. Those can be two different things and I think we see that in social media all the time. Its a huge thing right now. I think this is something that affects peoples lives. Like, what are you putting out there to the world? Are you really putting out whats going on in your life or are you putting out a fake version of your life to be consumed? And thats the playing field were on in the show.

She added, This is something everyone is dealing with in their own lives. Everyone.

The show also helped Reeser discover something new, and it had nothing to do with the controversial religion.

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This woman [Leslie Bellcamp] is not afraid of what other people think of her and is extremely assertive, she said. Im not great with conflict in my own life, [but] you always learn something from the character when you are forced to stretch yourself in that way. Im actually more comfortable with conflict now after playing this character.

Reeser reminisced about another exciting time in her career. She previously starred in the popular teen drama The O.C., which ran from 2003 to 2007.

I think the writing on The O.C. was really, really smart, said Reeser, explaining why fans are still fascinated with the show even though it ended 10 years ago. And it was different for that time. I think for my character, she was awkward and didnt fit in, but was fully OK with who she was as a person, and to be able to put all those things in this character is what resonates with people.

'THE O.C.' CANCELLED DUE TO LOW RATINGS

Reeser said that she still sees her former castmates every now and then, but fans shouldnt hold their breath for a reboot anytime soon, as some classic sitcoms have experienced with the help of Netflix.

I dont think its likely, but I would certainly be open to it if it happens, she said.

"The Arrangement" debuts March 5 on E!.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has terminated his involvement with "Celebrity Apprentice."

Schwarzenegger said in an interview that he's riding off into the sunset after hosting a single season of the reality show, a lawyer for the actor told Fox News.

The news comes after Schwarzenegger's stint on the NBC show was plagued by poor ratings and recent reports that sponsors were ending their relationships with the show because of its continued links to it its former host, President Donald Trump, who remains a credited producer.

The "Terminator" star said he would not return to the show even if if he was asked to return, but NBC has yet to announce if they will even be renewing the show. The network did not return Fox News' request for comment.

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"With Trump being involved in the show people have a bad taste and don't want to participate as a spectator or as a sponsor or in any other way support the show," Schwarzenegger told EmpireOnline.com. "It's a very divisive period now and I think this show got caught up in all that division."

The Wrap reported that half of the show's sponsors have bailed out after recent boycott threats. An online campaign called #GrabYourWallet, which is encouraging sponsors to pass on the reality TV series due to President Trumps involvement, reportedly prompted six of the series 12 corporate backers from last season to not return.

"When people found out that Trump was still involved as executive producer and was still receiving money from the show, then half the people [started] boycotting it," Schwarzenegger said.

While Trump no longer hosts Celebrity Apprentice, he does hold the title of executive producer. His spokesperson Hope Hicks confirmed in 2016 that Trump also maintained a financial interest in the franchise.
Representatives of 17 countries have taken part in the main conference on the planning of the Ukrainian-American drills Sea Breeze  2017.

The purpose of this year drills is to conduct a multinational security operations in a crisis region, the press center of the command of the Naval Forces of Ukraine said on Friday.

"During the conference we have worked out a detailed plan and scenario of maneuvers, identified a potential of participants, coordinated interaction of sea, land and air components, reviewed the areas where the exercises will be conducted [...] We have worked out the structure of the staff with the involvement of foreign experts, which will be similar to the respective NATO headquarters'," the press center quoted the chief of exercises leadership Staff Sea Breeze - 2017 from the Ukrainian side, Kostiantyn Plakhotniuk, as saying.

The press center also stressed that the number of participants of the main conference surpassed similar events in previous years, reflecting an increase of interest in the series of drills Sea Breeze from the international community.

The event, which lasted four days in Odesa, was attended by representatives of Ukraine, the U.S., Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Great Britain, France, Canada, Moldova, Germany, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Turkey.

Sea Breeze - 2017 is scheduled for this summer.

Ukrainian-American exercises of Sea Breeze series have been annually held since 1997 in accordance with the "Memorandum of understanding and cooperation on defense and military relations between the Ukrainian Defense Ministry and the U.S. Department of Defense" dated 1993. They are held for the purpose of training and capacity-readiness of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on a bilateral basis, but are also open to other countries.
Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke is taking aim at Anthony Bourdain on Twitter-- but the outspoken celebrity chef is dishing it right back.

On Thursday night, the former Louisiana state representative retweeted a post originally shared by Counter Currents, a right-wing publishing house, in which they suggested that Bourdan made anti-white remarks during an episode of his Parts Unknown series on CNN.

NYC FOOD CRITIC BLASTS BOURDAIN FOR CITY'S FOOD TRUCK 'MENACES'

Exterminating the White race is the only hope, according to (((Anthony Bourdain))), wrote Duke, who then directed his followers to the original Counter Currents tweet, which contained a clip from the episode.

Exterminating the White race is the only hope, according to (((Anthony Bourdain))). For those who question #WhiteGenocide. Here it is. https://t.co/fnWV6Fkeev  David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) March 3, 2017

Counter Currents original tweet contained a clip from the June 5, 2016 episode of Parts Unknown, which featured Bourdain chatting with German chef Rene Stessl about their countries respective attitudes toward accepting refugees. At one point, Stessl says his nation needs to be careful not to fall back into the same structure that gave birth to the Nazi regime.

But we kind of are, Bourdain replies. I dont mean here, necessarily, but [the U.S. is] well on our way.

Im allowed to be naive, and talk about Utiopia, said Stessl. Just the fact that the whole world will mix up with each other, that in, I dont know, 70, 80 years, there will be no white people anymore and only cappuccino-colored people. Its good.

THE WEEK IN PICTURES

Thats the only way, Bourdain responded. Its gonna take some time, but its really the only way. This sort of Singaporean model, where everybodys so mixed up that you really dont know who to hate, because everybodys so hopelessly intertwined. But were a long way from that.

In their original tweet, Counter Currents shared their own interpretation of Bourdains remarks, writing, #AnthonyBourdain tells the world that whites must replace Jews before Jews replace whites.

#AnthonyBourdain tells the world that whites must replace Jews before Jews replace whites. #NewRight https://t.co/vKL3vLDSVH  Counter-Currents (@NewRightAmerica) March 3, 2017

Bourdain, meanwhile, became aware of Dukes retweet, and responded directly to Duke by clarifying his stance on genocide and extermination. Then, the 60-year-old chef and jiu-jitsu champion made his opinion of Duke very clear to his 5 million-plus Twitter following:

Genocide? Extermination? I'm against! But I'd be happy to rearrange your knee or other extremities. https://t.co/NrBDvlfc4u  Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) March 3, 2017

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Duke has since responded on Twitter, accusing Bourdain of not actually being against genocide, solely based on his comments in the Parts Unknown episode.

You're not against it. In the clip you said the "only answer" was to breed the White race out of existence. That's genocide. Own it. https://t.co/jpgDfZwqiI  David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) March 3, 2017

Bourdain has yet to respond to Duke's latest post on social media.

In recent weeks, Bourdain has also come under attack from New York City food critic Steve Cuozzo, who blames him for the influx of food carts within the city.
The latest cream flavor to come out of something called "the Oreo Wonder Vault" has consumers wondering why their poop suddenly looks like it could've come from a unicorn.

Two weeks ago, Oreo released a limited edition of its cookie with a vanilla shell and a filling flavored like the love-it-or-hate-it marshmallow candy Peeps, reports USA Today.

One reviewer claims the filling is the same one used in the Marshmallow Crispy Oreos, but with one major difference: It's bright pink and appears to turn your mouthand even your dungbright pink, too.

Parents Dont panic over pink poo or a bright pink tongue. Your kiddo probably ate those new Peeps flavored... https://t.co/2PFLiqqGhq  94.9 KLTY (@949KLTY) March 3, 2017

"My spit looks like Pepto-Bismol" hours after eating the cookies, one Twitter user complains, per Delish. Adds another, "My roommate ate a whole pack of Oreo Peeps and left a pink stain in the toilet." Indeed, some who ate a lot of cookies say the dye turned their feces various shades of pink, from "bright pink" to "reddish-pink," reports BuzzFeed; BuzzFeed employees who ate only one cookie say their bowel movements were no more colorful than usual.

While Oreo has yet to comment, USA Today previously reported that stuffing your face with foods heavy in dyes can produce "a greater spectrum in your rectal rainbow." In 2015, for example, people who ate a Halloween-themed Burger King Whopper with a black bun complained its concentrated dye made their excrement "as green as the Irish countryside." A doctor at the time suggested it was nothing to worry about.

Reddish stool should be checked by a doctor, though, as it could be a sign of internal bleeding. (Here are 5 ways to poop better.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: Peeps Oreos Have Rather Unfortunate Side Effects
Students from diverse ethnic backgrounds at the University of Cambridge have complained to the kitchen staff that some of the food served at the prestigious school misrepresents" their foreign culture.

Two dishes feeling the most heat outside the kitchen were a "Jamaican stew" and a "Tunisian rice," which students said were not typical of the dishes they ate at home, according to the Telegraph.

More than 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students attend Cambridge, with almost 8,000 international students representing over 120 different countries in that population.

8 'CULTURALLY APPROPRIATED' FOODS THAT ARE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER

However, some students did not agree with the complaints and defended the universitys cuisine.

"You've got to be pretty privileged to have the time to sit and moan about the naming of the food you eat at one of the best universities in the world, said one student.

A minority student reportedly added, "While the Indian food in trough isn't straight from my Dadiki's karahi in a Mumbai highrise, I'm thankful to the Pembroke staff for at least trying.

"I urge people to look around and realise there's a lot more to life than complaining about fruity chicken. Grow up."

The comments first started on the schools Facebook page where one student wrote, "Dear Pembroke catering staff, stop mixing mango and beef and calling it 'Jamaican stew'. I'm actually half Jamaican pls show me where in the Caribbean they mix fruit and meat.

The student continued, "I'm used to as a minority student being constantly invalidated when flagging up specific issues but if people feel their cultures are misrepresented they have the right to address this.

"Microaggressions are a reality of the everyday existence of many people with colour [sic]."

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The complaints were again brought to light at a joint meeting with the universitys food committee and student representatives.

Pembroke College bursar Andrew Cates says the university will consider reevaluting its menu going forward.

As a college which prides itself on the high standard of its cuisine and wants all our students of diverse background to feel a valued part of our community, we encourage our catering staff to take the views of any of our students seriously, said Cates after the meeting.
The bottles might sport hula dancers, surfers and big waves but two California residents say the company that owns Kona Brewing Co. is misleading shoppers into believing theyre buying beer brewed in Hawaii.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court of California Northern District, Sara Cilloni and Simone Zimmer allege that Craft Brew Alliance misleads consumers about the true origin of beers bearing the Kona Brewing Co. brand, reports West Hawaii Today.

SOME 'IMPORTED' BEERS ACTUALLY MADE IN THE US

In the suit, the plaintiffs say the company's use of hula dancers, surfers, the Kilauea volcano, Waikiki beach, and other images and phrases clearly associated with the Aloha State are deceiving customers into paying more for the craft ales.

The names of the beers such as Big Wave Golden Ale, Castaway IPA, Fire Rock Pale Ale and Longboard Island Lager also allegedly give off a deceptively Hawaiian vibe.

Despite the bottle imagery that hints at Hawaiian origin, nothing on the packaging makes it clear as to where the beer is actually brewed. According to the company's website, the fifth-largest U.S. craft brewer makes beer at facilities in New Hampshire, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington state-- and any beer sold in the upper 48 is brewed at one of these facilities.

However, Kona Brewing Co. does operate a flagship brew house in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii, but that facility only produces around 12,000 barrels of beer annually.

Although most of their beers are not brewed in Hawaii, according to Kona's website, the beer brewed at partner breweries is made with hops, malt and proprietary yeast from the island state. The mineral levels of the water used are also reportedly adjusted to replicate the water used in Hawaii. The website also claims that a sample from each batch of beer is sent to the Kailua-Kona brewery for sensory evaluation.

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The lawsuit is seeking class action status and unspecified damages for Kona purchasers in the state of California-- and nationwide-- over four years.

Kona isn't the only beermaker to come under fire for allegedly deceptive marketing practices. In Dec. 2015, a New York City man sued Fosters beer for allegedly deceiving him into thinking the company's beer brewed in Texas was actually made in Australia. And last summer, Anheuser-Busch agreed to settle a $50 million class action suit over allegations that it fooled customers into thinking Beck's beer was from Germany when the U.S. bottles are actually made in St. Louis now.

Craft Brew Alliance says it does not comment on pending litigation.
A French teen who underwent a first-of-its-kind procedure 15 months ago to change his DNA shows no signs of the sickle cell disease he had been suffering from. The procedure, which was performed at Necker Childrens Hospital in Paris, may offer hope to millions of patients who suffer from sickle cell disease, BBC News reported.

Sickle cell disease is a severe hereditary form of anemia, which causes patients to develop abnormal hemoglobin in red blood cells. The botched hemoglobin causes the cells to form a crescent or sickle shape, making it difficult to maneuver throughout the body. Sickle-shaped cells are less flexible, and may get stuck to vessel walls causing a blockage, which can stop blood flow to vital tissues.

Before undergoing the procedure, treatment for the unidentified teen included traveling to the hospital each month for a blood transfusion to dilute the defective blood, BBC News reported. According to the report, the excessive amount of treatment caused severe internal damage, and at age 13 he already needed a hip replacement and had his spleen removed.

In a world first, doctors at Necker Childrens Hospital removed his bone marrow and genetically altered it using a virus to compensate for the defect in his DNA responsible for sickle cell disease, BBC News reported. The results published in the New England Journal of Medicine said he no longer uses medication, and has been making normal blood for the past 15 months.

So far the patient has no sign of the disease, no pain, no hospitalization, Philippe Leboulch, professor of medicine at the University of Paris, told BBC News. He no longer requires a transfusion so we are quite pleased with that.

Doctors said the treatment will have to be repeated in other patients as the teen is the trials first, but that it does show powerful potential.

Ive worked in gene therapy for a long time and we make small steps and know theres years more work, Dr. Deborah Gill, of the gene medicine research group at the University of Oxford, told BBC News. But here you have someone who has received gene therapy and has complete clinical remission  thats a huge step forward.

It was not clear how much the procedure would cost, or whether there are plans to expand to other countries.
It's no secret that people who have more sex are happier than those who rarely get lucky in the bedroom.

But, while you might think its obvious why, new research suggests another theory.

Youd be forgiven for thinking it was the joy of an orgasm that made those regularly getting laid happier  but scientists have discovered thats not the whole answer.

While sex does make us happier, it is actually the post-coital cuddling that does the trick, rather than reaching climax itself.

A new study, published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, discovered that signs of affection and casual chatting was responsible for long-term happiness.

Psychologists in Canada and Switzerland looked beyond the bliss that orgasm brings to the expressions of affection both during and after sex.

It means couples who have sex even just once a week were happier, reports the British Psychological Society.

They surveyed 335 people who were in a relationship and asked them how often they had sex.

They were also quizzed on how much affection, such as hugging and kissing, was shown in their relationship.

And researchers asked them to rate their life satisfaction and how often they experienced joy and happiness.

Click for more from The Sun.
I just returned from a 2-week speaking tour of Asia. I spoke in front of hundreds of people in 5 countries about the Trump Phenomenon and what his election will mean for the world economy. I gave speeches in places such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Penang. What an experience of a lifetime!

First I must comment on the people of Asia. I met wonderful people. I was welcomed with open arms and treated like friends and family. This trip was one of the finest experiences of my life. The people I met will be friends for life. Many of my new friends are already making plans to visit me soon in Las Vegas.

This trip was proof positive that people all over the world want the same things as Americans- economic freedom, opportunity, mobility and prosperity. People all over the world crave lower taxes, less welfare and smaller government. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar.

Most importantly, this trip is proof positive that President Trump is on the right track and Democrats are in big trouble. Remember the movie, Big Trouble in Little China. That sums up my experience in Asia. Democrats are in big trouble- all over the world.

The world does not hate Trump. The media is lying. More of their fake news. The people I met in Asia love Trump. They love America. They want Trump to succeed. They think hes a breath of fresh air. They think hes the most exciting thing to happen to U.S. politics in their lifetimes. They are excited for the possibility of a Trump-like personality to run for president or prime minister of their countries. The people of Asia want their own Trump!

I was shocked to find the people of Asia are glued to the TV and Internet to watch American politics- because of their fascination with Donald Trump. I was shocked to find the people in my audiences knew more about Trump and American politics than many Americans do. They are following Trumps every word and move from thousands of miles away.

Asian businessmen and women understand America is the key to the global economy. If America succeeds, the world succeeds. If America sneezes, the entire world gets sick. They need us to succeed.

Here comes the important part. Even Asians thousands of miles away agree with President Trump on key issues. And they are turned off by the Democrats.

The audiences for my speeches throughout Asia were about 90% Chinese and 10% Muslim. After my speeches, I spoke to many of the Muslims in attendance to ask about their views of Trump. All of the Muslims I spoke to (not surprisingly) were negative about Trumps so-called Muslim travel ban. They are Muslim. I understand their concerns.

Yet even Muslims in far-away foreign lands think Democrats are badly wrong on the issue of immigration. Despite their negativity towards Trumps immigration plans as they relate to Muslims, every Muslim I spoke to thought it was bizarre and literally crazy that Democrats in America oppose building the wall, deportations, or stronger immigration laws.

Muslim business leaders said things to me like, How can anyone disagree with a wall to secure your border? Its your country. You decide who comes in. Every country decides who comes in.

I also heard, How can Democrats oppose deportations of illegal aliens. They came into your country illegally? Why would they get to stay?

I also heard, How can people illegally in your country be allowed to collect welfare, food stamps, free education and free healthcare? Your country is crazy. No wonder youre $20 trillion in debt. America makes no sense.

Yes, Muslims from outside the USA are concerned with bans or limitations on immigration as it relates to only Muslims. But even they understand that anyone inside America illegally has no rights and should get no sympathy. They desperately want the right to legally immigrate or travel in the USA. But they all- to a man and women- understood that America has every right to secure our borders, limit who comes in and kick out anyone that breaks the law.

They all agreed they want the exact same laws in place to protect their own countries. No one ANYWHERE wants millions of foreigners to illegally flood their country, then demand welfare, food stamps, free healthcare and free education.

None of the Asians or Muslims I met could or would dare support or defend those things. Yet Democrats in America do. Even Muslims outside America think Democrats are insane.

Finally, here is how foreigners see the Democrat Party. I met a 75-year old Chinese business owner who laughed out loud at the Democrat Response to Trump's State of Union. He called the former Kentucky Governor who was chosen to give the response old, lifeless, boring, and remarked "Was he alive? He seemed dead to me. Are you sure he had a pulse?"

When 75-year old Chinese men from Hong Kong laugh at the guy Democrats chose to reply to President Trump...you know Democrats are in big trouble!

Can you imagine? No one in leadership of the Democrat Party realized they couldnt possibly pick a boring, low-energy, old man to give their response to a great showman and entertainer like Trump.

I also sat with a group of Chinese businessmen watching the State of the Union in Hong Kong. All of them were shocked that many Democrats in Congress, including leaders like Debbie Wasserman and Keith Ellison, didn't stand or clap when the wife of a Navy Seal killed in action was honored. They found this negative reaction by Democrats disgusting and disgraceful.

Given what I saw and heard in 5 Asian countries...

President Trump is on the right track and...

the Democrat Party is in big trouble.
When I became mayor of my hometown, Gary, Indiana in 2012, we embarked on a journey to spark revitalization in our city. Gary had suffered decades of decline related to a changing economy and shifting property tax revenue.

This ultimately resulted in an exodus from the city, giving rise to vacant and abandoned buildings, a soaring poverty rate and concomitant crime. While we understood the importance of focusing on infrastructure, job creation and public safety, we also knew that in order to spur resurgence in the city, we needed to embrace creative placemaking  using the arts to improve design and management of public places -- to transform the citys image among residents and outside entities. We quickly recognized the importance of public-private partnerships, and the investment of non-profit partners.

In the course of our planning, we embraced art as a viable tool to strengthen our local economy. We became eager partners for pop-up art initiatives, the promotion of emerging artists and the creation of special events to bring us together as well as attract visitors and new residents to our city.

Our administration also embraced opportunities to garner support from the philanthropic community, which could invest in areas that lacked public dollars. When Bloomberg Philanthropies announced its Public Art Challenge open to U.S. cities, we jumped at the opportunity to create a project unique to Gary and our needs.

The City of Gary collaborated with world-renowned artist Theaster Gates, PlaceLab, the University of Chicagos Harris School of Public Policy, and with support from Knight Cities Challenge, to create ArtHouse: A Social Kitchen.

The concept was to reimagine a vacant downtown city building as a public attraction, gathering space, and culinary incubator. Theaster has a penchant for turning unused buildings into cultural institutions, combining adaptive reuse and community-driven initiatives that support neighborhood revitalization. And we found early on that we all firmly believed in the role public art can play in creating partnerships, in providing more visibility for the arts and talent in Gary, and in positively promoting our city.

We also agreed public art--combined with design, community engagement and private and government investment--can transform the way we imagine a city.

In June 2015 it was announced that Gary was one of the four winning projects of the over 200 proposals to the Public Art Challenge.

Whats unique about this art initiative is that ArtHouses programming and offerings have been designed to directly address needs in our community.

ArtHouse will be a cultural hub offering culinary training, cultural and artistic programs as well as commissioned visual artworks. Arthouse is taking an underutilized building through a metamorphosis and helping us to develop more food entrepreneurs and jobs in the food industry, in addition to being a significant magnet to the neighborhood.

As a result of our collective efforts, ArtHouse will be both practical and symbolic at the same time. By cultivating local entrepreneurism, the city will be positioned to jump start an unusually small restaurant communitycreating employment in the city. It is one more effort to bring more life back to the citys hub.

The project will complement the Gary State Building renovation, the replacement of a 20 year abandoned hotel with a downtown plaza boasting innovative green infrastructure, and a new mural depicting the Jackson 5, arguably the citys most famous entertainers. However, the most vital outcome of ArtHouse is providing a source of pride for residents and evidence to others that Gary is determined to come back stronger than ever from the devastation caused by the steel industrys decline.

People often ask me what is the most difficult aspect of rebuilding Gary. It is without a doubt getting people to believe in our city again.

When we see projects like ArtHouse come to life, we have every reason to believe that Gary can recapture its place in the heartland.

I look forward to the activation of ArtHouse, and the hope and inspiration it will bring to our city.
President Trump says he wants to drain the swamp. His strategist Stephen Bannon calls for deconstructing the administrative state. They face fierce opposition. But their biggest obstacle may end up being of their own making. There are nearly 2,000 political vacancies within the Trump administration, most of which did not require Senate confirmation, according to the tracking service Leadership Directories.

There is no consensus inside the White House on how to make senior appointments in this administration, a longtime participant in presidential transitions told me. Secondly, the administration doesnt have a well-staffed, well led Office of Presidential Personnel. The result is you have only 35 officials named so far, and another three have had to withdraw.

The White House wont respond to inquiries about its Presidential Personnel Office, and there may be a good reason. It is headed by John DeStefano, who served as former House Speaker John Boehners political director and senior adviser. At age 38 his only major personnel experience has been advising newly elected 2010 Tea Party members on who to hire.

DeStefano is captaining what amounts to a ghost ship when compared to previous presidents. Im reliably told that only 18 people are currently working in his office. An official who has helped guide several presidential transitions told me that at this point in his presidency, Bill Clinton had nearly 100 people handling resumes inside the White House. There were desks spilling out into the hallways of the Old Executive Office Building, he recalls. Of course, Clinton's early White House wasn't always a model of efficiency.

Personnel are policy, and if you dont have key personnel and enough of them the home team of Washington bureaucrats will wear you down and win every time, a key Trump appointee awaiting confirmation told me.

The bottleneck inside the Trump White House has gotten so bad that some jobs such as who should serve as general counsels in agencies are being effectively handled by the White House Counsels office.

President Trump says critics misunderstand what he is doing in staffing his administration, because he doesnt plan to fill every vacancy. A lot of those jobs, I dont want to appoint someone because theyre unnecessary to have, he told Fox News last week. In government, we have too many people.

While admirable on some level, in practice such a stance amounts to being penny wise and pound foolish. The Washington Examiner reports that the White House has not submitted any names to fill the 10 jobs below Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin that will require confirmation. Theres no way President Trump can fulfill his promise to improve veterans health care without those officials.

At the Justice Department, an Obama appointee is still the deputy Attorney General and presiding over the investigations of Russian interference in the 2016 election. More than two dozen Justice positions havent been filled, including the Office of Civil Rights and the National Security Division.

I wish I had more of my staff on board, Attorney General Jeff Sessions plaintively said Thursday, as he recused himself from the Russia probe.

The Home Alone status of many Cabinet officials has attracted the attention of key Trump campaign donors. I know the president is proud that he won last November with only 130 people on his payroll versus 800 for Hillary, one told me. Hes proud of doing more with less, but in government you need your people in place or some interim Obama holdover stays on and influences the day-to-day operations. And that doesnt begin to address the issue of leaks.

As Kori Schake, a research fellow in government management at the conservative Hoover Institution, told the Washington Post: The president risks looking like he appointed an admirable Cabinet he intends to make ineffective by denying them staff.

And in some cases, the Cabinet department itself still lacks a head -- apart from any possible stalling tactics by Democratic senators. Sonny Perdue, the former Georgia governor, was tapped to be Agriculture Secretary over six weeks ago. But his paperwork hasnt yet been formally turned over so Senate confirmation can begin.

"I don't know yet," Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, told the Associated Press on Wednesday when asked about Perdue's paperwork. "I wish to hell I did. We need a champion for agriculture, we need him on board."

In interviewing people throughout the Trump administration, I heard a variation of Senator Roberts lament over and over. Sources certainly didnt want to be quoted for fear of being viewed as off-message by the White House, but their critique was consistent.

Personnel are policy, and if you dont have key personnel and enough of them the home team of Washington bureaucrats will wear you down and win every time, a key Trump appointee awaiting confirmation told me.

A leading House Republican says the confusion over the administrations tax reform stems in part from the White House having no chain of command over its drafting and not enough staff to evaluate proposals.

If something is broken, you fix it, Donald Trump frequently said on the campaign trail.

Just before his speech to a joint session of Congress, he graded himself as having done only a C or C-plus job of communicating his message. He then delivered what even critics said was an effective speech.

If President Trump wants to have the last laugh on his critics, again, he needs to address an appointments process that is clogged, if not downright broken.
The Council of theEuropean Union has extended certain sanctions for a year taken by the EU against a number of former Ukrainian officials, who are considered responsible for embezzling government funds.

"On March 3, 2017, the Council expended until March 6, 2018 the decision to freeze the accounts of 15 individuals accountable for the illegal embezzlement of Ukrainian state funds or abuse of office resulting in damages to Ukrainian state assets. One individual has been removed from the list," the Council's press release says.

According to media reports, former MP from the Party of Regions, businessman Yuriy Ivaniuschenko was removed from the list.

Specific measures, including travel bans to the EU, and frozen accounts inEuropean banks, involving persons are on the so-called black list. Ex-president Viktor Yanukovych and his eldest son Oleksandr Yanukovych are included, as well as ex-PM Mykola Azarov and other former top officials, as well as well-known former Ukrainian politicians.

As earlier reported, sanctions against Yanukovych and his accomplices were introduced in March 2014 and extended twice, in March 2015 and in March 2016.
With anti-Semitism on the rise around the world, now is not the time to eliminate a State Department position dedicated to monitoring and combating this persistent social illness. But numerous reports indicate that is just what the White House is considering as it reviews budget options. This misguided step would have monumental repercussions in the global arena.

In 2004, the bipartisan Global Anti-Semitism Review Act created a State Department special envoy position to tackle the problem. It was an office created out of urgency as a wave of anti-Semitism swept across Europe. Our organizations fought to create this position, and we know first-hand the value it carries. World leaders charged with addressing anti-Semitism in their countries know that battling anti-Semitism is a priority for the United States government and that the U.S. is holding them accountable.

Its a position that allows our country to lead by example. And it has inspired other nations to follow suit in making the eradication of anti-Semitism a priority.

As an office of the United States government, the special envoy post has carried weight in world capitals. The State Department has called out violence and hateful language and inspired foreign leaders to condemn incidents of anti-Semitism among their own populations. Its been a model for other nations to emulate. Attendance by these envoys at global conferences sends a powerful message that the United States will not accept anti-Semitism as a norm.

If the United States steps back from the very model we created, what does that signal, both internationally and domestically, about our commitment to combat the pervasive social ill that is anti-Semitism? It sends a message that this is not an important issue.

This position has proven successful in getting other countries to look at their own problems with anti-Semitism and address them in a meaningful and effective way. A succession of U.S. envoys has travelled worldwide to bring attention to anti-Semitism, placing the power and prestige of the U.S. government behind fighting the problem. The worlds leaders have seen this as a priority of U.S. foreign policy. If we remove it, we lose a powerful tool and a public megaphone.

The world looks to the United States to be a leader.

If the United States steps back from the very model we created, what does that signal, both internationally and domestically, about our commitment to combat the pervasive social ill that is anti-Semitism? It sends a message that this is not an important issue. It sends a message that no one is watching to ensure anti-Semitic incidents are noticed, made public, investigated and castigated.

Now the same social illness we are trying to fight globally is raising its head anew in our own backyard. And though the State Departments Special Envoy is tasked with monitoring and fighting anti-Semitism abroad, we cant help but make the connection to what is happening at home. A frightening wave of anti-Semitism has been unleashed, and seems, at the moment, unchecked.

In recent months, scores of bomb threats have been called into Jewish Community Centers and day schools across the United States. In recent days, hundreds of headstones have been overturned at Jewish cemeteries. Swastikas have been carved into cars and on mass transit. Threats against Jewish college students are reported at alarming rates.

We have already proposed the creation of a Justice Department special coordinator to deal with anti-Semitism at home. Though the domestic context is different, the State Department special envoy position would serve as an example to the Justice Department of how focusing the U.S. governments attention on anti-Semitism can produce results. Removing this position would say the U.S. has left the stage at perhaps one of the most critical moments.

We call on the administration to raise the level of monitoring of anti-Semitism. We are ready to help provide our expertise in this area.
The Trump presidency was just days old when it recorded its first US combat casualty. Chief Special Warfare Operator William Ryan Owensa Navy SEAL, Illinois native, and father of fourdied of wounds sustained in a firefight during a raid on an al-Qaeda compound in Yemen.



The now controversial raid was designed to seize phones and laptops and gather other intelligence from the increasing threat of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). In addition to the death of the Navy SEAL, the raid last month may have killed up to 24 innocent citizens, according to claims emerging from Yemen, including the eight-year-old daughter of American-citizen-turned-terrorist, Anwar al-Awlaki, who was himself killed in a drone strike in 2011 (that same year, Awlakis 16-year-old son was killed in another strike ordered by President Obama).



As the spokesman for US Central Command, Colonel John J. Thomas, said of the US raid on the al-Qaeda compound, AQAP has a horrifying history of hiding women and children within militant operating areas and terrorist camps, and continuously shows a callous disregard for innocent lives. Thats what makes cases like these so especially tragic.



Here the United States faced the dilemma that its ally Saudi Arabia and other members of the coalition have faced since they launched their war in March 2015 on Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who overthrew the legitimate, elected government of Yemen.



For Saudi Arabia, the Houthi-Iranian alliance and control of Yemen represented a serious threat. Left unchallenged, North Yemen could become another southern Lebanon, with an Iranian proxy actively working to subvert Saudi national security. Without intervention in Yemen, Saudi Arabias citizens faced the risk of a hostile militia with thousands of missiles aimed at them on the kingdoms southern border.



Some have claimed that Saudi Arabia has exaggerated the threat posed to its security by the Houthis and their Iranian backers, even arguing that evidence of this alliance is limited. This ignores the facts and the plentiful public evidence to the contrary.



In the last 18 months, the US Navy has intercepted four arms shipments from Iran to Yemen. Iran itself has claimed numerous times that it controls four Arab capitals, including Sanaa, and the Houthis have become closely tied to Hezbollah, Irans Lebanon-based political and military proxy.



Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has claimed the Houthi cause as his own, allowing Houthi communications and propaganda efforts to set up in the southern Hezbollah-controlled suburbs of Beirut. He has publicly welcomed Houthi fighters to train with his forces. Videos on YouTube show Lebanese Hezbollah trainers and Farsi-speaking targeting specialists inside Yemen helping Houthis fire missiles at Saudi military ships.



Despite these challenges, and nearly two years into one of the most difficult military operations taking place in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners have largely achieved their objectives: to disrupt Iranian arms deliveries and to make clear to the Houthis that their alliance with Iran will be costly.



But success in war never comes without sacrifice. Unfortunately, Yemeni civilians have paid a high price, with an estimated 10,000 killed since the conflict began. Subsequently, Saudi Arabia has faced allegations that its forces are committing war crimes against the civilian population in Yemen. There have been suggestions that US military support for the war should be terminated.



This is a nonconventional war, where the enemy is not a formal army but a militia that deliberately hides among an innocent population, and where the enemy conceals its bases and facilities in close proximity to civilian facilities. Saudi forces must surely review their own tactics to avoid as many civilian casualties as possible. But its important to not gloss over the tactics of the Houthis, which include, as reported by Freedom House, indiscriminate shelling of populated areas, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, and enforced disappearances.

This is what Saudi Arabia faces doing battle against the Houthi rebels, a dangerous force that is guided, funded and armed by Iran. None of this diminishes the tragedy these civilian casualties represent. Rather, it reinforces the urgent need to defeat the Houthis, end the conflict in Yemen, and invest in a long-term political solution to peace.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democrats continue to snub President Trump by slowing down Senate confirmation of his Cabinet appointments. Their underlying goal is to allow remaining Obama-appointed bureaucrats to do as much damage to the Trump administration as they can before leaving.

CNN reported last week that Trump is noticeably behind the last three presidents when it comes to securing the confirmation of his Cabinet and other top appointments that require Senate approval.

The Senate confirmed Governor Rick Perry on Thursday to lead the U.S. Department of Energy, leaving only former Governor Sonny Perdue and Alexander Acosta awaiting confirmation to lead the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Labor respectively.

But Schumer is only stalling top cabinet picks to further block the appointments of nearly 2,000 other political vacancies within the administration. CNN said as of February 23, Trump had 1,987 vacancies throughout his administration.

Many of these positions are empty. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said yesterday that much has happened at the Department of Justice in the three weeks hes been in office, and he wished more of his staff had been confirmed by now. To be clear: Senate Democrats are keeping the Department of Justice from functioning at full capacity.

But other seats are currently filled by Obama appointees quietly working behind the scenes to sabotage Trumps efforts by continuing their previous leaders agenda while Schumer works to hamstring Trumps presidency. These include deputies, managers, and political appointees who are meant to keep the government running while a new administration comes into power.

A clear example of this is occurring in the Department of Education, where bureaucrats are continuing what the Washington Post called Obamas ideological crusade on for-profit colleges.

During President Obamas term, his administration forced ITT Technical Institutes out of business after the school helped train American workers for half a century. This left about 40,000 students displaced and about 8,000 employees jobless, according to a September 20, 2016 Washington Post editorial.

And two months before the end of Obamas term, his education department abruptly stripped authority from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, which is one of the oldest national accreditors of academic institutions in the country.

The Obama administration took this action without giving the ACICS a standard 12-month grace period to address the Department of Educations complaints and imposed intentionally unattainable deadlines on private colleges and work training programs accredited through ACICS.

Secretary Betsy DeVos is now leading the Department of Education, but Obama-appointed lawyers in the department are still enforcing these unreachable mandates for career training institutions.

One such deadline requires 690 privately-owned schools to prove they have applications to other accreditors by March 12. Not only is this forcing private schools to leave ACICS before its appeal is adjudicated, but not meeting this deadline will mean these schools will lose the ability to receive federal Title IV funding, which is bureaucrat-speak for federal student aid.

This means more than 600,000 students at 725 schools will have to either quickly find other educational programs and restart their degrees or certificates; pay off their federal loans with their own money; or find a private lender to accept their debt. All of these options are terrible and punish hard-working people. And the last resort is having taxpayers cover the cost of forgiving the now-useless loans.

The Obama administration made a mission out of demonizing private for-profit colleges and universities, but many of these students are single parents or people who were failed by college-focused federal education policies.

Pulling the rug out from under organizations like ACICS is a blatant, misguided effort by Obama administration bureaucrats who are focused on destroying this industry.

Many of these students are working adults who are trying to improve their lives for the sake of their children. Not only will these Obama-led efforts hurt Americans, but without these colleges and career training programs, our ability to fill the jobs President Trump is working to bring to this county will be severely hindered.

Senate Republicans should make every effort to break the Democrat blockade, so President Trump can swiftly fill these positions. And then the presidents cabinet members should take a close look at Obama staffers who have burrowed in by moving from appointed positions to career jobs.

The Washington Times reported in November that there were 69 Obama political appointees who moved into career jobs from 2010 to 2015, and 17 of them didnt receive the required approval from the Office of Personnel Management.

The bold changes President Trump is bringing to the federal system will require complete loyalty within the ranks of the executive branch. Republicans in the Congress and the Presidents cabinet should work doubly hard to ensure the administration is at top working order as soon as possible.



Editor's note: Newt Gingrich is an advisor to Career Education Colleges and Universities.
Many of those sounding the loudest alarm bells over Russian influence in U.S. politics were curiously silent when far greater concerns were raised about the Clintons.

Investigating the business ties between Russia and those in President Donald Trumps orbit is a legitimate exercise. One-time Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was an advisor to the pro-Russian Ukrainian president. Former Trump advisor Carter Page had energy deals involving Russian companies. Former National Security Advisor General Michael Flynn gave a nicely paid speech in Moscow as a private citizen and was less than complete in explaining his conversations with Russian officials. And then there is the simple fact that Attorney General (former senator) Jeff Session, while a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, communicated with the Russian Ambassadorsomething senators do fairly regularly.

Examining these relationships is worth doing. Still, those pushing the narrative of troubling ties to Russia lose all credibility by wholly ignoring the far deeper and more troubling relationships the Clintons and their closest aides have maintained with Russian government officials for years, including while they were in public office. Unlike the revelations so far concerning Russian ties in the Trump camp, the Clinton deals involved hundreds of millions of dollars and enormous favors that benefitted Russian interests.

Bill and Hillary Clinton received large sums of money directly and indirectly from Russian officials while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State. Bill Clinton was paid a cool $500,000 (well above his normal fee) for a speech in Moscow in 2010. Who footed the bill? An investment firm in Moscow called Renaissance Capital, which boasts deep ties to Russian intelligence. The Clinton Foundation itself took money from Russian officials and Putin-connected oligarchs. They also took donations from:

Viktor Vekselberg, a Putin confidant who gave through his company, Renova Group

Andrey Vavilov, a former Russian government official who was Chairman of SuperOx, a research company that was part of the nuclear Cluster at the Russian governments Skolkovo research facility

Elena Baturina, the wife of the former Mayor of Moscow, who apparently gave them money through JSC Inteco, an entity that she controls

Then there is the glaring fact that the Clinton Foundation also scored $145 million in donations from nine shareholders in a Canadian uranium company called Uranium One that was sold to the Russian government in 2010. The deal required the approval of several federal government agencies, including Hillary Clintons State Department. The deal allowed Rosatom, the Russian State Nuclear Agency, to buy assets that amounted to 20 percent of American uranium. Rosatom, by the way controls the Russian nuclear arsenal.

Equally troubling: some of those donations were hidden and not disclosed by the Clintons. President Obama required the Clinton Foundation to disclose all contributions as a condition of Hillary Clinton becoming Secretary of State. But that did not happen. The only reason the hidden donations ever came to light is because we uncovered them by combing through Canadian tax records.

Everyone got what they wanted in this deal: the uranium investors made a nice profit; the Russians acquired a strategic asset; and the Clinton Foundation bagged a lot of money.

Hillary Clinton says she was not involved in the decision to approve the sale of Uranium One. As proof, the Clinton campaign in 2015 trotted out her former aide, Assistant Secretary of State Fernandez, to say publicly that we should take his word for it that she was not involved in approving that deal. But as we now know from the leaked Podesta emails, Fernandez was all too eager to help Podesta kill the story, while getting other favors from Podesta. That raises questions about the veracity of his comments.

It seems strange that while some in Congress are eager to investigate the activities of General Mike Flynn and his contacts with Russia, they have no interest in looking into a transaction in which the Clinton Foundation received a staggering $145 million. Its that kind of inconsistency that saps all credibility from those raising these issues.

Beyond the Clintons themselves, there is also the troubling case of one of their closest aides, John Podesta. He served as Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign chairman. Podesta didnt just have conversations with Russian officials. He went into business with the Russian government while he was advising Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.

In 2011, John Podesta joined the executive board of a small energy company called Joule Unlimited. Two months after he joined the board, the Russian government invested one billion rubles (approximately $35 million) into the company. The money came from a Russian government investment fund called Rusnano. What is Rusnano? It is a fund started in 2007 by Vladimir Putin and has been described by Russian Education and Science Minister Andrei Fursenko as Putins Child.

According to State Department cables leaked via Wikileaks, technology venture funds like Rusnano were considered a national security concern by U.S. officials because they could serve a dual use in their investments. That is, their investments in civilian technologies could have a military application.

In short, John Podesta was business partners with the Russian government and Vladimir Putin. When John Podesta went to the White House in January 2014 to serve as counselor to President Obama, he failed to disclose his board membership in one of the Joule entities on his financial disclosure form. According to the Podesta emails, Podesta transferred his 75,000 shares in the company to an LLC controlled by his family. But as the Wall Street Journal notes, the Podesta emails reveal he remained actively engaged in company business after that fact.

None of the individuals in Trumps orbit who have Russian tiesPaul Manafort, Carter Page, and General Mike Flynnare serving in the Trump White House. Had Hillary Clinton won the presidency, John Podesta would certainly have played a central role. Would the same people who are currently sounding the alarm bells about Russian influence in American politics have cared? I doubt it.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has responded to a political hit piece from The Washington Post and a subsequent onslaught from Democrats over the fake news that he met with Russians before President Trump took office. Hell recuse himself from any related investigations.

This should put an end to the phony story ginned up by the radical, alt-left media. After all, Sessions never lied, never misled lawmakers and was going his job when, as senator from Alabama, he met with a foreign ambassador. Hell play no role in whatever unnecessary investigation ensues, and therefore, there will be no conflict.

Let me be clear, Sessions said Thursday. I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign. And the idea that I was part of a, quote, continuing exchange of information during the campaign between Trump surrogates and intermediaries for the Russian government, is totally false.

Still, Sessions, who has built a reputation as a straight shooter, said he asked his staff for a recommendation and was told that, since he was an early supporter of Trump and an informal adviser during the campaign, he should recuse himself. He said the decision was reached over a matter of weeks and was not a reaction to a Washington Post story that claimed he met with the Russian ambassador twice and then lied to Congress about it during his confirmation hearings.

As a senator, Jeff Sessions was a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. It was not out of the ordinary that he talked to foreign ambassadors, and in fact, he spoke to dozens of them last year alone. He was doing his job.

The notion that the alt-radical left is pushing, that Sessions committed perjury during his confirmation hearing, is ridiculous. Heres the Jan. 10 exchange he had with Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., who you may remember as Saturday Night Lives Stuart Smalley.

CNN just published a story alleging that the intelligence community provided documents to the president-elect last week that included information that, quote, Russian operatives claim to have compromising personal and financial information about Mr. Trump," Senator Smalley said. These documents also allegedly stated, quote, There was a continuing exchange of information during the campaign between Trump surrogates and intermediaries for the Russian government.

If there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what will do you? Smalley pressed.

Sessions replied that he was unaware of such activity.

I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign, and I did not have communications with the Russians, Sessions said. And I'm unable to comment on it.

It was clear to anyone with a double-digit IQ that Sessions was responding to the "breaking news" Franken sited, which, by the way, turned out to not be true. Yet, Democrats are hyperventilating over the fact that Sessions - as a senator - met with the Russian ambassador and did not disclose it when he was asked about meetings in a completely different context.

These are the same Democrats who saw nothing wrong with President Obamas attorney general meeting secretly with Bill Clinton n a plane on a tarmac for over 30 minutes while Hillary Clinton was under investigation by the FBI. Loretta Lynch never recused herself from that investigation.

But unlike Lynch, Sessions clearly wanted to reassure the American people that all Russia investigations will be free of any political interference.

This whole smear campaign is really just part of the Democrats' larger fake news conspiracy theory that Russian hacking is the reason Hillary Clinton lost the election, and that somehow, members of the Trump campaign secretly coordinated the whole thing. They've been pushing this ever since President Trump won.

Too bad that back in January, James Clapper, President Obama's own director of national intelligence, said Russian interference did not impact vote tallies. And just yesterday, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said there's zero evidence the Trump campaign ever coordinated with Russia.

We have seen no evidence, been presented with no evidence that anybody on the Trump campaign or an American was involved in colluding with the Russians, Ryan said.

Need more proof? The House Intelligence Committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., said Sessions meeting with an ambassador in his capacity as senator is not only not unusual, its his job.

We've got to be very careful here, Nunes said. It's a slippery slope. All the countries in the world, basically, have embassies here. A lot of these countries are adversaries, but we all meet with those. Many senators and congressmen meet with those ambassadors on a regular basis.

If there's anything that shows that Russia and people from the Trump campaign somehow conspired and impacted votes in the election, well report it. But the alt-left propaganda media and the Democrats have for months been going ballistic over Russian election influence without any evidence.

They had nothing to say when President Obama meddled in the Israeli election to try to defeat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A 2014 congressional investigation found an Israeli political group used $300,000 of U.S. State Department grant money -- your tax dollars -- to create a political apparatus to defeat the Israeli prime minister. Where was the outrage about influencing elections then? Where was the wall-to-wall news coverage? Where was the hyperventilating and mass hysteria?

They didn't care because it was their guy, their ideological soulmate, who was doing it from the White House.

Adapted from Sean Hannity's monologue on "Hannity," March 2, 2017
The estranged wife of former Vice President Joe Biden's youngest son, Hunter Biden, claims he squandered the couple's money on drugs, alcohol and prostitutes since the couple separated in 2015.

In a court filing last week, Kathleen Buhle Biden asked a Washington, D.C. judge to order Hunter Biden to stop spending the couple's remaining assets.

"Throughout the parties' separation, Mr. Biden has created financial concerns for the family by spending extravagantly on his own interests (including drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, strip clubs, and gifts for women with whom he has sexual relations) while leaving the family with no funds to pay legitimate bills," wrote Rebekah Sullivan, a lawyer for Kathleen.

Sarah Mancinelli, an attorney for Hunter Biden, declined to directly address the allegations.

"Hunter and Kathleen have been separated for some time and are in the process of finalizing a divorce," Mancinelli wrote in an email. "Hunter loves and admires Kathleen as a person, a mother, and a friend. He hopes their privacy can be respected at this time."

Kathleen Biden filed for divorce in December and is seeking sole custody of the couple's 16-year-old daughter, the youngest of their three children. A status hearing is scheduled for March 30.

The New York Post reported this week that Hunter Biden, 47, is dating Hallie Biden, 43, the widow of his late brother, former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in May 2015. In a statement to the Post, Hunter Biden said the pair was "incredibly lucky" to have found love and support from one another during a difficult time.

Court records indicate that Kathleen Biden asked her husband to leave the couple's Washington, D.C., home on July 5, 2015, prompted by his actions on the night of July Fourth. The filing doesn't offer details.

The couple agreed to separate three months later because of what Kathleen Biden describes as irreconcilable differences, including drug use and infidelity.

Hunter Biden, who has filed a counterclaim and is seeking joint custody, denies that his conduct resulted in the separation.

Biden, an attorney and former lobbyist who works at an investment firm, was discharged from the U.S. Navy Reserve in 2014 after testing positive for cocaine.

In the court filing, Kathleen said Hunter last year instructed his office to reduce monthly transfers to her to $7,500 per month, compared to the previous average of about $17,000. At the same time, she claims, he has spent lavishly, borrowed heavily and transferred money to himself.

Sullivan described the couple's outstanding debts as "shocking and overwhelming," with maxed-out credit cards, double mortgages on two homes, and tax debt of more than $313,000.
In what has been called a visa war, the European Unions parliament on Thursday called on the bloc to force American tourists visiting Europe to first obtain visas because the U.S. excludes five EU countries from its no-visa policy.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the request is unlikely to change policy, but reflects hostility among some European politicians to the Trump administration.

The report said Parliaments vote came six weeks into Trumps presidency and after the legislature publically slammed Trumps executive order banning travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries.

U.S. citizens can travel to all EU countries without visas but the U.S. hasnt granted visa-free travel to citizens of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania.

NEW TRAVEL BAN COMING IN DAYS, PENCE SAYS

The legislature urged the European Commission to act within two months. The Commission was legally bound to propose by last April that visas be reintroduced for U.S. citizens for 12 months but the 28-nation blocs member countries preferred to take no action.

The Commission has cautioned that suspending the visa waiver for Americans would also hurt trade, tourism and the European economy.

Dimitris Avramopoulos, the European home-affairs commissioner, traveled to Washington last month to talk about the issue. He wrote to The Journal: As you know, our approach brought results with Canada. We will continue our engagement with the United States on this matter as well our broader cooperation on migration and security.

He was referring to Canadas decision to lift all remaining visa requirements for EU citizens by the end of the year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had a previous undisclosed meeting with the Russian ambassador in December at Trump Tower in New York, officials confirmed Thursday to Fox News.

The meeting between the Kushner, Flynn, and Sergey Kislyak, first reported by the New York Times, focused on establishing "a line of communication" between the new administration and Russian government, according to the paper.

Hope Hicks, a White House spokeswoman, told the New York Times the meeting lasted 20 minutes, and that Kushner has not met with Kislyak since.

They generally discussed the relationship and it made sense to establish a line of communication, Hicks said. Jared has had meetings with many other foreign countries and representatives  as many as two dozen other foreign countries leaders and representatives.

A separate official told the Associated Press the sit down was a "brief courtesy meeting."

Flynn was fired last month because he misled Vice President Mike Pence and other White House officials about his contacts with Kislyak.

The disclosure came the same day Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he will recuse himself from any existing or future investigations regarding the 2016 presidential campaign, responding to bipartisan pressure to step aside from a probe into Moscow meddling amid revelations he spoke twice with Russias ambassador and didnt disclose it to Congress.

Fox News' John Roberts contributed to this report.
A Michigan lawmaker and professor are crafting a bill that would ban police officers from having sex with prostitutes during investigations, Michigan Radio reported.

The report, which was published on Monday, said that Michigan appears to be the only state that grants immunity to police officers.

The reason the law is structured the way it is is because of the way the prostitution laws are written, Bridgette Carr, a professor at the University of Michigan law School and director of the Human Trafficking Clinic there. So for law enforcement to have any poser to investigate with immunity, they got all the power. And no one thought to go back and carve out a prohibition against sexual intercourse.

Carr is reportedly working with Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Midland, on the bill.

It is unclear if police officers in the state ever take advantage of the exemption. Some police officers reportedly told Carr they did not know the law even existed.

What I do know from my own clients is that people who either say they are cops, who are cops or who are impersonating cops, know about this exemption and threaten my clients with it sometimes, she said. Its not rampant, but it happens.
The strangest sidebar of President Donald Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night involved a mysterious man handing an envelope to the president as he was glad-handing lawmakers on his way out of the House chamber.

Now, the mystery man has been identified -- as former New York Republican Rep. Daniel Frisa.

Fox News confirmed Frisa's identity after multiple inquiries, but that only answers one of the many questions surrounding the incident.

As Trump was about to depart the House chamber, the person now identified as Frisa approached him from behind.

"Good job, Mr. President. Nice job," Frisa said. He then attempted to hand the president an envelope, saying, "This is from your friend Noach Dear."

It is odd for someone to hand something off to the President after an address to Congress. Sources told Fox News security officials had told the president not to accept papers or other items from lawmakers while in the House chamber, and it was not immediately clear whether Trump took the envelope from Frisa. It was also not clear what was in the envelope.

Frisa served one term in the House, where he represented New York's 4th District  encompassing part of Nassau County on Long Island. Elected in 1994 as part of the "Republican revolution," Frisa was defeated in his re-election bid by Democrat Carolyn McCarthy, who retired in 2015.

Former lawmakers are allowed on the House floor. However, Frisa was not a prominent figure during his one term in Congress and no one initially recognized him Tuesday night.

Dear, a former New York City Councilman who represented districts in Brooklyn, has a relationship with Trump dating back to the 1990s. He assisted Trump with city zoning issues, and the future president attended at least one fundraiser for Dear.

On one occasion when Trump ran into red tape in Manhattan, Dear proclaimed, If Manhattan doesnt want the project, Donald, you can build in my district."

In 2015, Dear was elected to a 15-year term as a judge on the New York Supreme Court, the state's trial-level court.

Frisa argued a foreclosure case involving Wells Fargo in front of Dear as recently as last November, but it's unclear why Frisa could potentially have served as an emissary between the president and the judge.

Efforts by Fox to reach Frisa and Dear have been unsuccessful.

Fox News' Virginia Nicolaidis contributed to this report.
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has suspended Roman Nasirov as the head of the State Fiscal Service for a period of investigation.

The corresponding decision was taken at an extraordinary government meeting in Kyiv on Friday, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported.

Before presenting this decision of the government for consideration, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said that the head of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine "will make his proposals for the removal of Roman Mykhailovych Nasirov from his office in order to ensure an absolutely objective and impartial investigation."

The prime minister said that open and fair investigation against Nasirov is required.

"We would like the investigation to be entirely objective, transparent and effective. If a person is guilty, then he should be punished, if he is not guilty, then he should be acquitted. But it's only a matter of time and the effectiveness of the investigation," Groysman said.

On Friday morning, March 3, head of the PGO's Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) Nazar Kholodyntsky reported that Nasirov was handed a notice of suspicion of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (abuse of power, resulting in grave consequences, is punishable by imprisonment from three to six years).

Investigators believe that the head of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine Roman Nasirov during 2015-2016, acting in the interests of the people's deputy Oleksandr Onyshchenko, provided managers of regional and territorial authorities of the SFS with illegal instructions to take groundless decisions on the tax debt installment of Ltd. Khas Company, Ltd. Karpatnadrainvest, LLC Nadra Geocenter. During this period Nasirov alone took illegal decisions on installment of financial obligations of these companies, which had no legal grounds for it, and did not provide the documents required for this purpose. These decisions were taken with the violation of a specific legal procedure, namely in the absence of proper justification and legal basis.

According to Kholodnytsky, investigators believe actions by the head of Ukraine's State Fiscal Service Roman Nasirov resulted in the loss of about UAH 2 billion to the state budget. Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) will recommend Nasirov's sacking.
Vice President Pence allegedly used a personal email account, which was hacked, during his time serving as Indiana governor, according to a report released Thursday.

The Indianapolis Star reported Pence discussed homeland security issues and sensitive matters with top advisers while using his personal AOL account. Some of the topics included Indiana's response to terror attacks and security at the governor's mansion.

The newspaper also reported Pences account was hacked last summer, before becoming Trump's runningmate. The AOL account was subjected to a phishing scheme last spring and Pence's contacts were sent in an email falsely claiming that the governor and his wife were stranded in the Philippines and needed money.

Marc Lotter, a Pence spokesman, said the governor switched to a different AOL account with added security measures and has since stopped using the new account since he was sworn in as vice president.

As Trump's running mate, Pence frequently criticized rival Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server as President Obama's secretary of state, accusing her of purposely keeping her emails out of public reach and shielding her from scrutiny.

Lotter said "the comparison is absurd" because Clinton had set up a private server in her home at the start of her tenure at the State Department and, unlike Clinton, Pence did not handle any classified material as Indiana's governor.

Lotter said Pence "maintained a state email account and a personal email account" like previous governors in the state. A senior official from the vice presidents office told Fox News that political activities were not permitted on state email so that activity was on his personal email.

At the end of his term Pence directed outside counsel to review all of his communications to ensure that state-related emails were transferred and properly archived by the state, the spokesman said.

Public officials are not barred from using personal email accounts under Indiana law, but the law can interpreted to mean that any official business conducted on primate email must be retained to comply with public records law. Pences office said he ly complied with Indiana law regarding email use and retention."

At the end of his term, Pence hired the Indianapolis law firm of Barnes & Thornburg to conduct a review of all of his communications and that review is still ongoing, Lotter said. Any correspondence between Pence's AOL account and any aides using a state email account would have been automatically archived, he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C. told Fox News' "The First 100 Days" Thursday that Attorney General Jeff Sessions' failure to disclose two conversations he had with Russia's ambassador to Congress "is not tantamount to perjury."

"Attorney General Sessions incorrectly answered a question," Gowdy told host Martha MacCallum. "That happens almost every day in Congress and there arent perjury referrals. People do make mistakes."

Sessions announced earlier Thursday that he would recuse himself from any existing or future investigations regarding the 2016 presidential campaign after the Washington Post reported the discussions with Russian envoy Sergey Kislyak.

"The Jeff Sessions I know has always been a rule-follower," Gowdy said. "I dont think hes going to be talking about campaign-related matters on Capitol grounds, and if he said he forgot about it, he would be about the one millionth person who actually forgot about a fact."

However, Gowdy added that he was not "prejudging" the matter and noted, "The FBIs welcome to look at it. If the Senate feels that strongly about it, they can send a referral to the FBI. But simply making a factual error is not tantamount to perjury."

Gowdy also defended FBI Director James Comey, who briefed lawmakers about the federal investigation into Russian activities during last year's campaign. Following the briefing, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, claimed "the bureau has not given us a full counterintelligence briefing."

"I have never heard a federal law enforcement agent give with that degree of particularity and detail an update on an inquiry," said Gowdy, a former federal prosecutor. "I want to investigate all aspects of [Russian activity against the U.S.] ... But Congress does not run parallel criminal investigations with the FBI. Were not equipped to do it. Were not supposed to do it.

"For [Schiff] to treat it that way, that dismissively, clearly he and I were in two separate rooms this morning."
Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Fox News' "Tucker Carlson Tonight" in an exclusive interview Thursday that conversations between him and the Russian ambassador to the U.S. had been "hyped beyond reason" by the media and criticism of them was "unfair."

"I dont believe anybody that was in that meeting would have seen or believed I said one thing that was improper or unwise," Sessions told host Tucker Carlson. "It was really a sad thing to be attacked like that, but I think weve explained it and we intend to move forward."

Sessions spoke to Fox News hours after he recused himself from any existing or future investigations regarding the 2016 presidential campaign. Lawmakers from both parties had pressed Sessions to step away from an ongoing probe into Moscow meddling during last year's race for the White House.

Sessions has repeatedly denied meeting with Russian officials or operatives while a surrogate for then-candidate Donald Trump's campaign. He testified during his confirmation hearing in January that he had no communications with Russia during the campaign, an answer he later said was "honest and correct."

However, Sessions also said Thursday that he would submit a supplement to the record of his hearing that would cover his conversations with Russian envoy Sergey Kislyak

The attorney general told Carlson that he had intended to announce he was recusing himself from any investigation of the Trump campaign's connections with Russian figures even before the Washington Post revealed his meetings with Kislyak Wednesday night.

"I believe I should recuse myself," Sessions said, "because I was involved in the campaign to a degree [that] I think [it] would have been perceived that I wouldnt be objective[ly] participating in an investigation that might involve the campaign."

Sessions added that his recusal was "not an admission of any wrongdoing" and said that he had acted "exactly correctly" in the matter.

In the interview, Sessions detailed his two encounters last year with Kislyak, one of which happened during the Republican Convention in Cleveland this past July.

"I spoke at the Republican convention at a conference with some 50 ambassadors," Sessions recalled. "After I spoke, I walked down from the podium and mingled with a number of people and we met at that occasion and had a chat, and I left shortly thereafter."

Sessions said the other, more involved discussion with Kislyak took place Sept. 8 in his office and was one of several meetings he took with foreign ambassadors as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"We talked about a number of issues. One of them was the Ukraine and we had a disagreement over that," the attorney general said. "The Ukrainian ambassador had been into my office for a meeting the day before, and so we had a little disagreement over the Ukrainian issue. So we had a number of discussions like that."

Sessions said the meeting with Kislyak in his office was witnessed by two of his senior staffers, whom he described as "non-political."

"I dont believe theres anything wrong with a United States senator meeting with an ambassador from Russia," he said. "I learned something perhaps in that meeting  I usually did  and so thats what happened. Ambassadors were coming by to see me pretty often."

Several top Democrats, for whom the revelations of any Russia discussions only served to fuel long-running accusations that Trump-tied officials have sought to conceal past contacts with Moscow, have called for Sessions' resignation, including the leaders in both the House and Senate. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., went so far as to say Sessions had lied to Congress and committed perjury.

Many Republicans jumped to Sessions defense, saying Democrats were engaged in political theater and describing Sessions meetings as routine.

President Trump defended Sessions as an "honest man" in a statement released late Thursday.

"He did not say anything wrong," Trump said. "He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional. This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win."
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Thursday offered details of his meetings with the Russian ambassador last year after failing to disclose them at his confirmation hearing, triggering Democratic calls for his resignation.

Sessions' hastily-called press conference, at which he announced he would recuse himself from any probes into campaign issues, followed a Washington Post report that he met in July and September 2016 with the Russian Ambassador to the U.S.

He did not disclose either of those contacts during his confirmation hearings.

When asked during the hearings about Trump campaign officials possibly having communications with Russian officials during the campaign, Sessions denied he had any meetings.

On Thursday, he said he had not misled the committee.

At the time [his statement] was honest and correct as I understood, said Sessions, who argued he was acting in his capacity as a senator at the September meeting with Russian ambassador Sergey I. Kislyak in his Senate office.

Asked about his September meeting, the attorney general said Kislyak sent a staffer who asked for a meeting, which was then arranged. As far as what was discussed, Sessions did not remember much, except a mention of a trip he took to Russia in 1991 as part of a church group.

The conversation, he said, touched on such issues as terrorism and the Ukraine, whose ambassador had visited his office the previous day, but they discussed nothing related to the campaign.

Sessions noted their interaction grew testy when the issue of Ukraine was discussed and that Kislyak extended an offer to meet for lunch at a later date but the meeting never occurred.

The former Alabama senator and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee joked that most of these ambassadors are pretty gossipy and that he did not recall any other particularly political discussions with Kislyak.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Anthony Silva, the former mayor of Stockton, California, who lost a re-election bid last year following accusations of inappropriate behavior with minors at a youth camp he runs.

The latest allegations have no relation to that case, said his lawyer Mark Reichel. Rather, he faces felony charges of money laundering, grand theft and misuse of public funds, according to the arrest warrant obtained by Fox News. Sources said the charges are in connection to a non-profit club that serves local youth.

Investigators with the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office are now combing through laptops, computers and financial documents seized Thursday from Silva's home, and from the Stockton Kids Club. Authorities were assisted by FBI agents, federal marshals, and Stockton police, according to Silva's lawyer.

"He is clearly the focus of the DA's office," Reichel told Fox News. "They want to get him."

The arrest warrant shows his bail was set for $1 million.

Reichel said officers conducted the search while Silva was out of the country. Reichel says Silva left Wednesday on a long-planned trip to Central and South America with other residents of Stockton. The former mayor posted an image on Facebook indicating he was flying to Panama, and referencing a song by John Denver.

"Apparently Stockton can manage without me for a while so I decided to go explore the world. I am leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again," he wrote.

A second post was a video in which Silva indicated he was in Colombia. Both posts have since been removed.

A resident of Stockton familiar with the charges against the former mayor said, "Anthony Silva is a continuing embarrassment to the people of Stockton."

Since he lost his re-election bid last November, Silva appears to have devoted his time to running the Stockton Kids Club. His Facebook page contains numerous posts promoting the venue as a way to get Stockton youth into programs and services, and as rental space for birthday parties and other events.

Last year, at a summer camp in nearby Amador County, Silva was arrested and charged with four criminal counts, including recording confidential information, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and providing alcohol to a minor.

Those charges were based on information supplied by the FBI after agents seized his phone at the San Francisco Airport when Silva returned from China on Sept. 28th, 2016.

During the months-long federal investigation, recordings were also discovered apparently capturing Silva playing strip poker and drinking with camp counselors, including a 16-year-old boy.

In October, a judge reduced the charges to misdemeanors, and Silva, who has refused to settle the case, is scheduled to have a hearing on the matter by phone next Tuesday.

In a statement given to KCRA TV in Sacramento, Silva said he's baffled by the latest developments.

"The truth is, I don't know what they are after," he said, "and a few days before court? When and why won't it end?"

Silva also had a run-in with the law in 2015, when he failed to immediately report that two guns had been stolen from his house at separate times. Only after one of his weapons was used in the fatal shooting of a 13-year-old boy did Silva notify police.

As for the latest search warrants, the district attorney's office would only say they are part of an on-going investigation.

Reichel said he has not yet seen the arrest warrant or heard details about the charges beyond what he's seen on the local news. He says he will continue to represent Silva and insisted his client was innocent. "I'm not worried."
President Trumps love of Caterpillar, Inc. apparently wasn't deep enough to spare the Illinois-based manufacturer from a multi-agency federal raid linked to its overseas subsidiaries and tax practices.

The company, which makes mining and construction equipment, was slapped with three search warrants by the feds on Thursday.

On Friday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross confirmed that the raids were part of an ongoing probe against the company.

The Commerce Department has enforcement responsibilities both on imports and on exports, so its an important part of our function, Ross said on CNBC. Were going to be even stricter on enforcement, particularly on inbound goods that shouldnt be.

The escalation of the governments dispute with Caterpillar comes as the Trump administration promises to reform corporate taxes and design a system that makes it attractive for companies like Caterpillar to keep their businesses stateside.

Agents from the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the U.S. Department of Commerce participated in Thursdays searches, according to a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorneys office for the Central District of Illinois. Federal officials searched three Caterpillar locations, including its headquarters in Peoria, Ill. The other two warrants were served at facilities in East Peoria and Morton.

No arrests were made.

Though details remain sketchy on what exactly the feds are after, the raids apparently are tied to Caterpillars overseas business practices and tax strategies.

Initially, Caterpillar only confirmed the raids had taken place. The company later acknowledged the raids were connected to its use of a parts subsidiary based in Switzerland as well as tax practices that sparked a Senate investigation and led to shareholder lawsuits and even a $1 billion penalty.

Caterpillar is currently contesting an Internal Revenue Service demand that it pay $2 billion in taxes and penalties for profits assigned to the subsidiary between 2007 and 2012.

What makes the raids all the more noteworthy is they stood in sharp contrast to the praise the manufacturing giant has drawn from Trump since the campaign.

Trump, as a candidate, repeatedly vowed to use Caterpillar and John Deere equipment to build his promised border wall.

A week ago, Trump praised Caterpillar for producing great bulldozers. At a meeting of manufacturing heads at the White House, the former construction magnate told outgoing company chairman Doug Oberhelman, I love Caterpillar. Ive been driving them for a long time.

Trump also touted the companys biggest bulldozer, the D11, and said he looked forward to an even bigger D12 in the works. Hes also tapped Caterpillar to lead his big manufacturer push.

Caterpillar also has seen its shares soar since Trumps White House win  buoyed by the promise the president has made on pumping $1 trillion in infrastructure.

Shares of Caterpillar, though, fell more than 5 percent Thursday amid reports that federal agents were searching three of the companys offices. Caterpillars performance dragged down the Dow Thursday following the tax allegations.

New company CEO Jim Umpleby apologized to employees and pledged to continue cooperating with federal authorities after the raids.

Umpleby said he was surprised by the turn of events and that management, including himself, did not have enough information to determine what the feds were after.

Im sorry that we had to experience this today, he said in a statement to employees.

Calls to Caterpillar and the White House for comment were not immediately returned.

Caterpillars overseas ventures have long been the subject of scrutiny.

Over the past five years, the company has had to respond to concerns from the Securities and Exchange Commission over its operations in places that are subject to U.S. sanctions.

In 2011, Caterpillar was among a dozen blue chip companies under investigation by the SEC for dealings in Syria, Iran and Sudan.

In 2014, the SEC asked Caterpillar to explain its operations in Syria and Sudan as well as to respond to a news report that reportedly clocked a delivery of Caterpillar products from a Ukrainian tractor company to Cuba.

Caterpillar downplayed its sales in Syria and Sudan. The company also denied wrongdoing in Cuba and pushed back on the news article the SEC cited.
An Illinois congressman compared town hall meetings, which for many Republicans have turned into raucous affairs, to the practice of "cleansing" by "Orientals."

Republican Rep. Mike Bost made the assertion during a meeting with the editorial board of the Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale.

Bost visited his 12th District last week, hosting a tele-town hall instead of an in-person one.

"The amount of time that I have at home is minimal, I need to make sure that it's productive," Bost told the editorial board. "You know the cleansing that the Orientals used to do where you'd put one person out in front and 900 people yell at them? That's not what we need. We need to have meetings with people that are productive."

In a statement Thursday, Bost said he "used a poor choice of words" in describing "coordinated disruptions" he says are taking place across the country.

Bost spokesman George O'Connor said Bost's use of Orientals was a reference to sessions during China's Cultural Revolution when individuals were publicly humiliated and subjected to verbal abuse by a crowd.

"While there was no malicious intent, I regret that my words may have distracted from an important point," Bost said. "When the booing and shouting drowns out the conversation we're trying to have with our constituents, it becomes that much harder to govern."

Some Republicans in Congress have participated in rowdy town halls in which crowds have expressed concerns about President Donald Trump's policies. A few, like Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz, have been shouted down and booed.

Bost described the town halls as "out of control, which means you don't actually get to talk to people and listen, and we're looking for ways to do that."

In an editorial, the Southern Illinoisan noted that the people of his district want to have their voices heard, and doing it over the phone or the internet just won't do.

It went on to say, "It is part of his job description to, from time to time, take the heat. A leader should not be reluctant to meet with his constituents personally."

In 2012, as a state representative, Bost screamed profanities and referenced the Bible during a tirade directed at powerful House Speaker Mike Madigan. The outburst, which created an internet stir, came as House members prepared to vote on a contentious pension bill without a chance for debate or amendment.
Even without a formal title, Ivanka Trump is steadily carving out an expanded role in her fathers White House  which in the last few days alone has touched on everything from combating human trafficking to pushing affordable child care policies.

Her influence could be seen most recently in President Trumps address earlier this week to a joint session of Congress. Trumps call for affordable child care, paid family leave and help for women entrepreneurs was widely seen as bearing Ivankas signature.

A senior administration official told Axios that while policy guru and chief wordsmith Stephen Miller largely penned Trumps speech, Ivanka worked hard on it with him on many of the parts, especially affirming that the president's desire to have an uplifting and aspirational speech was right.

Ever since Ivanka Trump announced in January she was taking a formal leave of absence from The Trump Organization, moving to Washington, D.C., with husband Jared Kushner and their three children, speculation has been widespread over what her portfolio would look like.

Broadly speaking, ex-congressional aide and VP of the Keelen Group lobbying firm Frank McCarthy predicted on Fox News Strategy Room that she would soften the edges of her fathers agenda, in turn attracting greater bipartisan support.

Trumps husband, unlike her, is an official senior adviser to the president, expected to handle Middle East peace negotiations and other issues. But together, the two of them have advocated on additional policy matters.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the couple intervened to strike language about the [Obama-era] climate deal from an earlier draft of a pending executive order on climate change.

As early as Feb. 2, Politico reported the couple went to work on gay and transgender rights by advocating for the elimination of a proposed executive order that would reverse some protections in the workplace.

The White House later released a statement vowing that a 2014 order protecting employees from anti-LGBTQ workplace discrimination while working for federal contractors, will remain intact at the direction of President Donald J. Trump.

Ivanka Trump also has emerged as a fixture in high-level meetings.

On Feb. 3, she sat between Ernst & Young CEO Mark Weinberger and Global Infrastructure Partners Chairman Adebayo Ogunlesi at a Business Advisory Council Meeting, where they discussed tax and trade, regulation and women in the workforce.

At last week's Business Advisory Council meeting, leveling the playing field for women in the workforce was one of the key topics discussed. pic.twitter.com/2mygrK4dQv  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 7, 2017

She continued her crusade for working women on Feb. 13 when she joined her father in welcoming Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the White House. She joined the two leaders in a roundtable discussion with female executives from the United States and Canada, which resulted in the establishment of the United States Canada Council for the Advancement of Women Business Leaders and Female Entrepreneurs.

Trump, who frequently includes the hashtag #WomenWhoWork in her social media posts, has been a longtime champion for gender equity in the workforce.

She also sat across from her father on Feb. 23 in a meeting as he vowed to crack down on human trafficking, in an effort involving the departments of Justice and Homeland Security.

However, Trumps unofficial role opens the door to continuing questions regarding her qualifications and potential ethical conflicts.

Jeremy Mayer, an associate professor at George Mason Universitys Schar School of Policy and Government, said while she clearly is a bright woman  nothing in her background suggests an aptitude for policy or politics at this level.

He voiced concerns about her inclusion in non-social settings with prime ministers or in certain policy debates. Mayer also noted unintended consequences from making a family member point person on policy, such as when former President Bill Clinton put first lady Hillary Clinton in charge of health care reform.

[I]t prevented the normal White House policy process from happening. Nobody wanted to tell the president that his wife was leading the effort badly, when by several measures she was making bad political choices at various points, he said in an email.

As for Ivanka Trumps past with The Trump Organization, he noted she has largely severed those ties  but suggested there could be problems with her benefiting from profits off her own brands.

White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway already got in hot water for promoting Ivanka Trumps brand during a Fox & Friends interview.
You know youve got a problem when the political world is debating whether you should recuse or resign.

And thats where Jeff Sessions found himself after the Washington Post story ignited a media firestorm over his past contacts with the Russian ambassador.

Donald Trumps unusual burst of good press over that speech to Congress lasted all of 24 hours.

Just as the president and his press secretary seemed to be digging in, the attorney general took some air out of the story by holding a news conference and announcing that after consulting with ethics officials, he has recused himself from any FBI investigation of Russia and the campaign. That is a whole lot better place to be than the bunker.

Its important to emphasize, as the Democrats go to Defcon 1, that Sessions conversations with the Russian envoy may turn out to be nothing.

But the question of whether the attorney general misled Congress is fueling the controversy that utterly dominated cable news yesterday, especially with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi holding pressers to say Sessions should step down.

In an endless loop, TV has been replaying Sessions telling Al Franken during his confirmation hearing: I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.

Absolutely nothing misleading in his answer, says his spokeswoman, Sarah Isgur Flores.

When Sessions maintains that his two contacts with Sergey Kislyak, one of them a meeting in his Senate office, had nothing to do with his role as a key Trump surrogate, it can sound like splitting hairs. But he was smart to take questions from reporters rather than just reading a statement before the cameras. That made it look like he had nothing to hide.

Sessions acted after Jason Chaffetz and other Republican lawmakers who said he should recuse himself from the probe, which is looking at a period when Moscow was involved in hacking the Democrats.

The previously undisclosed discussions could fuel new congressional calls for the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Russias alleged role in the 2016 presidential election, the Post story said. That happened immediately.

Sean Spicer told Fox & Friends that Sessions was 100 percent straight with the committee and that Democrats are pushing a false narrative for partisan purposes. And the president briefly told reporters he didnt know about Sessions contacts with Kislyak but didnt think he should recuse himself. So Sessions showed that on this matter, hes not following the White House line.

As the Post story hit, the New York Times reported that some Obama White House officials in the final days scrambled to spread information across the government about Trump associates contacts with Russia to ensure that such meddling isnt duplicated in future American or European elections, and to leave a clear trail of intelligence for government investigators.

There is still no proof that anything nefarious happened between Trump, his campaign or his associates and the Russian government.

But having covered every special prosecutor investigation, including Iran-contra and Clinton/Whitewater/Lewinsky, I know this:

One, if some kind of independent counsel is named, that person can take the probe in unexpected directions.

Two, had Sessions not acted, the political pressure for Sessions to bow out of the investigation would have built to a fever pitch.

Three, the media are going to be like a dog with a bone on this story and keep barking and digging.

Remember, Mike Flynn dug in on his own contacts with the ambassador, refusing to give an inch, and wound up losing his job. Jeff Sessions showed yesterday that he has better political instincts.
Democrats were aghast after learning Attorney General Jeff Sessions met twice, as a senator, with Russias ambassador to the U.S. without telling Congress at his confirmation hearing  but it turns out Sergey Kislyak is no stranger to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

The longtime Russian ambassador met with seven then-Democratic senators in a single sit-down in 2013, among other discussions  and reportedly was a frequent visitor to the Obama White House.

As House Speaker Paul Ryan put it Thursday, We meet with ambassadors all the time.

The central issue dogging Sessions is not so much that he met with the ambassador but that he claimed during his confirmation hearing he had no communications with Russian officials during his time as a Trump campaign surrogate. In a press conference, though, Sessions rejected claims he misled Congress and suggested he was answering in the context of campaign-related discussions, which he maintains he never had.

But some Sessions critics nevertheless portrayed meetings with Kislyak, whose country was accused of meddling in the 2016 campaign, as a rare summit, particularly for a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee like Sessions.

The most forceful such statement came from Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who tweeted that she had been on the Armed Services Com for 10 years. No call or meeting w/Russian ambassador. Ever. Ambassadors call members of Foreign Rel Com.

That was quickly proven untrue.

A pair of tweets first unearthed by National Reviews Charles C.W. Cooke showed McCaskill twice wrote messages about meetings with Kislyak, in 2013 and 2015.

Off to meeting w/Russian Ambassador. Upset about the arbitrary/cruel decision to end all U.S. adoptions, even those in process, McCaskill tweeted on Jan. 30, 2013.

On Aug. 6, 2015, McCaskill wrote: Today calls with British, Russian, and German ambassadors re: Iran deal. #doingmyhomework.

McCaskill later blamed Twitter's character limit for the seeming disparity in her claims, suggesting the limit prevented her from being more specific in Thursday's tweet. She told The Weekly Standard there was no contradiction, and clarified she never had a one-on-one meeting with the ambassador.

FactCheck.org still labeled McCaskills claim as false.

McCaskills 2013 meeting was the one involving a total of seven Democratic senators. She joined several Republicans and six other Democratic senators that day in an appeal to Kislyak for Moscow to reverse its blockade of U.S. adoptions of Russian children.

Other Democratic senators in that meeting were: Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Maria Cantwell of Washington, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Robert Casey of Pennsylvania and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.

Klobuchar said in a statement afterward that she was able to tell Kislyak the stories of families she met in Minnesota. Landrieu is no longer a senator after losing her seat in 2014.

President Trump also took a shot Friday at top Democrats seeking to expose his supposed Russia ties  tweeting out a newly unearthed photo of a younger Sen. Chuck Schumer and Vladimir Putin enjoying coffee and donuts.

We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! Trump tweeted.

We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! pic.twitter.com/Ik3yqjHzsA  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

Schumer tweeted back: Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in '03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team?

While Putin has had contact with U.S. officials for decades, Kislyak also would be a familiar face for longtime Washington lawmakers. Hes been the ambassador to the U.S. since 2008, and served in various posts representing the former Soviet Union in the 1980s.

Ive met with the Russian ambassador with a group, in my capacity, with a group of other senators, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., told CNN. Thats in my official capacity. Thats nothing. Thats my job.

Republican Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, defending Sessions, said hes spoken with the Russian ambassador as well.

Meanwhile, The Daily Caller reported that Kislyak is listed as visiting the White House at least 22 times between 2009 and 2016. They likely were a mix of personal meetings and group visits. Roughly half of the visits involved broader receptions with other visitors.

Sessions, at his press conference, downplayed any intrigue behind his meetings with the ambassador last year, including one in September at his office. He said they discussed terrorism and Ukraine, among other topics.

Sessions, in trying to tamp down the controversy, announced he would recuse himself from any investigations pertaining to the campaign, amid bipartisan pressure to separate himself from probes regarding Russian meddling in the race.

But some Democrats are still calling for his resignation, and a special prosecutor.

It is insufficient for Attorney General Sessions to recuse himself from any matters concerning the presidential campaign. He must resign, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer said in a statement late Thursday.
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that the government will not allow the situation in the country to be destabilized.

"Someone is eager to sink the boat. Someone wants to walk along avenues carrying flags and shouting, "Get out." Why? Because they do no work. They have created nothing, not even a doghouse. So, they call for destabilizing the country. We won't let them succeed. We have different ways [of dealing with these scoundrels]," Poroshenko said during his visit to Kharkiv tractor factory on Friday.
A former CIA case officer who faced extradition to Italy for her alleged role in the rendition of a radical Egyptian Muslim cleric is now free after Trump administration officials intervened, according to a source close to the discussions.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo lobbied his counterparts in Portugal and Italy on behalf of Sabrina De Sousa who was convicted in absentia along with 25 other Americans after the post-9/11 rendition of an Egyptian cleric. He was later found guilty on terrorism charges. The CIA had no comment on the case.

The source said Friday that Pompeo worked behind the scenes to show that, on his watch, no CIA case officer would be left behind for executing a mission authorized at the highest levels of U.S. government.

De Sousa called her release "a huge and a very welcome development" in a statement Friday.

"I want to extend my deepest appreciation to the Trump administration for all their efforts on my behalf," she said. "Without their support I would be spending tonight in an Italian prison."

Former Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., who was once the Republican chairman on the House Intelligence Committee and who lobbied hard on behalf of DeSousa, told Fox News, "The Obama administration and former CIA Director John Brennan abandoned De Sousa the last seven years, and in six weeks, the Trump team made her freedom possible."

A former senior intelligence official told Fox News, though, that there was an extensive effort by the entire U.S. government to push the Italians to pardon these individuals, and the allegation that the former CIA director abandoned U.S. personnel is unfounded.

The State Department declined to comment on several inquiries into the administration's role in De Sousa's release.

A White House official told Fox News on Friday the administration was "deeply disappointed in Ms. de Sousas conviction and sentence, and we, in conjunction with the State Department, followed her case closely and remained in touch."

"We appreciate the efforts of the Italian Government to challenge the prosecution before the Italian Constitutional Court," the official said. "The U.S. Government takes its obligation to assist U.S. citizens overseas seriously and we are pleased with the action the Italian Government decided to take."

De Sousa won a last-minute reprieve on Wednesday, hours before she was set to be extradited for the kidnapping and interrogation of the Egyptian cleric, whose name is Osama Mustapha Hassan Nasr. He is also known as Abu Omar.

The 61-year-old mother was working in Italy as an undercover CIA officer in 2003 when U.S. and Italian intelligence agents snatched Omar off the streets of Milan and transported him to his native Egypt for interrogation. There, he says, he was tortured.

The operation was part of the CIA's controversial "extraordinary rendition" program, implemented under President George W. Bush, which entailed taking terror suspects to countries where torture is allowed.

Omar -- who turned out to be a "nobody," according to De Sousa -- was held at an American military base in Germany before being flown to Cairo, Egypt. After interrogation, he was released from prison for lack of prosecutable evidence against him. The Italians, however, convicted him in absentia of "criminal association for the purposes of international terrorism" and sentenced him to six years in prison -- though he never served time.

De Sousa, meanwhile, said she was some 130 miles away in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, chaperoning her son's school ski trip, on the day Omar was abducted -- and phone records obtained by Italian prosecutors corroborated that claim.

Still, Italy brought "broad charges" against her for a plot she says she had no direct part in.

The Italians also convicted in absentia 25 other Americans but several were since pardoned and none served time in prison.

De Sousa, who was born in India and holds both American and Portuguese passports, left the CIA in 2009 and moved to Portugal in April 2015 to be near family.

In October 2015, she was detained at Lisbon's airport on a European arrest warrant while attempting to travel to India. She was later released but ordered to remain in Portugal.

The series of events that followed amount to an international legal nightmare.

Italy first sought extradition of De Sousa with the guarantee of a retrial or appeal with new evidence, acknowledging she had been tried in absentia. Based on these guarantees, the Portuguese courts agreed to extradite.

But in June 2016, Italy sent Portugal a letter saying De Sousa's conviction was final, and no retrial would be granted. In a move that shocked De Sousa and others in the intelligence community, Portugal's high court ordered her immediate extradition.

Hoekstra, working on behalf of De Sousa, appealed to Trump administration officials for help.

On Tuesday, De Sousa received a "partial pardon" from Italian President Sergio Mattarella for her alleged part in the operation.

Under Italian law, the sentence reduction -- from four years to three -- meant De Sousa did not have to be extradited to Italy and imprisoned afterall. She was released Wednesday afternoon from a prison in Portugal.

"I had an arrest warrant issued against me 11 long years ago that prevented me from seeing members of my immediate family in Europe," De Sousa said in a statement to Fox News on Friday. "Finally, I can rest with the assurance there is no warrant hanging over my head."

"In six short weeks, the Trump administration has given me more hope and support than I ever received in the past eight years from the Obama Administration or the CIA, my former employer," she said. "I had feared that the country I signed up with in good faith to serve had abandoned me."
The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee Thursday accused the FBI of stonewalling the committees efforts to find out more about the agencys investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said that we know less than a fraction of what the FBI knows after an almost four hour meeting with FBI Director James Comey on allegations of Russian interference.

I appreciate the long briefing and testimony from Director Comey today, but in order for us to do our investigation in a thorough and thoughtful way we're going to need the FBI to fully cooperate and tell us the length and breadth of counterintelligence investigations they are conducting, he told reporters after the briefing. At this point the director was not willing to do that.

"On the areas he was willing to discuss, we had a very in-depth set of questions and answers," Schiff said. "But there were very large areas that were walled off and those walls are gonna have to come down if we're going to do our job."

Schiff went on to say that if the FBI continued not to cooperate, they would have to consider subpoenaing information from the agency.

However, Schiffs Republican counterpart and Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., did not share Schiffs assessment of the meeting. Instead, Nunes said Comey was forthright and that the meeting was a good first step in the panels investigation. He did concede that more information from the intelligence community would be necessary.

Later, Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., defended Comey in an interview on Fox News The First 100 Days" Gowdy said he never heard a federal law enforcement agent give that degree of particularity and detail an update on an inquiry.

"I want to investigate all aspects of (Russian activity against the U.S.) ... But Congress does not run parallel criminal investigations with the FBI. Were not equipped to do it. Were not supposed to do it, Gowdy told Fox News' Martha MacCallum.

On Wednesday, the committee released a statement outlining the scope of its investigation, namely that it will include Russian cyber activity and links between Russia and members of political campaigns. It also said it was probing leaks of classified information.

The briefing came before Sessions announced he was recusing himself from an investigation into alleged ties between Donald Trumps campaign and Russia. The Washington Post first reported Wednesday Sessions met with the Russian ambassador twice last year and did not tell senators about the meetings during his confirmation hearing.

Fox News Jason Donner and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump on Friday morning revived his criticism of Senate Democrats for allegedly slow-walking his Cabinet picks, pressing them to allow his last remaining nominees through.

It is so pathetic that the Dems have still not approved my full Cabinet, Trump tweeted.

The Senate, after a significant delay, recently has picked up the pace, moving to confirm Ryan Zinke for interior secretary on Wednesday  and Ben Carson for housing secretary and Rick Perry for energy secretary on Thursday.

Two more Cabinet secretary nominees, though, remain under consideration in the Senate, as Trump nears the halfway mark of his first 100 days.

Part of the blame may lie with the administration, which still hasnt formally sent the paperwork to the Senate for the nomination of former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue to lead the Agriculture Department.

The delay is frustrating farm-state senators, who represent many of the core voters responsible for helping elect Trump.

The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee needs the paperwork before the chairman, Sen. Pat Roberts, can schedule a confirmation hearing.

"I don't know yet," Roberts, R-Kan., said Wednesday when asked about Perdue's information. "I wish to hell I did. We need a champion for agriculture, we need him on board."

Roberts also complained about the delay at a committee hearing in Kansas last week. He predicted that Perdue would be confirmed quickly once the Senate can get started on the nomination.

The White House said the paperwork, including ethics forms and an FBI background check, is coming soon. The only other nomination that hasn't been sent to Capitol Hill is that of Alexander Acosta, who was nominated to be labor secretary on Feb. 16 after the withdrawal of the original nominee, Andrew Puzder.

Senators say they haven't been given an explanation for the delay involving Perdue.

"They don't seem to have a reason as to why his name hasn't come up," Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told reporters after asking around about the Perdue nomination.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump got to work exacting revenge Friday on top Democratic lawmakers for demanding his attorney general's resignation over past meetings with Russia's ambassador -- after pictures emerged of the same lawmakers in similar meetings, exposing them to "hypocrisy" charges.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in particular, has egg on her face after she told Politico reporters that she had never met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Not with this ambassador, no, she said.

But Politico unearthed a 2010 photo from a meeting of congressional lawmakers with then-Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev, at which both Pelosi and Kislyak were present.

Though a spokesman said she meant she has never had a private one-on-one with him, Republicans were quick to accuse her of misleading the public.

After earlier swiping at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Trump tweeted: "I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it." (Trump posted three versions of the same tweet, after earlier versions included a misspelling.)

I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it. https://t.co/qCDljfF3wN  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

Nancy Pelosis hypocrisy and utter disregard for the truth has gummed up the Democratic Partys faux outrage machine. She owes an explanation for why she knowingly misled the American public, Jesse Hunt, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement.

Both Pelosi and Schumer had called for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign after it was revealed he met twice with Kislyak in 2016, despite telling lawmakers at his confirmation hearing he had no communications with Russian officials. Sessions has said he didnt mislead Congress as he was answering in the context of discussions related to the Trump campaign.

Trump also pounced on Schumer Friday after a picture made the rounds online showing the New York senator chowing down on a donut with President Vladimir Putin in 2003.

We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! pic.twitter.com/Ik3yqjHzsA  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

The image had circulated as part of the conservative pushback against Democratic criticism of Sessions  with outlets noting that a number of Democratic lawmakers also had met with the ambassador in the past.

Schumer quickly responded by saying that he would be happy to talk about his meeting with Putin, and threw the question back at Trump.
Days after urging Congress to fund education choice for low-income students, President Trump visited a private school in Florida where nearly 300 students are enrolled under a state program.

The choice of St. Andrews Catholic School in Orlando for his first presidential classroom visit was seen as a clear signal that Trumps educational agenda will place a priority on school choice. Accompanied by Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Sen. Marco Rubio, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and first daughter Ivanka Trump, the president toured a fourth-grade classroom.

College and heaven, the students, from mostly low-income households, replied in unison when Trump asked what goals they had set, according to the pool report.

Trump, who in a Tuesday address to Congress called education the civil rights issue of our time and urged a national school-choice bill, followed the classroom visit with a roundtable discussion on the issue with teachers and parents.

DeVos first trip to a school after being narrowly confirmed by the Senate came on Feb. 10, and was to a public school -- Jefferson Middle School Academy in Washington, D.C. Her reception was chilly, as protesters temporarily blocked her from going inside. DeVos, a vocal supporter of school choice and vouchers, is a frequent target of criticism by public school advocates and teachers unions.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Fridays visit by Trump and the entourage that accompanied him is the first in a series of important events related to the presidents education agenda.

Trumps choice of a Catholic school was not well-received by teachers unions. Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers president, called it sad that Trumps first visit was to a private school.

Its sad that rather than listening to the public they are sworn to represent and who have a deep connection to public schools, Trump and DeVos first official joint trip is to a religious school, which they use as a backdrop for their ideological crusade, Weingarten said in a statement.

Trump is in Florida to push school choice and a backdoor voucher proposal as a way to turn education into a commodity, she added.

During the campaign, Trump floated the idea of a $20 billion block grant to be used to expand charter and private-school choice options, but his administration has yet to provide specifics on how that would be funded.

At St. Andrews, nearly 300 students are enrolled under the states tax credit scholarship program. Trump promoted the Florida model of school choice during his address to Congress when he invited a scholarship recipient, Denisha Merriweather, to sit in the gallery and recounted her success in his speech.

It is not clear whether the Florida model will serve as a basis for Trump. An administration official told Fox News it is too early to know exactly what [a Trump administration plan] will look like.

In Florida, 97,926 scholarships worth up to $5,886 were distributed in the current academic year under the Step Up program, which is entirely funded by corporate contributions given in exchange for dollar-for-dollar tax credits. Some 1,712 private schools admitted students whose average household income is $24,075.

Whatever the funding model, any effort to advance school choice faces opposition.

Lily Eskelsen Garcia, president of the National Education Association, charged Trumps Tuesday address is evidence he is pursuing a failed agenda that will steal taxpayer dollars from public education to fund private schools through a national voucher program.

But Ron Matus of the Step-Up Foundation, which oversees Floridas choice program, told Fox News the Florida model has actually saved money.

The actual value of this scholarship is less than educating a student in public schools, and eight different studies have shown that the fiscal impact of the program is that money is actually saved and can be invested in public schools, said Matus.
President Donald Trump will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House later this month.

A White House official says the meeting will take place on March 14. It will be the first in-person meeting between Trump and the German chancellor since the U.S. election.

Trump frequently criticized Merkel during his presidential campaign, accusing her of "ruining Germany" by taking in large numbers of refugees. Merkel, who wields significant sway in Europe, was critical of Trump's refugee and immigration travel ban, which was blocked by the courts.

The White House official was not authorized to publicly confirm a visit that has not been formally announced and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The massive sewage spill in Tijuana, Mexico that polluted Southern California beaches last month appeared to be a deliberate move, a local official said.

More than 140 million gallons of sewage spilled into the Tijuana River in Mexico that flowed into the Pacific Ocean on the U.S. side of the border.

The spill, which spanned from Feb. 4 to Feb. 23, was caused during repairs to a major sewer pipe, the International Boundary and Water Commission said

Serge Dedina, the mayor of Imperial Beach which is located about 10 miles outside Tijuana, told the Los Angeles Times the spill looks like it was deliberate.

It saves (the Mexican agencies) a lot of money in pumping costs, and ultimately, they can get away with it and do it all the time, just on a much smaller scale, Dedina said.

He described the incident as the tsunami of sewage spills.

San Diego County beaches, which typically would be closed by such a spill, were already off-limits to swimmers and surfers due to runoff as a result of recent storms, Dedina said.

Imperial Beach, for example, was closed for days in 2012 after a pipe broke in Tijuana and spewed nearly 3 million gallons of sewage into the ocean.

Over the years, several large sewage spills on both sides of the border have worsened conditions in the Tijuana River, one of the most polluted waterways in the country, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Old sewage infrastructure in Tijuana and the lack of any plumbing in some residences there have been blamed for the problem.

Dedina said last week his office will seek an investigation into the spill and its aftermath, adding that U.S. officials must make fixing sewage infrastructure a priority and issue of national security.

Dave Gibson, an executive officer of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, agreed with Dedina's assessment. He said, "at least a notification would be a good neighborly thing to do, to let us know what was coming down the river before it got here so we could alert the public."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from the Los Angeles Times.
A North Carolina congressman is calling for a probe into a potential $418 million contract between Kenya and a major U.S. defense contractor announced on President Obama's last day in office -- a deal the lawmaker claims reeks of cronyism.

Republican Rep. Ted Budd wants the Government Accountability Office to investigate a deal between the African nation and New York-based L3 Technologies for the sale of 12 weaponized border patrol planes. He said he wants to know why a veteran-owned small company in North Carolina  which specializes in making such planes  was not considered as the manufacturer.

IOMAX USA Inc., based in Mooresville and founded by a U.S. Army veteran, offered to build Kenya the weaponized planes for roughly $281 million  far cheaper than what its competitor, L3, is selling them for.

"Something smells wrong here," Budd told Fox News. "The U.S. Air Force bypassed IOMAX, which has 50 of these planes already in service in the Middle East."

"They were given a raw deal," Budd said of Kenya, which had requested from the U.S. 12 weaponized planes in its fight against terrorist group Al-Shabaab near its northern border.

"We want to treat our allies like Kenya fairly," he said. "And we want to know why IOMAX was not considered."

A State Department spokesman did not respond to a request for comment about the deal.

A source with knowledge of the negotiations told Fox News the program was in development with the State Department for at least a year and its announcement on Obama's last day in office was "pure coincidence."

L3, meanwhile, strongly dismissed any claim of favoritism in its deal with Kenya -- which was approved by the State Department, not the White House -- and pushed back on reports it has never built such aircraft.

"Any allegations questioning L3s experience producing this equipment or the 'fairness' of the process are misinformed or being intentionally perpetuated for competitive reasons," the company said in a statement to Fox News.

"L3 recently received approval from the U.S. State Department for a possible sale to Kenya of aircraft and related support, including Air Tractor AT-802L planes," the big contractor said. "L3 has delivered multiple missionized Air Tractor aircraft, which were similar to our offering to Kenya and have been fully certified for airworthiness by both FAA Supplemental Type Certificate and U.S. Air Force military type certification."

"L3 is the only company with an aircraft that has these certifications," L3 said.

But Ron Howard, the U.S. Army veteran who started IOMAX in 2001, said, "We're the only ones" making the specific weaponized planes that Kenya has requested.

IOMAX's factory in Albany, Ga., modifies crop dusters into planes fortified with such weapons as Hellfire missiles as well as surveillance equipment. The weaponized plane is called the Archangel, Howard said, and can shoot or bomb with great precision from 20,000 feet.

"The airplane is especially designed to be quiet and cant be heard," Howard told Fox News. He said IOMAX has many already operating in the Middle East -- purchased by the United Arab Emirates and dispersed to other countries in the region, such as Jordan and Egypt.

IOMAX has 208 employees, half of whom are U.S. veterans, Howard said.

In February, Robert Godec, U.S. ambassador to Kenya, said, "The U.S. military sales process requires notification of the U.S. Congress and allows oversight committees and commercial competitors the opportunity to review the entire package before it is offered to a potential buyer."

Godec said the Kenyan government has not signed any agreement to purchase aircraft from the U.S. and called the process underway "transparent, open, and proper."

"This potential military sale would be carried out wholly in keeping with appropriate laws and regulations," he said. "The United States stands with Kenya in the fight against terrorism."
Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak travels the country, engaging with Americans other officials of his stature would otherwise ignore.

This is the job of Moscows top diplomat in the United States, and those who know him say he performs it well.

Kislyak has always done a good job making sure that hes kind of talking to everyone, so when Democrats are in power he talks to Democrats but he also talks to Republicans, said Matthew Rojansky, a Soviet and Russia scholar and the director of the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center.

It is that job proficiency that in the last few weeks led to intense controversy in Washington, first for ex-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and most recently Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Their conversations with Kislyak, and subsequent denial of them, led President Trump to request Flynns resignation and Sessions to recuse himself from inquiries into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

But while Kislyaks name suddenly was thrust into the headlines, he is no stranger to the Washington establishment.

Rojansky said he is unaware of any Russian policy official in Washington who has yet to speak with the Russian diplomat, noting he has also interacted with Kislyak. He travels a lot and gives lectures and he talks to students so hes clearly getting the sort of zeitgeist of whats going on in American society, which you know during the election  very, very important, he said.

Kislyak has served as Russias ambassador to the United States since 2008  a long tenure among ambassadors though relatively modest for top Russian diplomats. He was born in 1950 in Moscow; earned a degree in nuclear physics and negotiated nuclear arms control agreements as a result; began working at the Soviet Foreign Ministry in 1977; and was posted to represent the Soviet Union and Russia at the United Nations, Belgium and NATO, according to his Russian Embassy biography.

Days after the election his government is accused of interfering in, Kislyak spoke at Stanford University. In a nearly 90-minute session, he described the U.S.-Russia relationship as at its lowest point since the Cold War.

Im frequently asked are we back in the Cold War? And in my view, no, said Kislyak. Because in the Cold War there were irreconcilable ideological differences and the military cultures of both sides that would threaten survival of the other. I hope we are not there.

He said the relationship between the United States is improved from the Cold War days because he claimed Russia is now a market economy and developing democracy.

There are no ideological divides, but difficulties still exist, he said. And they prove to be significantly more difficult than I would have expected when I came here after the events in 2008 with the conflict in Georgia.

Kislyak said there is potential for the U.S. and Russia to improve relations because of their commonality of challenges. He cited religious intolerance, climate change and terrorism.

He denied Russia initiated this latest tension and provided a list of offenses his government accuses the U.S. of committing. It was an address typical of Kislyak, according to several who said they know him, as he defended his government throughout the event.
A California high schools $15,000 investment in Snap five years ago is now worth $24 million following the companys IPO this week, with many millions more to come.

If every school in America had a kid who had a parent like Barry Eggers, our nations education problems would all be solved. On Thursday, thanks to Eggers advice, a California private school watched from the West Coast as its investment of $15,000 reaped a windfall on the New York Stock Exchange: $24 million.

This would not have happened if Eggers, a founding partner at a Silicon Valley venture capital firm called Lightspeed Venture Partners, hadnt come home from work five years ago, walked into his kitchen and found his daughter Natalie and some of her high school friends sitting at the table with their noses buried in their smartphones. They were laughing.

UBER CEO APOLOGIZES FOR OUTBURST AT DRIVER

Eggers asked them what they were up to, and, as he wrote on a blog post Thursday, My daughter looked up at me and said: Dad, have you seen this app? 

Natalie explained that it was a new social media app that she and her friends were using to send pictures to each other, that the pictures would vanish a few seconds after they were viewed, that all the kids at school were using it.

It was called Snapchat, Natalie said.

DIGITALLY DESIRABLE: DATING APP LETS USERS UPLOAD FACE PICS THEY FIND ATTRACTIVE

When her brother Andrew came home, he told his dad that it wasnt just for girls. Boys were using it, too.

That was enough to persuade Eggers to meet with the apps co-founders, a couple of guys named Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy, who were working out of a dorm room at Stanford University.

Because geniuses deserve better housing, Eggers persuaded his partners to invest $500,000 in their fledgling business. On Thursday, five years later, their company, Snap, held its initial public offering. By the end of the day, the company was worth about $34 billion.

FOR THE LATEST TECH FEATURES FOLLOW FOX SCITECH ON FACEBOOK

And what does this have to do with Americas education system?

It turns out that Eggers actually persuaded his partners to cough up only $485,000 of the $500,000 investment. On his invitation, Natalie and Andrews school, St. Francis High School in Mountain View, Calif., chipped in the remaining $15,000.

The school held onto the investment until this week, when Snap shares sold for $17 each in an IPO. St. Francis sold 1.4 million shares at that price generating a gain of about $24 million. The stock since soared to about $29 as of Friday morning, making the remaining 600,000 shares that the school owns worth roughly $17 million.

THE WEEK IN PICTURES

So much for bake sales.

Saint Francis has been blessed to have parents who so passionately and generously share their gifts with the school, be it time, creativity, expertise or philosophy, the schools president, Simon Chiu, wrote in a letter to parents. Barry Eggers now joins the illustrious list of individuals and families whose foresight and generosity have enriched Saint Francis High School over the years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
One Ukrainian soldier killed, over 20 injured in Donbas in past 24 hours

Ukrainian army casualties in Donbas over the past 24 hours have amounted to one serviceman killed and 22 injured, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Andriy Lysenko said.

"Over the past 24 hours, as result of fighting, one Ukrainian military serviceman has been killed, 22 sustained wounds and injuries," Lysenko said at a briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

In the Luhansk sector, 27 shell attacks on the Ukrainian positions, including 18 with heavy weapons, have been registered over the period, he said.

In the Donetsk sector, 30 enemy attacks were registered, including 13 with heavy weapons, Lysenko said.

In the Avdiyivka sector, the enemy launched over 200 mortar rounds and over 80 tank shells in the past 24 hours. A sniper was active in Kamianka.

Near the Donetsk airport, low-intensity hostilities continued, Lysenko said.

In the Mariupol sector, there were 59 shell attacks, including 12 with heavy weapons. Thus, in Krasnohorivka, a 70-year-old woman was injured, Lysenko said.
Delta will no longer fly its loudest planes at LaGuardia in response to repeated complaints from Queens residents, the company announced Thursday.

The airline replaced its MD-88 aircraft with quieter, more fuel-efficient Airbus A320 planes, Boeing 737s, and a handful of MD-90 mainline aircraft, company officials said. The new planes started their routes on Thursday.

Were committed to providing our customers an exceptional flying experience when traveling through New York airports while also considering our responsibility to the communities where we live and serve, said Henry Kuykendall, Deltas vice president for New York.

Delta flights on quieter, more efficient and larger aircraft are good for the community and will also support NextGen initiatives around more fuel-efficient GPS routes in New York airspace, the most congested in the world.

Queens residents, who have been bombarded with near-constant house-vibrating noise since the Federal Aviation Administration changed up flight paths four years ago, say they are thrilled by the news.

This story originally appeared on NYPost.com.
Joyce Stochmal was a 19-year-old college graduate and aspiring veterinarian when she was stabbed to death in August 1984 while walking to her job at an animal clinic in a small Connecticut town.

On Thursday, some 33 years after the murder, the man convicted of killing Stochmal was set free by a Connecticut judge in a move that stunned the woman's family, victims' rights advocates and state lawmakers.

"Justice is truly blind," the woman's parents, Charles and Mary Ann, said in a courtroom statement. "Our family still grieves  Time should heal but in our case it intensifies now with an individual found guilty and convicted to 60 years is going free after not even half of his sentence."

David Weinberg, now 58, was convicted in 1989 of the murder of Stochmal, who was abducted, beaten and stabbed 17 times before her body was disposed in a lake in Newtown, Connecticut. Weinberg was sentenced to 60 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

But Weinberg's sentence was cut short Thursday -- after serving 26 years in prison -- and he emerged from the Waterbury District Superior Court able to live freely -- though he was not exonerated and his murder conviction remains intact.

Weinberg's "sentence modification" was made possible through the help of the Connecticut Innocence Project, a nonprofit, taxpayer-funded organization that works to exonerate wrongly convicted people through the use of DNA testing. Darcy McGraw, the group's director, told the judge Thursday that her client has always maintained his innocence and that there is no physical evidence linking him to the crime.

"The jury at the time of his conviction did not have before it the evidence that we have today," McGraw told the court. "The conviction in this case lacks integrity."

Stochmal's family, however, said state police and prosecutors launched an extensive investigation that proved Weinberg's guilt in a court of law -- and called Thursday's ruling "an atrocity." They also said the Connecticut Innocence Project has since presented no proof of his innocence.

"This was a complex circumstantial case that was diligently investigated by state police and prosecuted exceptionally well," the victim's older sister, Marianne Hefferman, told reporters outside the courthouse.

"David Weinberg was found guilty then. He is guilty still," she said. "The fact that he is about to walk out of this courthouse as a convicted murderer is something that every resident in this state should be upset about. And he used tax dollars to do it."

On Aug. 3, 1984, Stochmal had dinner with her family in Seymour before leaving home at around 10:30 p.m. for an overnight shift at the Silver Hills Kennel in Ansonia. The young woman had just completed her associate degree in veterinary science at Becker Junior College.

Authorities said Weinberg was driving along Route 188 when he spotted Stochmal walking alone -- her purse and duffel bag in hand, which included a small makeup case, Calvin Klein jeans and an orange T-shirt.

According to police, Weinberg grabbed Stochmal and took her to an area beneath Steel Bridge, where he stabbed her 17 times and left her for dead in the waters of Lake Zoar. Her body was found three days later by a man and two young boys fishing at the lake.

Weinberg's girlfriend told state police investigators that his behavior in the days following the murder was suspicious. The woman, identified as Debby Lester, said Weinberg painted the rims of his car wheels black from white and noted that he stopped carrying a buck knife on his belt as was his habit.

Lester also claimed Weinberg brought her to a small campfire near the Pomperaug River, where state police later recovered charred items belonging to Stochmal. Those items included orange fabric consistent with that of her T-shirt and a Calvin Klein button.

In May 1985, Weinberg was arrested and charged with murder. A jury found him guilty three years later after 10 hours of deliberations. His attorney, John R. Williams, immediately filed an appeal with the Connecticut Supreme Court. On Jan. 6, 1989, Weinberg was sentenced to 60 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole. After years of appeals, the state appellate court affirmed the murder conviction on Jan. 13, 2009.

After Weinberg's incarceration, a new defense attorney filed a habeas corpus action on his behalf, arguing Weinberg had "ineffective counsel" at his murder trial.

In 2010, the Connecticut Innocence Project (CTIP) -- one of five publicly funded Innocence Projects nationally -- filed a new habeas motion on Weinberg's behalf. Last month, State's Attorney Maureen Platt and McGraw signed off on a motion for "sentence modification."

That modification changes Weinberg's life sentence without possibility of parole to "time served." According to the court, Weinberg has served approximately 28 years of "real time" plus approximately 12 years of accrued "good time" credits -- totaling 40 years.

In testimony before Judge Roland Fasano of the Waterbury District Superior Court, both Platt and McGraw spoke about evidentiary problems in the case. Platt said, after speaking with CTIP, "We would have difficulty sustaining the conviction at the habeas level," noting there "wasn't just one problem" but several.

McGraw stressed the lack of physical evidence linking her client to the murder. She also said foreign DNA found underneath Stochmal's fingernail did not belong to Weinberg -- a finding she said "excludes" her client.

She also described Weinberg's then-girlfriend as "seriously mentally ill." Police reports from the time document the girlfriend as having a long history of mental illness, including delusions and hallucinations.

But Stochmal's family maintains the integrity of the investigation and the jury's 1989 conviction.

James Stochmal told the judge that in the case of Weinberg, CTIP "got it 100 percent wrong."

The judge, who called the resolution "appropriate," asked Weinberg Thursday if he agreed to waive any and all challenges to his murder conviction.

"Your standing is that of a convicted murderer -- do you understand that?" Fasano asked Weinberg, who stood expressionless, dressed in a dark suit with his hands folded.

"Yes, your Honor," he said.

Heffernan and her family -- who all wore pins saying "Justice for Joyce" -- said Weinberg's release reopened a wound her family has endured for 33 years. She also said she believes Weinberg -- who has a criminal record, including sexual assault -- poses a threat to the public.

"Now that the Innocence Project has facilitated the release of David Weinberg, it has opened the door for similar deals," Heffernan said.

"The Innocence Project did nothing to prove his innocence, but now David Weinberg can go anywhere, as a convicted murderer. No one will be watching him. He is free to harm again."
A transgender woman arrested by immigration agents while at a courthouse for a protective order hearing had admitted to a money order scheme weeks before, an affidavit shows.

Irvin Gonzalez, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, was arrested on Feb. 9 in El Paso County Courthouse.

A criminal complaint with a supporting affidavit filed Tuesday by Border Patrol Agent Humberto Chavira states that Gonzalez admitted to the crime on Jan. 13, after she and her partner Mario De Avila were caught stealing mail from blue U.S. Post Office drop-off boxes.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TAKES REFUGE IN DENVER CHURCH TO AVOID DEPORTATION

According to the affidavit, the scheme consisted in taking money orders, washing the name off with transmission fluid, adding De Avilas name and depositing the money into his bank account.

De Avila was arrested and charged with forgery.

A couple of weeks after the incident, El Paso Police Department Authorities alerted a Border Patrol agent of Gonzalezs presence in the country  during a follow up interview she had openly admitted to cops that she was in the U.S. illegally. She had also volunteered that she had a protective order (against De Avila) hearing on Feb. 9.

AGENTS DETAIL 'DAILY' BORDER FENCE BATTLE, SEEK POST-OBAMA 'RESTART'

Federal officials used that information to look up her hearing and showed up to the courthouse, the affidavit says.

The case got attention from Congressman Beto ORourke and El Paso County leaders, who expressed concern over the fact that she was arrested inside a courthouse.

MAN SUSPECTED IN AMBER ALERT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY DEPORTED

The public defender representing Gonzalez filed a petition for her immediate release saying that a Border Patrol agent perjured himself because in a first version of the affidavit he wrote that the arrest happened outside the building. Security footage shows them escorting her out from the 10th floor of the courthouse.

Jail records show Gonzalez, who was charged with forgery on Feb. 15, remains in the El Paso County jail.

She was first arrested and voluntarily returned to Mexico on June 5, 2007. She was then deported again, twice in 2011, once in 2013, 2014, and 2016.

In 2011 she was sentenced to over a year in jail for crimes including domestic battery, illegal entry, and possession of stolen mail.
A Georgia woman was arrested Wednesday after she reportedly slammed into a chicken truck, fled and then told officers who tracked her down that she hit the vehicle because she was a vegan.

The investigation began when a truck driver told police he was traveling west on Highway 72 when a red four-door car hit his truck twice, WXIA-TV reported.

The unidentified truck driver called police as the car fled. Madison County deputies found the cars license plate in debris left in the wake of the crash. They were able to track the cars owner to Comer, Georgia, where they found the vehicle and a driver matching the drivers vague description.

The woman, identified as 26-year-old Judith Armstrong, refused to come out of her house unless deputies secured a warrant. But, she did speak with them through the windows and explained what happened.

Authorities said Armstrong faces charges of hit-and-run, aggressive driving, driving under the influence, and obstruction. It was unknown if shes represented by an attorney and bond information was not immediately available.

During questioning, Armstrong admitted being involved in an accident and fled for fear of what would happen to her license. She also told officers she hit the truck because she was vegan.

In addition, she denied having alcohol before making the drive but claimed to have taken a couple of shots when she arrived home.

Officers eventually obtained a warrant and she surrendered to police. She was tested for alcohol consumption and blew a .089, which is over the legal limit.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
The cost of Food Stamps, or SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), has ballooned the past two decades.

It went from having a price tag of $17 billion in 2000 to costing $71 billion last year.

Thats why President Trump said he wants to clamp down on government-subsidy programs.

Trump brought up the controversial issue during his speech to Congress on Tuesday, when he said over 43 million people are now living in poverty. And over 43 million Americans are on food stamps.

Trump has long been a proponent of scaling back welfare programs. In his 2011 book, Time to Get Tough, he wrote that while the programs are necessary, too many people become dependent on them.

"The food stamp program was originally created as temporary assistance for families with momentary times of need, he wrote in his book. And it shouldn't be needed often.

Many believe government assistance programs are too often abused and they need to be reformed to cut down on fraud.

But others say that any changes to SNAP could cut off access to people who really need it, and they vow to vehemently fight any effort to alter it.

About 45 percent of households headed by immigrants with children use food-assistance programs, according to a study by the National Academy of Sciences. Reports last month said Trump had drafted an executive order that would reduce the number of immigrants using government assistance. Its unclear, however, if Trump had approved the draft.

Kelly Brown, executive director of North Helpline, a Seattle food bank that serves 800 people a week, told Fox News that about 50 percent of the people they serve receive food stamps.

I think it's taking people a long time to adjust, Brown said, and food is definitely one of the staples that you need to make sure immediate needs are being met.

In 2000, there were 17 million people participating in SNAP. Last year, 44 million were participating. The increases greatly outnumber the rise in population.

The Department of Agriculture, which runs SNAP, has claimed trafficking (illegally selling SNAP benefits for cash) accounts for over 1 percent of every dollar spent on the program, and that improper payment rates for SNAP in recent years are close to 4 percent.

But some critics of the program estimate the amount of fraud alone is much higher.

Even using the lowest numbers, food stamp fraud and waste cost taxpayers billions of dollars every year.

How President Trump and Sonny Perdue, his nominee for Secretary of Agriculture, would tackle SNAP is unknown. When reached by Fox News, the USDA said it had no comment.

But one thing is almost certain: SNAP will likely be overhauled in the next few years.
The Akron Police Department is investigating a possible serial exposer.

Officers were called to the area of Delia and Greenwood avenues in Akron at about 8:30 a.m. Friday. A woman reported she was walking her dog when a man exposed himself to her.

The woman got his license plate and police were able to identify him as 27-year-old David Thomas, Jr. He was arrested and charged with one count of public indecency.

Akron police said he may have exposed himself to other women in the area over the last few months. The other incidents happened around the Forest Lodge Community Center in Elm Hill Park and Schneider Park.

Click here for more from Fox 8.
Two inmates were killed and others were injured in a Nebraska prison Thursday after inmates revolted against staff members and started a fire in a courtyard.

Prison officials offered few details about the deaths but said the disturbance at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution in southeast Nebraska involved about 40 inmates in a unit with 128 prisoners. The prison was placed on lockdown for several hours after the inmates refused to return to their cells.

No prison employees were injured. An unspecified number of inmates suffered injuries that weren't life-threatening, said Department of Correctional Services Director Scott Frakes. He said the two unidentified inmates killed were found inside the housing unit.

"This incident is a reminder that this is a dangerous business," Frakes said.

A department spokeswoman said an emergency response team secured the inmates and extinguished a fire in a prison yard. The incident was isolated to half of the housing unit and a small fenced-in yard, spokeswoman Dawn-Renee Smith said.

Smith announced the lockdown around 2:45 p.m. and said around 5:30 p.m. that the housing unit was "habitable and secure."

In a statement, Gov. Pete Ricketts said the incident was "swiftly resolved and public safety was never at risk."

"Director Frakes will thoroughly investigate this incident, and inmates involved in the incident and the loss of life will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," Ricketts said.

The incident took place at the same housing unit where two other inmates were killed during a May 2015 riot that caused roughly $2 million in damage. That riot, which also left several staff members injured, involved several hundred inmates in three living units, a gym and a courtyard. An investigation later found that prisoners were trying to air grievances about what they viewed as perks given to certain inmates and not others and disrespect by inexperienced staff members.

On Thursday afternoon, inmates in gray hooded sweatshirts could be seen waving their arms in the yard as prison guards watched them from behind a razor wire fence. Smoke billowed from the open yard and a helicopter circled overhead. County and state officials were at the scene, along with a prison emergency response team.

Mike Marvin, who heads the union that represents corrections employees, said he was told that inmates had taken mattresses out into the prison yard and threw them into the fire. Marvin said he didn't know why the inmates were protesting.

Doug Koebernick, an inspector general who oversees the corrections department, said he plans to conduct "a full investigation into the circumstances and catalysts of the riot."
An Oregon judge is being investigated after she allegedly helped an illegal immigrant elude ICE agents in January by guiding the man through a private entrance at the courthouse.

Multnomah County Judge Monica Heeranz was notified by court staff that ICE agents were waiting outside her courtroom to possibly apprehend Diddier Pacheco Salazar, a 22-year-old Mexican national attending a DUI hearing, U.S. Attorney Billy Willaims said.

Specific details about what happend inside the courtroom next is not clear. But Salazar reportedly somehow managed to leave the room using an employee exit.

"I prepped my client. I said, 'I don't know if they're going to pick you up outside or what, but here's how to prepare,'" John Schlosser, Salazar's court appointed lawyer, told a local paper. "After the court appearance, I went out in the hallway and sat. My client never came out. I can't say that I'm surprised he didn't come out, but I gave him his options, and assume he had to have been escorted out some other way."

Salazar was arrested two weeks after the incident.

ICE agents decided not to investigate Herranz, who is also on the board of directors of the Oregon Hispanic Bar Association, but Chief Judge Nan Waller is conducting an internal investigation.

Waller told Fox 12 Oregon she wants to figure out what happened before discussing the situation.

Williams calls Herranzs alleged actions troubling.

When youre talking about the judicial system  whether its federal or by state  you have an expectation that people are going to abide by the law and not take steps based on their own motivations, their own politics  whatever the motivation was.

Click for more from Fox 12 Oregon.
An Oregon woman and her 13-year-old son who were critically burned in a house fire that killed four others died Thursday at a Portland hospital.

Tabitha Howell, 38, and her son Andrew Hall-Young died within an hour of each other, an official with the Multnomah County Medical Examiner's Office said.'

The official said both died from injuries sustained in the fire on Wednesday that also killed her four children aged 4 to 13.

James Howell, 39, Tabitha's husband, was listed in critical condition in the Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland. Howell is the father of the youngest victim and the stepfather of the three victims.

Combustible materials placed too closely to the portable-space heater ignited and started the blaze, Fire Protection District Chief Rich Holloway said. The fire occured in Riddle, which is about 200 miles south of Portland.

"All the burn-pattern indicators, witness statements and the statement from the father on first arrival, all collaborate," Holloway wrote in a Facebook post.

Grief counselors were on hand at schools in the South Umpqua School District, where some of the children attended.

The other victims of the fire included 4-year-old Gwendolyn "Gracie" Howell, 7-year-old Haley Maher, 10-year-old Isaiah Young and 13-year-old Nicholas Lowe. Lowe was a foster child.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko believes that law enforcement agencies will be able to conduct a successful investigation of head of the State Fiscal Service Roman Nasirov.

"I think that everyone is equal before the law and that independent law enforcement agencies are able to do their work by the book," Poroshenko told Interfax-Ukraine in Kharkov on Friday.

In his opinion, the independent anti-corruption agencies have all they need to finish the job.

"I am confident that the creation of an independent anti-corruption infrastructure, in which the president took part, only proves that it is truly independent and has the ability to do their job. The only thing is that it should be brought to completion and the case should be solid," the president stressed.
Two sets of human remains were found at a Virginia park on Thursday, police said.

Fairfax County Police said they started searching for remains at Holmes Run Park in Lincolnia after receiving a tip that a crime had been committed there, FOX 5 DC reported.

No additional information was immediately available.

TEEN ARRESTED AFTER RAMMING INTO COP'S CAR DURING TRAFFIC STOP

On Thursday, detectives said evidence of a crime at the park had been found, but had not discovered remains.

"That is something that we can't release right now," said Fairfax County Police Lt. Brian Gaydos told FOX 5 DC at the time. Detectives are looking into where this information is coming from and the credibility of it. But we don't want to receive this information and do nothing, so we want to make sure we are out here and we are leaving no stone unturned in our search.

POLICE: POSTING MAN'S LAST MOMENTS ON FACEBOOK NOT ILLEGAL

According to reports, Holmes Run Park had been the scene of a previous search for remains in 2014. FBI discovered two bodies inside the park.

Investigators said the victims were gang members who were murdered and decapitated. Seven men were convicted for the crime, FOX 5 DC reported.

Click here for more news from FOX 5 DC.
San Francisco has taken its defiance of the feds to a new level, ending its cooperation with the FBI in an anti-terror initiative begun after 9/11 - a move crtitics say could get innocent people killed.

Critics say the sanctuary city by the bay's latest decision to forego cooperation with Washington, by dropping out of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, could put lives at risk. The JTTF has been credited with foiling 93 Islamist terrorist attacks and plots against the U.S. since 2001, including 12 this year, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Heritage Foundation. There are another 1,000 investigations into suspected terror activity nationwide.

These staggering statistics make the recent decision by the San Francisco police department to end the citys partnership with the JTTF, at the behest of local activist groups that alleged Arabs and Muslims are wrongly targeted by the FBI and will be more so under the Trump administration, all the more concerning, said retired federal law enforcement officials.

There is less chance of uncovering networks, plots, missing pieces of a puzzle, without cities participating in the JTTF."  Claude Arnold, former ICE investigator

In my opinion, the decision by the mayor and the police chief to withdraw the San Francisco Police Department from the JTTF is really narrow-minded, said Mark Rossini, a retired FBI special agent, and founding executive of the National Counterterrorism Center, who served as a representative to the CIAs Counterterrorist Center. Politics aside, and the mayor and leaders of San Francisco have their right to their opinion, political opinion and beliefs. But when youre working in law enforcement, law enforcement should know no politics.

The FBI leads the 104 Joint Terrorism Task Force units across the country, but the majority of intelligence about crime and terror comes from local sources, said Claude Arnold, a former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations, who worked in California.

There is less chance of uncovering networks, plots, missing pieces of a puzzle, without cities participating in the JTTF, Arnold said.

San Francisco police have dozens of undercover agents and contacts in immigrant communities helpful to federal law enforcement investigations. Conversely, two San Francisco police are federally deputized for the JTTF, and as a result have access to classified intelligence.

Information must flow both ways in these cases, Rossini said. By San Francisco pulling out, youre losing that vital link of data that the FBI and the other federal agencies and the Department of Justice will need in order to complete its cases and investigate them thoroughly.

If San Franciscos withdrawal from the JTTF is permanent, it could impact the safety of Americans throughout the nation, said Lauren Anderson, a former FBI agent who led the international terrorism program of the FBIs New York JTTF, and now runs LCAnderson International Consulting.

In virtually every terrorist prevention or incident, local law enforcement was the first point of interaction, Anderson said.

The 2010 Times Square would-be bomber Faisal Shahzad is an example.

Two street vendors noticed a vehicle with smoke and told New York Police Department officers. Because NYPD was physically present on the JTTF, the information was shared immediately and members of the JTTF were at the scene in minutes, Anderson said.

The JTTF has prevented a number of terrorist attacks, many which crossed state lines, said David Inserra of the Heritage Foundation.

In July 2012 in Alabama, Ulugbek Kodirov was sentenced to 15 years in prison for plotting to kill President Barack Obama. In November 2012, Rezwan Ferdaus was sentenced to 17 years in prison for planning to bomb the Pentagon. In March 2015, Raees Alam Qazi and Sheheryar Alam Qazi were sentenced in Florida for a scheme to use a weapon of mass destruction in New York City.

Whether the San Francisco police department will renegotiate the JTTF memorandum of understanding or simply refuse to participate, isnt clear. A police department spokesperson would only say the agreement has expired and is under review.

Local activists critical of the JTTF cheered the decision by the newly appointed San Francisco police chief, on the job for just a week before pulling the plug on the partnership.

Local police, whose salaries are paid by local tax dollars, are required to follow federal law when they are deputized for the JTTF. In some cases, California laws conflict with federal law, said John Crew, a retired attorney who works with activist groups, including the ACLU and Council on American-Islamic Relations on law enforcement and civil rights matters.

This issue is really about the need for local police officers to comply with state and local laws and policies even when they are working with the FBI JTTF, Crew said.

Neither Crew, nor his many allies in San Francisco, are apprehensive area residents may be in danger because of a lack of representation on the JTTF.

Im not the least bit concerned, Crew said.

San Francisco police work with the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, a government program focusing on criminal and terrorist activity, Crew said. He also maintains there is no reason police cannot work with the FBI on pressing terrorism-related investigations as long as they dont violate California law.

But Rossini and other former federal law enforcement said they worry the conflict may prevent vital leads from surfacing.

Last time I checked, were all part of the 50 states.So let us continue to work together when it comes to the law, when it comes to law enforcement, Rossini said. You want to do politics another day.
A 16-year-old girl was arrested for driving under the influence on Friday after she allegedly rammed her car into a patrol vehicle during a traffic stop.

Georgia State Patrol told FOX 5 Atlanta that a vehicle with three female inside was pulled over on Interstate 75 northbound in Buckhead for failure to maintain a lane and driving without headlines.

Investigators said the driver initially stopped the car but sped off, initiated a chase.

TEEN HIT BY TRAIN IN GEORGIA, LOSES FEET

The vehicle eventually pulled over into a parking lot where a trooper tried to block them in. The teen driver rammed into the troopers car.

The driver was arrested and the other two female passengers took off running. A search in the surrounding area came up empty.

GSP said the teenage driver was registered as missing by the Hapeville Police Department. She is now in custody at a juvenile detention center.

The trooper sustained no serious injuries, though complained of neck pain, officials said.

Click here for more news from FOX 5 Atlanta.
A lawyer for a Mexican national sentenced to eight years in prison for voter fraud in Texas says she's been released as her appeal is pending.

Attorney Clark Birdsall said 37-year-old Rosa Maria Ortega was released Thursday after posting a more than $11,000 bond. Ortega was convicted in Fort Worth last month on two felony counts of illegal voting.

Ortega is accused of improperly casting a ballot five times between 2005 and 2014. Birdsall has said Ortega is a permanent resident and mistakenly thought her green card allowed her to vote.

Birdsall says a state district judge this week granted his request for an appeal bond.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says Ortega's immigration detainer was canceled Thursday. The agency says it removes detainers during an appeal in some cases.
Police in the Philippines faked evidence to justify killing suspects in the drug trade, according to a new report.

President Rodrigo Dutertes violent campaign against drugs has claimed more than 7,000 lives, according to the report, entitled License to Kill: Philippine Police Killings in Dutertes War on Drugs. Human Rights Watch, which conducted the study, accused Duterte and other senior officials of being directly behind killings of mostly poor, urban people.

Our investigations into the Philippine drug war found that police routinely kill drug suspects in cold blood and then cover up their crime by planting drugs and guns at the scene, said Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director at Human Rights Watch and author of the report. President Dutertes role in these killings makes him ultimately responsible for the deaths of thousands.

The 117-page report draws heavily upon interviews in the Manila metropolitan area with family members of victims and witnesses to police-involved killings, as well as journalists and human rights activists. A picture emerges in the report of the Philippine National police repeatedly killings of drug suspects and then falsely claiming self-defense. Its alleged in the report that they planted guns, spent ammo and packets of drugs on their victims.

Under the veneer of anti-drug operations, the Philippine police at Dutertes urging have killed thousands of Filipinos, Bouckaert said. Many killings of drug suspects followed the same deadly routine and indicate a pattern of police abuse.

Its also alleged that the National Police forces have been working in tandem with masked gunmen -- casting doubt on the governments claims that the majority of killings have been committed by vigilantes or rival drug gangs.

Some of the more violent incidents, as presented in the report, include:

Six masked gunmen burst into a Manila home where several teenagers were watching television. The men arrested and beat drug suspects Aljon Mesa and Jimboy Bolasa, and then took them away on motorcycles. A half hour later, after hearing from a uniformed policeman, relatives rushed to a nearby bridge to find the suspects bodies, both with gunshot wounds to the head, their hands were tied with cloth. The gunmen were still at the scene, while uniformed police cordoned off the area.

Paquito Mejos, a 53-year old father of five in Manila, turned himself in to authorities in October, 2016 after he learned that he was on a watch list for methamphetamine use. Two days later a gunman came to his home and asked for Mejos who was napping in a room on the second floor of his home. The gunman walked upstairs and fired two shots, killing Mejos. In the report, the police referred to him as a suspected drug pusher.

Five masked armed men broke into a house in Bulacan province where Oliver Dela Cruz, 43, was playing cards. The men grabbed him and slammed him into a concrete wall several times before bringing him out of the house and executing him.

The HRW report documents 24 incidents which led to the deaths of 32 people. Most of the incidents occurred late at night on the street or inside shacks in the urban slums. The assailants would usually bang on doors and barge into rooms without identifying themselves or with a warrant. Locals said they often saw police officials set up a perimeter before the shooting even occurred and investigators and crime scene units would show up almost immediately after the killings.

Since taking office on June 30, 2016, Duterte and other senior officials have been outspoken in support of a nationwide campaign to kill drug dealers and users, while denying or downplaying the illegality of police actions.

My order is shoot to kill you, Duterte warned drug dealers in August. I dont care about human rights, you better believe me.
The mysterious disappearance of two inseparable sisters three decades ago has been solved by Canadian police, who found the women living in the U.S. with new identities.

Anna and Kym Hakze fled Edmonton in the mid-1980s. Their mother reported them missing in 2003 after she hadn't seen or heard from them in more than a decade. The Lethbridge Police Service in Canada explained on Facebook Thursday how the case was solved through old-fashioned detective work.

Without going into a lot of details and to protect their privacy, they had just left due to some family turmoil, and had moved on and were living their own life as a result of that, said Lethbridge Police Sgt. Scott Woods, according to The Lethbridge Herald. He didnt release their new identities or location.

At one point police suspected the women may have been the victims of a serial killer in Vancouver.

In 2012 a tipster told detectives that an author with a different name was Anna Hakze but the tip didnt pan out.

WOMAN REPORTED MISSING FOUND WALKING ALONG CALIFORNIA FREEWAY

In January detectives checked it out again after a Vancouver woman showed them a 1984 newspaper clipping with the authors name.

In performing new online searches of the authors name from the old Crime Stopper tip, police located a recent news story which included a photo and the area where she was living, the Facebook post says.

The searches yielded a document in which the author listed a sister as a next of kin.

Police subsequently confirmed that those two persons were Kym and Anna Hakze through fingerprints.

Lethbridge police said in the Facebook post that Anna Kakze is now 67 and Kym Hakze is 53.

The post says that U.S. police spoke to Kym Hakze last week and that she told the officers she didnt know she and her sister had been reported missing. She added that the pair had walked away from their lives decades earlier and still wanted to maintain their privacy.

Their mother died four years ago never knowing what happened to them, The Calgary Sun reported.

The end of the missing person case doesnt provide closure, their brother told the paper.

Theres a longing there to see them, Ken Hakze, 57, of Edmonton, said. Im very sad we lost all these years for some reason Im not quite sure of yet. I have a real desire to see them and communicate with them very badly. My heart goes out to have that opportunity if they would soften their hearts to that.
Czech lawmakers are weighing a proposal to amend their constitution to guarantee citizens the right to keep and bear arms, according to EURACTIV.

Social Democrats, the eastern European nation's main party, support the right to acquire and carry a gun for the sake of safety. But other political parties, particularly ANO 2011, firmly oppose the amendment.

Interior Minister Milan Chovanec, who drafted the proposal, is optimistic it will be passed by the Czech Parliament, EURACTIV reported.

I think that we have very good negotiating position to get 120 votes needed to pass in Chamber of Deputies, Chovanec said.

Three-fifths of the Parliaments deputies and three-fifths of its senators must vote for the measure for it to pass.

Martin Plisek, from the opposition TOP 09 party, balked at the idea of the measure, saying it was keyed to October elections.

It is pure pre-election populism, because there is no need to set the right to possession of weapon by a constitutional law, he was quoted as saying by EURACTIV.

The Czech debate comes ahead of a vote by the European Parliament this month on restricting gun rights. Czechs who want the gun ownership amendment in their constitution see the proposal as a pre-emptive strike against possible EU gun ownership restrictions.

Supporters of the Czech measure say that it will help make the country more secure. They describe it as a step they want to take before the European Parliament moves to tighten gun ownership rules, according to Intellinews.com. Chovanec maintains that the possible EU gun control move could take thousands of guns from Czechs, Intellinews.com reported.

Some 800,000 Czechs own guns, the news outlet said.

We will do our best to protect their rights, Chovanec said. "In the beginning Europe had good intentions, but the realization could be given an F-."
Malaysian police on Friday released the only North Korean it had detained in the killing of the half brother of North Korea's leader, as it condemned the use of a banned nerve agent in the attack and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Ri Jong Chol, who had been detained since Feb. 17, four days after Kim Jong Nam's death, was handed over to immigration officials for deportation. Police never said what they had thought his role had been in the attack, but national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed Friday that Ri was released due to a lack of evidence against him.

Malaysian Attorney General Mohamad Apandi Ali has said that Ri would be deported because he didn't have any valid travel documents.

Two women  one Indonesian, one Vietnamese  have been charged with murdering Kim at an airport terminal Feb. 13. They were caught on grainy surveillance video smearing what Malaysian authorities say was VX nerve agent on his face and eyes, though both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Police are searching for seven North Korean suspects, including four believed to have left Malaysia the day Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was killed. One of the suspects believed to still be in Malaysia is an official at the North Korean Embassy.

A statement from Malaysia's Foreign Ministry ramped up the pressure on Pyongyang on Friday, saying it was "greatly concerned" with the use of the toxic chemical and condemning the use of such a chemical weapon under any circumstances.

"Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," the foreign ministry said.

Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of being behind the killing, but the statement came hours after a North Korean envoy rejected a Malaysian autopsy finding that VX nerve agent killed Kim, saying the man probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Ri Tong Il, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, also said that if VX had been used, others besides Kim would have been killed or sickened.

Kim's death has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea. On Thursday, Malaysia announced it is scrapping visa-free entry for North Koreans.

Malaysian officials say the two female suspects smeared VX nerve agent  a banned chemical weapon  on Kim's face as he waited for a flight at Kuala Lumpur's airport. Kim died within 20 minutes, authorities say. No bystanders reported falling ill.

Malaysia's autopsy finding that VX nerve agent killed Kim boosted speculation that North Korea orchestrated the attack. Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons including VX.

North Korea is trying to retrieve Kim's body, but it has not acknowledged that the victim is Kim Jong Un's half brother, as Malaysian government officials have confirmed.

Pyongyang refers to the victim as Kim Chol, the name on the diplomatic passport he was carrying when he died. Malaysian police are doing the same; they are seeking next-of-kin who could provide a DNA sample and make a positive identification, steps they say are needed for authorities to give up the body. Kim is believed to have two sons and a daughter with two women living in Beijing and Macau.

Khalid, the national police chief, brushed off the North Korean envoy's claim of a heart attack.

"We have our experts who are qualified to determine the cause of death of Kim Chol. Our investigations, supported by expert reports, confirmed that Kim Chol was murdered. North Korea can say what they like but the facts remain," Khalid told The Associated Press.

Malaysian police said the female suspects had been trained to go immediately to the bathroom and wash their hands after attacking Kim. The police said the four North Korean suspects who left the country the day of the killing put the VX liquid on the women's hands.

Police can't confirm whether the two women may have been given antidotes before the attack. An antidote, atropine, can be injected after exposure and is carried by medics in war zones where weapons of mass destruction are suspected.

North Korea has a long history of ordering killings of people it views as threats to its regime. Kim Jong Nam was not known to be seeking political power, but his position as eldest son of the family that has ruled North Korea since it was founded could have made him appear to be a danger.

Kim Jong Nam reportedly fell out of favor with his father, the late Kim Jong Il, in 2001, when he was caught trying to enter Japan on a false passport to visit Tokyo Disneyland.


A woman from India who was cremated may have actually been alive when the procedure happened, local reports say.

Rachna Sisodia, a newly-married 24-year-old student, was initially declared dead of "cardiorespiratory arrest and acute respiratory distress syndrome on Feb. 25 at a hospital in northern India, The Times of India reported.

Her 23-year-old husband then drove her body to a funeral pyre and began the cremation. But police arrived and pulled her out, believing she was still alive. A postmortem report said ash was found in Sisodias lungs and windpipe.

The cause of death is shock due to being burnt alive, a local police spokesman told the Hindustan Times.

WOMAN BURNED ALIVE FOR WITCHCRAFT IN PERU JUNGLE, PROSECUTOR SAYS

This happens when someone is burnt alive, another police official told the newspaper. The particles go inside with the breath. If a person is dead, such particles cannot reach the lungs and the windpipe. So, the doctors concluded that the woman was burnt alive on the pyre.

The hospital in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday said it stood by its claims, as doctors stated that Sisodia died eight hours before being burned.

The husband also said he believes he is being framed by the wifes family, who disapproved of their marriage, the Hindustan Times reported.
Tesla Inc. is losing key personnel as it races to bring the Model 3 -- its most critical electric sedan yet -- to market later this year.

Chief Financial Officer Jason Wheeler's impending departure, announced just 15 months after he joined Tesla from Google, will be the latest in a raft of largely under-the-radar exits. Former executives, who spoke on the condition they not be identified, cited a range of reasons for their exits over the past year, including long hours in the rush to high-volume production, mission creep, and a tense culture that reflects their visionary but indefatigable chief executive officer, Elon Musk.

"Tesla looks like a company that is getting stretched to the limit," said Dave Sullivan, an analyst at industry researcher AutoPacific Inc. "The pressure of getting out the Model 3 is getting to everybody, from the people on the factory floor to the people at the top."

A Tesla spokesman in an emailed statement called attracting and retaining talent "one of our biggest assets" and said the company's attrition rate was below average among technology companies.

Long hours and job-hopping are routine at tech companies in California's Silicon Valley, and Palo Alto-based Tesla continues to make high-profile hires. Even so, analysts have flagged the departures as a risk to what will be Tesla's most challenging execution year in its short history. Musk plans to introduce the Model 3, is starting battery production at the Gigafactory and will integrate SolarCity, the recent acquisition that pushed Tesla's global workforce to roughly 30,000 people.

Like many companies, Tesla noted among risk factors in its just-filed annual report that it needs to attract and retain skilled workers. This year, however, it added a new phrase to the boilerplate, saying the efforts are needed "especially to support our expansion plans and ramp to high-volume manufacture of vehicles."

"Any time you're going through a big change it's important to have consistent management," Colin Langan, a UBS analyst who has a sell rating on the stock, said in an interview. "Jason Wheeler was a big hire and he's leaving, and there have been many other departures. If you're putting out aggressive targets and the people aren't there to meet them, it's a problem."

Wheeler, whose departure was first announced on last week's quarterly earnings call, said he wants to pursue work in public policy and praised what he called the "A-team" at Tesla. Deepak Ahuja, the CFO who led Tesla from the brink of bankruptcy through its 2010 initial public offering and retired in 2015, will return in April for a second tour of duty.

Bloomberg News compiled a list of more than two dozen management departures over the past year that include vice presidents of finance, communications, regulatory affairs, production, manufacturing, products and programs. Most recently Tesla has lost Mark Lipscomb, its vice president of human resources, and Satish Jeyachandran, the director of hardware engineering.

Tesla is generally opaque about its leadership beyond Musk and Chief Technical Officer J.B. Straubel, with no list of executives or vice presidents on its website, its investor relations page or in the annual report filed with the SEC this week.

Among Tesla's senior leadership team, three quarters have more than three years of tenure, 60 percent have been with the company at least six years and 20 percent have worked there a decade, according to its spokesman. Almost 60 percent of those who've had a leadership position at Tesla over its 14-year existence are still with the company, Tesla said.

None of the former managers Bloomberg News reached agreed to speak on the record.

Goldman Sachs this week downgraded Tesla to sell from neutral, with analyst David Tamberrino casting doubt on its ability to deliver the Model 3 on time. The Feb. 27 report contributed to the shares dropping about 11 percent from their 19-month closing high of $280.98 on Feb. 14. Of 23 analysts tracked by Bloomberg, eight have buy ratings on the shares, nine are neutral and six recommend selling.

Tesla's shares have jumped about 28 percent over the past year. Revenue surged 73 percent to more than $7 billion in 2016.

When Tesla announced in January it hired Chris Lattner from Apple as vice president of Autopilot software, it didn't mention that Sterling Anderson, the executive who ran the entire Autopilot program and reported directly to Musk, departed in late December. Tesla then sued Anderson, alleging he broke his confidentiality agreement with the company. Aurora Innovation, the company Anderson started with the former head of Google's self-driving project, said it would fight the "meritless" lawsuit.

Several former Tesla employees have landed at other auto companies, including Future Mobility Corp., Nio and Waymo, the self-driving car business spun off by Google parent Alphabet.

To be sure, Tesla's clean-energy mission and compelling products has attracted high-caliber people, regardless of its hard-driving reputation. The 45-year-old Musk has described himself as a "nano manager," has kept a sleeping bag at the company's car factory and works a second job running a rocket company.

About half of Musk's roughly $11.6 billion in estimated wealth comes from Tesla, where he takes no salary but is the largest shareholder with a 21 percent stake.

As of Dec. 31, Tesla had about 17,800 employees, not counting another 12,200 added with the $2 billion acquisition of SolarCity last year. Despite the growing headcount, more than 2,000 job postings at Tesla are listed on the recruiting website Taleo.

Tesla produced almost 84,000 vehicles in 2016 and plans to make half a million in 2018, then 1 million in 2020. It expects to pick locations for more gigafactories by the end of this year, and to introduce a semi truck and bus. Earlier this week it was named the highest-ranked domestic car brand by Consumer Reports magazine.

One worker at Tesla's Fremont, California, auto plant touched off a unionization effort last month, publishing a Medium post describing 60- to 70-hour work weeks, safety-related issues and mandatory overtime.

The unionization talk has drawn pushback from Musk. He promised employees free frozen yogurt stands, an electric pod-car roller coaster connecting parking lots to the factory and a "really amazing party once Model 3 reaches volume production later this year," according to an internal email Buzzfeed obtained last month.

Musk's moves to lighten the environment show the union threat has registered, AutoPacific's Sullivan said. "If Tesla has more than 2,000 job openings, does that mean that people are overloaded, or doubling up? You can't constantly ask for the impossible."
When a German Shepherd rescue organization posted Elmo's photo online last fall, it made no effort to mask the dog's problems. He wore a cone around his neck to prevent him from licking the large open sore on his hip. His fungus-ridden feet were swollen. His graying, 11-year-old face held a pathetic, ears-to-the-ground gaze.

Steve Frost, a retired fire captain in Northern California, said he saw the photo and thought Elmo "looked like hell." He immediately decided he wanted the dog.

Four months later, Frost sits by his fireplace every morning and evening and gives Elmo four pills for his various ailments, "like an old man." On Wednesday morning, he took Elmo in for prostate surgery. Frost, who had not owned a dog in several years, is now ushering one through its final years of life, which he says he figures will be "a lot better than living in a kennel."

Frost, 59, met Elmo through the Thulani Program, one of a growing number of animal organizations focusing on adopting out older dogs, or "senior dogs" that are typically 7 years or older. Their age makes them some of the hardest-to-place animals in a society that still adores romping puppies, although that is changing as books on elderly dogs and social media campaigns convince pet-seekers that the mature pooches often come with benefits, such as being house-trained, more sedate and less demanding of people with busy lifestyles.

But some of those adopters go further, selecting pets from programs for dogs in need of hospice care, or what amounts to assisted living for very ill or very old dogs. These programs usually commit to covering the cost of a dog's medical and dental care, which might otherwise be a major obstacle to finding them homes, said Lisa Lunghofer, executive director of the Maryland-based Grey Muzzle Organization. The donor-funded group gave $225,000 in grants last year to 38 senior dog programs nationwide, several of which now promote hospice adoptions.

Frost, who lives in Redding, California, and is a part-time professional pilot, said he knew he wasn't up to the task of raising a puppy. He also knew he wanted a German Shepherd. An Internet search led him to Thulani, and that led him to Elmo, one of the organization's hospice dogs.

Frost knows little about Elmo's past, other than that he was turned over to an animal shelter in Los Angeles and had clearly been neglected. His ears had mites, his innards had worms, his prostate had a tumor and he was puppy-like in one key way: At age 11, he wasn't house-trained. Now Elmo has two beds in Frost's home and a permanent place in the back seat of his four-door Ford F-150, and the two take what Frost called "a man shower" together every few days.

"This guy has just burrowed his way into my heart," Frost said.

Lunghofer stresses that most senior dogs do not require the kind of care Elmo does. The majority "just need a good home," she said, and many "regain their vitality and reward their families with years of unconditional love and devotion."

And more of them are finding those homes, she said. Grey Muzzle - which says it envisions "a world where no old dog dies alone and afraid" - recently surveyed its grantees, the majority of which said the situation for older dogs has improved in the past two years and that young people are more open to such adoptions. Nearly all said the main reason people adopt aging dogs is "altruism," although mellowness and potty skills were also cited.

"This is a great way to ease into dog ownership," said Erick Smith of Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco, a Grey Muzzle grantee. "It's not this epic commitment that you're staring down."

David Writz, 34, said he's hoping his newly adopted 10-year-old black Lab mix, Dante - who is not a hospice case - will stick around for five years or so. Like Frost, Writz found his dog online after deciding he didn't have time for a puppy. When the two met in person at Bob's House for Dogs in Eleva, Wisconsin, Writz was smitten, despite the fact that Dante was about 20 pounds overweight. Then the shelter called and told Writz that the dog would be having emergency surgery to remove an eye with glaucoma. Did Writz still want him?

"I was like, 'Obviously,' " said Writz, who works in a payroll office. "I figured at the very least I'd just get him an eye patch."

Knowing that Dante won't be around for long "is the depressing aspect of it," said Writz, who regularly takes Dante to a local brewery, where the dog happily begs for pretzels. "But I figure he'll be happy the rest of his remaining years."

Russell Ulrey, a Muttville volunteer who helped start the shelter's hospice program, said he was initially worried that he wouldn't find takers. He was wrong. Last year, Muttville adopted out 85 hospice dogs, and Ulrey said demand is higher than supply.

Caring for a terminally ill dog is "a life-changing experience," said Ulrey, 41, but one he tells potential adopters to approach with flexibility. Ulrey, who has adopted several hospice dogs, said one lived 14 months until, one day, he charged up a hill to a favorite park and collapsed. A veterinarian euthanized him there. An Airedale mix named Ralph, in contrast, had multiple organ failure, rotten teeth and survived just a week.

"A dog like Ralph, we didn't take him out to the park. He didn't want to go," he said. "We made him cozy and made him feel really loved, maybe for the first time in his life."

These days, Ulrey and his partner, Marie Macaspac, are the parents of Chachito, a 20-pound mutt who qualified as a hospice dog because he is 16 years old, blind and deaf - exactly the kind of pet few adopters would be willing to take on. Chachito's regime involves homemade meals of brown rice pasta and chicken, supplements for his joints, arthritis medication and lots of hanging out at the couple's Fairfax, California, home.

"He has his route," Ulrey said. "He bonks into one wall and then knows he's going to turn right."

Farther north, in Redding, Elmo is recovering from his prostate surgery, which added hundreds of dollars to the $1,000 or more Frost has paid - with Thulani funds - to get the dog in shape. Soon, Frost said, he'll take Elmo for a ride in an airplane.

"The best you can do is make him have a great life, because his life up until this point has been hell," Frost said. As for the end? Frost said he doesn't focus on that. "If it didn't hurt, you've got to question the love that's involved."
To visit Berry Plain Farm is to step back in time. The well-preserved 18th century home and former plantation in the Dogue area of King George County was, in its heyday, a bustling village along the busy Rappahannock River.

Despite the Berry Plains subdivision of estate homes thats sprung up around the original property, Berry Plain itself remains 16 acres of early American history, with the oldest portion of the main house dating to about 1720.

William Berry and his bride, Margaret Doughty, received the land as part of a dowry in 1665. At the time the land was occupied by three tribes, including the Dogue Indians.

Fast forward to 1994, and the house was purchased by Joan and Thomas Poland. They continued the beginnings of a restoration initiated by previous owner Garry Hussion, the Fredericksburg orthodontist who used the property as a hunting lodge. Joan Poland recalled that unoccupied portions of the structure had been taken over by rodents and snakes. Broken windows had allowed the elements to infiltrate.

The Polands remarkable restoration has resulted in a home and property that is at once a museum and a comfortable family home. It is a classic Colonial with front portico, white clapboard siding, black shutters, red standing-seam metal roof and brick chimneys. Inside, there are 10-foot ceilings and beautifully refinished heart pine floors are original throughout, their differences owing to the periods in which they were milled.

Weve done nothing to disturb the original structure of the house, Joan Poland said during a tour of the property earlier this week. Now Im getting very emotional about leaving.

Thats because the Polands have decided to put the property on the market in hopes of finding a steward as committed to its historic authenticity as they have been. They have listed it with Janel OMalley and Robin Marine of Coldwell Banker Carriage House Realtors in Fredericksburg. The asking price is $699,000.

As it stands, the main house has 4,871 square feet of living space on three levels. There are four bedrooms, two full bathrooms and a half-bath. The half-bath is the only plumbing on the upper level, due partly to how the house was expanded and how it has evolved over nearly 300 years. And as Joan Poland noted, adding a full upstairs bathroom would take a toll on the homes historic integrityand would also be costly.

Nevertheless, work started prior to the Polands ownership unobtrusively added duct work to provide multi-zone central heating and air conditioning.

The house is located about 25 minutes from both downtown Fredericksburg and Dahlgren.

THE RESTORATION

The Polands proceeded with a restoration that involved every room in the house, and continued with the various surviving outbuildings that recall the propertys plantation history.

The original house was built in 1720, apparently by William Berrys grandson, Joseph. It was 1.5 stories plus a cellar and porch, and was the center portion of the house as it appears today. In 1778, another descendant, Thomas Berry, extended the house to the right of the main entry, in the process creating a full second story. That included raising the roof of the original structure, which had dormers.

Such additions became more popular and affordable as the taxing authority of the British over the American colonies diminished. Houses were taxed based on the number of rooms and closets, so the earliest structures had few rooms and virtually no closets.

The plantation continued to grow and by the time the property was sold out of the Berry family in 1845, it was well populated by slaves who were housed in several structures that no longer exist, and a couple that still do.

John and Virginia Dickinson bought the plantation in 1845 and built the two-story addition on the left end of the main house that provides more living space and a third upstairs bedroom. The sequence of the additions, Joan Poland explained, is shown in the location of the chimneys, built on the exterior early on and subsequently on the interior.

The Dickinsons also updated the homes interior in a Greek Revival style, reflected in much of the trim and the fireplace mantels with their Ionic-style columns. The couple is buried in a family plot on the property.

The property remained in the Dickinson family until 1959. In the latter stages of the familys ownership, the first inside kitchen was included in a main-level addition built in 1949 by Maxfield Brown, a carpentry contractor whose name will ring a bell with many in the Fredericksburg area.

The main level also has the formal living and dining rooms, a full bathroom and home office space.

In its early days the basement of the house was a rowdy tavern, according to Joan Polands research. With the river nearby and what is now State Route 3 a few miles north, travelers came to learn of the remote but much-appreciated stop. Having had their fills of food and drink, overnight guests would have slept several to a bed in a downstairs room.

Today the lower level is a comfortable space with its original exposed-beam ceilings. It has a family room, the fourth bedroom, the second full bathroom and a second, well-appointed kitchen.

THE OUTBUILDINGS

The collection of plantation outbuildings that remain help relate a story of antebellum America. They were generally built with materials from the farm and either hewn or milled on site. Included are:

a two-story slave quarters that dates to 1850 with two rooms over two rooms and four fireplaces feeding into a single flue.

a second, smaller surviving slave quarters that dates to the early 1800s.

an 1800 kitchen house that stands a short, but what would have been a fire-safe distance from the main house. It offers the best view of the original hand-hewn roofing shakes that were covered, thus protected, by the standing-seam metal roof.

a barn, equipment shed and paddock. There are no horse stalls, but there is probably room for four if a future owner wanted to add them.

In 2000, the Polands added an 1840s West Virginia miners cabin to the property and use it as a potting shed. Thomas Poland fashioned the interior space, which includes a loft. They also added the slate patio along the way.

The grounds are filled with mature boxwoods and pecan trees. Joan Poland learned that some original boxwoods were bought by John D. Rockefeller Jr. for use in his Colonial Williamsburg project. The Depression-era income was welcomed at plantations like Berry Plain and its contemporary, Marmion Plantation, in the Comorn area of King George.

Another historic nugget she learned in researching the Berry family is that another member, Benjamin Berry, founded the town of Berryville in Clarke County in 1798.
(Xinhua) 20:58, March 02, 2017

Guo Shuqing, chairman of China's banking regulator, specified the commission's major tasks for 2017, with controlling financial risks as the centerpiece.

Guo, three days on the job as chairman of China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC), said the commission will work with other financial authorities this year to tighten regulations, guard against financial risks and support supply-side structural reform.

Guo's remarks, at his first press conference after being named CBRC chairman, reinforced views that as the health of China's economy continued to improve, policy makers had more room to shift their focus to reforms and financial risk control.

To contain rising financial risks, CBRC is planning multiple measures, including regulating the shadow banking sector and a differentiated lending policy to curb property speculation.

Commercial banks, trusts, fund management firms, brokerages and insurers all have asset management businesses, but because they have different regulators and are subject to different rules, there has been some chaos, Guo said.

"We are working on a joint regulation to set basic standards that every institution can follow," he said.

In addition, the commission will tighten regulation of banks' wealth management products (WMPs), CBRC vice chairman Cao Yu said at the press conference.

China's fast-expanding wealth management industry is considered a source of financial risk, as off-balance-sheet WMPs channel deposits into risky investments without enough regulation.

According to Cao, the volume of WMPs totaled 30 trillion yuan (4.35 trillion U.S. dollars) as of the end of 2016.

Guo said CBRC will also pay close attention to property bubbles as 45 percent of the country's new loans went to mortgages last year.

Although the overall leverage level for the country's households was not high, its rapid increase in past years is worth monitoring, Guo said.

The country will continue to implement a differentiated housing loan policy, restricting lending used for property speculation while extending loans to support housing inventory reduction in smaller cities, said CBRC vice chairman Wang Zhaoxing.

Wang said the commission will help ensure stable and healthy development of the property market, preventing property bubbles and large market fluctuations.

CBRC will also focus on the handling of loss-making "zombie companies," exploring ways to tackle their debt problems in excess capacity cutting, Guo said.

According to Guo, more than 430 billion yuan in debt-to-equity swap deals had been signed as of early February.

Thursday's conference came after the country's securities and insurance regulators vowed to act hard against irregular market operations to rein in financial risks.

At the Central Economic Work Conference in December, the central leadership pledged to make a priority of preventing financial risks, saying that curbing asset bubbles would be more important in 2017.

In a further sign of the focus on risk prevention, China's central bank vowed to maintain a prudent and neutral monetary policy this year, after keeping prudent monetary policy for six consecutive years.

Guo, former governor of eastern Shandong Province, has considerable economic sector work experience. He used to work as chairman of China Securities Regulatory Commission and chairman of China Construction Bank, one of the nation's big four state-owned lenders.
(Xinhua) 08:18, March 03, 2017

China has expressed its determination to cooperate with the Namibian government on wildlife protection ahead of the World Wildlife Day which falls on March 3.

Speaking at a briefing at the Chinese Embassy in Namibia, Charge d'affaires Li Nan said that China will never give cover to lawless poachers and has zero tolerance for poachers.

Li noted that China also fully supports the Namibian government in amending environmental laws.

Namibian Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism Tommy Nambahu also said that law enforcers need to be proactive in dealing with people who poach rhinos and elephants.

"It is all of us who are supposed to be ambassadors of preserving wildlife," said Nambahu.

China announced late last year a phased schedule to stop part of ivory processing and sales by March 31, 2017, and to eventually stop all ivory processing and sales by the end of 2017.
RICHMONDCassie Crouch of Bedford started hunting when she met the man whom she later would marry. It was one of our first dates, she said. In 2010, Crouch and her husband, Daniel, even celebrated their wedding anniversary by hunting wild hogs.

Crouch, who uses a variety of guns as well as a bow and arrow, likes the fact that female hunters soon may have a choice of colors for their hunting safety apparel: Hunters would be able to wear bright pink, instead of being limited to blaze orange, under a bill approved by the General Assembly during its recent session.

Another female hunterAmanda Bailey of Tazewell Countyalso is looking forward to the new law.

I would love having the option of wearing pink camouflage or orange, said Bailey, who hunts deer, elk, coyotes and bear, and uses a variety of firearms.

Crouch and Bailey are among a number of female hunters hoping Gov. Terry McAuliffe signs HB 1939 into law. If he does, the billwhich was approved unanimously by the House of Delegates and 355 by the Senatewill take effect July 1.

HB 1939, sponsored by Del. James Edmunds, RHalifax, states that every hunter and every person accompanying a hunter shall (i) wear a blaze orange or blaze pink hat  or blaze orange or blaze pink upper body clothing, that is visible from 360 degrees or (ii) display at least 100 square inches of solid blaze orange or blaze pink material at shoulder level within body reach visible from 360 degrees.

Del. Kaye Kory, DFalls Church, voted for the bill.

My fellow House members who support the addition of blaze pink to be approved hunting clothing explained that blaze pink is more readily seen at a distance than the traditional hunters orange, Kory said.

Virginia is not the only state offering blaze pink as a substitute for blaze orange. Wisconsin was the first, and since then, New York, Colorado and Louisiana have followed suit.

Some believe that the color option will draw more women to hunting. About 13,000 women currently are registered to hunt in Virginia.

Hunter Tamala Doup, who lives in Midlothian, isnt a fan of pink camo.

I personally prefer the blaze orange from a safety aspect, she said. It seems much brighter and easily recognizable in the woods, especially in dense areas.
THE ceremonial first shovel of dirt will be turned at 11 a.m. Saturday near Stafford Courthouse, beginning construction of the countys long-anticipated Armed Services Memorial.

A veterans color guard as well as high school ROTC, choral and instrumental groups will take part in the ground-breaking of the memorial behind the Stafford Government Center. I hope the ceremony includes remarks from more veterans than posturing politicians who have never served, but Im not holding my breath.

With a revised cost of $838,000, the project still needs about $100,000 in donations. But the money is being well spent.

The edifice will consist of a main tribute wall with granite benches, a flagpole, a globe, and tribute lighting for nighttime safety. Stones for each of the nations conflicts will be encircled by bricks with names of veterans sponsored by citizens. The memorial will rightly remain nameless, honoring all veterans who have served, whether they live in Stafford or elsewhere. The site will cover an acre, allowing for future expansion.

Soon, our regionwhich is full of active-duty and retired veterans, including four veteran generations of my familywill have a fitting place of honor for quiet reflection and healing. The memorial will also show the communitys respect for those who serve and the families who support them.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe failed to show that same respect when he vetoed House Bill 1582, which would have allowed veterans and active-duty service members under age 21 to be eligible to apply for permits to carry concealed handguns in Virginia. The governor called the legislation an unwarranted expansion in the number of people allowed to carry handguns in the commonwealth. The current law prohibits anyone under the age of 21 to purchase a handgun from a licensed dealer.

The connection between the Stafford memorial and the rejected concealed-carry legislation?

Dan Chichester, a Vietnam veteran and retired Stafford commonwealths attorney, cogently responded to the governors action with the question: How many under-21-year-olds are buried on Omaha Beach? Or consider the number of young service people whose names appear on that wall on the Mall in Washington that commemorates the 58,000 lost during the Vietnam War.

Yes, its a profound point by Chichester, chairman of the Armed Services Memorial Working Group. He has worked on the project with a Vietnam Marine hero, Lt. Gen. Ron Christmas, and county Supervisor Gary Snellings, an Air Force veteran.

During Vietnam, 35,198 of my brothers and sisters between the ages of 18 and 21 made up more than half of the 58,000 heroes found on the Vietnam Memorial.

Statistics from the Veterans Administration indicate about 112,500 Virginia veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 are presently serving. God forbid an attack from terrorists where our highly trained under-21 veterans are unable to carry a concealed handgun to deter our enemies because of McAuliffes veto.

Regardless of a veterans age, the panels and benches of the memorial will bear witness to those who served in various conflicts from the Revolutionary War to the present.

Men and women who have never served or seen a shot fired in anger often forget that millions who defended America were between the ages of 17 and 21.

Perhaps military and veterans issues would receive greater attention if more veterans served in public office. Theres a unique opportunity this fall when voters will elect new members of the House of Delegates in the 2nd and 28th districts to replace retiring Del. Mark Dudenhefer and House Speaker Bill Howell, both of Stafford.

Thanks to veterans, such as Chichester, Christmas and Snellings, Saturdays groundbreaking takes on a greater meaning for all who want to recognize service to our nation.

In the coming months, veterans, family members and average residents will be able to observe the memorials development. A dedication ceremony is anticipated on July 15.

Daniel P. Cortez of Stafford is a Northern Virginia writer and broadcaster active in veterans and political affairs. Email him at dpcortez1969@yahoo.com.
THE VIRGINIA Board of Medicine and the General Assembly have taken encouraging steps in the battle against an epidemic.

The state board recently approved emergency rules that will let it regulate the prescription of opioids for pain. Around the same time, the legislature passed four bills that activate needle-exchange programs, increase access to the overdose-reversal drug Naloxone, tighten opioid prescription policies and give aid to infants exposed to opioids in utero.

By now, most of us are painfully aware that opioids have nothing to do with Sheriff Taylors son on The Andy Griffith Show. Opioid overdose deaths have become a plague in Virginia and across the nation.

It is probable that more than 1,000 Virginians died of heroin and opioid overdose last year, compared with 811 in 2015 and 504 in 2009. According to a story in The Free LanceStar last fall, more people in the Fredericksburg area died from opiate overdoses in 2015 (75) than died in auto accidents (59). Last April, Spotsylvania County prosecutors threw out five criminal cases because each defendant had died of a drug overdose before the case got to court.

In addition to overdose deaths, the turn toward opioids led to more than a four-fold increase in hepatitis C cases in Virginia between 2010 and 2016. And the number of children exposed to drugs in utero is rising every year.

Under the new Board of Medicine rules, patients will have to undergo thorough physical examinations before being prescribed opioids. If the doctor determines that there is a history of substance abuse or other overdose risk factors, Naloxone must also be prescribed. Naloxone already was made available at all pharmacies last December without a prescription, at a cost of about $70.

Unfortunately, there always seems to be a new opportunity to abuse drugs. The board also is trying to get a grip on buprenorphine. Thats a drug designed to treat opioid addiction, but its now part of the problem. In Southwest Virginia, buprenorphine has become a very popular street drug. It is being prescribed at eight times the national average.

Before the opioid scourge that seemed to begin in Virginia around the turn of the century, there was crack cocaine. Some might have naively thought that the trend from crack to heroin and other opioids was a step in the right direction. Murder rates related to crack were soaring in the 1980s and 90s. Now, the murder rate in Virginia and elsewhere has fallen from the highs of those years (Richmonds murder rate last year was barely half what it was in 2003), but overdoses are soaring.

Treating addiction should be a top priority for communities here and elsewhere. Putting addicts in regional jails and prisons without treatment and recovery programs isnt likely to stem the problem. Been there, tried that.

Eventually (and sadly), something else will come along to replace opioids, and health officials, law enforcement agencies and legislators will try to stop another epidemic. In the meantime, though, we fight the battle in front of us with the tools we have.

Kudos to the Virginia Board of Medicine and the General Assembly for providing some useful tools.
Every trade has its master - in this case its billionaire - no matter how humble it is.

A self-made entrepreneur who once dashed between cities to deliver goods for clients has built an impressive courier empire and is now one of China's richest men.

Wang Wei, the boss of SF Express, has seen his personal worth rocketing to a whopping 22.5 billion (189.9 billion yuan) since his company went public last week.

Wang Wei is now the third richest man in China thanks to his company SF Express. He was pictured speaking during SF Express's listing ceremony on February 24

With 120,000 employees and 13,000 offices, SF Express is the biggest Chinese courier firm

Zep Lee (right), the International Business Unit CEO of SF and Ray Li (left), the International Business Unit CFO and CMO pose with SF courier envelope and courier box

This means the 46-year-old has become the third richest man in China, after property tycoon Wang Jianlin, worth 25.6 billion, and e-commerce mogul Jack Ma, worth 23.5 billion.

SF Express completed its back-door listing on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on Friday.

The listing has made SF Express the biggest Chinese courier company by market capitalisation, surpassing its rival ZTO Express which went public in October on the New York Stock Exchange after raising 1.4 billion.

The move has also made Wang Wei, the chairman and founder of SF Express, a multi-billionaire.

The share price of SF Express was 5.93 (50.18 yuan) when the market opened at 9:30am on February 24.

Since then, the company has reached limit-up in five consecutive days. Its share price rose to 8.26 (70 yuan) when the market closed on Wednesday.

As a result, Wang Wei's assets have ballooned to 22.2 billion (188.6 billion yuan).

If SF Express's share price continues to grow at the current rate, Wang is expected to overtake Wang Jianlin and become the richest man in China.

Wang's fortune rose to 22.2 billion after SF Express went public on Shenzhen Stock Exchange

This means Wang, 46, is now the third richest man in China, after property tycoon Wang Jianlin (left) and e-commerce mogul Jack Ma (right)

SF Express's share price rose to 8.26 (70 yuan) when the market closed on Wednesday

Almost every resident in China has received or sent a SF Express package at one point in the past decade. Wang Wei's 120,000-strong delivery team zip around Chinese cities and towns, delivery anything from a million pound business contract to a bag of chicken feet.

The legend of the mega-rich man started 24 years ago when Wang Wei, a fabric dealer at the time, had trouble mailing his samples from Guangdong to neighbouring Hong Kong for his clients to see.

Two decades ago, the only way for Chinese people to send letters and parcels was to go through the state-owned postal system, which was slow and costly. Same-day courier was a concept unheard of even to the most ambitious businessmen.

Having seen an opportunity in the market, Wang, at the age of 22, reportedly borrowed 11,800 (10,000 yuan) from his father to start a courier company in the city of Shunde.

With six employees, SF Express helped factories in Guangdong mail business products to Hong Kong, which was still a British colony.

SF Express has its own airline which boasts a fleet of 38 Boeing aircraft. SF Airlines delivers 1,400 tonnes of goods every day

The company has over 120,000 employees, 13,000 offices, 150,000 vehicles and 36 planes

Wang was born in Shanghai to a Russian translator father and university teacher mother. He moved to Hong Kong at the age of seven and grew up there.

A low-profile man by nature, Wang rarely gives interviews.

In a 2011 interview with Guangzhou Daily, the man explained his motivation of building SF Express: 'Many Hong Kong people had factories in Guangdong at the time, and they had the demands (for courier service).

'So I thought: 'Why don't I start a courier company myself?' As a result, I founded SF in Shunde with some partners.'

He recalled that he had to deliver parcels himself in the early days of the company. '[We] carried our backpacks and our suitcases travelling between Hong Kong and Guangdong every day.'

By offering cheap and punctual service, SF Express quickly expanded.

By 1997, four years after SF Express's establishment, it had gained a monopoly on the courier market between Guangdong and Hong Kong, according to Shanghai-based financial media Yicai.com.

The year 1997 marked the hand-over of Hong Kong from British rulers to Chinese Communist Party. After that, the trade between two sides of the border grew dramatically, which propelled Wang's business to increase by leaps and bounds.

Meanwhile, Wang set up franchise branches throughout China.

Wang Wei started his delivery empire with a small company in Shenzhen with just six staff

Wang rang the bell last week on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange market as SF Express was listed

In 2003, Wang decided to speed up SF's delivery time by chartering cargo aeroplanes, something unprecedented to private courier companies in China.

Thanks to China's e-commerce boom since 2005, SF Express benefited from the huge market online shopping had created which saw billions of items needed to be delivered daily.

In 2009, chartered aeroplanes could no longer satisfy Wang's business appetite. He set up his own airline, SF Airlines, to dispatch packages.

To date, 1,400 tonnes of packages are sent by Wang's fleet of 38 Boeing aircraft on a daily basis, including five B767s, 16 B757s and 17 B737.

In explaining his road to wealth, the modest man said there is only one way to build a successful business, that is to be 'daring, creative and responsible'.

Having grown his fortune from 12,000 in debt to a staggering 22 billion, Wang has written an incredible rags-to-riches story - and it all started with his backpacks and suitcases.
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A press conference on the 5th session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 2. One journalist in attendance has drawn attention for using multi-channel live Pan/Tilt/Zoom (PTZ) equipment.

The so-called iron man equipment is a brand new media coverage tool from Guangming Online. It allows journalists to collect and publish information on site and offer live-streaming coverage. It also records and stores panoramic and virtual reality (VR) images.

The equipment is capable of simultaneously providing 3K frame, 4M streaming videos and VR signals to 15 different platforms. Viewers can watch HD VR live-streaming broadcasts with their naked eyes, accessing the footage through mobile phones. There is no need to install any special software. At the same time, unique multi-platform cloud technology makes it convenient for netizens to watch, share and participate in VR live-streaming interactions via popular social media platforms like WeChat.
Reports of detained Chinese lawyer Xie Yang having been tortured are groundless, the People's Procuratorate in Hunan Province confirmed with the Global Times.

Xie was put under compulsory custodial measures on July 11, 2015 for inciting subversion of State power and disrupting the court order. He was arrested on January 9, 2016.

The reports claiming that Xie was tortured during custody were fabricated by Jiang Tianyong, a former lawyer in Beijing, who was previously punished with "criminal compulsory measures" for illegally holding national secrets and subverting the State power, the Hunan procuratorate said.

The fabricated news catered to the "taste of Western media," in a bid to discredit the Chinese government and judicial authorities, Jiang told the Global Times.

Jiang said that he decided to pressure the police when Xie was put under custody and approached Xie's wife surnamed Chen to make up stories together. Xie must have been tortured as both his attorneys and family members were banned from visiting Xie, Jiang told Chen in September 2016.

According to the Law of Criminal Procedure, if a case involves State secrets, terrorism and huge bribes, lawyers need to obtain the approval from the investigative organs before meeting with suspects.

"It's legally possible that suspects who are involved in inciting subversion of State power are not allowed to be visited during investigation. But I didn't speak it out," Jiang noted.

He said that he started to instigate lawyers' family members to cause trouble and organize interviews with foreign media, when he felt he was in trouble after Zhou Shifeng, a lawyer formerly managing the Fengrui Law Firm, was arrested along with other lawyers.

"To make those reports more convincing, I told Chen how to write them: if some policemen smoke at nights, the story would be written like 'Xie being fumigated by police,'" Jiang told the Global Times.

Xie told the Global Times that his attorneys told him about foreign media reports fabricated by Jiang during their meeting in January.

Xie's co-inmate surnamed Ye also confirmed with the Global Times that he never heard Xie was tortured. "Instead, Xie always boasted that he had four dishes every day."
Xie Yang gives an interview.Provided To China Daily

Chinese authorities have refuted foreign media reports that a Chinese lawyer had been tortured in police detention, saying that these allegations were fabricated to tarnish China's image.

Xie Yang, a lawyer in Hunan province, was probed on suspicion of subversion and disrupting court order in July 2015. He then began living under surveillance and legal proceedings began in January, according to a report by Global Times on Wednesday.

However, since October, many foreign media organizations have reported that Xie was tortured by police in detention, including beatings and lengthy interrogations. But these allegations were made up by another Beijing lawyer, Jiang Tianyong, Global Times reported.

An independent investigation team set up by the Hunan Provincial People's Procuratorate also concluded that the allegations are fake, the report said.

Xie Yang, who is now awaiting trial, also said that he slept nine hours a day, and medical checks show that he is in good health.

Jiang, whose lawyer's license was revoked by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice in 2009, has been held under criminal detention since December on suspicion of subversion and illegally holding classified documents, the report said.

Jiang confessed that he deliberately fabricated the torture stories because he was unsatisfied with the Chinese government and wanted to change China's current political system.

"I'm willing to confess to my crime," he was quoted as saying.

Jiang said he's fully aware that such stories would cater to the taste of Western media, which is keen to report negative China stories, particularly relating to torture. By using the Western media, he could attack the Chinese government and tarnish the image of China's judicial organs, according to Global Times.

The report said Jiang managed to contact Xie's wife in September 2015 and won her trust to become Xie's attorney. Jiang then told her how to fabricate stories about Xie being tortured to exert pressure on Chinese authorities.

Jiang edited the piece and published it in a series, and also sent the stories to an activist overseas, as the man said he hoped to submit the piece to the European Commission of Human Rights, Jiang was quoted as saying.

"We've probed the police officers, people who stay together with Xie under residential surveillance and Xie himself, and concluded that the torture allegations are fake," an unnamed director of the investigation team was quoted as saying.
UK lamb will soon be back on dinner plates across Kuwait following a new deal worth up to 15m, Defra minister George Eustice has announced.

The re-opened trade route was confirmed during a visit to Kuwait by Mr Eustice to promote British food and strengthen the UKs trading relationship in what is a rapidly growing market.

Three major UK suppliers are already set to benefit from the five-year deal  with shipments preparing to leave soon, said Defra.

See also: UK food and drink exports reach record levels

The UK exported food and drink worth 625m to the region last year, including 80m of cereal and 22m of cheese.

Kuwait had imposed a ban on UK lamb because of concerns about scrapie  a degenerative disease that affects the nervous systems of sheep and goats.

However, the ban was lifted after UK government vets provided evidence to show the UK takes a world-leading approach to protecting animal health.

Reputation

Mr Eustice said: British lamb has a fantastic reputation around the world for its taste and quality and Im delighted that this export success will now be available for diners in Kuwait.

This move to re-open the market for UK-produced lamb is another example of how we are working hard to tap into new international markets and build stronger relationships with trading partners around the world.

Total lamb exports from the UK reached 330m in 2016, up from 300m the previous year.

The trade mission included a visit to Gulfood in Dubai, where 100 UK food and drink companies were exhibiting at what is the worlds largest annual trade show.

Jean-Pierre Garnier, head of export trade development at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), said: We have found for some time a high level of appetite from Kuwaiti importers and distributors for British lamb and are delighted to be able at last to supply this market.

We are committed to expanding sales of meat and dairy products in the Gulf region and support the governments export work.
Oh to be in England now that spring is here.

With the shooting season now a fading memory, the anguished echoes of Britains last expiring lapwings give way to the sound of a thousand diesel engines erupting into life, spewing their sullying noxious emissions into the clear spring air.

Britains arable farmers, having returned from a restorative week or three in the French Alps, are once again filling up their spray tanks in anticipation of this years campaign to systematically poison the nations food supply in pursuit of profit while, relentlessly destroying the countryside that they so clearly abhor.

See also: Farming needs bold renegades

Green and pleasant land

David Alvis is managing director of Yorkshire Dairy Goats

David Alvis is managing director of Yorkshire Dairy Goats

Meanwhile, their equally malign pastoral brethren prepare to unleash a new generation of that most virulent of environmental menaces, the sheep, on to the hills and pastures of not just Englands green and pleasant land, to scour the earth of any form of vegetation that might offer the merest soupcon of sustenance to the countrys oppressed wildlife.

And while their masters go about their ghastly business, the NFU those sycophantic vassals of this unholy alliance of rural miscreants  hectors government on their behalf, their grubby hands outstretched, cynically proffering bottomless begging bowls in anticipation of ever more public money to sustain their apocalyptic practices.

Nonsense? Yes. Hyperbole? Certainly. But however ridiculously one-eyed a caricature of British farming this might seem, every slight contained within it has, in the past few months, been widely and openly promulgated in the mainstream and social media by prominent environmentalists.

As the world seemingly resigns itself to the post-truth era, upping the ante in terms of environmental doomsaying is fast becoming de rigueur for an environmental lobby emboldened by the prospect of some kind of a post-Brexit ecological enlightenment.

Nothing epitomises this more than the hysteria surrounding the as yet undetermined fate of glyphosate.

Last year I, naively as it turns out, suggested the arguments for banning this most benign of agrochemicals had finally been put to bed by the World Health Organization and European Food Safety Authority.

Both had categorically stated that, based on the overwhelming balance of evidence, there was no risk posed to human health from any realistic level of exposure to the chemical or its residues in food, water or the wider environment.

How wrong I was. Now, it seems, outdated or discredited science published in low-impact, open-access journals with questionable peer-review processes assumes a whole new level of credibility when presented via social media by celebrity environmentalists or badger-cuddling broadcasters.

For me, the nadir of this ludicrous saga was the recent tweeting by the Soil Association of an anti-glyphosate petition link, accompanied by a photo of a field of wheat, glowing iridescent yellowy-green in the immediate aftermath of what appeared to be an application of Roundup.

Challenged

When challenged over the picture by a farmer who was a former photographer and who considered the colours to be so totally out of line with reality, the SAs policy director, in a rather mealy-mouthed way, said that the picture was not fake but conceded the colour is odd but definitely not doctored. The tweet remains online, unaltered.

I would normally have laughed this off as merely nonsense from an organisation that was championing alternative facts long before they became fashionable. But when, only days later, I received a consumer enquiry from my milk buyer regarding the extent of glyphosate use in the production of feed crops used on the farm, it dawned on me that we are potentially sleepwalking into a disaster here.

The scale and extent of public misinformation in this debate is staggering, yet it continues largely unchallenged on a daily basis.

Forget post-CAP subsidies and free-trade deals  if were not careful well have nothing left to trade apart from lapwings before long.
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The vast market for co-working spaces in China has welcomed a new, highly competent candidate in WeWork, a leading co-working space company from the U.S. WeWork is striding confidently into China, equipped with unique services and an ambition to serve more people.

WeWork was founded in New York City in 2010 by Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey, with the intention of creating a workspace centered on the idea of community. It now serves over 90,000 members in more than 120 locations across 30 cities and 12 countries. The company provides both working and living spaces, in addition to community services. Chinas capital city is just its latest stop.

(WeWork location on Weihai Lu in Shanghai Photo/Courtesy of WeWork)

Connecting China

In March 2016, the American company received an investment of over $400 million from Chinese investors led by Legend Holdings and Hony Capital  a move that was widely seen as the official starting point of WeWorks China strategy. Four months later, the first Chinese WeWork location was opened in Shanghai.

Less than a year later, the company is ready to open two new locations in Beijing, putting its total number of spaces in China at four. In addition, four more locations in Beijing and Shanghai are to be announced in 2017.

Nevertheless, McKelvey denied that the companys expansion into China was contingent on its multimillion-dollar investment.

We were interested in China before we had investment from HONY capital. It was our plan to come here whether we had it or not  But obviously having them as a partner facilitates our entry. We still have our ability to follow our business plan, the WeWork co-founder and chief creative officer said in an exclusive interview with Peoples Daily Online.

While he stressed that WeWork remains independent from investors influence, McKelvey did give credit to the Chinese investors for helping his team to understand the Chinese market and make business connections.

He said the investors have been helpful in the sense of [knowing] someone who can give you feedback on decision-making and informal conversation about whats happening and how to navigate certain situations. When we have meetings with government officials, theyve been there and taken part. That gives us a little credibility, to have a local partner.

Chinese investors also helped to assemble an investment round and facilitated WeWorks partnership with Sino-Ocean Group (SOG), which McKelvey called a great partner. He also said the company is looking to expand the partnership and pursue additional partnerships with real estate groups in China.

Although WeWork gave no specific number for the companys 2017 expansion goals, McKelvey pointed out that the company expects to double in size in the new year, and we see a lot of that growth coming in China.

We approach the market in a very humble way, feeling that we know how to do it and we will work with people to learn as much as we can about the local market, he added.

(WeWork location on Weihai Lu in Shanghai Photo/Courtesy of WeWork)

Booming industry

The Chinese market is very big and interesting in terms of how quickly business evolves within it, but also in terms of entrepreneurship, McKelvey noted.

Business models are indeed changing rapidly, and co-working spaces are on the rise in China, especially as the nation calls for expanded entrepreneurship. In addition to early birds such as UrWork, Nashwork and SOHO 3Q, which were all built by real estate giants, Chinas major internet companies, including Alibaba and Tencent, are also reportedly considering an expansion into the co-working industry.

McKelvey declined to comment on those potential competitors in China. Rather, he said the market still has a lot of room for different companies to try to support the new way of working  more flexible, more interesting, more engaged and more connected to neighbors, friends and businesses.

We believe that work is changing so quickly  what people want from their work life is changing much more quickly than any individual company could support. We think that as we grow, as other companies grow, they are inviting more businesses to think about the new way working space operates, he stated.

(A ping-pong table on WeWork location at Weihai Lu in Shanghai Photo/Courtesy of WeWork)

Unique offer

During the interview, McKelvey repeatedly expressed his confidence in the companys role in the Chinese market, despite the fact that several U.S. companies such as Amazon and Uber encountered serious obstacles while competing with Chinese counterparts.

We have great confidence in the China market and the future of Chinas economy. Certainly we are only touching a small part of business at this point. We believe there is so much room for us to grow, no matter how the market conditions are. So we have nothing but confidence. We believe we offer something unique in the market. We are super excited and we will continue to push forward with the same excitement and speed, McKelvey said, firmly pushing back against concerns over WeWorks future battles.

Over 50 percent of companies under the WeWork network engage in collaboration with other WeWork companies  a unique and valuable service that is an undeniable advantage compared to domestic Chinese brands.

It is almost routine for co-working spaces to provide coffee or tea in addition to the rented space. Some also attract renters by offering free education for entrepreneurs.

But that is not enough for WeWork, according to Fred Lu Shucheng, the general manager of WeWork China. Lu noted that the company comes up with various ways to strengthen ties within the network, including offline interests groups and an exclusive global WeWork member network. Through the network, which connects thousands of companies, WeWork members are able to build both personal and business ties in an economical way that allows both sides to feel trusted.

Developing glocally across the world, the company also boasts specialized services that vary from country to country and custom location designs for each city. WeWork designers try to meet even the tiniest requests, from unconventional working habits to coffee consumption. WeWork also tries to localize their designs so that each building is instantly recognizable as a WeWork facility, yet also entirely unique, according to Lu.

Lu offered the example of seat arrangement. In the U.S. or other international markets, people are less sensitive [when it comes to] whether people work next to each other or facing each other or back to back. But for us, we have strong cultural awareness that we want to work face to face, he said, also noting that WeWork China furnishes its locations with espresso machines, while U.S. locations generally offer drip coffee.

Future of working space

Nearly a decade has passed since WeWorks launch, and already there is a clear ripple effect in co-working. As a co-founder, McKelvey said that he and Neumann imagine their company 100 years in the future, and believe that WeWork will remain competitive.

What we see is people are becoming more mobile, defining work in a more diverse way. But at the same time, you need places for human connection. There is potential for more decentralized organization  for people to only come together at specific times, rather than [how it is done in] large corporate offices. I think especially as people become more interested in moving to cities, the efficiency must be greater. The solution must be more flexible and responsive to human connection, the CCO said..

(Miguel McKelvey, co-founder and chief creative officer of WeWork Photo/Courtesy of WeWork)
Readers, we need your help to prove a merry Christmas for victims of domestic violence.
In celebration of International Womens Day, we want to emphasize that girls are not for groping and other forms of abuse. Just like boys, they deserve kindness, respect, and an education, so they can bring their gifts and talents into the world. Educated girls are key to ending poverty worldwide.

I met Thyda in 2006, when she was in 10th grade and trying hard to stay in school in rural Cambodia. Her father died from an illness when she was young and her mother struggled to support the family. Every day, Thyda got up at 4 a.m. to start her chores. She fed the chickens, hauled water from the community well, cooked rice, and did her homework.

Each morning, Thydas mother, who was illiterate, ground rice into flour and made waffles to sell for their daily income. Without an education, she can only do manual labor jobs. When Thydas mother was sick and could not work, they did not eat that day. Women make up two-thirds of the worlds illiterate adults.

Thydas familys struggle is typical of the majority of families in developing countries. They barely get by. In contrast to people like myself, who have the luxury of deciding if we want dessert, these families often eat just one meal a day. They want their children to quit school and work to help the family survive.

Thydas older sister dropped out of primary school. By age 16 she was married and having children. This is common in developing countries. Every day, 37,000 girls under the age of 15 are having their arranged wedding ceremony. When girls are in school, they are much less likely to marry young.

In Cambodia, like most countries, boys have an advantage over girls. They are valued more and given more privileges. Families are more likely to send their boys to school than their girls. Girls are often expected to work as hard as servants and are seen as property, much like slaves.

The documentary film "Girl Rising" tells the stories of nine girls from around the world who struggled against the odds to pursue their dream of an education.

Millions of girls around the world face barriers to education that boys do not, such as early marriage, gender-based violence, domestic slavery, and sex trafficking. Supporting girls education means not only a better life for girls, but a safer, healthier and more prosperous world for all.

Some bright children are self-motivated. Thyda was determined to stay in school. She worked odd jobs so she could buy a school uniform, a bicycle, and pay teachers fees. In Cambodia, less than 20 percent of the students finish high school.

Thyda was on the verge of dropping out of school when Friendship with Cambodia started sponsoring her. She was able to graduate from high school and attend university, majoring in accounting. After graduation, she started working for an organization that helps the poor in Cambodia. According to the World Bank, education for girls is the best investment for ending poverty.

Friendship with Cambodia and the Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center will be showing the documentary film "Girl Rising" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 8 at the First Presbyterian Church, 114 SW Eighth St. in Corvallis. We ask for a $10 donation to support girls education. This inspiring film is about the strength of the human spirit and the power of education to change the world.
In his Feb. 28 letter to the editor, Chris Foulke notes a troubling increase in autism. His concern for our children is laudable. But hes wrong about the cause: it isnt vaccines. We have clear evidence that vaccines are definitely not the cause. Autisms cause remains unknown.

The National Academies of Science show no vaccine-autism link; Institute of Medicine analyses in 2004 and 2011 of more than 1,000 studies show no vaccine-autism link; and a study of half a million children in Denmark (which does not mandate vaccines) shows equal autism rates in vaccinated and unvaccinated children.

Mr. Foulke supports a new federal government vaccine oversight agency with Robert Kennedy, Jr. as its director. The problem is that Mr. Kennedy has no expertise in vaccine science.

And we dont need it. Did you know that the U.S. already has at least two agencies overseeing vaccines?

One is the FDAs immunization safety program. Another is the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Advisory Committee for Immunization Practice. Pharmaceutical representatives may attend the quarterly meeting, like members of the general public, but only to observe. The 15 members of the committee all come from medical schools, research institutions, and state public health departments  scientific experts. None is a politician.

Do we really need another federal agency? I hope instead that the new administration ensures that the existing, well-functioning agencies remain robust, nonpolitical, and well-funded.

Sandra J. Bean

Corvallis (Feb. 3)

The writer earned a doctorate in public health from Oregon State University.
A photo of Haruki Murakami's latest novel, "Killing Commendatore," composed of two volumes.

Japanese contemporary best-selling author Haruki Murakami has earned plaudits from many Chinese citizens after releasing his latest novel, "Killing Commendatore," which acknowledges the large-scale loss of civilian life during the Nanjing Massacre.

During the massacre, Japanese troops committed mass murder and rape in Nanjing, then the capital of the Republic of China, in December 1937. To the fury of many in China and around the world, some conservative Japanese politicians and historians now deny that the massacre took place, or they put the death toll at a much lower number.

In the novel, which was published in Japan on Feb. 24, Murakami writes: ...for the exact number of civilian victims [of the Nanjing Massacre], debates existed among historians. But generally, it is not in dispute that the majority of residents were embroiled and killed in the war.

Haruki Murakami

He adds that some put the Chinese death toll at 400,000, while others say it was 100,000. "But what is the difference? It was still a killing spree. he writes in the book.

The remarks have electrified Chinese netizens, leading some web users to hail Murakami as aconscientious and upright writer of integrity.

Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, the official hall memorializing those killed in the massacre, piled praises on the book on Weibo, a Twitter-like social networking site. It added thataccording to the verdict of the Tribunal for Tani in 1947, there were more than 300,000 victims in total. Eighty years have passed, yet many Japanese still eschew the appropriate reflection on and repentance of the country's militarism.

During a 2015 interview with Kyodo News, Murakami said Japan should repeatedly apologize for the atrocity to China, the Korean Peninsula and other countries involved in the conflict.
This is a community calendar. To accommodate demand for the print edition, we ask that items be brief and include time, date, place, address, admission cost and a contact number for publication. Inclusion of items is at the discretion of the newspaper. Further information is available at 541-758-9524 or jane.stoltz@lee.net.

Assistance

SATURDAY

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide tax preparation assistance. Individual tax returns prepared during tax season at various locations: Albany, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, appointments: 541-917-7760; Corvallis and Philomath, Mondays through Saturdays, appointments, 541-602-5829. Free, in-person tax service is open to anyone of any age, especially those 50 or over or who can't afford paid tax preparation. Information: 888-227-7669 or www.aarp.org/taxaide.

Stone Soup Breakfast, 10 to 11 a.m., McLean Hall, First Christian Church, 602 SW Madison Ave., Corvallis. A free meal to anyone in need.

Classes

SATURDAY

"Bonsai: Repotting for Beginners," 11 a.m., Garland Nursery, 5470 NE Highway 20, Corvallis. A Japanese maple, a pot, soil, instruction and guidance included. Cost: $45. Registration: 541-753-6601.

Community yoga, 5 p.m., Live Well Studio, 971 NW Spruce Ave., Corvallis. Apprentice teachers. Cost: $7. Information: 541-224-6566 or www.livewellstudio.com.

Events

SATURDAY

Brunch, 9 to 11:30 a.m., Albany American Legion Hall, 1215 Pacific Blvd. SE. Cost depends on purchase.

Linn County Flea Market, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Santiam Building, Linn County Fair & Expo Center, 3700 Knox Butte Road E., Albany. More than 90 vendors selling antiques, collectibles and more. Early shoppers, 7:30 to 9 a.m., $6; regular admission, $2; children 12 and under admitted free; free parking. Information: www.linncountyfleamarket.com.

League of Women Voters of Corvallis Legislative Town Hall, 10 a.m., main meeting room, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave. Meet state legislators, hear about their work, ask questions and have conversations. Participants: Sen. Sara Gelser, Rep. Dan Rayfield, Rep. Mike Nearman.

"Saturday Stories," 10 a.m., youth activity room, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave. Family story time for all ages. Information: 541-766-6794.

Dedication ceremony, 1 p.m., Philomath Community Library, 1050 Applegate St. The flagpole, children's area and meeting will be dedicated to donors. The event will include speakers, a flag dedication ceremony and treats. Dedications will be made to Floyd E. Burton, Beverly Cleary and Starker Forests.

Genealogical library open, 1 to 3:30 p.m., annex, Benton County Historical Museum, 1101 Main St., Philomath.

Dinner, 5 p.m., Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 584, 1469 Timber St. SE, Albany. Information: 541-928-7925.

Bingo, 6 p.m., American Legion Post 184, 339 N. Main St., Brownsville. Cost: $1 a game.

Karaoke, 7:30 p.m., Lebanon Moose Lodge, 4070 S. Santiam Highway. Open to the public, all ages.

Fundraisers

SATURDAY

Beards and Brews Festival, 2 to 5 p.m., Calapooia Brewing, 140 Hill St. NE, Albany. Free admission; $20 to enter ones beard in the contest; votes, $1 and $5, with ballot-box stuffing encouraged; vote tickets double as raffle tickets. All proceeds go to the Santiam/Scio Youth Services Team.

Government

SATURDAY

Benton County Board of Commissioners breakfast meeting with state legislators, 8 a.m., McGrath's Fish House, 350 NW Circle Blvd., Corvallis.

Government Comment Corner, 10 a.m., lobby, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave. Ward 5 Councilor Charlyn Ellis will be on hand.

Health

SATURDAY

Free breast and cervical cancer screenings, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Samaritan Obstetrics & Gynecology, 3640 NW Samaritan Drive, Suite 161, Corvallis. For women ages 21 to 65 who are uninsured or under-insured. Registration and transportation arrangements: 541-768-6053 or 541-768-5611.

Organizations

SATURDAY

The Mid-Valley Bicycle Club offers rides open to the adult public on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Information: www.mvbc.com.

Mid-Valley Singles, Inc., 9 a.m., Elmer's Restaurant, 1115 NW Ninth St., Corvallis. Breakfast. RSVP: 541-929-3422.

Santiam Spokes, 9 a.m., Lebanon. Bicycle ride. Information: www.santiamspokes.org.

Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism, 10 a.m., 101 NW 23rd St., Corvallis.

Corvallis Bicycle Collective, noon to 6 p.m., 707 NW 11th St. Fix up your bicycle with free use of tools and advice; affordable used bicycles and parts. Information: 541-224-6885 or www.corvallisbikes.org.

Albany Magic Club, 1 p.m., upstairs conference room, Albany Public Library, 2450 14th Ave. SE.

Linn Genealogical Society, 1:15 p.m., Albany Public Library, 2450 14th Ave. SE. Genealogical resource panel including Pat Munk of the Lebanon Genealogical Society, Jerry Duncan of the Scio Library and Museum, Carla Healey of the Sweet Home Genealogical Society, and a representative of Albany's new Family History Center. Information: 541-791-1618 or www.lgsoregon.org.

Corvallis Community Drum Circle, 7 p.m., 101 NW 23rd St., Corvallis. Open to all ages and skills levels. Instruments provided, or bring your own. Information: drumcircleconnection@gmail.com.

Plan ahead

Sustainability Town Hall 2017, 7 p.m. Thursday, CH2M Hill Alumni Center, 725 SW 26th St., Corvallis. Samantha Chisholm Hatfield of the Siletz Confederated Tribes will present "Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Groundwork for a Sustainable Community." Community scrapbook, activities to determine the direction of the community's sustainability efforts in the coming year. Registration: www.sustainablecorvallis.org, by Sunday.

Support groups

SATURDAY

Al-Anon, 10 a.m., Room 219, First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. Support for families and friends of alcoholics. Message center: 541-967-6262.

Alcoholics Anonymous:

 10 a.m., noon, Room 11, First Christian Church, 602 SW Madison Ave., Corvallis.

 5:30 p.m., pastoral office, library, St. Marys Catholic Church, 501 NW 25th St., Corvallis.

 6:30 p.m., upstairs classroom, west-side door, Monroe United Methodist Church, 648 Orchard St., Monroe.

 8 p.m., conference room, Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, 3600 NW Samaritan Drive, Corvallis.

Information (24 hours): 541-967-4252 or www.aa-oregon.org.

Narcotics Anonymous, 6 p.m., Room 11, First Christian Church, 602 SW Madison Ave., Corvallis. Information (24 hours): 877-233-4287 or www.lblna.org.
[File photo]

A Chinese envoy has come into focus after castigating Western countries rebuke of Chinas stance on the crisis in Syria. Many Chinese people praised the envoy for showcasing the charisma of a true diplomat.

Liu Jieyi, Chinas permanent representative to the UN, delivered a seven-minute speech denouncing the accusations by Western countries that China has been irresponsible in its global security measures, after the country vetoed new UN sanctions against Syria on Feb. 28.

Reiterating Chinas stance on chemical weapons during the meeting, Liu said China used to be a victim of such weapons, and therefore has more say than other countries when it comes to condemning the use of chemical weapons.

Disagreeing with Liu, representatives from Western countries including the U.S. and U.K. minced no words in criticizing the outrageous, indefensible choice that China made, with new American envoy Nikki Haley stating that [China and Russia] turned away from defenseless people when Assads forces dropped their poisonous gas.

In response to such groundless accusations, Liu said its irresponsible to distort and attack other countries solemn positions, and that such accusations emphasized the "unjustifiable grounds and ulterior motives of the countries making the accusations.

As we can all recall, so-called weapons of mass destruction (WMD ) were used as an excuse by certain countries to launch wars in the past, which brought suffering to people in the Middle East. Today, countries in the Middle East are still beset by the legacies of such wars. Lessons from history must be learned; it is only in this way that mistakes can be avoided, said Liu.

Lius speech quickly went viral on Chinese social media, with many netizens lauding his words and praising his delivery.

Western countries should take much of the responsibility for Syrias chaos. Chinas voice should be heard by the world, and Lius speech is impartial and enlightening, showing Chinas wish for a peaceful Syria, one netizen wrote on Sina Weibo.

Chinese mainstream media outlets and scholars have also paid close attention to Lius speech. According to a Reference News report, Lius unprecedentedly long speech is quite rare, and was partially improvised.

Lius most recent speech was much longer than his previous ones. It shows that China has its own stance on the Syria issue, and that we are not just following Russia, said Zheng Qirong, an expert in UN Studies at China Foreign Affairs University.

To deliver a speech is not only a chance for Chinese diplomats to showcase their charisma, but also is a test of their flexibility and resourcefulness,  Zheng added.
DT annual press conference : Brexit vote burdens Deutsche Telekom

CEO of Deutsche Telekom, Tim Hottges. Foto: Benjamin Westhoff

Bonn US business is booming, but depreciation in the UK as a result of the Brexit vote last year is significantly impacting Deutsche Telekoms balance sheet. The annual press conference of DT also took on a political accent.

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Depreciation in the UK as a result of the Brexit has burdened the balance sheet of Deutsche Telekom. As Deutsche Telekom reported yesterday at the annual press conference in Bonn, the full-year net profit declined 18 per cent to 2.7 billion euros. It holds a 12 per cent stake in the British BT Group, whose shares took a big hit after the UKs vote to leave the European Union last year. As well, there was a decline in the value of the British pound by almost ten percent.

In operational terms, the result was positive. Business in the US market was very strong, with sales rising by nearly six percent to 73.1 billion euros across the Group. The U.S. market remains a growth driver with T-Mobile having added 8 million customers and becoming the third largest provider. Telekom CEO Tim Hottges spoke yesterday of a "growth year 2016". The Group had reached or even exceeded forecasts for 2016. For the current year, Hottges expects a "continuation of the successful operating business." In both Europe and the US, the number of mobile customers rose.

The current political landscape means that no financial press conference can take place without a cautious glance in that direction, especially for a firm which builds its business on creating networks across borders. In a company produced film aimed at promoting a united and open Europe, populist politicians like Nigel Farage and Marine LePen could be seen on the screen. Hottges commented, We will not leave Europe to the populists. He further emphasized, We do not represent a divided Europe.
Body recovered in Unkel : Dead woman found in Rhine

Unkel A womans body was found at the edge of the Rhine River in Unkel on Thursday morning. Police said there were no indications of foul play.

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Police were called to Unkel for a recovery operation on Thursday morning. At the edge of the Rhine River, a body was found at around 11 am. Police had to retrieve the body from the river; it was reported to be a female. Further details are not yet known.

According to police, there is no information about the womans identity. It was also unclear as to how long the body had been in the river before it was found.
Chinese investor : Frankfurt-Hahn Airport is sold

Berlin Frankfurt-Hahn Airport is home to low-cost airlines such as Ryanair, Wizzair and SunExpress. The airport, which was previously an American military airfield, has been sold to a Chinese investor.

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The Frankfurt-Hahn Airport has been sold to Chinese investor HNA Group. The Interior Ministry in Mainz said a contract was signed on Wednesday evening, giving HNA 82.5 percent of the airport.

Located on the outskirts of Frankfurt, the airport previously belonged to the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Hessen. Hessen still owns 17.5 percent of the airport and has been in talks to sell its share but so far no deal has been made. No information was available about the sales price to HNA Group.
Police search successful : Man who attacked girl in Tannenbusch has been identified

Bonn Police are investigating a case of attempted sexual abuse of an eight-year-old girl in Tannenbusch. A man has been identified in the case following a search.

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An eight-year-old girl was followed and attacked by the suspect in Tannenbusch on Thursday afternoon. Police are investigating the incident as suspected sexual abuse of a child. The man followed the girl from a bus stop on Riesengebirgstrae at around 1:50 pm to her address on the same street. According to police, he followed her into the building and onto the elevator.

On the elevator, he grabbed the girl and struck her with the flat of his hand in her face. After that, according to police, he pulled a cloth bag over her head and grabbed her by the neck. The child vigorously defended herself, and the perpetrator left her and fled.
The 11 March 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake was the largest and most destructive in the history of Japan. Japanese researchersand their Norwegian partnersare hard at work trying to understand just what made it so devastating.

The massive earthquake that rocked Japan on 11 March 2011 killed more than 20,000 people, making it one of the most deadly natural disasters in the countrys history. Virtually all of the victims drowned in a tsunami that in places was more than 30 metres high.

The tsunami also crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, causing meltdowns in three of the plants six reactors and releasing record amounts of radiation to the ocean. The reactors were so unstable at one point that the former Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, later admitted he considered evacuating 50 million people from the greater Tokyo region. Eventually, 160,000 people had to leave their homes because of radiation.

This national disaster, Japans largest-ever earthquake, was a call to action for Japanese earth scientists. Their mission: to understand exactly what happened to make this quake so destructive. For this, they turned to JAMSTEC, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology to probe the secrets in the 7000-metre deep Japan Trench, the epicentre of the temblor.

In the five years since the disaster, researchers have found intriguing clues as to what made the quake so dangerous. Norwegian petroleum expertise from working on the Norwegian Continental Shelf is now helping to uncover new details as scientists continue to try to understand what factors contribute to making an earthquake in this region really big. In doing so, they hope to be able to better predict the magnitude and location of future quakes and tsunamis.

A jumble of tectonic plates

Japan sits in what may be one of the most dangerous places possible when it comes to earthquakes. The northern part of the country lies on a piece of the North American plate, whereas the southern part of the country sits on the Eurasian plate. In the north, the Pacific plate is sliding underneath the North American plate, while to the south, the Eurasian plate is riding over the Philippine Sea plate. When one plate moves in relation to another, the movement can trigger an earthquake and tsunami.

The complex jumble of tectonic plates explains why roughly 1,500 earthquakes rattle the country every year, and why it is home to 40 active volcanoes10 per cent of the worlds total.

Given that Japan experiences so many earthquakes, the quake that shook the country on the afternoon of 11 March wasnt completely unexpected. In fact, researchers predicted that the region would see an earthquake of 7.5 magnitude or more over the next 30 years.

Earthquakes are routine enough in Japan that the country has strict building codes to prevent damage. Most large buildings wriggle and sway with the shaking of the earthone man in Tokyo told the BBC that the movements in his workplace skyscraper during the 2011 quake were so strong he felt seasickand even the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was protected by 10-metre-high seawall.

Yet some combination of factors made the Tohoku-Oki earthquake bigger and with a more deadly tsunami than scientists expected. But what?

This is what we want to understandand to mitigate, says Shinichi Kuramoto, Director General for the Center for Deep Earth Exploration at JAMSTEC. Why do these big earthquakes occur?

A really big slip

JAMSTEC researchers mobilized almost immediately after the disaster, and sent their 106-metre-long research vessel RV Kairei to the quakes epicentre just a few days after it occurred.

For a little over two weeks, the ship cruised over the Japan Trench off the coast of Honshu. The purpose was to create a bathymetric picture of the sea bottom and to collect reflection seismic data, which allows researchers to peer into the sediments and rocks underneath the seafloor.

A subsequent cruise by JAMSTECs RV Kaiyo 7-8 months after the earthquake collected additional high-resolution reflection seismic images in the area. Fortunately, the researchers also had data from a similar study that had been done in 1999 in the same region.

The data showed them that the landward seafloor in the trench area slipped as much as 50 metres horizontally, said Yasuyuki Nakamura, Deputy Group leader in JAMSTECs Center for Earthquake and Tsunami Structural Seismology Group.

This was a big slip in the trench axis area, he said. For comparison, the 1995 Kobe earthquake, which killed more than 6000 people and was a magnitude 7.3, had an average slip of 2 metres.

Another magnitude 8 earthquake in 1946 in the Nankai area in southern Japan that destroyed 36,000 homes had a maximum slip of 10 metres, Nakamura said.

So you can see that 50 metres is a very huge slip, he said. That in itself partly explains why the tsunami wave was so big, he said.

Creating images using sound waves

When Martin Landr, a geophysicist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), read about the Japanese earthquake and learned that his Japanese counterparts had collected seismic data from both before and after the quake, he thought he might be able to offer some help.

For more than 20 years, Landr has worked with interpreting and visualizing seismic data. Oil companies and geophysicists routinely use this approach to collect information about the geology under the seafloor. Landr has studied everything from putting seismic data to work to discover new undersea oil reservoirs to visualizing what happens to CO2 injected into an undersea reservoir, as is being done now in the Sleipner Field in the North Sea.

It works like this: a ship sails along a straight line for 100 kilometres or more, and uses airguns to send an acoustic signal every 50 metres while the ship sails along. The ship also tows a long cable behind it to record the acoustic signals that are reflected back by the sediments and bedrock under the sea floor. Simply stated, harder materials reflect signals back more quickly than softer materials.

Geologists can create a two-dimensional image, a cross section of the geology under the sea floor, by towing one long cable behind a ship. A three-dimensional image can be created by towing a number of cables with sensors on them and essentially combining a series of two-dimensional images into a three-dimensional one.

A very special type of seismic data, however, is called 4-D, where the fourth dimension is time. Here, geophysicists can combine 2-D images from different time periods, or 3-D images from different time periods to see how an area has changed over time. It can be highly complex, especially if different systems have been used to collect the seismic data from the two different time periods. But 4-D seismic analysis is Landrs special expertise.

From North Sea oil reservoirs to the Japan Trench

Landr contacted Shuichi Kodaira, director of JAMSTECs Center for Earthquake and Tsunami, and said that he wanted to see if some of the techniques that had been used for petroleum-related purposes could be used to understand stress changes related to earthquakes. Kodaira agreed.

Then it was just a matter of getting the data and reprocessing it, Landr said, to make the two different time periods as comparable as possible.

We could then estimate movements and changes caused by the earthquake at the seabed and below the seabed, Landr said.

After nearly a year of working remotely together on the data, Landr and his Norwegian colleagues flew to Japan in November 2016 to meet their Japanese counterparts for the first time. Theyre now in the process of jointly writing a scientific paper for publication, so he is reluctant to describe their new findings in detail before they are published.

The ultimate goal here is to understand what happened during the earthquake in as detailed a way as possible. The big picture is more or less the same, Landr said. It is more like we are looking at minor details that might be important using a technique that has been used in the oil industry for many years. Maybe we will see some details that havent been seen before.

An early warning system

Landr is also interested in a system that JAMSTEC has installed in the ocean off the southern part of the country, called the Dense Oceanfloor Network system for Earthquakes and Tsunamis, more commonly known as DONET.

The DONET system (of which there are now two) is a series of linked pressure sensors installed on the ocean floor in the Nankai Trough, an area that has been hit by repeated dangerous earthquakes, JAMSTECs Nakamura said.

The Nankai Trough is located where the Philippine Sea plate is sliding under the Eurasian plate at a rate of about 4 cm per year. In general, there have been large earthquakes along the trough every 100 to 150 years.

DONET 1 also includes a series of seismometers, tilt meters and strain indicators that were installed in a pit 980 metres below a known earthquake centre in the Nankai Trough. The sensors from the pit and from the seafloor above are all linked in a network of cables that sends real-time observations to monitoring stations and to local governments and businesses.

Essentially, if there is movement big enough to cause an earthquake and tsunami, the sensors will report it. JAMSTEC researchers have conducted studies that show that the DONET network could detect a coming tsunami as much as 10 to 15 minutes earlier than land-based detection stations along the coast. Those extra minutes could mean saving thousands of lives.

One of the main purposes here is to provide a tsunami early warning system, Nakamura said. Weve been collaborating with local governments to establish this.

Other applications a possibility

Landr says he thinks that using techniques from 4-D seismic imaging could also be used with the data collected by all the DONET sensors.

The DONET approach, or some variation of it, might also be useful in the future as Norway and other countries explore using oil reservoirs to store CO2. One of the biggest concerns about storing CO2 in subsea reservoirs is monitoring the storage area to make certain the CO2 stays in place. A DONET-style monitoring system might be of interest here, Landr said.

Landr also says he thinks that techniques from 4-D seismic imaging could be used with the data collected by all the DONET sensors to obtain a better understanding of how the area is changing over time.

DONET is passive data, listening to the rock, Landr said. But here you could also use some of the same techniques as for 4-D analysis to learn more.

Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
A recent notice from the Ministry of Education mandates that homeschooling is not a valid replacement for compulsory education. This is the first time the authority has explicitly called for an end to homeschooling, according to the Worker's Daily.

As of February 2016, about 6,000 students were being homeschooled in China, and about 50,000 parents planned to try the alternative education method, according to Wang Jiajia, an associate professor at Jiangsu University. Wang estimates that the number of children being homeschooled increased by about 30 percent between 2013 and 2017.

Homeschooling instruction is often carried out by parents or tutors. It takes a variety of forms, including small, traditional private schools and and mini schools.

According to a survey by the 21st Century Education Research Institute, 80 percent of parents of homeschooled children have received higher education. Most live in urban areas, with 58.21 percent residing in major cities. Twenty percent have lived overseas for at least six months, and over 50 percent have teaching experience.

The parents do not agree with schools' ideas about education, and they also oppose their teaching methods. These are two main reasons why parents choose to homeschool their children, Wang explained.

Of the parents surveyed, 87.31 percent said they felt satisfied with the results of homeschooling and 80.6 percent thought homeschooled children's social networking abilities were "very good" or "fairly good."

At present, there is no final conclusion on the legitimacy of homeschooling. The Compulsory Education Law stipulates that children above the age of 6 receive an education in schools. Article 14 of the law further stipulates that those who implement the compulsory education independently should seek approval from the nearest county education department. Thus, the provision still leaves some room for homeschooling.

It is worth noting that the ministrys notice does not reference any legal means of stopping homeschooling in the case of parents who insist on it.
Article

Protecting the worlds oceans  an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy

The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs.
According to Fu Yong, head of China National Administration of GNSS and Applications, the BeiDou system has been working well since it was put into operation, and its civil user base now exceeds 10 million. In addition, BeiDou has finalized an inspection of 18,000 kilometers of gas pipe in Beijing, as Beijing Gas Group plans to replace its former GPS system with the BeiDou system.

Data shows that the overall function of the system meets design requirements. Key indices such as accuracy of positioning and timing services are better than design criteria demand.

The BeiDou system was independently established and is now independently operated by China. It provides positioning, navigation and timing services with high accuracy for users around the world. The first BeiDou satellite was launched in 2000 as a Chinese alternative to satellite navigation systems developed by other countries. In December 2012, it began providing positioning, navigation, timing and short message services to China and some parts of the Asia Pacific.
Amazon Web Services outage was caused by a typo News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu It was a typo that caused the issue!

The Amazon Web Services went down a few days back causing a number of websites such as Netflix, Quora, Spotify, Pinterest, Trello, Slack, Buzzfeed, etc go down. Even the website that is meant to check if the other sites are working fine was down due to the disruption in the service.

Following the outage, Amazon investigated the matter to find the root cause. Amazon didn't stop there but revealed the reason officially bringing clarity in the matter. As per Amazon, a single typo (a wrong command) executed by an employee is the prime cause of the cascading effect that took a number of websites down.

It was an employee of the Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) team, who caused the outage. While conducting a routine debugging operation, the employee meant to take down a few servers those handled the S3 billion process but a large number of servers were removed due to a typo one of the inputs in the given command.

Amazon Web Services outage creates chaos among internet users

While the four hours of disruption is said to have caused an estimated loss of $160 million, Amazon has announced that it is working on steps that will make sure a similar disruption does not happen again in future. The company has implemented automatic checks, where the capacity will be removed slowly. This way, any incorrect command will not disrupt the services in the future.

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Google Assistant is now coming to Android Marshmallow and Nougat devices News oi -Samden Sherpa Now all Android users can do a host of activities with Google Assistant.

Google earlier had suggested that it is going to make its Google Assistant the AI-powered virtual assistant available on a wider range of devices. And the recently launched smartphones such as LG G6, Moto G5, and Moto G5 Plus is said to come preloaded with the digital assistant.

However, according to a recent report apart from the pixel devices Android Nougat and Android Marshmallow devices will also be receiving the feature as the official Google Assistant rollout has just begun.

New Google Allo update brings GIF search, animated emoji, and one tap access to Assistant

The search giant has announced on its blog that Google Assistant will be made available automatically on "eligible Android devices" starting Thursday. As such, Google Assistant will be made available first for users in the US followed by Australia, Canada, and the UK.

Google has further stated that it is "rolling out the Android 7.0 Nougat and Android 6.0 Marshmallow devices with Google Play Services. To get started, users will need to "touch and hold the Home button."

Google 'Playables' will let you play paid games before buying them

Elaborating more about its plans Google has said, "Our goal is to make the Assistant available anywhere you need it. It came to Android Wear 2.0-via new smartwatches-just a few weeks ago and, as we previewed in January, the Assistant is also coming to TVs and cars. With this update, hundreds of millions of Android users will now be able to try out the Google Assistant."

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Chinas Domestic Violence Law should be revised to provide better protection for victims, and a more efficient mechanism should be established to ensure its implementation, an NPC deputy recently proposed.

Though Chinas first domestic violence law was passed swiftly, it still has many flaws, Sun Xiaomei, a national legislator and professor at China Womens University, told the Beijing News. Sun will submit her 10th proposal on the Domestic Violence Law to the National People's Congress.

Based on data collected by Sun from rural areas in China, the rate of domestic violence has not changed since the law was first issued in 2016. Though the situation is not promising, Sun noted that public awareness of the law is at a new high, and many victims have been able to use the law to protect their rights.

According to Sun, more malicious acts ought to fall into the category of domestic violence, including sexual violence and economic control. Sun also believes the law should cover more potential victims, expanding to including former spouses and gay couples that live together.

The law's lax implementation is also a major concern for Sun. Current law stipulates that public security organs should issue a written warning in cases of "light" domestic violence. Such warnings are meant to include the identity of the perpetrator and a prohibition against additional such acts in the future, However, according to Sun, many police stations have never issued even one written warning since the law took effect.

Core government sectors concerned with domestic violence protection, such as police and courts, should establish guidance on the Domestic Violence Laws implementation, while the current law should be revised to include a clearer definition of domestic violence and a procedure for the collection of evidence, suggested Sun.
Nokia 3310 (2017) to be made in India, confirm HMD News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu Nokia 3310 to be made in India.

Earlier this week, we had reported that the Nokia Android phones unveiled a few days back - Nokia 3, 5 and 6 will be made in India and released in the second quarter of the year. Now, it looks like the company is planning to make even the Nokia 3310 (2017) locally in the country.

HMD Mobile India's Vice President, Ajey Mehta says that they will attempt to make sure that all their products are made in India. HMD Global has teamed up with Foxconn to make the Nokia phones in India. The company is also evaluating the chances of developing a 4G feature phone that would make sense as Reliance Jio will be bringing such a phone in the near future at a disruptive price tag.

Nokia 3310 relaunch; this is how the internet reacts

Besides making the new Nokia 3310 in the country, HMD Global plans to release all the recent Nokia phone launches sometime in the second quarter in India, as claimed earlier. Mehta further added that India is a significant market for the company. The Nokia phones will be made available via both online and offline in the country. For now, Nokia has nearly 80,000 retailers, and they are in plans to increase the number in the future.

In an attempt to focus more on the after-sales service, the company plans to have a direct presence in a minimum of 250 towns in the country within the launch of the phones in the second quarter.

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Sony Xperia XZ Premium named the Best new smartphone at MWC 2017 News oi -Shilpa Achievement of Sony at MWC.

The GSMA hosts the Mobile World Congress every year in Barcelona and as a part it, they award the best tech companies in their annual Global Mobile Awards or GloMo event. This year, they awarded statuettes to over 40 winners from various categories.

Samsung grabbing the "Best Smartphone of 2016" prize is not a surprise to anyone because it was the best-selling handset from the last year. But now we learn that Sony has also won the "Best new smartphone" award for its Xperia XZ Premium.

Also Read: Jolla and Sony join hands to roll out Sailfish OS to Xperia phones



It can be considered as an achievement by the Japanese company because they have not changed its design and also were forced to disable few features in some markets. Sony also unveiled three other devices at MWC 2017 - Xperia XZs, Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra.

The winning device is the second 4K smartphone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 and has an updated 19 MP camera in it. Though it is packed with such a powerful processor, it will not be available in the market until late spring.

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Xiaomi Mi 6 release date pegged for April 16, Specs and price are out News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu Xiaomi Mi 6 price and specs are out.

Lately, Xiaomi has been pretty busy with the launch of its Surge S1 processor, and Mi 5C and Redmi 4X smartphones. Still, the company is in the headlines for the launch of its upcoming flagship phone - Mi 6.

Now, it appears like we have a date for the Mi 6 launch from an undisclosed source. The source has revealed that the Xiaomi flagship could be released on April 16 and will be the first Chinese phone to sport the latest Snapdragon 835 SoC.

Besides the presence of the Snapdragon 835 processor, the Xiaomi will not under-clock the SoC, which is great news. The Xiaomi fans are well aware of the fact that the company releases one flagship variant featuring an under-clocked processor. So, this is definitely great news for the Mi fans.

Xiaomi Mi 6 live photos with Mi Mix like display leaked

The Xiaomi Mi 6 is also claimed to flaunt a 5.2-inch LCD display with 2.5D glass as well as a ceramic body. The camera will be pretty similar to the one we recently saw on the Sony Xperia XZ premium.

Interestingly, apart from the launch date and key specs, we also have details about the pricing of the upcoming Mi 6. The smartphone is said to be priced starting 1999 yuan (approx. Rs. 19,000) and go up to 2500 yuan (approx. Rs. 25,000) for the ceramic body variant. The latter is likely to arrive with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage capacity, while the regular one might arrive in two options - 4GB RAM and 32GB storage, and 4GB RAM and 64GB storage.

Source

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Apple to create more domestic jobs, pressure from Trump administration News oi -GizBot Bureau Apple, may give into pressure from Trump administration, to create more domestic jobs.

Apple may soon set-up manufacturing plant in the US, in an attempt to create more domestic jobs, this move is in light with the pressure from the Trump administration. The company is believed to expand its $50 billion US manufacturing and supplier base as stated in a media report.

"We love this country. We will continue to look for ways to expand and help in any way that we can," Cook was quoted as saying at the company's annual meeting in Cupertino.

Apple CEO, Tim Cook went on to further state that though the final assembly of the iPhones is done in China, the semiconductors, glass screens and adhesives for the device are made in the US.

He also pointed out that though only one-thirds of the company revenues comes from the US, it still maintains two-thirds of its employees in the US.

SEE ALSO: Apple's next generation iPhones will likely feature USB Type-C port

The company is still looking at options to expand its operations in the US and feels that Apple could only exist in the US. Though all of this may be due to the pressure from the Trump administration it will be interesting to see how things pan out.

Apple had recently shown interest and even confirmed to start manufacturing its iPhones in Bangalore, India. Though it is rather early to know for sure what Apple has planned we could very well see Apple operating from both India and the US owing to the relationship between the two nations. None-the-less we will keep you posted on the latest updates as and when we get them.

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What will you get in Jio prepaid plan

The Prime Programme starts at Rs. 19 in which users will get one day validity with 200 MB 4G data, while the non-prime members will get 100MB 4G data for one day; Rs 49 prime member will get 600MB 4G data for three days, and non-prime member will receive 300MB for three days; at Rs. 96 users will get 7GB data and FUP is 1GB per day.

Non-Prime members get the same thing, except the FUP, which is 0.6GB per day (FUP is basically a cap on bandwidth, known as Fair Use Policy.); Rs. 149 subscribers will get unlimited voice calls and 2GB 4G data without any daily cap for a month, the non-prime members will get only 1GB for 28 days; Rs 303 plan prime members will get unlimited data, while 28GB available at 4G speeds.

FUP in this is 1GB per day. Non-Prime members users will get 2.5GB data with no FUP for 28 days and for Rs. 499 subscribers will get 60GB 4G data with a 2GB daily data cap and unlimited voice calls, while the non-prime members will get 5GB data for 28 days.

The company is also offering long duration plans, which start from Rs. 999 with a validity of 60 days and data allowance of 60GB, non-prime members will get 12.5GB data for 30 days; Rs 1,999 for 90 days with 125GB data, non-Prime members will get access to 30GB data for 30 days; at Rs 4,999 users will get 350GB data for 180 days, non-Prime members will be getting 100GB data, which will be valid for 30 days, and Rs. 9,999 for 360 days with 750GB and non-prime members will get access to a total of 200GB data, valid for 30 days.

What will you get in Jio postpaid plan?

At Rs. 303 plan, Prime members are getting unlimited data, where 28GB is available at 4G speeds. FUP is 1GB per day. Non-Prime members will be getting 2.5GB data on the same plan. At Rs. 499 plan, the prime members will get unlimited data, where 56GB is available at 4G speeds.

SEE ALSO: Airtel rated as India's fastest network by Ookla

FUP remains at 2GB per day. While at the same cost, non-Prime members will receive 5GB data without FUP. At Rs 999, the prime members will get unlimited data, where 60GB is available at 4G speeds where non-Prime members will only get 12.5GB data without FUP.

The company has also launched Booster packs for users in case their data limit ends suddenly. Using these, they can add data and continue using the web.

What competitors are offering

Airtel

Airtel is providing 30GB of 4G data at Rs. 1,495 for three months, and postpaid users are getting 3 GB data per month with all MyPlan Infinity Plans. At Rs. 549, Infinity plan offers unlimited calling and also 6GB data per month including a 3GB free data plan. To make it further competitive, Airtel has also announced its plan for acquiring Telenor.

Vodafone

Vodafone, on the other hand, has recently announced its merger plans with Aditya Birla Group. Regarding its tariff plans, it is offering 6GB data per month at Rs. 349, with unlimited voice calls.

The company has also introduced new offerings, where users will get 4GB data with a validity of 28 days. Additionally, Vodafone will also give 22GB of data when you recharge your number with Rs. 999.

Idea

Aditya Birla Group-led Idea Cellular is offering 1GB data per month for Rs. 348, with unlimited calling feature and if someone wants to recharge with this pack on a new 4G-handset, then the person will get additional 3GB data for 28 days.

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Overall, dont let the bhoot mislead you, nothing bhootiya about this story. Had the makers tried to push the envelope, the idea could have been outstanding for a bhootiya comedy.
Officials Provide Details of Latest Counter-ISIS Strikes in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, March 2, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

U.S. Central Command continues to work with partner nations to conduct targeted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria as part of the comprehensive strategy to degrade and defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Coalition military forces conducted five strikes consisting of five engagements in Syria:

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, a strike destroyed a wellhead and a pumpjack.

-- Near Raqqa, four strikes destroyed an ISIS training camp, an ISIS-held building, a weapons storage facility and a vehicle bomb factory.

Strikes in Iraq

Coalition military forces conducted five strikes consisting of 62 engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Mosul, four strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units; destroyed 19 fighting positions, four supply caches, four mortar systems, four vehicle bombs, three tunnels, two recoilless rifles, two vehicle bomb factories, an ISIS-held building, a command-and-control node and a barge; damaged 10 supply routes and two tunnels; and suppressed 14 mortar teams and three ISIS tactical units.

-- Near Tal Afar, a strike destroyed a tactical vehicle.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.

The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted.

Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect. For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.

The task force does 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.

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Release

No. NR-083-17 March 02, 2017

Statement by Pentagon Spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis on U.S. Strikes against AQAP in Yemen

U.S. forces conducted a series of precision strikes in Yemen against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, in the early morning of March 2 (Yemen time). More than 20 strikes targeted AQAP militants, equipment and infrastructure in the Yemeni governorates of Abyan, Al Bayda and Shabwah.

The strikes were conducted in partnership with the Government of Yemen, and were coordinated with President Hadi. The Government of Yemen is a valuable counter-terrorism partner, and we support its efforts to bring stability to the region by fighting known terrorist organizations like AQAP.

The strikes will degrade the AQAP's ability to coordinate external terror attacks and limit their ability to use territory seized from the legitimate government of Yemen as a safe space for terror plotting. Targets of the strikes included militants, equipment, infrastructure, heavy weapons systems and fighting positions.

AQAP has taken advantage of ungoverned spaces in Yemen to plot, direct, and inspire terror attacks against the United States and our allies. U.S. forces will continue to work with the Government of Yemen to defeat AQAP and deny it the ability to operate in Yemen.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1100244/

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(file photo)

China's National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) issued a new guideline on March 2 allowing patients in poor rural areas to receive medical treatment without paying the treatment fees upfront. Provincial health and family planning administrative departments are required to finish the official plan by the end of March, and the program will be implemented before the end of April.

According to the program's description, only poor, rural patients who have basic medical insurance can take advantage of the favorable policy. Patients who do utilize the policy will receive their medical treatment in designated medical institutions around the county.

Hospitalized patients must meet strict requirements. They have to provide documents including a health insurance card, valid ID card and proof of their economic status before being admitted to any hospital. Patients can receive treatment after signing a "pay after treatment" agreement.

The program also offers flexible payment methods. When a patient is discharged from the hospital, the designated medical institution immediately subtracts the portion of the treatment fee covered by insurance from the patient's bill. The patient is only expected to pay for individual expenses, and the medical institution then returns the patient's documents in a timely manner. For those who cannot pay their treatment fees all at once, there is an option to pay in installments.

Another facet of the program requires the establishment of a county-level payment system for impoverished patients, which is intended to gradually promote the development of provincial and cross-provincial settlement systems.

The program will punish malicious debtors through a credit system. A blacklist of offenders will be maintained, and designated medical institutions have the right to stop favorable policy coverage for people on the list. They can also report the offenders to medical insurance departments.
Secretary General: Switzerland is a valued NATO partner

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

01 Mar. 2017 - 02 Mar. 2017

Last updated: 02 Mar. 2017 18:37

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the value of the Alliance's partnership with Switzerland during a visit to Bern and Geneva on Wednesday and Thursday (1-2 March 2017).

Today, the Secretary General met with the Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Didier Burkhalter, and the Head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport, Mr. Guy Parmelin, in Bern. The leaders discussed current security challenges and opportunities for closer cooperation between the Alliance and Switzerland, including on cyber defence. The Secretary General welcomed Switzerland's plans to become a contributing partner to NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn.

Mr. Stoltenberg also praised Switzerland's contributions to peace and security. Switzerland has helped many NATO partners in building democratic defence institutions and provides support for NATO's peace-keeping efforts in Kosovo. Within NATO, Switzerland has helped to shape thinking and policies on human security issues, including to promote the role of women in peace and security.

The Secretary General outlined the importance of projecting stability beyond NATO's borders during a Townhall address at the Maison de la Paix in Geneva. Speaking to an audience of students, diplomats and journalists, Mr Stoltenberg stressed that training local forces and building resilient defence institutions in partner countries is key in the fight against terrorism.

At the end of his visit, Mr. Stoltenberg visited the Headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva, marking the first visit by a NATO Secretary General to its headquarters. He met with ICRC President Peter Maurer for talks on humanitarian issues and cooperation between NATO and the ICRC. Mr. Stoltenberg thanked the ICRC for its advice on the development of NATO's Policy for the Protection of Civilians, adopted by Allied leaders at the Warsaw Summit in July 2016. He also underscored that NATO's commitment to International Humanitarian Law is fundamental.

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Santa Fe Visits Yokosuka during Indo-Asia-Pacific Deployment

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS170302-02

Release Date: 3/2/2017 8:14:00 AM

By Lt. j.g. Tajudeen Ismail, USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) Public Affairs

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka March 2 for a visit as part of its Indo-Asia-Pacific patrol.

The visit strengthens the already positive alliance between the U.S. and Japan through the crew's interaction with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. It also demonstrates the U.S. Navy's commitment to regional stability and maritime security in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.

Santa Fe is optimistic about the opportunity for a port visit in Yokosuka and looks forward to strengthening the ties shared with close allies.

"Our crew has had the opportunity to meet our partner Japanese submarine crews that visit Pearl Harbor and are excited to visit their homeport," said Cmdr. Jacob A. Foret, commanding officer.

This submarine is capable of executing anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

"The crew has worked tirelessly at training and preparing for the western Pacific deployment and are eager to explore the many sights and sounds of Yokosuka," said Master Chief Electronics Technician (Navigation) Jorge Perez, chief of the boat. "The crew has many first-timers who have heard so many interesting stories about Japan and look forward to experiencing the Japanese culture firsthand during this port visit. They joined the Navy to see the world, and this is their first foreign port visit."

Many crew members are excited to experience the rich culture of Japan.

Measuring more than 360 feet long and weighing more than 6,000 tons when submerged, Santa Fe is among the world's stealthiest platforms.

Santa Fe is homeported in Pearl Harbor and is assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 7. It is named after the great city of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

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Bataan Amphibious Ready Group Deploys

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS170302-19

Release Date: 3/2/2017 2:24:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Zak Grabill, USS Bataan (LHD 5) Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- More than 4,000 Sailors and Marines from the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24 MEU) departed from Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Feb. 25 and March 1.

The deployment is part of a regular rotation of forces to support maritime security operations, provide crisis response capability, and increase theater security cooperation while providing a forward naval presence in Europe and the Middle East.

The Bataan ARG is commanded by Capt. Larry LeGree, commodore, Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 8 and is comprised of amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), Tactical Air Control Squadron 21, and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26, homeported at Naval Station Norfolk; amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), Assault Craft Unit 4 detachments, and Beach Master Unit 2, homeported at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia Beach.

Mesa Verde and Carter Hall departed Feb. 25, and the rest of the Bataan ARG departed March 1.

"After months of training, this Navy and Marine Corps team have come together and are a very capable amphibious force," said LeGree. "It's all about teamwork and maximizing the tremendous capabilities of our forces to provide the fleet commanders with scalable, ready, and resilient forces."

The 24 MEU consists of more than 2,200 Marines, which also includes a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 (Reinforced), and Combat Logistics Battalion 24 and the MEU command element. The 24 MEU spent 26 weeks training in mission areas such as security operations, humanitarian relief, and amphibious raids.

The Bataan ARG/MEU team will provide combatant commanders a versatile sea-based force which can be tailored to a variety of missions, including quick reaction crisis response options on sea, shore, and land in support of the nation's maritime strategy.

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Israeli fighter jets, tanks carry out airstrikes, artillery shelling against Gaza Strip

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 6:59PM

Warplanes and tanks belonging to Israeli regime forces have carried out airstrikes and artillery shelling on the Gaza Strip in yet another act of aggression against the besieged Palestinian coastal enclave.

The Israeli military said in a statement on Thursday that aircraft and a tank targeted two posts belonging to the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas.

A source with Hamas confirmed that the Israeli aerial attacks had hit a lookout post in northern Gaza.

The attacks came after the Israeli army claimed that "shots were fired at (Israeli) forces carrying out routine activities" near Gaza.

Also on Monday, at least four people sustained injuries after Israeli military aircraft carried out a string of airstrikes on areas in the Gaza Strip.

The airstrikes came shortly after the Israeli military claimed that a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip had hit an open area in southern occupied territories, but caused no injuries or damage.

Last month, the Gaza-based al-Mezan Center for Human Rights expressed concern about Israeli airstrikes, saying the rise in the attacks could be leading up to a wide-scale military offensive.

It called on the international community to "act promptly against Israel's military escalation."

The Israeli military frequently targets the Gaza Strip, with civilians being the main victims of such attacks.

Israel has also launched several wars on the Palestinian sliver, the last of which began in early July 2014. The 50-day military aggression, which ended on August 26, 2014, killed nearly 2,200 Palestinians, including 577 children. Over 11,100 others -- including 3,374 children, 2,088 women and 410 elderly people -- were also wounded in the war.

The Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli siege since June 2007. The blockade has caused a decline in living standards as well as unprecedented unemployment and poverty.

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UN anti-drug body slams Philippines for 'extrajudicial' killings

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 6:26PM

The UN anti-drug body has censured the Philippines for the rampant use of extrajudicial killings in its war on narcotics.

The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) said in its annual report published on Thursday that killing people over their involvement in drug trade and use without providing them with judicial procedures was against international regulations on fighting drugs.

The report said "extrajudicial action, purportedly taken in pursuit of drug control objectives, is fundamentally contrary to the provisions and objectives" of international drug conventions.

It strongly condemned the practice as a "serious violation of human rights" and an "affront to the most basic standards of human dignity."

The report adds to increasing criticisms about an eight-month anti-drug campaign by the government of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Estimates about the ruthless campaign suggest that more than 6,500 people have been killed since Duterte took office in June.

Officials say more than 2,500 were killed while resisting police arrest while some 4,000 others were killed in unexplained circumstances.

The INCB, a quasi-judicial UN body which monitors the implementation of drug conventions, had urged Manila in August 2016 to immediately stop the killings.

It said in its new annual report that it would continue "to encourage states that retain capital punishment to consider the abolition of the death penalty for drug-related offences."

The report comes as the Philippines seeks to reinstate the death penalty for drug-related crimes.

Last week, the Filipino Parliament passed a second reading of a bill on capital punishment. A final reading is to be held next week but it is viewed as a formality.

Many had expected that increasing international criticism could force Duterte to tone down his rhetoric on drugs. However, the president announced on Tuesday that Philippine police, which had been suspended from the anti-drug campaign in January over corruption claims, would be recalled to the action.

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Kenya forces kill about 60 Shabab militants in Somalia

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 4:56PM

Kenyan troops have killed nearly 60 suspected members of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab militant group during a fierce fighting in southern Somalia, a Kenya's military spokesman says.

Col. Joseph Owuoth said in a statement on Thursday that Kenyan soldiers under the African Union command used helicopter gunships and artillery against al-Shabab Takfiri militants in Afmadow, a town located about 100 kilometers inland from the port of Kismayo.

"In the onslaught, 57 al-Shabab militants were killed and unknown number injured," Owuoth said.

The spokesman added that at least five gun-mounted pickup trucks known as "technicals" were also destroyed in the offensive.

In January, al-Shabab militants targeted a Kenyan military base in the southern Somali town of Kulbiyow, near the Kenyan border.

Kenyan authorities said that nine soldiers lost their lives in the assault, while al-Shabab said it killed at least 66.

Last January, al-Shabab said it had killed over 100 Kenyan troops in El Adde, a Somali camp near the border with Kenya.

Suspected al-Shabab militants kidnap 3 teachers in Kenya

Meanwhile, Kenyan police said Thursday that gunmen had kidnapped at least three Kenyan teachers from Dadaab refugee camp in eastern Kenya.

Three men with pistols abducted the teachers with the Udha Academy in the Hagadera section of the world's largest refugee camp, which hosts more than 300,000 Somali refugees.

Mohamud Saleh, the northeastern regional security coordinator, said security forces sealed the route into neighboring Somalia, where the gunmen are suspected to have come from.

Kenyan authorities say the camp has become a recruitment and training ground for al-Shabab.

The government in Nairobi blamed al-Shabab for the kidnapping of two Spanish aid workers from Dadaab camp in October 2011.

In June 2012, four international aid workers were kidnapped from Dadaab in an assault that saw a Kenyan driver killed.

The militant group has vowed revenge on Kenya for sending soldiers to Somalia to fight it.

Kenya says multiple cross-border attacks led to its decision to send troops to Somalia.

The al-Shabab militant group, which once had control over many parts of Somalia, including the capital city Mogadishu, aims to topple the central government and push out the African Union mission to Somalia, known as AMISOM, which is made up of soldiers from Kenya, Djibouti, Uganda, Ethiopia, and other African countries.

AMISOM and Somali troops driven al-Shabab out of all major urban strongholds and ports, but the group still stages attacks on targets in smaller, more remote areas, posing a threat to peace.

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Sudan's Bashir appoints first premier since 1989 coup

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 4:11PM

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has appointed a prime minister for the first time since the post was abolished following a coup in 1989.

Bakri Hassan Saleh, 68, took the oath of office at the presidential palace in Khartoum on Thursday, a day after he was named as prime minister by the executive bureau of the president's National Congress Party (NCP).

A close confidante of Bashir, Saleh has served in several ministerial portfolios in the Sudanese government, including interior and defense. The army general, who is known as "Bashir's shadow," was head of Sudan's all powerful National Security and Intelligence Service in the 1990s.

Saleh was an influential military officer in the 1989 coup which brought Bashir to power. He has been a key aide to Bashir and served as first vice-president, a post he will continue to occupy in the future.

The appointment is part of reforms proposed by a year-long national dialogue between the Sudanese government and some opposition groups.

Bashir, who has faced criticism over his way of dealing with dissent, concluded in October last year a national dialogue involving his government and several opposition groups. The main aim of the initiative is to resolve insurgency in Sudan's border regions and heal the country's crisis-wracked economy.

Bashir scrapped the post of prime minister after he launched the 1989 coup against then premier Sadiq al-Mahdi.

Lawmakers approved constitutional amendments last year while Mahdi returned to Sudan from a two-year exile last month. The post of prime minister was created by constitutional amendments.

Many say the appointment of a new prime minister would help Bashir revive his decades-old rule and give it a new look.

Khaled Tigani, a senior journalist, said Sudan would hardly differ under Saleh's premiership as it would be a continuation of Bashir's rule.

"General Bakri's appointment is broadly a continuation of Bashir's rule rather than a new chapter in Sudan's politics," he told AFP, adding, "But at the end of the day it depends on the leadership that General Bakri manages to show."

Saleh said in a brief statement after taking oath that his cabinet would represent various political forces.

"Our country is at a historic moment as it harmonizes all political parties and powers who participated in the national dialogue," Saleh said.

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Egypt's top appeals court acquits Mubarak over killing protesters during 2011 revolution

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 2:51PM

Egypt's top appeals court has acquitted former dictator Hosni Mubarak of involvement in the killing of hundreds of protesters during the 2011 revolution that ended his nearly three-decade reign.

The former president was originally sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for conspiring to murder 239 demonstrators during an 18-day revolt which began in January 2011.He was also found guilty of sowing chaos and creating a security vacuum.

However, an appeals court later overturned the verdict and ordered a retrial, citing technical flaws in the prosecution.

The retrial resulted in dropping the case two years later, but the public prosecution appealed the decision and ordered another retrial by Egypt's top appeals court.

The Thursday ruling by Egypt's top appeals court -- the Court of Cassation -- is final.

During the court hearing, the judge read Mubarak the charges, in which he and his interior minister were accused of providing weapons and vehicles used to assault protesters.

Mubarak denied the charges as he was sitting in a wheelchair in the defendant's cage, saying, "It did not happen."

Hundreds of people died when security forces clashed with demonstrators in the weeks before Mubarak was ousted from power in 2011.

Lawyers representing the families of those killed in the 2011 revolution have called for the charges against Mubarak to be upgraded to murder. They have also demanded that the court summon current President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who was head of military intelligence at the time.

Mubarak-era figures are gradually being cleared of charges and a series of laws limiting freedoms have raised fears among activists that the old regime is back.

In an election after Mubarak's ouster, Muslim Brotherhood-backed Mohamed Morsi was elected president. Morsi was later ousted in a military coup led by Sisi in July 2013.

Since Morsi was toppled, the Egyptian government has been cracking down on any opposition.

Rights groups say the army's crackdown has led to the deaths of over 1,400 people and the arrest of 22,000 others, including some 200 people who have been sentenced to death in mass trials.

The UN Human Rights Council has repeatedly expressed concern over Egyptian security forces' heavy-handed crackdown and the killing of anti-government protesters.

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US drone strikes kill six in northwestern Pakistan, southern Yemen

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 11:15AM

At least six people have been killed in US drone strikes in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region near the border with Afghanistan and the southern regions of war-torn Yemen.

A drone strike claimed the lives of a pair riding a motorcycle in Pakistan's Kurram Agency, located in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, the country's lawless tribal areas, on Thursday, reported a government official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official added that it was not yet clear who the victims were.

"A drone missile struck the motorcycle, which caught fire and then exploded," said Haji Zamin Hussain, a village elder from the area, without giving more information.

The area is said to be home to militants from both the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban militant groups as well as the al-Qaeda terrorist group.

The US has been conducting drone strikes in several countries. The aerial attacks, initiated by former US President George W. Bush in 2004, were escalated under former President Barack Obama.

The US claims the airstrikes target members of al-Qaeda and other militants, but according to local officials and witnesses, civilians have also been the victims of the attacks in many cases.

The people of Afghanistan have been suffering from violence and insecurity since the US and its allies invaded the country as part of Washington's so-called war on terror in 2001. Many parts of the country still remain plagued by militancy despite the presence of foreign troops.

The military invasion removed the Taliban from power, but militancy continues across the country.

Meanwhile, two US drone strikes killed at least four people, suspected to be al-Qaeda members, in the Yashbum Valley in Yemen's southern province of Shabwah.

A separate drone strike also hit an area in the eastern parts of the Shaqra town in the southern province of Abyan. However, there were no immediate reports of possible casualties from the latter strike.

The drone attacks in Yemen have continued alongside the Saudi military aggression against Yemen.

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Sweden To Bring Back Conscription

March 02, 2017

Sweden announced March 2 that it will reintroduce compulsory military service starting this summer to respond to global security challenges.

"The government wants a more stable staff supply system and to boost its military capability because the security situation has changed," Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist told local media.

Sweden ended conscription in 2010 because it had been considered unsatisfactory for meeting the needs of a modern army.

Sweden's government on March 2 is set to introduce to the parliament a bill to restore conscription this summer for all Swedes born after 1999. Compulsory military service is set to last for 11 months.

The measure is expected to be adopted by parliament.

Sweden is not a NATO member but has signed the alliance's Partnership for Peace program launched in 1994 to develop military cooperation between NATO and non-member countries.

The Nordic and Baltic region's only non-aligned countries, Finland and Sweden, have stepped up their military cooperation with the United States following concerns over Russia's increased military activity in northern Europe. Finland shares a 1,340 km-long border with Russia.

Russia has warned against Sweden and Finland joining NATO, an issue that has been debated in both countries.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/sweden-to-bring- back-conscription/28343112.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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(Photo/Courtesy of TRAFFIC, China office)

World Wildlife Dayin China was marked by a public pledge from Baidu, Alibaba and Tencentthe top three Internet service providers in Chinato create an industry-wide alliance to tackle illegal wildlife trade online.

The Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent BAT pledge was made during a Listen to the Young Voices eventthe theme chosen for this years World Wildlife Daywhere young people from government, associations, relevant private sector organizations and NGOs expressed their passion for protecting wildlife.

Between them, the three BAT internet giants have hundreds of millions of global users and a significant influence on daily life and consumption patterns in China through their social media, online trade and search engine services.

The BAT initiative to create the alliance was supported by of Chinas Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora of China Management Authority (CITES MA), the Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) and TRAFFIC.

WWF and TRAFFIC are delighted to see the three BAT companies go beyond their individual efforts to fulfill their corporate responsibilities and form an industry-wide partnership to take action against online illegal wildlife tradethis is another significant move following TRAFFICs signing of strategic MoUs with Alibaba in 2014 and Tencent in 2015, said Zhou Fei, Head of TRAFFICs China Office.

TRAFFICs regular online market monitoring in China has revealed an ongoing shift of illicit trade in wildlife products from physical markets to online platforms and onto social media, as a result of increasing law enforcement efforts. [LINK: www.traffic.org/storage/China-monitoring-report.pdf].

In response, Tencent has established applications whose popularity is rising rapidly on Wechat and their instant messaging platform QQto raise awareness about the issue and allow users to report suspected illegal wildlife trade. Last September, Tencent co-hosted a side event with Chinese government agencies, TRAFFIC and IFAW during the CITES meeting in South Africa, to encourage governments to take immediate action to rein in online illegal trade.

Youth are the major users of the internet and also the engine of the future. We welcome how the young generation is contributing their talents to counter illegal wildlife trade in cyber space, said Qin Qi, the Director of Security Liability Programme, Information Security Department of Tencent.

Alibaba has also worked to remove illegal wildlife trade advertisements from their platforms since the MoU with TRAFFIC was signed.

Zheng Qianru, Senior Security Operations Officer, Alibaba, said We are glad to see more young people initiating wildlife protection campaigns or advocacy through online or social media platforms. Our internal voluntary Wildlife Clubis one of the most popular employees clubs in Alibaba and we repeatedly try to engage the public and fulfill our responsibilities to counter online illegal trade through refining the internet environment.

Chen Hao, Director of the Information Security Center, Baidu, said: We hope to exchange further experiences with Alibaba and Tencent, to develop the most effective ways to combat illegal trade and initiate positive advocacy. We shall utilize our own knowledge, understanding and experience of online processes for animal protection!

As the first step in the alliance initiative, CWCA, WWF and TRAFFIC co-hosted a workshop where further internet companies were invited to discuss the risks of wildlife crime and draft Standard Operational Procedures (SoP)a practical manual for online service companies to ensure their operations are unified and legally compliant. A vital tool given the newly-revised Wild Animal Protection Law in China specifically puts responsibility onto internet companies whose services are being used by traders illegally buying and selling wildlife and wildlife products. The meeting also discussed techniques and methods to detect and combat online illegal wildlife trade and implications of relevant Decisions taken at the recent CITES meeting in South Africa.

The Listen to the Young Voices event in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, was co-hosted by Chinas CITES MA and Nanjing Forest Police College, supported by WWF and TRAFFIC.

It attracted some 300 participants from the National Inter-agency CITES Enforcement Collaboration Group (NICE-CG), including representatives from the State Forestry Administration, Forestry Police, Customs, Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Public Security, the State Administration for Industry & Commerce, and China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) and other domestic and international conservation organizations, together with relevant business and industry associations including the China Traditional Medicine Association.

TRAFFICs efforts to combat online illegal wildlife trade are kindly supported by WWF UK and GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB).
Georgia Proposes Clever Way to Cheat Montreux Convention, Host NATO in Black Sea

Sputnik News

21:56 02.03.2017(updated 22:11 02.03.2017)

Georgian Chief of General Staff Vladimir Chachibaia says that NATO should create a coast guard base in the Georgian Black Sea port of Poti. This, he argues, would help the alliance evade the provisions established in the Montreux Convention, which limit non-Black Sea powers' access to the body of water.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, commander Chachibaia recalled that the Montreux Convention limits the frequency and duration of alliance warship visits to the Black Sea, and hinted that if NATO does not want to increase financial assistance to Georgia and Ukraine to grow their own flotillas, it could establish a coast guard base in Poti.

"Frequent visits by NATO warships to the Black Sea are one of the ways for the alliance to enhance its operations. But there is a constraint: the Montreux Convention," the officer explained. "There is another option: for NATO to help Georgia and Ukraine to strengthen their Naval flotillas, which would require high spending." Alternatively, Chachibaia hinted, "NATO could set up a coast guard base in Georgia's coastal zone."

They could do so "near Poti  a port of strategic importance," the officer added.

Chachibaia didn't clarify how this would help the alliance strengthen its presence in the body of water. The Montreux Convention puts limits on tonnage of vessels belonging to non-Black Sea powers deployed in Black Sea, and the amount of time they can remain there (21 days). Furthermore, the Montreux Convention specifically restricts non-Black Sea nations from establishing a permanent presence in the body of water.

Chachibaia's remarks echoed those of Georgian Defense Minister Levan Izoria, who said Thursday that Tbilisi was ready to let NATO use its military facilities for training purposes as part of efforts to boost security in the Black Sea region.

"We express our full readiness to join a greater number of NATO marine drills, we express readiness to let NATO use our ground infrastructure for various training purposes, we express readiness to have two officers in Romania for coordination purposes," Izoria said, following a meeting with NATO Military Committee chairman Gen. Petr Pavel.

Members of the NATO Military Committee, the bloc's senior military authority, arrived in Georgia earlier on Thursday. According to the Georgian Defense Ministry, the visit will end Friday.

Georgia is not a NATO member, but has been seeking membership and cooperation with the alliance since the early 2000s. In 2008, NATO expressed support for Georgia's bid to join the alliance, and established a commission to oversee the process of Georgian NATO accession.

 Sputnik

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Kenya Defense Forces Kill Over 55 Al-Shabab Militants in Somalia

Sputnik News

18:18 02.03.2017(updated 18:35 02.03.2017)

57 al-Shabab militants were killed and unknown number injured by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), operating within the framework of the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM), according to the KDF's spokesman.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), operating within the framework of the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) on Thursday killed 57 militants of the al-Shabab militant group in the eastern African state, the KDF's spokesman said.

"In the onslaught, 57 al-Shabab militants were killed and unknown number injured KDF troops remain vigilant and will continue to relentlessly pursue the terrorists to ensure peace and security of our country Kenya as well as support Amisom operations in order to stabilise Somalia," Col. Joseph Owuoth said, as quoted by The Star newspaper.

He added that the Kenyan troops had also destroyed at least five pick-up trucks equipped with guns in the clash that started at 8:45 a.m. local time (05:45 GMT).

Kenyan troops are deployed in Somalia as part of the AMISOM mission launched in 2007. Kenya has sent its first servicemen to the crisis-torn Somalia in December 2013, according to the mission's website.

 Sputnik

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Egypt's Court Acquits Ex-President Mubarak on Charges of 2011 Protester Killings

Sputnik News

18:13 02.03.2017(updated 20:45 02.03.2017)

Egypt's court of cassation finally acquitted ex-president Hosni Mubarak on charges of killing protesters in 2011.

The Egyptian Court of Cassation on Thursday acquitted ex-president Hosni Mubarak on charges of complicity in deaths of protesters during the unrest in 2011, local media reported.

This trial will be the last for Mubarak in this case, the verdict is final and not subject to appeal, the Youm7 newspaper reported.

In June, 2015, the court upheld the complaint of the Attorney General on the acquittal and ordered a retrial. All other defendants, including former Interior Minister Habib Adly, were finally acquitted.

On January 25, Egypt marked the fifth anniversary of the Arab spring uprising that led to the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak.

Unrest in Egypt started with a peace demonstration on January 25, 2011 over demands for minimum wage rises, the resignation of the internal affairs minister and the democratization of society. The demonstrations passed for the most part peacefully but clashes broke out in Suez where the first blood was spilled.

In the following days, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets. Police were unable to keep the massive protests under control and effectively backed away.

President Hosni Mubarak imposed a curfew and troops entered Egyptian cities. Nevertheless, clashes continued, with protesters attacking police stations and smashing cars and looting and torching shops and government institutions.

After days of mass protests, President Mubarak resigned and handed over power to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces on February 11, 2011.

At least 800 people were killed and several thousand injured during the protests and subsequent riots.

Former President Mubarak, his sons and the majority of the country's top officials were put on trial.

In June 2012, the Cairo Criminal Court found Mubarak guilty of involvement in the death of peaceful protesters during the January 2011 popular uprising and was sentenced to life in prison but in November 2014 the Cairo court dropped charges against him.

The ruling provoked a public outcry. The Prosecutor General's Office appealed the ruling over procedural violations. In June 2015, the Egyptian Court of Appeal granted the prosecutor's challenge. The retrial of Hosni Mubarak on charges of involvement in the killing of protesters will start on April 7, 2016. It will be the last trial for Mubarak on these charges, while the verdict will be final and not subject to appeal.

In May 2014, Mubarak was also found guilty of embezzling public funds for the modernization of the presidential palace. His sons Gamal and Alaa were prosecuted on the same charges. Mubarak was sentenced to three years in prison and his sons received four years each.

In January 2015, the Egyptian Court of Appeal overturned the May 2014 verdict for Mubarak and his sons and ordered a retrial on embezzlement charges.

On May 9, 2015, a Cairo court sentenced Mubarak and his sons to three years in a high-security prison for corruption-related crimes.

On May 13, 2015, despite his conviction on corruption charges, Mubarak was released from custody as the court found he had already served the term during pretrial detention.

 Sputnik

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Hunger persists in chronic conflict zones despite strong global harvests - UN

2 March 2017  Despite robust food supply conditions, droughts are worsening food security across swathes of East Africa, and access to food has been dramatically reduced in areas suffering civil conflicts, a new United Nations report has found.

"This is an unprecedented situation. Never before have we been faced with four threats of famine in multiple countries simultaneously," Kostas Stamoulis, the Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said in a news release issued today, noting that famine has been formally declared in South Sudan, and the food security situation is of grave concern in northern Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen.

According to the new edition of FAO's Crop Prospects and Food Situation report, some 37 countries require external assistance for food, 28 of them in Africa as a result of lingering effects of last year's El Nino-triggered droughts on harvests in 2016.

In South Sudan, 100,000 people were facing famine in Leer and Mayendit Counties, part of former Unity state. Overall, about 4.9 million people across the country were classified as facing crisis, emergency or famine.

In Yemen, 17 million people, or two-thirds of the population, are estimated to be food insecure. The report notes that "the risk of famine declaration in the country is very high."

In northern Nigeria, 8.1 million people are facing acute food insecurity conditions, and in Somalia, an estimated 2.9 million people have been severely food insecure from six months ago.

Conflicts and civil unrest in Afghanistan, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Myanmar and Syria are also exacerbating food insecurity conditions for millions of people as well as affecting nearby countries hosting refugees.

Global food supply conditions robust

The report says, however, global food supply conditions are robust.

Cereal production made quite strong gains in the world overall in 2016, with a record recovery in Central America, and larger cereal crops in Asia, Europe and North America.

Prospects are favourable for the 2017 maize crop in Brazil and Argentina and the outlook is generally positive for coarse grains throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Prospects for rice are mixed, but it is still too early to make firm predictions for many of the world's major crops.

Maize harvests in Southern Africa, slashed by El Nino, are forecast to recover this year, with South Africa's output expected to increase by more than 50 per cent from 2016.

Although FAO's first global wheat production forecast for 2017 points to a 1.8 per cent decline from last year's record level, that is due mostly to a projected 20 per cent output drop in the United States.

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Perpetrators of terrorist attacks in Kabul must be brought to justice, stresses UN Security Council

2 March 2017  Strongly condemning yesterday's terrorist attacks in the Afghan capital, Kabul, the United Nations Security Council underscored the need to bring the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of such "reprehensible" acts to justice.

At least 15 people were killed and dozens more injured in attacks in two areas of the capital. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the incidents.

In a statement issued late yesterday, the 15-member Security Council stressed that terrorism in all its forms "is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation and wherever, whenever and by whomsoever it is committed.

"[It] should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group," the Security Council highlighted.

Also in the statement, Council members voiced serious concern over threats posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaida, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) and other illegal and armed groups to the local population, National Defense and Security Forces and the international presence in the country.

"No violent or terrorist acts can reverse the Afghan-led process along the path towards peace, democracy and stability in Afghanistan, which is supported by the people and the Government of Afghanistan, and by the international community," the Council added.

It also stressed the need for all UN Member States to combat by all means, in accordance with the UN Charter and other obligations under international law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

Further in the statement, the members of the Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and Government of Afghanistan. They also wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

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Trump Defense Budget Under Scrutiny

By Peter Heinlein March 02, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump is visiting a Virginia shipyard Thursday to tour the most expensive warship ever built - a high-profile event designed to showcase his budget pledge this week to dramatically boost U.S. military spending.

"We're going to spend a lot more money on military," he told the Fox and Friends morning television show this week ahead of a major address to a joint session of Congress.

The president will lay out his defense budget priorities in Newport News, Virginia, aboard the $13-billion USS Gerald R. Ford, which has been plagued by cost overruns and delays.

The war vessel shifts from steam to electrical power and will be equipped with the best weaponry, communications and operating systems in the nation, according to the builder Huntington Ingalls Industries. It is expected to be commissioned later this year.

The president's initial request for a $54 billion hike boosts the Pentagon budget to more than $600 billion a year. Calling it one of the largest increases in history, Trump said he would even like $30 billion more than that to strengthen what he called a "depleted military". By contrast, the State Department receives roughly $50 billion a year for programs including foreign aid, assistance and development.

'Not the largest by any means'

At first glance, the figures suggest Trump is planning a much higher U.S. military profile in the world's hot spots. A diverse group of scholars and military analysts, however, say the proposed 10 percent hike won't make all that much difference in the grand scheme of things.

They note that the U.S. military is already the most powerful fighting force on the planet and the United States spends significantly more on defense than any other country.

Todd Harrison, director of defense budget analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, disputed Trump's assertion that the Trump proposal would be one of the largest increases in history.

"That's a bit of an overstatement. It's certainly a significant increase, but keep in mind the Obama administration was already planning a 6-7% increase for 2018. The point is, if you look back at defense budgets over time, we had an increase of about this size in 2008 and 2002, and in several years in the early 1980s. So it's not as large as it seems, and by historical standards it's not the largest by any means."

Harrison points out that Congress had consistently appropriated significantly less for defense than what president Barack Obama had requested.

Veronique de Rugy, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at Virginia's George Mason University and a nationally syndicated columnist, doubts that boosting spending will do much to improve military preparedness.

"This just perpetrates the myth that every extra dollar that the Pentagon spends enhances national security. It's not the case," de Rugy said.

She expressed concern that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, who are not necessarily experts on military affairs, often look at defense spending in black and white terms.

"I'm more than disappointed that people who claim to care so much about national security seem to have a wrong-headed definition of security," she said, "as if national security only means spending more money. Strategically spending money doesn't seem overall to matter that much in the end."

'Preparation for war with Congress'

Regardless of its actual impact, the massive spending proposal helps Trump to argue that he is making good on his campaign promise to "Make America Strong Again." It is also prompting both allies and foes to reassess their own defense strategies.

Former State Department official Joshua Walker, now a fellow at the German Marshall Fund, says countries such as Turkey see a stronger United States as a net plus in stabilizing the troubled Middle East.

"From an allied perception, Turkey would welcome this, saying it's about time America has a more robust military presence in our neighborhood". Walker described mainstream Turkish thinking as, "What's happening in Syria is unacceptable. America needs to be more involved. Look what's happening in Iraq. America has put troops there before and didn't get it done. Maybe they'll get it done this time".

On the other hand, Walker says many Asian countries see a bulked up U.S. military as "exactly the provocation that countries like China and Russia have been telling their people to expect for a long time". He contends talk of a buildup is also sending the impression abroad that the United States is no longer an inviting and welcoming place. "That becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy," he said.

While President Trump may get his way with a Congress controlled by Republicans, Todd Harrison of CSIS points out that the push for big military spending increases is only the first salvo in an administration budget offensive. "This is really the opening negotiations for the budget battle this year," he said. "This is not a preparation for war. If it's a preparation for war, it's a preparation for war with Congress."

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Aid Agencies Struggling to Provide Food to South Sudanese Refugees in Uganda

By Jill Craig March 02, 2017

Uganda has taken about half of the more than 1.5 million South Sudanese who have fled into neighboring countries, as South Sudan has become Africa's largest refugee crisis, resulting from more than three years of civil war.

As the refugees flee conflict, sexual violence, looting, and food insecurity  highlighted by the recent announcement of famine in two counties of Unity State  they're finding that aid agencies are struggling to provide them with enough food in the Ugandan refugee settlements.

Charlie Yaxley, the spokesperson for the United Nations refugee agency in Uganda, says resource constraints meant food rations had to be cut in half last year for all refugees who arrived in Uganda prior to mid-2015. He noted that exceptions were made for those who were considered vulnerable.

"We continue to operate in a context of chronic, severe underfunding. Last year, the humanitarian appeal for South Sudanese refugees in Uganda was $251 million U.S. dollars, and we received just 40 percent of that money," said Yaxley. "And that has a real, direct impact on humanitarian organizations' abilities to deliver critical live-saving aid."

More coming

With thousands of South Sudanese refugees continuing to arrive in Uganda every day, including more than 120,000 new arrivals in the first two months of this year, aid agencies are struggling to keep up.

"The resourcing situation is so bad, that it is possible that we will have to extend those cuts; we have been on the brink of having to do that several times in the last month but have managed to avoid it," said Challiss McDonough, a spokeswoman for the U.N. World Food Program in East Africa. "But we just are simply not getting the resources that we need to keep pace with the incredibly large number of refugees that have arrived in the country in the last six months."

It costs the U.N. about $13 million per month to feed the more than 700,000 primarily South Sudanese refugees now living in Uganda who depend on food assistance, a figure which McDonough says is not being met. Approximately 200,000 of the refugees are receiving the reduced rations.

A progressive approach

Despite the resource challenges, though, Yaxley says that Uganda has an "incredibly progressive" approach to asylum. It provides refugees with plots of land to build new homes and grow crops, and they live next to the Ugandan host community. They can find work, start a business, and are free to move around the country. He says the host community has "welcomed refugees with open arms," but that others need to do more.

"It's key to stress that this is not a crisis Uganda and neighboring countries can tackle alone," said Yaxley. "It's vital that the international community come together with their resources and expertise to first of all ensure the humanitarian appeals are fully funded but also to explore the reasons why people are fleeing in the first place."

And because refugee crises are impacting so many places around the world, including Syria and Afghanistan, resources are already stretched thin, observes McDonough.

"And we try very hard not to prioritize one hungry person over another, because of where they live," said McDonough, "but the problem is that the needs globally are so enormous that there just aren't right now the resources within the international community to meet those needs."

The government of Uganda and UNHCR, the U.N.'s refugee agency, work with humanitarian organizations to coordinate the refugee response at border entry points. They provide clean water and medical screenings that include examining children for malnutrition, and providing high-energy biscuits for people who are likely malnourished.

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Sessions Will Recuse Himself From Any Inquiry Into Trump Campaign

By Ken Bredemeier March 02, 2017

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he would recuse himself from any investigations into President Donald Trump's campaign or investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Sessions spoke at an afternoon news conference Thursday after facing growing pressure to resign, or at least remove himself from his agency's investigation into allegations of Russian meddling in last year's presidential election.

Earlier Thursday, Trump said he has "total" confidence in Sessions.

The two top congressional Democrats, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, both demanded the attorney general's resignation after it became known that Sessions met twice last year with Moscow's ambassador to Washington, even though he testified at his January confirmation hearing that he had no contact with Russians.

Sessions, recently sworn in as the country's top law enforcement official after being one of Trump's top surrogates during the presidential campaign, told NBC News that "whenever it is appropriate," he would recuse himself from his agency's investigation into the Trump campaign's alleged links with Russian officials during the long presidential campaign.

Trump voiced his support for Sessions while on a trip to a naval warship based in Virginia. Both opposition Democrats and Republican allies of Sessions called for him to remove himself from the probe of Russian interference in the election.

Trump spokesman Sean Spicer told Fox News that Sessions "was 100 percent straight" with senators questioning him at his confirmation hearing. Spicer said Sessions, as a senator at the time, met with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak in his capacity as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, not as a representative of the Trump campaign.

Spicer accused Democrats of pushing "a false narrative for political purposes."

Sessions met Kislyak in July at an event on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention, and again in September at Sessions' Capitol Hill office.

Sessions' aides late Wednesday acknowledged the contacts with Kislyak, but said they were not meetings between the Trump campaign and Russia, but rather discussions Sessions held as a member of the Senate panel.

Sessions had testified under oath at his confirmation hearing, "I have been called a surrogate a time or two in that campaign and I didn't have, did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it."

Democrats' reaction

Schumer said that because Sessions' agency, the Department of Justice, "should be above reproach, for the good of the country, Attorney General Sessions should resign." Pelosi accused Sessions of "lying under oath."

Senator Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat who asked Sessions at the confirmation hearings about any Russian contacts he had had, told CNN, "He made a bald statement, that during the campaign he had not met with the Russians. That's not true. It's extremely misleading at the most charitable."

Republicans' reaction

Some Republicans agreed with Democrats that Sessions should remove himself from any oversight of the probe into alleged links between the Trump campaign and Russia.

A key Republican, Congressman Kevin McCarthy, said, "It would be easier" for an investigation into ties between the Russian government and Trump's campaign if Sessions recused himself from it.

Another Republican, Congressman Jason Chaffetz, said Sessions should clarify his testimony and remove himself from the investigation.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent Republican who served with Sessions on the Armed Services Committee, said during a CNN town hall event Wednesday that an independent investigator should be in charge of the probe.

"It is clear to me that Jeff Sessions, who is my dear friend, cannot make this decision about Trump," Graham said. "There may be nothing there, but if there's something there, if the FBI believes there's criminal nature, then for sure you need a special prosecutor."

Flynn and Russia links

Trump's new administration has already seen the resignation of his first national security adviser over alleged links to Russia. Trump ousted Michael Flynn after just 24 days on the job after information emerged that he had lied to top officials about the nature of his own conversations with the Russian ambassador.

Trump has denied multiple reports that people connected to his campaign had connections with members of the Russian government during the election season.

Aside from the White House, Sessions had other defenders, too.

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who unsuccessfully fought Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, told MSNBC that Sessions' testimony was "unfortunate. He didn't speak as clearly as he should have."

Cruz, however, said, "Context is important. The underlying meeting [with the Russian ambassador] is a nothing burger. The underlying meeting is simply doing his job. That's part of being a senator."

Russian probes

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is part of the Justice Department that Sessions heads, is probing alleged Russian activities aimed at disrupting the U.S. election to help Trump win, and any possible links between the Trump campaign and the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Senate Intelligence Committee is carrying out its own probe, and the House Intelligence Committee announced parameters for its investigation Wednesday.

The U.S. intelligence community concluded last year that Russia interfered in the election to help Trump defeat former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate.

They said Moscow hacked into the computer of Clinton's campaign chief. Then, the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks released thousands of the emails found on the computer in the weeks before the election showing embarrassing, behind-the-scenes efforts by Democratic officials to help Clinton win the party's presidential nomination.

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US Ambassador: Macedonian President Violating Democratic Principles

By VOA News March 02, 2017

The United States ambassador to Macedonia is calling for President Gjorge Ivanov to reverse his decision to withhold from the opposition a mandate to form a new government with ethnic Albanians.

Ivanov on Wednesday defied parliament, saying he would not give such authority to anyone backing what he calls "a platform undermining Macedonia's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence."

The leader of the opposition Social Democrats, Zoran Zaev, accused the president of a coup and pushing Macedonia into a "deep crisis with unforeseeable consequences for citizens and the state."

"The United States was disappointed to learn yesterday that President Ivanov declined to offer to representatives having a clear parliamentary majority the opportunity to form a new government," U.S. Ambassador Jess L. Baily said Thursday at a news conference in Skopje.

"We believe that this was inconsistent with basic democratic principles and the rule of law, which are core values of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]," to which the Balkan country is seeking accession, he added.

"As a strategic partner of Macedonia, as a friend, and with full respect to Macedonia's sovereignty and unity, we urge President Ivanov to reconsider this decision. At the same time, we urge Macedonia's neighbors to exercise restraint and be constructive at this moment of heightened political sensitivity in the country," Baily said.

His comments came less than a day after European Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn began pressuring Ivanov on social media, Tweeting: "In a #democracy, one must acknowledge #parliamentary #majorities, even if one doesn't like them."

Macedonia has been a candidate for accession to the European Union since 2005.

In December, Ivanov's conservatives won two more seats than the opposition, although neither party won enough seats to form a government on its own. The conservatives failed to put together a coalition while the Social Democrats succeeded with ethnic-Albanians by promising to expand the use of Albanian as an official language.

Ivanov is refusing to give Zaev a mandate to form a government despite a majority in parliament signing a letter backing a new coalition.

The pledge to expand the Albanian language triggered protests in the streets of Skopje that drew thousands.

Macedonia has been in a political limbo for two years since a surveillance scandal broke and eventually forced veteran VMRO-DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski to resign a year ago.

Relations between Macedonians and the ethnic-Albanian minority have always been tense and had threatened to become civil war in 2001 when ethnic-Albanian militants began attacking Macedonian forces.

This report was produced in collaboration with VOA's Albanian Service.

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Kremlin Seeks to Expand Influence in Increasingly Unstable Balkans

By Jamie Dettmer March 02, 2017

Serbia's outgoing prime minister, Aleksandar Vucic, reassured European Union officials visiting Belgrade on Wednesday that his country remains committed to joining the European bloc  but he cautioned that Serbs also want to pursue traditional ties with "friends from the East."

And in recent months, those friends in the Kremlin have been busy, say Western officials and analysts.

From offering help with disaster relief to supplying sophisticated weaponry, including warplanes, the Kremlin is seeking to expand its influence in the Balkans, a region Moscow has viewed historically as in its sphere of influence, they warn.

Moscow's diplomatic offensive apparently is paying off. A recent Gallup poll suggests a majority of Serbs views Russia as a more dependable ally than NATO, an organization Belgrade officially wants to join.

"Serbia is on its European path, because we think that we belong to this type of society; we would like to join the countries who believe in democracy, entrepreneurship, human rights," Vucic told the European officials.

He warned, though, that ordinary Serbs "often see the EU as a machine for pressure over Kosovo," a reference to the as-yet-unresolved status of the onetime Serbian province, which declared formal independence in 2008.

Serbia has withheld recognition of Kosovo  as has Russia.

Many Serbs frowned on former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and cheered President Donald Trump's election, a reflection of their residual anger over NATO's bombing of Serbia in 1995 and 1999 during the Balkans War ordered by her husband, then-President Bill Clinton. They had hoped the new U.S. president would change course on U.S.-Balkans policy and favor Belgrade in the unresolved dispute over Kosovo's status.

American officials, though, have dashed Serbian hopes with recent statements indicating Washington's support for Kosovo will remain unwavering during the Trump presidency.

Those statements included a call by the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, for the breakaway province to become a full member of the U.N.

"In Kosovo, while more must be done to strengthen governance and the rule of law, the United States believes that the international community must recognize Kosovo's great strides since independence," Haley said February 21 at the U.N. Security Council.

Heightened tensions

Kosovo's status is just one issue dividing the Balkans. Others include whether to tilt geopolitically to the East or West, and border disputes. Ethnic tensions are on the rise in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Bosnia remains split among Serbs, Bosnians and Croats, and the wounds of the vicious three-year-long war of the 1990s have not yet begun to heal.

All the issues are adding to tensions in the Balkans just as the region turns into a political battleground between a revanchist Russia and an uncertain West, say pro-West Balkan politicians.

Last week, neighboring Montenegro's former prime minister accused Russia of "destructive" politics in the Balkans. His comments came in the wake of startling allegations by Montenegro officials that the Kremlin was behind an attempt in October to overthrow the country's pro-Western government.

Milo Djukanovic, who resigned after the alleged pro-Russian plot, told Socialist Democratic Party members that Montenegro is now in the firing line of a newly assertive Russia eager to expand its influence in the Balkans. Pro-Russian opposition parties were ready to use "bloodshed and a coup" to install a pro-Kremlin government, he said.

The Kremlin has denied the allegations of Russian involvement in an election day plot that allegedly included plans to kill Djukanovic and take over the country's parliament. Prosecutors have accused some 20 people  including two Russians  of involvement.

Russian officials have recently said Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia and Montenegro should be seen as in Moscow's sphere of interest and are opposed to any of them joining NATO. As with other parts of Europe, the Kremlin has been supporting openly anti-EU nationalist parties in the Balkans.

Russian 'autocracy'

In Serbia, analysts say a clear illustration of the Kremlin's efforts to expand its clout can be seen in the growing role Russian media are playing in the country.

In May, a report by the Center for Euro-Atlantic Studies, a pro-Western Belgrade-based policy research organization, found that 109 registered non-governmental organizations, associations and media outlets can be linked to pro-Russian lobbying efforts.

The increase in Russian media activity, according to the research group, started in 2008 in Serb areas of northern Kosovo, and increased dramatically in 2012, coinciding with pro-Serb demonstrations and the start of negotiations on the normalization of relations between Serb and Kosovo authorities under the auspices of the EU.

Pro-Russian advocacy "increased drastically in 2015 when it became clear that Serbia would begin formal negotiations with the EU, and when the intention of stronger cooperation with NATO within the Individual Partnership Action Plan [IPAP] was disclosed," according to the authors of the study, Eyes Wide Shut.

"The replacement of democracy with autocracy, under the current Russian model, is the main goal of Russian soft power in Serbia and in the region. Other goals are the reduction of support for European integration and the discrediting of the very concept of [EU] enlargement," the research group's authors assert.

There also has been a noticeable increase in the influx of content sponsored by state-run Russia media outlets, such as Russia Today and Sputnik, offered for free to cash-strapped Serbian media outlets.

With elections due this year in Serbia, and the first indictments expected from an international court established in The Hague for trials of alleged historical war crimes committed during the 1990s by the ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army, tensions are likely only to increase in the Balkans.

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A delegation of young journalists from Hebei province interviewed several CPPCC members on March 3. The journalists are all teenagers who believe that the Two Sessions meetings are an ideal opportunity to practice their skills and broaden their perspectives.

Du Wanying, a participant from Bolinzhuang Elementary School in Shijiazhuang, Heibei province, told Peoples Daily Online that the special activity has enriched her knowledge. She also noted that this is her third time taking part in Two Sessions news coverage as a member of the young journalist delegation.

The delegation, known as Heqing Young Journalists, was first organized in 2009 by Heibei Youth News. It was intended to improve the ability of teens to communicate, cooperate, innovate and reflect.

The fifth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, started its annual session on March 3 in Beijing.
Type 001A Shandong

The Shandong (hull 17), China's second aircraft carrier as well as its first domestically built one, was commissioned 17 December 2019 into the People's Liberation Army Navy in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province. The carrier's hull number 17, indicates that it is a training carrier, as is her sister ship 16 Liaonang. Togther, these two carriers can train thousands of crew members each year, in preparation for an enourmous enlargement of China's carrier fleet with big deck carriers, twice as large as the first pair, later in the 2020s. Chinese experts stressed China's aircraft carrier development was defensive in nature, aims to safeguard national sovereignty and would not be used to seek hegemony.

China is projected to match the American fleet of 10 big-deck carriers before the year 2029, the centenary of the foundation of the People's Republic. China's third aircraft carrier could be launched within the next two years, be combat ready by 2025 and feature an electromagnetic catapult and stealth fighter jets. The third carrier might still be powered conventionally, as China's nuclear-powered vessel technology was likely to mature by 2025 to 2030 and so not keep up with the construction speed of the third carrier.

The commissioning coincided with the anniversary of the establishment of the Qing Dynasty's Beiyang Fleet on December 17, 1888. The fleet was wiped out in the First Sino-Japanese War, which was one representation of China being invaded due to its inability to master modern military equipment. Shandong is a large costal province and hosts China's first aircraft carrier base, which could be one of the reasons for the name. The Beiyang Fleet was established in Shandong.

China had been expected to launch its first domestically built aircraft carrier on the 68th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy  on Sunday 23 April 2017. But it was reported that tidal conditions were not conducive for a launch to mark the navys birthday, and the ceremony was expected to take place in the next few days. China's first homegrown aircraft carrier was floated to a dry dock 25 April 2017, signaling that its official launch was fast approaching.

China was close to completing its second aircraft carrier, which will begin service by 2020, experts said 21 February 2017. China Central Television (CCTV) reported that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's Type 001A class aircraft carrier's scaffold had been removed and red undercoat has been painted below the ship's waterline in Dalian, northeastern Liaoning Province, and that a launching ceremony will soon be held.

In the 30 March 2017 meeting of the Ministry of Defense at a regular press conference, a reporter asked: "The progress of domestic aircraft carrier is of much concern, and there is news that the domestic aircraft carrier will be launched on April 23. Can you confirm this?." China's Ministry of Defense spokesman said:" The domestic aircraft carrier is currently progressing well, and when to test the water, I believe will not let everyone wait!"

Photos of the first Chinese domestic aircraft carrier show it had been painted with red primer, the island had begun to install the glass and the front phased array radar and other equipment. Recent photos showed that the deck had begun to clean up, so it ws thought it would most likely in the near future be in the water. Reported speculation that the date may be the People's Liberation Army Navy foundation day that is, 23 April 2017.

"Unlike the Liaoning(Type 001), China's first aircraft carrier, a refitted ship built by Ukraine (under the former Soviet Union), the 001A is China-built, and its design, combat capability and technologies will be much more advanced," Song Zhongping, a military expert, told the Global Times.

On 31 December 2015 the Chinese defense ministry formally announced the construction of the 001A, and another spokesperson Yang Yujun said, "This carrier, with a displacement of 50,000 tons, will be the base for J-15 fighters and other types of aircraft." The design and construction of the second aircraft carrier is based on experience, research and training from the first carrier, the Liaoning, Yang added.

The US Defense Department reported in early 2009 that "Analysts in and out of government project that China will not have an operational, domestically-produced carrier and associated ships before 2015. However, changes in China's shipbuilding capability and degree of foreign assistance to the program could alter those projections. The PLA Navy is considering building multiple carriers by 2020."

The US Department of Defense reported on 06 May 2013 that "China also continues to pursue an indigenous aircraft carrier program ... and will likely build multiple aircraft carriers over the next decade. The first Chinese-built carrier will likely be operational sometime in the second half of this decade.... China will probably build several aircraft carriers over the next 15 years."

The 2016 Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the Peoples Republic of China reported that "In 2015, China began construction of its first domestically produced aircraft carrier."

During the 2018 Two Sessions, Yuan Maorong, an NPC deputy from Taizhou city, East China's Zhejiang Province, suggested naming the carrier "Wei Wen", after a military general from the Three Kingdoms period (AD 184/220-280) who was the first man in history to arrive at Taiwan, according to cctv.com on March 13. Yuan said naming the carrier Wei Wen would show the historical fact of Taiwan being an integral part of China, and push the development of Cross-Straits relations.

The discussion of how the ship should be named has also been spreading in social media. Many Chinese netizens suggested simply naming the carrier "Taiwan," while others suggested naming it "Shi Lang", an admiral who recaptured Taiwan for the Qing Dynasty. "This displays the high expectations among the Chinese people over solving the Taiwan question, because they want the country to use the first domestically built aircraft carrier as a symbol to announce its determination and ability to achieve this aim, and also send a tough warning signal to the secessionists in Taiwan," Li noted.

However, the carrier is not targeting Taiwan, according to a military expert from a Beijing-based military academy who requested anonymity. He explained that if Beijing decided to use military measures to solve the Taiwan question, the PLA is fully capable of doing so without an aircraft carrier, and Type 001A was made for a greater purpose.

"The PLA Navy has regulations for naming large vessels like aircraft carriers, which generally use the names of provinces and municipalities," Song said. "Liaoning is primarily a platform for training personnel and collecting data through testing, while Type 001A is China's first carrier made for combat missions, so its name could be more special. It's impossible to name it with a person's name, for only vessels used for scientific research can use a person's name in China," said the anonymous military expert.

China's second aircraft carrier left a port outside the Dalian Shipyard on 13 May 2018 for its first sea trial, signaling that the production of this domestically built carrier was nearly complete. China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which has served the navy for 13 months, underwent 10 sea trials. Some military experts suggest with the knowledge gained from the Liaoning the new aircraft carrier is likely to see smoother sea trials.

China's second aircraft carrier was transferred from dry dock into the water at a launch ceremony in Dalian shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, at a launch ceremony, starting about 9 am April 26, 2017. The new carrier, the first domestically-built one, came after the Liaoning, a refitted former Soviet Union-made carrier that was put into commission in the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 2012. The ceremony was attended by Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, as well as leaders of the PLA Navy and China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.

The Shandong is based in Sanya near the South China Sea, while the Liaoning is based in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province near the East China Sea, Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea. Having one carrier in the east and another in the south will ensure fast reaction time when the presence of an aircraft carrier is needed.

The second aircraft carrier based in the south can effectively patrol the South China Sea, protect islands and reefs there and act as a strategic foothold at sea. While the Liaoning could go from the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean and train more pilots and officers, the Shandongcould sail from the South China Sea into the Pacific Ocean and even go to the Indian Ocean. One carrier could also stay near the mainland for alert missions, while the other could sail farther away into high seas for long-range missions.

In terms of time, regular maintenance is needed for a carrier to stay combat ready. When one carrier is under maintenance or repair, the other could take over its missions so China will always have a carrier to deploy. Another new choice is to let the two carriers form a dual-carrier battle group for maximum combat capability. A dual-carrier battle group will boost China's maritime combat capability, because a moderate or more intensive regional conflict, especially in high seas, requires at least 45 carrier-based aircraft to achieve regional air and sea superiority, which is not possible with a single Chinese aircraft carrier.





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Malaysia to release DPRK suspect in airport killing

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 14:24, March 02, 2017

Malaysia's attorney general said on Thursday that a Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) man, who was arrested as a suspect following the airport killing, will be released and deported.

Ri Jong Chol, the 47-year-old DPRK man who worked at a local anti-cancer drug company in Malaysia, was arrested by the police on Feb. 17 for suspected involvement in the airport case, in which a DPRK man with the passport name of "Kim Chol" was poisoned with lethal VX nerve agent. Ri was remanded for two weeks in police custody. The remand will expire on Friday.

Malaysia's Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali did not elaborate on the reasons of the release, but local media said it was due to a lack of evidence. During the investigation, the police did not reveal the connections between him and four other suspects believed to have fled the country.

On Wednesday, the two female suspects who carried out the attack, one from Indonesia and one Vietnamese, were charged with murder. If convicted, the two will face death sentence.

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North Korea vows to 'nuke aggressors' amid US-South Korea drills

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 9:50AM

North Korea has lambasted the ongoing joint military exercises by South Korea and the United States with fiery rhetoric, warning of "merciless nuclear counter-action" in case of military aggression by the two countries.

"Now that the US imperialists and the south Korean puppet forces again kicked off the dangerous nuclear war drills against the DPRK [the Democratic People's Republic of Korea] at its doorstep, our army will counter them with the toughest counter-actions as it had already declared," North Korea's official KCNA cited a statement by an unidentified military spokesman as saying on Thursday.

The North's strong reaction came a day after the war games began in the region. Some 15,000 US and 90,000 South Korean troops are expected to participate in the two-phased joint exercises, known as Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, which will stretch over two months.

A group of demonstrators convened outside the US Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday to protest the drills, saying the exercises would push the Korean Peninsula closer to the brink of a nuclear war.

Seoul and its key ally Washington hold the annual joint military exercises as a signal to Pyongyang, which has been rapidly developing a missile and nuclear program. The North, however, perceives the maneuvers as a direct threat against its security and planned rehearsals for an invasion on its territory.

The US currently has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea as a presumed deterrent force against North Korea.

"The forces of vassal countries will be targets of our strikes as they are imprudently involved in the ongoing saber-rattling, toeing the US imperialists' hostile policy toward the DPRK," the North Korean statement further warned.

The United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) have already imposed an array of crippling sanctions on the North over its nuclear tests and missiles launches. On Monday, the EU also imposed additional sanctions on the country. The fresh measures included restrictions on trade in coal, iron, and iron ore, plus a ban on imports of copper, nickel, silver, and zinc from North Korea.

Despite the sanctions and other forms of international pressure, Pyongyang declared itself a nuclear power in 2005 and has pledged to strengthen its military capability to protect itself from the threat posed by the presence of the US forces in the region.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un also accuses the US of plotting with regional allies to topple his government.

Pyongyang said on February 13 that it had successfully test-fired a new type of medium- to long-range ballistic missile the previous day, its first such test in 2017. The missile reportedly flew about 500 kilometers toward Japan, landing off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula.

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Malaysia stops visa-free entry of North Koreans

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 6:43AM

Malaysia is canceling arrangements for the visa-free entry of nationals from North Korea as the diplomatic relations between the two Asian countries growingly strain over the recent assassination of the North Korean leader's exiled half-brother in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia's state news agency Bernama cited Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as announcing the decision on Thursday. He said Kuala Lumpur had made the decision due to national security reasons.

As of Monday, when the decision will be enforced, North Koreans will be required to obtain a visa to enter Malaysia.

Kim Jong-nam, the North Korean leader's half-brother, was attacked by two female assailants at the departure hall of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on February 13. The attackers, both of whom have been arrested, wiped some form of toxic liquid over Kim's face. He died en route to the hospital.

Later forensic research and autopsy on Kim's body revealed that the female attackers had wiped the extremely toxic VX nerve agent over the victim's face. The UN has declared VX a weapon of mass destruction.

Malaysia also detained two men, one of them a North Korean national, identified as Ri Jong Chol, in connection with the killing. However, Mohamed Apandi Ali, Malaysia's attorney general, said on Thursday that Ri would be released and deported to his home country on Friday, some two weeks after he was arrested, because there were "insufficient evidence to charge him."

Malaysia also said that it "strongly" believed that four North Korean suspects, who fled Malaysia on the day of the killing, had arrived in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. South Korea's intelligence service claims that the four suspects are "spies" working for North Korea's Ministry of State Security.

South Korean police have already claimed that Kim was killed by North Korean agents, an allegation that Kuala Lumpur has yet neither confirmed nor denied.

Pyongyang, however, flatly denied Seoul's allegations last Thursday.

Malaysia has refused to turn over Kim's body to North Korea and has sought to question a North Korean diplomat in connection with the killing. Malaysian police also seek to question an employee of the North Korean airliner Air Koryo.

On Wednesday, the magistrates' court in Kuala Lumpur announced murder charges against the two women attackers over the assassination. The two, identified as Siti Aisyah from Indonesia and Doan Thi Huong, a Vietnamese national, will face the death penalty if they are convicted of the murder charge.

The assassination and subsequent developments have soured relations between Malaysia and North Korea and seem likely to lead to an all-out diplomatic rift.

Jong-nam, who studied in Russia and Switzerland, was a computer enthusiast and fluent Japanese speaker. After completing his overseas studies, he oversaw North Korea's information technology policy. He fell from grace in 2001, however, and had been living in exile since 2003. He was reportedly an occasional critic of Pyongyang, advocating reform.

His death is the second most high-profile death during the reign of his younger brother, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, since the execution of Jang Song-thaek, the brothers' once powerful uncle, in December 2013.

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US, S Korean Financial Regulators Discuss Expanding Sanctions Against N Korea

Sputnik News

08:49 02.03.2017(updated 08:57 02.03.2017)

South Korea's Minister of Strategy and Finance Yoo Il-ho held a telephone conversation with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to discuss ways to expand sanctions against Pyongyang in the aftermath of the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the reputed half-brother of North Korea's leader, the South Korean finance ministry said Thursday.

TOKYO (Sputnik)  According to the ministry's press release, it was the first conversation of the two ministers following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump and formation of his administration. The sides expressed commitment to expanding the bilateral cooperation in different spheres.

"The sides have agreed to cooperate over the issue of toughening of financial sanctions against North Korea, as well as to monitor the implementation of the current sanction regime both with regard to the UN Security Council and unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and South Korea," the ministry said.

The ministers have also agreed to hold a more detailed dialogue on the sidelines of the G20 finance ministers' meeting, which is expected to take place in Germany on March 17-18.

North Korea's nuclear program has been a source for concern for its closest neighbor, South Korea, as well as for the international community. On February 12, Pyongyang launched a medium-range ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan and declared the test successful. This and a number of previous launches were considered to be in violation of the UNSC resolutions by the United Nations.

On February 13, Kim Jong Nam, the alleged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was killed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The highly toxic gas was smeared on his face as he was about to board a flight to Macau. Kim is believed to be killed by a VX nerve agent classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.

On Monday, the South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) said that four of the eight suspects involved in the murder worked for North Korea's Ministry of State Security and Foreign Ministry.

 Sputnik

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After Alleged VX Nerve Agent Use by North Korea, What Response Should Follow?

By Steve Miller March 02, 2017

Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was killed February 13 when two women smeared a liquid that Malaysian authorities say is VX nerve agent on his face at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong have been charged with murder, a crime that carries with it the death penalty. The two women say they thought they were participating in a televised prank.

But how does this attack in Kuala Lumpur compare with other North Korean moves to consolidate power?

"The use of deadly force or the use of violence to purge any challengers or potential challengers, that's not new," said Daniel Pinkston, Lecturer on International Relations at Troy University in Seoul, South Korea. "But the new element in this is, of course, the VX [nerve agent], if the reports are true, and I have no reason to disbelieve the report. So that is a brand new development."

Stratfor Vice President of Strategic Analysis Rodger Baker observed, "Certainly the way in which they carried out this assassination using VX [nerve agent] is different than what we've seen in the recent past."

Baker recalled an incident in which North Korea tried to eliminate the South Korean Cabinet in Myanmar. "So they've done extreme things, but this is certainly something very different than what we've seen," he said.

Seriousness of VX use

So how serious of an issue is it for the international community that a state like North Korea would use a substance like VX nerve agent in a public space?

Baker says that when examining the assassination method, the attack suggests the VX nerve agent was put together during the assassination.

"So it just wasn't the general release of VX in the space. So in that sense, we could say that this was very targeted in the application and didn't have a major ripple effect to the airport or to other people in the airport ... or apparently even significantly to the two individuals who engaged in the assassination," said Baker.

He continues to say the attack itself is a clear signal North Korea not only is willing to use substances like VX, but do so far from home.

Pinkston reiterates that VX is an extremely deadly substance.

"Only a single drop of it, if it were to get on your skin, will kill you," said Pinkston. "Anyone who would introduce that substance into a public area, in the international airport, I think it's extremely brazen and completely unacceptable, and crosses a red line that's beyond the acceptable international norms."

North Korea continues to develop nuclear weapons and test ballistic missiles, despite several international sanctions put in place and condemnation by the U.N. Security Council.

Options?

How might the international community respond in this instance?

"I think that North Korea must pay a very high price for this, and to not to impose serious costs upon North Korea, I believe, would invite further and more brazen transgressions, and I think it would be the wrong signal to send to North Korea that they could engage in this type of behavior with impunity," said Pinkston.

He recommends that a "menu of options" be made available to the international community, including banning all of their aircraft from international airports, placing greater sanctions on individuals and entities, placing North Korea once more on the list of state-terrorism sponsors, and a proportional use of force directed at chemical weapons facilities.

In Washington, United States lawmakers have called for North Korea to be listed once more as a sponsor of state terrorism.

Baker adds that a question often asked about North Korea is, "What more can be done?" He says that boils down to basically three action items: negotiate with North Korea, further isolate Pyongyang, or carry out some sort of military action.

"There's a growing change of view, for example in China, and the debate in China is growing stronger over whether the risk of a destabilized North Korea is still a greater risk than an uncontrolled North Korea pursuing these weapons and carrying out these actions. That would be the most significant change, if it occurs. And China is the one country, I think, that could really alter the balance," said Baker.

Furthermore, he says that as the United States completes its review of North Korean policy, one can't rule out that military options won't be included in the review.

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France's Next President? Former Investment Banker Soars Amid Rivals' Woes

By Lisa Bryant March 02, 2017

France's next president may be a 39-year-old maverick former economy minister, affiliated with no mainstream political party and with no experience running for office. Until now.

On Thursday, and with less than two months to go before the first round of voting, independent centrist Emmanuel Macron finally unveiled his full political platform, outlining proposals ranging from downsizing France's parliament and slashing government bureaucracy, to embracing closer European Union cooperation, fighting nepotism and rewarding businesses that hire from low-income neighborhoods.

The former investment banker also positioned himself as a champion of the middle and working classes, as he described growing up in a midsize French town and being educated in "the schools of the Republic."

Once dismissed as a passing fad with no tangible proposals, Macron is now in second place behind far-right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen ahead of the first round of voting April 23, but according to many surveys, he could win the May 7 runoff.

Macron's 'young but he really listens'

New polls out this week confirm the trend, with the latest by Elabe finding Macron behind far-right front runner Le Pen 24 percent to 27 percent in the first round, with former conservative prime minister Francois Fillon trailing in third place, with 19 percent. It found Macron beating Le Pen in the second-round with 62 percent of the vote.

Wading into a farm fair outside Paris earlier this week, a must-attend event for all presidential wannabes, Macron got a taste of deep voter discontent, as he wiped off the goo from an egg pelted at his head during the visit.

But he gets the vote of 71-year-old Joseph Rolland, whose son is a cattle farmer near Nantes, in western France.

"He's young but he really listens," Rolland said. "People say he has no political experience, but he'll surround himself with competent people. We need change."

Hiring scandal hurts Fillon

Fillon, once-considered a shoe-in to become France's next president, is struggling for survival amid a parliamentary jobs hiring scandal involving his family.

With Fillon's support base vanishing, some conservatives are calling for another ex-prime minister, Alain Juppe, to step up and take his place. A Harris Interactive poll finds three-quarters of French want Fillon to abandon a race that 80 percent believe he will lose.

Le Pen's immunity lifted

Le Pen and her party also face a corruption investigation regarding questionable hiring practices, in this case involving European Parliament funds. She refuses to pay a $300,000 parliament fine or to appear before magistrates before the elections, citing her immunity as an European Union lawmaker.

Thursday, the parliament voted to lift Le Pen's immunity on a separate matter involving tweeting graphic images of Islamic State militant group killings in 2015.

"Emmanuel Macron wants to situate himself in the intersection of the right and left," French analyst Bruno Cautres told Le Midi Libre in an overall assessment of his platform. "His program offers economic measures of the center right ... and also social dimensions and investments in the future, like training and the environmental transition."

Favors European Union

Macron also calls for closer ties to the European Union and for shoring up the eurozone, in sharp contrast with Le Pen, who wants to hold a Frexit referendum on leaving the bloc if it doesn't renegotiate French membership.

"For the European Union, the best candidate is Macron," said analyst Philippe Moreau Defarges of the French Institute of International Relations in Paris. "But can he be elected? There are a lot of question marks. He's got no political machine. He's a young man. He's inexperienced, he's never been elected."

Macron, who speaks fluent English, also drew sharp differences with the U.S. administration on free trade and climate change.

But Macron also outlined areas of cooperation with the U.S., including intelligence sharing on Iraq and Syria and said he would pursue a strategic relationship with Washington as president.

Former investment banker

A former investment banker, Macron has long rebelled being pigeon-holed, joining the leftist government of President Francois Hollande as economy minister. His legislation to make France more business friendly, voted in as the "Macron law," and new labor reform proposals were watered down amid protests and strikes.

Last April, he launched his "En Marche!" or "Forward!" movement, which he describes as neither right nor left. A few months later, he resigned to prepare for his presidential candidacy, a move critics called a betrayal to Hollande, his former mentor. The deeply unpopular Hollande ultimately chose not to run for re-election.

Macron is the son of a doctor, who studied philosophy before graduating from the elite Ecole Nationale d'Administration, he is married to his high school French teacher, who is 20 years his senior.

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Germany Says Its Troops Will Stay In Baltics 'As Long As Needed'

RFE/RL March 02, 2017

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has described a military buildup by Russia along its borders with the Baltic states as "completely irrational" and has vowed to keep German forces in the region as long as necessary.

Speaking during a March 2 visit to Lithuania's Rukla military base, where about 400 German soldiers are stationed, Gabriel said "the military potential that the Russian Federation has built up here at the border is completely irrational in my view because there is zero threat emanating from these countries."

The German troops are part of a 1,000-soldier battle group that eventually is to be integrated with U.S., British, French, Canadian, and other NATO forces.

Gabriel said the German troops will remain at the Lithuanian base "as long as needed" but did not provide further details.

NATO countries have been increasing force deployments in the Baltics to reassure allies about support from the alliance in the face of aggressive actions by Russia since early 2014 when the Kremlin seized and illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimea region and began supporting pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Moscow has defended its troop movements near the Baltic borders, saying they are defensive in nature and part of efforts to modernize its overall forces.

In a statement on March 2, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the arrival of U.S. troops in the region as "dubious" and "provocative actions."

"It could not escape us that the U.S. troops that recently arrived in Poland and the Baltic states have already managed to mark themselves...with a clear anti-Russian focus," Zakharova said in a statement.

Another German official, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, told reporters at an air base in Amari, Estonia, that the Baltic states and other countries can "rely" on support from Germany.

"Estonia, and our friends from Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, can rely on us," von der Leyen said. "We Germans know what it means to be at the eastern border and to have the solid protection of the alliance."

Gabriel and von der Leyen both have also discussed concerns about Russia's growing disinformation and cybercampaigns described under Russia's military doctrine as "hybrid warfare."

"No one expects a real military confrontation to happen here," Gabriel said on March 2.

"But what there is, and what has been reported in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, are attempts at massive disinformation and influence campaigns," Gabriel said.

With reporting by Reuters, Interfax and dw.com

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/germany-baltics -russian-troops-buildup-sigmar -gabriel/28344021.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Indian Navy All Smiles After Testing Anti-Ship Missile From Submarine

Sputnik News

15:13 02.03.2017

The first two French Scorpene-class submarines are not equipped with torpedoes, a submarine's primary weapon. The Indian government has put on hold the acquisition of 98 Black Shark heavyweight torpedoes due to a bribery scandal that erupted last year.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  The Indian Navy has successfully conducted the maiden firing of an anti-ship missile from the first of the indigenously built Kalvari-class submarines.

The submarine is said to have launched MBDA's Exocet SM 39 missiles during the test firing in the Arabian Sea, said sources in the Indian Navy. Undergoing sea trials, the Kalvari is expected to be commissioned by the middle of this year.

"The missile successfully hit a surface target at extended ranges during the trial firing held this morning. This missile launch is a significant milestone, not only for the Kalvari, which is the first in a series of Scorpene-class submarines being built in India, but also in enhancing the Indian Navy's sub-surface warfare capability," said a Navy statement.

India launched the INS Khanderi, the second Scorpene-class submarine in January this year. It is expected to be commissioned into the Navy by the end of this year. Indian Navy has said that all six Scorpene (Kalvari) class submarines being built in India will be equipped with EXOCET SM 39 anti-ship missile.

Weighing 650 kg, the subsonic EXOCET SM 39 is a long-range missile, capable of all-weather operation against all classes of warships. MBDA claimed that the missile can hit targets in extremely short time with full freedom to maneuver for the submarine after firing. It has a high hit probability against moving targets.

The Indian Navy has collaborated with DCNS of France in 2004 for construction of six Scorpene class submarine under the $3.5-billion contract. But the program has been delayed for more than four years with cost escalation of more than one billion dollars due to low-level of technological absorption capacity and purchase of materials in early years by Indian shipbuilder MDL.

 Sputnik

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Indian Navy to Set Up Met Facilities for Myanmar Navy

Sputnik News

13:04 02.03.2017

In recent past, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are playing the China card to get best techno-commercial defense deals from India.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  The Indian Navy will set up meteorological facilities for the Myanmar Navy in its bid to counter Chinese influence in the Bay of Bengal. Until now, China had been the leading contributor to capacity building in the Myanmar Navy.

The Navy will also train personnel of the Myanmar Navy to operate the facilities. The decision came on a request made by a visiting delegation of the Myanmar Navy which is in the Indian capital.

An Indian Navy statement said the delegation has been asked to send a proposal to the Southern Naval Command to take up the request with higher authorities.

The Myanmar Navy is also exploring avenues for defense cooperation. The Myanmar Navy officers visited other training/simulator facilities at Kochi, including Flight and Tactical Simulator, Water Survival Training Facility and other training schools, as well as the Hydrographic Survey Unit.

"Towards fostering closer and warmer relations with Myanmar, the Indian Navy has always tried to strengthen defence cooperation with the Myanmar Navy by providing assistance, especially in the fields of training, weapon/ equipment sales and hydrographic assistance," release said.

To counteract Chinese influence, Indian Navy has expedited collaboration with its Myanmar counterpart. It is likely to supply OPVs to Myanmar. A Damage Control Simulator built by the Goa Shipyard Limited was commissioned last year in Myanmar Navy. Myanmar Navy has chosen Indian sensors for its indigenously-built ship UMS Aung Zeya. For 3,000 ton Kyan Sittha-class frigates, Myanmar Navy has opted for sonar from Indian defense research agency DRDO. The HMS-X hull-mounted sonar is an export version of the HUMSA-NG meant for major Indian Navy ships.

 Sputnik

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Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3

By Anakhanum Hidayatova  Trend:

Negotiations on strategic partnership agreement between the European Union and Azerbaijan have started, Head of EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Malena Mard told reporters in Baku March 3.

Mard noted that the new round of negotiations will be held soon and cover a wide range of issues, including such spheres as migration and trade.

Touching upon the recent tensions on the line of contact between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Mard said that the status quo is unsustainable and expressed the EUs support for the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group.

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.
Indian Army To Invest $2.5B in Israeli Missile System

Sputnik News

03:10 02.03.2017(updated 06:35 02.03.2017)

In a sign that Israel and India are strengthening ties, the two nations have agreed to a huge weapons deal to jointly expand India's aerial defense systems.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has agreed to a deal for a medium-range surface-to-air (MRSAM) missile system to be produced by Israeli Aerospace Industries and India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), the Mail Today reports.

The deal marks 25 years of cooperative diplomatic ties, The Algemeiner pointed out.

"The formal clearance for the MRSAM project has been given by the Cabinet committee on security headed by the prime minister last week," according to an Indian ministry of defense official. The formal contract will be awarded later in March, the official said.

Initial reports indicate that the missile system will protect Indian air space from hostile aircraft and drones flying within a range of 30 to 45 miles. "The Indian Army wants to use the MRSAM to provide air defense to the mechanized formations operating in the plains, semi-desert and desert sections of the country," an Indian Army official told DefenseNews.

Amid the positive development between the two nations, however, lurks the pressing issue of who will have full intellectual property rights, Defense News noted. The IP rights to the missile technology belong to Israel Aerospace Industries, according to retired Indian Army Maj. Gen. Bhupinder Yadav, "with the exception of those subsystems developed by DRDO." The missile platform "will be manufactured in India," and will feature "80 percent indigenous content," Yadav said.

A 2008 attempt by the Indian Army to acquire MRSAM missiles proved futile when "none of the bidders met the technology transfer requirements," DefenseNews reported.

The Indian Army will add 40 MRSAM missiles to its stockpile. The weapons are slated to be operational by 2023, the Algemeiner reported. Israeli Aerospace Industries and India's Defense Research and Development Organization previously completed three flight tests of the weapons system. "The missile successfully intercepted a moving aerial target in all three tests," an Indian Ministry of Defense official said.

 Sputnik

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Iraqi army force thwart Daesh assault in western Mosul

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 11:24AM

Iraqi government forces have frustrated an attack by Takfiri Daesh militants in Mosul as they press ahead with their operation to drive the terrorists out of their last urban stronghold in the Arab state.

An unnamed senior officer told the Reuters news agency that a number of militants had managed to get near elite Iraqi units in the southwestern part of Mosul, located some 400 kilometers north of the capital Baghdad, early on Thursday, posing as internally displaced people.

The Takfiris were neutralized before they could carry out any act of terror.

The development came only hours after a local source, requesting anonymity, said two children had sustained injuries after mortar shells fired by Daesh terrorists slammed into Karaj district northeast of Mosul.

The victims were taken to a local hospital to receive medical treatment.

Commander of Federal Police Forces Lieutenant General Raed Shaker Jawdat also announced in a statement that security forces had launched a series of surprise attacks against Daesh fortifications west of Mosul.

He said federal police soldiers have evacuated dozens of displaced families from the area, and moved them to refugee camps in the town of Hammam al-Alil, situated about 30 kilometers south of Mosul.

Moreover, the commander of Nineveh Liberation Operation, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Yarallah, said Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) members wrested control over Shaqaq al-Ma'moun area in western Mosul on Wednesday.

Additionally, the media bureau of Popular Mobilization Units  commonly known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha'abi  said the pro-government fighters had repelled Daesh attacks on Sada and Bawiza areas north of Mosul.

An Iraqi air force combat drone also struck a parked car in the Wadi Akab industrial area of western Mosul, leaving four Daesh terrorists dead.

On February 19, Iraqi soldiers and Hashd al-Sha'abi fighters mounted a new offensive to liberate western Mosul.

Daesh abducts over two dozen civilians in Kirkuk

Meanwhile, Daesh Takfiris have abducted 25 civilians in the northern oil-rich province of Kirkuk on charges of fleeing a militant-held area in the Zab district.

A Hashd al-Sha'abi source said the terror group accused the civilians of departing the militant-held Zab district, located 95 kilometers west of the provincial capital city of Kirkuk, and crossing into the "land of infidels."

385 civilians killed in Iraq violence: UN

Furthermore, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said in a statement on Wednesday that a total of 385 Iraqi civilians lost their lives in the month of February, while 609 others were injured.

The UN mission said the number of casualties does not include security members after Iraqi military authorities criticized UNAMI last December for figures about the deaths of police personnel announced for November.

The northern province of Nineveh, of which Mosul is the capital, is the worst affected area with 201 civilians killed and 250 others injured, followed the capital province of Baghdad, where 120 civilians were and 300 others injured in acts of terrorism and armed conflict.

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Islamabad Approves Plan To 'Mainstream' Federally Administered Tribal Areas

RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal March 02, 2017

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's government has approved plans to bring the country's semiautonomous tribal areas into the political mainstream -- a move that would end federal rule of the region and extend the jurisdiction of Pakistan's national courts there.

The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) along Pakistan's volatile border with Afghanistan have long been a stronghold for Taliban fighters and Haqqani network militants.

Sartaj Aziz, head of the government's reform committee, said the government in Islamabad had approved the reforms "in principle" on March 2.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told his cabinet the government wants "to bring tribesmen into the national mainstream so that their deprivations can end."

Aziz said FATA would be merged into neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province within five years.

Key reforms would include extending the jurisdiction of Pakistan's national courts, incorporating tribal law enforcement into the national security forces, establishing parliamentary representation for the tribal areas, and ending collective-punishment laws that date from the British colonial era.

For the reforms to take effect, the plan approved by the government on March 2 must now be codified as a draft constitutional amendment that requires approval by two-thirds of the lawmakers in both chambers of Pakistan's bicameral legislature.

There are 104 members of the upper chamber of Pakistan's parliament, the Senate, and 342 lawmakers in the lower chamber, the National Assembly.

In 2016, both chambers of Pakistan's legislature approved a draft version of the plan.

FATA's seven tribal agencies -- Bajaur, Khyber, Kurram, Mohmand, North Waziristan, South Waziristan, and Orakzai -- are home to about 8 million people, most of them Pashtuns.

The Pashtun tribes that inhabit the region are semiautonomous and had maintained good relations with Islamabad until the collapse of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan in late 2001.

FATA was created in the 19th century by British Colonial India authorities.

Since the partition of British Colonial India into two separate states, Pakistan and India, the areas of Pakistan known as FATA have been administered centrally according to a mixture of local tribal traditions -- known as Pashtunwali -- and by civil laws.

Some local tribal leaders have long demanded reform to FATA, saying its status has fueled violence and poverty.

With reporting by Dawn and Geo News

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-mainstream- federally-administered-tribal-areas/28343777.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russia's Navalny Claims Medvedev Tied To 'Secret' Property Empire In New Investigation

Tom Balmforth March 02, 2017

MOSCOW -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has long styled himself as a liberal-leaning lawyer who loathes corruption, having launched an initiative to combat rampant graft in 2008 -- one of his first acts as president during his four-year stint in the Kremlin.

But now Medvedev is taking fresh fire on the issue from opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, who is accusing the former president of being one of Russia's richest men and one of its "most corrupt" bureaucrats.

In Navalny's latest investigation, released online on March 2 and delivered in his trademark caustic style, the Kremlin opponent accuses Medvedev of using an array of charity and nonprofit organizations to collect donations from oligarchs and state banks and then redirecting the funds to purchase pricey assets.

Navalny called these donations naked bribes. "The only recipients of this 'help' are Medvedev and his family," he said.

The report, accompanied by an explanatory video, alleges that at least 70 billion rubles ($1.2 billion) in funds and assets have been transferred to organizations controlled by people close to Medvedev. It claims that this alleged empire includes palaces, elite residences, estates, yachts, and vineyards in Russia and abroad.

"The real owner of the assets is almost impossible to trace because by being registered to charity foundations, they essentially belong to no one. Medvedev's property is managed by his friends, schoolmates, and trusted people," Navalny alleges in the investigation.

He called Medvedev "one of the richest people in the country and one of the most corrupt bureaucrats."

The investigation was quickly dismissed by Medvedev's office as political bluster and "propaganda."

'Nothing To Do With Charity'

Citing public property records, the investigation alleges that Alisher Usmanov, a billionaire with deep connections in Russia's ruling elite, donated a property in the wealthy Rublyovka village outside Moscow worth 5 billion rubles ($85 million) to a nonprofit fund for state social projects reportedly led by two former university classmates of Medvedev.

"This fund has nothing to do with charity," Navalny said.

Usmanov had not responded publicly to the report as of March 2, and the respected Russian daily RBK reported that his company, Metalloinvest, declined to comment when reached by the newspaper.

The investigation did not uncover any assets linked on paper to Medvedev. Navalny alleges that the organizations cited in the report are managed by people close to Medvedev who oversee "personal" property for the prime minister.

Navalny drew attention to properties that include a vineyard in the Black Sea town of Anapa and one in Italy's Tuscany region; a residence in the western Kursk region; a dacha in the central Ivanovo region investigated by Navalny in September; an estate in Rublyokva; a house in Krasnaya Polyana near Sochi; a house in St. Petersburg; and two plots of land on the Black Sea.

The investigation comes as Navalny tries to raise his profile in order to take part in the 2018 presidential election despite his conviction last month on embezzlement charges that he and his followers say were trumped up to eliminate him from the race.

Medvedev's spokeswoman, Natalya Timakova, said on March 2 that the investigation looked "distinctly like election campaigning" and that commenting on "propaganda attacks" by a convicted man was "pointless," the Interfax news agency reported.

The allegations were reported in several influential newspapers and online news portals, but were ignored by most pro-Kremlin media. As the investigation circulated widely on social media, state news agencies on March 2 reported Medvedev's message of support to farmers that the trade embargo on European Union produce is here to stay.

Navalny rose to prominence during antigovernment protests over allegations of parliamentary election fraud in 2011, and he has emerged as the de facto opposition leader. He carved out an online following as a slick social-media operator and by harrying President Vladimir Putin's allies, whom he has accused of corruption in a series of hard-hitting investigations.

In December, Navalny announced his bid to run for president next year, although the authorities consider him to be barred from the race after he received a suspended sentence last month. He has said he intends to run anyway and has been drawing attention by opening regional election-campaign offices.

A recent poll by the independent Levada Center found that the percentage of Russians prepared to vote for Navalny had fallen from 33 percent in 2011 to around 10 percent this year.

In liberal opposition circles, reactions to the investigation ranged from praise to downbeat skepticism

Roman Dobrokhotov, a journalist and former opposition activist, suggested the investigation might indeed land a blow to Medvedev, but that it could lead to him getting replaced by someone with a tougher reputation, such as Putin's longtime close associate, Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin.

"Now Putin is like: Medvedev has lost my trust, I'll replace him with Sechin. Enjoy," Dobrokhotov wrote on Twitter.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/russia-navalny -investigation-medvedev-secret- property-empire/28343861.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russian Spokesman Unaware of Meetings Between Sessions and Russian Ambassador

By VOA News March 02, 2017

A Russian spokesman said Thursday he is not aware of any meetings between U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, then a U.S. senator, and Russia's ambassador during last year's U.S. presidential campaign.

"I don't know about any meetings," Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked whether Sessions and Ambassador Sergei Kislyak met last year.

Sessions is under intense scrutiny after a revelation he had spoken twice with Russia's U.S. envoy while he served as an adviser for Donald Trump's presidential campaign while serving in the U.S. Senate.

Sessions met Kislyak in July at an event on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention and again in September at his Capitol Hill office.

The meetings have fueled the controversy over allegations Russia may have improperly interfered in the presidential election in Trump's favor, and they have prompted some calls in Congress for Sessions to recuse himself from two congressional investigations into the allegations.

Sessions' office has said the meetings occurred in his capacity as a senator, not as a Trump campaign adviser.

Peskov said Thursday it was not unusual for Russian diplomats to meet with U.S. lawmakers.

"The fact is that the overall job of the ambassador is to hold as many meetings as possible" with representatives of the "host country."

Trump, who has repeatedly expressed a desire to strengthen relations with Russia, has accused former officials in former President Barack Obama's administration of trying to discredit him.

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Syria reserves right to use force against Turkey: Envoy

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 7:11PM

Syria's ambassador to the United Nations says Damascus reserves the right to use force against Turkey's military invasion of the Arab country.

Bashar al-Ja'afari, who also serves as the head of the Syrian delegation to current peace talks, made the remarks after meeting with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura in the Swiss city of Geneva on Thursday.

In August 2016, Turkey launched a major military incursion into Syria with the express aim of pushing back Daesh terrorists from the joint border with Syria and stopping Kurdish advances, which Damascus denounced as a breach of its sovereignty.

Turkey recently said its armed forces and allied militants were almost in full control of the Syrian city of al-Bab and planned to advance further to the nearby city of Manbij.

Ja'afari further accused the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee (HNC), Syria's main opposition group, of taking peace talks "hostage" by refusing to include terrorism on the agenda of Geneva talks.

"Progress in the Geneva round must not be held hostage by the Riyadh platform," he said, stressing that the opposition "will be responsible for any failure of the Geneva talks."

HNC's refusal to discuss the issue of terrorism in the peace talks "did not come as a surprise" as some of the group's members are terrorist armed outfits, the Syrian official noted.

The latest round of intra-Syrian negotiations began in Geneva on February 23 aimed at finding a solution to the foreign-sponsored crisis gripping the Middle Eastern country since 2011.

Commenting on Syria's fight against foreign-backed terrorists, Ja'afari said the battle would go on until the whole country was purged of militants.

"Counter-terrorism operations will continue until the last inch of territory from our country is retaken from these foreign terrorists who are wreaking havoc," he said.

Syrian forces have recently liberated many areas from the grip of Takfiri elements, who have suffered major blows on the battlefield.

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Syrian army says has liberated Palmyra from Daesh terrorists

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 4:26PM

The Syrian army says it has fully liberated Palmyra from the grip of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, marking the second recapture of the ancient city.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Syrian army announced that the government forces were in control of Palmyra after a series of military operations and with the help of Russia's air cover as well as "allied and friendly troops."

The announcement came after the Kremlin said the Syrian military, backed by Russian aircraft, had managed to fully retake the city.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin of the completion of the Palmyra operation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying.

Additionally, Russian lawmaker Andrey Krasov said the Daesh flag had been removed from the historic oasis city, adding, "It should be viewed as a joint success of the Russian Air Force and the Syrian military. Shortly, the whole territory of Syria will be liberated from the terrorists."

Meanwhile, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which is sympathetic with foreign-backed militants, said Daesh terrorists had completely retreated from Palmyra.

Daesh "has fully withdrawn from Palmyra, but the Syrian army is still clearing neighborhoods of mines and has not spread out into the whole city yet," said SOHR Director Rami Abdel Rahman.

Earlier on Thursday, Syria's official SANA news agency said army units had established control over the Palmyra Citadel, the Communications Hill and the Dedeman Palmyra after inflicting heavy losses on Daesh terrorists.

Daesh first seized Palmyra, also known in Arabic as Tadmur, in May 2015 and began looting and demolishing the UNESCO world heritage site's monuments and temples.

The Syrian army purged the Takfiri elements from the 2,000-year-old city in March 2016.

However, Daesh recaptured Palmyra once again in December 2016 after days of intense fighting as the Syrian military focused mainly on defeating terrorists in eastern Aleppo.

Syrian government forces have recently made sweeping gains against Takfiri terrorists, who have increased their acts of violence across the Arab country following a series of defeats in Aleppo and elsewhere.

The Palmyra battle comes at a critical time when negotiations are underway between Syria's warring sides in the Swiss city of Geneva aimed at finding a solution to the foreign-sponsored crisis gripping the Arab country since 2011.

HNC 'sabotaging' Syria peace talks

Separately on Thursday, Russia accused the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee (HNC), Syria's main opposition group, of disrupting the Geneva talks.

"The results of the first days of the intra-Syrian dialogues, as before, raise questions over the ability of the Syrian opposition representatives to reach a deal," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova.

HNC's refusal to cooperate on an equal footing with two Russian-backed opposition groups meant that it was "de facto sabotaging the full dialogue with both the Syrian government delegation and with other opposition groups," she added.

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Daesh pulls back from much of Syrian ancient city: Report

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 8:52AM

Daesh Takfiri militants reportedly withdrew from much of Palmyra overnight amid a major push by the Syrian army to rid the ancient city of the terrorists.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Daesh had pulled back to residential areas in the east of Palmyra by Thursday morning.

The terror group "withdrew from most of Palmyra after laying mines across the city," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman, adding that there are still Daesh bombers in the city's eastern neighborhoods.

"Government forces have not yet been able to enter the heart of the city or the eastern parts," he noted.

Syrian forces, backed by the Russian air force, pushed into a western neighborhood of the city late on Wednesday after heavy clashes with Daesh.

The Syrian troops also managed to retake a palace complex to the city's southwest.

Earlier in the day, an unnamed Syrian military source told Reuters that the Syrian troops, backed by Russia's air cover, had advanced to the outskirts of Palmyra, also known in Arabic as Tadmur, in the last few days and their "entry to the city will begin very soon."

The developments came on the same day as the Syrian military announced the recapture of an area called the "Palmyra triangle" a few kilometers west of the city. Earlier reports had said the Syrian army and its allies had retaken the Palmyra citadel, on the city's western outskirts.

Meanwhile, Syria's official SANA news agency reported that the gain followed fierce clashes between Daesh militants and the Syrian army and its allied fighters, leaving scores of the terrorists dead or injured.

The Syrian army, backed by Russia's counter-terrorism airstrikes, liberated Palmyra in March 2016, ending Daesh's 10-month grip over the city.

However, Daesh managed to seize the historic city once again in December 2016 after days of intense fighting as the Syrian military focused mainly on defeating terrorist groups in eastern Aleppo.

During both of its spells in control of Palmyra, Daesh razed ancient monuments and dismantled key parts of the city's UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The Syrian forces have been fighting different foreign-backed militant groups wreaking havoc in the Middle Eastern country since 2011.

Over the past few months, troops have made sweeping gains against Takfiri terrorists who have lately increased their acts of violence across Syria following a series of defeats in Aleppo and elsewhere.

US-allied militants turn to Damascus

In another development elsewhere in Syria, US-backed Kurdish militants said Thursday that they had reached an agreement with Russia, a Damascus ally, to hand over the villages on the front line with Turkish-allied militants to Syrian government forces.

Those villages are situated west of the Kurdish-held town of Manbij in northern Syria, which has been the scene of fierce fighting between Kurdish forces and Turkish troops and their allied militants.

Manbij was liberated from Daesh last year by Kurdish forces, mainly the Democratic Union Party, also known as the PYD, and its military wing the YPG.

On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that after Ankara's forces completed their operations in Syria's al-Bab, they will move towards the Manbij.

Ankara views the YPG as a terrorist organization, accusing it of having links with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group that has been fighting for an autonomous Kurdish region inside Turkey since the 1980s.

Last August, Turkey began a major military intervention in Syria, in move strongly denounced by Syria an act of aggression and a violation of its sovereignty. Ankara claims the offensive is aimed at pushing Daesh from Turkey's border with Syria and stopping the advance of Kurdish forces there.

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UN Panel Alleges Aleppo War Crimes

RFE/RL March 02, 2017

A UN panel has said the evacuation of eastern Aleppo, after months of siege and bombardments by Russian and Syrian forces, was one of many war crimes committed by those fighting for control of Syria's second-largest city.

The Commission of Inquiry on Syria on March 1 unveiled a report looking at violations by all parties in last year's battle for Aleppo, including the indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas, the use of chemical weapons and cluster munitions, and forced evacuations.

The deal to evacuate rebel-held eastern Aleppo allowed no civilians to remain in the city at the end of the protracted campaign, something the commission concluded amounted to "the war crime of forced displacement."

"The scale of what happened in Aleppo is unprecedented in the Syrian conflict," said the commission's chairman, Paulo Pinheiro.

The report looked at violations committed between July 21, when the siege of the rebel-held part of Aleppo started, and December 22, when Syrian troops and allied forces assumed full control of the city.

The commission said war crimes were committed by both sides from July until the city fell on 22 December.

However, it levelled extensive criticism at the government of President Bashar al-Assad, which was backed by Russian jets and Iranian-backed militias throughout the campaign.

A focal point of the probe was the accusation that Syrian war planes had conducted air strikes on September 19 targeting an aid convoy, which had been permitted by the government to deliver food and medicines to the Urum al-Kubra area west of Aleppo.

The report said the evidence strongly suggested that the attack which resulted in the killing of 20 civilians and aid workers was "meticulously planned and ruthlessly carried out."

The attack on the convoy, followed by the suspension of aid deliveries served as a "starve or surrender" policy pursued by the regime in east Aleppo and other opposition-held areas of Syria, the commission said.

The UN also accused Assad's government of repeatedly using chemical weapons and cluster munitions, and systematically destroying hospitals.

With reporting by AP, dpa, and theguardian.com

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/aleppo-evacuation-un-war- crime-russia-iran-syria/28342914.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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HNC Hopes 'Russia Will Play an Important Role in Syrian Settlement'

Sputnik News

22:55 02.03.2017(updated 23:19 02.03.2017)

The Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) delegation on Thursday expressed hope that Russia will play an important role in restoring peace in Syria.

GENEVA (Sputnik)  The HNC delegation hopes that the United States will play a more positive role and Russia will provide more support to the Syrian settlement at Geneva talks, HNC delegation head Nasr Hariri said.

"A peace process to be successful needs a strong international engine. We are waiting to see a positive role from the US administration. We are also hopeful Russia will play an important role. We are still waiting for a more positive role and more support," Hariri told reporters.

Earlier in the day, the HNC delegation and UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura discussed political transition in Syria and went into details on the issue.

"We have continued our discussions with de Mistura. They all focus on political transition. Today we went into further details," Hariri remerkeds after the meeting.

The next meeting between the HNC and de Mistura, aimed at going into further details, is scheduled for Friday, Hariri added.

The fourth round of UN-backed intra-Syrian talks between the government and opposition factions kicked off in Geneva on February 23.

 Sputnik

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Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3

By Elmira Tariverdiyeva  Trend:

Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the OSCE thanks the member states and leadership of the European Union (EU) for non-recognition of the illegal referendum held in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, says the missions statement issued on March 3.

The Permanent Mission welcomes the recent statement of President of the European Council Donald Tusk, in which he emphasized that the EU supports Azerbaijans territorial integrity and sovereignty.

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.
Jaafari: Syria Counterterror Operation to Continue Until Country Fully Liberated

Sputnik News

20:30 02.03.2017(updated 20:40 02.03.2017)

Bashar Jaafari, the head of the Syrian government delegation to the intra-Syria talks in Geneva, said that the operation against the terrorists in Syria would be continued until the country is fully freed from terrorism.

GENEVA (Sputnik)  The operation to liberate Syria from terrorists will continue until the country is fully freed from terrorism, Bashar Jaafari, the head of the Syrian government delegation to the intra-Syria talks in Geneva, said Thursday.

The Syrian army regained control over Palmyra earlier on Thursday with support of the Russian aircraft operating in Syria.

"I would like to announce the historic city of Palmyra has been liberated from hands of terrorists. You are all invited to visit beautiful city yourself. Counterterrorism operations will continue," Jaafari told reporters.

 Sputnik

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Russia-Backed Syrian Army Completely Liberates Palmyra From Daesh

Sputnik News

17:24 02.03.2017(updated 18:33 02.03.2017)

The Syrian Army, supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces, has completed the operation to liberate the historic city of Palmyra from Daesh terrorists, according to the Kremlin spokesman citing Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu's report to President Vladimir Putin.

Earlier reports indicated that Daesh (terrorist group banned in Russia) militants had largely withdrawn from the city following a fierce offensive by the government forces, which led to the recapture of the strategic hills around Palmyra and the Palmyra citadel on Wednesday.

The Syrian army began on Thursday fortifying defensive positions around the ancient city of Palmyra and preparing the demining of the historical part of the city following its liberation from Daesh, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

No explosive devices have been found in the Roman Theater after a preliminary search, although the cables discovered in the ruins and around the columns indicate that the terrorists planned to blow up the remains of the monument before leaving the city.

Daesh seized Palmyra, which was the capital of the Palmyrene Empire and one of the richest cities of the Roman Empire, in May 2015. Terrorists destroyed a number of historic sights designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Arch of Triumph, the Temple of Baalshamin and the Temple of Bel. Jihadists also looted the national museum and the famous Palmyra's necropolis.

Less than a year after that the Syrian army supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces managed to liberate Palmyra. Russian specialists demined the historic center as well as residential areas of the city. Russian historians and renovators visited Palmyra in early July 2016 and prepared a report assessing the condition of the damaged sites and costs of the renovation works. However, in December 2016, the city was retaken by jihadists.

Putin commented on the December Daesh offensive on Palmyra. According to the Russian leader, the situation in Palmyra was a result of discordant actions of different players in Syria.

Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed in a civil war, with government forces fighting against numerous opposition and terrorist groups, including al-Nusra Front and Daesh, banned in a range of countries, including Russia.

Moscow has been conducting a counter-terrorist campaign in Syria since September 30, 2015, at President Bashar Assad's request.

 Sputnik

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Taiwan keeping close eye on China's military drill: MND

ROC Central News Agency

2017/03/02 20:53:12

Taipei, March 2 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Thursday that it was closely monitoring a military exercise being conducted by China near the Japanese island of Miyako-jima.

The naval and air exercise Thursday morning included drills by a range of fighter aircraft, early warning and air surveillance planes, H-6K bombers, frigates, destroyers and supply ships in an area south of Miyako-jima, the MND said.

Although the drill was being held outside Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ), the military is staying on top the development and closely monitoring the exercise, the defense ministry said.

Miyako-jima is located approximately 300 kilometers southwest of Okinawa Island.

(By Lu Hsin-huei and Ko Lin)

Enditem/pc



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Cabinet plans travel ban on retired military officers

ROC Central News Agency

2017/03/02 22:19:13

Taipei, March 2 (CNA) The Cabinet plans to amend the existing law governing cross-Taiwan Strait ties to ban political appointees and senior military officers from traveling to China for a minimum of three years after retiring, a spokesman said on Thursday.

The decision to revise the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area was made at a meeting between Premier Lin Chuan () and legislators from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, according to spokesperson Hsu Kuo-yung ().

The proposed ban would apply to political appointees; military officers at the rank of lieutenant-general and higher in the Army and Air Force, and vice admiral and higher in the Navy; officials involved in highly confidential work and intelligence officers, Hsu said.

The travel restrictions would remain in place for a minimum of three years and could be extended based on the nature of work undertaken, he added.

Individuals who formerly worked with highly confidential information would be required to report to the agencies they worked for if they plan to travel to China even after the restricted period, Hsu said.

While in China, the retired officials would not be allowed to take part in activities attended by China's top leaders or behave in a way that adversely impacts the dignity of Taiwan, including bowing to China's national flag and singing China's national anthem, according to Hsu.

Political appointees and senior military officers violating the rule could have their pensions slashed by 30 percent to 100 percent, while those who receive a one-time retirement payment could be fined between NT$500,000 and NT$3 million, he said.

Offenders in other categories would have to return 10 percent to 100 percent of their pensions or pay a fine of between NT$200,000 and NT$2 million, he added.

Calls for the government to amend the law were made after dozens of retired Taiwanese generals attended a gathering organized by the Chinese government in Beijing on Nov. 11 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Republic of China founding father Dr. Sun Yat-sen ().

The ex-generals were reported to have stood up for the playing of the national anthem of the People's Republic of China. They then listened to a speech by Chinese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Xi Jinping ().

Commenting on the issue, retired Navy Vice Admiral Lan Ning-li () on Thursday likened the government's planned travel ban to McCarthyism in the United States during the 1950s.

While it is reasonable to require retired senior military officers to report their plans to attend forums and seminars in China, it would go too far if they are required to also report their private travel plans, he suggested.

Wu Sze-huai (), a retired Army lieutenant general who attended the Nov. 11 gathering in Beijing, said he will abide by whatever is stipulated in the law, but expressed his opposition to targeting retired generals.

He also questioned why the government only restricts retired military officers and political appointees from traveling to China and not other countries.

(By Lu Hsin-hui and Y.F. Low)

ENDITEM/AW/

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Turkey seizes Kurdish-held villages in northern Syria

Iran Press TV

Wed Mar 1, 2017 10:40PM

Turkish-backed militants have seized two Kurdish-held villages in Syria, inching closer to Manbij, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to capture.

According to a statement released by the Turkish-backed militants, who are part of Turkey's Euphrates Shield military campaign in Syria, the villages of Tal Turin and Qara, located to the east of al-Bab, were seized following heavy clashes with the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The SDF is a coalition of Arab fighters and forces from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), who are currently in control of nearly all of Syria's entire northern border with Turkey.

On Tuesday, Erdogan announced that after Turkey's forces complete their operations in al-Bab, they will move towards the Kurdish-held city of Manbij.

Kurdish forces, mainly the Democratic Union Party (PYD), and its military wing, the YPG, liberated the northern Syrian city of Manbij from Daesh last year.

Turkish authorities first announced the capture of al-Bab last month. They have made similar claims at least twice since then.

Turkey began its military intervention in Syria in August 2016, sending tanks and warplanes across the border. Ankara claimed that its military campaign was aimed at pushing Daesh from Turkey's border with Syria and stopping the advance of Kurdish forces, but Damascus denounced the operation as a breach of its sovereignty.

Russia denies bombing US-backed militants in Syria

Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry rejected claims made by Washington that Russian and Syrian aircraft had bombed positions held by US-backed Syrian militants.

"We had some Russian aircraft Syrian aircraft bomb some villages that I believe they thought were held by Daesh," said US Army Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, adding that the airstrikes were carried out on villages close to al-Bab, where "some of our Syrian Arab coalition forces" are located.

"Not a single airstrike on the regions specified by the US side was conducted by Russian or Syrian air forces," said a statement released by Russia.

"To avoid any incidents, the US representative has provided exact coordinates of the US-backed opposition forces in the region to a Russian officer," it added.

Russian air force fighters have been striking armed terrorists across Syria, including Daesh and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham terror groups, at the official request of the government of President Bashar al-Assad since September 30, 2015.

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German officials block pro-Erdogan rally by Turkish minister

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 6:56PM

German officials have forbidden Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag from addressing President Tayyip Erdogan's supporters in the town of Gaggenau amid a diplomatic row between the two countries.

They withdrew permission on Thursday for an event where Bozdag had planned to address a campaign rally in support of a controversial constitutional referendum to boost Erdogan's executive powers.

Gaggenau officials said the venue chosen for the rally was too small for the expected crowd, citing security and parking concerns as reasons for scrapping the permission for the event.

Bozdag called the decision to withdraw the permit as "unacceptable," reported Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency.

The Turkish minister also protested to the cancellation of the pro-Erdogan rally in Gaggenau by dropping his planned meeting with German Justice Minister Heiko Maas, reports said.

In a related development, Cologne city officials said they had pulled the permit for Turkey's Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci to address a separate pro-Erdogan rally in the western city on Sunday.

The planned rallies to gain support from 1.4 million Turks in Germany eligible to vote in an April 16 referendum on expanding Erdogan's powers caused ire amid public outrage over Ankara's arrest of a Turkish-German journalist Deniz Yucel.

Berlin-Ankara dispute

Germany is pressing Turkey to release Yucel, who works for German national daily newspaper Die Welt. He was detained in Istanbul in mid-February over a report about a hacker attack on the Turkish energy minister's email account.

Yucel's detainment has caused grave damage to bilateral relations, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Thursday in Kiev during a visit to Ukraine.

The Turkish ambassador to Germany was "summoned" to the German Foreign Ministry after a court in Istanbul ordered provisional detention for Yucel, urging Ankara to release the correspondent.

Gabriel said the German Foreign Ministry had spoken to the Turkish ambassador again, relaying to him the need for dialog.

In an open letter last month, some 170 German parliamentary lawmakers demanded the "quick" release of Yucel.

Relations between Berlin and Ankara have been strained by a series of disputes since a failed military coup that sought to oust Erdogan last July.

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Turkey tells Kurds to leave Syria's Manbij or face attack

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 1:35PM

Turkey has threatened to strike Syrian Kurdish forces if they do not withdraw from the northern city of Manbij near the Turkish border.

"We have said before we will strike the YPG if they do not retreat" from Manbij, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told journalists in Ankara on Thursday, referring to the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

Ankara views the YPG as a terrorist organization over its alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), but Washington supports the group and uses it in its operations in Syria.

The so-called Syria Democratic Forces (SDF), which are led by the YPG, captured Manbij in August 2016 with the help of the US military.

Cavusoglu said once the capture of the Syrian city of al-Bab is complete, Manbij would be the next target of the Turkish troops. Turkey said in late February that its armed forces and allied militants were almost in full control of al-Bab.

Cavusoglu added that despite skirmishes between pro-Ankara militants and Kurdish forces, the Manbij operation had not started yet. He also renewed calls for the new US administration to abandon its support for Kurdish forces operating in Syria.

Kurds to give Manbij villages to Damascus

Meanwhile, an official from the Manbij Military Council announced that the body would hand over villages under its control to the Syrian government in the coming days.

The council, which is part of the SDF, said the handover will be made possible under a deal agreed with Russia in a bid to avoid clashes, adding that its forces would withdraw from the frontline as rival Turkish-backed militants come closer to the Euphrates River.

Cavusoglu, however, claimed that there was no such agreement between Russia and Syrian Kurds.

Turkey launched its incursion into Syria in August 2016, sending tanks and warplanes across the border in what was condemned by Damascus as an act of aggression.

Ankara claimed its military campaign was aimed at pushing Daesh from Turkey's border with Syria and stopping the advance of Kurdish forces.

Turkey is one of the key countries in the Syria conflict, which has raged on since March 2011, allowing militants from around the world to freely enter the Arab nation and wreak havoc there.

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Turkey Sets Up Military Bases in Syrian Cities of al-Bab, Azaz

Sputnik News

18:44 02.03.2017

Reliable sources in the Middle East have told Sputnik that Turkey continues setting up military bases in the north of Syria. Kurdish politician Rezan Hiddo spoke to Sputnik Turkiye about what Turkey's Armed Forces are up to in the area.

Reliable sources in the Middle East have told Sputnik that after setting up a military base in the Aktarin district to the north of Aleppo, Turkey has now set up another military facility in the city of al-Bab which was recently liberated from Daesh.

The base was set up near the Akil hill which is considered to be a strategic height. The sources also said that Turkey is setting up a facility near the city of Azaz.

Kurdish politician Rezan Hiddo, the Chairman of the Syrian Democratic Council, which also includes the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), commented to Sputnik Turkiye on the above reports.

"We have no intention to advance towards al-Bab as it is the area of deployment of the Turkish Armed Forces and the Forces of the Free Syrian Army operating within the Operation Euphrates Shield," he told Sputnik.

Meanwhile, he said, the residents of al-Bab and its environs have told us that Turkey has set up a military base on the strategic hill of Akil and is gradually stepping up its presence there. Ankara has also set up a military base in close vicinity to the city of Azaz, he said.

By setting up the bases, the politician said, Turkey is not fighting against terrorism but is rather trying to annex the captured Syrian territories.

"Turkey is trying to present the cities of Jarabulus, Al-Rai and Azaz as Turkish territories. Ankara is constantly talking about the borders set up in the National Pact of 1920, a document adopted at the last session of the Ottoman parliament in Istanbul on February 17, 1920, and which considered the territories of the northern Syria and Iraq as Turkish.

Turkey wants to annex the territories of Aleppo, Manbij, Jarabulus and Al-Shaykh, which we think is its ultimate goal, the politician finally stated.

 Sputnik

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Erdogan: Turkey Ready to Crush Daesh in Syria Jointly With Russia

Sputnik News

13:31 02.03.2017(updated 14:50 02.03.2017)

The Turkish leader said Ankara was ready to fight Daesh jointly with Russia if Moscow sent a corresponding request.

ANKARA (Sputnik)  Turkey is ready to fight the outlawed in Russia Daesh jihadist group in Syria jointly with Russia if it receives a proposal from Moscow, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday.

"If Russia requests the continued joint fight against Daesh, then this fight can be carried out," Erdogan said as quoted by the Haber7 broadcaster on his return trip from Pakistan.

Erdogan said he planned to discuss the subject in Russia later this month. He is expected in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 9-10, according to the Turkish diplomatic mission in Russia.

Liberation

The next phase of Turkey's Euphrates Shield military campaign in northern Syria will target the Kurdish-controlled city of Manbij, the Turkish head of state confirmed.

He said Tuesday that the Turkish Armed Forces would advance toward Manbij and Raqqa if a mutual understanding with Russia and the US-led coalition was reached, calling on the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) to leave Manbij.

Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed in a civil war, with government forces fighting against numerous opposition and terrorist groups, including al-Nusra Front and Daesh, banned in a range of countries, including Russia.

Moscow has been conducting a counter-terrorist campaign in Syria since September 30, 2015, at President Bashar Assad's request.

On August 24, the Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield against militants of the Daesh group, which is outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Since then the Turkish-led forces have driven Daesh from a number of settlements in northern Syria. The Turkish forces, with assistance from Syrian opposition fighters, occupied the city of Jarablus in northern Syria.

Erdogan said that the aim of the operation is to clear the territory of 5,000 square kilometers (1,930 square miles) in Syria as part of the operation and create a safe zone for refugees.

The operation has been widely criticized both by the Syrian Kurds and Damascus, who have accused Ankara of violating Syria's territorial integrity.

 Sputnik

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May should protect EU nationals before Brexit: UK lawmakers

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 2, 2017 8:27AM

British lawmakers have further delayed the country's withdrawal from the European Union by requiring the government to address concerns regarding the rights of EU citizens living in the country.

The House of Lords voted 358 to 256 on Wednesday for a change to Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan, stating she can only trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and begin EU talks by promising to protect the rights of over 3 million EU citizens that reside in the country.

Introduced by the opposition Labour Party and Liberal Democrats, the amendment postpones the passing of May's plan and pushes back the earliest date she can set Brexit in motion to around March 13.

Government sources told British media that May would fight the new mandate once it reaches the lower house of Parliament, where the ruling Conservatives are in majority.

"We are disappointed the Lords (upper chamber) have chosen to amend a bill that the Commons (lower chamber) passed without amendment," a spokeswoman for the Brexit department said in a statement.

"Our position on EU nationals has repeatedly been made clear. We want to guarantee the rights of EU citizens who are already living in Britain, and the rights of British nationals living in other member states, as early as we can."

May has stated that she would protect EU nationals only if other European countries agree to do the same for UK nationals who are living abroad.

Labour defended the move, however, saying May needed to address the issue.

"Labour believe that EU nationals should not be used as bargaining chips in Brexit negotiations," said the party's Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer.

"There is a growing consensus that this must be resolved before Article 50 is triggered, and the Prime Minister is now increasingly isolated," he added.

The British media reported over the weekend that May was likely to revoke the right of European nationals to stay permanently in the UK after initiating Brexit.

Migrants who arrive after the initiation date in mid-March are expected to undergo a regime of post-Brexit restrictions instead, which involves a new visa process as well as limited access to benefits.

A government source told The Daily Telegraph that the decision was necessary because otherwise "half of Romania and Bulgaria" might come to Britain before Brexit.

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 3

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Financial Monitoring Service of Azerbaijans Financial Market Supervisory Authority has added four persons to the list of those subject to international sanctions for their support of terrorism, said a report of the service posted on its website.

Nayif Salih Salim al-Qaysi, senior official and a financial supporter of the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) militant Islamist group, Bassam Ahmad al-Hasri and Iyad Nazmi Salih Khalil, who are the leaders of the Al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant radical Islamist group, as well as Ghalib Abdullah al-Zaidi, the leader of the AQAP, have been added to the list.

This is the 5th change made to the list in 2017. The list is updated in accordance with the UN Security Councils decisions and the information received from regional organizations.

According to an order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, the international list is approved and updated by the Financial Monitoring Service based on the information received from the countrys Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The service also makes the approved list available for the monitoring and supervisory bodies. In the case of detection of properties and money belonging to legal entities and individuals specified in the list, the monitoring and supervisory bodies must inform the Financial Monitoring Service of Azerbaijan without performing any operations with these properties and funds.

The Financial Monitoring Service of Azerbaijan was established Feb. 23, 2009.

The monitoring of the service covers activities of credit, insurance and reinsurance organizations, professional participants of the securities market, pawn shops, investment funds, transactions with precious metals and stones, as well as purchase of products from them.

The monitoring of the service also covers activities of non-governmental and religious organizations, organizers of lotteries, people providing services of the real estate sales, as well as lawyers, accountants, real estate transactions, client money, securities and property, client bank and deposit accounts.
EU Ambassadors Agree To Prolong Sanctions On Yanukovych, Associates

Rikard Jozwiak March 02, 2017

BRUSSELS -- European Union ambassadors have decided to prolong asset freezes imposed by Brussels against Ukraine's former President Viktor Yanukovych and 14 of his associates.

The decision on March 2 by the ambassadors sets up a vote by EU ministers who are expected to confirm the one-year extension when they meet in Brussels on March 3.

One politician who previously had been sanctioned by the EU, Yuriy Ivanyushchenko from Yanukovych's former party, the Party of the Regions, has been removed from the sanctions list that was approved by the EU ambassadors on March 2.

Ivanyushchenko recently was cleared of any wrongdoing by Ukraine's high court.

The EU sanctions were imposed shortly after the collapse of Yanukovych's government in February 2014 against people who, according to the EU, "were responsible for the misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds or for abuse of office causing a loss to Ukrainian public funds."

Apart from Yanukovych, the list includes his son Oleksandr Yanukovych, former Prime Ministers Mykola Azarov and Serhiy Arbuzov, and the head of Yanukovych's administration, Andriy Kliuiev.

Ukraine's former Prosecutor-General Viktor Pshonka, former Justice Minister Olena Lukash, and former Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko remain on the EU sanctions list.

The European Court of Justice in 2016 rejected challenges filed against the sanctions by Yanukovych and others on the list.

The court ruled that the reason for imposing sanctions against them was lawful.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/eu-ambassadors -agree-to-prolong-sanctions-yanukovych -associates/28343979.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Contact Group Agrees to Guaranty Security of Donetsk Filtration Station

Sputnik News

20:30 02.03.2017

Martin Sajdik, a special representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine stated that the Trilateral Contact Group's (TCG) agreed on the need to halt attacks on the Donetsk water filtration station (DFS).

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The parties to the Trilateral Contact Group's (TCG) meeting in Minsk on Wednesday agreed on the need to halt attacks on the Donetsk water filtration station (DFS) and enable safe and secure access for the station's staff, repair teams and the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), a special representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine said Thursday.

"Today particular attention was paid to the operation and safety of Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS). Based on the proposal of [Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine] Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan, the parties agreed on the following: no shelling or other attack on the DFS; demining of the DFS area and its access roads; security guarantees (facilitated by the Joint Control for Control and Co-ordination) in order to enable safe, secure and unfettered access for the DFS staff, repair teams and the SMM," Martin Sajdik said in a statement.

According to the OSCE envoy, the parties also appealed to the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine to facilitate the implementation of the disengagement of forces and hardware in the planned area of Stanytsia Luhanska on March 7.

"In addition, the sides reiterated their commitment to the full withdrawal of heavy weapons," Sajdik added.

The participants of the Contact Group's meeting and its working groups also discussed the humanitarian issues, noting a substantial discussion between Ukrainian authorities and representatives from Donetsk and Luhansk on the lists of detainees in relation to the conflict.

"The lists will now be verified by the sides. A mechanism to ensure that such decisions are respected will be developed with the support of a third party. Furthermore, a neutral organization will be involved to return personal documents to released detainees in the future," Sajdik noted.

The OSCE special representatives confirmed on Wednesday that the Trilateral Contact Group group's next meeting will take place on March 15.

 Sputnik

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Bargain Basement Gunboats: Ukraine Hopes to Rebuild Navy Using Old NATO Ships

Sputnik News

14:37 02.03.2017(updated 15:14 02.03.2017)

Lacking the financial resources to beef up its Black Sea presence with new, domestically produced ships, the Ukrainian Navy is considering buying decommissioned NATO warships on the cheap instead. The only problem, experts say, is that even if NATO gave Ukraine its old ships for free, it would still cost more money than Kiev has to modernize them.

Speaking to Ukraine's Channel 5 earlier this week, Vice Admiral Ihor Voronchenko, commander of the Ukrainian Navy, confirmed that Ukraine was negotiating the purchase of decommissioned NATO vessels to reinforce its Black Sea fleet. A group of Ukrainian officials has recently returned from such negotiations, he said.

The senior officer noted that while he could not name the country or countries that Ukraine was negotiating with, he could say that one deal has already been negotiated. A second group of officers will embark for further negotiations this fall, Voronchenko added.

"Partner countries  those that currently provide us with assistance, are considering this issue to be promising," the vice admiral said. Kiev, he added, is looking to get decommissioned ships whose age is satisfactory to the Navy, and "according to certain payment methods."

Voronchenko explained that Ukraine needed the ships because it is "a transit state, and we are obligedto ensure the peaceful navigation of all vessels in the Black Sea. We cannot fulfill the full spectrum of this work with only one minesweeper, the Henichesk, which we obtained."

Accordingly, he said, Kiev is now looking to get another mine-sweeper, and possibly other vessels, from NATO member countries.

Commenting on Voronchenko's remarks, Russian observers suggested that it was a sign of the sorry state of Ukraine's Navy, as well as the country's economic and industrial potential in general. After all, experts noted, less than a quarter century ago, before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine was home to some of the largest and most advanced shipyards in the world, building everything from small frigates to aircraft carriers. Since 1991, independent Ukraine has built only a handful of small corvettes, anti-submarine vessels and patrol ships.

Furthermore, after the Soviet collapse, much of Ukraine's shipbuilding industry, concentrated in massive shipyards in places like the port city of Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine, remained dependent on cooperation with their Russian counterparts. However, since the downturn in Russian-Ukrainian relations in 2014, cooperation has declined significantly, with Russian shipbuilders turning to domestic producers for things like diesel engines and other advanced components.

Other experts suggested that even if Ukraine received the old NATO vessels for free, the money necessary to reequip the ships, retrain crews, and find the necessary spare parts would cost the Navy more than the ships are worth.

Speaking to the Russian news portal Economics Today, Boris Rozhin, editor-in-chief of the information-analytical center Kassad, suggested that Ukraine is looking for the new ships "purely for the sake of showing the flag and a [hypothetical] 'increase in capabilities' of the Navy."

"But buying a decommissioned ship is only half the battle," Rozhin explained. "One also needs to spend money on repairs, fine-tuning and upgrades, on retraining the crew to different standards, on reequipping the ship, and on incorporating it into a single fleet supply system."

Therefore, the expert noted that Voronchenko's announcement seems to be little more than a PR campaign. "Decommissioned ships cannot change the balance of forces in the Black Sea. It's worth recalling that Ukraine has not even been able to put the ships from Sevastopol handed over to them by Russia in order. Ukraine's fleet is financed from the leftovers [of the military budget]  they'll buy a ship, show it off and then leave it docked; but its actual usefulness will be very small."

For his part, independent military expert Prokhor Tebin explained the scheme he believes is likely to be used for Ukraine's purchase of NATO vessels: "The US Congress allocates a conditional $300 million to Kiev. With these funds, Kiev receives not actual money, but old ships, the cost of which is then written off as assistance. The US has a lot of ships in storage all across the globe, and given the necessary political decision, it wouldn't be a problem to reactivate them and send them to Ukraine. But they would be delivered without weapons onboard."

Earlier this week, Voronchenko accused Russia of "looting" its leftover naval assets in Crimea, and using these vessels as donors for parts. Russia denied the accusations, pointing to the fact that its Black Sea Fleet is being equipped with the latest vessels, and that new parts are being used supply its vessels.

The vast majority of the Ukrainian ships left in Crimea after the peninsula's return to Russia (35 mostly small, mostly auxiliary, mostly obsolete vessels) were returned to Kiev in the summer of 2014 under an agreement between the two countries. The return of the other 16 minor ships was halted when Kiev failed to renew its ceasefire in the civil war in the east and most are now believed to be in storage at bases across the peninsula.

Following the Maidan coup and Crimea's return to Russia, the size of Ukraine's Navy was cut in half, with many of its officers and seamen leaving the Navy and volunteering to join the Russian Black Sea Fleet instead. The Navy's size dropped from about 15,000 to 6,500 men, and its center of operations moved from Crimea to Odessa. Many senior officers, including vice admirals and rear admirals, joined the Russian Navy.

Ukraine's Navy is currently equipped with one frigate, the Hetman Sahaydachniy, commissioned in 1993, one corvette, one landing cutter, and several dozen small patrol and missile boats, minesweepers, command, reconnaissance and support ships.

 Sputnik

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Edge data centres will account for most of the telecom server market growth and is projected to reach US$14 billion by 2026 according to a new report from DellOro Group.
NORCROSS, Ga., March 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vega Biofuels, Inc. (OTCPink:VGPR) announced today that it has signed a five year Agreement to provide the Companys Biochar to legal cannabis growers in Alaska. The state of Alaska is the most recent state to legalize both medical and recreational cannabis use.



The Agreement with AK Provisions, Inc. located in Anchorage is Vegas largest single order for Biochar. Biochar is a highly absorbent specially designed charcoal-type product primarily used as a soil enhancement for the agricultural industry to significantly increase crop yields. Biochar offers a powerfully simple solution to some of todays most urgent environmental concerns. The production of Biochar for carbon sequestration in the soil is a carbon-negative process. Biochar is made from timber waste using torrefaction technology and the Companys patent pending manufacturing machine. When put back into the soil, biochar can stabilize the carbon in the soil for hundreds of years. The introduction of biochar into soil is not like applying fertilizer; it is the beginning of a process. Most of the benefit is achieved through microbes and fungi. They colonize its massive surface area and integrate into the char and the surrounding soil, dramatically increasing the soils ability to nurture plant growth and provide increased crop yield.

AK Provisions, Inc. plans to use Vegas Biochar in its own grow facilities as well as market the product to other growers throughout the state of Alaska through a reseller agreement with Vega Biofuels. The initial order is for 75 super sacks of Biochar. Each super sack holds approximately 400 pounds. Indoor grow facilities harvest their plants four times per year and start with new soil each time.

By the pound, Biochar is much more profitable to the Company than our Bio-coal energy product and will have a noticeable impact on the Companys bottom line. The products are similar but each has its own unique qualities, stated Michael K. Molen, Chairman/CEO of Vega Biofuels, Inc. We sell Bio-coal by the ton and Biochar is sold by the pound. Growers in other states are reporting significant increases in their crop yields when using Biochar as their soil enhancement. We plan to use the AK Provisions model as we increase our marketing efforts in other states that have recently approved growing legal cannabis. Our goal is to have the first shipment to Anchorage in time for AK Provisions first planting this spring.

For plants that require high potash and elevated pH, Biochar can be used as a soil amendment to significantly improve yield. Biochar can improve water quality, reduce soil emissions of greenhouse gases, reduce nutrient leaching, reduce soil acidity, and reduce irrigation and fertilizer requirements. Biochar was also found under certain circumstances to induce plant systemic responses to foliar fungal diseases and to improve plant responses to diseases caused by soil-borne pathogens. The various impacts of Biochar can be dependent on the properties of the Biochar, as well as the amount applied. Biochar impact may depend on regional conditions including soil type, soil condition (depleted or healthy), temperature, and humidity. Modest additions of Biochar to soil reduces nitrous oxide N2O emissions by up to 80% and eliminates methane emissions, which are both more potent greenhouse gases than CO2.

About Vega Biofuels, Inc. (OTCPink: VGPR):

Vega Biofuels, Inc. is a cutting-edge energy company that manufactures and markets a renewable energy product called Bio-Coal and a soil enhancement called Biochar, both made from timber waste using unique technology called torrefaction. Torrefaction is the treatment of biomass at high temperatures under low oxygen conditions. For more information, please visit our website at vegabiofuels.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "ongoing," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time the statements are made and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainty and other factors that may cause our results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has congratulated President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev.

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my most sincere congratulations to you and your country on the occasion of the national holiday of the Republic of Bulgaria, said President Aliyev in his congratulatory letter.

Azerbaijan and Bulgaria are bound together by ties of traditional friendship and cooperation, he noted.

Dynamic development of our relations is conditioned by ever-expanding political, economic and cultural ties, and our mutually beneficial cooperation, said the president. I believe that friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria will continue to develop and strengthen in a comprehensive and consistent manner in the best interests of our peoples.

On this remarkable day, I wish you robust health, success in your activities and the friendly people of Bulgaria lasting peace and prosperity, added President Aliyev.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 3

By Seba Aghayeva  Trend:

Position of Kyrgyzstan, which didnt accede to the political clauses in the declaration adopted at the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit in Islamabad, is absolutely incomprehensible, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend.

In the declaration, the member states [of the ECO] openly declared that the existence of conflicts in the ECO space hinders economic development and cooperation. Besides, the declaration emphasizes that progress, peace and security in the region are directly related to sustainable development and stability, he said.

In general, the links between economic development, regional cooperation, peace and security is a principle accepted by the entire international community, and this is the basis of the UN concept of sustainable development.

Therefore, Kyrgyzstans position is absolutely incomprehensible, Hajiyev said, adding such a position raises a serious question  which side is Kyrgyzstan on?

In the declaration, heads of the ECO member countries express concern that the unresolved conflicts in the ECO area, particularly the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, hamper economic development and realization of the regions potential to the full, as well as regional cooperation and that of a wider format.

Importance of the efforts to resolve these conflicts in line with norms and principles of international law, particularly taking into consideration the territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries, is stated in the declaration.

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.
Virginia Tech's 2017 spring commencement speaker will be Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, the university announced Thursday.

Sandberg, who oversees all of Facebook's business operations, has been with the company since 2008 and previously worked for Google and was chief of staff for United States Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers.

She is also founder of Leanin.org, named for her 2013 bestseller book "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead," which examines why women's progress in the workplace has stalled and offers solutions for the problem.

Her speech will be at Lane Stadium on May 12, with the commencement ceremony beginning at 8:30 a.m.

She will be introduced by Tech alumna Regina Dugan, who is vice president of engineering for Facebook. Before working at Facebook, Dugan was head of Google's "moonshot" team, which attempted to develop new technology.

Our graduating students will have an unbelievable opportunity to hear from two of the most influential and inspiring women leaders in American industry today, Tech President Timothy Sands said in a written statement. Sheryl Sandbergs many professional accomplishments in both the private and public sectors are remarkable and inspirational in their own right. In addition to that, she has had to face the devastating and sudden loss of her husband. Her open and honest public dialog on loss and resilience will surely inspire our graduates as they prepare for the next step in their lifes journey. 

Tech estimates about 5,000 students will graduate during the ceremony.
Danville police on Wednesday released the identities of three of the multiple people arrested last week on West James Street.

Dwight Montel Harris was arrested along with Mariah Leslie Conway and four minors at an abandoned building on the 200 block of West James Street on Feb. 23 by members of the Danville Police Departments special investigations division, with assistance from the Virginia State Police. Conway's name had been released earlier.

A police department news release said open containers of alcohol were on the scene, and all six individuals were found in possession of firearms, some of which police believe were stolen.

Further investigation led Danville police to two more arrests later in the day, Danville Police Lt. Mike Wallace said. Lisa Rene Barley, 24, and Bernard Gene Francis, 46, were arrested after search warrants were served at 122 West James St.

Barley is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute; Francis is charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Conway, 20, was denied bond Monday in Danville General District Court on charges of possession or transport of a firearm after having been convicted of a violent felony and carrying a concealed weapon, second offense.

Harris, 20, is charged with possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a concealed firearm.

According to an email from Wallace earlier this week, the minors were charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, two counts of possession of a stolen firearm, two counts of possession of a firearm by a juvenile and littering.

Conways next court appearance is in Danville General District Court in April, while Barley, Francis and Harris appearances are set for May in the same court.

The cases against the juveniles will be handled in Danville Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

Livingston reports for the Danville Register & Bee.
CHATHAM  Two new restaurants will spring to life in Chatham this month  Le Petite Rebelle and the Chatham Public House.

Both are the handiwork of Danville entrepreneur Steve DelGiorno, who along with his management team will morph 33 N. Main St. into the restaurant and bakery after some renovations. The building originally was an auto parts store, and then an antique store before Ron and Suzanne Brown purchased it in 2009. Until Tuesday, it served as the ChathaMooCa restaurant.

The team plans to knock out parts of the walls that separated it from the lawyers office next door to allow people to walk between the restaurant and bakery, as well as a walkthrough for restaurant staff. They plan to upgrade the stove and fire suppression system in the current kitchen, and add bakery ovens.

DelGiorno said the only way hes able to pull it off is with his culinary team  General Manager Derek Anderson, who will be in charge of the Public House; Catering and Marketing Manager Joe Scott, and master baker and chef Drew Bryant.

Bryant graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, and worked as the head chef and owner of Porter Bistro House in Nashville. Anderson served as the catering manager at Berry Hill Resort in South Boston, and trained at the Art Institute of Charlotte.

Half of the restaurant staff will be familiar faces for ChathaMooCa regulars, as DelGiorno is keeping all five ChathaMooCa staff members and plans to hire at least six more people.

The owners asked us to consider keeping the staff on, DelGiorno said. After meeting the staff, theyre friends with all of the customers. After getting to know them better and seeing how hard theyve been working, it was an easy decision.

Chatham Public House will start out serving just breakfast and lunch, though DelGiorno hopes to eventually have a weekly chef-inspired dinner with different themes. The Public House will offer beer and wine.

He plans to decorate the Public House with history-themed decor, and is having a 15-foot community table custom built using 125-year-old timbers from the American Tobacco Company in Reidsville, North Carolina.

Anderson said while the menu isnt set in stone, they plan to have dressed up, but not upscale food. Waffles, French toast, omelets and egg plates will be mainstays of the breakfast menu. Lunch will feature artisan sandwiches like paninis, soups and salads, featuring some of Le Petite Rebelles artisan breads. Both breakfast and lunch will offer some build-your-own sandwich options, as well as what Anderson and DelGiorno hope will be the best burger youve ever had.

The menu will include some unusual sides, like carrot salads and a different kind of coleslaw.

We want our food to be simple and delicious, but still different.

Le Petite Rebelle will be an artisan bakery storefront, run by Bryant, with space in the back for both private and semi-private dining. It will also reuse many of the familiar parts of ChathaMooCas display counters, though DelGiorno said he has been out buying antiques and other items in order to fill the space and make it their own.

The private rooms will have large screen televisions, in order to facilitate business meetings and dinners, similar to what The 616 Restaurant has in Danville.

Well be able to produce all of our artisan breads and sweet goods right here onsite, and then sell them on the bakery side. DelGiorno said.

Some of the products will be sold wholesale to other local establishments, Bryant said, adding some of the breads for the restaurant will be purchased elsewhere. Bryant plans to make some mainstays  a really good baguette, some artisan breads, sweet and savory tarts, as well as homemade New York Bagels and his bacon cinnamon rolls.

What stays on the menu will depend on what the customers want, Bryant said.

If there is good local ingredients, then of course well buy it, DelGiorno said. We want to source the best ingredients we can at the best price. Therell be no frozen, out-of-the box stuff, I can tell you that.

The restaurant hours arent quite set yet, but both establishments will be open seven days per week. DelGiorno said the weekday schedule will be from 7 a.m. to 5ish p.m., Saturday hours will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the brunch crowd.

Its kind of hard to drive into Chatham and not fall in love with it, DelGiorno said. The environment of downtown Chatham is  its just the quintessential Main Street. Its Americana at its best, and I think its an opportunity to bring this in and expand what were bringing into it.

DelGiorno hopes to open both establishments by mid-March, though he joked, Im the only one that thinks we can do it.

We have a lot of work to do, DelGiorno said. but were very excited.

Simkiss reports for the Danville Register & Bee.
NEW YORK (AP)  McDonald's acknowledged that it lost 500 million customer transactions in the U.S. since 2012, and said it plans to use tempting value deals to help win people back.

The world's biggest burger chain said Wednesday during its investor day in Chicago that much of that business was lost after it did away with its Dollar Menu. It noted that an upside was that the majority of those customer visits were lost to other major fast-food chains, rather than to newer rivals.

"Those are the easiest customers to get back," said CEO Steve Easterbrook, who took over in March 2015 and has been working to revive the company's image.

McDonald's outlined its plans after having recorded its fourth straight year of declining guest counts at established U.S. locations in 2016, despite the fanfare over the rollout of an all-day breakfast menu. The company also trimmed its domestic store base for the second year in a row.

To get more customers in the door, McDonald's said it will also more aggressively market coffee and pastries and offer mobile order-and-pay by the end of the year. Easterbrook also noted the huge potential of delivery, and that 75 percent of the population in the company's top five markets  including the U.S.  living within three miles of a McDonald's.

Asked by an analyst why a person would order McDonald's once delivery is widely available in the restaurant industry, Easterbrook said the chain's expansive footprint gives it the advantage of being able to get food to people more quickly.

Richard Adams, a restaurant industry consultant and former McDonald's franchisee, noted that the restaurant industry has never been more competitive. While McDonald's may be able to spur more customer visits, he questioned whether the company will be able to get back to the level of total transactions it had four years ago.

"If you look at the eating out options, it's just so much more than 10 years ago," Adams said.

McDonald's is being pressured not just from other big fast-food players like Burger King and Taco Bell, but from newer rivals that largely emphasize freshness and taste, as well as the availability of food at convenience stores like 7-Eleven and supermarkets. So even if people are still going to McDonald's, they may be going less often than they used to. The NPD Group has said it expects overall customer traffic in the restaurant industry to remain "stalled" this year, as it was last year.

McDonald's, meanwhile, has touted the changes it is making to improve its core menu, such as cooking its Chicken McNuggets without artificial preservatives and testing fresh beef for some burgers. On Wednesday, the company noted that it wants to focus on serving "delicious, unpretentious food."

For the near future, the company plans to launch a limited-time offer in April for $1 sodas of any size. That may offer a quick fix for bringing customers into stores.

For 2019 and beyond, McDonald's said it expects to expand its operating margin from the high-20 percent range to the mid-40 percent range, as it sells more of its restaurants to franchisees and relies more heavily on royalty fees. By the end of this year, the company expects 93 percent of its restaurants to be franchised.

Other chains such as Burger King and Dunkin' Donuts are almost entirely franchised, while Starbucks and Chipotle own most their restaurants.
VANCOUVER, March 2, 2017 /CNW/ - Eco Oro Minerals Corp. ("Eco Oro" or the "Company") (TSX: EOM) announces that it has set April 25, 2017 as the date of the general meeting of shareholders in response to the requisition by Courtenay Wolfe and Harrington Global Opportunities Fund Ltd. (the "Dissidents"). The record date for determining shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting has been set as March 24, 2017.

The Company will provide further information about the meeting in a management information circular that will be mailed to shareholders and posted on SEDAR in due course.

Based on the substantial expressions of support from shareholders, the board of directors of Eco Oro (the "Board") remains confident that the Dissidents' attempt to take control of the Board will fail. The Board believes that the Dissidents' actions will only continue to force the Company to incur unnecessary expense and distraction.

Company Profile

Eco Oro Minerals Corp. is a publicly-traded precious metals exploration and development company with a portfolio of projects in Colombia. Eco Oro has been focused on its wholly-owned, multi-million ounce Angostura gold-silver deposit, located in northeastern Colombia.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking" within the meaning of Canadian and United States securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Requisition and a potential shareholder meeting. Forward-looking statements are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "in the event", "if", "believes", "asserts", "position", "intends", "envisages", "assumes", "recommends", "estimates", "approximate", "projects", "potential", "indicate" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon the current belief, opinions and expectations of management that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant litigation, business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and other contingencies. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, among others, uncertainties related to the Requisition and the calling of a shareholder meeting, as well as other risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Annual Information Form dated March 11, 2016, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

RELATED LINKS

http://eco-oro.com

SOURCE Eco Oro Minerals Corp.
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 3, 2017) - Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:ELO)(FRANKFURT:P2Q) ("Eloro") is pleased to announce it has signed a letter agreement (the "Agreement") with Cott Oil and Gas Limited ("Cott") (ASX:CMT), granting Cott an option to acquire up to a 25% interest in Eloro's wholly-owned La Victoria Gold Silver Project ("La Victoria" or the "Property"), by completing up to C$5 million in expenditures by July 31, 2018. The Property covers approximately 80.4 square kilometres and is held by a Peruvian-based Eloro subsidiary and is located in Huandoval District, Pallasca Province, Ancash Department, in the prolific North-Central Mineral Belt of Peru.

The Agreement

Under the terms of the Agreement, Cott can earn an initial 10% interest in the Property by expending C$2 million (exclusive of all applicable taxes) by or before October 30, 2017 ("Stage 1 Earn-in Period"), and a further 15% interest ("Stage 2 Earn-in Period") by expending an additional C$3 million (exclusive of all applicable taxes) by or before July 31, 2018. At the end of either the Stage 1 Earn-in Period or the Stage 2 Earn-in Period, a joint venture would be formed between Eloro and Cott on the basis of their respective interest in La Victoria on the typical terms for a joint venture, with Eloro being the operator and the typical dilution provisions.

Pursuant to the Agreement, Cott would grant Eloro a right of first refusal ("RFR") pursuant to which Cott would be obliged to give Eloro at least 60 days prior written notice of any proposed sale of any interest in the Property to a third party and Eloro would have the right to exercise its RFR within 30 days of receipt of such notice from Cott by matching the third party offer. Additionally, should Eloro propose to sell all or a majority of its interest in the Property to a third party, Eloro must first consult with Cott about the identity of the third party and the proposed terms of sale. If Eloro proceeds with the sale, Cott will be obliged to sell its interest to the third party on a pro rata basis in accordance with the terms of Eloro's sale to the third party.

Eloro and Cott have agreed to proceed to the execution and delivery of a definitive agreement ("Definitive Agreement"), incorporating the terms contained in the Agreement. The execution of the Definitive Agreement is subject to the satisfactory completion by Cott of its due diligence investigation of the Property and also subject to the approval by the Boards of Directors of Eloro and Cott, and in the case of Cott, the approval of the ASX Limited and if applicable, shareholders of Cott, and in the case of Eloro, the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Eloro Resources at the PDAC

Eloro will be participating at the PDAC 2017 convention in Toronto and invites you to visit us at Booth 2326 (Investors Exchange) in the South Building, Metro Toronto Convention Centre from March 5 - 8, 2017.

About Eloro Resources Ltd.

Eloro is an exploration and mine development company which holds a 100% undivided interest in the La Victoria Gold/Silver Project, located in the prolific North-Central Mineral Belt of Peru. The La Victoria Gold/Silver Project covers 80.4 square kilometers and is within 50 km of several large, low-cost producing gold mines, with three producers visible from the property. Infrastructure in the area is good with access to road, water, and electricity and is located at an altitude that ranges from 3,100m to 4,200m above sea level. Eloro also holds a portfolio of gold and base-metal properties in northern and western Quebec.

About Cott Oil and Gas Limited

Cott is an ASX publicly-listed company that sold its oil and gas interests in late 2016 and has since been looking to diversify into the mineral resource sector. The Chairman of Cott, Mr. Stephen Dennis, has been actively involved in the mining industry for over 30 years and is also Chairman of several listed resource companies in Australia. Mr. Dennis was for 8 years, up to 2015, Managing Director and CEO of CBH Resources Ltd., a significant producer of silver, lead and zinc, which is the Australian-based subsidiary of Toho Zinc Co. Ltd., a Japanese company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Information in this news release may contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information express, as at the date of this new release, the Corporation's plans, estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations, or beliefs as to future events of results and are believed to be reasonable based on information currently available to the Corporation. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For additional technical information on the La Victoria Project, the reader is referred to the NI 43-101 Technical Report on the La Victoria Au-Ag Property, Ancash, Peru filed under Eloro's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).
Vancouver, BC (FSCwire) - Voltaic Minerals Corp. (TSXV: VLT, FSE: 2P6) (the Company or Voltaic) announces that a key condition precedent to entering into a 50/50 joint venture agreement with Equitorial Exploration Corp. (TSX: EXX) (Equitorial) for the Green Energy Project in Utah has not been fulfilled, and the joint venture agreement has been terminated. The agreement was announced in a Voltaic news release dated January 27, 2017.

As disclosed in our January 27, 2017 news release, Voltaic is working to finalize an exclusive right to use a lithium from brine extraction process for the Companys Green Energy Lithium Project in Utah. The process is still in the developmental stage. To date, Voltaic has been working to sign the definitive agreement with the inventors of the process, but some important points have not been agreed upon. However, Voltaic is still negotiating with the inventors and believes that an agreement permitting Voltaic to use the process is still very much achievable.

About Voltaic Minerals Corp.

Voltaic Minerals Corp. is a Vancouver-based Lithium exploration company which owns 100% of the Green Energy Lithium Property that encompasses 4,160 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) claims and is located in Grand County, 15 km west of the city of Moab, Utah. Lithium and other minerals occur at the property in an over-saturated brine (40% minerals, 60% water) discovered during oil exploration when drill wells intercepted Clastic Bed #14 of the Paradox formation.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

VOLTAIC MINERALS CORP.

Darryl Jones

Darryl Jones

President & CEO

Tel: 604.681.1568

info@voltaicminerals.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.

.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements in this release include that we will obtain a right to use the developmental stage lithium extraction process; and that we believe the process will be of benefit to Voltaic. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include that the Company the lithium extraction process owner may not agree on the final agreement terms, aspects or all of the process development may not be successful, the process may not be cost effective, the Company may not raise sufficient funds to

carry out our plans, costs for mining and processing may increase; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations based on current data may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits with further test work may not be comparable or feasible; the availability of labour, equipment and markets for the products produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, that the minerals on our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged project cannot be obtained. We may be unsuccessful in completing our private placement and therefore unable to use fund as intended. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/voltaic03032017.pdfSource: Voltaic Minerals Corp. (TSX Venture:VLT, FWB:2P61)

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Copyright  2017 Filing Services Canada Inc.
Toronto, March 3, 2017 - Alturas Minerals Corp (TSXV:ALT) ("Alturas") is pleased to announce that Alturas has entered into a definitive agreement (the "Agreement") with Compania Minera Milpo S.A.A. ("Milpo"), a member of the Brazilian international Votorantim Group, to option the Alturas' 100% owned, 4,675 hectare, zinc-gold-copper-rare earth elements project Huajoto property mining concessions, located 22 kilometers northwest of the historical mining town of Huancavelica in Central Peru.

Miguel Cardozo, President and CEO of Alturas commented: "The Company welcomes this definitive agreement with Milpo, a major international mining house and one of Peru's principal mineral producers, in order to continue the exploration and development of its Huajoto project, which had been partially drilled by Alturas with very encouraging zinc-rare earth mineralized intercepts. This agreement is consistent with our ongoing strategy to share exploration and development expense and risk at some of our key projects".

Under the terms of the Agreement dated on January 18th, 2017, Alturas grants Milpo:

1.A conditional 3-year option (the "Option") to acquire 80% of the Huajoto concessions for a total payment of US$2 million (the "Acquisition Price"). The Option period will start as soon as Milpo obtains all authorizations, permits and licenses required to initiate its exploration activities.

2.A mining assignment of the concessions (the "Assignment"), for Milpo to execute its exploration activities. The Assignment starts on the date of execution of the Agreement (the "Effective Date") and will last until the Option terminates.

In addition, in order to exercise the Option and acquire a participating interests ("Interest") for 80% of the Huajoto concessions, Milpo should advance the project and prepare within the 3-year period corresponding to the Option a 43-101-compliant Preliminary Economic Assessment (Scoping Study) as defined by the Canadian Securities Administration.

During the Assignment period, Milpo will make annual cash payments of US$200,000 each out of which Alturas agrees to cover Alturas?s commitments with previous owners of the properties and also to pay for the properties? annual fees, the balance being considered as payments in advance of the Acquisition Price.

Upon Milpo having completed its requirements to earn an 80% interest in the Huajoto Project, the parties shall form a customary 80:20 joint venture vehicle ("Newco") with the parties contributing pro-rata to all expenses and investments needed for the development of the project. In case any of the parties dilutes its interest to less than 10%, it will be converted to a 1% net smelter royalty (NSR).

About the Huajoto Zinc-Gold-Copper-Rare Earth Element project

The Huajoto Project is situated 22 kilometers northwest of the historical mining town of Huancavelica in Central Peru. The project is comprised of eight contiguous mineral concessions totaling 3,700 hectares. The property includes over 7.0 x 5.0 kilometers of strong hydrothermal alteration centered on a Late Tertiary felsic eruptive center. The system is the northernmost of several alteration centers distributed along a well-defined, NNW-SSE striking, +20 kilometer long belt of skarn, polymetallic and epithermal deposits.

Geologically, the Huajoto Volcanic Complex (HVC) is a sill and flow complex of felsic to intermediate composition cutting the Mesozoic Pucara limestone dominated basement. Small diatreme breccia pipes attest to explosive felsic eruptive activity. Airfall tuffs appear to represent a synchronous or possibly later pyroclastic phase. Faulting is complex and intense, probably reflecting strong extension in the roof of a sub-circular, sub-volcanic/plutonic complex, which measures around 10 x 10 kilometers in dimension.

There are surface and drilling reports of two different styles of mineralization on the Huajoto Property: high-sulfidation epithermal gold mineralization (La Virgen target) that may represent a mineralized lithocap overlying a porphyry-related mineralization center and zinc-skarn and -replacement (Cathy-Pablo target) in the peripheral volcanic and sedimentary sequence.

Alturas initiated an intensive surface exploration program in August 2007 followed up by a first phase drilling campaign of these targets comprising 2,501 meters that was executed in the third quarter of 2008.

Best results reported were from drill hole JOT-08-01, which intersected a near surface 106.5 meter thick polymetallic mineralized package between 11.5 and 118.0 meters averaged 1.64% zinc and 0.09% copper. This package includes an upper section of 48.5 meters assaying 2.24% zinc and 0.13% copper from 11.5 to 60.0 meters and a lower section of 17.0 meters assaying 3.26% zinc and 0.18% copper from 101.0 to 118.0 meters. Within these two sections, higher grade intervals of 5.80 meters assaying 3.48% zinc and 0.18% copper, and 4.40 meters assaying 7.28% zinc and 0.37% copper, were encountered. Alturas has recognized that strongly anomalous rare earth element (REE) values exist within the alkaline volcanic rocks hosting the zinc mineralization.

For further information on the Huajoto project, please refer to Alturas' 43-101 report at www.sedar.com prepared by Dr. Paul Pearson in 2010 as Alturas's designated Qualified Person for the supervision of exploration of the project.

About Milpo

Compania Minera Milpo S.A.A. is part of Votorantim Metais, the corporation's metals and mining division of Votorantim Group, a solid global industrial conglomerate which has more than 90 years of history and presence in key economic sectors, in more than 20 countries. Milpo is one producer of zinc, copper, silver and lead in Peru, developing and operating three mining units: Cerro Lindo, El Porvenir and Atacocha.

About Alturas Minerals

Alturas is a Canadian corporation, and is the indirect parent of the Peruvian company, Alturas Minerals S.A. ("Alturas Peru") and of the Chilean company, Alturas Chile Limitada ("Alturas Chile"). Alturas Peru has been exploring various mineral projects in Peru since January 2004 and has three mineral exploration projects in drilling-stage, including the Utupara, Sombrero and Huajoto projects. Alturas also entered into a transfer agreement on its Pampa Colorada property in northern Peru with Origen Group S.A.C. but maintains royalty rights and a claw back clause on 60-100% of the mining rights under certain conditions (see press release dated January 5th, 2012). In 2014, Alturas interrupted its exploration activities in Chile and is focused in maintaining its exploration projects in Peru.

For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.alturasminerals.com or contact Alturas at:

Phone: + 51-1- 476-1410 (Lima, Peru)

+ 1-416-363-4900 (Toronto, Canada)

Email: investor@alturasminerals.com

The TSX Venture Exchange and the Bolsa de Valores de Lima do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Language and Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements", which are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Investors are cautioned that such statements are not guarantees of future performance and results. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed in the Company's disclosure documents filed from time to time with the Canadian securities authorities.

Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.


(AIM Ticker: LND.L)

LONDON, March 3, 2017 /CNW/ - Landore Resources Ltd. (AIM:LND) ("Landore Resources" or "the Company") is pleased to announce it has raised gross proceeds of approximately C$3.3 million (2 million) through a subscription of 74,075,000 new ordinary shares of no par value in the Company ("New Ordinary Shares") at a price of 2.7 pence per New Ordinary Share (the "Issue Price") (the "Subscription").

The Issue Price represents a discount of approximately 7.5 per cent. to the closing middle market price of 2.92 pence per ordinary share on 2 March 2017, being the last trading day prior to this announcement and the New Ordinary Shares represent approximately 9.5 per cent. of the enlarged issued share capital (as enlarged by the New Ordinary Shares).

The net proceeds of the Subscription will, albeit on a more focused basis, be used by the Company to finance drilling and exploration at the BAM East Gold Deposit and working capital, as outlined in the announcement made by the Company on 17 February 2017.

As announced on 17 February 2017, the Company had intended to raise between 3 million to 4.5 million. However, in consultation with existing and potential shareholders it was agreed that a smaller fundraise at the current time maximises shareholder value.

Changes in Directors' disclosable interests pursuant to the Subscription are as set out below.

Director New Ordinary Shares subscribed Shareholding immediately following Admission Percentage of enlarged issued share capital William Humphries 4,580,000 68,894,119 8.8% Richard Prickett 1,000,000 12,144,876 1.6% Helen Green 740,000 2,357,583 0.3%

Commenting on today's announcement, Bill Humphries, Chief Executive of Landore Resources, said:

"The Directors and Management are delighted with the strong support for this fundraise by both existing and new Investors.

Drilling is scheduled to commence in early April on the BAM East Gold deposit aimed at upgrading and expanding the newly defined resource with further exploration along the highly prospective Junior Lake Shear. Shareholders can look forward to regular progress reports."

Further details on the Subscription

The Subscription is conditional on admission of the New Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM ("Admission"). The New Ordinary Shares will be fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with the Company's existing ordinary shares of no par value ("Ordinary Shares"). Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for Admission. It is expected that Admission of the New Ordinary Shares will become effective and that dealings in such New Ordinary Shares will commence at 8.00 a.m. on 13 March 2017. Following Admission of the New Ordinary Shares the Company's issued share capital will consist of 781,563,001 Ordinary Shares with voting rights. Landore Resources does not hold any Ordinary Shares in treasury.

The aforementioned figure of 781,563,001 Ordinary Shares may be used by shareholders in the Company as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, Landore Resources under the Financial Service Authority's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

Related Party Transactions

As Directors of the Company, the participation of William Humphries, Richard Prickett and Helen Green in the Subscription (the "Director Subscription") is deemed to be a related party transaction pursuant to Rule 13 of the AIM Rules for Companies.

In addition, Arconas International Limited and Taheh International Holdings, which currently have interests in the Company of 13.9 per cent. and 13.4 per cent respectively, have subscribed for 5,555,000 New Ordinary Shares and 9,630,000 New Ordinary Shares respectively pursuant to the Subscription (the "Shareholder Subscription"), which, as Substantial Shareholders in the Company, are also deemed to be related party transactions pursuant to Rule 13 of the AIM Rules for Companies.

Charles Wilkinson, Independent Director, having consulted with the Company's Nominated Adviser, Strand Hanson Limited, considers that the terms of the Director Subscription and the Shareholder Subscription are fair and reasonable insofar as the Company's shareholders are concerned.

About Landore Resources

Landore Resources is an exploration company that seeks to grow shareholder value through the acquisition, exploration and development of precious and base metal projects in eastern Canada. The Company is primarily focused on the development of the Junior Lake Project. Landore Resources has mineral rights to 5 properties in eastern Canada. The Company is headquartered in Guernsey, with an exploration office located in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.

This announcement contains inside information as defined in Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation No 596/2014.

SOURCE Landore Resources Ltd.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3

By Elchin Mehdiyev  Trend:

More than 2,000 civilians were killed as a result of 373 terrorism acts committed by Armenians in Azerbaijan, said Head of the Azerbaijans State Security Service Lieutenant-General Madat Guliyev.

He made the remarks addressing the conference titled The role of the youth in fight against terrorism, extremism and radicalism in Baku on March 3.

Guliyev noted that Azerbaijan faced the consequences of terror a few centuries ago.

Even in the previous century, Armenian terrorists committed terrorist acts against Azerbaijan. Armenian terror regained a wide scope in 1980s. Twenty percent of Azerbaijani territories were occupied, he said.

The head of the State Security Service emphasized that Azerbaijan is in a difficult geopolitical environment, noted Guliyev adding that however, Azerbaijan is the most stable country not only in the South Caucasus.

This became possible thanks to the policy, the foundation of which was laid by great leader Heydar Aliyev. Today the political course, the foundation of which was laid by the national leader, is being successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev by considering the requirements of modern times, stated Guliyev.

He added that thanks to the policy of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has taken a worthy place in the international security system, by gaining the status of a reliable partner.
UTSA will play five games in three days this weekend at the Texas A&M Invitational, March 3-5, at the Aggie Softball Complex in College Station.The Roadrunners (6-9) will take on Prairie View A&M (1-11) at 12:15 p.m. on Friday before a 3 p.m. tilt against No. 5 Texas A&M (15-1). Saturday will see UTSA face the Panthers again at 10 a.m. and that will be followed by a 5:15 p.m. matchup with Georgetown (3-11). The Roadrunners will conclude play at the tournament at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday against the Aggies.UTSA will look to bounce back from a 3-2 setback on Wednesday night against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Roadrunners erased a 2-0 deficit with a two-run bottom of the fifth, but the Islanders picked up an unearned run behind two UTSA errors to take the 3-2 victory.went 2-for-4 on Wednesday night and drove in a run with the first double of her collegiate career. The freshman ranks second on the team with a .386 batting average and she has stolen nine bases in as many attempts to lead the squad.The Roadrunners' offense continues to rank among the best in Conference USA as the team ranks in the league's top five in 10 different offensive categories.sits second in C-USA with 18 RBIs, while her five homers rank third.UTSA leads the all-time series against Prairie View A&M, 3-0, while Texas A&M owns a 33-6 advantage against the Roadrunners. Meanwhile, UTSA and Georgetown will meet for the first time this weekend.
For students whose families can't afford to help pay for college, Florida International University is making a promise: The school will pick up the tab.FIU has launched a new program guaranteeing incoming freshmen that if their parents can't help with tuition, the university will cover any gaps in financial aid through four years of college.The goal of the program, dubbed the Golden Promise, is to help low-income students earn a college degree without going into debt, FIU said in a statement. To qualify, students have to be Florida residents whose expected family contribution on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is listed as zero. In most cases, this means their family makes less than $33,000 a year, according to the university."FIU's Golden Promise removes economic barriers for students who are academically qualified and ready to work hard at FIU," FIU President Mark Rosenberg said in a statement. "We want them to be successful and graduate in four years."The university predicts that 1,200 freshmen will qualify for the program in 2017.Miami Dade College has a similar program, called the American Dream Scholarship, that covers tuition costs for the first two years that are not covered by financial aid and other scholarships. Students have to graduate from high school or get a GED in Miami-Dade County and meet certain academic requirements to qualify.Even when they don't cover room and board, programs like these can make college more accessible for low-income students, said Troy Miller, the associate director for Research and Policy at the Florida College Access Network, a nonpartisan research and advocacy organization."Money should never be the reason why students decide not to go to college," he said. "For students throughout the state, especially students in South Florida, knowing they have a major university right in their backyard that will meet their needs is very powerful."Nationwide, other universities have made similar promises to students with financial need. Stanford University announced in 2015 that students whose parents earn less than $65,000 a year would not have to pay anything for tuition, room or board, for example.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Azerbaijan needs to accelerate the restructuring of the banking sector, Chief of the International Monetary Funds (IMF) Mission in Azerbaijan Mohammed El Qorchi, who is on a visit in Baku, said in an interview with Trend.

He noted that the sooner the banking sector is stabilized, the sooner the situation will be normalized in the economy as a whole.

"The restructuring has been going on for some time and the authorities, I believe, have taken it seriously, especially recently with the establishment of FIMSA [Financial Market Supervisory Authority]," noted El Qorchi.

"Our recommendation is that it is important to bring the banking sector to a normal and more stable situation," he said, adding that instability in the banking sector has implications on many things, including the confidence in the economy and in the exchange market.

Chief of the IMF mission said that despite the difficult situation in the banking sector of Azerbaijan, the country's government was able to achieve success in the issue of banks restructuring.

"The situation in the banking sector is challenging. As you know, the authorities have been restructuring the banking sector for some time. They were dealing with IBA [International Bank of Azerbaijan], the biggest bank, but also with other banks," he noted.

During the past year, 11 banks were closed in the country and the government is working diligently to restructure other banks that need support or may not be viable, said El Qorchi.

"So, this time we feel that the authorities are making progress," he said, adding that the Azerbaijani authorities have informed the IMF mission that they have a good plan and this year they will complete the banking sectors restructuring.

"And that involves not only the IBA, but also other small banks," added El Qorchi.

He also noted that during the visit, the IMF mission will have a meeting with officials of Azerbaijans leading banks, where the sides will discuss the current banking sector restructuring.

Firstly, the IMF mission wants to understand exactly the situation in the market, main challenges being faced by banks, and how they prepare themselves for the restructuring, said El Qorchi.

Meanwhile, he added, the mission wants to get acquainted with the banks plans, their recommendations for the IMF and monetary authorities, discuss with them the ongoing reform and hear their views.

The IMF missions visit to Azerbaijan will last until the end of this week.

The mission has already had meetings in Azerbaijans Economy Ministry, Finance Ministry, Central Bank (CBA), State Oil Fund (SOFAZ) and Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FIMSA).

The IMF mission is also expected to have meetings in Azerbaijans Ministry of Taxes, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population, State Oil Company (SOCAR), State Statistics Committee, as well as with leading commercial banks of the country.

The previous IMF mission led by Mohammed El Qorchi visited Azerbaijan in May-June 2016. During the visit, the sides discussed economic processes in Azerbaijan and reforms being conducted in the country.

The International Monetary Fund opened its office in Baku in 1992.
'Who do you tax?'

'A Herculean task'

Efforts to oust justices

Replacing block grants

Kansas school funding is inadequate and unconstitutional, shortchanging at least a fourth of the state's public school students, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled Thursday.The court sided unanimously with school districts that complained that Gov. Sam Brownback's block grant funding system for schools underfunded their operations.It gave lawmakers until June 30 to craft a new school finance formula that meets constitutional funding requirements or potentially face statewide school closures.The court said current funding isn't enough to ensure that all students receive access to the suitable education the state Constitution mandates the Legislature to provide."Plaintiffs (the school districts) have shown through the evidence from trial -- and through updated results on standardized testing since then -- that not only is the State failing to provide approximately one-fourth of all its public school K-12 students with the basic skills of both reading and math, but that it is also leaving behind significant groups of harder-to-educate students," the ruling said.Although the court struck down Brownback's block-grant concept, the governor pointed to the education system and the previous finance formula for struggling schools and students."The Kansas Supreme Court correctly observes that our education system has failed to provide a suitable education for the lowest performing 25 percent of students," Brownback said in a statement issued six hours after the ruling. "The old funding formula failed our students, particularly those that struggle most. The new funding system must right this wrong."Brownback called for "transformative educational reform" and for the Legislature to pass a funding system that "puts students first."In his annual state of the state speech in January, he proposed expanding an existing program of tax breaks for businesses and individuals who fund scholarships for students to attend private and religious schools.Meeting the court's mandate will make it more difficult for state lawmakers to fix projected budget deficits of about $1 billion for the next two and a half years.John Robb, a lawyer representing Wichita and other plaintiff districts, said adopting a new formula that better serves students' needs could cost between $431 million and $893 million, depending where lawmakers set the base state aid per pupil."The lawsuit wasn't about the (previous) formula being bad. The lawsuit was about how the formula wasn't funded," Robb said. "Today the Supreme Court has held exactly that. ... The court says kids aren't getting what they're due."Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, whose office defended the state and lost the case, called on the Legislature to enact a new formula and leave "ample time" for the Supreme Court to review it before the June 30 deadline."The State's interest in bringing this litigation to an end can best be met by a bold legislative response, enacted swiftly, squarely targeting the constitutional defects the court identified," Schmidt said in a statement. "Today's ruling implies that the main focus needs to be on better educating those kids who are performing most poorly."He advised the Legislature to "show its work" to demonstrate how its actions will help students "meet or exceed performance standards adopted by the Supreme Court."The case that led to the Supreme Court decision is called Gannon v. Kansas and began in November 2010. It was filed by four school districts -- Wichita, Hutchinson, Kansas City and Dodge City -- but the decision applies to all school districts."We've lost a whole generation of kids with inadequate funding, and hopefully this will communicate to the state how important it is not to lose a single kid, and that we need to do better than what we've done," said State Sen. Lynn Rogers, D-Wichita, who also serves on the Wichita school board.Rep. Brenda Landwehr, R-Wichita and a member of the House Education Budget Committee, said the Legislature will probably have to raise about $1 billion a year either through tax increases or cuts in other services -- or a combination -- to cover the court-ordered increase for schools."So who do you you tax?" Landwehr said. "You tax business too much and they don't have to stay in Kansas." The tax plan recently approved by the Legislature, but vetoed by the governor, also would have put a substantial burden on the middle class, she said.Landwehr, who is chairwoman of the Social Services Budget Committee, said she worries that lawmakers might look to make further cuts there, although those budgets are already getting trimmed.Medicaid reimbursements for hospitals and doctors and mental-health programs are already being cut by about 4 to 4.5 percent, she said."Do you just fund the schools and you don't fund those other services, only for them (the school districts) to come back and sue us again in a few years?" Landwehr said.Landwehr said she's looking into the possibility of relieving school districts of some of their support costs in areas such as medical and psychological services, with those services to be provided by community health and mental-health departments.House Minority Leader Jim Ward, D-Wichita, called Thursday's ruling "a big victory for schoolkids across Kansas" and said the Legislature should act quickly -- on Monday or earlier -- to begin crafting a new finance formula. Lawmakers are on a break this week."For the Legislature it creates a Herculean task because historically, school finance formulas have taken a couple years to draft in a way that gets it right," Ward said.Any new formula should recognize that "all students are entitled to a public education, all kids aren't the same and some kids cost more than others," he said.He blasted Brownback's block grant system, which he said was "drafted in a back room" and rushed to approval two years ago."I don't think there's any support for that kind of process in this year's Legislature, so I hope we don't waste time proving that," Ward said.Thursday's ruling comes after a special three-judge school finance court ruled against the state and for the school districts. The state appealed to the Supreme Court.Last year, the Supreme Court upheld part of the districts' case and agreed that school funding was unfairly divided among wealthy and poor districts. It ordered the state to fix that or face a shutdown of schools on July 1. Lawmakers met in a special session in June and shifted $38 million to comply with the court order.Lawmakers also turned aside an effort to pass a constitutional amendment stripping the court of its authority over school finance and leaving all school funding decisions to the Legislature and governor.That kept the schools open for another school year, while justices contemplated the second part of the "suitable" equation, whether the state was providing enough money overall.That's the "adequacy" portion of the litigation decided Thursday.School finance has been a highly controversial issue in the state for the past 20 years or more, repeatedly ping-ponging back and forth to the courts and influencing state politics.After last year's special session, groups aligned with the governor tried to oust four Supreme Court justices who had sided with the school districts. That would have slowed the case and given the governor the chance to appoint a court majority that might see things his way.But voters opted in November to retain all the justices who were targeted -- Chief Justice Lawton Nuss and associate justices Marla J. Luckert, Carol Beier and Dan Biles.Then Democrats and moderate Republicans, running on pro-school platforms, defeated or replaced about two dozen Brownback-allied legislators.Even without the Supreme Court ruling, lawmakers would have no choice but to deal with school funding in the current legislative session.Brownback and his allies in the Legislature successfully repealed the state's school finance formula in 2015, replacing it with two years of "block grants." That essentially froze funding at 2014 levels while loosening some rules on how districts can spend their state aid.The idea was the Legislature would have two years to develop a new finance formula.Those two years are up this year, meaning that the Legislature has to come up with a new formula for funding schools this year or risk shutting down the education system for lack of spending authority.Unless lawmakers and Brownback restore the former school funding formula, which the Supreme Court had already approved as constitutional, whatever plan emerges from the Legislature is likely to face another round of litigation.Thus far, Brownback remains staunchly opposed to reinstating the previous school-finance formula.
No one who works in health care would dispute the need to keep hospital patients safe. But theres plenty of debate over how best to achieve that and over whether the federal approach is the right one, particularly for hospitals that treat the most vulnerable Americans.In December, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) handed down its list of hospitals that would be penalized in the current fiscal year for patient safety violations. In all, 769 hospitals were dinged for preventable conditions such as blood clots, falls and the presence of antibiotic-resistant germs. The hospitals will have 1 percent of their payments from CMS cut, which for a large hospital can exceed a million dollars.CMS has another program with even stiffer punishments, penalizing hospitals that have whats considered an excessive number of readmissions within 30 days of hospitalization. In August, CMS announced that nearly 2,600 hospitals would have up to 3 percent of their reimbursements withheld this fiscal year.The penalities handed down by CMS are part of the Affordable Care Act. Theyre meant to motivate hospitals to correct procedures so as to avoid patient safety violations. But the problem with these penalities, some health policy experts say, is that they dont take into account the particular challenges that individual hospitals face. Most of the penalized hospitals take care of the poorest and sickest, says Ashish Jha, a professor at Harvard University who focuses on patient safety. Jha and others argue that CMS should add a risk adjustment factor. Until then, safety-net and academic-centered hospitals will continue to get slapped with the most penalties.We all want patients to be healthy once they leave, but we need to understand that patients in certain areas have a harder time achieving proper health, adds Michael Consuelos, vice president for clinical integration at the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. For a struggling rural hospital, reduced payments from CMS can equal a death spiral, he says.Providers say that the more thorough reporting required under the CMS patient safety programs also has been a major administrative burden. Weve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and an enormous amount of time managing the process, says Saul Weingart, chief medical officer at Tufts Medical Center and a National Patient Safety Foundation board member. Its a lot of combing over doctors notes, clarifying things written down, trying to determine if its clinically significant.Adding to the hospitals exasperation is the fact that there is little information about whether the penalties have actually improved health outcomes. We have no real idea if patient safety has gotten better because none of that data has been subject to peer review, says Jha. We do know that readmissions have fallen, but the problem with that metric is a good chunk of readmissions are often necessary.Still, hospitals say they do put a lot of effort into addressing issues theyre penalized for. The Pennsylvania association, like many state hospital groups, works to facilitate data sharing among hospitals, Consuelos says. Organizations know what they scored low on, and they do try to really focus in on those areas. And, Tufts Weingart notes, because the hospital star ratings that CMS releases every year are partially tied to the penalty programs, hospital executives feel it can be a reputational issue.All of this is playing out, of course, at a time when the future of the Affordable Care Act and the mandates it imposes are very much up in the air in Washington. These patient safety programs, says Jha, require a lot of subtlety. Thats a quality that few would associate with the debate over the federal health law.
Oil State Woes

Securing Secure Choice

Still No Fiscal Clarity From Trump

Oklahoma's credit rating was downgraded this week, making it the third oil state in just one month to suffer such a blow. S&P Global Ratings pushed Oklahoma's rating down to AA, citing the state's chronically weak revenue. The downgrade comes as news broke this week that the state is facing a nearly $900 million shortfall."Collectively the state's financial position has deteriorated to a point that further precludes the state from building up reserves in subsequent fiscal years, says S&P credit analyst Oscar Padilla, who adds the state is now more vulnerable to regional or national economic weakness.This is Oklahoma's third consecutive year with a deficit, and the second straight year of a so-called revenue failure, when collections fall more than 5 percent below estimates.The action follows downgrades in two other oil states last month: Moodys Investors Service downgraded West Virginia and Louisiana one notch each. States that rely on oil and energy for significant portions of their economy have had to grapple with revenue shortfalls since the price of oil dropped drastically a year and a half ago.Most oil states dipped into a recession last year and it's taken a toll on ratings. Alaska was downgraded by all three ratings agencies, New Mexico by Moodys and S&P, North Dakota by S&P and West Virginia by Fitch Ratings and S&P. Only Texas and Wyoming have kept their credit ratings intact since prices dropped. That's because Texas has a fairly diversified economy while Wyoming is more reliant on coal mining than oil extraction.Solving these revenue gaps will be difficult. Governors in these red states have proposed sales tax increases to help close the gap. But any tax increase in a conservative state faces long odds. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, for instance, is proposing an expansion of the states sales tax. Only last year, however, voters rejected a small sales tax increase to help end the states teacher shortage crisis.With Congress poised to derail state programs that would ensure all workers have access to a pre-tax retirement savings plan, state lawmakers are talking backup plans.The U.S. House resolution in question would overturn a Department of Labor rule that gave states the OK to create private-sector savings programs for small businesses. The House passed it last month and the Senate could take up the resolution as early as today.In California, officials are considering modifying their Secure Choice program to fit a previous Labor Department rule from 1975. Among other changes, that would mean dropping a feature that automatically enrolls workers into the program. Research shows that automatically enrolling workers makes it 15 times more likely employees will save.At a National Institute for Retirement Security conference this week in Washington, D.C., retirement attorney Michael P. Kreps said the Labor Department's rule allowing Secure Choice programs created certainty for the more than 20 states and cities creating a program or considering one. Overturning that would essentially "take the thumb off the scale." That could have a chilling effect on places still considering a program.Liberal-leaning states are farther along in the Secure Choice process, but the issue is bipartisan. A letter signed by 19 Republican and Democrat finance officials is asking the Senate to reject the House measure.Still, the House measure has largely been along partisan lines. Its also in keeping with prior Republican efforts to insert federal control into state public pension plans. Particularly telling is that House lawmakers have cited severely underfunded pension plans in warning that Secure Choice might somehow put taxpayers on the hook to foot the bill. In reality, the plans are independently managed and funded through fees.President Trump released details about his upcoming budget proposal and delivered his first joint address to Congress this week, but state and local governments are still largely in the dark about their fiscal futures.While the speech announced a few new programs targeting illegal immigrants, it did little to flesh out the specifics of the president's domestic policy agenda.And on Monday, the administration announced budget plan details that elicited more questions than answers. Trump plans to take $54 billion from discretionary spending -- where states get most of their federal aid -- and move it into defense spending. (Medicaid would be exempt from reductions. However, the president has expressed a desire to change it into a block grant program, which leaves the door open for cuts.)Meanwhile, Fitch reports the largest single discretionary program potentially subject to cuts is federal highway aid ($40 billion). But given Trumps pledge to boost infrastructure investment through public and private capital, its hard to imagine that happening with major cuts in highway funding. Absent highway aid cuts, Fitch said, it remains unclear how the president's budget plan would affect state and local governments.For states and locals, its unnerving to set budgets and move forward on significant policy when theres no clear idea of how changes in Washington could potentially affect federal aid. Add to that the fact that many states are grappling with budget shortfallsmany experts are expecting an economic slowdown in the next two years , and its an incredibly uncertain time for government budgets.
On Wednesday, in the afternoon, at Government House, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey received His Excellency Mr Kyoung-ha Woo, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Australia and Dr Jinah Lee Woo.

Following, at Government House, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey hosted a reception in support of The Lady Musgrave Trust where His Excellency addressed guests.

In the evening, at Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera, the Governor attended a reception celebrating the 116th birthday of the Australian Army.
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GIS - 03 March, 2017: Professors Francois Sztark and Dominique Dallay from the University of Bordeaux paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Health and Quality of Life, Dr Anwar Husnoo in his office in Port Louis yesterday. The Executive Director of the Mauritius Institute of Health (MIH), Dr Geeta Daby was also present. Professors Francois Sztark and Dominique Dallay from the University of Bordeaux paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Health and Quality of Life, Dr Anwar Husnoo in his office in Port Louis yesterday. The Executive Director of the Mauritius Institute of Health (MIH), Dr Geeta Daby was also present.

Discussions centred around the prospects of further collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life, through the MIH, and the University of Bordeaux for capacity building of local health care professionals. The running of a programme of specialisation in obstetrics and gynaecology is thus being envisaged for local health care professionals.

The courtesy call was followed by an award ceremony during which 16 ambulance drivers of the SAMU (Service d'aide medicale urgente - Emergency Medical Assistance) received their certificate of skills proficiency, Certificat de Competences de Chauffeur Ambulancier SAMU/SMUR (Services mobiles durgence et de reanimation - mobile emergency medical service) after having successfully completed a programme jointly organised by the MIH and the University of Bordeaux. The training course  Formation dAdaptation a lEmploi de Chauffeur Ambulancier SAMU/SMUR was held in November and December 2016 and delivered by two facilitators from Bordeaux.

In his address on this occasion, the Minister of Health and Quality of Life recalled that the University of Bordeaux has been providing training and its expertise to the Mauritian health sector since 1984. Since then, he said, numerous health care professionals have been trained in Mauritius by the University or have undergone further training in Bordeaux.

Commending the University of Bordeaux for its assistance and support, Dr Husnoo highlighted the importance of continuous professional development in achieving Governments vision of providing a high level of health care quality and services to the population.

The Minister also congratulated the 16 awardees, saluting their efforts to improve their knowledge and skills for better intervention. Emergency medical services have a crucial role to play, and their effectiveness within a few minutes on site can make a difference, stressed Dr Husnoo.
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GIS - 03 March, 2017: Governmental and institutional decision makers play a crucial role in setting policies that shape the direction of education systems, and we must advocate for policies that can accelerate the adoption and the creation of more Open Educational Resources (OER). Governmental and institutional decision makers play a crucial role in setting policies that shape the direction of education systems, and we must advocate for policies that can accelerate the adoption and the creation of more Open Educational Resources (OER).

This statement was made by the Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, at the opening of the Africa Regional Consultation on Open Educational Resources on 2 March 2017 at Le Voila Hotel, Bagatelle. The theme of the meeting was OER for Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education: From Commitment to Action.

OER is the fourth regional consultation after those held in Malaysia, Malta and Qatar, and will be followed by two more, in Brazil and in New Zealand respectively. These regional consultations are a lead-up to the 2nd World OER Congress to be organised by UNESCO and the Government of Slovenia in September 2017 in partnership with Commonwealth of Learning.

This meeting, which brought together Government officials and key stakeholders in the Africa Region, aimed at sharing policy initiatives and OER practices and discussing concerns and issues for inclusive and equitable quality education in view of coming up with a Global report on OER for the Africa region, which will be used at the 2nd World OER Congress.

The Minister highlighted that the Paris OER Declaration adopted at the World OER Congress, held at the UNESCO. Headquarters in June 2012 has informed Governments and Educational Leaders about the potential of OERs to combat inequality in education.

Referring to lifelong learning process, she said that the promotion and use of OERs help to both increase and widen access to education at all levels. This is applicable to both formal education set-ups as well as to non-formal ones, and the spinoffs for the individual and the society at large are enormous, she pointed out.

According to Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun, it is highly pertinent for policy makers to ensure that educational materials developed with public funds are not available exclusively to the recipients of public funds. She reiterated Governments commitment to support OERs internationally so that quality educational resources reach those most in need of them.

Furthermore, she made mention of two programmes that her Ministry has embarked upon. The first one relates to the Inclusion Concept which ensures that learners with disabilities have access to appropriate educational opportunities. Free quality education would be made accessible to all irrespective of their physical, economic, social or psychological situation.

The second one is Equity-Related which entails the Student Support Programme for the lower secondary sub-sector. The aim is to provide free additional support to students after school hours so as to consolidate their learning. The flexible mode of delivery will enable the students to learn, at their own pace, and from home. Additional materials will be available to them and the OERs, both existing and new, will be part of the programme. Moreover, along with a dedicated website, full-time educators will be recruited to prepare materials that will be quality-assured prior to on-line delivery.
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GIS  03 March 2017 : Some 100 young women aged between 18 and 35 years gathered at a Youth Forum yesterday morning at the Gold Crest Hotel in Quatre Bornes in order to exchange views, share concerns and aspirations, and make proposals on strategies to be implemented to bring about an equitable and gender inclusive society.

The Forum on the theme Fostering a new generation of young women advocating for gender equality and women empowerment was organised by the National Womens Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare in the context of the 2017 International Womens Day. Talks on Young Womens Movement, its historical background and relevance, as well as on ways to engage young women and girls to advocate gender equality and women empowerment were held.

On this occasion, the Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Mrs Fazila Jeewa-Daureeawoo, explained that attaining gender equality necessitates a cultural approach that focuses on a change of mindsets and attitudes for a fairer and more just society. Gender equality can never be achieved without the contribution of everyone, both the public and private sectors, civil society and every citizen of the country, she underlined.

Highlighting the importance of giving both girls and boys equal access to education, the Minister stated that education is the path to women empowerment and makes them more independent and self-reliant. She added that education enables women to develop their skills and abilities so that they can stand on their own feet.

The Minister also stressed the importance of providing advice and guidance to young people in the wake of scourges and challenges faced by them namely drugs, prostitution, road accidents and ecology. Mrs Jeewa-Daureeawoo thus urged parents to spend quality time and engage in dialogue with their children.

The 2017 International Womens Day celebrations are geared towards raising awareness of both men and women from all walks of life on the importance of working together to achieve gender equality. The theme chosen by the Ministry is Working towards a gender inclusive society.

Following the interactive session with three generations of women in Pointe aux Piments, and the Youth Forum, the Ministry will organise a workshop on the theme Young Motherhood on 4 March 2017. The workshop aims at enhancing knowledge and providing information on the incidence of teenage pregnancy, its causes, consequences and implications from a medical and socio-economic perspective.
Federal Report: 18F Disregarded IT Security Requirements

18F used IT that was not approved by General Services Administration IT.

18F failed to get proper authorizations to operate information systems.

18F circumvented General Services Administration IT assessment and authorization processes.

18F acquired new IT without the required CIO review and approval.

18F staff used unofficial email accounts to conduct GSA business.

18Fs leadership failed to ensure compliance.

Department of Defense Launches Open Source Initiative

The Berkman Klein Center Releases Open Data Privacy Playbook

Los Angeles Dashboard Visualizes Homeless Shelter Demand

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the U.S. General Services Administration has found that 18F , a federal digital consultancy that helps governmental agencies make better use of tech, had disregarded security rules and other procedures  choices that at times made sensitive information vulnerable to security breaches. The report , dubbed, was released Tuesday, Feb. 21, and the investigation was conducted by the OIGs Office of Inspections and Forensic Auditing. Its genesis comes from another report in May 2016, which examined a data breach within the General Services Administration, where 18F is housed.The key findings are as follows:The report paints a picture of 18F as a young agency, filled with technologists, that has grown quickly, without always familiarizing its staff and leadership with procedural rules, all of which has led to standard security practices being ignored.The report also offers six recommendations, which all come back to making sure that 18F is aware of and always following the General Services Administration IT regulations, rules and practices. Donna Garland, a spokesperson for the GSA, said in a statement that the organization fully accepts the report's recommendations.The Department of Defense has launched Code.mil , an open source initiative aimed at encouraging technologists to use unclassified agency code in support of projects to bolster national security.The Code.mil URL redirects visitors to the department's GitHub page, an open source online repository of code for Defense Department projects, which programmers can then review before suggesting helpful changes.In a statement , the program is described as a direct avenue for the department to tap into a worldwide community of developers to collectively speed up and strengthen the software development process. Any program code from the Department of Defense will now be hosted on GitHub, where it can be reused for other projects. Basically, the project is likely to serve both the government and the public, with the Defense Department being given access to a massive breadth of technical knowledge, while at the same time offering its governmental software tools for public use.Currently, Code.mil stands as an experiment in open source collaboration, but has not yet been made official. The Defense Department will be taking public comments on its proposed open source strategy before it finalizes its team up with GitHub at the end of March.This is not the first time the Defense Department has looked outside its walls for help with technology. In August 2016 , it turned to a team from Carnegie Mellon University to help build self-destructing drones. And in April 2016 , the department began hosting Hack the Pentagon, an initiative designed to shore up cyberdefense by encouraging people to expose them.A new open data privacy playbook seeks to aid cities and other government agencies undergoing open data initiatives from releasing information that can violate individual privacies.The Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University created the book, which is available for free download . In a statement , the center described the goal of the document as intended to codify responsible privacy-protective approaches and processes that could be adopted by cities and other government organizations that are publicly releasing data.The relationship between open data and individual privacy has been a concern for many state and local agencies as they establish digital resources to make government more transparent. For some agencies it is still a new concept, while others have been grappling with finding a balance for years. In November 2014 , Seattle launched a data privacy initiative to show the public how it collects and uses data. During that announcement, Michael Mattmiller, Seattles chief technology officer, emphasized the importance of collaborating with the public to ensure privacy in the open data era.The trick that we really need to work on as part of our privacy efforts here in the city is to help the public trust in what were doing, Mattmiller toldat the time. There were some issues over the past couple years where the city made some decisions around technology, and we didnt take that step of engaging the public to help them understand what were trying to achieve, and thats created a bit of a gap at the moment.The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) has built an occupancy dashboard that tracks daily capacity at the citys winter shelters in an effort to better visualize demand for such facilities in the city.During Southern Californias winter season, the LAHSAs Winter Shelters Program provides respite for those who are in need of shelter, expanding the citys homeless shelter program in order to meet increased demand from late November through early March. The occupancy dashboard aims to increase civic understanding of the level of need for such shelters.With this platform, users can customize the data sets that appear, with customizable options that include date, service planning area, L.A. County Supervisor District, L.A. City Council District, program and program bed capacity. The graphs this dashboard generates also display the mean temperature.This effort is powered by DataLA, the citys effort to increase transparency, accountability and customer service through open data. Other efforts include Clean Streets Index, Street Wize and Road to 2400, among others.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.  Receiving a speeding ticket or any sort of traffic violation is generally not a pleasant experience. But it is one form of a government-to-customer transaction. Instead of receiving a product or service, however, you receive a fine ... and possibly traffic school. While it is not a novel idea that governments be more customer-centric, in practice it is much more difficult to accomplish. The reason? Because agencies generally do not think of issuing tickets or permits as providing customer service.But serving residents in any government service function requires agencies to understand what the entire process looks like holistically, said Peter Kelly, chief deputy director for Californias Child Welfare Digital Services, during a panel discussion at the California Public Sector CIO Academy* on March 2.In thinking about the customer experience, he said, "agencies need to know what other steps are needed to complete the process. In order to provide the best services, he added, it is necessary to know what other agencies are doing and how the residents have been treated.Providing the best services, to which customers have grown accustomed in the private sector, typically entails digital services. Because many agency's legacy systems are not capable of handling these sorts of services, the transition to digital customer delivery often involves procuring systems.And if we have a better method of procurement, Kelly said, the services offered also will be improved. One strategy is to be open and honest about what you are able to provide. We have to be honest upfront, he said.Creating user-centric services for residents is crucial to how government services are rendered. In response to the passage of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (ACA), California launched Covered California, a health insurance marketplace for state residents and small businesses to purchase health insurance at federally subsidized rates.In the portal's original iterations, the application process was confusing and the site was not optimized for mobile. In a separate panel at the CIO Academy, Covered California Chief Technology and Information Officer Karen Ruiz talked about overhauling the application so that it was more user friendly.Were not here to just to sell insurance, said Ruiz. We want to make sure Californians get the right care at right time. The agency partnered with Accenture and Fjord to update a section of the application as a proof of concept.The firms were tasked with one of the most complicated sections: income. People will often get confused about certain terms and enter inaccurate information, barring them from receiving health benefits, said Fei Collier, program director for California's Department of Health Care Services.Kenzie Haynes, who worked on the application redesign that was released in February, explained that the process of overhauling and optimizing the application is to understand who your target audience is. In this case, said Haynes, "we wanted to design for those who were not the most technologically apt."The redesigned section features much less text and is more humanized. We really tried focusing on being an inviting process so you werent scared off, she said, adding that if chunks of text that may be necessary to know were included, chances are, they wont read it anyway.Additionally, the redesign focused on mobile-first because of the growing population that's reliant on mobile phones as their only source of Internet access. It is also easier to scale a mobile site up to desktop than vice versa, said Haynes.Though there was a constant push and pull between the design firm and the state agencies over what information to highlight or what should be available via a mouse hover, the product ultimately came together because at the end of the day, both entities' goals were centered on providing the best health-care coverage possible.The income section redesign served as a proof of concept, and the agency will continue to redesign other sections of the application to make them more user-friendly. The next round of updates is slated for September, said Ruiz, just before the next open enrollment period.Public CIOGovernment Technology
In collaboration with the private sector, the California Department of Justice (CalDOJ) is going forward with implementing a new protocol designed to support local law enforcement agencies in deploying cloud solutions for criminal justice data.Under state government code, CalDOJ is mandated to maintain a network backbone for use by law enforcement agencies. Supporting this responsibility, the department created the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) and the CLETS Advisory Committee (CAC).The need for a group like CAC trickles down from the FBI, which has a group called the Advisory Policy Board. Its the responsibility of the board to provide national standards for agencies across the U.S. to access Criminal Justice Information Services or national criminal justice data. In California, CAC is charged with ensuring data being sent across local, state and federal agencies meets those FBI requirements.However, technology has come leaps and bounds since CLETS became operational in the 1960s, when it primarily applied to securing data running on dedicated lines via one-way, text-based machines. Following the request of one local police department, DOJ and CAC have been making moves to ensure it keeps up with modern advancements, particularly in the area of cloud technology.CAC counsels the California Attorney General on the appropriate methods of collecting, storing and disseminating CLETS data. When a local law enforcement entity wishes to implement technology not already approved by the committee, it must first go through an application process explaining how the solution meets security requirements. A CLETS auditor is then assigned to the application, who decides whether the technology is legitimate.Last year, when the Chula Vista, Calif., Police Department requested approval to deploy Microsoft Office 365 and Azure, the agencys technology manager, Eric Wood, found a missing piece in the CLETS approval processes. He also learned that there were several neighboring agencies that had submitted requests to deploy cloud services a year prior to his application, all of which never received a response from CAC.We discovered that the CLETS agency did not have a protocol to follow on how to authorize a law enforcement agency in the state to use Office 365, Azure or any cloud service for that matter, Woods said in an interview with. They had not gone through and approved it for any agency because they didnt know how without a protocol.Recognizing the potential impacts his discovery could have on the private sector, Wood engaged with Microsoft to explain how the missing protocol was likely a significant reason why law enforcement agencies in California werent deploying the companys cloud services. Prompted by Woods application, the company began assessing how to remedy the issue.Microsoft had begun working with CalDOJ more than five years prior to Woods discovery, looking to ensure that CLETS and agencies at both a state and national level understood where the evolution of technology is and where its going, an effort Stuart McKee, Microsofts chief technology officer of state and local government, was heavily involved in.Although CLETS historically was developed for teletypes, we have a fiduciary responsibility to embrace it and work through it in such a way that you mitigate the risk for all the parties involved, McKee said.At the time Wood submitted his application for cloud services, Microsoft already had a contractual commitment to CalDOJ in place since 2013, stating the company would provide a level of access to auditing of environments used by agencies, as well as fingerprint-based background checks of employees involved in the development and deployment of those solutions. However, without a CLETS procedure in place to approve Microsoft cloud technology, Wood referred to the agreement as more of an empty nod of approval.Beginning in March 2016, CalDOJ CLETS auditors and engineers held conference calls on a near weekly basis with Microsoft for more than six months, during which the group worked through a list of roles, requirements and responsibilities that would go into law enforcement deploying Microsoft cloud solutions. McKee said the conversations primarily revolved around education.Most of the work that went on, from Microsofts standpoint, was about trying to get educated and understand CLETS, its history, policies and processes, [as well as] understand Eric [Wood], Chula Vista, their requirements and how they operate as an organization, McKee said. Then trying to reconcile that, very often, with what other organizations across California are doing to create some consistency, if you will.Conference calls between CalDOJ and Microsoft closed in October. The end product of the collaboration is a security matrix that gives CLETS auditors a framework to review how security issues involving Microsoft Office 365 and Azure would be managed.Once the security matrix was established, they agreed that it encompassed essentially A to Z of everything we need to be covered, Wood said. Then [CAC] can provide that to an agency who wants to apply and say, In your application complete this security matrix. That was the missing piece.Agencies that had previously requested to implement Microsoft cloud products were asked to re-submit their applications. Following evaluation from CLETS auditors, the Chula Vista Police Departments updated proposal was approved by CAC on Dec. 14. Wood said they contracted with Winbourne Consulting to help develop the submission.In this day and age, many public-sector agencies are strapped for resources and funding, a concept that the Chula Vista PD hasnt been immune to. However, with the protocol to approve cloud resources now in place with CLETS, Woods department and other law enforcement organizations in California have the ability shift their attention away from specific activities, such as racking on-premise servers.Me and my staff are now freed up to really focus on the particular needs of our agency, not just the foundational plumbing of having documents flowing and where are they stored on a file server, Wood elucidated, elaborating on how the changes have helped his department. You can now enable your people to really keep up with a smaller, more manageable set of compliance [rules].As for the private sector, McKee gave insight on how he thinks the CLETS process and the approval for Chula Vista PD is going to impact the market.Getting this milestone completed is going to release a lot of pent up demand. Most of these agencies have already embraced the technology, but they now have an additional level of confidence that what theyre doing is right. At a national level, it really acknowledges Californias leadership and how it is continuing to evolve and embrace emerging technologies responsibly.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

The importance of Southern Gas Corridor for energy diversification and its overall role in political transformation of the region was discussed during the annual conference of the US-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC) in Washington March 1-2.

During the event, USACC Honorary Advisor John Sununu praised cooperation with Azerbaijan, stressed the strategic importance to the US and prospects of moving the bilateral relations forward, said the message from the USACC.

Azerbaijans ambassador to the US Elin Suleymanov, for his part, outlined key issues that both countries face today and emphasized the importance of future strategic relations. Ambassador then read the congratulatory letter to USACC members from President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Sahib Mammadov highlighted the importance of economic diversification away from oil and gas and noted that Azerbaijan is the largest trade partner of the US in the South Caucasus.

Acting Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs at US Department of State Mary Warlick called Azerbaijan a reliable partner and touched upon the third meeting of the Advisory Council of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), recently held in Baku.

She then highlighted the priority role of Azerbaijan in diversification of energy routes, bringing additional gas sources and volumes to Europe and progressing relations with Azerbaijan.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Holly Vineyard noted that the US is ready to support the modernization and diversification of Azerbaijans economy.

On Feb. 23, Baku hosted the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Third Ministerial Meeting.



The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian 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.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
(TNS) -- A national trade group has asked the Federal Communications Commission to overturn a San Francisco ordinance intended to keep landlords from interfering with their tenants ability to choose their Internet service provider.The Multifamily Broadband Council contends that the ordinance, which says landlords must give Internet providers access to existing wiring in their buildings in most circumstances, is unfair because it would force smaller companies to relinquish control of their cables and other infrastructure. The council represents independent Internet providers.Smaller providers in particular rely on their ability to assure investors and creditors theyre able to maintain exclusive and undisturbed access to their wiring. Not being able to provide those assurances puts their finances at risk and cedes a competitive advantage to larger competitors that dont depend on third-party funding, the trade group says.This ordinance creates a free-for-all amongst various competing service providers, said Bob Grosz, a council member and executive vice president of Elauwit Networks, a telecommunications provider that caters to multiunit buildings in 40 states.The unintended consequence is service disruption and vandalization of cable infrastructure, whether intended or unintended, he said.The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously passed the ordinance in December. The broadband council sent a letter to supervisors in November saying that effective competition will cease to exist among Internet providers if the ordinance became law.The council has one member in the Bay Area  Internet provider Satel in San Francisco  though a spokeswoman for the group said other regional providers are considering joining. The organizations website lists more than 40 Internet providers and telecommunications companies as members, including Dish Network and DirecTV, which was bought by AT&T in 2015 for $67 billion.Supervisor Mark Farrell, who introduced the ordinance to provide apartment dwellers with more Internet options, fired back against the broadband council Wednesday, accusing the group of using tortured logic to make a case for greater competition.Its a joke. This is a shell organization for large cable companies, Farrell said. This unequivocally demonstrates that the large cable industry organizations are scared stiff about competing in San Francisco. They should be embarrassed.He added that he was wholly confident in the legal basis for our ordinance.Multifamily Broadband Council President Dan Terheggen denied that his organization was advocating for major corporations.In terms of operators, we are all relatively small businesses, said Terheggen, who also works as the CEO of broadband provider Consolidated Smart Systems. Were not a joke. The FCC doesnt see us as a joke.Dish and DirecTV, Terheggen said, were vendor members that worked alongside the groups core of Internet providers.Dane Jasper, the CEO of Sonic, a Santa Rosa high-speed broadband provider that is not a Multifamily Broadband Council member, was puzzled by the groups arguments that the ordinance will hobble regional companies like his from competing. The effect so far has been just the opposite, he said.The ordinance, he said, is essential for competitive access. The economic harm we suffer is if were not allowed to enter and service the customers who have signed up for our service. Sonic, he said, has already benefited from the ordinance, having gained entry to apartment buildings where landlords had previously denied access.The broadband councils petition to the FCC, Jasper said, just seems backward.The FCC, which has some authority over the cables that telecom companies use to connect customers to the Internet, is expected to review the broadband councils petition, but its unclear if the agency will ultimately move to change or overturn the citys ordinance.
(TNS) -- A push to scrap requirements to run public notices in newspapers pits Gov. Scott Walker, who says the move would bring government into the 21st century, against critics who say it would hurt the publics right to know.Walker, in his proposal for the states 2017-2019 budget, offers what he describes as a government reform measure affecting legal requirements for printing, mailing and publishing public notices.It would give state and local agencies the option to publish certain public notices on their websites instead of in a local newspaper. Some lawmakers are offering a separate bill that would extend an online-only publishing option just to local governments.Proponents say the measures would save money for taxpayers while updating how government disseminates information in the digital age. Walker spokesman Tom Evenson said in a statement that the governors proposal would modernize government services, create efficiencies, and cost savings for taxpayers.More people are sharing more information digitally every day, and government should be expected to keep up with these basic technological advancements, Evenson said.Critics say the changes would be a blow to the publics ability to learn about government business. Beth Bennett, executive director of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, said the internet  far from being what birthed these proposals  is only the latest means some are using toward the end of jettisoning newspapers as independent stewards of public information.Way before the internet was an issue, it was just a cost issue, Bennett said. Thats the reason that newspapers were entrusted (with public notices)  so government doesnt have to report on itself.Thats what this legislation would do: it would allow government to report on itself.Not all public notices are affected by the proposed changes. Walkers plan would not apply to notices of upcoming public meetings or hearings, or to court-ordered notices for foreclosure and unclaimed property, according to the newspaper association.Types of notices that would be affected include so-called proceedings notices of public meeting minutes, budgets and ordinances. Current law generally requires governmental units to print such notices in a newspaper published in the affected jurisdiction. The Wisconsin Newspaper Association collects and publishes all public notices online at the wisconsinpublicnotices.org website.Sen. Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, and Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac, are sponsoring companion bills that would give the online-only publishing option to local governments.The proposals are part of a national effort to roll back publishing requirements for public notices. At least 12 states are considering legislation that would move all or most of their official notices from newspapers to websites operated or controlled by government units, the Public Notice Resource Center reported last month Local government advocacy groups are among the supporters of the Stroebel-Thiesfeldt bill. Dan Rossmiller, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, said it could results in cost savings for districts, albeit on a scale that is not huge. The issue is more about local control, he said.Our intent, really, is to let school boards decide how they want to distribute the information, Rossmiller said.Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling, of La Crosse, has spoken out against Walkers proposed changes.The Legislature should remove this policy change from the budget and force Gov. Walker to explain why he wants to limit public oversight, Shilling said in a statement.State Rep. Todd Novak is uniquely positioned to address the issue, having served both as a newspaper editor for 25 years and as mayor of Dodgeville.In a recent Wisconsin State Journal op-ed piece, Novak, R-Dodgeville, argued against Walkers proposed changes. Novak said they could cause particular harm in parts of rural Wisconsin, where he wrote that newspapers are the lifeblood of a community and sometimes the only convenient source of information.By allowing the electronic option, we are cutting off a source of information to our constituents, our taxpayers and the people who hold us accountable, Novak wrote. At this time, the savings obtained by not publishing notices does not outweigh the publics right to know.The Legislature should remove this policy change from the budget and force Gov. Walker to explain why he wants to limit public oversight.
Valtteri Bottas has played down the significance of ending the week as the 'champion' of Barcelona testing.

The Mercedes newcomer clocked the fastest lap over the four days of the first pre-season test, despite switching at the last minute from Williams.

Asked if that 'win' means anything, the Finn responded: "This has no special meaning for me. We are here to test so there are no prizes.

"For me it was extremely important to get as much driving as possible, so it was a good week for me."

However, 27-year-old Bottas said the difficulty of the Mercedes switch - having spent his entire career to date at Williams - caught him by surprise.

"The team change was a bigger deal than I thought," he said. "It will still take some time, because the team is much bigger than Williams.

"But this morning I came to the track, looked forward to breakfast and everything felt normal -- as though I had been here for a while. That was a nice feeling," said Bottas.

Bottas was not only the fastest driver overall in Barcelona, but also the one who did the most laps.

Asked if that is important, he agreed: "Very important. Because every lap, every minute, in my new team is important. This was my goal for the first test and we achieved that."

(GMM)
Force India's livery could soon turn pink, according to a German source.

The specialist publication Auto Bild claims the Silverstone based team is in talks with BWT, an Austrian water technology company.

BWT is no stranger to motor racing, having coloured Lucas Auer's Mercedes DTM car pink from 2015. The company is also involved in Formula 4 with a pink car in 2017.

"A condition of BWT's sponsor agreements is always that the cars are painted pink," Auto Bild said.

(GMM)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 3

By Anakhanum Hidayatova  Trend:

The European Union is committed to implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) project, Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Malena Mard told Trend March 3.

Mard said Europe, Azerbaijan and other partners in the project proved this once again during the SGC Advisory Councils Third Ministerial Meeting, held in Baku in February.

The diplomat expressed hope that the Azerbaijani gas will be delivered to Europe in 2020.

She noted that the EU has remained over many years the largest trade partner of Azerbaijan and the largest investor of its economy, and in spring the two sides will hold the next business forum, which will be a continuation of the sides meeting held in May 2016.

During the upcoming meetings of businessmen, the sides will analyze the work done as well as the results of economic reforms carried out by Azerbaijan, said Mard.

The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian 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.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum
Pirelli has vowed to keep working on the effectiveness of its wet-weather tyres.

On Thursday, the sight of trucks dumping thousands of litres of water on the Barcelona circuit was widely criticised, as F1's official supplier attempted to test its modified wets for 2017.

Some wondered why Pirelli didn't arrange to run instead at Paul Ricard, where a sprinkler system is in place.

"There's also Fiorano," Pirelli's Paul Hembery said, "but these conditions are different so in Barcelona you have to use these trucks which, as you know, is not the most advanced technology.

"As such, the conditions are constantly changing. But we can still see there are problems with the tyre warming so we're going to continue to search for solutions."

Lewis Hamilton opted out of the 'wet' testing completely, joking on Wednesday that he would "fake a pulled muscle" before his car mysteriously developed an electrical problem on Thursday morning.

But Kimi Raikkonen - a critic of Pirelli's wets last year - was duly in action.

Asked if Pirelli has improved, the Ferrari driver answered: "Hard to say. The conditions when you wet the track are never like when it rains, so it's not easy for them.

"It's hard to make wet tyres without being able to test them properly," he added.

Haas' Romain Grosjean said: "I think Pirelli has made progress, but the intermediates lost their effectiveness after one lap so it's necessary to do something more.

"But in general, this is progress compared to last year."

(GMM)
Toto Wolff says it is too soon to say Mercedes is still ahead of the field in 2017.

After the first of just two pre-season tests, the conventional wisdom is that Mercedes leads, Ferrari is close behind, and Red Bull is the third force.

But Mercedes team boss Wolff said: "Since we have these new rules, the teams are just trying to get a lot of mileage to know their cars.

"At Red Bull, we probably haven't seen the car that will be in Melbourne. But Ferrari is really fast," he admitted to Osterreich newspaper.

McLaren chief Eric Boullier admits that a pecking order is not possible to assess after four days of running, but he said Ferrari's pace has been "surprising".

"We did not expect to see them on the pace with the Mercedes. Red Bull seems a little behind, but we do not have all of the information to judge," he is quoted by France's Auto Hebdo.

"We may know a little more next week, but we really have to wait until Australia."

Boullier may be surprised with what he saw in Barcelona, but Red Bull's Max Verstappen seemed calm.

"Actually, nothing surprised me here," he is quoted by Het Laatste Nieuws. "And I think everything is still within reach for us."

(GMM)
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Israel has started exporting gas to Jordan from Its offshore Tamar gas field, marking the countrys first ever exports of natural gas.

The exports to Jordan began in January, Delek Drilling  part of a consortium leading the development of Israels offshore gas reserves  told AFP.

Reportedly, gas from the Tamar field is being supplied to two Jordanian customers, namely the Jordan Bromine Company and the Arab Potash Company.

The Tamar gas field is a natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel. Tamar field is considered to have proven reserves of 200 billion cubic meters of natural gas, while the adjoining Tamar South field has 23 billion cubic meters.

Israel has also been developing the recently discovered Leviathan gas field, which will be more export-oriented than Tamar. Jordans National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) and Noble Energy signed a 15-year $10-billion Leviathan gas field deal in September.

Natural gas in Israel is a primary energy source in the country. As of 2014, Israel produced over 7.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year.

The US Energy Information Administration listed Israel as having 7 trillion cubic feet of proved reserves as of January 1, 2015.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3

Trend:

Azercell Telecom LLC has participated in the 5th Career Fair at ADA University, on March 2, 2017. The company had a separate stand in the fair. Azeronline company also took part in this fair.

Azercell Telecom LLC representatives held information sessions for graduates and briefed the visitors about active vacancies in the company. They also instructed about the recruitment process and the Student Bursary and Internship Programs at Azercell and answered a number of questions of the career fair visitors.

The students also got an opportunity to be informed about the existing demand for his/her field of specialization in labor market, build up first relations with employers while the latter had a chance to shortlist potential employees.

The event was aimed to provide some advice to the jobseekers in their field of specialization and help them build their future career.

It should be noted that Azercell Telecom continuously helps talented youth to build career and find their places in the labor market. With its own initiative, Azercell has organized Career Days on a regular basis.

During such events, the youth striving to join the company meet with Azercell representatives and get broad information about company activities. Under the Student Bursary program of the company, capable youth studying at Azerbaijani universities get a great opportunity to receive special bursary from Azercell and take internship at various divisions of the company.

A lot of social projects conducted by the company are related to education. In this way Azercell cooperates with the leading universities and helps to improve their material and technical bases.

For more information, please contact [email protected]

The leader of the mobile communication industry of Azerbaijan and the biggest investor in the non-oil sector Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996. With 48% share of Azerbaijans mobile market Azercells network covers 80% of the territory and 99,8% of population of the country.

Currently, 4,5 million subscribers choose Azercell services. Azercell has pioneered an important number of innovations in Azerbaijan, including GSM technology, advance payment system, 24/7 Customer Care, online customer services, GPRS/EDGE, M2M, MobilBank, one-stop- shop service offices Azercell Express, mobile e-service ASAN signature, etc. Azercell deployed first 4G  LTE services in Azerbaijan in 2012.

According to the results of mobile network quality surveys of Global Wireless Solutions company and international systems specialized in wireless coverage mapping such as Opensignal and Testmy.net, Azercells network demonstrated the best results among the mobile operators of Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

Kazakh Airlines Air Astana will increase frequency of flights to Georgia since June, the press-service of the company said in a message March 3.

In June, we will be increasing flights to Tbilisi. Almaty-Tbilisi will become a daily service; Astana-Tbilisi will operate 4 times a week, the company said.

Currently Air Astana operates two flights per week on both Almaty-Tbilisi and Astana- Tbilisi destinations.

In June-September 2017 Kazakhstan will host EXPO-2017 exhibition. Over 100 countries will take part in the exhibition. Kazakhstan plans to launch a number of new flights and increase the frequency of existing flights in period of EXPO.

Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova
Their report on quantum-controlled fusion suggests that rather than heating atoms to temperatures found inside the sun or smashing them in a collider, it might be possible to nudge them close enough to fuse by using shaped laser pulses: ultrashort, tuned bursts of coherent light.

Scientists at Rice University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Chile are proposing that quantum-controlled motion of nuclei, starting from the nanometer-size ground state of a molecule, can potentially overcome some of the difficulties of thermonuclear fusion by compression of a fuel pellet or in a bulk plasma.

Nuclear reactions involving the close approach of charged particles have much smaller cross sections than do chemical reactions at ambient thermal energy. Obtaining reasonable reaction rates for nuclear fusion by thermal means thus requires achieving simultaneously high densities and temperatures. Such extreme conditions are difficult to control in thermal plasmas, laser-compressed fuel pellets, or within small clusters of ordinary molecules subject to intense laser excitation. Even in a molecular cluster, much of the absorbed laser energy is thermalized through intra-cluster collisions. As a result, the cluster is blown apart, decreasing fusion yields. A novel approach to circumvent the confinement problem in thermal plasmas has been suggested: a solid state plasma confined by the quantum pinch effect in a semiconducting wire.

Fusion reactions also can be induced by non-thermal means. For example, charged particle beams can be collided at appropriately high energy to carry out fusion reactions in the laboratory. Alternatively, fusion can be catalyzed by achieving a high spatial density, as happens for the nuclei within a muonic molecule. When a muon replaces the electron, it brings the nuclei ~200 times closer together than in an ordinary molecule, greatly enhancing the spontaneous nuclear reaction rate even at low temperature. In many ways, the ground state of such a molecule is the ideal situation for fusion because the phase space density of the reacting species takes on the largest possible value consistent with quantum mechanics. While greeted by much excitement when it was discovered in the 1950s, muon-catalyzed fusion still just falls a bit short of practicality because of the insufficient lifetime of the muon.

Fusion does not occur to a measurable extent in the ground state of normal molecules bound by electrons because of the lower density of nuclei (~ 1/A3, not 1/pm3) and the low vibrational energy (meV, not keV) compared to muonic molecules. In this paper we will explore whether laser pulse shaping could allow quantum control to enhance intramolecular nuclear collision rates, starting from normal internuclear distances. Berrios et al.

Peter Wolynes of Rice, Martin Gruebele of Illinois and Illinois alumnus Eduardo Berrios of Chile simulated reactions in two dimensions that, if extrapolated to three, might just produce energy efficiently from deuterium and tritium or other elements.

Their paper appears in the festschrift edition of Chemical Physical Letters dedicated to Ahmed Zewail, Gruebeles postdoctoral adviser and a Nobel laureate for his work on femtochemistry, in which femtosecond-long laser flashes trigger chemical reactions.

The femtochemical technique is central to the new idea that nuclei can be pushed close enough to overcome the Coulomb barrier that forces atoms of like charge to repel each other. When that is accomplished, atoms can fuse and release heat through neutron scattering. When more energy is created than it takes to sustain the reaction, sustained fusion becomes viable.



Using shaped laser pulses might make it possible to nudge atoms in a deuterium/tritium molecule close enough to fuse, according to a new study. Researchers at Rice University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Chile suggested that quantum-controlled fusion may provide a possible new path toward the production of energy through nuclear fusion. (Credit: Gruebele Group/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Click to enlarge.

The trick is to do all this in a controlled way, and scientists have been pursuing such a trick for decades, primarily by containing hydrogen plasmas at sun-like temperatures (at the US Department of Energys National Ignition Facility and the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor effort in France) and in large facilities.

The new paper describes a basic proof-of-principle simulation that shows how, in two dimensions, a shaped-laser pulse would push a molecule of deuterium and tritium, its nuclei already poised at a much smaller internuclear distance than in a plasma, nearly close enough to fuse.

 we performed quantum wavepacket propagation in a 2-D toy model of two field-bound nuclei in the presence of a time-dependent 800 nm laser pulse that was shaped to exert coherent control over the nuclear wavepacket. The collision probability is enhanced by about 3 orders of magnitude by the best coherent control pulse, and by up to 20 orders of magnitude relative to an electron-bound molecule. Since muonic fusion is already not far from break-even for net energy production, shaped VUV laser pulses, when they become available, could also be an efficient means of enhancing muonic fusion by coherent control. Berrios et al.

Wolynes said 2-D simulations were necessary to keep the iterative computations practical, even though doing so required stripping electrons from the model molecules.

The best way to do it would be to leave the electrons on to help the process and control their motions, but that is a higher-dimensional problem that weor someonewill tackle in the future Peter Wolynes

Without the electrons, it was still possible to bring nuclei within a small fraction of an angstrom by simulating the effects of shaped 5-femtosecond, near-infrared laser pulses, which held the nuclei together in a field-bound molecule.

For decades, researchers have also investigated muon-catalyzed fusion, where the electron in the deuterium/tritium molecule is replaced by a muon. Think of it as a 208-times heavier electron. As a result, the molecular bond distance shrinks by a factor of 200, poising the nuclei even better for fusion.

Sadly, muons dont live forever, and the increased fusion efficiency just falls short of breaking even in energy output. But when shaped vacuum ultraviolet laser pulses become as available as the near-infrared ones we simulated here, quantum control of muonic fusion may get it over the threshold. Martin Gruebele

Because the model works at the quantum levelwhere subatomic particles are subject to different rules and have the characteristics of both particles and wavesthe Heisenberg uncertainty principle comes into play. That makes it impossible to know the precise location of particles and makes tuning the lasers a challenge, Wolynes said.

Its clear the kind of pulses you need have to be highly sculpted and have many frequencies in them. It will probably take experimentation to figure out what the best pulse shape should be, but tritium is radioactive, so no one ever wants to put tritium in their apparatus until theyre sure its going to work. Peter Wolynes

Wolynes said he and Gruebele, whose lab studies protein folding, cell dynamics, nanostructure microscopy, fish swimming behavior and other topics, have been thinking about the possibilities for about a decade, even though nuclear fusion is more of a hobby than a profession for both.

Were not starting a company  yet. But there may be angles here other people can think through that would lead to something practical even in the short term, such as production of short alpha particle pulses that could be useful in research applications. Peter Wolynes

Berrios, lead author of the paper, is a research scientist at the University of Chile, Santiago. Wolynes is the D.R. Bullard-Welch Foundation Professor of Science, a professor of chemistry, of biochemistry and cell biology, of physics and astronomy and of materials science and nanoengineering at Rice and a senior investigator at Rice's National Science Foundation-funded Center for Theoretical Biological Physics. Gruebele is the head of chemistry, the James R. Eiszner Endowed Chair in Chemistry and a professor of physics, biophysics and computational biology at Illinois.

The National Science Foundation supported the research.

Resources
The new advanced safety research vehicle is the first autonomous testing platform developed entirely by TRI, and reflects the rapid progress of its autonomous driving program, said TRI CEO Gill Pratt. The system is computationally rich and perception-rich, focusing heavily on machine vision and machine learning. The layered and overlapping LiDAR, radar and camera sensor array reduce the need to depend too heavily on high-definition mapsespecially for near-term systems which will be designed for use in areas where such maps dont yet exist.

The Toyota Research Institute (TRI) displayed its 2.0 generation advanced safety research vehicle at the companys Prius Challenge event in Sonoma California. ( Earlier post .)The all-new test vehicle will be used to explore a full range of autonomous driving capabilities.

The platform is the second generation of the advanced safety research vehicle revealed to the public by Toyota at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show. It is built on a current generation Lexus LS 600hL, which features a robust drive-by-wire interface. The 2.0 is designed to be a flexible, plug-and-play test platform that can be upgraded continuously and often. Its technology stack will be used to develop both of TRIs core research paths: Chauffeur and Guardian systems.

Chauffeur refers to the always deployed, fully autonomous system classified by SAE as unrestricted Level 5 autonomy and Level 4 restricted and geo-fenced operation.

Guardian is a high-level driver assist system, constantly monitoring the driving environment inside and outside the vehicle, ready to alert the driver of potential dangers and stepping in when needed to assist in crash avoidance.

Basically, it is a smart vehicle designed to get smarter over time. It will learn individual driver habits and abilities and will benefit from shared intelligence from other cars as data gathering, sharing and connectivity technologies advance. We believe Guardian can probably be deployed sooner and more widely than Chauffeur, providing high-level driver-assist features capable of helping mitigate collisions and save lives, sooner rather than later. Gil Pratt

Toyotas approach to Automatic Emergency Braking shows a similar commitment. It will be standard equipment on nearly every model and trim level of Lexus and Toyota vehicles in the US by the end of 2017, five years ahead of NHTSAs 2022 target date.

The Prius Challenge brought together a select group of entrepreneurs, technologists and Silicon Valley automotive enthusiasts to engage with the Toyota Research Institute while having some fun at the Sonoma Raceway. The goal: to increase dialogue and build a community around the topics of mobility, data science, artificial intelligence and robotics.

Toyotas work on autonomous vehicles in the United States began in 2005 at its technical center in Ann Arbor, Mich. The company secured its first U.S. patents in the field in 2006. According to a report last year by the Intellectual Property and Science division of Thomson Reuters, Toyota holds more patents in the field than any other company. About Toyota Research Institute

Toyota Research Institute is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor North America under the direction of Dr. Gill Pratt. The company, established in 2015, aims to strengthen Toyotas research structure and has four initial mandates: 1) enhance the safety of automobiles; 2) increase access to cars to those who otherwise cannot drive; 3) translate Toyotas expertise in creating products for outdoor mobility into products for indoor mobility; and 4) accelerate scientific discovery by applying techniques from artificial intelligence and machine learning.

TRI plans to employ approximately 250 employees and is based in the United States, with offices in Stanford Research Park in Palo Alto, CA (TRI-PAL), in Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts (TRI-CAM), and in Ann Arbor, Michigan, near the University of Michigan campus (TRI-ANN).
The Volkswagen brand has established a "Sub-Saharan Africa region to develop and strengthen its activities in the African market. Sub-Saharan Africa refers to the area of the African continent south of the Sahara. The new fourth region joins Volkswagens existing regions of North America, South America and China and is the next step in the Volkswagen brands strategy to position itself in focus areas. Sub-Sahara comprises 49 African states with a total population of some 920 million.

The region will be headed by Thomas Schafer, Chairman and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group South Africa. Organizational details will be elaborated in the coming weeks.

Africa is still one of the blank spots on the Volkswagen map. There is, however, enormous potential in the region to meet the mobility needs of a burgeoning middle class. We will drive forward the development of these new markets in cooperation with various African governmentsand gradually strengthen and expand the new Sub-Saharan Africa region. Thomas Schafer

The Volkswagen brand currently has three operations in the region: the company has been building cars in South Africa since 1951. Vehicle assembly began in Nigeria in 2015, with assembly in Kenya getting underway in December 2016.

In addition, Volkswagen plans to launch an integrated mobility concept in Rwanda at the end of this year. The concept provides for app-based mobility solutions such as car sharing and ride hailing. For this purpose, an environmentally compatible local vehicle production facility is to be established in the capital city Kigali to cover vehicle demand for the integrated mobility concept.

Schafer began his career with Volkswagen AG in 2012 as Head of Group Production (Foreign plants). Prior to joining Volkswagen, he held senior management posts at Daimler AG in South Africa and Malaysia. Since February 2015, Thomas Schafer has headed the Volkswagen Group South Africa.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

Kazakhstans National Fund will transfer over 1.092 trillion tenges (over $3.4 billion) to the state budget for the recovery of the countrys banking sector.

A corresponding decree was signed by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The text of the decree was published on the website of Kazakhstans Legal information system of Regulatory Legal Acts.

Thirty-four banks were operating in Kazakhstan as of Jan. 1, 2017. The international rating agencies say that short-term outlook of Kazakh banking sector is negative.

Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova
By DAVID MARTIN

Editor

A former Sublette County Sheriff was found guilty of four charges filed against him as a result of actions he took immediately following his election in 2014.

According to the Pinedale Roundup, a jury found Stephen Haskell guilty of three felonies, which were obtaining property under false pretenses, unlawfully receiving property and making a false claim Friday afternoon. He was also found guilty of a misdemeanor charge of performing an official duty before qualified to do so.

A fifth charge of committing an authorized act as an officer was dismissed. The Pinedale R...
Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Airport plays a critical role in fostering business and economic growth in Southwest Wyoming with over $31 million in annual economic output.

The airport handled more than 1.2 million pounds of cargo, 16,600 aircraft operations, and 50,000 travelers in 2016 and is poised for growth in 2017.

With an airport in their backyard, Sweetwater County companies are able to access the global marketplace. Hundreds of companies have major operations here, and they rely on quality air transportation services to transport their goods and products to the marketplace.

The a...
Dear Editor,

This bill, which would allow private game farming of greater sage grouse, is both misguided and dangerous to our Wyoming lifestyle. The most damaging provision would be the loss of Wyomings legacy of disallowing the privatization of native species. Disallowing private citizens to propagate, breed, possess, release, kill, hunt, sell...farmed sage grouse, or any other native wild species, has been a pillar of Wyoming conservation and management efforts, and has been upheld by the citizens of Wyoming many times.

Privatization of native species drastically increases risk...
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, March 3

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

The preparation process is underway for Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyevs visit to Turkmenistan, said the Turkmen Foreign Ministry in a message March 3.

The issue on the visits preparation was discussed during negotiations between Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and Uzbek Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade Elyor Ganiev in Ashgabat.

The sides also expressed satisfaction with the current state of fruitful cooperation and noted the necessity of further intensification of mutually beneficial partnership, which is based on principles of mutual respect and trust, says the message.

In particular, the sides viewed bilateral documents, which are planned to be signed during Mirziyoyevs above-mentioned visit.

Regional issues and the ways of expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation within international organizations were also discussed during the meeting.

The energy sphere is one of strategic directions of partnership between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan has been delivering natural gas to China through Uzbekistan.
You didnt have to be Nostradamus to predict that sexism and misogyny would thrive under a Donald Trump presidency.

And, boy, did it happen fast.

The day after his inauguration, when more than 3 million people in America and another 300,000 around the world joined the Womens March on Washington, public officials, including several in North Carolina, posted sexist and demeaning comments regarding the participants.

Among the most widely circulated was a Facebook post that credited Donald Trump with getting more fat women out walking than (former first lady) Michelle Obama did in 8 years. Among those sharing that little gem was North Carolinas new insurance commissioner, Republican Mike Causey.

Nebraska state Sen. Bill Kintner, who had admitted to having cybersex on a state computer, retweeted a joke implying that three womens march demonstrators were too unattractive to sexually assault.

If that sounds familiar, its because Trump said essentially the same thing, about women who had accused him of sexual assault, during a campaign stop in Greensboro last fall.

In North Carolina, Rep. Michael Speciale, a Republican from New Bern, shared a video produced by conservative TV personality Steven Crowder, who dressed in drag to infiltrate a Womens March in Texas because, he says in the video, no one questions, criticizes nor conducts security background checks on trannies.

Proving that sexism is not confined to men, state Sen. Joyce Krawiec of Kernersville tweeted to the crazies at the Womens March: If Brains were lard, you couldnt grease a small skillet.

Sticks and stones, right? Except that sexist statements like these both reflect and promote the attitude that a womans value is based solely on physical attributes and ridicules the idea that women have the right and responsibility to voice their ideas and beliefs.

The mindset that produces remarks like these also produces policies that reflect a view of women as objects, second-class citizens or the property of men.

As soon as state legislatures convened after Trumps election, a flurry of anti-abortion bills were filed  at least 46 bills in a little more than a week, according to Vice News. Many of those bills sought to ban abortion after 20 weeks.

In North Carolina, House Bill 62 would require multiple doctors visits and multiple ultrasounds for administering abortion pills, making the process more expensive and placing women at higher risk of infection, all based on unproven science suggesting that the process could be reversed.

Like many legislators around the country, N.C. Rep. Beverly Boswell (R-Dare) introduced a bill declaring that life begins at conception, which would ban abortion altogether. These so-called personhood bills give a fertilized egg the same constitutional rights as a grown woman.

In other words, the right to life and liberty would begin at conception for the fetus and end at conception for the woman. Once pregnant, her rights would be transferred to a bundle of cells that may or may not successfully develop into a human being. By this definition, anything else a woman might want or achieve is secondary to her role as a procreator.

I understand that they feel like that is their body, Oklahoma Rep. Justin Humphrey (R) said of women. In the case of pregnancy, he explained, a woman is more like a host.

Humphreys bill would require a woman to get written consent from the man who fathered the child before obtaining an abortion, ceding her life decisions to a man who may not have her interests at heart. Such a bill would turn pregnancy into a weapon and women into chattel.

This harkens back to the day when women were consigned to child-rearing and housekeeping while men pursued careers and made decisions.

That sentiment also was reflected in a billboard on Interstate 40 near Winston-Salem, which made national news last week with its message: Real men provide. Real women appreciate it.

Whatever its intent, the message women received was distinctly patriarchal and insulting.

Nearly 100 people, predominantly women, protested the billboard this past weekend, using bed sheets to make signs that promoted gender equality.

Its not a subtle message at all, Tracy Stottler of Kernersville told the Winston-Salem Journal. The underlying message is for women to know their place. We have more rights than to be in the kitchen making a sandwich.

Or having babies.

Increasingly, women are not just joining but leading the resistance against policies that disadvantage not only women, but immigrants, minorities and religious groups. Women are fighting against policies that would harm the environment or stifle scientific research.

If 100 people will come out to protest a billboard, imagine how many more will stand against laws that directly attack womens rights.

Because beneath the signs and chants and pink hats lies a firm conviction:

We are not your property.

We do not exist for your gratification.

We will lead fully realized lives in which childbirth may or may not play a part.

And our vision of a better world extends beyond our own self-interest.

We can speak louder if you didnt hear us the first time.
Winston-Salem  Just two months after a dispute briefly took WXII off DirecTV, the station is off another satellite television providers lineup.

On Friday, Dish Network Corp. removed Hearst Television, which owns and operates WXII and 25 other local TV stations in markets across the country, from its lineup.

The two sides could not agree on what is known as retransmission consent, which allows a television provider to carry a channels programs on its service for a fee.

Both sides issued statements blaming the other for the impasse. Dish Network said Hearst seeks above-market rate increases nearly double the current Dish rate, and other unreasonable demands. Hearst has also refused Dishs offer to match the rates paid by other pay-TV providers.

Hearst Television countered that it has made significant investments to deliver top quality programming to our viewers and Dish is seeking the right to carry our stations at below market rates, which is neither fair nor reasonable.

During the negotiations, Hearst had granted Dish an extension, saying that it was done in hopes of concluding a renewal of its carriage agreement by Friday.

When that did not come to fruition, Dish took the Hearst stations off its lineup, saying that Hearst is blacking out millions of Americans for the second time since January.

We have not blacked out our station, said Michelle Butt, the president and general manager of WXII. You may continue to receive our station for free, over the air, and, where available, from your local cable or satellite operators.

Warren Schlichting, Dishs executive vice president of programming, said, We are actively working to negotiate an agreement that promptly returns this content to Dishs programming lineup.

In the meantime, for some of our customers a simple indoor antenna can be a great way to receive these channels for free, over the air, Schlichting said. Well work with our customers to find alternative ways to watch programming.

Retransmission consent disputes are often resolved without service interruption for viewers, but occasionally some disruptions do occur. In 2012, for example, WXII was removed from Time Warner Cable for 10 days during a dispute; at that time, TWC briefly used another NBC affiliate from a Pennsylvania market in place of WXII.

In 2014, a dispute between Hearst and Dish took WXII off the service for less than a day before a deal was reached.

The dispute between Hearst and DirecTV in January was resolved after six days. Details of the deal were not disclosed.
Kristen Yntemas mother was a nurse, so it seemed a natural choice for Yntema to follow in her footsteps. She became a nursing assistant, a job she held from age 15 to 23.

It didnt take Yntema long, though, to discern that nursing wasnt for her.

I realized I didnt have the mindset for the chemistry and biology involved in becoming a nurse, said Yntema, 43.

But she wanted to stay in the health care field, so Yntema decided to go into hospital administration.

Yntema, the new president and chief executive officer of Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, earned two advanced degrees and has worked in hospital and health care administration ever since.

She started in her new position Feb. 20, succeeding Patricia Soenksen, who will retire this month after nearly 10 years with the organization.

I think for people that go into health care, its a calling, Yntema said. Health care is a passion for me.

Serving an average of 350 patients a day, Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro is a nonprofit that has served Guilford County and its surrounding counties since 1980.

Hospice provides physical, spiritual and emotional support for children and adults faced with terminal illness, as well as support for their caregivers and families.

Before joining Hospice, Yntema served as the vice president of regional development and innovation at Advanced Home Care in High Point, where she managed a $175 million sales budget, providing leadership across five regions in two states.

A native of Leesburg, Va., Yntema double majored in public administration and business at Elon University and then spent a year in Washington working for then-U.S. Rep. David Dreier, a California Republican.

Yntema then went on to get an MBA and masters degree in health services administration from Xavier University

In 1998 she came back to North Carolina, first working as an executive fellow at Cone Health, where she interviewed with Soenksen.

Yntema spent 10 years at Cone in various administrative positions, including as the director of Care Link, before going to Advanced Home Care.

The local Hospice has experienced tremendous growth for nearly 10 years, and Mary Magrinat, the chairwoman of the organizationss board of directors, said she believes continuing that growth will get more challenging in the evolving health care environment.

It will require business acumen, strategic thinking and successful partnerships. In addition, and equally important, it will require a leader who is dedicated to quality patient care, Magrinat said. Our board is confident that Kristen has the skills and qualities to meet those needs and is the ideal person to lead our organization at this time.

Because she doesnt come from a Hospice background, Yntema said she is looking forward to learning from the experts.

Im excited to join a team with great leaders and co-workers who provide wonderful care, she said. I will shadow employees and learn what they love, what barriers they face.

She said she plans to connect with all the employees and board members, as well as with physicians in the community.

Pat Soenksen was an amazing leader; I have big shoes to fill, Yntema said. Its humbling and an honor to follow in her footsteps.

In her spare time, Yntema enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband, Brady, a lawyer, and children, 12-year-old Evan and 9-year-old Whitley.

She said she is excited to see her career come full circle, and because her beloved grandmother and a dear friend received hospice care, now working for Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro is even more special.

I love to create new value for an organization, and I think Hospice is a valuable part of the health care continuum, Yntema said. Im excited to add on to the great work already being done and allow the mission of Hospice to be lived as broadly as possible in our community.
Two war refugees who immigrated to the United States were recognized for their fashion designs during Triad Goodwills eighth annual Rock the Runway fundraiser Feb. 24.

During the show, seven designers showcased collections of seven looks each, created from reconstructed Triad Goodwill store items, at the Elm Street Center in downtown Greensboro.

Florence Wallace, who was born in Liberia, won the Audience Choice award for her entire collection, as well as the News & Record Unconventional Material Challenge award for the best outfit made of newsprint. Wallace fled Liberias civil war and lived as a refugee in Nigeria and Ghana before moving to the United States.

The Judges Choice award went to Sanja Grgic with the top score for her collections originality, construction and creative use of materials. Grgic emigrated from the former Yugoslavia to Germany before moving to the United States.

Additional Rock the Runway designers were Lakeasha McCrimmon, Jessica Perry, Anndrea Robinson, Michelle Teague and Drew Waller.

Judges were Ashley Carter, creator and editor of FabEllis, a beauty, life and style blog; Susan Ladd, a News & Record columnist; and Lynn Wooten, a vice president at Well-Spring Services. WFMY News 2s Tracey McCain was the hostess for the event.

Proceeds benefit Triad Goodwills mission of providing free career development services for the unemployed and underemployed in Alamance, Caswell, Guilford, Randolph and Rockingham counties.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, March 3

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

Uzbekistans President Shavkat Mirziyoyev intends to take part in the next session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), to be held in September 2017 in New York.

Mirziyoyev expressed his intention in a message to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the occasion of 25th anniversary of Uzbekistans joining the UN that is marked on March 2.

The message also says that the membership at the United Nations gave Uzbekistan an opportunity to participate more actively and promote peace agenda, development and cooperation, to address a number of global and regional issues of our time at the global level.

Mirziyoyev received UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Miroslav Jenca on March 2. During the meeting, the president affirmed Uzbekistans commitment to the strengthening of partnership relations with the UN and its organizations.

The Uzbek president also called on the UN to take part more actively in ongoing development processes in Uzbekistan and Central Asia.

The UN General Assembly holds annual sessions and the next  71st  session will be held in September 2017.

Last time, Uzbekistan was represented at the UN General Assembly session by the countrys former president in 2010. Then, the countrys first President Islam Karimov delivered a speech at the UN summit on Millennium Development Goals.
GREENSBORO  Any state-mandated class-size reductions should be paid for by the state, Gov. Roy Cooper said during a stop here Thursday afternoon.

You cant tell these local school districts to do this and that, and this and that, and not provide the right kind of funding, he said.

Cooper visited Guilford Child Developments Elm Street Center to tour the facility, meet with staff and promote the investments to early childhood education in his recently released state budget plan. The Democrats proposals  which include 4,700 more spots in NC Pre-K, a state program designed to prepare at-risk 4-year-olds for school are just suggestions unless the Republican-dominated state legislature approves money for them.

Cooper took a wide range of questions from reporters, including one from the News & Record about the K-3 class-size reduction passed by state legislators last budget season and scheduled to take effect next school year.

Some school systems are worried about how they can hire enough teachers in time or pay for the change without significant budget cuts. Projecting $16.6 million in new costs and the need for 242 more teachers, the Guilford County Board of Education on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution asking that any class-size reductions come with full funding, some flexibility and planning time.

I believe in smaller class size. I think it helps educational outcomes, but Im also ready to do what we need to do to fund public schools, Cooper said Thursday.

However, he said he didnt tackle the issue in his budget plan, released Wednesday.

Were ready to talk about it though, he said.

He touted his Best and Brightest budget proposal that would give $10,000 annual scholarships to students who agree to work in North Carolinas public schools for four years after graduation. That, he said, would help ensure additional teachers are available for hire if class sizes are decreased.

Legislators, hearing concerns from local school systems, seem interested in lessening the reductions required for next year.

Guilford County school board member Pat Tillman said during Tuesdays meeting that he thought the board could be encouraged by what he had heard in conversations with state legislators as of that afternoon. In February, legislators passed House Bill 13, a compromise bill that would make class-size decreases for 2017-18 less severe than the ones approved in 2016. The proposed legislation is still in flux, Tillman said, adding that he heard the rewrites were moving toward more flexibility for school systems.

Cooper held his media availability session Thursday in a preschool classroom with 4- and 5-year-old students.

I used to color paper plates, he told a group of children doing just that. He said hello to the children taking part in story time in the other corner too, but they seemed more interested in Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns to Listen than chatting up the governor.

The classroom is a blended Head Start-NC Pre-K classroom. Its mostly financed by Head Start, a federal program promoting school readiness for children in low-income families, but NC Pre-K pitches in enough money to pay for the higher quality standards of its program.

Guilford County has the largest number of prekindergarten slots of any county in the state even though its the third largest county, said Robin Britt, the executive director of Guilford Child Development, one of the countys largest nonprofits. He said thats because the countys child care community aggressively picks up slots other counties dont fill. Theres a waiting list here for families wanting to get in.

We would take as many as they would give us, he said.
The South Asian Fishermen Federation (SAFF) and International Fishermen Development Trust (INFIDET) have appealed to the Centre and the State governments to take immediate action to bring back 35 Tamil Nadu fishermen detained by the Iranian Coast Guard, The Hindu reported.

SAFF General Secretary Fr. Churchil along with the family members of the detained fishermen submitted a memorandum to Collector Sajjansingh R. Chavan here on Thursday.

They have sought for a pro-active action to bring back the fishermen who have been detained at the Iranian harbour Bhadher Resthani.

The fishermen  12 hailing from Kanniyakumari, seven from Tirunelveli and 16 from Ramanathapuram were detained in three batches on August 7, September 22 and December 27 last year by the Iranian Coast Guard when they ventured into sea in boats owned by the sponsors based at Saudi, Bahrain and Dubai on charges of crossing the International Maritime Border Line and entering into Iran waters.

Even though, the Indian fishermen paid the fine of Rs. 13.5 lakh as per the order of the Iran court, the Iranian Coast Guard refused to release the fishermen and their boats, alleged Fr. Churchil.

Fr. Churchil also alleged that the fishermen were denied food, clothing, shelter and medicine.

The fishermen were not even given drinking water, he alleged.

Earlier, INFIDET founder-president P. Justin Antony wrote a mail to the Iranian authorities, the Indian Embassy in Iran, the State and the Centre urging them to take quick action for the release of the fishermen.
Heading into March, 2017 has already been marked as a strange year for weather in Greenwich.

Prolonged drought conditions caused water shortages in the latter part of 2016, and normal rainfall in these early months isnt a sure sign that summer will bring Connecticuts water supply back on track, said Denise Savageau, Greenwichs Director of Conservation.

But the state is on the extreme end of the spectrum.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, only 7 percent of the United States was suffering from moderate to extreme drought conditions at the end of January.

The same measuring system, the Palmer Drought Index, also found that 12 percent of the United States is experiencing the opposite.

December of 2016 was Californias wettest month since 2010, as measured by the National Weather Service, and the state currently is experiencing record rain and snowfall.

But while California is coming out of drought conditions, the East Coast has been warming up faster than usual and maintaining dry conditions, the experts said.

More News State extends water restrictions in Stamford area

It has to do with the fact that we havent had a very active weather pattern for the eastern U.S. during the winter season, Andrew Orrison, an NWS meteorologist, told the Greenwich Time. Much of the active weather has been in the western United States. Storms are coming from the Pacific and not really the Atlantic or Gulf Coast.

Tom Di Liberto, in an article for the NOAA, explained that changes in wind patterns are making the area warmer.

The article states that mild winds that usually move farther south have been warming the northeastern regions of the country, and that the waters in the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico have been warmer than usual.

Looking forward, higher-than-normal temperatures should be expected this spring in Connecticut, according to the NSW Climate Prediction Center, but rainfall shouldnt bring the region out of the drought.

The way it looks right now, it doesnt look like we are going to get real wet anytime soon, Orrison said.
Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur expressed serious concerns over the Iranian interference in the internal affairs of countries in the region," as the Saudi king wrapped up his lavish trip to Malaysia on the first leg of a month-long Asia journey, PressTV reported.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi on Thursday rejected those accusations as "delusional," saying they are in line with Saudi Arabia's "improper, totally false, and targeted campaign, which is being waged at a very high cost" against the Islamic Republic.

The cultural influence and presence of a country has roots in its history, culture and civilization and is an inherent, cultural and quite natural and popular issue, which is basically not achievable through any military, economic and even political leverage, Qassemi said.

"The principled policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as an effective and peaceful country, is based on mutual respect and non-interference in the affairs of other countries," he said.

Iran's policy, he added, is also based on "coexistence and cooperation with all neighbors and countries of the region and the world in order to strengthen stability, security and peace and a relentless fight on terrorism."

Qassemi further stated that Iran's "advice to all Islamic countries is that they should analyze regional and global situations with more vigilance and care and avoid being drawn into disputes, which are against the principle of friendship and peaceful relationship."
Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 3

By Orkhan Quluzade  Trend:

It is necessary to build the Kars-Igdir-Nakhchivan railway in addition to the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway in order to transport cargos from east to west, Ahmet Arslan, Turkeys minister of transport, maritime and communication, said Mar. 3, Turkish media reported.

The Kars-Igdir-Nakhchivan railway will be an additional corridor connecting Turkey with Iran and Pakistan, Arslan noted.

The minister added that the prospect of development of these railway corridors was discussed during the 13th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) held in Pakistan.

Arslan said the construction of the BTK has neared its final stage, adding that new railway projects will attract additional investments to Turkey.

The BTK railway is being constructed on the basis of the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey intergovernmental agreement.

Peak capacity of the railway will be 17 million tons of cargo per year. At the initial stage, it will serve one million passengers and transport 6.5 million tons of cargo.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade
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According to the Pajhwok news agency, 149 militants were killed and 73 others were injured during the operations carried out in eight provinces of the country.

The security forces also killed three Taliban commanders in eastern Laghman and central Logar provinces, the agency reported.

There were no casualties reported among the Afghan security forces.

Afghanistan is in a state of political and social turmoil, with government forces fighting the continuing Taliban insurgency. The instability has persisted in the country since the 2001 US-led invasion to defeat the Taliban and al-Qaeda in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the United States.

The lack of control and instability turned the country into home to the largest opium poppy production and distribution network in the world.

The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, as well as the Afghanistan-based US forces are currently conducting joint offensive operations to combat terrorism across the country.




Haiti - FLASH : Prime Minister filled his documents in the Senate





Thursday, Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant, after his appointment https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20176-haiti-flash-jovenel-moise-chosen-dr-jack-guy-lafontant-as-prime-minister.html and his presentation https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20195-haiti-flash-error-of-protocol-office-pm-not-inaugurated.html , has reached a new stage. Accompanied by the former Minister of the Interior, Ardouin Zepherin, he filled shortly after 3 p.m., the documents required by the Constitution, to the General Secretariat of the Senate.



According to Dr. Rony Gilot, Secretary General of the Upper House, the Prime Minister appointed filled a dozen documents "We received this afternoon the Prime Minister appointed. He deposited a set of documents required by the Constitution. According to the law, there will be a Commission [to examine the conformity of the documents submitted by the PM appointed under Article 157 of the Constitution] to be formed at the next plenary meeting, Tuesday, March 7," specifying "There are no missing pieces, all the pieces have been deposited" underlining that everything will be done according to the procedures.



If the documents are in conformity, Jack Guy Lafontant will be invited to present his statement of General Policy, accompanied by his ministerial cabinet.



The Prime Minister appointed, filled among other things, a copy of Le Moniteur officially appointing him as Prime Minister, his National Identification Card (CIN), his Tax Registration Number (NIF), his certificate of nationality, his residence certificate, travel documents, final declaration of taxes, birth certificate, birth certificate of mother and father...



For his part, the Prime Minister appointed in a statement to the media said, "In accordance with the Constitution, I am here in Parliament, the People's House, to deposit the documents required by the Constitution. Very soon I will come for my statement of General Policy [...]"



It should be noted that the Commission's report must be submitted to the Assembly during the ratification session before the General Policy Statement.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - NOTICE : Call for proposals of the Disability Rights Fund





The Disability Rights Fund is a grantmaking collaborative that provides grants to disabled persons organizations (DPOs) to strengthen their participation in the advancement of human rights and disability-inclusive development.



The Disability Rights Fund has two funding rounds per year: Requests for Proposals (RFPs) are publicized in February (Round 1) and July (Round 2). Each round addresses a different set of countries. For some countries, there is a two-step process that requires a Letter of Interest be submitted for review before organizations are asked to submit a full proposal.



2017 Countries



Round 1 countries: Ghana (by invitation only), Haiti, Indonesia (by invitation only), Malawi, and Myanmar.



A Letter of Interest (LoI) process was opened on January 5, 2017 to applicants from Indonesia who did not receive any DRF or DRAF funding in 2016. Successful LoI applicants from Indonesia, current Indonesian grantees, invited DRF/DRAF grantees from Ghana, and any DPOs from Haiti, Malawi, and Myanmar can submit full proposals following publication of the Request for Proposals (RFP) on February 9, 2017. Information about the RFP is described in more details bellow.



Deadline for submission of an application for funding is March 16, 2017.



Interested organizations are invited to read the eligibility criteria and all the details of the application as soon as possible on the Fund's website : https://www.disabilityrightsfund.org/for-grantseekers/



All questions about the application process should be directed to : info@disabilityrightsfund.org



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping politics...





FLASH State Lottery recruits

The State Lottery of Haiti wants to recruit young people of both sexes for the sale of the tickets of the "LOTO 90" on the occasion of its 90th anniversary on on April 6. Interested parties may go to the premises of the lottery at # 37 Rue Pacot in Port-au-Prince. They must bring their national identification card and two recent photos. Deadline March 6, 2017



Seizure of used cooking oil

From 13th to 18th February, a search and seizure operation of used cooking oil (huile de poule) was carried out in the warehouses and communal markets of the department of the North-West considered as a bastion of distribution and the sale of this product. This operation, carried out in the North-West, follows the notice on the prohibition of the sale of used oil in the territory issued by the Ministries of Trade, Health, Agriculture and the Economy https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19994-haiti-notice-sale-of-adulterated-products-and-used-cooking-oil.html



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19994-haiti-notice-sale-of-adulterated-products-and-used-cooking-oil.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18248-haiti-flash-danger-used-cooking-oil-imported-into-the-country.html



Results Special session of the Bac for soon

The correction of the copies of the exams of the special session of the permanent baccalaureate organized from February 20 to 23, 2017 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19991-haiti-education-d-17-special-session-permanent-bac-for-students-that-failed.html , for the unsuccessful candidates of the Terminale (Philo), ends, the Ministry of Education is preparing to publish the results no later than Monday, March 6, 2017 according to Renan Michel, Director of the National Office of the State Exams (BUNEXE) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20136-haiti-reminder-d-2-permanent-bac-2017-instructions-to-follow.html to follow on HaitiLibre next Monday.



Sandra Honore wishes the fast installation of the government

Sandra Honore, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Haiti, welcomed the appointment of Jack Guy Lafontant as Prime Minister, whose general policy still needs to be ratified by Parliament. She called for the establishment of a government as soon as possible in order to create a climate of stability in Haiti and to promote essential elements that could improve the living conditions of Haitians. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20244-haiti-flash-prime-minister-filled-his-documents-in-the-senate.html



Passing of Tierry Gardere : Messages of sympathy



Embassy of Haiti in Washington :

"It is with great regret that we learned of the passing away of Thierry Gardere, the General Director of Rhum Barbancourt on March 1, 2017. We, at the Embassy of Haiti in Washington, DC offer our deepest condolences and ceases this opportunity to honor the life of the man behind Haiti's best known export and celebrate his contributions in the Haitian community and beyond. May you rest in peace."



The Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH) :

"It is with great shock and sadness that we learned of the passing of Mr Thierry Gardere - Chairman and CEO of Rhum Barbancourt. Mr Thierry Gardere, a founding member and former President of ADIH, was a pillar of the private sector and a great patron of Haitian cultural activities. He represented the 4th generation of Rhum Barbancourt company which is the oldest agro-industrial company in the country (more than 150 years) and the largest producer of rum. We present our sincere condolences to his family, the business and cultural sectors," wrote in a note Georges B. Sassine, President of the ADIH.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20236-haiti-flash-thierry-gardere-dg-of-barbancourt-passed-away.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















The fourth round of UN-backed intra-Syrian talks between the government and opposition factions kicked off in Geneva last week and concluded on Friday, Sputnik reported.

On the basis of the indications that I will be getting both from the Secretary General [UN] and the Security Council, I am planning to invite the Syrian invitees back here in March for a fifth round, De Mistura said at a press briefing.

In this round of talks, de Mistura said, the participants agreed to discuss at settlement negotiations all four "baskets" of topical issues for crisis resolution  governance, constitution, elections and counterterrorism  in parallel.

"We have a clear methodology to proceed and we have agreed on that within the intra-Syrian talks process the baskets will be addressed in a parallel way," de Mistura told reporters.

He added he had no plans to invite new participants to a fresh round of Syria proximity talks in Geneva in March.

"My inclination is not to invite new groups in order to make my job more complicated, but actually to stimulate those who would like to be part of it to come into one common umbrella," de Mistura said at a news briefing following the closure of the fourth round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva.
Published on 2017/03/02 | Source

Middle aged actor Min Wook passed away due to cancer.

Advertisement

He was diagnosed with cancer a year and a half ago and passed away on the 1st of March. He made his debut through KBS in 1969 and starred in various dramas. His recent drama was the 2010 KBS 2TV drama "Marry Me, Please".

He has a son and three daughters. His funeral will be held at the Sunchunhyang Hospital VIP hall in Seoul.
Turkey will attack the terrorist PKK/PYD in Manbij, northern Syria "unless the group withdraws," Turkeys foreign minister said Thursday, Anadolu reported.

Speaking to journalists outside the Turkish parliament in Ankara, Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Turkey and the United States "must not face off against each other because of Turkey's fight against other terrorist groups," meaning groups besides Daesh, the main focus of Turkeys Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Iraq.

"We do not wish any of our allies to stand with terrorist groups," Cavusoglu said. "We stated earlier that Turkey will hit the YPG unless they withdraw from Manbij."

The YPG is the armed wing of the terrorist group PKK/PYD in Syria.

Cavusoglu also said that with an operation on Manbij, the aim is to leave the area to "its true owners."

Cavusoglu said Ankara and Washington are currently discussing how to implement a possible Raqqah operation and how Turkey would support the operation.

"There are other coalition countries that are active in the field like France, Germany, and the United Kingdom," Cavusoglu said. "We are discussing issues such as how we will do air support."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said that Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army fighters could lead the Raqqa offensive.

While the Obama administration saw the PYD as a reliable ally, Turkey has consistently stressed that it is part and parcel of the terrorist PKK.

The new Trump administrations policy on the PYD is still emerging.

Since it resumed its armed campaign in July 2015, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of approximately 1,200 security personnel and civilians, including women and children.

The PKK/PYD has been accused by human rights groups of committing significant human rights violations in northern and northeastern Syria, including "ethnic cleansing" massacres.

The Turkish-led Operation Euphrates Shield began last August to improve security, support coalition forces, and eliminate the terror threat along the Turkish border using Free Syrian Army fighters backed by Turkish artillery and jets.
Turkish foreign minister will meet his German counterpart on March 8 in Germany, a Turkish diplomatic source said Friday, Anadolu reported.

According to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, Sigmar Gabriel phoned Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday to discuss a decision by a German local authority to cancel permission for a Thursday meeting where Turkey's justice minister was scheduled to address the Turkish community.

During the phone conservation, Cavusoglu expressed Turkey's discomfort over the incident, the source said.

On Thursday, the municipality of Gaggenau in southwest Germany revoked its permission for Bekir Bozdag's meeting, citing concerns about overcrowding. This prompted Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag to cancel his planned visit to Germany.

Cavusoglu also had a phone conversation with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, and the two discussed current political and international developments, and humanitarian aid to Syria, the same source added.
Watches are not rocket science. Or are they? Watches are not rocket...

Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well, thats a shame, because with some watches, youll need one to understand how to tell the time. Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well,...
Use the CRA to Repeal Dept. of Interior Rule that Tries to Create Unconstitutional Native Hawaiian Government

From Judicial Watch, February 22, 2017

The Department of the Interior (DOI) last year promulgated a rule intended to provide a way to organize a Native Hawaiian government that could seek a government-to-government relationship with the United States. In plain English, this is an attempt to grant tribal status to Native Hawaiians by executive decree. The means for accomplishing this would be a vote, restricted by the regulation to those who had at least one drop of Native Hawaiian blood.

This atrocious rule, which is almost certainly unconstitutional, should immediately be repealed. Congress has the power to do so now under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). This law allows Congress a certain time to object to any new rule if it believes, for example, that an agency has overstepped its legal authority. If the President agrees, the rule is repealed.

The DOIs regulation amounts to (another) attempt by the now-departed Obama Administration to use an executive order to circumvent Congress  and the Constitution. Under art. I,  8, Congress is vested with the authority to regulate commerce with Indian tribes. This has been interpreted to mean that Congress has complete power to make this decision. Starting in 2000 and for more than a decade, Hawaiis Senator Akaka tried to convince Congress to pass the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, popularly known as the Akaka Bill. The Akaka Bill would have granted Native Hawaiians a pathway to federal tribal status. But Congress never passed the bill.

Switching tactics, the Obama Administration decided to try to accomplish the same thing by executive action. Relying on a hodgepodge of federal statutes, the DOI argued that a special or trust relationship existed between the U.S. government and Native Hawaiians, and that this provided the basis for the DOI to adopt a regulation creating a pathway to Native Hawaiian tribal status. This approach is dishonest. The federal government has never recognized Native Hawaiians as a sovereign entity like other Indian tribes. If it had, there would have been no need for the Akaka Bill. When members of Congress expended political energy for more than a decade trying to pass that bill, were they wasting their time? The DOIs regulation is based on a fiction and ignores the obvious: Native Hawaiians have not been granted federal tribal status because Congress rejected the effort to do so.

Even worse is what the DOIs regulation does. It requires members of the Native Hawaiian community to adopt a governing document  meaning a constitution  and then to submit that document to a ratification vote. Under the DOIs regulation, that ratification vote would be restricted to voters who can prove that they were descendants of the aboriginal people who, prior to 1778, occupied and exercised sovereignty in the area that now constitutes the State of Hawaii. A single drop of blood is enough to be allowed to vote. This is the same ugly standard applied during the Jim Crow era to define a person as black for the purposes of the segregation statutes.

Such a rule would define more than 500,000 Americans as Native Hawaiian. (Only 1.3 million people live in Hawaii.) If such a tribe ever were formed, it would instantly become the largest tribe in the United States, by a wide margin. Indeed, this looks more like a secession movement that the designation of a tribe. When Hawaii tried to take advantage of this regulation by holding an election restricted to Native Hawaiians, using the same definition as the DOI, Judicial Watch sued on the grounds that this constituted racial discrimination in violation of the Constitution. (Akina v. State of Hawaii, No. 15-322.) The Supreme Court appeared to agree when it granted an injunction in December 2015 stopping the election. Hawaii later abandoned its efforts to hold such an election.

This is a strong sign that the Supreme Court would also enjoin any other attempt to hold a racially exclusive, Native Hawaiian election. The DOIs rule is nothing but an invitation to violate the Constitution. It should be repealed now under the CRA.

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WARD CALLS LEGISLATORS "SITTING DUCKS" AT THE STATE CAPITOL

News Release from Office of Rep Gene Ward, March 3, 2017

Representative Gene Ward (R  District 17, Hawaii Kai) today requested the Department of Accounting and General Services for more security protection at the State Capitol because of its total lack of any security measures. (See attached letter.)

"Not a single employee or visitor is ever asked to show an ID, questioned, searched, or put through a metal detector to enter the building to visit a senator, a representative, or even the governor. With absolutely no security measures at the State Capitol it is time to stop pretending that we're safe just because we're in Hawaii, Ward said.

For example, last month there was a constant stream of states leaders, department heads and community and business leaders to listen to the "State of the State" or the "State of the Judiciary" address. Every one of these leaders could have been wiped out by a single vehicle speeding by the Father Damien statue and crashing into the House or Senate Chamber and detonating a truckload of explosives.

Ward is calling for more security measures and has offered an immediate and cost-free solution to prevent this. He is proposing to move the tree planters adjacent to the Capitol reflecting pools and move them in a row next to the Father Damien statute as a means of preventing any vehicles from breaching the Capitol's perimeter. (See attached photo).

There is a tendency for us to think we are safe and immune from any possible attack because we live on a beautiful peaceful island. But we cannot afford to be complacent about our security anymore. We're sitting ducks at the Capitol and no one seems to be paying attention, especially the legislature," Ward concluded.

###

KITV: Lawmaker calls for increased security at Hawaii State Capitol
2-year-old man has died after a heavy metal beam fell on his torso and crushed him while he was working on a barge at Sydneys Darling Harbour.Rigger Tim Macpherson from Newcastle had been working at the at the Barangaroo Ferry Hub worksite for at least six months.The Maritime Union of Australia spokesman Paul Keating said he attempted to inspect the site in November 2016. At the time, he was notified about concerns that the barge being used did not comply with maritime standards."At the time I came down with another official to speak with the workers to have a look at the barge to assess if it was up to maritime standard and to make sure that the operation was safe," he said."I was met with opposition from the contractor, McConnell Dowell, in accessing the site, after which I contacted Roads and Maritime Services to find out whether the vessel was up to standard."These companies refuse our right on entry even when we raise these issues of safety with them."McConnell Dowell's Australian managing director, Jim Frith, said in a statement that the company's thoughts were with the man's family."We are providing his employer with all the assistance they need to support his family, and all affected staff are being offered support and counselling,'' the statement said."The full circumstances are unknown at this time and McConnell Dowell will continue to work with the authorities as they investigate the incident."Moreover, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union's (CFMEU) state secretary Brian Parker said the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), was making work sites more dangerous by preventing unions from visiting them.However, Minister for Employment Michaelia Cash said the CFMEU was dishonest to claim any link between the ABCC and yesterday's workplace death."The ABCC is not a safety regulator and it is highly dishonest for the CFMEU to claim that it is in any way related to this matter," she said in a statement."It is utterly disgraceful that any union would seek to politicise a workplace death, particularly given the incident occurred less than 24 hours ago."Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also rejected claims government changes are to blame for MacPhersons death and sent his condolences to his family.Every industrial accident is a tragedy and our condolences go, our sympathies go to the family, said Turnbull.SafeWork NSW is investigating the accident.
Citing practical considerations, China reminded India that it needs to be more enterprising in its approach to allow their relations to grow further. (Photo : Getty Images)

Chinese state media called on India to accept its unequal position in its bilateral ties with China, citing China's own experience in relenting its own interests to gain more from its relations with the U.S. This comes amid India's current lamentations over unresolved issues with China.



India is currently contesting China's block against its admission to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), as well as the technical hold on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar's designation as a terrorist by the UN Security Council, which China justified based on procedural rules.



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Citing practical considerations, China reminded India that it needs to be more enterprising in its approach to allow their relations to grow further. Mending differences should be India's goal in its interaction with China, state-run Global Times reported.



China acknowledges the state of India's self-esteem considering its relatively marginalized position in their relations, saying that its disparity with its economically stronger neighbor may prove to be a bane to its confidence as it plays "second fiddle" in their bilateral ties.



Such has taken off from the dialogue held by China's Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui and Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, both of which discussed topics on China-India bilateral ties that include India's impending NSG membership and Azhar's status before the U.N. Security Council.



Nonetheless, China has encouraged India not to take its weaker position as a disadvantage, and instead use it as an opportunity to grow as the world becomes increasingly multipolar. China-India bilateral ties, in that sense, should be built on convergences rather than be hindered by divergences.



Although India still expects resolutions for its demands, building its relationship with China beyond those problems is a move imbued with great importance, as the world braces for their growing economic power. A cooperative relationship between the two emerges is increasingly becoming more significant.


(Bloomberg) Bets on marijuana companies helped an Australian manager soar 145 percent last year to become the worlds best-performing hedge fund.

Stock and credit investments in North American marijuana producers contributed to 22 percentage points of last years gain for the $200 million Tribeca Global Natural Resources Fund, said Sydney-based Ben Cleary, who co-manages the pool with Craig Evans. The fund has advanced 4 percent this year through February, Cleary said.

To read the entire article, click here.
The Guardian took an in-depth look at Europes growing wolf population, using Finlands situation as a case in point. Legalizing euthanasia was a talking point in parliament, while President Sauli Niinisto voiced his security concerns to the rest of Europe. Finally, education in Finland is making a technological shift and men in Florida carry their wives on their back.

Wolves on the rise in Finlands forests

The Guardian

Finland has a wolf problem. Five and a half million humans share the country with an estimated 235 wolves, and thats too many, say rural Finns, whose livestock and hunting dogs are being killed."

"Some parents are scared that wolves will attack their children. For the past three years, the government has assuaged these fears with a wolf cull. Last winter, 43 wolves were killed in a management hunt, while total fatalities numbered 78, including problem wolves shot by police and road casualties.

This winter, Helsinki authorised another cull, permitting the death of 53 wolves, to include those shot by police and traffic fatalities. The cull is controversial: the wolf is a protected, endangered species. Critics say Finland is in breach of EU law. A candlelit vigil for slaughtered wolves took place in Helsinki last month, and a wolf hunt saboteur group has sprung up on social media."

In this apparently calm and phlegmatic country, the wolf polarises opinion.

Original article was published by on 25/02/2017 and can be found here.

Parliament considers legalizing euthanasia

Expatica

Finland's parliament on Thursday debated a citizens' initiative to make euthanasia legal, a widely supported cause in the Nordic country.

""A law on euthanasia is needed to add an alternative at life's end for those who cannot get sufficient relief to their unbearable agonies even from the finest of palliative treatment," the initiative read.

In Finland, citizens can require parliament to debate an issue by gathering a minimum of 50,000 signatures.

Thursday's debate was just the first step in the parliamentary process. A special committee will draft a more detailed memorandum for lawmakers to consider at a later, undisclosed date.

Original article was published by on 02/03/2017 and can be found here.

President Sauli Niinisto urges EU to boost security

BloombergQuint

Finland is urging Europe to increase NATO contributions and focus more on security as the continent grapples with political turmoil from all sides, including from within.

Once the UK has quit the European Union, the 27 nations left behind need to double down on the blocs founding principle and give the remaining 444 million citizens what they most crave: security, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said in an interview at his seaside residence in Helsinki on Friday.

The comments come as a spate of elections threatens to deepen the EUs biggest existential crisis in its 60-year history. The bloc is also being challenged in the east by Russia and in the west by a new US administration that has predicted its disintegration, just over four years after it won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Original article was published by on 27/02/2017 and can be found here.

Finnish curriculum adapts to changing technology

Channel NewsAsia

Finland, an economy once dominated by forestry-based industries, has redesigned its education system to embrace the digital age and the more collaborative working world of the future.

Ms Anita Lehikoinen, permanent secretary of Finlands Ministry of Education and Culture, estimated that a third of the jobs today would be replaced by automation, robotics and artificial intelligence in the near future.

She said: Robots, automation, digital devices, they can take care of much of the work today. But where we need human beings are actually the soft skills. This is the new idea behind the new curriculum.

Original article was published by on 26/02/2017 and can be found here.

Finlands centenary celebrated in Florida

Palm Beach Post

The Midnight Sun festival takes place every year in Lake Worth, the American city with the highest concentration of people of Finnish descent. Due to this year being Finland's 100th anniversary, organizers are doing everything they can to make the 2017 festival an extra special one.

This year's lineup will include Hanna Pakarinen, winner of Finnish Idol in 2004. Finnair is sponsoring the event and will fly the performers and their crew from Finland to Florida for the festival.

It appears the event will also include a wife carrying contest, with the article claiming that no Finnish festival is complete without a man hoisting his wife over his shoulder and running through an obstacle course.

Original article was published by on 01/03/2017 and can be found here.

Dan Anderson

Helsinki Times

Photo Lehtikuva
The bromance between South Korean superstars Park Go Bum and Song Joong Ki is undeniable. The former is known for playing Lee Yeong in "Moonlight Drawn by Clouds" while the latter is known for playing Yoo Shi Jin in "Descendants of the Sun" opposite Song Hye Kyo as Kang Mo Yeon.



It will be interesting to see Park and Joong Ki star in a bromance film. To make it even more interesting, Hye Kyo should be included in the cast as the third wheel.



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Park has yet to make a big screen comeback since the 2015 drama film "Coin Locker Girl." Written and directed by Han Jun Hee, the film also stars Lee Sang Hee, Go Kyung Pyo, Eom Tae Goo, Ryu Yong Hwa, Kim Go Eun and Kim Hye Su, among others.



The days before Valentine's Day, Park was in Thailand for a fan meeting. Prior to the event, almost 4,000 fans welcomed him at the airport.



"Although it was late when I arrived in Thailand, there were so many fans at the airport that I was surprised," Soompi quoted Park as saying. Expressing his gratitude for the fans' intentions to welcome him, he suggested that it would be good if they do not stay out late and go home early instead although he could fully feel their hearts.



Park went on to praise the smiles of his Thai fans calling them extremely memorable. His fans enthusiastically cheered when he showed his photos from visits to several places in Thailand.



One of the highlights of the fan meeting was the surprise appearance of Joong Ki. Before the audience, the two South Korean actors did not hesitate to display their affection for each other, which make their fans fancy a film starring the two.



After the 2012 romantic fantasy film "A Werewolf Boy," Joong Ki is returning to the big screen in the upcoming film "Battleship Island." He is also set to make a cameo in "Man to Man," according to Officially KMusic.



Watch Park at the Asia Artist Awards 2016 here:






Song Joong-ki thinks Park Go Bum is handsome? Descendants of the Sun star to appear in Man to Man

Song Joong-Ki and Park Bo-Gum laugh during the fan meeting of the latter in Bangkok, Thailand on Feb. 11, 2017. (Photo : YouTube/Ruhi Le)

Fans of "Descendants of the Sun" star Song Joong Ki and "Moonlight Drawn by Clouds" star Park Go Bum know that the two South Korean superstars are great friends. The two were both in Thailand on Feb. 11 for an event.



The event was a meeting of Park and his fans. Song appeared as a surprise guest and the fans were treated to a live view of the bromance between the two actors.



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"Lee Young in 'Moonlight Drawn By Clouds' was really handsome and interesting," Soompi quoted Song as saying. Before this, Park showered the "Descendants of the Sun" star with praises and kind words.



Before the fan meeting ended, Park thanked his Thai fans and promised to work hard to become a person who can positively influence the lives of everyone who has given me warm strength. He emphasized that he wanted the positive influence to last for a long time.



There are still no details about Park's next TV project after playing Lee Yeong in "Moonlight Drawn by Clouds." On the other hand, Joong Ki is set to make a cameo in "Man to Man," a drama series about a popular actor (Park Sung Woong) and his bodyguard (Park Hae Jin).



Written by Kim Won Suk and directed Lee Chang Min, "Man to Man" will premiere in South Korea on April 21 and it will air Fridays and Saturdays on JTBC. The upcoming series will also star Oh Na Ra, Lee Si Un, Jeong Man Sik, Tae In Ho, Jang Hyun Sung, Cheon Ho Jin, Chae Jung An, Yeon Jeong Hun and Kim Min Jung.



On Dec. 13, 2016, still images were published by Asian Wiki showing Hae Jin filming prison scenes in Budapest, Hungary. Watch behind-the-scenes clips here:






The Legend of the Blue Sea star Lee Min Ho is Actor of the Year

Lee Min Ho attends a press conference for a commercial event on September 11, 2014 in Taipei, Taiwan. (Photo : Getty Images/Ashley Pon)

Lee Min Ho is still the top actor in South Korea. Recently, he played Heo Joon Jae in "The Legend of the Blue Sea" opposite Jun Ji Hyun as Shim Chung.







At the 12th Annual Soompi Awards, Lee was declared the Actor of the Year. Voted by hallyu fans from 139 countries across the globe, the winners of the annual survey were announced on March 2, Thursday, by Soompi.



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With Fuse and ZANYBROS as partners, the United States-based online news provider specializing in Korean pop culture received almost 100 million votes from Dec. 19, 2016 to Jan. 16. There were 29 categories in the survey.



Before winner the Actor of the Year award at the 12th Annual Soompi Awards, Lee was awarded the grand prize at the 2017 National Brand Awards. The actor attended the awarding ceremony at the National Assembly Hall in Seoul, South Korea, on Feb. 22, Wednesday.



"I traveled around the globe so many times over the past few years. I was so touched to see people (overseas) trying to write or speak Korean to me," Korea Herald quoted Lee as saying during his acceptance speech. "I will further try to contribute to Korea's brand image."



Lee was given the 2017 National Brand Awards recognition for his contribution to the international promotion of the Korean Wave. "The Legend of the Blue Sea" actor is also a goodwill ambassador for the 2016-18 Visit Korea Year promotion.



Before starring in "The Legend of the Blue Sea," Lee appeared as himself in "Seven First Kisses." On the big screen, he played Li San in "Bounty Hounters," which also starred Wallace Chung, Yan Tang, Jones Xu, Karena Ng and Siu-Wong Fan.



In 2015, Lee starred in "Gangnam Blues" with Kim Rae Won and Kim Ji Su. It was written and directed by Ha Yoo.



Watch a video of 12th Annual Soompi Awards here:






Mob boss John Gilligan has contacted gardai claiming that he had to be hospitalised after his heart stopped three times in a brazen bid not to be evicted from his home, the Herald has learned.

Gilligan went to Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown on Sunday complaining of chest pains and remained in the facility until Tuesday, when he was discharged.

Sources have revealed that Gilligan has since contacted gardai to say that his "heart stopped three times".

Armed

Gardai were forced to increase armed patrols around the hospital in case there was another attempt to murder the pint-sized thug, who has survived two previous attempts on his life.

"It is understood that Gilligan is attempting to use his so-called health problems as a ruse to stay in his property," a source said last night.

"It is just more whingeing out of him."

Earlier this week, the Herald revealed that the twisted 65-year-old wants the country's taxpayers to fund a new home for him after he lost three properties to the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB).

The convicted drug trafficker presented himself at council offices in Blanchardstown, claiming that he is facing homelessness.

It has also emerged that he is to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights in a bid to hang on to the three seized properties.

Last month, the crime lord lost a Supreme Court appeal, in which he challenged proceeds of crime orders in relation to some of his assets.

Seize

The five-judge court ruled that the CAB is entitled to seize the three properties linked to Gilligan, including the Jessbrook Equestrian Centre in Enfield, Co Meath.

The criminal has been living in the grounds but CAB is preparing to seize it.

Other property owned by his former wife Geraldine, daughter Tracy and son Darren were also found to be the proceeds of crime.

Gilligan is believed to have raked in millions during the 1990s, when he was flooding the country with drugs.

He spent 17 years in prison for drug trafficking and is widely believed to have ordered the murder of Sunday Independent journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996.

Last week, the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by Brian Meehan over the rejection of his claim that his conviction for the murder of the journalist was a miscarriage of justice.

In a published determination, a three-judge Supreme Court ruled that Meehan (48), from Crumlin, Dublin, had not met the criteria for an appeal to the court.

Meehan sought an appeal against the Court of Appeal's April 2016 judgment rejecting his claim that his conviction for the murder of Ms Guerin was a miscarriage of justice.

He was convicted in 1999 of the murder of the journalist after the Special Criminal Court found that Meehan was the driver of a motorcycle that pulled up alongside Ms Guerin's car on June 26, 1996.

She died after the pillion passenger shot her.
The helicopter was destroyed in seconds in the crash in 2015

The pilot of a helicopter was "focused on a bollard" when his blades ripped into a bar and restaurant in Longford.

The owner of the restaurant was caught on video trying to move tables as the helicopter pilot closed in on the "unsuitable" landing space in July 2015.

It then slammed into a timber-clad wall of the Rustic Inn in Abbeyshrule, Co Longford.

The helicopter was destroyed in a matter of seconds and significant damage was caused to the building.

There were three people in the function room on the other side of the wall. One suffered a cut under his eye and another fell as a group of onlookers ran from the crash scene.

Neither the pilot nor his passenger was harmed.

Hazards

A report was released yesterday by the Air Accident Investigation Unit, which found that the pilot tried to land in an "inappropriate" area that was "very confined".

He was trying to land on a narrow canal bank between the Rustic Inn and the Royal Canal, which was said to have many hazards.

Investigators said that neither Waterways Ireland nor the owner of the Rustic Inn was asked for permission to land.

The owner of the inn said he heard a bang and everyone in the function room ended up on the floor.

A window on the ground floor was broken and glass and debris were strewn across the room.

A radiator in the first floor bedroom was also said to have been torn from its wall mountings.

The pilot said he was "completely aware" where the helicopter's blades were in relation to the building.

He told the investigation team he was "concentrating on a bollard, which I knew was there for tying down the boats on the side of the canal, and I was concentrating on where that was to the skid".

He said he "turned over to look for it and lost concentration".

The tail of the helicopter was severed and landed in the canal.

The helicopter was allowed to fly by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority, which would have allowed it to operate in Ireland for up to 28 days without specific permission. However, because it was an ex-military aircraft, it needed permission.

The report said that the Irish Aviation Authority had told the investigation it had not received a request for the helicopter to operate in Ireland.
Filmmaker Louis Theroux immersed himself in some of the most "dysfunctional and disturbing aspects of American society" for three new documentaries airing later this year.

The broadcaster uncovered and learned about some of the major difficulties faced by the US population, including sex trafficking, opiate use and murder, in the cities of Houston, Huntington and Milwaukee.

The "challenging" films will air on BBC Two and follow on from Theroux's successful 2016 feature-length effort My Scientology Movie.

"I immerse myself in some of the most dysfunctional and disturbing aspects of American society," said Theroux.

"They combine hard-hitting actuality with intimate interviews.

Perpetrators

"I have been granted access to the police in several states. I've got to know the people affected by crime and I've also spent time with the perpetrators of crime, with the idea of understanding the causes of it, both on a systemic level and also in a very personal way," he added.

Houston, Texas, is thought to be the main location for human trafficking in North America, and in one film Theroux spends time with women working in the city's sex industry.

As well as working with local law enforcement, Theroux goes to the county jail and learns about the criminal justice system's struggles to help the women caught within their often exploitative lifestyle.

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, considered one of America's most racially divided and impoverished cities, Theroux spends time with the local police department on patrol.

The third film is based on Theroux's travels to Huntington, West Virginia - a city that sees one in 10 babies born addicted to opiates and which has a fatal overdose rate 13 times the national average.

BBC Two controller Patrick Holland said the forthcoming films will be a "real event".

"This trilogy promises to be hugely timely and challenging, it has never been more important to engage with the forces shaping modern America."
Fuqing Nuclear Power Plant when completed (concept). (Photo : NEA)

China has built or will build 21 new nuclear reactors over the next decade as it strives to wean itself away from coal whose pollution is making many of its major cities unlivable and health hazards for its residents.



Of this total, the construction of five should be finished within the year. The construction of eight more reactors will start this year while planning for eight more will be advanced, also this year, according to China's National Energy Administration (NEA) in its Energy Work Guidance Opinion for 2017 published in February.



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NEA expects completion within the year of the Sanmen 1 reactor for the Sanmen Nuclear Power Station; the Haiyang 1 AP1000 units at the Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant; the Taishan 1 European Pressurized Reactor at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant; the Fuqing 4 reactor at the Fuqing Power Plant and the CPR-1000 units at the Yanjiang Nuclear Power Station.



Together with "other projects," these rectors will add some 6.41 GWe of nuclear generating capacity to the national grid. NEA's plan calls for the safe development of nuclear power throughout China.



NEA plans to begin construction of eight nuclear reactors this year, but did not name them or what type of reactors these will be.



Preparatory work will also to be carried out this year on eight other units. These include units 3 and 4 of Sanmen; Ningde units 5 and 6 and two units each at new plants at Zhangzhou in Fujian and Huizhou in Guangdong. These will add 9.86 GWe of nuclear generating capacity to the grid together with the other projects.



NEA will actively promote the construction of "qualified" nuclear power projects and push for an orderly approval of power plants built along the coast. NEA also said it will continue to implement major nuclear power science and technology projects.



It will also push the construction of the high-temperature gas-cooled demonstration project in Shidaowan in Shandong.


China to Fire 2.3 Million Coal and Steel Workers in Two Years

Since labor unions are forbidden in China, Wu and other Longhua miners have taken to WeChat, a social media app, to organize and let their demands be heard. (Photo : Weibo)

China will again flirt with massive social unrest after it announced new plans to slash 500,000 more jobs in the steel industry that's producing more steel than the market needs, and the coal industry whose product is causing the massive pollution endangering the health of millions of Chinese.



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Triggering the cuts is China's rapidly slowing economy, which is having difficulty transitioning from a maker of cheap goods powered by cheap labor to a technological economy where innovation and technology guarantee economic growth.



China makes more than half the world's steel, but the stubborn economic slowdown and weak global demand has left the industry with a massive over supply.



Yin Weimin, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, announced the new cuts and said the laid-off workers will enter a job placement program or be offered early retirement.



The communist government in 2016 announced plans to do away with a total of 1.8 million steel and coal jobs. It cut about 726,000 jobs in 2016.



"The whole process was smooth and orderly," said Yin of last year's firings.



"There were no major conflicts or issues."



But there have been protests and street rallies slamming the lay-offs. In April 2016, hundreds of steelworkers in northern Hebei province took to the streets after being fired from their jobs.



A year ago, China said it intends to cut almost two million jobs in the steel and coal sectors as part of a bid to cut overcapacity and re-start the slowing economy.



Yin at the time said 1.3 million workers will be fired in the coal industry, along with 500,000 workers in the steel industry. Most of these workers came from state-owned enterprises, which are notorious for their inefficiency and inferior products.



The move came after a fall in coal consumption to 3.7% in 2015 compared to a reduction of 2.9% in 2014.


Four militants were killed during a police raid in in the town of Kerdasa, on the outskirts of Cairo, state news agency MENA reported on Thursday.

In statements to MENA, a Giza security directorate source said that police forces killed the wanted terrorists while attempting to arrest them, adding that police opened fire after the militants initiated a shootout.

The source added that ammunition and several shell casings were found with the four men.

It is unclear what charges the men were wanted for by the prosecution, or with which group they were affiliated.

Kerdasa has been known to be a stronghold for supporters of the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood and ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

Following the dispersal of pro-Morsi sit in camps in August 2013, 11 police officers were killed during an attack on the Kerdasa police station.

Attacks against security forces have become common in recent years but are mostly concentrated in North Sinai, where Egypt's army and police are battling an entrenched Islamist insurgency.



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Freedom of speech is a privilege. We need to treat it that way.

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The committee supervising the Egyptian press syndicates electoral process has decided on Friday to postpone the syndicates general assembly to 17 March due to the lack of a quorum.

The general assembly was set to witness the election of a new syndicate head and six board members.

Seven journalists, including syndicate head Yehia Kalash, are competing for the top post, while around 70 others are seeking posts in the syndicates council.

The syndicate has around 10,000 members with full voting rights, half of whom must be present for the general assembly to take place

Only 1,300 journalists of the required 4,300 were present on Friday.

At least 25 percent of members must be present on 17 March for the assembly to convene.

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Related German town that cancelled Turkish event receives bomb threat

Turkey told NATO partner Germany on Friday it must "learn how to behave" if it wanted to maintain relations after two German towns stopped Turkish ministers speaking at meetings of supporters of President Tayyip Erdogan.

The comments by Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reflected a broader souring of ties between the two countries, tested most recently by Turkey's arrest on Monday of Deniz Yucel, a correspondent for the prominent Die Welt newspaper.

Germany said on Thursday the arrest, the first of a German correspondent under the crackdown that followed a failed July coup, had caused grave damage to ties.

Cavusoglu, talking to reporters in Ankara, said that "if necessary we will give a response in every way", but did not elaborate.

"The obstruction of meetings in Germany is a sign of how much Germany and the West are displaying double standards," Cavusoglu said.

The town of Gaggenau withdrew permission on Thursday for a meeting where Turkish minister Bekir Bozdag had been due to speak. The address would have been part of efforts to garner support among Germany's 1.5 million Turkish citizens for an April referendum on expanding Erdogan's presidential powers.

City authorities cited a lack of space in the car park designated for the meeting.

Bozdag cancelled a meeting with his German counterpart and flew back to Turkey. In Ankara, the Turkish foreign ministry summoned the German ambassador for an explanation, ministry sources said.

The city of Cologne also blocked an event where Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybecki was to speak on Sunday, amid security concerns.

"German officials say that when Turkish ministers come to Germany they must speak with German ministers. With such pressure we will not speak with you," Cavusoglu said. "If you want to maintain relations with us, you have to learn how to behave. That is our message to Germany."

Ankara's relations with Berlin have soured especially since the attempted coup in July where Turkey said west European countries had failed to condemned the military putschists quickly and emphatically enough.

Erdogan's crackdown after the coup, mass arrests and dismissals, have also draw sharp ciriticism in the European Union.

But Germany is wary of rising tensions, seeking continued Turkish commitment to procedures preventing large movements of refugees from Turkey to Europe.

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The chancellor's six hour visit will also include discussions on combating terrorism, the Libyan crisis and boosting German aid to the Tunisian economy

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to fly Friday from Cairo to Tunisia for a six hour official visit where she will meet Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi and other top officials, including Prime Minister Youssef Chahed.

Sources in Tunisia told Ahram Online that the meetings will mainly focus on four issues: illegal migration, combating terrorism, the Libyan crisis and boosting German aid to the Tunisian economy.

The chancellor is scheduled to give an "extraordinary speech" addressed to the Tunisian people, a spokesperson for the country's parliament, Hasan Fathaley, told Ahram Online.

There will be talks with parliament speaker Mohamed Al-Nasser during her visit to Parliament headquarters, Fathaley said.

Fathaley added that the Tunisian parliament speaker will visit Berlin in April.

The spokesperson said the visit has created big expectations among Tunisians, with the upcoming visits between high ranking German and Tunisian officials expected to boost cooperation between the countries.



Tunisia and Germany are celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations this year.

Illegal Immigration: 'No accord reached yet

Illegal immigration, a key concern for European countries facing a growing migrant crisis, will be top on the list of issues Merkel will discuss with Tunisian officials, according to Fathaley.

The German leader was in Cairo for talks with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, in which both leaders discussed ongoing efforts to curb illegal immigration.

Egypt has recently opposed proposals to build refugee camps to house illegal migrants on the African continent.

Tunisian sources told Ahram Online that the parliament has not yet reached an accord with Germany over the proposed deportation of illegal Tunisian immigrants from the European country to Tunisia.

During a visit by Chahed to Berlin in February, reports emerged that the countries had reached an agreement on this issue.

However, Chahed told German media at the time that his government had rejected German demands to open refugee camps on Tunisian territory, and that no agreement had been reached.

Germany called for such camps after a terrorist attack on a Berlin market in December was claimed by Tunisian migrant Anis AL Emary.

Shortly after the attack, German officials hinted that Berlin would cut economic aid to Tunisia if the country did not accept the return of 1,500 illegal migrants, sparking anger from Tunisian politicians and media.

However, shortly after Chaheds visit, Germany pledged $1 billion in economic aid to the country.

Speaking to Ahram Online, Tunisian Foreign Ministry Media Director Bouraoui Limam said there was mutual understanding between Tunisia and Germany on the return of illegal immigrants. He emphasised, however, that this was not an agreement.

Tunisian foreign policy applies a framework consisting of three elements to deal with this issue. The vision is to support joint development and immigration. We already established such an agreement with France, Limam said.

Limam said the elements of the framework include "proof that any yet-to-be-deported migrant is a Tunisian national, that he/she was residing illegally, and the condition that any Tunisians meeting these criteria be deported in small groups to preserve their dignity.

We will not concede to Germany collecting a group and just putting them [all] together on a plane.Three or four persons per trip will be enough, he said.

The Tunisian official also said that as his country has made agreements similar to this one with France and Italy, Tunis was seeking a collective agreement on the issue with the EU.

Accompanying Merkel on her trip to Tunisia is a delegation of German businessmen and company directors, who will attend a conference with their Tunisian counterparts.

The two countries are expected to ink a final agreement on building a new Volkswagen automobile factory in Tunisia.

The factory is expected to be an unprecedented investment of this kind in the region, making Germany Tunisia's third largest European trade partner.

Merkel's visit is very important. Our relationship with Germany is excellent. We deal in confidence with a country that really supports us, Limam said.

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Russia said on Friday it was ready to help unify Libya and wanted to foster dialogue between rival authorities in Tripoli and factions in the east of the country.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks in Moscow with Fayez Seraj, the head of the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli, on Thursday.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday that the talks had focused on how efforts to unite Libya could best be advanced. Moscow was ready to mediate and wanted to cooperate with all sides in the oil-rich country, it said.

"Moscow confirmed its readiness to work closely with all sides in Libya with the aim of seeking mutually acceptable solutions to create the grounds for the stable development of Libya as a united, sovereign and independent state," the ministry said in a statement.

Seraj's visit was seen as part of efforts to overcome a deadlock in the country between the Tripoli government and Khalifa Haftar, a military commander supported by factions in the east of the country.

A statement from Seraj's office quoted him as saying that Russia could play a positive role in Libya "thanks to its ties with various Libyan parties."

On Feb. 19, Seraj told Reuters he hoped Moscow might act as an intermediary between him and Haftar.

"The passage of time does not allow for the political manoeuvres that (some) Libyan groups are trying to play," Seraj's office said.

It said the Libyan political delegation had been accompanied by officials representing the National Oil Corporation and the defence ministry.

Lavrov and Seraj had discussed the progress of the U.N.-sponsored reconciliation dialogue, theRussian Foreign Ministry said.

"The Russian side stressed the need for an inclusive intra-Libyan dialogue aimed at setting up unified organs of power, including an army and police force capable of maintaining security and law and order and of effectively countering a terrorist threat," it said.

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The Russian Defence Ministry said on Friday that Russian military advisers had planned and overseen the Syrian army's recapture of the city of Palmyra and that Russian warplanes and special forces had played a decisive role.

The Syrian army said on Thursday it had retaken the ancient city from Islamic State group for the second time in a year, with help from allied forces.

Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi, a senior Russian Defence Ministry official, told a news briefing in Moscow more than a thousand Islamic State fighters had been killed or wounded in the Palmyra operation.

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a new agreement with Tunisia on tackling illegal migration during a visit Friday, following tensions over the case of the Tunisian suspect in the Berlin market attack.

Merkel, on a two-day trip to North Africa that also included a stop in Egypt, said Germany and Tunisia had agreed on faster repatriations for rejected asylum seekers and job training for Tunisians.

The German leader, who faces elections in September, is under pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to her country, which has taken in more than one million migrants since 2015.

Merkel, who also addressed Tunisia's parliament, has urged North African states to step up border controls and expedite procedures to repatriate migrants whose asylum applications are rejected.

Germany has said that Tunisian bureaucratic delays meant it could not expel Anis Amri, the suspect in the truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market that killed 12 people, even though his asylum application had been turned down six months earlier.

Merkel said that the two countries had agreed that questions from Germany on the identities of Tunisian asylum seekers will be answered within 30 days.

"We will also help Tunisia to set up a registration system. Replacement passports are then meant to be issued within one week," she said at a joint news conference with President Beji Caid Essebsi.

This agreement "will satisfy Tunisia and will satisfy Germany", Essebsi said, adding that it concerned about 1,500 Tunisians whose residency requests have been refused by Germany.

"Measures will be taken in the Tunisian consulates in Germany to help in their identification," he added.

Merkel's talks also covered ways to respond to years of instability exploited by people smugglers in neighbouring Libya.

"We know the political situation in Libya is difficult," she said, welcoming Tunisia's efforts to help resolve the turmoil.

"No-one is more interested in political stability in Libya than its neighbours, but I'll say, because of the migration issue, it's also important for us Europeans."

The migrants issue had already been contentious in Germany where sexual assaults by large groups of mostly North African men on New Year's Eve 2015-16 against women in Cologne provoked outrage.

Merkel's interior minister floated an idea for North African countries to build holding centres for returned migrants, but it was rejected by Merkel's centre-left coalition partners and rights groups.

The visit was also a chance for Merkel to pledge support for a country often hailed as a rare success story of the Arab Spring uprisings that shook the region and toppled autocrats including longtime Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has passed a new constitution and held free parliamentary and presidential elections.

But the nation faces high unemployment, social tensions and the threat from jihadists who have killed dozens of soldiers and police as well as civilians including 59 foreign tourists.

Speaking in Tunis, Merkel announced 250 million euros ($264 million) in development aid.

"The funds are for rural development, small and medium enterprises, but mainly for youths... who especially need job training and employment opportunities," she said.

She later told parliament that Tunisia is a "beacon of hope" for Europe, praising both the pro-democracy protests and the country's subsequent managing of the "rocky path" to democracy.

"The fact that you as a freely elected democratic parliament exist is a legacy of the great courage of the citizens of your country," Merkel said.

"Tunisia is going its way, and your country, as a young democracy, can bank on our full support and cooperation, politically, economically and socially."

Her trip is part of a larger diplomatic push by the German leader, who last year visited Mali, Niger and Ethiopia.

She had also planned a trip to Algeria last week, but it was called off after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika fell ill.

Germany, which this year holds the G20 presidency, has also announced investment partnerships in Africa with the long-term goals of reducing poverty and deterring people from leaving.

Merkel was joined on her trip by a business delegation that could bring much-needed investments.

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The Syrian regime and opposition agreed a "clear agenda" to seek peace for the war-scarred country at talks which ended on Friday, the negotiations' UN mediator said.

Veteran envoy Staffan de Mistura said he plans to invite both sides back to Geneva later this month for a new round of talks, which will include the issue of counter-terrorism at the request of Damascus.

"The train is ready, it is in the station, it is warming up the engine. Everything is ready, it just needs an accelerator," he said at the end of nine days of talks in the Swiss city.

"I believe that we have a clear agenda now in front of us," he told reporters.

The Geneva negotiations, the first since last April, aimed at ending a conflict that began in March 2011 with protests against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Its seventh year begins on March 15.

Since then more than 310,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have fled the country, fuelling instability in neighbouring countries and creating Europe's biggest migrant crisis since World War II.

The warring Syrian sides have been joined in Geneva by envoys of key parties including notably Russia, a major ally of Damascus.

But as in previous talks the focus was almost exclusively on the agenda.

Under UN Security Council Resolution 2254 they should be framed in three "baskets" or areas of discussion: governance, constitution and elections.

But Damascus pushed hard for counter-terrorism to be added to the agenda, against fierce resistance from the opposition who said the Syrian regime was "stalling" the talks to avoid engaging with political transition.

The main opposition High Negotiating Committee (HNC) said the latest Geneva talks were "more positive" than previous rounds.

"We are closing this round without (a) clear result... but I can say this time was more positive," HNC delegation chief Nasr al-Hariri told reporters.

"It was first time we discussed in an acceptable depth the issues of the future of Syria and political transition," he added after the talks, the fourth mediated by de Mistura.

The antagonism has been clear in briefings after each session of talks with de Mistura, with the Syrian regime delegation chief Bashar al-Jaafari lashing out at "terrorists" in the HNC.

The HNC meanwhile lamented the lack of a genuine "partner for peace".

The talks had hardly begun last weekend when they were rocked by a suicide assault which killed dozens in Syria's third city Homs.

Al-Jaafari demanded after the attacks that terrorism be made a "priority" in Geneva.

Speaking at the end of the talks Friday, the UN mediator conceded that for the moment face-to-face talks are unlikely.

But he held up a photograph of the opening ceremony of the talks last Thursday, when both sides gathered in the same room, albeit only to hear a welcome address by de Mistura.

"This picture is much more than iconic. It is highly symbolic. This was a very special moment," he said, adding: "A psychological barrier was broken".

And he added: "I know there are still people in Syria who still believe that there is a military option or a military solution.

"That is fantasy," he said, adding that only a "political solution that addresses the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people" would ultimately prevail.

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When the 18th round of talks between Indian and Chinese special representatives on boundary question took place in New Delhi on March 23, 2015, the first since Narendra Modi government came to power, state councillor Yang Jiechi played an old card to national security adviser Ajit Doval. Parroting an old move by his predecessor Dai Binggou, who headed the dialogue till 2013 for over a decade, Yang put Tawang on the table and said if India would compromise on this Arunachal Pradesh track, Beijing would make similar compromises in the western sector, thus paving a way for a boundary settlement.

It is said Doval told his Chinese counterpart that it was better to permanently close the boundary dialogue for the future rather than for Beijing to raise the issue of Tawang.

What Doval said in blunt terms was no different from what his predecessor, NSA Shiv Shankar Menon, said in a diplomatic fashion. Menon told that India would assume that China was not interested in settling the 3,488 kilometre-Line of Actual Control (LAC) if Tawang was ever brought to the table.

This was in consonance with the 2005 political parameters and guiding principles signed by the two sides with India led by then foreign secretary Shyam Saran. The documents made it clear that settled populations like in Tawang will not be touched in the run up to a final settlement. Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs second NSA MK Narayanan refused to go back on Tawang and made it clear that only adjustments could be made for boundary resolution.

Dais interview to a Chinese publication where he is quoted as saying that if New Delhi takes care of Beijings concern on the eastern sector, the Chinese side would respond in kind elsewhere is nothing new, as he had reiterated in his memoir published last year. What should be of concern is that Dai is reiterating the hardline view of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), which is currently being cleaned by President Xi Jinping of alleged corrupt generals.

Dais interview will further deepen Indian suspicions about China as the latter refuses to budge an inch over any issue raised by New Delhi. Beijing is aggressive in its demands, be it on the One-China policy, the status of the Dalai Lama, Taiwan, the South China Sea, Masood Azhars designation as terrorist or membership of the UNSC or NSG.

The fact is that the Chinese position on boundary resolution has been shifting depending on Bejings convenience and its strategic ambitions.

In 1960, then Chinese premier Zhou Enlai came to New Delhi and conveyed that Bejing would recognise the McMahon line in the eastern sector if India accepted its claims on the western sector. That the Chinese withdrew behind the McMahon demarcation in the eastern sector but stuck to its positions in west after the 1962 border war clearly indicated that Beijing wanted depth for its Tibet-Xinjiang highway (called 219) which was running through Aksai Chin and made in 1950s while Indian intelligence was in the dark.

This Chinese position was articulated by paramount leader Deng Xiaoping to G Parthasarthi, Indian ambassador to China, in 1982. There was no question of the Indian side accepting the proposal as the PLA had moved beyond the 1959 line and occupied new positions in Galwan, Pangong Tso, Track junction and Spanggur Gap in the western sector after the 1962 war.

Further the compromise would mean that the boundary would move from Kunlun to Karakoram watershed and pass through Kongka La in Ladakh. The Chinese position changed again in 1985 after the Wangdung incident that led to the Sumdorong Chu stand-off with the Indian Army baring its teeth for the first time in the eastern sector. The Chinese interlocutors during the border talks conveyed that India would have to make concessions on both sides for a boundary settlement as by now the eastern sector had become important for Beijing with Nyingchi city coming up across the Arunachal border and the hardening of the middle kingdoms control over the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Given the importance of Tawang in the four Buddhist schools in Tibet, particularly the Gelug-pa school to which the 14th Dalai Lama belongs, India cannot even think of giving it up to China. Further it will have to go through a constitutional amendment requiring the nod of two-thirds of Parliament, which will be politically disastrous for the government that moves the proposal.

Even though its foolish to assume that the Chinese rulers have a monolithic view when it comes to either foreign policy or the PLA, Dais interview shows that nothing has changed in Beijings thinking towards India.

When China has gone ahead with an economic corridor through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), it wants India to keep away from Taiwan or Tibet citing the One China policy. It is now openly dabbling in Afghanistan to undermine Indian interests with support from Pakistan, Russia and Iran in order to push Taliban towards Kabul.

Dais interview has ominous portents for the future of the India-China relationship.

shishir.gupta@hindustantimes.com

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Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has been one of the busiest campaigners in the 2017 assembly elections addressing four to seven rallies every day since January 28.

He has already attended nearly 170 rallies in as many assembly constituencies.

 But despite my busy schedule, I do not take my eyes off my kids exams. I ask them about their preparation and wish them luck. They too wish me luck.

Since the Yadav family feud erupted, Akhilesh has been calling the election as his pariksha (test). Incidentally, his test and the annual examinations of his three children have coincided. And this time, his wife and SP MP Dimple Yadav is also the star campaigner of the party  second only to Akhilesh.

The ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) is locked in what many believe is a tough contest with the BJP and the BSP for control of the countrys most populous and politically crucial state. But the chief minister is relishing the challenge.

Yes, it is their (childrens) examination time too. But my kids understand the atmosphere. Normally, it is Dimple who pays attention to kids. But despite my busy schedule, I do not take my eyes off my kids exams. Every day, after I return home from whichever part of the state I had been to, I freshen up and get a low-down on their next days examination. Before leaving next morning, I ask them about their preparation and wish them luck. They too wish me luck, says Yadav while talking to Hindustan Times in an interview aboard his poll helicopter.

This way they also feel a bit independent. They have grown up now and it doesnt make much of a difference if parents are with them all the time or not, he says.

Speaking about his own test, he says: Wherever I go, the energy of the crowd inspires me to do more for the people of UP. We are coming back to power. After the fourth phase, the BJP has realised this and their leaders are comparatively quiet now.

Perhaps, nothing gives him more pleasure than listing out what all his government has done. Metro is a reality in Lucknow and three more cities will have it. Prime Minister Narendra Modis bullet train is nowhere to be seen though three years of his tenure have lapsed, Yadav says.

In 30 months, the Agra-Lucknow Expressway will reach the eastern end of the state. We are building facilities for farmers and will open skill development centres along the Expressway. Wouldnt it be great to get fresh vegetables from Ghazipur to Lucknow within 6-7 hours? he asks.

The CM does not forget to mention free laptops, smartphones, Samajwadi pension and Kanya Vidyadhan.

Claiming that the results of Mumbai Municipal Corporation election will not reflect on the outcome of UP polls, Yadav says: Those (BMC) were local while UP election is desh ka election. This election will decide the direction of countrys politics.

Though Akhilesh is upbeat about the SP-Congress alliance, he is non-committal on the relationship with the partner. We are together. We will come to power but we have not discussed the nitty-gritty of the composition of the government. We will sit together again after the results. So far as the future of the alliance is concerned, things change according to circumstances. If we have come together, the alliance may not fall apart easily. Let us see how long and how far we go together, he says.

All praise for Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Yadav says, He is doing good in politics and corners the BJP and the PM with full responsibility.

Asked About the feud in Yadav family, he remarks: I cannot change history. Why look back?

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Airports across the country were on Friday alerted about the possibility of rape-accused UP minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati trying to flee the country even as chief minister Akhilesh Yadav promised all help in the case.

While the minister continues to elude police, a relative of the woman has said a UP Police officer who recorded the victims statement threatened to kill them.

Yadav and his Samajwadi Party are facing the heat over the missing minister as the state holds sixth round of voting on Saturday.

The case, the BJP said, was a pointer to the worsening law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh.

A letter of cancellation would soon be opened against Prajapati and all airports were alerted to prevent the 49-year-old from fleeing the country, official sources said.

A letter of cancellation is a technical term for alerting immigration authorities about the possibility of a suspect leaving the country.

The Sashastra Seema Bal, which guards Uttar Pradeshs border with Nepal, too, was on an alert.

An FIR was recently registered against the minister for allegedly gang-raping a woman and molesting her daughter. The FIR was filed on the directions of the Supreme Court.

CM promises help

The matter is in the Supreme Court...The government will fully cooperate and go by its order, Akhilesh Yadav said to a question at a hurriedly convened press conference in Lucknow.

When his attention was drawn to a tweet by state BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya that said Prajapati was hiding in the chief ministers house, Yadav asked the mediapersons to check for themselves.

Prajapati is the SPs candidate from Amethi, which voted on February 27.

Murder threat

A relative of the woman allegedly raped by Prajapati and his aides alleged that a police officer who came to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi to record the victims statement, threatened to kill them in a fake encounter.

In a complaint filed at the citys Hauz Khas police station, the relative alleged that a DSP-rank officer on Thursday barged into the ward where the victims 16-year-old daughter is admitted and threatened them. The officer also snatched their mobile phones.

The victims daughter, who was also allegedly sexually assaulted by the minister, is being treated in a restricted ward of AIIMS.

The lady officer pushed the girl who is undergoing treatment and pestered the mother to record the statement.

When we objected to it, the officer threatened to get us killed in a fake encounter, said the complainant, who claimed to be a cousin of the victim.

Delhi Police sources said a team went to AIIMS but found nothing to back the claims made in the complaint.

We have received a complaint from them and it is being examined. In case something comes out in the investigation, we will register an FIR, a Delhi Police officer said.

Deputy superintendent of police Amita Singh had recorded the statement of the victim and her daughter amid opposition by their family members at AIIMS.
A new film that releases this Friday has a burly hero on a mission to destroy a dark evil. But instead of the usual corrupt politician or mafia don often seen in Bollywood, the villain is an elusive entity which is also being pursued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi - black money.

With a nationalist party in power and frequent tensions with neighbour Pakistan, Bollywood is increasingly trying to cash in on a new wave of nationalism and take a cue from the governments agenda for a films storyline.

Action films are getting limited in terms of subject. There is just a villain and a hero or a police officer who fights against him. But that has become very common. We wanted a story that was relevant to India and worked for audiences emotionally, Vipul Shah, who produced Commando 2  The Black Money Trail, told Reuters.

In Deven Bhojwanis action film, the hero hunts for people who stash large sums of unaccounted money abroad, commonly known in India as black money.

Modi has repeatedly vowed to bring back billions of dollars of ill-gotten wealth his party claims are stashed by Indians in banks and tax havens abroad. The government is also targeting tax evaders inside the country  it abolished high-value banknotes last November, making black money the conversation starter at almost every dinner table in the country.

Vidyut Jammwal in a still from the film.

After demonetization, the entire country has started talking about black money and how it affects the poorest of the poor. This is like a mix of fantasy and reality. What our government cannot do, Commando can, Shah said.

If the promos are anything to go by, Commando aka Vidyut Jammwal certainly leaves no stone unturned in his mission to bring back Indias untaxed wealth. Jammwal plays a disgraced army officer who goes on a mission to bring back the man who helped launder money for some of Indias richest men.

Towards the end, the Prime Minister, who looks uncannily similar to Modi, asks the hero to transfer all the black money that he retrieved to the poor farmers in our country.

The film is the latest in a string of Bollywood films which have discovered that it pays to show a bit of patriotism on screen. In October last year, as the debate surrounding Pakistani artistes in Bollywood reached its peak amid tensions along the border, the makers of espionage thriller Force 2 released a promotional song dedicated to the Indian army.

Aamir Khans 2016 film Dangal, the highest-grossing Hindi movie of all time, had the national anthem playing at crucial moments during the film. Ditto with last months war film The Ghazi Attack. In last years Dishoom, actor Varun Dhawan played a self-confessed fan of the Prime Minister.

If you can inject some sort of national pride in a subtle way, then it is always a good thing, said Shah.

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Over the past few months, Deepika Padukone has been busy on multiple fronts including the shooting for film-maker Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Padmavati and whirlwind global promotions of her debut Hollywood film, xXx: Return Of Xander Cage. Apart from this, she also made news thanks to rumours about her being part of various films.

Myriad conjectures

Yes, there have been a lot of speculations as far as my name is concerned in connection with certain films. And I can say that a lot of it is untrue. But fortunately or unfortunately, at this point, I wouldnt go out of my way to clarify any of those specific rumours, says Deepika.

Deepika Padukone is rumoured to be dating Ranveer Singh.

In fact, Deepika adds that sometimes, she gets to know about her association with certain films when the media asks her about it. So, suppose, I am at the airport and I am asked, We have heard that you are doing this film. And I am like, I am hearing about it for the first time myself. Where has it [the information] come from? she says.

Watch xXx: Return of Xander Cage | Trailer

Keeping mum

Ask Deepika if rumours of her association with various films gets annoying and she says, Let me put it this way: its disappointing when its untrue and especially, if it comes out in a way thats absolutely contrary to what might be the actual case. But its not my place to sit and talk about what happened and why.

Deepika Padukone starred alongside Vin Diesel in XXX: Return of Xander Cage.

And what about Iranian film-maker Majid Majidis upcoming movie, Beyond The Clouds, which led to myriad conjectures and stories? I can only say that its disappointing when things come out [in the media] and are projected in a way thats completely contrary to what really happened, says the actor, whose name has also been doing the rounds vis-a-vis Aanand L Rais next, starring Shah Rukh Khan.

Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra have worked in mainstream global projects.

Not juggling

I think theres a certain code or certain way  that might be unsaid  with which actors, writers or directors come together to make a film. Sometimes, things work out and sometimes, they dont. But I am not the one to speak of a film if I am not doing it for whatever reasons, says the Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013) actor.

Watch Deewani Mastani song

Deepika insists that she would never talk about films that she is approached for, got a narration for, met the director or if she didnt like it for whatever reasons. The actor adds that even if she hasnt liked a script, it doesnt mean that the film isnt good, its just that I didnt connect with it.

The same instinct

Deepikas next release, in all likelihood, will be Padmavati. She says that all of it (being approached for a film to it working out) has a process, and that should be dealt with in a certain manner. She says,I personally dont like to talk about a film until I know I am doing it. So, right now, I cant say what I am doing.

Deepika Padukone starred as Mastani in Bajirao Mastani.

Talking shop, after XXX, is she looking at more work in Hollywood? I am looking at films. Period. I cant differentiate between my works. How is one [film] different from another? At the same time, Deepika adds that right now, theres nothing. I havent liked anything yet but hopefully, I will like something soon. Having said that, I would love to do another Hollywood film. I dont consider them (Hollywood and Bollywood) as two separate careers. So, I dont think of them as having to juggle two different things, says the actor.

Deepika Padukone has worked with film-maker Sanjay Leela Bhansali multiple times.

Deepika, however, adds that her instinct to choose work in both industries is the same. I will choose my films exactly the same way I chose XXX, Padmavati, Piku (2015), Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) or Chennai Express (2013). Its the same instinct that I always use [to choose work in Hollywood as well as Bollywood], she says.

Deepika Padukone got a lot of critical acclaim for her outing in Love Aaj Kal.

Fashion outing

The Om Shanti Om (2007) actor, who attended the New York Fashion Week recently, calls it an amazing experience. As a girl, I love fashion regardless of whether I am fashionable or not (laughs). Most people think I am fashionable while some might think I am not. But at the end of the day, I am a girl and I love my clothes with my basic understanding of fashion and style. In that capacity, it was fun to watch all the models walk the runway, see all the amazing clothes, and soak in the entire experience, she says.

Deepika Padukone starred alongside Ranbir Kapoor in Tamasha.

In January, Deepika also saw the release of her debut Hollywood venture, XXX, and is happy to see how well the film has been received. She says: The move to take on challenges to defy everything that one might think of actors from India; or defy the fact that we [Indian actors] are expected to do only that much, has been gratifying. Even in terms of the result, peoples expectations, and the way the film and I have been personally received, its great.

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It was a moment of pride for Indians when the 89th Academy Awards paid tribute to late actor Om Puri,who died at the age of 66, on January 6, this year. But back home, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui slammed Bollywood award functions for not having a single mention of the late actor. Ever since, twitter has been abuzz with mixed reactions.

Actor Huma Qureshi,who was fortunate to have worked with Puri in her debut international project Viceroys House, feels that the senior actor deserved this adulation by all means, though she refused to comment on her Gang of Wasseypur co-star Nawazs angry tweet. I dont really know in what context he (Nawaz) said that, so it wont be fair for me to comment. But it wasnt a surprise at all when Omji was remembered at the Oscars. It was so overwhelming to watch his mention in the remembrance video, says Huma.

The actor feels proud to see the kind of love and respect Puri earned internationally for the man he was and the work he had done as an artist. He (Omji) was the best actor not just in our industry but even in the West. I was very lucky that I got to work with him. I have so many scenes with him because he plays my father. He was immensely talented and I could perform better because of him, adds the actor, who was last seen in Jolly LLB 2 alongside Akshay Kumar.

Posers at #AOLBuild interview @gurinder.chadha @manishdayal Promotions for #ViceroysHouse A post shared by Huma Qureshi (@iamhumaq) on Feb 24, 2017 at 5:10am PST

Full of praises for the veteran, Huma says that while people are lauding Indian actors making a mark in the West today, Puri was among the pioneers. We all know about his work in Indian cinema but globally too he has given some remarkable performances and done legendary roles.

I feel in each scene, he (Om Puri) contributed way more than I could ever do. He led by example and has definitely left a mark on everybodys mind that has worked with or has met him.

Talking about the filming days, the 30-year-old actor recalls several emotional scenes she shot with Puri . One of my conflicts in the film is to choose between the man I love and the father I have to take care of, as Omji plays a blind freedom fighter in the film. There were some heart breaking scenes in the film. I feel, in each scene, he contributed way more than I could ever do. He led by example and has definitely left a mark on everybodys mind that has worked with or has met him.

Ask her if she has learned a thing or two from the award-winning actor and Huma says that besides acting, his humility in unforgettable. She narrates, Last year on Eid, although he was a pure vegetarian, he invited himself over to my house for Eid celebrations and it was the best day we had. I used to call him Abba, because he plays my father in the film. Even off the sets, I used to address him like that. He said, You can call me whatever you want to but now I want to come to your house and meet your (real) Abba. My parents loved him. When he died, they couldnt believe that such a man, who was so full of life, is suddenly gone.

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Islamist militias on Friday attacked Libya's main oil-production area in the east, prompting the forces of strongman Khalifa Haftar who control it to retaliate with air strikes, military sources said.

The attack was spearheaded by the Benghazi Defence Brigades, a coalition of mostly Islamist militias and armed groups, and was backed by tribal fighters and former petroleum installation guards.

They "advanced towards the oil crescent and are 15 kilometres (nine miles) south of the town of Nofliya," said Colonel Moftah al-Megarief, who heads an oil facilities guard controlled by Haftar.

Nofliya is on the edge of the North African country's strategic oil crescent, home to the main export terminals of Al-Sidra, Brega, Ras Lanuf and Zuwaytina which Haftar's forces seized in September last year.

"We are trying to repel them and the air force has carried out several sorties," Megarief said, declining to elaborate.

However, an officer on Haftar's staff told AFP that MiG-23 warplanes and Mi-35 attack helicopters bombarded a convoy of Benghazi Defence Brigades vehicles south of Nofliya.

"Several vehicles were destroyed," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Libya's oil-exporting region is bitterly contested between the country's internationally recognised and Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and a rival administration in the east backed by Haftar.

In December, the Benghazi Defence Brigades carried out a similar attack on the oil crescent, but were repelled by Haftar's forces.

And in January, powerful militias from the western city of Misrata had joined another such attack on the oil crescent.

Megarief said Friday's assault was launched from Al-Jufra air base in southern Libya.

Rocked by chaos since the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, Libya desperately needs to relaunch its oil exports, the backbone of its economy.

The GNA has struggled to impose its authority as it faces a multitude of battle-hardened fighters who took part in the uprising that ousted Kadhafi.

On Friday it released a statement saying it was not involved in the "military escalation" and had "not instructed any group" to try to retake the oil crescent.

However, the embattled government denounced the violence and warned of unspecified action "if clashes continue there or anywhere else" in Libya.

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Irrfan Khan had a surprise waiting for him when he arrived in Gangtok, Sikkim, to shoot for a film. To his pleasant surprise, the actor was greeted by a huge number of people on reaching the city, according to a source.

On arriving in Gangtok, Irrfan was greeted by a huge number of people. The actor was surprised to see so many of them, as Gangtok is not a huge market for Hindi movies. So, once the crowd settled, the actor met the fans, some of whom have written to him on social media in the past.

They even told Irrfan that they had seen his Hollywood movies on DVDs, and most of his other works on celluloid, says the source.

Such a happy crowd in Gangtok!!!Crowd celebrating me , I'm celebrating the crowd pic.twitter.com/lSq9nuJ5He  Irrfan (@irrfank) March 1, 2017

The actor also interacted with some of the fans on the sets of his film. Irrfan says, The welcome in Gangtok was fantastic. It was great to be in a place where people have such limited access to movies, and still get such a good response. Much like the place, the people of Gangtok are wonderful and beautiful.

The actor will next be seen in Hindi Medium co-starring Saba Qamar, Doob: No Bed Of Roses and Tanuja Chandras next.

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Agra Cine actor Sanjay Dutt, who is shooting for his comeback movie Bhoomi in Agra, has apologised for the incident in which his bouncers manhandled media persons. In the film, the actor is playing father to young Aditi Rao Hydari and currently shooting is on in villages on the outskirts.

Addressing a press conference in Agra on Friday, Dutt clarified that he was not present when the alleged brawl took place and had he been there, the incident would have been averted.

Actor Sanjay Dutt during a press conference of film Bhoomi in Agra on Friday. (IANS)

Had I been there, I would have resolved the matter with a jaadu ki jhappi (magic hug). Yet I tendered an apology yesterday and offer the same again, said a rather toned down Dutt.

Replying to a question about how Agra had changed since the days when he came here for shooting of Vidhata a few decades earlier, he said, Tab Agra ke log pyar se maan jaate the magar ab maafi se maante hain (earlier Agra residents were pacified with love but now seek apology).

Although Vidhata was shot in the Taj city, there was no Agra in the film. But this time it is the story of Agra for an issue which is pan India, said Dutt, adding that the portrayal on celluloid promoted both city and state and so any unpleasant incident should not take place.

To recall, on Thursday evening when the shooting was taking place near Kalakriti Convention Hall in Agra and a major road, 500 metres away from Taj Mahal was cordoned off with rope, media men tried to click the shooting and bouncers allegedly roughed them up. The media persons later reached Tajganj police station with a complaint. They alleged that they were manhandled and their cameras taken away.

Dutt, who has four decades of experience and nearly 200 films under his belt, said that the film industry was his family and he had missed it while in jail. He lauded newcomers but said that earlier film making was more from the heart and now more from the mind.

When asked about parenting, the actor turned nostalgic, recalling his father saying, I am your father and not your friend.

Actors Sanjay Dutt, Aditi Rao Hydari and director Omung Kumar during a press conference of film Bhoomi in Agra on Friday. (IANS)

Asked about similarities or differences between on-screen daughter Aditi and off-screen daughter Trishala, Dutt said, Yes, there is a difference as I thought of breaking Trishalas legs when she wanted to work in movies which I cant do to Aditi. But he added smilingly, I had a beautiful relationship with my children.



His co-star Shekhar Suman praised Dutt for his compassion and held that Indian cinema had grown as an industry. Actors now take their role seriously, he said.

Aditi Rao Hydari said that it was a memorable experience playing screen daughter to Sanjay Dutt.

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Drug pricing regulator NPPA will meet stent manufacturers next week to discuss issues like pricing and availability of the medical device.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) also said it has so far received complaints against 24 hospitals for overcharging on stents, out of which nine have been issued show cause notices.

It added that non compliance with its instructions on stent prices may lead to prosecution.

In a notification, the NPPA said it has called for a meeting with stent makers on March 7 to discuss issues related to availability of stents and monitoring of ceiling prices and other issues.

The regulator has been monitoring the situation ever since it announced price cap on stents on February 14. It has asked manufacturers, importers, distributors and hospitals to ensure availability at the revised prices.

Total 24 complaints of overcharging on stents, nine hospitals issued show cause notices, copy of bills awaited in other cases, the NPPA said in a tweet.

It said in overcharging cases, the name of the concerned stent companies can be ascertained only after receiving replies from hospitals.

The 24 hospitals under scrutiny are also accountable on not mentioning the name of the company, brand and specifications of stents billed, the regulator added.

So far in the complaints received, it has been observed from the bill copies that hospitals are not complying with instructions specified in its price cap order, it said.

This a serious non-compliance of government orders, the NPPA said, adding non-compliance of these instructions shall now be treated as deliberated distortion of evidence along with charges of overpricing. Such cases may also be taken up prosecution under EC Act.

The NPPA also warned the hospitals that non compliance with its instructions on stent prices may lead to prosecution.

The hospitals against which complaints have been received include Max Hospital in Saket, New Delhi, Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, Metro Hospital in Faridabad, PGI Hospital Chandigarh and Bharat Heart Institute in Dehradun, among others.

Max Healthcare and Lilavati have denied overcharging patients for stents and insisted they were complying with NPPA guidelines.

The regulator said hospitals, nursing homes and clinics utilising stents shall specifically and separately mention the cost of the stent along with its brand, name of the manufacturer, importer, batch number and other details in their billing.

In a major relief to lakhs of cardiac patients, the NPPA had slashed prices of life-saving coronary stents by up to 85% by capping them at Rs 7,260 for bare metal ones and Rs 29,600 for drug eluting variety.
The government has instructed banks to link all savings accounts with mobile and Aadhaar numbers by March 31, 2017, and enable mobile banking for such customers.

All banks have been advised to undertake this in campaign mode, an official statement said on Friday.

Mobile number seeding and enabling the same for m-banking are a pre-requisite for making mobile payments while Aadhaar number seeding is a pre-requisite for using Aadhaar Enabled Payments System (AEPS), it added.

The ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY), according to a recent Cabinet Secretariat notification, has been given the responsibility of promotion of digital transactions, including digital payments.

As per an estimate, currently only 65% saving accounts are seeded with mobile numbers and only 50% with Aadhaar.

Out of the 65% accounts already seeded with mobile numbers, only 20% are enabled for mobile banking.

To make this process convenient to customers, MeitY has advised the banks to explore Over the Air customer consent instead of requiring customers to visit the bank branch or ATM as is required currently, the statement said.

The campaign is to be launched with immediate effect.

The progress of seeding and mobile bank enabling will be monitored by MeitY along with the department of financial services.

Banks will have to give adequate publicity in national, regional and local media, besides conducting camps for on-the-spot seeding of bank accounts.

Also, they have been advised to utilise their extensive branch network as well as banking mitras or correspondents to carry out an effective outreach programme, especially in rural areas.

The process of enabling bank accounts for mobile and Aadhaar based banking is completely voluntary.

However, given the benefits of these banking channels, a large number of customers are expected to opt for it, it said.

Accordingly, banks have been advised to be prepared with adequate infrastructure to facilitate this process effectively with no inconvenience to customers.
The debate in the US over H-1B visas has become a political and emotive issue as there is a yawning gap between the facts and perception, IT industry body NASSCOM has said, contending that Indian IT firms contribute immensely to the US economy and jobs creation.

This narrative has been going on for a while now that Indian IT workers come to the US and that they take away jobs, that in general they simply displace American workers and that these are low-paid, not even necessarily high-skilled people who are actually taking away jobs from better paid and skilled American workers, NASSCOM president R Chandrashekhar told PTI.

Chandrashekhar was here this week leading a delegation of IT industry body to engage with members of the new US administration on issues like clampdown on work visas and flow of skilled manpower between the two nations.

Thats really the kind of narrative which has got built up, sort of anecdotal examples are being cited, which also are not necessarily accurate. Because it has been presented with a mix of emotive anecdotal stories, I think a counter narrative and facts have really not been recognised. If you look at the facts, then the facts actually tell you a very, very different story, he said.

He said, The data, not just our data, but the US governments own data also tells a very, very different story.

Chandrashekhar met a number of influential American lawmakers, opinion builders, members of think-tank community and the officials from the new Trump Administration and interacted with them on the H-1B visa issues.

The visit of the NASSCOM delegation came in the wake of the ongoing debate in the US and reported moves by the Trump Administration to bring out an executive order to curtail the use of H-1B visas, widely used by Indian IT majors.

The purpose is to put across our point of view so that a more balanced approach is enabled, he noted.

Chandrashekhar said the Indian IT industry actually contributes immensely to the US economy in terms of jobs that are created in America, both directly and indirectly.

Close to half a million jobs have been supported in the US as of 2015. The number of jobs have also been growing at 10 per cent per year as against a two per cent growth in the rest of the job market, he said.

The biggest contribution to jobs, of course, is what the industry provides in terms of services to US corporates, 75 per cent of the Fortune 500 companies, which enable them to be more productive, more efficient, and more globally competitive, and thereby helps them to be the job creation engine in the US, the NASSCOM president said.
Indias leading engineering firm Larsen and Toubro (L&T) on Friday said it has won projects worth Rs 2,170 crore including one in Oman.

L&T, the $16 billion conglomerate that operates in over 30 countries, has secured orders worth Rs 1,169 crore from Oman Electricity Transmission Company SAOC for turnkey construction of the 400/132 kV Qabel Grid Station and associated works, the company said informed bourses.

The company has secured two more orders from reputed customers for design, supply, construction and commissioning of five 132 kV substations in UAE.

On the domestic front, the business has won a contract from West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd for strengthening the sub-transmission & distribution network in the urban area of Nadia district, West Bengal under the Integrated Power Development scheme.

In the water and effluent treatment business, L&T has won an order worth Rs 360 crore from Rajasthan Urban Drinking Water Sewerage and Infrastructure Corporation Limited (RUDSICO), Government of Rajasthan, under AMRUT for the execution of a sewerage project with treatment facilities spread across three towns namely Bharatpur, Gangapur and Hindaun.

The scope of the project includes constructing 354 km of sewerage network, providing more than 40,000 house connections and building eight sewage treatment plants of total capacity 24.75 million litre per day (MLD) using Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) Technology.

The business has secured an order worth Rs 320 crore from a renowned client to construct commercial and residential towers in Mumbai.

L&T has secured additional orders worth Rs 321 crore from the existing clients across various business segments.
Weeks after Uber and Ola drivers protested against falling incomes and long working hours, Uber Indias president Amit Jain said in a blog that the company is committed to its drivers, and will continues to invest in its people, product and programme.

While Jain admitted that driver earnings vary widely, depending on individual driver behaviour  where, when and how much they drive. He also said that it is difficult to estimate average income, but he gave a range. Currently, 80% of drivers across India who are online for more than six hours a day make between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,500 net, after Ubers service fee, Jain wrote.

Uber charges 20% commission on drivers fare.

Jain even apologised for the disruption in commute that customers faced. It has been a difficult time, and we are grateful for the strong support weve received from riders and drivers across the country, and to the courts and law enforcement in condemning the use of violence and intimidation, he said.

Drivers in Delhi and Karnataka went on a strike as they claimed that their income had fallen due to the changing incentive structure. Jain said that they movement was taken ahead by a small set of people, and not the majority of drivers.

Uber has over 4,00,000 driver partners. Small numbers of individuals, who do not represent the majority of the driver community, have been preventing drivers who want to work from doing so, Jain said, adding that the company is working to resolve their concerns, and reduce confusion, to avoid protests in the future.

For the American cab-hailing company, India is an important country, where it plans to pump in billions of dollars, especially after exiting China, where it has consolidated its business with Didi Chuxing, its Chinese competitor.

So far, Uber has invested over a billion dollars into India, and is expected to invest another billion, once the dust over regulatory issues and driver protests settle down.

Caught in a market share battle, Uber and Ola doled out heavy incentives, benefitting drivers and consumers. Driver sign-ups has gone up by 60% year over year. At its peak drivers earned up to Rs 1 lakh a month. That, many drivers claim has fallen down to Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000.

According to Jains claims a driver makes anything between Rs 45,000 to Rs 75,000 a month. While some drivers do earn less than three years ago, we believe that driver earnings in India are attractive for the majority even after reductions in incentives and drivers costs are taken into account, Jain said.

However, the company did signal that it would steer itself away from incentives in major cities, as the programme is to seed ground in new cities Uber launches its service. Without doing this, its hard to ensure drivers are compensated for their time when few riders are aware of the service. As more riders use Uber, drivers are busier and can earn more, said Jain.

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The opposition BJP disrupted the Bihar assemblys proceedings for the third consecutive day on Friday, demanding dismissal of Congress minister Abdul Jalil Mastan over a video clip, which showed him asking his supporters to beat Prime Minister Narendra Modis photograph with shoes.

As soon as the house assembled, slogan-shouting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators created a ruckus and made it clear that assembly would not be allowed to function unless chief minister Nitish Kumar sacked Mastan, who is the excise and prohibition minister.

Leader of opposition Prem Kumar said the BJP would not compromise on the issue and continue its protest to expose Mastan and Nitish Kumars reluctance in sacking him.

Mastan is the only minister from the backward and under-developed Seemanchal belt, which comprises Purnia, Kishanganj, Araria and Katihar districts with sizeable Muslim population.

READ:MLA levels sedition charge against Bihar Cong minister

However, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a constituent of the ruling Grand Alliance (GA) in Bihar, on Friday demanded speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary take action against BJP legislator Lal Babu Gupta for allegedly abusing RJD MLA Faraz Fatmi and his father and former union minister Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi in the assembly on Thursday.

Action should be taken against Lal Babu who abused and used unparliamentary language against Ashraf Fatmi, RJD legislator Bhai Virender said.

According to the RJD, Mastan would not be sacked from Nitish Kumars council of ministers.

First BJP take action against union minister Griraj Singh and others for publicly abusing RJD chief Lalu Prasad repeatedly, they said.

Earlier, Bihar Congress president Ashok Choudhary, who is also the education minister, said the BJPs demand for the sacking of Mastan was baseless.

After much hue and cry over his controversial statement, Mastan on Wednesday apologised to put an end to the row.

The Congress, Janata Dal(United) and the RJD are all partners in the GA.

Mastans video, aired on regional news channels, also condemned the Centres November 8 demonetisation move. The video also went viral on the social media.

In the video, Mastan was seen addressing a rally in Purnea districts Amour constituency, and saying that it was Modi who had promised to face punishment if he failed to end peoples woes within 50 days. At the rally, organised on February 22, Mastan had allegedly suggested the crowd to beat Modis photograph with shoes and called the Prime Minister a  Naxalite, terrorist and a dacoit.
A young Indian-American man stepped out for a drink and one racially motivated incident later, he was dead. A woman from the community wondered aloud to the New York Times: Why do they want to hurt the Indians? We want to make America beautiful. We dont want to spoil it.

This may sound eerily familiar to those tracking the murder of 32-year-old Srinivas Kuchibhotla in Olathe, Kansas, on February 22, but the incident referred to occurred almost 30 years earlier. In 1987, Navroze Mody, just 30, was mugged in Hoboken, New Jersey, by a gang of youth. His crime lay in his identity, at a time when the Dotbusters terrorised immigrants from India in parts of the state that were more like suburbs of New York City. The brutal assault left Mody in a coma, and four days later, he succumbed to the injuries. His parents were stunned just as Kuchibhotlas in Hyderabad.

Days after the latest tragedy, US President Donald Trump gave his first speech to the United States Congress. His administration has been listening to the anguish expressed by New Delhi. That may be partly why he began the hour-long oration with a reference to last weeks shooting in Kansas.

Trump himself has lauded Indian-Americans for supporting him, and the community is considered a model minority, but all that obviously didnt factor into disarming Kuchibhotlas killer. That hate criminal, an alcoholic with a gun, shattered a young family and its aspirations while shell shocking a community. Kuchibhotla was a victim of what I once described as trickle-down xenophobia.

Trumps speech may have begun with condemnation of hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms but it aggravated concerns over immigration, even among those seeking a legal pathway to America. The immigrant, regardless of documentation, is either a jobs thief or wage depressor, in this worldview. It is in the context of that thinking that the H1B and L1 visas, used by the majority of Indians, are in danger of being clipped.

To be fair, Trump did approvingly cite Canadas merit-based immigration system, one that has seen Indians among the top three source countries for immigration over the past decade. But at one-tenth of the US population, the numbers Canada deals with are paltry compared to Americas annual intake. Critics have disparaged the employer-based visa system as creating a culture of cybercoolies in the US. Permanent residency in America is a process so prolonged that it feeds into that sense of captivity to the capriciousness of the hiring firm. And even that green card, as Trumps recent executive order proved, is a glorified visa minus the security that citizenship offers. A fix is merited and if delivered, will be liberating for future immigrants.

The problem is that while Trump has promised a big, beautiful door in the wall he has pledged to build on Americas southern border, he could well erect many other barriers elsewhere in the system, closing windows of opportunity for immigrants from nations like India.

The Dotbusters gang of the 1980s got its name from the bindi worn by many Indian women of the area. Over the next three decades, New Jerseys Indian-American community shook aside the attempts to terrorise them and now form a thriving presence in the region. In Jersey City, for instance, where Mody lived, you can actually find shopkeepers who will prepare a fresh paan, and stores selling 110-volt versions of idli grinders. But that change occurred during a period when immigration hadnt turned into a word of invective. This may be baking a loaf out of breadcrumbs, but the current situation isnt likely to improve imminently.

Even so, the American magnet will lose some attraction, but will not repel incomers just as Kuchibhotlas wife has said she wants to return to the US as soon as possible. But new immigrants, if drawn in by a more efficient system, may find themselves warier in a land that has become stranger. Security of status has two flavours  not being prey to workplace whims or to bigotry. Fixing one flaw may not be enough.

Anirudh Bhattacharyya is a Toronto-based commentator on American affairs

The views expressed are personal

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The Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students wing of the RSS, reacted strongly after a Doon University student, associated with the CPI(M)-affiliated Students Federation of India (SFI), allegedly dubbed the army in Kashmir as rapist.

Priyanka Negi, the SFI leader and president of the students council of Doon University, allegedly made the statement on the campus on March 1 after her attempt to invite Left leaders to a seminar on Kashmir was opposed by a majority of the council members.

She immediately apologised, but a video of her alleged statement against the army went viral, prompting the ABVP to register protests and file a police complaint against her, raising fears of another campus showdown.

The controversy comes close on the heels of Gurmehar Kaur, a Delhi University student, speaking up against the ABVP over violence in Ramjas College. Gurmehar, the daughter of an army captain killed in Kashmir in 1999, has been trolled and threatened with rape since she stood up to ABVP and condemned campus violence.

The Ramjas College violence was a sequel to turmoil in New Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) earlier in the University of Hyderabad  over what the ABVP called anti-national activities on campuses. Violence in Ramjas erupted following cancellation of a literary festival after the ABVP objected to inviting JNU scholar Umar Khalid, who is an accused in the JNU sedition case of February 9 last year.

Paras Goyal, a former DAV (PG) College president associated with the ABVP, reported the alleged remark on the army to Dehradun senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sweety Agarwal.

How can she accuse our Indian Army of being rapist? When she cannot value the sacrifice and efforts of the army that is safeguarding the entire nation, she has no right to be a citizen of this country, Goyal said.

We will thoroughly investigate the case, the SSP said.

She (Priyanka Negi) used inappropriate words for the Indian Army, vice chancellor VK Jain told HT on Friday, adding that she had apologised.

HT could not independently verify the contents of the video. Attempts to contact the SFI leader failed as her phone remained switched off. Nitesh Khantwal, SFIs Uttarakhand joint secretary, backed Negis statement. He said his organisation will soon chalk out a strategy to counter the ABVP.

We are busy in Delhi for a national meet. But, we will back Priyanka for what she had said, Khantwal said.

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German authorities in the southwestern town of Gaggenau evacuated the city hall on Friday after receiving a bomb threat, its mayor told German television, one day after he cancelled an event where Turkey's justice minister was to speak.

Asked by n-tv broadcaster if the bomb threat was linked to the cancellation, mayor Michael Pfeiffer said: "We presume this at the moment, but we don't know for sure. We presume there is a direct link."

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Seventeen prisoners in Delhis Tihar jail were injured on Thursday night when a clash broke out between two groups. Senior jail officers, however, denied reports of the clash. They claimed that the prisoners had asked to be let out of their cells and on being denied permission, they inflicted injuries on themselves.

Jail sources said that around 1am they received a call from Tihars jail number 3 about a fight among prisoners. Six prisoners, who sustained minor injuries, were rushed to the jail hospital while 11 others who had cuts on their ears and hands were rushed to Safdarjung Hospital. Police suspect the prisoners used surgical blades in the clash.

The 11 prisoners who had reportedly received injuries were discharged on Friday morning. DCP (west) Vijay Kumar said, We have just received a complaint from jail authorities. We will look into it and register a case.

Explaining the sequence of events, director general prisons Sudhir Yadav said, There was no clash. At around 11pm, a prisoner in Kasturi Ward called jail officers claiming he was unwell. When our officer went to open the gate and get him out, others also joined in and demanded that they be let off. When our officer refused they banged their heads and self inflicted injuries. It is not a clash and no blades were used.

Yadav said that most prisoners in Kasturi Ward are those who cause trouble in jail. Prisoners in the ward are punished under the jail rules and are not allowed to interact with others. All the 17 prisoners were serving their time for crimes such as murder, robbery. Jail officers said they have also ordered an internal inquiry to probe if there were any administration lapses.

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Khan Market traders approached the New Delhi Municipal Council on Friday and said that individual structural safety certificate, as directed by the civic agency after the two roof collapses in Connaught Place on February 2 and 11, will not be possible.

In 1950, when the shop spaces were constructed, each individual space was 998 sq. ft, both upstairs and downstairs. When people came from Pakistan, the Land and Development Office (L&DO) divided these shop units. With a pardi (temporary) wall, smaller units were formed. So there is a lone load bearing wall in every shop. When it was constructed there were two walls. After allotment, every shop has a single wall, Sanjeev Mehra, president of the Khan Market Traders Association, told HT.

Read: Is Delhis posh shopping hub Khan Market a disaster waiting to happen?

According to him, the traders consulted a structural engineer, who said that for a structure like Khan Market, individual safety certificates were not possible.

We met the NDMC chairman and submitted a representation telling him that individual safety certificates wont be possible. He said we will get it reassessed on how to get it done in a consolidated manner, Mehra said.

There are 156 shops and 74 residential spaces in Khan Market, which was set up as a neighbourhood market in 1950 and is now one of the most expensive commercial spaces in the world. Of the 74 residential spaces on the first and second floors, 44 are engaged in commercial activities housing 30 restaurants, while another 10 eateries are located on the ground floor.

On February 14, NDMC had also asked Connaught Place traders to submit similar documents. The CP traders, however, have submitted a memorandum asking for more time.

Read: Delhi roof collapse: CP eateries at risk, survey to identify dangerous buildings

The notices to the shops of these iconic Central Delhi markets have been issued under Section 258 (1) of the NDMC Act 1994. All the shopowners and residents were to provide these safety certificates by March 6. It was a self declaration by the owners, attested by a structural engineer that a particular shop or flat space doesnt deviate from the sanctioned building plan and items on rooftop are there with necessary permission.

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Around 2,000 members of Student Federation of India (SFI) gathered at Mandi House in Delhi and marched towards Jantar Mantar against Rashtriya Swayamsewal Sangh (RSS) and its student wing Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Friday.

The communist student group condemned the ABVP for allegedly attacking free speech in universities and triggering violence and RSS for influencing the National Education Policy.

As SFI students from Delhi, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura, Rajasthan, Kerala, Telengana, and Haryana staged a sit in Jantar Mantar, traffic on several roads around the venue slowed down.

The SFI protest comes a day after ABVP carried out a march in Delhi Universitys North Campus for saving DU from anti-nationals. Another Left organisation  All India Students Association  has planned a protest at Mandi House on Saturday.

This is part of a series of protests organised after a seminar in Ramjas College was cancelled following ABVPs objection to inviting controversial JNU student Umar Khalid. AISAs protest on the following day led to clashes between student groups. Two ABVP members were later arrested by Delhi Police.

SFI students protesting at Jantar Mantar on Friday were joined by CPI general secretary Sitaram Yechury at Jantar Mantar.

Prasant Mukherjee, president of Delhi state SFI unit said, As per new education policy draft, various colleges are being forced to become autonomous because of the agenda of privatisation and commercialisation. In Delhi, six colleges are on the verge of becoming autonomous.To hide this in the draft policy and its negative points, the RSS and AVBP are manufacturing incidents.

He said the group will bring together other like-minded sections to raise the pitch against saffronisation of education. We will forge the unity of all progressive and democratic sections and wherever required we will challenge the government and will fight the on slaughter of education system and social injustice, he added further.

The SFI has planned related events and activities in other university. One such even will take place in Delhi University on Saturday.

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Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal assured a five-member delegation of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) that he will speak to Delhi Police about their demands. The ABVP team had met the L-G in Delhi on Friday demanding action by the police over the alleged anti-national slogans raised in Ramjas College on February 21 and the violence which took place on February 22.

Violence had erupted after a literary festival at Delhi Universitys Ramjas College was cancelled. The event had to be called off after ABVP objected to inviting JNU scholar Umar Khalid, who is an accused in the JNU sedition case of February 9 last year. We were assured that he will speak to Delhi Police about the matter, said Saket Bahuguna, ABVP national media convener.

They complained to the L-G that no separate FIR has been filed in the Ramjas incident by the police. The RSS-affiliated student body also asked L-G for a probe into the alleged rape threats to Gurmehar Kaur, a student of Lady Shri Ram College and martyrs daughter who had started a campaign against ABVP. She had alleged that she had receiving rape threats for her campaign.

They also raised the issue of February 9 Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) sedition case, in which Delhi Police is yet to file a chargesheet. We want them (police) to identify other sloganeers as well as the organisers of the event where anti-national slogans were raised, said Bahuguna.

Other members in the team were ABVP Delhi unit secretary Bharat Katana, national secretary (Delhi) Monika Chaudhary, state president Avneesh Mittal and Delhi University Student Union president Amit Tanwar. The group also submitted a memorandum to the L-G about the killing of ABVP activists in Kerala.

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A 22-year-old Chinese student from a Delhi University college was allegedly molested by a plant seller at her residence in Delhi on Monday.

Initially in the dark about the identity of the suspect, police nabbed 42-year-old Mahavir after a two-day long hunt. For three consecutive days before the crime, the accused had been visiting the complainant trying to sell flower pots and plants to her.

She told the police, that on Monday, when she asked him to leave, Mahavir allegedly touched her inappropriately. The woman raised an alarm after which the accused allegedly fled. The woman then informed her roommate who encouraged her to report the matter to the police.

A case was registered at GK-1 police station and several teams formed to identify the accused. No one in the locality seemed to know of the accused as he would only deliver flowers at the doorstep, said a senior police officer.

Door-to-door visits by the police teams finally yielded results on Thursday when one of his customers was able to reveal his identity. Mahavir was finally nabbed from South Delhis Badarpur area, not far from where he lives. Police said he had stopped visiting the area since the day of the crime.
Delhis solar policy will come into effect from April, eight months after it received the Aam Aadmi Party governments approval.

The move will not only help households avail the 30% subsidy offered by the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) but also prevent dubious vendors from hawking substandard solar panels in the capital.

Starting April, residents planning to install solar energy generation systems on their rooftops will receive a list of 75 government-certified vendors to choose from. Next week, we will start accepting applications from interested people. Advertisements will also be issued in this regard. We aim to have solar panels capable of generating 75 MW of power installed at private residences and buildings run by trusts, said Varsha Joshi, secretary (power).

Though the MNRE scheme offering 30% subsidy to those installing solar systems on their rooftops was launched in November 2015, city residents were unable to take advantage due to the Delhi governments delay in tendering the list of eligible vendors.

Under the scheme, people who wish to install solar panels of 1-5 kW will have to invest only between Rs 70,000 and Rs 2 lakh. The price would further plummet once they start generating power, with consumers getting an additional generation-based incentive of Rs 2 per kW of solar power for a period of three years.

Once the policy comes into effect, consumers will be able to fix rates through a competitive process and choose vendors as per the capacity of the solar plant they wish to install. At present, manufacturing and installation of small-sized solar plants are mostly carried out by Chinese companies that offer no service warranty or performance guarantee. While they are cheap, most stop working just months after installation.

The new process will build confidence in the people because prices will be kept under check, and quality as well as post-installation services will be guaranteed, an official said.

A study by the power department has revealed that the rooftops of most households in the capital have 10 to 50 square metres of shadow-free area.

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A relative of the woman who was allegedly raped by Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prajapati and his aides on Thursday filed a complaint with the Delhi Police and alleged that a UP Police officer who had come to AIIMS to record the victims statement threatened to kill them in a fake encounter.

In a complaint filed at the Hauz Khas police station, the relative has alleged that a DSP-rank woman officer of the UP Police on Thursday barged into a ward at AIIMS, where the victims 16-year-old daughter is admitted, threatened them and snatched their mobile phones.

Read: Threatened by own security men, UP minister Prajapati goes missing

The victims daughter, who was also allegedly sexually assaulted by the minister, is undergoing treatment in a restricted ward of AIIMS. The officer pushed the girl who is undergoing treatment and pestered the mother to record the statement. When we objected to it, the officer threatened to get us killed in a fake encounter, alleged the complainant, who claimed to be a cousin of the victim.

Chinmoy Biswal, additional DCP (south), confirmed that the complaint was filed by the womans relative. The allegations levelled in the complaint have prima facie found not substantiated as of now, said Biswal. He said that prior to the written complaint, a call regarding alleged threat by UP police official in a ward at AIIMS was also received by the police control room. No evidence of any threat or intimidation could be found as alleged in the call, added Biswal.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Amita Singh had on Thursday recorded the statement of the victim and her daughter amid opposition by their family members at AIIMS. The statement was videographed as per the rules under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, said police sources.

The UP Police has filed an FIR against Prajapati and his accomplices on an order from the Supreme Court. The statement of the victim was recorded before a chief metropolitan magistrate in Lucknow last week.

Read: File case against UP minister Prajapati on rape charges, SC orders police

However, since the mother had certain reservations, she had called over Mahmood Pracha, advocate, who is representing the minor in Supreme Court. Pracha had arrived at AIIMS and the remaining statement was carried out in his presence.

Last month, the minor victim had gone missing on February 11 before her medical examination at AIIMS. She was staying here with her mother, in a hotel in Nabi Karim in central Delhi. After she went missing, her mother lodged a complaint, following which an FIR under section 363 (Punishment for kidnapping) of IPC was lodged at Nabi Karim police station, police said. The victim returned after a couple of days and she said that she was fine and nothing untoward had happened to her, they added.
The JNU administration in Delhi on Thursday ordered removal of a controversial poster which sprang up on its campus demanding freedom for Kashmir and Palestine.

The poster with Freedom for Kashmir! Free Palestine! Right to Self Determination Long Live! DSU written on it was pasted on the wall by the Left-leaning Democratic Students Union (DSU).

DSUs former members Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and others had organized the controversial event last year against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru at the JNU during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

Khalid, Bhattacharya and former student union president Kanhaiya Kumar are out on bail in a sedition case over the event.

Some students noticed the poster on the wall of the new block of the School of Social Sciences (SSS) and informed the administration.

The JNU authorities asked the university security to remove the poster in the evening.

The university has already lost precious time and energy in such unnecessary controversies. Unfortunately a small group of people are still trying to create another ruckus and vitiate the academic environment.

We dont know who put up the poster as this has been the pattern in JNU. However, the administration has asked the staff to bring it down, a senior university official said.

The administration was unable to function for over 17 days due to the blockade of the administrative building by students in protest against changes in the admission policy and it was only early this week that the staff got access to the building and resumed work
In Delhis Jantar Mantar, a 600 strong Police force kept an eye on protesters on Thursday, as members of the Jat community undertook a peaceful agitation to demand reservation.

There were no untoward incidents or violence reported. Every time the situation threatened to spiral out of control, a bunch of Jat personnel from the police force stepped in to diffuse the tension.

By the time the protest came to an end around 5pm, the agitators were cheering some of the Jat policemen and urging them to join them on stage. While most policemen politely refused, an inspector was compelled to address the huge gathering. The officer, in turn, kept his address short and sweet, thanking the agitators for keeping the protest peaceful.

Sources said Thursdays protest saw several thousand agitators participating in it, but the situation was always under control, at least early on.

The Jat leaders had appealed to the gatherers to maintain discipline and not misbehave with the police and the journalists present.

But as the crowd swelled, a leader addressing them accused the police of stopping community members from entering the Delhi at the citys borders. It led to an aggressive response from the protesters, immediately sending the police on alert.

We suggested that one of our colleagues from the Jat community talk to the leaders and assure them that no one was stopped. When they got to know he belonged to their community, they immediately believed him, a senior police officer told HT.

So, the next time another Jat leader threatened peace by making inflammatory statements against the police, another Jat policeman was sent to pacify them. When some of the protesters threatened to break the barricades while attempting to march to Parliament, again it was some Jat policemen who came forward to calm them down.

Aware of how quickly things could go out of hand, the Delhi Police had kept around 3,500 additional personnel on standby. Early in the day, three special commissioners of Delhi Police had visited the protest site and spoken to the leaders and overseen the arrangements.

While the agitation did not affect traffic movement in other parts of the city, Sansad Marg was closed for vehicles from 10am till late in the evening. Roads around Jantar Mantar witnessed slow vehicular movement throughout the day, especially during the evening when the agitators dispersed.

The protesters had begun trickling in to Jantar Mantar as early as 8am. While most took Metro trains, buses and MUVs to reach the site, some arrived in expensive cars like Audis and Fortuners.

Comprising mostly of elderly men, the protesters had brought along their hookahs, tobacco and some cow dung cakes for keeping the hookah burning.

The organizers had arranged for food, water and tea for agitators, but the public facilities at Jantar Mantar appeared insufficient to cater to the high turnout.

Thursdays protest passing off peacefully might have come as a major relief to the Delhi Police, but they may already be worried about the next agitation after Holi in which Jat leaders have threatened to enter Delhi with their tractors, trolleys and cattle if their demands are not met.
The Delhi government has raised questions over the ownership of the land where Aurobindo Ashram, Mirambika School and Mothers International schools are built. They have also found that the society has encroached upon the government land.

Following this, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who is also Delhis education minister, has asked the district magistrate to conduct a survey of the land owned by Shri Aurobindo Education Society (SAES) by March 8.

The society is in possession of 30 acres of land at Aurobindo Marg in South Delhi.

In the inspection report submitted by the Delhi Development Authority, it has come to our notice that the society has not submitted ownership documents of the land. Also, instead of having separate boundary for the ashram, Mothers International and Mirambika School as per the government rule, the three institutions have just one boundary. There are portions of land within this boundary that belong to the government. This is encroachment, said a government official.

Sisodia has written a letter on this issue to the divisional commissioner and secretary education. HT is in possession of the letter, which states, The DDA has stated that it has no record of how much land has been in possession of the society. Give a detailed report on how and when the possession of government-owned land got transferred to Aurobindo Ashram.

The official said that these irregularities came to light after parents moved court against Mirambika School in 2015. The parents had opposed the school managements decision in April 2015 to shift children from the original school premises, for which recognition was given in 1988.

The 36-year-old Mirambika Free Progress School is at present running from a building above a kitchen and adjacent to a grocery store within the Aurobindo shram area. It was in July 2015 the school was first shifted to this space, after first shifting the children inside the Ashram in April 2015.

The SAES had shifted the school saying that the land was allotted to build an engineering college and not a school. But the government said that the Delhi Development Authority was aware that instead of a college a free progress school was started.

If the society does not have ownership papers, it is clear that the entire construction is unauthorised, because the MCD does not give sanction for building plans which has been captured, said the official.

The chairman of the SAES and the head of the two schools did not respond to phone calls, text messages and email sent by HT.

Earlier, the government has asked for a CBI investigation in this case after it found several discrepancies in the affidavit submitted to the Delhi High Court, which was also withdrawn.

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A controversial European Union military headquarters to coordinate the bloc's overseas security operations will open in the coming months, EU diplomatic sources said Friday.

Brexit and doubts about US President Donald Trump's commitment to European security have given fresh impetus to EU ambitions to step up military cooperation, with France and Germany taking the lead.

"This is a big leap forward. It is supposed to start working initially in March and fully in June," one of the sources said.

EU foreign and defence ministers meeting Monday in Brussels will approve what is known as a Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) unit, the sources said.

It will oversee the European Union's "non-executive" operations -- those that do not use force -- such as civil-military training missions in Mali, the Central African Republic and Somalia.

The EU also runs Operation Sophia in the central Mediterranean, which can use force to stop migrant smugglers, and Atalanta, part of international anti-piracy forces off the Horn of Africa.

These "executive" operations have their own command centres which will remain separate.

The diplomatic sources said the MPCC would show the EU was prepared to do more to contribute to international security but also stressed its limited role, at least for now.

"So, no smoking guns, just training. For us it is important to bring together civil and military capabilities," the source said.

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker called for a common EU defence HQ in September after the Brexit vote, resurrecting an idea that had circulated in the EU for years.

But some EU nations such as Britain and the former communist states in eastern Europe, are reluctant to do anything that might undercut NATO's collective defence role, believing the US-led alliance is still the only real option in face of a more assertive Russia.

The MPCC, based in Brussels, will have a small staff and be headed by a "director" not a commander, to avoid overt military connotations, another EU source said.

"We are not looking at an enormous new building for the new structure... this is not about executive missions," the source said.

"The general intention is to explore ways of how to use our capabilities more effectively," the source added.

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More than 150 police personnel will be deployed at the Delhi University to maintain the peace at North Campus, which has been inundated by protests by different student groups over the last week. A series of demonstrations have been carried out in Delhi by students from the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and other DU students, led by Left groups such as AISA.

Though no incidence of violence has been reported since an anti-ABVP rally near Ramjas College on February 22 was allegedly disrupted by ABVP members, the police dont want to take any chances.

One section of these policemen will be deployed in and around the Arts Faculty. The other group will patrol the campus. This will go on for the next one week to ensure there is no further trouble, a senior police officer told HT.

The cops stationed there have been instructed to immediately call for additional forces at the first sign of trouble. The police force will be deployed 24 hours at the campus till we decide that the situation is normalised, said the officer.

Ever since violence erupted at DUs Ramjas College on February 22, the universitys North Campus has resembled a fortress with as many as 800 police personnel deployed there on certain days.
St Stephens College principal John Varghese has agreed to the students and teachers demand to hold consultations on the autonomy issue.

Varghese has said that he will write to the governing body to rescind the decision on applying for autonomy. He has also said that he will ask the body to begin the consultation process with all stakeholders.

The college had on February 25 held a governing body meet and said that they have decided to apply for autonomy in principle.

Autonomy for St Stephens would mean that it will cease to be a Delhi University (DU) constituent college and will be free to take its own decisions in framing syllabus, fee structure, starting new college branches and will enjoy other academic freedom.

Teachers and students are opposed to the move alleging it will disintegrate DU and it is a move towards privatisation.

Teachers and students have been protesting for a process of consultation and consensus on the issue before the college moves the application process. The students had started an #OccupyAndrewsCourt movement.

The decision was taken on Friday after the five-hour long staff council meeting. A resolution signed by 31 teachers was handed to the principal, which stated  We express strong opposition to the decision of the governing body to seek autonomous status for the college. The staff council demands that the governing body rescind the decision that has grave implications for the financial stability, academic viability, fee structure, service conditions of employees and the basic character of the college as a public-funded institution that has provided affordable quality education to diverse sections of society.

Varghese gave a written assurance which said, The chair (principal) decided to carry the concerns of the teachers to the governing body and will urge the members to permit the principal to have the discussion with all stakeholders and then decide whether or not application for autonomy is made to DU and University Grants Commission.

With the principal agreeing to their demand, the teachers have decided to hold back the resignations from voluntary administrative positions, which they had threatened earlier.

The principal also addressed the students who had been sitting outside the venue of the staff council meeting.

We appreciate the principal for the stance he has taken. This is only the beginning of a monumental movement for upholding the spirit of democracy, debate and discussion the college has traditionally stood for, the students of the college said in a written statement.
The Tata-run Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) will challenge the New Delhi Municipal Councils (NDMC) decision to e-auction the iconic five-star Taj Mansingh Hotel.

Senior advocate Rajiv Nayyar, appearing for IHCL, told a bench headed by Justice PC Ghose that his client had serious objection to NDMCs decision and would file objections against it soon.

Read: NDMC cancels Le Meridiens licence, reaffirms decision to auction Taj Mansingh

The bench fixed March 22 to hear IHCLs petition, saying its licence to run the hotel should be renewed.

NDMC counsel, additional solicitor general Sanjay Jain told the court that e-auction would provide equal opportunity to IHCL to bid for the hotel. He said the auction would be live and transparent. IHCL would know which company is bidding for how much. Accordingly, they can also place their bid, he said.

However, the court said it wanted to hear IHCL on the NDMCs proposal and adjourned the matter. On IHCLs plea, the top court had in November last year directed NDMC to maintain status quo.

Read: Taj Mansingh hotel can run for now: SC stays order allowing auction of property

The property, owned by NDMC, was given to IHCL on a lease of 33 years, which ended in 2011. Nine temporary extensions were given to the company on various grounds with three of them granted last year itself.
The RSS is not known for being circumspect in its remarks on the minorities, but even by its standards the speech made by Kundan Chandrawat, prachar pramukh from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, is appalling.

In a rabid address, he not only spoke glowingly of the courage of Hindus in whom Shivajis blood runs in killing over 2,000 Muslims in the 2002 Gujarat riots, but also promised more reprisals. The most shocking part of his speech, however, was the offer of a Rs 1 crore bounty to anyone who would bring him the head of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

After this statement, the RSS scrambled for cover saying that the organisation does not advocate violence. The BJP MP from Ujjain Chintamani Malviya sought to cover up the whole thing saying that Chandrawat was distraught at the killing of RSS workers in Kerala and was expressing his pent up feelings. While it is true that clashes between the CPI(M) and RSS are common in north Kerala with casualties on both sides, nothing justifies advocating murder.

Chandrawat has since expressed regret but this is not good enough. He should be arrested and charged with making a hate speech and inciting people to murder. His open praise of the Hindu mobs that killed Muslims during the fateful riots does no credit to the BJP, which was in power in the state at that time under the stewardship of then chief minister Narendra Modi. This is positively embarrassing for the party, which has distanced itself from those events.

The RSS has all too often made intemperate remarks and then retreated in the face of public outrage. The fact that offenders are let off lightly is what has encouraged the likes of Chandrawat to come up with such incendiary remarks. That they come during these volatile elections make it all the worse. This is a time when the minorities are feeling insecure, thanks to the often ugly political polarisation, especially in Uttar Pradesh.

The RSS is the mentor organisation of the party of governance. It has to take this issue of its leaders justifying communal violence and advocating murder far more seriously. The government should have issued a strong statement by now, but so far it has not. The argument that this was a personal opinion does not wash; he was addressing leaders and workers from both the RSS and BJP, and his remarks were apparently lauded.

He must feel the full force of the law. This will send out a signal to others of his ilk, and there are many, that this sort of intolerance will not be permitted.
Ranking at the top of the class is nothing new for Shubh Agrawal. He has been a topper ever since he entered school. But with a score of 1,590 out of 1,600, he is probably Indias highest scorer in the January 2017 SAT, conducted by the College Board, USA.

Sanjeev Kumar Pandey, centre coordinator and Shubhs mentor at the USA UnivQuest here in Lucknow, told this to HT as he shared some interesting insights on the 16-year-old who has now become the talk of town.

If you thought Shubh only browses science books, it is not true. Shubh is an avid reader of science fiction. At the moment he is reading Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee. However, his favourite author is Stephen Hawking, said Pandey, who has been mentoring him for nearly three years now.

Shubh Agrawal with his parents and sister. (Handout image)

Stephen Hawking has had a profound influence on Shubh. The boys teacher quoted him as saying: After reading Hawkings bestselling book A Brief History of Time, I have aligned my goals with that of Hawkins. To repeat the words of Hawking  My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is, and why it exists at all. I therefore dream of being an astro-physicist.

Shubh has an exceptional grasp on the basic concepts of the sciences and mathematics. His lucid understanding of the complex topics in both subjects is reflected in his achievements, said Pandey.

Studying in class 11 of the City Montessori Schools Gomti Nagar branch, Shubh is the proud recipient of the National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) award from the government of India. He has also qualified for the KVPY (Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana) test, and the results of his interviews are awaited.

An alumnus of St Francis College, Shubh is well liked by his teachers not only due to his diligence in studies but also because he is a great role model for other students. He is soft-spoken, composed, and communicates his opinion in a humble but clear way.

Abha Anant, principal of CMS Gomti Nagar, said, Shubh is extremely focused, disciplined and dogged in his efforts. Not just in academics, he is equally pro-active in co-curricular activities. He played a key role in organising the Model United Nations we had in our school.

Shubhs mother, Dr Mridula Agrawal, said he is a subdued and shy guy but self-driven when it comes to academics. He clearly knows what he wishes to study and why. Till he achieves his goal, he is relentless in his efforts, she added.

Shubh looks forward to studying at one of the best-ranked universities in the world. (Handout image)

His mothers observations were corroborated by his teacher-mentor Sanjeev Pandey, who has mentored Shubh over the previous year. USA UnivQuest is proud to have polished this gem for the world. Till date, he is yet to miss a scheduled class. He deserves to study in the best of universities, he said.

In his free time, Shubh can often be seen handling a huge telescope with his sister, Sukanya, on the terrace of their house. Together, they scan the skies in the hope of discovering a celestial body or indication of life on another planet. He now looks forward to studying at one of the best-ranked universities in the world.

Shubh Agarwal has made us proud by scoring 1,590 out of 1,600 marks in the SAT-R exam. This is the highest score in India for the SAT Test held on January 21, 2017. He scored 800 out of 800 in the mathematics section, and 790 out of 800 at evidence-based reading and writing in the English section.

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Fashion graduate Eshan Hilals love for gender fluid dressing is something he takes pride in. Clothes dont define someones gender. Girls wear mens clothing and are never questioned. Then why arent men allowed to do that, too?, says Hilal.

He recently impressed all as he walked down the ramp in a gender fluid creation by NIFTs student designers Devanshi Tuli, Tamanna Mehra, Sonal Bhardwaj, Mansi Dua. The 24 year-old, Indias first male belly dancer was invited at the NIFTs annual cultural fest, Spectrum. Ive never walked on the ramp before, hence I was nervous. I was apprehensive about wearing a lampshade like dress where, I had to bare my legs. But, I was told that Ill be able to rock it, says Hilal. The idea of wearing heels clicked, as it goes with his gender fluid sartorial choices.

He describes his childhood to be messed up, and says that once he understood and accepted himself as he was, there was no looking back. My family calls it a phase and thinks Ill get over it. I remember getting a septum piercing and was ridiculed. But, when actor Ranveer Singh wore a septum ring for a magazine cover, same people told me that maybe I was trying to copy him (laughs), he says.

Fashion education was another reason for his love for gender fluid dressing, as he learned that heels (his love as he defines them) were a thing men wore much before women.

Eshan Hilal strikes a pose during his ramp walk. (Abhishek Lal)

There is nothing that waivers Hilals confidence now and he says that his sartorial choices are not meant for just a show. Ive built my confidence over years and nothing shakes it now. I love wearing heels, skirts and accessories and always balance them well with masculine choices, too. I do it because it comes from within and I do not try to impose my choice on anyone. My fashion inspiration comes from designers like Marc Jacobs, Jean Paul Gaultier, Yohji Yamamoto and others who have always gone beyond the usual style in fashion and create art that they just dont endorse but also wear, he says.

In fact, Belly dancing helped me become more confident. When I walked on the ramp at NIFT, I without speaking, told the crowd that I am something. Look at me. You can love me or hate me, but you cant ignore me. And that worked wonderfully! I am now addicted and want to be a fashion gender fluid model, he adds.

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Police arrested four men, suspected to be gangsters, from a farmhouse near Ansal crossing, Sohna town, on Thursday evening. Sources said the accused were planning a murder at the instance of a jailed gangster.

The men allegedly fired at the police before they were overpowered and arrested. They allegedly belong to a gang led by Rakesh alias Pannu, who carries a reward of Rs 50,000 on his arrest. The arrested men were identified as Pawan alias Pouna , Gaurav , Sanjay and Vinod. All have several cases against them, the police said.

The police said they were active in Sohna and Gurgaon for the past two years.

Earlier, they were arrested by the Panipat police after they had fired on the police team during a night patrolling when they were asked to stop their vehicle for a routine check at the barricade. They came out on bail recently, the police said.

Police said that the gang is involved in more than 50 incidents of kidnapping, robberies, dacoity and car-jacking in Gurgaon, Rajasthan and Delhi.

Four pistols, a revolver, a countrymade pistol and 40 live cartridges were recovered from their possession along with two stolen motorbikes.

Crime branch team-5 of Sohna arrested the quartet after a brief encounter in which a police officer suffered minor injuries.

Inspector Arun Kumar, in charge, crime investigation agency, Sohna, said the accused are being questioned and more arrests are likely soon. They were waiting for their accomplices and planning something big. Pannu was arrested earlier as well when I was with the crime investigation agency in Palam Vihar, Kumar said.

The police also claimed that one of their officers was also injured, when they were trying to nab the gang.

According to the police, they got a tip-off about some suspicious activity in a farmhouse near Ansal crossing on Thursday. A crime team rushed to the spot around 5pm and apprehended the men.

When the police team raided the spot, these men tried to flee but were nabbed. They are professional criminals and used to steal vehicles from the same area before executing a crime, Kumar said.

Meanwhile, the Sohna crime branch also arrested two thieves from Indri Morh, Sohna. The two accused are involved in a number of thefts and have been identified as Nafees (29), a resident of Nuh, and Nissar, also a resident of Nuh.

One Maruti 800 and seven motorcycles were recovered from them.

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The crime branch team of the Gurgaon police arrested two more accused in the Farrukhnagar double murder case from near Uttam Nagar metro station in Delhi on Thursday.

On February 23, two men were killed and one seriously injured in a shooting at Fazilpur morh in Farrukhnagar town, 25km from Gurgaon. The murders were allegedly carried out at the behest of Ved Saini, a property dealer, who had sold a plot to the victims. When the victims found that the plot was disputed they demanded the money back, which led to them being killed.

Two persons, identified as Sandeep and Ram Avtar, were shot dead while Sunil alias Sinu was critically injured. It was at the instance of Sinu, who gave his statement to the police, that the accused were identified and arrested.

The duo  Yuvraj (32), a resident of Bamdola, Jhajjar, and Rajesh (37), a resident of Badhani, Jhajjar  were arrested while trying to escape from the national capital, the police said. They will be produced in a court on Saturday and the police might seek a two-day remand of the duo.

Teenu is said to be the main shooter in the double murder and has a criminal record.

Police investigation had revealed that a 1,000 square yard plot was sold by Saini to the victims, who paid Rs 48 lakh for it. However, when the buyers found that it was a fraudulent deal, they demanded that their money be returned and managed to get Rs 12 lakh. Saini then invited the three men to his office to give them the remaining amount on February 23. They were gunned down when they reached the office.

We arrested the accused from Uttam Nagar and now one more is left to be arrested. They were planning to flee from the city, Sanjeev Balhara, ACP (crime), said.

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Urban noise pollution and hearing loss are closely linked, according to rankings of 50 large cities in both categories released on Friday.

High-decibel urban areas  such as Guangzhou, New Delhi, Cairo and Istanbul  topped the list of cities where hearing was most degraded, researchers reported.

Likewise, cities least afflicted by noise pollution  including Zurich, Vienna, Oslo and Munich  registered the lowest levels of decline in hearing.

This statistical link does not necessarily mean the constant din of city life is the main driver of hearing loss, which can also be caused by infections, genetic disorders, premature birth, and even some medicines.

The findings are also preliminary, and have yet to be submitted for peer-reviewed publication.

But this is a robust result, said Henrik Matthies, managing director of Mimi Hearing Technologies, a German company that has amassed data on 200,000 people drawn from a hearing test administered via cell phones.

New Delhi, Guangzhou, Cairo and Istanbul topped the list of high-decibel cities where hearing was most degraded. (In picture) A crowded street in the Chandni Chowk area of Old Delhi. (Shutterstock)

The fact that noise pollution and hearing loss have such a tight correlation points to an intricate relationship, he said. Researchers at Mimi and Charite University Hospital in Berlin explored the link by constructing two separate databases.

The first combined information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Norwegian-based technology research group SINTEF to create a noise pollution ranking for cities around the world.

Stockholm, Seoul, Amsterdam and Stuttgart were also among the least likely to assault ones ears, while Shanghai, Hong Kong and Barcelona came out as big noise makers.

Paris  one of the most densely populated major cities in Europe  scored as the third most cacophonous.

The ranking for hearing loss drew from Mimis phone-based test, in which respondents indicated age and sex. Geo-location technology pinpointed the cities.

Silent epidemic

The results were measured against a standard for age-adjusted hearing. On average, people in the loudest cities were ten years older  in terms of hearing loss  than those in the quietest cities, the study found.

Stacked side-by-side, the two city rankings are remarkably similar, suggesting more than an incidental link. The findings highlight the need for better monitoring, the researchers said.

While eye and sight checks are routine, ear and hearing exams are not, said Manfred Gross, head of the department of Audiology and Phoniatrics at Charite University Hospital.

The earlier hearing loss is detected, the better the chances are for preventing further damage.

Collaborations between scientists and private companies that collect health-related information from consumers are becoming more common in the era of Big Data. California-based DNA genetic testing company 23andMe, for example, has worked extensively with university researchers to ferret out rare genetic disorders by combing through mountains of anonymous data from its clients.

Also on Friday, World Hearing Day, the WHO released figures showing annual costs of unaddressed hearing loss of between $750 billion and $790 billion globally.

Direct health care costs were calculated to be up to $107 billion, with loss of productivity due to unemployment or early retirement about the same.

Heavy traffic on El-Orouba street, one of the main roads leading to the Cairo International Airport. (Shutterstock)

Societal costs  stemming from social isolation, inability to communicate and stigma  were estimated at more than $500 billion.

In a recent editorial, the medical journal The Lancet said hearing loss is a silent epidemic, noting that proper care remains out of reach for millions of people.

Mimi Hearing Technologies develops music applications that adjust to the individual hearing deficiencies of listeners.

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Virtual reality headsets are often associated with video games and fun, but companies are also working to use them for mental health therapies, to treat phobias, anxiety or addictions.

Some phobias, for instance, can be effectively treated by gradually exposing a patient to his or her worst fear, be it spiders, plane travel or small, enclosed spaces.

TeleSoftas, a Lithuanian firm that develops mobile apps, believes this exposure therapy can easily be achieved from the safety of a health professionals consulting room using the headsets.

With virtual reality you can create audiovisual therapies in a safe environment for phobics, Algirdas Stonys, CEO TeleSoftas, said at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the phone industrys largest annual trade fair.

So for instance, someone who is scared of speaking in public would find himself in front of a room full of people, virtually.

TeleSoftas has just received EU funding to finance the development of mental health apps for virtual reality headsets, in collaboration with academics. Psious, a Spanish start-up, is also in a similar field.

Exposure therapies are designed to encourage the individual to enter feared situations, either in the real world or through imagined exercises. But we thought that in this digital age, there had to be something more, said CEO Xavier Palomer Ripoll.

Created three years ago because one of its founders was scared of flying, the firm develops apps for psychotherapists who can download them and use them on virtual reality headsets. The doctor then choses an adequate environment.

For instance, once kitted out with the headset, a person with vertigo will find him- or herself in a lift going up or down a skyscraper. Using a computer, the psychotherapist can propel the lift higher and higher, or make the floor transparent to increase the difficulty of the exercise.

Some phobias can be effectively treated by gradually exposing a patient to his or her worst fear, be it spiders, plane travel or small, enclosed spaces. (Shutterstock)

They can also gauge how well the patient is doing by seeing, for example, if they are able to look down.

Psious raised close to a million euros (over Rs 7 crore) in 2015, and provides the technology to some 600 doctors, mostly in Spain. In parallel, it is currently going through nine clinical trials with universities to get long-term efficacy data.

TeleSoftas, meanwhile, hopes to eventually be able to offer virtual environments to treat obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic syndromes, alcoholism or smoking. Several American start-ups are working on similar applications as well.

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Investment minister Nasr said half the money would go to the governments reform programme, and half to sectors including SMEs and micro-enterprises

Germany plans to provide Egypt with $500 million in support of the country's economic reform programme and local micro, small, and medium sized enterprises, the countrys Minister of International Cooperation and Investment Sahar Nasr announced on Friday.

We have reached agreement with Germany on the offer of $250 million in support of the governments economic programme, and another $250 million to support several sectors including SMEs and micro-enterprises, the minister said in a statement.

Nasr announced Berlin's offer at the Egyptian-German Business Forum, held during German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Cairo this week, on which she was accompanied by a delegation of German investors.

Merkel promised the $250 million to support the country's economic reform programme during a prior joint press conference with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

Nasr said she was looking forward to more German investment in Cairo, assuring attendees of the forum that her ministry had finalised an investment law, currently under discussion in parliament.

The minister's statements come a few days after Germanys Ambassador to Egypt Julius Georg Luy said that German investors would be interested in investing in Egypt, but still had questions about assurances in the sector.

Luy said that his country was waiting for the investment law to be approved so that it could be presented to investors.

German investments in Egypt are estimated to total 1.5 billion, according to the ambassador, and provide around 22,000 jobs.

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You think you are a Hollywood know-it-all? You think you know all the biggest stars? Well, here is a test to test your faith in yourself.

Below is a picture of a female actor shooting for her upcoming film. The catch here is that the make-up and costume make her look nothing like her real self.

A post shared by   (@kinoproo) on Mar 2, 2017 at 8:57pm PST

Any idea?

A post shared by showbuzz.hr (@showbuzzhr) on Mar 2, 2017 at 12:33pm PST

We can tell you she is a known master of disguise.

A post shared by Dakota Johnson fan account (@gorgeousdakota) on Mar 2, 2017 at 10:57am PST

OK fine, well reveal it to you....

*Drum roll *

Its Tilda Swinton!

A post shared by HELLO! Russia (@hello__ru) on Mar 3, 2017 at 12:50am PST

The British actor is currently shooting for the remake of 1977 Italian triller, Suspiria. But as to why has she donned the elderly man make up is still a mystery.

Tilda has previously also experimented with different looks for her films. Here she is in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe playing the White Witch.

In Trainwreck

In The Grand Budapest Hotel

In Snowpiercer

And in her last film, Doctor Strange

Suspiria is about a newcomer to a fancy ballet academy who gradually realises that the school is a front for something far more sinister and supernatural because of a series of grisly murders. It also stars Fifty Shades of Greys Dakota Johnson and Kick-Asss Chloe Grace Moretz.

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Seventeen persons were killed when their jeep collided with a truck in Rajasthans Hanumangarh district on Friday, police said.

The mishap occurred in Hanumangarh town police station area on Rawatsar-Hanumangarh mega highway.

The bodies have been shifted to a local hospital, SHO Anwar Khan said, adding that further details are awaited.
An office of the ruling CPM was set afire in Keralas Kozhikkode district early on Friday in what is seen as a retaliation to an attack on four RSS activists, police said.

The CPI (M)s Kozhikkode district committee blamed the Sangh Parivar for the attack on the ruling partys Vishnumangalam branch office.

The offices of both the RSS and CPI (M) are situated in a five-km radius.

Police said they are keeping a tight vigil in the area to contain escalation of violence between the fierce political rivals.

Four activists of the BJP-RSS were injured in trouble-torn Nadapuram in the same district on Thursday night in an alleged attack by a group of CPI (M) cadres with country-made bombs.

According to police the incident occurred when the BJP workers were coming out of the RSS office in the area. Of the injured, the condition of a worker is said to be serious. The RSS office also suffered minor damage in the attack.

The latest incident took place hours after an RSS leader from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh announced a reward of Rs one crore on the head Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The state has been witnessing a series of clashes between the two cadre-based parties that have claimed hundreds of lives over the years.

In neighbouring Kannur district, clashes between the two have claimed the lives of at least 300 lives in last three decades.

The RSS Kerala unit on Thursday night described the government of Pinarayi Vijayan a cabinet of killers.

The violent attacks are being done at the behest of the chief minister of Kerala. He is the initiator of the attacks. He is presiding a cabinet of killers. They are not innocents, ANI quoted RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha as saying.

It is time for the home ministry to intervene, he added.

He said Vijayan was first accused of killing of an RSS worker in the 1960s. Technically he is free, but morally and politically he is an accused, he added.

(With agency inputs)

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Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday refuted PM Narendra Modis claim that last years Kanpur train accident was a conspiracy hatched across the border. Yadav alleged that BJP leaders were used to seeking votes by misguiding the people.

Prime minister Modi had made the claim at an election rally last week in Uttar Pradeshs Gonda after the arrest of four men in Nepal and Bihar in January, who allegedly told police that the Pakistani spy agency, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), was behind the Kanpur accident.

Our railway minister could not take care of the tracks in Kanpur and gave a false report to the prime minister that the ISI had damaged the tracks. I want to say that since the incident occurred in Uttar Pradesh, at least I should have been informed about it...But, no information...no truth in it, Yadav told an election rally in Ghazipur, the Lok Sabha constituency of Union minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha.

The sixth phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections will be held on Saturday and the seventh and final phase on March 8. Results will be declared on March 11.

Akhilesh also alleged that the leaders of the saffron party were used to seeking votes by misleading the people.

As many as 150 people were killed in a train mishap in Kanpur on November 20, 2016, and on December 28, another train got derailed there. It was said that Pakistans ISI was responsible for the incidents.

Regarding Union ministers and senior BJP leaders campaigning for the polls, the chief minister said, Had the prime minister brought his work here (in Uttar Pradesh), his ministers would not have been required to campaign for his party.

In a veiled reference to the ongoing campus row in Delhi University involving ABVP, the RSS-linked students body, Yadav said, I want to ask those patriotic people of the BJP, who are displaying their nationalism in Delhi, what have they done for the soldiers who laid down their lives for the country? What help was extended to their families?

He added: Only the SP government helps the families of soldiers who laid down their lives.

The Samajwadi Party chief claimed that his party has already secured a lead in the first five phases of the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh Assembly election due to the works of its government and added that the demoralised faces of the BJP and BSP leaders said it all.
An army jawan from Kerala was found dead near his camp in Nashik, barely a few days after he accused senior officers of harassment, his family members said on Friday.

The body of gunner Roy Mathew was recovered on Thursday near his camp in Maharashtra.

Though the army believes it to be a case of suicide, family members of 33-year-old Mathew said they suspect foul play. They have demanded a probe into the circumstances leading to his death.

The alleged suicide comes amid of a spate of allegations of poor working conditions and harassment faced by jawans in the armed forces.

Roy went missing on Monday, a day after calling up his wife at Kollam to say that he had made a big mistake, an apparent reference to an interview he had given to a local television channel accusing senior officers of mistreatment at the Nashik camp.

His interview to a Marathi language channel was aired on Monday.

Though the channel had promised to keep his identity a secret, Roy told his wife, his senior officials came to know about it. Roys wife, Fini Mathew, said after the call he was incommunicado for last three days.

The CO (commanding officer) informed us that a body similar to that of Roy has been found and it was shifted to a hospital for post-mortem. Other than this we havent received any other information, Roys brother John Mathew said.

Family members said they had contacted Nashik district administration but were told it was yet to receive any official communication from the army on his death.

According to family members of Mathew Roy he often complained to his wife about the alleged slavery prevailing in the unit. Often junior level employees were forced to do domestic work at officers residences.

Though the army had made it clear last year that it was planning to stop the sahayak post the system continued without any hindrance, he told his wife. He also said though some of the employees were happy do all errands including gardening and rearing dogs of the officers he simply hated to do such menial jobs.

Roys wife has petitioned chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking his intervention over the issue.

Roy had travelled to his home on December 3 and returned to Nashik on December 23.

He joined army 13 years ago and was working as a gunner with the 214 Rocket Regiment in Nashik for the past one year.

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The Chhattisgarh high court on Thursday asked the Bastar administration to exhume the bodies of two tribals who were killed allegedly in a fake police encounter and conduct a post-mortem again.

The court also issued a notice to the state government seeking its reply to a petition that claimed the tribals were killed in a fake encounter on January 28.

The court has instructed the officials of Bastar, including collector Dantewada, to exhume the two bodies and conduct a second autopsy. The court further said that the autopsy should be video recorded in the presence of the officials and a detailed report of the case should be submitted to the court within a week, said Kishore Nayaran, the victims counsel.

On January 28, police allegedly shot Bhima Kudati and Sukmati Hemla in the jungles of Hairauli Paurangal in Dantewada district. Police said both were Maoists and that a rifle along with other weapons was recovered from the encounter site.

Villagers accused the police of sexually assaulting Hemla before killing her and sought an independent inquiry as well as a second autopsy on her body. They also claimed that eyes of the two had been gouged out.

The family member of the dead tribals alleged that the police abducted them on January 27 when they were returning from the weekly Kirandul market and killed them saying they were Maoists.

For 20 days, villagers refused to bury the bodies and staged a protest outside Kirandul police station against the killing. They also demanded a registration of the case against the accused policemen.

Special director general (Naxals), DM Awasthi had sought a report from the Bastar police, who maintained that the allegations were baseless.

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The mom-and-pop stores have stopped selling them. So have other bigger chains. But a ban on aerated foreign cola drinks clamped by Tamil Nadus traders have not stopped many stores from still selling the preferred brands of a large section of the people  Coke and Pepsi.

In Beasant Nagar, an upmarket sea-side residential colony in south Chennai, Adyar Bakery is a popular and busy confectionary, coffee and soft drink shop  and always bustling with customers. The filter coffee machine is located outside the shop and adjacent to it is a cigarette kiosk  all part of the shop that also stocks Pepsi and Coke in company-provided refrigerators.

Responding to a call by the Federation of Tamil Nadu Traders Associations, thousands of commercial outlets across the state are boycotting cola products of PepsiCo and Coca Cola since Wednesday in a move that could cost the two soft drink giants an estimated Rs 1,400 crore in losses.

Late on Thursday evening, a senior worker said the boycott was fifty-fifty. But he was a trifle nervous and wanted no pictures taken of his shop or himself. He would not even reveal his name for.

Across the city, at the all-the-time-busy T Nagar, a commercial area, many shops are still stocking the offending drinks which are accused of depleting water from the states rivers and reservoirs.

It is another matter that Indian companies will also need as much water for the desi soft drinks

A roadside storekeeper said he was having no problem in getting supplies of Coke. As long as people want and we are able to sell, we will continue, he said.

At Walltax Road in Sowcarpet, thickly populated by Rajasthani and Gujarati trading communities, it is business as usual for the soft drink majors.

If the experience of Murugan of Murugan Snacks, a small kiosk selling soft drinks and snacks, is any indication, the cola majors have nothing to worry about.

Firstly, they were very popular with the regulars to TASMAC liquor shops, Murugan said, elaborating why he preferred to sell these MNC brands.

The young ones come here, pick up a Pepsi and something to munch, along with their quota of the sprits that cheer. Coke and Pepsi are cheaper than local brands, and are available in different sizes, even smaller throwaway bottles. The lesser quantity, smaller ones are the more popular items, Murugan said.

But this sentiment is not shared by everyone.

For some, like S Kumaran, who runs a big grocery store in a residential colony of Gandhi Nagar at Adyar in south Chennai, the boycott is a good thing.

I have not ordered any fresh stock and these are the only few bottles left. I have also asked the companies (Coke and Pepsi) to take back their refrigerators, he said. Already, he has planned what to do with the space he would get once the fridges were gone.

In neighboring Mylapore residential-cum-commercial area, nearly half the shopkeepers dont want to stock the soft drinks of the cola majors. The big grocery store, Farida Stores, on Raghavachari street, will no longer give you a Pepsi.

Instead he has Bovonto, a local cola drink. Similarly, if you are in the locality that hosts the largest vegetable wholesale market  Koyambedu  many shops have put up signboards saying No to Pepsi and Coke.

S Kamesh, a class XII student, summed up the situation.

It would be a tad difficult, but not impossible to get hold of a Pepsi if you are determined, he said.

We might have to go across to couple of shops, may have to go to a different colony. It is not as if Coke and Pepsi are completely gone.

Then there are others who are against all aerated drinks.

Tender coconut or fresh fruit juices are good for health, said Radha Shekhar. If the boycott leads to a rise in number of people taking to fruit juices, it would be a welcome development.

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Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, the American actor and humanitarian activist Richard Gere and the 17th Karmapa, the head of Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism Ogyen, Trinley Dorje , will be at Nalanda to discuss relevance of Buddhism in the 21st Century, considered widely as the age of aggression and violence.

Buddhists from over 30 countries, including the supreme Buddhist patriarchs from Mongolia, Russia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam and Bangladesh, are expected to attend the discussion, which will be part of the three-day international Buddhist conference, hosted jointly by the ministry of culture and the Nav Nalanda Mahavihara, beginning March 17.

While the Dalai Lama will inaugurate the event, President Pranab Mukherjee is expected to attend the valedictory function.

The session would focus on issues like perspectives and responses to global challenges and crisis, conflicts, peace building and Buddhist responses, environment and nature conservation and Buddhist perspectives, women and Buddhism, among others.

The 40-volume of Pali Tripitaka, which has been reprinted by the Nav Nalanda Mahavihara after a gap of nearly six decades, will also be released on the occasion.

Very soon we will also publish the Hindi translation of this book. The ministry of culture has already approved the proposal, registrar of the Nav Nalanda Mahavihara, Sunil Kumar Sinha, said.

Buddhist scholars will also discuss how Buddhist philosophy could be helpful in creating a balance between economic development and conservation of nature and environment and in maintaining secular ethics.

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The Election Commission rejected on Friday the response of Tamil Nadus ruling AIADMK party on the elevation of VK Sasikala as its general secretary, saying TTV Dinakaran, who signed the letter, was not in its list of the partys office-bearers.

It has now asked Sasikala to either sign the response herself or by an authorised signatory who is in the commissions list of AIADMK office bearers and send it again by March 10.

... Dinakaran (Sasikalas nephew, who was hurriedly reinducted into the party and nominated AIADMK deputy general secretary) is not an office bearer of your party as per the Commissions record... The reply should either be submitted under your own signature or you may duly authorise somebody to do so on your behalf, the poll watchdog said.

Sasikala is at present lodged in a Bengaluru jail.

The AIADMK had defended the decision to appoint Sasikala as its interim general secretary, saying the general council of the party has the authority to make such an appointment.

In its response to the February 17 notice by the Election Commission, the AIADMK also said those who later complained against Sasikalas elevation had initially signed the resolution in her support.

The party had told the Commission that its functioning would have come to a standstill had a new general secretary not been appointed after the demise of J Jayalalithaa.
Eminent progressive thinker and Ambedkarite Dr Krishna Kirwale (62) was stabbed to death in his house near Shivaji Vidyapeeth in Kolhapur this evening. Police have arrested a suspect in this connection. Police suspect that the murder might be a fallout of a financial dispute.

After senior police officials rushed to the spot, the suspect was tracked down and arrested within hours of the murder. He has been identified as Pritam Patil. The police said Patil is a resident of Kolhapur but refused to divulge any further details.

However, sources in Kolhapur police said suspect had worked as a carpenter at Dr Kirwales house a few days ago. He reportedly had a dispute with him over payment for the work done.

A large number of people gathered outside Dr Kirwales, suspecting the murder took place on ideological grounds. But the crowd dispersed after realising the real motive behind the murder.

The body of Dr Kirwale was found in a pool of in his Rajendra Nagar area residence near Shivaji Vidyapeeth. The body has been sent for postmortem.

Additional police force was deployed in some parts of Kolhapur as Dr Kirwale was a respected personality among the followers of Dr B R Ambedkar. Given the states past record and killing of a number of Dalit activists and whistleblowers, the police swung into action and nabbed a suspect hours after the incident.

Dr Kirwales muder come three years after the killing of another well-know Kolhapur resident, Govind Pansare, a veteran Communist leader and thinker.

Dr Kirwale had retired as Head of Department of Marathi in the Shivaji Vidyapeeth just a few months ago. Known for his progressive thoughts, Dr Kirwale was chief of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Centre for Research and Development.

Dr Kirwale had authored a special dictionary on words used by Dr Ambedkar in his writings and speeches. Popular among the students, Dr Kirwale was known for his study on progressive movements and Dalit literature in Maharashtra. He had written several books and used to write for newspapers.

Born in May 1954 in Beed district of Marathwada region, Dr Kirwale had completed his PhD from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in 1987.

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India on Friday downplayed its participation in an upcoming meeting in Pakistan to discuss various aspects of the Indus Waters Treaty, saying it does not amount to resumption of government-level Indo-Pak talks, which have been stalled over terrorist strikes by Pak-based groups.

Senior government officials insisted that the Permanent Indus Commission, which will meet in Lahore later this month, deals with technical matters concerning implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty and not with any political aspect.

Indias participation comes nearly six months after New Delhi decided to suspend talks on the pact in the wake of the terror strikes by groups based across the border.

Noting that the commission has met 112 times since 1960, they said the Indian representative to the commission has accepted an invitation by his Pakistani counterpart for the meeting. No date has been set for the meeting.

Mutually convenient dates and mutually agreeable agenda are worked out directly by the commissioners themselves and the government has no role in this regard, said a senior government official.

The commission is not concerned with political aspects, he said, adding that there is no shift in the governments stance.

Declaring that blood and water cannot flow together, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held a meeting in September to review the treaty in the backdrop of the terror strikes, including the Uri attack.

After the meeting, officials had announced that the government has decided to suspend further talks and increase the utilisation of rivers flowing through Jammu and Kashmir to fully exercise Indias rights under the pact.

The last meeting of the commission was held in May 2015.

The commission, which has officials from both the countries as its members, was set up under the 57-year-old treaty to discuss and resolve issues relating to its implementation.

The commission is a body entrusted with everyday implementation of the IWT, which mandates it to meet at least once every year, alternately in India and Pakistan.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has dismissed a widely-cited international report which said India recorded the highest number of deaths because of exposure to surface-level ozone and that it has surpassed China as the deadliest in the world.

The State of Global Air report 2017, released in February, said the number of deaths due to ozone pollution increased from 43,480 in 1990 to 107,770 in 2015.

As the most populous countries, India and China account for most of the ozone-attributable COPD ( chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) deaths across all years, but India accounts for much (about 67%) of the global increase since 1990. Over the last 25 years, India experienced a nearly 150% increase in ozone-attributable deaths, while Chinas number remained about the same, the study said.

The death toll in India was 13 times higher than Bangladeshs, and 21 times higher than Pakistans, it claimed.

The same study also said Indias rapidly worsening air pollution is causing over 1 million people to die prematurely each year and is catching up fast with China in terms of deaths linked to dangerous air particles, known as PM2.5.

A senior scientist at the CPCB, Indias top pollution regulator, countered the studys findings saying that surface ozone levels in India are within safe limits, adding that they had, in fact, fallen because of a dip in solar radiation.

There is no violation of our standards. Anyone can say anything. I am not aware of their methodology but Ozone level is not exceeding so seriously in India, Dipankar Saha, who is in charge of CPCBs air lab, told Press Trust of India.

It is exceeding in some places, some day. But it is not a routine phenomenon. You cannot link early deaths to Ozone. Moreover, solar radiation is reducing so Ozone formation will be less, he said.

The CPCB is preparing its own report on the issue, according to Saha.

Last month, Union minister for state for environment Anil Madhav Dave also expressed scepticism over the findings by foreign studies, insisting that India should rely on data generated within the country.

Surface-level ozone is not the same as the ozone layer that protects the earth from the suns radiation but is formed because of a chemical reaction between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of sunlight. The main sources of these two reactants are industrial facilities, power plants and vehicular exhaust.

It is particularly harmful to children, the elderly and those suffering from respiratory ailments.

The permissible limit for ozone levels according to CPCB standards is 100 micrograms per metre cube (g/m3) over eight hours. Data from the pollution control authoritys monitoring stations revealed that at two sites, Shadipur and Dwarka, ozone levels peaked at 164 (ug/m3) in May last year.

The State of Global Air report was issued jointly by the Health Effects Institute, a US-based research institute focused on the health impacts of air pollution, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, a population health research centre in Seattle.

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Motoihari A teenage murder witness was injured in a hit-and-run case two days before she was supposed to depose in a Motihari court, on Thursday.

Shweta Kumari, 19, an undergraduate student of the Mahatma Gandhi Central University of Bihar, Motihari, complained to the police that a person accused in her brothers murder had attacked her.

She claimed the motorcyclist hit her from behind, with an intention to kill her, when she was going to write her exam.

In her complaint to the police, Kumari said she had been receiving threats not to pursue the murder case of her brother. The police have lodged a criminal case in this connection.

Siddharth Raj, brother of the witness who was killed last year. (HT photo)

Kumaris brother, Siddharth Raj, 13, was shot in August 2015. Raj had reportedly developed intimacy with a girl  a relationship her brother did not approve of.

Kumari, who claims to be a witness to the murder of her brother, has accused the girls brother, Prince Pandey, and five others to have killed Raj. The other accused are Vishal Kumar Dubey, Rajen Sahni, Prashant Kumar, Raja Kumar and Mani Kumar, all believed to be Pandeys friends

Of the six accused, the police have so far been able to nab Pandey and Dubey, both minors. The remaining four are still absconding.

Pandey escaped going to correction home on the basis of a doctors certificate, stating that he was under treatment for mental illness. Dubey, languishing in a correction facility, reportedly threatened the superintendent of Motihari remand home, after which he was shifted to Muzaffarpur last week.

Town police station inspector, Ajay Kumar, said: We have registered a case on the basis of the girls complaint. The girl has alleged that she was receiving threats to stay away from deposing in court in connection with the murder case of her brother. The girl has complained that the person who tried to bump her off is also an accused in the killing of her brother.

East Champaran superintendent of police (SP) Jitendra Rana ordered the arrest of those absconding in the Raj murder case and also ensure that Pandey was sent to the correction facility.

Considering the gravity of the matter, the juvenile justice board will be requested to cancel the relief granted to Pandey on medical grounds, Rana said. The police would also ensure Kumaris deposition in the court amidst adequate protection, he added.

In a somewhat similar case in Gaya, 107 kms south of Patna, a physically challenged eyewitness in a murder case was burnt alive at Narawat village in Atari police station area on Tuesday, a day before he was to depose in court.

ALLEGATION Victim girl says she had been receiving threats not to pursue the murder case of her brother

BLURB

Kumaris brother, Siddharth Raj, 13, was shot in August 2015. He had reportedly developed intimacy with a girl  a relationship her brother did not approve of
The groundwork has begun for Prime Minister Narendra Modis historic visit to Israel in July this year with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on a quiet two-day visit to Tel Aviv. Doval left for Israel on February 28 and is expected back on March 3.

The Modi government remains tight-lipped about the NSAs tour, but Doval is understood to have met Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well his counterpart Yosef Cohen who also heads the intelligence agency Mossad. Dovals visit will lay the foundation for Modis visitthe first ever by an Indian prime ministerto celebrate 25 years of diplomatic ties and take the bilateral relationship to a new level. Doval will be followed by Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar in the run-up to Modis visit.

South Block officials told Hindustan Times that Doval is not only expected to finalize the dates of Modis visitthe first week of July appears likelybut also discuss the security and defence agenda for the visit. It is learnt that both sides have exchanged views of regional developments, including those in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, with Tel Aviv worried at the role of Tehran in destabilizing West Asia. The involvement of China-Pakistan-Russia-Iran axis in supporting the Taliban against the Islamic State in the Af-Pak region has also been a cause for concern for both India and Israel as well as the Western powers.

During the visit, Modi is expected to ink a $2.5-billion deal to jointly develop medium-range surface-to-air missiles for the Indian Army. Other projects in the pipeline include third generation Spike anti-tank guided missile systems, Spyder quick reaction surface-to-air missiles as well as the acquisition of two more of the PHALCON Airborne Warning and Control System. India and Israel have institutionalized ties at the security agency level with both sides sharing critical information related to terrorism.

Modis visit will move beyond the security relationship with Israel and into close bilateral cooperation in trade, agriculture and top-end technology. A free trade agreement is also being looked at as a possibility.

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The Supreme Court expressed concern on Friday over farmers suicide due to crop failure and asked the government to come up with a concrete roadmap within three weeks to eliminate the reasons for the agrarian crisis.

A bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar felt the government was working in a wrong direction in tackling the real problem.

This issue is of extreme importance. Paying compensation to the families of such victims post-facto is not the real solution, the bench said.

Farmers take loan from banks and when they are unable to repay, they commit suicide. The remedy to the problem is not to pay money to farmers after the suicide, but you should have schemes to prevent this, the bench said, fixing March 27 to hear a public interest litigation that has drawn the courts attention to the crisis.

Additional solicitor general PS Narasimha, appearing for the Centre, apprised the bench about the schemes the government has initiated, including the 2016 crop insurance scheme.

This would be a game-changer and would drastically reduce such fateful incidents, he submitted, requesting the bench to give him time to file a detailed affidavit.

Narasimha admitted there was a need to strengthen the existing schemes to make farmers feel that the government would stand behind them in distress.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the petitioner  non-profit organisation Citizens Resource and Action and Initiative -- said government policies have existed for long, but have never been implemented effectively.

He suggested the court to constitute a committee of experts who could examine the various studies held on the issue and place quick-fix solutions.
A local court on Thursday summoned yoga guru Ramdev as an accused under Section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for April 29, almost a year after his beheading remark in the district.

Courting controversy, Ramdev had, on April 3 last year, said if not for law, he would have beheaded lakhs of people refusing to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

He was addressing a gathering at the RSS-backed Sadbhawana Rally. The rally was organised to promote peace in a city that had witnessed unprecedented violence during Jat stir and Ramdev was responding to the comment made by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi who had said he will not chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai even if a knife is put to his throat.

A day after he gave the statement, local Congress leader Subhash Batra submitted a complaint to the police to book him for sedition. Batra later moved court, seeking an FIR when the police didnt act. During the hearing on February 27, Supreme Court lawyer RK Anand argued the case from Congress leaders side, when the court had asked for a precedent in such case. During todays hearing, Anand sent Supreme Court judgements as reference after which court of Harish Goyal summoned Ramdev as accused for April 29. He will have to seek bail on the same day, Batras counsel OP Chugh said.

Notably, Ramdev had already been booked under Section 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) in Hyderabad for the same comment made in Rohtak. Earlier, the Congress leader had accused the police for not booking Ramdev as he was appointed as the brand ambassador of Haryana by the BJP government.
Congress president Sonia Gandhis son-in-law Robert Vadra on Friday slammed private banks for announcing fresh charges for cash withdrawals and deposits, saying they were unfair.

Banks are using the governments move towards a cashless economy post-demonetisation, to levy these charges to fatten their bottom lines, he posted on Facebook.

Indias leading private banks said on Wednesday they will charge a minimum of Rs 150 for cash deposits and withdrawals at bank branches after four free transactions in a month, revising charges that were kept in abeyance briefly after the government demonetisation on November 8.

HDFC, ICICI and Axis will calculate the fee  aimed at reducing cash transactions at banks  at the rate of Rs 5 for every Rs 1,000 transacted or Rs 150, whichever is higher.

Vadra said the finance ministry and the Reserve Bank of India should step in to offer relief to the common man and reverse the extra charges.

Who is the sufferer? Of course, the common man. Small-savings & salaried people are easy targets (sic), the businessman said.

Vadra is not a member of any party but he frequently expresses opinions on political matters and current issues. He has often campaigned for his mother-in-law and brother in law Rahul Gandhi during their election campaigns.
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has written a letter to Union minister of defence Manohar Parrikar seeking revival of the Chamar regiment in the Indian Army. This was, as NCSC said, after three veterans from Haryana who were part of the regiment showed up before the commission and requested for its revival.

They are Chunni Lal from Mahendragarh, Jogi Ram from Bhiwani and Dharma Singh from Sonepat  all 95-year-old  and served in the Chamar Regiment from 1943 to 1946.

The Chamar Regiment was officially constituted in 1943 by the Indian British government with Jabalpur as its headquarters. It was, however, disbanded in 1946 due to unforeseen circumstances.

The Commission, in its letter to the ministry of defence, had asked for reasons why the Chamar regiment should not be reinstated when regiments formed on the basis of caste, religion continued to exist.

It is strange that all the other regiments, such as Sikh Regiment, Jat Regiment, Dogra Regiment etc, formed on the basis of caste/religion continue to exist while Chamar Regiment was disbanded, the letter stated.

The Commission further said that they were informed there was no reservation for the scheduled caste in the Army, due to which Dalit boys were not getting commissioned. If Chamar Regiment is restored, Dalit boys will also be able to serve the country.

Commission sought a reply from the ministry of defence within 15 days, asking them to examine all the facts as the matter related to the deprived members of the society.

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Edappadi K. Palanisamy, who took oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister last month, will chair his maiden cabinet meeting at the State Secretariat in Chennai on Friday.

Palanisamy had won the vote of confidence by a steep 122-11 margin after eviction of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) members and walkout by its allies from a chaotic assembly session following a political stalemate in the state.

Palanisamy is the third All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader, who took charge as the Chief Minister in the last nine months.

Late AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa had powered the party to a rare successive term in office in the state in the May, 2016 Assembly Polls. After her demise, Tamil Nadus politics faced a major struggle of power with her aide, V.K. Sasikala and former chief minister O. Panneerselvam vying for the chief ministerial chair.

Sasikalas loyalist Palanisamy eventually ascended to the throne after she was sentenced to serve the rest of her jail term in a 19-year-old disproportionate assets case.
Kansas resident Ian Grillot, who was shot and wounded when he tried to intervene in an attack on two Indian engineers last month, has been invited to visit India by the government.

The invitation was conveyed to Grillot by Anupam Ray, Indias consul general in Houston, during a meeting at the University of Kansas Hospital on Thursday. At the meeting, Ray read out a tweet from external affairs minister Swaraj.

India salutes the heroism of Ian Grillot ! Best wishes for a speedy recovery.  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 27, 2017

Ray, who was accompanied by consul RD Joshi and vice consul Harpal Singh, told 24-year-old Grillot his bravery and kindness speaks louder for and is more representative of America than the violence on the night that Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot and killed in Olathe city of Kansas state.

The diplomats also told Grillot and his family how grateful they were for his act of heroism the night of the shootings at Austins Bar & Grill on February 22, according to a statement from the University of Kansas Health System.

Grillot and his family were invited to India as soon as Grillot is able to travel, Ray said. Grillot replied he looked forward to meeting Swaraj.

Ray said, on behalf of India, they would celebrate Grillot and forever remember his actions.

Grillot was discharged from the hospital late on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he went to church and then stopped by Austins Bar & Grill for closure.

He and his family came to the hospital on Thursday to meet the Indian diplomats.

Kuchibhotla was killed and his colleague, Alok Madasani, was injured when US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at them at the bar after shouting get out of my country. Grillot was hit in the chest by a bullet when he tried to tackle Purinton, who was later arrested in adjoining Missouri state.

In his first interview after the shooting with Hindustan Times, Grillot had said he plans to visit India, a country that has long interested him.

Its the one place I always found very interesting growing up as a kid  the heritage and the culture. Ive always wanted to take a journey there. I think Ive found myself a good reason to go there now. So Id definitely have to be making a trip there sometime in the near future, he said.

Read our continuing coverage of the Kansas Shooting.

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Punjab University (PU) bristled with tension on Friday as ABVP members assembled at the campus to foil a seminar on fascism scheduled to be addressed by activist Seema Azad.

The district administration deployed police personnel at the three gates of the varsity apprehending trouble with the right-wing ABVP warning the organisers, the Students for Society (SFS), against inviting Azad to the seminar.

PU has denied permission to the SFS for holding the seminar  titled Rising head of Fascism  but the society leaders said they will go ahead despite the risk.

The developments at PU came days after ABVP members allegedly attacked activists of left-leaning students groups at Ramjas College over inviting JNU student Umar Khalid to a seminar, re-igniting a debate on free speech and nationalism.

Sources said the ABVP members who have assembled at the PU campus are not associated with the university.

On Thursday, ABVP leaders had warned of using swords or lathis if SFS invited Seema Azad to the campus.

ABVP and SFS members had clashed in the university campus on February 27 over the violence at Ramjas College.

PUs Dean of students welfare Emanuel Nahar had said that the institution was not a political platform, where students can hold any such programmes or seminars.

What if the speakers say something anti-national? We will be in a difficult situation, the dean had said.
The Hyderabad police on Friday arrested two persons, including a newly-recruited constable, for allegedly molesting a 20-year old woman inside a cab which she took to go to Guntur on National Highway 65.

According to Rachakonda police commissioner Mahesh Bhagawat, the woman, who works as a hair stylist at Madhapur, was waiting for a bus at L B Nagar crossing in the city early on Thursday to go to her native place Guntur.

Immanuel, who was recruited as a constable recently and hails from Neredmet, and his friend Venu, a jobless youth from Nagole, approached her in a cab. Venu, who was driving, said he was looking for passengers to Guntur and promised to drop her safely for a low rate.

Since Immanuel was sitting in the passengers seat in civilian clothes, the woman, who travels regularly in cabs, thought he was another traveller, and unsuspectingly got into the back seat alone.

After about 45 km on the national highway, after having crossed Choutuppal town in Nalgonda district, one of them got into the back seat and started molesting her. She shouted loudly but there was none to listen to her as the windows were closed and there was hardly any traffic on the highway.

However, within minutes, the cab reached the toll gate at Panthangi village, where the woman banged the door from inside raising an alarm. Immediately, people in the area approached the cab and tried to apprehend the accused, but they pushed her out of the car, took a U-turn and fled towards Hyderabad.

With the help of locals, the woman alerted the Choutuppal police and gave the registration number of the cab. And they, in turn, brought to the notice of the Rachakonda police. A special operations team swung into action and arrested Venu and Immanuel from two different places in the city, Bhagawat said.

As the woman had to go to Guntur for important work, police sent an escort with her to Guntur.

In an advice to women, Bhagawat said almost all cabs in the city are registered with the police and have stickers provided by the police. The passengers, especially women, should take a picture of this sticker and forward the same to their relatives, in case of emergency.

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A man was hacked to death and his body cut to pieces for allegedly stealing toddy in Bihars Vaishali district, 15km from Patna.

Police said Madai Majhi, 45, had been stealthily drinking toddy from palm trees in his neighbourhood for the last many days. Ranjit Paswan, whose campus housed the toddy trees, caught hold of Majhi, a Mahadalit, and reportedly hacked him to death.

Majhis mutilated body, with head and limbs severed, was found lying in a pool of blood by women grazers at Balwakauri village.

Police said Paswan was apparently annoyed over theft of toddy, which had been fetching him good money ever since the ban on its sale and consumption was lifted in dry Bihar last July.

It seems as if Paswan lay in wait for the thief at his grove of palm trees. An unsuspecting Majhi climbed one of the trees and removed the pot in which toddy was being collected. While he was taking away the toddy pot, Paswan could have caught hold of Majhi and killed him with a sickle, the police said.

Police said Paswan was absconding and raids were being carried out to apprehend him.
After sunset there is hectic activity in Mohabbatpur village in Malda district near the Indo-Bangladesh border, around 330 kms from Kolkata. Neatly wrapped brick-sized packets are lobbed from the Bangladesh side across the border fence. A young man waiting in the shadows catches those.

After a quick phone call, the youth jumps on his motorbike and carries the packet for about a kilometre before handing it to another person, who in turn, carries it forward like a relay race.

The notes found in Malda had a number of security features compromised (most security features had been copied). They were also printed on Bangladesh stamp paper. It is difficult for the common man to spot the notes as fake,

Within 30 minutes the packet reaches Farakka railway station. It can reach the Kaliachak bus stand on National Highway 34 in even less time. Within 24 hours the packet reaches various parts of the country including Delhi. It contains counterfeit high value Indian currency.

Within 100 days of demonetisation, Bengals Malda district, known for its mangoes, has become the prime entry point of fake currency of new notes into India. The National Investigation Agency and the Border Security Force have indicated that printing bases for fake notes have been established in Bangladesh. Until now, most fake notes used to come from Pakistan.

BSF officers point out that unlike the ones seized from other parts of the country, the ones found in Malda were not mere colour photocopies, but counterfeits printed in proper presses.

According to sources, as many as 10 out of 17 security features of a Rs 2000 note have been copied in the FICN, including the design, colour pattern, number pattern, see through water mark, portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, Swachh Bharat logo and slogan and motif of Mangalayan.

Out of the six seizures in Malda till February 28, the biggest one was on February 15 when BSF seized a consignment of 100 notes of Rs 2,000.

Security agencies have arrested a total of five men in the drive against fake currency in Malda.

Why Malda?

The notes found in Malda had a number of security features compromised (most security features had been copied). They were also printed on Bangladesh stamp paper. It is difficult for the common man to spot the notes as fake, said P S R Anjaneyulu, BSF inspector general of police (South Bengal).

We are co-ordinating with state police and NIA to fight against the menace of fake notes in Malda. We are also getting full co-operation from the Bangladesh government, he added.

RBI estimates about 80% of the total counterfeit notes seized in the country enter through three Indo-Bangladesh border districts of Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia. Malda accounts for 80% of that amount .

Good rail and road connectivity with the rest of the country, proximity to the Bangladesh border, rising fundamentalism --- all make a heady mix to put this district of Bengal as the FICN (fake Indian currency notes) capital of the country.

On the other side of the border is Chapai-Nawabgunj, a district of Bangladesh which is equally notorious as FICN hub. NIA and BSF officers say the Bangladeshi district was earlier a launch pad to push fake currency from Pakistan into India.

Malda, a gateway of fake currencies 80% of fake notes is pumped into India through Indo-Bangladesh border from three districts of Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia in Bengal. Malda accounts for 80% of the fake currency which enters through West Bengal. of fake notes is pumped into India through Indo-Bangladesh border from three districts of Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia in Bengal. Malda accounts for 80% of the fake currency which enters through West Bengal.

Now since we have found counterfeit Indian currency printed on Bangladesh stamp paper, we have information that fake currency printing units have mushroomed in Chapai-Nawabgunj, said a senior BSF officer.

Malda has direct rail links with Delhi, southern states and Bihar and UP. It takes about 30 minutes to get into rail or take a road transport and head for various parts of the country. Crossing the Ganga it is also an easy way to reach Jharkhand quickly.

The Reserve Bank of India estimates that about 80% of the total counterfeit notes seized in the country enter through three Indo-Bangladesh border districts of Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia. Malda accounts for 80% of that amount that are pushed from these three districts.

Isha Khan Choudhury is now a Congress MLA from Sujapur, one of the places that act as a conduit for fake currency in Malda.

A sizeable section of people (from Malda) migrate to Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Gujarat for work. But family members prefer a youth to stay in the village and earn some quick money by working as a courier.

This is the situation for years. The kingpins are seldom arrested, but the couriers, who are mostly poor youths, are put behind bars. There is need of political will of the ruling party which controls the police. Opium farming, gun running and fake notes are controlled by a few crime kingpins, Choudhury told HT.

With 51.27% of Muslim population, Malda is one of the three Muslim majority districts of Bengal. Most of the people work outside the state.

A sizeable section of people migrate to Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Gujarat for work. But family members prefer a youth to stay in the village and earn some quick money by working as a courier. There are villages under Baishnabnagar and Kaliachak police stations where the majority of the population, mainly youths, act as couriers of FICN. The ruling partys policy of appeasing minorities has led to the growth of the menace here. said Swadhin Sarkar BJP MLA who won from Baishnabnagar seat in 2016.

On January 3, 2016, a mob of protesters torched BSF and government vehicles and vandalized the police station in Kaliachak. The police later found out that fake currency racketeers had an active part in the vandalism and they set the record room of the police station on fire.

Modus operandi

A well-oiled machinery props up the couriers who deliver the FICN. A group of youths receive the money thrown from the other side of the border. Another group of youths divide the money in small consignments and courier it.

One courier covers around a km before he passes it on to another. Each one makes around Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 for one trip, which is good money considering they are poor people. Bigger consignments are divided into smaller parts of Rs 2 to 3 lakh, so that if one gets caught others are delivered and profit is made, said an NIA officer.

FICN dealers operate on both sides of the border. The rate for buying fake currency before demonetisation was Rs 40,000 for a wad of Rs 1 lakh face value.

But the rates have risen since the new batch of fake currency has started to hit the market. Now Rs 1 lakh of FICN is sold for Rs 60,000 to 70,000.

The almost real fake notes of Rs 2000

Printing fake Rs 2000 note is driven by economics. It fetches more profit, said a senior BSF officer posted in Malda.

There is also a psychological angle. The Rs 2000 is a new concept and people are less skeptical about fakes. Many think that it is difficult to copy Rs 2000 notes.

According to BSF Bangladesh Government stamp paper is now being used to print fake notes of Rs 2,000. The paper is of good quality for printing fakes, since it allows colours, design and some security features to fit properly. The paper also lasts long in circulation.

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A proposed ecologically sensitive no mining zone in the Western Ghats, a green hotspot, would shrink to around 56,825 square kilometers, down from around 77,000 sq kms recommended by a high level panel.

A draft notification by the environment ministry this week allows the ongoing mining for the next five years and development of small residential complexes within the proposed ecological area, which will be 20% less than what the expert panel had recommended.

All new and expansion projects of building and construction with built up area of 20,000 square metres and above and all new and expansion townships and area development projects with an area of 50 hectares and above or with built up area of 1,50,000 square metres and above shall be prohibited and there shall be no restriction on repair or extension or renovation of existing residential houses in the eco-sensitive area, the draft rule says.

The high level panel headed by former planning commission member K Kasturirangan had recommended a complete ban on mining and zero tolerance towards construction activity in the Western Ghats, considered as one of the worlds best ecological hotspots.

The rule also provides life-line to the existing highly polluting industries categorised as red by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and existing thermal power plants, saying their expansion will not be allowed. However, new red category industries and thermal power plants will not be allowed in the zone spread across six states on the western coastline of India, the rule says.

The dilution has been done to appease the state governments which had opposed the recommendations of the Kasturirangan panel in 2013.

The proposed rule also accepts the demand of the state governments to allow hydro-power projects in the ecologically sensitive area with a condition of maintaining 30% water flow during lean (summer) season.

Karnataka and Maharashtra had proposed hundreds of small hydro power projects in the Western Ghats which environment experts say could have adverse impact on local marine population. The rule asks the states to conduct a comprehensive study to establish a baseline for each hydro power project.

The eco sensitive zone in the Western Ghats is important to ensure living space for highly unexplored animal and plant species. Around 80 new species of frogs, 30 of fresh water marine and several plants have been discovered there in the last decade. Many more are to be discovered in the vast space of 1,60,000 sq kms, said Madhav Gadgil, who headed the first panel on the Western Ghats constituted by the UPA government.

The rule will be notified once people submit their response within next 90 days.

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It remains uncertain whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be travelling to Palestine when he goes to Israel, possibly in June.

If Modi doesnt travel to Palestine it will be a break from the past; senior leaders who have so far travelled to the region have had both Israel and Palestine in their itinerary.

The last two high-profile visits to the region under Modis premiership  President Pranab Mukherjee in October 2015 and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in January 2016  had visited the two countries.

Mukherjee even became the first Indian president to visit Israel on his trip.

According to sources, the visit to Israel as a stand-alone one will be more befitting to mark the 25th year of the two countries diplomatic ties.

Read | PM Modi has done more foreign trips in 2 years than Vajpayee did in 5

Meanwhile, there is also a possibility of India hosting Palestine president Mahmoud Abbas before Modi visits Israel. But a source said the visit has not been locked yet.

Indian officials have been insisting that there is no change in the countrys position on the Palestine question; it was the Modi government which hosted the first ever India-Palestine joint commission, and New Delhi believes in two-state solution to the conflict.

Though India remains wary of how the Arab world will see its ties with Israel, the Modi government has been more open about its ties with the Jewish state.

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The ministry of electronics and information technology is in the final stages of crafting a women-special startup programme in the information technology space.

To be launched in ten cities by April 1, the initiative would aim at providing dedicated incubators, mentors and venture funds for aspiring women entrepreneurs.

In talks with top industry bodies like Nasscom and Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), the ministry would partner with top information technology companies Facebook, Google, Sysco, Intel and others, the MoEIT secretary Aruna Sundarajan has said.

The ministry contends that the aspiring women entrepreneurs planning startup ventures face a lot of barriers in terms of support and resources.

When it comes to facilitation for women entrepreneurs, incubators are hardly industry friendly, and therefore ministry is trying to reorient them so that they will able to reach out to women with women orientation in their working, Sundarajan said on the sidelines of Facebooks She Means Business event in New Delhi on Wednesday .

We are starting a separate programme to open up more space for the women in technology, young talented people where they will find the support groups, access the resources. We will roll it out before April 1, she said.

We plan to partner with Facebook, Google, Sysco, Intel and others to specifically see how women and their livelihood programmes can be bettered through. Each one of these companies has their platforms and we will see how we can be bundled as part of this, Sundarajan said.

The proposed plan, which the IT secretary said, will be launched in 10 cities including all metros and non-metros such as Pune, Jaipur and others, would have dedicated start-up incubator for women entrepreneurs.

As current start up incubators are very women unfriendly, and they dont feel comfortable here. Most of the incubators are in IITs or in engineering colleges, but we want to design special spaces for women, she said.

The programs also proposes to have dedicated venture fund for women where they will get people on the board who are more receptive and understand the kind of unique value the women bring to the table, Sundarajan said.
Justifying why he got removed a chapter on Akbar replacing it with the heroics of Maharana Pratap, Rajasthan education minister Vasudev Devnani Friday reiterated that it was the Rajput ruler of Mewar who had emerged victorious in the battle of Haldighati against the Mughal emperor.

There could be no doubt that Maharana Pratap won the battle of Haldighati. If Akbar had won the battle, then why would he attack Mewar six times even after that? Does a winner need to do that?, asked Devnani.

He was speaking at the launch of the latest edition of Pathay Kan, a fortnightly magazine with known leanings towards RSS ideology. The cover story of the March issue of the magazine is on the battle of Haldighati fought in 1576 where the existing narrative on the outcome has been altered. The story details Maharana Pratap defeated Mughal emperor Akbar the very first time their forces clashed.

A BJP MLA, Mohanlal Gupta, had last month proposed at Rajasthan Universitys syndicate to rewrite the history of the battle of Haldighati in Maharana Prataps favour. State health minister Kali Charan Saraf was first to support the move saying there was an immediate need to change the distorted version of history that was being taught to the students. Later,Devnani too had come out in Guptas support.

Students need to learn about nationalism and the heroics of historical figures such as Maharana Pratap. Akbar is considered as great but we also speak of Maharana Pratap as a great man. It is obvious that only one of them could be great. That is why after becoming education minister, I removed the chapter on Akbars greatness and included the one on the heroics of Maharana Pratap, Devnani said after launching the magazines latest edition.

The minister also reiterated that a chapter on Emergency would soon be added in the textbook for class 10 students. In the new class 10 book, I have included a chapter on the Emergency. It is to make children understand how freedom was curtailed during the period and people fought bravely for their freedom, said Devnani.

In an apparent dig at Congress, Devnani said, When I was a child, I read in text books that the fight for independence started in 1885. There was no mention of the war of 1857. This is because a political party was formed in the year (1885) by a British. said Devnani, alluding to the Congress.

The minister said that an ideological battle was currently on between the nationalist and the anti-national forces. This battle will only end when nationalists ensure complete victory, said Devnani.

He also spoke in the favour of changing the name of Akbar museum and fort in Ajmer to Ajmer fort.

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Soon, patients dying or suffering at private hospitals and nursing homes in Bengal because of negligence or bad management will have to be financially compensated. And, health establishments will face penal action, ranging from criminal proceedings to cancellation of licence, if found guilty of negligence and extortion.

Taking a major step towards bringing private hospitals, nursing homes, maternity homes et al under strict government surveillance, the Bengal government placed the West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Bill, 2017 at the Assembly on Friday and got it passed after a brief debate. This bill will become the national model some day. I had no intention to interfere in the business of private hospitals. But enough is enough. I couldnt have taken this step without public support, chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also in charge of the health department, said in her long reply to the debate.

Surprising the House, Banerjee said similar regulations would soon be introduced to stop private schools, colleges and universities from charging excessive fee and donation from students. Educating our children and youth should be their only priority but I keep getting complaints, she said, adding that she would meet heads of educational institutions after state and central board examinations are over.

The 25-page bill has introduced severe penalty - ranging from monetary compensation to proceedings under the Indian Penal Code and seizure of property - if patients suffer or die because of negligence or bad management or, forced to pay inflated bills. Doctors and staff at state-run hospitals face action when they are at fault. The same should apply to their counterparts in private hospitals. If these institutions ask doctors to violate medical ethics they should put in their papers and join government hospitals, said Banerjee.

It is logical that the clinical establishments would levy fees and charges for the services. But such charges should be reasonable with the objective of covering the cost of provision of services besides generating a decent surplus. The government is of the view that health care services is not a commercial proposition; it is a service or seva which should be delivered to service recipients with humility and human touch. Life is precious and there can be no monetary value attached to human health, says the bill.

The commission will be headed by an acting or former high court judge or acting or former chief secretary. Citizens will also have representatives among 12 other members. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT Photo)

While meeting CEOs of Kolkatas top private hospitals two weeks ago, Banerjee had promised that she would introduce a new bill and set up a regulatory body. The move was welcomed by millions across the state. On Friday, she mentioned in the House specific cases of negligence and extortion by private institutions and named Apollo Hospital in Kolkata several times in her speech. When I was admitted at a nursing home, an MRI test showed my appendix though it had been removed years ago. I was shocked, she said, refusing to name the establishment.

The existing West Bengal Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, which was introduced by the erstwhile Left Front government would be repealed. Your law stood neither here nor there. It was useless, Banerjee told CPI(M) legislators who claimed that the new bill was nothing but a rehashed version of the old one.

The most salient feature of the new bill is formation of the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission which will not only work as the watchdog body but will also address complaints from patients and order action against private institutions. Significantly, the bill says that the commissions orders cannot be challenged in any civil court. This is being done to establish accountability and transparency, to stop hospitals from shifting patients to ICU, ICCU and ventilation rooms purely to inflate bills. They have stopped treating patients as humans. The line is now being drawn, said Banerjee.

The commission will be headed by an acting or former high court judge or acting or former chief secretary. Citizens will also have representatives among 12 other members. The commission has been given the power to slap fine of up to Rs 50 lakh if charges of negligence or malpractice are proved.

The bill has proposed compensation of at least Rs 10 lakh in case of deaths caused by negligence, Rs 5 lakh for major injury and Rs 3 lakh for not-so-severe injury.

No private establishment will be allowed to refuse treatment to victims of rape, acid attack accident and natural disaster, says the bill. Also, in cases like these, hospitals cannot ask for money during admission. The bill also states that treatment cannot be stopped if patients run out of money and in cases like these hospitals will have to bear the cost of life-saving drugs.

For diagnosed patients, hospitals will have to provide fixed monetary packages for treatment of specific disease or an operation and cannot charge more than what has been promised in the package. I know that treatment cant come free. But there has to some logic. Bills for pathological tests cannot run into lakhs. Hospitals will have to set up grievance cells to tackle complaints, said Banerjee.

Interestingly, Rupali Basu, CEO of Apollo Hospital, one of the states biggest private establishments that is facing probe following the death of a patient, resigned on Thursday. The victim, 32-year-old Sanjay Roy, died at SSKM hospital on February 23 shortly after he was shifted there from Apollo where his family was forced to keep property deeds and fixed deposit certificates as security since they had no more money. The family alleged that Roy died because of the delay in his release. Doctors at Apollo have informed me that their CEO has resigned. Alls well that ends well, said the chief minister, mentioning the death of Roy and alleging that another patient at Apollo was charged Rs 24,000 for a drug that retails for Rs 10,000.

The governments new bill also states that hospitals cannot stop dead bodies from being released under any circumstance. I vividly remember how the body of an actor was not given to the family. I had to intervene, said the chief minister.

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A woman lodged a police complaint against fast food chain McDonalds after allegedly finding a lizard in her food at an outlet in Kolkata, police said on Friday.

Priyanka Moitra, a resident of Kolkata, visited the outlet on Eastern Metropolitan bypass with her daughter and ordered French fries only to find the lizard in her snack, deep fried at that.

Moitra lodged a complaint on February 28 as she and her daughter allegedly found a dead lizard in their packet of French fries at the MacDonalds outlet in an E.M. bypass-based shopping mall here. She also gave a picture of the contaminated food item, an officer from Phoolbagan police station said.

The woman, who is pregnant, fell ill at the sight of the lizard and also became concerned about the health of her daughter who accompanied her, police added.

The American fast-food giant responded to the complaint, saying it would look into the matter.

(We are) taking (the) situation seriously; launched a thorough investigation immediately upon being aware of complaint, McDonalds said, according to ANI.
On the eve of 2011 Assembly polls - the most crucial election Bengal witnessed since 1977 when Marxists overthrew the Congress and settled down for 34 years - social networking sites became an integral part of campaign for both Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M).

Six years later, the same social media is turning out to be a bane for not only the arch enemies but even the administration headed by chief minister Mamata Banerjee. And, everybody is blaming trolls, religious propaganda groups, tech-savvy pranksters and individuals eager to vent anger.

Read: Social media  the other battleground for political parties

Witnessing a sharp rise in communally sensitive and politically motivated posts on Facebook and Twitter during and after some violent incidents at Kaliachak (Malda) and Golabari (Howrah) and Bhangar (South 24 Parganas), the government has decided to take counter-measures. The state police already has a cyber security cell. It will be strengthened to focus more on social media, director general of police, Surajit Kar Purakayastha, told HT.

Our party is also aware of the mischief being played by CPI(M) and BJP workers who want to malign the government. This has to be countered, said a senior Trinamool leader. Incidentally, after Trinamool came to power, Ambikesh Mahapatra, a Jadavpur University professor, was the first to be arrested under cyber crime law for sharing a cartoon of Banerjee.

In May 2016 the Facebook users in India stood at 195.16 million, the highest in the world. (HT Photo)

Posts on Facebook - more popular in India than Twitter - are troubling politicians on both sides of the divide. Though Banerjee receives mostly compliments from fans posting on her timeline, there are pages managed by individuals or groups where she is attacked. CPI(M) leaders, including general secretary, Sitaram Yechury, are however not lucky enough to be spared by trolls even on their own Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Read: How AAP uses social media to dominate political discourse outside Parliament

Interestingly, trolling in Bengal started much before Singur and Nandigram changed the political status quo. Orkut became the first cyber platform for Marxist leaders as well as Banerjee with their supporters running numerous fan clubs. One of them opened an account masquerading as the then chief minister, furnishing information about the real Buddhadeb Bhattacharjees personal life and family. The CPI(M) had a tough time tracking him down. Left Front chairman Biman Bose, too, found his clone on Facebook in 2010. Posing as Bose, an over-enthusiastic supporter accepted hundreds of friend requests.

But the recent controversial posts on CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP, Ritabrata Banerjee, is forcing the party to draft social media guidelines for members. On February 23, Banerjee was censured at a meeting in Kolkata for writing a threat mail to the employer of a party supporter who raised questions on Facebook about the source of the MPs Apple watch and Monc Blanc pen. In his defence, Banerjee told the leadership that he was being stalked and showed Facebook posts as evidence.

Read: If you are on social media, you should be prepared for abuse: Amitabh Bachchan

Realising that face-offs on social media is affecting discipline in the cadre-based organisation, the CPI(M) has decided to frame rules and ban selfies taken purely for self-publicity.

If someone has specific complaint against a leader, no matter how highly-placed, he or she cannot vent it on social media. People have to come to the party which deals with such complaints, said Yechury.

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Trinamool Congress stated that Bengal BJP is highlighting non-issues to target its leaders after the latter drew a flak trying to corner Derek OBrien. After the arrest of its leader Juhi Choudhury, Bengal BJP is also unsuccessful in targeting Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek OBrien over morphed picture issue.

Tit-for-tat moves in Bengal politics, came thick and fast on March 1 after BJP womens wing leader Juhi Chowdhurys arrest on the night of February 28 with BJP leaders moving court against Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O Brien. BJP targeted OBrien for alleged morphing a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and showing it in a press conference before the Bengal assembly elections last year.

However, later court turned their appeal down and asked them to approach appropriate authority.

The issue was a closed chapter ten months ago but BJP is so desperate in Bengal that they are looking for non-issues. Not surprised that it (appeal in court) was summarily not even admitted. Simply thrown out, said Sukhendu Sekhar Roy Trinamool Congress chief whip Rajya Sabha.

The political waters of Bengal turned murky on Tuesday with prime accused in the child trafficking case, Chandana Chakravarty, alleging to the media that Juhi Chowdhury spoke to BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly to lobby for the Bimala Sishu Griho, the welfare home in the eye of the storm.

We will approach the Calcutta High Court in due time. Our party leader had filed a case in Bankshal court against Trinamool Congress Rajya MP for morphing a picture of the Prime minister and union home minister Rajnath Singh. Earlier we lodged a complaint with Kolkata police but they have failed to act so far. We are compelled to move court. But the appeal was turned down, said Jay Prakash Majumder , vice president state BJP. who appealed to the court.

On March 1, Jay Prakash Majumder filed a petition with the chief metropolitan magistrate, Bankshal court against O Brien.

On April 23 last year, OBrien addressed a press conference in which he showed four photographs, including one that showed union home minister Rajnath Singh offering a laddoo to former CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat.

It prompted Karat to lodge a police complaint in Delhi, whereas BJP lodged a complaint with Kolkata police.

The entire controversy comes against the bigger backdrop of worsening relations between Trinamool Congress and BJP. Mamata Banerjee has alleged that TMC MPs Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Tapas Paul was arrested by CBI purely as an act of political vendetta in connection with the Rose Valley chit fund scam.

In the next few days, complaints poured in from different areas in the state and police registered FIRs against BJP leaders and MPs including Babul Supriyo, Dilip Ghosh and Kailash Vijayvargiya.
In 2015, Cameron Perry came to India as a backpacking tourist. I met a child in Dharamsala. He was running a street-side store but spoke fluent English. I easily struck a conversation with him. His smile made me keep talking. I asked him what he wants to do when he grows up. He said: I want to be a nurse, shares Cameron, who  having been a nurse himself  was touched by the childs simplicity and honest urge to make progress from his current state of living.

That was when I decided to come back to India and do something for the kids here, adds the 25-year-old, whos back in the country. But this time around, three friends Scott Grills, Ben Butcher and Taylor Hogan have come along. The quartet will start a nation-wide journey on their motorbikes  for a campaign called, Ride for Rights  An Indian Odyssey. They will start from Delhi on March 4, and return after visiting places such as Mumbai, Goa, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Leh.

Its our effort to understand the lives of children in India, document their stories and the issues they face. We want to understand their lives better and bring about a change, says Scott, who started volunteering for such work at a very young age.

Taylor adds, We decided to embark on this journey to ensure that the kids can create and chase their dreams. We want to give hope to every child and empower them. To raise funds for the same, and give people an opportunity to donate for children, we have associated with the NGO CRY (Child Rights and You).

Besides documenting the lives and hardships of the children, they will also film their own journey. India is a culturally rich and diverse place. So we will capture our experiences during the ride through a documentary, says Ben, a freelance photographer and filmmaker. Documentaries have the capability to be uncontrollably violent. A lot of documentaries start from a negative aspect. We will focus on the emotional aspects and make our film a positive one... to give hope to the children we meet and mentor, adds Ben, 21.

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Kuttram 23

Director: Arivazhagan

Cast: Arun Vijay, Mahima Nambiar, Thambi Ramaiah, Vamsi Krishna, Aishwarya

Rating: 4/5



Arun Vijay plays Sherlock Holmes and Thambi Ramaiah his Dr Watson in director Arivazhagans gripping murder mystery, Kuttram 23 (Crime Number 23) that despite tackling a whole lot of issues, like uncontrollable male ego, blackmail and unethical medical practice, remains firmly grounded and believable.

Essaying a cop, Vetrimaaran, Vijay is asked to probe the strange death of Jessica, the wife of a leading television channel owner. She is found dead along with a church priest one night. In fact, the film begins on an eerie night outside a deserted church where we see Jessica getting off a fancy car and walking up to the priest for confession. No sooner had she confessed than the priest is murdered, and a panicky Jessica tries to flee.

Coincidentally, the first to walk into the scene of the crime is Thendral (a beautiful Mahima Nambiar), who becomes the obvious first reference of police investigation, with Vetrimaaran soon swooning over her.

But I must give it to the director, who steers his work from needless romantic distractions with just about one song, and enriches his work with taut editing (by Bhuvan Srinivasan) to get Kuttram 23 on a much higher plane than most other Tamil movies. With fantastic intercuts and minimal background score (what a relief), Kuttram 23 (referring to the 23 male chromosomes that help a woman conceive a child) may be seen as a powerful indictment of criminal methods used in the medical practice of artificial insemination.

The film flies higher with some memorable performances. Vijay is extraordinarily controlled when he could have gone overboard in a role that provided all the excuses for him to do so. Even in some of the most charged sequences, the actor maintains a certain dignified presence that is hard to come by in Tamil cinema. And even Ramaiah offers a toned down version of his usual self and what a welcome change this is. Though Nambiar has no meaty role, she engages us with her dilemma  which swings between extreme fear (watch that scene where she shuts herself in her flat with the killers prowling outside) and anger at having been sucked into a crime she has no clue about. Or role to play.

Yes, there are a few minuses like Arivazhagans tendency to play to the gallery by turning his cop into a superman. Look at his bravado when he walks into every conflict point without his men. No top policeman will do this unless he has this irresistible urge to commit suicide. And Vetrimaraan does not even use his firearm. He relies on his bare fists!

In spite of these weaknesses, I would still go with four stars, because Kuttram 23 is brilliantly scripted and directed  and of course ably acted out by especially Vijay.

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As many as 32 of the 72 dance bars that had applied for fresh licences have failed to comply with the conditions imposed by the police, who may now turn down their requests.

These bars have not complied with all the 26 (modified) guidelines imposed in the licence. Some have failed to follow conditions such as maintaining a five-foot distance between customers and performance area, while others have not installed CCTV cameras at the entrances, sources in the Mumbai police said.

In December 2015, the Supreme Court ordered that licences to dance bars must be cleared. Following this, the state government came out with 26 conditions to regulate the functioning of these bars. These included sharing a live feed of the dancing area with the local police station, a ban on serving alcohol in the dancing area and closing the bar at 11.30 pm.

The police issued an order, asking senior police inspectors to conduct an audit of the bars that had applied for licences  under their respective jurisdictions  and verify whether they had followed the conditions. Licences were to be allotted only if the local police issued a positive compliance report.

The auditing procedure met with controversy after it was found that four police officers from as many police stations had prepared false compliance reports. These men  three inspectors and an assistant police inspector (API)  were suspended by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Bar owners challenged the tough conditions, following which the Apex Court struck down conditions such as the ban on serving alcohol in dancing area and sharing live CCTV camera footage, while relaxing some others. In March, three dance bars were issued licenses after they fulfilled those conditions. The order prompted a flood of applications for licences. In the meantime, the state government came out with a special legislation  Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Hotels, Restaurants and Bar Rooms and Protection of Dignity of Women (working therein) Act  making the conditions tougher.

In November last year, the Supreme Court asked the state to consider granting licences to applicants that were at par with the three licenced dance bars.

Following this, the police received 72 applications by February. They are in the process of inspecting the applicants premises. The dance bars will have to comply with the modified guidelines. If they dont, they will not be considered while we are granting licences, said a senior official from the licensing branch of Mumbai police, who did not wish to be identified.

The counsel for the dance bar owners association in the Supreme Court, advocate Satyajit Shah, told HT that the petition challenging the 2005 ban on dance bars, which was scheduled to be heard on Thursday, will be heard on April 20.

Read

Fire safety nod a must for dance bars to get licence: Mumbai police

Despite demonetisation, Mumbai police get 64 applications for new dance bar licences

Issue licences to dance bars as per old rules: SC to Maharashtra govt

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Underworld don Arun Gawlis daughter Geeta, who won the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections from Byculla, has now decided to back the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the civic body. She will head to Konkan Bhavan on Friday to register her support for the party.

Geetas announcement came after she held a late-night meeting with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at his residence, Varsha, in south Mumbai. Sources said the BJP promised to make Geeta  who was elected from ward 212  a member of the prestigious standing committee.

This move comes as the setback to the Shiv Sena, which was aggressively wooing Geeta. With 84 corporators in its ranks, the party has garnered the support of four independents.

In her previous two terms, Geeta had supported the Shiv Sena in the civic body. In return, she was made the chairman of the health committee and also accommodated in the standing committee.

On Thursday, Geeta went to Sena Bhavan to meet party chief Uddhav Thackeray. As he was not present, she spoke to Shiv Sena leaders Eknath Shinde and Anil Desai, who promised to make her a membership of various committees, and give her additional funds for her ward. However, Geeta allegedly insisted on becoming a member of the standing committee. She left without making a commitment to the party.

Her decision comes as boost to the BJP in its numbers game against the Shiv Sena.

Geetas party, the Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS), contested 30 seats, but was able win just one. Geetas aunt Vandana, who has been a corporator for the past 10 years, was also defeated.

Arun Gawli, who founded the ABS in 1997, worked hard for the residents of his ward. This earned him goodwill among Byculla residents, who elected him to the Maharashtra assembly in 2004. However, his luck ran out when he was arrested in 2008 for the murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar. He is currently serving a life term in Nagpur Jail.

Read

BMC polls: Arun Gawlis party Akhil Bharatiya Sena faces turf challenge

Geeta Gawlis party withdraws support to Sena in BMC

Arun Gawlis daughter to fight polls, keep his party alive

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Eminent progressive thinker and Ambedkarite Dr Krishna Kirwale, 62, was stabbed to death in his house near Shivaji Vidyapeeth in Kolhapur on Friday. The police have arrested a suspect in this connection. They suspect the murder might be the fall-out of a financial dispute.

Senior police arrested Pritam Patil hours after the murder. The Kolhapur police said Patil is a resident of the city, but refused to divulge any details.

Sources in the Kolhapur police said the suspect had worked as a carpenter at Kirwales house a few days ago. The suspect reportedly fought with him over payment, the police said.

The police are recording statements of his family members and a post-mortem will be conducted on Kirwales body.

Additional police force has been deployed in a few parts of Kolhapur as Kirwale was respected among the followers of Dr BR Ambedkar. Born in May 1954 in the Beed district of Marathwada, Kirwale completed his PhD from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in 1987.

He retired as head of department of Marathi at Shivaji Vidhyapeeth a few months ago.

Known for his progressive thoughts, he was chief of the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Centre for Research and Development. Kirwale authored a special dictionary on words used by Dr Ambedkar in his writings and speeches. Popular among students, Kirwale was known for is study on progressive movements and Dalit literature in Maharashtra. He has written several books and wrote often for newspapers.

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A day after images of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams Marathi paper were leaked on social media minutes before it was handed out to examinees, the Maharashtra state board on Friday submitted a complaint with the Vashi police station but hasnt taken any step to beef up security for the upcoming exams. It has ruled out a re-exam saying that the students were inside the exam hall when the images were released.

Officials from the Mumbai divisional board, which includes Thane, Palghar and Raigad, approached the police on Friday evening, to complain against the question paper being leaked on social networking app WhatsApp. The images received by the board show that students received the pictures at 10.46 am, minutes before the exam paper has handed out to them at 10:50 am. We have filed a complaint with the police and submitted all the images that we received, said Dattatray Jagtap, divisional chairperson of the board.

The police said they have received an application from the board but no FIR has been registered till now. The board officials have submitted a complaint. So we will do an inquiry and then register a case accordingly, said Sanjay Chavan, sub-inspector, Vashi police station.

Although the board suspects that the images were taken at an exam centre, it is unclear if they were taken in Mumbai or outside. We have asked the cops to find out where the paper came from, it might not have necessarily been from Mumbai, said Siddheshwar Chandekar, divisional secretary, Maharashtra state board .

The board believes the paper didnt reach many students, as they were inside the exam hall by 10. 30 am. This means that chances of students having received the leaked paper are slim, said Chandekar.

Even after Thursdays incident, the board has not given any instructions to improve the security at exam centres. As of now, students and teachers have orally been told to not carry their phones to the exam hall, but they are not frisked. We ask teachers to frisk students only if they suspect that some thing is amiss, said Chandekar. Adding that it is also not possible to install CCTVs at all exam centres, he said, Students are finding newer hi-tech ways to cheat, it is difficult to compete with them.

New pattern could be reason for leak

Students and teachers in Mumbai are surprised that the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Marathi paper was leaked on WhatsApp on Thursday, as it is easy to pass due to its new activity-based format. But they agree that the format could just have been the reason behind the leak.

This was the first time that the activity-based format was introduced for Marathi. The new pattern doesnt require students to memorise answers, instead they are tested on their application of the language. Even when the English paper was turned to activity-based format last year, students had complained that it was tough.

Teachers admitted there is a possibility that since the paper contained lots of objective questions, it might have been easy for students to copy, said teachers. The only reason this paper might have leaked is because the pattern was new and students were apprehensive about it, said Uday Nare, a teacher with Hansraj Morarji Public School and Junior College, Andheri.

Till last year, papers like book-keeping and accountancy were leaked, which are considered tough, but Marathi doesnt usually fall in the same category. It records above 90% pass rate every year, and those opting for it are mostly students who have learned the language in schools.

Teachers said 20 out of 100 marks are for oral tests conducted by schools or colleges. Since the oral exams are conducted internally, students score at least 15 marks in it. So its not tough for them to meet the minimum passing criteria, said Shantilal D Shah, principal, MVM Junior College, Andheri.

READ MORE

In Maharashtra: HSC Marathi paper out on social media

Second day of HSC in Mumbai: Reaching Kandivli centre real test for students

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Salesman Sandeep Sahu, 24, who was arrested by a special task force (STF) team from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday for allegedly making extortion calls to Bollywood director Mahesh Bhatt, confessed that he had made similar calls to actors Shahrukh Khan and Akshay Kumar.

Sahu worked at an investment company for a few years. He then opened two shoe shops at Aminabad at Lucknow after borrowing funds from private investors. However, his businesses failed and he became bankrupt.

During interrogation, Sahu said he would visit Mumbai often. As he had heard of film personalities who would lend money to fans in need, he tried to seek financial aid from them. When no one took him seriously, he thought of extorting actors by posing gangster Bablu Srivastav, said a police officer who interrogated Sahu.

Sahu found the mobile numbers of Bollywood actors and directors on the internet. He posed as Srivastav and started making threatening calls to them.

He called Bhatt several times and threatened to kill the producers family if he did not pay Rs50 lakh. He reiterated this through text messages and WhatsApp messages. Sahu gave Bhatt his Lucknow-based bank account number for the funds transfer.

The police traced Sahus address using his bank account number. Bhatt registered a police complaint with the Juhu police on Wednesday, following which the anti-extortion cell (AEC) of the Mumbai crime branch took over the probe. It shared the information about Sahu with the STF.

The STF caught Sahu from Gomati Nagar in Lucknow. A team from Mumbai left for Lucknow to bring Sahu to the city.

The Juhu police registered a case under section 387 (putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt in order to commit extortion) of the Indian Penal Code. Bhatt took to Twitter to congratulate the Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh police for nabbing the extortionist.

A bolt from the blue in the form of an extortion call & threat to my family was nipped in the bud by the MH & UP police in tandem.Gratitude!  Mahesh Bhatt (@MaheshNBhatt) March 2, 2017

This is not the first time that Bhatt has been threatened. In November 2015, the Mumbai police arrested 13 people, allegedly from the Ravi Pujari gang, for hatching a plan to harm Bhatt. They recovered arms from the accused. A few of them were part of a gang that fired outside producer Karim Moranis house. Bhatts security was stepped up after the arrests.

In June 2006, an unidentified man opened fire at Bhatts office in Juhu. Bhatt was not in the building at the time. Ravi Pujari later called the office, claiming that his henchmen were behind the firing.

Bhatt has made several award-winning films such as Naam, Kassh, Daddy, Aashiqui, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin and Zakhma. His daughters, Pooja and Alia, have acted in several movies.

Read

Mahesh Bhatt, Alia Bhatt, Soni Razdan receive death threat, one arrested in UP
The Byculla police have arrested a woman for throwing her four-and-a-half-year-old neighbour from the fifteen floor of a Mhada building on December 19. The police arrested her after her DNA samples matched with the samples found on the victims body. The girls mother is a police constable.

According to the police, Rekha Suthar threw the girl, Manvi Ingale, from the common gallerys window at New Hind Mill colony around 1pm.

The police had registered the case under section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

Two of the girls neighbours were brought to the police station on the basis of suspicion. After a preliminary inquiry, however, both were let off. The police did, however, take DNA samples of the two and on Friday, the report confirmed the sample found on the girls body matched Suthars DNA.

The police said Suthar lost her six-year-old son six months ago was suffering from severe depression. On the day of the murder, her husband had sent her divorce papers.

An officer from Byculla police station, on the condition of anonymity, said, After Suthar refused to take the divorce papers from the postman, he went to Manvis residence. The victims father Ashok Ingale then took the papers to Suthars residence and scolded her for not receiving the documents despite being at home and that triggered the incident.

Ten minutes later, Suthar threw Manvi from the 15th floor and went back to her residence.

The father suspected she was responsible for his daughters death because he had seen Suthar entering her residence in a rush while he was looking for his daughter in the common gallery to feed her. But we didnt have any concrete evidence against her and she never confessed to the crime, said an officer.

The accused was arrested on Friday. She will be produced in Mazgaon court on Saturday.

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Dadars Shivaji Park has three new selfie spots  specific spots reserved for you to take your phone out and click a selfie. Rewind three days to find out why.

What started out as one selfie point closing down because of lack of funds to maintain it, ended up giving Dadar three more in just three days, with three political parties trying to outdo each other.

On Wednesday, the MNS former corporator Sandeep Deshpande said he will shut the popular selfie point as he lacked funds. Soon after, the BJPs Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar tweeted that the BJP will take over and that the party has permissions from the BMC to re-instate it by Thursday evening.

The Shiv Senas newly-elected corporator Vishaka Raut also jumped into the competition, putting up a hoarding on Thursday saying the Sena will make a more cultural selfie spot.

By Friday, all three parties had applied for permissions from the G/North ward office to set up selfie points in Shivaji Park. Ramakant Biradar, the assistant commissioner of the G/North ward office (which includes Dadar) said the existing spot on the eastern side of the park will be divided between the MNS and BJP, and a spot on the western side will be alloted to the Sena.

I received applications from all three parties. There is enough space for everyone to set up selfie spots at Shivaji Park. I have already given permission to BJP and will issue permissions to MNS and Sena, Biradar said.

When on Wednesday, the BJP said it would take over the spot, the MNS retorted saying that its chief, Raj Thackeray, wanted to continue mainitaining the selfie point. A day later, in a letter to the ward office, Deshpande said the party kept changing themes at the spot regularly. The material for the current theme had been removed because we have ordered for new material, the letter read. It is our brainchild, which other parties are now trying to steal. They cannot come up with their own ideas, Deshpande said.

Ajit Kadam, the Sena shakha pramukh from Dadar said, We have opposed the BJPs demand, as our corporator has been elected in this area. We have applied because we do not want teenagers in the area to suffer.

By evening, the selfie wars had caught the attention of rival political parties and residents alike.

The NCPs Mumbai unit chief Sachin Ahir said instead of a selfie point, there should be a study point at Shivaji Park. A lot of people can use this spot for reading, so we are demanding a study point instead of a selfie point, Ahir said.

Residents of the area are not happy with the decision either. Vrishali Namjoshi, who goes to Shivaji Park for walks every day said, Walking there is already cumbersome as youngsters block the area. Now, with three selfie points, senior citizens and people who bring their children for an evening walk here will have to face a lot of hindrances.

Dr Sarita Kulkarni, a member of the Shivaji Park ALM, said Dadar would have improved drastically if political parties had pursued other issues.

They should make footpaths super-selfie points because they are in a pathetic condition. I think MNS also lost in the elections because they concentrated on selfie points that look good, but there are other pressing issues in the area.

Read: In Mumbai: BJP, Sena, MNS fight over a selfie spot

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After realising that offering hawking and taxi licences to owners and operators of horse-carriages or Victorias is unfeasible, the state is now mulling cash compensation for them.

Acting on the directives issued by the Bombay high court (HC), the state appointed a cabinet sub-committee headed by finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar to look into the rehabilitation of 191 Victoria owners and 30 operators. After three meetings with the stake holders, including carriage operators and NGOs, the committee is expected to take a final decision next week.

We were considering giving taxi or hawking licences to operators and owners, but the departments concerned have said it may not be possible. We may now finalise the option of cash compensation between Rs1 lakh and Rs3 lakh to the operators and owners. The stakeholders are positive about the new formula, said an official from the animal husbandry department.

The home department, on Wednesday, filed an affidavit apprising the HC about the plan underway for rehabilitation.

We will be happy if carriage operators and owners are rehabilitated by the government. The Delhi municipal corporation has effectively implemented the rehabilitation plan by phasing out the carriages. We can help the owners in rehabilitating the horses if they do not want to keep them, said Ambika Nijjar, legal advisor, People for Animals, one of the petitioners.

Read

HC directs state to list steps taken to rehabilitate Victoria owners

Victoria horse with multiple injuries rescued from south Mumbai

Victoria era ends: The rein is over for Mumbais horse-drawn carriages
It takes a whole semester for college students to study their curriculum, but the University of Mumbai (MU) wanted teachers to prepare it in just two weeks.

Anxious to put in place new syllabi for various courses before a new law  the Maharashtra Public Universities Act 2016  came into effect, the university sought to wrap up the exercise in record time. After facing backlash from teachers and realising that the act would not have any bearing on the syllabus formation process, the university allowed teachers to prepare the curriculum at their own pace.

The process to gradually change the syllabi of all the undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) courses offered by MU was started last year. However, with no statutory body in place at the university  thanks to a state government directive prohibiting elections for these bodies till August  the varsity relied on temporary committees to come up with new syllabi in a short span. This irked teachers unions, which suggested that the syllabus formation needs to be more deliberative and consultative.

The curriculum usually passes through a number of statutory bodies  namely syllabus sub-committees, boards of studies, faculties and academic council  before it is adopted.

On February 14, the varsitys academic authorities unit sent a letter to the members of a special task force set up to frame the new syllabi, as well as various board of studies under faculty of Arts, asking them to promptly arrange meetings to finalise the new syllabi for second and third years of UG and the second year of PG courses by the end of February. The first year syllabi of UG and PG courses were changed last year.

After the new act is enforced, all the authorities and bodies may be dissolved and it may take four to six months to constitute the new authorities and bodies. This may lead to a delay in taking academic decisions, including approving the new syllabi, reads the letter explaining the haste.

However, as MU later realised, its apprehensions were unfounded. The new act had provided for the continuation of existing authorities and bodies in the transition period.

Many teachers who were tasked with changing the curriculum, were flummoxed by the varsitys directive. Professor SP Dubey, a member of one of the sub-committees under board of study for Hindi, said, MU has jurisdiction over a large area and one must know the needs of various parts before forming the syllabus. At our first meeting on February 17, we decided that it was impossible to meet the universitys deadline. The authorities still insisted that we complete the process before varsity academic councils meeting at the end of the month.

Bombay University and College Teachers Association (BUCTU) targeted MU vice-chancellor (V-C) Sanjay Deshmukh for hastily pushing the new syllabus through the boards of studies and other bodies. It added that it was unprecedented for the V-C to be directly involved in changing the syllabi. He is impinging on the powers and duties of the boards of studies, with which lie the primary responsibility and power to formulate changes to the syllabi, upon prescribed and necessary consultation and deliberation, read a letter by BUCTU to Deshmukh.

The university sought to downplay the teachers concerns. The directive was issued for the courses for which new syllabi have not been finalised yet. These are ad-hoc committees, so some adjustments have to be made. The teachers should continue working on the curriculum according to their own wisdom, said MA Khan, MU registrar.

Read

In Maharashtra: New universities law comes into effect

Mumbai University invites bids for digital assessment of answer sheets

Students name changed from Kite to Patang and Mumbai University software is to blame

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The 57-year-old Afghan national from whose abdomen seven plastic pouches of heroin were extracted by the doctors of a city hospital will be arrested when he gains consciousness, the police said.

Abdul Ali Noori was admitted in Metro Hospital on Tuesday night in an unconscious state by his son and a local guide. He had been complaining of severe abdominal pain and loss of consciousness. After conducting CT scan, the doctors found foreign bodies in his abdomen which led them to conduct a surgery on the patient.

A total of seven heroin capsules, packed in plastic pouches were extracted from his abdomen by the doctors till Thursday afternoon. It has been reported that the seized capsules of heroin are worth lakhs of rupees. However, neither the police nor the narcotics department could confirm the market value of the seized drugs.

After examining the samples, the narcotics department has confirmed that the patient had been carrying a contraband substance. We have registered a case under Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Act 18/20 against Noori. We have deployed personnel at the hospital and Noori will be arrested whenever he gains consciousness, Vinay Singh, station house officer, Sector 24 police station, said.

Read I Delhi: Afghan national with Rs 2-cr heroin in his stomach caught

The police have also arrested his son Abdul Wali Noori. He is 26-years-old. However, the police have not disclosed much on the criminal history and modus operandi of Noori.

Investigations are going on and till now we can confirm that Noori arrived in India on February 25 and had been staying at a hotel in Malviya Nagar, Delhi. Whether he had a history of criminal activity in Afghanistan or India will be declared after the investigation, Singh said.

Noori has remained in critical state for the past two days and doctors havent yet been able to trace whether he is carrying any more drugs in his body.

He is still on ventilator and doctors have not been able to conduct CT scan on him. Unless, he gains consciousness, we wont be able to tell whether he is carrying any more capsules in his body, Chhaya Malhotra, spokesperson, Metro Hospital, said.

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The city police has detained a 17-year-old boy who faces allegations of raping his tenants eight-year-old daughter at his house in a locality under Sahibabad police stations jurisdiction. The girls family had lodged an FIR of rape, criminal intimidation and under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act at Sahibabad police station on Thursday.

The family has alleged that the girl was subjected to sexual assault by their landlords son several times over the last month and he also threatened her not to tell anyone about it.

She used to remain home on Sundays and the boy assaulted her after calling her inside a room. She did not tell me first, but only gathered the courage to do so when some of her friends came home to visit. She had also told them to stay away from the boy as he is not a good person, said the girls mother.

Her father is out of town. He will be returning soon. Initially, she was afraid and did not tell her mother. But she often complained of pain in her abdomen. It was only when her friends had come that she told her mother about it. Such instances have happened with her three to four times. Now, they are trying to pressurise us into taking the case back, said the girls uncle.

The boy is a student of a reputed school in Sahibabad and turns 17 on Saturday. His family said the allegations are motivated as the family has been unable to pay rent.

They did not pay rent despite our repeated reminders as the girls father has lost his job and is not keeping well. My son has undergone three brain surgeries since 2014 on account of a blood clot in his brain due to a previous accident. Thereafter, he also suffered a paralytic attack. He has told us that he is not involved in any such act and has been preparing for his board examinations that are scheduled to start on March 8, said the boys father.

Police officials said the girl was sent for medical examination on Friday.

We are awaiting reports of the medical examination. That will help us decide the course of the investigation. The boy has also told us about his medical history and claims innocence. We have detained him and are questioning him about the incident, said Anup Singh, circle officer, Sahibabad.

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A team from the Ghaziabad crime branch reached Bareilly on Friday to investigate into the Audi car crash incident in which four people were killed on the intervening night of January 27 and 28 at the Hindon canal road in Indirapuram. The team recorded statements and also issued summons to persons concerned to record their statements at the earliest.

Investigators of the crime branch met Ishaq Ahmad, a truck driver who was allegedly impersonated by his former co-tenant Syed Imtiyaz Qadri in a court on the basis of his driving licence. Qadri had surrendered before a court in Ghaziabad on January 31 claiming to be Ishaq Ahmad and the driver of the Audi on the night of the incident.

We have asked him to come to Ghaziabad and record his statements. He said he will come with his lawyer, said Jaipal Singh, inspector (crime branch).

The team also visited Peewada where Ahmad and Qadri lived as co-tenants in the house of a woman named Shabnam. She informed the team that Qadri was in Bareilly on the day of the incident.

The team also went to the house of case pursuer Raj Kumar in Jogi Nawada, but his house was locked. The team later left summons requiring his presence in Ghaziabad for his statements.

Qadri was bailed out on January 31 after he provided two sureties, including that of Suraj Tiwari who is an accountant with a rural bank branch in Bareilly. Tiwari told investigators that he will require some time and will come to Ghaziabad soon for his statements to be recorded.

After allegations of lax investigation by the Indirapuram police, the probe in the case was handed over to the crime branch.

On the night of the incident, an Audi Q7 owned by neurosurgeon Dr Manish Rawat had crashed into an autorickshaw, killing four persons on the spot. Dr Rawat appeared before Ghaziabad police a week later saying that he was present in the car, but the vehicle was driven by Ishaq Ahmad.

Later, Ishaq Ahmad surrendered before court and obtained bail. When an HT team reached Bareilly on the address provided on the surrender application, the real Ishaq Ahmad turned out to be a truck driver who was in Gujarat on the night of the incident.

Read more: Ghaziabad Audi accident: Man who claimed to be driving the car missing, neighbours say was honest

He said his driving licence was used fraudulently by his former co-tenant Syed Imtiyaz Qadri. The latter later fled his Bareilly house and is absconding as yet.

HT has learnt from investigators, who reportedly scanned Qadris call records data and phone location, that he was in Bareilly till around 9pm on January 27. The accident had taken place around 12.15am on the Hindon canal road near Delhi-UP border on the same night in Ghaziabad, nearly 240 km from Bareilly.

Police officers privy to the probe said that Qadri was in Ghaziabad for the first time on January 30 and January 31  when he surrendered in court  and reached Bareilly on the night of the January 31.


In yet another case of alleged online fraud, the Ghaziabad police have registered an FIR for cheating and criminal breach of trust against the four officials of a firm named ADS, which allegedly paid its members in lieu of clicking likes to online links they offered.

The police have filed an FIR against four officials  Sandeep Garg, Shishu Pal, Lokesh and Pintu  who ran the firms office at Raj Nagar District Centre. The FIR was lodged on March 2 following a complaint filed by Nawazish Hussain, a Delhi resident.

We have started an investigation into the case and are also on lookout of the four persons named in the FIR. Our officials visited their office at RDC, Raj Nagar but it was found locked. A search is on for the accused, Manish Mishra, circle officer (city), said.

The complainant alleged that the firm offered Rs 504 a day for clicking like to certain online links sent to registered members. But, they stopped sending the money after some time, he said.

The members were given log-in ids and passwords and were registered after paying Rs 55,200. We were told have other members registered within 15-20 days. I registered myself and later my family members, too, joined. Initially, we received money in our accounts but the amounts stopped coming in after the first week of February, Nawazish said.

Read I After Ablaze, Delhi-based firms under SIT scanner in Noida Ponzi scam

We went to the RDC office at Raj Nagar, but it was found locked. Finally, I had to file an FIR with Ghaziabad police. All the mobile phones of the firms officials are switched off and I am not being able to get in touch with them. Their mode of operation was the same as another firm being probed for a scam in Noida, he added.

When HT tried to contact the four persons in connection with the FIR filed, their mobile phones were found switched off. A copy of the FIR is available with HT.

In a similar modus operandi, Anubhav Mittals firm, Ablaze Info Solutions, had also come under scanner for allegedly running a Ponzi scam in Noida. Ablaze offered its members money for clicking Likes to certain online links and told them to add other members.

A special investigating team is probing the Noida scam while three top officials of Ablaze  Anubhav Mittal, Sreedhar Prasad and Mukesh Kumar  were arrested by the UP special task force on February 2.

The complainant in the Ghaziabad case said that the firm at RDC, Raj Nagar suspended operation after the Ablaze Info incident came to light.
The husband of the Noida-based woman who was allegedly cremated alive in Aligarh on February 27 claimed innocence saying that he has been framed by powerful people.

The 24-year-old newlywed woman, who belonged to Bulandshahr, was declared dead on the night of February 26 by doctors of Sharda Hospital, citing multiple organ failure. Her husband, from Aligarh, had eloped with her last year and the duo had been staying in Noida. He is currently on the run from the police.

I loved my wife a lot. We had married recently and this tragedy proved catastrophic for our lives. Not only is my wife gone, I am now being framed for her abduction and rape, which is baseless, he said in a telephonic conversation with HT.

On February 27, acting on a complaint, Aligarh police had seized the womans almost-charred body from the pyre and sent it for a post-mortem exam. The report said that she had died due to shock by burning and not due to multiple organ failure as stated by Sharda Hospitals doctors. However, in a press conference on Thursday, the hospitals doctors reiterated that the woman had died at the hospital, almost eight hours before her body was cremated.

Notwithstanding that, the husband has been on the run since the polices post-mortem report came out. A First Information Report (FIR) for rape and abduction has been lodged against him and 10 other men from his village in Aligarh.

In his defence, the man said he did his best to save his wife, but she died due to unfortunate circumstances.

On the night of February 22, my wife complained of high fever and vomiting. I took her to Sharda Hospital the next morning for treatment. I was there by her side for three days, but there was nothing I could do to save her, he said.

He also reiterated that his wife had died in the Greater Noida-based Sharda Hospital.

She was in the car with me for four hours (on the way to the cremation) and we never felt that she showed any movement or sign of life. She had died in the hospital, he said.

On being asked as to why he didnt wait for his wifes family to arrive and cremated the body within eight hours of death, he said, I am an orphan and I have never had any familial support since the beginning. From the day we eloped, we had decided that we are not going to seek support from any family member. Still, I informed her brother of her death since they have a right to know.

The man believes he has been framed by the powerful family of his wife since they were against their marriage.

Even when I eloped with her in December last year, I received threats from some unknown people. I had always been their target and the day they came to know about my wife, they must have concluded that I am the culprit, he said.

I have not done anything wrong and still I am on the run because I am scared of the police. I will surrender the day I am assured that justice will be delivered, he said.

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A 14-month-old boy drowned inside a bucket filled with water at the terrace of his house at Ashok Vihar area in Loni town of Ghaziabad on Wednesday evening. The boys father rushed him to several hospitals, but he was declared dead.

The family lived on the first floor of a house. The incident took place at around 3.45pm on Thursday, when the toddler Azam and his mother Fatma Abbasi were alone at home. The other children had gone for tuition. Fatma was busy in sweeping the house when Azam climbed the stairs and reached the roof.

It was around 3.45pm when my son climbed the stairs and got close to the 15-litre water bucket, which was half filled. He had learnt to walk and climbed to the roof during the incident. My wife got to know about the incident four to five minutes later and she ran to the roof. May be my son peeped into the bucket and fell inside head first, said boys father Musharraf Abbasi, a TV mechanic running a workshop close to his house.



I rushed him to four hospitals nearby and he was breathing hard. Later, he could not survive. He was the youngest among his five siblings, Abbasi added.

The family has got a tap installed on the roof and a bucket was kept for daily chores. Abbasi, who originally hails from Muzaffarnagar, had been staying in Loni for the past 30 years. Azam was the youngest of his five siblings. The other siblings were aged between 4 and 14 years.

The incident comes close to a similar incident in Delhis Rohini on February 25, where twins got drowned after allegedly having a head first fall into a washing machine at their house. The horrific accident occurred when the three-year-old boys mother had stepped out to buy household items after having set up the machine and filled it with water.

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One of the basic principles of the criminal justice system in India is that crimes are wrongs against the State, but our overemphasis on this principle leads us to a situation where we focus primarily on punishing the accused, ignoring the plight of the victims and their dependents who suffer grave loss and deprivation in cases of death caused by negligence, murder, rape, acid attack and other heinous crimes.

Acknowledging the fact that victims (and their dependants) need to be provided relief and rehabilitation and that this is the responsibility of the State, the United Nations Declaration on Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power, 1985, led member states to make provision for victim compensation in their laws.

India already had a law in this regard (the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973) empowering courts to order compensation if needed. But this enabling provision in the law, intended to provide relief, failed to do so because of three major reasons  the court could not order the accused person to pay fine or compensation if he did not have the resources, or was found not guilty, and no interim compensation could to be ordered to be paid while the case was pending in the court.

In line with the UN Declaration, this Code of Criminal Procedure, which granted powers to the courts to award compensation to victims was amended in 2009, with the insertion of Section 357. This new clause mandated states to enact Crime Victim Compensation Schemes (VCS). As a follow-up, most states created District Legal Services Authority and State Legal Services Authority, charged with the job of providing compensation to victims and their dependents.

Although the amendment and various victim compensation schemes, set up in response, by various states governments, were well-intended, they have unfortunately not been able to provide victims the required relief because of a number of shortcomings in the way these schemes were devised and in their implementation.

The foremost is the restrictive eligibility criteria. Next is the long and vague procedure for processing of applications and the disbursement of funds. Another major infirmity is that the word dependent has not been defined anywhere in the code or in the VCSs, thus creating ambiguity within the system.

Various states and UTs have come up with their own definitions of victim, legal heir and dependents. There is no uniformity even in the time limit for applying for compensation and for getting relief.

Different states have come up with different income qualification to be eligible for compensation. In Haryana it is Rs 4.5 lakh while in Mizoram only below poverty line families can apply for compensation. In Tripura, a victim cannot claim compensation if there is an earning member in the family. There are even more restrictive clauses in several other states

States have laid down different time limits for reporting the crime to the police or magistrate, failing which the application for compensation is not to be accepted. States like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have a time limit of 48 hours, but in Jammu and Kashmir it is six months. Many states require claimants to cooperate with the police without which their application would be rejected.

There is great disparity also in the amount of compensation offered under the Victim Compensation Scheme in different states. For instance, Rajasthan gives Rs 2 for acid attack victims; Bihar gives Rs 25, 000. For rape victims the compensation in most states is from Rs 0- 50,000. But in Haryana, Karnataka, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and UTs it is Rs 1 lakh or above. Goa provides an exceptional amount of Rs 10 lakh for rape victims.

Similarly while the handling of funds for compensation, in most states is done by the district collector, it is the legal department in Gujarat and the director of police in Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu that is entrusted with the task.

Clearly there is a lot of ambiguity, arbitrariness, disparity, red tape in the schemes and the procedure followed that prevent the victim from receiving timely relief. The schemes are also plagued by an element of subjectivity.

The heartless and indifferent attitude of the authorities and public apathy deepens the grief of victims and dependents. It is about time they were given a sympathetic relook and issues were resolved to ensure speedy relief and justice with a degree of uniformity across states.

Perhaps, the best way to do it is to enact a central legislation overriding individual state victim compensation schemes. This would help in streamlining the process of application for compensation and remove the disparities created by different schemes offered by various state governments.

Sanjeev P Sahni is principal director, Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences

The views expressed are personal
After Bokaro, now a fresh examination cheating racket was busted in the state capital on Thursday when education department officials nabbed six students including two girls, who were writing class 12 examination in a room instead of an examination centre.

Ranchi police arrested all six of them and forwarded them to court on Friday. Ratu Road police station in-charge Ramod Narayan Singh said, We have arrested six students on complaints of district education officer and forwarded them to court.

The education department officials led by the district education officer (DEO) raided a house, around 500 metres away from the examination centre  Adivasi Bal Vikas Vidyalaya (ABVV), Ratu Road  where they were writing the maths paper of class12 examination in a locked room.

The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) board exams for matriculation (class 10) and intermediate (class 12) began on February 18. The exams will end on March 7. Nearly eight lakh students are appearing at the exams across 1385 centres in the state.

The centre superintendent Sarju Kumar Singh said, This is a very serious issue. We are surprised how the question papers went outside the examination centre.

However, the education department removed Singh from his job on Friday on suspicion of his involvement in the racket.

The district education officer Ratan Kumar Mahavar said, We suspecting involvement of few teachers in the cheating case. Investigation is on.

This is the second incident of writing exam papers from outside the examination centre.

Bokaro police had busted an exam racket with the arrest of one Pradyuman Pandey, who was carrying answer sheets from homes of two intermediate examinees for submission at the examination centre at Industrial Area High School, Balidih on Tuesday.

The middleman on Thursday revealed that the racket was going on with help of some schools teachers for money.

Police were interrogating Pandey, who hinted at involvement of some education and administrative officials. Based on Pandeys statement, police have also lodged FIR against two students, who allegedly wrote the chemistry paper of class 12 from home on Tuesday.

Pandey runs a private school in Balidih and he divulged that he was involved in the racket for money with help of some school teachers. He said a teacher of the school Madan Sao used to help him in the job, said Balidih police station incharge A K Singh, adding atht Pandey was yet to reveal the money he used to charge the students.

Police, however, have not yet arrested the centre superintendent and two students. We will go for arrest as per procedures, Singh said, adding, interrogation of Pandey is still going on and the police expected more revelations.

Meanwhile, all teachers of the schools have been removed from the examination job after Pandeys revelation of teachers involvement in the racket.

There were 22 teachers in the school. We have removed all from examination duty and new teachers from other schools of Bokaro have been deputed for the job, Bokaro district education officer, Mahip Kumar Singh said.

Use of unfair means has been reported since the beginning of the examinations in Jharkhand. More than 300 students have been expelled so far across the state.

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Around two weeks after stray dogs mauled a four-year-old child to death at Kaironwal village in the district, a five-year-old boy was injured after a canine attack at Sarhali Kalan village, 25 km from here, on Thursday.

The victim has been identified as Karandeep Singh, who belongs to a family of farm labourers.

Sources said Karandeep and his brother had accompanied their father Baldev Singh and mother Simranjit Kaur when the latter went to a field for work. As their parents got busy in work, Karandeep, who was playing around, went to a place quite far from the field. Two stray dogs attacked him and started biting him. The dogs mauled the childs face badly and he sustained serious injuries on his head, forehead and ear.

People from a nearby farmhouse heard him crying and rushed to the spot. They rescued the child from the dogs and took him to a nearby hospital from where he was referred to the district civil hospital, said his father Baldev Singh.

Victim Karandeep sustains serious injuries as dogs bite his face and head; a 4-yr-old child was mauled to death by dogs in the district two weeks ago
With the attorney general of India clarifying that the supreme courts order on ban of sale of liquor within 500 metre of state highways applies only to liquor vends and shops, the citys bars, clubs and hotels may escape the ban. However, the UT administration is considering ways to save its liquor vends, all of which face a shutdown from April 1.

The administration has received the report from the four-member committee set up to suggest a solution to prevent a situation akin to prohibition in the city.

The committee has suggested that the verdict wouldnt apply if some of the state highways are converted into district roads.

If the highways become normal roads, the SC verdict will only affect the vends around the national highway. But the key question is whether the administration is authorised to classify state highways as district roads especially with Supreme Court being seized of the matter.

We have received the report of the committee and are studying it, says UT home secretary Anurag Agarwal who also heads the excise department. We need to take a call on how to take the suggestions forward.

On whether its within the administrations purview to declassify state highways, he said, We need to examine that.

Disturbing, says petitioner

Meanwhile, the petitioner in the case, Harman Sidhu of NGO ArriveSAFE has written to the UT administrator VP Singh Badnore that the move of UT administration to denotify state highways as district roads is disturbing and is an attempt to dodge the implications of the historic order.

HT has reported on Sunday how each liquor shop in the city  whether in a five-star hotel, a restaurant or a vend  is staring at closure from April 1, when the December judgment of the Supreme Court on closure of liquor shops on state highways and national highways takes effect.

The reason. On record, all major roads in the city are state highways and fall within the ambit of the judgment. The road categorisation was done around 20 years so that the UT administration could maintain these roads, with the municipal corporation short of funds at the time.

Clarification by AG

The attorney general, Mukul Rohatgis advice that the order doesnt apply on hotels and other bars has come in response to the Haryana government writing in for clarification. Official sources say that this should apply across the country then. Home secretary Anurag Agarwal said he hasnt seen the advice as the administration never sought any clarification from the AG office.

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After failing to pay salaries to teachers for February, Panjab University (PU) on Thursday moved the Punjab and Haryana high court, seeking contempt proceedings against the University Grants Commission (UGC) for its failure to release pending grant worth Rs 30 crore. On January 19, the HC had ordered the UGC to release the grant within four weeks.

UGC is a grant-giving agency that provides funds and works towards coordination, determination and maintenance of standards in institutions of higher education.

The varsity spends approximately Rs 25-26 crore on the salaries of PU staff (teaching + non-teaching) plus Rs 6 crore on pensions a month. So, Rs 32 crore is spent on salaries a month, of which 45% is spent on the salaries of the teaching staff at PU.

PU had released the salaries of the non-teaching staff and pensions worth Rs 14 crore on Wednesday night. After releasing this amount, PU is left with Rs 15-20 crore to manage routine expenditure.

PU vice-chancellor Arun Kumar Grover said, Since the Supreme Court website shows that the UGC has filed a petition on this, we are also moving the HC.

Previously, we had told the court that we will not be able to pay the salaries. Now, we have failed to pay salaries of everyone. We must inform court about the situation. Our apprehensions were not ill-founded, he said.

The V-C added, By Friday evening, we will get to know how much income we have. We cannot use the entire income, as we have electricity bills and water bills to be paid. Examination material has to be transported and papers have to be marked.

A few senators have raised questions on PUs failure to release salaries. They have blamed the decision of extending the date of the examination fee. One of the senators said that had the syndicate not extended the date for depositing examination fee by 15 days, salaries could have been released by now.

Teachers could get salary by March

Sources in the varsitys finance department said, We are receiving examination fees on a daily basis and depending on the inflow, we may release salaries of teaching faculty on March 6.

Sharing one of the reasons of the financial crisis, Professor Grover said, Over the past six years, PU has not hiked the tuition fee.

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Excess of everything is bad but a sensible use of anything can prove beneficial. With final examinations underway, social networking platforms that are generally considered a bane have turned into a boon for many students who prefer using them as a constructive tool for exchanging notes and clarifying doubts during final revision hours. Not only the students residing in urban areas prefer using social media tools like Facebook and WhatsApp for exam preparation but its popularity is also increasing among students coming from rural areas.

Students resort to them mainly to exchange notes and clear doubts instantly as they feel it saves a lot of time and is very convenient. On WhatsApp, students have created groups with their classmates and keep each other updated with how much syllabus they have revised. Some ask questions to clear their doubts while some seek better alternatives while revising tough chapters.

This is for the first time that I am using these social networking platforms for study. Best part is that you can instantly exchange notes and clear any doubts. Luckily, in my WhatsApp group, there are classmates who are top scorers and their guidance is very helpful, says a Class-12 student Jaskaran Singh of AS Modern Senior Secondary School, Khanna who daily comes from a nearby village.

Similarly, Parambir Kaur, a Class-10 student of Government Senior Secondary School, Dakha adds, On WhatsApp, everyone is easily approachable and most importantly, no one feels hesitant in putting up queries as all are our classmates only. In the class room, one often feels shy or nervous to approach the teachers again and again for clearing some doubts. Wish we all could have thought about taking support of WhatsApp and other social media platforms in our earlier exams as well.

On being asked as to what inspired them to take support of technology for their revision, majority of them credited their friends studying in urban areas where these social media tools are already popular.

Although, social media tools are often criticised by teachers and parents since youngsters excessively use them, I feel they can also be positively used. I personally exchanged many of my notes with my friends on WhatsApp. Had such tools not been there, I would have wasted a lot of time heading to different photocopy shops, shares Amandeep Singh, a Class-10 student of Government Senior Secondary School for Boys of Mansuran village.

On the other hand, experts including teachers and psychologists while appreciating the use of the social media tools cautioned that parents should also keep a tab on the children while these tools are being used.

Since one can also indulge in chatting that has nothing to do with study, it is important for parents to keep an eye on their children when they are using their phone for clearing any doubts on social media, said Jatinder Kaur Gulati, former head of human development department at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

Strap: Turning a bane into boon: Students exchange notes on WhatsApp, Facebook; find them convenient and fast methods to clarify doubts during exams

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Recently appointed chairman of Tata Sons, Natarajan Chandrasekaran began his journey with the group at a board of directors meeting at the Tata Steel premises in Jamshedpur, on the eve of founder, Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tatas 178th birth anniversary.

The board meeting was organised to reinforce the message that the company is committed to follow JN Tatas industrial vision and principles. The last such meeting was held in the early 1990s.

A monthly affair,the board meeting here did not adopt any major decision, the only significance being its iteration to stick to the founders guidelines.

Director Ishaat Hussain said, No major decision was supposed to be taken at the meeting as it was meant to re-dedicate the company to the founders ideals while running the company in days to come. It was a routine monthly meeting, otherwise organised in Mumbai. Under the leadership of new chairman, the company will move forward to new horizons in steel industry.

Directors including DK Mehrotra, Andrew Robb and others had flown to Jamshedpur to attend the meeting and celebrate Founders Day programme commencing from March 3. Former chairman Rata Tata also reached the town on Thursday to attend the grand celebrations.

Tata Steel had started production at Jamshedpur on February 16 in 1912 and board members were willing to start a fresh journey with the new chairman from the place that made the company pioneers of the steel industry. Company sources said the board of directors meeting was organised in the town that was late JN Tatas favourite.
U.S. Consul General Craig Hall has announced that U.S. Consulate Kolkata-sponsored anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) caravan which will start in Kolkata in late March, will travel through the districts of West Bengal, cross Ranchi on April 6 and reach Patna on May 11 to focus on issues related to fighting human trafficking in the eastern states of India.

In Jharkhand, the caravan will pass through trafficking-hit Khunti, Gumla, Lohardanga and Chaibhasa districts.

The TIP caravan will be a big mobilization and convergence of civil society, government agencies in combatting human trafficking at grass root level, Hall said while addressing a workshop in Ranchi on Thursday.

The U.S. Consulate Kolkata in partnership with New Delhi based non-governmental organization Shakti Vahini and Kolkata based social enterprise Banglanatakdotcom organized the workshop in Ranchi titled woMEn: Understanding my Responsibility in Addressing Gender-Based Violence and Inequality to address issues related to gender based violence and inequality.

The workshop was attended by 60 students belonging to various universities and colleges of Jharkhand, Bihar and north India.

The workshop empowered youth to transform their ideas into actionable projects through capacity building and mentorship.

Students went through structured training on how to use theater as well as digital media to create effective messaging.

Participants also got the opportunity to virtually connect with student leaders from the University of Texas at Austin. They shared best practices from the universitys on-campus programmes with their Indian counterparts.

In addition to key activists and resource persons from India, the workshop hosted Raymond O. Caldwell, Resident-director and full-time Theatre professor in the Department of Theatre Arts at Howard University and Johamy Morales, an artist, from Colorado. During the workshop they interacted with the university students teaching them how to use art to address issues related to gender based violence.
The Madras high court on Thursday stayed the proceedings on a paternity claim over actor Dhanush made by an elderly couple in a magistrate court as it posted their plea for a DNA test for hearing on March 9.

Justice G Chockalingam ordered the stay, valid till further orders, during the hearing of a petition by the actor seeking to quash the proceedings pending in the judicial magistrate court in nearby Melur.

The judge was allowing the plea of Dhanush, son-in-law of superstar Rajinikanth, for a stay on the proceedings.

On the plea for DNA test, the judge wondered why the couples advocate did not file the miscellaneous petition for the test for such a long time since moving the Melur court.

In his petition, Kathiresan, who has claimed himself to be the father of Dhanush, contended that it was necessary to hold the DNA test to know the truth about his parentage.

We are ready to undergo the DNA test. And the same should be ordered for Dhanush also, he said.

Earlier, the Dean of Government Rajaji Hospital submitted in the court a report on verification of personal identification marks of Dhanush conducted by a team headed by him, complying with its February 28 order.

Hospital Dean Dr Vairamuthu Raju along with his team had on March 1 verified the identification marks for about half an hour in the presence of the judicial registrar of the high court.

On February 28, the actor had appeared before the judge along with his mother Vijayalakshmi and father Kasthuri Raja, a film director.

Justice Chockalingam had then ordered the verification after Kathiresan and his wife Meenakshi submitted a set of school documents mentioning the birth marks of their son.

Opposing the actors petition, the couple also claimed that the documents filed by his parents such as birth and transfer certificates and ID marks were fake and fabricated.

The couple has claimed in the Melur court that Dhanush was their third son and also sought a monthly maintenance of Rs 65,000 as they were in a very poor financial position.

They have submitted that Dhanush was a school boy when he ran away to Chennai to get into the film world. They could not trace him then and recognised him while watching movies. Their efforts to meet him in Chennai did not succeed, they said.

However, the actor has denied the submissions saying their entire statements were false.

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Thala Ajiths Vivegam, which marks his third successive collaboration with director Siva after Veeram and Vedalam, is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated Tamil releases of 2017. With over 50% of the shooting already wrapped up, the makers are planning to release the film in August, most likely on the second Thursday of the month.

However, the team hasnt officially locked the release date yet, leaving the fans in a state of uncertainty.

A source informs HT that the producers are in a state of dilemma as they have two release dates in mind. While the initial plan was to release on August 10, the team also has plans to push the release by two weeks and bring out the film on August 25. Unfortunately, Sivakarthikeyans Velaikkaran, too, is planning to release on August 25 as their team has locked the date long back. Hence, the release date of Vivegam, which also stars Kajal Aggarwal and Akshara Haasan, remains a mystery.

In the film, Ajith plays an Interpol agent and will be seen taking on Vivek Oberoi, who is being introduced as the antagonist. Having predominantly shot abroad, the makers will return to Bulgaria later this month to shoot the final schedule.

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Director Jayan Cherians Malayalam film Ka Bodyscapes has been denied certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) which said that the movie is glorifying the subject of gay and homosexual relationships.

The director shared the letter in which the second revising committee from the CBFC said that they have unanimously decided not to certify the film as the religion of Hindu is portrayed in a derogatory manner.

It is official, Mr.Pahalaj Nihalani put the final nail in my coffin! Cherian posted on Twitter.

Ka Bodyscapes is about three young people in Calicut -- Haris, a gay painter; Vishnu, a rural kabaddi player, and their friend Sia and their struggle to find space and happiness in a conservative Indian city. It stars Adhithi, Tinto Arayani and Arundhathi.

Last month, Prakash Jhas upcoming production Lipstick Under My Burkha was denied certification by the CBFC for being lady oriented and containing abusive words.

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If youve spent the past week wondering why a lady-oriented film is a bad thing or how being a pacifist could be construed as being unpatriotic, check out the 12th Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) festival. The issues that some of the plays highlight will make you reflect deeper on the nuances that are often lost in public debates.

The festival opens with Apna Manch Drama Companys Lassanwalla, a tragi-comedy that narrates a Brahmin garlic sellers discovery of the idea of social equality. Then there is Awddyo Shesh Rajani based on Bengali theatre personality Ashim Chakraborty. The play, produced by Kolkatas Paikpara Indraranga and directed by the states IT minister Bratya Basu, also looks at the controversy around Chakrabortys iconic 1972 play Barbadhu (The Prostitute). Barbadhu ran to full houses for 1,800 shows and faced state censorship. In one of the scenes between a zamindars son and the protagonist, a prostitutes bra was shown onstage. It offended some sensibilties, says producer Indrajit Chakraborty. Though the court ruled against this policing of art, the long-drawn ostracisation, is said to have contributed to the directors early demise.

While Katkatha Puppet Arts Trusts play Mahabharata meditates on war and peace through the dilemmas of 13 characters, Kochi-based theatre group Lokadharmis Malayalam play Kaali Naadakam explores caste relations and ideas of power and justice through a murder that takes place during the performance of a traditional temple play.

Also part of this years shortlist is actor-director Rajat Kapoors adaptation of Shakespeares pastoral comedy As You Like It enacted by clowns. (Photo: Vidya Subramanian / HT )

The 10 plays, showcasing a diversity of languages and subjects, have been shortlisted from 300 entries received from across the country. The performances will be judged across 13 categories and the winners announced on the fests finale, March 10. The jury -- theatre actors Dolly Thakore, Seema Biswas and Sachin Khedekar, playwright-actor Mahesh Dattani, actor Avijit Dutt and performer Maya K Rao. Marathi theatre doyen Arun Kakade, 85, who co-founded the famous Awishkar Theatre Group best known for its experimental theatre will receive the META 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Also part of this years shortlist is actor-director Rajat Kapoors adaptation of Shakespeares pastoral comedy As You Like It enacted by clowns. Kapoor says Shakespeares experimentation with the idea of gender  a boy actor pretends to be a woman who pretends to be man only to play act being a woman before her lover  drew him to the story. The director of the troupe of clowns in my play decides that boys will play girls and girls will play boys. So that became my central idea  gender roles and what it means to be a man or a woman today, says Kapoor. I Dont Like It, As You Like It also stars actors Vinay Pathak and Cyrus Sahukar.

Akarsh Khuranas office drama Dhumrapaan, produced in collaboration with Kumud Mishras D for Drama company, will be performed in Delhi for the first time. The play, set in the smoking room of a corporate office, looks at how equations change when the company declares it will downsize at the end of a surprise assessment week. That, says Khurana, becomes a catalyst for peoples true colours to be revealed.

QUICK FACTS

What: 12th Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards and Festival 2017

When: March 4 to 9. Check out the schedule and book tickets at http://metawards.com/schedule/

Timing: 6-8 pm

Venue: Kamani Auditorium, Shri Ram Centre for Arts and LTG Auditorium, Mandi House

Nearest metro station: Mandi House

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Two more members of US President Donald Trumps campaign team spoke to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at an event held during the Republican National Convention last July, a media report said.

Retired US Navy officer Jeffrey D. Gordon and oil industry consultant Carter Page spoke with Kislyak at the event in Cleveland, but the contents of their discussion remains unknown, the USA Today said the report on Thursday.

Gordon, who managed the advisory committee as the Trump campaigns director of national security, said that while he also spoke with Kislyak in Cleveland, it was not unusual for a presidential campaign to interact with diplomats.

Id consider it an informal conversation just like my interactions with dozens of other ambassadors and senior diplomats in Cleveland, Gordon told USA Today.

Page, also a member of the Trump campaigns national security advisory committee, cited confidentiality rules in declining to say what he discussed with the ambassador.

I had no substantive discussions with him, said Page, who left the campaign later in the summer amid controversy over a speech he gave in Moscow also in July criticising American foreign policy and sanctions against Russia.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions also met with Kislyak during the event, The Hill magazine reported.

The former Alabama senator came under fire on Wednesday night amid Justice Department claims that he spoke with the ambassador twice during the campaign, once at the Heritage event and another time privately in September, encounters he which he did not disclose during his Congressional confirmation hearing to become the Attorney General in January.

Sessions announced at a press conference Thursday afternoon that would recuse himself from any existing or future investigations that relate to the Trump campaign.

Probes into Russias attempts to meddle with the election reportedly involve examining Trump aides contacts with Moscow.

The revelation that Gordon and Page spoke with Kislyak is the latest in a series of reports involving the Russian diplomat, the magazine said.

Trumps first National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned last month after it was revealed that he discussed sanctions with Kislyak in the month before Trump took office.

The New York Times also reported on Thursday that Flynn attended a meeting between Kislyak and Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner in December.

A White House spokesperson said the meeting was meant to establish a line of communication between the incoming administration and the Kremlin.
A taxi stops in the small town of Champlain. Loaded down with belongings, a family with two children gets out and hurries to the roads end at a stream marking the US-Canada border.

We are coming all the way from Jersey City, says the father, Mohammed Ahmed. The city near New York is more than 300 miles (500 km) to the south.

Talking while walking, he and his wife explain how they left Pakistan 11 months ago after getting death threats.

We came to the US to ask for asylum, he said. But with new President Donald Trumps anti-immigrant policy we are very much scared from deportation.

Across the New York state border in Quebec, two Canadian police officers warn them they will all be arrested for entering Canada illegally.

It is all right, said the father. We just need to cross the border.

He crosses the stream, shows his passport, and turns back to help their three-year-old daughter, then his wife who is carrying their three-month-old baby in a pouch, cross the rock-filled water.

Conditions for making the crossing are good: Its cold but the sun is shining, and last weeks snow has melted away.

A few minutes later the family finds itself, visibly relieved, in Canada.

The Canadian police bring them to the official border post of Lacolle, about 10 minutes away, where they will be questioned and their asylum request will be registered.

If all goes well, the family will then head to Montreal, 40 miles (65 km) north.

This week, in less than two days, more than 70 people have crossed the stream into Canada, according to a tally by AFP and local police -- among them Haitian families, Colombians and many Muslims.

A Syrian family, who lived in the United States for 18 months and whose oldest daughter was to finish high school in June, left in a hurry after Trump banned entry of nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries, including Syria, for 90 days and barred entry by Syrian refugees indefinitely.

Constant migrant flow

Trumps January 27 order, just a week after he took office, has been blocked by the courts, but his administration is working to amend it to address the legal objections.

Melissa Beshaw, a grandmother who lives in a small house about 165 feet (50 metres) from the stream on the US side, said that since Trump has been in office, its constant... Its traffic all the time.

I used to get out and look to see what was going on, she said. I dont anymore because I know.

Some migrants arrive by car to Plattsburgh, the last stop in New York state before the border. For the final 25 miles to the stream, they take a taxi, which costs them between $200 and $300, said Denise Quinte, an employee at a motel near where the cars stop.

Since early February, the motel has seen 10 to 25 people a week, she said, often heading to the border at dawn, leaving behind some belongings.

Others come directly by car from New York City and neighboring states such as Massachusetts and New Jersey.

The numbers of migrants is a trickle compared to the thousands who cross the Mediterranean each month to reach Europe.

While Canadian authorities dont directly link the flow to Trump administration policies, they acknowledge that the number of migrants from the United States has increased since January, especially through the Quebec border.

The trend is striking, because until now the United States has seemed welcoming to foreigners.

The banks of the border stream bear the litter of hasty crossings: water bottles, lost gloves and hats, an abandoned stroller, fragments of boarding passes -- several from Arab companies -- and even a cellphone.

A discarded plastic bag reveals the journey of a Sudanese couple. Inside, two soggy pages, in poor English, explain how Asma Elyas and her husband Ayman fled Sudan to avoid the female circumcision of their daughter who was born in 2014.

After several months in Saudi Arabia, they flew to Washington on September 7, 2016, two months before Trumps election.

A document shows that they agreed in late September to pay a law firm in neighbouring Virginia $3,500 to handle their asylum request. Several pamphlets and a Virginia maternity booklet indicate the woman was pregnant.

These personal effects do not explain why the Sudanese couple left the US for Canada. But a Quebec police officer is sure he knows the reason: The arrivals truly began with Trumps immigration crackdown in late January, he said.

Now, there are a lot of people. As if it took time for that to sink in.
Indias exports to China rebounded to show a 42% increase in January, latest figures have revealed, sending a signal that China should not ignore its neighbours increasing competitiveness in the manufacturing sector, a state media report said on Friday.

Data from Indias ministry of commerce showed that there was marked increase in Indian exports to China in January (year-to-year comparison)  52% increase in cotton, more than 810% in inorganic chemicals and nearly 200% in iron and steel.

The data also revealed that China continues to hold a huge advantage in bilateral trade; the total value of bilateral trade was around $6.83 billion in January and Indias export share was around $1.34 billion.

The nationalistic tabloid Global Times said it was important for China to analyse the data to see whether this trend will continue.

Official data showing Indias January exports to China soared 42% year-on-year was overlooked by most Chinese analysts, but it will be a very dangerous venture if China adopts an arrogant attitude toward Indias increasing competitiveness, the state-controlled tabloid said.

Scholars should make a careful analysis about the soaring growth to find out whether this is merely a flash in the pan or a result of subtle changes in competition in the manufacturing sector, it said.

The article doubted whether Indias higher-than-expected economic growth of 7% from October to December 2016 is authentic and reliable.

Meanwhile, less attention is being paid to bright points in the countrys economy. What cannot be overlooked is the increasing competitiveness of the manufacturing sector in India, it said.

The article added Indias manufacturing sector grew by 8.3% in the third quarter of 2016 and that it was a great achievement for India, even if the growth figure may be exaggerated as some analysts suggest.

It mentioned that rising labour costs in China will work in favour of countries like India and Vietnam.

Although India is still in its initial stage of developing export-oriented manufacturing industries, the country has great potential to emerge as a regional hub for labour-intensive industries. One recent analysis showed Chinas manufacturing hourly wage in 2016 was roughly five times that in India, the GT article headlined China should pay more attention to Indias increasing manufacturing competitiveness said.

It argued that Chinese manufacturers will face more competition and pressure from a large country like India  more than from Vietnam.

As labour costs climb in China, Vietnam has become an emerging manufacturing nation, but China doesnt need to panic. However, manufacturing development in a large country like India means more pressure on China. The increasing competitiveness of Indias manufacturing sector is an issue of strategic importance and deserves more attention, it said.

On the whole, rapid economic expansion in India is a good thing for China as Chinas consumer market matures, but Chinese manufacturers will inevitably face increased competition from Indian firms at the same time.
South Korean firms are being squeezed in China, in suspected retaliation for Seouls deployment of a US missile defence system, highlighting the tools China can deploy to hit back at the corporate interests of trade partners it disagrees with.

The chill facing Korea Inc, from cosmetics and supermarket chains to autos and tourism, points to a potential risk for American companies, amid a more confrontational stance taken by new US President Donald Trump

In China, state media and grassroots political groups have led angry calls to boycott popular Korean products. Photos on social media and local news websites showed crowds vandalising a Hyundai Motor Co car, and some Chinese tourism firms moved to cancel Korean tours.

Beijing is furious over a joint plan by South Korea and the United States to set up the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missile system in South Korea. Seoul and Washington say it will defend against nuclear-armed North Korean missiles. But Beijing says its far-reaching radar is targeted at China.

Read | N Korea missile launch: US pledges nuclear defence for Japan, S Korea if needed

The furore echoes protests in 2012 against Japanese firms during a row with Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea. The dispute flared on Monday when Lotte approved a land-swap deal that moved the THAAD system closer to deployment.

On Thursday, Lotte Duty Free, an affiliate of Korean conglomerate Lotte Group, said it had been the target of a suspected Chinese cyber attack.

Whats happening to Korean companies now is a pretty good playbook for what might happen to US firms over the next year, said Andrew Gilholm, director of analysis for China and North Asia at risk consultancy Control Risks.

Rather than the big dramatic trade war, everything goes to hell scenario under Trump, its probably more likely to be manifested as regulatory harassment of companies - one of the lower intensity tools for China.

Korean stocks plunged on Friday, hitting cosmetics giant Amorepacific Corp, carmaker Hyundai, and airlines Jeju Air Co Ltd, Korean Air Lines Co Ltd and Asiana Airlines Inc.

Political pressure

Some companies hinted at feeling political pressure to loosen or cut ties with South Korea. Korean media reported China had ordered tour operators in Beijing to stop selling trips to the country.

Three major Chinese tour operators Reuters spoke to, including China Youth Travel Service, said they were still offering Korean tours. A customer service worker at Tuniu Corp, however, said the firm had stopped providing tours to Korea, citing the THAAD controversy. Tuniu did not respond to requests for comment.

Lotte also said searches for its products had been disrupted on major e-commerce platform JD.com Inc, though it did not directly say this was due to diplomatic tensions. JD.com declined to comment.

The CEO of Chinese retailer Jumei.com posted on his official microblog that his firm would no longer sell Lotte products. The firm did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Some retailers have removed Lotte sales channels over the last week as a result of political pressure, said a senior China-based retail industry executive, asking not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issues.

The Communist Party Youth League at central and local levels also fanned the flames online, calling for consumers not to buy products including cars, cosmetics and electronics.

We say no to Lotte! the national-level Communist Youth League wrote in a post on its official microblog page.
Chinese firms have pledged to invest $8.3 billion in different sectors during the two-day Nepal Investment Summit 2017 in Kathmandu, far higher than the Indian commitment of $317 million.

The investments pledged by Indian companies during the summit that concluded on Friday was below the figures for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Japan and the UK, officials said.

The investment by the Chinese firms reflected the economic muscle-flexing by China, which holds the top slot in total foreign direct investments in Nepal. Chinas FDI commitment jumped 28% in the first half of the current fiscal year.

FDI commitments from mainland China swelled more than threefold to Nepalese Rs 3.48 billion during the period from mid-July to mid-January, according to the latest data from Nepals department of industry.

However, FDI commitments from India plunged 76% during the same period. Indias FDI pledges amounted to Nepalese Rs 439.65 million in the first half of the current fiscal, down from Rs 1.87 billion during the same period last year.

China fielded the largest delegation of 89 firms at the investment summit. Jin Liqun, president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, participated in the meeting and announced that Nepal will start getting loans for his institution in 2018.

During the summit, a total of $13.52 billion was pledged as foreign investments, according to an official statement.

Indias finance minister Arun Jaitley participated in the summit as a key note speaker and 21 Indian firms made commitments to invest in hydropower, the service sector and IT. Jaitley said more soft loans will be provided for new infrastructure projects and called for a better regulatory framework.

Bangladesh committed to invest $2.4 billion, Japan and the UK each pledged $1 billion and Sri Lanka $500 million.

Investment Board Nepal CEO Maha Prasad Adhikari said the government will work to creating a conducive environment and simplify the process for foreign investors.

The investment summit was held for the second time and attracted more than 1,000 domestic and foreign companies.
The border dispute between China and India can be resolved if New Delhi accepts Beijings claim over strategically vital Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh, Chinas former top diplomat has said, but Indian officials dismissed it as neither practical nor possible.

Dai Bingguo, who served as the Chinas boundary negotiator with India from 2003 to 2013, told Chinese media, If the Indian side takes care of Chinas concerns in the eastern sector of their border, the Chinese side will respond accordingly and address Indias concerns elsewhere.

Elaborating Chinas stand, Dai who conducted border talks with five Indian Special Representatives starting with Brajesh Mishra in 2003 said, The disputed territory in the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, including Tawang, is inalienable from Chinas Tibet in terms of cultural background and administrative jurisdiction.

He said that colonial British government which drew the McMahon Line accepted Beijings claim on Tawang.

China has rejected McMahon Line in Indias case but accepted it in settling boundary dispute with Myanmar.

Even British colonialists who drew the illegal McMahon Line respected Chinas jurisdiction over Tawang and admitted that Tawang was part of Chinas Tibet, Dai told the China-India Dialogue magazine.

Dai was Chinas top diplomat and held the post of State Councillor in the previous Hu Jintao administration.

His interview was published by the magazine in its January edition ahead of India-China Strategic Dialogue held here last month co-chaired by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.

Dai, regarded as a wily negotiator, did not specify where China is willing to make a concession along the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control (LAC).

He also did not specify this in the book he wrote in Chinese language on the border talks.

Indian officials, however, said Dais proposal is neither practical nor possible for India to accept considering that Tawang is an integral part of Arunachal Pradesh and has sent representatives to Parliament in every election since 1950.

In his interview, Dai said essential nature of the China-India boundary question is the need to correct wrongs made by colonialists and to restore fairness and justice.

For historical reasons, India now controls the majority of the disputed territory. The boundary question was not created by China or India, so we shouldnt be inheriting it and letting the ghosts of colonialism continue to haunt our bilateral relations, he said.

Though published afresh in Chinese media, Beijing has been making such a demand for concession for long.

Former National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon who was Indias Special Representative for border talks and held several rounds of talks with Dai until the present NSA Ajit Doval took over in 2014, has mentioned the issue in his recently released book Choices: Inside the Making of Indias Foreign Policy.

While China demanded concessions in the Western sector before the 1962 war, it changed the line to East after 1980s.

Chinese officials began saying in the 1980s that Beijing would compromise only if India made major adjustments first, adding that once India indicated concessions in the East, China would indicate concessions in the West, Menon wrote in the book.

In 1985, China specified that the concession it was seeking in the East was Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, something that any government of India would find difficult to accept, as this was settled area that had sent representatives to every Indian Parliament since 1950, he wrote.

The Indian Supreme Court also held in the Berubari case in 1956 that the government could not cede sovereign territory to another government without a constitutional amendment, though it could made adjustments and rectifications in the boundaries of India, Menon wrote in the book, highlighting Indias problem in accepting Chinas demand.

Apparently Chinas stand on the border settlement was different earlier lacking consistency.

Menon wrote that former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai during his visit to India in 1960 suggested that China might recognise the McMahon line boundary in the East in return to India accepting Chinas claim in the West to provide strategic depth for China along the Aksai Chin road between Xinjiang and Tibet, which is now China National Highway 219.

Menon said India for the first time had Chinese troops at the border only after the Peoples Liberation of Army (PLA) took control of Tibet.

After the occupation of Aksai Chin area in the 1962 war, Chinas stand reported to have changed.

While China says the border dispute covers Arunachal Pradesh which it claims as Southern Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covered Aksai Chin area.
Bilateral ties will be seriously damaged if India allows the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh in the coming weeks, China warned on Friday while reiterating its contention that the Tibetan spiritual leader is a separatist.

The warning from Chinas foreign ministry came soon after the countrys former chief negotiator on the border issue, Dai Bingguo, said there should be some give and take to settle the dragging boundary dispute.

The foreign ministry said it is gravely concerned about reports that the Dalai Lama will visit the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh in the near future.

The Dalai Lamas visit will cause serious damage to China-India ties, foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told a regular news briefing. China is strongly opposed to Dalai Lama visiting disputed areas, he said.

Chinas position on eastern section of China-India border dispute is consistent and clear. The Dalai-clique has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and its record on the border question is not that good, Geng said.

Meanwhile, India on Friday dismissed Chinas warning over the Dalai Lamas proposed visit to Arunachal Pradesh, saying that New Delhis position on the matter is well known.

The governments position is well known and has not changed, external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in response to a query.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory, calling it south Tibet. The state comprises the eastern sector of the nearly 3,500-km disputed border between India and China. The town of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is an important seat of Tibetan Buddhism and is located 400 km from Lhasa, the capital of Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region.

Geng avoided a direct comment on an interview by Dai Bingguo, Chinas Special Representative for border talks with India till 2013, in which Dai had said: If the Indian side takes care of Chinas concerns on the eastern section of the border, the Chinese side will respond accordingly and address Indias concerns elsewhere.

Dai didnt mention specific sections of the border where China could address Indias concerns.

The disputed territory in the eastern sector of the China-India boundary including Tawang (in Arunachal Pradesh) is inalienable from Chinas Tibet in terms of cultural background and administrative jurisdiction, Dai told China-India Dialogue magazine that is part of the official China International Publishing Group.

Dai was the Special Representative for 15 rounds of talks with four Indian counterparts  Brajesh Mishra, JN Dixit, MK Narayanan and Shivshankar Menon.

Without directly commenting on the interview, Geng said it is in the fundamental interest of the two countries to reach an early solution to the border issue. This is also an important consensus reached by the two sides, he added.

At present the two sides have reached a roadmap to find a solution based on political parameters and guiding principles. They have also reached the important consensus that they are committed to an equitable, reasonable solution acceptable to the two sides, Geng said.

China would like to work with India to work relentlessly on negotiation process and find a solution that is equitable, reasonable to all parties, he added.

Geng was more emphatic about Chinas displeasure on the Dalai Lamas visit to Arunchal Pradesh. Indicating that India is deliberately allowing the Dalai Lama to visit the region despite knowing Chinas expected reaction, Geng said India is aware of the sensitivity of the matter.

India is fully aware of the seriousness of the Dalai issue and the sensitivity of China-India border question, he said.

Under such a background if India invites Dalai to visit the mentioned territory it will cause serious damage to peace and stability of the border region and China-India relations.

Geng said China had conveyed its displeasure and concerns to India about the impending visit through formal channels.

We have expressed concerns to the Indian side, urged India to stick to its political commitments and abide by important consensus the two sides have reached on the boundary question, refrain from actions that might complicate the issue, not provide a platform to the Dalai-clique and protect the sound and stable development of China-India relations, he said.

China had strongly protested against the Dalai Lamas meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in December, saying it opposes any form of contact between the Tibetan leader and officials of other countries.

(With agency inputs)
A high school in Germanys western Wuppertal city has banned Muslim students from praying within the premises.

A circular was issued to teachers at the Gymnasium Johannes Rau school asking them to identify names and report any cases of Muslim students praying in school to management.

The circular further read that the ban should be pointed out to students in a friendly manner.

In recent weeks, it has been increasingly observed that Muslim pupils in the school building are praying, clearly visible to others, signalled by ritual washings in the toilets, the rolling out of prayer mats and taking up certain postures. This is not permitted, DW news quoted the document as saying.

This is not the first time a school has asked its Muslim students to stop from praying.

In 2011, a high-school student from Berlin-Wedding approached a court after he was not allowed to pray publicly.

Germanys Administrative Court rejected his complaint on the grounds that his prayers would disturb the school peace.
The vandalism of more than a dozen headstones at a Jewish cemetery in Rochester is being investigated by a New York hate crime task force, the third known case of a Jewish cemetery desecration in the country in the last two weeks.

Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he ordered the investigation at Waad Hakolel Cemetery given the wave of bomb threats that later proved hoaxes targeting Jewish community centres and vandalism at Jewish cemeteries in Philadelphia and St. Louis.

U.S. President Donald Trump, a Republican, has condemned the threats and attacks, although he has at times also questioned whether some perpetrators might be opponents of his seeking to link his new presidency with a rise in anti-Semitism.

Trumps election campaign last year drew support from some white nationalists and right-wing groups, despite his disavowals of them.

Besides the toppling of headstones at the Rochester cemetery, images of the deceased embedded on at least half a dozen headstones had been scratched away, although it was not clear how long ago, said Karen Elam, the director of community relations at the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester.

Its clear vandalism, she said in a telephone interview after touring the cemetery on Thursday afternoon to photograph the damage. Any vandalism of a Jewish cemetery is de facto anti-Semitism.

Michael Phillips, president of the non-profit organization that oversees the cemetery, told the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle newspaper that there was no proof the vandalisation was a case of anti-Semitism, citing the smaller scale of the damage in Rochester.

About 100 headstones were knocked over at a Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia last weekend, and about 170 headstones were knocked over in a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis.

Officials at the cemetery in Rochester did not return calls seeking comment. In 2014, vandals toppled more than 40 headstones at another Jewish cemetery near Rochester, but local police concluded the vandalism was not motivated by anti-Semitism, the Democrat & Chronicle reported.
Ninety-year-old Khatla Ali Abdallah has survived decades of turbulence in northern Iraq, but the frail grandmother who fled the battle for Mosul this week says the fighting there is the worst she has ever seen.

Carried across the desert by her grandsons, under sniper and mortar fire, she was one of thousands who braved the difficult and dangerous journey out of Islamic States shrinking stronghold in the west of the city.

Im a 90-year-old woman and I havent seen such a war, she said in a camp for displaced people south of Mosul, where she was taken by Iraqi security forces.

Khatla lived through Saddam Husseins quarter century in power, when Iraq fought wars with neighbouring Iran and Kuwait and endured a decade of devastating sanctions. That was followed by a U.S.-led invasion which toppled Saddam and led to years of sectarian war across the country.

Even under the Saddam era, we were afraid because of the atrocities and the people killed, she said. But nothing is compared to this phase.

Since the launch of the military campaign in October to retake Mosul from Islamic State, Khatla remained in her home in the citys southwestern al-Mamoun district, now in the hands of Iraqs U.S.-backed Counter Terrorism Service (CTS).

At times she took shelter in her basement with the 20 chickens that she looked after - reminders, she said, of her youth when she also herded sheep and cattle.

I havent lost any chickens, not even a one little chick, she said. We were trapped in the basement and we could hear the bullets hitting the metal roof of the chicken pen.

Her grandsons carried her for miles in the desert to reach the CTS lines, and then she was taken on a bus to a camp for internally displaced people.

We just want to make it through this war, she said. This one will make stories for generations to tell.
A Kansas man who survived an apparently racially motivated shooting at a suburban Kansas City restaurant and bar is out of the hospital and has already visited the scene of the attack.

Ian Grillot, 24, was released from the hospital Tuesday, The University of Kansas Health System said in a statement Thursday. Grillot was one of three men shot Feb. 22 at Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas. One of the men, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was killed, and his friend, Alok Madasani, was wounded.

Both Kuchibhotla and Madasani were natives of India working as engineers for GPS-maker Garmin in Olathe.

A bullet hit Grillot in the hand and entered his chest when he tried to stop the suspected gunman, 51-year-old Adam Puriton, of Olathe. Puriton is charged with murder and attempted murder.

Witnesses say Puriton shouted racial slurs before shooting Kuchibhotla and Madasani.

On Wednesday, Grillot went to church and then stopped at Austins for closure, the hospital said in a statement. He also returned to the hospital for a meeting with three officials from the Consulate General of India in Houston.

The dignitaries told Grillot and his family they were grateful for his actions the night of the shooting and invited Grillot and his family to visit India when he is able to travel. Consul General Anupam Ray told Grillot that his bravery is more representative of America than the violence at Austins, the hospital said.
An Indian-origin woman in the US has been allegedly racially abused by an African-American man who called her inappropriate names and yelled get out of here when she was travelling in a busy commuter train.

Ekta Desai, who lives in New York, took a video of the incident that occurred on February 23.

The video was then shared by a website The Voice Raiser and has since then gone viral and viewed by hundreds of thousands of people.

In the video, the African-American man is seen abusing the woman, saying words like Freedom of speech and Black Power. Using expletives, he tells her to get out of here.

As the woman is recording the video, the man gets visibly angry and is seen shouting at her.

This man was on the same PATH train as me along with 100 other passengers, I had my headphones on and it was like any other day. Next thing I know he is yelling on my face (Did not bother to listen/react), Desai wrote on social media.

Desai said she did not react to the man but he continued shouting and questioned as to why she was taking his photo and pictures. Several people have reacted sympathetically towards the woman after the video was posted online.

Desai said she reported the matter to police authorities, who allegedly said the man appears to be emotionally unstable and she should be careful.

Desai then contacted Kundan Srivastava, a Human Rights activist and founder of The Voice Raiser, who said the US government should punish the man for harassing and abusing women and also insulting our nation.

We would also like to say that being a girl does not make anyone less capable or helpless. As you can see in the video, people are just standing as a mere spectator. He yelled disgusting things and used unacceptable words. A person should abide by the civic rules and does not slut shame a woman. Keep Fighting!, Srivastavas organisation said.

The incident comes close on the heels of the shooting in Kansas of a 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla who was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani at a bar before yelling get out of my country.

The shooting sent shock waves across the Indian-American community here with people expressing concerns over their safety in an environment of xenophobic and racist rhetoric in the country.
Malaysia released on Friday a North Korean suspect in the murder of the estranged half-brother of North Koreas leader and prepared to deport him, while police issued an arrest warrant for another North Korean wanted in connection with the killing.

Kim Jong Nam was murdered on February 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, after being assaulted by two women who Malaysian police believe smeared his face with VX, a chemical classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.

The women, one from Indonesia and the other from Vietnam, were later detained and were charged this week with murder.

A North Korean man, Ri Jong Chol, was also arrested days after the murder, but he was released from police detention on Friday. He was taken from detention to an immigration office wearing a bullet proof vest to be processed before being sent back to Pyongyang.

He, accompanied by two representatives of the North Korean embassy, are scheduled to depart to their native country today, Mustafar Ali, director general of the Immigration Department said in a statement.

Malaysias attorney-general told Reuters on Thursday he was being released due to insufficient evidence.

The murder of Kim Jong Nam, 47, has soured relations between Malaysia and North Korea, which had maintained friendly ties for decades.

South Korean intelligence and U.S. officials say the murder was an assassination organised by North Korean agents.

Kim, who had been living in the Chinese territory of Macau under Beijings protection, had spoken out publicly against his familys dynastic control of isolated, nuclear-armed North Korea.

South Korean legislators cited their spy agency as saying the young and unpredictable North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, had issued a standing order for his half-brothers assassination, and that there had been a failed attempt in 2012.

SUSPECTS

Police have identified seven other North Koreans wanted in connection with the killing, including a senior embassy official and a member of staff at the North Korean airline Air Koryo. Four of them are known to have left Malaysia.

An arrest warrant was issued on Friday for the 37-year old airline worker, Kim Uk Il. Malaysia has stepped up checks at all border crossings for North Koreans linked to the case, police have said.

Malaysias deputy prime minister and home minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said authorities would also investigate a North Korea-linked company that is suspected of operating a sanctions-busting arms business in Malaysia.

Reuters reported this week that a front company run by North Korean intelligence agents ran an arms operation out of Malaysia.

Definitely we are going to investigate any such incidences, Zahid said when asked about the arms operation.

North Korea has not commented on its suspected involvement in the arms operation.

It has also not confirmed the death of Kim Jong Nam.

It has acknowledged the death of a North Korean but its ambassador said earlier that Malaysian police investigations could not be trusted.

North Korea said that its citizen may have died of a heart attack.

Kim Jong Nam was in the airport departure hall when he was assaulted by the women, who wiped his face with a liquid, identified in an autopsy as VX. He died within 20 minutes.

The women have told diplomats from their home countries that they thought they were participating in a prank for reality television.

Malaysia condemned the use of VX and has said it is in close contact with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, an inter-governmental organisation based in the Netherlands, regarding the incident.
US forces on Thursday conducted a series of air strikes in Yemen against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the Pentagon said.

More than 20 strikes targeted AQAP militants, equipment and infrastructure in the Yemeni governorates of Abyan, Baida and Shabwa, Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said in a statement.

The strikes were conducted in partnership with the government of Yemen, and were coordinated with President (Abedrabbo Mansour) Hadi.

The strikes come barely a month after a controversial American commando raid against the jihadists that left multiple civilians dead and killed a US Navy SEAL.

A US official told AFP that Thursdays strikes had been planned months ago and were unrelated to the botched raid, which the White House has repeatedly claimed was a success that yielded crucial intelligence.

The raid was valuable, but the strikes were not directly related to it, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Davis said the strikes targeted militants, equipment, infrastructure, heavy weapons systems and fighting positions.

The strikes will degrade the AQAPs ability to coordinate external terror attacks and limit their ability to use territory seized from the legitimate government of Yemen as a safe space for terror plotting, he said.
Pakistan has no plans to hand over Kulbhushan Jadhav, arrested on charges of espionage, to India and he will be prosecuted under the countrys laws, foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz said on Friday.

Aziz, who was speaking in the Senate or upper house of Parliament on the issue of Jadhav, said the government is not considering any option to extradite Jadhav. An FIR had been registered against him, he said.

We have prepared an FIR and a case is in the process of registration to prosecute the Indian state actor for involvement in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan, he told the House, according to Pakistani media reports.

The Pakistan government has sent a list of questions on this matter to its Indian counterpart, he added.

Read| India, Pakistan exchange barbs over arrest of alleged spy Jadhav

Aziz, who is the advisor on foreign affairs to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was responding to a question from lawmaker Talha Mehmood, who asked whether the government planned to give the same red carpet treatment to Jadhav which was given to CIA contractor Raymond Davis.

There is no such possibility, Aziz said.

Davis was arrested after he shot dead two men in Lahore in January 2011. He was freed and allowed to leave Pakistan about two months later after $2.4 million was paid as blood money to the families of the dead men.

Sartaz Aziz said the Pakistan government has sent a list of questions about Jadhav to India. (AFP)

Aziz also said it has never been said that there was any lack of evidence against Jadhav. Pakistan has shared a dossier with the UN Secretary General on Indias alleged involvement in the countrys internal affairs and in subversive and terrorist activities.

This dossier includes details about Kulbashan Jadhav and his activities, Aziz said. The government, he added, is examining the possibility of sharing the dossier with other countries and international organisations.

The dossier is not the only route to deal with the issue as the case for prosecuting Jadhav is being prepared, he said. This is a very delicate and sensitive issue and requires detailed preparations and home work as it relates to direct or indirect involvement of Indian state actor in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan, he added.

Opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan said he had challenged Prime Minister Sharif to mention Jadhav in a speech and questioned if the premier had done this. Aziz replied: When the time is appropriate, the PM will speak about Kulbashan Jadhav.

Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, was arrested in Balochistan in March last year. Pakistani authorities claimed he had confessed he was working for the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) but this was rejected by India.
Pakistan boycotted a two-day meeting of the Saarc grouping on animal diseases held in New Delhi this week, apparently in response to a similar action by India last year.

The first Saarc Epidemiology Networking Forum meeting, held in the national capital on February 27-28, was attended by representatives of all member countries with the exception of Pakistan.

The epidemiology focal points from the 7 member states, except Pakistan, participated in the meeting, the department of animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries, which is under the agriculture ministry, said in an official statement.

The Saarc summit in September last year was cancelled after five member states, including India, decided against attending the meet.

The objective of this first meeting was primarily to operationalise a sustainable and functioning veterinary epidemiology network among the eight Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) member states to build collaboration to achieve a more effective and efficient control of trans-boundary animal diseases, including zoonoses.

The meeting was jointly organised by the government of India, the Saarc Secretariat and FAO.

During the meeting, animal husbandry secretary Devendra Chaudhary emphasised on the economic upgradation of Saarc member states through control of TADs (Trans-boundary Animal Diseases) and suggested to make disease-free zones.

He highlighted the significance of harmonising the reporting systems of the member states of the Saarc.

Chaudhary also expressed Indias commitment towards strengthening this forum and building collaborations through joint R&D programmes and joint disease surveillance and control programmes.

In the meeting, it was decided to hold regular meetings using ICT tools to develop specific agenda and build further trust till the next physical interaction. The forum agreed to make India as Secretariat for the forum for one year till the next face-to-face meeting of the forum.
Senior Russian and Nato military chiefs on Friday held their first phone talks since ties between the two sides collapsed over the crisis in Ukraine, the defence ministry in Moscow said.

The chairman of the Nato Military Committee Petr Pavel called Russias chief of staff Valery Gerasimov to discuss the possible restarting of military coordination and avoiding clashes, a statement from the ministry said.

This is the first high-level military contact since the Nato council took the decision to freeze relations with Russia, it said.

The two sides exchanged opinions about current security issues, the prospects of reestablishing military cooperation and avoiding incidents.

Moscow said Gerasimov used the opportunity to complain about the significant increased military activity of the alliance near the Russian border.

Nato headquarters in Brussels confirmed the talks and said active military to military lines of communications are in the mutual interest of Nato and Russia and they remain open.

The two generals agreed that they would remain in contact, it said, without giving any details about what was discussed.

Nato is beefing up its presence in eastern European allies badly rattled by a more assertive Russia following the seizure of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014.

Nato severed military contacts with Moscow over its meddling in Ukraine but diplomats and civilian leaders from the two sides have met.

The talks come as the new US administration under Donald Trump seeks to reassure Nato allies that it remains fully committed to the alliance despite pushing other members to spend more on defence.
Syrian troops backed by Russian jets completed the recapture of the historic city of Palmyra from the Islamic State group Thursday, the Kremlin and the army said, in another blow to the jihadists.

Bolstered by air strikes and ground troops from their ally Moscow, Syrian forces battled through the desert for weeks to reach Palmyra.

The oasis city has traded hands several times during Syrias six-year civil war and become a symbol of ISs wanton destruction of priceless cultural heritage in areas under its control.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin of Palmyras recapture, a Kremlin spokesman told news agencies in Moscow.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group, said the jihadists had totally withdrawn from the desert city but not before mining several areas.

The Syrian army is still clearing neighbourhoods of mines and has not spread out into the whole city yet, said its director, Rami Abdel Rahman.

An army statement carried on state news agency SANA said its forces had regained control over Palmyra and surrounding territory after a series of successful military operations.

IS has suffered a string of setbacks since taking over swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014, and its two main strongholds of Mosul and Raqa both face assaults by forces backed by a US-led coalition.

The jihadists first seized Palmyra in May 2015 and began to systematically destroy and loot the UNESCO world heritage sites monuments and temples.

They were driven out in March 2016 but recaptured the city in December when the government was focused on seizing rebel-held east Aleppo.

Before IS first entered the city, Palmyra boasted temples, colonnaded alleys and elaborately decorated tombs that were among the best preserved classical monuments in the Middle East.

But many of the structures have been destroyed and much of the heritage looted for sale on the black market.

Moscows support has been key in the Syrian armys Palmyra push, and its warplanes continued to bombard IS positions inside and near the city on Thursday, the Observatory reported.

A decades-old ally of Damascus, Moscow launched an air campaign in September 2015 in support of President Bashar al-Assads forces.

After losing ground in the early years of the war, Assads regime has regained significant territory -- including by pushing rebel forces out of second city Aleppo last year -- thanks in large part to Russian support.

- Turkey threatens US allies -

On another battle front against IS, fighters of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced they would cede several villages to the government as part of a deal brokered by Russia to avoid conflict with Turkey.

Turkey launched a cross-border operation in late August that it said aimed to counter both IS and the SDF, which is dominated by Kurdish fighters that Ankara sees as terrorists.

The surprise announcement by the SDF marks the first time that US-supported fighters has offered to cede territory to Assads forces.

It said the territory to be handed over lay between the towns of Manbij and Al-Bab, which Turkish-backed fighters captured last week from IS, to create a buffer zone between them.

Ankara meanwhile renewed its threat to bomb Kurdish fighters unless they withdrew from Manbij, a former bastion of IS that is now under SDF control.

The Turkey-backed rebels launched their advance on Manbij on Wednesday, initially seizing two villages but losing them to the SDF by Thursday.

The Observatory said clashes were ongoing southwest of Manbij late Thursday.

The profusion of forces operating in Syria has muddled the battlefield and on Wednesday a US general said Russian warplanes had bombed SDF fighters mistakenly believing they were IS.

The Russian defence ministry denied carrying out the air strikes.

- Sputtering peace talks -

Russia on Thursday accused Syrias main opposition group, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), of sabotaging sputtering UN-led Syrian peace talks in Geneva and questioned their ability to reach a deal.

The results of the first days of the intra-Syrian dialogues, as before, raise questions over the ability of the Syrian opposition representatives to reach a deal, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

Moscow had earlier called for terrorism to be added to the agenda of the talks, which have so far focused on three topics: governance, the constitution, and elections.

But the HNC late Wednesday refused, having previously accused Assads regime of wanting to turn the focus to terrorism as a distraction from political questions.

Progress in the Geneva round must not be held hostage by the Riyadh platform, lead Syrian negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari told reporters, referring to the Saudi-backed HNC.

The Geneva talks, the fourth round of UN-sponsored negotiations in the war, are expected to end by the weekend, though no formal timeframe has been set.
President Donald Trump is praising his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, and accusing Democrats of conducting a witch hunt in their criticism of Sessions testimony about his contact with the Russian ambassador during the presidential campaign.

Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

Trump says Democrats are trying to save face after losing the election, are overplaying their hand and have lost their grip on reality.

Sessions on Thursday recused himself from any investigation into Russian meddling in Americas 2016 presidential election. He acted after it was revealed that he twice spoke with the Russian ambassador during the campaign and failed to say so when pressed by Congress. Some Democrats are accusing him of lying and calling for him to step down.

Read more | US attorney general Jeff Sessions quits Trump campaign probe under pressure

However, Trump conceded that Sessions -- who failed to disclose recent contact with Russias ambassador to the United States during his confirmation hearing -- could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional.

- Focus on Russian diplomat -

Trump has come under increasing pressure over Russias interference in the election and alleged contacts between his entourage and Moscow.

According to officials, US intelligence agencies and the Federal Bureau of Investigation continue to investigate just how and how much Moscow intruded into US politics, and whether that effort -- which US intelligence chiefs say was directed by President Vladimir Putin -- involved collusion with the Trump campaign.

Four congressional committees have opened probes into the issue, although Democrats fear that Republicans will seek to bury their investigations to protect Trumps young administration.

Two weeks ago, Trumps newly appointed national security advisor Michael Flynn was forced to resign amid controversy over his discussions with Kislyak in late December, when the Obama administration was hitting Moscow with retaliatory sanctions and expulsions for its election interference.

On Thursday, The New York Times reported that Flynn had also met the diplomat in Trump Tower in December, with Trump son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner also in attendance.

While meetings between political campaigns and diplomats are generally common, on Thursday a Clinton spokesman said there were no meetings or calls between her team and any Russian official during the campaign.

- Sessions met Russian envoy twice -

Sessionss own meetings with the envoy took place much earlier, in July and September, just as accusations of Russian interference in the election were mounting, according to The Washington Post.

However, Sessions had told his confirmation hearing in January that he did not have communications with the Russians and did not know of any by other campaign staff.

Sessions on Thursday clarified that his denial referred to contacts made on behalf of the campaign. He said he met Kislyak in his capacity as a senator, and discussed mainly global politics with him.

Nevertheless, after reviewing ethics rules for his office, he said: I have decided to recuse myself from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for president of the United States.

Speaking to Fox News Wednesday evening, he reiterated that he did not discuss the campaign with Kislyak.

When I campaigned for Trump, I was not involved with anything like that, he said. You can be sure.

- Democrats press independent probe -

Despite the swirling controversy, few hard facts are publicly available on what US investigators know and suspect about the contacts and about Russias alleged operation to disrupt the election last year.

The New York Times reported two weeks ago, citing US intelligence sources, that three Trump campaign staff had communicated with Russian intelligence officers over the past year.

The White House labeled that report false and has accused Democrats, the media and the intelligence community of a political effort to undermine the Trump administration.

Trumps White House has lobbied the FBI, reportedly the CIA and two Republicans who head committees leading investigations into Russias election meddling, to knock down media reports on the alleged links.

That added to Democrats worries that investigations could be tainted, and lawmakers were pressing for an independent counsel to be named to study the web of allegations about Trump and Russia free from political interference.
President Donald Trump declared total confidence in his attorney general Thursday in the face of mounting calls for his resignation over undisclosed contacts with Russia during the US election campaign.

Revelations that attorney general Jeff Sessions met twice last year with the US ambassador to Russia -- a direct contradiction of his Senate confirmation testimony -- appeared to come as a surprise to the White House.

Speaking to reporters aboard the new aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford, Trump said he wasnt aware of Sessions meetings with the Russian envoy, Sergey Kislyak.

But asked whether he retained confidence in Sessions, Trump responded: Total.

The revelations ignited calls by Democratic leaders for the attorney generals resignation, and the naming of a special prosecutor to investigate possible connections between Trumps entourage, Moscow, and Russian interference in last years election.

The fact that the attorney general, the top cop in our country, lied under oath to the American people is grounds for him to resign, Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader, said. He has proved that he is unqualified and unfit to serve in that position of trust.

The Department of Justice should be above reproach, said senate minority leader Chuck Schumer. For the good of the country, attorney general Sessions should resign.

Even some prominent Republican lawmakers joined in calling for Sessions to recuse himself from Justice Department and FBI investigations into allegations of Russian election meddling and contacts with Trump campaign advisers.

AG Sessions should clarify his testimony and recuse himself, Jason Chaffetz, a member of the House Government Oversight Committee, tweeted.

But Trump said Sessions was probably truthful when he told the Senate January 10 that he did not have communications with the Russians.

And asked whether Sessions should recuse himself, Trump said, I dont think so.

Sessions denied any wrongdoing but told NBC News: I have said whenever its appropriate, I will recuse myself. Theres no doubt about that.

I have not met with any Russians at any time to discuss any political campaign, and those remarks are unbelievable to me and are false. And I dont have anything else to say about that.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said he saw no purpose in Sessions recusing himself unless he becomes a subject of investigation.

He insisted that no evidence has been presented so far that any Americans were involved in the campaign meddling by the Russians.

Dashed after-glow

Dashing administration hopes for a feel-good reboot after a chaotic start, the latest controversy erupted as the White House was basking in the after-glow of Trumps well-received speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.

Trumps softer tone in the address was seen as a tactical retreat from the whirlwind of conflicts and controversies that unsettled his first 40 days in office.

The Washington Post revealed late Wednesday for the first time that Sessions met Kislyak in July and September, just as accusations of Russian interference in the election were mounting.

That directly contradicted Sessions statement during his Senate confirmation hearing January 10.

When asked about the Trump campaigns alleged contacts with the Russians, Sessions said, I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didnt have -- did not have communications with the Russians, and Im unable to comment on it.

A White House official rejected the Post report as the latest attack against the Trump administration by partisan Democrats.

Sessions met with the ambassador in an official capacity as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which is entirely consistent with his testimony.

In Moscow, the Kremlin said it was unaware of any specific meetings between Sessions and the Russian ambassador ahead of the US election, but that any such encounters would have been routine.
US President Donald Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner now finds himself in the spotlight for a 20-minute meeting with him. Attorney general Jeff Sessions met him twice during the course of 2016 and is in all sorts of trouble. And Michael Flynn lost his job as National Security Adviser for phone calls with him.

How could one man cause so much trouble for the US government? And in such a short span of time? And all that man  Sergey Kislyak, the 66-year-old Russian ambassador to the United States  has said in his defence is that he was only doing his job, what all diplomats do.

Indian diplomats have had similar meetings with Trump transition team officials and now with members of the administration, and could have easily done with a few more, but India is not Russia and India has not been accused by the US of meddling with the presidential election to help one of the nominees win.

Kushner, accompanied by Flynn, had a previously undisclosed meeting with Kislyak at Trump Tower in December to establish a line of communication with Russia, the White House has said while confirming reports of the meeting. Trump has repeatedly said he would like engage Russia to improve relations.

It was not known if Kushner, who is married to Trumps daughter Ivanka and is part of the presidents inner circle of officials, could face questions about impropriety similar to those that were raised about Sessions and Flynns interactions with Kislyak.

The crucial difference: Flynn and Sessions were less than forthcoming about their meetings while under scrutiny, and had even denied them altogether. The White House immediately confirmed Kushners meeting.

Sessions, meanwhile, facing a barrage of criticism for misleading a Senate committee conducting his confirmation hearing, announced on Thursday he was recusing himself from the FBI investigation of the Trump campaigns contacts with Russians. The FBI is part of the justice department and reports to Sessions. His troubles may be not be over yet as Democratic lawmakers are demanding his resignation or ouster.

Flynn was fired by Trump, who continues to still defend him, after it was revealed he had lied to vice-president Mike Pence about his phone calls with Kislyak, in which he discussed sanctions slapped against Russia by then president Barack Obama for alleged interference in the US elections.

Kislyak, a career diplomat who started out in the Soviet Union, has been Russias envoy to the US since 2008. But the US, or at least Washington DC, is getting to know him better for the troubles he seems to have caused the Trump administration. And the first reports about him tended to portray him as a shadowy spymaster, a wily recruiter to fit the narrative of him making backroom deals with some of the incoming administrations similarly disposed people. Flynn was a long-time officer and head of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Moscow reacted with anger and exasperation. Holding CNN responsible for that mischaracterisation, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, according to the network, He was deputy minister of foreign affairs in Russia, who has communicated with American colleagues for decades in different fields, and CNN accused him of being a Russian spy...of recruiting? Oh my God!

The portly Kislyak, whom senior Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein said in an interview is a difficult figure to miss or forget meeting with, was deputy foreign minister before he was sent to Washington as ambassador. In the 1990s, he was deputy head of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics then foreign ministrys department of international scientific and technical cooperation. He also served in the departments of security affairs and disarmament, and the latter continues to be his speciality.

As a Ukrainian who decided to stay on in Russia after the break up of the USSR, Kislyak is considered somewhat of a traitor in Ukraine, which is at the heart of the resistance to Russian President Vladimir Putins apparent designs to recapture the lost glory associated with the Soviet Union that he saw collapse before his eyes as a member of the KGB, now called the FSB.

Kislyak has kept to himself through these controversies, refusing media requests for comments and interviews. But he did tell The Washington Post, which broke stories about Flynn and Sessionss Russia contacts, what he did - meeting officials of an incoming administration. Its something all diplomats do, he said. That was before reports surfaced of his contacts with Sessions and Kushner.
In the first project of its kind, Britains earth observation community is linking with Indian experts to assess the impact of climate change and the associated greenhouse gas emissions on agriculture in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

The project, funded by the UK-India Education and Research Initiative and the Department of Science and Technology, brings together experts from the University of Leicester and Indian Institute of Technology (Kanpur) to set up a new international research network.

The use of novel earth observation datasets used in the project is expected to provide a much better understanding of regional and long-term changes across the plains and how they impact agricultural yield.

The project links with researchers from the Centre for Climate and Landscape Research through the Leicester Institute for Space and Earth Observation and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Wallingford through the National Centre for Earth Observation Science.

The plains extends across northern India, connecting to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, and is region of large scientific and economic interest.

The projects context is the increasing agricultural production and industrialisation to meet the demands of a growing population, which means human-induced disturbances which threaten the natural ecosystem in this region.

Such changes have been observed to impact the quality of air and emissions of greenhouse gases and therefore the need to monitor land-use and the regional greenhouse gas budget is becoming critical, a release from the University of Leicester said.

In addition to these pressures, large climatic variations such as extreme changes in rainfall or temperature can also significantly impact crop productivity, food and water security in the future.

The project will focus on combining expert knowledge in Earth observation space sensors, highly accurate ground-based measurements with state-of-the-art models of the land surface to determine the climatic drivers of yield modulations and its relation to greenhouse gas emissions.

The project is led by Hartmut Boesch and Harjinder Sembhi in the United Kingdom and by Sachchidanand Tripathi of IIT (Kanpur) in India.

Boesch of the University of Leicester said: The Indo-Gangetic Plain is a very important region for the regional food supply and the use of earth observation data will give us novel means of studying the sensitivity of this area to environmental changes.

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Embattled US attorney general Jeff Sessions announced Thursday that he would recuse himself from any investigation into Donald Trumps election campaign, which faces intense scrutiny over contacts with Russia.

But after receiving a strong endorsement from Trump, Sessions did not bow to pressure to step down over charges he lied to Congress about his own meetings with the Russian ambassador before the election.

After reviewing ethics rules for his office, Sessions said, I have decided to recuse myself from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for president of the United States.

When you evaluate the rules, I feel that I should not be involved in investigating a campaign I had a role in, he told a news conference in the US capital.

The move came as the White House struggled to tamp down fresh revelations of contacts by Trump associates with Russia that threaten to snowball into a full-blown crisis for the new administration.

Democrats are pressing for an independent investigation to study all sides of the controversy, from Russian meddling in the presidential race, to whether Trump campaign aides colluded with the Russian effort.

Earlier Thursday Sessions admitted that he had met Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice last year while he was still a US senator and actively supporting Trumps fight to win the White House.

Trump responded by declaring his total confidence in Sessions, while adding that he wasnt aware of the meetings between Sessions and Moscows envoy.

Multiple probes

The encounters came while US intelligence agencies were probing Moscows alleged operation to hack Democratic Party computers and release materials that would hurt the campaign of Trumps rival Hillary Clinton.

In January, Sessions told a Senate panel that he had no contacts with the Russians during the campaign.

Sessions clarified Thursday that his Senate confirmation hearing statement addressed whether there were any contacts with the Russians on behalf of and about the campaign.

He said he had mainly discussed international politics with Kislyak.

In retrospect, I should have slowed down and said, but I did meet one Russian official a couple times, that would be the ambassador.

Already, one member of Trumps top team -- short-lived national security adviser Mike Flynn -- has been forced to resign over controversy over his contacts with Kislyak.

The White House has rejected suggestions that Trump campaign aides colluded with Moscow to skew the election.

US intelligence agencies continue to probe the contacts, and although the Justice Department will not confirm it, both the White House and members of Congress have said the Federal Bureau of Investigation is examining the issue as well.

Meanwhile four congressional committees are investigating the issue. Fearing that Republicans and the White House could try to bury the matter, Democrats have called for an independent probe and were pushing for Sessions to step down.
New York City police are investigating a threatening note signed Muslim Slayer that was sent to a mosque.

Imam Ibrahim Yavas of the American Turkish Eyup (EYE-oop) Sultan Cultural Center in Brooklyn told police he got the letter Tuesday, mailed to his residence at the center.

The letter said the writer had a dirty little secret and fantasized about killing nonwhites, including the recipient.

The hate crimes task force is assigned to the case. No arrests have been made.

Read more | Two US mosques get hate notes calling for slaughter of Muslims
In a show of inter-faith unity, Muslim military veterans in the US have offered to guard Jewish sites amid a spike in bomb threats against Jewish centres and vandalism targeting the communitys cemeteries.

Many Muslim US military veterans have tweeted their support for Jewish people in the wake of threats and vandalism targeted at the community.

In a tweet, a former Muslim marine, Tayyib Rashid, pledged, If your synagogue or Jewish cemetery needs someone to stand guard, count me in. Islam requires it.

Rashid, known by his Twitter handle @MuslimMarine, said in his Periscope video that, Ive seen a tremendous outpouring of love and support from all Americans, from Muslims, from my fellow Jewish Americans, from Christians, from atheists, from everyone.

His tweet has gone viral and has prompted other American Muslims to offer their support to the Jewish community.

Another Muslim veteran tweeted, Im a Muslim Veteran in Arizona and will readily stand guard at any Jewish Synagogue or Cemetery at any hour. #WeAreOne.

Houston area Jewish community, I spent ten years protecting our country and I will gladly protect Jewish places of worship if you need, another Muslim veteran said.

However, it was not just Muslim veterans tweeting support, other Muslims joined in too.

Emmy Award-winning TV Broadcaster Momin Bhatti took to social media to pledge support in his call to protect Jewish sites.

Im a Muslim in #Harrisburg. If your synagogue or community centre needs someone 2 stand guard, I will stand guard for you. Islam requires it, he said.

This show of solidarity follows an online campaign called Muslims Unite to Repair Jewish Cemetery, which has raised more than USD 115,000 to repair the gravestones toppled over at the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in the St. Louis suburb of University City, Missouri, Fox News reported.

Earlier this week, dozens of volunteers from various faiths helped clean up the Mount Carmel Cemetery in Philadelphia, which was vandalised over the weekend.

President Donald Trump has condemned these types of attacks.

We are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms, he had said.

There has also been a surge of bomb threats against synagogues, Jewish centres and schools around the US.

This week alone, there were threats made against numerous Jewish centres and at least one school in California, Washington, Nevada and Arizona, The Huffington Post reported.

The FBI and the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division are probing the threats.
Britains secret intelligence service is using a movie-theater ad in its push for more agents.

The goal is to attract more women and ethnic minorities into the ranks of agents made famous by the fictional spy James Bond.

The 30-second spot marks the first time MI6 has advertised in cinemas.

Officials say they are seeking to promote more diversity in the service.

Alex Younger, head of the agency also known as MI6, told the Guardian newspaper he wanted the agency to reach communities who were selecting themselves out.

We have to go out and ask these people to join us, said Younger, who rarely makes public comments, in the interview published on Thursday.

I want everyone to know that, regardless of background, if you have the skills we need and share our values, there is a future for you in MI6.

In its push to take its numbers to 3,500, the largest in its history, the spy agency is launching a recruitment campaign next week, the Guardian said.

MI6 spy agency will also go back to its old, informal tap on the shoulder method of hiring new agents.

That was the only way of recruiting people, a tap on the shoulder. That was the way I was recruited, Younger said.

We have to go to people that would not have thought of being recruited to MI6. We have to make a conscious effort. We need to reflect the society we live in.

In 2015, Britain announced it would recruit another 1,900 spies to deal with the threat posed by Islamist militants.

MI6, however, said it battled with the enduring image that its officers were all like its greatest fictional agent James Bond, currently portrayed by actor Daniel Craig.

There is a perception out there that we want Daniel Craig, or Daniel Craig on steroids. He would not get into MI6, said the agencys female head of recruitment, who like all its agents apart from Younger is anonymous.

We need to get that message across because it is so embedded, and we have to get around that. They may well be able to use a revolver. But that is not really what we are looking for.

The Guardian said Younger would not be drawn on specific dangers Britain faced, but had warned the agency needed to be upstream of the threats.

The terrorist threat has grown but that has not resulted in a diminution of threats posed by hostile states, he said. They have ways of posing a threat to us that they did not have before.
The days of the rustler are ended, said John Kinney, whose failure to pay import duties played a hand in his downfall.

Prohibition-era crime boss Al Capone could have learned a valuable lesson from 19th- century boss rustler John Kinney: Be sure to pay the taxman. Capone was famously convicted in 1931 not for illegal bootlegging or murder but for failure to file his tax returns. Riding as high in the American Southwest as Capone would in Chicago a half-century later, Kinney was on the verge of escaping justice when federal Treasury agents, investigating his failure to pay import duties on smuggled cattle, alerted New Mexico Territorys militia to the rustler kings whereabouts. Instead of the high life he was planning to enjoy, Kinney would spend three years in the slammer.

Kinney was a young man in a hurry. He was but 22 when he first exhibited a taste for mayhem, just 24 when he displayed a talent for violence on a scale surpassing his peers, perhaps only 27 when he turned his organizational skills to his own benefit rather than others. He was but 30 when his misdeeds caught up with him.

John Kinneys place and date of birth are uncertain, but family tradition, prison records and Kinneys own statements suggest he was born in Massachusetts sometime in 1853. His widowed mother moved the family to Chicago, and there the teenage Kinney enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1868.

The Army marched Kinney through much of the West during his five-year tour. After his discharge, he chose to make his mark in New Mexico Territory. There he threw in with a bunch of lawless and homicidal desperadoes that included such career criminals as Jessie Evans, Jim McDaniels and Charles Ray (aka Pony Diehl) and quickly learned the trade of rustler. Sooninevitablythey and other criminals like them became infamous members of what historian Frederick Nolan has called the Chain Gang, a small army of interlinked bands of rustlers working from the Great Plains to California and on both sides of the Mexican border.

Reckless men like these soon found themselves sharing another profession. Repeatedly during the decade after Kinneys arrival in the American Southwest, corrupt movers and shakers discovered a need for his type. Here the law too often wilted before the power tucked in scabbards and holsters. Southeast New Mexico Territory warehoused scores of young men with testosterone to burn. Hardscrabble farmers, ranchers squatting on watered land, merchants one mistake away from dashed dreams and saddlers with no particular purpose in life provided the muscle that unscrupulous authorities and monopolistic businessmen needed to lock out their would-be replacements.

Between 1877 and 1882 any borderlands county sheriff from El Paso, Texas, to Lincoln, New Mexico Territory, to Tombstone, Arizona Territoryneeding a small army of gunmen to enforce order could hire such men as killers. What set John Kinney apart from his equally lawless friends were his leadership and organizational skills. More than once it was Kinney who got the assignment to commit under-color-of-law mayhem on a scale useful to corrupt politicians up and down the Rio Grande.

His first opportunity came in December 1877 during the El Paso Salt War. Kinney was in Silver City, New Mexico Territory, when El Paso County Sheriff Charles Kerber sent him an urgent telegram asking him to raise volunteers to rescue the Texas Ranger detachment besieged in San Elizario, Texas. Within the day Kinney raised a posse of 25 men and rode east. He picked up more men in Mesilla, New Mexico Territory, including Jessie Evans. Grant County Deputy Sheriff Dangerous Dan Tucker was ostensibly in charge of the Silver City men, but the worst of the bunch, the ones who raped and plundered in El Paso, were identified as Kinney men. They were a gang with badges, perhaps the first Southwest border area criminals to be sworn in on a large scale to fight a local war. The activities of the Kinney gang in the Rio Grande Valley established a precedent for future wars in places as widespread as Lincoln and Tombstone.

Kinney stayed on in El Paso, dually occupied as a saloonkeeper and Kerbers deputy sheriff, until he abruptly departed for Lincoln County. The trigger, according to rumor and tradition, was a summons from District Attorney William Rynerson to fight in the Lincoln County War. Kinney and his Rio Grande posse took the side of the Lawrence MurphyJames Dolan House, the business monopoly supported by corrupt politicians of the Santa Fe Ring. The Kinney gangs dramatic gallop into Lincoln on the first day of the climactic five-day battle (July 15 19, 1878) turned a developing victory by Alexander McSweens Regulators into a standoff, broken only by the Armys intervention.

The war petered out following the Lincoln fight. Billy the Kid and many other unemployed hard cases turned to hit-and-run thievery, but Kinney had grander ideas. He and his followers returned to El Paso, where they attempted to hijack the November 1878 elections and secure virtual control of county government. Kinney and ally Charles Kerber, the unpopular incumbent sheriff, expected little opposition from the only other armed force in town. The Texas Rangers charged with keeping the election honest had racked up a sorry record since their surrender to the insurgent Tejano militia in the El Paso Salt War. But Sergeant Marcus Ludwick was in charge that day. He and 10 Rangers backed down Kinneys men, granting El Paso its first honest election since the end of the Civil War.

Kinney returned to New Mexico Territory. During the next few years he cleared up old criminal charges, briefly pinned on another deputys badge to escort the Kid from the jail in Mesilla to the one in Lincoln and may have found time to scout for the Army in the Victorio campaign. But hiring out his services to others was losing its attraction. Kinneys expansive imagination soon conjured up designs much more lucrative than protecting someone elses empire.

In March 1879 Kinney opened up a butcher shop in Mesilla, the harbinger of a much larger scheme already germinating in his mind. Under the radar he began constructing the early Southwests most organized criminal enterprise. His operations surpassed anything ever witnessed in neighboring Arizona Territory. There rustling was largely the work of the so-called Cowboys, small gangs with ever-changing lineups bandits acting as independent contractors, hiring themselves out like Caribbean pirates for each raiding voyage.

Kinney operated on a wholly different scale, using scores of rustlers who routed both livestock and profits to just one man Kinney himself. His operations ranged from Socorro, New Mexico Territory, south to the Mexican state of Chihuahua, and from El Paso west toward Silver City and down into Sonora, Mexico. While other rustlers worked closely with cooperative butchers to quickly eliminate evidence of their crimes, Kinney was savvy and systematic enough to eliminate the middleman whenever he could. His ranch just south of Rincon, New Mexico Territory, locally dubbed Kinneyville, included a slaughterhouse and dressing station. This gave Kinney the flexibility to ship either beeves or choice cuts by rail to wherever he could find buyers. With no middleman taking a cut of his profits, Kinney made the most of an operation that reportedly stole thousands of horses and cattle from honest ranchers. Eventually, people began to talk, and the press took notice. The Santa Fe New Mexican took to calling Kinney King of the Rustlers.

Threats of violence and violence itself were tools of Kinneys trade. Like any effective crime boss, he, as author Nolan put it, played the role of holy terror to the hilt. Fear of crossing the rustler boss and his private army rendered the various lawmen in his kingdom impotent, though friendship with Kinney, rather than fear, seems to have motivated Grant County Sheriff Harvey Whitehill. The sheriffs cozy support of the rustler, even after Kinneys kingdom fell apart, is otherwise unfathomable.

As 1883 opened, reported thefts of livestock skyrocketed. The New Mexican claimed Kinneys men rustled an estimated 10,000 head in January alone. The number was doubtlessly exaggerated. When later arrested, Kinney henchman Margarito Sierra confessed to knowledge of 17 separate thefts of 171 horses, cattle and oxen over six months. At that rate Kinneys men would have had to carry out 1,000 thefts in January to meet the New Mexicans estimate. No matter how dubious the figures, however, other reports indicated Kinneys wife and brother were banking huge sums for him in El Paso.

Anger and frustration over mounting thefts of livestock convinced Territorial Governor Lionel A. Sheldon it was time to eradicate Kinneys operation. Short of a presidential finding of insurrection, the U.S. Army was forbidden by the 1878 Posse Comitatus Law from taking out such criminals. Fortunately, Sheldon had another force at hand: New Mexicos volunteer militia. On February 12, 1883, he ordered the militias commander, Major Albert Jennings Fountain, to take the field and treat the rustlers as public enemies.

Throughout his life as a soldier, lawyer, crusading newspaperman and rough-and-tumble politician, 44-year-old Fountains accomplishments were many. Sheldons orders handed him a fresh opportunity for further glory, this time against an old adversary, John Kinney. Fountain quickly got to work, putting three companies into action in a series of sweeps up and down the Rio Grande Valley and west into Lake Valley. So effective were these measures that by the end of March the militia had broken the back of largescale organized rustling in the territory. And among the first to fall prey to Governor Sheldons offensive was Kinney himself.

The rustler king fled west across New Mexico Territory to escape capture, but not even Arizona Territory was a safe haven. On March 7, 1883, the Shakespeare Guards under Captain James F. Black apprehended the fugitive. Kinney and brother Tom were taken completely by surprise on the Gila River, five miles into Arizona Territory, beyond present-day Duncan. Kinneys wife, Juana, was also present, which perhaps explains why Kinney offered no real resistance when confronted by Captain Blacks force. The circumstances that led Black to Kinneys camp have never been fully explained. Historian Philip J. Rasch stated, Sheldon learned that Kinney himself was on the Gila and ordered Black to capture him at any hazard.

Although Rasch did not identify the source of Sheldons information, Sheriff Whitehills biographer, Bob Alexander, provides the added detail that Frank Cartwright, superintendent of the Sierra Grande Co. at Lake Valley, one way or the other learned of John Kinneys visit and promptly telegraphed Fountain, who at the time had not a precious clue as to the slippery fugitives whereabouts. By the time Blacks Shakespeare Guards reached Silver City, they began cutting for meaningful sign west of town. Obviously, then, they knew where to hunt, but how they knew has been until now a mystery.

A newly discovered report to Secretary of the Treasury Charles J. Folger by acting Special Agent William Penn Howland of the U.S. Customs Service describes how federal agents located John Kinney on the Gila and assisted in organizing the columns necessary to surround the rustler and prevent his escape.

Howlands involvement in the search for Kinney began on Thursday, March 1, in Benson, Arizona Territory, where he and U.S. Customs Collector Abner Tibbets met to investigate the smuggling of cattle from Sonora. They determined that rustlers had brought a smuggled herd across the border, tracing the cattle to Lordsburg, New Mexico Territory, and from there north to the Gila River. Tibbets dispatched a mounted inspector named Wilson, who knew the country well, to find the herd. What Wilson and other unidentified scouts found on the Gila was a party under Kinney reportedly in possession of several hundred animals. Wilson needed reinforcements.

Wilson got word to Howland at Lordsburg. The special agent immediately wired Kinneys whereabouts to Tibbets, who was already at El Paso. Tibbets lost no time in telegraphing Governor Sheldon before heading for Lordsburg, reaching town on Sunday, March 4. A day was lost as Tibbets, Howland and Deputy U.S. Marshal S.L. Sanders waited for the governors men to arrive. At last, on Monday, Captain Black, a saloonkeeper by trade, and 17 other men of the Shakespeare Guards arrived on Sheldons orders. That night they started with Sanders for the point on the Gila where Wilson had spotted Kinney.

Meanwhile, Howland and Wilson rode all night across the Burro Mountains to Silver City, arriving there at 4 a.m. on March 6. They hoped to raise a force in town but could not find men they could trust. As Howland reported, Men ordered out promiscuously would be worse than none as nine-tenths of them would be in league with Kinney and would betray and frustrate any plan. Silver Citys leading men offered no help. All were said to be in mortal fear of Kinney and his gang. The customs men split up. Wilson rode down the Gila to meet Deputy Sanders and Captain Black. Howland rode to Fort Bayard to plead for the Armys help. Colonel William Bedford Royal was apologetic, but he could not bring his 4th Cavalry into play without orders from Brig. Gen. Ranald S. MacKenzie, the department commander at Santa Fe.

Sanders and Black had also ridden all night after leaving Lordsburg. As they approached the Gila, the deputy marshal led one party in a long detour into Arizona Territory, passing through the Peloncillo Mountains to Whitlocks Cienega, then turning north and east, hitting the Gila at a point beyond where Kinney was expected. The other party, led by Captain Black, took a more direct path but split up, with half going down each bank of the river.

On the morning of Wednesday, March 7, Kinneys party relaxed at Ash Springs, five miles inside Arizona Territory, not far from Yorks Ranch, to water the horses and mules. The water hole lay in a hollow with high rocks on either side, too narrow for cattle, so Kinney pushed them downriver to an open pasture. For the unwary traveler the hollow was also a natural ambush site, as the late George York discovered during the Apache outbreak 17 months earlier. Kinney, brother Tom, wife Juana and their companions were just breaking camp at about 8 a.m. when Blacks Shakespeares Guards took them by surprise. At almost the same moment Sanders enveloping party, weary from their 30-mile march through Arizona Territory, appeared from the west, closing the trap. Kinney surrendered without a struggle. Instead, he tried to talk his way out, but nobody, not even Harvey Whitehill, who some reports placed at the scene, was buying what Kinney had to sell.

The militiamen escorted Kinneys party, along with three-dozen horses and mules, back to Lordsburg. There the rustler king was thrown unceremoniously into a sidetracked boxcar to await the arrival of A.J. Fountain and transportation to Las Cruces for trial.

Special Agent Howland begged his superiors for an Army escort to Arizona to gather up Kinneys great number of smuggled stolen cattle on the Gila and its canons. Howland also urged the Treasury secretary to remain on the offensive. With Kinney and his lieutenants captured or killed, continued pressure, according to Nolan, would so crush the combination of CowBoys and desperadoes that [they] would hardly rally again this summer, and if so, feebly, as the great combination which now extends from the Pecos River in Texas to Arizona would be without leaders for a time at least.

Kinney faced 17 separate indictments for larceny and buying stolen cattle, handed down by the grand jury of New Mexicos 3rd Judicial District. Fountain, now the governments attorney, concentrated on prosecuting the territorys best case, a single charge of stealing 16 beeves. Fountain did the job in two days, and on April 13, 1883, Kinneys jury took just eight minutes to convict the surprised crime boss.

Fountain escorted Kinney to prison at Leavenworth, Kan. As the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe train carrying the deposed king, eight other prisoners and Fountains guards rolled into Kansas City on May 2, an Illustrated Police News reporter was there to greet them. The journalist reported that Kinney expressed himself freely and did not appear to worry over his fate. Kinney told the reporter: The days of the Rustler are ended anyway in New Mexico. All his property have [sic] been swept away, and he might as well be in Leavenworth prison as out of it without money.

When his conviction was reversed less than three years later, he went home for a retrial that never took place. From this point on, says author Nolan, Kinney sinned no more. He may have served in Cuba during the Spanish American War as a civilian scout and quartermaster, although the Army rejected his pension claims. He owned a couple of mines and lived comfortablyperhaps on his ill-gotten savings accounts in El Paso.

By the time John Kinney died of Brights disease at age 66 on August 25, 1919, he had thoroughly rewritten his life story. His obituary in the Prescott Journal-Miner proclaimed that he was known in the Southwest as one of the most daring and courageous in the annals of men who were sacrificing and unflinching to preserve law and order. In death, if not life, he became one of the most generous and best loved men ever to grace the early life of the thrilling days of the border. Not bad for the Southwests first crime boss.

The Pima County Public Library [www.library.pima.gov] in Tucson named Salt Warriors: Insurgency on the Rio Grande, by Paul Cool [www .paulcoolbooks.com], a Southwest Book of the Year. For further reading: The Lincoln County War: A Documentary History, by Frederick Nolan, and Sheriff Harvey Whitehill: Silver City Stalwart, by Bob Alexander.

Originally published in the April 2014 issue of Wild West. To subscribe, click here.
Pippa Middleton's wedding is all set to be held in May and along with the high profile guests, it also includes her elder sister, Kate Middleton and Prince William along with their kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte; and also Prince Harry who might have his lady love, Meghan Markle by his side at the wedding.

According to reports The Sun, to avoid all the limelight on her, Kate Middleton has volunteered to act at the official nanny at Pippa Middleton wedding. She wants her little sister to be in the limelight at her wedding and this motivated her to volunteer. So, along with her kids, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, the Duchess of Cambridge will also be babysitting the other kids.

Moreover, to ensure a smooth day for the bride, Pippa Middleton, Kate Middleton's kids, Prince George and Princess Charlotte will also not be making an appearance as the page boy and the flower girl. The Duchess has said that they are too young to play the role.

In other news, it is being suggested that since Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton are close friends, she has also invited him to the wedding along with his girlfriend. So, it is speculated that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be attending the event together and it will also be their first public appearance, Mirror reported. Considering that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are pretty serious about their relationship, it gives him the perfect opportunity to declare to the world that they are together.

Moreover, rumors are rife that even before Pippa Middleton's wedding, Prince Harry may propose the Suits actress. If this so happens, it goes without saying that the entire spotlight will be on Meghan Markle and not the bride, Pippa Middleton.

Well, it remains to be seen how things take shape and who get the spotlight at Pippa Middleton and James Matthews wedding in May.

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Fans of Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have been looking forward to their reunion in the next "Twilight" movie and now Stewart has said that she would be the first to read "Twilight" book if Stephanie Meyer comes up with one.

There are millions of fans who want Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson to reprise their "Twilight" characters Bella and Swan and though the stars have not said anything, Stewart did express interest in another book, Metro claimed. When asked if she would like to return to the "Twilight" set, the 26-year-old actress replied that the "Twilight" team kind of finished the series as they made five movies on it and therefore, she thinks they kind of did justice to it.

However, another reply was little different. When asked if she would be tempted to return if there was another book, she said that she would definitely be the first to read it. Does that mean she would be also taking a look at her character? It could be and therefore, there is a section of fans that feels Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson's reunion is a possibility.

Speaking of Robert Pattinson, the 30-year-old-actor was seen with his fiancee FKA Twigs at the recent European premiere of his movie "Lost city of Z" in London. According to E! News, the couple walked the red carpet hand in hand and looked completely besotted with each other, thereby, dousing all the stories that had been predicting their split for about a year.

Notably, rumors of the duo's breakup had been rife for some time and it was also said that Kristen Stewart is the reason behind their split. However, all of that stands quashed as FKA Twigs is still with the "Twilight" actor and as far as Kristen Stewart is concerned, she is said to be seeing model Stella Maxwell. So, it may not be unlikely if the ex-lovers bury their hatchet and star in a successful franchise like "Twilight" once again.

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Sweden has decided to reintroduce military conscription, the Scandinavian country is worried because of Russia. The decision means that 4,000 men and women will be called up for service from 1 January 2018, who will be selected among 13,000 young people born in 1999. Sweden brings back conscription to increase security.

In September, a Swedish garrison was restored to Gotland, a big island between the Swedish mainland and the three former Soviet Baltic states. Ms Nyh Radebo stated the return to conscription was prompted by the security changes.

She added that the Russian annexation of Crimea, the conflict in Ukraine and the increased military activity in the neighbourhood are some of the reasons. The BBC reports that the 13,000 who undergo the military tests will be a mixture of conscripts and volunteers.

Impact on regional security

Ms Nyh Radebo stated that 70% of parliament is behind the decision to increase the military and co-operation with the countries, the closest co-operation is with Finland. Sweden and Finland do not belong to Nato, but co-operate closely with the alliance. The Swedish recruitment system will be modelled on Norway's.

A Swedish government report on defence priorities states that recruitment of reserve squad leaders, soldiers and sailors has proved to be problematic. According to a 2015 research paper by Barbara Kunz of the IFRI Security Studies Center, Sweden has about 52,000 full-time military personnel.

Military service in other countries

France and the UK made their armed forces fully professional, France in 2001 and the UK in 1963. Germany suspended conscription in 2011, but there is a debate about reintroducing some type of national service. Turkey has conscription for all men over the age of 20, Greece and Cyprus also have conscription.

Denmark, Norway and Finland have limited conscription, but their forces are overwhelmingly professional. Estonia and Lithuania have similar recruitment policies. In Russia, all men aged 18-27 have to spend a year in the military.

Ukraine brought back conscription in 2014 because of Russia. In Switzerland, men have to serve periods in the armed forces from 19 to 34 years, and keep their equipment at home.

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T oday is the big reveal for a second collection at Habitat by fashion designer Henry Holland, crashing on to duvets, rugs, cushions and a chair. He calls it gypsy Bohemia, a mash-up of florals, gingham and embroidery, triggered by archive photos of the Roma of Eastern Europe.

And take a sneaky peak at an OTT suite at the Hoxton Holborn hotel kitted out with Henry Holland all this month.

Londons pattern people are in overdrive, colour bombing the capital with their brilliant hues, palm prints and authentic folk motifs from around the world.

Maoming collection fabrics, from 98.40 to 312 a metre at Pierre Frey, Chelsea Harbour

The Paris team of Pierre Frey go posh ethnic (in London at Chelsea Harbour) paying tribute to the Miao people shielded by the Moon mountains in south west China. Here is a perfect pile of ikats, batiks, pleats and embroideries. And Manuel Canovas, another Paris brand, has sent us a fresh clutch of equally posh-ethnic cloths. No one clashes colours quite so well (at Colefax and Fowler, SW3, and Chelsea Harbour, SW6).

Also in the Harbour, the stunning Africalia edit by Spaniards Gaston y Daniela (at Abbott & Boyd). And round the corner in Worlds End Studios, Justin Van Breda has put pattern on to cabinets (a big trend)  a vivid leafy Fromental silk, reminiscent of African wax resists and carefully coated it in lacquer.

Creative leader Karin Gustavsson with vibrant fabrics from the limited-edition Jassa collection at IKEA

Affordable folk brights come in a limited edition this month at Ikea, where Dutch maverick Piet Hein Eek and his team have delved deep into the batiks of Indonesia, to make fabrics, handmade furniture and splattered ceramics. You can get a hefty hank of cloth for 12  enough for a bedspread or a small pair of curtains. And the chunky square floor cushions are great to cheer up that rented flat.

Thai brand Jim Thompson looks to China with Leo de Janeiro cloths to celebrate the famous lion dance in happy hues, with a nod to carnivals everywhere.

Back home, in a south London ethnic chic pioneer Sarah Campbell, (of famous fabric duo Collier Campbell) says.We always looked around the world for inspiration. Shes re-coloured an on-trend 80s classic, Bedouin Stripe, as a cushion, and as fabric by the metre. The 70s and early 80s were the great times for colour, she says - think Habitat green trolleys and our Bauhaus print for Liberty. But minimalism was the death knell. Now colour is back, bringing joy and surprise . And her tip for an instant colour fix? Take a blue jug, fill it with marigolds, and prop up a postcard by Matisse.

Simple colour pops can quickly lift a room .Its so easy to make a bright table with runner, napkins, and a few plates. Good cheap homeware is new in H&M in Oxford Street and Westfield. Also try Homesense expanding rapidly with 33 shops nationwide, including at Staples Corner and Watford.

Catch Dutch stores Hema when next at Victoria or Euston stations. And the inimitable Danish Tiger is now on most London High Streets, and on Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road, W1; uk.flyingtiger.com.

Moving up market, try a brightly coloured kettle, mixer or toaster, a table lamp, or silk shade. Do a chair in a sophisticated plain velvet (so of the moment) - that lustrous pile will add an extra glow.

The Varese edit at Designers Guild is an industry staple - 71 colours with six shades of green alone , You can even have a coloured tap in rainbow hues from a new Grohe range, and bright coloured cookers are just launched by Smeg.

Paint is the quick fix and a big uplift of spirits. Marianne Shillingford, Dulux colour consultant has the science: shocking pink, lime, emerald and citron pack a punch because they have a high LRV (light reflective value) and strong chroma (colour intensity). 
T RAUMATA AT SOTHEBYS

Weve always enjoyed Sothebys S|2 space which puts on museum-quality exhibitions with free entry, behind the Mayfair auction house.

Its a direct selling space, so theres no bidding for the artworks, and theres currently a terrific show called Traumata, celebrating two of the greatest artists of their generation  the late Louise Bourgeois and Yayoi Kusama.

Both women emerged on to the famously macho Fifties NY art scene, the era of abstract expressionism, both laid bare their own psychological traumas, which continue to inspire artists.

Kusama has voluntarily lived in a psychiatric facility for 40 years but still journeys to her studio to continue her lifes work. Bourgeoiss Spider, 1994, pictured above, is among works on show.

*Traumata runs at Sothebys until April 13.

FIND YOUR EDEN IN THE CITY

How do we feel a city? What do we see and hear as we go about our lives?

Laura Oldfield Ford is interested in how people negotiate and experience the city space. She has created Alpha, Isis, Eden, an installation and audio work, pictured, at The Showroom, based on walks in the gallerys Edgware Road location, creating layers of personal and public experience and history.

This Saturday from 3.30pm-8pm theres a free discussion session attached to the show with artists, writers and activists participating in a listening event, with a drinks/DJ set towards the end.

*Alpha, Isis, Eden, at The Showroom until March 18. Free entry. Booking essential.

CLOSE TO THE EDGE WITH MAGGI

Maggi Hambling, pictured, is one of Britains most important artists. Edge, her eighth solo exhibition with the Marlborough Gallery, opens tomorrow.

The title gives a clue. Hambling has been quoted as saying: We are living on the edge all of the time. She wants us to consider the fragility of existence, both ours and that of the planet.

Hambling created the first public monument to Oscar Wilde, the green granite sarcophagus opposite Charing Cross station, with its quote from Lady Windermeres Fan: We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

*Maggi Hambling: Edge, at the Marlborough Gallery, March 2-April 13.

THE PAPER AVIARY: TWEETING THE SECRETS OF ST JAMESS MARKET

We knew about the three fashionable restaurants in St Jamess Market, and those hot Danish chefs whove launched Ole & Steen, the 2017 bakery of choice. But we didnt know about The Paper Aviary, a shop window installation in the new St Jamess Market Pavilion.

Argentine studio Guardabosques, working with design specialists dn&co, created paper birds out of traditional menswear patterns. The birds chirrup and tweet through speakers as you pass.

Its a homage to nearby Birdcage Walk where Charles II installed a birdcage full of exotic species.

Also at St Jamess Market, Smeg is soon to open a three-floor flagship store. Check out its Dolce & Gabbana-designed fridges.

*The Paper Aviary, at St Jamess Market, until May. Free.

AN ARCHITECTURAL DETECTIVE IN KINGS CROSS

If you are visiting Borough Market, take a detour to the Art Bermondsey Project Space for Minnie Weiszs new show, Time Present Time Future.

Weisz  sister of actress Rachel  has a studio in Kings Cross and for the past 15 years has been photographing abandoned buildings in the area.

Hidden chapel: from Minnie Weiszs new show, Time Present Time Future

She revisits the spaces before and during their development, and the photos have an ethereal, dreamlike quality.

Art Bermondsey Project Space is a not-for-profit platform. The artists sell directly to the viewer, and its a great place to find art, for first-time buyers in particular.

*Until March 12, Tuesday-Saturday 11am- 6pm, at Art Bermondsey Project Space.
E xquisite lace-paper Valentines and embossed playing cards used to be made at a Victorian printworks in Hoxton  but the factory has now made way for Hoxton Press, two hexagonal towers with 198 apartments that are a fitting tribute to the site's craftworking origins.

Clad in neat Belgian bricks, the towers' robust yet elegant design is the work of celebrated architect David Chipperfield, and these homes are among London's best examples of space-efficient apartment blocks.

Each tower incorporates a rhythmic pattern of deep-and-wide recessed, double-aspect balconies. These highly useable, year-round spaces, accessed by a wall of sliding glass, provide fresh air and protection from the elements. Inside, the studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom flats have more space and higher ceilings than required by the Mayor's London Plan regulations. Pocket doors slide back into the wall cavity, while there is cleverly concealed storage space.

Underfloor heating means walls are radiator free, and with oak floors throughout, white lacquered kitchens and shadow-gap skirting boards, the interiors are clean-cut, contemporary and comfortable.

Moreover, being 16 and 20 storeys high, the towers respect the area's historic architectural context next to Regent's Canal and are far less obtrusive than the shiny steel-and-glass skyscrapers along nearby City Road. The development overlooks Shoreditch Park and Gainsborough Studios, an arty enclave of flats and workspaces.

Firms of architects, designers and digital start-ups are settling into the neighbourhood's quiet backstreets, while there is a sprinkling of gastropubs, one with a noted theatre. The marketing suite across the road from the towers cost 1.5 million to build and eventually will be converted into a local primary school. Prices at Hoxton Press start from 615,000. Call Anthology on 020 3308 9813.
News, events, history, and other mid-week tidbits.

Tuesday, October 25, 4:30  7 p.m.

Orr Area EMS Open House

Brats and burgers will be served. Event includes a new ambulance tour and blood pressure screenings. For more info: 218-780-3798.

Orr Fire Hall

4540 Lake St., Orr

Tuesday, October 25, 12  6 p.m.

Essentia Health Job Fair

Talent recruiters and department managers will be on-site at Essentia Health-Virginia. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to attendnurses, nursing and clinical assistants, surgery technicians, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, human resource professionals, and those interested in environmental services or nutrition services. Essentia staff will greet candidates, conduct an initial screening and filter them to appropriate hiring managers for interviews. Select candidates will be verbally offered a position before leaving. Candidates are asked to bring a resume, but its not required. Attire is business casual. For more info: www.essentiacareers.org.

901 9th St. N., Virginia
Maybe Ryan Zinke wanted to make sure everyone knew that he was from Montana.

Zinke is the new Secretary of the Interior and today, March 2, was his first day on the job. Surrounded by the suits and ties of Washington, D.C., he showed up on horseback, outfitted in jeans and a cowboy hat.

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Ryan Zinke rode a horse to work on his first day as Secretary of the Interior pic.twitter.com/NFigUPREEK  Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) March 2, 2017

Honored to stand with the brave officers of @USParkPolice  these professionals put their lives on the line for us pic.twitter.com/QbtojcfvLV  Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) March 2, 2017

The Billings Gazette reports that the horse Secretary Zinke rode in on is a 17-year-old, 17-hand Irish Sport Horse named Tonto. He was accompanied by nine U.S. Park Police officers. The U.S. Park Police department has a stable on the National Mall.

Secretary Zinkes unusual arrival certainly brought him some media attention today, but hell have responsibilities ahead of him that riders and horse enthusiasts will be watching closely. The fate and future of National Parks, public lands, and wild horse habitats fall under the Department of the Interior.

In his first day on the job, Secretary Zinke issued two secretarial orders focused on hunters and anglers. The first overturns the Use of Nontoxic Ammunition and Fishing Tackle order, which had banned lead bullets and fish tackle on Fish and Wildlife Service lands. The second prioritizes expanding access to hunting and fishing opportunities.

How hell manage the concerns of both trail riders and wild horse advocates remains to be seen.

Leslie Potter is a writer and photographer based in Lexington, Kentucky. www.lesliepotterphoto.com
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Ireland's favourite brass ensemble are getting set to head off on a nationwide tour.

After a hugely busy and successful 2016 with the release of their debut album Chilled Milk, along with enjoying their biggest Irish tour to date, once more taking in shows in Vicar Street, Cork Opera House, Bow St. Sessions and festivals all over Ireland, the UK and Europe, Booka Brass prepare to tour small towns all over Ireland, bringing their unique brand of musical energy off the beaten track throughout the countryside.

Chilled Milk has been widely hailed as one of Ireland's top albums in 2016, by radio DJ's and journalists alike.

This will be a chance to see the lads in an intimate setting. Full tour dates below, with more to be announced.

March

24th - Judge Roy Beans, Kildare

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30th - The Sugar Club, Dublin

April

6th - Kenny's Bar, Lahinch

7th - 5th on Teeling, Sligo

16th - Spirit Store, Dundalk

22nd - Balor Theatre, Donegal

28th - Connolly's, West Cork

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29th - Coughlan's, Cork City

30th - Coughlan's, Cork City

May

5th - Smiddy's, Mullingar

6th - Campbell's Tavern, Headford, Galway

13th - Kavanagh's Bar, Portlaoise 2

20th - Dolan's, Limerick
Carolyn Kaster/STF

JACKSON, Miss. - A federal workplace safety agency wants to fine Nissan more than $21,000, saying the company's Mississippi plant should have better trained a maintenance worker who lost three fingers in July.

The citations were issued weeks before a Saturday rally to support unionization by the United Auto Workers, where pro-union speakers are likely to denounce the Japanese company's safety record. Nissan, though, defends its safety record as "significantly" better than average.
WASHINGTON - Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry made his official return to government Thursday when the U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination as secretary of energy.

With a controversial new president in Donald Trump and a heated debate around how to address climate change underway, Perry will be tested quickly as he takes over an agency that manages billions of dollars in federal research funding.

Trump has promised to slash government spending, and the former governor will likely be under pressure to overhaul a department that spent $29.6 billion in 2016. At the same time Republicans are eager to roll back efforts under former President Barack Obama to expand research into areas such as renewable power and energy efficiency.

"This department, like so many others, has fallen victim to excessive bureaucracy and bloated government spending accounts that detract from its original mission," Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis, who attended Texas A&M University with Perry, said in a statement. "Fortunately, we now have a man who possesses a very strong energy background and has a track record of proven executive leadership."

At a swearing-in ceremony with Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday evening, Perry recounted how Trump had told him, "I want you to do for American energy what you did for Texas."

"That's exactly what we intend to do," Perry said. "American energy can lead a revolution economically in this country like we've never seen before."

Perry has long been a favorite son of Texas' oil and gas industry, presiding over a hydraulic fracturing boom that revived what had been an industry in decline. While in the governor's office, he described climate science as a "contrived, phony mess."

But in his recent political comeback - seemingly on hiatus as he made appearances on the television program "Dancing With the Stars" - Perry has taken a more centrist tone. During his confirmation hearing in January, Perry walked back his controversial past statements on climate change - and another suggesting the Department of Energy itself be disbanded - promising an "all of the above" strategy that would promote research into everything from fossil fuels to solar panels to geothermal energy.

That centrist approach won him bipartisan support lacking among many of Trump's Cabinet nominees. As opposition from Democrats slowed confirmation votes, Perry's own confirmation was delayed until six weeks after the inauguration.

Ten Democrats, including Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, joined Republicans in voting to confirm Perry's nomination. Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine, also voted for Perry.

Even environmental groups, no fans of the former governor, seemed to avoid the hard-line attacks directed at EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and took Perry's confirmation as a chance to press him to continue his support for renewable energy while in the governor's office. Perry's embrace of wind power helped Texas to become by far the largest generator of wind energy in the nation.

"Perry, who saw firsthand the rise of wind generation in Texas, needs to be an aggressive champion of pioneering advancements," Abigail Dillen, an attorney at the advocacy group EarthJustice, said in a statement. "At a time when we need to be making a wholesale shift from coal, oil and gas to renewable energy, we look to the Department of Energy for the crucial clean energy research and innovation that is absolutely essential to our energy transformation."

At the same time, pressure is mounting from Democrats and Republicans alike to speed up development on advanced nuclear reactors that can be built more cheaply and do not produce the radioactive waste that the government has long struggled to find a repository for. And then there is the question of finding an economic way to capture carbon emitted by power plants and industrial facilities that burn fossil fuels.

Perry is the second member of Trump's Cabinet from Texas, following former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, raising expectations that this administration will place a priority on helping the oil and gas industry, which drives the Houston economy.

To what point Perry will hold true to his "all of the above" strategy remains to be seen.

Some Democrats remain skeptical. Since his confirmation, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., the ranking Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, questioned Perry's commitment to renewable power and energy efficiency.

"We've had the last two presidents make energy efficiency a key priority - President Bush by advocating for plug-in vehicles and President Obama who made a major investment in smart grids, efficiency and clean energy jobs," she said. "Gov. Perry has not committed to those same principles that are going to move us towards those 21st-century jobs."

That's not necessarily a bad thing for many GOP lawmakers. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, is leading a group of Republicans attacking the Department of Energy's loan guarantee program, which aims to speed up the transition of new energy technology onto the marketplace.

Smith argues such a program interferes with the energy markets, allowing the government to give its preferred sources of energy a leg up over those it does not favor. Rather, Smith argues, the department needs to focus on putting money into new technologies that the private sector is unwilling to commit research funding to.

"We will work with Secretary Perry to prioritize basic research that will lead to innovative technologies and develop affordable energy for Americans," Smith said in a statement Thursday.
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On the last afternoon in February, dozens of students crowd the auditorium at Woodson K-8 School in south Houston. At Woodson, Black History Month means a little something extra.

The chorus of students and teachers sing "Lift Every Voice and Sing," often called the Black National Anthem. Earlier, there'd been a dramatic reading of Maya Angelou's "Still I Rise." And second graders had presented a PowerPoint highlighting famous quotes by African-American pioneers like educator and philanthropist Mary McLeod Bethune. Most of the names on the slide are familiar.

But one name  Carter G. Woodson  is less familiar, even though it runs across the front of the school in large black letters.

But Woodson deserves to be better known: Close to a century ago, he brought black history into the American conscious. Without him, Black History Month and departments of African-American studies might not exist.

THE HOUSTON HANDBOOK: "So much more than 'white-man' history"

Carter Godwin Woodson was an African-American historian, author and journalist, known as one of the first scholars to study African-American history. Born in 1875 to parents who were both enslaved and illiterate, Woodson was raised in Virginia before attending college in Kentucky. He would earn his Ph.D. in history from Harvard University, eventually teaching in places from Chicago to the Philippines.

Woodson's name should be synonymous with cultural influence, says Kimberly Brown, assistant professor of history at Texas Southern University.

"It's important to center him," she said. "If you celebrate Christmas, it's kind of important to know who Jesus is, right?"

Brown notes that celebrating icons like Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks would not be possible without Woodson's foundation. Neither would black studies books, departments or museums.

"In short, he helped legitimize 'woke' culture today," she said, adding that he laid the foundation for future acknowledgement.

Throughout his life, Woodson was adamant about professionalizing black studies at a time when it was thought that African-Americans didn't have a history.

Brown depicts a younger, resolute Woodson. He endures stout resistance from his professors at Harvard who claimed that African-Americans made meager, if any, contributions to American society. They laughed at the idea that black people contributed to the Revolutionary War, for instance.

Woodson made it his mission legitimize black history, exhuming the facts and figures from the past to formalize that history for the first time. He led a team that gleaned this history through meticulous research, building grassroots connections in communities to help find additional pieces to the puzzle of the black un-image in the American narrative. Woodson lived the life of a scholar-activist, Brown said, even selling his publications at a loss.

In 1915, he helped found the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History and, a year later, began publishing the Journal of Negro History, quarterly. In 1926, Woodson launched the annual observance of Negro History Week, which became Black History Month in 1976.

During that week, organizations like the YMCA, NAACP and black fraternities and sororities held pageants, programs and dinners to commemorate the past.

HOUSTON LEGEND: Barbara Jordan's lasting legacy

Contrary to some beliefs, Woodson chose February because of two prominent birthdays: Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12) and Frederick Douglass (Feb. 14). Another criticism has been that the selection of just one month  the shortest at that  still allows others to marginalize black history throughout the rest of the year. But Woodson hoped the initial acknowledgment would proliferate so that others would understand the past more wholly.

His work is more relevant than ever today, as the legacies of pioneering Americans like journalist Ida B. Wells, Harlem renaissance man James Baldwin and March on Washington organizer Baynard Rustin glow brighter in the historical spotlight.

Woodson's legacy is perhaps most evident in his academic influence, however. He established the graduate history program at my alma mater, Howard University, in Washington, D.C. That influenced Toni Morrison, who graduated from Howard in the early 1950s before briefly teaching at Texas Southern. The literary savant has won Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes  among many others  for her writing.

In the 1960s, alumnus Kwame Ture (born Stokely Carmichael) helped popularize the term "Black Power" as a call for black agency. Later, alumni Isabel Wilkerson and Ta-Nehisi Coates would expand the American conscious through their award-winning works on the Great Migration and America's long history of housing discrimination against African Americans, respectively.

The necessity to incorporate these black histories  an American history, really  is no less crucial now than when Woodson pushed for its initial acknowledgment, particularly as revisionist policies and textbooks threaten to paint a less-honest American past in Texas and elsewhere.

"You can't celebrate black history without thinking of the person who started it," Brown said.

Bookmark Gray Matters. It runs across the top of the page in large black letters.


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Project Joy & Hope has a goal to meet.

The Pasadena-based organization, established in 2000, offers pediatric palliative care for children with live with life-limiting conditions.

Some children served by Project Joy & Hope stay with their families in one of six on-site homes while they receive care. Since 2014, the organization has been able to raise money for six additional residences which are now under construction and expected to open in the fall.

However, that's not all Jan Wheeler, the nonprofit's founder, hopes to accomplish. She has plans to debut a 5,000-square-foot Palliative Care Center to serve the broader needs of anyone, not just children, needing palliative care.

That's where her goal comes in.

The J. E. and L. E. Mabee Foundation, a private charitable organization, has promised to complete Project Joy & Hope's capital campaign if 80 percent of the $1.95 million needed to fund the six new homes and center is raised by June.

Wheeler is reaching out to the Pasadena community and beyond to ensure the 80 percent is raised.

She said it's necessary if she and her organization are to continue to provide the kind of care they deem essential to those they serve.

"To palliate means to comfort, and we comfort people in many ways," she said. "Sometimes we do that by getting them out of pain, or providing emotional support, or psychological support or by improving their living conditions and thereby easing their pain."

The existing residential duplexes and the ones under construction are located in Pasadena on Tulip Street.

Wheeler said families may choose to live there for a number of reasons.

"We have people there who have children in hospice care or receiving end-of-life services. They may be pre- or post-transplant, or they are there because they're undergoing treatment for a life-threatening condition," she said.

Katrina Mena is one parent who's benefitted from Project Joy & Hope's residential facilities.

In a promotional video for the organization she described what having access to secure housing meant to her and her family.

"Not just are they giving you a place to stay, they're giving you a beautiful home to live in while you're going through such a hard time with your child," Mena said. "It was such a relief."

The planned Palliative Care Center would be the first such facility in Texas, Wheeler said. It will be located in front of the residences on Tulip Street.

"The center will be for the entire community, that's what makes it unique," she explained. "We'll have spaces for end-of-life-care planning, for establishing medical power of attorney, for making wills and other services."

Wheeler said many people do not have such protections in place nor do they know where to get them done, hence the need for a one-stop center for anyone looking for that type of information.

She added the center will also provide space for art therapy, children's activities, a parent support center, a business center, an exercise facility, a volunteer work room and private and public meeting rooms.

"The center will also be a place for education and training where the community will be able to have programs there and where we can train palliative care professionals to provide their services better," Wheeler said. "As soon as we complete this capital campaign we can break ground on the center, and we can be a source of information for anyone who needs palliative care."

The organization is well on its way to reaching its goal with help from its community partners such as local philanthropists Jon and Jackie Hodges of Pasadena and the Rotary Club of Pasadena, which committed to building one home.

Rotary president Brad French said his group's involvement helped to create a ripple effect and inspire others to contribute, as well.

Wheeler agreed.

"Many people who share our vision have stepped up and joined us," she said.

For more information about Project Joy & Hope or how to contribute to its fundraising campaign, go to www.joyandhope.org.
MCSO Submitted Photo

A 33-year-old Spring man has been arrested for two counts of felony injury to a child, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.

Detectives with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit were dispatched to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston in reference to an injury to two children. MCSO Detectives, with the assistance of Texas Children's Hospital and the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, applied for and received two arrest warrants for Jackie Brent Nance who was arrested yesterday by deputies with MCSO SWAT on Wednesday.
When police arrested 19-year-old Jacobe Dante Payton this week, a longtime family friend thought it was for unpaid traffic tickets.

Until recently, the Houston resident had been a student at Willowridge High School, in the southwest portion of the city. After class, he watched his 8-month-old son and 2-year-old daughter while their mother, his high school sweetheart, worked.

"He didn't have a mean streak in his body," said Karla Barnes, the longtime friend. Barnes said she is the daughter of Payton's former guardian.

On Wednesday, the Houston Police Department identified the teen as the alleged killer of 8-year-old De'Maree Adkins, who died last Saturday.

Early morning crash

As De'Maree's family plans the third-grader's funeral, Payton's friend and lawyer are questioning how the father and student they knew could have shot a child.

"I can't imagine how he could get mixed up in something like this," said Tiffany Hill, a lawyer the court appointed to represent Payton for two unrelated charges. "He seemed like one of those students that stays on top of himself."

Payton had been out of the house that Saturday with friends, Barnes said.

Early Saturday morning, De'Maree's mother, Latoyia Thomas, crashed into a Pontiac at the intersection of Beltway 8 and West Fuqua, while driving herself and De'Maree home from a hair appointment. After the collision, a person opened fire at Thomas' Honda and hit De'Maree, according to police reports. A four-door sedan fled the scene. Thomas, who was uninjured, held De'Maree in her arms and begged her daughter to stay alive.

Paramedics transported De'Maree to a hospital, where she died of her injuries.

The Houston Police Department is still investigating the case.

Pending assault cases

This isn't Payton's first brush with law enforcement.

In September, he was arrested in Harris County and accused of stealing 15 flash drives, three hard drives, a laptop, a computer bag and cash, valued between $2,500 and $50,000. He was released on bond and then arrested again in January for failing to appear in court. He appears to have been released on bond again in early February, according to court records.

He also has two assault cases pending in Fort Bend County, both of which Hill said happened at school. One alleges he got in a fight in January 2015 and struck another student. The second, filed about a year later, alleges he slapped his girlfriend.

Both were misunderstandings, Hill said. Payton pled not guilty to both in his arraignment. He was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday for both charges.

By then, he had already been taken into police custody for De'Maree's murder.

Because the shooting happened in the portion of Houston that is in Fort Bend, not Harris, County, Payton is being held in the Fort Bend County jail with a $500,000 bail. He was charged in the 240th State District Court in Fort Bend County.

De'Maree's family announced her funeral will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church at 3015 N. MacGregor Way, Houston.
Houston Police Department

A Houston man was charged Friday with human trafficking after allegedly heading a prostitution ring in which women were forced into sexual slavery through beatings and threats to their lives, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

Anthony Gardner is believed to be the first person charged by the the Harris County District Attorney's office with the crime of "continuing trafficking of persons." He also faces one charge of aggravated promotion of prostitution and two counts of compelling prostitution by force. The 27-year-old forced eight women, including two minors to work for him on Houston streets from November 2014 until his recent arrest.
For years, Roberta Gibson dreaded working with her boss, the Texas Southern University police chief.

Unwanted touches and hugs were common, she said. He also made comments about her legs and body.

Remon Green resigned this week after a university investigation of Gibson's allegations found an "offensive, hostile and uncomfortable work environment" created by the police chief's "unwanted and unwelcomed" hugs and touches, and his suggestive comments about female employees' attire, according to a summary of the investigation's findings obtained by the Houston Chronicle. An attorney representing Green called the accusations false and "malicious."

Despite police chief's resignation, Gibson said the investigation Texas Southern conducted of her sexual harassment claims proceeded too slowly and didn't give her accusations enough weight.

TSU found Green responsible for her allegations that could be corroborated by a third party, but his viewpoint was given more credence regarding her accusations of harassment that occurred in private, said Casey Jordan, Gibson's attorney. Many universities, including TSU, use a "preponderance of the evidence" standard, meaning the accused is found responsible if an allegation such as Gibson's is more likely than not to have occurred, Jordan said.

During its probe of Green's conduct, TSU also learned that its police chief had contacted at least one member of the police force, claiming that Gibson was trying to ruin his family and career. That contact violated a directive from TSU President Austin Lane, Green's manager who told him not to discuss the case with anyone while the university investigated Gibson's claims. The university's Title IX coordinator Keisha David recommended on Feb. 15 that Green either be terminated from his job or removed from a leadership position and suspended without pay.

Lane declined comment on Thursday regarding Green, saying personnel matters are confidential. The university confirmed its police chief resigned on Wednesday, but officials declined further comment.

Green had worked at TSU in Houston for about 15 years as sergeant, lieutenant, captain and deputy chief, before assuming the chief position last year. He declined comment regarding his resignation when reached by the Chronicle on Wednesday.

Gibson, TSU's department of public safety project coordinator, said Green's harassment began when she started working for the police department in 2008. She feared retaliation and so did not report it until October 2016, she said.

Unwanted sexual advances and inappropriate touching, she said, escalated when Green was promoted to chief in February 2016.

"He got very cocky; he got very arrogant; he got even more entitled," she said in an interview this week with the Chronicle.

Last spring, she said Green showed her a picture of his penis on his cellphone and asked her to show him nude photos of her. Although TSU investigated this allegation, the university's report said only that Gibson told a colleague about this accusation.

Green denied making sexually overt comments or gestures toward Gibson or other employees, according to the college's report of its investigation. His hugs, he told investigators, were meant to promote a "family atmosphere" in his department and he said he thought Gibson filed a complaint against him because she did not receive a pay raise in 2016.

However, Gibson said the tipping point prompting her to report Green to TSU came when she saw the infamous video of then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump describing grabbing and kissing women while using crude, explicit language. After the national media reported about the Trump video, women on social media began sharing their stories of harassment and sexual assault - and explained why they didn't report the crimes.

"I just decided that I'm not going to be that woman. I have to say something, enough is enough," she said. Gibson also filed a complaint Feb. 20 with the Texas Workforce Commission alleging gender-based workplace discrimination. The agency has not yet responded to Gibson or her attorney.

Green, who had been on administrative leave before resigning, retained Houston attorney Vic Bonner after tendering his resignation.

"We're through with it. He resigned," Bonner said Thursday. Green's resignation "doesn't necessarily mean he's guilty of anything," Bonner said.
Just 10 months after he was released from prison, a 25-year-old Houston man with gang ties and a laundry list of prior convictions was identified as the man killed earlier this week after shooting two Houston police officers.

Before the latest outburst of violence, Earl Donnell Riley had been arrested for multiple burglaries, marijuana, driving while intoxicated, felon in possession of a weapon, criminal mischief, trespassing and evading arrest - and that was just in the past eight years since he reached majority age.

The Louisiana native - who boasted a "Most Hated" tattoo across his back, according to prison records - has been linked to a criminal gang called the 52 Hoovers, a subset of the Crips with members in northeast, south and east Houston, a police union official said Wednesday.

Riley's series of crimes ended Tuesday morning, when he was fatally shot after opening fire on officers Ronny Cortez and Jose Munoz.

Police had been in the area investigating a rash of burglaries plaguing the neighborhood when a woman on Sterlingame Road flagged them down after noticing her backyard shed door cracked open. The two officers discovered a man hiding inside, a struggle ensued and gunfire erupted.

Riley was fatally shot by Sgt. J. Garza after emerging from the shed with a 9mm handgun, police said.

Both officers were wounded. Munoz was shot in the foot and released from the hospital the next day.

Cortez, a 24-year veteran of the force, was hit three times, including one shot that left a bullet lodged near his spine, leaving family members wondering if he will be able to walk again.

"We ask that everyone continue to send prayers our way as Ronny continues his recovery," the family said in a statement Thursday evening. "Ronny is a protector and has always been there to help those in need. Right now, we are making sure he gets the best care possible since he is the one in need."

Could have been in jail

A second burglary suspect is still on the loose, though Police Chief Art Acevedo said the man was not involved in the shooting.

If the stars had aligned differently, Riley might have been behind bars that day.

He was arrested on Valentine's Day for drunk driving, charged with DWI and keeping an open drink in his passenger seat.

But two days later, prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss the DWI charge due to a lack of probable cause for the arrest, and the judge ordered Riley's release.

Six years earlier, Riley was arrested under circumstances similar to Tuesday's incident.

HPD officers were hot on the trail of the then-18-year-old in April 2010 after he was suspected in a string of burglaries in a Spring Branch West neighborhood, about 10 miles north of Tuesday's shooting.

After a short chase, police arrested him in a neighbor's backyard, according to an officer's sworn statement.

Although his fingerprints were found on a stolen 32-inch television taken from the crime scene, a judge tossed the case because prosecutors couldn't prove he'd taken the TV; his prints only proved he came into contact with it later.

Prison sentence

Tamara Penberthy watched as the scene unfolded.

"That morning they just went on a rampage and robbed everyone whose fences back up to each other and had a flatscreen TV," Penberthy, 37, recalled Thursday.

She said her husband leapt over a fence to tackle one of the fleeing burglars.

"It was very evident that he was on a lot of drugs," she said. "He couldn't even look us in the eyes when he was caught."

Before that case finished winding its way through the legal system, however, Riley was sentenced to prison for another break-in the same day.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in prison, with 19 months' credit given for time spent in jail awaiting trial.

He was released in August 2011 on mandatory supervision, according to prison records.

In 2013, he pleaded guilty to another home burglary as well as being a felon in possession of a weapon after stealing a gun from a Houston home. That netted him another three-year sentence. He was released from state prison in May.

One lawyer who represented him in an earlier case said he remembered nothing about the future shooter.

"The name sounds vaguely familiar," said another.
Interfaith leaders gathered Friday at the Catholic Chancery in downtown Houston in an urgent plea to Congress to stop separating families and push for a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally

The coalition of religious leaders, who are part of The Metropolitan Organization, says they have grown frustrated in the first months of President Donald Trump's administration after a series of executive orders and policy changes targeting immigrants in the country illegally.

"We've put them in an untenable position," said Lutheran Bishop Michael Rinehart. "We've been stuck in this situation for years, and these are very good people who are contributing to our tax base and our economy."

Under the Obama administration Immigration and Customs Enforcement focused their priorities on deporting felons and criminals. But the recent deportation of a Houston-area man without a criminal record and a college student who spoke out against the new policies at a news conference have stunned immigrant communities throughout the country.

Advocates are highlighting the case of Jose Escobar, a Houston father who had been granted temporary protection in 2012 and was deported Thursday. They say his case is in sharp contrast to the drug dealers and gang members Trump said the administration was having great success in deporting.

The father of two and husband to a United States citizen was detained during a check-in last month with immigration officials. Escobar's legal status was essentially lost when his mother believed he was automatically included in her visa renewal application. He was deported back to his home country of El Salvador, a country he hasn't seen in 16 years.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo said the outlook deported immigrants face is bleak. The process of legally coming back to the United States involves returning to a country many no longer know, applying for a green card remotely and waiting, in some cases, for years to have their cases heard.

"It is impacting the lives of real people in our congregations," Rinehart said. "We have seen the turmoil in our own communities that has already been created."

The group urged Congress to consider a "compassionate" path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million immigrants illegally in the United States, including 1.4 million who came to the U.S. without authorization as children known as "Dreamers."

The federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program does not provide legal status, but lets those who came to the United States as minors obtain a renewable two-year work permit.

"Our DACA children, our Dreamers, should be given the ability to fully embrace the American dream with access to citizenship," said the Rev. John Ogletree of the First Metropolitan Church.

There's a sense of urgency at Houston's first and biggest Mexican-American church, said Father Tim Gray.

Gray said between 80 and 90 percent of Our Lady of Guadalupe's congregation are of a vulnerable legal status and could be affected by the recent shift in immigration policy.

"I'm here to show our concern for the status of the people that have been living here for many years and are now being threatened," Gray said. "People that consider themselves residents  they have families, they have homes, they have jobs. They're here for many years and suddenly they're realizing that that could all disappear."

Rinehart said individual parishes are educating their members on emergency plans in case they are detained, but can do little to actually prevent it from happening or provide resources after they have been deported.

At his first address to a joint Congress on Tuesday, Trump hinted at a softer stance on immigration law. The possibility of a path to citizenship is a significant pivot from his previously bold stance, anchored by his campaign promise to build a wall on the Mexican border.

The interfaith group began meeting almost a decade ago. DiNardo, the Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, said their primary focus is to advocate for immigration reform.

"We first spoke out because we thought there was a real chance something could be done," DiNardo said. "We think religiously it's important, and morally it's important."

The cardinal said the softened rhetoric gave the coalition hope that reform could be more attainable than they previously thought.

"The fact that the president mentioned the other night that Congress should work on this is a sign of hope," DiNardo said. "That's the only place where it can be done."
Dueling Houston law schools reached a settlement Thursday in a federal trademark spat over the name and branding at the older institution.

After hitting an impasse in settlement talks earlier this year, the University of Houston and South Texas College of Law Houston hammered out a draft agreement after two days of mediation this week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo.

Officials at both schools said they are still waiting for the UH Chancellor and the South Texas board to sign off on the deal.

The schools agreed not to comment on the terms of the agreement or their feelings about the nine-month detente, officials said.

UH regents filed a federal lawsuit in June after crosstown rival South Texas College of Law changed its name to Houston College of Law and switched to a red color scheme for branding and marketing. A high-powered team of UH lawyers said potential law students would be confused by the similarities of the names and colors.

The UH Law Center owned the rights to the word "Houston" in an educational setting, the university contended.

The private law school fought back with its own top-tier lawyers, arguing the schools were too different to cause confusion.

But in October, U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison ruled that UH was likely to win at trial and he ordered South Texas to stop using the name starting with "Houston."

South Texas reverted to its original name, but adding the word Houston at the end, a revision UH officials said they approved.

It appeared the major conflicts had been resolved, and Ellison suggested the parties work out the final details privately. In January, however, the discussions halted over monetary issues and the status of various trademark applications and registrations still pending.

The judge sent the case to formal mediation, which resulted in the agreement after talks this week.

Officials with both schools declined to comment on the potential settlement.
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Jose Escobar lost his legal status in a paperwork gaffe more than a decade ago when he was still a teen in Houston.

That slip-up, the fault of his mother who thought her child would be automatically included in her own renewal application, has trailed him ever since. Thursday it led to his surprise deportation to El Salvador, a country he hasn't seen in 16 years.

The government's decision to remove the 31-year-old father, who has no criminal record and is married to an American citizen, is the latest indication that President Donald Trump's administration plans to deport practically any immigrant here illegally, even some like Escobar who were temporarily protected, who happens to fall into its cross hairs.

It comes just days after the president told Congress that he was removing gang members and drug dealers just as he had promised.

"Bad ones are going out as I speak," Trump said.

Left behind now is Escobar's wife Rose, a receptionist at Texas Children's Hospital, and their two small children. It escalates the fear felt by many immigrants across the nation as they realize they are increasingly at risk.

"What the president is doing is going after everyone," said David Leopold, an Ohio immigration attorney and past president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. "This case is a tragic example of what's happening on the ground."

Jose called Rose at around 2:30 p.m. Thursday to tell her that he was in the San Salvador airport and too terrified to step outside. The removal came after their lawyer, Raed Gonzalez, requested a stay of deportation to reopen Jose's case. The government never responded, he said.

Cesar Espinosa, executive director of the advocacy group FIEL Houston, said Jose's deportation would heighten anxiety across the city.

"It just sends a shock wave through the community," he said. "It's all coming to fruition and it's very scary."

The Escobars had thought they were safe. Since 2012, Jose has had a temporary reprieve from deportation and a work permit. He checked in with immigration authorities every year.

Then Trump's administration last week issued its new guidelines, making almost every immigrant here illegally a priority for deportation. When the Escobars showed up at their routine appointment on Feb. 22, immigration agents told Rose to bid her husband goodbye.

She went outside and sobbed. Then she vowed to fight. She comforted herself that she had been here before, when Jose was first detained in 2011, and that she had won that battle. After an intense 7-month media and congressional campaign, immigration agents released Jose, granting him the reprieve.

His was part of a wave of provisional stays announced that year by the administration of former President Barack Obama, who said he wanted to focus the government's limited resources on deporting violent criminals, rather than people like Jose with clean records who had been here for years and have American children.

Jose came here when he was 15, qualifying for temporary protected status for people fleeing widespread disasters in certain countries. Then his mother assumed her renewal application covered him.

When he finally figured out that his permit had instead expired, it was too late. The government had already initiated deportation proceedings. His lawyer told him not to show up at the court hearing and in his absence, a judge ordered him removed in 2006.

By then, Jose was married to Rose, his childhood sweetheart whom he met in a Houston middle school. They tried to apply for his green card through his marriage to an American citizen, but lawyers said that he might risk waiting years in El Salvador because he had been here illegally.

Not knowing what to do, they carried on with their lives. They had a son, Walter. Then in 2011, immigration agents arrested Jose on the old deportation order.

Rose recruited the help of U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Houston Democrat, and in January 2012, Jose was released on an order of supervision, a provisional stay of deportation in a process known broadly as prosecutorial discretion.

But now the previous focus on violent criminals has been widened to almost anyone here illegally.

The change has swept fear across the country that has been heightened by widespread raids and incidents like the arrest this week of 22-year-old Daniela Vargas in Mississippi. Vargas previously had a protected status for young immigrants who were brought here illegally as children. Her permit expired last November, though she had since filed to renew it.

"This clearly sends a message," said Bill Stock, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. "Now the dragnet is meant to capture whomever it captures."

Some argue that is a good thing, in keeping with Trump's promises during the campaign to stop illegal immigration.

"They are facing consequences for their choices," said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington D.C. think tank advocating for reduced immigration, in an email. "Some people think it's not fair, but many others think it's not fair to ... look the other way when people remain here illegally."

Rose doesn't think it's fair to take her husband away from her children, especially when he was complying with immigration instructions and not committing any crimes beyond being here illegally - a situation he couldn't fix.

"I'm begging President Donald Trump to look into my case and see if my husband is really destroying America," Rose said at an emotional press conference.

She said her husband is shuttered in her grandmother's house in San Salvador, afraid to go outside in case the capital city's many gangs attacked him when they recognized his American clothes.

She worries about how she will explain it all to Walter, who is 7.

"He just went somewhere boring," she told him last week.

Since then, she's said that Jose is actually on vacation. But she knows she will have to explain it to her son soon. Her daughter Carmen, who is 2, is too young to understand.

Once again, Rose promised not to give up.

"My husband is coming back and he's coming back legally," she said. "I'm going to be his voice and my children's voice and the voice of those families who are being torn apart."
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AUSTIN - A federal judge tossed out civil securities fraud charges against Ken Paxton for the second time Thursday, giving the Texas attorney general a major win as he braces for high-stakes criminal trials on similar charges that have the potential to unravel his political career.

While Paxton's victory in federal civil court has no official bearing on the state criminal case, it hints at the likely arguments the embattled politician will lean on when his criminal trial begins May 1.

While the criminal case requires a higher standard of proof, one of the prosecutors involved said Thursday's dismissal would have no bearing on the state's case because it involves different laws.

"That has no relevance at all," special prosecutor Kent Schaffer said of the dismissal of the SEC claims.

U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant dismissed the charges against Paxton Thursday, ruling the attorney general had "no plausible legal duty" to disclose to investors he would make a commission off of their purchase of stock in a North Texas tech company.

This is the second time Mazzant has dismissed charges brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission against Paxton, who was charged with two counts of securities fraud and one count of failing to register with the state. After the first dismissal, Mazzant gave the SEC a chance to amend its complaint and try again.

He dismissed the case with prejudice Thursday, which means the SEC cannot bring an action on the same claim again.

"The question before the Court is not whether Paxton should have disclosed his compensation arrangement, but whether Paxton had a legal duty under federal securities law to disclose," Mazzant said in his ruling.

He touched on the ethical undertones of the case, but said "it is not the province of the Court to stretch federal securities laws beyond their scope to prescribe liability based on moral considerations or policy concerns."

Paxton chided the SEC for bringing the charges, calling the case a "travesty" and calling for the federal agency to be held accountable.

"I have maintained all along this whole saga is a political witch hunt," the attorney general said. "Today's ruling to dismiss the charges with prejudice confirms that these charges were baseless when the SEC initially brought them and they were without merit when the SEC re-filed them."

First case simplest to try

The win gives Paxton momentum as he heads to criminal court where the standard of proof is higher than in civil court. Paxton, a Republican and first-term attorney general, faces similar charges in state criminal court and is expected to go to trial May 1 on a third-degree felony charge he failed to register as an investment advisor. Paxton was reprimanded and fined $1,000 in 2014 for failing to register with the state for soliciting clients for Mowery Capital Management LLC. He paid the fine without contest and prosecutors say the case will be the simplest to try.

A second trial is expected to follow, with the state's special prosecutors trying Paxton on two first-degree felony securities fraud charges. The heavier charges allege Paxton committed securities fraud when he recruited investors without disclosing he was making a commission. He raised $840,000 in investments in Servergy, a tech company that paid him 100,000 shares of stock valued at $1 for recruiting investors. If found guilty, Paxton could face up to 99 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.

Paxton has tried to get the criminal case thrown out. Unlike in federal court, state district and appellate courts have refused to dismiss the criminal case.

'Different law, different court'

The federal court's decision to trash the civil case "doesn't affect the criminal case one bit," said Schaffer, a Houston defense lawyer appointed as a special prosecutor who will try Paxton in Collin County this spring. "We've alleged fraud and a material omission. If that omission is one that led to the victims investing in this company, then that would be fraudulent" under state law, Schaffer said. "It's a different law, it's a different court."

While the charges are similar, the linchpin to the state criminal case could be whether Paxton truly was an investment advisor, said James Spindler, a law and business professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

Texas has a "very aggressive" securities law which makes it easy to nail a person for failing to register as an investment advisor if paid for financial advice, he said.

"The relationship between an investment advisor and a client is one of trust," Spindler said. If Paxton is found not to have been an investment advisor, his alleged failure to disclose that he would profit from convincing people to buy stock would not amount to fraud, Spindler said.

Another difference between the cases is a jury, not a judge, will decide Paxton's criminal case.

The special prosecutors have argued Paxton's team has "tainted" the jury pool by flooding Collin County with various media in favor of the attorney general, but the judge has said he will try to seat a jury before deciding whether to change the trial's location. Critics say they look forward to a jury deciding Paxton's fate.

"Ken Paxton may have slipped the snare in federal civil court, but he remains in deep trouble, and a prison cell may be waiting for him on state criminal felony fraud charges," said Matt Angle, director of the Lone Star Project, a left-leaning political action committee. "Paxton knows that facing a jury who hears how he swindled honest Texans out of their money could mean big trouble for him."
Even in a supposed "sanctuary city," morale among Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents is the highest in at least a decade, former senior agency officials in Houston said, as the rank and file adjust to a loosening of restrictions imposed by the Obama administration.

Agents who, just weeks ago, weren't allowed to arrest people merely because they broke immigration laws, say they no longer feel hamstrung and are freer to follow their training and instincts and act on initiative  especially when it comes to what the agency calls collateral arrests, picking up immigration violators who weren't the original targets of an operation.

Under Obama, such arrests were discouraged. The priority was on immigrants with the worst criminal records, not catching low-level violators who might be tagging along with intended targets.

"In the past, you could get in trouble for who you arrested," said Steven Boll, retired Houston field office director for ICE. "Now you could potentially get in trouble for who you didn't arrest."

Current ICE officials in Houston declined an interview request.

The new directives mean agents can take steps that had been prohibited before. For example, if they go to a house to arrest a known gang member, and see other suspected gang members present, they can now detain those people for immigration law violations in an effort to gain intelligence about bigger crimes like human trafficking. It would almost defy common sense not to, Boll said, but that's how things went under the old priorities.

He noted that just because an agent arrests someone, that doesn't mean discretion ends there. Higher-ranking officials may decide later to release the person, if bed space is needed or if the detainee has a sensitive situation, like caring for children. What's important, he said, is that their biometric information is entered into a database, so immigration officers know who is in the country.

It had long riled agents that they couldn't even do that much.

Boll said it was never so much an issue of being in a sanctuary city. He said the agency always got the backup it needed from Houston police, even though they've operated under a policy of not inquiring about immigration status.

"What's hard is when you don't feel like you have the support within your own ranks," he said. "The onset of this administration seems much more supportive."

For immigrants living in the United States illegally, the new ICE marching orders have translated into fears of indiscriminately wide dragnets. Software developers are even working on an app to alert people to immigration raids. They've heard the stories: Agents asking people for ID while getting off of a domestic flight. A woman detained while getting a court order to protect her from domestic abuse. People arrested on their way out of a church homeless shelter. And, in Houston, a young father being deported after a routine check-in with immigration officials, sending him back to a country he hasn't seen since he was in middle school 16 years ago.

Yet, with the exception of the Houston case, these incidents began not with a random sweep, but with an investigation and a court order directing federal agents to detain a specific person.

Even in the Houston incident, it's not part of a widening trend, at least not yet.

"Mostly I've heard rumors which turned out not to be true," immigration attorney Nancy Falgout said in an email. "We're just waiting for what may be coming. People are scared, but I have a friend who accompanied his client to a check-in with ICE a couple of days ago, and there was no problem. The attorney mentioned that everyone seemed to be checking in and leaving out the front door afterwards."

Boll always has been troubled by the way the word "raid" gets thrown around, conjuring up images of random sweeps at workplaces, something immigration officials haven't done routinely in decades.

"It's not a good use of resources, it's disruptive to the community, and it creates panic," said Robert Rutt, retired special agent in charge for ICE in Houston. He notes there are about 34,000 beds funded for U.S. immigration detention while there are an estimated 11 million people living here illegally. "So management is not going to allow officers to go out and just do indiscriminate roundups."

Worksite enforcement usually targets places that have been under investigation for widespread abuse of immigration laws, the officials said. Immigration advocates saw this week's arrests at eight Mississippi restaurants as a sign that old-style raids were back. But ICE officials said those searches were the culmination of a multi-year criminal investigation.

Yet it is unquestionable that officers are exercising powers in ways they haven't for years.

On Wednesday, in Jackson, Miss., a 22-year-old woman who was in the process of renewing her legal status was arrested after speaking out alongside immigrant rights advocates at a news conference. The activists said the timing of Daniela Vargas' arrest indicated she was being silenced for her speech. ICE officials said her family had overstayed a travel visa years ago and reiterated that they do not make indiscriminate arrests.

It's unlikely she would have been targeted under Obama. A so-called Dreamer, she had twice been granted a reprieve under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, since she arrived from Argentina with her parents at age 7. President Trump's comments about the DACA program have been ambiguous.

Under executive orders signed last month by Trump and implementation guidelines released last week, experts say that every immigrant here illegally is now a priority for deportation, no matter how long they have lived here or if they have committed no crimes beyond violating immigration laws.

Despite the high-profile arrests in recent weeks, it's unclear what enforcement will look like long-term.

"The pendulum is going to swing back and forth," Boll said. "It's very political."
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She was a sacrificial offering to the "Beast."

Dumped on a southwest Houston street, the young woman known only as Genesis was killed in a satanic ritual by two members of the violent MS-13 Salvadoran gang after she disrespected their shrine to Satanism, prosecutors said Thursday in court.

"The Beast didn't want a material offering. It wanted a soul," a witness told police.

When the witness woke up the next day, the prosecutor said, "Genesis was gone."

The chilling allegation is at the center of a still-unfolding case that includes murder and kidnapping, massive cocaine dealing and sex trafficking by two members of a street gang that prides itself on violence.

The two men - both of whom are living in the U.S. illegally, prosecutors said - have been charged with murder in the death of Genesis and with kidnapping the teenage witness, who was held and abused for weeks. Officials are asking for the public's help in identifying the dead woman, who is believed to have been in her late teens or early 20s.

Miguel Alvarez-Flores, 22, also known as "Diabolico," told police that he was the leader of a local set of the infamous Salvadoran gang MS-13, prosecutors said in court.

He is accused of directing another member, 18-year-old Diego Hernandez-Rivera, to kill Genesis, who was shot in the face and chest and whose body was found lying along the curb in the 9900 block of Sharpcrest Street on Feb. 16.

Police investigating the slaying were aided by the witness, a 14-year-old girl who apparently escaped from the gang after being held against her will, traded between men and used for sex for weeks.

The teen ran away from school around Feb. 2 to an apartment on Glenmont, where gang members were packaging up large amounts of cocaine. She eventually was taken to an apartment on Gessner with about six MS-13 gang members who assaulted her again. She was forced to ingest drugs and alcohol to keep her intoxicated before escaping after about two weeks, prosecutors said.

While she was there, she told police, Alvarez-Flores tattooed the image of the Grim Reaper from her knee to her foot.

The teen knew Genesis and told police what happened.

Alvarez-Flores and Hernandez-Rivera were arrested this week, charged with murder and aggravated kidnapping. They appeared in court Thursday before state District Judge Maria Jackson and are being held in the Harris County Jail in lieu of $300,000 bail.

Jackson appointed lawyers for both men. One of the appointed lawyers, Emily DeToto said she was waiting to see the statements to police before calling them "confessions."

Both men, formerly of El Salvador, are not in the country legally. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has placed an immigration hold on them, and they would be held by federal authorities if they make bail, according to Harris County prosecutor Lisa Collins.

The men appeared laughing and smiling at cameras in an overnight appearance at a magistrate court, where a night judge read them their rights.

The case is reminiscent of the 2014 murder of 15-year-old Corriann Cervantes, who was killed by two friends who told police they did it to sell their souls to the Devil.

Teenagers Victor Alas and Jose E. Reyes were both sentenced to life in prison without parole after being convicted of strangling, stabbing and sexually assaulting the teen. They had carved an upside-down cross in the girl's abdomen after fatally bludgeoning her with the heavy porcelain lid of a toilet tank after the three did drugs and drank alcohol together in a vacant apartment.

The case, with its connections to the occult, drew comparisons to La Santa Muerte, a ghostly female character believed to be the spirit of death.

It is not unusual for gang members and other violent criminals to light candles and pray to La Santa Muerte, who is sometimes portrayed as a Grim Reaper in women's black robes.
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COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Sweden's left-leaning government instituted a military draft for both men and women Thursday because of what its defense minister called a deteriorating security environment in Europe and around Sweden.

Sweden abolished compulsory military service for men in 2010 because there were enough volunteers to meet its military needs. It has never had a military draft for women.

The government said "the all-volunteer recruitment hasn't provided the Armed Forces with enough trained personnel. The re-activating of conscription is needed for military readiness."

In September, non-NATO-member Sweden stationed permanent troops on the Baltic Sea island of Gotland. Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist described the move as sending a signal after Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and its "increasing pressure" on the neighboring Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

There also have been reports of airspace violations by Russia's military aircraft in the Baltics and a military buildup in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, which sits across the Baltic Sea from Sweden.

About 20,000 people now work for the Swedish armed forces, 84 percent of them men and 16 percent women, according to the forces' website. But the armed forces lack 1,000 active troops as well as 7,000 reservists, according to Sweden's coalition government of Social Democrats and Greens.

Under the plan approved Thursday, at least 4,000 18-year-olds could be called up each year. Swedes still will be able to volunteer for military service.

The Swedish government, which often has described itself as "feminist," said "modern conscription is gender neutral and will include both women and men."

Hultqvist said he had been inspired by neighboring Norway, which in 2013 introduced a law applying military conscription to both sexes. That made Norway the first NATO member to draft both men and women, joining a tiny group of countries around the world, including Israel.
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There are roughly two dozen tents - even a few couches - beneath a portion of the U.S. 59 overpass that has become James Davis' roof, at the edge of Midtown.

Davis, a 56-year-old originally from Arkansas, has been living in a homeless camp for three years, he said, having struggled to secure housing or other social services, like mental health care, after serving time.

"The system just don't work for us, because we got numbers on our backs," Davis said. "I pushed myself out, now I can't get back in."

Seeking to eliminate tent encampments and help people like Davis transition into housing, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Thursday what he called a "holistic" approach to reducing homelessness and panhandling that includes a pledge to house 500 chronically homeless people within the next six months and an ordinance banning tents on public property.

Turner also plans to construct alternative, professionally staffed "low-level shelters" under designated highway overpasses or on private property.

The rollout follows a steady stream of complaints from residents and City Council members in recent months, even as data shows Houston-area homelessness is at its lowest level in years.

"It is simply not acceptable for people to live on the streets. It is not good for them, and it is not good for our city," Turner said. "This is a complicated issue that we will tackle humanely with a meaningful approach that balances the needs of the homeless and the concerns of neighborhoods that they impact."

The city initiative also features an anti-panhandling awareness campaign, a plan to encourage groups who feed the homeless to coordinate with the city, and an expansion of the city's legislative agenda to include mental health and substance abuse treatment.

The mayor expects to bring ordinances to City Council this month that would ban tents and other structures on public property, and make it a Class C misdemeanor to obstruct city streets - an effort to curb panhandling.

Meanwhile, Turner said he is negotiating an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation to allow parking and other business ventures under freeway overpasses, where homeless people often congregate, and the nonprofit Star of Hope plans to add 215 shelter beds by August, with the help of $800,000 in city funding approved in January.

To accommodate those displaced by the city's new rules, Turner intends to construct "low-level shelters" where people could sleep on mats in a fenced-in area with a roof. The plan was inspired by the outdoor sleeping space maintained by a San Antonio non-profit, Haven for Hope.

The mayor has not selected the sites for these shelters, saying he expects council members and their constituents to identify suitable locations.

"We don't want to go to Midtown and tell folk 'go' without at least having another place where we can direct them to," Turner said in a Wednesday meeting with the Chronicle's editorial board. "I think it's important for people who are saying 'we don't want them here' to join in with us in helping to identify acceptable locations."

Homeless population drops

Marc Eichenbaum, special assistant to the mayor for homeless initiatives, said the city does not yet have a cost estimate for its plan.

The city already faces a sizable budget deficit next year - though it has not released a specific estimate - and there is no evidence to suggest homelessness or panhandling is worsening in Houston.

In fact, the homeless population in Harris and Fort Bend counties fell 57 percent between 2011 and 2016 to roughly 3,600, according to the Coalition for the Homeless.

With less than 1 homeless person per 1,000 residents, the Houston area has the lowest homelessness rate of the nation's 10 largest metro areas, according a city analysis of federal data.

"The data reveals that there aren't more individuals on our streets, but, rather, the homeless that are there are now more concentrated and in more highly public, visible areas than before," Eichenbaum said. "The more that homeless individuals are prohibited from being in certain areas, then that unintentionally can consolidate homeless individuals in groups."

Asked how his homelessness plan would fit into the city's budget, Turner pointed to federal disaster relief money and local affordable housing dollars as potential funding sources.

"I know we've got limited funds coming in," he said. "We make do with what we have."

Houston allocated nearly $20 million federal, state and local funds to address homelessness in 2015.

Some council members worried about homelessness and panhandling cheered the mayor's response to their frustrations.

"The concerns that our neighborhoods have are real. The concerns that our drivers on our intersections (have) are real, particularly with the really aggressive window washers," said Councilman Mike Laster, who represents District J in southwest Houston.

Neighborhood civic leaders were more circumspect, however, saying it likely will be difficult to find neighborhoods willing to volunteer sites for the proposed "low-level shelters."

"When you think about a community that already feels like they're heavily saturated, like us in 77009, then adding another 75 is not attractive," said Diana Lerma Pfeifer, past president of the Lindale Park Civic Club, on the city's Northside. "It would be difficult to consider it as an option."

Residents have been vocal

Northside residents have been particularly vocal in calling for the mayor to address homelessness after an 11-year-old was stabbed to death last year, allegedly by homeless veteran.

"When you talk about putting in an encampment, you're definitely going to get pushback," said Tomaro Bell, chair of the Super Neighborhood Alliance's health and public safety committee. "Council members honestly should look at their entire district and then talk to their constituency and sit down with them before they offer up any ideas or suggestions."

Turner brushed off questions about residents' potential unwillingness to welcome a "low-level shelter" to their neighborhood.

"This is a can-do city with a can-do spirit," he said. "I think that if you make the ask, I think people will respond."

Megan Hustings, interim director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, praised the city's plan to increase its permanent supportive housing and shelter capacity but criticized its proposals to ban tents on public property and discourage residents from giving to panhandlers.

"You are outlawing sleeping when you outlaw tents. You can't separate the two. You have to understand that people are going to have a structure. Shelter is a basic human need," Hustings said.

She called giving money to homeless people or panhandlers "an act of human compassion."

"Once you have a city starting to say, 'Don't give to homeless people,' you're sending a message that these folks don't deserve your compassion or that they're dangerous," Hustings said.

A man who lives with Davis under U.S. 59 and referred to himself as "Mr. Wheeler Station" encouraged patience.

"This is going to be a trial and error thing, so don't think y'all going to solve this homeless thing overnight," he said. "Just like it's a process to get into things, it's a process to get out of things."

Jon Shapley contributed to this story.
HOGP

The search for alien life may be over! Well, maybe that's a stretch, but we are as close as we've ever been, according to the team of astronomers who discovered another solar system that could, maybe, support life similar to Earth's. A mere 40 light years away, seven terrestrial planets about the same size as our own beautiful blue marble orbit an ultra-cool, dwarf red star known as Trappist-1. Thanks to NASA's space-based telescopes, astronomers were able to calculate the number and size of the planets and are continuing to peer across 750 trillion miles of space looking for tell-tale signs of life. The accomplishment is a mind-bending testament to the wonder of scientific ingenuity and the importance of NASA's work.

Scientists from Galileo (astronomy) and Isaac Newton (celestial mechanics) right up through Albert Einstein (E=MC2) and Alan Turing (computers) and Marie Curie (radioactivity) and Watson and Crick (DNA double helix) and on and on have been following their curiosity and determination to understand how our world works. Science eradicated smallpox and developed the internet, put men on the moon and at the bottom of the ocean, described the genetics of cancer and blue eyes and calico cats, explained hurricanes and gravity and snowflakes, developed antibiotics, airplanes, machines that can look inside a living body, calculate faster than a roomful of humans, drive cars, fly airplanes. Science is at the center of all that makes our lives safe and rich and interesting.
EL PASO - In 2000, George W. Bush, the governor of Texas, was elected to the presidency on a pro-border, pro-trade platform that included support for comprehensive immigration reform. Although I didn't vote for him, I was impressed by his respect for Mexico - and I know many Latinos here in El Paso who felt the same.

In 2016, though, many of those same voters fled the Republican Party and its candidate, Donald J. Trump. It's not just his pandering to anti-immigrant xenophobia, or his nonsensical wall. It's that we know, close up, the impact that the Trump agenda could have on our economy - here in El Paso and nationwide.

In the national imagination, visits to the border are like visiting a war zone, and politicians swarm to it for photo ops. Odd, then, that they don't come to a place like El Paso. If they did, they'd get a much different story. Contrary to the mythical border narrative, El Paso is one of the safest cities in America, with a thriving cross-border economy. (Of course, that didn't stop the Department of Homeland Security from recently announcing that El Paso would be one of the first sites for Trump's border wall - nor did the fact that El Paso already has a wall.)

Politicians from both sides also like to harp on the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and cross-border trade generally, on our economy. And there's no denying that the advent of NAFTA cost Americans jobs and brought with it a host of economic and social challenges.

But again, they'd get a different story if they came to El Paso. We felt the blow swiftly and severely when manufacturing jobs left for Mexico. But El Paso adapted to make our location on the border work to our advantage - for example by building state-of-the-art shipment and distribution centers.

In El Paso alone, $90 billion in goods travels through our ports of entry annually (nationally, the value of cross-border trade is $400 billion). The El Paso-Santa Teresa, N.M., region has become the 11th-largest exporter of goods in the nation, and Mexico is Texas' No. 1 trading partner.

Unfortunately, too few Americans understand that cross-border trade creates jobs, not just in our region and state but in the rest of the country. In fact, trade with Mexico supports nearly 5 million American jobs - so it's not just the border that will lose if Trump fulfills his promises.

El Pasoans also know the cost that Trump's policies and rhetoric will have in terms of human capital. There's a moral case for humane immigration reform, but there's an economic one as well. So far Trump has said he will preserve protections for so-called Dreamers - immigrants living in the United States illegally who came to the country as children - but his blunt talk, and the stepped-up arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, say otherwise.

These young people have pursued an education in the United States, and they've helped us increase our local tax base. We've invested in them, and they are investing in our country. Over the next decade, if Dreamers are allowed to legally work in jobs that reflect their skill level, they will raise government revenues by $2.3 billion. El Paso stands to benefit enormously, but so does every state with a large Dreamer population.

While the wall may never be built, and while many immigrants living in the country without legal permission will remain - a lot depends on congressional purse strings - Trump's words are already having unmistakable economic consequences. The Mexican peso, for example, was dealt a heavy blow on election night, and its value has continued to plummet. That means that Mexicans will spend less money in El Paso and other border regions, which in turn decreases border communities' and states' revenues and jobs. Investments and the flow of commerce have also slowed significantly.

The question for many of us during the presidential election was whether communities like mine would hold 2016 general election candidates accountable. Would Hispanics in border communities reject the harmful anti-border and anti-Mexico rhetoric?

I can proudly say that El Paso did. Voter turnout in El Paso broke records - early voting and Election Day numbers soared, with a 32 percent increase in turnout, handily breaking the 2008 record locally. Hillary Clinton carried El Paso by a wider margin than Barack Obama did in 2008.

El Pasoans may have finally had enough of the misrepresentation of our people and communities and decided to create our own "border surge." That surge helped Clinton close the gap in Texas. In 2012, there was a 19-point spread between Obama and Mitt Romney in our state. In 2016, thanks to border communities like El Paso, it was shaved down to 9 points between Clinton and Trump - closer than Iowa!

While many of us have grown wearily accustomed to politicians' talk of "securing" the border, for many, this election became more about securing our identity. In the coming years, those of us who live on the border must rise above the bad policies that will hurt our communities - but more important, we must sustain and expand that sense of identity, and show our neighbors the impact their votes can have. We need to do it for El Paso, and for the country.

Escobar, a Democrat, is the El Paso County judge. This commentary was first published in the New York Times.
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China's government says it will support the World Trade Organization, arguing that an "open and unbiased" trading system benefits global economic growth and is in everyone's interest.

Beijing's comments come just a day after the Trump administration said it might not comply with WTO rulings it judged to violate American national sovereignty.

Wednesday, the administration sent its formal trade agenda to Congress and the document's authors pledged a "more aggressive" stance on trade issues. President Donald Trump has accused China of unfair trade practices, such as manipulating its currency and stealing U.S. trade secrets. He has also said he wants to renegotiate a free trade deal with Mexico and Canada.


Living a productive life with asthma isn't a new phenomenon, however Hollywood doesn't always do the best job of showcasing those with the chronic disease as the warriors they are.

Superdrug Online Doctor, an online medical platform, recently conducted a study to prove how off-base the stereotypes for people with asthma are.

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Surveying more than 2,000 participants, the firm found that more than 500 of the interviewees best described asthmatics as "weak," "tired" and "sickly." Furthermore, the group with the most negative perceptions were mainly young people (ages 18 to 29), non-asthmatics and people in their 30s to 60s.

Women proved to leave the least negative impressions.

But while these views couldn't be further from the truth, it's difficult to put all the blame on society, as Hollywood has played a major role in perpetuating these damaging stereotypes.

According to the study, people with asthma are rarely shown as protagonists in movies and television, and are often seen as the one "bullied by larger individuals due to their lack of physical prowess."

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Characters like Stevie from "Malcolm in the Middle," Wheezy from "Toy Story 2" and Albert from "Hitch" all fit the above description, which can potentially train viewers to see the ailment as a form of fragility.

But in contrast, entertainers like rocker Alice Cooper and legendary late actress Elizabeth Taylor both suffered from asthma and went on to be the cream of the crop in their respective fields, proving that the condition bears no weight on an individual's potential for success.

Some of the greatest athletes of all time like David Beckham and Mike Tyson both have asthma, and the late political leaders John F. Kennedy and Che Guevara also lived with the disease.

Mike Tyson lands a punch to Donovan Ruddock during the fight at Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mike Tyson won by a UD 12. (Photo by: The Ring Magazine/Getty Images)

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Jillian Johnson's son Landon died five years ago, but she's only talking about it now.

"I wanted to share for a long time about what happened to Landon, but I always feared what others would say and how Id be judged," Johnson wrote in a blog for The Fed Is Best Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on the complexities of infant feeding.

As a first-time mom, Johnson said she read every book and took every class she could, most of which emphasized the importance of breastfeeding. "Landon was on my breast  ALL OF THE TIME," she wrote. "The lactation consultants would come in and see that 'he had a great latch and was doing fine' but there was one who mentioned I may have a problem producing milk."

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Johnson explained that the nurse was concerned about her PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) diagnosis, which makes it harder for mothers to produce milk. Instead of suggesting formula, the nurse recommended herbs to help with milk production.

"He cried unless he was on the breast and I began to nurse him continuously," Johnson recalled. On his first day of life Landon nursed for nine hours but within two days he lost nearly 10 per cent of his weight.

Did you know newborns arent supposed to cry all the time?," she wrote. "I had no idea that he was inconsolable because he was starving  literally."

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While it is normal for breastfeeding babies to lose 10 per cent of their weight after birth what happened next was extremely rare. 12 hours after being discharged from the hospital  at only 2.5-days-old  Landon went into cardiac arrest caused by dehydration.

"I had no idea that he was inconsolable because he was starving  literally."

Though Johnson's PCOS diagnosis may have affected her ability to produce milk, it can sometimes take between three and four days for breast milk to come in for first-time moms, midwife Emma Dufficy tells The Baby Centre. "You may have noticed that your breasts leaked a little milk during pregnancy. This is the rich, creamy first milk (colostrum) that's in your breasts from the middle of pregnancy. In the days before your milk comes in, this will provide your baby with all the nourishment she needs. Babies only need a few millilitres per feed at this early stage."

While Landon was on life support a NICU doctor told Johnson, "breast is best, but follow with the bottle." Landon was taken off life support 15 days later.

"I still have many, many days of guilt and questions  what if I wouldve just given him a bottle? And anger because how would I have known," Johnson confessed.

According to Australian parenting website Kidspot.com, 1 in 5 infants are at risk of starvation as a result of being exclusively breastfed from birth.

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A virtual petition calling on the Liberal government to keep its promise to reform Canadas electoral system has formally closed this week with the signatures of more than 130,000 Canadians.

NDP MP Nathan Cullen  who blasted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a liar last month for abandoning plans to move away from the first-past-the-post system  released a statement Friday lauding the results.

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Cullen, his partys critic for democratic reform, sponsored e-petition 616 on behalf of Ontarian Jonathan Cassels last November. But the veteran MP from B.C. said in a release that it surged after Trudeau and new Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould broke the promise to reform Canadas system in time for the 2019 election.

The petition was originally launched to pressure the Liberals to keep their promise, Cullen said. But a few weeks after it was online the Liberals announced they would be breaking that key platform commitment, and thats when it went viral.

Cullen said E-616, with 130,498 signatures in total, is "one of the most signed petitions ever sent to the federal government."

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People are angry. They were told these Liberals were going to be different, that they would restore faith in our politics and our democracy, he said. The Liberals have chosen cynicism over doing what is right, and theyll have to answer to voters.

After Cullen tables a certified copy of the petition in the House of Commons, Liberals will have 45 days to provide a written response, which will be posted online.

The Liberals have chosen cynicism over doing what is right, and theyll have to answer to voters.  Nathan Cullen

Trudeau and Gould have both argued that lengthy electoral reform consultations on the matter yielded no consensus on the best way to move forward. New Democrats have accused Liberals of taking a pass after the special all-party electoral reform committee provided a clear path to reform.

The committee recommended in December that the government create a proportional system and hold a national referendum to test support from Canadians. In perhaps the first sign that Liberals were poised to hit the brakes, Grits on the committee urged Trudeau to scrap his pledge.

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Trudeau has since said that a referendum would be too divisive for the country. He has also contended that a proportional system would elevate extremist voices in the Commons and appeared to blame New Democrats last month for being absolutely locked into proportional representation, no matter what, at any cost.

Those digs led NDP House Leader Murray Rankin to accuse the prime minister of spreading alternative facts.
Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel says people who illegally enter Canada from a safe country where they are not "facing direct persecution" should be charged.

And Rempel is calling on the Liberal government to state clearly if it believes the United States is a safe country.

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Rempel took to Facebook Friday to share her reaction to a report from The Globe and Mail that said the RCMP has yet to charge hundreds of asylum seekers who have come into Canada by foot in recent months to claim refugee status.

According to The Canadian Press, 435 people have crossed the Canada-U.S. border illegally in places such as Emerson, Man. since Jan. 1.

They have been arrested by the RCMP or local police and transferred to the Canada Border Services Agency for criminal background checks. CBSA then determines if they are eligible to make a refugee claim. If ineligible, a removal order is issued and they are released on condition they report for further removal proceedings.

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Persons coming from a safe country and not directly fleeing persecution should not be able to ignore our laws and enter Canada illegally, Rempel wrote. If they do, they should be charged.

Rempel said leaders across the political spectrum recognize the U.S. as one of the worlds most vibrant democracies.

The Globe reported that the RCMP aren't charging illegal border crossers. Here are my thoughts: https://t.co/kY7oh6h39x  Michelle Rempel, MP (@MichelleRempel) March 3, 2017

It is not helpful for the Liberals to imply, through silence, that there is no penalty for crossing the border illegally, she said in her post. The Liberals need to firmly state whether they believe the US is a safe country or not and act accordingly.

While it is against the law to attempt to get into Canada outside an official border point, Section 133 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act makes an exception for asylum seekers.

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Nearly 1,700 people have also sought refugee protection at Canada-U.S. border crossings this year, compared to 728 people in the same period last year, CP reports.

The increasing number of claimants, as well as a loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement between Canada and the U.S., have become hot topics for Conservative leadership hopefuls.

"It is not helpful for the Liberals to imply, through silence, that there is no penalty for crossing the border illegally."

The Safe Third Country Agreement spells out that asylum seekers must make their claim in the country in which they first arrived, but that only applies when claims are made at official border points. If asylum seekers reach Canadian territory, they are entitled to go through a claims process after being arrested because Canada is a signatory of the U.N. Refugee Convention.

At a Tory leadership debate in Edmonton this week, Kellie Leitch scored applause for saying those who cross the Canada-U.S. border illegally should be detained, questioned, and sent back to the United States immediately.

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Michael Chong called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to delete a much-discussed "Welcome to Canada" tweet that he said indicated people could cross the border illegally.

And Chris Alexander, a former immigration minister, seemingly attempted to downplay the link being made between the spike in claimants and U.S. President Donald Trumps controversial bid to ban travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations.

Alexander said illegal, irregular, dangerous migration also happened when former U.S. president Barack Obama was in the White House.

People came to Canada, sometimes in large numbers. Did the media pay any attention at that time? People fleeing Obamas America? No, Alexander said. Theyre paying attention now for different reasons.

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Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale will head to Emerson Saturday to learn more about the situation.

With files from The Canadian Press

Also on HuffPost
The comment section can be a hotbed of opinion and attacks, filled with questions and rants from people who haven't actually read the article being discussed.

To stem the habit of readers preemptively commenting on articles before actually reading them, a Norwegian news site is now forcing users to pass a test before they drop their two cents.

NRKbeta, the tech offshoot of Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, launched the new feature last month. It requires readers to answer a few basic multiple-choice questions before leaving a comment.

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An algorithm randomizes questions for each user. The quiz tool was built by developer Henrik Lied using a Wordpress plugin, according to Nieman Lab.

Journalist Stale Grut says NRKbeta is hoping the quiz will help improve the comment section.

"Hopefully, it'll contribute to people making a bit of time to think about what they're going to write before they do it," Grut told CBC's As It Happens.

Editor Marius Arnesen told Nieman Lab while NRKbeta typically has a good comment section with dedicated readers, featured articles on the NRK homepage can generate a lot of unsavoury threads.

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Hopefully, it'll contribute to people making a bit of time to think about what they're going to write before they do it.

Arnesan told CNN a lot of site visitors read the headline of an article and rush to the comment section.

"The aim is to make people take 30 seconds before they comment, to take the edge off," he said.

To close or not to close comments?

NRKbeta is one of many news outlets looking to improve its articles by improving reader conversation.

In the U.S., the Boston Globe launched a Facebook group for subscribers to start discussions about everything from news coverage to crossword puzzles, interacting directly with reporters and customer service staff.

Meanwhile, Canada's largest daily newspaper, the Toronto Star, shut down its online comment section altogether. Other outlets including CBC News and the Toronto Sun have cut back on the number of stories it allows comments on.

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Wrapping his arms around an entrance pillar, he noted that the ever-changing city has a history of devouring its own landmarks. "There's so little of what we've known as iconic New York left, and as soon as you say the Waldorf Astoria, that's like saying the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty. It's huge!"

The exterior is protected by law as a New York City landmark, but some fans are still nervous about the future. "I've been watching New York disappear in front of my eyes," lamented Shade Rupe, 48, an author and actor who visited the hotel's lobby this week for one last look around.

When the building reopens it will still have a hotel, but hundreds of its 1,400 guest rooms will have been converted into privately owned condominiums, according to a spokesman for the Anbang Insurance Group, the Chinese company that bought the storied hotel for nearly $2 billion in 2015.

Wednesday was the last day that guests could enjoy the rich Art Deco style of the old Waldorf one last time.

The word "grand" matched few hotels in the world better than New York City's Waldorf Astoria, but this bastion of gilded splendor is now closing for two to three years for a makeover.

The Waldorf Astoria's history dates to 1893, but its original home was torn down to make way for the Empire State Building. The "new" Waldorf Astoria's more than 40 stories opened on Park Avenue in 1931, built at a cost topping $40 million ($639 million in today's dollars) making it one of the world's largest and most expensive hotels at the time.

It has welcomed well-heeled guests, including American presidents -- in the Presidential Suite, of course, behind bulletproof glass windows. Those who slept in luxury at the Waldorf over the years have included such celebrities as Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly and Cole Porter, who left his Steinway ivories behind. It was a regular stop for foreign heads of state, royalty and corporate kings. Long-term residents have included former Presidents Herbert Hoover and Dwight Eisenhower and U.S. General Douglas MacArthur.

The hotel also lent its name to the Waldorf salad, a mix of dressed apples, celery, grapes and walnuts that's become an American standard.

Plans for the renovation are still not finalized, but a New York-based Anbang representative said the new Waldorf would mirror the concept of New York's Plaza hotel, which was renovated a decade ago into a mix of private apartments and a smaller hotel. Anbang bought the Waldorf in 2015 from Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., which continues to operate it.

"This can be a great real estate transaction, if they can get enough money selling the condominium units to cover the purchase price," said Bjorn Hanson, professor of hospitality and tourism management at New York University.

About 1,500 hotel employees are being laid off because of the closure. Two hotel regulars, Rebecca Ward, 50, and her fiance, Martin Murphy, 51, of Orlando, Florida, returned for two days before the closure to celebrate their engagement. Murphy proposed to Ward in front of the hotel's giant lobby clock a month earlier. "We wanted to stay here for the last night of the Waldorf," said Murphy.

As renovation starts, the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission must vote on whether to officially preserve certain interior details of the building, including the "wheel of life," created from 140,000 marble tiles, above the Park Avenue entrance; the grand ballroom; and the Art Deco lobby with its huge, chiseled tower supporting a diminutive Statue of Liberty. The exterior already is landmarked.

As for the upcoming changes under Chinese ownership, Ward said, "I'm very sad. I think this is an American institution and I think it should stay American." But the couple said the modernization wouldn't keep them from returning to the Waldorf when it reopened.


Viola Davis may be on cloud nine after winning her first Oscar for her role in "Fences," but the actress refuses to forget about her humble beginnings.

Opening up to People magazine for their latest cover story, Davis got personal as she revealed that her upbringing wasn't exactly easy.

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"I was the kind of poor where I knew right away I had less than everyone around me," she said. "Our environment, our physical space reflected our income."

"At home, the boards were coming off the walls, the 51-year-old later added. "Shoddy plumbing and no phone and no food and rats and all of that. That very much was visible to me."

But this isn't the first time the "How To Get Away With Murder" star has opened up about her childhood.

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Born in a one-room home in South Carolina, Davis' parents, who worked as sharecroppers, had trouble making ends meet, and as a result often couldn't afford to feed their six children.

"Most of the time, the school lunch was the only meal I had," Davis told AARP in 2015. "I would befriend kids whose mothers cooked three meals a day and go to their homes when I could."

She also explained how she used to go through garbage dumps and steal from grocery stores to get food.

As for her only childhood photo (seriously, there's just one), it now serves the actress as a reminder to always be grateful.

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The heartbreaking reason Viola Davis only has one photo of herself as a child https://t.co/quGBwLbwrLpic.twitter.com/rFPLo7Xm35  People Magazine (@people) March 2, 2017
Hundreds looked on as proud young men, decked out in crisp uniforms, led their parents onto the campus that will help unlock their future.

This January, the Kisaruni group of girls' schools in Kenya's Maasai Mara unveiled its first all-boys high school. After the opening ceremony, village elders christened it with a name. They chose Ngulot, Swahili for "strength." They want their sons to be as strong as their daughters.

Ngulot High School's first lesson: When empowering women, we must include men. Leading up to International Women's Day on March 8, it's a vital message.

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Sadly, women still march in the streets for the same fundamental rights men take for granted. In developing communities especially, huge gaps remain in areas like women's education, health and economic opportunity. Closing those gaps means creating resources, like all-girls' schools and female entrepreneurship programs. But equality is more than an economic problem; it involves changing minds.

In Canada, many men now march alongside women as allies, an act that helps shift social dynamics and recognizes gender equity as a human rights issue that effects everyone. This mindset shift is also crucial in developing communities.

"We must also empower men [...] to challenge prevailing norms and change their behaviors," writes Maria Correia, World Bank Manager for Social Development.

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Overlooking men can actually worsen inequality, according to a 2013 World Bank study that examined two decades of research on gender equity programs.

Before the boys' school, local community leaders like Willy Cheres were concerned about that very problem. Donors had lined up to fund two Kisaruni schools for girls, but there was little support to build a school for boys -- until Mitch Kurylowicz, a 12-year old from Ottawa, began raising funds in 2011 to address the gap.

"Our girls were rising up, but our boys were being left behind," says Cheres.

In the six years since its opening, Kisaruni has created new opportunities for girls, who now dream about becoming doctors and engineers. With men's traditional roles -- hunting, tending cattle -- dependent on a land threatened by climate change, boys too must be able to dream bigger. Otherwise, a generation of men will grow to resent female empowerment. Ngulot will create new opportunities.

The new school will also offer education about culture-specific gender norms.

Kurylowicz, now 18, says classes at Ngulot will include presentations from local mothers about their daily routines -- fetching water, cooking, collecting firewood -- and how these tasks contribute to their families and the community. Boys will be encouraged to take part in these chores, breaking down the social construct of "women's work."

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This isn't just boys taking home economics. Valuing unpaid household work, and sharing those jobs between genders, is critical to gender equity, according to the UN Secretary General's High-Level Panel on Women's Economic Empowerment.

If we're going to win the long-term battle for women's empowerment, we must ensure that girls and boys learn a new paradigm together, so that future teachers, leaders, presidents, farmers, and parents all support women's rights.

Craig and Marc Kielburger are the co-founders of the WE movement, which includes WE Charity, ME to WE Social Enterprise and WE Day.
Nova Scotia Provincial Judge Gregory Lenehan could likely have been the judge had my daughter Rehtaeh Parsons' case gone to court as a sexual assault trial while she was alive. Watching what unfolded in a Halifax courtroom this week is how that trial would have ended.

The case in Halifax can be summed up like this: on May 22, 2015, a young woman, 26, clearly intoxicated, gets in a cab after drinking with friends, passes out and urinates in her pants. At 1:20 a.m., Halifax Regional Police officers testified they saw the cab and it appeared "suspicious." One of the officers said she could see an unconscious female lying in the backseat, wearing only a pink tank top pulled up over her breasts. Her clothes and belongings were spread around inside the cab.

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The officers testified that the driver of the cab allegedly appeared to be trying to conceal the woman's underwear and noted that when he exited the cab, his pants were allegedly undone.

Bassam Al-Rawi was arrested at the scene and charged with sexual assault. This week he was acquitted of the charge when the Crown failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the woman did not consent to sexual activity.

You'd think this was as winnable as a sexual assault case can get. She was unconscious. The direct witnesses to what happened are two Halifax police officers. So, how do you get from him being caught literally pulling up his pants to a finding of not guilty of sexual assault?

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You turn "sexual assault" into "sex," add some alcohol, and spend the entire trial wondering if sex was or wasn't what she wanted.

The woman in Lenehan's case, due to her level of intoxication, remembers very little about the night. She can't even recall getting into the cab. Given that, how did Lenehan allow this case to become an issue of consent? Are we supposed to believe, for no reason, that the woman just happened to want to have sex with a complete stranger during a cab ride home?

Why did Judge Lenehan believe she was a willing participant in what happened at all? What made the starting point in this case consent and not the available evidence?

Alcohol and biased views did.

"Clearly, a drunk can consent." -- Nova Scotia Provincial Judge Gregory Lenehan

The defence argued she consented but forgot because she was too intoxicated (BTW -- being too intoxicated makes a person unable to consent). That's how the case went, and it went there only because Lenehan was willing to first believe this young intoxicated woman wanted to have sex with pretty much anyone.

That's old-dog thinking, and it's right there in his ruling. Lenehan noted that intoxication tends to reduce inhibition and "increase risk-taking behaviour."

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"This often leads to people agreeing and to sometimes initiate sexual encounters only to regret them later when they are sober," Lenehan said. You couldn't put victim blaming more blatantly in a courtroom like that if you used spray paint.

Lenehan stated that, "In testimony, [the woman] could not provide any information, any details on whether she agreed to be naked in the taxi or initiated any sexual activity. The Crown failed to produce any evidence of lack of consent at any time."

In other words, with no evidence either way with the exception of DNA and two police eyewitnesses, the case rested entirely on Lenehan's personal opinion of women and alcohol.

"Clearly, a drunk can consent," is how that ended. I've talked to kids in Grade 8 with a better grasp of consent than that.

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There's no doubt the complainant was unconscious when she was found by police so at that moment she was unable to consent, Lenehan ruled -- but added that it's "important" to know exactly when she passed out.

No, what's important is finding out how Lenehan concluded she was consenting in the first place.

If sexual assault charges were laid in Rehtaeh's case while she was alive, that case may very well have ended up in Judge Lenehan's courtroom. I can't imagine how she'd react to a man sitting behind a bench telling her he's not sure when she stopped consenting to having sex with four boys she didn't even know while vomiting, and that as a result his verdict is a finding of not guilty.

When consent was allowed to be entered as a defence, as in the Halifax case, it opened a door to Lenehan's outdated myths and stereotypes about women and drinking. In order to rule in the defendant's favour, the judge first had to believe that an average, everyday 26-year-old Canadian woman would head downtown for a few drinks with friends and have sex with the cab driver right at the moment she passed out and peed her pants in what was supposed to be a safe ride home.

When it comes to an unconscious woman, despite this ridiculous ruling, consent can't be present.

The reality is she headed downtown with some friends and woke up in an ambulance.

Rehtaeh went to a sleepover and woke up suicidal.

Neither deserves, or would have deserved, their cases being influenced or judged by such an awful opinion of women.

A photograph of Rehtaeh being raped wasn't enough. Two police officers catching a man sexually assaulting an unconscious woman wasn't enough.

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It isn't enough because these cases weren't judged based on the evidence, they were judged based on an outdated view of women and alcohol.

What happened in Halifax is but an example of what's wrong with our criminal justice system -- it turns "sexual assault" into "sex" and debates consent the entire trial while not once stopping to ask, "Does it make sense to anyone that this woman, in this state, would consent to having sex with anyone, let alone a total stranger?"

Judge Gregory Lenehan believed it made sense and, in essence, gave consent on a young woman's behalf to something she doesn't even remember.

Lenehan added that, "A lack of memory does not equate to a lack of consent."

A lack of memory does not equate to a lack of consent? Consent isn't about what's lacking, it's about what's present. When it comes to an unconscious woman, despite this ridiculous ruling, consent can't be present.

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Kind of like how the Criminal Code of Canada says you can't give consent on behalf of someone else.

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As Elder Clarence Wolfleg sat and dedicated the teepee recently at Mount Royal University in Calgary, he said to all of us, "We have to bring our children home, so that they no longer need to be afraid."

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was dedicated to the "Child that was taken and the parent left behind." The Commissioners rightly chose to place reforms to the Child Welfare system as the very first section of their Calls to Action. The percentage of indigenous children in foster care right now is staggering -- almost 50 per cent of all kids in care -- even though indigenous people represent only four per cent of the population of Canada. In fact there are more First Nations children and youth in foster care now than at the height of residential schools.

Children are being taken from their families and their communities and removed from their language and culture.

Our government has set aside $200-million this year to end discrimination against First Nations children in our child welfare system -- and Budget 2016 committed to increasing that amount for the next five years. Next year we are investing almost $250-million to end discrimination.

But putting more money into the existing system simply isn't enough. The system is broken and needs to be overhauled.

The fact is the current system discriminates against First Nations children. Children are being taken from their families and their communities and removed from their language and culture. The children suffer as do the parents and communities.

As Grand Chief Ed John exposed in his recent report on Indigenous child welfare in B.C., there are many perverse incentives in the system. It is just not right that the more children that are apprehended -- the more money the agencies receive. We need to turn this around, the funding needs to go to supporting families and their communities instead of an army of lawyers retained to apprehend children.

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And with dire consequences.

I have been honoured to be a part of the Feathers of Hope recent annual summit where youth share their experiences in the child welfare system with one another and, at the end of the week, present to leaders of Child Welfare Agencies and other decision-makers; a chance for experts to hear from those who have lived the experience.

The stories these young people shared were heartbreaking. They felt they were just a "meal-ticket," extra revenue for an urban family. One described being placed with three other "kids-in-care" as unpaid farm-hands. One told his story of running away to find his sibling who had been placed in another family 100 km away. Many shared stories of being told their indigenous culture was inferior to the religion of their foster-care household.

It was so upsettingly similar to the testimony we had heard during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission from survivors about their experience in residential schools.

Throughout our gatherings on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, we heard consistently about the intergenerational effects of residential schools. We heard about child abuse and the impact of the child welfare system on both victims and perpetrators. Hurt people hurt people. Child abuse leads to anger and shame, which leads often to addictions, violence, and suicide or incarceration.

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We must put resources into communities to address healing needs, and prevent children entering "the system" at all.

There has been an unconscionable disconnect between the federal government, who funds the child welfare system for First Nations children, and the provinces and territories and agencies who deliver it. This has meant too many federal dollars are being used to remove children from their families and their communities; federal dollars resulting in children losing their personal and cultural identity instead of promoting and protecting it; federal dollars delivering unacceptable outcomes for indigenous children.

I believe the federal government needs to be accountable for the results. Too many indigenous children are taken into care, too many are harmed and too many have died.

In January 2016 we welcomed the decision of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Our government committed to fully implementing its orders, and to working with First Nations' leadership, front line workers, provinces and experts to refocus our efforts on improving the well-being of every indigenous child and to deliver the essential reforms.

The Ministerial Special Representative, Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, is travelling from coast to coast to coast listening to youth who have aged out of care, First Nation communities, agencies and experts to ensure reforms will respect the local wisdom and knowledge and reflect different regional needs. There is a common message: We must focus on the well-being of indigenous children and youth and the young people ageing out of the system. We must focus on results. We must put resources into communities to address healing needs, and prevent children entering "the system" at all.

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Some communities such as Beausoleil First Nation are able to deal with child well-being issues within their own community. No children are taken away. Other communities are heartbroken so many children are apprehended and taken away, contributing to more family vulnerability. There are best and promising practices; Kinship care, customary care, the Maori Family Conferencing model. The status quo is unacceptable and there is huge willingness to make the necessary changes.

A decade after the launch of the Tribunal hearings, it's important to take stock. We believe we have made significant progress. The Canada Child Benefit is lifting children out of poverty. Historic investments in housing and indigenous education, especially the language and culture component are important. There is a genuine commitment to promote healing in families and raise children in their communities as proud indigenous people. By changing the definition of Jordan's Principle in July, more than 3200 First Nations children with special needs are now receiving the care they need.

Going forward, we will ensure the voices of children and youth are heard. They are courageous. They are telling us their truths. As has been said -- once you know the truth, you can't 'unknow' the truth. The children and youth are counting on us to make things right, so the truths for their children, and for their grandchildren will be proud and healthy indigenous families and communities.

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Last week, the Quebec government announced a handful of measures designed to, among other things, encourage companies to keep their head offices in the province. The predictable response from certain quarters: The rich need to fund more, not less, of our public expenditures through higher taxes.

The measures announced include tax relief for the transfer of businesses to family members, tax payment deferrals when selling shares of a listed company, and raising the tax deduction for capital gains from 25 to 50 per cent, bringing it in line with the rest of Canada. There's also a task force to monitor markets and try to prevent hostile takeovers of Quebec companies.

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While the business community overwhelmingly applauded the announced changes, several prominent Quebec politicians condemned them. The Leader of the Official Opposition, Jean-Francois Lisee, said that Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard was giving the wealthiest members of society a "gift." Quebec solidaire MNA Amir Khadir, for his part, thought that the changes showed that the government was working "for a minority of exceptionally wealthy people."

Regardless of the specific merits of each of the measures announced, some part of the predictable opposition aroused by them is due to a knee-jerk, anti-rich bias that remains all too common. Some of this bias is itself due to the notion that the wealth of the rich comes at the expense of the poor. Yet nothing could be further from the truth.

Keeping the rich from buying that second SUV contributes nothing constructive to serious discussions of public policy.

In the past, it's true, conquest was often a source of riches, and these were indeed stolen from the conquered. And today, crony capitalists who survive on government handouts and privileges are guilty of a form of legalized theft of taxpayers' hard-earned cash.

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But to assume that the poor always suffer when the rich get richer is to assume that there is a fixed amount of wealth in the world, a fixed pie. There isn't, and much of the wealth that exists today was created, without harming anyone, through hard work and innovation.

The CEOs of companies that provide the best goods and services they can, at prices people want to pay, are not robbing anyone. On the contrary, by running successful companies, they are providing value for a wide range of people, including their customers, their employees, their suppliers and their investors. The fact that they themselves should share in the wealth they've created is entirely appropriate.

And it's not as if the wealthy did not already pay a disproportionately large amount of taxes. According to the latest edition of the Bilan de la fiscalite au Quebec, the richest one per cent of taxpayers may earn 10 per cent of total income, but they pay 17 per cent of all personal income tax collected by the provincial government.

Having competitive tax policies that encourage wealthy individuals who own and run businesses to keep those businesses here -- and keep paying taxes here -- is good for all Quebecers. It helps grow the pie, and when the pie gets bigger, everyone can end up earning bigger and bigger slices.

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Those who still think that with a growing pie and bigger slices for all, that some slices are just too big and no one should have them, are not really concerned about helping the less fortunate. They are more concerned with keeping the rich from buying that second SUV and stoking people's envy, which contributes nothing constructive to serious discussions of public policy.

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by Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of Oxfam International

A brave woman was taken from us a year ago. Berta Caceres was shot and killed in the middle of the night by assassins for opposing an illegitimate hydroelectric project which threatened her people's way of life and violated international human rights law. Her family, her fellow indigenous rights activists at COPINH, and the international community is still watching and waiting for justice to be done.

Berta's murder drew international attention and condemnation. Facing mounting criticism and outrage, Honduran authorities were left with no choice but to act. In the last 12 months, they've made several arrests, including of the alleged gunmen and other individuals linked to DESA, the construction company behind the Agua Zarca project.

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But her family and her colleagues know that the trail does not end there. We at Oxfam continue to stand by them and demand that those behind her murder be found and brought to justice.

The international human rights watchdog, Global Witness, recently published an investigation into Berta's murder, where they revealed deep links between DESA, the Honduran military and others. Berta and her allies were taking on powerful, rich, and well-connected interests by opposing the Agua Zarca project.

This kind of activism is dangerous and, as we saw with Berta, can be fatal. Just in Honduras, at least 109 land defenders were killed between 2010 and 2015. For women, the risks skyrocket. Patriarchal cultural norms still rule over large swaths of Latin America, and women who defy them are ostracized and face very real threats of violence.

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The rate of violence against women and girls in Honduras is intolerably high. A report published by the country's major newspapers, La Prensa, showed that in the last decade, over 4,500 women have been killed, and over 85 per cent of these crimes went unpunished. In 2014, the prominent activist Margarita Murillo was shot and killed. Her murder remains unsolved.

I visited Berta's family in La Esperanza last year and was left humbled and amazed by their courage. Berta was never deterred by the death threats she received. Likewise, her family refuses to live in fear and carries on her work to improve their country and the world.

They've seen first-hand how extractive industries, big agribusinesses and tourism companies are richly rewarded for their destructive policies; how money corrupts politicians and institutions, and how all this leads to rampant economic inequality and gross human rights abuses.

Inequality is inextricably linked with distribution of land and natural resources. Latin America and the Caribbean is the most unequal region in the world; it's no surprise that just one per cent of "super farms" here have as much farmland as the other 99 per cent.

With enough pressure, things can change.

It's good news, then, that the plights and rights of indigenous people, Afro-descendants and other communities are in the general public's consciousness now more than ever.

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Pope Francis, a powerful ally in our fight against inequality and poverty, recently met in Rome with indigenous leaders from around the world and in no uncertain terms said that communities have a right to decide what gets built and what doesn't on their lands. Governments should take heed.

In the United States, the Dakota Access Pipeline brought together thousands of activists who braved the freezing cold and stood in solidarity with Native American tribes opposing the project.

Finally, hundreds of civil society groups, academics and other international organizations, including Oxfam, have joined the Land Rights Now campaign to push governments to legally protect these rights.

With enough pressure, things can change; the Agua Zarca project is currently suspended after Oxfam and others lobbied the financiers to back off the project.

Berta was murdered the day before her 45 birthday. She spent a great part of her life defending the rights of her people. Her cause is our cause. A year later, we honour her, and again demand justice for her, her family and her people.

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Oxfam believes that discrimination against women from heinous forms of violence to unequal access to land or public services constitute the most widespread and systemic forms of human rights violations around the world. Women's rights are at the heart of everything we do.

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India's Swachh Bharat sanitation campaign has triggered many novel schemes aiming to improve the country's sanitation. Now, tech giant Google has joined the battle to clean up India's toilet habits, by mapping public toilets. Anil Cherukupalli, Media and Communications Manager at WaterAid India, put the app to the test.

India has the dubious distinction of being home to the most number of open defecators, a whopping 560 million of them, in the world! The country also has the highest number of urban dwellers in the world (more than 157 million) without access to safe, private toilets.

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Child from Mahadev Pura village in India. The village is now open defecation free with all households owning a toilet and using them appropriately.

But India is seemingly entering a golden age of sanitation. Airwaves and public spaces across the country are inundated with messages urging everyone to keep their surroundings clean, build toilets and help end open defecation. Governments across the country are on a mission to build millions of toilets to make India open defecation free by 2019. Toilets, cleanliness and sanitation have suddenly become buzzwords. This is largely due to the Government's flagship Swachh Bharat (Clean India) campaign, which has brought a much-needed spotlight to the dismal state of sanitation in the country.

This massive campaign has led to many interesting ideas coming to the fore to help improve India's sanitation situation. From promotion of low-cost toilet technologies to hiring distinctive mascots to deter people from open defecation and urination in Delhi, governments, NGOs and the media across India are all doing their bit to solve the complex challenges of ending open defecation and encouraging people to use toilets and adopt hygienic practices.

Google maps toilets

Recently, global search giant Google also threw its strength behind this endeavour. In partnership with the federal government's Ministry of Urban Development it has launched a toilet search feature in its popular app Google Maps. The idea is to make searching for a toilet as easy as searching for a restaurant, bank or petrol station. Initially launched in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), it is expected to be rolled out in phases to cover other Indian cities.

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At first glance, this is one of those simple ideas that makes you wonder why no one thought of it before. Finding a clean and hygienic public toilet in India is almost as difficult as trying to find water on Mars! Public toilets are usually very poorly maintained and not easily accessible. It gets even worse when one is traveling. On Indian highways, toilets are mostly found in petrol stations or in restaurants, where maintenance is again a hit or miss affair, mostly a miss in reality.

Women line up outside the community toilet, restored with support from WaterAid and the HSBC Water Programme in India.

Women especially bear the brunt of this lack of clean public toilets as many public toilets are too dirty or unhygienic to use or lack water or do not offer adequate privacy with broken doors or latches. This compels them to either restrict their water or food intake or risk open urination and defecation, all of which can lead to adverse health outcomes. A recent study found that open defecation by pregnant women leads to a higher risk of adverse birth outcomes in India.

Crowd-sourcing cleanliness

The Google Maps public toilet search feature will primarily rely on crowd-sourced data for opening hours and cleanliness status of the toilets. Allowing users to share this information will hopefully help keep the feature up-to-date and reliable, and help people to choose whether to use a particular facility or not. It may also help push providers of such facilities, whether publicly or privately owned, to offer easily accessible and cleaner toilets.

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However, like all new technology initiatives in a country where only a few affluent sections of society have access to smart phones and internet, how effective this feature will be in practice remains to be seen.

I decided to try out the feature from two locations. The first location was Sector 63 of Noida, a burgeoning satellite city adjoining Delhi in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh. Sector 63 primarily consists of offices of small- and medium-scale firms. When I searched Google Maps for a public toilet there, the nearest available was shown to be about 3.5km away, 15 minutes to drive or about 45 minutes to walk. Other toilets shown were further away. Although opening hours were listed for almost all of them, reviews and photos were practically non-existent.

For my second search I chose my place of work -- the WaterAid India office, in south Delhi. The closest public toilet was shown to be about seven minutes away on foot, but the photo of the exterior did not mark it out to be well maintained. Other toilets listed were further away. At this location, a few of the toilets also carried user reviews and photos.

Although I could not go and check any of the toilets, it was good to see the search at least working and throwing up some options. However, the distances involved in most cases were not very practical to compel their use. There is a need for provision of more public toilets in India's cities and towns. If more toilets begin to show up and at closer distances the search feature will become more practical to use.

But how to reach everyone?

To reach everyone this feature should be available to slum residents too, those who are mostly dependent on community toilets. The issue is access for people who cannot afford smartphones or access the internet. Perhaps Google could address this by starting another pilot project to provide inexpensive smartphones in public and community toilets and encourage people to use them to rate the toilets immediately after use, displaying the ratings prominently on the toilets themselves as well as online.

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Ratings to improve

Ultimately, the toilet search feature will work best when large numbers of people, including poor people, can use it to push for improvement of public and community toilet facilities by regular sharing of ratings and photos. This would put pressure on those providing or managing those toilets to make them better.

While it is still early days, with increasing usage by people from different sections of the society the feature might become more reliable and accurate over time. But it should not become yet another technology feature that is available to only those on the right side of the digital divide. The true success of this feature will be when the poor, the marginalised, women and people with disabilities can make use of it to demand safe, clean, reliable and accessible toilet facilities in their localities.

By Anil Cherukupalli , Media and Communications Manager at WaterAid India. He tweets as @anilcheruk.
POOL New / Reuters

There seems to be a good deal of disagreement about whether Donald Trump became president on Inauguration Day, 20 January 2017 or days ago on February 28th in his Joint Address to Congress. It could not have been so on the first occasion, the story goes, because the sound of doom, gloom and carnage which pervaded the inaugural address was so unlike any before, and was not seen as 'presidential'. However, the other night before Congress, Trump struck a lighter note, read correctly from the teleprompter and stuck to script, quoting from the Bible and invoking the memory of a fallen hero, Navy Seal Ryan Owens, killed on 29 January in a special forces raid in Yemen. That moment of recognition of his wife's loss managed to tease out every ounce of pain and sorrow from the hero's grieving widow for that tragic loss, and from those watching, to maximum emotional effect. However you view the means and purpose of this way of honouring the hero, it was heart-breaking.

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Following the address, pundits rushed to dissect the address including well-respected activist and commentator Van Jones on CNN , who intoned effectively that Trump "became president of the United States in that moment, period", when he lead that two minute standing ovation. Many viewers begged to differ with that pronouncement tweeting their disagreement, causing Van Jones to further explain himself and elaborate on what he really meant. You need to hear it to get it, but at least he knew what he was trying to say.

Yet, whether you think the president is a Wolf of Wall Street in sheep's clothing, or is on the right track and 'presidential', this brings me to my next point.

Whilst Democrats sat stony faced in the audience, many congresswomen dressed in white representing the Suffragettes, and honouring women's rights, Speaker of the House Republican Paul Ryan declared the Congressional address to be absolutely a "home run".

Which president did you see? Was the channel setting of your vision tuned to "shock, horror, who is he kidding?" or to "this is the president we have been waiting for"?

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Because it is obvious we are all not seeing and hearing the same thing, no matter what it is, these days. Listening to the Trump team of Sean Spicer, Kellyanne and Reince Priebus, we are experiencing the craziest case of cognitive dissonance since the dawn of time. We are being told not just what is the truth about what we read and hear but what we actually see. Because if, for example you saw with your own eyes lots of empty spaces in the Mall on Inauguration Day, then you saw wrongly. Get some glasses.

So, as night follows day, after watching Trump's address to Congress, we hear one version of what it was, how it was and what it meant, coming from the left and quite another coming from the right. And some commentators, trying to be fair and balanced, are not sure what to make of it at all. Has the President done a pivot? Has he become presidential? To the right, this was a home run, and to the left there were 51 lies told in 61 minutes.

If the progressive's fears are true that Trump's policies will poison America's waterways, hasten climate change, design immigration reform that is divisive and exclusive, build a wall, deport thousands, cause tens of millions to lose healthcare coverage, and starve state schools, etc....only time will tell. At this point we just cannot know. Supporters and protesters will continue to have eyes tuned to different channels, seeing and foreseeing different things, in speeches, policies and their effects. But one thing is true:

History, and time, will judge the real Donald Trump. Like being in the midst of a tsunami, we can't know the full extent of the damage, of the good or bad that took place, til after the storm has passed. .. and sometimes for a very long time. Unless we can discern with a very keen eye, we cannot see the forest from the trees. Some people at the time thought Hitler was a good guy (see David Lloyd George) and some people thought Gandhi was very bad (ask his assassin).

MLK has said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice". Whether we think that is true or not, it is a fact that the long arc of history will eventually unveil the truth of these times. The good or bad that has been done to hasten or impede the progress of the United States, Europe and humanity as a whole, will be known, will be in textbooks, documented , studied by children and eventually, more fully understood, even if, as is often the case, after the fact.

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It terrifies me to say this, but in 10 year's time, my son will be leaving school.

Over this period, the UK will set sail for the economic unknown and leave its European Union membership behind; technology too will bring further, seismic changes to the world of work.

In this context, what is the one thing that matters to today's eight year olds?

Twenty years ago, New Labour swept to power with the mantra 'education, education, education.' Ever since then, the UK has been spending an increasing proportion of its national wealth on schools and funding has largely kept pace with increasing pupil numbers and rising costs.

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Even as recently as 2015, politicians felt the need to reassure parents of their commitment to education. The last Conservative Party Manifesto, published only two years ago, said 'Under a future Conservative Government, the amount of money following your child into school will be protected. As the number of pupils increases, so will the amount of money in our schools.'

All well and good, but the government of Theresa May is reneging on this promise.

According to the a report published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies this week, under current government spending plans, by the time my son is in the final year of his primary education in 2020, his school will be receiving 300 less per pupil per year. This represents a real terms annual cut of around 60,000 for his school. That is approximately one whole teacher's salary plus costs or probably a couple of valuable teaching assistants.

The picture is worse for secondary schools. According to the IFS, by 2019/20 they will face real terms cuts of 400 per pupil per year. In a report published last year, the government's own auditors, the National Audit Office, published projections that forecast an 8% real terms cut in school funding over the same period of time once unavoidable factors like increasing pupil numbers and rising costs are taken into account.

Despite its manifesto promises, the Conservative government, elected in 2015 on the promise that 'the amount of money following your child into school will be protected' is cutting funding for our children. At any moment in history, that would anger parents, but in the current political context it is reckless and shoddy.

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But real terms budget cuts over the next three years are only half of the story, because on top of that, the government is also proposing to change the formula by which the funding of specific schools is determined. Their consultation proposes to shift funding away from schools in metropolitan areas and into shire counties.

Schools in cities, where educating children is often more expensive anyway, therefore face a horrific double whammy. Not only will they have to cut the NAO's estimated 8% from their core budgets, but they will also have to find further savings of up to 3% because of the changes to the funding formula.

I doubt any parent or education authority in a city is against the idea of county schools getting more funding, but to achieve this by taking money away from children in cities is truly gruesome. And the fact is that county schools will not emerge as winners anyway. They will receive a boost from the proposed funding formula change, but that will be more than wiped out by the core budget cuts.

Every child in England faces a poorer education unless the Government changes its plans fast. And every parent in England should be angry. Increasingly they are.

Campaigning groups are popping up all over the country, often led by angry and determined parents. The Department for Education faces a deluge of responses from hoards of middle class families who rightly don't want their children to be the first in two generations to face school budget cuts.

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On Tuesday night, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which has launched a valiant Support our Schools campaign, filled its largest conference room with hundreds of mums and dads from the borough. There were jeers and cheers as councillors ran through the facts and urged people to become active.

A fellow parent, playing devil's advocate, asked me whether the real terms reductions mattered now after two decades of sustained investment in schools. The answer is a simple yes.

Of course it's hard to account for every pound, but the evidence is pretty clear. It's there factually and anecdotally and in improved school leadership, better facilities and in particular in the 170,000 thousand teaching assistants who now provide indispensable support to our children - especially the most vulnerable. And it's there in the results.
United States citizens should be denied visa-free access to the European Union before summer because Washington does not allow some EU nationals to enter there without visa, EU lawmakers said in a vote on Thursday.

The European Parliament vote is set to put pressure on the European Commission, the EU's executive, to enforce a one-year suspension as a tit-for-tat measure for Washington's denial of visa-free access to citizens of Poland, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria, all members of the 28-country bloc.

A Commission official said contacts are ongoing with the U.S. administration "to push for full visa reciprocity," but fell short of saying that immediate action will be taken.


Throwing caution to the wind, I'm going to jump in here, because there's a lot of misinformation around on both sides of this issue.

In short, last May, the Obama Justice and Education departments put out a joint letter telling schools what they had to do about transgender students in order to conform to Title IX protections. Title IX is about not allowing schools to discriminate on the basis of sex. Here's a Wikilink for you if you want to know more about it.

The joint letter, which is a "non-legal binding guideline", tells schools that for the purposes of Title IX, they are going to treat discrimination on the basis of gender identity as a subset of discrimination on the basis of sex. "Non-legal" means that it isn't the result of a law being passed. "Binding guideline" means that they're telling you the interpretation of an already existing law that's going to be used from now on.

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If you'd like to see the whole letter, it's here. I looked it up, because it seems to me that most people only know about this what they've read online, and leftist sources are saying, "It's defending the poor kids", and rightist sources are saying, "It's shoving an agenda down our throats", and both sides are kind of stupid if they don't actually look to see what the letter said.

First of all, it's not just about bathrooms. It's also about access to gender-segregated classes. If there's a boys-only class, can the child be in it or not? Ditto for girls-only classes. But it's the bathrooms and locker rooms that have people all up in arms, because no one wants their little girl to have to go into a locker room with other kids who have penises. And I know, there are people on the far left who say that this is judgmental. Fine. But it's normal.

Here's the money quote from the letter:

The Departments interpret Title IX to require that when a student or the student's parent or guardian, as appropriate, notifies the school administration that the student will assert a gender identity that differs from previous representations or records, the school will begin treating the student consistent with the student's gender identity. Under Title IX, there is no medical diagnosis or treatment requirement that students must meet as a prerequisite to being treated consistent with their gender identity. Because transgender students often are unable to obtain identification documents that reflect their gender identity (e.g., due to restrictions imposed by state or local law in their place of birth or residence), requiring students to produce such identification documents in order to treat them consistent with their gender identity may violate Title IX when doing so has the practical effect of limiting or denying students equal access to an educational program or activity.

Basically, no standard whatsoever exists for a claim of having a different gender identity. A student can literally, according to this guideline, walk into school one day, go to the office and say, "I'm a boy now" or "I'm a girl now", without changing anything about themselves, and the school has to accept it or be in violation of Title IX. A boy can have facial hair and look like a jock, but if he says he's a girl, everyone has to go along with it. A girl can wear dresses and makeup every day, but if she says she's a boy, that's it.

Of course that's not what sane people who care about the welfare of trans kids want. And it's not what children who are actually transsexual would do. But the Obama administration pushed this thing to the furthest extreme possible. They could have put in criteria for determining if someone is just messing around or is the real deal, but since the modern "trans" agenda is more about breaking down societal gender norms and less about actual people with actual gender dysphoria who actually need to transition, they didn't do that.

So the Trump administration issued a new letter that withdraws the one from the Obama administration. But here's the money quote from that one:

These guidance documents do not, however, contain extensive legal analysis or explain how the position is consistent with the express language of Title IX, nor did they undergo any formal public process. ... In addition, the Departments believe that, in this context, there must be due regard for the primary role of the States and local school districts in establishing educational policy. In these circumstances, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice have decided to withdraw and rescind the above-referenced guidance documents in order to further and more completely consider the legal issues involved. The Departments thus will not rely on the views expressed within them. Please note that this withdrawal of these guidance documents does not leave students without protections from discrimination, bullying, or harassment. All schools must ensure that all students, including LGBT students, are able to learn and thrive in a safe environment.

This isn't going to get President Trump chosen as Grand Marshall for this year's Pride Parade, but it's also not exactly the "lynch the trannies" position that the anti-Trump folks are painting it as. And they should consider that if the Obama administration had gone less bonkers to the extreme left, this act by the Trump administration might never have been necessary. I hope that the Trump administration will issue a new guideline that's more moderate than the gonzo Obama one.
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We are all now Brexiteers since the referendum vote last year - but democracy didn't stop on the 23rd June 2016 just because those in favour of the hardest form of Brexit wish it was so.

Scrutiny and debate - in parliament, in the media, and even in the House of Lords - is as important as ever since we face so many uncertainties in the years ahead.

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Most of the uncertainties are around how we will prosper economically - and this will surely have serious implications for many people in this country if we don't prosper in trade with other countries.

If the economy shrinks because we do not have favourable trading terms with other countries then the Government will have less money coming in and there will be less money to pay for all the things we expect our taxes to pay for - for benefits payments for the most vulnerable; for the NHS; for the armed forces and all the other services we rely on.

The Brexit leaders want the UK to not only leave the EU but also the single market and the customs union. This would remove all the trading advantages we currently enjoy with the EU - the advantages which surely helped become the 5th largest economy in the world.

Of course everything may turn out well - other countries outside of the EU might be very keen to make advantages trade deals with us - ones that help us prosper. But surely no one actually knows that will happen because until we leave the EU and know how that will look we can't even start negotiating trade deals with other countries.

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It looks like we will be very keen to make a trade deal with Donald Trump's administration - the one that is going to put 'America First'. Judging by Theresa May's visit to Turkey we will also have to rely on some benevolence from Turkey's President Erdogan - this the man busily closing down free speech in his own country. Again none of this means that things will work out badly for us post Brexit - but it surely means there will be a great deal of uncertainty and no one really knows what will happen.

So, instead of any certainty, what we are left with is waffle and hopeful statements from people like Boris Johnson and Michael Gove about our economic future. In reply to warnings about the Government's Brexit strategy by former Prime Minister Sir John Major Johnson said "I think it's very important that as we set out in this journey we are positive about the outcome for the the very good reason the outcome will be fantastic for this country" Michael Gove has made similarly optimistic comments. In April last year Gove said "Those of us who want to leave believe that Britain's best days lie ahead, that our country has tremendous untapped potential which independence would unleash."

So according to people like Boris Johnson and Michael Gove - there is no uncertainty - there is no doubt - our future is going to be 'fantastic'.

Are their words of optimism so reassuring that we should just let them get on with the hardest of Brexits - without challenge or debate?

Obviously the answer is no. Given the track record of these two we should be very slow to bet our economic future on their blind optimism - especially given their lack of success in becoming the leader of their own Party and how they cocked that up.

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As I approach the final weeks of Year 13 and struggle through the last push for A-levels, my friends and I have been reflecting on our years at my school with a deep sense of nostalgia. We're grateful to our teachers and classmates, for the memories and opportunities.

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Something else we should be thankful for, but which often skips our minds, is the standard of Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) we've received. It can seem a bit weird to show gratitude for the awkward biology videos and the demonstrations of applying condoms by embarrassed teachers, but it's something that we've probably taken for granted.

Fortunately, I've been taught about a range of topics from contraception to healthy and equal relationships which I know has been a massive privilege that's prepared me well for the future.

However, high quality SRE should not be a privilege. It should be a right to ensure that every young person can make safe and responsible decisions about their own bodies and lives and respect and care for others in equal relationships.

I know other students who've not been fully-informed about STDs, not been told about the options they have if they become pregnant and who see controlling and manipulative behaviours from partners as 'normal.' High quality SRE seems to be a luxury only available to young people by the grace of switched-on school leaders and that is like treating autonomy over our health and wellbeing as a luxury.

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As the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK, Girlguiding amplifies the voices of young women. I am part of the Girlguiding Advocate Panel, a group of young women aged 14-25, who campaign for the rights of young women in the UK. Since 2014, we have been calling for high quality SRE as part of Girls Matter, our campaign to get girls and young women's voices heard by those in power on the issues that matter to them.

Girlguiding's annual Girls' Attitudes Survey collects the views of thousands of young women, aged 7 to 21, across the UK and provides evidence for what young people actually care about.

Only 49% of girls aged 11 to 16 say they are taught what consent means - even though 84% of girls feel that education on this subject is vital. Our research also showed how three quarters of girls (74%) aged 11 to 21 want SRE to be taught in schools.

The news then from Justine Greening that Sex and Relationships Education will be made compulsory for all schools across England is obviously brilliant to hear.

In her statement, Greening said that "The statutory guidance for sex and relationships education was introduced in 2000 and is becoming increasingly outdated. It fails to address risks to children that have grown in prevalence over the last 17 years, including cyber bullying, 'sexting' and staying safe online."

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It was a comfort to hear that the redundant nature of the previous policy will be addressed and it gives me hope that younger pupils will receive better- because frankly, they deserve better.

All of us on the Girlguiding Advocate Panel were ecstatic when we found out about the Government's decision, mainly because it demonstrated how those leading the country had actually listened to young people and had finally acted on what we had to say. It proves that campaigning works and that when girls speak out together they have the power to make positive change happen.

However, we're not going to quieten down now. We need to make sure the education students receive is up to date. We need to ensure our Government continues to listen to young people, especially now in terms of the content of mandatory SRE. And we need to continue to call on the devolved administrations to make sure SRE is up to scratch in every school right across the UK, not only in England.

We want to make sure this education policy is enforced effectively with age-appropriate lessons and a curriculum that includes consent, tackling violence against women and girls, online abuse, gender equality and LGBTQ topics, and healthy relationships.

This new policy is a reassuring step in the right direction though and I'm excited to think that my positive SRE experience will no longer be a privilege, but will be a right for the next generation of students.

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Charlotte Forrester, 17, is a member of the Girlguiding Advocate Panel made up of 18 young women aged 14 to 25. They meet throughout the year to talk about issues that are important to them, such as body confidence, representation of girls and women in the media, access to better sex and relationships education and role models for girls

HuffPost UK is running a month-long project in March called All Women Everywhere, providing a platform to reflect the diverse mix of female experience and voices in Britain today
The strike for union recognition at Grunwick Film Processing, which started in August 1976, signified both the apotheosis of trade union solidarity and nadir of British pluralist industrial relations in the 1970s.

It began as a little noticed dispute of "strikers in saris" and stayed that way for twelve months, eventually prompting massive media coverage when sympathisers joined a campaign of mass picketing in the summer of 1977.

Eventually, trade unionists from every sector of UK employment rallied to the cause of an exploited group of Asian workers facing an employer rejecting what most people regarded as basic, decent conditions. Having walked out in protest, the workers were sacked and all attempts to gain their reinstatement met with implacable resistance.

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By any yardstick, it was an episode of extraordinary industrial conflict. Protagonists included the Labour Government and liberal establishment urging consensus; while a wooden and inflexible management were egged on by right wing elements gathering confidence as the months passed.

In the middle were the strikers, supported locally by Brent Trades Council (comprising voluntary activists and only loosely connected with the official trade union movement). Through some serendipitous route, the strikers became members of the moderate union, APEX, rarely known to strike in anger. It was the most unlikely of scenarios.

At the time I was working as a London Area Organiser of APEX, and while I was inevitably drawn in to help I was never in the driving seat. Indeed, it is a good question to ask, "who was in the driving seat?"

Arguably the union, at least formally, but local presence on the ground often carried more sway and the dispute became a cause celebre' drawing support from many disparate elements.

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Some observers, including the former TUC General Secretary Lionel Murray, believe this was a fatal mistake, but they have never explained how a lower profile might have succeeded, when it had failed so conspicuously for twelve months.

In so many ways this dispute was unvisited territory. Strikes were relatively rare in APEX and unofficial disputes virtually unheard of. I recall heated discussions in the office where some of my colleagues suffered crises of doubt. Emotionally they were there but it seemed boarding on anarchic, in contrast to their cautious, constitutional default-instincts.

In a way it was remarkable that the strike happened at all. The strikers were not APEX members at the outset but recruited to the union as they stood outside the factory gate. They were a group of tyro protesters, ill-prepared for any kind of campaign and with no idea of what they had committed themselves to.

Moving from such unpromising beginnings to command media attention for weeks on end and win the support of the whole trade union movement, was no mean achievement.

A key factor was the marginalised position of the strikers and their position in British society.

They represented the tip of an iceberg of unprotected ethnic minority workers. It was to the credit of APEX that it opened its arms to them - after all, they had not previously paid a penny in union dues.

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With hindsight though, the union's generous motives were skewered by a misplaced faith in the power of liberal, pluralist institutions facing a rapacious anti-union culture and rejecting consensual notions.

Until then the UK trade union movement had made little impact on Asian workers. Many worked in ghettos of iniquity, where language barriers and weak regulation allowed shameful conditions to prevail.

The unions were largely male and white. London dockers, to their eternal shame, had marched in sympathy with Enoch Powell's inflammatory "rivers of blood" racist speech in 1968. The official movement was not similarly tarred but its anti-racist credentials were lacking at this point.

For many months the strikers sat and stood around, trying ineffectually to stop people and goods going in and out of the factories. Vainly we drew attention to the scandalous impasse of their situation.

At length they had no normal recourse. Their employer rejected overtures from ACAS, the legal establishment (in a court of enquiry) the local council, Members of Parliament and innumerable others.

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Through all this, the strikers patiently waited, conspicuous in their saris, playing on the consciences of onlookers, contrasting their own humility with the perfidy of their sweatshop employer.

For me, it was closer to home than others knew. As a former teacher, I had taught physics to pupils in a local school, including (it transpired) the Secretary of the Strike Committee, Mahmood Ahmed.

I remembered him as one of many, arriving with their parents to join the queue outside the headmaster's door, wearing his Ugandan school blazer and seeking a place as a refugee from the African dictator Idi Amin.

Grunwick's owner, George Ward (himself an Anglo-Indian) found in these Asians a compliant and cheap form of labour. Bullying and harsh treatment were their everyday experience; sackings and humiliation the daily regime. Women were not permitted to attend ante-natal appointments. Permission had to be sought to visit the toilet.

After the strike began, with no experience of unions, the strikers turned to the local Trades Council, whose secretary Jack Dromey (now a Birmingham MP) worked close by. They joined APEX, a claim for recognition was submitted and the workers were promptly sacked for their pains.

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Over months hundreds of chemists' shops were contacted to discourage the collection of films for Grunwick. Requests were sent to workers in other unions to stem the supply of chemicals and materials used in processing the films. Efforts were made to withdraw essential services to the Grunwick factories but none of this changed the mind of the employer.

By now the company was being advised by an anti-union organisation, the National Association for Freedom and George Ward was if anything, even more implacable in his stance.

Questions were raised in Parliament. Labour MPs including Cabinet members attended the picket line to show solidarity with the sacked workers, but none of this made an impression.

A new legal procedure to deal with union recognition claims through the newly created ACAS was initiated, but the company used every delaying tactic in the book in the knowledge that time was on their side. Employment tribunal claims for unfair dismissal were filed, but these failed because a legal loophole allowed wholesale dismissals of strikers en masse. Our collective trade union rights had more holes than a colander, it seemed.

Hence, after more than a year, the dispute was catapulted into the news by weeks of sensational mass picketing, mostly organised by the "unofficial trade union movement," through networks of shop stewards and activists up and down the country.

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I was little more than as fly on the wall, but from where I stood, the APEX leadership was a novice surfer on a giant tsunami, never in control and sitting on something that felt more like a revolution than a strike.

A court of enquiry led by Lord Scarman, supported the strikers and urged settlement of their claims but none of this moved the implacable Grunwick management.

Injunctions were sought against public sector workers who were effectively choking off mail deliveries and threatening to cut off the company's water supplies. Hundreds of pickets were arrested, accusations made of police harassment of strikers and in the background the sinister National Association for Freedom lurked, collaborating with the police in ensuring that George Ward, walked away victorious.

At the time, the Grunwick defeat was a blow, not just for the strikers who were left without jobs, but for the British trade union movement and the Labour Government's new law, the Employment Protection Act 1975. Discovery that a small employer like Grunwick could thumb his nose to the legisation was a major embarrassment.

The election of Mrs Thatcher's Conservative Government in 1979, used the Grunwick dispute as a pretext for new restrictive rules on picketing and the repeal of the flawed union recognition process, without replacing it in any form. There were no winners - not on the union side anyway.

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Whilst the Grunwick strike went down as a "glorious defeat," the unions' attempted defence of vulnerable migrant workers expressed values that had hitherto not been voiced. If it achieved anything, the strike sent a message that unions were not just white, male bastions in the UK and that whoever they were, whatever their ethnicity or colour, "solidarity" meant something.

An exhibition is showing archive material of the Grunwick Strike, is showing at Willesden Green Library until the 2nd April 2017. A video of the Strike can be obtained from the Secretary of Brent Trades Council, pete.firmin@btinternet.com . Grunwick 40 is a programme of events during 2016 and 2017.

Chris Ball
Jean Claude Juncker could well go down in history as the last President of the European Commission. He can see that the European Union is falling apart in his hands and so, like any good European, he offers the solution: more Europe.

Juncker presented his White Paper to the European Parliament on Wednesday March 1st, entitled "The Future of Europe."

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Why did he feel it necessary to launch such a paper? Simply because Euroscepticism is on the march across Europe; last year the United Kingdom voted Leave, in the Netherlands the Party for Freedom (PVV) could well become the largest party in this month's general election, France's Front National are ahead in the polls for the Presidential election, and in Italy 5Star are likely to sweep the board once the election is staged. In Finland the True Finns, the Danish People's Party, and the German Alternative for Germany are all rising in popularity and taking seats. The ruling Law and Justice Party in Poland have refused to back arch federalist Pole Donald Tusk for a second term as President of the European Council. Other non-Eurosceptic parties such as Syriza in Greece and Podemos in Spain are actively campaigning against an EU whose policies have brought austerity.

All is clearly not well with the EU. For a variety of reasons and representing a wide range of politics, both Left and Right, the authority of Brussels and the very existence of the EU are under threat from all sides.

How has Juncker responded to this? By offering more control for Brussels, and deeper integration.

He offered 5 solutions for the future for the EU:

1.Stay as we are. But with the treaty bound objective of 'ever closer union,' the status quo means keep expanding, keep integrating, and increase controls.

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2.Keeping nothing but the Single Market. But a single market like this requires centralised control, central planning, high compliance thresholds and costs, and the free movements of peoples, services, and capital. It also requires border controls. In fact option 2 is identical to option 1.

3.An opt-in to greater integration. This two tier EU is an impossibility. The EU can only function at the pace and direction determined by the French-German axis. So the lower tier of co-operation is an illusion. So, option 3 is simply option 1 in better clothes.

4.What the Telegraph calls "Doing Less More Efficiently." The EU cannot do less, its purpose is broadening and deepening its controls. The Commission cannot nor will not give up any of its competences, its momentum is irreversible according to its own Treaties and founding principles. This option is a pipe dream.

5.Doing much more together. Bang! That's the option that Juncker wants us to choose, which, in fact is identical to option one; keep rolling on the process of expansion, integration, and taking further decision-making away from the sovereign member states.

At least with reference to Option Five Mr Juncker concedes the risk that "alienating parts of society which feel that the EU lacks legitimacy or has taken too much power away from national authorities." But the reality is that all five options are not options at all, they are five ways of making the EU 27 choose more Europe despite calls across the Continent for a return of sovereignty.

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And this is what the post-Juncker EU would look like by 2025 according to Euractiv.com:

The EU's European Border and Coast Guard would have fully taken over management of the EU's external borders.

 All asylum claims will be processed by a single European Asylum Agency

Joint defence capabilities will be established in a EU European Defence Union

The EU would speak with one voice on all foreign policy issues

Trade deals would be dealt with exclusively at EU level, removing the need for each agreement to be ratified by national parliaments

Co-operation between police and judicial authorities on terrorism issues would be systematic and facilitated by common Europe Counter-Terrorism agency.

And of course, full monetary union, taxation strategy and financial controls
Next weekend sees the Raw Wine Fair return to London for its sixth year. Over those years natural wine (plus organic and biodynamic wine) has gone from being an unknown quantity to a growing movement. This year Raw Wine will feature artisan growers from 18 countries and its sister fairs in New York and Berlin have proved hugely popular. Master of Wine Isabelle Legeron, creator of the Raw Wine fair, tells us why drinking bog standard wine is like eating battery chicken.

"Even those who are big foodies, who watch what they eat, don't actually think about what is in their wine glass. The wine industry is full of the same big brand issues that exist in the rest of the food world, it's just that most people have never thought about it," says Legeron, who has written one of the definitive books on natural wines.

Thanks to somewhat opaque legislation, what goes into mainstream wine is often undocumented but includes a range of sulphites.

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"Dozens of winemaking additives, processing aids and manipulations are permitted by law. Anti-foaming agents (which are added to wine vats so that the liquid can be pumped faster), for example, are regularly used and in some countries even the use of hydrogen peroxide is legal!" says Legeron.

Credit: Raw Wine Fair

And then there's the environmental cost, which often sees drought wrecked areas like California draining water tables to water vines, that can thrive perfectly well without irrigation.

"Vines can absolutely thrive with dry-farming," explains Legeron. "As one producer told me, 'They're like the cockroaches of the plant world and isn't that wonderful? Natural wine can only be born of the living as you need a healthy, biodiverse microflora in the vineyard to help produce healthy grapes and a healthy fermentation, so clean, pesticide-free farming and natural wine are obligatory bedfellows."

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There's no getting away from it thought, natural, organic or bio wine can look and taste different. That shouldn't put you off says Legeron - it's about relearning your love of wine. Forget the Tesco aisle stuff and crack open a cloudy bottle.

"Makers of low-intervention wine tend to force things less - they let aromas develop naturally over time - so you tend to find wines that are a lot less oaked, and often a lot lower in alcohol," she says. "And since natural wines are usually unfiltered and unfined, the resulting wine can sometimes be cloudy, which certainly is no bad thing, just think about how we've got used to cloudy apple juice being a sign of quality."

For more info on natural wines and to learn the difference between natural, organic and biodynamic click here.
Drought in Somaliland, a region of Somalia where ActionAid works

Six years ago famine gripped Somalia. The famine came as no surprise. Agencies on the ground had been warning for months about the severity of the situation. But by the time the world woke up to the danger and launched a global disaster response, the famine was already devastating the region. The aid that arrived came too late to save thousands of lives. In total the famine led to the deaths of an estimated 250,000 people.

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Six years on and we are at risk of repeating exactly the same mistake once again. And this time the scale of the disaster is even more daunting. There are now 20 million people across East Africa facing hunger in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Kenya and Somalia. In South Sudan an official famine has been declared. Both Somalia and Kenya have announced national emergencies and across East Africa thousands of children are malnourished. Meanwhile women and girls are likely to bear the brunt of the emergency. They are trying to survive and care for their children whilst at risk of increased sexual violence and exploitation.

If it doesn't rain soon - and long-term forecasts suggest it won't - the situation will deteriorate further. We are standing on the brink of a catastrophe that could turn into the worst humanitarian disaster of this century.

Once again aid agencies such as our own are scaling up their response and the United Nations is appealing for funds for a series of crises across the region - and once again the response has been sluggish. There is a risk that a global response may only happen once these crises have already reached a stage where thousands of people are dying. Or to put it another way - if we don't act now we may fail to stop thousands of, what are currently, preventable deaths.

But we could do it differently this time.

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Parched landscape in West Pokot in Kenya currently affected by drought

That is why international development organisations like ours are appealing for the world to act now to stop the hunger crisis from getting worse. We must not wait. The UK Government has already committed millions of pounds to the region and other countries must also join in. At present the United Nations is reporting that it has received only a tiny fraction of the money required.

We need governments to be agile and show political leadership. Pledges need to be turned into real money which reaches agencies on the ground as rapidly as possible.

For people who are already hungry, immediate action to provide aid will prevent many more serious health problems such as severe malnutrition. For people who are currently at risk, early action and preparedness is needed to build their ability to cope now and reduce the need for emergency aid in the future.

We must also work to help the women at girls. Women have to travel ever further distances away from the protection of their communities in search of water, meaning they can expose themselves to increased risk of sexual attacks.

They are sometimes last to eat in the family and may miss meals. Pregnant and lactating mothers face particular challenges.

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We do not what to wait for the appearance of shocking television images of emaciated children - before anything is done. To do so would show that the world has learned nothing from the famine six years ago and a string of other disasters where the same pattern has been repeated.

As Jan Egeland, former UN emergency relief co-ordinator, wrote in the aftermath of the 2011 Somalia disaster "How come, more than a generation after man walked on the moon, we would let fellow human beings die needlessly because we would not give priority to their most basic human needs in time? That the needless haemorrhage of human lives took place ... in spite of all our knowledge and experience is an outrage."
Blaring through our kitchen speakers, from the CD played in my car and on the screen of my phone are the scenes and songs from Disney's new film Moana. My little sister at the moment is living and breathing Moana. From the constant pleas to play 'No One Knows' on the computer and the requests to watch her dance [just like Moana does in the film] you might think it is driving me crazy; however, I absolutely love it!

I love the songs and the characters, I love the fact that my sister watches the footage of the film and tries to copy Moana dancing with the water. It is this stuff that makes my heart warm. Compared to a year ago when all my sister did was run around screeching Frozen's 'Let it Go' and all I wanted to do was run around pull my ear drums out. Let's just say that Moana is a definite Disney improvement, and not just in the song department.

I have to admit I was a little bit gutted when Moana lost out to best animation feature and best song at the Oscars. The inner Disney in me was all fired up, and I realised that it was not just because of the fantastic songs I had been humming for weeks. Moana was a new kind of character to the ones my sister had seen on screen before. Moana is not the usual waif like, slightly bug eyed princess that we have all been accustomed to, but a resilient and natural depiction of girl sailing off to save the world. Not since showing her the film Mulan had my little sister been so excited by a strong female character. My little sister was aspiring to be like Moana and I am so grateful for this.

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I am thankful for a Disney film in which they have given us a heroine and not a princess. When Moana encounters Maui [the tattooed demi-god] she says "I am not a princess" to which Maui replies [in a kind of Disney-esque mansplaining tone] "If you wear a dress and you have an animal sidekick, you're a princess". Much like the character my sister was very quick to defend and explained to me that Moana is most definitely not a princess but the daughter of a village chief. Touche. She is also badass, I might add. Navigating the ocean and defeating all kinds of obstacles put in her way.

Not only does the film promote a coming of age story without a whiff of a love interest in sight, but it also brings up lots of interesting topics that kids might not have been introduced to. Since watching the film my sister and I have talked about death and spirits because Moana's grandmother is reincarnated in the movie. We have also talked about different cultures, discussing the pan-Pacific place that the film is set; which is a mixture of Fijian, Samoan and Tongan [amongst others]. Speaking about traditions, ancestors and Polynesian explorers. We have also talked together about the language in the film because to my knowledge this is one of the first Disney productions [apart from the opening of the Lion King] where bi-lingual lyrics have been married together in such a beautiful and seamless way. Listening to the soundtrack together in the car there are songs which also feature no English at all. I looked in my rear view mirror, having stopped at a traffic light, to see my little sister transfixed. I asked her if she was alright, to which she replied "I just love listening to the language in this song."
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Despite having only been an MP for less than two years it seems that the build up to every Budget and Autumn Statement so far has been dominated by calls for more funding for the NHS and social care. On each occasion campaigners have come away disappointed, but surely, after the worst winter on record and headlines proclaiming a "humanitarian crisis" the Chancellor will now act?

So far the signs have not been good. Despite everyone from the British Medical Association to the Conservative Chair of the Health Select Committee saying otherwise, the mantra from Ministers so far has been that the NHS has got everything it asked for. This claim has been comprehensively refuted and now even the head of the NHS says their funding per patient will decrease over the next few years.

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Just about every organisation involved in the health sector believes that social care needs a funding boost as a priority. With an ageing population it was inevitable that removing 4.5 billion from social care would have disastrous consequences.

The calls for a cross party commission into the future of the health service allow politicians to yet again duck the big decisions. Every time there is another crisis, the response will simply be "we have a cross party commission looking into this". At the end of the process there is no guarantee agreement can be reached; Andy Burnham knows from his bitter experience trying to achieve consensus in social care that politicians cannot be trusted to work cross party on issues like this. It would also be an abrogation of our responsibility as the official opposition to outsource such critical work on something that so many of our supporters consider a fundamental element of our party's platform.

The fact is that whatever health and social care service you decide to have, significant political decisions would still need to be made. Continuing with a speedy, safe and free health service is going to cost more money and I am not persuaded that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats who have repeatedly voted for the tightest funding squeeze in history the sector will all accept that premise. There appears to be a wilful denial by Ministers that the current funding settlement is sufficient. By the end of the decade we could well be spending less per person on health than Costa Rica. I cannot see there being much agreement with that as the direction of travel.

The debate of course isn't just about money but it is an essential prerequisite for the kind of service I want to see. 38 degrees have crowd sourced a whole range of ideas about how extra funding could be found; they are all of course political decisions. Those decisions need to be taken in conjunction with a meaningful conversation about what people are prepared to pay for; how long is it reasonable to expect people to wait for an operation, how easy should it be to see your GP, where is the line drawn between individual and state responsibility in social care? These are questions of priority. At the moment the Government is eroding people's expectations in all these areas with no mandate.

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As the official opposition it is the Labour Party's duty to take a lead in beginning the conversations about what the priorities should be and shaping the debate about what the NHS and social care sector should look like in the future. In the past there has been a tendency for politicians of all persuasions to tinker with the structures and believe that is the panacea. I would agree that the current set up is far from perfect but our focus should start with an acceptance that with the inexorable rise in demand we are going to need to make the political case for the health and social care sector to be a priority.
President Trump thinks torture "absolutely" works and Prime Minister Theresa May has failed to condemn his stance. But every day clinicians at my charity, Freedom from Torture, see how torture is used to silence people and destroy lives. Today, 2 March, MPs will debate UK policy on torture.

The pressure is building for the UK to stand up as a champion for the absolute ban on torture across the world as well as survivors' rights here in the UK.

As the co-founder and Co-ordinator of Survivors Speak OUT, a network of torture survivors, every day I meet individuals - asylum seekers and refugees - who have escaped tortuous regimes and sought sanctuary in the UK. We come from many countries and backgrounds and we all have our own story of detention, torture and flight. But a common theme is our search for safety and security, free from torture, and a wish to regain our dignity and humanity.

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Sadly, you might think that our torture ends when we reach the UK. But many of us find the UK asylum system another form of torture. Far too often torture survivors find themselves trapped in a hostile and bureaucratic asylum system where Home Office decision-makers will not believe our accounts of torture, even when it is backed by expert evidence.

Last year, I interviewed over 100 survivors of torture who are current or former clients of Freedom from Torture. Over and over, I heard how the best efforts of therapists, lawyers, social workers and others trying to help them, are hindered by their experiences in the asylum system.

One torture survivor told me: "Back home, we are tortured physically but what I have noticed is that the Home Office in this country, they are trying to torture us mentally, and I think it is worse than the physical torture that I have been through."

Another explained how his life was literally on hold: "The situation is like a movie and you press pause, you're not moving forward, you're just standing there and waiting for the Home Office." Another survivor expressed his frustration: "Freedom from Torture is trying to boost our morale and restore everything that we lost, but on the other side the Home Office is pushing us down."

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We at Freedom from Torture are especially concerned about the difficulties experienced by torture survivors in proving that they have been tortured.

Contrary to common perception, gaining asylum is not a matter of telling a sob-story to a credulous civil servant. It is not easy for a torture survivor to talk of their ordeal, even to an expert therapist. Imagine how much more difficult it is to disclose your experiences when you are in a crowded, noisy and hostile office to a total stranger.

The process involves a huge amount of complex form filling, numerous appointments with lawyers and case workers, and appearances before immigration tribunals. And this process can continue for months and years, all the while with survivors living in limbo on the margins of society.

Freedom from Torture produces medical evidence of torture in the form of detailed medico-legal reports. Our Proving Torture report analysed 50 cases and found that existing Home Office policy guidance was not being followed and that expert medico-legal reports were poorly handled. In almost three-quarters of the cases, asylum caseworkers replaced the expert opinion of a medical doctor with their own speculation about clinical matters.

Yet when these cases went to appeal at a higher tribunal a different story emerges. In 76% of cases where the final outcome was known, evidence was reassessed and asylum was granted. A good outcome, but only at a huge personal cost to the torture survivors in terms of misery and mental distress, and also at a cost to the taxpayer's purse.

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Today's debate will be led by my friend Dr Tania Mathias, MP for Twickenham and a medical doctor with personal experience of working with torture survivors. Beforehand she will be joined by anti-torture campaigners, including members of Survivors Speak OUT, to deliver a petition, signed by over 40,000 individuals. It calls on Home Secretary Amber Rudd to give people who have been tortured the protection they deserve, by assessing expert evidence to avoid delays and errors in their asylum claim.
Malaysia on Thursday abruptly scrapped visa-free entry for North Koreans over the assassination of Kim Jong- nam at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13.

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the move was motivated by concerns for national security, according to the Bernama news agency.

On Feb. 20 Malaysia recalled its ambassador from Pyongyang. The North has infuriated Malaysians by denouncing the police investigation after four suspects fled to Pyongyang while two others remain holed up in the embassy.

Pyongyang sent a high-level delegation led by its deputy ambassador to the UN Ri Tong-il to press for the handover of Kim Jong-nam's body. Ri told reporters Kim died of "a heart attack" and that there was "no proof about the use of nerve agent VX," which is classified as a weapon of mass destruction and has been identified as the poison that killed Kim.

Malaysian prosecutors said they will deport Ri Jong-chol, the only North Korean who was arrested as a suspect in the killing, to Pyongyang on Friday. Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali said there is "not enough evidence to prosecute him."


Local Labour Party leads the way in bringing democracy to a seaside town in East Sussex.

Bexhill on Sea is a small, delightful coastal town in East Sussex, notable for several reasons. One reason being that it has been home to such names as Spike Milligan, John Logie Baird, Fanny Craddock and Eddie Izzard.

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However there is another, less positive, reason why Bexhill stands out. It is one of a few towns in Britain (and the only town in East Sussex) without a Town Council.

Back in 1974, Bexhill's Town Council was dismembered and replaced by Charter Trustees from Rother District Council. These Charter Trustees, however, do not serve the democratic purpose that a Town Council or other forms of area committee do.

Since then, there has been a growing movement in the seaside town to reinstate a Town Council, thus giving the residents of Bexhill a democratic say in how their town is run and where funds are spent.

This movement picked up steam in 2015 when over four thousand Bexhill residents called on Rother County Council to hold a 'Community Governance Review' or a public consultation with the people of Bexhill. A review to decide on how the town should be run.

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It's no secret that the local Conservative Party have long resisted calls for a Bexhill Town Council and their reluctance to promote the review and a lack lustre launch led to the foundation of local campaign group "Democracy4Bexhill" in October 2016. As one of the founders of this cross party campaign group, Bexhill Labour Party are set to put pressure on Rother District Council to make sure everyone in the town has the opportunity to take part in the consultation. Making sure that the council holds a fair and open referendum of the preferred outcomes.

Its fair to say the Constituency Labour Party are baring the torch for this movement and thus for democracy. A great example of this progressive action is that, on Tuesday the 28th of February 2017, the Bexhill branch of the Labour Party handed in their detailed plan to Rother District Council, spearheading the movement with a clear and well laid out set of proposals.

The key proposals in the Bexhill and Battle Labour Party's response are:

Reintroduction of a Town Council to restore civic pride and build on the strength of Bexhill's vibrant voluntary community.

Locate the Town Council offices in an empty shop or office in the Town Centre as a cost effective solution to bringing governance closer to local people.

Rotate council meetings around the town so that local communities in Little Common, Sidley and Pebsham can access local democracy.

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A town council should start by looking after services currently paid for by Bexhill's special expenses (Parks, Recreation Grounds, allotments) and draw up a Neighbourhood Plan to set high development standards for house builders.

Party members argue that Bexhill lost out when its council was abolished in 1974 and that the current arrangements are remote, commanding no loyalty from residents. This may seem like a small town problem but it is endemic of issues up and down the country where Conservative led areas are suffering from a lack of democratic power.

Once the British people realise this and realise that they are being duped by the current government, they will look for an alternative flag barer for this great nation. No matter your opinion of Labour's leadership or current selection of MPs, you cannot deny that in places like Bexhill, up and down the country, it is the local Labour Councillors and constituency party members that are rallying the charge for democracy and fairness.

You can read the Bexhill and Battle Constituency Labour Party's official press release here.
Lite Productions via Getty Images

At the heart of Britain's NHS and Social Care crisis is an increase in demand for services from our ageing population. The right housing models can play a critical part in preventing a cycle of demand from starting and allow older people to return to their own homes after treatment, thus freeing up NHS and social care resources.

Social Care services are insufficient to provide the care that older people need in their homes. This leaves many older people without the crucial support that could stop avoidable health conditions from escalating into emergencies that unnecessarily drive them towards NHS services unable to deal with demand.

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Once an older patient is in hospital they often cannot be discharged because they're unable to care for themselves at home whilst they recover. The inability of a hospital to discharge an older patient blocks a bed and costs the NHS hundreds of pounds per patient per day.

Often the only solution is to discharge the older person to an expensive residential care setting, taking them away from their home. This causes great distress and a loss of confidence and skills. The resulting strain on social care budgets reduces the resources available to care for older people in their own homes, and the cycle is set in motion again.

Here are five housing models that can help to break the deadlock and which I hope will receive support in the upcoming budget:

1. Adapted personal homes

Poor quality and unsuitable housing impacts on older peoples' physical and mental well-being and can directly lead to injury through slips and falls, costing the NHS an estimated 1.4 Billion a year.

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750,000 older people's homes in the UK require adaptations because of a medical condition or disability. For older people who cannot afford to make adaptations there is help available from the Disabled Facilities Grant. However, take up of adaptations - both self-funded and supported by the DFG - is far lower than it could be. The reasons for this are hard to pin down, but one pre-eminent barrier is the stress and anxiety caused to older people when work disrupts them in their homes. There is an undoubted fear of being unfairly treated by 'cowboy builders'.

One innovative solution has been developed by the Home Improvement Agency of the Year, WE Care & Repair, who offer a service that takes all the stress and anxiety away from older people having to deal with builders. WE Care & Repair will assess home adaptation needs, commission the adaptations and manage the payment to the builders on behalf of the customer, but only once the work has been inspected by one of their assessors.

2. Sheltered housing

Sheltered housing is a model operated by a range of housing associations and almshouses across the country. The model offers affordable housing with support in the form of housing officers who either float between schemes or are based on site. Sheltered homes typically provide an emergency alarm system in the form of a pull cord or a wearable pendant and many employ further assistive technology.

Multiple benefits of sheltered housing have been identified by National Housing Federation research, including:

Lower levels of social isolation

Better physical and mental health

Help to downsize homes, freeing up larger homes

Reduces and delays the need for primary care and social care

Reduces hospital admissions

Enables timely discharge from hospital and prevents re-admissions

3. Extra Care Housing

Extra Care is the provision of sheltered housing with 24/7 care available on-site. Older people live in their own homes within a facility and have control over their care plans and daily activities which they would lose in a residential care setting.

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Research has demonstrated that residents living in properties run by the Extra Care Charitable Trust cost the NHS 1,115 less per person, per year, compared to costs incurred by comparable residents in the surrounding area.

The Department of Health's Extra Care Housing Capital Fund invested in excess of 227 million into 88 extra care schemes between 2004-10, and continues as the 'Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund 2015-18'. However, according to Housing Lin, by 2030 there will be an estimated shortfall of 61,000 units of Extra Care housing in England - so the model needs further investment.

4. Specialist homes for Dementia sufferers

Dementia Care forecast that by 2025 the UK will have 1.14 million dementia sufferers, which will put a growing strain on social care services.

Supported housing providers are increasingly developing solutions to help dementia sufferers remain as independent as possible in their own homes. A variety of approaches have been developed focusing on either integrating dementia sufferers within a wider community, or separating their housing into designated areas where higher care needs are easier to service.

Dementia-friendly design principles are also gaining prominence in the sector and specialist home adaptations are being considered by organisations such as Foundations (the national body for home improvement agencies).

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5. Intergenerational living

Intergenerational living schemes are on the rise. The concept is founded on the idea that older people's needs won't be best met if they're housed in 'elderly ghettos'. Instead, older people should be placed at the centre of vibrant mixed communities with inbuilt support structures that combat social isolation and ensure older people are referred for greater support before their needs escalate to an emergency.

One such scheme in the Netherlands called Care Centre Humanitas houses six students alongside 160 older people aged over 55. In return for 30 hours of voluntary support per month, the students get to live rent free. There's a good BBC video about the project here.

How can we help these housing solutions gain greater traction?

Often the challenge for innovative and ambitious housing providers is in developing the right commercial models that will allow a new scheme to operate sustainably, and then to raise the capital required to finance construction. At Baxendale we're helping a range of housing providers to develop their models and to access the right forms of investment to support them in their growth.
State prosecutors are reassembling a special team to probe the massive corruption scandal that has brought down President Park Geun-hye after independent counsel Park Young-soo officially ended his mandate on Tuesday.

Prosecutors will now investigate the president on corruption charges as well as looking into suspicions that former presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo, who has miraculously escaped close scrutiny so far, led the cover-up.

Several prosecutors who handled the initial investigation before the independent counsel was empowered by the National Assembly are expected to join the new team.

The initial investigation late last year led to the indictments of President Parks longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil and presidential aides An Chong-bum and Jeong Ho-seong, and the naming of Park herself as an accomplice to their crimes.

The independent counsel later arrested de facto Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong on charges of bribing Choi and Park, which will alter the direction of the fresh investigation.
Williamstown Elementary School Committee Chairman Joe Bergeron, left, and interim Superintendent Kim Grady explained the budget to the rest of the School Committee.

Williamstown Elementary Now Looking at 4 Percent Hike

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The Williamstown Elementary School budget again has ticked upward, the School Committee learned on Wednesday night.

With three weeks left before the district presents its fiscal 2018 budget request to the town's Finance Committee, Interim Superintendent Kim Grady and School Committee Chairman Joe Bergeron told the committee that the latest iteration of the spending plan sees the appropriation to the town up by 4.12 percent from FY17.

The current total proposed appropriation to the town is $6.4 million, up $253,218 from the $6.1 million FY17 appropriation.

That is still an increase of less than the "hair under 5 percent" Bergeron warned of back in January but is more than the 3.5 percent hike the elementary school district contemplated as recently as Feb. 15 and was reported informally to the town's Finance Committee later that night.

Bergeron said there are several reasons why the school's appropriated budget has crept upward.

"Part of that is shifting spending from school choice [revenue] into the appropriated budget so we're not spending down a school-choice reserve we don't have, and part of that is that there are actuals that have been tucked into school choice in the past," Bergeron said. "Part three is contractual increases and trying to avoid having to decrease staff. Another portion is educational priorities.

"The remainder are student needs we need to meet that trigger slightly higher costs next year versus the costs we see this year. Those are not coming out of the budget."

At the same time, the district's anticipated revenue from school choice revenue and pre-kindergarten tuition have dropped since that Feb. 15 meeting by $18,000 and $7,000, respectively, Bergeron reported on Wednesday night.

And the district's FY17 actual expenses, or "actuals," are now projected to be $47,000 higher than the numbers used in the Feb. 15 meeting. That includes $19,000 in an unanticipated increase in payments to the county retirement system and substitute teacher/paraprofessional expenses that are running $13,000 higher than the numbers used in calculating the Feb. 15 budget projections.

For the most part, school officials say the FY18 spending plan is a level-funded budget with no significant new spending. There are a couple of exceptions that the School Committee has, to date, supported: making the school's assistant principal a full-time position and purchasing new textbooks.

"We're upgrading our reading program and obtaining materials to support our transition to the new science standard," Principal Joelle Brookner told the committee on Wednesday. "That would not be a yearly increase. The majority of that would be a one-time increase to purchase new teacher's manuals, which are more expensive. You won't see that kind of number in FY19."

Likewise, the district's push to stop relying on school choice revenue to fund operating costs  an initiative begun under former Superintendent Douglas Dias  has driven appropriation increases the last two funding cycles. Bergeron indicated that now that the appropriated budget more accurately reflects the cost of education, that upward pressure should ease.

"This is probably not a budget year when we're going to walk into Town Hall and say 2.5 percent is all we're asking for," Bergeron said. "The question can and should be: 'Are you going to always ask for 4.1 percent?' And the answer is no.

"If we already made sure we're mapping the actuals we know exist, we don't need to bump it up in FY19 to meet costs we can't pay for out of school choice."

School districts in Massachusetts receive about $5,000 per year for each non-resident student enrolled under the commonwealth's school choice program. Although that figure is far below the cost per pupil, Williamstown Elementary historically has accepted school choice pupils to help to help fill empty seats in classrooms.

In general, the district gets more pupils "choicing in" from neighboring communities than it sees leaving to attend other area elementary schools.

The revenue is outside of the appropriated budget, i.e. what the district receives from local property taxes.

School districts are allowed to carry reserve funds  essentially surplus or "rainy day" funds  generated by school choice revenue, and the school did just that as recently as five years ago, when its reserve account was more than $300,000 . This year's carryover was about $38,000

Toward the end of Wednesday's three-hour School Committee meeting, Bergeron highlighted the importance of reserve accounts during a discussion of a line-item increase for special education. Grady, who was the district's director of pupil personnel services before her job title was changed to assistant superintendent (and currently interim superintendent) was explaining that based on her expectation of student needs, she added $65,105 to the line item for out-of-district placement.

"If we don't need to use it, great  but I will feel safer knowing I have funds in the budget to meet the needs of students," Grady said. "Our reserves have become incredibly low, and I needed to make sure we have funds."

Bergeron elaborated.

"School choice has traditionally been a way to absorb some of the unexpected costs to educate a student or a couple of students [with special needs]," Bergeron said. "That is the primary reason, for me, to have school choice funds or to have a fund from year to year that can be carried over.

"[The SPED budget] is what has true variability. Other things, we can predict better and can be more conservative in how we budget, but that's an area where you may have a $50,000 or $60,000 expense we didn't anticipate. When people say, 'Why do you need a reserve?' that's an area where you need a release valve."

The School Committee's Finance Subcommittee, which consists of Bergeron and Dan Caplinger, is scheduled to take another look at the budget on Thursday, March 16, at the elementary school.

The committee will hold its annual public hearing on the FY18 budget on Tuesday, March 21, at 6 p.m., prior to its 7 p.m. business meeting, at the elementary school. The next night, the district is scheduled to present its budget to the town Finance Committee at Town Hall.

In the meantime, Bergeron suggested on Wednesday that the committee hold a workshop or public listening session to invite public comments and questions  perhaps during the March 16 subcommittee meeting or at another time and place prior to the March 21 hearing.

"I feel as though it would be a chance for us all to be a group of parents in a room talking about these issues," Bergeron said. "The very ready answer will probably be, I cannot answer that question definitively, but I'll go and find the answer.' "

Bergeron said Wednesday night he would survey the School Committee members by email and try to find a date and time that would work to hold the informal public forum.

In other business on Wednesday, the committee:

 Approved adding eight additional school choice slots for the 2017-18 academic year: four in kindergarten, three in first grade and one in fourth grade. Brookner said those recommendations take into account class sizes at Lanesborough Elementary School and the sizes of classes that ultimately will matriculate up to Mount Greylock Regional School, which has identified 92 as an ideal class size for classes entering the renovated junior-senior high school. The eight slots will help balance the six school choice students graduating in this year's sixth-grade class. This year, the school has 34 school choice pupils.

 Approved the job description for a food service director position to be shared with Mount Greylock. The new position replaces a retiring cafeteria manager and eliminates a part-time bookkeeper post shared by the two schools. The administration asked for the change to ensure that the cafeterias at the two schools are managed by someone with the qualifications currently required under the law.

 Discussed a policy change that will allow the school to provide free milk to students eligible for free and reduced lunches. Currently, those students cannot receive free milk under the federal program if they bring a bagged lunch from home. "What I learned from working with the cafeteria workers and [Brookner] is that free or reduced lunch means the whole meal," Grady told the committee. "If you're on free or reduced lunch and just want the milk, you're required to pay for it."

 Learned that the districts FY18 budget shows a reduction in the cost of bus transportation because WES is cutting from five bus routes to four. We have done a thorough analysis of bus ridership and done a thorough look at the bus routes, and were confident we can reduce to four buses, Brookner said. She cited low ridership numbers as well as current routes that have buses crossing paths and sometimes passing the same house two or three times. Officials predict the new routes may add at most 10 minutes to the rides of those children who are affected; the change does not affect the bus to South Williamstown.

 Looked at a school calendar for next year that would set the first student day at Sept. 5 and have a projected final day (barring snow days) of June 15. Brookner said the calendar would align with those at Mount Greylock, where the teachers' contract prohibits starting school before Labor Day, and Lanesborough Elementary. School Committee member John Skavlem urged the district to consider eliminating the February vacation week in the future considering how snow days (this year there have been five) push the school year closer and closer to the end of June.

 Encouraged families with children who will enter kindergarten in the fall to register March 8 and 9 at the school. The school is hoping to avoid last-minute registrations in August that could, at worst, force it to open an additional classroom it does not anticipate.

 Heard from Brookner that the 2017 Renzi Award for citizenship honoring former teacher and administrator Helen Renzi will be given on Friday to sixth-graders Annabelle Art, Lucy Igoe, Krish Sharma and Jacob Stokes. "It's not a recognition for academics or anything else," Brookner said. "It's an award for children who go above and beyond  reaching out to others and being incredibly good friends."

This story was updated on Friday, March 3, to clarify the impact of the planned change in bus routes.
A U.K. pharmacy chain will land in Korea in the second half of this year.

E-Mart said Thursday it signed an agreement with Walgreens Boots Alliance, which owns about 13,100 outlets of Boots and other global drugstore chains in 11 countries.
Family Nurse Practitioner Joins CHP Health Center

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Family nurse practitioner Rebecca Gamache has joined the primary care team at Community Health Centers Neighborhood Health Center in Pittsfield.



Gamache earned her undergraduate degree in nursing from UMass-Amherst and a masters degree in nursing from Sage Graduate School in Troy, N.Y.



A Berkshire County native, she previously worked as a registered nurse at Berkshire Medical Center and for Berkshire County ARC. Her primary focus is health promotion and disease prevention, and she has a strong interest in incorporating holistic treatment options into her practice, which includes patients of all ages.
Southern Berkshire Regional Selects New Superintendent

Beth Regulbuto via LinkedIn

SHEFFIELD, Mass.  The School Committee of the Southern Berkshire Regional School District voted Thursday to enter into negotiations with Beth Regulbuto to become its next superintendent.



Regulbuto is currently the associate superintendent of schools at the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District, where she has worked in different capacities since 2007. She has an undergraduate degree in accounting and a master's of education degree in organizational management.



Prior to her administrative work at Hampden-Wilbraham, she was an early childhood and performing arts teacher for several decades. It is expected that a contract will be brought to the School Committee for ratification within a few weeks. Regulbuto will start her new role on July 1, upon the retirement of David Hastings on June 30. Hastings has held the position of superintendent since July 2013.



"It will be an honor to work closely with the School Committee, teachers and administrators, students, parents and community members to help lead the Southern Berkshire Regional School District into its next phase," said Regulbuto. "I'm drawn to the unmitigated enthusiasm of the people I've met since I first came to interview in January and am so impressed with the quality of the team of leaders here. I look forward to getting to work this summer on the full range of issues ahead of us building on the great strengths of the District."



Hastings was confident he was leaving the school district "in wonderful hands."


China has intensified a crackdown so-called zero-dollar tours to Korea, where big tour groups are herded through the country for little money but heavily pushed into shopping.

The move comes after Lotte Group on Wednesday signed a deal with the government here to hand over a site for the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery from the U.S.

According to tourism industry sources in Beijing, the China National Tourism Administration told the top 20 Chinese travel agencies to stop offering group tours to Korea.

Meanwhile, China's biggest state-run travel agency, CTS, has reportedly scrapped visits to Lotte duty-free shops, a prime destination for the shopping trips, and Lotte Hotel from its package tours. Chinese tourists account for more than 70 percent of revenues in Lotte duty-free shops.

Beijing says the crackdown has nothing to do with the deployment of the THAAD battery, whose radar China fears will be used to spy on its military activities, but the timing is striking. Some 30 to 40 percent of the 8 million Chinese tourists who visited Korea last year came through state-run travel agencies.


After it was revealed that the North used VX nerve agent to assassinate Kim Jong-un, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the North's representative to the UN claimed at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva that it "has never produced or stockpiled or used chemical weapons." No one believes that for a moment.

North Korea is one of only four countries not to join the Chemical Weapons Convention banning the use of such weapons of mass destruction. If it is telling the truth, why not join the CWD immediately and agree to international inspections?

Since its nuclear weapons program was exposed, the North has variously claimed over the past decade that it has no plans to develop nuclear weapons, tested them, and finally declared itself a nuclear-armed state. Seoul estimates that North Korea has up to 5,000 tons of chemical weapons in its arsenal, more than enough to annihilate the entire South Korean population.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which was established in 1997 and has 192 member nations, said last year that one of its biggest concerns is North Korea's chemical weapons program. The UN in a resolution has demanded that the North scrap its chemical and biological weapons.

North Korea is once again trying to escape blame by telling lies and making threats. That worked for the longest time but will work no longer. It is preposterous that a violent criminal state like North Korea is part of the UN Conference on Disarmament. In fact, the North no longer has any right to the privileges of UN membership after persistently snubbing and ignoring the global body.

The international community must give serious thought to whether the North should remain a member of the UN at all.


Creating jobs always tops Premier Li Keqiangs public policy agenda, which can been seen in VAT reform, support for small- and-medium-sized companies, and setting economy growth targets.

The Premier previously listed employment as the top responsibility of the government and the fundament of peoples lives.

When he visited the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security in May 2016, he said employment data is a significant basis for macroeconomic control.

As a developing country, Chinas economy is still not balanced compared to different regions, so more work should be done to create jobs and raise the populations average income, making sure everyone can benefit from economic development, the Premier said at a symposium.

If employment is a big problem, it will hurt the economy as well as social stability, he warned.

In 2016, 1.3 million jobs were created in Chinas urban areas, making it the fourth consecutive year of such achievement even in the midst of a slowing economy.

At a news conference on March 1, 2017, Yin Weimin, minister of Human Resources and Social Security, appreciated it as one of the major achievements in Chinas social-economic development last year.

International institutions also paid attention to the employment rate in China. Tom Orlik, Bloombergs Asian chief economist, recently said that employment is on an upward track in Chinas high-tech and service industry.

According to a report issued by the European Commission, Chinas strong employment data will promote continuous economic growth.
New Immigrant: Israel Is My Real Home

The Fellowship | March 3, 2017 New Immigrant: "Israel Is My Real Home"

Natalia, 44, always dreamed of making aliyah (immigrating to Israel) one day. She believed living in the Holy Land would allow her to return to her Jewish roots. I always thought that Israel is my real home, says Natalia. I felt that eventually I would make it to the Holy Land.

But she was born in Ukraine, and had built her life there, marrying her husband, Alexander, 45, and raising her 9-year-old son, Mykyta. She felt she had a stable family life  so the hope of beginning a new life in Israel slowly seemed like too big of a risk. She didnt want to uproot her family.

Until war broke out in her hometown, and everything changed.

Since 2014, when the Russian-backed separatists took power in Donetsk, and in other surrounding parts of the region, the city has turned into a war zone. Once hostilities started, the frequent bombing and shelling hurt the economy. Donetsk is an industrial city, says Alexander. Since the war started, many enterprises have shut down. People have lost their jobs. Thats what happened to me.

The familys apartment was partially damaged. That forced us to leave the city for some time, says Alexander. Once we came back, things were exactly the same as they had been when we left. Things didnt get any better. The sound of exploding shells can still be heard in Donetsk.

The family decided to take a Fellowship Freedom Flight to the Holy Land.

It was the thought of moving to Israel that gave our family the strength to survive under the tough conditions, says Natalia.

Its a new life adventure, says Mykyta.

This Fellowship Freedom Flight is an opportunity to start a new life after experiencing the horrors of war, adds Alexander.

Alexander plans to learn Hebrew and find a job right away. Were not afraid of taking any job that comes our way, says Alexander.

What I also like about Israel is the fact that you can start your own business. My son has a dream of opening his own small cafe. Ill help him when he opens it, says Natalia.

They feel blessed by The Fellowship and our wonderful donors for providing so much support to their family. Im amazed that the donors are so willing to help people while not asking for anything in return, says Natalia. Its simply priceless. Thank you.
Safe drinking water in disadvantaged communities

Sacramento, California - The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will be discussing issues related to safe drinking water in disadvantaged communities at its upcoming meeting on Tuesday, March 7th. The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, 1220 N Street  Main Auditorium, Sacramento.

All Californians have a right to safe drinking water, said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. Finding broad long-term solutions for impacted communities is critical and involves many stakeholders. The agricultural community is an active participant in those discussions and farmers and ranchers continue to use the latest research findings and best practices to protect groundwater supplies.

Invited speakers include: Darrin Polhemus, State Water Resources Control Board; Laurel Firestone, Community Water Center; Wade Crowfoot, Water Foundation; Cindy Tuck, Association of California Water Agencies; Gail Delihant, Western Growers; Tim Johnson, California Rice Commission; Emily Rooney, Agricultural Council of California; David Cory, Consultant and Ismael Herrera, California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley.

Water quality issues associated with drinking water are taken very seriously by agriculture, said President Craig McNamara, California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Long term solutions to water quality challenges should include consideration of a public role at the state and federal levels.

The California State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and the CDFA secretary on agricultural issues and consumer needs. The state board conducts forums that bring together local, state and federal government officials, agricultural representatives and citizens to discuss current issues of concern to California agriculture.

All meetings are open to the public and attendance is welcome.




This Isnt Our Last Love Letter



Dear Don Don,

Way back in 92



I walked into the room and knew



Never felt this way before



I shook your hand while gazing into your eyes



And the feeling grew



As I took a seat I knew



A love that would have my heart



Forever



I knew



Way back in 92





They say love at first sight doesnt always last or isnt true



We were the exception to that rule



Our love had no where to hide



A spark set fire



As if this is how the universe started





I never doubted our love or what we could do



Together we grew



Forming a bond everlasting



That became our glue



My euphoria was YOU



Im eternally grateful for the love and life we shared



For how fortunate we were :



to have and to hold

through sickness and in health

Til death do us part



Until we are together again



This isnt our last love letter



I love you with all my heart and soul



Yours forever,



Deirdre (Mrs. Hank Snow)





Im fortunate to have fallen in love with, marry and make a life with the sharpest, coolest, funniest, most rare, bad ass, tender loving, loyal man on the planet, my husband Don Imus.









A True American Hero

I dont know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus.



I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years.



I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years.

But what most people dont talk enough about is what he did for all of us.

In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about.



Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe. Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease. That was a miracle! He was a miracle.

I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life.

I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirdes life.

No one will ever do what he did.

I love you Don Imus - A TRUE AMERICAN HERO





David Jurist

IMUS IN THE MORNING

FIRST DAY BACK!
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From Dismaland to The Son of a Migrant from Syria, Banksy has created some of the most thought-provoking artworks in recent history.

In another bold statement, the famed graffiti artist has opened a hotel just metres away from the controversial barrier wall that separates the Israeli and Palestinian territory in the West Bank.

Titled The Walled Off Hotel, the nine-bedroom building based in Bethlehem is staffed by local people - none of whom knew Banksy was the one setting up the hotel - and aims to bring tourists to the destination.

While the anonymous artists team are insisting the hotel is a real business venture, not an art stunt according to The Guardian, there are dozens of Banksy works within, as well as a themed bar and interactive exhibits.

The signing of the Balfour Declaration - which helped establish Israel 100 year ago - is depicted in one, while the hotel is decorated to resemble an English gentlemens club from colonial times to represent Britains role in the region.

Inside Banksy's Dismaland Show all 13 1 /13 Inside Banksy's Dismaland Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park "Seagull Attack" by Banksy sits near the entrance, proved to be a bit of a photo opportunity, a taxidermied seagull perches on the other side of the bench Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park The Bill Barminski - Cardboard security entrance, visitors must first get through security to enter the park. This can include being searched, emptying bags and even being instructed to touch your toes. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park Dismaland opened to the general public this weekend and everyone seems to be talking about it. Many have speculated whether long queues and website crashing issues are purposeful in order to make Dismaland that little bit more dismal. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland Dismaland19.jpg The Bill Barminski - Cardboard security entrance, visitors must first get through security to enter the park. This can include being searched, emptying bags and even being instructed to touch your toes. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park Visitors are handed their very own guide to the park inside, featuring the names of the installations and show-times. On the front it brands Dismaland "the UK's most disappointing visitor attraction". Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park An overview of the park, set on the former site of Tropicana. Tropicana was closed in the 1990's and since then has had rumours of regeneration. The exhibition will be the first major event on site since its heyday as a seaside attraction. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park "Topple the anvil and win the anvil" - just one of the many disappointing games visitors can try their hand at. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park "What its really like to be a princess" the scene of Cinderella hanging lifeless outside her pumpkin carriage as paparazzi surround it inside the castle in the center of the park. A dark reference to the death of Princess Diana. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park Mushroom Cloud made of Cotton by Artist Dietrich Wegner Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park A twist on theme park boating games the white cliffs of dover provide a backdrop to boats of migrants and faceless bodies float in the black water. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park "Killer Whale jumping from a toilet" a piece by Banksy as a reference to the treatment of orca's in seaworld parks. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park In classic Banksy style he applies his stencilling technique to a mural named "woman showering" when talking about the exhibition Banksy declared that he was aiming for something very different to street art. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park Another piece by banksy looms above a lake referencing Jeffrey Archer Reuters

Channel 4 news detail how Banksy wants people from all sides of the Middle East conflict to stay, and that he has no affiliation with any political party.

Banksy first visited Bethlehem in 2005, when he stenciled some of his best-known works on the West Bank wall. One depicted a man wearing a balaclava throwing flowers, while the other featured a girl frisking a soldier.

The hotel marks the artist's first major installation since Dismaland, the temporary theme park that appeared in 2015 at Weston-super-Mare.
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We are the children of history. When we tell the stories of our forefathers, we speak also of how weve been moulded. The deep wounds left behind by the division of British India in 1947, forming the independent dominions of India and Pakistan, mark not only a crucial moment in each countrys history but in the personal stories of its people.

It shaped the story of Gurinder Chadha, certainly. After partition, her family were forced to flee their homes, her fathers youngest sister starving to death on the journey.

Though her film, Viceroys House, may embrace the greater political machinations at work, it becomes also an intimate reflection of the pain suffered by her relatives, their friends and all people caught in the midst of an agonising birth of nations.

The British had occupied India for more than 300 years. In August 1947, however, they decided to leave for the simplest of reasons: the Second World War had stripped them of the resources needed to sustain control over the territory. What they left behind was a nightmare of their own making, one seemingly impossible to repair by this point.

Britains empire, of course, lived by the phrase divide and rule and India proved no outlier, with a great divide slowly carved between the major religions in the country  Hinduism and Sikhism vs Islam  to keep them all weak and under their will, too busy fighting each other instead of their oppressors.

These were people who had peacefully coexisted for several millennia before an empire had begun to define communities by religious population, separated by different schools, textbooks and elections, slowly building the myth that a free, united India could exist only as a dream.

When independence finally loomed, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim League, began to demand a separate Pakistan out of fear his people would become second-class citizens in an independent India; while in turn promising Pakistan would grant religious freedom to all.

Where would the border between a separate Pakistan and India fall, however? Especially when both the Punjab and Bengal shared a near-equal mix of Muslims and Hindus. Furthermore, relations between Jinnah and the other two prominent leaders, Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru of the Hindu-dominated Congress Party, had become particularly poisonous.

 Viceroy's House - Trailer

Chadhas film leaps into the midst of this conflict, specifically in the arrival of Lord Louis Mounbatten to Viceroys House in March, 1947; instructed to fill in the role as the last Viceroy to India, tasked with ensuring a smooth transfer of imperial power.

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What he arrived to, however, was a nightmare: a ticking time bomb that saw sectarian violence increasing by the day, though too swift an exit would threaten to destroy any chance of healing those wounds. Mountbatten would leave behind, too, a nation with a woefully neglected infrastructure, in which 92 per cent of its population was illiterate and around half its children would die before their fifth birthday.

The trauma of such unspeakable violence concentrated itself in the contested states of the Punjab and Bengal, places where massacres, arson, forced conversion, mass abductions, and brutal sexual violence became a daily occurrence.

Gurinder Chadha poses for photographers during a photocall for the film 'Viceroys House' in competition at the 67th Berlinale film festival in Berlin (Getty)

An estimated 75,000 women were raped, with many also disfigured and dismembered. In 1946, a massacre in Calcutta cost 5,000 lives. With the added pressure of the British, Gandhi and Nehru eventually agreed partition to be the only solution to end such chaos.

In June 1947 an announcement was suddenly made that 15 August would mark the official transfer of power, 10 months earlier than expected. Cyril Radcliffe, the British judge enlisted to draw the borderline, was given only 40 days to complete such a momentous task; with the final border eventually being revealed two days after Indias independence.

It was a hastened compromise that would leave all parties dissatisfied, particularly in how carelessly the Punjab and Bengal had been divided.

 Viceroy's House Clip - Dickie Gets Dressed

The border struck itself across maps like the scar it embedded deep within both countries, even in the moment of their birth; sparking one of the greatest migrations in human history, seeing 14 million people displaced and more than a million die, as Muslims trekked to Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs to India.

The partition did not bring an immediate end to the violence either, as trains of refugees fleeing the violence were met with only more violence, their carriages repeatedly ambushed and their passengers slaughtered.

Viceroys House itself focuses on individual stories, not only of Mountbatten but of a fictional love affair between a Hindu man and a Muslim woman threatened to be torn to shreds when the partition descends and they must choose their love for each other and their loyalty to their family.

In a way, Chadhas focused vision is a way of digesting a horror which can seem so incomprehensible, but which has become so central to the modern identity of the Indian subcontinent.

Viceroy's House is out now
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Tom Hanks has been a vocal opponent of Donald Trumps ever since the Republican announced his run for Presidency.

With the current administration attempting to label respectable news sources Fake News, Hanks has is doing his part to keep the press caffeinated.

The Forest Gump actor sent an espresso machine to the White House press corps with a wonderful message: Keep up the good fight for Truth, Justice and the American way. Especially for the Truth part.

Alongside the note, a drawing of wounded soldiers captioned: Fresh, spirited American troops, flushed with victory, are bringing in thousands of hungry, ragged, battle-weary prisoners.

The Academy Award winner previously sent an espresso machine to the press corps in 2004 during George W. Bushs presidency. In 2010, he checked up on the machine, joking to the press: You know you are supposed to clean this after every use. You are supposed to wipe that off. Look at the buildup there.

Trump recently came under fire after banning various publications - including CNN, the BBC, and The New York Times - from attending an off-camera White House gaggle. Soon after, The Washington Post changed their slogan to Democracy Dies in Darkness in protest.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Hanks - who endorsed Hilary Clinton - has been a vocal critic of Trumps, previously saying he was personally offended by his lewd grab her by the p***y comments.
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Former president George W. Bush stopped in to Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week (hes got a book coming out) and conversation quickly turned to last weekends Kimmel-hosted Oscars.

Bush thought it was damn good, but in particular Kimmels intro monologue.

I watched the replay, I actually watched - Im going to pander - I thought your opening was damn good, Bush told him.

Thatll be the one in which Kimmel said I want to say thank you to President Trump. I mean, remember last year when it seemed like the Oscars were racist? then.

 Oscars 2017: Jimmy Kimmel on Trump

The pair didnt talk specifically about the new president on the show, but spent most of the interview talking around him, with Kimmel asking Bush if he watched TV while in the White House (Trump, notoriously, is a TV addict).

No, never really did, Bush replied, concurring with Kimmel when he suggested a president probably shouldnt.

You got a lot to do, youre busy, Bush added.

It was generally quite a surreal piece of television, the world having got to a point where a TV audience will now clap and cheer George W. Bush.
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The Walking Dead season seven continues with what seems to be something of a departure episode focusing largely on Rick and Michonne's attempts to acquire weaponry for their war against The Saviours.

It seems that this episode - titled 'Say Yes' - will see the couple come across a horde of walkers at what was once a fairground pre-apocalypse. Discovering bullets on the floor, Rick - bolstered by his newly-acquired allies - uses the opportunity to seek out more guns in the upcoming all-out war.

You can watch a clip from the new episode above, and the trailer below.

 The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 12 Promo

This being The Walking Dead, disaster soon strikes and the duo soon find themselves in mortal danger.

Elsewhere, Rosita (Christian Serratos) is growing frustrated with the group's inability to strike against Negan immediately. Will her refusal to wait spell disaster for the group once again?

The episode synopsis reads: Members of the group scavenge for supplies. Meanwhile, back in Alexandria, someone must make a morally challenging decision.

The most shocking Walking Dead moments Show all 10 1 /10 The most shocking Walking Dead moments The most shocking Walking Dead moments Sophie's a walker (season 2, episode 7) Much of season two's opening half is spent looking for Sophia, the missing daughter of Carol (Melissa McBride). Turns out she was locked up in Hershel's barn as a zombie all along. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Shane reanimates without being bitten (season 2, episode 12) When Carl (Chandler Riggs) guns down a deranged Shane (Jon Bernthal) to protect his father, the shock arrives when he manifests into a walker despite not being bitten; turns out everyone's infected with the virus and will turn whichever way they die. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Axel's bullet to the eye (season 3, episode 10) A character introduced in the show's prison arc, Axel is a reformed prisoner who strikes up a friendship with Carol - until he's gunned down mid-sentence. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Carl kills Lori after she gives birth (season 3, episode 4) Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) goes into labour at the very moment a zombie siege breaks out at the prison. Unfortunately, she doesn't make it through the procedure with her son Carl being the one to put a bullet to her head. The most shocking Walking Dead moments The Governor slays Hershel (season 4, episode 8) The Governor makes his dramatic return for a showdown at the prison after he captures Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Hershel (Scott Wilson). Rick reaches out, attempting to reason with him - but The Governor starts a war when he proceeds to decapitate poor old Hershel instead. The most shocking Walking Dead moments "Look at the flowers" (season 4, episode 14) In a standout episode from the show's fourth season, Carol is forced to take drastic measures when young teenager Lizzie murders her sister Mika in the belief that she'll live on as a zombie. Realising Lizzie's depraved mind would endanger those around her, Carol puts a gun to the young girl's head and, telling her to "look at the flowers," pulls the trigger, fighting back the tears. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Carl's bullet to the eye (season 6, episode 9) Season six returned from its mid-season break in typically dramatic fashion when an iconic moment from the graphic novels came to life: Carl takes a bullet to the eye. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Beth is killed (season 5, episode 8) Upon being kidnapped, Beth (Emily Kinney) is taken to Grady Memorial Hospital managed by Atlanta Law Enforcement. Forced to reside there against her will, the group - including Rick and Daryl (Norman Reedus) - eventually find her - only for her to be accidentally shot in the head by her captor. The worst thing? Her sister Maggie (Lauren Cohan) had just arrived outside. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Negan kills Abraham Season seven opened in brutal form as we discovered it was Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) at the opposite end of Negan's baseball bat. "Suck my nuts," the soldier growls as the Saviours' leader brings Lucille raining down on his head until nothing remains but a pulpy mess. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Negan kills Glenn Negan decides to punish the group once more after getting clocked round the face by Daryl. Without expectation, he thwacks Lucille round the head of poor Glenn. With his eyeball popping out of his head, he manages: "I'll find you, Maggie before Negan proceeds to finish the job ending the former pizza delivery boy's life.

This week, we spoke to Daryl actor Norman Reedus as well as Seth Gilliam, the latter detailing his 'upset' over the initial backlash against his character, Father Gabriel.

The Walking Dead continues in the US this Sunday (5 March) with its UK premiere following as day later (6 March) at 9pm on FOX.
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Out of all the things fans have discovered thus far in The Walking Dead season seven, it's that - if picked correctly - music can be the perfect form of torture.

No character knows this more than Daryl Dixon; earlier this season, we saw the fan favourite locked in a cell by The Saviours subjected to torture in the form of earworm Easy Street being blasted into his cell on repeat.

We spoke to actor Norman Reedus about the show's latest run of episodes, and couldn't resist finding out what he thought about the particular track.

It turns out he didn't hear it until you did.

Reedus said: "You know, I didn't hear that song until the episode came out. We didn't hear that song while we were filming. We were just imagining a song. Then in the script, it was like a kids song, and that's what I expected it to be and then that 'Easy Street' came on and I was like, 'God this song sucks.' "

Following the first showing of the episode, we spoke to the song's writer Jim Bianco who told us he branded its usage as genius.

 The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 12 Promo

The track - performed by The Collapsable Hearts Club - could be heard again in the show's latest episode Hostiles and Calamities which saw what happened when Eugene (Josh McDermitt) arrived at the Sanctuary as Negan's prisoner. Read our review of the episode here.

The Walking Dead continues in the US this Sunday (5 March) with its UK premiere following as day later (6 March) at 9pm on FOX.
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The Walking Dead actor Seth Gilliam, who plays Father Gabriel on the show, has detailed how he found the initial fan backlash to his character to be somewhat upsetting.

Gilliam - whose most famous role previous to the AMC drama was as Ellis Carver in The Wire - first appeared in season five depicted as a coward who wasn't liked by the show's lead character Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln).

It was only towards the end of last season where fans became much more attuned to the character, and while season seven has seen him become one of Rick's most trusted allies, Gilliam told us during the show's UK press tour how the initial backlash he received was, at times, quite tough to bear.

 The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 12 Promo

He said: I've kind of let go of the popularity contest thing that gets tied into the show. At first, I was taken aback by the amount of negative response I got as the character so it was somewhat upsetting for me. Then I found the tide had turned when my character sermonised over an unarmed man and shot him in the face, he added in reference to season six episode, 'Not Tomorrow Yet.'

The most shocking Walking Dead moments Show all 10 1 /10 The most shocking Walking Dead moments The most shocking Walking Dead moments Sophie's a walker (season 2, episode 7) Much of season two's opening half is spent looking for Sophia, the missing daughter of Carol (Melissa McBride). Turns out she was locked up in Hershel's barn as a zombie all along. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Shane reanimates without being bitten (season 2, episode 12) When Carl (Chandler Riggs) guns down a deranged Shane (Jon Bernthal) to protect his father, the shock arrives when he manifests into a walker despite not being bitten; turns out everyone's infected with the virus and will turn whichever way they die. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Axel's bullet to the eye (season 3, episode 10) A character introduced in the show's prison arc, Axel is a reformed prisoner who strikes up a friendship with Carol - until he's gunned down mid-sentence. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Carl kills Lori after she gives birth (season 3, episode 4) Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) goes into labour at the very moment a zombie siege breaks out at the prison. Unfortunately, she doesn't make it through the procedure with her son Carl being the one to put a bullet to her head. The most shocking Walking Dead moments The Governor slays Hershel (season 4, episode 8) The Governor makes his dramatic return for a showdown at the prison after he captures Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Hershel (Scott Wilson). Rick reaches out, attempting to reason with him - but The Governor starts a war when he proceeds to decapitate poor old Hershel instead. The most shocking Walking Dead moments "Look at the flowers" (season 4, episode 14) In a standout episode from the show's fourth season, Carol is forced to take drastic measures when young teenager Lizzie murders her sister Mika in the belief that she'll live on as a zombie. Realising Lizzie's depraved mind would endanger those around her, Carol puts a gun to the young girl's head and, telling her to "look at the flowers," pulls the trigger, fighting back the tears. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Carl's bullet to the eye (season 6, episode 9) Season six returned from its mid-season break in typically dramatic fashion when an iconic moment from the graphic novels came to life: Carl takes a bullet to the eye. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Beth is killed (season 5, episode 8) Upon being kidnapped, Beth (Emily Kinney) is taken to Grady Memorial Hospital managed by Atlanta Law Enforcement. Forced to reside there against her will, the group - including Rick and Daryl (Norman Reedus) - eventually find her - only for her to be accidentally shot in the head by her captor. The worst thing? Her sister Maggie (Lauren Cohan) had just arrived outside. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Negan kills Abraham Season seven opened in brutal form as we discovered it was Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) at the opposite end of Negan's baseball bat. "Suck my nuts," the soldier growls as the Saviours' leader brings Lucille raining down on his head until nothing remains but a pulpy mess. The most shocking Walking Dead moments Negan kills Glenn Negan decides to punish the group once more after getting clocked round the face by Daryl. Without expectation, he thwacks Lucille round the head of poor Glenn. With his eyeball popping out of his head, he manages: "I'll find you, Maggie before Negan proceeds to finish the job ending the former pizza delivery boy's life.

Gilliam continued: I find that if you're playing a character with the hopes of being liked, you're already lost; people are going to have their response. Hopefully, they'll understand what moments you want them to. I realised that long before I got on the show.

"The size of this show is what was somewhat offputting - the amount of the response. But I realised very early on as an actor that you can't act wanting to be loved - you have to be true to the character and the story."

Elsewhere, we spoke to actor Norman Reedus about his views on 'Easy Street,' the song used by The Saviours to torture his character, Daryl.

The Walking Dead continues in the US this Sunday (5 March) with its UK premiere following as day later (6 March) at 9pm on FOX.
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In an industry first, one of the worlds biggest oil companies has warned it could face legal action over climate change.

Chevron, the California-based multinational, admitted it could be the subject of governmental investigations and, potentially, private litigation because of its role in causing global warming.

And the firm added that regulations designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions might also render the extraction of the companys oil and gas resources economically infeasible.

Environmentalists suggested the decision to admit the threat to the company could be a reaction to legal case brought last year against Exxon Mobil by the Boston-based Conservation Law Foundation, which alleges the fossil fuel company tried to discredit climate science despite knowing the risks in order to make money.

Chevron was one of a number of oil firms targeted in a campaign by the Union of Concerned Scientists in the US to stop funding climate disinformation.

And, in an official filing about the state of its financial health to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company lays out possible reasons why it might have been in its interest to cast doubt on scientific evidence that its products are causing a problem.

Laws requiring the reduction of emissions  like legislation that could be in the UK Governments long-delayed Emissions Reduction Plan  may result in increased and substantial  costs and could, among other things, reduce demand for hydrocarbons, Chevron said in a section called risk factors.

In the years ahead, companies in the energy industry, like Chevron, may be challenged by an increase in international and domestic regulation relating to greenhouse gas emissions," it said.

Such regulation could have the impact of curtailing profitability in the oil and gas sector or rendering the extraction of the companys oil and gas resources economically infeasible.

The firm said that even if greenhouse gases were constrained, experts were still predicting significant demand for petroleum and natural gas.

But it added: If a new onset of regulation contributes to a decline in the demand for the companys products, this could have a material adverse effect on the company and its financial condition.

There was, Chevron admitted, a danger that the firm could be sued over global warming given its production of fossil fuels.

Increasing attention to climate change risks has resulted in an increased possibility of governmental investigations and, potentially, private litigation against the company, Chevron said.

ClientEarth, a group of activist environmental lawyers which has twice successfully sued the UK Government to force it to come up with a decent plan to reduce air pollution, said it was investigating British companies and legal action may well be on the cards.

Alice Garton, a corporate lawyer with the group, said: Fossil fuel giants face an increasing threat of legal action in relation to the physical and economic risks associated with climate change. This is called liability risk.

For fossil fuel companies it poses a material threat to financial performance and those companies must report on it.

She said it was significant that Chevron had formally recognised the risks.

But Chevron is in a real minority in acknowledging it. We expect other carbon majors to follow suit, Ms Garton said.

The future is not bright for fossil fuels. Any oil or coal major claiming a rosy financial forecast is pulling the wool over investors eyes.

10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke  filled with the carbon that is driving climate change  drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan

If these companies want to avoid being sued, they need to start taking climate change seriously, adapt their business models in line with the Paris Agreement, stop funding climate denialism and withdraw from trade associations who actively undermine strong climate policy.

If they dont, they can expect liability risk to translate to reality. ClientEarth is looking into how far UK-listed companies are addressing these issues. Legal action may well be on the cards.

She also noted that Chevron was accepting that investors money could end up being lost as regulations restrict greenhouse gas emissions.

Chevron has also admitted that changes in climate law could result in stranded assets, she said.

This is another giant risk faced by fossil fuel companies, but even after years of it being in public discourse, it has yet to be taken seriously enough by fossil fuel companies or stock markets  or communicated to investors.

Greenpeace UK's senior climate adviser Charlie Kronick noted Chevrons position had shifted from barely acknowledging the dangers of climate change to being the first oil major to explicitly warn investors about the material risk from potential climate lawsuits against the company in just a few years.

The combined effect of the Paris Agreement and the Exxon investigation seems to have brought home for Chevron the financial and legal implications of their denial, he said.

Like other oil giants, Chevron has to face the fact that its entire business model is predicated on extremely dangerous levels of climate change.

Chevron has to decide whether it wants to be part of the problem or be part of the solution, because it cannot be both.

Chevron said in an email that it had no additional comments beyond its SEC filing.
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There has been a lot going on in the States of late.

Naturally, Congress has been discussing the big issues, including abortion, Obamacare and, well, almond milk.

A new bill has been created that seeks to ban dairy alternatives from using the term milk.

Recommended Donald Trump ended his first address to Congress by signing autographs

Titled the DAIRY PRIDE Act, the name is a tenuous acronym for defending against imitations and replacements of yogurt, milk, and cheese to promote regular intake of dairy every day.

The bill was introduced in January by two democrats, Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Rep. Peter Welch of Vermont.

It argues that the dairy industry is struggling as a result of all the dairy-free alternatives on the market and the public are being duped too.

Of course, its not just almond milk - there are all sorts of dairy-free milks (also known as mylks) widely available, including soya, oat, coconut, hemp, hazelnut and cashew.

According to the bill, the fact that said alternatives are allowed to call themselves milk hurts dairy farmers that work tirelessly to ensure their dairy products meet FDA standards and provide the public with nutritious food.

It has also led to the proliferation of mislabeled plant-based alternative products that contain a range of ingredients and nutrients that are often not equivalent to the nutrition content of dairy products.

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According to Baldwin, Wisconsin dairy farmers work tirelessly every day to ensure that their milk meets high standards for nutritional value and quality, but imitation products have gotten away with using dairys good name for their own benefit, which is against the law and must be enforced.

As interest in veganism increases, consumption of plant-based milks is equally on the up.

But farmers have been complaining for some time now.

While imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, the increasingly common practice of labeling beverages as milk when they quite obviously are not is wrong and misleading, said Brad Nevin, Dairy farmer and member-owner of Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

Dairy has built a strong reputation as a reliable source of important nutrients we need daily, added Janet Clark of Vision Aire Farms in Eldorado.

To use these dairy terms on plant-based products undermines the real value that dairy provides in the form of naturally occurring Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin A among others. Consumers associate dairy with the nutrients they need, and those are naturally occurring in milk from cows.

However if plant-based milks shouldnt be allowed to call themselves milk, you could also argue that peanut butter shouldnt call itself butter and the same goes for cornbread and bread.
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Amazon accidentally took down large swathes of the internet with just one typo.

This week, many of the world's biggest websites and services stopped working because of a problem with Amazon Web Services, the platform that the retailer provides to power people's websites. One of its sites went offline because of the issue  and since thousands of websites rely on it, including many of the world's biggest, they immediately went competely offline or stopped working.

Websites like Quora, Trello and some of the world's biggest news sites went offline or stopped working properly when the issue happened. It even emerged that people's houses broke down  internet-enabled ovens, lights and front gates stopped working as a result of the outage.

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

Now it has emerged that all of those problems were the result of just one small typo on a set of servers.

The team at Amazon's Simple Storage Service were working to remove a small set of servers from its system, according to a technical report into the incident. As it did so, someone entered the wrong command and removed "a larger set of servers was removed than intended".

One of the two servers that were affected was one that manages the "metadata and location information of all S3 objects" in the Virginia data centre, according to the post. That meant that many of the core processes broke down and the server centre could no longer be used.

To fix that problem, Amazon had to fully restart all of the affected systems. But that was a huge operation  Amazon said it hadn't done one for "many years  and it took even longer than expected, meaning the problem couldn't be fixed quickly.

The company says it has now added a range of fixes to stop the issue happening again. It has modified the tools that deal with such problems to cope more efficiently, and is auditing the rest of the systems, it said.

It also announced that it would make changes to the page that shows whether the service is actually online. Even as Amazon Web Services and the websites that rely on it were falling over, its update page said that everything was fine  because that same page relied on S3 and so was affected by its own outage. It will now rely on different data centres so that it wouldn't buckle if just one went down, it said.
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The little loved outsourcing company Capita has just reported an ugly set of results. It's parting company with its chief executive, has seen 300m wiped from its market value, and is set to get booted out of the FTSE 100.

I image most people can bear its misfortunes with a great deal of fortitude. The company is in the middle of a nasty scandal over its collection of TV licence money on behalf of the BBC, which is investigating allegations that collectors, motivated by an aggressive incentive scheme, targeted vulnerable people.

It also runs much criticised assessments of the eligibility of disabled people for personal independence payments on behalf of the Department for Work & Pensions. That business led to calls for an investigation last year after Channel Four caught one assessor on film dismissing a claimants disability known as fat.

The broadcaster's Dispatches team sent a psychiatric nurse through Capitas disability assessment training, where a senior staff member urged him to do as many assessments a day as you can possibly manage. Drag 'em in, get 'em rejected, and put another penny on the shareholders' dividend.

Oh and it looks after the London Congestion Charge too.

For one company to perform just those three wildly disparate functions well would be quite something. But Capita does far more than that.

Heres a list of operations culled from its website: business process management, business transformation, corporate and administration services, customer management, debt solutions, digital and software solutions, financial services, HR and recruitment, information technology, legal services, procurement, property and infrastructure, travel and events.

With all that on its plate, is it any wonder scandals keep on emerging? The ones I referred to above are just the most recent.

The phrase jack of all trades, master of none springs to mind. The companys results certainly bear that out. Pre tax profits fell by a third. Underlying profits, predicted to be 515m in the most recent profit warning, landed at 475m.

Chief executive Andy Parker, who will depart later this year, described 2016 as a challenging year. No kidding. He says the company has streamlined its structure, improved accountability. Its pulling out of some areas, but still boasts about a bid pipeline of 3.8bn.

That might provide some consolation for Capita shareholders. Its highly debatable whether the same is true for the public, if and when people end up encountering Capita either directly or indirectly through the services the Government contracts with it to provide.

For their contracts companies like Capita bid against other companies, and cost seems to be the only criteria that matters when it comes to selecting the winners.

Driven to provide services cheaply, and turn as much of a profit as possible when so doing, is it any wonder that scandals such as those Ive just referred to emerge with such regularity?

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.

It isnt just Capita, of course. There is a long and sorry list of outsourcing outfits that have hit problems in recent times. Governments, of all colours, never seem to see the problem. The companies they do business with try to do to much, are spread to thin, and are often managed badly.

The appointment of an external successor (to Mr Parker) will revive discussion regarding whether Capita needs to shrink back to a higher quality core, opined analysts at Jeffries. Again, no kidding.

A no less pertinent discussion should be held over whether companies like it should be allowed to play such a key role in the provision of state services. But I very much doubt whether it will be held. So Capita will survive to win more Government contracts.
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Two pharmaceutical firms have been accused of signing an illegal deal with each other, driving up prices of a life-saving drug.

The UKs Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) alleges that Concordia and Actavis UK entered into agreements under which the latter incentivised the former not to enter the market with its own competing version of hydrocortisone tablets.

Hydrocortisone tablets are used by people with adrenal insufficiency, a life-threatening condition where their adrenal glands do not produce enough natural steroid hormones. Around 943,000 packets of the tablets were distributed over the last year, according to the CMA.

The CMA on Friday said that both companies broke competition law by reaching these anti-competitive agreements and that Actavis UK abused its dominant position by inducing Concordia to delay its independent entry into the market.

Under the deal, Actavis UK supplied Concordia with a fixed supply of its own 10mg tablets for a very low price for Concordia to resell to UK customers.

The cost of the NHS drug rose from 49 to 88 per pack between January 2013 and June 2016 when the agreements between the companies were in place, according to the CMA.

"We allege these agreements were intended to keep Actavis UK as the sole supplier of a drug relied on by thousands of patients - and in a position which could allow it to dictate and prolong high prices, Andrew Groves, senior responsible officer at the CMA said.

Mr Grove added that for now the findings were only provisional and that no conclusion should be drawn at this stage.

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The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests  but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty

We will carefully consider any representations of the companies under investigation before determining whether the law has been infringed, he said.

The findings come as after a separate investigation by the CMA investigation in December accused Actavis UK of charging excessive prices to the NHS for the tablets following a 12,000 per cent price rise over the course of several years.

Pharmaceutical firm Teva confirmed Actavis UK was the subject of "allegations of anti-competitive conduct" from the CMA.

Concordia was not immediately available for comment.
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Ted Malloch, a professor tipped to become Donald Trumps ambassador to the EU, reportedly made false statements to deceive two US banks into giving him multimillion-dollar loans, then later declared himself bankrupt.

Mr Malloch and his wife Beth falsely stated they had 36.3m in assets in order to take out the loans, according to court documents seen by the Financial Times.

When the couple filed for bankruptcy in 2013, the couple said they had just $152,000 and therefore could not repay the outstanding debt of $5.9m.

The US court ruled in favour of the banks and said that the couple had acted with the intent to deceive when making their applications.

The bank reportedly said in court documents that the couple had failed to explain satisfactorily the loss of assets or deficiency of assets. They had falsely represented . . . the nature and value of their assets and did so for the purpose of deceiving [the bank] and/or obtaining loan approval and subsequent modifications thereof.

In February, Oxford University accused Mr Malloch of falsely claiming to be a fellow at two of its colleges. Mr Mallochs autobiography also contains a number of misleading claims, including that he was called a genius by Margaret Thatcher and knighted by the Queen.

Mr Malloch also said last month that Greece is contemplating leaving the euro in favour of the US dollar.

According to the transcript of a translated interview with Greek local online news site ekathimerini.com, Mr Malloch claimed Greek economists are looking into taking on the US banknotes in a move that he said would freak out Germany.

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.

He said: I know some Greek economists who have even gone to leading think tanks in the US to discuss this topic and the question of dollarisation.

Mr Malloch, a strident Brexiteer, has indicated he is no fan of Brussels on several occasions.

In February, on BBC One's This Week, when asked why he wanted to be US ambassador to the EU, he said: "I had in a previous career a diplomatic post where I helped bring down the Soviet Union. So maybe there's another union that needs a little taming."
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The UKs top private schools have experienced a rush of applicants from the worlds richest families since the fall in sterling following last years Brexit vote.

In its annual Wealth Report, real estate consultancy group Knight Frank reported that while rich foreign families have traditionally preferred to send their children to the US for their education, the cheap pound means private education in the UK has become more competitive.

The report details the habits of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs)  those who have $30m (24m) or more in net assets.

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Commenting on evidence published in the report, Ed Richardson, director of education at Keystone Tutors, said that although the US, Switzerland and Australia along with a number of other countries all attract students from overseas, the UKs private boarding schools are still seen as the gold standard.

Currency, quality of life and access to the best universities are the key trends boosting demand for a British education, he added.

Ambitious families in Singapore have traditionally sent their children to schools in the US, not necessarily because they think they are better, but because of the cost.

Now, they are telling me that the fall in the value of the pound is making the UK look much better value. That sentiment will be echoed in many other places.

Pound sterling has fallen to a 31-year low following the UKs referendum vote to leave the EU last year.

Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Show all 20 1 /20 Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Singapore Singapore was the top performing country across all three subjects (maths, science and reading) in the 2015 PISA tables. The small Asian country is renowned for its high academic standards and produces excellent results, particularly in mathematics. Pupils here learn maths by what is known as the mastery method, which teaches children how to solve problems as a class and errs away from more traditional recitations of formulae. Singapore selects its teachers from the top 5 per cent of graduates, and teachers are very highly regarded as societal influencers. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Japan Japanese schools came in 2nd for Science, 5th in the world for maths and 8th for reading skills. Japan has one of the best-education populations, with zero illiteracy recorded and strong emphasis on arithmetic and geography. While children around the world typically learn between 26 and 33 letters of the alphabet, Japanese pupils will know 1,006 kanji characters by the time they leave primary school. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Estonia Dubbed the new Finland by some, Estonia has risen rapidly towards the top of the Pisa rankings despite being one of the worlds youngest countries. Estonia spends around 4 per cent of GDP on education. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Taipei Taiwan has been known as a centre for technical excellence for decades and its students perform consistently well in technology, maths and sciences. Education is compulsory from age six, and some 95 per cent of all students continue their education after age 15. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Finland Children in Finland dont start school under age seven, yet consistently produce some of the best results in the world. The countrys education system has a somewhat alternative approach to that of most OECD countries, placing emphasis on playtime and creative learning. Pupils dont sit tests until they reach 16. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Macau Most schools in Macau are private or subsidized. There are only a handful of government or state schools, which tend to teach in Portuguese or have a strong emphasis on pupils learning the language. The majority of schools are also selective grammar schools which focus heavily on languages, mathematics and sciences over vocational subjects. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Hong Kong A former UK colony, Hong Kong education has been closely modelled on the British system in the past,. Education is free and compulsory in primary and junior secondary schools. Independent schools follow the International Baccalaureate, UK or US curricula. The territory participates separately from China (Shanghai, Beijing, Jiangsu, Guangdong) in the Pisa league tables. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education South Korea South Korea has long been one of the worlds top academic achievers, but at the price of very long school days for students. Many start school by 8am, and carry on until late at night at private study clubs. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education New Zealand While the New Zealand school curriculum is not dissimilar to the UKs, children here are not required to start school until age six. The country also has eight state-funded universities offering degrees in a range of subjects. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education China Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Slovenia Slovenia scored highly in this years maths and science results. Basic education for children ages six to 15 is compulsory and free for children in Slovenia. International citizens are taught the Slovenian language at the beginning of school. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Australia Australian Pisa candidates came in 14th place for Science, 15th place for reading and 23rd place for Maths  slipping down in the ranks on previous years. Australia has the third highest number of international students in the world behind the UK and US, despite having a much lower population overall. The school system is split mainly into government state-funded schools, Catholic faith schools and independent fee-paying schools. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education United Kingdom The UK jumped to 15th place for science in this years Pisa tables, up from 21st in 2012. According to the report, teachers in the UK are among the youngest across all developed countries. The total amount spent on British education exceeds that of most other participating countries  and critics argue the education system should provide better results because of this. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Germany Schooling in Germany is governed by individual states, which each have their own education departments and policies. Normally, children begin primary school at age six but secondary school options vary widely. Germany increased its expenditure on educational institutions from primary to post-secondary non-tertiary levels, despite declining enrolments, and teachers have competitive salaries compared to others as a result. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Netherlands Dutch children were found to be the happiest in the world in a 2013 Unicef study. Schools typically don't give much homework until secondary level and students report little pressure and stress. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Switzerland Just five per cent of children attend private schools in Switzerland. Lessons are taught in different languages depending on the region of Switzerland, with German, French or Italian the most common languages of instruction. From secondary onwards students are separated by ability. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Ireland The majority of secondary schools in Ireland are privately owned and managed but state-funded, but there are also state comprehensives and vocational schools. The country performed especially well in Pisa reading tests - coming in fifth place globally. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Belgium Belgian schools came in 15th place for science in this years Pisa table. Schools here are free, and regulated and financed by three separate communities  Flemish, French and German-speaking. Boys in Belgium perform significantly better than girls in school according the latest OECD reports. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Vietnam Education in Vietnam is state run system of public and private schools. The country took part in the Pisa tests for the first time in 2012 and scored higher in reading, maths and science than the UK and US. This is believed to be partly a result of high spending levels on education and hardworking culture instilled in children from a young age. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Canada Education is compulsory up the age of 16 in most Canadian provinces, apart from Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick where pupils must stay on until 18 or when high school diploma is achieved. The education system varies between French and English-speaking provinces. Rex

This week economists warned the pound would stay at record lows even after Article 50 is triggered  which the Prime Minister said she intends to do later this month to begin formal exit proceedings.

Chinese students make up the highest proportion of overseas pupils by far, with the number of Chinese pupils in UK private schools increasing by more than 190 per cent in the past ten years.

Its not just about the teaching, its about quality of life and the extent of extra-curricular activities available, said Mr Richardson.

Certainly in China there is a feeling that if youre going to spend money on Western luxuries it is better to buy them in the West. More credit will be given to Harrow itself than Harrow Beijing.

 Education secretary Betsy DeVos wants to 'advance God's kingdom' through US school system

Middle Eastern families also value the fact that British schools provide access to the best universities in both the UK and the US, he added.

There is a feeling that schools in the US are really only focused on getting people into US universities, Mr Richardson said.

Many top performing public and independent schools run recruitment campaigns in countries with growing numbers of affluent middle-class families such as China and Hong Kong.

Figures published by the Independent School Council last year suggested five per cent of pupil come from abroad*  a number that is expected to rise over the next few years.

Commenting within the Knight Frank report, William Petty, a director of Bonas MacFarlane, said one of the first questions many overseas parents asked schools was how many people from their own country were already in attendance.

While most schools try to keep the level of overseas students at under 20 per cent, he said, they are also keen to ensure a diverse mix.

In a world where business is becoming increasingly global, having your children make friends with people from lots of different nationalities is considered very attractive, he added.

*This article has been corrected after previously stating that "one new pupil in every five now comes from abroad".
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Arnold Schwarzenegger has quit the Celebrity Apprentice citing Donald Trump as part of the reason why.

The former Governor of California has said his first season will be his last and blamed the President for the shows poor ratings.

He claimed people were choosing to boycott the show due to its connections with Mr Trump and said he doesnt want to do it again.

Even if asked, I would decline, Schwarzenegger told Empire magazine. "I learned a lot, I had a great time, it was a really great opportunity. But under the circumstances, I dont want to do it again.

With Trump being involved in the show people have a bad taste and dont want to participate as a spectator or sponsor or in any other way support the show.

Its a very divisive period right now and I think the show got caught up in all that division," he added.

He also blamed Mr Trump for the shows poor performance.

Its not about the show. Because everyone I ran into came up to me and said I love the showbut I turned it off as I read Trumps name Im out of there, Schwarzenegger said.

Recommended New Apprentice host Arnold Schwarzenegger takes aim at Muslim ban

When people found out that Trump was still involved as executive producer and was still receiving money from the show, then half the people [started] boycotting it."

Schwarzenegger has since clarified his comments in a statement via Variety, stating: I loved every second of working with NBC and Mark Burnett. Everyone - from the celebrities to the crew to the marketing department - was a straight 10, and I would absolutely work with all of them again on a show that doesnt have this baggage."

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The pair have clashed over the show in recent months and Mr Trump criticised the Terminator actor for his performance as the host of the Celebrity Apprentice.

Wow, the ratings are in and Arnold Schwarzenegger got swamped (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine, DJT, Mr Trump wrote.

So much for being a movie star-and that was season 1 compared to season 14. Now compare him to my season 1. But who cares, he supported Kasich & Hillary.

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

Schwarzenegger responded to the tweets by posting a video of himself quoting Abraham Lincolns 1861 inaugural address.

I wish you the best of luck and I hope you'll work for ALL of the American people as aggressively as you worked for your ratings, Schwarzenegger tweeted.

Please study this quote from Lincoln's inaugural, @realDonaldTrump. It inspired me every day I was Governor, and I hope it inspires you.
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Senior detectives failed to properly investigate the case of a toddler who may have been sexually abused before she died, a police watchdog has concluded.

Poppi Worthington was 13 months old when she died suddenly and unexpectedly in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, in December 2012.

A family court judge subsequently ruled that her father, Paul Worthington, had probably sexually assaulted her. Mr Worthington, however, has strenuously denied any wrongdoing and has never been charged with any offence.

Now, in a report said to have left Poppis mother profoundly distressed, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has concluded that senior detectives did not adequately investigate whether Poppi had been abused, despite concerns being raised from the moment she died.

It is clear from the evidence presented, said IPCC commissioner Carl Gumsley, that Cumbria Constabularys original inquiry was not fit for purpose.

The hospital doctor who pronounced Poppi dead on the morning of 12 December 2012 mentioned anal injuries which he stated could not rule out something having been inserted.

At a post-mortem five days later, Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour raised concerns that Poppis injuries may have been caused by sexual abuse  although another pathologist said they could have been consistent with constipation.

The IPCC accepted that detectives were hampered by a six-month delay in receiving a full post-mortem report, but concluded there was enough evidence to have justified an arrest either on the day of Poppis death or shortly after the post-mortem.

In a report, published on Thursday, the IPCCs lead investigator Tim Kimber stated: Not only were there suspicious circumstances, there was also a suspect on day one.

Despite the level of suspicion, and there being a suspect, a crime was not recorded until 28 August 2013, which is the day [the father] was arrested.

He said there were concerns that Poppis father was the last person in her care before her death, and that protecting the girls siblings would have satisfied the necessity grounds for arrest.

The IPCC also found evidence that the family home on the morning of the death was not adequately preserved and searched, resulting in a nappy that Poppi had been wearing being lost as potential crucial evidence.

The IPCC said the post-mortem, at which the cause of death was unascertained, was the pivotal point of the inquiry. That was when the then lead officer Detective Inspector Amanda Sadler considered the conflicting pathologists opinions about possible abuse or constipation.

The IPCC said it was arguable that the result of Ms Sadler not seeking clarification while she was in the room with the two pathologists led to unclear lines of inquiry.

When Detective Superintendent Mike Forrester subsequently took on the investigation, he was effectively faced with two possibilities, one of them being the possibility of sex abuse.

But, the IPCC report stated: There is substantial evidence upon which it could be concluded that these two lines of inquiry were not pursued equally and appropriately and that there was more focus on establishing a natural cause of death.

Then in March 2014, in a civil fact-finding judgement, High Court family judge Justice Peter Jackson concluded on the balance of probabilities  which is the civil, but not the criminal standard of proof  that the 13-month-old had been sexually assaulted by her father.

The judge stated: The father is not called upon to prove anything [but] the sequence of events that the father describes is unconvincing.

He reaffirmed his conclusion in January 2016, despite Mr Worthington continuing to protest his innocence and calling three medical experts who said evidence to support a finding of abuse was lacking.

By this point, though, Cumbria Police had announced  in March 2015  that Mr Worthington would not face any criminal proceedings. In July 2016, the Crown Prosecution Service also said there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr Worthington.

The IPCC report concluded: There is substantial evidence available to support the contention that this case has still not reached a resolution more than two years on from the death of Poppi because of the unstructured and disorganised approach taken by Det Supt Forrester and DI Sadler, coupled with the argument that prior to the pathologist report being received they did not conduct a criminal investigation despite there being significant suspicious circumstances from the outset.

Mr Kimber concluded that both Mr Forrester and Ms Sadler had cases to answer for gross misconduct.

Mr Forrester retired so no further action could be taken.

In November 2015 he told the BBC: I'm not saying we get it right all the time but none of us on this case have done anything intentionally wrong.

We havent done anything dishonest. Weve done the best we can with the information we had [and] with the resources we had at the time.

Ms Sadler was subjected to a disciplinary hearing last year where gross incompetency was proven and she was demoted in rank. She too has since retired from the force.

Fiona McGhie, an expert civil liberties lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, speaking on behalf of Poppis mother  who cannot be named for legal reasons  said: Poppis mother is understandably deeply concerned by the findings of the IPCC.

She has anxiously awaited answers as to what happened to Poppi on that fateful day.

To learn that the actions of senior investigators within Cumbria Constabulary may have contributed to the agonising delays she has endured has left her deeply and profoundly disappointed and distressed.

She hopes that the long-delayed inquest, now scheduled for May this year, will give her the answers she deserves and allow her to access justice so Poppi can be at peace.

Responding to the IPCC report, Jerry Graham, the Chief Constable of Cumbria Constabulary, said: I unreservedly accept the criticisms contained within the report.

I am absolutely clear that the Constabulary's initial investigation fell well short of the standard that could, and should, have been expected.

I profoundly regret that we let Poppi and her family down and I offer a heartfelt apology for this.

Cumbria Constabulary became aware of the deficiencies in the initial investigation in 2014.

The public can be reassured that we have used the intervening time to ensure that our officers and staff are properly trained and equipped to undertake serious and complex investigations of this type when called upon to do so.
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Actress Emma Thompson has written a letter to MPs expressing her disappointment at the shockingly low number of refugee children the UK has taken from Europe under the Dubs amendment, and urging them to take action.

In a highly personal message, the Oscar winner describes the joys of bringing up her adopted son, Tindyebwa Agaba, who she took in as a child refugee 14 years ago. She writes that he has brought nothing but joy and the deepest possible rewards to her family, and urges many more like him be helped in this way.

But Thompson warns that following the Government's decision to close the Dubs amendment  one of the few legal passages for unaccompanied minors to the UK  an increasing number of these children are instead putting themselves at risk as they embark on reaching the country through illegal routes.

Describing her experience raising Tindyebwa, the Love Actually star writes: Fourteen years ago I met one of these children at the Refugee Council. He was a traumatised 16-year old Rwandan refugee who had seen untold suffering as a child soldier and who only needed help and support from a loving group of people to flourish into the extraordinary, empathic and talented member of our family he is today.

Our family have experienced nothing but joy and reaped the deepest possible rewards from witnessing the development and happiness of the refugee who became our brave and kind son. Those we choose to help often end up helping us in ways we cannot imagine.

I am certain there are many like him out there that we can help to become part of other family or community groups where they could grow into active and fulfilled citizens with much to offer.

Thompson, who has long been an advocate for helping unaccompanied minors arriving in Europe, urges MPs in the letter to consider an amendment to the Childrens Bill being put forward for parliamentary consideration next week, which has the aim of providing a passage for child refugees to reach the UK.

The amendment, which is being put forward in Parliament by Conservative MP Heidi Allen on 7 March, will ask that local authorities identify their capacity to resettle unaccompanied refugee children and to report this to the Secretary of State annually.

In the letter, Thompson rejects claims made by Home Secretary Amber Rudd that the Dubs amendment acted as a pull for more unaccompanied refugee children to make dangerous journeys to Calais, instead turning it on its head to say the opposite is true.

Children do not fling themselves into the dangerous unknown for anything but the most severe reasons of survival, Thompson says.

Hundreds of teenagers, some as young as 13, are now attempting to survive in the freezing snows of Northern France.

"Since the eviction of the Calais camp, they are still trying to reach the UK, putting their lives in the hands of people smugglers, climbing into refrigerated lorries  because without safe and legal routes, they feel that this is their only option.

They deserve our help and above all, our compassion. How can we turn our backs on them simply because of the largely unsubstantiated fear that others might come?

Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Show all 7 1 /7 Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The Solidarity With Refugees group said Saturdays protest aimed to show our Government and the world that Britain is ready to welcome more refugees. Rex Features Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis People march through central London as they take part in a protest rally organised by Solidarity with Refugees in a bid to urge the Government to take more action on the migrant crisis Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The protest comes days before world leaders meet to discuss crisis at UN General Assembly Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Demonstrators made their way from Park Lane to Parliament Square in London on Saturday afternoon Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Marchers chanted refugees are welcome here and waved banners reading no-one is illegal and lets help people Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The march was supported by charities and groups including the Red Cross, Asylum Aid, Save the Children, Hope Not Hate, Oxfam and the UN Refugee Agency Rex Features Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis In the wake of Alans death, David Cameron pledged to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees in the UK over the coming five years but there have been additional calls to re-home those who have already reached Europe, as well as asylum seekers coming from other conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan Rex Features

Finishing her letter, Thompson makes an appeal to MPs to use their position to provide safety for more children, saying: "Members of Parliament, you are in the position to save many more than 350 of these children and to put them on a road to a brighter future."

Ahead of the parliamentary vote, Josie Naughton of Help Refugees told The Independent: "The non binding vote in parliament last week (254-1) in favour of child refugees highlighted MPs coming together across party lines to support bringing vulnerable unaccompanied minors to the UK.

"This is a humanitarian issue and not a political one. We hope the amendment vote next week reflects that."
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A former policy aide to Gordon Brown has lost a landmark divorce case, in the latest stage of proceedings which have taken in three countries over five years.

A judge in London ruled yesterday that a divorce granted to the British woman in the UK was not valid and instead recognised a divorce made four years earlier in Dubai.

Afsana Lachaux claimed she had been attacked, degraded, stalked and spied on by her husband, French aerospace engineer Bruno Lachaux.

She claimed Mr Lachaux had sought a divorce and custody of their six-year-old son Louis under sharia law in the United Arab Emirates.

However, at the High Court in London, Mr Justice Mostyn dismissed Mrs Lachauxs case and said she had lied during a four-day hearing. He found the Dubai divorce was valid and dismissed Mrs Lachauxs claims of coercion, saying she gave as good as she got.

The judge also found that Mr Lachaux had lied and that he had snooped in order to access Mrs Lachauxs emails and texts  but said he preferred his account of a confrontation at the family home.

Louis is now in his fathers custody in Dubai and his mother has been granted limited contact.

The judge warned Mr Lachaux he could still order him to bring the boy to the UK if Mrs Lachaux was cut out of his life and urged the couple to set aside their differences. The pair met in India in 2008 and married two years later at a ceremony in London but relations quickly soured. Mrs Lachaux claimed she was being controlled by her spouse but the judge said: The mother was a free spirit, doing exactly what she wanted, where she wanted, with whom she wanted.

It is a far cry from the case of grinding depression and coercive control painted in her carefully prepared witness statements.

He also found that Mrs Lachaux had attempted to sabotage her husbands job, saying: It is plain to me that the mothers strategy was to obtain the dismissal of the father so that  he would be deported. The judge found that both parties had invaded each others privacy during the dispute.

He concluded both parties have told me lies from the witness box, although the mothers lies have been more extensive than those of the father.

The judge ruled that Louis was lawfully removed from Mrs Lachaux following his disappearance for 19 months. He added that her suspended sentence for kidnapping was lenient in the circumstances and also concluded that he did not accept Mrs Lachaux was a victim of abuse, threats and violence from the father.

He went on: I do not accept that she was fearful of him. I do not accept that her complaints were not investigated or taken seriously by the police and the court. I do not accept that she was mistreated by the police.

I do not accept that she was trapped in Dubai as a result of travel bans or confiscation of her passport. I do not accept that she did not have notice of the divorce proceedings or the opportunity to participate in them.

I do not accept that the proceedings were unfair. The mother was not divorced on traditional Islamic grounds and sharia judges did not steal her son.

He said it was true Mrs Lachaux has been denied access to her son.

The father failed to promote the relationship between mother and Louis, added the judge. However, that failure must be set against the mothers conduct.

I have made strong findings against both parties. They should act as a form of closure between them.

I reiterate that Louis wellbeing will be seriously compromised if he does not have a meaningful relationship with each of his parents.

The judge ruled that the Dubai divorce was valid and a subsequent English divorce was invalid.

A spokesman for Mrs Lachaux said: Although she is disappointed with the judgment she is pleased that Mr Justice Mostyn recognised it is vitally important for Louis to have a relationship with both parents as he grows up.

Mr Lachaux said the judgment had vindicated him and he was looking forward to supporting his son in re-building the boys relationship with his mother.

He also referred to ongoing libel claims he has brought against various publishers, including The Independent, who reported Mrs Lachauxs allegations. He said he intends to continue these actions.
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A former alcoholic and drug addict was buried at a parish church in Belfast on Wednesdayexcept he is still alive and is broadcasting online from beyond the grave.

John Edwards, 72, is performing the stunt as part of his Walking Free project, which gives support to people suffering addiction or suicidal thoughts. He is spending three days underground at Willowfield parish church to promote the cause, and will take calls throughout.

"We are trying to get across the message that you need not be in a coffin prematurely, there is help there and you can overcome addiction and illness. I was locked into addiction for 25 years," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

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October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters 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 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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. 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Round-the-clock security is in place for Mr Edwards, who admitted being buried alive, even voluntarily, was "very freaky".

Food, air and water are supplied by tubes leading down from the surface and Mr Edwards' coffin is better appointed than most, featuring a small light, a caravan toilet and his hot water bottle.

It is the second time he has been buried alive, the Telegraph reported, the first stunt having taken place in Halifax last year.
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Power-sharing in Northern Ireland has been plunged into uncertainty after Sinn Fein secured its strongest ever electoral performance after they pulled out of the devolved parliament at Stormont.

The election was called in a bid to break a stalemate between Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) after they refused to share power. Yet rather than returning resolving the impasse, the electorate appears to have produced even starker division, raising concerns that direct rule of Northern Ireland from London may now be inevitable.

Sinn Fein has beaten even the most optimistic polling predictions behind the DUP by only 1,168 first-preference votes. The DUP came into the election with 10 more seats, but finished the count with only one more, 28 to 27. The parties have until later this month to agree to re-enter power-sharing, otherwise direct rule will have to be imposed from London.

Follow our live blog of the election results here.

Recommended Polls close in Northern Ireland assembly elections

The election was sparked after Sinn Fein refused to share power with their counterparts in the DUP, causing Stormont to collapse after a decade of functioning devolution.

Emergency elections were called in the hope of electing a fresh government that would agree to share power, but Sinn Fein and the DUP have been returned as the leading nationalist and unionist parties respectively, pushing power-sharing into deep uncertainty.

The DUP emerged from the vote count with 28 seats, Sinn Fein had 27, SDLP 12, the UUP 10, the Alliance party eight, the Greens two, People Before Profit one, the Traditional Unionist Voice one and one independent unionist.

Sinn Fein has said it will not work with the DUP while their leader Arlene Foster remains in charge and she continues to refuse to resign, making a period of direct rule all but inevitable bar a last-minute change of heart or strategy.

Speaking to The Independent following the result, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said he hoped the DUP had now learnt their lesson that power-sharing in Northern Ireland is not guaranteed but relies on Sinn Fein cooperation.

(Getty Images (Getty Images)

He said: We couldnt take a position in that office without the consent of the other partner, and they cant take the position without our consent. We hope theyve learnt that lesson.

Mr Adams reiterated calls for DUP leader Arlene Foster to step aside pending an independent inquiry into the cash for ash affair: Its a very serious allegation, half a billion pounds of taxpayers money as a result of corruption or fraud. It needs to be investigated, and while thats going on, she needs to step to one side.

He added that the ball was now in the DUPs court whether to keep Ms Foster as leader and said he and Sinn Fein figures had extended an invitation for the two parties to meet for negotiations to determine whether they would return to power-sharing.

The republican party walked away from power-sharing in January in protest at how the DUP had handled allegations of a major financial scandal. The Renewable Heat Incentive, known locally as the cash for ash scandal, was a renewable energy scheme designed to encourage businesses to use environmentally friendly heat sources. However, the scheme appears to have been badly mismanaged and in fact paid companies money to burn fuel pointlessly.

The botched scheme is estimated to have cost the Northern Irish taxpayer 480m. Ms Foster was the minister in charge of the scheme at the time and has denied all wrongdoing. But she has refused to step aside as DUP leader or Northern Ireland First Minister while an independent inquiry ascertains responsibility, prompting Sinn Fein to pull out of power-sharing, citing concerns about DUP arrogance.

 Northern Ireland: Snap election announced for Stormont Assembly

However, first-preference votes highlighted a very strong showing for Sinn Fein, at the expense of more moderate nationalist party the Social Democratic and Labour Party.

The DUP appears to have suffered palpable but not excessive losses at the polls after public outcry over the cash for ash scandal, with candidates seeing considerable vote drops but still meeting quotas and managing to be elected in key areas.

Northern Ireland uses an electoral system of single transferable vote, which means that votes are transferred between candidates until they reach a stipulated quota for election. The final result is therefore not expected to be calculated until Saturday afternoon.

A period of intense negotiations is now set to begin to determine whether the DUP and Sinn Fein will agree to return to power-sharing or if direct rule now must be imposed, resulting in Westminster running Northern Ireland directly from London over an indefinite period.
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Peers say Theresa May is heading for another thumping Brexit defeat in the House of Lords, to prevent her crashing Britain out of the EU with no deal.

Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats believe they comfortably have the numbers to win a crunch vote next Tuesday to ensure Parliament has a meaningful vote on the Prime Ministers exit terms.

Crucially, a new amendment to the Article 50 bill would bind Ms May to obtain Parliaments approval to leave the EU without an agreement as to the applicable terms.

It would prevent her unilaterally carrying out her threat to walk away if EU leaders offer only a bad deal  leaving Britain out of the EU on punishing World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.

The determination of peers has been bolstered by the commanding majority that defeated the Government this week over the future rights of EU citizens in the UK.

A Labour source in the Lords told The Independent: Given the scale of the previous defeat  and the building up of a cross party campaign on this issue  we are again likely to see the government defeated handsomely'.

And Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, said, emphatically: The Government will be defeated again.

Theresa May must accept the strength of feeling both in the Lords and across the country. She has already faced a humiliating defeat on the Brexit bill and will face more if she refuses to make concessions.

The amendment has been tabled by Labour, with support from the Lib Dems and two prominent crossbench  or independent  peers, raising the likelihood it will be passed.

The likelihood of Britain going over the cliff-edge appears to be growing, after Brexit Secretary David Davis told Cabinet colleagues this week to prepare for it  although he claimed it was still an unlikely scenario.

WTO rules would mean hefty export tariffs on, for example, dairy products (36 per cent), cars (ten per cent), food and drink (20 per cent) and clothing and textiles (10-20 per cent).

But this ultimate hard Brexit could also see billions of pounds having to be spent on new IT systems for customs declarations, on holding facilities at big ports and on a new immigration system to process applications for work permits.

The British Chambers of Commerce has called for Brexit to be delayed if necessary, to sort out a trade deal  and the CBI has branded the Prime Minister not only wrong but irresponsible to threaten to walk away.

Defeat next week would see growing pressure on Remain-backing Conservative MPs to join forces with the opposition parties to prevent the amendment being thrown out in the Commons.

Just seven rebelled when the controversy was voted upon last month  but others were angry at alleged dirty-dealing by Downing Street on the exact nature of the meaningful vote.

No 10 promised the vote would take place before any deal reaches the European Parliament, but was unclear if it would take place if there were no deal  and the assurances were verbal only.

On that occasion, Ms May won with a majority of 33, suggesting at least 25 Tory rebels will be needed when the clash returns to the Commons, probably on 13 March.

The Lib Dems say they are preparing for an all-night stand-off the week after next, when MPs and peers will also go into battle over EU citizens rights.

If that means pizza and food delivery at 3am then so be it. We have plans in place for sleeping bags and beds, a party source said.

Meanwhile, Labour believes the Government will give way on a second amendment up for debate next week  requiring quarterly updates on the Brexit negotiations.
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The Prime Ministers Industrial Strategy will not deliver on its promise of an economy that works for all without more co-ordination across government departments, according to a new report by MPs.

The report, published by the Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy Select Committee, also warns that a 'lack of ambition' coul prevent the Industrial Strategy from delivering on the promise to get the "whole economy firing."

It concludes that the much-vaunted Industrial Strategy Green Paper is in fact very similar to the 2015 Productivity Plan, aimed at improving the UK's appalling performance in national productivity league tables, and does not represent a new, meaningful, cross-departmental strategy.

"After six months in development we expected more than a disappointing combination of re-announcements, continuations of existing policy, and vague aspirations," the report said.

The committee also warned that skilled workers could continue to need to be brought in from abroad after Britain has left the EU.

"In the context of negotiations over free movement as part of withdrawal from the EU, Government must ensure that businesses continue to be able to access the skills they need," it said.

The committee said Ms May's promise to build an economy that "works for everyone", appeared at first to represent a "significant shift", and that the government was prepared to sacrifice some short-term economic growth for "more evenly distributed and resilient growth".

But the plans do not match the rhetoric.

"It provides a long list of policy interventions but little by way of ground rules to provide a framework for future decision-making which, we would argue, should be the core of any long-term strategy," it said.

"While the Prime Minister's rhetoric suggests an intention to approach this with a welcome and renewed vigour, the incremental proposals outlined in the green paper leave us sceptical about whether the fresh thinking or political will is present across Government to deliver the Prime Minister's objectives."

Committee chairman Iain Wright said: "As a committee, we are concerned that with Government announcements the approach seems to be 'business as usual' and a silo-based approach in Whitehall which will not achieve the step change the Prime Minister aspires to."
Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster arrives to cast her vote at a polling station in Brookeborough, Northern Ireland (AP)

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Ballot counting is taking place across Northern Ireland today, to ascertain the result of an emergency election called in a bid to save power-sharing in the region.

A higher than average turn-out is understood to have cast their ballots in the crucial vote for the Northern Ireland election.

First results are expected late this afternoon.

Emergency elections called after Sinn Fein pulled out of power-sharing in January

Vote attempts to elect fresh government willing to return to power-sharing and restore devolution

If unsuccessful, Northern Ireland faces being run directly from London for the first time in a decade

Please wait a moment for the live blog to load

Voting takes place using a Proportional Representation system of Single Transferable Vote. This means that rather than marking ballot papers with an 'x' by the name of a preferred candidate, voters in Northern Ireland assign preferences by ranking candidates 1, 2, 3 etc. Vote counting therefore takes longer than in Westminster elections.

The election was sparked by nationalist party Sinn Fein's decision to pull out of power-sharing at Stormont. They were protesting their unionist counterpart's behaviour in how they handled allegations of a major financial scandal.

The Renewable Heat Incentive scheme, presided over by Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster, appears to have cost the taxpayer some 480 million due to gross mismanagement. She strongly denies any wrong doing. After she refused to step down, Sinn Fein resigned from power-sharing, meaning the DUP also lost their positions.

The elections are an attempt to elect a fresh government which will be willing to resurrect power-sharing. If this does not happen, Northern Ireland may have to be ruled directly from London in lieu of devolution.
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Barack Obama has been named the forthcoming recipient of the coveted John F Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.

The 44th US President will follow in the footsteps of George HW Bush, black civil rights leader John Lewis and, the 2016 honouree, Connecticut governor Dan Malloy.

Mr Kennedy's family say Mr Obama will be honoured because of his Obamacare expansion and climate change leadership - two policies Donald Trump has lambasted and is expected to change - and his diplomatic relations with Cuba.

Humbled to be recognised by a family with a legacy of service, said Mr Obama.

Mr Kennedys daughter Caroline Kennedy and her son Jack Schlossberg will hand over the trophy, which is a sterling silver lantern designed by Ms Kennedys husband, on 7 May at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

"President Kennedy called on a new generation of Americans to give their talents to the service of the country," said Ms Kennedy in a statement.

Donald Trump blames Obama for 'some leaks'

"With exceptional dignity and courage, President Obama has carried that torch into our own time, providing young people of all backgrounds with an example they can emulate in their own lives."

The award is presented annually by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation to public servants who have made courageous decisions of conscience without regard for personal or professional consequences.

It is named after Mr Kennedy's 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book Profiles in Courage.

The book tells the stories of eight US senators who risked their careers by taking principled stands for unpopular positions.

"Faced with unrelenting political opposition, President Obama has embodied the definition of courage that my grandfather cites in the opening lines of Profiles in Courage: grace under pressure," said Mr Schlossberg.

"Throughout his two terms in office, he represented all Americans with decency, integrity, and an unshakeable commitment to the greater good."

The foundation also said Mr Obama was being recognised for enduring commitment to democratic ideals and elevating the standard of political courage in a new century.

Last year's recipient, Mr Malloy, said: "From expanding access to affordable healthcare for millions of people, to reforming our criminal justice system, to restoring diplomatic ties with Cuba, to efforts to combat global warming - our nation and the world are forever changed for the better because of his work."

The award has been given out annually since 1990.

It sometimes awards groups of people, such as the public servants of September 11 and the people of Egypt amid the Arab Spring.
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Breitbarts merchandise reflects its style of journalism. From T-shirts telling migrants to get in line to hefty silver belt buckles which say Unapologetically American to beer holders which declare Breitbart border control, the far-right news sites burgeoning merchandise collection is as inflammatory in tone as its headlines.

For this reason, Shopify, a Canadian e-commerce platform which hosts Breitbart News shop on their platform, is coming under strain from its employees and campaigners.

Roughly two dozen protesters gathered outside Shopifys headquarters in Ottawa on Thursday to deliver a petition with almost 200,000 signatures. Presenting the tech company with an open letter, SumOfUs, a consumer-watchdog organisation leading the campaign, accused the tech company of bankrolling hate speech.

Shopify is literally profiting off the merchandise sold in Breitbart's store, and thus profiting off Breitbart's message, Emma Pullman, lead campaign strategist of SumOfUs, told The Independent.

It has a simple choice to make: be complicit in white supremacy or hate, or not. Right now it's choosing to be complicit.

Breitbart News, the most widely-read Conservative site in the US, was founded by conservative commentator Andrew Breitbart in 2007 and was later expanded by senior Trump aide Steve Bannon.

The chief strategist, who is a former executive chairman of the site, declared the publication "the platform for the alt-right after taking the reins around four years ago and transforming the agenda from ultra-conservatism to anti-establishment, anti-immigrant, nationalist and overtly pro-Trump during the presidential election.

Breitbart is a platform for white nationalists who are trying to rebrand themselves as the alt-right, and has ambitions to export this hateful rhetoric around the world, Ms Pullman said. This rhetoric denigrates women, trans people, people of colour, refugees and immigrants.

Shopify CEO, Tobias Lutke, has pushed back at pressure for the company to pull its links with Breitbart. Writing in a Medium post last month, Lutke said that while he does not support the opinions espoused by the site, he believes in protecting their right to free speech.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

We dont like Breitbart, but products are speech and we are pro free speech, he said. This means protecting the right of organisations to use our platform even if they are unpopular or if we disagree with their premise, as long as they are within the law. That being said, if Breitbart calls us tomorrow and tells us that they are going to switch to another platform, we would be delighted.

Lutke said he had received more than 10,000 emails, tweets and messages urging him to stop letting Breitbart sell merchandise via its platform. The Delete Shopify hashtag has gained increasing traction on Twitter in recent weeks as opposition to the partnership has mounted.

According to SumOfUs open letter, Breitbart is using its merchandise to fund its global expansion in the lead up to pivotal 2017 European elections. The controversial news site has been planning its European expansion for a while and hopes to set up outlets in France and Germany, where far-right parties are growing.

SumOfUs said 19,000 of the signatories on the petition were customers, while 790 were shareholders, and just over 100 were employees. However, the numbers are yet to be confirmed.

I'm impressed that at a company of Shopify's size, 100 signed this petition. That's considerable and should be a big flag for the company, Ms Pullman said.

There have been reports of internal conflict within Shopify, which has over 1,900 employees, as some staff are said to be upset about the Breitbart partnership.

I've actually spoken to two former Shopify employees who have painted a picture of quite significant internal struggle over Shopify's refusal to ditch Breitbart, an unnamed source said.

Critics argue the companys decision to host the news site is at odds with its ethos. Several of the companys executives have proudly applauded their immigrant roots and its executives openly condemned President Donald Trumps hard-line immigration ban.

Shopify supports the rights of citizens to engage in free speech and peaceful protest, a spokesperson for the company told The Independent.

Shopify is a platform that provides software to help businesses sell their products. The use of our platform by merchants is not an endorsement. Shopify does not endorse, fund or advertise with Breitbart.

Breitbart, which has mounting access to the White House, was dubbed Trumpbart before Mr Trump entered the White House. The President gave numerous interviews to the site in the build-up to the election, boosting its traffic to a 124 per cent spike in 2016.

Comment pieces published on the site include Political Correctness Protects Muslim Rape Culture and Birth Control Makes Women Unattractive and Crazy.

Donald Trump with Steve Bannon, former executive of Breitbart News and the President's chief strategist (Reuters)

Hundreds of advertisers have cut their links with the ultra-conservative site in recent weeks. According to Ms Pullman, in just a few months 1,300 companies and organisations have blacklisted Breitbart.

According to Sleeping Giants, the group behind the grassroots campaign, Audi, Visa, T-Mobile and Lufthansa have joined the growing list of companies to boycott the site. Campaigners have urged people on Twitter to oust the companies who advertise on the site by sharing screenshots of Breitbart ads.

Fox News reported the mounting boycott campaign is having a detrimental impact on Breitbarts revenues, with advertising dollars shrinking significantly".

A representative for Breitbart did not immediately respond to request for comment.
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Donald Trumps election victory is driving domestic terrorism in the US that is expected to continue amid anger over issues including gun control and abortion, officials have warned.

A field report by the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) intelligence branch and analysts in North Carolina found that negative adverts and political rhetoric during the campaign contributed to the incitement of violent and criminal incidents.

The unclassified report, obtained by The Intercept and seen by The Independent, listed events including post-election rioting in Portland and vandalism in Washington on inauguration day.

Windows smashed as protests turn violent in Washington ahead of Trump inauguration

DHS assesses that anger over the results of the 2016 Presidential election continues to be a driver of domestic terrorist violence throughout the United States, it said.

While criticism and dissenting views of the government is protected activity, some individuals have engaged in violent or unlawful action to express these views.

Incidents highlighted in North Carolina included an arson attack on a Republican campaign office in Hillsborough, the firing of a BB gun at another headquarters and graffiti reading Nazi Republicans leave town or else.

A man was arrested on federal terrorism charges for allegedly phoning a Republican Party office in Henderson County with a bomb threat, which sparked a security lockdown.

The report did not list locally reported incidents targeting a Democratic office in Carrboro, which was tagged with the words death to capitalism, or the appearance of a message reading Black Lives Dont Matter and neither does your votes on a wall in Durham.

Analysts said that although the election was considered the main driver of violence, they could not discount the possibility of a variety of political targets being affected throughout 2017.

Trump Inauguration protests around the World Show all 14 1 /14 Trump Inauguration protests around the World Trump Inauguration protests around the World Activists from Greenpeace display a message reading "Mr President, walls divide. Build Bridges!" along the Berlin wall in Berlin on January 20, 2017 to coincide with the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United State Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World An activist holds up a sign at the "We Stand United" rally on the eve of US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration outside Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York on January 19, 2017 in New York Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Protesters burn a U.S. flag and a mock flag with pictures of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside the U.S. embassy in metro Manila, Philippines Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Filipino protestors hold placcards during a protest rally in front of the US embassy in Manila, Philippines, 20 January 2017. On the eve of President-elect Donald Trump's inaguration as the 45th president of the United States, Filipinos and Fil-Americans held a protest in front of the US embassy in Manila to denounce the incoming US president. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Hong Kong police officers and security guards look on as an anarchist protester belonging to the Disrupt J20 movement sits after using a heavy duty D-lock and motorcycle lock to chain himself to a railing at the entrance gate to the Consulate General of the United States of America in Hong Kong to protest the inauguration of United States President-elect Donald Trump, Hong Kong, China, 20 January 2017. Two activists were arrested and taken away by Hong Kong police during the demonstration. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World A banner is unfurled on London's Tower Bridge, organised by Bridges Not Walls - a partnership between grassroots activists and campaigners working on a range of issues, formed in the wake of Donald Trump's election, which aims to build bridges to a world free from hatred and oppression. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Protesters chain themselves to an entry point prior at the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Washington, DC, U.S. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Bridges Not Walls banner dropped from Molenbeek bridge in Brussels, Belgium, 20 January 2017, in an Greenpeace action part of protests Wolrd protest in solidarity with people in the US, the day Donald Trump sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World A woman holds an anti-U.S. President-elect Donald Trump placard during a rally in Tokyo, Japan, Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World A Palestinian protester holds a placard during a demonstration against the construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and against US President-elect Donald Trump, on January 20, 2017, near the settlement of Maale Adumim, east of Jerusalem Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Banners on North Bridge in Edinburgh as part of the Bridges Not Walls protest against US President Donald Trump on the day of his inauguration Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Russian artist Vasily Slonov (L) and his assistant carry a life-sized cutout, which is an artwork created by Slonov and titled "Siberian Inauguration", before its presentation on the occasion of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, in a street in Krasnoyarsk, Russia Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World A woman holds a banner during a march to thank outgoing President Barack Obama and reject US President-elect Donald Trump before his inauguration at a park in Tokyo, Japan, 20 January 2017. EPA Trump Inauguration protests around the World Palestinian demonstrators protesting this week against a promise by Donald Trump to re-locate the US embassy to Jerusalem Reuters

We assess there may be other factors or occurrences that could foment further criminal acts and violence against political entities, the report warned, listing factors including legislation on abortion rights, LGBT rights, environmental concerns, gun control and Obamacare, as well as negative publicity surrounding voting registration in North Carolina during the presidential election.

The US Code of Federal Regulations defines terrorism as the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.

Mr Trump has not used the term to refer to his opponents while hitting out at demonstrations, accusing participants of being professional anarchists, thugs and paid protesters.

After millions of people joined the worldwide Womens March in protests stretching from Washington to Sydney, the President jibed: Was under the impression that we just had an electioncelebs hurt cause badly.

He later backtracked, tweeting: Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I dont always agree, I recognise the rights of people to express their views.

Several demonstrations in the wake of his election victory have turned violent, with participants blaming a minority of black bloc activists for vandalism and police making several arrests.


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Donald Trump has branded the campaign pressuring Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign a total witch hunt.

The US President, in a series of four tweets, also said his fellow Republican did not say anything wrong but could have stated his response more accurately.

Mr Sessions told his Senate confirmation hearing he did not have communications with the Russians despite two conversations with ambassador Sergei Kislyak last year.

Recommended Jeff Sessions steps aside from all future Russia investigations

It came as George Bushs ethics lawyer has suggested Mr Sessions should be jailed and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is calling for a perjury investigation.

Jeff Sessions is an honest man, wrote Mr Trump at around 9.30pm Washington DC time on Thursday.

He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional.

This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win. The Democrats are overplaying their hand.

They lost the election, and now they have lost their grip on reality. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!

The billionaire leader of the free world has previously said leaks from his administration about ties to Russia are real but that the news is fake.

A spokesman for Mr Sessions, who was an early champion of Mr Trump during his wildcard bid for the White House, confirmed Mr Sessions had two meetings with Mr Kislyak following a Washington Post article.

 Jeff Sessions says under oath that he has not had any contact with Russia

But during his confirmation hearing, to replace acting Attorney General Sally Yates, the 76-year-old said: I didnt have, did not have communications with the Russians, and Im unable to comment on it.

House of Representatives Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi has said he lied under oath and must resign.

Richard Painter, who was chief White House ethics lawyer under Mr Bushs administration between 2005 and 2007, has published a stream of incendiary tweets about Mr Sessions.

Misleading the Senate in sworn testimony about one own (sic) own contacts with the Russians is a good way to go to jail, wrote the lawyer, who is now a professor at the University of Minnesota.

ACLU executive director Anthony Romero also said yesterday: The American people deserve a full investigation into whether Sessions perjured himself and if he is indeed fit to serve as our nations highest law enforcement official.

No one is above the law, certainly not those sworn to uphold it.

Mr Sessions has since said he will completely step away from the FBI investigation into Russias links to the election.
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The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could face cuts of up to 70 per cent to its climate change programmes under a new White House proposal.

President Donald Trump has long made clear his intention to reverse his predecessor Barack Obama's green legacy, however he also pledged that any changes would not jeopardise America's water and air quality.

The 23-page budget proposal for 2018 aims to slice the environmental regulator's overall budget by 25 per cent to $6.1 billion (5bn) and staffing by 20 per cent to 12,400 as part of a broader effort to fund increased military spending.

It would also cut deeply into programmes like climate protection, environmental justice and enforcement.

The Washington Post was first to report cuts to staffing and budget, however a source disclosed new details to Reuters on the potential impact of cuts on EPA programmes, including to grants that support American Indian tribes and energy efficiency initiatives.

The proposal would cut state grants for lead cleanup by 30 per cent to $9.8 million (7.9m).

It would also see grants to help native tribes combat pollution reduced by 30 per cent to $45.8 million (37m).

An EPA climate protection programme on cutting emissions of greenhouse gases like methane that contribute to global warming would be cut by 70 per cent to $29 million (23.6m).

The EPA announced it is withdrawing an Obama-era request that oil and natural gas companies provide information on methane emissions at oil and gas operations on Thursday.

EPA head Scott Pruitt said the withdrawal would be effective immediately, adding that he wants to assess the need for the information the agency has been collecting under a directive issued in November.

Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and eight other states had questioned the reporting request as overly burdensome.

Mr Pruitt, who until last month was Oklahoma attorney general, said removing the reporting request signals that EPA under his leadership takes seriously the concerns of state officials.

"We are committed to strengthening our partnership with the states," he said in a statement. "Today's action will reduce burdens on businesses while we take a closer look at the need for additional information from this industry."

The Trump administration proposal would cut funding for the brownfields industrial site cleanup program by 42 per cent to $14.7 million (11.9m). It would also reduce funding for enforcing pollution laws by 11 per cent to $153 million (125m).

The budget did not cut state revolving funds for programmes that Congress tapped last year to provide aid to Flint, Michigan, for its lead pollution crisis.

All staff at a research program, called Global Change Research, as well as 37 other programmes would be cut under the plan.

 Bill Nye to Bernie Sanders: The effects of Trump's climate change denial could be catastrophic

The Republican-led Congress would have to approve any EPA cuts. Some of the cuts are unlikely to pass as they will be unpopular with both Democrats and Republicans.

Congress would be unlikely to approve a proposal to cut all staff in a diesel emissions program, for example.

Mr Pruitt told US mayors he would make a priority of cleanups of industrial and hazardous waste sites and improving water infrastructure, even as the White House proposed severe cuts to those programmes.

"In this budget discussion that is ongoing with Congress that is just starting, there are some concerns about some of these grant programmes that EPA has been a part of historically," he said.

"I want you to know that with the White House and also with Congress, I am communicating a message that the brownfields programme, the Superfund programme and the water infrastructure grants and state revolving funds are essential to protect."

A state air pollution expert said the programme cuts, if enacted, would harm some of the people most at risk from particulate and lead contamination.

"Any of these programmes where they've cut air pollution or water pollution is going to have a direct effect on inner cities," said Bill Becker, director of the National Association of Clean Air.

Recommended More than 700 species facing extinction hit by climate change

It came as the Trump administration forced the EPA to delete all of its pages on climate change last month.

The move came as part of a broader crackdown on postings by all agencies who track the effects of global warming on the environment.

All of those organisations  as well as others, like the National Parks Service  were banned from talking to the public by the US government.

Now scientists are scrambling to save some of the most important parts of the EPA's website before they are deleted off the internet entirely.

"If the website goes dark, years of work we have done on climate change will disappear," one official told Reuters soon after the order to shut down the website was sent.

Additional reporting by Reuters
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A UN human rights expert voiced alarm on Friday that US President Donald Trump might allow torture in interrogations, and called for senior officials from George W Bush's administration to be prosecuted for allowing the illegal practice.

US officials responsible for the secret detention, rendition and torture programmes run by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) included "those in the most senior positions" under Bush, said Ben Emmerson, UN special rapporteur on protecting human rights while countering terrorism.

"To hear President Trump, in the first days after his inauguration, glibly extolling the virtues of torture as a weapon in the fight against terrorism, and confirming his personal willingness to authorise the use of torture if asked to do so, was enough to make my blood run cold," Mr Emmerson said.

Mr Trump has acknowledged that US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis disagrees with him about the usefulness of torture in interrogation and said he would defer to him on the issue.

There was no immediate response from the US delegation to the 47-member state forum in Geneva.

Mr Emmerson, a British barrister and international criminal justice expert, said that Mr Trump's comments showed a "staggering level of ill-preparedness to govern." He was making his final speech to the UN Human Rights Council after six years in the independent post.

A veteran CIA clandestine service officer who ran one of the agency's "black site" prisons set up after the 9/11 attacks has been named deputy director of the US spy agency.

Mr Trump's nominee to be the director of national intelligence, former Republican Senator Dan Coats, has raised concerns over his record on the previous US use of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques, such as waterboarding, which are widely seen as torture.

"If one of the most powerful nations in the world, a permanent member of the Security Council, is once again prepared to abandon our collective values on the pretext of defending them, then one is left to wonder whether anything at all has been achieved in the last 15 years," Emmerson said.

Reuters
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Donald Trumps son-in-law and his former security adviser met the Russian ambassador to establish a line of communication, the White House has said.

Jared Kushner and Michael Flynn, who resigned last month after his contact with Sergey Kislyak was revealed, sat down with the official in Trump Tower in December.

The New Yorker reported the meeting earlier this week and it has now been confirmed by the White House.

The development comes amid pressure for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign over his two conversations with Mr Kislyak during Mr Trumps election campaign.

Six of Mr Trumps team  including Paul Manafort, Carter Page and Michael Cohen  have allegedly had undisclosed contact with Russia officials.

They generally discussed the relationship and it made sense to establish a line of communication, said White House director of strategic communications Hope Hicks, as reported by the New York Times.

Jared has had meetings with many other foreign countries and representatives  as many as two dozen other foreign countries leaders and representatives.

The meeting lasted 20 minutes and that Mr Kushner has not met with Mr Kislyak since, said Ms Hicks.

The brief encounter was held at a time when the US was expelling 35 people suspected of being Russian spies.

When first asked in January, the White House said Mr Flynn only shared a text message and phone call with the Kremlin diplomat.

Mr Flynn resigned, making him the shortest holder of White House office ever, after giving Vice President Mike Pence "incomplete information". Mr Flynn allegedly reassured Mr Kislyak that Russia would be given softer treatment following Mr Trump's inauguration.

 Michael Flynn resigns as national security adviser over Russia row

Mr Kislyak, an engineering graduate and previous ambassador to Belgium, is considered to be a spy by US intelligence officials.

The Independent has contacted Ms Hicks for further comment.
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Jeff Sessions is accused of using political funds to travel to an event where he met Russias ambassador to the US, despite the White Houses claim he was acting solely in his role as a senator.

The Attorney General has removed himself from investigations into alleged Russian interference in the US election amid mounting pressure over two encounters with Sergey Kislyak.

One of them occurred at an event held by the Heritage Foundation on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention July.

 Sessions denies any wrongdoing

Donald Trumps administration admitted that Mr Sessions met the Russian ambassador but insisted any discussions were in his former role as a senator for Alabama.

But financial records uncovered by the Wall Street Journal and ABC News show he used political funds from his re-election account for the trip, while sources said he discussed Mr Trumps campaign with Mr Kislyak.

I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign, he said in a statement on Wednesday night.

At that same event, the ambassador also spoke with Carter Page, who briefly advised Mr Trump's campaign on foreign policy, a source told the Associated Press.

Mr Sessions failed to disclose his conversations with the Russian ambassador during his confirmation hearing in Congress but rejected suggestions he attempted to mislead anyone.

But he did admit that he should have been more careful in his testimony, adding: "I should have slowed down and said, 'But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times.'"

When specifically asked whether there was evidence of anyone affiliated with Mr Trumps campaign communicating with the Russian government, he had replied: I'm not aware of any of those activities.

Protesters called for Mr Sessions' resignation in front of the justice department in Washington (Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty)

I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians and I'm unable to comment on it.

He also answered no in a written questionnaire when asked about contacts regarding the election.

Sarah Isgur Flores, a spokesperson for Mr Sessions, said there was absolutely nothing misleading about his answer.

She added that Mr Sessions had more than 25 conversations with foreign ambassadors as a senior member of the Armed Services Committee in 2016, continuing: He was asked during the hearing about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign - not about meetings he took as a senator and a member of the committee.

Some Democrats have called on Mr Sessions not only to recuse himself from the investigation but to resign, accusing him of lying under oath.

Dmitry Peskov, Mr Putins spokesman, said it was normal for Russian diplomats to meet with American politicians and a foreign ministry representative described the meetings as everyday business.

The President backed his Attorney General on Thursday night, calling him an honest man and claiming the scandal was a witch hunt mounted by Democrats.

In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump acknowledges guests as he arrives on the platform at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump looks on during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump shakes hands with Justice John Roberts after taking the oath at inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump raises his fists after his inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets outgoing President Barack Obama before Trump is inaugurated during ceremonies on the Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump resident-elect Donald Trump arrives on the platform of the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Attendees partake in the inauguration ceremonies to swear in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump US President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address during ceremonies at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President Donald Trump waves with wife Melania during the Inaugural Parade in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters registered their rage against the new president Friday in a chaotic confrontation with police who used pepper spray and stun grenades in a melee just blocks from Donald Trump's inaugural parade route. Scores were arrested for trashing property and attacking officers AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators protest against US President Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A woman holds a sign before the start of the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at Freedom Plaza in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Anti-Trump protesters prepare banners for a protest against the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, in Berlin REUTERS In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators shout slogans against US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators march, block foot traffic and clash with U.S. Capitol Police at the entry checkpoints for the Inauguration of Donald Trump Alamy Live News In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators display a banner as people arrive for US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A man displays a placard as people lineup to get into the National Mall for the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump raise their hands as they are surrounded by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A demonstrator wearing a mask depicting Donald Trump protests outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators hold placards as they protest outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush arrive for the Presidential Inauguration at the US Capitol Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden share an umbrella as President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address at the inauguration in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. Vice President Mike Pence takes the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Advisors to President-elect Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway and Steve Bannon depart from services at St. John's Church during the Presidential Inauguration in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump take cover as they are hit by pepper spray by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump An activist demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump is helped after being hit by pepper spray on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer tries to tackle a protester demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump Reuters/Adrees Latif In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Police arrest and detain a protester in the street in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer falls to the ground as another shoots pepper spray at protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters

He did not say anything wrong, Mr Trump wrote on Twitter. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional.

Conversations with Mr Kislyak were the cause of another blow to Mr Trumps administration last month, when his national security adviser was forced to resign.

Michael Flynn admitted giving incomplete information to the Vice President over whether sanctions were discussed during phone calls in December.

A White House official said Mr Flynn met the Russian ambassador with Mr Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, at Trump Tower in New York in December, describing the sit-down as a brief courtesy meeting.

Barack Obamas administration had slapped successive rounds of penalties on the Russian government and selected individuals over the wars in Ukraine and Syria, which brought US-Russia relations down to the worst level since the Cold War.

Mr Trump has taken a markedly different approach to his predecessor, repeatedly praising Vladimir Putin during his election campaign and aiming to improve ties.

The President has dismissed a report by his own intelligence agencies after it found evidence of Kremlin involvement in cyber attacks that damaged Hillary Clintons campaign, and has claimed he has no deals or links in Russia.

But his continued refusal to disclose his tax returns, defying decades of precedent, has fuelled calls for the Senate Finance Committee to launch a formal review.

Democrats are also mounting a push for a wider investigation into alleged links between the Russian government and Mr Trumps administration, transition and campaign teams.
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Following a spate of attacks and threats on Jewish establishments, Muslim Americans have been offering to stand guard at sites across the US in a show of solidarity between people of Islamic and Jewish faiths.

In addition to documented vandalism  such as the desecration graves in Missouri and elsewhere  at least 100 bomb threats against Jewish sites across the country were reported by the religions JCC Association in January and February.

Outraged by the growing climate of anti-Semitism, former US Marine Tayyib Rashib tweeted: "If your synagogue or Jewish cemetery needs someone to stand guard, count me in. Islam requires it."

Mr Rashib, who refers to himself on social media as The Muslim Marine, added a series of comments which underpinned his stance.

Our God reminds us that we can achieve peace & security ONLY when we wish for others what we wish for ourselves, he said.

If we care to establish peace and justice we must learn to see the world thru the eyes of the oppressed. I, Muslim Marine, stand with you.

He also offered to meet in a coffee shop with members of the Jewish community and wider public to talk about their concerns.

Mr Rashibs message quickly went viral and sparked a series of similar offers.

Two Muslim American veterans, whose tweets are protected so not visible to all users, also expressed solidarity.

"I echo Muslim Marine - Im a Muslim Veteran in Arizona and will readily stand guard at any Jewish Synagogue or Cemetery at ANY hour. #WeAreOne," said Nate Terani.

In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump acknowledges guests as he arrives on the platform at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump looks on during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump shakes hands with Justice John Roberts after taking the oath at inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump raises his fists after his inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets outgoing President Barack Obama before Trump is inaugurated during ceremonies on the Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump resident-elect Donald Trump arrives on the platform of the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Attendees partake in the inauguration ceremonies to swear in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump US President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address during ceremonies at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President Donald Trump waves with wife Melania during the Inaugural Parade in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters registered their rage against the new president Friday in a chaotic confrontation with police who used pepper spray and stun grenades in a melee just blocks from Donald Trump's inaugural parade route. Scores were arrested for trashing property and attacking officers AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators protest against US President Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A woman holds a sign before the start of the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at Freedom Plaza in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Anti-Trump protesters prepare banners for a protest against the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, in Berlin REUTERS In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators shout slogans against US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators march, block foot traffic and clash with U.S. Capitol Police at the entry checkpoints for the Inauguration of Donald Trump Alamy Live News In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators display a banner as people arrive for US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A man displays a placard as people lineup to get into the National Mall for the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump raise their hands as they are surrounded by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A demonstrator wearing a mask depicting Donald Trump protests outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators hold placards as they protest outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush arrive for the Presidential Inauguration at the US Capitol Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden share an umbrella as President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address at the inauguration in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. Vice President Mike Pence takes the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Advisors to President-elect Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway and Steve Bannon depart from services at St. John's Church during the Presidential Inauguration in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump take cover as they are hit by pepper spray by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump An activist demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump is helped after being hit by pepper spray on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer tries to tackle a protester demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump Reuters/Adrees Latif In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Police arrest and detain a protester in the street in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer falls to the ground as another shoots pepper spray at protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters

Khalid Whalid said: "Houston area Jewish community I spent ten years protecting our country and I will gladly protect Jewish places of worship if you need me!"

The JCC Association also tweeted a letter of support it received from the Valley Ranch Islamic Centre in Texas.

Muslim Americans have already been contributing to the effort to clean up vandalised Jewish cemeteries.

After an attack on a cemetery in Rochester, New York state, a group of local Muslims went directly to the site to help.

A fund set up by Islamic activists Linda Sarsour and Tarek El-Messidi to support the repair work quickly reached over $150,000, with donations still coming in.

 Muslims raise thousands to repair Jewish cemetery vandalised near St. Louis

In Florida, Muslim students showed solidarity with their Jewish peers by sending them flowers.

Some critics have suggested the apparent rising atmosphere of anti-Semitism is connected to the rhetoric of President Donald Trump.

After a long period of silence regarding the attacks, the President appeared to suggest they may have been committed by members of the Jewish community themselves to undermine his administration.
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By now, the story hardly needs telling among Jourdan Duncan's family and friends.

Late one night last September, the teenager had been walking back to his parents' home from work, a seven-mile trip from Benecia to Vallejo, Calif.

Duncan had been making the long commute on foot each day since July, after the timing belt and an engine valve on his 2001 Volvo had broken. Without enough money for repairs, he at first got a few rides from friends and co-workers - but soon decided he would try to walk to avoid burdening others.

"To me, it was like a challenge to see if I was willing to do whatever it takes to get to work," Duncan, now 19, told The Washington Post then.

Day by day the walk became easier, and gradually he thought little of the two-hour-and-15-minute journey each way. He would have no way of knowing that his daily routine would first prompt a surprise gift from the local police - then inspire thousands of people to give far more.

But to Cpl. Kirk Keffer of the Benicia Police Department, who was patrolling that area that September night, the sight of a lone pedestrian in that part of town after 11 p.m. was startling.

"Usually in the industrial area there's no foot traffic, so it was kind of weird to see someone walking around on foot," Keffer told The Post then.

He stopped his patrol car and called out to Duncan to ask if he was OK.

Duncan admitted later that he was nervous.

"I thought, OK, um, did I do anything wrong?" he said in September. "Is he going to put me in cuffs? I didn't do anything bad."

Duncan explained to Keffer he was walking seven miles home, just as he did every day. Shocked, Keffer cleared out the passenger seat in his patrol car and offered Duncan a ride home.

On the ride home, Keffer got to know the teenager: Duncan had just graduated from Jesse Bethel High School in 2015. He had gotten a job at Pro-Form Laboratories in May, where he worked on the packaging line from 3 p.m. until about midnight. He was saving money for college and enjoyed being around his co-workers, he said - but really wanted to be an officer with the California Highway Patrol, to follow in the footsteps of some relatives who were in law enforcement.

By the time Keffer pulled up to Duncan's parents' house that night - all of 15 minutes later, by car - the police officer was impressed. He commended Duncan on his work ethic, dropped him off and drove back to the station.

Still, he couldn't get Duncan's commute out of his head. Keffer mentioned his interaction to his shift supervisor, who, like Keffer, happened to be a board member of the Benicia Police Officers' Association.

"So I hit him up and say, 'I just had this contact with this young man,' " Keffer said then. " 'He's walking five hours a day, and I think it should be rewarded. What if we help him out?' "

They emailed the rest of the board to seek approval to buy a bicycle. It was, he said, one of the fastest votes they've ever taken: Within an hour, enough board members wrote back in agreement. And so, the following day, Keffer visited Wheels in Motion, a local bike shop, to pick out a $500 bike with a reliable gearing system that could handle Benicia's steep hills. The bike shop's owner loved the teen's story so much that he also donated a lighting system, brake light and helmet.

Keffer and some other Benecia police offers surprised Duncan after work a few days later.

"We would like to acknowledge your hard work and dedication for what you do and setting the example for kids your age," Keffer said they told him. "Hopefully this'll make your trip easier."

Duncan said he was bowled over by the gift, but also stymied by the attention. Several local news stations wanted him on their shows. Normally reserved, he shyly agreed to talk to all of them - "I was so nervous; I've never been on TV" - but couldn't help but think: They want to interview me for walking?

This newspaper interviewed him. CNN came calling.

His commute was cut down to an hour. That, as far as most people were concerned, was where his story came to a happy ending.

But the police officers weren't done with Duncan. A few days after The Post's story ran, the police association started a GoFundMe account to raise money for the teenager to repair his car.

They set their initial goal at $5,000.

Within a day or two, donors had met the limit. So they moved the goal to $10,000. Then, a few days after that, to $25,000.

The donations kept rolling in.

"The community just had an outpouring of love for him," Keffer said Tuesday. "It was something the community needed, something positive at the time."

They moved the goal one last time.

"We have now raised the goal to $50,000 with hopes that Jourdan can use this gift to help him achieve his dreams beyond fixing his car," the association posted in an update on the GoFundMe account about a month after it was started. "Fund his educational aspirations and dreams."

It has raised more than $42,000.

If Duncan was shocked by the bike, he was nearly speechless at the GoFundMe donations that continued pouring in last fall.

"I never imagined that it would go from $5,000 to $20,000 to $40,000," Duncan said Tuesday. "It's just amazing."

According to Keffer, Duncan's friends half-jokingly suggested that he take the money and buy a BMW. His father said he should stick to a reliable car, such as a Honda.

At some point, Duncan consulted Keffer.

"It's your money," he said he told the teen. "I would never tell you not to, but just do what you want."

Duncan soon spotted a 2003 Volkswagen Passat for sale on Craigslist. It was gray, with 112,000 miles on it and "seemed like my type of car," he said. He went to check it out.

"It was in perfect condition," Duncan said. He bought it for $2,900.

Keffer was proud of his decision.

"Just something sensible, something he can maintain. He owns it outright," Keffer said. "He kept the money in the bank . . . It feels good to know that Jourdan trusts me."

In January, Duncan also started his first semester at Solano Community College. His first month, he was overwhelmed with how different it was from high school.

"I was so used to kids my age and everything," he said. "Here, they carry themselves more with pride, with care and everything. It just made me feel like, okay, I have to step up to the plate."

Duncan's class schedule keeps him busy most days, but he has continued to work his night shift at Pro-Form Laboratories. The car, he said, is what makes it possible to zip between his classes at two of Solano's campuses - in Fairfield and Vallejo - and his job in Benicia.

Duncan's ultimate goal is to transfer to a four-year college, major in engineering and then try out for the police academy. And every so often, he still stops by the Benicia police headquarters to catch up with Keffer.

"I'm just super proud of him. He could have went so many different ways with that money," Keffer said. "He stopped and asked for my opinion, which meant a lot. . . . He's got a bright future ahead of him. I just hope that he continues down this path."

c) 2017, The Washington Post
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Officials are investigating the cause of a fire that started at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York.

The blaze started on the 47th floor of the building, which overlooks Central Park, in the early hours of Friday morning.

The fire brigade was called at around 4.30am local time (9.30am GMT) and the fire was extinguished at around 5.20am (10.20am GMT), local television reported.

The Fire Department of New York is investigating the cause of the blaze but have not found any indication it was "suspicious".

A protester attempted to set himself on fire outside one of Mr Trump's hotels in Washington in January.

I was trying to light myself on fire as an act of protest, the man said, before being taken for medical treatment.  Protesting the fact that we've elected someone who is completely incapable of respecting the Constitution of the United States.

In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump acknowledges guests as he arrives on the platform at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump looks on during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump shakes hands with Justice John Roberts after taking the oath at inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump raises his fists after his inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets outgoing President Barack Obama before Trump is inaugurated during ceremonies on the Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump resident-elect Donald Trump arrives on the platform of the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Attendees partake in the inauguration ceremonies to swear in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump US President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address during ceremonies at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President Donald Trump waves with wife Melania during the Inaugural Parade in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters registered their rage against the new president Friday in a chaotic confrontation with police who used pepper spray and stun grenades in a melee just blocks from Donald Trump's inaugural parade route. Scores were arrested for trashing property and attacking officers AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators protest against US President Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A woman holds a sign before the start of the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at Freedom Plaza in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Anti-Trump protesters prepare banners for a protest against the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, in Berlin REUTERS In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators shout slogans against US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators march, block foot traffic and clash with U.S. Capitol Police at the entry checkpoints for the Inauguration of Donald Trump Alamy Live News In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators display a banner as people arrive for US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A man displays a placard as people lineup to get into the National Mall for the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump raise their hands as they are surrounded by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A demonstrator wearing a mask depicting Donald Trump protests outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators hold placards as they protest outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush arrive for the Presidential Inauguration at the US Capitol Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden share an umbrella as President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address at the inauguration in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. Vice President Mike Pence takes the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Advisors to President-elect Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway and Steve Bannon depart from services at St. John's Church during the Presidential Inauguration in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump take cover as they are hit by pepper spray by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump An activist demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump is helped after being hit by pepper spray on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer tries to tackle a protester demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump Reuters/Adrees Latif In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Police arrest and detain a protester in the street in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer falls to the ground as another shoots pepper spray at protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters

The President is distancing himself from his hotel and real estate empire to avoid potential conflicts of interest that raised have raised concern among opponents.

He and his daughter Ivanka have resigned all roles with the Trump Organisation, which is being run by the President's two eldest sons.

But his continued refusal to disclose his tax returns, defying decades of precedent, has fuelled calls for the Senate Finance Committee to launch a formal review.
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US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, a former oil industry mogul, is reportedly one of the main obstacles to Clexit  Americas climate exit from the Paris Agreement  within the Trump administration.

Mr Tillerson, former chief executive of Exxon Mobil, and the Presidents daughter Ivanka believe the move could damage diplomatic relations with important allies, The New York Times reported.

However senior Trump adviser Steve Bannon, former head of the far-right news website Breitbart which has published articles dismissing climate science, is leading those within the administration who want the President to live up to his pre-election promise to withdraw the US from the international treaty.

Exxon Mobil endorsed the Paris Agreement despite once having denied fossil fuel emissions were causing global warming.

It is thought Mr Tillerson believes it is important the US retains influence on the rest of the world that would be lost if it withdraws from the agreement.

Marc Morano, an ex-Republican Senate staffer who now runs the fossil-fuel funded website Climate Depot, told the Times: The two greatest obstacles to a Clexit are probably Ivanka and Tillerson.

Tillerson with his seat at the table views could be biggest proponent of not withdrawing the US from the agreement.

Another climate sceptic, Thomas Pyle, the president of the Institute for Energy Research, expressed the kind of case being made by Mr Bannon.

If the goal is to fulfill the presidents campaign promises and implement his agenda, there is no value in staying in Paris, he said.

However a number of Republicans believe the US could potentially remain a token member of the Paris Agreement.

Senator Bob Corker, who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee, told the Times: Theres really no obligation. It doesnt require us to do anything.

I think they may take a little time to assess whether pulling out makes sense now.

10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke  filled with the carbon that is driving climate change  drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan

And Nicholas Burns, who was Under Secretary of State in George W Bushs administration, said: I think it would be a major mistake, even a historic mistake, to disavow the Paris deal.

In international politics, trust, reliability and keeping your commitments, thats a big part of how other countries view our country.

I cant think of an issue, except perhaps Nato, where if the US simply walks away, it would have such a major negative impact on how we are seen.


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Former Texas governor Rick Perry has been sworn in as Donald Trump's energy secretary  despite having once pledged to scrap the department he will now run.

The appointment was confirmed by a vote in the Senate. He was approved by 62-37.

Mr Perry has promised to protect Americas nuclear stockpile and is an advocate of all forms of US energy production, including coal and oil.

During his bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2011, he said he planned to scrap the energy department.

Recommended Trump picks climate change denier Rick Perry as Energy Secretary

But Democrats, whose votes were needed in the Senate to approve his nomination, said they had accepted Mr Perry's disavowal of that pledge.

Mr Perry will replace Ernest Moniz, who was chairman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology physics department.

Mr Perrys appointment will do little to assuage fears among environmentalists that the Trump administration plans to roll back Obama-era policies to limit the impact of global warming.

The new energy secretary has acknowledged that man-made climate change is real but also said combating it should not come at the expense of economic growth.

 Rick Perry forgets agencies of government during debate,

I believe some of it is naturally occurring, but some of it is also caused by man-made activity, he said.

The question is how do we address it in a thoughtful way that doesnt compromise economic growth, the affordability of energy or American jobs.

During Mr Perry's 14-years as governor, Texas was one of Americas top drillers for oil and gas.

But the state also emerged as a leading producer of wind power and a top 10 provider of solar power.

The 66-year-old left office in 2015 and went on to launch his second bid for the Republican nomination.

He was very critical of Mr Trump, calling him a cancer on conservatism, but later endorsed the New York tycoon.

His confirmation came as Ben Carson was sworn in as the next secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The retired neurosurgeon and Republican presidential candidate was confirmed by a separate vote in the Senate.
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Donald Trumps father was arrested after a Ku Klux Klan riot in the 1920s, news reports from the time suggest.

An article from a June 1927 edition of the New York Times records seven men being arrested after a brawl in New York, including Fred Trump of 175-24 Devonshire Road, Jamaica  the same name and address as the current US Presidents father.

The fight was said to have been between members of the white supremacist Klan and supporters of the Italian fascist movement.

Under the headline Klan assails policemen, the article, first uncovered by the BoingBoing blog, details how Mr Trump was one of those detained after a battle in which 1,000 Klansmen and 100 policemen staged a free-for-all.

It quotes the then New York Police Commissioner, Joseph Warren, saying the Klansmen wore gowns and had hoods covering their faces.

Having been represented by the same lawyer as the six other men, Fred Trump was discharged  the only one of the seven not to be charged with a criminal offence.

It is unclear what role, if any, Mr Trump played in the brawl. Some reports at the time suggested he was arrested for refusing to disperse.

Another news story on the fight claimed that all seven men arrested were wearing KKK gowns and hoods.

In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump acknowledges guests as he arrives on the platform at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump looks on during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump shakes hands with Justice John Roberts after taking the oath at inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump raises his fists after his inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets outgoing President Barack Obama before Trump is inaugurated during ceremonies on the Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump resident-elect Donald Trump arrives on the platform of the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Attendees partake in the inauguration ceremonies to swear in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump US President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address during ceremonies at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President Donald Trump waves with wife Melania during the Inaugural Parade in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters registered their rage against the new president Friday in a chaotic confrontation with police who used pepper spray and stun grenades in a melee just blocks from Donald Trump's inaugural parade route. Scores were arrested for trashing property and attacking officers AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators protest against US President Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A woman holds a sign before the start of the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at Freedom Plaza in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Anti-Trump protesters prepare banners for a protest against the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, in Berlin REUTERS In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators shout slogans against US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators march, block foot traffic and clash with U.S. Capitol Police at the entry checkpoints for the Inauguration of Donald Trump Alamy Live News In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators display a banner as people arrive for US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A man displays a placard as people lineup to get into the National Mall for the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump raise their hands as they are surrounded by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A demonstrator wearing a mask depicting Donald Trump protests outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators hold placards as they protest outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush arrive for the Presidential Inauguration at the US Capitol Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden share an umbrella as President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address at the inauguration in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. Vice President Mike Pence takes the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Advisors to President-elect Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway and Steve Bannon depart from services at St. John's Church during the Presidential Inauguration in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump take cover as they are hit by pepper spray by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump An activist demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump is helped after being hit by pepper spray on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer tries to tackle a protester demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump Reuters/Adrees Latif In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Police arrest and detain a protester in the street in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer falls to the ground as another shoots pepper spray at protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters

Mr Trumps father would have been 21 at the time of his arrest. He later became a multi-millionaire property developer after starting out building houses in New York.

The fight took place on 29 May 1927  the US Memorial Day - at a time when New York authorities were trying to halt the KKKs growing presence in the city. Originally founded in the 19th Century, the Klan was reformed in 1915 and became a violent organisation that promoted white nationalism and targeted black Americans.

Asked by the New York Times last year whether his father had been arrested at a Klan event, Donald Trump repeatedly denied it, insisting it never happened and saying it was totally false that his father lived on Devonshire Road, despite records appearing to confirm it to be true.

"We lived on Wareham," he said. "The DevonshireI know there is a road 'Devonshire,' but I don't think my father ever lived on Devonshire.

 Donald Trump refuses to condemn KKK endorsement

The President and his team have been unable to quell speculation about his fathers alleged links with the Klu Klux Klan.

Donald Trump has also faced questions over the fact he was endorsed by the Klan during the presidential election campaign and has consistently been praised by the organisations former leader, or Imperial Wizard, David Duke.

Asked by CNN last year whether he would distance himself from Mr Dukes endorsement, the Republican replied: "I dont know anything about David Duke, okay?"

"I dont know anything about what youre even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists.

I don't know, did he endorse me? Or what's going on. Because I know nothing about David Duke. I know nothing about white supremacists."
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In what was either an attempt to raise a laugh, or more likely distract attention from his own woes, Donald Trump has suggested that Chuck Schumer should be investigated for his links to Russia.

He made the suggestion by posting an image of the Democratic senator eating a doughnut - or a donut according in American English - with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin, he said. A total hypocrite.

Mr Trumps administration is under intense attention amid allegations of its links to Russian officials.

This week, Mr Trumps Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, was forced to recuse himself from an overseeing an ongoing probe into those alleged links after it emerged he had twice met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 election campaign.

 Trump says he still has 'total' confidence in Jeff Sessions

He had previously said under sworn testimony to senators on Capitol Hill that he had not had any meetings with Russian officials.

Mr Schumer, the Democratic leader in the senate, was among those who said the recusal was insufficient.

He has called both for Mr Sessions to resign, and for the appointment of an independent prosecutor to lead a probe of alleged Russian interference in the election and links between Moscow and Mr Trumps campaign. Mr Trump has repeatedly denied any such links.

The photograph tweeted on Friday - apparently from an iPhone used by Mr Trumps senior aides rather than his own Android phone - was of Mr Schumer welcoming Mr Putin during a visit to New York in 2003.

Mr Schumer was quick to respond to Mr Trumps jibe. Happily talk re: my contact w Mr Putin & his associates, took place in 03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team, he wrote.

He added: And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts.
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Donald Trump appears to have pushed for the Republicans to adopt a pro-Moscow policy over Ukraine just as his senior aides were meeting with Russias US Ambassador.

At the Republican National Convention last summer, the party agreed to insert language into its platform that opposed arming or providing Ukraine with weapons to take on pro-Russian rebels. At the time, Mr Trump told an interviewer he wasnt involved in it.

But now, a former adviser to Mr Trump has revealed that the push to change the platform came after the direct intervention of the New York tycoon. Mr Trump had hinted as to his views on Ukraine during a speech in the spring of 2016, where the Russian Ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, was among the guests.

CNN said that a Republican advisor, JD Gordon, had said the move to push the change in the partys policy was to make it align with Mr Trumps personal views.

Mr Gordon previously said that he did not speak publicly at the GOP national security sub-committee meeting, where the amendment was discussed. Originally the policy called for providing lethal defence weapons to the Ukrainian army to fend off Russian-backed rebels. It was changed to providing appropriate assistance to Ukraine.

The broadcaster said that Mr Gordon had now revealed that he and others advocated for the GOP platform to include language against arming Ukrainians against pro-Russian rebels because this was in line with Trump's views.

Gordon says Trump said at the meetingthat he didnt want to go to World War Three over Ukraine, CNN said.

 Trump says he still has 'total' confidence in Jeff Sessions

Mr Gordon also confirmed that he and another policy advisor to Mr Trump, Carter Page, met Mr Kislyak at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Cleveland last July. Mr Gordon did not respond to inquiries on Friday.

The development comes as Mr Trumps administration is facing further scrutiny over its alleged links to Russia.

This week, Mr Trumps Attorney General was forced to recuse himself from overseeing the federal inquiry into Russsias alleged interference in the US election and its possible links to members of Mr Triumps team, after it emerged he had twice met with Mr Kislyak. He had previously told senators while under oath that he had never done so. One of the meeting was at the RNC.

It also emerged that two other senior members of Mr Trumps team, former general Mike Flynn and policy adviser Jared Kushner, had met Mr Kislyak in December to establish initial contacts with the Russian government. Mr Flynn was in January forced to resign as his national security adviser after he lied about a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak - prior to Mr Trumps taking office - at which the issue of sanctions was discussed.

 Trump denies involvement in softening the GOP stance on Ukraine

Mr Trump has never hidden his wish to try and reset the US-Russia relationship.

At the speech he delivered at Washington DCs Mayflower Hotel in April, Mr Trump said: I believe an easing of tensions and improved relations with Russia- from a position of strength only - is possible, absolutely possible. Some say the Russians wont be reasonable. I intend to find out.

Yet after the Republican position on Ukraine was changed that summer, Mr Trump he claimed he had nothing to do with it.

I wasn't involved in that, Mr Trump said in an interview with ABC. Honestly, I was not involved.

Several investigations are underway into Russias alleged interference in the 2016 election - an operation supposedly undertaken to benefit Mr Trump. Mr Trump has repeatedly denied that either he or any members of his team have had any contact with Russia, or colluded in anyway in its efforts to influence the election.

An unverified dossier presented to Trump in January by top US intelligence officials alleged that Mr Trump agreed to sideline the issue of Russian intervention in Ukraine during his campaign after Russia promised to feed the emails it stole from prominent Democrats inboxes to WikiLeaks.
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Pressure is mounting for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate Russias alleged meddling in the US presidential election and possible contacts between Donald Trumps campaign and Moscow. Experts say the circumstances of Jeff Sessions standing aside increase the chances for such a development.

Mr Sessions, the Attorney General, has recused himself from ongoing investigations that the Department of Justice is already overseeing. He did so after it emerged he had met with the Russian Ambassador to Washington, Sergey Kislyak, having previously testified to senators that he had not.

Mr Trump had earlier said he did not think Mr Sessions  one of his earliest supporters on Capitol Hill  needed to remove himself from the probe and said he had done nothing wrong.

But Democrats have said Mr Sessions should resign, and that the government should appoint a special prosecutor to lead the probe of possible links with Russia.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Mr Sessions acting deputy, Dana Boente, should appoint a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation.

He also raised the prospect of reviving a decades-old independent counsel law, introduced in the aftermath of Watergate, that could allow a three-judge panel the authority to appoint an independent counsel.

 Sessions denies any wrongdoing

If the Justice Department drags its feet and refuses to appoint a special prosecutor or select someone with insufficient independence, there is another route, Mr Schumer said.

Meanwhile, The Intercept reported that the recusal of Mr Sessions and the fact that Mr Boente is only operating in an acting position, opens a way for Democratic senators to exert unusual influence over the issue.

Mr Trumps nominee for Mr Sessions deputy, Rod Rosenstein, will undergo confirmation hearings with the Senate Judiciary Committee this month. Those Judiciary Committee members can now ask Mr Rosenstein to commit to naming a special prosecutor before voting whether to send his nomination to the full senate.

At least seven of the nine Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, have publicly called for a special prosecutor to investigate potential criminal actions by Russian officials and any of Mr Trumps associates, the website wrote. South Carolina senator Lindsay Graham, one of the 11 Republicans on the committee, has said that if there is something there that the FBI believes is criminal in nature, then for sure you need a special prosecutor. If the nine Democrats and Mr Graham acted as a block, they would have the power to prevent Mr Rosensteins nomination from being voted out of committee, it said.

There may be nothing there, Mr Graham said this week. But if there is something there that the FBI believes is criminal in nature, then for sure you need a special prosecutor.

Republican Senator Thom Tillis also said it might make sense to bring in a special prosecutor should more facts come to light.

Well let the facts speak for themselves, he said. You just want to nip that because we dont want this to be a distraction at the expense of so many things that need to be corrected at the Department of Justice.

Mr Trump may be loath to allow a wide-ranging special prosecutor take charge. The law that allowed for the creation special counsel fell into disuse after Kenneth Starrs lengthy investigation into President Bill Clinton.

Larry Sabato, Professor of politics at the University of Virginia, said it was unclear at this point how bad things might get for Mr Sessions.

Sessions has been caught in a clear misrepresentation under oath  and maybe an out-and-out lie. This cant help his image, he told The Independent.

But its too soon to say hes fighting for his political life. General Flynn had few allies and was unknown to many. Sessions benefits from having many friends in Congress and elsewhere.
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There is an echo at the highest levels of Russian and American politics. Donald Trump has described the increasing pressure on his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, as a "witch hunt", and the Kremlin's foreign minister later used exactly the same phrase.

Mr Sessions has recused himself from any probe that examines communications between President Trump's aides and Moscow following revelations that he spoke twice with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, during the campaign and failed to say so to Congress.

The President tweeted his support for the attorney general and said on Friday: "This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win.

"Now they have lost their grip on reality. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total 'witch hunt!'"

Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural Show all 14 1 /14 Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural A lesbian couple kisses in front of mural depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, on the walls of a barbecue bar 'Keule Ruke' on May 19, 2016 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Barcroft Media/Getty Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural A lesbian couple kisses in front of mural depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, on the walls of a barbecue bar 'Keule Ruke' on May 19, 2016 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Barcroft Media/Getty Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural VILNIUS, LITHUANIA - NOVEMBER 23: A woman walks past a mural showing U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (R) blowing marijuana smoke into the mouth of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the wall of a bar-b-que restaurant on November 23, 2016 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Many people in the three Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are concerned that Russia, because Trump has expressed both admiration for Putin and doubt over defending NATO member states, will be emboldened to intervene militarily in the Baltics. Sean Gallup/Getty Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural A woman walks past a mural on a restaurant wall depicting US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin greeting each other with a kiss in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on May 13, 2016. Kestutis Girnius, associate professor of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science in Vilnius university, told AFP -This graffiti expresses the fear of some Lithuanians that Donald Trump is likely to kowtow to Vladimir Putin and be indifferent to Lithuanias security concerns. Trump has notoriously stated that Putin is a strong leader, and that NATO is obsolete and expensive. Petras Malukas/AFP/Getty Images Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural AP Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural A child walks past a graffiti depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, on the walls of a bar in the old town in Vilnius, Lithuania, Saturday, May 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis) AP Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural People walk past a mural on a restaurant wall depicting US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin greeting each other with a kiss in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on May 13, 2016. Kestutis Girnius, associate professor of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science in Vilnius university, told AFP -This graffiti expresses the fear of some Lithuanians that Donald Trump is likely to kowtow to Vladimir Putin and be indifferent to Lithuanias security concerns. Trump has notoriously stated that Putin is a strong leader, and that NATO is obsolete and expensive. Petras Malukas/AFP/Getty Images Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural A man photographs a mural on a restaurant wall depicting US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin greeting each other with a kiss in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on May 13, 2016. Kestutis Girnius, associate professor of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science in Vilnius university, told AFP -This graffiti expresses the fear of some Lithuanians that Donald Trump is likely to kowtow to Vladimir Putin and be indifferent to Lithuanias security concerns. Trump has notoriously stated that Putin is a strong leader, and that NATO is obsolete and expensive. Petras Malukas/AFP/Getty Images Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural AP Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural A young woman walks past a mural showing U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (R) blowing marijuana smoke into the mouth of Russian President Vladimir Putin with the slogan "make everything great again," in reference to Trump's campaign slogan of "Make America Great Again," on the wall of a bar-b-que restaurant on November 23, 2016 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Many people in the three Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are concerned that Russia, because Trump has expressed both admiration for Putin and doubt over defending NATO member states, will be emboldened to intervene militarily in the Baltics. Sean Gallup/Getty Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural A morning commuter stops to look at a mural on a restaurant wall depicting US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin greeting each other with a kiss in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on May 13, 2016. Kestutis Girnius, associate professor of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science in Vilnius university, told AFP -This graffiti expresses the fear of some Lithuanians that Donald Trump is likely to kowtow to Vladimir Putin and be indifferent to Lithuanias security concerns. Trump has notoriously stated that Putin is a strong leader, and that NATO is obsolete and expensive. Petras Malukas/AFP/Getty Images Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural Restaurant owner Dominykas Ceckauskas pose next to a mural on the wall of his establishment depicting US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin greeting each other with a kiss in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on May 13, 2016. Kestutis Girnius, associate professor of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science in Vilnius university, told AFP -This graffiti expresses the fear of some Lithuanians that Donald Trump is likely to kowtow to Vladimir Putin and be indifferent to Lithuanias security concerns. Trump has notoriously stated that Putin is a strong leader, and that NATO is obsolete and expensive. / AFP / Petras Malukas (Photo credit should read PETRAS MALUKAS/AFP/Getty Images) Petras Malukas/AFP/Getty Images Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural A passerby photographs a mural showing U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (R) blowing marijuana smoke into the mouth of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the wall of a bar-b-que restaurant on November 23, 2016 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Many people in the three Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are concerned that Russia, because Trump has expressed both admiration for Putin and doubt over defending NATO member states, will be emboldened to intervene militarily in the Baltics. Sean Gallup/Getty Trump and Putin passionately kiss in street mural Getty

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the pressure on Mr Sessions "strongly resembles a witch hunt or the times of McCarthyism, which we thought were long over in the United States as a civilised country."

Contacts with officials and lawmakers are part of any ambassador's duties, he added.

Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin's spokesman, agreed with the President's statement. He told Russian state media Mr Trump's characterisation of the furore surrounding Mr Sessions was "comprehensive" and that he had "nothing to add".

Mr Peskov has used the "witch hunt" phrase beforeechoing Mr Trumpto describe the storm that followed US intelligence agencies' assessment that Russia was involved in hacking during the Presidential election.

In a press conference on Thursday evening Mr Sessions said he would not oversee any investigation into links between the Trump Presidential campaign team and Russian representatives, following reports he had spoken twice with Mr Kislyak, but did not disclose the contact to senators at his confirmation hearing.

Mr Sessions is also now accused of using political funds to travel to an event where he met Mr Kislyak, despite the White Houses claim he was acting solely in his role as a senator.

He said at the press conference: "I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign."

He rejected suggestions he lied under oath during his January confirmation hearing but admitted his answer to a question by Senator Al Franken could have been more comprehensive. He added: "I should have slowed down and said, 'But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times.'"

Asked what he would have done if he discovered "anyone affiliated" with Mr Trump's campaign had been in contact with Russian representatives, Mr Sessions had said: "Im not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two during that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians and Im unable to comment on it."

White House press secretary Sean Spicer called the controversy "partisan politics" and said Mr Sessions was "100 per cent straight with the committee".

Leading Democrats have nonetheless called for the former Alabama senator to resign. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said: "His integrity and independence have been questioned, it would be better for the country if he resigns."

Lawyers have ordered Mr Trumps administration to save any potential evidence of alleged Russian interference in the US election.

Instructions were sent to White House staff after Democrats in the US Senate requested the administration and security agencies to keep all material on links between Mr Trumps aides, campaign or transition team and the Kremlin.

As part of its investigation into Russias possible role in the presidential election, the Senate intelligence committee has also asked more than a dozen groups, agencies and individuals to preserve relevant records.

Additional reporting by agencies
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US Vice President Mike Pence used a private email as governor of Indiana to discuss sensitive matters - and the account was hacked - according to reports.

The Indianapolis Star said it had seen emails that showed Donald Trumps deputy had used his personal AOL account to communicate with advisers on topics ranging from security gates at the governor's residence to the state's response to terrorism attacks.

In one email, Indianas top security adviser messaged Mr Pence with an update from the FBI regarding the arrests of several men being held on terror charges.

 Almost every big claim Trump made at address to Congress was false

The newspaper said the Vice Presidents account was hacked last summer. Mr Pence served as governor from January 2013 until January this year.

But the report did not make clear whether any sensitive information was compromised during the hack.

Indiana law does not prohibit public officials from using personal email accounts, the Star reported.

However the claims, if proven to be true, will come as a huge embarrassment for the Republican party, and Mr Trumps inner circle in particular, who strongly criticised Hillary Clinton for using a private email while she was secretary of state.

A statement issued by the Vice Presidents office said: "Similar to previous governors, during his time as Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence maintained a state email account and a personal email account.

As Governor, Mr Pence fully complied with Indiana law regarding email use and retention.

Recommended Trump praises FBI director who reopened Clinton email probe

Government emails involving his state and personal accounts are being archived by the state consistent with Indiana law, and are being managed according to Indianas Access to Public Records Act.

An unspecified number of emails were not released to the paper because they were deemed to be confidential.

Mr Pence called a decision last summer by the FBI not to investigate Ms Clintons use of private emails troubling.

After the FBI announced it was going to conduct a probe into the Democrat candidate last October, he said: We commend the FBI and the director on their decision to keep their word to the Congress and move forward now that theres new information.
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A student who was pronounced dead in hospital may actually have been alive at the time and only later burned to death on a funeral pyre, Indian police say.

The family of Rachna Sisodia, 21, have alleged her partner, Devesh Chaudhary, 23, raped and murdered her.

She was reportedly admitted to Sharda University Hospital in Noida, Uttar Pradesh on 23 February with a respiratory condition, causing feverish symptoms and abdominal pain.

Doctors announced her death shortly before midnight on 25 February, the Times of India reported.

 CCTV shows men molesting woman on New Year's Eve in India

Ms Sisodias body was released to her husband, who carried out a traditional cremation with a small group of his own friends and family.

But when Ms Sisodias family became aware of this, they became suspicious and contacted the police, who interrupted the cremation and pulled the body from the pyre.

The corpse  which was more than 70 per cent burned  was turned over to forensic investigators, who found ash in the lungs and windpipe and concluded she wasn't dead as her body was being cremated.

This happens when someone is burnt alive, an official told the Hindustan Times.

The particles go inside with the breath. If a person is dead, such particles cannot reach the lungs and the windpipe. So, the doctors concluded that the woman was burnt alive on the pyre.

Such was the condition of the body that police couldnt be certain it even belonged to Ms Sisodia, but a sample of bone was sent for analysis.

Ms Sisodias uncle has filed a complaint with the police, accusing Mr Chaudhary of deliberately killing her.

Police have launched a search for him, but he remains in hiding, though he has spoken to local media by phone.

Mr Chaudhary told the Times: "Rachna had fallen ill and I tried my best to provide better medical treatment. The Greater Noida Hospital had declared her dead upon which we performed cremation."

He has maintained Ms Sisodias family are trying to frame him.

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

Meanwhile, the hospital is standing by its original verdict.

A spokesman said: "We conducted a CPR at 11pm. The blood pressure and pulse were non-functional. We did not receive any symptom of life in the body. We conducted all required medical tests before declaring her clinically dead at 11.45pm.

The patient was brought in extremely critical condition and our doctors tried their best to save her. We stick to our stand that the patient had died due to lung infection on Sunday night.
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An an airline employee accused of colluding in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam is being hunted by detectives investigating his death.

Kim Uk-il, 37, works for North Koreas national carrier Air Koryo and arrived in Malaysia around a fortnight before the assassination.

Malaysian police issued an arrest warrant for the new suspect on Friday morning as border security checks were stepped up to prevent anyone fleeing to North Korea.

 Three arrests amid probe into death of North Korean leader's half-brother

Two women have so far been charged with murdering Kim, who died just minutes after the toxic VX nerve agent was wiped on his face at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The two suspects, of Indonesian and Vietnamese nationality, were caught on CCTV appearing to attack their victim on 13 February.

As the brother-in-law of Kim Jong-un, he had been living in exile for several years and had begged the North Korean leader to spare his life after a previous assassination attempt.

Police are searching for others involved in the operation, including whoever supplied them with the VX, which is listed by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.

American and South Korean intelligence officials believe the assassination was masterminded by North Korean spies and eight suspects from the secretive state have been identified by police.

Only one has been apprehended, a man named Ri Jong Chol, who was released on Friday due to insufficient evidence and set to be deported after a week in custody.

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

Khalid Abu Bakar, a police inspector, told Reuters that at least two North Korean suspects were believed to be still in Malaysia.

Officials previously said that they want to question 44-year-old Hyong Kwang Song, a secretary at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur; Kim Uk-il and an individual named Ri Ji U.

Mr Khalid said Hyong has yet to contact the police despite a request sent to the embassy, and that the Air Koryo employee is missing too.

The other four suspects are believed to have left the country on the day of the murder, and made their way back to North Korea by air, travelling via Indonesia, Dubai and Russia.

Malaysian police have requested help from Interpol to apprehend them and cancelled visa-free entry for North Koreans from 6 March as relations worsen between the two previously friendly countries.

North Korea has voiced outrage at the Malaysian investigation, and does not accept that the dead man is Kim Jong-nam.

The Malaysian foreign ministry condemned the use of VX in the murder, saying it does not produce, import or use the weapon and is in contact with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

North Korea, the US and Syria are among the countries believed to own the nerve agent, which is tightly controlled by international treaties.

The Ministry strongly condemns the use of such a chemical weapon by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances, the Malaysian foreign ministry said. Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public.
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A supermarket shopper has been hailed an absolute champion after he paid for an elderly womans shopping when her card was declined.

Ryan ODonnell noticed the woman in front of him was having difficulty paying at the Wyoming Coles store in New South Wales so stepped in to settle her AUS$44 (27) bill.

The father-of-two told Channel 9 News he intervened because thats how my mum and dad brought me up.

Recommended Turning goodwill into good deeds through the kindness of strangers

I was just there in the grocery aisle or checkout with my kids and I saw the old lady having some trouble with the card," the 34-year-old said.

She swiped it quite a number of times and then they took her around to the front cigarette counter and got her to keep trying.

"By that stage my groceries had gone through and I went around and spoke to the young lady and said how much is it and they said $44 or something...her card kept being declined due to insufficient funds so I said Look, heres $50 just take it out of that.

The heartwarming moment was captured by fellow shopper Luke, who posted a photo to Twitter.

He wrote: This guy at Wyoming Coles who just went through the register with his two kids paid for this ladies groceries when her card kept declining 

He later added: I couldn't fit this in the original tweet but she wanted to pay him back eventually and he just said Don't worry, have a good day

Mr ODonnell said the lady had wished to pay him back and was concerned about how she was going to return the money.

I said Oh look, dont worry about it  its only $44, youll be right and enjoy your day. With that I walked off and I think I went and bought myself a coffee from Gloria Jeans, he told Channel 9 News.

Social media users have praised the stay-at-home dad as a "legend", good samaritan and awesome guy.

"Absolute Champion. Should be more people like him in this world. If we all knew how to give, think of how amazing life would be?" one user wrote on Twitter.

Another wrote: "What a nice person! Humans at their best."

One user said: "The world, while seemingly drowning in paranoia and hate, just keeps giving. Thanks for sharing."

Mr O'Donnell said the public reaction to his random act of kindness was "overwhelming".
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Refugee charities in northern France have issued a robust response to the Calais Mayors decision to ban food distribution in a large part of the town, vowing to continue to provide aid to refugees in spite of the mayoral decree.

Seven organisations that offer support for refugees in Calais have signed a statement expressing their determination to continue their action, stating that the reason they do this work is because the authorities do not fulfil their own obligations in terms of law and humanity.

A decree issued on Wednesday by Mayor Natacha Bouchart prohibits organisations from distributing aid in Dunes, a large industrial zone in Calais close to where the Jungle camp was located before it was demolished in October, ordering for a ban on abusive, prolonged and repeated occupants of the industrial zone. It was not clear how such a ban would be implemented.

In the joint statement  signed by LAuberge des Migrants, Care4Calais, Help Refugees, RCK, Salam, Secours Catholique and Utopia 56  the charities state that their aid distributions contribute to vital needs [...] not only in terms of food, but also to supply blankets and warm clothes to avoid the possibility of death on the street.

It proceeds to state that the distributions are important because they help ensure the safety of Calais residents and traders and provide an opportunity to identify medical problems, especially for minors who are victims of the cold, as well as making it possible for refugees to receive legal advice.

The statement reads: After attempting to prevent Catholic Relief to allow the migrants present on Calais to wash, the Mayor of Calais wants to prohibit associations, on the pretext of disturbing public order, to distribute meals.

The decree produced by the Mayor is inhuman and unworthy. The associations do this work because the State and public authorities do not fulfil their own obligations in terms of laws and humanity.

The signatory organisations declare their determination to continue their action. We will continue our distributions.

Following the announcement of the ban, Annie Gavrilescu of Help Refugees told The Independent: Were publishing this response in the least provocative way possible. We just want legal and safe places where we can continue our work.

We dont want to create more animosity with the authorities or with the police. We are just trying to keep people fed but from a legal and safe place, which is obviously proving more and more difficult.

The decree specifies the industrial zone, so what were trying to do is go outside it, and trying to keep people safe outside it. But we dont know how the enforcement of this ban will take shape, so were just evermore careful.

Asked whether she was shocked by the ban, Ms Gavrilescu said: From a humanitarian perspective, its obviously shocking that a mayor is trying to prevent us from feeding children.

But from a realistic perspective, having been here a long time, the actions of this mayor are not surprising.

The ban has been issued in the area where the Jungle camp used to be located (Clare Mosely)

A volunteer at the Legal Shelter, an organisation in Calais that provides legal support to refugees, told The Independent the mayors order would not discourage refugees from coming to Calais.

This will absolutely not work for stopping people from coming to Calais. They dont come thinking that they will have food from organisations. They come for other reasons than just the distribution of food. Its just an accessory.

Its not the reason why refugees are coming to Calais, and of course they will continue to come even if there is no food distribution. There have always been people in Calais, many of them hidden without asking for any food distribution. It will never change.

If there are police controls when there are food distributions, of course people will just hide themselves more to avoid being arrested.

In 2015 they passed an order to stop people pitching tents in public spaces. Its the kind of decision they always try to take, just to try to make it more difficult for everyone. But in 20 years this has never worked.

Calais refugee camp evacuation Show all 15 1 /15 Calais refugee camp evacuation Calais refugee camp evacuation Refugees run past a fire in the makeshift migrant camp known as 'the jungle' in Calais, October 2016 AP Calais refugee camp evacuation French authorities say the closure of the slum-like camp in Calais will last approximately a week in what they describe as a "humanitarian" operation, October 2016 AP Calais refugee camp evacuation A painted message saying 'Bye Jungle' on a tent in the camp in Calais, October 2016 Getty Calais refugee camp evacuation Refugees set rubbish bins alight as a protest in the makeshift camp 'the Jungle' in Calais, France, October 2016 EPA Calais refugee camp evacuation French riot police advance through tear gas and smoke from a fire to disperse refugees throwing stones and lighting fires at the Jungle migrant camp Getty Calais refugee camp evacuation French CRS riot police secure an area on the eve of the evacuation and transfer of refugees to reception centers in France Reuters Calais refugee camp evacuation Journalists run away from smoke during clashes near a makeshift refugee camp known as 'the jungle' in Calais AP Calais refugee camp evacuation French CRS riot police secure an area on the eve of the evacuation and transfer of refugees to reception centers in Franc Reuters Calais refugee camp evacuation Migrants queue for transportation by bus to reception centres across France, from the 'Jungle' refugee camp in Calais Getty Calais refugee camp evacuation Refugees line-up to register at a processing centre in the 'jungle' near Calais, northern France, as the mass exodus from the migrant camp begins PA wire Calais refugee camp evacuation Refugees with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Calais refugee camp evacuation French far-right Front National (FN) party's member of parliament Marion Marechal-Le Pen (L) delivers a speech next to a banner reading "They arrive in Vaucluse, no migrants in our place" as she attends a rally against the hosting of refugees in La Tour d'Aigues Getty Images Calais refugee camp evacuation French police forces secure the area near the 'Jungle' refugee camp in Calais Getty Calais refugee camp evacuation Refugees leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Calais refugee camp evacuation Refugees carry their belongings and transfer to reception centers in France

The charities will probably just move the point of distribution. If many more orders like this come into effect, we are likely to take legal action.

Sue Jex, head of UK operations for refugee support charity Care4Calais, said in a statement: We are appalled at the ban on distributing food to refugees in Calais, which deprives the most vulnerable people  including unaccompanied minors  of the basic human right to food.

This humanitarian crisis is far from resolved and we should not be turning our backs on those who need our support most. We would urge those in positions of authority to lift bans on food distribution, and act now to secure the lives of refugees urgently.

Reasons given for the ban in the mayoral decree include the regular presence of individuals and groups in the industrial zone for the purposes of meal distribution to migrants and concern that the continued and massive occupation in the area are of the nature that they could trouble the tranquillity, health and public security.

The mayoral decree has been put up warning that distributing food is no longer permitted in the area

Ms Bouchart stated her reasoning for the ban in a press statement on Friday, saying she would not accept seeing the economy of Calais damaged again.

In recent days, a regular and massive presence of individuals has been noted in the industrial zone of Dunes due to the distribution of meals to migrants, the statement read.

I was alerted by people who use the area, notably business bosses and people in the economic world, following tensions arising with organisations and migrants at the time of these distributions.

As I have indicated to the director of the cabinet of the Prime Minister during a meeting on 25 January, I will not accept that our economy be damaged again, just as it is beginning to arise from serious difficulties that it confronted last year.

Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Show all 7 1 /7 Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The Solidarity With Refugees group said Saturdays protest aimed to show our Government and the world that Britain is ready to welcome more refugees. Rex Features Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis People march through central London as they take part in a protest rally organised by Solidarity with Refugees in a bid to urge the Government to take more action on the migrant crisis Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The protest comes days before world leaders meet to discuss crisis at UN General Assembly Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Demonstrators made their way from Park Lane to Parliament Square in London on Saturday afternoon Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Marchers chanted refugees are welcome here and waved banners reading no-one is illegal and lets help people Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The march was supported by charities and groups including the Red Cross, Asylum Aid, Save the Children, Hope Not Hate, Oxfam and the UN Refugee Agency Rex Features Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis In the wake of Alans death, David Cameron pledged to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees in the UK over the coming five years but there have been additional calls to re-home those who have already reached Europe, as well as asylum seekers coming from other conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan Rex Features

The Mayor went on to say that former settlements of refugees in Calais have caused trauma for residents of the town, and asserted that she must consequently take necessary measures to avoid a repeat of the situation.

Over the months, or indeed years, everyone has been able to see all the humanity that the Calaisian population has shown despite a unique situation in France, which has been a traumatic experience for many Calaisians,she said.

Because we have suffered so much, because I have been fighting on behalf of industry players to defend the interests of Calais, I must take all necessary measures to prevent a repeat of a situation that has gone on for far too long.
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The European Parliament has voted to end visa-free travel for Americans within the EU.

It comes after the US failed to agree visa-free travel for citizens of five EU countries  Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania  as part of a reciprocity agreement. US citizens can normally travel to all countries in the bloc without a visa.

The vote urges the revocation of the scheme within two months, meaning Americans will have to apply for extra documents for 12 months after the European Commission implements a delegated act to bring the change into effect.

The Commission discovered three years ago that the US was not meeting its obligations under the reciprocity agreement but has not yet taken any legal action. The latest vote, prepared by the civil liberties committee and approved by a plenary session of parliament, gives the Commission two months to act before MEPs can consider action in the European Court of Justice.

Australia, Brunei, Japan and Canada were also failing in their obligations, but all four have lifted, or are soon to lift, any visa restrictions on travel for EU citizens.

The Commission is legally obliged to act to suspend the visa waiver for Americans, but the European Parliament or the Council of the European Union have the chance to object to the delegated act it uses to do so.

In December, MEPs pressed for the move in order to encourage Washington to play its part, according to a statement by the parliament.

But Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos warned of consequences, including potential retaliation and a drop in visitor numbers precipitating substantial losses for the continents tourism industry.

Recommended I will not be used as a bargaining chip in the Brexit negotiations

Just days ago the Council said it would liberalise the visa regime for citizens of Georgia travelling into the EU.

Georgians can now, subject to final approval of the regulation, stay in any EU country for 90 days in any period of 180 days without needing a visa.

Carmelo Abela, Maltas minister for national security, said: This agreement will bring the people of Georgia and the EU closer together and will strengthen tourism and business ties. It follows the completion of the necessary reforms by Georgia, addressing document security, border management, migration and asylum.

Last month it was reported that the EU was considering the adoption of a US-style electronic travel permit scheme  a move that could create a new administrative hurdle for British tourists after Brexit.

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Immigration minister Robert Goodwill told Parliament the EU was discussing the possibility of introducing a version of Americas Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA).

Currently foreign travellers must pay a fee of $14 (11) when they complete ESTA, an automated online system that determines their eligibility to travel to the US.

British people are now used to the US ESTA scheme and, therefore, we view with interest how the European scheme might develop and what similarities, and differences, there may be to the US scheme, Mr Goodwill said.

 MEP says women 'must earn less than men' because they are 'weaker and less intelligent'

This type of scheme is generally there to help enhance security. To get to know as much as possible about the people who are intending to travel.

It isnt just flights, it could be people using ferries, or other border crossings into the European Union.

Alan Brown, an SNP member of the European Scrutiny Committee, pointed out that Leave advocates in the referendum campaign had said there would be no need for visa-like travel schemes after Brexit.
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A significant quantity of human remains has been discovered in underground chambers at a former home for unmarried mothers and their babies in Ireland.

A commission set up to investigate alleged abuse at religious-run so-called mother and baby homes has been carrying out an excavation at the former Catholic Church institution in Tuam, Co Galway.

It said it was shocked by the discovery of significant quantities of human remains in at least 17 of 20 underground chambers being excavated in recent weeks.

Recommended Polls close in Northern Ireland assembly elections

A small number of remains were recovered for the purpose of analysis, the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes said.

These remains involved a number of individuals with age-at-death ranges from approximately 35 foetal weeks to 2-3 years.

Radiocarbon dating of the samples recovered suggest that the remains date from the time frame relevant to the operation of the mother and baby home.

The Tuam home operated from 1925 to 1961.

A number of the samples are likely to date from the 1950s, according to the commission.

The Commission is shocked by this discovery and is continuing its investigation into who was responsible for the disposal of human remains in this way, it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the commission has asked that the relevant State authorities take responsibility for the appropriate treatment of the remains.

A coroner has been notified.

Irelands Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone TD described the discovery as very sad and disturbing news.

It was not unexpected as there were claims about human remains on the site over the last number of years, she said.

Up to now we had rumours. Now we have confirmation that the remains are there, and that they date back to the time of the mother and baby home, which operated in Tuam from 1925 to 1961.

The minister urged a sensitive and respectful response to the discovery.

The commission was set up two years ago by the Irish Government to probe state sanctioned, religious-run institutions used to house pregnant mothers.

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. 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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. 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It was charged with investigating high mortality rates at mother and baby homes across several decades of the 20th century, the burial practises at these sites and also secret and illegal adoptions and vaccine trials on children.

It is thought about 35,000 unmarried mothers spent time in one of 10 homes run by religious orders in Ireland.

An inquiry was ordered after massive national and international focus on the story of the Sisters of the Bon Secours in Tuam, where the remains of 796 infants are believed to be buried.

Outside of Tuam, three other mother and baby homes have little angels plots believed to hold the remains of another 3,200 babies and infants.

They are Sean Ross Abbey, Tipperary  where the story of Philomena Lee began  Bessborough, Co Cork, and Castlepollard, Co Westmeath.

Infant mortality rates ranged from 30-50 per cent in some of the homes in the 1930s and 1940s.

Joan Burton, Labour Party TD, said the findings at Tuam are truly gruesome and no doubt deeply upsetting to anyone associated with the Tuam home.

The grim discovery also highlights the important work of local historian Catherine Corless in bringing this case to light, she added.

It now appears as though these children were interred in some kind of mass grave, possibly without normal funeral rights, and maybe even without their wider families having been made aware.

There have also been allegations that there may have been similar instances with other mother and baby homes around the country.

I believe the government should resource the commission so that all such allegations can be included.

Ms Burton added: It is now incumbent upon the Catholic Church to assist in whatever way they can, so that the truth should be set out in relation to these matters.

PA
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Natos most senior British officer has claimed that alleged Russian cyber attacks could be deemed an act of aggression and trigger the military alliances principle of collective defence.

General Sir Adrian Bradshaw, the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said allegations of interference in American and European elections and an international disinformation campaign could cause the definition of an attack to be widened.

Natos founding treaty states that an armed attack against on or more [members] shall be considered an attack against them and allow allies to take any action deemed necessary in self defence.

General Bradshaw said the article, number five, would come into effect when its declared to be.

It is a political decision, but it is not out of the question that aggression, blatant aggression, in a domain other than conventional warfare might be deemed to be Article Five, he told The Times.

The measure was used for the first time after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Nato has also invoked collective defence over the Ukrainian and Syrian civil wars.

When the treaty was drawn up, Natos primary aim was to counter the risk of the Soviet Union expanding through Europe.

Nato has increased the troops deployed along its eastern flank (Getty) (NATALIA DOBRYSZYCKA/AFP/Getty Images)

But almost 70 years on, the alliances focus has expanded to hybrid warfare, including cyber attacks and hacking, which has sparked the creation of a dedicated Nato online defence force.

General Bradshaw said Nato has declared cyber as a domain in warfare, alongside air, maritime, special forces and land.

Its a growing area, he told an event held by the Council on Foreign Relations in January.

It is hard to imagine any future conflict that doesnt include a substantial cyber element.

Its certainly a big part of our potential threat from both Russia and from Islamist extremists.

The commander, who is to be replaced by Lieutenant General Sir James Everard later this month, said Russia posed a hybrid threat to Nato members.

Russian military activity in Crimea Show all 11 1 /11 Russian military activity in Crimea Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian13-ap_1.jpg AP Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian9-ap.jpg AP Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian12-ap.jpg AP Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian11-rtp.jpg Reuters Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian10-afpgt.jpg AFP/Getty Images Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian7-rt.jpg Reuters Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian6-afpgt.jpg AFP/Getty Images Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian8-rt_1.jpg Reuters Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian-navy1-rt.jpg Reuters Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian4-ap_1.jpg AP Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian3-ap.jpg AP

Its not just the threat of overt military attack, but its a raft of other measures, including covert, paramilitary, and non-military activities, some of which will be coordinated by the intelligence arms of Russia, General Bradshaw added.

And we as Nato need to have our antenna tuned to the signs that this sort of hostile activity is going on.

He accused the Kremlin of showing a proclivity to disobey the rules of international relations with its military incursion into Crimea and alleged backing for rebels in eastern Ukraine.

We need to put in place thoroughly effective and convincing deterrence so that everybody knows where the red lines are, General Bradshaw said.

We are effectively building and sustaining military capability so that we never have to use it.

His comments came amid an ongoing storm over Russias alleged interference in the US election in favour of Donald Trump.

The President has defended Russia against his own intelligence agencies allegations of involvement in the Democratic National Committee cyber attacks, and other leaks and fake news spread to damage Hillary Clinton.

 Jeff Sessions steps aside from Russia investigations

We assess Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election, said a report released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Russias goals were to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton and harm her electability and potential presidency.

We further assess Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump.

European intelligence agencies have warned attempts could also be made to influence upcoming votes in France, the Netherlands and Germany.

A recent report by the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee said the rise of fake news emanating from Russia was also a concern, questioning the impartiality of state-owned outlets Russia Today and Sputnik.

The Kremlin has denied all allegations of attempting to influence international elections or waging a disinformation campaign, while accusing Nato and the West of engaging in a propaganda war against it and warmongering with increasing military deployments and drills in eastern Europe.

When contacted for a comment on General Bradshaws remarks, the Russian embassy in London referred The Independent to its tweets.
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A right-wing politician provoked a furious response after saying women should earn less money than men because they are weaker", "smaller" and "less intelligent.

Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke, who has repeatedly courted controversy with his opinions, was speaking to a near-empty European Parliament during a gender pay-gap debate.

The Eurosceptic started by explaining that no women are ranked in the top 800 of a physics olympiad in Poland.

Spanish socialist MEP Iratxe Garcia Perez was a little confused when Mr Korwin-Mikke talked about chess EPTV (EPTV)

The 74-year-old then said there are no women in the top 100 world chess players.

Of course women must earn less than men because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent, they must earn less, thats all, said Mr Korwin-Mikke.

Spanish socialist MEP Iratxe Garcia Perez can be seen grimacing at Mr Korwin-Mikkes chess explanation.

She responded: According to what you're saying and your theory I wouldn't have the right to be here as a member of parliament.

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"I know you're very upset and very concerned about the fact we women can represent citizens on an equal footing with you.

I think I need to defend European women against men like you.

Mr Korwin-Mikke, the creator of the Coalition for the Renewal of the Republic  Liberty and Hope, who was born into Nazi-occupied Warsaw, has previously referred to black people as n******.

He once told The Observer newspaper that womens attitudes are influenced by the men they sleep with, because semen penetrates the tissue.

Mr Korwin-Mikke has previously been fined for using racist language at a debate.

Full video:

"European Parliament President Antonio Tajani has started an investigation which may result in sanctions against Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke for sexist remarks made during the plenary session on Wednesday night," said a European Parliament spokesman.

"Penalties range from a reprimand to a fine and temporary suspension."

London Labour MEP Seb Dance, who last month held up a sign accusing Nigel Farage of being a liar, told The Independent: The tenets of free speech and parliamentary privilege are important, but so too is respect for the right for everyone to be treated equally. He (Mr Korwin-Mikke) undermined the value and worth of his colleagues because of their gender and in so doing demeaned not just them but himself. He has crossed a line and must lose the right to be taken seriously on anything.

Too often, nationalists and extremists hide behind free speech when spewing out their hatred and bile. They must be held to account and there must be consequences.

If theres a rule thats been broken, he should be punished accordingly. If not, then its the chairs discretion who gets called to speak - there should be an agreement to exclude him.
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The looming defeat of Isis in northern Syria is pushing the countrys six-year civil war into a new and dangerous phase as warring parties turn on each other, analysts have warned.

The battle to defeat jihadis has made uneasy allies out of forces backed by countries including Britain, the US, Russia, Turkey and Iran but as victorious groups fill territory the so-called Islamic State once controlled, old enemies are coming face-to-face  with deadly consequences.

Fighting has erupted along converging frontlines between Bashar al-Assads army, opposition groups and Kurdish forces around the northern city of al-Bab, where the US-led coalition and Russian air force have been providing air support to allies.

Turkish-backed rebels are fighting Kurdish groups supported by the US-led coalition (Reuters)

Jean-Marc Rickli, a research fellow at King's College London and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy said the shared interest in eradicating Isis is not enough to quash long-standing rivalries.

Isis is about to collapse  but what next? he asked.

Once Isis has lost the fight, the other coalitions that were formed to beat it will dissolve into open conflicts on the ground.

The skirmishes risk drawing in international actors backing ground forces on opposite sides. In one incident this week, Russia is accused of hitting US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in villages taken from Isis, causing several casualties.

Lt-Gen Stephen Townsend, the commander of Operation Inherent Resolve, said several casualties were reported after bombing just two miles away from American troops. Some quick calls were made through our deconfliction channels and the Russians acknowledged and stopped bombing there, he added.

The Kremlin denied striking the positions as part of its campaign supporting Assad, saying the US provided it with coordinates as part of communications set up to avoid international conflict in Syrias crowded airspace.

Meanwhile, fighting has erupted between opposition groups backed by Turkey as part of its Operation Euphrates Shield and the Kurdish-led SDF, which is supported by the US.

The US is backing the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which has had huge success against Isis but is regarded as a terrorist group by Turkey (AFP/Getty Images)

At least seven fighters from both sides were killed in battles and shelling, the UK-Based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

Both rebel alliances have been battling Isis but Turkey also considers the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) a terrorist group and has made its intention to push it back from border areas clear.

In efforts to create a buffer zone between the two sides, the Manbij Military Council claimed Kurdish fighters would turn over frontline villages to the Syrian army.

But the deal, brokered by Russia, has met with resistance from SDF soldiers reluctant to withdraw from territory they won from Isis.

Dr Rickli told The Independent completely ludicrous situations were emerging seeing rebel groups backed by the US government fighting each other.

This is the problem of using proxies, he added. As you get closer to reaching your primary objective, the secondary ones come in.

Because the Americans have relied on so many different groups they are now in a difficult situation where they have to decide who to prioritise.

The converging frontlines near al-Bab between parties in the Syrian civil war. Territory controlled by Isis is seen in black, the Syrian government in red, Turkey-backed opposition in blue/green, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic forces in yellow and Kurdish territory occupied by government forces in orange (Liveuamap)

Both the CIA and Pentagon ran programmes to support vetted opposition forces at the start of the civil war, but attempts to train groups abroad and redeploy them in Syria failed when an entire unit was seized by al-Qaeda.

The embarrassment provoked a tactical shift to arm and support established anti-Isis groups already on the ground, with a limited role for American special forces and military advisers.

The US-led coalitions most prominent ally is the SDF, which has seen huge success retaking former jihadi strongholds including Jarablus, but the predominantly Kurdish group is the enemy of other Syrian rebels formerly supported by the US.

Many are now being backed by Turkey, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made it clear his priority is to reverse the growth of the de-facto autonomous region of Rojava along the border, which has been administered by Kurdish groups since 2013.

Haid Haid, an associate fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, said that with Isis driven out of the region, no side could move advance without clashing with each another.

Fighting will increase unless theres some kind of deal between Turkey, the US and SDF to find a solution, which I think is unlikely at this point, he told The Independent.

The tension is there and armed groups on the ground are ready to fight, but the question is in what direction and how.

Mr Haid said that although eradicating Isis has been a common goal, the main aim of all sides is to gain more territory, making battles unavoidable.

In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Show all 11 1 /11 In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Women and children celebrating after being freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A man cuts the beard of a civilian who was freed from Isis by the SDF in Manbij on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Women carry newborn babies while running after being freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A woman freed from Isis hugs an SDF fighter in Manbij on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A woman adding her veil to a pile of niqabs burning in Manbij, Syria, after being freed from Isis on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Children celebrating on top of a lorry after being freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A man and child freed from Isis by the SDF in Manbij on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A woman carrying her children walks towards SDF fighters after being freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A woman and child freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij An SDF fighter kisses a crying man who was freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Hundreds of civilians freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters

He warned of an emerging proxy war between opposition factions variously backed by the US-led coalition and Turkey, and pro-Assad forces supported by Russia, Iran and the Lebanese Shia Islamist group Hezbollah.

Attempts by international supporters to deescalate fighting may fail as the focus on Isis gives way to the original divisions of the Syrian civil war, which a new round of talks in Geneva have failed to overcome.

The position on the ground has turned into people being in favour or against Assad so the moderate voice is less and less important after six years of fighting, Dr Rickli warned.

He drew comparisons to the Bosnian civil war, where European nations offered massive funding for reconstruction efforts and EU membership in exchange for democracy and a lasting ceasefire.

But in the muddied waters of Syria, the way forward is less clear.

What are the hopes of Syria? Dr Rickli asked. Who is willing to provide money?

There is no carrot, no stick and worse than that, some groups on the ground are benefiting from the chaos because it gives them money and power.

They have absolutely no interest in settling the conflict.
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Two transgender people were packed in sacks, thrashed with sticks and tortured to death, according to human rights activists.

Police allegedly killed 35-year-old Amna, and Meeno, 26, both Pakistanis, after raiding a house in Saudi Arabia and arresting 35 transgender people.

Activists in Pakistan are demanding clarification from Saudi Arabia over the deaths and the 22 people reportedly still in custody.

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We want information because right now this is a very confusing situation and many in the transgender community in Saudi Arabia are feeling delicate and scared, said Qamar Naseem, a feminism and social rights activist from the Blue Veins group, speaking to The Independent.

They are not treated fairly even by criminal law in Saudi Arabia, and its not just people from Pakistan, its people from different parts of the world.

Gender fluid people are treated badly, sometimes flogged, and if someone is arrested on the same law for a second time they can be executed.

Mr Naseem said he and TransAction Pakistan president Farzana Jan were told by a transgender contact in Saudi Arabia about the raid.

They were allegedly arrested for cross-dressing and for having same-sex relationships in the capital of Riyadh.

Homosexuality is punishable by death while any sex-change surgery is illegal.

Mr Qamar said the group were hosting a Guru Chela Chalan gathering, a Pakistani ceremony celebrated in the transgender community, in which they choose their 'guru' leader.

Eleven were reportedly arrested after paying a 150,000 riyals fine (33,000) while 22 were kept in custody.

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He said the two victims, from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in Parkistan, were kicked and beaten in bags.

The Travel Agents Association of Pakistan was reportedly told last year not to grant visas to transgender people planning the Hajj or Umrah pilgrimage.

Saudi Arabia last year insisted the United Nations keeps LGBT rights out of its development goals.

"Amnesty International has been unable to verify this information, but urges the Saudi Arabian authorities to comply with their duty to conduct a thorough and independent investigation into any allegation of torture and extra-judicial executions and bring those suspected of criminal responsibility, including state agents, before ordinary courts in proceedings that meet international standards of fair trial and without the recourse to the death penalty," said an Amnesty International spokesman.

"The authorities must diligently investigate any possible discriminatory motive in these crimes, including discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression."

The Independent has contacted the House of Saud and Pakistans Ministry of Human Rights for further comment.

Update. A graphic which previously accompanied this report included Lithuania among a list of countries in which homosexuality remains a criminal offence. In fact, homosexuality was decriminalised in Lithuania in the 1990s. We are glad to clarify matters.
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A US Congressional delegation will visit Israel tomorrow to look into the option of relocating the American embassy to Jerusalem.

President Donald Trump has previously said he would "love" to see the embassy moved from its current location in Tel Aviv. He made the comments during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington, and added: "We're looking at that very, very strongly, we're looking at that with great care, and we'll see what happens."

Critics have said the move, which Mr Trump first raised during his Presidential campaign, would damage the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

US officials and Israeli Foreign Ministry sources had said that the incoming US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, could be based in Jerusalem while the official embassy building remained in Tel Aviv.

Israel annexed east Jerusalem in a move not recognised by the international community in the 1967 Six Day War, and both the Israelis and Palestinians claim the city as their capital.

Almost all countries diplomatic missions to Israel are located in Tel Aviv. The proposed move has been strongly criticised by Palestinian Authority officials including President Mahmoud Abbas, liberal Israeli groups, and the US allies throughout the Arab and wider world.

More follows
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It is purported to be the happiest country in the world, but if there is one subject guaranteed to flare tensions in the Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan, its meat.

It is okay because the animal was not killed in Bhutan, explains my guide Kinley, when I question whether it is socially acceptable for us to be sitting down to a chicken curry in a country where butchering animals for consumption is outright banned. This reasoning might seem bizarre, but it goes a long way to explain the complex issues surrounding the consumption of meat in Bhutan.

Buddhism teaches that it is wrong to kill animals, which are seen to be part of the divine creation. But while this teaching is not taken particularly seriously in other Buddhist majority countries outside monastic circles, it is law in Bhutan, where Buddhist leaders enjoy an influential voice in public policy.

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Problem is, most Bhutanese  even many monks  enjoy eating meat. So much, in fact, that Bhutan is the highest consumer of meat per capita in South Asia. As it is not illegal to consume meat in Bhutan, its all imported. Yet Bhutans meat-eating community is increasingly under threat from the wrath of the nations vegetarian right  a growing movement led by religious figures that are calling for sanctions on the importation, sale and consumption of meat on religious grounds, despite Buddha himself well documented to have eaten meat.

Bhutan is renowned for its rich Buddhist culture (Getty)

This hardline approach jars a little in the context of a country that measures its success not by economics, but by a Gross National Happiness Index. And its true that during my 10-day visit, I found Bhutanese people to be among the worlds most welcoming. Its easy to see why Bhutan has become such a bucket list destination: the famous Tigers Nest monastery perched on a misty mountaintop near Paro looks just as magical in the flesh as it does in the pictures, and the phallus-emblazoned houses of the Punakha district  an ode to a monk known as the Divine Madman for his, er, unconventional methods of enlightening women  have to be seen to be believed.

But if you like your meat, eating it does feel a little more political here. I felt a bit put off consuming anything non-veggie  despite my guide having no issue with it.

The Tigers Nest monastery has become the most recognisable symbol of Bhutan (Getty)

To illustrate just how seriously the vegetarian right takes the issue, in 2015, the announcement of government plans to build a series of plants to process imported meat (in an effort to control quality and hygiene) outraged them enough that the Zhung Dratshang  Bhutans central monastic body  ultimately called for the projects to be halted.

Last year, Bhutans Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority moved to appease religious leaders by proposing a ban on the sale of meat during the holy first and fourth Bhutanese months, with heavy penalties for commercial vendors caught storing or selling meat during these sacred periods.

Some towns, including all hotels in the northern district of Bumthang, have since signed agreements among themselves to stop storing or selling meat during the auspicious months, while also agreeing to submit to surprise inspections from vegetarian committees.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I spotted a group of farmers slicing up a cow in broad daylight as my tour bus bumped along a pretty country road en route to a rural homestay. The cow must have died of old age, Kinley shrugged when I queried what was going on. They harvest the meat before it spoils. Now, I'm not a huge carnivore, but as someone who enjoys a juicy burger now and then, I sympathise with anyone who has to wait for a cow to die to enjoy a bit of steak.

The gorgeous Haa district of Western Bhutan (Wiki Commons) (Wikicommons)

In Bhutan, however, it is easy  for tourists, at least  to go without meat. Never, except perhaps in southern India, have I found it such a delight to go vego than I did here. Tourist meals in Bhutan are typically served banquet-style, and while theres usually at least one meat dish, the vegetarian options are the highlight.

The local red rice is as healthy as it is deliciously nutty, fresh organic vegetables burst with flavour, and the buckwheat momos (dumplings) served in Western Bhutans Haa district are next-level good. It is said that a Bhutanese meal isnt complete without a serving of ema datshi or chilli cheese (literally hot green chillies cooked with local cheese), and I couldnt resist sampling this eye-wateringly spicy dish at least once a day. The key flavouring agent in Bhutanese cuisine, chilli, poses a greater challenge for many tourists than the availability of meat.

Favourite local dish ema datshi  literally just chillies and cheese (Wiki Commons) (Wikicommons)

But that said, it has been a somewhat bland culinary start to 2017 for locals in Bhutan. The government has been forced to rethink a 2016 ban on the import of toxic chillies from India that has seen the price of local chillies skyrocket. Poor families without the land to grow their own have thus faced flavourless mealtimes thanks to reduced access to their key source for taste.

The challenges of maintaining a self-sufficient chilli crop is just one of many hurdles Bhutan has faced while ploughing ahead to become the worlds first wholly organic country by 2020, an ambitious goal in an era when youth in developing nations like Bhutan are more reluctant to follow in the farming footsteps of their parents.

Despite its status as a poster child for sustainable development, Bhutan has not been left untouched by the effects of climate change either, with erratic weather over recent years having left some farmers struggling to reap a viable harvest without the use of chemicals.

While I thoroughly enjoyed being a pseudo-vegetarian during my trip to Bhutan, Im grateful my choice to sink my chops into a juicy piece of meat sometimes isnt under threat from a hardline vegetarian sect. If Buddha was okay with eating meat, surely Bhutans meat-lovers deserve a bit of slack?

Travel essentials

Getting there

British Airways (0870 850 9 850; ba.com) flies to Delhi from about 480 return, from where connecting flights are available to Paro with Druk Air (00 975 8 271 856; drukair.com.bt) from about 445 return. UK citizens transiting via Delhi also need to obtain a double-entry Indian visa (in.vfsglobal.co.uk).

Staying there

Tourist hotels run from the quaint and comfortable (such as Gangtey Palace in Paro; hotel.bt) to sheer luxury (such as the Aman groups five Amankora lodges scattered throughout the country; amankora.com). Many organised tours include at least one night at a basic village homestay.

Visiting there

All travellers to Bhutan need to book a package with either an international or local tour operator. British passport holders require a visa to visit Bhutan, which is issued upon arrival  applications are submitted in advance by the tour operator. The writer travelled with G Adventures (gadventures.com).

More information

tourism.gov.bt
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Mixed Fleet staff have been recruited since 2010, at the conclusion of the last big cabin crew dispute, and now make up around 30 per cent of Heathrow crew. They work on a range of domestic, European and long-haul routes.

They are employed on less favourable terms than longer-serving cabin crew. The union says their earnings constitute poverty pay. British Airways rejects this, and says its pay rates are competitive with the industry.

Just before Christmas it appeared a deal had been reached, when BA made an improved pay offer. But in a ballot conducted just before the New Year, cabin crew rejected the deal. Since then Unite members have taken 26 days of industrial action.

A BA spokesperson said: Once again we will be able to fly all customers to their destinations, despite industrial action by Mixed Fleet Unite. We will operate a full schedule at Gatwick and London City airports as well as the vast majority of our Heathrow schedule.

We will merge a very small number of Heathrow services, and all affected customers will be rebooked to alternative flights.The airline will 'wet-lease' aircraft and crew from other carriers to cover gaps in the schedule.

In addition, over the first four days of the strike, British Airways expected to cancel 14 flights out of a total of 3,300 departures  corresponding to 0.4 per cent of the airline's total schedule.

During the most recent four-day strike, BA flew its normal timetable with no wet-leased aircraft.

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A Unite spokesman said: A key part of the industrial action has been raising awareness among passengers and the public over the issue of low pay and the effect it has on British Airways mixed fleet cabin crew. Weve seen the issue raised in Parliament and received a positive response from the public.

In addition there has been unseen disruption to the airline which has been forced to put additional time and resources into trying to minimise the impact and cost of industrial action.

The union claims the current pay levels are jeopardising safety. Two-thirds of Mixed Fleet cabin crew who responded to a union survey said they had reported for duty when they were unfit to fly. They are paid a 3-per-hour elapsed hourly rate when on duty, and said they could not afford to be off sick and lose the allowances involved.

Five out of six Mixed Fleet cabin crew reported that their financial circumstances since joining BA have caused stress and depression.

Some staff said they had been sleeping in cars between flights because they could not afford the petrol to get home.

 British Airways strike: what it's about, and the possible effects

Ryanair has offered passengers on BAs sister airline, Vueling, rescue fares to and from Barcelona.

Vueling, a Spanish budget carrier, is cutting routes from Leeds-Bradford and Newcastle to the Catalan capital this month. Ryanair is offering 9.99 one-way fares to affected travellers  but to Girona airport, 60 miles from Barcelona.

Robin Kiely of Ryanair said: Customers should book quickly because these fares will be gone very soon  just like Vuelings Leeds and Newcastle routes to Barcelona.
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The auxiliary power unit (a small engine that sits near the tail) was broken, which was inconvenient because it is the usual method for starting the real engines. By the time some reliable ground power was found, slots had slipped and we arrived at the Sussex airport an hour behind schedule. Which, on the scale of disruption endured by some passengers this week, was almost imperceptible.

You may have read about the very expensive mouse that checked in for a trip to California, by boarding a British Airways Boeing 777 at Heathrow, destination San Francisco. A new plane had to be found, and the passengers were over four hours late leaving London. It was a narrow squeak, but the captain managed to make up time over the Atlantic  meaning that the plane arrived a whisker under four hours late, triggering a lower rate of compensation for the passengers: 300 rather than 600. Hard cheese.

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I imagine the German airline, Air Berlin, will face some interesting claims as a result of last Saturdays flight from Dusseldorf to Cancun in Mexico.

The Airbus was flying off the Florida coast when the crew decided to divert due to suspected smoke on the flight deck and in the cabin. Don the oxygen masks and land first, ask questions later is wisely the order of the day in such circumstances. The nearest suitable runway was at Daytona Beach, so that was where they went on what the airline describes quaintly as an out-of-course landing.

After a safe arrival, it became clear that the passengers problems were only just beginning.

Those European delay and disruption rules also cover customer care, and specify that for overnight stays they must be provided with hotel rooms. But theory and practice are different things.

For a start, as none of the passengers were expecting to visit the US, few of them were in possession of an Esta  electronic permission to apply for entry to America. That should not constitute an insurmountable problem, because the practice in such circumstances is to revert to the old analogue days when everyone filled out a green form, known as an I-94W.

Unfortunately it also happened to be spring break in Daytona Beach, as well as Daytona 500 race weekend. Every room in town, and for miles around, was occupied (or at least booked; my limited experience of the February tradition where college students go wild suggests that the guests were probably out partying until dawn). So the unfortunate 217 Air Berlin passengers were obliged to spend the night in the terminal of one of Floridas smaller airports.

The airline says they were provided with meals and hygiene products and had access to internet and television. With that sort of night in prospect, who wants to be sipping a sundowner on Mexicos Riviera Maya?

It was not until Sunday afternoon that a replacement plane arrived to convey them to Mexico, in the shape of an American Airlines jet flown down from Philadelphia.

What more could possibly go wrong? Well, Daytona Beach is a small airport with limited equipment. Since the Airbus A330 is not an aircraft type normally on the ground handlers radar, it lacked the right equipment to open and unload the cargo holds. So while they flew south, their cases stayed put. Only when the plane was mended could it finally convey the luggage to Cancun.

The episode will already have cost Air Berlin hundreds of thousands of euros in flight operations, but it remains to be seen how much the German airline will pay out in compensation. My sole experience with an Air Berlin late-night cancellation from Belfast left me 260 out of pocket, because the airline refused to pay for a hotel and a replacement flight. Then the carrier successfully stonewalled a claim for the stipulated 250 compensation for years, until the statute of limitations kicked in.

So let me wish the delayed passengers good luck  which in German, I believe, is Gluck auf. Which seems, on reflection, to resonate with Air Berlins attitude to me.
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The now-traditional summer season of wrecked air travel plans begins early in March this year. Tens of thousands of passengers are likely to be grounded by the first strike of the year by discontented French air-traffic controllers, which runs from 6 to 10 March.

The industrial action starting on Monday involves members of a small union, ICNA, working at air-traffic control centres in Bordeaux, Brest and Aix-en-Provence.

The controllers are angry over a range of issues from roster patterns to pay. They say they are overstretched and under-rewarded, which has led union members to experience reduced self-esteem.

Our German colleagues who work less than us and earn much more do not seem to be affected by this feeling, says the union.

It is telling members: You have the opportunity to send a strong message to our administration: We do not tolerate injustice.

Eurocontrol in Brussels says the Brest and Bordeaux control centres will be affected from 5am on Monday until 7pm on Friday, with the action in the south of France running from 5am on Tuesday until 5am on Friday.

Flights serving the main Paris airports  Charles de Gaulle and Orly  are likely to be affected, along with Toulouse, Beauvais and Nantes. A much wider impact will be felt, though, on services overflying France, including links from the UK and Italy, Switzerland and Spain.

Plans are already in hand to re-route many flights away from France, but changing flight plans puts extra pressure on busy areas such as southern England, the eastern Atlantic and northern Spain.

Some flights between Britain and the Canary Islands will use so-called Tango routes, which involves giving France a wide berth; extra radio and navigation equipment is obligatory for these oceanic routings, which also take longer and burn more fuel.

To exacerbate the problems for airlines and their passengers, the strike coincides with two long-planned projects: a re-sectorisation programme at Zurich that will reduce capacity in eastern Switzerland by 20 per cent on Monday and 10 per cent thereafter; and a large-scale military exercise called Real Thaw, which is taking place in Portuguese airspace.

Eurocontrol has asked air forces in other nations to moderate the amount of airspace that is closed for military flying.

The French civil aviation authority, the DGCA, mandates a certain level of service to be maintained during strikes. It is expected to tell airlines 24 hours in advance of each days strike what proportion of their services must be cancelled.

In addition, there are often short-notice delays and groundings because of the walk-out.

The worst-affected airline could be easyJet  60 per cent of its flights normally touch French airspace. A spokesperson for easyJet said: Like all airlines, our flights to and from French airports, as well as those flying in French airspace, might be affected.

Should strike action go ahead, easyJet will advise affected customers of any flight changes via email and SMS.

Monarch told The Independent: Whilst we anticipate that there may be disruption, we plan to operate a full schedule.

Thomas Reynaert, managing director of the aviation forum, Airlines For Europe, has condemned striking air-traffic controllers for infringing on peoples rights and destroying their holiday plans.

Passengers are not entitled to cash compensation for delays and cancellations. But airlines must provide meals and accommodation to disrupted travellers, and in the event of cancellations re-book them on the first available flight  even if it is operated by a rival carrier.
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Government spin doctors are busy planting stories that the nice caring Prime Minister who wants all Europeans here to live happily ever after amongst us has been stopped by the wicked witch of Berlin who wont grant reciprocal rights to Brits in Europe.

Nothing could be further from the truth. To begin with, Angela Merkel cannot dictate to other EU countries what their rules should be for the registration of foreigners. For example, in Spain there are 300,000 British citizens who are empadronados  registered on the electoral rolls as full time residents in Spain.

But British embassy officials in Madrid reckon there are up to one million Brits who own a property in Spain, have retired there, come and go doing business, or who study in the country.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters 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 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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

Do they all get permanent resident rights? And if so, who lists them and checks on their eligibility?

That is the point every official and politician politely makes in Berlin when asked about reciprocal citizenship rights.

Please tell us how, they say, how many Germans, let alone other EU citizens there are in the UK?

And Theresa May cannot answer this question as we have no register of foreigners and no identity card system as is normal in all other EU member states and Switzerland.

We dont count people in or people out. So the puzzled Berlin advisor to Merkel on these matters has to report: The Brits cannot give us any figures, they have no lists, they dont know if European citizens have been there for one week, one year, or more than a decade. And now they are blaming you, Frau Chancellor, because of the Brexit vote has exposed the failings of British administration.

 Government suffers defeat in Lords over plan to begin Brexit negotiations

The question of Europeans chez nous and Brits over there is also unbalanced. If there are up to one million Brits in Spain, we do not know how many Spanish there are in Britain. We know there are nearly 900,000 Poles here but the number of British citizens living full time in Poland is not a tenth of that number.

So the problem is a bilateral Madrid-London or London-Warsaw one and not a matter for Angela Merkel to decide.

EU capitals are also aware of the extraordinary complexity of applying for British residency with the now legendary 85-page form to fill in and Home Office jobsworths gleefully rejecting European spouses of British citizens who have lived here for years, raised British children, but fail on some minor bureaucratic point.

The Migration Observatory reckons it will take 140 years to process the up to 3.5 million EU citizens here who may seek permanent residence.

So blaming Berlin, the favourite game of eurosceptics for decades, wont convince a single German politician until we can tell them who is here. We cannot do that and Theresa May should take unilateral action to say Europeans are welcome to stay.

For once, a unilateral British action on a sensitive EU issue would get a warm response.

Denis MacShane is the former Minister of Europe and a senior advisor at Avisa Partners, Brussels.
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After Isis captured Mosul in June 2014, people in Baghdad waited in terror to see if its fighters would go on to storm the capital. There was very little to stop them as the Iraqi army in northern Iraq broke up and fled south. Many government ministers and MPs rushed to the airport and took refuge in Jordan. When an American military delegation arrived to review the defences of Baghdad, they were told by a senior Iraq official to look to see which ministers had put fresh sandbags around their ministries. Those that have done so like myself will stay and fight; where you see old sandbags it means the minister doesnt care because he is intending to run.

Two and a half years later, it is Isis fighters who are battling street-to-street to hold onto west Mosul, their last big stronghold in Iraq, in the face of multiple assaults by a revived Iraqi army backed by US airpower. The last road out of the city to the west was cut by Iraqi government forces on 1 March and they have also captured one of the half-ruined bridges over the Tigris River that bisects Mosul, which they are planning to repair using US-supplied pontoons. Iraqi military units backed by some 50 US airstrikes a day are getting close to the complex of buildings that used to house the government headquarters in the centre of the city.

Iraqi officials and officers announce only advances and victories, reports that often turn out to be premature or untrue. But there is no doubt that the Iraqi security services are winning the struggle for Mosul, though fighting could go on for a long time amid the close-packed buildings and narrow, twisting alleyways. Already shelling and airstrikes are causing heavy casualties among families sheltering in cellars or beneath the stairs in their houses.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters 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

The battle will probably continue for a long time, but the capture of Mosul looks inevitable and will be a calamitous defeat for Isis. When its few thousand fighters seized the city and defeated a government garrison of 60,000 in 2014, it portrayed its victory as a sign that God was on its side. But the same logic works in reverse and today all Isis can offer its followers is a series of hard-fought defeats and withdrawals.

The crucial question concerns whether or not the fall of Mosul means the effective end of the caliphate declared by its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The caliphates significance was that at one time it ruled territory with a population of five or six million people in Iraq and Syria, where it sought to establish a truly Islamic State. It is this dream  or nightmare  that is now being shattered. Isis may still control some territory in Iraq and more in Syria, but it has nothing like the human and material resources it enjoyed at the height of its power when it controlled territory stretching from the Iranian border almost to the Mediterranean coast.

Isis still has some strengths, including experienced and skilful commanders leading a core of fanatical fighters numbering as many as 4,000 in west Mosul alone. They have already killed 500 and wounded 3,000 of the Iraqi security services best soldiers in the struggle for east Mosul, which was meant to last a few weeks and instead took three months. There is a no reason the same thing should not happen in the west of the city where the warren of streets gives the defence an advantage. Foreign fighters know they cannot blend into the population and escape, so they have no choice but to fight to the death.

 Iraqi forces launch push to retake western Mosul from IS

Other factors work in favour of Isis: it is fighting a vast array of enemies forced into an unwilling coalition against Isis because they fear and hate it just a little bit more than they hate and fear each other. As Isis weakens and becomes less of a threat, the edgy detente between different anti-Isis forces, such as the Iraqi government and the Iraqi Kurds, will begin to fray. People in Baghdad recall that the Kurds took advantage of the defeat of the Iraqi army in 2014 to grab extensive lands long disputed between themselves and the Arabs. Once freed of the menace of Isis, non-Kurdish Iraqis will want these territories back.

In Syria, there is an even more complicated three-cornered fight between the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian Kurds and Turkey for the areas from which Isis is retreating. Turkish troops and their local proxies have just taken al-Bab, northeast of Aleppo, from Isis after a hard fought siege, and have started attacking the town of Manbij nearby, which was taken from Isis after a long battle late last year by the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Mobilisation Units (YPG) and its Arab allies. As Isis is driven out, the YPG and Turkish-backed forces are left facing each other in what might be the beginning of a new Kurdish-Turkish war waged across northern Syria.

Even those familiar with the complexities and shifting alliances of the Syrian civil war are baffled by the likely outcome as the different players in Syria position themselves to take advantage of a likely attack on Raqqa, the de facto Syrian capital of Isis. Will the US continue to use the devastating firepower of its air force to support a YPG-led ground offensive? Or could the US administration under Trump take a more pro-Turkish stance and, if it did so, would the Syrian Kurds look for an alternative military alliance with Assad and his Russian backers?

Recommended Iraq army makes big gains in battle to oust Isis from Mosul stronghold

The answers to such questions will decide if we are really getting towards the end of the terrible wars in Iraq and Syria that have ravaged the region since 2003 or if we are only seeing an end to a phase in the conflict. In Iraq, the government has survived the disasters of 2014 and is about to defeat Isis in Mosul, though the Baghdad administration remains spectacularly corrupt, sectarian and dysfunctional. Assad in Syria has already won a crucial victory by capturing east Aleppo, the last big urban stronghold of the armed opposition in Syria, and is evidently intending to win back the whole country.

These successes give an exaggerated idea of the real power of the Iraqi army, which owes the reversal in the military tide to the support of foreign powers and, above all, to US airpower. The same is true of the Syrian army in its reliance on Russia and Russian airstrikes. So far, the mix of cooperation and rivalry between the US and Russia in Syria that developed under President Obama has not changed much under Donald Trump.

Yet the war is not quite over. Isis has a tradition of responding to defeats on the battlefield by carrying out terrorist attacks in the region, Europe, Turkey or other parts of the world. Some spectacular atrocities would enable it once again to dominate the news agenda and show it is not beaten.

Isis may want to test the Trump administration and see if it can provoke it into an overreaction by some act of terror, just as al-Qaeda was able to do at the time of 9/11.
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All over Europe, compulsory military service has gradually been phased out, but  given recent terrorist attacks and an increasingly aggressive Russia  could it be time for a rethink?

Sweden has followed Norway, announcing plans to introduce military conscription for both sexes: 13,000 recruits will be called up each year, from which 4,000 will be selected for service. Currently, most EU countries rely on volunteers, and there are few penalties for refusing to serve when asked.

Public opinion started to change following the Russian annexation of Crimea and the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris in 2015. In Switzerland, a referendum in 2013 revealed that 73 per cent favoured conscription; there, young people have a choice between joining the military or the civil protection force.

In France, polls show 80 per cent of the public would like compulsory military service to return (it ended in 2002), whereas in Germany only 36 per cent are in favour. The arrival of millions of refugees and an increasing number of attacks on civilians by groups claiming to be acting as part of an army in the name of radical Islam have placed new strains on security services, particularly in France and Germany.

In some EU countries, youth unemployment is so high that compulsory service has been proposed as a solution. Perhaps the UK might consider a different form of youth service  not military  which relies on volunteers, properly funded and lasting one or two years. It could be residential, but thats not essential.

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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. 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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

At the moment, too many working-class boys are underperforming, lacking in motivation, technical and social skills. In short, many are unemployable. Its all very well to create apprenticeships, but there arent enough and some of the jobs sound pretty grim. These young men need to learn confidence and the realities of life before we start urging them to become plumbers and electricians. In the meantime, they collect benefits and just fester.

A youth force might tackle jobs that councils are finding tough to finance, like litter clearance, helping with basic tasks in the production and delivery of meals on wheels, cleaning in old peoples homes, and maintaining parks and open spaces. This work neednt be demeaning. A carefully targeted youth force paid the living wage could inspire leadership, provide education and create the leaders of tomorrow. Otherwise, where will the next generation of politicians come from?
Industrial action in a row over cost-cutting at Bus Eireann had threatened to cripple the nationwide network from Monday

A planned all-out indefinite strike at Bus Eireann has been called off as bosses and unions agreed to attend talks.

Industrial action in a row over cost-cutting at the carrier had threatened to cripple the nationwide bus network from Monday.

But both the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) and Siptu said they would sit down with company bosses at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

The strike action has been "suspended" to allow for the negotiations to take place.

Dermot O'Leary, general secretary of the NBRU, said the decision to call off action was made possible after Bus Eireann agreed to shelve some cutbacks.

He added: "We will of course endeavour, on behalf of commuters and our members, to work towards resolving this crisis.

"However, the attitude displayed by Bus Eireann management to-date has left us with no option but to advise our members that they should remain on a war-footing and be prepared to engage in an immediate all-out strike, should the company plough ahead with its Irish Ferries-style attack on bus workers' moderate terms and conditions."

Willie Noone, of Siptu, said it postponed strike action "in deference to a request by the WRC" to do so.

"Siptu representatives will continue to play their part in trying to avert a national public transport dispute but we rely on the management of Bus Eireann making genuine efforts to reach a resolution," he said.

Bus Eireann said it was deferring recently announced cost-cutting measures to allow the talks take place.

These measures included the axing of routes between Dublin and Derry, Clonmel and Westport within weeks while services between the capital and Limerick and Galway were to be curtailed.

The cutbacks were expected to impact on pay and jobs.

Earlier this week, Transport Minister Shane Ross insisted he would not make an 11th-hour intervention to resolve the row.

Bus Eireann says it lost up to 9 million euro (7.7 million) last year and will be insolvent by the end of this year - its 30th anniversary - with the loss of all 2,600 jobs unless an emergency survival plan is agreed.

Unions claim cost-cutting measures being proposed by the company will result in effective pay cuts of up to 30%.
The European Parliament's president has thrown his backing behind Ireland in future Brexit talks.

After meeting the Taoiseach in Brussels yesterday, Antonio Tajani said Brexit would be "a particular challenge" for Ireland and he would "take into account Ireland's concerns".

"Firstly, Ireland must ensure that its economy and trade, that is deeply linked to the UK, is protected," Mr Tajani told reporters.

"Secondly, it must ensure that the achievements of the Good Friday Agreement, which gave us peace in Northern Ireland, are included in any future agreement between the UK and the European Union. Both issues will have the full attention of the European Parliament."

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was on his second whistle-stop tour of Brussels in as many weeks, which took in the EU's three main institutions.

He met the commission's lead negotiator Michel Barnier, who - according to a government spokesman - agreed to "intensify the already close engagement" with Ireland ahead of the UK's notice to quit the EU, due by the end of the month.

Donald Tusk, who chairs the meetings of the 27 EU leaders, was more circumspect, tweeting - in Irish - that he had a "worthwhile" meeting with Mr Kenny.

Disruption

Meanwhile, Moody's Investors Service has warned that Brexit could be worse for Ireland than initially thought, with lower export growth and a deeper disruption to business.

Added to that, potential changes in tax policies in the United States also risk harming the State's public finances as the majority of corporate tax receipts come from US multinationals, the body said.

Some form of Border controls were likely to be put in place between Northern Ireland and the Republic post-Brexit, Moody's said, and any upsides in terms of increased financial services investment could be dented by the housing crisis.

"The impact on Ireland's medium-term growth prospects could be significant," Moody's said. "Most of the negative impact would be felt within the first three years after the UK's actual exit. The impact on Ireland's medium-term economic growth prospects could well be larger than what had been assumed initially."

Moody's pointed out that supply chains were deeply integrated between Ireland and the UK, and could face disruption.

Read more: Colm McCarthy - Brexit talks will force us to make some difficult choices

In many manufacturing sectors, nearly half of all imported intermediate goods, for use in Irish production processes, were sourced from the UK, Moody's said.

"Some form of border controls will likely have to be reintroduced between the Republic and Northern Ireland, adding to the trade disruption," it said.

Moody's also said that plans for US corporate tax reform under President Donald Trump could be an "immediate and relevant" risk for Ireland.
When Irish farmers hear a Dublin accent critiquing their stock its not always welcome, Allan Morris admits, but the man from Drimnagh has been working with meat on plates for 27 years and knows a thing or two about what the worlds top chefs are looking for.

Morris, originally from Drimnagh in Dublin but now living in Roscommon trained and worked as a butcher for years and is part owner of John Stone, a joint venture with Kepak, which supplies Irish beef to high end restaurants worldwide.

Its a niche business  we only sell at the top end of the market, mainly to Asia and the Middle East and into to four-star plus chefs that want fat and intermarbelling muscled beef.

These fat cuts come from primarily R4H fat steers or heifers under 30 months, which he says would not be acceptable by the likes of Tesco.

I select the fat ones, which is a downgrade, and not acceptable for the likes of Tesco and its the loin cuts Im after. I dont sell top sides, or briskets, just loin cuts  rib eye, striploin, fillet and rump. The rest I have no market for.

Allan also says he has no particular favourite breed. Many chefs are brainwashed with Angus, but after 27 years experience not all Angus are perfect, or Hereford. The skill is down to the farmer.

Just because they are Angus or Hereford does not make them great, they may not be finished right.

My team are looking for 320-380kg, with a fat score of 4 upwards and R grades. People are always surprised I dont select all Angus or Hereford, but its all about the meat underneath not what looks good in a field.

From Drimnagh to Dubai

In Dubai for Gulfood, Morris explains that John Stone evolved through his work with Russel Meats, which is owned by John Stone, and Kepak. Morris started work as a butcher in Ireland when he left school at 15 before moving to the Channel Island where he met John Stone and worked in his specialist meat catering group Russel Meats.

Russel Meats was one of the first meat companies to offer mail order meat, which it started in 1997 and when looking to expand into more markets it teamed up with Kepak in 2002. Today, the John Stone company operates within the Kepak Group and sells Irish beef to top chefs around the world.

Dry aged beef

According to Allan, the benefits of dry aged beef mean that if its done right the moisture is removed and the flavour concentrated in the beef.

A lot of people in the market are using salt walls and other gimmicks, but we dont need salt walls as it removes moisture, but we use humidity control, temperature and air flow.

And how long it takes, he says, depends on each piece of meat. Once its ready, it can be different amount of days, depending on the beef. Its down to the butchers touch.

John Stone beef, he says, is known around the world for its kitchen-ready format, with minimal preparation left for chefs.

It supplies more than 3,500 restaurants, including The Merrion hotel, the Marker, the Westbury, Thyme and The Fatted Calf in Athlone, while internationally the company sells into Switzerlands premium and largest supermarket chain Migros.

Grass-fed Beef

While John Stone is selling Irish grass-fed beef into top end restaurants worldwide, Allan says that while chefs outside of Ireland do not have the same selection of beef available to them, the competition for the business of such chefs is intense.

Ireland is competing against the biggest beef producers in the world and we have to make sure the beef consistently performs time and time again and we have to innovate and bring new products to make chefs lives easier.

The consumer wants a lean meat that also has fat and thats where grass-fed beef works. But, he says, grass-fed beef has a poor reputation as it traditionally has been associated with other countries and has come from the dairy herd or older animals and thats a challenge that faces the industry here, he says, coupled with more beef from the dairy herd coming on stream.

And the whole industry has a role to play in this, he says.
US President Donald Trump has signalled his intention to support US farmers and ranchers as his administration mulls over a decision to hit EU exports with tariffs as high as 100pc.

The Trumps administration has this week announced its trade agenda, which said it would be strongly advocating for all US farmers and ranchers large and small  to assure the "fairest possible treatment of American interests in the US market and in other markets around the world".

To achieve this objective the administration said it has identified four major priorities:

Defend US national sovereignty over trade policy; Strictly enforce US trade laws; Use all possible sources of leverage to encourage other countries to open their markets to US exports of goods and services, and provide adequate and effective protection and enforcement of US intellectual property rights Negotiate new and better trade deals with countries in key markets around the world.

It comes as the US Trade representative is examining the the possibility of imposing a tariff on certain imported products, including beef, called for submissions on the situation and received more than 11,500 responses prior to the deadline.

The US has said it is taking action against what it calls the EU's unfair trade practices, which it says discriminate against the US beef industry.

It says the EU's ban on hormone-treated US beef is not based on sound science and discriminates against American beef farmers, ranchers and producers.

The US National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the US Meat Export Federation wrote to the Office of the US Trade Representative before Christmas calling for an end to tariff concessions on EU exports and said that the US domestic beef industry would benefit from such a move.

The ban has been in place for around 20 years, and led the US to tackle the EU at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The EU bans the import of beef and beef products produced from animals to which any of six hormones have been administered for growth-promotion purposes in the US.

That case resulted in a 2009 deal with the EU agreeing to a hormone-free beef quota of 62,660 tonnes in carcass weight equivalent.

But the US says that agreement is not working as it should.

Other EU products under consideration for the imposition of increased duties include Roquefort cheese, hair clippers and Vespa scooters.

The European Commission had argued that this issue should be resolved through TTIP.

However, given that European officials decided after their trade ministers' meeting in September not to complete TTIP this year, the US has decided that now is the time to take action.

The US beef industry exports an average $6bn per year. These exports produce an estimated $7.6bn in economic activity and support 50,000 jobs in the US.
The food standards regulations which set compositional requirements for ice-cream, and specifically its minimum milk-fat, milk solids and sugar content are set to be changed.

The Minister of State for Health Promotion, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, has proposed to revoke the current Food Standards (Ice-Cream) Regulations dating from 1952.

In a statement by the FSAI, the ice cream industry, in an effort to make food healthier and to meet some of the objectives set in the Department of Healths Strategy, is seeking to reformulate high fat, salt, sugar foods and drinks.

In particular, the stipulation that ice-cream contain at least 10% by weight of sugar presents problems for any company wishing to reduce the sugar content of its ice-cream products, according to the FSAI.

It says the purpose of the proposed Regulations is to revoke these compositional standards as soon as possible.

Having consulted other relevant government departments and official agencies, it is considered that is no longer fit for purpose and has largely been superseded by EU legislation, she said.

Recent research found that Ireland has the third highest consumption of ice cream per capita in Europe and the product has a retail market value of approximately 75.8m, according to Bord Bia.
Harry Hughes, one of the directors at Co Mayo firm Portwest

Irish protective clothing company Portwest has completed the takeover of Australian Prime Mover Workwear in a deal worth 7.5m.

Mayo-based Portwest also confirmed it is to open a new factory in Myanmar this year that will cost in the region of 10m and employ 1,200 people.

Portwest recently made headlines when the Hughes family behind the brand bought the historic Westport House in Mayo for around 10m. Plans are underway to develop the 450-acre site.

The company currently employs 1,700 people at a manufacturing site in Bangladesh.

Portwest currently has warehousing facilities in the US, Dubai, the UK, Poland and Ireland. The company's protective clothing is widely used in mining, building and security industries.

Prime Mover is the largest privately owned workwear company in Australia. It was founded in 2004 by Brett Birkill who will remain with the company as ceo for Australia and New Zealand.

"This marks an exciting new phase of development for Portwest and we look forward to working with Brett in expanding our reach in this area," said Owen Hughes, acquisition and financial director at Portwest.

The deal is the latest in a slew of investments being undertaken by the company which is led by brothers Cathal, Harry and Owen Hughes of Westport.

"We were looking at another investment in Australia when Prime Mover came to our attention," said Owen Hughes. "Having talked with them it became clear that their business model is very similar to our own. We are going to leave the current management structure in place and we believe we can add a lot of value to the business."

Birkill said Portwest came along at just the right time. "I feel confident that the Portwest team will continue to uphold the quality and service I've spent 13 years building. They actually care," he said.

Meanwhile, around 200 jobs are expected to be created at Westport House, when the development is completed.

Portwest says that it expects turnover at the company to hit 350m by 2020. "We have a strong affinity to the area in that we are locals. That said, we are businesspeople and we invested in Westport House because we believe in its potential to generate returns," said Mr Hughes.

He said the upcoming expansion in Myanmar would harness the group's growth potential in the coming years.
Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair said its traffic rose by 10pc in February to 8.2 million passengers.

The airline announced that traffic last month grew by 800,000 passengers compared to the same period in 2016.

On an annual basis, the company said traffic had risen by 14.1pc to 119 million customers.

Ryanair said that an improvement in its customer services policy had contributed to the increase in numbers.

Ryanairs lower fares and Always Getting Better services are leading to slightly higher than expected load factors in Q4 and accordingly we now expect full year traffic to just about hit 120m, up almost 13pc over the 106.4m customers we carried in full year 2016, said Ryanair's Kenny Jacobs.
Total Produce remains on the hunt for acquisitions, having just boosted its holding in Canadian fresh produce distributor Oppy by paying 28.4m for an additional 30pc stake in the business.

Total Produce chairman Carl McCann said the company had spent 60m on acquisitions last year, including 17m in contingent consideration. They included the purchase of a 65pc stake in Los Angeles-based Progressive Produce for an initial 28m, with a contingent consideration of 10.5m.

He was speaking as Total Produce posted a 16.8pc increase in adjusted pre-tax profits to 67.7m for 2016, and revenue of 3.7bn, a 9pc rise. Excluding acquisitions, revenue was 4pc higher.

The group also said that it's increasing its share in Oppy to 65pc. It acquired its initial 35pc stake in the company behind the Oppy business in 2013 for 15m.

Oppy has annual sales of about C$1bn (720m), and provides fresh produce to retailers, wholesalers and food services customers throughout the United States and Canada. As part of a wider transaction, Oppy has also signed a strategic deal with New Zealand-based T&G Global, the country's largest grower, packer, distributor, marketer and exporter of fresh produce, in volume terms.

T&G Global's majority shareholder is Germany's Baywa, a company whose activities stretch across agriculture, energy and building materials.

Under the deal struck with Oppy, T&G Global will increase its shareholding in Oppy's largest subsidiary, US-based David Oppenheimer & Co (DOC), to 39.4pc from the 15pc share it has held since 1997.

The enlarged T&G holding in DOC will be equivalent to the share in DOC held by Total Produce.

Oppy will also acquire from T&G Global a 50pc share in T&G Global's California-based export business, T&G Global North America, which trades in the market as Delica North America.

It primarily exports fresh produce to China and south east Asia.

Total Produce made acquisitions last year in the UK, the United States, Holland and Chile as it expanded its global footprint.

But it still has significant financial headroom to make further acquisitions. At the end of 2016, it had net debt of 48.4m compared to 18.1m at the end of 2015.

But its ratio of net debt to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) stood at just 0.5 times at end of 2016.

Total Produce was spun off from Fyffes in 2006. Fyffes has just been sold for 751m to Japan's Sumitomo Corporation. Shares in Total Produce were trading 2.4pc higher after the open yesterday, valuing it at 609m.
The amount of tax collected so far this year is 44m better than expected, even though income tax has fallen short.

Income tax is 6pc below the target for February, which runs counter to data showing a steady fall in unemployment.

But the Department of Finance said this was due to exit taxes on life assurance policies coming in below target.

So far this year, 7.47bn has been collected in taxes - 44m, or 0.6pc, ahead of target.

The total has been boosted by better-than-projected VAT receipts, which are 212m ahead of profile even though February was a non-VAT month.

The better-than-expected performance was helped in part by lower than projected repayments to companies.

Strong

Peter Vale, tax partner at Grant Thornton, said Finance Minister Michael Noonan would be hoping that ongoing strong VAT receipts and corporation tax collections prop up any further underperformances.

"However, longer term, both VAT and corporation tax receipts remain susceptible to developments elsewhere, including Brexit and potential US tax reform," he said.

Davy Stockbrokers struck a more upbeat tone, saying the data paints an encouraging picture.

"The highlight so far is VAT receipts, up 17pc on last year," Davy economist Conall Mac Coille said.

"The public finances are already 130m ahead of the Government's 1.2bn deficit target for 2017."

So far this year, income tax is 3.8pc below target, corporation tax is 4.7pc lower, excise is 7.3pc below, and stamp duty is 12.9pc under. VAT is 8.1pc above target.
PLANS for a mega merger of Munster credit unions have hit a stumbling block, with members of the financially-stronger lender opposing the tie-up.

Angry members of Tipperary's Clonmel Credit Union attended a meeting on Tuesday night opposing plans for their lender to take over troubled Charleville CU.

Regulators and representative bodies are urging Cork's Charleville to allow itself be taken over by Clonmel.

However, Charleville has a historic problem with bad debts and needs funding of 4m from a League of Credit Unions rescue fund to shore up its balance sheet.

There was universal opposition to the merger plans at the Clonmel meeting, which was attended by 130 members after being convened at short notice. Members said they first heard of the planned merger when it was reported in the Irish Independent last week.

And they were disappointed there was so little information provided by their lender since, according to Cllr Catherine Carey, of Sinn Fein, who organised and chaired the meeting.

Clonmel CU pays a healthy dividend every Christmas and offers generous interest rebates, she said. There are fears that linking up with Charleville will impact on these benefits.

"People were angry. They don't want a merger to create a high-falutin bank with huge costs, where you have to queue up to use machines," said Cllr Carey, who is deputy mayor of Clonmel.

She added that people were questioning why a link-up with Charleville was being proposed when the towns are at least 50 miles apart. "We don't want to take on the debts of other people and those at the meeting were annoyed they had to open the newspaper to find out about this," she added.

Ninety of those in attendance voted to exercise the right of credit union members to force the board of Clonmel Credit Union to hold a special general meeting with them to provide information on the proposed merger.

More than 50 members have to sign a petition for this.

Tipperary's Clonmel lender is conducting due diligence ahead of a merger, with the Central Bank closely involved in monitoring developments.

Charleville has been hit by a big fall in the value of its offices in the town - a large former bank branch. No annual general meeting has been held since August 2012, according to the Irish League of Credit Unions.

Charleville has in the past aggressively gone after people who failed to repay loans.

In 2013, it secured 1m in court judgments against 16 individuals, the highest of any credit union that year.

It has been hit by high levels of bad debt despite operating in the wealthy Golden Vale hinterland.

Although they are a considerable distance apart from each other, Clonmel was chosen to take over the Charleville lender due to its financial strength.

The manager of Clonmel CU, Paul Davey, was unavailable for comment, but a joint statement issued by Mr Davey and Charleville manager Annette Kiely earlier this week said exploratory talks were taking place.

"If a merger or transfer of engagement should take place, we will inform the members of both credit unions directly," it said.
By mid-2016, two-and-a-half years after the scheme closed, no housing units had been completed. Stock Image: PA

Just 19 out of 73 sites taken over by a "mini-Nama" scheme to help debt-ridden local authorities have housing construction projects in the pipeline.

Questions were raised at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) about the apparent lack of progress to develop the sites three years after the Land Aggregation Scheme closed.

It allowed councils to offload residential development land, with outstanding debt, to the State.

By mid-2016, two-and-a-half years after the scheme closed, no housing units had been completed, the Comptroller and Auditor General, Seamus McCarthy, told the PAC.

He also said that at the time, 93pc of the sites had either no proposed development in place or the sites had not yet transferred to the Housing Agency.

Fianna Fail TD Shane Cassells said it was positive this "mini-Nama" scheme got "bad land deals" off the books of councils.

But he asked Department of Housing secretary general John McCarthy why there has been a three-year delay in building houses on the sites, given the seriousness of the housing crisis.

Read more: 'We demand answers' - Councillors hold 'closed meeting' to examine why 446 NAMA homes were rejected

Mr McCarthy said use of the sites was determined by the availability of resources and he said that "significantly greater amounts" of funding had only become available since 2015.

He said that 659 housing units on 19 of the sites were now "in our construction pipeline".

Elsewhere, Housing Minister Simon Coveney announced that the European Investment Bank (EIB) is backing a 405m social housing investment programme.

The EIB financing of 200m is being matched by the Housing Finance Agency (HFA) here.

Under the plan, it is expected that 1,400 homes will be built and a further 700 properties will be upgraded.

Mr Coveney made the announcement at a development of 68 homes in Beaumont, Dublin, which were funded under a previous HFA/EIB deal.

Earlier, homeless charity Simon Communities proposed taxing vacant properties as a means of opening up some of the 200,000 empty units for use.

Spokeswoman Niamh Randall said it was "unacceptable" that 198,358 homes lie empty.

She pointed out this was 27 times the number of people in emergency accommodation - 7,167 men, women and children.

Mr Coveney said his strategy for getting vacant properties back into use would involve incentives rather than penalties.

He said measures he had already implemented were "starting to work".

He said the Government had committed 140m to a repair and leasing initiative to encourage property owners to bring empty properties back into use for social housing. He also said the Housing Agency has been given 70m to purchase vacant properties.
Amazon has blamed a typo for a massive cloud-computing outage that caused problems for thousands of websites and apps.

The web giant has apologised for the five-hour outage of some Amazon Web Services that took down websites including Slack, Trello and Medium.

Amazon has now revealed exactly what went wrong, explaining that an incorrectly typed command during a routine debugging of its billing system was to blame, also known as a fat-finger typo.

The employee only intended to remove a small number of servers, but instead the typo caused unprecedented performance problems for thousands of companies that rely on Amazons cloud-computing service.

Unfortunately, one of the inputs to the command was entered incorrectly and a larger set of servers was removed than intended, the Seattle company explained.

Read More

Amazon added its Simple Storage Service had experienced massive growth over the past few years, adding that the process of restarting these services and running the necessary safety checks to validate the integrity of the metadata took longer than expected.

The Jeff Bezos company said it was making several changes to prevent a similar incident from happening again.

We want to apologise for the impact this event caused for our customers, the company said.

We know how critical this service is to our customers, their applications and end users, and their businesses. We will do everything we can to learn from this event and use it to improve our availability even further.

Last year, this lucky man became $123m richer after a banking error.

While another Redditor asked the internet for help on what do with $400,000 (265,000) that appeared in their bank account.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Cloud data provider Interxion has opened a third data centre in Dublin in a 28m development.

The Dutch company said it had also purchased additional land at the Grange Castle Business Park site for future expansion.

Since Interxion opened its first data centre in Ireland in 2001 demand for our services has continued to grow and evolve as Irelands economy changed, said Tanya Duncan, managing director of Interxion Ireland

The data centre industry in Ireland continues to thrive and the Grange Castle Business Park has become a strategic location for businesses looking to interconnect mission critical services in Ireland.

Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald thanked the company for their continued investment in her constituency.

This development is evidence of the companys continuing commitment to Ireland and to the community here, Ms Fitzgerald said.

With data increasingly becoming the lifeblood of the global economy, Ireland is well positioned to thrive as a location for the worlds best and most efficient data centres well into the future, the minister added.
The corporate headquarters of Caterpillar Inc. the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines, based in Peoria, Illinois August 5, 2009. REUTERS/Jeff Haynes

Federal law enforcement officials conducting a criminal probe of heavy machinery manufacturer Caterpillar searched three of its facilities on Thursday, prompting a sharp sell-off in the company's stock.

A spokeswoman for the US Attorney Office for the Central District of Illinois, Sharon Paul, confirmed that federal law enforcement officials conducted searches at locations in Peoria, East Peoria and Morton, Illinois, but did not say why agents raided the three facilities.

Caterpillar, in a statement issued on Thursday afternoon, said it believed the search was part of an Internal Revenue Service investigation related to profits earned by a Swiss parts subsidiary, Caterpillar SARL, or CSARL.

It said that "while the warrant is broadly drafted, we believe the execution of this search warrant is regarding, among other things, export filings that relate to the CSARL matter first disclosed in Caterpillar's Form 10-K filed on February 17, 2015, and updated in Caterpillar's most recent Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 15, 2017."

Agencies involved in the search included the IRS' Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security's Office of Export Enforcement, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s Office of Inspector General, Paul said.

Officials at the agencies could not be reached for comment.

Caterpillar shares fell 4.3 percent to close at $94.36 on the New York Stock Exchange after trading as low as $92.84.
Three arrests were carried out here and in the North as part of a joint intelligence-led operation between gardai and the PSNI linked to the murder of David Black. (Stock image)

Garda Special Branch officers have arrested a man wanted in connection with the murder of a Northern Ireland prison officer more than four years ago.

Three arrests were carried out here and in the North as part of a joint intelligence-led operation between gardai and the PSNI linked to the murder of David Black. The prison officer was shot dead when his car was ambushed by New IRA terrorists on the M1 motorway near Lurgan, Co Armagh, as he drove to work in Maghaberry jail in November 2012.

Two men, aged 40 and 59, were arrested yesterday by gardai in Donegal while a 47-year-old woman was detained in Belfast.

The 40-year-old man was named last night by the PSNI as Damien McLaughlin, from Kilmascally Road, Ardboe, Co Tyrone. He had been charged previously with aiding and abetting murder as well as possession of items to be used in terrorism and being a member of an illegal organisation.

Mr McLaughlin was granted bail in May 2014 and had not been seen since last November. He was detained by gardai under a European arrest warrant on a street at Ramelton, Co Donegal, and taken to Dublin. He is due to appear on the warrant before the High Court in Dublin this morning.

Gardai arrested the 59-year-old man, who is from Derry, at the same time in Ramelton and he was held under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

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He was being questioned last night at Letterkenny station.

Senior Garda officers said last night that the arrests followed an extensive intelligence gathering operation and said the Special Branch and other Garda units worked closely with their PSNI counterparts.

PSNI officers last night were questioning the female suspect at Musgrave serious crime suite.

Det Chief Supt Raymond Murray said senior PSNI officers contacted members of the Black family to inform them of the latest developments.
The High Court has quashed, on consent, findings of the planning tribunal against the chairman of Joseph Murphy Structural Engineering (JMSE).

Joseph Murphy junior took proceedings against the tribunal over adverse findings against him in its second and third interim reports.

Yesterday the tribunal acknowledged some material had not been disclosed to Mr Murphy, his late father Joseph Murphy senior and others associated with Murphy interests.

This was unlawful and breached Mr Murphy's Constitutional rights, it said.

The material in question would have enabled the Murphys to conduct an effective and comprehensive cross-examination of the tribunal's main witness, the late James Gogarty.

Following the court's order, Mr Murphy said he was delighted with the outcome.

What the tribunal had found was "far removed" from the values he and his late father had in business, he said.

The tribunal was set up 20 years ago and made findings in 2002 which had "huge consequences" for his business.

Asked if he is to receive any damages as part of the case, he said no, but he was happy with the result and he wanted to "get on with my life".

Reports

A number of statements taken during the tribunal's private investigations were either not disclosed or only disclosed in redacted form and were subsequently the subject of findings in the tribunal's second and third interim reports.

In February last year, the tribunal furnished Mr Murphy with further material which had not been made available and which the tribunal said ought to have been disclosed.

The tribunal acknowledged the findings were made in circumstances which breached the Murphys' rights to fair procedures.

It also acknowledged the findings were unlawful and that they received "enormous publicity which has been extremely damaging to them".

Mr Justice Seamus Noonan, who was also told Ireland and the Attorney General was consenting to a strike out of the case, granted the orders as sought.
Derry McCann, who has admitted to the "terrifying, violent and prolonged" rape of a stranger. Photo: Metropolitan Police/PA Wire

A GROOM has admitted to the "terrifying, violent and prolonged" rape of a stranger hours before he was due to marry his pregnant partner.

Predatory Derry McCann, 28, launched his horrific, two-hour assault as his victim was "within sight" of her front door in an east London park on January 13.

He played "mind games" after dragging the woman into the undergrowth - taunting her by asking what she thought he would do next, Snaresbrook Crown Court was told.

In a further depraved effort to humiliate his victim, he took photos of her following the attack, warning she was lucky that he did not video the ordeal, police said.

Hours later, he tied the knot with his girlfriend, prosecutors said.

His conviction comes a decade after a teenage McCann was jailed for carrying out a similar prolonged rape.

He was handed a life sentence in 2006 for the violent act, which was also committed in a London park, it is understood

The defendant, of Hackney, east London, fixed his eyes on the ground as he pleaded guilty to three counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration and one count of robbery.

Honorary Recorder Martyn Zeidman told the rapist he had carried out a "terrible" crime and faced a "very, very long time" in prison.

Kate Bex, prosecuting, told the court the defendant was "recently released" from jail, adding: "The oldest conviction on Mr McCann's record might also be of some relevance."

McCann's "unusual" behaviour saw him also snatch the woman's mobile phone and bra, the court heard.

Detectives believe he had been stalking another woman in the area before targeting his eventual victim.

Ms Bex said: "It was about midnight, just a little after, and the victim was walking a short distance home having been out to an art gallery, socialising with friends

"She was almost within sight of her own front door when she skirted round the side of the park on her usual route home.

"She avoided walking through the middle of it because that was too dangerous, she walked around the side, but unfortunately when near the exit of the park the defendant grabbed her arm and pulled her to one side."

Police said the panicked woman tried to reason with her attacker - but was punched in the face and threatened with further violence.

"He began a sustained and systematic attack... accompanied by unusual conversation with the victim, best described as mind games in an attempt to control her," Ms Bex said.

"Asking the victim what she thought he was going to do to her before actually carrying out the acts.

"He behaved oddly in other respects in interacting with the victim concerning the condom he used..."

The sex offender was arrested by police on January 18 and charged the following day.

The recorder told him: "You have done the most terrible things and you will be going to prison, as you understand, for a very, very long time."

McCann will be sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on April 28.

Crown Prosecution Service London reviewing lawyer Andrew Held said: "This was a terrifying, violent and prolonged attack involving rapes committed by a man intent on inflicting fear and psychological suffering.

"The strong prosecution case which led to today's guilty pleas included victim testimony, an ID parade, CCTV footage, and bad character evidence based on a similar rape committed by McCann in 2006.

"I would like to thank McCann's victim for her courage in helping bring this prosecution and hope his conviction provides some sense of justice for her."
The Killarney Plaza Hotel where the lift fell four floors. (Stock photo)

The engineering company that installed a hotel lift that suffered a "catastrophic collapse" and crashed down four floors has been found guilty of "shoddy and unsafe" practice.

The lift hurtled down the elevator shaft at the Killarney Plaza Hotel in July 2011 and seriously injured some of the five family members who were inside.

The unanimous verdict by the jury of five women and seven men came after just an hour of deliberations at the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee on the third day of the trial.

The Meehan family were at a wedding in Killarney at the time of the accident.

Judge Thomas E O'Donnell commended the Meehan family on their dignity and resilience after the "horror movie" experience from which they were still recovering.

There had been no appearance by the accused lift installation company Ellickson Engineering Ltd, Kilmurry, Co Waterford.

The trial had to proceed with a not guilty plea. The matter had been investigated by the Health and Safety Authority, not gardai.

Tom Rice, prosecuting barrister for the DPP, told Judge Thomas O'Donnell that Ellickson Engineering Ltd's "assets or a portion of its assets" had been seized by a receiver and sold to another limited liability company.

He was seeking an adjournment of sentencing to find out from the receiver what assets were available so the fine could be determined.

A company called Kilell Ltd now operated part of the business previously operated by Ellickson - but not the lift department, the trial also heard.

In a statement given outside court, Kilell said it acquired the trading name Ellickson and Waterford premises in 2011 from receivers Grant Thornton and stressed that the company was not being prosecuted.

Read more: 'It was like a horror movie' - Family's terror after hotel lift plunged through four floors

Ellickson Engineering Ltd was tried for a single count of a breach of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act to do with the installation at the hotel in and around April 2004.

The Daldoss Easy Life Lift was installed into what was an existing building because of space constraints.

It had special features for a refuge space so it could be safely maintained, the trial heard.

However, wiring, brackets and switches in the electrics for the lift had not been installed, lift specialist Simon Nicholas Lancaster said.

It was "an unsafe and hazardous" environment for workmen.

Anyone working on a breakdown of the lift "could potentially be crushed" should the lift move, he said. The lift could never be properly inspected.

On July 9, 2011, at around 2pm the main sheave house collapsed as the lift approached the fourth level of the hotel.

The Meehan family were trapped inside. They had been coming from the wedding ceremony of a cousin at St Mary's Cathedral and were going for a quick bite to eat, before going on to the wedding reception at another hotel.

Paul Meehan, a garda, said his life flashed in front of him.

It was like "living in a horror movie", he said.
A man charged in connection with the murder of Northern Ireland prison officer David Black has appeared at the High Court in Dublin on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.

Damien Joseph McLaughlin (40), with an address at Glenties Rd, Belfast, was arrested yesterday in County Donegal by a member of the Special Detective Unit.

Mr McLaughlin is wanted by the authorities in Northern Ireland to face allegations that he aided and abetted in the murder of David Black on November 1, 2012, and was in possession of an article suspected of being for the commission of the act of murder.

Mr Black (52) was shot dead on the M1 motorway by dissident republicans as he drove to work in Maghaberry jail.

Mr McLaughlin is also charged with engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism and of being a member of a proscribed organisation.

Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce, of the Special Detective Unit, told counsel for the State Fiona Murphy BL today that he arrested Mr McLaughlin on Thursday in Donegal.

Expand Close Damien Joseph McLaughlin, pictured being carried in a police car to an earlier hearing / Facebook

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He said that he asked the accused man if he was Damien McLaughlin.

Mr McLaughlin nodded, the court heard.

The detective cautioned the man and he replied that he wanted to speak to his solicitor.

He was conveyed to Letterkenny garda station and shown a copy of the European Arrest Warrant.

The detective read over a summary of the offences and asked the accused man if he knew what they were about, the court heard, and Mr McLaughlin said that he did.

Under cross-examination, Det Sgt Boyce told David Leonard BL, for Mr McLaughlin, that the accused man was a passenger in a vehicle when arrested.

The court heard that Mr McLaughlin was dragged out of the car, and his legs were crossed and cable-tied.

Det Sgt Boyce did not agree with the barrister that Mr McLaughlin had been treated with more force than necessary.

The detective said that Mr McLoughlin is "a high-risk person" and that there was a "strong and real possibility" he had a firearm.

He was "dealt with in a prompt and appropriate fashion" and "not treated with any more force than necessary", the detective added.

Mr Leonard submitted to the court that excessive force was used and that "either disregard or insufficient weight was placed on the presumption of innocence".

In these circumstances the arrest was invalid, he said.

Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly rejected the application.

She said that Mr McLaughlin is accused of offences of terrorism.

"It is also alleged that he had been released on bail in Northern Ireland and he failed to abide by the conditions of his bail," she said.

She added that it is important gardai carry out risk assessments before arresting somebody and that she did not consider that excessive force was used or that there was a breach of the presumption of innocence

Mr McLaughlin was remanded in custody until March 20th, when his case is listed for mention again.
Garda Whistleblower Sgt. Maurice McCabe and his wife Lorraine photographed at their home in Mount Nugent on the Cavan/Meath border

Maurice McCabe and his family have issued proceedings against the HSE and Tusla seeking damages over the creation of a file containing false sexual abuse allegations against the garda whistleblower.

Sgt McCabe, his wife Lorraine, and their four children initiated proceedings earlier this week for malicious falsehood, breach of privacy and breach of constitutional rights, Independent.ie has learned.

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Reliefs are also being sought to compel the HSE and Tusla provide information and documents to the family.

It is understood that certain injunctions may also be sought as part of the proceedings.

The High Court proceedings were initiated on Wednesday.

However, statements of claim have yet to be served on the HSE and Tusla.

A counsellor who filed false accusations of sexual abuse against Sgt McCabe was working for the HSEs National Counselling Service when the claims were made in August 2013.

The following May Tusla was told the accusation was the result of a clerical error.

However, the untrue sexual abuse claim remained on a Tusla file until at least January 2016 when a member of its staff, unaware there was no substance to it, contacted Sgt McCabe.

The Tusla file, which included details of Sgt McCabe, his wife and his children, was also shared with gardai.

Both Tusla and the HSE have issued apologies to the McCabes.

However, the McCabes rejected the HSE apology.

They said the HSE statement in which the apology was issued was wrong and that information in it did not coincide with information released to the McCabes by Tusla under the Freedom of Information Act.

The HSE statement said that once the alleged error was discovered all proper procedures were taken by the HSE.

However, the McCabes said their FOI file showed the opposite.

The lawsuit was filed just two days after the Disclosure Tribunal, which will investigate claims of an alleged smear campaign against Sgt McCabe, opened at Dublin Castle.

The tribunal is currently seeking submissions from anyone with information about matters covered by its terms of reference.

Parties have until March 13 to make submissions and hand over any evidence they have to the tribunal, which is headed by Mr Justice Peter Charleton.
A mother-of-two was filmed jogging across a road after telling a consultant she could not move her right leg and ankle and was suffering serious back pain.

Circuit Civil Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke said that Stephen Bothma, private investigator with Core Group Investigations, had also filmed Esther Lamidi getting into her car without "any bother or restriction of movement".

Barrister Lisa Kelly, counsel for Zurich Insurance, and motorist John Lowry in a personal injuries claim against them for 60,000 said Ms Lamidi had told defence medical consultant Aidan Gleeson, on the day of the video recording, that she was "unable to function in any way".

"You told him that you struggled to move about and pain was restricting your movements," Ms Kelly told Ms Lamidi, of North Strand Road, North Strand, Dublin 3.

Ms Lamidi (33) had claimed in evidence that Mr Lowry, a bus driver travelling home after a night shift, had driven across a stop line at Mountjoy Square traffic junction and crashed into her car.

Ms Kelly told Ms Lamidi, an unaccompanied provisional licence holder, that she had ignored Mr Lowry twice beeping the horn at her and that she had failed to yield while his vehicle was in control of the junction.

"With regard to your injuries you have at the very least exaggerated your evidence," Ms Kelly said.

She told Ms Lamidi, who said she could not remember if she had failed four, five or six driving tests, that her evidence had been totally inconsistent with what she had said to the insurer's medical expert and the court.

Ms Lamidi said she had been driving on a provisional licence for the past 17 years.

Judge Groarke, throwing out Ms Lamidi's claim with costs against her, said impact damage was not consistent with her evidence that Mr Lowry had driven into the junction at speed. He said Ms Lamidi, who wept almost continuously throughout her evidence, had not complained to her GP of back pain until almost 18 months after the accident.
Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan has stepped down from an important internal panel that determines senior promotions within the force.

Ms O'Sullivan is to be replaced by one of her deputies, Donal O Cualain, on the panel that appoints assistant commissioners.

The commissioner has said she has taken the decision for "work-related reasons".

But sources point out that she must now prepare for the fact that she will be a key witness at the Charleton Inquiry, which is examining the alleged smear campaign against Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe.

The move to step down from the board was taken this week following communication between the force and the Policing Authority.

Ms O'Sullivan has strongly rejected concerns about her capacity to lead the force while also dealing with the tribunal.

The chairperson of the Policing Authority, Josephine Feehily, said last week it had concerns about her ability to do both.

The commissioner rejected these concerns, saying she had put a team in place to drive planned reforms of the force while also dealing with the needs of the tribunal.

"We are already on record as saying we will fully co-operate with the tribunal in every way, and we look forward to being able to do that," she said.

Referring to vacancies that previously existed at senior management level in the force, she said: "In the last three years I as an individual, as both an interim commissioner of An Garda Siochana and the Commissioner of An Garda Siochana, have had to operate on a very limited capacity, so I am no stranger at having to operate at a limited capacity."

Asked if she was surprised by Ms Feehily's comments, the Commissioner said: "We discussed in detail at both private and public meetings with the authority and at no stage did the authority express anything other than confidence in our capacity to do the job."

Smears

Separately, Alan Shatter refused to say if he was aware, when he was justice minister, of false smears allegedly circulated by senior gardai about whistleblower Sgt McCabe.

Mr Shatter resigned from the cabinet in May 2014, a month after a file was created by Tusla containing a false sexual abuse allegation against Sgt McCabe.

The former TD told the Irish Independent the first he learned of the file was when he saw a report last month on RTE.

He said he was "reflecting" on whether he would make a submission to the Disclosure Tribunal, which is investigating the treatment of Sgt McCabe and other whistleblowers by Garda management.

Asked if he had information that would be relevant to the work of the tribunal, Mr Shatter said: "The first I learned of the bizarre conduct of the HSE and Tusla, and I can say this without any fear of contradiction, was when I watched the 'Prime Time' programme. I think Judge Charleton is an excellent judge. I wish him well with the tribunal. I am reflecting on whether there is anything that I might submit to him that would assist him in his work."

Asked if he was aware of any attempts to smear Sgt McCabe, Mr Shatter said: "I am simply not going to get into that today."
The breakthrough has been described as a masterpiece in bioengineering

Artificial human life could soon be grown from scratch in the lab, after scientists successfully created a mammal embryo using only stem cells.

Cambridge University mixed two kinds of mouse stem cells and placed them on a 3D scaffold.

After four days of growth in a tank of chemicals designed to mimic conditions inside the womb, the cells formed the structure of a living mouse embryo.

The breakthrough has been described as a 'masterpiece' in bioengineering, which could eventually allow scientists to grow artificial human embryos in the lab without the need for a sperm or an egg.

Pregnancy

Growing embryos would help researchers to study the very early stages of human life so they could understand why so many pregnancies fail, but is likely to prove controversial and raise ethical questions about what constitutes human life.

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Whatsapp Cambridge University mixed two kinds of mouse stem cells and placed them on a 3D scaffold. After four days of growth in a tank of chemicals designed to mimic conditions inside the womb, the cells formed the structure of a living mouse embryo.

Currently scientists can carry out experiments on leftover embryos from IVF treatments, but they are in short supply and must be destroyed after 14 days.

Scientists say that being able to create unlimited artificial embryos in the lab could speed up research while potentially removing some of the ethical boundaries.

"We think that it will be possible to mimic a lot of the developmental events occurring before 14 days using human stem cells using a similar approach to our technique using mouse stem cells," said Professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz from the department of physiology, development and neuroscience at Cambridge, who led the research.

"We are very optimistic that this will allow us to study key events of this critical stage of human development without actually having to work on (IVF) embryos.

"Knowing how development normally occurs will allow us to understand why it so often goes wrong."

The embryos were created using genetically engineered stem cells coupled with extra-embryonic trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) which form the placenta in a normal pregnancy.

Previous attempts to grow embryos using only one kind of stem cell proved unsuccessful because the cells would not assemble into their correct positions.

But scientists discovered that when they added the second 'placental' stem cell, the two types began to talk to each other, effectively telling each other where to go.

Together they eventually melded to form an embryonic structure, with two distinct clusters of cells at each end, and a cavity in the middle in which the embryo would continue to develop.

The embryo would not grow into a mouse because it lacks the stem cells which make a yolk sack.

However, such work raises ethical questions about the sanctity of human life and whether it should be manipulated or created in the lab at all.

Critics warn that allowing embryos to be grown for science opens the door to designer babies and genetically modified humans.

But the study was welcomed by the scientific community who said it was a significant breakthrough.

Dr Dusko Ilic, Reader in stem cell science, King's College London, described the research as a "masterpiece" in creating the earliest steps of life in a lab.

"This report is significant. The group from Cambridge is actually making the embryos de novo, using two different cell types, mixing them in a specific ratio and letting them to assemble together the embryo. This is science at its best."

The research was published in the journal 'Science' and was funded by the Wellcome Trust and the European Research Council.
Children who desperately need spinal surgery to treat scoliosis may have to travel to the UK for the procedure.

Health Minister Simon Harris has said this was among the options being examined as part of a new scoliosis plan, which he has just received from the HSE.

The aim is to have no child waiting for surgery for more than four months at the end of the year.

The plight of scores of children, whose spines are deteriorating, causing them pain and damage to organs, has been compounded by the inability to fully open a new state-of -the-art theatre at Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin.

The minister, who was before the Oireachtas Health Committee yesterday to outline how the 14.1bn allocation to the health service will be spent this year, reiterated that it will be able to do more operations from April and this will be escalated further from July when a new surgeon arrives.

Referring to spiralling waiting lists for children and adults, he said the aim was to have nobody waiting longer than 15 months by October.

The concentration will be on those who are waiting longest, he said.

"The HSE is currently working on the development of a waiting list action plan," he said.

In the past year, hospitals have hired an additional 135 new consultants and although it is hard to fill vacancies in some specialties, the picture overall is "improving".

Questioned on the trolley crisis in emergency departments, Mr Harris said work is to begin this month on next winter's plan.

He has asked the HSE to look at what worked and the failures in the last winter initiative.

He told the committee members that the strain of flu circulating this year was particularly impacting on older people and it has not been seen here since 2009.

The death toll from flu rose to 76 yesterday with most of its victims over 65.

Questioned about the fact that there are just 5,000 public nursing home beds currently available, he said this was due to the need to upgrade services and considerable investment was being made to bring facilities in old buildings up to 21st century standards.

A public consultation process will begin in May to pave the way towards devising a statutory scheme for home care services for the elderly and people with a disability.

The minister said another focus this year will be GP services.

He would like to see a system where some GPs in rural and disadvantaged areas are salaried - rather than self-employed.

This may be the only way of getting around the shortage of family doctors in these areas, he said.

The committee's chairman, Dr Michael Harty, who is a GP in Co Clare, said many out-of-hours GPs have co-ops, because there are not enough doctors.
An "extremely ill" Limerick girl who was scheduled to have surgery to help correct a massive double curvature on her spine has had her operation delayed again.

Thirteen-year-old Megan Halvey-Ryan's plight sparked national outrage after she appeared on 'The Late Late Show' last month to highlight delays in her surgery.

Despite being on a surgical waiting list for the past 18 months, Megan received word from the HSE a few hours before her 'Late Late Show' appearance that her operation was booked for Thursday, March 9.

However, Megan's mother Sharon said that she received communication from the HSE on Tuesday, informing her that her daughter's surgery had been cancelled due to a high number of emergency surgeries scheduled at Crumlin Children's Hospital, Dublin.

Ms Halvey-Ryan said they have now been told Megan's surgery is rescheduled for March 23.

"Were devastated," she said.

Outlining her daughter's present condition, she said: "Megan is not great, she's very upset. She can't eat and she is finding it very hard to breathe and sleep at night."

Photos of Megan's twisted spine were shown with her permission on the 'Late Late Show' in order to raise awareness about scandalous delays on surgical waiting lists for scoliosis sufferers.

"She has an 83 degree thoracic curve on the top of her spine, and a 65 degree lumbar curve on the base of her spine," Ms Halvey-Ryan said.

Effect

"She has extreme high rib rotation and it is now having major effect on her organs - her bowel; her stomach; her lungs."

Yesterday the family were travelling to Crumlin children's hospital for an assessment.

Read more: 'Please minister, can I have my op?' - desperate plea of 12-year-old in pain

She said Megan's spinal curve is likely to be far worse than what it was eight months ago - the last time her daughter was assessed for surgery.

"She did the post-op assessment eight months ago; it's a medical assessment which will examine her respiratory system, and her bloods, and she'll undergo more X-rays on her spine," she said.

"We only found out two days ago that her surgery for March 9 was cancelled. We understand emergencies happening at the hospital, but if my daughter's scoliosis is not an emergency I don't know what is - in my opinion she is extremely ill.

"Scoliosis is considered an elective surgery so whenever there are a lot of emergency surgeries to be performed at the hospital the scoliosis patients get bumped down the list.

"It happens all the time."

Ms Halvey-Ryan added: "This has happened to us before. That's why I said (on the 'Late Late') that I was sceptical about Megan's surgery going ahead on March 9.

"I'll only believe it when she is actually on the operating table in the surgical theatre."

Fianna Fail TD Niall Collins said the news was "shocking".
INMO general secretary Liam Doran said yesterday the difficulties facing the recruitment and retention of nurses amount to a 'critical situation' and the union did not want to be in dispute. Photo: Tom Burke

Patients and hospitals will have to wait until tomorrow to find out if next week's threatened work-to-rule by nurses will go ahead.

The executive council of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), whose 30,000 members are due to begin the action on Tuesday, will meet tomorrow afternoon to make a decision on the issue.

It follows the resumption of talks on the dispute that began at the Workplace Relations Commission yesterday.

The union is demanding incentives to ease the crisis in the recruitment and retention of nurses.

However, the oversight body on the Lansdowne Road Agreement has warned that industrial action would lead to a breach of the terms of the deal.

Some issues may have to be referred to the Labour Court for binding arbitration.

This would have implications for the 1,000 pay increase which nurses, along with other public services, are due to receive in April.

Health Minister Simon Harris said yesterday he hoped progress will be made in the talks but he also warned that there is "no new pot of money" for pay increases.

"If we have to find additional resources for pay measures above and beyond the Lansdowne Road Agreement measures agreed by Government, there is no new pot of money," he said.

It is estimated that the nurses' demands - which include payments for meal breaks, the return of the twilight allowance and the restoration of other allowances - would cost around 120m.

INMO general secretary Liam Doran said yesterday the difficulties facing the recruitment and retention of nurses amount to a "critical situation" and the union did not want to be in dispute.

Hospitals were continuing to draw up contingency plans yesterday in advance of the threatened action.

If the action goes ahead patients will be contacted about cancellations of surgery and other procedures from Monday.

The work-to-rule will mean nurses would refuse to move to replace shortages in various parts of the hospital and remain in their own wards or departments. This would lead to bed closures in order to ensure safety for patients.
An Irish missionary nun has been injured in an assault at a convent in the Philippines. Photo: GETTY

An Irish missionary nun has been injured in an assault at a convent in the Philippines, it has been reported.

According to the 'Sun Star' the victim was serving at the San Jose Parish Church in Midsalip town in the Zamboanga region when the attack took place.

Zamboanga del Sur Police Director Sofronio Ecaldre told the newspaper the victim was about to close the window of the convent shortly before 9.30pm yesterday when she was attacked by an unidentified person.

Mr Ecaldre said the nun told them that the man, who was wearing a mask, tried to cover her mouth and punched her in the face and chest.

She sustained multiple injuries and fell to the ground unconscious.

Police said the victim was hospitalised.

The investigation is ongoing to identify the person responsible for the attack.

The Irish Independent has attempted to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Filipino police.
An Irish mother has described how her 17-month-old daughter fell ill and died from meningitis in a matter of hours. Limerick woman Ruth Melling lost her daughter Lola Jane Nagle just over two years ago. Next month her family and friends will host the second annual Lola's Ball in Limerick. This is her story:

"Lola Jane was a very happy, healthy little girl. On the night of the 14th of April 2015, Lola woke with a temperature. I brought her into bed with me as she was incredibly restless. She wasn't crying just wide awake staring at me and breathing funny. I couldn't seem to get her temperature down. She was just lying there.

The next morning, after no sleep, I knew she needed to go to the doctor. It was a crazy time at work for me as my boss was away so I had to get in and open up for everyone. So I left Lola with my husband went out to work, opened up, rang the doctor and headed straight back home for Lola.

When I got home she was still lying there and I noticed her breathing had got worse and a few purple marks on her neck. I immediately thought chicken pox, how wrong I was.

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I put Lola into the car and headed for the doctors, it's a drive I will never forget. I still see the way she was looking at me in the mirror sometimes when I close my eyes, I will never be able to describe it but I knew there was something seriously wrong with my little girl.

As her breathing became worse, I began to panic. I rushed into the doctors with her and I was shaking. Once I sat in the waiting room, I watched these purple spots take over her body and then her lips went blue. I ran to reception screaming her lips are blue her lips are blue.

I was rushed into nurses room and two doctors appeared. They put an oxygen mask on Lola, I kept crying what's wrong with her? They mentioned meningitis and I told them no, it can't be sure she's had all her injections.

They made me go outside for air and told me they were ringing an ambulance and to phone somebody to meet me at the hospital. At this stage I was numb I had no idea what was happening I just kept saying it couldn't be meningitis.

The ambulance arrived at the surgery and I took my little girl into my arms while they tried to control her breathing. This was the last time I held my baby alive.

The sirens went on and they told me it was only because of traffic. How naive I was to think everything was okay.

We got to the hospital where a team of doctors were waiting, she was whipped out of my arms and I was asked to sit while I watched them all around my baby. A lot of what happen after this is a blur. I sat alone in the room watching and still not realising what was going on. A few doctors tried to speak to me to tell me how serious it was but I heard nothing I was just numb.

I remember my husband arriving and trying to talk to me to tell me to say goodbye to our little girl. I couldn't move I couldn't get off the chair, and then she was gone. From 10am in the doctors surgery to 12pm in the hospital my baby was gone. How? Why? I don't think I will ever understand it, she was perfect only the day before so happy and full of life, my angel Lola Jane.

It's so strange. Lola was born six weeks premature and fought hard to stay with us. She had no lashes when she was born but by the time she left hospital to come home she was called Lola Lashes by all the nurses, they were beyond long.

I'm not sure if it was a sixth sense or maybe somehow I knew to protect her but I was a crazy overprotective mom when it came to Lola. Everyone that knows me knows how laid back I am, but with Lola I was constantly watching her, following her, she was never out of my sight.

I was so paranoid about her choking, that I did two first aid courses and wouldn't dare even give her a sausage. You would think I would be like that now with my son Scott, but no it was only Lola. I adored her, she was with my every minute, my special girl.

We had a very special bond and I miss her terribly. I can still hear her breathing and see the way she was looking at me in the car on the way to the doctors. I don't think it will ever leave my mind how scared she must have been.

Act for Meningitis have been an amazing support to our whole family, I have built a strong friendship with them and will continue to help in any way, to prevent this happening to someone else."

Lola's Ball will take place on April 22 at the Greenhills Hotel in Limerick. 'A gift for Lola' was set up to prevent another family going through the nightmare of losing a child by raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of Meningitis. To date it has raised over 35,000

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WHAT IS MENINGITIS?

Meningitis is inflammation of the lining around the spinal cord and the brain, caused by a viral or bacterial infection.

It is easily misdiagnosed as the symptoms can be flu-like, appear in any order and some may not appear at all, therefore we urge people to trust your instincts. Meningitis does not always produce a rash, if it does appear it will not fade under pressure.

While children aged under five are most at-risk, with 16-24 year olds the second highest at risk age group.

Symptoms of Meningitis can include: Fever, vomiting, headache, limb pain, neck stiffness, sensitivity to bright lights, confusion and in some cases a rash may appear.

For more information on Meningitis, our support services or to download the signs and symptoms card please visit here
The centenary of the sinking of the RMS Connaught by German torpedoes was commemorated in Dun Laoghaire today.

A brief ceremony was held at the First World War memorial in the Royal St George Yacht Club to remember those who died in the sinking on March 3, 1917.

The ship regularly brought passengers and mail between Dun Laoghaire and Britain until it was commandeered to carry troops from Southhampton to the battlefields of France during World War One.

Crew members from Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, and other parts of Ireland as well as Britain were on board the ship when it was struck by two torpedoes fired by a German submarine in the English Channel.

Father-of-four John Moran (33) from Crofton Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, was killed in the explosion caused by the first torpedo strike, along with two crew mates from Wales and the Channel Islands.

Among the 74 survivors were a large number of Irish crew members.

Two of the survivors, Joseph Inglis (41) from Dublin and Denis Whelan (45) from Dun Laoghaire lost their lives when the RMS Leinster was sunk by German torpedoes shortly after leaving Dun Laoghaire harbour the following year. The two men were among more than 550 people who died in the Leinster sinking.

The memorial ceremony was held at 1.45pm, the exact time of the attack 100 years ago, at the yacht club in Dun Laoghaire where Morans name is inscribed on the World War One memorial in the club. Moran was a member of the clubs staff before becoming a volunteer with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.

Philip Lecane, author of Torpedoed! The RMS Leinster Disaster, spoke of the sinking in a lecture at the National Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire on Thursday.

He led the memorial ceremony tdoay. A guest at the ceremony was Robert Moran, a grandson of victim John Moran.

Though people are beginning to become aware of the sinking of the RMS Leinster, few are aware of the sinking of her sister ship," said Mr Lecane, a maritime historian who works as a volunteer at the museum.

"It is important to remember such events in Irelands maritime history," he said.

Plans are being made for the centenary of the sinking of the RMS Leinster on October 10 next year.. Relatives of those who sailed on the Leinsters final voyage can contact Philip Lecane through the website www.rmsleinster.com to be kept informed of plans for the centenary.

The RMS Connaught was sunk by German submarine U-48, under the command of Kapitanleutnant Berndt Buss (24). Buss and the submarines navigating officer were killed a few days later when the ship East Point rammed the U-48s conning tower.

The submarine torpedoed the East Point, dived and was coming up to torpedo another ship, when she was struck by the East Point, which was still afloat. After burying Buss and the navigating officer at sea, the U-48 returned to Germany.
An Irish missionary nun who was injured in an assault in the Philippines has been hospitalised in the city of Ozamiz and will require surgery in Manilla.

Sister Kathleen Melia (70), who is originally from Co Leitrim, has worked as a missionary in the Philippines for over 30 years.

She has been living in Subaneen Ministry of Midsalip since 1983 and only visits home once every three years.

According to local reports Sr Melia was serving at the San Jose Parish Church in Midsalip town in the Zamboanga region when the attack took place.

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Local Police Director Sofronio Ecaldre told a local newspaper that the victim was about to close the window of the convent shortly before 9.30pm on Wednesday when she was attacked by an unidentified person.

Mr Ecaldre said the nun told them that the man, who was wearing a mask, tried to cover her mouth and punched her in the face and chest.

She sustained multiple injuries and fell to the ground unconscious.

Sister Ann Gray who knows Sr Melia from her work with the Sisters of St Columban in Wicklow said her colleagues were shocked and very concerned.

She has been working in that area for over 30 years with the indigenous populations and she was very close to the people there.

She has always loved the people there. She always worked with a very mixed group of people in education, livelihood programmes and human rights programmes, she said.

Sr Brady said that Sr Melia is currently in her nearest city of Ozamiz where facilities are limited and is waiting to be transferred to Manilla where she will require surgery.

The procedure and transfer is completely normal, according to Sr Gray.

This hasnt really ever happened before and it will take her time to recover, she said.

However Sr Brady is confident that Sr Melia will be able to bounce back from the terrible incident.

She will make a recovery as she is in very good hands over there with the help of other sisters. She is very well looked after, she said.

The investigation is ongoing to identify the person responsible for the attack.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said this morning: "We are aware of the case and are providing consular assistance through our Honorary Consulate in Manila and the Embassy in Singapore which is accredited to the Philippines."
A teenager was rushed to hospital this morning after he was stabbed during an assault in a housing estate.

Gardai in Tallaght responded to an emergency call in Knockmore Grove at approximately 6am.

Here they discovered the man, aged in his late teens, who had received a single stab wound.

He was taken by ambulance to Tallaght Hospital where he was treated for non life-threatening injuries.

He was alone when gardai arrived on the scenes and officers are now searching for the assailant.

A garda spokeswoman confirmed that no arrests had been made.

She appealed for witnesses to contact Tallaght garda station on 01-6666000

The attack comes just over a week after an 85-year-old man was pulled from his car by a man and a woman in Tallaght. He received substantial injuries from a bread knife to his throat and face.

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Surgeons were also forced to remove half of his finger because of nerve damage caused during the attack when it was partially severed. The man also needed a blood transfusion during a five day hospital stay according to reports.

The attack on the innocent man happened in Tallaght on Wednesday, February 22.
A total of 886,716 households were paid the grant in 2015, accounting for 88,671,600. Stock Image

Households are still being paid the 100 Water Conservation Grant almost a year-and-a-half after the deadline for applications.

As Fine Gael and Fianna Fail remain at war over water, it emerged that payments of the grant, once branded a "sop" to "soften the blow" of charges, are still taking place.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has heard that payments continue to be made to householders who have an entitlement dating back to 2015.

John McCarthy, the secretary general of the Housing Department - which also has responsibility for water - told the PAC that water programme expenditure in 2015 included 94m for the Water Conservation Grant.

He said that as of June 20, 2015, the 1.3 million households registered with Irish Water were eligible for the 2015 grant.

The Social Protection Department - which administers the scheme - has made payments totalling just over 89m to 890,104 households.

"A small number of residual payments continue to be made to householders who have an entitlement to the 2015 Water Conservation Grant," Mr McCarthy added.

Last night, a spokesman for the Housing Department could not say how many households remain eligible to claim the grant.

"The Department of Social Protection processes the Water Conservation Grant on behalf of this department so we do not have immediate access to the data requested," he said.

"We understand that there is a small number of claims currently being processed... for reasons including appeals and out-of-date cheques."

The grant was announced in 2014 ahead of the introduction of water charges the following year. While the then-government insisted at the time it was a grant to assist with water conservation, Roisin Shortall argued in the Dail that the grant "has nothing whatsoever to do with conservation".

"It is, in fact, a sop to try to soften the blow and obtain some kind of political acceptance in respect of these charges," she said.

Householders could spend the grant on whatever they chose and it was also payable to people on group water schemes or with their own private supplies.

Payment of a Water Conservation Grant for 2016 did not take place due to the suspension of water charges under the confidence and supply agreement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

Last night, the Department of Social Protection said that 886,716 households were paid the grant in 2015, accounting for 88,671,600.

In 2016, 3,387 households were paid 338,700, while so far in 2017, 16 months after the October 2015 closing date for applications, three households have been paid the grant.

Eligibility

A Social Protection spokeswoman said it continued to process outstanding payments from 2015 in cases where "the customer could satisfactorily demonstrate eligibility" in line the regulations governing the payment of the grant.

Any agreement on refunds of water charges thrashed out by the Oireachtas committee examining the future of water services would likely see repayments of the charges minus the 100 grant.

Mr McCarthy was appearing at the PAC to answer questions on his department's 2015 accounts. He told TDs that 222m was provided to Irish Water for spending on infrastructure projects.

A further 399m was allocated to Irish Water from the Local Government Fund as an "operational subvention".

He said this funded the allowance of 21,000 litres of free water provided to households per child. It also funded the cost of capping water charges, a decision that was made by the government the previous year. That subvention rose to 652.1m in 2016.
Almost one million households can expect water charge refunds of up to 325 as part of a compromise between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

The two parties remain at loggerheads over the total abolition of charges - but Housing Minister Simon Coveney now accepts there is no point chasing people with unpaid bills.

Mr Coveney previously said non-payers should be pursued because refunds would set "a dangerous precedent".

However, the Irish Independent understands he will cede ground on this issue as an olive branch to Fianna Fail.

One source estimated the cost of refunding bill payers at 162m.

Mr Coveney is also prepared to sign a ministerial order to extend the current suspension of water charges beyond March 31.

This would happen if a consensus on their abolition cannot be found in the coming days.

Read more: Niall O'Connor: FF keeps the rural vote on tap as water charge anger streams out

In a formal submission to be made to the Committee on the Future Funding of Water today, Fine Gael will continue to argue that charges must be retained for people who waste water.

In line with Mr Coveney's public statements over recent days, the party's negotiating team will state that some form of charging is necessary to avoid massive fines from the EU.

They want the 900,000 water meters already in the ground to be maintained, all newly built homes to have a meter installed and 'opt-in' opportunities for home owners who want to get a meter.

However, Fianna Fail's water spokesman Barry Cowen has told the Irish Independent his party believes Fine Gael "wants to retain the billing system as a method of capture". He said domestic meters should be considered redundant because "the regime is going and everything to do with it".

There is growing expectation that the water committee, chaired by Independent senator Padraig O Ceidigh, will not be able to reach a compromise on charges.

Sources on both sides of the debate expect the 20 members of the cross-party committee to be split down the middle on the issue.

Read more: Coveney hatches plan to turn tables on FF in battle over water bills

Crucially, Fianna Fail is insisting that excessive usage be dealt with through the 2007 Water Services Act, which provides for punishment for people who wilfully abuse and overuse water.

Mr Cowen said his party would be willing for amendments to be made to the act if necessary.

However, Mr Coveney believes this will not satisfy Ireland's legal requirements under the EU's Water Framework Directive.

Abolished

"Water charges are gone. They are going to be abolished," the minister admitted yesterday.

"Normal usage for households across the country will be paid for through normal taxation.

"But there needs to be consequences for people who waste large quantities of water.

"There's a legal obligation for that to happen but it's also the right thing to do."

He added that it "makes sense" to use existing meters to catch households wasting water.

Fine Gael's submission will state that the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) should be responsible for deciding what is considered excessive usage, but Fianna Fail wants the figure set by politicians.

"If the CER estimated the average person uses 123 litres a day, then excessive use should be set at three times.

"But that's just me having a stab at it," Mr Cowen said.

"That's us engaging with it, they're not."

The minister said he wanted to find "a middle ground that everybody can live with politically".

"I think there has been enough debate and division and angst on water without this being scaled up into something it shouldn't be," said Mr Coveney.

Despite protests, around 975,000 people paid domestic water charges at some stage during the five billing cycles before charges were suspended last summer.

The maximum paid by a single person under the scheme is 200, while a family paid up to 325.
Chloe Bolger is considering moving back to her hometown of Lille, France

A mother-of-one who had to wait almost two hours for an ambulance after falling seriously ill ten days after giving birth has made an emotional plea to Health Minister Simon Harris.

Chloe Bolger, who is now pregnant with her second child, says she is considering moving to France as she fears the same thing happening again.

Ms Bolger, originally from Lille, posted a video on YouTube explaining her ordeal - which was shown to Simon Harris when he visited University Hospital College Galway last Monday.

"When I finally recovered, the doctors in Mayo General told me that another 20 minutes' delay and I was gone, and that just shocked me to the core," she said.

Chloe was at home resting when she started to haemorrhage badly, ten days after giving birth to her daughter Lily.

Her husband Conor phoned an ambulance and she said when he asked how long it would be, the woman on the phone couldn't tell him.

"I wasn't in much pain, but I was losing that much blood I was really, really weak. The 999 operator, to be fair to her, recognised the seriousness of it and dispatched a Garda car to escort the ambulance on the way to the hospital in Castlebar," she said.

The ambulance eventually arrived one hour and 40 minutes after Conor's initial 999 call.

A delegation from the North West Connemara Ambulance Group along with local representatives met with the Health Minister.

In a statement following the meeting, the group described it as "constructive" and added that the minister appeared to be "shocked" at the details presented.

Minister Harris, they said, was to contact the National Ambulance Service, the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council, The Red Cross and was to reconvene with the Ambulance Group in a few weeks.

Ms Bolger was due to meet face-to-face with Mr Harris on Monday but her daughter Lily fell ill, so she uploaded a video to YouTube instead.

"Now that I am due to have my second child I am scared that this could all happen again.

"I don't want to leave Ireland. I love it here, but my safety and my baby's safety comes first".
Five men have been arrested over the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl.

The alleged attack took place in a Midlands town in December after she was offered a lift home.

Detectives arrested the five suspects on Wednesday.

All five males, who are aged between 17 and 20, were released without charge yesterday and a file on the case will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The alleged victim has been described as "extremely distraught and vulnerable" since the attack and is understood to come from a "loving and respectable family", sources said.

It is believed the girl got into a car in the town centre that was occupied by a man known to her.

She is not believed to have been forced into the vehicle.

It is alleged the girl was taken to another location and attacked by the men there.

The majority of the suspected attacks took place in this location. After the alleged gang rape, it is understood that the girl sought help and gardai were then notified of the incident.

A major investigation involving officers based in the Midlands then took place and CCTV footage was gathered and studied.

Forensic and other evidence was obtained by gardai.

It is understood that when all this evidence was gathered, senior officers decided to make the arrests this week.

The suspects - one 17-year-old, two 20-year-olds and two 19-year-olds - were all picked up by gardai on Wednesday and questioned at different stations in the Midlands before being released without charge yesterday evening.

They all live in the Midlands area and were not previously known for this type of offence.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) said last year gardai recorded 2,442 sex offences - a rise of 13pc in the 12 months from June 2015 to June 2016.
A woman who helped save more than 1,000 migrants from the Mediterranean Sea was brought to tears when she described how she witnessed a young child being told her mother was dead.

Jill Hamilton (37), a communications operator, served on LE Roisin on a three-month humanitarian mission to aid migrants fleeing Syria and other Middle Eastern and African countries.

A month after the ship's departure, it responded to a request for help from the Italian Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre.

The flimsy rubber dinghy was located 37 nautical miles off the coast of Tripoli with 111 migrants on board.

Speaking from South Lebanon, the Co Cork native told the Irish Independent that the operation was particularly traumatic for her.

"What sticks out to me was that there was a child up on deck with her auntie looking for her mother. Unfortunately, that lady never made it.

"When they told the child and her auntie that the mother didn't make it, it was just traumatic," she said.

Ms Hamilton added that she feels the migration crisis deserves "a hell of a lot more attention".

Ms Hamilton, who has served 19 years in the Irish Naval Service, is now stationed in South Lebanon as part of the UN mandate force UNIFIL.
Traffic chaos on the roads this Friday evening. Stock picture

A number of collisions and widespread flooding are leading to traffic chaos throughout the country this evening.

AA Roadwatch is reporting a number of collisions leading to delays on some of Ireland's busiest roads.

In Dublin city, there are delays from Prospect Road inbound before the Whitworth Road junction due to an earlier crash.

There is also a crash partially blocking the Pearse Street/ Macken Street junction. Traffic can get by with extreme care.

The M50 is also very busy with slow-moving traffic.

There is a crash on the M50 northbound at J10 Ballymount, blocking the right lane. Delays from J12 Firhouse to J7 Lucan.

WEXFORD: Gardai have cleared a crash from the N11 Wexford/Dublin Rd on the Wexford side of Oilgate. https://t.co/xIOpAblVS1  AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) March 3, 2017

Traffic is slow on the M50 southbound as far as J4 Ballymun and from the M50/M11 merge to J5 Bray North on the M11.

There is heavy traffic throughout Dublin city with delays on the Phibsborough Road, Swords Road, Amiens Street and along the canals.

CORK: Crash on the N40 South Ring Rd westbound at J8 Douglas has been cleared. Long delays on approach are easing. https://t.co/qvBPcgxUj8  AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) March 3, 2017

In Kildare/Meath there are reports of a crash on the Enfield/Kinnegad Road (R148/Old N4) at Mother Hubbards. Traffic is down to one lane and gardai are directing traffic.

Meanwhile in Wexford, gardai are dealing with a crash northbound on the N11 Wexford/Dublin Road on the Wexford side of Oilgate.

DUBLIN: There is a breakdown at the top of the M50 southbound off ramp at J7 Lucan. https://t.co/qvBPcgxUj8  AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) March 3, 2017

Also in Wexford, gardai are to close the N30 Enniscorthy/New Ross Rd from 7 to 9pm to deal with overturned truck on Enniscorthy side of Clonroche.

In Cork, there is a fuel spill on Station Road in Blarney that has reportedly been treated.

AA Roadwatch are reporting that in Westmeath, the Kilbeggan/Dalystown Road has reopened at Ballynagore following a crash.

Motorists are being warned to slow down and keep a safe distance as flooding and surface water has been reported on roads throughout the country.

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AA Roadwatch are asking drivers to reduce speed and increase the braking distance between you and the vehicle in front when driving on wet roads.

Met Eireann has issued a Status Yellow Rainfall Warning for Connacht and counties Donegal, Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Cork. This warning is valid until midday tomorrow.

There is also a Status Yellow Weather Advisory in place for Ireland with periods of heavy rain and some severe downpours forecast at times, especially in southwestern, western and northwestern counties with spot flooding. This warning is valid until 6pm today.
The site of a mass grave for children who died in the Tuam mother and baby home

Significant quantities of human remains have been discovered at a Galway site excavated by the Mother and Baby Homes Commission. This follows work by the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation which carried out planned excavations there.

What is the Commission?

The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation is currently probing how unmarried mothers and their babies were treated between 1922 and 1998 at 18 State-linked religious institutions.

It was established by the last government on February 17, 2015 and is chaired by Judge Yvonne Murphy.

The Commission was set up to establish the circumstances and arrangements for the entry of single women into mother and baby homes and to establish the living conditions they experienced there.

It has also been asked to examine mortality amongst mothers and children residing in these institutions and to compare it to the records on mortality amongst other relevant groups of women and children.

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Deaths

A small number of the remains discovered in Tuam were recovered for the purpose of analysis.

These remains involved a number of individuals with age-at-death ranges from approximately 35 foetal weeks to 2-3 years, said the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation.

Radiocarbon dating of the samples recovered suggest that the remains date from the time-frame relevant to the operation of the Mother and Baby Home. The homes ran from 1925 to 1961."

Burial of remains

A stratigraphic survey of the site which was conducted in October 2015 identified a particular area of interest and identified a number of sub surface anomalies that were considered worthy of further investigation.

These were further investigated by a test excavation in November/December 2016 and in January/February 2017.

Test trenches were dug revealing two large structures. One structure appears to be a large sewage containment system or septic tank that had been decommissioned and filled with rubble and debris and then covered with top soil.

The second structure is a long structure which is divided into 20 chambers.

The Commission has not yet determined what the purpose of this structure was but it appears to be related to the treatment/containment of sewage and/or waste water. The Commission has also not yet determined if it was ever used for this purpose.

Survivors

A confidential committee, which meets survivor groups and those who worked in the homes, was set up to shape the Commissions work.

Over 6,000 adoptions were recorded as having taken place in six mother and baby homes between 1950 and 1973.

The children went to a range of destinations including the US, Britain and Germany, as well as to homes across Ireland.

A caller named Thomas told RTE's Liveline that he was in the Tuam Mother and Baby Home.

"I was in The Mother and Baby Home June 3 1942. I was there until I was 5-years-old and I was fostered. I met my mother some years later after a long search. She kept her life in the home hidden from me. My understanding is that they had to work there until the baby was adopted or fostered. When you become six or seven you were sent elsewhere.

"Babies might be buried there that never came on the record."

Relatives

It has emerged that the relatives of children who died at the home were not informed that remains had been recovered.

A woman whose brother died in the home says the only official confirmation that remains were found came through the media today.

Anna Corrigan told The Irish Examiner she lost one brother in Tuam, and believes another was given for adoption in America.

Ms Corrigan said: "There was tweets up on social media that human remains had been found, the digger is in, photographs of the digger.

"I had to send these to judge Murphy and say 'is this the correct way to actually inform family members of what's happened with their family?'"

Government reaction

Responding to the development, Children's Minister Katherine Zappone said it was "very sad and disturbing news".

"It was not unexpected as there were claims about human remains on the site over the last number of years.

"Up to now we had rumours. Now we have confirmation that the remains are there, and that they date back to the time of the Mother and Baby Home, which operated in Tuam from 1925 to 1961," she said.

The Minister said that everybody involved must respond sensitively and respectfully to the situation.

What's next?

Minister Zappone's Department have brought together all of the key Departments and agencies to set out a way forward.

This will include the following:

- The Commission will continue its work under its terms of reference, including such matters as post mortem practices and procedures, reporting and burial arrangements for residents of Mother and Baby Homes.

- The Coroner for North Galway will take the steps he deems necessary under his independent statutory functions

- Galway County Council will engage with the Commission in relation to the immediate next steps on the site.

- Galway County Council will engage with local residents and other interested parties on what should happen next in relation to the remains.

- There will be an information line for factual information, and a service for those who feel personally affected by the news.

Ms Zappone said:Today is about remembering and respecting the dignity of the children who lived their short lives in this Home.

"We will honour their memory and make sure that we take the right actions now to treat their remains appropriately.

*Information and Counselling Services

There is dedicated telephone Information line being made available for people seeking further information over the coming days. Those seeking factual information may contact the Information Line @ Telephone 01-6473118 / 01-6473232 during Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 5pm.

Anyone affected can also directly contact the HSE information line on 1850-241-850.

Those seeking adoption information and tracing information may wish to visit the following sites:

Tusla (the Child and Family Agency) - www.tusla.ie or

The Adoption Authority of Ireland - www.aai.gov.ie.
Most people, when ordering a 50, 28 day dry-aged steak would want to savour the unique taste and get their money's worth. Though, as we're all aware, President Donald Trump is not most people.

Donald Trump likes his steak well done. Plenty of people like their steak well done and, by itself, this isn't really anything of note. But, in true Donald Trump form, he has to go one step further and has turned what originally started as a fairly average meal into nothing short of an abomination.

Not only does Trump like his steak extremely well done, he also allegedly likes it slathered in ketchup.

According to the Independent Journal Review while dining at BLT Steak by David Burke with Nigel Farage, Trump ordered: "A well-done steak. An aged New York strip. He ate it with catsup as he always does."

Twitter, understandably, was outraged by Trump's questionable dining choices but, in the grand scheme of things, eating well done steak with ketchup isn't even the weirdest thing Trump has done when it comes to food.

Eating KFC with a knife and fork, inventing items on the McDonald's menu, and skinning pizza before eating it, here are just a few of the times Trump has managed to turn the simple task of eating into something so much more...

Fried chicken

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In what was presumably an attempt to convince the rest of us mere mortals that his incredibly privileged life means nothing and that he is just like the rest of us, Trump once posted an image on Twitter of him tucking into a bucket of KFC.

Sadly, whatever press aide concocted this brilliant plan to make Trump more likeable neglected to send him a memo informing him that KFC supposed to be eaten with your fingers until they're slick enough with grease that you can see your own, mildly disgusted reflection staring right back at you.

It may be a bit of a stretch to state that Trump is a fan of KFC, but he did once describe it as "not the worst thing in the world" which is...something at least.

Pizza toppings

via GIPHY

Trump's love of pizza has been fairly well documented over the years. Do a quick YouTube search and you'll find advertisements from the 90s and early 2000s of Trump singing the praises of high-street pizza brands and, more recently, making a spectacle of himself on the internet (once again) by using a knife and fork to eat a slice.

Trumps explanation for his bizarre pizza eating habits? "I don't walk around with forks and knives and, frankly it was very comfortable. Plus this way you can take the top of the pizza off and you're not just eating the crust. I like not to eat the crust so we keep the weight down at least as good as possible." Which is a dramatic policy U-turn, considering he appeared in the first TV ads for Pizza Hut's Stuffed Crust.

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There you have it. Not only does Trump apparently skin the pizza before eating, he also, for some reason I can't quite make out, doesn't think it's possible to simply avoid eating the crust without the use of a knife and fork.

Either Trump's staff are involved in an extremely elaborate and amusing game of 'How Weird Can We Make Our Boss Look Before He Notices' or Trump genuinely doesn't know how to eat with his hands. Both seem like perfectly plausible options.

Very fried eggs

Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Everyone except Trump who actually goes out of his way to avoid it. Speaking to Fox News in 2016 he said: "If I can avoid breakfast, in terms of that, I will have a lunch but my big thing is dinner. Breakfast, Jesse, if I can avoid it, I'm very happy to do that."

On the rare occasion he does eat in the morning he keeps away from caffeine and instead indulges in either cereal or bacon and eggs. And, in true Donald Trump form, he has a special way of cooking his breakfast that most people would probably balk at: "I love bacon and eggs...Bacon medium and the eggs over-well."

That's eggs fried, flipped, fried again, flipped once more, and then fried again. No runny yolk. So sad!

Fish Delight

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Despite being a staple on the McDonald's menu since the early 60s, and arguably one of the best features on it, apparently millennials aren't all that familiar with the Filet-o-Fish. But never fear millennials, because it turns out you're not alone.

Leader of the Free World, Donald J. Trump, doesn't know what a Filet-o-Fish is. Technically.

At a press conference in 2016 he was asked to answer some "fun" quick-fire questions from a journalist. One of the questions involved fast-food chains and, obviously continuing on his foolhardy quest to seem like your Average Joe, Trump revealed he "enjoys the Fish Delight at McDonald's."

A simple and harmless answer to a simple and harmless question, right? Well yes, except the Fish Delight doesn't actually exist.

We have to assume Trump meant the Filet-o-Fish, a piece of breaded fish fillet, topped with cheese and tartar sauce on a grilled bun, or maybe he has access to a secret menu there rest of us aren't privy to and the Fish Delight really does exist...

Meatloaf sandwiches

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If you're ever invited to a picnic with Trump, make sure to pack a meatloaf sandwich because it's his favourite. Allegedly, on his birthday, his sister even will make him a special meatloaf using the Trump secret recipe.

While Trump's eating habits when it comes to meatloaf aren't that strange, his insistence on making those around him eat it is a little odd. According to Tom Barrack, a longtime friend of Trump's, he is making all his friends who visit the White House try his favourite dish.

Jersey Governor Chris Christie also confirmed this, giving the White House kitchen's meatloaf a stamp of approval: "This is what it's like to be with Trump. He says 'there's the menu, you guys order whatever you want,' and then he says 'Chris, you and I are going to have the meatloaf.' The meatloaf was good."

Pork chop lollipops

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Furthering the 'Donald Trump Doesn't Know How To Eat With His Hands' agenda, here we look at Trump's love of foods skewered on a stick.

Not kebabs - that would be too normal - but great big slabs of meat pierced with a wooden stick for Trump to gnaw on the way you might enjoy a lollipop.

Apparently pork on a stick is a specialty in Iowa, where Trump is pictured eating, but it's still a little odd.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Fiona Morris (28) has lived with an eating disorder for more than 12 years but is now in a healthy place.

An Irish woman who survived anorexia nervosa has criticised media organisations who publish photographs and information about sufferers at their lowest weight.

Fiona Morris (28) from Greystones battled with anorexia for more than 12 years and said that publishing photographs of those living with eating disorders at their sickest is "dangerous".

The Greystones local said she has often been asked what she weighed when she was ill and said the focus on weight gives the impression that all sufferers are extremely thin, which isnt the case.

Speaking to Independent.ie, Fiona said: "I really believe in the importance of getting rid of this idea that someone has to be stick thin or morbidly obese in order to have an eating disorder."

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"You cant tell whether or not someone has an eating disorder just by looking at them because eating disorders can appear in so many shapes and sizes. The perception that only people who are stick thin have real eating disorders is actually dangerous," she said.

The Wicklow woman said that publishing before photos of people battling with eating disorders can prove as aspiration to those struggling, and convince others that their behaviours are normal when they might not be.

"By publishing 'before' pictures, someone who doesnt look like the sufferers in these images might continue on with their behaviours, either convincing themselves that they dont have a problem because they dont look unwell, or that in order to get help, they must continue to the point when they look like they have an eating disorder."

Fiona's battle with multiple eating disorders eroded every aspect of her life for 12 years, but now, she is in a healthy place. Fiona said the showcasing of 'before and after' photographs by the media is something that needs to be changed.

"Expressing my own eating disorder through pictures, food diaries and weights is not helpful.

"If someone doesn't eat what I did, doesnt look the way I looked or doesnt weigh what I weighed, that doesnt mean they don't have an eating disorder.

"Eating disorders are disorders of the mind, a mental illness that manifest in food and weight behaviours. Food and weight are a byproduct of an inner turmoil, a compulsion, a security blanket and a strategy system for dealing with the internal pain and outside world.

"The body is just an injured bystander."

For information and support on Anorexia Nervosa or other eating disorders visit www.seechange.ie or www.bodywhys.ie or call the Irish Helpline on: 1890 200 444
Some years ago, I attended a stand-up comedy gig in Dublin during which the comedian began picking on different members of the audience.

Upon selecting one well-scrubbed youngster who looked like his mother had knitted him, the comic asked: "So what do you do, sir?"

He replied: "I'm an estate agent actually."

Upon hearing this, the audience simply erupted - into loud booing and hissing at a genuinely heated level. The cacophony of abject hostility rattled both the poor young lad and his tormentor on stage.

For a variety of reasons, Ireland doesn't like estate agents. And we're not alone. A survey last year in the UK showed that the most universally unpopular jobs were (predictably), No 1 most hated - politicians, No 2 most hated - journalists! and in the No 3 most hated spot came estate agents... ahead of bankers, lawyers, taxi drivers, car clampers, bouncers and debt collectors.

A long serving Dublin-based estate agent in his 40s said: "The hardest part of the job is the almost universally held perception that you are some sort of crook, no matter what. There's also the idea that your profession is to blame for property prices being high. There's also a lot of misunderstanding about what we actually do. So when you go to the pub on a Saturday and someone asks you what you do, you will spend the next three hours being verbally lynched. I have to admit that I often lie about my job in order to have a peaceful night out."

That's why your average estate agent sometimes tells you they're "in computers" rather than reveal what they really do.

Property, particularly if you are selling your own home or trying to buy one, is an emotive issue. This serves to heighten and personalise the feelings experienced by those involved as both buyers and vendors. And when emotion collides with the myriad misconceptions that hover around the profession of estate agency, the mix can be an unfortunate one for the incumbent.

First up comes the fact that those viewing a house for sale almost always forget that the estate agent showing them the property does not actually work for them. He or she is employed by the vendor of the house and their job is to get the highest price they can on behalf of their client. They are not put site to cater for the needs of the home viewer, although they will help when they can.

Then comes the skewed idea that houses 'sell themselves' and that the estate agent on the scene does nothing more than smile and open and close the door to let you in and out. But the agent is also there to gauge your kudos as a house buyer - how serious you are and whether you have your financial affairs in order, whether your current house is soundly sold or not and, generally, if all your ducks are in a row. Because once again, the estate agent is working solely for the vendor. Assessing individual viewers and buyers and selecting the best option from them is a particular skill set that goes largely unrecognised by both vendor and buyer. The agent must also negotiate and go back and forth to generate a deal, and later (people forget) keep it alive. The estate agent spends more than half of his or her time patching together deals which have already been agreed. Diplomatic skills are paramount.

And lately, the age thing has come into it.

Many vendors are particularly irked when a young chap in a suit turns up to show their house. In a profession that has seen its ranks decimated after the property crash, it has become increasingly difficult for estate agencies to get staff. While entrants to the profession must latterly have a relevant third level qualification, they also get paid a hell of a lot less than they did in the boom years.

Back then, a successful junior could make 40,000 per annum plus 3pc commission. Today, they enter their trade at 12,000 per annum for the first six or 12 months. If they're any good, they might end up on a 25,000 basic for the first few years with commission of 10pc on the agency's earning from the sale. It's not a whole lot of money if you're planning to buy a home of your own and raise a family.

For this money, most estate agents work six 12-hour days per week. Because Saturday is a big viewing day, they will also work it and, if they sell new homes, then they're on site on Sundays as well. They must deal with emotionally charged and paranoid potential buyers who think they're the baddie out to swindle them.

Another estate agent I know says: "A difficult part of the job is to let bidders go. You will know why they are being ruled out and you know why the rival is presenting a superior package. But often confidentiality rules which govern the profession mean you can't tell people what's going on behind the scenes. They simply assume you have shafted them."

Agents spend hours in traffic - a big issue if you are relying on commission to pay your bills. They must be immaculately turned out every day. Most agencies are now understaffed so staff must cover more viewings. And most of all, they must keep smiling - whatever we think of them.
IRISH people are good with words. And we're especially good at adjusting them so that they mean what we want them to mean. Take the word "contemporary" for example. It's bandied around a great deal, especially regarding kitchen design.

According to the most recent Houzz Kitchen Trends Study, more than half the Irish people who changed the style of their kitchen in 2016 updated to a "contemporary" style. Or at least that's what they said when they filled in the survey. But what does "contemporary" actually mean?

As it turns out, it means different things in different countries. An interior designer with IKEA once talked me through this. In mainland Europe, he explained, the word "contemporary" is used to describe severely minimalist kitchens. If a German couple want a "contemporary" kitchen, they expect straight lines and clean edges.

Then IKEA opened its Ballymun outlet in 2009 and Irish people flocked in. Many of them asked to see "contemporary" kitchens. When they were shown the European model, they backed away in horror.

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It was all just too stark.

Fairly rapidly, the retail team at IKEA Ireland copped on that the problem was in the terminology. When Irish people said that they wanted a "contemporary" kitchen, they weren't looking for hard core modernism. What they really wanted was a less embellished version of a traditional kitchen.

What people mean when they refer to a "traditional" kitchen isn't any better defined. In the Houzz survey, 36pc of Irish respondents said that they'd updated their kitchen in a "traditional" style. That could mean anything! Most people know what sort of kitchen they like - it's usually an updated version of the one that they grew up with - they just don't know what to call it.

The language used in kitchen brochures doesn't help at all. Here's an example. The kitchen manufacturer Neptune describes their updated Henley kitchen as a "traditional" kitchen "re-imagined in contemporary industrial style." If that's not confusing enough, their website gets completely bogged down: "Whatever you like to call it: organic modernism, a contemporary classic or clean rustic" Actually, the Henley is an unfussy kitchen design that will set you back between 20,000 and 25,000 (on average and excluding appliances). It looks smart, it's made of oak, and it won't annoy the mammy.

"People here will often say that they've got a "contemporary" kitchen - and all they mean is that they've got a new one!" says Lisa Johnston. She's one half of the cabinet-making studio, Cillian Johnston - her husband Cillian is the other half.

All Cillian Johnston kitchens are bespoke, individually designed for the client and made by hand. Their clients would typically spend between 45,000 and 50,000 on an entire kitchen project - that includes an estimated 15,000 on appliances. According to the Houzz report, more than one in 10 Irish homeowners spent more than 50,000 on their kitchen renovation in 2016 and another fifth spent between 25,000 and 50,000.

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But the big spenders are no more fans of high modernism than the rest of us. Johnston's perception is that most of her clients' tastes fall somewhere "country" - that's your traditional rustic kitchen with lots of natural wood - and a style that she describes as "Hamptons."

The "Hamptons" style is named for the New England coastal villages and distinguished by handmade Shaker-style cabinetry, often painted white. The Shakers were known for their creative cabinetmaking. In a modern context, this can include pocket-door systems - the door slides back into the cabinet instead of swinging from a hinge - and sliding countertops, which pull out to create a temporary extended workspace. Johnston finds that the simple but dignified style sits well in Georgian houses. Once again, Irish people know what they like - they just don't know the terminology. "A Hamptons style kitchen would be described as contemporary here!" she explains.

According to the Houzz survey, the predominant colours of Irish kitchen cabinets are conservative: grey (26pc), white (24pc), and beige (10pc). Yawn. Internationally, kitchen colours are a bit more varied and Johnston has noticed a trend for kitchen cabinets in racing car green. "It's often themed with gold lacquered fittings, but it's not really hit Ireland yet," she says.

One emerging trend, although it's not mentioned in the survey, is for black kitchen cabinets. "We've been pushing it for years," says Johnston. "People think that it's going to be intimidating but it's very do-able." Rather than a flat painted surface, which would be too black for most tastes, she favours a stain that combines depth with a sense of luxury. "It's not very, very black. There's warmth and there's comfort."

If you like black but can't afford handmade cabinetry the new Kungsbacka kitchen from IKEA comes in a matt black finish described as anthracite. But the kitchen's main selling point isn't blackness. The cabinet fronts, which also come in other colours, are made from reclaimed industrial wood and recycled plastic bottles.

Stockists for Neptune are listed on neptune.com and will soon include a new outlet at Trevor Morrow Furnishings in Ballina, County Mayo, which will open in April 2017. See also cillianjohnston.com, ikea.ie and houzz.ie.
WIN: A trip for two to cheer on Ireland at the Six Nations in Cardiff with Aer Lingus!

In our fifth RBS Six Nations competition in partnership with Aer Lingus on bringing #HomeAdvantage wherever Ireland play, we have another fantastic competition with the prize of return flights, airport transfers in Cardiff to and from your 4 star hotel where you will receive two nights accommodation and two match tickets to cheer Ireland taking on Wales in Cardiff for one lucky rugby lover and their guest!

The winner will receive this amazing package for two and must be available to depart for Cardiff on Friday 10th March at 10am, returning on Sunday March 12th at 3:10pm.

Winners are responsible for their own transport to and from Dublin airport. Further terms and conditions apply, these are available within the rules section of the below form. Competition closes Wednesday March 8th at 2pm.

To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, simply enter your details and answer the question within the following form.

Sponsored by:
Jane Fonda has given an interview to mark International Women's Day

Actress Jane Fonda has revealed she is a rape survivor and suffered sexual abuse as a child.

The two-time Oscar-winner said she was also fired once because she refused to have sex with her boss.

Fonda, 79, made the revelations in an interview with Academy Award-winning actress Brie Larson to mark International Women's Day on March 8.

She told The Edit magazine: "To show you the extent to which a patriarchy takes a toll on females, I've been raped, I've been sexually abused as a child and I've been fired because I wouldn't sleep with my boss and I always thought it was my fault - that I didn't do or say the right thing.

"I know young girls who've been raped and didn't even know it was rape. They think, 'It must have been because I said no the wrong way'.

"One of the great things the women's movement has done is to make us realise that (rape and abuse is) not our fault. We were violated and it's not right."

Barbarella star Fonda also spoke about her regrets as a mother to three children - Vanessa, Troy and Mary.

She told The Edit: "I regret that I wasn't a better parent.

"I didn't know how to do it. But you can learn, so I studied how to be a parent.

"It's never too late. I am trying to make up for what I didn't know before.

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"When I die, I want my family to be around me. I want them to love me and I have to earn that. I'm still working at it."

Fonda, who won best actress Oscars for her roles in Klute and Coming Home in the 1970s, b ecame an activist at the age of 31 to oppose the Vietnam War.

She told Larson she had concerns that a Hollywood "blacklist" could return.

"When I found out what was really happening in Vietnam I didn't care if I ever worked again. I considered leaving the business to become a full-time activist," Fonda said.

"My father was terrified for me. He remembered the 50s when people's careers were destroyed.

"It's possible the (Hollywood) blacklist will be brought back."
Meghan Markle attends the 12th annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards at Spring Studios on November 2, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images)

Things appear to be heating up for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry as she has travelled to Jamaica to join him for his best friend's wedding, it has been reported.

Harry jetted to Montego Bay on Wednesday to take part in the celebrations, while the Suits star followed him over on Thursday, according to the Daily Mail.

The three-day event is set to be "the mother of all parties," according to a source, and is the ideal opportunity for Meghan to meet Harry's close friends.

"This the first time that she and Harry have socialised so openly as a couple and is a significant step up in their relationship," said a source.

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"Make no mistake, he is heads over heels about her. This one could go all the way."

The Toronto-based actress has been dating the fifth in line to the throne for the past nine months, and they are said to be "practically living together" in London.

Harry (32) confirmed he was dating Meghan in an official Kensington Palace statement in November and the pair was photographed hand-in-hand for the first time in December.
Met Eireann has issued two national weather warnings ahead of the weekend as heavy rainfall and bitterly cold conditions are set to continue from today onwards.

Donegal, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick are set to be the worst affected - with about 30 to 40mm of rain expected.

The weather warning is in place until 12pm on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the national forecaster has also issued a weather warning for the entire country as cold and very unsettled weather is set to hit all counties.

Snowy conditions could spread from Donegal as far as Kerry today - with heavy rain expected to wash out the rest of the country this weekend.

Forecasters at Met Eireann expect snow and sleet in hilly areas across the western side of the country over the course of today.

And while the rest of the country will avoid the brunt of this wintery weather, rain is certain to be a regular presence all over for the remainder of the weekend.

Met Eireann forecaster John Eagleton told the Independent.ie that remaining indoors may be the best option over the next couple of days.

"If you're going out, prepare for it. It's not going to be too windy though," Mr Eagleton said.

"Maybe just Friday (snow), more in the high ground in the west, it'll be coldest there. There'll be a slight bit of wet snow, it's possible."

While some dry spells are anticipated over the course of Saturday, Sunday's weather will be a write-off.

"It's not going to be a great weekend. There's a lot of low pressure so we're going to get a lot of rain at times, though there'll be some dry periods too," Mr Eagleton said.

"There'll be a bit of sunshine, but there'll also be a lot of rain around throughout both Saturday and Sunday, it'll be quite unsettled," he added.

Temperatures in the east of the country will range between six and eight degrees, but will drop to as low as two degrees in the west over the course of the next three days.

This is not uncommon for this time of the year, according to Mr Eagleton.

"You know March itself, you can get anything, so I wouldn't say it's unusual for March," he said.

"You think of St Patrick's Day, they've varied a lot haven't they? Some cold ones and some lovely ones.

"I think Monday will be a good day but it's changeable for the rest of the week."
The Black Country Ale Tairsters celebrate visiting their 20,000th pub after setting off on a pub-crawl three dacades ago, at the Knot and Plough in Stafford.

The Black Country Ale Tairsters celebrate visiting their 20,000th pub at the Knot and Plough in Stafford after setting off on a pub-crawl three dacades ago

Britain's most committed pub-crawlers have chalked off their 20,000th boozer - three decades after setting off to tour just 300 inns listed on a brewery map.

Members of the Black Country Ale Tairsters - who dossed down in a graveyard following their inaugural visit to a pub in Wales in 1984 - arrived in a minibus to toast their latest milestone at the Knot and Plough in Stafford.

The group's co-founder Pete Hill was among those who considered calling time on the epic odyssey in 1985 after successfully ticking off hundreds of ale houses run by Wolverhampton-based Banks's.

But the friends decided to press on - darkening the door of more than 1,000 pubs in Herefordshire and Worcestershire before embarking on a tour of Britain's coastline and then every bar in Wales.

As more than a dozen members of the group raised a glass to their 20,000th pub, Mr Hill celebrated with a pint of Marston's 61 Deep pale ale.

The retired engineer - whose father Joe died in 2014 after fulfilling his ambition of "conquering" Wales - has knocked back 46,632 pints during the Tairsters' journey.

The 60-year-old said: "Last May when we'd done 19,000 I took my lump sum out of my pension to get to 20,000 and I have spent the bloody lot.

"Today is a bit emotional to be honest because it was my dad's ambition to get to 20,000 and it would have been his birthday tomorrow."

Mr Hill, who has collected around 24,000 for charity from licensees around Britain by asking for a 1 donation at each pub, joked: "I am the Samuel Pepys of my day. On every pub crawl everything is documented - from the beers in the pub to the decor.

"Every detail is recorded."

The unofficial group leader regards an ability to drink a gallon of beer as a minimum requirement for membership and advises drinkers to make a will before joining up.

"You never know when you might go the way of Oliver Reed," he said. "He's the hero - though I try not to go over 1,500 pints a year.

"If I'm in danger of going over the annual limit I stop in for a couple of days.

"And I had to keep to my local for the past two weeks to make sure today was the 20,000th different pub."

The West Bromwich-based Tairsters (Black Country dialect for tasters) moved its focus to 12 Midlands counties in 1991 before embarking on a seven-year tour of Wales in 2006.

Several veterans of the group, including stalwarts John Drew, 53, and 72-year-old Malcolm Maynard, attended the event at the Knot and Plough, where they were given free beer.

A spokesman for Marston's, which runs the two-year-old pub, said: "Pete and his friends' journey is a brilliant achievement.

"The fact he's raised thousands for good causes while having a great time is a tribute to him and the Great British pub."
The full list of people targeted will be published in the EU's official journal on Saturday

The European Union has extended sanctions against 15 people in Ukraine accused of misusing state funds.

The EU said in a statement that the asset freezes are being prolonged for a year for people "identified as responsible for the misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds or for the abuse of office causing a loss to Ukrainian public funds".

Sanctions against former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych and senior members of his administration were first introduced in March 2014 and have been extended annually since.

Mr Yanukovych fled to Russia in February 2014 after protests in which more than 100 people died.

The full list of people targeted will be published in the EU's official journal on Saturday.

AP
MYSTERY AT SEA: IT consultant Daniel Belling and his wife Li Yinglei, who vanished during a family cruise in the Med on board the MSC Magnifica Picture: Kyran O'Brien

Italian prosecutors investigating the disappearance of a woman from a Mediterranean cruise have alleged that she was killed by her husband on the second night of the trip.

Dublin-based IT worker Daniel Belling (45) is being held in custody in connection with the disappearance of his Chinese wife Xiang Lei Li.

The Irish Daily Star reports that police have also alleged that the German national killed Ms Li as they were having severe financial difficulties in Dublin.

State prosecutor Maria Tamburelli, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, claims Mr Belling killed his wife on board on February 10 - a day after they embarked on the MSC Magnifica cruise ship.

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Whatsapp Li Yinglei (inset) disappeared during a Mediterranean cruise with her husband and two young children. Credit: Facebook

She also claims the couple and their kids dined together at the Four Winds restaurant on board but did not turn up for breakfast the next morning.

On February 20, Mr Belling disembarked the ship with his two children, but without Ms Li.

Police arrested Mr Belling at Ciampino Airport in Rome as he was about to board a Ryanair flight home with his children.

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Staff working on board the ship say there was no trace of Ms Li after February 10 - nor was there any sign of her on the ship's CCTV system.

Efforts are now being made to repatriate the two children who are currently in the care of Italian social services.

Mr Belling and Ms Li had been living in an apartment block near the Clare Hall shopping centre in Dublin for several years.

Mr Belling worked as an IT consultant to firms such as Apple while Ms Li set up her own wedding planning business targeted at the Chinese community in the city.

Their two young sons were born here.

Mr Belling's lawyer Luigi Conti claims his client did not kill his wife and that Ms Li was a missing person.
FORMER French prime minister Alain Juppe was poised to replace Francois Fillon yesterday as investigators searched the home of the scandal-hit centre-right presidential candidate and allies deserted him.

Sources close to Mr Juppe, who had previously ruled out being a "plan B", told 'Liberation' newspaper he had reconsidered because of the deepening crisis in the Republicains party provoked by Mr Fillon's refusal to stand aside.

A day after Mr Fillon revealed that judges will place him under formal investigation later this month over allegations that he illegally employed his British wife and children at taxpayers' expense, detectives searched his home in the capital's elegant 7th arrondissement.

His presidential bid appeared close to collapse as more than 20 centre-right MPs and councillors publicly withdrew support for him and key members of his campaign team quit.

About 20 mayors also urged him to stand aside in favour of another candidate better placed to regain the Elysee Palace.

Allies of Mr Juppe, who came second to Mr Fillon in the primaries, said he was "ready but loyal" and would only step in if asked to do so by the beleaguered candidate.

With an opinion poll indicating that three-quarters of voters would prefer Mr Fillon to withdraw, senior figures in his party fear that he will be knocked out in the first round of voting at the end of next month.

Polls suggest that would leave Marine Le Pen, the Front National leader, to face Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist, in a second-round showdown.

Still defiant, Mr Fillon responded that his "support base is holding" as he addressed a rally of 3,000 supporters in the southern city of Nimes last night. "You see before you a fighter," he declared. "I will never give up."

Mr Juppe had previously been blocked from seeking to take over by Nicolas Sarkozy, the former president.

Mr Sarkozy yesterday appeared to suspend his objections. His ally, the MP Georges Fenech, said he was now supporting Mr Juppe because he could not accept "his political family being taken hostage".

The Republicains party was thrown into chaos after Mr Fillon vowed to fight on until the election in less than two months. In a defiant speech on Wednesday, he attacked the justice system for seeking his "political assassination".

Some of Mr Fillon's supporters were alarmed by his plan to hold a rally in Paris on Sunday to protest against "the coup d'etat by the judges".

President Francois Hollande warned him not to turn his meetings into demonstrations against the judiciary.

Mr Macron announced a full manifesto yesterday while Ms Le Pen gave a speech on "intelligent protectionism", calling for the nationalisation of France's public debt. "Everywhere, from Donald Trump's America, to Narendra Modi's India, from Xi Jinping's China to Theresa May's United Kingdom, economic patriotism is prevailing," she said.

One of the first opinion polls partly taken after Mr Fillon's legal woes deepened on Wednesday - when adviser Bruno Le Maire quit his campaign - showed his support dipping below 20pc for the first time in a week.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Two major newspaper representative groups have condemned the arrest in Turkey of a German newspaper correspondent.

The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the World Editors Forum (WEF) have called for the immediate release of Deniz Yucel.

Mr Yucel, a dual national Turkish-German journalist for Die Welt, was arrested in Turkey on charges of spreading propaganda in support of a terrorist organisation and inciting the public to violence.

The journalist was initally detained on February 14 after reporting on the hacking of Turkish Energy Minister Berat Albayraks private emails. Mr Albayrak is also the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

On Monday, an Istanbul judge filed for Mr Yucel to be remanded in custody and, later that evening, the court ordered him to be detained pending trial.

According to reports, the court has also accused the journalist of propaganda on behalf of the Kurdistan Workers party (PKK), a designated terror group fighting an insurgency against the Turkish state, partly because of an interview he conducted two years ago with Cemil Bayk, one of the PKKs founders.

Mr Yucel has regularly written about the Turkish government's treatment of ethnic Kurds.

According to WAN-IFRA and WEF the Turkish media has been victim of a crackdown on fundamental freedoms in recent years, in particular following a failed coup attempt in July 2016.

According to local reports over 150 journalists have been jailed as a result of the authorities actions, with many thousands more now unemployed as a result of the enforced closure of numerous media outlets.

In a statement WAN-IFRA said: Under the pretext of protecting national security, it is clear that the Turkish authorities in fact aim to shut down critical debate in the country and further entrench the increasingly authoritarian rule of President Erdogan.

The statement continued: We deplore the situation facing our Turkish colleagues, while this latest step of jailing a foreign correspondent only serves to further underline the desperate need for the Turkish government to stop its deliberate and targeted campaign against the press. WAN-IFRA calls for the immediate release of Deniz Yucel and all journalists imprisoned or facing trial in Turkey simply for carrying out their professional duties.

The statement from WAN-IFRA comes on the back of a meeting with Antonio Guterres, the new Secretary General of the United Nations on February 23.

WAN-IFRA, RSF and CPJ urged the Secretary General to consider the creation of a Special Representative for the Protection of Journalists, part of whose role would be to act as an emergency response mechanism wherever, and whenever journalists may be threatened.

At this time, there is a growing need for solidarity around the issues affecting the safety and protection of journalists, particularly within the context of the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.

"The Plan itself calls for a more cohesive, multi-stakeholder approach to tacking and addressing the issues; this includes state actors, and the Turkish authorities are sending all the wrong signals that they do not take these efforts seriously. By continuing to jail and harass journalists, shut down media outlets and undermine press freedom, Turkey is in fact working against common efforts to better protect the profession of journalism.
Former Haitian president Rene Preval, the only democratically elected president of Haiti to win and complete two terms, has died at the age of 74.

Current President Jovenel Moise confirmed Preval's death in a Tweet on Friday.

"I learned with sadness the death of former president Rene Preval," Moise said on his Twitter account. "I prostrate myself before the remains of this worthy son of Haiti."

The cause of death was not given. Preval had been treated for prostate cancer in Cuba in 2001.

Preval was elected by a landslide in 1995 as the chosen successor of Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

His second term, which started in 2006, was marred by the disastrous earthquake of January 12 2010, which reportedly killed more than 310,000 people and displaced more than one million. Many Haitians accused him of a fumbling response to the tragedy.

Preval was born on in the rural Haitian town of Marmelade in 1943 and trained as an agronomist before his career in politics.

His survivors include his third wife, Elisabeth "Babette" Delatour, and two adult daughters.

AP
Calais Mayor Natacha Bouchart signed an order on Thursday declaring the area near the closed camp off-limits, in part to prevent "violent acts"

Aid groups feeding migrants in the northern French port city of Calais are defying a municipal order to stop.

Hundreds of migrants have trickled back to Calais since authorities evacuated the makeshift camp housing thousands in October.

Aid organisations have been feeding them near the old camp site.

Seven aid groups said on Friday that they are distributing meals because authorities "don't respect their own (humanitarian) obligations".

They said the meals can prevent "eventual desperate acts" that Calais City Hall fears.

Calais Mayor Natacha Bouchart signed an order on Thursday declaring the area near the closed camp off-limits, in part to prevent "violent acts".

Francois Guennoc of aid organisation Auberge des Migrants said the groups have changed meal distribution spots and would do so nightly, if needed, to evade police.

AP
President Donald Trump has called for "an immediate investigation" into senior Democrat Charles Schumer's ties to Russian resident Vladimir Putin.

The president tweeted a photo of the two men holding coffee and doughnuts at a New York City petrol station and called the Senate Minority Leader "a total hypocrite".

Mr Trump did not say where the photo came from but Mr Schumer quickly pointed out that it was taken in 2003 when Mr Putin ventured to New York to celebrate the opening of a Russian-owned Lukoil petrol station in Manhattan.

Mr Schumer, in his own tweet, said he would "happily talk" under oath about his meeting with Mr Putin, which took place "in full view of press and public".

He then challenged Mr Trump to do the same and a short time later posted a follow-up in which he further poked fun at the photo, noting: "And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts."

On the same trip to the United States in 2003, Mr Putin travelled to Camp David, Maryland, where he met with Republican president George W Bush and the two held a joint news conference.

Mr Trump's tweet came just hours after the conservative website Drudge Report made the photo its lead image.

And that was a day after the photo was unearthed by the pro-Trump blog Gateway Pundit, which ran it with the headline "Where's the outrage?"

Trump targeted congressional Democrats for their encounters with Russians over the years even though the party's criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions centred on his failure to acknowledge his meetings when questioned at his Senate confirmation hearing and in written responses to the Judiciary Committee.

"I think he was asked a pretty straightforward question at his committee hearing and I do think he should resign," Senator Bernie Sanders said in an interview.

Mr Trump also tweeted on Friday about House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who was among the first to call for Mr Sessions to resign.

In his tweet, Mr Trump linked to a 2010 photo in which Ms Pelosi and other lawmakers are shown meeting with Russian officials, including then-president Dmitry Medvedev and ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Mr Trump demanded an investigation of the House minority leader. Ms Pelosi had initially denied ever meeting Mr Kislyak but her spokeswoman later clarified that they never had a one-on-one meeting.

Ms Pelosi then needled Trump by saying he did not "know the difference" between an official meeting photographed by the press and a "secret" meeting that Mr Sessions "lied about under oath".

Mr Sessions said on Thursday he would recuse himself from Russia probes after it was revealed that he had conversed with Russia's ambassador twice during last year's campaign, a contradiction of his testimony during his Senate confirmation hearings.

But that move has not satisfied many Democrats, who have called for Mr Sessions's resignation. They also demanded an independent investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia.

AP
The aftermath of the shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando (AP)

The wife of the Orlando nightclub gunman has been ordered to remain in jail for the time being.

A federal judge issued the ruling in Florida, a day after a magistrate in California said Noor Salman could be released.

US District Judge Paul Byron, sitting in Orlando, made an order saying Salman should stay in jail while he decides if she should be detained or released pending her trial on charges that she helped her husband scout out potential targets and created a cover story for him.

A federal magistrate in Oakland, California, had ordered Salman's release as early as Friday, saying it was "debatable" whether the government had enough evidence to convict her.

US Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu also said Salman, 31, was not dangerous and there was no proof she had ties to the Islamic State group or held extremist views.

The criminal charges were filed in Florida, but the detention hearing was held in California because Salman was living in the Bay Area at the time she was taken into custody.

Salman has pleaded not guilty to charges of aiding and abetting, and obstruction of justice. She faces life in prison if she is convicted.

Salman's husband, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to IS during the attack at the Pulse gay nightclub on June 12.

The deadliest mass shooting in recent US history left 49 people dead and dozens injured. Mateen was eventually killed by police.

In their motion asking that she be detained, prosecutors said there is a presumption in the law for Salman to be held in jail since the crime involves terrorism, and that prosecutors need not show anything more than an indictment to back up their request.

"Here, the defendant proffered evidence of her husband's alleged abuse, the affidavits of friends and family, and her lack of overall danger in support of an argument that she does not constitute a flight risk or danger to the community," the prosecutors said.

"Such proffered evidence falls far short of justifying a finding in favour of release, particularly in light of the nature of the charged offence."

Salman's lawyer Linda Moreno said the motion seemed to be a rehash of what was argued in the California court.

"The court found that the evidence they claim supports these allegations was debatable," Ms Moreno said. "It's far more than debatable. It's groundless."

AP
North Korean Ri Jong Chol who was arrested in connection with the death of Kim Jong Un's half-brother

Malaysian authorities have deported the only North Korean detained over the killing of Kim Jong Nam, and issued an arrest warrant for another man whose whereabouts are unknown.

Ri Jong Chol, who had been held since February 17, was released because of a lack of evidence to charge him and was handed over to immigration officials for deportation because he did not have valid travel documents, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

Immigration director-general Mustafar Ali confirmed that Ri had flown out of the country, escorted by two North Korean Embassy officials, and that "he is blacklisted from entering Malaysia".

Police never said what they believed Ri's role was in the attack on the half-brother of North Korea's leader at Kuala Lumpur's airport.

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Malaysia is looking for seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom are believed to have left the country on February 13, the day Kim died.

Two other people remain in custody, both women - one Indonesian, one Vietnamese - accused of smearing Kim's face with VX, a banned nerve agent considered a weapon of mass destruction.

Police have said three other North Korean suspects, including an official at the North Korean Embassy and an employee of Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier, are believed to still be in the country.

National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said an arrest warrant was issued on Friday for the Air Koryo employee, Kim Uk Il.

Police say he arrived in Malaysia on January 29, about two weeks before Kim was killed.

Malaysian authorities have not said why they want to arrest Kim Uk Il.

Kim Yong Nam's death has unleashed a diplomatic battle between Malaysia and North Korea.

On Thursday, Malaysia announced it is scrapping visa-free entry for North Koreans.

Malaysia's foreign ministry ramped up the pressure on Friday, saying it was "greatly concerned" about the use of the nerve agent.

"Its use at a public place could have endangered the general public," the ministry said in a statement.

Malaysia has not directly accused North Korea of being behind the killing, but the statement came hours after a North Korean envoy rejected a Malaysian autopsy finding that VX killed Kim, saying the man probably died of a heart attack because he suffered from heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Ri Tong Il, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, also said that if VX had been used, others besides Kim would have been killed or sickened.

The women charged with murdering Kim at an airport terminal were caught on grainy surveillance video smearing what Malaysian authorities say was VX on his face and eyes, though both reportedly say they were duped into thinking they were playing a harmless prank.

Kim died within 20 minutes, authorities say. No bystanders reported falling ill.

Malaysia's finding that VX killed Kim boosted speculation that North Korea orchestrated the attack.

Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory, and North Korea is widely believed to possess large quantities of chemical weapons including VX.

North Korea is trying to retrieve Kim's body, but has not acknowledged that the victim is Kim Jong Un's half-brother, as Malaysian government officials have confirmed.

North Korea refers to the victim as Kim Chol, the name on the diplomatic passport he was carrying when he died.

Malaysian police are doing the same; they are seeking next-of-kin who could provide a DNA sample and make a positive identification, steps they say are needed for authorities to give up the body.

Kim is believed to have two sons and a daughter with two women living in Beijing and Macau.

Khalid Abu Bakar, the national police chief, brushed off the North Korean envoy's claim of a heart attack.

"We have our experts who are qualified to determine the cause of death of Kim Chol.

"Our investigations, supported by expert reports, confirmed that Kim Chol was murdered.

"North Korea can say what they like but the facts remain," he told the AP.

Malaysian police said the female suspects had been trained to go immediately to the bathroom and wash their hands after attacking Kim.

The police said the four North Korean suspects who left the country on the day of the killing put the VX liquid on the women's hands.

Police cannot confirm whether the two women may have been given antidotes before the attack.

An antidote, atropine, can be injected after exposure and is carried by medics in war zones where weapons of mass destruction are suspected.

North Korea has a long history of ordering killings of people it views as threats to its regime.

Kim Jong Nam was not known to be seeking political power, but his position as eldest son of the family that has ruled North Korea since it was founded could have made him appear to be a danger.

Kim Jong Nam reportedly fell out of favour with his father, the late Kim Jong Il, in 2001, when he was caught trying to enter Japan on a false passport to visit Tokyo Disneyland.

AP
Syrian regime fighters take position as they advance on the ancient city of Palmyra yesterday

SYRIAN forces and their allies were celebrating the recapture of Palmyra from Isil yesterday, after the militants appeared to have been driven out of the ancient city for a second time.

Syrian soldiers, backed by Russian air raids and ground troops, pushed into the city overnight on Wednesday after days of fierce battles with Isil.

They paused before entering the site of the ancient ruins in the southwest, which they feared had been rigged with mines.

"Isil withdrew from most of Palmyra after laying mines across the city," Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said. "There are no fighters left in most of the Old City, but it is heavily mined."

Dozens of militants were reported to have fled in a convoy towards the nearby town of al-Sukhnah, but were targeted by air strikes.

Photographs showed Russian soldiers standing in front of Palmyra's Roman amphitheatre, which was partly damaged and strewn with debris.

The historic oasis city, listed by Unesco as a World Heritage Site, has traded hands several times in six years of civil war and became a symbol of Isil's destruction of cultural heritage.

The jihadists first took Palmyra in May 2015 before it fell to forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad after a Russian-backed offensive in March 2016. However, Isil managed to recapture the city last December after a surprise assault that severely embarrassed the Damascus regime.

Satellite images last month suggested Isil had carried out further desecration - dynamiting the Tetrapylon monument and blowing up the front of the amphitheatre. The new photographs confirmed the destruction and showed fresh damage to the citadel, which seemed to be crumbling on one side.

"I prepared for the eventuality that the barbarians had blown the whole thing up, so there is some small relief that the citadel and amphitheatre are still standing," Maamoun Abdulkarim, Syria's antiquities chief, said. "The second nightmare is over now, I pray there isn't a third."

Before Isil, the city boasted temples, colonnaded alleys and elaborately decorated tombs that were among the best preserved classical monuments in the Middle East.

Mr Abdulkarim said he would travel to Palmyra to assess the damage and looting early next week.

Meanwhile, in northern Iraq, dozens of civilians were reportedly killed in a suspected US air strike on a historic mosque being used as an Isil base in Mosul.

Residents said a number of militants, as well as civilians sheltering in the Ottoman-era Omar al-Aswad mosque, were killed. Several more died as nearby houses collapsed.

A spokesman for the US-led coalition said he was not aware of such an air strike.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
A US state which is reportedly the only state giving police immunity from prosecution if they have sex with prostitutes during an investigation is now seeking to draft a bill to get rid of the law.

Bridgette Carr, a director of the Human Trafficking Clinic at the University of Michigan Law School, is now working to get rid of the exemption in Michigan.

Ms Carr told Michigan Radio she became aware of the exemption a couple of years ago when Hawaii was "phasing out their exemption".

"And a number of folks in the human trafficking community were upset that Michigan retained the exemption," she told the station.

The exemption potentially allows police officers to have sex with human trafficking victims without facing punishment.

"The reason the law is structured the way it is is because of the way the prostitution laws are written," she said.

"So for law enforcement to have any power to investigate with immunity, they got all the power. And no one thought to go back and carve out a prohibition against sexual intercourse."

Ms Carr said none of the officers she spoke to said they take advantage of the prosecution.

She added: "What I do know from my own clients is that people who either say they are cops, who are cops or who are impersonating cops, know about this exemption and threaten my clients with it sometimes.

"Its not rampant, but it happens. And I think it says something about us as a community that we would allow this type of exemption for law enforcement, whether its used very often or not."
Jeff Sessions recused himself from any investigation into communications between aides to President Donald Trump and Moscow (AP)

Russia has decried the uproar in the United States over Attorney General Jeff Sessions' meetings with the Russian ambassador as a replay of McCarthyism, voicing regret over the lack of any substantive dialogue with Washington.

Mr Sessions recused himself from any investigation into communications between aides to President Donald Trump and Moscow on Thursday following revelations that as senator, Mr Sessions twice spoke with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 election campaign and failed to say so when pressed by Congress.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov argued that contacts with officials and lawmakers are part of any ambassador's duties.

He added that the pressure on Mr Sessions "strongly resembles a witch hunt or the times of McCarthyism, which we thought were long over in the United States as a civilised country".

In the 1950s, Senator Joseph McCarthy led a hunt for purported communist infiltrators in the US government, often involving unfounded accusations.

Mr Trump blamed Democrats for the controversy in a statement on Thursday night.

He said: "They lost the election and now, they have lost their grip on reality. The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt!"

At a news conference, Mr Lavrov said Russia is not going to mimic the US, but added that "if we applied the same principle to Ambassador (John) Tefft's activities in Russia and his contacts, it would have made quite a funny picture".

In a sarcastic Facebook post, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said she met Mr Tefft in the ministry's lobby and warned him that he was putting himself in danger by meeting with Russian diplomats.

Asked to comment on the situation, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov cited the US leader: "We have nothing to add to the expansive definition given by President Trump."

The Sessions case is widely seen in Moscow as part of efforts by Mr Trump's foes to block any possible rapprochement with Moscow.

Russia-US ties plummeted to their lowest level since the Cold War times during Barack Obama's presidency over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and other issues.

Mr Trump had come into office hoping to mend ties with Russia, expressing admiration for Mr Putin.

Russian lawmakers and political commentators said the allegations by US intelligence that Russia meddled in the election to help Mr Trump defeat Hillary Clinton will likely continue to weigh over his administration and prevent it from launching a meaningful dialogue with the Kremlin any time soon.

In a conference call with reporters, Mr Peskov lamented the lack of co-operation with the US on the Syrian settlement beyond the US diplomatic presence at peace talks in Kazakhstan's capital of Astana that Russia and Turkey brokered earlier this year.

"Similarly, there has been no movement forward regarding co-operation in the fight against terrorism, which causes regret," he said.

"Without waiting for these contacts to start, Russia has been consistently contributing to the fight against terrorism and scoring results," Mr Peskov said, pointing at the Russian military's role in driving the Islamic State group from the historic town of Palmyra.

Mr Trump has repeatedly promised to co-operate with Russia in fighting IS in Syria.

Mr Obama's administration had ruled out such co-operation because of Moscow's support for Syrian president Bashar Assad.

Other issues on the crowded Russian-US agenda leave little hope for any quick progress.

On Ukraine, any Trump move to soften the stance on Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and its support for a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine would anger his Congressional foes and put him in an even more precarious position.

If Mr Trump makes any attempt to ease the sanctions imposed on Russia by Mr Obama's administration, it could face strong resistance in Congress.

On the nuclear arms control, Mr Trump's intentions to modernise the US arsenals and his criticism of the 2010 New START nuclear arms treaty would potentially put him on a collision course with Moscow, which has signalled its desire to extend the deal after it expires in 2021.

But for now, the Kremlin is trying to show patience.

Mr Peskov sought to play down Mr Trump's proposal to raise military spending by 9%, saying that it is a domestic matter for Washington.

"It would hardly concern us until a rise in spending upsets the existing balance of strategic deterrence," he said.

AP
Families walk past an Islamic State sign while fleeing clashes between Iraqi forces and Islamic State group militants in western Mosul (AP)

Thousands of civilians fled Mosul overnight as Iraqi forces advanced north of a sprawling military base near the city's airport on Friday.

Iraq's special forces pushed into the Wadi Hajar district in western Mosul and retook the area from the Islamic State group, according to Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, spokesman of the Joint Military Operations.

Special forces Brigadier General Haider al-Obeidi said clearing operations were ongoing in the area and his forces were close to linking up with the militarised federal police forces who were pushing up along the western bank of the Tigris river.

Iraqi forces, including special operations forces and federal police units, launched an attack on the western part of Mosul nearly two weeks ago to dislodge IS.

Since the offensive began, more than 28,000 people have been displaced by the fighting, according to the United Nations.

Nahla Ahmed, 50 fled Mosul late on Thursday night, walking more than five kilometres (three miles) from her home in the Shuhada neighbourhood.

"All the families were hiding behind a wall," she said, explaining how they escaped an IS-held part of the city.

"We gave the children Valium so they wouldn't cry and (the IS fighters) wouldn't catch us."

Ms Ahmed, like most of the civilians who have escaped Mosul in the past week, fled through Mamun neighbourhood.

The district is partially controlled by Iraq's special forces.

Major Saif Ali, who is stationed in Mamun, said huge crowds of civilians began pouring into the area from neighbouring districts just after midnight.

Mr Ali said civilians in western Mosul are becoming increasingly desperate as food and water supplies begin to run out.

"In total 7,000 people fled through this area last night," he said. "We were up all night trying to control the crowds."

By late morning nearly all the families had been moved out of Mamun.

The neighbourhood was littered with discarded clothing and blankets piled up in empty lots and on street corners.

Iraqi forces deployed east of Mamun advanced into Wadi Hajar, a neighbourhood north of the Ghazlani military base.

The US-led coalition dropped more than 15 munitions in Mosul on Friday, Mr Ali said, saying they targeted car bombs, sniper positions and small IS mortar units.

At a screening centre south of the city, hundreds of women and children were gathered on the cement ground of an old petrol station as men were screened in a parking lot next door.

An Iraqi intelligence officer walked with an informant past the rows of men and boys sitting on the ground before they had their names checked against a database.

Muthana Younis also fled Mosul late on Thursday night.

"We waited until all the IS fighters left the streets," he said, his track suit covered in mud from the journey.

Mr Younis walked for hours, crossing more than five kilometres with his mother, father, brother and sister.

"There were mortars and we could hear gunfire," he said.

Mr Younis said his younger siblings were so scared at times he had to carry them.

He added: "But we had to flee, we had run out of food."

AP
CONCORD- When Ashley Garcia-Riveria met Liz Benstead, she knew the two of them were meant to become a family. As a 15-year-old in foster care, Garcia-Riveria said she was terrified that she would never be adopted.

But when they met each other, Garcia-Riveria knew Benstead was going to be her mother.

It was very, very scary. I was terrified and nervous. I obviously didnt think I would get adopted, Garcia-Riveria said. When I first met my mom Liz; I had a gut feeling. I thought, this is my mom.

They had their first meeting at a Friendlys near Garcia-Riverias foster home in western Massachusetts. They both clicked and began talking during the week.

Benstead adopted Garcia-Riveria on National Adoption Day in 2012.

The 15-year-old was on Cloud 9, but she couldnt forget so many other teenagers that werent as fortunate.

Not many teenagers get adopted from foster care. People usually want young children, Garcia-Riveria said. They end up either homeless, pregnant or in jail. The year after I got adopted, I felt the need that I had to do something about it.

So she established Suitcases of Hope, a nonprofit that provides duffel bags to children and youth in foster care.

Suitcases of Hope

Since 2013, the nonprofit has donated 700 suitcases and duffel bags to foster children. Garcia-Riveria began making the donations with the help of local churches and businesses in Massachusetts. Then she and her mother moved to Cabarrus County a year-and-half ago and began collecting items here.

Garcia-Riveria, now 20, donates the bags because when foster children are moved to foster homes, they are given trash bags to put their belongings in.

My whole point of the Suitcases of Hope is making the kids feel like they arent trash, she said. I go to Walmart and other stores to buy supplies for the suitcases, like teddy bears, toothbrushes and sheets for beds. Whatever the child needs.

Also included in the bag is a copy of The Suitcases by Anne Hall Whitt, which depicts the life of a foster child in 1936 during the Great Depression.

Garcia-Riveria also includes a personal letter of encouragement with advice for the foster child in the future.

She delivers them to the Cabarrus County and the Mecklenburg County department of social services.

They go so quickly. They only last a good three weeks at the office and then they are gone, she said.

Ashleys story of service

When Garcia-Riveria was a junior in high school she had a decision to make. Did she want to apply for colleges or did she want to take a year off.

Working with her guidance counselor, she came up with a plan to help her give back instead. She joined AmeriCorps, the national community service program.

She was accepted into the AmeriCorps City Year program and assigned to serve as a teachers assistant in a fourth-grade classroom in South Carolina. Garcia-Riveria said she spent over 40 hours a week mentoring and tutoring the students.

It was an amazing experience and I miss it, she said.

Garcia-Riveria is also a spokesperson for AdoptUSKids, a project of the US Childrens Bureau that provides tools and technical assistance to help child welfare systems connect children in foster care with families.

She also speaks to local students about Suitcases of Hope. She recently spoke to students at Rocky River Elementary School where Benstead works.

I went there for Service Learning Day to speak to all fifth-graders to tell them what service is really about. Its because you actually want to help people, she said. Im hoping the kids really did listen to me that day and changed what they think about service.

She is currently a student at Central Piedmont Community College and hopes to transfer to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for its social work program.

Adopting an older child

Garcia-Riveria has some advice to parents who may be considering adopting a foster child. She urges them not to count teenagers out.

Dont be scared to approach a teenager. Its not their fault they were placed in the situation, she said. All they want is love and support. They just want to be in a great family.

Anyone interested in making a donation to Suitcases of Hope can email Garcia-Riveria at anmir015@gmail.com or send checks to 755 Dover Mill Drive, Concord NC 28025.
RALEIGH  Modern American conservatism weaves several strands of thought  constitutionally limited government, free-market economics, time-honored virtues, and prudent statesmanship  into a fabric that is both large enough to encompass a majority coalition and strong enough to withstand that coalitions inevitable twists and strains.

Two thinkers whose ideas inspire American conservatism, Edmund Burke and Friedrich Hayek, were neither Americans nor self-described conservatives. Burke, an 18th-century member of Parliament, defended the American Revolution, criticized the French Revolution, and was associated with the Old Whig faction of classical liberalism in the British politics of the day. Hayek, the 20th-century Austrian economist who spent some of his career in United States, described himself as an Old Whig or classical liberal.

Yet both are venerated by todays conservatives, in part because of their careful, historically grounded arguments for prudence. Circumstances, Burke wrote, give in reality to every political principle its distinguishing color, and discriminating effect. The circumstances are what render every civil and political scheme beneficial or noxious to mankind. In Hayeks case, he counseled his fellow advocates of individual freedom to recognize that human civilization has a life of its own, that all our efforts to improve things must operate within a working whole which we cannot entirely control, and the operation of whose forces we can hope merely to facilitate and assist so far as we can understand them.

At the present moment, North Carolina conservatives are confronted with a prudential question: what to do about House Bill 2. Enacted nearly a year ago in response to Charlottes passage of a poorly constructed anti-discrimination ordinance, H.B. 2 has come to dominate the states political discourse.

Some like it that way. Roy Cooper and his team actively lobbied Democrats during the 2016 campaign not to discuss any accommodations with Republicans on the issue, while also encouraging boycotts against the state and raising campaign funds from concerned business leaders to use against then-Gov. Pat McCrory. On the other side, there are Republicans who believe H.B. 2 was a reasonable response to Charlottes provocation and ought to remain intact, as well as out-of-state conservative groups that see North Carolina as a pivotal battleground in a twilight struggle to defend traditional values.

But most North Carolinians do not agree with either side. Surveys from both liberal and conservative pollsters find majorities of voters oppose H.B. 2. They are tired of hearing about it, unconvinced that it was narrowly tailored to address an imminent problem, and concerned about its effects on politics, business, and sports. In a survey taken just before the November election, the Civitas Institute found that even 43 percent of Republicans and 41 percent of self-described conservatives either opposed H.B. 2 or were ambivalent about it.

That doesnt mean, however, that they or most other North Carolinians favor the approach of the Charlotte ordinance or the Obama administration on access to showers and locker rooms. In that same Civitas poll, 49 percent of voters agreed with the relevant provisions of H.B. 2 on the matter, while 35 percent thought the Charlotte/Obama stance was reasonable.

Rep. Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson) and a bipartisan coalition have devised a new repeal and replace response, H.B. 186, to the ongoing dispute. It repeals H.B. 2 and explicitly grants municipalities the authority to enact anti-discrimination ordinances that go beyond state law to include such categories as sexual orientation or gender identity. However, it explicitly excludes access to multi-occupancy bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms on non-municipal property from such ordinances  describing it as a matter of general, statewide concern.

In response to concerns about overly broad anti-discrimination ordinances intruding on the religious conscience of private individuals and institutions, the bill excludes religious groups and nonprofits while allowing citizens to initiate a referendum to challenge any newly enacted ordinance, just as some city charters allow citizens to challenge other city actions.

The McGrady bill wont make everyone happy. It doesnt fully comport with my own preferences. But for conservatives, it has at least one compelling virtue: it is prudent.

John Hood is chairman of the John Locke Foundation and appears on the talk show NC SPIN. You can follow him @JohnHoodNC.
By Pritesh Samuel

In line with the governments digital push, two cashback schemes  associated with the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app  are expected to be released in the coming month. The BHIM app is available on both android and iOS platforms, and has recorded over 17 million downloads.

BHIM app: Quick primer

BHIM integrates the United Payments Interface (UPI) based services offered by all banks on a single platform.

Users can receive and send money and settle bills using a vendors Quick Response (QR) code.

Customers can check their bank balance on the app. All you need is a smartphone, a bank account, and a four-digit passcode at the time of registering.

At the moment, around 37 banks are integrated into the app, including public and private such as State Bank of India, HDFC, ICICI, Kotak Mahindra, and Standard Chartered. All public sector banks are eventually expected to be on the app.

Users can also send money to banks not on the app, using an IFSC code and an account number.

RELATED: Pre-Investment, Market Entry Strategy Advisory from Dezan Shira & Associates

Government incentives on the BHIM app

Cashback: To avail of this scheme, users have to download the BHIM app and create a UPI address. Following that, users will need to link their phone number and address along with their bank account. Once this is done, any transaction done via the app will result in the user getting cashbacks. However, this scheme will only be available for merchants.

Referral bonus scheme: A referral code is given to the user who can use the code to refer others. If another user downloads the app using the referral code, the original user gets the referral bonus.

The above two schemes were announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as part of Indias 2017 budget. The government has also integrated Aadhaar based transactions with BHIM.

The BHIM app provides thee modes of payment: through Aadhaar, a users mobile number/virtual payment address, and bank account. BHIM has been developed by the National Payments Corporation of India.

RELATED: Foxconn Investments in India Show New Regional Dynamic

Takeaways

The incentives underline the governments continued push towards building a cashless economy. The BHIM app has the potential to replace individual apps from banks, wallets, and other fintech startups, and will boost the growth of digital payments in the country. A recent study done by Google and the Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) forecasts that digital payments will contribute towards 15 percent of Indias GDP by 2020.

The BHIM app is among several others, which the government has launched including Aadhaar pay, DigiLocker, BharatQR code, and eTaal. The adoption of digital services will reduce costs of running Indias cash-based economy. Downloads of such apps have already witnessed a temporary boost following the governments November 2016 demonetization move. The government hopes to make this transition more habitual by incentivizing the usage of digital alternatives and penalizing large cash transactions. Such moves will also go a long way in promoting transparency, retracting the parallel black market economy, and ultimately, reducing the countrys excessive and costly dependence on cash.

Needless to say, India must ramp up its internet and digital infrastructure, and ensure a progressive regulatory climate to effectively meet these cashless goals.



About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email india@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight.

Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide. An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2017 An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2017 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in India. As such, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Indian market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to stay up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes.
New Delhi, Mar 3 (IBNS): India, on Friday, is observing World Wildlife Day with the rest of the world, through various programmes to spread the message of nature conservation and wildlife preservation.

Every year, Mar 3 is observed as World Wildlife Day ever since the decision was taken on Dec 20, 2013, at the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the day the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed.

With almost one quarter of the worlds population aged between 10 and 24, vigorous efforts need to be made to encourage young people, as the future leaders and decision makers of the world, to act at both local and global levels to protect endangered wildlife.

Therefore the theme for 2017 is 'Listen to the Young Voices'.

Anil Madhav Dave, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, tweeted, "MoEF&CC remains committed to conserving wildlife. Budget allocation increased from Rs. 475 Cr last year to Rs. 522.50 Cr. #WorldWildlifeDay."

In another tweet, he said, "Young citizens must take the lead in protecting the denizens of wild. Let us roar into action to the call of the wild  #SaveWildlife."

CITES Secretary-General, John E. Scanlon, said, "Given the current rate of poaching and smuggling, will future generations one day speak of elephants, rhinoceros and many other endangered species as we speak of mammoths: magnificent creatures belonging to the past? We must not and will not allow this to happen."

It is the responsibility of each generation to safeguard wildlife for the following generation. We have not yet succeeded in securing the future of the worlds wildlife. Meeting this challenge will now be shared with the next generation. To succeed we must fully harness the innovation and energy of youth, and combine it with the wisdom that comes with experience, if we are to make the change we need to happen," said Scanlon.



Image: Anil M Dave Twitter
New Delhi, Mar 3 (IBNS): In its efforts to enhance disaster preparedness, mitigation and response measures by building capacity at the local level through engagement with the paramilitary and armed forces, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a training conference here on Friday on capacity building of the various organisations of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and other stakeholders.

Lt. Gen. N. C. Marwah (Retd.), Member, NDMA, who chaired the meeting, said it is very important for NDMA and CAPFs to work together for disaster preparedness and mitigation. Underlining the fact that the capabilities of our forces are not being optimally utilised, he urged them to proactively engage with the local administration and help in strengthening the overall capacity of the first responders.

Speaking on the occasion, he said, "A lot more needs to be done than what is being done today. With better planning, coordination, involvement and commitment, we would be able to make the country disaster resilient."

Sharing their experiences on Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes conducted by their respective organisations, participants highlighted the need for standardization of courses across CAPFs. They also underlined the need to upgrade training equipment and modernise training centres. Besides the need for maintaining a database of such trainers, a detailed deployment plan to fully utilise their capabilities for further trainings was also emphasised upon.

A discussion was held on strengthening the Disaster Management wings of CAPFs by retaining their personnel who have had a stint at National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as trainers in their DM training institutes.

The need to train volunteers right up to the village level and equipping them to act as first responders in the event of a disaster was also discussed. NDMA's 'Aapda Mitra' is one such volunteer training programme which aims to train at least 200 volunteers at the district level across the country.

Discussions at this conference will form a part of the deliberations at the upcoming National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) which will bring together all stakeholders to review the progress made so far in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and suggest ways to improve disaster resilience in the country. The NPDRR, being jointly organised by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), NDMA and National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), will be held next month.

Senior officials from NDMA, MHA, NDRF, NIDM, Fire Services, Home Guards and Civil Defence, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), National Cadet Corps (NCC), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Indian Coast Guard attended the conference.
Counting of votes in seven assembly seats across six states underway, BJP leads in four | Twitter founder Jack Dorsey apologises to employees after mass lay off | Eknath Shinde visits Sharad Pawar in hospital | 'Had clear-cut objective to harm Hindus': Court on ex-AAP councillor's role in 2020 Delhi riots | Doctor booked for rash driving in Cyrus Mistry car accident case
Paris, Mar 3 (IBNS): French investigators have raided conservative presidential candidate Francoise Fillon's home in Paris over a fake job scandal, the BBC reported.

Though Fillon has dismissed any wrongdoing, the law enforcers are investigating him over an allegedly fake job given to his wife.

The politician, who is facing tremendous pressure to resign however said he will continue his campaign.

Fillon was a front-runner in the race until the scandal emerged, following which his rating has taken a hit.

His wife too is facing an investigation.

Image: Creative Commons


Neduvasal, a village in the district of Pudukkottai is becoming the hotbed of revolt, as villagers, youngsters and environmentalists are protesting against the 'Hydrocarbon Project' proposed by the Union Govt. The project is feared to detriment agriculture and pose environmental damage.

Yesterday, Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami assured the Neduvasal delegation that the Govt. will not encourage any scheme that causes a loss to the farmers. Yet, popular music director and rising actor, G V Prakash Kumar has announced his partake in the protest for Neduvasal. The 'Nachiyaar' hero, who will reach Neduvasal on Sunday, will fight for the farmers for a second time, after having avidly fought for Jallikattu. Much like his previous track 'Kombu Vacha Singamda' for Jallikattu, GVP is set to make another song dedicated to the farmers of Neduvasal.
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This week I attended my first Dr. Umar Johnson lecture. It was interesting, to say the least. For those who are unaware, Johnson, known as the Prince of Pan-Africanism, is a lecturer and self-appointed expert on mental health.

The topics that serve as subject to his verbose extrapolations include examinations of racism against Blacks in America, the influence of the prison industrial complex on our nations education system, the necessity (or lack thereof) of the Black Church, homosexuality and interracial relationships. Johnson has been a consistently outspoken opponent of those last two.

Monday night, after showing up nearly an hour late, Johnson stepped on stage to rousing applause. The room, filled to capacity, was primed and ready to go. These folks, some of whom had traveled from Chicago and elsewhere, were no doubt anticipating something worth listening to. The energy coming from the crowd was worshipful and reverent as he walked through the room, two security guards in tow, clad in a dashiki, crisp white sneakers and a black and gold Phillies ball cap.

While his lecture had a couple gems  namely his rebuke of the American education system and its treatment of children of color, as well as a pretty spot-on breakdown of how Black people have been unjustly and systematically shut out of economic advancement through redlining, gentrification and the like  a fair amount of it was disappointing. As anyone who has listened to him before knows, some of his most outrageous statements were par for the course. Here are just two examples:

 Though Johnson stated that he loves our LGBTQ brothers and sisters, he cannot condone their actions because not only is homosexuality a cancer on the Black community, it also, along with abortion and interracial marriage, is a tool that will ultimately dismantle the Black race. Also, to be accepting and/or tolerant of the LGBTQ movement is to simultaneously be in compliance with criminal acts such as bestiality and pedophilia.

 Johnson stated that Black people (or Sun People as he called them) lived in a land of complete and utter harmony similar to Eden before white people (or Ice People) walked their hairy, barbaric, cannibalistic selves down to Africa and ruined everything. While colonialism did deal an awful blow to the continent of Africa, this simplistic view of a fairy tale land is incorrect. War, corruption and slavery in some form or another existed on the continent well before this period in history.

I am of the opinion that we cannot accept hatred in any form toward anyone. It is a detriment to us and serves no productive purpose. Black gay youth are consistently victims of violence in their homes, schools and places of worship. Trans women of color are also being slaughtered, and their murders are often neglected not only by the police and investigators (these crimes often go unsolved), but also by our community.

It is my belief that hate and ignorance are more of a cancerous condition on us than homosexuality could ever be.

The lecture, which was titled 21st Century Afrikan Holocaust: The End of Racial Justice for Blacks & What We Must Do Now! lasted over two hours and was all over the place. In all, I took him to be a glittering balloon  speckled with brilliance, but ultimately filled with a lot of hot air.

I had the opportunity to speak with Johnson over the phone before his lecture in Indy. It was our second time conversing; the first was prior to his last visit to Nap two years ago.

Both times we spoke, I was impressed with the passion with which he spoke about the plight of Black children in the public education system. He was dead on in his assertions that Black kids are more likely than others to be suspended from school, unjustly punished for minor offenses and misdiagnosed with mental disorders. Statistics back this up, and studies have shown that at least part of the cause is that too many teachers are working off an assumption that Black children are more dangerous and must be ruled with an iron fist. Many of these educators, even the ones with good intentions, lack the cultural sensitivity required to adequately reach children who are in their care. These steps have dire implications, as many of those same children find themselves behind bars years later.

This topic is especially personal to me, because I lived it. Nearly two decades ago, I went to a predominantly white elementary school on the citys far west side. My home life was troubled. My parents, though they loved me dearly and did their best, had fallen into a rough patch. My daddy, my hero, was addicted to heroin, and he and my mother got a divorce when I was in the first grade. The years after were a struggle for me. I acted out in school and was consistently suspended and sent to the principals office. It was not uncommon for me to spend almost eight hours a day in complete solitude, a special form of torture they called ISS (in-school suspension). In the fourth grade, I was placed, without my parents knowledge or permission, in a special education classroom. I had not been tested or evaluated; it was based strictly on my record of misbehavior. As soon as my mother found out, I was swiftly moved to another class  the most advanced fourth grade class. In hindsight, I believe this decision was made by the administrators intentionally to set me up to fail.

I tried my absolute best. I excelled in my classwork and was praised for it. There were days, however, when little Ebony wasnt feeling it. On those days, I was put out of class or sent to the ISS hole.

Eventually I had teachers who didnt see me as a problem that needed to be solved, but a child that needed to be nurtured. Two of these people in particular were my fifth and sixth grade teachers, Mr. Skorjanc and Ms. Chambers.

Mr. Skorjanc was one of the first to let me know there was nothing wrong with me. He expected excellence and refused to accept anything less. Ms. Chambers was a revelation. She was one of the first Black women I met outside my own family who exuded that whole knowledge of self vibe. Her classroom was covered in affirmations and inspiring images of Black people. Above the blackboard, each letter of the alphabet was accompanied by a Swahili word and she, like many of the women Ive grown to love and admire over the years, was unapologetically herself. She was degreed, affluent and down to Earth. She wore what she wanted (lots of Afrocentric garb) and spoke her own language  the Kings English seasoned with a New Orleans flair. She took her time with each one of us kids and did not allow misperceptions and prejudice to have a place in the world shed created. She exposed me to Maya Angelou and challenged my assumptions about race, the world and my place in it as a young Black woman. She awakened in me a fierce yearning for more.

This is the same sort of feeling that Johnson says he wants to create in and for Black youth through his annual Black college tours and his yet-to-be-opened schools, the Frederick Douglass Marcus Garvey Leadership Academy (for boys) and the Anna M. Douglass Amy J. Garvey Leadership Academy (for girls).

While on one hand, I applaud some of his efforts, I cannot ignore that his message was full of many of the inaccuracies and hateful statements that pervade much of the Pan-African movement. I also have concerns of his legitimacy. His credentials as a school psychologist, doctor of psychology and school principal have yet to be confirmed. The receipts, as far as I can tell, are non-existent. His fundraisers to open the aforementioned academies have been scrutinized, as many donors claim to have been defrauded. There are entire websites and social media pages dedicated to proving this man is a well-spoken liar, and even one local business owner shared with me his own sheisty Dr. Umar story.

I hate to believe that Johnson is nothing more than a charlatan dressed in colorful clothing. Despite the misgivings of the messenger, I want to believe that the message still has a purpose.

So, do we throw out the possibly well-intentioned baby with the vile bathwater? That answer, I believe, is a bit more nuanced than black and white.
Hero of Mollywood's first musical hit 'Thiramala' shares his Hollywood stint, directing Prem Nazir and more
For all those self-proclaimed alpha males out there who love bragging about their performance under the sheetheres a device that can now quantify just how well you fare.

thesun.co.uk

British condom maker i.Con Smart Condom has developed a wearable that you can wear over your wearable (your condom). i.Con is a ring that will sit over your condoms base while you thrust on it.

Heres a little preview of what the company claims i.Con has to offer.

The features

 Its lightweight, water-resistant, and even bleach resistant (because otherwise, you may have to spend time cleaning it incessantly).

keywordsuggest.org

 It's embedded with a nano-chip and sensors that can connect to an app on your smartphone.

 Comes with a one-year warranty, will have a micro-USB charging port to provide six-to-eight hours of use, and has a one-size-fits-all band adjustment feature.

urbangeekz

 Antibody filters on the ring that sends alerts to your phone app if it detects proteins or antigens found in STIs. Theres always a chance of it giving erroneous information, which can then become one its significant drawbacks.

What i.Con promises to track

 The total calories burnt during sexual intercourse, which will test the current average of about 100 calories per session put out by a study conducted by the University of Montreal.

 The total number of thrusts. So, we will now hopefully be able to get an aggregate of the number of thrusts we can aim to achieve every daysimilar to the daily count of steps you should take.

atrl.net

 The frequency of your sessions. If you use a wearable to count the number of times youre having sex, youre probably getting enough anyway.

 The total time your session lasted. Just in case you wanted to check your endurance under the sheets.

 Measure the girth of your smaller member.

 The average speed of your thrust; to measure if youre a cheetah under the hood. Although, faster is not necessarily better.

lowyat.net

 The different kind of positions you get into in bed, which is subject to the results of the BETA testing.

 The average temperature of your skin. Were not sure how this can help, but a fun fact nonetheless.

The only thing it probably doesnt record the steps you takeunless of course, you dont (somehow) use your feet to walk.

You may now be able to have sexual endurance stand-off with your buddies!

Although the website states that all the data will be kept anonymous, the users will have the option to share their data with friends or even people across the world. This, of course, depends on the number of people willing to adopt the device worldwide, to begin with.

beckymoore.wordpress.com

The also brings into context the question of whether we need another reason to see if we measure up to your buddies or strangersespecially if someone were to put this on a dogs nose just to get ahead of his friends in the race under the sheets.

The credibility of the device remains questionable, however

Since the source of the testing hasnt been mentioned on the website, the reliability of the device is still in question. It does not negate the need to test for STI's medically; if and when you need to.

vanityfair

Besides, its hard to say just how they intend to fit all this technology into a tiny ring of this nature without even a picture of the device in sight, but whats more important is if people will be able to trust the anonymity and validity of such data. The device is due to come out this later this year as the company claims it is in the final stages of testing.
Indian government representatives will meet the Dalai Lama when he visits a sensitive border region controlled by India but claimed by China, officials said, despite a warning from Beijing that it would damage ties.

BCCL

India says the Tibetan spiritual leader will make a religious trip to Arunachal Pradesh next month, and as a secular democracy it would not stop him from travelling to any part of the country.

Also Read: Ahead Of Dalai Lama's Visit, Karmapa Visits Arunachal Pradesh And China Is Not Going To Like It

China claims the state in the eastern Himalayas as "South Tibet", and has denounced foreign and even Indian leaders' visits to the region as attempts to bolster New Delhi's territorial claims.

A trip by the Dalai Lama, whom the Chinese regard as a dangerous separatist, would ratchet up tensions at a time when New Delhi is at odds with China on strategic and security issues and unnerved by Beijing's growing ties with arch-rival Pakistan.

BCCL

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration is raising its public engagement with the Tibetan leader, a change from earlier governments' reluctance to anger Beijing by sharing a public platform with him.

Also Read: China Seizes Passports Of Thousands Of Tibetans, Bars Them From Travelling To Dalai Lama Event In Bodhgaya

"It's a behavioural change you are seeing. India is more assertive," junior home minister Kiren Rijiju told Reuters in an interview.

Rijiju, who is from Arunachal and is Modi's point man on Tibetan issues, said he would meet the Dalai Lama, who is visiting the Buddhist Tawang monastery after an eight-year interval.

"He is going there as a religious leader, there is no reason to stop him. His devotees are demanding he should come, what harm can he do? He is a lama."

BCCL

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday the Dalai Lama's trip would cause serious damage to India-China ties, and warned New Delhi not to provide him a platform for anti-China activities.

Also Read: Dalai Lama Surprises Everyone, Says He Hopes Putin And Trump May Unite For Peace

"The Dalai clique has for a long time carried out anti-China separatist activities and on the issue of the China-India border has a history of disgraceful performances," spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing.

Visits of the Dalai Lama are initiated months, if not years in advance, and approval for the April 4-13 trip predates recent disagreements between the neighbours.

But the decision to go ahead at a time of strained relations signals Modi's readiness to use diplomatic tools at a time when China's economic and political clout across South Asia is growing.
Just 12 hours after producer-director Mahesh Bhatt lodged a complaint about receiving repeated calls for ransom, the city crime branch's anti-extortion cell arrested a jobless 24-year-old man from Lucknow for the crime on Thursday.

instagram

The accused, Sandeep Sahu, posed as underworld gangster Babloo Srivastava and threatened to kill Bhatt's wife Soni Razdan and daughter Alia Bhatt if the filmmaker failed to pay up Rs 50 lakh.

In one of the messages, Sahu had asked Bhatt to deposit the sum in a bank account with a Lucknow address through wire transfer. It gave cops their lead who then took help from UP's special task force to track him down. They will bring Sahu to Mumbai on Friday on a transit remand.

ANI

Sahu had planned the offence to repay Rs 6 lakh he had borrowed from his relatives to set up a shoe shop. He had to close shop after incurring losses. He came to Mumbai in 2016 with the hope of becoming an actor, but that dream did not materialise.

"Sahu said he planned the offence when his relatives began to harass him for money upon his return to Lucknow three months ago. After getting hold of Bhatt's contact, he impersonated Srivastava, who was once Dawood's aide and is in jail," said an officer.

instagram

Bhatt received the first threat call on February 26. He initially thought it was a prank, but the caller made a few more calls and then texted and sent WhatsApp messages telling him not to take his threats lightly.
After being trolled by writer Shobhaa De on twitter, MP police inspector Daulatram Jogawat, went under the knife to shed weight.

ANI

"I am hurt with Shobhaa De's tweet poking fun at me. I have put on weight due to insulin imbalance, followed by my gall bladder operation in 1993," Inspector Jogewat, who weighs around 180 kg, had told PTI.

On Thursday morning, Jogawat, underwent a bariatric surgery at Mumbai's Saifee Hospital. Reports state that the surgery lasted for one and half hours.

ANI

Jogawat, went through a Gastric Bypass surgery which curbs food intake and absorption of nutrients. The medical procedure could help him shed close to 80 kgs in the next one year.

"I am thankful to my senior officers and media for this. A wrong tweet has changed my life," he told PTI.

Heavy police bandobast in Mumbai today! pic.twitter.com/sY0H3xzXl3  Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) 21 February 2017

De had posted the image on February 21 after the polling for the Mumbai civic body.

Her tweet read, "Heavy police bandobast in Mumbai today," and wrongly identified Jogewat as a personnel of the Mumbai Police who was deployed for the BMC polls. As the inappropriate tweet went viral, De was slammed by netizens.

And more recently, she tweeted saying that her statement 'helped a good cause' and that 'police need to take fitness far more seriously.'

Glad my tweet has helped a good cause. The police need to take fitness far more seriously.  Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) 27 February 2017

For which she got trolled again:

Heights of shamelessness @DeShobhaa! You body shamed a man with illness & gloat over it!

& I knw this tweet wont make U cure shamelessness  Thought Gun (@ShootinThoughts) 27 February 2017

Soon after this incident sparked outrage, Dr Lakdawala, who is also helping a 36-year-old Egyptian woman, Eman Ahmed, to lose weight, came forward to help Daulatram Jogawat.

Expenses of Jogawats treatment have been taken up by the Madhya Pradesh polices welfare fund.

With PTI Inputs
An Army jawan who was seen in a sting operation by a news website criticising the 'sahayak' (orderly) system last month was found dead in mysterious conditions in an abandoned barrack in Deolali Cantonment in Maharashtra on Thursday.

Roy Mathew, a gunner, was found hanging from the ceiling of a room. Doctors said 33-year-old Mathew, whose body was decomposed, might have died three days ago.

AP/representational image

Police sources said Mathew, who had served the Army for around 13 years, was among several jawans in Deolali seen in the video which featured soldiers walking dogs of officers and taking their children to school. The sting operation had sparked an uproar against the British-era sahayak system.

Mathew, who had been missing from his artillery unit since February 25, was facing an inquiry after the sting operation was posted online, sources said.

AP/representational image

It is being probed if Mathew, who was attached for 'buddy duties' with a Colonel rank officer posted as an additional officer at the Artillery Centre in Deolali, had felt tortured or harassed after appearing in the video," said a police source, adding that after the video was widely circulated on various social media platforms, Mathew was questioned by several officials.

AP/representational image

The source said Mathew had run away from the unit on February 25 and had remained missing since. "He had come under huge pressure," the source added. On being contacted, the Army, however, said Mathew had gone "AWOL (absent without official leave)" within 24 hours of the video being aired on February 24.
Two families in Southern Kerala's Kollam district were struggling to get their swapped babies back. they have finally got a relief after six months of struggle.

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Ramsy-Aneesh and Naushad-Jazeera underwent a DNA test at the Child Welfare Committee before getting their babies back. Both Ramsy and Jazeera gave birth to their babies at Medicity Hospital in Kollam on October 22.

The families alleged that their babies got swapped while they returned from medical examination.

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According to Ramsy's family, they had given the hospital staff a green towel, but when they got the baby back, it was wrapped in a yellow cloth.

The family alleged that they had immediately raised suspicion of a possible swap, but the hospital refused to listen to their complaint.

It was only after three months when Naushad and Jazeera took their baby for vaccination it was found that the toddler's blood group was O+ and not A+ as mentioned in the hospital records.

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Even after this, the family Alleged the hospital refused to accept their mistake, forcing them to approach police and Child Welfare Committee.

The two couples underwent DNA test and their doubts turned out to be true - the babies had in fact been swapped.

Noushad claimed that the hospital management had offered him money to give a statement that the babies were swapped outside.
All thanks to the modern world that everyone these days claims to be a photographer. And while it's easy to roam around with a luxury camera hanging around your neck, it's extremely difficult to chase it like an art.

Some 70 finalists have been shortlisted for the coveted 14th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest and the list has been announced, and 4 of them are Indians.

(Also read: 16 Of The World's Best Photographs Prove That Drone Photography Is The Next Big Thing!)

The breathtaking final list of photographs was chosen from over 48,000 submissions from photographers across 146 countries and territories. To help your favourite contestant win, you can vote here.

The voting is now open for the Reader's Choice winner and it closes on March 27. All the winners will be announced alongside the Grand Prize and category winners the following day.

1. Karthik AK

Father Calling, Natural World Finalist

smithsonianmag

This is how the artist described it- This night frog, endemic to the Western Ghats of India, exhibits a unique breeding behaviour. The males call for females, the females come and lay the eggs, then the males fertilise them. In this image, the male has successfully fertilised a clutch of eggs from a female. He is calling out for other females to lay eggs.

2. Vickson Dasan

Into The Woods, Mobile Finalist

smithsonianmag

This is how the artist described it- A tree house in the woods. I was travelling to Bangalore for a week to visit some of my friends. There we went to Nandi Hills for a sunrise view.

3. Mustafa AbdulHadiv

Munnar, Travel Finalist

smithsonianmag

This is how the artist described it- Munnar is one of the most beautiful hill stations in Kerala, India. It is a haven during the monsoon season as nature surprises you with amazing clouds and mists

4. Swaroop Singha Roy

The Hidden Murder, Natural World Finalist

smithsonianmag

This is how the artist described it- A spider with a housefly kills, hiding under the petals of a Madagascar periwinkle flower.

The list comprises of 66 more finalists and you can check them out here.

(Also read: Indian Bags 1st Prize In Animal Portraits Category Of National Geographic's Photography Contest)
The sensational child trafficking case in West Bengal appears to have larger political implications than expected. In interesting turn of events, name of BJPs top leaders surfaced, claims the Criminal Investigation Department of West Bengal police.

AFP

The investigators did not even rule out the possibilities of bringing the national leaders of BJP in the purview of investigation. Among the top rung leaders of the ruling party at centre, two names BJPs national general secretary Kailash Vijaywargiya and Rajya Sabha MP, Rupa Ganguly  are already under scanner, added the investigators.

BCCL

The case started in January following a complaint forwarded to the CID by a central agency. The investigating team was apparently chasing Chandana Chakrabarty, owner of the NGO and the unauthorised adoption centres, though the investigation later led them to Juhi Chowdhury, a 30-year-old member of BJP.

She was then general secretary of Bengal BJPs Mahila Morcha. The investigators accessed the CCTV footage of Juhi taking Chandana to the office of the union minister of the concerned department.

According to sources, Chandana who has been running three such adoption centres received a suspension notice for one centre Ashray (shelter). Of threes homes, Ashray was the only one to have the license under the state governments adoption agency.

BCCL

Following the cancellation of states license, Chandana requested Juhi to fix an appointment with the union minister to manage a central license bypassing the regular process. The CID sources further added that Juhi was promised a resort in north Bengal in exchange of the political favour to Chandana and she was well-informed about her business.

Emboldened by a witnesss confession before a magistrate, the CID is now likely to include both the senior leaders of BJP in the investigation.

One of our witnesses in her confession under section 164 of CRPC took the name of two top BJP leaders.

But, an immediate action might be taken against Rabindranath Choudhury, Juhis father and a BJ veteran. Rabindranath Chowdhury is absconding, said sources. Evidence against him were collected. Charges of harbouring criminal can also be slapped against him, added sources.

AP

We are looking into all aspects. We are also examining the role of influential people and collecting adequate evidence. We will take required actions in due course, Rajesh Kumar, additional DGP, CID said

The CID is presently dealing with 17 cases of baby-selling through Chandanas home. Of 17 such cases, in at least four cases babies were sold to foreign nationals of Spain, Singapore, France and USA. The problem for Chandana cropped up when the foreign nationals could not take the babies in possession in absence of the fit for adoption certificate.

During the course of the investigation, CID seized the documents, computers and accessed the bank accounts. Each baby has been sold at a price between Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh, said a senior CID official. The babies were brought to the home by duping their biological parent.

AFP

Three local nursing homes are under scanner for fixing deals with Chandanas home. Sleuths arrested her brother Manas Bhowmick, a government employee known for his cultural activities in North Bengal. The investigators are also examining the money laundering angle, said a senior CID official.

This is a multifaceted case and has serious implications. We are looking into all aspects, said Akash Magharia, Special SP (Operations), CID.
At least three RSS activists and two CPIM members have been injured in separate clashes in Kerala. The RSS activists sustained injuries after a bomb was hurled at an office of the outfit in Vishnumangalam, Kozhikode.

Two workers of the Democratic Youth Front of India (DYFI), the youth wing of CPIM were attacked at Elappully in Palakkad district by five unidentified men on motorbikes. Read more

1. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar Asks Forces To Be Ready For Chemical And Biological Warfare

With Biological and Chemical warfare a possibility in the future, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has warned the forces to be ready for any eventuality. He said that India should be prepared to face any threat arising out of nuclear or chemical weapons.

He said India should have an effective system in place to prevent potential consequences against use of chemical or biological weapons on Thursday. Read more

2. BSF Soldier Tej Bahadur Yadav Posts New Video, Asks PM Modi If He's Being Punished For Exposing Corruption

BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, who kicked up a controversy for his video on bad food being served to soldiers at a border post, is back in the news with another recording in which he alleges that the accounts of Pakistani "friends" on his Facebook page are a conspiracy against him.

Yadav's new video has appeared on social media where he is also heard posing questions to PM Narendra Modi whether he is being punished for exposing corruption. Read more

3. To Keep Touts Away, Govt Will Soon Make Aadhaar Mandatory To Book Railway Tickets Online

The railways will soon move towards Aadhaar-based online ticketing system to prevent touts from blocking bulk tickets, end fraudulent bookings and curb cases of impersonation.

Aadhaar number has been made mandatory for senior citizens to avail concessions in train tickets from April 1. A three-month trial run for this is going on. Read more

4. With Hafiz Saeed Under House Arrest, His Son Hafiz Talha Saeed Steps In, Asks People To Become Like Dawood Ibrahim

A video shot on "Kashmir Day" in Pakistan on February 5 has had Indian intelligence agencies on their toes. In the video, accessed by TOI, Jamat-Ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed's son, Talha, is seen inciting a crowd to wage war against India using Dawood Ibrahim's name.

This is the first time that a Pakistan-based terror outfit has made a direct reference to the don. Read more

5. PM Modi Compared Kerala To Somalia, But Government Data Shows The State's Infant Mortality Rate Is As Good As US

Kerala's infant mortality rate (IMR)  the number of children under the age of 1 who die for every 1,000 born  has been brought down to 6, a level equal to that of the US and the average for developed nations, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of 2015-16.

To put it in perspective, if India, with a current IMR of 41 could get it down to 6, around seven lakh children would be saved each year. Read more
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The head of the EuroWorking Group Thomas Wieser pointed directly to last Decembers abrupt announcement of a 617-million-euro "holiday bonus" by the leftist Greek government for 1.6 million pensioners as recently straining relations with institutional creditors.
US ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt on Friday expressed concern over a possible "accident" in the Aegean , a statement referring directly to resurgent tension between Ankara and Athens focused in the eastern Aegean , and punctuated over the past week by jingoistic comments uttered by a handful of Turkish politicians before cheering supporters.
Well-known Greek-Russian businessman and investor Ivan Savvidis partially "resurrected" the now defunct television license tender issue , months after the controversial procedure was declared illegal by Greece's high court last year, by sending main opposition New Democracy (ND) Kyriakos Mitsotakis an out-of-court notice on Thursday
The Spring Coal Forum has been one of the highlights of the coal industry calendar and will attract senior industry executives from companies that produce, supply, transport, ship, trade and consume coal. The program features presentations from coal suppliers, utilities, railroads and energy traders, along with industry-wide perspectives from leading consultants and government representatives.
The coming of Tinubu has brought various revolutionary changes to Nigerian politics, first of which is the emergence of a once-upon a time opposition party, the APC, as the ruling party at the centre. Either you love Tinubu, or you despise his brand of politics, there are some things that should be said about this astute and shrewd politician.

1. Education

Bola Tinubu attended St Johns Primary School in Lagos and Childrens Home School in Ibadan. He thereafter left for Richard Daley College, Chicago, Illinois, and later Chicago state University, both in the USA. He obtained a degree in Business Administration in 1979.

2. Achievements in education

The former Lagos state governor was always on the Deans list and was a Custodian of the Outstanding Students Award, also the University Scholars Award and a Certificate of Merit in Accounting and Finance, after he scored 3.54 out of a possible 4.0 Grade Point Average.

3. Career experience

The APC national leader worked with Arthur Anderson, Deloitte and Sells and GTE Services Corporation. He worked with Mobil Oil, Nigeria in 1983.

4. Political journey

He joined active politics in the early 1990s. He joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), where he clinched the partys primary ticket to contest the Lagos West Senatorial District election, which he won against the candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC).

5. Experience with the IBB government

Tinubu was assaulted and arrested for his anti-government stance many times. He constantly criticised the government.

6. Experience with Sani Abachas government

The former senator was forced to leave the shores of the country due to frequent assassination attempts on his life. He went on exile and thereafter joined the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), with other critics of the Abacha regime. It was there other pro-NADECO members and Tinubu came up with Radio Kudirat, which later became a thorn in the flesh of the Abacha government.

7. Life as a governor

He became the third democratically elected governor of Lagos state under the Alliance for Democracy (AD), after the return of democracy in 1999. He served two terms. He helped to increase the internally generated revenue (IGR) of the state to billions of naira.

8. Students of Tinubus school of politics

The number of politicians who served under the tutelage of the number one Yoruba political stalwart are numerous. They include: Prof Yemi Osinbajo, the vice president of Nigeria; Babatunde Raji Fashola, Minster of Power, Works and Housing and one time governor of Lagos state, Rauf Aregbesola, Osun state governor, among others.

9. Surpassing Chief Obafemi Awolowos political record

Although, Chief Awolowo gave life to the Yoruba race, through his free education programme, while he was the Premier of the Western Region in the late 1950s. However, Tinubu is the first Yoruba politician, whose party while in the opposition defeated a ruling party in a presidential election, thereby controlling the central government.

10. Surviving the PDPs onslaught

When the other AD governors of Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun and Oyo all lost their second term re-election in 2003 to the PDP, it was only Tinubu, who used his political wits to win his second term. He survived as the only AD governor in the whole of the 36 states of the federation, thereby becoming a lone ranger. However, he never got discouraged or overwhelmed, as he galvanised forces and resources together, with other politicians of like minds to change the face of opposition party politics. In a matter of a few years, he and others formed the APC, which now has 22 state governors under its belt
The Nigerian Army has built 16 Brigade in Yenagoa with the bid to reduce the rate of crime and criminality in the Niger Delta region, the Nigerian Army says it is planting more military brigades across the country.

Speaking during the commissioning of a temporary accommodation for the newly created 16 Brigade in Yenagoa, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, said the army is ready to deal with the state of insecurity within the Niger Delta region.

General Buratai highlighted the reasons behind the setting up of the new brigade while appreciating Governor Seriake Dickson for support given to the Army in Bayelsa State.

In his response, Governor Dickson lauded the temporary office of the 16 Brigade and described it as the best in the federation.

He, however, appealed for more support from the Army authorities to the newly established brigade.

In his address, the Commander of the Brigade, Brigadier General Kelvin Aligbe, outlined the achievements they have made in the absence of a temporary site.

Pleased by the accolades received, the commander and officers of the 16 Brigade stated their commitment to protecting the citizens, waterways and national assets in the state.

( Channels Television)
Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, speaking at the on-going Social Media Week 2017 on Thursday, said the music mogul will face the full brunt of the law for publishing fake stories and pictures.

We are going to prosecute him. He was arrested. His statement has been taken. He is on bail. He is going to be prosecuted. His fate will be decided by a judge, El-Rufai said.

While insisting that he had no personal grouse against Audu, the governor noted that prosecuting him would serve as a deterrent to people who spread untrue information on social media and would help rein in the scourge of fake news.

He said, It is not personal. I have nothing against him. In fact, he has worked with the state government in the past. But Im not going to sit as the governor of Kaduna state and allow anyone to post or tweet anything that leads to loss of lives without consequences.

Audu, El-Rufai said, was informed about the untrue nature of his posts but still doubled down on them.

He posted fake pictures of Boko Haram attacks, Rwandan genocide, as Southern Kaduna killings. It is totally irresponsible to do that.

Even when it was pointed out to him that the information was untrue, he still posted that he stood by his story. He questioned the authenticity of the press statement. He was totally and completely irresponsible.

The music mogul and lawyer was arrested on February 17, by policemen attached to the inspector-generals monitoring and intelligence team, over inciting comments he made on social media on Southern Kaduna killings.

In a series of tweets on January 23, he alleged that five students of Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan Waya, Kafanchan, were murdered by Fulani herdsmen.

My drivers younger brother and five others students of College of Education, Gidan Waya, were ambushed and killed by herdsmen yesterday #SouthernKaduna, he said in one of the tweets.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has declared that every Nigerian child has the constitutional right to free and compulsory primary education, and free junior secondary education.

In a suit filed by a non-governmental organisation, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), against the Federal Ministry of Education and the Attorney General of the Federation, Justice John Tsoho also declared that the Federal and State governments have constitutional duties to provide adequate funds for it.

In the suit, LEDAP asked the court to determine whether by the combined effect of Section 18 (3)(a) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 2 (1) of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, (UBE) 2004, the right to free and compulsory primary education and free junior secondary education for all qualified Nigerian citizens are enforceable rights in Nigeria.

Justice Tsoho, who relied on a 2002 decision of the Supreme Court, held that by enacting the UBE Act, the National Assembly has made the right to free and compulsory primary and free junior secondary education contained in Chapter 2 an enforceable or justiciable right.

Reacting to the judgment, the lead counsel to LEDAP, Mr Chino Obiagwu, said that the court on Wednesday gave life and hope to over 28 million Nigerian children who are currently out of primary and junior secondary school, or who are at risk of being withdrawn from school because of the inability of their parents or guardians to pay the tuition fees and school expenses, or who are withdrawn from school so that they can be given out in early marriage or be sent to the streets to hawk or beg for alms.

By this judgment, any child not enrolled in school or who is withdrawn from school can exercise his or her constitutional rights against the parent, guardian or government.

And failure by any government to fund free primary and junior secondary education will constitute a breach of the constitution.
It was a day of protest in Edo State as hundreds of pensioners on Thursday in Benin marched on Edo Government House to protest non-payment of arrears of pensioners ranging from five to 42 months.

The pensioners carried placards with inscriptions such as EFCC come and rescue Edo pensioners; Gov. Obaseki pay pensioners their pension arrears; Mr Governor use the N11.38 billion bailout funds to pay pensioners; and Oga Governor please pay all our entitlement o Edo state and Local Government Pensioners.

The pensioners spokesman, Mr Gabriel Osemwenkhai, told newsmen that some of the pensioners now sleep in churches.

Osemwenkhai said that the pensioners need their entitlement to pay their childrens school fees.

He alleged that some of the local government pensioners had not been enrolled into the state pension scheme, while others had died as a result of hardship.

He urged Governor Godwin Obaseki to emulate other sta tes who had used bailout funds to pay their senior citizens.

Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Philip Shaibu, who addressed the protesting pensioners, lauded the peaceful manner of the protest.

He said that some of the issues raised by the pensioners have been received and measures already being put in place to address them.

(NAN)
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday, fixed March 7 to hear arguments in a suit filed by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) seeking an order to unfreeze his account. Justice Abdulazeez Anka, had on Feb. 7, ordered temporary forfeiture of N75 million found in Ozekhomes Guarantee Trust Bank account.

The order followed an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which prayed the court to freeze Ozekhomes account temporarily on the ground that the funds was suspected to be proceeds of crime. When the case was called, counsel to the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court of a counter affidavit filed in response to the suit.

He added that affidavit had been served on the plaintiff. In his response, plaintiff told the court that he had yet to look at the document and asked for time to respond to same. Consequently, Justice Abdulazeez Anka fixed March 7 for hearing of the application.

seeking an order, discharging forthwith, the interim order made ex-parte, which ordered temporary attachment of the money for 120 days. He sought an order restraining the EFCC, whether by themselves or their privies, from dealing in anyway and manner as to the operation or the proprietary rights of the ownership of the account. In his application, Ozekhome isseeking an order, discharging forthwith, the interim order made ex-parte, which ordered temporary attachment of the money for 120 days. He sought an order restraining the EFCC, whether by themselves or their privies, from dealing in anyway and manner as to the operation or the proprietary rights of the ownership of the account.

Ozekhome said that the application for an order of interim forfeiture of his account was done in bad faith by EFCC. He added that the EFCC did not comply with statutory authorities in obtaining an interim order vide a motion exparte. According to him, the respondent allegedly suppressed material facts in obtaining the order, adding that the action was unconstitutional as it offends sections 36, 37 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution.

In his application, Ozekhome argued that the money was paid to his law firm by Gov. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti as legal fees. He added that Fayoses account had been unfrozen by a courts order before the funds were drawn. In the counter affidavit deposed to by an EFCC prosecutor, Mr Idris Mohammed, the commission asked the court not to allow the plaintiff access to his account in GTB which has a balance of N75 million.

The commission claimed that the money, paid to Ozekhome as legal fee by Fayose, was part of the N2.26 billion arms procurement fund, allegedly looted by former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.). The EFCC also claimed that it had traced about N1.22 billion out of the N2.26 billion to Fayose. It said the money was routed to Fayose through a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered jewelleries worth millions of Naira from the house of one Akka Babba Danagundi, brother- in -law to a former National Security Adviser to Late President, Umar Musa Yaraduwa, Major General Abdullahi Sarki Mukhtar.



According to an EFCC source, the jewelleries were found in a fireproof safe hidden in a house belonging to one Akka Babba Danagundi at No. 375, Gwangwazo quarters of Kano Municipal, Kano State.

About 50 documents in respect of landed properties bearing the name of the former NSA and his wife, Binta Sarki Mukhtar were also discovered.



The discovery was sequel to an intelligence report alleging that huge sums of money including foreign currencies were hidden in the premises, Uwujaren noted.



The source further noted that during the operation, Aiko Fireproof safe and seven suspects including the house owner, Danagundi were arrested and brought to EFCC s Kano Zonal Office where their statements was taken.



On arriving at the commissions Kano Zonal Office, the safe was opened and jewelleries such as necklaces and wristwatches including 50 Certificates of Occupancy for properties located in Kano, Kaduna and Abuja were found.

The jewelleries found includes 55 wristwatches, including three gold watches. Also, 37 gold jewellery weighing 1,907.9g and another 15 pieces of fashion jewelleries were found, the source noted.



All the suspects arrested during the operation were released on administrative bail with the exception of Danagundi who is still in custody, assisting the investigation.

Source: Leadership
The Governor of Adamawa State, Muhammadu Bindow said at the technical training centre in Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area on Thursday as he warned against vandalising or tampering with equipment at the technical training centres spread across the state.

Government Area. He said that anybody or group caught vandalising or tampering with the equipment would face the full wrath of the law. The Governor gave the warning shortly after inspecting the technical training centre in Mayo-Belwa LocalGovernment Area. He said that anybody or group caught vandalising or tampering with the equipment would face the full wrath of the law.

He said that inspection of the centre was aimed at ensuring that the facilities were being put to use. He noted that former Gov. Murtala Nyako had invested a huge amount of money in the centres, adding that he would not allow the investments to waste.
The story has been told of a pastor who allegedly let his pregnant wife die after he refused to let her undergo necessary medical procedure.

Popular Nigerian OAP, Daddy Freeze has shared a story of how a woman died after her pastor husband refused to let doctors operate on her.

According to Freeze, the story was sent to him this morning and has left him disheartened.

The pastor allegedly caused the death of his wife by refusing doctors to evacuate the dead baby his wife was carrying in her womb.

Read the full narration below:

Continue the story below:

They went there and he refused to release the womans body for Burial that she is coming back. They Prayed the what are you waiting for Prayer and she didnt come back. Now she is in Mortuary. The man killed his Wife. Simple.

The woman is not buried till now, the man insisted she will wake up.

And the father in law have rejected her corpse that so far he took law into his hands by disregarding doctors advise. He should eat the corpse.

Reacting to the story, Daddy Freeze wrote this:

I got this disheartening message this morning.

I must say that Nigeria is at a point, where Religious stupidity is at an all time high! This foolishness is fueled by the doltish teachings ofcallous Yahoo boy pastors, along with our constant quest to remain ignorant and brainwashed.

I hold responsible that cretin of a husband, who should be in the confines of a prison cell, if there were any justice in the world. ~FRZ
There was jubilation in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital on Thursday as Workers in the state were handed over keys of 72 housing unit constructed by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMGN).

The Acting Managing Director of the Bank, Mr Richard Esin said the project known as the FMBN/Ebonyi State Housing Development Corporations housing estate, has a total of 240 housing units with 72 units completed.

Mr. Esin who disclosed this during the inauguration of houses at Ezzambgo, Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi by the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Alhaji Mustapha Shehuri the housing units consist of 5 units of 3-bedroom fully detached bungalows, 30 units of 3-bedroom semi-detached bungalows and 12 units of 2-bedroom terrace.

It also consists of 20 units of 2-bedroom semi-detached bungalows and 5 units of 1-bedroom terrace, he said.

Esin noted that the FMBN in its desire to positively impact on the housing sector of Ebonyi, invested a total of N431million towards the project.

The development of this housing estate is an affirmation of the tangible achievement of the federal government in providing affordable housing for all Nigerians and the crucial role we play in achieving it, he said.

He remarked the minister of power, works and housing has graciously approved that National Housing Fund (NHF) loans of N5million and below will attract 100 per cent funding.

This is to further lower the affordability bar, as the loan applicants will not be required to make down payments of 10 per cent of the house.

Alhaji Mustapha Shehuri, Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing noted that the President Muhammadu Buharis led administration prioritizes the provision of affordable housing for Nigerians.

The federal ministry of power, works and housing will continue striving at ensuring that the challenge of housing deficit in Nigeria, put at 16-17million units is surmounted.

The ministry plans to construct mass housing units in every state of the federation for public workers and individuals, over the next three years under a Public-Private partnership arrangement.

Governor David Umahi noted that the agreement for the construction was signed by the state government and FMBN on July 11, 2005 for the bank to offer 422million in developing 240 housing units.

The agreement stipulated that the fund be released in three tranches but the first tranch of 168milllion released that july was only accessed in 2006.

The FMBN did not release any other fund for the project till 2011 when it released N126m that was accessed in 2014, he said.

Dr Chamberlain Nwele, State Head of Service noted that in adherence to the governors directive, all 72 housing units have been allotted to beneficiaries through due balloting process.

Source: Leadership
A former Attorney-General of the Federation, Bello Adoke, allegedly exchanged more than $2.2 million in a bureau de change in Abuja as part of his share in the controversial $1.1 billion Malabu Oil deal, court documents show.

The revelations were contained in a five-count fresh money laundering charges slammed on Mr. Adoke at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court Thursday.

Also charged alongside Mr. Adoke is controversial businessman Aliyu Abubakar, who is believed to have acted as middleman in the deal.

The EFCC said in the court filings that Mr. Adoke took delivery of exactly $2,267,400 on September 16, 2013, and immediately enlisted the service of money changers to have it converted to the local currency.

Based on the prevailing exchange rate at the time, Mr. Adoke made N345,200,000 after successfully converting the funds. He subsequently deposited all the money in a Unity Bank account to offset an outstanding overdraft of N300 million, court documents showed.

The EFCC also filed charges against Mr. Adoke for carrying out a transaction of such magnitude without going through the countrys financial institutions.

All the offences contradicted Section 15(2) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended in 2012) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act, prosecutors said.

Mr. Adoke was instrumental to Nigerian governments involvement in the suspicious Malabu Oil deal, which saw Shell and Agip-Eni paying money into an escrow account of the Nigerian government to settle a firm with a questionable history.

He authorised the transfer of the $1.1 billion paid by Shell and Eni into private accounts of Dan Etete, Nigerias former petroleum minister, who further transferred a large percentage to Mr. Abubakar. Mr. Abubakar is believed to have been a front for officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration including Mr. Adoke. 

Shell, Agip-Eni, Mr. Adoke and Mr. Etete, who also approved the lease award of the OPL 245, have all denied wrongdoings.

But Italian prosecutors said late last year they had enough grounds to charge Shell, Agip-Eni, and their executives alongside other Nigerians involved in the controversial deal for fraud in Milan.

In separate charges filed late 2016, the EFCC accused Mr. Adoke and Mr. Etete of defrauding Nigeria in the OPL 245 deal.

The Department of Petroleum Resources said last December that Mr. Adoke and other officials of the Jonathan administration who participated in the concession of the lucrative oil field to Shell and Agip-Eni did not follow due process.

Mr. Adoke, who is currently in the Netherlands for study, has denied any wrongdoing and pledged to make himself available for trial.

Source: PremiumTimes
A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja on Thursday told the Federal High Court in Lagos how the former governor brought 22 cars as gift for members of the State House of Assembly to stop his Impeachment in 2005.

The witness, Adewale Atanda also told the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris that eventually only 14 cars out of the 22 cars brought was distributed to Ladojas loyalists in the States Assembly while the remaining eight were shared to his family members.

Ladoja was arraigned before the court alongside one of his aides, Waheed Akanbi by the anti-graft agency on an amended eight count charge of money laundering and unlawful conversion of funds belonging to Oyo State to their personal use.

Ladoja and Akanbi however l pleaded not guilty to the charges.

During Thursday proceeds, Atanda, who claimed to be a political associate of Senator Ladoja also informed the court due to his close relationship with the former governor, he was appointed as the Chairman of the Oyo State Housing Corporation in 2005.

The witness while speaking about events during Ladojas tenure said, quite a few things took place during his tenure, but the most memorable thing was his impeachment.

I dont know how the impeachment started but it appeared there was a rift between members of the House of Assembly on one hand and some political actors in the state like Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, Senator Rashidi Ladoja and to some extent, there were some other external influences from Abuja at the material time.

Many attempts were made to remove Senator Ladoja from office. Petitions were written and at the end of the day, an impeachment process was set in motion.

There were 32 members of the House of Assembly in the state and to successfully impeach the governor, it would require two-third majority support of the members.

It later became obvious that the numbers required will be secured by the opposition and in order to prevent this from happening, promises were made to the lawmakers.

One of such promises is that loyal members of the House of Assembly will be given vehicles.

In the course of all these, I had discussions with Senator Ladoja and I explained to him that it was important that this promise be kept.

At this material time, it was rather impossible to buy these vehicles because they were not included in the budget for the year and we started looking for alternative ways to accommodate these requests.

I then took a loan from Wema Bank in the sum of N80milion which initially was meant to be secured in part by a lien of the funds of Oyo State. But, at the material time, the Commissioner for Finance was unable to deliver on the lien.

So, I had to use my assets and personal guarantee to secure the loan. The vehicles were bought and collected from the various dealers by the drivers of Oyo State Government and delivered to the government house.

20 vehicles were delivered and their brand included Nissan Sunny, Toyota Corrola and Honda Accord. 14 of these vehicles were distributed to some members of the House of Assembly while the other vehicles were put into use by other people, notably, members of Senator Ladojas family.

Inspite of all these, by December 2005, Governor Ladoja was impeached from office, the witness said.

He said after he was impeached, Ladoja and his allies, including the 14 lawmakers loyal to him fled and regrouped in Lagos, where Ladoja continued to take responsibility for the welfare of the lawmakers, who demanded to be paid a monthly income of N1m each after their salaries and allowances had been stopped.

He added that also assembled a team of lawyers, who demanded a fee of N370m to challenge the impeachment up to the Supreme Court.

However, the witness could not conclude his evidence due to time and Justice Idris, adjourned the case till March 27 for continuation of trial.

He further narrated the sequence of events that culminated in Ladojas reclaiming his position in December 2006, when his impeachment was finally nullified by the Supreme Court.

Earlier during yesterdays proceedings, the judge admitted a petition from the office of Secretary to the Oyo State Government (SSG), in which the names of the two accused persons were mentioned.

The document was admitted by the court following the service of copies on the defence lawyers by the EFCCs lawyer.

A prosecution witness, Abdullahi Lawal, who is an investigative officer with the commission, had also earlier informed the court that Adewale Atanda, had in one of his statements indicated a refund of N38.8 million.

Source: Leadership
This true life story was sent to and published by a Facebook user  Cynthia Valerian Raphaels

Read below and my opinion afterwards:

Madam I feel so betrayed by my friend. I have a man I am dating and we have always got along with each other, eating fast food and he doesnt complain. It is not that I cant cook, but I cant cook traditional foods at all. I cook light food, spaghetti and white yams and all that.

In my house we have cooks and my mother never cooked for my father, yet they are together. We were good to go till this my friend escorted me to my mans house, we got there and there was no food and my man said we should go out and eat, but my friend said no, that she hates fast food, that if we can give her the money, she will go to the market and buy soup items, which my boyfriend gave her 7k and she went, bought soup and stew items, cooked and stored the rest in my mans freezer, she helped me clean the house and did some washing, so after that we left. My man called me the next weekend that we should come cook for him. so that weekend, he gave us 25k and she bought three soup with banga for stew and that made us to sleep in his house and left the next day, Saturday afternoon.

I didnt know when numbers were exchanged and they started talking at my back and she started going to his house without my knowledge. This my friend, she is always the last to pay departmental dues but since two years now, she pays before I even ask her not knowing my boyfriend is the person behind all her new development.

At the moment, we are in our final year and she is pregnant, she didnt tell me, my boyfriend was the person that called me saying that he cant marry someone that cant cook, that he thank God that we havent been intimate at all, because he believes that no sex before marriage.

He said he is so sorry but he wish to settle down with my friend. Since one month now he said this to me, I have been sober, looks as if he never loved me. My friend too was living in my house all these while, I have told her to leave.

The worse part is that my boyfriend came to pick her with her belongings, took her to his house, where she now resides and my boyfriends driver brings her to school and wait till sh is done at school to take her back.

Her bride price will be paid this Saturday, so I heard.

Madam please Please let me ask please, a woman that cant cook, cant she be a wife material?

Help me ask the men in your forum, Men cant you people marry a woman who cant cook? I am of good character, if he loves me, he should have sent me to catering school. She is 24 years and I am 26 years, jamb messed me up that is why I entered school late and he is 34 years.

***********

Reading the above story caused a little argument between my friend and I, and I told her I was going to write about this. I am sure she is waiting to read.

Before stating my opinion, I will like to note that this relationship was never meant to lead to marriage and whoever the sender is should get herself together (as hard as it sounds) and move one. Your man is on the way.

Reading through comments on the post made clear how shallow minded many people are. Thinking is free but most times, we forget to think.

Its sad that most people who read and reacted to the story above could only think of the fact that a woman should cook, a woman should know how to cook, a woman should be a cook, feminists are telling women not to cook and ruining a womans sole purpose in a marriage  cooking. All na cooking cooking cooking and I am wondering, warapin? Sadly, the sender also thought that way as all she really asked was about cooking.

I think it will be better to number my point, so stay with me. For Clarity, I will call the sender  Lady B, her friend  Lady C and the man  Mr. A

1. Food/Cooking is not the reason he did not marry lady B and not enough reason for a man not to marry a woman: Lets note and understand that in marriage or any form of relationship, it involves two individuals from different backgrounds, coming together to co-habit and make things work. It takes a lot of understanding, love and communication to make any relationship stand the test of time. Lady B come from a home where her own mother did not have to cook.

Note that the inability of her mother to cook may not mean that she doesnt know how to cook, it may simply mean that they have an understanding in their home and she just has other important things to do that leaving the cooking to a chef isnt a big deal especially when the man in the house is totally fine by the arrangement.

Now, her not cooking did not break the home and if Lady B still talked about her parents and used them as reference then its safe to say the marriage is still very ok.

Also note that Lady B never said it is not her place to cook neither did I get that impression from her message. Mr. A never complained about it and was very comfortable with his relationship with Lady B until he saw something he thought he wanted or needed in his life in Lady C. which takes me to the next point:

2. Communication  the importance of communication in a relationship cannot be over emphasized. You have to communicate and make sure you are communicating. In my relationships, I do not fail to speak and be sure whoever I am speaking to understands what I have said. If as a woman, I expect you to do some of the cooking for me, help me in the kitchen or cook breakfast for me sometimes and you is not doing them, I put it to you direct. And I am happy to say I have never been with jerks. But have I gotten married to them? No! No be all boyfriend go turn husband. And this takes me to my 3rd point.

3. Be real  we are hypocrites and its sad that we take this hypocritical part of ourselves into our relationships. If you are or decide to be a hypocrite everywhere, when and where do you get to be real? Is being hypocritical and fake not exhausting? I dey ask o.

Now read this paragraph carefully:

Now we are in final year , she is pregnant, she didnt tell me, my boyfriend was the person that called me saying that he cant marry who that cant cook, that he thank God that we havent been intimate at all, because he believes that no sex before marriage.

How do you believe in no sex before marriage but Lady C is pregnant with your baby? How does that work? This simply shows that the relationship is one based on hypocrisy, fake lifestyle and lies. Or is there a new way of conceiving without sex? Dont even mention IVF. The relationship is one filled with lies, deceit and show off, that they both  Lady B and Mr. A were not very sincere with each other or there was never a real discussion and if there was, someone wasnt being real.

4. Lady C is not in love with Mr. B  This part of my opinion may not be true but this is how I feel. If Lady C accompanied Lady B to visit Mr. A who turns out to be poor and needy, will Lady C exchange contact behind Lady Bs back? Will she even encourage her friend to chill and grow with her own or tell her to find her level? Of course, she saw a man who was comfortably coughing out 25,000 for 3pots of soup  Husband material don plenty na. I feel its Mr. As loss and if he ever gets to face financial challenges in his life, Lady C will either leave his sorry ass or show him the true definition of pepper gang.

5. You were not just betrayed by your friend  you see, this is also what happens when a married woman catches her cheating husband in the act. They refuse to focus on the real culprit  the so called husband but put all the blame on the other woman. If Lady B has any thinking ability, then she should pick herself up and be grateful to God she did not end up with such man. You were not only betrayed by your friend  Lady C but also by Mr. A. It takes two to tangle. Lady B started a relationship with Mr. A who claims to believe in no sex before marriage but was busy consummating other women (yes other women, I do not want to believe he was bedding Lady C by chance), this is not the kind of man you want to spend the rest of your life with because he will continue cheating. He is not going to stop. But what do I know? As most Nigerian women now believe every man cheatssigh* Matter for another day sha

6. You do not have to become a chef to get married  I saw some comments insulting her and pointing out why she should be a good cook to keep her husband and I shook my head. All you need to do is know the basics, once you do, there is nothing you cannot cook with the help of a friend, the internet and websites like my friends Nigerialazychef.com

Kindly erase the thought of being a full blown chef before getting married biko. As in every other thing in life, you learn more as you grow. A full grown human being, be you a man or a woman must learn the basics of cooking. Thats all that is needed. I hate hearing a woman is better at kitchen activities than a man. If that is the case, then why are most successful chefs in the world men? We all can do whatever we want to do except it is impossible by natural order, e.g. A man getting pregnant.

7. I do not believe in guarding a man jealously but  I saw comments where people blamed Lady B for taking Lady C to her mans home. If we were to be in a sane society, or if humans were not wicked than devil, I would not blame lady B for being very open with her friend.

However, we dey naija o, Lady B, even if she no know, she don dey watch Nollywood, why take a lady to your mans house and then invite her the second time to cook 3 pots of soup for your man? Were you paying her for her services? If you were, were you being professional with her? Did your mother invite her friends to cook for your father? Common! If you cant do the cooking then be professional about it. Order a pot of soup or call a professional cook to prepare the meals and bounce. Its sad that it is that way but like I said, be happy you are not marrying this man because even if you do not invite her to your mans house, he will meet someone else thatd still blow his mind with something as mundane as cooking.

HE IS NOT YOUR MAN! QED!

Culled from elsieisy.com
The national president of Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), Alhaji Muhammad Sani Hassan, has said no fewer than 3o million Nigerians will be rendered jobless if the federal government implements the proposed nationwide ban of commercial motorcycles by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, Alhaji Hassan said the Corps Marsha of FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, ought to bury his face in shame and resign his position over policy failure as it concerned road safety in Nigeria, noting that the Corps had never organised any form of training for Okada riders in the country.

It is unfortunate the way government agencies treat us. They just wake up and come up with policies that affect us without consulting with us. The FRSC has never organised any training for Okada riders; and they just woke one day and said commercial motorcycles should be banned. What is the offence of Okada riders, he said.

This is even as Alhaji Hassan has the alarm over a faction of ACOMORAN which held an illegal meeting with the minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi at the Shehu Musa YarAdua Centre in Abuja last Tuesday.

He alleged that the faction led by one Alhaji Shehu Maihula Babangida unlawfully changed the registered name of the association from Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) to Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycles Owners, Repairs and Riders Association and adopting its CAC registration number, without due recourse to the Board of Trustees (BoT), an act which he described as criminal.

He, therefore, called on the minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, the Inspector General of Police and the general public from dealing with the Babangida faction as it is a criminal assembly of like minds bent on fomenting and no regards for the law.

Source: Leadership
Exhibitors and traders have lamented low patronage at ongoing 38th edition of the Kaduna International Trade Fair attributing it to the nations economic recession.

The one-week fair, organised by the Kaduna State Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which declared open on February 25 and is expected to close on March 5.

Our correspondent visit to the Kaduna Trade Fair Complex on Zaria-Kano Road, the venue of the event, observed the low presence of customers and visitors, although many school children who came on excursion were seen in some stands.

Most of the traders and exhibitors were seen sitting in front of their stands anxiously waiting for customers that were not much available on ground for business.

In an interview with some of the participants,they blamed the low turnout and patronage on the economic crisis the country is facing and lack of publicity by the trade fair organisers.

Mr Gabriel Uzu, a gas cylinder exhibitor, who compared the ongoing fair with previous ones described the 38th edition as been the worst.

Since I came in here last sunday but as I speak to you I have not seen up to 40 customers. I will not come the next because I cannot by using my money to pay organisers and use it again to feed myself here. It is better I stay in my shop in Kaduna central market. I believe is the economic recession Uzu said.

A pop-corn vendor, Mary Gambo, lamented that: One hundred naira pop corn nobody is buying. I came last monday and up till now I have not make up to N5,000 in four days. Economy is really affecting us here. Last year I made N20,000 in four days

Another exhibitor, Spark James, who hawks toiletries said he ate food with all the money: I sold my things for N500 and I have eaten with the money. Even as I dont have customers because the trade fair is very dry as you can see,i cant die of hunger. I dont have anything to take home because for now I sell and eat with the money he lamented.

When contacted some of the trade fair organisers were not happy and declined comment over the incident as the economy affected exhibitors and traders.

Source: Leadership
The House of Representatives on Thursday decried the high cost fee paid by students of the Nigerian Law School.

Sequel to this, the House mandated its committee on Justice, Tertiary Education and services and Finance to interface with the Director General of Nigerian Law School and other relevant stake holders on the challenge and requirements of the law school.

This member representing Gwer East/Gwer West federal constituency of Benue state, Hon. Mark Gbillah had in a motion

lamented the exponential increase in Law school fees over the last couple of years was alarming.

The increase in law school fees over the last couple of years for the 2016/2017 session of 250,000 and 295,000 for bar part I and bar II Nigeria Law graduate which with additional compulsory payment usually increase to between 320,000 to 350,000 respectively and basic school fees of 1,145,000 and 629,000 for bar part I and bar part II for law graduate from abroad which increases to between 120,000 to 700,000 respectively inclusive of other compulsory payment, is alarming.

He added that the prevailing economic circumstances in the country and the insistence by some legal luminaries that the profession is elitist and the training capital intensive, there is need for quick intervention by the federal government to address the issue.

It is important the federal government and all stockholders stop paying lip service to the problem and initiate an emergency national discourse to safeguard the future of this Nobel profession, he said.

Source: Leadership
The Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, has said that an estimated three million Nigerians lost N18 billion in the MavrodiMundial Movement, MMM, ponzi scheme.

While speaking at the NDIC day at the ongoing 38th KadunaInternational Trade Fair on Thursday,the Managing Director of thecorporation, Umaru Ibrahim, decried the development.

Over three million Nigerians were participating in MMM before December 2016 when organisers suspended payment to investors due to its system experiencing heavy workload.

By the time the scheme returned in January, few new investors joined and the millions waiting for their payments were left disappointed with majority never paid.

Mr. Ibrahim noted that despite repeated warnings by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and other agencies like the anti-graft EFCC, Nigerians still patronised theponzi scheme.

Mr. Ibrahim, who was represented by NDICs Deputy Director CorporateAffairs, Hadi Suleiman, noted that any financial deal done through any ponzi scheme in form of virtual currencies such as Bitcoin,Ripples, Litecoin, and Onecoin as currencies for medium of exchange, is an Internet-based transaction not authorised by the CBN becauseof the risks involved in its operations.

The NDIC boss cautioned that any person or groups of persons who invest their money in the Phonzi scheme do so at their own risk,adding that such schemes often defraud people of their money.

The ponzi scheme is the phenomenon of illegal fundmanagers,popularly called WonderBanks which have continued to defraud unsuspecting members of thepublic of their hard earned money, he said.This phenomenon has been a source for concern because despite our repeated warnings over the years, some members of the public havecontinued to fall victims of their fraudulent practices.We would like to reiterate the fact that these fund managers are illegal as they are neither licenced by the CBN to take deposits from members of the public nor are those who patronise them covered by the NDIC deposit insurance scheme, he said.

Source: PremiumTimes
Two fraudsters who posed as pastors to defraud innocent citizens have been nabbed by security agents hiding inside a shrine.

It is the end of the road for two self-styled pastors arrested by the police for allegedly defrauding more than 400 people by giving them fake prophecies.

According to reports in Ghana, the two suspects identified as Joseph Braimah, 22, and Derick Kweku Sakyi Baisie, 31 (alias Kweku Money), are said to target well-established traders and other personalities, mainly in the Greater Accra Region and other parts of the country.

They were nabbed after some victims reported their activities to the police. So far, the police have received reports from five victims who have been duped to the tune of GH298,000.

Narrating her ordeal in the hands of the fake pastors, one of the victims, a trader at Tudu, who first reported to the police, is said to have given the false prophets GH75,000, while her son parted with GH220,000, an Apple mobile phone, a KIA Optima and a Mercedes C Class saloon car.

A sister of the trader was also made to part with GH6,000 for prayers to help her overcome her infertility issues, while two other victims were duped of GH4,500 and GH2,500 and an Infinix mobile phone to avert accidents and death.

They are said to have used prophecies of death, accidents, spiritual attacks on businesses and family members, among other dangers to extort money from their victims in the name of saying special prayers for them.

According to Daily Graphic, the Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mrs Afia Tenge, said following complaints, the police arrested Braimah in Accra, while his accomplice Baisie was arrested at a shrine at Akyem Abirem in the Eastern Region

She said Baisie was consulting the services of Nana Boame, a renowned fetish priest in the Eastern Region, for protection and powers to avoid arrest.

Mrs Tenge said one of the victims, a trader at Tudu in Accra, told the police that about six months ago she was approached by Braimah, who had been preaching for some time near her shop.

During the encounter, Mrs Tenge said, Braimah requested for the mobile phone contact of the trader and the names of her children, which he claimed he would include in his prayer list. He also promised to assist her with prayers and prophetic direction.

After a few days, she said Braimah connived with Baisie to extort money from the trader.

Mrs Tenge said Baisie dressed as a pastor and visited the traders shop under the guise of buying some of her goods in a bid to establish contact with her.

While in the shop, Baisie is said to have made shocking spiritual revelations about his victim, which unknown to her were based on information provided by Braimah.

Subsequently, Baisie advised that a special prayer must be offered for the victim.

He is also said to have claimed that it had been revealed to him that a young pastor had been visiting the trader and that he was a true man of God who could help her to overcome her spiritual challenges.

Baisie later managed to convince the trader accommodate Braimah in her house to offer intense prayers at all times.

Mrs Tenge said police investigations showed that while in the traders house, Braimah gave more information on the trader and her family to Baisie, who called the trader regularly to claim he had seen those things in revelations.

At a point, she said, the fake prophets gave false prophecies of foreseen accidents which would result in the death of the trader and her family members.

They also claimed a sister of the trader suffering from stroke could be healed, while the infertility problem of another could be overturned with prayers.

After arresting the two suspects, Mrs Tenge said, the police retrieved a list with more than 400 names believed to be victims of the fake prophets.

She said the police had since retrieved the KIA Optima, while the suspects could not produce the money they had allegedly collected from the victims, as they claimed they had given a greater part of it to Nana Boame, the fetish priest.
Cattle and Hog support and resistance for the week ONE44 Analytics - 42 minutes ago You take care of the growing and we will take care of where it's going!

Lean Hogs Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Nov 6, 2:01PM CST The downtrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading below resistance level 84.675, which will be followed by reaching support level 80.675 and if it keeps on moving down below that level,...

Feeder Cattle Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Nov 6, 2:00PM CST The uptrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading above support level 177.700, which will be followed by reaching resistance level 182.375 and 188.250

Live Cattle Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Nov 6, 1:59PM CST The downtrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading below resistance level 152.375, which will be followed by reaching support level 148.325

Soybean Oil Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Nov 6, 1:59PM CST The uptrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading above support level 72.70, which will be followed by reaching resistance level 79.29

Soybean Meal Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Nov 6, 1:58PM CST The uptrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading above support level 419.1, which will be followed by reaching resistance level 431 and 439

Soybean Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Nov 6, 1:57PM CST The uptrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading above support level 1423.2, which will be followed by reaching resistance level 1512.2

Corn Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Nov 6, 1:57PM CST The downtrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading below resistance level 688, which will be followed by reaching support level 674 and if it keeps on moving down below that level, we may...

Wheat Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - Sun Nov 6, 1:56PM CST An uptrend will start as soon, as the market rises above resistance level 854.2, which will be followed by moving up to resistance level 904 and 947
Police recently interrupted a burglary in progress at a self-storage facility in Berkeley, Calif., after noticing a suspiciously parked car in front of the property. Three people were arrested on multiple charges in connection with the break in at the Extra Space Storage, according to the source.

Officers were passing the facility at 601 Cedar St. on Feb. 25 when they spotted a vehicle parked in a handicapped spot after 9 p.m. While speaking with a woman who was sitting in the car, the officers saw in plain sight a substance they suspected to be drugs. They then discovered a man and a woman inside the storage facility.

The vehicle contained 59 grams of methamphetamine. Upon searching the suspects homes, investigators gathered evidence of additional crimes, the source reported.

Leah J. Pollack, a 34-year-old dog groomer, was charged with burglary, felony firearm possession, forgery, false impersonation, grand theft, identity theft, possession of burglary tools, receiving stolen property and willful cruelty to a child. Police also recovered an illicit gun at her home. Pollack, who was on probation for a prior conviction, is being held at Berkeley City Jail on a $395,000 bond, the source reported.

Antonia Samaguey, 46, allegedly had stolen property in hands when arrested, the source reported. Shes been charged with attempted burglary, possession of burglary tools, possession of a controlled substance and receiving stolen property. Shes being held on a $330,000 bond at Berkeley City Jail.

Gerardo Vega, 38, was charged with burglary, felony possession of ammunition, possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of burglary tools, receiving stolen property and transporting a controlled substance. Hes being held at Berkeley City Jail on a $465,000 bond.

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Extra Space is a self-storage real estate investment trust that owns or operates 1,427 self-storage properties in 38 states; Washington, D.C.; and Puerto Rico. The companys properties comprise approximately 960,000 units and 107 million square feet of rentable space.
The Tennessee Self Storage Association (TNSSA) has named Allen Baxter, manager of the Nolensville, Tenn., location for A+ Storage of Tennessee LLC, as its 2016 Manager of the Year. Its the second consecutive year and fourth time in five years that an A+ Storage manager has received the award. Ashley Dawn, the former manager of the companys Mt. Juliet, Tenn., property, received the award in 2015; Betsi Jackson, manager of A+ in Murfreesboro, Tenn., was honored in 2013; and Stephanie Tharpe, the companys senior vice president of operations, won it in 2012.

Baxter had been previously nominated by A+ executives twice, according to the TNNSA website. Under his stewardship, the Nolensville site increased its revenue by 22 percent in 2016. He also lowered delinquencies to $961 in receivables over 10 days past due, according to an association press release. A+ also gave him its own Highest Net Rentals award last year.

Baxter works with several organizations in his community, including the Town Events Committee, the Nolensville Historical Society and the Nolensville Area Business Council. As a facility manager, he actively supports his community by sponsoring the citys July 4 Celebration, Nolensville Farmers Market and local schools, among other events and organizations. His community outreach earned him the A+ 2016 Community Service Award.

It has been my delight to continue to watch him grow in success each year, and it is my honor to nominate such a deserving candidate for this award, Tharpe wrote as part of Baxters nomination.

TNSSA also honored runner-up Amy Calixte, a manager at StorPlace Self Storage in Murfreesboro, Tenn., for Outstanding Management and Customer Service in 2016. Calixte, whos been with the company for five years, increased the average rental rate at her property by more than $30 per unit while maintaining an average occupancy above 94 percent. She also kept an accounts-receivable average of 8 percent for the year. In addition, the property underwent an office remodel, new gate installation and construction of a new building.

StorPlace operates one property in Bowling Green, Ky., and 17 in Tennessee, with a heavy concentration in Nashville.

Founded in 2003, A+ Storage operates seven facilities in Fortress, La Vergne, Mt. Juliet/Providence, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Nolensville and Spring Hill/Columbia, Tenn.
Swiss activist investor RBR Capital Advisors thinks 2019 is too long to wait for asset manager GAM Holding to improve the firm  which has suffered client outflows on the back of dismal performance for two years running  and the dissident shareholder is pressuring GAM to make big changes, fast.

GAM has been slashing costs and revamping funds in an attempt to slow clients withdrawals from its products. The firm revealed in its annual report yesterday that investors pulled 10.7 billion swiss francs ($10.6 billion) from its funds last year, while performance fee income plummeted from 82.8 million francs to 3 million francs. The firms assets under management rose 1 percent, to 120.7 billion francs.

GAM, like many asset managers who operate hedge funds, has been suffering as investors have become skeptical of the sector amid disappointing returns and high fees. GAM CEO Alexander Friedman has been restructuring the investment manager, saying in a statement accompanying the results, Our 2016 earnings were disappointing on two fronts: we recorded net outflows for the year and realized very low performance fees. We are addressing both issues through our strategic initiatives, many of which have started to bear fruit, while our unrelenting focus on cost discipline is showing results.

But Friedman said the changes wont be complete until 2019, with the firm aiming to cut $30 million in additional expenses by then. That isnt fast enough for RBR.

In our view, if you need to put in place a change program, you need to act quickly, says Kasia Robinski, a partner with Hanover Investors in London and a veteran private equity executive whom the RBR Strategic Value fund, which owns 2.1 percent of GAM, has proposed to replace GAMs current chairman. There is not a sufficient sense of urgency at the company. If you look back at performance over the past three years, it paints a picture of issues not being addressed.

RBR says it has been engaged in behind-the-scenes meetings and written correspondence with the company about strategy. A GAM spokeswoman says the company doesnt disclose the content of private meetings with investors.

RBR proposed three new members for GAMs board: Robinski, William Raynar, and Rudolph Bohli, founder and chief investment officer of RBR. GAMs board chairman, Johannes de Gier, is retiring, but GAM proposed that current board member Hugh-Scott Barrett be elected to chairman and a new board member, David Jacob, CEO of fixed income asset manager Rogge Global Partners, join the board.

Our view is that teams that have not delivered need to be strengthened; whereas we welcome a change in the chairman and the appointment of one new individual to the board of directors, we do not consider that these changes go far enough, adds Robinski.

Upcoming disclosures will show that RBRs stake in GAM will rise to more than 3 percent, according to one person familiar with RBRs holdings. Robinski would only confirm the 2.1 percent ownership stake.
The federal government has been called on to address the concerns of Far North Queensland homeowners on exorbitant home insurance premiums.A campaign has been launched by Roger Ward of Cairns Mortgage Brokers that encourages the government to review the merits of resurrecting the State Government Insurance Office ( SGIO ) to offer consumers more affordable policies for natural disasters.SGIO was sold off in 1996, leaving Far North residents paying thousands of dollars more for insurance as compared to those in southern cities.The member for Mulgrave said he wrote to Kelly ODwyer, federal minister for revenue and financial services, to urge the Commonwealth to make a critically overdue response to a report by the Northern Australia Insurance Premiums Taskforce.Like other locals I know, insurance affordability in Far North Queensland is a major concern, he told the Cairns Post. I know that the rapid increases weve seen in insurance premiums are in some cases over 1,000% in recent years.Queensland treasurer Curtis Pitt claimed the state government will only be capable of operating a general insurance business if it diverts funds from health and education, Cairns Post reported.Pitt cited findings by the Northern Australia Insurance Premium Taskforce that listed mitigating premiums, such as cyclone-proofing households, as the key to lowering consumer costs.Clearly we cannot influence where, when, or how hard a cyclone will hit, but we can do things to reduce its impact, he said.Barron River MP Craig Crawford said he was not opposed to reviving SGIO and planned to discuss the idea with his departmental staff.
IBC is encouraging all MHAs to support these important changes, Dean explained. Our industry will keep working with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to help reduce this senseless, dangerous, and completely avoidable crime.



The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) issued a release yesterday, congratulating the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for announcing legislation that amends portions of the Highway Traffic Act.



The proposed changes impose stiffer penalties for motorists charged with impaired driving.



IBC fully supports the governments proposed changes and we welcome this fantastic announcement, said IBC Atlantic vice-

president Amanda Dean. Impaired driving takes far too many lives and its something that can be easily avoided. Property and casualty insurers are committed to working with governments across Canada to reduce impaired driving and to keep our roads safe for everyone. This is an important step and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is to be commended for this legislation.



The government said that the proposed amendments would expand the provinces vehicle impoundment program. In particular, it would make it mandatory for officers to order the vehicle of an impaired driver to be impounded immediately. Another change proposed is the introduction of a mandatory ignition interlock program as a condition for a convicted drivers licence reinstatement. Also, drivers younger than 22 years of age will be required to maintain a blood alcohol content of 0% under the new legislation.



IBC is encouraging all MHAs to support these important changes, Dean explained. Our industry will keep working with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to help reduce this senseless, dangerous, and completely avoidable crime.





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Sanford Heisler, LLP has filed a $50 million amended complaint in the US District Court on behalf of claims specialists Debra Julian and Stephanie McKinney, against MetLife , Inc., the nations largest insurance company, and two of its subsidiaries, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and MetLife Insurance Company USA.Julian and McKinney both worked for the insurer on long term disability insurance claims as Claim Specialists (LTD Claim Specialists). Both allege that they and other LTD Claim Specialists regularly worked between 45 and 60 hours per week, yet havent received overtime compensation since November of 2013 when MetLife, according to the complaint, misclassified them as exempt, salaried employees.Julian and McKinney originally filed separate actions. McKinney, who worked for MetLife in Connecticut, first filed a nationwide collective action on February 7, 2017 under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act and a class action of Connecticut employees. Julian, who worked for MetLife in New York, filed her first Complaint on February 8, 2017 as an overtime class action under New York law on behalf of a class of New York employees. The new lawsuit consolidates McKinneys and Julians claims in one action.Combining Ms. McKinneys and Ms. Julians actions will result significant litigation efficiencies, explained Jeremy Heisler, Managing Partner of Sanford Heislers New York Office. Those efficiencies will benefit the Plaintiffs and the classes of employees they seek to represent.The Amended Complaint alleges MetLife misclassified LTD Claim Specialists in all of its offices, explained Andrew Melzer, Co-Chair of Sanford Heislers Wage & Hour Practice. This misclassification affected employees in New York, in Connecticut, and in other states, including Illinois. We are seeking nationwide relief for these current and former MetLife employees.
Georgias insurance commissioner is pleading the cause of insurance agents to the newly appointed federal health secretary and fellow Georgian Tom Price.Commissioner Ralph Hudgens argued in a February letter that the current medical loss ratio (MLR) rule has dramatically reduced the commissions insurance agents receive from the sale of health insurance products.The rule stipulates that insurers must spend 80% to 85% of premiums on medical care and efforts to improve the quality of care, or refund a portion of the premiums that exceed this limit, a report by the Albany Herald explained.Neither the current law nor any reform effort will be successful unless a large number of healthy Georgians decide to sign up for coverage. However, the previous administration had a fundamental distrust of the role agents play in the orderly delivery of health insurance, his letter was further quoted as saying.However, Cindy Zeldin of Georgians for a Healthy Future, an organization that supports the Affordable Care Act, which provides for the MLR rule, said it plays an essential role in holding insurance companies accountable for how they spend the premium dollars they collect from consumers.
USAA gave president and chief executive Stuart Parker 19% more in salaries from its businesses in 2016, which the company described as historic due to catastrophe-related claims.



Data from the Nebraska Department of Insurance revealed that USAAs four businesses paid Parker $2.7 million in 2016 compared with $2.3 million in 2015.



MySA added in a report that the companys 2016 financial performance was affected by several factors, including what it said was a historic year for catastrophe related claims.

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Claims rose more than 200% last year due partly to hailstorms and Hurricane Matthew, the publication reported.



Its other employees also got an across the board 16.8% annual performance bonus in 2016, reflecting a marginal decline from the 17% paid out in 2015. It was the lowest payout since 2008, the report added.





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The European Unions market watchdog is investigating ways to stop national regulators competing unfairly with each other as they try to attract firms from Britain after Brexit in a beauty parade of financial centers.

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) told Reuters it is studying the risk of regulatory arbitrage  where some EU states might offer financial firms lighter supervision than other member states in return for the jobs and high tax revenue they would bring.

While the issue concerns business coming from any non-EU country, ESMAs move is an early sign of how some regulators believe there may be a particular need for precautionary measures for when Britain leaves the bloc.

Regulators in a number of EU countries have made clear they will not tolerate brass plate arrangements, where business is officially routed through an office in a member state but senior executives and IT systems remain in London, Europes dominant financial center.

However, the risk is that some EU states might be tempted to break ranks and allow such front operations after Brexit.

The issue is particularly likely to affect asset management; Britain is the second largest center for this after the United States, managing 5.7 trillion pounds ($7 trillion) on behalf of clients, many of them in continental Europe.

Financial firms in the UK, worried they will lose access to the blocs capital market, are deciding whether to move some operations and staff to new bases on the continent or in Ireland.

Frankfurt, Paris, Luxembourg and Dublin are vying to attract banks, market infrastructure firms, insurers or asset managers.

A spokesman for Paris-based ESMA said its inquiries concerned issues that a national regulator in the EU may face when financial firms from another country show an interest or make an application for a license.

It is not focused on efficiency issues of different financial centers, but rather looking at issues around outsourcing and delegation which could lead to regulatory arbitrage, an ESMA spokesman said.

Outsourcing and delegation refers to when key functions of operations in an EU state are being carried out in a country outside the bloc, such as in fund management. Worries could center around, for example, a firm being granted a license to operate a subsidiary in an EU country but being allowed to run much of units operations from its office in Britain.

EU rules require safeguards to ensure continuity of service and clear lines of management responsibilities.

Financial watchdogs have told banks they will have to have a certain amount of capital, senior staff on the ground and approved risk models to get a license to operate across the EU.

The European Central Bank has considerable powers to clamp down, as it must first grant the license for, say, a London-based bank that wants to move operations to Frankfurt.

This is not necessarily the case in other areas like markets, which lack such powerful pan-European regulators.

A financial industry official in London said that it made sense to have some sort of common approach among regulators across the EU for the authorisation of new firms.

But ESMA is hamstrung as they can only provide a non-legally binding recommendation, which the national regulators can freely ignore, the official said.

Discussions of Brexit-related moves are already well underway.

Hiscox, an insurance underwriter in London, said on Monday it was in talks with regulators in Luxembourg and Malta about setting up a new insurance base in one of the countries.

Lloyds of London, the insurance market that Hiscox trades on, has also looked at several locations for a new EU unit.

Andreas Dombret, a Bundesbank board member, said last week that regulators must not try to undercut each other by offering firms discounts or incentives to relocate operations and staff to their financial center.

There are market participants talking about this, I dont have any direct evidence, Dombret said.

($1 = 0.8149 pounds) (Editing by David Stamp)

Related:

Topics Europe London
Italys biggest insurer Generali has hired BNP Paribas to sell its Dutch business as part of a plan to cut costs in weaker markets and boost profits, sources told Reuters.

Generali, which generates most of its revenues and earnings in Italy, France and Germany, is looking to auction off its subsidiary Generali Nederland N.V., which has been active in the Netherlands for more than 140 years covering risks from damage to income, pensions and life insurance.

If successful, the deal would be the first in a series of divestments that Generali announced in November in a bid to raise about 1 billion euros ($1 billion) by leaving 13 to 15 countries.

Representatives of Generali and BNP Paribas declined to comment.

Generali more than tripled its overall net profit in the Netherlands between 2014 and 2015, generating 5.4 million euros in 2015. But its non-life insurance unit, Generali Schade, was hit by shrinking demand with net profits plunging from 4.5 million euros in 2014 to 1.9 million euros in 2015.

Generalis French boss Philippe Donnet recently came under pressure as he tried to fend off a takeover attempt by Italys biggest retail bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, which was hoping to create a financial giant with a market value of around 60 billion euros.

On Feb. 24 Intesa decided against launching a takeover bid for Generali, arguing the deal would not create enough value for its investors.

Generali, whose biggest shareholder is influential investment bank Mediobanca, is seen by Rome as a strategic asset because of its large holdings of Italian government bonds.

Yet the insurer, which ranks as Europes third biggest, remains vulnerable to declining profits and possible approaches by larger rivals Allianz and Axa, the sources said.

Generali is more focused than its main competitors on capital-intensive traditional life products, rather than on unit-linked or index-linked policies.

Two of the sources said Generali will announce an acceleration in its cost-cutting efforts at its annual results on March 16.

Generali, with a market value of 21.4 billion euros, has seen its share price tumble almost 27 percent over the past 24 months.

Its chief financial officer and general manager Alberto Minali quit in January leaving Donnet, who took over as CEO a year ago, to pursue a pledge to cut operating costs in mature markets by 200 million euros over the 2016-19 period.

The sources said the insurer has put a number of countries under review, including Belgium and Portugal where it lacks scale.

In South America it is looking to sell its local subsidiaries in Colombia, Panama and Ecuador, they said, although it has yet to pick banks to manage the process. But Argentina and Brazil are seen as core markets.

The Trieste-based insurer may need up to 18 months to finalize all the planned divestments, one of the sources said, pointing to lackluster appetite among industry players due to Generalis marginal presence in most of these countries.

Insurers that recently fled Latin American markets include Britains RSA, which sold its local business to Colombias Grupo Sura in 2015 for 403 million pounds.

($1 = 0.9507 euros) (Additional reporting by Stephen Jewkes and Gianluca Semeraro in Milan; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)

Topics Generali Life Assurance (Thailand) Plc.
Dozens of public workers gathered on March 1 at the Iowa Capitol in opposition to a bill that would reduce compensation for getting injured on the job, just weeks after legislators voted to severely limit their collective bargaining rights.

The proposed legislation, which was introduced on Feb. 27, cuts off worker benefits at 67, minimizes late fees for employers and reduces benefits for injuries tied to a pre-existing condition, among other provisions that critics say will overhaul the current system to burden employees and favor businesses.

The bill cleared House and Senate commerce subcommittees on March 1, with full committee consideration expected the following day. The legislation will need approval from a committee before the end of the week to survive a legislative deadline for policy bills.

Morgan Miller, a spokeswoman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Iowa Council 61, said the workers compensation bill discriminates against older people, decreases employer liability for injuries and reduces employer incentives to pay claims on time. If passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, the bill would take effect immediately.

It removes protections that our workers have on the job right now, Miller said. In general, the bill tips the scales in favor of employers and away from hardworking Iowans and those who are very vulnerable because they have suffered workplace injuries.

John Stineman, executive director for the Iowa Chamber Alliance, defended businesses in favor of the legislation. He said many companies support the Iowas Workers Compensation Act but object to rising benefit costs and legal efforts that target employers.

The reality is that we have seen great increases and it needs to be addressed, he said. Its not so much that this legislation is a radical departure from what todays law is. Its more that the interpretation and application of todays statute is a radical departure from what its original intent was.

Jason Neifert, a workers compensation lawyer with the Iowa Association for Justice, warned that medical costs for injured workers would simply be transferred from businesses to taxpayers if the measure becomes law.

These are not tweaks. These are not little fixes, he said. This is a major overhaul of our workers compensation system.

Thomas Jochum, from the Central Iowa Building Construction Trades Council, criticized lawmakers for rushing to introduce the bill without asking workers groups for input on its impact.

If were going to work together to solve problems, then you have to bring everybody to the table, Jochum said. You missed an opportunity here.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation Claims Workers' Compensation Talent Iowa
More extreme weather has led to more extreme insurance claims in the U.S. over the past few years.

In a review of more than 100,000 commercial catastrophe claims during a 10-year period, Mark A. Anderson, a claims executive at Nationwide Insurance, noticed a steady climb in claims severity.

Nationwide saw a 26-percent increase in average severity over the three-year period of 2014 to 2016 compared with the seven-year period between 2007 and 2013.

The total number of claims is also on the rise.

The number of claims that we have seen the last three years is up about 14 percent compared to seven years prior, said Anderson, who works out of Nationwides headquarters with an official title of associate vice president of commercial lines property technical claims.

The Columbus, Ohio-based carrier has also seen a 14-percent increase in unique commercial catastrophe events when comparing those same time periods.

Anderson has been looking at claims figures a long time. Hes been with Nationwide since 2014. Prior to that, he was at Liberty Mutual Insurance for 36 years.

The last three years obviously we have had much warmer than normal winters, Anderson said. In 2016 and 2017 here in the Midwest, we had the warmest February in history. I think any time that you have that warm of weather in the winter and you see the major swing in the weather patterns, the cold fronts, it has a tendency to increase the frequency and the severity of the storms.

Is this climate change at work?

Anderson is a good company man and when asked that, it was clear he didnt wish to hop into a political grinder by offending those who dont believe in climate change, so he steered away from attributing the more frequent extreme weather events to global warming.

I dont know that Im in a position to comment on that, but certainly theres no question that the winters that weve seen in the Midwest and east of the Mississippi are much warmer than we have seen in many years, Anderson said. And I think anytime we see that type of warm weather, especially the Midwest and East, its going to make for some very disruptive weather patterns, which are very difficult to forecast.

He added with a hint of amazement in his tone: Theres tornadoes forecast for the Chicago area this evening.

He spoke about this with Insurance Journal on Tuesday. The following day a storm system killed at least three people as it spawned tornadoes and damaged dozens of homes in the central U.S. One person was killed when a tree was uprooted by a tornado in Ottawa, which is roughly 70 miles southwest of Chicago, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Nationwide has so far seen roughly 260 commercial catastrophe claims related to the recent severe weather in the Midwest.

Theres no denying there has been some perplexing weather recently, which Anderson had no issue pointing out.

This past 12 to 18 months weve seen storms that we have not seen in the past or would expect to normally see, he said.

One example he offered was the recent flooding in California that follows a prolonged drought.

Heavy rains last month prompted fears of flooding from the Oroville Dam east of the Sacramento Valley. Water from the storm-swollen lake behind the dam spilled down the unpaved slope, eroding the slope to the point that authorities ordered evacuations for nearly 200,000 people.

Data provider CoreLogic estimated at the time that roughly 50,047 single- and multi-family residential homes could be damaged with an estimated reconstruction cost value of $13.3 billion if the 770-foot dam  the nations tallest  were to fail completely.

On Tuesday the San Jose City Council ratified an emergency declaration in response to historic flooding last week in that area. The declaration followed estimates from city officials that flooding caused $50 million in private property damage and $23 million in public property damage.

Some experts think such events could become more frequent.

NPR in a report on Monday interviewed a Stanford University professor who said California is likely to see more extreme flooding with climate change because warmer storms produce more rain instead of snow.

Noah Diffenbaugh, a climate scientist at Stanford University, said Californias water system wasnt built for the current climate the state is experiencing when it was designed a century ago.

The states flood system can handle a slow melt from the Sierra Mountains, but not a huge amount of rain all at once, he said.

Our water system was really built in an old climate, Diffenbaugh told NPR. Its a climate that is no longer the climate of California.

With extreme weather and claims severity on the rise, Anderson was most interested in speaking about Nationwides second annual Small Business Indicator.

The survey, which also highlights the increased claims severity figures, was conducted online with 502 U.S. small-business owners with fewer than 300 employees by Harris Poll on behalf of Nationwide from June 10 through 23.

It showed a lot of small business owners arent well prepared for natural catastrophes.

A majority (68 percent) of small-business owners dont have a written disaster recovery plan  even though nearly half those surveyed said it would take their business at least three months to recover from a natural disaster.

The survey also showed that many small business owners dont take disaster preparedness as seriously as they should.

Of the small business owners that indicated they did not have a disaster recovery plan for their business, there was also 68 percent that indicated they do have a family evacuation plan at home, Anderson said. I think that what were trying to get across is that when a business owner feels that a disaster plan is important enough for their family and the protection of their family, they should have that same concern for the safety and health and well-being of their employees.

Herein lies an opportunity, in Andersons view.

He thinks these Nationwide figures, and the recent wacky weather, are good tools for insurance agents to use to talk to customers about business interruption and other forms of insurance that go above and beyond basic property insurance.

Heres a good place to note that the Nationwide survey shows 71 percent of small businesses dont have business interruption insurance.

Imagine an extreme weather event plows through a small town yet misses a small business. The storm, however, knocked out the areas electrical grid for two or three weeks. Insurance policies only cover direct physical loss, so a policy or endorsement that provides coverage for a power outage away from the premises would have been a wise choice for that now powerless company.

Anderson, in offering his hypothetical scenario, took the opportunity to pitch Nationwides Utility Interruption Insurance, an additional coverage under a standard BOP or commercial property policy.

Basic business interruption insurance and property insurance can be expanded to include this coverage with two specific endorsements:

Utility services  time element, which is an endorsement that covers losses for an event in which winds break down a power line or a water main is broken, including loss of income and expenses, up to a predetermined time limit or until the power or water service is restored.

Utility services  direct damage is an endorsement thats an extension of property insurance, providing protection against damage to property resulting from an interruption of any of the utility services named in the policy as a result of a covered cause, such as a windstorm.

To end on a high note, Anderson did point out that disaster planning awareness appears to be on the rise.

In the previous survey, 34 percent of small businesses polled did not feel that a disaster preparedness plan was high priority. Only 21 percent said such a plan was not a high priority in the latest survey.

I think that theres a greater recognition that there is a need to be prepared, Anderson said.

Past columns:

Topics California Catastrophe USA Claims Flood Climate Change Property
A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a whistleblower lawsuit by a former Moodys Investors Service managing director and said he deserves none of the $863.8 million that Moodys agreed to pay to settle claims it inflated mortgage ratings prior to the 2008 financial crisis.

U.S. District Judge William Pauley said Ilya Eric Kolchinsky could not show that the Moodys Corp. unit violated the federal False Claims Act, given how the government kept paying for its ratings even after learning they might be compromised.

The Manhattan judge said this barred Kolchinsky from sharing in Moodys Jan 13 settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the attorneys general of 21 states and the District of Columbia, though the terms left open that prospect.

This court acknowledges that this a harsh result, Pauley wrote. Kolchinsky provided enormously helpful information to various congressional committees and government investigators.

Stephen Weiss, a lawyer for Kolchinsky, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Moodys said: We are pleased that the court has dismissed the case in its entirety.

Kolchinsky accused Moodys of issuing bogus ratings for mortgage securities, credit default swaps and collateralized debt obligations in a push to win more fees.

Moodys has received wide criticism for such practices, as have its main rivals Standard & Poors and Fitch.

In its settlement, Moodys acknowledged it did not follow its own rating standards, though the New York-based company did not admit liability.

The accord resolved claims under the federal Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act, or FIRREA, and various state laws.

Pauley nonetheless concluded that even if the claims did overlap Kolchinskys, he could not financially benefit.

This court is particularly sympathetic to Kolchinskys position in light of the serious and far-reaching effects that Moodys conduct had on the American economy, Pauley wrote.

This observation does not, however, cure the deficiencies in Kolchinskys pleadings or enable him to collect a share of the FIRREA settlement.

The government decided in 2014 not to join Kolchinskys lawsuit, leaving him to pursue it on his own.

S&P, part of S&P Global Inc, reached its own $1.375 billion settlement with federal and state authorities in 2015 to settle similar allegations.

Pauley dismissed an earlier version of Kolchinskys lawsuit in February 2016. Thursdays dismissal was with prejudice, meaning the case cannot be brought again.

The case is U.S. ex rel Kolchinsky v. Moodys Corp. et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 12-01399.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman

Topics USA New York
XL Catlins insurance companies and Professional Governmental Underwriters Inc. (PGU) have entered into an underwriting agreement to offer public entity management and employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) to public officials, educators and law enforcement agencies in the US.

Under the agreement, PGU will offer the following coverages through XL Catlin insurance companies:

Educators legal liability and employment practices liability: Designed for colleges, universities as well as public and charter, parochial and private K-12 school systems, the policy provides protection against a range of employment practices and educators professional liability claims, including hire discrimination, defense of non-monetary actions related to special education, redistricting and employment practices.

Police professional liability insurance: This insurance policy provides coverage for acts, errors, and omissions that occur while officers perform their professional duties.

Public officials liability and employment practices liability: This policy is tailored for any municipal governmental entity including, but not limited to, cities, towns, townships, boroughs, counties, villages, special service districts, authorities and commissions. The coverage offers protection against claims related to discrimination in selecting, promoting, disciplining or dismissing employees as well as mismanagement or improper administration of funds, grants, or budgets and improper granting or denying of franchises, permits or licenses, among other disputes.

Teachers, school board members, police officers and public officials are held to very high standards, said Frank Palermo, underwriting manager of XL Catlins Commercial Errors & Omissions (E&O) business in North America.

He added that XL Catlin is pleased to team up with PGU, which understands risks unique to public officials and can help us deliver the robust insurance protection and risk management guidance they need to protect their livelihoods and their commitment to public service.

Those who dedicate themselves to public service have very unique professional liability exposures, said Martin H. Kanipe, president of the Richmond, Virginia-based PGU.

Teachers and school boards, for instance, can find themselves facing claims alleging failure to educate, discrimination, denial of special education services, among others, he added.

On the other hand, police officers and their departments can face claims of negligence, failure to protect, false arrest or civil rights violations, Kanipe went on to say. For the last two decades, weve focused solely on crafting insurance and loss prevention to protect these professionals and were pleased to enlist XL Catlin to support this growing market.

Source: XL Catlin

Topics Law Enforcement AXA XL
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLPs epic screw-up at the Oscars could carry a high cost if jurors arrive at a malpractice trial next week suspecting the global accounting firm is error-prone.

Until a PwC accountant handed Warren Beatty the wrong envelope for the Best Picture award, its lawyers only had to worry about adversary MF Global Holdings Ltd. Now, PwCs attorneys will also be concerned that jurors who watched the Feb. 26 awards ceremony will begin the trial doubting the firms expertise, jury consultants said.

Thats particularly worrisome in a case where New York-based PwC is accused of contributing to the 2011 collapse of MF Global, the N.Y. brokerage formerly run by Jon Corzine. MF Global is seeking as much as $3 billion.

The MF Global meltdown is entirely unrelated to what happened at the Oscars, said Leticia Ostler, a jury consultant in San Diego. Yet jurors may ask whats to say theyre not making the same mistake in other areas?

Richard Marooney, a lawyer for PwC, declined through a spokesman to comment on how PwCs lawyers will handle the Oscars issue.

Bad Address

PwC accountants Brian Cullinan and Martha Ruiz were backstage at the Oscars, tasked with safeguarding the envelopes with the names of the winners and handed over the wrong one, triggering a globally televised fiasco. The firm, which has collected and counted votes since 1935, apologized for the error.

Potential jurors may have seen Cullinan on the cover of the New York Post or the Daily News, the citys two tabloid newspapers, smiling broadly in his tuxedo and holding a PwC briefcase. A Post headline called him The Twit who blew the Oscars. A Daily News article began, Dont let this guy do your taxes.

Most people know about the screw-up, said Thaddeus Hoffmeister, an expert on juries who teaches law at the University of Dayton. I dont know if they necessarily connect it with PwC. Theres a concern that you actually bring the topic up and then theyre like Oh, I did not know that.'

Jury experts said lawyers may snoop into potential jurors social-media accounts to see if theyve commented about the flub. And while they are instructed not to seek out information outside the courtroom, Hoffmeister said its common for jurors to do research on the internet.

His advice: dont put millennials on the jury.

They have more faith in Google than they do a witness on the witness stand, he said.

Settlement Hopes

U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero delayed the case last month in hopes the parties would settle. They didnt. Corzine is expected to testify at the trial scheduled to start March 6 and is projected to last four to five weeks.

The trial will focus on a strategy pushed by Corzine when he took over leadership of MF Global in early 2010. Corzine had the firm make bets on European sovereign debt, financed through a type of bond repurchase agreement called a repurchase-to-maturity or RTM transaction.

MF Global claims PwC negligently signed off on its faulty RTM accounting, which in turn contributed to MF Globals meltdown. Daniel Fetterman, a lawyer for MF Global, declined to comment on the trial.

PwC says its accounting was correct and MF Global is wrongly trying to blame it for the failure of a strategy designed by Corzine and blessed by the firms in-house accountants. Marooney, the lawyer for PwC, called the case a lottery-ticket lawsuit, a long-shot attempt to force it to pay for MF Globals disastrous mistakes.

The case is MF Global Holdings LTD. v. Pricewaterhousecoopers, 14-cv-02197, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

Related:

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Trends New York Medical Professional Liability
Major business interests are lining up against one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patricks top priorities  a bill that would make it harder for Texans to force their insurance companies to pay up when calamity strikes.

Patrick and his allies say the bill, Senate Bill 10, is needed to stop greedy trial lawyers from cashing in on hail damage lawsuits. But the word hail doesnt appear anywhere in the legislation, and this week businesses ranging from 7-Eleven to Ryan LLC  founded and led by Republican mega-donor Brint Ryan  conveyed their deep opposition to it in a letter sent to Patrick and other top Republican leaders.

The blistering critique of the bill, which has a companion, House Bill 1774, in the House, was sent on behalf of the major corporate interests by Haynes & Boone lawyer Ernest Martin. He warns it greatly harms businesses by making it harder for anyone who insures property in Texas to get paid after filing a claim. Trial lawyer interests have been making the same argument about the impact on average Texans, but they dont have the kind of political stroke business groups enjoy at the Capitol.

This insurance bill does more harm to Texas business policyholders than it does to prevent litigation abuses by homeowners or their storm chasing lawyers, Martin wrote. He said the legislation would thwart Texas businesses from recovering legitimate claims under insurance policies they purchased at great cost.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform, which is pushing the bill, said consumers and businesses would still have remedies to pursue claims if the measure passes.

SB 10 puts in place common-sense reforms to stop the worst lawyer-driven lawsuit abuse that currently exists in Texas, while protecting the right of every Texas property owner  residential or commercial  to sue his or her insurance company if it fails to pay a claim on time or in full, said spokeswoman Lucy Nashed.

Besides Ryan LLC and 7-Eleven, the companies named in the letter include La Quinta Inns & Suites, Sovereign Bank, pipeline company EnLink Midstream, EXCO Resources and others.

The opposition mirrors the business blowback that killed a similar effort two years ago. Patrick and other supporters are pushing a new version of the legislation this session, again saying its about hailstorm lawsuits even though the bill would enact sweeping changes for Texans with all kinds of claims against their own insurance companies.

The lawyers found another way to try to make a lot of money, Patrick said in a video posted on Facebook a couple of weeks ago. We need to end these skyrocketing claims weve seen over the last several years dealing with hailstorms.

Patricks media office did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

One key provision in the bill would make it harder to force insurers to pay claims under the states prompt pay rules designed to penalize foot-dragging by insurance companies. The Texas Trial Lawyers Association leveled that same criticism in a position paper  which screams This is not a HAIL BILL!  provided to legislators.

The bill seeks to reward insurance companies when they delay payments on ANY first-party claim  on all lines of insurance, including life, health, disability, property, liability, business and any other type of first party insurance, the trial lawyers group said.

Martin, the Haynes and Boone lawyer, pointed to that provision in his four-page analysis of the bills impact on business.

The insurance bill guts the effectiveness of the Prompt Pay statute, which is to incentivize insurance companies to err on the side of paying claims timely, he wrote. Martin also criticized the burdensome notice requirements imposed on policyholders and provisions that would force many insurance claims into federal court and erect new hurdles for recovering attorney fees when lawsuits are filed.

Nashed said the bill is about protecting consumers  from spiking insurance rates. As a result of this abusive litigation, some Texas property insurance consumers have already begun to see reduced or lost coverage or higher insurance rates, she said, which will continue to spread if this abuse isnt stopped soon.

Note: This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2017/03/01/businesses-line-against-dan-patricks-pet-insurance-bill/.The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. The Texas Trial Lawyers Association has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune. For a full list of donors and sponsors, click here.

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Topics Lawsuits Carriers Legislation Texas Claims
Firefighters have more fully contained two large wildfires in West Texas, including one that destroyed four homes and prompted the evacuation of nearly 1,200 others.

Texas A&M Forest Service spokesman Phillip Truitt said March 1 that a fire in Swisher County is now 85 percent contained after burning about 2,200 acres and threatening the town of Tulia, about 50 miles south of Amarillo.

Truitt says two of the four homes destroyed in Tulia werent occupied and bulldozers saved 20 other residences.

He says a fire in Hockley County, west of Lubbock, also is 85 percent contained after burning about 8,500 acres and spreading near the town of Sundown.

A high fire danger remained in place Wednesday for parts of Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Texas Wildfire
Authorities are investigating a miners death in McDowell County, W. Va., at an operation owned by Gov. Jim Justice.

Patrick Graham, vice president for Southern Coal Corp., says a worker at its Bishop Preparation plant near Squire died shortly before 10:30 p.m. Monday from injuries suffered in a fall.

He says the exact cause of the accident wasnt immediately known, and both the company and mine safety agencies are investigating.

The miners name wasnt immediately disclosed.

Gov. Jim Justice, who owns Southern Coal, issued a statement asking West Virginians to pray for the lost miner and his family.

The Justice administration says the new governor has established a trust to run his businesses while hes in office.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Virginia Mining
The Florida insurance market has been a hotbed of controversy over the last year, and many are looking at the Florida State Legislature to alleviate some of the concerns coming from consumers, businesses and the industry itself.

From insurance fraud to workers compensation to the escalating assignment of benefits (AOB) issue, there is no shortage of insurance topics for lawmakers to discuss when the 2017 session begins March 7.

Some of the current proposals lawmakers will consider in the upcoming session include:

Workers Comp

Legislation addressing the tailspin of Floridas workers compensation market is considered a top priority, thanks to several 2016 decisions from the Florida Supreme Court.

The most significant was an April ruling that found the states workers comp attorney fees cap is unconstitutional. Rates went up 14.5 percent in response on Dec. 1, and that is just the tip of iceberg, experts say.

Florida will consider bills on the attorney fees cap and workers comp alternatives such as an opt-out system.

Insurance industry advocate group Property Casualty Insurance Association of America (PCI) said it is in favor of a bill proposed by the Associated Industries of Florida that proposes injured workers would be responsible for their own attorney fees and that judges could not award attorney fees that are to be paid by employers or insurance carriers.

We believe the proposal effectively addresses the constitutional issues identified by the courts in Castellanos v. Next Door Company and Miles v. City of Edgewater, said Logan McFaddin, PCIs Regional manager. In addition, the proposal would create new efficiencies for dispute resolution while restoring stability to the Florida workers compensation system.

The 12-page proposal would make several other changes to the workers comp system, including revising the criteria requiring the Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims to dismiss a petition for benefits and requiring the claimant or attorney to make a good faith effort to resolve a dispute before filing a petition.

AIF said that under this proposal employees are free to retain their own attorneys; The Workers Compensation Act will remain intact, expediting resolution of outstanding cases/issues to avoid a costly and prolonged litigation process; injured workers will be attended to by the appropriate medical providers quicker based on mandatory state oversight; unnecessary litigation will be avoided; and personal information of injured workers will not be publicized.

We believe that under this united business effort, this product will deal with the catastrophic threat head on that has been created by the current legal environment that is hurting the workers compensation system, which has worked since the 2003 reforms, said Tom Feeney, CEO of AIF and chair of its Florida Workers Compensation Strategic Task Force.

The bill was yet to be sponsored or officially filed as of March 2.

AOB

The industry is backing a bill (Senate Bill 1038) drafted by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation and sponsored by State Senators Dorothy Hukill and Kathleen Passsidomo to address the abuse of assignment of benefits in Florida, particularly related to water claims.

The bill defines the term assignment agreement and would prohibit certain awards of attorney fees to certain persons or entities in suits based on claims arising under property insurance policies.

The bill also stipulates that an assignment agreement will not be valid unless it meets the following conditions:

Agreement is in writing and is executed by all named insureds

Allows insureds to rescind the assignment agreement within seven business days without penalty

Requires the assignee to provide a copy of the assigned agreement to the insured no later than three business days after the agreement is executed

And includes a written, itemized, per-unit cost estimate of the work to be performed by the assignee.

Under provisions of the bill, consumers would be held harmless, assignment of benefits could still be utilized and incentives to file unnecessary litigation would be eliminated, said Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier. We look forward to working with the Legislature this session on this important issue and are in full support of this bill.

Insurance Fraud

Florida CFO Jeff Atwater announced that he is working with State Sen. Jeff Brandes and Rep. Holly Raschien to tackle the ever-evolving issue of insurance fraud in Florida.

Several bills have been filed, including Senate Bill 1012, 1014, and House Bill 1007 and 1009.

Atwater said the goal is to further improve our processes and hone our techniques so that the Department of Financial Services can continue to stay a step ahead of the criminals who seek to defraud Floridians.

The legislation, if passed, would aim to reduce fraud through several measures, including: requiring insurers to designate primary anti-fraud employees; create an Insurance Fraud Dedicated Prosecutor Program; require insurers to adopt an anti-fraud plan; and require that anti-fraud plans and statistics be filed annually with the Florida Department of Financial Services.

This legislative change will strengthen our fight by more closely aligning our fraud investigators with those who work within these in-house fraud-fighting units. Well provide in-depth training on how to spot fraud to industry members, and they will provide important data about the fraud each company is facing specifically, Atwater said. By gathering better data, [DFS] will be armed with the information needed to make strategic staffing decisions that place resources where the hot beds for fraud are happening.

Other proposals related to the insurance industry include repealing the personal injury protection mandate and instead requiring bodily injury coverage; further revising provisions to encourage the states private flood insurance market; and reforming Floridas Hurricane Cat Fund to give insurers more choice between the Cat Fund and private market options for their insurance needs.

Topics Florida Legislation Workers' Compensation Fraud Market
Uber Technologies Inc.'s (UBER) explosive growth and constant controversy make it one of the most fascinating companies to emerge over the past decade. The global ride-sharing application, founded in 2009, disrupted modern transportation as we know it and at one point grew to become the highest-valued private startup company in the world.

Ten years after its founding, Uber went public on May 9, 2019. Though the road has been bumpy, Uber remains a major company in the ride-sharing space. In its most recent quarterly earnings release, for Q2 fiscal year (FY) 2021, Uber reported a net income of $1.1 billion, $3.9 billion in revenue, and 1.5 billion trips on its platform.

Key Takeaways The world's largest ride-sharing company, Uber Technologies, was founded in 2009 and quickly grew to become the world's most valuable startup.

Ubers disruptive technology, explosive growth, and constant involvement in controversy make it one of the most fascinating companies to emerge in recent years.

Uber's IPO was one of the most highly anticipated of the year, and the company was valued as high as $120 billion by Wall Street investors. The company went public on May 9, 2019, but fell flat: Uber made history with the biggest first-day dollar loss in U.S. history.

Since then, Uber has worked on becoming profitable and has completed some high-profile acquisitions of companies including JUMP, Postmates, and Drizly, as well as a partnership deal with Lime. It also sold its highly anticipated self-driving car division in 2020.

In 2017, Uber's corporate culture was outed for being highly hostile, sexist, and offensive, resulting in a company-wide investigation. CEO Travis Kalanick was forced to resign, along with more than 20 employees.

Uber History: Paris and Rapid Growth

Ubers story began in Paris in 2008. Two friends, Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, were attending LeWeb, an annual tech conference The Economist describes as where revolutionaries gather to plot the future." In 2007, both men had sold startups they co-founded for large sums. Kalanick sold Red Swoosh to Akamai Technologies for $19 million while Camp sold StumbleUpon to eBay (EBAY) for $75 million.

The concept for Uber was born one winter night during the conference when the pair was unable to get a cab. Uber was founded on a single idea: "What if you could request a ride from your phone?" Initially, the idea was for a timeshare limo service that could be ordered via an app. After the conference, the entrepreneurs went their separate ways. However, when Camp returned to San Francisco, he continued to be fixated on the idea and bought the domain name UberCab.com.

UberCab: The Beginning

In 2009, Camp was still CEO of StumbleUpon, but he began working on a prototype for UberCab as a side project. By summer of that year, Camp had persuaded Kalanick to join as UberCabs "chief incubator." The service was tested in New York in early 2010 using only three cars, and the official launch took place in San Francisco in May.

Ryan Graves, who was Uber's general manager and an important figure in the early stages of the company, became CEO of Uber in early 2010. In December 2010, Kalanick took over as CEO, while Graves took on the title of general manager and senior vice president of Global Operations.

The ease and simplicity of ordering a car fueled the apps rising popularity. With the tap of a button, a ride could be ordered, a GPS identified the location, and the cost was automatically charged to the card on the user account. The San Francisco-based startup quickly became one of the hottest companies and grew quickly. The first Uber ride was requested in 2010 and less than two years later, in 2011, Uber had already launched internationally in Paris, where the idea for it first took root.

Uber's Valuation: Funding Rounds

First five years: 2009 to 2013

After starting in 2009 and launching its first ride in 2010, the company received its first major funding, a $1.25 million round led by First Round Capital. 2011 was a crucial year for Ubers growth. Early in the year, the company raised an $11 million Series A funding round led by Benchmark, and it went on to expand to New York, Seattle, Boston, Chicago, and Washington D.C., as well as abroad in Paris.

In December at the 2011 LeWeb conference, Kalanick announced that Uber raised $37 million in Series B funding from Menlo Ventures, Jeff Bezos, and Goldman Sachs. In 2012, the company broadened its offering by launching UberX, which provided a less expensive hybrid car as an alternative to black car service.

Additional funding and setbacks: 2014 to present

In July 2015, Uber became the most valuable startup in the world, valued at $51 billion after its funding rounds. In June 2016, Uber then raised a further $3.5 billion from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.

With Uber's rapid growth came many controversies. In April 2017, Uber opened up about its finances for the first time to Bloomberg and reported a global loss of $3.8 billion for 2016. This included losses from its China business, which it sold in the summer of 2016without it, net adjusted losses were $2.8 billion.

By the following year, the firm's valuation had been knocked down from a lofty $68 billion to $48 billion. In 2018, Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group, along with a group of investors including Dragoneer Investment Group, successfully bid for 20% of Uber's stock at this lower valuation, a 30% discount on the last valuation figure. The deal reportedly gave SoftBank 15% in the ride-share company while Uber got a powerful ally in Asia that could help turn the tide for the company after a few very public missteps. The remaining shares reportedly went to other investors in the group.

This period was also marked by other challenges, including the fatal crash of a self-driving vehicle from Uber's fleet. Additionally, on Aug. 8, 2018, New York City Council voted to put a pause on new licenses issued to ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft.

Uber IPO: Disappointing Feat

Uber's IPO made history as the biggest first-day dollar loss in IPO history in the United States. At one point, Uber was valued at $120 billion by Wall Street analysts, which would have made it the largest company ever to debut on the stock market. After its IPO, it was only valued at about $69 billionjust over half of its high-hopes IPO.

$85.314 billion Uber's current market capitalization, as of September 2021

Uber Culture Controversy: Kalanick Out, Khosrowshahi In

2017 was a rough year for Uber. The troubles began in February when a former female Uber engineer outed the company for its sexist culture in a 3,000-word blog post. It was alleged that Uber's corporate culture was highly hostile, sexist, and quite offensive to most people.

The post quickly went viral and a number of high-level employees were let go or resigned for reasons relating to the allegations in the following months. Following the blog post, the board called for an internal investigation, which became known as the "Holder Investigation" (it was lead by former Attorney General Eric Holder). The investigation resulted in 47 recommendations intended to improve the culture and work environment, and according to Uber, the firing of more than 20 staff members.

In the following months, scandals seemed to haunt both the company and its CEO. Letters were released to the press which confirmed that sexist attitudes came from the top downincluding from Kalanick himself. Kalanick was also caught on video arguing with an Uber driver about lowering fares, which did not strengthen his image in the public eye.

On June 21, 2017, Kalanick resigned after a shareholder revolt. After a little more than two months, it was announced that Dara Khosrowshahithen-CEO of Expedia (EXPE)would take over. Khosrowshahi came to New York in 1978 with his parents to escape the Iranian revolution. He started his career in finance at an investment bank and eventually became the CFO of IAC/InterActiveCorp (IAC), a position he held for seven years before becoming the CEO of Expedia.

As of Sept. 3, 2021, Dara Khosrowshahi remains the CEO of Uber.

Uber's History of Legal and Policy Challenges

During its expansion, Uber has met fierce resistance from the taxi industry and government regulators. As part of its strategy to mitigate the opposition, the company hired David Plouffe, a high-profile political and corporate strategist who worked on Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. Here, we chronicle some high-profile moments of Uber's challenges.

Surge pricing backlash

Uber uses an automated algorithm to increase prices based on supply and demand in the market. On New Year's Eve 2011, prices soared to as much as seven times standard rates, fueling negative feedback from users. Surge pricing triggered outrage again during a snowstorm in New York in December 2013. More recently, Uber committed to capping surge pricing during several blizzards in New York City.

In 2014, taxi drivers in London, Berlin, Paris, and Madrid staged a large-scale protest against Uber. Taxi companies have claimed that because Uber avoids their expensive license fees and bypasses local laws, it creates unfair competition. The case was heard by Europe's top court in November 2016. Uber lost its license to operate in London, where the company had 40,000 registered drivers in September 2017. On June 26, 2018, a London judge overturned the ban, effectively allowing Uber to operate under a 15-month license along with conditions. In September 2020, Uber was granted a new license to operate in London. The current license lasts for 18 months and is conditional on Uber providing periodic safety reports.



Fair pay and driver benefits

In New York, it became known that Uber had mistakenly charged drivers commission based on pretax earnings as opposed to after-tax earningsat a cost of tens of millions of dollars to New York drivers. The company said it was an accounting error, and that it was committed to paying its drivers back in full as quickly as possible.

The issue does raise questions about the fairness of who ends up paying the taxes. Driver advocacy groups have argued for some time that Uber is avoiding a tax at the expense of its drivers, something The New York Times found evidence to support. The paper estimated it could have cost drivers hundreds of millions of dollars.

On June 13, 2017, a New York judge ruled that Uber drivers should be considered employees as opposed to independent contractors at least in certain cases. This decision opens up for drivers to receive employee benefits, which would likely have a significant impact on the bottom line. Later, restrictions on licenses by the New York City Council were introduced, which represented a blow for Uber and meant a pause on any new licenses for the ride-sharing service in the city for a 12-month period.

Meanwhile, California passed Proposition 22 during its November 2020 election, allowing companies like Uber to classify their workers as independent contractors in the gig economy, and not as full-time employees. The Uber-backed ballot measure is now the costliest in California history, with over $200 million spent in campaigning for it.

On Aug. 20, 2021, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch ruled that two sections of Proposition 22 were unconstitutional and that the measure as a whole was unenforceable. However, it remains in effect while its proponents appeal his ruling.

Settlement on claims of discrimination, harassment, and hostile work environment

In 2018, Uber paid approximately $7 million to more than 480 current and former employees to settle a 2017 lawsuit alleging gender discrimination, harassment, and a hostile work environment. The lawsuit claimed that Uber used a discriminatory ranking system that undervalued female employees and employees of color.

Discrimination against a blind customer

An arbitrator ordered Uber in April 2021 to pay $1.1 million to Lisa Irving, a blind customer. The arbitrator ruled that Uber's drivers had discriminated against Irving by denying her rides or verbally abusing her more than a dozen times. Uber had argued that it was not responsible for the drivers' actions because of their independent contractor status.

Uber vs. Lyft Competition

Competition has been ferocious between Uber and its closest rival, Lyft. In 2014, both Uber and Lyft claimed that drivers and employees engaged in sabotage by regularly hailing and canceling rides on each others services. Kalanick also openly admitted to trying to undermine Lyfts fundraising efforts in a Vanity Fair article.

Uber's Acquisitions and Business Units

Uber Eats, UberPool, and credit card

Uber has a merchant delivery program for food deliveries called Uber Eats. Uber previously offered a service named UberPool, which allowed drivers to pick up multiple riders on one scheduled ride, making it a cheaper option compared to UberX and Uber Black. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the service has been temporarily suspended in many regions, including the U.S. and Canada. Uber has been testing a new ride-pooling service in Africa under the name Pool Chance. Uber said that this service is similar to UberPool but not identical. In 2017, the company, in partnership with Barclays, also rolled out a co-branded rewards credit card in the U.S.

Lime

On July 9, 2018, Uber announced it would be investing in the electric scooter rental company, Lime, in collaboration with Alphabet Inc.'s GV (GOOG). Lime's lightweight scooters are available for rent all over a number of major cities, and customers leave them on the sidewalk for the next rider, making for a convenient and clean-energy-based business model.

The deal is part of a $335 million investment round, and the business is valued at $1.1 billion. Uber promotes Lime through its app and also provides a separate Lime app that customers can use to locate a scooter. Uber made similar efforts with bike-share startup JUMP before acquiring the business for reportedly close to $200 million in April 2018.

Postmates

Another high-profile acquisition occurred in July 2020, when Uber announced that it was acquiring food delivery app Postmates for $2.65 billion in an all-stock deal. As the food delivery business continued to grow, the acquisition (along with the creation of Uber Eats) was a strategic one in order to offset losses from the ride-sharing portion of the business, which has been struggling, especially during the pandemic. After the Postmates acquisition, Uber's stock hit an all-time high.

Uber self-driving cars

Like Google, Apple Inc. (AAPL), and Tesla Inc. (TSLA), Uber is also a front-runner in the future of driverless cars. However, the road has been bumpy, starting with Alphabet Inc.'s Waymo suing Uber in 2018 for theft of its self-driving technology.

Uber hit perhaps its worst snag yet in March 2018, when a self-driving car fatally struck a pedestrian, causing the company to temporarily suspend all testing. In May 2018, Uber announced that it would halt its Arizona testing program and go elsewhere. In July 2018, Uber's self-driving cars made their return in Pittsburgh, but business lagged.

In December 2020, it was announced that Uber would sell its autonomous vehicle business to Aurora, a startup in San Francisco that was started by the former head engineer of Waymo. Uber had invested more than $1 billion in the business at the time of the sale.

The Bottom Line

Uber is one of the most closely followed companies in the world, once going down in history as once the world's most valuable startup and disrupting the modern ride-sharing and transportation industry as we know it. Though the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench into Uber's plans to become profitable, marking large losses in its ride-hailing business, the company's strategic investments in its food delivery arm Uber Eats as well as its recent California Proposition 22 win bode well for the company. Perhaps soon, time will tell if Khosrowshahi can lift Uber's valuation to its originally projected $120 billion.
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The University Of California Fires Their Entire IT Team To Save $30M. In the midst of Donald Trump drove against movement and hostile to outsourcing talk, a news about a straightforward outsourcing venture in the US has activated phenomenal backfire and mayhem among local people.

US citizens are angry that their jobs are being outsourced to India, and Indian H1-B visa holders are being asked to do their jobs, thereby bringing in unemployment for them.

Situated in San Francisco, University of California has chosen to flame their whole IT division and outsource the employments to HCL in India.

Around 79 workers from the IT Department, has been given pink slips, out of which 49 were lasting representatives.

In spite of the fact that this is a little outsourcing venture, however, the matter has gotten steam since the University of California is a state funded college, and keeps running on citizens cash.

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The Mekong River Basin is one of the most contested rivers in the world as six countries with unequal political power and differing degrees of social, scientific, and institutional capacity have been implementing projects with inadequate regard for their neighboring states development plans.



Until recently, the 1995 Mekong River Agreement, created to promote cooperation and coordinate development in the basin, was relatively successful at guiding the member states toward common goals. But now, weaknesses in the Agreement have been exposed as cumulative hydropower and other developments have reach a critical stage. China, the main engine for regional economic growth, has also been a role model for unilateral hydropower development on the Mekong. Laos is constructing the first two of multiple dams planned for the mainstream Mekong, despite concerns over projected losses of wild-capture fisheries that millions of rural poor in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) depend upon. Vietnam and Cambodia, while protesting Laos dams, are also investing in their own Mekong projects. In December 2016, Thailand expects to release plans for a huge water diversion from the Mekong that would remove enough water to irrigate 5 million hectares of farmland (Thu, 2016).



Hovering over all these projects is climate change. In spring 2016, the Mekong experienced the worst drought in some 90 years; this event may portend a glimpse of future extreme events as virtually all regional climate models project increasing impacts into the coming decades.

While the Mekong Agreement was never designed to be an international treaty to guide the sharing of transboundary resources, it is clear that tipping points around the Mekongs hydrological and social systems are now close at hand. It is also apparent that, despite its importance as a shared transboundary river basin where water and other resources are fundamental to the ecological, economic, and political stability of all the Mekong states, they are still searching for a way forward.



Environmental security may offer answers to the transboundary common pool resource dilemmas of Mekong River states.



Since the 1990s, driven by environmental and economic change in an increasingly interdependent world, an environmental security framework linking national security with resource scarcity has become more influential. Security is no longer just about maintaining state borders through military means; it now includes non-traditional components such as managing ecological degradation, maintaining energy and water security, and aiding human adaptation to climate change (Grumbine, 2014). Major goals of environmental security are to maintain the critical ecosystem services that people depend upon, reduce the ecological and social risks from new water, food and energy developments, and support humans capacity to adapt to change in the uncertain world of the 21st century. Environmental security goals become all the more important when shared natural and social resources create degrees of dependency across state borders. This is exactly the state of affairs in the Mekong.



But environmental security in the Mekong is not just about hydrology, hydropower, and hydropolitics. There are six drivers of change  ecosystem degradation, food, energy, and water issues, human development, and climate change  that have to be cooperatively managed.



Ecological Degradation



Biodiversity and ecosystem functions across Mekong ecosystems are under growing pressure. From 1973-2009, forest cover in the region (excluding China) was reduced by about 30 percent. A primary cause in every country is the broad land-use transition away from smallholder, swidden-based agriculture to commercial cash crops. For freshwater ecosystems, plans to build many more dams on both the mainstream and tributaries of the Mekong yield a poor prognosis for aquatic and floodplain health.



Food



Given that the Mekong accounts for about 13 percent of the worlds wild-capture fisheries with tens of millions of people dependent to some degree on this resource, the key driver of food insecurity is dam development. If all mainstream dams are constructed, Mekong fisheries are projected to decrease by 27-44 percent (Ward and Smagjl, 2013).



Energy



Energy demand is projected to increase dramatically for all Mekong countries. Demand in Thailand is projected to double by 2030, while demand in Vietnam may triple (Middleton and Dore, 2015). Today, Thailand uses natural gas for about 70 percent of its electricity, but domestic supplies of this fuel may be exhausted by 2020. Laos remains committed to building over 100 hydropower projects. China is often blamed for downstream impacts due to its many Mekong dams, yet there are complex energy export and investment links between all Mekong states.



Water



Water security in the Mekong is paramount. Major issues are: impacts of hydropower development on riverine hydrology; effects of dams on local peoples livelihoods; and lack of integrated analysis of cost/benefit tradeoffs within and between countries. If all of the proposed dams are built, projections show a 96 percent loss in sediment load in the Mekong Delta (Kondolf et al., 2014) with serious impacts on downstream fish and food production. And by 2050, agricultural demand for water may reach 32-50 percent of the Mekongs total flow, creating competition with fisheries livelihoods and hydropower operations.



Human Development



Over the next decade, the human population in the five Mekong basin countries (excluding China) is projected to increase by 23.6 million with most of this growth in cities. However, except for Thailand and China, the Mekong countries rank low in their capacity to manage change. The Asian Development Bank has funded roads, railways, and pipelines across the Mekong to stimulate economic growth. But these efforts have been poorly coordinated with environmental and social planning.



Climate Change



Climate projections show mean temperature increases over 20C by 2050 for the Mekong region (Zomer et al., 2016). River flows will likely increase at least to midcentury, but runoff may interact with the greater likelihood of extreme events (i.e. flooding). Due to the high risk of sea level rise and salinization, the Mekong Delta is of particular concern as it is so important for global rice production.



Of course, there are many links between these six drivers of change. But one thing is certain  as was made clear in spring 2016 due to drought across the region, change is already causing alterations to the clean air, water, and hydrological and nutrient cycles that people in the Mekong depend on.



Much can be done by the countries in the Mekong to strengthen environmental security. Here are some promising management strategies keyed to each stressor mentioned above.



To reverse ecosystem degradation, more transboundary environmental impact assessment would establish a strong basis to improve regional ecosystem conditions. Given the Mekong nations commitment to economic development, various payments for ecosystem services schemes are obvious candidates for reducing loss of ecosystem functioning.



With demand growing and farmers shifting from subsistence to cash crops, increasing food security in the Mekong means using less water to produce more food. More emphasis should be placed on local water storage, not just large-scale plans to divert Mekong water for irrigation schemes. Projections of dam impacts leading to reduced food security must be explicitly factored in to policy decisions. And policy coordination between the food and water sectors needs to be improved throughout the region.



The dynamism in demand forecasts and supply options create great uncertainty in energy management. Some scenarios show that by 2025, 25 percent of Mekong energy could come from renewables. Meanwhile, the Greater Mekong Subregion program seeks to build traditional electricity grids spanning the region. New energy from hydropower development will require coordinated dam operations among and between countries but this cannot occur without more collaborative planning.



Because transboundary water resources are key to environmental security in the Mekong, there are abundant ideas about more cooperative ways to manage waters. All observers emphasize greater sharing of flow data and dam building/operations. New efforts are exploring how to allow sediments behind Mekong dams to pass on downstream. There is a Hydropower By Design planning framework being tested in Myanmar that holds great promise for public-private management.



Low development capacity and closed systems of governance make progress difficult in strengthening the human elements of environmental security in the Mekong. But security is about managing, not eliminating change. Recent studies show how China can better manage the costs and benefits of hydropower to support human livelihoods (Tilt and Gerkey, 2016). Links between improved land-use planning and reduced human livelihood vulnerability have been mapped in Laos and Myanmar. To manage urban human security, research from Vietnam has established ways to couple city planning with flood control measures. Many innovative practices to manage the social elements of environmental security are beginning to be tested in the Mekong.



To build climate change resilience, the Mekong states need to increase their capacity to do integrated planning. Studies from Thailand and Vietnam show that local governments can support peoples climate adaptations through building farmers technical capacity, subsidizing credit, and linking products with market demand. However, in the Mekong, solutions to climate issues are often less a matter of technical capacity and more an issue of governance choices and political will.



The problem-solving power of an environmental security framework threads together human and ecological issues to showcase the importance of coordinated action across multiple sectors. Environmental security focuses on managing ecosystem, political, economic, and social risks that can undermine state stability in the face of change. This may better capture the attention of regional governments intent on maintaining power. Other planning frameworks such as Integrated River Basin Management do not consider politics. Environmental security also situates the shifts that are occurring in the Mekongs natural and human resources within the shared economic growth and development goals of the transboundary neighbors. But environmental security is not a panacea and remains untested in the Mekong. And governance barriers in the region continue to act as strong constraints on transboundary cooperation.



References



Grumbine, R.E. (2014). Assessing environmental security in China. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 12, 403-411.



Kondolf, G.M., Rubin, Z.K., and Minear, J.T. (2014). Dams on the Mekong: Cumulative sediment starvation. Water Resources Research, 506), 5158-5169.



Middleton, C., and Dore, J. (2015). Transboundary water and electricity governance in mainland Southeast Asia. International Journal of Water Governance, 3, 93-120.



Thu, S. (2016). Mekong basin stirs up region: Thai water diversion project could have mega risks. Mekongeye. Retrieved from http://www.mekongeye.com/2016/07/08/mekong-basin-stirs-up-region-thai-water-diversion-project-could-have-mega-risks/



Tilt, B., and Gerkey, D. (2016). Dams and population displacement on Chinas Upper Mekong River: Implications for social capital and social-ecological resilience. Global Environmental Change, 36, 153-162.



Ward, J., and Smajgl, A. (eds.) (2013). The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in the Mekong Region: Assessing Development Strategies Considering Cross-Sectoral and Transboundary Impacts. New York, Heidelberg, Dordrecht, and London: Springer.





Zomer, R.J., Trabucco, A., Wang, M. C., and Xu, J.C. (2016). Projected climate change impact on hydrology, bioclimatic conditions, and terrestriale in the Asian Highlands. ICRAF Working Paper 222, World Agroforestry Centre East and Central Asia, Kunming, China. doi:10.5716/WP16006.PDF






The annual Chinese Lianghui of 2016, or plenary meetings of China's top legislative and consultative organs, the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National People's Consultative Conference (CPPCC), was convened on March 3, 2016. This annual session is significant for the observation of Chinas political, economic and social trends.





Of late, Chinas politics and economy has sent out confusing and alarming signals. In particular, there have been heated discussions on Chinas ideological direction and considerable economic slowdown. While the annual NPC and CPPCC meetings are still ongoing, IPP Review has interviewed Professor Yongnian Zheng, Director of East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore, to address questions related to the meetings.





IPP Review: The annual Chinese Lianghui of 2016 has begun. In your opinion, what could be the highlights of the 2016 Lianghui and what are the immediate tasks of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) this time round?





The annual NPC and CPPCC meetings of 2016 are important. It has been four years since Xi Jinping came to power. These meetings are politically significant and important to the CCP because the 19th Party Congress will be held next year. In addition, the 13th Five-Year Plan has been approved by the 18th CCP Central Committee in the Fifth Plenary Session in 2015.





According to Chinas political procedure, the Fifth Plenary Session in 2015 has decided the themes to be discussed in the 2016 Lianghui. The CCP set out its planning and vision in the Fifth Plenary Session and through the NPC and CPPCC in 2016, it will transform the partys planning into the states planning. Lianghui in the Chinese context is a state affair, not a party affair. Some Western scholars have reckoned Lianghui as a rubber stamp legislature to carry out pre-ordained decisions by the CCP. That is not really the case. While a lot has been discussed during the 2015 Fifth Plenary Session, the NPC and CPPCC involve the participation of different social groups. As such, the discussion base of Lianghui is much larger than the 2015 Fifth Plenary Session even though both have a consistent theme. In that sense, Lianghui is important.





The purpose of Lianghui is to discuss Chinas social and economic issues. That is why people regard Lianghui as the platform of the Chinese Premier, and the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party as the platform of the Chinese President who is concurrently the General Secretary of the CCP Central Committee.





There are a number of important issues to be discussed in the Lianghui of 2016. First, the building of a moderately prosperous society or what China calls xiaokang society had been proposed last year. The 13th Five-Year Plan has defined clearly the concept of a moderately prosperous society, which is to increase Chinas per capita GDP from US$7,800 today to US$12,000 by 2020. In order to achieve this goal, annual GDP expansion should be no less than 6.5 percent in 2016-2020.





The second task proposed in the 13th Five-Year Plan is to reduce poverty. Despite being the worlds second largest economy today, China has around 70 million and 10 million people living below the poverty line of US$1 in its rural and urban areas. If we calculate according to the international standard, China has 300 million people living under the poverty line (below US$1.25). According to the 13th Five-Year Plan, China aims to lift 10 million people out of poverty every year from 2016 to 2020, achieving the 2020 poverty relief target.





These two goals are mapped out under the pressure of fulfilling the two centenary goals. The first centenary goal marks the 100th anniversary of the CCP's founding in 1921, while the second centenary goal commemorates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The first centenary goal to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society is an immediate task for Xi Jinping during his reign. It could be critical for both China and Xis personal standing in the Chinese history. Xi is under pressure to realize the first centenary goal and so has made it a planned and must-be accomplished task.





Moreover, China is facing an economic slowdown. I recalled that before the 18th Party Congress, people had spent almost two years discussing the possibility of China falling into the dreaded middle income trap. Recently, due to economic downward pressure, people have started to discuss this topic again. It will be troublesome if China falls into the middle income trap. Take East Asian economies for example, Japan and Asias Four Little Dragons successfully avoided falling into the middle income trap and become high-income economies. On the other hand, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and others failed to escape the middle-income trap and experienced stagnation in terms of per capita GDP. Empirically speaking, a society that successfully avoids falling into the middle-income trap and attains sustainable economic growth is one that is able to establish a clean government and an open society. However, once it slips into the middle-income trap, problems such as corruption, social instability, and environmental problem will surface.





China is currently facing substantial downward economic pressures. The 2015 financial market turmoil triggered by the stock market crash was due to failed financial market reforms. Of late, the unprecedented Chinese housing boom has also caused fear among many Chinese people. The middle income trap, poverty, and the financial crisis are the aspects which concern the people the most and would have to be discussed in the Lianghui.





IPP Review: What are your view on the anti-corruption campaign and Xis initiative on building the rule of law?





The anti-corruption campaign is significant for Chinese politics and the economy since the widespread corruption undermines the legitimacy of the CCP. However, the peoples perceptions of the campaign have changed. While people seemed to be supportive of the anti-corruption campaign at the beginning, they might start questioning what they have gained from it. The large-scale anti-corruption campaign has caused bureaucrats to become paranoid and inactive, resulting in inefficiency of the government sector, causing inconvenience to the general public. Businessmen are also wary of the political situation and face difficulties doing business in China. As a result, the popularity of the anti-corruption campaign is starting to dwindle away.





Also, in the West, criticism and concerns have abounded as China has been perceived to have cracked down on human rights lawyers and NGOs. Ultimately, can the anti-corruption campaign and crackdowns lead to the building of the rule of law which has been emphasized since the Fourth Plenary Session two years ago? What kind of institution is the party intending to construct? That is what concerns Chinese people the most. The party should try to address these concerns.





IPP Review: China revealed on Friday, March 5, 2016, that its military spending will grow by 7.6 percent in 2016, the smallest increase in six years and a lower figure than many experts had expected due to a slowing economy How do you anticipate the direction of Chinas foreign policy?





During Dengs era, China embraced the keep a low profile policy and maintained its military spending at a lower rate. As China emerges as a world economy, it has experienced rapid military modernization with an increasingly larger military budget. This is in particular with regard to Xis extensive military reforms proposed last year and people are starting to question if the military budget will increase along with the military reforms. Apart from that, militarization in the South China Sea has been a contentious issue especially between the United States and China. It is likely that people will associate the increase in Chinas military budget with military conflict in the South China Sea.





The 7.6 percentage growth is the lowest in six years. In my opinion, the increase of military spending on certain aspect would be inevitable. As a country evolves to become economically strong, it is inevitable that it will push forward its national defence and military modernization. The problem is whether Chinas military modernization will lead to imperialism and aggression as deemed by the West. While some have exaggerated Chinas military modernization, others believe that it is mainly for Chinas self-defence and deterrent purposes, not for offensive purposes. The proportional growth of Chinas military spending is much less than the US absolute spending amount on military defence.





Some in the West have perceived Chinas actions in the East China Sea and South China Sea as aggressive. However, from Chinas perspective, it is a defensive and reactive response. We should view this objectively. China is being reactive in both the East China Sea and South China Sea issues. For example, it was the Japanese government which attempted to nationalize the Diaoyu/Senkaku Island that caused a stir in the East China Sea. China was merely reacting to Japans action in the East China Sea. In term of the criticism on Chinas construction and reclamation of islands in the South China Sea, both Vietnam and Philippines have long constructed islands in the South China Sea. Indeed, China can be viewed as a late-comer to the construction of islands in these contested waterways. However, due to Chinas state capacity, China is able to complete the building of islands at a larger scale and within a shorter time as compared to the other claimant countries. This has drawn strong international criticism.





The US is aware of this situation but it has reprimanded China for being a bully of small nations in the South China Sea. China on the other hand would argue that while a big country is not supposed to bully small nations, small nations should not be challenging big countries at will either.





The Chinese government is facing a dilemma between rationalism and nationalism. Xi Jinping, in my opinion, is more of a rationalist. On one hand, he covets a new type of major power relations with the US to avoid falling into the Thucydides trap and unnecessary conflict. On the other hand, he needs to tackle rising domestic nationalism. He has to strike a balance between rationalism and nationalism. If he does not respond to the East China Sea or South China Sea issues, he will face rising tension from the domestic front. However, overreaction to the issues will deteriorate relations between China and the US. Overall, Xi is able to maintain an equilibrium between the two. Chinas and the US concerns over the South China Sea are not necessarily in conflict. What the US is concerned with the most is freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. Similarly, freedom of navigation is the biggest national interest of China. In fact, the South China Sea is far more important to China than to the US. More than 85 percent of Chinas trade goes through the South China Sea, and so if anything happens to the South China Sea, it is likely that it will affect Chinas entire national economy. Thus, China and the US have a common interest in term of freedom of navigation.

The Chinese government is facing a dilemma between rationalism and nationalism. Overall, Xi is able to maintain an equilibrium between the two.

While China has promised to safeguard freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, the issue of asymmetric power between big country and small nations remains unsolved. The US might side with the Philippines and Vietnam, but both could have different takes on the South China Sea issue. Small nations like the ASEAN countries would like to establish an amicable relationship with China. The joint statement of the 2016 ASEAN-US Summit did not include Washingtons assertive pursuit of territory in the South China Sea. Many of Chinas neighboring countries prefer not have a confrontational relationship with China. China too, despite reclaiming land and constructing islands in the South China Sea, does not intend to turn hostile to the ASEAN countries.





For instance, amid growing political tensions between China and the Philippines, economic and trade development between the two countries has been vigorous. This is similar to Vietnam, where both countries have resorted to party-to-party (i.e. between their two communist parties) relations to stabilize their bilateral relations. Basically, we can see efforts from both sides in thawing political relations. China is hoping that the incoming President of the Philippines can help improve their bilateral relations too. All three countriesChina, Vietnam, and the Philippinesare looking for opportunities to normalize their political relations.





It is impossible for China as a rising power to give up the South China Sea. It is likely that this issue will have to be resolved through negotiation. In my opinion, China, the US and the ASEAN claimant countries have restrained themselves in the South China Sea dispute, and so overall it should not be a big problem. In view of Chinas slowing economy, China will continue to regard maintaining a peaceful international environment as its top priority.





Furthermore, there is a lot of common ground between China and the US, for instance, in tackling the issue of North Korea. China has also been cooperating with the US and other major powers to address the issue of Iran. Overall, Chinas foreign policy will not be confrontational and it will focus on promoting stability.





IPP Review: What are the major challenges that are currently faced by Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang? Just last month, Chinas cyberspace watchdog closed the microblog account of a former property tycoon, Ren Zhiqiang. The West and other critics regard this as Chinas attempt to impose ideological control and enforce party loyalty. What is your opinion on this issue?





China today is very different from the China of Dengs era. Today, Chinas society is pluralistic and overflowing with a myriad of social ideologies. One can find any -ismi.e. liberalism, democratism, nationalism, Maoism, Marxismin Chinese society today. This has beset the CCP under the leadership of Xi.





It is a pity that the CCP has yet to develop its own ideology after so many years. The official ideology, Marxism, has seen a decline in popularity and people are losing faith in it. In order for the CCP to achieve sustainable development, two conditions need to be fulfilledan effective organizational system and an effective ideology. For many years, the CCP has made progress in reforming its organization/system, but encountered problems in producing an effective ideology. After the 18th Party Congress, Xi has taken action in party reform, including the large-scale anti-corruption campaign and the tightening of party discipline and rules. But the CCP still does not have an effective ideology.





In the ideological front, the party has become an opportunist since Deng adopted the ideology of pragmatism. Different ideologies have been adopted to cater to the partys interests. As Xi tries to call for ideological control, he is facing big challenges. Traditional Marxism is no longer in good standing. With globalization, it is harder to control the flow and influx of ideologies. Even if the CCP is able to carry out ideological control, it is difficult to remake a unique ideology of its own. The new ideology remains an unknown even to the CCP. This is the first challenge that the CCP is encountering.





The second challenge is the slowing of Chinas economy. Despite huge efforts made in the past, China has not fully adjusted to its structural reform, to transform from an investment and export driven economy to a consumer-driven economy. Domestic consumption is not rising as fast as we have expected. Instead, Chinese people are spending extravagantly overseas (Japan, Europe, etc.) for quality products, boosting external consumption.





After China has weaned itself off the investment-driven growth model, what should be the new sources of economic growth? If China cannot achieve the 6.5 percent growth target, it will not become a moderately prosperous society by 2020. Chinas large scale infrastructure building and housing boom in the past have resulted in severe overcapacity. In order to achieve 6.5 percent growth, a number of reform plans have been unveiled, including supply-side reform to reduce overcapacity. The main problems lie in how China combats with its overcapacity. For example, the city of Shenyang is unveiling an unorthodox plan to ease its property glut to expand its pool of home buyers by removing the down payment requirement for fresh college graduates. Such policies are risky and people are starting to worry if they could lead to a sub-prime mortgage crisis. China is also trying to export its excess capital through the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative. However, the OBOR initiative is facing a lot of impediments. Chinas attempt to export its excess capital to developing countries for massive and vital infrastructure building is regarded as politically sensitive. Myanmar, Sri Lanka and other countries have raised concerns about national security and have choked off a few Chinese mega projects. The absence of rule of law in these countries could lead to bumpy OBOR projects with hidden political risks awaiting China. Hence, it is questionable whether the OBOR initiative is able to fully digest Chinas excess capacity.





In fact, there is room for absorption of overcapacity in the domestic market. As Xi has proposed to turn China from a quantity economy to a quality economy, China should focus on industrial upgrading and technological innovation. The recent Chinese spending craze in Japan has seen Chinese consumers purchasing Japanese electric rice-cookers, smart-toilets, and medical products in bulk. In order to boost domestic consumption, China should push ahead with technological advancement and industrial upgrading, to make progress in product innovation, so as to cater to the consumption patterns of local Chinese.





Second, a new wave of investment can help resuscitate the economy, and we should not ignore the importance of investment. While the stimulus plan to inject RMB 4 trillion into the economy in 2008 has distorted the Chinese economy, investment will continue to be an important source for growth. There is still room for investment in China. For example, urban redevelopment, sewage management, car-park buildings and environmental protection projects are all in need of capital. Most importantly, China should encourage what I called social investment. The concept of social investment has not been deployed. China categorized social security, medical welfare, public housing, etc. as consumption, but this should be regarded as social investment. The construction of hospitals, elderly care centers, kindergartens, and parking lots alone should be able to digest a large proportion of Chinas overcapacity. Unlike the nation-wide stimulus package introduced in 2008, China should place emphasis on the second and third tier cities for better infrastructure building. By allowing local governments to come up with their own stimulus packages, of course this should be under the supervision of the central government, there is ample room for Chinas social investment.





Third, an inactive bureaucracy has exacerbated the slowdown of Chinas economy. Four actorsthe state, local government, the private sector, and foreign capitalhave played instrumental roles in driving Chinas economy in the past. The anti-corruption drive and centralization program have caused local government and the public sector to become inactive; the private and foreign sectors have also been affected by the rise of left-wing ideology. Without the practice of rule of law, ideological change has become the most important factor for entrepreneurs to judge the stability of Chinese politics. The rise of Maoism has caused an outflow of capital especially private and foreign capital.





Politically, China is in the post strongman age, and thus should reduce populism. Populism may be a legacy of the strong statesmen of the past, but it will not be effective in solving problems. Instead, the Chinese leadership should pay attention to motivating the bureaucracy, as populism will only scare domestic and foreign investors off.





Foreign policy is the third challenge for the CCP. Domestically, the CCP should restrain populism; externally, it should restrain nationalism. As a big power, nationalism is somehow inevitable. Chinese nationalism is however not a state mobilized nationalism as deemed by the West. The major source of Chinese nationalism today is due to the economic rise of China. While excessive nationalism on the international platform could generate negative impact, a stable external environment is crucial for China as it still has a long way to go with its current per capita GDP at US$7,800. Moreover, China is now part of the global economy, and any changes on its domestic front could easily affect the external environment and vice-versa. Hence, the Chinese leadership should take into consideration both internal and external developments.





IPP Review: After the 2008 global financial crisis, China made great contributions to the world economy. Today, with its economic slowdown, will China be able to continue to do so?





Chinas contribution to the world economy has been significant. In the 80s and 90s, Chinas efforts in reducing poverty contributed positively to the world economy. In the following years, Chinas participation in the WTO generated positive impacts on the world economy. After 2008, due to the financial crisis in the West, China introduced a RMB 4 trillion stimulus package to bolster economic expansion and sustain global growth. In that sense, China should continue to contribute to the world economy. Among all, Chinas stable economic development itself is an important contribution. Second, the internationalization of the RMB, financial reform, and increasing the transparency of financial institutions, will help to bridge the gap between China and the rest of the world. Third, OBOR and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) can introduce new economic dynamism to the region and the world. With the founding of the AIIB, an action plan to identify potential projects will be carried out.





This interview was conducted by Wen Xin Lim.
Some economic progress is, of course, to be expected in light of the tens of billions of dollars worth of sanctions relief that Iran received under the 2015 nuclear agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. But that agreement was negotiated according to the leadership of a different American presidential administration, and the Trump administration and its supporters have aggressively decried the JCPOA and Obama administrations former handling of Iran in general.

President Donald Trump set a new tone for dealings with Iran very earlier in his presidency. After the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps conducted a new test of ballistic missiles that could be used to carry nuclear warheads, the administration issued a statement putting Iran on notice, and instituted new economic sanctions against 25 individuals and groups with links to the missile program.

This is something that many opponents of the Iranian regime hopefully regard as a first step toward a broader confrontational strategy, to include more such economic sanctions. In an editorial at The Hill, Professor Raymond Tanter suggests that the Trump administration could intensify sanctions related to Irans human rights violations and support for terrorism, all without directly undermining the JCPOA.

However, the expectation among most observers is that a broad range of pressures exerted on the Islamic Republic would ultimately lead to its walking away from the nuclear deal, or else to an overall increase in tensions that would make the deal unsustainable. These prospects are the very things that have lead the IMF to determine that Iran could still slip into a major recession, if its current access to foreign capital and trade begins to dry up.

To some extent, this has already happened. Western companies like the French energy giant Total have slowed down their pursuit of agreements that were already tentatively established among Iranian partners. Others whose dealings with Iran had not progress passed the theoretical stage have set the notion aside until it is clear whether the JCPOA will remain in force and the US government will reauthorize the suspension of key sanctions.

Of course, the persistence of uncertainty indicates that it is not yet clear that the Trump White House is committed to any particular course of action, other than a general intensification of pressure on the Islamic Republic. The nature and extent of that intensification may still be substantially affected by actions that the Iranians might take to justify further enforcement measures.

An article in the National Interest observes that Tehran has done a notoriously poor job of dispelling the suspicions of such figures as Donald Trump. The article emphasizes Irans desperate need for Western investment as a way of staving off the recession that the IMF has warned about. But it also says that the Islamic Republic itself has made that difficult, first through its intrinsic opposition to the notion of opening up relations with traditional Western adversaries, and secondly by way of its refusal to compromise the hardline positions that made it an international pariah in the first place.

Critics of the Iranian theocracy, among them the National Council of Resistance of Iran, have determined that the vast majority of the Iranian economy is controlled by hardline entities such as front companies for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This means that some of Irans fiercest opponents of foreign engagement wield considerable influence over economic policy, and also that wide-ranging relief from international economic sanctions threatens to provide those hardliners with financial resources that could be used for the support of international terrorism or the perpetuation of domestic human rights abuses.

The National Interest notes that those hardline entities do hope to acquire access to foreign capital, but would prefer to do so without compromising their power in any measure. This arguably makes the continuation of sanctions relief and economic engagement difficult to justify in the West, especially among allies of the current US president.

That presidents new policies have been answered with renewed rhetoric on the part of the Iranian regime, and this is certainly no help if Tehran wishes to alter its habit of making it difficult for foreign entities to do business with or in Iran.

Iran Front Page News reported on Tuesday that Ali Larijani, the speaker of the Iranian parliament had spoken at a ceremony to commemorate Iranians killed in the Syrian Civil War, and had used the occasion to heap praise upon the IRGC for its foreign interventionist activities and its unique preoccupation with the defense and advancement of the regimes interpretation of Islamic ideology.

Larijanis statements would be disturbing enough to critics of the regime under normal circumstances, but his public embrace of escalating IRGC power comes at a time when the hardline paramilitary organization has recently completed multi-day exercises and demonstrations of new weapons systems, accompanied by explicit statements of readiness for war with enemies such as the United States.

Whats more, the website Liberty Unyielding pointed to reports on Tuesday that a high-ranking IRGC officer named Hassan Abbassi, who is also the head of an influential Iranian think tank, declared that he believed the IRGC would be capable of raising a guerilla army from among the two million Iranians presently living in Iran.

Abbassis rhetoric ignores the fact that a great many of those Iranians relocated to the US specifically in order to flee from the oppressive Iranian theocracy, and that many are active participants in political groups like the National Council of Resistance of Iran, which openly advocates for regime change and the establishment of a truly democratic system of governance in Tehran. Nevertheless, the IRGC officials statement underscores the hardline positions that are prominent among his colleagues and that have the continued support of leading government officials such as Speaker Larijani.

It goes without saying that the ongoing expression and support of such positions makes it exceptionally unlikely that the Trump administration will back down from its assertive policies, which could threaten the Iranian regimes efforts to reclaim economic stability.
Update - 11.52pm: The Stormont election is set to deliver a significant boost to nationalism at the expense of unionists.

Sinn Fein's vote has surged and the republicans could come within a seat or two of drawing level with the DUP - a party that came into the snap election holding 10 more seats.

Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt announced his resignation after his party suffered losses in a poll he predicted would deliver big gains.

Whatever the final shakedown when the counts conclude on Saturday, unionist representatives are unlikely to hold a symbolic overall majority in the slimmed-down Assembly chamber. They are still set to secure more seats than nationalists and republicans - given the number of cross-community Assembly members - but the gap will have narrowed sharply.

While Mr Nesbitt held his Assembly seat, other high-profile MLAs were not so lucky.

The SDLP's Alex Attwood, the UUP's Danny Kennedy, and the DUP's Nelson McCausland and Lord Morrow were four former Executive ministers who failed to secure a return to a Stormont legislature that is being cut from 108 to 90 members.

Away from Mr Nesbitt's dramatic announcement, the story of the election has been the surge in support for Sinn Fein.

The republican party came extremely close to securing more first preference votes than the long-time largest party, the DUP.

While the DUP saw its vote dip, the travails of the UUP means it is still set to reaffirm its position as the main voice of unionism.

Party insiders will take some solace from that, given so much of the election campaign was focused on the party's handling of a botched green energy scheme.

With the UUP failing to make any ground on the DUP, former TV anchor Mr Nesbitt fell on his sword.

His campaign pledge to transfer a second preference vote to the nationalist SDLP appears to have been his undoing, with unionist voters clearly not keen on him voicing support for any candidate who favoured a united Ireland.

Indicating that he will remain in position while his successor is found, Mr Nesbitt said it had been an "absolute honour" to lead the party.

"In pure terms, the buck stops here," he said.

He said his real regret was that Northern Ireland society appeared to have emerged from the election more polarised.

Mr Nesbitt said the electorate had rejected his hope for a post-sectarian vote.

"We will get there," he said. "Some day Northern Ireland will vote as a normal democracy. We will vote in a post-sectarian election, but it's now clear it will not happen during the duration of my political career."

Mr Nesbitt will remain a Strangford MLA.

Sinn Fein's northern leader Michelle O'Neill said: "I think it's a brilliant day for equality, I think it's a great day for democracy.

"I want to particularly commend all of our candidates that have been elected.

"The vote has increased. I think that is because people knew that action needed to be taken, they have had their say, we now need to get down to the business of fixing what's wrong and delivering for all citizens."

The poll was forced after Sinn Fein pulled the plug on the powersharing institutions in protest at DUP first minister Arlene Foster's handling of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) - an error-ridden scheme that left Stormont facing a potential overspend of almost 500 million.

The campaign exposed other major policy disputes between the parties.

After being elected in her Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency, Mrs Foster said: "I think it's very clear that was absolutely not about RHI. It may have been the excuse but it certainly wasn't the cause of the election.

"The cause of the election was Sinn Fein and republicanism wanting to rerun the election, they have mobilised their vote in a very effective way.

"I am pleased that the DUP has come out as the largest party in terms of votes. It is very clear in terms of unionism that it is the Democratic Unionist Party that speaks for unionism."

She added: "I do hope devolution will get back up and running as quickly as possible."

The DUP and Sinn Fein will have three weeks to resolve their multiple differences and form a new administration.

The re-imposition of direct rule from London is on the cards if the post-election talks fail.

If the three-week post-election deadline passes, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire is legally obliged to call yet another election.

In those circumstances, the Government may pass emergency legislation to suspend devolution for the first time in 10 years ahead of more lengthy negotiations.

Update - 8.10pm: Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt has quit after his party's poor showing in the Assembly election.

With the UUP failing to make any ground on the Democratic Unionists, and losing a number of high-profile seats, the former TV anchor fell on his sword.

His campaign pledge to transfer a second preference vote to the nationalist SDLP appears to have been his undoing, with unionist voters clearly not keen on him voicing support for any candidate that favoured a united Ireland.

He said that he will remain in position while his successor is found.

Update -7.50pm: Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionists are on course to reinforce their power at Stormont.

Counting is still under way in Northern Ireland's Assembly election but DUP Leader Arlene Foster says it appears to have been a "very good day" for Sinn Fein.

So far, 42 of the 90 available seats have been filled.

Update - 6.15pm: Arlene Foster has been formally elected in Fermanagh South Tyrone.

One of the most significant moments of the furore around the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) was when former DUP minister Jonathan Bell broke party ranks to level a series of explosive allegations against Mrs Foster and party special advisers - accusations they denied.

He was subsequently suspended by the party and stood in the election as an independent in the Strangford constituency. It was a move that did not pay off, as he was eliminated at stage seven of Friday's count.

Update - 5.55pm: In Belfast West Alex Maskey (Sinn Fein) and Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit) both retained their seats after an interim declaration in round three of the count.

Update - 5.45pm: SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said Sinn Fein were the "net beneficiaries" of a huge nationalist turnout intent on punishing Mrs Foster.

"The Sinn Fein vote has gone up very highly, which is a result of the overall context of this election, which has been pitched as a battle between the DUP and Sinn Fein," he said.

"Those of us in the middle have been clearly squeezed."

Mr Eastwood failed to top the poll in his Foyle constituency - cradle of the SDLP - where Sinn Fein's Elisha McCallion romped home almost 2,000 votes over the quota.

Putting a brave face on the result, Mr Eastwood claimed his party was not interested in topping polls but will be happy to increase its vote and retain its two seats in Derry.

The SDLP leader believes his party support will remain steady.

"Our overall vote is probably in and around where it was, it is just that Sinn Fein have been the net beneficiaries of a huge nationalist turnout to punish Arlene Foster.

"That seems very, very clear now."

Mr Eastwood also paid tribute to SDLP stalwart Mr Attwood who lost his seat in West Belfast.

(left to right) SDLP member Margaret Walsh, SDLP candidate Alex Attwood, and SDLP candidate Nicola Mallon walking into the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast, today.

"Alex has given decades of service to Ireland and he has done an amazing job and given an enormous contribution to our peace process and to our politics .

"We'll miss him very much."

DUP East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson said the party's vote had held up well across the constituencies so far.

"All the circumstances were stacked against us. You will see people want to see a return to Stormont and they believe that we are the right party to lead unionism."

He said Arlene Foster was the right person to lead the DUP.

"Despite the torrents of abuse and smears and innuendo that was levelled against her, the people are sticking with her," he said.

Update - 5.20pm: In a major blow to the UUP, party stalwart Danny Kennedy lost his seat in Newry and Armagh.

His elimination followed the loss of another Stormont veteran - the SDLP's Alex Attwood in west Belfast.

Update - 4.55pm: Sinn Fein has come within touching distance of polling the most first preference votes in the Northern Ireland Assembly election.

The Democratic Unionists maintained the top spot, despite their vote share falling as the Sinn Fein share surged.

The DUP notched 225,413 first preferences, down 1.11 percentage points on last year, to Sinn Fein's 224,245 - an increase of 3.89 percentage points.

In terms of the overall picture, the DUP secured 28.06% of first preferences to Sinn Fein's 27.91%.

Sinn Fein candidates for West Tyrone Barry McElduff (right) and Michaela Boyle celebrate having been deemed elected at the Omagh count centre.

The final break-down of seats may not be as close, as results in the proportional representation contest rely on transfers from other parties, but the republicans were nevertheless buoyed by the result.

Arriving at the Belfast count centre, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said: "It is a vote and mandate that will have to be respected by the two governments (UK and Irish), by all the other parties, for a step change, for an end to the old status quo, for a new beginning as to how we do our business here."

It will be hours before the wider picture is confirmed, but it is clear that the DUP and Sinn Fein are on course to retain their positions as Stormont's two largest parties.

The Ulster Unionists and nationalist SDLP have failed to make the inroads they predicted.

However, the vote share of the cross-community Alliance Party rose significantly.

Update - 4pm: DUP leader Arlene Foster has topped the poll in Fermanagh South Tyrone, but fallen short of passing the quota required for election on the first count.

In the Foyle constituency, where Elisha McCallion's poll-topping performance for Sinn Fein delivered a blow to the SDLP in its traditional heartland, she has called former Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness "a giant".

The decision by Mr McGuinness to stand down and his ongoing battle with illness is being seen as factor in boosting the party's vote.

Ms McCallion said: "Martin McGuinness in this town is a giant, he is a legend and a hero and I have no doubt that the position he took in January has meant that the Sinn Fein vote throughout the six counties has increased in the way that it has.

"We are absolutely delighted that for the first time ever Sinn Fein have out-polled the SDLP here in Foyle.

"But it doesn't come as a surprise. We have been hearing this very clearly on the doors , people understand the politics and what we are about."

Update - 3.15pm: So far 12 of the 90 available seats have been filled, with Sinn Fein's northern leader Michelle O'Neill and Alliance Party leader Naomi Long among them.

Former Democratic Unionist communities minister Paul Givan was elected in Lagan Valley while Sinn Fein's former economy minister Mairtin O Muilleoir also secured his return to the Assembly chamber, romping home in south Belfast.

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long was later elected in east Belfast.

Among other confirmed results, Democratic Unionist Alex Easton, Alliance's Stephen Farry and Ulster Unionist Alan Chambers were elected in North Down while Sinn Fein's Elisha McCallion was elected in Foyle.

Long-standing SDLP Assembly member Alex Attwood has lost his seat in West Belfast after a strong performance from Sinn Fein.

Update - 2.30pm: First results are coming in the Northern Ireland Assembly election, with a big win for Sinn Fein in Belfast West.

Sinn Feins Orlaithi Flynn topped the poll there, while the partys Mairtin O Muilleoir was also elected in South Belfast.

Orlaithi Flynn after being elected as the new Sinn Fein MLA for West Belfast at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast,

Three other seats have been filled in the North Down constituency - with one seat each for the UUP, DUP and Alliance parties.

Earlier: Turnout in the Northern Ireland Assembly election has hit its highest level since the year of the Good Friday peace agreement.

Almost two thirds of the electorate voted in yesterday's poll - with the future of powersharing hanging in the balance.

The number taking to the ballot boxes swelled to 64.78%, 10% higher than last year's Stormont poll.

A total of 812,783 votes were cast.

Northern Ireland election fought along "tribal lines" and could still lead to "stalemate" says @endamcclafferty pic.twitter.com/xVck5vXDum  BBC Daily Politics and Sunday Politics (@daily_politics) March 3, 2017

The snap Stormont Assembly election was called following January's collapse of the ministerial coalition with the DUP and Sinn Fen at its helm in a row over a botched green energy scheme.

Soaring viewing figures for the two main TV leaders' debates had hinted at a surge in voter engagement, something borne out on polling day.

What impact the increased turnout will have on the results will only start to become clear when the first returns start to filter through during Friday afternoon.

In the first Assembly election after devolution began, in June 1998, 69.88% turned out.

It came just months after the Belfast Agreement, which largely ended the 30-year conflict.

Some of the 18 constituency counts are set to extend into Saturday.

A total of 228 candidates are vying for the 90 seats in Stormont's slimmed-down devolved legislature.

The Assembly poll was the second in 10 months.

The last coalition executive led by the two largest parties at Stormont - the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein - collapsed in January, only eight months after last May's election.

Michelle O'Neill, leader of Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland, (left) arrives at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena.

They fell out over the unionist party's handling of a botched green energy scheme and are also at odds on a host of other issues.

If the former partners in government are again returned as the main players, they will have three weeks to resolve their multiple differences and form a new administration.

The reimposition of direct rule from London is on the cards if the post-election talks fail.

The Ulster Unionists and nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), which have presented themselves as an alternative partnership, are bidding to wrest control away from the fractious former allies.

The cross-community Alliance Party is also hopeful of a strengthened mandate.

If the three-week post-election deadline passes, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire is legally obliged to call yet another election.

However, in those circumstances, the Government may pass emergency legislation to suspend devolution for the first time in 10 years ahead of more lengthy negotiations.

While the Assembly ballot will not change how Theresa May's Government treats talks to leave the European Union, the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is a key Brexit issue.

Five Assembly seats are up for grabs in each constituency, with the overall number returned falling from 108 to 90 as a consequence of the implementation of previously agreed reform measures.

Northern Ireland uses the single transferable vote (STV) proportional representation electoral system.
Owen Callan, analyst at Investec Ireland, said the banks decision to restart paying a dividend for the first time since the financial crisis had smoothed the path for the Government to confirm it will sell a 25% stake in AIB.

Potential investors will view the dividend payment as a signal the regulator is confident that AIB has a grip over its still elevated level of non-performing loans, the analyst said.

In its 2016 results, released yesterday, AIB said it had net interest income of over 2.01bn, up 4% from a year earlier. At 294m, it reported a much lower level of write back in loan provisions and posted a 12% drop in pre-tax profit to over 1.68bn.

Its net interest margina key measure of performance for banksclimbed to 2.25% from 1.97%.

Chief executive Bernard Byrne said the proposed payment of 250m in a dividend payment was evidence of the banks profit ability and marked progress in returning the bank to financial health.

The bank said it was ready for a shares sales whenever Finance Minister Michael Noonan decides that should be.

Mr Byrne told reporters the lender had made much progress in reducing the non-performing levels in recent years and had the wherewithal and much more comfort in ways of dealing with non-performing loans in the future.

Analysts said there was only a small risk signs of political tensions at home would deflect the Government from selling AIB shares in the early summer. Mr Callan said market concerns about continental European politics, including the Dutch and French elections, had eased.

Darren McKinley, analyst at Merrion Capital, said that the market was ripe for the sale of bank stocks. He predicted the Government could slot a sale of shares in late April at the earliest.

On the ongoing industry-wide investigation into tracker mortgages, AIB said it had compensated 2,600 customers so far.
The analysts said Brexit could disrupt trade across the Irish Sea more than initially thought as the UK seeks to stay out of the single market and warned some form of border controls between the North and the Republic will likely re-emerge to disrupt trade.

An overhaul of US corporate taxes could reduce the flow of investments by US multinationals and harm the public finances here.

It is the first time that a credit rating agency has clearly detailed the risks facing the economy from Brexit and from the election of US president Donald Trump.

Moodys nonetheless expects Ireland to continue to post very strong growth though the effects on the economy in the longer term could be significant.

But a hard Brexit and more recently the prospect of major corporate tax reforms in the US now constitute the biggest risks to the countrys otherwise very positive growth prospects, it said. While these risks are not exclusive to Ireland, we believe it is the European country most exposed to them.

On Brexit, the analysts are concerned that the risk to Ireland have ratcheted up, if the UK were to adopt a trade agreement under World Tarde Organisation rules.

It notes that in terms of exports that the UK is Irelands second largest market overall. Supply chains between Britain and Ireland could be disrupted because some manufacturing industries in Ireland rely heavily on imports from Britain, if the UK and the EU fail to strike a trade deal.

It also highlights sectors such as food and beverages and tourism that are exposed more than others. And financial services firms relocating to Ireland from Britain and the countrys potential to lure investment projects that would otherwise have gone to the UK may offset some but not all of the negative trade impact.

It finds that shortages of housing in Ireland could limit the ability to attract large amounts of foreign direct investment from any Brexit fallout.

Also any positive Brexit effects wold be undermined if the UK lowered its own corporate tax rate beyond its current target rate of 17% by April 2020, compared to the current rate of 20%, said Moodys. The UK prime minister recently pointed to this option in case its negotiations with the EU did not result in a favourable new trade agreement.

In saying that existing investments would unlikely be affected, Ireland could in time be exposed more than most to proposals for US tax reforms due to the huge level of US investments here.

It is unclear whether the current US proposals  including a reduction in the corporate tax rate to 20% from 35% currently, tax incentives for corporate investment in the US and the repatriation of profits currently held abroad as well as changes to discourage tax inversion transactions  will be implemented in full and over what timeframe, Moodys said.

But, if implemented, they would be detrimental to Ireland and other low-tax jurisdictions with a large presence of US multinationals.

American Chamber of Commerce Ireland president James OConnor yesterday told a gathering of the industry group that 2017 is likely to be a year of both challenge and opportunity for the US-Ireland relationship.
The Dublin company is the former general produce arm of Fyffes. It has also increased its investment in Canadian produce group Oppenheimer. The 28.4m spend on another 30% of Oppenheimer takes Totals stake to 65% and its investment in the company to 43.4m.

As a result, Total Produce has around a 1% share of the north American produce market and a growing international presence.

Oppenheimer has also announced a strategic investment in a joint-venture with New Zealand group T&G Global, which will focus on exporting fresh produce from the US into Asia.

The Canadian companys sales have doubled since Total Produces initial investment in 2011. The Irish company will still however, keep looking for further international growth opportunities.

The group is continuing to actively pursue additional acquisitions, chairman Carl McCann said yesterday on the back of the groups 2016 annual results presentation.

Total Produce spent 60m on acquisitions last year in Europe and North America, with those buys expected to boost group revenues to over 4bn by the end of this year.

We expect US revenue to ramp up over the next two-to-three years as investment and management and distribution channels start to bear fruit, said Darren McKinley of Merrion Stockbrokers.

The group continues to pursue value- enhancing opportunities in new and existing markets, and to this end, it retains significant financial flexibility with net debt to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of 0.5 times at year-end, said Declan Morrissey at Davy Stockbrokers.

On the back of last years acquisition spree, Total Produce ended 2016 with net debt of 48.4m, compared to 18.1m 12 months earlier.

Yesterdays results showed a near 9% increase in revenues to 3.76bn and a 17% rise in adjusted pre-tax profits to 67.7m. Adjusted fully diluted earnings per share rose by just over 14% to 12.07c and management is targeting earnings per share of 12c to 13c for 2017.

Total Produces international arm which covers its north American and Indian businesses increased revenue by 69.5% to 544m. The eurozone division including Ireland saw revenues rise 6.1% to 1.75bn, but the rest of Europe saw a 1% sales fall to 1.52bn.

Total Produces shares increased by over 3% in trade yesterday.
Speaking on World Book Day, James Daunt said sales at the Irish business of Waterstones continue to strengthen and sales have gone up a few notches recently and we are making a reasonable amount of money to be able to re-invest in the business.

Mr Daunt said the companys Cork store is doing brilliantly. However, he said disruption caused by the Luas works on Dawson St in Dublin has been a nightmare for the firms flagship Hodges Figgis store.
A pony was also left to decompose on the farm.

Thomas Doyle, a single man, of Fourhane, Listowel, had been sent forward from the District Court for trial on 89 counts and has now pleaded guilty to 11.

Prosecutor Tom Rice for the DPP said what was involved were sample charges. The offences relate to the period December 23 to 30, 2015, and were breaches of the Animal Cruelty and Animal Welfare Act 2013.

The offences include failing to care for a female collie dog, leaving a Jack Russell dog unattended; causing unnecessary suffering to a black miniature piglet; failing to feed and water a brown and white hamster; a yellow canary had been left without water; and there was unnecessary suffering to a white rat. Other neglected animals include a beige goat and a two ponies.

A dead foal had also been left on the ground and was left in a place where a dog could gain access to it.

The mans barrister Katie OConnell asked for legal aid to be extended to include psychiatric and medical reports. Judge Thomas E ODonnell agreed to this request, if necessary, and adjourned the matter to April.
Speaking in Brussels after a meeting with EU Parliament president, Antonio Tajani, Mr Kenny said he will suggest the matter in his talks with US president Trump; vice-president Mike Pence; and speaker of the House, Paul Ryan.

When I go to America and I speak with president Trump, vice-president Pence and speaker Ryan it is important the American Congress should have discussions and have the opportunity to talk things through with the European Union. President Tajani is willing to travel to America and play his part, he said.

Mr Kenny also held meetings with Michel Barnier, the EUs chief Brexit negotiator, and president Donald Tusk in which he raised Irelands main concerns about Britains pending departure.

We are facing a huge political challenge, but we want an orderly discussion with Britain. I assured Antonio and Donald Tusk [president of European Council] that Ireland will remain a member of the European Union and will address those issues from the position of sitting in with the 27.

I had a good meeting with president Donald Tusk earlier today and we discussed the question of the future of the European Union in particular in relation to Brexit and our specific concerns in regard to Northern Ireland, the peace process, and the relationship with the United Kingdom.

"I met with a number of the Irish MEPs and had a discussion with them, mostly about Brexit and its impact on Northern Ireland and the peace process, he said.

Mr Kenny also said yesterdays elections in Northern Ireland formed part of his discussions.

I have made it clear for quite some time now, before these elections, the Good Friday Agreement contains the opportunity to put in these negotiations language that has already been agreed in internationally binding agreement, that at some future time were that position to arise, that if the people by consent were to form a united Ireland that that could be a seamless transfer as happened in the case of East Germany and West Germany when the Berlin Wall came down, he said.

Mr Kenny said he wants the wording of the Good Friday Agreement included in any final Brexit deal between Britain and the EU.

Mr Tajani said the Irish concerns about the peace process and trade links with Britain have the full attention of the parliament.

I understand the deep political, economic and historical ties that link Ireland to the UK. Brexit will be a particular challenge for Ireland and it has two main issues. Ireland must ensure that its economic links to the UK are protected.

Secondly, it must ensure that the terms of the Good Friday Agreement which has given peace in Northern Ireland are included in any future agreement between the UK and the EU, he said.
The Federation of Irish Beekeepers Associations along with Birdwatch Ireland, the Hedge Laying Association of Ireland, the Irish Wildlife Trust, and An Taisce were protesting against the Heritage Bill which was debated in the Seanad yesterday afternoon.

Existing legislation allows for hedge-cutting and upland burning from September 1 until the last day of February.

However, the new legislation, if passed, would allow the cutting, grubbing and otherwise destroying of hedgerows in August and burning in the uplands in March.

The president of the Federation of Irish Beekeepers Association, Gerry Ryan, said the extension by an extra month of the permitted period for both these activities will have serious adverse consequences for Irelands already threatened and declining biodiversity.

This bill totally ignores sectors such as the beekeeping and fruit sectors which rely heavily if not exclusively on pollinators, who in turn rely on pollen in August, to survive throughout the winter.

"Irelands hedgerows are a vital source of pollen and permitting a blanket cutting of hedgerows in August will greatly endanger the bee population he said.

Oonagh Duggan of Birdwatch Ireland said the proposals would cut into the bird breeding season and pointed to a petition of 26,000 names rejecting the legislation: We ask senators to listen to these voices and to reject Section 8 of the Heritage Bill on the basis that it ignores the science which says that it could seriously impact on nesting birds and could be the death knell for some species already in trouble.

But it will also impact bees, which need all the help they can get, not Government-condoned habitat destruction. If this bill is passed it will send a clear message that Ireland is not serious about protecting its natural heritage for generations to come.

Speaking ahead of the protest, Senator Alice-Mary Higgins said the plan is not backed up by any research or scientific data.
Gary Walsh, 31, pleaded guilty to the robbery of 3,800 at Blarney Post Office at Monacnappa, on January 24 last.

Originally, from Blarney, the accused had addresses at Mill Lane, Ballincollig, Co Cork, and an apartment in a retail park at Kilmallock, Co Limerick.

CCTV evidence tracked his journey to Kilmallock as the Toyota Avensis he was driving had a number of distinguishing features including bright silvery handles and hub caps.

He admitted his involvement in the robbery and acknowledged that the money found in his jacket amounting to 1,600 was some of the proceeds. The remaining 2,200 was not recovered.

Detective Sergeant Maurice Leahy said Walsh waited in a queue until a woman customer left. He then produced a note from his pocket.

The teller noticed Walsh had something up his sleeve which she believed was the barrel of a gun. Walsh would later tell gardai it was an iron bar and not a gun.

The detective said: There was no roaring and shouting, he did not physically threaten her. If anything he was very discreet and quiet about what he was doing.

He handed over a plastic bag to be filled with money, he then went to his car which was parked 50 metres away and drove to his home in Kilmallock.

Walsh was out on licence from prison when he carried out the crime in Blarney.

Peter OFlynn, defence barrister, outlined domestic matters and said it was the defendants belief he has done the wrong thing for the right reason.

He said Walsh had an addiction to cocaine in the past and went on to develop an addiction to prescription tablets.

Walsh wrote a letter of apology to the post office worker.

Judge David Riordan, imposing a five-year sentence, with the last year suspended, said if the defendant was truthful about using the proceeds of the crime for domestic reasons, there should be some receipts to show the missing 2,200 had gone for that purpose.

He offered to adjourn sentencing for receipts but Mr OFlynn said there was no application for an adjournment.
Three Irish children are currently residing at St Andrews in Northampton by order of the Irish High Court, while a number of other Irish young people have been in similar placements there in recent years.

On Wednesday, a Channel 4 documentary entitled Under Lock and Key featured the stories of some UK residents who had stayed there, with many of those interviewed for the programme raising serious concerns about how their relatives were cared for.

The aunt of one girl, Fauzia Yasmin Hussain, who spent 22 months in St Andrews, told the programme: I was very concerned she would die there, really.

The documentary makers were told she spent much of her time at the facility in segregation, and sometimes in a room with little natural daylight.

The parents of Matthew Garnett, another child who had been placed in the centre, also expressed misgivings about the care offered to their son. He was restrained and placed in seclusion 11 times over a five-month period, with his parents claiming that they were not properly consulted.

A separate report also indicated that face-down (prone) restraint was used at St Andrews, particularly in its child and adolescent wards.

St Andrews defended the standard of care on offer, said measures are taken to protect patients and others at the facility, and told the programme-makers that prone restraint is only used as a last resort.

Responding to the programme, Tusla said there are currently three children in Tusla placements in St Andrews Healthcare.

Fauzia Yasmin Hussain, a former patient at St Andrews. Yasmins case featured in the programme.

Whilst Tusla is satisfied with the care provided to the young people currently placed at the facility, we will be meeting with St Andrews Healthcare and seeking further assurances in relation to the current practices at the facility, a Tusla spokesperson said.

Each child was placed in St Andrews Healthcare under an order of the High Court, which retains oversight of the placement.

"St Andrews Healthcare is highly regulated. However, these children remain in the care of Tusla and to ensure their safety and wellbeing, we receive regular detailed reports on the child, they have regular visits from their allocated social worker, an up-to-date written care plan, access to their families/carers where this is in their best interests, and aftercare planning with an allocated aftercare worker.

Tusla said each young person in such a placement has a court-appointed Guardian Ad Litem and the ultimate goal was to have them return home to Ireland.

The spokesperson said that St Andrews Healthcare is a secure mental health facility and in making such placements, the High Court here required a clinical recommendation by a HSE/Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service psychiatrist, with stipulations that arrangements are in place to ensure ongoing clinical oversight by a psychiatrist from the mental health service in Ireland.

The courts will ask that the psychiatrist provides reports on the childs progress in the care facility, the spokesperson said. These arrangements are put in place to ensure clinical continuity for the young person and their family and to assist in planning for the young persons return to Ireland when clinically indicated.

In 2015, a judge granted the wishes of a young Irish woman who applied to return to Ireland from the 400,000 a year facility.
ONE of Britains most distinguished baritones leads a macabre dance in Dublin. Simon Keenlyside is the baritone soloist in Totentanz, a new work by Thomas Ades which will have its Irish premiere at the National Concert Hall tonight.

A glance through Keenlysides biography gives an idea of just how far reaching a career the London born baritone has had. It lists no less than 50 roles performed in major houses all over the world over the last three decades. It is an incredible diversity of characters in his long time crashing around as a gypsy as he self-deprecatingly puts it.

He arrives for his first Dublin appearance hotfoot from playing the legendary serial seducer, Don Giovanni for Opera de Bilbao, a role he played at the Met Opera, New York earlier this season.

Totentanz is described by Ades as an existential battle between life and death. The British composer has set to music a sequence of 15th century German verses known as the Lubecker Totentanz, originally composed to accompany an artwork created the same year at the Marienkirche in Lubeck.

Sadly, the artwork was destroyed during World War II, but images of it remain, as do the texts, depicting a gleefully macabre grim reaper here played by the baritone interacting with a cavalcade of characters, including a baby, a monk, a maiden and even the Pope, voiced by the soprano.

Ades will be reunited with both soloists who premiered the work with him at the 2013 Proms. Dutch soprano Christianne Stotijn performs the mezzo-soprano role. The singers will be supported by the full might of the RTE NSO with up a beefed percussion section including an assortment of instruments that read like the accoutrements of a torture chamber; bamboo canes, ratchets , snake rattles, whips and clappers.

Keenlyside famously created the role of Prospero in Ades opera, The Tempest.

Having come across Tom almost by chance, I am devoted to him. It doesnt take genius to recognise genius. The music is stunning. Its extreme but worth the struggle and I try my hardest to do justice to his incredible score. The play is everything and you are a merely a texture in it. You do as much homework as you can. Then you strap in and go for a ride

Keenleyside reveals he has fascinating Irish roots. His Russian Jewish forebears were en route from Riga to New York when they were put ashore in Dublin. His grandfather Leonard Hirsch was born in South Great Georges Street in 1902. The 1911 census shows the family of Maurice Hirsch, a draper living in Leeson Street.

His son, Leonard Hirsch went on to be a distinguished figure operating at every level of string playing in Britain, a leader of the Halle Orchestra and revered teacher of generations of British violinists. He had his first violin lessons in Dublin before the family relocated to Britain.

I am looking forward to seeing where my grandfather was born. He was very proud of his Irish connection.

It seems appropriate that Keenlyside comes to perform in Dublin as he has recently taken Irish citizenship as a statement of his European credentials following Brexit.

He prefaced his first appearance in Ireland with a masterclass for six of Irelands best young professional singers. He bristles at the term masterclass. Its the wrong word. It is just my turn to give back. My grandfather always said that as long as you are a couple of steps ahead you have something to offer. Im further down the road and I am just sharing with my next group of colleagues.

Simon Keenlyside performs in Totentanz at the NCH tonight as part of New Music Dublin
Howre oo goin on? Herself had a few glasses of wine on Wednesday night and didnt she log into one of them porn sites by mistake. Two things have happened as a result of this, one more shocking than the other. The first is we have started getting a lot of emails from a woman in Russia who can hardly see out over her boobs. The second is my wife is after signing up for a bit of work with one of these porn sites, where she has described herself as a milf. What is a man like myself to do in this situation?  Din Dan Dinny Dan, Dunmanway, whats a milf?

Not something I could explain in a family newspaper. But if youre wife is a milf, then Im Melania Trump. I think your experience proves one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt, Din Dan Dinny Dan. It isnt necessarily a good idea to give broadband to people in rural areas.

Hey, dude, now that you have direct flights to and from America, Im like totally planning to open a Cork office for my software company. We have this app that detects illegal immigrants and like shouts Hey man, get back to Mexico. Were seeing some awesome sales for it right now in Washington and London. Would you guys like to work for me?  Josh, Boston, Im single.

Im not surprised. Let me put it this way, in terms of working for your company. Id rather buy a bag of used underpants from a shop in Kilmallock. (Google man from Kilmallock and youll see what I mean.) That said, youll have no problem attracting an army of 20 somethings to work for you. Just give them a free smartphone and a fridge full of doughnuts. My uncle has his own IT recruitment company on the South Mall (Posh weather.) He says the young crowd have the scruples of a contestant at the Conman of the Year Festival in Sneem.

Hello dear. I am having some trouble with my new neighbours. They are away a lot and their online shopping deliveries end up in my house. My grandson took one sniff of the latest package today and said its cannabis (hes a drummer.) Im afraid to drop it next door, in case I run into one of the other neighbours. Id be the talk of the bridge club. What should I do?  Pauline, Monkstown, Im well into my 90s.

Im well into my Botox so people have trouble guessing my age. Its like a new religion out here in Ballinlough. You are in an awkward situation alright. Walking down the street with a bag of cannabis is bound to get you noticed, except maybe in Galway. Heres my advice: Keep the drugs for yourself; my guess is youll probably give up playing bridge.

I dropped my Sophie to school yesterday wearing gym gear I bought in TK Maxx. I know, I know, Im an awful Mom. I usually only wear stuff I bought in Matthews, but just this once I was in a rush. Anyway, dont ask how they knew, but the girls in Sophies class spotted my cut-price gear and started mocking her, saying were poor now and will have probably have to move to Turners Cross (Imagine!) How can I show them were still loaded?  Monica, Blackrock Road, Id hate it if I actually had to move to Turners Cross.

So would the people in Turners Cross. I hear the school-drop is getting more competitive alright. My posh cousin said she could hardly hear herself think when she dropped her Sophie (do ye all have Sophies?) to school in Douglas. Apparently, all the Moms were roaring at each other in French to show they were in the Alps for mid-term. One of the Moms foolishly admitted she went to Bulgaria. The rest blocked her on Facebook, faster than you could say my eldest two are in Scoil Mhuire at a coffee morning for charity.

Cmere, whats the story with the Dublin Airport Authority? They got every politician south of Horse and Jockey to campaign for those Norwegian flights from Cork. And then they announce 12 sly flights from Dublin, just to rub our noses in it. Worse again, they gave four flights to Shannon, which is basically Belgooly with a runway. How much more of this do we have to take down here in Cork?  Dowcha Donie, Blackpool, I finish a lot of my sentences with do you know that kind of way?

Dont we all, boy. If its any consolation the new flights arent exactly going to Boston. Theyre going to Providence, Rhode Island, which is basically Belgooly with two runways. So it might still be an attractive proposition to drive to Shannon. As long as you wind up your window going through Charleville; the smell is like a cross between a dead horse and Essence de Dungarvan.
In his determination to implement his policy of restoration, Pope John Paul II, throughout his 26-year pontificate (the second longest in the history of the Catholic Church), assiduously used the appointment of bishops throughout the world as a key mechanism to achieve his objective.

His aim was to restore the Church to where it had been before the reforms introduced by the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), reforms that alarmed him, not least because they created what the late Peter Hebblethwaite, one of the very best Vatican-watchers, memorably called a runaway church.

John Paul II saw it as his mission to bring this runaway institution back under firm centralised control, and he used the appointment of conservative bishops across the globe as a central element in this process.

The key criterion that all new bishops had to meet was this: Absolute fealty to him and his vision of what he wanted the Church to be in the aftermath of Vatican II. So strictly was this policy insisted upon that one American bishop, emerging from a meeting with John Paul II, was heard to complain: He treats us like messenger boys.

Hebblethwaite, author of acclaimed biographies of Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI, noted that the appointments of bishops remained firmly in the hands of Rome.

He explained the modus operandi: Talk of consultation made little practical difference, and the role of papal nuncios or apostolic delegates remained decisive. The appointment of bishops remained the principal means of control over the local churches.

From the time in the early 1980s that John Paul II rolled out his restoration blueprint, the system of appointing safe but often mediocre candidates  men who were content to be managers rather than leaders  became one of its defining characteristics. And Ireland was no exception.

The policy was continued by Pope Benedict XVI and, surprisingly, has not significantly changed under Pope Francis, despite his reputation as a great reformer (the sub-title of a book by one of his biographers).

The preference for loyal bishops who could be relied upon to do the bidding of the Congregations of the Roman Curia (they have what canon lawyers call the power of governance) sometimes led to the elevation of people clearly unsuited to be bishops.

Two glaring examples of this were the appointment of John Magee to Cloyne in 1987, and that of Desmond Connell (who died recently at the age of 90) as Archbishop of Dublin in 1988.

The Magee appointment was also a blatant example of the bureaucratic indifference to the consequences of a decision made in Rome: The good of the Diocese of Cloyne was not the primary consideration when that appointment was made.

Those of us in the media who were in Rome for Magees episcopal ordination believed that, because he had been English-language secretary to three popes (Paul VI, John Paul I, and John Paul II), Cloyne would be a stepping-stone to Armagh.

We were wrong. Magee was, in effect, being banished from Rome by the Polish mafia around the Pope; they were tired of his sanctimoniousness, and the vacancy in Cloyne happened to provide a convenient excuse, and so he was shipped out.

You dont have to believe everything about the Vatican and papal court in a book such as The Power and the Glory: Inside the Dark Heart of John Paul IIs Vatican by David Yallop, but, at the same time, it would be naive to believe that all episcopal appointments are made for the best of motives. They most assuredly are not. And it was ever thus.

Bishops are appointed by the Pope; Canon 377 of the Code of Canon Law stipulates that The Supreme Pontiff freely appoints bishops... Section 5 of that canon also states: For the future, no rights or privileges of election, appointment, presentation or designation of Bishops are conceded to civil authorities.

Such rights and privileges were indeed conceded in the past, so to say that bishops were always appointed by the Pope is historically incorrect.

Even today, in appointing bishops, the Pope, in perhaps 95% of the cases, merely rubber-stamps the nominations prepared by the Congregation for Bishops, one of the key Vatican departments. This shouldnt surprise us.

With almost 3,000 diocesan bishops in the world, no pope can be expected to have first-hand or even third-hand knowledge of leading candidates when vacancies occur. Popes have a myriad other matters to attend to, so they must rely on the bureaucrats of the Roman Curia. And thats where the power and influence of papal nuncios comes into play.

They are meant to be the eyes and ears of the pope in the countries to which they have been assigned. In his book All the Popes Men, John Allen, now religion editor for the Boston Globe, reminds us that nuncios have the responsibility for preparing the terna, or list of three names of candidates for the appointment of new bishops.

Allen goes on to quote Cardinal Jorge Mejia, former secretary of the Congregation of Bishops, as saying that between 80% and 90% of the time the first candidate on the terna prepared by the nuncio ends up getting the job. This makes the nuncios role often a decisive one.

There would, of course, be more direct papal involvement when it comes to appointments to the major sees  places such as New York, Boston, and San Francisco in the USA, Munich and Cologne in Germany, and Paris and Lyons in France, as well as key places in the Third World. And every pope has a special interest in appointments to places such as Milan, Turin, and Bologna in his own back yard.

If you are Jorge Mario Bergoglio, then you naturally have a keen interest in appointments to Buenos Aires and other major dioceses in Argentina, just as Joseph Ratzinger had a special interest in German appointments and Karol Wojtyla in all the key Polish appointments.

The big prizes in Ireland  Armagh and Dublin  would rarely show on the papal radar, though that was probably not the case in the appointment of Diarmuid Martin to Dublin because of his previous career in the Vatican.

When Connell was appointed to Dublin in 1988, he was plucked from the relative obscurity of the philosophy department in UCD and had virtually no pastoral experience.

Not only was the appointment disastrous, but, in February 2001, John Paul II decided to make him a Cardinal at a time when Rome could hardly claim to be unaware of the scandal of clerical sex abuse in Ireland.

Indeed, on January 28, 2001  in the gap between the announcement from the Vatican of the Red Hat for Dublin and the actual Consistory  the Sunday Tribune carried a front page story alongside a large photograph of Connell with the heading Cardinal failed to move abuse priest from parish. Yet the Red Hat went to him.

This was another example of Rome not caring one whit for local feeling or the pastoral implications of its ultra-conservative appointments.

The late Fr Andrew Greeley, the Chicago-based sociologist, in his 2005 book The Making of the Pope, said this about episcopal appointments: The extremely conservative bishops John Paul appointed, usually on curial recommendation, further offended many of the laity and the lower clergy. He rarely engaged in serious consultation with the bishops of the world and listened only to the laity that he knew agreed with him.

As Hans Kung put it in his book Infallible?, new bishops were selected preferably according to two tried and tested principles of sound moral standards and the uncritical loyalty to Rome which is called obedience .

Selecting men who are safe often means choosing mediocrities, candidates who are conformists and assuredly will not rock any Roman boats.

Hebblethwaite once put it bluntly: Bishops have been parachuted down on dioceses about which they know nothing and where they are doomed to unpopularity. The frustration this can cause in the local churches can build up and occasionally boil over.

A recent example of this was the call by Fr Tony Flannery, one of the founder members of the Association of Catholic Priests, for the papal nuncio, Archbishop Charles Browne, to be removed.

Fr Flannery, who was disciplined by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for views he expressed on aspects of Catholic teaching, said the nuncio was doing great damage to the Irish Church by the policies by which he is appointing bishops.

This is never going to happen, of course; in any case, even if Archbishop Browne were removed he would just be replaced by another Vatican functionary operating on the basis of the same set of instructions from Rome.

The system is the problem; and there is not much likelihood of that being changed, even under a pope as open to institutional reform as Francis. It will only change when a powerful (and wealthy) national church, such as the German church, reclaims its legitimate autonomy when it comes to the appointment of bishops.

In his book, The Making of the Pope, Fr Andrew Greeley asked the pertinent question: Why does the Roman Curia continue to lord it over the resident bishops?

As for the appointment of such bishops, he cited the methods prescribed by two of the most important early popes  Leo the Great and Gregory the Great  for the election of bishops for all dioceses, Rome included.

These methods were summed up in the succinct Latin dictum Qui praesidet super omnes, ab omnibus eligatur. For those unfamiliar with the mother tongue, that means who presides over all must be chosen by all.
It will go ahead because we need America far, far more than America needs us.

However, had Mr Kenny chosen to travel in the grand style of Saudi Arabias Salman the criticism would be shrill and entirely justified. Despite imposing cutbacks, just like Mr Kenny, the king arrived in Indonesia on Wednesday leading a retinue of about 1,500 people.
Friday, March 3rd, 2017 (1:44 pm) - Score 1,463

The European Commission has released their 2017 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), which uses data from 2016 to reveal the United Kingdoms progress towards the EUs Digital Agenda goals (e.g. NGA 30Mbps+ broadband for all by 2020). Sadly weve dropped from 6th to 7th place.

On the surface this might seem like bad news but overall the UK continues to more than beat the EU average and we do better than most of the major member states. The good news is that were also particularly strong in the all-important area of digital connectivity, where we rank 6th overall (unchanged from last years report).

The 2010 EU Digital Agenda goals, which among other things aimed to ensure that every home could access a 30Mbps+ capable Next Generation Access (NGA) broadband connection by the year 2020 (plus 50% subscribed to a 100Mbps+ service), actually cover much more than just Internet connectivity but our focus here mostly on infrastructure.

Overall the UK coverage of 30Mbps+ broadband has increased to 92.3% (compared with 76% across the EU), which puts us well ahead of Germany, France, Italy and Spain but behind several other countries. Similarly 4G (Mobile Broadband) coverage reached 93% in the UK, which compares with 84% across the EU.

Meanwhile the European Commission (note: were still full members of the EU for another 2 years or so) has already proposed a new Gigabit Society target for all European households to get a minimum Internet download speed of 100Mbps+ by 2025, with businesses and the public sector being told to expect 1Gbps+ (here).

The ECs proposal is currently still being developed and would not be mandatory, although many EU states are still a long way from achieving the original target and would clearly struggle to be prepared for the latest one.

Andrus Ansip, Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, said: Europe is gradually becoming more digital but many countries need to step up their efforts. All Member States should invest more to fully benefit from the Digital Single Market. We do not want a two-speed digital Europe. We should work together to make the EU a digital world leader.

We should point out that some of the data for this report was collected during mid-2016 and as such it does not represent the most current information, although this is true for all countries in the ranking and so its still a useful gauge. Furthermore some data has been re-calculated since 2016 and we note that the main reason for dropping a place this year is because a few of our closest rivals are improving at a faster pace.

As the report states, The United Kingdom ranks 7th in DESI 2017. While its ranking decreased somewhat over 2016, its score increased due to an improved performance in all domains. In particular, important improvements have been made in NGA subscriptions (Connectivity), Internet use (Human Capital), and Open Data (Digital Public Services). Conversely, use of Electronic Information Sharing, RFID and eInvoices (Integration of Digital Technologies) remains very low.

Weve edited together a general summary of the results below. However readers should be cautious about using any of the chart tools and broadband related data on the EUs Digital Single Market page because most of those are still using the information from last years (old) report. We expect them to be updated before the summer.
The changes everyone expected to come at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are here.

In one sign of the new times, chairman Ajit Pai said this week that no oversight from the FCC was necessary in the AT&T-Time Warner merger. The Hill reports that the FCC will step back because no licenses will be exchanged as part of the $85 million deal. Mignon Clyburn, the only Democratic commissioner, objected.

The deal must be cleared by the Justice Department. The FCC played a much more stringent role in telecommunications mergers and acquisitions during the Obama Administration.

On February 23, the FCC voted to restore the Small Provider Exemption from the Commissions Open Internet rules. CommLaw Monitor reported that the 2-1 party line vote reestablished an exemption that former Chairman Tom Wheeler had allowed to expire.

In 2015, the FCC exempted internet service providers (ISPs) with fewer than 100,000 subscribers from disclosure rules on, according to the story, promotional rates, all fees and/or surcharges, all data caps and allowances, and additional network performance metrics (e.g., packet loss).

Wheeler allowed the exemption to expire last year. The move on February 23 does two things: It reestablishes the exemption for five years and expands the definition of small carrier from 100,000 subscribers to 250,000 subscribers. The new rule is retroactive to January 17.

Another 2-1 party line vote resulted in a stay to one part of privacy rules passed in October, according to Computerworld. The stayed rules would have provided consumers with control on how their data is used:

The rules include the requirement that internet service providers should obtain opt-in consent from consumers to use and share sensitive information such as geolocation and web browsing history, and also give customers the option to opt out from the sharing of non-sensitive information such as email addresses or service tier information.

The sidelined rules included a mandate to use reasonable data security practices and provide breach notifications. They would have gone into effect today, the story says.

Not all the indications of change were actions by the commission. In a speech at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona this week, Chairman Pai called net neutrality a mistake and, according to the report at Engadget, endorsed light touch internet regulation. It is clear that such an approach doesnt include the current set of regulations.

Finally, the FCC list of commissioners may be moving to the right as a group. One of the Democratic commissioners, Jessica Rosenworcel, submitted her resignation at the end of 2016. President Obama re-nominated her before he left open. Variety said that the apparent expectation was that President Trump would pair her nomination with one of a Republican. The pair would go through the confirmation process in tandem. President Trump has not re-nominated her. That, the story says:

has led to speculation that he would put forward another Republican and perhaps an independent or other Democrat more favorable to administration policy. In the past, the White House has deferred to Senate leadership in the selection of nominees from the opposing party. Democrats have already been vowing to push back if the administration tries to buck that tradition.

None of these moves (with the possible exception of not re-nominating Rosenworcel) is a surprise. Taken together, however, they show how quickly and decisively the new administration is setting a new course.

Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at [email protected] and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk.
According to a recent report released by Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, a large majority of security operations centers, or SOCs, have not attained the requisite level of maturity to enable them to adequately protect their organizations against cyberattacks.

HPEs State of Security Operations Report 2017, the fourth annual assessment of its kind, found that 82 percent of SOCs are falling below target maturity levels, due in large part to difficulties in attracting and retaining skilled IT security talent. I had the opportunity to discuss the report with Chandra Rangan, vice president of product marketing for HPE Software, who indicated that getting SOCs to where they need to be is a monumental task:

Security operations really started off as a means for compliance, 15 years back. With everything thats happened since the Target breach, more and more security operations are getting serious about protecting the organization as their primary goal  not just compliance. That shift is tough to make, because its like setting up an ERP system from scratch, with all the processes and everything thats involved  thats kind of what youre looking at. To do a decent job of protecting the organization, youve got to start with the business side: What are the real objectives? Where is the important data? What am I trying to protect? What is the risk that Im willing to take on as an organization? Thats not a security operations role  thats a business role. And then security operations needs to work with IT to collect the data; build use cases to understand whats happening across all of these data sets; put a very robust process in place to be able to monitor and investigate; and then hire the right analysts with the right skillsets who can do that.

One of the findings that came out of the report was that SOC maturity decreases with hunt-only programs, and that programs that focus solely on hunt teams have an adverse effect. I asked Rangan to what he would attribute the fact that this approach has been adopted as widely as it has, and he explained it this way:

These arent the sophisticated security operations centers  these are maybe five or eight people, maybe a couple of folks who are part-time, and they need to have some sort of security operation. So what do they start with? They start with the network guy finding a problem, or they find a bunch of infected PCs. They need an answer quickly, so you have your few precious security analysts trying to firefight, and go back and investigate what has already happened. And it becomes a never-ending cycle. Once you solve one of these problems, you feel like a hero, and it perpetuates itself. Once you get in that mode, in the short term you feel great  you feel youre driving value. But really what is happening is, youre finding issues after the fact  youre not proactively protecting the organization. It is those security operations centers that were not very mature to start with, and were trying to get them to a higher level of maturity  trying to staff up without falling into the trap of firefighting mode. There are quite a few euphemistically termed security operations groups who are not really doing security operations  theyre doing hunting.

I asked Rangan if HPE learned anything from the report that has prompted it to make any internal changes in terms of mitigating its own risk. He opted to focus his response more on HPEs security operations prowess:

We actually do have one of the most sophisticated security operations on the planet. In fact, we have two security operations teams. One manages HPEs own security posture  we have a huge footprint, and they do it with a very small team. They do it with tens of people, not hundreds. They are just phenomenally effective, because they have done a lot of automation. We are actually very, very efficient internally. And we have a second security operations team that does managed security services. It has more than 10 security operations centers globally. These security operations that we have internally are part and parcel of the assessments that we do. We actually learn from them, and we give back, as well.

In the context of that response, I brought up the well-publicized incident in October, in which the United States Navy announced that the names and Social Security numbers of 134,000 current and former service members were accessed as the result of the compromise of the laptop of an HPE employee. I asked Rangan what lessons HPE has learned from that incident. He thanked me for bringing it up, but said he wasnt the right person to talk about that topic. He steered me to an HPE spokesperson who could put me in touch with the right people, but the spokesperson was only able to provide the following statement from HPE:

The security and privacy of our clients is a top priority for Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). This event has been reported to the Navy and because this is an ongoing investigation, HPE will not be commenting further out of respect for the privacy of our Navy personnel.

That was a shame, because The Navy Times had reported that the Navy was pressing HPE to pay for credit monitoring services for sailors affected by the data breach, and I was eager to find out if that issue had been resolved. My hope is that by the time HPE comes out with its next State of Security Operations Report 2018, it will have been able to share some lessons learned from this incident.

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.
For fans of "Star Wars," the origin of the Knights of Ren is shrouded with mystery. They briefly showed up in "The Force Awakens" but that's all. There were no introductions or explanations about where they came from. However, there are recent "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" spoilers that might explain their mysterious origins.

Their Origin Might Have Been Revealed In Some "Star Wars" Books

Some inquisitive and enterprising fans of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" might have found some clues about where the Knights of Ren came from. They say that it may have been revealed already in a series of "Star Wars" related books. Fans would recall that these Knights briefly appeared in Rey's vision when she picked up Luke's lightsaber.

"Aftermath" Might Have Revealed Their Origin

Furthermore, these fans of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" believe that the Knights of Ren could have a connection with the Acolytes of the Beyond. This latter group is featured in the new book "Aftermath," a post-"Return of the Jedi" trilogy. It tells about the war between the remnants of the Empire and the New Republic. The title of the last book in this trilogy is "Aftermath: Empire's End."

The Acolytes Of The Beyond Might Be Their Progenitors

The Acolytes are led by Yupe Tashu, the former advisor of the Emperor. One of his objectives is to find the lightsaber of Darth Vader. Fans of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" suggest that as they were retrieving Sith artifacts, they saw visions of the ancient Sith lords and the dark side. Members of this group also love to wear masks just like Kylo Ren and Darth Vader. Did the Acolytes spawn the Knights of Ren?

J.J. Abrams Said Hamill Should Win An Oscar For His Work In "The Last Jedi"

In a related note, J.J. Abrams, the director of episode 7 is predicting that Mark Hamill might win the Oscar for his role in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi." Abrams, who is also the Executive Producer of episode 8 has all praises to the actor. In his Oscar Wilde Awards speech, he said that Mark Hamill deserves to win an Oscar for his work in episode 8. He added that they will be disappointed if he wouldn't.
It seems like Oprah Winfrey is finally reconsidering to run for U.S. president in the next election race. The notion was brought up just recently when she went on Bloombergs The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations. Probably everyone has been begging her to run for years now and their wish might just come true.

Oprah Winfrey Rethinks Possibility of Running for President

The Bloomberg show premiered its second season with Oprah Winfrey opening to an idea that everybody will probably welcome. It was brought up that if Oprah decided to run, she would most likely get elected because of her influence and immense popularity. As soon as the word was out, a lot has already expressed their support for her and would even back her up in the next presidential race against Donald Trump.

The American talk show host and philanthropist admitted that she is actually reconsidering it now because it turns out, she doesnt even need experience in governing to be elected president of the United States. This was the case with the current U.S. president. Trump was elected into office without having any solid political background. He expressed his interest in running for president for several years and even as governor of New York but he never did.

President Oprah Winfrey Sounds And Looks Good

Many important figures have asked, begged even, for Oprah to run for president but she never did as she never thought of its possibility. She is one of the most influential people and was even dubbed as the most powerful woman in the world. Her show, The Oprah Winfrey Show is one of the longest-running shows in history and is the highest rated talk show in America, reaching more than 4,000 episodes and attracting millions of loyal viewers all over the world.

But Oprah Winfrey didnt get to be one of the most powerful and influential person in the world by simply being on TV but because she has admirable qualities that make her a great leader. Aside from dreaming big and making it happen, she values community and ensures that people can relate to her just like the way she understands others and their situations. As a humanitarian, she is open about her principles on justice, education, and more. Given her past, she leads by example and she makes sure to convey her visions and ideals to continuously inspire people and give hope.
Yahoo has been through a whirlwind of events in the past years. The company has been hacked multiple times and it has also gone through a roller coaster ride with Verizon. The two companies' supposed merger is no longer big news but Verizon had to reduce its offer multiple times due to the discovered breaches.

Yahoo Executives Face Consequences

Now, things are getting more intense as Yahoo's top lawyer resigns from the company and Yahoo's CEO has to redistribute her own bonus. This is following the company's internal investigations regarding the recorded hacks. As per Business Insider, Yahoo conducted an internal investigation and has led to the conclusion that its executives did not handle the security breaches properly. This certain breach resulted in the theft of users' information that includes their names, phone numbers and even dates of birth.

Just this Wednesday, Yahoo has disclosed on its yearly report that the company could be facing criminal penalties due to the incident. Apparently, several government agencies are now looking into the matter. Additionally, Yahoo is already facing 43 putative consumer class action lawsuits in relation to the hackings.

Yahoo CEO Surrenders Own Bonus

As a result to all these, Marissa Mayer, Yahoo's CEO, did not get her 2016 bonus amounting to up to $2 million. On top of that, she voluntarily surrenders her 2017 bonus alongside her approximately $12 million equity grants. This money will be redistributed to Yahoo employees. Ronald Bell, on the other hand, terminated his job as Yahoo's general counsel.

Yahoo's Mishandling Of Hacking Incidents

The problem with Yahoo's handling of the security breaches was that its executives did not properly investigate the attacks. Recode said that Mayer actually did mean to run such loose security ship. Also, the company's security department has known of the hacks in 2015 and 2016 but the Yahoo did not disclose it to the public immediately. Nevertheless, the findings also clarified that there was no intentional suppression of relevant information. This means that Yahoo did not maliciously hide the breaches both from the users and Verizon. The company even had to suffer the consequences of Verizon reducing its offer by hundreds of millions.
Last Sunday, Google has announced that the Google Assistant will be rolled out to Android handsets "this week." Now, the company has made another announcement and confirmed that the Google Assistant will be arriving today.

The Google Assistant Is Now Available

The Google Assistant will be made available to Android handsets that run on Android Marshmallow and Nougat only. Based on the recent news, it will be launched in the United States followed by Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Germany will have it as well, for the German speaker. There were also reports suggesting that the Android Wear 2 will also get the feature, and TVs and cars will follow.

Where To Get The Google Assistant

In case you're wondering on how to get the Google Assistant and if there will be some kind of "special tasks" needed in order to get it, there isn't any. Updating the Google Play Services will be the only step required and the Google Assistant will come to you. You can even disable the Google Assistant if you want to do so.

Capabilities Of The Google Assistant

According to an article at Tech Crunch, the Google Assistant was first unveiled at last year's Google I/O conference where it became a flagship feature on the Google Pixel phones. What makes it slightly more powerful is the fact that there is a lot of back-and-forth dialogue that users can do when interacting with the Google Assistant, something that makes it more human compared to some of the virtual assistants available today.

Just like any other virtual assistants, it is capable of various tasks. Simply summon it by saying, "OK Google," then followed by a command it will do kinds of stuff, like setting reminders, taking photos, assist with translations, operating smart home devices, and much more.

The Google Assistant has third-party integrations called "Actions" which is the company's version of Alexa skills. In Actions, it will connect the Google Assistant to a larger app ecosystem.
Facebook is adding more suicide prevention tools on its live-stream video this month. The move has been decided after a series of suicide incidents took place on live video. Included in the new self-harm prevention tools are options for people to report if someone might harm themselves while broadcasting on Facebook Live.

Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook have said that he created the popular social media platform to help people connect to each other. On Wednesday, the company stated its modified stand about helping people in distress through personal connection, such as preventing the suicide of someone on Facebook. The company have also said that it's in a "unique position" to help those who have mental health issues.

So now, people watching a Facebook Live broadcast will be able use the suicide prevention tools by reporting the video. Facebook can reach out to emergency workers if the person is in imminent danger. Additionally, the person live-streaming will also be provided a set of resources pop up on their phone screen, so they can contact a friend or a helpline, the ABC News reports.

Facebook offers these options by using algorithms, trained to report data from the networks two billion users. The artificial intelligence is constantly on the lookout for warning signs in content that users post, as well as replies that are received. Once a red flag is raised, a Facebook team is alerted and can contact the user so that help may be offered, the Forbes reports.

Facebook's suicide prevention team is connected with charities and helplines to develop methods for putting those at risk instantly in contact with an advisor. The social network began monitoring suicidal behavior a decade ago. However, this marks the first involvement of AI (or machine learning) in the process since it has previously only relied on its user base in flagging up potentially dangerous situations.
When Honda launched the 2017 CR-V last year, the automaker expected it to be the top seller in its segment. The automaker's hopes were certainly not disappointed as the 2017 Honda CR-V has picked up its pace in sales and gained a serious momentum in the month of February leading up to March.

2017 Honda CR-V: Picking Up The Pace

According to a report, Honda models such as the Accord and Civic have seen decline in sales by 9.0 and 2.4 percent respectively. However, things are different with the 2017 Honda CR-V as it gained a double-digit sales increase for the second consecutive month of the year. It was mentioned that Honda was able to sell a total of 31,896 units in February and this is equivalent to 26.3 percent increase from its sales during the same month of the previous year.

2017 Honda CR-V: Hitting The Sweet Spot

Following the success of the 2017 Honda CR-V, the Japanese automaker's expectations have already been exceeded. "It's clearly hitting a sweet spot in the market and complemented by HR-V at the entry level," said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda division. The 2017 Honda CR-V is expected to carry the momentum over to the following months.

2017 Honda CR-V: Carrying The Momentum For The Next Month

According to Automotive News, the 2017 Honda CR-V is not the only one that was able to set the pace for the automaker during the previous month. It was mentioned that the light-truck variants of the Japanese automaker has also seen an increase of 12 percent in sales that makes up for the 6.9 percent decline in the car segment. In total, Honda has been able to sell a total of 63,989 units to date.

2017 Honda CR-V: Trims And Prices

The 2017 Honda CR-V is considered to be one of the most affordable and reliable compact SUVs in the market and is available in three trim levels. The 2017 Honda CR-V has a price of $24,925 for the base trim LX as reported. This is followed by $25,575 and $33,275 for the EX and Touring trims respectively.
In the past, scientists have pinpointed cats, or cat litter, as the main reason for schizophrenia. They think that having pet cats might increase a kid's risk of developing schizophrenia. However, a growing field of research which focuses on the links between owning a cat and mental health disorders have found that there is no such link.

Initially thought to be the culprit for schizophrenia, the cat-borne parasite that causes toxoplasmosis have previously gained attention, making scientists warn pregnant women to stay away from cat poo. Now, a new study of about 5,000 children in Britain finds no evidence that cat ownership during gestation or childhood is associated with psychotic experiences. The study, published in the journal Psychological Medicine, is the latest research that have debunked previously held beliefs that are based on correlations, but not concrete conclusions, about cats making people crazy.

Researchers are now saying that cat ownership does not cause schizophrenia. "Our findings should reassure people that owning a cat in pregnancy or childhood is not related to later risk of psychotic symptoms," co-author James Kirkbride, a psychiatric epidemiologist at University College London, says. The infectious bacteria that has been thought to cause the mental health disorder, Toxoplasma gondii, is hardly well understood, the Daily Journal reports.

In the 1970s, when psychiatrist E. Fuller Torrey looked into previously published research, he found studies that show schizophrenics had higher toxoplasma antibody levels than people without the mental illness. The theory about schizophrenia-causing cats stuck. Plenty of past researchers even support it, the Wired reports.

However, establishing cat poop as the source for schizophrenia is incredibly difficult. The disease rarely has been reported, and scientists still dont know a lot about its biological, or genetic, roots. Therefore, you can keep your cat and stop worrying if it can make others go crazy.
Motorola has been owned by Lenovo for some time now and so far, the "Motorola" phone lineup is still present in the smartphone market. However, last year, Lenovo mentioned that they are eventually getting rid of the "Motorola" name. The company said that they will instead go by the "Moto by Lenovo" moniker for their smartphone lineup. Needless to say, the company has changed its mind and Motorola will keep its name as is.

Motorola Branding By Lenovo

As it turns out, the company was in a confused stage when they shared their plan to get rid of the Motorola branding. Aymar de Lencquesaing, Chairman and President of Motorola, says that they just finished transforming themselves last year. Now, de Lencquesaing shares that they have a clearer vision as to how they want to present themselves. With that, the Motorola branding won't be phased out anytime soon.

The Chairman says that they will be reinvigorating their most forward-looking product which is the Moto Z. This phone brings the modular concept and Moto Mods to the market and makes a very valid option to the people who love the idea of Mods. De Lencquesaing says that Moto Z will soon have an expanded scope and will come to more carriers in the US.

Lenovo To Motorola Shifting

As per CNET, Lenovo will soon migrate to the Motorola brand in all its markets. However, de Lencquesaing says that the timing will have to depend on each of the regions' demand. For instance, in Brazil, Motorola is going strong as a brand. In Russia on the other hand, Lenovo performs better in the market.

Chief Marketing Officer of the company, Jan Huckfeldt, says that it was foolish to throw the Motorola name overboard. His plan is to use the original DNA of the brand and bring Motorola back to being a premium smartphone name. In the US, Huckfeldt hopes that expanding the phones' distribution will do the trick. He proclaims that all that the company needs is 12 months and they'll be able to re-introduce the new Motorola into the market.
A new report from South Korea said that the production of the Galaxy S8 is now ramping up. It has already been confirmed that the long awaited Samsung flagship will be made official at the end of this month. As per the new report, Samsung expects a healthy demand for its new phones. This is why more than 12 million units are being produced and aimed to finish before April ends.

Twelve Million Galaxy S8 Units Coming Up

As per Sam Mobile, 4.7 million Galaxy S8 units will be produced this March alone. In April, 7.8 million more will be added to the stocks. Past reports have already mentioned Samsung's plans to exceed 10 million Galaxy S8 units and the new report backs this up. It was said that the mass production of the devices are being done in Samsung's facility in Vietnam.

Samsung's 2017 Smartphone Plans

Phone Arena said that Samsung is prepping up for a global launch of the Galaxy S8 series. It was said that the company will sell the new flagship phones in most of its target markets all at the same time. This means no more waiting for South Korea's demand to slow down before other countries can get their units. Nevertheless, there's still no clarity as to whether or not Samsung prioritized one S8 model over the other in terms of production quantity, but there have been past reports saying that the S8 Plus will likely be more in-demand than the smaller S8 model.

Do take note however, that Samsung hasn't confirmed the above figures. The company doesn't usually share details regarding production schedules. The only certain thing right now is that Samsung will finally unveil the Galaxy S8 on March 29 after skipping its usual MWC launch. This phone series will be Samsung's only flagship phones for 2017 up until the new Galaxy Note series gets released in H2 of the year.
The latest chapter of One Piece manga has just unveiled an unexpected plot twist. With the Straw Hats Pirates out to rescue Sanji and his family, Jinbe proposes something that Luffy cant refuse. Meanwhile, the anime will be heading on to a new arc in a few weeks.

One Piece Chapter 857 Spoilers: Luffy Turns To Gang Benge For Help

Luffy and Sanji are stranded but they're able to communicate with the others through a mirror. Sanji has not decided to return to the crew yet. Disappointed, the Straw Hats Pirates tries to convince Sanji to come back by rescuing his family. Sanji has been forced to marry one of Big Moms daughters while his family is being held, hostage.

Jinbe revealed that the wedding was only a plot to get all the Vinsmokes together so Big Mom can kill them off and claim Germa. She had always wanted the kingdom because it had the strongest army. Despite being outnumbered, the Straw Hats decide to fight Big Mom. Jinbe said they would be able to fight one of the Yonkos with the help of Gang Benge.

One Piece Chapter 858 Predictions: Gang Benge Helps, Vinsmokes Saved, But Will Luffy Live?

After Jinbe told Luffy about the proposal to team up with Gang Benge, Luffy reconsiders and agrees to meet with them. It's most likely that Luffy will team up with Gang Benge, since the latter, whos Big Moms ally, was also in charge of the weddings security, which is an advantage for them. With that, the Vinsmokes will be saved and the wedding will be called off.

Though the fight against Big Mom will be difficult, Luffy must also be on guard that Gang Benge will not betray him, too. Luffy, who detests Benges doings will probably stop him from killing Big Mom and this will give Benge the reason to target Luffy. Benge's infamous for killing leaders of every organization out of leisure. But given Eiichiro Odas reputation, anything can happen.

One Piece Anime Enters Supernova Arc

The anime series of will be entering a new arc on March 19 and it will focus on the Supernovas. The story will be about the young pirates, Luffy and Sanji as they travel to save Sanji and his family. The new arc will be an original story and will introduce new characters, who will likely be villains.

The new characters are Grant, Bonam, Sappa, and Vice-Admiral Prodi. One notable thing about the Supernova Arc is that Luffy is wearing a marines coat, which is unlikely of him since he is a pirate. One Piece will end the Zou Arc after two more episodes.
BARCELONA -- Venerable smartphone brands Motorola, Nokia and BlackBerry got new life at Mobile World Congress 2017, but that was primarily due to the influence of Chinese and Finnish manufacturers that have licensed the names.

One new Android smartphone, the BlackBerry KEYone, was launched by TCL Communication, based in Huizhou, China. The phone has both a touchscreen and a physical keyboard, with 52 keys that can be used as shortcuts to find apps and functions. It goes on sale in April for $549.

HMD Global of Espoo, Finland, launched three budget Android phones under the Nokia brand  the Nokia 3, 5 and 6, starting at $147 with screens ranging from 5 inches to 5.5 inches in size. A 2000 classic handset was revised  the Nokia 3310  but with a slimmer size and a color screen.

[ See Computerworlds roundup of Mobile World Congress. ]

Chinese vendor Lenovo announced the Moto G5 and G5 Plus with prices starting at $178. Only the G5 Plus will be sold in the U.S. It will be available on Motorolas website for $229 for the 16GB version.

The business model for the Lenovo- and HMD-throwback branded phones seems to be to gain market share with low-cost devices, much as Huawei of Shenzhen, China, has done for years, said Kevin Burden, an analyst at 451 Research. Huawei pursued a model of introducing low cost phones for years, and has now grown to become the third-largest phone maker in the world. In the U.S. however, the company is in 10th place, according to market research firm IDC.

In addition to its low-cost approach, Huawei in January announced the Mate 9 smartphone at a pricey $600; and at MWC launched the P10 and P10 Plus featuring Leica camera optics. The P10 starts at 650 ($687) with 64GB of storage. Neither will be sold in the U.S., but could be purchased unlocked. They have radio bands that work with some U.S. carriers.

[ To comment on this story, visit Computerworld's Facebook page. ]

Burden said it will be difficult for Huawei to be a challenger to Apple and Samsung in the U.S. smartphone market any time soon. However, he said Huawei could reach the top market share globally in a few years, given its aggressive marketing, design and manufacturing approach.
Amazon Web Services said today its outage earlier this week that affected major websites and apps was caused by human error.

Sites including Netflix, Reddit and the Associated Press struggled for hours on Tuesday -- all because of a simple typo.

"While we are proud of our long track record of availability with Amazon S3, we know how critical this service is to our customers, their applications and end users, and their businesses," the company wrote in an online message. "We will do everything we can to learn from this event and use it to improve our availability even further."

On Tuesday morning, AWS reported on its Service Health Dashboard that it was having problems with its S3, or Simple Storage Service, in its data centers located in northern Virginia.

The issue, which even affected the AWS dashboard, was not cleared up until about 5 p.m. ET that day.

Now, AWS is offering an explanation of what happened.

"The Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) team was debugging an issue causing the S3 billing system to progress more slowly than expected," the company noted. "At [12:37 p.m. ET], an authorized S3 team member using an established playbook executed a command which was intended to remove a small number of servers for one of the S3 subsystems that is used by the S3 billing process.

[ To comment on this story, visit Computerworld's Facebook page. ]

"Unfortunately, one of the inputs to the command was entered incorrectly and a larger set of servers was removed than intended," the message added.

Zeus Kerravala, an analyst with ZK Research, said it's not surprising that such a major issue was caused by human error.

"My research shows that 37% of IT outages are from human error," he said. "It's scary and shows that despite so many advancements in technology, we are still largely beholden to manual processes. This is an example of where better automation and machine learning could help."

AWS noted in its online message today that its engineers have learned from the outage Tuesday and are making changes to try to keep it from happening again.

"While removal of capacity is a key operational practice, in this instance, the tool used allowed too much capacity to be removed too quickly," the company explained. "We have modified this tool to remove capacity more slowly and added safeguards to prevent capacity from being removed when it will take any subsystem below its minimum required capacity level."

That, according to AWS, should prevent an incorrect input from triggering another outage.

The company also noted that engineers are auditing other operational tools to ensure they have similar safety checks.

"We will also make changes to improve the recovery time of key S3 subsystems," AWS noted. "We employ multiple techniques to allow our services to recover from any failure quickly."

Patrick Moorhead, an analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy, said he thinksS this incident will give AWS a black eye in the short term.

"It's incredible to think that one mistake by one person on one command can take down millions of users," he said. "People should expect more from AWS... This incident will make enterprises think twice about moving certain workloads and apps to the public cloud and motivate them to look closely at the private cloud."

For his part, Kerravala said he expects cloud rivals Google and Microsoft to hop on this AWS incident and try to drive any lost business their way.
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.
Most people wish that they could go back in time to share some much-needed advice with their younger selves just to make things a bit better. Even Bill Gates, who is one of the most successful industry leaders in the whole world, has a thing or two to say to his 19-year-old self.

On his fifth Reddit Ask Me Anything session earlier this week, the 61-year-old was asked this question.

If you could give 19-year-old Bill Gates some advice, what would it be?

The Microsoft co-founder said that he wishes he could tell his younger self that there are various ways that a person can be smart and that IQ isnt as important as he thought it was.

I would explain that smartness is not single dimensional and not quite as important as I thought it was back then, he said.

Gates also wishes that he could encourage teenage Bill to get out and travel more.

I would say you might explore the developing world before you get into your forties, he continued. Nowadays, Gates and his wife, Melinda, often travel the world to give foreign aid to poor countries through their foundation.

Lastly, the father-of-three said that he wishes he was less awkward back then.

I wasnt very good socially back then but I am not sure there is advice that would fix that, said Gates. Maybe I had to be awkward and just grow up

Apart from being awkward, it appears that the philanthropist was also quite troublesome in his youth. Last year, Herald Scotland reported that Gates revealed how he was disruptive as a teenager, forcing his parents to send him to a psychologist.

But mostly, Gates has been passionate about computers since he was a young boy. He discovered his love of computers by writing a computer code for a version of tic-tac-toe when he attended the prestigious Lakeside prep school in Seattle, according to Business Insider.

By high school, Gates and fellow student, Paul Allen, who also happens to be his Microsoft co-founder, went into business for the first time. When Gates was 15, the two created Traf-O-Data, a tool for tracking traffic flow in the area.

Gates attended Harvard University but dropped out in 1975 to devote his time to Microsoft. Now, Gates is one of the wealthiest men in the world, and according to reports, is set to become the worlds first trillionaire within 25 years.

For more, check out Jobs & Hires report on how Bill Gates stays incognito in public.
Every week, it appears that people in different parts of the world experience getting hacked in one way or another. While you think that this could never happen to you, it is completely possible as hackers have become even better at stealing information.

Robert Herjavec, founder and CEO of cybersecurity firm Herjavec Group, and star of ABCs Shark Tank told CNBC that most people assume that theyre safe from being hacked.

People assume that theyre exempt from the risks of cybersecurity, said Herjavec. Similarly, businesses assume it will never happen to them.

Herjavec says that in todays uncertain times, all of us can be potentially targeted by hackers as they use identity information, passwords, corporate IP secrets, and payment information for political and financial gain.

No matter what it is, theyre either putting it up for sale on the deep dark web, holding files for ransom, or leveraging the data to influence markets, politics, and business, added the 54-year-old.

However, there are ways that you can decrease the chance of a hacker stealing your information. Herjavec said that one way to do this is to avoid using public wi-fi. The entrepreneur said that one should never do personal banking in a public place. Moreover, financial transactions shouldnt be done at all on public wi-fi.

The Shark Tank star also notes that we should all look for the "https://" when doing anything financial as that connection meets the basic SSL certification level of encrypted security.

Herjavec also said that people shouldnt open emails or attachments from strangers. This means that if you get an email from the prince of Nigeria who wants to give you money, be educated and skeptical.

Hackers are also evolving phishing emails to make it seem like they are coming from someone you know, he said. Dont input any personal information on links from emails youre not sure about.

Apart from Herjavecs tips, another way to avoid getting hacked is to change your passwords. Dont be lazy and use 123456 or password as your password, and never use your birthday as a password. To protect yourself, ensure that your password has more than eight characters, has a combination of letters and numbers, and never use one password for all of your accounts. You can also use an easily remembered sentence as a password rather than a single word.

For more, check out Jobs & Hires report on the toy company that leaked personal information of over half a million customers.
New Zealand is currently on the radar of some of the wealthiest people in the world. According to reports, tech billionaires are investing in real estate in the country due to its healthy environment and scenic views.

If youre looking to move to New Zealand country but you dont have the funds, then this is the right time to do so as the tech industry in Wellington is trying to recruit tech experts from all over the world to their community. Moreover, the company is offering a free trip if you prove that youre right for the job and deserve an interview.

According to Good Housekeeping, LookSee Wellington is calling this opportunity as a global talent attraction program, and 100 potential recruits will be invited to stay in the country for free. All you have to do is prove that you can serve as a creative director, solution architect, software developer, product manager, analyst, or digital strategist to get a free ticket to New Zealand.

The application process starts by registering online with LookSee Wellington and creating a profile. Wellington employees will review all applications and nominate their chosen candidates. Candidates with the highest nominations are selected to fly to Wellington.

After that, travel details and itineraries are confirmed, and candidates will fly to Wellington to meet with employers. Job offers are made to successful candidates, and if you get an offer, you get to move into the community.

Once youve settled in Wellington, be prepared to take in the sights, sounds, and cuisine of the tech community. There are over 750 bars, restaurants, and cafes in the areasaid to be more per capita than New York City. You also get to enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking and biking.

Theres no lack of culture as well as Wellington is home to over 55 galleries and museums. Most of all, you get to experience the countrys great weather as the community enjoys around 2,000 hours of sunshine each year.

For more information, visit the LookSee Wellington website here.

For more, check out Jobs & Hires report on the hardest interview questions you might be asked.
South Korean appliance maker LG Electronics Inc. will be spending millions of dollars in a new factory in the United States. The announcement comes on the heels of President Donald Trump's threat to impose heavy taxes on products made outside of the country.

The International Business Times reported that LG set aside $250 million to build a manufacturing facility in the state of Tennessee in the United States. The new factory will be used for the production of washing machines that have technologies that are state of the art.

Producing washing machines is just the starting point for the manufacturing facility. LG has plans to expand the scope of the Tennessee factory to other appliances as well.

LG has picked Tennessee as the location of the manufacturing facility because the state has offered to give it an attractive package, according to a report by Salon. Details of the package remain under tight wraps because the South Korean appliance maker and the state government of Tennessee have not finalized the agreement yet.

However, the state government might offer monetary and other forms of support in order for the project to push through. The manufacturing facility is expected to create jobs in the state, so the project could get support when it comes to improving construction and infrastructure, as well as hiring.

Bill Haslam, governor of Tennessee, welcomed LG's decision to build the manufacturing facility in the state. He sees the action as an acknowledgment and expression of confidence that the state is friendly to businesses.

Aside from the Tennessee project, LG is also planning to create thousands of jobs in New Jersey with the construction of a building. The project will cost $300 million.

Jobs & Hire previously reported that the South Korean appliance maker is working on its LG G Pad III 10.1.
LONG BEACH, California  International Longshoremens Association president Harold Daggett urged US East and Gulf coast dockworkers to heed their contracts no-strike clause and avoid unauthorized work stoppages for a Washington protest.

In a statement issued at the opening session of the JOCs 17th annual Trans-Pacific Maritime Conference, Daggett said, I strongly urge all ILA members not to engage in any work stoppage or any other violations of our current master contract.

Importers and exporters had expressed concern about talk of a one-day coastwide work stoppage for a Washington march to protest what the union claims is state-level government interference in collective bargaining.

The planned protest was aimed at the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, the anticrime agency that oversees dockworker hiring in the Port of New York and New Jersey, and at the employment of non-union state employees for dockworker jobs at state-owned South Atlantic ports.

Daggett said the ILA will seek emergency meetings with members of Congress to address ILA concerns he said had reached a boiling point. No dates have been set for the meetings.

We hear your anger, we hear your frustration, and we intend to address it, Daggett said in a statement to ILA members. With a delegation of ILA leaders, I will be heading to Washington to seek help for our industry from Congress.

Meanwhile, he urged ILA members to stay on the job. Let the leadership of the ILA meet with Congress in Washington. I am confident Congress will understand the urgency of our issues and help us resolve any and all problems.

After talk of a coastwide work stoppage following informal meetings this month between ILA and employer representatives, United States Maritime Alliance reminded the union of its no-strike clause and warned, If the ILA engages in any unilateral walkout, USMX will enforce the contractual rights of its members to the fullest.

The work-stoppage talk cast a cloud over the impending start of formal negotiations between the ILA and USMX on a new Maine-to-Texas master contract to replace the one that expires Sept. 30, 2018.

Contract bargaining is expected to begin soon after Daggett asks union locals to elect more than 150 wage-scale delegates who will be present for the negotiations.

Top issues in the next negotiations are expected to include technology and work jurisdiction. Several ILA local leaders also have called for creation of a coastwide plan to shore up underfunded pension plans, which are negotiated port-by-port.

The union hasnt had a coastwide strike since 1977 but came close to one during the last negotiations. The current six-year agreement was settled after repeated strike threats, two extensions, and help from a federal mediator.

Contact Joseph Bonney at joseph.bonney@ihsmarkit.com and follow him on Twitter: @JosephBonney.






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"Abundant Acreage Available," a drama that was filmed in East Bend, will have its world premiere in April at the Tribeca Film Festival, festival organizers announced Thursday.

The movie was written and directed by local filmmaker Angus MacLachlan, who is an alumnus of the UNC School of the Arts.

"It's fantastic to return to Tribeca after 2014's 'Goodbye To All That,'" MacLachlan said. "I'm really looking forward to the whole experience."

The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival will run April 19 to 30 in New York.

"Acreage" revolves around siblings settling their father's estate, a tobacco farm in East Bend. They meet three aging brothers with a connection to the land. The cast includes Amy Ryan, Terry Kinney and Max Gail. Martin Scorsese is an executive producer on the film.
WASHINGTON  President Trump addressed Congress on Tuesday night.

Or was it the state Duma?

And how can you tell the difference?

Trump uttered some 5,000 words and spoke for 60 minutes, but not one of those words was Russia, and not one of those minutes was devoted to the so-far successful effort by our geopolitical adversary to undermine American democracy.

The FBI and intelligence community have unanimously charged that Vladimir Putins government interfered in the U.S. elections in its successful attempt to get Trump elected. Ties between Trump and his team and Russia have been well established, right up through contacts with the Russian ambassador during the transition that led to the resignation of Trumps national security adviser, Michael Flynn  all while Trump has promised a friendly new approach to Russia.

It was hard to ignore this elephant, even in a room as large as the House chamber. And yet Trump excised it, like Trotsky from Soviet photos.

Putin could not have done better  nor could he have appointed better men to investigate Russias interference in the U.S. election than those now charged with doing it.

Consider Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and head of the House investigation into Russia.

Last Friday, The Washington Post reported that Nunes participated in a White House-led effort to knock down a New York Times story asserting the Trump campaign had contacts with Russian intelligence. On Saturday, Nunes said at a forum in California that Flynn, who was pushed out over the Russia controversy, is an American hero, and he was doing his job. On Monday, Nunes, the man responsible for overseeing the Houses probe into the Russia matter, assembled reporters and declared: The way it sounds to me is its been looked into and theres no evidence of anything. Of contacts between Russia and Trump lieutenants, he said, What Ive been told ... by many folks is that theres nothing there.

Nunes even offered Trump and Flynn an alibi, saying they were so busy that Trump couldnt have possibly directed Flynn to call the Russian ambassador to talk about sanctions. And Nunes said a special prosecutor should be called in only if serious crimes have been committed. ... But at this point, we dont have that.

It was a trip through the looking glass: The very purpose of an investigation is to determine whether crimes have been committed; if you have proof, you dont need an investigation.

Nunes, who served on Trumps transition committee, has already said executive privilege prevents him from examining discussions between Trump and Flynn. And Nunes echoed Trumps claim that the real scandal isnt about contacts with Russia but about the unauthorized leaks about such contacts.

And this man is supposed to lead an impartial investigation? You might as well ask the Kremlin to conduct one.

You dont need to be a partisan Democrat to know that, as former president George W. Bush told NBC, we all need answers on Trumps Russia ties. But the congressional Republicans leading the investigation have already declared their partiality. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, also participated in the White House campaign to debunk the Times report.

During the previous administration, seven congressional committees issued eight reports on the Benghazi affair  and that was before the two-year Select Committee investigation concluded. Now we have the White House pressuring the FBI and senior intelligence officials to debunk allegations against Trump.

So where are these crack investigators now?

Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, has offered a bevy of excuses: He doesnt need to probe the Flynn affair because its taking care of itself; other panels could better protect sources and methods; he didnt want to pry into the private systems of a political party; and he wont personally target the president.

The pressure not to probe must be considerable. Last Friday, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) told HBOs Bill Maher that youre going to need to use the special prosecutors statute and office to probe the Russia-Trump matter. But on Monday, Issa retreated, saying he would support an independent review but not a special prosecutor because theres no individual under suspicion.

Nunes, serving as judge and jury, told reporters Monday that it was ridiculous to suggest Flynns transition talks with the Russian ambassador violated the law prohibiting private citizens from conducting foreign policy. We should be thanking him, Nunes declared, not going after him.

Good idea. And after they thank Flynn, the Duma investigators should send chocolates to Putin.
WASHINGTON  The dyspeptic Henry Adams was not nice but not wrong when he described what now is named the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House, as an architectural infant asylum. The granite pile, which once housed the State, War and Navy departments, was, Harry Truman said, the greatest monstrosity in America. Actually, todays premier monstrosity is the federal budget, which is Mick Mulvaneys headache as the new head of the Office of Management and Budget, which is housed in the EEOB.

If the dictionary had an entry for deficit hawk, it would have Mulvaneys picture next to it: In 2011, he opposed raising the debt ceiling unless it was linked to deep spending cuts and a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget. Now 49, he became a South Carolina congressman by defeating a 14-term Democrat who was chairman of the House Budget Committee. Mulvaney was about to begin his fourth term when the new president nominated him to be budget director. This detonated Sen. John McCain, who voted against Mulvaney, whose fiscal stringency extends to defense spending.

Mulvaney represented upstate South Carolina, where Andrew Jackson might or might not have been born (southern North Carolina also claims him) and where Jacksons military spirit still lives. Mulvaney and McCain both oppose the budget slush fund used to evade spending caps by paying for some military operations outside the regular defense budget, as Overseas Contingency Operations. McCain has derided OCO as a gimmick. In 2016, it was 10 percent of defense spending; bringing those operations into regular budgeting will further complicate Mulvaneys task of solving this budgetary Rubiks cube: How to accommodate preserving the sequesters spending caps, cutting tax revenues by upward of $6 trillion over a decade, reforming the tax code, substantially increasing defense spending, finding $1 trillion for infrastructure projects and leaving untouched entitlements while every day 10,000 more baby boomers become eligible for Social Security and Medicare. Today AARP is running television ads urging support for the new presidents promise to protect and save both programs. While Mulvaney stresses the guarantee that no one in or near retirement will ever be affected by entitlement reforms, he also insists that there must be changes if the two programs are to be protected and saved.

It is an old joke: Two people, an economist and a normal person, fall into a deep pit with steep, unscalable sides. Dont worry, says the economist, well just assume a ladder. It is an old budgeting practice: Assume rapid economic growth. What OMB decides to assume will depend, Mulvaney says, on finding the sweet spot among various public- and private-sector growth projections.

Although since 2000 average GDP growth has been an anemic 1.9 percent, and America just completed a decade without a single year of 3 percent growth, Steven Mnuchin, the new treasury secretary, has signaled what the administration will assume: He believes 3 percent growth can be normal. Never mind that growth was 1.8 percent last year, and the Federal Reserve sees 1.8 percent for many years, and the Congressional Budget Office projects 1.9 percent for five years.

Mulvaney notes that someone 35 years old has spent his or her entire working life experiencing nothing but economic sluggishness. The political rewards for delivering the novelty of economic dynamism could be transformative. He insists that 1.9 percent is not the new normal and 230 years of American history are more indicative of what America is capable of. Whatever his shop proposes will reflect dynamic scoring, which estimates the growth effects of tax reform and, even more, regulatory relief, which he thinks can have two to three times the growth effect of tax policy.

The list of prior budget directors includes many luminous names: George Shultz, Caspar Weinberger, Leon Panetta, Alice Rivlin, Mitch Daniels, Rob Portman. None faced a challenge as daunting as Mulvaneys, with much depending on tax reform at a moment when Republicans are sharply divided about various proposals.

Confirmed later than any of his predecessors, Mulvaney is just getting organized in his ornate 19th-century office. The French writer Guy de Maupassant so loathed the Eiffel Tower that he frequently lunched in its restaurant because there he could not see the tower. As Mulvaney struggles to reconcile Americans appetite for government services and their aversion to paying for them, one consolation is that he cannot see the EEOB from his office in it.
KEVIN FIELDS, Winston-Salem

Join together

President Trump spoke before Congress on Tuesday night with courage and dignity, inviting all Americans to join him in making our nation great again, as it was in our parents and grandparents days (More-restrained Trump: Join forces for new greatness, March 1).

The time for division and protest is over. Its time to join together to move forward.

Im sure not everyone will. Some people are so full of bitterness and hatred that theyre willing to let America suffer rather than join their neighbors.

I pray they will be few, and that God will continue to show his mercy and grace on the rest of us as we turn this country from lawlessness and crime and a give me free stuff mentality.

We can be great again  if we work together!

***

BEVERLY M. BURTON, Winston-Salem

Winning

On Monday, President Trump said, Win. We have to win. We have to start winning wars again.

I cant help thinking it would be news to our Armed Forces that theyve been losing.

Trump continued: I have to say, when I was young, in high school and college, everybody used to say that we never lost a war. We never lost a war. You remember.

Oh, God. Is Trump going to have to start a war now just so he can say he won it? Voting for this child may be the worst mistake any living American ever made.

Trump has insulted our military, our allies, journalists, Congress, immigrants, minorities  is there anyone he hasnt insulted? Besides white supremacists, that is. Doesnt it say something that theyre perfectly happy with him?

This man is a disgrace to America. Please, please, somebody impeach him before he gets us all killed.

******

BARNEY HARPER, Winston-Salem

Disconnect from reality

President Trumps disconnect from reality is nothing new. Former White House adviser Karl Rove once claimed that political power allows you to create your own reality, which is the practice of oppressive regimes like North Korea, China and the USSR, where the state tells people what to believe and any dissent is punished.

This philosophy has gained traction in the Republican Party, which is the only major political party in the modern world  including parties in Canada, Mexico, England, Spain, France and many others, including China  that denies the truth of climate change. Think about that: The Republican Party thinks it can define reality better than any scientific organization or political party in the 21st century, despite all evidence to the contrary.

Trump is the perfect Republican president for this time. His whole life, his money has allowed him to believe whatever absurdity he wants  even the absurd claim that for him, sleeping around was an equivalent sacrifice to fighting in Vietnam  with few to challenge him. His administrations preference for friendly propaganda sources like The Washington Times and Brietbart could have been predicted.

The Democratic Party has spun the facts at times, but it never made a whole policy out of living in fantasy like the GOP has.

Theres a price to pay for basing ones life philosophy on lies rather than objective truth.

******

KEVIN LAWRENCE, Winston-Salem

Trumps language

President Trump has branded mainstream media as the enemy of the American people. The Journal recently attempted a balanced response to this Stalinesque insult.

On the left side of the op-ed page (Trump and the press, Feb. 24), Dana Milbank pointed out that American journalists are Americans themselves, with all kinds of American backgrounds and histories. On the right side of the page, Marc Thiessen complained of the lefts hypocrisy, noting that President Obama and Hillary Clinton both called Republicans their enemies.

Its no surprise that Obama and Clinton saw Republicans as enemies, given the way many Republicans spoke about them. But Trump goes much further. Ultimately he claims he is entitled to decide who is really American. Trumps language here is as sinister as his contention that 3-5 million people voted illegally in the 2016 election. No American president has ever spoken like this.

A few Republican friends of mine, and some Journal correspondents, seem puzzled by strong objections to such comments of Trump and his team. We read about liberals who are crybabies, hysterical, etc. Since Trump won the election promising to shake things up, some may find it exciting to hear a phrase like enemies of the people, an appellation that became a death sentence in revolutionary France and Stalinist Russia.

I certainly dont think America needs this kind of excitement. I value our free press, protected by the First Amendment, faithful to what America stands for, serving the truth, our country and all its people.

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Fans of the namaste bow or tree pose will soon have a new studio to practice their regular stretching and breathing techniques, as Essential Yoga recently held its soft opening at 140 West Richardson Street (upstairs from Katie Mae's) in Summerville's historic downtown area. Read moreEssential Yoga debuts in Summerville
[JURIST] The Kansas Supreme Court [official website] ruled [opinion, PDF] on Thursday that the state failed to ensure sufficient funding for public schools. The court found that approximately one-fourth of Kansass public school students have not been provided with basic reading and math skills. If the state does not create a new, adequate funding system by June 30, then schools will begin to be shut down as the school system will be deemed unconstitutional under Article 6 of the Kansas Constitution [text]. The court did not specify exactly how much extra funding is necessary, but an attorney for the plaintiff school districts estimates that the cost would be approximately $800 million.

Education funding has led to numerous legal challenges across the US. Last month the Illinois State Board of Education voted to approve [JURIST report] a settlement of a lawsuit claiming discriminatory school funding. In September the Supreme Court of Nevada ruled [JURIST report] that the states school funding system was unconstitutional. Earlier that month the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that Governor Matt Bevin did not have the authority to unilaterally cut the budget [JURIST report] for state universities. In 2015 the Supreme Court of Washington ordered [JURIST report] the state to pay a fine of $100,000 per day for each day that it fails to comply with a previous court ruling mandating adequate funding of public schools. Also in August of that year the US Senate passed a bill [JURIST report] to revamp the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act.
[JURIST] The Mississippi Senate [official website] on Thursday voted in favor [official website, bill history] of adding more ways to carry out the death penalty. House Bill 638 [text], which passed [JURIST report] in the Mississippi House of Representatives on February 8, would expand Mississippis methods of execution to include firing squad, gas chamber and electrocution in case the courts rule lethal injection unconstitutional. The Senate rejected [AP report] the firing squad option but retained the options of gas chamber and electrocution. The amended bill has been sent back to the House.

The death penalty has been a pressing issue across the country. Last month the Supreme Court denied review [JURIST report] in a death penalty case. A week earlier the Supreme Court ruled [JURIST report] in favor of a death row inmate over racial bias. Also in February a judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio refused to lift [JURIST report] a preliminary injunction that delays executions in Ohio. In January Judge Michael Merz rejected [JURIST report] Ohios lethal injection protocol by deeming it unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment. Also in January the US Supreme Court refused [JURIST report] to consider a challenge to Alabamas death penalty system. In December a report by the Death Penalty Information Center found that the use of capital punishment in the US is at a 20-year low [JURIST report].
[JURIST] The Egypt Court of Cassation [official website, in Arabic] on Thursday acquitted [Reuters report] former president Hosni Mubarak [BBC profile] in a retrial of charges that he killed protesters during the civil uprising in 2011 that ended his 30-year reign. Mubarak was initially convicted on these charges and sentenced to life in prison in 2012. But Mubarak strenuously maintained his innocence over the years, and an appeals court later ordered a retrial that ultimately brought the case to the Cassation Court. The retrial was postponed [JURIST report] in November as it was moved from the High Court building in Cairo to a different location. The Court rejected demands from lawyers for the victims and their families to initiate to reopen civil suits, which would mean that any remaining option for appeal or retrial is now closed.

Mubarak and other members of his administration have been consistently involved in some form of judicial proceeding since the Egyptian Revolution [JURIST backgrounder]. In October 2015 another Egypt court ordered [JURIST report] the release of Mubaraks sons, Gamal and Alaa Mubarak, after holding that they have completed their three-year prison sentences for embezzlement. In January 2015 a court in Egypt overturned [JURIST report] the May 2014 convictions of Mubarak on embezzlement charges and ordered a retrial. In December 2013 an Egypt court acquitted [JURIST report] former prime minister and presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq and Alaa and Gamal Mubarak of charges of embezzling public funds.
A London high court judge ruled on Friday that all drivers applying for a minicab or private hire vehicle license must pass a English reading and writing test [Independent report] that includes a 120-word short essay. The case was taken to court by Uber Technologies [corporate website], the ride-share app company, which protested the new language test rules of Transport for London (TFL) [official website], Londons transport authority. Uber, representing the drivers, argued that the language requirement would cause 33,000 drivers to lose their livelihoods and have a disproportionate impact on drivers from countries where English was not predominantly spoken and thereby amounts to an indirect discrimination on grounds of race and nationality. Judge John Mitting, acknowledged that the requirement could cause 40,000 drivers to either fail the test or be deterred from applying for a private hire vehicle license over a three-year period. Nevertheless, Mitting rejected the argument that the standards were too high and ruled that the requirements were essential for ensuring passenger safety, and raising standards. Londons Mayor Sadiq Khan [official website] applauded the decision stating: Im delighted that the courts have today backed my plans to drive up standards and improve passenger safety in London. However, the lawyer for Uber and the drivers termed the decision as deeply disappointing [Guardian report] stating that while Uber has always supported spoken English skills, it fails to see the relevance of writing an essay to communicating with passengers or getting them safely from one location to another. Uber has announced its intention to appeal the decision.

Uber has been involved in an increasing number of legal proceedings in the last year. In January, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) [official website] announced [JURIST report] that Uber agreed to pay $20 million to settle a claim that the ride-hailing company had engaged in misleading tactics to recruit new drivers. In December the European wing of Uber was indicted [JURIST report] in Denmark on charges of assisting drivers in their violation of taxi laws, although Copenhagen prosecutor Vibeke Thorkil-Jensen stated that that was just a test case seeking judicial assessment of Ubers involvement in the illegal acts of two of its drivers. In November a UK employment tribunal ruled [JURIST report] that Uber can no longer treat its drivers as self-employed and must provide certain workers rights to its drivers, including minimum wage. In September the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit [official website] ruled [JURIST report] that Uber drivers may not join in a class action suit to pursue employment claims against the transportation company but must resolve their disputes individually. In April Uber reached a settlement [JURIST report] with 385,000 of its drivers in Massachusetts and California in a case surrounding the drivers status as independent contractors. The California Labor Commission [official website] ruled [JURIST report] in June 2015 that drivers for the personal transportation service Uber are considered employees, not contractors.
[JURIST] A judge for US District Court for the Northern District of Iowa [official website] on Thursday sentenced a man who lied about his participation in the Rwandan genocide to 15 years imprisonment followed by deportation. Gervais Ngombwa [case materials] was convicted [North Iowa Today report] on charges of immigration fraud, with the prosecution asserting that Ngombwa was a participant in the genocide and a leader in an extremist Hutu party that actively killed minority Tutsis. He is also under indictment in Rwanda, and Judge Linda Reade [official profile] decided to let him stand trial in Rwanda on genocide charges after his US prison term. Ngombwa had told authorities that he was subject to persecution in Rwanda as the brother of an exiled Rwandan prime minister, which allowed his family to resettle in the US.

Last year two former Rwandan mayors went on trial in the Assize Court of Paris [JURIST report] on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The two men, Tito Barahira and Octavien Ngenzi, are accused of supervis[ing] and participat[ing] in the attack on [Tutsis], even going as far as killing wounded survivors in a clinic. In January of last year the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda formally closed [JURIST report] after issuing 45 judgments. In September 2015 a court in Toulouse, France, refused extradition requests [JURIST report] for Joseph Habyarimana, a Rwandan man, facing charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Track product launches by FMCG companies to get an understanding of the product-level strategies including geographic concentrations, innovation types, product claim, category focus and more

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Perform company-level analysis to understand business model, size, and geographic focus

Unilever product advertising is mainly through mainstream TV channels. Out of the products advertised so far at least 50% (over 850) of ads have been run on TV, while print media comes second with 496 ads. Unilever also utilizes social media platforms for advertisement. Unilever products are categorized by innovation ratings and tags in our product launch database. The North American region consists of almost 74 products with innovations related to the formulation of the product. Europe and other regions also have more products categorized under formulation-related innovation, followed by the packaging and positioning of the products. Most Unilever products are tagged with High Vitamins, Recyclable, and Natural tags to understand what the product differentiator is from other products available in the market. The majority of products belong to the personal care industry with a total of 5,788 products to date. This report, through the Unilever Example, illustrates how GlobalData Explorer enables you to:Dont miss out on key market insights that can help optimize your next investment  read the report now.
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The UK arm of Denmark-based meat co-operative Danish Crown has acquired UK foodservice company Leivers Brothers for an undisclosed sum.

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Danish Crown said the takeover of the Nottingham-based firm is with immediate effect from 1 March and does not require approval from competition authorities. The company said the move will double its UK foodservice business revenue.

Danish Crown Group CEO Jais Valeur said: Wanting to get closer to the end-users of our products is part and parcel of our 4WD strategy. This is by no means a major acquisition, but it is an important step in our efforts to create the right conditions for our UK foodservice business to be able to grow organically.

Leivers, which was founded in 1880, has been a supplier of bacon, fresh meat, cheese, sausages and meat to butchers, restaurants and canteens for many decades, Danish Crown said.

CEO of Danish Crown UK Lars Albertsen added: This is a very exciting step for the UK. While foodservice is a new business area for us, in which our pioneering spirit has brought us far in a relatively short time, next on the agenda is the integration of Leivers Brothers with the rest of our business. The synergies are obvious. I would go so far as to describe this as a major development for our foodservice division.

Foodservice has been part of Danish Crowns business in the UK since 2014. The group said it has succeeded in establishing a stable base in and around London and Manchester and this is now being further expanded in the Midlands with the acquisition of Leivers Brothers.

Earlier this week Tulip, the UK subsidiary of Danish Crown, warned more than 100 jobs could be axed at its Redruth site as a result of changes to shift patterns.

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KEARNEY  Connecting with patients, whether its at their bedside or from behind his desk, is what matters to Danny Van Ranken.

Thats what its about, he said. For me, I love taking care of patients.

Its that attitude, and caring for patients, that earned Van Ranken the outstate award for Respiratory Therapist of the Year from the Nebraska Society for Respiratory Care.

Every year, the society honors three respiratory therapists for being outstanding in their regions at the Great Plains Conference for Respiratory Care in Lincoln. The awards are given to one respiratory therapist in Lincoln, one in Omaha and one outstate.

Respiratory therapists specialize in the cardiopulmonary system and in breathing issues.

Van Ranken was nominated for the award for what he and his team accomplished at Kearney Regional Medical Center where he is the respiratory therapy manager.

Jill Sand, a former co-worker and director for the Respiratory Care Program at Southeast Community College in Lincoln and president of the Nebraska Society of Respiratory Care, nominated him for the award.

Sand, a Bertrand native, worked with Van Ranken while the two were respiratory therapists on staff at Bryan Health East Campus.

Ive watched Danny really grow as a therapist, take on new responsibility, really without needing a lot of direction. He just takes it and runs with it, and whatever he does he makes it into a new and innovative, really neat working environment, she said. For me personally, its important that Danny does what he does in the area he does because my parents and those that I love, that is where they will receive care. Its important that Danny is as innovative as he can be because someday he or his staff or the things hes implemented may impact the lives of my family more than I can ever imagine.

Van Ranken gives credit to his staff and co-workers for his success.

Having been nominated was an honor. Then to go ahead and win it was an even bigger honor because you know it came from peers who do the exact same thing as you every day. It was nice to be able to receive that recognition from so many different peers in the state, he said.

A Colby, Kan., native, Van Ranken graduated from Colby High School in 1997, graduated from Colby Community College and later Southeast Community College at Lincoln. He now serves on the board of directors for the respiratory therapy program.

Van Ranken worked at CHI Health Good Samaritan for one year, returned to Lincoln and worked at Bryan Health East Campus where he became a supervisor. During his 15-year career there, Van Ranken specialized in adult critical care, was on the neonatal transport team and worked in the neonatal intensive care unit.

In 2014, Van Ranken moved his wife, Nellie, an Amherst native, and their three young daughters back to Kearney and started at KRMC. In addition to managing the program and 15 other therapists, Van Ranken also sees patients.

I do not ever want to get to the point in my career that Im so far removed from practice that I cant go take care of a patient. Patient care is what I love, he said. Honestly, if I had to give up patient care or give up being in management, Id give up being in management.

I enjoy taking care of people and seeing patients get better.

@HubChic
KEARNEY  The Buffalo County Republican Party will be visited by Kenny Zoeller, the newly appointed executive director of the Nebraska Republican Party, at its upcoming monthly meeting.

Zoeller will speak about his vision for the future of the Nebraska GOP and how Republicans can continue to grow the party. In January, Gov. Pete Ricketts appointed Zoeller as executive director to the state Republican Party.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Kearney Public Library. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
ALMA  Law enforcement is searching for a man in Harlan County who allegedly shot himself Thursday evening in a dispute over cigarettes.

The Harlan County Sheriffs Office was called around 10:45 p.m. Thursday for a person who was possibly shot in Alma.

Officers met with a 22-year-old man who stated he and his brother, 26, had been in an argument over cigarettes when it escalated to a gun being involved, according to a press release from the Harlan County Sheriffs Office.

According to a Harlan County dispatcher, during the scuffle the 26-year-old man shot himself and fled.

Sheriffs officers, the Nebraska State Patrol and a K9 unit searched the immediate area and were unable to find the suspect. The extent of his injuries was unknown earlier today.

A search warrant was conducted on a residence and controlled substances were recovered.

One man was taken into custody for felony possession of a controlled substance and is being held at Phelps County Jail.

If anyone has information regarding the alleged shooting victim, they are asked to contact the Harlan County Sheriffs Office at (308) 928-2147.
LINCOLN (AP)  A bill that would require drug screenings for Nebraska welfare recipients raised objections Thursday from civil liberties groups and advocates for low-income residents.

The measure presented to a committee would require applicants to complete substance abuse and job skills programs if they test positive for illegal drugs.

The bill is intended not to punish individuals but to provide treatment for people with a substance abuse problem, said state Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango, the bills sponsor.

Hughes said he introduced the bill at the urging of constituents in his southwest Nebraska district, who voiced concerns that welfare recipients might be abusing the benefit.

Under the bill, applicants who test positive would have to complete substance abuse and job skills training programs. Those who fail or refuse to complete either program would become ineligible for cash assistance for a year, or until both programs are completed.

The Department of Health and Human Services could assign a protective payee to handle finances for a parent or guardian who gets disqualified.

Nebraska has an average of 5,710 recipients per month, according to the department. The drug tests could cost an estimated $50,200 a year in state and federal money, based on the assumption that 11 percent of current adult recipients are suspected of drug abuse. If 4 percent of those tested are declared ineligible, the state and federal government would see a combined savings of $21,300.

Additionally, state officials say theyd have to hire a new program specialist at a cost of more than $73,000 in state and federal money.

Applicants would have to take a test if caseworkers suspect theyre abusing drugs, which Hughes acknowledged is a subjective standard. Hughes said the measure has problems that need to be fixed but argued the state should do more to help people who are abusing illegal drugs.

We want people to live meaningful lives, and I feel dependency on drugs is a barrier, he said.

Critics said the bill violates recipients constitutional rights by subjecting them to invasive tests. Unlike drug screenings required by employers, state tests for parolees usually require a test-taker to urinate in front of another person, said Amy Miller, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska.

There is nothing more invasive or more concerning ... than literally making poor people expose themselves, Miller said.

Additionally, Miller said a false positive could force recipients to take a second test at their own expense just to clear their name.

We have no examples, no studies, no proof that this is even happening in Nebraska, she said.

Its also not clear whether the state has enough resources to test every suspected drug user, said Becky Gould, executive director of the group Nebraska Appleseed.

I think there are a lot of questions there about whether treatment will actually be provided, Gould said.

At least 15 states have passed laws that relate to drug testing or screening to qualify for public assistance, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Some apply to all applicants, while others target people with a history of drug abuse or those who are believed to be using.

Other states that required tests have found little evidence of drug abuse among recipients.

In the four months after Florida enacted its program, the state tested 4,086 applicants for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and 108  about 2.6 percent of the total  tested positive for illegal narcotics. Hughes noted that nearly 1,600 applicants declined to take the test, which makes it difficult to draw conclusions.
In the 1950s the Communist Party was resolved in making inroads into the Western Hemisphere. Concerted efforts were put upon Central and South America. These countries were controlled by dictators. The Communist Peoples Party agitated the lower classes and the workers to rebel, while putting their own leaders into positions of power.

This was played nightly on our televisions in the United States. Riots, destruction, mayhem and organized devastation. What kind of people has the disrespect for their country to act with such lawlessness? No one imagined the conflict that was happening in these undeveloped countries could happen in our country.

Since our last election, there has been unprecedented discord. After 46 peaceful transitions of political change in our nation, there is a revolt from a bitter and unaccountable Democrat Party. With organized riots in the streets, and with obstinate obstruction in Congress, they destroy in place of debate and terrorize instead of talk.

Many people have been observing that the two political parties have been growing farther apart. The Democrat Party was diverted significantly to the left by Hillary Clinton, billionaire George Soros, and the labor union bosses during Clintons campaign for New York Senate. This exploit was the establishment of The Shadow Party. It was a huge liberal shift of power and direction within the party. Google The Shadow Party and find out. Barack Obama is staying in Washington, D.C., with intentions to obstruct the current administration, which has never in history been done by a president.

The Republican Party follows the principles of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They want every citizen to prosper, and they do not separate people into different groups.

To understand the radical movement of the Democrats is to compare two of the recent presidents.

One president proclaimed in his inaugural address, Do not ask what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. One president announced falsely, prior to a presidential election, that terrorism had been defeated and that an obscure Internet video was to blame for a savage attack on our consulate in Benghazi, Libya. This resulted in the murder and mutilation of four Americans, including our ambassador.

One president was the first Catholic ever to be elected president of the United States.

One president, within the White House, had prayer rugs and crescent moons for secretive rituals, and ordered silence for Islamic prayer five times a day.

John F. Kennedy and his integrity would not be welcome in the Democrat Party today.

Kim Phillips, Pleasanton
FILE- In this Sept. 21, 2016 file photo, school district attorney Alan Rupe, left, presents his arguments in a school funding case at the Kansas Supreme Court in Topeka, Kan. Kansas' highest court on Thursday, March 2, 2017, ordered the state to increase its spending on public schools, which could further complicate the state's dire budget problems and increase pressure to undo large tax cuts championed by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
Train derails in central Seoul, injuring 30 passengers A train derailed in central Seoul on Sunday, injuring some 30 passengers, the operator said. The derailment occurred at 8:52 p.m., when the Mugunghwa train with 275 passengers o...

More than 117,000 visit mourning altars set up across Seoul for Itaewon victims More than 117,000 people paid their respects at mourning altars set up across Seoul for the victims of the Halloween crowd crush that killed at least 156 people in the city's night...
File photo

A simple Facebook search reunited a mother and son who were separated without contact for 33 years, the pair said on Thursday.

Vipavadee Thisorn, 54, and Parinya Thisorn, 36, met each other for

the first time in three decades in an emotional encounter on Wednesday

at Thailands southern city of Hat Yai.

Their meeting came three days after Vipavadee searched for her son

on Facebook and found him, after several previous unsuccessful attempts.





I tried searching his nickname Oat and his full name many times and never found him, Vipavadee said.

Parinya just recently bought a smartphone and joined Facebook.

Vipavadee, who separated from her husband, Parinyas father, when

he was 3-years-old, said she was too young at the time to take

responsibility.

She had tried to reconnect with her son over the years.





For the past few years, I kept seeing Parinyas father, who

died in 2011, in my vision, he would sit next to my bed when I was

sleeping. I think this is the sign that it is the right time to try to

find my son again.





I started the conversation on Facebook with my son. He was not

sure who I was at first and asked personal questions like his fathers

name and my nickname. Once we both realised we are mother and son, we

both burst into tears, Vipavadee said.

Parinya, who travelled 1,700 kilometres from the northern city of Chiang Rai, asked his mother to live with him and his son. I will never let her go again, he said.
A man has shocked people by reportedly exchanging his wife for beer inside a beer parlour.

According to reports, a Zimbabwean man got into trouble after exchanging his wife for extra drinks in a beer parlour.

The man identified as Bulala, reportedly has a reputation for loving beer more than he loves his own wife. He shocked



people by allowing a man touch his wife inappropriately, in exchange for more beer.

According to B Metro, Bulala had offered his wife to a man known as

Andrew Mali, after he offered to pay for more drinks and meat for him.

Bulala was said to have ignored Mali when he started touching his wife.

They had drank from about 4pm to 7pm, before moving on to another beer

parlour. He eventually reacted when they got to the bus stop, by

stabbing Mali in the face with a broken beer bottle.

Bulala reportedly took his wife and abandoned Mali to bleed out. Mali

was taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) where he regained

consciousness. Bulala was eventually arrested after police discovered

that he was with Mali before he was stabbed.

Bulala pleaded not guilty when he appeared before the magistrate in court.
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We long for the moments in our life that justify our course, that illuminate the banalities of our daily routine, and that instill within us a mission that suddenly harmonizes all that you have done and all that you hope to do.

My first year as a physician-in-training consisted of an insurmountable study load, a constant quarrel with the torturous alliance of fatigue and self-doubt, and the simple reality being a 22-year old uncertain of himself and his future. When I was accepted into medical school, I committed myself to becoming a holistic, politically aware, and multifaceted physician advocate who is as proficient in the socioeconomic context of disease as he is in biochemistry and pathology.

With the obligation to stare at notes on my computer screen and find seemingly non-existent anatomical features in cadaver lab, this persona I strived to attain for so long had become an enigma that I was holding onto by a thread.

Then, I witnessed a silent, yet egregious injustice that turned this feeble thread into a strong grasp.

I had the privilege of assisting a lawyer, physician, and translator with a medical forensic evaluation on an asylum seeker detained in one of our countrys 300 privately contracted immigration detention facilities. This asylum seeker, Jemal, was also a physician but from Ethiopia, specializing in HIV/AIDS. He is an ethnic Oromo, a group in Ethiopia often persecuted by a government that seeks to admonish political dissent and free speech.

His work played an instrumental role in the lives of so many of his countrymen, yet he was imprisoned and tortured simply for holding different views from his government overseers. He escaped Ethiopia, arrived in the United States, expressed his desire to seek asylum, and was immediately detained. This man is not a criminal, yet the country that he sought as his protector from torture and persecution would be the arbiter of further injustice.

Jemal was transferred to the Immigration Center for Americas detention center in Farmville, Virginia. This is remote location is hours away from potential legal representation, medical care, immigration courts, and anyone who can provide this man with the slightest optimism and ease of mind. A significant number of immigration detention centers are intentionally placed in remote locations to distance themselves from legal and social assistance. Fortunately, for my team, this barrier did not stop us, and we embarked on a four-hour trip from Washington, D.C. to Farmville.

When we arrived, we checked in with the security personnel. Our visit had been authorized by the Immigration Detention Center days prior to our arrival, and my supervisor and I were ready to conduct the medical evaluation. We expected to simply fulfill our roles as health care professionals and provide this man with a service that he is entitled to. Instead, we were met with our second barriers: illogical and arbitrary policy, hostility, and broken promises. We were forbidden from conducting a medical evaluation, and our medical equipment, necessary documents and medical records, and even pens were confiscated.

In the face of arbitrary decisions made by those subverting government regulations and Jemals fundamental rights, we were motivated to find any way in. So, we improvised. We were now visitors desiring a simple conversation with Jemal. Finally, the prison staff budged and we were allowed to see Jemal empty-handed. When we were granted admission, we were confronted with our third and quite literally, our most palpable barrier, a 6-inch thick piece soundproof glass that separated us from Jemal. Still determined to conduct the evaluation, I witnessed one of the most skillful demonstrations of medicine I have ever seen. I witnessed my supervising physician conduct an entire medical evaluation where she documented Jemals physical and psychological sequelae of torture through a telephone and dirty piece of glass. When she was done, she affirmed that we will do everything in our power as health professionals to get him out of detention and get him the assistance he needs. Jemals look of relief unleashed a shiver within me that continues to resonate.

At the end of the day, I witnessed a sample of the greater injustice that is asylum seeker and refugee detainment. But, for me, the greater lesson is clear: the mission to improve the lives of those who have been victim to torture, persecution, and indignity does not end with an inspirational shiver. The practice of medicine goes hand in hand with the advancement of humanity. For every medical student or career physician struggling to find a purpose of their work, let us reaffirm our obligation to those who have been denied the right to pursue the greatest state of physical, social, and mental well being. Jemals story is unfortunately shared by too many in this world. For this medical student, the process of ameliorating each one of them begins with a call to action. This is a call to integrate the trials of my medical education with the goal of using these skills to stand with Jemal and those everywhere who need a voice and healing hand.

Kevin Diasti is a medical student.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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Amazing, A man transform himself into ALIEN



A man has spent $50,000 on plastic surgery to become an alien - and could soon have his genitalia removed. Vinny Ohh, 22, from Los Angeles in California, has had over 110 procedures to transform into a 'genderless' extra-terrestrial. The make-up artist believes he's neither male nor female and so his extreme look is a way to mirror how he feels inside. Vinny has had two rhinoplasties at 19 and 21 to fix his nose and over 90 procedures to become an alien.



He started with lip fillers at the age of 17, before having two rhinoplasties, multiple cheeks and brow bone fillers and more.



The part-time model also wears large blackened contact lenses, alien like talons and unusual hair dye colours.



Read More...


Kilkenny student Eilish Lawlor from Castlecomer last week joined other food and agriculture students from University College Dublin and Waterford Institute of Technology in UCDs Garret Fitzgerald Debating Chamber for a debate on the possible impact of Brexit on the Irish agri-food industry.

The second Annual 'Great Agri-Food Debate' pitted teams against each other on the motion: 'Brexit will be good for the Irish Agri-Food Industry'. The event was hosted by Dawn Meats and McDonalds Ireland.

Irish agri-food exports to the UK account for one third of the countrys total merchandise exports to the UK, and just under half of Irish beef exports are destined for the UK market.

Following an energetic and informative debate, with both teams having accounted for themselves extremely well, the team from UCD opposing the motion won the debate on a very tight split decision.

The Irish agri-food industry, without demand from the UK, would be completely rudderless. Like it or not, for hundreds of years, Ireland and the UK have had close ties and a trading relationship, argued team captain Niall Walsh.

 Its very hard to see how barriers and tariffs in this relationship could be a good thing.
A brave mother is walking through North Kilkenny this afternoon in a bid to get her daughter treatment for a medical condition that is causing up to twenty seizures a day.

Vera Twomey walked through Urlingford earlier today and is expected to arrive in Johnstown shortly. She is travelling on foot to Dail Eireann in the hope that the Minister for Health, Simon Harris will find a way to enable her daughter, Ava to use medicinal cannabis.

Last week the HSE refused to approve the drug for Ava, her six-year-old who suffers from Dravets syndrome which manifests itself through multiple epileptic fits and seizures on a daily basis.

Vera said that while the Charlottes Web cannabis oil is not a cure for the condition it has already offered significant hope for her daughter.

Vera is walking the 255 kilometre journey from Cork to the Dail in Dublin to highlight the importance of allowing medicinal cannabis to be used to treat medical conditions.

Tomorrow she will continue her walk starting from Cullahill. All are welcome to join her for part of her walk.
For the 21st time already, the Karlsruhe Dialogues take place from March 3 to 5. (Illustration: ZAK)

As a result of nationalism, xenophobia, populism, disenchantment with politics, or mistrust, open society increasingly finds itself in difficulty. From March 3 to 5, 2017, experts, creative artists, and activists from many countries and cultures will meet for the 21st Karlsruhe Dialogues to discuss the future of a pluralistic society. The 21st Karlsruhe Dialogues on Pluralistic Society and Its Enemies are conceived and organized by ZAK | Centre for Applied and General Studies of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).

[...]



For more information in German, registration, and the program, click here: http://www.zak.kit.edu/english/5124.php

Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,800 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
The current 2016 Grundungsradar ranking by the Stifterverband for Promoting Science and Education reflects exemplary support of startups by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Of the 34 big German universities, KIT is in second place, thus confirming the good results of previous years.

Parallel to research and education, innovation is one of the core tasks of KIT, Professor Holger Hanselka, President of KIT, says. At the interface of science and industry, KITs innovations contribute to benefit for society and added values. I am very happy about the good result and the recognition of our work by the Grundungsradar.

Support of startups is an important element of KITs innovation culture, Professor Thomas Hirth, Vice President for Innovation and International Affairs of KIT, emphasizes. All KIT members consider the transfer of findings to application their commitment to solving challenges facing society. The good Grundungsradar ranking, hence, is a high recognition of all founders and innovators at KIT.

Innovation at KIT

KIT attaches high importance to transferring research results to added values through startups, participations, licenses, and services for industry. Industry partners, students, and employees are offered customized services by KIT, such as the KIT Business Club, KIT Campus Transfer GmbH, and KIT Founders Forge, the first partner to be contacted in case of questions regarding startups and funding. At its high-tech incubator, KIT offers perfect conditions for the spinoffs to grow. KIT NEULAND, the annual innovation day, represents a platform for technologies and startups to present themselves.

More information is provided at:

http://www.innovation.kit.edu/english/index.php

www.kit-gruenderschmiede.de (in German only)

The Grundungsradar, the Germany-wide ranking of startup support services by the Stiferverband for Promoting Science and Education places Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in second place together with the University of Potsdam in the category of Big Universities with more than 15,000 students. The Technical University of Munich and Munich University of Applied Sciences are in first place. For the third time now, the Grundungsradar ranking was issued by the Stifterverband in cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The ranking reflects support of startups and spinoffs by German universities through awareness building and support services as well as through establishment of a sustainable startup culture. However, the ranking also reflects the startup activities realized in the end, i.e. the outcome of startup support services.

Find more information at:

www.stifterverband.org/medien/gruendungsradar-2016

(in German only)

Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,800 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
The image above is the 18th century home of friends in Colonia, Uruguay. Today, sitting on their back patio on the Rio de la Plata, I looked out at a small yellow buoy in the harbor that marks the final resting place of the Lord Clive, a large, 60-gun British warship from the 18th century.

In 1763, we British, already at war with Spain, decided to expand the venture to the New World. The Lord Clive arrived in Colonia, Uruguay and began firing into the tiny town. With her heavy contingent of cannon, her captain was confident that he could do enough damage to make the Spanish inhabitants surrender. After extensive bombardment, the Spanish had still not raised the white flag; however, the crew of the Lord Clive had managed to set fire to their own ship. The fire spread quickly and it soon became apparent that the crew must abandon ship, which they did.

Swimming ashore, local accounts of the event have it that, the English crew apologized for bombarding the town and asked for mercy. Not surprisingly, the Spanish killed them all.

Of course, this is not the outcome thats described in English history books. Although the defeat of the British on that day is acknowledged, the folly is not. Although historians will generally acknowledge a defeat, theyre often reluctant to mention any idiocy on the part of their own military. And so any English language version of the story tells a different tale from the account above.

This is a great pity, as much can be learned from historical idiocy. Since its rarely taught, military leaders often make the same idiotic mistakes that their predecessors made.

As an example, we can look at the adventures of the US today and observe their serial invasions over the last fifteen years in the Middle East and elsewhere. These adventures are being pursued ostensibly to make the world safe for democracy. However, whenever the US takes over a foreign country, it puts in place a puppet government  not exactly the textbook definition of democracy.

And, of course, warfare is very costly. Choosing to invade multiple countries at the same time, as the US has been doing over the last fifteen years, is quite a bit more costly.

Worse, the US government never misses an opportunity to portray the Russians as evil aggressors  an appellation far more suited to the US. On one occasion after another, Russia has sought to tone down the level of aggression, whilst the US has been conducting a shoving match with the Russians, goading them into a conflict.

This is extraordinarily foolish, as it would take very little to light the fuse of direct warfare between the US and Russia. Over the centuries, quite a few countries have challenged Russia, but Russia has always proven to be a very hard country to defeat. Although American films about World War II tend to portray the US of having won the war against the Germans, it was the Russians that did the lions share of the job. Even when poorly armed and poorly prepared, Russia simply throws another ten or twenty million men at the problem and ultimately wears out any attacker. Russians dont like war any more than any other people, but they do have astonishing staying-power. Theyll grimly see a war through, long after their opponents have lost heart.

In addition, China and others have stated their support for Russia, should the US get carried away with its aggression in the Middle East. Both China and Russia have stated that, should the US move on Iran, they will join the fray on Irans side.

It would be foolhardy in the extreme for the US government to assume that it could take these powers on and come out of the fight victorious.

But what does this have to do with the burning of the Lord Clive?

Well, as stated above, the Captain of the Lord Clive had a massive warship, capable of doing a great deal of damage as he bombarded houses including the one pictured above. But the crew became so caught up in their zeal for destruction that they failed to extinguish a fire on board the ship and had to dive overboard, surrendering to the Spanish who, by that time were understandably not feeling particularly merciful.

The US is in a similar situation. Its not exactly in the best shape at home. The economy is on the ropes and a financial collapse may be imminent. The government is rapidly becoming more autocratic and a police state is likely to be instituted in the near future. It will be needed, as funds for entitlements dry up and those who now praise the nanny-state will find that theyve been lied to all this time. Pension funds also are beginning to fail and people in both the private and public sectors will be more than a bit peevish when they discover that this rug, too, has been pulled out from under them.

If we were to imagine the worst possible future for the US, it might go something like this:

The US invades Iran, or directly attacks Russian forces in Syria or another third country.



Russia retaliates and the world takes up sides as World War III begins.



For the first time in history, the American people are angrier at their own government than they are at the trumped-up enemy their government has chosen to oppose.



The US government finds that it must fight a full-blown foreign war at a time when its fighting a second one at home.



All of the above takes place at a time when the US is broke and is economically unable to sustain a fight on either front.



The world turns against the US for causing this fiasco and for the first time, theres no one standing on the same side as the US.



The US effort collapses and, like the crew of the Lord Clive, the US, in effect, abandons ship and asks for forgiveness from those it has invaded.

In the above scenario, we can imagine that the US would have created a situation that would maximize enmity from the rest of the world. (In 1919, Europe forced the Treaty of Versailles on Germany, not out of necessity, but out of vengeance. It served to cripple the German people for decades thereafter  both socially and economically.)

A final thought: Every night on American television news programmes, pundits, politicians and retired generals perform their sabre-rattling, stating that the world at large had better cooperate with the US or else. Whilst this bravado may appeal to a segment of the American population, the programming is also available to the rest of the world. We who arent American and dont reside in the US, listen to the threatening rhetoric and find it decidedly unsettling. More to the point, the worlds leaders are also observing the programmes. It has a similar tone to the Nazi buildup in the 1930s. To those outside the US, US leaders are becoming increasingly dangerous.

If this does play out along the lines of the sinking of the Lord Clive, it will be the American people who will pay the price for their leaders reckless behaviour.
SHANGHAI, March 3 (Reuters) - China's Ministry of Finance said on Friday it would auction 10 billion yuan ($1.45 billion) in 182-day bills on March 10. After the auction, the bonds will be issued from March 10 to March 13, and start trading on the secondary market on March 15, the ministry said in a statement. For stories on Chinese debt issues, click on .

($1 = 6.8992 Chinese yuan )

(Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - Ukraine's former Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk said on Friday he had declined to become the country's next central bank governor, adding he believed the post should be filled with a professional banker or economist.

The country's current central bank chief, Valeriia Gontareva, suggested on Thursday she may not stay in her post for much longer. Having headed the bank since mid-2014, Gontareva has overseen a clean-up of the banking sector and the floating of the hryvina, but also faced repeated calls from members of parliament to be sacked. Speaking during a visit to London, Yatseniuk told an audience at Chatham House "I refused (the post of central bank governor)".

The CEO of Ukraine's subsidiary of Raiffeisen Bank was "a very good guy", Yatseniuk then added.

(Reporting by Marc Jones, writing by Karin Strohecker)
Editor's Note: Kitco News has officially launched its 2017 Outlook where we ask if this is the start of a new Raging Bull market. Be sure to catch all our coverage here, which includes gold forecasts, special technical reports and of course, our popular Invest Like The Experts Series. We will also be launching a new feature so be sure to stay tuned!

(Kitco News) - Just when it was time to unpack lighter clothes after the BMO Metals and Mining conferenceits time to prepare for chillier Toronto temperatures as the PDAC 2017 kicks off this weekend.

One takeaway from the BMO conference and the Gold Stock Analyst Inevstor Day, which the Kitco News team attended in Florida this week, is that the sentiment is bullish for gold, silver and the mining stocks.

Now granted, mining CEOs tend to lean on the bullish side, but the feeling in the room was one of genuine optimism for the sector  a far cry from the gloomy feeling of PDAC circa 2012 - 2015. In fact, in our chat with Randgolds chief Mark Bristow, he explained how in the past twenty years, he has never seen the stars so perfectly aligned for the price of gold.

However, most CEOs did caution for the industry to not get ahead of itself, with the warning being, lets use the current gold price to clean up the sector, but lets not get too excited.

And then there was our chat with Sandstorms (SAND) Nolan Watson  we received many emails after this one, most applauding Watson for shedding light on an unspoken industry issue. During the interview, Watson said "... There are a lot of assets out there that are fundamentally wrong and broken, and CEOs are lying to their shareholders about it and I think something needs to be addressed. 43-101 attempts to do it, but it's still not working." Watch the full interview.

While the majority of CEOs seemed unfazed by rate hike talks, possibly putting a kink in golds stride, the marketplace was definitely feeling it this Friday. The metals complex succumbed to the growing reality that the Fed is raising rates, possibly as early as March. Gold lost the $1,237 level and promptly traded to the next support line of $1,225The March Fed meeting may prove a buying opportunity, as traders price in the hike in advance, but the key will be forward guidance, Peter Hug, Kitcos global trading director, wrote in his morning commentary.

And this afternoon, Fed Chair Janet Yellen basically sealed the fate of a March rate hike. She noted that recent economic improvements will be a big part of the discussion at the March 14-15 Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

Following Yellens address at the Executives' Club of Chicago, April Comex gold futures settled at $1226.50 an ounce, down $6.40 on the day.

As we prepare for a heavy week of PDAC coverage  the worlds largest mining gathering  I would like to thank the Kitco News team that makes these conferences come together: from our world-class production team of Sarah Benali and Louie Perez; our dedicated editor Neils Christensen; content support from Hong Pan; our advertising manager Carlos Madruga and last but not least, our relentless and visionary media director, John Dourekas..Un gros MERCI! A special thanks to mining brainiac David Erfle for all his help and suggestions. It really does take a village to bring it all to you, our cherished readers and viewers!

We hope you enjoyed the coverage and love next weeks more so!

Off to Toronto,
BRATISLAVA, March 3 (Reuters) - Slovakia will look to issue another syndicated eurobond in a benchmark size of 1 billion euros and with a maturity of around 10 years in the autumn, the head of the state debt agency Daniel Bytcanek said on Friday.

He told reporters the financing plan this year was set at 6.5 billion euros, and added it would adjust the size of domestic auctions accepting more bids than planned on Thursday when it issued a 20-year eurobond.

On Thursday, Slovakia sold a 2 billion euros of the new paper, pricing it at 68 basis points over mid-swaps and garnering demand of 3.2 billion euros. (Reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova; Editing by Jason Hovet)
ZURICH, March 3 (Reuters) - The Swiss blue-chip SMI was seen opening down 0.25 percent at 8,640 points on Friday, according to premarket indications by bank Julius Baer .

The following are some of the main factors expected to affect Swiss stocks.

SWISS LIFE The Swiss life insurer on Friday proposed to boost its dividend to 11 Swiss francs per share for 2016 after full-year net profit rose 5 percent to 926 million Swiss francs ($914.6 million). For more click ZURICH INSURANCE The Swiss insurer paid Chief Executive Mario Greco 7.8 million francs in compensation for 2016 after he joined in March last year, Zurich said in its annual report published on Friday. Greco is also getting a separate 4.2 million franc payment, vesting in 2019, for forfeiting an incentive package with his previous employer. For more click COMPANY STATEMENTS ** Coltene said it proposed Astrid Waser as a new director, to replace Robert Heberlein who is resigning. ** Swissquote said net profit in 2016 rose to 20.8 million francs, up from 2.1 million francs. It proposed an unchanged distribution of 0.60 francs per share. ** Calida said it boosted 2016 sales by 3 percent to 370.9 million francs, with its operating result rising 3.3 percent to 22.3 million francs. It said 2017 will be a "year of transition." ** Allreal Holding AG said it issued a 160 million Swiss francs ($158.24 million) bond to refinance existing liabilities. ** Kudelski SA said its OpenTV, Inc. and Nagravision S.A. subsidiaries have filed a patent infringement suit against Shaw Communications, Inc. in federal court in Canada. ** VP Bank had its rating confirmed "A" by Standard & Poor's, which boosted its outlook to "positive" from "stable." ECONOMY (Reporting by Zurich newsroom)

Daily Swiss stock market report in German................ All SMI constituent stocks............................ News on major Swiss stock price moves.................. FTSE Eurotop 300 index................................ DJ STOXX index........................................ Top 10 STOXX sectors............................. Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors........................ Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors....................... Top 25 European pct gainers... , losers... Swiss mid-cap index SMI futures Swiss all-share index Market statistics Swiss market digest Sector overview All Swiss news Swiss research news All equity news INTERNET ADDRESSES: Swiss Exchange / Eurex STOXX Ltd SPEED GUIDES: ))

Keywords: MARKETS SWISS STOCKS/
(Updates throughout with details, context)

By Marcela Ayres

BRASILIA, March 3 (Reuters) - The head of Brazil's lower house of Congress spoke in defense of the government's pension reform plan on Friday, dialing back recent criticism and fueling hopes of swift passage of the bill.

Speaking to journalists after meeting with the finance minister and the pension secretary, House Speaker Rodrigo Maia called the proposal from President Michel Temer's administration the best way to rebalance government accounts.

The pension reform is at the heart of Temer's efforts to cut government spending and regain investor trust as Latin America's largest economy edges closer to recovering from its worst recession on record. All male workers under 50 years of age and female workers under 45 would be subject to the new rules, which aim to reduce retirement benefits for both public and private employees. Older workers would fall under a transition plan.

Maia acknowledged the transition rules were "controversial," but said Pension Secretary Marcelo Caetano had convinced him of their merits. "Up until last week, I believed that we should consider expanding (the transition program)," he said. "Now I'm convinced that is not the case."

After passing a constitutional amendment last year limiting growth of public spending, Temer is racing to get approval of proposals that would allow the government to meet the new budget cap.

Maia said the lower house would probably vote on the pension bill in the second half of April, paving the way for a final Senate vote.

He said he would also speak with leading lawmakers about voting next week on a bill to shore up the finances of states suffering a crippling fiscal crisis. (Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Writing by Bruno Federowski; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Lisa Von Ahn)
* Cenbank is already buying FX for finmin

* To halve purchases this month to $54 mln/day

* Finmin starts to set aside forex this month separately

* Forex to be used to meet budget external obligations

(Adds details, quotes, background)

By Darya Korsunskaya and Elena Fabrichnaya

MOSCOW, March 3 (Reuters) - Russia's finance ministry started saving foreign currency this month to meet non-rouble budget liabilities, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Friday.

Russia had already resumed buying dollars and euros last month, part of an effort to replenish the country's depleted reserves. It had not previously bought foreign currency since 2015.

The central bank buys currency on behalf of the finance ministry, which, in turn, has said it will be used to rebuild the Reserve Fund, one of two Russian sovereign wealth funds. "The rouble rate is attractive now from the point of view of meeting budget liabilities in foreign currency. So since the start of March, we have started to accumulate forex liquidity in treasury accounts," Siluanov said on Friday.

Siluanov did not say how much the finance ministry had already set aside and which tool it was using to get the foreign currency. The Russian budget receives revenues in roubles.

"These are funds which we need to meet the budget's current liabilities in forex in 2017," Siluanov said. He did not provide other details and the finance ministry declined additional comments.

A source close to the finance ministry said that the foreign currency accumulation and the central bank purchases were separate. The ministry was setting apart forex liquidity to meet the budget's external obligations in the past as well, he said.

The source added that the ministry, which oversees the rouble-denominated budget, needs foreign currency to make external debt repayments, as well contributions to international organisations of which Russia is a member.

"Technically, the treasury is writing up a letter to the central bank, saying how much forex it needs. The central bank will decide on its own whether to buy this forex on the market or make an internal conversion," the source said.

The central bank did not immediately reply to Reuters' request seeking a comment.

Separately, the ministry said on Friday that the central bank will nearly halve its daily forex purchases in March, buying the equivalent of 3.2 billion roubles a day ($54.3 million) after purchasing around $106 million a day in Feb. The rouble was slightly up after the ministry announced the reduction of daily forex purchases, to trade at 58.85 versus the U.S. dollar at 1208 GMT, down 0.08 percent.

(Writing by Andrey Ostroukh/Katya Golubkova; Editing by)
USA Today reports:

Canadas immigration system, which President Trump praised Tuesday night, has served as a model for countries around the world because it focuses more on immigrants who can contribute to the economy than those with little more than family ties.

About 63% of those granted legal permanent residence in Canada  the final step before becoming citizens  are admitted for their economic skills, with only 24% admitted based on having family members living in the country. The U.S. system is reversed: 63% of green cards are given to immigrants with family connections, and only 13% given based on economic reasons.

Canada was also the first country to use a point system to grade economic immigrants  a 100-point scale that rewards foreigners with PhDs and extensive work experience in specialized fields.

During Trumps address to a joint session of Congress, he praised the system used by Canada, Australia and many other nations during a portion of his speech that called for reforming an outdated legal immigration system that hurts American workers.

Switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits, Trump said. It will save countless dollars, raise workers wages, and help struggling families  including immigrant families  enter the middle class.
Stuff reports:

The tills will be quiet in Wellington this Easter Sunday when thousands of cruise ship passengers are in town. Wellington City Council ran out of time to consult on new trading laws, leaving some retailers angry they wont be allowed to open this year. Retail NZ spokesman Greg Harford said the delay meant both retailers and visitors would miss out.

They didnt run out of time to consult. They failed to consult. Other Councils managed to do so. The law change was known long ago.

Spokesman for the council, Clayton Anderson, said there wasnt enough time to consult on Easter opening for next month but it would review the laws and consult retailers later this year. In August 2016, Government gave councils the power to decide if shops can open on Easter Sunday.

Is the Council saying seven months is not enough time?

Wellington Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Milford said the Easter closure was a missed opportunity for city retailers but sympathised with the council. Earthquake strengthening and other, more important, issues had to be dealt with first, he said. Under normal circumstances it would have gone through the process.

Surely the Council can do more than one thing at a time?

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Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 30F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 30F. Winds light and variable.
By Kang Seung-woo

In the wake of China's ban on tours to Korea via travel agencies, the local tourism industry, including duty-free stores and hotels, is increasingly showing concern.

As Beijing's retaliatory measures against Seoul's decision to deploy a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here are at an early stage, it is too early to gauge how much the fallout will affect the industry.

But given that some 70 percent of Chinese tourists visiting Korea are presumed to use travel agencies, there are growing concerns that the relevant businesses inevitably will be hit hard if China continues such actions.

The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) instructed travel agencies in Beijing, Thursday, to suspend sales of all travel packages - both online and offline - to Korea, ordering them to expedite those that have already been sold by mid-March.

According to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), 8.06 million Chinese tourists visited Korea last year, accounting for 46.8 percent of the all foreign visitors (17.2 million). They are estimated to have spent an average of $2,391 (2.76 million won) per person. Should Korea lose half of its Chinese tourists, it is expected to see its tourism revenue decrease by $9.63 billion.

"Considering the Chinese government's control on free trips sold by travel agencies, more than 60 percent of Chinese tourists visiting Korea are estimated to be affected," said Yoo Sung-man, an analyst at HMC Investment Securities.

Amid the escalating concern over the fallout from China's retaliation, the nation's duty-free industry is expected to take the hardest hit as their business is heavily dependent on Chinese tourists who spend big on shopping.

Last year, local duty-free stores raked in 12.27 trillion won ($10.6 billion) in total sales, of which about 70 percent, or 8.6 trillion won, came from Chinese travelers.












By Yoon Ja-young





Korea's trade minister is scheduled to meet his U.S. counterpart to stress how the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS-FTA) has benefited the two countries following a report by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) that added concerns the U.S. may demand a renegotiation of the pact.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Minister Joo Hyung-hwan will visit Washington D.C. next week, where he will meet U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance member Ron Wyden, Heritage Foundation former President Edwin Feulner and other key figures.

The ministry explained that they will share views on how the KORUS-FTA mutually benefited the two parties, as well as seeking further cooperation.

The minister's visit to the U.S. comes amid growing controversy over a USTR report, which is leading to speculation that the U.S. may demand a renegotiation of the pact. In the President's 2017 Trade Policy Agenda, the USTR noted that the trade deficit in goods with Korea more than doubled following the FTA.

It cited statistics, according to which the total value of U.S. goods exported to Korea fell by $1.2 billion, while U.S. imports of goods from Korea grew by more than $13 billion from 2011 to 2016.

"Needless to say, this is not the outcome the American people expected from that agreement," it noted.












By Nam Hyun-woo



Woori Bank's plan to transform into a holding firm is picking up momentum with it selecting advisers for legal and accounting issues.



According to the Seoul-based lender Friday, it appointed Kim & Chang and Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers as its consultants to introduce a holding firm system.



"The two advisers will study the feasibility of our transformation into a holding company format," a Woori official said.



The move came after the Feb. 28 meeting between Woori Bank's officials and outside directors, who oversee the bank's management. They are newly appointed by new shareholders, who bought 4 percent-plus stakes in the bank previously owned by the government.



According to sources, the bank has conducted its own feasibility study to explain the results to outside directors.



"What is clear is that outside directors were on the same page as Woori regarding the holding firm scheme," an outside director of Woori told The Korea Times. "We have carried out a reality check on the idea to learn its potential benefits."



According to him, the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation (KDIC) holds "the key" in the decision making process, because the government-run deposit insurer still has the largest 21.4 percent stake in the bank, though it sold its 29.7 percent stake to seven entities in 4 to 6 percent lots last year.



The KDIC has to sell its shares at 15,000 won at least, in order to fully retrieve taxpayers' money poured into the bank. Woori was trading at 13,400 won as of 3 p.m. Friday.



Given that a company's transformation into a holding firm generally brings a rise in its stock price, observers speculate that the KDIC has no reason to oppose the plan.



With the plan picking up speed, some anticipated that the bank may apply for the change to the financial regulator as early as next month, but the bank stressed that it will not hurry.



"The board meeting held today (Friday) was about setting an agenda for a March 24 general shareholders' meeting and it did not include the issue of the holding firm plan, because it is not concrete now," the Woori official said.



According to the official, the bank wants to wrap up the restructuring by the end of this year. After finishing internal talks, it will make an application for preliminary approval by the Financial Services Commission (FSC). It will take up to 60 days for the FSC to review it. After that, the bank is supposed to apply for final approval, which the regulator will take up to 30 days for review.




Fans of Japanese best-selling author Haruki Murakami line up next to a display of the new book "Kishidancho Goroshi," or "Killing Commendatore," at Kinokuniya bookstore in Shinjuku district, Tokyo, Japan, just after midnight on Feb. 24. / EPA-Yonhap



Advance royalties expected to reach 2 billion won

By Kwon Mee-yoo





Haruki Murakami

Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami is off and running again. His latest full-length novel, "Killing Commendatore," was released in Japan Feb. 24 and people have queued to get their hands on the highly anticipated book.

The novel, in two parts  "Arawareru Idea" (Emerging Idea) and "Utsurou Metaphor" (Moving Metaphor)  is Murakami's first multi-volume novel in seven years, following "1Q84" in 2009

Shinchosha Publishing printed 1.3 million copies of the first edition  700,000 copies of part 1 and 600,000 copies of part 2.

According to AP, the novel is a two-part story about a portrait painter, 36, and what happens after his wife divorces him and he moves into an old house on a mountainside west of Tokyo.

The mysterious events include meeting a neighbor and finding a painting that shares the book's title. Murakami, 67, has described it as a very strange story.

Murakami's popularity is not limited to Asia. He is often mentioned as a possible candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

He also won the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award in 2006, the Jerusalem Prize in 2009 and the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award in 2015. Murakami was named one of the TIME 100's most influential people in the world in 2015.

Shinchosha Publishing said overseas availability has not yet been decided on, but the esoteric novel will surely be available to international readers soon.

Murakami boom in Korea

Murakami is one of Korea's most-read foreign novelists The Murakami boom, known as the "Haruki Syndrome" here, is backed by strong sales.

Recently, a redesigned, limited edition of "Norwegian Wood," celebrating the 30th anniversary of the book's release, topped the best-sellers chart. His previous book "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage" has sold 400,000 copies and accumulated sales of the three-volume "1Q84" reached 2 million.

Previously, major publishers such as Minumsa, Munhaksasang, Munhakdongne and Viche have printed Murakami books in Korea and many publishing companies will be racing to secure the Korean edition.

According to publishing insiders, the two previous Murakami books received around 1 to 1.5 billion won in advance against royalties and they expect the advance for "Killing Commendatore" might reach 2 billion won because the Murakami book will be a big event in the depressed Korean book market.

The Korean licensing agency will receive the amount of advance, design concept and promotion plan from the publishers and Murakami will decide which company gets the Korean rights.

The Korean edition of "Killing Commendatore" is expected to be published in summer.
Ri Tong Il addresses journalists outside the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Mar. 2. / AFP-Yonhap



By Ko Dong-hwan

A North Korean representative has denied the Malaysian health authority's latest statement that the half-brother of the military regime's leader died from a poisonous chemical, arguing that he had a heart attack.

Ri Tong-il, the former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Nations, said on Mar. 2 that Kim Jong-nam, whom he instead referred to as Kim Chol as shown on his passport, had a history of heart disease.

He said Kim "had treatment from time to time while being hospitalized" and "under normal conditions, he cannot travel without medicine for heart disease, as well as for diabetes and high blood pressure," according to Malaysian daily New Straits Times.

"This is a strong indication that the cause of death was a heart attack," Ri told reporters outside the North Korean embassy.

Ri denied the Malaysian health ministry's conclusion after conducting an autopsy that Kim died after two woman attacked him with VX nerve agent.

Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong attacked Kim at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13 in a hit-and-run assassination with what was allegedly a poisonous chemical. Waiting for a flight to Macau alone at that time, he had sought medical help at the airport but died in less than half an hour.













This photo, from a Japanese news outlet, reportedly was taken at a club in the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore in 2013. Kim Jong-nam has the same tattoo on his stomach, (circled) as the tattoo on the male body that has been in the Kuala Lumpur Hospital morgue since Feb. 15. The man was attacked with the deadly VX chemical agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. / Courtesy of online community



Ri's denial of the Malaysian ministry's toxicology report was based on an inference that no others who could have been in contact with VX had died.

Referring to the agent as "an extremely toxic material categorized as a chemical weapon by the Organizations for the Prohibition for Chemical Weapons," he said none of the tens of thousands of people at the airport was reportedly contaminated or affected by the airborne agent.

"There were policemen and doctors who escorted the deceased to the hospital but none of them were affected by this very toxic material," he said.

He further questioned how the two suspects who manually delivered the material on to Kim's face could have survived the agent.

The Malaysian daily, meanwhile, has unearthed a new photograph that confirms Kim's identity. The photo of Kim with his friends shows a tattoo on his stomach and another on his left arm. The one on his stomach particularly shows an Asian man reeling in a Japanese carp.

The photo, taken in 2013 at a club in the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, was sent to a female Japanese journalist named Mizumi Fujita, who has known Kim for more than 10 years.

The tattoos are identical to those on the man whose body has been in the Kuala Lumpur Hospital morgue since Feb. 15 after the airport attack.

The latest evidence is expected to add weight to the belief that the dead man is Kim Jong-nam.
The U.S. State Department expressed concern Thursday about a series of retaliatory measures China has been taking against South Korean businesses over Seoul's decision to host the U.S. THAAD missile defense system, calling the reaction "unreasonable and inappropriate."

"We are concerned and closely monitoring reports that China has taken actions against South Korean private sector entities for the U.S.-ROK (South Korea) decision to deploy THAAD in the ROK," a State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency on background.

"As THAAD is a prudent and limited self-defense measure designed to respond to a clear, reckless and unlawful North Korean military threat, criticism or pressure on the ROK to abandon its self-defense would be unreasonable and inappropriate," the official said.

The spokesperson also said that the U.S. stands by its "ironclad commitment" to the defense of allies, and will "continue to develop a comprehensive set of alliance capabilities to counter the growing North Korean ballistic missile threat."

Asked if the U.S. has any plans to talk to China about the issue, the official said, "We remain in contact with the Chinese at the highest levels."

It was the first time that the U.S. has officially denounced China's reprisal measures against THAAD's deployment. That shows the administration of President Donald Trump has been taking a tougher stance on Beijing than the previous Barack Obama administration.














By Kim Ji-soo



Kim Su-gyeom, 53, head of Ginseng Biotechnology in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, remembers eating grilled ginseng while he was helping his parents grow ginseng on their farm. Grilling over a fire took away the bitter taste, and heightened the sweetness of the popular health food. Now as head of Ginseng Biotechnology, he has signed a contract with a distributor in China to sell his baked ginseng. The amount is small at the moment, 10 boxes of 200 ginseng products, all worth about $6,000.

Ginseng is a popular export of Korea, but by carving out a niche product, Kim is looking to increase trade volume in the coming days.

"My parents and I have been ginseng farmers all our lives, so I thought about how I could make ginseng more available," he said.

Kim, who has a farm 99,000 square meters in size, said he was also focused on sending his ginseng overseas, where the demand is while the domestic market is saturated. Unlike the broadly consumed red ginseng, which is simply steamed, Kim says he "bakes" the ginseng harvested from his farm at 200 degrees Celsius or higher with special equipment. His firm shares a patent with Chungnam National University. Baked at such a temperature, the ginseng is able to retain its beneficial elements, most notably saponin. Also baked ginseng tastes sweeter, "sweeter than strawberry," Kim said over the telephone. "Our product is called baked red ginseng."

Kim said while the exports to China were the first for his firm, he recently had buyers who came in from Australia and Dubai interested in his products.

The ginseng agricultural cooperatives in North Chungcheong Province also said they were loading ginseng for a $3.6 million export contract signed with Japanese companies last year, and that they were looking to export $4 million this year.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Feb. 21 it signed a memorandum of understanding between Hadong County, known for its green tea growers in South Gyeongsang Province, and an export company to send more premium green tea to the U.S. and EU markets. Hadong has been exporting ground green tea for a while to eight countries including Mexico and Singapore.

"Our contract is estimated at 100 tons, which we will start exporting the new tea in summer," said Lee Jong-gug, head of the Institute of Hadong Green Tea. Korean green tea growing operations are not large. Compared to some 1.2 million hectares of tea-growing land in China and around 40,000 hectares in Japan, Korea's tea growing is estimated at around 2,500 hectares, Lee said. But known for its organically grown tea, the county's product has been sought since 2010 and 2011, in particular end-buyers that include Starbucks noticed the quality of its tea and management. The tea market in United States  based on wholesale terms  was estimated at $10 billion in 2014 and is expected to grow by 30 percent in 2017. The expansion of the world's tea market buoys hopes for further exports.

"I think overseas buyers have realized we are able to produce quality tea," Lee said.





People working in the green tea fields in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province, which is a region known for its organically grown green tea laves. / Courtesy of Institute of Hadong Gree Tea



The city of Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, said it was exporting oysters to Russia. The southeastern city has joined hands with Russian fisheries goods supplier Nordlat to promote and export fisheries goods. A city delegation was in Russia this week, leading to the signing of an export order for 200 tons of oysters, Yonhap reported. As Korea imports large quantities of Russian pollack,cod and king crab, it is looking to expand its export base to oysters.

To date, Korean frozen fishery and seaweed products have been exported to Russia in insignificant amounts. In 2015, Korea exported $16.5 million of fishery products to Russia while importing $670 million.

Export of Korean agricultural food products is not large. In 2016, it posted $6.5 billion. Because different government agencies tally up respective statistics, that figure excludes the fisheries exports. Also, the sales of food products such as Korean instant noodles are included in the export tally. These showed a 5.9 percent increase when the national exports decreased by 5.9 percent in 2016, posting $495.5 billion according to WTO numbers and giving a reason why agricultural and food produce are considered a rising export item.
By Choi Ha-young





Rep. Shim Jae-kwon

Korea may have to shoulder a bigger financial burden than expected to deploy and operate a United States-made anti-ballistic missile system on its soil, opposition lawmakers said.

Since the country decided to install the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, doubts on transport expenses and the costs to install it here have not faded away.

Originally, Defense Minister Han Min-koo said Korea would bear no additional cost except for providing the site. However, some opposition lawmakers have pointed out that the U.S. has not allocated a budget for it. Regarding this, Rep. Shim Jae-kwon of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee presented three possible scenarios.

"First, the U.S. may not be fully prepared to deploy it on time for practical reasons," Shim said in an interview with The Korea Times, Feb. 22. "Secondly, it may demand Korea share the expense unlike the previous agreement. Last, it may use money deposited in the Community Bank."

The Community Bank is a Department of Defense-owned bank in charge of managing the cost of U.S. forces stationed overseas, including U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).












Acting Constitutional Court President Lee Jung-mi gets out of her car on her way to the court, in Jongno, downtown Seoul, Friday. Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Seung-tae will soon recommend a new justice to succeed the outgoing Lee, who retires March 13. / Yonhap



By Lee Kyung-min

Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Seung-tae will soon recommend a new constitutional court judge to succeed the outgoing acting court President Lee Jung-mi, according to legal circles, Friday.

A number of former and incumbent district court heads and senior judges, both men and women, are under consideration.

Lee, who is set to retire March 13, was recommended in March 2011 by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Lee Yong-hoon, who was appointed by the liberal ex-President Roh Moo-hyun.

As Lee was among the three justices recommended by Supreme Court chief justice, the vacancy can be filled by sitting Chief Justice Yang who was appointed by former President Lee Myung-bak, a conservative.

Under the law, of the nine justices, the president, Supreme Court chief justice and the National Assembly recommend three each. All nine are the appointed by the president.

The recommend figure by Yang will undergo a National Assembly confirmation hearing before acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn finalizes the appointment.

This is likely to trigger opposition from the ruling Liberty Korea Party members, loyal to President Park Geun-hye, who earlier came under heavy criticism for demanding that Hwang recommend a Constitutional Court justice to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of former court President Park Han-chul, who was recommended by former President Lee.

The demand was interpreted as part of Park's strategic moves to increase the chances of her impeachment being overturned by adding a justice loyal to her.

Meanwhile, the Korean Bar Association issued a statement, Thursday, stressing the need for a woman to fill Lee's vacancy.

"We demand that at least one out of nine justices be a woman who will defend women's rights, as it is deemed the minimum requirement for the court to uphold the constitutional spirit," it said in the statement.
By Kim Bo-eun



Independent counsel Park Young-soo said Friday former presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo exerted influence on investigations into the Sewol ferry disaster in 2014.



Park also said that if another arrest warrant is sought for Woo, it will definitely be approved.



The counsel team requested a warrant to arrest Woo last week, but the court denied approval.



Park said the team was unable to seek a second warrant, due to time constraints. The team's 90-day mandate expired Tuesday.



Meanwhile, a controversy is stirring after it was disclosed that Woo made frequent contact with high-level officials at the prosecution and Ministry of Justice even after he became a target of investigations by the prosecution last year.



Independent presidential investigator Lee Seok-soo requested the prosecution to look into charges Woo faces such as embezzling funds of a family-run company and exerting influence for his son to get a "soft" position while serving his military duty.



The local daily Hankyoreh reported that the counsel team confirmed Woo made around 20 calls to Prosecutor General Kim Soo-nam from July to October last year.



Woo and Kim spoke on the phone the day Woo's son and his family-run company, Jeonggang, reportedly became the target of an investigation Aug. 16.



They made calls also three days before the prosecution's search of Jeonggang on Aug. 29. The search did not find any evidence of allegations that Woo embezzled company funds.



Woo and Lee Young-ryeol, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office spoke over the phone after the report that President Park Geun-hye's speech drafts were found on a tablet computer belonging to her confidant Choi Soon-sil, Oct. 25.



The counsel team secured Woo's call records during its investigations into the former presidential secretary.



The prosecution said the calls were made for work purposes, and did not concern the ongoing investigation of Woo.



However, there are views that it is inappropriate for someone being investigated to make calls to high-ranking officials at the prosecution.



Woo also allegedly made around 1,000 calls to An Tae-geun, a high ranking official at the justice ministry in charge of overseeing the prosecution's investigations, from July to October last year.



On certain days, as many as several dozen calls were made between Woo and An.



At the National Assembly's audit of the justice ministry last October, lawmakers questioned An about whether he had made contact with Woo with regards to his investigations, but An denied it.




Kim Chong-in

By Rachel Lee

Rep. Kim Chong-in, the former interim leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), said Friday that he was "deceived" by the party, which has not been active in promoting his signature initiative of "economic democratization."

He hinted that he could leave the party, probably after the Constitutional Court makes a ruling about President Park Geun-hye's impeachment. Sources close to Kim said that he could seek to run for the presidency himself.

The move comes as the opposition party has shown a rather lukewarm attitude toward the economic democratisation policies long pursued by the lawmaker.

The DPK has pledged to push for economic democratization in an attempt to ease polarization between top conglomerates and smaller companies, and the rich and the poor. However, the party's revision bill to the Commercial Law to achieve economic democratization failed to pass at a plenary session at the National Assembly, Thursday.

Kim expressed his disappointment over the failure of the passage and criticized both the ruling and the main opposition parties for skipping out on their promise to realize economic democratization.

"I was deceived," Kim told reporters, expressing dissatisfaction at the party leadership including former leader and leading presidential contender Moon Jae-in.

"The party said it would pass the bill for sure, but none of the party members showed enthusiasm about it," he said.

Apparently targeting Moon, Kim said economic democratization cannot be achieved without the country's leader's "consciousness and will."

"Some say economic democratization is a populist policy. But they have no idea what economic democratization means and what populism means."

Kim also criticized the influx of text messages from Moon supporters to a group of DPK lawmakers that seeks constitutional reform ahead of the presidential election. Moon has been reluctant on the reform, which is aimed at the current single-term, five-year presidency, and a group of lawmakers has demanded he clarify his stance over the issue.

Rumors about Kim leaving the DPK have been around for a long time, but there had been no particular sign recently, which raised speculation that Kim could remain in the party backing South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung, one of the leading presidential contenders.

About this, Kim said, "We'll see after the impeachment ruling."
By Jun Ji-hye

The government should open dialogue with China at various levels as a first step to resolve an escalating conflict over South Korea's plan to deploy a U.S. anti-missile system here, analysts said Friday.

The suggestion comes amid growing expectations that Beijing's economic and cultural retaliations against Seoul will intensify further especially after Lotte Group signed a land swap deal with the Ministry of National Defense, Feb. 28, to provide the government with a site for hosting the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery.

China has already begun various retaliatory actions including halting Lotte's theme park construction in Shenyang as well as subjecting its Chinese affiliates to unusual tax audits and surprise fire safety inspections.

Besides Lotte, concerns are growing that other South Korean companies such as Samsung and Hyundai could also become the target of China's retaliation.

Sejong University Prof. Lee Moon-ki said China's actions are becoming more and more explicit, and it could be very difficult for the two sides to resolve the escalating conflict.

"The government needs to make efforts to expand dialogue," he said. "If it is hard to hold government-to-government talks, diplomacy by lawmakers as well as semi-official talks needs to be utilized."

As part of those efforts, the government will bring the issue up at the Seoul and Beijing high-level talks and the free trade agreement (FTA) working-level negotiations, which are scheduled for sometime in March and April, according to the ruling Liberty Korea Party (LKP) spokesman Rep. Kim Myung-yeon.

"THAAD deployment is just a self-defense measure not aimed at any countries apart from North Korea," Kim said after a meeting between officials from the government and the LKP. "South Korea will stress that China's actions using trade matters are just unreasonable."

During the meeting, acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn stressed that the THAAD battery is a vital defense measure to meet national security needs, making it clear once again that Seoul will push forward with the installation as planned despite objections raised by Beijing.

He then vowed to "prepare necessary countermeasures at the appropriate time," referring to China's actions.












Ahn Cheol-soo, right, the former co-chairman and presidential hopeful of the opposition People's Party, shakes hands with the another party presidential contender, Sohn Hak-kyu, while attending a gathering of the Federation of Professional Economic Person Societies in central Seoul, Friday. The two have had a disagreement over how to select the party's presidential candidate, and the party suspended talks on this following dispute between the two. / Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geun
By Walt Gardner





Pressure to prepare children for the realities of the global economy has turned nursery schools in South Korea and the United States into mini test-preparation factories. In the process, great harm is unwittingly being done.

In Seoul's affluent neighborhoods, two-year-olds are tutored in math, science and writing in the belief that doing so provides them with a leg up. But research has shown that this strategy is counterproductive. Toddlers need time to engage in unsupervised play. It's there that they learn invaluable social and emotional skills.

The U.S. is no less guilty. A major evaluation of Tennessee's publicly funded preschool system found that children exposed to academic skills so early in life performed worse on tests measuring literacy, language and math by the time they entered the second grade. The over reliance on drilling destroyed their enthusiasm. In short, emphasis on academic skills too early had unintended consequences.

Despite the evidence, parents in South Korea and the U.S. can't shake the guilt they feel if they don't join in the frenzy. It takes courage to resist. Complicating matters are cultural beliefs and values. What influences parents in one country does not necessarily play a role in another.

If there is one factor, however, that transcends national borders, it's the importance of the interaction between teacher and child. That's largely dependent on the kind of training teachers receive. For example, Finland, which is known for the quality of its schools, doesn't begin formal reading instruction until children are seven. Teachers there believe that the basis for the beginnings of literacy is that children have been spoken to and have been listened to.

Whether teachers in South Korea and the U.S. can resist the pressure to produce quantifiable outcomes in nursery school is another question. The obsession with accountability continues to grow.





Walt Gardner writes the Reality Check blog for Education Week in the U.S. Write to walt.gard@verizon.net.
By Jason Lim





Back in 2001, I visited China to go to Mount Baekdu, which sits along the border between northeastern China and North Korea and is considered the mythical birthplace of the Korean nation. Its place in the Korean creation myth is so important that Kim Jong-il's official bio claims that he was born on the mountain, although Soviet records say that he was really born in the village of Vyatskoye, near Khabarovsk in Russia.

In any case, I actually wanted to talk about getting on a bus in Jilin to ride for four hours along a brand new highway to reach Mount Baekdu. While the highway was new, everything else was still old, including what passed for roadside bathrooms that should have been more accurately named organic fertilizer storage facilities. But what struck me was that everyone carried a cell phone, even the old Korean-Chinese owner of the pork barbeque restaurant that we stopped at for a quick bite. Seeing that cellphones were still not commoditized even back in the U.S., this was a bit surprising. In fact, the guide told me that China wasn't laying down any phone line since the future was cellular communications. China was all about putting up cell towers and skipping phone lines altogether.

I tell this story to make the point that today's infrastructure is not tomorrow's infrastructure. Take autonomous driving, for example. If autonomous driving vehicles become the norm in a few decades and revolutionize how we travel by car, what's critical infrastructure then?

Do you still need traffic lights when cars would be able to sense each other's locations and adjust accordingly in real time to avoid collisions? After all, what's a traffic light if not a crude means of communication between groups of human drivers? Would you still need parking lots in an autonomous Uber-like environment when you won't need to own cars anymore since autonomous cars will be at your digital beck and call, customized to your life patterns?

What about all the pipelines that we need to transport crude oil to refineries, in addition to tanker trucks, underground gas storage facilities, gas stations, and numerous other subcomponents of the huge infrastructure that we have built around our society's dependence on petroleum for energy? If Elon Musk's electric cars, home battery packs, and solar roofs become the new norm, do we still need to pump oil and transport it to somewhere else?

On the other hand, you would still definitely need Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity _ this would definitely be considered critical infrastructure since everything will stop functioning without that constant connectivity. The connectivity speed will be just as important because it would literally be a matter of life or death when your car is crossing that intersection at 80mph.

What about banking? Bitcoin just passed the price of gold in the stock market for the first time this week. If blockchain technology becomes the new norm in financial dealings, as well as any type of informational exchange between entities, what is the critical infrastructure that we would need to support that new transaction model? Certainly cybersecurity, resiliency, and robustness that support any such transactions would have to be considered critical infrastructure. In this case, infrastructure is not just physical constructs, but would include people, processes, and technology.

What about social media? If social media becomes the standard platform for connecting people, can it be considered critical infrastructure, rather than just an application running on a critical infrastructure? How widely does a technology have to be adopted in order for it to graduate from being nice to have to critical to have?

These changes are coming. No one knows for sure what will disappear as a one-hit wonder and what will stick around to define the new normal. One thing we know, however, is that today's infrastructure isn't tomorrow's infrastructure. And tomorrow's critical infrastructure won't be solely made up of physical "things."

Correctly predicting what tomorrow's infrastructure will be and investing accordingly will be the competitive edge that municipalities and even nations will have to come out ahead in the next decades. If you are still laying down telephone lines while everyone's talking on the cellphone, then you are Western Union in the world of Bell. Or Pony Express in the era of FedEx. And so on.





Jason Lim is a Washington D.C.-based expert on innovation, leadership and organizational culture. He has been writing for The Korea Times since 2006. Reach him at jasonlim@msn.com, facebook.com/jasonlimkoreatimes or @jasonlim2012.
By Oh Young-jin





What are the odds of the next president getting impeached?

If we put the weathermen's probability to the extreme, it would be safe to say that the odds are greater than before. If you insist on knowing "before what," what here is the traumatic experience we are now undergoing in connection with the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.

Here is one very subjective call involved.

Would people want to relive this excoriating period?

They don't but it is unavoidable. After all, humans are creatures of habit.

There is proof of sorts already. Hwang Kyo-an, prime minister who acts as president, decided not to grant an extension on the special prosecutor's probe into the so-called Choi Soon-sil-gate, named after Park's alter ego, the central figure of the scandal that has shaken the nation to its foundation. The opposition parties threatened to impeach Hwang as well.

Numbers can play a role in that political apocalyptical scenario.

Polls show that any candidate who wins the ticket of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) will likely win the presidential election, whether it is frontrunner Moon Jae-in, a losing candidate in the previous election, dark horse An Hee-jung, governor of South Cheongchung Province, or maverick Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung. The impeachment saga has put the conservatives in total disarray.

Not factored in is the likelihood that the winning candidate gains a "true majority."

The total eligible voters for the election likely in May is about 42 million, calculated for the general elections last year. If 70 percent cast ballots, it would be about 29 million. One can win the election on anything over the majority or about 15 million. But one can dispute the victory by arguing that the true majority requires more than 20 million votes, half of the eligible voters or close to 70 percent of votes cast. .

Sounds surreal? You may be right in a perfect world that democracy works perfectly but we don't.

Take the example of candlelit protestors vs. "Taegukgi units."

The candlelight started to condemn Park's governing idiosyncrasies that, among other things, dealt with presidential mandate like personal property. It was and still is the case of people power prevailing over the unworthy leader.

But it is now often portrayed as a liberal movement, in contrast to a growing turnout of people who wrap them with national flags and demand the Constitutional Court dismiss the Park case. They are led by renegade pro-Park lawmakers, belong to the older generations, draw in conservative support and gets bigger.

Throw in the do-or-die ideological confrontation that is finding its outlet in the Park case and it is likely that these conservatives may dismiss the progressive election winner unless he wins the true majority. Even if he wins the true majority, it is quite possible that the naysayers call him "not my president" or "half president."

Then, spoiling the DPK's chance of shoo-in president is that any conservative standard bearer turns into a lightning rod and tighten the election. Optimists point out that there is less than three months left before the election, considering that it should be held within two months after Park is disqualified as president. The ruling is expected around the second week of March so the election should be held in May. (The Constitutional Court is widely expected to back the impeachment against Park. Even if it doesn't, it is widely believed that Park couldn't come back to office.) Prime Minister Hwang came in second with 16.9 percent against Moon's 45.8 percent in a simulated duel, according to the recent survey by Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times. Hwang has not even declared his candidacy.

The real challenge for the nation may come after the election.

The illiberals of Korean variety would get organized and try to throw the wrench in every governing action by the liberal president.

Perhaps, they may feel revanchist, doing what was done against Park on him.

In that sense, the Park case is worth a second look.

True, she has been a terrible president for her imperial modus operandi. But just imagine what if Choi's tablet PC containing evidence of illegal power sharing was not found? The nation could have been under Park's rule, complaining about her tactless governance.

There was another case of candlelit protests that almost toppled the government of Lee Myung-bak, Park's predecessor. Then, for months, the protesters occupied Gwangwhamun Boulevard to demand the resumption of U.S. beef imports halted amid mad cow fears. It turned out to be a case of much ado about nothing : a misguided report that triggered a nationwide civil disobedience movement.

As shown in the latest candlelit protests and counter-protests, now the mass is more highly mobilized thanks to the ever-present SNS. But what boils the pot is the zeitgeist of the post-truth era that we are living in  where the borderline between truth and falsity gets blurred and the borderline itself shifts as well and where we want to believe what we want to believe and it magically turns into truth.

In other words, the next president should be made aware that even before election he is running the risk of being impeached, considering he takes office at a time when the nation is highly divided and ideological conflict of the proportion of candlelit protests can be the striking of a match away, so to speak. Some now say that the biggest achievement for the next president would be complete his term, pointing out that through Park's impeachment, the people has tasted the most addictive aphrodisiac, named power, and may want to have it again and again.

Then, how would he avoid the repeat of Park's fate?

The answer is as simple as politics involving impeachment is complicated.

He can survive by giving half of his power to the other side: appointing a prime minister with conservative credentials and giving him a big power to him. It is easier said than done. Power is like a question that is in search for answer  he who has it wants to have it all to himself.





Oh Young-jin is The Korea Times' chief editorial writer. Contact foolsdie5@ktimes.com and foolsdie@gmail.com.
By Yoon Sung-won



Samsung has stopped all group-wide internal communication channels following the disbandment of the conglomerate's strategy-setting control tower, group officials said Friday.



The nation's largest conglomerate dissolved its 28-year-old in-house broadcaster  Samsung Broadcasting Center (SBC)  as of Thursday.



"Now that the Corporate Strategy Office is gone, we are closing in-house broadcasting," a Samsung official said. "Affiliates will continue their own respective in-house broadcasts."



The group introduced the SBC in 1989. Broadcasts were aired twice a week in the morning for 10 to 15 minutes. They mainly introduced affiliates, their diverse departments and occupational groups.



"The broadcast facilitated communication among affiliates and employees," said an office worker at a Samsung Group affiliate, Friday. "Most employees stay in an office to work, and so it was good to know what other workers at group affiliates did."



The in-house broadcasting has also been used as a channel for whistle-blowing. In 1993, the SBC reporting team filmed a video of Samsung Electronics' washing machine manufacturing plant workers fabricating defective products as ones with fair quality. In the video, the workers tried to shape a defective lid of a washing machine with a knife.



Responding to the whistle-blowing broadcast, Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee summoned about 200 executives to Frankfurt, Germany, on June 7 in 2013 to deliver what the conglomerate called its New Management Initiative.



"We won't survive without painful changes," Lee said in a speech, which was also called the Frankfurt Declaration. "Advanced countries, companies will dominate the market in the coming four to five years." At that time, Lee also famously said, "Change everything except for your wife and children."



Later in June and July last year, the SBC released a White Paper on Samsung's software competitiveness and argued that the Korean conglomerate lagged far behind global giants such as Google in terms of software development capability.



The group's other communication channels face the same fate as the SBC. The group's new letter service was stopped as of Thursday. Its website and official blog are scheduled to close April 3.



Samsung Group said it will no longer provide the Samsung Campus Talk, a career counseling program for collegians. The group will also discontinue overseas study programs or transfers of managers to other affiliates.



The Samsung affiliate source said many working-level employees will miss the in-house broadcast.



"Besides introducing the work of other affiliates, the broadcast offered other useful and interesting information such as tips for simple exercises that we could do while working," he said. "It also helped us learn about the company that we work at, which I believe was good."



Another employee at Samsung Electronics said, "I understand that such decisions have been made for a good purpose. The changes may not have a significant influence on our daily work, but the overseas training opportunities and recreational events will be missed by many employees."




By Lee Hyo-sik



Korean Air has been grappling with a series of maintenance lapses in recent weeks, which have forced some of its planes to return to airports after takeoff.



These incidents have greatly inconvenienced passengers and raised public concern over the carrier's operational safety, dealing a blow to company President Walter Cho who took control of Korea's largest carrier Jan. 11.



Industry analysts say a wide range of problems could occur during flights as planes are composed of hundreds of thousands of electronic and mechanical parts.



Korean Air's aging fleet has become more prone to various safety-related malfunctions, according to the analysts, who said poor maintenance makes things go from bad to worse.



On Feb. 28, a Korean Air flight bound for Fiji was forced to return to Incheon International Airport about six hours after takeoff, inconveniencing 115 passengers.



The pilots of the Airbus 330-200 decided to return to Incheon after a warning alert about the plane's hydraulic system. Upon arrival, passengers had to board another airplane and arrived in Fiji, 10 hours and 30 minutes later than initially scheduled.



On the same day, a Korean Air Boeing 777-300 aircraft bound for Singapore had to return to Manila International Airport, nearly three hours after takeoff, because some passengers complained about the smell of something burning. It was later found that the smell was caused by excessive heat in the internal heating system.



On Feb. 20, a Korean Air Boeing 747-400 bound for Bangkok was forced to abort takeoff at Incheon airport after detecting a problem with the landing gear.



The carrier's low-cost unit, Jin Air, has been no exception to maintenance lapses in recent months.



For instance, Jin Air ordered a Boeing 777-200 plane bound for the Philippines to return to Incheon Feb. 8 after a fire alarm sensor malfunctioned. The aircraft was manufactured in May 2005.



"It is not unusual for planes to abort flights for various mechanical problems because some parts among the hundreds of thousands of the plane may not function properly," said an airline industry official, who declined to be named. "The carriers these days are beginning to deal with a growing number of maintenance-related problems in line with the aging of their airplanes."



The analyst also said Korean Air and other airlines have become more sensitive toward safety-related issues. "In the past, minor troubles could have been ignored if they posed no flight risks. But these days, pilots act more cautiously and prefer to ground planes whenever something goes wrong, regardless of the extent of the severity."



A Korean Air official said that "Among hundreds of thousands of parts making up an airplane, some may not work properly at times."



"Nonetheless, we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of every single flight and provide on-time, pleasant flight services to our customers. We will continue to remain vigilant," he said.




This is the fourth in a series highlighting operations of foreign luxury brands in Korea.  ED.

By Park Jae-hyuk





Chanel Chairman Alain Wertheimer

Chanel has enjoyed long-lasting popularity among Korean consumers as one of the top three luxury brands, along with Hermes and Louis Vuitton. The fate of its employees in Korea, however, may not be luxurious at all.

According to Chanel Korea, Friday, the company carried out large-scale restructuring last year, which appears to have caused a mass resignation of employees who were working for its marketing and sales departments.

Back then, the Korean branch of the French fashion house said it integrated the department store and duty free divisions into a single unit, which it says was designed to keep up with the rapidly evolving business environment.

"This integration impacted very few positions," a Chanel Korea spokesman said. "As a responsible employer, we supported the people with the highest standards following our usual social policy."

The spokesman denied the possibility of additional restructuring, but industry sources expect that another large-scale shuffle will take place this year. The sources said that employees in finance and personnel divisions are highly likely to be the next targets.

To the chagrin of Chanel Korea employees, the massive payroll cut was not because the Seoul affiliate yielded poor results. Over the past few years, the firm has enjoyed increases in sales at major department stores here and last year it chalked up a double-digit growth.
China plans to bolster its defences in cyberspace while keeping a close eye on the US government's review of its own strengths.



Policy document also pledges to prevent an arms race in the cyber realm amid US claims that Chinese hackers have attacked American government targets



By Catherine Wong





China plans to bolster its defences in cyberspace while keeping a close eye on the US government's review of its own strengths, a senior foreign ministry official said on Thursday.

Cybersecurity has been a flashpoint for Sino-US ties, with the US accusing the Chinese government and military of cyberattacks against US targets. Beijing denies the claims and says it is a victim of hacking.

Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has not commented on the cybersecurity feud with China, but last month he scrapped plans to sign an executive order for a US cybersecurity overhaul.

China, meanwhile, released a blueprint on Wednesday to increase international cooperation in cyberspace and to strengthen its own cybersecurity systems. "Enhanced defence capability in cyberspace is an important part of China's endeavour to modernise its national defences and armed forces," the document said.

China would also "prevent cyberspace from becoming a new battlefield" and "prevent an arms race in cyberspace", according to the blueprint released by the foreign ministry and the national internet regulator.

Beijing would "expedite the development of a cyber force" and take preventive diplomatic measures by stepping up dialogue with other countries to study new threats that affected international peace and security.

Long Zhou, the foreign ministry's coordinator for cyber affairs, said China was paying close attention to the US review of its cybersecurity defences. Beijing also hoped to resume dialogue with the US in the area.

"The US policy on cybersecurity is still unclear. So we will wait to find out [if the dialogue will resume]," Long said.

When asked about long-standing US accusations of attacks by Chinese hackers, he underscored Beijing's position that it was the "major victim" of hacking.

"[China is] unlike other people who always portray themselves as the victim and point the finger at other countries," he said.

Long also warned against the risks of an arms race in cyberspace.

"We are concerned about the emerging trend of enhanced deterrence [among other countries]. This is not conducive to international security and mutual trust," he said.

Beijing suspended a cybersecurity working group with the US three years ago after Washington accused five Chinese military officers of stealing trade secrets. The talks resumed a year later.

State Councillor Yang Jiechi and Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun met US officials in Washington in December and discussed tackling cybercrime.

China, home to the world's biggest number of internet users, routinely censors online content, including blocking international social networking sites such as Facebook.

Long said China advocated freedom of speech for its citizens, but stressed the need for regulation in cyberspace.

Qin An, director of the China Institute of Cyberspace Strategy, said Trump's America-first agenda and his plans to pull Washington back from its role as the "world's policeman" could mean the US was unlikely to lecture China on its domestic regulation of the internet.

But cybersecurity could still be a source of tension between the two countries under the Trump administration, Qin said.

He also said the growing importance of cybersecurity to national sovereignty meant there was a need to institutionalise defences against cyber attack.

"China and the US should formally establish a cyber force as part of the military, but it should not lead to an arm race," Qin said.
'Descendants of the Sun' actor Song Joong-ki will be returning in a new drama! Instead of being a leading role, he is lending his acting skills for another cameo. Recently, he made a cameo appearance in the Netflix original 'The Sound Of Your Heart' playing a famous webtoon creator. This time, he will be making a cameo in the Park Hae-jin drama, 'Man to Man'.

Joong-ki was photographed on set by local reporters, looking dapper in a business suit. Leading actor Hae-jin was also seen on set as well. The plot of 'Man to Man' is about a mysterious man who get swept up in a whirlwind of events after he becomes the bodyguard to a top star.

Expect to see beautiful production on this drama, for it have been reviled that some scenes were filmed in Budapest! The drama is set to premier on April 21st on JTBC!

Are you excited to see Song Joong-ki back on the small screen? Let us know in the comments below!
Historic ties of north Meck span throughout region Though the north Mecklenburg area didnt see significant population growth until a few decades ago, its rich history dates back to the Revolutionary War. That was the basis of...

An easier-than-expected first mammogram experience HUNTERSVILLE  Scheduling a cancer screening probably ranks somewhere on your to-do list between "clean out the garage" and "donate those clothes that don't fit." Sure, you'll get to it at...
Road to Healing Audio Article Ceyapi, this past Saturday we cried as we listened to the stories of many who were hurt in one of...
Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva delivered the Statement on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka as the country concerned during the Clustered Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Dr. Nils Melzer, at the 34th Session of the Human Rights Council today (02 March 2017). The statement followed the presentation of the Report (A/HRC/34/54/Add.2) on the visit of previous Special Rapporteur on Torture, Mr. Juan E. Mendez to Sri Lanka from 29 April to 7 May 2016.

Full Statement





Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka

Geneva

02 March 2017
These transcripts appear in the March 3, 2017 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

On Composing a New Future

[Print version of these transcripts]

The following are edited transcripts from two sources. The first part is from a discussion which Lyndon LaRouche conducted with members of the LaRouche PAC Science Team on Feb. 23, 2017, and the second part consists of edited remarks from the Feb. 23 LaRouche PAC National Activist Call, delivered by John Sigerson, member of the Board of Directors of Schiller Institute, Inc., and National Music Director of Schiller Institute.

Jason Ross: What is it to be productive? People are so divorced from an idea of productivity, young people have no idea what productivity means. . . . The general theme has got to be, how do we increase productivity, what is productivity, what are the ways that that gets fostered both through Glass Steagall and National Banking, to make it possible for manufacturing to returnincluding the public works aspect of iton the science front, the fusion front, and on the infrastructure platform front. The potential productivity of the whole nation takes a tremendous leap with a high speed rail network, the maglev rail network, and there is this problem that people have in thinking about this when they are looking at it piece by piece rather than the platform that is generated as the whole. So those are some of the things I want to change.

Lyndon LaRouche: Well, some of these things you might not want to changeif you think carefully, because these issues dont come in numbers. They arent simple quantities. What they do is they represent an action of the mind of people and it is the action of the mind of people that determines what action is in reality. So, therefore, you dont go to a quantity directly. You have an effect, which looks like something otherwise. But what you have to do is, you have to get to the gut of the issue itself. Hmm? You cant, in other words, make different kinds of combinations or work them out. That doesnt work. If its serious, you have to discover what the meaning of what you just saw, was. In other words, you cannot go by deduction, simple deduction. You have to actually develop a conception of how the whole system might work, and then work down to discover what that system means.

Its the creation of the creation of an idea, which apparently came from nowhere, but was just suddenly there. Then you have to find out what that meant. You have to investigate what was the way in which this thing happened. You cant do it by anatomic dissection. Some will do that dissection, but. . . . I dont think we want to do that in the public streets.

Ben Deniston: Can you say more about what you mean when you say discover how the system works as a whole?

LaRouche: Yes, the idea is, you cannot make a deductive approach to accomplish any system. It has to be something which evolves with the independent character, distinct from other characters which have been experienced otherwise. Therefore, it has to be a justification for this characterization.

Real discoveryall real discoveryis not pragmatic. Its always creative. You create something, in action, which would not have happened otherwise. In other words, everything that fits in, that comes in by definition itself, and it does not come because its a combination of thingsit becomes a servant of an idea. But the servant of the idea is not something which was composed in a formal way. Thats why the so-called practical approaches to scientific work become a disaster. Because you have to deal with something which you can make this somethingyou can change it without changing the character of the thing.

So you get something which is independent of the particular thing, because the particular thing is not the solution. But youve got to find something that is so important to what you are trying to do, that youll stick to that and not drift off into another direction. And that characteristic, these same kinds of discoveries, are not discoveries which can be quantified. They can appear to be quantified, but theyre not of that character. Its like creating a solar system, or a stellar system. It is not something you make by composing it, as such. Its something that you have to call upon in order to create, to stimulate the creation of an idea which otherwise would not exist.

Ross: Composition without components.

LaRouche: Thats right! But composition with composition. So there has to be a relationship between the composition and what could have been otherwise the component. It is like making babies! You can sit it there in the crib all the way through life. But this crib does not define the baby! I hope it does not. What you are looking for is something, an idea which is necessary for a purpose, that is not something you simply deduce. Deduction process is not the means of dealing with that.

Megan Beets: Rather than making babies, I was going to say it is like making music, because the notes are necessitated by the idea.

LaRouche: Would we hope thats the way it is going to work out. Like our friend we discussed a time ago . . . the composer you liked in the particular way, we discussed it. Kepler. Because its a completely different composition. It does not have compositions as such. It has something which has a higher order of composition as such. And thats how all good things generally come about. Furtwangler was the man who made a very important turn in the understanding of composition, musical composition. Thats an example of what we mean in creativity. Its not something you can add in numerically or any other way like that. It is something that you have to feel and create. And nothing else will do. And Furtwanglers case is typical of thatin the latter years of his life when he came to the greatest degree of development of his powers.

Thats the difference between what you can makeby making some kind of dough or somethingand creating a new idea which had no anticipation as such. Somebody did, somebody saw the idea, but they didnt make the idea. They adapted themselves to the idea, because it is something they understood, something they had understood, only lately. Thats how great ideas come about. Like Furtwangler. Furtwangler was a very important figure in my life time.

Societe Wilhelm Furtwangler/furtwangler.net

Everything that is really good is of that same nature, is composed not by putting parts together. . . The important thing is what is necessary to create a new reality in the world, as Furtwangler did. Just take the closing end of Furtwanglers famous composition. Thats what makes the music. Not the parts. So thats what I think our problem is, is to get a conception which is inherently intrinsic, and when the composer or the person who is functioning as if he were a composer, and effectively so, that you get a special kind of reaction in the composition as such. And thats what I think is in real scientific workthe location of the scientific principle, just like a musical principle, like Furtwangler, and put that together. Now you have something which comes alive; alive in its own way, its own characteristics. Anybody can make a poem but very few people are competent to develop compositions. So you want to have compositionsan inherently, intrinsic characteristic of something which is composed. And the ability that this thing represents for a productive achievementthat is what the point is you have to shoot for.

That is what Krafft Ehricke did. If you look at what Krafft Ehricke did in the United States, for example, it was unique. The way he died reminded us, those of us who knew himrealized that this was a composition made by a human being, Krafft Ehricke. And the whole thing was something unique, and you would turn around and say, well, Krafft EhrickeWhat does Krafft Ehricke mean? Krafft Ehricke means the creative powers of a person, a highly developed person, who elevated mankind to a higher level of development.

So the fact that this idea of composition was situated in those terms is exactly what you have to do if you want to do what we are doing here. You cant synthesize something. You have to actually create it. And the creation is based on something which is inside what you are doing, but you could never interpret it. It could interpret you, but you cannot interpret it. This is the best way to get something worthwhile. Concentrate on that objective. If you want to cook something, always cook a composition. A composition is cooked, it is not made. . . I mean what are we doing here? We are taking a phenomenon, it is really strange, it is a phenomenon! Thats why it is thereits a phenomenon. It is not a factits a phenomenon, in the same way that Furtwangler set up his programs. So you want to create something that in and of itself has power, the power of creativity. And you will never get a simple answer. That would be wrong. If you did the right thing, then you would create something. But you wouldnt make it out of parts. Musical composition, the same thing. And its fun. Thats the other part. If its not fun, dont do it!

San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives

Deniston: One aspect of this is what you went after very early on, the whole information theory fraud. You have often said that was a major part of your economic work, the fallacy of information theory as a methodological approach to any kind of system, like an economy. It seems like it has also permeated science and fundamental physics, to a degree I didnt even realize. It seems like information theoryliterally breaking down the universe into a digitalized fundamental framework of yes/no informationappears to be actually a fundamental tenet of modern physics. It seems like thats another angle on the permeation of this completely fallacious methodological, epistemological view, not just in the economics as you cited then, but in science more generally.

LaRouche: It is not the action. It is the effect. And it is the effect you createits what makes the meaning of a text . . . what makes it work. It does not work by composition as such. It functions itself by being able to repeat or to develop something out of an idea, but an idea which is in itself creative. And thats the formulation which is crucial. And people fail because they try to make things up. Its when they realize that something has come over them, it has an intrinsic value. It has no literal composition; it just has itself and thats what makes history great.

Like Furtwangler. He had an innovation, a capacity for innovation in a certain part of his life and thats the way it worked. And if you listen to Furtwanglers performances in life, thats what you see, thats what you get. There is no piece. There is a composition, a composition in a very special meaningthat you have an idea and this idea which flows from you on the basis of your discovery, is something unique, and is precious to you, its precious to mankind. Thats like the Furtwangler composition, his. . . composition, in the leading edges of what he did.

But Furtwanglers practice, and what he said about things, and what he did in response to this idea, is clear. It can be accessed. So the idea that music, composition, that the same thing is applied to all kinds of important things which are composition. When something comes out of your mind and suddenly says something that mind has never spoken beforeand yet on a second thought, the person who is expressing that thing will respond to what he or she had intended. The meaning of that experience suddenly becomes somethinga force more powerful than any mere idea. And thats what mankind has to achieve, the necessity is to get mankind to grasp this idea. Where do great ideas come from, what are great ideas, what do they represent? And thats the secret of science.

The same thing is discovering what Krafft Ehricke did in his work. He created things, new things, entirely new things coherent with the coherent systematic quality. Out of this thing, a whole story begins to evolve as something which has never been seen before. The point is to get rid of the amateurs. The amateurs are no use to science. When all the stars you want to study represent mankind as a whole, thats what you have to do. The problem is that most of the great politicians have no intellect. They only have bad. But the Furtwangler case is really a very good example of what the issue is. It is the idea of how do you create something which is beautiful. What is beauty? There is no such thing as beauty in the simple sense. Its the effect. Beauty lies in the effect it represents. I think by now you probably see more clearly what my argument is. And for me thats the principle of composition. It has many aspects and expressions but they all have one quality.

The National Activist Call

John Sigerson: Hello everybody. I wanted to approach what were doing from a standpoint which I hope will make you happy. What were doing is not just protecting the presidency; were actually composing the presidencythats our job. When I say composing, I mean composing from the standpoint of, say, a poetic composition. Just today, Lyndon LaRouche was having a discussion with some of our people and he pointed out along these lines, and I quote, Anyone can make a poem, but very few people can make a real composition, that is, a composition that has an underlying idea, a principle behind it. And this began to strike me with the Trump Presidency the other day, when he gave his very combative press conference to the media, attacking the media, which Im sure you heard about, and probably listened to. At last Saturdays Manhattan Meeting, I pointed out something which struck me, which is the way he used the term the failing New York Times. And I sensed a note of poetry in what the President was doing there, because he said it a number of times, and it created a kind of breath of fresh air for me, and I think for everybody, because it broke a taboo, which is youre never supposed to say anything bad about the New York Times. It changed the whole attitude of the population, without people even knowing about it. Weve seen the results of that even in our organizing over the last week, and Im sure were going to hear reports about that.

There was another incident with the President that I wanted to point out, which is even more amazing, which was theyou may have heard about thisthe comments that Trump made in commemorating Black History Month. He was talking about Frederick Douglass, who of course was an incredible fighter in the 19th Century against slavery. President Trump said the following, Frederick Douglass is an example of someone who has done an amazing job and is getting recognized more and more, I notice.

The liberal media went absolutely wild over what Trump said. Why? You would say, well, why is that? Let me read you what the Washington Post said. The world may never know whether President Trump just got a little sloppy with his verb tenses on Wednesday morning, or simply had no idea that the famous black abolitionist Frederick Douglass was in fact dead. In other words, what they are quibbling over is the fact that he used the verb is rather than was.

This is exactly the kind of violation of rules which is the core of anything having to do with poetry. There is a book called the New York Times Manual of Style and there is also a similar book by Strunk and White called Elements of Style which may have been inflicted on many of you in your studies, which outline all the rules you are supposed to follow in order to communicate something, and all of these rules are, especially with commasyoure not supposed to use a comma except grammatically in order to throw off certain kinds of phrases. And youre not supposed to use is if youre talking about something in the pastand all of these kinds of crazy rules. Obviously, what President Trump was sayingand thats what his press spokesman said later onthat obviously Trump was thinking of Frederick Douglass legacy as being completely alive and growing, which I think is a wonderful idea. Whats the problem with that?

That brings me to this question of poetry, and I think that we all have to be thinking, as were doing all of the things that were doingwe have to be thinking that ultimately it is poetry, a certain kind of poetrypolemical poetrythat actually changes the entire paradigm of the population.

I just wanted to read something from Percy Shelley. Its his essay, A Defense of Poetry. If youve ever read this essay, its not that long but its incredibly packed, and you may have heard bits and pieces of it. I just wanted to read one passage here, where he says:

Painting by Alfred Clint

At such periodsand I would say such periods as the one that were living through right now[John Sigerson]there is an accumulation of the power of communicating and receiving intense and impassioned conceptions respecting man and nature. The persons in whom this power resides, may often, as far as regards many portions of their nature, have little apparent correspondence with that spirit of good of which they are the ministers, but even while they deny and abjure, they are yet compelled to serve, the power which is seated on the throne of their own soul. It is impossible to read the compositions of the most celebrated writers of the present day without being startled with the electric life which burns within their words

Okay. Let me read that according to the way that the New York Times Manual of Style would read it. [Reads it again as described.] I guess you can get the idea that also it is very important that things are presented in an emphatic way; and the key there of course is that I eliminated all the commas, which is exactly what is usually done nowadays. And that is what the liberals like. They dont like commas, at all.

What is this thing called poetry? I just want to read a little bit more from earlier on, where Shelley says something about what poetry is. He says:

Poetry, in a general sense, may be defined to be the expression of the imagination: and poetry is connate with the origin of man. Man is an instrument over which a series of external and internal impressions are driven, like the alternations of an ever-changing wind over an olian lyre, [thats a musical instrument], which move it by their motion to ever-changing melody. But there is a principle within the human being, and perhaps within all sentient beings, which acts otherwise than in the lyre, and produces not melody alone, but harmony, by an internal adjustment of the sounds or motions thus excited to the impressions which excite them. It is as if the lyre could accommodate its chords to the motions of that which strikes them, in a determined proportion of sound; even as the musician can accommodate his voice to the sound of the lyre. [And skipping a little bit, he talks about the childs delight in these things, and he says,] In relation to the objects which delight a child, these expressions are what poetry is to higher objects.

And indeed, what we are talking about is that higher object.

Over the recent period, weve been re-issuing a number of wonderful written pieces by Lyndon LaRouche, which if you have not worked on, you really should work through. I would just point out that there are a couple of pieces that are very, very critical, which you could listen to or study in order to get a sense of that. These are pieces which Ill probably be working on, giving a class series, as well. One of them is a piece by Mozart, which is called Ave Verum Corpus. Its a seemingly very simple piece. It means Hail True Body. Its a song to the Virgin Mary, but it has embedded in it this exact same principle that Im getting at here, and it also points to an incredible piece that was later written by Beethoven which is a string quartet, which is Opus 132, which has in it something that harkens back to Mozart, whom of course Beethoven revered. Its a holy song of thanks to the Godhead of one who has been cured, and that is also something very beautiful.

The other thing that I would like (again, just for time, we cant really work these things through here, but I will) is to work through something that has preoccupied me for many years, and ought to preoccupy everyone, which is the work of the great conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler, who was a German conductor and German music director; and who, if you want to understand what really is motivating Lyndon LaRoucheand I say is and will continue to motivate Lyndon LaRoucheyou must work through the effect that Furtwanglers work, and the pieces that he conducted had on LaRouche, as he was growing up. I will just point out that there was one point, in 1946, when Lyndon LaRouche was in India and he heard for the first time a recordingwhich I actually dug upits a 1938 recording by Furtwangler, doing a piece by Tchaikovsky, the Russian composer; and in a footnote, in another work which we will probably be publishing, called Mans Original Creations, which he wrote in 2005, that is, at the age of 83, he said:

As I have often, on occasion, referred to this experience, the first time I experienced Furtwanglers conducting was in 1946, in hearing a recording of his directing of a Tchaikovsky performance. It was like a Damascus Road experience, in which I recognized that the effect I experienced, of the transparency of the performance, lay in a gripping cross-voice movement throughout the performance, to the effect of the relentlessness of a compelling sense of a seamless intellectual development underlying the heard music which is heard not with the ear, but with the mind.

And it is precisely that musical sense which if we are able to get that across and communicate this in everything that we do, we will win. With that, I will hand it over to questions and answers.

In response to a question concerning the political organizing in New York City, John said the following:

Sigerson: OK. Well, A__, I just have to keep hammering away at this question of irony. This wonderful article that Lyn wrote called Mans Original Creations which we quoted before, talks about this thing, because thats the way to put it into words. Let me just read the paragraph that Lyn wrote:

As Schiller emphasizes, the man from the street should leave the theater as virtually a different person than had entered a few hours before. Irony! This effect is not, like the experience of some fundamentalist parsons rant, some maudlin sort of edifying moral effect upon the audience. It is the effect on the citizen of looking over the shoulder of a history different than that of his own experience of life in his own time and place. [Were talking about great drama, like Shakespeare now.] Irony! Why could they not see the rottenness of their culture? Could I do something about a tragic error in the culture of my own society today? What kind of a fool I would be, if I could not look at my own culture as I could now see so clearly the insanity of that other culture presented to me by that play? Irony! He is not such a fool that he would attempt to deduce a principle for his culture from the other culture on stage.

But then later on, a wonderful paragraph that I really love, Lyn says,

The orbit of the planets is not circular, but elliptical. Irony! Fermat demonstrated that the pathway of least action is not the shortest distance, but the pathway of the quickest time. Irony! Huyghens thought this pathway was defined by the cycloid; but Leibniz and Bernoulli demonstrated that it is the catenary-defined principle of the Leibniz calculus, the principle of universal least action. Irony!

And indeed, the more ironical juxtapositions that youre able to do, when youre even talking to people, it requires a little bit more concentration, a little bit more effort, but thats why I brought up this ironyearlier on hereabout this crazy thing with Frederick Douglass, because it points out the ironical juxtaposition of how crazy all the media are at this point, so that people can actually laugh at itas Trump was laughing at it.

The Activist Call concluded with these final comments:

Sigerson: I want to add one thing to what Dennis just said, on a political note, which is something that Lyndon LaRouche was very emphatic about earlier on, this week, which is Obama personally. Lyndon said very explicitly, We have to destroy Obama. That doesnt mean physically, but right now we have an opportunity to destroy his credibility, destroy everything that he represents. And Lyndon was very explicit on saying that we should focus also on the Tuesday kill sessions, that Obama was doing: He is a murderer. He continues to be a murderer, and everything that hes doing right now is pushing towards murder even of the sitting President of the United States. And I think that we should not be nice to Obama. We should really pile it on with this guy, because he should get everything that he deserves. He should be discredited and a good part of the population now may actually be able to take that Damascus Road. People who up to now have been sort of dumb supporters.

And I think some of these meetings, especially the one that P__ just mentioned, is a perfect example of that kind of thing. Theyre ripe for conversion, and almost like, I would say, deprogramming.

Otherwise, I just want to urge people not to ignore these incredible works that now were re-issuing in Executive Intelligence Review, on these incredibly, for some of you, possibly quite difficult to read, longer pieces by Lyndon. Because if you want sticking power, which is what this movement has had for now almost 50 years, if you want sticking power, youve got to learn to know Mr. LaRouche in the deepest way possible. Hes still around, hes 94 years old now, and you can still talk to him, but its these papers that really reveal as deeply as youre going to get, his soul. And really, avail yourself of this opportunity; Mr. LaRouche is one of the greatest thinkers of the past millennium and a lot of us, reading these papers, and re-reading these papers myself, have reinforced that idea. Its not an exaggeration: future generations will, I think, bear this out. Thank you.
This editorial appears in the March 3, 2017 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

The Denial of Reality by Narcissistic Democrat s Take s O n Clinica l Dimensions

[Print version of this editorial]

Feb. 25The collective hysteria seizing the neoliberal, vulture globalist trans-Atlantic Establishmentin the face of far-reaching strategic changes manifest in the Trump Presidency and the New Silk Road dynamicrepresents a new kind of mass-psychological phenomenon. In a symbiotic conflation of group-think and group-narcissism, these advocates of the oh-so-democratic western community of values indulge in diatribes of the basest sort against those who think otherwise, so much so that it doesnt even occur to them that they are acting dictatorially.

The most dramatic example of this clinical loss of touch with reality is surely the pathological excitement with which every statement by President Trump is commented upon. A recent example is Trumps Feb. 24 speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference at National Harbor in Maryland. He pointed out the obvious, that the United States has spent six trillion dollars or more over the last fifteen years for wars in the Middle East and Libya, and the region is much the worse for it today. If the former presidents had instead gone to the beach during that time, we would all be much better off today, he said, and added that we could have rebuilt our country three times over with that money.

But the media found these views unworthy of comment, and instead hyperventilated over the fact that several of their number, who had previously distinguished themselves with particularly vicious reporting against Trump, were not invited to be part of the White House media pool. And where were these media and their co-thinker politicians, when the Bush and Obama governmentssupported by the same western community of valueswere bombing countries in the Middle East for years, and arming terrorist groups, actions which cost more than a million lives and brought unspeakable suffering to many millions of families, without which the refugee crisis would not have erupted as it has?

Did they simply oppose Trumps demand that Europe must spend more money for rearmamentbecause there is no threat, there is no Warsaw Pact any more, and Russia has no plans for conquest, neither of the Baltic states, or Poland, or anywhere else, while NATO and the European Union (EU) have expanded right up to Russias borders? No. These media are reacting no less hysterically with demands for the nuclear rearmament of Germany and the European Union. Does the EU Need the Bomb? wrote co-authors Peter Dausend and Michael Thumann of the oh-so-liberal Zeit recently; they thus betrayed where the real warmongers residenamely, in the editorial offices of their newspaper.

The neoliberal, neoconservative Establishment just cant manage to analyze the failure of its paradigm and correct it accordingly.

Sabotaging the Silk Road

Another example of the absurdity of this behavior is the most recent EU action against the Chinese-financed stretch of high-speed rail between Belgrade and Budapest. This 350 kilometer rail segment, first proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, will reduce travel time between the two capitals from 8 to 3 hours and will obviously be very beneficial for the countries concerned, Serbia and Hungary, as well as for the entire Balkan region. But the EU has now launched an investigation into whether the project will pay for itself (!) and whether it conforms to EU guidelines. Yet Serbia is not even a member of the EU!

The people of the Balkan states are painfully aware that the EU has not built a single one of the transport corridors originally decided upon at the conference of EU Transport Ministers in 1994 in Crete, but which then fell victim to the austerity policy of the EU Commission and the European Central Bank. So no one should be surprised that the Central and Eastern European countries, and the Balkan countries, see their future in the expansion of the New Silk Road, Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, which opens to them the prospect of participating in the most dynamic and most gigantic infrastructure projects the world has ever seen. Instead of responding positively to Chinas many offers of cooperation and seizing the enormous economic opportunities which lie in the win-win cooperation of all of Eurasia, the neoliberal EU bureaucracy is attempting, from a position of weakness, to exert a control which it has long since lost, as the desolate situation of the EU shows.

Chinas Global Times wrote this about the EU action on Feb. 23: The EU is experiencing a tough time and may seek to assert its authority by ramping up inspections and reviews, but the EU may have hit a dead end. It is unknown whose interest the EUs investigation represents. Nevertheless, it added, China will try to persuade the EU of the advantages of cooperation.

Less dim-witted is PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the worlds second largest accounting firm, which is based in London and operates in 152 countries, with 756 subsidiaries and 223,000 employees. It published a comprehensive overview under its rubric, PwC B&R Watch, under the headline: China and Belt & Road Infrastructure: 2016 Review and Outlook (February 2017), in which, with the aid of many maps and illustrations, it demonstrates the enormous potential of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. The Initiative already involves three continents and 66 countries, and stretches from Lithuania to Indonesia, it notes; all have profited from explosive growth, which is bringing enormous benefits in transportation, energy production, communications, health care, and many other areas.

The EUs strange attitude has long since become a subject of discussion in Asia. The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore raised the question almost a year ago as to whether the EU had already missed the train of the New Silk Road. The European media have focused exclusively on Chinese takeovers, it noted, while entirely neglecting to explain the enormous potential that cooperation with China would bring to all sides. As a result, Europes citizens are extremely poorly informed.

Evil Humor

Even though the famous annual carnival program in Mainz is not as important as one or another of its proponents might think, this years version lends itself well to demonstrating the evil character of the group narcissism of the Establishment, which was at least selectively gathered in the audience. Several of the skits, such as those of Hans-Peter Betz and Lars Reichow, for example, had nothing to do with humor, being simply poisonous insults of the lowest level against Trump, to whichjudging from the camera workthe audience responded with approval.

These skits not only betrayed bad taste, but reflect a hostility that shows how fragile the political situation is, and how flimsy the facade of the western community of values has become. Behind this facade we find that same claim to being the sole legitimate authoritya link to the unipolar world orderthat meant there were no demonstrations against the wars based on lies in the Middle East. It is for precisely this reason that the neoliberal neocons are whining for the nice Obama. And it is less likely that Trump would have a problem finding Germany on the mapas one of the so-called comics claimedthan that they themselves would have trouble locating Yemen.

The world will continue to change dramatically over the next months, just as we have seen it do over the last year. If we are lucky, it will turn out the way it did the last time a system came to an end: There will be many about-faces and some people will keep on being blockheads. The difference is that this time, a large majority of countries is ready to set up an entirely new kind of cooperation among nation-states. The nations of Europe have the choice of either cooperating for a common destiny for the future of mankind, or soon be among the also-rans.
PRESS RELEASE

Syrian Army Liberates Palmyra for the Second Time

Mar. 2, 2017 (EIRNS)After a blitz offensive with Russian air support yesterday, that brought troops to the heights overlooking the city and to the southwestern edge of the city itself, units of the Syrian Arab Army entered Palmyra today, liberating it for the second time after ISIS had captured it in December of 2016. Al Masdar News, citing military sources, reported early this morning that indications were that ISIS had largely withdrawn from the city overnight, but that Syrian troops had refrained from entering the city itself, because of the fear that ISIS insurgents had scattered booby traps and mines across it. According to a report in TASS, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin that the Syrian army had completed the operation to seize Palmyra. Al Masdar subsequently published video showing columns of Syrian troops and armored vehicles entering the city. Syrian combat engineers, trained by the same Russian sappers who cleared eastern Aleppo city after it was liberated, are now sweeping Palmyra for bombs left behind by ISIS.

The Syrian army General Command affirmed, in a statement reported by SANA, the importance of the liberation of Palmyra in conjunction with army victories in eastern Aleppo province. This achievement, the General Command said, confirms that the Syrian Arab Army, in collaboration with friends, is the only active force to fight terrorism and eradicate it, adding that the restoration of Tadmur (Palmyra) forms a basis to expand the military operations against ISIS on many axes and to tighten the grip around the terrorists and break off their supply routes. The Syrian army, the statement concluded,
PRESS RELEASE

Vietnam To Join Chinas One Belt, One Road Project

March 2, 2017 (EIRNS)In an exclusive interview with the state-owned Chinese news agency Xinhua, Do Tien Sam, editor-in-chief of the China Research Journal published by the Institute for Chinese Studies in the Vietnam Academy of Social Science, made clear that Vietnam, one of the 57 founding member-nations of the AIIB, will be joining Chinas "One Belt, One Road" (OBOR) initiative.

"In the joint communiques between two parties chiefs during their respective visits to each country, Vietnam and China have determined that strategic connectivity between Chinas Belt and Road and Vietnams Two Corridors and One Economic Circle should be boosted,"

Do Tien Sam said in the interview. He also said that Vietnam will be attending the May "Belt and Road" Summit in Beijing. In addition to attending the summit, Do Tien Sam added that "Vietnam will contribute its ideas towards the success of the meeting."

Another Vietnamese official, Tran Viet Thai, deputy director of the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies under Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Academy, endorsed Do Tien Sams statement, saying Vietnam will join the summit "even at a high level" as "the country has always said it is interested in the initiative," Xinhua reported today.

During his interview, Do Tien Sam said,

"Despite being a developing country, China has rapidly advanced more than other countries. China should share its development opportunities and accomplishments with other countries. "Following Chinas terms of connectivity in five areas, namely, connectivity of policy, transportation, trade, currency and the heart of the peoples, the summit should stress the importance of economic sharing, which is also in line with Chinas neighborly diplomacy that brings favorable opportunities and results to neighboring countries,"

Do Tien Sam said.
When news surfaced a few weeks ago that Carolyn Bryant, the white woman responsible for the 1955 murder of Emmett Till, had confessed to having made up the most glaring part of her testimony, it felt almost like the whole thing had been orchestrated  if not to play into a grieving, post-Ferguson climate in which we now have a new president boasting a white supremacist agenda, then into my own life and work. Last fall, as part of a larger piece of commentary on black life in America, I spoke at length with Samaria Rice. She is, as most people know, the mother of 12-year-old Tamir, who was fatally shot by police in 2014. Tamir was only 12 years old, she told me. America robbed me of my sons life. It was impossible then, as now, to not be reminded of Emmett Till, who was 14 when he was thrown into Mississippis Tallahatchie River with an iron fan fastened to his neck with barbed wire, and America robbed Mamie Till of her sons life.

The platform for Bryants confession is The Blood of Emmett Till, a new book by Duke professor Timothy B. Tyson about the Till lynching and, among other things, how it set the modern civil rights movement into motion. As first reported by Vanity Fair, Bryant broke her decades-long silence to tell Tyson that although she had previously stated in her original testimony (under oath) that Till physically and verbally assaulted her on that wretched day in August over half a century ago, as it turns out, That parts not true. Her admittance would be shocking if not for its precise and poignant illustration of what Samaria Rice meant when she said mere months ago that America robbed me of my sons life, and what Mamie Till sought to expose over 50 years ago when she insisted on an open-casket funeral for her slain and mutilated son.

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In painstaking, often difficult to read detail, Tyson reaches into the chest cavity of America and pulls out its bloody heart with this acute retelling of Tills barbaric murder. Even if his own Southern white do-gooder bias occasionally peeks out from behind the otherwise elegant and sophisticated prose, Tyson effectively recasts the killing of an innocent black boy, re-investigates the subsequent trial that took place during the heat of a Mississippi summer when each day the county sheriff would greet the black press on his way into court with a cheerful good morning and a racial epithet. Tyson outlines the inevitable acquittal of the two white men charged with the murder, who would later confess to the crime and brag about it as a badge of honor.

Emmett Louis Till was born near Chicago on July 25, 1941 to Mamie, nearly a child herself at 18. Mamie split from Emmetts abusive father after a brief and tumultuous marriage, and moved in with her mother, where the three generations created a close and loving bond. Like many Southern black Americans, Mamie and her family had fled Mississippi for Illinois on the chicken bone express during the Great Migration. There was of course segregation, racist violence and bigotry in Chicago too, but it paled in comparison to Mississippi, which outstripped the nation in virtually every measure of lynching: the greatest number of lynchings, the most lynchings per capita, the most lynchings without an arrest or conviction, the most female victims, the most multiple lynchings, and on and on. Mamie grew up just outside of Chicago in Argo, Ill., where she recalls fond memories of a tight-knit extended family, and a childhood where it really seemed like almost everybody from Mississippi was coming through our house  the Ellis Island of Chicago.

That is the environment into which Emmett was born and also, where he flourished. Despite a monthlong bout with polio at the age of 6 that resulted in a lingering stutter, Emmett was a bright, resilient and playful boy who grew into a well-mannered and curious young man. By 14, Emmett had assumed household duties and responsibilities, loved to laugh and joke, and was known for wearing a straw hat and tie to church, which he scarcely missed. He also had a crew of cousin-friends who went to the beach on hot days, sang doo-wop on warm nights, and loved to be outside in the world. Mamies uncle, a preacher named Moses Wright who still lived in Mississippi, suggested the boys come back down South with him after a visit in Chicago.

From here, most people know some variation of what happened next: An overconfident black boy from the urban North walks into a grocery store in the rural South one afternoon, doesnt know his place, shoots off at the mouth, smiles or whistles at a white woman, and that night the white womans husband along with two other men abduct the boy, torture and kill him. Perhaps more important than the details of the actual incident is the culture in which it occurred, and which has not just survived but thrived  a quintessentially American backdrop that allows white men to kill a black boy with impunity in, as Tyson writes, an atmosphere created by the Citizens Councils, the Ku Klux Klan, and the mass of white public opinion, all of which demanded that African Americans remain the subservient mudsill of Mississippi  or die.

The reality, though, was not just about black people remaining subservient, but also embodying and actively playing out the assigned stereotype, specifically black boys and men, whether true or not. After the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, Mississippi Circuit Court judge Thomas Brady gave a speech called Black Monday that foretold the circumstances of the vicious intent of Tills murder: the supercilious, glib young negro, who sojourned in Chicago or New York, and who considers the counsel of his elders archaic. Said boy will say the wrong thing to a white woman, the flowers of our universe and then, Brady cautioned, its over  violence, mayhem and murder. And it was always and ever about protecting white women.

Bradys manifesto, which he later expanded on and published as a book, lays this premise out clearly: The loveliest and purest of Gods creatures, the nearest thing to an angelic being that threads this celestial ball is a well-bred, cultured Southern white woman. The maintenance of peaceful and harmonious relationships, which have been conducive to the well-being of both the White and Negro races of the South, has been possible because of the inviolability of Southern womanhood. At all costs, white women were to be protected specifically against the ramped-up sexualized threat of black men.

When you combine this fear of black men with what Tyson writes as the Souths disquieting sense that it no longer possessed the political high ground, it makes for a toxic, fear-mongering social system that breeds and condones white terrorism. Sound familiar? Tyson successfully connects the dots, and without actually saying so (he worked on the book for years prior to Nov. 8, 2016), draws a resolute if symbolic line between Emmett Till and Tamir Rice, and the white supremacist foreground of this country.

Carroll is editor of special projects at WNYC radio in New York and the author of several books of narrative nonfiction about race in the United States. She is one of The Times critics at large.

The Blood of Emmett Till

By Timothy B. Tyson

Simon & Schuster: 304 pp., $27
I have been waiting all my life for what 2014 has brought, Rebecca Solnit writes in The Mother of All Questions, a new collection of feminist essays that follows her 2014 hit Men Explain Things to Me. That year, she celebrated a thunderous wave of womens empowerment, an enormous change in the collective consciousness, which played out in, for example, the outpouring of stories from survivors of harassment and sexual violence under the hashtag #yesallwomen after the Isla Vista killings, the arrest of Jian Ghomeshi and public conversations about Dylan Farrow, Ray Rice and kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls. It was a watershed year for women, and for feminism, she writes, as we refused to accept the pandemic of violence against women  the rape, the murder, the beatings, the harassment on the streets and the threats online.

In 2017, as we contend with a president elected by 52% of white female voters, even after a recording of him boasting about groping women surfaced during the campaign, this sticks in the throat somewhat. Yet Solnits own work provides a remedy to the sometimes jarring experience of reading, in 2017, these essays from the last few tumultuous years in the womens movement. Her vision of progress holds that history is neither linear nor predictable; that trying matters and often yields results, even if theyre not exactly the ones you wanted or expected; and, crucially, that as progressives face such uncertainty, they must celebrate their victories. This is an invaluable vision for activists wishing to avoid burnout in the current climate, and many have flocked to it: Solnits manifesto Hope in the Dark sold out after the election. In its content, The Mother of All Questions reinforces Solnits gift of hope; in the circumstances of its publication in this bleak year, it obliges readers to put it to use.

Solnit is the author of 17 books, and in the variety of their topics you see the connective nature of her imagination: They focus on landscape, politics, empathy, hope, art and feminism, among other subjects. Shes often described as a writer, historian and activist, but you could equally think of her as a poet of the ineffable. In her best moments, she takes readers to dark, unmapped places, where she doesnt turn on the light so much as rejoice in the darkness, the potential of the as-yet unknown.

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For instance: The Mother of All Questions begins with a long meditation on silence. Who has been unheard? Solnit asks. The sea of the unheard, she answers, is vast, and the surface of the ocean unmappable. The drops in this sea of silence are overwhelmingly womens stories, though there are men in there too, because under patriarchy, everybody loses somehow. Many of those silenced narratives are now lost to history, but Solnit wades into the waters to celebrate the stories that are beginning to emerge; Bill Cosby recurs, as does the #yesallwomen phenomenon.

In the second half of the collection, Solnit turns her attention from the sea of silence to some of the narratives that have successfully emerged from it: Theres the man the hunter myth, which falsely holds that the role of woman-as-homemaker is hardwired into humanity; theres 80 Books No Woman Should Read, which riffs on an odious Esquire article to prod at the misogyny of Ernest Hemingway, Norman Mailer, William S. Burroughs and others; theres the story with no protagonist: the way in which society pins rape on women, rather than rapists.

Solnits connective imagination often functions by boiling things down to essences, and in The Mother of All Questions, the key essence is silence, the universal condition of oppression. There are the silences that spring readily to mind  those imposed by social norms and by law  but in Solnits reckoning, shame, humiliation, politeness, trauma and discrediting, as well as violence, rape, and the threat of them, work by the same mechanism. Solnit brings everyday aggressions into new focus, and outlines a cohesive phenomenon where we might have seen a series of isolated events.

Notably absent, however, are the silences perpetrated by women against other women: the ways in which privileged women  often straight, white and cisgender (identifying with the sex they were born with)  silence gay, bisexual and trans women and women of color, even and sometimes especially within the feminist movement. In 2014, while Solnit celebrated that enormous change in the collective consciousness, women of color repeatedly pointed out that mainstream feminism often failed to recognize their experiences. In August 2013, writer Mikki Kendall launched the hashtag #solidarityisforwhitewomen, partly out of frustration with some of the feminists Solnit had championed. It trended worldwide.

This kind of privileged feminism is sometimes at play in The Mother of All Questions. For instance, Solnit writes: Women who are assaulted by celebrities matter. So do the Native women in the United States and Canada who face exceptionally high rates of sexual assault, rape, and murder. In a book that focuses heavily on sexual violence, this is the only reference to the disproportionate dangers faced by Native women.

Celebrating victories is important, but it must be balanced by a strong sense of all that remains to be done, and all those who have yet to benefit. Solnit often notes the importance of an intersectional view, yet she rarely centers the experiences of women dealing with multiple forms of oppression. This is important: If you happen to be privileged, the fear and hatred others face sit in your blind spot, which can cause celebrating victories to stall into the sort of liberal complacency that made Nov. 8 a terrible shock to so many.

As described in Men Explain Things to Me, Solnit subscribes to a Pandoras box vision of progress, in which an idea, once released, can never be put back in its box. She works to bear witness to what comes out of the box, naming ideas and linking events into stories of progress. The project champions narrative, and the narrative she claims in The Mother of All Questions is one of some progress amid limitations and setbacks. It would benefit from a more vivid sense of those who will be most gravely affected by those limitations and setbacks  namely immigrant women, women of color, trans women, gay women and others frequently neglected by mainstream feminism  for whom those in positions of relative privilege and safety must take Solnits gift of hope and keep pushing.

Robins is a writer and translator who lives in Los Angeles.

The Mother of All Questions

Rebecca Solnit

Haymarket Books: 180pp., $14.95 paper
Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) long has reigned as Congresss preeminent climate change denier. From his perch as chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, hes harassed government officials, Earth scientists and other academics whose work refutes his position that the human role in climate change is a myth.

Lately, hes moved on from trying to bully scientists by issuing subpoenas for their data and emails, to trying to bully state attorneys general investigating Exxon Mobil over allegations that it fraudulently undermined public understanding of climate change while possessing scientific evidence that the problem is real. The investigations stem in part from reporting by The Times and InsideClimate News into the companys decades-long campaign, via misinformation and disinformation, to cast doubt on climate change science.

Two weeks ago, Smith subpoenaed Eric Schneiderman and Maura Healey, the attorneys general of New York and Massachusetts, respectively, for documents of their contacts with 25 climate activists, scientists and legal experts  among them former Vice President Al Gore and California billionaire Tom Steyer. The subpoenas were returnable on Thursday, but on that day Smiths inbox was bare, except for messages from the attorneys general advising him, essentially, to stuff it.

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The Subpoena oversteps the boundaries imposed by federalism, separation of powers, Committee jurisdiction, and pertinency requirements.  New York Atty. Gen. Eric Schneiderman sends Rep. Lamar Smith packing

Smith didnt need Schneiderman or Healey to tell him that his quest to defend Exxon Mobil from legitimate government investigations was more than quixotic, but idiotic: His committee received testimony to that effect back in September from the Congressional Research Service and from Charles Tiefer, a former legal advisor to the House and Senate. Tiefer told the committee that the House had never issued a subpoena in two hundred years to a State Attorney General. With good reason: The action signaled a potential breach of state sovereignty as enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Heres some background on Smith, whose credentials as a climate change denier are unassailable. He has dismissed a 2104 report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which stated that human interference with the climate system is occurring and causes negative impacts on natural and human systems on all continents and across the oceans as nothing new and more political than scientific.

Responding to a White House report in May 2014 about the urgency of taking steps to address climate change, Smith said it was designed merely to frighten Americans into believing that any abnormal weather we experience is the direct result of human CO2 emissions. He added: In reality, there is little science to support any connection between climate change and more frequent or extreme storms.

In 2015, Smith presided over a move to slash NASAs Earth science budget, a move disguised as a gift for space exploration. I described Smiths announcement of the vote as a model of misdirection and deceit. It mentioned space and space exploration a couple of dozen times. Earth science got one mention, and that one was an undisguised political slam: The Obama administration has consistently cut funding for ... human space exploration programs, while increasing funding for the Earth Science Division by more than 63 percent.

Smiths motivation for dismissing established climate change science and protecting fossil fuel companies such as Exxon Mobil isnt hard to discern. If one adheres to the precept to follow the money, one discovers that pantsfuls of it flow from the oil and gas industry into Smiths campaign accounts. Oil and gas contributors have directed nearly $700,000 in Smiths direction since he entered in Congress in 1987; in the two congressional election cycles since 2013, when he became chairman of the science committee, oil and gas has been his top industrial source of campaign funding.

Smiths efforts to protect Exxon Mobil from state investigators began in May, when he issued identical letters to 17 state attorneys general, including Schneiderman, Healey and Californias Kamala D. Harris (now a U.S. senator). The letter, signed by Smith and nine Republican colleagues on the committee, denounced the states cooperative unprecedented effort against those who have questioned the causes, magnitude or best ways to address climate change.

The letter said their efforts to silence speech are based on political theater rather than legal or scientific arguments on how to combat climate change. Smith demanded that they turn over within 12 days documents dating back to 2012 having to do with their contacts related to climate change with such organizations as the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Rockefeller Family Fund, as well as with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Obama White House. The attorneys general told him then to stuff it, too.

New York and Massachusetts are the only states to actually issue subpoenas thus far to Exxon Mobil, which may be what inspired Smiths February subpoena. Schneiderman, in refusing to comply, delivered the back of his hand to Smiths assertion that he had narrowed the scope of his demand to make things easier for the states. In fact, Schneiderman observed, the new subpoena is broader than the original demand  it targets not merely New Yorks investigation of Exxon Mobil, but all communications with other attorneys general and the 25 named individuals. The Subpoena oversteps the boundaries imposed by federalism, separation of powers, Committee jurisdiction, and pertinency requirements, he wrote. Worse, Smith appears to be trying to do Exxon a big favor by demanding documents that the company itself has sought to obtain from Schneiderman in court, so far to no avail.

How long does Lamar Smith intend to embarrass himself, his committee and Congress in this ridiculous quest to shut down investigations that could harm his patrons in the petroleum industry? Thats hard to know, but whats clear is that the interest hes protecting in this quest isnt the public interest, but Exxon Mobils.

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

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When we first examined the potential flashpoints between the incoming Trump administration and California, marijuana ranked fairly low on the list, below climate policy, immigration and Obamacare.

That was in November. Since then, the divergence between state and federal policy on marijuana has come to look very real. The White House and Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions are talking tough about enforcing federal law, under which the cultivation, possession and distribution of pot are illegal  just at the point when California officials are pondering how to make good on the voters directive to legalize the drug.

Approval of Proposition 64 made California one of eight states, plus the District of Columbia, to have legalized recreational use. In some respects, Californias law, which takes effect next Jan. 1, is more liberal than the others; it allows the public consumption of the drug, albeit only on the premises of a retailer and if the local municipality approves.

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Wed like to know whos making the decisions [about federal marijuana policy]. Is it Congress? The president? The attorney general?  California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom

Whether the Trump administration is serious about enforcing federal law is unclear; on the campaign trail, Trump often expressed the view that marijuana enforcement should be left to the states. But its that very murkiness thats creating problems for states such as California wishing to subject their newly legalized pot industries to regulation. Under Sessions, who is renowned as a hawk on marijuana enforcement, it appears unlikely that the administration will take proactive steps to assist the legalization movement spreading nationwide.

In a news conference last week, Sessions failed to clear the air. I dont think America is going to be a better place when more people of all ages and particularly young people start smoking pot, he said. States ... can pass the laws they choose. I would just say it does remain a violation of federal law to distribute marijuana throughout any place in the United States, whether a state legalizes it or not.

Any deliberate federal effort to strip the legal and publicly supported industry of its business, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a supporter of Proposition 64, wrote to Trump on Feb. 24, would hand it back to drug cartels and criminals. But inaction and confusion within Congress and Trumps inner circle create just as much of a problem.

Wed like to know whos making the decisions about marijuana policy, Newsom told me. Is it Congress? The president? The attorney general?

Federal law also has made it almost impossible for states to wean the industry from its cash-only roots, another obstacle to effective regulation. Under the so-called Cole memo issued by the Obama administration in 2013, the Department of Justice professed a hands-off approach to marijuana enforcement in legalizing states, except for efforts to keep the drug away from minors and keeping criminal gangs and cartels out of the industry. A few months later, the Treasury Department issued guidelines stating, in effect, that it would be legal for banks to provide financial services to marijuana-related businesses.

But those informal assurances havent quelled the banking industrys skittishness about opening accounts for cannabis companies and providing them with credit, California Treasurer John Chiang said in a letter to Trump prior to the inauguration. Proposition 64, Chiang wrote, might exacerbate the banking problem even more by immensely expanding the size of an industry accumulating a hoard of cash.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer addressed the issue at a Feb. 23 press briefing, but he delivered a jumble of ambiguities, misconceptions and misstatements that left doubt about whether the Trump administration has a policy and if so what it is, and whether it understands much about the legal and public health issues.

Spicer made a distinction between medical and recreational use of marijuana, implying that the legalizing states regulate the former rigorously and the latter sloppily. Its hard to know where he got that impression, given that legalized medical marijuana flowed virtually unimpeded into the recreational market in many states (including California), and those that have legalized recreational use have strived to create a workable regulatory system to standardize drug quality and keep it out of the hands of children.

Spicer linked marijuana use to the opiate crisis: When you see something like the opiate addiction crisis blossoming in so many states around this country, the last thing that we should be doing is encouraging people. That made many addiction experts cringe, since theres no evidence that marijuana use leads to opiate abuse, and emerging evidence indicates that opiate abuse is, if anything, lower in states that have legalized marijuana.

The press secretary left a muddled impression of what the Department of Justice actually will do. There is still a federal law that we need to abide by, Spicer said. He referred further questions to the DOJ, but said he believed youll see greater enforcement of the law against recreational use and that thats something the Department of Justice will be further looking into.

There isnt much question that the government could destroy the legal cannabis industry if it wished, says drug policy expert Mark A.R. Kleiman of New York University. U.S. attorneys could examine license applications from pot businesses in legalization states and obtain injunctions against the applicants in federal court, charging them with contempt if they flouted the injunctions.

But that would simply force the business back underground, re-creating the Prohibition-style headache that prevailed in the past. With 4,000 agents assigned nationwide to the Drug Enforcement Administration, Kleiman asks, How much of that DEA capacity do you want to use on marijuana, when you have a huge opiates problem?

Some experts are skeptical that administration talk about marijuana enforcement is anything more than puffery and typical right-wing Im-a-hard-line-drug-warrior rhetoric, in the words of Hilary Bricken, a Seattle lawyer who represents marijuana entrepreneurs. Her opinion would change, she says, if and when they repeal or replace the Cole memo. As it happens, 11 senators from marijuana legalization states  including two Republicans  on Thursday called on Sessions to uphold the Cole memo explicitly.

States that have legalized recreational marijuana are sailing amid numerous uncharted shoals. Newsom says the drafters of Proposition 64 learned from the experience of Washington and Colorado, in part by standardizing the potency of edible products and keeping them from being marketed in ways that appeal to children. But he acknowledges that effective state regulation depends on a spirit of collaboration and cooperation with the federal government, especially on efforts to wipe out the black market in pot even after legalization takes hold.

The best option plainly would be for the federal government to accept the inevitability of wider state legalization and remove the uncertainties created by the mismatch of state and federal law. If we had grown-ups in charge in Washington, Kleiman says, there would be a change in federal law, perhaps to grant waiver from marijuana enforcement to states that submitted reasonable regulatory proposals. Its ridiculous to have a situation where California has legalized a federal felony.

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

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The Oscars saw in surge a viewership among African American households Sunday, a year after the motion picture academy came under fire for the lack of diversity among its nominees.

Nielsen data shows an average of 4.17 million black viewers were tuned into the 89th Academy Awards telecast, an increase of 30% over last year. The overall audience for the Oscars was 32.9 million, a 4% decline from the previous year and the lowest since 2008.

The Oscars averaged an 18.68 rating in African American homes, which is the highest number among the segment since 2014. The rating among black homes was higher than the overall rating of 18.39.

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A rating point represents a percentage of homes watching a program.

African Americans accounted for 13% of the audience for the Oscars. For the last four years that figure was 9%.

The sizable increases reflect the motion picture academys push to diversify the slates of all-white nominees that filled the major Oscar categories in recent years.

In 2016, the academy broadened its membership ranks by inviting 683 film industry professionals to join, 41% of whom were people of color. The result was a far more diverse lineup of nominees and winners for the 2017 awards.

Mahershala Ali won best supporting actor for his performance in Moonlight, which also won best picture. Viola Davis was honored as best supporting actress for Fences. Producer Ezra Edelman shared a best documentary Oscar for O.J.: Made In America. And Moonlight director Barry Jenkins won for the screenplay he co-wrote.

Other black acting nominees included Octavia Spencer for Hidden Figures, a best picture contender that told the story of African American women mathematicians who worked for NASA in the early 1960s, and Denzel Washington for Fences.

stephen.battaglio@latimes.com

Twitter: @SteveBattaglio
More than four decades after the last man walked on the lunar surface, several upstart space entrepreneurs are looking to capitalize on NASAs renewed interest in returning to the moon, offering a variety of proposals with the ultimate goal of establishing a lasting human presence there.

The commercial sectors interest comes as many anticipate support from the Trump administration, which is eager for a first-term triumph to rally the nation the way the Apollo flights did in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The latest to offer a proposal is Jeff Bezos, whose space company Blue Origin has been circulating a seven-page white paper to NASA leadership and President Trumps transition team about the companys interest in developing a lunar spacecraft with a lander that would touch down near a crater at the south pole where there is water and near continuous sunlight for solar energy.

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The memo urges the space agency to back an Amazon-like shipment service for the moon that would deliver gear for experiments, cargo and habitats by mid-2020, helping to enable future human settlement of the moon. (Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, owns The Washington Post.)

It is time for America to return to the moon  this time to stay, Bezos said in response to emailed questions from The Post. A permanently inhabited lunar settlement is a difficult and worthy objective. I sense a lot of people are excited about this.

The Post obtained a copy of the white paper, marked proprietary and confidential, and the company then confirmed its authenticity and agreed to answer questions about it.

Bezos proposal comes as SpaceX founder Elon Musk made a stunning announcement this week that his company plans to fly two unnamed, private citizens on a tourist trip around the moon by next year  an ambitious timeline that, if met, could beat a similar mission by NASA.

Anticipating that the Trump administration is focusing on the moon, the space agency recently announced it is considering adding astronauts to the first flight of its Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew capsule.

That flight, originally scheduled to fly without humans in 2018, would also circle the moon. But as the space agency seeks to move faster under the Trump administration, it is now studying the feasibility of adding crew for a mission that would then occur by 2019.

Blue Moon is all about cost-effective delivery of mass to the surface of the moon. Any credible first lunar settlement will require that capability.  Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder

Obama killed plans for a lunar mission, saying in 2010 that weve been there before. But the administrations Mars plan was still far from actually delivering humans there, and critics grew frustrated that NASA has not been able to fly humans out of low Earth orbit since the 1970s. A shot around the moon, however, could be feasible, even within a few years.

Blue Origins proposal, dated Jan. 4, doesnt involve flying humans, but rather is focused on a series of cargo missions. Those could deliver the equipment necessary to help establish a human colony on the moon, unlike the Apollo missions, in which the astronauts left flags and footprints and then came home.

NASA already has shown a willingness to work closely with the commercial sector, hiring companies to fly supplies and eventually astronauts to the International Space Station. It is providing technical expertise, but no funding, as part of SpaceXs plan to fly an uncrewed spacecraft to Mars by 2020.

The prospect of a lunar mission has several companies lining up to provide not just transportation, but also habitats, science experiments and even the ability to mine the moon for resources.

The United Launch Alliance, the joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, has also been working on plans to create a transportation network to the area around the moon, known as cislunar space.

Im excited by the possibilities, said Tory Bruno, ULA chief executive. This administration, near as we can tell, feels a sense of urgency to go out and make things happen, and to have high-profile demonstrations that are along the road map to accomplish these broad goals. There is an opportunity to begin building that infrastructure right now  within the next four years.

Robert Bigelow, the founder of Bigelow Aerospace, a maker of inflatable space habitats, said his company could create a depot that could orbit the moon by 2020, housing supplies and medial facilities, as well as humans. A smaller version of the possible habitats, known as the BEAM, is currently docked to the International Space Station, where astronauts have been testing it.

In an interview, Bigelow said he was glad the administration seems to be refocusing on the moon.

Mars is premature at this time. The moon is not, he said. We have the technology. We have the ability, and the potential for a terrific business case.

After remaining quiet and obsessively secretive for years, Blue Origins attempt to partner with NASA is a huge coming out of sorts for the company, which has been funded almost exclusively by Bezos. The paper urges NASA to develop a program that provides incentives to the private sector to demonstrate a commercial lunar cargo delivery service.

Blue Origin could perform the first lunar mission as early as July 2020, Bezos wrote, but he emphasized that it could only be done in partnership with NASA. Our liquid hydrogen expertise and experience with precision vertical landing offer the fastest path to a lunar lander mission. Im excited about this and am ready to invest my own money alongside NASA to make it happen.

Last year, Blue Origin successfully launched and landed its suborbital rocket, the New Shepard, five times within less than a year, flying just past the 62-mile edge of space and then landing vertically on a landing pad at the companys west Texas facility.

That same technology could be used to land the Blue Moon vehicle on the lunar surface, the company said. Its white paper shows what looks like a modified New Shepard rocket, standing on the moon with an American flag, a NASA logo and Blue Origins feather symbol.

The company said it plans to land its Blue Moon lunar lander at Shackleton Crater on the moons south pole. The site has near continuous sunlight to provide power through the spacecrafts solar arrays. The company also chose to land there because of the water ice in the perpetual shadow of the craters deep crevices.

Water is vital not just for human survival, but because hydrogen and oxygen in water could also be transformed into rocket fuel. The moon, then, is seen as a massive gas station in space.

The Blue Moon spacecraft could carry as much as 10,000 pounds of material and fly atop several different rockets, including NASAs Space Launch System, the United Launch Alliances Atlas V or its own New Glenn rocket, which is under development and expected to fly by the end of the decade, the company said.

Once on the surface, the landers useful payload can be used to conduct science or deploy rovers, the company said. A robotic arm attached to the lander will deploy to examine the lunar surface with an array of instruments.

The initial landing is envisioned as the first in a series of increasingly capable missions, including flying samples of lunar ice back to Earth for study.

The company said it could also help deliver the cargo and supplies needed for human settlements.

Blue Moon is all about cost-effective delivery of mass to the surface of the Moon, Bezos wrote. Any credible first lunar settlement will require that capability.

Christian Davenport writes for the Washington Post.
For some residents of this small city, there was something familiar about Foxconns recently announced plan to hire up to 50,000 U.S. workers, one of the many hiring pledges from companies rounded up by President Trump in the first weeks of his administration.

The only difference was the scale.

In 2013, Foxconns chairman sent a jolt through this state capital when he said his company  best known for making Apple iPhones in China  would invest $30 million and hire 500 workers for a new high-tech factory in central Pennsylvania.

Locals were giddy. Foxconn had a small office here, but this seemed like the start of an entire new industry. Pennsylvanias governor boasted about the deal. The Brookings Institution think tank hailed Foxconns decision as a sign of U.S. manufacturings strength.

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But the factory was never built. The jobs never came. It just seemed to fade to black after the announcement, recalled a local official. It was the start of a mystery, created by a chief executive known to promise projects all over the world that never quite pan out. Yet few people seem to notice. Foxconn and others continue to get credit for deals that never take place.

What happened in Harrisburg provides a skeptical lens for viewing the waves of corporate investment promises being used by Trump as evidence that he is following through on his campaign pledge to reinvigorate U.S. manufacturing.

Im delivering on everything we promised, Trump said Thursday during a meeting with manufacturing executives at the White House, noting how firms have announced new hiring and factories. People are saying theyve never seen so much happen in 30 days of a presidency.

Foxconn, for example, announced shortly after Trumps election that it plans to invest $7 billion and hire up to 50,000 workers in the United States. Such a hiring spree would catapult Foxconn from a couple thousand U.S. workers to a major employer on par with Chrysler.

Other companies, including SoftBank, Alibaba, Intel and IBM, have also made an unusual display of loudly announcing their intentions to invest in the United States  all with price tags in the billions of dollars and the promise of tens of thousands of jobs  much to Trumps delight.

But, as Harrisburg learned, the gulf between these eye-popping announcements and what takes place on the ground can be huge.

They are scrambling to look good, said Mark Selden, senior research associate at Cornell Universitys East Asian program. Its a sign of the pressure that Trump is placing on everyone in the world to deliver on his agenda.

Companies tend to view these announcements as an opening bid in a negotiation, said Alberto Moel, a senior analyst with Bernstein Research in Hong Kong. Firms know politicians like the splashy headlines. And if everything falls into place  the business climate improves, they extract enough concessions such as tax breaks and free land  they might be able to make it happen.

It actually puts the onus on the U.S. in a way, Moel said. They are saying: Im along for the ride. Heres my proposal.

If the deal falls apart, as it often does, no one is going to talk about it.

The government themselves arent going to remind you of that, Trump has no intention of helping you remember that, Moel said. Whats the downside?

Trump is far from alone in using corporate announcements as political backdrops. Its why ribbon-cuttings and ceremonial shovels exist.

In 2012, President Obama visited a new $5-billion Intel computer chip plant in Chandler, Ariz., citing it as an example of an America that is within our reach. But the facility, known as Fab 42, was never completed. Last week, Intel Chief Executive Brian Krzanich stood in the Oval Office with Trump to announce a $7-billion investment  essentially, Fab 42 was back on track, with a new price tag and a new president. Trump tweeted his praise.

Two days after Trumps inauguration, Foxconn Chief Executive Terry Gou told reporters in Taiwan that his company planned to spend $7 billion on a U.S. factory to make computer displays. It wasnt iPhones  which Trump has said he wants to be Made in the USA  but Gou said the factory could create 30,000 to 50,000 U.S. jobs.

Foxconn said in a statement that it is exploring a potential investment that would represent an expansion of our current U.S. operations. But the company could not confirm the number of jobs that might be created.

Foxconn is a coveted hardware manufacturer because of its size. Last year, it reported $136 billion in revenue. It has more than 1 million employees, mostly in China. A single factory making iPhones or LCD screens can employ tens of thousands of workers.

Gou, Foxconns founder, for years has described the United States as a must-go market.

In 2014, as the Pennsylvania deal was quietly dying, Gou teased the opening of a LCD display factory in the U.S. His company talked with officials in Colorado and Arizona. Nothing happened.

That same year, the company signed a letter of intent to invest up to $1 billion in Indonesia. That investment still has not occurred.

Foxconn said it would invest $5 billion over five years in India as part of an ambitious expansion in 2014. The deal would create up to 50,000 jobs, Gou said. But Foxconns investment in India has amounted to only a small fraction of what it originally promised.

Similar results were seen in Vietnam, where Foxconn committed to a $5-billion investment in 2007, and in Brazil, where Foxconn spoke of a $10-billion plan in 2011. The company made its first major foray in Vietnam only last year. In Brazil, Foxconn has an iPhone factory, but its investment has fallen far short of expectations.

Theres a pattern here, said Moel, the analyst.

Gous plans for Harrisburg were revealed in 2013 while he was in the United States on a tour with other Taiwanese business officials to, in part, drum up support for Taiwans bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, known as TPP. (Coincidentally, Trump pulled the United States out of the trade treaty in his first days in office.)

It was a surprise when Gou said Foxconn planned to invest $30 million over two years in a factory to make technology equipment and servers. Gou noted his companys history in Harrisburg. He said the goal was to create high-precision, high-tech, high-value-added manufacturing in the U.S.

Gou also said Foxconn would donate $10 million to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for robotics research.

IPhone maker Foxconn to invest $40 million in the US, wrote the China Post. Foxconn to build plant in Pennsylvania, CNN said. Local media quoted state officials as saying Gou would sign a memorandum of understanding and that the company was busy scouting sites.

There was this intense buzz, recalled David Black, president of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber.

Lots of us were excited by the opportunity, said Bub Manning, who at the time co-owned a local construction firm. Anytime something of that size comes along in central Pennsylvania, thats a big deal.

For years, Foxconn has maintained an office with about 50 workers in Harrisburg, a hub of the computer connector industry. The office is in an old brick warehouse. On a recent visit, the building was filled by a half-empty warren of cubicles. A worker declined to comment to a reporter with the Washington Post. According to local government officials, Foxconn has not done any permitted alterations to the building in 15 years.

Manning recalled how his firm tried to chase down information about the planned $30-million factory.

It felt like I was grabbing Jell-O. It never got any traction, Manning said.

The $30-million factory faded from view.

Foxconn said its $10-million donation to Carnegie Mellon was moving forward very successfully, with half of the funds having been spent four years later. The school declined to comment.

None of this has stopped the praise for Foxconns investment in Pennsylvania. Recent stories have referred to the phantom factory as a sign of Foxconns U.S. beachhead. A state economic development official wrote about Foxconns $30-million factory as evidence of foreign companies that operate in the Keystone State. (The piece was fixed after the Washington Post inquired about it.)

State officials toured potential sites with Foxconn representatives, the state Department of Community and Economic Development said in a statement, but "[u]nfortunately, a project did not come to fruition. Foxconn attributed the failure to material changes to the business and operating climate at that time.

The proof is always in the pudding, said Scott Andes, a senior policy analyst at Brookings.

The assumption is that companies follow through on major announcements. But it is important to be skeptical, Andes said. I would hope its not just smoke and mirrors with Foxconn or any other of these companies.

Todd C. Frankel writes for the Washington Post
Along many Los Angeles thoroughfares, large apartment complexes are replacing parking lots, strip malls and warehouses, as builders provide new homes in a city grappling with a persistent housing shortage.

In downtown, dozens of mixed-use condo and apartment towers are rising in the largest development boom since the 1920s. Other prominent neighborhoods, including Hollywood and Koreatown, are awash in residential construction.

This decade the city, in fact, will easily surpass the number of new homes built in the 1990s and possibly even during the 2000s with its housing bubble  gains that have caused a backlash and spurred Measure S, an initiative on next weeks municipal ballot that would halt developments that receive certain zoning exemptions.

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But to many housing experts, the development wave isnt a wave, but rather a ripple.

L.A. keeps building near freeways, even though living there makes people sick 

Thats because the city and region have long built too few homes for all the people who live, or want to live here, they say. And due to a recent surge in population, the city of Los Angeles this decade has been adding housing, relative to resident growth, at the lowest rate in at least 40 years, state records show.

We are so far behind, said Shane Phillips, policy director with the advocacy group Abundant Housing L.A., which is opposing Measure S.

The regions booming economy is exacerbating the problem.

From 2010 to 2015, L.A. added 157,900 new jobs and 236,318 residents  greater than the population gains seen in the 1990s or 2000s. In 2015 alone, Los Angeles experienced the largest annual percentage growth in population of any major California city and surpassed 4 million residents.

The number of homes added didnt keep up: 40,014 units from 2010 to 2015  or one new home for about every 5.9 new residents.

Jordan Levine, an economist with the California Assn. of Realtors, said that if an area doesnt want housing costs to soar, it should roughly build inline with its current average household size.

That size has increased over the last 40 or so years in Los Angeles, but still remains fewer than three per household, according to data from the state Department of Finance.

That means housing production in Los Angeles has not kept up. Between 1975 and 2015, one new housing unit was constructed for every 3.7 new residents, the data show.

During most of that period, housing production sharply lagged relative to population growth. The exception was in the 2000s, when one unit was constructed for every 1.5 new residents as construction jumped and the city, in some years, lost residents.

Demographic experts said the gains in population this decade probably came from births and, to a lesser extent, immigration.

The population of 25-to-34-year-olds has also grown more than other age groups, said Dowell Myers, professor of policy, planning and demography at USC.

Baby boomers are holding on to the housing they already have and not giving it up. And these new people are coming in [to the housing market] and there is not enough housing units.

Brian Uhler, principal fiscal and policy analyst with the nonpartisan state Legislative Analysts Office, recently co-authored a report that found from 1980 to 2010, L.A. County needed to build three times the number of homes than it did to have stopped rent and home prices from significantly outpacing the rest of the country.

For the city of L.A., that rate was probably even higher. The problem definition is simple, he said. There are more people who want to live in L.A. than housing that gets built.

Thats not to say there isnt substantial construction, and it may be more noticeable as developers target property in older neighborhoods, rather than undeveloped land in the citys outskirts.

In some neighborhoods with a flood of new buildings, the supply is starting to affect rents, at least at the high end of the market. In downtown and Koreatown, some landlords of new complexes are offering move-in incentives such as a months free rent.

Century West Partners, for example, is paying renters $1,500, in addition to a month free on some units at its new Koreatown complex K2LA, where a one-bedroom starts at just over $2,000 a month.

Citywide, the median apartment rent for all units was $2,483 in January. Although that was up 5.6% from a year earlier, according to real estate firm Zillow, its less than the double-digit increases seen for most of 2015.

And even more housing is on the way.

Over the last two years, the citys Department of Building and Safety has approved tens of thousands of additional units, giving the city a decent shot at surpassing last decades housing construction.

But much of the building has been confined to a limited number of central neighborhoods and total production is far below the 1970s or 1980s, when more than 100,000 homes were built in each decade, according to state and census data.

Thats partly because fewer units can easily be built, said University of Calgary professor Greg Morrow, whose UCLA doctoral dissertation covered the history of Los Angeles zoning.

Amid concerns over traffic congestion and other environmental issues, the city and voters over the years slashed the number of homes that could be built without special approvals  a time consuming process that involves public hearings and offers a prime target for lawsuits.

In 1960, Los Angeles planning rules would have allowed for a population of 10 million, according to Morrows research. By 2012, the city had reduced residential capacity to 4.3 million people.

You can downsize all you want, Morrow said. It doesnt stop people from having kids and we dont have a wall around the city, so people will come.

Voters next week could make it even harder to build more than current rules allow.

Measure S would place a two-year moratorium on zone changes or height district changes, while permanently barring, for individual projects, general plan amendments, which are typically needed for a land use change such as building homes in a manufacturing district.

A recent Times analysis found Measure S would stop the kinds of projects that tend to add lots of new units, but require few demolitions of older homes.

In 2015 alone, developers asked to build more than 8,000 units through general plan amendments, zone changes or height district changes, city records show. If those were all approved, fewer than 150 rent controlled units would be demolished.

But stopping exemptions is a good thing, according to Measure S proponents, who say the projects that receive them are too often out-of-scale luxury developments that dont soften rents in older buildings nearby, but instead fuel gentrification, while grid-locking traffic.

We are talking about wholesale evaporation and gentrification of communities, said Damien Goodmon, deputy campaign manager for the Yes on S campaign.

Or the opposite could happen as older, less desirable housing units are left vacant. Consider Normandie Avenue in Koreatown.

Logan Alexander, who manages a 1930s building there, said new complexes nearby are limiting his ability to lift rents.

When a tenant moved out last fall who was paying $1,450 for a one-bedroom unit, Alexander said he tried to get $1,575, then $1,525. Hes now seeking $1,495, just above what the previous tenant was paying.

Ive lost some tenants to new buildings, he said. Units are sitting vacant for a longer time.

andrew.khouri@latimes.com

Follow me @khouriandrew on Twitter

ALSO

Build L.A. up or slow growth down: Should you vote no or yes on Measure S?

Making sense of Measure S, the latest battle in L.A.'s long war over development

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You might own Snaps non-voting stock soon, like it or not

The new shares of stock that Snapchat parent Snap Inc. priced at $17 apiece Wednesday dont have the voting rights that customarily come with public company stock.

If you dont like that arrangement  and many big investment firms dont  you can simply choose not to buy Snap shares when they start trading on Thursday.

But you probably wont be able to avoid non-voting Snap stock for long.

Not today, and not this month, but eventually, many investors, even ones who bristle at Snap Inc.s share structure, will wind up owning a piece of the Venice company.

Snap is so large and so valuable that, barring an immense decline in its share price, it will almost certainly be included in many of the stock indices that determine where retirement savers and other passive investors put their money. That means that if you have a 401(k), an IRA or a pension plan, you will own some Snap shares, even if youd rather not.

Take, for instance, the California State Teachers Retirement System. The massive pension fund  one of the nations largest  is a member of the Investor Stewardship Group, a new coalition of pension and investment firms that advocates for, among other things, shareholder voting rights.

Aeisha Mastagni, a CalSTRS investment officer, doesnt like that Snap shares have no voting power, but she also acknowledges that, because CalSTRS invests much of its assets in index funds, the pension giant will wind up owning some Snap shares anyway.

We dont want to encourage this kind of bad behavior, Mastagni said, referring to Snaps non-voting share structure. But at the end of the day, CalSTRS will ultimately own Snap if it ends up in the index.

Snap could be added to indices managed by London Stock Exchange operator FTSE Russell as early as June. Snap will have a market capitalization large enough to be part of the widely followed Russell 1000 and Russell 3000 indices, which track the nations largest 1,000 and 3,000 public companies, respectively.

S&P Global, the company that manages the benchmark S&P 500 index, generally waits at least a year and often longer to add newly public companies to its stock indices. Companies must be worth at least $5.3 billion to be added to the S&P 500, so as long as Snap shares dont tank over the next year or two, the company could be in line to join the index sometime in 2018.

When companies are added to big indices, their stocks tend to gain as investment funds that track those indices must buy shares, boosting demand.
Corporate culture has long been the sort of squishy management consultant term thats hard to define, even harder to change, and the recipient of lots of lip service yet little action by chief executives.

But its importance was stamped into stark relief after a former Uber engineer recently made allegations about its sexist, chaotic and aggressive culture  a game-of-thrones political war, she called it  at the San Francisco company in a deeply unsettling blog post about her experience there.

The viral essay spawned devastating follow-up stories by journalists about the companys Hobbesian environment and its human resources mess. It revived a #DeleteUber social-media boycott of the ride-sharing app that cropped up following President Trumps travel ban. On CNBC, one venture capitalist called the allegations a huge deal as the company moves toward an expected initial public stock offering.

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More and more, stories depicting aggressive corporate cultures are both the source of fascination in a social-media-driven world and a potential reputation risk that goes well beyond what a companys current employees and future recruits think of it.

Uber is the latest example. The fake accounts scandal at Wells Fargo laid bare a toxic sales environment fueled by high-pressure sales goals. A widely read story about Amazons hard-charging corporate culture in the New York Times in 2015 prompted pushback from the company months later.

A companys culture has long been an underlying actor in any story about its successes, its struggles or its failures. (Enron, anyone?) But human resources and corporate reputation experts say that shifting expectations of consumers and employees, the role of social media and increasing interest from investors in corporate culture have driven the topic to the forefront, making exposure of a companys how we do things around here approach more salient and precarious than ever.

People and analysts, in particular, are starting to say how a company treats its employees needs to be factored into valuations of the company, said Brian Kropp, the human resources practice leader of the consultancy CEB. A lot of them are starting to look at this issue and say thats going to have material impact on the company.

Social media is a big driver. And growth of sites like Glassdoor give anyone with an Internet connection the chance to offer unvarnished reviews of what its like to work for a company as easily as theyd review a movie.

That makes it harder for companies to stay ahead of any negative impressions online. Youve got to respond quicker, says Bob Sutton, a professor at Stanford Universitys Graduate School of Business. Its higher risk and harder to control than it used to be.

Expectations by employees and consumers, meanwhile, have also shifted.

Research has shown that consumers dont need to experience bad treatment themselves to think twice about buying from a company. Christine Porath, a professor at Georgetown Universitys McDonough School of Business, found in lab experiments that when customers witness uncivil behavior between two employees, not only do they think badly of those employees, but they generalize really dramatically to the organization and the brand, she said. Just 20% of participants in her study said they would do business with the firm again, she found.

Investors are also more focused on culture. Kropp said analysts he interviewed told him that companies that had a better grasp of how their employees were doing were more successful navigating the financial crisis, which spurred their interest in tracking the issue more closely.

He says that could be a factor for Uber, which is reported to have a valuation of nearly $70 billion and is expected to go public in 2018. My guess is investors are taking a step back and saying those are real risks, Kropp said.

Johndrow says corporate reputation is less likely to take a hit if consumers dont feel the effects directly, as they did with the Wells Fargo scandal. The biggest reputation risk for Uber, he says, will be its ability to attract and retain the best employees in the fallout of the most recent news. But consumers may not be far behind. The repeated bad headlines, he says  from viral video of the CEOs angry encounter with an Uber driver to what people misperceived as an effort to profit after Trumps travel ban  means that for some consumers, were nearing the 1,000th cut.

McGregor writes a column analyzing leadership in the news for the Washington Posts On Leadership section.
Television producer and Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman used to call this oceanfront spot in Malibu home when she owned a 4,400-square-foot house on the site.

She and former husband, Emmy-winning composer Michael Skloff, parted with the property a decade ago for $10.725 million and the house was torn down. Standing in its place is a newly built, Cape Cod-inspired compound that now lists for sale at $57.5 million.

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Sitting behind gates on nearly two acres of grounds, the Doug Burdge-designed house is reached by a long, sloping drive that passes by a guesthouse and swimming pool before ending at a large motor court.

Inside, wide-plank oak floors, white-painted ceilings and sets of French doors give the interiors a breezy coastal vibe. Among features is an elevator, an open-plan living room, a chefs kitchen with a marble-topped island and an office.

On the second floor, an ocean-facing balcony extends from the master suite. Including the guesthouse, there are six bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms.

A sunken lounge and an open-air pavilion with a pizza oven and two stone-topped bars accompany the pool. At the edge of the property, steps lead down to the shore below.

Chris Cortazzo of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage holds the listing. The property is also being marketed by REX, an alternative real estate brokerage.

neal.leitereg@latimes.com

Twitter: @NJLeitereg

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Its no secret that Uber has a sometimes tense relationship with policymakers around the world; much of the San Francisco ride-hailing companys explosive rise has been attributed to its willingness to defy regulation. But now it seems that in some places, Uber may have resorted to extraordinary measures to identify and defeat law enforcement officers in a years-long game of cat and mouse.

In what some employees have questioned as an ethically and legally murky maneuver, Uber has mined some customers geolocation data, credit card information, app usage habits and social media profiles to determine whether they may be working for city governments or rival ride-hailing services or intend to harm Uber drivers, according to a report by the New York Times.

The program, code-named Greyball, surfaced in 2014 when Portland, Ore., officials posing as regular customers tried to request rides on Uber to gather evidence that the company was operating illegally in the city, according to the report. But rather than procuring a driver for the customer, the service showed officials a fake version of the app with drivers who didnt really exist. Any drivers who did respond would quickly cancel the rides, sometimes through direct intervention from Uber itself via phone calls to a driver who had mistakenly picked up a fake fare.

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This program denies ride requests to fraudulent users who are violating our terms of service, said Uber in a statement, whether thats people aiming to physically harm drivers, competitors looking to disrupt our operations, or opponents who collude with officials on secret stings meant to entrap drivers.

The report on Ubers covert activities is the latest blow for a company that has suffered a growing backlash in recent weeks. It adds to accusations of sexual harassment by a former engineer, widespread defections by customers upset over Chief Executive Travis Kalanicks handling of the company and an apology by Kalanick after a video showed him getting into an argument with an Uber driver about driver wages.

Greyball reportedly began as a tool to flag abusive riders in countries where violence against Uber drivers is common. But the company eventually discovered its utility as a way to identify problematic government officials, the report said. To determine whether a user warrants special treatment, Greyball reportedly looks at roughly a dozen factors, such as whether a customer who spends a lot of time around government buildings frequently opens and closes the app.

Once it believes it has found an offending user, Uber tags the individual with a bit of code, according to the report. In addition to regulators, Greyball has also been used to prevent taxi drivers from getting a fix on Uber drivers locations. The practice was approved by Ubers lawyers, according to the report.

This would not be the first time Uber has covertly taken aim at rivals; the company was said in 2014 to have engaged in corporate warfare with its U.S. competitor Lyft by secretly poaching Lyfts drivers. It has also run grass-roots organizing campaigns designed to influence state legislatures. In other cases, Uber executives have suggested digging up opposition research on journalists to get its way, and another information-gathering tool named God View enabled Uber to track the locations of its users without their knowledge.

In Portland, officials sought to gather evidence for Ubers illegal operations by having the authorities request rides on the app. But, having been flagged by Greyball, law enforcement officials were left hanging  the fake version of the app failed to get them any rides. Soon after, the city began to allow Uber to operate legally in the city.

Security analysts say that with the amount of personal information freely available on the Internet, it is almost inevitable that a company such as Uber would move to exploit it.

Greyballing is an acceptable business risk in the poorly governed realm of cyberspace, said Kenneth Geers, a former analyst at the National Security Agency and a senior research scientist at Comodo, a global cybersecurity firm.

But unlike its other efforts at shaping policy, Ubers Greyball appears to be a far more technologically sophisticated and systematic approach to outmaneuvering the opposition. And it may be one of Ubers most closely held trump cards.

Now that policymakers are aware of Greyball, other analysts say, they could take steps to make the tool illegal  forcing Uber to adapt again in its push to expand into new markets.

Fung writes for the Washington Post.

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It all started in a city with a taste for single malt whiskey and classical music  and an obliging beverage company. Suntory Hall opened here 30 years ago, transforming the musical  and to some extent city  life of Tokyo and leading to a concert hall building boom that extended throughout Japan and eventually the world.

Suntory, tucked away in a fancy shopping complex, makes no statement on the street, as you might expect from its corporate benefactor. The statement was left to a young acoustician named Yasuhisa Toyota, who put the listener in the middle of the music. This was Toyotas, and Japans, first vineyard-style hall.

Conservative Japanese audiences were quick to complain. A hall layout where neither the listener nor the musician has any place to hide visually or audibly was a bit too in your face. But Suntory had the blessing of the conductor the Japanese most admired. The Berlin Philharmonics music director, Herbert von Karajan, had overseen the construction of his own early vineyard-style concert hall, the celebrated 1963 Philharmonie.

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Japanese acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota speaks during an interview at Suntory Hall in Tokyo. (Eugene Hoshiko / AP)

Tokyo was already Asias classical music capital, with a couple of decent and not-so-decent halls, but music felt newly alive in Suntory. Once the hall began presenting all the great names and ensembles in classical music  more year in and year out than any other venue, Carnegie Hall included  greater Tokyo couldnt help but notice. Over the next two decades, dozens of concert halls, big and small, were built throughout the country, many driven by Toyota.

These days, the shiny new halls in America and Europe, beginning with what may still be Toyotas greatest masterpiece, the vineyard-style Walt Disney Concert Hall, get the attention. Toyotas first Berlin venue, the Frank Gehry-designed Pierre Boulez Saal, is debuting. In California, we boast Toyota acoustics in, along with Disney and REDCAT, four outstanding college concert halls (at Stanford, USC, Chapman in Orange and Soka in Aliso Viejo).

Over the last year, Ive visited several of Toyotas halls in Japan to sense the effect theyve had on the musical and, perhaps, civic life of their communities.

Suntory, which has just closed for maintenance after celebrating its 30th anniversary season, remains far and away the most prestigious concert address in the East, no matter the architecturally stunning opera houses and concert halls popping up in China, Indonesia, the Emirates and the Southern Caucasus.

Although Suntory may not have all the sophistication of Toyotas latest designs, its sound remains engagingly immediate. The Vienna Philharmonic, an annual visitor that helped lead off the anniversary celebrations in the fall, sounds remarkably comfortable here despite the radical difference between modern Suntory and the orchestras heavenly 19th century home, the Musikverein.

Zubin Mehta conducted standard repertory, not always with a lot of spunk. A downside to Suntorys prominence is that famous orchestras, knowing the Japanese reverence for tradition, too easily get away with the same old, same old.

Finlands Pietari Inkinen conducts the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra during their concert at Suntory Hall in Tokyo. (Koji Sasahara / AP)

Mehta did not push the Viennese, and Mozart and Brahms succumbed to blandness. But an opulent Bruckners Seventh Symphony and a sometimes radiant Beethovens Ninth felt, in this environment, as Viennese as a Sacher torte rushed overnight to Tokyo.

The dozen professional orchestras in the greater Tokyo area dont have quite so much to thank Suntory for, what with the worlds great orchestras coming to town on a regular basis and playing in the citys best space. Neither the New York Philharmonic nor the London orchestras have this much competition.

Yet when some of these Tokyo orchestras repeat their most important concerts in Suntory, their stature grows. Im not sure why anyone would want to hear Japans most stellar orchestra, the NHK, play in its home multipurpose barn if the program is to repeat in Suntory.

Most of Toyotas best halls resemble Suntory, but Triphony Hall, in the Sumida section of Tokyo, is ideal for the connoisseur of fragile sounds. That surely accounts for the resident Japan Philharmonics ability to play so quietly that, yes, you can imagine hearing a pin drop. All Toyota halls train audiences as well as musicians, but the Triphony regulars are special, even for Japanese devotees.

Still, a great hall remains but a tool and ultimately is only as good as its management. The same can be true of orchestras. The acoustical designs for Sapporos Kitara hall, now turning 20, were made around the same time Toyota was working on Disney, and there is a certain similarity to the sound. But the Sapporo Symphony has little to show for its two decades in Kitara, likely due to a lack of hall access for rehearsal and a management fondness for tired European conductors with a penchant for phoning it in.

The opposite tale is told in the ancient capital, Kyoto. Its seductively elegant hall by Arata Isozaki, the architect of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, is hidden away like one of Kyotos incomparable temples, which it in some ways resembles.

When the hall opened in 1995, the Kyoto Symphony was not up to the challenge of performing Mahlers gargantuan Eighth Symphony, and the venue was deemed a failure. In fact, it is anything but. Its my second favorite Toyota hall after Disney. The combination of an immaculate acoustic in a Zen-like environment requires unpretentious refinement, and that is what the Kyoto Symphony has now begun to acquire.

It so happens that the Kyoto Symphony will try again with Mahlers Eighth on March 27. A month later, former L.A. Opera Music Director Kent Nagano will lead the Eighth with his Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra in Toyotas hall. There is little to worry about anymore.

mark.swed@latimes.com

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The often emotionally wrenching drama Fair Haven pushes back against the faulty practice of ex-gay conversion therapy without turning overly didactic or heavy-handed. Its a testament to Jack Bryants lovely script and Kerstin Karlhubers thoughtful direction that this controversial concept is handled with such even-handedness and grace.

Set in rural Vermont, the movie opens as 19-year-old James (Michael Grant), a handsome pianist, returns home from a stay at a Christian-based reparative therapy clinic led by a resolute doctor (Gregory Harrison, in unsettling flashbacks). Back at his familys longtime apple farm, Fair Haven, its just James and his father, Richard (Tom Wopat), a sad, seemingly lost widower who sent James away to change and is now thwarting his sons plan to attend a Boston music college.



For the record: An earlier version of this review transposed the first name of actor Josh Green with that of his character, Charlie.

James struggles with life on the ailing farm, the dispiriting prospect of community college and the romantic advances of a preachers daughter (Lily Anne Harrison, Gregorys daughter), all while attempting to keep his distance from his ex-boyfriend, Charlie (Josh Green), a kindly guy still carrying a torch for James.

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The palpable, yet guarded, longing here between James and Charlie added to the bucolic locale suggests a mini-Brokeback Mountain, but with somewhat younger, less tragic men. The result is a stirring, well-acted, tenderly wrought story of fathers and sons  and sons and lovers.

-------------

Fair Haven

No rating

Running time: 1 hour, 32 minutes

Playing: Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica

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The Oscars best-picture winners tend to come in waves, sometimes in keeping with the culture but certainly in tune with trends in the movie industry. Its denizens, after all, are the ones who vote for them.

The early 1970s saw The French Connection, The Sting and two Godfather movies win over a four-year period. Those are the kinds of finely tuned, character-driven genre films that marked the era, and they were rewarded by Oscar voters at the time.

Then there was the upscale commercialism  call it art-house-lite  of the late 1990s and early 2000s. These were the movies most epitomized by Miramax  The English Patient, Chicago, Shakespeare in Love and American Beauty. OK, the last one isnt actually a Miramax film. Its an honorary one, though.

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A similarly distinct chapter seems to be upon us now. We already appeared to be there in the wake of last years Oscars. But after the surprising events of this past Sunday, with Moonlight shocking front-runner La La Land, were really in the thick of it: an era in which small, gritty dramas with a certain conviction of purpose almost always seem to prevail.

The past four best pictures have been, in order, 12 Years a Slave, Birdman, Spotlight and Moonlight. These winners have more than a few elements in common. All deal with difficult subjects. All are very much the result of the singular vision of a director; swap in another and they look almost entirely different. And none (this is very much a product of the first point) cost much more than $20 million to make.

Challenging movies, in Hollywood parlance. Or just indie movies, even though technically thats true for only some of them. (Indeed, two of the four come from Brad Pitts production company, which speaks volumes about how far ahead of this trend hes been.)

In nearly any other Oscar era, just one of the above four movies winning would be a triumph. Heck, if you go back a few decades, even getting one of these movies nominated would have been a huge victory. And now we have a four-year streak in which those films have all won, and almost always defeating a movie with far more resources and commercial appeal  your Gravitys, your Revenants your La La Lands. The lone exception was the year of Birdman  that season there were actually two small movies at the finish line, with Boyhood also right there. Its clearly a sea change.

Heres the most telling stat: In the first quarter-century of the Film Independent Spirit Awards, that ceremonys best movie won Oscars best picture just once. In the past six years, its happened five times.

In explaining this shift, you could talk about a lot of factors: the fact that studios these days tend to go for hyper-commercial, globally appealing, effects-driven franchises that dont tend to win awards, for instance, leaving the field open for these sorts of smaller pictures.

You could talk about a Motion Picture Academy of shifting demographics, which is why best-picture winners tend to be more socially aware now, filled with people of color, dealing with issues of race and sexual politics. Even Birdman, the player in the quartet that least fits this definition, was made by a Mexican-born director and confronted issues of white privilege and identity.

You could even talk about the generation that grew up in the salad days of independent film  those who were in college when Tarantino and Soderbergh and various Andersons (Wes and Paul Thomas) were making their mark a couple decades back  now having a larger foothold in Hollywood.

But the biggest factor may be how the academy chooses best pictures  using a system called preferential voting, or ranked voting. That system, it turns out, is very kind to small, gritty movies.

First, some quick math. Before 2010, when the academy just had five best-picture nominees, it used a straight up-and-down vote, as it does for all other major categories. But when it expanded to 10 (later changed to be a variable number that went up to 10), it also switched to preferential voting.

In essence, it works like this: Voters rank their best pictures from 1 to 8 or 9 (however many nominees there are that year). Votes are then counted through a series of staged runoffs: Each ballot is placed in a pile according to which film is ranked first.

But thats only when the fun starts.

If one stack doesnt nab 50% of the total votes (this almost never happens), the shortest stack is thrown out and its ballots redistributed to the pile of those ballots second choices. If the 50% threshold isnt reached for any stack after this process (again, rare), tabulators go to the next shortest stack and do it again  going to the second choice and, if thats already been discarded, to the third, and redistributing it there. And so on, until one stack reaches 50% and is declared the winner. (This post explains it well.)

There are various theories about the effect this has, but almost all experts agree that under this system youre better off being liked by many than loved by a few  or, in numerical terms, youre nearly always better off being everybodys second favorite and getting no top votes than being No. 1 with, say, a third of the voters and the middle of the pack with everyone else.

The reason is simple: By the time youre working your way down to the third or fourth choice in the short stacks, one pile almost certainly gets to 50%.

This is a major shift from when the race was about just five best-picture candidates and a straight up-or-down vote. Then, if you were a producer with a movie that snagged a third of peoples choices, youd have a pretty good chance of winning, since the other four nominees would be left to split the remaining 66%, and what single movie was going to get more than half that? But with ranked voting, you can neutralize a solid amount of No. 1 votes with a plethora of No. 2 and No. 3 votes.

Thats why smaller gems do so well in this system. Because you dont need to be a lot of peoples favorite  you dont need to be a juggernaut. You just have to be sure youre close enough with a wide swath of people to neutralize the favorites advantage.

Put another way, you dont want to be the broader, more front-runnery movie, with all the divisiveness that often entails. You want to be the smaller movie that almost everyone has fondness for. They may not put you No. 1, but they sure as heck will put you No. 2. And thats enough.

Youd rather be Moonlight or Spotlight, in other words, than La La or Revenant.

Its why, in 2010, the first year of the system, one of the smallest, grittiest movies ever to win best picture, The Hurt Locker, took the prize  defeating the behemoth that was Avatar.

There were a few years when things reverted, in large part because those smaller, widely liked films werent much in competition. But in 2014 this trend asserted itself with a vengeance. In a pretty clear two-way heat between 12 Years and Gravity  essentially that seasons version of Hurt Locker and Avatar  the smaller, grittier film won. In the last two years, its happened again.

(It is, of course, no guarantee that a smaller film wont be divisive, and a big commercial movie can build consensus. Generally, though, smaller films, more serious films, less 800-pound gorilla films, tend to garner more goodwill, and thus more No. 2 and No. 3 votes, than the bigger-budgeted, lighter-minded commercial beasts, which tend to generate a decent-sized Oscar backlash.)

Lets look more specifically at how that plausibly played out this year. Well never know for sure, of course  not unless the Pricewaterhouse gatekeepers start tweeting a lot more selfies  but this is a reasonable scenario.

At more than $300 million globally, La La was clearly a favorite. But it wasnt everyones favorite. Were the academy folks who werent putting it first putting it second? Ive talked to a lot of voters in the past few weeks, and if they didnt like La La  whether because it was a juggernaut or it was too light, or for whatever reason they didnt like it  they werent putting it No. 2. They were very likely dropping it down to 6, or 7, or 8. A movie is almost never getting counted on those ballots.

Alternately, I talked to a lot of voters about Moonlight. Plenty didnt put it at No. 1. But so, so many of them put it at No. 2. A bunch more put it at No. 3. No one I talked to was putting it lower than four. Literally, no one. There was simply too much good feeling for this small, intimate indie. That means its stack kept growing. It also means it actually may well have scored best picture (again, well never know for sure) even though it had fewer No. 1 votes than La La Land.

And, of course, the system perpetuates itself. The more of these smaller, hard-nosed films win, the more get made. (The luckiest person in town Monday morning was the producer trying to get funding for a tender and subtle drama.) And the more that get made, the deeper the pool; the deeper the pool, the more likely they are to win best picture in future years.

It remains to be seen where this goes. Some Oscar eras manage to endure. The Miramax/Harvey Weinstein era lasted a long time  and then recurred again nearly a decade later with The Kings Speech and The Artist. Other patterns are blips. Eras change; trends fade.Its hard to know where the Spotlight/Moonlight period will take us.

But this much is known. After the last couple years, it makes sense to follow the light. Or at least the smaller, handmade auteur movies into it.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

steve.zeitchik@latimes.com

Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT
Zoey Deutch has been going to Arts Delicatessen since she was 1 week old. Her friends have tried to get her to go to Canters, but she refuses to cheat on her beloved Studio City haunt.

Which explains why shes cozied up to Tony  who has been a waiter at Arts for decades  inside one of the delis booths. They are showing each other photos of their dogs. Tony has a West Highland Terrier named Yogi; Deutch has a pit bull named Maybelle.

Did you send Yogi the photo we took of ourselves? Deutch asks. He does have a phone, right?

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Tony laughs and scoots out of the booth, asking if he could get his babe anything to eat. Deutch requests a cup of matzo ball soup and a plate of potato latkes, and off Tony goes.

Its slightly jarring to see the 22-year-old being so chummy with the waiter after watching Before I Fall, her new movie in which she plays a high school mean girl. Based on Lauren Olivers 2010 young adult novel, the film is a kind of Groundhog Day for teenagers.

Deutch stars as Samantha, a 17-year-old who seems to have it all: a hot boyfriend, the coolest group of friends and really good hair to boot. One night, after she and her fabulous posse are leaving a party, they get into a car accident that magically freezes Samantha in a time loop, making it so that she wakes up every morning and is forced to relive the same day of high school over and over again. Not surprisingly, the experience leads the protagonist to do some serious reflecting about the way she treats people.

Out Friday, Before I Fall marks the first lead role for Deutch. Though shes had prominent supporting parts before in Richard Linklaters Everybody Wants Some! and opposite James Franco in Why Him?, this is her first starring vehicle  this is her first movie where the poster features only her face.

So shes been getting a lot of attention lately. When Before I Fall premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival  where she also had a small role in the J.D. Salinger biopic Rebel in the Rye  critics were quick to anoint her the latest It girl, a title she despises.

We never hear the term It guy, Deutch said. But putting that aside, Im very ambitious, and I hate the way that theres a negative connotation for ambition. Because I think it means youre just willing to work hard for something you want and love. I have no delusions of grandeur of how this goes. I know its a really difficult and up and down path, so that It girl thing just bugs me.

Deutch gets her hair and makeup touched up during a photoshoot. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Shes a power lady. Shes not just a Hollywood starlet. Shes a force in her own right.  Director Ry Russo-Young on Zoey Deutch

Deutch is well-acquainted with the realities of Hollywood thanks to her parents, Lea Thompson and Howard Deutch, who have been working in the business since she was born. Her mother is an actress best known for her roles in the Back to the Future films and the NBC sitcom Caroline in the City; her father is a director (Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful).

I have a lot of friends with famous parents who, when theyre doing press, have their publicists say its off-limits to talk about their parents, she says. That never even crossed my mind. First of all, Im too much of a loose cannon to try to censor myself. But Im also not ashamed of them. Im proud of them. Im lucky to have parents that support and love and encourage me, and I have zero say in that privilege. Thats luck. But me being in Before I Fall is working hard. I have no complex about that.

Bryan Cranston, who played the father to Deutchs character in Why Him?, says he had no idea who the actress parents were until production was underway. When they visited the set, he made sure to tell them what a wonderful job he thought theyd done in raising her.

I said, Youve got a very special girl here. If you guys are out of town for Thanksgiving, send her over, the actor says. I just fell in fatherly love with her, almost as much as my own. Id adopt her.

Ry Russo-Young, who directed Before I Fall, describes a similar love affair with the actress. Before the 24-day shoot began, the two women spent weeks together blocking out how to film the movie  a confusing process that called for Deutch to act out the same scene on different days from one take to the next.

She would say to me on set, Should we try it this way? Do we need that? We got into it together, says Russo-Young, 35. She pushed me to fight for whats important. Shes one of those people where youre like, You do sleep, dont ya, honey? Shes a maniac. I guess Im old, but shes a true millennial. Im like, How are you tweeting and looking at photos and Photoshopping at the same time? Shes a power lady. Shes not just a Hollywood starlet. Shes a force in her own right.

Deutch says she aspires to have a career like Sandra Bullocks  to be the kind of actress who you dont immediately associate with either drama or comedy. Shed also like to go to college, and is currently paying tutors to help her learn about political science. At Sundance, she took part in the womens march and is vocal about her support of Planned Parenthood on social media.

Look, she says, lifting up her sweatshirt to reveal a T-shirt that says a womans womb is more controlled than guns. Before I was an actor, I was a human and a citizen. People have told me to stop posting that stuff. But people also told me to tweeze my eyebrows.

Zoey Deutch, center, and others march down Main Street during the March on Main event during the Sundance Film Festival. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

We never hear the term It guy . . . so that It girl thing just bugs me.  Zoey Deutch

She takes out the designer purse shed inherited from her mother and starts to dig through it, searching for her credit card.

Also, what is wrong with me? she says, holding up a ragged plastic sandwich baggie containing her money. I cant afford a wallet, apparently. I also have, like, a lollipop and a shirt in here.

She dumps out the contents of her bag: The lollipop shed taken from the jar at the front of the deli. A rumpled crop top. A disposable camera, as if it were 1999. A tin full of Altoids and oil of oregano, which, she says, is just good for everything in general.

After she sorts her things, she looks out the window across the street. Theres a building with gleaming, golden onion domes, which might seem out of place alongside the Urban Outfitters and California Pizza Kitchen on Ventura Boulevard.

Ive never seen anyone go in there once in my life, she says.  Maybe its a klerb. (Thats club, for all of us older than 22.)

Would you like to go? she asks. I want to do, like, an undercover mission. Investigative journalism! Lets go find whats going on over there.

She rounds up her herbal supplements and money baggie, hugs Tony goodbye and heads for the door. I bet this is going to be so anticlimactic, she says, crossing the street.

A few minutes later, shes standing below a sign that reads Romanov. Later, a quick Google search would reveal that Romanov is a Russian restaurant that boasts an environment that is reminiscent of the Tsars Winter Palace. But Deutch is unaware of this information at 5 p.m. on this Thursday, when she takes an elevator up to the space and finds a lone server wiping down tables.

Hello? the actress inquires. Is this a restaurant?

Um, yeah? the employee responds.

OK! Deutch said. Im leaving now!

She returns to the elevator, a giddy smile overtaking her face. Well, now I know.

amy.kaufman@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @AmyKinLA

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Hollywood is often accused of existing in its own bubble that bears little resemblance to the world at large. So when it comes to the film industrys biggest night, its no surprise that hosts of the Academy Awards often go to great lengths to prove its just like the rest of America.

Jimmy Kimmel, host of Sundays Oscars, put his own spin on this trend by setting up a stunt that tricked a busload of Tinseltown tourists into stumbling into the Dolby Theatre with the ceremony already in progress.

His stunt wasnt exactly new, though. In 2014, host Ellen DeGeneres had an unsuspecting delivery man distribute pizza in the auditorium  and he ended up with a $1,000 tip for his efforts. And Chris Rock, who hosted last year, brought out a local Girl Scout troop to sell cookies to hungry millionaires.

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In Kimmels version, the unsuspecting tourists came into the ceremony and were immediately brought in front of the crowd. The host asked their name and where they were from, introduced them to celebrities and offered to let them touch Mahershala Alis Oscar.

Some thought it was a charming display of Hollywoods star power, but for others it was unclear who was the butt of the joke.

When DeGeneres ordered pizza, she was ribbing herself and the audacity of following through with a live pizza delivery. When Rock brought in Girl Scouts to shake down the Hollywood elite, the joke was on the attendees, who got a taste of what the rest of us experience with every trip to Ralphs. (The taste? Thin Mint.)

The success of Kimmels stunt depends on whom you consider the rube in this situation. Was it Jennifer Aniston, who was shamed into giving a stranger her sunglasses? Was it Gary From Chicago whose charming antics garnered him instant Internet fame followed by immediate public scrutiny? Or was it Kimmel for trying to pierce Hollywoods bubble with a dose of common folk?

When an ordinary person becomes the punchline to Hollywoods joke, there are consequences that Kimmel and his ilk arent equipped to handle.

For Gary Alan Coe, that meant the overnight revelation that he was newly out of prison and a prominent public appraisal of his criminal background. Ted Williams met a similar fate when the homeless man with the golden voice was plucked from obscurity via a YouTube video and paraded around the morning shows before having his criminal history and ongoing struggle with drug and alcohol addictions revealed to the world.

The punchlines might be murky, but the reality isnt: When it comes to injecting live drama into the Oscars, its better to deliver food, not tourists.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

libby.hill@latimes.com

@midwestspitfire

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Oscar Sunday for a designer is usually reserved for last-minute adjustments, fittings and final send-offs; for Georgina Chapman of Marchesa, it involved her own turn on the red carpet.

In addition to dressing Octavia Spencer and Olivia Culpo, Chapman wore her own Marchesa creation  a fall gown that was only shown in New York two weeks before  to accompany her husband Harvey Weinstein to Sundays Academy Awards ceremony on behalf of his film, Lion, which he executive produced.

Im so proud of Lion and Harveys work with the film, Chapman said. We named our daughter India, so it is a place that will always hold special meaning to us. After we got married I started a foundation that helps children in India and since then Ive become involved with the nonprofit organization Magic Bus. Through Magic Bus, Ive been fortunate enough to support the community of Mankhurd in eastern Mumbai and will be visiting on a trip later this year.

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Her work with Magic Bus  and her affinity for the country  made Lion hit particularly close to home and led her to walk the carpet at the Oscars, a rare moment for the designer (for those interested in the dress, it can be pre-ordered on Moda Operandi).

My work with Magic Bus allows me to give back to the families and communities that have contributed to the success of Marchesa, she said. We do a lot of our embroideries in India and Im constantly inspired by the rich culture and the colors; it has had a huge influence on many of our collections. This is a cause that Im truly passionate about as I have a deep connection with the country. It played an important role in my childhood as my mothers side of the family lived in India for several generations and my grandmother was born there. Ive been fascinated with the country since a young age and have traveled there many times since.

Lion, which was up for six awards, did not emerge victorious Sunday, but safe to say, the film isnt the last of Chapmans involvement with the films country of origin.

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Smashbox has a new editor in chief. Today, beauty influencer Vlada Haggerty, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist with 651,000 Instagram followers, will kick off her newly created role as the brands Lip Editor in Chief. Under her 18-month contract with Smashbox, 32-year-old Haggerty  known for her liquid lip art  will advise on everything lip, according to Beth Dinardo, brand president at Smashbox. This includes: deciding on colors for upcoming product, trend forecasting, how-to videos, creating lip looks, taking existing products and showing them in their best light and showing customers how to highlight a certain lip style.

Haggertys deal is just the latest in a slew of successful influencer partnerships Smashbox has introduced over the past year.

Weve had a really aggressive season of trying out new approaches, Dinardo said, noting the brand started working with Haggerty on a project basis about nine months ago. It all started with Lilly Singh Theres a real theme to who we collaborate with.

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For starters, the release last month of two highlighting palettes Smashbox cocreated with YouTuber Casey Holmes yielded more sales in its first day on Smashbox.com than Cyber Monday.

The $35 Casey Spotlight Palettes, available in two colorways that each contain three highlighters, went live exclusively on smashbox.com  and both sold out within 12 hours. The brand declined to give figures, but an industry source said first-day sales from the collaboration with Holmes drove well over $100,000 in revenue to Smashboxs e-commerce site. Holmes collection has just been restocked on Smashbox.com and hits Sephora today, and expectations are high. Holmes, who has 1.3 million subscribers on her YouTube channel and 848,000 Instagram followers, teased the partnership through Instagram posts on Feb. 10 and Feb. 13 to generate buzz for the palettes launch on Feb. 22.

In January, a collaboration with actress Shay Mitchell  who has 15.7 million followers on Instagram  became the largest launch in Smashbox history. Dinardo said the collection of seven Cover Shot: Eye Palettes quadrupled the brands eyeshadow business  in one month.

It was these two partnerships, as well as the liquid Bawse red lipstick Smashbox cocreated with Singh last summer, that gave the brand all the ammunition it needed to ink its first long-term deal with Haggerty.

For her first project as Lip Editor in Chief, Haggerty was instrumental in the launch of Smashboxs new Legendary Liquid Metal and Legendary Liquid Pigment lip gels, which hit retailers and smashbox.com March 8. Haggerty helped the team bring the two products to life from the original inspiration of car paint, and she narrowed down the final shades and worked on all creative surrounding the lip gels. Dinardo was vague about future plans with Haggerty, but a source said that product cocreation a la Holmes and Mitchell is already in the works.

We definitely took a very artistic approach with the campaign[but] there are a lot of very wearable colors, Haggerty said, admitting that when Smashbox first reached out to her, she had a slight fear that the lip color wouldnt be as pigmented as she normally likes.

At the first swatch I was like, I will support this completely. Im in. It combines what a makeup artist expects from product and what a regular woman expects from product. They are wearable but superpigmented, Haggerty said.

Starting in April, Haggerty will headline a Lip Art World Tour with Refinery29 where she will make stops at Ulta and Sephora doors in top-performing markets in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. Exact locations for global stops are still to be determined, but Haggerty will definitely make appearances in the U.K. and Canada.

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USC names retired aerospace executive Wanda Austin as acting president, announces Nikias departure By Harriet Ryan USC appointed a retired aerospace executive as interim president and laid out a detailed plan for selecting a permanent leader Tuesday, ending speculation about whether outgoing President C.L. Max Nikias might remain in the post. Nikias, embattled over his administrations handling of a campus gynecologist accused of sexually abusing patients, relinquished his duties after a meeting of USCs board. The trustees tapped one of their own, Wanda Austin, an alumna and former president of the Aerospace Corp., to temporarily run the university. The trustees also approved the formation of a search committee and the hiring of firm Isaacson, Miller to coordinate the selection of a successor. A second search company, Heidrick & Struggles, will also advise trustees. Read More Facebook

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Ex-student sues elite Brentwood School after teacher is charged with sexually abusing him By Richard Winton A former student sued the elite Brentwood School on Monday in the wake of a female teacher being charged with repeatedly having sex with the minor, alleging that other faculty members encouraged the unlawful behavior and failed to report it to authorities. The lawsuit accuses the private school, whose students include the children of many of Hollywoods elite and L.A.s powerful, of acting negligently and allowing Aimee Palmitessa to abuse and batter the teenager sexually. The suit alleges that the student was abused in summer 2017 after one of the schools counselors offered words of encouragement to the then-17-year-old, identified in the suit as only John Doe, to engage in an illegal relationship with the teacher. Read More Facebook

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Civil jury vindicates fired Montebello school executives in whistleblower case By Howard Blume The Montebello school district is in dire straits  at risk of insolvency and under apparent criminal investigation. An outside audit in July found some teachers earning more than $200,000 a year, as well as improper raises, excess paid vacation time and inappropriate overtime, sick leave and car allowances. Fixing the district and pinpointing blame could take time. Read More Facebook

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L.A. schools fall short on safety measures, new report warns By Howard Blume After the mass shooting at Floridas Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February, Los Angeles school officials reassured parents that much had been done to keep local schools safe. California had tougher gun laws, after all, and the school district paid close attention to students mental health. But a new report issued Monday by a panel convened to take a close look offers some cause for concern, flagging inconsistent campus safety measures, thinly spread mental health staff and inadequate coordination between the school district and other public agencies. With the stakes this high, we must strive to do better, said L.A. City Atty. Mike Feuer, who assembled the panel. Read More Facebook

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L.A. school district says more are graduating, but rate may not show it By Howard Blume The L.A. Unified School District has hopes of continuing its winning streak this year with another record graduation rate, but the official numbers may not show it. A senior district administrator warned the board Tuesday that graduation rates were likely to decline 2% to 3% across the state, even though L.A. Unified is likely doing better than ever in producing graduates, he said. The issue is that the state will now count high school students who transfer to adult school as dropouts, said Oscar Lafarga, who heads the districts office of data and accountability. Previously, schools treated these students as though they had simply enrolled in another high school, he said. Read More Facebook

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Betsy DeVos to California: Not so fast on that federal education plan By Joy Resmovits In April, Californias top education officials breathed a sigh of relief. After months of debate and back-and-forth with Betsy DeVos staff, they had finalized a plan to satisfy a major education law that aims to make sure all students get a decent education. The state focused on aligning its plan to fulfill the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act with Californias Local Control Funding Formula, which gives extra money to districts to help students who come from low-income families, are in the foster system or are English learners. But this week, DeVos team said not so fast. Jason Botel, the U.S. Department of Educations principal deputy assistant secretary, sent California education officials a letter asking for more information in such areas as measuring student progress, graduation rates and English learners. In an unsigned statement, the California Department of Education declared itself surprised and disappointed because officials thought  after a meeting with federal officials in Washington  that they were on the right track to get approval. Now the Every Student Succeeds Act plan will be up for discussion once again at the July meeting of the State Board of Education. The U.S. Department of Education has already approved most state plans. Every Student Succeeds is the Obama administrations 2015 replacement for the No Child Left Behind Act. Facebook

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L.A. school board sets a new goal: prepare every grad to be eligible to apply for Cal State or UC By Sonali Kohli Last month, Los Angeles school board president proposed a spate of highly ambitious mandates aimed at ensuring that every district graduate be eligible to apply to one of the states public four-year universities by 2023. By the time the L.A. Unified school board unanimously approved the resolution Tuesday, the original language had been watered down. The goal is no longer that in five years 100% of students meet the long list of benchmarks, which include not just college eligibility for graduates but first-grade reading proficiency and English fluency by sixth grade for all students who enter the district in kindergarten or first grade speaking another language. The original college-readiness goal, for example, called for 100% of all high school students to be eligible to apply to one of the states four-year universities. Now the goal seems to offer more wiggle room: Prepare all high school graduates to be eligible to apply to a California four-year university. Read More Facebook

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We have been hurt. More women say they were mistreated by USC gynecologist By Richard Winton USC student Anika Narayanan says she vividly recalls her first appointment with Dr. George Tyndall at the campus health center, alleging that he made several explicit comments during an examination she felt was inappropriate and invasive. When she came back for a second visit in 2016 after a nonconsensual sexual encounter, he allegedly chastised her, she said in a civil lawsuit and at a press conference Tuesday. He asked me if I had forgotten to use a condom again,  said Narayanan, 21. At one point, she said, Tyndall asked if I did a lot of doggy style,  she said. Read More Facebook

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L.A. Unified gives inspector general brief contract extension By Howard Blume The Los Angeles school board on Tuesday extended the contract of Ken Bramlett, its inspector general, by three months, though his job is far from secure and questions remain about the future direction of his watchdog office. Board members also unanimously promoted Vivian Ekchian, who had been the runner-up for the superintendents job, to deputy superintendent  the districts No. 2 position. Both moves had elements of peacemaking between different factions on the board. Read More Facebook

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USCs handling of complaints about campus gynecologist is being investigated by federal government By Harriet Ryan The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday that it has launched an investigation into how the University of Southern California handled misconduct complaints against a campus gynecologist, the latest fallout in a scandal that has prompted the resignation of USCs president, two law enforcement investigations and dozens of lawsuits. In revealing the inquiry by the departments Office of Civil Rights, officials rebuked USC for what they alleged was improper withholding of information about Dr. George Tyndall during a previous federal investigation. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who has been criticized for taking a less vigorous approach to examining sexual misconduct than predecessors, called for a systemic examination of USC and urged administrators to fully cooperate. Read More Facebook

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Judge to sentence woman and her boyfriend for the murder of an 8-year-old that led to L.A. child welfare reforms By Marisa Gerber A woman and her boyfriend are expected to be sentenced Thursday for the torture and murder of an 8-year-old boy whose killing in 2013 provoked public outrage, prompted sweeping reform of Los Angeles Countys child welfare system, and led to unprecedented criminal charges against social workers who handled the childs case. Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, 34, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole for her role in the death of her son, Gabriel. A jury decided last year that her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, 37, should be executed. When paramedics arrived at the boys Palmdale home in May 2013, Gabriel had slipped out of consciousness. He had a fractured skull, broken ribs, burned skin, missing teeth and BB pellets embedded in his groin. A paramedic would later testify that every inch of the boys small body had been abused. Read More Facebook

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L.A. Unifieds spending out of step with similar school systems, task force says By Howard Blume The Los Angeles school district is out of step with similar school systems, spending more on teachers pay and health benefits and less on activities that could enhance student learning, according to a new report by an outside task force. The L.A. Unified School District Advisory Task Force did not make specific recommendations, but instead posed a series of questions it said the district needs to answer to make sure its funding is aimed at providing a full opportunity for all students to succeed. What were trying to say is: Lets put the data on the table. Lets look at the truth. Lets be transparent and here are the numbers, said task force member Renata Simril. This is not to say that  we should cut teachers salaries. Read More Facebook

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Top USC medical school official feared dean was doing drugs and alerted administration, he testifies By Paul Pringle A former vice dean of USCs Keck School of Medicine testified Tuesday that he feared the schools then-dean, Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito, could be doing drugs and expressed concerns about his general well-being to the universitys No. 2 administrator before Puliafito abruptly left his job in 2016. Dr. Henri Fords testimony at a hearing of the state Medical Board marks the first suggestion that any USC administrator had suspicions about Puliafitos possible drug use before he stepped down. A Times investigation in 2017 found Puliafito led a secret second life of using illegal drugs with a circle of young criminals and addicts. Puliafito testified about his behavior at the hearing Tuesday, saying he took drugs with one young woman on a weekly basis. Ford said that he decided to alert USC Provost Michael Quick after receiving reports in early 2016 that Puliafito was partying in hotels with people of questionable reputation, and that he came to worry about his mental stability. Read More Facebook

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Why L.A. Unified may face financial crisis even with a giant surplus this year By Jessica Calefati With more than half a billion dollars socked away for next school year, the Los Angeles Unified School District hardly seems just two years from financial ruin. Its a scenario that is especially tough to swallow if youre a low-wage worker seeking a raise or a teacher who wants smaller classes. But budget documents show that todays $548-million surplus cannot be sustained  and that even basic services face steep, seemingly unavoidable cuts because of massive problems barreling the districts way. Theres a disconnect between the rosy short-term picture and what we know is coming, said board member Kelly Gonez. Read More Facebook

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We have failed: Top USC officials try to reassure students amid gynecologist scandal By Joy Resmovits Top administrators at USC are reaching out to students in the wake of misconduct allegations against the universitys longtime gynecologist, acknowledging failings and vowing reforms as they try to address growing outrage over the revelations. Several USC deans have sent out messages trying to reassure students and faculty that the university is committed to changing. We have failed, wrote Jack H. Knott, dean of USCs Sol Price School of Public Policy, in a May 24 letter. What happened is antithetical to everything we know is right. Read More Facebook

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Rick Caruso is named chair of USCs trustees, vows swift investigation of gynecologist scandal By Thomas Curwen The University of Southern Californias board of trustees has elected mall magnate Rick Caruso to be the new chair of the board, giving fresh leadership as the university navigates a widening scandal involving a longtime campus gynecologist. The move marks the latest effort by USC to address the case, which has sparked a criminal investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department and dozens of civil lawsuits. More than 400 people have contacted a hotline that the university established for patients to make reports about their experience with Dr. George Tyndall. In his first act as chairman, Caruso announced that the white-shoe L.A. law firm OMelveny & Myers would conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the gynecologists conduct and reporting failures at the clinic. He set an ambitious timeline for the review, pledging it would conclude before students return for the fall semester. Read More Facebook

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UC Berkeley students persistence helps win more liberal rules for in-state tuition By Teresa Watanabe Ifechukwu Okeke thought shed be a shoo-in for in-state tuition when she was admitted to UC Berkeley for fall 2016. She had moved to the United States from Nigeria in 2012 to go to Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga. By the time she got her acceptance to transfer to UC to study molecular and cell biology, she had lived in California four years. She had a California drivers license, bank account and rental records as proof. UC Berkeley, however, ruled she was a nonresident  which meant she would have to pay nearly $27,000 more. Read More Facebook

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State medical board calls former County-USC doctor a sexual predator, suspends his license By Matt Hamilton A UCLA cardiologist has been temporarily stripped of his medical license after state regulators described him as a sexual predator who assaulted three female colleagues when he was working and training at L.A. County-USC Medical Center. Read More Facebook

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Global California 2030 aims to get more students learning more languages By Joy Resmovits Tom Torlakson (Andrew Seng / Associated Press) Outgoing state Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson on Wednesday announced a new statewide effort to encourage students to learn more languages. Called Global California 2030, its goal is to help more students become fluent in multiple tongues. Torlakson said that by 2030, he wants half of the states 6.2 million K-12 students to participate in classes or programs that lead to proficiency in two or more languages. By 2040, he wants three out of four students to be proficient enough to earn the State Seal of Biliteracy. Torlakson announced the initiative at Cahuenga Elementary School, which offers a dual-language immersion program in English and Korean. Californias public school students speak more than 60 languages at home, and 40% come to school with knowledge of a language other than English. Torlakson called his plan a call to action that invites parents, legislators, educators and community members to pool resources to expand language offerings in schools and get more bilingual teachers trained. He said the state already is working with Mexico and Spain to expand a teacher-exchange program. Fluency, the plan argues, can help students succeed economically  and language acquisition can help their overall critical thinking. The initiative builds on Proposition 58, a ballot initiative passed in 2016 that undid an earlier requirement that English learners be taught in English-immersion classes unless their parents signed waivers. Torlakson recently visited Mexico and met with that countrys education secretary. They later signed a pact to increase collaboration, particularly in language education. This [Global California 2030] is great follow-through on Toms part and very important, Patricia Gandara, a UCLA education professor who hosted the Mexico meeting, said in an email. It hands over a plan to move forward in an area in which California has a unique advantage, but must seize the opportunity. Facebook

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Jury convicts man of murder in 2015 slaying of UCLA student found inside her burning apartment By Marisa Gerber A jury on Tuesday convicted a man in the 2015 slaying of a UCLA student found dead inside her burning apartment  a gruesome stabbing case that led to a fierce rebuke of the police response amid concerns that the killing could have been prevented. The panel deliberated for about six hours before finding Alberto Medina, 24, guilty of murder, arson, burglary and animal cruelty. On Sept. 21, 2015, firefighters found the charred body of Andrea DelVesco inside her apartment after responding to the complex a block from campus. The 21-year-old student  an Austin, Texas, native known to her sorority sisters as a fearless giver who befriended others with ease  was stabbed at least 19 times, authorities said. Read More Facebook

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LAPD begins sweeping criminal probe of former USC gynecologist while urging patients to come forward By Adam Elmahrek The Los Angeles Police Department said Tuesday it is investigating 52 complaints of misconduct filed by former patients of USCs longtime campus gynecologist as detectives launch a sweeping criminal probe into the scandal that has rocked the university. LAPD detectives also made an appeal for other patients who feel mistreated to come forward, noting that thousands of students were examined by Dr. George Tyndall during his nearly 30-year career at USC. More than 410 people have contacted a university hotline about the physician since The Times revealed the allegations this month. Tyndalls behavior and practices appear to go beyond the norms of the medical profession and gynecological examinations, said Asst. Chief Beatrice Girmala. We sincerely realize that victims may have difficulty recounting such details to investigators. We are empathetic and ready to listen. Read More Facebook

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At L.A.'s only school for the deaf, parents want leaders who speak the same language By Anna M. Phillips Ever since her son was 6 months old, Juliet Hidalgo has been bringing him to the Marlton School, a low-slung building in Baldwin Hills that for generations has been a second home for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Los Angeles. Marlton staff taught Hidalgos brother and sister, both of whom are deaf. The school was where her deaf son learned to make the signs for milk and food. Hidalgo had planned to enroll her daughter, taking advantage of a popular program that allows hearing children to learn American Sign Language alongside their deaf siblings. But after more than a decade of involvement, she and other family members are considering withdrawing their children. They are not alone. Read More Facebook

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Fueled by unlimited donations, independent groups play their biggest role yet in a California primary for governor By Ryan Menezes An unprecedented amount of money from wealthy donors, unions and corporations is flowing into the California governors race, giving independent groups  unrestricted by contribution limits  a greater say in picking the states chief executive than ever before. The groups have already spent more than $26 million through Thursday, the most ever spent by noncandidate committees in a gubernatorial primary, according to a Times analysis of campaign finance reports. California elections have always been expensive, and the future is even more expensive, said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College and a former state Republican leader. The stakes are very real. Read More Facebook

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2 hurt in Indiana middle school shooting; suspect in custody, authorities say By Associated Press Authorities say two victims in a shooting at a suburban Indianapolis school are being taken to a hospital and the lone suspect is in custody. Bryant Orem, a spokesman for the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office, said in a news release that the victims in Friday mornings attack at Noblesville West Middle School are being taken to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and their families have been notified. He says no other information is available about the victims. Orem said the suspect is believed to have acted alone and was taken into custody. No additional information about the suspect was made public. Read More Facebook

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For new L.A. schools chief Austin Beutner, some key unions are giving no honeymoon period By Howard Blume In the less than two weeks since Austin Beutner took charge of Los Angeles schools, unions representing teachers and administrators have staged a job action and a protest. Theyve made it clear that they will not give the new superintendent the traditional honeymoon period, and they are bashing him for his wealth and lack of experience running either a school or a school district. Beutner is a billionaire investment banker with zero qualifications, local teachers union President Alex Caputo-Pearl told members in a phone alert urging them to participate in a Thursday afternoon rally in Grand Park. The board is saying that billionaires who made their money blowing institutions up and making money off it know best  not the education professionals who have dedicated our careers to working with students. Read More Facebook

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Pressure grows on Board of Trustees amid USC gynecologist scandal By Paul Pringle USCs large and powerful Board of Trustees is coming under growing pressure to provide a stronger hand as the university faces a crisis over misconduct allegations against the campus longtime gynecologist that has prompted calls for President C.L. Max Nikias to step down. Allegations that Dr. George Tyndall mistreated students during his nearly 30 years at USC have roiled the campus, with about 300 people coming forward to make reports to the university and the Los Angeles Police Department launching a criminal investigation. USC is already beginning to face what is expected to be costly litigation by women who say they were victimized by the physician. So far, the trustees to whom Nikias reports have expressed sympathy for the women who have come forward and launched an independent investigation while also publicly backing the president. Read More Facebook

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UC regents approve leaner budget for Janet Napolitano By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents on Thursday unanimously approved a leaner, more transparent budget for President Janet Napolitano, moving to address political criticism over the systems central office operations. The $876.4-million budget for 2018-19 reflects spending cuts of 2%, including reductions in staffing, travel and such systemwide programs as public service law fellowships, carbon neutrality and food security. Napolitano shifted $30 million to campuses for housing needs and $10 million to UC Riverside to support its five-year-old medical school. She also permanently redirected $8.5 million annually to help enroll more California students, as required by the state. Read More Facebook

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USCs Academic Senate calls on university president to resign after a series of scandals By Matt Hamilton The body that represents USCs faculty called on President C.L. Max Nikias to resign Wednesday in the wake of relevations that the universitys longtime gynecologist faced years of accusations of misconduct by students and colleagues at the campus health clinic. The Academic Senate took the vote late Wednesday afternoon after a fiery town hall meeting attended by more than 100 faculty members, many of whom voiced outrage over Nikias and the Board of Trustees leadership. The vote came a day after the trustees executive committee stood firmly behind Nikias, saying it has full confidence in his leadership, ethics and values. At the town hall meeting, Senate President Paul Rosenbloom said he did not think Nikias or Provost Michael Quick committed wrongdoing but that the university president deserved criticism for a lack of transparency. Read More Facebook

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Californias public universities on the way to getting a big longed-for boost in funding By Teresa Watanabe The University of California and California State University systems are poised to get major funding boosts that will help them enroll thousands of additional state students and eliminate the need for tuition increases in the coming school year. A key Assembly budget panel on Wednesday approved $117.5 million in new funds for the UC. A Senate panel approved a similar sum last week. The same committees recently approved even more funding for the Cal State system. Read More Facebook

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UC regents to scrutinize Janet Napolitanos office budget in a step toward stronger oversight By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents this week plan to scrutinize the budget of President Janet Napolitano, whose office came under political fire last year for questionable spending and murky accounting. Regents will vote on the proposed $876.4-million budget for 2018-19 during their two-day meeting, which starts Wednesday, at UC San Francisco. They also will discuss state funding, financial aid, online education and transfer student policies. Board Chairman George Kieffer said regents are stepping up to exert stronger oversight of the presidents office after a blistering state audit last year found financial problems including an unreported $175 million budget reserve. Read More Facebook

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State legislative panels approve major funding boost for Cal State By Teresa Watanabe After months of intensive lobbying, Cal State University has convinced two key legislative panels to approve funding to enroll nearly 11,000 more students, hire more faculty and expand housing aid to those without shelter this fall. An Assembly budget panel on Tuesday approved $215.7 million more for Cal State, adding to Gov. Jerry Browns proposed $92.1 million general fund increase. A Senate budget panel approved a similar increase last week. The extra funding  which went beyond Cal States own request to the Legislature of $171 million  is still subject to final budget negotiations with Brown. But the actions by the Senate and Assembly panels amount to a demand from Democrats that the governor hike higher education spending. Cal State University is the workhorse undergraduate university serving hundreds of thousands of Californians, said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who heads the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance. We need more graduates for the California workforce and higher education is the ticket to the middle class. Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White hailed the actions, but said it was too soon to celebrate. The CSU has a singular focus on helping students earn high-quality degrees sooner, and the entire university community has rallied to reinforce that message to our states lawmakers, he said in a statement. The actions taken thus far by the Assembly and Senate are promising and show that our message is being received, but there is still work to be done. Funding for the University of California was not taken up Tuesday as originally scheduled. McCarty would not comment on sticking points but said he was confident that a resolution would be reached this week. Were looking to provide resources above whats in the governors budget, but negotiations are ongoing, he said in an interview. State per-student funding is not what it once was, leaving both Cal State and the UC in a tough financial squeeze. Both systems raised tuition last year after a six-year freeze on higher costs. For this year, Cal State had asked for funding to enroll an additional 3,621 students, but both the Senate and Assembly panels approved three times that amount. Cal State, the largest public university system in the nation, turned away 32,000 eligible students last year because its campuses werent able to accommodate them. The panels asked that at least $50 million of the extra funding be used to hire more tenure-track faculty to help boost graduation rates. The Assembly panel also approved one-time funding of $5 million to ease hunger on campuses and $14 million for rapid rehousing pilot projects at three campuses, offering needy students rental support and short-term case management. Other items approved include $5 million to support the CSU Long Beach Shark Labs research on sharks and beach safety and $2 million for equal employment opportunity practices. This post has been updated to include comments from Assemblyman Kevin McCarty and Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White. Facebook

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Faculty members call for USC president to step down: He has lost the moral authority to lead By Matt Hamilton Two hundred USC professors on Tuesday demanded the resignation of university President C. L. Max Nikias, saying he had lost the moral authority to lead in the wake of revelations that a campus gynecologist was kept on staff for decades despite repeated complaints of misconduct. Read More Facebook

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Gun battle, negotiations lasted 15 minutes before Texas school shooter was apprehended, sheriff says By Molly Hennessy-Fiske Minutes after a school shooter opened fire in an art class last week, killing 10 people and wounding 13, including a local police officer, fellow officers returned fire in a protracted gun battle before isolating the suspect, the local sheriff said Monday. Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset praised first responders as well as Santa Fe Police Officer John Barnes, who was working as a resource officer at the school the day of the shooting. Their actions, he said, prevented the attack from spreading to other classrooms and potentially claiming additional victims. As officials continue to probe last Fridays shooting at Santa Fe High School, students are worried about returning to the scene of the attack when classes resume next week. Read More Facebook

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6 women sue USC, alleging they were victimized by campus gynecologist By Richard Winton Six women filed civil lawsuits Monday alleging that a longtime gynecologist at the University of Southern California sexually victimized them under the pretext of medical care and that USC failed to address complaints from clinic staff about the doctors behavior. One woman alleged Dr. George Tyndall forced his entire ungloved hand into her vagina during an appointment in 2003 while making vulgar remarks about her genitalia, according to one of the lawsuits. Another woman alleged that Tyndall groped her breasts in a 2008 visit and that later he falsely told her she likely had AIDS. A third woman accused the doctor of grazing his ungloved fingers over her nude body and leering at her during a purported skin exam, the lawsuit states. The wave of litigation comes as USC continues to grapple with the scandal, which legal experts said could prove costly to the university as scores of former patients come forward about their experiences with the gynecologist. Read More Facebook

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Fatalities reported in Texas high school shooting; suspect arrested, officials say By Associated Press Houston-area media citing unnamed law enforcement officials are reporting that there are fatalities following a shooting at a local high school Friday morning. Television station KHOU and the Houston Chronicle are citing unnamed federal, county and police officials following the shooting at Santa Fe High School, which went on lockdown around 8 a.m. The Associated Press has not been able to confirm the reports. The school district has confirmed an unspecified number of injuries but said it wouldnt immediately release further details. Assistant Principal Cris Richardson said a suspect has been arrested and secured. Read More Facebook

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This student followed the new L.A. schools chief on his first-day tour Melissa Barales-Lopez, a senior at Garfield High School followed Supt. Austin Beutner on his first day on the job, as he toured a variety of programs around the Los Angeles Unified School District. Heres what she took from the experience. LAUSD students and staff alike are looking for a personal champion, someone who will address and improve the difficulties afflicting their education.  What LAUSD students need is someone whos willing to listen and learn, someone who can understand the current issues affecting their schools and act to efficiently amend them, someone who can unlock the full potential of LAUSD students and enable them to reach their goals. During the entirety of his first day, superintendent Austin Beutner did indeed demonstrate a willingness to learn. Posing questions to teachers and students, Beutner engaged with the student communities he encountered to gain a better comprehension of the minutiae and nuances that distinguish each school inside an overwhelmingly large district. From inquiries about Grand View Boulevard Elementary Schools dual language program to questions regarding the services of LAUSDs after-school program, Beyond the Bell, Beutner revealed he has a lot to learn about the system. But, Beutner also showcased a willingness to tackle challenges head-on on his first day. Read More Facebook

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USC let a gynecologist continue treating students despite years of misconduct allegations By Matt Hamilton For nearly 30 years, the University of Southern Californias student health clinic had one full-time gynecologist: Dr. George Tyndall. Tall and garrulous with distinctive jet black hair, he treated tens of thousands of female students, many of them teenagers seeing a gynecologist for the first time. Few who lay down on Tyndalls exam table at the Engemann Student Health Center knew that he had been accused repeatedly of misconduct toward young patients. The complaints began in the 1990s, when co-workers alleged he was improperly photographing students genitals. In the years that followed, patients and nursing staff accused him again and again of creepy behavior, including touching women inappropriately during pelvic exams and making sexually suggestive remarks about their bodies. Read More Facebook

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Cal State trustees to discuss Browns latest budget proposal, which they say still falls $171 million short By Joy Resmovits Just how much money does California State University need to serve its students? In recent years, this question has been front and center for the nations largest public university system. Cal States leaders say that to keep their campuses quality from slipping, they need much more money than the state is giving them. This year, theyre also at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown on the question of whether any extra money should come in one-time bursts or be ongoing. Read More Facebook

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On his first day as L.A. schools chief, Beutner plans a day of visits across the district By Howard Blume L.A. Unifieds new superintendent, Austin Beutner, will kick off his first day of work on Tuesday with a choreographed tour of the nations second-largest school district, from the San Fernando Valley to Carson. His day is scheduled to begin at 5:15 a.m. at a school bus depot and end more than 12 hours later at a parent meeting at Garfield High School. Along the way, Beutner is expected to be joined by school district administrators, L.A. Unified board members and the vice president of the union that represents school bus drivers. Though he will be covering a lot of ground, Beutners tour has him skipping Tuesdays school board meeting, when board members are expected to discuss labor negotiations in closed session. Read More Facebook

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Cal State trustees to discuss Browns latest budget proposal, which they say still falls $171 million short By Joy Resmovits Just how much money does California State University need to serve its students? In recent years, this question has been front and center for the nations largest public university system. Cal States leaders say that to keep their campuses quality from slipping, they need much more money than the state is giving them. This year, theyre also at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown on the question of whether any extra money should come in one-time bursts or be ongoing. Read More Facebook

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Why a handful of rich charter school supporters are spending millions to elect Antonio Villaraigosa as governor By Ryan Menezes California voters have seen a barrage of sunny television ads in recent weeks touting former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosas record on finances, crime and education, aired by Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018. But the group is, in fact, largely funded by a handful of wealthy charter-school supporters. Together they have spent more than $13 million in less than a month to boost Villaraigosas chances in the June 5 primary  at a time when his fundraising and poll numbers are lagging. Reed Hastings, the founder of Netflix, jump-started the group with a $7-million check, by far the largest donation to support any candidate in the election. Their efforts are part of a broader proxy war among Democrats between teachers unions  longtime stalwarts of the party  and those who argue that the groups have failed low-income and minority schoolchildren. Read More Facebook

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Talking schools with L.A. Unifieds new superintendent By Anna M. Phillips Austin Beutner, who officially starts Tuesday as the new superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, is taking on a famously difficult job at a particularly difficult time. The school board is divided and did not back him unanimously. The nations second-largest school district has deep-seated problems, including declining enrollment, lagging academic achievement and rising pension and healthcare costs that eat away at its budget. The 58-year-old former investment banker and former L.A. Times publisher has years of experience in the financial world but none as an educator. Earlier this week, he sat down with the Times education team to discuss the challenges facing the district, which has about 60,000 employees and 500,000 students in traditional public schools. He did not talk about his plans  saying repeatedly, stay tuned  but he spoke in broad terms about his mindset in approaching the tough decisions ahead. Read More Facebook

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Suspect detained, authorities search campus after reports of armed man at Palmdale high school By James Queally One person has been detained after a report of an armed man at a Palmdale high school sparked a massive law enforcement response Friday morning. The suspect was spotted at 7:05 a.m. on the campus of Highland High School in Palmdale, according to Sheriffs Department spokeswoman Nicole Nishida. The person was detained in a nearby parking lot, according to Nishida, who did not know whether that person was an adult or juvenile. Deputies at the scene are clearing the school methodically, and students will be transported home via school buses once the campus is deemed safe, Nishida said. Read More Facebook

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The education of Bertha Perez: How a UC Merced custodians disenchantment led to a political awakening By Robin Abcarian Its the third day of a three-day strike, and UC Merced custodian Bertha Perez is taking a break from a picket line at the universitys unremarkable entrance, an intersection with stop lights. Photos from other UC campuses this week have shown big crowds of striking service workers  members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees  marching and chanting pro-labor slogans as they try to force the University of California back to the negotiating table. But here, at UC Merced, whose handful of big buildings rise from a flat expanse of farmland, the picket line is tiny, maybe two dozen workers and a few students. Its not a big-city-style show of force. Then again, a union sympathizer is banging relentlessly on a snare drum, so its noisier than youd expect. Read More Facebook

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Ref Rodriguez resigns from teacher credentialing commission By Howard Blume Ref Rodriguez appears during a court appearance. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles school board member Ref Rodriguez has resigned from the states Commission on Teacher Credentialing, which oversees the integrity and quality of Californias teachers. Rodriguez faces felony and misdemeanor charges for political money laundering. Separately, his former employer, a charter school organization, has accused him of improperly authorizing checks to a nonprofit under his control. Rodriguez has denied wrongdoing. Rodriguezs resignation from the state body was effective May 4, days after he cast a crucial vote as part of a narrow majority that voted to authorize contract negotiations with Austin Beutner to become superintendent of the L.A. Unified School District. Beutners first official day on the job is Tuesday. Rodriguez remains in his $125,000-a-year position on the Los Angeles Board of Education. The mission of the state body is to ensure integrity, relevance, and high quality in the preparation, certification, and discipline of Californias teachers. Critics had questioned Rodriguezs continued service on the commission, given that teachers can be suspended from work if they face criminal charges. They also can lose their jobs for lapses in personal behavior, such as excessive drinking, with the potential to affect their performance. Police in Pasadena arrested Rodriguez on a Friday afternoon in March for public drunkenness. He was not charged in the incident and has apologized. The state commission reviews teacher discipline cases and can take action to remove a teachers credential to work in a California classroom. The commission has 15 members. Rodriguezs departure was disclosed in a one-sentence announcement on the agencys website. Facebook

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School board members request for restraining order against blogger is rejected By Priscella Vega An Orange County Superior Court judge on Wednesday denied a school board members petition for a permanent restraining order against a Huntington Beach blogger. Attorney Jeffrey W. Shields filed the petition on behalf of Ocean View School District trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin, 46, who alleged in court documents that Charles Keeler Johnson, 56, has threatened her on social media and at school board meetings, causing her to fear for my own safety and for that of my immediate family members. Johnson, who goes by Chuck and publishes HBSledgehammer.com, said the trustee tried to stifle his freedom of speech. He also contended that Clayton-Tarvin took his blog posts and Facebook comments too seriously and out of context, saying anyone who is afraid of metaphors has serious issues. Read More Facebook

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Deal with workers averts one-day strike that could have shut down L.A. schools By Howard Blume Los Angeles school district and union officials announced a contract agreement Tuesday night that averted a one-day strike planned for next week. The pact, which runs through June 2020, removes one labor problem from the desk of incoming Supt. Austin Beutner  whose first day on the job would have coincided with the strike. Plenty of other challenges remain. Read More Facebook

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UC labor strike expands with show of support from more unions By Teresa Watanabe Fong Chuu is a registered nurse who has assisted with countless liver transplants, kidney surgeries and gastric bypasses during 34 years at UCLA. Working with her are scrub technicians who sterilize equipment, hand medical instruments to the surgeon and dress patient wounds. They are a team, Chuu says, which is why she walked off her job Tuesday in support of those technicians and other members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299. The 25,000 member AFSCME local, the University of Californias largest employee union, launched a three-day strike Monday. Read More Facebook

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We are humans too: Voices of UCLAs striking custodians, hospital aides and imaging technicians By Joy Resmovits Demonstrators parade in front of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) This week, thousands of UC employees are staging a three-day strike for better pay and working conditions. On Monday, more than 20,000 custodians, cooks, lab technicians, nurse aides and other members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 walked off their jobs. By Tuesday, two more unions joined in sympathy strikes. The union and UC reached a bargaining impasse last year. The university has said it wont meet the workers demands. The strikers said they wanted better pay, more equity in the allocation of work, stable healthcare premiums and an end to the universitys use of contract workers. These are their stories. Read More Facebook

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Massive UC workers strike disrupts dining, classes and medical services By Joy Resmovits A massive labor strike across the University of California on Monday forced medical centers to reschedule more than 12,000 surgeries, cancer treatments and appointments, and campuses to cancel some classes and limit dining services. More than 20,000 members of UCs largest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, walked off their jobs on the first day of a three-day strike. They include custodians, gardeners, cooks, truck drivers, lab technicians and nurse aides. Two altercations involving protesters and people driving near the rallies were reported at UCLA and UC Santa Cruz. At UCLA, police took a man into custody Monday after he drove his vehicle into a crowd, hitting three staff members. They were treated for minor injuries at the scene and released, said Lt. Kevin Kilgore of the UCLA Police Department. Read More Facebook

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Sen. Kamala Harris to skip UC Berkeley commencement in support of striking workers By Teresa Watanabe California Sen. Kamala Harris has canceled plans to deliver UC Berkeleys commencement address this weekend in support of UC workers who are on strike over wages and health benefits. Due to the ongoing labor dispute, Sen. Harris regretfully cannot attend and speak at this years commencement ceremony at UC Berkeley, said a statement from Harris office issued Monday. She wishes the graduates and their families a joyous commencement weekend and success for the future. They are bright young leaders and our country is counting on them. UCs largest employee union, the 25,000-member American Federation of County, State and Municipal Employees Local 3299, launched a three-day strike Monday and had earlier called for a speakers boycott. The union and university reached a bargaining impasse last year and subsequent mediation efforts have failed to produce an agreement. The union is asking for a multiyear contract with a 6% annual pay increase while the university is offering 3% annual increases over four years. UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ will deliver the keynote address instead, the university announced. About 5,800 students are expected to participate in the ceremony Saturday. Facebook

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School mural depicting Trumps bloody, severed head sparks controversy By Gary Warth A Chula Vista school mural that depicts the bloody, severed head of President Trump on a spear sparked a controversy that prompted officials to cover it and issue a response distancing themselves from the work. The statement also said the artist will alter the painting. We understand that there was a mural painted at the event this past weekend that does not align with our schools philosophy of non-violence, read the statement from MAAC Community Charter School director Tommy Ramirez. We have been in communication with the artist  who has agreed to modify the artwork  to better align with the schools philosophy. Read More Facebook

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New blackface incident at Cal Poly prompts calls for state investigation By Kim Christensen Cal Poly San Luis Obispo officials have asked the state attorney generals office to investigate after a new photo of a white student in blackface surfaced on a fraternity groups private Snapchat. I am outraged, Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong said in a video address Friday to the campus. These vile and absolutely unacceptable acts cannot continue. We must not allow these acts to define us as an institution. Armstrong said the latest photo was intended to imitate an incident last month in which a white member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity was photographed at a party wearing blackface. Read More Facebook

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More than 50,000 UC workers set to strike this week but campuses will remain open By Teresa Watanabe More than 50,000 workers across the University of California are set to strike this week, causing potential disruptions to surgery schedules, food preparation and campus maintenance. The systems 10 campuses and five medical centers are to remain open, with classes scheduled as planned. UCs largest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, plans to begin a three-day strike Monday involving 25,000 workers, including custodians, gardeners, cooks, truck drivers, lab technicians and nurse aides. Read More Facebook

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New L.A. schools chief Beutner pledges to listen, learn and take action By Howard Blume New Los Angeles schools Supt. Austin Beutner proved Wednesday that hes a quick learner even without an education background. Like countless public officials before him, he appeared at an important event  his first speech and news conference  with a photogenic background of students. His message  that he would put those students first  seemed heartfelt if hardly original. Nor was it a huge surprise that he pledged to push cooperatively but unflinchingly to improve the districts academic performance and stabilize its finances. As an introduction, Beutner, a former investment banker who made a fortune on Wall Street, offered little flash, but that was partly the point. Read More Facebook

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In a school lockdown, one student takes stock of the stressful scene At the beginning of lunch one day late last month, Duarte High School, Northview Middle School, and California School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley were advised by the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department to go into lockdown mode due to police activity in the immediate area. Phalaen Chang, a junior at the California School of the Arts, wrote a series of notes on her iPhone while she sat in a room with her classmates. By the time the lockdown ended an hour later, she wrote, she knew which of her friends would hold open the door for others, be the ones calming others down, be the ones barricading the doors. She knew that all of them have the potential to be such strong people. Read More Facebook

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Tale as old as time: L.A. Unified superintendent pick follows a historical pattern of outside-the-box choices By Joy Resmovits L.A. Unified has long gone back and forth between picking insiders and outsiders to run the nations second largest school district. The choice of Austin Beutner, announced Tuesday, places the district squarely back in the outsider camp  months after a consummate insider, Supt. Michelle King, announced that she had cancer and would not return to the job. Check out this timeline of former L.A. superintendents to see how the school board members have changed their minds, sometimes favoring leaders who come from the world of education and sometimes executives from elsewhere, recruited to shock the system into change. At one point, the district hired someone from the military  retired Navy Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III, who served as superintendent from 2006-2008. In hiring Brewer, board members had opted for a non-educator  largely because they sought a fresh thinker, unwedded to the bureaucracy, unafraid to make bold, even unorthodox moves, reads a 2008 Times story. Facebook

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Austin Beutner named superintendent of Los Angeles schools By Howard Blume Austin Beutner, a philanthropist and former investment banker, on Tuesday was named superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nations second-largest school system. His selection was the biggest move yet by a Los Angeles school board majority elected with major support from charter school advocates. The decision came after lengthy public testimony, most of it in support of the other remaining finalist, interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian, who is well known within the school system. Beutner, 58, has no background leading a school or school district. Less than 2 years ago, a school board with a very different balance of power named Michelle King, a former teacher who rose through the district throughout her career, to L.A. Unifieds top job. Read More Facebook

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Hearing delay gives both sides more time in Ref Rodriguezs potential trial By Howard Blume Ref Rodriguez and his attorneys will have more time to prepare their defense against charges of political money laundering, a judge ruled Monday. The preliminary hearing in the case had been scheduled to begin May 9, but that date will now be pushed back to July 23 per the ruling from L.A. Superior Court Judge Deborah S. Brazil. Rodriguez, 46, faces three felony charges of conspiracy, perjury and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument, as well as 25 misdemeanor counts related to the alleged campaign money laundering. Read More Facebook

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L.A. school board poised to name Beutner as superintendent By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education is poised to select philanthropist and former investment banker Austin Beutner to be the next superintendent of the nations second-largest school system. Barring a last-minute development, the only mystery is whether Beutner emerges with four or five votes from the boards seven members. Terms of his contract already have been under discussion, according to sources close to the process who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak. The selection of Beutner, 58, who has no experience managing a school or a school district, would be a signal that the board majority that took control nearly a year ago wants to rely on business management skills instead of insider educational expertise. Read More Facebook

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Teacher walkouts in Arizona and Colorado continue national debate on money for schools By Michael Livingston Following the lead of teachers who walked off the job in other states in recent weeks, thousands of teachers and their supporters took to the streets in Arizona and Colorado for the second day in a row to demand better pay and more funding for education. Read More Facebook

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Three decades before the #MeToo movement, UC San Diego led the way against sexual assault By Teresa Watanabe When Nancy Wahlig first started her fight against sexual assault, one company was marketing a capsule for women to stash in their bras and then smash to release a vile odor. Because of the very nature of society, the only person who can prevent rape is the woman herself, read a 1981 advertisement for the Repulse rape deterrent. Ideas about how to prevent sexual violence have come a long way since then, and Wahlig has helped lead that evolution on college campuses. In 1988, she started UC San Diegos Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC), the first stand-alone program at the University of California. Today, she remains the systems most senior specialist. Read More Facebook

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Andres Alonso withdraws from consideration for L.A. schools job By Howard Blume Andres Alonso, believed to be one of three remaining finalists to lead the Los Angeles school system, has withdrawn from consideration. The remaining known candidates in the confidential search are former investment banker Austin Beutner and interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian. Alonso, 60, announced his decision on Twitter on Thursday night, saying he had notified the L.A. Unified School District on Monday. The exit of Alonso, the former Baltimore schools chief, seems to solidify the front-runner status of Beutner, who also was a former L.A. Times publisher and a Los Angeles deputy mayor. He held each of those positions for about a year. Read More Facebook

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Heres why the apparent increase in autism spectrum disorders may be good for U.S. children By Karen Kaplan The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among American children continues to rise, new government data suggest. And that may be a good thing. Among 11 sites across the U.S. where records of 8-year-olds are scrutinized in detail, 1 in 59 kids was deemed to have ASD in 2014. Thats up from 1 in 68 in 2012. Normally, health officials would prefer to see less of a disease, not more of it. But in this case, the higher number is probably a sign that more children of color who are on the autism spectrum are being recognized as such and getting services to help them, according to a report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read More Facebook

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UC shelves tuition increase for now, in hopes of getting more state funding By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents will not vote on a tuition increase next month, shelving the plan for now in hopes that state lawmakers will come through with more funding. Raising tuition is always a last resort and one we take very seriously, UC President Janet Napolitano said Thursday in a statement. We will continue to advocate with our students who are doing a tremendous job of educating legislators about the necessity of adequately funding the university to ensure UC remains a world-class institution and engine of economic growth for our state. Last week, Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White said the 23-campus system no longer would consider a plan to raise tuition for the 2018-19 academic year. But unlike Cal State, UC officials have not taken a tuition increase off the table entirely. Read More Facebook

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A chemical spill, unchecked eyewash stations, poor training: Audit details Cal States lax lab safety By Joy Resmovits In May 2016, two bottles tumbled off a poorly supported shelf and broke, leading to a chemical spill in a Sacramento State University lab. The liquid got onto one students legs and soaked anothers feet. Five employees cleaned up the mess, even though no one knew for sure what it was and whether it was dangerous. They called fellow employee Kim Harrington, their union representative, to let her know what happened. Read More Facebook

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After blackface incident, minority students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo say they dont feel welcome By Hailey Branson-Potts Aaliyah Ramos was walking through the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus last year when a prospective student approached her. Ramos was the only black person, the young woman said, that she and her mother had seen that day. They asked about the quality of education and the diversity of the student body. Ramos, a mechanical engineering student, didnt want to sugarcoat the truth: Cal Poly long has been predominantly white. But she told the young woman  who also was black  that she didnt want to discourage her from applying, because that wouldnt help with diversity at a school where only 0.7% of students are African American  the lowest percentage of any university in the California State system. Read More Facebook

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El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills wins the 2018 U.S. Academic Decathlon By Carlos Lozano El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills has won the 2018 U.S. Academic Decathlon, officials said. The winner was announced early Saturday at a ceremony in Frisco, Texas. More than 600 students from the U.S., Canada, China and the United Kingdom gathered there over the last three days to compete in the 37th annual U.S. Academic Decathlon. Congratulations to El Camino Real Charter High School for another impressive victory, said Vivian Ekchian, interim superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Your academic stamina and competitive spirit to win is remarkable. The entire L.A. Unified family is so proud of you. Read More Facebook

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Anticipation mounts as L.A. school board meets over superintendent selection By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education is reconvening in closed session Friday at noon as anticipation mounts about the choice of the next leader of the nations second-largest school system. The presumed front-runner is former investment banker and philanthropist Austin Beutner, but interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian and former Baltimore Supt. Andres Alonso also are in the running. Most district insiders appear to be rooting for Ekchian, who has spent her entire career in education within the school system. After her 10 years as a teacher, her roles have included head of human resources, chief labor negotiator and regional administrator for campuses in the west San Fernando Valley. Shes managed the district since September, when then-Supt. Michelle King went on medical leave and chose Ekchian to fill in for her. King, who is battling cancer, never returned and announced her retirement in January. Numerous influential civic leaders have urged  and pressured  the board to select Beutner. Also lending their weight have been advocates for charter schools, which are independently operated, growing in number and competing for students with district-operated campuses. Four of the seven board members  enough to control the outcome  were elected with major financial support from charter supporters. Beutner has two ongoing connections with the L.A. Unified School District. The first is his leadership of an outside task force that is making recommendations on how to improve the school system. The second is his charity, Vision to Learn, which supplies glasses to low-income students. The charity and the school system are in a dispute at the moment over who is responsible for delays in providing services to students as part of a $6 million contract, half of which is paid for by L.A. Unified. Unlike Ekchian and Buetner, Alonso, who currently teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has no deep-seated local constituency, but the prospect of his selection has generated some excitement. While in Baltimore, Alonso was recognized for pushing for progress at low-performing schools, and for being willing to take strong action. While in Baltimore, he also weathered a test-score cheating scandal and occasionally rocky relations with the teachers union. But by the time he resigned, after six years, he and union leaders seemed to be working together without rancor. Leaders of some community groups have split from the pro-Beutner camp. They worry that Beutners approach to confronting the districts financial problems could shut out their voices or involve severe economic cutbacks that would undermine programs that are helping students. Some prefer Ekchian; some Alonso. Theyve been reluctant to speak out publicly because theyll have to work with whoever is selected, but they have tried to get the ear of board members. On Friday morning, one leader of a community group decided to come out in favor of Alonso. L.A. Unified has the opportunity to bring in an instructional leader of color with a history of success, said Alberto Retana, president and chief executive of Community Coalition, which works on behalf of low-income students and families in South Los Angeles. If we have a shot at that, we should go for it  because its in the best interests of our kids and of our community. Retana said his statement was not meant to criticize Beutner or Ekchian but to alert board members that there also is community support for Alonso. Facebook

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Cal State leader shelves proposed tuition hike: Its the right thing to do, but its not without risk By Joy Resmovits Cal State, the nations largest public university system, will no longer consider a plan to raise tuition for the 2018-19 academic year, Chancellor Timothy P. White announced Friday. The decision is a bet that Sacramento will come through in the end. If Cal State loses that bet, it could mean cuts to campus programs. White said in an interview that Californias economy is strong enough that families should not be shouldering the burden of higher college costs. Read More Facebook

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L.A. students to participate in national walkout activities on Friday By Joy Resmovits Students are taking to the streets again Friday to protest gun violence on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting. Starting at 10 a.m., students at many schools will spend 13 seconds honoring the 13 people  12 students and one teacher  killed on that day in Littleton, Colo. After that, theyll participate in a host of different activities. Within L.A. Unified, one school is having an open-mic event for students to talk about school violence, and lawmakers are visiting campuses to hear students thoughts. According to a central hub for organizing the protests  written by the students of Ridgefield High School in Connecticut  the walkouts are intended to drive the political change necessary to curb school violence. The day is also a time for students to interact on an elevated platform they have never had before, the site states. It is a day of discourse and thoughtful sharing. Bringing together communities and students to get a national discussion rolling. Organizers have suggested using the event to convey the importance of curbing gun violence to legislators. They are encouraging students to push legislation that would ban assault weapons and tighten up rules around who can buy guns and how. Over 2,500 schools nationwide are expected to participate. In L.A., some students  at campuses including Eagle Rock High School, the Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts and Bravo Medical Magnet  plan to walk out. Students from various schools expect to join area marches, including those in Santa Monica and Huntington Park. Other schools are hosting career days and voter registration drives. At 1 p.m., students plan to start a rally in front of L.A. Unified headquarters. For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that 12 teachers and one student were killed in the Columbine shooting. The opposite is true: twelve students and one teacher died. Facebook

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Stabbing of popular student devastates South El Monte High School; teen friend suspected in slaying By Sonali Kohli When administrators at South El Monte High School called Jeremy Sanchezs parents to say he never showed up for class Wednesday, his father began to worry. It was unusual for the 17-year-old junior to miss school, so his father filed a missing persons report and assembled two of Jeremys close friends to look for the popular student-athlete. Their search took them to a scenic stretch of the San Gabriel River Trail, where one of the friends  a 16-year-old boy  made a tragic discovery. Among the bushes in the riverbed near Thienes Avenue and Parkway Drive was Jeremys body, punctured with stab wounds, according to Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Read More Facebook

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Racist fliers spark outrage at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo By Alene Tchekmedyian Soon after Neal MacDougall arrived on the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus Tuesday, the professor noticed university police standing outside a restroom near his office. A racial slur against African Americans had been scrawled in red marker on a stall wall. Later, he discovered a series of racist fliers pinned up next to his door. Someone had also slashed posters hed hung outside his office supporting students in the country illegally. The discovery was the latest controversy on the prestigious campus  which the president said is less than 55% white  that MacDougall said demonstrates a culture of racism at the university. Last week, photographs emerged of white fraternity members, including one in blackface, flashing gang signs. Read More Facebook

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The superintendent waiting game, paying for L.A.'s College Promise, Princetons slave history: Whats new in education By Joy Resmovits Acting LAUSD superintendent Vivian Ekchian is a finalist for the permanent job. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) In and around Los Angeles: The L.A. Unified school board spent 10 hours interviewing and discussing candidates for superintendent. When they adjourned after 10 p.m., they said they would reconvene on Friday. Who is paying for Mayor Eric Garcettis much-touted College Promise, a program that promises two years of community college for LAUSD grads? In California: The Legislature is considering a proposal that would boost K-12 education funding for black students. When the cost of living is taken into account, California has the highest rate of child poverty. Nationwide: The families of two children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School are suing Alex Jones and Infowars for saying the school massacre never occurred. Princeton will name two spaces  an arch and a garden  after slaves who lived or worked on the campus. Facebook

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L.A. school board meets privately with finalists and debates choice for school district leader By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education adjourned late Tuesday after spending more than 10 hours interviewing candidates and trying to reach a decision on who would be the next leader of the nations second-largest school system. When the meeting finally recessed at 10:11 p.m., a spokesman announced only that the school board would reconvene Friday at noon. Going into the days meetings, there were apparently four finalists, according to sources who could not be named because they were unauthorized to speak. Read More Facebook

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Two Sandy Hook families sue Alex Jones and Infowars for saying the school massacre never happened By David Altimari Families of two children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School have filed lawsuits in Texas against controversial radio host Alex Jones for continually claiming the massacre never happened. Neil Heslin, the father of Jesse Lewis, and Leonard Pozner and Veronique De La Rosa, whose son Noah Pozner died in the massacre, filed separate lawsuits late Monday in Travis County, Texas. The lawsuits allege that Jones defamed the parents by constantly calling them crisis actors and insisting the shooting was a false flag operation; they also claim Jones accusations have led to death threats against the Sandy Hook families by Jones followers. Read More Facebook

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Beutner emerges as a top pick for L.A. schools superintendent amid last-minute jockeying By Howard Blume Austin Beutner has emerged as a leading contender to run the Los Angeles school district, with backers saying he is smart enough and tough enough to confront its financial and academic struggles. Though he does not have a background in education, the former investment banker has in the last year examined some of the districts intractable problems, serving as co-chair of an outside task force with the support of then-Supt. Michelle King. Sources inside and outside the school district said Beutner appears to have more support on the seven-member board than other finalists, and his name could come up for a vote as early as Tuesday. Read More Facebook

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Challenge at Chicago school construction site: Watch for 38,000 unmarked graves By Nereida Moreno A 15-year effort to build a school in Chicagos Dunning neighborhood is underway with an unusual complication: Construction workers are taking careful steps to avoid disturbing human remains that may lie beneath the soil. The $70-million school is to be built on the grounds of a former Cook County Poor House, where an estimated 38,000 people were buried in unmarked graves. Among the dead are residents who were too poor to afford funeral costs, unclaimed bodies and patients from the countys insane asylum. There can be and there have been bodies found all over the place, said Barry Fleig, a genealogist and cemetery researcher who began investigating the site in 1989. Its a spooky, scary place. Read More Facebook

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Oklahoma teacher walkout winds down despite lawmakers failure to meet demands By Washington Post Oklahomas largest teachers union has announced an end to a walkout that has drawn thousands of educators out of classrooms and to the state Capitol demanding greater investment in the states schools, which have endured the nations steepest funding cuts. The announcement Thursday from the Oklahoma Education Assn. does not necessarily end the protests at the Capitol, as teachers not affiliated with the union vowed to stay longer. Instead of a walkout, the union and school districts across the state have said they plan to send delegations of teachers to Oklahoma City to keep the pressure on lawmakers. Teachers and their supporters have also promised to push education issues to the forefront of November elections, when the state chooses a new governor. As school districts begin to reopen, the protests may lose steam. The Legislature is not in session Friday, and observers are waiting to see what happens Monday, when lawmakers return. Read More Facebook

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Most Californians are worried about school shooting threats and oppose arming teachers, survey finds By Joy Resmovits Hamilton High School student Aiyana Dabriel holds a sign during a March 14 walkout in support of the Parkland shooting victims. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Most Californians are worried that a school shooting like the one that occurred in Parkland, Fla., in February could shed blood closer to home, a new survey found. Some 73% percent of adults and 82% of public school parents said they were very concerned or somewhat concerned about school shootings. The Public Policy Institute of California surveyed 1,704 adults in the state by phone just after the March for Our Lives protest against gun violence. Latino and black respondents were significantly more likely to be concerned about school violence than white or Asian respondents, the institute found. Two-thirds of adults and public school parents said they opposed letting more educators carry weapons in school. The response differed across party lines, with 86% of Democrats and 69% of independents voicing their opposition, while 60% percent of Republicans said they would support a measure to arm educators. The poll, which had a margin of error of 3.2% in either direction, also asked Californians about school funding, educational issues in the governors race and the impact of immigration enforcement on students. You can find the full results here. Facebook

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Californias largest virtual charter school network agrees to contract with its teachers By Anna M. Phillips Nearly four years after teachers at Californias largest online charter school voted to unionize, they have reached a deal to increase pay and create job protections, according to a spokesman for the California Teachers Assn. The contract, which is still tentative and subject to ratification, is a victory for the teachers union. Although charter schools are publicly funded, most are privately managed and their employees arent protected by labor contracts. Under the terms of the contract  the result of years of negotiation and legal wrangling  approximately 500 teachers working for California Virtual Academies will no longer be at-will employees who can be dismissed for almost any reason. Their average salary will rise to just over $45,000, according to union estimates, a figure that remains far below the norm for traditional public school teachers. Still, it is an improvement over the previous average of $38,000. The accord also places a limit on the number of students each teacher is responsible for monitoring in online homeroom classes. Were very satisfied with the gains we made, said teacher Brianna Carroll, president of California Virtual Educators United. I think were going to see some extraordinary changes in our schools. According to Carroll, teachers at California Virtual Academies  better known as CAVA  had grown frustrated with the organizations foot-dragging and were making preparations to go on strike when CAVAs leadership agreed to the deal. CAVA and K12, the Virginia-based for-profit company linked to its schools, did not immediately respond to an email Tuesday asking for comment. The network currently operates nine virtual charter schools across California. In 2016, the charter network agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle claims of false advertising, misleading parents and inadequate instruction. The state attorney generals office had also accused K12 of controlling the charters for its own financial benefit. Neither CAVA nor K12 admitted to wrongdoing in the settlement. A year later, the state imposed a $2-million fine on CAVA after an audit found that it had misspent public funds. The network disputed the findings. Facebook

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School board approves a new formula for funding high-need schools By Sonali Kohli L.A. schools will soon get more money if they are located in neighborhoods with such problems as high levels of gun violence and asthma. The Los Angeles Unified school board voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt a new formula to determine how to dole out some funding to schools, based not only on the characteristics of the student populations but on the traumas that affect the communities around campuses. The new formula will be applied to $25 million in funding next fiscal year and about $263 million annually in future years  a small part of the districts $7.5 billion annual budget. Read More Facebook

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Protesters demand Ref Rodriguez resignation outside school board meeting By Sonali Kohli Students, parents, teachers and UTLA marching outside the board meeting chanting "Ref resign" pic.twitter.com/W0LRWZSIXY  Sonali Kohli  (@Sonali_Kohli) April 10, 2018 A few dozen parents, students and teachers marched outside the Los Angeles Unified School Board meeting Tuesday, some calling for board member Ref Rodriguez to resign the week after news broke that he was taken into custody on suspicion of being drunk in public at a Pasadena bar and restaurant. Rodriguez was not cited or charged in that incident, but was held for more than five and a half hours before being released. The school board member faces felony and misdemeanor charges for political money laundering. He is accused of getting more than two dozen people people to donate to his campaign for his school board seat with the understanding that he would reimburse them. He stepped down from his post as school board president after he was charged last fall, but he did not give up his seat on the board. He has pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of conspiracy, perjury, and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument, as well as 25 misdemeanor counts related to the alleged campaign money laundering. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May. He cant give his full focus to our students, said Rebecca LaFond, a Highland Park parent whose three children marched with her as she chanted, Ref resign. One daughter marched in front of her, using a drum stick to hit the bottom of a gallon-size empty water jug. Our kids deserve someone who has the utmost ethical standards representing them, LaFond said. The protests continued into the board meeting, where some addressed Rodriguez directly, calling on him to step down during public comment portions of the meeting. Rodriguez, through his chief of staff, declined to comment. Some parents outside the board meeting did not know about the charges against Rodriguez but came out to protest the possibility of sharing their school campuses with charter schools. Protesters also oppose colocation  not all of the parents are here to ask Ref Rodriguez to step down pic.twitter.com/1Co8zQ9zSi  Sonali Kohli  (@Sonali_Kohli) April 10, 2018 Cynthia Martinez said her son, who goes to Christopher Dena Elementary School in Boyle Heights, has been bullied in the past by students from a charter school sharing the campus. She said she didnt know who Rodriguez was. Some parents and teachers are worried about losing computer labs, robotics rooms and fitness centers if they are required to share their campus with charter schools, said Ilse Escobar, a parent community organizer for United Teachers Los Angeles. The issues of Rodriguez and colocation are related, Escobar said. Rodriguez is part of a majority on the school board elected with financial backing from charter school supporters, and many parents, she said, feel that the school board is compromised if he is a part of it. Staff reporter Howard Blume contributed to this post. Facebook

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Delaine Eastin tries to gain momentum in the California governors race, one voter at a time By Seema Mehta Delaine Eastin was a sophomore in high school when a drama teacher urged her to try out for a part in The Man Who Came to Dinner. She hesitated until he told her: This is a metaphor for your whole life. If you never try out, you will never get the part. Eastin auditioned and won the role. Decades later, the advice sticks with the former state schools chief, this time in her unlikely run for governor. Despite calls for more women in leadership roles in state politics following sexual misconduct allegations in Sacramento, Eastin has been largely overlooked in the race, lagging far behind her Democratic rivals in fundraising and the polls. Read More Facebook

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Arizona high court rejects in-state tuition for DACA recipients By Associated Press Young immigrants granted deferred deportation status under a program started by President Obama are not eligible for lower in-state college tuition, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled Monday. The unanimous ruling will affect at least 2,000 students attending the states largest community college district and hundreds more at other colleges and the states three public universities. The Maricopa County Community Colleges District and state universities said they would begin raising tuition immediately for the coming school year. Read More Facebook

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New York high school students injured when bus strikes overpass By Associated Press A charter bus carrying teenagers returning from a spring break trip Sunday night struck a bridge overpass on Long Island, seriously injuring six passengers and mangling the entire length of the top of the bus. The crash happened shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday on the Southern State Parkway in Lakeview, according to New York State Police. One of the six injured passengers had very serious injuries, said State Police Maj. David Candelaria. Thirty-seven other passengers suffered minor injuries. Read More Facebook

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Some good news for California in national student test scores By Joy Resmovits Every two years, the nations fourth- and eighth-graders are tested in math and reading  and newly released results from last years tests give California at least a little reason to be pleased. The 2017 results  out Monday night  were mostly flat nationwide compared with 2015, though the average score in eighth-grade reading went up. But while that improvement largely came from the increased scores of the highest-performing students, California eighth-graders showed some reading progress from the lowest levels to the highest. Read More Facebook

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Under state control, Inglewood school districts financial picture worsened By Anna M. Phillips When Eugenio Villa agreed to return to the Inglewood schools for a second tour last summer, he knew the district remained one of Californias most troubled. Inglewood Unified had been nearly insolvent when it was taken over by the state Department of Education in 2012. Six years later, its enrollment was still declining. Its school buildings were tired  some edging into decrepitude. Its test scores and graduation rates were still below the state average. And the public was out of patience. Still, Villa, who had signed back on as the districts chief business official, was shocked at what he found when he arrived in June 2017. Two years earlier, he had left the school system on what he thought was firm ground. Read More Facebook

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Charter school group drops two lawsuits against L.A. Unified By Howard Blume A charter schools advocacy group last week announced that it would end two long-running lawsuits in which it was seeking more classroom space and construction money from the Los Angeles school district. The decision, the California Charter Schools Assn. said, reflects better relations between charter schools and the L.A. Unified School District. But the move also suggests that the litigation, which already contributed to significant gains for area charters, was unlikely to produce much more. It takes time, money and effort to litigate, said Ricardo Soto, general counsel for the charter group. Maybe its better to see if we can find the time and opportunity for collaboration. Read More Facebook

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L.A. school board member Ref Rodriguez is arrested on suspicion of public intoxication By Richard Winton Los Angeles school board member Ref Rodriguez was arrested recently on suspicion of being drunk in public at a Pasadena restaurant, the latest trouble for an elected official who faces political money-laundering charges. Pasadena police took Rodriguez into custody on March 16, according to city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian. Officers arrested Rodriguez at about 4:30 p.m. at the Yard House restaurant and bar at the Paseo Mall and held him in jail for more than five-and-a-half hours. Rodriguez was ultimately released without being cited or charged, Derderian told The Times. Other details about the arrest were not available, she said. Read More Facebook

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Kentucky teachers rally at Capitol over state budget By Associated Press Thousands of Kentucky teachers filled the streets near the state Capitol in Frankfort on a cold, overcast Monday to rally for education funding. Teachers and other school employees gathered outside the Kentucky Education Assn. a couple of blocks from the Capitol chanting, Stop the war on public education and holding or posting signs that say, Weve Had Enough. Were madder than hornets, and the hornets are swarming today, said Claudette Green, a retired teacher and principal. Read More Facebook

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Los Angeles Unified School District has spent more than $1 million in the last three years cleaning lead and arsenic from the soil at David Starr Jordan High School in Watts.

Now the school district is suing the citys housing authority to get those costs covered.

The district says that the contamination seeped into the soil from a neighboring parcel of land that the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles bought in 2008 to develop.

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The school district says the schools arsenic and lead levels are currently safe but that the housing authority needs to take responsibility for the work thats already been done as well as for any future work.

This is an environmental cleanup cost recovery action, said L.A. Unified general counsel Dave Holmquist. We have not been able to get the housing authority to step up and do what their responsibility is.

The site was used for heavy industry from the 1930s to the 1970s. Scrap metal was stored there, and furnaces melted scrap iron for use in steel products.

Some of our own investigation showed that the very identical contamination at the property had spread way beyond the border of that wall onto the high school property, said Barry Groveman, an attorney who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the school district.

The housing authority has done nothing to address the hazardous contamination that has migrated from the site to the school site, despite the sensitive nature of the schools occupants and the daily exposure for eight hours a day to the contaminants at issue, the suit alleges.

Housing officials say the lawsuit surprised them. Doug Guthrie, the housing authoritys president and CEO, said the school district has not proved that the contamination on campus spread from the industrial site next door, and hasnt itemized its costs or said how much money it is asking for.

I have no idea what theyve excavated, Guthrie said. I have no idea what any of their bills are.

According to the lawsuit, the housing authority told the school district in 2016 that it would not investigate contaminant levels beyond its property line because such an investigation could put potential federal funding at risk.

Guthrie said that he would have preferred a solution that didnt involve court, and that school officials have not returned his emails for weeks. School district lawyers said L.A. Unified employees had not ignored any such emails.

State regulators ordered the housing authority in 2014 to test for and clean lead contamination and harmful metals at the Jordan Downs housing project homes near its plot of land.

But Guthrie said no one had determined if the housing authority also was responsible for the school property.

We want to be good neighbors.  Were the ones who stepped in to clean up this 50-year-old site. And we spent a lot of money on it, Guthrie said. Were not the bad guys here. We never polluted any of this site.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli.
State oil and gas regulators have found dozens of violations at the Newport Banning Ranch oil field that developers want to turn into a large hotel and housing complex.

Notices issued by Californias Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources on Feb. 28 list nearly a dozen pages of violations, including wellhead and pipeline leaks, small chemical spills and discarded equipment.

The state directed the field operators, West Newport Oil Co. and Armstrong Petroleum Corp., to correct the problems by March 31 or face enforcement actions.

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The documents include photographs taken last year by oil and gas division inspectors who found piles of rusting, abandoned equipment and debris scattered across the 401-acre site, one of the largest privately owned, undeveloped parcels on the Southern California coast.

The proposal to build a resort and 895 homes on the Orange County property has fueled an ongoing development fight.

The California Coastal Commission rejected the project last year after commission scientists concluded that the land, though disturbed by decades of oil production, was home to ecosystems and wildlife that have all but vanished from the regions coastline.

The developers, who are challenging the denial in Orange County Superior Court, frequently cited the fields messy conditions during their commission appearances.

As part of the project, they argued, they would clean up the fenced-off tract and set aside much of it as a nature preserve open to the public.

Opponents pointed out that one of the development partners, Aera Energy, has long held a 50% interest in Banning Ranch and could have cleaned it up long ago, even though it has never been involved in oil operations at the site.

Aera is not named in the new violation notices. But as a landowner it has been named, along with Armstrong and West Newport Oil, in previous federal and state orders involving the destruction of wetlands and wildlife habitats.

Representatives of West Newport Oil and Armstrong could not be reached for comment on the new violation notices, which were made public Thursday.

According to the state documents, inspectors who visited Banning Ranch in September and October found fluids bubbling in the cellar of a well that also had a casing that was moving from side to side.

Inspectors noted numerous wellhead leaks, dilapidated fencing, debris, inadequate covers on well cellars and a dozen tanks that had not been properly taken out of service.

bettina.boxall@latimes.com

Twitter: @boxall
A federal judge has tentatively approved the U.S. governments offer to pay $1 million to the children of a Mexican man who died after being beaten and shocked with a stun gun at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

The settlement will be dispersed among the five children of Anastasio Hernandez Rojas, 42, who had lived and worked in the U.S. illegally since he was a teen. U.S. Magistrate Judge Louisa Porter, whose approval was needed because two of the children are minors, delayed signing the final order until she was certain the funds didnt need to go through probate.

This agreement is not justice, Hernandez Rojas wife, Maria Puga, said after the hearing Thursday. My husbands life does not have a price. The decision had to be taken and it was difficult. We had to turn the page.

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A spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in San Diego declined to discuss the settlement. The U.S. attorneys office in Phoenix, which handled the case, also declined to make a statement.

I hope you use the funds so you can have a good life going forward, Porter told Hernandez Rojas two 10-year-old children, who were at the hearing. The judge said that their father came to this country to improve his life, and hed like to see your lives improved by virtue of all the sacrifices he made for you.

The 7-year case shined a spotlight on use of force at the border and what critics say is a lack of transparency at CBP, the nations largest law enforcement agency.

Because of the familys persistence, said Pedro Rios of the U.S.-Mexico Border Program at American Friends Service Committee, an immigrant rights group, Customs and Border Protections use-of-force manual was made public and studies were launched looking at the issue.

Attorney Eugene Iredale, who represented the family, said the case highlighted the critical need for public awareness and involvement to prevent brutality. He lauded the two witnesses who stopped to record the beating on their cellphones.

Unfortunately, the attitude that was so prevalent in what happened to Anastasio has now received a renaissance because of a new [Trump] administration, Iredale said.

Hernandez Rojas had just crossed the border illegally near Otay Mesa with his brother in May 2010 when they were caught by Border Patrol agents.

According to the lawsuit, an agent told Hernandez Rojas to throw away a water jug he was holding and then slapped it out of his hand when he appeared to misunderstand the command. The agent threw him against a wall and kicked his legs apart, hitting metal pins in his ankle from a previous injury.

Hernandez Rojas requested medical attention and told a supervisor he had been roughed up but was ignored, according to the suit. Authorities later took him to the San Ysidro Port of Entry, where they took off his handcuffs. Hernandez Rojas put his arms down instead of behind his head, prompting agents to try to restrain him.

During the struggle, Hernandez Rojas could be heard on a witnesses video pleading for help and asking why he was being treated like an animal. He resisted efforts to put him into a vehicle to take him for booking, authorities said. One CBP officer shot him with a Taser and others held him face down and grabbed his legs.

After they discovered that Hernandez Rojas had stopped breathing, they took him to a hospital, where he was put on a ventilator for two days before he died.

An autopsy concluded that Hernandez Rojas had died of a heart attack and listed contributing factors, including methamphetamine intoxication, heart disease, the Taser shocks, the physical exertion and restraints. The autopsy stated that he would not have died if he hadnt been under the influence of drugs, the Justice Department said.

Federal agencies, including the Justice Department and FBI, investigated the death but found there was not enough evidence to justify criminal charges against any of the 12 agents or officers involved.

Its an embarrassment to this agency to continue to have the 12 agents working, the agents who killed my husband, said Puga, 46, who lives in San Diego with four of her children.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Davis writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune
A mother and her 3-year-old son were killed when their car plunged into an aqueduct in Hesperia on Thursday night and another child who was in the vehicle remains unaccounted for, authorities said.

The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department and paramedics responded to a report at 6:40 p.m. of a car that was fully submerged in the California Aqueduct in the 13000 block of Main Street, the coroners department said in a release.

Christina Estrada, 31, and her 3-year-old son, Jeremiah Abbott, were pulled from the water. Estrada was pronounced dead at the scene and Jeremiah was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

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The San Bernardino County Fire Department tweeted Thursday night that one child remained unaccounted for. The sheriffs dive team continued the search for the 2-year-old Friday morning, a spokeswoman tweeted.

News outlets reported that there had been three children in the car and that one remained hospitalized.

brittny.mejia@latimes.com

Twitter: @Brittny_Mejia

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UPDATES:

10:05 a.m.: This article was updated with the age of the missing child.

This article was originally published at 8:35 a.m.
A 35-year-old man upset over a recent divorce set a Santa Ana home on fire Thursday night, authorities said.

Police responded to the home in the 1000 block of West Washington Avenue around 7 p.m. on a family-disturbance call, said Cpl. Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department. Police had been to the home numerous times previously, he said.

When officers arrived, they found the suspect, who was despondent over a recent divorce, Bertagna said. He added that the man was breaking things inside his family home and when officers tried to speak with him he retreated to the back of the house.

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At that point, Bertagna said, the suspect allegedly set the house on fire, ran out of the home and was then taken into custody by police.

When firefighters arrived on the scene, the fire at the two-story Craftsman-style home was so intense that they could not make entry into the residence, authorities said. Eight people were displaced from the home, according to Capt. Larry Kurtz of the Orange County Fire Authority.

The suspect is facing two counts of intentional arson, Kurtz said. One count deals with the suspects home itself; the other deals with a house next door that was damaged.

brittny.mejia@latimes.com

Twitter: @Brittny_Mejia
When thieves broke into Dennis DiBiases Woodland Hills home two days before Christmas, they swiped $30,000 in jewelry, including a diamond ring DiBiase planned to give his wife for the holiday. They even hauled off a Sparkletts water bottle filled with three decades worth of coins.

The midday intrusion was the latest jolt to this San Fernando Valley neighborhood. Property crime has risen 24% since 2014 in the Los Angeles Police Department division that oversees Woodland Hills, an uptick that has residents calling for more police patrols.

Citywide, violent crime was up in 2016 for the third consecutive year. Property crime jumped for the second year in a row, with a double-digit increase for car-related thefts.

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Reversing that trend has proved elusive for Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is seeking reelection. When he took office, the mayor vowed to use analytics and data to help improve city services  and by some measures, such as making streets cleaner, hes been successful.

But the citys efforts to reduce crime are complicated by rising homelessness, gang activity and the effects of Proposition 47, which downgraded some crimes to misdemeanors.

Garcetti is the first Los Angeles mayor faced with rising crime in more than a decade. After 12 years of declines, violent crime climbed for the first time in 2014  Garcettis first full year in office.

The next year, both violent and property crime increased. Those numbers crept higher in 2016.

Residents say more crime  along with increasing homelessness  has changed their neighborhoods. And some are frustrated by what they believe is a lack of urgency, and leadership, at City Hall.

Brent Page, head of the Southwest Area Neighborhood Development Council, regularly sees police cruisers in his South L.A. neighborhood, but he said response times are an issue. Residents tell him that officers react quickly to a call only if theres a shooting or a weapon is involved.

I want to know what Garcettis plan is for the LAPD and crime, Page said. Its something that we need to look at during budget time.

Despite the uptick, Los Angeles remains far safer than in the 1980s and 1990s, when gang wars and a crack epidemic roiled neighborhoods. Nearly 1,100 people were killed in 1992 in the city, compared with 294 last year.

Politicians take credit when the crime goes down, so naturally theyre going to take some heat when crime is up, said Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State L.A. But its worth keeping in mind how high crime was 20 years ago.

Its the only thing he should be doing: police and fire, No. 1 and No. 2.  David Lasher, Porter Ranch resident

For big-city mayors, bringing down crime is a major resume-booster.

Garcettis predecessor, Antonio Villaraigosa, expanded the LAPD and ended his two terms with a decrease in crime. He now touts his work making L.A. safer as he campaigns for governor.

Drawing criticism, Garcetti broke tradition in January by not holding an annual news event to talk about 2016 crime numbers. His office cited a scheduling conflict and stated that crime statistics are available on the LAPDs website.

Mayoral candidate Mitchell Schwartz held a news conference last month to accuse Garcetti of ducking the issue during the election season.

Garcetti said in an interview this year that the city acted aggressively to address the crime increase, which he believed had stabilized. The mayor said data show crime flattening in latter 2016 and early 2017.

We are at a place where this year we can expect it to be flat or coming back down, Garcetti said. And given how historically low it is and how much different this town is than before, I think thats a pretty significant accomplishment.

Although crime rose again in 2016, LAPD statistics show the pace of the increase slowed in the second half of the year. Midyear, violent crime was up 16.3%, and it finished the year with a 10.2% increase.

Overall, crime went from a 6.6% increase in June to a 5.5% increase at the end of the year.

People dont want things to go back to the way they were.  Jorja Leap, UCLA professor

Statistics through Feb. 18 show that overall crime is up 1.2% in 2017 compared with the same period last year. LAPD officials caution that the numbers can fluctuate early in the year.

When asked about the most recent crime figures, Garcetti said Thursday that he was encouraged by the positive trend so far this year, but we have more work to do.

The mayors low-profile response to this years crime statistics contrasts with how visible he was following a surge in 2015. This is bad news, Garcetti said at a news conference that year to detail crime stats. Let me be clear: Any uptick in crime is unacceptable.

The 2015 expansion of the LAPDs Metropolitan Division  a strategy unveiled by Garcetti in his State of the City address  allowed the department to send more officers to neighborhoods hit hardest by violent crime.

Jeff Gorell, Garcettis deputy for public safety, said the mayor intends to add more officers to housing units in South L.A. this year and will continue work on crime-fighting programs that he said had proved successful in the past.

DiBiase, whose home was burglarized, said residents in his neighborhood need to install security systems amid what he believes is a lack of police presence in the area.

We need more officers, he said.

LAPD data show that crime rose last year in some parts of the city that are traditionally considered safer, such as West L.A., where robberies jumped by 17% and motor vehicle thefts by 27%. In the Topanga Division, which encompasses Woodland Hills, violent crime rose almost 20%.

Porter Ranch resident David Lasher said he plans to vote for Schwartz. He wants more attention paid to public safety, adding that he had to wait 45 minutes for police to arrive after his home was burglarized in 2015.

He criticized Garcetti for focusing on issues related to immigrants in the country without legal permission.

Its the only thing he should be doing: police and fire, No. 1 and No. 2, Lasher said. I dont care about the street-vending stuff. If you cant live in your home in happiness, in peace, you have nothing.

After persistent complaints from his Westside constituents about a lack of police patrols, City Councilman Mike Bonin unveiled a plan in January to get more officers on the streets by shifting officers to neighborhoods from desk jobs and other nonpatrol assignments.

His proposal mirrors one by the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents rank-and-file LAPD officers. In a recent survey of union members, 87% said their stations did not have enough officers to respond to 911 calls in a timely manner.

The police union, which endorsed Garcetti, wants to hire civilians for jobs now assigned to sworn officers. They also want to address what they describe as a flawed workers compensation system that keeps officers out of work for too long.

Dustin DeRollo, a union spokesman, said theres been progress in dealing with crime under Garcetti, but more needs to be done.

The crime problem in Los Angeles and the staffing problems that we have, theyre not simple to fix, DeRollo said.

UCLA professor Jorja Leap, who helps run a leadership program in Watts, believes finding employment and deportation fears are more of an issue for South L.A. residents than crime.

But theres concern among locals about the uptick, she said, and residents want to continue working with the LAPD on community initiatives.

People dont want things to go back to the way they were, Leap said.

Times staff writers Michael Finnegan and Ben Poston contributed to this report.

dakota.smith@latimes.com

Twitter: @dakotacdsmith

kate.mather@latimes.com

Twitter: @katemather

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Less than a week before Election Day, millions of dollars have poured into the bitter fight over a ballot measure that would restrict real estate development in Los Angeles.

And two of the biggest spenders are familiar foes, already locked in a legal battle over a Hollywood building project.

Real estate development company Crescent Heights has been at odds with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation over its plans to build two towers next to the foundation headquarters on Sunset Boulevard. So far, Crescent Heights has contributed more than $2.5 million to oppose Measure S. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, in turn, has chipped in more than $5.5 million to support it.

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The ballot measure would impose a moratorium on building projects that require zoning changes and other alterations to city rules. It would also target spot zoning by banning amendments to the General Plan  a document that governs development across the city  that allow individual projects in areas they would otherwise be prohibited.

Supporters say it will thwart out-of-scale development that spoils neighborhoods and displaces residents; opponents say it will exacerbate the housing crisis and eliminate jobs.

Backers of the controversial measure argue that the Crescent Heights project, known as the Palladium Residences, is a prime example of the problems they are trying to stop. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation contends that the 30-story residential towers will be too tall and too dense for their location and will worsen traffic and accelerate gentrification.

The foundation has sued the company and the city over the Palladium Residences project, arguing that L.A. violated the California Environmental Quality Act and other laws when it approved changes in city planning rules to enable the Sunset Boulevard towers.

Its Exhibit A of how City Hall operates and gives spot zoning and exemptions to billionaire developers without considering the rules, Yes on S spokeswoman Ileana Wachtel said Wednesday outside the Century City offices of Crescent Heights, at a news conference spotlighting the money that the Miami-based firm had spent.

The millions spent fighting the ballot measure are cheap insurance to make sure that they can get special favors, added Debra Hockemeyer of the Brentwood Hills Homeowners Assn.

Steve Afriat, a spokesman for the project, countered that Crescent Heights was spending money to preserve opportunities to create housing in Los Angeles. The company and its representatives argue that the Sunset Boulevard project will provide needed housing without tearing down any existing apartments, and stress that 5% of units will pay rents below market rates. Supporters point out that there are other buildings in the area  including the one that houses the foundation  that reach or exceed 20 stories.

Opponents of the ballot measure contend that AIDS Healthcare Foundation executive Michael Weinstein is simply trying to preserve the views from his Hollywood office and have criticized him for spending nonprofit funds to support Measure S.

Its a shame that prosecuting his personal vendetta uses funds for HIV/AIDS care to block affordable housing and eliminate jobs, said Josh Kamensky, a spokesman for ballot measure opponents.

Weinstein has denied that his concerns have anything to do with his office view and bristled at arguments that the nonprofit should not be funding the ballot measure, contending that people with HIV and AIDS are among the victims of gentrification that it will help. At a Tuesday news conference, he argued that his opponents were trying to distract from the billionaire developers who are financing the No campaign.

Other real estate interests that have ponied up money to fight Measure S include the Westfield shopping center company, which is seeking to redevelop a Woodland Hills mall as a vast complex with apartments, shops and offices; Century City Realty, which won city approval for a Century City office tower; and a company affiliated with Frank McCourt, a former owner of the Dodgers who has retained half interest in the stadium parking lot.

In addition, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and other groups tied to labor unions have given roughly $1.7 million to oppose the measure.

While backers of Measure S have attacked developers and corporations who are fighting the ballot measure, opponents have continued to take aim at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which has provided almost all of the funding for the Yes on S campaign.

The opposition campaign recently sent out a mailer calling the nonprofit a corporation with a history of misusing taxpayer money, reiterating concerns with its political spending and citing a lawsuit that alleged it had defrauded federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. Foundation spokesman Ged Kenslea said those were baseless claims.

Los Angeles voters will go to the polls to weigh in on Measure S and other local issues on Tuesday.

emily.alpert@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATimesEmily

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Montclair police are crediting a quick-thinking 14-year-old girl with protecting herself and her 4-year-old niece when a burglar broke into her familys home this week.

I was very scared. Not so much for myself but for Zoyee, Savannah Jones told KTLA-TV Channel 5, referring to her niece.

It was about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday when police said Savannah heard someone knock on the door of the familys home in the 10200 block of Monte Vista Avenue.

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Savannah said she looked through the peephole and didnt recognize the man on the other side.

The man jiggled the door knob. It was locked, Montclair police said.

Savannah grabbed her niece, ran upstairs into a bathroom and locked the door.

Then I heard one or two more loud bangs. Thats when I realized he was in the house, she said. I could hear him going through my moms room. He came toward the door where we were hiding. I was just hoping he wouldnt know we were in there.

Afraid the burglar would hear her if she called 911, Savannah texted her mother instead.

He is inside mom hes gonna here me, she wrote. U call or come home or something mom.

Savannahs mother texted back that she had called a neighbor, who rushed over to help.

But the man had gotten away after ransacking two rooms, though he never found the girls, police said.

Montclair police officers  including a K-9 officer, conducted an extensive search for the suspect, however he was not located and remains outstanding, police said in a statement.

joseph.serna@latimes.com

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.
First, undercover police officers bought cocaine, PCP and meth from street dealers in southwest Los Angeles.

Then, investigators worked their way up the hierarchy of the Black P-Stone gang, gathering enough intelligence to prepare search or arrest warrants for alleged mid- to high-level gang leaders.

And in the pre-dawn hours Thursday morning, Los Angeles Police Department officers fanned out across Baldwin Village and nearby areas, arresting 15 people and seizing an array of guns, drugs and body armor, as well as more than $12,000 in cash.

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The operation, called No Stone Love, began in December after an increase in shootings, robberies and burglaries, and was completed in under three months. Those arrested included 79-year-old Clyde Bailey, nicknamed Pops, and three men in their 60s.

Investigators will try to link the assault weapons, handguns, shotguns and rifles to recent homicides and shootings. They believe the Black P-Stones are responsible for a quarter of the gang-related crimes in the area.

The drugs seized included two kilos of rock and powder cocaine valued at $50,000, along with a pound of marijuana and three ounces of PCP.

Weve made the community safer. These guns will no longer be used in other crimes, Capt. Darnell Davenport of the LAPDs Southwest Division said at a news conference Thursday. The marijuana and cocaine and other drugs you see here will not be sold to community members.

Those arrested Thursday morning are suspected of controlling the narcotics trade in the Baldwin Village area, which has long been Black P-Stones turf and is also known as Lower Baldwin Hills or the Jungle.

The suspects were arrested on gun or drug charges, but LAPD officials expect to add more serious charges for some of them.

Since these people will be in jail, we hope, for a long period of time, we will see a significant reduction in violent crime in that community and the sales of narcotics, Davenport said.

The weapons and armor seized in the raids demonstrate a high level of sophistication and include shields capable of deflecting ammunition from high-powered firearms, LAPD officials said.

The undercover drug buys that launched the operation were higher-end, too  about $200 each, said Officer James Moon, who works narcotics in the Southwest Division.

Some high-level Black P-Stone leaders are still at large, but officials said the arrests have created gaps in the leadership structure of the gang, which has about 250 active members.

This has a significant impact, Moon said. Some of those supplying narcotics and guns are completely out of the equation.

The group picked up Thursday was noteworthy for the advanced age of some members. In addition to Bailey, those arrested included Vincent Pheine, 66; Michael Money Mike Lofton, 62; and Kenneth Popeye Harrison, 61.

Michael Tank Boddie, 37, was one of the leaders despite being a younger member, Moon said. Court records show that in 2006, Boddie was sentenced to four years in prison for an assault with a firearm.

Lt. Byron Roberts, who is in charge of the Southwest Gang Impact Team, said older crews like this one tend to focus on running criminal business enterprises rather than engaging in gang feuds.

These were the ones making the money, Roberts said. Theyre not doing the drive-bys, the gangbanging.

cindy.chang@latimes.com

Twitter: @cindychangLA

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Paula Fox, a prizewinning author who created high art out of imagined chaos in such novels as Poor George and Desperate Characters and out of real-life upheavals in her memoir, Borrowed Finery, has died at 93.

Her daughter, Linda Carroll, said Fox died Wednesday at Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. She had been in failing health.

Abandoned as a girl by her parents, a single mother before age 20, Fox used the most finely crafted prose to write again and again about breakdown and disruption, what happens under the surface of things.

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In Poor George, her debut novel, Fox told of a bored school teacher and the teen vagrant who upends his life. Desperate Characters, her most highly regarded work of fiction, is a portrait of New York Citys civic and domestic decline in the 1960s, a plague symbolized by the bite of a stray cat.

It seems to me that in life, behind all these names and things and people and forces, theres a dark energy, Fox told the Associated Press in 2011.

Her work was out of print for years, but she enjoyed a late-life revival thanks to the admiration of such younger authors as Jonathan Franzen, David Foster Wallace and Jonathan Lethem.

Her other books included the novels A Servants Tale, 'The Western Coast and a memoir about living in Europe after World War II, The Coldest Winter.

Courtney Love is the granddaughter of author Paula Fox. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Fox also wrote more than a dozen childrens books, including The Slave Dancer, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1974. Borrowed Finery, published in 2001, was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle award.

She might have written more novels, but a head injury after she was mugged in Jerusalem in the 1990s left her unable to write long fiction. She instead began working on memoirs and shorter pieces.

Born in New York City in 1923, Fox was the daughter of novelist-screenwriter Paul Fox and fellow screenwriter Elsie Fox.

Paula Fox remembered her father as a drunk given to interminable, stumbling descriptions of the ways in which he and fellow writers tried to elude domesticity. Her mother was a sociopath who kicked her out of the house as a young girl. Fox lived everywhere from a plantation in Cuba to a boarding school in Montreal.

My life was incoherent to me, Fox wrote in Borrowed Finery. 'I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.

If only she could have gathered all the people she met and placed them in a single room. Living in Hollywood in the 1930s and 40s, she danced with John Wayne and encountered John Barrymore, yellowing with age like the ivory keys of a very old piano.

Marlon Brando was a friend, and Courtney Love is her granddaughter. Loves mother, Carroll, was given up for adoption by a 19-year-old Fox. Foxs brother-in-law, Clement Greenberg, was among the 20th centurys most influential art critics.

Although a devoted reader since childhood, she didnt publish until past 40. She worked for years as a teacher and as a tutor for troubled children and was married briefly for a second time, to Richard Sigerson, with whom she had two sons.

She finally settled down with her third husband, translator and commentary editor Martin Greenberg, whom she met after he had rejected a story she submitted for the magazine.

In The Coldest Winter, Fox wrote that living abroad had liberated her mind, showing me something other than myself. Her early fiction included the stories Lord Randall and The Living, narrated in colloquial style by black characters and published in the mid-1960s by Negro Digest. In The Slave Dancer, a young boy is captured and forced onto a slave ship.

Ive never been a slave. Ive never been black. I was never on a ship. But I have a certain narrow understanding of certain kinds of characters, and of evil and kindness and goodness and tenderness, Fox told the AP.

But by the 1990s, her work was forgotten by all but her most determined admirers  one of them was Franzen. The future author of Freedom and The Corrections came upon Desperate Characters, which he called an overlooked masterpiece in a Harpers magazine essay about American fiction.

Author Tom Bissell, then a paperback editor at W.W. Norton, read the essay and wondered why he hadnt heard of the novel. He looked in stores, without luck, and finally got in touch with Fox, who sent him one of her copies. Norton since has reissued all of Foxs adult novels, with introductory essays by Franzen and others.
Veteran Israeli photographer David Rubinger, whose photo of Israeli paratroopers at the Western Wall holy site became an iconic image of the 1967 Mideast war, has died at 92, his children said Thursday.

Rubinger worked as a photojournalist for Time-Life magazine for nearly half a century. His portraits span the history of Israel, from the front lines of the countrys major wars to intimate photos of Israeli prime ministers and Jewish immigrants.

His most famous photo was of the paratroopers after Israeli forces captured the Western Wall and east Jerusalem in 1967.

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In an iconic image, Israeli paratroopers stand at the Western Wall in 1967. (David Rubinger/AFP/Getty Images)

Frequently these days, when looking back over the years, I find myself asking how I could have been so lucky, Rubinger wrote in his biography, Israel Through My Lens: Sixty Years as a Photojournalist.

I went through 10 wars unscathed and survived countless other high-risk situations, and I have reached the peak of the photographic profession, with worldwide recognition for my work, being the oldest person on the masthead of Time, one of the worlds most prestigious magazines, he said.

Rubinger was born in Vienna in 1924 and immigrated to Palestine in 1939. He discovered photography while serving in the British armys Jewish Brigade in World War II. He was the first photographer to be awarded Israels highest honor, the Israel Prize, in 1997.

There are those who write the pages of history, and there are those who illustrate them through their cameras lens. Through his photography, David eternalized history as it will be forever etched in our memories, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said.
More than a month after he became Americas top diplomat, Rex Tillerson is like no other modern secretary of State: Hes largely invisible.

Tillersons absence was conspicuous Friday at the release of States annual report on human rights around the world, a normally high-profile event that other governments closely monitor and previous secretaries rarely missed.

But Tillerson has given no media interviews and has not held a single news conference. He has made two brief trips abroad  and was overshadowed both times by other Cabinet officials. His news releases are chiefly independence day greetings to other nations.

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The White House blocked him from appointing his choice for a deputy, so he still has none. Dozens of assistant secretary positions, the diplomats who head bureaus for specific regions and issues, also are unfilled.

Foreign diplomats who previously studied the near-daily State Department briefings for guidance on U.S. policy on matters large and small have little to go on. The last public briefing was on Jan. 19, the day before Trump took office; they are set to resume on March 6, but on an irregular schedule.

Tillerson had dinner with President Trump last week but his influence at the White House is difficult to discern. He appears to be competing with Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law, and Stephen Bannon, the presidents chief strategist, both of whom have Trumps ear on foreign policy.

One test of Tillersons influence is looming. The White House is considering deep budget cuts for State that could significantly curtail his ability to conduct the global diplomacy that has been the backbone of U.S. foreign policy under previous administrations.

At least in public, Tillerson has yet to explain his view on those cuts. Opposition already is growing in Congress, however. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said last week that sharp cuts to foreign aid and the State Department are unlikely to clear the Senate.

Previous secretaries of State  John F. Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, among others  were global celebrities.

It might be argued how much power each ultimately wielded, but all were highly visible, frequently seen at his or her presidents side or in top-level encounters with world leaders.

Aaron David Miller, a former U.S. diplomat who served under six secretaries of State, described a marginalized Tillerson heading an incredibly shrinking State Department.

A way has to be found to empower Tillerson, Miller said. Without that, it takes five seconds for allies or adversaries to understand that the secretary of State does not have a whole lot of weight.

Other foreign policy experts worry that the administration has been so slow to fill scores of policy and operational positions at State, leaving acting appointees in charge.

Some are very good, but it still means none have any authority, said Henri Barkey, a former State Department official who now heads the Middle East program at the non-partisan Wilson Center think tank.

There is no policy out there, and it is not clear Tillerson knows what hes supposed to do, he added.

In Washington, foreign diplomats and non-governmental organizations that routinely work with the State Department say it appears rudderless.

There is no one under him, said a Western diplomat who asked not to be identified because the diplomats embassy must deal with the State Department. Visiting delegations have meetings but find everyone in listening mode.

Clearly no one below Tillerson is making any decisions, and people are trying to figure out what he wants, said the representative of an advocacy group who also asked not to be identified because the group is partially funded by the State Department.

Its unclear if Tillersons under-the-radar style reflects his personality, or if he is following a script from a White House that has taken control of foreign policy in the Middle East and with Mexico, and has stressed a robust military buildup over diplomacy and foreign aid.

At a news conference last week, White House spokesman Sean Spicer defended Tillersons relationship with Trump, saying the president regularly seeks and receives the diplomats input in terms of foreign policy interaction.

Stephen Hadley, former national security advisor for President George W. Bush, said the new secretary is moving carefully in a challenging new environment.

Hes an engineer and engineers learn the facts and follow where they lead, Hadley said. Hes a systems guy, a step-by-step guy Hes starting out slow as he learns the job. People need to give him some time.

As a CEO of the global energy conglomerate Exxon Mobil before he joined the administration, Tillerson preferred flying to global capitals with a small entourage, swooping in to make deals. He answered to a corporate board of directors and shareholders.

With the FBI and several congressional committees investigating whether the Trump team had improper contacts with Russian authorities, perhaps its not surprising that Tillerson  who was close to Russian President Vladimir Putin several years ago  has kept his head down.

But his semi-disappearing act at State after decades of high-profile, globe-trotting secretaries of State could have far-reaching implications for Americas position in the world.

Since taking office, Trump has alarmed allies by deriding the role of international institutions and trade pacts, squabbling with leaders of Mexico and Australia, challenging decades of policy with China and announcing a neo-isolationist America First policy toward the rest of the world.

My job is not to represent the world, Trump said Tuesday night in his first speech to Congress. My job is to represent the United States of America.

Tillerson felt compelled to weigh in the next day, issuing a statement that seemed aimed at salvaging his role as well as Americas use of soft power and persuasion around the world.

The State Department will continue to engage to advance U.S. interests in the world in cooperation with our partners and allies, Tillerson said. American foreign policy must promote our core values of freedom, democracy, and stability.

Tillersons defenders say he is methodical in his approach to diplomacy and is not concerned about making what he views as media splashes.

The silver-haired Texan prefers not to make pronouncements unless he really [has] something to say, according to a senior State Department official familiar with his thinking.

But he also appears cut out of the White House loop at times.

When Michael Flynn, then the national security advisor, announced last month that the administration was putting Iran on notice for testing a ballistic missile, Tillerson had not been consulted on what normally would involve the State Department.

Early in the administration, analysts had predicted that Tillerson would join forces with Defense Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, both retired generals, in creating a troika of steady hands to help guide the inexperienced president and his team.

Instead, Tillerson faded from view on his debut trip to a G-20 ministerial meeting in Bonn, Germany. While he was there, Mattis and Vice President Pence drew global attention when they spoke to a high-profile security conference in Munich.

Tillerson brought only a skeleton staff to Bonn. A photograph showed him beside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, where the Russian was flanked by numerous aides while Tillerson sat with three.

Tillersons other trip was an overnight visit with Kelly to repair a diplomatic rift with Mexico City about Trumps insistence that Mexico pay to build a border wall. Mexican officials have flatly refused.

But Kelly grabbed the headlines when he announced that Homeland Security would not carry out mass deportations or use the U.S. military to enforce immigration laws  hours after Trump had boasted of a military-style roundup of undocumented immigrants.

Neither Tillerson nor Kelly took questions from a salon full of U.S. and Mexican reporters, some of whom had flown from Washington and who waited hours for what turned out to be the reading of prepared statements.

tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com

For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter
Ailing asylum seeker Sara Beltran-Hernandez was released Thursday after 15 months in federal detention in a case that was highlighted by opponents of President Trumps crackdown on immigrants in the country illegally.

The 26-year-old mother from El Salvador, detained in November 2015, was being held in the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, when she was diagnosed last month with a brain tumor.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, came under criticism for having her removed last week from a hospital and returned to the detention center.

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The government did not contest Beltran-Hernandezs request to be released on bond at the brief hearing Thursday in front of immigration Judge James Nugent in Dallas. Bond was set at $15,000.

Beltran-Hernandez was to undergo medical evaluations later in the day to determine whether she would be well enough to fly to New York to join her family.

Immigration agents arrested Beltran-Hernandez in November 2015 as she crossed the border from Mexico into Hidalgo, Texas, in an attempt to eventually reach New York. She made a petition for asylum, claiming that she had been badly abused by the father of her two young children and threatened with death by a gang.

Two other attempts to be released on bond were denied.

She has been locked up for 450 days while her asylum claim is pending, said Eric Ferrero, a spokesman for Amnesty International, which had taken up her case. Asylum claims should be treated promptly and fairly, and while they are processed people should be treated fairly.

Although her plight has been linked to Trumps crackdown on illegal immigration, Amnesty International officials say her troubles started under the Obama administration, which was using detentions as a way to discourage illegal border crossings.

This case spans two administrations, Ferrero said. We are concerned that the Trump administration is taking a bad situation and making it worse with overly aggressive enforcement.

Beltran-Hernandezs asylum case most likely would not have attracted attention if not for her sudden medical emergency. She collapsed Feb. 10 at the detention center and was diagnosed afterward with a large pituitary adenoma that was bleeding into the brain, according to her lawyer, Fatma E. Marouf.

Marouf said that Beltran-Hernandez was able to avoid immediate surgery because the bleeding had stopped, but that she needed to be closely monitored in case it resumed.

She is feeling terrible. She has constant pain in her head, Marouf said. These kinds of tumors are mostly benign, but as they grow that can put pressure on other parts of the brain.

Immigration officials have disputed the lawyers claims. In a statement, they said she was not so ill as to require surgery and that she was not shackled during medical visits, as human rights advocates have said.

During her hospital stay, ICE officers ensured that Beltran-Hernandez was able to speak to her family and to her attorney of record by phone, the agency said in a statement Thursday. She also met with her attorney of record and consular representative in person Feb. 23. Like all detainees in our care, Beltran-Hernandez will continue to have access to 24-hour emergency medical care and access to any required specialized treatment at an outside facility.

barbara.demick@latimes.com

Twitter: @BarbaraDemick
Good morning. Its Friday, March 3, and heres whats happening across California:

TOP STORIES

The dangers of living near the freeway

If you live near a freeway in Los Angeles, youre more likely to get a heart attack, a stroke or lung cancer. Despite these health risks, more apartments are being built and more people are moving in, even though living there makes people sick. Los Angeles Times

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We want your stories: Do you live near a freeway? Tell us your story. Los Angeles Times

The changing city

The evolving face of Los Angeles  more vertical and less about bungalows with orange trees  is on the ballot next week. The outcome of Measure S is not just about a two-year moratorium on projects that require Los Angeles City Council approval. Its about L.A.s changing identity. Los Angeles Times

Open it up

Californias highest court decided unanimously Thursday that government officials may be required to make public what they said about official business on their private telephones and personal computers. Advocates for public access have long complained that government officials were deliberately using private devices to shield their communications from public records requests. Los Angeles Times

The big IPO

We built our business on creativity,. And were going to have to go through an education process for the next five years to explain to people how our users and that creativity creates value. After a whirlwind month of IPO preparations and investor discussions, Evan Spiegel popped off his tie and sat down for a black coffee in a brick-walled Brooklyn cafe. The 26-year-old Snap Inc. chief executive is one of the youngest entrepreneurs in history to a take a company public and perhaps the youngest-ever to lead a $30-billion enterprise. Los Angeles Times

Plus: When is the right time to invest in L.A.s hottest company? Los Angeles Times

And in Venice: They held a protest hoping Snapchat leaves the beach. Curbed Los Angeles

L.A. STORIES

Hoping for a reunion: A sick Syrian boy is in L.A. His parents are in Syria and cant get here. So they see each other on the phone. Theres a push to get the parents to L.A. Eyewitness News ABC 7

More dirty air: Flaring from a controversial refinery in Torrance has caused high amounts of pollution compared with other local refineries. Daily Breeze

Hot property: What does it mean when a home in El Sereno  yes, El Sereno  sells for nearly $1 million? LAist

Time capsule: In 1938 this week, a catastrophic flood of the Los Angeles River devastated the city. Check out these images of the damage. NBC Los Angeles

Vegas train talk: A new report estimates that a high-speed train route linking Las Vegas and Anaheim would attract 11 million round-trip riders a year by the year 2035. Las Vegas Review-Journal

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

Ground floor of the wall: President Trumps border wall might be bad for Southern Californias immigrant population, but it could be good for some of the regions construction businesses. There are about 50 entities from California that signed on to the pre-solicitation notice put out by the Department of Homeland Security last Friday concerning the walls construction. Los Angeles Times

Uncertain future: Heres the story of two young Latina Dreamers from San Diego who are graduating from high school and college, respectively, as students who benefited from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program question their futures. NBC News

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Not-so-easy pickings: Councilman Paul Koretzs quest to be reelected for a third time is proving to be no walk in the park. Los Angeles Times

Your tax dollars at work: A recent state audit found some curious evidence on state employees. An example: A library employee at California State University Fresno may have cost taxpayers $22,200 in time he wasted using his work computer to visit 48,000 Web pages for online videos and games unrelated to his duties during a 13-month period. San Diego Union-Tribune

Rail money: Gov. Jerry Brown has asked the Trump administration to reverse itself on a key decision to withhold a $647-million grant for a state passenger rail project. Los Angeles Times

Not gonna happen: Not so fast on the Oprah for president rumor. Los Angeles Times

CRIME AND COURTS

Joining the fight: The city of Los Angeles has joined an amicus brief supporting transgender bathroom rights for students in a case thats before the Supreme Court. CBS LA

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE

Hot doc: Theres a new documentary out about Californias historic drought. Its called Water & Power: A California Heist, and its on National Geographic. Los Angeles Times

Cat killed: A California coyote hunter killed a mountain lion after the cat pounced on him near the northern shore of Mono Lake. Authorities say he was mimicking a wounded rabbit. Sacramento Bee

Testing, testing: A power plant at the foot of the Oroville Dam, closed last month after a portion of the reservoir was overwhelmed by rising waters, could begin tests as early as today in anticipation of reopening. Los Angeles Times

Too early for St. Patricks Day: Why a creek in Placerville suddenly turned bright green. Sacramento Bee

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Rap time: When I say my community, Im talking about Compton, Long Beach, L.A., the Bay Area, San Francisco, Oakland. For them to be like: Hes the champ! He knows what we go through and what we dealing with  Im talking about growing up in a gang-infested community in L.A. So the album comes out and then I go on tour and Im rockin, Im on stage and I see that the energy is the same as it was when I was at home in Compton. Read more about Kendrick Lamars artistic inspiration. The New York Times

At the DQ: Dairy Queen is making a comeback in Southern California with fast-food focused restaurants. Orange County Register

Remaking magic? How Disneyland is being remade in the image of Marvel Comics. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

San Diego and Los Angeles area: sunny Friday, partly cloudy Saturday. Sacramento and San Francisco area: partly cloudy Friday, rainy Saturday. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Todays California memory comes from Cynthia Tanner:

I have been coming to California for over 30 years, and in the past few years have visited every Christmas. We pack our standard poodle in the car, take a ferry to Washington state from Vancouver and then begin the multi-day drive to Northern California. Because of the traffic, a two-day trip becomes a five-day drive! Every time we leave southern Oregon we are first greeted by the golden bears on the bridge at Klamath River. A few more miles south we enter the first of the Redwoods, and its a sight that never fails to take my breath away. A few months ago we stopped to admire one of the largest redwood trees in the world  over 1,500 years old  and there was no one around us, just these majestic trees and the sound of the wind. I will never forget the beauty and peace of that moment, and I cant wait to return.

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.
Partisans cherish a persistent illusion: Everything would be fantastic if it wasnt for those dopes in the other party. Yet, as one side gains power, its ability to pass the buck invariably wanes.

In Washington, where Republicans now control the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives, there is no one else to blame if the healthcare system, the tax code and the economy do not improve, or if the environment deteriorates and our foreign enemies assert themselves. For the next two years, the GOP owns every federal policy success and failure.

Many Californians fear the worst from the GOPs virtual monopoly. President Trump is unpopular here. So are the Republicans. In fact, Golden State officials have positioned themselves as a bulwark of resistance to significant parts of their agenda.

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Gov. Jerry Brown is defiant on environmental policy. Sheila Kuehl of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has encouraged people to engage in any way they can to slow down anything that might come from the federal departments and Congress, declaring that you cant just be dormant when fascism is growing.

Were a case study in what a political community looks like when Republicans wield little or no power.

On many matters, state and local officials ought to oppose the Trump administrations populist nationalism, in accordance with the United States federalist system and the 10th Amendment.

At the same time, California Democrats cannot cast themselves as a mere resistance movement, for the simple reason that, in the Golden State, their power far surpasses the Republican advantage in Washington.

California voters have elected a Democratic governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, controller and insurance commissioner. The state Senate has more than twice as many Democrats as Republicans. So does the state Assembly. Democratic mayors preside in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Long Beach and Los Angeles.

Were a case study in what a political community looks like when Republicans wield little or no power  and an ongoing refutation of the conceit that but for the GOP, the United States would be free of dysfunction.

Sure, the Golden State gets a lot right. Its the sixth-largest economy in the world.

But California ranks in the lowest fifth of states in education. Housing costs are out of control. Our major cities face a crisis of homelessness. Our police officers kill citizens at rates comparable to the rest of the country. Our infrastructure is severely overstressed due to underinvestment. The bullet train project meant to connect L.A. to the Bay Area is a national joke. Our counties, cities and schools are being crushed by an unsustainable pension burden. Our taxes are already among the nations highest.

And it is no longer plausible to blame any of this on Republicans. For the foreseeable future, Democrats own every Golden State success and failure.

That ought to be a wake-up call, even if the California GOP remains too incompetent to win.

Most California public servants are nothing if not earnest in their horror at the direction President Trump is taking the country. Few seem to realize that theyre in a position to oppose Trumpism in a manner much more powerful than defiant statements and fleeting acts of resistance. They are in a position to govern well in the nations biggest state.

They can be the change they want to see in government  and demonstrate to the country that Democrats know how to improve American communities.

To govern badly is always a failure of the publics trust. To do so now, as a public servant in California  to ignore dysfunction in deference to a special interest group or kick problems down the road to avoid the difficulty of solving them  isnt just a betrayal of the public, it is high-octane fuel for the ascendant Trump coalition.

The national GOP is deeply flawed. Until Democrats acknowledge that those flaws are mostly inconsequential when it comes to what ails California, the Golden State will fall short of its potential, and the rest of the country will reject even the best of what we have to offer.

Positive leadership by example will always be more compelling than mere opposition.

Conor Friedersdorf is a contributing writer to Opinion, a staff writer at the Atlantic and founding editor of the Best of Journalism, a newsletter that curates exceptional nonfiction.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook

MORE FROM OPINION

Theres only one way to fix L.A.'s traffic, and it isnt Elon Musks tunnels. We need tolls  lots of them

Students accused of campus sexual assault are now guilty until proved innocent

L.A. finally has the money to fight homelessness. Heres how architecture can help the cause
I first landed at the Kansas City airport in the wee hours of Jan. 7, 2003. Id soon be starting university at a small liberal arts school in Kirksville, Mo., a three-hour road journey from Kansas City. It was my first time in the Midwest. It was my first time in America. I was sleep-deprived. The airline had lost my bags. I didnt want to spend money on a hotel room. Id have to wait at the airport until it was light. The school shuttle was scheduled to pick me up at 11 a.m.

Friends and family in India often asked me why Id go to the American Midwest for college. My reasons were simple. My high school grades were awful; theyd never get me into a good college in India. Id Googled some combination of award-winning+student+newspaper, and Truman State University came up. It was the only school I had looked into. Without letting my parents know, I applied to it and was offered a scholarship.

I told my parents about my plans only after I had been accepted. They were concerned. They would have been fine were I heading to the East or West Coast. They had heard stories  horror stories  about the American Midwest. They claimed these stories became more gruesome the farther you went from a big city. Kirksville was far from any big city  one had to drive an hour and a half to get to an Indian restaurant. My parents were afraid of racism. They were afraid of guns. They were afraid for me. I told them they had nothing to worry about, but 9/11 was still fresh in everyones mind.

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It wasnt Islamic terrorism as much as the treatment of brown-skinned people that caused my family concern. My Hindu parents were afraid Id be mistaken for a Muslim.

Indians worst fears  about our brownness being a liability  have been realized.

But I was in a college hungry for diversity. Most of my peers were from small-town America, the kind of people who responded to Do you like Indian food? with Ive never eaten Indian, but Id like to try it. Many were the kind who gave you a ride to Wal-Mart and asked that you repay the favor by accompanying them to church next Sunday. Many had never been on a plane. Some had never been outside the state. All were accepting. All were curious. All wanted to know more about other cultures. I showed some of these people how to eat with their fingers.

On our weekly phone calls, my parents often asked about racial discrimination. Theres none, Id say. A few minor incidents had occurred  when a cohorts computer stopped working in the middle of a PowerPoint presentation, she asked me, and no one else in the 30-strong class, if Id be able to help  but they came from ignorance, not malice. If anything, they were good conversation fodder. Soon, my parents stopped asking me about racism.

My senior year of college, I interviewed for an account executive position at the Olathe Daily News. Id heard of Olathe, a Kansas City suburb that was safe, wealthy and idyllic. I was happy to start my career there. To celebrate a successful interview, a few friends and I went out. A number of us had just turned 21, so we had started going to bars. Id graduate soon. I had a well-paying job lined up. Life was great, I reflected, as I ordered another drink.

Thats when the comment came. Its source was a tattooed man in shorts. He may have had only half his teeth, but I could be wrong. [Damn] 9/11 people what are we doing allowing them in the bar? he spat out, using an expletive unfit for publication. His friends laughed. My friends were horrified. Lets leave, someone said. We are so sorry, another remarked. Naah. Lets stay, I said. Hes entitled to an opinion. Its not like he will shoot me.

That was 2006, a different time. We were naive. Last week, some maniac in Olathe, the place I was supposed to start my career, killed an Indian thinking he was Middle Eastern. The president of America finally deigned to condemn the incident. In India, we are all pretty shaken. Our worst fears  about our brownness being a liability  have been realized.

A few days ago, I took an international flight. The morning of my journey, I did something I had promised myself Id never do: I shaved my beard so I wouldnt be mistaken for a Muslim. I felt like a coward, but I shaved. I yearn for an era when I thought racism meant someone asking me if I was good at fixing computers because I was Indian. I yearn for a time when victims of racist comments had the confidence to linger in bars because they were sure no one would shoot them.

Prajwal Parajuly is the author of Land Where I Flee and The Gurkhas Daughter. He lives in New York, London and Kolkata, India.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook.
To the editor: Democratic operatives continue to rearrange deck furniture on the Titanic that is their party. In electing a favorite of the Clintons and the Obama White House in the form of former Labor Secretary Tom Perez to lead the party, the corporate wing still thinks it can rebuild the party by branding itself as progressive. (New Democratic Party chief Tom Perez, with Ellison as deputy, vows to take the fight to Trump, Feb. 25)

Party insiders have learned nothing from Sen. Bernie Sanders near-upset of Hillary Clintons coronation. The party also recommitted to accepting corporate donations. This reflects Clintons big-donor fundraising model, embracing the hypocrisy and corruption embedded in it.

Also, entrenched Democratic political operatives will keep their jobs. They stood to lose lucrative party contracts if the progressive wing had prevailed.

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President Trump didnt win; the Democrats lost by continuing Bill and Hillary Clintons fake left, move right opportunism. This will not fix the broken Democratic Party or win elections.

David M. Dozier, Encinitas

..

To the editor: I thought journalism school taught that the opening sentence of a news article should go to the heart of the story, yet this time that wasnt disclosed until the articles final sentence. The more I read about politics and the establishment always prevailing, the more nauseous I become.

The final sentence reads, Perez was encouraged to run against [Rep. Keith] Ellison by some Obama allies who stood to lose lucrative party contracts in a takeover by the Sanders faction.

Trumps congratulatory tweet could not have been more apt: I could not be happier for him, or for the Republican Party!

Roger Schwarz, Los Angeles

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
To the editor: President Trumps reprehensible statement Tuesday blaming the epidemic of bomb threats against Jewish community centers and desecrations of Jewish cemeteries on a possible reverse (false flag) operation suggests that he cannot distinguish fact from fiction. (More bomb threats at Jewish schools and community centers, and another Jewish cemetery is vandalized, Feb. 27)

Presidential inaugural addresses often set the theme for a presidency. Thomas Jefferson, extolling American liberty, lauded the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it. Abraham Lincoln, facing civil war, asked Americans to be guided by the better angels of our nature. Franklin D. Roosevelt, defying the Great Depression, insisted that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Trump, by contrast, evoked American carnage. His improved tone in Tuesday nights speech didnt moderate the message.

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Stephen A. Silver, San Francisco

..

To the editor: The point is not that Trump is anti-Semitic. It is that he enables it, accepts it in his supporters and thus spreads it and other forms of bigotry.

Paul Malykont, Los Osos

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
The Trump administrations plan for putting hundreds of thousands of recent migrants in the country illegally onto a fast track for deportation is likely to trigger the next major legal battle over immigration enforcement.

Judges have put on hold the presidents temporary ban on travel to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries. That executive order, as originally proposed, could have affected tens of thousands of travelers and U.S. visa holders.

But the administrations efforts to step up immigration enforcement and streamline deportation  outlined in memos from Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly  could affect far more people, including potentially most of the estimated 11 million immigrants living illegally in the United States.

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One part of that effort  the expanded use of what the law refers to as expedited removal  is almost certain to face a constitutional challenge in the courts.

Until now, this fast-track process has been used to hold and quickly send back migrants who were picked up within days of having crossed the border. The legal justification has been that those people, having just entered the country illegally, had no legal rights, except perhaps to request asylum from persecution in their home country.

Noncitizens living in the country illegally can be arrested and held for deportation, but they have had a right to a full hearing before an immigration judge before they can be removed from the U.S. At such a hearing, they may rely on the help of a lawyer and can argue they have family and work ties here. If a ruling goes against them, they may appeal in the immigration courts and in federal court. The process typically takes years.

In his Feb. 20 memo, however, Kelly complained the immigration courts were clogged and the removal process was too cumbersome, and he called for a new approach.

The surge of illegal immigration at the southern border has overwhelmed the system, he said. There are more than 534,000 cases currently pending on immigration courts dockets nationwide  a record high. In some areas, he said, it takes as long as five years for a case to be heard by an immigration judge.

To speed up deportations, Kelly proposed to use expedited removal, with no hearings before a judge, for those immigrants who cannot prove they have been continuously present in the United States for a two-year period prior to their arrest. The new procedures would not be limited to border areas and could be used to deport immigrants living in the interior of the country.

Kelly said the law since 1996 has authorized the government to remove aliens expeditiously, and he said his agents shall make full use of these authorities.

Immigrants rights advocates voiced alarm. The American Immigration Council said this approach means a Homeland Security agent operates as prosecutor and judge and often arrests an individual and orders him or her deported on the same day. With limited exceptions, the government takes the position that noncitizens subject to expedited removal have no right to appeal.

Civil liberties lawyers also call that proposal unconstitutional, and they expect to sue if the Trump administration puts the new policy into effect.

We believe expedited removal fails to afford a meaningful opportunity to defend oneself, and that, whatever its validity when employed at the border, it would be unconstitutional as applied to those living among us who are entitled to full due process protection, said David D. Cole, national legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union.

The Supreme Court has repeatedly said that immigrants, even those who are here illegally, are protected by the Constitutions guarantee of due process of law.

The justices cite the 5th Amendment, which says, No person shall be  deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law. Because the language refers to no person, not to no citizen, its protections cover even one whose presence in this country is unlawful, involuntary or transitory, the court said unanimously in 1976.

But how much process is due for immigrants who entered illegally or overstayed their visas remains a gray area, said UCLA law professor Hiroshi Motomura.

Its possible that a court might find that a full immigration court hearing isnt constitutionally required, he said. But it is also possible that a single field agent making the decision is constitutionally deficient.

Jessica Vaughan, policy director for the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates for reducing the level of immigration to the U.S., said the Trump administration is simply following the law.

Expedited removal is a form of due process provided by Congress, she said. People who did not enter the country legally have no plausible claim to be able to stay. It doesnt make sense to let them prolong their stay by asking for a court date.

But Peter Margulies, who teaches immigration law at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island, said due process of law usually refers to the right to a hearing. An immigrant who is arrested should get a fair chance to present her case. And that means an adversarial hearing before an immigration judge, he said. The expanded expedited removal contemplated by the DHS memo is a recipe for runaway discretion.

Still, he said he was not confident the Supreme Court would see it that way. This could be a 4-4 split, and it will be up to Justice (Anthony M.) Kennedy, he said.

By coincidence, the high court has two pending cases that turn on the constitutional rights of noncitizens. In a Los Angeles case, Jennings vs. Rodriguez, the justices will decide whether immigrants who are held for deportation have a right to a bail hearing after six months. The government is appealing a 9th Circuit Court ruling that these people have a right to be released on bond if they are not a flight risk and pose no danger.

And in Hernandez vs. Mesa, the court will decide whether the parents of a Mexican teenager can sue the U.S. agent who shot and killed their son as he stood in the concrete culvert that marks the border.

The rulings, due by June, may clarify the constitutional protections for immigrants, but that would be just a start, said Cornell law professor Stephen Yale-Loehr.

These executive orders have not received the same media attention as the presidents travel bans. But they will eventually impact millions of more people. Many more people will be detained and deported, he said.

And we will be litigating this for years.

david.savage@latimes.com

On Twitter: DavidGSavage

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Working from a 24th-floor office in Manhattans Trump Tower, Felix Sater spent years trying to line up lucrative deals in the United States, Russia and elsewhere in Europe with Donald Trumps real estate organization.

For much of that time, according to court records and U.S. officials, Sater also worked as a confidential informant for the FBI, and  he says  U.S. intelligence.

I was building Trump Towers by day and hunting Bin Laden by night, Sater, now 50, told the Los Angeles Times in a phone interview from New York.

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As managing director of Bayrock Group LLC, a real estate development firm, the Russian-born businessman met Trump in 2003, court records show, when Trump was looking to expand his business and branding organization around the globe.

Although few projects were built, Sater worked on hotel and condominium deals with the Trump Organization through 2010 in New York, Florida, Arizona, London, Moscow and elsewhere even as he secretly helped the FBI infiltrate and take down organized crime figures, according to court records.

Trump has denied they were close, but Sater had access to Trumps inner circle as recently as this year.

In January, Sater and Trumps personal attorney, Michael Cohen, met in a New York hotel with a Ukrainian lawmaker who asked them to bring the White House a pro-Russian peace deal for Ukraine.

I was only trying to stop a war, Sater said of his role linking the lawmaker, Andrei Artemenko, with Cohen.

The New York Times, which first reported the meeting, quoted Cohen as saying he gave the envelope containing the proposal to Michael Flynn, then Trumps national security advisor, but Cohen now denies delivering it.

I acknowledge that the brief meeting took place, but emphatically deny discussing this topic or delivering any documents to the White House and/or General Flynn, Cohen wrote in an email to the Los Angeles Times.

The White House has no record of receiving the Ukraine peace proposal, according to spokesman Michael Short. He also said that no one in the White House had discussed the matter with Cohen.

There is no question that Sater led a double life during the years he worked with the Trump Organization.

In 1998, Sater pleaded guilty to a federal charge of racketeering for his role in a Mafia-linked $40-million stock fraud scheme. He quickly cut a deal, agreeing to become a secret FBI informant in hopes of getting a lenient sentence.

Court records were sealed to protect Saters identity, so his role in the fraud case stayed secret for a decade while he was at Bayrock. After a court hearing in 2009, he was fined $25,000 but was not sent to prison or ordered to pay restitution.

At his sentencing hearing, several FBI officials vouched for Saters help. He got his biggest endorsement in January 2015 when Loretta Lynch was asked at her Senate confirmation hearing for U.S. attorney general why court records had been sealed in the fraud case.

Sater had secretly worked with federal prosecutors and the FBI for more than 10 years, providing information crucial to national security and the conviction of over 20 individuals, including those responsible for committing massive financial fraud and members of La Cosa Nostra  the Mafia  according to Lynch, who had served as U.S. attorney in the Eastern District in New York.

Saters lawyer, Robert W. Wolf, gives his client more credit, saying he worked with numerous U.S. national security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Sater says he helped hunt Americas greatest enemies in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

There is no independent verification of those assertions.

Former CIA officials who worked in counter-terrorism and Russian affairs said they never heard of Sater and doubt his cloak-and-dagger claims of chasing down terrorists.

We should not take this guys statements at face value, said Glenn Carle, a former CIA operations officer who retired in 2007. There are all sorts of people who seek protection by wrapping themselves in the American and CIA flags.

A spokesman for the CIA declined to comment.

Saters business history with Trump is well documented, however.

In their first deal, in November 2003, the Trump Organization and Bayrock announced plans to build a 19-story condominium tower and hotel complex in Phoenix.

Residents who objected that the project was too large forced a citywide referendum to block construction, however. Trump pulled out in 2005, and the project was never built.

The following year, Bayrock licensed Trumps name and began construction of a 24-story hotel and condominium complex in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The project ran out of money and was hit by lawsuits and claims of fraud by buyers. Trump was dropped from the lawsuits after asserting he was not the developer and was not responsible for the problems.

The Trump Organization and Bayrock developed the Trump Soho hotel in Lower Manhattan starting in 2006. Sater appeared with Trump at a launch party in September 2007.

Sater left Bayrock the following year after news stories first revealed his criminal record. He continued to work with the Trump Organization  he had business cards that called him a special advisor and kept his offices in Trump Tower  trying to put together real estate deals through 2010.

Sater said he had signed several development deals with Trumps company, including one for a Trump Tower in Moscow, but none were built.

We were looking to do deals in various capitals, in London, Paris  we had no special affinity for Moscow, Sater said in the interview.

Sater says he was still pitching deals to the Trump Organization in 2015. A lawyer for the Trump company did not return requests for comment.

In a sworn deposition in 2013 in a civil suit, Trump said he barely knew Sater.

If he were sitting in the room right now, I really wouldnt know what he looked like, Trump said.

Short, the White House spokesman, declined to comment on Saters role as an FBI informant or on Trumps relationship with him.

Born in Russia, Sater grew up in Brighton Beach, a gritty Brooklyn neighborhood known for its large Russian community, after his father emigrated from the Soviet Union in 1972.

Sater became a licensed stock broker, but he stabbed a man with a broken margarita glass during a bar fight in 1991. He was convicted of felony assault and served about a year in prison.

During his years as an informant, Sater sometimes confided in his rabbi  who thought he was making up his exploits.

I thought perhaps he had watched too many James Bond movies and read one too many Tom Clancy novels, Rabbi Shalom M. Paltiel said in a 2014 speech naming Sater man of the year for his service to his Chabad congregation on Long Island.

Paltiel said Sater then invited him to a secret thank-you ceremony at a federal building in New York.

To my amazement I see dozens of U.S. intelligence officers, from all the various three-letter intelligence agencies of this country, including some I had never even known existed, Paltiel said in a video posted by Sater. Their accounts were more fantastic and more unbelievable than anything hed been telling me.

Several lawsuits paint a less flattering portrait of Sater, however.

In one, Ernest Mennes, an investor in the Phoenix project, sued Sater and Bayrock in Arizona Superior Court in 2007, alleging that they had skimmed an unspecified amount of money and that Sater had threatened to kill Mennes if he disclosed Saters criminal record.

Sater angrily denied the allegation. You think Im doing Trump Towers [deals] and telling someone I would  cut their legs off? Are you crazy? he said in the interview

Bayrock settled the case for an undisclosed amount. In an interview, Mennes praised Sater, saying he served the U.S. well and was a great partner.

joseph.tanfani@latimes.com

Twitter: @jtanfani

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Clad in an olive-green flight jacket, President Trump strode onto the sprawling flight deck of the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier docked off of Newport News, Va., calling the new $12.9-billion ship an emblem for his plans to pump $54 billion into the military.

It is a monument to American might that will provide the strength necessary to ensure peace, he told a cheering crowd of uniformed sailors and Marines this week.

Yet even as Trump invokes former President Reagans peace through strength doctrine, few in the military policy community know what Trump really wants to do with the proposed 10% annual budget increase or what vision he holds for the armed forces.

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Though Trump repeatedly has called for a military buildup, he spent much of his campaign promising to pull back from the type of expensive commitments and endeavors that would require such a large expansion. He pledged an America First policy and complained bitterly that trillions of dollars spent fighting wars in the Middle East could have been used to rebuild the homeland.

This is a fairly raw grab for money, said Gordon Adams, a senior budget official for national security under President Clinton who worked on the issue for President Obamas transition after the 2008 election. It is based largely on symbolism.

Trump floated some spending ideas promoted by a conservative think tank during his campaign, including troop increases of more than 100,000. And the military has several costly projects that could put the cash to use. But if Trump really wants to force allies in Europe and Asia to shoulder more of their own defense burden  as he asserted during the campaign  he may not need all these projects, analysts say.

This is a strategy-budget mismatch within the Trump administration, said Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. A lot of the rhetoric suggests he wants to do less, but in the budget says he wants to do more. Which is it?

Trumps discourse on the topic has vexed observers. During the campaign, Trump called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization designed to protect European allies obsolete and demanded repeatedly that member nations pay a larger share of their defense expenses. He made similar demands of Japan and other Asian allies. He also criticized both Democrats and Republicans for spending trillions of dollars on operations in the Middle East and southwest Asia.

If I become president, the era of nation-building will be brought to a very swift and decisive end, he said during an August policy address in Ohio.

At the same time, Trump has called for a bigger military that can start winning wars again.

Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly said he wants to limit foreign engagement in order to avoid costly ground wars but believes a more muscular military will deter foes.

Hopefully, its power we dont have to use, Trump said aboard the aircraft carrier Thursday, praising the ships size and strength. But if we do, theyre in big, big trouble.

He backed NATO more strongly in an address to Congress on Tuesday night, adding further complications to his ambitions.

Trump has compared his peace through strength mantra to Reagans. But Reagan engaged deeply in the world stage during the Cold War. And todays threats from Russia, China and non-state terrorist organizations differ from the singular threat posed by the former Soviet Union, which was met by a long-term deterrence strategy. The U.S. already has the worlds strongest and costliest military.

Does a larger military deter ISIS? I dont think so, Harrison said, using an acronym for the Islamic State militant group.

Harrison said that Trumps recent embrace of NATO coupled with his spending plans for the Pentagon could mean that Trump, whose Cabinet is stocked with former generals, is shifting toward more engagement in the world.

Obama, who held a more traditional foreign policy view, also requested more money to rebuild the military, though not as much as Trump, and demanded that it be coupled with increases in domestic spending.

Trumps $54 billion request is viewed by many as an opening bid. Analysts expect Congress will indeed increase the Pentagons budget, though no one knows the final number.

Hawks in the GOP, led by Arizona Sen. John McCain, have said Trump is not spending enough.

The U.S. Army has spent the last 16 years fighting terrorists and guerrillas, said Loren Thompson, the chief operating officer of the Lexington Institute, who shares McCains view. It just doesnt have the items it needs to fight a tank war or an air war against the Russians in Europe. Its tanks need to be upgraded. Its air defenses need to be better. It needs to be able to counter Russian cyber-attacks.

The extent of the needs would be the subject of fierce debate under any circumstances. Though many Democrats would also like to spend more on the military, they and many Republicans would be unlikely to go along with Trumps demand that it be paid for with sharp cuts to domestic programs that protect the environment, help local communities and serve the poor. Some conservative Republicans may resist attempts to spend more money on any government programs.

Defense Secretary James Mattis is expected to complete a spending plan outlining specific needs over the next few months. He will have plenty of options.

The Pentagon is headlong into the decade-long process of developing a new stealth bomber, dubbed the B-21 Raider, and replacing the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine. The Air Force late last year started assessments of a new intercontinental ballistic missile.

The cost of the modernization is estimated to approach $1 trillion over the next 30 years, with much of it coming within the next decade.

The Navy completed an assessment late last year that concluded it needed to increase the current fleet size to 355 in order to meet the rising number of mission requirements across the globe. The Navy would have to spend $25 billion a year for 30 years to reach that goal, according to a Congressional Budget Office report released last month.

The Navy currently has 274 ships in its inventory, which includes 11 carriers once the Gerald R. Ford joins the fleet. It last had 350 ships in 1998, when it also had 12 carriers. The decrease is due in part to advancing technologies and capabilities, but also rising costs of maintaining the ships.

noah.bierman@latimes.com

Twitter: @noahbierman

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Shortly after Jeff Sessions swore his oath as attorney general, former staffers gathered in the Oval Office alongside him and President Trump for a photo. Missing, one noticed, was Stephen Miller, whod left Sessions Senate office to join Trumps campaign and is now the presidents chief policy advisor.

Trump enthusiastically summoned Miller to join them, saying that without this aide whod worked at Sessions side for years, he wouldnt have been elected president.

That a former aide is now in a powerful West Wing position demonstrates how Sessions has so stocked Trumps administration with allies and loyalists that his influence is unlikely to be diminished, even as he finds himself under fire for failing to disclose meetings last year with a Russian official. Sessions said Thursday that he would recuse himself from the investigation of Russian interference in the presidential election.

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Sessions swearing-in marked the culmination of an unlikely partnership between Trump, the brash and burly New York businessman, and Sessions, an elfin Southerner, that brought each from the fringes of the Republican Party to the center of national power.

And though Sessions doesnt approach you as someone whos going to deliver a knockout punch, he and Trump share a commitment to advancing their agenda of economic populism and tough immigration enforcement, said David Horowitz, a conservative author and head of the Los Angeles-based Freedom Center, who has grown close to Miller and Sessions.

The Republican modus operandi was to get out of the way when you were attacked, he said. Weve reached a turning point in which people are fed up with it and are tired of it.

Early in the campaign, Sessions saw in Trump a willingness to unapologetically express hard-line views on immigration, as Sessions himself had for years, and the potential for Trumps charisma and message to win him the presidency. He endorsed Trump before anyone else in the Senate, amid the heat of the primary season in early 2016, giving Trump the credibility that came from a senators backing. It came just before the so-called SEC Primary of mostly Southern states in which Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was thought to have the edge among Republicans.

Sessions also brought to the relationship deep knowledge of the inner workings of Washington and Congress, as well as a roster of staff who understood the machinery of the Justice Department and immigration agencies well enough to bend the bureaucracy to their will.

In addition to Miller, whom Trump hired in January of last year, Sessions former chief of staff, Rick Dearborn, is running the White Houses legislative outreach to Capitol Hill. The Sessions orbit also extends into federal agencies; former staffer Gene Hamilton is crafting the plans for implementing Trumps immigration orders at the Department of Homeland Security.

Though the two men joined forces only a year ago, Sessions and Trump first met more than a decade earlier, in 2005. Then, it was the Alabama senator who needed Trumps expertise.

The price tag for a planned renovation of the United Nations headquarters, estimated at $1.2 billion, seemed well beyond what U.S. taxpayers should be asked to guarantee, in Sessions view. And in researching the issue, he discovered that the citys most prominent real estate developer had himself cast doubt on the sky-high figure. Sessions invited Trump to join him in testifying before a Senate subcommittee investigating the issue.

Mr. Trump built the brand-new, top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art, 90-story Trump World Tower almost across the street for $350 million, Sessions said, injecting a bit of Trump-esque hyperbole into the proceeding.  How could this renovation cost $1.2 billion?

Trump followed soon after and delivered what Sessions later called a tutorial over the nuts and bolts of New York real estate and construction, a perspective that led him to conclude the project could be done for just over half the price.

Trump, who was gaining greater prominence beyond New York by then for his new and successful prime-time reality show, The Apprentice, said he had raised his concerns directly with the U.N.s leadership, and was pleased to have been summoned to meet with then-Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

I felt like a head of state, Trump said.

But Trump said he recognized he had been invited by Annan mainly for a photo op, and his offers for experienced counsel went unheeded.

It would be 2013 that marked a turning point for Trump and Sessions. After President Obamas reelection, the Republican National Committee commissioned a review of the campaign that recommended, among other things, that the partys path back to the White House depended on more moderate approaches to policy  first and foremost, immigration.

Leading Republicans partnered with Democrats in the Senate that year on a comprehensive reform bill that spelled out conditions for a 10-year path to legal status for undocumented immigrants while also enhancing border security. But as it gained momentum on both sides of the aisle, Sessions emerged as its chief critic.

By years end, no other lawmaker would log as much time speaking on the Senate floor as Sessions. At the same time, Trump, discreetly testing a presidential run, was seizing on the issue in new forums of his own. In one interview that summer with Breitbart News  an emerging force for opponents to the bill and the website whose executive chairman, Stephen K. Bannon, would become chief White House strategist  Trump said that supporting the proposal was a death wish for Republicans.

A country that does not control or respect its own borders is a country destined for failure, he tweeted as the legislation was nearing the finish line. Secure our borders!

But politics still wasnt his primary focus. The next night Trump posted this: The Miss Universe Pageant will be broadcast live from MOSCOW, RUSSIA on November 9th. A big deal that will bring our countries together!

Times staff writers Del Quentin Wilber and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

michael.memoli@latimes.com

Twitter: @mikememoli

brian.bennett@latimes.com

Twitter: @bybrianbennett

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For the second time in a month, evasiveness over meetings with Russias ambassador to Washington, D.C., has complicated life for the Trump administration.

Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions failure to disclose his meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak closely paralleled a similar lapse by former national security advisor Michael Flynn.

In both cases, a major question remains: Since the meetings, themselves, appear not to have been illegal or inappropriate, why dissemble about them?

Good afternoon, Im David Lauter, Washington bureau chief. Welcome to the Friday edition of our Essential Politics newsletter, in which we look at the events of the week in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere in national politics and highlight some particularly insightful stories.

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EVASION TAKES A TOLL

This week started out well for President Trump. His address to a joint session of Congress, notably less divisive in tone than his last two major speeches, got warm reviews, reassured nervous Republican members of Congress and, to the relief of White House aides, left a sometimes fretful president in a good mood. [Heres an annotated transcript, and Mark Barabaks look at how red and blue America heard very different speeches.]

The speech left a lot of important questions unanswered, as Cathy Decker wrote, but nonetheless, White House officials considered it a hit. Hoping to ride a wave of good publicity  something theyve not had much of  White House officials postponed plans for a Wednesday release of the revised version of the presidents temporary ban on travel from seven mostly Muslim countries. The day, they hoped, would be dominated by reprises of Trumps speech.

That hope lasted a few hours.

Wednesday evening, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal both reported that Sessions had met at least twice with Kislyak, contradicting his statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee at his confirmation hearing that I did not have communications with the Russians. [Want to know more about Kislyak? Check out Laura Kings profile of the Russian ambassador.]

With leading Democrats accusing Sessions of lying under oath and nervous Republicans offering tentative defenses, the story quickly dominated Washington. [Need a refresher on the basic facts of the case? Noah Bierman wrote this helpful Q and A. And Sarah Wire wrote this about why Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) has gone further than other Republicans in calling for an independent investigation.]

By Thursday afternoon, Sessions had announced his decision to step aside from any further involvement in the investigation of Russian interference in last years presidential election.

In one sense, Sessions and the administration escaped the storm with little damage  Justice Department rules made clear that even without the Kislyak meetings, the attorney general sooner or later was going to have to recuse himself from the case.

Sessions himself summed up the reason succinctly: I should not be involved in investigating a campaign I had a role in, he said.

The recusal decision fended off much worse outcomes for the administration  blunting calls for an independent counsel to lead the investigation or for Sessions resignation. Losing him would have been a huge blow.

Still, the incident clearly did damage. Beyond blotting out the presidents speech, it added more impetus to Democratic calls for a free-ranging congressional investigation into what Russia did in the election and whether any Trump associates colluded with Moscow.

[Among the Trump associates whose name keeps popping up is a Russian-born businessman named Felix Sater with a complex past. Joe Tanfani and David Cloud took a close look at a man who has hovered near Trump for years and whose connections have intrigued investigators.]

Sessions statements also damaged his reputation.

All of which raises the question: Why didnt Sessions simply disclose the meetings with Kislyak in the first place?

The attorney generals explanation on Thursday  that he was taken aback by the question he was asked by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and responded too hastily  left a lot unanswered.

To start, Frankens question, about what Sessions would do if he discovered that any of Trumps associates had been communicating with the Russians during the campaign, hardly came out of left field. By the time of Sessions confirmation hearing, on Jan. 10, the issue of Russian involvement in the campaign had been a matter of heated public debate for at least two months.

The hearing came less than two weeks after President Obama had expelled 35 Russian diplomats and imposed other sanctions to punish Russia for its actions during the election.

And even if Sessions was caught off guard by the question, he had two opportunities to correct the misleading impression he provided the Judiciary committee: Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) sent Sessions written follow-up questions, and witnesses in confirmation hearings always have a period of time to correct the official record after a hearing. Thats done precisely in order to take care of situations in which a momentary lapse causes a witness to misstate an important fact.

Sessions could have told the committee what his spokesperson, Sarah Flores, said on Wednesday night  that as a senator, he had met with two dozen ambassadors during 2016, and Kislyak was one of them. That would have generated some headlines, of course, but they would have been far milder than what happened this week.

Sessions failure to straightforwardly account for his meetings is where his conduct resembles Flynns. The former national security advisor met with Kislyak on Dec. 29, the day the Obama sanctions were announced. When the fact of that meeting became public in a Washington Post column on Jan. 12, Flynn misled his colleagues about what he discussed. He stuck to his false story for weeks until news reports left Trump little choice but to fire him.

In both cases, the known facts leave a key question unanswered: If nothing nefarious happened in the meetings  and no evidence indicates otherwise  why dissemble?

Neither Sessions nor Flynn, nor the White House, has provided a convincing explanation of their actions, so were left to speculate. Whatever the answer  whether hubris, inattention to detail, lack of experienced staff or a desire to skirt the truth when possible  senior Trump administration have now made questions about their judgment and truthfulness relevant twice in a month. Its a risky pattern.

A KEY ADVISOR AND A WEB OF FORMER AIDES

As Mike Memoli and Brian Bennett reported, Sessions is more than just the administrations chief legal officer, hes one of Trumps closest and most influential advisors on a wide range of policies. To see why Sessions has such influence, check out this visualization of how a network of his former aides is spread across key parts of the administration.

His influence is especially strong on immigration, the issue on which Sessions had the most impact in his final years in the Senate. Trumps key aide, domestic policy advisor Stephen Miller, came from Sessions staff.

As Bennett wrote, Miller and Trumps chief strategist, Steve Bannon, believe that current high levels of immigration are dangerous for the U.S. The ultimate goal of the immigration policies they have pushed is to reverse long-standing trends that have made the U.S. less white and more ethnically diverse.

Meantime, Trump, who sees himself as a deal maker, has been suggesting he might be angling for a deal on immigration. Bennett sifted through the presidents recent statements to look at the possibilities.

And as we await the administrations new version of its travel ban, David Savage examined whats likely to be the next major legal battleground over the administrations immigration policies: Trumps effort to put hundreds of thousands of deportation proceedings on a fast track.

OBAMACARE 101

The debate over how  or whether  to repeal Obamas signature healthcare law is moving toward a potentially decisive state. House Republicans plan to unveil their proposal next week.

As Noam Levey wrote, the plans include some potential political time bombs for the GOP. That realization has started to spread on Capitol Hill, making the Republican majority increasingly nervous about the whole idea.

Congressional Republicans are anxiously looking to the White House to publicly provide them both leadership and a heat shield on the issue. So far, theyre not seeing much, which has increased their anxiety level, Lisa Mascaro reported.

As the debate heats up, Levey has been writing a series of pieces explaining key issues. This weeks installment: What might happen to benefits for millions of Americans on Medicaid?

DISMANTLING ENVIRONMENTAL RULES

The new EPA chief, Scott Pruitt, is moving quickly to start dismantling key environmental policies. At the top of the list, Evan Halper wrote, is a rule designed to protect streams and wetlands.

Farm groups, developers and other business interests have long argued the rule would give Washington too much power over local land-use decisions. But as Halper noted, dismantling the rule could take years.

Halper also looked at a special election coming up in Georgia that could be an important barometer of Trumps standing with voters. The election will fill the vacancy left in Congress because of Tom Prices appointment to be secretary of Health and Human Services. Democrats believe they have a shot in Prices old district, a suburban area that has long been Republican, but which has soured on Trump.

ALL THE PRESIDENTS TWEETS

Twitter has long been Trumps favored means of pushing his message. Were compiling all of Trumps tweets. Its a great resource. Take a look.

LOGISTICS

That wraps up this week. My colleague Sarah Wire will be back Monday with the weekday edition of Essential Politics. Until then, keep track of all the developments in national politics and the Trump administration with our Essential Washington blog, at our Politics page and on Twitter @latimespolitics.

Send your comments, suggestions and news tips to politics@latimes.com.

If you like this newsletter, tell your friends to sign up.

David.lauter@latimes.com

@davidlauter
Its a time of looming tuition bumps, soaring student debt and a national debate on free college thats lingered beyond the 2016 presidential race  and lawmakers in Sacramento have taken notice.

California legislators have introduced at least three dozen bills this year that aim to make college more affordable, including proposals to freeze tuition, demystify student loan statements and make textbooks cheaper.

The breadth of ideas points to an unusual degree of attention being paid in the Capitol to higher education costs.

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I dont think weve ever seen more focus on college affordability than we do now, said Debbie Cochrane, vice president of the Institute for College Access & Success, a nonprofit advocacy group.

The attention from lawmakers reflects a growing worry from their constituents over the price of a higher education.

A survey in December from the Public Policy Institute of California found that 57% of adults believed affordability was a big problem for the states public colleges and universities. Nearly three-quarters of those polled said they believed the high costs were preventing qualified and motivated students from going to college.

Mark Baldassare, president of PPIC, said the sentiments could be seen as echoes of the 2016 presidential race, particularly the Democratic primary in which Bernie Sanders made calls for tuition-free public colleges and universities a centerpiece of his campaign.

This was a year in which people heard a lot of things about the need for college and the need for free community college, Baldassare said.

The issue became even more visible as California institutions considered their first tuition hikes in six years. University of California regents approved a 2.5% tuition increase in January. California State University trustees are examining boosting tuition on their campuses by 5%.

In response, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) introduced AB 393, a measure that would freeze Cal State and community college tuition, and encourage UC campuses to do the same.

Other legislators want to increase state-funded aid such as Cal Grants, a three-tiered system that comprises a mix of entitlements for certain eligible students and competitive awards.

Californias existing aid programs currently top $2 billion, according to the Legislative Analysts Office. More than 60% of Cal State students have their full tuition covered, as do around half of UC and community college students.

Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) wants to eliminate community college tuition in the first year for all full-time students. Santiago said his proposal, AB 19, was inspired by his own background as the child of immigrant parents whose time at Moorpark College enabled him to transfer to UCLA.

There are a lot of students with histories and backgrounds like mine, Santiago said. Community college is really that one opportunity theyre going to have to make something out of their lives and share in the California dream.

The affordability debate extends beyond the sticker price of tuition. The spate of proposals this year reflects a more holistic conversation about the numerous living expenses and equipment costs that are part of a college education.

Its almost taken as a given that the cost of college was about a lot more than tuition. I dont know if we wouldve had the same discussion years ago in the same way, said Jacob Jackson, a higher education research fellow at PPIC.

The broader focus is a good thing, Jackson added. Tuition is about 30 to 40% of attending public college in California.

Prompted by a request last year by Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), the Legislative Analysts Office examined what it would take to make Cal State and UC schools entirely debt-free for students. Researchers estimated it would take $3.3 billion to ensure students would not have to take on debt for tuition or living expenses.

While no measures this year take such a sweeping step, several legislators seek to chip away at some of the costs associated with college. One measure, AB 960 by Assemblyman William P. Brough (R-Dana Point), would exempt higher education textbooks from sales tax. And Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) plans to push for emergency financial assistance for students to offset unexpected housing and other living costs.

Other lawmakers hope to assist those already burdened with debt. With SB 674, state Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) wants to create a public program for refinancing high-interest private student loans. A measure by Assemblyman Ian Calderon (D-Whittier), AB 1178, would require colleges to send students personalized reports detailing their cumulative loan amounts and the percentage of federal borrowing limits they have reached.

Calderon, 31, said student loans  which have topped $1 trillion nationally  are the top policy concern for millennial lawmakers like himself.

Were just watching a financial crisis getting ready to smack us in the face, he said.

Creative policymaking aside, legislators acknowledge the college affordability dilemma largely boils down to money in the state budget.

Theres been a relentless disinvestment in higher education, said Allen, who chairs the Senate Education Committee. Its a travesty.

Gov. Jerry Browns initial budget plan unveiled in January modestly boosts overall higher education spending. But it would phase out a scholarship geared toward middle-class families, arguing that aid should be directed toward Californias neediest students. The spending plan also would decrease Cal Grants for private institutions by 11%.

With the states fiscal outlook potentially strained, advocates say lawmakers will have to wrestle with what kind of aid programs should be prioritized  a debate that is significantly more nuanced than the rallying cry of free college.

The things that are going to help students most are not the things that are easiest to grasp. A good policy is often thorny, Cochrane said.

Attention on the problem is a really good thing, she added. But its incumbent upon all of us to work toward what are the real solutions and not just the soundbites.

melanie.mason@latimes.com

Follow @melmason on Twitter for the latest on California politics.

Heres what would it take to give California students a debt-free college education

UC regents approve first tuition increase after six-year freeze; some students infuriated

If Brown phases out college scholarships for middle-class students, stressed parents wonder: How are we going to make this work?
Adam Schiff views documents White House says back Trump surveillance claim By Michael A. Memoli (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) traveled to the White House Friday to view documents President Trump has said partially vindicate his claim that his predecessor ordered surveillance of him during the campaign. In a statement, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said he was told they were precisely the same materials viewed previously by the committees chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), which Schiff said should now be shared with the full panel membership. Nothing I could see today warranted a departure from the normal review procedures, Schiff said, adding that he could not discuss the contents of the documents, which remain classified. Nunes was shown the documents last week by White House officials surreptitiously, then announced to reporters the next day that he needed urgently to go to the White House to brief Trump about them. Schiff, in his statement, said that the White House has yet to explain why senior White House staff apparently shared these materials with but one member of either [Intelligence] committee, only for their contents to be briefed back to the White House. Schiff also had a brief but cordial meeting with Trump during his time at the White House, a spokesman said. White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters earlier Friday that other Democrats have been invited to the White House to view the materials, which he said would shed light on their investigation. Both the House and Senate Intelligence Committees are conducting separate reviews of Russian interference into the 2016 election; Trump has asked each panel to also probe his own claim that his predecessor engaged in wire tapping of his phones at Trump Tower during the campaign, an assertion that has been denied by Nunes as well as the heads of the FBI and intelligence agencies. Facebook

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Mnuchin regrets plugging The Lego Batman Movie, pledges to exercise greater caution in the future By Jim Puzzanghera Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Friday told a top government ethics official he should not have publicly plugged The Lego Batman Movie  a film in which he has a financial stake  and promised to exercise greater caution in the future. I take very seriously my ethical responsibilities as a presidential appointee and the head of the Department of the Treasury, Mnuchin wrote to Walter Shaub, director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. On Monday, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) asked Shaub to determine whether Mnuchin had committed an ethics violation last week when he discussed the movie during an event hosted by the Axios news website that aired on C-SPAN2. Read More Facebook

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Rep. Adam Schiff says its too early to consider an immunity deal for Michael Flynn By Associated Press The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee says its too early to consider an immunity deal for President Trumps former national security advisor. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) says that Michael Flynn even discussing possible immunity in exchange for protection from prosecution is a grave and momentous step because of the seniority of his former position. Schiff says the House Intelligence Committee is interested in hearing Flynns story, but there would have to be coordination with the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Justice Department on the terms. The House and Senate intelligence committees and the FBI are investigating Russias meddling in the 2016 election. The investigation includes scrutiny of Flynns ties with Russia. Read More Facebook

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Trump administration admonishes California chief justice over claim that agents are stalking immigrants By Del Quentin Wilber U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions (Mark Wilson / Getty Images) The Trump administration on Friday fired back at Californias top judge, disputing her characterization this month that federal immigration agents were stalking courthouses to make arrests. In a letter to Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, leaders of Trumps Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security objected to her description of federal agents conduct. As the chief judicial officer of the state of California, your characterization of federal law enforcement is particularly troubling, wrote Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, objecting to Cantil-Sakauyes use of the word stalking. They said agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were using courthouses to arrest immigrants in the U.S. illegally, in part, because California and some of its local jurisdictions prohibit their officials from cooperating with federal agencies in detaining such immigrants under most conditions. Sessions and Kelly told Californias top judge that she should consider taking her concerns to Gov. Jerry Brown and the cities and counties that limit local law enforcements involvement with immigration agents. Cantil-Sakauye, a former prosecutor who rose through the judicial ranks as an appointee of Republican governors, said through a spokesman that she appreciated the Trump administrations admission that they are in state courthouses making federal arrests. Making arrests at courthouses, in my view, undermines public safety because victims and witnesses will fear coming to courthouses to help enforce the law, she said Friday. She expressed disappointment that courthouses, given local and state public safety concerns, were not listed as sensitive areas offlimits to agents. Federal policy lists schools, churches and hospitals as sensitive areas. The letter from the Justice Department officials defended the arrests of immigrants at courthouses. By apprehending suspects after they have passed through security screening at courthouses, federal agents are less likely to encounter anyone who is armed, the letter said. The arrest of individuals by ICE officers and agents is predicated on investigation and targeting of specific persons who have been identified by ICE and other law enforcement agencies as subject to arrest, they wrote. Cantil-Sakauye had asked the Trump administration on March 16 to stop immigration agents from seeking immigrants at the states courthouses. Courthouses should not be used as bait in the necessary enforcement of our countrys immigration laws, she wrote in a letter to Sessions and Kelly. Her letter did not say which courthouses had been the location of such stalking, but judges and lawyers in Southern California have complained of seeing immigration agents posted near courts. She said she feared the practice would erode public trust in the state courts. Sessions and Kelly urged Cantil-Sakauye to speak to Brown and other officials who have enacted policies that occasionally necessitate ICE officers and agents to make arrests at courthouses and other public places. Facebook

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Back in the spotlight, Hillary Clinton takes aim at Trumps budget By Evan Halper Hillary Clinton stepped back into the spotlight this week after laying relatively low since the election, and she had some advice for President Trump: Tear up the White House budget plan. Clinton was at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security to bestow an award named in her honor to Colombian leaders who helped bring an end to war in that country and elevate the role of women in the peace process. She spoke of the progress the world has made in advancing womens rights since she spoke forcefully on the issue two decades ago when the U.N. gathered world leaders to address it in Beijing. But she warned that progress is threatened by Trump. We are seeing signals of a shift that should alarm us all, Clinton said. This administrations proposed cuts to international health, development and diplomacy would be a blow to women and children and a grave mistake for our country. Clinton then raised the letter signed by 120 former generals and admirals beseeching the Trump administration not to make the cuts. These distinguished men and women who have served in uniform recognize that turning our back on diplomacy wont make our country safer. It will undermine our security and our standing in the world. A lot has changed since Clinton was on the campaign trail, but some things about her style on the stump havent. She pulled out a favorite line from last year as she began to talk about a study that backed up her point about the damage Trumps budget plan could do. Here I go again, Clinton said to whooping and cheering from an audience of mostly female students, talking about research evidence and facts. Facebook

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Seeking a way forward, Trump increasingly finds himself at odds with his own party By Michael A. Memoli (Evan Vucci / Associated Press ) President Trump won his office in spite of the best efforts of some in his party. Now, the tenuous nature of the bonds between Trump and the GOP are increasingly on public display as the president openly feuds with conservatives and White House officials debate whether to reach out to Democrats in order to restart his domestic agenda. The latest and strongest evidence came Thursday as Trump escalated his political battle against the members of the House Freedom Caucus, the conservative lawmakers who helped block the healthcare bill he backed. Early in the morning, he said on Twitter that the caucus would hurt the entire Republican agenda if they dont get on the team. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018! he added. It was an extraordinary message, suggesting that Trump might try to back challengers in primaries against lawmakers of his own party  something few presidents have tried, none with much success. Read More Facebook

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Tillerson tells NATO allies to pay more, do more to fight terrorism By Catherine Stupp Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday promised NATO allies that the United States will stand by their side but also expected them to spend more on defense and do more to fight terrorism. Tillerson participated in a day of discussions with foreign ministers from the 27 other NATO member nations, his first with the full roster of allies, who were sent scrambling last week to accommodate the top U.S. diplomat after he said he could not attend the meeting originally planned for early April. The United States is committed to ensuring NATO has the capabilities to support our collective defense. We understand that a threat against one of us is a threat against all of us, Tillerson said. But, he added, as President Trump has made clear, it is no longer sustainable for the U.S. to maintain a disproportionate share of NATOs defense expenditures. The United States is amping up pressure on NATO members to increase their defense spending to 2% of gross domestic product, in line with a 2014 agreement among the alliances 28 member countries to meet the target by 2024. Only five NATO countries meet the 2% threshold. The U.S. spends 3.61% of its GDP on defense, more than any other member of the alliance. Tillerson said that if countries have not met the 2% spending goal by the end of the year, they should at least have a concrete plan that clearly articulates how, with annual milestone progress commitments, the pledge will be fulfilled. Pressure to meet that strict deadline is likely to upset some allies. German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel told reporters before Fridays meeting that he thinks it would be completely unrealistic for Germany to bring its military defense spending up to 2% of GDP. I dont know any politician in Germany who thinks that this would be reachable or desirable, Gabriel said. Germany is increasing its military spending this year to $39 billion, or 1.2% of its GDP. Gabriel rejected the Trump administrations focus on military expenditures, arguing that humanitarian aid and Germanys spending to take in refugees should be considered part of the defense budget. Tillerson also called on allies to take a greater role in the fight against terrorism. NATO can and should do more, he said. Fighting terrorism is the top national security priority for the United States, as it should be for all of us. Tillersons earlier announcement that he would skip the meeting struck a nerve among the alliance members, coming at a sensitive time when tensions between the Trump administration and NATO allies have soared. The schedule change caused an awkward protocol shuffle, with a handful of foreign ministers unable to make it to Brussels. What was supposed to be a two-day meeting was compressed into half of a day. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg tried to cast optimism on the last-minute schedule change, calling it a sign of the strong transatlantic unity and flexibility of our alliance that we were able to find a date. The foreign ministers meeting is crucial because it lays the groundwork for a NATO summit with heads of state in May, which will be President Trumps first overseas trip since taking office. Tillersons day of talks at NATO headquarters in Brussels follows visits from Defense Secretary James Mattis and Vice President Mike Pence, who attempted to dispel fears that the Trump administration will seek to loosen ties with the alliance. Trump called NATO obsolete in an interview published days before his inauguration. He later insisted, during German Chancellor Angela Merkels visit to the White House earlier this month, that the U.S. will maintain its strong commitment to the alliance. Tillerson arrived in Brussels on Friday morning after meeting Thursday in Ankara, Turkey, with that countrys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to discuss terrorism and Syria, though the leaders failed to reach an agreement on how to combat Islamic State. Facebook

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Trump weighs in on Michael Flynns request for immunity President Trumps former national security advisor, retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, is seeking immunity from prosecution in return for testifying to the House and Senate intelligence committees, a congressional aide said. The development was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Gen. Flynn certainly had a story to tell, and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit, his lawyer, Robert Kelner, said in a statement. No reasonable person, who has the benefit of advice from counsel, would submit to questioning in such a highly politicized, witch-hunt environment without assurances from unfair prosecution. On Friday morning, Trump tweeted his support for Flynns request. Flynn was ousted as Trumps national security advisor last month after news reports disclosed that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about phone conversations with Sergey Kislyak, Russias ambassador to the U.S. The calls were picked up by U.S. surveillance targeting the Russian envoy, and a description of the contents was leaked to the Washington Post after the Justice Department warned the White House that Flynn could be subject to blackmail. Read More Facebook

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Former national security advisor Michael Flynn seeks immunity By David S. Cloud President Trumps former national security advisor, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, has been seeking immunity from prosecution in return for testifying to the House and Senate intelligence committees, a congressional official confirmed Thursday. The negotiations were first reported by the Wall Street Journal. In a statement, Flynns lawyer, Robert Kelner, said Gen. Flynn certainly had a story to tell and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit. No reasonable person, who has the benefit of advice from counsel, would submit to questioning in such a highly politicized, witch-hunt environment without assurances from unfair prosecution. Trump fired Flynn three weeks into the new administration after news reports disclosed that he had lied to White House colleagues, including Vice President Mike Pence, about his contacts with Sergey Kislyak, Russias ambassador to the U.S. In December, Flynn had telephone conversations with Kislyak in which he discussed sanctions that the Obama administration had recently imposed on Russia to punish Moscow for its interference in the 2016 presidential election. Flynn denied to Pence and other officials that he had discussed the sanctions with Kislyak. So far, the committees, which are investigating Russian interference and whether anyone close to Trump colluded with Moscow, have not taken Flynn up on his offer, the Journal reported. Facebook

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Trump administration appeals Hawaii judges order against travel ban By Jaweed Kaleem The Department of Justice has appealed a Hawaii court order that brought President Trumps travel ban to a national halt. The government has argued that the president was well within his authority to restrict travel from six Muslim-majority countries and put a pause on refugee resettlement. The appeal Thursday to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals came a day after U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson in Honolulu refused to dismiss his temporary block of the travel ban that he issued on March 15. With the appeal, the government is now fighting to reinstate the travel ban in two appeals courts on opposite ends of the country. That increases the likelihood that one of the cases will make it to the U.S. Supreme Court. Earlier this month, the Department of Justice appealed a Maryland district judges order against the travel ban to the U.S. 4th District Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va. Both rulings in Hawaii and Maryland said Trumps executive order discriminated against Muslims. Watson and U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland cited Trumps campaign promises to suspend Muslim travel to the U.S. as proof of his orders anti-Muslim bias. The Hawaii ruling is broader than the Maryland one. It blocks a 90-day pause on travel to the U.S. from nationals of six majority-Muslim countries and a 120-day moratorium on new refugee resettlement. The Maryland ruling only halted the ban on travel into the U.S. by citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The 9th Circuit, which has jurisdiction over nine Western states, is the same court where a panel of three judges denied a government request last month to reverse ruling against the first travel ban by a federal judge in Washington state. Trump, in turn, lambasted the bad court and signed a new executive order on travel on March 6 that was modified in an attempt to survive court challenges. Facebook

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Senate heads for nuclear option if Democrats filibuster Gorsuch nomination By Lisa Mascaro One of the Senates most serious jobs  confirming the presidents choice for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court  has devolved into a game of political chicken. Senators are heading toward an institution-defining showdown next week as Democrats promise to try to block President Trumps nominee, Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, with a filibuster, a rarely seen maneuver for high court appointments. Republicans are threatening to respond by changing long-standing Senate rules to circumvent the 60 votes that would be needed to overcome a filibuster. Instead they would allow confirmation with a simple majority. The outcome has the potential to not only shape the future of the Supreme Court  which has been without a full bench since the sudden death of Justice Antonin Scalia last year  it also could crush one final vestige of bipartisanship in the Senate, altering the upper chamber for years to come. The battle over the Supreme Court seat was always expected to be a partisan affair in todays heated political climate. But the polemics intensified after the Republican majority denied President Obamas nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, a confirmation hearing ahead of last years presidential election. Read More Facebook

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Scalias seat has been vacant longer than any Supreme Court justices in nearly 50 years By Colleen Shalby (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Its been more than 400 days since Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalias death left his seat vacant. With Republicans having blocked a vote on then-President Obamas nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, and with Senate Democrats now making plans to filibuster President Trumps nominee, Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, it could take even longer to replace Scalia. Its not unheard of for a justices seat to remain empty for a considerable amount of time. Pew Research Center did the math and found that the longest gap was 841 days, in the mid-1840s, from the time of Henry Baldwins death to his replacement Robert Griers confirmation. But the last time in recent history that a vacancys duration in this range occurred was after Abe Fortas resigned in 1969. It took 391 days to fill that seat, an interval that ended in 1970 when Harry Blackmun  the justice who authored the courts landmark opinion in Roe vs. Wade  was confirmed. Blackmun was President Nixons third pick to fill that seat. The second-longest vacancy in recent years occurred in 1988. It took 237 days to fill Lewis Powells seat after he retired, with Anthony Kennedy succeeding him. Its been 58 days and counting since Trump nominated Gorsuch. Heres how his waiting time from nomination to confirmation stacks up against the current justices: Elena Kagan: 87 days

Sonia Sotomayor: 66 days

Samuel A. Alito Jr.: 82 days

John G. Roberts Jr.: 23 days

Stephen G. Breyer: 73 days

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: 50 days

Clarence Thomas: 99 days

Anthony M. Kennedy: 65 days If Gorsuch is confirmed soon, he wont start considering cases until the courts new term in October.

And if hes not confirmed? Trump would nominate another successor to Scalia  theres no limit on how many times he can do that. Until Scalias seat is filled, lower courts decisions serve as tie-breakers. Facebook

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Sens. Manchin and Heitkamp become first Democrats to announce support for Gorsuch By David Savage Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota became the first Democrats to say they will vote for Judge Neil Gorsuch and not support the effort to filibuster his confirmation to the Supreme Court. Their announcements came as no surprise. Both are centrists who have to run for reelection next year in states that voted overwhelmingly for Trump. After considering his record, watching his testimony in front of the Judiciary Committee and meeting with him twice, I will vote to confirm him to be the ninth justice on the Supreme Court, Manchin said. I have found him to be an honest and thoughtful man.... I have not found any reasons why this jurist should not be a Supreme Court justice. Heitkamp said she was impressed with Gorsuchs record as a judge. This vote does not diminish how disturbed I am by what the Republicans did to Judge [Merrick] Garland, referring to the GOP-led Senates refusal last year to consider President Obamas choice to fill the seat of the late Justice Antonin Scalia. But I was taught that two wrongs dont make a right, she said. The Republican majority in the Senate needs six more Democrats to join with them if they hope to stop the expected filibuster of President Trumps Supreme Court nominee. It takes 60 votes to end the debate under the Senates current rules. But the 52 Republicans may vote to simply eliminate this requirement if the Democrats stand firm against Gorsuch. On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to approve Gorsuch on a party line vote and send the nomination to the Senate floor. A final vote is expected April 7. Facebook

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White House invites lawmakers to see intelligence material after New York Times report By Noah Bierman The White House has invited House and Senate intelligence committee chairs to review documents that it says were recently discovered by national security staff that could help determine whether information gathered about American citizens was mishandled. White House spokesman Sean Spicer would not say whether these are the same documents that Rep. Devin Nunes, the Tulare Republican who chairs the House intelligence committee, said he reviewed last week. Nunes has refused to identify his sources. Some saw his disclosure as an attempt to give credence to President Trumps widely refuted claim that President Obama had ordered wiretaps on his phone during the campaign. Nunes said the material he reviewed suggested that intelligence agencies had incidentally collected information about Trump or his associates. He has declined to be more specific or share the information with the committee. But the New York Times reported Thursday, citing unnamed sources, that two White House officials helped Nunes get access to the documents. And now the same information may be provided to other members of the Intelligence committee. In a letter to the bipartisan group of intelligence leaders sent Thursday, White House Counsel Donald McGhan said administration lawyers would supervise the review given the sensitivity of the documents to protect the extremely sensitive intelligence sources and methods. The letter calls on the committee to investigate the possibility that classified information was inappropriately gathered and handled and whether civil liberties of American citizens were violated. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters that he welcomed the chance to review the materials, though he said he would be obligated to share them with the rest of his committee. More troubling to Schiff, he said, was the cloak and dagger stuff and circuitous route that the White House national security staff appears to have used to disseminate the materials in that secret meeting with Nunes. Schiff said White House staff may have been trying to launder information through the committee, rather than simply providing it directly to the president. If that was designed to hide the origin of the materials, that raises profound questions about just what the White House is doing, Schiff said. We need to get to the bottom of whether this was some sort of stratagem by the White House. In a letter to McGhan, Schiff said answering the White Houses questions would require asking intelligence agencies how the information in the documents was gathered. I hope you will confirm to the committee whether these materials are the same as those first shared with Nunes, Schiff wrote. 2:11: This story was updated with staff reporting Facebook

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Trumps team: A network of ties to Russia By Angelica Quintero The FBI is investigating possible coordination between people associated with the Trump campaign and Russian authorities during the 2016 election. The U.S. intelligence community has said it is confident that the Russian government directed hacking operations and intended to interfere with the U.S. election process. Take a look at how some high-profile people have been drawn into the investigation. See the graphic  Facebook

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Former RNC official is first to depart senior West Wing staff By Michael A. Memoli A former top Republican National Committee official and ally of White House chief of staff Reince Priebus will depart her West Wing post in the first significant shake-up of President Trumps senior staff. Politico first reported that Katie Walsh, the deputy White House chief of staff, will leave to take on an advisory position with political groups that were formed to support the presidents agenda from the outside. Walsh had served as chief of staff at the RNC when Priebus was party chair. At the White House, she served in a similar capacity under Priebus, tasked with overseeing the senior staff and the scheduling operation. Though White House officials denied the move was a signal of disharmony within the senior ranks, her departure spoke to issues dogging the new administration  a top-heavy operation in the West Wing and also the inability of the president to sustain the kind of grassroots support for his agenda that proved key to his electoral win. It was abundantly clear we didnt have air cover when it came to the calls coming into lawmakers, and nobody can fix this problem like Katie Walsh, Priebus told reporters later, according to Time. Facebook

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Putin: Read my lips, there was no Russian meddling in U.S. vote By Ann M. Simmons Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto during the International Arctic Forum in Arkhangelsk, Russia, on Thursday. (Sergei Karpukhim / AFP/Getty Images) Calling the accusations lies, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday denied that Moscow meddled in last years U.S. elections. Read my lips, no, Putin said during a panel moderated by CNBC, according to a report on the news agencys website. All those things are fictional, illusory and provocations, lies, the Russian president said. All these are used for domestic American political agendas. The anti-Russian card is played by different political forces inside the United States to trade on that and consolidate their positions inside. Putins comments came as the Senate Intelligence Committee was set to begin a hearing entitled Disinformation: A Primer in Russian Active Measures and Influence Campaigns, which will focus on understanding the method of Russias active disinformation campaign and assess the extent of Moscows interference. FBI Director James Comey confirmed earlier this month that his agency was investigating Russias intrusion into the 2016 poll and whether there was any collusion between Moscow and President Trumps campaign. Read More Facebook

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Trump levels extraordinary threat against GOP conservatives; Ryan says he understands presidents frustration By Noah Bierman House Speaker Paul D. Ryan commiserated with President Trump Thursday after the president launched a Twitter assault on the group of rebellious Republicans known as the Freedom Caucus. I understand the frustration, I share the frustration, Ryan told reporters Thursday, when asked to respond to Trumps threat to campaign against fellow Republicans. Freedom Caucus members, who back limited government and have defined themselves in opposition to the Washington establishment, have been a major headache for GOP leaders. Ever since the Republicans took control of the House in 2010, conservative refusal to back key bills to fund government agencies has forced GOP leaders to negotiate with Democrats for the votes they need. Freedom Caucus members helped lead the charge against former Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio). The caucus was blamed by many Republicans last week for torpedoing the leaderships plan, backed by Trump, to make significant changes to Obamacare. Still, Trumps threat to fight them in the 2018 elections was an extraordinary step. Trump had previously made electoral threats against wayward members of his party, but Thursdays tweet was especially direct, threatening to treat them the same way as Democrats. The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire Republican agenda if they don't get on the team, & fast. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 30, 2017 Freedom Caucus members have begun pushing back aggressively. A spokeswoman for the group argued on Twitter that Trump did not have his facts right and that Republican moderates were equally responsible for sinking the healthcare bill. View Twitter post Finding Trump supporters to challenge Republicans in a primary would be hard and could further thrust the GOP into civil war. Trump, despite low poll numbers nationally, remains popular in core Republican districts. Many members of Congress, however, ran ahead of him in their districts in the last election. The president has also suggested he might be open to cutting deals with Democrats, something the White House has discussed but not followed through on. That would also be difficult, given the rancor on the left. Ryan said Thursday that the best path is for Republicans to come together on healthcare and other issues About 90% of our conference is for this bill to repeal and replace Obamcare, and about 10% are not. And thats not enough to pass a bill, he said. What I am encouraging our members to do is to keep talking with each other until we can get the consensus to pass this bill. But its very understandable that the president is frustrated that we havent gotten to where we need to go, because this is something that we all said we would do. Facebook

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Pence casts tie-breaking vote to advance bill that would let states withhold federal funds from Planned Parenthood By Lisa Mascaro Republicans needed Vice President Mike Pence to cast a tie-breaking vote Thursday in the Senate to advance legislation that rolls back rules preventing states from withholding certain federal funds to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. With opposition from two Republican women, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Republicans did not have enough votes with their slim 52-seat majority to advance the bill. Pence, a longtime opponent of abortion, arrived to cast the vote breaking the 50-50 tie  and will be expected to do so later Thursday on final passage. We just saw a historic moment, said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) It is a sad day for the United States Senate. The measure rolls back a regulation finalized at the end of President Obamas administration that explicitly prevented states from denying federal Title X family planning funds to clinics, like Planned Parenthood, that also provide abortion services. Under longstanding practice, no federal funds can be used for abortions, but federal family planning money can flow to the clinics to provide other healthcare services. Some Republican-led state governments had been moving in recent years to choke off Title X funds from any clinics that offered abortion service. The Obama rule sought to prohibit such practices. The bill Thursday, sponsored by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), has already cleared the House. It is part of a series of bills being passed by Congress under the so-called Congressional Review Act, which allows federal regulations put in place during the final days of the previous administration to be undone by simple majority passage. Passage by the Senate later Thursday would send it to the White House for President Trumps signature. Busy day in D.C., but always happy to make time to meet visitors touring the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/4q6JG8wP0E  Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) March 30, 2017 Facebook

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Senate committee narrowly approves Acostas nomination to be Labor secretary By Jim Puzzanghera (Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP) A Senate committee on Thursday narrowly approved R. Alexander Acosta to be Labor secretary, moving to fill one of President Trumps few remaining vacant Cabinet posts. The nomination of Acosta, a law school dean and former Justice Department official, was approved by a 12-11 vote by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. All of the panels Republicans supported the nomination; all of the Democrats were opposed. If confirmed in a full Senate vote, which is expected soon, Acosta will be the only Latino in Trumps Cabinet. A date for the final vote hasnt been set. Read More Facebook

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Follow the money and the trail of dead Russians, expert urges senators By Del Quentin Wilber (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) The Senate Intelligence Committee hearing Thursday into Russian efforts to influence the November elections has been a long history lesson, tracing Moscows decades-long efforts to use misinformation to undermine democracies. But Clinton Watts, of the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security at George Washington University, provided a roadmap to better understanding the Kremlins efforts. He urged senators and the U.S. government to follow the money to figure out how misinformation websites and social media outlets are being funded. While the Russians conducted their hacking in the Internets shadows, their efforts to influence the election was hardly a secret, he said. You can hack stuff and be covert, but you cant influence and be covert, he said. You have to ultimately show your hand. And thats why we have been able to discover it online. The second way to trace Russian influence was more ominous: Follow the trail of dead Russians, he said. There have been more dead Russians in the past three months that are tied to this investigation, he added. They are dropping dead, even in Western countries. Watts didnt finish the thought but was likely referring to a spate of deaths of high-profile Russians, some of which appeared to be assassinations although others appear to have been from natural causes. With the daytime execution of a Russian politician in Ukraine last week, at least eight Russian politicians, activists, ambassadors and a former intelligence official have died since the U.S. election. Facebook

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Russia has stepped up efforts to influence elections, experts tell Senate panel By David S. Cloud (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) Moscow has stepped up its interference in U.S. and European elections, using social media, hacking and other tools to undermine public confidence and to raise doubts about the U.S as an ally, Russia experts told the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday. The committee was taking testimony from experts in Russian propaganda and intelligence operations as part of its investigation into Moscows meddling in the 2016 election. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the top Democrat on the panel, emphasized that in addition to examining the broad topic of Russian efforts to influence the election, the panel also must seek to answer whether President Trumps campaign had contact with Russian officials last year, noting the the FBI has opened its own probe. I will not prejudge the outcome of our investigation. We are seeking to determine if there is an actual fire, but there is clearly a lot of smoke, Warner said. Dr. Eugene Rumer, Director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told the panel that Russian President Vladimir Putin probably viewed Moscows meddling in the U.S. election as an unqualified success. Facebook

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Tillerson meets Turkish officials to seek support for battle against Islamic State in Syria By Umar Farooq Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday met for more than two hours with Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as they hoped to shore up troubled relations between their nations. Making his first trip to Turkey, Tillerson became the highest-ranking Trump administration official to hold a face-to-face session with Erdogan, an increasingly authoritarian leader who is also a NATO member and key ally in the fight against Islamic State in Syria. The meeting went longer than planned. Turkey and the United States disagree sharply on how to combat Islamic State: Washington supports Kurdish militias that Erdogan regards as an arm of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which Turkey and the U.S. consider a terrorist organization. Trying to fight against Daesh through terrorist organizations such as ... extensions of the PKK, would be like shooting yourself in the foot, Erdogans senior advisor, Ibrahim Kalin, said ahead of Thursdays meeting. Daesh is a pejorative Arabic acronym for Islamic State. Read More Facebook

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Hawaii judge extends national halt on Trumps travel ban By Jaweed Kaleem Donald Trump in San Diego in May. (John Gastaldo / San Diego Union-Tribune)) The Hawaii federal judge who brought President Trumps revised travel ban to a national halt this month extended his order blocking the bans enforcement. The move Wednesday sets the stage for the Justice Department to appeal to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse the ruling. U.S. District Judge Derrick Watsons original order halting the travel ban was issued March 15, a day before the ban was to go into effect, in the form of a temporary restraining order. At a hearing in Honolulu on Wednesday, federal lawyers asked Watson to either dismiss that order or narrow the restrictions to apply to fewer parts of the travel ban. Instead, Watson said he would turn the order into a preliminary injunction, which has the effect of extending his order blocking the travel ban for a longer period. Watson said he would keep intact the restrictions on the travel ban -- a block of its 90-day moratorium on travel to the U.S. from nationals of six majority-Muslim countries and its 120-day pause on new refugee resettlement. If the Justice Department appeals the case, it will be heard in the same court that upheld a national halt to Trumps first travel ban last month after a Seattle federal judge ruled against it. The administration has already appealed to the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals a Maryland judges more limited March 16 ruling that stopped enforcement of the travel orders country-specific ban. Both the Hawaii and Maryland judges found Trumps executive order to discriminate against Muslims. They used the presidents campaign statements promising to suspend Muslim travel to the U.S. as evidence of the orders anti-Muslim bias. Government lawyers have argued that the president is not singling out Muslims but instead acting within his power to restrict immigration and safeguard national security while better vetting procedures are developed to prevent potential terrorists from entering the U.S. Trump has said hell take the case over the travel ban to the U.S. Supreme Court. Facebook

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Ivanka Trump gets formal White House role, with ethics obligations but no pay By Michael A. Memoli (Brendan Smialowski / AFP-Getty Images) Ivanka Trump is taking on a more formal White House role  with a title but not a paycheck  a move intended to quell ethics concerns raised about her status in her fathers administration. In a statement, the White House noted that the presidents elder daughter already had an unprecedented role in the administration different from that of previous presidential children. She now will take the title of special advisor to the president, and therefore assume the same responsibility to abide by ethics standards that other federal employees have, the statement said. The decision demonstrates the administrations commitment to ethics, transparency and compliance, the administration said. Although Ivanka Trump already had a West Wing office  as does her husband, senior advisor Jared Kushner  she now will have increased opportunities to lead initiatives driving real policy benefits for the American public that would not have been available to her previously, a White House spokesman said. The announcement came on a day when President Trump sought to promote his administrations commitment to empowering women. He delivered remarks at an East Room event that included other top women in his Cabinet, including U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Small Business Administration head Linda McMahon. Ivanka Trump held a roundtable with female business owners earlier, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said. Earlier Wednesday, leading Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Office of Government Ethics raising concerns about the increasing, albeit unspecified position Ivanka Trump had held and the potential conflicts of interest that her government position might trigger with her personal businesses, including a retail clothing brand. The letter from Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) asked the agency whether Trump would be required to divest herself of personal assets or if she could be required to recuse herself from certain functions. Trumps new position was first reported by the New York Times. In a statement to the paper, Trump said she was acting in response to ethics concerns, but noted she already had been voluntarily complying with all ethics rules. Facebook

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Russia inquiry one of the biggest congressional probes in decade, senators say By David Lauter Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), right, and Mark Warner (D-Va.). (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) The Senate Intelligence Committees probe into Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election will be one of the biggest investigations in years and has already involved an unprecedented level of cooperation between Congress and U.S. spy agencies, the panels chairman said Wednesday. At a Capitol Hill news conference, the committee chairman, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, and its ranking Democrat, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, emphasized the bipartisan nature of the panels efforts, drawing a determined, though unstated, contrast with the partisan dysfunction of a parallel investigation in the House. The committee will go wherever the intelligence leads us, Burr said. And he pointedly refused to endorse White House statements that investigators inevitably will find that there was no collusion between President Trumps campaign and the Russians. It would be crazy to try to draw any conclusions at this point, Burr said. We know that our challenge is to answer that question to the American people, Burr said, referring to the issue of Trumps involvement. Warner said he had confidence in Richard Burr to run a fair investigation and produce a bipartisan conclusion. Warner said Americans should not lose sight of what the investigation is about: An outside foreign adversary effectively tried to hijack the election and favor one candidate over the other. They didnt do it because it was in the best interest of the American people, he said. "[Russian President] Vladimir Putins goal is a weaker United States. The Russian action should be a concern of all Americans regardless of party affiliation, he added. The committee staff already has reviewed thousands of pages of intelligence documents and has begun scheduling interviews with a list of 20 preliminary witnesses, who will be questioned in private before the panel holds public hearings, Burr said. He strongly implied that one of the potential witnesses is retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who was fired from his post as national security advisor to Trump after the disclosure that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and others about his contacts with Russias ambassador to the U.S. You would think less of us if the committee had not talked with Flynn, Burr told reporters. The witnesses, including Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and advisor, will be questioned when the committee is ready, he said. Facebook

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Justice Department watchdog finds DEA cash seizure program may pose risk to civil liberties By Del Quentin Wilber A Ukiah, Calif., police officer works with a dog to search for drugs or cash in a motorists car on May 14, 2014. (Francine Orr/ Los Angeles Times) The way the Drug Enforcement Administration seizes cash and other assets may pose a risk to civil liberties, the Justice Departments internal watchdog reported Wednesday. The Justice Departments inspector general also determined that the agency does not measure or track how its asset seizure activities advance criminal investigations. Over the last decade, more than $28 billion has been seized through the departments asset forfeiture program. The effort and others in states have generated intense controversy in recent years, with critics contending that many seizures are unfair because some who lose their assets are never charged with crimes. Law enforcement officials, however, say that seizing property and cash is a key tool in disrupting criminal organizations and compensating the victims of crimes. Former Atty. Gen. Eric Holder in 2015 limited how state and local authorities can obtain seized funds by working with federal agents. In its report released Wednesday, the inspector general examined 100 cases in which the DEA seized cash. Eighty-five of the cases involved interdiction at transportation hubs, such as airports or parcel centers. Nearly 80 of those seizures resulted from the direct observation of agents or local police. The inspector general and the Justice Department have raised concerns in the past about such stops and searches, in part, due to the potential for racial profiling. Of the 100 cases, the DEA could verify that only 44 advanced ongoing investigations, led to a new investigation, or resulted in an arrest or prosecution, the inspector general found. When seizure and administrative forfeitures do not ultimately advance an investigation or prosecution, law enforcement creates the appearance, and risks the reality, that it is more interested in seizing and forfeiting cash than advancing an investigation or prosecution, the report said. The inspector general also found that the Justice Department does not provide enough training or require state and local officers working on federal task forces to be trained on asset forfeiture policies. The Justice Department responded in a letter to the inspector general that its analysis was flawed and its sample significantly underreported the amount of seized funds that are ultimately returned. In a statement, Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said, Asset forfeiture is a powerful and effective law enforcement tool, allowing the department to compensate victims, deprive criminals of the proceeds of their crimes, remove the tools of crime from criminal organizations, and deter crime. The department believes that the ongoing public debate about asset forfeiture is healthy, she added, but as outlined in our formal response, we strongly disagree with large swaths of this report and its flawed methodology that failed to address the essential role asset forfeiture plays combating some of the most sophisticated criminal actors and organizations, including terrorist financiers, cyber criminals, fraudsters, human traffickers, and drug cartels. 9:23 a.m.: This story was updated with Justice Department comment. Facebook

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Hoax. Con job. Chinese plot. Trump tweets have bashed climate science for years By Michael Finnegan President Trump signs an executive order Tuesday to rescind Obama administration policies on climate change. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) As President Trump moved to halt federal efforts against global warming on Tuesday, he avoided an important phrase: climate change. It was the same story during his campaign for president; Trump rarely mentioned it. When he pledged in May to withdraw the United States from the Paris treaty, a pact among nearly every nation on Earth to reduce the carbon emissions that cause global warming, it was one of the few occasions when Trump broached the topic. Trumps muted approach made political sense. To reject science is to risk alienating millions of moderate voters who support action to stop global warming. But before Trump started running for president, he often bluntly attacked climate science. Some highlights from his Twitter feed: Read More Facebook

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Supreme Court rules in favor of merchants who want to advertise credit card fees By David Savage Supreme Court rules on swipe fees (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)) Merchants may soon have the right to tell customers that they will pay a surcharge if they use a credit card rather than pay with cash. The Supreme Court cast doubt Wednesday on laws in California, New York, Florida and seven other states that make it illegal for sellers to impose a surcharge on credit card sales. In a 8-0 decision, the justices said these laws regulate speech and may be challenged as violations of the 1st Amendment. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said these laws do not prevent merchants from offering a discount for those who pay cash. Rather, they simply forbid disclosing that a posted price includes a surcharge of 2% to 3% for using a credit or debit card. Merchants want to pass the fees along only to their customers who choose to use credit cards, he said. They also want to make clear that they are not the bad guys -- that the credit card companies, not the merchants, are responsible for the higher prices. But the ruling Wednesday was only a partial victory for the five New York businesses, including a hair salon and an ice cream parlor in Brooklyn, that sued to challenge the ban on advertising or disclosing surcharges for using credit cards. The U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York had upheld the law on the grounds it was a price regulation, not a speech restriction. Roberts and the high court disagreed. What the law does is regulate how sellers may communicate their prices, he said. A merchant who wants to charge $10 for cash and $10.30 for credit may not convey that price any way he pleases. He is not free to say '$10, with a 3% credit card surcharge. But the justices did not strike down the state laws, instead sending the case back to the New York court to decide whether this speech regulation could be justified. Sometimes, laws are used to regulate the words of commercial transactions to prevent buyers from being fooled or confused. Until recently, the major credit card companies had imposed contract restrictions that prevented merchants from disclosing surcharges. But those provisions have challenged and knocked down. That in turn led to new legal challenges against the state laws which forbid sellers from disclosing these surcharges. The case decided Wednesday was Expressions Hair Design vs. Schneiderman. Facebook

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Trumps poll numbers are low. But the people who put him in office say its not time to judge him  yet By Noah Bierman Its been five months since the euphoria of a Donald Trump rally at the local arena brought optimism to this former Democratic stronghold. The snow from a long winter has begun melting into the rocky soil, and the digital sign in a torn-up parking lot blinks hopefully: Warm days are coming. President Trump has yet to deliver jobs or the repeal of Obamacare. But here, in an area crucial to his unexpected election victory, many residents are more frustrated with what they see as obstruction and a rush to judgment than they are with Trump. Give him six months to prove himself, said an information technology supervisor. Give him a year, said a service manager. Give him four years, said a retired print shop owner. Give the man a chance, said Crystal Matthews, a 59-year-old hospital employee. Theyre just going to fight him tooth and nail, the whole way. Read More Facebook

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To fight womans defamation claim, Trump cites the Bill Clinton-Paula Jones case  which the president lost By David Savage President Trump is citing Bill Clintons famous sexual harassment battle in his effort to block a California womans lawsuit claiming Trump lied about groping her in the Beverly Hills Hotel in 2007. Problem is, Clinton lost that bid for legal immunity when the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in 1997 that the chief executive is not shielded from responding to a civil suit regarding his private behavior. Read More Facebook

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House sends Trump bill to kill landmark broadband privacy regulations By Jim Puzzanghera Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sponsored the repeal bill. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) The House voted Tuesday to kill landmark privacy restrictions for Internet service providers and sent the bill to the White House, which indicated President Trump would sign it and invalidate the rules before they go into effect. The measure, approved largely along party lines, repeals tough new Federal Communications Commission regulations that would require broadband companies to get explicit customer permission before using or sharing most of their personal information. The data include health information, website browsing history, app usage and the geographic information from mobile devices. The rules also tighten data security requirements. Republicans, along with AT&T Inc., Charter Communications Inc., Comcast Corp. and other providers of high-speed Internet service, strongly opposed the rules. They argued that the restrictions are tougher than those for websites and social networks that also collect and use the highly valuable consumer data, which companies use to target advertising. Read More Facebook

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U.S. commander says theres a fair chance that coalition airstrike is responsible for civilian casualties in Mosul By W.J. Hennigan Rescuers are still recovering bodies from a suspected U.S. airstrike in the Iraqi city of Mosul. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) The top U.S. general commanding the fight against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria said that the U.S.-led coalition was probably responsible for a blast that killed more than 200 people. If we did it, and I would say theres at least a fair chance that we did, it was an unintentional accident of war and we will transparently report it to you, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend told reporters Tuesday via teleconference from Baghdad. He made the comments in response to witness reports that an airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition leveled a large apartment block and killed scores of civilians, including women and children, in west Mosuls Jadidah neighborhood on March 17. My initial assessment is that we probably had a role in these casualties, Townsend said. But investigators are still trying to determine whether other factors -- possibly including repeated airstrikes in the neighborhood or an explosive device accidentally or deliberately planted near the building -- could have led to its collapse. The fact that the whole building collapsed contradicts our involvement, Townsend said. The munition that we used should not have collapsed an entire building. So thats one of those things were trying to figure out in the investigative process. Read More Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown calls Trump energy plan a colossal mistake that will galvanize climate change activists By Evan Halper Gov. Jerry Brown. (Gregory Bull / Associated Press) California Gov. Jerry Brown warned that President Trump has just made a colossal mistake in gutting the federal governments effort to combat climate change, which will ignite a response Trump is unprepared to handle. It defies science itself, Brown said in a call to The Times shortly after Trump signed an executive order that aims to bring an abrupt halt to the United States leadership on global warming. Erasing climate change may take place in Donald Trumps mind, but nowhere else. Yes, there is going to be a counter-movement, Brown vowed, predicting Trumps actions will mobilize environmentalists in a way President Obama never could. I have met with many heads of state, ambassadors. This is a growing movement. President Trumps outrageous move will galvanize the contrary force. Things have been a bit tepid [in climate activism]. But this conflict, this sharpening of the contradiction, will energize those who believe climate change is an existential threat. Brown and other big-state governors and mayors are moving swiftly to fill the global leadership vacuum Trump created with Tuesdays directive, which stops short of officially pulling the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord of 2015. I see Washington declining in influence, but the momentum being maintained by California and other states aligned with China and those who are willing to do something, said Brown, who will be traveling to China soon for meetings on climate. There is a growing activism on the part of millions of people who will not stand by and let Donald Trump effectively tear up the Paris agreement and destroy Americas climate leadership and jeopardize the health and well being of so many people. In the face of Trumps retreat on climate, Brown said California will step up its own efforts to push others toward clean energy. We are not fully meeting the challenge of climate change yet, he said. We are doubling down on our commitment. We are reaching out to other states in America and throughout the world and other countries . We have plenty of fuel to build this movement. This is real, Brown said of the threat created by climate change. The nations of the world have recognized it in Paris  I will continue doing my best to work with and rouse the world community, whatever the politicians in Washington do or dont do. Facebook

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Trump orders government to dismantle Obamas climate change policies By Evan Halper  President Trump ordered an abrupt halt to Americas crusade against climate change. (March 29, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here http://bit.ly/2n6VKPR) President Trump on Tuesday ordered the federal government to retreat from the battle against climate change launched by President Obama, issuing a directive aimed at dismantling the core policies that have made the U.S. a global leader in curbing emissions. The plan unveiled by Trump reflects an about-face for the U.S. on energy, and it puts into jeopardy the nations ability to meet the obligations it agreed to under the global warming pact signed in Paris with 194 other nations. It would shelve the landmark Clean Power Plan that mandates electricity companies reduce their emissions. It seeks to dislodge consideration of climate throughout the federal government, where it has been a factor in every relevant decision in recent years. My administration is putting an end to the war on coal, Trump said. I am taking historic steps to lift the restrictions on American energy to reverse government intrusions and to cancel job killing regulations. Under the order, the government will abandon the social cost of carbon that regulators had painstakingly calculated and begun factoring into their decision on permit applications and rulemaking. Restrictions on methane releases at oil and gas drilling facilities would be eased. Agencies will also stop contemplating climate impacts as they launch into new projects, and restrictions on coal leasing and fracking on federal lands will be lifted. The directive, for which progressive states and environmentalists have been preparing for months, is certain to set off years of litigation and conflicts between Washington and state capitols. Some of the most far-reaching policies Trump is seeking to bring to a halt cannot be canceled unilaterally and require lengthy administrative proceedings. But others he can end with the stroke of his pen. Smoke rises from the Colstrip Steam Electric Station, a coal-burning power plant in Colstrip, Mont., on July 1, 2103. (Matt Brown / Associated Press) Facebook

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A trade war is brewing inside the White House between rival camps By Don Lee Soon after President Trump took office, an executive order was quietly drafted to suspend talks with China on an obscure but potentially far-reaching treaty about bilateral investment. After eight years and two dozen rounds of negotiations, the treaty terms were almost in final form. Pulling out after so much time and effort would send a clear message that the Trump administration meant to take a new and tougher approach to China. But the executive order never even got to the presidents desk. It was quietly shelved, according to sources inside and outside the White House, at the behest of former Goldman Sachs President Gary Cohn, now Trumps top economic advisor. Killing the order was a small victory for a White House faction that supports free trade and the global economy. But it was only an opening skirmish in what promises to be a long and bitter struggle over trade policy that so far is being waged behind the scenes in the Trump administration. Read More Facebook

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Supreme Court reverses death sentence for Texas inmate who could not tell time or name the days of the week By David Savage The Supreme Court set aside a death sentence on Tuesday for a Texas inmate who as a 13-year-old could not tell time or name the days of the week, concluding he should not be executed in light of his mental disability. In a 5-3 decision, the justices reversed the Texas state appeals court that had restored a death sentence given to Bobby James Moore, a 57-year old prisoner who shot and killed a store clerk in a botched robbery in 1980. At issue was whether Moore had a mental disability that would make his execution cruel and unusual punishment under the 8th Amendment. The justices banned states from executing prisoners with a mental disability, but they left states some flexibility to set the standards. But three years ago, the justices faulted Florida authorities for relying almost entirely on I.Q. scores. In the Texas case decided Tuesday, the justices said state judges had ignored ample evidence that Moore had severe mental disability as a child. That evidence was not overcome by the fact that he had adapted well in prison, they said. At 13, Moore lacked the basic understanding of the days of the week, the months of the year and the seasons; he could scarcely tell time or comprehend the standards of measure, said Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. After failing every subject in the ninth grade, Moore dropped out of high school. Cast out of his home, he survived on the streets, eating from trash cans, even after two bouts of food poisoning. After fatally shooting the clerk in the 1980 robbery, he was sentenced to death. The Texas courts reexamined his sentence after the high court abolished capital punishment in 2002 for defendants with a mental disability. A state judge listened to experts and set aside Moores death sentence, But the states criminal appeals court disagreed. Its judges said Moore had demonstrated adaptive strength by living on the streets and carrying out a robbery, and therefore did not qualify as having a severe mental impairment. Ginsburg said the state judges had relied on an outdated understanding of mental disability, and her opinion in Moore vs. Texas said the state court must reconsidere its decision. Justices Anthony M. Kennedy, Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan agreed. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. dissented. While he agreed the states authorities may have used outdated standards, Moore had I.Q. scores ranging from 69 to 79 that show he did not have the significantly sub-average intellectual functioning that would exempt him from the death penalty. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito agreed. Facebook

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The Freedom Caucus roars back to relevance to challenge Trumps agenda and strategy By Lisa Mascaro When House Speaker Paul D. Ryan pulled the plug on the GOPs Obamacare overhaul, lawmakers spilled out of the Capitol basement, angry, frustrated and stunned. But Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), leader of the conservative and rebellious House Freedom Caucus that led the fight against the bill, was uncharacteristically quiet, downplaying his political victory and mulling over the next move. After coming together to battle President Obama and becoming a driving force in the Republican Party, this 30-member-plus bloc of deficit hawks and right-flank conservatives had appeared for a while to be pushed aside by the movement that swept President Trump into office. But after helping defeat the GOP healthcare overhaul, the Freedom Caucus has roared back to relevance as a political power in the Trump era. It has reasserted itself as not just a renegade assemblage of mostly back-bench lawmakers, but as a core block of votes that Trump will need to push past the healthcare debacle to tax reform, budget battles and other issues. These guys saved the Republicans, said Adam Brandon, president of FreedomWorks, a group that organized a North Carolina rally on Monday in honor of Meadows. As beaten and battered as they are, weve got a group thats willing to take the hard decisions. If youre going to drain the swamp, these are the guys who are going to do it. Read More Facebook

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White House stopped Yates testimony about Russian meddling in presidential election, lawyer says By Associated Press A lawyer for former Deputy Atty. Gen. Sally Yates said in letters last week that the Trump administration had moved to squelch her testimony in a hearing about Russian meddling in the presidential election. In the letters, attorney David ONeil said he understood the Justice Department was invoking further constraints on testimony she could provide at a House Intelligence Committee hearing that had been scheduled for Tuesday. He said the departments position was that all actions she took as deputy attorney general were client confidences that could not be disclosed without written approval. The Washington Post first reported the letters. A person familiar with the situation confirmed them as authentic to the Associated Press. The White House called the Post story entirely false. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and part of Trumps transition team, last week announced that the committee was canceling the planned public hearing with Yates and two former Obama administration intelligence officials  the former director of national intelligence, James Clapper, and former CIA Director John Brennan. Read More Facebook

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Did Mnuchin cross an ethical line in plugging The Lego Batman Movie? A senator wants to know By Jim Puzzanghera (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) A Democratic senator wants to know if Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin committed an ethics violation when he publicly plugged The Lego Batman Movie, a film in which he has a financial stake. A former Hollywood financier, Mnuchin was asked at the end of a question-and-answer session on Friday hosted by the Axios news website to name a movie people should see. Well, Im not allowed to promote anything that Im involved in. So I just want to have the legal disclosure, youve asked me the question and I am not promoting any product, Mnuchin said at the event, which aired on C-SPAN2. But you should send all your kids to Lego Batman,  he said. The crowd laughed. But Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, wasnt amused. Hes asking the U.S. Office of Government Ethics to look into the comments. Read More Facebook

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Venezuela hits back in showdown with OAS, U.S. over democracy By Tracy Wilkinson The Venezuelan foreign minister had harsh words Monday for the regional organization that is considering sanctioning her country for its failure to hold democratic elections. Delcy Rodriguez, the foreign minister, accused the Organization of American States of wanting not to punish Venezuela but to destroy it. Rodriguez appeared at an OAS panel convened in Washington. D.C., after the United States and 13 other of the hemispheres nations united to demand the leftist Venezuelan government free political prisoners and set a date for long-overdue elections. Failure to do so, the 14 countries warned, could trigger a decision to suspend Venezuela from the 69-year-old regional body. OAS Secretary-General Luis Almagro, a former Uruguayan foreign minister, has been especially critical of Venezuelas embattled government. He noted that President Nicolas Maduro canceled both a referendum that could have recalled his government and later regional elections, after the opposition made huge gains in parliamentary voting in 2015. In addition, thousands of people have been arrested for their political beliefs, Almagro said, including opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who has been in jail for three years. But Rodriguez, in a speech to the OAS panel, said Venezuelas revolution continues strong. She accused Almagro of being a stooge of the U.S. government, a lying mercenary who is a traitor to everything a Latin American diplomat should represent. He lacks independence when he voluntarily bows to the wishes of the most powerful nation of this organization -- and becomes its spokesman, Rodriguez said. Although the OAS has often been accused of pro-Washington tendencies, 13 nations in addition to the United States have joined to condemn Venezuela, a significant shift in Latin America away from populist regimes. Other leftist-ruled countries, like Bolivia, have said they will support Venezuela. Rodriguez said the accusations against her government were unilateral, unjustified and biased. She called on the OAS to suspend discussion of Venezuela, but another session was scheduled to proceed on Tuesday -- the same day Maduros Socialist Party is planning big anti-imperialism marches at home. All of the countries most critical of Venezuela, including the United States, say suspension of the oil-rich, Caribbean country from the OAS should be a measure of last resort. Despite its oil wealth, Venezuela is in the throes of an economic and humanitarian disaster, with severe shortages of food and medicine and skyrocketing inflation and homicide rates. Facebook

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Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions criticizes sanctuary cities but offers no new policies By Michael A. Memoli  Decrying the safety risk posed when cities dont cooperate with federal immigration authorities, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions repeated previous statements that the Trump administration would seek to deny so-called sanctuary cities some federal grant fun Decrying the safety risk posed when cities dont cooperate with federal immigration authorities, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions repeated previous statements that the Trump administration would seek to deny so-called sanctuary cities some federal grant funds, but offered no new policies. Despite his high-profile appearance at the White House briefing room, Sessions merely reiterated Obama administration policy related to immigration. Justice Department officials said any new measures would be weeks or months in the future. The Obama administration issued instructions last July that required any cities applying for Justice Department grant programs be in compliance with federal law requiring cooperation between local, state and federal agencies with requests from the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Sessions noted that any jurisdiction applying for grants from his department would have to certify that compliance. The Justice Department already has been requiring that, which indicates that police and sheriff departments which currently have Justice Department grants already have been asserting that they are meeting the requirements of federal law. Although many cities have policies that they, or critics, characterize using the label sanctuary, those policies do not necessarily mean they are violating the law. Sessions did say that the Justice Department could in the future institute additional requirements, but announced none. Fundamentally, we intend to use all the lawful authority we have to make sure that our state and local officials, who are so important to law enforcement, are in sync with the federal government, he said. He did offer a warning to jurisdictions considering adopting sanctuary status. The California legislature is considering a proposal to institute the designation statewide; Sessions, though, singled out Maryland for a similar proposal. That would be such a mistake, Sessions said, while noting Marylands Republican governor opposes the change proposed by the heavily-Democratic legislature. Sessions cited a high-profile case in San Francisco where a 32-year-old woman was killed by man who had been previously deported multiple times despite a request by immigration authorities to continue his detention to illustrate the administrations case against such policies. Countless Americans would be alive today and countless loved ones would not be grieving today if these policies of sanctuary cities were ended, Sessions claimed. Facebook

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Devin Nunes plot thickens, as his spokesman concedes he met source for surveillance claim at White House By David S. Cloud The day before the House Intelligence Committee chairman revealed that conversations by Trump transition officials may have been inadvertently picked up by U.S. surveillance, he met with the source of the information at the White House, his spokesman said Monday Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), went to the White House because there was a facility there for reviewing classified information, said Jack Langer, a spokesman for Nunes, who has refused to divulge the identity of his source. Chairman Nunes met with his source at the White House grounds in order to have proximity to a secure location where he could view the information provided by the source, Langer said. The latest news added another twist to a bizarre series of events last week: On Monday, FBI Director James Comey testified before Nunes committee that his investigators were looking at possible coordination during the presidential campaign between Russian officials and people close to Preisdent Trump. Tuesday night, Nunes went to the White House where someone showed him documents related to U.S. intelligence surveillance, according to his statement. On Wednesday, Nunes announced to reporters that he had seen evidence indicating that people close to Trump had been subjects of surveillance during the transition. He then went to the White House, saying that he needed to brief Trump about the revelations. On Thursday, Nunes apologized to committee members for not having shown the evidence to them before briefing the president. Later that day, his spokesman conceded that Nunes did not know for sure that any Trump aides had actually been subject to surveillance, just that their names had appeared in intelligence reports, which could have resulted from other people talking about them. That sequence of events could buttress Democrats claims that the episode last week was a White House ploy to shift attention away from the FBI investigation. Democrats already have been saying Nunes should be disqualified from heading an inquiry into whether Trumps aides had improper contacts with Russia. Nunes statement left several questions unanswered. One is why he would have had to go to the White House unless his source worked there, because members of Congress have access to a secure facility at the U.S. Capitol. Asked to explain Nunes actions, Langer said in an email, The information comprised executive branch documents that have not been provided to Congress. Because of classification rules, the source could not simply put the documents in a backpack and walk them over to the House Intelligence Committee space.  He added: The White House grounds was the best location to safeguard the proper chain of custody and classification of these documents, so the Chairman could view them in a legal way. Last week, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer had dismissed speculation that the White House had supplied Nunes with the information, saying that the suggestion did not pass the smell test. He added, however, that he did not for sure what Nunes had told Trump or where his information came from. After Nunes apologized to members of his committee Thursday and promised to thoroughly investigate the surveillance, several lawmakers said Nunes had promised to provide them the surveillance information he had received. That has not occurred yet. In his first statement last week, Nunes said he was concerned that some Trump transition officials identities might have been improperly revealed in intelligence reports, despite rules requiring them to be kept confidential in most cases. The Chairman is extremely concerned by the possible improper unmasking of names of U.S. citizens, and he began looking into this issue even before President Trump tweeted his assertion that Trump Tower had been wiretapped, Langer said. Whether any officials names actually were unmasked is unclear. The ranking Democrat on the committee, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) has questioned Nunes assertions about improper unmasking. But Schiff noted that he has not seen the documents Nunes claims to have seen. Schiff had no comment on the news that Nunes had seen the documents at the White House. UPDATES 10:20 a.m.: This article was updated with staff reporting. This article was originally published as an Associated Press report at 9:06 a.m. Facebook

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Venezuela in showdown with OAS, U.S. over political prisoners By Tracy Wilkinson The besieged leftist government of Venezuela is under mounting pressure after the United States and 13 of the hemispheres other leading nations demanded the release of political prisoners and other pro-democracy concessions. The Organization of American States, the regions main collective body, has threatened to suspend Venezuela because of what it called the autocratic repression imposed by President Nicolas Maduro. Maduros foreign minister, Delcy Rodriguez, will appear Monday before an OAS panel in Washington to plead her governments case. This comes after members of the Venezuelan delegation stormed out of OAS meetings last week, according to diplomats. OAS Secretary-General Luis Almagro, in a report on Venezuela, noted that Maduro canceled both a referendum that could have recalled his government and later regional elections, after the opposition made huge gains in parliamentary voting in 2015. A Maduro-controlled Supreme Court then stripped the parliament of much of its power. In addition, thousands of people have been arrested for their political beliefs, Almagro said, including opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who has been in jail for three years. The OAS is demanding Venezuela hold elections or risk suspension from the group, a drastic measure. The last time a country was suspended was when the military and right-wing politicians staged a coup against the elected president in Honduras in 2009. Under OAS regulations, a country can be suspended when the democratic order is altered. Venezuela is in the throes of a devastating economic and humanitarian crisis. The oil-rich country has among the highest homicide and inflation rates in the world and suffers from severe shortages of food and medicine. The Maduro government angrily condemned the OAS actions as imperialist interference and vowed to resist. Adan Chavez, brother of the late Hugo Chavez, the socialist strongman who set Venezuela on its revolutionary path, claimed the OAS was plotting a coup against Maduro. Maduro views much of his opposition as right-wing oligarchs who have long repressed the poor. Although the OAS has often been accused of pro-Washington tendencies, it is significant that 13 nations in addition to the United States are united in condemning Venezuela. This marks a shift away from populist regimes in much of Latin America. The Trump administration, which has shown little interest in Latin America beyond Mexico, did issue instructions to diplomats to find ways through the OAS to put pressure on Venezuela, according to people familiar with the matter. Those instructions came despite parallel administration plans to slash funds to the OAS and other multilateral institutions like the United Nations. Trump recently spoke by telephone to the presidents of Chile and Brazil and in both cases discussed Venezuela, the White House said. And he met at the White House with Lilian Tintori, the wife of Lopez, the jailed opposition leader, as she lobbied for her husbands freedom. The Treasury Department earlier this year slapped sanctions on Venezuelas vice president, Tareck El Aissami, alleging he was a major drug trafficker, charges he denied. Were not pushing for Venezuelas expulsion from the OAS at this time, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said late last week. However, we do think the OAS is the appropriate venue to deal with the ongoing situation in Venezuela, he said. Elections are essential to securing accountability, and the Venezuelan people deserve a voice in creating solutions to the myriad economic, political, and social and humanitarian challenges that they face. Facebook

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Trump takes to Twitter to blame GOP hard-liners over healthcare failure By Laura King (Mandel Ngan / AFP-Getty Images) President Trump on Sunday blamed fellow Republicans and two influential conservative advocacy groups for last weeks failure of the GOP healthcare plan. The president had said on Friday that it was the fault of Democrats that House Speaker Paul D. Ryan pulled the measure from consideration rather than putting it forth for a floor showdown that the GOP leadership would have lost. In a Sunday morning tweet, the president appeared to shift culpability to the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative group of GOP lawmakers who were key to depriving Trump and his camp of the votes needed for passage. Democrats are smiling over the bills failure, Trump declared on Twitter. The Freedom Caucus, he said, had saved President Obamas Affordable Care Act with the help of Heritage Action and the Club for Growth, two organizations that had opposed the GOP measure. The chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), declined to engage in any sparring with the White House, instead predicting that a Trump-led Republican effort to overhaul Obamas signature healthcare legislation eventually would move ahead. At the end of the day, the most valuable player will be President Trump, he said on ABCs This Week. Meadows also insisted there had been no conversation about any attempt to force out Ryan, who is being blamed for failing to marshal sufficient support for the measure he had spearheaded. Trump so far has refrained from public criticism of the speaker, but  again on Twitter  he specifically urged followers to watch a Fox News segment on Saturday night, featuring commentator Jeanine Pirro excoriating Ryan and calling for him to be ousted. That gave rise to speculation that Trump would seek to force the speaker to take the fall for the debacle. Read More Facebook

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After the GOP healthcare bill fizzles, Trump blames the Democrats and says he learned a lot about loyalty By Brian Bennett  President Trump addresses the cancellation of a vote Friday on the GOPs plan to overhaul the Affordable Care Act. After failing to land a deal on the healthcare bill, President Trump on Friday blamed Democrats, even though the GOP controls Congress and the White House, and made few overtures across the aisle when pushing the bill. When you get no votes from the other side -- meaning Democrats -- it is really a difficult situation, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office after a revolt by Republican lawmakers forced House leaders to stop a vote in their bid to overhaul the Affordable Care Act. Trump insisted that the current healthcare law, commonly known as Obamacare, will collapse under its own weight, and then Democrats will want to make a deal with the White House. I truly believe the Democrats will come to us, Trump said. In the meantime, Trump is moving his attention to pushing through a tax reform bill, he said. We will probably be going really hard for the big tax cuts and tax reform -- thats next, he said. Trump, who has spent decades negotiating real estate deals and seeing many of them fall through, seemed sanguine discussing the effort he put into getting a healthcare reform bill passed. This was an interesting period of time, Trump said. We learned a lot about loyalty and we learned a lot about the vote-getting process. Trump stopped short of blaming House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and avoided singling out the group of conservative Republican lawmakers, who dug in their heels in opposition. Lawmakers in the House Freedom Caucus that largely stood against the bill are very good people and friends of mind, he said. I was disappointed because we could have had it, he said. Im a little surprised, he said. When asked by a reporter if he would reach out now to Democrats for ideas on how to get a deal, Trump said, No, I think we need to let Obamacare go its way for a little while. Then well see how things go. Facebook

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Tillerson will meet with NATO counterparts, after all By Tracy Wilkinson Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will meet with NATO allies next week in Brussels, a move that could quell controversy over his earlier decision to skip a long-planned summit of the transatlantic alliance. The State Department said Friday that Tillerson added a stop at NATO headquarters in Brussels to a previously scheduled trip to the Turkish capital of Ankara. Tillerson will be in Ankara on Thursday to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other senior Turkish officials to discuss the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria and to reaffirm Turkeys important role in ensuring regional stability, the State Department said. The next day, he will go to NATO, the State Department said. NATO officials were attempting to put together a session with the other 27 allied nations. Earlier this week, news that Tillerson would miss the NATO ministerial meeting set for April 5-6, roiled the alliance. Administration officials said Tillerson would have to be in Washington to attend President Trumps first face-to-face meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 6-7. At the same time, Tillersons aides announced he would be traveling to Moscow the following week. Criticism was swift from European allies but also from several former American diplomats and key U.S. lawmakers, who said the decision raised questions about the Trump administrations commitment to NATO. During his campaign, Trump called the alliance obsolete, although more recently he has voiced support for it while also demanding members spend more money on defense. In response, Tillersons aides said they were exchanging possible alternative dates with NATO to attempt to arrange a meeting in which all parties could participate. It was not yet clear if next Fridays meeting will take the place of the April 5-6 session, which as of late Friday remained on NATOs formal calendar. Diplomats considered the ministerial meeting as especially important because it will lay the groundwork for a May 25 NATO summit of heads of state and government, which Trump has said he will attend. Facebook

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Charter promises Trump something new ($25-billion investment) and something old (20,000 jobs) By Jim Puzzanghera Charter Communications Chief Executive Thomas Rutledge. (Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images) The chief executive of Charter Communications committed in a meeting with President Trump on Friday to invest $25 billion on broadband infrastructure while joining a trend of business leaders touting previously announced job creation at the White House. In the case of Charter  Southern Californias dominant cable-TV and Internet service provider  Chief Executive Thomas Rutledge said he expected to hire 20,000 new U.S. employees over the next four years. Charter had made the hiring promise in 2015 when it was purchasing Time Warner Cable. The new development was the time period in which it will occur. Nevertheless, Trump indicated the job creation was triggered by his election. Read More Facebook

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Threats made against Hawaii judge who ruled against travel ban By Jaweed Kaleem (George Lee / The Star-Advertiser via AP) The Hawaii federal judge who brought President Trumps revised travel ban to a national halt last week has become the target of threats. U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson has received the threats since his March 15 ruling, according to FBI spokeswoman Michele Ernst. Ernst said the FBI is ready to assist but declined to provide more information. The U.S. Marshals Service also said it would not give details. The U.S. Marshals Service is responsible for the protection of federal judicial officials, including judges and prosecutors, and we take that responsibility very seriously, the agency said in a statement. While we do not discuss our specific security measures, we continuously review the security measures in place for all federal judges and take appropriate steps to provide additional protection when it is warranted. Watson, a judge in the U.S. District Court of Hawaii in Honolulu, issued a scathing 43-page opinion against the travel ban the day before it was to go into effect. He wrote that, despite the bans stated secular purpose, Trumps own words marked the executive order as a fulfillment of the presidents campaign promise to temporarily bar Muslims from coming to the U.S. The illogic of the governments contention is palpable, Watson said. In response, Trump said Watsons ruling was terrible and makes us look weak. Trump has vowed to take the travel ban case to the U.S. Supreme Court. An appeal of a separate Maryland federal judges ruling against the travel ban is currently pending in the U.S. 4th District Court of Appeals. Facebook

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House GOP gives up on healthcare bill as Trump suffers first legislative defeat By Lisa Mascaro Unable to muster enough support from his own party, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan again postponed a vote Friday on the GOPs plan to overhaul the Affordable Care Act. The move came at the request of President Trump, who just Thursday night issued an ultimatum that lawmakers should hold the vote regardless of the outcome. It was the second time House GOP leaders had to delay a final reckon
Its been clear for a while now that pregnant women who become infected with the Zika virus are more likely to have babies with microcephaly, neural tube defects and other serious problems. Now experts can say just how much bigger that risk is for these babies: 20 times greater than if their mothers were Zika-free.

That finding, reported Thursday by a team of epidemiologists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, answers a question that has flummoxed scientists since the Zika virus was first linked to a rash of birth defects in Brazil in the summer of 2015.

The first step in calculating that number was to determine the baseline risk for the kinds of birth defects seen among pregnant women infected by Zika, including potentially fatal abnormalities of the brain or central nervous system, neural tube defects and eye abnormalities.

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Defects such as these can be caused by other kinds of infections, nutritional deficits or genetic abnormalities, and physicians have seen them for as long as they have been taking care of pregnant women and their babies. Without a clear picture of just how common such birth defects are in a population of pregnant women unaffected by Zika, scientists could have no way of knowing how potent a driver of birth defects the Zika virus truly is.

This is where the painstaking collection, maintenance and analysis of health outcomes  what public health officials call surveillance  pays its dividends.

So the CDC researchers drew from their own intelligence-gathering efforts on birth defects before the Zika virus even appeared in Brazil. Epidemiologists examined birth outcomes in North Carolina, Massachusetts and three counties surrounding Atlanta in 2013 and 2014. They carefully teased out the numbers and details of babies born there, including miscarriages and those who were stillborn.

In those areas, and during a period that predated the arrival of Zika in the Americas by more than a year, the researchers tallied 747 infants and fetuses with one or more of the abnormalities that have since become the hallmarks of Zika infection. Of those, 154 fetuses were pregnancy losses, most often doomed by a brain abnormality or neural tube defect.

Altogether, fetuses and babies with such defects represented just 2.86 per 1,000 live births to women in those surveillance areas in 2013 and 2014.

The epidemiologists then compared that number to the prevalence of birth defects seen in babies and fetuses who were born in 2016 to women who contracted Zika while they were pregnant. These women were closely tracked after their infections were clearly confirmed by blood tests.

That group of 442 pregnant women gave birth to 26 infants and fetuses with these same birth defects. This proportion  58.8 per 1,000  is approximately 20 times higher than in the baseline group that was Zika-free.

The upshot: For a pregnant woman outside of areas where mosquitoes are spreading the Zika virus, the risk of having (or losing) a baby with a defect such as microcephaly, neural tube defect, or brain or eye abnormality is pretty low, well under 1%.

But for a pregnant woman infected with Zika, that risk escalates by a factor of 20. She has a roughly 5.9% chance that her baby will miscarry or be born with one of the serious abnormalities linked to Zika.

The report appeared in the CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

For a list of CDCs travel advisories and some general advice to pregnant women about Zika, see here.

melissa.healy@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATMelissaHealy

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Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions will step aside from overseeing the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the presidential election amid signs of growing unease among fellow Republicans over where the inquiry may lead.

Sessions announced his action, which he said he had been considering for weeks, during a hastily arranged news conference at the Justice Department on Thursday afternoon.

The move came just hours after top Democrats called for his resignation because he had failed to disclose meetings with the Russian ambassador, and a growing number of Republicans had urged him to recuse himself from the inquiry.

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Sessions action marks the second time in less than a month that a top Trump administration official has been tripped up by failure to disclose a meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Last month, President Trump ousted Michael Flynn, his national security advisor, after news reports revealed that Flynn had spoken with the ambassador and then had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other officials about the talks.

Meetings between Trump associates and Russian officials are a sensitive subject because the FBI and other U.S. agencies have been investigating Russias efforts to meddle in last years presidential election. An intelligence report issued in January, shortly before Trump took office, assessed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered the meddling, which included cyberattacks against the Democratic National Committee, to hurt Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and help Trump.

The FBI is also investigating whether people associated with the Trump campaign may have had contacts with Russian officials during the election year.

FBI officials have refused to discuss their investigation, and there has been no proof that they have discovered wrongdoing by any Trump associate, but even so, the inquiry has disrupted the early weeks of Trumps administration. Earlier this week, officials ordered White House aides to preserve records that might be relevant to the investigation.

Sessions, as attorney general, oversees the FBI, but with his recusal, responsibility for overseeing the investigation will now pass to Dana Boente, a career prosecutor and the departments acting deputy attorney general. Boente briefly served as acting attorney general after Trump fired his predecessor, Sally Yates, for refusing to defend the presidents ban on travel from seven mostly Muslim countries.

The attorney general began his news conference with a blunt statement saying he had no ties to the Russian government.

Let me be clear. I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign, he said.

Nevertheless, he said, he had studied the departments ethics rules and weighed the advice of career Justice Department staffers. They had urged Sessions, who had been a vocal Trump supporter, to withdraw because he had involvement with the campaign and should not oversee any investigation involving it, he said.

I believe those recommendations are right and just, he said. A proper decision, I believe, has been reached.

Earlier in the afternoon, Trump said that he had total confidence in Sessions and that he did not think the attorney general needed to step away from the investigation, but Sessions said that the ethics rules left him little choice.

I should not be involved investigating a campaign I had a role in, he said.

Just three weeks into his tenure, Sessions had found himself under fire largely because of the way he answered a single question during his Senate confirmation hearing in January.

In response to the query by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), Sessions testified that I didnt have  did not have communications with the Russians. In fact, he had at least two conversations with the ambassador last year. When the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday about those conversations, the news set off a furor.

Sessions told reporters that he had tried to honestly answer Frankens question, which he said he believed was focused on whether there was a continuing exchange of information between the Trump campaign and intermediaries for the Russian government.

My reply to the question of Sen. Franken was honest and correct as I understood at the time, Sessions told reporters. But, he said, he would send a letter to the Judiciary Committee to explain the testimony for the record.

Sessions described two meetings with Kislyak while he was still a U.S. senator. One was a brief encounter after a speech Sessions made in July. The second occurred in September at Kislyaks request and took place in his Senate office, Sessions said.

Sessions described the get-together as routine and attended by at least three members of his staff. He added that he did not recall any specific political discussion coming up.

White House officials spent much of the day trying to defend Sessions, who won support from some Republicans.

Weve got to be very careful here, said Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

Its a slippery slope. All the countries in the world basically have embassies here. A lot of those countries are adversaries. But we all meet with those  many senators and congressmen meet with those ambassadors on a regular basis, he said.

Top Democrats, however, were scathing in their assessments, saying Sessions should recuse himself or step down from the Justice Department entirely.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said that Sessions had lied under oath and must resign.

Republicans did not go that far, but as the day went on, Sessions lost support among influential party leaders who called for him to step away from any role in the investigation.

I think [for] the trust of the American people, you recuse yourself in these situations, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) said early Thursday on MSNBCs Morning Joe.

Once the decision was made, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, praised Sessions for stepping aside, but said that his failure to mention the meetings with Kislyak was hard to understand.

The Russian is not easily forgettable, the California Democrat told CNN. One would remember meeting with him.

Kislyak, 66, has been Russias ambassador in Washington for nearly a decade. A veteran diplomat, he has also long been reputed to be a Russian intelligence agent.

In addition to the FBIs inquiry of Russias efforts to manipulate the U.S. election, the House and Senate intelligence committees are also attempting to investigate.

Those efforts have been endangered by the FBIs failure to share enough information about its findings, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said.

We cannot represent to the American people that were doing a thorough job if the Department of Justice or the FBI is unwilling to tell us what indeed theyve looked at, what leads they have followed, where they have found substance and where they have not, Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) told reporters shortly after his committee was briefed by FBI Director James B. Comey.

In a separate interview, Schiff said that Comey had declined to answer many of the lawmakers questions and that such reticence cant persist.

If were going to do our job, the FBI is going to have to fully cooperate with us, and that means they cant say, Well tell you about this but we wont tell you about that, Schiff said.

Democrats and some Republicans have called for an independent panel to investigate Russias actions. The Republican leadership has resisted that idea, preferring to keep the inquiry in the hands of the intelligence committees.

Times staff writers David Lauter and Sarah D. Wire contributed to this report.

del.wilber@latimes.com

Twitter: @delwilber

lisa.mascaro@latimes.com

Twitter: @lisamascaro

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UPDATES:

4:50 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional comments and details.

1:20 p.m.: This article was updated with Sessions saying hell recuse himself.

12:20 p.m.: This article was updated with Sessions plans to hold a news conference.

12:05 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from President Trump.

8:50 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Republican senators.

This article was originally published at 7:05 a.m.
Meet Leela.

Having arrived in Orange County for a family wedding, the serious teenager from India writes in her journal and goes on an adventure in search of the perfect orange.

She is a young woman on the autism spectrum who finds it difficult to navigate social interactions. But one night, she embarks on a drive with her cousin Priti, and the journey is a discovery for everyone.

This is the plot of playwright Aditi Brennan Kapils drama Orange, a new play by the Twin Cities writer that is making its West Coast premiere at South Coast Repertory March 5 until March 26.

Orange was commissioned by South Coast Repertory as part of its CrossRoads Initiative, a program funded by the Time Warner Foundation to bring playwrights to Orange County on immersive residencies as a means for inspiration. Kapil, who hadnt been to Orange County before, took a few days to explore the area, including visiting the circle in Orange and the old blimp hangars in Tustin. The sightseeing served to inform her work.

The result is a play featuring three actors, Pia Shah portraying Leela, Karthik Srinivasan playing all the male characters and Anjali Bhimani as all the women.

The biggest challenge is making sure in the short amount of time in the play that when the audience meets the characters for the first time, were able to convey a fully realized human, said Bhimani.

Bhimani grew up in North Tustin, participated in Foothill Highs theater department under the tutelage of drama teacher Jan Laurie Russell and graduated from Northwestern University in Illinois. Her parents met when they acted in a play during medical school, and the family regularly saw shows and plays throughout Southern California, she said about her earliest theatrical exposure.

Bhimani said she could identify most with Priti  I remember that snarky teenager and desperate desire to be loved and cool and treated like an adult  since she grew up in a first-generation Indian household but felt more American than Indian. Nonetheless, she explained, the heart of Orange is the relationship between Leela and her mother.

Without the play being too specific about autism, were dealing with a lot of things today where people are made to be the other and are scared to be different, Bhimani said. Theres very much a person in the other, and you cant help but fall in love with her.

Throughout the adventure, Leela sketches her observations in her diary.

Director Jessica Kubzansky said bringing Kapils script to life has been deliciously challenging.

Orange is an illustrative play, and it called for set designers to articulate the journey with care and intelligence, Kubzansky said.

She collaborated with scenic designer Michael Raiford and projection designer Mike Tutaj, who take the audience into Leelas thoughts by projecting onto two screens the drawings from her diary.

Raiford and Tutaj worked out how to give surfaces to the story and project not just one big backdrop but rather an evolving palette that makes elements pop out and disappear again as the show progresses.

The creative team said the concept makes for a profound experience when meeting Leelas character and helps better an understanding of the language and expectations when interacting with people on the autism spectrum.

For me, I think the message is that the more we all stop making people something else, strange or other, the more we realize we are connected, Bhimani said, and that rather than being scared of something different, connect with people who are different than you because were all similar more than you think.

*

IF YOU GO

What: Orange

When: 7:45 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 2 and 7:45 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays until March 26

Where: South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

Cost: Tickets start at $22

Information: (714) 708-5555 or visit scr.org.

kathleen.luppi@latimes.com

Twitter: @KathleenLuppi
For most of human drinking history, beer was fermented and served from handmade oak barrels called casks. Unlike the clear, chilled and fizzy draft-poured IPAs and pilsners were accustomed to today, these cask ales were naturally carbonated, entirely unfiltered and served directly from their barrels at cozy cellar temperatures.

In Britain, where this practice for the most part remains in place, cask ales  which can range from pale ales to stouts  are called real ales, as in your force-carbonated, keg-sitting filtered alcoholic water is fake.

FirkFest Caskaway, Orange Countys only all-cask beer festival, which returns to the Anaheim Packing District for a fourth year March 11, isnt as dogmatic as the Brits.

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Yes, the beers all follow tradition by being fermented in 5- and 10-gallon cask vessels (called pins and firkins, respectively) and use nothing but gravity to get from there into your glass. But from chocolate banana milk stouts to one-off kumquat IPAs, its what goes into the casks along with the beer that sets FirkFests offerings apart from anything youd find in a British pub.

At no other beer event will you find brewers beet red, covered in sweat and trying to figure out how to unclog a bunch of citrus from the spout of a firkin, festival founder Greg Nagel says. Its a fussy serving technology, but its how beer has been served for most of its history.

And this year, that fussy serving technology will be used for yet another first-ever FirkFest experiment: the countrys first tiki beer festival.

Nagel, a beer writer and the founder of OC Beer Blog who also covers drinks for Orange Coast Magazine, was inspired to merge European cask ales with Southern Californias love of tiki culture after attending a transoceanic cocktail event at 320 Main in Seal Beach last year. While sipping on classic Polynesian-inspired drinks made with smoky Scotch whiskeys (instead of rum), he realized that a tiki-themed beer fest didnt seem so eccentric.

Previous FirkFests had looser themes like Chili Cook-Off (where restaurants brought chili for judging) and Day at the Park (where company picnic games were played), but FirkFest Caskaway is going full throttle with the island idea, switching up the entire marketing and encouraging breweries to bring beers that evoke the tiki spirit.

Tropical adjectives, like citrus and mango, are all over the beer flavor wheel, and a good portion of IPAs already have those flavor profiles in them, Nagel says. Its not a far stretch to ask brewers to do tropical beers.

So far, a majority of the 30 independent breweries from across the Southland that will be in attendance have agreed to play along. Some are keeping it simple and bringing things like pineapple-infused IPAs and coconut-infused porters, while others are adding adjuncts like macadamia nuts and rum-soaked oak chips to make their beers mimic classic tiki cocktails the Zombie and the Navy Grog.

Mikkeller Brewing in San Diego is doing a mango-saturated take on its popular oatmeal coffee stout Beer Geek Breakfast that its calling Beer Geek Tiki Land. Costa Mesas chef-driven Gunwhale Ales will be taking one of its already unfiltered house beers and adding fennel fronds, pomegranate, vanilla and citrus. And Riip Beer Co. in Huntington Beach is adding a full serving of Hawaiian-style kalua pork (yes, meat!) into a new stout. Head brewer Trevor Walls admits that this might be the weirdest thing the hop-centric brewerys ever done.

Since youre only making 10 gallons at a time, you can really go for it and try something you wouldnt make on your big system, Walls says. At festivals, you always want to show your best, and FirkFest is a festival where you get to be really creative.

In addition to the fun experimental stuff and the insane-crazy, meat-filled beers, there will also be many real ales that pay full homage to the traditional style.

U.K.-focused Macleod Brewing in Van Nuys is bringing six casks. Temeculas cask-only brewery Inland Wharf will be in attendance too, with several rounds of its finest, as will half-British-owned Firestone Walker, which is bringing a cask of its coveted Unfiltered DBA.

While chatting with Nagel and Walls over a pint of Riips award-winning Super Cali IPA a few weeks ago, I heard the two describe cask ales as the beer worlds Polaroid pictures. Like a photograph that cant be edited, fixed or changed after its been taken, cask ales are individual endeavors. Each one is created and sealed at the brewery by the brewer and wont be tasted until someone hammers in a spout and starts serving  like what happens at FirkFest.

For every other fest, its easy to take a keg of your year-round stuff and send it off, Walls says. With FirkFest, the casks are coming directly from the mind and heart of the brewer. Theres more pride, more effort and much more love put into a cask."

FirkFest Caskaway takes place at the Anaheim Packing District from noon to 4 p.m. March 11. Tickets are $55. For more information, visit firkfest.com.

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SARAH BENNETT is a freelance journalist covering food, drink, music, culture and more. She is the former food editor at L.A. Weekly and a founding editor of Beer Paper L.A. Follow her on Twitter @thesarahbennett.
For the past three years, Marisa Bist has spent part of her time at Newport Coast Elementary School helping to catalog books in the library.

Sometimes the sixth-grader would sacrifice playing during recess to help out there.

Her dedication as a library aide paid off Thursday afternoon when she got to put on a black and white felt costume and towering red and white striped hat and become the Cat in the Hat while passing out bookmarks to other students as part of the National Education Assn.'s 20th annual Read Across America Day to celebrate Dr. Seuss birthday.

I saw people dress up as Cat in the Hat in previous years and it looked like fun, Marisa, 11, said before changing into the costume and having whiskers drawn on her face by librarian Carmen McCormick. I want to make little kids happy, and its important for kids to read.

To honor the late Dr. Seuss, the renowned childrens author whose real name was Theodor Geisel, Newport Coast Elementary joined many other schools nationwide that were expected to hold read-a-thons and arts and crafts Thursday, according to the National Education Assn. website.

Activities for the day were planned months in advance by McCormick and student leaders including Marisa and 11-year-old Beyonce Zhou.

Apart from getting to wear the costume, Marisa said she enjoyed reading her favorite Dr. Seuss book, Green Eggs and Ham, to other students.

Meanwhile, Beyonce had fun teaching younger kids how to make bows similar to the one worn by the Cat in the Hat.

McCormick said Newport Coast Elementary always encourages students to become leaders. Wearing costumes and planning activities for Read Across America Day helps motivate kids to pick up a book and improve their literacy, she said.

Classes were encouraged to participate in a door-decorating contest. The only requirements were that the decor be Dr. Seuss-inspired and be done by hand by students.

The class with the best decorated door wins a full day in the library, meaning no homework is assigned.

One door had multiple Cats in the Hat plastered on it.

Teacher Joni Sommers second-graders enjoyed In-N-Out burgers and punch outside their classroom as Marisa visited.

Eight-year-old Avery Wyson wore a red and white onesie to show off her favorite Dr. Seuss character, Thing 1 from The Cat in the Hat.

Other students wore handmade versions of the Cats red and white hat.

Students and teachers wore their costumes for group pictures with Marisa.

Not many students make it to three years as a library aide, McCormick said as she watched Marisa hand out bookmarks with a smile on her face. Shes a shy girl, but she was excited once she found out shed be wearing the costume. Its a really special moment for a student.

priscella.vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @VegaPriscella
For the first time since 2012, a delegation of Laguna Beach Sister Cities Assn. members visited leaders of one of the citys sister cities, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico.

The primary purpose of last months trip was to get acquainted with a new crop of government officials since the members last visit, association emeritus president and founding member Karyn Philippsen said Thursday.

Association representatives also toured a house built for a family displaced in 2014 by Hurricane Odile, which killed five people and is considered one of the strongest tropical cyclones to hit Baja California, according to a Weather Channel story.

The association and city of Laguna Beach funded the house.

The association has also forged partnerships with Menton, France, and St. Ives, England, to foster cultural, educational and business activities.

For more information on the Laguna Beach Sister Cities Assn., visit lagunabeachsistercities.com/.

bryce.alderton@latimes.com

Twitter: @AldertonBryce
They were 36,000 feet above Colorado when an emergency call sounded over the airliners intercom.

A man had lost consciousness in the restroom. He was turning blue.

Flight attendants had opened the door and the man, a 91-year-old traveling with his daughter and friends for a vacation, rolled out of the cramped compartment onto the floor. The flight attendants called for someone with medical training to assist.

Jason Pyle, a Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue division chief, was sitting in Row 17 of the Delta Air Lines jet, trying to find a movie to watch on his tablet for the remainder of the flight. The plane was scheduled to land in Orange County that night, and its cabin was darkened to accommodate sleeping passengers.

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Pyle, fire engineer Steve Cathey and fleet maintenance supervisor Gant Corum were flying home from Appleton, Wis., on Jan. 13 after doing final inspections on two new fire engines for the department.

Pyle heard the call for help and immediately got up to see what he could do.

With the assistance of the flight attendants, Pyle slid the 6-foot-1 man to a portion of the plane where they could stretch him out and begin to render aid.

He was in a ball in obvious distress, Pyle said. He was blue.

Cathey, who was in his seat watching the film Deepwater Horizon with noise-canceling headphones, was oblivious to the scene unfolding in the back of the plane until he heard his partner shout his name.

When the flight attendants came up to get me, I heard Chief Pyle call out my name and instantly I knew OK, theres something going on, Cathey said.

For Pyle, the few seconds it took to get Cathey felt like an eternity.

Im looking at the man thinking were going to need to start CPR in a few seconds and theres no way Im going to be able to do that without Steve, Pyle said. Theres a tone that I just yelled through the plane. Its interesting [that] even through noise-canceling headphones, when youve worked with someone so long and you hear a certain tone of voice, that call means something.

The group was soon joined by a nurse and a cardiovascular surgeon who helped stabilize the man with the minimal emergency resources aboard the plane. They suspected at the time that he was having a cardiac issue, but further medical treatment at a hospital revealed he wasnt getting enough oxygen.

The pilot diverted the flight to Denver, where it landed within minutes. By then, the man was conscious and talking.

Cathey spoke with the mans daughter and chronicled some of his medical history to make the hand-off to Denver fire officials easier.

After Denver firefighters took the man, the plane was in the air again in less than 10 minutes. It touched down at John Wayne Airport at 11:20 p.m.

Two family friends who were traveling with the man stayed on the plane but didnt have a ride from the airport, so Cathey drove them to Los Alamitos.

The family has since reached out to Cathey and Pyle to thank them and update them on the mans condition. Hes doing well, they say.

Pyle said quick thinking by the flight attendants saved the mans life. They realized after the man went into the bathroom and didnt come out that they should check on him, he said.

They saw something out of the ordinary and they acted on it, Pyle said. By doing that, they found him and did the next best thing ... they asked for help. If they had done nothing and left him in there, he probably would have had less of a stellar result.

Cathey and Pyle said theyve encountered other emergency situations while off duty and always stopped to help. Neither had ever had an emergency on a plane but figured it was bound to happen at some point.

Were firemen when were on duty and were firemen the rest of the time too, Cathey said. Its whats instilled within us. Its what we do.

--

Hannah Fry, hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
Theres a well-known aphorism that all politics is local. The same could be said about education.

Profound changes in education policies, funding and philosophy might be underway at the national and state levels. But for many of us those changes can seem abstract and distant.

Whats really important to us is what transpires in our own districts, and in our kids schools and classrooms. We care about who our childrens administrators and teachers are and what theyre doing to fulfill the promise of giving students a high-quality learning experience.

It is very personal, said Jason Viloria, superintendent of the Laguna Beach Unified School District. Thats the power of education, that its individualized.

Viloria provides a case in point. The youthful administrator assumed the top job at LBUSD last summer with a resume that displayed broad experience in different types of school settings. He previously held various administrative posts at the San Dieguito Union High School District in northern San Diego County, where many parents work in technology, or at UC San Diego, and no doubt have high expectations about college-preparedness.

He was also principal of Woodbridge High School in Irvine, where he was known for expanding studies in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields, increasing access to Advanced Placement and honors courses, and supporting collaborative courses that included special-needs students.

And before that, as an assistant principal at Gunderson High School in San Jose, Viloria worked on a program to create a college-bound culture for what is considered a large at-risk population.

When Vilorias appointment in Laguna was announced last spring, one trustee praised his situational leadership.

What that means, I assume, is that every district, every school  indeed, every student  is different. Educators are at their best when they work to understand and address the very specific challenges and needs of the communities and student populations they serve.

When I met recently with Viloria I couldnt help but be charmed by one touch of whimsy in his otherwise modest, utilitarian office. He gave me the choice of sitting in a standard chair or on one of the soft, backless blocks facing his desk. I chose a block. As I sat and realized that it was also bouncy and unstable, I wondered momentarily whether Id be able to take notes as I struggled to keep balanced. Somehow I managed.

For the most part, Viloria is in an enviable situation in Laguna. For one thing, its a basic aid district, meaning that all of its funding comes from local property taxes, as opposed to other districts that receive supplemental funding from the state because the property tax base isnt sufficient to cover a set amount of dollars per student.

Being a basic aid district is mostly a good deal for qualifying schools, which are often located in relatively affluent areas with a high tax base. Newport-Mesa Unified is also a basic aid district.

But basic aid also brings its own set of challenges since property tax revenue can fluctuate dramatically, and any growth in enrollment must be covered internally, instead of by a state-funded, per-student formula. This means that sound long-term financial planning is paramount.

Costs go up every year, Viloria said. If the budget is flat, how do you keep programs going?

Another distinctive feature of LBUSD is that it is small. Indeed, Viloria noted that total enrollment at the district  which has one high school, one middle school, and two elementary schools  is only slightly larger than at Irvines Woodbridge High.

Being small can be advantageous. It can foster a greater sense of community and common purpose, and it can allow administrators and teachers to be more nimble and responsive to student needs. But it can also be a disadvantage, since small districts often lack the resources and scale to offer a broad range of choices for academic programs and activities.

Viloria said that Laguna often gets around such limitations through partnerships with other districts, and through a commitment to providing students with a full range of choices, from career technical education to Chinese studies.

We found a way, he said. Ive inherited a great system that values art, music, technical education and core subjects.

In addition to his focus inward, on school offerings, Viloria is also obliged to keep his eye on broader changes in education that will trickle down to the local level  everything from standardized testing mandates to shifts in the state budget. One of the issues hes following closely is an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision on a case that will determine whether public schools must do more for students with disabilities.

It all ends up at the local level, he said.

And then there are the problems that crop up within the local student population that school districts inevitably must play a role in addressing, such as when LBUSD officials recently responded with disciplinary and education efforts after a racially charged incident involving Laguna Beach High students.

Like my efforts to steady myself on one of the bouncy seats in Vilorias office, local administrators are tasked with keeping balance in an unstable climate. Big changes might be afoot in education, but its always the local educators who matter most. Theyre the ones who must figure out how to make it all work in the communities they serve.

PATRICE APODACA is a former Newport-Mesa public school parent and former Los Angeles Times staff writer. She lives in Newport Beach.
This week I spoke with Huntington Beach resident Elizabeth Gilbert, who continues to seek justice on several fronts for her late husband, Newport Beach urologist Ron Gilbert, after his tragic murder in 2013.

Gilberts husband was shot to death in January 2013 as he entered his exam room of his medical practice by Hoag Hospital. He was allegedly killed by a first-time patient, Stanwood Elkus, 75, of Lake Elsinore.

Elkus was arrested, pleaded not guilty and remains in jail awaiting trial.

The case has had many delays, and Gilbert says on March 10 there will be a continuation hearing.

In addition to seeking justice, Gilbert is now fighting for her husbands legacy, the company he started and a product he developed, which she alleges in court papers has been stolen.

Before his death, Gilbert developed a premature ejaculation drug, Promescent, an FDA-monograph-compliant lidocaine spray available over-the-counter and marketed through his company, Absorption Pharmaceuticals.

On Feb 21, Gilberts widow and Absorptions CEO Jeff Abraham, filed suit in a Nevada federal District Court against Reckitt Benckiser, seeking more than $150 million in damages and demanding the corporate giant stop selling Duration, which the complaint alleges is too similar to the formula in Promescent.

When I lost Ron four years ago, I knew that his legacy, in addition to our beautiful sons, was the remarkable product he created to help couples who struggled with intimacy, Gilbert says.

She says her husbands lifes work was literally stolen out from under us.

Ive written about Abraham and Absorption Pharmaceuticals before.

In 2013 Abraham relocated from Huntington Beach to Las Vegas, because O.C. held too many memories of his friends senseless murder.

Since then weve become friends, and hes repeatedly told me his goal has been to grow the company, eventually selling it and ensuring the Gilbert familys financial future as his business partner intended.

When Reckitt Benckiser approached Abraham interested in buying Promescent in 2014, he thought hed finally achieved that.

We already had an exciting offer on the table valued at approximately $150 million for our business, but Reckitt Benckiser asked us to hold off because of its stated desire to acquire Promescent, said Abraham.

What is Reckitt Benckiser?

The companys roots date to 1823.

Headquartered in Slough, England, Reckitt Benckiser has operations throughout Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and Africa.

Key brands include Durex, Gaviscon, Mucinex, Scholl, Frenchs, Lysol, K-Y, Airborne,, Clearasil, Air Wick, Calgon, Vanish and Woolite, as well as over-the-counter pharmaceuticals and products for hair removal, denture cleaning and pest control.

On Forbes list of the Worlds Most Innovative Companies, Reckitt Benckiser lists at No. 51, with market capitalization of $68 billion, 34,700 employees and $13.56 billion in estimated sales.

It was Reckitt Benckisers office based in Parsippany, N.J., that first contacted Abraham.

At Reckitt Benckisers request, we shared our proprietary sales, marketing and technical data as part of due-diligenceduring acquisition negotiations, he says.

In the complaint, Gilbert and Abraham claim Reckitt Benckiser never intended to buy their company, but instead intended to steal our proprietary information so they could launch a competing product using our marketing strategy and other trade secrets.

The complaint also claims Reckitt Benckiser tried to destroy Promescent as a competitor by having our listing on Amazon.com hidden from the general public and stealing shelf space at key retailers.

I reached out to Reckitt Benckiser for comment on the pending lawsuit and allegations. Lynn Kenney, North American communications director, called, saying due to the ongoing litigation she couldnt comment here, but at least I got a call back.

Id never heard of Reckitt Benckiser, but was surprised at how many of their products are in my home.

I dug a little deeper and discovered Gilberts not the only one questioning Reckitt Benckisers business practices.

In October 2016 Colorados State Atty. Gen. Cynthia Coffman and 35 other state attorneys general, including the one from California, filed an antitrust lawsuit against Reckitt Benckiser, the makers of Suboxone, a prescription drug used to treat opioid addiction, over allegations that the companies engaged in a scheme to block generic competitors and cause purchasers to pay artificially high prices, states the Colorado Attorney Generals website.

Attorneys general allege that consumers and purchasers have paid artificially high monopoly prices since late 2009, when generic alternatives of Suboxone might otherwise have become available, according to the site. During that time, annual sales of Suboxone topped $1 billion.

Gilbert and Abraham tell me theyve entered into a legal battle of David vs. Goliath proportions, but are committed to preserving Rons legacy.

BARBARA VENEZIA lives in Newport Beach. She can be reached at bvontv1@gmail.com.
With the April 4 municipal election only a month away, nine Glendale City Council candidates who hope to fill three vacant seats came together Wednesday to answer questions about local issues.

Challengers Mike Van Gorder, Vrej Agajanian, Susan Wolfson, Mark MacCarley, Mike Mohill, Grant Michals and Rick Dinger joined incumbents Ara Najarian and Zareh Sinanyan for a public forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters Glendale/Burbank in City Council chambers.

Candidate Onnik Mehrabian did not attend, but Sandi Cochran, logistics coordinator for his campaign, said later by email that he will attend future forums.

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After opening statements, each candidate answered a question given to them in advance  whether they supported Measure L, which proposes implementing a three-year term limit, 12 years total, for City Council members. It will be on the April 4 ballot.

Every candidate at the forum said they would vote yes, with the exception of incumbent Najarian, who said it limits the choice of the voters during an election.

Later, candidates answered one question each, with the following two candidates seated next to them arranged by their names on the ballot  able to give a shorter response to the same question.

Mike Van Gorder agreed when asked whether he shared a community sentiment that, when it comes to significant development in Glendale, the public-input phase is either inadequate or too late in the process, and he said he would like to strengthen the Design Review Boards capabilities.

In their response to that question, Agajanian and Wolfson said that they also are worried about rapid changes without proper feedback from the public.

Public input needs to be taken into consideration as early and ... given as much weight as possible, Wolfson said. The neighbors, especially to proposed projects, are the people who are going to be the most affected by those projects.

Sinanyan, MacCarley and Mohill gave their input about what incentives, if any, Glendale should consider to keep large businesses in the area, given the upcoming departure of food giant Nestle USA from the city.

Sinanyan touted his part in the citys technology initiative, which provides assistance and incentives to tech companies to come or stay in Glendale.

Mohill said the city needs to be more business-friendly, especially regarding what he said are high permit fees.

MacCarley said hed fight to make sure Glendale got its fair share of state money for incentives.

We have to make this city receptive to business, MacCarley said. Whether you like ... or dont like business, business is the engine that provides us with the money to do good among all the people here in Glendale.

Regarding a more national issue, Michals, Dinger and Najarian were asked if they would support a resolution declaring Glendale a sanctuary city for undocumented residents.

Michals said he supports the idea, adding that it was a matter of resources and he didnt see the need for Glendale to be involved in immigration raids.

Although Dinger said he is also worried about stretching law enforcement too thin, he said a sanctuary city might bring about problems in the long run.

Najarian said he agreed with a statement Glendale Police Chief Robert Castro made once that the department will not devote resources to tracking down undocumented citizens.

We have enough crime that were fighting in the city with the advent of the early release of felons from the state prison system and the county jail, Najarian said, referring to state Proposition 57.

The next candidates forum, sponsored by the Chevy Chase Estates Assn., is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Chevy Chase Library, 3301 E. Chevy Chase Drive, Glendale.

--

Jeff Landa, jeff.landa@latimes.com

Twitter: @JeffLanda
Our best option, given the impending curtailment of the Affordable Care Act, is to enthusiastically support single-payer healthcare, or Medicare for all. We need to establish healthcare as a right, not a business. We also need to enable our single-payer plan to negotiate with the pharmaceutical companies and keep prescription drugs at a reasonable price. We need to do this now! Healthcare for all!

Mark Kausler

Glendale

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Richmonds not about truth

How does someone as lacking in self-awareness as Ray Richmond still have a column? Every other week its another juvenile temper tantrum in print. After eight years of the liberal media taking their marching orders from the Democratic White House and then during the election from the DNC (Donna Brazille gave Hillary the CNN debate questions), we are finally saying no to an oppressive media monopoly that slanted heavily left. They used Orwellian Newspeak and demonized anyone that wasnt part of their agenda.

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Example, if you believed in traditional marriage, the headline was anti-gay. If you believe a man should not be allowed in a womans room with young girls because one day he self-identifies as a female, you are called transphobic. Its leftist language like that which has caused a distrust; its totalitarian. Our way or youre a hater.

So Im sorry, Ray, you and your friends have nothing to do with shining a light on the truth, as you foolishly and self-righteously state. Where was the truth in the Michael Brown story that fueled a riot? He did not say, hands up, dont shoot. Where are the facts to debunk the false liberal narrative that all cops are racists gunning for unarmed black men? Nowhere. No truth, just propaganda. Agitprop. Read Heather MacDonalds book, The War on Cops for truth. She uses FBI stats from the Obama administration to shine real light on truth.

And anyone who thinks Im from the planet Fakecury is a clever turn of phrase does not deserve a column.

Stan Evans

Glendale

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Asking a simple question

Now that God gave us Trump, will that same God protect us from him and his ilk?

Theodore Polychronis

Glendale

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We need to get control of rent

From the year 2000 to 2014, median income in Glendale rose 28%, from $41K to $52K. But median home valuations have risen from $325,000 to $598,000  84%. With the greed and bailout of Wall Street, the younger generations and the working class saw the goalposts for the American dream slip further away.

So how can the working class afford to live in Southern California? Many of us have to rent. But renting in Glendale is an unprotected situation. Eighty percent of south Glendale rents and about a third are cost-burdened, spending more than a third of their income on their rent. And unlike a majority of Los Angeles County, Glendale has no rent stabilization ordinances. Landlords are free to increase their rents at will  and some do. I met someone recently who was spending 70% of her income to live here. Another friends rent has gone up 30% in four years. Anothers has jumped, like clockwork, $100 every six months. How can renters develop roots in our community if its just as likely that the next park built, the next transportation center approved, the next improvement to our city sees their cost of living here skyrocket?

It is time that we establish these crucial protections, curb luxury development, and expand affordable- and market-rate housing. The American Dream isnt draining 30 years of retirement savings so your adult children can afford to live near you. The American Dream is understanding that we all must work toward being independent  and sometimes, when the playing field has been tilted, we come together as a community to create a more equitable situation.

Mike Van Gorder

Glendale

Editors Note: The writer is a candidate in the April 4 Glendale City Council race.

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Residents need a say in rules

Upon reading the Forum section of the News-Press over the last few weeks, I felt compelled to state my position on the City Councils vote to approve the interim granny flats ordinance. The councils approval of the ordinance is the reasonable first step in response to Sacramentos latest mandate. Assembly Bill 229 is an attempt to meet the housing needs of Californias expanding population. However, what works in San Francisco or San Diego is often in conflict with the needs and desires of smaller communities like ours. Protecting Glendale and the Crescenta Valleys quality of life will require continual responses to the mandates of the county, Sacramento and our growing population.

I take seriously the opinion of Brian Ellis, who urges our council to institute the most restrictive limits possible and support staffs recommendation. I also share the opinion Peter Faud of the Northwest Glendale Homeowners Assn., who is quoted in the News-Press as saying Once these things are built ... they cant be un-built. However; I recognize there may be parts of our city where the guidelines of the interim ordinance may work.

I propose the eventual ordinance we accept should be designed by us, the residents of Glendale and the Crescenta Valley. Let each neighborhood input their needs, not those of Sacramento. Once a committee of residents (with the aid of city planners), not politicians or developers, have decided what is best for our neighbors, that becomes the City Councils mandate. Not the other way around.

As a council member I will support my neighbors, not the agendas of Sacramento or the proponents of unchecked development. My purpose for seeking a seat on the City Council is to preserve the quality of life of Glendale and the Crescenta Valley.

Rick Dinger

Glendale

Editors Note: The writer is a candidate in the April 4 Glendale City Council race.

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Impressed by Susan Wolfson

Whos the ideal candidate for the Glendale City Council? At this critical time, we need a financially sophisticated council member who understands Glendales pension fund obligations, the impact of its growing bond indebtedness and its economic options.

A week ago, I met Susan Wolfson for the first time at a meet-and-greet I hosted for my neighbors in the Brockmont Park Historic District. Wolfson is a CPA and after many years with the big accounting firms, she now works in La Canada Flintridges finance department. Shes a huge believer in transparency and letting the public see how Glendale collects and spends its revenues.

Shes also a proselytizer for what she calls financial sustainability. Its a bit of a buzzword, but an important concept in financial planning. Financial sustainability means planning with a goal of maintaining an entitys fiscal health and not having to stop operations because it has run out of money.

Treat yourself to hearing Susan at the next open forum or meet-and-greet. Youll be as impressed as I was.

Jaye Scholl

Glendale
La Canadas Jet Propulsion Laboratory may be involved in many space-related programs, including telescopes fixed on vast portions of the night skies, but theres a new constellation a little bit closer to home they might have overlooked.

Constellation Coffee, a specialty coffee shop owned by Kevin Kim, opened for business on Feb. 10 in a nondescript retail space at 468 Foothill Blvd. and has been brewing beans at a fast clip ever since.

To Kim, running a business is nothing new  he and his family operated a Sbarro Pizza restaurant in Glendale Galleria for seven years before a mall renovation forced the shop to close in 2012  but the 39-year-old admits hes excited to share the art form of coffee cultivation, roasting and brewing with a community where corporate coffee purveyors mainly dominate.

There are so many different flavor profiles, the Glendale resident said. And theres so much to learn; there are different notes and different flavors, and so many great roasters popping up all the time.

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While there were aspects of the pizza franchise business Kim wasnt fond of, including working 362 days a year and seeing enormous amounts of food wasted, it was at Sbarro that he developed a strong work ethic and fell in love with customer service and making connections with customers.

As the years went on, Kim crafted a vision for the business he would someday open. He wanted something small and manageable, without a lot of overhead and waste, something that provided a real service.

A specialty coffee shop seemed the perfect fit. But there was a hitch  Kim was hardly a coffee connoisseur.

Three years ago, thats when I started really appreciating black coffee, he said. Before that, I have to admit, I was a sugary cappuccino drinker.

To learn the humble bean from the inside out, he took a job at Found Coffee in Eagle Rock. Under the tutelage of owner Annie Choi, a former general manager at Demitasse Coffee Roasters in Santa Monica, Kim eventually became conversant in the language of specialty coffee.

Former co-worker and Found Coffee General Manager Jay Eusantos, who worked alongside Kim, said the entrepreneurs determination to learn the industry from the ground up was a good one.

There are a lot of cases where coffee shop owners dont have any coffee background. I think Kevin made a really good decision getting experience first, Eusantos said, adding theres likely to be a bit of a learning curve in La Canada. Now, hes going to have to help foster that coffee shop culture there.

Today, confident using the espresso machine, Kim has no problem brewing a number of specialty offerings. Constellation serves up the standard macchiatos, cappuccinos and Americanos, in addition to cold brews and pour-over coffees, brewed to highlight a beans individual flavor profile, as well as tempting snacks made by Los Angeles bakery Cake Monkey.

A recent visit found friend and specialty coffee expert Geli Espiritu hand-pouring a bright and fruity Costa Rican roast alongside a lavender Earl Grey tea. A former Found Coffee barista, Espiritu helped train a novice Kim, and said shes happy to see hes brought the same farm-to-table values and techniques to the La Canada shop.

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FOR THE RECORD

3/3, 12:32 p.m.: A previous version of this story stated Geli Espiritu worked as a barista at Found Coffee. She was temporarily helping out at that business while working as a barista and manager at other coffee houses.

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A lot of people think coffee is just coffee, she said. I consider this more of an art form.

Kim hopes Constellation will be a place where people can come and dream, connect with others and do creative things. Logos and quotes almost hidden throughout the shop support that ambition.

Everyone has their own cluster of stars. Everyone has their own niche or community, he said, explaining the name Constellation, created just for the La Canada location. But everyone is also connected.

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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com

Twitter: @SaraCardine
As an adolescent, I might have had a fascination for motorcycles, but I didnt. In New York City, motorcycles were an anomaly; to have missed something, one must know of its existence. However, in 1969, I learned about this remarkable machine.

The movie Easy Rider was the link that conjoined my endless fascination of freewheeling through experience and at the same time, smelling the roses. The protagonists travel the length of America on choppers, hybrid motorcycles with radical designs. Throughout the movie, the motorcycle is incidental to a plethora of plots; however, its the link that propelled Easy Rider to iconic status.

A few years later, Robert Pirsig published an intellectual masterpiece, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The book described the authors motorcycle journey from Minnesota to Northern California. Pirsig weaves intricate analogies between the maintenance of motorcycles and a myriad of sophisticated philosophical discussions. The motorcycle is a supporting actor that defined the book as the bible for philosophical analysis during the 70s.

Pirsig expressed, Not everyone understands the rational process of motorcycle maintenance. They think its some kind of knack or some kind of affinity for machines in operation. They are right, but the knack is almost purely a process of reason. A motorcycle functions entirely in accordance with the laws of reason, and a study of the art of motorcycle maintenance is really a miniature study of the art of rationality itself.

I wanted to find someone who thought in the same dimension as Pirsig, someone who could intellectualize that propensity toward a meticulous attention to detail and see an engine as a spiritual entity. And then, one day I found him at Starbucks buried behind the morning paper, drinking a cappuccino. I met Judah Cashburn. Initially, we exchanged pleasantries, probably not more than a hi and bye. However, our discussions grew and eventually I found that Judah was a link between quality and reason, and its association with the incredible world of moving parts.

Judah is from England and is a retired mechanical engineer. His inspiration was Thomas Telford, the great engineer from the Victorian era. I live in the past, he said.

As a boy his fascination for mechanical things drove him toward steam engines, cars, locomotives, aircraft and motorcycles. Anything that looked exciting, he said. He explained there are hundreds of miracles happening within a single engine and there is a beautiful synchronicity of moving parts. Judah understands the spiritual significance of a machine, which is the core of Pirsigs book.

Engineering is a form of art and function which is echoed by the natural world, he said. Take a cheetah, for example, and note how it has evolved into animal of prey. Its evolution increases its function. I torture myself thinking of these philosophies, he said.

I had to think about that comment a few times.

Judah rebuilds old technology and has rebuilt assorted MGs, motorcycles and engines. If you want to meet mad people like me who love vintage machinery, go to England. The artistry of mechanics is fascinating, he said. There is much nostalgia in old things.

His latest passion is a priceless box of parts he recently purchased. Judah will reassemble one of the fastest and most aesthetically pleasing motorcycles ever manufactured, a Vincent. Its not merely the motorcycle, but its how he describes it.

I have the vision to see what most people cannot see. The Vincent is beautiful; its an iconic machine; it moves me.

So, Judah, what moves you about a Vincent? I asked.

He looked at me as though my question was perplexing.

I cant answer that, he replied.

--

JOE PUGLIA is a practicing counselor, a retired professor of education and a former officer in the Marines. Reach him at doctorjoe@ymail.com. Visit his website at doctorjoe.us.
An Alabama theatre owner is banning Beauty and the Beast because he doesn't want to expose his customers to the new gay character in the film.

Earlier this week, director Bill Condon revealed that the character of LeFou, played in the film by Josh Gad, would have an exclusively gay moment involving Gaston, who he idolises.

LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston, Condon told Attitude Magazine. Hes confused about what he wants. Its somebody whos just realizing that he has these feelings. And Josh makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And thats what has its payoff at the end, which I dont want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie.

The Henagar Drive-In Theatre announced its decision to cancel all screenings of the Disney film on Facebook today.

The post read: For those that do not know Beauty and the Beast is premiering their first homosexual character. The producer also says at the end of the movie there will be a surprise for same-sex couples. If we can not take our 11 year old grand daughter and 8 year old grandson to see a movie we have no business watching it.



It continued: If I cant sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me then we have no business showing it. I know there will be some that do not agree with this decision. Thats fine. We are first and foremost Christians. We will not compromise on what the Bible teaches. We will continue to show family oriented films so you can feel free to come watch wholesome movies without worrying about sex, nudity, homosexuality and foul language. Thank you for your support!

The film is released in Irish theatres on March 17th.
A radical Polish European Parliament lawmaker has launched another sexist tirade, calling it a 20th-century stereotype that women have the same intellectual potential as men, and that the stereotype must be destroyed because it is not true.

Janusz Korwin-Mikkes comments in Warsaw on Friday came two days after he told the European Parliament that women must earn less than men because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent.

The president of the European Parliament opened an investigation Thursday into those comments, for which Korwin-Mikke could face sanctions such as a reprimand, a fine or a temporary suspension.

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His latest blast came after he was challenged by female lawmakers during a visit to the Polish Parliament in Warsaw. Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, from the Modern party, accused him of offending women and said she would not allow him to do it again.

There are more women than men in Poland, were better educated, and I will not let you offend Polish women, European women and women all over the world. Its a disgrace, she told him.

Korwin-Mikke has a history of getting attention for outrageous comments, including comparing the EU to the Third Reich. In 2015, he raised ins arm in a Nazi salute to make a political point in the European Parliament, forcing the centrist government in Warsaw at the time to apologize and express shame at his behavior.

Korwin-Mikke heads a small party that won just under 5% of the vote in Polands last parliamentary elections, in 2015, not clearing the threshold need to win seats.
The bodies of nine men and two women turned up one morning this week on the outskirts of Veracruz, a major port city on Mexicos Gulf coast. Nude or partially clothed and bound at the ankles, the corpses showed the scars of torture and were accompanied by a sign: You want a war, youll get a war.

Authorities have not said whether they believe the bloodied bodies discovered Tuesday night were a warning from one drug cartel to another, or a taunt aimed at the Mexican government, which the same day had announced it was sending more federal troops to the state of Veracruz to combat a recent increase in killings there.

One thing is clear, however. More than a decade after then-President Felipe Calderon launched a crusade against drug cartels  dispatching tens of thousands of soldiers onto local streets to battle gangs  a drug war still rages, and the murder rate is once again rising rapidly.

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Last year, there were 20,792 homicides in Mexico  a 22% increase over 2015, and a 35% jump over 2014.

This year has seen an unprecedented uptick in violence, with federal statistics showing nearly 2,000 people killed in the first month of 2017  more than in any January since federal officials began releasing crime data in the 1990s.

The Mexican government does not distinguish which deaths were tied to the cartels, but some crime experts have estimated that narco-violence could account for up to half of the overall numbers.

The surge in homicides has called into question Mexicos military-led drug war strategy, as well as the United States prominent role in the fight.

Since 2008, the U.S. government has appropriated more than $2.6 billion for the Merida Initiative, a partnership with the Mexican government aimed at disrupting organized crime and reforming Mexicos ailing police and justice systems.

Under the program, which was based on the principle that the illicit drug trade is a shared problem in need of a shared solution, the U.S. has sent Mexico more than half a billion dollars in new planes, helicopters and drug-sniffing dogs and has trained law enforcement in fields including firearms and forensics.

That support now appears to be in jeopardy, as President Trump seeks to slash foreign aid in order to increase U.S. military spending and looks for creative ways to pay for construction of a border wall.

Mexican leaders, who have bristled at Trumps boast that Mexico will pay to build the wall, have indicated that they are willing to live without U.S. aid, which represents a sliver of Mexicos total security budget.

Last week, Mexican Interior Secretary Miguel Angel Osorio Chong told a local journalist that the aid is not very significant, and said, We really do not have any problems with its withdrawal. In the 10 years since the U.S. and Mexico began the Merida Initiative, he said, Mexico has changed, grown, is more developed and stronger.

But the homicide rates portray a country still embroiled in an endless fight against organized crime that has left more than 175,000 people dead over the last 10 years.

A convoy carrying gendarmerie, civil and state police personnel arrives March 1 in Jalapa, Veracruz state, to strengthen security. (Eduardo Murillo / AFP/Getty Images)

Mexico first deployed soldiers, marines and federal police officers against increasingly powerful cartels because local and state police forces were viewed as too weak to do it themselves. In some cases, cartels had infiltrated police forces, with mayors and other officials in collusion, too.

The federal forces executed a kingpin strategy that targeted the cartel leaders, and one by one, powerful drug lords, including Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, were taken into custody or killed.

While many security analysts agree that federal forces helped stop Mexico from becoming a narco state, the strategy also unwittingly unleashed a wave of violence as would-be kingpins fought for control of the cartels.

In 2011, the most violent year in modern Mexicos history, 22,852 people were killed. Mexican officials sought to assuage concerns about the bloodshed, saying most of the victims were gangsters.

The homicide rate began to dip after that, dropping to 14,353 in 2014. Officials including Osorio Chong and President Enrique Pena Nieto heralded the statistics, saying they showed tide shifting in the governments favor.

But if the new uptick in killings holds steady, 2017 could be the deadliest year since the drug war began.

Osorio Chong has blamed the increase on elections last summer that unsettled the status quo when a new governors took office in a dozen states, but an analysis of statistics show an escalation of killings nationwide.

Murders rose in 25 out Mexicos 31 states in January compared to the same month last year, with the worst violence concentrated in Guerrero, Baja California Sur and Colima.

Colima, a state of just 700,000 people along a strategic drug route on the Pacific coast, had a murder rate of 116 per 100,000 people in January. That included the dozen bodies, some of them headless, that were discovered in one weekend in the seaside resort of Manzanillo.

By comparison, the homicide rate last year in Chicago, which Trump has likened to a war zone, was 28 per 100,000. For the United States, it was 5.

The city of Veracruz, where the 11 bodies were discovered Wednesday, also has been beset by violence, as the Zetas cartel battles for turf with the Jalisco New Generation cartel, which rose to prominence several years ago amid a power vacuum created when the Mexican government killed a leader of the Sinaloa cartel.

Decapitating criminal organizations has been shown, again and again, to exacerbate the violence, said law professor Catalina Perez Correa, citing a recent study that found that public shootouts involving the military increase the number of homicides in that municipality in both the short and long term.

Death and violence, perpetuated by criminal groups or by the state, have become part of our daily lives.  Mexican law professor Catalina Perez Correa

Death and violence, perpetuated by criminal groups or by the state, have become part of our daily lives, Perez lamented in a recent column in El Universal newspaper.

The violence has become so normalized, most killings dont make headlines, said Perez, of Mexicos Center for Research and Teaching Economics. Even as the murders rise, there is little outrage among the Mexican public, she said.

Perez and others have sought to draw attention to a series of laws being considered by federal legislators that would extend the power of federal troops inside Mexico. One proposal would allow soldiers to take over local investigations when local police are deemed unfit to handle them.

The laws, which have been proposed by members of Pena Nietos Institutional Revolutionary Party, as well as members of the right-leaning National Action Party, are opposed by by many human rights activists. They say the military does not have the constitutional right to enforce public safety within Mexico, and point to a surge in human rights abuses since the militarys involvement in the drug war, including the alleged military execution of 22 suspected gang members in the town of Tlatlaya in 2015.

There have been documented cases of soldiers being involved in torture, extrajudicial killings, disappearances and many other human rights abuses, said Maureen Meyer, who advocates for human rights in Mexico with the nonprofit Washington Office on Latin America. But the worst damage, Meyer said, may be to the long-term effectiveness of Mexicos local law enforcement agencies.

Enlisting soldiers to fight gangs at the local level reduces the pressure on police and others to improve, Meyer said. Mexicos leaders have less incentive in making important and tough investments in improving security institutions.

Police and forensics secure an area Jan. 4 in Acapulco, after attackers reportedly got out of a vehicle and began shooting, killing six street vendors. (Bernandino Hernandez / Associated Press)

Jorge Chabat, a security expert at the Center for Research and Teaching Economics, said Mexico doesnt need more soldiers or more equipment but the rule of law, including a complete reform of its police and justice system.

The Merida Initiative includes money for such work  the U.S. has helped fund updates to Mexicos courts system that have been widely praised  but more improvement is needed, he said.

This is not a software problem, this is a hardware problem, Chabat said. The government launched security operations but they didnt do the other part of the job  reforming institutions in a proper way and combating corruption. If you dont fix the state institutions, there is no security strategy that is going to work.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

Twitter: @katelinthicum

Cecilia Sanchez from The Times Mexico City bureau contributed to this report.

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China announced last week plans to cut off imports of coal from North Korea. But the new UN report stated that China has proved a fickle partner at best in Washington's effort to stymie Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

According to UN report, that poses a fresh challenge to U.S President Donald Trump. But instead of low-key diplomatic spadework, Trump has sought to browbeat China into helping, blaming the Asian superpower with failing to use its influence to clip Pyongyang's atomic aspirations.

The eight member's panel committee report has stated that North Korea is flouting trade through prohibited goods. The North Korean schemes are combining to significantly negate the impact of international sanctions.

Chicago Tribune has reported that China, despite its apparent cooperation of late with international efforts to sanction North Korea, China has instead served as Pyongyang's economic lifeline, purchasing the vast majority of its coal, gold, and iron ore. China is serving as the primary hub for illicit trade that undermines a raft of U.N sanctions that China nominally supports.

The banks and firms of North Korean have maintained to international financial markets through a vast network of Chinese-based front companies that enables Pyongyang to evade sanctions. The trade includes the cash and gold bullion that allowing North Korea to gain ready access to the international financial system as well as to banks in China and New York, reported by UN.

However, till now, there is no direct evidence that the Chinese government is actively supporting North Korea's sanctions busters. William Newcomb, a former member of the U.N sanction panel on North Korea said," it is hard to believe China is unaware of the illicit trade".

Meanwhile, the UN report is expected to be made public next week. The report openly stated that North Korean regime continues its methodical effort to develop the nuclear military program and the means to deliver corresponding weapons.


Samsung just released a press articulation announcing its Galaxy S7 edge as winning the best smartphone award at Mobile World Congress 2017. That didn't occur. It actually is a false statement being projected by the company connecting it to the Mobile World Congress 2017 event. The actual story is completely different. This is the thing that actually happened, and Samsung ought to withdraw this public statement as it's deceptive and guileful.

GSMA is the trade organizing that hosts Mobile World Congress and consistently they have a honors service for accomplishments of the previous year. So during the current year's honors, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge was designated close by the iPhone 7 Plus, Pixel XL, Huawei P9, and the Moto Z.

The Galaxy S7 Edge won The Best Smartphone 2016, which bodes well. Thus, whatever story that Samsung published was not completely true and it should be retracted by the company. However, that is not what Samsung said in an official statement. Samsung tried to show their S7 edge as the best smartphone in the MWC 2017 event which is clearly not true.

Samsung expressed that the Galaxy S7 Edge Named Best Smartphone at MWC 2017. Or, said in an alternate way, never mind Samsung terrible showing at the world's biggest mobile show; the S7 is the best phone here, reports indilens.

It has been contended that Samsung need not bother with MWC any longer. The organization can summon enough consideration from the business that it need not bother with a public expo group of onlookers to launch a gadget, reports susstec.

Samsung didn't dispatch a phone at the current year's Mobile World Congress like LG, Motorola, Huawei, BlackBerry, and Nokia. Rather, Samsung is holding an enormous occasion in New York City toward the finish of March to declare the Galaxy S8. At MWC, Samsung declared two tablets.
Greece is one of the few European countries that was lacking space agency. The country's minister of Digital policy, Telecommunication, and media Nikos Pappas has expressed the country's interest in going to space.

According to Bloomberg Technology, as a European country, Greek is not matched up with other countries in terms of Space research. The countries telecommunication and education minister expressed their interest that the Greek space agency will coordinate public and private institutions in order to make best capabilities in the sector of space satellite and application.

Nikos Pappas, an economic researcher in Strathclyde, Scotland have joined the Greek government in January 2015 and became telecoms minister. For the improvement of telecoms, he presented a draft bill in January for the creation of National Center for Space Application.

The internal report from Greek government reported the launch of the space agency is part of the Greek government's drive to stem the country's brain drain. Since 2008, the Greek Central Bank estimates around 427,000 educated Greeks people have left the country. The minister said the new agency will create numerous new jobs and also new opportunities to Greek scientists.

In the early summer, the Greek has launched of Hellas Sat 3 that will take its place on the Greek orbital position. The satellite will significantly broaden the Greek capacity to host satellite applications, both for the public and private.

The Greek government report has stated that it is not the first time Greece has attempted to conquer space in the era of the bailouts. The defense minister in 2013 Antonis Samaras' had also announced the government's intention to set up a space missile launch base in Kalamata, Southern Greece.

However, the Greek's new minister is also keen to promote start-ups as well as a space adventure. The Greek government has already spent around 400,000 Euros on its presence at mobile world congress in Barcelona.


Former Vice President Joe Biden and his family are currently garnering the limelight. His son, Hunter Biden, is the main hunt for paparazzi and not only he was involved with his brother's widow romantically, he also reportedly poured money down the drain with his reckless behavior.

According to Page Six, Hunter has been involved in nefarious doings and has frittered away the family's wealth on prostitutes, strippers, drugs and alcohol, according to the papers obtained by The Post. Kathleen, who is the current wife of Hunter, has now filed divorce papers last week following the lavish yet wicked lifestyle of her husband.

According to the papers filed in Washington, DC to the Superior Court on Feb. 23. Kathleen established that Hunter's spending is rarely linked with the family expense, rather the money is subjected to endless gifts for his sexual partners and his personal travel diaries. The family wealth is accumulated towards his own spending, which includes trips to strip clubs and womanizing with multiple hookers.

Continuing the embarrassing allegations, Kathleen is determined to limit her husband to a $5,000 monthly allowance. She is currently residing with the couple's three young girls in DC. She has also extended a list of her conditions which says that she, along with their daughters should be given a $20,000 monthly allowance.

The motion filed by wife Kathleen about Hunter claims that he has "created financial concerns for the family by spending extravagantly on his own interests" during their split. Allegedly, he spent $122,179 of their marital income in "less than two months."

Because of these reckless spending, Kathleen says that the family has reached their top budget and have gone past beyond their credit card limit. They are now under a tax debt of minimum $313,970, reports Perez Hilton.

While the marital woes are on the rise, Kathleen has also alleged her husband for lowering down her spousal income support by nearly $10,000. She has, however, altered the conditions and is asking for a much hefty amount for herself and daughters, allowing Hunter to be only left with $5000.

Hunter pulled off a shock when his romantic association with Hallie Biden came out to the public. While he was still in the process of divorce finalization with Kathleen, the love triangle allowed Hunter to be kicked out of the house on July 5, 2015.

Hallie became a widow when Beau Biden died after suffering from brain cancer in May 2015. Hunter and Hallie became a couple after gathering the blessings of Joe and wife Jill Biden.
Lost In France is a new documentary about a group of Scottish musical acts which, in the early '90s, decided to band together and travel to France for a music festival in a sleepy hamlet.

Mogwai, The Delgados, Bis and a number of acts made the journey back to France and reminisced about their experiences then and what they made of their time there, as well as where they are now.

We talked to director Niall McCann about his own background with the various bands, reflecting on their careers, the wider music industry and chopping down footage to make it into a cohesive story.

How did you come to get involved in making this? Were you a fan back in the day?

I met Aidan Moffat of Arab Strap after he played the Grand Social in the summer of 2012, I introduced myself and we stayed in touch. A few months later I travelled over and spent the day with him in Glasgow, discussing the music scene of the 90's there and his memories of it. Aidan mentioned this trip they all took to Mauron in France and something clicked for me. I had my way into the story. Unfortunately Aidan couldn't join us on the trip as he had his own film in production at the time but this allowed me to refocus and Stewart Henderson who was running Chemikal at the time became our main character in a way After that there was a lot of travelling back and forth to convince the guys to make the film with me...

I knew after meeting all of them that in order to get them to reflect on their lives and what they had achieved I'd have to take them out of Glasgow, the label was under serious financial strain when all this happened (the music industry has been enfeebled by file sharing and the drop off in album sales, which the film discusses) so I knew the last thing they'd want is to sit around Glasgow patting themselves on the back when the business they had spent 20 years or so building up from nothing crumbled before their eyes. That's what Mauron was about too, the trip back was a device to get them talking, to give them space to reflect.

So the film became about this trip back, with the label Chemikal Underground at its centre, Stewart, Emma, Paul and people like Alex Kapranos, RM Hubert and Stuart Braithwaite there to represent the wider scene too. What intrigues me about the Mauron trip is the normalcy of it. Every one of us can identify with the trip because most of us have had similar experiences. The film is first and foremost about people and we can all see elements of our own lives in their stories. It doesn't matter if you are a musicians or an artist or an accountant. You can see yourself in them. The trip also allowed me to draw parallels easily between the mid 90's and the present. A lot has changed. Changed utterly and this was a great way to highlight and discuss that change.

Was it difficult to bring everyone together? I know Alun Woodward from the Delgados wasn't involved, was there a particular reason for that?

These things are rarely easy especially when you are dealing with musicians. All their lives are very different now from what they were before, they have families etc but they were all so willing and open to the idea by then that it was more a logistical problem than anything to do with convincing them to come along. Filmmaking is very much like herding cats, you just have to hope the stars align and things go the way you had hoping but it's this unknown quantity which makes it magical also.

Alun had a number of personal things going on at the time which made it difficult for him to join us over there. As I said making a film with an ensemble cast has obvious difficulties which a narrative about one person would not. The Delgados were like a family and I know they all wanted him there. He looms large over the events in the film and is a felt presence, however it would have been great to have them all there.

I did imagine from the off that I would probably be making the film with a smaller selection of the people who went on the original trip rather than everyone who went first time round. so I knew I wouldn't be taking them all back. That would have been impossible.

One of the big things I noticed about the documentary was just how brutally honest everyone was, or at least seemed to be brutally honest. Was that the case and how did you get them to open up to you?

Trust. As a filmmaker I often feel this is the most important thing there is. I spent a lot of time with them all. Little by little they get to know you and vice versa. When I met Paul Savage we hit it off straight away, he was a big part in convincing everyone else to enter into the project. Pauls a great guy and once he was on board the rest could see I was on their side. Many people have tried to convince them to make a film before with no luck.

When you were filming the interviews, particularly the ones with Emma Pollock about her relationship with Paul Savage and so on, did you think, "OK, this is getting too close to the bone, I need to stop," or step back from?

Not at all if I'm honest. People know the story when you are interviewing them and if you've done the groundwork as a filmmaker and discussed the concept of the film, what you are looking for, where you are trying to go, the subject should be willing to go with you. People can also not answer questions if they don't wish to but I like to think I'm charming enough to get away with a few cheeky questions!

With something like this, it looks like there's a huge amount of available footage and anecdotes to wade through that you could potentially get lost in. Aside from the idea of the bands reuniting for this festival, was there a criteria for you what made it in and what was left out? How much footage did you have altogether to work with?

How much footage? How long is a piece of string? As you say with something like this you have all this archive, music videos, interviews, footage from the present etc. But what has struck me from looking back over the start of the edit and before was the blueprint Cara (the editor) and I sat down with, i.e. The treatment I wrote was actually quite close to where we ended up. I knew the bus journey back would be the spine of the film and that they would arrive there at the end of film so that dictates a lot.

It's then a case of killing your darlings and we had to lose so much great stuff, you always do. It's like torture. The criteria was no more than what worked best in the context of film and what fitting with what I wanted to say about the changing music industry, class, social welfare and the arts etc often the film dictates itself to you in the edit. It's a very transformative experience. Not always a pleasant one though! Hard to say exactly how much footage but definitely a 10:1 shooting ratio at least, probably more than that.

I'm thinking that this could have been a straightforward concert movie, but instead it became this sort of record of a scene and a time and so on. Did you set out with that in mind or did that come together in the edit?

Yes from the start I always wanted it to be a record of this Lost era which I don't think too many people are maybe aware that we lost. It was the trip to Mauron and the concert in Momos which was in many ways the icing on the cake. The gig being something we begin and keep returning to is something which became apparent in the edit more than anything else.

You have to be willing to change course and do what's right for the film. You are in service to the film. Not the other way around. I like how the gig in the film is like another gateway to the past. The past is all around us and you can fall into it if you are willing.

One big thing that struck was just how funny some of the anecdotes and characters were and how almost bawdy the humour was. Any story that didn't make it in to keep the rating or the like? Favourite story you heard?

There was a story about someone in our film knocking out a Loaded Journalist with a chair that we left out as the person asked us to. You need to be willing to engage in some give and take when you are making a film like this and be aware you are dealing with actual lives and people's own stories.

There were plenty of debauched tales from the trip and that time. Anything we left out was either out of respect for people who were not involved this time or due to lack of space in the film. There was another story about the bus driver who pops up a few times in the film. He just sat screaming at this old lady serving them dinner who didn't understand him, "do you have any [email protected]@king Malk" (Milk) eventually telling the bemused woman that it is "from a coo" (cow). I don't think he had any interest in the red wine they were serving.

Nothing was left out because it was too much, if I had put everything in I wanted it would be five hours long. Lost In France Redux. If it's good enough for Francis Ford Coppola, it's good enough for me.


Mar 3, 2017, 4:41pm ET

PSA completes deal for GM's Opel: Report

Opel has a new owner.

France's PSA Group has inked a deal to buy General Motors' Opel division, a new report finds.

After a couple weeks of back-and-forth negotiations, the board of PSA has reportedly agreed to purchase Opel, along with its British sister brand Vauxhall, from GM. Two inside sources told Reuters that the deal will be formally announced on Monday.

The exact details of the agreement are unknown at this time, but the two sides reportedly made progress on Opel's pension plan, which was underfunded by about $9 billion. The two companies had been bickering about who should be responsible for footing the bill.

PSA likely used a non-compete clause to help convince GM to pay more into the pension. GM had expressed concerns about PSA using Opel to compete against its Chevrolet brand in China. Insiders say PSA might have given GM assurances about competition in China to offset pension payments.

PSA is optimistic that acquiring Opel will save the company about $2.1 billion. GM, on the other hand, is happy to see Opel go after losing the company money for the last 16 consecutive years.
Mar 3, 2017, 8:57am ET

Uber backtracks on California showdown, will seek test permits

After arguing that its cars did not require permits, Uber initially killed its California test program rather than comply with state DMV demands.

California has apparently backed down from its showdown with California officials over permits for autonomous test vehicles.

The company brought its fleet of autonomous Volvo XC90 crossovers to California late last year, widening a development program for autonomous hardware and software systems that could be used for a future driverless ride-hailing service.

The first signs of trouble surfaced almost immediately after dashcam footage showed one of the company's prototypes running a red light. A carefully worded statement placed blame on the human driver at the time. The company later clarified that the vehicle had been operating autonomously, suggesting the driver simply erred by failing to take over manual control in time.

A separate issue soon emerged when California officials claimed Uber was operating its test fleet illegally, lacking the necessary permits specifically created for autonomous prototype vehicles. Raising eyebrows, the company claimed its vehicles were exempt because they were not yet capable of operating fully autonomously.

The $150 permit price was clearly not a deal breaker. Such vehicles are subject to unique reporting requirements, however, forcing automakers to log accidents and 'disengagements' of the autonomous system when the human pilot intervenes.

Uber has now decided to capitulate and seek permits to restart its autonomous testing program in California, according to Reuters.

The report comes just one week after Google's self-driving car division, now known as Waymo, filed a lawsuit accusing Uber of stealing and replicating proprietary hardware used for autonomous vehicles. If the lawsuit is found to have merit, the dispute could represent a significant setback for Uber's self-driving initiatives.
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Blaby has been named the third best place to live in the UK  at least for people in their twenties.

UK's Best Place to Live, the Channel 4 show presented by Sarah Beeny, looked at the 50 most desirable places to live in the country.

Blaby came third in the country and led the way for the Midlands.

Only South Ribble, in Lancashire, and Warrington, in Cheshire, were placed ahead of it.

The show measured data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for 391 local authority areas across the UK.

Nine criteria were used, weighted differently according to how important they were to people aged 20 to 29.

The measures taken into account included affordable housing, jobs, transport, happiness and wellbeing, and life satisfaction.

Councillor Terry Richardson, leader of Blaby District Council, was delighted with the findings.

He said it also emphasised that Blaby was the heart of Leicestershire.

Coun Richardson said: "It makes me extremely proud to see our district named as one of the best places to live in the UK.

"We have worked hard to ensure the district is the best place it can be for people to settle down and enjoy their life in the area.

"We are fortunate to have major employers, high-profile retails outlets and affordable housing with transport links for residents to take advantage of."

At seventh and eighth place in the top 10 were Rugby and Warwick, the only other two Midland locations in the list. The north did well, with Cheshire being most popular overall.

The show is available on Channel 4's catch up service.

Top Ten places to live:

1. South Ribble

2. Warrington

3. Blaby

4. Copeland

5. Cheshire East

6. Ribble Valley

7. Rugby

8. Warwick

9. Lancaster

10. Cheshire West and Chester
Break out the glad rags, ladies, because theres a luxury trip to France on offer at Punchestown this year for the Best Dressed Lady.

The winner of the Bollinger Best Dressed prize will bag a VIP trip for two to the private Bollinger estate and its new champagne libraries in France, a two-night stay in Reims, the capital of the Champagne region, Michelin-starred dining and a luxury overnight stay in Paris plus a champagne lunch, a private chauffeur, business class flights

The Punchestown flat racing festival this year takes place from Tuesday, 25, to Saturday, 29, April.

To top it all off, the bubbles will be flowing for a year for the winner, as she will receive a 12-month supply of the famous Bollinger Special Cuvee.

The search for the Bollinger Best Dressed Lady will be held over the first four days of the Punchestown Festival, when judges and style scouts will be tasked with finding the most stylish ladies in attendance and selecting a number of finalists each day. The daily winner will then progress to the grand final on Ladies Day, Friday, April 28.

Finalists on each day will receive a 100 Topflight voucher, a bottle of Bollinger Champagne and other exclusive goodies, while the overall winner each day will also receive a custom-made Montgomery Millinery hat worth 250 and a 200 Topflight voucher.
Kildares Heidi Talbot is scheduled to play Kilkenny Tradfest 2017. Heidi who is originally from Kill, will play a very special gig on Sunday March 19 at Cleeres Bar and Theatre, Parliament St, Kilkenny at 8pm.

Heidi Talbot was born in Kildare and became a folk star in the USA as a member of the Irish American band Cherish the Ladies, and now lives in Scotland, where she is married to the celebrated fiddler and multi-instrumentalist John McCusker. With a background like that, its hardly surprising she should develop a style that switches easily between Celtic and Americana, but subtlety is Talbots magic ingredient.

From her gossamer voice to the delicate re-working of traditional and contemporary material that earned her rave reviews for her 2012 album Angels Without Wings.

The girl from Kildare, who spent several years in New York, slips effortlessly between musical worlds but retains a personal modesty rooted in traditional folk.

Kilkenny Tradfest, which is this year celebrating its fifth anniversary has again exceeded all expectations, with some of the countrys most influential and acclaimed musicians set to play in Kilkenny City over the St Patricks Day weekend.

Bulmers is once again the title sponsor at the festival and this years highlights include; Paul Brady (2017 headline act), Eleanor McEvoy, Ushers Island, Pauline Scanlon, Declan Sinnott and Vickie Keating, The Voice Squad, Mohsen Amini and Fourth Moon, plus breakout Irish traditional and folk band Beoga who have recently recorded two tracks for Ed Sheerans hotly anticipated new album, Divide.

Kilkenny Tradfest was recently awarded Best Small Live Music Festival at this years IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards. The festival proudly showcases the very best of Irish traditional and folk music, in a variety of unique venues across Kilkenny city. This years festival is set to be bigger and better than ever before, with both free and ticketed events, theres something everyone can enjoy.

Commenting Malcolm Noonan, Kilkenny Tradfest Chairperson said, We are delighted to welcome Heidi Talbot to our festival. Heidi is an incredibly talented artist and we are honoured that she is part of our 2017 line up.

Mr Noonan continued, The festival is jam packed over the four days, and we are proud to present classic trad music, with contemporary blends as well. There really is something for everyone at Kilkenny Tradfest and without doubt it is the place to be this St. Patricks Day weekend.

Tickets for Heidi Talbot on Sunday 19th March are available from Kilkennytradfest.com for 15
All eyes are on China's two sessions, seeking clues about the future

Editor's note: Each year in early March, China's top legislature and political advisory body convene in Beijing for their annual meetings known as the two sessions. China Daily will present the highlights of the meetings, which run from March 3 to 15.

China's big annual two sessions political meeting could be one of the most important in recent years, given the uncertain international backdrop, according to experts.

Some 5,000 participants from the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, will descend on Beijing for the event.

Observers around the world will be looking for indications of future policy from Beijing.

With the world's second-largest economy being a driver of global growth, the first of these will be the GDP target, which will be announced by Premier Li Keqiang when he delivers the Government Work Report on March 5.

Last year he set this within a range of between 6.5 and 7 percent, with the actual outcome being within that at 6.7 percent.

Most analysts expect the target to be set at a similar level, with the government placing strong emphasis this year on economic stability.

With President Xi Jinping committing China to globalization in his speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January, China's reaching out to the rest of the world through its Belt and Road Initiative is also likely to be center stage.

Beijing will host the Belt and Road forum for international cooperation in May, which will be attended by heads of state and government from across the world.

The two sessions meeting - the CPPCC opening on March 3 and the NPC two days later - is also the first since President Xi was confirmed as "core leader" in October as a demonstration of Party unity.

The meeting also has greater political significance this year, since the 19th CPC National Congress also takes place later this year, with the election of a new Standing Committee, China's top leadership body.

The new leadership will be responsible for driving reforms over the next five years, which is seen as a crucial period for their delivery.

Martin Jacques, the British academic and journalist and author of the best-selling When China Rules The World, believes there will be much greater international interest in the two sessions this year than in previous years.

"China is definitely now playing to a bigger gallery. The meeting has always had a following from the developing world but now it is the developed world that is looking to China," he says.

"The turning point was President Xi's speech at Davos saying he was committed to globalization. Never in my lifetime have I witnessed a Chinese leader so listened to in the West. It was a speech where people hung on every word. It came at a time when Trump's new strategy was to turn away from globalization."

The meetings begin as the government's attempts to stabilize the economy appear to be succeeding. China's Purchasing Managing Index (PMI), an official gauge of manufacturing activity, rose to 51.6 in February from 51.3 in January, according to data released on March 1.

Wang Huiyao, counselor of the China State Council, or China's Cabinet, who will be attending the meeting believes the GDP growth target will be kept at around 6.5 percent.

"I think they will keep this target for this year at least. There may be some adjustment on this over the next five years."

Rana Mitter, professor of Chinese history at Oxford University and director of the Oxford University China Centre, says many economists will be looking for indicators that policymakers are prepared to tackle some of the pressures building up in the economy.

"I think the leadership fully understands that if they don't deal with these soon they will be more painful further along the way," he says.

"They have to respond to both the increasingly high levels of debt and problems in the financial system, like shadow banking."

One of the government's central aims is to double 2010's GDP per capita income level by 2020 so that China can become a high-income country by the following year which marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party. To do this, the economy needs to grow by 6.5 percent in each of the next three years. Some economists have been skeptical about the narrow window of time left to achieve this.

Wang, however, who is also founder and president of the Center for China and Globalization, an independent think tank, believes there should be enough momentum to meet the goal.

"There could be challenges, but when the Chinese government sets a target, it always tries to achieve it. The new areas of the economy in e-commerce and technology are very strong. The government has placed great emphasis on innovation and reducing regulation on enterprises, which I think will pay dividends."

The meeting is also likely to look ahead to May's Belt and Road forum for international cooperation, which will be one of China's key events of the year.

Jonathan Fenby, leading China commentator and author of Will China Dominate The 21st Century?, says there is increasing interest in the initiative in Europe.

"It was initially seen as something that applied just to Central Asia and Southeast Asia, but with the rail line to Germany, European governments and companies see themselves very much at the end of the road," he says.

Jacques believes the Belt and Road Initiative reaching to Europe could provide the fillip the European economy now needs.

"It could open up Central and Eastern European countries, in particular, to greater Chinese investment, which could be the economic motor than Europe now badly needs."

Helen Hai, chief executive officer of the Made in Africa Initiative, a UN organization that advises African governments on industrialization and investment, says the Belt and Road is also important to Africa. The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which connects with East Africa, and is the sea-lane link of the initiative, is aimed at boosting trade between Asia and Africa.

"Initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank are about cooperating in economic development," he says.

"While Donald Trump is talking about bringing jobs back to the US, President Xi, as he did at Davos, is speaking the language of social inclusion and bringing development to the so-called bottom billion, the people in Africa who can benefit from this."

Derek Han, chairman of NSBO, an investment bank and China research company with offices in London and Beijing, agrees the initiative takes on a whole new meaning if the US retreats from globalization.

"With the Belt and Road Initiative China is stepping into a vacuum, whereas we have an inward looking United States. China looks as though it has a long-term plan and supports globalization."

The future of Asian trade blocs may also come under discussion at the meeting now that the United States has pulled out of the Trans Pacific Partnership, which has 11 other members, including Japan and Australia.

China has been expected to breathe new life into the RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership), which was launched at the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit in Cambodia in 2012.

Some of the TPP members are keen for China to take the place of the US within their grouping.

"I was talking with the Chilean ambassador the other night, and that is what they are hoping," says Wang.

"It is a trade deal that has already been negotiated and there is a good opportunity for China to move in."

Jacques believes the two sessions is likely to generate much more interest from those viewing, outside China.

"They will be looking for what China has to offer the world in the difficult times we are currently living through."

andrewmoody@chinadaily.com.cn

Representatives for attending the two sessions meeting arrive in Beijing on March 2. Jin Liwang / Xinhua Martin Jacques, journalist and author of When China Rules The World. Nick J.B. Moore / For China Daily

(China Daily European Weekly 03/03/2017 page1)
The High Court has refused to grant bail to a Kildare man charged in connection with a weapons seizure at a warehouse in west Dublin.

Jonathan Harding (44) of McNeill Court, Sallins, was charged last January at Dublin District Court with possession of five revolvers, ammunition and a silencer.

Today he appeared before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy at the High Court when his lawyers applied for bail under section 2(a) of the Bail Act, 1997.

Kathleen Leader BL, prosecuting, told the court that the State was objecting to the application.

After hearing evidence of his arrest and charge Mr Justice McCarthy refused bail. The Bail Act allows for a court to refuse a person bail if the court is satisfied that such refusal is reasonably considered necessary to prevent the commission of a serious offence by that person.

Detective Sergeant Paul Curran told the court that Mr Harding was arrested on January 24 last.

Mr Harding and two others are charged with possession of five handguns; a 357 Magnum six-shot, and four Smith and Wesson Rossi five-shot revolvers, as well as a silencer and 20 rounds of ammunition at a warehouse in the Greenogue Business Park in Rathcoole.

Michael Hourican BL, defending, submitted that his client worked as a mechanic and has two children living here. He said his mother and another man were prepared to act as independent surety for a total of 15,000.
Ive never met anybody who gave such truthful evidence in my life. Ive been working in the courts a long time, said solicitor Tony Hanahoe when he spoke of a witness who was involved in a west Kildare car accident.



Mr Hanahoe, who has been working as a solicitor for around 35 years, was speaking after the case against his client, Dominic Butler was dismissed, at Naas District Court on March 1.



Mr Butler (64), with an address at Timahoe, Coill Dubh, was charged with driving without due care and attention at Blackwood, Robertstown on May 20 2015 and after hearing the evidence, the charge against him was dismissed.



When the State called its main witness, David Baker, he told how he got off the Dublin bus at Blackwood on the day and, as he was crossing the road, how he was hit by Mr Butlers car. I saw nothing coming and then I got a belt, he said.



He described how his arm was broken, and required steel inputs.



Mr Baker said he was carrying a bag which was struck by Mr Butlers car and pulled him into contact with the car, which was coming from Dags heading towards Prosperous. Mr Baker told the court: It was my own fault.



He told Judge Desmond Zaidan he did not want to make a claim.



Judge Zaidan said: This man said it was his fault. Why is this man (Mr Butler) charged with the offence?



The court went into evidence of where Mr Baker was struck and Judge Zaidan accepted Mr Bakers version, which indicated it was his fault.



Mr Baker, who said he had five children, aged eighteen to three, said his broken forearm was not too bad now.



He said he had been drinking all day but recalled the accident clearly.



Judge Zaidan asked him why he was drinking all day, he replied that he had a row with a girlfriend.



He said he called his cousin, Alan Byrne, who took him to hospital but he had not been aware that Mr Byrne had made a statement to the Gardai about the accident.



Mr Baker told Mr Hanahoe that his bag had pulled him to where he was struck by the car on the cars passenger side. Im telling the truth. Im not holding anything back.



The court was told that when Gardai arrived at the scene, Mr Baker had been taken to hospital.



Judge Zaidan said that given the evidence it was more man hitting car than car hitting man and dismissed the charge.



He wished Mr Baker would get well.



Mr Hanahoe said that in his unprompted direct evidence, Mr Baker accepted that it was his fault. Ive never come anybody to give such truthful evidence in my life. Ive been in court a long time.








There are no plans to close Newbridge Greyhound Stadium, according to the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB).

After it announced the closure of Harold's Cross track, there had been speculation locally that the Newbridge track might be in danger.

However, this week the IGB ruled out any further track closures as a means to achieve recovery in the industry.

IGB chairman, Phil Meaney, said the board believed the widespread footprint of the industry was one of its great strengths.

Increased participation at all levels in the industry is essential if we are to meet the considerable challenges the industry faces and tracks around the country are an essential resource in doing this, he said.

Tracks outside the main population areas play a very important role in the industry, which is not always understood and are the primary basis through which the dog pool can be maintained and ownership increased.

He added: The decision to close and to sell Harolds Cross Stadium, although difficult for everyone involved, is designed for a specific purpose which is to reduce the level of legacy debt, which the industry is trying to manage. The sale of the stadium is essential if the industry is to stabilise its finances and enter a more positive phase .

According to the latest figures released two weeks ago, a total of 635,289 customers visited greyhound racing meetings during 2015. Average attendance per meeting in 2015 was up 4 per cent on the prior period. The IGB also reduced its long standing debt by 1.35m. At the end of 2015, net group debt stood at 21.6m.

The IGB is reporting an operating surplus before earnings, before interest, taxation, depreciation and defined benefit pension costs, of 2.3m for 2015, an improvement of 1.6m over 2014 accounts.
A 32 year old Kildare teacher is on a mission to raise funds to important medical treatment not available in Ireland.

Gemma Kearns, from Ardclough, a special education teacher at St Raphaels in Celbridge, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of nineteen.

She has been accepted to go to Puebla in Mexico for a treatment which is not available in this country. But it costs 75,000 for the month long session, starting on July 17 coming, and the health insurance she pays does not cover that, she told the Leader.

Gemma said there are no medications available in this country that can stop the progression of the disease and the health care system in Ireland will not financially support this treatment.

She believes that HSCT, a stem cell transplant and chemotherapy treatment, can halt the progression of MS and allow her to live a life free from MS.

A Strictly Come Dancing event is being held in City West Hotel on March 11, to raise funds for her. There is also a draw for a Renault Kadjar car.

A number of couples from Ardclough and St Raphaels are involved in the dancing

Gemma was diagnosed with MS in 2003. The nurse specialist sat across from me and told me that it is certain without treatment I face a bleak future in relation to my health. She has called it 'luck' that I am still functioning as I am, said Gemma who has been teaching in St Raphaels since 2008.

Living with her partner in Ardclough, she said she has given up on many opportunities, including starting a family, to minimize undue stress to herself and possible children. This treatment is the one opportunity that I cannot let pass by.

You can contact Gemma on 086 8110185 or email: gemmakearns5@gmail.com or go to www.gofundme.com.


Leitrim library has several events lined up to celebrate Seachtain na Gaelige this year (1-17 March). We hope you will find something of interest and join us. All events are free. Beidh cead mile failte romhaibh.

We begin with local musicians and writers who will entertain us in Manorhamilton library on March Thursday 9 March at lunchtime (1-1.45), and again at the same venue on Thursday, 9 March (1-1.45). The writers will read from their work which was published recently by Coisceim in two volumes Scriobhneorai Cois Teorainn.

There will be ceol, craic, agus comhra in Ballinamore library on Monday, 14 March at 8.00, and there will be classes for those preparing for the Leaving Certificate oral exam for six sessions beginning Friday, 10 March in Manorhamilton library (1.15-2pm).

There are also several closed events for primary school children. Carmel Kelly will read from her books and entertain children from local schools in the Manorhamilton and Mohill areas. Seamus Mac Annaidh will be in Carrick-on-Shannon library to read to some of the children attending classes in Scoil Mhuire, and there will be a scavenger hunt for children from the after-school in Mohill library.

We look forward to welcoming you. Plenty of Irish books to borrow from all Leitrim libraries this Seachtain na Gaelige, and all year around. We also have materials for those interested in learning the language.

For more information about any of these events, please contact the relevant library. Keep an eye on the local notes, and posters in the libraries for any changes to the programme outlined here.
Former Justice Minister and Attorney General, Senator Michael McDowell has been added to the list of speakers addressing this Fridays Michael Collins commemorative lecture in The Bush Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon.

Senator McDowell is one of the leading authorities on the history of this period; his grandfather, Eoin MacNeill, was the leader of the Irish Volunteers at the time of the 1916 Rising and Minister for Education in the first Free State Government.

The special commemorative evening marks the visit of Michael Collins to Leitrim and the North-West region, will begin at 8pm and has been organised by members of the Michael Collins Carrick-on-Shannon branch of Fine Gael, with the support of the Collins 22 Society.

The meeting will be chaired by former Deputy, Senator and member of Leitrim County Council, Gerry Reynolds.

The meeting is open to all members of the public with the emphasis very much on the history and heritage of that period.

Among the other speakers at the event are Mohill native Padraig McGarty, Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Technology Tralee, Margot Gearty from Longford, a niece of Kitty Kiernan, the fiancee of Michael Collins and Gerry OConnell, one of the founders of the Collins 22 Society.

Local ladies Eleanor Smith and Elsie Harman will sing on the night while Ava Brogan will play the harp at various stages during proceedings with pieces from the Macalla 1916 suite while performer Jim Roche will deliver a Michael Collins oration in full military dress.

Tickets, priced 10 are available from The Magnet, c/o Cllr. Finola Armstrong-McGuire, Kierans Total Health Solution Pharmacy, and Mulveys House of Gifts, all of the aforementioned outlets are located on Main St., Carrick-on-Shannon. Also from Kierans Total Health Solution Pharmacy, Mohill.

Tickets are also available on the door, on the night with doors opening at 7.30pm.
Many of you will have read Kate Atkinsons novel, Life After Life. If you havent, I recommend it. On one level, it is a story of alternative realities, but its real theme is war. In chapter after chapter, the central character, Ursula, meets a different untimely end. Each time, this is followed by a chapter in which, in an alternative reality, the tragedy is averted, and Ursula lives longer, on borrowed time. Perhaps we are all Ursula, in one of her more fortunate realities. Im sure I am.

I was born in the early hours of the 9th September, 1962. I had picked an inauspicious moment. Within a few hours of my arrival at Epsom District Hospital, a consignment of Soviet ballistic missiles had arrived in Cuba. This led, when I was a month old, to a confrontation between the USA and the USSR, which came close to leading to nuclear war.

On this occasion, disaster was averted. But my friends and I grew up with deadly Soviet weapons aimed permanently at us. Meanwhile, our government had equally deadly weapons aimed permanently at Russian children.

On 26th September 1983, a couple of weeks after my twenty-first birthday, the world again came close to nuclear war. This time, by a complete accident. The Soviet satellite early warning system appeared to detect five missiles from the United States heading towards the Soviet Union. The officer in charge at the time, Stanislav Petrov, would have been expected to report this to his superiors. Had he done so, a retaliatory strike might have been ordered, almost certainly leading to full scale nuclear war. But Petrov chose to wait and see. And it turned out the system had malfunctioned. Petrov may have saved millions of lives.

My children were born in 1992, into a world apparently much safer than the world into which I was born. Europe was no longer divided by a wall. The cold war was over. But on January 25th 1995, the world again came close to nuclear war. Norwegian scientists launched a rocket carrying scientific equipment to study the aurora borealis over Svalbard. The rocket was detected by the Soviet early warning system, and mistaken for a Trident missile. President Boris Yeltsin was informed, and Russian submarine commanders were ordered to prepare for retaliation. Fortunately, just in time, it was discovered that the rocket was heading away from Russia.

My family and I, and everyone I know, have been luckier than could reasonably have been expected. We have survived, against the odds, despite the decision of every British government in my lifetime that Britain should continue to possess nuclear weapons. Because of this decision, we would have been a target in 1962, in 1983, in 1995, and still would be today. The choice of successive governments to retain nuclear weapons has nothing to do with any evidence that this makes the people of Britain safer than the people of, say, Switzerland, and has everything to do with making Britain appear to be still a world power.

I long to see a world free of nuclear weapons. But a Britain free of nuclear weapons would be a step in the right direction. I want to see my country find the courage to lead the way, and renounce these terrible weapons, the use of which would be the ultimate war crime.

Something must be done, and done quickly, before our borrowed time runs out.

* Catherine Crosland is a member in Calderdale and joined the party in 2014
Donald Trumps economic policy can best be described as guns, butter and bridges.

At the moment the United States ratio between its public debt and what it earns as a country every year is 104.7 percent. That means the government owes 4.7 percent more than the country earns.

If America was a business or a private householdthe bank manager would be strongly advising Uncle Sam to earn more money and/or cut expenses or file for bankruptcy.

Now, Donald Trump wants to increase defence spending by ten percent, maintain welfare spending, spend trillions on improving American infrastructure and cut taxes.

Cash to pay for this will come from increased revenues from a stimulated economy, revised trade and defence deals with other countries, cuts in environmental programmes, the diplomatic corps and foreign aid.

Can he do it? Well lets take a quick look.

Improve Infrastructure America has plenty of roads, bridges, railways, ports and airports. It just needs to maintain what it hasbut that will cost plenty. The American Society of Civil Engineers reckons that $3.6 trillion needs to be spent by 2020 just to maintain existing infrastructure.

Maintain Welfare Spending  70 percent of the federal budget goes on welfare. A big chunk of Trumps support is at the bottom end of the ladder. He cannot afford to cut welfare spending, especially if Obamacare is for the scrap heap.

Cut taxesIt sounds simple. Cut taxes, business expands and employs people who pay more taxes which means more spending money for Trump. But even if the plan works, it takes time. So more money has to be borrowed until the extra revenues materialise, if they do.

Revise trade deals and increase tariffsTrade Agreements require the agreement of at least two parties. If one sidewe will say Americadecides to unilaterally raise tariffs then rest assured that the other will retaliate. The clear result will be higher consumer prices.

More money from AlliesHe who pays the piper calls the tune. American generositywhich is not as generous as Trump claimsallows it to call the major shots on policies of its Asian and European allies. There are already growing movements in both regions to develop defence policies that allow Japan and Europe to have foreign policies more independent of Washington. Demanding more money will increase that shift.

Increase the Nuclear Arsenal  SALT I, SALT II, ABM, NNPT, INF, CTBT, and START; all acronyms for nuclear agreements which took decades to negotiate. All designed to drag the world back from the abyss of the most frightening acronym of allMAD or Mutual Assured Destruction.

Wipe out ISIS  How? It sounds so simple? But how do you destroy a religiously-inspired hydra-headed monster that pops up in another unstable part of the world every time you have crushed it somewhere else? The sword is not enough, which brings us to

Cut diplomacy and aid budgetSurely Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Libya have taught analysts that militarily overthrowing regimes and walking away results in political vacuums which are filled by even worse alternatives. Diplomacy, trade, foreign aid and the military must work hand in hand to either prevent war or repair war damage so that fresh conflicts do not occur. Overemphasis on the military creates a destabilizing and extremely expensive downward spiral.

In the 1960s President Lyndon Johnson launched his Great Society. At the same time he threw America into an open-ended and ultimately disastrous war in Vietnam. Guns and butter, he called it, and he assured the American peoplewe can afford it. We are rich. Successive American presidents have had to grapple with his economic legacy ever since

* Tom Arms is foreign editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and the author of The Encyclopedia of the Cold War and the recently published America Made in Britain that has sold out in the US after six weeks but is still available in the UK.
China's National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) are underway. Referred to as the two sessions, these annual legislative mechanisms primarily set the agenda for the nation. By extension, these meetings are crucial for Africa on several fronts, by dint of the fact that China has been Africa's leading trade and economic partner for nearly a decade now.

African expectations during the two sessions can be viewed through at least two prisms: global and continental. At the global level, Africans will be looking at the plans that Chinese leaders have for the enhancement of the already robust relations.

Why? A number of geopolitical dynamics portend pessimism for Africa's engagements with the West. Key among these dynamics is the recent election of Donald Trump as the US president. Around Africa, reality is setting in that Trump's "make America great again" mantra will see to the fizzling out of developmental aid, a drastic cutback on humanitarian support and the rolling out of unfavorable export-import regimes.

Taken together with rising nationalism in Europe - Brexit is a good example - these developments leave China as one major global power with which Africa can forge ties. Evidence suggests that China will be stepping in to plug the economic, political and cultural gaps that the anticipated departure of the US and parts of Europe portend.

Rather, it is the form and nature of Africa-China intersections that Africans await over the course of the two sessions.

From the initial consternation over Trump's upending of Obama's Africa policy, African political and thought leaders are seeking alternatives with China, which is a natural ally in many respects. Will the Chinese leaders send signals on how Africa and China can forge ahead, undeterred by Trumpism?

Multilateral and bilateral relations between Africa and China have grown apace over the past two decades. As such, and unlike the global sphere, it is expected that the NPC and CPPCC will build on the huge number of Africa-China engagements, unencumbered by uncertainties.

Granted, schisms over certain issues break to the surface from time to time. The point of departure is that problem areas such as trade imbalances, wildlife poaching and cultural incongruences are continuously being negotiated and treated as works in progress with evolving redress mechanisms in place. At any rate, China is seen as a major partner in the achievement of the continent's long-term development plan.

A reading of the key African and Chinese policy documents demonstrates aspirational similarities. Under the African Union's Agenda 2063, Africa looks to become a prosperous region, having kicked out the scourges of disease, war and poverty.

China on the other hand aims to be a moderately well-off nation in 2021 and a modern socialist nation in 2049, the centennial of the People's Republic of China.

Various factors make it imperative that the learning curve in pursuit of these ambitious plans arcs from China to Africa. China is praised globally for overcoming the developmental challenges that Africa grapples with. African policymakers and researchers will, therefore, be looking at the models and approaches that Chinese leaders will be putting in place to advance the Chinese economy.

But beyond merely learning lessons from the Chinese "developmental state" approaches, Africans will be analyzing the decisions reached at the two sessions with an eye on the implications for Agenda 2063.

To my mind, the most important Agenda 2063 aspiration is the integration of a continent that is disconnected on account of patchy cross-border transportation infrastructure. Through railways, roads, seaports and aerospace, China has made a contribution toward seamless movement of goods. The Chinese metaphor "If you want to develop, build a road" is today appreciated as an existential requirement for Africa's development in virtually all economic spheres. Africans will therefore be keenly looking for indications on how China intends to intensify investment in cross-continental development of infrastructure, in furtherance of the Agenda 2063 integration goal.

Of particular interest will be the African dimension of China's Belt and Road Initiative - the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Maps show that the initiative links to Africa via the East African seaboard, but many Africans familiar with the strategy might have wished it had been articulated as well as it has been for Asia and Eurasia.

Far from being a strategy for the development of maritime and terrestrial transport infrastructure, the Belt and Road is a comprehensive plan. Its implementation includes investment in manufacturing entities, technology transfer, diverse cultural projects, cooperation at the political and governance level and trade.

When linked with the Forum on China Africa Cooperation, the initiative can aid the long-held dream of Africa as a prosperous continent. It will be interesting to see the ways in which the two sessions link the Belt and Road, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and Agenda 2063.

The writer is a postdoctoral fellow at University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, and a researcher for the Wits Africa China Reporting Project. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

(China Daily European Weekly 03/03/2017 page9)
A DROP of Baileys liqueur in her coffee every night could be the secret to the longevity of Bridie MacNeil, who has celebrated her 105th birthday.

The fierce will, good humour and strongly held principles of the Glin lady could be other reasons, as she is among the few to have turned down a gift of 2,540  the centenary bounty  from President Michael D. Higgins upon reaching her milestone birthday.

She is one of just fifteen 105 year-olds in the State, according to the office of the President, which awards the centenarian bounty for those aged over 100.

Bridie MacNeil (nee McNamara) was surrounded by close friends and family in the Oaklands nursing home, just outside Listowel in north Kerry, as she celebrated her 105th on St Valentines day, February 14 last  toasting the occasion with her tipple of choice  Baileys.

The third eldest in a family of nine, she has now outlived her fellow eight siblings.

She loves a drop of Baileys, her niece Breda Culhane told the Limerick Leader. She has it in her coffee at night. She says it helps her sleep.

She never smoked, has a great appetite, isnt fussy about food, and loves her dinner. She has always loved reading Maeve Binchys novels, but has given up on watching the soaps on TV, she added.

Having lived in America and Canada for over 80 years, Bridie felt that she wasnt entitled to or deserving of the once-off gift bestowed on all Irish citizens aged 100 and over, she explained.

While her family submitted the relevant documentation for her to receive the bounty, Bridie declined to accept it, even when a clerical officer travelled to west Limerick to confirm she was still alive and had reached 100.

Instead, Breda said Bridie adored her American passport, and cherished receiving a letter on her birthday from the American Embassy in Dublin.

She said Bridie grew up in an era when people werent entitled to things for free, which was especially ingrained in her when her mother was widowed when her youngest child was nine months old.

She often speaks about meeting Rose Kennedy in Boston, and she has great to mollycoddle the young Irish priests when she met them in the big houses.

Even at 103 she kept saying she wanted to go back to America, but when she was there she always spoke about coming home to Ireland. She always described herself as an Irish-American, she said.

After working in factories in Boston, and as a chaperone to wealthy families, she married in her 50s, had no children, and moved the 660 miles away to Nova Scotia, where her husband, Don MacNeil, had a farm.

Born in Cahara, Glin, in 1912, Bridie returned home to west Limerick after the death of her husband in 2002.

Aged 17, she boarded the RMS Carinthia in 1928  a British Cunard Line passenger ship which was later sunk in 1940  along with her sister Anne, as they sought to find a better life in America.

After spending 30 years in Boston, where she met her husband, they moved to Nova Scotia in Canada, and lived there until his death 15 years ago. Her sister Anne, who made the life-changing voyage with her, married an Italian and lived in Boston all her life.

When she moved home, Bridie lived with her niece Breda and her husband Jack Culhane at Cahara until four years ago.

A spokesperson for the Presidents office confirmed that as of May last, their most recent available figures, there were three 108 year-olds living in Ireland, four 107 year-olds, and fifteen 105 year-olds.

In 2016 the office awarded bounties to 241 people in Ireland aged 100 or over, and a further 176 Irish born nationals living outside the State, totalling 417 Irish people aged over 100.

In 2015, there were 404 Irish people aged 100 or over awarded the once-off bounty of 2,540 once they reach the centenary landmark.

They included 214 people living in Ireland, and 190 living outside the State, predominantly in the UK and the US.

The oldest known living Irish person was 113-year-old Kathleen Snavely, from Feakle in Clare, who passed away in New York in 2015.

There are currently no reported living supercentenarians  those aged 110 or over -from Ireland.
THREE men who are accused of threatening and intimidating a potential State witness in a firearms case are to stand trial at the Circuit Court.

Tyrone McMahon, aged 30, who has an address at Raheen Square, Ballinacurra Weston; Leon McNevin, aged 32 of the Steeples, St Laurences Road, Chapelizod and Ciaran Griffin, aged 26 of the Steeples, Ballyfermot each face a single charge relating to an incident at Raheen Square on April 27, 2016.

After books of evidence were served on each of the defendants at Limerick District Court, Sergeant John Moloney said the DPP consented to the matter being sent forward for trial at Limerick Circuit Court.

While Mr McNevin and Mr Griffin were remanded on continuing bail, gardai objected to a bail application made by Mr McMahon,

Detective Garda Fiona OConnell said it will be alleged that Mr McMahon called to a neighbour of the potential witness and spoke to her after she was requested to attend the house.

Detective Garda OConnell said it will be alleged he offered her money to withdraw her statement relating to a shooting incident which happened in September 2015.

She said it will also be alleged that he asked her give evidence in court that she was stoned off her head when she made her original statement.

The detective said she believes the defendant will make further attempts to intimidate the woman if released on bail.

She alleged Mr McMahon is a volatile and dangerous individual and she told the court she believes he as access to firearms.

Judge Marian OLeary was told the defendant was previously granted bail but that it was recently revoked by the High Court after it emerged he flew to the UK in breach of his bail conditions.

Solicitor Tom Kiely said his client had returned to Ireland the following day and was not trying to evade the authorities.

He said Mr McMahon disputes the allegation that he has access to firearms and he told the court he would abide by any and all conditions if granted bail.

Judge OLeary said she was refusing bail in the circumstances.
CRIMINALS trying to break into a house with a slash hook fled after a 93-year-old Limerick man fired his shotgun over their heads.

The elderly man, who lives on his own in the Kilfinane / Ballylanders area, heard his door being kicked in late at night. The perpetrators then smashed two panes of glass in the door and a light, with a slash hook.

It is understood the bachelor then warned them he was armed. Undeterred, the burglars then moved to a front window, broke it and, as a hand reached in to open the latch the 93-year-old shot over the intruders head. The assailants then ran from the scene.

One of his neighbours told the Leader: He fired that shot into the air to save his own life. He is some man to do it at his age. If he hadnt he could have been like that poor man in Waterford at the weekend.

A young man was charged this Wednesday with the murder of 90-year-old Paddy Lyons in his isolated farmhouse in Lismore. Locals also spoke of John ODonoghue in Doon, who died of a heart attack in 2015 after he returned home to find a gang ransacking his rural home.

The incident in Kilfinane / Ballylanders occurred on Tuesday, February 21 at around 10pm. Neighbours say the victim has been very disturbed by it and hasnt been sleeping well at night since.

Deputy Niall Collins said the local community is very shocked at these events and the ordeal he suffered.

This man fired into the air, as a warning, which is his right to do. They fully support him and many expressed the view to me that they would like to have seen these intruders shot on site, said Mr Collins.

Attacks like this on rural communities are endemic of the gutting of rural Ireland by Fine Gael. With the closure of rural garda stations, and reduced garda presence in our towns and villages, criminals are being emboldened to be more daring. It seems that the victims of crime often play second fiddle to the needs of criminals, he added.

Chairman of the Cappamore-Kilmallock municipal district, Cllr Eddie Ryan said what happened to the man in his nineties was so close to the situation in Waterford.

The result here is different and better thank God. This man is an honest, decent, hard-working man, who worked hard all his life. He is now in his retirement, enjoying his old age and the fact he cant be left to live in peace It is the lowest of the low, said Cllr Ryan.

The victim of the attempted burglary must be saluted for defending himself and his property, said the councillor.

For a man of his age, of any age for that matter, the action he took was very brave and he has to be saluted for it. His neighbours are upset and outraged at what has gone on in this community, said Cllr Ryan.

He says it highlights the necessity for more guards in the Bruff district which is the size of County Louth.

They are short of manpower, they are short of good vehicles to do the job that we are depending on them to do. We have no garda station in Galbally, no garda station in Kilfinane. We are a massive stretch of ground with no police presence, said Cllr Ryan.

A spokesperson for the Garda Press Office said: Gardai are investigating the circumstances surrounding a burglary incident in the Ballylanders / Kilfinane area on February 21 at approximately 10pm. No arrests have been made.

It is not known how many assailants there were. Anybody who has information that may help the investigation is asked to contact Bruff Garda Station on 061 382940.

Repairs have been made to the house and extra security has been installed this week - including a personal alarm - as the 93-year-old attempts to get on with his life after the frightening experience.
THE Court of Appeal has rejected an appeal by a Limerick man against his conviction for murdering a 71 year old retired soldier in March 2011.

Christopher McNamara (24) of Good Shepherd Villas, Pennywell road in Limerick had denied the murder of James Boyce at St Munchin Street, St Marys Park in Limerick between March 6 and March 7, 2011.

The two-week trial, in January 2014, heard that McNamara had confessed to the killing of Mr Boyce to his mother.

McNamara and the deceased were friendly with each other despite the significant age gap between them. The younger man would tend to the property of the 71-year-old, lighting his fire and assisting in domestic needs.

The defence had asked the jury to find his client not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

The Central Criminal Court jury found McNamara unanimously guilty of murder following an hour-and-a-half of deliberations. He was given the mandatory life sentence by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on January 24, 2014.

It was the prosecutions case that this was a robbery that went wrong. The deceased was not a spender, he lived a frugal life and it seems kept his savings in his home.

Much of the trial was devoted to tracking McNamara's movements on the night in question and in the period after the murder to establish that, although a person of limited means, he had access to large sums of cash.

Mr Boyce had been the victim of an assault with a long striking edge. The fatal injuries were those on his neck where multiple fractures of the larynx were found.

Defence counsel stated that the only issue in the case was whether it was murder or manslaughter.

In the Court of Appeal the focus of criticism was on the contention that there was a failure on the part of the trial judge to clarify the distinction between the two.

Dismissing the appeal this Friday, Mr Justice George Birmingham said it was true the trial judge dealt with the legal issues quite briefly, but the trial had not given rise to legal issues of any great complexity.

The trial judge's definition of murder, while brief, was entirely accurate, and he was being criticised for what he didn't say  for his failure to define manslaughter.

"Having the jury focus on the ingredients of the offence of murder, the judge properly equipped the jury to decided whether to return the alternative verdict of manslaughter," Mr Justice Birmingham said.

He added that the court was not persuaded by the criticisms that had been advanced and took the view that the judge's charge was satisfactory.
China overtook the United States and France as Germany's most important trading partner in 2016, according to Germany's Federal Statistics Office on Feb 24.

China's trade volume with Germany exceeded 999.1 billion yuan in 2016, up 2.6 percent from the previous year, according to China's General Administration of Customs.

Xue Rongjiu, deputy director of the Beijing-based China Society for WTO Studies, says he expects the Sino-German bilateral trade relationship to be further strengthened in the future, should the US administration pursue trade protectionism that might shake the confidence of a majority of Chinese exporters.

"The Trump administration has been pressing both China and Germany to appreciate their currency exchange rates to maintain competitiveness in manufacturing," Xue says.

"Both China and Germany are expected to forge closer business and political ties to tackle the challenge from the US under the current global business setting."

Earlier, China had already become Germany's largest trading partner in Asia, and Germany has ranked as China's largest trading partner from the European Union for years.

Germany mainly exports mechanical and electrical products, transportation-related equipment and chemical products to China. It imports machinery, textiles, furniture and toys from China.

In terms of two-way investments, the accelerated growth has become an "important pillar" of economic and trade relations between the two countries, said Sun Jiwen, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, at a news conference in February.

At the end of 2016, China gave a green light to 9,394 German investment projects in the country, with a total value of $28.18 billion, according to the ministry.

Contact the writers through jingshuiyu@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 03/03/2017 page27)
LIMERICK City and County Council and Limerick Chamber of Commerce have unveiled a series of measures in a joint initiative aimed at making the Treaty City a business capital.

At a breakfast event in the Savoy Hotel this Friday morning, the business group and the local authority launched a new brochure highlighting Limericks potential for investment.

The 24 page glossy contains a variety of case study interviews with local bosses of international businesses located here including Kieran Harte, Uber, Alice ODwyer of Cook Ireland, and Dan Van Plew of Regeneron, which is employing 500 people in the former Dell factory at Raheen.

It also highlights the lifestyle choices on offer in Limerick, and the surrounding region.

The council and chamber are planning to commission an analysis of economic data to capture Limericks level of competitiveness in an international context.

Key marketing assets are to be devised to help IDA Ireland and other agencies bring inward investment to Limerick.

Next month, Limericks tourism web site, www.limerick.ie, will be relaunched to help promote the city internationally.

The chief executive of IDA Ireland Martin Shanahan, who was the keynote speaker at the event, heaped praise on the region's key players, saying the Mid-West is one of the best examples of these groups and individuals working together.

.@IDAIRELAND CEO Martin Shanahan at launch of #investlimerick guide: 'Limerick is one of the best examples of agencies working together' pic.twitter.com/0QLrcpy4J4  Nick Rabbitts (@Nick468official) March 3, 2017

The IDA is like the full forward as we tend to be at the point where we are trying to get something across the line but without the rest of the team it just wouldnt work. Thankfully I can say the Limerick and Mid-West is leading the way in that regard.

He also praised the region for its phenomenal performance in terms of IDA backed jobs  with around 700 IDA-backed positions announced in Limerick between September and October last.

It was a phenomenal performance and the credit is shared for that increase. One of the things we do is continually check in with client companies and the feedback has been extremely positive with regard to here in Limerick, he added.

Also addressing the event were council chief executive Conn Murray and Mayor Kieran OHanlon.

The Mayor said: "Limerick is on an incredible journey. Today its a proud and confident place, competing internationally. A self-belief and can-do attitude has seen us become very successful in the last few years in attracting investment, both foreign and domestic.

"Limerick has changed for the better and today is a declaration that we have come a long way but have mapped out the journey ahead to ensure we maintain this momentum.

Chamber chief executive Dr James Ring also pointed out Limericks unemployment rate is, at seven per cent, lower than the national average.

We have a young population, with 50% under 35 years; an urban population of 100,000 in Limerick itself and our commercial rates are between 30% and 50% more competitive than rival investment locations. Add to that the fact that Limerick 2030, a special purpose vehicle established by Limerick City and County Council, is going to spend over 500m in building out 1.4m sq ft of prime real estate with a target of 5,000 jobs.

"So not only have we had a remarkable three years, we are going to make sure that the trajectory for the next three and many more beyond is maintained, he added.

Laura Ryan, head of communications and marketing for the council, hailed "a business community, led by Limerick Chamber, that is now very much mobilised in the collective for Limerick.

"Better still, all of these key stakeholders are continuously communicating, working together in a spirit of partnership and it is creating an optimism and confidence not experienced here for a long time, if ever."

At the event, a video was unveiled, aimed at bringing investment to Limerick.

Invest Limerick from Limerick.ie on Vimeo.
MINISTER for Finance Michael Noonan is confident that the free movement of people between Ireland and the UK, along with the common labour market can be retained following Brexit.

And if Britain secures a free trade agreement with the EU, all of Irelands potential post-Brexit problems for the 1.2 billion worth of goods traded between the two countries every week will virtually disappear, the Limerick minister said.

Speaking at a Fine Gael Brexit response meeting in the Castletroy Park Hotel last night, Mr Noonan emphasised that Ireland is fully committed to remaining in the European Union.

The British negotiating position is that they want to negotiate a free trade deal with Europe, so that goods and services can pass from the UK to Europe and from Europe to the UK without any tariffs, without any customs dues, said Mr Noonan.

Thats their negotiating position, and we shall back them on that. If theres free trade between us and the UK, its more or less what we have at present. That is Mrs Mays negotiating position and within Europe we can be supportive of that position, he added.

If Britain fails in its negotiations and free trade is stopped, tariffs and checkpoints could be imposed - but the minister hopes that it will not come to that.

Its going to take a long time to negotiate this. This is going to go on for five or six years, maybe longer. Theres an awful lot of pieces to this, said Mr Noonan.

One of the things Ive learned in politics is that if you have time, you can negotiate most things, and we have time, he added.

County Limerick TD Tom Neville said that the remaining popularity of the EU within Britain can be used as a negotiation tool.

Forty-eight percent of the people voted to remain - 50/50. I think we can use that leverage in our negotiations, that 50 percent of the population of the want to remain, including Scotland, Northern Ireland and London, said Mr Neville.

Thats something that we can use as a strength in our negotiations.

Europe itself needs to recognise and examine why this has happened. We need to get free trade with the UK. That is the bottom line going into these negotiations. It evaporates a lot of the problems that are being mentioned tonight, and I think because 50 percent of the UK voted to remain - and maybe a lot more, deep down, wanted to remain but used it as a protest vote - they wont want to see tariffs either, added Mr Neville.

Senator Maria Byrne expressed concern that Irish students studying in the UK may have to pay higher fees in the case of a hard Brexit.

But Senator Kieran ODonnell was optimistic, saying that Brexit presents great opportunity, particularly for Foynes Port.

Limerick is a city in a renaissance, he said.
THERE is a relief in Limerick after Bus Eireann and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) announced Mondays strike action has been deferred.

It was announced this Friday afternoon that the nationwide strike action, called after the bus firms board signed off on what are believed to be 12m worth in cuts, had been suspended for the time being.

Both Siptu, and the NBRU, which is the drivers main union, had planned the all-out indefinite action from Monday, but both unions have now issued statements saying they will suspend the action after a request from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

Talks to resolve the dispute will kick off on Monday, it is anticipated.

Independent councillor Frankie Daly, who chairs the transport committee, said: Common sense has prevailed  but also warned there is a long way to go.

Both SIPTU and the NBRU had planned an all-out indefinite strike at the company from Monday but the two unions have this afternoon issued statements saying they are suspending the action after a request from the WRC.

Talks to resolve the dispute are now planned to start on Monday.

The state bus company runs seven regular bus services covering the city and its surrounds, as well as other irregular services covering rural Co Limerick.

On top of this, there are twice hourly services to Shannon Airport.

There now needs to be meaningful dialogue from both sides. But this is a boost for Limerick commuters, particularly with the bad weather we are now expecting. Were in for a rough spell over the weekend and into next week. I absolutely welcome this. Its a step in the right direction. But id urge Transport Minister Shane Ross to take a hands on approach to this. This is peoples lives and livelihoods, terms and conditions and fairness were talking about here, Cllr Daly told the Limerick Leader.

In a statement, Bus Eireann warned the financial situation at the bus firm remains critical, and the firm could close by May if actions not taken.

To facilitate meaningful discussions with unions, Bus Eireann management have today accepted a new invitation by the WRC to seek a solution, a spokesperson confirmed.

As a result of this, Bus Eireann will defer the implementation of changes it had planned to bring ijn from Monday.

Among other things, this would have seen the Limerick to Dublin X12 Expressway service being reduced in frequency.
Fossil fuels may be out of fashion, but sales of foreign-owned resources across Asia are expected to attract a broad mix of bidders

Some of Asia's biggest foreign-owned oil and gas assets, worth more than $40 billion, are to be sold this year, with potential bidders expected to include Chinese energy companies and sovereign funds.

Assets to be sold include US-based Chevron's $1 billion (0.94 billion euros; 0.81 billion) joint ownership stake with China's state-owned CNOOC in an offshore oil field.

One of the world's biggest oil and gas companies, Chevron plans to sell about $10 billion worth of assets, including natural-gas assets in Thailand, by the end of the year.

A worker checks one of CNOOC's deep-water drilling platforms in the South China Sea. China's top offshore oil and gas producer said it is scouting for potential acquisition opportunities among Chevron's $1 billion in assets that were put up for sale recently. Xinhua

CNOOC, China's top offshore oil and gas producer, has said it is scouting for potential acquisition opportunities, although a climate of low oil prices is making it difficult to agree on price.

This comes at a time when many countries in Asia are adding renewable resources, such as wind and solar, to their energy mix. While renewables are gaining traction, oil and coal-fired power stations will be around for some time.

Data from financial markets platform Dealogic show that from January to February this year, Chinese oil and gas companies were involved in $6.98 billion worth of mergers and acquisitions.

BP, Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell and other oil and gas majors have been slowly divesting tail-end assets within the region in recent years, but that trickle looks set to gain momentum as larger assets are to be put up for sale in 2017.

Chevron and Shell hold the largest portfolio of legacy assets in the region - that is, old assets that have lost value - and in the latter half of last year signaled their intentions to sell assets in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, New Zealand and Malaysia, among others.

In January, Shell said it would sell its stake in Thailand's Bongkot gas field to Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company for $900 million.

The move is the latest stage of the Anglo-Dutch company's push to reduce debt. The transaction will include Shell's 22.2 percent equity stake in the Bongkot field and adjoining acreage off the coast of Thailand, Shell said in a statement.

"This transaction shows the clear momentum behind Shell's global, value-driven $30 billion divestment program," the company said.

International resources consultancy Wood Mackenzie expects 2017 to bring a different mix of buyers to the fore than has been seen in recent years.

According to Prasanth Kakaraparthi, senior upstream research analyst at the consultancy, between 2010 and 2016, national oil companies were the main buyers in the Asia-Pacific, acquiring over 2 million barrels of oil equivalent of commercial reserves.

"This year we expect to see more buying activity from local independents and private equity-backed players," he says.

"Domestic utilities and refiners, Japanese players and Middle Eastern NOCs looking for growth opportunities are also possible acquirers."

He says Asia-Pacific capital expenditure is expected to fall again in 2017 to $64 billion, with capital budgets some 40 percent lower than in 2015.

This is due in part to fewer projects with final investment decisions in 2016. Only two projects, Ca Rong Do (Red Emperor) in Vietnam and the Western Surat Gas Project in Australia, are expected to take this step in 2017.

Lackluster participation in recent licensing rounds, and reduced budgets, point to a bleak year for exploration in the Asia-Pacific.

"We expect around 50 wells to be drilled this year - a 70 percent drop from 2014 levels," Wood Mackenzie said in a report.

Myanmar, which holds some of the last remaining frontier acreage in an otherwise mature region, accounts for the bulk of frontier exploration drilling and will be the biggest bright spot in Asia Pacific this year.

"We expect several wildcat wells to be drilled, as several blocks from the hugely successful 2013 bid round are matured through the exploration process," the report said.

"We also expect to see several companies farm down interest in exploration acreage where commitment wells are due, to reduce risk and manage budgets."

Kakaraparthi says there are three reasons why he expects the big players to sell this year.

"Many of the assets they hold in Southeast Asia are now mature, meaning they are likely to incur high (capital expenditure) going forward for little additional value," he says.

"Abandonment liability is also a big issue for older assets, which is another incentive to divest these from a portfolio.

"Typically at this stage, we would expect to see assets change hands from the majors/international oil company (IOC) type operators, to late-life players, smaller independents who still find these assets valuable, and potentially domestic players and local NOCs."

He says the second reason is two years of low oil prices, in 2015 and 2016.

"This has given a further incentive for the majors to kick-start divestment programs in order to bolster cash flow and sharpen the tail end of their portfolios.

"Many of these deals were already in progress during 2016 and we expect them to come to fruition this year.

"And finally, with limited exploration upside, increasing uncertainty around license extensions and domestic NOCs taking a more aggressive stance, the region has much less appeal than it did a couple of decades ago."

Kakaraparthi says several IOCs were seen retreating back to North America even before the oil price began to tumble.

He expects this trend to continue, explaining that the overall investment climate for the majors is challenging, in Southeast Asia in particular. License expirations looming on many large assets over the next decade serve as a disincentive to spend and an incentive to sell.

As for the buyers, he says: "We expect to see a mixed bag, ranging from NOCs, domestic independents, refiners and utility players to private equity-backed independents.

"From a Chinese perspective, there are mature assets operated offshore from China by international players that could be in the frame for sale.

"As buyers, we see the Chinese NOCs as increasingly focused on ongoing domestic energy reforms and the impact it has on their overall business."

Tim Woodall, managing director of specialist oil and gas corporate advisory firm Miro Advisors, says the Wood Mackenzie expectations match what he is seeing in the market.

"The timing appears right for increased merger and acquisition activity in 2017, whether it be a continuation of companies deleveraging by asset divestments, or companies like Shell, BG, Repsol and Talisman tidying up their Asia portfolios post-merger, or some IOCs looking for growth in their 2017-18 time frame via M&A," Woodall says.

Last year, the French utility Engie was reported to be seeking buyers for its oil and gas assets in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Engie, which joins a number of European utilities in selling oil and gas exploration and production assets after a sharp drop in energy prices, is looking to raise up to $500 million from the sale, Reuters said, citing banking sources.

The first bidding round for the assets is scheduled to be completed in mid-June.

The package consists of five assets, including a 33.3 percent working interest in the Muara Bakau offshore gas and very light oil project in Indonesia operated by Italy's Eni.

In Malaysia, Engie is selling 20 percent stakes in two exploration blocks, according to documents seen by Reuters.

Potential buyers include Asian oil firms such as Indonesia's Pertamina, Malaysia's Petronas, Thailand's PTT Exploration and Production, and Japan's Inpex and Mitsui, as well as companies backed by private equity funds, the sources said.

Deal-making in the oil and gas sector has slowed significantly since the sharp fall in oil prices nearly two years ago, while the number of assets on the market has climbed as companies seek to raise cash.

karlwilson@chinadailyapac.com

( China Daily European Weekly 03/03/2017 page29)
May 4, 2021, 3 AM

Sold for $25,000 at Spinks Jan. 24 sale in London, this 1861 4d Cape of Good Hope triangle is printed in vermilion instead of the correct milky blue, due to a mix-up with a single cliche from another denomination.

At the London Spink sale, a pair of Great Britains 4d rose of 1857, with superb, mostly complete A13 cancels of Tortola  described as a possibly unique multiple of this forerunner  went for $8,800.

This St. Christopher 2-penny Queen Victoria surcharged ONE PENNY is missing the hand-applied line through the original denomination. Spink sold the error for $14,000.

This rare imperforate horizontally error of Southern Rhodesias 3-penny Victoria Falls stamp of 1932, in a block of four, fetched $28,000 at the January Spink sale in London.

At its London offices Jan. 24, Spink sold the David Pitts collection of British Guiana. Among the standout items was this 2 Cottonreel on pale rose paper. One of four known in private hands, it realized $265,000.

Auction Roundup  Matthew Healey, New York Correspondent

The former British Empire remains one of the most popular collecting areas around the world, including here in the United States.

Probably more than any other realm, Great Britains dominions, colonies, territories, and dependencies offer an amazingly rich and varied philatelic legacy.

From philatelys infancy, certain British Empire issues stretched the notion of what a postage stamp should look like.

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Others encapsulated moments in history and the grand sweep of human endeavor in the most intimate way, by enabling personal communication over thousands of miles.

As if to illustrate this point, Spink offered several sales at its headquarters in London in late January, beginning with David Pitts collection of British Guiana and several British Caribbean colonies on Jan. 24.

Pitts, an American collector who has had a notable career in health care management, is a fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London. His British Empire collection, which eschews mint stamps to focus on postally used, is being offered by Spink in several sales through January 2018.

British Guiana is famous for Demerara sugar, rum, and several of the worlds rarest postage stamps.

Among the earliest of these commodities were the colonys first stamps, a set produced locally in 1850-51 in an improvised fashion, using loose type set in a rough circle made from a bent piece of brass printers rule.

Popularly known as the Cottonreels because they resemble the round labels on the end of a spool of thread more than conventional postage stamps, they were printed in black on various colored papers at a local print shop in the colonial capital, Georgetown.

The stamps denominations  2, 4, 8 or 12  are set in the middle, while the letters of the colonys name curve, higgledy-piggledy, around the circle.

In a bid to discourage fraud, postal workers initialed each stamp in pen. Most of the stamps appear to have been cut out to their round shape before being sold.

The lowest denomination is also the rarest, with perhaps 10 examples known of the 2 on pale rose (Scott 1). Only four remain in private hands.

The provenance of the Pitts example is well-documented, going back to its first sale in 1877. It was auctioned in 1924 for some $3,172 as part of the great Ferrary collection, and traded hands privately a few times over the ensuing decades.

It was again offered at auction at the Washington 2006 international stamp show, where it sold for $365,500.

At the Spink sale January 24, it fetched somewhat less, being hammered down for 180,000, or around $265,000 with the 20 percent buyers premium that Spink adds to all lots.

A scarce stamp from the small island of St. Christopher shows a ONE PENNY surcharge on the 2-penny Queen Victoria definitive of the time.

In error, one sheet of stamps missed getting the hand-applied rule through the original value (Scott 23). The used example offered by Spink, with a neat A12 barred-numeral cancel of the colony, sold for $14,000.

The sale included numerous colonial forerunners, or regular British stamps used in the colonial post offices and distinguishable by the particular numeral cancels assigned to those colonies.

These are listed in the Scott Classic Specialized Catalogue of Stamps and Covers 1840-1940 with A prefixes, before the individual colonies own stamps.

A fine horizontal pair of Great Britains 4-penny rose of 1857, with superb, mostly complete A13 cancels of Tortola (Virgin Islands Scott A4) was described as a possibly unique multiple of this forerunner. The pair, with some trivial faults, went for $8,800.

Pitts Bermuda exhibit is the only one of that country to have won an international large gold medal. Spink will offer it April 19.

Also on Jan. 24, Spink offered the Robert Van Buren Emmons collection of British Empire classics, with stamps and postal history from philatelys first three or four decades.

From the beginning, stamp-producing countries toyed with shapes other than rectangular. The first issues from Cape of Good Hope, a South African colony, are famous for their distinctive triangular shape.

After the initial printings from Britain were exhausted, a local firm reprinted the stamps, using typographed reproductions of the engraved originals.

These crude versions, issued in 1861, are referred to by collectors somewhat inaccurately as the woodblock issue.

Somehow, one cliche from each plate of the 1-penny and 4d stamps got switched, resulting in a color error for each denomination. The Emmons collection included both the 1d mistakenly printed in milky blue (Scott 7c) and the 4d mistakenly printed in vermilion (9f).

The errors, both remarkably lightly canceled and clearly showing the wording of denomination, sold for $15,450 and $25,000, respectively.

The sale continued with British Empire stamps from other consignors.

The first stamp of India  indeed, of all Asia  was a round -anna stamp, embossed first on paper and then on a waxy red wafer, resembling a seal.

Known as the Scinde Dawk, the stamp was issued in 1852 for the system of dawk (or dak) postal runners in the area now known as Sindh, Pakistan.

A very well-preserved red Scinde Dawk stamp (India Scott A3), attached to a large piece, was offered by Spink for the second time in four years.

In 2013, Linns reported that it had sold for $35,300; this time around, it fetched $39,800.

A rare imperforate horizontally error of Southern Rhodesias 3d Victoria Falls stamp of 1932 (Scott 32a), in a block of four, fetched $28,000.
May 1, 2021, 4 PM

At its March 2 meeting, the American Philatelic Society's board of directors approved a proposal by APS president Mick Zais to write a letter to the International Federation of Philately.

By Michael Baadke

Leaders of the American Philatelic Society intend to make an official statement about the workings of the International Federation of Philately (FIP).

At the March 2 meeting of the APS board of directors in Reno, Nev., APS president Mick Zais announced his plan to draft a letter addressed to FIP president Tay Peng Hian of Singapore, and to the FIP board of directors, in support of suggestions made recently by Chris King of the Association of British Philatelic Societies. King's letter recommended changes to certain FIP procedures.

King and Stephen Reinhard, the APS immediate past president, were candidates to represent Europe and the Americas, respectively, as FIP vice presidents in elections held last October. Neither was elected, and a Linns article by New York correspondent Matthew Healey published shortly after the election reported on criticism of the FIP election process and the ensuing backlash.

Other reports in recent years have expressed concerns about the results of judging at FIP events, and some hobby leaders have called for reform of the international body.

The FIP acts as an international forum for national stamp hobby federations, including the APS representing the United States, and determines standards for international judging. Among its stated aims is to promote philatelic exhibitions by granting Patronage and Auspices.

Zais plans to write a letter expressing APS support for the principles articulated in Kings statement to the FIP, which was distributed to the APS board members at the March meeting.

Theres been a number of people who asked me that I do something on behalf of the APS, to sign a document, Zais told the APS board.

Zais would use an existing document put together by our International committee as the basis for preparing his letter to the FIP, on behalf of the American Philatelic Society.

One document circulated to the board proposed that each of the three continental federations have a vice presidents seat on the FIP board, and that the FIP presidency rotate between the three continental federations. It also suggested changes to the selection of judges for international exhibitions, to the number of FIP board meetings with board members present, and other matters.

Zais expressed skepticism that his letter would change anything in the current FIP leadership.

The goal would be to have some influence on future administrations, he said.

I think were trying to push to reform FIP, Zais added, and, at the same time, provide alternatives for international exhibiting.

In his 2016 proposal to the FIP, King submitted a motion similar to one that was passed by the 74th FIP Congress when it convened in October. A draft of that motion provided to the APS board recommended a review to the FIP constitution and statutes, with changes to the election process, methods of developing and approving a three year rolling priority programme of work, communication efforts, exhibition sponsorship and more.

Peter P. McCann, who served two terms as an FIP vice president and is now on the APS board of directors, told the APS board that the motion passed despite the fact that Tay vehemently opposed it.

A new FIP president will be elected in 2018, McCann told the APS board. He said that he believes the next president will be elected from Europe.

Zais asked for the boards permission to draft a letter that will go to the FIP president and board members, which he will share with the APS board before sending it out on behalf of the society. Zais said he will submit the letter to the board prior to the next APS board meeting, which is scheduled to convene by telephone on April 20.

The board voted in favor of the motion to have Zais draft a letter, with APS treasurer Bruce Marsden abstaining.
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Conservation chief says it is now up to the continent to make plans for the protection of its precious natural resources

The head of an international conservation organization says China's move to ban its domestic ivory trade gives Africa the impetus to come up with a unique modernization model that balances development and conservation.

Previous development models in North America, Europe and Asia have compromised wildlife and wild regions, says Kaddu Sebunya, president of the Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF). He says this is not what Africa needs and that China has instead shown its mettle by disrupting its domestic legal trade to meet its commitments - a move Africa should emulate to achieve sustainable growth.

Kaddu Sebunya says Africa needs the infrastructure so African people cannot talk conservation at the expense of development. Lucie Morangi / China Daily

"China has imposed the ban and simultaneously announced plans to retrain and help artists transition to alternative careers. The country has set the ball rolling and we hope to see other countries taking similar action.

With a decrease in demand for ivory, Africa will experience a surge in elephant numbers, while those who benefited from the illegal trade will be idle. Conservation, therefore, has to be pushed up the priority list," says the Ugandan, who took the helm of the 55-year-old organization in 2015.

Africa is set to be the biggest beneficiary of the ban. According to a report released last year by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the continent lost an estimated 111,000 elephants in the past decade. There are only 415,000 of the animals left, with the biggest population located in southern Africa.

Sebunya believes China's increased collaboration with Africa may have partly contributed to its decision. But, most importantly, the country took the decision to meet its commitments.

President Xi Jinping discussed plans to ban the ivory trade during his meeting in New York with then-US president Barack Obama in 2015 and he also talked about it during the second summit of the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2014.

China is Africa's biggest trading partner and is behind the continent's recent infrastructure transformation.

Some modern transport projects have put African governments and environmental activists at loggerheads. However, Sebunya says that wildlife activists are not against development.

"Africa needs the infrastructure so we cannot talk conservation at the expense of development. The discourse should instead be on the relationship between the two. The good news is that we already have data from previous development models that have not worked. We must therefore develop an African model and China can help us mold it."

He disputes allegations that China has gained a foothold in Africa by turning a blind eye to conservation issues. He attributes delays in getting funding from other international financiers to a lack of skill on Africa's part in negotiating deals that put the continent's environmental needs on the table.

Noting this, he says China, through FOCAC, has increased the continent's skill development programs for wildlife and environmental experts. China's success at protecting its own endangered pandas offers lessons to the elephant conservation programs, and enable Africa to negotiate with a strong voice that will shape its development agenda.

Moreover, African conservation and wildlife management agencies have in the recent past been beneficiaries of China's technical and financial assistance. Kenya and Zimbabwe have each received vehicles and state-of-art equipment such as night-vision goggles to boost surveillance. China's security forces have also joined hands with global networks such as the Interpol to exchange intelligence that has successfully led to the arrest of ivory barons and a decline in the ivory trade.

But Africa cannot escape the fact that the ban does not explicitly solve its challenges, says the president. The continent's chief problem has always been human-wildlife conflict. The population boom and soaring demand for food has seen more and more human activities encroaching on wild land, setting off a vicious cycle pitting humans against animals. Climate change has also forced wild animals to venture into farmed land, while herders have invaded national parks in search of pasture. Compensation claims are on the upswing, putting more pressure on national budgets, while countries such as Botswana and Zimbabwe have been forced to hold huge stocks of ivory and other wildlife trophies.

Sebunya says China's ivory ban will effectively put the global focus squarely on Africa's ability to protect both its human capital and wildlife. Encouraging responsibility and creativity on the subject could result in the development of effective policies, but this can only be achieved with the right synergy created in all government departments.

"This is not only an environmental issue but also a political, social and economic issue," says Sebunya. "There have been several voices around illegal ivory trading but these are all going to tone down and turn to governments for direction going forward. I think we need Africa to own this space and be able to explain to fellow Africans the merit of our natural resources."

He says the only way communities living around protected lands will take responsibility for conservation efforts is when the government talks about it in boardrooms.

"Conservationists always seem to be coming in late, after monumental decisions such as infrastructure master plans have been approved. But finance ministers should be activists too, conscious of the consequences of prioritizing development over the ecosystem. Africa will not achieve its development agenda without its natural heritage," he says.

AWF has been recognized by the African Union as the official implementation partner of Africa Vision 2063.

Sebunya says the next 10 years will be crucial because decisions taken will determine the entire future of Africa.

"The continent has identified agriculture as key to its industrial take-off. However, Africa cannot develop without a healthy workforce and water to irrigate its lands and run industries. Conservation and development go hand-in-hand," says the president.

"The question Africa needs to answer is how it can have it all. There must be an African development model and data is available to guide us. China, which developed rapidly over a very short period of time, has lessons we can learn and this is why the ongoing partnership between China and Africa is monumental," says Sebunya.

He commends China for offering both its financial and technical skills in Africa's ambitious infrastructure development. With the right policies in place, Chinese construction companies will help build an eco-friendly African landscape.

"We are closely engaging with China in achieving an African renaissance dream. But we know that we should also be ready to compromise," says the president. "We will lose some while making gains elsewhere."

Good policies will also see the budgetary allocation for conservation increase. Expanding the education system to include communities previously engaged in poaching should also be prioritized.

"These people need to engage in alternative activities that will be economically viable to them. The ivory ban will force African governments to be more proactive and this calls for all partners to support their strategies."

With the ban in place, external conservation funding may dry up and this, according to Sebunya, will be to the detriment of the already stretched funding that also covers other endangered species. Continental bodies, such as the African Union, need to take a stronger stand to ensure member countries develop better wildlife management and sustainable strategies.

For countries grappling with huge elephant populations, sharing with countries such as Mozambique - whose elephant population has been wiped out - could be a prudent solution.

"When negotiating for the movement of people and capital, animals and technical support should also be considered," Sebunya says, adding that AWF helped in developing a tripartite agreement that saw Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo benefit from the protection of mountain gorillas.

"While charting Africa's unique development model, China cannot be ignored, and we will continuously engage with them, too, in this space," says the president, who is set to attend the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) from March 23-26 in China's Boao, Hainan province.

lucymorangi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 03/03/2017 page32)
Some inspired finds to add to your shopping list

Some inspired finds to add to your shopping list From a graphic-novel memoir to a security robot that can talk to you /fashion/shop/some-inspired-finds-to-add-to-your-shopping-list-111646895182572.html 111646895182572 story

Wearable Art

Mango Universe scarf

Get this silk scarf with Mango Universe by Sri-Lanka born, Toronto-based artist Rajni Perera to welcome summer. Black and white options.

Norblacknorwhite.com; $105 (around Rs7,000)

Toy Turf

Amaryllo Atom

A security robot with AI, which recognizes human faces, talks to you, and sends video alerts when intruder movement is detected. Full HD 360-degree field of vision works even in pitch-dark rooms. Configure it with your Gmail and hear Atom chime Youve got mail" when something new lands in your inbox.

Amazon.com; $299.99

Spruce up

Cedes Milano manicure set

A quaint manicure set, framed in stainless steel and brown ostrich leather jacket.

Matchesfashion.com;  31,335

More summer vibe

1020

This homegrown fragrance stores summery offering has lemon, ginger and vetiver in the mix. Now available at Vayu, Bikaner House, Delhi, and Ogaan, Hyderabad.

Bombayperfumery.com; Rs4,100

Tracking Titles

Cant We Talk About Something More Pleasant

New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chasts witty memoir, focused on ageing parents, in graphic novel form.

Bloomsbury.com; Rs599

Compiled by Vangmayi Parakala
Art Scan: Antique acquisition A preview of the forthcoming Saffronart Classical Indian Art auction /how-to-lounge/art-culture/art-scan-antique-acquisition-111646895142862.html 111646895142862 story

In the past few years, classical Indian art has become somewhat of a favourite category in the secondary art market. In December 2016, a Basohli miniature painting sold for a tidy Rs93.25 lakh at the fourth Christies India auction. In December 2015, two Basohli works from the same collection, owned by late Colonel R.K. Tandan, sold for Rs96 lakh each at a Saffronart auction. Within India, regulations govern the sale of antiquitiesany work of art that is over 100 years old cannot be exported, and needs to be registered with the Archaeological Survey of India.

Classical art is very much undervalued, considering its significance in our heritage," says Hugo Weihe, chief executive officer of Saffronart. Regulation, he believes, isnt a bad thing, for the registration also provides a clear title of ownership.

At the 9 March evening sale of the Saffronart Classical Indian Art auction, 36 lots of miniature paintings from the Motichand Khajanchi collection will be up for sale; these will include works from the Bikaner, Mughal, Mewar and Kishengarh schools, ranging from the 17th to the early 19th centuries. Khajanchi was born into a family of jewellers that supplied to the royals of Bikaner, and built a formidable collection of Rajasthani miniatures during his lifetime. Pahari miniature paintings, and ancient and medieval sculptures, belonging to other private collections will also be part of the auction. To participate, visit Saffronart.com. The works will be on view at their Mumbai outpost till 8 March. Here are some highlights.

A set of 12 miniature paintings with inscriptions, from Jaipur circa 1820, valued between Rs80 lakh and Rs1 crore.

The Baramasa

The Baramasa, which translates to 12 months, is a classical text that is not religious, and uses the rhetoric of love and musical ragas to talk about each month of the Hindu calendar. It formed a popular theme in miniature painting, especially among artists of the Jaipur and Bundi schools of Rajasthan. The couplets of the poet Brahmadas singing the praise of Ram and Sita, after the defeat of Ravana and the coronation of Ram, accompany the works of this folio, and as such these works are remarkable in that they depict Ram in the sringara rasa (romantic mood). One of the 12 miniature paintings (pictured above) shows a dance performance in the month of magh (it usually falls in February).

Maharaja Bakhat Singh of Nagaur Proceeding For Battle

Bakhat Singh, who ruled Nagaur from 1724-51, and Jodhpur from 1751-52, was a patron of the arts who commissioned paintings to record important events in his lifethe larger the painting, the more important the occasion. The painting above depicts Singh leading an army to battle, including an impressive cavalry of camels, horses and elephants. It belongs to the Mewar school of Rajasthani miniatures, evident from the stylized clouds, and the subdued foreground. A related painting of Singh on horseback, attributed to Dalchand, which belonged to the Sven Gahlin Collection, was sold by Sothebys London in 2015 for 16,250 (around Rs13.36 lakh now).

A sandstone sculpture, 10th-11th century, from the Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh area, valued at Rs3-5 crore.

Mahishasuramardini

The myth of Durga slaying the demon Mahishasura has been a creative inspiration for Indian artiststhe late Tyeb Mehtas modern work, Mahishasura, sold for $2.2 million (around Rs15 crore now) at a 2012 Christies auction, a record-breaking feat for Indian modern art at the time. This particular sandstone sculpture, highly detailed, is in remarkable condition. You can see the nails of the goddess, her grip on an arrow in her quiver. She holds the demons neck with one hand, and, with another, draws her sword. The dramatic nature of the sculpture is heightened by the vitality of the other smaller figures surrounding her, including her lion, which is busy taking a bite of the hindquarters of the slain demon.
Indian films new fixation with unusual foreign locations The not-so-obvious reasons why our movies travel abroad /how-to-lounge/movies-tv/indian-films-new-fixation-with-unusual-foreign-locations-111646895322275.html 111646895322275 story

You can pretend you are in India," says Feisal Malik, line producer with Visual Africa, a film production company in Kenya. A lot of Indian weddings take place in Kenya, so you have many Indian background dancers and props available. There are Indian-origin actors as well, ones who know what they are doing in front of the camera." Kenya has a white-sand coastline, lush green plantations, and the famous Savannah grasslands. Not too far away, South Africas KwaZulu-Natal region offers cityscapes, jungles, mountains and the sea in close vicinity, as well as parts of Durban that look like India. There are cramped buildings, temples and mosques here," G. Simphiwe Ngcobo, production and development manager, KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, South Africa, told me at the India International Film Tourism Conclave in Mumbai last week.

The idea of going to Africa to recreate India may seem strangely self-defeating, but for film industry insiders, it is business as usual. The decision to shoot in a foreign country depends on its natural and cultural offerings as much as on the financial incentives, the efficiency of the local crew and the permits to shoot. Marijke de Souza, an executive producer at Dharma Productions, is looking for shooting locations that can pass as India for Ayan Mukerjis planned fantasy adventure with Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, tentatively titled Dragon". If you are filming at a certain time of the year, you cant go to certain parts of India because of the extreme weather. Sometimes the actors dates dont match. And if you need to blow up cars, we dont have the highways to do it. Some other countries have infrastructure that allows that," she says.

A still from the forthcoming Jagga Jasoos.

This is where smaller countries see a business opportunity. The countries that took part in the conclave werent the UK, France or Switzerland but Kenya, Portugal, Finland, Malta, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Romania, Cyprus and Slovenia, among others. In the two-day B2B event, which resembled a trade fair for film locations, representatives from tourism boards, armed with catalogues and audiovisual presentations in their respective stalls, met production houses and film-makers. There were representatives from the Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayali, Kannada and Bengali film industries.

We have the best of landscapes and pristine waters, but ultimately, it all comes down to how much it costs to shoot in one place or the other, and what kind of local crew you find there," says Luis Araujo, president of Turismo de Portugal, a country where Imtiaz Ali recently finished filming The Ring with Shah Rukh Khan.

These countries have a model that benefits both parties: the more you involve their local economy, the less you pay. You get a 20% tax rebate if you only use the location," Ngcobo says. If you hire local crew and equipment, it goes up to 35%. And it goes up to 50% if you employ black locals. If its a co-production in KwaZulu-Natal, you get $150,000 (around  1 crore) as funding." He adds, It is actually possible to make your entire movie with soft money that you sometimes dont have to pay back."

Film location tourism is serious business in these countries and competition is stiff. But there is space for everyone. Finland, which launched its campaign in January, is a late entrant compared to its Nordic neighbours. But its not worried because Iceland is booked for the next two years", according to Teija Raninen, film commissioner, West Finland Film Commission (which offers a costume manufacturer on the sets). Film production demands a huge network and many supporting industries," Raninen says. It took a while to convince our government that it will create new jobs and companies." In 2014, Shamitabh became the first Indian movie to be shot in Finlandin Lapland, which boasts of snowy wildernesses and the Northern Lights.

Given the way Indian popular cinema is driven by its aspirational qualities, foreign locations add value, literally. Shyam Kurup, vice-president of the Aries group of companies, a UAE-based multinational that invests in movies, describes it as a budgeting tactic. If I shoot a song in Fiji, my budget may go up by 10% but the returns are more because our distribution value also goes up."

Some directors, like Imtiaz Ali and Vikas Bahl, follow their characters on their travels, shooting in whichever country the plot takes them to. Given her arc, Ranis final destination in Queen had to be Amsterdam, a city bustling with cycles, music and people," says Bahl. This doesnt mean theres always a good reason for a foreign shoot, though. Rohit Shetty could presumably have shot Dilwale in any place that resembled Bulgaria and Iceland. In my film Ra. One the lead characters live in London," says director Anubhav Sinha, who attended the conclave. It could have been (set in) any other country."

Perhaps the most amusing rationale comes from Vinod Unnithan, line producer of Raees, Delhi Belly and Dhobi Ghat. One of the main reasons for shooting abroad, he says, is to keep the films stars in a controlled environment. If we are shooting in India, especially in Mumbai, stars arrive late and are always looking to leave the set early for home or to meet friends. But outside India, they dont have many people to socialize with. They have nowhere to go and are generally stuck between the hotel and the sets."
Fit for a pharaoh How Azza Fahmy made an Egyptian brand internationally appealing /news/talking-point/fit-for-a-pharaoh-111646895403339.html 111646895403339 story

I am an unabashed fan of Azza Fahmy, the Egyptian jewellery designer, so when I hear she is visiting Dubai, I am determined to meet her. I don my only necklace from her brandit is a pharaonic collar in gold and silverfor the interview. Fahmy has been making jewellery since the 1970s, and must have created hundreds of pieces, but she walks in wearing the exact same necklace. What are the chances! We dissolve into laughter, reaching out and hugging, commenting on the hand of fate.

Indeed, she believes it was the hand of fate that pulled her into the jewellery business. She chanced upon a book at a fairin German, which she didnt understand, but it had beautiful photos of medieval European jewelleryand she instinctively knew this book would change her life. It cost 19 Egyptian pounds (around Rs80 now)her salary was only 17 poundsbut she bought it, and started an unlikely journey that has taken her to the narrow streets of Cairos Khan el-Khalili (think Chandni Chowk) to learn jewellery making from a traditional goldsmith, to growing into a brand now sold in Egypt, the UK, US and several Middle-Eastern countries. Today she has 200 employees and 26 designers.

Egypt isnt all that different from Indiaplenty of ancient history, a strong jewellery tradition, a more is more" aesthetic, a mindset that thinks in terms of gold weight and making charges (instead of design and brand)so I am curious how Fahmy has managed to make an Egyptian brand internationally appealing. Her designs are replete with Egyptian symbolsscarabs and falcons from the pharaohs, Sufi sayings and Arabic calligraphy, talismans like the evil eye or the Hand of Fatimaso it is intriguing how it speaks to an international customer. I cant think of Indian parallels that have pulled it off on the world stage. What does it take, I ask?

She mulls over it a long moment, and then says something that stops me in my tracks. You have a great, great tradition in India," she says. But you dont have the designer that takes the soul of this great civilization and makes something new out of it."

It is a hard one, but I think she is right. Of course, there are no algorithms for finding souls of ancient civilizations, rendering them on todays jewellery, and getting them to magically vibe with the global shopper. I suspect that is her special gift, or the hand of fate that guides her. But there are two thingson a more down-to-earth levelthat seem to be part of her process, and might provide a clue: One, she researches the past with an unbelievable fervour; and two, she embraces modernity in the broadest possible way.

She has several themed collections, but her research process is best illustrated by her pharaonic collection. She had wanted to do it for years, but was afraid to attempt it because the pharaohs craftsmen had attained absolute perfection. The jewellery, the sarcophagi, the statues, the pyramids, the templesthey were masters in everything. I didnt want to do something that makes them angry with me," she says. Does she mean the people from the past, the pharaohs people? Yes, thats right. It was as if she was imprisoned by their expectations.

So she studied pharaonic history to discover its principles. Who are these gods? What is the meaning of these letters? What is the essence behind this civilization? She visited the archaeological digs at Saqqara. She sent initial jewellery sketches to pharaonic experts. It took her eight years to study it well.

And then, there was a Eureka momenther daughter Amina, also a jewellery designer, suggested they make contemporary" pharaonic jewellery. That was it. The path was suddenly clearto simplify and freely mix the motifs and symbols. For example, our necklace has falcon wings happily juxtaposed with motifs of the rising sun."

The craftsmanship, the way the piece sits on your bodyevery aspect is flawless, and this is where her embrace of modernity comes in. She is collaborating with Europe, bringing in the best minds in technology, in quality control, in every key aspect. Her team is fully trained. She values training so much, she has set up a school in CairoThe Design Studio by Azza Fahmyin collaboration with Alchimia, the contemporary jewellery design school in Italy. She has collaborated with Western designers like Matthew Williamson, and stretched her design vocabulary.

I look at the beautiful rings she is wearing, her own designs, of course. Two are outsized renditions of the Hand of Fatimashe was the daughter of the Prophet, and her hand is said to have protective powers. The third ring has a proverb inscribed in intricate calligraphy which reads, When god closes one door, he opens a thousand others." The fourth ring is the odd one outa simple band with a stonerecommended for her by an Indian jyotishi (astrologer). Clearly, her fate is in her own hands.

Radha Chadha is one of Asias leading marketing and consumer insight experts. She is the author of the best-selling bookThe Cult Of The Luxury Brand: Inside Asias Love Affair With Luxury.
A city in pages In a photo project, writer Jerry Pinto and photographer Chirodeep Chaudhuri explore the personal histories of the books in a Mumbai public library /news/talking-point/a-city-in-pages-111646895338964.html 111646895338964 story

Out of an immensely poetic body of work, the great Hungarian photographer Andre Kerteszs book On Reading is particularly charming. It has a photograph from 1926 in which Kertesz sets his lens on a patch of roofs in the romantic Latin quarter of Paris. He nudges readers to finally notice a man reading a newspaper after letting their eyes wander across the frameone that expresses an obvious love for geometry inspired by the De Stijl movement of that time. The book, first published in 1971, wasnt a significant departure from Kerteszs way of seeing, but, rather, a delicate study of one of the simplest joys of lifeof reading. From libraries to streets and into peoples bedrooms, Kertesz illustrated the love of books through readers and the spaces they read in.

Closer home in Mumbai, photographer Chirodeep Chaudhuri has been fascinated, for over a decade, by the public statues seen holding books or reading. And the year 2000 saw the beginnings of a close association with writer and journalist Jerry Pinto, who hired Chaudhuri as photo editor at Traveljini.com. Over the years, as colleagues and friends, they travelled and spoke about books and reading. The loss of the habit of readingwe used to talk about it a lot. A common lament," says Chaudhuri.

A couple of years ago, the board of trustees of the Peoples Free Reading Room and Library in Mumbai thought Pinto would make a fine addition to their number as one of the existing members wanted to resign. I think every library is a writers dream and a writers nightmare. You see thousands of books you have not read and you see thousands of authors whose names you have never heard of and whose books you do not want to read. This is your fateto be part of this shouting," says Pinto.

2.A photo from the series In The City, A Library. Photo: Chirodeep Chaudhuri

Chaudhuri first visited the library, an old building opposite the famous bakery Kyani & Co. in Dhobi Talao, in 1994, while he was at The Sunday Observer. He remembers noticing a huge shelf with bound volumes of Punch magazine, which had recently shut shop. When Jerry told me about being on the board of trustees, my first thought was to go and shoot the library. Not the interiors though, something else," he says. When he began revisiting the library after a gap of two decades, he noticed the shelf with the Punch magazines. They were still there, only covered in dust.

As he browsed through 35,000-odd books, some old and moth-eaten, Chaudhuri was seeking a kind of visual drama that would initiate a series of photographs. As repositories of memories, libraries also reveal their fragilities," Chaudhuri says. This is how the photo project In The City, A Library, a collaboration with Pinto, began: It will be exhibited from 9 March at Project 88, Mumbai, as part of the FOCUS Photography Festival 2017. Both Pinto and Chaudhuri are concerned with time and how books respond to it. Its a story about the library, told through the books in the collection," says Chaudhuri. Considered one of the older public libraries in India, the Peoples Free Reading Room and Library also reportedly hosted Mahatma Gandhis first appearance in the city.

The library as a bearer of public and personal histories is crucial to the collaboration. The library has much that is rare and valuable, not because the books are old but because they were often privately printed and some copies made available only to libraries and friends by the writers. These include memoirs, travel books, books about institutions such as charitable clinics and schools. This is what fascinates me about the world of books; that there is always another layer, a subterranean layer often that throws up other ideas and other ways of looking at the city," says Pinto.

Chaudhuri and Pinto spent a year and a half digging deep into the collection and found things people had left behind in the books. From a mans scribblings about homoeopathy in every book that he borrowed to finding tram tickets (something Chaudhuri had never seen before), these personal imprints started giving structure to the project. There was also a whole cupboard stashed with books on debates in the House of Commons and the House of Lords. They had a sense of bringing to the fore what was lost and what could be used to construct another history of the city. I found (businessman) Premchand Roychands books (the Rajabai Tower was named after his mother) bearing his personalized stamps. People might say that personal histories are of little relevance to a larger reading of the city, but whos to say what isnt or what is?" asks Chaudhuri.

Pinto, on the other hand, was looking at the collection from different levels. Some of these were purely administrative, some of these were connoisseurial; but when Chirodeep began to dream up this projectand he is the dreamcatcher on the teamI began to look at the books as artefacts and that brought about another way of looking." And, indeed, the collaboration underlines just that. The photographs arent just visual markers, they are a fine reading of the books and the people who owned them, donated them and turned the pages.

In Chaudhuris photographs, found objects, jottings and drawings from within the books become props for his composition. His images lend the books a second life. In his still-life images, Chaudhuri unfurls the poetry of pages turned yellow, handwritten postcards, mechanical drawings and bookworm infestations. As the two collaborators think of ways to take the project further, it is clear that the books sleeping on those old, wooden shelves have found their way back into the world.

Paroma Mukherjee is an independent photographer and photo editor based in New Delhi.
Whose baby is it anyway? Marriage is no longer the prism that defines relationships. Then why should single people be denied the right to have children? /news/talking-point/whose-baby-is-it-anyway-111646895295794.html 111646895295794 story

There was a time when convention dictated every aspect of life. Its rule was absolute. The past decade, however, has dealt some huge blows to its standing, with political movements like feminism and gay rights becoming more and more mainstream. Lifestyles have evolved, as have life choices. Traditional notions of womanhood, marriage, relationships are changing. Or, are they?

In August, Union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj paid a surprise visit during a routine press briefing on cabinet decisions. She was there to talk about the draft Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016. Keeping in mind the seriousness of the issue (surrogacy), the Prime Minister had instituted a group of ministers of which I was the chairperson," she began. It was never going to be an easy announcement, the banning of commercial surrogacy, a business estimated at more than $400 million (around Rs2,670 crore) a year, but Swaraj added fuel to the fire with her announcement that only legally wedded couples, a man and a woman who had been together for more than five years, she specified, would be able to avail of altruistic surrogacy". The minister then went on to specify that single parents, unmarried, live-in relationships, homosexuals" would not be allowed" to avail of altruistic surrogacy.

It was a statement bound to raise hackles, and it did. There were concerns about the government trying to police bodies while others spoke of how the Bill violated constitutional provisions. In an editorial for The Indian Express last year, lawyer Anil Malhotra argued that constitutionally, the state cannot interfere in the prerogative of a person(s) to have children, naturally or through surrogacy".

The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by health minister J.P. Nadda in November, and referred to a standing committee on 12 January. The report is expected to be submitted within three months, so there is a chance it could be discussed in the Parliament session starting 9 March.

The Bill, in its initial form, seems to betray a lack of knowledge of the situation on the ground. Relationships in India are no longer defined through the narrow prism of marriage; in fact, the very categories that Swaraj stressed were not allowed" to avail of surrogacy now form a substantial chunk of society, be it single parents or gay couples. In 2012, in fact, the government told the Supreme Court there were 2.5 million gay people in India. The figures had been compiled by Indias National Aids Control Organization.

Prathap N. is a freelance writer who has been in a committed relationship with another man for nine years. Earlier this year, they solemnized their relationship by exchanging vows in Europe. When we lived together in Bengaluru, our neighbours used to think we were roommates. It would have been nice to tell everyone that we are a couple but that wasnt possible. The conservative morals exemplified in the acceptance of heterosexual couples are never going to change. The governments definition of marriage only reinforces this," he says.

Prathap isnt hopeful, though there have been signs that acceptance of all kinds of relationships is evolving. In April 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that any couple who had been living together for a long time would be presumed to be legally married, unless proved otherwise. The conversation about LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) rights is as vibrant as the multiple pride parades that take place across the country now and there has been a landmark Supreme Court judgement vis-a-vis the rights of the transgender community. According to Prof. Tulsi Patel, a sociologist from Delhi University, the notion that the only union fit for parenting is the traditional marital one is a very upper-caste notion of relationships and motherhood. These, in turn, are because of heteronormative constructs of paternity and maternity."

Single, with a child

India allows single people, both men and women, to adopt, though the former are not allowed to adopt girls. Seventeen years ago, actor and former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen made headlines when she adopted a baby girl. Sen was opting to be a single mother.

Two years earlier, Nanki Hans, a senior journalist with The Tribune newspaper, Chandigarh, disregarded convention when she had a biological child, as a single woman. I am an only child and I needed a blood relation. And I wanted my own child." Hans opted for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment in London where her mother was working. She argues that if an individual is educated, pays taxes, and contributes to the growth of the nation, then why should she be denied the right to an heir? Procreation is a natural right. When you deny it to an individual , then it is an infringement."

Hans may have undergone treatment in the UK but she faced hurdles back home, especially as far as the paperwork was concerned. At one point, her sons school wanted the fathers name for the CBSE form for class X examinations, and it continued to be an issue even after she submitted her IVF documents. Today, it is no longer mandatory to provide the fathers name in the form.

By the time Kolkata-based artist Eleena Banik decided to have a biological child as a single woman, assisted reproductive technology (ART) had become a well-established field in India. Women should be able to choose how they want to become a mother," says Banik, who gave birth to a girl in 2012, despite challenges in getting permissions.

Even single men have opted for ART to become fathers. The most well-known case, perhaps, is that of Tusshar Kapoor, the 40-year-old actor who became a father in June last year.

Banik argues that its ridiculous to expect single parents to put their dreams of a family on hold just because they havent found the right partner. I wanted to have a child of my own but wasnt keen to get married," she says. A painter, Banik has been married once but says she did not have a baby then because she was just not convinced" about her partner.

ART clinics are governed by Indian Council of Medical Research guidelines which do not specify who is fit to be a parent and who is not. Even so, Banik would face refusal each time her single status became known.

Changing realities

If mindsets can be a problem, an even more intractable one can be government-mandated paperwork, as Hans learnt. Even that, however, is changing.

Recently, the external affairs ministry updated its passport rules, with the fathers name no longer mandatory.

Government census data too reflects changing ground realities. There has been a 39% increase in the number of single women in India between 2001 and 2011. There are 71.4 million single women, though this count includes not just those unmarried but also those divorced, widowed or deserted by their husbands. The census also reveals that the mean age for women getting married has increased from 18.3 years to 19.3, while for men it is now 23.3, up a few points from 22.6 in 2001.

In purely personal terms, I can tell you that times have changed. I did not face problems, when it came to people around me, after I decided to walk out of my marriage in 2001. However, when an aunt did the same years ago, a large part of society was not supportive," says Rachna Kalra, who used to work with a publishing house in Delhi. Kalra, who separated from her husband in 2001, says there are many people in her peer group who are single. Some chose to walk out of bad marriages, some never got marriedits not a pattern she sees in her mothers group of friends.

For those who do choose to defy convention, there are several factors that come in handy, not least of which are a supportive family set-up, education and, of course, economic independence.

Hans, for instance, is categorical that the support from her parents made her exceptionally lucky. It is a mix of factors: Economic independence is very important. Also, the massive global communication village we live in, it is impossible to not be influenced or informed by international changes," says Prof. Patel.

A big agent of change vis-a-vis mindsets can be popular culture. In 2015, The Atlantic did a piece analysing the impact of Modern Family, a US sitcom which features, among others, a gay couple, Cameron and Mitchell, in playing a role in garnering support for same-sex marriages. The article stated, A 2012 Hollywood Reporter poll found that 27 per cent of likely voters said that depictions of gay characters on TV made them pro-gay marriage, and there are news accounts of people crediting their newfound sympathy towards gay people to Modern Family."

In India popular culture doesnt shy away from portraying sexually liberated, financially independent young men and women, but its potential to create long-term change, especially when it comes to relationships, is yet to be harnessed.

India has the worlds largest young population (356 million in the 10-24 age group, according to a 2014 UN report), who are expected to be drivers of the worlds economy in the years to come, but the government still wants to try and tell them whether, and whom, to marry and how to have a child. In an ideal world, the state would not police bodies or have a say in what goes on in bedrooms. In an ideal world, people would have the right to live the way they want to, love whom they desire and have children irrespective of their relationship status. As far as personal liberties go, its not much to ask for.
Aurangzeb and battles of the present Aurangzeb is dragged into the battles of the present, waged in school textbooks, and in the naming of roads /news/talking-point/aurangzeb-and-battles-of-the-present-111646895620494.html 111646895620494 story

Some days ago, Emperor Aurangzebrecently toppled from the towering heights of a Delhi signpostfound his way to the more untroubled comforts of my bookshelf. The woman behind this restoration is Audrey Truschke who, when not exploring the place of Sanskrit at the Mughal court, is evidently part of a cabal of soul vultures", according to one furious local website. They have reason to dislike her. After all, AurangzebMuslim tyrant, persecutor of Hindus, stitcher of skull caps, etc., etc.deserves no honour. And writing a book called Aurangzeb: The Man And The Myth concedes too much dignity to a despot who deserves only contempt. Or so we are told.

In itself, this very contested setting makes the prospect of reading Truschke attractive, but if one is looking for overblown sympathy that projects Aurangzeb as a tragic hero (currently a place reserved for his slaughtered brother, Dara Shukoh), this isnt the book. On the contrary, what we receive is a sequence of sober, unvarnished sentences that demolish political propaganda and show Aurangzeb as a man who certainly made many mistakes, but not the ones for which he is blindly condemned. To begin with, he was not the destroyer of thousands" of templesin his 49 years on the Peacock Throne, the number of shrines demolished was perhaps half that figure.

Aurangzeb was an emperor," Truschke writes, and as such he needed no special justification for seeking to enlarge his empire." I confess to liking this otherwise dry statement, for in one stroke it puts the man in the correct perspectivehe was a despot, but he lived in an age of despots, answering to the demands of his own situation and not to the retrospective needs of ours. Dara Shukoh, his more amiable, philosophically inclined brother, would have been relatively heterodox perhaps, but even he admitted that had he won the war of succession, Aurangzeb would have been neatly chopped up and put on display in Delhi. Either the throne or the grave" was the reality of the Mughals, and the most excellent of them lived by this dictum.

Truschke agrees that Aurangzeb was a a clever strategist but a bad rulerhe stretched the empire to unsustainable limits and on his deathbed was preoccupied with the inevitable unravelling of his house. His unnecessary imposition of the jizya tax on Hindus (from which Rajput and Maratha officials as well as Brahmin dignitaries were exempt) only lined pockets in the decaying bureaucracy. For years he patronized temples as far away as Guwahati and later rescinded such orders when his princely mood turned. He allied with mullahs where it served his purposes, and discarded them when it didnt. Leading clerics, for instance, opposed his usurpation of the throne. Aurangzeb simply had them replaced.

Understandably, it was insecurity that guided his strange actions. When he took the title Alamgir, the Shah of Iran sniggered that Seizer of the World" was somewhat exaggerated when the only thing Aurangzeb had seized was his own father. As Truschke states, Being branded an illegitimate Muslim monarch likely prompted Aurangzeb to become more devout.... Here, Aurangzebs religiosity did not shape state policy so much as his kingly experiences inspired changes in his religious life." He appropriated religion to invent legitimacya technique not unfamiliar to rulers from other faithsbut if conflict arose between Islamic ideals and imperial business, it was the latter that prevailed. When the mullahs objected to his war against Muslim sultans in the Deccan, Aurangzeb ignored them.

Truschke also insists that we must not hold Aurangzeb up to Akbar since in such comparisons we also commit the classic error of assuming that everything in Indian history, especially the Indo-Muslim past, was about religion", where Akbar becomes the good" Muslim whom Hindus respected, and Aurangzeb the bad" one everyone resented. Aurangzeb was generally austerehe restricted Holi celebrations, but also festivities around Muharram and Eid. The love of his life was a Christian, and for a man who didnt permit music in his presence, his companion towards the end was a musician wife. His daughter was a poet and his uncle, Shaista Khan (a villain for the Marathas), composed in Sanskrit. If we must compare him with Akbar, it is instructive that Hindus comprised 22.5% of all the nobility under the former, while during Aurangzebs time the number reached an unprecedented 31.6%.

It is a deathless travesty that political interests today draw nourishment for current interests from decontextualizing history, without actually going through the effort of learning enough of it. Aurangzeb occupied a complex world with competing interests and changing personalitiesthe scheming prince who took the throne in 1658 was not the emperor who died in 1707, fearing the advent of ruin. He probably realized he had failed, retiring to an unmarked grave, hoping possibly to be forgotten. But those who came after him are unwilling to let him gofrom 300 years ago, Aurangzeb is dragged into the battles of the present, waged in school textbooks, and in the naming of roads. That, perhaps, is the fate of all emperors but thanks to a soul vulture" called Audrey, we can at least now view the man in his own context and in the terms of his time.

Manu S. Pillai is the author of The Ivory Throne: Chronicles Of The House Of Travancore. Medium Rare is a weekly column on society, politics and history.
From Bangladesh, with love Mostofa Sarwar Farooki on the ban on his new film with Irrfan Khan and why we'll have to wait for a Bangladeshi new wave /relationships/it-s-complicated/from-bangladesh-with-love-111646895554180.html 111646895554180 story

An elderly village patriarch, who has opposed the idea of images all his life because it is haram (prohibited), finds happiness in his final moments as he watches a live telecast from Mecca. A salesman gets his hands on a private video clip of an actress and starts manipulating her for his own pleasure. Mostofa Sarwar Farookis films Television (2012) and Ant Story (2013) venture into forbidden territory, and cinema is omnipresent. This is revealing of the film-makers life. While growing up in Dhaka in the 1980s, he wasnt allowed to watch TV. His father used to call it shaitaaner baksho (devils box).

By the turn of the millennium Farooki was leading a bunch of film-makers in Bangladesh trying to tell relatable stories through telefilms. In his new film, Doob (No Bed Of Roses in English), the protagonist is a film-maker called Javed Hasan, played by Irrfan, who has also co-produced the film.The character is allegedly based on the late author and film-maker Humayun Ahmed, a cultural icon in Bangladesh, known for his writings on urban middle-class life and his use of magical realism. Ahmed had a controversial personal life; he married an actress who was a close friend of his daughter. Although Farooki denies that its a biopic, he says, Whether or not it is inspired by real characters, I prefer people find that out for themselves."

Doob was banned by Bangladeshs Ministry of Information two weeks ago. We spoke to Farooki about the film, Irrfan, and the centrality of stories in south Asian life. Edited excerpts from the interview.

Mostofa Sarwar Farooki

Why was Doob banned?

We dont know the exact reason. We had submitted the script of Doob to the reading panel of the Joint Venture Production Committee of Bangladesh and India, got a go-ahead before we began shooting. Once we finished it, we showed it to the preview committee, all as per the rules. They watched it, gave us a no-objection certificate and then, suddenly, suspended it for an indefinite period, citing a special letter from the Bangladesh information ministry.

We have got in touch with the ministry to know the reason. We are optimistic that the ban will be lifted. We want it to release as originally planned in Bangladesh, India, the US and Canadawhere there are a lot of Bengalison the same day.

What is the film about?

It is a family drama with the father-daughter relationship at the centre. There are two other characters and all their fates are entwined. The bigger idea, however, is of death as a great equalizer. Death is popularly seen as something that takes away a lot from us. I wanted to say that death can give back a lot of things too.

One of the main themes of your films is forbidden love.

I deal with human desire. My characters are caught in a constant struggle between the real and the desired world. I had this conversation with Lee Chang-dong, the Korean film-maker, about identityI told him that the great storytellers in this part of the world are sitting in tea stalls in Bandra, Sealdah and Dhaka. People are saying things like, My uncle in the city has 20 cars or 10 bodyguards." Both the teller and listener get short-lived happiness from this made up story.

People, especially in south Asian countries, are probably lying as a counter to real life deprivation. For us, stories are food for the soul. Forbidden love comes from this longing for a desired world.

Why did you want to cast Irrfan?

While writing the script I used to tell my wife (actor Nusrat Imroze Tisha, who appears in Doob and other films of his), I see Irrfans eyes here." He is a busy artiste and I didnt know how to get in touch with him. I wrote to a friend, the filmmaker Anup Singh who had worked with him in Qissa. I had no idea he was shooting his second film in Rajasthan with Irrfan. He put us in touch. I mailed Irrfan the script with some links of my films. He did some research. Later I came to know that he watched a YouTube version of Ant Story without any subtitles. But he said he enjoyed it and liked my cinematic language.

Have you had problems with censorship before?

My film Made In Bangladesh (2007), a political satire, was blocked for a year and a half. Censors also had a problem with Third Person Singular Number (2009), where I showed a live-in relationship and a single woman living alone in a city. My next is on the Holey Artisan Bakery blasts that happened in Dhaka last year. It is a one-take feature film as I want the audience to feel the intensity and suffocation of the victims in an unbroken cinematic moment.

Bangladesh has changed a lot. The Bangladesh Film Censor Board and the information ministry need to upgrade themselves aesthetically and philosophically to the changing country.

Are there many independent films being made in Bangladesh?

Things are easier than before. Now you can take a mobile phone, shoot and release online. Films made by a new generation of directors in the last few years have travelled to festivals and have done well with local audiences. But I cant say we have many interesting feature films. I expect a lot more young talent to come up and create a real Bangladeshi new wave.

How did you get interested in movies?

I started going to the Indian and German cultural centres to attend film society screenings after I finished school. I watched classics by Andrei Tarkovsky, Robert Bresson, Bernardo Bertolucci, Francois Truffaut and, of course, Satyajit Ray. They opened my eyes but I still didnt know that I wanted to make films. I made my first telefilm, Waiting Room, to impress a girl. Once I made it, I forgot her and fell in love with the film.

A few years ago, at a seminar organised by the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), you had talked about the idea of a common market for indie films in South Asia.

I suggested that to our government too in a written proposal when they were working on the film policies. I want films to be imported and exported through a certain tax and screening policy which will allow foreign films to be seen. A common South Asian market will be great for the business of indie films in the region and a way of cultural understanding.
Frozen organs could be brought back to life safely one day with the aid of nanotechnology, a new study finds. The development could help make donated organs available for virtually everyone who needs them in the future, the researchers say.

The number of donated organs that could be transplanted into patients could increase greatly if there were a way to freeze and reheat organs without damaging the cells within them.

In the new work, scientists developed a way to safely thaw frozen tissues with the aid of nanoparticles  particles only nanometers or billionths of a meter wide. (In comparison, the average human hair is about 100,000 nanometers wide.) [9 Most Interesting Transplants]

The researchers manufactured silica-coated nanoparticles that contained iron oxide. When they applied a magnetic field to frozen tissues suffused with the nanoparticles, the nanoparticles generated heat rapidly and uniformly. The tissue samples warmed up at rates of up to more than 260 degrees Fahrenheit (130 degrees Celsius) per minute, which is 10 to 100 times faster than previous methods.

The scientists tested their method on frozen human skin cells, segments of pig heart valves and sections of pig arteries. None of the rewarmed tissues displayed signs of harm from the heating process, and they preserved key physical properties such as elasticity. Moreover, the researchers were able to wash away the nanoparticles from the sample after thawing.

Previous research successfully thawed tiny biological samples that were only 1 to 3 milliliters in volume. This new technique works for samples that are up to 50 milliliters in size. The researchers said there is a strong possibility they could scale up their technique to even larger systems, such as organs.

"We are at the level of rabbit organs now," said study senior author John Bischof, a mechanical and biomedical engineer at the University of Minnesota. "We have a way to go for human organs, but nothing seems to preclude us from that."

However, this research will likely not make it possible to return frozen heads back to life anytime soon, if ever, the scientists noted.

Since the first successful kidney transplant in 1954, organ transplantation has saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients. If it weren't for the large and growing shortage of donor organs, the life-saving procedure might help even more people. According to the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, more than 120,000 patients are currently on organ-transplant waitlists in the United States, and at least 1 in 5 patients on these waitlists die waiting for an organ that they never receive.

Right now, the majority of organs that could potentially be used for transplants are discarded, in large part because they can only be safely preserved for 4 to 36 hours. If only half the hearts and lungs that are discarded were successfully transplanted, the waitlists for those organs could be eliminated in two to three years, according to the Organ Preservation Alliance.

One way to save donated organs for transplantation is to freeze them. Ice crystals that can damage cells typically form during freezing, but in prior work, researchers have found a technique known as vitrification  which involves flooding biological specimens with antifreeze-like compounds  that could help cool down organs to stave off decay, while also preventing the formation of ice crystals.

Unfortunately, ice crystals can also form during the reheating process. Moreover, if thawing is not uniform across samples, fracturing or cracking may occur. Although scientists had developed methods to safely use freezing-cold temperatures to "cryopreserve" tissues and organs, they had not yet developed a way to safely reheat them. [5 Amazing Technologies That Are Revolutionizing Biotech]

In future research, scientists will attempt to transplant thawed tissues into living animals to see how well they do. "From my perspective and my collaborators' perspective, there is no reason why that should not work," Bischof told Live Science.

However, the researchers stressed that it was unlikely these findings would apply to the controversial field of cryonics, which seeks to freeze patients  or their brains  in the hope that future scientists will find a way to safely revive people. "There are huge scientific hurdles ahead of us, and it's rather premature to get into rewarming a whole person," Bischof said.

"Even if you preserved the whole body, the chances that neural pathways established during life were maintained during and after cryopreservation are probably remote," said study co-author Kelvin Brockbank, chief executive officer of Tissue Testing Technologies in North Charleston, South Carolina. "I don't think we'll see success for rewarming whole bodies within the next hundred years."

The scientists detailed their findings online March 1 in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Original article on Live Science.
Our mighty Sun bathes Earth in a tender glow. Reach overhead on a cloud-free, summer day, and it almost feels like you can catch a few of its caressing rays. While your relaxing efforts will technically be unsuccessful, it should warm your heart to know that scientists have literally caught some of the Sun's rays. And you know what's even cooler? There's a place on Earth where you can actually hold a piece of the Sun!

Stored within two tidy cleanrooms at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas is a collection of metallic wafers and foils, and etched within their insides are particles of the solar wind. Fifteen years ago, these charged particles shot out into space from the Sun's upper atmosphere at speeds of up to 750 kilometers per second. Usually, they'd trek out into the solar system, but on this occasion, something was waiting for them. Camped at a location between the Earth and Sun where their gravity's cancel out was a radiant spacecraft, fanned out to catch as much of the precious particles as possible.

The spacecraft was called Genesis, and for 850 days between December 2001 and April 2004, it captured as much of the Sun as it could within wafers and targets composed of materials like silicon, diamond, gold, aluminum, and sapphire.

A four-month journey back to Earth ensued. Afterwards, from high orbit, Genesis deployed a capsule containing the collection plates. On September 8, 2004, the capsule descended to Earth. After a fiery re-entry, the craft was intended to slowly float downwards, suspended by a massive parachute, where a hovering helicopter would safely catch it. But to scientists' horror, the parachute malfunctioned, and the capsule slammed into the Utah desert, spilling priceless pieces of the sun onto the heat-baked sand.

The word "disaster" seemed fitting for the scene as officials approached the Genesis wreckage, but as scientists examined the scraps, they soon realized that all was far from lost. Many of the collecting devises were shattered, but others were largely intact, with the solar samples safely embedded inside. Recovering them was a matter of sifting through and removing contaminants from the crash site, a tedious task to be sure, but entirely accomplishable. By January 2005, the first wafer was deemed fit for analysis. Scientists now had their unspoiled piece of the Sun, and they set about examining it.

NASA's Genesis spacecraft, launched in August 2001, was designed to collect solar wind samples and return them to Earth. (Image credit: NASA/JPL)

Analyses returned some fascinating results. For one, researchers determined that hypothetical particles called solar energetic particles did not actually exist within the solar wind, countering a long-held supposition from the Apollo era. They also found (opens in new tab) that that the Sun has a higher proportion of Oxygen-16 (the most common isotope of the element) than Earth. That's strange, since the Earth and most everything in the solar system was born out of the same nebula. So what happened to the oxygen? Scientists still aren't sure. The Genesis samples also helped to slightly revise the known composition of the Sun.

There's undoubtedly more we can learn from the solar particles. For now, they are safely stored away, waiting for novel technologies and inquisitive scientists to unlock their secrets.

Original article on RealClearScience.
A particularly deadly strain of avian flu, currently found in China, has infected more people there this flu season than it has in any season since the virus was identified, a new report finds.

From October 2016 to February 2017, 460 people were reported infected with the H7N9 virus, according to the report, which was published today (March 3) by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This season is considered to be the fifth annual epidemic of the virus, which was first identified in early 2013.

During the first epidemic, which occurred in early 2013, 135 people were infected with the virus, according to the report. In the next epidemic, in 2013 to 2014, 320 people were infected; in the 2015 to 2016 epidemic, 226 people were infected; and in the 2015 to 2016 epidemic, 119 people were infected, according to the report. [The 9 Deadliest Viruses on Earth]

During those first four epidemics, 88 percent of the people who were infected with the H7N9 strain developed pneumonia, and 68 percent were admitted to the intensive care unit, according to the report. Forty-one percent of the patients died, the researchers found.

Indeed, the CDC says that most of the reported cases of the H7N9 virus have resulted in "very serious illness," though there have been a small number of milder cases reported.

Symptoms of the viral infection start with a high fever and cough, according to the CDC. In many cases, the illness progresses, and people can develop severe pneumonia, fluid in the lungs, septic shock and multiorgan failure, which can lead to death, the CDC says.

In the new report, the researchers noted that most of the infected people contracted the virus through contact with infected poultry. Although there have been several instances in which the virus hopped from one person to another, this "human-to-human spread" has been limited, as in, spreading from a sick person to someone in very close contact with that person, such as a caretaker.

For a virus to become pandemic, "sustained" human-to-human spread is necessary, the CDC says. In other words, a pandemic virus must be able to spread from one person to another, and then to another, and so on. The H7N9 virus is not currently spreading that way, although it is possible that the virus could mutate in a way that would give it the ability to spread easily from person to person, according to the CDC. Health officials are closely monitoring the virus for any of these changes, the CDC says.

The H7N9 virus has not been detected in humans or birds in the U.S., and therefore, the current risk to people in the U.S. is "considered to be very low," according to the CDC. However, CDC noted that it is possible that the virus could spread in the U.S., most likely via a traveler from China.

Originally published on Live Science.
MAMMOTH-1, an enormous Lyman-alpha nebula (ELAN) found in a protocluster 10 billion light-years away. The colors and contours indicate surface brightness, and the red arrows show its estimated size.

The discovery of a new and rarely seen nebula 10 billion light-years away has created a cosmic mystery: What is lighting up this dusty cloud of gases?

Researchers led by Zheng Cai, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have discovered an "enormous Lyman-alpha nebula," or ELAN, only the third of these vast cosmic structures ever seen. A nebula is an interstellar cloud of gases and dust; an ELAN is a special kind of nebula, so named because it emits Lyman-alpha radiation  a particular wavelength of light emitted when the electron in a hydrogen atom drops down to its lowest energy level.

The two other ELANS previously discovered are nicknamed the Slug Nebula (for UC Santa Cruz's idiosyncratic mascot) and the Jackpot Nebula (because it contains a whopping four quasars, extremely bright objects created by particles accelerating away from black holes). But the new ELAN is a head-scratcher. The Slug and the Jackpot have bright quasars illuminating their dust and gases, but the light source inside the newfound ELAN is a mystery. [Photos: The 12 Strangest Places on Earth]

"What's really odd here, and one of the hooks of the story, is there's nothing," said Jason X Prochaska, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz and one of the authors of the paper reporting the new nebula, available on the physics preprint website ArXiv. "There's the faint smudge of a galaxy, probably, but no quasar shining toward us."

A peek at the early universe

The mysterious ELAN is named MAMMOTH-1, after the Mapping the Most Massive Overdensities Through Hydrogen (MAMMOTH) project, led by Cai, which turned up the strange nebula. The goal of the project is to search for dense areas in the early universe; because it takes light from MAMMOTH-1 about 10 billion years to reach Earth, scientists are looking back in time to about 3 billion years after the Big Bang. In particular, Prochaska said, the research team is searching for protoclusters, which are the precursors to galaxy clusters.

These are "the most massive single structures in the universe," Prochaska said.

Cai, Prochaska and their colleagues use light from quasars to find these protoclusters. When a quasar shines through a protocluster, the patterns of light absorption can reveal details about these networks of galaxies. The protocluster holding MAMMOTH-1 near its center  dubbed BOSS1441  is around 50 million light-years across, the researchers found. Or was, anyway. By now, the protocluster will have collapsed into a smaller, more mature galaxy cluster, Prochaska said. (A light-year is about 5.9 trillion miles, or 9.5 trillion kilometers.)

Looking for the light

ELANs are difficult to detect because they are so diffuse, Prochaska said. Directly observing one provides an opportunity to study how gases coalesce into galaxies, something that is usually possible only with computer simulations. [See Amazing Photos of Nebulas]

As for MAMMOTH-1's mysterious light source, the most likely candidate is an active galactic nucleus, or AGN, Prochaska said. (Quasars are one type of AGN.) Local dust, a few light-years from the AGN, may be obscuring it from view, he said. It should be easy to find the AGN by searching for infrared or longer wavelengths, Prochaska said.

"If we didn't see anything, that would kill that hypothesis, and we'd be scratching our heads," he said.

The research will be published in an upcoming issue of the Astrophysical Journal.

Original article on Live Science.
The cub is the first clouded leopard to be born from an artificial insemination procedure using cryopreserved (frozen, then thawed) semen.

A rare clouded leopard cub was born at the Nashville Zoo this week, making history for the vulnerable species.

The clouded leopard is one of the rarest cat species in the world, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and the cat is difficult to breed in captivity. The as-yet-unnamed male cub is the first clouded leopard to be born from an artificial insemination procedure using cryopreserved (frozen, then thawed) semen. The cat's birth is part of conservation efforts by the Nashville Zoo and the Smithsonian to protect the species.

The cub was born on Wednesday (March 1) to Tula, a clouded leopard that was born and raised at the Nashville Zoo. Hormones were used to induce Tula's ovulation, the zoo explained, and her eggs were fertilized with semen that had been taken from the male clouded leopard at Smithsonian's National Zoo, named Hannibal. [Photos: World's Cutest Baby Wild Animals]

"This is an enormous accomplishment for both Nashville Zoo and the team at the Smithsonian," Heather Robertson, director of veterinary services at the Nashville Zoo, said in a statement. "It means we can collect and preserve semen from clouded leopard populations around the globe and improve pregnancy outcomes from AI [artificial insemination] procedures in this species."

Though the name might suggest otherwise, the species is not actually a leopard. In fact, the cats belong to their own genus, Neofelis. Clouded leopards are smaller in stature compared to their namesake, and the Smithsonian describes the species as bridging the gap between big cats, like lions and tigers, and smaller cats, like lynx.

The cub is the first clouded leopard to be born from an artificial insemination procedure using cryopreserved (frozen, then thawed) semen. (Image credit: Amiee Stubbs/Nashville Zoo)

Scientists have said that estimating the number of clouded leopards in the wild is difficult, given the clouded leopards' elusive nature, but experts have said the population is shrinking. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the species as "vulnerable," with fewer than 10,000 left in the wild.

With the success of this new cub's birth, breeding facilities like the Nashville Zoo will continue to work with artificial insemination specialists to expand the population of clouded leopards, according to Smithsonian officials.

After the new cub's birth, keepers examined and tended to it, including teaching it how to raise its paws. According to zoo officials, this paw-raising will lower the cub's stress for future hands-on care as the baby is raised at the zoo.

Original article on Live Science.
Cracks appear

(Image credit: Kelly M. Grow/ California Department of Water Resources via Getty Images)

On Feb. 7, a small hole appeared in the Oroville spillway, which is meant to provide overflow relief for the Oroville Dam in Northern California.

First hole

(Image credit: Kelly M. Grow/ California Department of Water Resources via Getty Images)

The hole, shown here on Feb. 7 triggered an evacuation of nearly 200,000 people. Ultimately, however, with more rains coming, water-department officials decided they needed to use the damaged spillway to continue lowering the water levels in Lake Oroville, so that water didn't overtop the dam and cause truly catastrophic devastation.

Rushing waters

(Image credit: Kelly M. Grow/ California Department of Water Resources via Getty Images)

On Feb. 9, the Lake Oroville spillway flows late Thursday afternoon as 35,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water was released over the damaged spillway February 9, 2017 in Oroville, California.

No choices

(Image credit: Florence Low/ California Department of Water Resources/Getty Images)

Water flows down the Oroville Dam main spillway at 55,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) February 11, 2017 in Oroville, California.

Huge erosion

(Image credit: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

The scale of the damage and erosion at the Oroville Spillway can already be seen on Feb. 13.

Scale of erosion

(Image credit: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

On Feb. 13, water flowed down the Oroville Spillway. The huge area covered by the water's outlet gives a hint of the scale of erosion below.

Pounding waterfall

(Image credit: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

On Feb. 14, sprays from the pounding waterfall cascading over the Oroville Spillway created a rainbow. The pounding whitewater was causing extensive damage to the spillway and mountainside beneath it.

Extensive damage

(Image credit: Dale Kolke /CA Dept. of Water Resources/Reuters/Newscom)

An aerial view of the damaged Oroville Dam spillway site with a huge debris field in the diversion pool area just below the spillway on February 27, 2017 in Oroville, California.

Swept away

(Image credit: Rich Pedroncelli/AP)

A small flow of water goes down Oroville Dam's crippled spillway Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, in Oroville, California.

Dramatic difference

(Image credit: Expedition 50 crew/NASA/JSC)

The erosion in the Oroville Spillway can be seen from space on Feb. 22 in this image taken by a member of the Expedition 50 crew on the International Space Station. The outlet flow appears markedly wider halfway down the spillway.

oroville-massive-erosion

(Image credit: Dale Kolke / California Department of Water Resources)

The massive amount of erosion can be seen from above in the diversion pool just below the spillway in this photo taken Feb. 27.
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A prominent Laredo banker who drew ire as a fundraiser for Donald Trump spoke against some of the president's key policies Wednesday, saying the White House needs to rethink its positions on Mexico.

Weve all seen massive positive influence from that agreement, IBC Bank CEO Dennis Nixon said in a meeting with the San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board. One in five jobs in Texas is tied to trade. So youd better be careful or you could end up putting Texas into a big hole and not being able to recover.

He cited the Toyota plant in San Antonio: it would not exist if it wasnt for Mexico.

Nixons comments come as Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos, a Republican, departs for Mexico City to smooth relations amid Trumps calls to reopen the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, build a border wall, tax Mexican imports and purge the U.S. of unauthorized immigrants who have committed crimes.

Texas Gov. Greg Abott, who plans to meet with Mexican leaders in a few weeks, is extremely bullish about maintaining the states $200 billion annual cross-border trade with Mexico, Pablos said Monday.

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International Bancshares Corp., the Laredo-based parent company of International Bank of Commerce, has a corporate office thats a stones throw from the Rio Grande and gets a lot of business from Mexican nationals with homes and businesses on the Texas side. As such, Nixon said the bank is deeply invested in strong U.S.-Mexico trade and relations, which Trumps tough talk has put at risk.

It riled some Democratic leaders last year to learn that a business leader close to the border and from one of the nations bluest counties helped host a Trump fundraiser in San Antonio held on the same day and in the same city as the state Democratic Convention.

Nixon contributed $36,100 to the Trump Victory Fund and $5,400 to Trump himself, on top of $66,800 to the Republican National Committee, according to federal campaign data.

Nixon explained himself with a June 8 fundraising letter to friends and colleagues urging them to support Trump because the other choices  voting for Democrat Hillary Clinton or not voting at all  were unacceptable.

We need a candidate who can cut the red tape and lift the regulatory burdens off the backs of business, so that companies can grow, expand, and create jobs, Nixon wrote. I do believe that if Donald Trump wins, he will engage in the traditional thinking of solving real problems and getting our fiscal house in order.

Still, Nixons visit to the Express-News on Wednesday, the day after Trumps first address to a joint session of Congress, largely was about the damage some of Trumps most popular ideas could do to the Texas and border economies.

Nixon highlighted how Laredo has been the primary beneficiary of NAFTA, with free trade feeding its growth to the largest inland port and third largest Customs district in the United States.

Trade with Mexico and Canada has grown from basically near zero to well past a trillion dollars, and every state of the union has benefited, he said. That is something that I dont think should be unwound  because its been mutually beneficial.

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He agreed with Trump that some of the countrys trade deals were unfair and that the 23-year-old NAFTA needed to be revisited to take in Mexicos newly opened oil and gas industry as well as technical advances that have transformed commerce.

However, he said he was frightened that Trump may be going overboard on nationalism and said border communities already were seeing a backlash against Trumps insulting tone and proposal for tariffs on Mexicos exports to the U.S.

Mexico has already done some boycotting of American institutions in Mexico, he said. Weve seen travel diminish along the border. Weve seen fewer shoppers, fewer people coming.  We are not going to be able to do these things without some sort of response. You slap me, I slap you back.

Plans to increase the number of Customs and Border Protection agents and spend $20 billion on a border wall missed the point that unauthorized immigrant apprehensions have declined from a peak of 1.6 million to about 400,000 last year, he said. He blamed the more recent surge of unaccompanied minors from Central America on a system that encouraged them to come.

Weve gone out and increased the Border Patrol, increased the Border Patrol, increased the Border Patrol, and all theyre doing is catching more and more people that we cant process and handle with the legal system, he said.

Nixon passed out a pamphlet, Common Sense Border Security Solutions: Thoughts from Dennis E. Nixon, which among other things suggests beefing up the immigration system instead of releasing minors to relatives due to backlogged courts, clearing the Rio Grande of nonnative weeds and Carrizo cane that impede border apprehensions, and building riverside patrol roads for the Border Patrol.

As for whether hed gotten Trumps ear on his concerns, he said hed tried.

Ive mentioned it and Ive talked to him about it, he said. I havent had an hour where I could sit down and say pay attention to these issues. Ive had spurts and moments that I could talk to him and Ive talked to a lot of good people around him. And I believe theyll eventually see the reason.
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For half an hour Friday morning, suspected bank robbers in a black Mercedes sedan led police on a high-speed chase across Houston highways and through some neighborhoods. Two civilians helped wrestle one suspect to the ground.

A man and his adult son subdued the sedan's driver when he tried to carjack them after ditching the damaged Mercedes, Houston police Capt. Larry Satterwhite said.

"He saw what was going on and went to protect his father," Satterwhite said of the son, who intervened when the two suspects bailed from the sedan about 11:15 a.m. on Enid near the Loop 610 interchange with the North Freeway.

A second suspect ran from the Mercedes into back yards of a residential area near a church. Police officers pursued on foot and detained the second suspect within minutes.

Television footage from the scene shows what appeared to be a red Wells Fargo bag sitting on the trunk. Satterwhite said the suspects had tossed other bags, some of which police had recovered.

Police said the suspect's driving resulted in the damages to the Mercedes, apparently including a blown-out front left tire. They believe the car was involved in other crimes as well.

The chase ended without any known injuries, Houston police said. Spokeswoman Jodi Silva confirmed that officers had two suspects in custody but could not say whether police are looking for any additional suspects.

Houston police joined the chase about 10:45 a.m. at the request of Bellaire police after a robbery at an Amegy Bank in the 5300 block of Bissonnet, HPD spokesman Victor Senties said.

Two men went into the bank with guns, according to police at the scene of the chase. A person inside the bank hid during the robbery and called police to provide a description of the suspects.

Around 11 a.m. the car was speeding south on Interstate 45 after initially heading north on the freeway. The driver was weaving through traffic and eventually exited onto the North Loop 610.

About 11:10 a.m. the car took off into neighborhood streets in the Memorial Park area. The driver hit several other vehicles, ignored stop signs and drove the wrong way on one-way streets.
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Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Health & Wellness, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 03 2017

All eligible blood donors are encouraged to give blood and help save lives in March, Red Cross Month.

New York / East Hampton, NY - March 1, 2017 - All eligible blood donors are encouraged to give blood and help save lives in March, Red Cross Month. Donating is easier than ever with the Blood Donor App and RapidPass.



With the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, donors can conveniently schedule and manage donation appointments, access their donor card, track the impact of their donations and earn rewards. Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questions online before coming to their appointments.



I've always thought it was the right thing to do, to donate when it was convenient for me, said Lance Ford. But after my triplets were born premature and needed transfusions in the neonatal intensive care unit, I decided that it was more important to seek out opportunities to donate, rather than just waiting until it was convenient to me. The Red Cross apps and notifications make it very easy to find a location near you, and they are so courteous, respectful and efficient. There is really no excuse not to donate. It's such a small thing that makes such a big difference!



March has been recognized as Red Cross Month by every U.S. president since 1943 in celebration of the Red Cross volunteers who help those in need by giving their time, money or blood. Join their ranks by making an appointment to give blood by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800- RED CROSS (1-800- 733-2767).



Upcoming blood donation opportunities:



Suffolk

East Hampton

3/17/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., YMCA East Hampton, 2 Gingerbread Lane



Stony Brook

3/20/2017: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Stony Brook University

New York City

3/16/2017: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., American Red Cross in Greater New York, 520 West 49th Street

3/17/2017: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., AVA High Line, 525 West 28th Street

3/18/2017: 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Union Baptist Church, 240 West 145th

3/20/2017: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., American Red Cross in Greater New York, 520 West 49th Street

3/21/2017: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Hunter College West Building, 695 Park Avenue

3/21/2017: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., American Red Cross in Greater New York, 520 West 49th Street

3/23/2017: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., American Red Cross in Greater New York, 520 West 49th Street

3/27/2017: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., American Red Cross in Greater New York, 520 West 49th Street

3/28/2017: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., American Red Cross in Greater New York, 520 West 49th Street

3/31/2017: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., American Red Cross in Greater New York, 520 West 49th Street



How to help

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-

800-RED CROSS (1-800- 733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or drivers license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.



About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nations blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for- profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 03 2017

Suffolk County Police have arrested four people during New York State Liquor Authority inspections at Town of Babylon businesses.

Town of Babylon, NY - March 2, 2017 - Suffolk County Police have arrested four people during New York State Liquor Authority inspections at Town of Babylon businesses.



Officers from the First Precinct Crime Section conducted an underage alcohol and tobacco check on March 1 at 11 businesses in the Town of Babylon.



The following were arrested for Unlawfully Dealing with a Child 1st Degree and Prohibited Sale to a Person Under 21:

Abdul Razzaq, 56, of Holbrook, who was employed at Flame Grocery, located at 500 Oak St., Copiague

John Gao, 28, of Flushing, who was employed at Citgo Gas, located at 195 West Hoffman Ave., Lindenhurst

Saqib Lal, 24, of East Meadow, who was employed at BP Gas Shop, located at 697 North Wellwood Ave., North Lindenhurst

Iqbal Gulkhez, 31, of Central Islip, the owner of Flame Grocery, was charged with Alcohol Consumption on Premise without a License, a violation of ABC law.



All four were issued Field Appearance Tickets and are scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip at a later date.



The following businesses complied with the New York State law and refused the sale of alcohol/tobacco to a minor:

Channel Deli, located at 377 Oak Street, Copiague

Ultra Gas, located at 571 Montauk Highway, Lindenhurst

Conoco Gas, located at 500 Route 109, West Babylon

Citgo Gas, located at 328 Route 109, West Babylon

OK Petroleum, located at 755 Deer Park Ave., North Babylon

Sunoco, located at 1000 Route 109, N. Lindenhurst

Valero, located at 1200 Wellwood Ave., West Babylon

Shell, located at 1160 Straight Path, West Babylon

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Local News, Crime, National & World News, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 03 2017

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued a statement following an arrest made in relations to the recent threats against Jewish community centers.

All New Yorkers who have experienced bias or discrimination are encouraged to call DHRs toll-free hotline at (888) 392-3644 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday  Friday or text HATE to 81336.

Albany, NY - March 3, 2017 - The recent increase in anti-Semitic threats and acts of intolerance is disturbing, unacceptable, and directly contradicts New Yorks core values of tolerance and diversity. Todays arrest sends a strong message that anyone who targets and instills fear in our communities will be brought to justice.



New York State Police will continue to work in close partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement to aggressively pursue investigations into any reported hate crime in our state. We will remain vigilant in our efforts to hold those responsible for these reprehensible actions fully accountable under the law.



With the Statue of Liberty standing tall in our harbor, New York has always been and will continue to be a beacon of unity and hope for all, and we will not allow anyone to threaten those values."

All New Yorkers who have experienced bias or discrimination are encouraged to call DHRs toll-free hotline at (888) 392-3644 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday  Friday or text HATE to 81336. If you want to report a crime or fear for your safety, call 911 immediately.
Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 03 2017

The Major Case Bureau reports the arrest of a Farmingdale man for Burglaries which occurred in February 2017 in Nassau County.

Ismael Rahman, 37, of Farmingdale was placed under arrest without incident after an extensive investigation.

Nassau County, NY - March 3, 2017 - The Major Case Bureau reports the arrest of a Farmingdale man for Burglaries which occurred in February 2017 in Nassau County.

According to detectives, the Burglary Pattern Team along with the Fifth Squad and New York State Parole arrested Ismael Rahman, 37, of Farmingdale in connection with the following burglaries:

On Sunday February 19, 2017 at 10:26 pm he entered Midas Muffler shop located at 328 Hempstead Turnpike, West Hempstead and took an undisclosed amount of cash.

On Monday February 20, 2017 at 5:39 am he entered the American Muffler Shop located at 655 Hempstead Turnpike, Franklin Square and took an undisclosed amount of cash.

On Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 6:00 pm he entered the American Muffler Shop a second time and removed an undisclosed amount of cash.

On Friday, February 24, 2017 at 12:01 am he entered Broadway Auto & Towing located at 421 North Main Street, Freeport and took an undisclosed amount of cash.

On Friday February 24, 2017 at 1:12 am he entered Village Express Deli located at 198 North Main Street, Freeport and took an undisclosed amount of cash.

On Friday February 24, 2017 at 7:45 am he entered a Stratford Road, West Hempstead home and attempted to take property before he was confronted by a homeowner. Rahman fled on foot with no proceeds. No injuries were reported.

On Friday February 24, 2017 at 6:10 pm he entered Triple A1 Transmissions located at 66 Hempstead Turnpike, West Hempstead and attempted to steal property. No proceeds were taken.

On Friday, February 24, 2017 at 7:25 pm he entered R an M Service Station located at 260 Hempstead Turnpike and removed an undisclosed amount of cash.

After an extensive investigation Rahman was located on March 2, 2017 at 12:30 pm at Nassau County Medical Center where he was placed under arrest without incident.

Rahman is charged with Burglary 2nd degree and seven counts of Burglary 3rd degree. He will be arraigned on Friday, March 03, 2017 at First District Court in Hempstead.
Karine and Tom tied the knot on 17th July at The Asylum Chapel  an incredible venue ripe in the essence of decayed decadence. It played the perfect, textural backdrop for these gorgeous images taken by Heather Shuker of Eclection Photography and film, created by Gione de Silva  suppliers we recommend most highly through our Little Book For Brides wedding directory. Which, by the way, if you havent bookmarked yet, you really need to.

Tom and I met at university in 2012. We got engaged four years later in the autumn of 2016 and then got married on the 16th of February 2016 at islington town hall with only two close friends in attendance. I am from Lebanon and Tom is from London, so it wasnt really feasible to get everyone together in London in February on short notice, especially friends and family that had to travel all the way from Beirut, Paris and the U.S. We decided to throw a wedding party and a church blessing on the 17th of July so that we could celebrate our marriage with everyone.

Film by Gione de Silva

Our photographer Heather Shuker of Eclection Photography was excellent at capturing our day. She made sure the mood of our photos perfectly reflected the atmosphere in the room. She has a great understanding of light and incorporates it beautifully in photos. She was especially good at making sure all the right moments were captured, even though she had to somewhat compete with the overenthusiastic Lebanese guests and their camera phones! Heather was supported by second shooter, Paula Broome.

Images by Eclection Photography

My Dress is called Lake by Amsale. I bought it from a bridal boutique in Beirut called: LAtelier Blanc. The dress was entirely made of pretty floral corded lace cut-outs , so it was very sheer and light. As soon as I tried it on the first time I felt like myself in it. I also pictured it at our chapel, and it made sense there.

The negative spaces between the flowers on the fabric made me think of how the stained-glass windows made the light flood into the room in separate beams. I added a layer of tulle to the skirt and wore it to the ceremony, but then took it off to keep it light for dancing.

I wore Elie Saab  the fragrance is purely mediterranean: orange blossom and jasmine. To me, this smells like home.

The accessories I wore included an antique seed pearl necklace from a market in north London. It is very delicate and the pearls are minute. I wore an heirloom gold bracelet belonging to my great-grandma that my mother offered me on the morning of my wedding day. My earrings were also purchased from an antique market.

They are two golden swallows dotted with seed pearls, that used to be attached to the same Victorian brooch. I had them separated and made into earrings to go with the necklace. I wore my wedding band and my engagement ring which was an antique opal and diamonds toi et moi style victorian ring.

I made my own shoes! I have made shoes in the past after having taken a shoemaking class, and thought that I would give it a go. I made my wedding shoes out of light dusty blue suede and added some pearl beaded-lace to the heals. They turned out just as I had wanted them and were very comfortable to wear.

I stamped mine and Toms initials to the outsole as well as our wedding date. Making my shoes was by far the least stressful part of wedding planning for me!

Both of my sisters wore custom-made peachy-pink sheer lace dresses by Maison Roula. Toms sister wore a navy blue Monsoon dress. The bridesmaids also wore natural waxflower buds (Chamelaucium) in their hair.

We chose Red Eden Olive to do our flowers. They are the resident florists at Brunswick House, so they knew their way around the venue and had a great eye for what floral arrangements accentuate the eccentricity of the space. We opted for wildflowers because they suited the rustic feel of both venues.

I decided really early on that I wanted the bouquets and arrangements to be asymmetrical, with lots of foliage, and a great mix of blooms, buds and berries.

The mens buttonholes were made out of a single mini succulent plant. For the ceremony, we had two large urns at the altar with trailing leaves, as well as cascading greenery all around the back curve of the chapel.

The altar was covered with many candles and the sides of the chapel had string lights lining the walls. The chair backs were decorated with round floral circlets of blue canterbury bells, scabious, delphinium, chocolate cosmos, waxflower, succulents and olive leaves.

My sisters and my cousin entered the ceremony first, followed by Toms sister and our dog Juno. Juno wore a wreath of artificial flowers around her neck and walked elegantly down the aisle. She then spent the whole ceremony at the feet of the musicians having a little snooze.

Our parents were a bit nervous about having a dog at the wedding ceremony, but Juno ended up being perfectly behaved and made for some awesome photo opps. My father and I walked down the aisle together after them  a live string quartet playing an instrumental cover of Here Comes the Sun, by The Beatles.

Walking down the aisle was terrifying but I remember feeling overwhelmed by how pretty the blue of the chapel looked and how everyone I loved was in the same room and how they were all smiling.

During our ceremony, Toms mother Rosie read: 1 Corinthians 13:4. My cousin Christiane read in Arabic: John 2:1-11. The Arabic reading was chosen by my grandma who couldnt fly to London for the wedding, but whom we still wanted to include. The reading is set in Lebanon at a wedding celebration.

Brunswick House is one of our favourite places in London. It is actually an antique shop that uses one of its rooms as a restaurant. So when we found out that the whole house can be hired for a wedding we didnt hesitate to book it.

The entrance gate to Brunswick House was decorated with a large foliage arch. The ceiling was decked in green chandeliers and the tables were decorated with candelabras with foliage and flowers twisted around as well as shorter bouquets spread about the table in silver votives.

The food is delicious, especially the pudding. They have a great wine list and cocktail bar. Everything in the house is for sale. The chairs, tables, rugs, vases, fireplaces etc all of it is on display and for sale, but also is a functional part of the dining room and the reception and drinks room.

The ceiling was covered in antique chandeliers and lights, so the lighting was very dimmed and romantic and we really only needed to do very little to it to make it fit for a wedding. As for the chapel, Asylum is one of the most beautiful hidden gems in London.

Tom and I placed canvas tote bags from The Clever Baggers on every seat as wedding favours. We had their fronts printed with an illustration I made of our dog Juno.

The moment we saw it, we booked it, and booked everything else around it. It is difficult to describe Asylum chapel but I think our photographer Heather captured the essence of it.

My sister designed our invites. She made us transparent envelopes with the guests calligraphied names on the front. The invite itself was made on gorgeous grained paper. She designed and handpainted a monogram of our initials in the shape of interlacing leaves and flowers.

The printing was smooth and watercolor-like, and incorporated gold metallic accents. Brunswick House used their own layouts for the menus, and I hand-made our order of service, table plan and place cards.

Our cake by Lily Vanilli was inspired by our flowers. We had a rose and pistachio flavoured cake with lots of succulents and flowers for decoration.

We had a secret hidden first dance. Somewhere in the playlist we had Northen Sky, by Nick Drake, and everyone danced to it so we didnt have to feel the pressure of dancing while everyones watching.

Words of Wedded Wisdom

Take lots of mental pictures of all the intimate moments, looks and smiles you share with your loved ones. It does pass in a blur.

An incredible wedding, beautifully photographed, though Id expect nothing less from Eclection Photography, whose work I absolutely adore sharing on Love My Dress  more of which you can see here on these much loved wedding blog pages.

Thank you so much
Cars

The new issue covers the upcoming boat shows until 2018 and even provide an exclusive look at a Lurssen masterpiece

Mar 03, 2017 | By Vimi Haridasan

YACHT STYLE 37, the People and Boat Show Issue, has been released in mid-February after a busy winter season in Asia. In this issue, the yacht experts celebrate the Whos Who of Yachting in Asia, a list that salutes those who shape the yachting scene in the region. This year, emphasis has been put on younger Asian faces, while special tribute has been made to their elders who pioneered the industry.

The magazine then takes a tour of what is available in and around boat shows from March 2017 to March 2018 and what will attract an Asian based audience from yachts to luxury lifestyle experiences. On the shipyard side, they explain how Chinas largest motor yacht builder Heysea is creating a global sales network. Next, they dig into the roots of Prestige Yachts, with a focus on the visionary design of Vittorio Garroni.

In YACHT STYLE exclusive, the magazine presents the elegant Lurssen masterpiece Coral Ocean (73m) that has never published in any magazine before and is now available for charter in 2017 via Burgess Yachts. Finally, they sea trial the Pershing 70 and the MCY 80. Also reviewed are the latest model offerings to arrive in Asia, including the SanLorenzo 46 Steel and the Zeelander Z44, which made its Asian premiere during the SINGAPORE RENDEZVOUS.

On the regatta front, they have compiled a rich review of exciting events in the region from November to January. The destination features then brings them to the exotic islands of Indonesia, cruising aboard the luxurious Aman Yachts, and finally on an exploration journey up north to Svalbard, Norway, with Latitudes adventurous owner.

As Spring arrives, YACHT STYLE will release issue 38: The Charter Issue, whilst the exclusive Feadship Heritage Fleet gets a spotlight moment, and they discover the latest must-have water toys for your superyacht.
Properties / Hotels

An elegant extravagance, The Reverie Saigon provides a perfect perspective on the fast rising metropolis in the heart of Vietnam

Mar 03, 2017 | By Teri Chong

Saigon is known to be a city chock full of contrasts. Amidst peaceful historical structures stand sparkling skyscrapers; an ancient temple alongside office buildings is The Reverie Saigon. A vision of Italian opulence, the 286-room hotel is smack dab in the prime location of Saigons District 1. The hotel occupies the upper and lower floors of the 39-storey Times Square tower, with each of its rooms designed to elegant perfection. Juxtaposing European accents with an Asian location, The Reverie Saigon is a treasure trove for the most luxurious. We dive into 5 reasons of why The Reverie Saigon gives other accommodations a run for their money.

1. Exquisite Decor









Step into the lobby and be awed by the magnificent marble tops and mirrors. Reminiscent of an Italian palazzo, the decor is unabashedly dripping in sparkling gems and gold accents. The decor is bold and strong, inspired by the grandeur and brilliance of European luxury. Boasting interiors that feature hints of art-deco styles seamlessly intertwined with sheer elegance. The Reverie Lounge is a microcosm of what the hotel has to offer.

The space is dressed by Italian interior designer Visionnaire, with works by budding Vietnamese artists displayed around the venue. The most striking piece rests on the seventh floor lobby a bespoke 3-metre tall Baldi Firenze clock. Embellished by hand-made mosaics in malachite and detailed in 24k gold plated accents, the clock is just one of the many extravagant pieces furnishing the hotel.

2. Extraordinary Rooms







Uniformed rooms be gone! The Reverie Saigon has already shown its prowess in defying conformity through its decor, but what about its rooms? All 224 rooms and 62 suites in the hotel promise to add their own character. Collaborating with Italys leading design houses Visionnaire, Cassina, Giorgetti, Colombostile and Polrona Frau  to provide only the top interiors, each room exudes its own personality, from the sophisticated to sheer whimsicality.









Lounge on beds covered with Frette Linen while admiring spectacular views of the Saigon River and the city skyline. The Reverie Saigon has luxury down to a tee, with bathroom amenities by Chopard in rooms as well as Hermes or Acqua di Parma for suites. The hotels most expensive suites The Saigon Suite and The Reverie Suite are done to a spectacular finish, with brocade wallpaper lining the walls and living rooms clad in marble.

3. Decadent Dining

Take your pick from the hotels four dining venues: Cafe Cardinal, The Royal pavilion, R&J and The Long @ Times Square. Just like the rooms, each of these dining venues ventures to show their own unique flavour.

Perched on the sixth floor, the Cafe Cardinal offers delicate French cuisine along with aerial views of the city. Offering all-day dining, the predominantly French menu also accommodates Asian dishes during lunch and breakfast services. Another European influenced restaurant R&J, helms Italian cuisine. Influenced by the passionate lovers of its namesake, the subterranean restaurant is furnished with vibrant mosaics and a stunning collection of deliberately different dining chairs, reflecting youthfulness.

Despite its largely European influenced scenography, the hotel does not forget its oriental roots. Tucked away in a warren of nine private rooms, The Royal Pavilion celebrates Asian cuisine with a menu stuffed full of fine Cantonese dining. In need of a drink after a decadent meal? The Long @ Times Square is the hotels cafe-bar, best-suited for those who want to unwind after a day of activities.

4. Immersive Activities

Get your adrenaline fix with The Reverie Saigons activities. Amidst all the glitz and glamour, the hotel has also injected a little spirit of adventure. The hotel has teamed up with Vespa Adventures to bring Cruising Saigon, a one-of-a-kind package that includes a private two-hour sunset cruise along the Saigon River.

The journey starts with a relaxing river ride along the Saigon River, topped with a picnic hamper filled with bites prepared by the hotels culinary team. The adventure starts as soon as the sun sets, with a city-chic journey against a purple hued backdrop  atop a vintage Vespa. The Saigon After Dark food and festival fun will take you on a ride through the throngs of Saigons nightlife. The tour includes zig sagging into alleys and nooks and crannies of District 4 for authentic street food and the best coffee houses. Concluding at a lively club with a local cover band, the night is surely not one to be missed.

5. The Spa







Dubbed Vietnams most exclusive city spa, The Spa at the Reverie Saigon is a state-of-the-art wellness center. Keeping with the hotels distinctive European setting, the spa commands in total 1,200 square meters of the sixth and seventh floors. With 10 private treatment rooms, steam and sauna facilities and four individual rooms for pampering, the genuine Vietnamese hospitality shows true in the tiptop service offered.

Moving Forward

In a destination as exotic and far-flung as Saigon, theres often the expectation to design a hotel that very obviously references the destinations heritage, said Herbert Laubichler-Pichler, the Austrian general manager whose roots in Vietnam go back to 2008. This hotel, however, is a transcendent gesture. Were fast-forwarding to the day when Saigon takes its rightful place as one of Asias leading cities, when upscale travelers will expect the very best attainable  not merely the very best in Vietnam, but the very best anywhere.

A symbol of urban opulence, The Reverie Saigon is poised to cater to all your needs. Prices for a room start at USD 350 to USD 12,000 and 15,000 respectively for the Saigon and Reverie suites respectively.

For more information, do visit The Reverie Saigon.
11 PHOTOS click for more

Ive been told for years just how intense Paris Fashion Week is  how its nothing like New York, not even close, how its grander not because its trying to be but because of the architecture and the romance and the history, how all of the shows are farther apart from one another than in Manhattan so theres more of a rush (and a bigger exhale when you make it) and how the clothes on the Paris runways cant help but inspire.

Maria Grazia Chiuris Fall 2017 collection for Dior felt like her version of an exhale. Her take  denim tuxedos and a sumptuous, velour-like hooded suit in heavy midnight blue  seemed relaxed and at ease. It was as though she were creating clothes that she, too, might want to wear rather than what the house of Christian Dior suggests she should create. Chiuris Spring collection for Dior wasnt her greatest hit. I was into it, but a lot of people felt she played it safe. I think shes taking her time.

This round, the whole collection was blue  varying shades of it that connoted an air of calm, cool and collected. I was not, standing in the back, overheated from an early cab exit plus a power walk in fear of missing DIOR. Everyone warned me these Paris shows start on time, but this one didnt, and Im pretty sure the hold-up was Rihanna, the ultimate Big Chill, who made her entrance in a leather beanie. It was the same one the models wore on the runway, beat poet meets The Matrix but stripped of any other similar reference because of all that blue.

I, meanwhile, came in hot off a plane this Friday morning and went straight into the whirlwind; appointments followed by Dior  a show that, though it didnt hit me until I arrived there  I had been waiting my whole career to see. I didnt even consider that it could let me down (the whole dont meet your idols thing) until after. It didnt, and I let out a sigh of relief.

Photos via Vogue Runway.
Dow 19,20,21.Faster, Faster!

Arent you glad that the Dow leaped to 21,000 today. I mean, just three weeks ago its low for the day was 20,015. In fact, on November 22, 2016 the Dow crossed 19,000 for the first time.

Yet why the hurry to get in now? The 8 year US QE assisted bull market has yet to see a 20% decline since 2008. In fact, since the Feb 11, 2017 low, the S&P 500 hasnt had a weekly decline (Fri to Fri close) of even 2.5%. Even based on Goldman Sachs recent research we know the S&P 500 has not seen a 1% decline over the last 96 days, a feat only topped 3 times since 1980, none since 2000.

I know, we continue to hear as Americans we can spend and borrow trillions  temporarily of course  from other nations to spend on our infrastructure and military since foreign nations have shown no limit to their appetite for our treasuries.

[Source  Foreigners Are Dumping Treasuries as Never Before, Wolf Street, 12/15/16]

As investors and traders we have forgotten the historical and fundamental reality that if borrowing costs rise across the world this impacts cash-flows from governments to businesses to consumers which ultimately affects stock prices.

[Source  30Y Yields Spike Tops 3% As March Rate Hike Odds Spike Above 80%, ZH, March 1 17]

With historical examples of the consequences of bubbles removed, it doesnt matter how we explain the quick gains. Experience is the only thing that matters. It is better to keep thinking of the certainty of more winnings from the bubble than the severe changes from former bubbles.

The fundamental myth that central banks must continue to foster, is that bubbles are hard to spot and debt fueled booms do not lead to debt crisis busts. Yet even the central bankers bank warned the global public of what we are facing as we start March 2017 when the Dow reached 17,000 in the summer of 2014.

An organization representing the world's main central banks warned on Sunday that dangerous new asset bubbles were forming even before the global economy has finished recovering from the last round of financial excess.

The temptation to postpone adjustment can prove irresistible, especially when times are good and financial booms sprinkle the fairy dust of illusory riches, the report said. The consequence is a growth model that relies on too much debt, both private and public, and which over time sows the seeds of its own demise. [Central Bankers, Worried About Bubbles, Rebuke Markets, NY Times, 6/29/14]

Will we read in the future, Central bankers warned of finance excess, illusory riches, and trusting in too much debt before the global financial bubble collapsed? Should someone inform the President of the Federal Reserve of Minneapolis, Neel Kashkari, that his recent statement that we are keeping our eyes open for asset prices to try and look for signs of bubbles reveal he needs to read the plethora of warnings in global banking reports for more than two years now? Maybe after this 13 month stock bull he should talk with former President of the Federal Reserve of Dallas, Richard Fisher who stated in January 2016, We front- loaded an enormous stock rally?

So when is enough, enough? When will more and more central bankers admit that THEY have and continue to be the root cause of a system that relies on too much debt and short-termism? When will the industry and public at large admit we have been here before, only with far less debt?

Time To Plan for The End of a Bubble?

Best Minds Inc has a new website and blog. Check out www.bestmindsinc.com for free blog and paid research newsletter. 2017 will bring significant opportunities and significant losses.

Doug Wakefield

President

Best Minds Inc. a Registered Investment Advisor

1104 Indian Ridge

Denton, Texas 76205

http://www.bestmindsinc.com/

doug@bestmindsinc.com

Phone - (940) 591 - 3000

Best Minds, Inc is a registered investment advisor that looks to the best minds in the world of finance and economics to seek a direction for our clients. To be a true advocate to our clients, we have found it necessary to go well beyond the norms in financial planning today. We are avid readers. In our study of the markets, we research general history, financial and economic history, fundamental and technical analysis, and mass and individual psychology

Doug Wakefield Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Time For African Economic Miracle

In the 20th century, Africa gained political independence but fell behind economic boom. In the 21st century, it is Africas turn  but not without stronger state and new external push.



After struggle against corruption, lawlessness and terror, President Buharis administration has outlined an economic recovery plan targeting 7 percent GDP growth rate from 2017 to 2020. While many African economies are hoping for takeoff in the coming years, Nigeria represents the regions greatest economic potential.



For longer than a century, Africas economic miracle has been a pipedream. But things are changing.

Stronger state, different external actors



In the mid-2000s, after decades in the slow lane, African economies hit the accelerator. But what lies ahead for the continent is not an open highway, says Justin Yifu Lin, World Banks former chief economist, with co-author Andrea Goldstein. If Africa is to achieve its potential as the next emerging-market engine of global economic growth, the two write, it will have to industrialize.



But the devil is in the details.



Ever since Britains first Industrial Revolution, the rise of labor-intensive light manufacturing (textiles, garments, shoes, and associated tools and machinery) has played a major role in pushing up national incomes. However, as Africa has not managed to participate fully in industrialization since the 1970s, it has lagged behind the rest of the developing world.



Lin and Goldstein advocate a new catalyst role for government. They emphasize that an effective industrial policy must cover not just manufacturing but the kind of economic activities that support it. This means vital role for external actors, particularly for large emerging economies, such as China, that are able and willing to participate in African growth.



After three decades of economic stagnation and income polarization in the name of freedom and democracy, Lin and Goldstein are right to stress a different, more inclusive view of economic development.



And yet, despite Africas great long-term potential, the future may prove more challenging than anticipated. The fact that Africa fell behind globalization and associated catch-up growth after the 1970s should not be associated with domestic economic choices only.



Historically, external geopolitical constraints have weighed heavily on Africas economic promise.

Legacies of colonialism and decolonization



During colonialism, the largest colonizers  the British Empire and its European counterparts  did contribute to the building of infrastructure in some African nations. Yet, the latter was geared to serve the colonizers economic and strategic needs, not those of the colonized. In Africa, the colonial efforts focused on raw materials and commodities that were most needed for the colonizers industrialization during and after the scramble for Africa in the late 19th century.



The great irony should not be discarded. Historically, Western Europes Belle Epoque (1870-1914)  an era of great optimism, regional peace and stability, rapid industrialization and technology innovation  went hand in hand with the Scramble for Africa; that is the devastating invasion, occupation, division, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the period of new imperialism.



Moreover, the end of colonialism did not translate to rapid growth either. In the postwar Africa, political independence came often with great destabilization, which virtually ensured that nascent efforts at industrialization would fail, remain partial, or stall.



As the Nigerian story attests, political independence was followed with strife and fragmentation, civil wars, and sectarian divisions, which were further exploited by major powers and multinational giants during the Cold War. And yet, industrialization requires stability, not destabilization.

Illicit financial outflows, lawlessness and corruption



After the Cold War, interventionism by external powers has shifted toward economic exploits. Between 2004 and 2013 alone, developing and emerging economies lost $7.8 trillion in illicit financial flows (Global Financial Integrity), which averaged at 6.5 percent per year; that is, nearly twice as fast as global GDP.



Typically, Sub-Saharan African economies, despite very low prosperity levels, have a key role among those that have suffered the most outflows, including South Africa ($20.9 billion in average illicit financial flows 2004-13), Nigeria ($17.8 billion), Zambia ($2.9 billion), Ethiopia ($2.6 billion), Cote dIvoire ($2.3 billion), and so on.



Economic stability also requires appropriate institutions. Yet, according to the Rule of Law Index (World Justice Project), many African economies have low scores, including Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and so on. Even the best  South Africa, Ghana, Botswana and Senegal  do not make it to the top-40 list.



The same goes for corruption. According to Transparency International, corruption perceptions are greatest among African nations, including Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Guinea-Bissau, Chad, Central African Republic and Burundi. Even the best performer  Botswana  is not in the top-30 league. Nigerias rank is 136, along with those of Myanmar, Guinea and Mauritania.



The lesson is that if illicit financial flows are allowed to prevail, if the rule of law cannot be sustained and if corruption grows pervasive, even rapid industrialization or modest success at sustained economic growth will not contribute to economic modernization and rising living standards.



What African economies need is a series of industrial takeoffs across the entire region. That is a viable project, but not without stronger state catalyst and external actors participation, particularly large emerging economies such as China which have more in common with African nations than the slow-growing, rich Western economies.

Toward the Big Push



While nascent takeoffs have been evolving for a long while, they need a Big Push. Developing economies require large amounts of investments to embark on the path of economic development.



As in other developing regions, structural change in sub-Saharan Africa has been characterized by a significant decline in the share of the labor force engaged in agriculture. In a sense, this is progress; agriculture has been the least productive sector in African economies. But the bad news is that, unlike other developing regions, structural change in Africa has not yet been accompanied by a significant expansion in the share of the labor force employed in manufacturing.



Yet, the potential between the two regions is not that different. Between 2000 and 2010, overall labor productivity growth in Africa was second only to Asia, where structural change continued to play a vital positive role. The real difference is that, in emerging Asia, the share of employment in manufacturing is more than double the share of employment in manufacturing in low-income African countries.



Asian economies have been able and willing to industrialize; African countries have been willing, but not able to industrialize.



In the postwar era, development economist Gunnar Myrdal showed that the strong state and associated public institutions ensured sustained economic growth in advanced economies. In contrast, the soft state virtually ensured stagnation in Asia and other developing regions. Until recently, neoliberal policies have further contributed to arrested modernization in Africa, while keeping soft states in power.



In the early 21st century, the global landscape is finally shifting, but not because of initiatives in the advanced West. Rather, it is the rise of the large emerging economies in the past two decades that can finally offer a new and more realistic view of a strong state and the required push for industrialization.



What Africa needs is industrialization and inclusive growth for the many, not exploitation and exclusive growth for the few.

Dr. Dan Steinbock is an internationally recognised expert of the nascent multipolar world. He is the CEO of Difference Group and has served as Research Director at the India, China and America Institute (USA) and visiting fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and the EU Centre (Singapore). For more, see www.differencegroup.net

 2017 Copyright Dan Steinbock - 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.




Rapid Decline in Demand for Wage Slaves - Go Long Chain Makers

This is turning into a very rewarding series, it opens up vistas I could never have dreamed of. First, in Not Nearly Enough Growth To Keep Growing, I posited that peak wealth for the west, and America in particular, was sometime in the early 70s or late 60s of the last century.

That led to longtime Automatic Earth reader Ken Latta, whos old enough to have been alive to see it all, writing, in When Was Americas Peak Wealth?, that in his view peak wealth for America was earlier, more like late 50s to early 60s, a carefree period for which Detroit provided the design, and the Beach Boys the soundtrack.

And I know, for those who wrote to me about this, that theres quite a bit of myopia involved in focusing on the US, or even the western world in general, when discussing these things. But at the same time, were all at our best when talking about our own experiences, something this thread has made abundantly clear. That said, I would absolutely love to get a view from other parts of the world, China, Latin America, Africa, Eastern Bloc, on the same topic. I just havent received any yet.

What Ive absolutely adored is how -previously- anonymous Automatic Earth readers and commenters have felt the urge to share their life experiences because of whats been written. This happened especially after Kens follow-up to his initial article, Peak American Wealth  Revisited, which saw many of his contemporaries, as well as younger readers after I poked them, relate their views.

Then there was distinguished emeritus professor Charles A. Hall, who took offense with neither Ken nor I including energy as an explicit factor in determining wealth. Of course he was right. I have the creeping suspicion he often is. So Charlie wrote Peak Wealth and Peak Energy. Which not only set us straight, it also generated a -privately- emailed response from Belgian scientists- also Automatic Earth readers- about work he has earlier published on EROI of for instance Spanish solar PV (2.45:1? That must hurt!). As of this morning, it looks as if this may lead to further cooperation. Whats not to love?

And then all this has fired up Ken Latta to write yet another article, this time on freely available energy before the age of oil -and after it!-, in the form of human slavery. In all of its forms and shapes, including wage slavery. Is it a coincidence that at the end of the age of oil, Americas -former- middle class appears to be descending -once more- into wage and debt slavery? Or is something entirely else  and darker- going on, as Ken seems to suggest below: The currently observable rapid decline in demand for wage slaves just happens to coincide with global peak energy.

Here once more is Ken Latta

Ken Latta: Responses to the recent Charles Hall posting at the Automatic Earth, Peak Wealth and Peak Energy, parried with the idea that slaves were the original black gold that allowed society to build great wealth. Not only is that a fair statement, but what the finest historians tell us is that it was always thus. It seems that whenever a cluster of mud huts went up, taking slaves was soon placed on the to-do list.

When uncoerced human power is the highest EROEI source available, usually not much gets done beyond procuring food and making basic necessities. For such societies, peak wealth occurs when a herd of grazing animals happens by. The first rule of civilization building is: find a bunch of people you can force to do things they wouldnt otherwise be inclined to do.

In antebellum America (USA that is) there were three kinds of coerced laborers. Chattel slaves (held as real property) were the abducted Africans that made the plantation economy of the southern states possible. Something that was not well known was the practice of our colonial masters trading guns, powder and lead to the Indians to purchase captive natives for slave labor. They proved to be unwilling workers and frequently escaped back to their tribes.

Indentured servants were not property. Their coerced labor was legally imposed to work off a debt. Many of our ancestors got to the US by contracting to work for someone that would pay their fare. The main difference from chattel was that upon settlement of the debt they were free to leave.

That brings us to the thing known to wags in recent times as wage slavery. Us wrinklies may remember a bumper sticker [I cant be fired, slaves must be sold]. Wage slaves are free to come and go and quit any time. They may also be fired. When they are trying not to be fired and not ready to quit, they must pretty much do as they are told and thus coerced labor. There could be a fourth class, in that some people refer to entrepreneurial souls as the self-exploited.

Once the infrastructure to fully exploit fossil fuels was in place, the most repugnant forms of forced servitude fell out of favor. The president known as Old Hickory outlawed chattel slavery. Not necessarily because he so loved his African constituents, who were politically considered to be two-thirds of a person, but in hopes they would do what they could to hinder the Confederate war effort.

The newly self-owned citizens often ended up doing much the same work as before except as either indentured or wage slaves. Most wage slaves have progressively gotten less back breaking work to do, though not necessarily less monotonous. Some have gotten to do quite exciting and satisfying work.

They also worked up to the point of having some effective leverage in dealing with their would-be slave masters.



Wage slavery is categorically different in that its prevalence correlates with non animate sources of energy. Wage slaves have served as overseers of the energy slave economy according to the instructions of the bosses. Sadly, what this implies is that as fossil energy production declines, the demand for wage slaves also declines. We are observing it happening. The stagnation of wage earnings began at the time US oil production peaked. The currently observable rapid decline in demand for wage slaves just happens to coincide with global peak energy.

The actual rate of energy decline is accelerated by the associated trend of impoverishment of wage slaves and the growing pool of would-be wage slaves. And thus we will get to see the effect of Ugo Bardis Seneca Cliff. Named for 1st century Roman citizen Lucius Annaeus Seneca and based on this quotation:

It would be some consolation for the feebleness of our selves and our works if all things should perish as slowly as they come into being; but as it is, increases are of sluggish growth, but the way to ruin is rapid.

 Lucius Anneaus Seneca, Letters to Lucilius, n. 91

Demand for energy is falling faster than production, causing even the mightiest producers to teeter on the edge of insolvency. The prediction a few years ago by petroleum geologist Jean Laherrere that the Bakken fields would be played out around 2020 appears to be on target.

The great NY Yankees catcher Yogi Berra is said to have quipped that predictions are hard, especially about the future. I agree, but sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind.

Ugo Bardi, an estimable professor, and a whole pack of fellow academics joined by the usual crowd of entrepreneurial hustlers are pushing a pipe filled to the brim with Hopium that ruination can be avoided or mitigated by works worthy of a sorcerers apprentice.

We just have to assemble a vast armada of solar panels and wind turbines, plus a few billion tons of rechargeable batteries and turn every suitable topographic feature of the landscape into pumped storage, et voila!, energy slaves forever.

An admirable dream, but Im gonna let that bandwagon go on down the street without me. I share the opinion that boat sailed for NeverneverLand quite a long time ago. What already exists and whatever still gets built will keep some lights on for awhile, but preservation of industrial civilization seems to me unattainable.

There must be a consequence right? Yes, I think there is and nobody is gonna like what I think it will be. At some threshold level of wage slave unwagedness the perfumed princes of the shrunken protected class (pace Peggy Noonan) will regretfully determine that a return to indentured servitude is necessary for the maintenance of moral fabric (and the preservation of their class). Rumor has it, this is already emerging as a feature of the injustice system. The next obvious step would be press gangs grabbing people off the streets and in their homes (hovels?) to sell at auction or gift to a powerful enemy, etc.

Sounds too far fetched? It is approximately what happened in Nazi Germany. The unemployed were rounded up and forced to work on public works projects. Jews werent just sent to camps to be gassed, they also went to camps next to industrial facilities to work as slaves to sustain the German economy and war effort. Even Auschwitz was a slave labor camp. Famous sign over the main gate says Arbeit Macht Frei (work makes free). If it isnt already happening, something similar seems likely to emerge in the Nazi glorifying madhouse called Ukraine.

This was difficult to write. It cant have been easy to read. But, to paraphrase one of recent historys real shitheads, we must live the dark ages with the human species we have, not the one we might wish we had.

There is an ageless quip about not shooting the messenger, but who else ya gonna shoot when hes the only one standing there.

Let the 10 minutes hate begin.

By Raul Ilargi Meijer

Website: http://theautomaticearth.com (provides unique analysis of economics, finance, politics and social dynamics in the context of Complexity Theory) 2017 Copyright Raul I Meijer - 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.

Raul Ilargi Meijer Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Silver On Sale  4% Fall On Massive $2 Billion of Futures Selling

Silver fell a very sharp 85 cents from $18.40 per ounce to as low as $17.65 per ounce yesterday for a 4.25% price fall soon after the London bullion markets closed yesterday despite no market news or corresponding sharp moves in other markets.



Silver had surged 15% in the first two months and had seen ten consecutive weeks of gradual gains. It had made convincing closes above the psychological $18 an ounce level and the 200 day moving average (DMA) at 18.155 and made 3-month highs only yesterday.

Silver Prices (LBMA)

03 Mar: USD 17.66, GBP 14.44 & EUR 16.76 per ounce

02 Mar: USD 18.33, GBP 14.93 & EUR 17.42 per ounce

01 Mar: USD 18.33, GBP 14.89 & EUR 17.40 per ounce

28 Feb: USD 18.28, GBP 14.70 & EUR 17.24 per ounce

27 Feb: USD 18.34, GBP 14.77 & EUR 17.33 per ounce

24 Feb: USD 18.27, GBP 14.56 & EUR 17.23 per ounce

23 Feb: USD 18.00, GBP 14.42 & EUR 17.06 per ounce

Silver investors were gaining confidence and dealers were experiencing robust demand for silver coins and bars. Suddenly at almost exactly 1630 GMT yesterday as European markets were closing, some entity decided to dump $2 billion worth of silver contracts into the futures market in minutes. A huge 23,000 silver contracts which is the equivalent of 1.15 million ounces of silver was dumped on the market:



Source: Zero Hedge

Over 23,000 Silver futures contracts suddenly puked into the market as soon as Europe closed as noted by Zero Hedge.

Silver quickly fell over 4% and gave up much of the gains of the last month. Gold fell $14.90 or 1.2% to $1235.00.

Rate hike expectations and the risks of a rate hike on March 15 are being attributed for the sharp silver price fall.

However, one would have thought that this was already priced into the market and therefore why the sudden 4% fall in minutes yesterday. It was unusual as there was no breaking news, no bearish silver or gold related news and indeed no important news or announcements from the Federal Reserve.

Indeed, most other markets were becalmed with no major moves in most markets except for gold and silver.

GATA Chairman Bill Murphys Midas commentary at LeMetropoleCafe.com reviewed the smash in detail, as with commodity broker J.B. Slears minute-by-minute tracking of the smash as contracts were dumped on the market in great bulk starting at 11:25 a.m. for 40 minutes straight:

1,071 contracts at 11:25.

5,648 at 11:30.

2,798 at 11:35.

1,175 at 11:40.

2,815 at 11:45.

3,319 at 11:50.

1,517 at 11:55.

2,357 at 12:00.

5,861 at 12:05.

4,702 at 12:10.

Thats a total of 30,192 contracts in 40 minutes.

Banks have been found guilty of manipulating most markets in recent years including the gold and silver markets. GATA has amassed a huge amount of evidence over the years and as recently as December came new revelations of silver fixing: Silver Fixing By Banks Proven In Traders Chats

Therefore, it stands to reason to suspect that the massive sell off may again have been by a bank or a proxy hedge fund or other institutional fund manipulating the silver market  either for private gain and trading profits or indeed on behalf of the official sector and central banks.

It could be a combination whereby banks realise that central banks are quietly pleased for gold and silver prices to be manipulated lower and banks can profitably manipulate markets believing that they are above the law.

Worst case scenario they get a slap on the wrist and a fine that is small in the light of their massive profits. Some poor patsy lone wolf kid trader is found to take the blame and the senior managers and executives get way with this criminal activity.

Golden Opportunity for Silver Buyers

The important point to remember here is that small retail bullion buyers and investors appear to be being defrauded by the largest players in the market  massive banks with massive liquidity provided to them by central banks.

It is also important to remember that this creates an opportunity. The suppression of gold and silver prices means that precious metals remain undervalued  especially versus the assets that banks and central banks favour  property, stocks and especially bonds.

Silver Coins VAT Free in Ireland, UK and EU

Manipulation is an opportunity for investors as it allows them to accumulate physical gold and silver at artificially depressed prices.

The history of gold market fixing and manipulation is of short term success followed by ultimate failure and much higher prices. This was seen after the London Gold Pool failed spectacularly in the late 1960s. This was followed by gold and silvers massive bull markets in the 1970s.

The gold and silver beach balls have been pushed near the bottom of the very small precious metals pool. The lower they are pushed in the short term, the higher it will surge in the medium and long term.

Access breaking news and research here

Gold Prices (LBMA AM)

03 Mar: USD 1,228.75, GBP 1,005.12 & EUR 1,168.05 per ounce

02 Mar: USD 1,243.30, GBP 1,013.17 & EUR 1,181.14 per ounce

01 Mar: USD 1,246.05, GBP 1,007.18 & EUR 1,182.50 per ounce

28 Feb: USD 1,251.90, GBP 1,006.90 & EUR 1,180.79 per ounce

27 Feb: USD 1,256.25, GBP 1,011.16 & EUR 1,187.41 per ounce

24 Feb: USD 1,255.35, GBP 1,000.89 & EUR 1,185.18 per ounce

23 Feb: USD 1,237.35, GBP 992.97 & EUR 1,173.13 per ounce

Silver Prices (LBMA)

03 Mar: USD 17.66, GBP 14.44 & EUR 16.76 per ounce

02 Mar: USD 18.33, GBP 14.93 & EUR 17.42 per ounce

01 Mar: USD 18.33, GBP 14.89 & EUR 17.40 per ounce

28 Feb: USD 18.28, GBP 14.70 & EUR 17.24 per ounce

27 Feb: USD 18.34, GBP 14.77 & EUR 17.33 per ounce

24 Feb: USD 18.27, GBP 14.56 & EUR 17.23 per ounce

23 Feb: USD 18.00, GBP 14.42 & EUR 17.06 per ounce

Mark O'Byrne

Executive Director

This update can be found on the GoldCore blog here.

IRL

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DUBLIN 2 E info@goldcore.com UK

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EC3V 3ND IRL +353 (0)1 632 5010

UK +44 (0)203 086 9200

US +1 (302)635 1160 W http://www.goldcore.com/uk/

WINNERS MoneyMate and Investor Magazine Financial Analysts 2006

Disclaimer: The information in this document has been obtained from sources, which we believe to be reliable. We cannot guarantee its accuracy or completeness. It does not constitute a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any investment. Any person acting on the information contained in this document does so at their own risk. Recommendations in this document may not be suitable for all investors. Individual circumstances should be considered before a decision to invest is taken. Investors should note the following: Past experience is not necessarily a guide to future performance. The value of investments may fall or rise against investors' interests. Income levels from investments may fluctuate. Changes in exchange rates may have an adverse effect on the value of, or income from, investments denominated in foreign currencies. GoldCore Limited, trading as GoldCore is a Multi-Agency Intermediary regulated by the Irish Financial Regulator.

GoldCore is committed to complying with the requirements of the Data Protection Act. This means that in the provision of our services, appropriate personal information is processed and kept securely. It also means that we will never sell your details to a third party. The information you provide will remain confidential and may be used for the provision of related services. Such information may be disclosed in confidence to agents or service providers, regulatory bodies and group companies. You have the right to ask for a copy of certain information held by us in our records in return for payment of a small fee. You also have the right to require us to correct any inaccuracies in your information. The details you are being asked to supply may be used to provide you with information about other products and services either from GoldCore or other group companies or to provide services which any member of the group has arranged for you with a third party. If you do not wish to receive such contact, please write to the Marketing Manager GoldCore, 63 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2 marking the envelope 'data protection'

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MARTINSVILLE  A recent spike in flu cases has prompted Memorial Hospital to impose restrictions on visitors.

Last year, only about 140 patients seen in the emergency room and by doctors affiliated with Memorial were confirmed to have influenza. But this year, there were more than 80 laboratory-confirmed flu cases by mid-January. During the past 12 days alone, there were 74 confirmed cases, according to Debra Graem, the hospitals infection preventionist.

Information on the Virginia Department of Healths website shows flu is widespread. That means flu outbreaks or increases in lab-confirmed flu cases or incidences of influenza-like illnesses are being seen in at least half of the state.

Sharon Ortiz-Garcia, epidemiologist for the West Piedmont Health District, which operates the Henry-Martinsville Health Department, said district officials recently have observed a significant increase in influenza-like illnesses. She did not immediately have statistics, though.

Memorial imposed visitation restrictions due to high levels of both the flu and respiratory illnesses that mimic influenza, according to Elizabeth Harris, the hospitals marketing director.

The restrictions are as follows. First, children under 14 years of age are prohibited from visiting hospital facilities unless they have a medical appointment or are visiting the emergency department because they are sick.

Second, anyone with flu symptoms  cough, fever, runny nose, sore throat, vomiting, extreme fatigue, muscle aches and/or diarrhea  is asked not to visit patients. Third, people seeking medical care who have such symptoms are asked to request a face mask when they arrive to keep from spreading their illnesses to other patients and staff. Some hospital employees are wearing masks as a safety precaution, Harris mentioned.

Fourth, anyone at the hospital is asked to wash their hands frequently with soap and water, or sanitize their hands using an alcohol-based gel, to help avoid spreading the influenza virus.

Patrick County recently went through an outbreak of flu in the school district. Classes were canceled Feb. 9 and 10 because out of a district of more than 2,600, over 300 were out sick.

The issue isnt just a localized one. Across the border in Tennessee, one school district had to close because teachers, as well as students, were getting sick. In Knox County, officials told the Associated Press that there were so many sick teachers that the district had a hard time finding enough substitutes to cover classes. In that case, the problem involved both confirmed cases of the flue and another respiratory illness that made its way through the area.

Here at Memorial Hospital, the restrictions will be in effect until further notice, Harris said.

Signs noting the restrictions have been posted at all of the hospitals public entrances, she said.

The flu is dangerous and potentially lethal to older people as well as people with certain chronic health problems, such as weakened immune systems.

It is important to remember that the flu is preventable and there are several things we can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones from getting it, Ortiz-Garcia said.

Those things, she said, include getting a yearly flu vaccination, keeping your hands and environment clean, coughing into your elbow or your sleeve instead of into your hands or the air, staying at home if youre sick and using antiviral drugs  such as oseltamivir  if they are suggested by a doctor or nurse practitioner.

Anyone with questions about the flu can call the health department at 638-2311 or go online to http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/influenza-flu-in-virginia/.
COLLINSVILLEA Collinsville man will only face one of five charges at trial, as the rest were dropped Thursday in General District Court.

Jerome Allen Adams, 40, was accused of shooting into an occupied vehicle and related charges.

According to testimony and a criminal complaint, on Oct. 31, 2016, Adams allegedly arrived at a mobile home park in Bassett at a high rate of speed, jumped out of a vehicle with a gun, fired a number of times into an occupied vehicle, then left the scene.

However, Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Awbrey Watts said law enforcement had been unable to locate a witness. So Watts made a motion to nolle prosse three charges. That means all three could be reinstated pending further evidence. The dropped charges include attempted malicious wounding and two counts of using a firearm in commission of a felony. Judge Marcus Brinks granted the motion.

Judge Brinks also dismissed a charge of possessing or transporting a firearm by a convicted felon after Adams lawyer, Caitlin Reynolds of the public defenders office, raised a legal issue involving a previous conviction of Adams in Connecticut.

Judge Brinks held a preliminary hearing on the remaining charge of maliciously shooting into an occupied vehicle. After hearing testimony, Brinks ruled there was probable cause to send the case to trial. Brinks certified (or sent) that charge to Circuit Court.

HENRY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT

In another case Thursday, Judge Brinks found probable cause to believe Nicholas Eric Cahoon, 20, of Collinsville, committed grand larceny. Brinks certified (or sent) that charge to Circuit Court.

Cahoon is accused of stealing about more than $400 from Quality Inn/Dutch Inn at 2360 Virginia Avenue, Collinsville, on Jan. 1, 2017.

According to testimony and a criminal complaint, Cahoon was seen behind a locked cash register at the front desk, though he had no permission to be there, and several hours later more than $400 was discovered missing from the cash register. During a search of the room Cahoon was renting at the inn, law enforcement found a screw driver and a razor blade with red marks (the same color on the money bag that was stolen from the cash register). The empty money bag was found in a trash can near a stairwell leading to the room Cahoon was renting.

When a deputy sheriff questioned Cahoon at a different location after the larceny, Cahoon had $72 in different denominations on his person. When the deputy asked Cahoon where the rest of the money was, Cahoon said he bought a hotel room and pizza. However, Cahoon denied any knowledge of the grand larceny at Quality Inn/Dutch Inn.

Courtney Armstrong, Cahoons lawyer, made a motion to strike (or disallow) prosecutions evidence. Armstrong said the inn had no security video footage of what happened, the prosecution did not introduce any forensics evidence linking Cahoon to the crime, that other people could have had access to the cash register and the trash can where the money bag was found, and the facts that Cahoon had a screwdriver and later had $72 on his person when questioned by a deputy were not in and of themselves incriminating.

Judge Brinks denied Armstrongs motion.

In another case, Judge Brinks found probable cause to believe Richard Junior Hairston, 24, of Martinsville, committed the crimes of possession or transportation of a firearm after having been convicted of a felony and possession or transportation of ammunition for a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.

According to testimony, a niece of Hairston went to his home on July 30, 2016, because the day before he allegedly had gotten into an altercation with two other relatives and then posted something on social media. The niece alleged that on July 30, 2016, Hairston suspected she came to do something to him; however, the niece was not armed. The niece alleged that at one point Hairston went and got a rifle, but his girlfriend diffused the situation, and Hairston subsequently hugged the niece. Law enforcement allegedly found a rifle and ammunition in Hairstons home during a search.

In another case, Tyrone Rashod Davis, 22, of Ridgeway, waived his preliminary hearing on a charge of felonious embezzlement, and that charge now will go to Circuit Court.

A criminal complaint by Deputy C.L. Hairston of the Henry County Sheriffs Office said that a loss prevention employee of Sheetz at 6758 Greensboro Road, Ridgeway, alleged that Davis, an employee of the business, took a total of $2,176.33 from the store between Sept. 16 and Oct. 22, 2016. Among other things, Davis allegedly took money out of several cash registers.

Paul Collins reports for the Martinsville Bulletin and can be reached at paul.collins@martinsvillebulletin.com.
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This is the first of three stories on how information technology and innovation are transforming industries and peoples lives. The topics were discussed during a roundtable reception with the leaders of IBM, Panasonic and the Washington Corp. at the University of Montana.

The ability of computers to learn your habits and influence your behavior might sound like a bad dream of a futuristic world, one where cyborgs outsmart humans and rise to dominate the planet.

The good news is, artificial intelligence cant exist without humans making it. The bad news is  if its bad news at all  the technology is already here and its only going to evolve.

By Martin Kidston/Missoula Current

Full Story: http://www.missoulacurrent.com/business/2017/03/missoula-um-technology/

***

Artificial intelligence will change America. Heres how. http://www.matr.net/article-75762.html

Microsoft CEO says artificial intelligence is the ultimate breakthrough http://www.matr.net/article-75610.html

Googles Brin surprised by speed of AI advances http://www.matr.net/article-75262.html

More articles about AI: http://www.matr.net/news.phtml?showall=1&catlabel=Artificial+Intelligence+and+The+Internet+of+Things&cat_id=194
Gov. Steve Bullock says he believes the Montana Board of Regents would have to at least consider closing a state campus to make up for the $23.3 million budget cut proposed in the current Legislature.

By Gail Schontzler Chronicle Staff Writer

Full Story: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/montana_state_university/bullock-raises-possibility-of-closing-state-campus/article_7cc39c51-fafa-5013-86df-d37e12bf5b1e.html
Successfully landing a new job is a matter of using the right techniques combined with a good attitude. One without the other affects your job search prospects more than you might realize. A good attitude is hard to beat and hiring managers can sense when candidates have one.

By Kim Thompson

Full Story: http://blog.sfgate.com/gettowork/2017/03/02/find-a-new-job-faster-by-changing-your-attitude/
A California high school has made millions of dollars from the initial public offering of shares in Snap Inc., the company behind the Snapchat photo messaging application.

The board of the Saint Francis high school http://www.sfhs.com/ in Mountain View agreed to invest $15,000 in seed money in Snap in 2012, when the company was just getting started.

Full Story: http://www.sfgate.com/business/technology/article/California-high-school-makes-24-million-from-10974091.php
Wyoming officials say they hope more online businesses will begin to pay sales taxes voluntarily but a bill signed Wednesday by Gov. Matt Mead lays the groundwork to collect from those that refuse.

Wednesday also was the day that online retail giant Amazon promised it would begin voluntarily collecting taxes on sales in Wyoming. But most online businesses still dont pay, to the disadvantage of shops on Main Street and others with a physical presence in the state.

"Were a state made of relatively small towns. We want to make sure those towns continue to thrive and do well," said Mead.

MEAD GRUVER Associated Press

Full Story: http://trib.com/business/wyoming-puts-teeth-in-collecting-online-sales-taxes/article_d5dc7301-959b-5895-9521-b7e2d0c2c70e.html
About 20 states have tax incentives designed to attract data centers and five states dont have sales tax. The exemption would help Idahoattract data centers and additional investment in technology, said Bobbi-Jo Meuleman, chief operating officer at the Idaho Department of Commerce.

A new tax incentive designed to help data centers offset the cost of replacing equipment could help Idaho attract large companies such as Google and Amazon, according to the Idaho Department of Commerce.

The department proposed a bill to the House Revenue and Taxation Committee March 2 to grant a sales and use tax rebate to data centers that invest at least $25 million in capital investments within a five-year period and create 20 jobs within a two-year period. Additional rebates would then be given for equipment purchases worth at least $5 million.

By: Benton Alexander Smith

Full Story: http://idahobusinessreview.com/2017/03/03/state-data-centers-are-bypassing-idaho-in-search-of-tax-breaks/
Enrollment of full time students at the University of Montana fell 5.45 percent from spring 2016 to spring 2017, and the head count fell 2.8 percent  but the drop wasnt as steep as UM officials anticipated.

The head count this spring is 11,615 compared to 11,955 one year ago, and UM President Sheila Stearns said Thursday she had thought the head count might fall closer to 11,000. The count includes Missoula College.

"The fact that its coming in at 11,600 is a bit of lemonade to me," Stearns said. "Its not lemon. Thats a fact."

KEILA SZPALLER [email protected]

Full Story: http://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/university-of-montana-enrollment-drops-but-officials-optimistic/article_1bd25731-0e22-597f-a0f6-b9e8d68db81d.html
Les membres du Cabinet ont pris note de Plan de Soutien  pour les entreprises mauriciennes, des amendements aux Catering and Tourism Industries (Remuneration) Regulations 2019, Private Hospitals and Other Related Health Services (Remuneration) Regulations 2019, des instruction donner a lAttoreny General aoffice pour lecriture dun Sports and Physical Activity Bill entre autres.

1. Cabinet has agreed to a Plan de Soutien to give the necessary support to economic operators across all sectors of activities, including local manufacturing and SMEs so as to minimise the adverse impact of COVID-19. At the macroeconomic and cross-sectoral level, the following measures would be taken:

(a) the State Investment Corporation (SIC) Ltd would launch an Equity Participation Scheme to assist enterprises to overcome their financial difficulties in the wake of COVID-19;

(b) schemes under the Investment Support Programme Ltd and SME Equity Fund Ltd would be reviewed;

(c) a Revolving Credit Fund of Rs 200 million would be established at the Development Bank of Mauritius Ltd to help companies with turnover of up to Rs 10 million to ease their cash flow difficulties up to 31 December 2020;

(d) enterprises being affected by COVID-19 would be entitled to a double tax deduction on their investment in Plant and Machinery for the period

1 March 2020 to 30 June 2020;

(e) all work permits that would expire this year would be extended automatically up to 31 December 2021;

(f) to minimise human contacts, Government would give full support to promote the Work at Home Scheme that was announced in the 2018-2019 Budget Speech; and

(g) an e-Government Digital Bureau would be set up to fast track the provision of public services through electronic means.

At the sectoral level, the following measures would be taken:

(i) the Passenger Fee on Air Ticket would be suspended for tourists from

Reunion Island, Australia and South Africa up to 31 July 2020;

(ii) the Environment Protection Fee of 0.85% charged on the monthly turnover of hotels, guest houses and tourist residences would be suspended up to 31 July 2020;

(iii) the training levy would be reduced from 1% to 0.5% for operators in the tourism sector as from 1 April 2020 up to 31 July 2020;

(iv) Air Mauritius Ltd would pursue its promotional fare strategy to attract tourists from Reunion Island, UK, South Africa and Australia. Fares for travel from and to Reunion Island would be reduced by 50% while for the other destinations the reduction would be 40%. These reductions would be applicable up to 31 July 2020;

(v) hotels would provide a discount ranging from 15% to 35% for tourists from Australia, Reunion Island and South Africa;

(vi) port charges imposed by the Mauritius Ports Authority and Cargo Handling Corporation Ltd would be waived for all exports up to

31 December 2020;

(vii) the Freight Rebate Scheme would be extended for exports to South Africa and Tamatave up to 31 December 2020;

(viii) the Speed to Market Scheme would be extended for exports of the manufacturing sector to Africa, Japan, Australia, Canada and the Middle East up to

31 December 2020;

(ix) to boost local production of food crops and ensure greater food security for the population, sugar estates would be requested to also put at the disposal of small planters additional rotational land for the cultivation of crops like potato, onion, pulses and other vegetables;

(x) seeds for the cultivation of potato, garlic, bean and onion would be provided through the Seed Purchase Scheme. In addition, the Agricultural Marketing Board would purchase at a guaranteed price, products such as potato, garlic and onion on a long term basis;

(xi) an amount of Rs100 million has been earmarked to encourage local production of food crops; and

(xii) funds to the tune of Rs208 million are being made available to the Ministry of Health and Wellness for the acquisition of new medical accessories and equipment, of which Rs108 million have already been disbursed.

A number of actions has already been initiated, namely:

(a) the Agricultural Marketing Board has taken precautionary measures to increase significantly its Strategic Buffer Stock in potato, onion and garlic;

(b) five new schemes are being launched by SME Mauritius Ltd, namely, the Internal Capability Development Scheme, the Technology and Innovation Scheme, the SME Marketing Support Scheme, the Inclusiveness and Integration Scheme, and the SME Utility Connection Assistance Scheme.

An Implementation and Monitoring Committee under the chair of Mr Dev Manraj, GOSK, Financial Secretary, and comprising representatives of both the public and private sector has been set up.

2. Cabinet has agreed to:

(a) amendments being made to the Catering and Tourism Industries (Remuneration) Regulations 2019 and the Private Hospitals and Other Related Health Services (Remuneration) Regulations 2019; and

(b) a new Regulation being made to cater for payment of wages to employees, if ever they are placed in quarantine in respect of COVID-19 outbreak.

The Catering and Tourism Industries (Remuneration) Regulation 2019 would be amended to provide for:

(i) time off to be granted to workers of that industry in lieu of payment of overtime during the period of the outbreak; and

(ii) a worker to resume work, with his consent, before a lapse of eleven hours after having completed a normal days work.

The Private Hospitals and Other Related Health Services (Remuneration) Regulations 2019 would be amended to provide that a worker might, with his consent, work up to 12 hours a day instead of 8 hours. New Regulations would be made to provide for payment of wages to workers, who are placed in quarantine, to be offset against their leave entitlement.

3. Cabinet has agreed to instructions being conveyed to the Attorney Generals Office for the drafting of a Sports and Physical Activity Bill and to repeal the existing Sports Act 2016. The Sports and Physical Activity Bill would, inter alia,:

(a) provide for the setting up of a Registrar of Sports Organisations to facilitate the registration of Sports Clubs, National Sports Federations and other Sports Delivery Organisations;

(b) provide for the setting up of a Sports Profession and Educators Council;

(c) review the concept of sports regionalisation as a whole;

(d) address the professionalisation of sports in the Republic;

(e) safeguard the interests of athletes and protect them from any form of abuse;

(f) regulate the sale of tickets during sporting events and deter the emergence of

black markets; and

(g) regulate the bidding and hosting of international sporting events in the Republic;

Consultations would be held with relevant stakeholders.

4. Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Health and Wellness would increase the financial assistance under the Overseas Treatment Scheme, from Rs800,000 to Rs1 million, as announced in the Budget Speech 2019-2020. The Scheme would cover all medical expenses for a patient travelling overseas for medical treatment, including cost of airfare and other services.

5. Cabinet has agreed to Mauritius adhering to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Joint Ministerial Statement on Investment Facilitation for Development. The purpose of the Joint Ministerial Statement is to reaffirm the need to intensify work among WTO Member States with a view to developing a WTO Framework on Investment Facilitation by the next WTO Ministerial Conference to be held in June 2020, in Kazakhstan.

6. Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Health and Wellness would sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Mr Shashichandra Desai, proxy of late Dr (Mrs) Hansa Gunesee for the donation of Rs25 million for the purchase of equipment for the New Cancer Hospital. Late Dr (Mrs) H. Gunesee was the first lady Gynaecologist employed in Mauritius and the first lady doctor to go on a tour of service to Rodrigues in 1969. The contribution would help in the successful implementation of the new Cancer Hospital project and ultimately in the improvement of diagnosis and treatment of cancer in Mauritius.

7. Cabinet has taken note that the 5th Trade Policy Review of Mauritius would be held at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Secretariat on 27 and 29 April 2021. The purpose of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism is to contribute towards the improved adherence, by all Members, to rules, disciplines and commitments made under the various WTO agreements. The fifth Trade Policy Review of Mauritius would be based on the reports by Government and the WTO Secretariat.

8. Cabinet has taken note of the setting up of an Organising Committee at the level of the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation for the 12th edition of the Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de lOcean Indien (CJSOI) Games to be held in Mauritius in July 2021. Six Member States, namely Madagascar, Mayotte, Seychelles, Reunion Island, Djibouti, and Union of Comoros have already confirmed their participation to the Games.

9. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the 34th Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) held recently in the Seychelles. The main decisions taken at the Meeting were:

(a) the adoption of the Moroni Declaration which defines the new strategic orientation of the IOC and highlights the needs for institutional reforms to respond to new challenges and exigencies of the new business environment;

(b) approval of the Accord de Victoria Revise which, inter alia, provides for the holding of a Summit every five years to be chaired by the host country, the creation of the post of Deputy Secretary-General and the extension of the duration of the term of office of the Secretary-General to five years instead of four years;

(c) the grant of Observer Status to India, Japan and the United Nations;

(d) the signing of an agreement with the International Organisation for Migration for the setting up of a platform on Dialogue sur les Migrations au sein de lespace de la COI;

(e) the approval of the Emergency plan proposed by the Secretariat in the context of COVID-19, which includes exchange of information among the health authorities of Member States on the status of Coronavirus;

(f) the approval for the setting up of an Agence Regionale de la Biodiversite and for the holding of a Ministerial Conference on biodiversity; and

(g) the approval of the appointment of Mr Velayoudon Marimoutou, as the new Secretary-General of the IOC.

10. Cabinet has taken note that Mrs Jenny Mootealloo has been appointed as Commissioner of the Utility Regulatory Authority for a period of five years and

Mr Sadatmanund Narain has been reappointed as Commissioner for a period of five years.

11. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Board of Directors of the Mauritius Multisports Infrastructure Ltd with Mr Jean Pierre Sauzier as Chairperson.

12. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Board of Directors of the Civil Service College, Mauritius, with Mr Harry Ganoo, GOSK, as Chairperson.

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Even as the stock market touches new all-time highs, signs are emerging that the Trump administration will soon move to overturn several environmental regulations. Most of them, such as the Clean Power Plan, are a legacy of the Trump era. Eliminating such restrictions would be in keeping with the President elects promises to revive the coal industry.

With coal prices surging immediately after the election, the optimism in the sector is more than palpable. Given the Presidents recent orders on the oil and gas sector, similar decisions on coal and conventional power should be expected soon. Investing in stocks poised to gain from these decisions may be a smart option at this point.

Repealing the Clean Power Plan

On the campaign trail, Trump promised to reverse Obamas clean energy proposals. The President incumbent had also promised to roll back the investment tax credit for solar power and the Environmental Protection Agencys Clean Power Plan.

The Clean Power Plan is the Obama administrations key environmental reform and mandates states to slash their carbon dioxide emissions. However, its actual implementation remains incomplete due to the legal obstacles put in its path by Republican dominated states.

Experts believe that Trump will ask the EPA to request courts to return it the agency for a review. In one stroke, this will end any attempts to defend the plan legally. In Dec 2016, Dynegy Inc.s DYN CEO Robert Flexon had said that the removal of subsidies for alternative energy sources would provide a level playing field for conventional power producers.

Coal fired plants would stand to gain the most, though this may not result in fresh capacity additions. Instead, existing coal fired plants would then be in a position to snatch market share away from nuclear and natural gas based power producers.

Coal Prices Surge, Mining to Benefit

As a result, Flexon added, such a stance on power would be especially beneficial for the coal mining sector as well. The capacity factor for coal would rise and miners would have to step up production to meet the increased demand from power plants. In fact, compared to the elimination of the Clean Power Plan, it would be easier for Trump to remove the Obama administrations ban on coal mining. In Jan 2016, the previous government had placed a temporary ban on fresh federal coal leases in order to ensure that lease deals accounted for coals impact on climate change.

Story continues

Naturally, such a step had been extremely unpopular among lawmakers from states in the West as well as the mining industry. But the situation has changed vastly ever since Trump won the election. Following his victory, coal was trading at $110 per metric ton (MT), nearly twice as much as its price in the first quarter of 2016. Despite a slight decline, coal was trading at $83.50 per MT on Feb. 28, 2017, which is still substantially higher.

Immediately after assuming office, Trump brought to an end several environment related regulations which hark back to the Obama era. This includes the Stream Protection Rule which placed limits on the dumping of waste generated from coal mining. Additionally, Trump has also repealed the Waters of the U.S. rule which had broadened the number of waterways eligible for federal protection.

Our Choices

The rally in coal prices and the optimism among producers of conventional energy is conclusive evidence that the Trump administration has infused new vigor into these sectors. Even skeptics have been forced to admit that a mood of cautious optimism now exists, a sharp contrast to the gloom that had set in over the Obama years.

This is why it makes sense to pick stocks poised to gain from the new administrations coal related actions. We have narrowed down our search to the following stocks based on a good Zacks Rank and other relevant metrics.

Arch Coal, Inc. ARCH is engaged in the mining, processing and marketing of low-sulfur bituminous coal.

Arch Coal has expected earnings growth of more than 100% for the current year. Its earnings estimate for the current year has improved by 50.7% over the last 30 days. The stock has returned 18122% over the last one year, easily outperforming the Zacks Coal sector, which has gained 129.1% over the same period. The stock has a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

CONSOL Energy Inc. CNX is a multi-fuel energy producer and an energy services provider, primarily catering to the U.S. power producers. The principal activities of its PA Mining Operations division are mining, preparation and marketing of thermal coal, sold primarily to power generators.

CONSOL Energy has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Its expected earnings growth for the current year is more than 100%. Its earnings estimate for the current year has improved by 96.4% over the last 30 days. The stock has returned 55.8% over the last one year, underperforming the Zacks Coal sector, which has gained 116.7% over the same period. This provides a good opportunity to buy the stock given that there is significant upside potential

Ameren Corporation AEE is a utility company, which generates and distributes electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial and wholesale end markets in Missouri and Illinois. Ameren generates a considerable share of electricity from coal-fired facilities.

Ameren has a Zacks Rank #2. The company has expected earnings growth of 3.5% for the current year. Its earnings estimate for the current year has improved by 0.1% over the last 30 days. The stock has returned 16.5% over the last one year, outperforming the Zacks Utility - Electric Power sector, which has gained 4.9% over the same period.

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation PNW provides electricity services (wholesale or retail) in the state of Arizona through its subsidiaries. As of Sep 30, 2016 coal is projected to constitute 27% of the generation mix in 2017

Pinnacle West Capital has a Zacks Rank #2. The company has expected earnings growth of 7.6% for the current year. The stock has returned 20.3% over the last one year, outperforming the Zacks Utility - Electric Power sector, which has gained 4.9% over the same period.

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Who wouldn't? Last year's market-beating Top 10 portfolio produced 5 double-digit winners. For example, oil and natural gas giant Pioneer Natural Resources and First Republic Bank racked up stellar gains of +44.9% and +44.3% respectively. Now a brand-new list for 2017 has been hand-picked from 4,400 companies covered by the Zacks Rank. See the 2017 Top 10 right now>>



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By Nia Williams

CALGARY, Alberta, March 2 (Reuters) - The government of Canada's main crude-producing province Alberta plans to wade into the looming court battle over Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline expansion by seeking intervener status on legal challenges to the project.

The move, flagged by the government in a speech reopening the Alberta legislature's spring session, comes as the Federal Court of Appeal tries to consolidate the lawsuits against the project into one. Eleven groups are suing to block the project because of environmental concerns.

Getting new crude oil pipelines built is a priority for the Alberta government, which wants to secure new markets for its oil sands output after a bruising two-year slump in crude prices.

Without new pipelines, energy industry supporters say, oil sands production will get bottlenecked in Alberta, driving the discount on Canadian barrels deeper and costing producers and the government billions of dollars in lost revenue.

"Your government will defend our province and its key industry in court, seeking intervener status on legal challenges to the Trans Mountain pipeline," Lois Mitchell, the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta said in the so-called 'Throne Speech'.

Lawyers in Calgary said it would not be out of place for the provincial governments to seek intervener status on the lawsuits.

In November the Canadian government approved Kinder Morgan's plan to nearly triple its crude oil pipeline from Alberta to Burnaby, British Columbia, to 890,000 barrels per day despite fierce environmental, municipal and aboriginal opposition.

The green light from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet came after a National Energy Board review process that critics said fell short.

So far 11 separate parties, including the City of Vancouver and the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation have filed lawsuits challenging the cabinet decision, the NEB review, or both.

Dyna Tuytel, a lawyer for Ecojustice representing the Living Oceans Society and Raincoast Conservation Foundation in their lawsuit, said the court was currently taking submissions on the draft order setting out the logistics of the consolidation.

Story continues

"It means that everyone will get less court time but it makes sense," Tuytel said. "There's a degree of overlap in the facts if nothing else."

The Federal Court of Appeal also consolidated legal challenges to Enbridge Inc's Northern Gateway pipeline in 2015, which resulted in the court overturning government approval for that project.

(Reporting by Nia Williams; Editing by David Gregorio)
The world is fast shifting to alternative energy and this is spurring demand for solar panels.

E-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc. AMZN is gearing up for its next project associated with renewable energy initiatives. This time, the firm will harness solar energy by installing solar panels on the roof of its fulfillment facilities across the world.

Coming to the price performance, over the past one year, shares of Amazon outperformed the Zacks categorized Electronic Commerce industry. While the industry gained 39.53%, the stock returned 45.91%.

Details

As part of its commitment to advance green power, Amazon has plans of deploying large-scale solar systems on rooftops of more than 15 fulfillment and sortation centers in the U.S. this year. By 2020, around 50 data centers are expected to use solar energy to meet their power needs.

Amazon said that these solar panels could generate up to 80% of the annual energy requirements of a fulfillment center depending on the project, time of year and other factors. The company already has a network of wind and solar farms in Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. Its largest wind farm is in Texas.

Amazons senior vice president of Worldwide Operations, Dave Clark, said As our fulfillment network continues to expand, we want to help generate more renewable energy at both existing and new facilities around the world in partnership with community and business leaders."

Focus on Carbon Neutrality

This initiative by Amazon is the latest in a string of clean energy investments made by U.S. technology giants in recent months. For quite some time, Amazon has been moving away from fossil fuels and focusing more on clean energy. It aims at reducing its carbon footprint and using more renewable energy to power its huge data centers. Moreover, the company can generate healthy returns from these solar and wind investments as there are many associated tax incentives.

Infact many corporate behemoths including Google GOOGL, Facebook FB and Apple AAPL are progressively moving toward alternative energy sources to lower their overall carbon emissions and cut their energy bills substantially.

Story continues

Also, several countries are increasingly relying on solar power to generate clean energy. Stringent environmental legislations on greenhouse gas emissions have also proved to be a boon for the solar power sector. Moreover, despite high initial investments, low operational costs and no fuel costs make these solar investments attractive.

Amazon.com, Inc. Price and Consensus

Amazon.com, Inc. Price and Consensus | Amazon.com, Inc. Quote

At present, Amazon has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

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If a trip to Rome or Paris is in your future, be prepared: The European Union Parliament is calling for an end to visa-free travel for Americans.

EU lawmakers passed a nonbinding resolution urging the EU Commission to impose visas on U.S. citizens traveling into the 28-nation bloc.

The dispute centers on reciprocal treatment of travelers from EU nations and the United States. While Americans have been able to travel throughout EU member nations without a visa, the U.S. still requires citizens of five EU countries  Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania  to apply for entry visas when visiting the U.S., Reuters reports. Citizens of the other 23 EU member nations can use the U.S. visa waiver program to enter America.

The EU lawmakers are calling for equal treatment for all EU citizens, says Reuters. Theyve given the EU Commission two months to respond.

The trans-Atlantic visa dispute first came to light in April 2014, according to an EU Parliament news release. At that time, five countries  Australia, Brunei, Canada, Japan and the U.S.  required visas for some EU citizens.

Since then, Australia, Brunei and Japan have lifted their visa requirements for all EU citizens. Canada, which currently imposes visa requirements on Bulgarian and Romanian citizens, plans to follow suit in December, leaving just the United States at odds with the issue of reciprocity of visa-free travel with the EU.

The EU says if a visa requirement for Americans is introduced, it would be temporary, according to a story in Money, which did not give a time frame.

Do you have a vacation planned? No matter where youre planning on going, here are 14 Super Smart Ways to Save on Travel.

Do you owe back taxes to Uncle Sam? Youd better check, because Your Passport Might Be Revoked.

What do you think about the EUs retaliatory visa move? Share your thoughts below or on Facebook.

This article was originally published on MoneyTalksNews.com as 'Americans May Soon Need a Visa for Travel to Europe'.

More from Money Talks News
by Gavin O'Malley , Staff Writer @mp_gavin, March 2, 2017

In some respects, the mobile boom is officially over in the States. Indeed, Adobes latest global mobile report found double-digit declines in both app installs (38%) and launches (28%) over the past two years.

As such, the new mission for marketers is maximizing engagement, and finding other ways to get more out of existing customers.

Whats more, brands have a large mobile audience but need [to] focus on retention, an Adobe spokeswoman said on Monday.

Adobes report is comprised of data from 1.7 trillion mobile Web site visits and 130 billion app launches, over the span of two years.

With domestic Web traffic plateauing, marketers are also looking overseas. The massive smartphone growth in China, India and Brazil is responsible for driving over 400 million new people online, according to Adobe.

Yet while less developed nations are growing like weeds, their infrastructure is struggling to keep up with demand.

Stateside, the report also found that Googles Accelerated Mobile Pages is being increasingly welcomed by consumers. In fact, it now accounts for 7% of all traffic for top U.S. publishers, which represents 405% growth over 2016 levels.

This column was previously published in Moblog on February 27, 2017.
by Sara Guaglione , March 2, 2017

Emmis Communications Corporation has soldmagazine to Hour Media Group LLC, as well asmagazines.reports that all four magazines were sold for $6.5 million.

Sources told LA Weekly that as a result of the change in ownership, Los Angeles Editor in Chief Mary Melton, Editor at Large Amy Wallace, Publisher Erika Anderson, head of digital strategy Audie Metcalf Ruyle and Copy Chief Daphne Tanyol are out.

Los Angeles did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Publishers Daily could only confirm that Melton and Wallace were leaving the magazine.

Melton tweeted, "After a 16+ year run, seven of those as editor in chief, this is my last day with @LAmag." Wallace tweeted "Today will be my last at @LAmag."

Hour Media CEO Stefan Wanczyk told The Los Angeles Times: Of the 140 employees of the four Emmis titles, we did not offer employment to eight of the employees."

He added that Hour Media would replace the editors in the near future.

Emmis announced last August it would put several of its magazines up for sale to focus on core radio properties, including Power106 FM in Los Angeles. It sold one of its titles, Texas Monthly, to the Hobby family for $25 million last fall.

It is always difficult to make a decision to sell, but this step helps us to continue to address our debt leverage and to focus on our growth initiatives, Emmis chairman and CEO Jeff Smulyan stated

Emmis has now divested all of its publishing assets except for its hometown Indianapolis Monthly, which it intends to keep.

Hour Media Group acquired the Palm Beach Media Group in January, which includes Palm Beach Illustrated and Naples Illustrated.

Hour Media now publishes more than 70 magazines and custom titles.
Adweek, Friday, March 3, 2017 9 AM

IBM is highlighting the more artistic side of its AI capabilities while honoring one of Spains most famous architects. For the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, IBM asked Watson super computer to comprehend Antoni Gaudis greatest works, such as La Pedrera, to create a unique sculpture for the annual trade show.

IBM also tracked conversations related to topics including robotics, big data, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things and analyzed emotions such as joy and openness.

Read the whole story at Adweek 
by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, March 3, 2017

In its latest music-focused engagement effort, M&Ms is inviting fans to create their own music beats for a chance to have their work featured in an upcoming TV ad.

At bitesizebeats.com, fans can use a graphic interface featuring the M&Ms candies mascots to combine premixed beats, effects, melodies and voices; share them on the brands Facebook and Twitter pages (using #bitesizebeat), and listen to others creations.

Top consumer beats saved on the site will be featured in upcoming M&M's commercials or the brands social media channels.

The user-generated content promotion is another example of how were continuing to find innovative ways to connect with M&Ms fans around music, said brand director Tanya Berman.

The Mars Chocolate North America brand is using social media, a 15-second promotional video (below) and PR to get the word out.
Because stem cells have the ability to transform into many different types of cells during the bodys early development, embryonic stem cell research offers unique insights into how an organism grows from a single cell. For the first time, scientists have now been able to create a mouse embryo entirely artificially.

Share on Pinterest Researchers have modeled a mouse embryo, here shown at 72 hours, using exclusively stem cells.

Image credit: Berna Sozen-Kaya, Zernicka-Goetz Laboratory, University of Cambridge



Stem cells are crucial for the development of living organisms. At the very beginnings of an embryo, these cells will form the entire organism, including the cells that form the bodys vital organs and tissues, such as the heart, lungs, and skin.

During its first 3 to 5 days, the human or mammalian embryo is called a blastocyst. The blastocyst is made up of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) that are generated by the egg after it has been fertilized by a sperm.

The blastocyst also contains trophoblast stem cells (TSCs), which will create the placenta, and primitive endoderm stem cells that will form the yolk sac  a membranous sac that provides nutrients to the developing embryo and forms before the placenta.
A new study shows further evidence for the view that spending too much time sitting down is bad for our health and our waistline.

Research led by Dr William Tigbe, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick found workers who have a desk-bound job have bigger waists and increased risk of heart disease. It supports advice to sit less and be more active; as much as seven hours a day on your feet, and walking seven miles, may be needed to avoid heart disease.

Dr Tigbe kitted out 111 healthy Glaswegian postal workers with activity monitors for seven days; 55 were office workers and 56 delivered post for a living. The study revealed differences between the two groups. Those who had desk jobs had a bigger waist circumference - 97 cm compared to 94 cm - and approximately one BMI unit difference. They also had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease - 2.2% compared to 1.6% over ten years.

The new study suggests that waist circumference increases by two centimetres, and risk of cardiovascular diseases by 0.2%, for every additional hour of sitting on top of five hours.

Furthermore, bad cholesterol (LDL) increases and good cholesterol (HDL) decreases with each additional hour of sitting from five hours a day.

Dr Tigbe said: "Longer time spent in sedentary posture is significantly associated with larger waist circumference, higher triglycerides (fat in the blood) and lower HDL cholesterol, all adding up to worse risk of heart disease. The levels associated with zero risk factors were walking more than 15,000 steps per day, which is equivalent to walking seven to eight miles, or spending seven hours per day upright.

"Our findings could be used as the basis of new public health targets for sitting, lying, standing and stepping to avoid metabolic risks.

"However the levels suggested in our research would be very challenging to achieve unless incorporated into people's occupations."

The study participants wore a tiny physical activity and position monitor called activPAL, invented by co-authors from Glasgow Caledonian University, strapped to their thigh for seven days, except during activities that risk it being in contact with water, e.g. bathing or swimming. They also had their weight, height and blood pressure measured, and provided blood samples. Cardiovascular risks were assessed using the PROCAM risk calculator which takes into account age, sex, family history, blood pressure and metabolic measures.

The study took place between took place between September 2006 and September 2007 and volunteers were recruited from the Royal Mail in Glasgow. Only apparently healthy, non-smokers, with no personal history of myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, coronary heart disease, hypertension or diabetes were included. None of the participants was on any lipid, blood pressure or glucose lowering medication.

Fellow researcher Professor Mike Lean of the University of Glasgow's School of Medicine said: "In this research we have learned important information, relevant to health in modern working lives, by studying the activity patterns of postal workers, one of the last physically active occupations left in UK."

"Our evolution, to become the human species, did not equip us well to spending all day sitting down. We probably adapted to be healthiest spending seven to eight hours every day on our feet, as hunters or gatherers. "

"Our new research supports that idea. The 'bottom' line is that if you want to be sure of having no risks of heart disease, you must keep off your bottom!"

The researchers urge further study of this topic is conducted in order to inform health policy makers.

The research was part of Dr Tigbe's PhD project.
Between 3 and 5% of the population suffer from a form of inflammatory rheumatism. It affects approximately 250,000 - 400,000 people in Austria. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the commonest and also the most dangerous forms of this inflammatory rheumatic disease. Around 30% of patients achieve remission, that is to say successful control of symptoms, after just one or two years. However, despite frequent changes in treatment, many other patients have to endure the active form of the disease on an ongoing basis. A multicentre, multinational study headed up by rheumatologist Daniel Aletaha of MedUni Vienna as principal investigator has now shown that a new drug (sirukumab) is a very promising treatment option for these "refractory" patients. The study has now been published in the world-leading journal The Lancet.

Nowadays, treatments for rheumatoid arthritis are changed very quickly, once it is established that one is failing to effect any significant improvement. This means that many patients can be helped very quickly. On the other hand, there are patients who do not show any significant improvement even after the second or third biologic drug treatment - typically with TNF inhibitors (which blockade the Tumour Necrosis Factor TNF, which is involved in systemic inflammation). The new drug now offers a new option for such patients.

This is the result of one of the largest multicentre, international studies so far into difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis, focussing on this new mechanism of action, an interleukin-6 cytokine blockade. In this treatment, the monoclonal antibody sirukumab directly inhibits the messenger substance IL-6, which, like TNF, is responsible for inflammatory processes in the joints.

"We were able to demonstrate this in one of the largest study populations to date, with around 900 patients in 35 countries. Despite having previously received treatments with biologic drugs, these patients still had a persistently active disease. Treatment options had been practically exhausted for many of these patients. However, even in this group of patients, treatment with sirukumab brought about a significant reduction in the inflammatory action of the disease," explains Daniel Aletaha of MedUni Vienna's Department of Medicine III (Division of Rheumatology, Head: Josef Smolen).

The efficacy and safety of sirukumab were tested in two different dosages (injections of 50 mg every 4 weeks or 100 mg every 2 weeks). The 100 mg dosage proved to be slightly more effective. "These results are very significant in the case of a progressive, inflammatory, musculoskeletal disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, especially for those patients who are resistant to treatment," says the MedUni Vienna expert. The drug could be approved very soon.

At the same time, the new findings with sirukumab could lead to new efficacy studies being instigated for other inflammatory diseases, such as other forms of arthritis or other inflammatory diseases, e.g. vasculitis. There may also be other indications in areas other than rheumatology.
In a study published in Nature Genetics, Dr Saumya Jamuar, co-founder of Global Gene Corp and a visiting scientist at Harvard Medical School, under the supervision of Prof Christopher Walsh and A/Prof Timothy Yu of Harvard Medical School, reports on a new disease entity that they discovered in their quest to map novel human disorders related to brain development.

The new syndrome, referred to as 'Developmental Split-Brain syndrome' is caused by biallelic mutations in the human Deleted in Colorectal Carcinoma (DCC) gene. It can lead to symptoms including intellectual disability, horizontal gaze palsy, mirror movements and scoliosis. This disorder affects individuals soon after birth (and in case 3, even during pregnancy) although the clinical features may not be obvious until an older age.

The hallmark feature of this syndrome is the distinct pattern on brain imaging, and includes agenesis of corpus callosum, absent anterior and hippocampal commissures and ventral midline brain malformations.

Although, this condition is rare, the phenomenon of split brain has been intensely studied with implications on brain organization. There are also explicit connections between split brains and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and Asperger syndrome. The findings may also have implications in improving our understanding of common disorders such as scoliosis and strabismus.

The discovery is as a result of an international collaborative effort to study the DCC gene in three families from different regions of the globe (Mexico, USA and Saudi Arabia) who remarkably shared similar clinical and radiological features. On detailed neuroimaging, the team discovered that the central defect was lack of connection between the right and left side of the brain (technical term: disruption of midline commissural tracts).

"This work highlights the need for international collaborative work by building networks and integrating deep clinical and radiological information into research." says Dr Jamuar. "After working on family 1, we reached out to our collaborators and were struck by the similarity between the images of family 1 and family 2. That's when we realized that we had found a novel disease entity. The imaging, plus other findings in our patients, demonstrates that the left and right halves of the brain lack the structures necessary to talk to one another - effectively splitting it into two separate halves."

"It was really exciting when we saw the mutation in DCC - a reunion with an old scientific friend," says Yu, who studied the gene in roundworms as a graduate student in the 1990s. "At a symposium nearly 20 years ago, I had to explain to an audience full of parents and pediatricians how this really elementary work might relate to their children and patients with autism and ADHD. I talked about how one day we may find that the fundamental mechanisms controlling the wiring of neural circuitry could be disrupted in human neurodevelopmental disorders, too - but it was all theoretical. Finding the complete knockout now feels like it completes the circle."

The researchers will continue to search for more such patients who may have aberrations along the same genetic pathway, and hope that their findings will help improve the understanding of how the brain develops.
Trump suit

The Trump campaign's national-security policy representative for the Republican National Convention, J.D. Gordon, told CNN on Thursday that he pushed to alter an amendment to the GOP's draft policy on Ukraine at the Republican National Convention last year to further align it with President Donald Trump's views.

Gordon's remarks represent a dramatic shift from previous comments, and they come as Attorney General Jeff Sessions faces intense scrutiny over two previously undisclosed meetings with Russia's ambassador to the US  one of which was timed to the convention.

In January, Gordon told Business Insider that he "never left" his "assigned side table" nor spoke publicly at the GOP national security subcommittee meeting, where the amendment  which originally called for "providing lethal defense weapons" to the Ukrainian army to fend off Russian-backed separatists  was read aloud, debated, and ultimately watered down to "providing appropriate assistance" to Ukraine.

According to CNN's Jim Acosta, however, Gordon said that at the RNC he and others "advocated for the GOP platform to include language against arming Ukrainians against pro-Russian rebels" because "this was in line with Trump's views, expressed at a March national security meeting at the unfinished Trump hotel" in Washington, DC.

"Gordon says Trump said at the meeting ... that he didn't want to go to 'World War Three' over Ukraine," Acosta said.

Trump's apparent involvement in steering the language change  Gordon reportedly told CNN that "this was the language Donald Trump himself wanted and advocated for back in March [2016]"  is also at odds with what Gordon told Business Insider in January, when he said "neither Mr. Trump nor Mr. Manafort were involved in those sort of details, as they've made clear."

JD Gordon

When asked why he told Acosta that Trump did weigh in on the subject, when he told BI in January that neither Trump nor Manafort were involved, Gordon emphasized that he had told BI that Trump was not involved "in the details" of the platform.

Story continues

"Meaning they weren't part of the process to write, draft, edit the document, or weigh in with the delegates at all," Gordon said in an email. "That said, the overarching thought of better relations with Russia was certainly their strategic position."

Paul Manafort was Trump's campaign manager from April through August. He served as a top adviser to a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine from 2004 to 2012 and helped the Russia-friendly strongman Viktor Yanukovych win the Ukrainian presidency in 2010.

An unverified dossier presented to Trump in January by top US intelligence officials alleges that Trump "agreed to sideline" the issue of Russian intervention in Ukraine during his campaign after Russia promised to feed the emails it stole from prominent Democrats' inboxes to WikiLeaks. The dossier also claims Manafort was receiving "kickback payments" from Yanukovych's associates in Ukraine, where Manafort "had been commercially active ... right up to the time (in March 2016) when he joined campaign team."

Manafort and Trump later denied having anything to do with softening the language of the GOP's platform on Ukraine.

"I wasn't involved in that," Trump said in an interview with ABC after the convention. "Honestly, I was not involved."

But he said his supporters were. "They softened it, I heard, but I was not involved," he said.

'Authority and responsibility to shape the GOP platform'

"There was nothing different in what I told you and Jim," Gordon said in an email, referring to Acosta. "His tweet was an issue of semantics, which I've shared with him just now to ensure we're all on the same page."

"The RNC & Trump Campaign intent @ GOP Platform Week was to 'prevent' adding any glaring contradictions to the draft GOP Platform we brought to Cleveland and previously stated Trump positions," Gordon added. "This included the notion that arming Ukraine would have been contrary to the goal of improved relations with Russia."

"The RNC and Nominee's Campaign have the authority and responsibility to shape the GOP Platform," Gordon said. "Delegates who have their amendments defeated in part and in whole should understand the process."

Gordon said in January that neither Trump nor Manafort was involved in the platform change, however. He also said his only role as a Trump campaign representative at GOP Committee Week  which took place in the week before the RNC's kickoff  was "to monitor the process and facilitate any questions from delegates."

Campaign representatives are not permitted to publicly debate the merits of an amendment at a subcommittee platform meeting, a member of the subcommittee told Business Insider on the condition of anonymity.

Sergey Kislyak

USA Today on Thursday reported that Gordon and another former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page, met with Russia's ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyak, at the RNC. Gordon said he considered it "an informal conversation just like my interactions with dozens of other ambassadors and senior diplomats in Cleveland."

According to CNN, Gordon said he and Kislyak discussed the Trump campaign's "goal to forge a better US relationship with Russia." He added that he briefed Deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders about the meetings on Thursday, according to CNN.

Sanders told BI in an email that she and Gordon spoke on Thursday "for about three minutes, mostly about the conference logistics  how many people, who put it on, how many ambassadors, etc. It was far from a briefing and JD was a volunteer on an advisory committee on the campaign."

Gordon insisted in January that his only role as a Trump campaign representative at GOP Committee Week  which took place in the week before the RNC's kickoff  was "to monitor the process and facilitate any questions from delegates."

"This is standard practice," he said, "yet the media unfortunately reported it as something out of the ordinary."

Diana Denman, the GOP delegate who proposed amending the Ukraine platform to include the "lethal weapons" language, contradicted Gordon's version of events in an interview with Business Insider in January. She said Gordon and another Trump campaign representative asked the cochairmen of the subcommittee to table the amendment after she read it aloud.

"Two men sitting over to the side of the room  I had no idea who they were but later found out they were Trump representatives  jumped up and tore over to get behind the three cochairmen," she said.

Gordon then left the room to make a phone call, Denman said. Equal parts confused and angry over her proposal being scuttled, Denman said she confronted Gordon about whom he was calling.

"I'm calling New York," Gordon replied, according to Denman.

"I work for Mr. Trump, and I have to clear it," she recalled him saying, apparently in reference to the amendment.

Gordon said in an email at the time that Denman "sought to significantly elevate the Ukraine-Russia issue beyond the already strong position of RNC and Trump campaign," so the language had to be watered down.

But the committee member present at the meeting, who requested anonymity to discuss the deliberations, said "the language of Diana's original amendment didn't seem strong."

"It was controversial if you hold Donald Trump's express views on Russia, but it wasn't controversial with regard to GOP orthodoxy on the issue," the committee member said."This change definitely came from Trump staffers  not from RNC staffers."

This story has been updated to include comments from Gordon and Sanders.

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Recently, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital's Wellman Center for Photomedicine have made a breakthrough for spotting and studying this elusive molecule in skin. Sam Osseiran, a scientist on the team lead by Harvard University professor Conor Evans, will present their findings at the OSA Biophotonics Congress: Optics in the Life Sciences meeting.The Evans group's research centers around the use of a high-resolution imaging technique called coherent anti-Stokes Raman Scatterings (CARS) microscopy, a variant of the more widely used Raman spectroscopy that enables chemically-specific imaging by means of detecting molecular vibrations.Evans, whose translational research group specializes in microscopy and spectroscopy for understanding cancer and dermatology afflictions, says the common assumption about locating and imaging pheomelanin is that "there's really no good way to see this mostly invisible pigment when it occurs in skin."But Massachusetts General's chief of dermatology, David Fischer, approached Evans and they decided to collaborate. Evans' research team took on the pheomelanin imaging challenge. "So my team put our heads together, scouring for ways to see it," Evans said.While another optical technology, called transient absorption microscopy, does offer possibilities for studying pheomelanin, this method is complex and does not easily lend itself to clinical practice."We started to look through the Raman literature," Evans said. "Raman spectroscopy is a very mature technique that allows you to detect molecules by their unique chemical vibrations, which are themselves derived from the structure of the molecules. CARS microscopy is a coherent Raman tool that is akin to using a tuning fork to specifically detect molecular structures."Fortunately, CARS microscopy proved successful for imaging pheomelanin. "Pheomelanin has a unique chemical structure, there is nothing else like it in the body," Evans said. "So, we started to look at the molecular structure and noticed there was a corresponding unique molecular vibration that might be useful for imaging the pigment with CARS microscopy."Evans gives much of the credit to his research team, Sam Osseiran and post-doctoral researcher Tracy Wang, for leading the way in developing and refining the CARS microscopy method for imaging pheomelanin. In general, CARS microscopy utilizes two lasers focused on a sample whose energy difference is "tuned" to specific molecular vibrations to generate high resolution imaging information."The work led by Tracy was really rather novel application of CARS microscopy to target this biomolecule which no one else has tried to do before," Osseiran said. "We adjusted our system and aligned and tuned everything so that we could specifically target this one melanin pigment, pheomelanin."Serendipitously, while developing their CARS imaging method, the group found a complementary method that could be used for the simultaneous detection of eumelanin called sum-frequency absorption (SFA) microscopy. SFA makes use of a signal modulation scheme that can detect both species of melanin. This additional imaging tool is important, as most humans produce both species within skin, making mapping the distribution and quantity of both pigments important."Sum-frequency absorption imaging allows you to visualize where all the melanin absorbers are within tissue," said Evans. "As both CARS and SFA can be carried out at the same time, these two techniques can be used together to simultaneously image both melanin pigments."Wang and Osseiran believe their CARS and SFA method could be very helpful for future research on melanoma and its treatment, as well as observing the changes that occur with melanin species in different states. "We are adding another tool to our utility belt here in our investigations of melanoma," Osseiran said.The study's original motivator, David Fischer, believes that a very important benefit of the work might be its potential role in diagnosing cancer."This may offer a brand-new tool for early diagnosis for some of the most lethal melanomas, possibly at a stage when they might still be curable," said Fisher. "Time and time again, it is proven that early diagnosis saves lives."Source: Eurekalert
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Despite prohibitive laws on possession and use of cannabis being introduced in the 1960s, cannabis use has increased in most parts of the world, suggesting the laws have had little effect on use and abuse. Uruguay and a number of US states, including California, Oregon, Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, Washington, Nevada, and Colorado allow cannabis to be sold for recreational purposes. Canada is set to legalize its recreational use in 2017 and several European countries, including Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands, have lessened or abolished sanctions on possession and use.The main active compounds found in cannabis are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). High potency cannabis is high in THC with low (or absent) levels of CBD. This variety is commonly known as sinsemilla (Spanish meaning "without seed") or sometimes "skunk". Recent evidence suggests that CBD may protect against some of the detrimental effects of THC such as memory impairment and paranoia.Writing in a Personal View, the authors, from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London and UCL (UK), argue that the time has come to consider harm reduction in cannabis use.First, the authors say more focus on the harms of tobacco is needed since cannabis is frequently used with tobacco, particularly in Europe. For instance, smoke-free vapourizers could help reduce the harmful effects of smoke and avoid the highly addictive properties of tobacco.Secondly, they say that in countries where cannabis is legalized, the potency of cannabis could potentially be addressed. In parts of the USA where cannabis is legalized, THC is not regulated and extremely potent cannabis products (up to 75% THC) have gained popularity. Some policy makers in the Netherlands and Uruguay have suggested introducing a cap to limit THC content to 15% and more evidence is needed on the effect of these measures. Alternative options might include taxing cannabis according to THC content.However, the authors argue that these strategies might not be entirely successful, as cannabis users tend to prefer cannabis with a relatively high THC content. Instead, they argue that increasing the levels of CBD could reduce some of the harmful effects of cannabis, without compromising the effects users seek. More research into the harms posed by different levels of THC and CBD content is needed, and this information could potentially contribute to guidelines on safer cannabis use, similar to alcohol."Although most users will not develop problems from their cannabis use, it is vital, especially now that cannabis is becoming increasingly liberalised, that we explore alternative and innovative ways by which we can reduce and mitigate cannabis related harms" says Dr Amir Englund, lead author from King's College London."With the rapidly changing political climate around cannabis, the demand to effectively reduce cannabis-related harms has never been greater, and more research is urgently needed to inform policy decisions. A strategy based on increasing the content of CBD in cannabis might be especially promising because CBD can offset several harms associated with cannabis without compromising its rewarding effects."Dr Tom Freeman, a co-author and Senior Research Fellow for the Society for the Study of Addiction said: "In the last eight years, the number of people in the UK entering specialist treatment for cannabis increased by over 50%. During the same time period, street cannabis has become increasingly strong with high levels of THC and little or no CBD. Further research on CBD is now needed - both to investigate its potential role in mitigating the harmful effects of THC in cannabis, but also as a potential treatment for the minority of people who develop problematic cannabis use. Efforts to reduce the common practice of mixing cannabis with tobacco could potentially prevent people progressing to nicotine dependence, providing a substantial benefit for public health."Source: Eurekalert
Bollywoods newest student of the year, Tiger Shroff is known to keep his personal life under wraps. The actor, who is shy by nature, prefers to stay away from the piercing eyes of the media once he is done promoting his films. Not someone to be spotted at celebrity parties, Tiger is quite the boy-next-door of B-Town. So, when he got caught in a flirtatious conversation with a girl named Cemora on Twitter, we couldn't help but delve deeper. Heres how the conversation with this girl who goes by the handle @one_miss_wander started on Twitter. Tiger spotted a video posted by Cemora from Romania that has some foot-tapping music. Curious to know more, Tiger retweeted it with this comment.

The early bird catches the earworm. :P Met some fellow mad nomads. #NowPlaying - The Gypsies. Tune in! #MadNomad pic.twitter.com/zjOWzdIp3a - Cemora (@one_miss_wander) March 1, 2017

Hey Cemora, music like that shouldnt be enjoyed alone. Care for some company? @one_miss_wander ;) #MadNomad https://t.co/U8Eg9wfMU5 - Tiger Shroff (@iTIGERSHROFF) March 1, 2017

And thats how the conversation started.

.@iTIGERSHROFF I wouldn't mind company, but I hear a tiger is a rare sight in Romania. :P #MadNomad - Cemora (@one_miss_wander) March 1, 2017

I see what you did there :) Let's catch up when you're back @one_miss_wander #MadNomad https://t.co/0CoyH45Xtn - Tiger Shroff (@iTIGERSHROFF) March 1, 2017

Whats more, Cemora even sent out a special birthday postcard to Tiger from Berlin.

Hey @tigerjackieshroff, here's to another year of bustin' some killer moves... These guys are up for it too. #Moowalking #HappyBirthday #Love #MadNomad A post shared by Cemora (@one_miss_wander) on Mar 2, 2017 at 9:31am PST

Going by the series of tweets, it looks like Tiger and Cemora have known each other for a while. We wonder who is this mysterious nomad that has taken B-town by storm. After her quirky interactions with Bani J and Parineeti Chopra, Tiger Shroff seems to be the next celebrity who is in awe of her solo trip to Europe.
Netflix is probably the best thing to happen to all of us and with the huge variety of shows they provide, there is always a new one to binge-watch. Netflixs original content line-up has been growing each year and 2017 has a lot of new and exciting shows in store for us. Here are our top picks.

1. Iron Fist

 netflix

Premiering on 17th March

This Finn Jones starrer will be Netflixs fourth Marvel series. The show will follow Danny Rands return to the Big Apple after being presumed dead for 15 years. He will be seen fighting the criminal activities corrupting New York City with his master kung-fu skills along with his ability to summon the power of the fiery Iron Fist, which strikes opponents with superhuman impact. The show will also star Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing, Iron Fists samurai ally, and David Wenham as the ruthless corporate leader, Harold Meachum.

2. Bill Nye Saves The World

 netflix

Premiering on 21st April

This upcoming talk show will be hosted by everyones favourite, Bill Nye, The Science Guy. Reportedly an unfiltered talk show, it will explore topics such as climate change, alternative medicine, video games, and sex from a scientific point of view, whilst also refuting myths and anti-scientific claims. The show will also feature fashion model Karlie Kloss, science YouTuber and educator Derek Muller, comedian Nazeem Hussain, comedian and writer Joanna Hausmann, and the TV host and producer Emily Calandrelli as correspondents.

3. Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later

 netflix

The upcoming satirical comedy acts as both a sequel to the 2001 film Wet Hot American Summer as well as a prequel to the 2015 television series Wet Hot American Summer : First Day Of Camp. As the name suggests, the show will be set in 1991, ten years after the events of the movie, and will have the summer camp located near Waterville, Maine and New York City as its setting.

4. Mindhunters

 netflix

Premiering in October 2017

Based on the book Mind Hunter: Inside FBIs Elite Serial Crime Unit written by Mark Olshaker and John E. Douglas, the drama series will be set in 1979 and will follow two FBI agents Hollden Ford and Bill Tench, played by Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany respectively, who interview imprisoned serial killers to try to solve ongoing cases.

5. El Chapo

 Twitter

As the name suggests, the series will be following the life story of the notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman. Netflix will be partnering with Univiosion for this drama series.

6. The Defenders

 netflix

Premiering mid-2017

This series will see all four of Netflixs street-level Marvel heroes  Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter), and Iron Fist (Finn Jones)  join forces and will be set a few months after the events of the second season of Daredevil.

7. Big Mouth

 Twitter

Based on real life best friends Nick Kroll (Kroll Show) and Andrew Goldbergs (Family Guy) teenage years, the show is described as an edgy and surreal comedy. Comedians Kroll and and John Mulaney will voice the central characters of Nick and Andrew, respectively, and the rest of the voice cast will include Maya Rudolph, Jason Mantzoukas, Jordan Peele, Fred Armisen, Jenny Slate and Jessi Klein.

8. Gypsy

 Twitter

The series will feature Naomi Watts as Jean Holloway "a therapist who begins to develop dangerous and intimate relationships with the people in her patients lives", with Billy Crudup portraying her husband. Along with that, Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam-Taylor Johnson will direct the first two episodes, as well as serve as an executive producer.
Adding another feather to its cap, The Indian Navy has successfully test-fired a missile from the first ever made in India Scorpene submarine, called the Kalvari. The sub fired an Exocet SM 39 missile at a decommissioned tugboat.

 BCCL

The Kalvari can carry up to 18 torpedoes and travel 1,020 kms underwater. The Lkalvari is a part of Project 75, under which the Indian Navy was authorized to build six submarines in collaboration with French firm DCNS. The last submarine to be built in India was actually commissioned to the Navy and was called Shankul. The other 5 submarines will roll-out in the following nine months. More specifications of the Submarine are still to be revealed.

 indianexpress
OnePlus has been busy launching its next flagship smartphone and if the rumours are correct, the phone has been dubbed the OnePlus 5. Some of the specs have been surfacing online and a new report from South Korea suggests that the OnePlus 5 is going to be packed with specs that will compete with the likes of Galaxy S8 and other premium smartphones.

 YouTube

The report from South Korea suggests that the new OnePlus device will feature a dual-edge display much like the S7 Edge and is going to be the key feature of the handset. The smartphone is also rumoured to have a 16-megapixel selfie camera and a 23-megapixel rear camera. Much like the OnePlus 3 and the 3T, it is said that the phone will sport 6GB RAM or might even have a slight upgrade with 8GB of RAM.

The company is also looking to increase the inbuilt storage capacity to 256GB and might have a ceramic body. It will also sport Qualcomms latest chipset i.e the Snapdragon 835, which has been rumoured to be on the Galaxy S8 as well. If you are wondering why the flagship phone will be named the OnePlus 5 and not OnePlus 4, it has to do with a Chinese superstition where they consider the number 4 unlucky.

 YouTube

There is no confirmation from OnePlus if these rumours are said to be true and we're waiting for the company to make any announcement regarding its upcoming smartphone. Of course, as with all rumours and leaks, we advise readers to take the above information about the OnePlus 5 with a pinch of salt, as the company has yet to make any real announcements and the credibility of the sources cannot be independently verified.
Deadly road accidents are common in China, where traffic regulations are often flouted or go unenforced by police (AFP Photo/AFP) (AFP/File)

Ten people were killed and another 38 injured when a passenger bus collided with a cement truck in southwestern China, state media reported on Friday.

The collision late Thursday in Yunnan province, near the border with Myanmar, tossed the bus on its side and flipped the cement truck off the road, Xinhua news agency said.

Nine people were killed instantly while another died after being taken to hospital, the report said.

Deadly road accidents are common in China, where traffic regulations are often flouted or go unenforced by police.

There were more than 180,000 traffic accidents in 2015, causing 58,000 deaths, authorities said in December.

The country's frequently overcrowded long-distance buses are particularly prone to high fatalities.

At least 18 people were killed when a minibus plunged into a lake in the central city of Wuhan in December, state media reported earlier.

In November, a pile-up on an expressway in the northern province of Shanxi killed 17 people and damaged 56 vehicles.
More than a decade after withdrawing its operations from Saudi Arabia, Citigroup Inc. C is making efforts to re-enter the region. The New York-based bank is currently in discussions for acquiring a banking license in Saudi Arabia, as it is trying to capitalize on the countrys financial reforms.



Per people familiar with the matter, Citigroups Chief Operating Officer for the Middle East and Africa, and a senior private banker of the firms operations are involved in discussions with the Saudi Arabian regulators.



Though the company is optimistic about receiving the license, it is apprehensive that the talks could fail at the last stage. Without a license from the Capital Market Authority (CMA)  the regulatory body in Saudi Arabia for applying for full financial, legal, and administrative independence  international banks face hurdles on working on deals signed in the country.



In 2004, as part of Citigroups strategy to focus on countries where they could control a majority stake, the bank sold its 20% stake in Samba Financial Group to Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund for $760 million. Hence, the company lost a key banking license, putting pressure on the banks activities in the country.



In 2015, the company won a license to trade in Saudi equities, while last year it played an important role of being the leading advisor on the countrys first international bond sale. Further, Citigroup has provided more finance to the borrowers in the country as compared with other banks like JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM and Deutsche Bank AG DB, who have operations there.



Per the Citigroup officials, the bank now has excess capital and Saudi Arabias plans to boost, restructure and privatize their economy, will prove beneficial. After the Saudi economy opened up for Foreign Direct Investments in Jun 2015, the bank has been directly investing in companies listed on Saudi stock exchange.



Shares of Citigroup gained 7.4% over the last three months; underperforming the 8.5% gain for the Zacks categorized Major Regional Banks.

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Currently, this stock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).



A better-ranked stock in the same industry is Bank of America Corp. BAC. The company has witnessed an upward earnings estimate revision of 6% for the current year in the past 60 days. Its share price has been up 88.89% for the past one year. This stock carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



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Ten US officials from across the government have told NBC News that, so far, no "truly significant intelligence" has come from the SEAL raid in Yemen that killed Senior Chief William "Ryan" Owens, the 8-year-old American daughter of Al Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki, and as many as 30 civilians.

Navy SEALs carrying out the January 29 mission were able to seize laptops, hard drives, and cellphones, the Pentagon told NBC News, but the intelligence gathered so far has reportedly not proven actionable or vital.

NBC's latest report about the paucity of the intelligence gleaned from the raid comes after President Donald Trump's speech to Congress on Tuesday and contradicts his assertion that, according to Defense Secretary James Mattis, the raid "generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories."

A senior US official told the Associated Press that information gathered from the compound included details about Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's training regimen and targeting priorities  Pentagon officials confirmed the recovery of that information to NBC News, but downplayed its significance. One official called it "de minimis."

Other sources have affirmed the value of the intelligence gathered by the SEALs.

One US official told NBC News that it contained hundreds of contact details from a variety of communications applications, hinting at possible connections to the US and Europe.

Donald Trump James Mattis

A senior Pentagon official told The Washington Examiner that the intelligence had already produced leads on AQAP operations in Yemen and on contacts between people.

"This is a place where we have no troops on the ground," the official told The Examiner, "so this kind of intelligence can be very valuable." The official also said Mattis was displeased with NBC News' report because he viewed it as inaccurate.

Story continues

The fatal raid has become a polarizing issue for Trump's still-young term. In the aftermath, Trump appeared to put blame for the mission on Obama administration officials and on military officials who planned it.

Trump also singled out Owens' widow during his speech to Congress this week, drawing sustained applause from those in attendance. While some viewed it as a presidential moment to commemorate Owens' sacrifice, others have criticized it as an unsavory spectacle that harvested Owens' death and his wife's grief for political purposes.

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of Foreign Ministry's ST2 Directorate for Telecommunications and Information Technologies
Mr. President,

At the outset I would like to congratulate you on the assumption of the Presidency of the Conference on Disarmament and to wish you all the success in your endeavors.

It is indeed an honour for me to address once again the Conference on Disarmament, the single permanent negotiating forum for disarmament, which has from its inception, set the framework for numerous important multilateral treaties that guided the global community through detente, to the post-Cold War environment. In todays turbulent world, the Conference on Disarmament is called to once again stand up to the challenges the international community is confronted with. Today it is more important than ever that the longstanding deadlock is broken by restarting negotiations on pivotal issues such as the Fissile Material Cut Off Treaty (FMCT), which is after all the 'next logical step' towards nuclear disarmament and at the same time, to address other pressing issues in the field of disarmament.

We believe that Resolution 71/259, titled  Treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, voted in the UN General Assembly, is guiding the process in the positive direction as it calls upon states to . . . consider and make recommendations on substantial elements of a future non-discriminatory, multilateral internationally and effectively verifiable treaty, banning production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. . .

At the same time we cannot ignore the fact that deliberations during the 71rst UNGA were also divisive. That was the case of the Resolution 71/258 Taking forward Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament Negotiations which established a negotiating mandate for a legally binding treaty aimed at banning nuclear weapons.

In our view it is high time we left behind the current inertia of this important negotiating forum and take advantage of important initiatives regularly tabled in the UN First Committee. As in previous years, Greece, along with the rest of the EU member states, supported Resolution 71/259 on the "Treaty Banning the Prohibition of Fissile Material for Nuclear Weapons or other Nuclear Explosive Devices (FMCT)". We remain steadfast in the belief that, in the effort to achieve in the long run a world free of nuclear weapons, the way forward towards complete and verifiable nuclear disarmament is through a realistic step-by-step approach. An appropriate first step would be a fissile material treaty.

Allow me now to turn to an issue to which Greece attaches great importance, given that we are the longest-standing observer of the CD, since 1982. I am referring to the question of enlargement, which is foreseen in Rule 2 of the CD Rules of Procedure, according to which "The membership of the Conference will be reviewed at regular intervals". We are of the view that there is no reason or moral justification to exclude UN member States from disarmament discussions, all the more so because of the universal nature of the United Nations. In a time when universal challenges require collective solutions through global partnerships, it is indeed an anachronism to restrict participation in negotiations on disarmament issues to only sixty five countries. It is equally counterproductive to hold Enlargement hostage to bilateral issues which have absolutely no relevance to the subject matter of the Conference on Disarmament.

In conclusion, Mr. President, given the multiple challenges which the world is facing today in the field of global security, we believe that the CD cannot afford to remain in constant deadlock and should finally begin substantive work, through the adoption of a Programme of Work. Recent initiatives in the First Committee, the inauguration of the 2020 NPT review cycle and the increasingly fragile global security environment, have set the stage for a constructive outlook.

Greece stands ready, as a responsible member of the international community, which participates in all of the principal instruments in the field of disarmament, to contribute constructively, in order for the CD to shed its stasis.

Thank you Mr. President.
Mr. President of the Human Rights Council,

Mr. High Commissioner for Human Rights,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honor for me to be here today and have the opportunity to address the Human Rights Council at its 34th session.

I would like to express my deep appreciation to the High Commissioner for Human Rights Mr Zeid Raad al Hussein for his work and assure him of Greeces continued support.

Mr. President,

The protection and promotion of Human Rights and fundamental freedoms constitute the defining principles of the Greek Constitution and an integral part of our legislation and our history. Human Rights are at the heart of our policy, both at national and international levels.

We are convinced that in order to strengthen the UN members-states ability to, promptly and effectively implement their human rights obligations, a consensus-based approach backed upon dialogue and collaboration is certainly more realistic and conduce to tangible results.

Greece remains committed to the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all fundamental rights, providing its full support to the multilateral human rights system within the United Nations. Consequently, we support the UN Human Rights Councils special Procedures and the UN Human Rights Treaty Body system.

In this vein, Greece maintains a standing invitation to all HRC Special Procedures and, during the recent years, has received a significant number of relevant official visits.

Additionally, in October 2015, Greece presented its Periodic Reports on the implementation of both the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In August 2016 presented its Periodic Report on the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

We are, also, fully involved in the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism. In May 2016, Greece presented its comprehensive national report to the Universal Periodic review Working Group at its 25th Session.

Greece has ratified almost all major international Conventions and Additional Protocols related to the protection of Human Rights. In 2014, my country ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, whereas the Greek Ombudsman has been designated as the national preventive mechanism under the above mentioned Protocol. Moreover the Convention on the Rights on Disabilities and its Optional Protocol and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance have already been ratified and enshrined in our national legislation.

Aiming at actively contributing and further promoting the important work of the Council, Greece presented its candidature for membership to the Human Rights Council for the period 2019-2021, hoping for your support. Greece has never been elected as a member to the HRC.

If elected, my country will continue working in a spirit of cooperation and constructive dialogue with all relevant UN bodies and member states, convinced of the added value of a consensus-based approach.

Mr President,

In the midst of the economic crisis, where the impact of fiscal austerity measures and of foreign debt burden on human rights has, unfortunately, become more than evident in our society, we are focusing our work in fora such as the Human Rights Council, on cross-regional initiatives aiming to tackle important social and economic rights such as: the right to work, the world drug problem, the enjoyment of cultural rights and the protection of cultural heritage, youth and human rights. Our attention in the area of economic, social and cultural rights emanates, also, from the fact that the promotion and protection of these rights is an interrelated component for the realization of Civil and Political Rights.

In the area of civil and political rights as such, we actively support a series of EU and other initiatives regarding the protection of the human rights defenders, the fight against racism and any other forms of discrimination including those based on religion, gender and sexual orientation. Additionally, considering that the promotion and protection of freedom of expression is a fundamental prerequisite for building inclusive democracies, we are one of the main sponsors of the Human Rights Council resolution for the safety of journalists and at the same time we have the leadership in the relevant resolution at the United Nations General Assemblys Third Committee.

At a national level, Greece remains fully committed with the constant aim to champion, protect and promote the Human Rights of all persons residing or transiting the countrys territory, excluding any form of racism or discrimination on ethnic, religious, gender or other grounds.

The harsh economic crisis that Greece has been enduring the last seven years is an extreme case of the broader crisis affecting many European countries. The impact of economic recession has been significant, leading to a sharp increase both of the percentage of the population living under the threshold of poverty and of the unemployment rate, including, in particular, youth unemployment. Believing that the way out of the severe economic crisis must be framed by policy measures which should be in full compliance with human rights, the Greek Government has been striving, while implementing the latest financial agreement, to protect the rights of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. I would like to point out that, regrettably, the international community and its institutions have not been able to design and implement a human rights-based response to debt crises and to conduct thorough human rights assessments.

Let me stress once again that the full enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights in Greece is a priority for our government. We insist that this issue figures prominently -and we expect that it will be taken fully into account- during the current discussions with the international institutions involved.

As regards the migration and refugee issue I stress once more that it remains a cause of major concern for us. It is very well known that Greece is facing a particularly strong migratory pressure due to its geographic position at the external border of EU. Since the beginning of 2015, more than 950,000 persons, mostly originating from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, have crossed the Greek sea borders with Turkey and reached the Greek islands. The vast majority of them are refugees fleeing from war and conflicts. For the time being, as a result of unilateral measures and the closure of the Western Balkans migratory route, more than 62.000 persons are stranded in Greece.

Greece despite the severe economic constraints of the past seven years, along with its European partners and the valuable support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is giving its utmost attention to the issue and continues to mobilize all its efforts to respond adequately to this alarming influx. My country devotes tremendous efforts (and financial resources) to rescue those people in need, (so far around 150.000 people), with the aid and mobilization of local population in our frontline islands and to ensure protection of the fundamental rights and human dignity of them, specifically of the vulnerable persons and groups, notably unaccompanied children, pregnant women, disabled persons, etc.

It goes without saying that an international crisis of such a magnitude can only be tackled through international cooperation and burden sharing.

Finally, in the context of national efforts to promote human rights, it is worth mentioning that Greece, in 2014, introduced its first Action Plan on Human Rights which for the time being is under review. Moreover, a National Action Plan on the Rights of the Child and a new Action Plan on Gender Equality aiming to address the challenges arising from the effects of the economic crisis are being elaborated. These efforts highlight our determination to continue to promote human rights for all with special focus to vulnerable groups.

Concluding, I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize the importance of mainstreaming Human Rights throughout the work of the Human Rights Council. In this respect, allow me to reiterate once more my countrys full commitment to the promotion of Human Rights and fundamental freedoms, and its determination to continue working closely to this end with all the UN Human Rights protection mechanisms and treaty bodies.
HARBOR BEACH  The Harbor Beach Community Hospital Foundation is hosting its European Tower Pheasant Hunt as its next fundraising event.

The event will be on Saturday, April 1, at the Rooster Ranch on Germania Road near Ubly, starting at 7:30 a.m. with registration and breakfast at 8:30 a.m. There will be a gun raffle setup for your enjoyment, practice clay pigeons, tower hunt, lunch and a walk up pheasant hunt with guides and dogs. The birds are cleaned by the ranch and distributed to the hunters. There will also be a gun raffle sponsored by Randy's Hunting Center and a 50/50. Vange Wolschleger made this wonderful pheasant quilt that will go home to some lucky winner. Tickets can be purchased at the hospital admitting office, and you do not need to be present to win.
CASEVILLE  The members of the Caseville Historical Society had their monthly meeting on Thursday, Feb. 16. There were 13 members present at Mccabee Hall, 6733 Prospect St., for the meeting.

President Rich Bass opened the meeting at 10 a.m. with a hearty welcome for all attendees. Bass called for the minutes of the previous meeting and the treasurers report to be presented. Both were presented and approved without changes. Bass reminded those present about the Spring Historical Society of Michigan Conference on March 3 and 4 in Sterling Heights. A brochure is available in the museum office for anyone interested in attending the conference.

The State Historical Societys next History Skills Workshop will cover disaster planning for historical organizations and will be presented on March 17. Bass circulated a sign-up sheet asking for volunteers to work at the museum over the next month.

The Membership Committee reported one new member, Marie Nicholl.

Events planned for the 2017 calendar year include the Ice Cream Social on May 28, the Ladies Luncheon on June 10, the Charity Island Picnic on July 20, the Cheeseburger Museum Aug. 11 through the 20, All Museum Weekend and Caseville Historical Museum Car Show Sept. 23 and 24, and the Harvest Dinner on Nov. 12.

President Rich Bass said the museum had three visitors over the past month. He said items have been recently donated by Virginia Leipprendt, Barbara Meyers, Jim Trope, Nancy Brown, the Caseville D.P.W. and Charlie Morden. The Acquisition Committee met following the monthly meeting to determine disposition on the newly donated items. Joyce Miller said the new display featuring a Ladies Dry Goods & Millinery Shop is in the planning and early set-up stage. The group is looking for donations or loans of items that would enhance this display. Items being sought include shelves or bins, an old cash register, vintage fabric, an old house dress to put on the mannequin, a glass front cabinet, sewing patterns and thread, notions, buttons-on-a card, a school dress, ankle socks, and undergarments. All items should be from the mid 1900s.

In support of the Genealogy Committee, Barb Eimers is available the first Thursday of each month at the museum to assist persons interested in researching family or building histories. Eimers has materials available to assist in this research and offers assistance between 1 to 4 p.m. on those Thursdays.

Reporting for the Development Committee, Rich Bass said the construction work will soon be completed. The first floor fireproofing has been completed and painted. Again, thanks were offered to D&D Construction, Last Call Drywall, All Pointes Services, Centerline Heating and Cooling, Jim Flock Plumbing, and Caseville True Value Hardware.

John Depner spoke on research he has completed on Civil War General George Mead.

The next meeting will be on Thursday, March 16. All meetings are open to the public and everyone is invited to attend. Meetings are a good way to interact and meet with others interested in preserving the history of the local, Caseville area.

For more information, call 989-856-9090, visit the web-site at www.thehchs.org/caseville, e-mail the group at chscm@comcast.net or like the group on Facebook
LAMOTTE TOWNSHIP  A 24-year-old Cass City woman was injured in a two-vehicle accident on M-53 near McAlpine Road Wednesday night.

According to the Sanilac County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called to the scene around 9:30 p.m., where the woman was traveling south on M-53 when she lost control on the icy roadway. She then crossed over the center line and struck a northbound pickup pulling a trailer with a vehicle on it. The pickup was driven by a 69-year-old Snover man.
BAD AXE  The Huron County Planning Commission will lose about 70 years of experience this month with the retirement of two veteran planners.

Commission Chair Clark Brock and Commissioner Joel Weber attended their last regular meeting Wednesday night, and Commissioner Robert Oakes presented them with certificates of appreciation.

 ... Its been educational, controversial at some times, enjoyable, and I appreciated the opportunity to serve, said Weber, who has served on the commission for more than 40 years.

He also thanked the past and present Huron County Board of Commission members for giving him that opportunity.

And Oakes commended Brock, who has been on the board for more than 29 years, for his service.

You did well here, Oakes said. And for somebody who is gracious to be able to take the swings and arrows of being the chair, and leading us through all of the things that you have led us through  all of these ups and downs  and for somebody who has done it correctly ... for your 30 years, and being chair; congratulations, and God speed, and we love you, man.

It has been a pleasure, Brock said. I have enjoyed ... all 29 years plus, and ... my dad told me years ago that, If youre in education, community service is a part of that. And I believed him completely, and have really enjoyed it. ... I have appreciated the support that we have had over the years. And I really appreciate the fact that even though there were times that people in the community didnt agree with the things that we were doing, they understood the things we were doing. So its really been great.

The board of commissioners has received two letters of interest for serving on the planning commission.

They were from Charles Bumhoffer of Sebewaing and William Renn of Chandler Township.

Interviews for seats on the planning commission will be at the March 21 county board meeting.

Weber and Brocks final meeting will be March 22, at a special meeting with Alan Bean of Spicer Group regarding the Huron County Master Plan.

Other issues that came before the planners included:

 An update by Apple Blossom Wind Farm officials, who said preparation for construction could begin as soon as March 13, depending on when frost laws are lifted.

 A Deerfield Wind Energy project update; it has been operating commercially since Feb. 22.

 Officials from Big Turtle Wind Farm Phase II gave an update on that project, and the planners reviewed the post-production sound modeling protocol.

 Robert Gaffke of Bloomfield Township presented his wishes for sound testing regarding his noise complaint resolution with Big Turtle II. Gaffke proposed stricter sound limitations than those covered by the county wind ordinance. Brock said that although the planning commission cannot require sound measurement outside the ordinance requirements, Gaffke may request it.

 Dale Hass of Dwight Township has filed a noise complaint with the Deerfield project. Scott Martin of Deerfield Wind Energy said a meeting was scheduled for Thursday morning with Hass to address the complaint.

 The planners reviewed Oliver Townships proposed zoning ordinance updates. There were questions about the townships classification of solar farms as being compatible with land preservation, which planners say conflicts with state law when it comes to farmland preservation.

 They also reviewed a proposed amendment to the Caseville Township zoning ordinance regarding storage structures.

 During public comment, Gaffke asked whether the amount spent on attorneys for appealing the Michigan Tax Tribunal ruling on the valuation of wind turbines could be made public. Brock noted that the planning commission was not privy to that information.

The next regular planning commission meeting will be at 7 p.m. April 5 at a location to be determined.
BAD AXE  A Lowell man who performed procedures on animals in Huron County years ago, was arraigned Wednesday in court for allegedly presenting himself as a licensed veterinarian and practicing veterinary medicine with a suspended license, according to the states attorney general.

Bruce Phillip Langlois, 57, was charged with three counts of unauthorized practice of veterinary medicine and habitual offender-third.

An investigation began after the state received complaints alleging Langlois continued to practice veterinary medicine until December 2016. Langlois is currently the owner of the Animal Hospital in Lowell.

He is also the owner of Spay and Neuter Express, a mobile clinic that offers low-cost surgeries for local pets. The mobile hospital came to Bad Axe in March 2013, and at that time, Langlois told the Tribune he conducted between 10,000 and 18,000 surgeries a year.

On Nov. 6, 2015, Langlois veterinary license was revoked due to numerous previous suspensions and continued practice despite those suspensions. Multiple pet owners alleged that Langlois performed veterinary services for their pet after Nov. 6, 2015. He provided pet owners with a 24-hour telephone number if any complications appeared with pets. Its alleged that Langlois was the only one with access to the hotline.

This man repeatedly violated the rules of his profession to the point of his license was revoked, but even that was not enough to stop him, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette stated in a news release. People like Mr. Langlois who believe they operate outside the law will end up facing consequences.

Langlois was arrainged in Huron County District Court on Wednesday. Judge David B. Herrington set bond at $10,000, 10 percent. He is scheduled to appear in court on March 16 for a probable cause conference and again on March 17 for a preliminary examination. Both proceedings are scheduled for 9 a.m.

As of Thursday, Langlois has posted bond and remains free.

If convicted, each charge is punishable by up to five years behind bars and/or a fine of $5,000.

It is a stark reminder that we must remain diligent and do our research when choosing who to trust with our pets health, Schuette stated.
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SAO PAULO, March 3 (Reuters) - The Mexican peso on Friday firmed to the strongest since the November U.S. elections after the U.S. Commerce Secretary said a sensible trade deal with Mexico could help the battered currency.

The peso strengthened 2 percent to 19.57 per dollar, the strongest in four months.

The peso had closed 2016 with its worst yearly performance since 2008 after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to pull the United States out of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Speaking on CNBC, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said those NAFTA fears pummeled the peso, which reached an all-time low on Jan. 11, and that a sensible trade deal would boost it.

Trump has also said he would slap a hefty tax on imports to the United States from Mexico to pay for a border wall.

Other Latin American currencies seesawed as traders avoided making big bets ahead of a speech by U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen later in the day.

Expectations of a U.S. rate increase in March, which could reduce the allure of high-yielding assets, have weighed on demand for emerging market currencies this week.

Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies at 1535 GMT: Stock indexes daily % YTD % change change Latest MSCI Emerging Markets 929.17 -0.77 8.59 MSCI LatAm 2579.68 -0.11 10.33 Brazil Bovespa 65897.25 0.06 9.41 Mexico IPC 47127.49 -0.34 3.25 Chile IPSA 4419.90 0 6.47 Chile IGPA 22122.11 0.02 6.69 Argentina MerVal 19043.56 0.4 12.56 Colombia IGBC 9878.89 0.08 -2.46 Venezuela IBC 37409.75 1.63 17.99 Currencies daily % YTD % change change Latest Brazil real 3.1439 0.20 3.35 Mexico peso 19.6380 1.82 5.63 Chile peso 657.3 -0.43 2.04 Colombia peso 2981.25 -0.32 0.68 Peru sol 3.29 -0.24 3.77 Argentina peso (interbank) 15.4700 -0.39 2.62 Argentina peso (parallel) 16 0.12 5.13 (Reporting by Bruno Federowski; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go.

Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune...
Here's a look at the most popular stories this week on Military.com: Hundreds Mourn Veteran Who Warned of 'Burn Pit' Hazards National Guard veteran Amie Muller believed deployments to Iraq caused the cancer that killed her. By Mark Brunswick | Read more Air Force Removes Posters at Langley AFB Following Sexism Complaints Several posters that had been on display for at least six years were removed from a wall at Langley Air Force Base after the National Organization for Women and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation complained that they were sexist, according to the Air Force. By Brock Vergakis | Read more Decorated Navy Captain Dies in Off-Duty Accident An Okinawa-based senior Navy officer was killed this week in what officials are calling an off-duty recreational accident. By Hope Hodge Seck | Read more Popular in Army

Popular in Navy

Popular in Air Force

Popular in Marine Corps

Popular in Gear and Equipment

Popular in Technology

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-- Justin Sloan can be reached at Justin.Sloan@monster.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JustinMSloan.
More than 30 U.S. airstrikes over the past two days in Yemen had long been planned and were not the result of intelligence gained from the Jan. 29 raid in which Navy SEAL William "Ryan" Owens was killed, a senior U.S. defense intelligence official said Friday.

The official said that SEAL Team 6 came away from the raid against an Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula compound with "potentially actionable" intelligence on AQAP leadership and activities, but that information was not useful for the airstrikes.

"We found an awful lot of telephone numbers, lots of contact information and things like that" at the AQAP compound in the action in which Owens, 36, of Peoria, Illinois, was killed, said the official, who spoke to Pentagon reporters on grounds of anonymity.

"So that helps us understand who's within the network and who's tied to who and who's connected to who, which then allows us to draw that mosaic of what the group is and how it's situated," the official said. "Then it's a policy question as to what you do about it."

"It's definitely helping us understand the network and further develop it out," the official said. "This has been good information" and "we're happy to have it."

At an earlier Pentagon press briefing, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said that at least 25 airstrikes against AQAP, using manned and unmanned aircraft, were carried out Thursday and several more Friday for a total of more than 30.

He also stressed that there was no connection between the airstrikes and the Jan. 29 raid.

"All of the targets were developed prior to the raid in January," Davis said, and "the planning for this was developed well before Jan. 20," the date of President Donald Trump's inauguration.

Davis denied reports from the region that U.S. infiltration teams had been inserted into Yemen and had engaged in firefights during the airstrikes.

"There have not been firefights," he said, while acknowledging that "we do have U.S. forces that go in and out of Yemen" on occasion.

All of the airstrikes were coordinated with the exiled government of Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and were concentrated in the central mountainous area where the governorates of Abyan, Al Bayda and Shabwah converge, Davis said.

Sadek al-Jaouf, a Yemeni tribal leader, told The Associated Press that airstrikes hit the Yaklaa district of Al Bayda, which was the site of the Jan. 29 raid.

In addition to Owens' death, three other team members were wounded in what U.S. Central Command described as a "ferocious firefight" and at least two were injured in the hard landing of a Marine MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.

The $70 million aircraft could not be flown out and had to be destroyed by a Marine AV-8B Harrier jet flying off the amphibious assault ship Makin Island in the Red Sea.

Davis suggested that the airstrikes would be part of a sustained campaign against AQAP to break up potential terrorist plots against Europe and the U.S. and aid Hadi's forces in Yemen's long-running civil war.

"In some ways, you could say we already have a civil war within the civil war," the senior defense intelligence official said.

Hadi's forces, backed by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, are battling Shia Houthi rebels allied with former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. AQAP has flourished in the ungoverned spaces, sometimes opposed to and sometimes allied with a small contingent of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria fighters operating in Yemen, the official said.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Expansion in important markets and consolidation of facilities in existing ones have been an important part of Equinix Inc.'s EQIX core strategy. In line with the strategy, the company recently purchased 34.5 acres of land in Ashburn for a total consideration of $34.5 million. The property buyout is expected to help Equinix in increasing its footprint at North Americas largest internet peering point.

The total land was divided into four parcels and is close to Equinix's current Ashburn data center campus. The new land will be used to build multiple greenfield International Business Exchange (IBX) data centers.

Buying Ashburn Property Makes Sense

Ashburn is located in Loudoun County, VA, which is just outside the Washington DC. Equinix currently operates 10 IBX data centers in the Washington DC which covers more than 500,000 square feet area and over 850 customers. This makes it the largest internet exchange point in North America and one of the largest in the world.

Out of the 10 IBX data centers in the Washington DC, eight are located in Ashburn. The company revealed that the newly purchased land will encompass five new facilities which will cover over 1 million square feet.

Furthermore, by quoting Kelly Morgan, Research Vice President, Services of 451 Research, Equinix explained the importance of investing in Ashburn. According to Morgan, "Northern Virginia is the largest multi-tenant datacenter (MTDC) market in the U.S. by operational square feet and will continue to grow rapidly, as several new facilities are expected to come online in the next one to two years. The market has seen consistently strong demand, enabling providers like Equinix to fill large builds quickly. Northern Virginia not only attracts datacenter tenants from all over the globe interested in connectivity, but providers there serve government agencies and local businesses."

The recent investment in Ashburn property is part of Equinixs ongoing strategy of increasing its ownership assets across various regions. Per the company, in the past four quarters it has purchased land to expand key campuses across Ashburn, Silicon Valley and Chicago. Apart from this, it has purchased IBX buildings in Amsterdam, Paris and Rio de Janeiro.

Story continues

Bottom Line

Equinix remains positive on the growing demand for data centers. To meet the growing demand for cloud services, the global interconnection and data center company is expanding its IBX data centers globally and gaining popularity among tech companies looking for data management. Thus, the company expects its total addressable market for retail data centers to increase at a CAGR of 8% from 2013 to 2017 and reach $24.0 billion. Based on this projection, Equinix projects a revenue growth rate of 10% through 2017.

Therefore, we believe that by expanding its data center assets, Equinix will be in a better position to capitalize on this opportunity. Furthermore, the expansion will help the company to further strengthen its global footprint and bring in additional revenues.

Shares of Equinix have been steadily trading higher on a year-to-date basis. The stock generated a return of approximately 4.6% compared with the Zacks REIT-Equity Trust industrys gain of just 0.7%.

Currently, Equinix carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Better-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector include Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. AAOI, NVE Corporation NVEC and AXT Inc. AXTI. Applied Optoelectronics and NVE Corporation sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) while AXT Inc. carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Applied Optoelectronics has witnessed upward estimate revisions for 2017 and 2018 in the last seven days and has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate thrice in the trailing four quarters with an average positive surprise of 116.49%.

Estimates for NVE Corporation have also moved up in the last 60 days. It has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters with an average positive surprise of 14.05%.

AXT Inc. has witnessed upward estimate revisions for 2017 and 2018 in the last seven days. It has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the trailing four quarters with an average positive surprise of 118.75%.

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BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union says it is in contact with the World Bank to look at the issue of a loan to Greece.

The World Bank traditionally provides loans for developing nations. Greece has been dependent on bailout loans from its partners in the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund since 2010.

EU Commission spokeswoman Annika Breidthardt said Friday that the "Greek authorities have signaled that they would like to push ahead with further active labor market policies and one of those avenues would be through approaching the World Bank."
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(Courtesy of "I'm Concerned About the Blueberries")

Our Blueberry Ambassadors were busy doing good in their community. Some stories were centered around generous donations and others were focused on the small acts of kindness.

This week's Blueberry Ambassadors include three different groups from Davison Hahn Intermediate -- Keri Collins, Tammara Fellows and Cayla Dowdall took the lead there to coordinate students' Blueberry Moments's -- as well as Aliza Grant's group from Carman-Ainsworth Dye Elementary and Julie Torsch's group from Westwood Heights Hamady Middle School.

Being a Blueberry Ambassador means students are obligated to do at least three random acts of kindness -- to look for three ways to go out of their way to positively impact someone or the community. The actual number of good deeds is immeasurable actually much higher than that because each Blueberry Ambassador also asks those they help to pay it forward.

Through a partnership with MLive, the students' stories are published online. Below is an excerpt of just some of the Blueberry Moments. Check out all the teams' good work at http://topics.mlive.com/tag/flint-blueberries/.

To find out more about "I'm Concerned About the Blueberries," email BlueberryAmbassador@gmail.com.

Hahn Intermediate School, coordinator Keri Collins

Charlie Armstead

Blueberry Moment 10814

My first Blueberry Moment I helped two older friends of ours that have trouble putting up their Christmas lights. We decided to go over to their home and put up their lights for them because they cannot do it themselves. They are getting older and do not want to get up on the ladder so we helped them with it. My dad and I helped them because we didn't want them to get hurt. They were very happy and it made me happy they didn't get hurt.

Preston Mata

Blueberry Moment 10833

My first Blueberry Moment was helping make my friend and neighbor feel happy. She had a major surgery in New York and had been out of school healing for quite a while. I knew she missed her friends and needed something to cheer her up. I made a huge card for all of her friends at school to sign. I met up with a couple of her friends so this could happen. They passed it around school to get a lot of nice messages. I made up a get well package of goodies along with the card, and delivered it to her that night. Her smile was priceless and I think this helped her a lot! If I were in her shoes, I would want the same nice gesture to happen to me.

Abby Latchana



Blueberry Moment 10819

For my second Blueberry Moment, I wanted to make sure that children would have warm clothes and coats. I know other kids do not have coats and boots like I do. My 10

th

birthday party was coming up and I thought that asking for hats, boots, coats, and gloves instead of birthday presents would be a good idea. My mom planned my party and 22 girls came! They brought 238 items including 19 winter coats, 40 pairs of gloves, 46 hats, and $95! I took the money and bought Meijer Simply Giving cards so it doubled to $180 for Outreach East. Then we packaged all the donations up and my dad and I took them to Outreach East. I also made dessert and gave it to Ms. Jan as she does so much for other people who need it. The people at Outreach East were so happy and Ms. Jan loved her cookies. I told her what I did for my birthday, gave her my Blueberry Card, and asked that she help someone and pass on the card so we can keep random acts of kindness going. I really loved doing that, and I am sure that the kids will be really happy with what we were able to give.

Davison Hahn Intermediate, coordinator Tammara Fellows

Katie Kraut

Blueberry Moment 10887

Today, I did something I did not think I could do. A few weeks ago, my mom and I came up with an idea called "Katie's Wishing Well" because I wanted to help kids in Flint. I created a "wishing well" and was able to collect $100. With that money I was able to buy 100 gallons of water and donate them to Salem Lutheran Church in Flint. My grandparents and my sister helped me deliver the water. They were so happy to get it. I gave a Blueberry Card to the pastor and told her what Blueberry Ambassadors do. I will never forget how thankful they were to have all that water and I will always remember what "Katie's Wishing Well" did.

Madelyn Wheat

As a Blueberry Ambassador, I chose for one of my random acts of kindness to take my birthday money and purchase items for the Cool to Care food drive. My mom and I went to Meijer and purchased 135 items to donate. This random act of kindness made me feel good because I was able to help Davison Community Schools provide food to families in need. I did not get to see anyone's reactions because all items were given to Outreach East who then gave them to the families in need.

Sydney Benner

Blueberry Moment 10878

My first Blueberry Moment was on a very cold day, I brought the crossing guard hot cocoa. She appreciated it because it helped keep her warm, and it made her smile. My dad and I arrived at Hill Elementary after school one day. We pulled by a stoplight and unrolled the window and handed it to her.



Davison Hahn Intermediate, coordinator Cayla Dowdall

Eva Latchana

Blueberry Moment 9642

There is a girl in my class that I have been concerned about. She has been talking to me and she is going through some hard family problems. I thought about how I could help, so I decided for my last Blueberry Moment that I would give her one of my worry dolls. The doll is supposed to help get rid of your worries. The doll came from Guatemala which is where I was adopted from. You tell the doll your worries and put it under your pillow before you go to sleep. Your worries disappear the next day when you wake up. I told her this when I gave her the doll and she thought it was really cool. I gave her the Blueberry Card and she knew all about the Blueberries. It made me feel good to try and help her.

Makayla McArthur

Blueberry Moment 10908

My grandma had Glioblastoma, brain cancer, and was undergoing radiation and

chemotherapy. She told me that while she was at radiation another patient told her that they really liked her fleece blanket and asked if she would want to sell it. She said no because her granddaughters and daughter-in-law made it for her so it was special and brought her comfort during her treatments. The patient said to tell us that they would buy a blanket from us if we wanted to make more. When my grandma told me about it, I came up with an idea. I decided to make several fleece blankets and donate them to the cancer centers. I wanted to donate to the one in Petoskey -- where my grandma went -- and the local ones near me. I asked friends and family if anyone had any fleece they wanted to donate to my project. They were very generous and I received a lot of fleece and money donations to help fund my project. Before I could make my first delivery, my grandma passed away. I included with my blankets a note that said they were in memory of my grandma and hoped the blanket would provide them comfort during their treatment as it did my grandma. My first delivery was to the Oncology department at McLaren. The nurse was very thankful and said that the patients would be very appreciative to receive them. I plan on continuing to make more blankets and donate them. This is important to me because I want other people going through this to know that someone cares about them and are willing to provide some comfort during their hard time.

Abbie Britton

My second Blueberry Moment is I gave some of my old dress up clothes and dress up heels to my mom's friend's little girls. When we arrived to give the clothes my mom's friend told the girls to come and see the clothes and the girls came out of their rooms and their faces lit up they were so excited to have the clothes to play with, and of course the first thing they wanted to do was try them on. I helped them put the clothes on and we had a fashion show to show the parents their brothers even watched it they loved every moment they were so happy that I gave the clothes to them they didn't want me to leave.



Carman-Ainsworth Dye Elementary, coordinator Aliza Grant

Keanna Lisha Gray

Blueberry Moment 10944

A couple weeks ago, my mom and I were driving and we saw this homeless man on the sidewalk and he had a piece of cardboard that said, "I will work for money!" I always feel sad when I see a homeless person and all I had was two dollars. I was going to spend the money at Santa's Workshop, but I decided to give it to the homeless man. He was so thankful!

Ariyanah Holmes

Blueberry Moment 10951

This year I have a teacher who does not like dirt anywhere! So, a friend and I came in, but when we did, we said we didn't want to go outside. So instead, we helped her clean. We were just going to sweep but then decided to pick up book bags and coats off of the floor. We also organized the bookshelf. She said we did a good job. Even though it wasn't a really big thing, I was still proud.

Alexia Banyand

Blueberry Moment 10952

My dad got into a bad car accident and had broken his jaw. He had to get it wired shut. My mom and I felt bad so, we went to get him soup and a milkshake at Panera. When we brought it to him he said it tasted like strawberry and banana yogurt. I was happy that I saw my dad and proud of myself for doing something nice for someone else.



Westwood Heights Hamady Middle School, coordinator Julie Torsch

Izaha Washington

Blueberry Moment 2082

My friend and I were heading to KFC to get the $5.00 fill up. I had exactly enough money to get that for myself, $5.30! As I was parking my car a man came up to my window. He didn't look homeless, but he didn't look like he had a lot. He said to me, "Sir, do you have $5.00 I can have to get gas for my car. I have a pregnant wife (which we could see) and she can't walk long distances." My friend said "No" right away. I knew we had money. I also knew I had food at home, so my friends and I could eat at my house. I gave him my last $5.00 and my friend gave him $5.00 as well. I also gave him a Blueberry Card and asked him to pay it forward. It was great that I was able to help this man and his wife, but my friend followed in my foot steps and showed kindness.



Shariay Jenkins

On December 13, 2016, I was on my way to school when I saw a little boy walking to school on Carpenter Road. There was snow everywhere, and he didn't have on a coat or boots. I asked my dad to pull over. I asked him if he needed a ride to school. I was already late, but he was cold. I'd rather be late than let a child in need go without. If I were in the same situation, I would hope someone would do the same for me.

Terriana Bennett

I went down to visit my family in Florida for a few days. On one of these special days I brought along my Blueberry Card. As my granny and I walked into the Publix grocery store, I saw a young mother and daughter digging in the garbage in search for food. I told my granny to go ahead and get a quick snack. I went down to the Target, and got them things they would need for the cold weather. I got a pillow, blanket, and a small toy for the little girl. It might haven't been a lot but I tried my hardest to make sure they had a good day that day. They were so grateful that the mother cried. My granny and I were going to go get some ice cream around the corner, so we invited them. The little girl was so happy. The small things we can do mean a lot to those in need.
YPSILANTI, MI - Eastern Michigan University held an inauguration ceremony Thursday, March 2, officially welcoming James M. Smith as the institution's 23rd president.

Smith, formerly president of Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, assumed his duties as president of EMU on July 1, 2016, following his selection by the university's board of regents in February.

In his inaugural address Thursday at Pease Auditorium on the EMU campus, Smith spoke on the topics of unity, opportunity and innovation - the overarching themes that he said continually cropped up in his conversations with faculty, staff and students over his past eight months on campus.

"In the eight months I've been here, (I've seen) Eastern is a place where faculty, staff and administrators love our students," Smith said. "I've seen how you care; I've seen how you reach out to students.

"We know the importance of serving the students we have. I often say when I'm with student affairs professionals that moms and dads don't have better kids at home in the closet. They send us the students that they have, the children that they love, and we work with them. Sometimes it's an interesting mosaic."

Smith, who grew up near Columbus, Ohio, earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio; a master's degree from Xavier University in Cincinnati and a doctorate degree from Miami University.

He said one area of opportunity he sees for EMU is growing the university's international student enrollment.

"The potential impact of growing international student development on our campus is striking," Smith said. "The (economic) impact of international students on the United States in 2015 ... was $35.8 billion."

Sidney Ribeau, who previously worked with Smith at Bowling Green State University in the early 2000s, was also invited to speak at Thursday's inauguration ceremony.

Ribeau described Smith as having an infectious excitement and passion for higher education, commenting that he was confident EMU's new president would work tirelessly for the university community.

"Jim knows that education transforms lives," Ribeau said. "He is in the business of life transformation. He realizes that every student has potential, and she or he needs to be given an opportunity.

"He'll continue the tradition of excellence that Eastern has been known for, and everyone will benefit."

Smith said he plans to finish his career at EMU. He said he hopes to devote 10 years to the position of president.

"I'll work with you to accomplish the very best we can in the next ten years," he said. "We will build on Eastern's character. We will work with our students. We are here (to make) education first."
ATLANTA, MI -- A former Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office lieutenant was sentenced Friday, March 3, to one year of probation and 40 hours of community service for drunken driving.

A northern Michigan judge also gave Brian Filipiak a 93-day deferred jail sentence, which means he will only serve the time if he violates probation.

Dressed in a black suit, Filipiak chose to let his attorney do the talking at the sentencing, which took place before 88-2 District Court Judge Benjamin Bolser in Atlanta, the seat of Montmorency County, where the former lieutenant was arrested last November.

"This trip to deer camp on Nov. 13 of last year has had a significant impact on my client's life," said Timothy Arner, Filipiak's Boyne City-based attorney. " ... He's accepted full responsibility for his actions. There's no one to blame but himself. He was thankful, and is thankful, that there were no injuries to anyone on that day or as the result of his driving."

Filipiak was arrested in Rust Township with a blood-alcohol level of 0.28 - more than three times the legal limit. A deputy's body camera footage showed Filipiak trying to talk his way out of the arrest based on his position as a lieutenant in Washtenaw County.

The incident took place for more than half an hour before authorities got the clearly inebriated Filipiak out of his truck and into the back of a patrol car.

Arner told Judge Bolser that Filipiak has acknowledged the deputy's fine police work during the arrest.

"He has contacted and complimented and commended the arresting officer in this case for his professionalism and how (Filipiak) was treated by him," Arner said.

Filipiak was initially charged with misdemeanor operating while intoxicated with a blood-alcohol level of 0.17 or more - commonly referred to as the "super drunk" law. He later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of operating while intoxicated on Jan. 27, according to court records.

Since the arrest, Filipiak has undergone extensive alcohol rehabilitation, according to Arner.

The terms of his probation include no drinking and frequent alcohol testing. Judge Bolser also ordered Filipiak to perform 40 hours of community service and to pay $1,266 in fines and costs.

"This case is concerning to the court based on your background and your employment history ... and the very high level of blood alcohol content at the time. And the appearance of what occurred at the arrest," Bolser said before passing sentence. "I understand that this event, in essence, has destroyed your life. It ... has had everlasting effects, at least, on your career and on your status in your community, at least based on what I saw in this ... report. My hope is that this has brought you to realize that you have a severe alcohol addiction and a disease that you're going to have to (address) the rest of your life."

Filipiak has lost the title and pay of a lieutenant, but remains employed at the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office. He no longer is a sworn officer, the department said.

He was placed on unpaid administrative leave during the internal investigation and is now employed on a conditional basis working in a support capacity at reduced pay, officials said.

As a lieutenant, he was being paid in the ballpark of $79,000, but is now receiving deputy wages, officials said, which range from around $42,000 and $63,000, according to the county's salary report.

Filipiak and Arner did not have any comment about his sentencing on Friday.
031714_Howell_CS-1.JPG

Howell High School, 1200 West Grand River Avenue in Howell.

(The Ann Arbor News file)

HOWELL, MI - A 17-year-old Howell High School student was arrested Friday, March 3, after police allege she threatened to shoot up her high school.

Howell High School administrators contacted police at 5:30 p.m. Thursday about anonymous threats against the school on Twitter, according to Howell Police.

After an overnight investigation, police arrested the 17-year-old student. She was lodged in the Livingston County Jail pending charges and arraignment, police say.

The tweets said, "Rest in peace. Bye bye Howell schools" and

"The school should have been shot up a long time ago, but since it wasn't, I'll have to do it my damn self," the Livingston Daily reported.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2017 / Gungnir Resources Inc. (TSX-V: GUG, OTC PINK: ASWRF) ("Gungnir" or the "Company") is pleased to report results of initial confirmation sampling at its recently acquired Knaften property extension in Sweden. Gungnir's assays from drill core returned 2.92 g/t Au over 13 metres, and spot assay checks confirm highly anomalous gold mineralization within broad zones of highly altered rocks two kilometres away.

Jari Paakki, CEO of Gungnir, comments, "Today's results support historic data and show that gold mineralization occurs over significant widths, as well continues to demonstrate the potential size of the gold mineralizing system at Knaften, which extends several kilometres both north and south of the area of focused historic drilling."

The Company viewed several drill holes archived at the SGU (Swedish Geological Survey) core facility in Mala Sweden. The gold mineralized zone is visually very distinct, with disseminated sulphides (mainly arsenopyrite) throughout. Drill hole 2007-07 was one of the only complete core sections of mineralization available for re-sampling. Assays for drill hole 2007-07 returned 2.92 g/t Au over 13 m starting a down hole depth of 81.5 m. The original reported assay interval for 2001-07 was 3.2 g/t Au over 10 metres (83.5 to 93.5m). True widths of the drill hole intersections reported cannot be determined from the information available.

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (g/t) 2007-07 81.5 94.5 13.0 2.92 includes 81.5 82.5 1.0 6.47 and 84.5 90.5 6.0 3.71 includes 86.5 87.5 1.0 9.53

Additionally, the Company re-sampled drill core from drill hole 2008-18 located approximately 2 km south west of drill hole 2007-07. Three spot samples were collected from a 50-metre drill section of highly altered sedimentary rocks to determine gold levels, and potential southern extension of the gold mineralizing system. All three samples returned highly anomalous gold, including 1.37 g/t Au over 0.10m (at 91.9m), 0.34 g/t Au over 0.5m (at 102.75m), and 0.09 g/t Au over 0.5m (at 124.25m). Original assays from this drill hole are not available, but drill core has been split. Drill core and assays for 10 drill holes that were drilled in 2010 in the immediate vicinity of drill hole 2007-07 are not in the drill core archives.

Photos of drill core and maps are available in the Company's updated corporate presentation, which may be accessed directly with this link "Gungnir Presentation Q1 2017."

Drill core samples represent one-quarter drill core which was halved by sawing already split drill core. Drill core is archived and stored at the SGU core facility in Mala. Core was logged and tagged for sampling at the core facility, then brought to ALS Minerals' Core Services Laboratory also in Mala. Core was sawn on site by ALS staff and sample material was sent to ALS's Lab in Pitea Sweden. Gold was analyzed using fire assay procedure Au-ICP21.

Mr. Jari Paakki, M.Sc., P.Geo., is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Paakki prepared the technical information contained in this news release and has approved its disclosure.

About Gungnir Resources

Gungnir Resources Inc. is a Canadian-based TSX-V listed mineral exploration company (TSX-V: GUG, OTC PINK: ASWRF) with gold and base metal permits in northern Sweden within a region hosting 12 million ounces of gold delineated in existing and mined resources, plus several past-producing and producing base metal mines. The Company's key gold project, Knaften, is situated at the southern extension of the "Gold Line" which hosts a number of gold deposits including Faboliden and Svartliden (Dragon Mining), and Barsele (Agnico Eagle and Barsele Minerals). The Company additionally holds a $5,000,000 royalty stream with five annual advance cash payments of $1,000,000 expected to commence on or before May 1, 2017. Further information about the Company and its properties may be found at www.gungnirresources.com or at www.sedar.com.

On behalf of the Board,

Jari Paakki, CEO and Director

For further information, contact:

Jari Paakki, CEO

Tel: 705-507-4470

jpaakki@eastlink.ca

Chris Robbins, CFO

Tel: 604-683-0484

robbinscr@shaw.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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements made herein may contain forward-looking statements or information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans," "expects," "is expected," "budget," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates" or "believes," 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," or the negative of these words or comparable terminology. By their very nature forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual performance of the Company to be materially different from any anticipated performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements or information include, but are not limited to, statements or information with respect to Gungnir Resources' plan for future funding, and exploration and development of its properties. Forward-looking statements or information are based on a number of estimates and assumptions and 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 or information. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying estimates and assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. For example, there is no certainty, that any economically viable mineral deposit will be located on the properties, or that the Company will receive or be able to raise sufficient capital to complete all of its exploration programs. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements or information. Gungnir does not expect to update forward-looking statements or information continually as conditions change, except as may be required by securities law.

SOURCE: Gungnir Resources Inc.
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business Apollo Hospitals falls 4% on stake sale by Malaysian fund Khazanahs arm Integrated (Mauritius) Healthcare Holdings sold over 6 percent stake in the healthcare firm. Prior to the deal, it held 10.85 percent stake in the company.
jeff bezos moon blue origin ap nasa svs business insider 4X3

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon as well as a rocket company called Blue Origin, wants to colonize the moon.

That's according to a report from The Washington Post, which obtained a secret memo the billionaire was circulating around the offices of NASA and President Trump's administration. (Bezos owns the Post and invests in Business Insider.)

An early stage of the plan, set to kick off by mid-2020, would begin an "Amazon-like shipment service" to the moon to deliver the cargo astronauts would need to permanently settle the lunar landscape.

Bezos confirmed the document's authenticity to the Post.

"It is time for America to return to the Moon  this time to stay," he reportedly told Christian Davenport of the Post. "A permanently inhabited lunar settlement is a difficult and worthy objective. I sense a lot of people are excited about this."

Counting Elon Musk's recent announcement that he'd like to launch two paying customers around the moon in late 2018, Bezos' plans mark the second private lunar mission in the works that's come to light this year.

blue origin spacex nasa rockets compared

Blue Origin, like Musk's rocket company, SpaceX, is developing a "super heavy-lift" rocket that'd be capable of lofting people, supplies, and spacecraft into deep space.

Musk's giant rocket is called "Falcon Heavy" while Bezos' is called "New Glenn" (named after astronaut John Glenn).

According to an early comparison of both rockets, the first iteration of New Glenn will be taller than the Falcon Heavy, but the latter may have about 30% more thrust.

Both rockets will be partly reusable, theoretically lowering the cost of access to space.

"Our vision is millions of people living and working in space, and New Glenn is a very important step. It won't be the last of course," Bezos wrote in an email to Business Insider in September 2016. "Up next on our drawing board: New Armstrong. But that's a story for the future."

Story continues

Whether Trump and NASA will go for Bezos' proposal remains to be seen. But to make Blue Origin's moon colonization scheme possible, Davenport wrote, the company said it must to pair up with the space agency.

Read Davenport's full story at The Washington Post.

This story has been updated to note Jeff Bezos' ownership of the Post. Bezos is also an investor in Business Insider through his personal investment company Bezos Expeditions.

NOW WATCH: Watch Jeff Bezos' spaceflight company make history with a monumental rocket landing





More From Business Insider


Education

Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu.

Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu.

Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events:

International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu.

EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu.

Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale  an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s  will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets  June Homecoming: Participant  $18 per person; Sustainer  $25 per person; Benefactor  $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler  Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events:

SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available  for information call 610-275-1960

Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above)

SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m.

Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.  4 p.m.  computers are available during those hours.

Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863.

Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376.

Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com.

The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes:

Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at

other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020.

CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313.

The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events:

Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m.

Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30.

Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301.

For Kids & Families

The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443.

Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950.

Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required.

The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950.

Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus.

Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage.

Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun.

Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train.

Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world!

Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class.

Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org.

Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583.

Community Events at the Ambler Y:

-YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register.

Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org.

Health

Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot.

The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information.

Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245.

Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net.

Spring Aquatic Programs  UDHS Pool:

-Summer is just around the corner  Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required.

 Shallow Water Aerobics  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR.

 Adult Swim Instructions  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR

-Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21.

-Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday  Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m.

-Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons.

-Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates.

Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994.

SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com.

Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org.

Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs:

FITNESS CLASSES

Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month.

Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30  9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000.

Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30  7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047.

New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.  12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30  4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931.

Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325.

Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes.

Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com.

Librarytalk

Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744

www.upperdublinlibrary.org

APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS:

Storytimes: Please register in the library.

o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m.

o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m.

o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m.

o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6.

APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS:

North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee

APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS:

NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org.

One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register  contact info above.

Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744.

o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register.

Meetings:

Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m.

Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m.

Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org.

For children and teens at Blue Bell:

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m.

* May 14  Despicable Me

* June 11  Alpha and Omega

* Special Events

* April  watch for date of spring/Easter events

* April 14 at 4:30 p.m.  Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children.

* April 14 at 7 p.m.  Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided.

* April 16 at 1 p.m.  Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King.

* April 16 at 1:30 p.m.  Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes?

* April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button.

* April 30 through May 3  Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults.

* May  sign up for Science in the Summer

* June  sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children

* June  sign up for Summer Reading, all ages

For adults at Blue Bell:

* Daytime Book Discussion Group  fourth Tuesday, Jan  April at 1:30 p.m.

* April 26  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Night-time Book Discussion Group  third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

o April 19  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges

o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked?

*Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs

* Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class.

* Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class.

* Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m.

* Giant Book Sale, April 29  May 3

o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults!

o Held during library hours.

o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m.

o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join.

* Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series

o May 11 at 1 p.m.  Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society

* Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room.

* Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read.

* Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome.

* Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome.

*Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older.

* Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours

* Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours

* Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday!

Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library.

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* For adults:

* Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn.

* Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net

* Special Events:

* April 14 at 1:30 p.m.  Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian.

* April 19 at 7 p.m.  Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m.

* April 21 at 7 p.m.  Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades.

*May 2 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

*May 10  Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*May 12 at 1:30p.m.  Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman.

*May 17  Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*June 13 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

Meetings and Lectures

The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833.

The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200.

The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/.

LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings.

Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org.

Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org)

-Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them.

The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter.

For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps.

Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin.

Special Events

The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County.

The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065.

Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members.

Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex.

The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com.

The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348.

The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org.

Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163.

The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu.

The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com.

The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net.

Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages.

13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries.

Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family.

The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler.

JPRN  Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them  Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike.

Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies.

Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately.

Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways.

Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table.

Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp  Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall:

-Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store.

Music and Theater

The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220.

Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html.

Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free.

The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org

Religious News

The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276.

Reunions

St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net.

Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572.

Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779.

Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net

Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net

The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411.

Support

New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149.

PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931.

The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296.

Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656.

Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group  every other Wednesday, 7  8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support  second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner  Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers  Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information.

CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7  8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich,
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Jeff Sessions

Democrats  and some Republicans  in Congress are in an uproar over more revelations of connections between President Donald Trump's inner circle and Russia.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions had two conversations with Russia's ambassador to the US during the 2016 campaign, but said he "did not have communications with the Russians" during his confirmation hearing for attorney general, The Washington Post reported Wednesday night.

Sessions, then an Alabama senator, reportedly spoke with Russia's US ambassador Sergey Kislyak in July and September, when he was also a Trump campaign surrogate.

On Thursday afternoon, Sessions announced he was recusing himself from any Department of Justice investigations into the Trump campaign's connections with Russia.

It's fairly common for ambassadors to the US to meet with senators, according to David Engerman, a historian at Brandeis University who specializes in American diplomatic relations and the Cold War. Ambassadors do so because it is crucial that they understand the American political landscape, and know what politicians' plans could affect their countries.

Engerman did say, however, that Sessions' connection to Trump would be a major reason for Kislyak's motivations for the meeting.

"The principal job of the Russian ambassador in Washington is to advance Russian interests," Engerman told Business Insider. "Some senators are more active than others  do I think the Russians were interested in talking to him because they knew of his connections to the Trump campaign? Certainly. That's what a good ambassador should know."

Engerman said connections between ambassadors and lawmakers happen other way too. American ambassadors frequently meet with lawmakers in other countries in order to advance US priorities. Throughout history, he said, ambassadors and lawmakers have frequently met to discuss serious issues, but also to exchange diplomatic gossip or build relationships between the two countries.

Story continues

"That doesn't mean Sessions should have engaged in that conversation, on legal grounds, political grounds, or ethical grounds," he said. "What matters about this case is what he said and when he said it. ... Any such conversations like this could go in a direction which is ranging from unfortunate to illegal."

Michael McFaul, who was President Barack Obama's US ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014, has also said that it is likely Kislyak targeted Sessions because of his relationship with Trump.

"Let's not be naive folks. Kislyak obviously was meeting Sessions because of his role in Trump world. That's his job," McFaul wrote on Twitter Thursday morning. "When Putin's foreign policy advisor Ushakov met with me in October 2008, you think he wanted to talk about political science at Stanford?"

McFaul also called for a bipartisan, independent commission to investigate the Trump-Russia connection, and for Sessions to recuse himself from the probe  moves top Democratic lawmakers asked for, as well.

NOW WATCH: 'Those remarks are unbelievable to me': Sessions responds to claims he spoke with Russia's ambassador twice last year





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Over the next 16 months, 10 new students at Mitchell Community College will learn how to administer medication, treat burns, stop bleeding and perform a myriad other medical tasks that will help save lives.
Appliance, electronics and furniture retailer hhgregg, which has fought for years to win customers amid competition from Best Buy, Walmart, Lowe's and Home Depot, announced Thursday it will close 88 of its 229 stores, including Mooresville's and three others in North Carolina.

The Indianapolis-based company said close-out sales in the 88 stores will begin shortly and that the stores will close by mid-April.

About 1,500 jobs will be eliminated company wide, but it is not clear how many of those are in Mooresville. A manager at the Mooresville store declined to comment on the number of employees here, referring questions to the corporate office. However, officials there could not be reached.

In addition to the 88 store closures, hhgregg said it will close three distribution facilities in Maryland, Florida and Pennsylvania.

In the announcement, the 62-year-old company said the moves are intended "to improve liquidity and return to profitability. These decisions will help the Company refocus efforts on its core markets and goals to enhance customers' experience both in-store and online."

Added Robert J. Riesbeck, hhgregg's president and CEO, "We are strategically exiting markets and stores that are not financially profitable for us. This is a proactive decision to streamline our store footprint in the markets where we have been, and will continue to be, important to our customers, vendor partners and communities.

"We feel strongly that the markets we will remain in are the right ones for our customers and our business model. Our team is dedicated to moving forward and being a profitable 132 store, multi-regional chain where we will continue to be a dominant force in appliances, electronics and home furnishings.

"The management team has worked tirelessly over the past year to return hhgregg to profitability," continued Riesbeck. "We have determined that the economics of the affected locations will not allow us to achieve our overall goal of becoming a profitable company again. After scrutinizing our real estate portfolio, we have identified a number of underperforming stores, as well as store locations that are no longer strong shopping destinations due to changes in the local retail shopping landscape."

The Mooresville store is on N.C. 150 west of I-77, just west of Best Buy.

Responding to the news of the Mooresville store's impending closure, Mayor Miles Atkins told the Tribune:

"It is so important for communities to pay attention to the retail trends that are emerging nationwide. Reports are showing that stores providing unique in-store experiences will thrive and personal service is becoming increasingly important to consumers. That can be a daunting task for any size business, especially the larger stores."

Continued Atkins, "As elected officials, we must pay attention to this data so we can properly forecast the use of new and existing commercial space. We are fortunate that many businesses, large and small, are still interested in being in Mooresville and our business climate is diversified. However, any loss of service, business or employment has an impact on us locally and we pay attention to the potential fallout."

And Russ Rogerson, executive director of the Mooresville-South Iredell Economic Development Corporation, said the store's closing "seems to be another example of retailers' ongoing struggle to be competitive in an ever changing market.

"While it's disappointing to lose them, their facility is located in one of the strongest retail locations in the area which should attract a new retailer to our community to fill that space," Rogerson added.

The other three North Carolina stores scheduled to close are in Cary, Durham and Asheville. Fourteen other states will see store closures, the most coming in Pennsylvania and Virginia, with 15 apiece.
Morganton evangelist Jaime Torres recently got an opportunity to share his testimony with an international audience.

An anonymous tip led producers with The 700 Club, a TV program that features Christian news and stories, to showcase Torres life and ministry in a six-minute video clip.

Torres specializes in prison ministry, as he was once ministered to in prison himself.

The video follows Torres as he shares his testimony about growing up in New York City feeling rejected by family members after his mother remarried. He sought acceptance from various gangs and joined his first gang at age 14. Through his association with the gangs, Torres got into drug-trafficking, a practice that intensified when he was sent back to his father in Puerto Rico, who also was a drug dealer.

Torres activities eventually landed him in a federal prison in Georgia, where he was witnessed to by fellow inmate Gene Lawson, whom he remembers as a smiling man who was always in a good mood. Lawson invited Torres to come to a Bible study that was being held in the prison.

My Lord met me there, Torres said of the Bible study. He came to me, he loved me and he changed me. I like to say, I went from slinging dope to slinging hope. Prison is meant to take away your freedom, but I found my freedom there. But you dont have to go to prison or deal drugs to experience the love of Jesus. He can keep you from all that foolishness.

After receiving Christ into his heart, Torres spent his 15 years in prison learning how to read, getting his GED, then pushing himself even further to get a masters degree in theology in pastoral care. He also led other inmates to accept Jesus Christ as their savior.

Hes been loving and living for the Lord and spreading the word ever since, said Kesha Nichols, the president of Jaime Torres Minstries, Inc. He touches the lives of everyone he meets.

Torres was released in 2000 after the Christian lawyers who led the Bible studies in the prison argued his case. From then on, Torres dedicated himself to helping others, especially prison inmates, find their way to the foot of the cross.

I love lifting up the fallen man and the family, Torres said. I love to inspire men, women and children to live for God. I like to awaken the dreams that have been shattered in peoples lives. I never thought in my life that I would be that sort of instrument for the Lord, but I have embraced my role and taken my assignment seriously.

Torres moved to Morganton several years ago after feeling a calling from the Lord to relocate. His first cousin, Javier Guzman, is a Morganton resident.

Torres ministry takes him to several different prisons in the area, where he counsels inmates on a weekly basis, and also has led him to preach in seven countries in Central and South America.

In addition to his prison visits, Torres said he teaches a class once a week at the North Carolina Boys Academy in Conover, which is a therapeutic Christian boarding school for teenage boys ages 13-17 struggling with life-controlling problems, according to www.ncboysacademy.org.

Torres was recently sworn in as a chaplain for the Morganton Department of Public Safety, and has plans to meet with representatives with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association to become a chaplain with the organizations Rapid Response Team.

Torres said his ministry also focuses on uniting people. He has developed a weekly series called, Real Faith, Real Talk, which takes place on Fridays at 7 p.m. at the Catawba River Baptist Association, to give the community a forum to discuss spiritual issues.

When you come there on a Friday night, youll see Hispanics, blacks, whites, Hmong, Torres said. Its a place where we embrace and respect one another. Its a place where real people meet real faith.

He urged churches of all denominations to focus on staying united as the body of Christ.

I want to give a shout-out to all the churches in Morganton, Torres said. I love them and Im proud of the work theyre doing here in the community. I want them to keep fighting the good fight of faith. We are all on one team, and need to embrace team work. A house divided against itself cannot stand.

A film crew with The 700 Club traveled to Morganton earlier this year to record the segment on Torres. They shot at the Burke-Catawba Jail and Broadcast Horizon Network.

We were able to use a jail cell to recreate Jaimes life when he was in prison, Nichols said. Jaime was able to take us back to that place where he was (when he was incarcerated.) Its important to him that he never forgets where he came from, because that way hell never forget where the Lord has brought him to.

This was a way for him to share his story with millions of people all at once. Were just so humbled by the opportunity. Its a really big deal.

Nichols said producers contacted her shortly after the segment aired to let them know the video had resulted in 77 salvations and 74 rededications to faith within a couple days.

Torres said he enjoyed the experience.

It took me back to experience the grace of God and his mercy and power, Torres said. I saw clearly everything I had to go through to get to this point.

Nichols said she expects the video and Torres to continue to have a life-changing impact on others.

I believe people will see that if the Lord can reach down and grab someone like Jaime Torres, someone who had no purpose in life, and just bring him from the depths of hell and save him and show him he is loveable, and that through Christ anything can be done, then (they will believe) it can happen for them, too, Nichols said. No matter where you are in your life and what is going on, the Lord is always with you.

To view The 700 club video, visit http://bit.ly/2mM5AWE.

To learn more about Jaime Torres Ministries Inc., visit www.liftingupthefallenman.org.

Tammie Gercken can be reached at tgercken@morganton.com.
TD Bank Group ("TD" or the "Bank") will release its first quarter financial results and host an earnings conference call on Thursday, March 2, 2017.Financial results will be issued in a press release at approximately 6:30 a.m. ET. The call will be available live via TD's website at 3:00 p.m. ET and is expected to last approximately 60 minutes. The call and audio webcast will feature presentations by TD executives on the Bank's financial results for the first quarter, followed by a question-and-answer period with analysts.The presentation material referenced during the call will be available at this link on March 2, 2017, by 12:00 p.m. ET. A listen-only telephone line will be available at 647-794-1827 or 1-800-274-0251 (toll free) and the passcode is 6587007.The audio webcast will be archived here . Replay of the teleconference will be available from 6:00 p.m. ET on March 2, 2017 until 6:00 p.m. ET on Friday, March 31, 2017 by calling 647-43600148 or 1-888-203-1112 (toll free) and the passcode is 6587007.The presentations may contain forward-looking statements including statements regarding the business and anticipated financial performance of the Bank. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the statements. Therefore, forward-looking statements should be considered carefully and undue reliance should not be placed on them.
After meeting with government officials to express how the recent mortgage rule changes have impacted the industry, channel representatives are headed back to Ottawa.On March 6th and 7th, I will be joining Eddy Cocciollo, President of Mortgage Centre Canada ; Paul Taylor, CEO of Mortgage Professionals Canada, and others to return to Ottawa to represent ( Dominion Lending Centres ) and our industry, Dave Teixeira, VP of marketing and public relations at DLC , said in a note to the DLC network, which was shared with MortgageBrokerNews.ca. Along with other industry leaders, we will be attending the first ever Parliament Hill Advocacy Days. These two days will be about meeting with parliamentarian decision makers and key policy makers.These two days follow earlier meetings with the Standing Committee on Finance that took place in February.Industry representatives -- including Dominion Lending Centres own Gary Mauris , Paul Taylor of Mortgage Professionals Canada, and Ajay Soni of the Canadian Mortgage Brokers Association  met with MPs, as well as representatives from CMHC.I can tell you Gary made a big, positive impression on the Committee, Teixeira said. This group is seriously questioning the approach taken by CMHC, their own Federal Government and others.In addition the Marchs meetings, Mauris is also scheduled to meet with Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada, Larry Schembri to share insights into how the recent mortgage rule changes have impacted the industry and Canadians.
A recent report from Canadian real estate advisor and broker Newmark Knight Frank Devencore showed that as of the end of Q4 2016, the vacancy rate across all office space types in downtown Vancouver fell to 7.5 per centa stark contrast to the 9.6 per cent figure in the previous year.



The impact has been immediately apparent: Approximately 95 per cent of the structures delivered in this development cycle are almost fully leased, and average gross rents have ballooned to $41.17 per square foot by the end of the last three months of 2016.



And these movements are showing no signs of abating, according to the British Columbia Real Estate Association.



The strength of the underlying BC economy, particularly relative to the rest of Canada, makes BC a very attractive destination for commercial investment, BCREA economist Brendon Ogmundson stated, as quoted by BuzzBuzzNews.



BCREAs CLI (Commercial Leading Indicator) metricwhich predicts B.C. commercial real estate trends, taking into account the provinces fiscal health, economy, and employment numbershas increased for the fourth consecutive quarter. In Q4 2016, the CLI rose by 1.5 index points, up to 123.9 per cent.



In early February, a report from Avison Young revealed that vacancy in Metro Vancouver offices is at its lowest since the end of 2014, a development mainly fuelled by what the commercial real estate services firm called healthy absorption levels.



Vacancy in the Downtown area dropped to 7.2 per cent. Avison Young officials attributed this to a resilient market.



There was no meaningful movement in rental rates in 2016 and they should remain fairly stable in 2017, although further decreases in the vacancy rate may apply modest upward pressure to net effective rates, Avison Young principal Brian Pearson said.




A recent report from Canadian real estate advisor and broker Newmark Knight Frank Devencore showed that as of the end of Q4 2016, the vacancy rate across all office space types in downtown Vancouver fell to 7.5 per centa stark contrast to the 9.6 per cent figure in the previous year.The impact has been immediately apparent: Approximately 95 per cent of the structures delivered in this development cycle are almost fully leased, and average gross rents have ballooned to $41.17 per square foot by the end of the last three months of 2016.And these movements are showing no signs of abating, according to the British Columbia Real Estate Association.The strength of the underlying BC economy, particularly relative to the rest of Canada, makes BC a very attractive destination for commercial investment, BCREA economist Brendon Ogmundson stated, as quoted by BuzzBuzzNews.BCREAs CLI (Commercial Leading Indicator) metricwhich predicts B.C. commercial real estate trends, taking into account the provinces fiscal health, economy, and employment numbershas increased for the fourth consecutive quarter. In Q4 2016, the CLI rose by 1.5 index points, up to 123.9 per cent.In early February, a report from Avison Young revealed that vacancy in Metro Vancouver offices is at its lowest since the end of 2014, a development mainly fuelled by what the commercial real estate services firm called healthy absorption levels.Vacancy in the Downtown area dropped to 7.2 per cent. Avison Young officials attributed this to a resilient market.There was no meaningful movement in rental rates in 2016 and they should remain fairly stable in 2017, although further decreases in the vacancy rate may apply modest upward pressure to net effective rates, Avison Young principal Brian Pearson said.

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Ratings agency sounds strong warning on Canadian housing market
Record Bank Earnings, Basel Update; Appraisal and Collateral Trends

For me the last few weeks included travel to events in Florida, Texas, Southern California, and now The Mortgage Collaboratives event in Arizona. And although I wouldnt describe the mood as vivacious out there ("keeping our noses to the grindstone" would be more appropriate), in terms of demographics I have noticed more and more younger faces at conferences. Indeed, Pew Research finds that as of the end of last year there were over 58 million millennial workers in the US labor force ranking this group #1 in size vs. 53 million Gen X workers coming in at #2.

Bank and M&A news.

Tricon Capital Group announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire public single-family rental (SFR) operator Silver Bay Realty Trust Corp. by way of an all-cash transaction for approximately $1.4 billion, which values the company at $21.50 per share. Tricon Capital indicated that the acquisition is expected to close by the end of the second quarter of 2017. Tricon Capital is the parent company of Tricon American Homes (TAH), which is the firm's wholly owned operator of its U.S. single-family rental business. The acquisition of Silver Bay will create the fourth largest publicly-owned SFR company. After the completion of the acquisition, TAH will hold more than 16,800 homes in its total SFR portfolio, of which nearly 9,800 are currently included in three single-borrower securitizations totaling $1.1 billion.

Is it true that banks are where all the money is? Perhaps. Banks' profit hit a record high of $171.3 billion last year, a 4.9% increase from 2015, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Unprofitable banks made up 4.2% of the system, the lowest level since 1995.

Global regulators working on the Basel III banking rules have ended a two-day meeting without setting a date for their issuance, but have expressed a determination to reach agreement and completion, saying that many outstanding matters have been resolved. The US has not yet appointed a Federal Reserve official who would oversee banking supervision, and this has been cited as a main reason for the delay.

With hints of lessening regulations (heck, everyone would be happy if we did away with triple damages with the False Claims Act) will banks pick up the pace in residential lending? As everyone knows more borrowers are choosing non-depository lenders than ever before to obtain a home loan. In 2011, 50 percent of all new mortgage loans originated from the three largest banks: JPMorgan, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. However, in September 2016, that share plunged to 21 percent. During that time, non-banks emerged as six of the 10 largest lenders by volume, including Quicken Loans, loanDepot, and PHH Mortgage. In 2011, only two of the 10 largest lenders were non-banks.

Obviously, depository banks have a wide range of revenue earning products whereas the standard mortgage bank only has first liens and mortgages. Non-banks are a little nimbler and can offer more home loan products. As depository banks have backed away from the mortgage business due to onerous and often overlapping & conflicting regulations from the last ten years, non-bank lenders have filled the void.

Appraisal, collateral, and value trends & developments

Has the appraisal crunch we had six months ago in many parts of the nation died down due to volumes falling? To some extent, yes. But some inherent structural problems remain, and I received this note from the president of a well-known bank in the West on the lack of new, young appraisers. "First off, the entrepreneurial return to enter/pursue the business just hasn't been there. With the 4-year degree and 2-year apprentice requirements (which many lenders and realtors don't have this level of experience) many would-be candidates maybe choosing different business lines that can pay them more much sooner with their experience.

"Along the same line, the appraiser has long been one of the least underpaid part of the real-estate transaction. Even at current 'high' fee levels, a '2 appraisal a day' appraiser turning 600 in a year charging $700/appraisal is making gross $420K/yr. before overhead expenses and assuming full capacity. Reduce this by 50% for those factors and a very good appraiser (established with degree and client base) may make $200K/yr. How many real estate agents and originators make more than this? Lots of them!

"Also, apply this to new folks looking to enter the market and you can see where it may deter many. The presence of CU and other automated tools may likely change this landscape dramatically in the next 5-years as appraisers may take on 2 roles: property viewer/certifier of condition (non-technical), and specialized/unique property appraiser (specialized and more difficult). Finally, much of this is due to the current rate environment. If volume slows, the noise is likely to drop a lot. Experienced appraisers have been through this before and are unlikely to build up their business when they may have to deal with overhead cuts soon."

Quicken Loans' National Home Price Perception Index (HPPI) showed the average appraisal value was 1.47 percent below what owners expected in January. This two-month drop in the HPPI comes on the heels of a six month stretch where opinions between homeowner and appraiser were steadily moving closer to equilibrium. Appraisal values in January stayed mostly flat, slipping only 0.34 percent last month per Quicken Loans' Home Value Index (HVI). When viewed annually, appraised values continue to rise, increasing 3.93 percent year-over-year.

Ditech Financial posted a Job Aid when ordering VA appraisals through the WebLGY application in the online Veterans Information Portal for its Wholesale Clients. The Job Aid will help clients generate a complete and accurate VA Request for Determination of Reasonable Value Form (26-1805-1) and reduce errors that may delay the appraisal inspection and issuance of the VA Notice of Value (NOV).

Nationstar Mortgage now maintains and distributes a monthly Appraiser Exclusionary List in an effort to continue to ensure collateral quality. Correspondents are encouraged to review the Nationstar Mortgage Appraiser Exclusionary List prior to submitting a loan for loan purchase. If a loan delivered to Nationstar utilizes an appraiser on the Appraiser Exclusionary List, the loan is ineligible for purchase.

Wells Fargo Funding added an authorized appraisal management companies (AMCs) to include Assurant Valuations (formerly StreetLinks). Beginning February 14, 2017.

Updates to NYCB's Appraisal Fee Schedule [WSL:652] will be effective 02.20.17 for all new registrations on Table Funding loans and all Correspondent transactions where the appraisal is ordered through Gemstone.

The Appraisal Fee Screen's functionality at Stearns was improved to simplify the LE process. Its newest enhancement to SNAP 2.0 enables you to automatically pull the exact Appraisal Fee into your loan based on the state and appraisal type requested. No matrix or grids to review. To avoid delays, any LE generated on or after 2/10 will require the new appraisal fee to be disclosed on your LE. Visit SNAP 2.0 to reference the new appraisal fee schedule.

Effective for Insurance Applications received by MGIC on or after Feb. 15, 2017, Fannie Mae PIWs will be accepted as meeting the Underwriting Requirements when offered by Desktop Underwriter(DU) and exercised by the lender in accordance with requirements published in Fannie Mae's SEL-2016-08 and its Selling Guide. Further, MGIC will not rescind coverage on a loan with an exercised PIW based on a Material Value Variance, unless fraud, misrepresentation or inaccurate data were involved in obtaining the PIW or the PIW was not valid under the Fannie Mae Selling Guide.

Home values influenced by pot? According to a study from the University of Mississippi and software technology company FNC Inc., marijuana legalization could drive housing values up.

Capital markets

By now a March rate hike is nearly fully priced into the market. At least, if anyone is paying attention to what all the Fed officials are saying in their speeches it should be. In the last 48 hours, we've had additional comments by Governors Brainard and Powell expressing support for a 25-basis point rate hike at the March meeting. And to its credit the Fed has been relatively transparent in their various speeches. With this as a backdrop, the 10-year note's yield broke 2.50% for the first time since mid-February closing at 2.49%. (The 5-year note and agency MBS prices worsened about .125.)

The highlight of today's calendar will be the five scheduled Fed speakers, and we can all expect more hints at our economy doing well enough for the FOMC to vote for another increase. There aren't any big scheduled economic numbers coming out, merely some secondary or tertiary numbers like some Markit Services PMI and ISM Non-manufacturing PMI later in the morning. In the early going the 10-year is yielding 2.50% and agency MBS prices are approximately unchanged versus last night's close.



Jobs and Announcements

Turning to the job market, an established national mortgage lender is looking to acquire a wholesale sales team. The Company is well-capitalized and approved with all government sponsored agencies (Fannie, Freddie, Ginnie). If you're interested in having a confidential conversation, please e-mail me to relay your note; please specify the opportunity and excuse any delays due to travel.

In correspondent news, "Do you know what the 'Rule of 72' is? In the investment community, it is a simplified way to determine how long an investment will take to double, given a fixed annual rate of interest. Well, at The Money Source (TMS) they have their own 'Rule of 72.' After analyzing 32,891 loans recently purchased by TMS's correspondent lending division in 2016, an astonishing 72% of all these loans had a final price equal to original price! It is no surprise they are now one of the top 10 correspondent lenders for government loans in 2016. TMS also just rolled out its EASY bulk registration and Excel download PA tool to help your secondary team and back office save time and energy when delivering loans. To find out more about how you can deliver loans to an investor who doesn't nickel and dime you on the backend after loan delivery, email EVP of Correspondent Sales, Jeff Vanderluit."

In product news, "As lenders look to adopt a truly automated and more efficient process, the discovery process involves finding a technology that truly replaces the labor-intensive manual data entry, and not simply outsources the work to the lowest possible bidder. LoanBeam, a premier provider of mortgage technology solutions, will be in Las Vegas in Booth #711 of the Ellie Mae Experience 2017 to help lenders identify how to build a consistent, repeatable, transparent, and more profitable process. LoanBeam's automated income extraction and calculation is capable of extracting and calculating 100% of borrower's income through OCR technology refined over 14 years and millions of scanned income documents. With this type of refinement, LoanBeam accurately pulls out all relevant income data from any native PDF at a 99.7% accuracy the first time, with no human touch. For more information about how LoanBeam can improve your process flow, increase your efficiency, and deliver higher profitability per loan, visit our site.

And, "With the explosion of millennial buyers, managing your online reputation is more important than ever. History has taught us that if you are not managing what people see, your unhappy customers are all too happy to go to Google, Yelp and the CFPB and damage your reputation and create endless headaches. SocialSurvey turns this problem into a big opportunity and will spark a digital transformation for your company. If you want to learn how to get control of your online reputation, email SocialSurvey."

In personnel news, congrats to Steve Roberts! Utah's Veritas Funding announced Steve is its new president, and will oversee all aspects of sales and fulfillment at the company. Steve Roberts has been part of the Veritas Executive Team since 2013, serving most recently as the company's VP of Sales. Veritas Funding is a FNMA and FHLMC direct seller/servicer and a GNMA issuer, and it funded nearly $1.7 billion in residential loans in 2016.
Posse saddles up to help children Russell Libby describes his golden palomino horse, Sonny, as the calmest, sweetest guy and his best friend for nearly two decades. Sonny is the reason Libby and his wife, Laura,...

Kris Kringle to support library programs The Moorpark Friends of the Library is offering the second annual Letter from Santa fundraiser. For a $25 donation to the Moorpark Friends of the Library, children will receive a...

Oakmont welcomes new executive director Ronda Wilkin, certified dementia practitioner and a senior living executive, joins Oakmont of Moorpark with more than three decades of experience in health and human services. During her 15 years...
Two known MS-13 gang members from Texas were charged this week with murdering a woman and kidnapping with the intent to sexually abuse another victim.

Diego Hernandez-Rivera, 18, and Miguel Alvarez-Flores, 22, were arrested Monday and charged the next day for aggravated kidnapping. On Wednesday, they were charged with murder in a separated case where an unidentified woman's body was found in west Houston.

WOUNDED OFFICERS: Police shooter linked to criminal Houston gang called 52 Hoovers

In the other case the pair allegedly kidnapped the male victim around Feb. 2 with the intent to inflict bodily injury, sexually abuse and terrorize him, according to court documents.

About two weeks later, the body of a woman identified in court records only as "Genesis" was found in west Houston, lying along the curb at the 9900 block of Sharpcrest Street.

She died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head, neck and torso, according to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. Investigators believe she was shot by Hernandez-Rivera and Alvarez-Flores at another location and dumped on Sharpcrest.

TRAGIC: Teen arrested in killing of 8-year-old girl

Both suspects, identified in court records as MS-13 gang members, are at the Harris County jail and each faces a $150,000 bail for murder and a $100,000 bail for aggravated kidnapping.

The MS-13 gang, also known as the Mara Salvatrucha, has roots in El Salvador and a violent record in numerous countries.

The MS-13 first reached into the United States in the 1980s and has become one of the best known international street gangs in the world.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Mar 3, 2017) - Maxtech Ventures Inc. (CSE:MVT)(MVT.CN)(OTC PINK:MTEHF)(FRANKFURT:M1N) ("Maxtech" or the "Company") is pleased to report that John Harper B. Sc., P. Geo. will be supervising the regional exploration programs.

Peter Wilson CEO said, "The market for manganese is three fold, in fertilizer it is an essential nutrient in photo synthesis creating greener crops, for steel production in the creation of alloys and of course in high-grade form it is becoming more prevalent in the battery market. Maxtech is well positioned to increase its licence holdings as it conducts these regional exploration programs."

Prospecting and mapping, combined with systematic geochemical soil surveys, and ground based geophysical surveys will be performed to identify and develop manganese mineralization and its trends. There are two styles of manganese mineralization and each method requires different techniques to explore and develop the resource. Mineralization occurs as local cobbles and clasts within the colluvium and saprolite horizons above weathered hydrothermal pyrolusite bearing veins and the hydrothermal veins themselves.

The current exploration program is designed to test the character and expand the size of colluvium showings that have been identified on the property. Close control for the dimensions and grade will be accomplished utilizing techniques including hand dug pits, mobile auger drills and trenching with backhoes.

Maxtech's green field exploration strategy for areas with extensive forest cover will be inexpensive, quick and effective while having the least surface disturbance of any exploration method. The hydrothermal vein mineralization is hosted beneath the surficial, weathered horizons. Development of these showings will require further geophysical surveys, both ground and airborne based. Follow up by traditional core drilling is expected as exploration advances.

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. John Harper B.Sc., P. Geo. who is a Qualified Person with respect to Maxtech's manganese project as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

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The Company also announces that pursuant to the Company's Stock Option Plan it is issuing 1,500,000 incentive stock options at an exercise price of $0.47 cents per share to certain officers, directors and consultants. In accordance with the Company's Stock Option Plan, the options granted are exercisable for up to five years from the issue date.

About Maxtech Ventures Inc.

Maxtech Ventures Inc. is a Canadian based diversified industries corporation with gold and manganese mineral properties. Its focus is on mining and the products that are derived therefrom.

Further information about the Company is available on www.SEDAR.com under the Company's profile.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements contained in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward-looking information") as those terms are used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated", "anticipates" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the business of the Company, the Property, financing and certain corporate changes. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.
Energy storage can learn a lot from ecologyand that's what one engineer plans to do with her early career award grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Batteries have a lot in common with fish. And flocks of birds. And maybe even herds of caribou and tundra landscapes.

Lucia Gauchia sees the connection. She has a dual appointment in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering as an assistant professor at Michigan Technological University. As the US looks to update its electrical grid infrastructure, Gauchia plans to help by learning more about how ecological systems can inspire better designs and scalability.

For her creative and in-depth interdisciplinary work, she earned a prestigious CAREER Award from NSF. The grant is $500,000 that covers five years of research.

The Secret Lives of Batteries

When batteries drain, people say they're dead. Recharging them is not the only way to bring them back to life: Gauchia studies what's called a battery's second life, when it is repurposed for a new use.

"There is a life cycle for batteries that includes different applications and tasks," she says. "But everything was designed and tested for the first life, even if they end up having multiple lives."

Batteries are designed for a single use, but they can be reused and repackaged to have multiple lives scaling up from a single cell to packs to modules.

Packs and Populations

The challenge in Gauchia's research is that current battery testing methods are insufficient for measuring their multi-life effectiveness. Assessments tend to be linear with set conditions that do not reflect how people actually use batteries and the cold, heat, moisture and other conditions they might be subjected to. Additionally, battery systems scale: one battery goes into a module of battery units and modules make up packs.

"The only common thread I saw was that they have a lot in common with ecological systems," Gauchia says, explaining that testing a battery is like studying a fish in a pond. "In engineering, we take the fish out of the pond and expect to be able to tell how it's going to live in the pond; ecologists do not extract their subjects from their environment."

So, she turned to systems designs and population analyses that quantify individuals, groups and their interactions with their environment. Gauchia figured if the techniques can be applied to animals and plants, then they could be replicated for batteries and energy storage.

Lucia Gauchia finds inspiration for better battery technology in ecology.

Testing and Theorizing

Gauchia plans to test a number of batteries in first and second life stages under a variety of conditions. She will then use Bayesian networks to inform ecology-based methods to discern patterns in the data; with those patterns she can do cross-level testing to see what holds true from batteries to packs to modules. The analyses should help better predict when a battery might fail in any of its life stages.

"Energy storage has become a very important component of the national conversation about renewable energy, the next generation of utility-scale power systems, and the smart grid," says Dan Fuhrmann, the chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Michigan Tech, adding that a better understanding of batteries is "critical to the thoughtful integration of more and more energy storage devices in the mix of technologies enjoyed by modern society.

Bill Predebon, the chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, agrees that Gauchia's research will enhance Michigan Tech's energy portfolio.

"A unique aspect of her research," he says, "is using ecological tools from the field of ecology to better understand battery aging and in turn obtain longer battery life, which has applications spanning electric vehicles to power units for emergency situations such as Hurricane Sandy."

Training the Next Generation

Gauchia's batteries and data will also be used in her undergraduate classes; students will be able to work hands-on and through online courses to run short-term tests that mirror Gauchia's own long-term ones. During the summer, she plans to mentor young Hispanic women through the MICUP program that brings students from community colleges in downstate Michigan to Houghton for six-week internships.

"Batteries are interesting systems and they have peculiar behaviorand you just don't believe that until you test them yourself," Gauchia says, adding that inspiring the next generation of researchers is key for battery tech's future. "There are simply not enough battery storage classes being offered across the nation."

One battery pack at time, Gauchia plans to change that. By connecting students, ecology and energy storage, she can take the promise of battery technology and help ensure that batteries have a stable and reliable future with many productive lives.

Grants and Funding NSF CAREER Award, vehicle battery data from General Motors, solar battery data from Power New Mexico

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigans flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
Musician Aaron Carter's twin sister, Angel Carter ConradShe has broken her silence about the death of her brother, with whom she had a turbulent relationship in the last years of his life. The former child singer was found dead at his home
Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi []
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 3, 2017 / Cannabis business, solar power canopies, financial victimization, a President comes of age; this week on MoneyTV with Donald Baillargeon. MoneyTV is the internationally syndicated television program all about money and what makes it happen, (http://www.moneytv.net), featuring informative interviews with company CEOs, providing insights into their operations and outlooks for their futures.

Free information packages from the featured companies can be requested by sending an email to info@moneytv.net.

The television program can also be viewed online immediately at www.moneytv.net.

Featured companies on this week's program include:

TKO Farms, Inc. is planting and managing hardwood and citrus tree plantations in Belize.

Zerez Holdings (OTC PINK: ZRZH) VP Don Smith announced additional greenhouse sales and news about manufacturing.

XsunX, Inc. (OTC PINK: XSNX) CEO Tom Djokovich talked about the burgeoning solar canopy market.

Players Network (PNTV) Board Member Brett Pojunis announced the company's marijuanaincubator.net acquisition.

Singlepoint, Inc. (OTC PINK: SING) CEO Greg Lambrecht discussed acquisition and fundraising activity.

The Advocacy Network Founder Karl Schilling spoke of the many forms of financial victimization.

A complete menu of TV listings is available at the MoneyTV web site, http://www.moneytv.net.

MoneyTV Executive Producer and Anchor Donald Baillargeon is also the host of MoneyRap Radio, http://www.moneyrap.com and the television program Crowdfund Television, http://www.crowdfundtelevision.com.

MoneyTV with Donald Baillargeon television program, Copyright MMXVII, all rights reserved. MoneyTV does not provide an analysis of companies' financial positions and is not soliciting to purchase or sell securities of the companies, nor are we offering a recommendation of featured companies or their stocks. Information discussed herein has been provided by the companies and should be verified independently with the companies and a securities analyst. MoneyTV provides companies a 3 to 4 month corporate profile with multiple appearances for a cash fee of $11,995.00 to $17,250.00, does not accept company stock as payment for services, does not hold any positions, options or warrants in featured companies. The information herein is not an endorsement by Donald Baillargeon, the producer, publisher or parent company of MoneyTV.

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Contact:

Donald Baillargeon

info@moneytv.net

949 388 5267

SOURCE: MoneyTV
Jeff Sessions

Officials from the State Department and Heritage Foundation provided additional clarity Thursday about a July event at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland where then-Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama held the first of two conversations with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

News of the discussions with Kislyak sparked a Wednesday night firestorm that spilled into Thursday. A number of Democratic politicians called for Sessions, now the attorney general, to resign, while others, including prominent Republicans, have called for him to recuse himself from any investigation involving President Donald Trump's ties to Russia or the country's influence in the 2016 presidential election.

A Justice Department official said both instances were in his capacity as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and not as a surrogate for Trump.

The Cleveland event, the "Global Partners in Diplomacy" conference, was attended by many foreign ambassadors to the US. A Cleveland Plain Dealer story from July 20 reported 80 ambassadors were invited to the event's reception, during which Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, gave an address.

As a State Department spokesperson told Business Insider in an email, the State Department has invited foreign ambassadors to both the DNC and RNC "as observers of our democratic process" since the 1980s. The State Department manages invitations, logistics, and security, and ambassadors are responsible for their own expenses, including flight and hotel accomodations. The convention committees develop the programming the ambassadors participate in or attend.

In this case, the Heritage Foundation was one of the organizations that sponsored the Global Partners in Diplomacy conference, the one at which multiple news outlets reported Sessions and Kislyak spoke following an address Sessions gave to attendees. The State Department was unable to confirm which dignitaries were in attendance at both the RNC and corresponding DNC events, or whether Kislyak attended a corresponding DNC event, which would've occurred following the initial WikiLeaks dump of hacked Democratic National Committee emails.

Story continues

A spokesperson for the Heritage Foundation told Business Insider in an email that Sessions provided a keynote address at a defense and national-security luncheon attended by roughly 100 individuals. The spokesperson said, "I believe he was speaking as a senator on Armed Services" during his address, not as a Trump campaign surrogate.

As The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, a spokesperson for Sessions said the appearance was in his capacity as a senator and not as a campaign official. The spokesperson added that Sessions was approached following the speech by several ambassadors, including Kislyak, with whom he held a "short and informal" conversation.

But Politico reported Thursday that Sessions was clearly identified as a top Trump adviser for his speech before the dignitaries at the Cleveland convention.

Sergey Kislyak

The second conversation between Sessions and Kislyak reportedly took place in September at the senator's office, according to The Washington Post. US investigators examined the conversations, the Journal reported, as part of an investigation into communications between Trump's campaign operatives and Russian officials.

During his Senate confirmation hearing, Sessions did not mention the pair of discussions in an exchange with Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota. Franken did not ask Sessions whether he specifically spoke with Russian operatives, but Sessions, in answering an unrelated question, said he did not have any communications with "the Russians."

"If there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do?" Franken asked.

"Sen. Franken, I'm not aware of any of those activities," Sessions responded. "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it."

Sessions' spokesperson, Sarah Isgur Flores, said there "was absolutely nothing misleading" about Sessions' answer, even though he did not disclose his conversations with Kislyak.

Sessions' allies have also insisted he did not mislead the committee because he did not believe that those conversations, held in his capacity, they said, as a senior Armed Services Committee member, were relevant to the question. Opponents say Sessions may have perjured himself by not mentioning those two conversations with Kislyak.

Kislyak was also the person with whom former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was found to have communicated with both before the election and during the transition period, leading to Flynn's resignation as national security adviser after Trump said Flynn misled Vice President Mike Pence regarding the content of that communication.

Speaking to NBC News Thursday, Sessions said he did not meet " with any Russians at any time to discuss any political campaign, and those remarks are unbelievable to me and are false."

"And I don't have anything else to say about that," he added.

The attorney general also said he would recuse himself "whenever it's appropriate."

"There's no doubt about that," he said.

Elsewhere Thursday, Trump addressed the string of news stories about Sessions' conversations with Kislyak, saying he "wasn't aware" his attorney general had spoken with Kislyak during the campaign. But, Trump said he believed Sessions testified truthfully during his Senate confirmation hearing.

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New Melones from Table Mountain Trail photo by Sabrina Ambler View Photos

The Bureau of Reclamation announces the spring interpretive programs at New Melones Lake, with the first trek (hike) beginning tomorrow.

Park Ranger Mike McGraw was Fridays KVML Newsmaker of the Day.

All activities are free and suitable for all ages; most do not require reservations. Participants should wear sturdy shoes and weather appropriate clothing. A water bottle and sunscreen are also recommended. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Table Mountain Trek

Saturday, March 4, 10 a.m.

Table Mountain

What will all the winter rains reveal on top of Table Mountain? Will a kaleidoscope of flowers emerge and the areas vernal pools be replenished? Join Park Ranger Mike and explore the unique habitat and geology of Table Mountain. This is a challenging 3 mile hike with a  mile series of steep, rocky switchbacks that lead to the top for grand views of New Melones Lake and the surrounding area. Good hiking shoes, water and a snack are essential. We will meet at the corner of Shell and Rawhide Roads at 10 a.m.

Mountain Biking in the Motherlode

Saturday, March 11, 6 p.m.

New Melones Lake Visitor Center

Join Sonora Cyclery and Reclamation for a special evening presentation exploring the world of mountain biking. Learn what preparation is needed for a ride and find out where in the Motherlode you can go to take part in this fun, energetic sport; including the extensive mountain biking trail system at New Melones Lake.

We will meet at the New Melones Lake Visitor Center at 6 p.m. and all experience levels are invited to attend to learn more!

Fire to Flowers

Saturday, March 18, 10 a.m.

Glory Hole Recreation Area

During the summer of 2015, a fire took place in the Glory Hole Recreation Area, just north of the Buck Brush Loop Trail. The fire scorched a dry grassland area in and around oak woodland, along Angels Creek. From that destruction came rebirth. Join Park Ranger Sam to discover the floral display that often follows a fire and the unique ecology of the Chaparral ecosystem along the Buck Brush Trail. This is an easy to moderate, 1 mile, round-trip hike. Please bring water and snacks and be sure to wear shoes appropriate for hiking. We will meet at the Glory Hole Entrance Station at 10 a.m. and caravan to the Buck Brush Loop Trailhead. Participants will be issued a free parking pass for the duration of the event.

If These Rocks Could Talk!

Sunday, April 2, 10 a.m.

Natural Bridges

The Motherlodes geology is a source of fascination. One of the more curious geological features of the area is Natural Bridges. Take a hike with Park Ranger Josh and learn how water and time has shaped the landscape. Along the trail, learn a bit about the local flora and fauna. This is a moderate to strenuous, 2-mile, roundtrip hike. Participants may return uphill on their own. Please bring water and snacks and be sure to wear shoes appropriate for hiking. We will meet at the Natural Bridges Trailhead parking lot off of Parrotts Ferry Road at 10 a.m. Dogs are not allowed on the Natural Bridges trail.

A Night with Jupiter

Friday, April 7, 7 p.m.

Glory Hole Recreation Area

Join us when Jupiter, our solar systems largest planet, will be at its closest approach to the Earth with its surface fully illuminated by the sun. Park Rangers Diana and Ryan will help visitors uncover what the night can reveal. Join them and learn how to identify some of the more prominent constellations and stars in the sky. Telescopes will be on hand. Please dress warmly and bring a flashlight. We will meet at the Amphitheater inside Ironhorse Campground of the Glory Hole Recreation Area at 7 p.m. As with all programs, please call 209-536-9094 ext. 233 if poor weather is forecast.

Heron Point Hike

Saturday, April 8, 10 a.m.

Tuttletown Recreation Area

The birds and the bees will be busy along Heron Point Trail this spring. Enjoy a leisurely 3 mile hike with Park Ranger Pat and discover what nature has to offer on a fresh spring day. We will meet at the Tuttletown Entrance Station at 10 a.m. and caravan down to the Heron Point trailhead. Participants will be issued a parking pass for the duration of the event.

The Stars Over New Melones Lake

Saturday, April 22, 7:30 p.m.

Tuttletown Recreation Area

The night sky will be active with the Lyrids Meteor Shower underway. Join park rangers and observe the constellations, stars and other heavenly bodies above New Melones Lake. Telescopes will be on hand. Please dress warmly and bring a flashlight. We will meet at the Tuttletown Entrance Station at 7:30 p.m. and caravan to the Eagle Point Picnic Area. Please call 209-536-9094 ext. 233 if poor weather is forecast.

Chaparral Foray

Saturday, April 29, 9 a.m.

Parrotts Ferry Bridge

Where would you want to hike on a spring morning? Californias distinctive Chaparral ecosystem is a great place to start! Hike through a forest of shrubs and learn about this fire and drought adapted plant community. Along the way, catch a glimpse of history by viewing what remains of the Duchess Gold Mine. This is a strenuous 3 mile loop hike along a section of Table Mountain. Please bring plenty of water and sturdy hiking boots. We will meet at the parking lot on the Calaveras County side of the Parrotts Ferry Bridge at 10 a.m. Please call 209-536-9094 ext. 233 if additional directions are needed.

Kayaking Excursion

Sunday, May 7, 10 a.m.

New Melones Lake Visitor Center

Experience the beauty of New Melones Lake from a unique perspective on this ranger-led paddling tour. The journey begins at the Mark Twain Recreation Area and then proceeds up the Stanislaus River Canyon toward Parrotts Ferry. Along the way, park rangers will discuss the flora, fauna, geological formations and cultural history of the area. This outing is open to experienced swimmers with their own kayak or other nonmotorized boat. Expect to be out for four hours. Participants need to bring their own boat, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket (properly fitted and serviceable), paddles, sunscreen, hat, water and lunch. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. Please contact Park Ranger Josh at 209-536-9094 ext. 236 to reserve your place at this event. We will meet at the New Melones Lake Visitor Center at 10 a.m.

An Evening with Bees

Saturday, May 20, 7 p.m.

New Melones Lake Visitor Center

Discover whats abuzz with park ranger and bee aficionado Sam. Learn the life history of arguably natures most beneficial insect, the honey bee. Also, become familiar with some of the bees close relatives in our region. The program begins at the New Melones Lake Visitor Center at 7 p.m. Bee a part of the evenings festivities.

New Melones Lake Water Education Program

Available Upon Request

A water education program has been developed at New Melones. This new interdisciplinary learning experience is designed for students in grades 4 and 5. The program integrates the natural resources of New Melones Lake with California curriculum standards. School classes can join a Park Ranger to learn about the importance of water in their lives. In addition to the on-site learning experience, a teacher packet is available with logistical information and pre, post, and on-site visit activities. Park Rangers are also available to conduct classroom visits. For more details on this free program, please contact Ranger Mike McGraw at 209-536-9094 ext. 233 or mmcgraw@usbr.gov.

Mussel Outreach Programs

Available Upon Request

They are only about the size of a thumbnail yet can overwhelm aquatic environments by their sheer numbers. Invasive Quagga and Zebra mussels pose one of the greatest threats to New Melones Lake, disrupting ecosystems, impeding dam operations and impacting water recreation, especially boating and fishing. Throughout the United States, lakes and rivers have forever been altered by these tiny creatures. Although no invasive mussels are currently present in New Melones Lake, keeping the lake mussel-free is a challenge we all share as a community. Park Rangers will be attending events throughout the year to provide outreach and education to the public free of charge. If you would like a Park Ranger to visit a school, speak to students, or attend a civic function or other occasion to provide outreach, please contact Natural Resource Biologist Sam Sosa at 209-536-9094 ext. 221 or ssosa@usbr.gov.

For general information about a program, directions, or the status of a program if inclement weather is forecast, please contact Ranger Mike at 209-536-9094 ext. 233.

Ranger-led hikes tie into the Department of the Interiors Lets Move Outside initiative ( www.letsmove.gov/lets-move-outside ), which was created to encourage children and their families to enjoy outdoor activities, which abound in every city, town and community.

The New Melones Lake Visitor Center and Museum is managed by Reclamations Central California Area Office and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For additional information on activities, directions, pet restrictions or other questions, please call 209-536-9543 (TTY 800-877-8339) or visit the New Melones Lake website at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/ccao/newmelones/index.html .

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
Sonora, CA  California Attorney General Xavier Becerra took action on behalf of the state in opposition to President Donald Trumps decision to rescind rules on bathrooms for transgender students.

The earlier federal protections put in place by the Obama Administration allowed transgender students to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity. Becerra says he has filed a friend of the court briefing in the United States Supreme Court, along with 18 other state Attorney Generals, in support of transgender rights.

Becerra states, The federal government took a troubling step backward last week in the ongoing fight to protect students from gender identity discrimination. I urge the court to strike down ignorant and degrading policies that perpetuate fear and intolerance.

A two page letter from the Trump Administration, following the move to reverse course, claimed that the earlier directive from the Obama Administration should be disregarded because it lacked extensive legal analysis and did not go through a public vetting process. The letter notes that it has also drawn lawsuits.
Randy Hanvelt - Conservationist Of The Year View Photos

Napa, CA  A Tuolumne County Supervisor was recognized by a leading statewide forestry organization.

The California Forestry Association is a trade group comprised of forest owners, timber product companies and forestry professionals. The group strives to ensure that the forest is a significant contributor to both the states environmental and economic well-being. The group states that it promotes responsible stewardship through sound policies and conservation practices. The organization serves as a central voice for the states forest resource companies and communities. At its annual banquet last night at the Black Stallion Winery in Napa, the organization honored District Two Tuolumne County Supervisor Randy Hanvelt with the prestigious Conservationist of the Year award.

We chose Randy as Conservationist of the Year because of everything that he has done for his county on the tree mortality issue, says Lindsay Vanlaningham, spokesperson for the association. He was really out in front of everybody else, and for that we felt he really deserved it.

Hanvelt was also asked to moderate a biomass panel discussion held earlier in the day in Napa.

Hanvelt has been a member of the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors since 2010.
FILE - In this Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, file photo, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington before President Donald Trump's speech to the nation. Ryan is scheduled to visit Democratic-leaning Rhode Island. Ryan's office said he will be in the state Thursday to meet with supporters and attend several events. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)  Around 200 people chanted "Coward!" and booed as Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan attended an event in the heavily Democratic state.

A strong police presence kept the crowd across the street from a Providence office building, where Ryan was meeting Thursday with Year Up, a nonprofit career training organization.

Ryan was not seen entering the building, but a motorcade carrying him pulled into an alley, where there's a back entrance, away from protesters.

"We want him to hear loud and clear that his values are Wall Street values, they're not Rhode Island values," said Georgia Hollister Isman, the state director of Rhode Island Working Families. "We're also here in solidarity with our friends in Wisconsin who've been trying for months to get a town hall meeting with him."

Ryan spokesman Zack Roday said "it is unfortunate protesters chose to demonstrate at Year Up," where Ryan toured the facilities and took questions from students.

A Republican state lawmaker called the protests "shameful" and said they could hurt the tiny state's chances of fostering better relations with the White House.

The demonstrators said they were protesting the policies of Republicans including Ryan and President Donald Trump, especially their plans to repeal and replace the 2010 Affordable Care Act. People also carried signs that said, "No Ban No Wall" and "Hey! Wisconsin we found him!"

"No matter where he goes, wherever he takes his radically dangerous Ryan-Trump agenda, the resistance will be there to meet him," said state Rep. Aaron Regunberg, a Providence Democrat, who spoke to the crowd through a megaphone.

The protesters said their ire wasn't aimed at Year Up, which offers low-income young adults six months of intensive career training followed by a six-month internship with one of its corporate partners.

But its board president, Paul Salem, is with a private equity firm whose members have donated to the GOP. Campaign finance records collected by the Center for Responsive Politics show people with Providence Equity Partners gave more than $700,000 to groups associated with the Republican Party and candidates in the 2016 election cycle.

Roday said Ryan also met Thursday with executives from CVS Health, based in Woonsocket.
Kissimmee Police and Fire departments have a message: #BaldIsBrave2017.

Kissimmee police, firefighter to raise money for cancer research

They will participate in a head shaving event

Hair cut during the event will be donated to Share Your Hair



They are partnering with the St. Baldricks Foundation, a volunteer organization that raises money for childhood cancer research. The goal is to show kids they are not alone in the fight against cancer.

Both agency chiefs and another 40 people have already registered to shave their heads this weekend.

Shannon Dore, a corporal with the Kissimmee Police Department is one of the many officials who will be shaving their heads.

With the St. Baldricks Foundation, it allows us to do more for our community, said Dore. It allows us to reach and touch the children that have had childhood cancer and that are suffering from this. We want them to know that even though we respond to their calls that were also here to support them in other ways.

The event will be held from 4-8 p.m., Saturday, March 4, at 3 Sisters Speakeasy in Kissimmee.

Any hair cut during the shaving event will be donated to Share Your Hair, a non-profit that provides custom made prosthetic hair pieces.

For more information about the event or to make a donation, click here.
Brazilian state-run integrated energy player Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. or Petrobras PBR recently entered into an asset sale agreement with France-based TOTAL S.A. TOT.

Per the deal, Petrobras will sell its upstream and downstream assets for $2.2 billion. The company will receive cash, carry and contingent payments as consideration. Petrobras will receive $1.6 billion in cash initially in 60 days and the remaining amount will be paid later.

Deal Details

On the upstream front, TOTAL will acquire stakes in the Lapa and Lara offshore prospects in the Santos Basin. The company will scoop up 35% of interest in the Lapa field, which was put into production a couple of months back. Petrobras will hold 10% stake in Lapa. The remaining stake in Lapa is held by Royal Dutch Shell RDS.A and Repsol SA REPYY. TOTAL will also acquire 22.5% stake in Lara field which is still under development. Petrobras will retain operation of the assets in Lara field holding 42.5% stake.

On the downstream end, TOTAL will acquire 50% interest in a pair of thermal co-generation plants in the Bahia area and a re-gasification unit in the LNG terminal. The agreement also includes pipeline transport capacity to supply gas to the power plants.

The companies will also evaluate exploration potential in other areas of Brazil and will jointly work on the development of new technologies.

Deal Motives

The deal will enable TOTAL to augur its footprint in Brazil which offers access to low cost sustainable resources. Thus, the company is likely to cut down on costs and focus on business development.

The sale of assets is part of Petrobras divestiture program of 20152018. The company plans to sell assets worth $35 billion over the said time frame. These divestment plans are in sync with the companys strategy to reduce its debt and reinstate its investment grade rating and financial health. It is expected that the deal will have a positive impact on Petrobras as it mitigates the leverage and capex of the company along with presenting it with opportunities for future associations and partnerships with TOTAL.

Story continues

Zacks Rank

Headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Petrobras is an integrated energy firm engaged in the exploration, refining, marketing, transporting, and distribution and biofuels segments. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

The company underperformed the Zacks categorized Oil & Gas Emerging Markets Integrated industry over the last three years. During the aforesaid period, shares of Petrobras declined 3.5% while the broader industry gained around 16%.

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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March 3 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- Federal agents raided three Caterpillar buildings near its Illinois headquarters on Thursday, company and law enforcement officials said, in an escalation of an inquiry into the heavy equipment manufacturer's offshore tax practices. http://nyti.ms/2mS3Pak

- The large Chinese online retailer JD.com announced on Thursday that it would spin off its finance business for $2.1 billion, setting the stage for the group's expansion in the fast-growing and competitive market. http://nyti.ms/2mRXlse

- Over the last three years, Apple's iPads and Mac notebooks  which accounted for about half of the mobile devices shipped to schools in the United States in 2013  have steadily lost ground to Chromebooks, inexpensive laptops that run on Google's Chrome operating system and are produced by Samsung, and other computer makers. http://nyti.ms/2mS3WCM

- Anheuser-Busch InBev's flair for cutting costs is being blunted by complexity. The megabrewer now expects annual savings from its merger with SABMiller to reach $2.8 billion, 14 percent more than an earlier estimate. Yet the upgrade is significantly smaller than with previous purchases. http://nyti.ms/2mRZunE

- Ben Martin, who as a Time magazine senior photographer immortalized Richard M. Nixon's haggard 5 o' clock shadow and John Kennedy's grieving widow and children  evocative images that defined the 1960s  died on Feb. 10 at his home. http://nyti.ms/2mSe7HG (Compiled by Vishal Sridhar in Bengaluru)
The Rotary Club of Plainview is proud to honor Layne Mustian as its student of the month for March 2017. Layne is the daughter of Joe and Dawn Mustian of Plainview, Texas. She is a senior at Plainview High School. She is a member of the PHS volleyball team, National Honor Society, and FFA where she has served as advisor and secretary. She was also a member of the PHS choir for one year. She has received the Plainview FFA Green-Hand Award as well as the Merit P Award all four years of high school. Layne has been active in service projects such as Meals on Wheels, Snack Pak for Kids, Dress a Live Doll, as well as playing bingo at the VA hospital, collecting shoes for an orphanage in Guatemala, making dresses for girls in Africa and blankets for veterans in nursing homes, and wrapping presents for the Rainbow Room.

Layne has been very active in the Hale County 4-H for nine years, participating in the Plainview Club, Horse Club, County Council and District Two Council. During this time, she has served as first vice-president, second vice-president, third vice-president, parliamentarian, photographer, county council delegate, and public relations chair. She has received the organizations highest honor, the 4-H Gold Star award, as well as the Silver Star award, Farm Bureau Leadership Award, 4-H Leadership Clover, and the Williams Judging Award in the senior, intermediate and junior divisions. Layne said her favorite activity has been her participation in the Hale County Meat Judging Team for the past six years, during which time she has developed important leadership skills. Over the past few years, I have realized that much of being a leader is knowing how to humble yourself when youre wrong, listening to others opinions, and accepting valuable advice from elders. Layne is excited to be Rotarys Student of the Month, as her grandfathers were both Rotarians in Amarillo and Graham. After graduation, she plans to attend Texas A&M to major in Agriculture Communications to prepare for a job as a public communications coordinator for a large meats cooperative or corporation. More for you SAPD: Man killed outside a S.A. church, two suspects on the run
President Trump praised merit-based immigration Friday as he endorsed an Australian authors latest book, which criticizes the immigration system under the Obama administration.

The president tweeted Friday morning, Nick Adams new book, Green Card Warrior, is a must read. The merit-based system is the way to go. Canada, Australia! @foxandfriends 

In Adams book, subtitled My Quest for Legal Immigration in an Illegals System, he outlines his efforts to obtain a green card in what he called the enormous difficulty of legal immigration with the red-carpet welcome of illegal immigration.

Adams, a conservative columnist and commentator, has appeared on Fox, and is quoted several times on the right-wing news site Breitbart. He founded a nonprofit organization called Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness. He described the organization on his website as a battle tank instead of a think tank, seeking to counter the army of anti-American activists in schools, the media and other mainstream cultural institutions.

Trump had praised Adams native Australia and Canada in his first address to Congress because both countries immigration policies give preference to skilled workers over family members of naturalized citizens.

Under President Barack Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, 750,000 immigrants brought to the United States as children, including around 200,000 in California, are temporarily shielded from deportation.

DACA remains in tact under Trump, who plans to build a wall across the southern border with Mexico. The president signed a Jan. 25 executive order that sought to withhold funds from sanctuary jurisdictions and broadened the abilities of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to target unauthorized immigrants at its discretion.

Trump has apparently found time to read as president after telling the Washington Post during his presidential campaign that he was too busy to do so.

As a presumptive Republican nominee, Trump said, I never have (time to read). Im always busy doing a lot. Now Im more busy, I guess than ever before.

Past coverage by The Chronicle include:

 Merit-based immigration could help tech firms but hurt families

 Farewell to the reader in chief

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
Wal-Mart's brand is founded on the idea of slashing prices, but it can't do so without ruffling a few feathers.

Reuters is reporting that Wal-Mart is once again beating the drums of price war against some of its main competitors, including Aldi and Kroger.
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Disney Features Animation artist Paul Briggs, a San Antonio native, is creating a series of limited edition concert posters with Gruene Hall.

He recently unveiled the first, for the sold-out Loretta Lynn concerts today and Saturday. Briggs' illustration gives the queen of country music the full Disney princess treatment, with a formal gown that seems to grow out of the Hill Country flora in front of the historic dancehall.

Related: Artist drew on personal experience for 'Big Hero 6' scene

Briggs has worked on films such as "Frozen," "Big Hero 6" and the newly minted Oscar winner "Zootopia" in his 21-year career with Disney. In an email, he said he contacted Gruene Hall -- where he had his wedding reception -- about the project.

Briggs has "always loved my home state," he said. "I really wanted to promote both Texas and Gruene Hall.'

Briggs said he will be at tonight's concert to sign copies of the poster for Lynn and Gruene Hall.
Rand Paul

Sen. Rand Paul on Thursday suggested he was getting tired of the House Republican process for repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, the healthcare law better known as Obamacare.

In a series of tweets, the Republican senator from Kentucky said the House GOP had hidden its plan from other lawmakers and the public. He said the secretive nature was "unacceptable."

"I have been told that the House Obamacare bill is under lock & key, in a secure location, & not available for me or the public to view," Paul tweeted. "This is unacceptable. This is the biggest issue before Congress and the American people right now."

House GOP leadership has begun to develop a plan, a draft of which leaked Friday, but reports have indicated that many lawmakers have not been privy to the development.

Paul has introduced his own version of a replacement and has joined with other conservative senators, such as Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah, in calling for a total repeal of the ACA.

Paul said the House plan did not go far enough in repeal.

"What is the House leadership trying to hide?" Paul said. "My guess is, they are trying to hide their 'Obamacare Lite' approach. Renaming and keeping parts of Obamacare, new entitlements and extending medicaid expansion are not the #FullRepeal we promised."

Some House conservatives, including members of the Freedom Caucus, have also come out in favor of a full repeal of the law rather than some form of compromise. The disagreement has led to a slowdown in the repeal-and-replace process.

Paul said he wanted the process from House leadership to be more transparent.

"I call on them to make this process transparent and to let the sunshine in," Paul concluded. "Today."

Here is his full tweetstorm:

I have been told that the House Obamacare bill is under lock & key, in a secure location, & not available for me or the public to view.  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017

@RandPaul This is unacceptable. This is the biggest issue before Congress and the American people right now.  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017

@RandPaul What is the House leadership trying to hide? My guess is, they are trying to hide their "Obamacare Lite" approach.  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017

@RandPaul Renaming and keeping parts of Obamacare, new entitlements and extending medicaid expansion are not the #FullRepeal we promised  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017

@RandPaul House and Senate passed repeal in 2015. They should keep their promises and bring them up again for a vote now  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017

@RandPaul I demand the House release the text of the bill. Every elected official & every American deserve to know what they're trying to do  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017

@RandPaul I will not vote for Obamacare Lite nor will many of my colleagues. We will keep our word. I call on House leaders to do the same  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017

@RandPaul And I call on them to make this process transparent and to let the sunshine in. Today.  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 2, 2017

NOW WATCH: 'Sit down! Quiet!': Watch Trump's heated exchanges with reporters in his longest press conference as president





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'Logan' Ben Rothstein/Twentieth Century Fox 'A United Kingdom' Fox Searchlight Pictures 'The Shack' 'Table 19' Fox Searchlight Pictures/HONS

Two weeks, two great movies -- and they're both genre films: the horror flick "Get Out" and the comic-book adventure "Logan."

That's a trend moviegoers can get behind. Here's hoping it continues next week with "Kong: Skull Island," a B-movie blown up to monstrous size.
San Antonio native and Hollywood actor Nicholas Gonzalez was just introduced to a new leading lady, one who eclipses any other he's starred opposite: an adorable baby daughter.

The Central High grad and his wife, actress and entrepreneur Kelsey Crane, welcomed their first child Wednesday, "the best day of our lives," Gonzalez wrote on Facebook.
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In the summer of 1979, a small Central Texas resort turned into one of New Braunfels' most popular attractions and over the past 39 years, the goal of the family-owned business is simply to give visitors a water-filled fun time.

The story of Schlitterbahn's creation started with the Henry family when founders Bob and Billye Henry bought Landa Resort in New Braunfels in 1966. For the next 10 years, the family realized their resort guests were most attracted to the water slides they installed.

In response to the water slide demand, the owners continued to develop new rides and slides for guests to enjoy. Then by 1979, the couple opened Schlitterbahn - which is the combination of the German words for slippery (schlitter) and road (bahn).

FUN FACTS: 35 facts about Schlitterbahn you likely didn't know about before

Now Playing: Latest Local And State News Video: Houston Chronicle

In the beginning, the resort the Henrys bought was 15 acres and 32 cabins, which grew to 40 acres and over 100 units in the first 10 years. The constant improvement of the park's attractions has been a staple in the Henry family and continues today.

"We lived at the camp so we literally lived the business," said Gary Henry, the eldest son of Bob and Billye Henry. "My mother would answer the reservation line at night and if there was any problem, we would go and fix it. It was a way of life. It was what we did."

Today, Schlitterbahn New Braunfels guests enjoy over 70 acres containing 51 attractions. The park in New Braunfels opens for spring break on Saturday, March 10, and the rest of this year's schedule can be found here.

Click through the gallery above to see the vintage photos of the Landa Resort and Schlitterbahn in their early years and continue clicking to see photos and facts of what we know as Schlitterbahn now.

BIG SPENDER: Developer proposes $446 million water park, resort in Missouri

The Schlitterbahn family was devastated after a 10-year-old boy suffered a fatal neck injury in August 2016 while riding the Verruckt slide, the world's former highest slide in the world reaching a staggering 168 feet high.

"It was a devastating event and devastating to the staff that ran that ride and the park in general," Gary Henry said. "Our focus is on safety  every day  the way we open the park and check to see everything is operating properly. We don't only rely on our safety, but we also rely on others coming in to double check after us."

Henry says the Schlitterbahn brand is going to continue testing, revisiting and improving all of their attractions to continuously ensure the safety of their customers and employees.

"Whether it's the parking lots or the restrooms or the rides, every aspect has to be looked at to ensure it is as safe as possible," Henry said.

WHAT FUN: Impressive North Texas water park is open and it looks epic

Ed Hubbard has been going to Schlitterbahn New Braunfels for the past 25 years with his entire family each Memorial Day weekend. He says thanks to Schlitterbahn, there is something for every family member to do and no one is bored. He credits Schlitterbahn as the reason why his kids know their extended family.

"There's one particular time that repeats itself every Memorial Day. During the day, everyone goes their own way, but every night around 6:30 and 7 we all meet up for dinner and a prayer circle," Hubbard said. "So it is really the only time of the year when our whole family is together in such an important moment.

"There's no place like Schlitterbahn. No other place would compare."
The concha, a staple of panaderias, is now a piece of art that does more than satisfy a sweet tooth.

Daniel Del Real, who describes himself as a "creative" based in Indianapolis, used the spongy sweet to combat a "right-wing" ideal with his latest piece titled "No Seas Concha."

"The saying 'No Seas Concha' is a Mexican expression that means 'don't be lazy.' It came about because conchas (seashells) just sit on the beach doing nothing  sort of like the U.S. version of a couch potato," the artist explained. "The idea elaborated into a political commentary that gives life to the right-wing ideas that undocumented immigrants are somehow government moochers who are lazy and drain the system."

RELATED: Mexican activists spray paint message to President Trump on 'his pinche wall'

The concha is about 5 feet in diameter and housed in the "Herencia" Fine Arts Exhibit at the University of Indianapolis. Del Real said he hired performance artist Jonathan Christian Angulo to further his message by dressing up as a "stereotypical Mexican" to lounge on the concha.

"Guests were able to approach him and join in on the laziness or give him pieces of bread as a symbol of being the government giving him handouts," Del Real added.

RELATED: Kat Von D defends her Latino heritage, opposes border wall with vintage Instagram photo

"No Seas Concha" gained internet fame as a "concha bean bag" when We Are Mitu shared a Facebook photo of it.

"Yes, concha bean bags really exist," the meme said.

The website's Facebook fans reacted in swarms.

RELATED: One-time DACA recipient facing deportation in S.A. released

"Sitting on a concha, eating a concha would become a part of everyday life. I couldn't do this or I'd have to be crane lifted out of my house for emergency gastric bypass after about three months," one person said, followed by another who joked that they'd "probably forget it's a beanbag (and) want to take a bite out of it."

Del Real's "confection" is sculpted from polyurethane foam, polyfill, fleece and knit cotton, so it probably wouldn't taste as good as a panaderia product.

mmendoza@mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
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Menands

Van Rensselaer Boulevard will get a makeover this summer, reducing the number of lanes and making more room for bicyclists and pedestrians.

The four-lane road will be revamped to one lane in each direction with a center turning lane. Shoulders will be widened to give pedestrians more room, and dedicated bicycle lanes will be created.

Neighbors have raised concerns the road, with its 55 mph speed limit and lack of sidewalks, has been the scene of frequent accidents and near misses.

In December 2015, Jodey Farrell, 81, was killed while walking to a bus stop. The driver was not speeding, and no charges were filed.

A few weeks before that, a Shaker High School student was killed driving there at 5 a.m. on a Sunday. He lost control of his car, struck a road sign and a tree, and the vehicle burst into flames.

The speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph during construction and remain there afterward, said Sam Zhou, regional director of the state Department of Transportation, who discussed the project at a meeting Thursday of the Capital District Transportation Committee.

"There is a history behind the road," Zhou said. "It is definitely, in a sense, car-centric. We want to make sure the street serves not only vehicular traffic but other modes."

Van Rensselaer Boulevard was built before Interstate 787 and was designed to be a major corridor taking traffic out of the city.

Today, an average of fewer than 8,000 cars a day drive on it. It is, however, home to large apartment complexes like Dutch Village, where Farrell lived, that families with children call home.

Another DOT road project to be done this summer is new pavement, new striping, sidewalks, drainage on Hamburg Street in Rotterdam. New sewers, paid for by the town, will be installed.

The East High Street and Crescent Avenue bridges in Saratoga County also will be replaced. Most of that construction will be done in 2018, but some work is scheduled for late this summer.

Also during the CDTC meeting, its members  who represent Capital Region cities, towns and transportation agencies  approved delaying dozens of road projects to meet federal guidelines.

Federal transportation aid comes in five-year increments, and the CDTC had previously frontloaded approval for the work in early years, knowing some projects could be delayed. Less spending was then allotted for later years. The Federal Highway Administration required the spending to be balanced yearly with only a little wiggle room.

For the current fiscal year, which began Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30, the CDTC had approved $86 million in projects, with $67.7 million in revenue. The CDTC reduced that gap to $3.6 million, which fits within the federal guidelines. For the most part, that meant delaying work a few months to bump it into the next fiscal year.

The longest any roadwork got delayed was a year, said CDTC Executive Director Michael Franchini. He described the shift as an accounting matter that won't affect the driving, walking or bike-riding public.

"They probably won't even notice," he said.
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A day after U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer called for U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation over his contact with the Russian ambassador last year, President Donald Trump sniped back in a tweet Friday that included a photo of the senator and Russian President Vladimir Putin noshing on doughnuts and gas station coffee.

We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! pic.twitter.com/Ik3yqjHzsA

In a tweet of his own, Schumer shot back that he'd be happy to discuss his 2003 meeting with Putin and Co.

Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in '03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team? https://t.co/yXgw3U8tmQ  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 3, 2017

Schumer met with Putin, Lukoil President Vagit Alekperov and Vadim Gluzman, American president of Lukoil, in New York City more than a decade ago when Putin came to visit Lukoil's first New York gas station. (Lukoil is a Russian oil giant)

From that meeting, per the AP:

[caption id="attachment_272757" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Russian President Vladimir Putin, third from left, is greeted by Senator Charles Schumer D-N.Y, right, and Vagit Alekperov president of Lukoil, left, and Vadim Gluzman American president of Lukoil as putin came to visit the first New York gas station of the Russian company Lukoil Friday, Sept. 26, 2003. (AP Photo/Lukoil HO,David Karp)[/caption]

The back-and-forth is the latest between congressional Democrats and the GOP White House.

The Sessions spat flared up when it was reported that the former Republican senator spoke with the Russian ambassador last year. Democrats contended that the contact contradicts Sessions testimony during his confirmation hearing.

Sessions' camp says the contact was made in his capacity as senator and a member of the Armed Services Committee, not as a Trump campaign surrogate.

Sessions has recused himself from any investigations related to the 2016 presidential election, including whether there was Russian interference with the election.

Update: In case you care, Schumer and Putin are eating Krispy Kremes in the photo Trump tweeted, per former Schumer intern Farrell Sklerov:

I was at this event in 2003 as an intern with @stuloeser. Putin stopped by the 1st NYC Lukoil opening and tried a @krispykreme. Explained! https://t.co/TDBggPJjqV  Farrell Sklerov (@fsklerov) March 3, 2017

Update x2: A more pertinent update. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders spoke aboard Air Force One Friday about whether the president believes Sessions' recusal is enough. Here's what she said, per the press pool:

Please explain to me how volunteers meeting at a conference where nearly 80 ambassadors attended is a story. I guess it's kind of lost on me where that would be newsworthy in any capacity. I mean Chuck Schumer sitting and having drinks with Putin and that's not a news story, but apparently a volunteer for a campaign bumping into one at a conference where there's again dozens of other ambassadors is newsworthy.

Update x3: Schumer ain't alone if he gets investigated by DOJ:
Students at The Learning Experience of Atascocita created heart-themed art to be auction off to raise funds for USA Cares.

USA Cares was specifically chosen by the center for its unique purpose.

"Our center chose to raise awareness and funds to benefit USA Cares, an organization committed to providing financial and advocacy assistance to post-9/11 active duty military personnel, veterans and their families," said preschool owner Manuel Magallanes.

Because Our Hearts Beat auction is a national philanthropic initiative The Learning Experience of Atascocita is taking part in for the first time this year.

"The initiative is an extension of our first-of-its-kind philanthropy curriculum at the preschool level," Magallanes said. "It brings into context the philanthropy word for the month of February which is 'cause.'"

All of the artwork auctioned off was created by the preschool students.

"The purpose of the auction is to raise money for a local cause while allowing our students the opportunity to have a hands-on experience with our philanthropy curriculum," Magallanes said.

The Learning Experience's 14 center's teachers and staff members and 75 students participated in fulfilling this auction.
Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce reported on its 2017 Austin Legislative trip to advocate for its top priorities during Bizcom Atascocita on Thursday, March 2.

Surveys and interviews conducted with major stakeholders, large employers and the school district led the chamber to its top priorities, said Terry Vaughn, chair of Lake Houston Area Chamber Public Affairs Committee.

"We came up with five major categories - taxation, regulation and fees; healthcare; economic development; transportation; and infrastructure, workforce and education," Vaughn said.

Taking a diverse group of people to Austin was key in the chamber's advocacy for the community.

"This wasn't just the business committee, the school board," Vaughn said. We had representation from small businesses, from big businesses. We had the City of Humble there."

Armed with their top five priorities, Vaughn said their key areas were taxation, regulation, and fees; healthcare; and economic development.

"Underneath our top three," Vaughn said. "We came and talked about some key specific points with bills that have already been filed."

For taxation regulation and fees, working to eliminate the franchise margin tax was most important because it hurts small businesses the most, he said.

"What we really urged them to do is help us to phase this out and repeal it eventually, which would change the lives of most of the small businesses in this area," Vaughn said.

For healthcare, Vaughn said they advocated allowing nurse practitioners to practice healthcare at the highest extent of their license.

"Right now they are kind of stifled and have to have a lot of oversight," Vaughn said. "When they go to school, they are very capable of diagnosing and doing some of these things."

Medicare synchronization was also a priority under healthcare in order to allow patients with multiple prescriptions easier access.

"There's a bill out there both in the Senate and the House right now that would allow the pharmacist to synchronize those medications and have them ready all on the same day," Vaughn said.

Under economic development, the City of Humble was present because Senate Bill 2 is a big deal for them in particular.

"It makes it where if the revenue of the city goes above a certain limit, they have to have a general election in November that costs about $20,000 in our area for us to do," Vaughn said.

With the City of Humble rapidly growing, a bill like that definitely has some negative impact, he said.

"We went in and opposed this because our area specifically is growing so fast, the city and the county need to be able to do whatever it takes to raise the threshold or maintain the current tax levels," Vaughn said.

In opposing Senate Bill 2, the city would be able to continue to expand roads, build parks and use funding toward expanding the area, he said.

Jeremy Phillips, senior director of infrastructure, spoke about the new Atascocita area park.

"Two weeks ago, we closed on a 19-plus acre property right along West Lake Houston near Rosewood Funeral Home," Phillips said.

This project could take up multiple phases, but Phillips said the first phase will cost around $3.2 million put toward constructing and opening the nature-theme park early next year.

"We are committed to try and develop this," said Phillips. "We tear down trees all the time for roads. We are really excited about preserving green space in the area."
Quest Early College and Lone Star College Kingwood have partnered with the University of Houston to preserve Bordersville by campaigning for historical recognition.

Students gathered Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Bordersville 3H Community Center to gather the information needed to make it happen.

With surrounding areas eating up the historic land in waves, Crescida Jacobs, instructor at Quest Early College, said they need to act fast to preserve what's left first by having the students interview community members and then documenting their stories.

"We would like to get historic designation for the community to try and keep some of the industrialization that's coming up. They already expanded Bush Airport into this community," Jacobs said.

Bordersville formed when many black Americans were pushed out of Humble in 1927 when the sawmill closed, leaving many jobless.

"Basically, Ed Borders, the sawmill owner, said that black people can come and live here," Jacobs said. "He gave them the land, and the way he gave them the land is, he just kind of said from this tree to this tree is your property."

The application process to get historical recognition begins with getting the history together.

"The first part of that application process is to develop a narrative of the history of the community and why it's important to preserve that story," Jacobs said.

The Bordersville 3H Community Center gaining historic recognition would enlighten Humble residents of its existence.

"We found this community that's really been ignored," Jacobs said. "People that grew up in Humble don't even know that it's here; it's a place that really needs historic recognition and protection."

When the airport was first expanding and the city was putting in water, Jacobs said people living in close proximity to the airport had to lobby for their own water.

"They had run water down Main Street to get to Bush airport, but no one in this community had running water in their homes, so for that to be right here in our community seemed a really obvious place to start," Jacobs said.

Members living in the community went to city hall to lobby for running water in their homes.

"This community didn't have running water down the streets until 1980s, and only then because people like A.W. Jones went to the city hall and fought," Jacobs said.

Designating Bordersville as a historic landmark will take time, but through this initiative, Jacobs said high school students will connect history back to their community.

"This seemed to be a natural way," Jacobs said. "They can see what it was like to live in Jim Crow Humble, from people who lived through that experience instead of just reading about it."

Several educators sat down together to discuss a project that wasn't the typical community clean-up or visit to a nursing home.

"The take away is to go to the community and ask them 'What would you like us to do?'" said Marty Willits, Quest Early College instructor.

Whispers of a segregated cemetery near the community center is also part of what Marty and Jacobs hope to preserve by pushing for a fence to protect the black section of the cemetery.

"There is a neighborhood going in on all three sides," Jacobs said. "There is a fence down the middle, and a fence around the white section, but there's nothing protecting those graves from any number of things."

Jacobs is looking to the students and community members for help in restoring the cemetery.

"Marty has a guy that is suppling a fence for us to put up," Jacobs said. "We just need to put it up. Just some basic protection for the dignity of the history of these people."

Students have been given an unique to learn history, but that isn't the only advantage to this project, said Chris Davis, associate professor of History at Lone Star College-Kingwood.

"It's really empowering for students to go out and become the historian for a day, rather than just learning the things we are required to by the state in a textbook, but really to go out and create history, to literally make history," Davis said.

The University of Houston plans to help by transcribing the interviews and archiving them for future educators, historians and students to one-day revisit and possibly contribute to this collection.
Since Houston Police Department Kingwood Division Captain Colin Weatherly started at the Kingwood Division in November, he has stressed the importance he places on building relationships in the community.

He has launched the Ministers Partnership, a new initiative he hopes will serve to strengthen the bond between the Kingwood area community and law enforcement.

Representatives from eight area churches met with Kingwood Division officers at the Kingwood Church of Christ for the inaugural Ministers Partnership Meeting Thursday, March 2.

Weatherly has been an officer with HPD for approximately 21 years and has served in several patrol divisions. The idea for a Ministers Partnership came from his experience as a lieutenant with the HPD Northeast Division.

"I was at Northeast about five years ago," Weatherly said. "Captain Fremin is the captain at Northeast. 'Northeast,' in HPD terminology is the 'Fifth Ward.' He started (a Ministers Partnership) maybe five years ago with six or seven pastors. I went to his meeting last Thursday and there was at least 100 people there. That's how much it has grown in four to five years."

The Kingwood area Ministers Partnership meetings are intended to be ongoing, but the frequency with which they will occur has yet to be determined.

Thursday's meeting was an informal lunch to introduce and discuss the goals of the partnership.

One goal was to strengthen the partnership between law enforcement, churches and the community.

Weatherly is not sure in what way the partnership may expand, but is not excluding the possibility of incorporating representatives from other community groups such as politicians.

"I'm just letting God lead the way of where this is to go," Weatherly said. "Where this goes from here, I'm not really sure. I think this is a good foundation. Between pastors and police; both of us have a lot of power to influence."

HPD-Kingwood Division's jurisdiction covers Kingwood as well as areas in Huffman and Summerwood. Weatherly aims to foster a partnership that includes churches and law enforcement agencies across the Lake Houston communities.

Weatherly said the partnership may also function to link those in need to services and resources in the community.

"Maybe your church specializes in something that we can all utilize," said Weatherly.

HPD Kingwood Division Lieutenant Chris Salazar said she considers the Ministers Partnership as a valuable tool and mutual resource for police officers and local ministers.

Salazar gave an example of a time during which having a network of community partnerships played an integral role in helping community members in need when on Dec. 3, a Dayton family was involved in a fatal accident in Huffman.

"The father was in the hospital up until about five weeks ago," Salazar said. "They didn't get to bury their son. He was only seven years old and they couldn't afford to bury their kid. I had this man who is in a wheelchair crying about his son; not getting to put him to rest."

By working with different individuals and organizations in the area including HAAM, FamilyTime and several others, the family has been receiving physical, emotional and financial support and have since been able to cremate their son and put him to rest.

Salazar encouraged area ministers to reach out to her and the HPD-Kingwood Division with their contact information so that they too may become a part of a network of potential support.

"When I come across situations like this, I want to give people that help," Salazar said. "I'm in this line of work because I have a serving heart and when someone hurts, I hurt with them. I think if we all come together, there's a lot of good that we can do out here."

Another goal of the partnership is to further the community's role in crime reduction efforts.

Local law enforcement counts on citizens and the community to help with crime prevention; however, sometimes citizens may be reluctant to contact police about an issue, explained Weatherly. Pastors may have access to helpful information, can help inform the community about crime prevention efforts and encourage more communication between the community and law enforcement.

"Part of my goal here is to build trust with the citizens," Weatherly said. "Pastors have a lot of power with their congregations. Hopefully we can add on to that trust and pastors can pass on the trust to members of the congregation."

Trish King, director of discipleship and spiritual development at Strawbridge United Methodist Church, said the partnership may serve as a resource for congregation leaders as well. Because police officers have a unique insight into the community, they may be able to point to different trends or issues that ministers can then look to address in their congregations.

Ultimately, Weatherly envisions this new initiative resulting in the formation of a problem-solving partnership.

"This is the foundation of our community right here in this room," Weatherly said. "It will continue to grow, but if this foundation is solid, then I really have no fear about us failingThere will be some things that test all of us, but if we create a strong foundation, then we will stand and our house, our neighborhood, our community will not fall from the storms."

For more information about the Ministers Partnership email Captain Colin Weatherly at Colin.Weatherly@houstonpolice.org, Officer Daniel Von Quintis at Daniel.Vonquintus@houstonpolice.org, or call the Kingwood Division station at 832-3951800.
Sergey Kislyak

Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak did not attend a corresponding Democratic National Committee event to one he attended at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, where he held an initial chat with then-Sen. Jeff Sessions, according to the DNC event's organizer.

That event was the International Leaders Forum, put on by the National Democratic Institute last July in Philadelphia. The State Department invites foreign ambassadors and dignitaries to both conventions as observers of the US's democratic election process.

A spokesperson for the NDI, which has hosted the event since the 1984 convention, told Business Insider that Kislyak was not registered for the program and no one present reported seeing him. The spokesperson said there was "no evidence" he was present.

It's a "widely attended event and ... no one remembers seeing him there," the NDI spokesperson said, later adding, "We talked about a lot, and he's not like somebody that you wouldn't notice."

The spokesperson said he could not confirm whether Kislyak was present for any DNC-related event or the convention itself. Michael McFaul, the former US ambassador to Russia under President Barack Obama, tweeted Thursday that Kislyak was not present for the DNC, which occurred just days after WikiLeaks dumped a trove of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee, an act that US intelligence has concluded was done with Russian involvement.

McFaul responded to a subsequent request for comment from Business Insider by telling a reporter to "ask the Russian embassy."

The Russian embassy did not return an earlier request for comment from Business Insider.

In an email correspondence with Business Insider on Thursday, a State Department spokesperson said the department has invited foreign ambassadors to attend both conventions since the 1980s. The spokesperson listed the Global Partners in Diplomacy event, the RNC event where Kislyak and Sessions spoke, and the International Leaders Forum as the two events where it coordinated with organizers to bring the diplomatic corps.

Story continues

The State Department manages the invitations, logistics, and security for the ambassadors, while the ambassadors themselves have to pay for their own expenses, such as flights and hotel accommodations. The State Department did not fund either event, and it could not confirm the list of ambassadors that attended each event.

One of the sponsor organizations for the RNC's Global Partners in Diplomacy event was the Heritage Foundation. A spokesperson for Heritage told Business Insider in an email that Sessions provided a keynote address at a defense and national-security luncheon attended by roughly 100 individuals. The spokesperson said, "I believe he was speaking as a senator on Armed Services" during his address, not as a Trump campaign surrogate.

As The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, a spokesperson for Sessions said the appearance was in his capacity as a senator and not as a campaign official. The spokesperson added that Sessions was approached following the speech by several ambassadors, including Kislyak, with whom he held a "short and informal" conversation.

But Politico reported Thursday that Sessions was identified as a top Trump adviser for his speech before the dignitaries at the Cleveland convention.

Sessions held an additional discussion with Kislyak in September at the senator's office. A Justice Department official said both instances were in his capacity as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and not as a surrogate for Trump.

Jeff Sessions

News of the discussions with Kislyak sparked a firestorm. A number of Democratic politicians called for Sessions, now the attorney general, to resign. In a Thursday press conference, Sessions announced he would recuse himself from any investigation that involved the Trump campaign.

The Sessions controversy centers on whether he misled Congress about the discussions during his Senate confirmation hearing, when he did not mention the pair of discussions in an exchange with Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota. Franken did not ask Sessions whether he specifically spoke with Russian operatives, but Sessions, in answering an unrelated question, said he did not have any communications with "the Russians."

During his Thursday press conference, Sessions tried to clear up some questions about his contacts with Kislyak.

In describing the meeting, of which he said he recalled little, Sessions said he discussed terrorism and Ukraine, adding that the discussion surrounding the country "got to be a little bit of a testy conversation."

On why he didn't mention the conversations during his answer in the confirmation hearing, Sessions said he was "taken aback" by the new information Franken had presented in his question.

"This allegation that a surrogate  and I had been called a surrogate for Donald Trump  had been meeting continuously with Russian officials, and that's what I  it struck me very hard, and that's what I focused my answer on," he said. "And in retrospect, I should have slowed down and said, 'But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times, and that would be the ambassador.'"

NOW WATCH: Obama's White House photographer has been trolling Trump on Instagram





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More than $381 million will be spent over the next two years to provide water for the growing Lake Houston population through the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project, which broke ground Friday, Feb. 24.

Another $1 billion will be spent on expanding the Northeast Water Purification Plant to accommodate the 400 million gallons of water a day. When the project is finished, water will be directed through a series of 8-foot pipes and canals from the Trinity River to Lake Houston. Before the water reaches the lake, it'll be slowed down to prevent erosion.

"The whole region is growing by leaps and bounds," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner told the Save Water Texas Coalition after the groundbreaking. "Back in 2011, we experienced a serious drought. If you don't take the necessary measures to build the infrastructure in order to be able to have that ready supply of water available, then you cannot have growth and development, you simply cannot.

"This is our economic engine. The water literally is the fuel that drives the engine. If you don't have the water, you can't go."

The Coastal Water Authority partnered with the North, West and Central Harris County Regional Water Authorities as well as the North Ft. Bend Regional Water Authority to make it happen. The bulk of the funding, $300 million, is coming from the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT). The Texas Water Development Board is providing another $62 million and the participating agencies are footing the rest of the bill. The city of Houston already owns the water.

Bech Bruun, chairman of the Texas Water Development Board said the Luce Bayou is one of the most important projects in the state.

"We are under budget, and we have made sure that the staff understand that we will stay under budget," said Wayne Klotz, president of the Coastal Water Authority.

The project also reduces the city's dependence on groundwater supply, creating more access to surface water.

The Luce Bayou project was first conceived in 1938 when Mayor Richard Fonville purchased the property that would become Lake Houston with a personal check. Though the project was designed in the 1980s, it's been on the state water plan since 2001.

There have been several developments over the years, Turner said.

"But none, except maybe that original land purchase 80 years ago, may be more important than what we are doing today," the mayor said. "Lake Houston and Lake Conroe have served us well. There is capacity in Trinity River, and we have had the right to take that water since the 1990s."

Turner projected 5 million people in the city of Houston by 2030.

"Thanks to the action that we are taking today, there will be a plentiful, steady supply of water," he said.
The Taco Bell on 8919 Spring Cypress Road is minus an employee after a Houston Police officer found a derogatory phrase written on the bottom of his food bag.

The incident happened Tuesday, Feb. 28, the same day two other HPD officers were shot and hospitalized after an altercation with a 52 Hoovers gang member.
LUBBOCK  Texas Corn Producers (TCP) encourages farmers to attend a Corn Farmer Town Hall Meeting this week. TCP directors and staff will be facilitating discussions with farmers at four separate town hall meetings in Hart, Panhandle, Hereford and Dalhart. TCP directors and staff are seeking corn farmers input on farm legislation, as well as other areas impacting farmers and their business in the High Plains. Corn farmers have the opportunity to align the advocacy efforts and priorities of the Texas corn checkoff and association to best support them. Our organizations work diligently on behalf of the farmers in Texas, TCP Executive Director David Gibson said. This is a crucial opportunity for us to receive the input and feedback we need to continue best supporting corn farmers across the state now and in the future. A free meal will be provided to farmers in attendance of each meeting. A wide array of topics will be covered at the Corn Farmer Town Halls, including: --Review and discussion of current farm bill --Outlook and discussion of needs for next farm bill -- State checkoff and association activities and objectives --Regional concerns and issues --Involvement opportunities Weve already hosted a handful of these meetings, and received excellent feedback from hundreds of farmers, Gibson said. Having this firsthand insight is a crucial part of ensuring that TCP is representing and advocating for corn farmers in the best ways possible. We look forward to hearing from corn farmers across the High Plains as we wrap up our round of town halls. The following schedule outlines TCPs remaining corn farmer town hall meetings: Hart  Golden Group Building, 10 a.m.-noon, March 6 Panhandle  Carson Co. Ag Barn, 10 a.m.-noon, March 7 Hereford  Deaf Smith Co. Extension Office, 10 a.m.-noon, March 9 Dalhart  Rita Blanca Coliseum, 10 a.m.-noon, March 10 Additional details and information can be found on the TCP website, www.TexasCorn.org. Questions can be directed to 806.763.CORN (2676) or info@texascorn.org
Covenant Health Plainview is dedicated to providing the most advanced healthcare in the comfort of your community.

In April, the Plainview hospital is expanding on that philosophy as it welcomes a new general surgeon, Paresh K. Rajajoshiwala, M.D., to the community.

I am very excited to be coming to Plainview, said Rajajoshiwala, who also goes by the name Dr. Raja.

Dr. Raja has grown to become a renowned surgeon in his nearly 20-year career and will be a great addition to the specialist team at Covenant Health Plainview.

Im extremely happy to have Dr. Raja join our medical team, said Covenant Health Plainview CEO Bob Copeland. He and his family will be a welcomed addition to Plainview. He is very experienced and will bring a whole new dynamic to Covenant Health Plainview. I think he is going to fit in very well with our current surgeons, in particular, Dr. Ilhan Yildiz and Dr. Douglas Cummins.

Raja begins his practice at Covenant Health Plainview at the beginning of April and will office with Yildiz inside the Plainview hospital.

Prior to his move to Plainview, Dr. Raja has run a general and bariatric surgery practice in San Antonio since 2009. Dr. Raja worked inside a number of San Antonio hospitals, including the Baptist Healthcare System, the Methodist Healthcare System and Christus Santa Rosa Healthcare.

Dr. Raja graduated high school in Covina, Calif., and then majored in Biochemistry and Biological Science at California State University and the University of California at Irvine.

I just love science, said Dr. Raja with a laugh as he explained his reasoning for entering the medical field.

But with also a passion for working with his hands, Dr. Raja said he eventually chose to pursue a career as a surgeon.

Im more of a hands-on kind of person. And when I see a problem, I want to fix it, Raja said.

As a surgeon, Im able to do that. I can find a resolution and really set that patient free from whatever their problem is; and in a fairly short interval of time.

Thats the reward, seeing how their lives change tremendously.

In 1989, Dr. Raja entered the distinguished Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, Ill.

Dr. Raja then entered a research fellowship at the University of Cincinnatis Department of Neurological Surgery before interning in Los Angeles and eventually becoming Chief Resident in Surgery at Santa Barbara, Calif.

Dr. Raja practiced in California until 2003 when he moved his general and bariatric surgery practice to the Wish Center in San Antonio.

It was one of those, I wasnt born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could situations, said Dr. Raja with another laugh.

Raja practiced for more than a decade in San Antonio. However, Raja said he soon had a calling to move his practice where it would have a bigger impact; a place like West Texas.

I think the biggest draw for me was to be able to provide services to where there truly was a need, Raja said.

Raja said San Antonio was very saturated with providers and he felt he needed a community where he could truly make a difference.

I think Plainview really fit that bill. There are people in the area that really need these types of services and expertise without having to travel great distances to get that care, Raja said.

Though Raja had other choices in the West Texas region, Raja said Plainview really stood out, as he commented on how impressed he was with the investment and growth of Plainviews hospital, especially after touring the newly completed James and Eva Surgical Center, which is a part of the hospitals current $40 million renovation project.

Well, the first thing that stuck out for me was the very close-knit community and close-knit hospital Plainview had, said Raja as he commented on how its easy to get lost in the system at bigger city hospitals.

In a close-knit hospital, you know the care and communication is direct and is going to be carried out well. This gives patients a level of comfort and confidence, Raja said.

And when you see upgrades in the facility and in the community, it indicates that the administration, and the medical community in general, is very vested in providing long-term, high-level care in the community. I was very impressed by the level of expansion and level of activity at the hospital because it only goes to show that the hospital is well entrenched in the community and wants to grow for the community so it can provide high-level of care in the next decades to come, Raja said.

Raja said he is also very interested in working with outlying clinics and hospitals in the area a few times a month.

Raja is married to wife, Nita, and together they have two children, Devon who is in his senior year at the University of Texas San Antonio and is planning to go to medical school this year and Maya, 17, who is a senior in high school and plans to attend the University of Texas in Austin.

In his spare time, Raja likes to work out and loves to travel.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville recently hosted, Louis Sullivan Architectural Ornaments at SIUE Conference: Bring the Past to Live in the 21st Century and a film screening of Louis Sullivan: The Struggle for American Architecture as part of its Arts & Issues series.

Sullivans architectural ornament collection, salvaged by photographer Richard Nickel, was sold to SIUE in 1965 and ever since has been known as the largest collection of physical ornaments from the world-renowned designers constructions.

On this weeks episode of Segue on WSIE 88.7 FM, SIUEs premier radio show that outlines the ideas and issues within the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Greg Budzban, PhD, CAS dean, speaks to documentary filmmaker Mark Richard Smith about the screening of his film, his research about Sullivan and Sullivans profound effect on American architecture.

Known as the father of the skyscraper and creator of the iconic phrase form follows function, Louis Sullivans influential designs paved the way for famous architects like Frank Lloyd Wright in the late 19th century heading into the 20th century.

Smith came upon Sullivan by a sheer sense of fate. While studying for his graduate degree in history at Loyola University in Chicago, he took a stroll down Michigan Ave. and a book on display inside a store caught his eye.

The books cover featured a whole block of buildings in Chicago that had been demolished, minus one. Incredibly moved by the image, he marched inside the store and bought the book, Richard Nickels Chicago, right then and there.

As someone who loves history and old architecture, it was almost like seeing a photograph of death, Smith says.

I immediately went into the bookstore and bought it. Through that book, I was introduced to the work of Louis Sullivan, and it was almost like I caught a disease.

Smith had a quite successful run in the career of graphic design before stepping out of the business to pursue other dreams.

I had always been a visual storyteller, albeit in a corporate way with my graphic design background, he says.

I always dreamed of working in film, and I finally decided to dive in.

With no experience in filmmaking and documentation, Smith began making pilgrimages to existing Sullivan sites around the country and simply began filming.

At the time, I did not know what story I wanted to tell, I just knew I wanted to go out and film these buildings. It took me around the entire country.

Along with Sullivans partner, Dankmar Adler, the duo designed some of the most celebrated marvels, such as the Auditorium Building (1889) in Chicago, Guaranty Building (1894) in Buffalo, N.Y., the Wainwright Building (1890) and the Charlotte Dixon Wainwright Tomb (1892) in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.

On his own, Sullivan took on 256 other commissions and projects, including the James Chamley House (1891) and the facade of the Krause Music Store (1922) in Chicago.

In the later part of his career, he designed a series of small banks and commercial buildings in states across the Midwest including Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.

Throughout his career, it was often Sullivan against the world, and yet he was creating beautiful architecture in the midst of these burgeoning cities, he says. In a way, he was at war with the very society that he was working so hard to change.

In his film, Smith allowed Sullivans work to speak for itself and responds to it not only as a filmmaker, but as a designer and historian.

There are plenty of people who write about Sullivans work from a theoretical standpoint, but something unique that I bring to the conversation is how exactly his work fits into our cultural history.

In a time where American society was so intent on creating an identity itself, a flux of creative work came out of the industrial revolution and the fresh transition from rural life to urban prosperity.

American society was very self-conscious, he says. As a rural society without traditions of art, literature and a young system of government, we had to find our own way. This artistic attempt to find out who the United States was and what we represented as people was explained through Sullivans buildings.

Enter Richard Nickel.

After serving in the Korean War, he got divorced from his wife and moved back in with his parents. Simply looking for his way in life, he began studying photography at the Design Institute in Chicago in the 1950s.

At the same time, Sullivans architectural features on homes, factories and businesses on the south side of Chicago began to be torn down during a process of urban renewal.

As soon as he found out about Sullivans work, Nickel began working diligently to preserve and document Sullivans buildings.

From Nickels perspective, there was a light that was being extinguished. He was going to do anything he could to save it, Smith says.

He would find Sullivans architectural features and strap them to the hood of his car and place them in his parents driveway.

Through a self-proclaimed series of coincidences, Nickel sold a collection containing dozens of Sullivans architectural ornaments to SIUE for around $25,000 in 1965.

Since then, it has been a permanent exhibit in the Lovejoy Library and has given a greater knowledge of the past and current efforts to preserve Sullivans and others cultural artifacts and buildings.

Tune in to WSIE 88.7 FM at 9 a.m. this Sunday to hear the entire thought-provoking conversation between Dean Budzban and Smith.

SIUE University Marketing & Communications
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A Conroe man who attacked a former friend and her sister with a machete will spend the next 15 years in prison, an incident reminiscent of a horror film, prosecutors said.

Richard Brett Alexander Crawford, 22, had a falling-out with a friend prior to June 2015. During the rift, Crawford had an outburst and breakdown that landed him in a mental hospital, prosecutors said.

Following his release, he became upset because his friend did not come and visit him while he was admitted, according to Assistant District Attorney Amy Waddle. Crawford went to the house where his friend was staying and broke in with a machete on June 16, 2015, attacking her and her sister in the process.

"Her sister was the one who happened to be closest to the door when he entered the habitation," Waddle said. "It sounds like something from a horror movie, because she notices the door cracked partially and goes to shut it. All of a sudden, this machete comes through the door. He steps into the door after that and they see who it is."

Crawford swung the machete around inside the house, specifically attacking his friend. He struck her in the leg multiple times before aiming for her head, Waddle said.

His friend blocked that blow with her arm, although she suffered a gash down to her bone as a result.

"It's not every day we have a victim who is almost hacked to death by a machete," Waddle said. "The circumstances read a lot like a lot of family violence cases and that type of situation, even though in this case they were just friends. It's a really scary situation I don't think many people find them in."

Crawford made his way to his home in Conroe, where deputies found him on his roof with the machete, Waddle said.

Crawford pleaded guilty to two second-degree felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one second-degree felony count of burglary of a habitation. As a part of his plea agreement, prosecutors dropped two other second-degree felony charges and a state-jail felony charge stemming from an incident on New Year's Eve in 2015 while on bond.

Judge Patty Maginnis in the 435th state District Court sentenced Crawford on Wednesday. Crawford's listed attorney was not available.
A Woodlands lawmaker's attempt at preventing undocumented immigrants from receiving state funds to raise children in the state's broken foster-care system sparked a heated debate, with at least one representative saying the move tiptoes on racism.

House Bill 4, one of three major Child Protective Services reform bills presented by Texas legislators this session, seeks to change the formula by which caregivers are compensated for taking care of child relatives who are in the foster-care system. Currently, any family members who undertake child relatives in the foster system receive a one-time stipend per child from the state, where foster families receive monthly stipends per child.

Under HB 4, adults who take care of their child relatives in the system would receive a monthly stipend if their annual income is within 300 percent of the federal poverty level. That stipend would be half of the Department of State Health Service's daily basic foster care rate for the child, according to the bill.

Relatives with income from 300 to 500 percent of the federal poverty level would only receive the former one-time stipend; and anyone with income more than 500 percent of the poverty level would not receive any stipend.

Texas House members passed the bill Wednesday, although not before state Rep. Mark Keough, R-The Woodlands, tried to include wording that barred undocumented immigrants from receiving the stipends described in the bill.

"We're creating an entitlement that at the outset, we're automatically working into it a payment structure to individuals who are undocumented," Keough, who coauthored the bill, said on the House floor Wednesday. "We do not have the funding mechanism within this for undocumented workers. It's not in the bill. It's not there for undocumented people, for undocumented families."

The amendment drew criticism from both House Democrats and Republicans, who said Keough was making partisan a bill that had bipartisan approval.

State Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, on multiple occasions called the amendment racist. Other Democrats said it created a separate class of individuals.

Their argument hinged on the fact that children in the foster-care system do not pick and choose who their relatives are, therefore Keough's amendment could hurt the very children the bill was intended to help.

"The vulnerable, innocent kids, you're using them as a prop so you can go home to your district and beat your chest about how tough you are on immigration issues," Anchia said. "That's wrong."

Keough denounced the notion his amendment was racist, saying any undocumented immigrant who would use the program would be difficult to vet to ensure they are actually related to the child in the foster care system.

State Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, also opposed Keough's amendment, saying it was not in the best interest of the children the bill seeks to help.

"If we put children first, we wouldn't be obsessing about who's providing the care," Cook said on the House floor. "We've heard at great length that kinship care is the most meaningful, greatest opportunity for these kids to have a normal life. Now we're saying  'We're not going to let these people do that.' I'm disturbed about that. I'm brokenhearted about that."

In an interview Thursday, state Rep. and House Bill 4 coauthor Cecil Bell, R-Magnolia, defended Keough's amendment, saying it simply attempted to ensure the state follows the rule of law.

"His effort was just to comply with the legal system that we have in our country," Bell said. "The floor rhetoric spun that into a totally different conversation. It tried to make it about a different message. At no point in time was Rep. Keough ever discussing anything other than the fact that we as a state need to comply with our own laws and order to not have chaos."

Keough eventually withdrew his amendment, meaning it did not make it into the bills the House unanimously passed 144-0 Wednesday.

In a text message, Keough said he did so to ensure the heart of the bill made it into law.

"(The amendment if passed) stood to kill the entire bill," Keough said Thursday. "Without a Senate bill that does the same thing, killing House Bill 4 with my amendment would not accomplish the goals of reforming CPS. So I did what I could to ensure House Bill 4 passed for the good of the state's vulnerable children."

House Bills 4, 5 and 6 are geared toward fixing the state's broken foster-care system, which came under extreme scrutiny the past couple of years. U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack called Texas' foster-care system "broken" and unconstitutional in late 2015 because of long-standing operational flaws that allowed children in permanent custody to be abused and neglected, according to earlier Houston Chronicle reports.

The House passed House Bills 4 and 5 Wednesday, meaning both bills are now in the hands of the Texas Senate. House Bill 6 is in the House's Human Services, CPS/Foster Care subcommittee, of which Keough is the chair.

The Senate also passed a measure that makes several changes to CPS.

Senate Bill 11, authored by Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, provides timely services for foster-care children; puts more accountability on providers in the system; and creates higher standards for investigating abuse within the system.
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Three months and $10,000 ago, Kristina Borden started a campaign to vaccinate, feed and clothe 27 Ugandan orphans.

The 32-year-old from Lumberton said she decided to give to the Tender Love Orphanage in Jinja, Uganda, because she "thought America is really privileged, and there's a lot of people that need our help."

Borden has raised nearly $10,000 since launching her DonorSee fundraising campaign in October.

Fauza, Simon and Goretti are only three of several children who have received medical treatment thanks to Borden's efforts.

The orphanage's children also got a holiday surprise each of a chicken dinner with a soda and a new pair of shoes.

A self-described former charity skeptic, Borden said she likes the DonorSee site because it allows donors to actually see and interact with those benefiting from their assistance.

The DonorSee page allows project coordinators, like Borden, to post videos and pictures of each child's progress, something Borden said she feels is a game changer in fundraising.

"I've never been to Uganda, but I know at some point in my life I will be in Africa," said Borden. "I know that God is calling me to do ministry."

While Borden has not yet been to Uganda, she "visits" with the Mugaggas and the orphans frequently on FaceTime, a video and audio calling system created by Apple.

She's learned all of the children's names and has become invested in their progress.

"It's an emotional journey, because there are times where the money isn't coming in as fast as it needs to be," Borden said. "I've gotten to know them. I know their ages and their faces. It's very personal."

SFlores@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/_saraeflores
Students from Oak Ridge High School's Advanced Fashion Design class were recognized by NASA Thursday for sewing designs that help make astronauts' lives more comfortable and convenient during training and on the International Space Station.

ORHS partnered with NASA in January 2010 as part of the High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware, or HUNCH, program. This year, students from Darlene Parsons' Advanced Fashion Design course created eight covers for the Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module and two privacy curtains that will be used on the ISS.

The eight module covers will be used to protect equipment when the astronauts are showering and taking care of hygienic needs. The two privacy curtains will be used to create a barrier between astronauts while in the PMM of the ISS.

ORHS junior Sofia Aponte said this is her second year in Parsons' class and she was able to participate in HUNCH projects last year as well, which involved crafting small toiletry bags for astronauts. Creating the module covers and curtains was a class effort, and Aponte's role was quality control, ensuring that every item was sewed properly.

"This was by far my favorite project since last year, because I feel like I've grown as a student and as a sewer," Aponte said. "This curtain was more difficult to make, because it was much larger and much more critical  so there was much more weight on our shoulders."

Parsons said she has been involved with the collaboration with HUNCH since the beginning and has seen the program grow over the years. This year, Parsons said they put the ORHS name on each PMM cover and curtain, so the crew members know which high school sewed them.

To recognize the work of the students, NASA Soft Goods Manager Marcie Dickson brought a single-storage locker to ORHS Thursday to allow the students to sign it. The locker was built by other HUNCH students from across the United States, and it has not been determined when the locker will be shipped to the space station.

"It gives them (the crew members) a warm feeling to see the signatures, and I think they enjoy that it's an item that HUNCH fabricated," Dickson said.

Dickson encouraged other ORHS students to get involved with HUNCH, as she said great things can come from working with NASA. For example, Dickson said an ORHS graduate and student of Parsons', Leah Hansen, recently earned a spot on the Soft Goods Specialist team.

Additionally, Dickson confirmed that ORHS's PMM covers and privacy curtain were approved by NASA and are in line to be packed and manifested. She said the covers and curtains are a "really wanted item," so NASA looks to have the items shipped this summer to the ISS on Orbital 7, a cargo resupply mission.
Nine Plainview High School visual arts students entered art work in the 2017 Regional VASE (Visual Arts Scholastic Event) held on Feb. 18 at Frenship High School.

Seven PHS students placed in their event and received a Superior rating and a regional medal. Those students advanced to a second round of judging where two students -- Yingzhi Huang and Lucy Hernandez -- qualified to advance to state competition.

Participating students were seniors Alex Reyes, Lidia Hernandez, Britney Favila and Alex Martinez; juniors Jewel Torres and DeeAnna Garcia; and sophomores Yingzhi Huang, Lucy Hernandez and Enrique Parades.

According to PHS art teacher Sharon Hughes, this years competition registered 513 pieces of artwork representing 20 school districts. Only 36 pieces are advancing to state competition.

It is a state event that is run by the Texas Art Education Association or TAEA, explained PHS art teacher Julee Patterson. It is an elite competition that PHS hasnt competed in in many years, but we are back at it.

The VASE is open to full-time students in grades 9-12 in Texas public, private, homeschool and charter schools. All participating students must be academically eligible on the day of the VASE event, in accordance with the TEA UIL Academic Requirements.

Participants must be present at the regional event and go through an individual interview process. Student interview scores are based on student research and application to work, explanation of their artwork sources, execution and technique, their description of the aesthetic and critical decisions involved in developing the art, and how the work represents their individual imagination, creativity, individuality and point of view.

We are very proud of all the students who entered the event, said Hughes. They competed very well and received high marks. Especially the two young ladies advancing to state.

State completion will be held in April at James Madison High School in San Antonio.
AUSTIN -- The Senate has approved bills this week on the last two items tagged as emergencies by Gov. Greg Abbott in late January. Measures relating to the call of a constitutional convention and foster system reform join bills banning sanctuary cities and reforming ethics rules for elected officials already sent to the House for consideration.

Tuesday, the Senate approved SJR 2 and SB 21, bills to call a constitutional convention and set rules for selecting and controlling delegates to that convention, respectively. Legislation author Sen. Brian Birdwell of Granbury believes an out-of-control federal government must be reined in by the states. "It is abundantly clear to me that the Congress is incapable of or unwilling to propose amendments that limit its own power or that of the other branches to return our nation to the original spirit of federalism intended by our founders," he said. The mechanism for that is found in Article V of the U.S. Constitution, which requires Congress to call a convention for the purpose of amending the nation's founding document if 34 states formally petition for it. Any amendments approved at that convention are adopted if ratified by 38 states. So far, Birdwell says eight other states have passed resolutions similar to SJR 2.
If you know anything about saxophonist Greg Wall, you probably know the two words that best describe him. Hes the Jazz Rabbi. Since August 2013, Rabbi Greg Wall has been the spiritual leader of Beit Chaverim Synagogue in Westport. Prior to that, he served as rabbi of the Sixth Street Community Synagogue, in New York Citys East Village. But wherever he goes, Wall also brings with him remarkable jazz credentials and a determination to develop, strengthen and continue the jazz tradition.

He and his band Portal perform at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 5, at the Westport Arts Center. The concert, entitled Of Jews and Jazz, is a tribute to Walls jazz heroes and includes original music combining elements of jazz, Jewish and African American roots music as well as classics from the original Golden Era of Jewish New York.

I am blessed to have two parallel endeavors that I love equally, said Wall, during a recent interview. Although my main rabbinic role is to teach Judaism, I find that the road to success as an artist is almost identical to the path of developing a fulfilling spiritual practice. Key word: Practice. Both require a day-in, day-out consistency. Both require seeing your role as an inheritor of a rich tradition, and responsibility to simultaneously preserve and propel that tradition into the future by always keeping it relevant.

Walls music career includes touring and recording regularly. I just recorded two CDs worth of material with Zion80. We will premier one of them this fall at the Village Vanguard, he said. I also just released a CD with my quartet Portal, who will be appearing with me at WAC. These guys are amazing. They include David Morgan on piano, Rich Zurkowski on bass, and Matt Moadel on drums.

The Jazz Rabbis remarkable music career includes early years studying with jazz legends like Archie Shepp and Frank Foster. He graduated from the prestigious New England Conservatory, where some of his teachers included greats like Joe Allard, Jimmy Giuffre, and Joe Maneri.

He toured nationally with the Bourbon Street Jass Band, a critically-acclaimed group he formed at the New England Conservatory, which was later called The Hi-Tops. They played authentic versions of classic 20s and 30s jazz by the likes of Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers, early Ellington, Louis Armstrongs Hot Five and Hot Seven, King Oliver, and Sidney Bechet, along with Roy Eldridge, Jimmy Lunceford, and Count Basie. While recording with them, he also worked on more modern original music. The jazzman was also part of the Knitting Factory scene in New York City and toured all over the world with his band Hasidic New Wave, recording with them and with other Knitting Factory artists.

Wall is a familiar face on the local jazz scene, too. Every Thursday, for the past two years, hes been hosting jazz shows at 323 Main St. in Westport. A friend knew that the space was underused, and we suggested to the owner he try a weekly jazz series, said Wall. It took off, and now we sell out just about every week and have some amazing world class players regularly.

An anniversary show is set for April 27, which is also the official kick off of the new Jazz Society of Fairfield County, which Wall is organizing. Why? The music needs a base of support away from commercial interests. Also, people shouldn't need to go to a bar in order to experience jazz. It belongs to everyone, including the young, the old, and the infirm. We will make sure that the underserved get a chance to fall in love with jazz.

Wall describes the WAC show as a musical autobiography showing how jazz music brought me back to my Jewish roots, he said, and ties in just about all of my influences. From Ancient to Future.

Brian Torff, the Westport Arts Centers Curator for Jazz, added, Greg is the rare musician who makes a strong connection between both a musical and spiritual form of expression. This will be a dynamic performance that will utilize jazz in a realm that is rarely heard.

The Westport Arts Center is located at 51 Riverside Ave. in Westport. Tickets are $30. Call 203-222-7070, or visit www.westportartscenter.org.

Mike Horyczuns Sound Surfing column appears every Saturday in The Hour. Mike can be reached at news2mh@gmail.com.
Despite Snap (SNAP) still in its relative infancy, the CEO of the world's largest advertising agency has told CNBC the tech company has entered a fierce race for revenue against major rivals like Google and Facebook.

"If you look at the competitive reaction, if you look at Facebook's reaction in terms of copying or imitating a lot of the features that Snapchat (SNAP)has, that's indicative of the issues that Facebook faces in relation to Snap and its growth," Martin Sorrell, the chief executive officer of WPP said Friday.

He added that whereas Google's direct competitor is more Amazon, Facebook (FB)'s is now Snap - the parent company for social media platform Snapchat.

"So you have a search war developing between Amazon and Google and you have a social media war, if I can put it that way, or market share war between Facebook and Snap," Sorrell said.

Snap had its initial public offering debut on Thursday and saw its stock rise more than 40 percent , pushing it well above the $17 a share it priced its IPO. However, when looking at digital advertising, Facebook and Google are the two big names in the market.

Sorrell explained that out of the $75 billion that his company spends on media bookings, about $90 million went into Snap. Snap's revenues in 2016 were reportedly around $400 million with Sorrell suggesting the company was targeting about $1.25 billion for this year.

"We'll see how far they go, that pales into relative insignificance to Google," he said.

"Google (: ) and Facebook (FB) dominate digital advertising. They own about 75 percent of the market. And they get about 100 percent of incremental spend at the moment," Sorrell noted. "What our clients want and what our agencies and indeed our competitors' agencies want is more competition in the market place," he told CNBC.

WPP (London Stock Exchange: WPP-GB) posted its 2016 earnings on Friday with like-for-like revenue growth of around 3 percent. However, it also gave a conservative outlook for 2017 "given continued tepid economic growth."

-CNBC's Fred Imbert contributed to this report.



Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.


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Ten years after Colleen Shipman was attacked in a crazed pepper spray incident, she is speaking out about her life now and her marriage to the man at the center of an infamous love triangle.

This week Shipman told Inside Edition, "I do still have anxiety ... I do still look over my shoulder a lot."

On Feb. 5, 2007, in the parking lot of the Orlando International Airport, NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak, was wearing a trench coat, sunglasses, and a wig when she pepper sprayed Shipman, who was the new girlfriend of astronaut and Nowak's former lover, William Oefelein.

The headlines went nuts over the allegation that Nowak wore adult diapers during the 14 hour drive from her Clear Lake home to Orlando so she wouldn't have to stop.

REALITY: TV couples that ended up in Splitsville

Attempted kidnapping charges initially loomed over the NASA employee when police found a BB gun, a steel mallet, a four-inch folding knife, six black latex gloves, and plastic garbage bags in Nowak's car.

According to a Houston Chronicle article, Nowak pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery and felony burglary of conveyance and was sentenced to 50 hours of community service.

ICYMI: Judge seals records of NASA astronaut's love-triangle arrest

Nonetheless, the attack left Shipman completely traumatized and at one point, didn't leave her house for six months. Shipman said, "To this day, I'm always armed. I am armed all the time, 24/7."

Looking on the bright side, Shipman now calls Oefelein her husband and the best husband ever at that. The couple who now lives in southern Alaska, married in 2010, and are parents to a four-year-old son.

In 2011, startling news hit when Oefelein was involved small crash in rural Alaska that he was piloting. Luckily the former astronaut and two others walked away uninjured.

Shipman also has published her first novel in 2015, Eerie under the pen name, C.M. McCoy.

Check out the NASA portraits of Lisa Nowak and William Oefelein and other photos from the NASA love triangle fiasco.
Last year, Instagram, the popular photo-sharing app, announced a new feature called Stories where users can post photo and video slideshows that disappear after a 24-hour period. This sounds shamelessly familiar to Snapchat Stories, which also allows users to post photos and videos in a slideshow format that disappears after 24 hours.

This isnt the first time Instagram has tried to replicate Snapchat. Back in 2014, it launched Bolt, a private messaging service that lets you send one-tap photos and videos, much like Snapchat, but is now defunct.

Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom has already acknowledged the blatant similarities between the respective Stories, telling TechCrunch that [Snapchat] deserves all the credit, but that This isnt about who invented something. This is about format, and how you take it to a network and put your own spin on it.

I mean, sure, putting your own spin on things is cool, but they could have at least come up with a different name.

And Then Theres Facebook

Facebook FB, (who coincidentally, or conveniently, owns Instagram), has been formatting many of its new features and apps based off of Snapchat for a few years now. In late 2012, Facebook launched Poke, an almost exact clone of Snapchat that unsurprisingly failed, and then in 2013, it tried to straight up buy Snapchat for a whopping $3 billion. Snapchat turned down that offer, spurring a tech chase for the ages.

Following Poke, Facebook announced its app called Slingshot in 2014, which worked exactly like Snapchat but with one distinct feature: before a user could view a message, they had to send a message back. These required replies lasted for only three months before Facebook removed them from Slingshot, and the app sat around for about a year afterwards before being officially removed.

Other Snapchat rip-off ventures of Facebook include disappearing posts, disappearing messages in Messenger, photo editing options where you can swipe through filters and position text and emoji, face-altering filters thanks to its acquisition of the app MSQRD, a face-swapping app, and Messenger Codes, which are scannable dots and dashes around your profile picture letting you add a person as a contact. Messenger Codes is almost exactly the same as Snapchats Snapcodes.

Story continues

The company recently debuted a new Snapchat-like feature in its WhatsApp Messenger platform that lets users post pictures and videos to a new feed that deletes itself after 24 hours, dubbed WhatsApp Status. Find out more about that in the latest episode of Zacks Tech Talk Tuesday with host Ryan McQueeney here.

Facebook isnt the only big company looking at Snapchat for new ideas. Microsoft MSFT also has a Snapchat clone on the market called WindUp, which lets users share photos and videos, as well as text and audio snippets. You can set a time limit for your friends to view messages before they expire, or can stick to a traditional view limit. WindUp is still available in Microsofts app store.

Even Wall Street newbie Line LN, the Japanese messaging app, also has Snapchat-like features. In 2014, the company updated its app so that users can send content to their friends as hidden photos or messages, which will not display until the receiver clicks on them. And, the photo or message will disappear depending on the time set by the sender.

Snapchat, King of the Teens

If all of these influential tech and internet companies have spent the better part of four years trying to emulate Snapchat, then what is it about the app that makes it so compelling? Why is everyone copying Snapchat?

Ever since its official debut in 2012, Snapchat has steadily climbed the social media ranks, having gained the top spot among teenagers over Twitter TWTR, Facebook, and even Instagram. According to Mashable, who cited a Piper Jaffray study, 6,500 U.S. teens were polled to see what they felt was the most important social network, and Snapchat took 28% of votes. Instagram came in close-second with 27%, followed by Twitter and Facebook.

Ah, so thats why: teenagers love Snapchat, and teenagers are a coveted demographic for any tech company.

Over the last year or so, Snapchat has been launching new unique feature after new unique feature, introducing things like Snapchat Discover, expanding its video and picture filter library, and partnering with events like the Oscars, where the app let its users watch live behind-the-scenes footage of the red carpet and the actual show.

Snapchat is a social, ephemeral experience that favors photos and videos over text-based media. And as the study shows, teenagers prefer this type of digital platform.

Why Snapchat Rules

But I think its more than just that. Snapchat has been consistently keeping its platform interesting and innovative, while other social media companies have more or less remained stagnant, or just copied Snapchats ideas. Snapchat is fresh, and it has created a world inhabited mostly by teenagers and young adults and their favorite brands and celebrities. No parents allowed.

Its no wonder, then, that everyone is trying to copy Snapchat. Its CEO is 26-year-old Evan Spiegel, a guy who more or less invented the app as part of a class final during his time at Stanford. Its the preferred app for any major live event or top celebrity. Above all, Snapchat is cool. Where Facebook appeals to older generations and Instagram to capturing the perfect moment, Snapchat is for everything in between.

Snapchat is for the real, or at least the real behind text, emoji, filters, and face swaps. And for most people in the social media age, and especially teenagers, real reigns supreme.

Last week, Editor Maddy Johnson and Content Writer Ryan McQueeney, hosts of the Zacks Friday Finish Line podcast, previewed Snaps IPO on their show. They were joined once again by Kathleen Smith, co-founder of Renaissance Capital, to discuss Snapchat, and if it would live up to its high, and pricey, IPO expectations.

Check it out now!

Everything You Need to Know About Snapchats IPO Now

You may be curious about the buzz surrounding Snap Inc.'s IPO, but should you snap up this tech stock on Day 1? In the 2017 IPO Watch List, you'll get an inside look at Snap's exciting prospects and potential challenges.

You'll also learn about 4 other exciting tech companies with jaw-dropping growth. Each could go public in the coming months. Imagine being in the first wave of investors to jump on a company with almost unlimited growth potential? This Special Report gives you the latest scoop. Download this IPO Watch List today for free >>



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By Tom Miles, John Irish and Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - Syria's first U.N.-led peace talks in almost a year ended on Friday without breakthrough but the United Nations mediator said the warring parties now had a clear agenda to pursue a political solution to the country's six-year-long conflict. Both sides could point to small victories. The opposition said that the question of political transition was seriously addressed for the first time, while U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura said counter-terrorism - an issue pushed by President Bashar al-Assad's delegation - had been added to the agenda. "What I saw ... gives me some feeling that we are moving in the right direction," de Mistura told reporters at the end of eight days of talks, adding that he aimed to hold another round of indirect negotiations later this month. He said counter-terrorism had been added as a "fourth basket" to the talks, alongside efforts to establish a "credible, inclusive government", drafting a new constitution and holding free and fair elections. In theory, those issues are supposed to be addressed in a six-month time frame, but peace talks in Geneva have achieved little since they were first convened just over three years ago. "I believe...and expect that the sides should now pursue a framework agreement containing an agreed political package so that a negotiated transitional political process can be implemented as indicated by (U.N.) Resolution 2254," de Mistura said. Assad's chief negotiator Bashar al-Ja'afari left the talks without speaking to reporters. "He has terrorism, but has to engage on transition," one Western diplomat said. Terrorism has been a mantra for the Syrian government, which regards all the rebels as terrorists, and described members of the negotiating delegation on Thursday as terrorists backed by Israel, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. De Mistura said the United Nations recognised only two terrorist groups: Islamic State and the former Nusra front, once an al Qaeda affiliate. Neither is part of the U.N. peace process. MINIMAL EXPECTATIONS The talks aim to reach a political solution to a conflict which erupted in March 2011 and has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced many millions. They were convened last week with minimal expectations for success. "Although we are closing this round without clear results ... I can say this time was more positive," chief opposition negotiator Nasr al-Hariri said. "It was the first time we discussed in acceptable depth the future of Syria and the future of political transition in Syria. The opposition says that "political transition" means an end to nearly 50 years of Assad family rule, something the government has ruled out giving away through negotiation. Russia, seen as holding the balance of power, met both sides behind the scenes during the talks. Late on Thursday, Russian diplomats met representatives of Syrian armed groups, diplomats and opposition sources said, the second such contact in the past few days. Despite those contacts, Russia accused the main opposition of trying to sabotage the talks by refusing to unite with two smaller dissident groups which have no military muscle but have Moscow's blessing as opposition voices. Creating a unified opposition delegation is seen as the key to holding face-to-face talks, but de Mistura said he was not yet ready to do so. A Western diplomat said Russia's push to unify the opposition was an underhand tactic. Russia is trying to do that to destabilise the talks. They insist on the opposition becoming one. This is a tactic to weaken the process. I hope that Staffan can push back on it." The scope of the negotiation is much narrower than a year ago, when de Mistura also had to hear demands for a ceasefire and release of prisoners. A shaky ceasefire has been in place since December and separate talks in Kazakhstan, sponsored by Russia, Turkey and Iran, are dealing with military matters. De Mistura said the government delegation put forward a suggestion on exchanging prisoners and abducted people, which should be taken up in Astana. A new round of Astana talks is due on March 14, and Russian officials have said the Geneva negotiations could resume on March 20. (Additional reporting by Yara Abi Nader; Editing by Dominic Evans)
District Attorney Kim Ogg on Friday filed a brief supporting bail reform in the lawsuit brought against Harris County's misdemeanor judges that seeks to change the bail system.

The civil rights lawsuit, filed in federal court, is expected to go to trial Monday. Ogg, whose office is not a party to the litigation, filed a four-page amicus brief saying bail reform is necessary and long overdue.

"It makes no sense to spend public funds to house misdemeanor offenders in a high-security penal facility when the crimes themselves may not merit jail time," she wrote in the brief. "These secure beds and expensive resources should be prioritized for the truly dangerous offenders and 'flight risks' who need to be separated from the community."

Attorneys challenging the constitutionality of Harris County's pretrial bail policies are suing the county and all 16 of Harris County's misdemeanor court judges not for money, but to force change.

Tom Berg, Oggs' First Assistant, said the office is not "taking sides" but just explaining that prosecutors too support reforms.

"These are major changes that we believe are long overdue," he said.

The nonprofit Texas Fair Defense Project and a Houston law firm, Susman Godfrey and two Washington DC-based attorneys who are now with a non-profit called the Civil Rights Corps, filed the suit in May on behalf of Maranda Odonnell, a 22-year-old single mother who was jailed in 2015 after being arrested for driving without a valid license only because she could not afford to post bail.

The advocacy groups are arguing that hundreds of offenders are not released on personal bonds and are unlawfully jailed for minor offenses like trespassing and shoplifting because they are too poor to be able to afford even nominal bail payments. They are arguing the county's wealth-based pretrial detention system violates the equal protection and due process clauses of the United States Constitution.

The groups have reached settlements in about 10 other communities and continues to litigate cases in Louisiana, Georgia and several other states, according to Alec Karakatsanis, an attorney who in September formed the Civil Rights Corps.
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A driver possibly engaged in an illegal street race early Friday crashed into an innocent couple's pickup south of Houston and another driver, possibly intoxicated, ran away from a separate crash after removing license plates, police said.

A police supervisor on the scene said all occupants "miraculously" survived.

Two sedans -- a Dodge Charger and a Ford Mustang -- were traveling south on Almeda near Beltway 8 shortly after midnight "at an extremely high rate of speed," said Harris County sheriff's Sgt. S. Wolverton. "It appears that may have possibly been racing but we don't know that for sure."

After sedans struck the center median, the Charger re-entered the southbound lanes and struck a man and a woman in a red pickup, which spun off the roadway and caught fire, Wolverton said. Police don't suspect that couple was involved in any racing. They exited without major injury and went to their home.

The Mustang continued south, struck a traffic-light pole and was split apart. The car's front half skidded forward another 300 feet or so, Wolverton estimated -- apparently with the driver and a passenger still inside.

Somehow, the two Mustang occupants emerged without serious injury. Before fleeing the scene, they took off the car's license plates.

Sheriff's deputies later found the couple from the red pickup at their home, interviewed them and called for paramedics to come treat the couple's minor injuries.

Deputies also brought out a canine unit, apparently to search for a scent of the street-racing suspects.

Anyone with information in this case is asked to call the sheriff's vehicular crimes office at 281-274-7400.
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Two former San Antonio police officers were found guilty Friday on multiple counts of sexual assault and other charges after a lurid trial in which three women described how the men seduced them with the promise of money and legal favors for participating in what turned out to be a fake undercover operation.

Emmanuel Galindo, 31, was convicted of four counts of sexual assault, five counts of compelling prostitution and 12 counts of official oppression. Alejandro Chapa, 29, was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault, four counts of compelling prostitution and eight counts of official oppression.

State District Judge Steven Hilbig immediately began the punishment phase of the trial, and the wives of both men made tearful pleas for the jury to keep them out of prison.

RELATED: Photos: Driver hospitalized after 30-foot drop off Loop 1604

In closing arguments, a prosecutor had said the two former officers were criminals who lured women into having sex, displaying their badges  and at one point, a gun  and using official-looking police documents and application forms to make them believe their offer of payment was for a legitimate crime-fighting program.

Several young women testified this week that the officers recruited them for what they thought was an undercover sting operation that required them to play sexual roles, promising money  and in some cases, help with legal problems  and having them sign forms that included an agreement to have sex. Three of them said they attended training sessions where the men plied them with alcohol and promised higher payments to pressure them into sexual intercourse.

Both men resigned from the force after their arrests in 2015.

The jury left a packed courtroom to begin deliberating shortly before 11 a.m. and returned the verdict about five hours later.

RELATED: 2 men sought in shooting of woman downtown

Galindo and Chapa showed their guilty consciences by closing their phone accounts and deleting their text messages with the women  messages later recovered by investigators  and victims who didn't know each other told the exact same story over and over and over at the trial, prosecutor Ryan Wright told jurors.

This case isn't about morality. It's about officers luring women into having sex under the color of their authority, Wright said.

Defense attorney Leigh Cutter told jurors the state's case was riddled with reasonable doubt, as she projected on a courtroom screen three common responses by the women: I don't know, I don't recall and I can't remember.

Cutter said the women were comfortable in what they were doing, that they were never physically coerced and that the jury should not be swayed by what might be immoral, but not illegal.

You don't have to feel bad and that you have to do something, she told the jury.

No one on the jury took the judge's invitation to delay the punishment testimony.

Galindos wife, Jennifer, said the couple has been married about nine years, with two daughters, 2 and 5.

RELATED: Bandidos in S.A. indicted in slaying of alleged rival

When she heard of the allegations against her husband it was hard, she said. I was angry, but we worked through it and stayed together.  he's a great father. He's a good man and has always provided for us.

Emmanuel Galindo was in the Marines and Army, was deployed and has post traumatic stress disorder, Jennifer Galindo said.

There's no way we can make it as a family without him. I promise he will never do anything like this again, she said.

Chapas wife, Nicole Chapa, said forgiving her husbandwas very, very hard but she called him a law-abiding and respectable man who now works at a restaurant to support a family on state food assistance as a result of his loss of career.

A prison term would deprive their daughters financially, emotionally, Nicole Chapa said.

My little one is five and every day she waits for him at the door, she said, sobbing. Dont take him away. They need him. I need him.

When prosecutor David Lunan asked her who caused all this pain, Nicole Chapa sobbed and said, It was my husband's fault.

Her father, Bexar County Sheriffs Deputy Juan Mireles, testified in uniform that he had known the defendant since he was in high school.

The schemer portrayed in trial testimony was not the person I know, he said.

Asked if he had forgiven Chapa for cheating on his daughter, Mireles replied, Yes, weve spoken and I believe he's been truthful to me.

Outside the courtroom, one of the victims, assigned the pseudonym Charley Rose in the indictment and in her testimony, said she would like to forgive Galindo and Chapa, adding, Not for their sake, but for mine.

I hope their families can find peace, she said calmly. I'd also like to tell every woman who's been a victim of sexual abuse that there is justice out there.

Her father died two years ago and her mother is a drug addict and possibly in jail, not part of her life, she said. At 26, divorced with two children, she has friends and a support group.

It's a a huge relief  that they won't get away with it, the witness said of the men she helped convict. I think it just came down to their wanting to control women and playing us for fools.

She said she had needed the money to adopt her younger sister out of foster care, and falling for the scam made her feel used, dirty, and taken advantage of.  The only thing that kept me going was my children.

Testimony in the penalty phase of the trial will continue Monday. Galindo and Chapa could get up to 20 years in prison on each count of sexual assault and compelling prostitution, both second-degree felonies. Official oppression is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail.

bselcraig@express-news.net
Four more alleged members of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club have been indicted by federal authorities and are facing charges in the killing of a man in Austin who reportedly tried to start a chapter of the California-based rival, the Hells Angels.

Anthony W. Benesh III was gunned down by a sniper in 2006 in front of his girlfriend and two children as they left Saccones Pizza in Austin.
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Former first lady Laura Bush returned to her hometown Thursday to sign copies of her newest book. More than 1,000 people came to the Midland County Public Library Centennial branch before and during the public event, according to library figures.

John Trischitti III, library director, said the appearance was a chance to bring a well-known author to West Texas.

Its the pinnacle, Trischitti said. It doesnt get much better than that. We have authors and Project Literacy every year. To bring someone like Mrs. Bush with experience and everything shes done for childrens literacy -- its a real coup.

Bush signed copies of Our Great Big Backyard, a childrens book she co-authored with her daughter, Jenna Bush Hager. Barnes and Noble representatives sold copies on-site.

Audrey Townsend came to the library and planned to share the book with her two children.

Its pretty cool to get to meet the author of a book and get to pass it on generation after generation so the kids have the signing with them, Townsend said. Shes from Midland, and you get to have your citys author here.

The public event was the second of two Bush appearances in Midland on Thursday. She spoke at Bynum Blooms, a private fundraiser for Bynum School.

Bush also spoke at Bynum Schools 25th anniversary celebration in 2009. Keri St. John, head of school, said this weeks luncheon at Midland Country Club continued the schools relationship with the former first lady.

She has been a part of Bynum for many years, St. John said. Shes a class act, and her focus points are education and literacy. We thought she would be good for our fundraiser.

In the past, Bynum Blooms was an informal event in which vocational students sold handmade items, such as jewelry, blankets and wreaths. This year, the items were available for purchase at the schools first fundraising luncheon, St. John said.

Its already been a success being sold out, St. John said in an interview on Wednesday. Bynum is growing, and our new building will be finished in 2018. Were hoping to share the word about Bynum.

Bynum School and the Midland County Public Library collaborated to plan the Midland appearances. Trischitti said he welcomed the partnership.

For nonprofits, it makes it easier to have someone on the scope and scale of Mrs. Bush, Trischitti said. She has always been great to the library. She was a librarian and has always been friendly to libraries. She came in April 2013 for the opening of the Centennial branch. We wanted to bring her back to do a signing.

Former teacher Kim Kelso valued the chance to meet Bush and expects to read Our Great Big Backyard to her grandchildren.

She has an emphasis on literacy, Kelso said. Reading makes children brighter and makes the world so much larger.

Event supporters included XTO Energy Inc., Brenda and Travis Stice, Rosalind Redfern Grover and Vicki and Javaid Anwar, according to a press release.
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WASHINGTON  Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any investigation into Russian meddling in last years presidential campaign at a hastily called news conference Thursday.

He denied that he intentionally misled the Senate during his confirmation hearings about his contacts with the Russian ambassador.

His move appeared to calm jittery Republicans but did little to quell Democratic demands for his resignation.

Californias two Democratic senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, both of whom voted against confirming Sessions, said Thursday the attorney general had lied under oath when he told senators he hadnt met with Russian officials while working with Donald Trumps presidential campaign.

Harris joined Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and 100 House Democrats, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, in calling on Sessions to resign.

At his news conference, Sessions said he had been honest and correct as I understood a question about his Russian contacts during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings in January.

Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on that committee, indicated later she was satisfied with his decision to recuse himself from any Justice Department probe of the Trump campaign, her office said  meaning he would give no direction to investigators with the department he runs or have any input into an inquiry.

The possibility the Trump campaign was in contact with Russian officials has been a continuing distraction for the young administration.

National security adviser Michael Flynn was forced to resign after falsely denying any dealings with Russias ambassador to Vice President Mike Pence, who then went on TV and repeated Flynns denials. Flynn later admitted hed spoken with the ambassador during the transition.

Trump, who said during the campaign that he hoped Russia could find the 30,000 emails that are missing from the personal server that campaign rival Hillary Clinton used as secretary of state, has labeled as fake news suggestions that his campaign had dealings with the Russians.

Sessions recusal came after dozens of congressional Republicans called for him to do so.

They were reacting to a Washington Post report Wednesday evening that Sessions had two meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak before the election that he did not reveal under questioning at his Senate hearings. Sessions was a senator from Alabama at the time, as well as a top adviser to then-candidate Trump.

The meetings included a private get-together in September with Kislyak in Sessions Senate office, at the height of Russian cyberattacks that the Obama administration later concluded were aimed at interfering in the presidential election.

Sessions also met Kislyak more casually in July at a meeting with other ambassadors during the GOP convention.

Before Sessions announcement Thursday, Trump was asked whether his attorney general should recuse himself from any investigation.

I dont think so, the president replied.

Feinstein, who led her partys questioning of Sessions during the Judiciary Committee hearings, said of her former longtime colleague on the panel: He did not tell the truth under oath. And this happened in September, when it was widely known that there was a Russian influence program going on.

She added, I know Kislyak. Its very hard for me to find him forgettable.

Harris, who was California attorney general before winning election to the Senate in November, insisted that Sessions step down.

He did not tell the truth when he was under oath, period. Full stop, Harris said. The truth is the truth. There is no Democratic or Republican version of a fact. A fact is a fact.

Harris said Sessions experience as a former federal prosecutor and Judiciary Committee member is exactly why he should know better.

Lets also be clear the question was probative of an issue that has been debated and discussed in this Capitol now for months, so for there to be some suggestion that he didnt understand the question or what it was seeking to resolve, thats beyond believable, Harris said. He knows more than the average person that its a truth-seeking exercise when one testifies before these committees.

Holding prosecutors to a high standard is vital to our system of justice, Harris said. This is a job that is literally about having integrity that is unquestionable.

At his news conference, Sessions said he had answered honestly when responding to a question from Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., at his confirmation hearings about whether there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign.

Sessions replied that he was not aware of such activities, adding that he did not have communications with the Russians.

Sessions said Thursday that he did not think at the time the question was relevant to his September meeting as a senator with Kislyak, which he said two of his senior aides also attended. He described it as one of many meetings he had with foreign ambassadors.

In retrospect, Sessions said, he should have slowed down and mentioned his meetings with the ambassador.

He said he would write a formal letter to the Judiciary Committee to explain this testimony for the record.

Sessions said that while he appreciates how some might construe his answer as false, that was not my intent.

Trump declared his total confidence in Sessions, while saying, I wasnt aware at all of Sessions meeting with Kislyak.

Earlier in the day, dozens of Republicans had called for Sessions to recuse himself, although none went so far as to demand his resignation. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said he looked forward to Sessions letter so we can put this issue to bed once and for all.
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A federal judge denied bail Thursday to Sara Richford, charged with helping the man accused of robbing and shooting a mail carrier Feb. 11 and then shooting at pursuing law officers in the days that followed.

U.S. Magistrate Judge John Primomo found Richford, 26, a danger to the community. Bradley AHearn, 22, had been ordered held without bail last week.

The judge delayed ruling on bail for a third suspect, Piper Lee, 40, who allegedly helped Richford and AHearn three days into their alleged crime spree.

Federal agents revealed new allegations against Richford and Lee. Richford told investigators that she shot at pursuing officers during a car chase Feb. 13 as AHearn drove the wrong way on U.S. 281 while also shooting, Postal Inspector Robert Strande testified.

She said she got caught up in the moment, Strande said.

RELATED: Feds say bullets hit cars on 281 during chase

Including the officers return fire, more than 15 shots were fired before the pursuit was halted out of safety concerns, according to testimony.

Strande also said an officer identified Lee as having shot at police along with AHearn from a getaway vehicle during another wild pursuit Feb. 14 on the North Side. Lee shook his head in disagreement.

That chase lasted at least 20 minutes and left bullet casings near MacArthur High School and sent a bullet through a window and into a TV at a Jims Restaurant on Broadway, according to testimony.

Previously, authorities had alleged that AHearn, alone among the three, had done the shooting during the Feb. 11 robbery and the subsequent gun battles with officers.

Lees lawyer, Don Flanary, objected to postponing his bail hearing, which Primomo said was to allow prosecutors to amend their criminal complaint. Primomo said the complaint appeared to charge Lee with being involved in the shooting of the mail carrier, but the judge said he had heard no evidence to support that.

Primomo asked why state prosecutors didnt charge Lee for allegedly shooting at officers on Feb. 14.

They could have charged him with attempted capital murder, from what Ive heard here, Primomo said.

RELATED: Friend helped suspects elude dragnet, then ratted them out

The U.S. Postal Service mail carrier was shot in the legs in the Comal County community of Spring Branch during a robbery and carjacking. As they had at earlier hearings, federal investigators Thursday placed AHearn there with Richford and said both were at the two other crime scenes.

Strande testified Lee joined the pair on Feb. 14 and drove them in a car that the trio abandoned at North Star Mall, eluding a police dragnet with a timely ride from a friend of Richfords who later told police their hiding place. The three were arrested at a motel on the South Side on Feb. 15.

Previous testimony had revealed that one of the guns the group possessed was given to a man known as Hot Wheels Mike after they left the mall. After prodding from the judge, Strande on Thursday identified the man as Mike Murchison. Inspectors recovered the Glock handgun from Murchison on Feb. 15, and tests show it likely was used in all three shooting incidents, Strande said.

During a search of Lees apartment, stolen mail was found everywhere inside it, he said.

AHearn and Richford are charged with assault on a federal officer, carjacking, interfering with commerce by violence and mail theft. If convicted of all, they could get sentences totaling 65 years if theyre stacked.

gcontreras@express-news.net

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A woman is in critical condition at an area hospital after being shot twice in the upper body Friday morning in downtown San Antonio, police said.

The shooting occurred shortly after 11 a.m. in the 800 block of South St. Mary's Street, where a man approached a woman's vehicle before opening fire, said SAPD spokesman Douglas Greene.

He said the two may have gotten into an argument prior to the shots being fired.

The woman, who is in her 50s, was able to drive her car to a nearby repair shop and called for help.

She was transported to San Antonio Military Medical Center in critical condition, Ofc. Greene said.

RELATED: Bandidos in S.A. indicted in slaying of alleged rival

Greene said the woman was likely running on "adrenaline" and did the right thing by trying to get away from the suspect.

He said it may have been a robbery or an attempted carjacking.

Police said the suspect and a second man, both Hispanic, apparently drove a stolen white Ford pickup with temporary plates to Boerne and Florida streets, where it was abandoned. The suspects then got into a maroon vehicle and fled in an unknown direction.

Greene confirmed at least one person was involved, but they are not ruling anything out.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

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Snap Inc. just raised a greater-than-expected $3.4 billion in the largest US tech initial public offering in over two years.

Given that the typical IPO raises less than $500 million, pulling off a sale of this size takes a lot of work. Naturally, Snap drafted some heavyweight banks with huge sales forces for the job.

Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs led the deal, along with a long list of banks including the likes of JPMorgan, Allen & Company, and UBS.

But the list also includes a less familiar name: Connaught (UK) Limited.

Connaught, a small London firm set up in 2014, wasn't named in Snap's first IPO filing in early February. But it did appear in Snap's updated filing just a few days ago. It is listed as having sold 307,692 shares, worth about $5.2 million at the IPO price of $17.

There's not a lot of information out there about Connaught. It has a basic website with a mailing address and an email address. It was incorporated December 29, 2014, and has three directors: Ian Osborne, Alex Usher-Smith, and Dr. Marcel Reichart.

Osborne and Usher-Smith, ages 33 and 35, specialize in advising tech, media, and internet companies. Osborne set up Osborne & Partners, an international strategic advisory firm that once hosted a Davos, Switzerland, party with tech billionaire Sean Parker and Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff. Usher-Smith is a former Lazard and Greenhill banker.

Reichart is the executive vice president of digital development and partnerships at the German media company Bertelsmann, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The role on the Snap IPO is a coup for the firm, which has fewer than 10 employees, according to its LinkedIn profile. Connaught is not a US registered broker-dealer, and so any shares it sold in the US had to pass through Global Alliance Securities.

Osborne and Usher-Smith did not return messages seeking comment in time for publication.

Screen Shot 2017 03 03 at 1.23.35 PM

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A Mexican lawmaker climbed atop the fence along the U.S.-Mexico border this week to prove a point to President Donald Trump  his plan for building a wall that was a key promise during his campaign wouldn't work.

Braulio Guerra, a congressman from Queretaro, a few hours north of Mexico City, appears to have climbed the fence with no help Wednesday, according to photos of his excursion posted on Twitter.
Henry Coleman McGill Jr. was a man of faith, of science and of medicine. Most of all, he was a kind, upright soul.

There was not a manipulative bone in his body. My mother always accused him of being overly trusting of people, said McGills eldest daughter Margaret. He just told the truth and did what he thought was right and he thought everyone else was doing that, too, and that they didnt have these ulterior motives.

On Feb. 23, McGill died of kidney failure at his home near Canyon Lake. He was 95.

McGill was the son of a Baptist preacher who lost his job and his house in the Great Depression. Forced to raise chickens, McGill helped his father out for a year after he graduated high school before he took off on his own, Margaret McGill said.

His father didnt care if he wanted to go to college or not but Daddy, after a year, got up his nerve and defied his father. And with the help of a wealthy family from their church  they helped fund his education, Margaret McGill said.

McGill trained to become a pathologist. While at Louisiana State University, he was offered and accepted the opportunity to study a dead baboon from the Audubon Zoo.

McGill found that baboons have similar internal structures to humans and he began to realize the possibilities of using baboons as test subjects to figure out how diseases developed in humans. Margaret McGill said that he and other researchers traveled to Kenya and brought back both live and dead baboons to the U.S. to study.

More Information Henry Coleman McGill Jr. Born: Oct. 1, 1921, Nashville Died: Feb. 23, 2017, Canyon Lake Preceded by: Wife Cloace Ferguson McGill; parents Henry Coleman and Thursa Lowry McGill. Survived by: Daughters Margaret McGill, Laurie McGill and Beth Dahlberg; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren. Services: A memorial service is planned for Saturday at 5 p.m. at Lake Canyon Yacht Club, 180 Yacht Club Drive, Canyon Lake, 78133. See More Collapse

They taught the baboons how to smoke, Margaret McGill said, adding that they got strongly addicted.

She stressed that he cared for the animals humanely, and that his research spun off to create treatments for premature babies.

Among his accomplishments, McGill led research into heart disease, was chair of the Department of Pathology at the UT Health Science Center and was the first Scientific Director at Texas Biomedical Research Institute.

Later in life he was an active sailor, a four-time commodore of the Lake Canyon Yacht Club, and lived on his own until the last year. His youngest daughter, Beth Dahlberg, said he shook off the notion that he should slow down.

When someone would suggest that he settle down and hire someone to do this or that, or take a rest  his response was Im afraid that if I sit down I wont be able to get back up.

rdruzin@express-news.net
Yahoo Finance is tracking Ford (F) and General Motors (GM) as Mexicos Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo meets with executives from both automakers in Detroit today. The big issue theyre discussing is U.S.-Mexico trade relations and the future of the North American Free Trade agreement.

The auto sector has been in focus since President Donald Trump threatened Ford, General Motors and Toyota (TM) with a border adjustment tax on cars built in Mexico and sold in the United States. Despite Trumps threats, Ford is planning to move ahead with its plans to expand two of its plants in Mexico.

President Trump has pledged to revamp NAFTA, which went into effect in 1994, and negotiate better terms for the United States. Hes also sticking to his campaign promise of building a wall on the US-Mexico border and wants to tax items imported from Mexico.

Guajardo will also meet with officials from two auto-parts companies, which have plants in both Detroit and Mexico. Mexico is Michigans second-largest export market. It was worth $12 billion last year, according to the Mexican ministry.

For more on General Motors and Fords meetings with Mexicos economy minister, check out the Final Round, live at 4 p.m. EST, right here on Yahoo Finance.
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WASHINGTON  Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any investigation into Russian meddling in last years presidential campaign at a hastily called news conference Thursday, denying that he intentionally misled the Senate during his confirmation hearings about his contacts with the Russian ambassador.

His move appeared to calm jittery Republicans, but did little to quell Democratic demands for his resignation.

Californias two Democratic senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, both of whom voted against confirming Sessions, said Thursday that the attorney general had lied under oath when he told senators that he hadnt met with Russian officials while working with Donald Trumps presidential campaign. Harris joined Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and 100 House Democrats, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, in calling on Sessions to resign.

At his news conference, Sessions said he had been honest and correct as I understood a question about his Russian contacts during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings in January.

Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on that committee, initially called for Sessions to recuse himself or step down. Her office indicated later that she was satisfied with his decision to recuse himself from any Justice Department probe of the Trump campaign  meaning he would give no direction to investigators with the department he runs or have any input into an inquiry.

The possibility that the Trump campaign was in contact with Russian officials has been a continuing distraction for the young administration. National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was forced to resign after denying any dealings with Russias ambassador to Vice President Mike Pence, who then went on TV and repeated Flynns denials. Flynn later admitted that he had spoken with the ambassador during the transition.

President Trump, who said during the campaign that he hoped Russia could find the 30,000 emails that are missing from the personal server that Democratic rival Hillary Clinton used as secretary of state, has labeled as fake news suggestions that his campaign had dealings with the Russians.

Sessions recusal came after dozens of congressional Republicans called for him to do so. They were reacting to a Washington Post report Wednesday evening that Sessions had two meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak before the election that he did not reveal under questioning at his Senate hearings. Sessions was a senator from Alabama at the time, as well as a top adviser to then-candidate Trump.

The meetings included a private get-together in September with Kislyak in Sessions Senate office, at the height of Russian cyberattacks that the Obama administration later concluded were aimed at interfering in the presidential election.

Sessions also met Kislyak more casually in July at a meeting with other ambassadors during the GOP convention.

Before Sessions announcement Thursday, Trump was asked whether his attorney general should recuse himself from any investigation. I dont think so, the president replied.

Feinstein, who led her partys questioning of Sessions during the Judiciary Committee hearings, said of her former longtime colleague on the panel, He did not tell the truth under oath. And this happened in September, when it was widely known that there was a Russian influence program going on.

She added, I know Kislyak. Its very hard for me to find him forgettable.

Harris, who was California attorney general before winning election to the Senate in November, insisted that Sessions step down.

He did not tell the truth when he was under oath, period. Full stop, Harris said. The truth is the truth. There is no Democratic or Republican version of a fact. A fact is a fact.

Harris said Sessions experience as a former federal prosecutor and Judiciary Committee member is exactly why he should know better.

Lets also be clear the question was probative of an issue that has been debated and discussed in this Capitol now for months, so for there to be some suggestion that he didnt understand the question or what it was seeking to resolve, thats beyond believable, Harris said. He knows more than the average person that its a truth-seeking exercise when one testifies before these committees.

Holding prosecutors to a high standard is vital to our system of justice, Harris said. This is a job that is literally about having integrity that is unquestionable.

At his news conference, Sessions said he had answered honestly when responding to a question from Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., at his confirmation hearings about whether there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign.

Sessions replied that he was not aware of such activities, adding that he did not have communications with the Russians.

Sessions said Thursday that he did not think at the time the question was relevant to his September meeting as a senator with Kislyak, which he said two of his senior aides also attended. He described it as one of many meetings he had with foreign ambassadors. In retrospect, Sessions said, he should have slowed down and mentioned his meetings with the ambassador.

He said his answer to the committee was honest and correct as I understood it at the time, adding that he would write a formal letter to the Judiciary Committee to explain this testimony for the record. Sessions said that while he appreciates how some might construe his answer as false, that was not my intent.

Trump declared his total confidence in Sessions, while saying, I wasnt aware at all of Sessions meeting with Kislyak.

Earlier in the day, dozens of Republicans had called for Sessions to recuse himself, although none went so far as to demand his resignation. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said he looked forward to Sessions letter so we can put this issue to bed once and for all.

Rep. Devin Nunes, the Tulare Republican who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters, Look, Im sure some of you are in contact with the Russian Embassy. ... Do you want us to conduct an investigation on you or other Americans because you were talking to the Russian Embassy? I just think we need to be careful.

Pelosi, a longtime veteran of the House Intelligence Committee and among the first to demand that Sessions resign after the Washington Post story broke, did not back down.

Attorney General Sessions narrow recusal and his sorry attempt to explain away his perjury are totally inadequate, Pelosi said in a statement. He is clearly trying to maintain his ability to control the larger investigation into the sprawling personal, political and financial grip Russia has on the Trump administration.

Carolyn Lochhead is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: clochhead@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carolynlochhead
The recent surge of large-scale development in downtown San Antonio is about to spill over for the first time into Denver Heights, a neighborhood just south of the Alamodome that struggles with urban blight and crime.

Local developer Efraim Varga and investment firm Harris Bay of Sacramento, California, plan to start work by the end of the year on Essex Modern City, a $150 million mixed-use development at the crossing of Essex and Cherry streets. The first phase of the 8-acre project will transform a former pallet manufacturing site into 80,000 square feet of creative office space, 65,000 square feet of retail, 248 apartments, 160 condominiums, 80 townhomes and a food hall, the developers said Thursday.

Its going to be a catalyst for the neighborhood, Varga said. Its going to do exactly what the Pearl did, and bring in more developers.

RELATED: Apartments planned for vacant factory on South Side

The project's first phase will take about three years to build and will cover about 5 acres, Varga said. It will be all new construction except for a small 1930s building that will be rehabilitated. The scope of the second phase will depend on the market, but the developers hope to build a condo tower between eight and 11 stories tall, he said.

Varga and his partners plan to differentiate the project from other mixed-use developments, such as the Pearl and the Lone Star Brewery, with flourishes such as a rock climbing wall, murals painted by local artists, a mobile app allowing visitors to reserve parking and vertical farms on building exteriors that would grow vegetables for use in restaurants.

The developers want to recruit local and Texas-based companies for the retail space, said Jake Harris, co-founder of Harris Bay. Their retail strategy is the opposite of the tack taken by the team redeveloping the Lone Star Brewery, which has signed up national chains such as Cinemark Holdings and Punch Bowl Social. The two developments, which are less than a mile apart, will complement each other, Harris and Varga said.

I think retail space is going to struggle if its a chain restaurant or if its something the internet can take away, Harris said. Theres a whole lot of Starbucks, CVSes and AMC movie theaters.

The developers are hoping to attract tech companies to lease the creative office space, Varga said, which would make the project part of downtown San Antonios growing tech scene. Theyre in talks with other firms that would build the multifamily portion of the project.

CREO, a local architecture firm led by Kris Feldmann, is leading the design of the project.

Essex Modern City would have a huge impact on Denver Heights, a neighborhood thats a mixture of well-kept homes, boarded-up buildings, vacant lots and small factories producing handcrafted items such as cabinets and metal work. The Alamodome has done little to revitalize the adjacent neighborhoods that are still struggling to recover from decades of neglect.

Jackie Gorman, executive director of San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside, said she expects the project to have a positive impact on the neighborhood. Shes concerned about increasing traffic and property values but said the city could work to limit those side effects. Other East Side neighborhoods, including Dignowity Hill and St. Paul Square, are also growing as developers turn their attention to the downtown area.

It will bring income diversity, Gorman said. Along with income diversity comes better amenities  it seems to me that when the income levels become more diverse, schools become better.

RELATED: San Antonio development is accelerating

The projects developers plan to start holding meetings with residents soon to gather input on what types of retail the neighborhood needs and to spread awareness of ways to keep property taxes from rising too fast, Harris said.

Varga, who runs local development firm Varga Endeavors, previously teamed up with Harris Bay to build the Sunglo Urban Homes townhome development in Southtown. In 2015, he approached Harris Bays executives with the idea to build on the Denver Heights site. City Council approved zoning changes for the project last year.

Harris said he was initially skeptical of the site until he realized how close it was to Hemisfair, the Alamodome and the San Antonio River. He also gained confidence when he realized how strong the residential market was in Lavaca, a neighborhood on the other side of Interstate 37 from Denver Heights.

Were really excited for what the potential is for San Antonio, Harris said. It seems like it has kind of been the forgotten stepbrother of Texas  San Antonio is prime for amazing things. Someone has to just put it out there.

rwebner@express-news.net

@rwebner

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Total Wine & More Winery Direct Partner of the Week: Stella Fiore



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Editors Note: This content is made possible by Total Wine & More. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com.
San Antonio is home to one of the largest active and retired military populations, with thousands of military families relocating to San Antonio every year. When looking for a new home, there are a variety of factors that must be considered including cost, excellent school districts, access to amenities, and close proximity to military bases.

Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills

Located close to Fort Sam Houston, Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills neighborhoods are some of the more upscale neighborhoods in San Antonio with beautiful unique homes with charm. Not only is the area centrally located, with all active bases no more than a 25-minute drive. Terrell Hills and Alamo Heights it is a consistently safe area and boasts some of the best public schools in town. It is also within a very short distance of great shopping and dining amenities.

Kirby Neighborhood and Converse Neighborhood

Kirby and Converse, some of the more reasonably priced San Antonio real estate, is only 5 minutes away from Randolph Air Force Base and a quick drive to downtown. Not only does the area offer a reasonable commute, but it also has a number of options for schools, including Judson Early College Academy, which has been rated as a high achieving and challenging institution.

Sea World Area and Westover Hills Neighborhood

Similarly to Kirby and Converse, the Sea World and Westover Hills neighborhoods are a great option for military families stationed at Lackland Air Force Base. It is a quick drive to both Ingram Park Mall and La Cantera shopping malls.

DeZavala and IH-10 Neighborhood

DeZavala and IH-10 is a great location for those stationed at Camp Bullis. Also like the Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills area, it has access to some of the best public schools in San Antonio and is near both La Cantera and Huebner Oaks shopping centers. As one of the biggest military cities in the United States, San Antonio offers a number of great real estate options for families relocating to the area. There are many factors to take into consideration, but Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills, Kirby and Converse, Sea World and Westover Hills, and DeZavala and IH-10 are all exceptional options for military families moving to San Antonio.

Editors Note: This content is made possible by Keller Williams San Antonio. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com.
Wingz, the peer-to-peer private car service that offers scheduled and flat-rate rides, officially began offering its service in San Antonio early last week. The San Francisco-based startup will give rides as a TNC (Transportation Network Company) at San Antonio International Airport as well as trips around San Antonio, all with drivers who can be favorited and used for future rides.

Until March 31, Wingz is offering an introductory promotion of 50 percent off rides in the city for first-time customers (with a maximum of $20 in savings per ride). For every new rider who uses the platform, Wingz plans to donate $2 to our local Meals on Wheels chapter.

We always want to give back to the local communities that we join said Chris Brandon, CEO of Wingz. We partnered with Meals on Wheels in Dallas and Houston last year, and supporting the same organization in San Antonio was a natural fit.

Unlike other rideshare companies, Wingz is not an on-demand car service: Riders can schedule their rides from up to two months in advance. Wingz places an added emphasis on their drivers, who go through a more selective onboarding process than the traditional rideshare companies and can be added to users personalized list of favorite drivers.

Our goal at Wingz is to bring consumers a highly reliable and personalized driver experience, emphasizes Brandon. You know everything about your ride in advance: the price, the car and, more importantly, the person behind the wheel. Having a driver you know, like and trust makes all the difference in the world.

Although theyre a smaller service (relative to other giants in the industry), Wingz has maintained a loyal following wherever theyve landed.

My driver Theresa in Seattle has been like a family member or friend driving and picking me up, explains Sara Seabourne, a frequent Wingz rider. As a female and a mom, I feel safe with her when I travel alone and with my kids.

Wingz executed a pair of similar promotions last year in Austin and Dallas, donating the fares of their rides to the local Caritas non-profit in the former and the Meals on Wheels chapter for the latter.

The team at Meals on Wheels San Antonio provided 1,013,561 meals to 3,555 seniors in Bexar County last year and has been gaining steam since their founding in 1977. It enables seniors to remain more healthy and independent in their own homes, helping avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency room or a nursing home placement.

We are thankful that Wingz chose to support Meals on Wheels San Antonio, said Vinsen Faris, Chief Executive Officer, Meals on Wheels San Antonio. Their donation will directly impact the lives of seniors in need within the San Antonio community.

Wingz  backed by Expedia, Altimeter Capital and Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff  is primed to continue to onboard more drivers as the demand for its rides grows in Texas second-largest city.

Editors Note: This content is made possible by Wingz. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com.
SANTA FE  The New Mexican Senate overwhelmingly approved a measure that would raise the states minimum wage from $7.50 per hour to $9, the Albuquerque Journal reports. The change would impact mostly rural areas because Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Santa Fe all have higher minimum wages, with Santa Fes as the highest at $11.08 per hour.

Sen. Clemente Sanchez, who introduced the bill, said he garnered support from businesses in crafting the proposal. The truth is that working people really need a livable wage, Sanchez said. I think this is reasonable.

With such bipartisan support on the bill, its likely it will clear the House and head for Gov. Susana Martinezs desk. Whether she will sign it before the end of the legislative term on March 18 is unclear. The governor supports raising the minimum wage as long as its in line with neighboring states and doesnt hurt small businesses, said Michael Lonergan, the governors spokesman.

Of the surrounding states, Arizona and Colorado have minimum wages above $9 an hour, while Oklahoma, Texas and Utah follow the federal minimum wage of $7.75 per hour. New Mexicos minimum wage legislation will stagger the implementation: $8.25 in October 2017, then $9 in April 2018.
President Trump had plenty to say Tuesday night before Congress about increased spending on defense, new infrastructure, a $23 billion wall along the southern border with Mexico and billions of dollars more for steep tax cuts  but nary a word about the looming $20 trillion national debt.

After frequent references to the historic flow of government red ink throughout his campaign, Trump was stone silent yesterday on the challenges of slowing the growth of publicly held debt, which currently is on track to grow to 77 percent of the overall economy by 2025, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Related: Trumps Lofty Vision of Renewal Comes with a Huge Price Tag

Thats pretty remarkable, said Robert L. Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition, an anti-deficit watchdog. He should have at least teed up the problem and talked about the need for hard choices and bipartisan negotiations . . . and how he wants to put the nation in a better fiscal position.

There are any number of reasons Trump may have decided to duck the subject of the debt, including a reluctance to have to explain to conservatives his campaign pledge not to cut Social Security and Medicare, the two premier federal entitlements that are the primary drivers of the long-term debt.

Yet a debate over entitlements and the long term debt will be unavoidable this year, especially when the government begins bumping up against its limit on borrowing to cover revenue shortages and must raise the debt ceiling or suffer the consequences of a first-ever default by the Treasury.

Raising the debt ceiling has always been a politically onerous task because neither party wants to be perceived by voters as accommodating runaway government spending. New debt ceiling authority almost always is decided in tandem with other major spending and tax disputes. And the party in power frequently must make concessions to the minority in order to corral enough votes to pass the debt ceiling legislation in the two chambers.

Story continues

Related: Putting Trumps Historic $54 Billion Military Spending Boost Into Context

The stakes couldnt be higher: Failure to raise the debt ceiling would do irreversible damage to the U.S. credit rating, trigger an uproar in U.S. and global markets, drive up the future cost of borrowing, postpone Social Security payments and tax returns, and force layoffs of non-essential government workers.

It would be the kind of damaging blow to the U.S. economy that might not be correctible for a decade, said Stan Collender, an authority on the federal budget and an economics blogger for Forbes. After 250 years of the U.S. history, making interest payments on the debt was never a question. It would now be something that was at least in the back of the minds of all U.S. creditors.

The Obama administration had several near misses on raising the debt ceiling during its stormy relations with congressional Republicans. In August 2011, Standard & Poors downgraded the governments Triple-A rating after Congress and the White House deadlocked for weeks over a budget deal, and the Treasury came within an eyelash of defaulting. It took the intervention of Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, two long-time friends, to save the day and avert an economic crisis.

In 2015, President Obama and Republican congressional leaders agreed to suspend the federal debt ceiling until March 15, 2017. After that date  barely two weeks from now  the Treasury will surpass its cumulative $20 trillion borrowing authority.

At that point, newly ensconced Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is expected to order emergency measures to effectively buy more time for the government to pay its creditors and cover revenue shortfalls to keep the government operating.

Related: Debt Ceiling: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?

In the past, those emergency maneuvers have included delaying the reinvestment of assets in the Federal Employees Retirement System G-Fund, the Exchange Stabilization Fund and the civil service and postal retirement fund. By postponing those reinvestments, the Treasury slows the growth of its overall debt, or at least on paper.

Those steps would likely enable the Treasury to continue making all payments until at least mid-August, but it's unclear what would happen beyond then, according to Shai Akabas, the director of fiscal policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center and an expert on the debt ceiling.

The Trump administration and GOP leaders have yet to reveal their strategy for averting a debt ceiling crisis this summer, and its far from clear whether Senate and House Democrats will agree to cooperate or find ways to put up obstacles to increasing the Treasurys borrowing authority.

Trump raised plenty of eyebrows during the campaign by lightly dismissing the importance of the debt ceiling. He suggested that if push came to shove, he would negotiate down the debt with the countrys biggest creditors, who include China and Japan.

Former Rep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina, the new director of the Office of Management and Budget, has long been a skeptic of the dangers of the Treasury defaulting on some of its debt.

Related: Mnuchin Says He Takes the Debt Ceiling More Seriously Than Trump

He said during his Senate confirmation hearing that while defaulting on Americas debts would have grave worldwide economic consequences, I do not believe that breaching the debt ceiling will automatically or inevitably lead to that result. Thats because Mulvaney and other conservatives contend that the government can prioritize its payments, with the biggest and most important creditor getting paid first while others would have to wait.

However, Mnuchin, the former Goldman Sachs banker and billionaire hedge fund manager, doused the concerns of lawmakers that Trump and Mulvaney might play games with the debt during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee in January.

It was then that Mnuchin told Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) that he agreed 100 percent that Trump must never again question Americas willingness to stand by its debt obligation.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Find the newest releases to watch from National Geographic on Disney+, including favourite documentary series and films Free Solo, The Rescue, Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth and The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
A number of men who received sentences of up to 20 years imprisonment for an aggravated burglary in Tipperary have moved to appeal the severity of their sentences.

Dublin residents Patrick Gately (29), with an address at Primrose Grove, Darndale, Dean Byrne (23), of Cabra Park, Dublin 17, John Joyce (22), Lentisk Lawn, Donaghmede, Patrick Joyce (24), of Beaumont Hall, Beaumont Woods and Thomas Flynn (22), of Moatview Avenue, Coolock were among seven men who pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at the home of the Corcoran family in south Tipperary on November 21, 2013.

Sentences of 20 years imprisonment with the final four suspended were handed down to Gately and Dean Byrne; John Joyce was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment with the final four suspended; Patrick Joyce was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with the final four suspended and Thomas Flynn received a 12 year sentence made consecutive to a sentence already being served.

The men were sentenced by Judge Thomas Teehan at Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court on October 1, 2015.

All five men brought appeals against the severity of their sentences in the Court of Appeal on Thursday where the three-judge court reserved judgment.

Counsel for Gately, Vincent Heneghan SC, said it could be inferred that the Circuit Court judge picked 12 years as the starting point for what occurred in the house. That being so, he seemed to attach a great deal of weight to the reckless driving or hot pursuit, which Byrne and Gately were involved in subsequently.

Mr Heneghan said nobody could find a comparable case of aggravated burglary but in manslaughter cases, for example, he said 20 years would be out of line.

He said his client's childhood and adolescence had been chaotic, there was an early plea and an expression of remorse.

Counsel for Byrne, Conor Devally SC, said there was slim enough evidence concerning his client about what happened in the house.

He said Byrne was brought into this event through his expertise in stealing cars; That was his background from an early age.

Byrne was involved in the taking of illicit drugs from the age of eight or nine and was removed from the family home at the age of 11 or 12.

From then on he was nothing other than a terror on society who amassed a significant number of criminal convictions, something in excess of 80, generally through joyriding as a teen., Mr Devally said.

Mr Devally said his client got a 20-year headline sentence which was in excess of the average life term. He said the sentencing judge differentiated between the parties in a way that was difficult for the Court of Appeal to determine.

Counsel for Patrick Joyce, Colman Cody SC, said all five men were equally culpable for what happened in the house but different headline sentence were imposed.

Mr Cody submitted that the Circuit Court judge erred in placing the offence in the highest category to which Mr Justice George Birmingham said he could only react with surprise given the appalling nature of the offence.

Counsel for Thomas Flynn, Michael Bowman SC, said his client was 19 at the time of the offence, would be approaching 30 by the time he concludes his imprisonment and his suspended sentence would hang over him until he was 40.

Mr Bowman said Flynn was a young man with certain psychological frailties. He had failed to appear in court before lunch because he had been overcome with anxiety, the court was told.

Mr Bowman said it was difficult to see how the Circuit Court gave full appreciation for Flynn's guilty plea, expression of remorse and the rehabilitative efforts he had gone through while in custody.

He said his client got the lowest discount of three years which was the lowest recognition for the manner in which he approached the case.

Counsel for John Joyce, Padraig Dwyer SC, said his client was the youngest of the offenders. He said John Joyce's extremely low level of cognisance together with his hearing difficulties was a double handicap.

He had a tremendously difficult childhood and came before the Circuit Court as an enormously disadvantaged young offender.

Although John Joyce had 55 previous convicions, Mr Dwyer said none of them compared to the severity of this offence.

He said the Circuit Court noted John Joyce's remorse as being deep and genuine, Mr Dwyer said.

Mr Dwyer said it was difficult to see how John Joyce was given 15 years as a starting point in circumstances where his brother got one year less.

Cousnel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Michael Delaney SC, said it was difficult to find a case of aggravated burglary of comparable gravity.

Among the aggravating factors were the machete, the firearms, the restraint with cable ties, the threats to kill the children, the threats to shove a screwdriver up the nose of Mr Corcoran.

There was the serious assault on Mr Corcoran, the injuries of which, continue to affect him. Three very young children were subjected to a terrifying ordeal. There were at least six raiders who entered the home which must have added to the fear and apprehension of the Corcorans particularly the children.

But the the most significant aggravating factor, Mr Delaney said, was the affect on each of the five members of the Corcoran family.

It was a catalogue of horrors, before they left the house, Mr Justice John Edwards remarked.

Mr Delaney further submitted that at least three Constitutional rights were breached and the State had a duty to protect and vindicate those rights. That must extend to include an element of general deterrance, he said.

Finally, Mr Delaney said it would have been preferable if the sentencing judge had not made a remark about remission because such comments are always open to interpretation.

The sentencing judge had said the length of the sentences were likely to be somewhat less than the sentences he was imposing due to remission.

Mr Delaney said it was a post-script comment and there was nothing to indicate that the trial judge had increased the sentences to take account of the likelihood of remission.

Mr Justice George Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice John Edwards and Mr Justice John Hedigan, said the court would reserve judgment.
Irish Water and Tipperary County Council today marked the official opening of the Burncourt Water Supply Scheme which will deliver a high quality and reliable water supply for over 3,500 local customers whilst also supporting current and future development in the area.

The new water treatment plant in Burncourt was developed as part of a 15.2 million investment by Irish Water in South Tipperary, which also included the upgrade of the Fethard Water Supply Scheme.

Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal, Damien English TD unveiled a plaque at the new water treatment plant this Friday.

The Burncourt Water Supply Scheme involved the construction of a new 2,600 cubic metres per day water treatment plant, a 2,600 cubic metre reservoir, approximately 5km of pipelines and ancillary works. The new plant features robust design, using proven technology for the treatment and monitoring of water quality to ensure that customers in the area can enjoy a safe and secure water supply.

As a result of the upgrade works carried out, the Burncourt Water Supply Scheme has now been removed from the Environmental Protection Agencys Remedial Action List (RAL), along with the Cloran and Gortnapisha schemes.

Speaking at the opening, Katherine Walshe, Regional Operations Manager with Irish Water, said: We are delighted to be officially opening the Burncourt Water Supply Scheme today. Providing a safe and secure water supply for the local community is a key objective for Irish Water. The upgrade of this water supply scheme will have significant benefits in terms of security, quality and reliability of supply for all our customers in the area.

As a result of this work, a number of long-running boil water notices have been lifted and over 15,700 people served by the Burncourt, Gortnapisha and Cloran schemes have been removed from the EPAs Remedial Action List.

Minister English commented: This investment by Irish Water in the Burncourt Water Supply Scheme means that the people living in this part of South Tipperary now have access to a high quality, secure and reliable water supply  something that is essential for any community and which should not be taken for granted.

Not only will this benefit local residents and businesses but, combined with the upgrade of the Fethard Water Supply Scheme, it will also greatly enhance the potential for future social and economic development in this region.

Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council, Cllr Siobhan Ambrose, said: On behalf of Tipperary County Council I welcome this investment in the Burncourt Water Supply Scheme. This upgrade is essential in order to provide a safe and secure water supply for the people of the area, and to enhance economic and agricultural development.

I am particularly pleased to note that this work has led to the lifting of the boil water notice which had been in place for Burncourt and its subsequent removal, along with Gortnapisha and Cloran, from the EPAs Remedial Action List.

This project forms part of Irish Waters investment plan where works have been prioritised to address the most critical issues in line with commitments outlined in Irish Waters business plan. Delivery of the business plan will involve a 5.5bn investment in capital spending on drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity and new infrastructure up to 2021.

Other significant investments by Irish Water in Co Tipperary include the replacement of 8.5km of watermain in the Fethard Regional Water Supply Scheme; investment to improve water quality and reduce leakage on the scheme serving Temple-Etney, Killurney, Graigue and Ballypatrick; progress of the Thurles Regional Water Supply Scheme; and an upgrade of the Clonmel Water Supply Scheme and associated storage.
A bus workers trade union leader appealed to Tipperary's TDs at a public meeting in Clonmel last night to use their political influence to secure a moratorium on Bus Eireann's plan to axe its Clonmel to Dublin express route services from March 12.

National Bus & Rail Union General Secretary Dermot O'Leary issued the call at the Save Our Bus Service public meeting in the Clonmel Park Hotel, which was attended by more than 100 people including four of Tipperary's five TDs, Tipperary Co. Council Chairperson Cllr Siobhan Ambrose and councillors from the Clonmel Borough and Carrick-on-Suir Municipal Districts.

Deputies Seamus Healy (Ind), Mattie McGrath (Ind), Michael Lowry (Ind) and Jackie Cahill (FF) along with Kilkenny Sinn Fein TD Kathleen Funchion all pledged to do what they could in the corridors of power in Leinster House to save the X7 route that operates about 8 services daily between Clonmel and Dublin.

Deputy Funchion proposed that the five TDs from Tipperary along with the TDs from Carlow/Kilkenny constituency join forces and raise the issue in the Dail with the sole aim of getting the bus route closure stopped. "Strength in numbers there would be difficult to ignore," she declared.

TDs from both constituencies are today (Friday) working to ensure they can raise the bus route closure during Topical Issues time in the Dail next Tuesday morning, March 7 and call for the moratorium.The Minister for Transport will have to respond to them if the matter is raised under Topical Issues.

The public meeting took place against the backdrop of an impending strike by Bus Eireann staff due to start on Monday over cut backs the firm wants to impose to staff wages and conditions along with cut backs in bus services.

Anger and frustration was voiced by bus users, Bus Eireann drivers, NBRU leaders and local politicians at the meeting over the announcement earlier this week that the Clonmel/Dublin bus service is to close from March 12. The closure was denounced by several speakers as another as another attack on rural Ireland's infrastructure and services.

Mr O'Leary said he was still in a state of shock at Bus Eireann's announcement . "I didn't expect to be standing here talking about a route closure in two weeks. I thought I would be talking about a route that may close," he said.

The meeting heard how the Clonmel/Dublin service was used by residents of Carrick-on-Suir's Camphill Community to travel to Camphill in Callan daily and was also vital for cancer patients and other sick people, without private transport, for travelling to hospital appointments in Dublin.

Read full report on the public meeting and update on the campaign to stop the axing of the Bus Eireann Clonmel/Dublin route in The Nationalist out next Wednesday, March 8.
Synagogue is the house of prayer of the Jews; they are consecrated spaces used for the purpose of prayer, Tanakh reading, study and assembly. A synagogue is not necessary for worship; the Halakha(Jewish law) holds that the communal worship can be carried out wherever 10 jews assemble.

At present there are 33 synagogues in India. Although many are no longer functioning, and they are all in various stages of preservation. These buildings dating from the mid 16th century through mid 20th century once served the three distinct Jewish groups namely the ancient Cochin Jews, Bene Israel and Baghdadi Jews.

The Paradesi Synagogue is one of the seven synagogues in Kerala and the only one still functional.

Also Read : Kochi - Where Ancient And New Came Together

The Location

The synagogue is located in Mattancherry near Fort Kochi. Both Fort Kochi and Mattanchery hold a very important place in the books of history. It around 13 km from Ernakulam town, and one can reach the synagogue via the ferry or by road from the town.

More About The Place

The synagogue was constructed in the year 1568 and is one of the seven synagogues of the Cochin Jewish Community or the Yehudan Mappilar people.

'Paradesi' means foreigner, and the synagogue is called so as it was built by Spanish-speaking Jews, some of them are from families exiled from Aleppo and other West Asian locations.

The Yehudan Mappilar formed a very prosperous trading community of Kerala and they controlled a major portion of the worldwide spice trade. In 1568, the Jews constructed the Paradesi Synagogue adjacent to the Mattancherry Palace, on the land given to them by the Raja of Kochi.

The original synagogue was built in the 4th century in Kodungallur or Cranganore(anglicised name) when the Jews had a mercantile role along the Malabar coast. When the community moved to Kochi in the 14th century, a new synagogue was built.

The first synagogue was destroyed in the 16th century by the Portuguese persecution of the Jews and Nasrani or St Thomas Christians. The second one was built under the protection of the Raja of Kochi in Mattancherry, in 1568 during the Portuguese rule of Cochin which is the present structure.

The Classes Of Members

PC : Deepujoseph

The Paradesi Synagogue had three classes of members namely White Jews or Paradesi Jews, who were the descendants of Sephardi from Spain, Portugal and Netherlands.

The second were the Black Jews or Malabari Jews, who were allowed to worship but were not given full membership. The third was Meshuchrarim, who were a group of freed slaves, they had no communal rights and no synagogue of their own.

At Present

PC: Wouter Hagens

The Paradesi Synagogue is the only functioning synagogue in Kochi with a minyan(a quorum of ten men over the age of 13 required for traditional Jewish public worship). Alongside the traditions followed by Hindus, the worshippers or anyone entering the synagogue must enter barefoot.

The synagogue is open to the public as a historic attraction, by paying a nominal fee. The ticket seller is the last female Paradesi Jew of childbearing age.

The synagogue is closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and also on Jewish holidays.

Antique Elements, Architecture And Ambience

PC : Jean-Pierre Dalbera

The large main hall grabs your attention with its display of rare antique objects which adds on to the grandeur of the place. The open windows make the sight of the chandeliers and lamps more attractive.The glass chandeliers belong to the 19th century and were imported from Belgium.

The floor of the synagogue itself is a wonderful artwork, the floor is paved with hand painted blue willow patterned floor tiles. The ceramic tiles were brought from China in the 18th century by Ezekiel Rahabi, a renowned Jewish businessman.

Pc : Robin Klein

Each tile is different from one another in its design and always captures the admiration of the visitors. A valuable possession of the synagogue is the copper plate that belong to the 4th century with inscriptions in Malayalam.

Outside the synagogue, one can see the cemetery of the jews, who once lived here and an 18th century clock tower, which was restored during 1998-99 and indicates the time accurately.

Also Read : More About Kochi Tourism

Visiting Time

Morning: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Evening: 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Photography is not permitted inside the synagogue, visitors are requested to be dressed modestly while visiting the synagogue as it is a place of worship.
Thursday, March 02, 2017 by: Vicki Batts Tags: beverage industry , Drought , India , water This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author

(Natural News) Over a million traders in India have declared that they will be boycotting Coca-Cola, and other beverage giants like PepsiCo, for their exploitation of the countrys water resources. Activists say that in areas like drought-stricken Tamil Nadu, the water use of these big beverage companies is simply unsustainable. Two Indian trade associations are credited with bringing this grave matter to light and prompting the boycott.

Tamil Nadu is a state in southern India that boasts a population larger than that of the United Kingdom. The state declared all of its districts as drought-hit in January 2017. It is no surprise that the people are angry with big beverage businesses: farmers are committing suicide and are dealing with massive crop failure, meanwhile these corporations are reportedly sucking up 400 liters of water to produce a single liter of soda.

Traders from Tamil Nadu say that they plan on replacing big name brand sodas with soft drinks that are produced locally. These foreign companies are using up scarce water resources of the state, says K. Mohan, secretary for Vanigar Sangam, an association that supports the boycott.

The Guardian reports that the president of Vanigar Sangam, Vikram Raja, stated, [Foreign companies] are exploiting the states water bodies to manufacture aerated drinks while farmers were facing severe drought.

Because of the low amount of rainfall during the last monsoon, concerns about the extreme amounts of water used by companies like Coca-Cola began to grow. Amit Srivastava, director at the NGO India Resource Reserve Center, estimates that the amount of water needed to grow sugarcane for the soft drinks is included in their water usage. It adds up to an astronomical 400 liters of water just to produce a one-liter bottle of soda.

Srivastava believes that that the demand for both sugar and water to create these fizzy drinks is very problematic for India. Sugarcane is a water-guzzling crop. It is the wrong crop for India, he stated.

Last year, in November, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court granted an interim injunction against Coca-Cola and PepsiCo to restrain the corporations from taking water out of the Thamirabarani River. Tirunelveli District Consumer Protection Association secretary Dr. Prabakar had filed a petition against the beverage giants. The petition demanded a ban on the companies use of water from the Thamirabarani River

The petitioners counsel noted that the river is essential for agriculture and the livelihood of the people who live nearby  and that corporate use of the water was negatively effecting those residents and agricultural endeavors. The government countered with affidavits that claim only surplus water is given to the corporations. Its hard to imagine that there is a surplus in an area of the country that was just declared to be in a state of drought, but, unsurprisingly, the court chose to dismiss the petitions.

In spite of the courts dismissal, Indian trade associations have shown that they will not be so easily taken down. Shopkeepers in Tamil Nadu reportedly began removing Coca-Cola- and Pepsi-brand sodas from their shelves at the beginning of March.

The Indian Beverage Association is reportedly displeased with the boycott; given that the organization represents may large beverage associations, their disapproval is not unexpected. The beverage industry isnt exactly known for their sympathetic business practices, and it stands to reason that their trade organization would be no different.

Water is one of the Earths most precious resources. Sadly, many corporations  and their patsies only see water as a commodity to be used for profit.

Sources:

TheGuardian.com

BBC.com

TheHindu.com

TimesOfIndia.IndiaTimes.com
(Natural News) The destruction of the Oroville dams main and emergency spillways made major headlines early on in 2017. Some 188,000 Californian citizens were left with no choice but to leave their homes and evacuate. Fortunately, the dam held up and the residents were able to return home safely. However, the damage left behind is no less devastating  even if the sensation of urgency surrounding the dam has subsided.

At the peak of the crisis, it became very evident that the dams major spillway had become severely damaged. As dam operators used the main spillway to control the depth of Lake Oroville, a gigantic hole formed in the middle of the chute, and water began rushing down through the soil beneath.

This led them to turn to the emergency spillway for relief  but it too began to erode away, prompting the evacuation order. The emergency spillway was reportedly comprised of nothing but bare earth, and as Mike Adams explained, it is simply not surprising that gallons upon gallons of surging water would quickly cut through dirt and erode the spillway.

Not one but three separate environmental groups reportedly expressed their concerns about the stability of the emergency spillway. Twelve years ago in 2005, the Sierra Club, the Friends of the River, and South Yuba Citizens League filed a motion with the federal government to require the Oroville dam to be armored with concrete, rather than remain as an earthen hillside, as part of the re-licensing agreement.

These urges were ignored by the government. And you know what they say: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And as the water came pouring down, the Californian government chose to drop sandbags from the sky in the hopes of quelling the raging current.

Now, the Oroville dam and emergency spillway are essentially in a state of ruin. Water flowing from the broken spillway created an enormous ravine just south of the spillway, headed towards the dam. Rocks, trees, dirt and other debris pushed around by massive current of water mostly ended up in the Diversion Pool. State Department of Water Resources spokesperson Lauren Bisnett has said that the department estimates that there is currently up to 1 million cubic yards of debris that made its way into the pool.

To put that in perspective, Mercury News writer Risa Johnson says that based on the average truckload of 18 cubic yards of material, the state is looking at around 55,556 truckloads of debris to be cleaned up.

Bisnett reportedly commented, We knew there was going to be significant damage. Erosion measurements in and around the spillway are still being conducted.

Aerial photos and video of the dam show that the lower portion of the emergency spillway has been ripped to shreds and that an enormous crater was formed in the center of the main spillway.

Gizmodo reports that the spillway was supposed to be able to handle 250,000 cubic feet of water per second (cfs), but notes that when the midsection collapsed when a mere 55,000 cfs were passing through it. There are many theories on what would have caused the collapse beginning to emerge. David Rogers, a dam failure expert from Missouri, has suggested that the spillway may have had cracks that were not tended to properly. He also posited that Californias state of drought may have contributed to it. According to the Sacramento Bee, Rogers has said it is possible that the aging spillway could have weakened as it underwent contractions due to the sudden heavy soaking following years of dry weather.

The damage is clearly extensive, whatever the cause. And certainly the damage that pertains to the emergency spillway might have been mitigated, had officials listened to the safety concerns brought to their attention over a decade ago. But, we all know the government is loath to listen to the concerns of their constituents.

Follow more real investigations at RealInvestigations.news.

Sources:

SHTFPlan.com

NaturalNews.com

MercuryNews.com
(Natural News) A tidal wave of new bills has flooded 35 states in the U.S., threatening to either limit or completely eradicate vaccine exemptions. Clearly health freedom and informed consent is undergoing full frontal assualt right now. Please read, share, and take action accordingly.

(Article by Jefferey Jaxen from GreenMedInfo.com)

In 2015 California signed into law the highly contested Senate Bill 277 (SB277) accomplishing two outcomes. First, the bill eliminated the personal belief exemption for vaccination. Second, the bills actionable directives served as a sobering wake up call that mobilized the public and medical community to enter the fight for an evaporating health freedom and informed consent.

Yet, despite multiple whistleblowers within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spotlighting research corruption and pharmaceutical industry collusion, over $3 billion dollars paid out in vaccine damages by the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, widespread vaccine contamination, and overall ineffectiveness and dangers of the current vaccine schedule there has now been 134 vaccine bills introduced in 35 states in the first seven weeks of the US legislative session.

According to the National Vaccine Information Centers (NVIC) Advocacy Teamwho track vaccine-related bills, 31 new bills have been added since the teams last update two weeks prior. Eight of these new bills are in five states appearing for the first time. The coordinated legislative push represents nothing short of a full frontal onslaught by pharmaceutical companies, working through their lobbied politicians, to force dangerous vaccine products upon the backs of the entire US population.

Looking deeper into the tidal wave of vaccine-related legislation sees eight states, deemed priority opposition alert states by NVIC, proposing bills to restrict or eliminate vaccine exemptions altogether. Similar to Californias new normal thanks to SB277, legislators in Connecticut, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah are now hoping to remove and impede pillars of health freedom and parental choice.

Read more at: GreenMedInfo.com
Friday, March 03, 2017 by: Lance D Johanson Tags: cancer , corruption , EPA , glyphosate , Monsanto This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author

(Natural News) A multi-district cancer lawsuit is currently underway in San Francisco, California. The suit alleges that Monsanto failed to warn the public about Roundups cancer risk to humans. Sixty plaintiffs, many suffering from non-Hodgkins lymphoma, are accusing Monsanto of covering up evidence that Roundup herbicide could cause cancer. A former EPA official, Jess Rowland, is set to testify in the case and could reveal the EPAs buried science linking Roundup (glyphosate) to cancer.

U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria is looking forward to Rowlands deposition: My reaction is when you consider the relevance of the EPAs reports, and you consider their relevance to this litigation, it seems appropriate to take Jess Rowlands deposition, he said.

Due to regulatory concerns, this case is currently holding Monsanto back from a $66 billion mega merger with German pharmaceutical company, Bayer AG.

What will Rowlands deposition uncover?

According to Bloomberg, the plaintiffs lawyers see Rowlands upcoming deposition as a potential trap, mainly because Rowland enjoyed a highly suspicious relationship with Monsanto through the years. The plaintiffs attorneys are concerned that Rowland could remain silent, not disclosing evidence of Roundups cancer link. After all, Rowland is a close ally to Monsanto and the chair of an EPA committee that gave glyphosate a free pass.

In May 2016, Rowland chaired the EPAs Cancer Assessment Review Committee (CARC). At the time, CARC determined that glyphosate was not likely to be carcinogenic to humans. Suspiciously, Rowland left her chair position just days after CARCs pro-glyphosate report was leaked to the press.

The mainstream media used CARCs pro-glyphosate conclusion as a rebuttal to the contrasting scientific conclusion that was reached a year earlier at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This independent team of scientists (IARC) had previously reported through the World Health Organization that glyphosate was a probable human carcinogen.

Glyphosate toxicity to humans: an overview explains that the chemical disrupts the shikimate pathway of both plants and important microorganisms in the human gut and can even accumulate in bones. Glyphosate scientists Dr. Channa Jayasumana, wrote that Glyphosate acts as a carrier or a vector of these heavy metals to the kidney. By disabling protective gut microorganisms, glyphosate becomes a vector, by which other toxins weaken ones immunity. For this reason, Sri Lankas president banned herbicides containing glyphosate in 2014. (RELATED: For more, visit Glyphosate.News)

Warring factions inside the EPA and buried evidence on glyphosate toxicity

When IARCs findings came out on glyphosate, Monsanto insisted that glyphosate was 100 percent safe with no link to cancer. Not long thereafter, Rowlands pro-glyphosate conclusion came out through CARC. According to US Right to Know, Monsanto shared close ties with Rowland. Even after leaving CARC, Rowland continued to work as the deputy division director in the EPAs Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP). Working with Rowland, Monsanto could readily control the scientific conclusions for agrochemicals, especially since Rowland operated within the health effects division of the OPP.

Marion Copley, an EPA scientist of 30 years, has accused Rowland of playing political conniving games with the science to give favor to Monsanto and other pesticide companies. Correspondence dated March 4, 2013, taken from a February 10th court filing, found Copley calling Rowland out for intimidation tactics. Copley said Rowland and another EPA official intimidated staff to change the reports on glyphosate findings. It is essentially certain that glyphosate causes cancer, Copley stated, citing various animal studies that have been buried.

Sources include:

EcoWatch.com

EcoWatch.com

Drive.Google.com
(Natural News) During the first three weeks of the 2003 Iraq conflict, the U.S. military committed egregious war crimes using radioactive weapons. Even though the Pentagon pledged to never use this technology again, military command went ahead anyway in the 2003 Iraq conflict, deploying missiles loaded with depleted uranium (DU). More than 2,000 tons of this toxic radioactive waste rained down on the Iraqi people. The radioactive repercussions of DU will continue to plague the Iraqi people for many years to come. The lingering health effects have already begun to take a toll on the health of U.S. soldiers. Cancer-causing DU has been measured in soldiers urine, but the Department of Defense asserts that its safe.

CENTCOM unveils DU also used deceptively in Syria

According to a new disclosure from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the same horrifying DU-laced weapons were used in the November 2015 air raids in the Deir ez-Zor and Hasakah provinces in eastern Syria. This disclosure contradicts a March 2015 statement issued from U.S. Central Command, which stated, U.S. and coalition aircraft have not been and will not be using depleted uranium munitions in Iraq or Syria during Operation Inherent Resolve.

Apparently the military lied. According to CENTCOM spokesman Major Josh Jacques, in November 2015, 5,265 armor-piercing DU rounds were shot out of an A-10 ground attack aircraft to take out 350 oil tanker convoys owned by the Islamic State. The damages of this radioactive material do not stop when an enemy combatant is killed. The repercussions are experienced for many years to come and even return to U.S. soil.

DU plagues innocent people, including thousands in the U.S. military

DU is a nefarious weapon, a byproduct of enriched uranium that has a half-life in the millions of years. Its used in the manufacture of nuclear weapons and as fuel for nuclear reactors. This material, exclusive to the U.S. and U.K., is used in missiles to effectively pierce a targets armor plating. Smaller shells contain about 300 grams of DU and bunker-busting missiles can contain up to 7 tons. Over the course of the two Iraq conflicts, the U.S. indiscriminately unleashed tens of thousands of tons of DU hell onto the Iraqi people. This will significantly pollute the ground and water of these lands for many years to come. Enriched uranium is a highly toxic substance, whether inhaled or ingested. It is directly linked to birth defects, infertility, and all sorts of cancer.

The repercussions of DU not only plague innocent Iraqis, but they come home to the U.S. as well. A large percentage of soldiers who returned from the Gulf War were exposed to DU aerosols that blasted into the air after hitting high impact targets. A new DU detection method pioneered by Professor Randall R. Parrish found DU still in the bodies of Gulf War veterans 20 years after exposure. Tens of thousands of potential cancer cases of American troops are linked to DU exposure in Iraq. This fact has been stealthily covered up by the Veterans Administration, which has barred medical journals from retrieving cancer statistics within the VA registry. This is not how the U.S. shines as an example for the rest of the world. This is not true National Defense. This is not how the U.S. should treat its veterans.

Sources include:

TheFreeThoughtProject.com

HuffingtonPost.com

NBCNews.com
Experts were left completely shocked and baffled after a crocodile shark (Pseudocarcharias kamoharai), usually found in deep tropical waters, was discovered in the U.K. coast for the first time.

The shark was already dead when it was found by a family on a beach at Hope Cove near Plymouth.

Realizing that it is not something that they regularly see on the beach of U.K., the family immediately contacted the local aquarium and sent photos of the carcass.

James Wright, curator at the National Marine Aquarium, said as quoted by The Guardian, "On first inspection of the photos we thought the animal could be a juvenile porbeagle shark, which is found in UK waters. However, we identified numerous traits that suggested it was not any shark usually recorded in UK waters."

Read Also: Rescue Dog Gets Eaten by Shark While Playing on Australian Beach

The curator added that there are several theories surrounding the unusual sighting. But the most possible one is that the shark might have reached the U.K. coast after following a warm, deep water current.

He explained that the crocodile shark species is normally found in tropical climates such as Brazil and Australia but not in the U.K. They are prevalent in deep waters during the day, then comes shallower at night to find food. Wright said that the crocodile shark could have died from traveling and shock to cold waters, which is different from what it's used to.

Paul Cox, Managing Director of The Shark Trust told The Independent that the crocodile shark which is known for its spiky teeth is near-threatened in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Although they are not really hunted, they are often caught in fish nets. Because they are small and are of no value to fishermen, they are often discarded on shores if they are accidentally caught.

Meanwhile, the experts are urging the public to report similar cases so they can identify whether the case of the crocodile shark is just an isolated case or is a trend to be worried about.

Read Also: Coastal Shark Population in Southeast US on the Rise
A London to San Francisco flight was delayed for four hours after a mouse was spotted in the plane.

The passengers on British Airways Flight BA285 were ordered off the plane Wednesday when the mouse was seen running inside the aircraft.

They were later transferred to a new plane and had to wait for hours to finally get on the new flight. Some passengers tweeted about the ruckus.

Just had my flight to SFO cancelled because of a mouse on board the plane. Could it not get a visa?? #britishairways  Mark Watt (@markwatt) March 1, 2017

Another user shared, "I'm going to sell this to the movies. It can be the slightly more pedestrian prequel to snakes on a plane."

Following the commotion, British Airways apologized and found a way to do it with humor. Quoting the airline, BBC wrote:

"We know almost everyone wants to fly with us to San Francisco, but on this occasion there was one very small customer who we had to send back to the gate. Everyone with two legs is now on their way to California, and we are sorry for the delay."

As a rule, planes are not allowed to take off when there is a mouse. They are considered a major hazard because they can chew through wires, which may lead to further inconvenience, and worse, accident.

"Two ounces of mouse will cancel a 6,000-mile flight, there's no question. They eat anything and chew anything and can slide through anything," Michael Boyd, an aviation expert with Boyd Group International, told The New York News.

Boyd addded that the presence of a mouse is alarming because this animal breeds fast. When you see one running around, that would mean that there's a bunch of them -- a family, even -- hiding in plain sight.

Meanwhile, Fox News reported that while the incident is already over and done, the airline might have to pay the passengers for the inconvenience saying that under EU compensation rules, furloughed passengers could receive around 600 pounds of $735 as reimbursement for their delayed flight.

The report added that those passengers who were supposed to take a connecting flight in San Francisco but was not able to do so due to the delay could also ask for compensation, excluding overnight expenses they may incur.
Tom Williams | CQ Roll Call | Getty Images. Trump said "we should start an immediate investigation" into Schumer's ties with Russia.

President Donald Trump lashed out at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Friday, who has called for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign over the uproar about his contacts with Russians.

Trump tweeted a photo of the Democratic senator from New York and Russian President Vladimir Putin laughing and holding Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Trump said "we should start an immediate investigation" into Schumer's ties with Russia, calling him a "total hypocrite." He did not accuse Schumer of any specific wrongdoing.

Schumer responded that he would "happily" talk about his contact with Putin. He said it took place in 2003 "in full view" of the press and the public. Schumer then asked if Trump and his team would talk openly about any contact with Russia.

The tweets come a day after Sessions said he would recuse himself from any investigations related to the Trump campaign. Lawmakers raised concerns that he misled senators in his January confirmation hearing about his contacts with the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, while he was a U.S. senator and advisor to the Trump campaign.

On Thursday, Schumer called for Sessions to resign, saying he had "weeks" to "correct the record" about his testimony and did not.

Later Friday, Trump slammed House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi , who also called for Sessions to resign and accused him of perjury. The president said he demands a second investigation into the representative from California, linking to a Politico story that shows a photo appearing to contradict her Friday statement that she never met Kislyak.

Trump has called any developments about links between Russia and his campaign officials a "total witch hunt." He previously asked his first national security advisor, Michael Flynn, to resign after the former general misled top White House officials about his conversations with Kislyak.

Story continues

Sessions oversees the Justice Department and FBI, which have led investigations into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and any links between Russia and Trump associates. Sessions' recusal will put a deputy in charge of the investigations that relate to the Trump campaign, but it is not entirely clear how broad that recusal will be.

Asked about possible Trump campaign contacts with Russia during his January confirmation hearing, Sessions said he had "been called a surrogate a time or two in that campaign." He said he "did not have communications with the Russians" and was unable to comment on alleged contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russian officials.

On Thursday, Sessions defended his testimony in which he appeared to mislead senators about his contact with Kislyak. He said that, due to the framing of Democratic Sen. Al Franken's question to him, he "focused (his) answer on" whether he met the official in his role as a campaign surrogate, not his position as a then-senator.

"In retrospect, I should have slowed down and said I did meet with one official a couple of times and that was the Russian ambassador," Sessions said Thursday. Sessions said he will send a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee clarifying his testimony.





More From CNBC


The type of documentation San Francisco officials lost in the Millennium Tower project will now have to be retained under reforms passed by a Board of Supervisors committee on Thursday.

Last year, NBC Bay Area first reported that Department of Building Inspection officials failed to keep some of the key documents in the history of the troubled tower, which is now sinking and tilting.

Among them was the developers letter admitting in January 2009 that the tower had sunk more than eight inches, far more than the five inches originally expected over the Millennium Tower's lifetime.

On Thursday, the government oversight panel approved a change in city code that will ensure that the city retains any documents stemming from a discovery made after building permits have been issued.

That was not done in the case of the Millennium Tower, and Supervisor Aaron Peskin believes it should have been standard procedure all along.

I was rather shocked find out that actually the records retention policy at the department had not been brought into the dawn of the 21st century, relative to retaining those kinds of records, Peskin told his colleagues, It is one of the lessons learned in the Millennium conversation that is ongoing.

Ron Tom, assistant director of the Department of Building Inspection, said the change will assure no repeat of the records gap exposed by the Millennium project.

Just in the course of business, he said, when somethings out of the ordinary, we would normally expect some records to be retained so we could trace it later on. That didnt occur (here)  so were going to correct that.

The changes approved by the government oversight committee Thursday must now go before the full board for approval.
Roughly one month after crashing into the swollen Alameda Creek, 18-year-old Jayda Jenkins has been found and positively identified, police said.

Jenkins, who was traveling from Tracy to Menlo Park on Jan. 21 when her car plunged into the raging torrent of water along Niles Canyon Road, was located late Thursday by a man walking his dogs along the Alameda Creek near Coyote Hills Region Park, police said. The Alameda County Sheriff's Department on Friday confirmed that the body pulled from the water was Jenkins, marking a moment of closure for the Jenkins family.

"They were relieved to know that we found Jayda," Alameda County Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Ray Kelly said. "They now can begin their closure to begin to start healing and begin to try to make sense of this tragedy."

Jenkins' body was found roughly 11 miles from the original crash scene, Kelly said. The location of the discovery was just two miles away from the San Francisco Bay.

Police said the original crash occurred when Jenkins' 2000 silver Honda Accord crossed the center divider on Niles Canyon Road, collided with a white Honda Accord and crashed into the creek, which was saturated and moving swiftly as a result of recent rainfall and runoff spilling from nearby reservoirs.

One of Jenkins' family members managed to spot the vehicle two days later during a search attempt. The following day, recovery crews removed the car from the water, but Jenkins was not inside.

The teenager's seat belt was found to be unfastened, and the car's windows were broken, police said.

Members of the Jenkins family and other community members  at times numbering more than 100 people  commenced numerous searches over the next several days, but their efforts yielded no results. Official law enforcement-piloted searches were limited after the crash because of dangerous water conditions.

Kelly added that search teams canvassed the lengthy stretch along the creek between the crash scene and the San Francisco Bay on multiple occasions, but they did not spot anything.

Jenkins just graduated from high school and was studying psychology at William Jessup University, hoping to become a social worker.
A march for Donald Trump is planned in Berkeley this Saturday, one of dozens planned nationwide to show support for the new president.

The March 4 Trump in Berkeley is the only event planned in the Bay Area and one of three planned in California. Marches were previously planned in Los Angeles and Sacramento, but organizers decided to cancel those to attempt to bolster attendance at the other events.

As of Thursday, 133 people had said they were attending the Berkeley march on the event's Facebook page. Several commenters were trying to arrange rides, some coming from elsewhere in the Bay Area or the Central Valley.

Berkeley police Sgt. Andrew Frankel said Thursday that the Police Department has been in touch with organizers and while they have not obtained a permit, they are coordinating with police.

The rally is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park and then will march to the UC Berkeley campus at about 3 p.m., Frankel said. He said he did not know how many people would attend.

There has been some indication that there may be counter protests at the event, including from anti-fascist groups who helped organize the violent protest against far-right writer and speaker Milo Yiannopoulos last month.

Asked if police had any plans to prevent violence between different factions of demonstrators on Saturday, Frankel said, "The department is prepared for a number of different contingencies."

Counter-protesters have said that there is the potential for white nationalists to attend the march, but organizer Rich Black has pushed back against that suggestion in online postings, saying that no organizers have any association with white nationalist groups.

"If any one person that shares the beliefs associated with white nationalism or belongs to any Neo-Nazi faction or Nazi Workers Party attempts to attend this event, they will be ejected immediately," Black wrote.

Asked how they plan to eject Nazis from the rally, Black said Thursday, "We have security detail as well and police will be present. We will remove agitators and nazis flying any nazi banners are agitators."
Contra Costa County officials will host a public meeting on Thursday night to update residents about the state of assessments and repairs to a massive mudslide that closed Morgan Territory Road in both directions last week.

Members of the community will get a briefing from officials and can ask questions of staffers from the Public Works Department, the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District, the sheriff's office, Cal Fire, the Contra Costa Water District, PG&E, the Mount Diablo Unified School District and the office of county Supervisor Diane Burgis.

The mudslide was first thought to have engulfed about 120 feet of roadway but the most current estimates put it at closer to 300 to 400 feet, said Public Works' Chief Deputy Director Brian Balbas.

"The soils out there are very, very saturated from all the rain we've been getting," Balbas said.

Since Friday, Morgan Territory Road has been closed in both directions between Oak Hill Lane and Williams Road and people who need to drive north into Clayton or east to Brentwood via Marsh Creek Road have had to detour south all the way to Livermore in order to find alternative routes.

People living in the rural area have also had to deal with intermittent power outages, lack of water service and disruptions to police and fire service. As of Thursday, PG&E had restored power to the area but about 80 people were still without water, Balbas said.

Water district crews had to repair the main water pipe that runs underground in the slide area three different times because the slide is still moving slowly downhill, making any permanent fix to either the pipe or the roadway untenable, Balbas said.

Right now, the crews are trying to secure a pipe made of flexible material to the water main on the north side of the slide. They then plan to run the flexible pipe above ground, over the slide, and affix it to the main on the south side.

Water district officials still don't know how long it will take to make those repairs and fully restore water service to the area, Balbas said.

The county's engineers are working to gauge the exact size, depth and movement of the slide in order to make an assessment about how to repair the road. The time it will take to complete the roadway repairs has not yet to be determined, Balbas said.

Emergency services to the area are also being modified to work around the slide area.

Fire and police vehicles have been parked on the south side of the slide and if there is a call, crews can drive to the north side and walk over the slide to where the vehicles are waiting.

Also, several helicopter landing zones have been identified in case emergency medical evacuations are necessary.

The public meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. at 4255 Morgan Territory Road, roughly two miles south of the road closure.

The meeting will be outdoors and attendees who need seats are asked to bring their own. Also, parking is limited so people are also encouraged to walk or carpool.
San Francisco public safety officials struggled at a hearing Thursday to explain what led to a Jan. 13 ambulance meltdown that left an apparent stroke victim waiting 21 minutes to be taken to the hospital.

NBC Bay Area first reported that no ambulances were available to respond to a total of five calls on a typical Friday night in the city.

In the first of those calls, a firefighter asked a dispatcher if there was an ambulance for a call of "chest pain and shortness of breath."

"Were trying to get a medic right now," came the reply.

Later that night in Chinatown, a fire crew asked for a Code 3 emergency response to assist an elderly stroke victim. No medics were available and the victim ended up waiting 21 minutes.

Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White testified that the delay was partly due to the fact that the original call was not considered a Code 3 emergency.

But that didnt satisfy Superivsor Aaron Peskin.

"I think there were actually five other incidents that evening  or so it was reported," he said.

Hayes-White promised Peskin that she is looking for ways to modify the departments staffing model to reflect the growing burden. "Weve seen our call volume continually increase," she said.

But even with a bolstered staff of 200 medics and upgraded ambulances, some obstacles are beyond the citys control, she told Peskin. Crews face jammed streets in the worlds fourth most congested city and medics are stuck with long wait times in getting people admitted to hospitals already filled with patients, she told Peskin.

The crisis is real, one fire union leader told the supervisors government oversight committee.

"Right now, we are pushing our employees to the brink," union president Tom OConnor warned. He said the answer is simple: Hire more medics and keep up with the average 4 percent yearly increase in ambulance calls.

Otherwise, he said, the city will inevitably be unable to find all the ambulances it needs.

"All too often in public safety, you talk about the big one  the next disaster," OConnor said. "But in the course of all our lifetimes, the big one is when your mom falls and breaks her hip, or when your kid gets hit by a car  that is the disaster in your lifetime, and you shouldnt be left waiting."

Peskin said he will call for another hearing within 60 days to get an update on what is being done to make sure that no one else has had to wait too long for an ambulance.
A Silicon Valley tech worker recently was placed on a deportation list due to a more than two-decade conviction on a felony drug charge.

The incident occurred when John, who wants his identity hidden, flew into San Francisco International Airport from Europe with his family. His green card was not good enough for the customs agent.

"They detained me for six hours," John said. "I was frightened."

John previously served six months for his conviction and had his record expunged. But that did not matter to the feds.

"An expungement or a record clearance would be good in state court," legal analyst Steven Clark said. "But its of very little value in the federal system."

Clark also is an attorney who has represented several clients with similar dilemmas: legal residents who broke the law years ago, paid their debt to society and now face having their green cards revoked.

"They are caught up in the labyrinth of these new ICE procedures," Clark said.

Immigrants are now asking district attorneys and judges to modify their sentences. That is possible if their lawyer did not properly advise them of the immigration consequences of pleading guilty to a crime.

John said for now he is throwing himself on the mercy of the court.

"It still is a fearful thing for me," he said. "My kids are in college. We just had our 21-year anniversary."

Santa Clara County Assistant District Attorney David Angel provided the following statement Thursday:

"Record clearances and other statutory remedies can play a vital role in rehabilitation and public safety, and as such we are always interested in community efforts to ensure that everyone who is entitled to such relief can get it. We remain concerned that, like many areas of our criminal justice system, too often we find that while the middle class avails themselves of these benefits others are not empowered to do so. As such, we are working with community groups to ensure sufficient outreach and assistance so that all members of our community, including immigrants, have equal access to justice."
The effort to find gender-neutral bathrooms around town just became a little bit easier thanks to Yelp.

The San Francisco-based company on Friday announced its new service that allows users to pinpoint whether or not a business houses gender-neutral facilities.

Yelp classifies gender-neutral bathrooms as being "accessible to persons of any gender and are a locking, single-stall bathroom."

The latest addition to Yelp's platform will be put together via public and business input. Yelp plans to ask users to identify locations that have gender-neutral bathrooms, and businesses will be allowed to specify whether or not they offer gender-neutral facilities.

Prior to Friday's announcement, Yelp joined an amicus brief in support of Gavin Grimm, a transgender student in Virginia who was barred from using the boy's restroom as his school.

"We believe it's important for the business community to speak up in support of equality for all," Yelp wrote in a statement.
A judge has granted prosecutors' request to keep the wife of the Orlando, Florida, nightclub shooter in jail, at least for now.

U.S. District Judge Paul Byron in Orlando issued the order late Thursday.

The order states Noor Salman should stay in jail while the judge decides if she should remain in custody until her trial. She is charged with helping her husband scout out potential targets.

A day earlier, a federal magistrate judge in Oakland, California, ordered Salman's release, saying it's "debatable'' whether the government has enough evidence to convict her. That judge ordered the release for as early as Friday.

Salman has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The criminal charges were filed in Orlando but the detention hearing was held in Oakland, California, because Salman was living in the Bay Area at the time she was taken into custody.

"In terms of Noor being released ... we don't know," said Linda Moreno, one of her attorneys, prior to the judge's decision.

Salman has pleaded not guilty to charges of aiding and abetting, and obstruction of justice. She faces life in prison if she is convicted.

Salman's husband, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State during the attack at the Pulse gay nightclub on June 12. The deadliest mass shooting in recent U.S. history left 49 people dead and dozens more injured. Mateen was eventually killed by police.

Federal prosecutors on Thursday moved to keep Salman in jail.

In their motion, prosecutors said there is a presumption in the law for Salman to be held in jail since the crime involves terrorism, and that prosecutors need not show anything more than an indictment to back up their request.

"Here, the defendant proffered evidence of her husband's alleged abuse, the affidavits of friends and family, and her lack of overall danger in support of an argument that she does not constitute a flight risk or danger to the community," the prosecutors said. "Such proffered evidence falls far short of justifying a finding in favor of release, particularly in light of the nature of the charged offense."

Moreno said the motion seemed a rehash of what was argued in the California courtroom.

"The court found that the evidence they claim supports these allegations was debatable," Moreno said. "It's far more than debatable. It's groundless."
The outgoing top U.S. diplomat for East Asia said Thursday that China should take more actions to send an unambiguous signal to North Korea to stop its nuclear and missile programs.

China recently said it is suspending coal imports from North Korea, an important source of its foreign revenue.

Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel said that was in line with U.N. sanctions, but he hoped Beijing was also swayed by a recent North Korean missile test and the assassination of the North Korean leader's exiled half brother, who was under Chinese protection during the years he lived in Macau.

"The world should expect a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council to adhere to the letter and the spirit of a resolution as important as this," Russel told The Associated Press.

"I hope we see a lot more Chinese actions, whether they are tied to the Security Council resolution or whether they are unilateral that send an unambiguous stop sign to the North Korean leaders," he said, noting that China accounts for up to 90 percent of North Korea's external economic activity.

Russel said that he was stepping down as assistant secretary March 8 to spend one year as diplomat-in-residence at the Asia Society Policy Institute, a think tank led by former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

He said he wasn't pushed out by the Trump administration and will remain a State Department employee. Russel has held the position for 3  years. Prior to that he was President Barack Obama's top Asia adviser at the White House. His successor has not been named.

Also Thursday, the State Department said that Assistant Secretary Linda Thomas-Greenfield will leave her position as top diplomat for Africa on March 10. She has accepted a State Department detail as a senior fellow at Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy.

She and Russel are final holdovers as assistant secretaries running the department's regional bureaus after President Donald Trump took office nearly six weeks ago. All those positions will be run by acting assistant secretaries until their replacements are nominated and confirmed by the Senate.

No nominations have been made yet.
An Illinois congressman has compared town hall meetings with constituents to what he described as the practice of "cleansing" by "Orientals."

Republican Rep. Mike Bost made the assertion during a meeting with the editorial board of the Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale.

Bost visited his 12th District last week during a congressional recess. But he hosted a tele-town hall instead of an in-person one.

Some Republicans in Congress have participated in raucous town halls in which crowds have expressed concerns about President Donald Trump's policies.

Bost described the town halls as "out of control." He added that they were like "the cleansing that the Orientals used to do where you'd put one person out in front and 900 people yell at them."

Telephone calls to Bost's offices weren't immediately returned.
The sight of a vehicle speeding directly toward you on the highway can lead to a split-second decision that may result in life or death. In fact, an NBC 5 Investigates analysis of state records in 2015 revealed more than 50 people have been killed and nearly 300 have been injured by wrong-way drivers in Illinois since 2005.

Now lawmakers in Illinois are pushing for tougher penalties for impaired wrong-way drivers; a move they say will save lives.

It would effectively make driving the wrong way down a one way street an aggravating factor in a DUI case, said State Rep. Mke Zalewski of Riverside.

Zalewski is sponsoring House Bill 303, which has been approved by the state house. Currently, a judge cannot take wrong-way driving into consideration during sentencing. However, the proposed law would allow judges to add additional prison time for individuals convicted of aggravated DUI, where wrong-way driving was involved.

Riverside police chief Tom Weitzel was recently named chair of a new statewide committee seeking to make Illinois roadways safer. He said he approached Zalewski for assistance in drafting new legislation after researching wrong-way crashes in Illinois. Weitzel also referenced NBC 5 Investigates in his research.

I repeatedly saw wrong-way driving crashes in Illinois where victims were either killed or severely maimed, Weitzel said. The impetus for this legislation came to me from MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).

Weitzel referred to the death of Steven Smith, an off-duty Chicago Ridge police officer killed by an impaired wrong-way driver in September, 2015, near Oak Brook.

Investigators said Sara Lopez drove south for eight miles in the northbound lane of the Tri-State Tollway before crashing into a car in which Smith was a passenger. Lopez is currently serving a five year prison sentence for aggravated DUI.

Lisa Smith said her son, a US Marine reservist, had only been a full time police officer for seven months when he was killed in the crash. According to Smith, Lopezs punishment did not fit the crime.

People are getting a slap on the wrist for something thats a serious crime, Smith said.

However, Smith said she is excited to hear about the proposed law that would create more severe consequences for impaired wrong-way drivers.

It will make them twice before they get behind the wheel of a vehicle and decide to drink and drive, Smith said.

HB 303 still needs to be approved by the state senate and Governor Bruce Rauner before it becomes a law.

New information released by the Illinois Department of Transportation shows an additional four people were killed and nine were injured by wrong-way drivers state-wide in 2016. A spokesperson for IDOT told NBC 5 Investigates the department is aware of newer technologies that could deter wrong-way driving and is continuing to evaluate the feasibility and applicability of such systems within the state of Illinois.

A spokesperson for the Illinois Tollway said the system is currently evaluating the best methods for detecting and deterring wrong-way drivers, including reviewing sensor technologies to determine if they may be effective in preventing wrong-way driving. A spokesperson also said signs have been installed at Illinois Tollway ramps to deter wrong-way drivers and more signs could be added as a result of the review.
Two men were charged with stealing iPhones from Apple stores across the country after being arrested during a traffic stop Wednesday in north suburban Deer Park.

Lake County sheriffs deputies stopped a vehicle near the Deer Park Town Center on Wednesday, according to a statement from the sheriffs office. The driver, 23-year-old Mohammed Hosein; and the passenger, 21-year-old Wen Jie Qin, had just left the Deer Park Apple store after exchanging broken iPhones.

After a series of recent fraudulent purchases at that store, the deputies decided to investigate further, the sheriffs office said. They found the two men to be in possession of more than 100 iPhones.

Investigators determined that Hosein, of Detroit; and Qin, who lives in San Francisco, traveled to Apple stores across the county and fraudulently obtained possession of numerous Apple iPhones, according to the sheriffs office. Qin and Hosein were charged with one count each of burglary and retail theft, both felonies, and were each ordered held on $50,000 bonds.

Ten people from New York and Michigan were arrested in 2016 and earlier this year in connection with fraudulent purchases at Apple stores, several at the Deer Park location, according to the sheriffs office. Deputies are providing increased patrols at the store as the investigation continues.
At least six tornadoes touched down in northern Illinois Tuesday night, five of which were in the Chicago area, according to the National Weather Service.

The tornadoes were reported in the towns of Naplate, Ottawa, Marseilles, Washburn, Rutland, Oregon and Cherry.

The strongest tornadoes were two rated EF-3, which hit the Naplate-Ottawa area and the Washburn-Rutland area, the weather service reported.

The Naplate -Ottawa tornado killed two people and left at least 14 others injured. Both EF-3 tornadoes caused serious damage to the Illinois communities.

Citing preliminary storm damage survey results, the NWS also reported tornadoes in Oregon, Cherry and Marseilles were each EF-1 tornadoes. One near Long Point, Illinois was rated an EF-2.

An EF-3 indicates estimated wind speeds between 136 and 165 mph and an EF-1 means wind speeds were believed to be between 86 and 110 mph.

According to the data, peak winds in the Naplate-Ottawa tornado reached 155 mph, with the system traveling 11.5 miles between 4:41 p.m. and 4:59 p.m.

"Naplate's been devastated," Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said after touring the damage Wednesday morning. "As you can, I understand 64 homes are going to have to be demolished. And the blessing is that more people weren't hurt."

Two men were killed in Ottawa, about an hour and a half southwest of Chicago, when an uprooted tree came crashing down on workers on the south side of the city, police said.

Sky 5 aerial footage shows damage after strong storms and tornadoes struck the area amid severe weather on the last day of February.

Ottawa was one of the cities hit the hardest.

Another man was found dead in Crossville, Illinois, more than four and a half hours south of Ottawa.

A fourth person died in Perryville, Missouri, officials said.

Photos: Severe Storms Tear Through Illinois in February
A Chicago man lost his job after an "offensive and inappropriate tweet" was sent from his account Tuesday night berating the widow of a fallen Navy SEAL honored during a speech by President Donald Trump, the man's former employer says.

The tweet was aimed at Carryn Owens, whose husband, Chief Petty Officer William "Ryan" Owens, 36, of Peoria, was killed in a gun battle with al-Qaeda fighters during a raid in Yemen last January.

"Sorry Owens' wife, you're not helping yourself or your husband's memory by standing there and clapping like an idiot. Trump just used you," the tweet sent from Daniel Grilo's account read.

The account has since been deleted, but many users circulated screenshots of the comment, including Donald Trump Jr.

Hatred from the other side. I would think this is beyond what a human is capable of saying to someone, but it's not! pic.twitter.com/nNVfFWJmDh  Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 1, 2017

The critical comment from Grilo's account was made during Trumps address to a joint session of Congress in which Carryn Owens was given a sustained ovation after the president thanked her and lauded her slain husband as a heroic warrior.

A visibly emotional Owens, seated next to Ivanka Trump during the speech, clapped, clasped her hands and looked upward with tears streaming down her face.

Grilo was a principal at Liberty Advisor Groupbut his profile page on his employers website has since been deleted, and the financial firm has issued a statement about the tweet.

Although the message and subsequent apologies were sent from an individuals personal account, and bore no connection to his work with Liberty, his comments were inconsistent with the Companys values and the unyielding respect it has for the members of our Nations Armed Forces, the firm said. Regardless of whether the comments in the tweet were intended to cause the hurt and anger that they ultimately generated, they were unacceptable to us, and the individual who issued the tweet is no longer affiliated with Liberty.

[NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More

Grilo received public backlash despite several apologies he made about his "poorly worded" tweet.

"I apologize, I believe parading Ryan's wife's pain like that was shameful after his morning comments," one of Grilo's tweets read, adding that he was happy to see his critics "inspired to protect Gold Star families."

Grilo's Twitter account reportedly said he volunteered for Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Efforts to reach Grilo by telephone were not successful.

We want to express our sincere condolences to Mrs. Owens, Liberty Advisor Group said. We also apologize to all those who have served this nation, including those Liberty employees who have themselves served, and anyone else who was offended by these comments.

The raid Ryan Owens was killed in has been surrounded by other controversies, such as civilian deaths and Owens' father refusing to meet with Trump, as well as conflicting reports on the planning and results of the raid itself.

Hong Kong action film star Jackie Chan said he feels shame for his son, who has been indicted by Beijing prosecutors on a drug charge and could be jailed for up to three years.
A home surveillance camera in northwest Indiana shows a man picking up a woman off the ground and putting her a car that drives awaybut police discovered Friday it was a family ensuring a teenage daughter got home safely.

The family came forward after news reports surfaced of the footage and police asked for help identifying the individuals in the video. The family said a teenage daughter was insisting she walk home from a friends house but the mother's boyfriend put her in the car instead.

Police say no crime was committed.

The images were captured in Hobart on Feb. 23 near 40th Avenue and Indiana Street about 5:50 p.m., the Times of Northwest Indiana reports. A resident gave the footage to police after seeing the concerning images, the paper reported.

In the video, a figure, apparently a woman, exits the vehicle and begins to run west on 40th Avenue before a male passenger also exits the vehicle, scoops her up and places her back in the cars back seat.

The car then goes south on Kelly Street beyond the view of the camera, the Times reports.

Police say getting an accurate description of the people in the video has proven difficult because of the distance but the car looks to be a smaller SUV or crossover, the Times reports, similar to a Nissan Rogue.

Police say they searched for similar-looking vehicles in the area but did not find anything. They have also put out a statewide notification about the incident but are unsure if anything criminal or nefarious has occurred.

If you have any information, Hobart police ask that you call Detective Robert Brazil at 219-942-4666 or email rbrazil@cityofhobart.org.
Lake County Health officials say they are concerned about the growing number of probable mumps cases in several Barrington schools, saying students who have not been vaccinated should either get the vaccine or stay home until the virus runs its course.

There were two confirmed cases and dozens more suspected as of Thursday at Barrington High School, according to principal Stephen McWilliams.

If you are not feeling well, stay home, he said to students and faculty.

There were more suspected cases at Prairie and Station middle schools.

Health officials say to look out for a low-grade fever, stiff neck and swollen salivary glands as symptoms of the virus. A person can be contagious for two days before experiencing any symptoms, they say.

The school notified parents of the confirmed cases and officials stressed this is a cluster of mumps and not an outbreak.

Im concernedits frustrating that some kids are vaccinated and some arent, said parent Diane Snyder.

In rare cases the mumps can cause sterility, meningitis or even inflammation of the brain. Health officials recommend that students and staff that are not vaccinated either get the vaccine or stay home to stop the virus from spreading.

Good hygiene is also key, health officials say, and maintenance staff at the school has been instructed to focus on high touch surfaces in the building.

Teachers have been told to look for symptoms among their students as well.
Toby Johnson lost his husband and father Tuesday night after an EF-3 tornado ripped through the LaSalle County city of Ottawa leaving destruction and grief in its path.

Toby and David Johnson were with their family in the backyard of a home on State Street when an uprooted tree came crashing down on them during the severe storms, officials said.

We were walking over to my moms house to go down into the basement and we were half way across the driveway when the tree came through, Johnson told NBC 5. "I ran out out to the street and I was asking for someone to call 911 and I went back and I threw myself over him so he wouldn't get wet. I was trying to get the branches off and i couldnt do it. I couldnt save him."

Tuntland, 76, was killed instantly, police said. Johnson was transported to OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa before being transferred by helicopter to OSF Saint Frances in Peoria, where he was pronounced dead at 4:54 p.m. Wednesday.

According to the Peoria County Coroner, Johnson suffered severe head trauma, resulting in his death.

For residents in the small tight-knit community, the pain is two-fold as they clean up the destruction left behind and mourn the sudden loss of their neighbors.

He was a good guy, Ottawa resident Cindy Ubanek said of 76-year-old Wayne Tuntland.

Another neighbor recalled seeing Tuntland walk his dog through the town every day.

People say, Why was he out here? neighbor Lisa Meyers said. But I say, 'Well, it came on quickly.' We went into the basement when it hit.

About a dozen other residents also suffered minor injuries.

Crews worked tirelessly overnight to fix and replace downed power lines and straighten snapped light poles. As of Thursday morning about 1,500 people in Ottawa were still without power.

Salvation Army volunteers spent the night walking the dark streets, handing out food and water.

See these people that lost everything, theres no reason to smile, David Ghantous of the Salvation Army said. [But] to see [others] helping out, handing them a sandwich or a bottle of water, really touches my heart.

A GoFundMe page for David Johnson's family has raised more than $2,000 so far.
Congressional Democrats from Illinois are calling for Attorney General Jeff Sessions resignation amid allegations that he lied to Congress about conversations he had with Russias ambassador to the United States during his confirmation hearing in January.

Top Democrats, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, are demanding that Sessions resign after it was revealed that he spoke with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice during the presidential campaign last year.

Sessions recused himself from an investigation into possible connections between Russian ties to the Trump campaign on Thursday, while Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Cheri Bustos also urged him to resign immediately, continuing their push for an independent, bipartisan probe.

Sessions violated the law by denying his contacts with a foreign government that according to our intelligence agencies was actively working to subvert our election, Schakowsky said in a statement. The U.S. Attorney General serves as the top law enforcement official  by his actions, Sessions has violated the confidence of the American public and shown that he is unfit for the job.

Bustos called revelations about the Trump administration's ties to Russia a clear and urgent national security concern.

We must go where the facts lead us, she said.

Last month, former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn stepped down amid allegations that he had improper communications with the same Russian ambassador about sanctions handed down for Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The Presidents National Security Advisor resigned after making misleading statements about his contact with Russian officials  the Attorney General will be held to the same standard, Sen. Dick Durbin said in a statement.

Durbin urged Sessions to recuse himself from the ongoing Justice Department investigations into the Trump campaigns potential dealings with the Russian government, echoing calls for an independent commission. Similarly, Sen. Tammy Duckworth called for an independent probe into the Russian ties, as well as Sessions recusal.

If he refuses to do so or if we learn he lied under oath, the America people deserve nothing less than his resignation, Duckworth said in a statement. [[415262643, C]]

Rep. Brad Schneider faulted Sessions for refusing to recuse himself earlier, claiming that his misleading statements to Congress erase what little credibility remained.

These allegations, if accurate, are disqualifying, and should compel Attorney General Sessions to resign his position, Schneider said in a statement, joining the group of congressmen calling for an independent commission.

Rep. Mike Quigley said it was unconscionable and unacceptable for Sessions to lie to Congress as he called on the attorney general to recuse himself from the ongoing DOJ investigations while pushing a congressional probe.

We will do our work in Congress, but it is also imperative that the Trump Administration immediately come clean with who else had contact, when, what was discussed, and what promises were made, if any, Quigley said in a statement. Anything less would not just be the Administration resisting an investigation, but thwarting it.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi also called for Sessions recusal Thursday, as well as an investigation by the House Oversight Committee. In addition, Krishnamoorthi co-sponsored legislation to form a bipartisan commission to investigate the issue.

When two members of the Presidents Cabinet, key advisors during his campaign have both repeatedly conversed with Russian officials and then cannot speak the truth to American officials about it, we are forced to question who else in the White House, the Cabinet, and the administration has maintained and concealed relationships with representatives of the Kremlin, he said in a statement.

President Trump, asked if Sessions should recuse himself, said Thursday, "I don't think so." He was questioned in Newport News, Virginia, where he was speaking aboard a new aircraft carrier.
Part of a hospital roof collapsed in South Africa's largest city on Thursday, injuring five people and forcing some patients wrapped in gowns and blankets to temporarily leave the building.

As night fell, rescue workers were assessing whether anyone was trapped in the rubble at Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johannesburg, where a section of roof fell near the main entrance, close to the maternity department.

BREAKING >> Entrance to Charlotte Maxeke Hospital has collapsed. More details to follow as we get further details. @mailandguardian pic.twitter.com/gqTGsNbb2b  Bhekisisa (@Bhekisisa_MG) March 2, 2017

Construction workers were fixing part of the roof when it collapsed, according to Gwen Ramokgopa, the provincial health chief. She said the injured included two patients, two construction workers and one hospital staffer.

"The rest of the hospital is safe. The problem is contained to the entrance and the area is cordoned off," Ramokgopa said.

Stones had been moved onto the section of roof that later collapsed, said Jack Bloom, a member of the Democratic Alliance, an opposition party. He also cited hospital staff as saying in the past that there were leaking roofs and other structural problems in the building.

[NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More

Beauty Mashaba, a patient who left the building after the collapse, was relieved.

"Thank God, because I am out in safety and I am alive even though I am in shock right now," she said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
John Stumpf, chairman and CEO of the Wells Fargo & Company, is sworn in prior to testifying before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee September 20, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

By Patrick Rucker

WASHINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - A U.S. Justice Department probe into a phony accounts scandal at Wells Fargo & Co is asking whether executives hid details from the company board and regulators as the problem grew over years, sources familiar with the review said.

The move carries into the Trump era an investigation started under the Obama administration, and could result in criminal charges against bank employees involved.

The Justice Department this week was due to interview federal bank examiners in Charlotte, North Carolina, and ask whether low-level employees broke the law by opening accounts without customer knowledge and if company executives took part in a conspiracy. A grand jury convened in the Northern District of California has also sent subpoenas to witnesses, including former Wells Fargo employees, the sources said.

The third-largest U.S. lender on Wednesday said even more customers may have been affected by the scandal than previously believed.

Wells Fargo disclosed in a $190 million settlement with regulators in September that staff opened as many as 2.1 million checking, savings and credit card accounts without customer consent over several years to satisfy managers' demands.

The sources declined to be identified because they were not authorized to speak about an open investigation. A bank spokesperson declined to comment on account-related probes but said Wells Fargo is trying to move past the scandal.

Officials are seeking to find out if executives shared everything they knew about the phony accounts to the Wells Fargo board of directors and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the lead regulator for national banks.

Even if executives are not charged with criminal misconduct, they could face civil penalties including fines or a ban from the banking industry. Wells has already fired some executives and clawed back portions of their pay.

Wells CEO John Stumpf resigned after the accounts scandal broke and former chief of retail banking Carrie Tolstedt retired. The bank has fired four mid-level executives and thousands of lower level employees.

Story continues

Officials will decide what charges to bring once the Justice Department finishes its investigation, work that is expected to wrap later this year, depending on how quickly Justice attorneys can proceed.

The assistant U.S. attorney leading the Wells Fargo case in San Francisco is busy preparing an unrelated criminal case tied to Hewlett Packard's $11 billion buyout of Autonomy Corp.

OPEN CASE

To be sure, Wells faces a slew of other investigations from individual states, agencies and U.S. Congress, though criminal charges are what could rock Wells Fargo.

Wells told investors in an annual securities filing on Wednesday that its legal costs could exceed what it has set aside by as much as $1.8 billion.

"We remain focused on providing the accountability and oversight that customers, team members, and investors expect and deserve," Wells Fargo spokeswoman Jennifer Dunn said.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Philadelphia office, meanwhile, wants to know whether Wells Fargo misled investors by inflating the tally of customers who sought multiple accounts and whether the bank wrongfully went after whistleblowers, according to a person familiar with the matter.

U.S. Representative Jeb Hensarling, the Texas Republican at the head of the House Financial Services Committee, in September summoned four Wells Fargo executives for interviews and threatened to subpoena others, though that review is expected to conclude quietly in the face of the criminal investigations.

A separate review by the Wells Fargo board of directors is examining how the company handled the phony accounts spree that it first believed went on for four years from mid-2011 but may have gone on longer. A report on those findings is due by early April, Wells Fargo has said.

Several states, including Connecticut and Florida, have active investigations into the bank. California issued a search warrant for Wells Fargo's corporate offices in October, but declined to comment on the status of its review.

The Labor Department is separately examining whether the bank responded as it should have to whistleblowing bank tellers.

(Dan Levine contributed from San Francisco, Sarah N. Lynch contributed from Washington, Karen Freifeld and Dan Freed contributed from New York; Editing by Linda Stern and Meredith Mazzilli)
A White House official says President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and the man who would become national security adviser, Michael Flynn, met with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. in December.

The official calls the sit-down at New York's Trump Tower a "brief courtesy meeting."

Flynn was fired last month because he misled Vice President Mike Pence and other White House officials about his contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

The Trump team's public accounting of Flynn's conversations with the ambassador have changed multiple times. The White House did not confirm the in-person meeting  or Kushner's contact with the ambassador  until Thursday.

The official isn't authorized to discuss the matter publicly and insists on anonymity.
State lawmakers are again considering a bill about when is it appropriate for school officials to seize and search your childs electronic devices.

Students at Hamden High School told NBC Connecticut they support this bill that defines the rules when school officials are allowed to confiscate personal belongings like phones, tablets and laptops.

Teachers and administrators, they have the right if they think something is going on to protect other students in school, they should be able to have the right to search devices, senior Mark Durwin said.

I think that students privacy is important as well, senior Dina Alissi said. There definitely has to be some reasonable suspicion.

According to ACLU of Connecticut Executive Director David McGuire, there have been questionable search and seizures in other school districts across the state.

Weve had students that have had their cell phones searched without any cause, McGuire said.

The ACLU of Connecticut is backing the bill before the state legislatures education committee that McGuire said strikes a balance between student privacy rights and school safety.

Students cannot just be searched at will, McGuire said. Students do have privacy expectations in their electronics and that has been recognize by the Supreme Court, so we do think this is a need law to get everyone on the same page.

According to the proposed bill, only school administrators can search for evidence on a digital device if there is reasonable suspicion the student had violated education policy or the student poses a risk of imminent personal injury to such student or others. The bill, called an Act Concerning Students Right to Privacy in Their Personal Mobile Electronic Devices, states the device has to be on school property.

There should be like a strict protocol, Hamden High School senior Briana Louis said, like a way its done with every single student.

The bill prohibits school employees from copying or sharing any information on the mobile device that is not related to the suspected violation or threat to other students.

It requires school administrators to stop searching once they find what theyre looking for or are unable to find it and also they have to memorialize their reason for searching it in writing and give it to the parents after the search, McGuire added.

The Connecticut Education Association joined the ACLU in testifying in favor of this bill at a public hearing on Wednesday.

Commissioner of the Department of Education Dianna Wentzell said in her testimony that existing federal constitutional law preempts this proposal.

There is already a well-developed body of constitutional law addressing student search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment, Wentzell said. These legal principles trump state law and school officials and state and local police are already familiar with them. This proposal is also very vague and overly limits the ability of school personnel to conduct a reasonable search, or to take custody of a mobile device without searching it for reasonable periods of time to deal with disruption or distraction in the classroom.
On a Saturday morning in Sepember, Julia Berv and Katie Winkle will proudly wear their Team Tommy Fund jerseys as they cycle to make the world closer to cancer free.

I was given a second chance and thats how I feel, Berv said.

It has been almost six months since doctors declared 23-year-old Berv cancer free.

I went into remission officially on September 20, 2016 and since then I have been spending my days recovering and building up strength to start back up school in May she said.

Throughout her battle with a type of bone cancer, Berv had her best friend Winkle by her side.

Being by Julias side and watching her fight, its just remarkable to see how well she is doing and shes a true definition of a warrior, Winkle said.

Winkle recently reached her own milestone.

On February 1, I celebrated ten years cancer free, she said.

At the 2016 Closer to Free Ride, a record number of riders raised more than $2.5 million for patient care and critical research at the Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven.

It was an adrenaline rush, said Berv, who was honored at the opening ceremony. I just felt on top of the world, here I am fighting back this horrible disease that can really ruin lives for people.

On their wrists, these best friends wear bands that say Survivor, Joy for Julia and Courage for Chloe in honor of Winkles baby cousin.

Chloe is doing really well, Winkle said, this past December she got the news that shes cancer free, so her scans showed no evidence of disease.

Berv and Winkle attended the 2017 Closer to Free Kick-off Party at the Stony Creek Brewery in Branford Thursday night. Both have started training for this years ride.

You definitely will see me, said Berv, who was unable to ride last year. Im planning on riding and I plan on riding 25 miles this year.

There is still plenty of time to sign up for the 2017 Closer to Free Ride through New Haven and along the shoreline. It is scheduled for September 9.

Once again, NBC Connecticut is a proud media sponsor.
A Seymour man convicted the 1984 murder of a 19-year-old woman has been released from prison after filing a motion for sentence modification.

David Weinberg, 58, was supposed to serve 60 years in prison for the murder of Joyce Stochmal in 1984.

He walked out of Waterbury Superior Court a free man after serving 26 years in prison.

This comes after Weinberg went before a judge after filing a motion to have his sentence reduced.

Many of Stochmals family members spoke to the courtroom pleading the judge not to free Weinberg.

Stochmal of Seymour went missing Aug. 3, 1984 and was found dead in Lake Zoar four days later. Prosecutors said she was stabbed 17 times.

About a year later, Weinberg was arrested for her murder. He was convicted in 1989.

Prosecutor Maureen Platts said in the court that since 2010, numerous items of evidence have been re-tested. Several pieces of evidence are now coming into question due to new technology throughout the years. In one instance, three hairs in the Weinberg's trunk found in 1984 we're determined then to belong to the victim. A retest of that DNA in most recent years shows only two of the hairs belong to the victim.

In another instance, blood on the knife used in the murder was believed to be either human or animal blood in 1984. Recent testing showed the blood belonged to an animal.

The defense argued Weinberg has had good behavior while in prison, accumulating 12 years of good time credits.

Stochmal's family was upset after learning about Weinbergs release.

"David Weinberg walks. Everybody gets what they want except us. What we want is justice for Joyce. You have to ask the question how can this happen. Is this how the state of Connecticut protects and supports it's innocent residents?" said Maryanne Heffernan, sister of Joyce Stochmal, outside the courthouse Thursday.

Weinberg still claims his innocence in this case.

Now that he has been released, he will not be able to contest his murder conviction.
Coming up next week is National Consumer Protection Week, and the state Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) is joining the Connecticut Better Business Bureau to teach consumers different ways to protect themselves from growing marketplace threats and criminal activity.

The weeklong event runs March 5-11 and includes topics such as online safety, weight loss & health clubs, charities, consumer protection for military families, home improvement, common scams in the immigrant community, and retail warnings.

This week is a great opportunity for consumers to take a few minutes to protect themselves, learn more about the market, and start to create the habits that will allow them to be smart consumers all year round, said Consumer Protection Commissioner Jonathan A. Harris in a release.

DCP and the Connecticut Better Business Bureau suggest that consumers do three easy tasks that can prevent fraud and identity theft.

First, consumers should shred documents with private information that are no longer needed. Second, they should organize important paperwork regarding warranties, guarantees, or contracts and keep them in a safe place. Third, the DCP urges consumers to secure their online passwords, by having different passwords on every account and adding security questions.

"We have to be more vigilant than ever before, and National Consumer Protection Week is all about understanding these issues, protecting ourselves and our families, and knowing our rights when there is a problem, said Connecticut Better Business Bureau Executive Communications Director, Howard Schwartz.

Visit DCP on Facebook or Twitter.

Visit CT Better Business Bureau on Facebook or Twitter.
New Britain police said they caught two men running an extensive bogus credit card operation.

The pair are accused of pulling off the scheme using skimmers across the state and withdrawing tens of thousands of dollars from the accounts of unsuspecting victims.

Sergey Grigoryan and Sasun Yengibaryan were arrested in the parking lot of a Webster Bank on Tuesday after officers were tipped off something suspicious might be going down.

Detectives found the two men there, including one who apparently had fake cards falling from his pocket.

Officers said Grigoryan and Yengibaryan installed a so-called skimming device at gas stations across the state.

That allowed them to steal card numbers.

After the skimming devices were activated, police say the pair from New York City was able to produce phony cards.

They drove to Webster Banks, withdrawing $60,000 from ATMs.

Grigoryan and Yengibaryan face long lists of charges and are being held on $750,000 bonds.

They have pleaded not guilty.

Webster Bank had no comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

Its a growing and frustrating problem with more people dealing with their credit cards numbers being swiped by crooks who then rack up charges or drain accounts.

A common trap is at gas stations.

I realized there were all these charges to my card that I didnt charge and went to the bank and told them about it and they said it was probably when I paid at the pump, Carolyn Wells, of New Britain, said.

Many consumers say these days you can never let your guard down especially at the pump.

Its a common thing. You have to be careful with your money, Joe Reyes, of New Britain, said.
Wilton Police Department has an ongoing investigation for two bank robberies that may be linked to the same suspect.

On Feb. 22, a male described as 510 and in his 20s with a duffle bag approached the main door of Peoples United Bank in Southport, police said.

Wilton Police Department

Police said that the male, who was wearing a face mask with gloves, yelled to an employee who had just locked the door. After the employee told the male that the bank was closed, he fled the scene and headed southbound in a green 1997 Honda Accord with the license 477 ZVD.

Wilton Police Department

The vehicle was purchased in Stratford on Feb. 21 for $380, after it was listed on Letgo, police said. A Stamford address was written on the bill of sale.

Police interviewed the seller of the Honda, who described that the person who purchased the vehicle was a male with a thin build who in his 20s and has braids in his hair. The seller said that one of the men texted him stating that he was coming from Wilton and had a young son whose grandmother was supposedly asked to watch the son during that time, police stated. It is unclear if this person is connected to the robbery.

Wilton Police Department

On Feb. 24, the suspect who appeared in Southport also robbed Fairfield County Bank, operating the same green Honda with Connecticut license plates. The vehicle was recovered a short distance away through a rear access road.

Wilton Police Department asks that anyone with information please contact Det. Kip Tarrant at Kip.Tarrant@WILTONCT.org or (203) 834-6260 or Det. Bernie Kelley at the Fairfield Police Department bkelley@fairfieldct.org or (203) 254-4840.
Connecticut State police have arrested a suspect accused of leading troopers on a pursuit through several towns while driving a stolen vehicle.

According to police, Peter Smith, 45, was driving a vehicle that was reported stolen out of Norwich. When troopers tried to stop the vehicle, Smith took off, driving state roads for 26 miles through Colchester, Marlborough, Hebron then back into Colchester.

Troopers eventually surrounded the vehicle, at which point Smith rammed two cruisers, police said. He was eventually stopped on Route 354 south near the Salem town line.

No injuries were reported and the damage to the cruisers was minor, police said.

Smith faces multiple charges including first-degree larceny, interfering with an officer, assault on public safety personnel, drinking while operating vehicle, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief. He was held on a $100,000 bond.

Smith is also a suspect in a Norwich robbery and Norwich police have their own charges pending.
Audio from inside a twin-engine plane before it crash in East Hartford last October has been released for the first time.

The instructor survived with bad burns, but the student pilot was killed back in the fall.

The Federal Aviation Administration provided the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters an audio clip of communication between the people inside the plane and air traffic control at Hartford-Brainard Airport.

An aviation expert helped explain what is going on, saying nothing was out of the ordinary at all on the tape until the final leg.

Its also important to note there are four planes in all, included on the 4:40 minute clip.

Seneca 15294 (student): Ah, Brainard Tower. Seneca 15294-ah-ten miles inbound from ah Southeast-ah with papa.

Brainard Tower: Seneca 15294, BrainardTower. Ident please.

The student called to tell the control he was about 10 miles away from the airport and he describes his position and the controller asked him to push a button on the airplane that makes him flash on the radar screen, Terry Keller, Jr., the chief instructor at Premier Flight Center told NBC Connecticut.

The first transmission from the deadly flight appears, experts said, to come from the student pilot, Feras Freitekh.

Freitekh did not survive the plane crash.

Over the next three minutes of the audio, the aircraft was radioing normally until final approach, with the instructor pilot communicating, they understood instructions for an amended landing.

All the other aircraft have essentially gotten out of the way," Keller, Jr. said.

Brainard Tower Controller: Seneca 15294, thank you. Report approaching the left downwind to land runway two-zero.

Seneca 15294 (instructor): And well report left downwind for two-zero, Seneca 15294.

Brainard Tower Controller: And Seneca 294, if youd like to amend that and bring it in on the base, thats approved.

Seneca 15294 (instructor): Thats fine, well take the left base for ah practice here, [unintelligible] ah Seneca 294.

On the final leg, Keller Jr. said it appears that is when the plane disappeared from radar.

Keller Jr. used to work for Arian Prevalla, until they went their separate ways about a decade earlier.

Seneca 15294 (instructor) And tower, Seneca 294 on final for ahum two-zero.

Brainard Tower Controller: Seneca 294, Roger. youre cleared to land runway two-zero.

Seneca 15294 (instructor): And cleared to land two-zero, seneca 294

Brainard Tower Controller: "Seneca 294, Brainard?"

Brainard Tower Controller to Bradley Approach/Radar Room by Intercom: "and Bradley, Brainard. The airports closed reference one Delta, Mike, we think we mightve lost one."

And tower controller then must realizes he couldn't find the Seneca visually and made a call on radio quarried him are you there and he didn't get a response," Keller Jr. said.

Instructor sounded completely calm, according to Keller Jr. about Prevella.

Keller Jr. said events like this in the flying world are rare, noting how many planes fly without incident.

He also said investigators will pare the audio recording from the radar system to help trace the path of the plane.

The National Transportation Safety Administration did not determine probably cause and doesnt plan to issue a report or open a public document.

Its unclear whether the FBI is still investigating.
Notre Dame senior Xitlaly Estrada got a call after the presidential election from her mother, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico in the early 90s.

Crying, Irma Estrada told her daughter she couldnt believe Donald Trump, a man who had used so much anti-Mexico rhetoric on the campaign trail, would soon be the leader of the free world.

Following the announcement that Trump's Vice President Mike Pence will deliver this year's commencement address at Notre Dame, Estrada and her friends believe their big day will be compromised by values that contradict their own.

A lot of us are concerned for our families comfort, said Estrada, the president of the Latino Student Alliance.

She and other LSA members, many of them first-generation Americans, worry that their guests will feel unwelcome at a ceremony honoring an administration that has degraded their Hispanic identities.

Regardless of who is speaking, this is mine, Estrada said of her graduation. But I think its a particularly hard moment for my parents.

In the past, the newly elected commander in chief has often delivered the keynote speech at Notre Dames May graduation and received an honorary degree. Four of the last six presidents have made the trip to South Bend, Indiana, during their first year in office.

But after students circulated a petition signed by thousands from the Notre Dame community denouncing the possibility of Trump as speaker, and held several protests, the college sidestepped tradition and asked Indiana's former governor to take the podium.

Notre Dame spokesman Paul Browne declined to comment on whether Trump was invited to the May 21 ceremony or if he'll visit the campus in the future. Browne said he expects Pence will be "warmly welcomed," The Associated Press reported.

"But that doesn't mean we won't receive complaints from people who would have preferred someone else," Browne continued. "We typically do."

As for Pence, "It is fitting that in the 175th year of our founding on Indiana soil that Notre Dame recognize a native son who served our state and now the nation with quiet earnestness, moral conviction and a dedication to the common good characteristic of true statesmen, university President Rev. John Jenkins said in a statement.

In a groupchat with her peers, Natalie Thomas, president of the Black Student Association, has noticed people complaining that the administration circumvented calls from the student body to not extend an invitation to Trump by bringing Pence instead. For some, Trump and Pence are one and the same because of the views they collectively represent.

Pat Crane, president of Notre Dame College Republicans, said it's a shame that Trump wont be on the platform during commencement. But he added that he's honored to play host to the first-in-line, whom he called a wonderful man, a man of God.

Crane organized Pizza with Pence last year, a small gathering with the then-governor and his Republican base at the university.

It was a great experience for everyone involved, Crane said.

He expects the vice presidents address in May to unify the student body and give them hope.

"Were a Catholic institution speaking to Catholic values, he said, and he believes everyone at Notre Dame will stand in solidarity with Pence on issues like abortion rights and job security.

When asked if Estradas concern for her parents comfort wasn't valid, he said, Right. Neither Trump nor Pence has claimed the president will deport minority American citizens, Crane said, so as long as attendees are in the country legally, he didnt understand why theyd have a problem with Pences address.

Whatever they can take out of that speech to bring us together, thats going to be way more valuable than having some random other person speak at our graduation, he added.

But Jessica Pedroza, vice-president of the Student Coalition for Immigration Advocacy at Notre Dame, doesn't see the speech as a means to unify her peers.

I think its already dividing the class of 2017, she said.

I would have been disappointed if Trump had been invited, she added. Im equally disappointed that Pence is invited because he doesnt represent the values of Notre Dame.

She called the vice presidents upcoming appearance a slap in the face.

A lesbian herself, Thomas brought up Pence's anti-LGBTQ track record. She called his policies "offensive" and said they definitely dont advocate for equality."

Estrada believes the Trump administration is anti-Catholic in respect to human dignity, and specifically targeted Pence as anti-woman. She cited his alleged support of conversion therapy for members of the LGBTQ community and his attempt to reject Syrian refugees in Indiana as reasons for why she saw him as unfit to stand in front of the class of 2017. A Pence spokesman has said he does not support conversion therapy.

Over four years at Notre Dame, Ive been taught to value human dignity, to value the love of the other, the love of the stranger, Estrada said. Having a commencement speaker that is diametrically opposed to everything I am and everything I stand for is very heartbreaking.

Though Pence is the first vice president to give Notre Dames keynote speech, he is not a pioneer in stirring controversy on the campus.

President Barack Obama faced protests in 2009 when he received an honorary degree from the Catholic university despite his pro-choice stance. Joe Biden also faced some pushback when he was awarded the Laetare Medal in 2016, alongside former House Speaker John Boehner.

Crane, with the college Republicans, said that by presenting Biden with the Laetare Medal despite his support of LGBTQ and abortion rights, that hurts every single person who attends Mass every single week, including Biden, a practicing Catholic.

But Estrada said that when students protested Biden, policies were very much at the forefront, whereas undergraduate reactions to a Trump surrogate at commencement are driven more by personal fears.

I think that some students on campus feel unsafe because of the rhetoric of the Trump administration, and subsequently Mike Pence, she explained.

Pedroza agreed that comparing Pence to Democratic leaders like Obama was a false equivalency. Unlike past administrations, Trump and Pence have run a campaign based on hate and fear against certain communities, she said.

Giving Pence an honorary degree minimizes what it means, to a large body of students, to be a part of the Notre Dame community, Pedroza added.

Because of the keynote speaker, Thomas said that, among other forms of protest, some members of the graduating class are boycotting commencement. But she will still attend to celebrate her own achievements, if not those of the vice president.

"Weve earned it after working arduously at Notre Dame for four years, Thomas said.

A spokesperson for Pence did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Judging by their comments after the meeting between Chance the Rapper and Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, it's clear the two had far different sentiments.

"I'm here cause I just want people to do their jobs," Chance, whose real name is Chancellor Bennett, told reporters after leaving the meeting.

Gov. Rauner had agreed to meet with the Grammy-awards-winning rapper to discuss education funding in Chicago. Initially scheduled for Wednesday, the meeting was postponed to Friday after Illinois was hit by a number of tornadoes.

"I asked him about funding [Chicago Public Schools] with that $215 million that was discussed in May of last year and was vetoed in December over, you know, political arguments and s---," Chance said. "The kids are on the table right now and we spoke, for a second, it sounded like we were going somewhere."

Rauner vetoed a bill in December that would have injected the district with an additional $215 million in state funding to meet its June 30 teacher pension payment. Based on that veto, CPS announced the institution of a spending freeze on $46 million of non-salary funds on Feb. 6.

At the time of the cuts, a spokesperson for Rauner said financial assistance for CPS would be dependent on "comprehensive pension reform."

"He asked me where the $215 million is going to come from," Chance said.

"He gave me a lot of vague answers so well see what happens," he added. "Springfield is in session next week."

Soon after, Rauner told reporters he thinks the pair should work together.

"I said, 'Its an incredible opportunity to change our system and if we stood together Chance -- I have some power, I have power in some ways and you have great power in other ways -- if we stood together, work together to figure this out, I think we can get big things done,'" Rauner said.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRL8CD2hNZI/

Chance later tweeted, "Chicago Public Schools and I did not lose today."

"Please don't let that become the narrative," he wrote. "Monday morning I'll have a plan."

Chicago Public Schools and I did not lose today. Please don't let that become the narrative. Monday morning I'll have a plan.  Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) March 3, 2017

The meeting was first planned after Chance won three Grammy awards last month and Rauner took to Twitter to congratulate the rapper on his historic haul.

Congrats to @Chancetherapper for making history as an independent artist and taking home 3 grammys, Rauner tweeted at the time. IL is proud that youre one of our own.

Bennett responded, requesting a sit-down with the governor.

Thank you Governor, he tweeted. I would love to have meeting with you this week if possible.

Rauner quickly accepted Bennetts invitation, noting that he was looking forward to the conversation.
International trade concerns have hit a major industry here in North Texas.

Cattle ranchers in Texas may have a beef with Washington if international trade agreements are not secured in the near future.

The uncertainty surrounding the North American Free Trade Agreement and the severed ties with the Trans-Pacific Partnership is costing the industry thousands of dollars each day. The industry has its sights set on international trade, specifically Asia.

The future of this business, especially for my kids, in not here in the U.S. It's off shore, said Pete Bonds, who owns Bonds Ranch in Saginaw.

Bonds raises cattle on his land throughout Texas and eight other states. Texas ranks number one when it comes to cattle production and exports.

The economy of agriculture may be only two percent, but we buy a lot of pickups, a lot of cars, and a lot of machinery to run these ranches. We employ a lot of people to run these ranches, said Bonds.

According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas leads the nation with a total number of 248,800 farms and ranches, covering 130.2 million acres.

Different beef products, that would not be popular here in the U.S., can be sold in other countries. In 2016, Japanese consumers purchased $1.4 billion of U.S. beef, but ranchers say that number could expand if a trade agreement was in place.

Right now, were selling a lot of meat into Japan with a 38.5 percent tariff," said Bonds. "We are competing against Australia, that only has a 25 percent tariff. The TPP would have lowered our tariff 9 percent and given us a level playing field with Australia, but Trump killed the deal."

Since the deal never went through, the industry did not technically lose any money, but ranchers lost out on anticipated gains and their competitive edge.

It's costing the industry $400,000 per day by not being able to be on a level playing field with the amount of extra beef we could ship into Japan on account of it, said Bonds.

Ranchers are waiting to see what President Donald Trump will do moving forward, and how other countries will react. There is also concern surrounding NAFTA and President Trumps threat placing tariffs on Mexico.

We would like for him to negotiate a bi-lateral trade agreement with Japan, open up the market in China, and leave Mexico alone," said Bonds. "Hes supposed to be this great negotiator, lets see what he can do."

After President Trump withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and vowed to renegotiate NAFTA (placing new tariffs on Mexico), cattle ranchers in Texas say the change in trade is costing them at the bank.
The Anderson County Sheriff's Office has discontinued an Amber Alert for 8-month-old Jax Dean Laymance.

Authorities say the boy was found late Thursday night in Arkansas.

A warrant was issued for Jeremy Dean Laymance, 27, and Morgan Lynn Mosley, 24, for interference with child custody, a state jail felony.

Laymance and Mosley were arrested Friday at about noon by the White County Arkansas Sheriff's Office. Bond was set for each at $50,000.

Laymance has two prior arrests in Anderson County for evading arrest. He is currently on parole in Arkansas for weapons charges and assault charges. He also has a warrant out of Walker County, Texas for theft by check.

Mosley has a prior arrest in Anderson County in January 2017 for abandon/endanger of child criminal neglect and injury to a child, both felony charges.
Two American bald eagles in Seagoville have welcomed the first of their two offspring.

The camera at the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center showed the first of two eggs hatched on Thursday. The eaglet, called JBC8 could be seen moving in the nest as the bald eagle repositioned itself.

You can watch the live stream of the eagles, CLICK HERE to visit the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center website.

The center said the first egg was laid on January 25, the second on January 28.

John DeFillipo says the eagles are quite draw for visitors to the 2,000 acre Kaufman County conservation center.

"I think it's a wonderful window into wildlife observation," DeFillipo said. "I call them arm chair conservationists."

You may remember when the eagles built their nest on a transmission tower that was dangerously close to high-voltage electricity. So crews built a replica tower and moved the nest 1,200 feet from the power lines.

Now people around the world can watch the eagles movements on a 24-hour webcam.

You can watch the live stream of the eagles, CLICK HERE to visit the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center website.

The cameras caught their return to North Texas in the fall.

Now anticipation is mounting for the second eaglet's arrival. It'll be called JBS9.

"Once they hatch, and they are nest-bound, we call them eaglets and once they fledge, once they take that first flight then they're juveniles," DeFillipo said. "I call them juvys for short, because it looks like they're in jail sometimes."



This is not their first egg since moving, NBC 5 reported when an eaglet was seen five months after the move.

The center believes this pair of bald eagles helps the population in North Texas increase.

Their offspring may very well be the eagles often spotted in the area along the Elm Fork of the Trinity River in Irving, or near the Lake Lewisville Dam or the pair who've made their home north of Lake Ray Roberts.

The hope of many watching is that the latest offspring also return to call North Texas home.
State Fair of Texas officials say the theme of this year's fair will be "Celebrating Texans".

"As the saying goes, 'everything is bigger in Texas'," officials said in a statement early Friday morning. "Our deep-rooted sense of Texan pride is no exception. Since it's establishment in 1886, the Fair has served as an advocate for this quintessential virtue throughout its 130-year history of celebrating all things Texan."

The State Fair of Texas is a nonprofit organization aiming to bring people from all over the country together through education, activity and Texas-sized fun. More than 100 attractions and exhibits happen at the fair every day.

"Honoring its past, present and future Texas neighbors, the 2017 event...will further support this initiative by highlighting the importance of community within every aspect of the fair," said the statement.

"The fair brings people from all walks of life together for the same purpose - to experience and celebrate our evolving Texan culture," says Mitchell Glieber, State Fair of Texas President. "There is a unique sense of community that fair goers develop during their visit...and we're extremely proud to be a vehicle for that unity."

Every year, the fair hosts 4H and FFA members from all across the state to share their agricultural expertise. Texas high school students can also receive scholarships through the fair's Youth Scholarship Program and anyone can showcase their artistic skills through the many community exhibits.

The fair is launching a community spotlight campaign this year to highlight Texan individuals and organizations who share in its goal to make a difference in the community.

This year's fair runs 24 days, from Sept. 29 through Oct. 29 in Fair Park in Dallas. A mural paying tribute to the "celebrated traditions that unite our Texas family" in honor of the fair this year can be found on the side of Baker's Ribs in Deep Ellum now through the end of the fair season.
Dozens of angry South Bay residents packed a International Boundaries Water Commission meeting Thursday evening, concerned about the massive sewage spill in Tijuana, Mexico, that contaminated water in the San Diego area.

When our kids cant go and swim at the beach thats right across form us, a state beach, its very upsetting, said meeting attendee Leslie Bell of Coronado Cays. We just want to make sure that somebody is held accountable for it.

The commission agreed to carry out a binational investigation into the more than 143 million gallons of raw sewage spilled in Tijuana. Additionally, officials explained the situation to residents and answered their questions.

Countless residents in the area have felt, and smelled, the aftermath of the spill. In addition to the health concerns and general inconveniences the incident has produced, people nearby are concerned that they're just now hearing about it.

A community meeting was planned Thursday night to discuss a sewage spill from the Tijuana River area that has contaminated the waters off the coast of Imperial Beach. Liberty Zabala reports.

"If it hadn't gotten worse and worse, they would have just gotten away with it if they could have," Bell said as her daughter stood nearby with a sign that read "Mexico must Pay!"

"So how often is this happening?" Bell added. "I feel like I have to go test the water every time my kids go swimming now."

The spill has been described as the worst sewage spill in more than a decade by Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina.

The leak began Feb. 6, according to a report by the commission. The sewage slowly seeped into the Tijuana River and made its way up the coast, causing an unusual odor for those people living in Imperial Beach.

The odor has lingered in the community for weeks.

Dedina says the city filed an official complaint on Feb. 15. He wants the U.S. government to investigate what caused the spill and why his city's residents weren't notified of the contamination.

"We expect to get results," Dedina said. "We're here to do that, but more importantly, to get the public to turn outrage into action so that our federal elected officials take action to invest in our border infrastructure."

The commission said the leak was likely caused by sewer construction gone wrong. The State Public Services Commission of Tijuana repaired a sewer line last month and, during the repairs, diverted sewage into the Tijuana River.

Millions of gallons of sewage spilled into the Tijuana River from Mexico. The mayor called it a tsunami of sewage, and the worst sewage spill in over a decade. NBC 7s Alex Presha reports.

Roberto Espinoza, an engineer and representative for Mexico's arm of the International Boundaries Water Commission, spoke at the meeting through an interpreter. He said a pipe in the main line near the Tijuana and Alamar Rivers' intersection failed under pressure from recent storms. He added that the leak was not intentional and happened during an emergency repair.

Espinoza went on to say that there was a breakdown in communication between the commission and operators in Mexico, and that while he can't explain how it happened, he does regret it.

"You should have received that information on time," Espinoza said.

Local leaders believe the spill was preventable.

Weeks later, signs remain on the beach warning people to stay out of the ocean from Imperial Beach to Coronado.

In addition to community leaders, many residents are also furious, saying the sewage should've been recaptured and put back into the treatment system instead of being allowed to travel all the way into the Pacific Ocean.

Plus, they say they were never warned of the activity.

A preliminary U.S. investigation determined the spill released upwards of 143 million gallons of raw sewage, but Mexico disputes that.

Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina leads a crowd chant at Thursday's IBWC meeting

Dave Gibson, Executive Officer San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, said that given advances, this should not have happened.

Two-hundred years ago this might have been the state of the science but there's absolutely no question, whatsoever, that the state of the science is you capture the sewage and you keep it in the system," Gibson told NBC 7 on Thursday.

The spill prompted Gibson to write a letter to both U.S. and Mexican commissioners, requesting the need for improved sewer system reliability and interagency communication.

The letter included a list of measures that Gibson said the commission should consider including the detailed investigation into the breakdown in communications that led to the spill, without any apparent attempt at diversion or public notification.

Gibson also suggested developing a binational public notification protocol for all sewage releases into storm water systems, the Tijuana River, or its tributaries. This would include notifying public health agencies, landowners and the media in both countries, in the event that a spill like this happens again.

Gibson also wants the commission to consider utilizing a back-up pump station in San Ysidro that, in his words, would complement the existing station in Tijuana."

Gibson argued it could, under special circumstances, divert emergency flows to the City of San Diegos Point Loma or South Bay wastewater treatment plants, or the commission's wastewater treatment plant.

Other suggestions include:

 Construction of a weir across the main channel of the Tijuana River to allow capture, retention, infiltration, or diversion of unexpected flows during the dry season to prevent or minimize impacts to the lower Tijuana River and Estuary and beaches in Tijuana, Imperial Beach, and Coronado.

 An enhanced and binationally coordinated watershed and coastal waters monitoring program to develop information that would inform our efforts through Minute 320 to improve environmental quality in both countries.

To read the full letter, click here.

According to a document released by the commission Thursday, both U.S. and Mexican commissioners have agreed to investigate the transboundary sewage spill.

The investigation will determine when the spill occurred, quantify how much sewage spilled, specify the characteristics of the sewage, and identify problems in procedures to notify the Commission and the public, the document states.

The investigation on the spill and a report must be submitted within 30 days, per an agreement between U.S. Commissioner Edward Drusina and Mexican Commissioner Roberto Salmon. The commissions binational Water Quality Work Group will handle the investigation.
A Bay Area high school that counts itself among Snap Inc.'s first investors won big on Thursday after a booming initial public offering and first-day trading.

The company behind the popular messaging app Snapchat made its trading debut Thursday after a better-than-expected stock offering. Snap had priced its initial public offering of 200 million shares at $17 each on Wednesday.

Soon after Thursday's opening bell rang at the New York Stock Exchange, the stock began trading at more than $24 a share  nearly 50 percent higher than its IPO price, CNBC reported. It closed at $24.48, valuing the Los Angeles company at $34 billion.

Saint Francis High School, a private Roman Catholic school in Mountain View, disclosed Thursday that it invested $15,000 of the institutions endowment fund in Snaps seed round of financing in 2012.

"We knew teenagers were using it and this would be something big for social media," said former principal Kevin Makley.

That money translated into more than two million shares for Saint Francis. Of that, the school has sold 1.4 million at $17 a piece, earning nearly $24 million, officials said.

Saint Francis is holding on to roughly 600,000 shares, knowing that they may end up being even more lucrative.

"I am absolutely celebrating. This is a tremendous day!" Makley said.

NBC Bay Area

Five years ago, Natalie Eggers, then a student at Saint Francis, alerted her father, a venture capitalist, about the burgeoning social messaging app. She said all her friends were obsessed with it.

Popular with the young people, Snapchat is best known for disappearing messages and quirky face-filters for jazzing up selfies.

Barry Eggers, a partner of Lightspeed Venture, listened to his daughter and his firm became one of Snaps first investors with $485,000 in early 2012, the New York Times reported. Lightspeed invested a total of $8.1 million in Snapchat over the years.

Eggers also persuaded SF Growth Fund, Saint Francis' student-run endowment fund that helps pay for scholarships and subsidized tuition, to get in on Snap, he wrote in a post published on the company's website.

Makley recalled Eggers' non-traditional investment idea.

"When we started this fund so many years ago, this is what we dreamed about. Now the dream is true!" Makley exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Saint Francis released a statement, part of which read: "Snaps IPO represents an incredible opportunity to help the school, its students and their greater community for years to come."

The school is still working out exactly how the money will be spent, but officials say the financial aid program is their top priority.

"Its good news for the school," said parent John Dugan, a "tremendous opportunity."

NBCUniversal, the parent company of this site, invested $500 million in Snap during its IPO as part of a strategic investment and partnership, CNBC reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
There are several road closures scheduled for this weekend.

Irving

Eastbound Texas 114 will close at Texas 161 10 p.m. Saturday until 10 a.m. Sunday. During this time, drivers will be detoured to the frontage road.

Arlington & Grand Prairie

Westbound Interstate 20 ramp to southbound Texas 360 will close for the Bardin Road bridge construction. The closure begins Friday at 9 p.m. Ramps will not open until 6 a.m. Monday.

The Bardin Road Bridge was severely damaged in a fire. Repairs this weekend will be to replace the beams and bridge deck.

Lewisville

There's a permanent closure coming at Wednesday. At 9 p.m., the northbound Interstate 35E entrance ramp from Sam Rayburn Tollway/Texas 121 will close.

Drivers will have to use the frontage road to the northbound I-35E entrance ramp from Farm-to-Market Road 3040/Round Grove Road.

This construction is part of the 35Express Project.
Dive teams will continue to scour an aqueduct in Hesperia for a possible fourth victim after a horrific car crash into the waterway left a mother dead and her two children hospitalized.

The car crashed into the water just before 7 p.m. into the aqueduct near Main Street. Details about what led up to the crash were not immediately available.

A 10-year-old child was ejected from the car and taken to the hospital. A 2-year-old was pulled from the water and also rushed to the hospital as first responders administered CPR, according to San Bernardino County Fire Department spokesman Jeremy Kern.

The mother was found dead in the submerged car, Kern said.

Authorities were still trying to confirm the exact number of people who were in the vehicles as of Thursday night and will continue to search the area in the morning.

They suspended the search late Thursday night after clearing the most probable areas of the aqueduct.

The identities of the woman and the children were not immediately released.
When you expect a certain number of otter stories to steadily flow your way over the course of a normal month, and you've enjoyed so many inspiring ones in recent weeks, you can find yourself demanding even more.

Because once you've read about that ancient giant otter fossil that was found in China, and the tender tale of Selka, the Monterey Bay Aquarium's super-smart rescue otter, your understandable demand for more whisker-wonderful items only increases.

We're just being honest here, right, otter people? Right.

So fear not, because something mighty sweet happened at the Aquarium of the Pacific on Thursday, March 2, and the star at its center is a handsome marine mammal of great note.

We speak of Charlie here, a southern sea otter, who has the lofty designation of being "...the oldest known southern sea otter in a zoo or aquarium." So when a milestone birthday rolls around for Charlie, say, like his big 20th, you can bet that the keepers are going to really do it up for the water-loving, roly-poly sweetheart.

Which they did. Guests donned birthday hats and sang "Happy Birthday" to the furry fellow. And did he enjoy some tasty treats that were created his honor? You bet.

Charlie's start, and arrival at the Long Beach-based aquarium, has some heart-tugs to it, no doubt. He was but a pup, really, or just past pupdom when he was "...stranded, rescued, and deemed non-releasable to the wild before arriving to the Aquarium in 1998."

As far as the typical lifespan for a male southern sea otter? Aquarium experts put it at around 15 years.

Charlie has passed his nearly two decades as a denizen of the aquatic institution dining on delicious, nutrious seafood and delighting the infatuated humans who linger to watch as he splashes and twirls about.

Even if you didn't get a chance to attend Charlie's party, wave hello to him next time you're at the Aquarium of the Pacific. He's an otter-amazing celebrity here in Southern California and beyond, and he has now passed a birthday-big marker.
An immigration judge granted bond Thursday to a 26-year-old Salvadoran woman seeking asylum in the United States, allowing her to leave an immigration detention facility to seek treatment for a brain tumor.

Sara Beltran Hernandez's family in New York posted her $15,000 bond after the hearing and she will be released by the end of the day from the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, south of Fort Worth, an Amnesty International official said. She has been held in the detention center since November 2015.

"She's going to get medical treatment hopefully in New York. She might get checked out here first to make sure she's OK to travel. Then she'll be treated there," Beltran Hernandez's lawyer, Fatma Marouf, said after the hearing in Dallas.

Beltran Hernandez has been seeking asylum in the U.S. for almost a year and a half, saying she can't return to El Salvador because of the risk of domestic violence and threats of gang violence specific to her family. Beltran Hernandez has two small children in El Salvador who would be allowed to join her if she is granted asylum.

Chris Hamilton, a Dallas-area attorney initially involved in the effort to free Beltran Hernandez, said last month she complaind about headaches, nosebleeds and memory loss before she collapsed on Feb. 10. She was transported to Texas Huguley Hospital where she was diagnosed with a brain tumor that requires surgery.

Her attorneys have said they had trouble visiting her and had difficulty reaching her by phone. Immigration and Custom Enforcement officials have said she was able to speak by phone with her family and her attorney of record while at the hospital.

Hamilton claims Beltran Hernandez was forceibly removed from the hospital after two weeks. A spokesperson for ICE said Beltran Hernandez was discharged from the hospital and was returned to the detention center.

Beltran Hernandez had sought a conditional release to have more control over her medical care. She has already been denied bond twice.

Marouf said a specialist Monday confirmed that Beltran Hernandez has a large tumor on her pituitary gland. She said it was determined to not be cancerous and did not need to be immediately removed.

Marouf said the doctor recommended that the woman be monitored because the tumor had hemorrhaged and that she return for scans every six weeks. She and the other attorneys said they were concerned that the necessary level of monitoring was not being done at the detention center's medical facility.

"I think she is just trying to absorb it all. I think she's going to be overwhelmingly happy to be with her family again. She really cries because she misses her family a lot," Marouf said.

The release comes after a campaign by Amnesty International, which mobilized members across the country to call ICE and ask for her to be set free.

Sara and her family are overjoyed that she will finally be able to be with her loved ones and receive medical care after being unjustly detained for over 400 days, said Eric Ferrero of Amnesty International USA. Sara never should have been held for so long in the first place, let alone with a medical issue. It is unconscionable to treat people fleeing violence and danger as if they are criminals. Applying for asylum should not mean giving up ones human rights in the process.

Beltran-Hernandezs release will allow her to reside with her family in New York City while her asylum claim is processed.
The Trump administration's back-to-back controversies over its Russian ties now have at least one thing in common: Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Moscow's top diplomat in the U.S. has become the Kevin Bacon of the Trump White House's Russia imbroglio. A Washington fixture with a sprawling network, he has emerged as the central figure in the investigations into Trump advisers' connections with Russia. In a matter of weeks, contact with Kislyak led to the firing of a top adviser to the president and, on Thursday, prompted calls for the attorney general to resign.

Separately, a White House official confirmed Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn met with Kislyak at Trump Tower in December for what the official called a brief courtesy meeting. Flynn was pushed out of the White House last month after officials said he misled Vice President Mike Pence about whether he and the ambassador had discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia in a phone call.

At issue Thursday were two meetings between Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Kislyak  one in July and another in September, at the height of concern over Russia's involvement in hacking of Democratic officials' emails accounts. Intelligence officials have since concluded Moscow ordered the hacks to tilt the election toward Trump. In his confirmation hearing, the Alabama Republican denied having contact with any Russian officials, neglecting to mention the meetings with Kislyak, which were first reported by the Washington Post.

The Russian Embassy did not respond to a request for comment.

Although the White House dismissed the revelation as part of a political witch hunt, Sessions' former colleagues took the omission seriously. At the urging of some in his own party, Sessions recused himself from the Department of Justice's investigation. Still, Democrats called for him to step down.

Observers note Kislyak is a somewhat unlikely figure to cause controversy. Over the course of a long diplomatic career, he's led the life of a somewhat typical global envoy  making himself a reliable presence on the circuit of receptions, teas and forums that make up the calendar of any ambassador.

Kislyak, who was appointed to his post in 2008, is regularly spotted walking around town, heading to and from meetings. Early in his tenure, he often opened the doors of the Russian Embassy, hosting dinners for foreign policy professionals, Pentagon officials, journalists and Capitol Hill staffers.

Those who have attended the events describe him as a gracious and amiable diplomat, although perhaps not as polished  nor as confrontational  as his more famous boss, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

In 2015, when Kislyak invited a group of Washington-based journalists, including one from the Associated Press, to the Russian Embassy for tea, he used the meeting to push warmer relations between the two nations  despite the conflict over Russia's seizure of Crimea and the crisis in Ukraine.

Kislyak framed U.S.-Russian relations as salvageable and hoped specifically to combat what he considered cartoonish, anti-Russian depictions of his government in the American press.

At a press conference where he recused himself from the investigation into the Trump campaign's ties with Russia, Sessions said he discussed a number of things with Kislyak, including counterterrorism. He said the meeting became confrontational when the discussion turned to Ukraine.

Kislyak, 66, has bounced between the United States and Russia for most of his long career.

His first foreign posting was to New York where he worked at the Soviet delegation at the United Nations in the early 1980s. He spent the following years as the first secretary and then councilor at the Soviet Embassy in Washington before returning to Moscow in 1989, where he took a succession of senior jobs at the Foreign Ministry.

He did a stint as Russian ambassador to Belgium and simultaneously served as Moscow's envoy at NATO. He then returned to Moscow to serve as a deputy foreign minister, overseeing relations with the United States and arms control issues before being sent to Washington.

Kislyak's contacts have sparked questions about his role or involvement in the hacking, questions that are difficult to answer.

The U.S. and Russia, along with many other countries, have made it a practice to separate their top diplomats from espionage activities, although it is not uncommon for an intelligence agent to operate under the cover of a senior-level diplomat. Foreign diplomats to the United States likely expect that their activities will be monitored by U.S. authorities in the same manner that American diplomats are monitored in countries like Russia.

Russian ambassadors most likely are aware of the intelligence agents operating under diplomatic cover, but are not believed to part of the security services themselves.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday ridiculed the claims of Kislyak's involvement in espionage as "total disinformation" and part of efforts to sway public opinion.

"I'll open a military secret for you: It's the diplomats' jobs to have contacts in the country they are posted to," she said sarcastically. "It's their obligation to meet with officials and members of the political establishment."
Captain the green sea turtle has her own pool, her own team taking care of her, and she seems to love the attention. Shes the star of Nova Southeastern Universitys brand-new Marine Environmental Education Center, the MEEC.

We have a great way to reach out, tell people the story of this turtle and all turtles, how important they are to the ecosystem, said Dr. Dick Dodge, dean of the NSU Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography.

Captain was critically injured in a boat collision and cant be released into the wild. Of the worlds seven species of sea turtles, five are known to frequent Florida waters or nest on the states beaches. All of them are endangered, so the MEEC, which is a partnership between Broward County and NSU, takes it upon itself to educate the public.

But it makes it a fun place for an educational institution and not just a lecture, its interactive, it allows young people to see the reason why we talk about saving the environment, said George Hanbury, NSU president.

Located on Surf Road on Hollywood Beach, steps away from a sea turtle nesting area, the MEEC has exhibits ranging from which lights are turtle-safe, to computer screens tracking turtles that are tagged with satellite transmitters, to showing how TEDs, or Turtle Excluder Devices, work on fishing boats.

Sea turtles are an integral part of the marine ecosystem and a really iconic animal so we hope that the children will learn about turtles but also about the broader picture of how important it is that we have a vibrant, healthy ecosystem, Dodge said.

Theres no doubt that kids will be captivated by watching Captain in her pool. The MEEC will be a magnet for school field trips, and thats really the whole point.

This is huge because these are animals that people dont get to interact with normally, said Beth Whitman, a doctoral candidate at FIU who studies green sea turtles in the wild.

Whitman says the MEEC will leave an indelible impression on people.

If they come and have a personal interaction with an animal like this and when they learn about their natural habitat theyre gonna have more ownership and be more invested in preserving their natural habitat, Whitman said.

Thats certainly the hope that the light of conservation turns on for every visitor.

If youre interested in seeing its exhibits, the MEEC is located at 4414 Surf Road in Hollywood. They converted the historic Carpenter House into the new educational center.
U.S. authorities have charged an Arkansas man with sexually abusing children while working as a missionary in Haiti.

Daniel Pye became well-known among missionaries in Haiti as he helped coordinate relief efforts in Jacmel after the January 2010 earthquake. He was jailed for about five months in Haiti in 2011 amid a dispute with members of his U.S.-based mission over property belonging to their home for children.

Following a two-year investigation, federal prosecutors in Miami have charged Pye with four counts of traveling from South Florida to Haiti to engage in sexual conduct with children.

Pye was arrested Tuesday in Arkansas, where he lives with his wife and was working as a counselor at a behavioral center for children, according to court documents.

A judge in Texarkana, Arkansas, ruled that Pye, who has no criminal history, could be released on $5,000 bond after surrendering his passport. But a prosecutor in Miami filed a motion Thursday to have that order reversed, noting that the former missionary faced up to 30 years in prison on each count and had previously attempted to commit suicide.

The judge ordered responses to the motion by March 16, effectively keeping him in custody for now. Pye is expected to be transferred to Florida to be arraigned on the charges.

A public defender appointed to represent him in Arkansas did not respond to a telephone message seeking comment.

The investigation began in April 2015 with a call to a Homeland Security Investigations tip line alleging that Pye had sexually abused female minors at a home for children in Haiti from 2008 to 2012, according to the court documents.
Holding his bleeding face moments after being shot, a moving truck driver leaned on his co-workers as he waited for paramedics.

The three men were on their way to deliver furniture in the Redland when another box-truck ran a stop sign at Southwest 284 Street and 207 Avenue.

A harmless honk of the horn got the moving crew into trouble.

"He didn't stop, so my friend honked the truck and the other guy stopped the truck and started screaming," said Jeffrey Mesa who witnessed the shooting unfold.

Mesa says he and his crew tried to drive away, but the suspect truck followed them and then beat them to the next intersection and took aim.

"We were coming through the next stop sign and he was parked and aimed and shot at the window and shot my friend while he was driving," said witness Telaysis Lee.

Lee says he had to take the wheel, and turned down southwest 284 Street, stopping right in front of the house they were scheduled to deliver to.

They helped the victim, identified as Eliel Perez, out of the car and called for help.

"Road rage completely, I don't know what was wrong with the guy, he lost his mind I don't even know," he said.

Miami-Dade Police said Perez was shot twice with a shotgun and airlifted to Jackson South Trauma Center. He underwent surgery and has been released from the hospital.

Getty Images

The movers are still in shock over the sudden road rage violence.

"I'm speechless right now I don't know, I'm at a loss for words, I'm just hoping the best for my friend," Lee said.

The movers work for Two Men and a Truck. The company released a statement regarding Friday's incident:

"Eliel underwent surgery and has been released from the hospital. He is in good spirits and grateful for the outpouring of support today. We are incredibly proud of the compassion and response of our team involved in this terrible incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with Eliel as he continues to recover."

Police are still looking for the shooter, who was believed to have been in a white box-type truck. Witnesses say the suspect is Hispanic, average height with long hair.
An SUV crashed into a house in Miami injuring one person Thursday evening.

Miami Fire Rescue responded to the scene located on Northwest 33rd Street and 12th Avenue. The SUV plowed into the car port area of the house.

Officials said the driver is a man in his 50s. He was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital in serious condition. They also said an 80-year-old woman was inside the house at the time of impact. She was not injured.

Fire Rescue officials said the cause of the crash is unknown. Witnesses at the scene told investigators the driver was acting bizarre when he stepped out of the SUV.

The residents of the home are not allowed to stay in the home until inspectors deem the house safe. Officials also said the SUV will not be removed until they are certain the structure is safe.

Officials have not released the driver's identity.

Check back with NBC 6 for updates on this developing story.
Miami-Dade Police have arrested a woman for the murder of an 85-year-old man last month.

Lashundra Fair, 31, was arrested Thursday on a second-degree murder charge in the killing of Carlton Fair, police said.

Fair remained behind bars without bond Friday, jail records showed. It was unknown if she's hired an attorney.

Police said they responded to a home on Northwest 74th Street back on Feb. 20 and found Carlton Fair with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives discovered that Lashundra Fair had shot and killed him before fleeing the home, police said. As she fled she tossed the firearm in a neighboring yard, police said.

Lashundra Fair was later found and gave investigators a statement detailing her involvement in the killing, police said.

Police haven't given a motive for the shooting or said what the relationship was between the woman and elderly man.
On Thursday, Costco (COST) reported weaker-than-expected results as earnings missed and profit margins slipped.

Notably, the company announced plans to raise membership fees for the first time in five years, a move that had been expected by analysts. On Friday, shares of Costco were down about 4%.

On the companys earnings call, management was asked whether the companys hit on margins was due to more aggressive pricing from Costco spurred by competition from other retail giants like Walmart (WMT) and Target (TGT) who are competing both with Costcos wholesale pricing and Amazons (AMZN) free-shipping offerings.

Costco sees whats happening, but is not directly responding. Costco CFO Richard Galanti said Thursday on the call that its recent pricing initiatives are, really not terribly related tothe fact that theres increased levels of competition.

When we look at our direct competitors  notably direct warehouse clubs and certainly supermarkets on certain key fresh foods and sundries items  a lot of what you read about were some of the big box discounters and their investment in price, which is formidable, Galanti added.

Galanti specifically mentioned Walmart and Target, who are more direct competition for supermarkets.

Costco is about more than everyday low prices.

Also recall that earlier this year, Walmart increased the amount of items it has eligible for two-day free shipping, cut its membership fee to be eligible for this benefit to $0, and lowered the minimum order to get this benefit. This aims to make Walmart a more direct competitor Amazons Prime offering, which includes streaming music, video, and other shipping benefits for $100/year.

And so some might say that because Costco, like Amazon Prime, charges a membership fee it is on some level in competition with that service. Additionally, Costco sells bulk household items that Walmart and Amazon are hoping to get consumers to buy online rather than in-store. But as was clear from the companys call, Costco sees itself as playing in a different sandbox from Amazon.

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Ive shared I think a little bit of the kinds of things were doing [in e-commerce], from member experience, to faster delivery, to expanding items, and arguably, letting our members know that we have it, Galanti said. Again, it started off years ago as limited big ticket items, hard to carry, hard to deliver, hard to install items, and weve added to that. We feel again, fine with where we are.

Galanti added, Yes, there are bigger increases out there, but I would bet that the investment per dollar of increase is dwarfed everywhere else. Im not trying to be cute about that because we are investing more in it, but doing it in an offensive rather than a defensive way. We still are a brick and mortar entity and we want to get you into the store because youre going to buy more in the warehouse. (Emphasis added.)

In other words, Amazon and Walmart are likely to garner the headlines about big pushes into new e-commerce offerings, and the decline of malls and the retail sector will still dominate the news flow. But Costco is focused first and foremost on its member experience  part of why it pays employees well  and that begins in-store, not online.

Amazon is an online retailer. Or is it?

Analysts are still positive

And for Costcos membership fee increase  and the quarter in general  the news is being positively received by analysts.

The long anticipated fee increase is finally here, UBS Michael Lasser wrote Friday.

There might be a sell the news type reaction for the stock. But, the earnings power this move provides shouldnt be ignored. Lasser sees increased membership fees adding 3% to earnings per share over the 12 months following the June 1, 2017 introduction, and 7% to EPS after 23 months.

While the quarter seems to represent a hiccup for this consensus-long stock, we do not believe its a thesis changer, writes Edward Kelly at Credit Suisse. Sales should continue to improve as comparisons ease, the fuel headwind should begin to abate in Q3, the fee increase/card benefit provides upside for investment, and the outlook for earnings growth looks good against a challenged retail landscape.

The uncharacteristically messy results that COST reported late [Thursday] are likely to spur discussion among retailing-stock investors for some time, writes Oppenheimer analyst Brian Nagel.

We spent a lot of time digging through trends and chatting with management. For us, the key message is that a Q2 miss; at COST reflects largely mis-modeling on the part of analysts amid a recent spike in fuel prices, and masks underlying improving fundamental health within the COST business model We recommend clients use any share price weakness today as an intermediate- to longer-term buying opportunity.



Myles Udland is a writer at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @MylesUdland

Read more from Myles here:
A major battle to liberate the Islamic State group's stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria is looming, with U.S. officials looking to build on momentum from victories on the battlefields of Mosul in Iraq. The Pentagon has drawn up a secret plan to do that, likely leaning on local allies with stepped-up American support.

The question is: who are those local allies in the tangled mess that is Syria's conflict?

Syrian government forces, Turkish troops and their Syrian militia allies, and U.S.-backed Kurdish forces all have their eye on Raqqa. Each vehemently rejects letting the others capture the city and would likely react in anger should the United States support the others. And it is not clear that any has the resources to take the city on its own.

"Raqqa is more of an abstract goal: everyone wants it in principle, but no one is willing to commit the resources and bear the risks necessary," said Faysal Itani, an analyst at the Washington-based Atlantic Council.

The fall of Raqqa, the Islamic State group's de facto capital and largest remaining stronghold, would be the biggest defeat for the militants in Syria since they captured the northern city on the banks of the Euphrates River in January 2014.

President Donald Trump has vowed to "obliterate" the group. "We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet," he told Congress on Tuesday.

The top U.S. commander in the campaign against ISIS, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, has said he believes Raqqa and Mosul will be taken within six months. So far, the offensive on Mosul has been underway four months, with only half the city captured from the militants in ferocious street-to-street urban combat. And that is using a relatively intensively trained and united military, backed by heavy U.S. firepower and commandos on the ground  a contrast to the comparatively undisciplined and fragmented forces the U.S. has to choose from as allies in Syria.

Raqqa is a smaller city than Mosul, but the militants are believed to have dug in with powerful fortifications there.

In Syria, U.S-backed predominantly Kurdish fighters known as the Syria Democratic Forces, or SDF, remain Trump's best bet. Aided by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and some 500 U.S. special forces troops deployed in an advisory role, the force has been marching toward Raqqa since November. Closing in on the city from different directions, it is now stationed some eight kilometers (five miles) north of the city.

The U.S. military recently provided a small number of armored vehicles to the U.S.-backed force to give better protection from small arms fire and roadside bombs as they get closer to Raqqa.

Further aid to the rag-tag group, however, raises sensitive questions over how to deal with Turkey, a NATO ally with much at stake in Syria. Turkey considers the main Kurdish militia in Syria  known as the YPG, and an affiliate of the U.S.-backed SDF  a terrorist organization, and has vowed to work with Syrian opposition fighters known as the Free Syrian Army to liberate Raqqa.

In a dramatic reversal of years of the Obama administration's calls for the ouster of President Bashar Assad, Trump has hinted he might be willing to work with Assad's army and Russia, whose year-and-a-half military intervention has propped up Assad's government.

Assad's forces are preoccupied with other battles, however, and would likely need significant U.S. military involvement to take on Raqqa. On Wednesday, the Syrian military recaptured the central town of Palmyra, a city located in the desert south of Raqqa that has gone back and forth between control of the military and the extremists several times. The government forces have also clashed with the Turkish-backed Syrian fighters, who block their path to Raqqa.

Syrians are sharply divided over who should enter Raqqa. Many opposition supporters consider the SDF, which maintains a tacit non-aggression pact with Assad's forces, to be a hostile group. There are also fears of tensions if Raqqa, home to a nearly 200,000 mainly Arab population, is taken by the SDF, a coalition of Kurdish, Arab and Christian fighters.

"Let us be frank that any force that will liberate Raqqa, other than the Free Syrian Army, is going to be a new occupation force with different flags and banners," said Mohammed Khodor of Sound and Picture Organization, which tracks atrocities by ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim was even more blunt, warning that if the SDF enters Raqqa, it will hurt relations between Ankara and Washington.

"We have said that a terror organization cannot be used against another terror organization," the Turkish leader told the state-run Anadolu news agency.

The Kurds reject that notion and insist that only forces fighting under the SDF banner will liberate Raqqa.

"Turkey is an occupation force and has no legitimate right to enter Raqqa," said SDF spokeswoman Cihan Sheikh Ehmed. In a text message exchange from northern Syria, she said the SDF has the experience in fighting ISIS to finish the operation.

Battlefield victories by the SDF against the Islamic State group have brought growing Western support. Asked if adding more U.S. troops or better arming Syria's Kurds were options, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he will "accommodate any request" from his field commanders.

In Mosul, the U.S.-led coalition is playing a greater role than ever before in the fight against ISIS and coalition forces have moved closer to front-line fighting.

U.S. Air Force Col. John Dorrian says the increased support is an effort to "accelerate the campaign" against the Islamic State group, noting that launching simultaneous operations in both Mosul and Raqqa "puts further strain on the enemy's command and control."

"It is a complicating factor when you don't have a partner government to work with," conceded Dorrian, adding that whoever the coalition partners with in the fight for Raqqa is "a subject of ongoing discussions."

Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a Middle East analyst at the Jamestown Foundation who closely follows Kurdish affairs, says the U.S.-led coalition wants to have a quick end to ISIS in Raqqa, from which external operations against the West are planned. That means it would prefer to work with the Kurdish-led SDF forces "since they are able to mobilize manpower unlike the Turks," he said.

In any case, the battle for Raqqa is sure to be a long and deadly one. It took the SDF nearly 10 weeks to capture the northern Syrian town of Manbij from ISIS last year. It took Turkish forces and allied groups more than three months to retake the town of al-Bab, a costly battle that killed dozens of Turkish soldiers and many civilians.

Raqqa is much larger than either Manbij or al-Bab. Some Syrian opposition activists say the extremists dug a trench around it to make it difficult for attackers to storm it.

"It would be difficult for any troops," said Itani of the Atlantic Council.

"Witness the slow and ugly progress in Mosul as well. Raqqa would be tough," he said.

Associated Press writer Susannah George contributed to this report.
What to Know East Hampton police arrested Jefferson Eames on Thursday on a variety of drug and child welfare charges

A News 4 I-Team report in February said Eames' home was notorious for drug-fueled teen parties

A star high school athlete's near-death from a drug overdose at the house was filmed on Snapchat

The father of a teenager known for throwing notorious drug parties at an East Hampton home -- including one party where a star high school athlete's near-death was captured on Snapchat -- has been arrested, police said Friday.

Jefferson Eames, 48, faces charges of selling controlled substances, endangering the welfare of children and violating the county's hosting laws.

He was arrested Thursday after trying to enter his house and close the door on police, authorities said. He is expected to be arraigned later Friday.



Information on an attorney for Eames wasn't immediately available.

"This arrest should help parents in the community recognize our department is working diligently to combat drug and alcohol abuse by minors, and will continue to thoroughly investigate any complaints of underage drinking or drug use," said East Hampton Town Police Chief Michael D. Sarlo.

Sarlo said it was a "difficult and protracted" case to close because of HIPAA privacy laws, good Samaritan laws and uncooperative witnesses.

Last month, News 4 New York's I-Team reported that the house was known for its underage, drug-fueled parties and that police had been called there numerous times.

Eighteen-year-old Jordan Johnson was a star athlete at East Hampton High School -- until January, when he was rushed to Southampton Hospital, nearly dead after suffering a drug overdose there.

A Snapchat video posted around 8 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29, shows a boy shouting through a megaphone into Jordans ear. Jordan does not appear to hear, and he lays motionless while his peers continue to use the megaphone directly in his ear. A caption on the video reads, "Why is he out still."

Police say they did not receive a 911 call about this incident until 9:18 the following morning. Sources confirmed at the time that an adult was present in the house during Johnson's overdose.



NBCUniversal and Snapchat are in a business relationship.
What to Know Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he will recuse himself from any Russian probe

President Trump defended Sessions, calling the uproar over his Russia contacts a "total witch hunt"

Bitcoin surpassed gold in value for the first time ever

Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Jeff Sessions Recuses Himself

Attorney General Jeff Sessions may not have been clear about his contacts with Russian officials during the 2016 election, but this much is: The controversy over any Kremlin involvement in American politics is not going to fade away anytime soon. Sessions on Thursday became the second high-ranking member of the Trump administration to take a hit over conversations with Russia's envoy to the U.S., recusing himself from any probe that examines communications between Trump aides and Moscow but facing down calls for his resignation. An early backer and key adviser for Trump's campaign, Sessions said his staff recommended that he step aside from a probe.

Russian Ambassador in Spotlight

The Trump administration's back-to-back controversies over its Russian ties now have at least one thing in common: Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. A Washington fixture with a sprawling network, he has emerged as the central figure in the investigations into Trump advisers' connections with Russia. In a matter of weeks, contact with Kislyak led to the firing of a top adviser to the president and, on Thursday, prompted calls for the attorney general to resign. A White House official says Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and the man who would become national security adviser, Michael Flynn, met with Kislyak in December.

Trump Defends Sessions, Touts Military Buildup

Embracing a stronger defense, President Trump met with sailors and shipbuilders on an aircraft carrier in Virginia as he promoted his plans for a major military buildup. A draft budget plan released earlier this week by the White House would add $54 billion to the Pentagon's projected budget, a 10 percent increase. Trump traveled Thursday to Newport News to deliver a speech aboard the Gerald R. Ford. While there were mounting calls for Sessions to resign or recuse himself, Trump stood by Sessions Thursday, saying he had "total" confidence in his attorney general.

Rick Perry Sworn in as Energy Secretary

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry sworn in as secretary of the Department of Energy. The Senate confirmed former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to serve as energy secretary under President Trump earlier Thursday. The vote was 62-37. Perry  who once pledged to eliminate the department  has repeatedly promised be an advocate for the agency and to protect the nation's nuclear stockpile. Perry also has said he'd rely on federal scientists, including those who work on climate change.

Bitcoin Value Surpasses Gold

Bitcoin hit a major milestone on Thursday, surpassing the price of an ounce of gold for the first time in its history. Some investors are now saying this development solidifies the Bitcoin currency as "digital gold." The price of one Bitcoin was $1,271 by Thursday evening, according to CoinDesk's Bitcoin Price Index. An ounce of gold was priced at $1,235, according to Oklahoma-based precious metals retailer APMEX. Bitcoin, created in 2009 by software developer called Satoshi Nakamoto, is a type of digital currency that computers "mine." Unlike dollars or euros, the currency is not printed.

Duo Behind Oscars Flub Under Guard

A spokeswoman for the PwC auditing firm says the company has hired protection for the two accountants responsible for the best-picture flub at the Oscars. Carey Bodenheimer said Thursday that PwC is providing security to Brian Cullinan and Martha Ruiz. They are the accountants who were dismissed by the film academy Wednesday for mishandling the winners' envelopes at Sunday's 89th Academy Awards.

Tom Hanks Buys Espresso Machine for Press

Apparently, Tom Hanks thinks the White House Press Corps is going to be working many late nights over the next few years. Hanks delivered a big thank you in the form of a brand new espresso machine delivered to the White House press room. "Keep up the good fight for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Especially the Truth part," a note read.

Colorblind Haircut Goes Viral

Jax Rosebush, who is white, wanted a buzz cut to match the hair of his friend Reddy, who is black. He was thrilled because he didn't think his teacher would be able to tell the two apart -- and after his mom posted about it on Facebook, the Louisville, Kentucky boy's story has gone viral.

Leopard Born Via Artificial Insemination

A clouded leopard was born at the Nashville Zoo. It's the first time that a member of the species has been born by artificial insemination. Clouded leopards are among the rarest of the world's cat species and are difficult to breed in captivity. Watch an adorable video of the critter.

John Lithgow on Tonight

John Lithgow dished on his surprising casting as Winston Churchill for Netflix's "The Crown" and returning to NBC for crime mockumentary "Trial and Error." Watch the interview.
Authorities are slowly piecing together the details that led up to a police-involved shooting near a bustling New Jersey neighborhood.

Police opened fire at a man thought to be in his 20s after he allegedly ran toward cops brandishing a knife at around 9:30 a.m., law enforcement sources said.

Andrew Levine was one of several people who walked by the busy intersection near Levine Street at Main Street in Paterson Thursday morning. He said he heard shots go off while he was sitting in his truck; his neighbor called 911 shortly after.

"I was sitting in my truck in the parking lot outside," he said. "I heard a pop pop, pause for a second, and then pop pop."

Others curiously stepped outside to see what was going on. Levine says his neighbor told him he decided to call the cops when he spotted the man with a knife.

"He called the cops because he looked like he was stalking people," Levine said.

The suspect is at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, a block away from the scene of the shooting. His injury wasn't considered life-threatening, but the county hasn't released his current condition, law enforcement source said.

Ahmad Yasin, who lives nearby, said it wasn't the first time he had seen the knife-waving man  residents say he's been lurking around the neighborhood for months.

"I've been seeing him for maybe the last three or four months," Yasin said. "The last two days he's been out here all day, from morning 'til night, walking up and down the street."

Passaic County Prosecutors say no one else was injured, but sent K-9s to the scene to sniff around for any clues.
A 19-year-old man living in Stamford who allegedly abused a 3-year-old relative was arrested just a day before he was scheduled for an immigration hearing, authorities say.

Douglas Hus-Flores, a high school senior who was living with his aunt, allegedly abused the girl Wednesday night, according to court papers. The toddler was crying for her mother, and Flores, hoping to calm her down, gave her yogurt and let her watch cartoons on his phone.

While sitting on the couch, police say the teen sexually abused her.

The investigation began when the toddler was taken to Stamford Hospital after complaining of pain to her mother. The child was bleeding and had unspecified injuries.

The girl's mother told News 4, "She says 'Douglas hit me.' I asked where, and she showed me her private parts."

The mother was in tears as she said, "I feel like hot water in my body."

Court papers say Flores told police, "He doesn't know what came over him. Douglas said he had felt lonely and wanted to be with a woman."

Flores' father, Edwin Juarez, said his son admitted to abusing the girl.

"He's sad. He called me yesterday. He's sad about what happened," he said.

Flores moved to Connecticut from Guatemala two years ago seeking political asylum, authorities said. He was undocumented, and had been stopped by immigration officials several times.

Flores was arraigned Thursday and has an immigration detainer on him, meaning he can't be released without going before immigration officials. He is being held on a $250,000 bond, and is next scheduled to appear in court on April 4. It wasn't clear if he had an attorney.

Stamford Police Lt. Tom Barcello said, "You have a very young victim. The only saving grace is that through time she forgets she is so young."
The University of California, San Diego student behind the controversial Japanese internment-style fliers calling for the removal of Muslims in San Diego County told NBC 7 that the entire incident was a big misunderstanding.

The student, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed responsibility for the posters, which follows the same formatting of Internment Notices that signaled the roundup of thousands of Japanese Americans during World War II. The posters were uncovered Wednesday night in at least two residential halls.

The student told NBC 7 that he is Japanese-American, a key piece of context that got lost in the stunt.

His grandparents were forced to live in one of the 10 internment camps that were built because he believes not enough people voiced opposition.

He said the fliers were in no way anti-Muslim and were intended to serve as a warning for what could happen under the new administration, noting that he wanted to start a conversation about Muslims in America.

"Actually, I do kind of find the extent to which people are angry kind of comforting, because it means they care," the student said. "And it means that history probably won't be repeated, but again, this went farther than I wanted it to."

He said most people saw the posters and had an immediate reaction, but many missed the red writing at the bottom: messages of solidarity from the Japanese.

The UCSD Triton Newspaper first alerted NBC 7 to the story. The posters caused quite a stir inside Argo Hall, a residential hall in Revelle College.

In part, the poster read:

"All Muslim persons, both alien and non-alien, will be evacuated from the above designated area by 12:00 o'clock noon Wednesday, April 8, 2017. No Muslim person will be permitted to enter or leave the above described area after 8:00 a.m., Thursday, April 2, 2017, without obtaining special permission from the Provost Marshal at the Civil Control Station..."

Students who spoke to NBC 7 on Thursday said they were initially outraged at the fliers and the tone it took about the Japanese internment.

One student, Kalpa Semasinghe, said the poster made him feel "disgusted."

When Semasinghe read the red print at the bottom, and learned that a Japanese-American had posted the sign, he said his attitude changed.

The President of the Muslim Student Association on campus said that he felt "a lot more calm" about the posters once he understood the creator's intention.

"Now I understand that the person who posted it did it with good intent," Tarek Gouda, president of the Muslim Student Association said. "I do think there could have been more communication maybe with the Muslim and Japanese students on campus."

UC San Diego has a history of racial unrest. In 2010, the Compton Cookout party that mocked Black History month drew backlash and sparked protests on campus. In two other incidents in the following weeks, a noose was found hanging in a campus library and a KKK-style hood was placed on a statue outside the main campus library.

The incident comes amid a spike of hate crimes and other hate-related cases in the U.S. in recent months.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the number of hate groups rose from 892 in 2015 to 917 in 2016. The number of anti-Muslim hate groups saw the greatest rise, increasing to 101 from 34 in 2015, according to the annual census of hate groups by the SPLC. The increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes coincided with the increase of these hate groups, the report said.

The student behind the posters said overall, he thinks the fliers were a failure, but told me one of the goals of the project was to get people fired up.

He just did not account for how fired up they would actually be.
A South Jersey high school used the use of a racial slur in its upcoming musical as an opportunity for the school to educate students.

Cherry Hill East welcomed Brian Stokes Mitchell, an original Ragtime cast member, to the school Friday afternoon to discuss the controversial musical about race relations set at the turn of the 20th Century.

The N-word is used numerous times during the musical and in some cases isnt used in productions. Cherry Hill East, however, decided to keep the word in with hopes of creating a conversation about race.

In January, Cherry Hill Superintendent Joseph Meloche wrote a letter explaining the school's decision to perform Ragtime as written.

"These are tumultuous, difficult times. We believe that while these difficult times provide challenges in our educational community, they also provide an opportunity and an obligation to educate," Meloche wrote. "We believe we can educate using difficult subject matter presented in a safe, sensitive way."

The school put together curriculum dealing with racial issues and the use of the N-word.

"We will make it abundantly clear that we loathe the N-word, that we despise this most vile of words in our language," Meloche wrote. "Loathing of the N-word was a theme reiterated by Mitchell during his visit to Cherry Hill East Friday  one week before Ragtime debuts.

"It should be an ugly word, it is an ugly word, it's not a word to use, it's not appropriate to use the word and that's again the point of Ragtime... it's meant to have that effect," Mitchell said.

"If people are not thinking it's an ugly word, those are the people I'm concerned with," Mitchell told students.

Ragtime runs from March 10 to March 19 at Cherry Hill East. [[238427591, C]]
A New Jersey woman was pummeled in her home when she came face to face with a would-be burglar who had broken in, police say.

The South Orange woman told police she was on the third floor of her Ward Place home at about 10:15 a.m. on Feb. 22 when she heard noises coming from the second floor.

When she went to check it out, she discovered a stranger, apparently about to steal property from inside. The intruder punched the woman repeatedly, then ran away, police said.

The suspect is described as being in his 30s, about 5 feet 10 inches, last seen wearing a black hooded sweater and blue jeans. It appears he'd gotten into the house through a sliding door in the back, police said.

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call police at 973-763-7788.
Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, smiles before speaking with Bill Gates (not pictured), at Columbia University in New York, U.S., January 27, 2017. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

By Maiya Keidan and Lawrence Delevingne

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - David Harding, founder of one of the world's biggest hedge funds, on Friday defended his firm against Warren Buffett's criticism of hedge fund fees last week.

Multi-millionaire Harding said Buffett has a "habit of being right" but added that his own Winton Capital business, which manages more than $30 billion, offered lower fees and creditable returns to investors.

Buffett told investors last Saturday that low-cost index funds are a better option for most than paying higher fees to managers who often underperform, specifically hedge funds.

Harding is one of the first senior figures in the hedge fund industry to respond publicly to Buffett's comments.

"This is withering criticism of the active fund management industry overall, and it is hard to argue convincingly against," said Harding.

But Harding, who set up Winton in 1997, cautioned against tarring all firms with the same brush.

He argued that his Winton's funds have much lower fees than hedge funds are generally assumed to have and that the firm's risk-adjusted returns have been creditable. He did not give precise figures for returns.

Hedge funds made 5.51 percent on average in 2016, compared to losses of 1.12 percent in 2015 and gains of 2.98 percent and 9.13 percent in 2014 and 2013, respectively, according to data from Hedge Fund Research.

(Reporting by Maiya Keidan; Editing by Keith Weir)
A $225 million plan to build a park near Penns Landing and on top of Interstate 95 that Mayor Jim Kenney announced at his 2018 budget address is already near its necessary funding.

PennDOT will contribute $100 million to the park, a spokesman for the state transportation agency confirmed to NBC10 shortly after Kenney's speech Thursday morning.

That funding pushes the park's secured funding to $205 million after the William Penn Foundation also announced Thursday that it would give $15 million to the project. Kenney told PlanPhilly earlier in the week that the city would pay $90 million.

No timeline for the 11-acre park's completion was given. It would "cap" I-95 between Chestnut and Walnut streets.

"For decades, I-95 has been a barrier to economic development and recreational activity at Penns Landing and the surrounding neighborhoods," Kenney said in his address at Council chambers inside City Hall. "By finally funding a cap to link Philadelphias valuable waterfront with the citys core, this project is expected to have a return of $1.6 billion in economic benefit over the next 25 years."

Shawn McCaney, William Penn's executive director, said the new park will be "the centerpiece of a longterm effort to bring people and new economic activity to the river's edge."

"This project will not only transform the waterfront but it will transform our entire city by allowing residents and visitors to reclaim the Delaware riverfront as a new public space destination," McCaney said.

[NATL] Rio's Abandoned Olympic Ghost Town
President Donald Trump, his administration under siege for contacts with Russian officials, tweeted a photo Friday that showed Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer meeting with Putin in New York in 2003.

"We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin," he wrote. "A total hypocrite!"

Schumer responded on Twitter a short time later by writing that he would "happily talk" under oath about his meeting with Putin, which took place "in full view of press and public."

The New York senator challenged Trump to do the same then followed up on Twitter by writing, "And for the record, they were Krispy Kreme donuts."

We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! pic.twitter.com/Ik3yqjHzsA  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

Later Friday, Trump went after House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, tweeting: "I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it." His initial tweet included the misspelled word "hearby," but that tweet was later replaced.

He linked to a Politico story that reported that Pelosi had said she had never met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. But the story includes a photo of Pelosi shows her at a 2010 meeting sitting across the table from Kislyak.

Pelosi fired back on Twitter, saying Trump "doesn't know difference between official mtg photographed by press & closed secret mtg his AG lied about under oath."

.@realDonaldTrump doesn't know difference between official mtg photographed by press & closed secret mtg his AG lied about under oath. https://t.co/YRFCuJkjLA  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) March 3, 2017

Trump's tweets come a day after Attorney General Jeff Sessions came under scrutiny for his two meetings with a Russian ambassador.

The photo showing Putin and Schumer together was shot when Putin was visiting New York to celebrate the expansion of Russian-owned Lukoil gas stations, NBC News reported.

Before it was elevated to the president's Twitter feed Friday it was featured on several conservative websites, including The Drudge Report.

On the same trip to the United States in 2003, Putin traveled to Camp David, Maryland, where he met with Republican President George W. Bush and the two held a joint news conference.

Trump has been trailed for months by questions about potential ties to Russia. He has vigorously denied being aware of any contacts his associates had with Russia during the campaign and has also insisted he has no financial ties to Russia.

Sessions on Thursday became the second high-ranking member of the Trump administration to take a hit over conversations with Russia's envoy to the U.S., recusing himself from any probe that examines communications between Trump aides and Moscow but facing down calls by Schumer and other Democrats for his resignation. An early backer and key adviser for Trump's campaign, Sessions said his staff recommended that he step aside from a probe.

Two weeks ago, retired Gen. Michael Flynn, resigned as national security adviser after misleading White House officials about his own discussions with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Additional communication was revealed Thursday between Kislyak and Flynn and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, at New York's Trump Tower. In addition, Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser to Trump's presidential campaign, spoke with the ambassador last summer, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting.
Heads up, San Diego: Phoenix is coming for you. No, were not talkin about Zonie tourists packing up, ditching the triple-digit heat and traveling just a few clicks west to the land of beaches and palm trees (which they shouldve done from the beginning, amirite?) -- were talking about Phoenix, the band.

On Sunday, June 11, 91xs annual summer X-Fest returns to town and this years lineup features the aformentioned Phoenix, Empire of the Sun, Bob Moses, Skip Marley, Missio, the Lemon Twigs, Sir Sly, and Lo Moon -- with more bands to be announced at a later date.

This year's X-Fest will mark the first time Phoenix has stopped in town since their last San Diego performance held on Oct. 10, 2013 at UCSDs Rimac Arena. The French indie-pop juggernauts (known for hits like "Too Young," "1901" and Lisztomania) have hinted at a new album on the way this year (their latest is 2013s Bankrupt), and touring activity would seem to confirm that -- they head up to LAs Hollywood Bowl on June 15.

Scheduled to be held On the Green at Qualcomm Stadium -- which is the practice field in the southwest corner of the stadium -- 91x music director and midday radio host Hilary Chambers explained the choice of venue in a press release.

Its a scientific fact that people prefer concerts held on a grass field, Chambers said. The massive, well-maintained practice field at the Q gives us plenty of space to create an event for everyone to enjoy.

The show is open to all ages and pre-sale tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, March 3 for 91x fans with a special code here (pro tip: Its Qualcomm). Otherwise, tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, March 6 at 10 a.m. PST.

For more information, visit 91x.com.
When Terrance Crow Jr. walked into Zappy Pizza in Rolando on Oct. 30, he immediately began loudly proclaiming his patriotism and how he despised Muslims, according to eyewitnesses who testified this week in a San Diego courtroom.

Crow was joined by Scott Peretti in a verbal attack against two customers, the eyewitness told San Diego Superior Court Judge Leo Valentine. One of the eyewitnesses and the alleged victim, identified as John Smith by the court in order to protect him against reprisals, said "as soon as they saw the two women waiting for pizza, they started making comments about them."

The two women were described as young Muslims wearing traditional Muslim dress, including headdresses.

According to Smith, the insults continued and one of the two men (it is unclear if it was Crow or Peretti) spoke to the women and said, "I love my country, the country where you can say 'f---astan,' where I can wipe my a-- with the Koran every day.

A 20-year-old Somali man was punched with a pair of brass knuckles and hit with a chair. Police confirmed that the incident was racially and religiously charged. NBC 7s Astrid Solorzano has more.

Smith said he was "offended by the insults, but said nothing at first. As the insults continued, Smith, who said he did not know the women, began to address Crow and Peretti, according to San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Oscar Garcia.

Smith told the court, he said, "I was born in San Diego, this is my country too. According to Smith, the men turned to him and said, You need to get out of this country.

He said the men seemed to be offended by his words, became more aggressive and began to move toward him.

"You need to leave the country, you don't belong here", Smith said the men told him as they took a couple more steps toward him before throwing punches at him.

Smith told the court he tried to protect himself by keeping his hands up, but the punches landed on his arm, his side, his forehead and his face. According to court testimony, this is when a third man, Sean Arevalo, entered the pizza shop.

In court, another eyewitness described how Arevalo reached into his pocket for something. Smith said he thought it was a knife and backed himself into a corner of the small shop as the three men surrounded him.

NBC 7

According to court testimony, Arevalo hit Smith in the head, knocking Smith to the floor. The men then told him to stay down before leaving the pizza shop.

Someone Garcia described as a "good Samaritan got the license plate number of the car the men got into. The car was later stopped by a San Diego Police Department officer and a curbside lineup was done for witnesses to identify the men.

Peretti, Crow and Arevalo are charged with felony hate crime and interfering with the civil rights of another, according to court documents. Garcia said when the insults turned to physical violence, the crime was no longer a hate incident but a hate crime. Arevalo was also charged with possession of metal knuckles because according to a witness, he used brass knuckles when hitting Smith in the head. In California law, possessing brass knuckles, described in the law as "metal knuckles", is a felony.

In court this week, Judge Valentine found enough evidence to move the case forward. The three men are scheduled to be back in court on April 10 and a jury trial has been scheduled to begin April 18. If found guilty, the men could get up to three years in prison.

The three men have pleaded not guilty to the charges. NBC 7 Investigates reached out to Peretti, Crow and Arevalos attorneys. The attorneys for Crow and Arevalo said neither they nor their client have any comment on the case. Perettis attorney has yet to respond.

This case has received national attention online in blog posts and on Facebook. According to the posts, the incident between Smith and the three men erupted over political tension involving now President Donald Trump, involved mutual verbal attacks and resulted in a scuffle.

Roger Ogden, the author of some of the blog posts is soliciting donations online to cover the three mens legal costs. So far, according to the online posting, 30 donors have contributed more than $2,200.00 towards a $5,000 goal for "three Americans falsely charged with a hate crime."

NBC 7 Investigates asked Ogden if the money raised was going to the two public defenders and the private attorney representing the three men but has yet to receive a response.
FBI agents have made an arrest in connection with a string of bomb threats targeting Jewish Community Centers across the county including the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla.

Juan Thomas, 31, of St. Louis, Missouri was arrested Friday.

The news was a huge relief to many of the families in La Jolla. The center was evacuated on February 21 when a security guard contacted San Diego Police to report a threat.

The facility is one of dozens of Jewish Community Centers in at least 20 states targeted since the beginning of the year.

Prosecutors say Thomas made at least eight threats to targeting Jewish people and centers in the name of an ex-girlfriend. They say his threats began in a campaign to harass and intimidate the former romantic interest after the relationship ended.

The FBI said Thomas may not be the only one behind the more than 100 threats made to JCC's across the country. They say he appears to be a "copycat."

Michael Cohen, Executive Director of the Lawrence Family JCC, said the center is grateful to learn of the arrest and looks forward to closure in the investigation of all threats.

While these threats are being investigated, we remain vigilant, Cohen wrote. Continue to take numerous security measures and are committed to the security and safety of our community above all else.

Thomas was expected to appear in a Missouri courtroom Friday afternoon.
A congressional leader in Mexico climbed the border fence between San Diego and Tijuana and posted the video and images on social media Thursday.

"Human rights, principles and dignity are non-negotiable," said Braulio Guerra, a state representative for Queretaro. Guerra had announced his plan to climb the fence March 1.

The posts to Twitter, written in Spanish, called President Donald Trumps plan to spend billions to build a wall between the two countries absurd and unnecessary.

He said it also will harm the relationship between the two countries.

Sencillo subir al #Muro pero son muchos los peligros para nuestra gente. Derechos Humanos, principios y dignidad son innegociables #Mexico pic.twitter.com/9PExn3RlnV  Braulio Guerra (@BraulioPRI) March 2, 2017

On Jan. 25, President Trump signed an executive order to construct a "great wall."

The plan to build a wall between U.S. and Mexico has outraged some leaders in Mexico. Especially the idea that Mexico will pay for the construction of the wall.

A website to accept bids on building the proposed border wall will be open as of March 6.

Eighty percent of Mexico's exports are to the U.S. The Trump administration also has floated the idea of a border tax on Mexican products.

Construction cost estimates have varied widely. There are currently 354 miles of pedestrian fencing and 300 miles of vehicle barriers.

Republican leaders in Congress have said Trump's wall would cost between $12 billion and $15 billion, while Trump has suggested $12 billion.
A federal judge approved a $1 million legal settlement for the family of a man killed in U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody in 2010.

Anastasio Hernandez-Rojas, 42, suffered a heart attack following a physical altercation with CBP agents that was subdued when officers deployed a stun gun, according to the Justice Department.

My husbands life does not have a price, Hernandez-Rojas wife Maria Puga said Thursday through an interpreter. This was a decision that had to be taken. It was difficult, but we had to turn the page.

The moment Hernandez-Rojas was killed was captured on cell-phone video by two pedestrians on a now non-existent pedestrian bridge above where his skirmish with CBP agents took place. It has not been released, but his family hopes that the release of supplemental footage will send a message nationwide.

Four minutes of security camera footage from the San Ysidro Port of Entry released by the Southern Border Communities Coalition (SBCC) shows Hernandez-Rojas in CBP agent custody moments before his death.

The footage was released Thursday by the Southern Border Communities Coalition.

The SBCC says the video shows agents pushing Hernandez-Rojas against a wall, kicking his feet and denying him medical assistance when he requested it.

In 2015, the Justice Department decided not to file charges against the 12 CBP agents involved in the incident, despite the use of a taser on Hernandez-Rojas while he was handcuffed and on the ground in fetal position, according to Iredale.

My feeling is that its an embarrassment, Puga said. Its an embarrassment that this agency continues to have those 12 agents working. Those agents that killed my husband.

Pugas family attorney said that the quality of the video recorded on cell phones of the time is not that good, but you can hear Hernandez-Rojas plea for help and compassion.

[The witness video] is not really good video because the lighting conditions were such that you cant see that much, Attorney Eugene Iredale said. You can only hear the words of Anastasio Hernandez-Rojas saying over and over again, Ayudame, por favor. Ayudame. (Help me, please. Help me.) and then No me trates como un animal. (Dont treat me like an animal.)

Weve always known that they are guilty, and that they are the murderers of my husband, Puga said. We hope that with this phase we are able to strike them and expose how corrupt this agency has been for many years.

Pedro Rios, President of the U.S.-Mexico Border Program for the American Friends Service Committee, says the persistence from Puga and her family was not in vain.

Rios says that the CBPs Use of Force Manual has been made available to the public, which has never been the case in its 90 years of existence.
Rady Childrens Hospital-San Diego announced it has agreed to help manage the pediatric and neonatal intensive care units at Pioneers Memorial Hospital in Brawley.

Under a newly announced management services agreement, Rady Childrens will provide a medical director and a nursing leader to provide administrative services, such as program review and development, to Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District, which owns and operates the hospital.

Oversight of pediatric physicians serving both units will be handled by Rady Childrens Pediatric Medical Director Dr. Ameen Alshareef, who is on the medical staff of both hospitals. Nurse Tammie Miyagawa was selected to provide day-to-day operational leadership.

Rady said in a news release the hospital beds will remain under Pioneers license, and Rady Childrens will help implement best practices and protocols allowing patients to remain in the Imperial Valley. Rady Childrens will also help Pioneers achieve NICU certification by California Childrens Services, a state-run program.

Were looking forward to providing excellent health-care services to the children of the Imperial Valley, Dr. Gail Knight, Rady Childrens Hospitals senior vice president and chief medical officer, said in the release.

The two organizations have a pre-existing clinical partnership allowing Pioneers patients to receive care in San Diego, if necessary.

Pioneers Memorial Hospital is a 107-bed acute-care medical center. It is an affiliate of San Diego-based Scripps Health.

Rady Childrens offers an array of health-care services to children in San Diego, southern Orange, southern Riverside and Imperial counties.

Additional stories from the San Diego Business Journal are available here. Sign up for their free daily email newsletter.
San Diego Police (SDPD) are searching for a woman last seen near San Diego's iconic Sunset Cliffs region.

Amanda (Mandy) Cruse, 30, first arrived in San Diego on Feb. 18, 2017 from out of town.

On that Saturday, nearly two weeks ago, Cruse visited the Sunset Cliffs region on Point Loma, near Ocean Beach.

The following day, in the early morning hours of Feb. 19, Cruse may have went back to the Sunset Cliffs area, near Monaco Street.

Cruse was known to take photographs and may have been in the area to capture photos, police said.

SDPD Officer Billy Hernandez said authorities do not know the circumstances of how she went missing. There is no reason for police to think the report is false.

Cruse's family flew in from out-of-state and handed out fliers in the Sunset Cliffs area, according to SDPD Lt. Holden, but they have since left town.

Cruse, a Sri Lankan native, is described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, 115 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a grey sweatshirt, blue jeans and black white converse sneakers.

Any information on Cruse is asked to contact the San Diego Police Department at (619) 531-2000 or Detective Shelly Luna SDPD Missing Persons Unit (619) 531-2277.
For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL March 03, 2017  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 Dynegy Inc.s (NYSE: DYN  Free Report ), Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ARCH  Free Report ), CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNX  Free Report ), Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE  Free Report ) and Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (NYSE: PNW  Free Report ).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free .

Here are highlights from Thursdays Analyst Blog:

4 Stocks to Buy as Trump Prepares to Lift Coal Ban

Even as the stock market touches new all-time highs, signs are emerging that the Trump administration will soon move to overturn several environmental regulations. Most of them, such as the Clean Power Plan, are a legacy of the Trump era. Eliminating such restrictions would be in keeping with the President elects promises to revive the coal industry.

With coal prices surging immediately after the election, the optimism in the sector is more than palpable. Given the Presidents recent orders on the oil and gas sector, similar decisions on coal and conventional power should be expected soon. Investing in stocks poised to gain from these decisions may be a smart option at this point.

Repealing the Clean Power Plan

On the campaign trail, Trump promised to reverse Obamas clean energy proposals. The President incumbent had also promised to roll back the investment tax credit for solar power and the Environmental Protection Agencys Clean Power Plan.

The Clean Power Plan is the Obama administrations key environmental reform and mandates states to slash their carbon dioxide emissions. However, its actual implementation remains incomplete due to the legal obstacles put in its path by Republican dominated states.

Story continues

Experts believe that Trump will ask the EPA to request courts to return it the agency for a review. In one stroke, this will end any attempts to defend the plan legally. In Dec 2016, Dynegy Inc.s (NYSE: DYN  Free Report ) CEO Robert Flexon had said that the removal of subsidies for alternative energy sources would provide a level playing field for conventional power producers.

Coal fired plants would stand to gain the most, though this may not result in fresh capacity additions. Instead, existing coal fired plants would then be in a position to snatch market share away from nuclear and natural gas based power producers.

Coal Prices Surge, Mining to Benefit

As a result, Flexon added, such a stance on power would be especially beneficial for the coal mining sector as well. The capacity factor for coal would rise and miners would have to step up production to meet the increased demand from power plants. In fact, compared to the elimination of the Clean Power Plan, it would be easier for Trump to remove the Obama administrations ban on coal mining. In Jan 2016, the previous government had placed a temporary ban on fresh federal coal leases in order to ensure that lease deals accounted for coals impact on climate change.

Naturally, such a step had been extremely unpopular among lawmakers from states in the West as well as the mining industry. But the situation has changed vastly ever since Trump won the election. Following his victory, coal was trading at $110 per metric ton (MT), nearly twice as much as its price in the first quarter of 2016. Despite a slight decline, coal was trading at $83.50 per MT on Feb. 28, 2017, which is still substantially higher.

Immediately after assuming office, Trump brought to an end several environment related regulations which hark back to the Obama era. This includes the Stream Protection Rule which placed limits on the dumping of waste generated from coal mining. Additionally, Trump has also repealed the Waters of the U.S. rule which had broadened the number of waterways eligible for federal protection.

Our Choices

The rally in coal prices and the optimism among producers of conventional energy is conclusive evidence that the Trump administration has infused new vigor into these sectors. Even skeptics have been forced to admit that a mood of cautious optimism now exists, a sharp contrast to the gloom that had set in over the Obama years.

This is why it makes sense to pick stocks poised to gain from the new administrations coal related actions. We have narrowed down our search to the following stocks based on a good Zacks Rank and other relevant metrics.

Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ARCH  Free Report ) is engaged in the mining, processing and marketing of low-sulfur bituminous coal.

Arch Coal has expected earnings growth of more than 100% for the current year. Its earnings estimate for the current year has improved by 50.7% over the last 30 days. The stock has returned 18122% over the last one year, easily outperforming the Zacks Coal sector, which has gained 129.1% over the same period. The stock has a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNX  Free Report ) is a multi-fuel energy producer and an energy services provider, primarily catering to the U.S. power producers. The principal activities of its PA Mining Operations division are mining, preparation and marketing of thermal coal, sold primarily to power generators.

CONSOL Energy has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Its expected earnings growth for the current year is more than 100%. Its earnings estimate for the current year has improved by 96.4% over the last 30 days. The stock has returned 55.8% over the last one year, underperforming the Zacks Coal sector, which has gained 116.7% over the same period. This provides a good opportunity to buy the stock given that there is significant upside potential

Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE  Free Report ) is a utility company, which generates and distributes electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial and wholesale end markets in Missouri and Illinois. Ameren generates a considerable share of electricity from coal-fired facilities.

Ameren has a Zacks Rank #2. The company has expected earnings growth of 3.5% for the current year. Its earnings estimate for the current year has improved by 0.1% over the last 30 days. The stock has returned 16.5% over the last one year, outperforming the Zacks Utility - Electric Power sector, which has gained 4.9% over the same period.

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (NYSE: PNW  Free Report ) provides electricity services (wholesale or retail) in the state of Arizona through its subsidiaries. As of Sep 30, 2016 coal is projected to constitute 27% of the generation mix in 2017

Pinnacle West Capital has a Zacks Rank #2. The company has expected earnings growth of 7.6% for the current year. The stock has returned 20.3% over the last one year, outperforming the Zacks Utility - Electric Power sector, which has gained 4.9% over the same period.

Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2017

In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-hold tickers for the entirety of 2017?

Who wouldn't? Last year's market-beating Top 10 portfolio produced 5 double-digit winners. For example, oil and natural gas giant Pioneer Natural Resources and First Republic Bank racked up stellar gains of +44.9% and +44.3% respectively. Now a brand-new list for 2017 has been hand-picked from 4,400 companies covered by the Zacks Rank. See the 2017 Top 10 right now>>

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.

Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News

Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015. Its average gain has been a stellar +26% per year. See these high-potential stocks free >>.

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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.



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Disneys first gay kissing scene aired during an episode of "Star vs. Forces of Evil" earlier this week.

At a concert, the main character, Star, and her friend were surrounded by couples who were kissing, including two men and two women.

Reaction to the scene was largely positive. However, Disney is getting backlash for a separate attempt to show characters exploring their sexuality.

Bill Condon, director of the live remake of "Beauty and the Beast" said that LeFou, played by Josh Gad, would be confused by his sexuality in the new movie, USA Today reported. While he said he doesnt want to give away what happens, he called it "a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie."

Despite some positive reaction, though, a #BoycottDisney movement began on Twitter in response to the directors statement.
Two 17-year-olds died and an 18-year-old suffered serious injuries when a car slammed into a pole in Waldorf, Maryland, Friday afternoon.

The force of the crash split the car in two and sent part of the car across the intersection of Smallwood Drive and St. Nicholas Drive near the St. Charles Town Center. Colin C. Bipat, 17, and Desmond L. Cooke, 17, died at the scene. The two were seniors at Westlake High School.

The car was traveling east on Smallwood and approached stopped traffic about 12:40 p.m. Witnesses said it was driven at high speed.

"The speed was so super fast," witness Sudhir Manocha said. "My truck shook. I drive a big truck, and it shook. And I said, 'Why? What's wrong with this kid? Why is he driving so fast?'

"So next thing I see, he reaches this traffic light, and there was a car in front of him, so what I'm guessing is, to avoid hitting the car, he must have turned to his left, lost control and hit that pole," Manocha said. "That all happened in front of my eyes."

"They had two individuals deceased inside the car, Maj. Chris Becker of the Charles County Sheriffs Office said. There was a third individual located also with life-threatening injuries."

That person, Caleb F. Marshall, 18, was flown to a hospital. Marshall is also a student at Westlake High School.

"The two young men that lost their lives today are really good young men known throughout the school and a good circle of friends and, you know, always smiling gentlemen, you know, happy," said Westlake High School Principal Michael Meiser.

Meiser said the students were just three months away from graduating.

"It's really a gut shot to the families and to the school, the community, the teachers, the staff," Meiser said.

Police have not said what caused the crash.
Police have identified a teenager who was shot at an apartment complex in Oxon Hill, Maryland, as 17-year-old Jayquan Holloway.

Holloway lived on Southview Drive in Oxon Hill, Prince George's County Police said.

He was shot Thursday afternoon in the 1400 block of Iverson Street, not far from Potomac High School, where he was a junior.

Police responded to the scene about 2:50 p.m. and found Holloway outside an apartment building, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later, police said.

Detectives are searching for a suspect who may have been driving a light-colored SUV, authorities said. They are working to identify a motive in the killing.

"We know that there must have been somebody who saw something. We're still trying to track those people down," Prince George's County Police Lt. David Coleman said Thursday.

One resident who lives nearby told News4 they heard two to three gunshots.

Prince George's County Public Schools released the following statement Thursday:

"The Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) community is deeply saddened by the shooting that took the life of an 11th-grader at Potomac High School in Oxon Hill. We extend our deepest sympathies to his loved ones. Counselors will be at Potomac starting tomorrow [Friday] to support students and staff as long as needed. There will also be additional security staff and law enforcement officers on and around campus.

"We will continue working with county officials and community members to provide safe schools and neighborhoods throughout Prince George's County. It is our hope that those responsible for this tragic death will be quickly brought to justice."

Authorities are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 301-772-4925. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 866-411-TIPS (8477), text "PGPD" plus a message to CRIMES (274637), or submit a tip online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com.
On a day of celebrations for Howard University's 150th anniversary, students voiced their concerns over the school president's relationship with the Trump administration.

President Wayne Frederick, along with presidents of historically black colleges throughout the country, met with President Trump on Monday. Hours later, someone spray painted Welcome to Trump's Plantation. Overseer Wayne A.I. Frederick on a campus pathway.

"It's a very hostile environment right now," said student Jada Watts.

Some students were also opposed to Frederick recently meeting with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

During the school's Charter Day convocation, a ceremony usually filled with celebration, there was tension as students protested Frederick's meetings with the Trump administration.

Some said they feel blindsided and are calling for Frederick to be more transparent.

"I just feel like he needs to communicate with us better considering we are the students attending this university," Watts said.

Others disagreed with the protests.

"Disappointing that student chose to do that during this occasion and... I would charge students to do some research and explore the unique relationship that Howard has with the federal government," said Pierre Whatley, an alumnus of the university.

Gregory Carr, the chairman of the Department of African American Studies said student protests embody the spirit of Howard University.

"So what the students are doing today is in a long tradition of student protests and no, it isn't always comfortable and yes, sometimes there's overreach," Carr said.

The university said Frederick is listening to students and has met with every student organization that has requested to sit down with him. Frederick will continue to update students about campus business through emails, the university said.
A man broke into a military career center in Maryland and stole a car and a United States Army uniform, authorities say.

The theft happened at the U.S. Army Career Center in the 5400 block of St. Barnabas Road in Oxon Hill, Prince George's County police said. The department and the FBI's Baltimore Field Office are searching for the man they say stole a black, government-owned 2015 Hyundai Elantra, a dress uniform and other uniform items from the center shortly before 4 a.m. Thursday.

The car has government tags #G137282N, police said.

Police believe the suspect could be armed and may be headed to Fairfax County.

Anyone who sees a car matching the description should call 911, police said. Anyone with more information should call detectives at (301) 772-4401.
Firefighters found a man's body in the rubble of a massive house fire in Rockville, Maryland.

Larry Pagliai, 71, lived in the neighborhood for more than three decades, neighbors said.

"A sweet and gentle man," his brother-in-law Peter McGarry said. "A very private man, easy to talk to. People liked him."

Firefighters were called to his home at 16100 Willow Lane about 10:15 p.m. Thursday. When they arrived, the two-story home was fully engulfed in flames. The fire was so immense firefighters could not enter until it was extinguished.

"It did take about 15-20 minutes to knock down the bulk of the fire, but in that process there was a collapse," Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Pete Piringer said.

Once they extinguished the fire, only the home's brick chimneys were left standing.

"It's very likely the fire burned for a while before it was noticed," Piringer said. "In this particular case, there's good indication that the fire had been burning for a while before it was noticed by the neighbors across the street."

Pagliai, a CPA, lived alone in the house, Piringer said. He was a father of two daughters and a proud grandfather, McGarry said.

"We called his office this morning," McGarry said. "Secretary said, yeah, he hadn't shown up yet."

So family members rushed to his house and learned the worst had happened.

"Distraught," McGarry said. "This is horrible, you know."

Neighbors said they heard a loud bang Thursday night and then they heard a crackling. They looked out their window and saw the house engulfed.

"I saw the fire and it was really engulfed, the second floor, everything," neighbor Juanita Hayden said.

She called 911.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but no criminal activity is suspected.

"I feel bad," Hayden said. "You don't want anything like that to happen. You don't want to see anybody die."
Fairfax County police have found the remains of two people in a Fairfax County park, and investigators believe the deaths are "more than likely" gang-related.

Police started searching Holmes Run Park Wednesday after receiving a tip. Thursday, they said they had found "evidence" in a deeply wooded part of the park.

Police Chief Ed Roessler said both bodies were buried about 300 yards into the park.

Roessler believes the deaths may be gang-related, as gang members have used the park in the past for crimes. In 2014, the bodies of two men were found in the park. The gang members who committed those crimes were convicted last year.

"It's more than likely that the recovery of these bodies will be linked to another set of gang murders," Roessler said during a news conference Friday.

In recent months, there has been an increase in gang violence across northern Virginia and the rest of the D.C. region. Police say there are efforts underway to try and crackdown on the violence and it goes beyond just making arrests. News4s David Culver reports.

"This problem is horrible. This is four murders in this park. Obviously, we've had other murders in the region in the past few weeks. This is getting out of control and we need to stop it," Roessler said.

Investigators also began searching another park in Fairfax County since Wednesday. Late that day, police reported that they had completed the search in Lemon Road Park without finding anything.

"This event is tragic, and we want the community members of Fairfax County to know that we won't rest until the perpetrators of this crime are brought to justice," said Lt. Brian Gaydos, a spokesman for the Fairfax County Police Department.

Recently, police in northern Virginia found the bodies of two other people they believe were killed in gang-related attacks.

The first victim was Christian Sosa Rivas, who was killed in Prince William County in January. A search warrant filed in court revealed Sosa Rivas had styled himself as a leader of a local clique of the gang MS-13 -- a claim that didn't sit well with other gang leaders.

Fairfax County police have found the remains of two people in a Fairfax County park, and investigators believe the deaths are "more than likely" gang-related.

Police believe Sosa Rivas was lured away from his normal surrounding and murdered.

Police then tied his death to the murder of 15-year-old Alexandra Reyes. Investigators working on Sosa Rivas' case found Reyes' body last month near Lake Accotink in Springfield; she had been missing for two months.

A total of 10 suspects have been charged in connection with the girl's abduction and death. The majority of the suspects are juveniles. Police believe everyone involved is acquainted or affiliated with one gang, Gaydos said.

Reyes' family members identified that gang as MS-13.

Police have not said whether their search is connected to the murders of Rivas and Reyes.

Fairfax County police resumed their search for human remains in Holmes Run park early Thursday, a search they began after receiving a tip.

The discovery of more bodies has heightened concern over other missing teens in the area, including 14-year-old Sergio Arita Triminio and 17-year-old Edvin Escobar Mendez. Sergio and Edvin haven't been seen since last fall.

"We see nationwide hot spots across the nation. This happens to be a current hot spot and we're going to address it," said Tim Slater, with the FBI.

Residents who live near Holmes Run Park were concerned.

"It's just upsetting. I mean, you don't wake up everyday thinking, 'Oh, did anyone die behind my house?' and to know that it's potentially gang related, that's pretty scary as well," said resident Marita Elsts.




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Lessons about sexual consent may be added to the high school sexual education curriculum in Virginia.

A bill passed last month by the Virginia General Assembly requires the addition of "age-appropriate" information on consent to the Family Life Education curriculum taught in high schools. Students would be taught how to determine if someone is giving permission to engage in sex.

If young people don't get any lessons on consent until they go to college, it's too late, said Fairfax County Del. Eileen Filler-Corn, who introduced the legislation.

If the first time our students are hearing about whats appropriate is at college orientation, then weve really missed the boat, and its too late," she said.

She said House Bill 2257 is aimed at stopping sexual violence.

This is an issue that has been very important to me as a mom, not just as a legislator, for years and years," she said in an interview.

A coordinator in Fairfax County schools' health, family life and physical education department said explaining consent to students is a must.

The CDC put out information a couple of years ago when we started this conversation in our community about implementing this, that 1in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls are sexually assaulted by the age of 18," Liz Payne said.

Lessons about consent would be introduced statewide in the context of discussion of healthy and unhealthy relationships.

Filler-Corn's bill on teaching students about healthy relationships passed last year and is now law.

In 2015, California became the first state in the country to require that school districts add information on sexual consent to their health lessons.

In Fairfax County, discussion of consent begins in 10th grade. By the time students are in 12th grade, government teachers take over the subject and educate students about legal ramifications.

Filler-Corn responded to the idea that discussions of sex are best done at home, not in the classroom. She agreed.

Yeah that makes a lot of sense, but theyre not all learning that at home," she said.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe is expected to sign the bill into law.

Families and entire jurisdictions in the state would be able to opt out of the lessons. In Fairfax County, parents already have that option.
A Virginia woman can thank a loud fire alarm and her own quick thinking for ending an attack at her apartment complex early Thursday morning.

Just before 1 a.m., a man approached a 29-year-old woman getting out of her car at the Stoney Ridge Apartments complex on Westminster Lane in Woodbridge, police said.

The man exposed himself and made an obscene gesture, police said. When the woman tried to run to her apartment, the man inappropriately touched her and tried to stop her from going into her apartment.

She briefly struggled with the man until she was able to pull a fire alarm. A neighbor heard the alarm, went outside and chased away the man, police said.

Police used K9 to search for the man but did not find him.

No injuries were reported.
Massachusetts' Republican governor is pledging funds to Planned Parenthood in the event federal lawmakers defund the organization.

A spokesperson for Gov. Charlie Baker confirmed the support, which was originally reported by The Boston Globe Friday.

"Governor Baker is a strong supporter of women's health and believes the Commonwealth has a responsibility to ensure access to the important health care services offered by Planned Parenthood in all corners of our state, and the administration is prepared to fund these services should the federal government pursue changes that would block care for women and families here in Massachusetts," Baker's communications director, Lizzy Guyton, said.

As Republicans in Congress continue to hammer out health care reform proposals, some drafts have included language that would strip Planned Parenthood of Medicaid funds, which would affect the organization providing testing and treatment for STIs, cancer screenings and contraception for low-income women. Medicaid funds do not currently fund abortion services.

In a statement, Planned Parenthood's Massachusetts CEO, Dr. Jennifer Childs-Roshak, applauded Gov. Baker's announcement, but lamented that no governor should have to "mitigate attacks on women in his or her state made by Congress."

"At a time when extreme politicians in Congress want to block millions of people from accessing essential preventive care at Planned Parenthood health centers, it is reassuring to see Governor Baker put the health and wellbeing of our communities ahead of poltics," she said.

The Globe reports the Bay State's five Planned Parenthood clinics would lose up to $2 million a year from its budget of $21.5 million in the event the organization's federal funds are cut.
A Massachusetts woman battling cancer was looking for the "angel" she says saved her life on the side of a highway. But she found two of them.

Kate LaBelle of Leominster shared her story with NBC Boston Wednesday, explaining how an unidentified nurse saved her life.

She had been driving on Route 2 on May 27, 2016, when she began to lose consciousness on her way to a doctor's office to get a CT scan. She realized she needed to pull over.

She was taking the Devens exit when her head went down and her car hit the guardrail. The next thing she remembers is waking up to a nurse who comforted her until an ambulance arrived.

"It was terrifying just not knowing what was happening because I had no idea how sick I was," LaBelle said.

At the hospital, LaBelle was diagnosed with stage 4 angiosarcoma, a rare cancer of the blood vessels. It was causing her heart to fill up with fluid, putting so much pressure on it, doctors only had minutes to perform the emergency procedure that saved her.

"If it wasn't for that woman stopping, I probably wouldn't be here talking to you right now," LaBelle said.

LaBelle took to social media to try to find her Route 2 angel. After NBC Boston told her story, not one, but two, good Samaritans reached out  the nurse LaBelle remembers and a man who stopped to help, called 911 and took a picture at the scene.

Both "angels" sent well wishes.

"I honestly feel that I did what certainly any nurse would have done, and what most people in that situation would have done. I was helping someone who was in need," the nurse, who does not want to be identified, said in a written statement to NBC Boston. "Late last night, Katie and I were able to chat on the phone for the first time, and I learned of the tough road she has been on since that day in May. She has clearly been through a tough time this past year with her unexpected cancer diagnosis and treatment  but her beautiful spirit was so obvious to me while I was talking to her."

The nurse explained that she is looking forward to meeting LaBelle and her parents, and she asked people to help support her GoFundMe, closing by writing "#KatieStrong."

A Leominster, Massachusetts, woman battling stage four cancer is trying to find the good Samaritan she credits with saving her life not in a hospital, but on the side of the highway last year.

"I'd like to think anyone would stop, but I know that's not always the case." her father, David LaBelle, said Wednesday. "She went above and beyond."
A teenager is in stable condition after driving over an embankment and landing on a Massachusetts beach Thursday, police say.

The crash happened after police tried to stop the car, which they say was speeding from the Causeway onto Nahant Road around 5 p.m. Police ended the pursuit due to safety concerns.

When police searched the area, an officer noticed a missing section of guardrail above Forty Steps Beach before seeing the car flipped over on the beach.

Police and fire crews removed the 19-year-old from the car. He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he is listed in stable condition.
A married couple in Vermonts Addison County is turning to the community for help in finding a medical miracle.

Lee Sauerwald of Ripton is pleading with the public for a kidney for his wife, Grace.

I love my wife like crazy, so I would do anything for her, Lee Sauerwald told necn Friday.

Sauerwald put magnets on the back of the vehicles for his carpet cleaning business, urging potential donors to contact the University of Vermont Medical Center or the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

He also hung a sign in the window of a building his business shares with a gas station on Route 7 in Middlebury. The sign asks for a potential kidney donor to "share your spare" and tells people such a gift could save a life.

My husband is awesome, beamed Grace Sauerwald, who has a condition that causes cysts to grow on kidneys.

With no kidney function left, Grace now sits through 20 hours of home dialysis a week, she said.

She added that she has been praying for a miracle for five years.

I am a Christian; I believe in God, Grace Sauerwald said. My faith is very strong, and I know He's not going to let me down.

The kidney patient said she thought she could get a donation from a deceased donor, but her doctors told her an elevated count of antibodies in her system meant a living donor may be a better match.

Thats when the idea was born to put signs on the vehicles and in the window of the business.

Its the ultimate gift, Grace Sauerwald said of organ donation. It's the gift of life!

Her devoted husband was set to give that gift himself, Lee Sauerwald explained, until an unexpected twist.

In my attempt to donate, they found out I had cancer, he said. And they managed to get rid of it. But I have to wait five years before I'm even considered again.

That pancreatic cancer discovery now has Lee convinced that Grace saved his life.

Lee Sauerwald said he will continue aiming to extend his wifes life by spreading the word about organ donation through the signs on his vehicles and business.

There are so many people who need kidneys, Grace Sauerwald said. Whether someone comes forward for me, or you can help someone else. There are so many!

On their window sign and vehicle magnets, the couple urges anyone interested in seeing if theyre a live donor match to contact the University of Vermont Medical Center at 877-467-5102 or the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center at 603-653-3931.
Stamford police have arrested a Guatemalan man in the country illegally who is accused of sexually assaulting a toddler, according to police.

According to police, Douglas Hus-Flores, 19, was arrested and charged with first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.

The investigation began when the toddler was taken to Stamford Hospital after complaining of pain to her mother. The child was bleeding and had unspecified injuries.

Police said that doctors determined the injuries were likely caused by sexual assault. The child was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital for further treatment.

An immigration detainer was placed on Hus-Flores and he is being held on a $250,000 bond. He was arraigned Thursday and is next scheduled to appear in court on April 4.
A Haverhill, Massachusetts, woman was arrested for resisting arrest and assaulting a Hooksett, New Hampshire, police officer.

According to Hooksett police, an officer noticed a woman sitting in a vehicle late Thursday night at the closed Community Plaza located at 1100 Hooksett Road.

The woman was identified as Nicole Blackwell, age 43, from Haverhill, and officers learned there was an Electronic Bench warrant out for Blackwell's arrest after she failed to appear in court.

Officers informed Blackwell of the outstanding warrant but she refused to exit her vehicle.

During attempts to remove the woman from the car, she began kicking one of the officers several times in the head and shoulder.

The officer did not sustain any injuries.

Eventually officers were able to get Blackwell under control and place her in handcuffs.

She was charged with resisting arrest of detention and simple assault.

Blackwell was released on her own recognizance.

She is scheduled to appear in the 6th Circuit Court in Hooksett on April 12.
Hillary Clinton visited Harvard University Friday to talk about her time as secretary of state, according to the Harvard Crimson.

The former Democratic presidential candidate participated in an interview as part of the American Secretaries of State Project, a join venture of the Kennedy School, Law School and Business School.

Clinton also took part in a "Fireside Chat" with students from Harvards Institute of Politics.

Launched in 2012, the American Secretaries of State Project hopes to interview all living former U.S. secretaries of state about their experiences conducting international negotiations while in office, the Crimson reported.

Clinton served as secretary of state under former President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013.

It was Clinton's second speaking engagement at an instituation of higher education in less than 24 hours. She also stopped by Wellesley University, her alma mater, in Wellesley, Massachusetts, Thursday night.

Ashley Funk, who graduated from Wellesley College in 2016, told NBC News that Clinton reminisced of her time at the school and spoke "extensively" about the value of working in public service.

Funk said Clinton "encouraged us to stay resilient, stubborn, and grateful throughout our careers."

"One of my favorite quotes was 'Do not underestimate the value of stubbornness,'" she said.
Jurors in the double-murder trial of ex-NFL star Aaron Hernandez ventured to several sites related to the 2012 slayings.

On Friday, the panel of 15 people spent about two hours at the Cure Lounge in Boston, Massachusetts, where prosecutors say one of the victims bumped into the former Patriots tight end, spilling his drink.

The jury also stopped at the Tufts parking garage, where the victims were seen in surveillance video leaving in a BMW. They were also taken to the site of the shooting scene and a Boston Police Department evidence facility where they were shown the Toyota 4Runner Hernandez and his former friend, Alexander Bradley, were allegedly in when the shooting occurred.

By Friday afternoon, jurors had returned to the court room to hear testimony from a Cure Lounge manager and review security footage of Hernandez's interaction with his alleged victims, Safiro Furtado and Daniel de Abreu.

Hernandez's lawyer said during opening statements that Bradley is the real killer. Bradley is expected to be the prosecution's star witness against Hernandez.

On Thursday, the jurors were shown photos of a silver SUV with Rhode Island plates at a parking garage near the club, the site of the 2012 murders.

Hernandez is accused of gunning down Furtado and de Abreu from the SUV.
After a year-long outside investigation, the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire is revealing that five more former faculty members are accused of having inappropriate sexual relationships with students on campus.

That brings the total up to nine former employees.

One alleged victim tells NBC Boston that he believed this investigation has only scratched the surface.

I wasnt surprised. Disappointed maybe, but not surprised, said Lawrence Jenkens over the phone on Friday.

Last year, Jenkens became one of the first Phillips Exeter Academy graduates to come forward, claiming he was sexually abused by a school leader.

Since then, an international law firm has been conducting an outside investigation, the results reveal the names of five more faculty members accused of sexual misconduct.

Thats absolutely horrible, said lifelong Exeter resident Thomas Clinton.

When any kind of news breaks like that, I think it rattles everyone, said another resident, Jessica Tiernan.

The investigation started last March after the school fired two teachers for admitting to having sexual relationships with their students.

The latest report uncovers credible allegations against four other former teachers and one former school psychologist.

When asked whether there could be more, Jenkens replied, I would be surprised if there werent more.

In a statement, the Board of Trustees President Nicie Panetta wrote, in part, The Academy will be a stronger and more compassionate institution as a result, and future students for generations to come will be the beneficiaries of hard-won lessons.

Community members hope they can now close the book on Exeters darkest chapter.

The sooner its over, the better, Tiernan said.

But Jenkens says this story is far from over.

I think we are probably at the beginning of a painful process rather than at the end of it, he said.

Police have charged Jenkens alleged abuser, Arthur Peekel, with sex assault.

PEA leaders tell NBC Boston all of the information in that outside investigation has been turned over to police.
Middletown police seized thousands of dollars worth of cocaine and made an arrest after a resident reported a suspicious package was delivered to her home.

According to an arraignment report, a resident arrived in the police departments lobby Thursday around 11:30 a.m. with a package she said had been delivered to her home by the United States Postal Service. The woman said the package was addressed to her and the return address was that of her deceased brother, so she became suspicious and opened the package.

When she opened it she found a black lockbox containing three rectangular parcels that looked like bricks of drugs.

Police seized the package and tested the bricks, which were determined to be cocaine. The total value of the cocaine was estimated to be between $111,000 and $120,000, police said.

The woman told police shes told her neighbor, identified as 27-year-old Jasmine Delgado, to use her address to have a package of childrens clothes delivered from Puerto Rico.

The complainant left and within minutes contacted police to let them know that Delgado had called asking if her package had been delivered.

Police met with Delgado, who claimed she had been waiting for a package of childrens clothes and had no idea it had cocaine in it.

Delgado was arrested and charged with criminal attempt to possess narcotics, and criminal attempt to possess narcotics with intent to sell.

She was held on a $500,000 bond and is expected to appear in court on Friday.
A second arrest as been made in a multi-agency investigation into three Glastonbury spas where prostitution is suspected, police said.

On Thursday, Funu Lian was extradited from the Queens County Courthouse in New York.

It was believed that Lian had fled to New York after police executed three search warrants on various spas in Glastonbury in January.

Lian was charged with promoting prostitution. She was picked up in New York for a parking violation in New York on Thursday.

Various agencies served search warrants on Jan. 26 at the Relaxation Spa at 799 Hebron Ave., New Sunshine Reflexology at 2840 B Main St. and Pine Reflexology, at 18 School St.

Police said task force members received information that prostitution was occurring inside the local businesses and 43-year-old Guixing Jiang, 43, was charged with promoting prostitution.

Police places stop work orders on all three spas.

State officials said the stop work order at Relaxation Spawas for violation of state wage laws. They said there was no worker's compensation insurance to protect the employees in the event of injury and employees were paid in cash and there were no payroll records.

Lian's bond was set at $50,000.
St Peter Mancroft Church Norwich Presents The Leaves of the Trees an installation by sculptor Peter Walker which provides a memorial for those who died of Covid-19

St Peter Mancroft Church Norwich Presents The Leaves of the Trees an installation by sculptor Peter Walker which provides a memorial for those who died of Covid-19

Community Chaplaincy Norfolk begins a new chapter Community Chaplaincy Norfolk (CCN) celebrated the beginning of a new chapter this week, as the new chair of trustees Chris Tomlinson led his first annual meeting. Read more

Lowestoft Christians launch on-line bible helps app The Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth branch of Good News for Everyone (GNFE), formerly the Gideons, have introduced a new mobile phone app called On-line Bible Helps. Read more

Addicts' rehabilitation centre plan for Drayton Hall Christian addiction charity Teen Challenge London is planning to turn Drayton Hall near Norwich into its headquarters and a rehabilitation centre for men, after it was gifted the freehold of the hall by its owner, the Lind Trust. Read more

The power of positive protest Philip Young encourages us to take a stand for what we believe, and has just written to Therese Coffey regarding climate change and the forthcoming COP 27. He explains why we should be prepared to protest. Read more

Norwich church celebrates with cribs and trees Rosebery Road Methodist Church in Norwich will be holding its annual Cribs and Trees Festival in December. Read more

Transforming Norwich lunch offers ministry tips Ex-Brighton vicar, Rev Phil Moon, will offer tips on how to keep going in ministry to the Transforming Norwich leaders lunch on Wednesday November 16. Read more

Quiet Waters in Bungay offers healing retreat Quiet Waters Christian Retreat in Bungay is holding a gentle day retreat exploring healing in the Kingdom of God. Read more

Latest Norfolk Christian community events Events of interest to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community happening over the next few weeks are listed. Read more

Norfolk ministry coaching duo are guest speakers Former church leaders and now freelance ministry coaches, Jonathan and Paige Squirrell, are the guest speakers at the next dinner of Norwich FGB on Monday, November 21. Read more

Bringing light to Halloween Anna Price encourages Christians to engage positively with Halloween rather than hide away, on what many see as the darkest night of the year. Read more

First service takes place at Norwich church site SOUL Church hosted around 400 people for a special service on the site of their new building on Heartsease Lane. Read more

Dereham draws up list of warm places for winter As rising energy prices make it harder to heat homes, churches in Dereham are leading the way in creating warm spaces where people can go. Read more

South Norfolk church scoops national award A medieval Anglican church in a tiny hamlet in South Norfolk has won a national award and a 10,000 boost. Read more

Dereham churches help people to help themselves A group of churches in Dereham have launched an ambitious project which aims to meet needs in the town, including the provision of food and skills training. Read more

Halloween light in Gorleston church On Halloween this year, St Mary Magdalene Church in Gorleston will be preparing to welcome around 200 families to experience their Light on a Dark Night event. Read more

An opportunity for Norwich to pray for the nation Rev Nigel Fox, who has served as a Methodist Minister for 15 years in Norwich, shares an open invitation to pray for the nation at a crucial moment. Read more

Norwich church seeks musicians Kingdom Ambassadors International Church is appealing for instrumentlists, keyboardists and guitarists to be part of their worship experience. Read more
By 2020, an average internet user will use 1.5GB of traffic a day, and daily video traffic will reach 1PB, Intel predicts. A huge amount of data will be generated by autonomous vehicles, mobile devices, and internet-of-things devices.

Every day, more information is being collected and sent to faster servers in mega data centers, which analyze and make sense of it. That analysis has helped improved image and speech recognition and is making autonomous cars a reality.

Emerging superfast data networks like 5G -- a melting pot of wireless technologies -- will dispatch even more gathered information, which could stress data centers. Servers are already being redesigned to handle more data, and throughput technologies like Gen-Z and fiber optics will reduce latency.

At Mobile World Congress this week, computing on the edge was a big topic among infrastructure providers. Edge computing involves light processing on intermediary servers or on the edge of the networks. This type of computing can lead to faster responses for mobile services, without putting stress on servers in the core network.

Edge computing can also provide instant analytics to ensure the junk information is discarded and only useful information reaches servers on the core network. Edge computing is also emerging for virtualization, which slices loads of data in smaller packages rerouted to the right servers to be handled.

At MWC, many companies showed products and shared new ideas for computing on the edge. Most vendors had a common goal: to better control the flow and make better sense of data, especially with more data being collected by IoT devices.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise showed off its latest generation of IoT servers called Edgeline, similar to the company's Proliant servers but slimmed down. The servers sit on the edge and are able to analyze data before sending them to core servers in data centers. The servers can virtualize data packets on the edge, which then makes better use of computing resources.

For example, the Edgeline servers can handle mobile computing tasks, like responding to Facebook posts or search requests, on the edge. More intense data tasks, like image recognition, can be routed back to the centralized data center network, which handles machine learning tasks.

Nearby, Dell was showing off its Edge Gateway 3000 servers for multiple IoT applications. The servers can analyze data at the point of collection and dispatch them to the data center. These servers use Intel's latest Atom chips, which have up to 16 cores.

The Model 3001 is targeted toward industrial automation and energy management; the Model 3002 is aimed at transportation and logistics and fits into large vehicles like trucks; and the Model 3003 is designed for video streaming and point-of-sale applications.

The servers use new Xeon-D or Atom chips from Intel, which were shown by the chipmaker on the floor of the show. The chips are targeted at edge servers and networking gear. These chips are not as powerful as the Xeon E5 chips used in mainstream servers in data centers.

Ubuntu showed off some Open Compute Project network router designs with edge processing. The routers ran Ubuntu Snappy Core and can run software for edge processing. These routers are servers in their own right and reduce the load on high-end servers. Ubuntu "snaps" -- which are like apps -- can be tuned for specific edge processing tasks. More information about new edge router designs will be shared at Open Compute Project Summit next week.

Another interesting demo at the Ubuntu booth showed an ARM server doing edge processing for 5G networks. The ARM servers had 64-bit Cavium ThunderX2 chips that are already being used in networking gear but also could double up as low-power server chips for more powerful edge processing.

Powerful CPUs aren't needed for edge processing, but chips need to able to collate large datasets and ensure they are virtualized and redirected properly. ARM servers chips can virtualize data with the ARMv8 64-bit architecture, which has been adopted by chipmakers like Cavium.

Edge processing will be important for autonomous cars as well. The ultimate vision is that autonomous cars will be able to connect to superfast servers in the cloud to recognize images, draw up maps, and make better driving decisions. But those connections may not always be possible, which is where edge processing on the autonomous car will step in.

Intel and Qualcomm are providing unique circuitry for handling edge processing in autonomous vehicles. Intel is pushing FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays) into autonomous vehicles to handle specific tasks, while Qualcomm is relying on digital signal processors. FPGAs and other components are key components for autonomous cars and a flexible 5G infrastructure, said Venkata Renduchintala, president of the Intel Client and Internet of Things businesses and the Systems Architecture Group.

Edge processing is also becoming a priority for telecom providers, which are looking for ways to add flexibility to the services they provide to customers. For example, SK Telecom -- which is testing 5G rollouts in South Korea -- found edge processing valuable in virtualizing its data and radio networks.
On the campaign trail, candidate Donald Trump was so determined to present himself as the solution to H-1B visa abuse  the kind that has American IT workers training their foreign replacements -- that he promised to launch an investigation of the program on day one of his administration. Not in due time, on day one.

Today is day 43. No investigation has been launched. No changes have been made to the H-1B program. And its not clear when or if any will be forthcoming.

That no one should be surprised does not mean no one has taken notice. From a Computerworld story:

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill), a long-time critic of the H-1B visa program and co-sponsor of a reform bill with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), accused Trump today of failing "to put American workers first by cracking down on H-1B visa abuse. "I am disappointed that you have broken your campaign promise to take action on the first day of your Administration to reform foreign guest worker visas - especially the H-1B visa - to put American workers first," Durbin wrote in a letter to Trump sent Friday.

Meanwhile, a new bill filed by a longtime H-1B critic carries the potential for nudging President Trump back onto the path advocated by candidate Trump. Again, from Computerworld:

Since 2005, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) has been introducing H-1B reform legislation in the House and getting nowhere. But with the bill he introduced today, he might have struck gold. Pascrell calls his bill bipartisan, but that doesn't quite do it justice. The co-sponsors of this bill, called the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2017, are about as far apart politically as you can get.

But they are ultimately unlikely to prevail without the support and signature of President Trump.

And where the presidents true position stands on this matter is unclear. Trumps hotels and resorts depend upon visa programs to provide needed labor, a practice he has vigorously defended. The business community, particularly high-tech, argues the H-1B program is indispensable and that any limitations would hurt the U.S. economy.

At this point only one thing is certain: Trump is six weeks late and counting on delivering a key campaign promise.

Welcome regulars and passersby. Here are a few more recent buzzblog items. And, if youd like to receive Buzzblog via e-mail newsletter, heres where to sign up. You can follow me on Twitter here and on Google+ here.
"The victim had his arms raised to protect himself"

A 21-YEAR-OLD man made threats to kill another male while horrified afternoon shoppers at the Kennet Shopping centre looked on, a court heard.

Haydon Lucas, of Downside, East Ilsley, also shouted abuse before a security guard intervened on the afternoon of September 25.

Prosecutor Lesley Gilmore told Reading Magistrates Court last Thursday (February 23): Mr Lucas started hitting the other man shouting I will kill you.

At this point a security guard intervened and Mr Lucas ran off.

The security guard was still talking to the victim when Mr Lucas returned, shouting and kicking the victim.

At this time there were other members of the public around and witnesses say they saw him throw a punch at the man. The victim had his arms raised to protect himself.

Mr Lucas pleaded guilty to the section 4 public order offence.

The incident found Mr Lucas in breach of a 16-week suspended sentence imposed by the same court last year.

Adjourning the hearing to allow a pre-sentence report to be prepared, the district judge said: I have to think about custody but its the sort of thing I have to be very careful with considering his age.

Mr Lucas was released on conditional bail with the court ordering him not to visit the Kennet Shopping centre before the sentencing hearing today (Friday).
Twenty-four-year-old made "emotional calls" on mobile prior to fatal collision

A MAN has been jailed today for three years and eight months for killing another motorist in a collision on the A34 at East Ilsley.

Lewis Stratford, aged 24, admitted to using his mobile phone to make a series of "emotional phone calls" prior to and at the time of the collision on June 11 last year.

Stratford's Vauxhall Corsa collided into the central reservation and crossed onto the opposite carriageway colliding head-on with a BMW shortly before 10pm.

The driver of the BMW, 28-year-old Gavin Roberts, sustained life-threatening injuries and died in hospital four days after the incident.

Stratford, of Field Avenue, Oxford, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced at Reading Crown Court today (Friday).

Following the sentencing, senior investigating officer Sgt Beth Walton, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: "This case tragically evidences that distractions whilst driving do have and will continue to have catastrophic consequences, unless there is a change in some driver's attitudes.

"A combination of speed, mobile phone distraction and emotions in this case led to the collision and loss of Gavin Roberts' life, a young man with everything to live for. His family and friends lives shattered by his loss.

"This collision was preventable and would never had happened if Lewis Stratford had made different choices that night.

"His life has been affected, his life changed forever and the impact of his prison sentence and driving disqualification will continue to affect his life following his release.

"I hope the sentence today, and a change in law to increase penalties which came into place this week, will further highlight how seriously these offences will be taken and should encourage motorists to think twice before speeding and picking up the phone.

"Whilst today's sentencing will never bring Gavin back, I hope it will allow his family and friends to have a sense of closure and enable them to continue through their grief at this difficult time.

"I would ask people to think, think about the consequences I've mentioned, if you speed, if you use your mobile phone whilst driving then stop doing it and encourage those that you know who also do it, to stop."

Chief Crown Prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Adrian Foster, said mobile phone evidence determined that Stratford had been engaged on a phone call on his mobile phone immediately before, during and after the collision.

He added: "This is a tragic waste of Gavin's life, caused by inattention and distraction, and could have been avoided.

"Stratford answered 'no comment' in his police interview, but on Tuesday, 24 January 2017, at Reading Crown Court, due to the strength of evidence against him, and recognising that justice had caught up with him, he pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

"This case highlights the serious consequences of failing to be alert when driving. Holding a driving licence brings with it a high degree of responsibility that should always be at the forefront of every driver's mind. Mobile phones must not be used by drivers, under any circumstances, as they are a lethal distraction, which, as this case demonstrates, leads to untold misery.

"I hope that the conviction and today's sentence will in some way help the family and friends of Mr Roberts to come to terms with this tragic event. My thoughts are very much with them all at this time."

Following the fatal crash a petition was launched by Mr Roberts' partner Meg Williamson calling for the speed limit to be reduced from 70mph to 50mph on the dual carriageway.

The petition has so far gained more than 2,400 signatures.

In a statement Mr Roberts' father Geoff, said: "The last time I saw my son, Gavin, was three months before he died when we spent three days in Dublin together. I was on a trip to Ireland from our native Australia and he came to meet me. We had a good time. We always did. He was a great mate to me.

"He was a good mate to other people too. Gavin made friends easily, that's who he was. Every day he was in England he called friends and family in Australia, keeping in touch with everyone, seeing how they were.

"The last contact I had with him was the day before he died when I had booked a trip to Europe which included four days in London. I emailed him to ask what we could do together during that time. I never got a reply.

"I knew I would miss him when he told me he was moving from our home in Wollongong, to England to work as an electrical engineer. He started work in February 2016. He was on his way to work four months later when his car was hit by another car in a head-on crash.

"Friends in England called my older son, Nathan, to tell him about the collision and he told me. Hours later we were on a plane from Australia to see Gavin.

"Gavin's injuries were so bad that days later we had to make the decision to switch off the life support.

"Gavin's friends in England were wonderful to us and looked after us. Later in Australia we held Gavin's funeral. It was overwhelming how many people were there. Gavin wasn't a politician or a famous person but people liked him, they really liked him. Everyone wanted to pay their respects to him.

"He was a great guy, a delightful person. I am very proud that he was my son.

"At his funeral I found out that Gavin had made a pact with his brother to return to Australia after a couple of years in England so that in the future the two of them could bring up their kids together.

"My son died because the other driver was using his mobile phone."
Tony Petrarca refers to his first time on the air at WPRI after graduating from Lyndon State College as the scariest three-and-half minutes in his life.

Tony Petrarca refers to his first time on the air at WPRI after graduating from Lyndon State College as the scariest three-and-half minutes in his life.

March 17, 1987, Tony recalled. I just remember going a mile a minute. My mom called after the newscast [and said] You were hyperventilating. Slow down. But it got better from there.

Now, WPRI's chief meteorologist is celebrating 30 years at the Providence, Rhode Island station - a feat not often seen in the news broadcasting industry.

Tony is a native Rhode Islander, and grew up watching WPRI 12, and has lived there his entire life.

As a child, Tony would track snowstorms and hurricanes on his weather wall at home, and always dreamed of becoming a meteorologist. He thanks his parents for their love and support in helping him achieve his dream.

He is a graduate of Toll Gate High School in Warwick, and Lyndon State College in Lyndonville, Vermont, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in meteorology.

Tony is a member of the American Meteorological Society and holds the Societys highest standards for a television meteorologist with the A.M.S. Broadcast Seal Of Approval award. In 2012, he was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle in recognition of his 30 years as a meteorologist.

He has also been nominated 6 Times for the New England Emmy award for his work and was voted Most Accurate Meteorologist 10 times by Rhode Island Monthly Magazine annual readers poll, as well as numerous Civic awards. He has led the Pinpoint Weather team with Associated Press Awards for Best Weathercast in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and 2012. One of Tonys career highlights was spending a winter weekend atop of Mt. Washington, N.H. which later turned into a half hour Emmy nominated weather documentary entitled On Top Of New England.

In the past 30 years, Tony has forecast everything Mother Nature has to offer here in New England including blizzards, multiple Noreasters, the Historic Floods of 2010, Tropical Storm Irene, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the Blizzards of 2013, 2015, and the 1995-1996 winter, which brought more than 100 inches of snow, countless severe thunderstorms, and even the occasional tornado threat.

Tony never really left school. In the last 27 years, he has visited more than 600 elementary schools teaching children about weather. With his influence and guidance, some of these younger students decided to study weather in college.

Tonys motto is to give back to the community that he grew up in and he does just that. He has donated countless hours to various charitable organizations including the Tomorrow Fund, Meeting Street School, East Bay Coalition For The Homeless, Crossroads Homeless Shelter, The Fogarty Center, Hasbro Childrens Hospital and was a member of the Board of Directors for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Tony is the co-host for the annual Meeting Street Telethon and former host of the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon. In 2015 he received the Sons Of Italy Service Award He also serves as a Eucharistic minister at Sacred Heart Church in West Warwick, RI.

You can read WPRI's article celebrating Tony's work anniversary, and view the story WPRI reporter Walt Buteau did on Tony below.

Congrats Tony!
By Reuters

BRUSSELS: EU nations reached a compromise on long-awaited reforms to the carbon emissions market on Tuesday, moving the European Union closer to adopting key rules to deliver on its pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris climate accord.

Eager to maintain its leadership on climate change diplomacy, EU environment ministers sought to bridge divisions over how to balance environmental ambitions with protection for energy-intensive industries in reforming the Emission Trading System (ETS).

The cap-and-trade permit system is the EU's flagship policy to meet its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions from 11,000 energy-intensive industrial plants and power stations by 43 percent by 2030 when compared with levels in 2005.

But the market has suffered from an excess supply of permits since the financial crisis, which depressed prices.

Talks on reforms have dragged on for 18 months, with EU nations split over measures to strengthen prices, how not to impinge on competitiveness and how best to manage funds to help laggards modernise their economies.

"The negotiations have been going on all day; every country has had to compromise on something," Italian minister Gian Luca Galleti told colleagues after the vote, saying Rome was still unhappy with some aspects of the deal.

Poland's minister said he felt "cheated" by the deal, which 19 of the bloc's 28 nations supported. Nine nations voted against it.

An earlier draft of the compromise deal seen by Reuters called for measures to strengthen prices by doubling the rate at which the scheme's Market Stability Reserve (MSR) soaks up excess allowances and by cancelling surplus permits after 2024 held in the reserve above a ceiling of 650 million allowances.

However, the final deal, published on Thursday, calls for a yearly cancellation of allowances held in the reserve after 2024 above a threshold to be set by the number of allowances auctioned the previous year.

The deal also offers a cushion for industries worried about being short on allowances if a cap is triggered on overall allocations that slashes free allowances across the board, known as the cross-sectoral correction factor (CSCF).

Under the current ETS trading phase, which runs from 2013 to 2020, the majority of carbon permits are sold through government auctions, with most of the remainder given free to industry.

Tuesday's deal calls for an additional 2 percent of the permits due to be auctioned to instead be freely doled out to industry if the CSCF is triggered.

"We are very happy that the council really showed the ambition that we need if we are going to stick to the Paris target," Sweden's climate minister Isabella Lovin told Reuters after the vote.

"I think the world needs climate leadership right now."

Sweden, France and the Netherlands have led a push for measures to shore up permit prices, and reached a breakthrough at the start of talks when they won Germany's support.

Germany, Italy, Austria and Greece, meanwhile, have prioritised measures to ensure that regulation does not drive big industry abroad, such as the provision for a more flexible auction share.

Poorer, coal-reliant nations in Central and Eastern Europe are keen to get the most generous provisions possible to help modernise their economies.

A minimum of 16 member states is required to back the compromise deal, representing at least 65 percent of the total EU population.

EU nations need a common position before beginning talks with the European Parliament and the European Commission to finalise EU legislation on the reforms tabled by the Commission more than a year ago.

The European Parliament last week adopted draft reforms of the carbon market that will go to plenary vote later this month.

BRUSSELS: EU nations reached a compromise on long-awaited reforms to the carbon emissions market on Tuesday, moving the European Union closer to adopting key rules to deliver on its pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris climate accord. Eager to maintain its leadership on climate change diplomacy, EU environment ministers sought to bridge divisions over how to balance environmental ambitions with protection for energy-intensive industries in reforming the Emission Trading System (ETS). The cap-and-trade permit system is the EU's flagship policy to meet its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions from 11,000 energy-intensive industrial plants and power stations by 43 percent by 2030 when compared with levels in 2005. But the market has suffered from an excess supply of permits since the financial crisis, which depressed prices. Talks on reforms have dragged on for 18 months, with EU nations split over measures to strengthen prices, how not to impinge on competitiveness and how best to manage funds to help laggards modernise their economies. "The negotiations have been going on all day; every country has had to compromise on something," Italian minister Gian Luca Galleti told colleagues after the vote, saying Rome was still unhappy with some aspects of the deal. Poland's minister said he felt "cheated" by the deal, which 19 of the bloc's 28 nations supported. Nine nations voted against it. An earlier draft of the compromise deal seen by Reuters called for measures to strengthen prices by doubling the rate at which the scheme's Market Stability Reserve (MSR) soaks up excess allowances and by cancelling surplus permits after 2024 held in the reserve above a ceiling of 650 million allowances. However, the final deal, published on Thursday, calls for a yearly cancellation of allowances held in the reserve after 2024 above a threshold to be set by the number of allowances auctioned the previous year. The deal also offers a cushion for industries worried about being short on allowances if a cap is triggered on overall allocations that slashes free allowances across the board, known as the cross-sectoral correction factor (CSCF). Under the current ETS trading phase, which runs from 2013 to 2020, the majority of carbon permits are sold through government auctions, with most of the remainder given free to industry. Tuesday's deal calls for an additional 2 percent of the permits due to be auctioned to instead be freely doled out to industry if the CSCF is triggered. "We are very happy that the council really showed the ambition that we need if we are going to stick to the Paris target," Sweden's climate minister Isabella Lovin told Reuters after the vote. "I think the world needs climate leadership right now." Sweden, France and the Netherlands have led a push for measures to shore up permit prices, and reached a breakthrough at the start of talks when they won Germany's support. Germany, Italy, Austria and Greece, meanwhile, have prioritised measures to ensure that regulation does not drive big industry abroad, such as the provision for a more flexible auction share. Poorer, coal-reliant nations in Central and Eastern Europe are keen to get the most generous provisions possible to help modernise their economies. A minimum of 16 member states is required to back the compromise deal, representing at least 65 percent of the total EU population. EU nations need a common position before beginning talks with the European Parliament and the European Commission to finalise EU legislation on the reforms tabled by the Commission more than a year ago. The European Parliament last week adopted draft reforms of the carbon market that will go to plenary vote later this month.
By Reuters

NEW DELHI: State-run gas company GAIL (India) Ltd has signed a time-swap deal with Swiss trader Gunvor to sell some of its U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG), sources said, as the Indian firm tries to ease the burden of its costly foreign LNG supplies.

It is the first time-swap agreement by GAIL, which is trying to juggle its LNG portfolio to cut costs for price-sensitive Indian customers after a sharp fall in Asian spot prices made its U.S. gas unattractive.

The deal equates to around 5 percent of India's 2015/16 LNG imports and will support a government push to promote use of the cleaner fuel in fertiliser and the power sector, even as India's local gas production is falling.

Under the agreement, Gunvor will supply 15 cargoes or about 0.8 million tonnes of LNG to GAIL on India's west cost between April and December this year in oil-linked prices on a delivered basis in India, two sources with knowledge of the deal said.

In return GAIL will sell 10 cargoes or about 0.6 million tonnes next year from Sabine Pass on the U.S. Gulf coast in 2018 at a premium to its pricing formula on a free-on-board (FOB) basis, they said.

The deal, priced at about a 12 percent slope to Brent, means GAIL could get gas from Gunvor at $6.50-$7.00 per million British thermal units (mBtu), the sources said, competitive with Asian spot prices and much cheaper than the cost of shipping its own U.S. gas to India.

"We are seeing spot deals (in India) for April deliveries getting finalised at slightly more than $6.50 (mBtu) so GAIL's deal with Gunvor is at very competitive rates," said an Asian LNG trader.

GAIL is saddled with long-term contracts to take expensive U.S. gas after embarking on a buying spree between 2011 and 2013 when the fuel was scarce and prices kept rising.

LNG booked by GAIL under a long-term deal with Cheniere Energy, which owns the Sabine Pass Liquefaction terminal, will cost 115 percent of Henry Hub prices plus a fixed cost of $3 per mBtu. At current prices, this equates to a cost of about $8.50 per mBtu on a delivered basis to India.

GAIL was not immediately available for comment. Gunvor declined to comment.

The Indian firm has a deal to buy 3.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG for 20 years from Cheniere Energy and has also booked capacity for another 2.3 mtpa at Dominion Energy's Cove Point liquefaction plant.

It has so far sold about 0.5 million tonnes of its LNG from the U.S. projects to Royal Dutch Shell, but has not been able to attract Indian customers despite repeated attempts.

"GAIL is in talks with more players to sell LNG from its U.S. portfolio," said one of the sources.

New Delhi wants to lift the share of cleaner-burning gas in its energy mix to 15 percent in the next three years from about 6.5 percent at present.

GAIL is also in talks with Russia's Gazprom to delay and renegotiate a 20-year gas purchase deal undercut by low spot prices.

NEW DELHI: State-run gas company GAIL (India) Ltd has signed a time-swap deal with Swiss trader Gunvor to sell some of its U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG), sources said, as the Indian firm tries to ease the burden of its costly foreign LNG supplies. It is the first time-swap agreement by GAIL, which is trying to juggle its LNG portfolio to cut costs for price-sensitive Indian customers after a sharp fall in Asian spot prices made its U.S. gas unattractive. The deal equates to around 5 percent of India's 2015/16 LNG imports and will support a government push to promote use of the cleaner fuel in fertiliser and the power sector, even as India's local gas production is falling. Under the agreement, Gunvor will supply 15 cargoes or about 0.8 million tonnes of LNG to GAIL on India's west cost between April and December this year in oil-linked prices on a delivered basis in India, two sources with knowledge of the deal said. In return GAIL will sell 10 cargoes or about 0.6 million tonnes next year from Sabine Pass on the U.S. Gulf coast in 2018 at a premium to its pricing formula on a free-on-board (FOB) basis, they said. The deal, priced at about a 12 percent slope to Brent, means GAIL could get gas from Gunvor at $6.50-$7.00 per million British thermal units (mBtu), the sources said, competitive with Asian spot prices and much cheaper than the cost of shipping its own U.S. gas to India. "We are seeing spot deals (in India) for April deliveries getting finalised at slightly more than $6.50 (mBtu) so GAIL's deal with Gunvor is at very competitive rates," said an Asian LNG trader. GAIL is saddled with long-term contracts to take expensive U.S. gas after embarking on a buying spree between 2011 and 2013 when the fuel was scarce and prices kept rising. LNG booked by GAIL under a long-term deal with Cheniere Energy, which owns the Sabine Pass Liquefaction terminal, will cost 115 percent of Henry Hub prices plus a fixed cost of $3 per mBtu. At current prices, this equates to a cost of about $8.50 per mBtu on a delivered basis to India. GAIL was not immediately available for comment. Gunvor declined to comment. The Indian firm has a deal to buy 3.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG for 20 years from Cheniere Energy and has also booked capacity for another 2.3 mtpa at Dominion Energy's Cove Point liquefaction plant. It has so far sold about 0.5 million tonnes of its LNG from the U.S. projects to Royal Dutch Shell, but has not been able to attract Indian customers despite repeated attempts. "GAIL is in talks with more players to sell LNG from its U.S. portfolio," said one of the sources. New Delhi wants to lift the share of cleaner-burning gas in its energy mix to 15 percent in the next three years from about 6.5 percent at present. GAIL is also in talks with Russia's Gazprom to delay and renegotiate a 20-year gas purchase deal undercut by low spot prices.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Japanese companies are keen to invest in Indias food processing sector especially in fruits, vegetables and spices, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said.

Badal, who is on a three-day visit to Tokyo leading a CII delegation, on Thursday met Japanese Agriculture Minister Ken Saito to discuss ways to improve bilateral trade between the two countries. She highlighted the opportunities that India offers in the food processing sector.

Badal also met top officials of Japanese food companies.

We had a positive interaction. The Japanese government and companies are keen to strengthen ties in the food processing sector. They are looking for more business opportunities in India, PTI quoted the minister as saying.

Japan, the fourth largest investor in India, is currently sourcing seafood from India. It is now keen to invest in the processing of fruits and vegetables as well as spices and make India a prospective base and export hub, she said.

One of the Japanese firm engaged in manufacturing of tomato paste wants to become a global leader and is looking at India for sourcing the commodity in huge quantity, she added. Badal met officials of companies including Marubeni Corporation, House foods Corporation, Japan Association of Refrigerated Warehouses.

NEW DELHI: Japanese companies are keen to invest in Indias food processing sector especially in fruits, vegetables and spices, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said. Badal, who is on a three-day visit to Tokyo leading a CII delegation, on Thursday met Japanese Agriculture Minister Ken Saito to discuss ways to improve bilateral trade between the two countries. She highlighted the opportunities that India offers in the food processing sector. Badal also met top officials of Japanese food companies. We had a positive interaction. The Japanese government and companies are keen to strengthen ties in the food processing sector. They are looking for more business opportunities in India, PTI quoted the minister as saying. Japan, the fourth largest investor in India, is currently sourcing seafood from India. It is now keen to invest in the processing of fruits and vegetables as well as spices and make India a prospective base and export hub, she said. One of the Japanese firm engaged in manufacturing of tomato paste wants to become a global leader and is looking at India for sourcing the commodity in huge quantity, she added. Badal met officials of companies including Marubeni Corporation, House foods Corporation, Japan Association of Refrigerated Warehouses.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Chinese e-commerce giant Alibabas Singapore wing Alibaba Singapore E-Commerce is leading a $200-million funding round in Paytm E-Commerce, the online marketplace arm of One97 Communications. This will mark the Chinese firms official entry into the Indian e-commerce market, with reports putting its stake after the investment at 62 per cent.

According to filings with the Registrar of Companies, Alibaba will invest Rs 1,182 crore ($177 million) in Paytms e-commerce arm.

The rest, $23 million, will be invested by venture capital firm SAIF Partners, an early investor in One97, the holding company for the de-merged Paytm online payments and e-commerce businesses.

With this, Alibabas stakeholding will increase from 40 per cent to 62 per cent in the e-commerce arm, NewsCorps VCCircle reported. While Alibaba has a stake in Indian e-commerce firm SnapDeal as well, sources say the stakeholding is between three and five per cent.

But, with 62 per cent in Paytm E-Commerce, Alibaba will finally have a majority stake in an Indian e-commerce firm.

Alibabas official entry into the e-commerce space will heat up the competition and force Indian e-commerce firms to look for funds more seriously. According to analysts, this will only increase the need for these firms to increase their focus on profit making.

Flipkart has been finding it hard to raise funds and while they are reportedly close to doing so, it is because they have begun to show more operational efficiency under new leadership. This will continue to be a pre-requisite if they, and other Indian players, are to raise more funds to compete, said an analyst who did not wish to be identified.

Aside from the entry of Alibaba formally into the Indian e-commerce market, the deal will also put Paytm E-Commerces valuation at more than $800 million. Paytm did not respond to queries regarding the development.

When contacted, a Paytm spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.

CHENNAI: Chinese e-commerce giant Alibabas Singapore wing Alibaba Singapore E-Commerce is leading a $200-million funding round in Paytm E-Commerce, the online marketplace arm of One97 Communications. This will mark the Chinese firms official entry into the Indian e-commerce market, with reports putting its stake after the investment at 62 per cent. According to filings with the Registrar of Companies, Alibaba will invest Rs 1,182 crore ($177 million) in Paytms e-commerce arm. The rest, $23 million, will be invested by venture capital firm SAIF Partners, an early investor in One97, the holding company for the de-merged Paytm online payments and e-commerce businesses. With this, Alibabas stakeholding will increase from 40 per cent to 62 per cent in the e-commerce arm, NewsCorps VCCircle reported. While Alibaba has a stake in Indian e-commerce firm SnapDeal as well, sources say the stakeholding is between three and five per cent. But, with 62 per cent in Paytm E-Commerce, Alibaba will finally have a majority stake in an Indian e-commerce firm. Alibabas official entry into the e-commerce space will heat up the competition and force Indian e-commerce firms to look for funds more seriously. According to analysts, this will only increase the need for these firms to increase their focus on profit making. Flipkart has been finding it hard to raise funds and while they are reportedly close to doing so, it is because they have begun to show more operational efficiency under new leadership. This will continue to be a pre-requisite if they, and other Indian players, are to raise more funds to compete, said an analyst who did not wish to be identified. Aside from the entry of Alibaba formally into the Indian e-commerce market, the deal will also put Paytm E-Commerces valuation at more than $800 million. Paytm did not respond to queries regarding the development. When contacted, a Paytm spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Vinod Pavarala, a professor of the S N School of Communications at the University of Hyderabad, withdrew his participation from a conference scheduled to be held in San Diego considering the prevailing xenophobia in USA. The professor is also the UNESCO Chair on Community Media at UoH.

The 67th edition of the conference is scheduled to be held from May 25 to 29 by the International Communication Association (ICA). Prof Vinod Pavarala said that he was invited to speak at the special per-conference which focuses on 'India and media in India after 70 years of Independence'. He was also going to present a paper at the conference.

Here is his Facebook post:

"I informed the president of ICA that I am withdrawing. He accepted it graciously," Vinod said, adding that the decision was not taken out of fear for personal safety and that he felt comfortable when he stayed at campuses in USA.

HYDERABAD: Vinod Pavarala, a professor of the S N School of Communications at the University of Hyderabad, withdrew his participation from a conference scheduled to be held in San Diego considering the prevailing xenophobia in USA. The professor is also the UNESCO Chair on Community Media at UoH. The 67th edition of the conference is scheduled to be held from May 25 to 29 by the International Communication Association (ICA). Prof Vinod Pavarala said that he was invited to speak at the special per-conference which focuses on 'India and media in India after 70 years of Independence'. He was also going to present a paper at the conference. Here is his Facebook post: "I informed the president of ICA that I am withdrawing. He accepted it graciously," Vinod said, adding that the decision was not taken out of fear for personal safety and that he felt comfortable when he stayed at campuses in USA.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: Not long after Prakash Jha's Lipstick Under My Burkha was denied certification, the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) has found its latest victim in the Malayalam film Ka Bodyscapes' and FTII chairman Gajendra Chauhan justifies its move.

I would like to appreciate Censor Board and revising committee that they stopped the film from showing. I got to know that Lord Hanuman has been shown in a derogatory manner. I object, said the 60-year-old to ANI on the last day in his office.

According to Chauhan, films like Ka Bodyscapes shouldnt be allowed in India as nobody has the right to hurt a religion and its views.

He added, Court should also not allow it. What do they have to prove by making movies on freedom of expression and artistic values? Do they want to show the future generation their parents in bad light?

CBFC believes that Ka Bodyscapes glorifies gay and homosexual relationship, but seems like Chauhan is against the flick for not the same reason.

Make a movie on sexual orientation that can teach something, not hurt a religious belief. I condemn the movie, Chauhan continued.

The movie follows the lives of three young people in Calicut  Haris, a gay painter; Vishnu, a rural kabaddi player and their friend Sia, an activist who refuse to conform to dominant norms of femininity, struggle to find space and happiness in a conservative Indian City.

Director Jayan Cherian posted the official letter from the CBFC on social media, adding, Its official, Mr. Pahlaj Nihalani (chairman of the CBFC) put the final nail in my coffin!

The letter, from the second revising committee, reads, "The second Revising Committee felt that the film is glorifying the subject of gay and homosexual relationship, nudity accentuating vital parts of male body (in paintings) in closed shots in the whole movie."

"The film is explicit of scene offending Hindu sensibilities depicting vulgarity and obscenity through the movie. The religion of 'Hindu' is portrayed in a derogatory manner especially Lord Hanuman (shown in a poor light as gay) which may cause law and order problem in the society."

"The film contains posters depicting homosexuality throughout the movie and derogatory remarks against women. Abusive language is used in most of the places and also a female Muslim character is shown masturbating. The film has references to Hindu organisations indirectly which is unwarranted."

NEW DELHI: Not long after Prakash Jha's Lipstick Under My Burkha was denied certification, the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) has found its latest victim in the Malayalam film Ka Bodyscapes' and FTII chairman Gajendra Chauhan justifies its move. I would like to appreciate Censor Board and revising committee that they stopped the film from showing. I got to know that Lord Hanuman has been shown in a derogatory manner. I object, said the 60-year-old to ANI on the last day in his office. According to Chauhan, films like Ka Bodyscapes shouldnt be allowed in India as nobody has the right to hurt a religion and its views. He added, Court should also not allow it. What do they have to prove by making movies on freedom of expression and artistic values? Do they want to show the future generation their parents in bad light? CBFC believes that Ka Bodyscapes glorifies gay and homosexual relationship, but seems like Chauhan is against the flick for not the same reason. Make a movie on sexual orientation that can teach something, not hurt a religious belief. I condemn the movie, Chauhan continued. The movie follows the lives of three young people in Calicut  Haris, a gay painter; Vishnu, a rural kabaddi player and their friend Sia, an activist who refuse to conform to dominant norms of femininity, struggle to find space and happiness in a conservative Indian City. Director Jayan Cherian posted the official letter from the CBFC on social media, adding, Its official, Mr. Pahlaj Nihalani (chairman of the CBFC) put the final nail in my coffin! The letter, from the second revising committee, reads, "The second Revising Committee felt that the film is glorifying the subject of gay and homosexual relationship, nudity accentuating vital parts of male body (in paintings) in closed shots in the whole movie." "The film is explicit of scene offending Hindu sensibilities depicting vulgarity and obscenity through the movie. The religion of 'Hindu' is portrayed in a derogatory manner especially Lord Hanuman (shown in a poor light as gay) which may cause law and order problem in the society." "The film contains posters depicting homosexuality throughout the movie and derogatory remarks against women. Abusive language is used in most of the places and also a female Muslim character is shown masturbating. The film has references to Hindu organisations indirectly which is unwarranted."
Sudhir Srinivasan By

Express News Service

The date was January 12, 1995. I t was a week ahead of the international release of Before Sunrise, and director Richard Linklater had perhaps not made up his mind about writing its sequels. Meanwhile, something huge was set to be unleashed on Tamil cinema; something monumental that would elevate the status of a star to dizzying heights from which he would never descend.

It was two days before the Pongal festival, and as was the norm in Tamil cinema, many filmseight, including Baasha  were set for release, including Kamal Haasans Sathi Leelavathi. While the other seven went on to get released on Sunday, January 15, Baasha secured an advance release, three days ahead of its competition.

Even in those days, you knew it wasnt wise to have your film released alongside a Rajinikanth-starrer.

Film historian G Dhananjayan remembers that the film wasnt advertised too aggressively. Posters were put up around the city, but the promotions werent as exhaustive as they are today. You didnt have social media then. Hell, you didnt even have internet then. VSNLs dial-up connection whose connecting sounds were immortalised by AR Rahman in the opening bit of Oh Maria from Kadhalar Dhinam  was to be launched only months later in the same year.

Rajinikanths fan clubs, as many as they were even then, hadnt yet exploded out of calculable reach. It was three years since the release of Annamalai, and Rajinikanth had suffered the debacles of Uzhaippali and Valli. His previous collaboration with Suresh Krissna, Veera, had redeemed his reputation somewhat, despite its controversial climax. So, you werent quite sure about Baasha.

The title itself was a departure from usual Rajinikanth films, which were either generic summarizations of the protagonists character (Padikkadavan, Uzhaipali, Panakkaran, Mappillai), or relatable Hindu names of the protagonist (Annamalai, Pandiyan, Veera). You didnt really know what to expect from Baasha, and if you were a Rajini fan, as I was as an 11-year-old, you were rather nervous.

You knew you didnt want another Valli. You drew hope from the success of the songs before the films release. You stuck your pencil into the audio cassette and rewound Naan Autokaaran over and over. You went back to school after the half-yearly holidays and drummed the songs beat on benches in between classes. You were the class hero if you could sing all the lines right.

Sometimes, you got them mixed up, and your friend would say, No! Its nallavanga kootukaaran. And then, kambedutha vettakaaran. You didnt get to watch such sought-after films on the first day; not easily anyway. Today, you have people using the hashtag FDFS for films, and you want to smirk considering that the most they likely did to buy their tickets was to stay awake till midnight and open half-a-dozen tabs at once in different browsers.

Back then, it was a lot like that famous theatre scene in Mannan, which released three years before Baasha. You didnt threaten people with razor blades, of course, but you may as well have, considering the jostling you had to endure. You had to endure a sleepless night. You had to endure standing in a queue that was always hopelessly long. And then, after hours of waiting, you likely had to endure being told that the tickets were sold out just as you dragged your hurting feet to the counter.

You then likely had to resort to buying the tickets in black and had to pay an exorbitant price (Rs 200) for the balcony ticket (Rs 30). The excess of then is the norm of today. Despite being a huge admirer of the actor, I couldnt convince my family to get tickets for the first show. We caught an evening show on the first day at the-then theatre of dreams  Devi.

Those of us who remember the magic of cinema as watched in that unending screen of Devi can never truly dismiss the theatre. Dhananjayan caught the film in Devi too. There were hardly five or six top theatres you got to choose from, including Maharani and Alankar.

Sathyam Cinemas then had three single screens, Sathyam, Santham, and Subham. The complex itself was one of several less-glamorous options. You didnt know then that it would become what it has today. You didnt know then that it would introduce popcorn and make it taste like dreams. There were other things you didnt know.

As Rajinikanth breaks into dance for the opening song after saluting the audience, you didnt know then that one of the background dancersif you could see him amid the flying confetti, amid the mob running towards the screen so they could join the Superstar in dance, amid the utter chaos following Rajinikanths introductionwas a man called Kalyan, who would go on to become a respected dance choreographer in Tamil cinema.

You didnt know that the film you were watching would become the biggest hit of its directors career; that the directors career would then begin to slowly fade. You definitely didnt know that this film would catapult its actors popularity to levels that had previously been thought unachievable. As Dhananjayan says, His statements acquired the power to decide the fate of governments.

On the night of its release, as I happily slept with the reaffirmation that Rajinikanth indeed was the greatest actor in the galaxy, a get-together was taking place on the terrace of veteran producer SP Muthuramans house.

Actor Mohan Raman remembers the night as if it were yesterday: I was privileged to be part of the gathering. Not everybody got to meet the Superstar on the day of his films release. The man himself joined the get-together at 11.30 pm. I distinctly recall him being utterly thrilled that the film was doing so well.

For months after the release, Baasha was all you discussed. If you wanted to watch a film, you went and saw Baasha again. You watched it till you could run the film in your head during classes, scene by scene, dialogue by dialogue. Only two months later did Mani Ratnams Bombay come in to share the spotlight. By then, Baasha had become to Rajini what  Thirumalai is to Vijay, and Billa is to Ajith, says Dhananjayan. Something unexpected, something magical had happened in Baashha.

Neither Suresh Krissna nor Rajinikanth could ever put their finger on it. And thats why while lesser films have had sequels being made, Baasha hasnt. It likely will not ever. And now, after 22 years, its not Baashas sequel releasing, but Baasha itself.Abirami Ramanathan, owner of Abirami Mega Mall, thinks that the timing is all wrong.

Exams will stop families from thronging the theatres, he says. And yet, seeing as how the opening days tickets are all sold out, it seems that the film has survived the test of time. For those of us who knew what the world was like when the film originally released, its pure magic that we are now booking tickets for Baasha using devices that hadnt even been invented when it first released.

The date was January 12, 1995. I t was a week ahead of the international release of Before Sunrise, and director Richard Linklater had perhaps not made up his mind about writing its sequels. Meanwhile, something huge was set to be unleashed on Tamil cinema; something monumental that would elevate the status of a star to dizzying heights from which he would never descend. It was two days before the Pongal festival, and as was the norm in Tamil cinema, many filmseight, including Baasha  were set for release, including Kamal Haasans Sathi Leelavathi. While the other seven went on to get released on Sunday, January 15, Baasha secured an advance release, three days ahead of its competition. Even in those days, you knew it wasnt wise to have your film released alongside a Rajinikanth-starrer. Film historian G Dhananjayan remembers that the film wasnt advertised too aggressively. Posters were put up around the city, but the promotions werent as exhaustive as they are today. You didnt have social media then. Hell, you didnt even have internet then. VSNLs dial-up connection whose connecting sounds were immortalised by AR Rahman in the opening bit of Oh Maria from Kadhalar Dhinam  was to be launched only months later in the same year. Rajinikanths fan clubs, as many as they were even then, hadnt yet exploded out of calculable reach. It was three years since the release of Annamalai, and Rajinikanth had suffered the debacles of Uzhaippali and Valli. His previous collaboration with Suresh Krissna, Veera, had redeemed his reputation somewhat, despite its controversial climax. So, you werent quite sure about Baasha. The title itself was a departure from usual Rajinikanth films, which were either generic summarizations of the protagonists character (Padikkadavan, Uzhaipali, Panakkaran, Mappillai), or relatable Hindu names of the protagonist (Annamalai, Pandiyan, Veera). You didnt really know what to expect from Baasha, and if you were a Rajini fan, as I was as an 11-year-old, you were rather nervous. You knew you didnt want another Valli. You drew hope from the success of the songs before the films release. You stuck your pencil into the audio cassette and rewound Naan Autokaaran over and over. You went back to school after the half-yearly holidays and drummed the songs beat on benches in between classes. You were the class hero if you could sing all the lines right. Sometimes, you got them mixed up, and your friend would say, No! Its nallavanga kootukaaran. And then, kambedutha vettakaaran. You didnt get to watch such sought-after films on the first day; not easily anyway. Today, you have people using the hashtag FDFS for films, and you want to smirk considering that the most they likely did to buy their tickets was to stay awake till midnight and open half-a-dozen tabs at once in different browsers. Back then, it was a lot like that famous theatre scene in Mannan, which released three years before Baasha. You didnt threaten people with razor blades, of course, but you may as well have, considering the jostling you had to endure. You had to endure a sleepless night. You had to endure standing in a queue that was always hopelessly long. And then, after hours of waiting, you likely had to endure being told that the tickets were sold out just as you dragged your hurting feet to the counter. You then likely had to resort to buying the tickets in black and had to pay an exorbitant price (Rs 200) for the balcony ticket (Rs 30). The excess of then is the norm of today. Despite being a huge admirer of the actor, I couldnt convince my family to get tickets for the first show. We caught an evening show on the first day at the-then theatre of dreams  Devi. Those of us who remember the magic of cinema as watched in that unending screen of Devi can never truly dismiss the theatre. Dhananjayan caught the film in Devi too. There were hardly five or six top theatres you got to choose from, including Maharani and Alankar. Sathyam Cinemas then had three single screens, Sathyam, Santham, and Subham. The complex itself was one of several less-glamorous options. You didnt know then that it would become what it has today. You didnt know then that it would introduce popcorn and make it taste like dreams. There were other things you didnt know. As Rajinikanth breaks into dance for the opening song after saluting the audience, you didnt know then that one of the background dancersif you could see him amid the flying confetti, amid the mob running towards the screen so they could join the Superstar in dance, amid the utter chaos following Rajinikanths introductionwas a man called Kalyan, who would go on to become a respected dance choreographer in Tamil cinema. You didnt know that the film you were watching would become the biggest hit of its directors career; that the directors career would then begin to slowly fade. You definitely didnt know that this film would catapult its actors popularity to levels that had previously been thought unachievable. As Dhananjayan says, His statements acquired the power to decide the fate of governments. On the night of its release, as I happily slept with the reaffirmation that Rajinikanth indeed was the greatest actor in the galaxy, a get-together was taking place on the terrace of veteran producer SP Muthuramans house. Actor Mohan Raman remembers the night as if it were yesterday: I was privileged to be part of the gathering. Not everybody got to meet the Superstar on the day of his films release. The man himself joined the get-together at 11.30 pm. I distinctly recall him being utterly thrilled that the film was doing so well. For months after the release, Baasha was all you discussed. If you wanted to watch a film, you went and saw Baasha again. You watched it till you could run the film in your head during classes, scene by scene, dialogue by dialogue. Only two months later did Mani Ratnams Bombay come in to share the spotlight. By then, Baasha had become to Rajini what  Thirumalai is to Vijay, and Billa is to Ajith, says Dhananjayan. Something unexpected, something magical had happened in Baashha. Neither Suresh Krissna nor Rajinikanth could ever put their finger on it. And thats why while lesser films have had sequels being made, Baasha hasnt. It likely will not ever. And now, after 22 years, its not Baashas sequel releasing, but Baasha itself.Abirami Ramanathan, owner of Abirami Mega Mall, thinks that the timing is all wrong. Exams will stop families from thronging the theatres, he says. And yet, seeing as how the opening days tickets are all sold out, it seems that the film has survived the test of time. For those of us who knew what the world was like when the film originally released, its pure magic that we are now booking tickets for Baasha using devices that hadnt even been invented when it first released.
By IANS

NEW DELHI: After arriving in India in January last year, Chinese internet and technology conglomerate LeEco fast became the "true disrupter" in the evolving Indian smartphone market with its huge marketing spend -- and the announcement of a state-of-the-art assembling/manufacturing unit.

News that the company has fired 85 per cent of its India staff across the sales, marketing and distribution departments -- and confirmed by a company source to IANS on Friday -- has effectively punctured a mammoth dream just within a year.

The source also confirmed to IANS that both Atul Jain, Chief Operating Officer, Smart Electronics Business, and Debashish Ghosh, Chief Operating Officer for Internet Applications, Services and Content, were "asked to leave" and had not quit as reported.

Speculation is also rife that LeEco may finally exit the country after spending millions on promoting its ecosystem of "superphones" and "super TVs".

"LeEco is in serious financial trouble and has, as a consequence, practically ceased India operations. The staff layoffs are a direct consequence of this. Even in the previous quarter, their shipments were close to zero," Jaideep Mehta, Managing Director, IDC South Asia, told IANS.

After its entry into India, the company launched five superphones, a LeEco membership of content and internet services, its e-commerce platform LeMall and, most recently, "SuperTVs".

"LeEco, as the name suggests, was built on the premise of an ecosystem. The device would open a user to an ecosystem and it was not just a smartphone. However, for a country like India, and even for many countries globally, this ecosystem isn't ready yet. Paid content consumption hasn't become big enough for a company to survive while earning nothing on the device itself," Faisal Kawoosa, Principal Analyst, Telecoms, CyberMedia Research (CMR), told IANS.

On the contrary, if you see other handset brands, to an extent they too make money from content, but as value-added earnings -- which is just a fraction of the actual earnings out of the device. For them, it is akin to average revenue per user (ARPU) of a telecom operator where the operator wants to earn more per user by offering additional services.

"LeEco came in to disrupt this business model and make the secondary streams of earnings as their primary. For that to happen, the ecosystem hasn't arrived yet. So their positioning as well as proposition went wrong. It dismayed a user to see nothing extraordinary in terms of Device+ strategy," Kawoosa added.

In August, LeEco announced a $7 million manufacturing unit in Greater Noida in the presence of IT and Electronics Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

"As the market size for electronics is expected to grow to $400 billion by 2020, it is imperative to promote indigenous manufacturing. LeEco is a name of global reputation and it is heartening to see it align with 'Make in India' after entering India just eight months earlier," Prasad had told the gathering.

LeEco planned to ramp up the production to approximately 200,000 "superphones" per month by the end of 2016, before a severe financial crunch caught up with the company.

"I think there was a disconnect with their go-to-market strategy. Being an online player they spending was almost like a player with an offline distribution strategy. Although their products were good, it was the overall marketing strategy that led to quick cash-burn," Tarun Pathak, Senior Analyst, Mobile Devices and Ecosystems at New Delhi-based Counterpoint Research, told IANS.

According to Kawoosa, for few years, LeEco should have positioned itself as a brand offering better specs of hardware at affordable prices.

"Eventually, as the ecosystem would have matured, they could have played the LeEco card," Kawoosa told IANS.

For assembling/manufacturing in India, LeEco had partnered with the US-based company M2i which will continue to manufacture for others if, by any chance, LeEco doesn't continue to manufacture in India.

"I would say, these experiments will go on and we may see brands coming in and out for manufacturing in India. For 'Make in India', I wouldn't consider this as a blow yet," Pathak noted.

Given the LeEco experience, other smartphone players need to look at their scale of operations and play to their strengths.

"Since India is a such a diverse market, one strategy doesn't lead to guaranteed success throughout the country. With the smartphone segment being so competitive, and amidst razor-thin margins, brands need to watch their campaigns and invest wisely," added Kawoosa.

"It is simply a case of an over-ambitious company going under," Mehta noted.

NEW DELHI: After arriving in India in January last year, Chinese internet and technology conglomerate LeEco fast became the "true disrupter" in the evolving Indian smartphone market with its huge marketing spend -- and the announcement of a state-of-the-art assembling/manufacturing unit. News that the company has fired 85 per cent of its India staff across the sales, marketing and distribution departments -- and confirmed by a company source to IANS on Friday -- has effectively punctured a mammoth dream just within a year. The source also confirmed to IANS that both Atul Jain, Chief Operating Officer, Smart Electronics Business, and Debashish Ghosh, Chief Operating Officer for Internet Applications, Services and Content, were "asked to leave" and had not quit as reported. Speculation is also rife that LeEco may finally exit the country after spending millions on promoting its ecosystem of "superphones" and "super TVs". "LeEco is in serious financial trouble and has, as a consequence, practically ceased India operations. The staff layoffs are a direct consequence of this. Even in the previous quarter, their shipments were close to zero," Jaideep Mehta, Managing Director, IDC South Asia, told IANS. After its entry into India, the company launched five superphones, a LeEco membership of content and internet services, its e-commerce platform LeMall and, most recently, "SuperTVs". "LeEco, as the name suggests, was built on the premise of an ecosystem. The device would open a user to an ecosystem and it was not just a smartphone. However, for a country like India, and even for many countries globally, this ecosystem isn't ready yet. Paid content consumption hasn't become big enough for a company to survive while earning nothing on the device itself," Faisal Kawoosa, Principal Analyst, Telecoms, CyberMedia Research (CMR), told IANS. On the contrary, if you see other handset brands, to an extent they too make money from content, but as value-added earnings -- which is just a fraction of the actual earnings out of the device. For them, it is akin to average revenue per user (ARPU) of a telecom operator where the operator wants to earn more per user by offering additional services. "LeEco came in to disrupt this business model and make the secondary streams of earnings as their primary. For that to happen, the ecosystem hasn't arrived yet. So their positioning as well as proposition went wrong. It dismayed a user to see nothing extraordinary in terms of Device+ strategy," Kawoosa added. In August, LeEco announced a $7 million manufacturing unit in Greater Noida in the presence of IT and Electronics Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. "As the market size for electronics is expected to grow to $400 billion by 2020, it is imperative to promote indigenous manufacturing. LeEco is a name of global reputation and it is heartening to see it align with 'Make in India' after entering India just eight months earlier," Prasad had told the gathering. LeEco planned to ramp up the production to approximately 200,000 "superphones" per month by the end of 2016, before a severe financial crunch caught up with the company. "I think there was a disconnect with their go-to-market strategy. Being an online player they spending was almost like a player with an offline distribution strategy. Although their products were good, it was the overall marketing strategy that led to quick cash-burn," Tarun Pathak, Senior Analyst, Mobile Devices and Ecosystems at New Delhi-based Counterpoint Research, told IANS. According to Kawoosa, for few years, LeEco should have positioned itself as a brand offering better specs of hardware at affordable prices. "Eventually, as the ecosystem would have matured, they could have played the LeEco card," Kawoosa told IANS. For assembling/manufacturing in India, LeEco had partnered with the US-based company M2i which will continue to manufacture for others if, by any chance, LeEco doesn't continue to manufacture in India. "I would say, these experiments will go on and we may see brands coming in and out for manufacturing in India. For 'Make in India', I wouldn't consider this as a blow yet," Pathak noted. Given the LeEco experience, other smartphone players need to look at their scale of operations and play to their strengths. "Since India is a such a diverse market, one strategy doesn't lead to guaranteed success throughout the country. With the smartphone segment being so competitive, and amidst razor-thin margins, brands need to watch their campaigns and invest wisely," added Kawoosa. "It is simply a case of an over-ambitious company going under," Mehta noted.
By IANS

KOLKATA: Arrested BJP leader Juhee Chowdhury, suspected to be involved in a child trafficking racket in West Bengal, has mentioned the names of some "influential political personalities" during her grilling, a CID source said on Thursday.



"Juhee is presently being interrogated about her alleged involvement in the child trafficking racket. She has mentioned the names of some influential political personalities during interrogation which we cannot reveal right now for the sake of the investigation," a CID officer said.



The officer also confirmed that Chowdhury would be interrogated together with prime accused Chandana Chakraborty for clarity in the case.



"We would interrogate them together as well as separately as we need the corroboration and contradiction from both of them," he added.



Chowdhury, a former leader of Bharatiya Janata Party's woman wing (mahila morcha) in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, was arrested by the state police's Criminal Investigation Department on Tuesday night from Batasia area close to the India-Nepal border in Darjeeling and was sent to 12 days CID custody on Wednesday.



Following the court order, the BJP removed her from the post of the state secretary of the Mahila Morcha (women's wing), saying her activities have harmed the party's image.



According to the sources, Chowdhury fled to a relative's house in Nepal for a few days to escape from the state investigating agency before returning to the village near the Indo-Nepal border.



CID sleuths are also looking for her father Rabindranarayan Chowdhury, a local BJP leader who looked after Juhee's financial transactions.



Chowdhury's arrest came after Chandana Chakraborty, arrested in connection with the scandal earlier, blamed her for wrongdoing and accused the young BJP leader of negotiating with the political heavyweights in Delhi about her child adoption centre.



"Juhee assured me she would sort out all the issues. She might have talked to (BJP leaders) Roopa Ganguly and Kailash Vijayvargiya. I was sitting in a separate room. We are innocent. We will definitely help in the investigation," Chakraborty alleged. Both Ganguly and Vijayvargiya have rubbished the charges.



The state BJP leadership, which conceded that the party was "under some discomfort" after the young leader's arrest, said it would not take her side if she is found guilty.



"There is no denying the fact that her arrest has caused us some discomfort," said former BJP state President Rahul Sinha.

KOLKATA: Arrested BJP leader Juhee Chowdhury, suspected to be involved in a child trafficking racket in West Bengal, has mentioned the names of some "influential political personalities" during her grilling, a CID source said on Thursday. "Juhee is presently being interrogated about her alleged involvement in the child trafficking racket. She has mentioned the names of some influential political personalities during interrogation which we cannot reveal right now for the sake of the investigation," a CID officer said. The officer also confirmed that Chowdhury would be interrogated together with prime accused Chandana Chakraborty for clarity in the case. "We would interrogate them together as well as separately as we need the corroboration and contradiction from both of them," he added. Chowdhury, a former leader of Bharatiya Janata Party's woman wing (mahila morcha) in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, was arrested by the state police's Criminal Investigation Department on Tuesday night from Batasia area close to the India-Nepal border in Darjeeling and was sent to 12 days CID custody on Wednesday. Following the court order, the BJP removed her from the post of the state secretary of the Mahila Morcha (women's wing), saying her activities have harmed the party's image. According to the sources, Chowdhury fled to a relative's house in Nepal for a few days to escape from the state investigating agency before returning to the village near the Indo-Nepal border. CID sleuths are also looking for her father Rabindranarayan Chowdhury, a local BJP leader who looked after Juhee's financial transactions. Chowdhury's arrest came after Chandana Chakraborty, arrested in connection with the scandal earlier, blamed her for wrongdoing and accused the young BJP leader of negotiating with the political heavyweights in Delhi about her child adoption centre. "Juhee assured me she would sort out all the issues. She might have talked to (BJP leaders) Roopa Ganguly and Kailash Vijayvargiya. I was sitting in a separate room. We are innocent. We will definitely help in the investigation," Chakraborty alleged. Both Ganguly and Vijayvargiya have rubbished the charges. The state BJP leadership, which conceded that the party was "under some discomfort" after the young leader's arrest, said it would not take her side if she is found guilty. "There is no denying the fact that her arrest has caused us some discomfort," said former BJP state President Rahul Sinha.
By IANS

NEW DELHI: The ABVP on Friday said it will soon file a police complaint against the appearance of "anti-national" posters in the JNU campus.



"These posters were allegedly pasted inside the campus by Democratic Students Union (DSU) and our delegation complained to the JNU administration on Friday and demanded action against DSU and the students behind such anti-national stuff but the administration claimed these posters were from last year," Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad's (ABVP) Delhi State Secretary Bharat Khatana told IANS.



The controversy cropped up on Thursday evening when some students found certain posters inside the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus which called for freedom for Kashmir and Palestine and "right for self determination".



"We have also complained to Lt Governor Anil Baijal about such anti-national posters inside JNU campus during our meeting with him at Raj Niwas.



"We have asked him to direct the Delhi Police to file a chargesheet in the February 9, 2016, anti-national sloganeering by Umar Khalid and DSU supporters in JNU and now in Delhi University," Khatana said.



"We will file a complaint against DSU for putting such posters with anti-national content inside JNU campus," he added.



The police however said they are yet to hear from the students on this issue and have not been asked to file a complaint.



"We have not received any complaint from any students organisation and JNU administration over any posters. We are waiting for a formal complaint before taking any action," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Chinmoy Biswal told IANS.



NEW DELHI: The ABVP on Friday said it will soon file a police complaint against the appearance of "anti-national" posters in the JNU campus. "These posters were allegedly pasted inside the campus by Democratic Students Union (DSU) and our delegation complained to the JNU administration on Friday and demanded action against DSU and the students behind such anti-national stuff but the administration claimed these posters were from last year," Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad's (ABVP) Delhi State Secretary Bharat Khatana told IANS. The controversy cropped up on Thursday evening when some students found certain posters inside the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus which called for freedom for Kashmir and Palestine and "right for self determination". "We have also complained to Lt Governor Anil Baijal about such anti-national posters inside JNU campus during our meeting with him at Raj Niwas. "We have asked him to direct the Delhi Police to file a chargesheet in the February 9, 2016, anti-national sloganeering by Umar Khalid and DSU supporters in JNU and now in Delhi University," Khatana said. "We will file a complaint against DSU for putting such posters with anti-national content inside JNU campus," he added. The police however said they are yet to hear from the students on this issue and have not been asked to file a complaint. "We have not received any complaint from any students organisation and JNU administration over any posters. We are waiting for a formal complaint before taking any action," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Chinmoy Biswal told IANS.
By IANS

PATNA: The Bihar government on Friday suspended an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer for his alleged role in a leakage of question papers, an official said.



"The state government has suspended Sudhir Kumar, Chairman of Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Bihar, a week after he was arrested from neighbouring Jharkhand in connection with a leakage of question papers," a General Administration Department official said.



The department has also issued a notification to this effect.



Kumar, a 1987-batch IAS officer, was arrested along with four of his close relatives from Hazaribagh district.



He had widely been known as a hard working and honest officer.



The Bihar IAS Association has protested against the arrest of Kumar and also demanded a CBI probe into the case.



The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue of Kumar's arrest in the ongoing budget session of the state assembly.



The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Bihar Police, which arrested Kumar, has submitted evidences against him to the state government. The SIT is said to have informed the government that it has strong evidences against the officer.



Last month after the leakage surfaced, the examination for recruitment of clerks in the state government, which was conducted in two parts on February 5 and 8, was cancelled.



The leaked questions appeared in the social media sites and WhatsApp on both dates and went viral in no time.



The SIT has also arrested the owner of a printing press in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, where the SSC, Bihar, question papers were printed.



During the interrogation of the owner, it was established that the papers were leaked from there ahead of the examinations, police officials said.



The Bihar government had suspended SSC Secretary Parmeshwar Ram before he was also arrested earlier this week.



More than 20 persons have so far been arrested over the leakage of question paper.

PATNA: The Bihar government on Friday suspended an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer for his alleged role in a leakage of question papers, an official said. "The state government has suspended Sudhir Kumar, Chairman of Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Bihar, a week after he was arrested from neighbouring Jharkhand in connection with a leakage of question papers," a General Administration Department official said. The department has also issued a notification to this effect. Kumar, a 1987-batch IAS officer, was arrested along with four of his close relatives from Hazaribagh district. He had widely been known as a hard working and honest officer. The Bihar IAS Association has protested against the arrest of Kumar and also demanded a CBI probe into the case. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue of Kumar's arrest in the ongoing budget session of the state assembly. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Bihar Police, which arrested Kumar, has submitted evidences against him to the state government. The SIT is said to have informed the government that it has strong evidences against the officer. Last month after the leakage surfaced, the examination for recruitment of clerks in the state government, which was conducted in two parts on February 5 and 8, was cancelled. The leaked questions appeared in the social media sites and WhatsApp on both dates and went viral in no time. The SIT has also arrested the owner of a printing press in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, where the SSC, Bihar, question papers were printed. During the interrogation of the owner, it was established that the papers were leaked from there ahead of the examinations, police officials said. The Bihar government had suspended SSC Secretary Parmeshwar Ram before he was also arrested earlier this week. More than 20 persons have so far been arrested over the leakage of question paper.
Namita bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: The buzz has changed ever so slightly as the UP electoral bandwagon moved into the eastern region of the State. With 89 seats at stake across 14 districts in the sixth and seventh phases on March 4 and 8 respectively, the BJPs campaign, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has shifted to a higher gear and refused to back down on demonetisation after a couple of weeks of being on the defensive.

On the other hand, the Samajwadi Party is defending this turf without the active involvement of Mulayam Singh Yadav in his own constituency of Azamgarh where it won nine out the 10 seats in 2012. Indeed, the SP had then swept this region, winning 50 out of the 89 seats. The last stretch is, therefore, likely to be a trial of Akhilesh Yadavs acceptance.

For Modi, the gentle spin given to the GDP numbers by the Central Statistical Organisation has been timely as he revs up the BJP campaign in a region with a higher proportion of the upper caste vote.

The fact that the pangs of demonetisation have begun to ease and queues at ATMs have ceased is working to the advantage of the BJP while blunting Akhileshs criticism of demonetisation.

On the other hand, the challenge for the Samajwadis is stiffer as the party is facing a strong anti-incumbency sentiment in this region.

The SP government has not done enough in eastern UP despite having won a huge mandate from this region. The party has disappointed its voters across these 14 districts which are grappling with a number of issues, says a prominent political scientist.

LUCKNOW: The buzz has changed ever so slightly as the UP electoral bandwagon moved into the eastern region of the State. With 89 seats at stake across 14 districts in the sixth and seventh phases on March 4 and 8 respectively, the BJPs campaign, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has shifted to a higher gear and refused to back down on demonetisation after a couple of weeks of being on the defensive. On the other hand, the Samajwadi Party is defending this turf without the active involvement of Mulayam Singh Yadav in his own constituency of Azamgarh where it won nine out the 10 seats in 2012. Indeed, the SP had then swept this region, winning 50 out of the 89 seats. The last stretch is, therefore, likely to be a trial of Akhilesh Yadavs acceptance. For Modi, the gentle spin given to the GDP numbers by the Central Statistical Organisation has been timely as he revs up the BJP campaign in a region with a higher proportion of the upper caste vote. The fact that the pangs of demonetisation have begun to ease and queues at ATMs have ceased is working to the advantage of the BJP while blunting Akhileshs criticism of demonetisation. On the other hand, the challenge for the Samajwadis is stiffer as the party is facing a strong anti-incumbency sentiment in this region. The SP government has not done enough in eastern UP despite having won a huge mandate from this region. The party has disappointed its voters across these 14 districts which are grappling with a number of issues, says a prominent political scientist.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: A civilian was killed and two CRPF men and a civilian injured in a grenade attack on the armored vehicle of paramilitary forces in South Kashmirs Pulwama district.

A police officer said militants hurled a grenade towards a CRPF vehicle (mobile bunker) in busy Murran chowk area of Pulwama district at around 11.45 am.

He said the grenade hit the rear side of the vehicle and exploded with a big bang.

Two civilians and two CRPF men sustained splinter injuries in the grenade blast.

The injured were rushed to District Hospital Pulwama, where one of the critically injured person identified as Mohammad Ayoub Wani succumbed to injuries.

According to doctors, the grenade splinters had pierced through his heart.

They termed condition of another injured as stable.

Immediately after the grenade attack, police and paramilitary personnel laid siege around the area. They conducted combing operation in the area to flush out the militants responsible for the attack. However, no arrests were reported.

A police officer said they believe the attack was carried out by Hizbul Mujahideen militants.

The Hizb militants are mostly active in South Kashmir and this attack would have been carried by them. We are trying to identify the militants involved in the attack, he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has condemned the killing of a civilian in the grenade attack.

Killings and violence have done no good to societies but have only added up the miseries and wounds of people leaving behind a trail of tragedies, she said and expressed her sympathies with the injured in the blast and prayed for their speedy recovery.

SRINAGAR: A civilian was killed and two CRPF men and a civilian injured in a grenade attack on the armored vehicle of paramilitary forces in South Kashmirs Pulwama district. A police officer said militants hurled a grenade towards a CRPF vehicle (mobile bunker) in busy Murran chowk area of Pulwama district at around 11.45 am. He said the grenade hit the rear side of the vehicle and exploded with a big bang. window.__ventunoplayer = window.__ventunoplayer||[]; window.__ventunoplayer.push({video_key: 'ODk3MDAwfHw4fHw2fHwxLDIsMQ==', holder_id: 'vt-video-player', player_type: 'vp', width:'100%', ratio:'4:3'}); Two civilians and two CRPF men sustained splinter injuries in the grenade blast. The injured were rushed to District Hospital Pulwama, where one of the critically injured person identified as Mohammad Ayoub Wani succumbed to injuries. According to doctors, the grenade splinters had pierced through his heart. They termed condition of another injured as stable. Immediately after the grenade attack, police and paramilitary personnel laid siege around the area. They conducted combing operation in the area to flush out the militants responsible for the attack. However, no arrests were reported. A police officer said they believe the attack was carried out by Hizbul Mujahideen militants. The Hizb militants are mostly active in South Kashmir and this attack would have been carried by them. We are trying to identify the militants involved in the attack, he said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has condemned the killing of a civilian in the grenade attack. Killings and violence have done no good to societies but have only added up the miseries and wounds of people leaving behind a trail of tragedies, she said and expressed her sympathies with the injured in the blast and prayed for their speedy recovery.
Rakesh K Singh By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The security of the CRPF personnel who will facilitate the conduct of elections in violence-hit Manipur on Saturday may be compromised as the paramilitary directorate here has not provided Mine Protected Vehicles (MPVs) and Bullet-Proof Vehicles (BPVs) for the force deployed in the poll-bound State.

The Manipur & Nagaland sector of the CRPF had projected a requirement of as many as 10 MPVs and about 20 BPVs but none have reached the sensitive State, insiders in the paramilitary said.

The requirements for MPVs and other gadgets were projected after Intelligence inputs indicated infiltration of insurgent groups from Myanmar and other areas to attack security forces and disrupt the election process

To buttress its demand for MPVs, the M & N Sector of the CRPF had alerted the CRPF Directorate here that the insurgent groups in Manipur have developed the expertise in making and triggering IEDs and cases of IEDs/Grenade detection and explosions have been reported every month. The Sector had also clearly mentioned that the requirements of the specialised vehicles, communication equipment and other gadgets like satellite phones projected on the basis of threat perception, security scenario and location of the polling stations in far-flung areas.

The Sector had projected a demand of 10 MPVs preferably those fitted with electronic counter measure device like initiator and jammers for deployment in critical and vulnerable areas.

Officials said the CRPF headquarters could not provide the MPVs due to large-scale shortage of these specialised vehicles. The paramilitary does not have a long-term planning for procurement of critical equipment for the safety of the personnel and no MPV has been procured in the last five years, officials from the ground said in condition of anonymity, adding the Union Home Ministry has not even provided a dedicated helicopter for meeting exigencies during the polls.

They said CRPF will be deployed in most sensitive areas of Ukhrul, Churachandpur and Senapati besides the bordering areas of the State where there is high degree of possibility that the insurgent groups might target the convoys of vehicles carrying security force;s personnel.

The security situation in the Northeast remains volatile and the insurgent groups have intermittently targeted the security forces in Manipur with over 200 IED blasts reported from the region in the last over seven years. The security forces have recovered over 5,000 IEDs during the period, a senior official said.

Recently, two CRPF troops were injured when the insurgent groups attacked the Force in Imphal West district of Manipur.

On December 3 last year, the terrorists hit a convoy of Assam Rifles along the Indo-Mynamar border in Arunachal Pradesh in which two personnel of the paramilitary including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) was killed.

On November 19 last year, three Army jawans were killed and four others injured in an encounter with suspected ULFA insurgents near Digboi in Tinsukia district of Assam. On May 22, 2016, six personnel of Assam Rifles were killed by the insurgents in a brutal attack on the Force. Likewise, in an incident of ambush/blast on June 4, 2015, the insurgents killed 18 troops of the Army and injured 11 others.

Officials said MPVs help in safe and secure mobility of troops from one place to the other. Every convoy of Army/ Assam Rifles comprise two to three MPVs/Casspier vehicles, another official said, adding this should be the norm for CRPF as well.

As many as seven battalions (7000 personnel) of the CRPF have been deployed in violence-hit Manipur for poll-related duties.

Inspector General of M & N Sector of CRPF Vikram Sehgal refused to talk on the issue citing operational constraints. In-charge spokesperson and DIG (Intelligence) Dhinakaran also did not respond to queries from the Express.

NEW DELHI: The security of the CRPF personnel who will facilitate the conduct of elections in violence-hit Manipur on Saturday may be compromised as the paramilitary directorate here has not provided Mine Protected Vehicles (MPVs) and Bullet-Proof Vehicles (BPVs) for the force deployed in the poll-bound State. The Manipur & Nagaland sector of the CRPF had projected a requirement of as many as 10 MPVs and about 20 BPVs but none have reached the sensitive State, insiders in the paramilitary said. The requirements for MPVs and other gadgets were projected after Intelligence inputs indicated infiltration of insurgent groups from Myanmar and other areas to attack security forces and disrupt the election process To buttress its demand for MPVs, the M & N Sector of the CRPF had alerted the CRPF Directorate here that the insurgent groups in Manipur have developed the expertise in making and triggering IEDs and cases of IEDs/Grenade detection and explosions have been reported every month. The Sector had also clearly mentioned that the requirements of the specialised vehicles, communication equipment and other gadgets like satellite phones projected on the basis of threat perception, security scenario and location of the polling stations in far-flung areas. The Sector had projected a demand of 10 MPVs preferably those fitted with electronic counter measure device like initiator and jammers for deployment in critical and vulnerable areas. Officials said the CRPF headquarters could not provide the MPVs due to large-scale shortage of these specialised vehicles. The paramilitary does not have a long-term planning for procurement of critical equipment for the safety of the personnel and no MPV has been procured in the last five years, officials from the ground said in condition of anonymity, adding the Union Home Ministry has not even provided a dedicated helicopter for meeting exigencies during the polls. They said CRPF will be deployed in most sensitive areas of Ukhrul, Churachandpur and Senapati besides the bordering areas of the State where there is high degree of possibility that the insurgent groups might target the convoys of vehicles carrying security force;s personnel. The security situation in the Northeast remains volatile and the insurgent groups have intermittently targeted the security forces in Manipur with over 200 IED blasts reported from the region in the last over seven years. The security forces have recovered over 5,000 IEDs during the period, a senior official said. Recently, two CRPF troops were injured when the insurgent groups attacked the Force in Imphal West district of Manipur. On December 3 last year, the terrorists hit a convoy of Assam Rifles along the Indo-Mynamar border in Arunachal Pradesh in which two personnel of the paramilitary including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) was killed. On November 19 last year, three Army jawans were killed and four others injured in an encounter with suspected ULFA insurgents near Digboi in Tinsukia district of Assam. On May 22, 2016, six personnel of Assam Rifles were killed by the insurgents in a brutal attack on the Force. Likewise, in an incident of ambush/blast on June 4, 2015, the insurgents killed 18 troops of the Army and injured 11 others. Officials said MPVs help in safe and secure mobility of troops from one place to the other. Every convoy of Army/ Assam Rifles comprise two to three MPVs/Casspier vehicles, another official said, adding this should be the norm for CRPF as well. As many as seven battalions (7000 personnel) of the CRPF have been deployed in violence-hit Manipur for poll-related duties. Inspector General of M & N Sector of CRPF Vikram Sehgal refused to talk on the issue citing operational constraints. In-charge spokesperson and DIG (Intelligence) Dhinakaran also did not respond to queries from the Express.
By PTI

KOLHAPUR: Noted Ambedkarite thinker Dr Krishna Kirwale was found murdered at his house in western Maharashtra's Kolhapur city today.

Police said his body was found with multiple stab wounds at his Rajendranagar residence.

Kirwale (62), was the retired head of the Marathi department of Kolhapur's Shivaji University.

Meanwhile, one person has been detained in connection with the murder, police said, adding that an unidentified person hurled stones at the suspect's house.

Among Kirwale's major contributions was a 'Dictionary of Dalit and Gramin (Rural) Literatures', a project undertaken under the aegis of the state government. Among his other books was a biography of pioneering Dalit litterateur, Baburao Bagul.

Kirwale also lectured widely on issues in Ambedkarite literature in particular, and Marathi literature in general.

Police officers didn't comment on possible motive behind the brutal murder.

Kirawale was also the head of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Centre for Research and Development of the varsity before he retired two years ago.

In 2015, communist leader Govind Pansare, 81, and his wife Uma were shot at with 7.65-mm country-made pistols in Kolhapur. Pansare died later in Mumbai.

In 2013, rationalist Narendra Dabholkar (69) was shot dead in Pune by the motorcycle-borne assailants who had pumped four bullets into him, again from a 7.65-mm country-made pistol.

Condemning Kirwale's killing, the leader of opposition in the Legislative Council, Dhananjay Munde said the incident shows the collapse of law and order situation in Maharashtra.

"This killing is serious as Kirwale was working in Dabholkar's movement as well," he said.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale said the government should order a probe into Kirwale's murder and punish the guilty.

KOLHAPUR: Noted Ambedkarite thinker Dr Krishna Kirwale was found murdered at his house in western Maharashtra's Kolhapur city today. Police said his body was found with multiple stab wounds at his Rajendranagar residence. Kirwale (62), was the retired head of the Marathi department of Kolhapur's Shivaji University. Meanwhile, one person has been detained in connection with the murder, police said, adding that an unidentified person hurled stones at the suspect's house. Among Kirwale's major contributions was a 'Dictionary of Dalit and Gramin (Rural) Literatures', a project undertaken under the aegis of the state government. Among his other books was a biography of pioneering Dalit litterateur, Baburao Bagul. Kirwale also lectured widely on issues in Ambedkarite literature in particular, and Marathi literature in general. Police officers didn't comment on possible motive behind the brutal murder. Kirawale was also the head of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Centre for Research and Development of the varsity before he retired two years ago. In 2015, communist leader Govind Pansare, 81, and his wife Uma were shot at with 7.65-mm country-made pistols in Kolhapur. Pansare died later in Mumbai. In 2013, rationalist Narendra Dabholkar (69) was shot dead in Pune by the motorcycle-borne assailants who had pumped four bullets into him, again from a 7.65-mm country-made pistol. Condemning Kirwale's killing, the leader of opposition in the Legislative Council, Dhananjay Munde said the incident shows the collapse of law and order situation in Maharashtra. "This killing is serious as Kirwale was working in Dabholkar's movement as well," he said. Union minister Ramdas Athawale said the government should order a probe into Kirwale's murder and punish the guilty.
By ANI

MUMBAI: Slamming the Centre over the embroiling Gurmehar Kaur row, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar on Thursday condemned Haryana Health Minister Anil Vijs remark over the same, dubbing it as wrong and against the society.

Reactions of some ministers in the Centre & the Haryana Government are totally wrong and against the society. It shows that their thinking is totally wrong, said Pawar while addressing a press conference here.

The ideology of the government in itself is wrong and that is why such a situation has erupted, he added.

Vij on Thursday had branded people supporting Kargil braveheart Captain M. Singh's daughter Gurmehar Kaur as 'pro-Pakistan'.

"Those supporting Gurmehar Kaur are pro-Pakistan and therefore, such people should be thrown out of the country," Vij had said.

Kaur, who is a Delhi University student, posted a message against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on social media that led to several groups and celebrities raising voices for and against her in equal numbers.

Clashes had erupted last week after the ABVP allegedly manhandled and thrashed students protesting the cancellation of an event at Ramjas College at which controversial JNU student Umar Khalid was scheduled to speak.

MUMBAI: Slamming the Centre over the embroiling Gurmehar Kaur row, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar on Thursday condemned Haryana Health Minister Anil Vijs remark over the same, dubbing it as wrong and against the society. Reactions of some ministers in the Centre & the Haryana Government are totally wrong and against the society. It shows that their thinking is totally wrong, said Pawar while addressing a press conference here. The ideology of the government in itself is wrong and that is why such a situation has erupted, he added. Vij on Thursday had branded people supporting Kargil braveheart Captain M. Singh's daughter Gurmehar Kaur as 'pro-Pakistan'. "Those supporting Gurmehar Kaur are pro-Pakistan and therefore, such people should be thrown out of the country," Vij had said. Kaur, who is a Delhi University student, posted a message against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on social media that led to several groups and celebrities raising voices for and against her in equal numbers. Clashes had erupted last week after the ABVP allegedly manhandled and thrashed students protesting the cancellation of an event at Ramjas College at which controversial JNU student Umar Khalid was scheduled to speak.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: India on Friday reasserted its rights to host revered Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in Arunachal Pradesh, even as China has warned that it would cause serious damage to bilateral ties as it claims the region a disputed border region.

Ministry of External Affairs official on condition of anonymity insisted that there has been no change on the governments position that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is respected and revered spiritual leader and as an honoured guest was free to travel to any part of India. Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit Tawang, Itanagar and eastern districts of Arunachal Pradesh from April 4 to April 13.

Dalai Lama has been in India home since his escape in 1959 much to the chagrin of China, which continues to term him as wolf in monks clothing. According to Buddhist traditions, the soul of a senior lama is reincarnated following his death. Even as Dalai Lama has hinted at doing away with the title after his death, the officially atheist Communists leaders of China insist on appointing his successor in the light of the right inherited from Chinas emperors.

India so far has been hesitant in using the Tibetan Spiritual leader to send a strong message to China. However, Beijing continuous opposition to Indias national interests  energy security through entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and cripple Masood Azhars terror network by getting him onto the UNs proscribed terrorist list.

Dalai Lama will be meeting the Indian government officials, including Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju during his visit to Tawang, reflecting its official backing. Rijiju himself hails from Arunachal Pradesh. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang on Friday said: China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh. China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas.

Tawang  the town on Indo-China border has been the bone of contention between the two countries, Beijing had earlier objected to Dalai Lamas visit to town in 2009. Tawang that China claims to be part of the southern China has links to the history between the two countries as it was through its passes Dalai Lama had crossed over to India.

NEW DELHI: India on Friday reasserted its rights to host revered Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in Arunachal Pradesh, even as China has warned that it would cause serious damage to bilateral ties as it claims the region a disputed border region. Ministry of External Affairs official on condition of anonymity insisted that there has been no change on the governments position that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is respected and revered spiritual leader and as an honoured guest was free to travel to any part of India. Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit Tawang, Itanagar and eastern districts of Arunachal Pradesh from April 4 to April 13. Dalai Lama has been in India home since his escape in 1959 much to the chagrin of China, which continues to term him as wolf in monks clothing. According to Buddhist traditions, the soul of a senior lama is reincarnated following his death. Even as Dalai Lama has hinted at doing away with the title after his death, the officially atheist Communists leaders of China insist on appointing his successor in the light of the right inherited from Chinas emperors. India so far has been hesitant in using the Tibetan Spiritual leader to send a strong message to China. However, Beijing continuous opposition to Indias national interests  energy security through entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and cripple Masood Azhars terror network by getting him onto the UNs proscribed terrorist list. Dalai Lama will be meeting the Indian government officials, including Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju during his visit to Tawang, reflecting its official backing. Rijiju himself hails from Arunachal Pradesh. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang on Friday said: China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh. China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas. Tawang  the town on Indo-China border has been the bone of contention between the two countries, Beijing had earlier objected to Dalai Lamas visit to town in 2009. Tawang that China claims to be part of the southern China has links to the history between the two countries as it was through its passes Dalai Lama had crossed over to India.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: After Pakistan refused to extradite alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, India has expressed concerns about his safety as Islamabad has repeatedly refused consular access to him.

Pakistan Prime Ministers Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz ruled out extradition of Jadhav, who has allegedly been involved in subversive activities, during the Question Hour Session in the Pakistani Senate.

Government has on several occasions completely rejected the baseless allegations against Kulbhushan Jadhav. Circumstances of his presence in Pakistan remain unclear, particularly because we have not been provided consular access despite our repeated requests, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said.

They added that India expects the Government of Pakistan to follow well-established international practice in this regard to ensure his well-being in custody.

The Pakistan media has been quoting Aziz that the government was preparing a dossier for the prosecution of Jadhav."This is very delicate and sensitive issue and requires detailed preparations and home work as it relates to direct or indirect involvement of Indian state actor in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan." Aziz added that a list of questions has also been sent to the Indian government on this matter.

NEW DELHI: After Pakistan refused to extradite alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, India has expressed concerns about his safety as Islamabad has repeatedly refused consular access to him. Pakistan Prime Ministers Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz ruled out extradition of Jadhav, who has allegedly been involved in subversive activities, during the Question Hour Session in the Pakistani Senate. Government has on several occasions completely rejected the baseless allegations against Kulbhushan Jadhav. Circumstances of his presence in Pakistan remain unclear, particularly because we have not been provided consular access despite our repeated requests, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said. They added that India expects the Government of Pakistan to follow well-established international practice in this regard to ensure his well-being in custody. The Pakistan media has been quoting Aziz that the government was preparing a dossier for the prosecution of Jadhav."This is very delicate and sensitive issue and requires detailed preparations and home work as it relates to direct or indirect involvement of Indian state actor in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan." Aziz added that a list of questions has also been sent to the Indian government on this matter.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Army has ordered an inquiry into the mysterious death of a jawan who was on Thursday found hanging in an unused Army barrack in Deolali and had recently featured in a media video exposing the abuse of the Indian Armys colonial 'buddy' system.



Lance Naik Roy Mathew, (33), who hailed from Ezhukon in Kollam district of Kerala, was found hanging from the ceiling of a room in an abandoned barrack at the artillary centre in Deolali cantonment on Thursday, senior police officer Shrikant Dhivre told New Indian Express.



Soldiers in the camp searched the area after a foul smell emanated from the building, and found Roy's partially decomposed body, which appeared to be four days old, said officer Shrikant Dhivre.



Roy Mathew , who had joined the Army 13 years ago as a gunner was posted to Deolali about two years back. He had gone missing since February 25, when the video where he had voiced ills of the "Sahayak" or orderly system being followed in the army had gone viral.



The video, in which Roy Mathew covered his face, narrating the woes of soldiers which was shot by a news website as part of a sting operation, showed soldiers attached to senior officers for "buddy duties" walking their dogs or taking their children to school. The Army has begun an inquiry into the sting.



A case of "accidental death" has been registered as of now and police are yet to ascertain whether it was suicide or murder. A diary and a letter were recovered from the body and it appears that the extreme step was triggered by guilt, said officer Shrikant Dhivre.



Army officials, however, have denied reports that Roy Mathew was questioned and put under pressure, and went ahead with a statement calling it a suicide case. However, sources said Roy Mathew had told his kin that he feared he would lose his job and would have to face consequences for the act.



Preliminary investigations have now revealed that the suicide may be a result of a series of events which were triggered by media personnel managing to videograph the deceased by asking leading questions on his duties as a buddy without his knowledge, said the statement.



It is very likely that the guilt factor of letting down his superiors or conveying false impressions to an unknown individual led him to take the extreme step, the Army statement



Army sources claimed that on February 25, Mathew made his last phone call to his wife and then sent a sorry message to his Colonel-rank officer, with whom he was attached at the Centre.



The identities of the army personnel involved in the clipping was hidden, and they were not known to the Army. Hence, there is no question of any inquiry that could have been ordered against the deceased, added the statement.



A series of videos showing jawans working in poor conditions went viral on social media including the video of another jawan - Lance Naik Yagya Pratap Singh - describing menial jobs as a sahayak going viral in January. Lance Naik Singh alleged that he was forced to wash clothes, polish boots and walk dogs for his seniors. He flagged his complaint to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others in a letter.

NEW DELHI: The Army has ordered an inquiry into the mysterious death of a jawan who was on Thursday found hanging in an unused Army barrack in Deolali and had recently featured in a media video exposing the abuse of the Indian Armys colonial 'buddy' system. Lance Naik Roy Mathew, (33), who hailed from Ezhukon in Kollam district of Kerala, was found hanging from the ceiling of a room in an abandoned barrack at the artillary centre in Deolali cantonment on Thursday, senior police officer Shrikant Dhivre told New Indian Express. Soldiers in the camp searched the area after a foul smell emanated from the building, and found Roy's partially decomposed body, which appeared to be four days old, said officer Shrikant Dhivre. Roy Mathew , who had joined the Army 13 years ago as a gunner was posted to Deolali about two years back. He had gone missing since February 25, when the video where he had voiced ills of the "Sahayak" or orderly system being followed in the army had gone viral. The video, in which Roy Mathew covered his face, narrating the woes of soldiers which was shot by a news website as part of a sting operation, showed soldiers attached to senior officers for "buddy duties" walking their dogs or taking their children to school. The Army has begun an inquiry into the sting. A case of "accidental death" has been registered as of now and police are yet to ascertain whether it was suicide or murder. A diary and a letter were recovered from the body and it appears that the extreme step was triggered by guilt, said officer Shrikant Dhivre. Army officials, however, have denied reports that Roy Mathew was questioned and put under pressure, and went ahead with a statement calling it a suicide case. However, sources said Roy Mathew had told his kin that he feared he would lose his job and would have to face consequences for the act. Preliminary investigations have now revealed that the suicide may be a result of a series of events which were triggered by media personnel managing to videograph the deceased by asking leading questions on his duties as a buddy without his knowledge, said the statement. It is very likely that the guilt factor of letting down his superiors or conveying false impressions to an unknown individual led him to take the extreme step, the Army statement Army sources claimed that on February 25, Mathew made his last phone call to his wife and then sent a sorry message to his Colonel-rank officer, with whom he was attached at the Centre. The identities of the army personnel involved in the clipping was hidden, and they were not known to the Army. Hence, there is no question of any inquiry that could have been ordered against the deceased, added the statement. A series of videos showing jawans working in poor conditions went viral on social media including the video of another jawan - Lance Naik Yagya Pratap Singh - describing menial jobs as a sahayak going viral in January. Lance Naik Singh alleged that he was forced to wash clothes, polish boots and walk dogs for his seniors. He flagged his complaint to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others in a letter.
By PTI

THANE: A major fire broke out at a fabric processing unit at Ajanta Compound in the powerloom town of Bhiwandi in the district this afternoon, police said.

"A massive fire broke out at a fabric sizing company located at Dhamankar naka around 1.45 pm today," a police officer from Bhiwandi said. "The blaze has spread through the entire complex of the unit. Fire engines from Bhiwandi, Thane, Kalyan and Ulhasnagar have been rushed to the scene.

Water tankers have also been roped in," the officer added. Personnel of Bhoiwada police station and fire brigade are engaged in the firefighting and rescue operation. So far, no casualty has been reported, the police officer said.

THANE: A major fire broke out at a fabric processing unit at Ajanta Compound in the powerloom town of Bhiwandi in the district this afternoon, police said. "A massive fire broke out at a fabric sizing company located at Dhamankar naka around 1.45 pm today," a police officer from Bhiwandi said. "The blaze has spread through the entire complex of the unit. Fire engines from Bhiwandi, Thane, Kalyan and Ulhasnagar have been rushed to the scene. Water tankers have also been roped in," the officer added. Personnel of Bhoiwada police station and fire brigade are engaged in the firefighting and rescue operation. So far, no casualty has been reported, the police officer said.
By ANI

IMPHAL: The elections fever has gripped Manipur as it gears up for the 11th state assembly polls.

A total of 167 candidates of 17 political parties including the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Naga People's Front, All India Trinamool Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) besides others are in the fray.

Polling for the 60-member legislative assembly will be held in two phases on March 4 and March 8 respectively.

Kicking off the BJPs campaign at Langjing Achouba ground in Imphal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to find a solution to economic blockade that has crippled life in the state for months now if the BJP is voted to power.

BJP government will be formed in Manipur and once we come into power we wont allow blockades to continue in the state. We promise that and we will show how the administration functions, the Prime Minister said.

Ahead of the assembly polls, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also addressed a rally at Hapta Kangjeibung in Imphal and said that his party would guide Manipur on the path of development and prosperity.

O. Ibobi Singh is the Chief Minister of Manipur and he will take into consideration the views of the common people and run the administration smoothly and this will benefit the people of Manipur and the state as a whole, Gandhi said.

Over the last six months, several smaller parties have also emerged on the political scene. Irom Sharmilas Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) is one of the new parties.

In a multi-cultural society living in hills and valley and in between hill and valley, there will be a very harmonious living together with understanding by connecting their hearts, to solve any problems by bringing real democracy in our state, said activist and PRJA candidate Sharmila.

In wake of the polls, the Election Commission of India launched awareness campaign for the voters in Manipur.

We launched our SVEEP campaign in the form of democracy event. On the event, election commissioner had coined the word Festival of Democracy wherein all the stakeholders should participate in a festive mood either they are electors, political parties, candidates and officials. All of them should take it in the spirit of festival of democracy. That was the term the election commissioner coined it when he visited Manipur, said Vivek Kumar Dewangan, Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur.

The election results will be announced on March 11.

IMPHAL: The elections fever has gripped Manipur as it gears up for the 11th state assembly polls. A total of 167 candidates of 17 political parties including the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Naga People's Front, All India Trinamool Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) besides others are in the fray. Polling for the 60-member legislative assembly will be held in two phases on March 4 and March 8 respectively. Kicking off the BJPs campaign at Langjing Achouba ground in Imphal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to find a solution to economic blockade that has crippled life in the state for months now if the BJP is voted to power. BJP government will be formed in Manipur and once we come into power we wont allow blockades to continue in the state. We promise that and we will show how the administration functions, the Prime Minister said. Ahead of the assembly polls, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also addressed a rally at Hapta Kangjeibung in Imphal and said that his party would guide Manipur on the path of development and prosperity. O. Ibobi Singh is the Chief Minister of Manipur and he will take into consideration the views of the common people and run the administration smoothly and this will benefit the people of Manipur and the state as a whole, Gandhi said. Over the last six months, several smaller parties have also emerged on the political scene. Irom Sharmilas Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) is one of the new parties. In a multi-cultural society living in hills and valley and in between hill and valley, there will be a very harmonious living together with understanding by connecting their hearts, to solve any problems by bringing real democracy in our state, said activist and PRJA candidate Sharmila. In wake of the polls, the Election Commission of India launched awareness campaign for the voters in Manipur. We launched our SVEEP campaign in the form of democracy event. On the event, election commissioner had coined the word Festival of Democracy wherein all the stakeholders should participate in a festive mood either they are electors, political parties, candidates and officials. All of them should take it in the spirit of festival of democracy. That was the term the election commissioner coined it when he visited Manipur, said Vivek Kumar Dewangan, Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur. The election results will be announced on March 11.
Harpreet Bajwa By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: With Punjab awaiting the results of State Assembly polls and the grape wine hinting at a possible retreat of SAD-BJP government in the State, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has taken a bold stand over the defaulters not paying power dues.

In a bid to recover the dues from the defaulters, the PSPCL has cut the electricity supply of many prominent people including Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badals sister-in-law Savinder Kaur, who lives in Chak Fateh Singhwala Village in Bathinda and former chief minister Harcharan Singh Brar's family.

Reportedly, Kaur owes the company a total of Rs 65,000 in power dues. The electricity generating and distributing company of the State government has claimed that the government departments alone owe Rs 730 crore to it till December 31, 2016.

In last two months, the PSPCL recovered only Rs15 crore from the defaulter government departments. Hence, all the defaulter departments were issued notices by the corporation on Tuesday and were warned against not paying their pending electricity bills. The notice also stated that the power connections will be cut by the company, if the issue was not addressed at the earliest.

With over Rs 353 crore pending bills, the Public Health Department tops the list of defaulters while the Irrigation Department is the next with over Rs 100 crore. The Municipal Committee under the Local Bodies Department owes around Rs 54.20 crore and the water works wings of the Municipal Committees have a pending bill of Rs 95.20 crore.

Punjab Police owes Rs 10.53 crore to the corporation, Rural Development and Panchayats Department has a pending bill of Rs 10.99 crore, Deputy Commissioners offices in the State owe around Rs 3.53 crore and Amritsar Central Jail owes Rs 77 lakh.

Sources said that the main defaulters are from the border zone as they owe the corporation a total of Rs 229 crore, followed by South Zone with nearly Rs 204 crore and Central Zone with Rs 31.58 crore. In the last six months of 2016, the outstanding amount went up by Rs 132 crore.

Besides the government departments, private electricity consumers owe the corporation Rs 398 crore, as some 8.28 lakh consumers are defaulters. The corporation has recovered Rs 120 crore dues in January and February this year.

CHANDIGARH: With Punjab awaiting the results of State Assembly polls and the grape wine hinting at a possible retreat of SAD-BJP government in the State, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has taken a bold stand over the defaulters not paying power dues. In a bid to recover the dues from the defaulters, the PSPCL has cut the electricity supply of many prominent people including Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badals sister-in-law Savinder Kaur, who lives in Chak Fateh Singhwala Village in Bathinda and former chief minister Harcharan Singh Brar's family. Reportedly, Kaur owes the company a total of Rs 65,000 in power dues. The electricity generating and distributing company of the State government has claimed that the government departments alone owe Rs 730 crore to it till December 31, 2016. In last two months, the PSPCL recovered only Rs15 crore from the defaulter government departments. Hence, all the defaulter departments were issued notices by the corporation on Tuesday and were warned against not paying their pending electricity bills. The notice also stated that the power connections will be cut by the company, if the issue was not addressed at the earliest. With over Rs 353 crore pending bills, the Public Health Department tops the list of defaulters while the Irrigation Department is the next with over Rs 100 crore. The Municipal Committee under the Local Bodies Department owes around Rs 54.20 crore and the water works wings of the Municipal Committees have a pending bill of Rs 95.20 crore. Punjab Police owes Rs 10.53 crore to the corporation, Rural Development and Panchayats Department has a pending bill of Rs 10.99 crore, Deputy Commissioners offices in the State owe around Rs 3.53 crore and Amritsar Central Jail owes Rs 77 lakh. Sources said that the main defaulters are from the border zone as they owe the corporation a total of Rs 229 crore, followed by South Zone with nearly Rs 204 crore and Central Zone with Rs 31.58 crore. In the last six months of 2016, the outstanding amount went up by Rs 132 crore. Besides the government departments, private electricity consumers owe the corporation Rs 398 crore, as some 8.28 lakh consumers are defaulters. The corporation has recovered Rs 120 crore dues in January and February this year.
By PTI

JODHPUR: A man and his two nephews were apprehended today from Rajasthan's Barmer and Jodhpur districts for allegedly spying for Pakistan's ISI for the past few years.

The three had been on the radar of intelligence agencies after their names emerged during the interrogation of another spy, Haji Khan, who was arrested in February from Jaisalmer district.

According to Army Intelligence sources, those apprehended have been identified as Santosh alias Satram Maheshwari, a Pakistani migrant from Sarupe Ka Tala village in Barmer, and his two nephews Vinod Maheshwari and Sunil Maheshwari, from Ratanada area of Jodhpur.

Maheshwari was active in the illicit liquor trade for the past few years and had later come into contact with Haji Khan who made him the part of the budding spying network in the bordering region.

According to the sources, Maheshwari, who has travelled to Pakistan several times by the Thar Express, has shared information pertaining to the Army, Air Force and BSF including their movements and operations, and maps of the border areas with camping sites of Army units.

Both nephews live in Jodhpur and work in a cloth shop, and are said to have been assisting their uncle in gathering information and sharing it with Pakistani handlers.

All the three are being rigorously interrogated in Jodhpur and will soon be taken to Jaipur for further interrogation.

Agencies have also recovered some documents from Maheshwari and have been trying to extract information about other members of the spying ring and the information, shared by him with the Pakistani handlers so far.

JODHPUR: A man and his two nephews were apprehended today from Rajasthan's Barmer and Jodhpur districts for allegedly spying for Pakistan's ISI for the past few years. The three had been on the radar of intelligence agencies after their names emerged during the interrogation of another spy, Haji Khan, who was arrested in February from Jaisalmer district. According to Army Intelligence sources, those apprehended have been identified as Santosh alias Satram Maheshwari, a Pakistani migrant from Sarupe Ka Tala village in Barmer, and his two nephews Vinod Maheshwari and Sunil Maheshwari, from Ratanada area of Jodhpur. Maheshwari was active in the illicit liquor trade for the past few years and had later come into contact with Haji Khan who made him the part of the budding spying network in the bordering region. According to the sources, Maheshwari, who has travelled to Pakistan several times by the Thar Express, has shared information pertaining to the Army, Air Force and BSF including their movements and operations, and maps of the border areas with camping sites of Army units. Both nephews live in Jodhpur and work in a cloth shop, and are said to have been assisting their uncle in gathering information and sharing it with Pakistani handlers. All the three are being rigorously interrogated in Jodhpur and will soon be taken to Jaipur for further interrogation. Agencies have also recovered some documents from Maheshwari and have been trying to extract information about other members of the spying ring and the information, shared by him with the Pakistani handlers so far.
By PTI

UJJAIN: RSS leader Kundan Chandravat, who had announced a bounty of Rs 1 crore for beheading the Kerala Chief Minister, has retracted his statement after it drew condemnation from various quarters including the Sangh.

Chandravat, RSS Sah Prachar Pramukh in Ujjain, claimed he got some phone calls from Kerala threatening to kill him and was being targetted in social media. "I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it (statement) and express my regret," Chandravat said in a statement late last night. "I also got some phone calls from Kerala in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill me," he claimed.

Chandravat, in a meeting here, had announced the bounty to avenge the killing of RSS workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI-M workers. His speech sparked an uproar, drawing condemnation from the RSS, the CPI(M) and the Congress yesterday.

In a video, which went viral, Chandravat is purportedly seen saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killing of RSS workers there and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him and brings his (Vijayan's) head to him. He also claimed that 300 innocent people belonging to the RSS had been killed but the Kerala Chief Minister was turning a blind eye. The RSS was quick to condemn Chandravat's statement, stating the organisation did not believe in violence. "The RSS strongly condemns such statement.

The Sangh does not believe in violence. But we will continue to protest against attacks on our workers in Kerala in a democratic and peaceful manner," RSS national 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' (Joint Chief of Publicity) J Nandakumar had told PTI in Delhi.

Vijayan, however, dismissed the threat to his life, saying such calls would not prevent him from travelling around, while Kerala's ruling CPI(M) and Congress sought the arrest of Chandravat for his outrageous comments. Kerala has been witnessing a series of political clashes between the cadres of BJP-RSS and the ruling CPI(M),especially in the northern Kannur district from where Vijayan hails, for a long time. Both parties have blamed each other for the cycle of violence which has claimed several lives on both sides

UJJAIN: RSS leader Kundan Chandravat, who had announced a bounty of Rs 1 crore for beheading the Kerala Chief Minister, has retracted his statement after it drew condemnation from various quarters including the Sangh. Chandravat, RSS Sah Prachar Pramukh in Ujjain, claimed he got some phone calls from Kerala threatening to kill him and was being targetted in social media. "I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it (statement) and express my regret," Chandravat said in a statement late last night. "I also got some phone calls from Kerala in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill me," he claimed. Chandravat, in a meeting here, had announced the bounty to avenge the killing of RSS workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI-M workers. His speech sparked an uproar, drawing condemnation from the RSS, the CPI(M) and the Congress yesterday. In a video, which went viral, Chandravat is purportedly seen saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killing of RSS workers there and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him and brings his (Vijayan's) head to him. He also claimed that 300 innocent people belonging to the RSS had been killed but the Kerala Chief Minister was turning a blind eye. The RSS was quick to condemn Chandravat's statement, stating the organisation did not believe in violence. "The RSS strongly condemns such statement. The Sangh does not believe in violence. But we will continue to protest against attacks on our workers in Kerala in a democratic and peaceful manner," RSS national 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' (Joint Chief of Publicity) J Nandakumar had told PTI in Delhi. Vijayan, however, dismissed the threat to his life, saying such calls would not prevent him from travelling around, while Kerala's ruling CPI(M) and Congress sought the arrest of Chandravat for his outrageous comments. Kerala has been witnessing a series of political clashes between the cadres of BJP-RSS and the ruling CPI(M),especially in the northern Kannur district from where Vijayan hails, for a long time. Both parties have blamed each other for the cycle of violence which has claimed several lives on both sides
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The week-long visit of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh next month will take place as scheduled, notwithstanding objections by China.

The Dalai Lama will be in the north eastern state from April 4 to 13 and Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, among others, will meet him there.

During his visit to Tawang bordering China, the spiritual leader will be hosted by the Buddhist Tawang monastery where he will be meeting his followers.

"The Dalai Lama will be a guest of the Arunachal Pradesh government and as a devotee, I will meet him in Tawang," Rijiju, who represents the Arunachal-West Lok Sabha constituency under which Tawang falls, told PTI here.

Peeved over the proposed visit, China today warned India against allowing him to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause "serious damage" to the bilateral ties and peace in the "disputed" border region.

"China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in Beijing.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to any visit by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area.

Rijiju, however, said the Dalai Lama is going to visit the state as a religious leader and there is no reason to stop him as his followers are demanding he should come.

Asked about China's objections, Rijiju said the central government is run by a nationalist party which considers the country's interests first.

"We are neither going to be dominated by anyone nor shall we dominate any of our neighbours. But we give prime importance to India's interests," he said, without making any reference to China.

Ignoring China's protests, the government had earlier allowed former US ambassador to India Richard Verma and Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje's visit to Arunachal Pradesh last year.

NEW DELHI: The week-long visit of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh next month will take place as scheduled, notwithstanding objections by China. The Dalai Lama will be in the north eastern state from April 4 to 13 and Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, among others, will meet him there. During his visit to Tawang bordering China, the spiritual leader will be hosted by the Buddhist Tawang monastery where he will be meeting his followers. "The Dalai Lama will be a guest of the Arunachal Pradesh government and as a devotee, I will meet him in Tawang," Rijiju, who represents the Arunachal-West Lok Sabha constituency under which Tawang falls, told PTI here. Peeved over the proposed visit, China today warned India against allowing him to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause "serious damage" to the bilateral ties and peace in the "disputed" border region. "China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in Beijing. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to any visit by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area. Rijiju, however, said the Dalai Lama is going to visit the state as a religious leader and there is no reason to stop him as his followers are demanding he should come. Asked about China's objections, Rijiju said the central government is run by a nationalist party which considers the country's interests first. "We are neither going to be dominated by anyone nor shall we dominate any of our neighbours. But we give prime importance to India's interests," he said, without making any reference to China. Ignoring China's protests, the government had earlier allowed former US ambassador to India Richard Verma and Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje's visit to Arunachal Pradesh last year.
By Express News Service

CHITRAKOOT: Life has been turned upside down for the family of the woman whose alleged rape by minister Gayatri Prajapati has come to dominate the UP poll scene in the most unexpected manner. While Gayatri, a Samajwadi Party candidate in Amethi, went about canvassing despite the supposed manhunt launched by the UP police, the womans children have stayed cooped up in their house in Chitrakoot, shamed by a social media campaign against them.

Their sister lies traumatized by in the AIIMS in Delhi and the mother is away looking after her. Back home, in this extremely backward town, the other three children -- two daughters and one son  have been confined to their homes for the past several months.

Ever since the mother of four took on one of the most powerful ministers in the Akhilesh Yadav cabinet, the three children live alone with no elder family member around.

At the entrance of their house sit a three-member police team headed by a daroga (inspector) who keep watch on the street. The only regular visitor is the family servant.

The two girls are pursuing BA, first and second year respectively.

They have not gone to college for several months ever since their mother first approached the DGP to lodge a complaint against Prajapati. Now, after the Supreme Court directed the UP police to register a case against Prajapati, they have not been seen outside,'' a close family member disclosed to New Indian Express.

So scared are the two girls that they have changed their mobile numbers so that only their mother can contact them. ''The situation is that the mother cannot leave the traumatized daughter by herself at AIIMS and come here to take care of the remaining three children. Her husband left her long time ago and she raised the children all by herself,'' says the family member who looked after one of the children when she fell ill.

''She was suffering from typhoid and malaria and I took her to the government hospital for a check-up. Her mother was in Delhi but when she learnt about her condition, she quietly came to Chitrakoot for two days, looked after her and left. Four days later, the Supreme Court directed the police to register a case. The girl recovered by herself. Most of her relatives including my family now stay away from the family. Who knows, we may land in some kind of trouble. Prajapati is a powerful man,'' he said.

The rape victim's only son, a sixth standard student, has not gone to school for several months. It was only after the Supreme Court intervened that policemen have been deployed at the house from February 27.

Last year, the rape victim had started construction of a three-storeyed house. Though construction was underway, it had to be stopped abruptly due to the developments. Many locals say that the woman may not return to Chitrakoot at all. Who will save her here? She is better off in Delhi. I think even the other three children will have to go to Delhi. Staying here would mean a constant threat,'' says a friend of one of the girls, who did not want to be identified.

She recalls that she last met one of the girls almost two months ago, when she had gone to the Ramghat area to make some purchases. ''Even then, it was I who greeted her but she appeared lost in thought. Later, she smiled at me and walked away. They have not been coming to college for long and have missed the notes and exams as well,'' she said.

CHITRAKOOT: Life has been turned upside down for the family of the woman whose alleged rape by minister Gayatri Prajapati has come to dominate the UP poll scene in the most unexpected manner. While Gayatri, a Samajwadi Party candidate in Amethi, went about canvassing despite the supposed manhunt launched by the UP police, the womans children have stayed cooped up in their house in Chitrakoot, shamed by a social media campaign against them. Their sister lies traumatized by in the AIIMS in Delhi and the mother is away looking after her. Back home, in this extremely backward town, the other three children -- two daughters and one son  have been confined to their homes for the past several months. Ever since the mother of four took on one of the most powerful ministers in the Akhilesh Yadav cabinet, the three children live alone with no elder family member around. At the entrance of their house sit a three-member police team headed by a daroga (inspector) who keep watch on the street. The only regular visitor is the family servant. The two girls are pursuing BA, first and second year respectively. They have not gone to college for several months ever since their mother first approached the DGP to lodge a complaint against Prajapati. Now, after the Supreme Court directed the UP police to register a case against Prajapati, they have not been seen outside,'' a close family member disclosed to New Indian Express. So scared are the two girls that they have changed their mobile numbers so that only their mother can contact them. ''The situation is that the mother cannot leave the traumatized daughter by herself at AIIMS and come here to take care of the remaining three children. Her husband left her long time ago and she raised the children all by herself,'' says the family member who looked after one of the children when she fell ill. ''She was suffering from typhoid and malaria and I took her to the government hospital for a check-up. Her mother was in Delhi but when she learnt about her condition, she quietly came to Chitrakoot for two days, looked after her and left. Four days later, the Supreme Court directed the police to register a case. The girl recovered by herself. Most of her relatives including my family now stay away from the family. Who knows, we may land in some kind of trouble. Prajapati is a powerful man,'' he said. The rape victim's only son, a sixth standard student, has not gone to school for several months. It was only after the Supreme Court intervened that policemen have been deployed at the house from February 27. Last year, the rape victim had started construction of a three-storeyed house. Though construction was underway, it had to be stopped abruptly due to the developments. Many locals say that the woman may not return to Chitrakoot at all. Who will save her here? She is better off in Delhi. I think even the other three children will have to go to Delhi. Staying here would mean a constant threat,'' says a friend of one of the girls, who did not want to be identified. She recalls that she last met one of the girls almost two months ago, when she had gone to the Ramghat area to make some purchases. ''Even then, it was I who greeted her but she appeared lost in thought. Later, she smiled at me and walked away. They have not been coming to college for long and have missed the notes and exams as well,'' she said.
Balbir Punj By

In the context of what is happening in many universities across the country, let the true upholders of academic freedom come forward to separate the wheat from the chaff.

The first thing is that violence has no place in academia. Issues have to be debated, sometimes with lot of passion. Ideological positions are quite natural, but the right to have a strong ideological stand cannot be exclusive.

The word democratic is being used in our country (and elsewhere too) with abundance. Our self-styled Leftist professors are seen to be admirers of such peoples democratic regimes like North Korea. This is simply misteaching because instead of teaching using established facts, they seek to substitute ideology for facts.

Tons of events are held in our colleges to unleash this pollution.

The problem in our academia is when someone questions this misteaching, the Left lets lose goonda raj on the honest enquirer and silences him. When increasingly large numbers of students (and teachers) begin to question substitution of facts with ideological views, left-wing goondaism claims it is being subjected to violence.



Take Delhi University itself for instance. Was it a mere coincidence that, say in the Economics Department, in the 60s, 70s and 80s, most of the leading teaching staff were of a Left-socialist ideology that eulogised planned economy, public sector ownership of most resources and industries and all other Marxist viewpoints?

There was hardly anyone who questioned basic Marxian thinking because all other viewpoints were suppressed. This despite the fact that Communist China under Deng Xiaoping had begun to eagerly turn to capitalism, even allowing Western capitalist enterprises on its soil, to lift Maos country from the mess left by the Cultural Revolution of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.



Much the same story is seen in history teaching across the country. The lineup of Leftist professors like Irfan Habib at AMU and Romila Thapar in Delhi ensured that any learned man with a different view of history was debarred. Doctoral theses were scanned to ensure that no other approach to Indian history prevailed in the Indian academia.

For 35 years, West Bengal was under a Marxist regime. The academic freedom people enjoyed there is well known. Those Congress leaders who are so eager to support the Left in JNU, in Hyderabad, Jadavpur and elsewhere should recall how Naxalite student leaders had established a goonda rule in Kolkata. It was Congress leader Siddhartha Shankar Ray who sought to break this circle of violence with a counter violence under the leadership of the Congress organisation Chhatra Parishad. This is not to suggest that violence against the Left-Marxist combine is justified.



Unlike others, Marxists and Communists are committed to violence as their theory urges a proletarian dictatorship. Marx, Lenin, Mao, Che Guevara and all other stars of the Left led through violence and the ultras who have set up their own regimes in parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand as well as in Andhra Pradesh are seeking to overthrow elected governments across the country through armed violence.

Even as the much-criticised ABVP is not willing to take the Leftist dictatorship over the Indian academia lying down and is trying to break the Left stranglehold in Delhi, a continuing battle is being fought elsewhere too. As in Bengal, in Kerala, the Leftist students union, the SFI, recently displayed its brutal intolerance against the Kerala Students Union in Law College, Trichur. SFI activists came in a large group, got into the college classrooms even as teaching was in progress. Reports say that even teachers who sought to intervene to prevent this attack were injured. They further say the police, though immediately informed, deliberately took their own time to intervene. Kerala has a Marxist-led State government now.

There could also be intense debate whether Delhis policies in militancy and terror-ridden Kashmir or Manipur are right or not. But that is not the issue here. There is the foreign angle here as militancy and terror are being openly sponsored and funded with weapons supplied by a third partyPakistan.



Can any country allow domestic groups to endorse and even hero-worship such foreign-funded and armed militants and expect to survive as a nation? The battle is surely not for freedom of expression. India has a long tradition of free debate. Barring the dark period of Indira Gandhis emergency, Indians have enjoyed uninterrupted freedom of expression since Independence.



The bogey of free speech in danger is in fact a ruse to camouflage the real agenda to break India. The communists had actively conspired with the departing British and Muslim League to vivisect the country and create a theocratic Pakistan. The Left has no faith in India or her democratic Constitution which mirrors the pluralistic Hindu ethos of this ancient land.



During the Second World War, the communists collaborated with the British against freedom fighters and spied on them. After they left, the communists waged an armed war against the newly-born Indian Republic.

When China attacked India in 1962, the communists sided with the enemy, their ideological kin, and tried to sabotage the internal security of the country. In contrast, RSS volunteers rendered yeoman service at that time of national crisis. The then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had invited the RSS to join the 1963 Republic Day Parade in Delhi to recognise its contribution.



India has since come a long way. And with time, the Left has also changed its slogans and strategies. But its divisive agenda remains unchanged.

(Balbir Punj is a former Rajya Sabha member and Delhi-based commentator on social and political issues. Email: punjbalbir@gmail.com)

In the context of what is happening in many universities across the country, let the true upholders of academic freedom come forward to separate the wheat from the chaff. The first thing is that violence has no place in academia. Issues have to be debated, sometimes with lot of passion. Ideological positions are quite natural, but the right to have a strong ideological stand cannot be exclusive. The word democratic is being used in our country (and elsewhere too) with abundance. Our self-styled Leftist professors are seen to be admirers of such peoples democratic regimes like North Korea. This is simply misteaching because instead of teaching using established facts, they seek to substitute ideology for facts. Tons of events are held in our colleges to unleash this pollution. The problem in our academia is when someone questions this misteaching, the Left lets lose goonda raj on the honest enquirer and silences him. When increasingly large numbers of students (and teachers) begin to question substitution of facts with ideological views, left-wing goondaism claims it is being subjected to violence. Take Delhi University itself for instance. Was it a mere coincidence that, say in the Economics Department, in the 60s, 70s and 80s, most of the leading teaching staff were of a Left-socialist ideology that eulogised planned economy, public sector ownership of most resources and industries and all other Marxist viewpoints? There was hardly anyone who questioned basic Marxian thinking because all other viewpoints were suppressed. This despite the fact that Communist China under Deng Xiaoping had begun to eagerly turn to capitalism, even allowing Western capitalist enterprises on its soil, to lift Maos country from the mess left by the Cultural Revolution of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. Much the same story is seen in history teaching across the country. The lineup of Leftist professors like Irfan Habib at AMU and Romila Thapar in Delhi ensured that any learned man with a different view of history was debarred. Doctoral theses were scanned to ensure that no other approach to Indian history prevailed in the Indian academia. For 35 years, West Bengal was under a Marxist regime. The academic freedom people enjoyed there is well known. Those Congress leaders who are so eager to support the Left in JNU, in Hyderabad, Jadavpur and elsewhere should recall how Naxalite student leaders had established a goonda rule in Kolkata. It was Congress leader Siddhartha Shankar Ray who sought to break this circle of violence with a counter violence under the leadership of the Congress organisation Chhatra Parishad. This is not to suggest that violence against the Left-Marxist combine is justified. Unlike others, Marxists and Communists are committed to violence as their theory urges a proletarian dictatorship. Marx, Lenin, Mao, Che Guevara and all other stars of the Left led through violence and the ultras who have set up their own regimes in parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand as well as in Andhra Pradesh are seeking to overthrow elected governments across the country through armed violence. Even as the much-criticised ABVP is not willing to take the Leftist dictatorship over the Indian academia lying down and is trying to break the Left stranglehold in Delhi, a continuing battle is being fought elsewhere too. As in Bengal, in Kerala, the Leftist students union, the SFI, recently displayed its brutal intolerance against the Kerala Students Union in Law College, Trichur. SFI activists came in a large group, got into the college classrooms even as teaching was in progress. Reports say that even teachers who sought to intervene to prevent this attack were injured. They further say the police, though immediately informed, deliberately took their own time to intervene. Kerala has a Marxist-led State government now. There could also be intense debate whether Delhis policies in militancy and terror-ridden Kashmir or Manipur are right or not. But that is not the issue here. There is the foreign angle here as militancy and terror are being openly sponsored and funded with weapons supplied by a third partyPakistan. Can any country allow domestic groups to endorse and even hero-worship such foreign-funded and armed militants and expect to survive as a nation? The battle is surely not for freedom of expression. India has a long tradition of free debate. Barring the dark period of Indira Gandhis emergency, Indians have enjoyed uninterrupted freedom of expression since Independence. The bogey of free speech in danger is in fact a ruse to camouflage the real agenda to break India. The communists had actively conspired with the departing British and Muslim League to vivisect the country and create a theocratic Pakistan. The Left has no faith in India or her democratic Constitution which mirrors the pluralistic Hindu ethos of this ancient land. During the Second World War, the communists collaborated with the British against freedom fighters and spied on them. After they left, the communists waged an armed war against the newly-born Indian Republic. When China attacked India in 1962, the communists sided with the enemy, their ideological kin, and tried to sabotage the internal security of the country. In contrast, RSS volunteers rendered yeoman service at that time of national crisis. The then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had invited the RSS to join the 1963 Republic Day Parade in Delhi to recognise its contribution. India has since come a long way. And with time, the Left has also changed its slogans and strategies. But its divisive agenda remains unchanged. (Balbir Punj is a former Rajya Sabha member and Delhi-based commentator on social and political issues. Email: punjbalbir@gmail.com)
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: A 28-year-old crew member of Kannada film Danger Zone was hacked to death by a film co-producer and a handful of accomplices after a dispute over distribution rights of the film blew out of proportion. Three others were injured in the attack. The incident occurred during the early hours of Friday at Someshwarnagar in the city.

The deceased has been identified as Manoj The injured are Swaroop, Gopi and Kamal, who were among the crew of Kannada movie 'Danger Zone', which is yet to be released.

The police said the incident took place at around 2.30am at Swagath Camp's office premise which belongs to Swaroop.

Manoj, Swaroop, Kamala and Gopi were having a drink at the Swagath Camp office, when Ramu, co-producer of Danger Zone, came there and quarrelled with Swaroop over the TV distribution rights of the yet-to-be released movie.

Swaroop, who is also one of the co-producers of the movie, had a dispute with Ramu. In a fit of rage, Ramu called five of his friends, who then arrived with lethal weapons and attacked Swaroop and the others.

Manoj, who was employed with Swaroop, died on the spot and the other three were rushed to the hospital, where they are now being treatwd.

Mahalakshmi Layout police have formed a special team to nab prime accused Ramu and his accomplices.



BENGALURU: A 28-year-old crew member of Kannada film Danger Zone was hacked to death by a film co-producer and a handful of accomplices after a dispute over distribution rights of the film blew out of proportion. Three others were injured in the attack. The incident occurred during the early hours of Friday at Someshwarnagar in the city. The deceased has been identified as Manoj The injured are Swaroop, Gopi and Kamal, who were among the crew of Kannada movie 'Danger Zone', which is yet to be released. The police said the incident took place at around 2.30am at Swagath Camp's office premise which belongs to Swaroop. Manoj, Swaroop, Kamala and Gopi were having a drink at the Swagath Camp office, when Ramu, co-producer of Danger Zone, came there and quarrelled with Swaroop over the TV distribution rights of the yet-to-be released movie. Swaroop, who is also one of the co-producers of the movie, had a dispute with Ramu. In a fit of rage, Ramu called five of his friends, who then arrived with lethal weapons and attacked Swaroop and the others. Manoj, who was employed with Swaroop, died on the spot and the other three were rushed to the hospital, where they are now being treatwd. Mahalakshmi Layout police have formed a special team to nab prime accused Ramu and his accomplices.
By Express News Service

KOLLAM: An army officer from Karuvelil, near Ezhukone, is feared dead at Nashik in Maharashtra on Thursday.

The officer, 33-year-old Roy M, serving as a Gunner with the 214 RKT Regiment at Nashik, is said to have been missing from the camp since February 25. Relatives of the officer said the Commanding Officer (CO) with the regiment informed them a body that could be Roys was found outside the camp on Thursday.

Roy M

Around 9 am, the CO informed us a dead body similar to that of Roy has been found. The officer also told us the person has been dead for three days and so the body was being shifted for postmortem, said John, Roys brother.

The family has not received any further communication from the Army.

Roy, who has been with the Indian Army for the past 13 years, was posted to Nashik a year ago. The last time he talked with his wife Fini Roy he said he had made a mistake. He told her he had talked about the harassment by senior officers at the regiment to a local news channel. He was mentally disturbed as he feared the act would cost him his job. Since then we havent heard from him, he said.

A two-member crew (who didnt reveal they were working for the channel) approached Roy and two other officers on February 25. The crew asked the three officers about the life in the Army and about the hardships in the force.

As the conversation was of a casual tone, the three officers opened up. They spoke about the harassment at the hands of their superiors. They revealed they were forced to do menial jobs including laundry, kitchen work and others, John said.

Also read: BSF Jawan Tej Bahadur cries foul, questions PM Narendra Modis desire to eradicate corruption

The officers also told the crew their superior officers wives directed them to do jobs outside their work profile. They did not know their revelations were recorded. When Roy arrived back at the camp, he was horrified to see the visuals of the talk on TV. He got scared, John said. He called his wife around 8.15 pm and briefed her about what had happened. Since then, his phone has been switched off.

Roys family told Express, Fini had submitted a complaint with the Chief Minister, the Kerala Police Chief and Leader of the Opposition seeking urgent intervention from them on March 1. In her petition, Fini said Roy last visited his homeland on December 3 and returned to Nashik on December 28.

She said on February 25, he had called her up earlier than his usual time of 9 pm. A day or two after that a friend of my husbands posted in Rajasthan called us and inquired about him. The friend told us he has not reported for duty and asked whether he had arrived here. I solicit your help and intervention in tracing out my missing husband, Finis petition said.

With Roys suspicious death, the family is now demanding a thorough probe into the circumstances that led to his death.

KOLLAM: An army officer from Karuvelil, near Ezhukone, is feared dead at Nashik in Maharashtra on Thursday. The officer, 33-year-old Roy M, serving as a Gunner with the 214 RKT Regiment at Nashik, is said to have been missing from the camp since February 25. Relatives of the officer said the Commanding Officer (CO) with the regiment informed them a body that could be Roys was found outside the camp on Thursday. Roy MAround 9 am, the CO informed us a dead body similar to that of Roy has been found. The officer also told us the person has been dead for three days and so the body was being shifted for postmortem, said John, Roys brother. The family has not received any further communication from the Army. Roy, who has been with the Indian Army for the past 13 years, was posted to Nashik a year ago. The last time he talked with his wife Fini Roy he said he had made a mistake. He told her he had talked about the harassment by senior officers at the regiment to a local news channel. He was mentally disturbed as he feared the act would cost him his job. Since then we havent heard from him, he said. A two-member crew (who didnt reveal they were working for the channel) approached Roy and two other officers on February 25. The crew asked the three officers about the life in the Army and about the hardships in the force. As the conversation was of a casual tone, the three officers opened up. They spoke about the harassment at the hands of their superiors. They revealed they were forced to do menial jobs including laundry, kitchen work and others, John said. Also read: BSF Jawan Tej Bahadur cries foul, questions PM Narendra Modis desire to eradicate corruption The officers also told the crew their superior officers wives directed them to do jobs outside their work profile. They did not know their revelations were recorded. When Roy arrived back at the camp, he was horrified to see the visuals of the talk on TV. He got scared, John said. He called his wife around 8.15 pm and briefed her about what had happened. Since then, his phone has been switched off. Roys family told Express, Fini had submitted a complaint with the Chief Minister, the Kerala Police Chief and Leader of the Opposition seeking urgent intervention from them on March 1. In her petition, Fini said Roy last visited his homeland on December 3 and returned to Nashik on December 28. She said on February 25, he had called her up earlier than his usual time of 9 pm. A day or two after that a friend of my husbands posted in Rajasthan called us and inquired about him. The friend told us he has not reported for duty and asked whether he had arrived here. I solicit your help and intervention in tracing out my missing husband, Finis petition said. With Roys suspicious death, the family is now demanding a thorough probe into the circumstances that led to his death.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finance Minister Thomas Isaac's office with the media when the minister was just halfway into his speech, leading to a major row in the Assembly on Thursday.



When the Budget highlights reached the public domain through social media, the Opposition seized the opportunity and disrupted the Budget speech. Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that

the Budget had lost its sanctity.



Battered by the Opposition onslaught, Isaac went on the defensive and skipped major portions of the speech. The minister wrapped up his speech within 10 minutes after the ruckus began.



The UDF by then boycotted the Budget speech and walked out of the House. Later, addressing a news conference, Chennithala demanded the Finance Minister's resignation.



The e-mail was sent to the media at 10.26, exactly an hour and 26 minutes after the Finance Minister began his speech.

This, at a time when Isaac was yet to announce major budgetary proposals in the infrastructure domain and also the plans to revive state-run KSRTC.



Opposition MLAs, who obtained copies of the highlights, taunted the Finance Minister by reading out portions of what the Finance Minister was about to say in his speech. Even though Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Finance Minister Thomas Isaac tried to calm the Opposition by stating that the matter would be inquired into, it failed to pacify them.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finance Minister Thomas Isaac's office with the media when the minister was just halfway into his speech, leading to a major row in the Assembly on Thursday. When the Budget highlights reached the public domain through social media, the Opposition seized the opportunity and disrupted the Budget speech. Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the Budget had lost its sanctity. Battered by the Opposition onslaught, Isaac went on the defensive and skipped major portions of the speech. The minister wrapped up his speech within 10 minutes after the ruckus began. The UDF by then boycotted the Budget speech and walked out of the House. Later, addressing a news conference, Chennithala demanded the Finance Minister's resignation. The e-mail was sent to the media at 10.26, exactly an hour and 26 minutes after the Finance Minister began his speech. This, at a time when Isaac was yet to announce major budgetary proposals in the infrastructure domain and also the plans to revive state-run KSRTC. Opposition MLAs, who obtained copies of the highlights, taunted the Finance Minister by reading out portions of what the Finance Minister was about to say in his speech. Even though Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Finance Minister Thomas Isaac tried to calm the Opposition by stating that the matter would be inquired into, it failed to pacify them.
By ANI

KOZHIKODE: A day after a bomb was hurled at a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office in Kallachy near Nadapuram, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) office at Vishnumangalam was put on fire by few unidentified people.

No casualty has been reported so far in the incident that took place last night.

In the attack at the RSS office, three RSS workers had sustained injuries. They were rushed to the Government Medical College in Kozhikode.

The attacks come after RSS leader Kundan Chandrawat offered Rs. 1 crore to anyone who would bring Kerala Chief Minister P. Vijayan's head to him.

"If anyone beheads the Kerala CM, who is the murderer of RSS activists, and brings his head I will bequeath my property worth more than Rs. one crore to him," he had said.

KOZHIKODE: A day after a bomb was hurled at a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office in Kallachy near Nadapuram, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) office at Vishnumangalam was put on fire by few unidentified people. No casualty has been reported so far in the incident that took place last night. In the attack at the RSS office, three RSS workers had sustained injuries. They were rushed to the Government Medical College in Kozhikode. The attacks come after RSS leader Kundan Chandrawat offered Rs. 1 crore to anyone who would bring Kerala Chief Minister P. Vijayan's head to him. "If anyone beheads the Kerala CM, who is the murderer of RSS activists, and brings his head I will bequeath my property worth more than Rs. one crore to him," he had said.
By Associated Press

LONDON: The president of one of Britain's biggest business lobby groups is to warn of the economic damage the country would suffer if it leaves the European Union without securing a wide-ranging trade deal with the bloc.

In prepared remarks for a speech due later Thursday, Confederation of British Industry President Paul Drechsler will say that a "'no deal' scenario would open a Pandora's Box of economic consequences."

If Britain leaves the EU without a deal, it would have to rely on so-called World Trade Organization rules  a set of tariffs that would immediately raise the cost of trade for both sides but impact Britain more as its relative dependence on EU trade is higher than the EU's on Britain.

"Here in the U.K. and across the continent firms are worried about this 'worst-case scenario'," Drechsler is due to say. "Some are getting ready for it to reduce economic damage. Some won't prepare because they're hoping for a deal. But in reality many firms can't prepare because the cost of change is simply too high to even consider it."

Under WTO rules, Britain would not be able to trade with its former EU partners on terms that would be any more advantageous than other countries that do not have trade agreements with the EU, such as the United States. As a result, the EU would impose tariffs on an estimated 15,000 goods, in no uniform way: some British exports, like pharmaceuticals, would face no extra charge but the large majority would.

Goods coming into Britain from the EU would also be subject to tariffs, suggesting both sides would be inclined to agree on a new trade deal. It's not just about tariffs, but also standards and regulations. The EU has limits on foods containing genetically-modified products, for example.

Britain, Drechsler will say, would face tariffs on 90 percent of its EU exports by value and a raft of new regulatory hurdles. As a member of the 28-country bloc, British firms don't have to pay any tariffs to trade in the EU and adhere to EU regulations.

Drechsler, whose organization comprises 190,000 businesses of all sizes and sectors, is also set to tell the audience of business leaders that the CBI is engaging closely with business groups throughout the EU to "work towards a comprehensive agreement that is in all parties' interests."

British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to start the official talks on leaving the EU by the end of this month. Triggering the so-called Article 50 of the EU Treaty will begin two years of negotiations on the terms of the divorce. May hopes a new trade deal with the EU can be struck, but there are doubts as free trade deals typically take years to negotiate.

"Right now, it feels like we're just reaching the top of the Article 50 roller-coaster," Drechsler will say. "Any minute now, maybe next week, maybe the week after that, we'll suddenly drop into the twists and turns of negotiations."

Drechsler is also set to describe those advocating Britain walking away without a deal as "not only wrong but irresponsible."

"Imagine you're a small cosmetics firm in Stockport and shops in France sell your products. No deal? Without an EU office it's illegal for those French shops to sell your products. A loss for you and for them."

Many Brexit advocates argue there's nothing wrong with the WTO trade option, noting that Britain could get a boost from new trade deals with non-EU countries. They also say the WTO option would be better than a transitional deal that would extend the current uncertainty.

Also, Brexit supporters note that the fall in the value of the pound provides a cushion by making British exports more price-competitive, even with new tariffs.

LONDON: The president of one of Britain's biggest business lobby groups is to warn of the economic damage the country would suffer if it leaves the European Union without securing a wide-ranging trade deal with the bloc. In prepared remarks for a speech due later Thursday, Confederation of British Industry President Paul Drechsler will say that a "'no deal' scenario would open a Pandora's Box of economic consequences." If Britain leaves the EU without a deal, it would have to rely on so-called World Trade Organization rules  a set of tariffs that would immediately raise the cost of trade for both sides but impact Britain more as its relative dependence on EU trade is higher than the EU's on Britain. "Here in the U.K. and across the continent firms are worried about this 'worst-case scenario'," Drechsler is due to say. "Some are getting ready for it to reduce economic damage. Some won't prepare because they're hoping for a deal. But in reality many firms can't prepare because the cost of change is simply too high to even consider it." Under WTO rules, Britain would not be able to trade with its former EU partners on terms that would be any more advantageous than other countries that do not have trade agreements with the EU, such as the United States. As a result, the EU would impose tariffs on an estimated 15,000 goods, in no uniform way: some British exports, like pharmaceuticals, would face no extra charge but the large majority would. Goods coming into Britain from the EU would also be subject to tariffs, suggesting both sides would be inclined to agree on a new trade deal. It's not just about tariffs, but also standards and regulations. The EU has limits on foods containing genetically-modified products, for example. Britain, Drechsler will say, would face tariffs on 90 percent of its EU exports by value and a raft of new regulatory hurdles. As a member of the 28-country bloc, British firms don't have to pay any tariffs to trade in the EU and adhere to EU regulations. Drechsler, whose organization comprises 190,000 businesses of all sizes and sectors, is also set to tell the audience of business leaders that the CBI is engaging closely with business groups throughout the EU to "work towards a comprehensive agreement that is in all parties' interests." British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to start the official talks on leaving the EU by the end of this month. Triggering the so-called Article 50 of the EU Treaty will begin two years of negotiations on the terms of the divorce. May hopes a new trade deal with the EU can be struck, but there are doubts as free trade deals typically take years to negotiate. "Right now, it feels like we're just reaching the top of the Article 50 roller-coaster," Drechsler will say. "Any minute now, maybe next week, maybe the week after that, we'll suddenly drop into the twists and turns of negotiations." Drechsler is also set to describe those advocating Britain walking away without a deal as "not only wrong but irresponsible." "Imagine you're a small cosmetics firm in Stockport and shops in France sell your products. No deal? Without an EU office it's illegal for those French shops to sell your products. A loss for you and for them." Many Brexit advocates argue there's nothing wrong with the WTO trade option, noting that Britain could get a boost from new trade deals with non-EU countries. They also say the WTO option would be better than a transitional deal that would extend the current uncertainty. Also, Brexit supporters note that the fall in the value of the pound provides a cushion by making British exports more price-competitive, even with new tariffs.
By PTI

DHAKA: Bangladesh police today said they have arrested the 'spiritual leader' of a banned Islamist outfit blamed for the country's worst terror attack at a cafe here as they intensified a crackdown on militants. Maulana Abul Kashem was arrested from a hideout in the capital last night.

Officials of the police's elite counterterrorism and transnational crime unit said Kashem was the spiritual leader of the reconstituted Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (neo-JMB), which is believed to be inclined to the Islamic State terror group. "He (Kashem) was a madrassa teacher in (northwestern) Joypurhat...," Monirul Islam, the chief of the unit, told reporters.

Islam said that the neo-JMB recruited Kashem to inspire its operatives to become extremists. Kashem's arrest comes after a leading neo-JMB operative was killed in police custody in northwestern Bogra while another, who supplied weapons for the July 1 cafe attack, was arrested in the capital. Islam said their investigations found that nearly 30 militants were directly linked to the attack on the Holey Artisan restaurant in Dhaka last year, killing 22 people, including an Indian girl.

Three top leaders of the outfit were subsequently killed in gunfights with police. Bangladesh witnessed a spate of attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities since 2013. The country launched a massive crackdown on militants specially after the Dhaka cafe attack.

DHAKA: Bangladesh police today said they have arrested the 'spiritual leader' of a banned Islamist outfit blamed for the country's worst terror attack at a cafe here as they intensified a crackdown on militants. Maulana Abul Kashem was arrested from a hideout in the capital last night. Officials of the police's elite counterterrorism and transnational crime unit said Kashem was the spiritual leader of the reconstituted Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (neo-JMB), which is believed to be inclined to the Islamic State terror group. "He (Kashem) was a madrassa teacher in (northwestern) Joypurhat...," Monirul Islam, the chief of the unit, told reporters. Islam said that the neo-JMB recruited Kashem to inspire its operatives to become extremists. Kashem's arrest comes after a leading neo-JMB operative was killed in police custody in northwestern Bogra while another, who supplied weapons for the July 1 cafe attack, was arrested in the capital. Islam said their investigations found that nearly 30 militants were directly linked to the attack on the Holey Artisan restaurant in Dhaka last year, killing 22 people, including an Indian girl. Three top leaders of the outfit were subsequently killed in gunfights with police. Bangladesh witnessed a spate of attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities since 2013. The country launched a massive crackdown on militants specially after the Dhaka cafe attack.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: India on Friday reasserted its rights to host revered Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in Arunachal Pradesh, even as China warned that it would cause serious damage to bilateral ties as it claims that the area is a disputed border region.

A Ministry of External Affairs official, on condition of anonymity, insisted that there has been no change in the governments position that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a respected and revered spiritual leader and as an honoured guest was free to travel to any part of India.

The Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit Tawang, Itanagar and eastern districts of Arunachal Pradesh from April 4 to 13 this year.

He has been in India since his escape in 1959 much to the chagrin of China, which continues to term him as wolf in monks clothing.

According to Buddhist traditions, the soul of a senior lama is reincarnated following his death. Even as the Dalai Lama has hinted at doing away with the title after his death, the officially atheist Communist leaders of China insist on appointing his successor in the light of the right inherited from Chinas emperors.

India, so far, has been hesitant in using the Tibetan spiritual leader to send a strong message to China.

However, Beijing has launched a continuous tirade against Indias interests  energy security through entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and crippling Masood Azhars terror network by getting him into the UNs proscribed terrorist list.

The Dalai Lama will be meeting Indian government officials, including Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, during his visit to Tawang, reflecting its official backing. Rijiju himself hails from Arunachal Pradesh.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said: China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh. China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas.

Tawang  the town on the IndiaChina border  has been the bone of contention between the two countries. Beijing had earlier objected to the Dalai Lamas visit to the town in 2009.

Tawang, which Beijing claims is a part of southern China, has links to the history between the two countries as it was through its passes that the Dalai Lama crossed over to India.

NEW DELHI: India on Friday reasserted its rights to host revered Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in Arunachal Pradesh, even as China warned that it would cause serious damage to bilateral ties as it claims that the area is a disputed border region. A Ministry of External Affairs official, on condition of anonymity, insisted that there has been no change in the governments position that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a respected and revered spiritual leader and as an honoured guest was free to travel to any part of India. The Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit Tawang, Itanagar and eastern districts of Arunachal Pradesh from April 4 to 13 this year. He has been in India since his escape in 1959 much to the chagrin of China, which continues to term him as wolf in monks clothing. According to Buddhist traditions, the soul of a senior lama is reincarnated following his death. Even as the Dalai Lama has hinted at doing away with the title after his death, the officially atheist Communist leaders of China insist on appointing his successor in the light of the right inherited from Chinas emperors. India, so far, has been hesitant in using the Tibetan spiritual leader to send a strong message to China. However, Beijing has launched a continuous tirade against Indias interests  energy security through entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and crippling Masood Azhars terror network by getting him into the UNs proscribed terrorist list. The Dalai Lama will be meeting Indian government officials, including Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, during his visit to Tawang, reflecting its official backing. Rijiju himself hails from Arunachal Pradesh. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said: China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh. China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas. Tawang  the town on the IndiaChina border  has been the bone of contention between the two countries. Beijing had earlier objected to the Dalai Lamas visit to the town in 2009. Tawang, which Beijing claims is a part of southern China, has links to the history between the two countries as it was through its passes that the Dalai Lama crossed over to India.
By PTI

BEIJING: The border dispute between China and India can be resolved if New Delhi accepts Beijing's claim over strategically vital Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh, China's former top diplomat has said, but Indian officials dismissed it as neither practical nor possible.

Dai Bingguo, who served as the China's boundary negotiator with India from 2003 to 2013, told Chinese media, "If the Indian side takes care of China's concerns in the eastern sector of their border, the Chinese side will respond accordingly and address India's concerns elsewhere."

Elaborating China's stand, Dai who conducted border talks with five Indian Special Representatives starting with Brajesh Mishra in 2003 said, "The disputed territory in the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, including Tawang, is inalienable from China's Tibet in terms of cultural background and administrative jurisdiction."

He said that colonial British government which drew the "McMahon Line" accepted Beijing's claim on Tawang.

China has rejected "McMahon Line" in India's case but accepted it in settling boundary dispute with Myanmar.

"Even British colonialists who drew the illegal McMahon Line respected Chinas jurisdiction over Tawang and admitted that Tawang was part of China's Tibet," Dai told the China-India Dialogue magazine.

Dai was China's top diplomat and held the post of State Councillor in the previous Hu Jintao administration.

His interview was published by the magazine in its January edition ahead of India-China Strategic Dialogue held here last month co-chaired by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar. Dai, regarded as a wily negotiator, did not specify where China is willing to make a concession along the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control (LAC).

He also did not specify this in the book he wrote in Chinese language on the border talks. Indian officials, however, said Dai's proposal is neither practical nor possible for India to accept considering that Tawang is an integral part of Arunachal Pradesh and has sent representatives to Parliament in every election since 1950.

In his interview, Dai said essential nature of the China-India boundary question is the "need to correct wrongs" made by colonialists and to restore fairness and justice.

"For historical reasons, India now controls the majority of the disputed territory. The boundary question was not created by China or India, so we shouldnt be inheriting it and letting the ghosts of colonialism continue to haunt our bilateral relations," he said.

Though published afresh in Chinese media, Beijing has been making such a demand for concession for long.

Former National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon who was India's Special Representative for border talks and held several rounds of talks with Dai until the present NSA Ajit Doval took over in 2014, has mentioned the issue in his recently released book "Choices: Inside the Making of Indias Foreign Policy". While China demanded concessions in the Western sector before the 1962 war, it changed the line to East after 1980s.

"Chinese officials began saying in the 1980s that Beijing would compromise only if India made major adjustments first, adding that once India indicated concessions in the East, China would indicate concessions in the West," Menon wrote in the book.

"In 1985, China specified that the concession it was seeking in the East was Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, something that any government of India would find difficult to accept, as this was settled area that had sent representatives to every Indian Parliament since 1950," he wrote.

"The Indian Supreme Court also held in the Berubari case in 1956 that the government could not cede sovereign territory to another government without a constitutional amendment, though it could made adjustments and rectifications in the boundaries of India," Menon wrote in the book, highlighting India's problem in accepting China's demand.

Apparently China's stand on the border settlement was different earlier lacking consistency. Menon wrote that former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai during his visit to India in 1960 "suggested that China might recognise the McMahon line boundary in the East in return to India accepting Chinas claim in the West" to provide strategic depth for China along the Aksai Chin road between Xinjiang and Tibet, which is now China National Highway 219.

Menon said India for the first time had Chinese troops at the border only after the People's Liberation of Army (PLA) took control of Tibet.

After the occupation of Aksai Chin area in the 1962 war, China's stand reported to have changed. While China says the border dispute covers Arunachal Pradesh which it claims as Southern Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covered Aksai Chin area.

BEIJING: The border dispute between China and India can be resolved if New Delhi accepts Beijing's claim over strategically vital Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh, China's former top diplomat has said, but Indian officials dismissed it as neither practical nor possible. Dai Bingguo, who served as the China's boundary negotiator with India from 2003 to 2013, told Chinese media, "If the Indian side takes care of China's concerns in the eastern sector of their border, the Chinese side will respond accordingly and address India's concerns elsewhere." Elaborating China's stand, Dai who conducted border talks with five Indian Special Representatives starting with Brajesh Mishra in 2003 said, "The disputed territory in the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, including Tawang, is inalienable from China's Tibet in terms of cultural background and administrative jurisdiction." He said that colonial British government which drew the "McMahon Line" accepted Beijing's claim on Tawang. China has rejected "McMahon Line" in India's case but accepted it in settling boundary dispute with Myanmar. "Even British colonialists who drew the illegal McMahon Line respected Chinas jurisdiction over Tawang and admitted that Tawang was part of China's Tibet," Dai told the China-India Dialogue magazine. Dai was China's top diplomat and held the post of State Councillor in the previous Hu Jintao administration. His interview was published by the magazine in its January edition ahead of India-China Strategic Dialogue held here last month co-chaired by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar. Dai, regarded as a wily negotiator, did not specify where China is willing to make a concession along the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control (LAC). He also did not specify this in the book he wrote in Chinese language on the border talks. Indian officials, however, said Dai's proposal is neither practical nor possible for India to accept considering that Tawang is an integral part of Arunachal Pradesh and has sent representatives to Parliament in every election since 1950. In his interview, Dai said essential nature of the China-India boundary question is the "need to correct wrongs" made by colonialists and to restore fairness and justice. "For historical reasons, India now controls the majority of the disputed territory. The boundary question was not created by China or India, so we shouldnt be inheriting it and letting the ghosts of colonialism continue to haunt our bilateral relations," he said. Though published afresh in Chinese media, Beijing has been making such a demand for concession for long. Former National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon who was India's Special Representative for border talks and held several rounds of talks with Dai until the present NSA Ajit Doval took over in 2014, has mentioned the issue in his recently released book "Choices: Inside the Making of Indias Foreign Policy". While China demanded concessions in the Western sector before the 1962 war, it changed the line to East after 1980s. "Chinese officials began saying in the 1980s that Beijing would compromise only if India made major adjustments first, adding that once India indicated concessions in the East, China would indicate concessions in the West," Menon wrote in the book. "In 1985, China specified that the concession it was seeking in the East was Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, something that any government of India would find difficult to accept, as this was settled area that had sent representatives to every Indian Parliament since 1950," he wrote. "The Indian Supreme Court also held in the Berubari case in 1956 that the government could not cede sovereign territory to another government without a constitutional amendment, though it could made adjustments and rectifications in the boundaries of India," Menon wrote in the book, highlighting India's problem in accepting China's demand. Apparently China's stand on the border settlement was different earlier lacking consistency. Menon wrote that former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai during his visit to India in 1960 "suggested that China might recognise the McMahon line boundary in the East in return to India accepting Chinas claim in the West" to provide strategic depth for China along the Aksai Chin road between Xinjiang and Tibet, which is now China National Highway 219. Menon said India for the first time had Chinese troops at the border only after the People's Liberation of Army (PLA) took control of Tibet. After the occupation of Aksai Chin area in the 1962 war, China's stand reported to have changed. While China says the border dispute covers Arunachal Pradesh which it claims as Southern Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covered Aksai Chin area.
By PTI

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has said he had the guts to dismiss a UN demand seeking foreign judges to probe the alleged war crimes committed during the conflict with the LTTE. "I have shown the strength of my backbone," Sirisena said while addressing the executive committee meeting of his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) held here yesterday.

His comments are being seen as a response to criticism by his own SLFP party. "Two weeks ago, the UN Human Rights chief had said Sri Lanka must have international judges in the accountability mechanism.

The following day, I had the guts to dismiss it," he said. Sirisena's unity government with the SLFP's arch rival United National Party (UNP) led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has rejected the United Nations Human Rights Council's (UNHRC) call for a hybrid mechanism with local and foreign judges to probe the allegations of war crimes during the last phase of the war with the LTTE.

The Tamil minority, however, insists on foreign judges, claiming that the local judicial system remains far from trustworthy to deliver justice to the large numbers of Tamil victims of the conflict. Sirisena's comments came as Sri Lanka braced to ask for more time at the ongoing UNHRC session in Geneva to implement the 2015 resolution which stressed on the international hybrid mechanism.

Meanwhile, the Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians today signed a petition urging disallowing of more time to the Sri Lankan government on the resolution implementation. Opposition leader M A Sumanthiran earlier this week said that Sri Lanka must be given more time, not to dodge implementation but to commit for implementation of each one of the obligations. President Sirisena's SLFP is divided between him and former president Mahinda Rajapaksa whose nearly a decade-long rule was ended by Sirisena in 2015.

The Rajapaksa backers calling themselves the Joint Opposition stayed away from yesterday's SLFP parley despite invitations being extended to them, the party said. They accuse Sirisena of betraying the war victory achieved by Rajapaksa by Sirisena's policy of give in. Last month, Sri Lanka said it needed more time to probe the alleged war crimes committed during the civil war, even as it asserted that the proposed mechanism to deliver justice to the victims would be homegrown and not a copy of the South African model. According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by the security forces during Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to nearly three-decades long civil war in Sri Lanka with the defeat of LTTE in 2009.

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has said he had the guts to dismiss a UN demand seeking foreign judges to probe the alleged war crimes committed during the conflict with the LTTE. "I have shown the strength of my backbone," Sirisena said while addressing the executive committee meeting of his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) held here yesterday. His comments are being seen as a response to criticism by his own SLFP party. "Two weeks ago, the UN Human Rights chief had said Sri Lanka must have international judges in the accountability mechanism. The following day, I had the guts to dismiss it," he said. Sirisena's unity government with the SLFP's arch rival United National Party (UNP) led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has rejected the United Nations Human Rights Council's (UNHRC) call for a hybrid mechanism with local and foreign judges to probe the allegations of war crimes during the last phase of the war with the LTTE. The Tamil minority, however, insists on foreign judges, claiming that the local judicial system remains far from trustworthy to deliver justice to the large numbers of Tamil victims of the conflict. Sirisena's comments came as Sri Lanka braced to ask for more time at the ongoing UNHRC session in Geneva to implement the 2015 resolution which stressed on the international hybrid mechanism. Meanwhile, the Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians today signed a petition urging disallowing of more time to the Sri Lankan government on the resolution implementation. Opposition leader M A Sumanthiran earlier this week said that Sri Lanka must be given more time, not to dodge implementation but to commit for implementation of each one of the obligations. President Sirisena's SLFP is divided between him and former president Mahinda Rajapaksa whose nearly a decade-long rule was ended by Sirisena in 2015. The Rajapaksa backers calling themselves the Joint Opposition stayed away from yesterday's SLFP parley despite invitations being extended to them, the party said. They accuse Sirisena of betraying the war victory achieved by Rajapaksa by Sirisena's policy of give in. Last month, Sri Lanka said it needed more time to probe the alleged war crimes committed during the civil war, even as it asserted that the proposed mechanism to deliver justice to the victims would be homegrown and not a copy of the South African model. According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by the security forces during Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to nearly three-decades long civil war in Sri Lanka with the defeat of LTTE in 2009.
By AFP

GENEVA: More than a week of UN-sponsored peace talks ended in Geneva on Friday, the main opposition group said, calling the results "more positive" than previous rounds.

"We are closing this round without (a) clear result... but I can say this time was more positive," Nasr al-Hariri, delegation chief for the High Negotiating Committee (HNC), told reporters.

"It was first time we discussed in an acceptable depth the issues of the future of Syria and political transition," he added after the talks, the fourth mediated by UN envoy Staffan de Mistura.

As in previous rounds, Syrian regime and opposition negotiators did not meet face-to-face, with de Mistura shuttling between the delegations.

The talks were focussed on the agenda, rather than getting into the substance of negotiations, with three main "baskets" or areas of discussion: governance, the constitution and elections.

The Syrian regime has tried to get counter-terrorism onto the agenda, while the opposition wants more focus on political transition, specifically the fate of President Bashar al-Assad.

"The international silence must come to an end. The international community must speak out .. to put an end to the ongoing massacres that have been taking place in Syria for six years now," said al-Hariri.

The Geneva negotiations, the first since last April, are aimed at ending a conflict that began in March 2011 with protests against Assad. Its seventh year begins on March 15.

Since then more than 310,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have fled the country, fuelling instability in neighbouring countries and creating Europe's biggest migrant crisis since World War II.

The warring Syrian sides have been joined in Geneva by envoys of key parties including notably Russia, a major ally of Damascus.

GENEVA: More than a week of UN-sponsored peace talks ended in Geneva on Friday, the main opposition group said, calling the results "more positive" than previous rounds. "We are closing this round without (a) clear result... but I can say this time was more positive," Nasr al-Hariri, delegation chief for the High Negotiating Committee (HNC), told reporters. "It was first time we discussed in an acceptable depth the issues of the future of Syria and political transition," he added after the talks, the fourth mediated by UN envoy Staffan de Mistura. As in previous rounds, Syrian regime and opposition negotiators did not meet face-to-face, with de Mistura shuttling between the delegations. The talks were focussed on the agenda, rather than getting into the substance of negotiations, with three main "baskets" or areas of discussion: governance, the constitution and elections. The Syrian regime has tried to get counter-terrorism onto the agenda, while the opposition wants more focus on political transition, specifically the fate of President Bashar al-Assad. "The international silence must come to an end. The international community must speak out .. to put an end to the ongoing massacres that have been taking place in Syria for six years now," said al-Hariri. The Geneva negotiations, the first since last April, are aimed at ending a conflict that began in March 2011 with protests against Assad. Its seventh year begins on March 15. Since then more than 310,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have fled the country, fuelling instability in neighbouring countries and creating Europe's biggest migrant crisis since World War II. The warring Syrian sides have been joined in Geneva by envoys of key parties including notably Russia, a major ally of Damascus.
By AFP

ISTANBUL: Top Turkish and German diplomats agreed Friday to meet next week as their nations row over the cancellation of rallies in Germany for an upcoming vote in Turkey.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his German counterpart, Sigmar Gabriel, agreed during a phone conversation to meet on Wednesday, according to a high-level Turkish official.

State-run Anadolu news agency reported the meeting would take place in Germany. Tensions are high over rallies for a referendum on whether to expand President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers.

ISTANBUL: Top Turkish and German diplomats agreed Friday to meet next week as their nations row over the cancellation of rallies in Germany for an upcoming vote in Turkey. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his German counterpart, Sigmar Gabriel, agreed during a phone conversation to meet on Wednesday, according to a high-level Turkish official. State-run Anadolu news agency reported the meeting would take place in Germany. Tensions are high over rallies for a referendum on whether to expand President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers.
By Associated Press

WARSAW: A Polish member of the European Parliament has launched another sexist tirade, calling it a "20th-century stereotype that women have the same intellectual potential as men," and that the stereotype "must be destroyed because it is not true."

Janusz Korwin-Mikke's insults on Friday in Warsaw came two days after he told the European Parliament that "women must earn less than men because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent."

The president of the Parliament opened an investigation Thursday into the comments, for which Korwin-Mikke could face sanctions such as a reprimand, a fine or a temporary suspension.

His latest blast came after he was challenged by female lawmakers during a visit to the Polish parliament in Warsaw. Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, from the Modern party, accused him of offending women and said she would not allow him to do it again.

"There are more women than men in Poland, we're better educated, and I will not let you offend Polish women, European women and women all over the world. It's a disgrace," she told him.

Korwin-Mikke has a history of getting attention for outrageous comments, including comparing the European Union to the Third Reich.

In 2015, he raised his arm in a Nazi salute to make a political point in the European Parliament, the EU's elected legislative arm, forcing the centrist government in Warsaw at the time to apologize and express shame for his behavior.

Korwin-Mikke heads a small party which won just under 5 percent of the vote in Poland's last parliamentary election in 2015, failing to clear the 5 percent threshold to get any seats.

WARSAW: A Polish member of the European Parliament has launched another sexist tirade, calling it a "20th-century stereotype that women have the same intellectual potential as men," and that the stereotype "must be destroyed because it is not true." Janusz Korwin-Mikke's insults on Friday in Warsaw came two days after he told the European Parliament that "women must earn less than men because they are weaker, they are smaller, they are less intelligent." The president of the Parliament opened an investigation Thursday into the comments, for which Korwin-Mikke could face sanctions such as a reprimand, a fine or a temporary suspension. His latest blast came after he was challenged by female lawmakers during a visit to the Polish parliament in Warsaw. Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, from the Modern party, accused him of offending women and said she would not allow him to do it again. "There are more women than men in Poland, we're better educated, and I will not let you offend Polish women, European women and women all over the world. It's a disgrace," she told him. Korwin-Mikke has a history of getting attention for outrageous comments, including comparing the European Union to the Third Reich. In 2015, he raised his arm in a Nazi salute to make a political point in the European Parliament, the EU's elected legislative arm, forcing the centrist government in Warsaw at the time to apologize and express shame for his behavior. Korwin-Mikke heads a small party which won just under 5 percent of the vote in Poland's last parliamentary election in 2015, failing to clear the 5 percent threshold to get any seats.
Khan of Kalat seeks India's support for freedom of Balochs

London [UK], Mar. 2 : Amir Ahmed Suleman Daud, the Khan of Kalat, has categorically stated to seek help from India and other western countries against Pakistan and called upon the international community to come forward to help the Baloch people in their freedom struggle.





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He made the remarks while addressing a seminar titled, "The History of Balochistan Revisited" at the House of Lords here last week. The seminar was hosted by 'The Democracy Forum' and the deliberations centred on Britain's historical links with the confederacy of Balochistan in the 19th century and the legality of the subsequent accession of Balochistan to Pakistan in 1948. Dr William Crawley of the Institute for Commonwealth Studies chaired the seminar.According to the Nation, during the course of his address, the Khan of Kalat, said that he would go to India, Iran, Afghanistan and other countries to seek their help and influence to reach his and his followers' destiny but his major source of inspiration and dependence would be on India since according to him "they have a sincere friend in Prime Minister Narendera Modi".He added that he will utilise his energies to "push back China", which is involved in the multi-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called 'a game changer which will transform the lives of the billions of people of the region.'The Khan questioned the legality of Balochistan's accession to Pakistan as he referred to various treaties signed by the British government with the Baloch rulers, in which Balochistan's sovereignty and independence had been repeatedly affirmed.He argued that Pakistan's founding father, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who was the attorney for Kalat in all negotiations prior to its annexation by Pakistan, was himself aware that representatives of the British Crown had recognised Kalat as an independent country.Describing Pakistan today as the 'cradle of terrorism', the Khan called on the international community to assist the Baloch regain their independence.Calling Balochistan's accession to Pakistan in 1948 an 'annexation', he argued that Balochistan had lost its independence 'because of geo-politics', saying Britain wanted to deny the Soviet Union access to 'warm waters' - the Indian Ocean."This is why [the British] went back on the treaties (they had signed with Kalat)" he added.The Khan also questioned whether had the mandate to declare Kharan, Lasbela and Mukran princely states.He also welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public airing of the Balochistan issue in his Independence Day speech on August 15 last year.It is pertinent to note that soon after independence emissaries of the then Khan of Kalat had approached Indian prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru to support Kalat and if necessary accept Kalat'a accession to India. However, Nehru did not respond positively as he felt that Kalat was contiguous to Pakistan. Later the Khan of Kalat was charged by Jinnah of treason for approaching India and hanged.
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Maharashtra: CBI conducts raids on premises of Cooperative Bank Officers

Jalagaon (Maharashtra) , Mar.2 : Doubting an alleged involvement in illegal exchange of demonetised currency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday conducted raids on office and residence premises of top officers of Jalgaon district Central Cooperative Bank.





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The CBI officials searched the premises belonging to Managing Director Jitendra Deshmukh, Branch Manager D.B. Patil and Cashier Ravi Shankar Gujrati.The bank officials allegedly converted demonetised currency of worth Rs. 73 lakh on November 9, 2016, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his historical decision of rendering Rs. 500 and 1,000 note as illegal.Searches are still going on.Further details are awaited.
Kochi-Muziris Biennale is proud symbol of Kerala's approach towards art: President

Kochi (Kerala) , Mar. 2 : President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said Kochi-Muziris Biennale is a proud symbol of Kerala's secular approach towards art and culture





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The President inaugurated the Kochi Muziris Biennale Seminar on 'Importance of Sustainable Cultural Building' in Kochi, Kerala.Speaking on the occasion, the President said that contemporary art is one of the most significant ways of expressing thoughts, emotions, concerns and ideas that are current and relevant in this time."The fact that Kerala, the land of history and tradition, now hosts the largest show of contemporary art in the region, and that too a show that was seeded by Government, speaks of the unique ways of this state and its people," he added.He said the Kochi-Muziris Biennale is a proud symbol of this approach and the sense of oneness and inclusivity that exists here."The Kochi Biennale Foundation is a good case study of what is possible when differing agencies come together to pursue profound goals: to value culture, and the achievements of the human spirit, to celebrate the human imagination, and to make those achievements key markers of development. But most importantly this model should be replicated in different parts of the country," the President said.
8 injured in blast in Manipur

Imphal (Manipur) , Mar.2 : At least eight persons were injured in a blast here on Thursday.





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According to the police, preliminary investigation revealed that the blast occurred near the temporary residence of National People's Front (NPF) candidate Leoshiyo Lanthungching in Phangyar assembly constituency.The incident comes just two days before the state of Manipur goes for two-phased polls on March 4 and March 8 respectively.The term of the current state assembly expires on March 18, 2017.The last election in Manipur was held in 2012.The Congress had then won 42 seats and Okram Ibobi Singh was re-elected as the chief minister.Further details are awaited.
Jaitley meets Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari

Kathmandu [Nepal], Mar. 2 : Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday met Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari.





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Jaitley is currently attending the two-day Nepal Investment Summit 2017, which features over 250 investors from India, China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, America, Russia and Canada.Addressing the summit in his keynote speech, Jaitley suggested that Nepal must focus on efficient allocation of funds towards building roads, power and basic infrastructure, adding that India will assist Nepal in these segments."Power transmission lines, new road networks, Nepal-India railway, irrigation projects and new healthcare institutes are what we want to help Nepal build," he said.With regards to attracting foreign investment, Jaitley claimed that the system of remitting profits needs to be re-considered, and Nepal must 'overcome the fear of the unknown.'"The investors of Nepal and India can move ahead through coordination for the investments in educational, medicine and engineering sectors," he added.Jaitley also stressed the need for policy reforms for investment and infrastructural development, adding that the state should adopt a durable tax policy for expanding investments.
AI removes operations director Captain A.K. Kathpalia from his post

New Delhi , Mar. 2 : Air India on Thursday removed director (operations) Captain A.K. Kathpalia from his post, sources said.





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Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) earlier on February 15 suspended Kathpalia's license for three months as he failed in Breath Analyser (BA) test on January 19.Kathpalia was positioned as executive director operations in Air India.As per law, it is mandatory to all pilots to examine pre flight medical check-up before taking flight."Captain A Kathpalia operated AI DEL-BLR on January 19 without undergoing BA examine test which is contravention to the contain in CAR section-5 series-F part III issue III dated 4 August 2015," DGCA said in an order."Now in exercise of the power delegate under clause (a) of sub rule (3) of Rule 19 of aircraft rule 1937 read with ministry of tourism and civil aviation notification no. so 727 (E) of October 1994 undersigned hereby suspend in public interest the privileges of the pilot license held by captain Kathpalia for a period of three month," the order added.
Donald Trump stands by Sessions as Democrats seek resignation over Russia revelation

New York [USA], Mar. 3 : U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he has total confidence in Attorney General Jeff Sessions following accusations that he misled Congress by failing to disclose pre-election meetings with the Russian ambassador to Washington Sergey Kislyak, according to CNN.





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Following the accusations Democrats have called for Sessions' to resign.It has emerged that Sessions spoke twice with the Russian ambassador to the United States during former's presidential campaign, according to CNN.Sessions did not mention either meeting, during his confirmation hearings when he said he knew of no contacts between Trump surrogates and Russians. A Justice official said Sessions didn't mislead senators during his confirmation.Kislyak is considered to be one of Russia's top spies and spy-recruiters in Washington by the U.S. intelligence.Sessions met with Kislyak twice in Washington, in July on the sidelines of the Republican convention, and in September in his office when Sessions was a member of the Senate Armed Services committee. Sessions was an early Trump backer and regular surrogate for him as a candidate.Sessions, a former senator from Alabama, who was among Trump's early and most vocal surrogates on the campaign trail, did not disclose the conversations when asked during his Senate confirmation hearing in early 2017 about possible contacts between Trump's campaign and Moscow.Several Republicans have called on Sessions to rescue himself from any involvement in an FBI probe into ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow.According to CNN, when asked by reporters traveling with the President in Virginia if Sessions should recuse himself, the President said. "I don't think so."Meanwhile, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Sessions should recuse himself only if he was part of the focus of an ongoing probe."If he, himself, is the subject of an investigation, of course he would," Ryan told reporters Thursday. "But if he's not, I don't see any purpose or reason to doing this."Earlier, Russian links had forces former national security adviser Michael Flynn to resign . Flynn had initially denied discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the transition. Vice-President Pence also defended him in front of the media. But later when reports suggested that sanctions may indeed have been discussed, he conceded that he could not remember with 100 percent certainty.Sessions, however, drew a distinction between his role as a Trump surrogate and his duties as a Senator and he strongly denied ever discussing campaign-related issues with anyone from Russia."I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false," he said in a statement.Sessions' spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said there was nothing "misleading about his answer" to Congress because he "was asked during the hearing about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign -- not about meetings he took as a senator and a member of the Armed Services Committee.""Last year, the senator had over 25 conversations with foreign ambassadors as a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, including the British, Korean, Japanese, Polish, Indian, Chinese, Canadian, Australian, German and Russian ambassadors," Isgur Flores said in the statement.A White House official said: "This is the latest attack against the Trump Administration by partisan Democrats. (Attorney) General Sessions met with the ambassador in an official capacity as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which is entirely consistent with his testimony."White House spokesman Sean Spicer said meanwhile that Sessions had nothing to apologize for, signaling an effort by the administration to stand firmly behind the Attorney General.
Tom Hanks gifts White House press corps new espresso machine

New Delhi , Mar. 3 : The White House press corps recently got a special caffeine boost, courtesy of Tom Hanks.





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In his very unique way to surprise the reporters covering the Trump administration, the 'Forest Gump' star sent a brand new espresso machine to them, adding a note of encouragement.It read, "Keep up the good fight for Truth, Justice and the American way. Especially for the Truth part."The note, typed in Hanks' signature style, includes an illustration with the caption, "Fresh, spirited American troops, flushed with victory, are bringing in thousands of hungry, ragged, battle-weary prisoners."Journalist Peter Alexander took to Twitter to thank Hanks for the gift and wrote, "BREAKING: White House press corps receives brand-new espresso machine from @tomhanks. Come for the coffee... stay for his note."Reportedly, this is the third espresso machine sent by the 'Sully' actor to journalists covering the White House, as part of a tradition he started in 2004.
Kerala: CPM office set on fire by unidentified people

Kozhikode (Kerala) , Mar. 03 : A day after a bomb was hurled at a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office in Kallachy near Nadapuram, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) office at Vishnumangalam was put on fire by few unidentified people.





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No casualty has been reported so far in the incident that took place last night.In the attack at the RSS office, three RSS workers had sustained injuries. They were rushed to the Government Medical College in Kozhikode.The attacks come after RSS leader Kundan Chandrawat offered Rs. 1 crore to anyone who would bring Kerala Chief Minister P. Vijayan's head to him."If anyone beheads the Kerala CM, who is the murderer of RSS activists, and brings his head I will bequeath my property worth more than Rs. one crore to him," he had said.
Hunger persists in chronic conflict zones despite strong global harvests - UN

New York, Mar 3 : Despite robust food supply conditions, droughts are worsening food security across swathes of East Africa, and access to food has been dramatically reduced in areas suffering civil conflicts, a new United Nations report has found.





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This is an unprecedented situation. Never before have we been faced with four threats of famine in multiple countries simultaneously, Kostas Stamoulis, the Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said in a news release issued on Thursday, noting that famine has been formally declared in South Sudan, and the food security situation is of grave concern in northern Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen.According to the new edition of FAOs Crop Prospects and Food Situation report, some 37 countries require external assistance for food, 28 of them in Africa as a result of lingering effects of last years El Nio-triggered droughts on harvests in 2016.In South Sudan, 100,000 people were facing famine in Leer and Mayendit Counties, part of former Unity state. Overall, about 4.9 million people across the country were classified as facing crisis, emergency or famine.In Yemen, 17 million people, or two-thirds of the population, are estimated to be food insecure. The report notes that the risk of famine declaration in the country is very high.In northern Nigeria, 8.1 million people are facing acute food insecurity conditions, and in Somalia, an estimated 2.9 million people have been severely food insecure from six months ago.Conflicts and civil unrest in Afghanistan, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Myanmar and Syria are also exacerbating food insecurity conditions for millions of people as well as affecting nearby countries hosting refugees.Global food supply conditions robustThe report says, however, global food supply conditions are robust.Cereal production made quite strong gains in the world overall in 2016, with a record recovery in Central America, and larger cereal crops in Asia, Europe and North America.Prospects are favourable for the 2017 maize crop in Brazil and Argentina and the outlook is generally positive for coarse grains throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Prospects for rice are mixed, but it is still too early to make firm predictions for many of the worlds major crops.Maize harvests in Southern Africa, slashed by El Nio, are forecast to recover this year, with South Africas output expected to increase by more than 50 per cent from 2016.Although FAOs first global wheat production forecast for 2017 points to a 1.8 per cent decline from last years record level, that is due mostly to a projected 20 per cent output drop in the United States.Photo: FAO/Lieke VisserSource: www.justearthnews.com
'Communicating SDGs' key to achieving global development targets - senior UN official

New York, Mar 3 : Bringing together a diverse array of partners to communicate the Sustainable Development Goals was a key focus on day two Global Festival of Ideas for Sustainable Development, a 'playable' United Nations conference that aims to chart a new way of thinking on addressing some of the world's most complex development challenges.





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We have to make the world aware of this [] agenda that is definitely going to transform the planet and that is going to ensure that no one is left behind, Cristina Gallach, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, told the Festival.The more we communicate about the SDGs and make people aware of the agenda, the more the governments will be accountable and will ensure that it is implemented, she added.The UN Department headed by Gallach, Department of Public Information, is the organizations entity tasked with informing the wider world on the SDGs and ensuring that the 17 goals are known and understood.To that end, 17 icons each with a designated bright colour, short name phrase and single image have been created to illustrate each Global Goal.The icons have also been translated in over 50 languages, from Czech to Bahasa Indonesia, and the number is growing.Going localThis localization is important to allow people around the globe take ownership of their development agenda, said the senior UN official.There are a lot of communications that need to be done locally in the different languages people speak locally on a daily basis she explained.Going local also helps people on the ground feel that that work is being done, so local governments have to implement and local media have to monitor what goes on, added Gallach.Youths are the best alliesThe UN has also placed a particular focus on youth with regards to the SDGs and considers a key partner in the achievement of the Goals.[The youth] are aware the planet is not going well and they might inherit something really bad so they want to be part of the transformation, said Gallach, adding: They know the goals will be achieved when they are adults, when they will be at the peak of their lives.The senior UN official also underscored the importance of forging partnerships in the achievement of the SDGs, as well as in communicating them. In addition to the SDG icons designed in partnership with Jakob Trollbck, working with Project Everyone other examples include the branding of the Mexico city metro and a rap song about the Goals in collaboration with Flocabulary, which uses educational hip-hop music to engage with students.The more we communicate the more we will harvest for partnerships [and] this agenda cannot be implements without very strong partnerships stressed Gallach.The Global Festival of Ideas, the first in a series of annual forums, is hosted by the UN SDG Action Campaign in partnership with the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) with the support of the German Government.Source: www.justearthnews.com
Delhi to get high on Bollywood tunes, this march

New Delhi , Mar. 3 : The national capital is set to host Asia's largest Bollywood music festival Bollywood Music Project, this March on 25 and 26.





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Bhutani Group presents Micromax Bollywood Music Project, earlier, wowed the audience in Mumbai.At the debut edition in Mumbai, Bollywood Music Project featured performances by over 60 artists including Arijit Singh, Hariharan, Papon, Rekha Bharadwaj, Sachin-Jigar, Sajid-Wajid, Sonakshi Sinha and Vishal-Shekhar.For Delhi's millennials, this would be the first opportunity ever to watch their favourite Bollywood icons perform live in a multi-genre, multi-stage format.For the Delhi edition, the line-up will comprise of over 50 iconic artistes, supported by over 200 musicians on three stages: The Experimental Stage, The Alternative Stage and The Emerging Artistes Stage.Having established Live Bollywood across genres such as sufi, hip-hop, funk, rock and pop music, BMP's second edition promises to touch millions of hearts again. Bollywood Music Project is collaborating with the biggest names in the industry to belt out tunes infused with music from genres like contemporary, folk, Punjabi, rap, Sufi, pop and hip-hop among others. Bollywood Music Project is offering an assorted platter of Bollywood music tunes to woo the music lovers in the Capital.The multi stage, multi-genre music project will see performances by iconic music artistes like Amit Trivedi, Vishal and Shekhar, Rekha Bharadwaj, Badshah, Raftar, Manj Musik, Nindy Kaur, Zubeen Garg, Asses Kaur, Ash King, Babbal Rai, Divya Kumar, Harrdy Sandhu, Harshdeep Kaur, Jassie Gil, Mohammed Irfan, Pawni Pandey, Shashi Suman, Shefali Alvares, Zublee Baruah and many more.The second list of artists would be announced soon.Ashish Bhutani, managing director, Bhutani Infra said, "We have recently partnered with BMP. This strategic alliance will enhance our already significant reach, brand recall and presence across North India. Associating with Bollywood Music Project is a strategic decision to establish our brand presence across India as the leading real estate player."Shubhajit Sen, chief marketing officer, Micromax Informatics said "Being a youth centric brand we are always focused on bringing alive experiences that connect our consumers to their passions. Clearly, Music and Bollywood are two of the key interest points that resonate with our consumers, and hence we are excited to partner with the Bollywood Music Project - to bring the music lovers closer to their favorite genre of music like never before."
Manipur polls: Congress eyes dominance, BJP promises end to economic blockade

Imphal (Manipur) , Mar. 3 : The elections fever has gripped Manipur as it gears up for the 11th state assembly polls.





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A total of 167 candidates of 17 political parties including the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Naga People's Front, All India Trinamool Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) besides others are in the fray.Polling for the 60-member legislative assembly will be held in two phases on March 4 and March 8 respectively.Kicking off the BJP's campaign at Langjing Achouba ground in Imphal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to find a solution to economic blockade that has crippled life in the state for months now if the BJP is voted to power."BJP government will be formed in Manipur and once we come into power we won't allow blockades to continue in the state. We promise that and we will show how the administration functions," the Prime Minister said.Ahead of the assembly polls, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also addressed a rally at Hapta Kangjeibung in Imphal and said that his party would guide Manipur on the path of development and prosperity."O. Ibobi Singh is the Chief Minister of Manipur and he will take into consideration the views of the common people and run the administration smoothly and this will benefit the people of Manipur and the state as a whole," Gandhi said.Over the last six months, several smaller parties have also emerged on the political scene. Irom Sharmila's People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) is one of the new parties."In a multi-cultural society living in hills and valley and in between hill and valley, there will be a very harmonious living together with understanding by connecting their hearts, to solve any problems by bringing real democracy in our state," said activist and PRJA candidate Sharmila.In wake of the polls, the Election Commission of India launched awareness campaign for the voters in Manipur."We launched our SVEEP campaign in the form of democracy event. On the event, election commissioner had coined the word 'Festival of Democracy' wherein all the stakeholders should participate in a festive mood either they are electors, political parties, candidates and officials. All of them should take it in the spirit of festival of democracy. That was the term the election commissioner coined it when he visited Manipur," said Vivek Kumar Dewangan, Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur.The election results will be announced on March 11.
Nepal well-poised to attract Indian FDI says Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

New Delhi, Mar 3 : Uion Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Friday that India and Nepal share share deep-rooted historical, cultural and religious ties, which have enabled extensive cooperation in trade and economic fields between the two countries.





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The Finance Minister represented India at the Nepal Investment Summit 2017 held at Kathmandu on March 2 and 3, 2017.While addressing the Summit, the Union Minister said that India and Nepal have wide ranging engagement in trade and investment and that Nepal is well poised to attract further FDI from India by creation of a conducive legal and regulatory framework.India is Nepals largest partner in trade and investment with more than two-third of Nepals trade being with India and India accounting for nearly 40% of total FDI in Nepal, the minister said.The two countries have open border, grant national treatment to each others citizens and millions of Nepali citizens live and work in India.The Indian minister pointed out that Nepal has several important sectors such as hydropower, transmission lines, road and rail networks, health, education, tourism, irrigation etc in which it can attract Indian investments. India is ready to invest in the projects of Kathmandu-Nijgadh fast track road, second international airport at Nijgadh, Koshi High Dam etc.During his official visit, the Union Minister of Finance called on the President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime MinisterPushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda.Jaitley also held meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Nepal Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Industry Minister Nabindra Raj Joshi.In his bilateral meetings, the Union Minister of Finance conveyed Indias abiding commitment to partner with Nepal in meeting its aspirations for socio-economic growth.Recalling the construction of several Integrated Check Posts, rail links, Hulaki roads, schools, health posts, etc with Indian assistance, Arun Jaitley stated that India stands ready to make available more soft loans for new infrastructure projects which would enable Nepal grow at a fast pace.In order to address the issue of high trade deficit, Jaitley suggested that Nepal may expand its export basket by attracting more Indian investment in export-oriented industries. Further, the early completion of power projects like Upper Karnali and Arun-III, Nepal would be able to export electricity to India.He urged that the issues of forest land and land acquisition which have delayed the projects should be resolved at the earliest.The Nepali leaders thanked Arun Jaitley for Indias development assistance and highly appreciated Indias assistance for post-earthquake reconstruction of Nepal.Deputy PM Mahara in particular thanked the Government of India for facilitating export of nearly 380 MW of electricity throughout this winter which has enabled several regions of Nepal become free of load-shedding.The two countries now have transmission lines for trade of nearly 500 MW of electricity, which would increase to over 750 MW by mid-2017.Image: PIB Twitter
'Everything's fine' with Hugh Jackman post cancer treatment

Washington D.C. [USA], Mar. 3 : Giving an optimistic update on his health, Hugh Jackman recently revealed that he is on the mend after sixth skin cancer treatment.





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The 48-year-old actor, who recently revealed about his newest ailment on his Instagram page alongside a photo of him with a bandage on his nose, said on LIVE! With Kelly that he is "all good, almost completely healed," reports E! Online.'The Wolverine' star said, "It's a basal cell carcinoma, everything's fine. It is skin cancer but the least dangerous form of it, so it's just something I have to get out after being an Aussie with English parents, growing up in Australia, it's sort of the new normal for me. But everything's fine. People have been so lovely, thank you."Giving some sound advice, Jackman continued, "Wear sunscreen and get a check-up!"On the movie front, Jackman's last ride as the Wolverine, 'Logan' is all set for a March 3 release in India.
Bollywood star kids open about Kangana's 'nepotism' remark

Mumbai , Mar. 3 : Whole B-town was in shock when Kangana Ranaut, boldly talked about nepotism in the industry on Koffee With Karan, which saw a string of reactions coming about the issue.





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Let us see what the star kids have to say about this:Alia Bhat, who was recently spotted at an event, said, "I believe Kangana said that in a very different context and she was only talking from her own perspective. I don't think she was attacking somebody. I feel I have given my views on nepotism, a lot of times that I have now got bored of talking about it."Earlier, actress Sonam Kapoor also shared her thoughts on the same by saying, that she loves the 'Rangoon' star and really look forward to read her interviews.For the uninitiated, Kangana Ranaut known for her brazen honesty took a dig at Karan Johar on his show, calling him the "flag-bearer of nepotism" in Bollywood.The word 'nepotism' means, the practice among those with power or influence of favoring friends, especially by giving them jobs.
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Oscars: President assure 'changes' after Best Picture fiasco

Los Angeles [USA], Mar. 3 : After the embarrassing 'Best Picture' s.n.a.f.u at this year's Oscar ceremony, Academy's President Cheryl Boone Isaacs has sent a note to the members of the organization.





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Isaacs, addressing the 'rather chaotic ending of the show,' has told the members of the Academy, the changes will be implemented to ensure this thing never happens again, reports The Hollywood Reporter.She notes, "The failure of PwC's accountants to follow established protocols and their delay in immediately remedying the situation." Adding that, "PwC has accepted full responsibility for the error," she reassures members that changes will be made to make sure nothing similar happens in the future.Boone Isaacs, also offered praise for how those affected dealt with the unforeseen event, "The professionalism of the crew and stage managers, led by Rob Paine "the spirit and enthusiasm of all the presenters, including Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway; and that of the filmmakers, especially those from 'Moonlight' and 'La La Land'," Isaacs wrote."The grace and humility they demonstrated onstage, with the world watching, shows the strength of the bond that connects all the artists in our community," she added.She also offered Academy members a two-minute video of highlights from the show that includes brief clips of the best picture drama. "And then this happened," the video reads before showing La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz announcing that Moonlight won. And the video then flashes the message, "And that led to a moment of grace and humanity," as Moonlight director Barry Jenkins is shown accepting the award.Calling this year's broadcast, "one of the best - and certainly most dramatic and talked about - Oscar ceremonies of all time," she said she was proud of the work and effort of all involved, starting with producers Jennifer Todd and Michael De Luca.
PM Modi's cabinet camped in Varanasi shows his 'confidence', mocks Congress

Hyderabad , Mar. 3 : With around eight members from the Centre's cabinet staying put in Varanasi with their eyes on ensuring the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress has mocked the development saying it clearly indicates Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state of mind.





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"If the Prime Minister's recent policies including demonetisation have been so successful, then why is he constantly paranoid? He has called the entire cabinet in Lucknow to Varanasi," Congress leader Kapil Sibal told the media here.Asserting that the Prime Minister will taste defeat for sure from all his seats in Varanasi, Sibal further stated that hoarding members of his cabinet in Varanasi was a contradiction to his "popular" image being projected by the BJP.Besides Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Health Minister JP Nadda, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Minister for Electronics, Union IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Social Justice Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot are reportedly camping in Varanasi laying the groundwork ahead of the former's rallies in the city, before the last phase of polling on March 8.
Indian traditional cuisines attracts food lovers

By Vinamrata Takia, New Delhi (India), Mar. 3 : The Global Traditional Food Summit, recently held in the national capital, provided a platform for different states to showcase their traditional food. The major objective of the summit was to harness the potential of traditional food and empower traditional food operators.





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India is quite famous for its diverse multi-cuisine, known for its large assortment of dishes. The cooking style varies from region to region and is largely divided into South Indian & North Indian cuisine.With the advent of processed and junk food, people of the new generation have forgotten about delicacies of India. Food summits like these are a great medium to educate people and make them aware about the variety of traditional food items in India.S.S. Ghonkrokta the organizer of the event said, "Traditional food is losing its relevance and significance over time. Unfortunately a few years ago, a wave came and people started avoiding traditional food. Traditional food was replaced by fast food, which is not wholesome and ultimately results in poor health conditions and diseases. Awareness and trade in traditional food should spread everywhere."Different states like- Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Punjab etc. participated in the event.Chefs from hill state of Himachal Pradesh also showcased their traditional cuisines. The delicacies in the region are prepared using a wide range assorted spices like cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric and cumin, etc.People from the hilly region also use a lot of yogurt as a base to most curries, which adds a comforting depth when added with buttermilk and Desi Ghee."It's a big stage for us; because of this summit we got a chance to showcase our traditional Himachali food. People who are coming to attend the summit, they are coming and want to taste our food. And you need a stage to promote your food," said Richa Gupta, the stall owner of Kangadi Dham from Himachal Pradesh.The food in India's north-east region is as colourful and unique as their culture. When it comes to the food of Manipur, it is well-known for its chilli peppers and oil-free dishes.The black rice kheer (dessert) is one of the most popular dishes in Manipur and brings out the unique indigenous ingredients representing the region's palette.Khuplenthaung Kom, the chief from Manipur said, "There are three types of sticky rice: black, brown and white and this rice is stickier than others. We can make many things from this rice like rice cake, rice kheer and we use this rice in different forms. In Manipur we use the sticky rice and make dishes on occasions like festivals, marriages and various celebrations. It's very popular in Manipur, so we would like to introduce this to everyone and how we make dishes from this rice."The summit was a great initiative to promote India's traditional cuisine.It concluded with a cooking competition for homemakers, where the audience got to witness several new traditional dishes.
Akhilesh rubbishes PM Modi's claim of ISI role in Kanpur train tragedy

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) , Mar. 3 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday rebuffed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim of ISI hand in Kanpur train accident and alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is used to seek votes by misguiding people.





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"Our railway minister could not take care of Kanpur tracks and gave false report to the Prime Minister that ISI had damaged the tracks. I want to say that the incident took place in Uttar Pradesh, at least I should have been informed about this. But no information. no truth in it," Akhilesh said while addressing the media here.Earlier in the day, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had claimed similar thing at an election rally in Ghazipur.Last year, Kanpur witnessed two tragic train accidents.The first one occurred on November 20, killing 150 people with another derailment taking place on December 28.The two mishaps that killed several were later attributed to the ISI operative.Earlier, at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Modi described the Kanpur train tragedy as an 'act of terror'.Taking a jibe, Akhilesh said the Prime Minister talked of Harvard (University) and hard work and questioned him if he has hardly done anything.On Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prajapati's case, the Chief Minister said, "The government will cooperate in every way. Justice will be done."Asserting that no speech of Prime Minister Modi ends without mentioning women's security, Akhilesh urged the former to look into the grieves of the women of Kutch, Gujarat.
Who are Newport's top taxpayers? Take a look at the top 50.
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Noelle McGee is a Danville-based reporter at The News-Gazette. Her email is nmcgee@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@n_mcgee).
A team led by Pr. Marina Cavazzana conducted at Necker Children's Hospital, AP-HP and the Imagine Institute (AP-HP / Inserm / Universite Paris Descartes) in October 2014 gene therapy in the context of a phase I clinical trial / II in a patient 13 years with severe sickle cell disease. Conducted in collaboration with Pr. Philippe Leboulch (CEA / University Faculties of Medicine of Paris-Sud and Harvard University) who developed the vector used and directed preclinical studies, this innovative treatment allowed complete remission of clinical signs of disease and correction of biological signs. The results are published on March 2nd 2017 in the New England Jounal of Medicine.

Sickle cell disease, severe chronic anemia of genetic origin, is characterized by the production of an abnormal hemoglobin and deformed erythrocytes (sickle), due to a mutation in the gene encoding the -globin. This disease causes episodes of very severe pain caused by vaso-occlusive crisis. It also causes lesions of all vital organs, sensitivity to infections, as well as iron overload and endocrine disorders. It is estimated that hemoglobinopathies affect 7% of the world population. Among them, sickle cell disease is considered the most common with 50 million people carry the mutation - with a risk of transmitting the disease - or attacks. Genetic defects of the -globin, -thalassemia and sickle cell anemia,

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The clinical trial, coordinated by Prof. Marina Cavazzana, was taken to hospital Necker Children of AP-HP and the Imagine Institute.

The first phase consisted of collecting hematopoietic stem cells, causing the production of all the lineages of blood cells, in the bone marrow of the patient. A vector virus carrying a therapeutic gene, already developed to treat beta-thalassemia, was then introduced into these cells to correct. This lentiviral vector capable of carrying long complex DNA segments, was developed by Professor Philippe Leboulch and is widely produced by the American company bluebird bio.

The treated cells were then reinjected intravenously young patient in October 2014. The teenager was then supported during his hospitalization in the pediatric immunohaematology Service of the Hospital Necker Children in collaboration with Pr. Stephane Blanche and Dr. Jean-Antoine Ribeil.

Fifteen months after transplantation of corrected cells, the patient no longer needs to be transfused, no longer suffers from vaso-occlusive crises, and fully resumed its physical and school activities. " We also note that the expression of the therapeutic protein from the vector, highly inhibiting pathological sickling, is remarkably high and effective ," says Professor Philippe Leboulch.

" We hope, with this gene therapy approach, develop future clinical trials and include a significant number of patients with sickle cell disease, in the Ile-de-France and in the national territory " says Pr. Marina Cavazzana.

Source: http://www.cea.fr/english/Pages/News/Sickle-cell-disease-remission-signs-disease-first-patient-treated-gene-therapy.aspx
For patients affected by lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis and others, cures for their diseases are incredibly rare, if not nonexistent.

"We really have no option, but to offer them a lung transplantation," says Vibha Lama, M.D., a professor of internal medicine and associate chief of basic and translational research at Michigan Medicine's Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.

"Survival of lung transplantation is worse than all other solid organ transplants," she says. "The five-year survival rate is only 50 percent, and the 10-year survival rate is as low as 20 percent. For me to tell my patient that this second chance at life comes with this critical limitation is incredibly hard."

Lama explains that in many lung transplant patients, the body will chronically reject the new lung.

"Small airways of the transplanted lung, or graft, begin scarring and slowly become completely scarred and close up. This process is called bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS)," she says. "The patient will begin to have shortness of breath again, like they did before the transplant, and this scarring can lead to graft problems and ultimately death in some patients. Right now we have nothing to prevent or stop this scarring process once it begins."

Lama is the senior author on a new paper, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, which examined the scarring process in transplanted lungs in hopes of identifying novel therapies to stop scarring before it starts.

Analyzing cells and their environment

"This study is unique because it actually started from our patients," Lama says. "Samples were collected from lung transplant patients by going into the lung with a small scope that helps us to insert a liquid into the lung and draw it back, allowing us to study the internal environment of the transplanted organ. This procedure, called bronchoalveolar lavage, is routinely done to rule out acute rejection or infection."

In 2007, in a study published in JCI, Lama's team demonstrated that they could isolate novel mesenchymal stem cells from this bronchoalveolar lavage.

In this new study, Lama and team focused on cells harvested from lung transplant patients who had BOS and those who did not.

"We started investigating cells in patients who have BOS and found that even after being removed from the fibrotic graft, these cells stayed activated, making more collagen, which explained their ability to promote relentless scarring," Lama says.

As the team dug into what keeps these cells activated, they discovered a chain of upstream signals starting with autotaxin, an enzyme which acts on the cell membrane to generate lysophosphatidic acid. This potent lipid mediator was signaling the cells to produce more collagen, as well as indirectly increased autotaxin levels.

"We found that these cells could regulate themselves by increased autotaxin production, which was being further enhanced by an autocrine loop," Lama says. "What's so fascinating about this is that it means the cell no longer needs an inflammatory environment, or stimulation in its environment, to produce the collagen. That's extremely novel because we have never thought of these cells as essentially cancer cell-like in nature, but they are regulating their own behavior like a cancer cell does."

She adds, "The dysregulated behavior of these cells essentially makes them become autonomous in behavior and helps us further understand why we can't stop the scarring process just by changing the environment around the cell, which does not make a difference. They have already begun not listening to anything around them."

Lama explains that this finding led the team to investigate new therapies.

"If we interrupt this pathway, we could potentially stop further development of lung scarring and save the graft," she says.

Therapeutic treatments

Building on these findings, Lama and team examined two new therapeutic treatments for their potential in interrupting the pathway.

One treatment, PF-8380, targeted the enzyme, while the other treatment, AM095, targeted the receptor for lysophosphatidic acid.

Using a novel mouse lung transplant model of chronic rejection their laboratory developed, they were able to test if the drugs would decrease the scarring process.

Lama and team found that the mouse models treated with these orally administered drugs were protected from the scarring process of chronic rejection with significantly less fibrosis noted in their transplanted lungs.

The team hopes that these findings will lay the foundation for future clinical trials.

"Drugs targeting this pathway, such as autotaxin inhibitors and LPA1 receptor antagonists, have already been developed and are in clinical trials for other fibrotic conditions of the lung, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis," Lama explains. "Now we hope that we can consider similar therapies in BOS, a disease where we have no therapeutic options."

Lama also explains that these findings should encourage the transplant community in general to consider anti-fibrotic treatments in patients with chronically rejected lungs, instead of just immune suppressive drugs that were given in the past.

"These findings suggest that understanding the pathways that activate a mesenchymal cell and targeting them is crucial if we want to contain the progression of BOS," Lama says. "We hope this work, which started from the bedside when we examined the lavage fluid from our lung transplant recipients, will be able to be translated back from the bench to the bedside to make an impact on the lives of our patients."
The toxic protein behind Parkinson's disease may not spread like an infection from nerve cell to nerve, according to a new theory by Technion and Harvard University scientists. Instead, the protein, called alpha-synuclein, may simultaneously affect all parts of the nervous system inside and outside of the brain. Their findings could change how Parkinson's is treated, the researchers say.

Associate Professor Simone Engelender of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and her colleague Ole Isacson at Harvard Medical School describe this "threshold theory" of Parkinson's for the first time in a report published in the January issue of Trends in Neuroscience.

"Instead of studying how proteins move from one neuron to another and searching for compounds that prevent the 'spread' of aggregated -synuclein, we need to study why -synuclein accumulates within neurons and how these neurons die in the disease, and search for compounds that prevent the general neuronal dysfunction," said Professor Engelender.

Parkinson's disease destroys nerve cells throughout the body, especially key neurons in the brain that produce a compound called dopamine that helps to control movement and posture. The disease grows worse over time, and there is no known cure. More than one million people in the United States have the disorder, according to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation.

The disease is caused by accumulation of -synuclein, which overwhelms and destroys nerve cells. The most commonly-held theory about the disease suggests that patients get progressively worse as clumps of -synuclein spread between neurons, almost like an infection.

But Engelender and Isacson think the scientific evidence points to a different model of the disease. Instead of spreading from neuron to neuron, they say, aggregations of -synuclein develop throughout the body at the same time. Different parts of the nervous system vary in how much of this toxic protein they can tolerate, depending on how well the cells in that part of the system work together to compensate for any destroyed cells.

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The researchers say their theory fits better with patients' symptoms than the infection-style theory. Engelender and Isacson's theory may help explain, for example, why some of the earliest signs of the disease appear in places like the gastrointestinal tract that have no neurons to compensate for a dysfunction and therefore have a lower threshold of tolerance for -synuclein toxicity.

The new theory may also affect how the disease is treated. For instance, some scientists have recommended a procedure that severs part of the vagus nerve, which runs outside the brain, to prevent the spread of -synuclein from the body to the brain. The threshold theory, Engelender said, suggests that this operation would be unnecessary.

"The only specific treatment that is and will continue to be beneficial is the replenishment of dopamine in the brain, through the intake of the supplement L-Dopa, to improve the motor symptoms," said Engelender. "This has been done for several decades and should be continued to be done since it can at least alleviate the motor symptoms for a few years, even if does not cure and does not prevent the progression of the disease."

"Nevertheless, I believe that the search for compounds that specifically decrease -synuclein levels are the only hope to provide a real and more effective treatment for the disease," Engelender added.
Since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, antibiotics have made the world a much safer and healthier place. But Shakespeare was onto something when he asked if it's possible to have too much of a good thing. In the case of antibiotics, the answer is increasingly "yes."

As a result, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center are teaming up to take on the rising problem of antibiotic resistance.

A new entity, Case VA CARES, will combine firepower from both organizations in the battle against antibiotic resistance. Staff will carry out new research, work to modify existing antibiotics, try and discover new ones, and use decoys to trick uncooperative bacteria.

The Problem

More and more, bacteria and other microorganisms are developing resistance to antibiotics which used to kill them off. This resistance, which evolves via natural selection through random mutation, is usually caused by excessive use of antibiotics, including in livestock animals raised as human food. In turn, infections which used to yield to antibiotics can persist and even worsen, putting patients in danger. Not only does antibiotic resistance imperil health, it also adds to healthcare costs as doctors try different medicines to find ones bacteria haven't become resistant to. Sometimes the stronger substitute antibiotics cause serious side effects such as kidney damage.

More than two million people develop antibiotic-resistant infections in the U.S. ever year, leading to more than 23,000 deaths. Some experts say that without new inroads, the death toll could top that from cancer by mid-century. The financial costs are already enormous: as much as $20 billion in extra healthcare costs annually.

Case VA CARES

Case VA CARES (CWRU-Cleveland VAMC Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Epidemiology) will be located in the CWRU School of Medicine and Cleveland VA with collaborating partner laboratories located around the world. "An immediate goal of this initiative is to boost research into multidrug-resistant Gram negative organisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and mycobacteria, which can cause tuberculosis and many other infections," said Pamela B. Davis, MD, PhD, dean of CWRU School of Medicine. "Understanding the mechanistic and molecular bases of resistance is crucial to properly treating patients with serious infections."

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In addition to research and drug discovery, experts at the center will work with scientists throughout the world to track outbreaks of resistant organisms, discover new drugs, and develop training for physicians, medical students, and residents to recognize and prevent overuse of antibiotics.

The director of the center will be Robert A. Bonomo, MD, medicine service chief at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. Faculty members of the new center will come from throughout both organizations including experts in infectious diseases, microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, proteomics, and bioinformatics. Experienced scientists with expertise in bacterial genome sequencing and bioinformatics analyses will be recruited to augment experts from the CWRU Department of Genetics.

"In the search for new antibiotics and fresh strategies for existing ones, Case VA CARES will play a prominent role in leading and conducting research needed to design and conduct clinical trials, which will take place at the VA , University Hospitals, MetroHealth, and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation," said Dr. Bonomo, who is a member of the NIH-funded Antimicrobial Resistance Leadership Group (ARLG). The latter group is addressing national priorities for clinical research on antibiotic resistance.

Case VA CARES will also benefit from strong working relationships with industry partners of both the School of Medicine, University Hospitals of Cleveland, MetroHealth, the Cleveland Clinic and the VA Medical Center.
Deep down, we always knew it, but science is proving that cocoa and caffeine are indeed the best marriage ever. Clarkson University researcher Ali Boolani recently completed a study that explores the powers of these two dark delights.

The assistant professor of physical therapy and physician assistant studies teamed up with colleagues at the University of Georgia to examine the "acute effects of brewed cocoa consumption on attention, motivation to perform cognitive work and feelings of anxiety, energy and fatigue."

In a nearly year-long double-blind study, some lucky test subjects drank brewed cocoa, cocoa with caffeine, caffeine without cocoa, and a placebo with neither caffeine nor cocoa. Then they were asked to do tests to evaluate both cognitive tasks and mood.

"It was a really fun study," Boolani says. "Cocoa increases cerebral blood flow, which increases cognition and attention. Caffeine alone can increase anxiety. This particular project found that cocoa lessens caffeine's anxiety-producing effects -- a good reason to drink mocha lattes!"

Before you envy the test subjects too much, bear in mind they had to work for the warm drinks. For example, they were asked to watch as letters flashed across a screen and note when an "X" appeared after an "A." They also had to point out when odd numbers appeared sequentially, and they were required to do subtraction.

"The results of the tests are definitely promising and show that cocoa and caffeine are good choices for students and anyone else who needs to improve sustained attention," says Boolani.

Here's the best news for the rest of us: The Hershey Company sponsored the research, so customers logically could see some new or enhanced products on the market as a result.

Boolani and his colleagues -- Jacob B. Lindheimer (War Related Illness and Injury Study Center - VA New Jersey Health Care System), Bryan D. Loy (Oregon Health & Science University), Stephen Crozier (The Hershey Company), and Patrick J. O'Connor (University of Georgia) -- have published a paper about the results of their study in the journal BMC Nutrition.

"I'll be doing some related and follow-up studies at Clarkson to look at differences in natural vs. synthetic caffeine, and other cocoa studies" Boolani adds. "I'm excited about them."

Heads up. He'll be looking for more test subjects.
Dr. Ibrahim I. Cisse Wins 2017 Honor

HORIBA Scientific, world leader in fluorescence spectroscopy systems, awarded Dr. Ibrahim Cisse, the class of 1922 Assistant Professor of Physics at MIT, its annual Young Fluorescence Investigator Award. HORIBA Scientific has been the sole sponsor of this award since 1997. Along with the recognition, HORIBA presents a $1000 check to the awardee, who is invited to present a 20-minute talk on their research at the Biological Fluorescence Subgroup Meeting during the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. This years presentation by Dr. Cisse was, Capturing Genome Regulation with Single Molecule Resolution in Live Mammalian Cells."

Prof. Cisse joined the Department of Physics at MIT in January, 2014. He received his B.S. in Physics in 2004 from North Carolina Central University, and then went to the Physics Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in December, 2009 to complete his PhD. His graduate research in single-molecule biophysics focused on weak and transient interactions in vitro, and was done in the lab of Taekjip Ha, currently Bloomberg Professor of Biophysics, Biophysical Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). From January 2010 to December 2012, he studied at Ecole Normale Superieure de Paris, in the Physics and Biology departments, as both a Pierre Gilles de Gennes fellow, and a European Molecular Biology Organization long-term fellow. He then went to HHMIs Janelia Research Campus where he was in the Transcription Imaging Consortium until January 2013.

The Young Fluorescence Investigator Award is given to a researcher who has been nominated by their peers, for significant advancements and/or contributions in, or using, fluorescence methodologies. The candidate must be a Ph.D., and pre-tenured faculty or a junior level investigator working in the field of fluorescence.

HORIBA is very proud to sponsor this prestigious award every year, and Professor Cisse is an excellent choice as this years recipient, said Cary Davies, Director of the Fluorescence group at HORIBA Scientific. Ibrahim is the 22nd researcher to win the Young Investigator Award, since 1997.
In a study published in Nature Genetics, Dr Saumya Jamuar, co-founder of Global Gene Corp and a visiting scientist at Harvard Medical School, under the supervision of Prof Christopher Walsh and A/Prof Timothy Yu of Harvard Medical School, reports on a new disease entity that they discovered in their quest to map novel human disorders related to brain development.

The new syndrome, referred to as Developmental Split-Brain syndrome is caused by biallelic mutations in the human Deleted in Colorectal Carcinoma (DCC) gene. It can lead to symptoms including intellectual disability, horizontal gaze palsy, mirror movements and scoliosis. This disorder affects individuals soon after birth (and in case 3, even during pregnancy) although the clinical features may not be obvious until an older age.

The hallmark feature of this syndrome is the distinct pattern on brain imaging, and includes agenesis of corpus callosum, absent anterior and hippocampal commissures and ventral midline brain malformations.

Although, this condition is rare, the phenomenon of split brain has been intensely studied with implications on brain organization. There are also explicit connections between split brains and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and Asperger syndrome. The findings may also have implications in improving our understanding of common disorders such as scoliosis and strabismus.

The discovery is as a result of an international collaborative effort to study the DCC gene in three families from different regions of the globe (Mexico, USA and Saudi Arabia) who remarkably shared similar clinical and radiological features. On detailed neuroimaging, the team discovered that the central defect was lack of connection between the right and left side of the brain (technical term: disruption of midline commissural tracts).

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This work highlights the need for international collaborative work by building networks and integrating deep clinical and radiological information into research. says Dr Jamuar. After working on family 1, we reached out to our collaborators and were struck by the similarity between the images of family 1 and family 2. Thats when we realized that we had found a novel disease entity. The imaging, plus other findings in our patients, demonstrates that the left and right halves of the brain lack the structures necessary to talk to one another  effectively splitting it into two separate halves.

It was really exciting when we saw the mutation in DCC a reunion with an old scientific friend, says Yu, who studied the gene in roundworms as a graduate student in the 1990s. At a symposium nearly 20 years ago, I had to explain to an audience full of parents and pediatricians how this really elementary work might relate to their children and patients with autism and ADHD. I talked about how one day we may find that the fundamental mechanisms controlling the wiring of neural circuitry could be disrupted in human neurodevelopmental disorders, too  but it was all theoretical. Finding the complete knockout now feels like it completes the circle.

The researchers will continue to search for more such patients who may have aberrations along the same genetic pathway, and hope that their findings will help improve the understanding of how the brain develops.
As people get older so do the hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that form their blood, creating an increased risk for compromised immunity and certain blood cancers. Now researchers are reporting in the scientific journal that the bone marrow niche where HSC's form also ages, contributing to the problem.

In a study published March 2, scientists from the University of Ulm in Germany and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in the United States propose rejuvenating the bone marrow niche where HSCs are created. This could mean younger acting HSCs that form healthier blood cells, boosted immunity in older people, and a better defense mechanism against certain cancers, according to study authors.

Conducting their study in mouse models, the scientists point to cells in the bone marrow called osteoblasts, which help form bone. Osteoblasts make a protein called osteopontin, which is important to supporting a vibrant bone marrow environment in the creation of blood-forming HSCs.

"We show that the place where HSCs form in the bone marrow loses osteopontin upon aging, but if you give back the missing protein to the blood-forming cells they suddenly rejuvenate and act younger," says Hartmut Geiger, PhD, study lead investigator at the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Aging Research Center at the University of Ulm, and the Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology at Cincinnati Children's. "Our study points to exciting novel ways to have a better immune system and possibly less blood cancer upon aging by therapeutically targeting the place where blood stem cells form."

Because the study was in mice, its findings cannot at this stage be extended to clinical treatment of human patients, the authors say. But the data provide interesting leads that one day could benefit human health.

Bone marrow time warp

The researchers conducted a number of experiments to test the formation and vitality of cells in and near the bone marrow microenvironment. One test in aging mice looked at the formation of endosteum stroma cells, which form a thin layer of connective tissue on the inner surface of bones. Another experiment monitored levels of osteopontin and other proteins linked to distinct cells in bone marrow during the aging process.

Study authors say they observed reduced production of osteoblasts and other stroma cells in the endosteum of older mice. They also saw decreased osteopontin protein levels in the bone marrow of older animals, which they note was associated with reduced vigor and function of blood-forming HSCs.

Reversing the niche aging process

Scientists followed up the earlier experiments by transplanting bone marrow cells from older mice (19-21 months) into young mice (8 to 10 weeks). In two other experiments, the authors also transplanted aged HSCs from older mice into younger mice, and they treated aged HSCs with a recombinant form of the osteopontin protein.

Transplantation into the younger animals caused cells to act in a younger more vital manner, the authors report. This includes the presence of smaller numbers of HSCs with greater potential for forming different types of blood cells, which included larger populations of B and T cells and smaller production of myeloid cells.

The authors also saw aged HSCs treated with recombinant osteopontin regain their youthful characteristics and capacity to form different blood-cell types. Also observed was diminished signaling of the protein Cdc42, a protein that Geiger and his team previously showed causes HSCs to age.

Osteopontin levels are not only low in the bone marrow niche, but also in the blood upon aging. As a follow up to the current study, the researchers are investigating the possibility to use osteopontin replacement therapy in mice to counter the influence of an aging niche directly in the animals.
For the first time at ECR in Vienna (March 1  5) the healthcare division of Siemens AG will be appearing under its new brand  Siemens Healthineers  and with the motto, Lets shape the future of healthcare together. The companys strategic goal is to help healthcare providers worldwide to meet their current challenges and to excel in their respective environments using products and solutions that increase efficiency and reduce costs. Thanks to standardised workflows and special service packages Siemens Healthineers provides radiological institutions certainty for budgeting and supports successful growth.

The Somatom go. platform with the Somatom go.Now and Somatom go.Up scanners offers automated and standardized workflows that help users achieve profound clinical results. The 32-slice Somatom go.Now is particularly suited to radiology providers who want to establish a new CT department.

Accordingly, Siemens Healthineers will exhibit an entirely new platform for computed tomography, which will meet the needs of all users and improve their competitive situation. Based on the Somatom go. platform Siemens Healthineers offers two scanner variants: the 32-slice Somatom go.Now is particularly suited to radiology providers who want to establish a new CT department. Somatom go.Up is equipped with a wider detector providing up to 64 slices. Among other benefits, it offers faster scanning, which is especially important for lung imaging  e.g., to screen for cancer. Since the scanners can be controlled via a tablet, medical staff no longer has to keep moving between the CT scanner and the control room. Radiographers can thus stay with patients while preparing the scan. The software also gives additional assurance with regard to the diagnostic quality of the images. In addition, all the computer hardware that was previously housed in the control room has now been directly integrated into the scanner gantry. Radiology providers therefore no longer need a separate control room, and can make use of a lower-cost single-room design instead. The automated and standardised workflows of the Somatom go. platform help achieve thorough clinical results, and special service packages like the integrated Siemens Healthineers Connect Plan give users the opportunity to budget reliably, with lower running costs overall. The system thus represents a further step in the direction of improving efficiency and better patient care.

Competitive strength and profitability with Magnetom Sempra

Magnetom Sempra is a new highly cost-effective MRI scanner from Siemens Healthineers. Magnetom Sempra is also available with the Siemens Healthineers Connect Plan. Thanks to the service concept, low operating costs and innovative technologies, the Magnetom Sempra 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner makes it possible for radiology practices and clinics as well as small and medium-sized hospitals to work profitably despite growing cost pressures in the industry. At the same time, with the help of standardised workflows, they can achieve consistent quality regardless of user variations. The DotGO MRI workflow technology helps Magnetom Sempra users respond flexibly to individual patient conditions, while simultaneously standardising examinations. So-called Dot engines automate and standardise workflows. The Brain, Spine and Large Joint engines come standard with the system, covering about 75% of a typical case mix. Dot engines are also available for more advanced examinations, further helping to avoid unnecessary rescans and increasing productivity. From start to finish, a complete brain examination can be performed on Magnetom Sempra in less than ten minutes. This helps both smaller practices and larger hospitals operate more efficiently while at the same time increasing patient comfort, due to shorter exam durations.

New Compressed Sensing acceleration technology

Compressed Sensing imaging technology offers impressive speed, heralding a paradigm shift in the clinical practice in MRI. It allows MRI scans to be carried out in only a fraction of the previous scanning time. For example, cardiac cine imaging of the heart  which traditionally takes just under six minutes, involves multiple breath holds and is very difficult for patients  can now be completed in as few as 25 seconds completely under free breathing, with the aid of the new Compressed Sensing Cardiac Cine applications. With this, patients who suffer from arrhythmia or who are unable to hold their breath will no longer have to be excluded from cardiac MRI, the gold standard of cardiac functional characterisation.

With the introduction of the new 3 Tesla MRI system Magnetom Vida, Siemens Healthineers expands the scope of Compressed Sensing applications. Abdominal MRI with dynamic contrast enhancement is known to be a complex exam involving multiple breath-holds, and the timing of contrast application as well as the start of sequences is critical. It now becomes a push-button, free-breathing examination with: Compressed Sensing Grasp-Vibe, which acquires everything in one continuous run  without complex timing.

Innovative robot-supported Artis pheno angiography system

Artis pheno was developed for use in minimally invasive surgery, interventional radiology and interventional cardiology. The zen40HDR flat panel detector and the Gigalix X-ray tube give the system outstanding image quality. Compared to prior systems from Siemens Healthineers, its 2k imaging technology offers a fourfold increase in resolution for 2D imaging and likewise in comparison to prior Siemens Healthineers systems, up to 15 percent faster scan times in the body area. This is made possible by syngo DynaCT 3D imaging, which uses less contrast agent during the imaging process. The C-arm is 13 centimeters wider and has a free inner diameter of 95.5 centimeters, which offers more space for handling adipose patients and means longer instruments can be used without difficulty. The Siemens Healthineers multi-tilt table is also designed to accommodate patients weighing up to 280 kilograms. The robotic construction gives the Artis pheno a flexible isocenter, so it can represent the target area of the body from virtually any angle. The system supports effective hygiene management in the hospital thanks to its antimicrobial coating and a unique CleanGuide. Many additional optional application packages are available to suit the customers requirements as complex cases arise. For example, up to ten vertebrae can be represented in 3D using syngo DynaCT Large Volume, giving a larger overview during spinal fusion procedures. Using syngo DynaCT 360, it takes just six seconds for the Artis pheno to generate a large-volume image of the liver or lung, for example, including the anatomy of the tumor and the vessels leading to it, which provides effective support for transarterial chemoembolisation procedures.

Expanded PEPconnect platform provides customers access to education

To support highest patient satisfaction, best clinical outcomes and optimised workflows, education and professional development are also important elements. Siemens Healthineers has expanded its online learning platform PEPconnect (Personalised Education Plan) by about 1,000 new learning modules for medical imaging. Effective immediately, physicians and medical technology assistants can use PEPconnect to access training courses on Siemens Healthineers systems for imaging and minimally invasive therapy in seven different languages (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Korean and Japanese). Previously, the training and professional development offered by PEPconnect focused mainly on laboratory diagnostics. The new modules for imaging now bring the number of learning modules on the platform to 7,000.

Ultrasound solution for liver patients and womens health

The Acuson S Family of ultrasound systems, Helx Evolution with Touch Control offers a unique solution tailored to help clinicians personalise the treatment to each liver patients individual disease state due to ultrasound diagnostic  all in one room and on one system directly at the patients side. A comprehensive portfolio of advanced ultrasound applications includes for example quantification of liver stiffness using Virtual Touch quantification, eSieFusion multi-modality imaging to merge CT or MRT image data during realtime-intervention, and Cadence contrast imaging technology to delimit liver lesions. These technologies work together to enhance the clinical information needed to adapt to a liver patients unique condition. The Personalised Liver Ultrasound approach is supported by a quick, low-stress, and minimally invasive Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) testing to improve both workflow and patient care. The Siemens Healthineers ELF Blood test, combines three serum biomarkers, has been shown to correlate to the level of liver fibrosis assessed by liver biopsy.

Improve standardisation of particular data and workflow efficiencies with the 3D Total Breast Ultrasound solution comprised of the Acuson S2000 Automated Breast Volume Scanner (ABVS) and Syngo Ultrasound Breast Analysis software. This all-in-one system combines the power of 2D handheld and 3D automated whole breast ultrasound with advanced technologies such as Virtual Touch strain imaging, a visual representation of deformations in the tissue, and intelligent workflow solutions such as multi-modality review. So, Siemens Healthineers provides a comprehensive womens health ultrasound solution for the diagnosis of gynecological and prenatal diagnostics.
Natural health experts BetterYou have welcomed a recommendation by leading gastroenterology expert Isobel Mason, to take a vitamin D supplement to reduce Crohns flare-ups.

Lifestyle shot - DLux3000 Vitamin D oral Spray

Every 30 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with Crohns or Colitis (the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease) and symptoms can often be similar to other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), including abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and fatigue.

As sufferers of the disease can have problems digesting and absorbing food due to the inflammation in the small intestine, vitamin deficiencies can occur regularly.

However, using a simple vitamin D oral spray has been proven to guarantee superior absorption than tablets, as the vitamin bypasses the digestive system and is delivered directly into the blood stream.

A study published by the BMJ Open Gastroenterology discovered a significant association between a patients vitamin D levels and the severity of their malabsorption issues.

Research, led by Dr Bernard Corfe, from the University of Sheffield's Molecular Gastroenterology Research Group, featured IBS patients taking a dose (3000 IU daily) vitamin D oral spray versus a placebo. Overall, supplementation significantly improved participants vitamin D levels and importantly the trial found that the negative impact on quality of life maybe reduced through vitamin D supplementation.

A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry also found that low levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of developing Crohns disease, as a weak immune system can cause an increased inflammatory response, promoting the development of Crohns.

Public Health England announced last year that everyone should take vitamin D supplements in autumn and winter.

BetterYous DLux oral vitamin spray range offers convenience and guaranteed absorption which traditional tablets, capsules and drops (which all rely upon an increasingly inefficient digestive system) simply cant. An oral spray does not require water to take, does not need to be taken with food and is easy to use on the go.

Multiple trials have found that oral vitamin sprays elevate serum vitamin D levels on average 2.5 times more effectively than traditional tablets and capsules.

Dr Charles Heard, who lead the Cardiff University absorption trial, explains:

The ultra-fast uptake is due to the very absorbent tissue within the mouth and the close proximity of a rich vein network. In some cases, it is close to that of IV or intramuscular injections.

Andrew Thomas, founder and managing director at BetterYou, said:

Vitamin D deficiency can be easily corrected by supplementation and simple lifestyle changes. The DLux Oral sprays can provide the solution for those looking to boost low vitamin D levels in the blood which are associated with autoimmune diseases such as Crohns and Colitis.

BetterYou is proud to be working with scientists from the University of Sheffield, on a three-year clinical trial looking at the effect of vitamin D supplementation on the quality of life of people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
In older people with MS, having fatigue and limited leg function is more often seen in people with MS progression than in those without, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 69th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 22 to 28, 2017.

"Study participants with those symptoms were more likely to progress from relapsing-remitting MS to secondary progressive MS within five years," said study author Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD, of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Buffalo in Buffalo, N.Y., and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "Better understanding who is at high risk of getting worse may eventually allow us to tailor more specific treatments to these people."

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Approximately 80 to 85 percent of people with MS are initially diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS, which is marked by symptom flare-ups followed by periods of remission. Most people eventually transition to secondary progressive MS, which does not have wide swings in symptoms but instead a slow, steady, worsening of the disease.

While some medications have been shown to slow or even halt progression of relapsing-remitting MS, there are currently none shown to slow progression of secondary progressive MS.

For the study, 155 people age 50 or older who had relapsing-remitting MS for at least 15 years were evaluated for symptoms and level of disability at the beginning of the study and then again five years later, at which point they had been living with MS an average of 22 years.

In all, 30 percent of people in the study had progressed to secondary progressive MS by the five-year mark.

Those who progressed to secondary progressive MS were four times as likely to report having fatigue, 92 percent compared to 68 percent of people whose disease did not progress. The results were the same after researchers adjusted for other factors that could affect disease progression, such as age, how long people had the disease and how severe their disability was.

Those whose disease progressed were also three times as likely to have reported limitations in leg function, such as weakness and/or spasms, at the beginning of the study, 53 percent compared to 22 percent for those who didn't progress.

Those who progressed were older at the start of the study than those who did not progress, with an average age of 55 compared to 52. They also had a higher rate of disability at the beginning of the study as well as five years later.

"While more research needs to be done, this study brings us closer to understanding which older adults with MS may be at higher risk of getting worse," said Weinstock-Guttman. "With the aging population, this information will be vital as people with MS, their families and policy makers make decisions about their care."
TB Alliance and the broader TB community urge that the World Health Organization (WHO) add Mycobacterium tuberculosis to the critical group within the list of drug-resistant bacteria identified as urgent priorities for research and development.

The absence of TB from this list is shocking, said Mel Spigelman, President and C.E.O. of TB Alliance. The effort to develop new drugs to cure TB has always been chronically underfunded despite the diseases impact. TB is the world's deadliest infectious disease, killing 1.8 million people each year.

TB patients urgently need new and better antibiotics. Treatment for drug-resistant TB is long, toxic, complicated, and expensive. It can consist of more than two years of a dozen or more pills per day, along with six months of daily injections. And for those unfortunate enough to have extensively resistant TB, even if they take every one of those 20,000 toxic pills and hundreds of injections, they will still have less than a one in three chance of survival. Put simply, TB has evolved at a speed that outpaces our underfunded research community.

This year alone, approximately half a million people will develop drug-resistant TB. Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is caused by TB bacteria that is resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampin, the two most potent TB drugs. Less than 20 percent of people with MDR-TB receive treatment; of that small fraction, about half are cured. To place the drug resistant TB situation in perspective, patients with Ebola, for whom there is no available drug therapy, have the same chances of survival that patients with drug-resistant TB patients have, accessing todays available medicines. MDR-TB is also the most contagious of all the pathogens noted on the WHOs list, spreading readily from person to person, and is especially dangerous to children, people with HIV, and other vulnerable populations.

About 29 percent of deaths caused by antimicrobial infections are due to drug-resistant TB, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MDR-TB could cost the world $16.7 trillion by 2050, according to a study commissioned by the UK government. Last year's high-level meeting on AMR at the UN General Assembly affirmed that TB is critical to the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) agenda.

New tools, including vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments, cannot be developed without adequate resources, and the global TB community faces significant underfunding. The WHOs 2011-2015 Global Plan to Stop TB saw a five-year funding deficit of $2.5 billion, and 2015 saw the biggest decline in R&D funding for TB in over a decade. Even efforts to treat and prevent the disease are underfunded by almost $2 billion, according to the WHO.

Drug-resistant TB is an urgent and critical priority. Without more attention and new antibiotics, the disease will continue to wreak havoc among the worlds poorest communities. It is not enough to say that TB is being addressed by other health programs; drug-resistant TB is the biggest global threat in AMR and it must be recognized as such, especially by the WHO. The absence of TB from the WHO list is an irresponsible public health statement, sending the wrong message about global health priorities.

Every global effort to address the burgeoning AMR emergency must include TB, and the WHO should be taking a leadership role in this effort, starting with the inclusion of TB on the new WHO list of priority pathogens.
The next-generation of label-free chemical imaging has arrived. The Spero-QT, from Daylight Solutions, is the next breakthrough in high-performance mid-infrared microscopy offering high-resolution, real-time spectroscopic imaging for a wide range of applications from tablet and powder API monitoring to high-throughput digital histopathology.

The Spero-QT is powered by Daylight Solutions proven quantum cascade laser (QCL) technology and leverages key advances in uncooled FPA detectors and compound refraction based optics. As a photonics technology pioneer, Daylight Solutions has delivered more QCL-based mid-infrared systems to more applications world-wide than all others combined. With a highly-experienced team and field-proven, best-in-class family of products, we stand ready to help you with your most challenging of applications.

Choice of substrate and sampling mode

Due to strong IR absorption in traditional glass slides, it is best to mount samples onto slides or substrates that are IR transmissive such as calcium fluoride or barium fluoride. Calcium fluoride is the most commonly used substrate due to its lower cost but does suffer from higher attenuation at wavelengths higher than about 10 m (1000 cm-1).

An increasingly viable cost-effective alternative is to use thin polymer membranes made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) that are attached to windowed metal carriers. For IR imaging in reflection or transflection (light transverses the sample thickness twice) sampling mode, reflective MirrIR Low-E slides from Kevley Technologies are often the best choice.

Sample preparation

For transmission and transflection analysis, some consideration should be given to the sample thickness in order to maximize the spectral data quality. For any sample, the optimal sample thickness can be determined theoretically or experimentally by ensuring that the strongest recorded absorbance intensity does not exceed 4 AU.

For tissue analysis, a good rule of thumb is to cut microtomed sections between 8  12 microns for transmission experiments and approximately half this value for transflection experiments. For many polymers including PMMA films, samples up to 50 m can achieve good results.

Selecting a Reference Background

Like any infrared absorbance spectroscopy technique, a reference background should be acquired under similar conditions as the sample acquisition. This background is used to remove spectral contributions unrelated to the sample (e.g. contributions from the substrate, the atmosphere, or the instrument iteslf). This can be done easily by acquiring a background image from a clean area, of the sample. Ideally, the background should be recorded as close to the sample acquisition time as possible to remove minute contributions from the environment.

For liquid or live cell experiments, a background should account for the substrate and windows as well as the host solution which could be water or growth media. It is important to keep the thickness of the sample holder and liquid the same as for the sample collection. For transflection, an image of the IR reflective slide surface can be used and for direct reflectance measurement a background with the sample removed can be used.

A new background should be taken for each substrate and objective lens combination and retaken regularly (typically once per hour) to account for water vapor and other atmospheric changes.

Optimize your data collection parameters

Consider the spectral range and resolution needed for your analysis. For solid samples including tissue specimens as well as liquid samples, 4 cm-1 spectral resolution with 2 cm-1 data spacing is more than adequate spectral resolution. In many cases, resolution of 8 cm-1 and even lower are perfectly suitable and may result in better SNR.

Furthermore, ask yourself if you need the full range of spectral bandwidth. If you are working with large samples and throughput is important to you, you may consider reducing the number of spectral samples to include only those clustered about key spectral bands, for example those peaks associated with an API. In the Spero-QT, the tunable laser source can be easily programmed to target just the frequencies desired, thereby reducing acquisition time and data file size proportionately.

Analyze your data

After collecting a spectral cube, export the data into either ENVI or MATLAB file formats so that it may be easily loaded into a number of chemometrics software tools. We routinely use and recommend ImageLab made by Epina (Vienna, Austria), an image-based multi-sensor (see note below) chemometrics package.

For exploratory analyses, unsupervised techniques such as PCA, VCA and k-means clustering are excellent starting points. Ultimately, it is best to build custom classifiers based on supervised algorithms such as PLS-DA, ANN, SVM and Random Forest techniques, Here are 5 specific tips when performing your analysis:

Optimize the signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of the spectral data byemploying techniques such as smoothing filters such as SavitzyGolay algorithm, PCA-reconstruction, or the minimum noise fraction (MNF) transform.

Employ quality (outlier) tests to ensure repeatability and reproducibility. Define thresholds for SNR or water vapor lines to remove sub-optimal spectra.

Spectral baselines can be distorted because of scattering. The application of a derivative filter can minimize baseline offsets or slopes and in addition enhance the spectral resolution of infrared spectra, allowing overlapping bands to be resolved.

Normalize your data to minimize the effects of varying optical path lengths on the data by using techniques include Min-Max, Vector and Standard Normal Variate (SNV) normalization.

Reduce the dimensionality of the data and perform feature selection. By encoding the chemical information into a smaller subset of spectral descriptors, multivariate models can become more robust while also resulting in faster computations.

About Daylight Solutions

Daylight Solutions molecular detection and imaging products consist primarily of lasers, sensors, and imaging systems, all of which leverage the companys mid-infrared, quantum cascade laser (QCL) technology. This core technology provides a versatile platform from which new products are developed, allowing the company to serve markets that include Scientific Research, Life Sciences, Defense, and Commercial.

The company is committed to innovation and introduced the worlds first broadly tunable mid-infrared laser system for scientific research, the worlds first semiconductor-based laser for protecting aircraft against shoulder-fired missiles, and the worlds first mid-infrared laser-based microscope for real-time biochemical imaging and material analysis.

Daylight Solutions consists of two separate business units. In 2009 the company created a wholly owned subsidiary to address the specific requirements of the defense industry. As a subsidiary, Daylight Defense developed the business and manufacturing infrastructure necessary to deliver classified, military-hardened products to the government. The Commercial business unit supports all other non-defense activities ranging from life sciences to industrial and consumer products.

Daylight Solutions and Daylight Defense are both ISO-9001 certified and possess advanced manufacturing capabilities.

Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.Net which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments.
Guess I won't be needing this no more LOL https://t.co/sWgvPz8X2s  Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) March 2, 2017

He told her, "I love you kid." She responded, "I love you too pops. As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing else worth loving in the world." He replied, "If you love me then love yourself because I live in you."

"So when I drank, I drank copiously. Your appetite increases even as the alcohol does terrible things to your body, clutters your mind and colours your judgement of the people you're hanging out with."

Pooja Bhatt had been drinking since she was 16, but hasn't touched a drop of alcohol since she pulled the plug on December 24.Not before she turned 45, did she realise that its time for her to pull the plug and snap out of it.She smoked her first cigarette at 23 and has never done cocaine. But she was drinking at a rather tender age of 16. In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, the actor turned filmmaker opened up about her battle with alcohol addiction.She calls talking about her battle with the bottle openly in the public space being part of her catharsis.She wishes to bust the stigma attached to alcoholism in India and encourage women to seek help by debunking the stereotypes associated with alcoholic women and family prestige.In her case it was a chat with her father that led her to the decision.On December 21, Mahesh Bhatt messaged her from Delhi and they got talking about the state of the country, about leaders who in their eagerness to imprint their footsteps in the sands of time create absolute mayhem.Without having alluded to her problem, he made a difference by his sheer urge and plea to her to love herself.Pooja promised him that from that moment she would going to be the best "'me' I'm capable of being"."Alcohol is comforting, it colours your evening. It's a socially accepted narcotic even at business lunches and in the boardroom. Also, living in a fast-paced city, being in a high-stress profession, it becomes a reason to celebrate and cope with failure. Your film is a hit, you bathe in champagne, it flops, a single malt lessens the pain," she told Mumbai Mirror ..Pooja ended her 10-year long marriage two years ago, and did not give herself time to mourn. She moved on, and the world said cheers to her spirit and energy.Before she knew it, it was a whirlwind of hedonism.She'd seen what alcohol did to her father, how it had killed her parents' marriage.She'd been in relationship with an alcoholic.She'd lost a friend at 40 to alcohol and had a drink to mourn her.But all this while, it was someone else and not her going through the problem, she was in control.When her father urged, she looked into the mirror unflinchingly and embraced herself for whatever she had become, Pooja said.Being the daughter of an alcoholic makes one four times more susceptible to becoming one, she added.She didn't need to go to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as she had strong support systems in her dad and her Cabaret director Kaustav (Narayan Niyogi).Today, Pooja has no problem being around anyone who drinks, has a fully stocked bar at home and even pours out drinks for friends.Each day strengthens her resolve as she realises she has more hours to a day now.She claims to feel lighter with the excess water gone and all the drama alcohol tends to bring is eliminated from her life.Her biggest victory was waking up to the news of her baby sister Alia Bhatt winning the Filmfare Best Actress Award.She messaged Alia saying normally this would have been an excuse for her to open a case of champagne first thing in the morning. But this time she celebrated by not drinking.
New Delhi: Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt landed in another controversy after his security guards allegedly manhandled media persons during 'Bhoomi' shoot in Agra on Friday.



Dutt along with co-star Aditi Rao Hydari was in Agra for shooting. Trouble started at VVIP road near Taj Mahal when a large number of people gathered to have a glimpse of shooting.



In the meantime, media persons also gathered there and suddenly the crowd went out of control. In the melee, his bouncers started pushing the crowd away and they even manhandled some of the media persons and allegedly snatched their camera, which led to a journalist registering a complaint against the film unit.







Later one of the injured journalists lodged an FIR with the Tajgunj, Agra police station. He alleged that he went to take few pictures of Dutt but suddenly his security and the local police assaulted him and other media persons.



The 57-year-old actor later apologised to journalists, saying had he been there, he would have stopped it.



"I want to make it clear that I was not even there on the set when it happened. I had already packed up and left for my hotel. But if I had been there, it would not have happened for sure. I would have sorted it out with a 'jaadu ki jhappi'. I even talked to the media people after the incident and apologised," Dutt told reporters during a press conference.



"I want to thank the people of Agra who have shown so much love to our film unit. I just want to say that I need your support. The city is being promoted through our film and if something like this happens, it is shameful for everyone," he said.



The actor was released from the Yerwada Central Jail in Pune on February 25, 2016 and this will be his first film after his release.



(With PTI inputs)






Hyderabad: Telangana police on Thursday arrested the Managing Director of a private hospital, along with the staff and parents after it came to light that they were involved in the illegal sale of a baby girl for Rs 35,000, in the outskirts of Hyderabad.



On credible information, police raided Telangana Multi Specialty Hospital in Ibrahimpatnam. During the investigation, RMP doctor Narella Shanker, also Managing Director and Srinivas, an administrator working at hospital confessed to selling the child to another couple with the help of a mediator.



The couple, Ravi and Varalaxmi, who did not have any child, decided to buy the newborn baby for an amount of Rs 35,000.



Deputy Commissioner of Police, LB Nagar said, "Shanker and Srinivas requested Vanitha and her husband Jawaharlal to sell the child.



"The parents were promised Rs 10,000 in return and the rest of the money was shared equally between the doctor, mediator and administrator. The couple agreed to sell their daughter as they already had two daughters," Nagar added.



Balala Hakkula Sangam, a child rights NGO criticised Women and Child Welfare Department for having failed to stop the illegal sale of babies in the state.



Activist Achyuta Rao told CNN News 18, "Trading of children has become as goods in the market. Government departments have failed in all aspects and they are least bothered in creating awareness among people. We demand strict action in such cases."


New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday expressed concern over the rising number of farmer suicides stating that the direction adopted by the Centre was wrong to tackle the issue and a proper scheme in place was needed more than just paying compensation on the death of a farmer.



The court is hearing a PIL filed by NGO Citizens Resource and Action and Initiative, which has prayed for an overhaul of the agriculture policy and provisions for adequate compensation to farmers during drought and other natural calamities.



The plea had initially asked for directives to Gujarat government to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to families of 692 farmers who reportedly committed suicide in the state between January 2003 and October 2012.



SC on Friday remarked that the government was going wrong in some direction while dealing with such cases.



You should have schemes in place, giving grants to the family of a suicide victim is not the remedy. If you pay for the suicide, you are not dealing with the issue, remarked the Apex Court.



To this the counsel for the Centre submitted that schemes are being readied to tackle this issue.



We have made schemes giving insurances and also schemes to increase the income of the farmers. We are ensuring that farmers are not distraught and they have a place to approach, submitted the Centre who also said that Union government will soon discuss this with concerned departments and solution would be prepared in two weeks.



However the petitioners were not satisfied with the response of the Centre and criticized the promises made by them.



Centre has been giving promises but nothing has materialized. They should look at the price fixed for the crop. Farmers can only grow crops and in such a case, if there is a surplus then the price drops. This should be studied, said the petitioner.



The case has now been listed to March 27.


: The week-long visit of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh next month will take place as scheduled, notwithstanding objections by China.The Dalai Lama will be in the north eastern state from April 4 to 13 and Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, among others, will meet him there.During his visit to Tawang bordering China, the spiritual leader will be hosted by the Buddhist Tawang monastery where he will be meeting his followers."The Dalai Lama will be a guest of the Arunachal Pradesh government and as a devotee, I will meet him in Tawang," Rijiju, who represents the Arunachal-West Lok Sabha constituency under which Tawang falls, said.Peeved over the proposed visit, China on Friday warned India against allowing him to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause "serious damage" to the bilateral ties and peace in the "disputed" border region."China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in Beijing.China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to any visit by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area.Rijiju, however, said the Dalai Lama is going to visit the state as a religious leader and there is no reason to stop him as his followers are demanding he should come. Asked about China's objections, Rijiju said the central government is run by a nationalist party which considers the country's interests first."We are neither going to be dominated by anyone nor shall we dominate any of our neighbours. But we give prime importance to India's interests," he said, without making any reference to China.Ignoring China's protests, the government had earlier allowed former US ambassador to India Richard Verma and Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje's visit to Arunachal Pradesh last year.
: The death of an Indian Army soldier who appeared in a sting operation criticising the Sahayak (orderly) system has renewed calls to disband a system widely seen as a colonial relic.Roy Mathew, a soldier working as a Sahayak, was found dead in his barracks days after a sting video showed him criticising the orderly system.Reacting to Mathew's death, Nalin Talwar of the Sabka Sainik Sangarsh Committee (SSSC) has called for a police inquiry into his death, while Veer Bahadur Singh, the President of the Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOS), said "even servants are treated better than Sahayaks".Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar is of the opinion that use of Sahayaks at the homes of officers in times of peace was "in no way justified". "The Army themselves needs to take a deeper look and put a stop to this system. Sahayaks are being used in positions that are not required. The Army should start a real debate on dismantling the Sahayak system," he said.Speaking to CNN-News18, Commodore (R) GJ Singh, a defence expert, has called for a "healing touch". "We are an independent country, customs have changed, education level has changed. There should be a healing touch for jawans."Here's a look at the controversial Sahayak system:Sahayaks are attached to Army officers when serving with units or headquarters functioning on war establishment- One Sahayak is attached to every field officer or an officer of a higher rank- One Sahayak is attached to every two officers of the rank of captain and below- One Sahayak for every Subedar Major- One Sahayak for every two Junior Commissioned Officers of the rank of Subedar and belowAccording to a House Panel, the Sahayak system is "demeaning and humiliating" and lowers the self-esteem of a jawan."Soldiers are recruited to serve the nation, and not to serve the family members of officers in household work Jawans are not technically supposed to attend to the household duties at the residence of the officers," it said.It's a "shameful practice which should have no place in the independent India... Any officer found to be violating the instruction in this regard be dealt with severely," it had added.- Standing committee on Defence, 31st Report, 2008-09- Ministry of Defence written note to house panel
Tirupati: The famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh has received over Rs 8 crore in demonetised 500 and 1,000 rupee old notes from devotees in its 'hundi' in 2017.



According to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) - which manages the temple - in last 61 days (from December 31 to March 1) nearly Rs 8.29 crore of old 500 and 1000 notes have been collected in the Hundi.



Now, the temple management is facing problem in depositing these notes. The banks have stopped accepting demonetised currency post December 30.



TTD Executive Officer D Sambasiva Rao told CNN-News 18, "Till December 30, we have deposited all notes. But after that all old notes are being kept in treasury as banks are not accepting, saying it is invalid currency. These old notes are coming in Hundi, which we have no control and also we cannot stop anyone from depositing it."



The temple administration has even written to the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) seeking a solution to the problem. They are still awaiting reply as to what they should do with demonetised currency deposited in 'Hundi'.



Every year lakhs of devotees - thronging the temple from various parts of the country - continued to offer the junked currency in the 'Hundi' along with valid notes even after the deadline for exchange of demonetised notes expired on December 30.



The 'Hundi' in the shrine annually nets more than Rs 1,000 crore besides gold and silver offerings, temple officials said.



Centre has notified a law that makes holding of more than 10 scrapped notes punishable with a minimum fine of Rs 10,000.




New Delhi: The Pakistani government was not considering extraditing alleged "Indian spy" Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was arrested for his alleged involvement in "subversive activities" in Pakistan, Pakistan Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz said, according to Dawn Online.



Aziz told the Senate that Pakistan never said there was any lack of evidence against him. "We have filed an FIR and prepared a case to prosecute Indian state actor for his subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," he said.



Aziz said Islamabad has shared a dossier with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on New Delhi's involvement in internal affairs of Pakistan, and in subversive and terrorist activities in the country.



"The dossier prepared by Pakistan includes details of Kulbhushan Jadhav, and his activities."



When asked if the government was planning to give the same 'red carpet' treatment to Jadhav, which they gave to CIA contractor Raymond Davis, Aziz explained: "It has never been said that there was any lack of evidence against him."



The Pakistan Army had earlier released a "confessional video" of Jadhav, in which he said he was a serving Indian Navy officer.



India has acknowledged Jadhav as a retired Indian Navy officer, but denied that he was in any way connected to the government.



The Advisor also informed the dossier was prepared on the basis of thorough ground work and inputs from various departments.



According to Geo Tv, the dossier was a way forward to work on the prosecution of Jadhav.



"This is very delicate and sensitive issue and requires detailed preparations and home work as it relates to direct or indirect involvement of Indian state actor in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan."



He said Pakistan's view point on this issue is being accepted internationally and the government has also sent a list of questions to the Indian government on this matter.



Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Aitzaz Ahsan said: "I had announced that if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif mentions Jadhav's name in his speech, I will donate Rs 50,000 to Pakistan Association of the Blind."



When asked if Sharif had spoken about Jadhav, Aziz said: "When the time is appropriate, the Prime Minister will speak about him."



(With inputs from IANS)


: Airports in Uttar Pradesh and the Immigration Department have been alerted by authorities amid reports that rape accused UP minister Gayatri Pajapati was planning to flee the country.Sources told CNN-News18 that Prajapati was planning to escape the country and that all forces have been put on high alert. The Immigration Department has been told not to cooperate with him, a source added.A Letter of Cancellation (LC) will soon be opened against him and all airports have been alerted to prevent the 49-year-old Prajapati from fleeing the country, PTI quoted an official as saying.A letter of cancellation is a technical term used for alerting immigration authorities about any possible move by a suspect to leave the country.Whenever passport of the suspect comes for immigration clearance at any exit point of the country, the computer screen warns the official to not let the person leave.The Sashtra Seema Bal (SSB), guarding Uttar Pradesh's border with Nepal, has also been alerted about the possiblity of such a move by Prajapati.Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday came out all guns blazing against those alleging that the CM was shielding the tainted Samajwadi Party (SP) leader.Also Read: In a First, Dimple to Share Stage With Akhilesh, Rahul in Varanasi Tomorrow Challenging his critics, Akhilesh said, "Anyone can come to my residence with camera and check if I was shielding anybody," adding that his "government will cooperate in every possible way and justice will be served".Prajapati is accused in separate cases of gang rape and an attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter. He has remained elusive and the Lucknow Police have initated steps to withdraw his 'Y' category security.Also read: Akhilesh Yadav Junks PM Modi's Claim of ISI Role in Kanpur Train Mishap Interestingly though, the minister was seen moving freely from one place to other in his constituency seeking votes.The last time Prajapati was seen in public was on February 27, when he spoke to the media saying he will win with a huge margin and will work under Akhilesh once again.The 49-year-old is facing imminent arrest following an FIR lodged against him and six of his accomplices on the apex court's order at Gautampalli police station in the state capital on February 18 under various sections of the IPC and POCSO Act.(With inputs from PTI)
Thiruvananthapuram: In an attempt to bring patients back into government hospitals, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government has recommitted itself to distribute free medicines for non-communicable diseases, diabetes and hypertension, state health secretary Rajeev Sadanandan told News18 on Friday.



"We were already providing free medicines for non-communicable diseases in primary health care," said Sadanandan, "We're making the system more watertight now."



This, the state aims to do through revamping and strengthening its primary health care facilities, as announced in the state budget on March 3.



On March 3, during the presentation of the budget, the state government made it clear that it wants to revamp and strengthen its primary health care facilities.



The state budget focusses on the Aardram Mission that will give "shape to a public health movement cantered at several Primary Health Centres (PHCs)." The "major thrust" of this mission, launched in February this year, said Sadanandan, is to convert 170 PHCs to Family Health Centres, in a pilot phase. For this, 510 additional doctors and nurses -- one doctor and two nurses per centre -- will be hired by the state. "Thus a primary health level, based on defensive method to control infectious diseases and lifestyle diseases, will be created to provide free treatment to lifestyle diseases" announced in the budget. The free medicines are required for the pharmacological management of these diseases.



India has repeatedly been called the diabetes capital of the world, and the coastal state has been witnessing rise in price of diabetes medicines over the past few years. It has doubled the incidence rate in the rest of the country. Reportedly, 22 percent of its population over 25 years of age has been diagnosed with the disease.



Sadanandan pointed out that only 34 percent of people in Kerala accessed care in government facilities while the rest still went to private hospitals or clinics. The reason for this, he said, according to the National Family Health Service, was that people often found government hospitals to be crowded and lacking speciality services. Hence, to bring a majority of people back to government health care the mission will provide specialty services in sub-district or taluka hospitals, and super speciality services, such as cardiology, neurology and nephrology, in district hospitals. For this, an amount of Rs 2,000 crore has been sanctioned for District Taluk and General Hospitals.



Additionally, an intensive programme will be implemented for eradicating leprosy and elephantiasis, and Rs 1 crore has been earmarked for helping the ailing elephantiasis patients. The government has targeted eliminating these diseases by 2020.



The budget, for the first time ever, announced a large subsidy for immunosuppressant drugs needed by organ transplant patients. This, Sadanandan pointed out, was the new and innovative provision in the budget. Generally expensive, these drugs will be provided at 10 percent discount on marked prices and Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited will manufacture them. The state has also earmarked Rs 10 crore to fund purchase of additional machinery as working capital.
Lucknow: The BJP on Thursday urged the EC to deploy women force at polling booths in the last two phases of the UP Assembly polls to check identity of burqa-clad female voters and prevent bogus voting, leaving some Muslim bodies fuming.



In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, the party said, "The BJP demands that to establish the identity of burqa-clad female voters in the sixth and seventh phase of the UP polls, women police and central paramilitary forces be posted at sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling booths".



BJP leaders J P S Rathore and Kuldeep Pati Tripathi said in the letter that a large number of burqa-clad women exercise their franchise and there was a possibility of false voting.



"Adequate deployment of female police would ensure proper checking of women voters, and at the same time, minimising incidents of bogus voting," they said.



A large number of constituencies going to polls in the last two rounds on March 4 and 8 fall in Muslim-dominated districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh.



The demand by the saffron party, however, did not go down well with Muslim organisations, with some of them accusing BJP of deliberately indulging in "polarisation politics".



Mahila Muslim Personal Law Board Chairperson Shaista Amber said, "Till now, the election and voting process have been rather smooth, and the Election Commission deserves a round of applause for this. However, in a bid to polarise the votes in the sixth and seventh phase, the BJP has now come up with this strange demand".



She said this act of BJP smacked of its "sick mentality".



"Whether a woman is wearing burqa or ghoonghat, no one has the right to offend her womanhood and dignity," she said.



Shia Personal Law Board spokesperson Yassob Abbas said, "This is a deliberate tactic of the BJP to polarise the votes.



We would not tolerate even an iota of insult to burqa."



He said even non-Muslim women living in villages wear 'pallu' (veil).



"Will the pallu (of non-Muslim women) be removed to check and verify their identity?" he asked, adding "It is better not to do any politics over burqa".



Senior member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali said, "Ever since the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections have started, a conscious attempt has been made to target Muslim women".



"It started with triple talaq, which has fallen flat on the face of the BJP," he said.



He also said that as per the laid down provisions of law, a voter is allowed to cast his or her vote only after the poll official cross-checks and verifies the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) card.



"I think that there is a planned attempt to keep Muslim women voters away from voting," he said.



Saharanpur-based Islamic seminary of Darul Uloom Deoband refused to comment.



Muslims make up around 19-20 per cent of UP's population of nearly 200 million.



Out of 403 assembly constituencies in UP, there are nearly 120 seats where the percentage of Muslim voters is more than 20 per cent (Muslim-dominated seats) and in certain parts of eastern UP, their population is up to 27 per cent.
New Delhi: An Indian Army soldier Roy Mathew, who was seen in a sting operation criticising 'Sahayak'(Orderly) system, was on Thursday found dead in a barrack in Maharashtra's in Deolali Cantonment.



The Army has said the jawan committed suicide and that he had been missing since February 25. Mathew, a native of Kerala's Kollam district, was also believed to be "mentally disturbed."



The sting operation that was run by a news website on February 24 created an uproar over the British era Sahayak system. Following that, Roy went missing and he was marked Absent Without Leave (AWL).







According to sources, the victim talked to his wife about being under stress a day after sting was aired, sent an apology to his officer through SMS on Feb 25, and went missing the same night.



Sources in the Army told CNN-News18 that till Thursday morning Roy's unit was not aware that he was the one featured in the video since the faces were blurred.



The sources also pointed out that hence the question of him being pulled up by officers of the unit doesn't arise.



Meanwhile, reacting to Mathew's death, Nalin Talwar of Sabka Sainik Sangarsh Commitee (SSSC)called for an enquiry by the police.



"There should be an enquiry by the police and the government should also appoint a retired judge to conduct the probe. These incidents are on the rise and Sahayak system should be scrapped," he said.



Nalin added, "This is a sad incident and it's worng. I don't agree with the Army's Version. This is Tej bahadur part 2. Armies all over the world are taking care of themselves, why cant Indian Army do it?"



Speaking to CNN-News18, Commodore (R) GJ Singh, Defence Expert said, "We are an independent country, customs have changed, education level has changed. There should be a healing touch for jawan."
Commando 2 is the kind of movie where were introduced to the hero with a close-up of his bulging bicep, even before we see his face. Vidyut Jammval is the impressive action star in this thriller, but for all the kicks, the back flips, the sliding through tiny spaces in the nick of time, and the slow-motion flying-in-the-air stunts, this film lacks punch. It takes superhuman strength to stop yourself from nodding off to sleep, because Commando 2 just goes round and round in convoluted circles.The makers shrewdly attempt to cash in on hot-button issues like demonetization and farmers suicides, but to be entirely honest this is a bargain basement version of an Abbas-Mustan film with a simplistic plot and logic-defying twists.Commando Karan (Vidyut) and a motley team are put together to bring back a famed money launderer by the name of Vicky Chaddha who is hiding out overseas. The idea is for the Indian government to get hold of crores of rupees in black money, and to use it for the good of the country before slimy businessmen and slimier politicians (Shefali Shah) can get their hands on it.The team heads to Bangkok in pursuit of Chaddha, but this plot is more twisted than a pretzel and you wish you had Commando Karans energy to just keep up with whats going on. His team includes the usual computer nerd (Sumit Gulati), a hard-nosed cop who switches sides in an instant (Freddy Daruwala), and a motor-mouth encounter specialist (Adah Sharma) whos so ditzy you cant help chuckling at some of her low-IQ one-liners. Esha Gupta, whose endless supply of sexy gowns and accessories is way more entertaining than her trite dialogues, plays the token vixen with mysterious motives.Director Deven Bhojani ought to have cut the flab out of this movie and made it, metaphorically speaking, as tight as his leading mans abs. Vidyut does a crazy, eye-popping number of stunts  including one in which he slips effortlessly through a cubby hole  but the action feels overlong and repetitive since its in service of a frankly underwhelming plot. And while Vidyut may flex his muscles like few can, his acting chops need work.Im going with a generous two out of five for Commando 2. This film gets tiring very quickly. Sadly, it feels as pointless as a demonetized 500-rupee note.Rating: 2 / 5Write your review of Commando 2 here.What's your review of Commando 2?
Image: Youtube/ A still from Commando 2: The Black Trail trailer

You know what youve signed up for when a film begins with 5 minutes of pure action  gravity-defying moves, bone-crunching punches and some swift acrobatics. Commando 2: The Black Money Trail is basically quite a dramatic lowdown of what goes on when a man sets his mind on hunting a black-money agent and eradicating the laundered money from circulation.Helmed by Deven Bhojani, the film focusses on Captain Karnvir Singh Dogras (Vidyut Jammwal) battle against the whole idea of black money and one launderer Vicky Chadha in particular. But this time its a team comprising of inspector Bhawna Reddy (Adah Sharma), cop Bakhtawar (Freddy Daruwala) and Zafar, working in tandem with the PMO, and set out on the mission in Malaysia. It begins with reference to PM Modis demonetisation drive of course, and lands into an imaginary world of action heroes and villains. Vicky Chadha, the man whos touted to be Indias biggest black-money agent is husband to a glamourous woman Maria (Esha Gupta). The story starts unfolding when the two teams meet each other and starts delving deeper into each others secrets and planning.In the first part Commando: A One Man Army  it was mostly a man pursing goodwill and in the second, its a full-fledged special undercover team. What remains, however, is Vidyuts strong grip on action-packed sequences. The man offers the perfect treat in some scenes, but makes it unbelievable in others. He packs a punch, glides his way through, kicks some butts and is also successful in sporting his well-chiselled body. His action scenes are high-octane, but he wavers a bit while delivering lines and thats what makes his character a bit unconvincing.Adah Sharma as Hyderabadi-based Bhawna Reddy tries her best to be funny but is often let down by predictable jokes. Her improper language skills and a fake and forced accent further blurs her character as an inspector. A cop who killed a criminal for a Gucci bag  her entire screen time is like a testament to this line. Freddy Daruwala maintains a constant expression all through-out and honestly, its like those forced serious looks that eventually end up in laughter. Esha Gupta, who plays Vickys wife, is plotwise one of the highest points of the film and acting-wise, one of the lowest. She emotes when it isnt required and gives a blank stare when the scene demands a gamut of emotions.While watching Adah and Esha onscreen  one realises an inevitable part about Bollywood movies. One, an undercover agent trailing a criminal in 5-inch wedges and second, a seductress villain controlling the entire game  are things Bollywoods formula action thrillers cant do without.Satish Kaushik, Shefali Shah and Adil Hussain work only because of their inadvertent strong screen presence, but their true acting potential remains untapped in this film.The film has quite an intriguing plot  makes you interested in knowing whatll happen next. The twists and turns keep the thrill alive, but soon the film loses its grip amid its own climaxes. Its a well-thought film, but not a well-woven one. Plus, the dialogues are a little too cliched to pull an action-thriller forward.Youd like to spend on this one only if youre either a die-hard Vidyut Jammwal fan or - no, thats it.
La La Land director Damien Chazelle and Moonlight helmer Barry Jenkins thought the goof-up that led to the wrong film being announced as the Best Picture at the 89th Academy Awards, was a prank.Actor-filmmaker Warren Beatty and actress Faye Dunaway presented the Best Picture award of the gala to La La Land instead of the real winner -- Moonlight, at the award ceremony on February 26."Everything looked so energised. I, at first, thought there was some kind of prank going on," Chazelle told variety.com.Jenkins said: "It's messy, but it's kind of gorgeous. You have these two groups of people who came together for a second. There's a picture with me hugging (La La Land producer) Jordan (Horowitz), and (Moonlight producer) Adele (Romanski) has her arm on his shoulder. That's what the moment was."What was strange for Jenkins was that he quickly had to change his emotions and deliver an acceptance speech for an Oscar only minutes earlier."I had something that I had prepared to say, and that thing went completely out the window."I've been saying that (co-writer) Tarell (Alvin McCraney) and I are that kid in the film, and that kid does not grow up to make a piece of art that gets eight Academy Award nominations," Jenkins said."It's a dream I never allowed myself to have. When we were sitting there, and that dream of winning didn't come true, I took it off the table. But then I had to very quickly get back into that place. And my first thought was to get to the stage to give Jordan a hug as quickly as possible," he added.The moment was handled gracefully."It's weird to be friendly with someone, but to feel like there's a mano-a-mano thing, which I guess is the nature of the Oscars," Chazelle said."So it was nice to explode that myth a little bit on a big stage," he added.
Early birthday celebration with the family before I leave tonight!!! Best times!!!!! A post shared by Shraddha ~ (@shraddhakapoor) on Mar 1, 2017 at 8:20am PST

Early birthday cake cutting today with Raju!!  pic.twitter.com/oPov57kfXc  Shraddha (@ShraddhaKapoor) March 1, 2017

Shraddha spotted at the airport on Wednesday night. Photo by Yogen Shah

Sharddha Kapoor turned 30 on 3rd March. But the celebrations began two days in advance as she celebrated with her staff and her family at her home. The actress posted a photo of the celebration on her social media platform and captioned it as "Early birthday celebration with the family before I leave tonight!!! Best times!!!!!(sic)"The actress later left for a 10-days long vacation in the Europe with her friends. Sources close to the actress state that she wanted to ring in her birthday in Europe with friends and hence left a day before the big day. The actress, who was last seen in Ok Jaanu, has been busy shooting for Apurva Lakhia's Haseena and the actress had been looking forward to the break.The family get together was reportedly planned by her mother who ensured that it was small, intimate gathering of family members.
This is the first time Dimple Yadav is holding a rally in Azamgarh, her father-in-law Mulayam Singh Yadav's constituency, in Poorvanchal. Mulayam Singh has not campaigned for anyone, except for his brother Shivpal, and his younger daughter-in-law, Aparna.

On Saturday, for the first time, Dimple will be accompanying UP CM Akhilesh Yadav and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi in a road show in Varanasi.

"Do you see Dial 100 police vans parked on the road? Ye vans kali is liye hein ki inko bahar waalo ki nazar na lag jaye (they are black so that they could be saved from evil eyes)," she says, hitting out indirectly at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.

The crowd is getting restless in Azamgarh. Bechai Saroj, the SP candidate from Lalgunj in Azamgarh, stands with folded hands and pleads with the crowd to calm down as they await Dimple Yadavs first address of the day.Clad in pale lemon saree, she walks up to the podium, accompanied by SP spokesperson Juhi Singh. The surging crowd gives a determined push to the pickets and barricades on the flank only to meet a posse of equally determined policemen to repel the thrust.Husband Akhilesh held seven rallies in the district in a single day, earlier this week. He could not touch Lalgunj, so Dimple is here to seek votes for party candidate and sitting MLA Bechai Saroj."Aapan bhaiya ka jitai hein ki na," she starts her speech haltingly in Bhojpuri to a rapturous applause from the crowd. All this while, Bechai Ram stands beside her, his hands folded to the crowd.This election Dimple Yadav has been trying to fill that void left by near total absence of her father-in-law from campaigning. The target voter is clearly not confined to SP's core Muslim-Yadav constituency.The MP from Kannauj speaks primarily on three issues. Law and order, development, and women.With Mulayam not venturing out of Lucknow this time around, Dimple has had to hit the campaign trail from the second phase onwards. She has so far held close to two dozen meetings.In the last two phases, Akhilesh has, perhaps, faced the stiffest challenge in this multiphased election. Poorvanchal has been to Mulayam, what Western UP is to BSP.If SP could still manage 100-odd seats in 2007, despite a slump, it was here in Poorvanchal that Mulayam could restrict a BSP on a rampage.Similarly, Maya could mop up 80 seats in 2012 in the next election, only by fortifying herself in the districts West of Muradabad.At Dimple's rally in Lalgunj, the crowd is predominantly youth.Avdhesh Upadhyay, a middle-aged school teacher watching the proceedings from sidelines, is keenly observing for minority faces in the crowd."This rally was very important in determining which way minorities will go. They wanted to see if Yadavs, despite Mulayam's absence, are mobilised behind Akhilesh or not. Looking at this crowd, this settles the issue," he says, with a mischievous glint in his eyes.And, for those who have seen Mulayam operate in the past, would well appreciate the minute observation. In every election in Yadav-dominated areas, whenever there was a chink in the SP armour, Mulayam would descend on the final or the penultimate day of the campaign. It would be a vintage Mulayam performance.He would take the stage. Looking at his wristwatch, Mulayam was always a man in a hurry in election season. Cutting short all the other speakers, he would take the mike straight away. His chopper would be air-borne in half-an-hour. But in those thirty minutes, his core constituency would know where to vote no matter which way the wind was blowing.This election, in Mulayam's absence, and with Congress increasingly taking the back seat in the campaign, the alliance is relying heavily on its two star pracharaks, Akhilesh and Dimple Yadav.So every day, Dimple Yadav takes the chopper to constituencies where bhaiya can't reach. For lunch, she carries her home cooked food along and returns to Lucknow by evening.Back home, she holds meeting with spokespersons to discuss the media line for the evening debates. Tomorrow would be another day and another day of campaigning in the last phase of UP polls.
In yet another setback to VK Sasikala, who is currently jailed in a corruption case, the Election Commission has rejected the AIAMDKs response on her elevation as the party general secretary.The poll panel said her nephew and signatory TTV Dinakaran was not in its list of party office bearers.The Election Commission had on February 17 sent a notice to the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, asking Sasikala to respond to a petition filed by the rival O Panneerselvam camp against her appointment as AIADMK interim general secretary.The EC had, while issuing the notice, made it clear that if she failed to answer, it will be "presumed" that she has no comments to offer and proceed in the matter accordingly. The Commission had sent the notice to Sasikala, currently lodged in a Bengaluru prison, and sought her response.In its reply on February 28, the AIADMK defended the decision saying the general council of the party had the authority to make such an appointment.The AIADMK also said those who later complained against Sasikala's elevation had initially signed the resolution in her support. The party told the Commission that the functioning of the party would have come to a standstill had a new general secretary not been appointed after the demise of then chief minister J Jayalalithaa.The reply was signed by TTV Dinakaran, Sasikala's nephew, who was hurriedly re-inducted into the party and nominated AIADMK deputy general secretary just before she left for a Karnataka prison to serve her remaining term in a disproportionate assets case.The Panneerselvam faction of the AIADMK had moved the Commission challenging Sasikala's election, claiming it was done in violation of the norms.In its 42-page petition, the delegation had claimed Sasikala's election was violative of the party constitution as she was chosen by the general council of the party and not the primary members.It said the general council was empowered to frame policies and programmes but it cannot elect someone as general secretary.(With PTI inputs)
: Tightening the noose around the private healthcare sector of the state, the West Bengal state Assembly passed The West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Bill, 2017, amid CM Mamata Banerjees claim that when enacted the law would serve as a model for the rest of the country.The Opposition, however, charged Banerjee with plagiarising the existing West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, which the Bill sought to repeal, and alleged that the chief minister was simply playing to the gallery.This is simply old wine in new bottle. Most of the content in the Bill already existed. The words are exactly the same. If the chief minister was serious about the ailments that plague private healthcare, she should have implemented the existing law and strengthened it by making amendments, said Sujan Chakraborty, CPI-M leader, whose proposed amendments to the Bill were ignored by the ruling Trinamool Congress.However, while defending the Bill on the Assembly floor, Trinamool leader Mahua Maitra argued: The 2010 Act only laid stress on the documentation of establishments. This Bill focuses on their transparency. Thats the primary difference.The clinical establishment regulatory commission, missing in the earlier Act, but proposes to set up in the current bill, will have enough powers to reign in offenders. Binding all the mandatory obligations which this Bill enforces on private hospitals, along with the licensing clause of these establishments, make way for its fundamental difference with the ineffective law that existed, she asserted.The Government is deeply concerned about the lack of transparency in the functioning of clinical establishments in general and private hospitals or nursing homes in particular, resulting in unnecessary and avoidable harassment and exploitation of patients (service recipients). It is logical that clinical establishments would levy fees and charges for the services they provide. But such charges should be reasonable with the objective of covering the cost of provision of services besides generating a decent surplus. The government is of the view that healthcare service is not a commercial proposition; it is a service or seva, which should be delivered to service recipients with humility and human touch. Life is precious and there can be no monetary value attached to human health, read the Statement of Object and Reasons of the Bill.Setting up a high-powered Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission which would monitor, regulate, and supervise the functions of private healthcare facilities in the state. It would also enforce transparency at these establishments.The Commission would be empowered to fix rates and charges for treatments at both outdoor and indoor patient departments, including diagnostics.The commission would also award compensation to victims of negligent treatment at the private facilities not exceeding Rs 50 lakh.In the eventuality of negligent treatment, the hospitals would be liable to compensate victims with up to Rs 3 lakhs for simple injury, up to Rs 5 lakhs for grievous injury and not less than Rs 10 lakhs in case of death.Civil courts would have no jurisdiction over action taken by the Commission and aggrieved parties can only seek redress at High Courts or the Supreme Court of this country.The hospitals will be bound to treat victims of road accidents, persons suffering from sudden calamities, acid attacks and rape victims irrespective of their ability to bear treatment costs. Hospitals would also be bound to release dead bodies of patients in the eventuality of relatives inability to pay full treatment costs.The establishments will have to strictly follow fixed rates and charges for treatment, including package rates, and would have to provide proper estimates for treatment costs not covered in fixed rates. The final bill cannot exceed estimates by a certain percentage that would be settled by the government.The hospitals would have to strictly discourage repetitive lab tests on patients, unless essential and must mandatorily obtain consent of patient party for continuation of ventilation support to a patient after brain death.The recent spate of incidents involving alleged malpractices and treatment negligence in private healthcare facilities of Bengal, including those at some of the top-end private hospitals of Kolkata prompted Banerjee, who also doubles up as the state health minister, to call for a meeting of representatives of private hospitals on 22 February. The meeting was widely televised and Banerjee rebuked the management representatives on grounds of inflated bills, non-transparency, treatment negligence and inhuman behaviour with patients.The current Bill, Banerjee said, was a step forward in the direction to ensure transparency and accountability of the private healthcare sector which had so far remained largely out of government scanners. She has, doubtless, enjoyed wide popular support in the process. But there are apprehensions, albeit mellowed down for the time being, as to whether the move would hamper investments in the sector.Questions have also been raised on whether the similar monitoring should also be extended to public healthcare facilities in the state which allegedly suffer from most of the above ailments. Banerjee has, however, rubbished the possibility.Our public healthcare system has its own checks and balances in place which are thorough, she said on the floor of the Assembly on Friday.Banerjee has, however, announced her intention to extend her monitoring over the private education sector and vehicular traffic laws of West Bengal.
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Taipei, March 3 (CNA) Academic freedom is a constitutionally protected right that cannot be constricted or violated for any reason, a Presidential Office spokesman said Friday, in the wake of reports that several Taiwanese universities have signed pledges promising to abide by the "one China" principle, at the request of the Chinese side.
It was a gathering of whos who of Maharashtra politics when BJP MLA Santosh Danve, the son of state BJP chief Raosaheb Danve, tied the knot on Thursday evening.The lavish wedding was attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, former Chief Minister Narayan Rane, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde and several Union and Maharashtra ministers."We were all waiting for last two years when will Santosh get married," Fadnavis told the gathering from the wedding stage, which had a large palace-like set.The expensive affair, however, raised a eyebrows with social activist Anjali Damania questioning the source of funds for the event."I am wondering from where does the money for such a lavish wedding come from," PTI quoted her as saying.(Photos: Pradesh 18)
Jaipur: From Akbar The Great to just Akbar and now Akbar, The Aatankkari  thats how the Mughal emperors identity seems to have mutated for Rajasthan Education Minister Vasudev Devnani.



Addressing the media on Friday, Devnani called Akbar an aatankkari  his way of replying to a letter threatening him with dire consequences for changing the name of Akbar Fort to Ajmer Fort in his Ajmer constituency.



The typed letter was sent by post to the ministers Ajmer address on December 16 but was received about three weeks ago. The letter, signed as Tarannum Chishti, threatened Devnani with strict action if he did not change the forts name back to Akbar Fort. It also asked him to treat people equally and show inclusiveness as a political leader.



The threat letter also found mention in the Assembly on Friday and Devnani said he had handed the letter over to police two weeks ago.



I had asked for Akbar Fort in Ajmer to be called Ajmer Fort. Since I am a nationalist, I believe wherever there are names of aatankkaris, they should be changed within the framework of the Constitution, Devnani said.



"I put forward my point of view from a nationalistic perspective on various issues which is why someone seems to have written this sort of a letter, he added.



Ajmer Police are now investigating the matter and trying to track down the sender on the basis of the dispatch stamp. We are inquiring into the matter, SP Ajmer Nitin Deep told CNN-News18.



The minister has been at the centre of a host of controversies, including dropping the suffix The Great from Akbars name and adding it to Maharana Prataps instead. His emphasis on indigenous people of prominence in textbooks over foreigners like Isaac Newton and Pythagoras had also been criticized.


Kundan who made controversial statement at Ujjain protest mtg has been relieved of his responsibility in RSS: Dr MM Vaidya pic.twitter.com/4t1emJH5PT  RSS (@RSSorg) March 3, 2017

"I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it (statement) and express my regret," Chandravat said in a statement late on Thursday.

Open threat to behead someone, Another to burn down theatres..Will there be strict action taken against these guys for instigating violence? https://t.co/aKLHPQp17V  arvind swami (@thearvindswami) March 3, 2017

The RSS on Friday sacked its functionary Kundan Chandravat who had sparked a controversy by announcing a Rs 1 crore bounty on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.Late on Friday, Chandravat was also booked for on charges of inciting violence under Section 505 of the IPC.The developments came a day after Chandravat retracted his controversial statement."Chandravat's controversial statement has created a wrong impression about the Sangh. He has been removed from all posts," RSS's Madhya Pradesh state head Prakash Shastri said in a letter announcing his removal.Under fire, Chandravat was forced to retract the statement late on Thursday."I also got some phone calls from Kerala in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill me," he claimed. Chandravat, in a meeting in Ujjain, had announced the bounty to avenge the killing of RSS workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI(M) workers.His speech had sparked an uproar, drawing condemnation from the RSS, the CPI(M) and the Congress.In a video, which went viral, Chandravat is purportedly seen saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killing of RSS workers there and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him.The RSS was quick to condemn Chandravat's statement, stating the organisation did not believe in violence."The RSS strongly condemns such statement. The Sangh does not believe in violence. But we will continue to protest against attacks on our workers in Kerala in a democratic and peaceful manner," RSS national 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' (Joint Chief of Publicity) J Nandakumar had told PTI in Delhi.Vijayan, however, dismissed the threat to his life, saying such calls would not prevent him from travelling around, while Kerala's ruling CPI(M) and Congress sought the arrest of Chandravat for his outrageous comments.Kerala has been witnessing a series of political clashes between the cadres of BJP-RSS and the ruling CPI(M),especially in the northern Kannur district from where Vijayan hails, for a long time. Both parties have blamed each other for the cycle of violence which has claimed several lives on both sides.Reacting to the controversy, actor Arvind Swami tweeted:(With agency inputs)
Beijing: The border dispute between China and India can be resolved if New Delhi accepts Beijing's claim over strategically vital Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh, China's former top diplomat has said, but Indian officials dismissed it as neither practical nor possible.



Dai Bingguo, who served as the China's boundary negotiator with India from 2003 to 2013, told Chinese media, "If the Indian side takes care of China's concerns in the eastern sector of their border, the Chinese side will respond accordingly and address India's concerns elsewhere."



Elaborating China's stand, Dai who conducted border talks with five Indian Special Representatives starting with Brajesh Mishra in 2003 said, "The disputed territory in the eastern sector of the China-India boundary, including Tawang, is inalienable from China's Tibet in terms of cultural background and administrative jurisdiction."



He said that colonial British government which drew the "McMahon Line" accepted Beijing's claim on Tawang.



China has rejected "McMahon Line" in India's case but accepted it in settling the boundary dispute with Myanmar.



"Even British colonialists who drew the illegal McMahon Line respected China s jurisdiction over Tawang and admitted that Tawang was part of China's Tibet," Dai told the China-India Dialogue magazine.



Dai was China's top diplomat and held the post of State Councillor in the previous Hu Jintao administration.





His interview was published by the magazine in its January edition ahead of India-China Strategic Dialogue held here last month co-chaired by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.



Dai, regarded as a wily negotiator, did not specify where China is willing to make a concession along the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control (LAC).



He also did not specify this in the book he wrote in Chinese language on the border talks.



Indian officials, however, said Dai's proposal is neither practical nor possible for India to accept considering that Tawang is an integral part of Arunachal Pradesh and has sent representatives to Parliament in every election since 1950.



In his interview, Dai said essential nature of the China-India boundary question is the "need to correct wrongs" made by colonialists and to restore fairness and justice.



"For historical reasons, India now controls the majority of the disputed territory. The boundary question was not created by China or India, so we shouldn't be inheriting it and letting the ghosts of colonialism continue to haunt our bilateral relations," he said.



Though published afresh in Chinese media, Beijing has been making such a demand for the concession for long.



Former National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon who was India's Special Representative for border talks and held several rounds of talks with Dai until the present NSA Ajit Doval took over in 2014, has mentioned the issue in his recently released book "Choices: Inside the Making of India s Foreign Policy".



While China demanded concessions in the Western sector before the 1962 war, it changed the line to East after the 1980s.



"Chinese officials began saying in the 1980s that Beijing would compromise only if India made major adjustments first, adding that once India indicated concessions in the East, China would indicate concessions in the West," Menon wrote in the book.



"In 1985, China specified that the concession it was seeking in the East was Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, something that any government of India would find difficult to accept, as this was settled area that had sent representatives to every Indian Parliament since 1950," he wrote.



"The Indian Supreme Court also held in the Berubari case in 1956 that the government could not cede sovereign territory to another government without a constitutional amendment, though it could make adjustments and rectifications in the boundaries of India," Menon wrote in the book, highlighting India's problem in accepting China's demand.



Apparently, China's stand on the border settlement was different earlier lacking consistency.



Menon wrote that former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai during his visit to India in 1960 "suggested that China might recognise the McMahon line boundary in the East in return to India accepting China s claim in the West" to provide strategic depth for China along the Aksai Chin road between Xinjiang and Tibet, which is now China National Highway 219.



Menon said India for the first time had Chinese troops at the border only after the People's Liberation of Army (PLA) took control of Tibet.



After the occupation of Aksai Chin area in the 1962 war, China's stand reported to have changed.



While China says the border dispute covers Arunachal Pradesh which it claims as Southern Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covered Aksai Chin area.


Brussels: A controversial European Union military headquarters to coordinate the bloc's overseas security operations will open in the coming months, EU diplomatic sources said on Friday.



Brexit and doubts about US President Donald Trump's commitment to European security have given fresh impetus to EU ambitions to step up military cooperation, with France and Germany taking the lead.



"This is a big leap forward. It is supposed to start working initially in March and fully in June," one of the sources said.



EU foreign and defence ministers meeting Monday in Brussels will approve what is known as a Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) unit, the sources said.



It will oversee the European Union's "non-executive" operations -- those that do not use force -- such as civil-military training missions in Mali, the Central African Republic and Somalia.



The EU also runs Operation Sophia in the central Mediterranean, which can use force to stop migrant smugglers, and Atalanta, part of international anti-piracy forces off the Horn of Africa.



These "executive" operations have their own command centres which will remain separate.



The diplomatic sources said the MPCC would show the EU was prepared to do more to contribute to international security but also stressed its limited role, at least for now.



"So, no smoking guns, just training. For us it is important to bring together civil and military capabilities," the source said.



European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker called for a common EU defence HQ in September after the Brexit vote, resurrecting an idea that had circulated in the EU for years.



But some EU nations such as Britain and the former communist states in eastern Europe, are reluctant to do anything that might undercut NATO's collective defence role, believing the US-led alliance is still the only real option in face of a more assertive Russia.



The MPCC, based in Brussels, will have a small staff and be headed by a "director" not a commander, to avoid overt military connotations, another EU source said.



"We are not looking at an enormous new building for the new structure... this is not about executive missions," the source said.



"The general intention is to explore ways of how to use our capabilities more effectively," the source added.


Washington: US Attorney General Jeff Sessions withdrew on Thursday from any probe into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election after it emerged he had contacts with Russian officials while involved with President Donald Trump's campaign.



But Sessions, a long-time US senator before becoming the country's top law enforcement official, said he did nothing wrong by not disclosing during Senate testimony that he had met last year with Russia's ambassador. He said the meetings were in his capacity as senator, not as a campaign aide.



"I have recused myself in the matters that deal with the Trump campaign," Sessions told reporters at a hastily arranged news conference, after several fellow Republicans in Congress had called for the move.



But his announcement did nothing to quell Democratic concerns, with House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi repeating a call for him to resign and saying "his narrow recusal and sorry attempt to explain away his perjury" were totally inadequate.



Sessions said he had been weighing recusal - ruling himself out from any role in the investigations - even before the latest twist of the controversy over ties between Trump associates and Russia that has dogged the early days of his presidency.





The move means Sessions, a powerful member of Trump's inner circle, will not be briefed on details of any probe. Should the Federal Bureau of Investigation decide to move forward with charges, Sessions would not be in a position to weigh in on whether the Department of Justice should take the case.



The controversy comes as Trump and Republicans who control Congress are trying to move past early administration missteps and focus on issues important to them, including immigration, tax cuts and repealing the Obamacare healthcare law.



US intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russia hacked and leaked Democratic emails during the election campaign as part of an effort to tilt the vote in Trump's favour. The Kremlin has denied the allegations.



Trump fired national security adviser Michael Flynn last month after revelations that Flynn had discussed US sanctions on Russia with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak before Trump took office and that Flynn had misled Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations.



'HONEST AND CORRECT'



During his Senate confirmation hearing in January, Sessions responded to a question from Democratic Senator Al Franken that he did not "have communications with the Russians" during the presidential campaign.



But on Wednesday night, the Washington Post revealed that Sessions, who was a senior campaign aide of Trump's, received Kislyak in his Senate office in September.



The other encounter was in July at a Heritage Foundation event that was attended by about 50 ambassadors, during the Republican National Convention, the Post said.



Sessions said he was "honest and correct" in his answer to Franken, drawing a distinction between his role as a senator and his role as a campaign aide.



"I never had meetings with Russian operatives or Russian intermediaries about the Trump campaign," Sessions said, but added that he felt that he should not be involved in investigating a campaign in which he had a role.



At least two other officials in Trump's campaign said they also spoke with the Russian ambassador at a conference on the sidelines of the July convention last July, USA Today reported on Thursday.



While there is nothing legally wrong with such meetings, the reported contacts raise questions about the White House's repeated statements that it knew of no further contacts with Russian officials beyond those by Flynn.



'ALICE IN WONDERLAND'



Before the news conference, Trump stood by his attorney general, saying he had "total" confidence in Sessions. Asked whether Sessions should step aside from the investigations, Trump told reporters, "I don't think so."



Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who earlier said it would be like "Alice in Wonderland" if the administration were to approve Sessions' investigating himself, said he should have recused himself the moment he was sworn in rather than waiting until he was caught misleading Congress.



Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee asked the FBI to launch a criminal investigation into Sessions' statements to Congress about his communication with Russian officials.



Schumer and Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, called for the appointment of a special prosecutor.



Sessions is one of many "subjects" of a wide-ranging government investigation of any contacts between the Trump's campaign and associates and Russia, two U.S. officials familiar with the investigation said.



The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sessions was not now a "target" of the probe by the FBI, the Treasury Department, the CIA and the National Security Agency.



The investigation, one of the officials said, has a number of subjects because of the numerous contacts between associates of Trump, including Flynn, and the Russian Embassy in Washington as well as Russian and some Ukrainian businessmen and companies.



Trump has accused officials in former Democratic President Barack Obama's administration of trying to discredit him with questions about Russia contacts. The White House dismissed the revelation of the Sessions meetings as a partisan attack, saying his contacts with the ambassador had been as a member of the Armed Services Committee.
Gala Renay Myers Elliott, 60, of Lynchburg, Virginia, died Wednesday, March 1, 2017, at home surrounded by her loved ones. She was the loving wife of John Wesley Elliott Sr. for 42 years. Born in Pembrook, Virginia, on September 6, 1956, she was the daughter of the late Bobby M. Myers Sr. and Dolly Falls Myers. She is survived by her son, John (PeeWee) Elliott Jr. of Lynchburg; and her daughter, Kaitlin Elliott of the residence; two sisters, Paulette Chapman of Rustburg and Judy Hudson (George) of Lynchburg; three brothers, Brian Myers (Regina), Jeff Myers (Lisa) and Bobby Myers Jr. (Wanda) all of Lynchburg; and a sister-in-law, Audrey Myers of Lynchburg; as well as numerous niecesand nephews that she loved like her own children. Renay also leaves behind a special dedicated friend, Luanne Mayhugh of Appomattox, Va. Renay was preceded in death by her brother, William (Billy) Myers and her brother-in-law, Jimmy Chapman. Renay was a former employee of Waytech Electronics for twenty-three years. She was employed for the last ten years by Campbell County School Transportation Department until she was forced to retire in January 2017. The family would like to especially thank her sister, Pauletteand best friend, Luanne for their dedicationand loving care they provided during Renay's illness. The family requests any memorial contributions to be made to the American Cancer Society, 2840 Electric Road, Roanoke, Va. 24018. The family will receive friends at Tharp Funeral Home, Lynchburg on Friday, March 3, 2017, from 7 until 8 p.m. A celebration of Renay's life will be held immediately following in the chapel of Tharp Funeral Home with Pastor John Signs Jr. Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family. To send condolences please visit tharpfuneralhome.com.
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A lawyer who has worked on behalf of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is trying a novel legal tactic: calling on President Trump to deport the Mexican drug lord back home from his jail cell in the US. The AP reports that lawyer Jose Luis Gonzalez Meza held up a banner outside the Mexican Attorney General's Office in Mexico City on Wednesday that read: "Mr. Trump, Deport the illegal and criminal Chapo Guzman." Trump has pledged to deport migrants who have committed illegal acts.

Gonzalez Meza said Mexican prosecutors violated due process when they extradited Guzman in January. "That means he is in the United States illegally," the lawyer said. "We are going to ask he be returned, because he is illegal and criminal!" Guzman faces US drug trafficking, money laundering, and other charges. He has pleaded not guilty. (Read more Joaquin Guzman stories.)
A Chicago woman was convicted Thursday of torturing her granddaughter to death, with the 8-year-old's diary serving as key evidence of the toll the horrific abuse was taking on her, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Gizzell Ford started the diary in third grade, according to People. In pink marker and a neat hand, she wrote about clothes, friends, and teachers. The Chicago Tribune reports she liked dressing up for school and diagramming sentences. I am going to be a beautiful smart and good young lady, Gizzell wrote. But by the summer, the neat handwriting was gone. "If I be good...I wont have to do punishments, she wrote. Her last entry on the day before she died in July 2013: "I hate this life."

Gizzell was abused by her 55-year-old grandmother, Helen Ford, at the instruction of her bedridden father. She was forced to squat or stand in place for hours on end, tied to a bed for days, and kept from eating or drinking. When she tried to sneak a drink from the toilet in the maggot-infested apartment, she was punished. Prosecutors say she was used as a "punching bag." Gizzell reportedly tried to kill herself days before her death. A police officer broke down in tears in court describing the worst abuse she'd seen in 30 years. And the judge says Gizzell died a "slow, painful, agonizing death." Prosecutors say Helen Ford, found guilty of murder, never showed remorse. Gizzell's father, Andre Ford, died of a heart attack in 2014 while awaiting trial. (Read more child abuse stories.)
America's Dad wants to make sure America's Fourth Estate doesn't run out of steam. Members of the White House press corps arrived in the press area break room Thursday morning to find a brand new espresso machine courtesy of Tom Hanks, the Hill reports. The actor left behind a note reading, Keep up the good fight for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Especially for the Truth Part. According to Variety, this has actually become a bit of a tradition for Hanks, starting when he was at the White House for a film shoot during the Bush administration. He saw the press corps getting their coffee from a vending machine and bought them their own coffee machine. He later replaced it during the Obama administration when he noticed it was getting a bit rundown while at the White House for a screening of The Pacific. (Read more Tom Hanks stories.)
Wildlife officials say they have evidence of a rare jaguar sighting in the United States, giving conservationists hope that the endangered cat is re-establishing itself here, the AP reports. The US Fish and Wildlife Service released a photo Thursday from a trail camera that was taken in November and recently retrieved. It shows the spotted cat wandering through the Dos Cabezas Mountains in Arizona about 60 miles north of the US-Mexico border. Fish and Wildlife spokesman Jeff Humphrey says it's the farthest north of the border that a jaguar has been seen in decades. "The significance is that we're getting a clearer understanding of where jaguars occur in the borderline area," Humphrey said. It's been decades since a jaguar was spotted in that mountain range, he noted.

Arizona, New Mexico, and other parts of the southwestern US were home to jaguars before habitat loss and predator control programs aimed at protecting livestock eliminated them over the last 150 years. Conservationists think the latest sighting is evidence that the jaguar is returning to the US after decades away. The first jaguar to be recently seen, dubbed by wildlife conservations as "El Jefe"Spanish for "the boss"popped up in the Whetstone Mountains in southeastern Arizona in 2011 when he was about 3 years old. He was seen again in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson around September 2015. A trail camera photo taken on Dec. 1 in a mountain range near Fort Huachuca, the Army installation about 75 miles southeast of Tucson, captured a second jaguar that was seen on camera again in January. Around seven jaguars have been documented in southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico since 1996. (Read more jaguar stories.)
Arkansas hasn't executed anyone in 11 yearsbut between April 17 and April 27, eight men will be put to death, an "unprecedented" move in the US, according to a group that monitors executions in the country. Nine inmates had asked the US Supreme Court to review the state court ruling over Arkansas' lethal injection law, and Gov. Asa Hutchinson scheduled the executions soon after the high court said it would not do so, the AP reports. Hutchinson released a statement saying the law requires him to set the execution dates, KATV reports, but CNN notes that activists are criticizing the decision. "This planned mass execution is grotesque and unprecedented," says the Arkansas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Prior to this, there have only been two times a state has executed that many people in one month.

Lawyers for the men are trying to block the executions, and some had argued a stay of execution was still in place for the inmates. On Thursday the Arkansas Supreme Court said there's no stay in place. The AP notes the execution dates appear to have been set so close together, with the inmates being executed in pairs, in an attempt to finish them before Arkansas' supply of one of the execution drugs, midazolam, expires at the end of April. Attorneys for some of the men argue that midazolam, which knocks the inmates out before other drugs kill them, doesn't keep them from experiencing pain and thus the state's lethal injection protocol constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. Arkansas must also obtain a new supply of another execution drug, potassium chloride, because its supply expired last month. (Read more Arkansas stories.)
The family of a slain nurse in Nashville is asking the public for help finding her killer. Tiffany Ferguson, 23, was fatally stabbed in her apartment early Tuesday during a robbery, police say. Her roommate heard her screams about 5:40am and found her injured in bed, the Tennessean reports. Police are searching for a man spotted on surveillance video walking outside the apartment prior to the assault. Wearing a hoodie and ripped jeans, the man can be seen pulling on door handles of cars shortly before Ferguson was attacked, police say. The young nurse had been out with friends earlier in the evening, and a police spokesman tells ABC News the crime is believed to be "a very rare, random act of violence."

Cops think the suspect entered the building looking for unlocked apartment doors, was able to access Ferguson's apartment, took some valuables and put them outside, and then returned to the apartment. "The attack on Ferguson is believed to have come during his reentry," police say. Police recovered a "very sharp object," and are awaiting autopsy results. Molly Cox tells ABC that her sister was having trouble with the lock, which is likely why her door was unlocked. Ferguson got a job as an intensive-care nurse at a Nashville hospital after attending college in Alabama. "She just had so many dreams," says her sister. "She deserved better than what she got." (Read more crime stories.)
A UK woman was almost in sight of her front door in east London when Derry McCann pulled her into bushes at Victoria Park, raped her for two hoursand then left to go get married later that day. McCann, 28, acknowledged what prosecutors called a "sustained and systematic" attack in the wee hours of Jan. 13 in a guilty plea Thursday. Police suspect he initially stalked another woman but lost sight of her and homed in on another target, per the BBC. A prosecutor described how he played "mind games" with his 24-year-old victim, asking her what she thought he would do next, as he beat and raped her. He then snapped photos of her, told her she was lucky he didn't record the rape, stole her phone, and took off, prosecutors said. Hours later he married his pregnant partner.

"This was a terrifying, violent, and prolonged attack ... committed by a man intent on inflicting fear and psychological suffering," a prosecutor said. Yet a judge had predicted it. In 2006, McCann was sentenced to life (with a recommended minimum of 9 years) for the rape of another woman in a park. The judge described the attack as a "clinical enactment of a catalogue of sexual desires" that amounted to "torture" and said there was a "very substantial risk" McCann would re-offend, report the Sun and Telegraph. McCann was eventually released from prison in 2015 and some are now calling for a public inquiry into his case. He is due to be sentenced in the latest case on April 28. He again faces life for three counts of rape, one count of assault, and one count of robbery. (Canada just released a rapist with up to 1,000 victims.)
Comments related to the photo of Kellyanne Conway kneeling on a sofa in the Oval Office drew a few laughs at the Washington Press Club Foundation's annual awards dinner Wednesday, particularly when Republican Sen. Tim Scott joked that "a whole lot worse" happened on that couch in the 1990s. (Burn, Bill.) But thenaccording to Conwaythe joking went a bit too far. In what the Washington Post calls "an apparently off-script joke," Rep. Cedric Richmond, a Democrat from Louisiana, had this to say:

"Tim, you kind of opened the door. I really just want to know what was going on there, because, you know, I won't tell anybody. And you can just explain to me that circumstancebecause she really looked kind of familiar in that position there. Don't answerand I don't want you to refer back to the 1990s."

While some believed Richmond was referring to a sex act with the "familiar" line, he says he meant nothing sexual by it. "Where I grew up, saying that someone is looking or acting 'familiar' simply means that they are behaving too comfortably," Richmond said Thursday. Conwaywho has vigorously defended the photoisn't buying that explanation. "I notice he did not apologize, he tried to clarify," she tells the Daily Caller, adding the comment was "sexist" and the media would be expressing outrage if she were "a liberal woman" and "a pro-abortion one." GOP Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel isn't pleased, either, calling the remark "disgusting and offensive" and "a reminder of the demeaning comments women hear every single day." Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, has called for Richmond to apologize, reports the Advocate. (Read more Kellyanne Conway stories.)
The Wall Street Journal has just complicated Jeff Sessions' explanation about his conversations with the Russian ambassador. The attorney general has acknowledged that he met at least twice with Sergei Kislyak during the campaign, but he says he did so in his capacity as a senator rather than as a surrogate of the Trump camp. One of those conversations occurred at an event during the Republican National Convention, and the Journal reports that Sessions paid for his travel expenses to Cleveland with money from his own re-election campaign fundnot from official legislative funds that would typically cover his trips as a member of the Senate Armed Services panel. A spokesoman for Sessions offered no comment on the convention expenses, but a general counsel at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center spells out the inconsistency.

If he was truly there solely as a member of the Armed Services Committee, then he could've used his legislative account, says Larry Noble. At the time of the convention, Sessions had been chairman of Trumps National Security Advisory Committee for about four months. Sessions, meanwhile, appeared on Fox News Thursday night and told Tucker Carlson that the controversy over his meetings with Kislyak has been "hyped beyond reason." At the convention, for example, he said he spoke with about 50 ambassadors and characterized them as informal chats. Aides say they don't recall Sessions talking about the campaign with Kislyak at the event, but they also say the room was so loud they can't be positive, per the Journal. Sessions said Thursday he would recuse himself from any related investigation. (Read more Jeff Sessions stories.)
A member of the European Parliament is facing possible punishment after stating that women "must earn less than men because they are weaker, smaller, and less intelligent," the BBC reports. According to the Huffington Post, the statement was made by 74-year-old Janusz Korwin-Mikke while the parliament was discussing the gender pay gap. Korwin-Mikke is an independent member of parliament who founded his own right-wing political party, Poland's Renewal of the RepublicFreedom and Hope, CNN reports. His statement may have broken the European Parliament's rules against racist, xenophobic, or defamatory conduct, for which Korwin-Mikke could be fined or suspended.

Other parliamentary members quickly spoke out against Korwin-Mikke's statement. One member from the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party said she would defend European women against men like Korwin-Mikke. And London Labour parliamentary member Seb Dance tells the Independent that Korwin-Mikke, who he calls a nationalist and extremist, "crossed a line and must lose the right to be taken seriously on anything." Korwin-Mikke has been punished by the European Parliament in the past for likening migrants arriving in Europe to "excrement" and giving a Nazi salute in front of the parliament. He's previously said women shouldn't have the right to vote and was investigated for incitement to rape. (Read more sexism stories.)
After praising Canada's immigration system during his address to Congress on Tuesday, President Trump was back at it again on Friday, USA Today reports. "The merit-based system is the way to go," Trump tweeted after watching a story about immigration on Fox & Friends. It's unclear exactly to what extent Trump wants the US to adopt the Canadian model, and the White House declined to clarify his comments on the matter, according to CNN. "He's very clearly saying we should stop importing poverty," says the president of a group that supports limiting immigration. But immigration advocates say that while "merit-based" immigration sounds good, it can be used as a tool to drastically reduce all legal immigration, especially the low-skilled workers necessary for farming and more.

Canada adopted an immigration system in the 1960s that awards prospective immigrants points for education, language skills, work experience, and more. The result is that most of Canada's immigrants are there for economic reasons. Meanwhile, most legal immigrants in the US are here because of family connections. Also unlike in the US, immigration is widely popular with Canadians, the New York Times reports. And Canada plans to take in far more immigrants, proportionally speaking, than the US in the coming year. A version of Canada's system has already been adopted by Japan, Denmark, Australia, and the UK. (Read more immigration stories.)
U2 is being sued for plagiarism. British musician Paul Rose filed a $5 million suit against U2. Rose accused the band of copying signature elements from his work.

According to a report, Rose sued U2 for copying his song for the band's 1991 album "Achtung Baby." It is indicated that the song from U2 titled "The Fly" contained elements from Rose's "Nae Slappin." The court documents stated that Rose provided U2 a demo copy of his songs. This was the time that the Dublin band was trying to find new ways on enhancing their style of music.

The report also indicated that an average listener can actually hear the similarities between the songs of U2 and Rose. Rose's attorney already informed the court that the reason for rose to file the case 26 years after the album was released is because he feared that it would ruin his career then.

A report indicated that Rose is seeking a copyright credit of $5 million for the song that has been copied. However, he needs to prove if U2 actually copied the song before they released "Achtung Baby." This has not been the first time that a famous band has been sued for plagiarism. In fact, Led Zeppelin was sued for their song "Stairway to Heaven."

They were allegedly sued for copying the song from 1968 Taurus song from a band Spirit. Led Zeppelin though had the court in their favor when the decision was released in 2016. The bands that are mostly sued for copyright infringement rarely reach trial.

Meanwhile, Rose shared that in 1989; he submitted a demo tape for his song to Island Records. This was the year that U2 also signed up for the label. He noted that even if the band was popular at that time, they needed some changes with their songs. There has been no comment yet from the representatives of U2.
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New Delhi:

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday flagged off the first AntyodayaExpress and the fourth Humsafar Express through video conferencing from New Delhi.



The Ernakulam-Howrah Antyodaya weekly express will travel through Salem, Katpadi and Vishakhapatnam while Sri Ganganagar-Tiruchirappalli Humsafar weekly express will travel through Krishnarajapuram, Pune and Ahmedabad.



Speaking on the occasion, Prabhu said, This is the fourth Humsafar Express to be launched and it will cross the entire country from the north to the south.



He said the train is a fully air conditioned 3-AC service with facilities like GPS-based passenger information system, passenger announcement system, fire and smoke detection and suppression system, CCTVs, comfortable seats, mobile and laptop charging points, integrated Braille display, LCD display above compartment doors in the aisle, fire retardant curtains.



Today we are launching the countrys first Antodaya Express. Tejas and UDAY Express will be launched soon. Antodaya Express is a long-distance, fully unreserved, superfast train service for the common man, to be operated on dense routes, he added.



The base fare of Antodaya Express will be 15 per cent higher than the existing Mail/Express fare.



Antodaya service has facilities like cushioned luggage racks which can serve as seats, LED lights, modular toilets, pleasing interior colour scheme, toilet occupation indication display board and anti-graffiti coating for exterior painting.

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New Delhi:

Banking operations were hit on Tuesday by the day-long, nation-wide strike called by employees of public sector banks, with ATMs running dry at various places across the country.



The All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) claimed success, saying all the branches kept their shutters down.



"People could not go to banks to transact anything, deposit money, withdraw money or do any other transaction.



Government treasury transactions could not be done, import and export transactions were hit, money market operations were not possible," AIBEA General Secretary CH Venkatachalam told PTI.



Money transfer and cash remittances were also hit.



Venkatachalam said clearing operations have been paralysed in a big way despite the Reserve Bank keeping its operations open because employees were not available.



Some private sector banks are also part of the strike called under the aegis of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) to press their demands including fixing accountability of top officers over increasing bad loans, opposing labour reforms as well as outsourcing of permanent jobs.



Karur Vysya Bank and Federal Bank said Staff Union and Officers Association of the Bank under the banner of UFBU are participating in the strike.



"Regular functioning of the branches of the Bank might be affected on that day. However the Bank's ATMs and digital channels will function to meet customer needs," Federal Bank said.



Private sector banks including ICICI, HDFC, Axis were not part of the strike.



ATMs have gone dry in various places, Venkatachalam said, adding that some banks had limited cash to keep the machines going.



UFBU is an umbrella body of 9 unions. However two of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh affiliates -- the National Organisation of Bank Workers and the National Organisation of Bank Officers -- are not part of the strike.



The demands include compensation to employees and officers for extra hours they have put in following demonetisation in November and early initiation of next wage revision.



They have also demanded adequate recruitment in all cadres, stringent measures to recover bad loans and accountability of top executives. Besides, they have pitched for criminal action against wilful defaulters.



The UFBU, which claims membership of nearly 10 lakh across banks, also requested the government for cost reimbursement of demonetisation to banks.



As many as 27 public sector banks control 75 per cent of the total business.

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Kathmandu:

China has asked Nepal on Wednesday asked to join its ambitious Silk Road initiative, which, it claims, is aimed at regional connectivity.

China made the request during the 14th annual general meeting of Nepal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Kathmandu.

More than 100 countries have shown interest in the Silk Road initiative and signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with 40 countries, Chinese officials said.

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Yu Wong, asked Nepal to assist in forwarding the Silk Road initiative. He said, it will help in regional prosperity and connectivity.

Nepals Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara said his country would expand trade ties with China keeping the geopolitical sensitivity in view.

I assure you that Nepal will make further decision to augment trade relations with China, he said, but added that exports must be increased to reduce trade losses.

He also thanked China for its assistance to Nepals infrastructure development.

China has assisted Nepal in the areas of Hydropower, Aviation, Construction and Transmission line, Yu said, assuring that such assistance will continue in future.

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Chandigarh:

Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur, in the centre of a countrywide debate on free speech post her campaign against ABVP, was provided security by Punjab Police on Wednesday at her native place in Jalandhar.

Jalandhar commissioner of police (CP) Arpit Shukla said, "I have put up two lady constables at her residence." The security has been provided in the wake of "some threats" she had received earlier, he added.

A case of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation was registered by Delhi Police against unknown persons in connection with the alleged rape threats to Kaur after violent clashes at DU's Ramjas College between ABVP and AISA members.

She had started the campaign "I am not afraid of ABVP" following violence at Ramjas college.

The campaign went viral and received massive support from students and teachers across universities.

A case with her complaint to Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) was also registered on Tuesday, even as she pulled out of a protest march against ABVP, requesting to be "left alone", and came to Jalandhar to be with her family.

Senior officers had earlier said Gurmehar had submitted a screenshot of the message she received on Facebook from a man who allegedly threatened her with "gangrape" and "making porn videos of her".

Kaur, a student of Lady Shri Ram College, affiliated to DU, is the daughter of Captain Mandeep Singh who was killed in a militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district on August 6, 1999, four days after Pakistani troops withdrew from Kargil.

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Lucknow:

The political frenzy has reached its peak in the holy city of Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the battle of ballots for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, enters the last phase.

The saffron party which has a lot at stake in the last two phases of polling scheduled for March 4 and 8 has moved its war room to Varanasi, entrusting Union ministers and senior leaders with the task of strengthening the campaign with the Prime Minister in the vanguard.

The BJP is also faced with the target of quelling resentment in certain quarters over senior leaders being denied party ticket in these elections.



The importance of the area comprising 89 constituencies, which go to polls in 14 districts of on March 4 and 8, is strengthened by the fact that the prime minister is scheduled to address public meetings in Jaunpur, Mirzapur and Varanasi on March 3, 4 and 5, respectively.

Read | BJP sends in star-power for final push to campaign in PM Modis Varanasi



Following in the footsteps of the BJP is the SP-Congress combine which has also shifted its focus to Varanasi and its campaign strategist Prashant Kishor and his team members are busy crafting Varanasi area-specific strategy.



Taking the BJP and PM head on, the SP-Congress has launched a Dard-e-Banaras campaign highlighting the disillusionment among the electorate over Modis false promises and no delivery.



Team PK has launched three videos of less than two-minute each which are played from the campaign raths or video vans around Varanasi.



Kishor claims that till date they have reached about 2,00,000 Facebook and Whatsapp users around Varanasi within a span of just a couple of days.

Read | PM Modi surprises everyone by bringing his own lunch at Varanasi rally, BJP boasts of equality



The volunteers of the team are also holding door-to-door campaign armed with publicity materials and personal letters from Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and street plays.



Central leaders are holding press conferences to keep the pot boiling till the D-day.



The team of Akhilesh and Rahul are also likely to hold a road show in Varanasi on March 4 and senior leaders of both the parties are camping there to oversee their strategy in the face of the moves by the saffron party.



BJP president Amit Shah has been in constant touch with partymen, making frequent trips and over the past week, he stayed back in Varanasi for five nights meeting finetuning the strategy with Union ministers and party leaders.



According to BJP, this is the first time that the party has set up a new media centre near Chawka Ghat in Varanasi, where at least one Union minister addressed mediapersons every day to highlight achievements of the Modi government, the partys manifesto.



The minister also targets the Akhilesh government, its alliance with Congress, and the BSP.



Moreover, the party has set up a war room at its headquarters in Kashi region in Gulab Bagh area, where party workers have been assigned the task of publicising BJP programmes through social media.



A protocol cell has been set up to look after arrangements for Union ministers visiting Varanasi, while a separate Awas Vibhag (housing cell) has been formed to manage accommodation for visiting BJP leaders.



Over the past week, Union ministers who have visited Varanasi include Rajnath Singh, J P Nadda, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Kalraj Mishra, Uma Bharti, Ananth Kumar, Smriti Irani, Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal, Mahendra Nath Pandey, Santosh Gangwar, Krishna Raj and Anupriya Patel.



BSP chief Mayawati is also touring these constituencies addressing three to four election rallies a day while leaders of her party have been assigned the task of staying in contact with the electorate at the grassroots level.

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Lucknow:

Police on Thursday initiated steps to withdraw Y category security to Gayatri Prasad Prajpati as the rape accused Uttar Pradesh minister remains elusive.



We have initiated the process to withdraw his Y category security, a senior Lucknow Police official said.



A person enjoying Y category has a security cover of 11 personnel, including one or two commandos.



Police teams are on the job and we will arrest him soon, he said even as special police teams returned empty-handed from Amethi, the ministers assembly constituency, and Delhi where he was said to be hiding.



A UP police team went to Delhi to record the statement of the 16-year-old victim who is in a state of severe trauma and is housed in a restricted ward at the AIIMS.

ALSO READ | I want to see Gayatri Prajapati behind bars, says minor victim



A DSP-rank officer, investigating the matter, recorded the victims statement after seeking permission from AIIMS Medical Superintendent.



The statement was videographed as per the rules under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.



Police teams were dispatched out of the state capital when Prajpati could not be located in his official residence in posh Gautampalli area here.

ALSO READ | Video: Police raid UP minister Gayatri Prajapatis official residence



Acting on Supreme Court orders, police made frantic efforts to nab him and after having failed to do so they might even apply for cancellation of his passport so that the minister cannot escape from the country.



Interestingly, the minister was earlier seen moving freely from one place to other in his constituency seeking votes.



The last time Prajapati was seen in public was on February 27 when he spoke to the media saying he will win with a huge margin and will work under Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav once again.

ALSO READ | Rape case: FIR filed against UP minister Gayatri Prajapati after SC order



49-year-old Prajpati is facing imminent arrest following an FIR lodged against him and six of his accomplices on the apex court order at Gautampalli police station here on February 18 under various sections of the IPC and POCSO Act.



The Uttar Pradesh police had lodged an FIR against Prajapati on the apex courts order for his alleged roles in separate cases of gangrape and an attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter.

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Kozhikode:

Hours after a bomb was hurled at RSS office in near Nadapuram in the Kozhikode on Thursday night, CPI(M) office was reportedly set on fire. However, there were no reports of casualties in later incidents, while at least four people were injured in bomb blast.

Four RSS workers were injured after some unknown persons hurled a crude bomb at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh office near Nadapuram in the district on Thursday night, police said.



The incident occurred at Kallachi around 8.30 PM. The injured have been identified as Babu, Vineesh, Sudhir and Sunil, they said.



While Babu and Vineesh, who suffered severe injuries in the abdomen and legs, have been admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH), the other two have been taken to a private hospital here, a senior police official said.



The investigation is underway to ascertain the motive behind the attack, he said.



The attack took place hours after an RSS functionary in Madhya Pradesh announced a Rs one crore bounty for beheading Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.



Kundan Chandrawat, Sah Prachar Pramukh of RSS in Madhya Pradeshs Ujjain, announced the reward to avenge the killing of its workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI-M workers.



The Kerala Chief Minister is killing our RSS workers who want to take this country forward. I will pay Rs one crore to anyone who beheads him even if I have to sell my house, Chandravat was seen saying in a video, which has gone viral.



The RSS, however, distanced itself from Chandravats remarks.

Updates:



Hyderabad: RSS activists protest against attack on their office in Kerala pic.twitter.com/D8udYYheH7  ANI (@ANI_news) March 3, 2017

10:50AM

#Kerala: 2 DYFI activists hacked at Elappulli in Palakkad district last night. Police complaint names 3 BJP workers

8:40AM

#CPM office in Kozhikode's Vishnumangalam area set on fire last night, no casualties reported.



8:00AM

#Since last 8 months when Communist Govt came to power in Kerala, there have been continuous attacks on RSS ppl: RSS supporter Virag Pachpor

#Centre Govt needs to intervene in this state matter and restore normalcy: RSS supporter Virag Pachpor on bomb hurled at RSS office in Kerala

Thursday

#Violent activities of CPM are being patronised & promoted by Kerala CM: RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha on RSS office attack in Kerala

#It's time for Home Ministry to issue advisory to Kerala Govt. HM should visit Kerala as it's a question of unsettling civil society: R Sinha

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Rameswaram:

Some unidentified persons coming in a country boat hurled country bombs at two fishermen who were fishing in a mechanized boat, near Appa Thivu in the Gulf of Mannar region on Friday morning, police told.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the fishermen in the mechanised boat used banned fishing nets which was opposed by those in the country boat.

The mechanised boat was damaged in the incident, police said.

The injured Mohammed Ibrahim and Nishar Khan were admitted to government hospital in Rameswaram.
New Delhi:

Kareena Kapoor has shunned away the reports of changing her son Taimur's name and stated that the little prince has the most beautiful name.

Apparently, there have been reports that the diva has got a new name for the Pataudi prince and prefers calling her son as Little John.

However, Bebo has cleared the air and stated, "I want to clarify that. How can anyone think that? Why would I call my son Little John? My sons name is Taimur. It is the most beautiful name, and he is the most beautiful and gorgeous man (smiles). And, no, I dont call him Little John. Please address him as Taimur Ali Khan."

Also Read: Motherhood will not slow her career down, says Kareena

Interestingly, this is not the first time that Taimur's name has been making to the headlines.

In fact, his name has been raking up a controversy since the beginning leaving Kareena and Saif Ali Khan trolled for naming their son on a barbaric Mongolian ruler.

However, Saifeena has remained unfazed by all the criticism and stood by their decision of naming their first child as Taimur Alia Khan Pataudi.

Notably, Taimur happens to be the couple's first child and the new parents are thoroughly enjoying this new phase of their lives.

Bebo has even admitted that motherhood has changed her life for the better.

Talking about the same, Kareena told a leading daily, "Its an extremely personal journey. Its a relationship that one develops over time, organically. I am still learning the ropes. In fact, Saif says my attention has completely shifted [to Taimur], and keeps complaining about it. I told him maybe [that will be the case] for a while (laughs). Now, I dont like leaving home too much."

On the work front, Kareena Kapoor Khan will be making a comeback with Shashanka Ghosh's upcoming directorial 'Veere Di Wedding'.

Also starring Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania in key roles, the movie is expected to hit the floors in May.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Democrat Claire McCaskill Caught Lying About Meeting With Russian AmbassadorDemocrats have two major problems; compulsive lying, and they suck at technology. The DNC and Hillary Clinton's campaign having been hacked by 5 to 7 foreign intelligence agencies vs. the RNC and Trump's data security is a great example of the latter - though perhaps the best combination of questionable ethics and technological ineptitude was the episode in which Hillary Clinton's incompetent IT guy crept onto Reddit during the Benghazi investigation to ask how he could strip Hillary's email address from (legally) archived records.The latest example of lying while sucking at technology comes to us from Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), who tried her best to pile on the Russophobic Jeff Sessions witch hunt by emphatically tweeting about how she's never had a call or meeting with the Russians. Ever. Unfortunately for Claire, she forgot about the two times she not only did that, but tweeted about it!dumbocrats...liebarrelsHow the Corporate Media Continues to Use the Russia Scapegoat as a Distraction from Status Quo FailureCountless observers have noted the obvious fact that the corporate medias all-encompassing obsession with anti-Russia hysteria is partly just a shameless campaign to prevent change within the Democratic Party by blaming its loss on an outside enemy as opposed to the oligarch-coddling, corrupt disaster it nominated. While true, the strategy is far bigger than that. So called Western elites have failed miserably across the globe, and the only way to retain their undeserved positions of power (many should be in jail), is to create and promote a mindless, highly emotional, non-domenstic distraction. Enter Russia.Flashback: Chuck Schumer Meets with Putin in New York CityWheres the outrage?Democrat Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer continues to push the Russia conspiracy.But it was Schumer who met with Putin in New York City  not Trump.The picture above was taken in 2003 as Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, enjoys a Krispy Kreme doughnut and coffee with Senator Charles Schumer from New York as Putin visits the first New York gas station of the Russian company Lukoil.The hysteria over Trump administration officials talking  or not talking  with Russia needs to end.Its getting in the way of putting America back on track.of course it issoros funded lefties appear to hate the US of A, and want it to failwait till they see what it gets replaced withewe
New Delhi:

Vidyut Jammwal has impressed every one with his nail biting action stunts and good looks. His new movies, Commando 2: The Black Money Trail has hit the theaters on Friday. His fans were eagerly waiting for the movie to see their favourite star indulging in some thrilling action sequences.

Commando 2 which is a remake of 2013 action film Commando: A one man army, is supposed to be highly action packed and before you rush to theaters nearby, we have brought you some quick reviews.

Take a look....

The Times of India: Vidyut Jammwal is a solid action star and his stunts are the only reason you manage to sit through this never-ending tale of 'catch-Vicky Chadda-if-you-can'. The opening scene is spectacular. Sadly, the cat and mouse game between the cops and the criminal is not one bit exciting as the story pretends to be more intelligent than it is. Barring Esha Gupta's ravishing looks and permanent smirk, nothing quite stands out in the film. Even decent action cannot salvage this dreary supposed crime thriller.



Firstpost: It might be natural to assume that the tale of a government-appointed, trigger-happy action junkie on the trail of a murderous, black-money-laundering villain would be a fun ride, especially with His Royal Hotness, His Muscular Majesty Vidyut Jammwal in the driver's seat.

The film's impressive action scenes and pretty hero cannot compensate for its limited substance, which matters particularly because the action is not unrelenting. While Karan is bashing up baddies, it is hard to look away from the screen. When he is not, it becomes easy.



Hindustan Times: Commando 2 heavily relies on Jammwals stunts. Last time, his victory looked applaud-worthy because of a really frightening villain but this time he doesnt have a good match. He has performed his stunts but the intensity is missing. Too many twists hamper the films chances even more. Apart from Jammwal, only Adah Sharma is notice-worthy as a Gucci loving, trigger happy cop from Hyderabad. Commando 2 lacks heart and is all muscles. If may not even quench your thirst for some adrenaline-pumping stunts.



News18: Directed by Deven Bhojani, Commando 2 revolves around the story of a man, skilled in hand-to-hand combat and weaponry, who sets out on a mission to eradicate black money. The film, starring Vidyut Jammwal, Adah Sharma and Esha Gupta in pivotal roles, is a sequel to the 2013 film Commando: A One Man Army. It's about how Vidyut's character Karan hunts down India's most- wanted black money agent Vicky Chadha and brings back all the laundered black money. The running time of action sequences will be the only time you might enjoy. Nothing else really drives it forward.
New Delhi:

Terming the Modi government as the world's "most anti-intellectual" for questioning experts on GDP figures, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Friday affirmed that the economy will recover in the next 12-18 months from the "devastating" impact of demonetisation.

"It (the government) even thinks that Amartya Sen, professor at Harvard is undeserving of any respect. It thinks that Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard are all useless," he said.

Speaking at a seminar on "Untold Stories of Demonetisation - Its impact on Indian Economy", organised by AICC, the senior Congress leader was critical of the government's criticism of noted economists like Nobel laureate Amartya Sen for questioning government's growth data post-demonetisation.

"We have the most anti-intellectual government in the world," he said. Citing government data, he said going by the Gross Value Addition (GVA) figures it is clear that the economy has slowed down and the Q4 data of national income will further confirm that the economy has been hit "very very badly" by note ban.

"It is clear from government's GVA data that the economy is in a clear declining trend... It is important that we understand that the devastating effect of demonetisation has interrupted India's economy story. It was an unnecessary interruption. "To recover from this interruption, in my assessment, it will take between 12 and 18 months to recover. So you will see this impact into 2017-18 and may be right up to the end of 2017-18," Chidamabaram said.

He said demonetisation was done not on recommendation of the Reserve Bank of India to the government but on the "diktat" of Government of India to RBI. "Every procedure and every norm was violated in taking this decision and announcing it," he said. He also said that the objectives behind demonetisation like curbing black money, corruption and counterfeit currency, have not been achieved and the move has been a failure.

Also Read: Congress leader Chidambaram lashes out at Jaitley for his remarks amid DU row

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Chennai:

Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palanisamy urged Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday to exempt Tamil Nadu from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

The chief minister "made a request" with Javadekar in this regard during a meeting in Chennai, a brief government release said.

Palanisamy had taken up the matter during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week.

He had urged Modi to approve two Tamil Nadu bills, allowing exemption for the students from the state from appearing in NEET to get admission into medical and dental colleges in the state.

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New Delhi:

Defying warning from China over meeting Tibetan spiritual Dalai Lama, Indian representatives are going to meet the noble prize winner when he visits Arunachal Pradesh this April.

China had already warned India that any understanding with the Tibetan spiritual leader could damage the bilateral ties.

India cleared its stance, saying that the spiritual leader will make a religious trip to Arunachal Pradesh next month, and as a secular nation, India would not stop him from travelling to any part of the country.

Dalai Lamas trip could bring strain in ties with China as the latter takes him as a separatist and it would escalate tension between the two nations. On the other hand, the dragon is cosying up with Pakistan which already drawn forehead lines for India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has dubbed his events as public engagement and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju would meet the leader after a gap of eight years.

Also Read | South China Sea: China launches new cruise ship to disputed islands

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Mirzapur:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday addressed a Parivartan Sankalp Rally in Mirzapur amid the ongoing Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Launching a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party government, PM Modi said that the termite of corruption has hit Uttar Pradesh hard.

Here are the live updates:

#SP and Congress came together. They attacked us when we took decision to demonetise high value currency to fight corruption



#More than 60% farmers benefitted from crop insurance in BJP-ruled states, while only 14% in UP



#I have provided insurance cover for 15 days after crop cutting under the 'Pradhanmantri Fasal Bima Yojna'



#If the farmers get water on time, they can produce gold from soil. I have started a major campaign to provide water to fields



#I don't need to go to poors' homes with cameras to understand what poverty is, I have seen poverty since childhood



#Our aim is to double farmers' income by 2022 when India celebrates her 75th year of independence



#We are bringing gas pipeline from Gujarat to Gorakhpur, this will open new opportunities for development

#There is a good scope of tourism here, but state government never paid heed

#Uttar Pradesh has so much scope of tourism. The Vindhyachal region being close to Kashi can draw people from around the country



#There are four types of corruption in Uttar Pradesh - 'Nazrana', 'Sukrana', 'Hakrana' and 'Jabrana'

#From lodging FIRs to jobs, from pension schemes to ration card, termite of corruption has badly gripped Uttar Pradesh



#Even the High Court pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government over corruption, but all in vain



#The youths here are unemployed because of corruption



#They should not win even a single seat here



#UP government closed the brass industry in Mirzapur, snatching employment from the youth



#UP government never paid attention to development works in the state. Brass industry in UP have been shut



#People ran away with cots from 'khat Sabha' because they knew it belonged to them



#The one (Akhilesh) who doesn't care about his father (Mulayam) talks of working for the public

#'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' is our mantra for Uttar Pradesh



#Had Uttar Pradesh been a country, it would have been the fifth largest nation in the world in terms of population



#When Mulayam Singh ji was the Chief Minister of UP, he promised opening up of two new bridges, but why is it that they aren't made yet



#Uttar Pradesh has the power to take the country ahead



#UP elections are about giving opportunities to the state's youth, ensuring safety of people, all round progress of poor



#Elections in Uttar Pradesh has turned into an 'Utsav' of freeing the state from misrule of SP and Congress



#Mirzapur will break all records in voting



With battle of ballots for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly entering the last phase, the focus of all political parties has shifted to the holy city of Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The saffron party which has a lot at stake in the last two phases of polling scheduled for March 4 and 8 has moved its war room to Varanasi, entrusting Union ministers and senior leaders with the task of strengthening the campaign with the Prime Minister in the vanguard.



The BJP is also faced with the target of quelling resentment in certain quarters over senior leaders being denied party ticket in these elections.



The importance of the area comprising 89 constituencies, which go to polls in 14 districts of on March 4 and 8, is strengthened by the fact that the prime minister is scheduled to address public meetings in Jaunpur, Mirzapur and Varanasi on March 3, 4 and 5, respectively.

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Kolhapur:

Noted Ambedkarite thinker Dr Krishna Kirwale was found murdered at his house in western Maharashtra's Kolhapur city on Friday. Police said his body was found with multiple stab wounds at his Rajendranagar residence.



Kirwale (62), was the retired head of the Marathi department of Kolhapur's Shivaji University.



Meanwhile, one person has been detained in connection with the murder, police said, adding that an unidentified person hurled stones at the suspect's house.



Among Kirwale's major contributions was a 'Dictionary of Dalit and Gramin (Rural) Literatures', a project undertaken under the aegis of the state government.



Among his other books was a biography of pioneering Dalit litterateur, Baburao Bagul.



Kirwale also lectured widely on issues in Ambedkarite literature in particular, and Marathi literature in general. Police officers didn't comment on possible motive behind the brutal murder.



Kirawale was also the head of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Centre for Research and Development of the varsity before he retired two years ago.



In 2015, communist leader Govind Pansare, 81, and his wife Uma were shot at with 7.65-mm country-made pistols in Kolhapur.



Pansare died later in Mumbai. In 2013, rationalist Narendra Dabholkar (69) was shot dead in Pune by the motorcycle-borne assailants who had pumped four bullets into him, again from a 7.65-mm country-made pistol. Condemning Kirwale's killing, the leader of opposition in the Legislative Council, Dhananjay Munde said the incident shows the collapse of law and order situation in Maharashtra.



"This killing is serious as Kirwale was working in Dabholkar's movement as well," he said. Union minister Ramdas Athawale said the government should order a probe into Kirwale's murder and punish the guilty.

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New Delhi:

Tension between Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Communist Parties in Kerala intensified through the Thursday night.



Hours after a bomb was hurled at RSS office near Nadapuram in the Kozhikode, CPI-M office in Kozhikode's Vishnumangalam area, was set on fire. However, there were no reports of casualties in later incidents, while at least four people were injured in bomb blast.



On the same night, 2 DYFI activists hacked at Elappulli in Palakkad district.



Rising mercury in Kerala (Read updates till now)



With frequent incidents of alleged violence perpetrated by both camps, the ruling party CPI(M) and RSS have been at cross-roads in the state for at least past eight months, since elections.

The unrest received a fresh impetus on Thursday when Madhya Pradesh-based leader of RSS Kundan Chandrawat announced a bounty of Rs 1 crore on head of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a public event in Ujjain.

The statement drew flak from CPM leaders.

RSS reveals its true colours as a terrorist outfit. Will PM & his government stop remaining silent?, Sitaram Yechury said in a tweet.



Meanwhile, RSS distanced itself from the remark.



RSS doesn't subscribe violent action or words. Violence is Communist creed. History is witness RSS has always responded democratically, RSS leader Rakesh Sinha tweeted.



Bomb hurled at RSS office (Read full story here)



The slug-fest took a violent turn in the evening after a crude bomb was hurled at the RSS office in near Nadapuram in the Kozhikode.



Four RSS workers were injured in the attack. The incident occurred at Kallachi around 8.30 PM. The injured have been identified as Babu, Vineesh, Sudhir and Sunil, they said.



While Babu and Vineesh, who suffered severe injuries in the abdomen and legs, were admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH), the other two were taken to a private hospital here, a senior police official said.



CPI (M) office set on fire



On Friday morning, reports surfaced that CPI(M) office in Kozhikode was also set on fire on Thursday night. However, no casualties were reported.



Two DYFI activists hacked



Fresh reports suggest that the violence that ensued over Thursday night injured 2 youth activists associated with DYFI, the student wing of CPI(M).

Kerala: 2 DYFI activists who were hacked in Palakkad district last night are undergoing treatment. pic.twitter.com/q0f3y9vJvb  ANI (@ANI_news) March 3, 2017

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New Delhi:

Security agencies have put airports across the country on high alert amid inputs that Rape accused former UP minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati is planning to fly abroad to evade arrest.



Agencies have also alerted the Uttar Pradesh government in this regard.



49-year-old Prajpati is facing imminent arrest following an FIR lodged against him and six of his accomplices on the apex court order at Gautampalli police station here on February 18 under various sections of the IPC and POCSO Act.



The Uttar Pradesh police had lodged an FIR against Prajapati on the apex courts order for his alleged roles in separate cases of gangrape and an attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter.



The police have not succeeded in arresting Prajpati and is still clueless about his whereabouts. Suspecting that Prajapati and other accused may flee out of the country, their passports are likely to be cancelled.



On Thursday, police initiated steps to withdraw Y category security to Gayatri Prasad Prajpati as the rape accused Uttar Pradesh minister remains elusive.

Read | I want to see Gayatri Prajapati behind bars, says minor victim



According to reports, people close to Prajapati are trying to help him flee the country.



According to sources, Prajapati may try to flee to Nepal or Dubai.



Sources say that Prajapati's intentions are to try to evade arrest till March 8 when the UP Police is slated to present its reply to the Supreme Court in connection with the case.

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Mumbai:

The Shiv Sena is understood to have failed in its efforts in order to secure the support of Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) Corporator Geeta Gawli for the March 8 Mumbai Mayoral poll.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit, with 84 seats, emerged as the single largest party in the February 21 civic elections but fell well short of the simple majority mark (114 in 227-member BMC) required to install its candidate as Mayor.

Party sources said Gawli on Friday met Sena Minister Eknath Shinde and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai at Sena Bhavan but remained non-committal on supporting the party in the poll for the prestigious post.

The deal with Geeta Gawli fell through as she wanted chairmanship of Health Committee in the first year and five-year membership of the Standing Committee in exchange for her support, a source in the Sena said.

Meanwhile, the BJP, which won 80 seats, is also trying to woo the ABS Corporator, who is the daughter of gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli.

Sources in the BJP, which, too, is eyeing Mayors post, said Gawli is scheduled to meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Gawli, Desai and Shinde were not available for comments.

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High school juniors have been selected to represent Fremont at Cornhusker Girls State from June 4-10 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln city campus and the State Capitol. Sponsors of the delegates are Fremont Rotary and American Legion Unit 20.

Cornhusker Girls State, inaugurated in Nebraska in 1939, is an effort on the part of the American Legion Auxiliary to provide young women of Nebraska with the knowledge and the fundamental principles of American government through actual practice.

Through a unique citizenship training program, auxiliary members guide the girls of the state toward an understanding, to appreciate their roles as United States citizens.

Cornhusker Girls State is conducted on a learn by doing basis whereby the selected delegates will learn the mechanics of city, county and state government, and the functioning practices of political parties.

The delegates from Archbishop Bergan High School are: Katie Mae Sleister, daughter of Matt and Julie Sleister; Amelia Jo Frost, daughter of Niki Herre; and Meghan J. Dahlauser, daughter of Rebecca Dalhauser and Shay Ranchod.

All states with the exception of Hawaii, conduct Girls State sessions as their major project of Americanism. Each summer, approximately 20,000 young women participate in Girls State sessions across the nation.

Fremont Rotary is the selection committee and financially sponsors delegates to attend Cornhusker Girls State.
New Delhi:

With the battle Uttar Pradesh drawing to a close, News Nation spoke to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav to find out what are their predictions ahead of the UP assembly poll results. Akhilesh is confident that the SP-Congress alliance will win 300 seats, Lalu predicts a clear cut majority.



Here are the excerpts from Akhilesh Yadav's interview:

#The SP-Congress alliance will get 300 seats

#People have made up their mind that they will again help Samajwadi Party form government in Uttar Pradesh

#We have developed State Highways and bridges, sub-stations have been set up to provide 24-hour electricity

#We are working towards providing 22-24 hours electricity

#Netaji's (Mulayam's) blessings are always with me, I am happy that Lalu is with me in the absence of Netaji

#BJP tried to fight elections on communal edge but didn't succeed

#Now PM Modi is talking about juice, he is confused whether it is coconut oil or juice

#BJP is taking about Muslim votes at a time when the elections are coming to a close, there is no point talking about it now, they should've discussed this at the time of ticket distribution

#I had talked about the advertisement (donkey remark), didn't target any individual. Lalu ji is right in saying "chor ki dadi mein tinka"

#Lalu ji is a family, we have kept Netaji free and Laluji is helping us out

ALSO READ | UP polls: Akhilesh Yadav rubbishes PM Modi's claim of ISI role in Kanpur train mishap

Here are the excerpts from Lalu Yadav's interview:

#Let Mulayamji rest, he is elderly, why bother him?

#Akhilesh is the apple of Mulayam's eye

#AKhilesh is right in saying that PM Modi should touch electric wire to find out whether power is really there or not

#BJP is worried about Delhi

#UP is not semi-final but final of 2019; they lost Bihar, Kolkata, will lose Punjab and UP as well

#PM Modi talks below the belt

UP polls: PM Modi invokes Rahul Gandhi's 'khat' incident in Mirzapur to attack Akhilesh Yadav

#Akhilesh ji never uses derogatory comments against anyone, he speaks very polite langauge

#PM Modi is just concerned about his chair in Delhi. He uses derogatory phrases like 'raincoat', 'washroom', 'kabristan'

#There is no confusion, I am predicting a clear-cut majority

#Nobody trusts Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, they have broken people's trust. They have not fulfilled even a single promise they made in 2014

ALSO READ | UP polls: Akhilesh hits back, says not doing any work is PM Modi's biggest 'karnama'

#Jat voters are against BJP

#People are against PM Narendra Modi's demonetisation move

#BJP wants polarisation

#Remarks like 'shamshan' and 'kabristan' show BJP's failure

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Kansas:

A Kansas man who survived an apparently racially motivated shooting at a suburban Kansas City bar has been released from the hospital.

Ian Grillot was one of three men shot February 22 at Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas. One of the men, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was killed. Kuchibhotlas friend, Alok Madasani, was wounded.

Also Read: Kansas hate attack: Ian Grillot, a 'Good Samaritan' who took bullet on his chest to save a life

The University of Kansas Health System said in a statement on Thursday that Grillot was released from the hospital on Tuesday.

A bullet hit Grillot in the hand and entered his chest when he tried to stop the suspected gunman, 51-year-old Adam Puriton, of Olathe. Puriton is charged with murder and attempted murder.

Witnesses say Puriton shouted racial slurs before shooting Kuchibhotla and Madasani, natives of India who were engineers at GPS-maker Garmin.

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Houston:

Ian Grillot, who was injured while trying to intervene during a racially-motivated shooting in Kansas in which an Indian techie was killed, has been released from hospital and invited to India to be recognised for his heroics.

The University of Kansas Health System confirmed that the 24-year-old has gone home, but there's still a long road to recovery after he took two bullets, in the hand and the chest. "He has been through many hurdles since the shooting and still faces physician appointments and other critical meetings in the days ahead," the hospital said in a statement.

Ian was injured when he tried to stop the February 22 shooting of the two Indian techies in Olathe area. Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed in the attack, while Alok Madasani was injured. Ian was released late Tuesday after spending nearly a week in medical care. He went back to the hospital on Thursday to meet with Anupam Ray, consul-general of the Indian consulate in Houston. Ray told Ian and his family that people in India were grateful for his heroics during the deadly melee, according to the hospital.

An invitation was extended to Ian and his family to travel to India once he got the medical green light to travel. Following his release earlier this week, Ian attended church on Wednesday and then returned to the crime scene for "closure," according to the hospital statement. Adam Purington, 51, is accused of the shooting and faces both murder and attempted murder charges. The navy veteran is reported to have been harassing Kuchibhotla and Madasani who both worked at GPS-maker Garmin because he thought they were Iranian.

Purington allegedly yelled "get out of my country" before opening gunfire on the pair, striking both along with Ian. As he spoke to reporters on Tuesday, Ian recalled how he escorted Purington out of the bar where the shooting happened after he was seen harassing the engineers. About half an hour later, Ian recalled, the shooter was back and firing.

"By the time he was done shooting, that's when I got up and tried to chase the...guy down," he said. "When I was chasing him down, trying to subdue him so that way he could be held responsible for his terrible actions, that's when he turned around and shot." Purington escaped, however, and was arrested hours later at an Applebees about 70 miles away from the crime scene. Grillot said Tuesday he didn't want to weigh in on what type of punishment Purington should get if he's found guilty, nor if he thought it was a hate crime.

But that doesn't mean he's ready to forgive the suspected gunman anytime soon. "I do feel sympathy for him, but his actions were unjustified and uncalled for," he said. Many have considered it a racially-motivated attack, calling on the White House to take action. President Trump, in his first address to a joint session of Congress, also condemned the attack.

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Washington:

An influential US lawmaker has asserted that Pakistan must crackdown on terror groups like the LeT or handover terrorists to international tribunals for trials so that justice is served,

"Pakistan needs to crackdown on groups like the LeT, close down those campuses as well. Pakistan needs to understand that if they are not going to bring perpetrators of the terrorist attacks to justice they should turn them over to The Hague so that they can be tried in international tribunals and justice can be served," Congressman Ed Royce said on Thursday.

The Chairman of powerful House Foreign Relations Committee was speaking at an event hosted by Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi-based think-tank, at the US Capitol.

He also said that Pakistan needs to be serious about closing down 600 Deobandi madrassas in the country, underlining that there is a prevailing sentiment in the Congress and Trump administration that such schools are breeding ground for terrorists.

"I think, the sentiments are Pakistan needs to be serious about closing down the Deobandi schools, there are about 600 of them as they churn out people who do not know what to do except to really either argue for or carry out jihad," he said.

A founding member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, Royce said the Congress and the new Administration is focused on some new issues.

"One is that concept of USD 500 billion in trade between India and the US. That is where we are trying to push the policies...So we need an effective bilateral trade agreement treaty with India. We are pushing to liberalise trade further," Royce said.

Also Read | Re-investigate 26/11 Mumbai attack case, put JuD chief Hafiz Saeed on trial: India tells Pakistan

"At the same time, we are delighted that among the Indian-American population that we have in the United States, one half of them have post graduate degrees. When we think about what that pertains...we know that there is a very bright future for Indian-Americans," he said.

India and the US, he said, should form their policies on the "core values of rule of law, democracy, freedom of expression and freedom of believe". "We do not always hit the mark in the US. Those are our goals. India does not always hit the mark. But those are India?s goals," he said.

India, he said, is now the ninth largest trading partner of the US. The counter-terrorism co-operation has also increased over the past several years and the defence ties has strengthened in the last one decade, he said.

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New Delhi/Washington:

US Democrat Senator Mark Warner and his Republican colleague in the Senate Dan Sullivan on Thursday expressed concern over Pak terror threat to India.



Speaking at a programme in Washington DC, the top US Senators said while India and the US have a very strong relationship between the intelligence community, there is an enormous concern not only about Pakistans role in the unrest in Kashmir, but also the terrorist organisations from Pakistan.



Warner said that it is in the best interest of Pakistan not to differentiate between different groups of terrorists.



Praising Indias patience, Warner said India today has risen to a place where it sees itself as a major international partner. I want to send a strong message that Pakistani cant play both ways, supporting one group of terrorists one hand and taking action against the others, he said.

Read | Indo-Pak to hold parleys on various aspects of Indus Water Treaty in Islamabad



Sullivan said there is always an area of common interest with India.



I believe we can have strong relationship with both countries particularly in the area of international terrorism, he said.



Warner also strongly pushed for selling the state-of-the-art guardian drones to India which is going to be the next great thing of defence collaboration between both countries.



Warner and Sullivan asserted that the erstwhile Obama Administration and the US Congress designating India as a major defence partner is a significant step forward in taking the India-US relationship to the next level.

Read | First US drone strike under Trump administration kills 2 Afghan Taliban leaders in Pakistan



While the two lawmakers were strong on India-US co-operation in Asia Pacific region, in particular South China Sea, both appeared to be quite soft to when it came to Indias interest with regard to terrorist safe havens in Pakistan which has been responsible for a number of terrorist attacks from across the border.



Senator Sullivan argued the case for joint military operation by India and the US in areas of common interest.India, notably has shown reluctance to such a proposal from the US so far.



Warner, who is Co-Chair of the Senate India caucus and Ranking member of powerful Senate Select Committee on Intelligence expressed his displeasure of the bureaucracy from the US State Department and Department of Defense in selling the guardian drones to India.



India had requested for the purchase of a significant number of guardian drones for maritime surveillance, especially in the Indian Ocean.

Read | Pakistan rakes up Kashmir issue at 34th Session of UNHRC



I have been frustrated with the Defence and State Department in terms of the sale of guardian drones. This is going to be the next great thing of defence collaboration, Warner said, as he expressed his disappointment over what he said Indias inability to absorb the requirement of 30 per cent offset.



Major Defence Partnership which he said moves India into the category of non-NATO type ally, is a great step in the right direction.



Actually this (Major Defence Partner) status that is unique to India. The idea is to actually institutionalise (the relationship), Sullivan said in his remarks at the Widrow Wilson Center, a top American think-tank.

(With Inputs from PTI)

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Islamabad:

Pakistan said on Friday that it has sought more information from India on alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav who is under its detention.

Pakistan Prime Ministers Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, during the Question Hour session in the Senate, said a case was being prepared to prosecute the alleged Indian spy arrested last year in March.

A list of questions has also been handed over to India to seek more information from them in the light of the statements of Kulbhushan Jadhav, he said, without elaborating when the questionnaire was given to New Delhi.

The discussion started when Senator Talha Mehmood asked Aziz whether the government was planning to hand over Jadhav to India like it extradited CIA contractor Raymond Davis in 2011 who had killed two men in Lahore.

Aziz rejected the statement and said the government was not considering any option to extradite the alleged Indian spy back to his country.

We have prepared an FIR and a case is in the process of registration to prosecute (the) Indian state actor for involvement in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan, Aziz said.

He claimed that the arrested spy had confessed his involvement in militancy and there was no question of lack of evidence against him.

Aziz said Pakistan has shared a dossier with the UN Secretary General on the alleged Indian involvement in Pakistans internal affairs and in subversive and terrorist activities.

This dossier includes details about Kulbhushan Jadhav and his activities, he said.

Aziz said the government is also examining the possibility of sharing the dossier with other countries and international organisations.

Talking about the dossier presented to the UN chief, Aziz said it was based on thorough groundwork and inputs from various departments.

This is a very delicate and sensitive issue and requires detailed preparations and home work as it relates to direct or indirect involvement of Indian state actor in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan, he said.

Aziz also claimed that the world was accepting Pakistans position on the issue of Indias alleged involvement in militancy.

The government also came under criticism from the opposition when Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Aitzaz Ahsan asked why Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has never taken the name of the arrested spy.

I had announced that if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif mentions the name of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav in his speech, I will donate Rs 50,000 to Pakistan Association of the Blind, he said.

Ahsan asked Aziz if the Premier has spoken about Jadhav. However, Aziz said that the Prime Minister will speak about Jadhav at an appropriate time.

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New Delhi:

Sparking an immediate controversy, a Polish Member of the European Parliament has said that woman should earn less than man because they are "smaller, weaker and less intelligent."

During a debate on gender pay gap, Janusz Korwin-Mikke said that woman should rightfully earn less than man. His statment erupted a fierce backlash on social media and among political bigwigs of Europe.

According to a report published in rt.com, the right-wing politician claimed that there are no women on the list of world's top Chess players. He also said that women are also weaker in the field of physics.

The 74-years-old MEP from the remote region of Silesia stated, "Of course women must earn less than men because they are weaker, they are smaller and they are less intelligent, they must earn less, thats all."

Criticising Korwin-Mikkes misogynist remarks, MEP for Malta Roberta Metsola termed the comment offensive to women. She said that the comment also betrays the values of the entire EU.

Another Malta MEP, Miriam Dalli, described Mikkes statment as detrimental to society as a whole.

Janusz Korwin-Mikke has remained in news for his sexist views in the past as well.Previously he claimed that women should be denied the right to vote, as they want to be led by men.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Washington:

The Trump administrations back-to-back controversies over its Russian ties now have at least one thing in common: Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Moscows top diplomat in the US has become the Kevin Bacon of the Trump White Houses Russia imbroglio. A Washington fixture with a sprawling network, he has emerged as the central figure in the investigations into Trump advisers connections with Russia.

In a matter of weeks, contact with Kislyak led to the firing of a top adviser to the president and on Thursday prompted calls for the attorney general to resign.

Separately, a White House official confirmed Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn met with Kislyak at Trump Tower in December for what the official called a brief courtesy meeting.

Flynn was pushed out of the White House in February after officials said he misled Vice President Mike Pence about whether he and the ambassador had discussed US sanctions against Russia in a phone call.

At issue on Thursday were two meetings between Sessions and Kislyak, one in July and another in September, at the height of concern over Russias involvement in hacking of Democratic officials emails accounts.

Intelligence officials have since concluded Moscow ordered the hacks to tilt the election toward Trump. In his confirmation hearing, the Alabama Republican denied having contact with any Russian officials, neglecting to mention the meetings with Kislyak, which were first reported by the Washington Post.

The Russian Embassy did not respond to a request for comment.

Although the White House dismissed the revelation as part of a political witch hunt, Sessions former colleagues took the omission seriously.

At the urging of some in his own party, Sessions recused himself from the Department of Justices investigation. Still, Democrats called for him to step down.

Observers note Kislyak is a somewhat unlikely figure to cause controversy. Over the course of a long diplomatic career, hes led the life of a somewhat typical global envoy making himself a reliable presence on the circuit of receptions, teas and forums that make up the calendar of any ambassador.

Kislyak, who was appointed to his post in 2008, is regularly spotted walking around town, heading to and from meetings.

Early in his tenure, he often opened the doors of the Russian Embassy, hosting dinners for foreign policy professionals, Pentagon officials, journalists and Capitol Hill staffers.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
FREMONT  Liz Murray has been called a bootstrapper  people who pull themselves out of a desperate situation.

The term seems to fit. She grew up in a home with drug-addicted parents and became homeless as a teenager and stopped going to school. A life-changing experience drew her back to school and eventually led her to Harvard.

But bootstrapper is not a term she readily accepts.

I actually have a problem with that, she said during a pair of speeches Tuesday and Wednesday at Midland University. I think that when we speak about people that way, we discount the need for education and teachers, mentors, community. No one gets where theyre going alone.

Murray, who has been featured on the made-for-TV movie Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story, was the keynote speaker for the second annual All Minds Matter Conference. Hosted at Midland, the conference is organized by Education Service Unit No. 2 in Fremont and funded through a grant from the Fremont Area Community Foundation.

This year, All Minds Matter focused on societal issues facing youth. Other keynote speakers included Dr. Mark and Joni Adler, who shared a personal perspective on teen suicide; Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, who discussed the negative physical and mental side effects of teen marijuana use; and representatives of The Kim Foundation, which is dedicated to increasing awareness and promoting continued education related to mental illness.

Additionally, there were breakout sessions led by the Fremont Area United Way and Fremont Family Coalition, Fremont Public Schools, Project Harmony and Midland Universitys Personal and Career Development Center.

It was Murrays story that started off the conference, giving the students and educators in attendance something to consider throughout the event.

It is a little odd to be known as the Homeless to Harvard person, Murray said. I never had any intention of that happening.

The Bronx, New York, native didnt shy away from giving details of her life. As a child, she and her older sister lived in a home where both parents openly used drugs, where food was scarce, and everyone worked to survive until the first day of the next month  when the government assistance check arrived in the mailbox.

Eventually, her parents drug addiction and the health issues that followed forced the family to break up. Her mother was in and out of hospitals the rest of her life. Her father was in a homeless shelter. Her older sister went to stay with family friends.

But Murray felt threatened in group homes, so she ended up shuffling between friends couches, dropping out of school and eventually spending time on the street.

I just really checked out, she said. Have you ever been in a place in your life where you completely  its not that it has to be as dramatic as being homeless  but maybe inside youve given up on yourself? Youve shut down? I was sleeping at my friends houses as an adolescent and fell into sleeping in subways and parks and train stations. I was floating and I completely dropped out.

And then I had some life-changing experiences which sent me back to get my education.

That life-changing experience was the death of her mother. It sparked her to seek out alternative high schools  she eventually was accepted by Humanities Preparatory Academy  to get her education.

In my gut, it was the difference between wanting to be here and not wanting to be here, Murray said. I really found almost a purpose and a reason to live. When I had that experience, I was so thrilled because I started feeling, well maybe, I can share that with people.

Murray started out sharing her experiences with small groups of students in New York public schools. The size of the groups grew. And then ABC News decided to tell her story on its 20/20 program.

Thats when you know your life has gotten really weird, she said.

Today, she works to remind audiences that a common thread runs through humanity.

I dont think that Im unlike you. I think that when we see someone sleeping outside, or we think of someone in a dire circumstance, we can miss what we have in common with them, Murray said. I was just like you. I didnt lose my humanity because I had no place to live. I still had what I know we all have.  That part of you that dreams, I had that  just like anyone else, no matter where I slept.  I could still close my eyes at night and dream of a better life.

Murray also wants people to know more mentors are needed for todays youth. And there are ways to be effective as a mentor.

What I learned, if you treat someone like theyre broken, they will behave like they need to be fixed, she said. If you are hard on someone and you employ shame, you will shame them. And that doesnt work either. But there is something else that is an option, which is that you accept the human being 100 percent, and that its abundantly clear that they are accepted. But you hold them accountable for their behavior. When you do that for somebody, you hold the bar higher, you give them the opportunity to rise to the occasion. You give them the opportunity through their own behavior to build self-esteem.

Still, she worries about the world.

I worry for this world because when people look at these issues, they get so overwhelmed, and they make the worst possible mistake they can make, which is they shut down. We decide its too big, we cant fix all of it, and we do nothing, she said. The next time youre tempted to turn away from what seems impossible for you or the people around you, I would ask that you please remember that one time you went to an auditorium and I stood in front of you, and I reminded you that people can be good. Will you remember that?
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One of the largest development projects in town history is about to get a lot larger.

A load that is setting new weight standards is slowly  very slowly  making its way to Oxford to be part of the CPV Towantic Energy Center, a natural-gas-fired power plant under construction near Waterbury-Oxford Airport. The first of six shipments of turbines and generators weighs more than a million pounds; anything above 80,000 pounds requires a permit from the state.

This is really unprecedented, said David Hiscox, manager of bridge operations for the state Department of Transportation, calling it the largest load in his 15 years on the job.

On Thursday, the load was set to travel through the Litchfield County towns of New Hartford and Barkhamsted on its journey from Windsor Locks to Oxford. The 20-axle cars carrying 200-foot-long cargo move at 3 to 5 miles per hour. They only travel at night to avoid blocking traffic.

The first arrival is slated for sometime next week, depending on the weather.

The largest pieces of the power plant are transported via rail as close as possible to the final destination. In this case, rail lines closer than Windsor Locks werent wide enough to carry the load, so it must take to the roads. State police monitor and escort the trucks throughout the route.

The path was plotted by J. Supor & Son Trucking & Rigging Co., out of New Jersey, which is hauling the load, with approval from the DOT. Complicating matters are 56 bridges along the route, 10 of which require jumping using special equipment.

Hiscox described the equipment as portable bridges the trailers drive over that help spread the weight as it crosses over a regular bridge. The jumper bridges are hauled by tractor-trailer and have to be unloaded with cranes, further slowing the transportation process.

Its not the first mega-load to arrive at the power plant in this manner, Hiscox said, citing a 650,000-pound piece of equipment that arrived via ship in New Haven and was transported over the roads to Oxford last year.

Maryland-based Competitive Power Ventures is building the 785-megawatt power plant on Woodruff Hill Road, near the Middlebury town line. The plant is scheduled to begin operation next year.

hbailey@ctpost.com; 203-330-6233
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Almost anything sounds delightful with Waterworks co-owner Barbara Sallicks knack for delivering quirky, yet fitting descriptions.

The luxury bathroom and kitchen design stores newly expanded Greenwich showroom is yummy and delicious, while the color of her homes bathroom, in Sallick-speak, is like coffee with lots and lots of milk.

What does bathroom design gone wrong look like according to the business owner and author on the topic? As I say, a dogs dinner, Sallick said, as her own pup, LuLu, wandered underfoot during an opening event for the showroom Thursday evening.

Keeping design simple and uncluttered drives Sallicks message on how to create the perfect bathroom, as well as the design of Waterworks redone showroom.

In the monthslong renovations in its storefront on West Putnam Avenue, Waterworks, which is based in Danbury, re-organized its bathroom items and added space. It took over 1,200 square feet of what was formerly occupied by a Chase bank to show off its kitchen designs.

The new displays offer something for clients with traditional tastes, in addition to an ode to midcentury, Sallick said. Waterworks appeals to diverse styles, but the store includes pops of her particular preferences, such as her idea that backsplashes stop too soon.

The midcentury style kitchen features a gray tiled backsplash that covers most of the walls and an island made from two-inch-thick Vermont stone  one of Sallicks favorites. Its so yummy, isnt it? she said.

Waterworks expansion arrives as the company nears its 40-year birthday. It has had a store in Greenwich for two decades.

Sallick and her husband, Robert, founded the company in 1978 and opened the first store in their hometown of Danbury. It was a bad time to be in the market of bath design, Sallick said, laughing at an issue thats funny only in hindsight, and with their eventual success.

There were no bath showrooms in the U.S. at the time, Sallick said, because people werent as interested in investing in nice bathrooms.

We opened our first showroom and nobody cared, so nobody came, she said. At some juncture, I realized if we were going to make this business succeed, I had to become the educator and evangelist for better bathrooms. We had to repay our bank loans.

So Sallick set to work spreading the good news about how a well-designed bathroom could be a homeowners private sanctuary. It took almost 10 years for her message to catch on, she said.

In 1987, I got a call from the first client, who, for the first time, came and asked for a bathroom just like her hotel bathroom, she said. Im about as stubborn as you can imagine, and all of a sudden, this whole shift happened.

Today, Waterworks has showrooms in 13 cities and Sallicks son, Peter, has taken over as CEO. Barbara Sallick and her husband stay closely involved with the company, but they continue to spread the word about better baths and kitchens with other projects.

Barbara Sallick has published three books, including her most recent ,The Perfect Bath, and she plans to write a fourth on the perfect kitchen. I still have a lot to learn about the kitchen, she said.

Much of her research will be done on Instagram, which she joined to keep track of her grandchildren, but has found it helpful in keeping track of designs by doing that nutty thing where you click and push, otherwise known as a screenshot.

Waterworks Greenwich showroom is at 23 W. Putnam Ave. More information about Barbara Sallicks designs can be found on her blog at www.theperfectbath.com/.

MBennett@greenwich

time.com, 203-625-4411; Twitter @Macaela_
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NEW FAIRFIELD  For nearly three hours, dozens of residents around Candlewood Lake spoke against a proposal to use herbicides and algaecides to treat Eurasian watermilfoil and blue-green algae, both of which have plagued the lake for years.

More than 150 residents filled the cafeteria at Meeting House Hill School to comment and learn about the proposal drafted by Solitude Lake Management, a consulting company that addressed lake issues at a September forum organized by First Selectman Susan Chapman.

A permit must be approved by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection before the program can proceed.

DEEP should deny (the permit) based on the will of the people, and the health and environmental concerns, said Scott Randall, a Sherman man who started an online petition against the proposal in January.

Most of the concerns focused on health risks and possible negative effects the chemicals would have on the environment.

Residents criticized the selectmen for not consulting property owners, the other lake towns or the Candlewood Lake Authority before signing the agreement.

They said the $30,000 selectmen set aside to help cover most of the $52,400 application cost was approved by 14 voters at a town meeting to cover Candlewood Lake studies, not this program.

Under the proposal, the company would apply a herbicide with Diquot in mid-May to about 50 acres in Town Park Cove and 10 acres in Shelter Harbor Cove to treat the watermilfoil. It would make up to four applications of copper sulfate to treat the algae, or cyanobacteria, when a bloom occurs or is about to occur.

Ken Wagner, a consultant hired by New Fairfield, started the meeting by saying the proposed methods have risks that needed to be weighed against the rewards. He said the amounts of chemicals are low enough to reduce those risks.

Please dont twist the science to say someone is trying to poison the lake, he said.

Marc Bellaud, of Solitude Lake Management, said the program would demonstrate if the chemicals can work well with the sterile grass carp, which were introduced in 2015 to eat the milfoil. It will also test if the carp will eat more of the milfoil that grows after the chemical is applied.

He said the chemicals are very commonly used in Connecticut and nearby lakes, though not with the sterile grass carp.

Town officials have said the chemicals would assist the fish in controlling the milfoil, not replacing them, but many speakers were concerned the chemicals, especially the copper would kill the carp.

Most asked officials to give the carp time to be effective, which generally take two to four years.

The state approved 3,800 carp in the initial stocking, and DEEP officials announced at Thursdays meeting it would approve another 3,000 fish this year, bringing the total to the preferred ratio of 15 fish per acre of milfoil.

Peter Aarrestad, director of the of DEEPs fisheries division, said they stocked fewer at first because they wanted to address initial concerns in the first year, such as whether the fish would escape.

Phyllis Schaer, chairwoman of Candlewood Lake Authority, said the chemical solution was a reaction to symptoms rather than causes, adding they should allow the carp program to work.

If you plant an orchard and dont get apples the first year, you dont cut down all of the trees, she said.

She added the two treatment sites are stocking areas, and this program would prevent them from putting fish there.

Pat Delmonico, chairwoman of the towns Inland and Wetlands Commission, said the commission unanimously opposed the proposal saying it was counterproductive to add it so soon after the carp were introduced to the lake. She said not enough research exists to show the chemicals wouldnt harm the carp.

Other speakers said they were worried about adding the chemical to the water in the event the lake was needed as a reservoir, which Danbury is considering because of drought conditions, and the chemicals could affect the wells around the lake.

Some speakers questioned the science behind the chemicals safety. Consultants and the DEEP official in charge of the permit process said studies done as part of the Environmental Protection Agencys registration process confirmed the science. Diquot was last registered in the 1990s, though it has been used since the 1960s.

A few speakers favored the proposal, including John Hodge, a New Fairfield delegate on the Candlewood Lake Authority.

Sometimes you need to use the proper chemicals in the appropriate amounts to get better, he said, comparing it to chemotherapy.

DEEP will receive comments for two weeks after the application is received. Comments can be emailed to deep.

pesticidepermitting@ct.gov .
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New restrictions from the state limit what kind of foods students can put on share tables, which allow kids to donate uneaten food for classmates who may be hungry.

The concept of share tables has been promoted by the U.S. Agriculture Department as a way to reduce waste, but it is up to local governments to determine what health codes will allow. Under a Connecticut policy updated in January, unopened milk, most fruits and the like are off the table.

Not many schools in Connecticut use share tables, said John Frassinelli, bureau chief from the state Department of Educations Bureau of Health/Nutrition, who met with school officials last week. Although the idea has become more popular in other areas of the country.

Bethel is one of the only districts in the area that has embraced the concept at its middle and high schools.

Theresa Yonsky, director of fiscal services for the district, said the tables help food that would have otherwise been thrown away go to good use.

We were concerned with the waste, she said. And now and again you might have a child that was in a hurry and didnt bring a lunch. This way they can take an apple and have something in the middle of the day.

Under the new restrictions, apples and other fruits that consumers wouldnt remove the peel from before eating, arent allowed. Yonsky said she wasnt aware of these restrictions, but upon learning what they were, thought they make perfect sense.

Bethel already takes measures to prevent spoilage, she said, which is the reason many foods are now barred by the state.

In addition to certain fruits, the restrictions also doesnt allow meat items, milk and any food items packaged by the schools food service staff. Commercially pre-packaged foods are still okay.

It has to be an appropriate piece of food, Yonsky said, noting that the elementary school doesnt use share tables because they dont serve many foods that would sit well. At the end of the day whatevers not consumed is discarded, so we havent worried about spoilage.

David Kennedy, director of dining services for Redding, Easton and Region 9 districts, said the idea has come up in the past, but the districts ultimately decided against it.

Some parents were talking about doing it, he said. But there was a worry of whos going to take care of it at and guarantee the food is safe. We didnt want to have that liability.

Kennedy said they worried who would take the food at the end of the day and whether it would be sanitary for kids to share. Since those original conversations, he said, it hasnt been brought up again.

Share tables, if they were to be used, would need approval from the Board of Education.

The USDA's Food and Nutrition Service in a June 2016 memo endorsed setting up stations where schoolchildren can return food or beverage items and make them available to others. While the federal government recommended sharing of fruit and unopened milk that is kept cold, it noted that local food and safety codes may be more restrictive.

The idea has not caught on widely in American schools, said John Williamson, the president of Food Rescue, which works with schools to reduce waste. The national leader is Indiana, where he founded the organization, with some 400 schools running share tables or recovering food for pantries.

An education department spokeswoman, Abbe Smith, said student health and safety was the top priority in creating the new restrictions.

We support share tables as a strategy for addressing food waste and as an opportunity for a child to share uneaten food with a classmate who would like a little more, she said. We developed guidelines in collaboration with the Department of Public Health to ensure that any food that gets shared is safe for another child to eat.

Michael Melia of The Associated Press contributed to this report.

aquinn@newstimes.com
Over the last 20 years, Ive traveled across six continents, 42 states, 84 countries and more than 500 cities -- mostly for free. Here are my top five tips for you to travel for free (or almost) while building your business or career:

Before you quit to start your business, apply for jobs that pay you to travel and rack up points. One of my first criteria for applying for a job is whether I am working with clients or team members in another region.

My first job out of college entailed meeting with key influencers to launch products in every major city in the U.S. Thats 30 states conquered in one year, along with 200,000 frequent flyer miles, which paid for my first trip to Italy and France. Now, I have more than 500,000 miles at my disposal for business trips to pitch my startups.

Related: How to (Legally) Deduct Your Next Business Trip

2. Be loyal to the major airline alliances.

My next job required regular meetings with strategic partner companies in Germany and Denmark. Rather than randomly picking airlines when I traveled, I chose the Star Alliance network with a hub at Newark Airport. This enabled me to fly direct from my home base in New York for meetings in Frankfurt and Copenhagen, or any other destination. I was able to keep accumulating points using my Star Alliance membership across member airlines.

To choose between Star Alliance, OneWorld, SkyTeam or AsiaMiles, find the ones that flies most to the region you are focused on conquering. By choosing Star Alliance partners, I was able to keep accumulating points in one account and "level up" to platinum elite levels for free upgrades, executive lounge access and bonus points (100 to 200 percent more).

This applied at my next four global jobs, when I was flying more to Asia or the Middle East. I was still able to choose flights from the top two most extensive airline networks, OneWorld and Star Alliance, and earn upgrades on almost every flight. Loyalty certainly has its privileges.

Related: 11 Strategies for More Efficient Business Travel

3. Use business credit cards with membership points -- especially when they first first launch.

Every business and reimbursable travel expense should be charged on the credit card with the most valuable and versatile membership points. For example, American Express Gold allows you to transfer points to airlines or hotels clubs or to buy tickets directly using your membership points. Some credit cards, like British Airways or Chase Sapphire Reserve, offered a launch bonus of 100,000 points and no/reduced fee for the first year; these points are worth a few trips to Europe or Asia. More than eight years later, I still havent used up all my points from these bonuses yet.

Chase Sapphire Reserve has the added bonus of a $300 travel credit per year, $100 off the Global Entry application fee and complimentary access to more than 900 airport executive lounges with Priority Pass Select, all of which offset its higher annual fee. Along with the 100,000 points bonus, that's worth over $2,100! Always jump on those launch incentives.

Related: 3 Ways to Travel the World for Free through Entrepreneurship

4. Always tack on a side trip to your primary business trip.

Most of the time, flights are more expensive coming home on Friday because everyone else wants to go home as well. Take the following Monday off and fly home off-peak or on a red-eye on Sunday. This way, you can visit a neighboring country or city over the weekend or fly a low-cost regional airline to some place you havent been yet. Using points for regional flights is much cheaper than from your home base.

For example, flights on British Airways all throughout Europe to its Asian neighbors can be as low as 5,000 to 10,000 points. When I was a management consultant working in the Middle East, instead of expensing the weekend in the hotel there, I chose to use my Avios points (earned on my British Airways credit card and flights) to fly to and stay in Sri Lanka, Dubai, Egypt, Maldives, Jordan, Oman and Lebanon for free or much cheaper than flying from New York.

Related: 10 Ways to Save Time and Money while Traveling for Business

5. Choose free stopovers at airline hubs.

Many airlines offer free stopovers in their hub city. According to the airline rules, you can stay one to five days without additional fees in Iceland on Iceland Air, Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific, Dubai on Emirates or London on British Airways. Typically, you can see most of the major sites in 48 hours in those cities. In Iceland, the Blue Lagoon has a 10-minute bus shuttle to take you from the airport to the famous milky blue hot springs for a massage while floating on a foam mat -- and it gets you back in time for your flight five to eight hours later.

For subsequent trips, you can use your points to book a flight to another country during the stopover period. For example, Macau, Tokyo, Osaka, Taipei, Kaohsiung and Singapore are easily accessible for the weekend from Hong Kong during the stopover. Hong Kong has a convenient Airport Express check-in that enables you to send your bags onto your flight 24 hours in advance while you take a ferry to Macau for the rest of the day and then another ferry straight to the airport.

On my way to Bali, I chose Korean Airlines, which enabled me to stop over in Seoul and enjoy a spa day, Korean barbecue, walking tour of the old town and karaoke, for 24 hours before continuing my journey.

While these may be whirlwind opportunities to see nearby countries, youll get a pretty good sense of whether you want to go back. With the points you are accumulating on business, you can always go back for personal vacations for free. Through all these ways, the world can be conquered for free, one point at a time!

Related:

What to Pack for Your Next Business Trip

How to Travel the World for Free (or Cheaply) While Building Your Business

How to (Legally) Deduct Your Next Business Trip



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
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STAMFORD  The sight of someone with a gun strapped on the hip could be alarming in a downtown area where people are going to concerts or eating outdoors at a restaurant, the citys police chief said.

But officers are handcuffed when they investigate these incidents, Stamford Police Chief Jon Fontneau said.

Fontneau and about 50 others, including state law enforcement officials and legislators, gathered Thursday at the Stamford police station to promote a proposed bill that would require gun owners to present their carry permit when requested by police.

We believe it just makes sense that if you openly carry a firearm, you must have a gun permit and you must produce that gun permit to an officer  period, Fontneau said.

State law now only allows police to request a persons gun permit if the officer has reasonable suspicion a crime is being committed. The situation has caused several tense confrontations, including a January incident in Bridgeport that was filmed by the gun carrier.

However, Rich Burgess, president of the Connecticut Carry organization, said the proposed bill is a rotten thing to do to someone."

You are saying that a cop can stop you without reasonable, articulable suspicion ... to stop somebody without any reason, without suspicion of a crime, said Burgess, who did not attend the news conference.

The proposed bill, authored by state representatives from Stamford, William Tong, Caroline Simmons and Daniel Fox, would allow an officer to request a gun carriers permit if the weapon is visible. A public hearing before the state Judiciary Committee is scheduled for March 15 in Hartford.

We have to give them (police) the opportunity to ask for a permit. Its just common sense, said Tong, co-chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

If Im on the Mianus River fishing, and an environmental enforcement officer asks for my fishing permit, I have to show it to him. I go to the airport, I have to show my drivers license. This is just the cost of the basic privilege of doing what we all do.

But Burgess said the bill is a way to harass people lawfully exercising their rights to armed self-defense.

The proponents of the bill seek to chill the right to carry a firearm, especially unconcealed, since they do not have the support to ban it altogether, which is their real goal, Burgess said.

Eric Milgram, whose son and daughter survived the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, said the bill is more than about the Second Amendment. The former National Rifle Association member said the proposal is also about the First Amendment.

The 6-foot-4 Milgram demonstrated his point by walking up to the smaller Tong in a threatening manner.

Look at my size, Milgram said. Imagine if I have a gun strapped to my hip and the officers over there cant do a thing about it as I verbally assault (Tong). Is that right?

Stamford Mayor David Martin pointed to a hypothetical situation if a person armed with a gun was standing outside a mosque, church or community center.

Are you kidding me? The police cant even ask if they are carrying a permit, he said. This is a no-brainer.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com
Product photos are available at: http://bit.ly/2m25x9Y

OTTAWA, March 2, 2017 /CNW/ - The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) is recalling Georgian Bay brand Vodka from the marketplace due to high alcohol content. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below.

This recall was initiated after the discovery that, during production, one batch was bottled before correct dilution to achieve the stated 40% alcohol content by volume. As a result, the affected batch has alcohol content by volume of 81%.

The following product has been sold in Ontario.

Recalled product

Brand Product Size UPC Codes Georgian Bay Vodka 750 mL 6 27843 36216 6 Batch 19

What you should do

Check to see if you have recalled product in your home. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased.

Background

This recall was triggered by the company. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated Food Recall Warnings.

The CFIA is verifying that industry is removing recalled product from the marketplace.

Illnesses

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

More information

SOURCE Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

For further information: Media enquiries: Christine Bujold, LCBO Media Relations Co-ordinator, Telephone: 416-864-6772, Cell: 416-587-3729, [email protected]; Keeley Rogers, LCBO Media Relations Co-ordinator, Telephone: 416-864-6875, Cell: 647-339-5428, [email protected]; CFIA Media Relations, 613-773-6600

Related Links

http://www.inspection.gc.ca


Researchers report that theyve come up with a new way to encode digital data in DNA to create the highest-density large-scale data storage scheme ever invented. Capable of storing 215 petabytes (215 million gigabytes) in a single gram of DNA, the system could, in principle, store every bit of datum ever recorded by humans in a container about the size and weight of a couple of pickup trucks. But whether the technology takes off may depend on its cost.

DNA has many advantages for storing digital data. Its ultracompact, and it can last hundreds of thousands of years if kept in a cool, dry place. And as long as human societies are reading and writing DNA, they will be able to decode it. DNA wont degrade over time like cassette tapes and CDs, and it wont become obsolete, says Yaniv Erlich, a computer scientist at Columbia University. And unlike other high-density approaches, such as manipulating individual atoms on a surface, new technologies can write and read large amounts of DNA at a time, allowing it to be scaled up.

Scientists have been storing digital data in DNA since 2012. That was when Harvard University geneticists George Church, Sri Kosuri, and colleagues encoded a 52,000-word book in thousands of snippets of DNA, using strands of DNAs four-letter alphabet of A, G, T, and C to encode the 0s and 1s of the digitized file. Their particular encoding scheme was relatively inefficient, however, and could store only 1.28 petabytes per gram of DNA. Other approaches have done better. But none has been able to store more than half of what researchers think DNA can actually handle, about 1.8 bits of data per nucleotide of DNA. (The number isnt 2 bits because of rare, but inevitable, DNA writing and reading errors.)

Erlich thought he could get closer to that limit. So he and Dina Zielinski, an associate scientist at the New York Genome Center, looked at the algorithms that were being used to encode and decode the data. They started with six files, including a full computer operating system, a computer virus, an 1895 French film called Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat, and a 1948 study by information theorist Claude Shannon. They first converted the files into binary strings of 1s and 0s, compressed them into one master file, and then split the data into short strings of binary code. They devised an algorithm called a DNA fountain, which randomly packaged the strings into so-called droplets, to which they added extra tags to help reassemble them in the proper order later. In all, the researchers generated a digital list of 72,000 DNA strands, each 200 bases long.

They sent these as text files to Twist Bioscience, a San Francisco, Californiabased startup, which then synthesized the DNA strands. Two weeks later, Erlich and Zielinski received in the mail a vial with a speck of DNA encoding their files. To decode them, the pair used modern DNA sequencing technology. The sequences were fed into a computer, which translated the genetic code back into binary and used the tags to reassemble the six original files. The approach worked so well that the new files contained no errors, they report today in Science. They were also able to make a virtually unlimited number of error-free copies of their files through polymerase chain reaction, a standard DNA copying technique. Whats more, Erlich says, they were able to encode 1.6 bits of data per nucleotide, 60% better than any group had done before and 85% the theoretical limit.

The new approach isnt ready for large-scale use yet. It cost $7000 to synthesize the 2 megabytes of data in the files, and another $2000 to read it. The cost is likely to come down over time, but it still has a long ways to go, Erlich says.

SOURCE  Science magazine
The first full-size model of Russias future long-range bomber PAK DA, being developed for the Aerospace Force, has been created by the Tupolev company, a source in Russias defense-industrial complex told TASS.

Several scale mock-ups of the PAK DA bomber have been made of composite materials. Also, there is a full-size mock-up made of wood. All models are based on the flying wing concept, the source said.

The airframe will be made of radar-absorbent material. All weapons will be placed inside the fuselage.

Also, PAK DA is to be equipped with the latest radioelectronic warfare equipment of domestic manufacture, unparalleled in terms of effectiveness, the source said.

Another source in the Russian defense industry said the first test sample of a future bomber will perform its first flight by 2025. The plane will have a subsonic speed.

The new fifth generation PAK DA bomber will be able to carry a 30-ton weapons payload including different variants of air-to-surface and air-to-air missiles as well as conventional and smart-guided bombs. Among other things, it will be capable of carrying the KH-32 cruise missile, Russias latest anti-ship missile currently under development and specifically designed to attack U.S. carrier strike groups.

Russia is also making about fifty of an updated Tu-160 bomber, the Tu-160M2 long-range supersonic strategic bomber.

The first prototype of the Tu-160M2 bomber might already be unveiled as early as 2018. Test flights are slated to be carried out in 2019 or 2020 with the first bombers to be handed over to the Russian Air Force by 2023-2025. Once operational, the new fifth generation aircraft will replace more obsolete Russian bomber models including the Tu-160, Tu-95MS, and Tu-22M3. Projected per unit costs are reportedly around $160 million.

The Tu-160M2will have limited stealth. It will presumably be armed with long-range standoff cruise missiles such as the Kh-101/Kh-102 (nuclear variant) air-launched cruise missile with an estimated range of 2,700 to 5,000 kilometers. The Tu-160M2 will likely carry the missiles internally on a rotary launcher.
The recent evolution of the U.S. labor force participation ratethat is, the percentage of the population employed or looking for workhas been a controversial topic in macroeconomic discussions and policy debates. After peaking in early 2000, the rate has trended downward, with the bulk of the drop occurring after 2008. The controversy focuses on whether the trend is the result of weak economic conditions or long-run structural forces.

The Great Recession was a global phenomenon felt far beyond the U.S. economy. In this analysis, St Louis Fed reserve analysts compare the evolution of labor force participation in seven developed countries since the mid-1970s with that of the United States to shed light on what is and is not unique to the U.S. economy. The seven countries are Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, Japan, France, and Germany. International comparisons are not always straightforward because labor market variables and statistical methods vary across countries. They use adjusted Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) data to facilitate comparison across countries. In our analysis, they focus on the population 16 to 64 years of age for Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States and 15 to 64 years of age for the other countries.

In the USA the rate increased then peaked in the late 1990s, and has fallen substantially since. With the exception of Sweden, the other countries rates have been steadily increasing. These trends are the result of sometimes opposing forces that reflect changes across countries in social preferences for work and the pursuit of higher education.

Participation by Age

With the exception of Japan and Canada, the labor force participation rates for young men and women have been declining in the past few decades. As discussed in the literature, one main reason for the swift decline is that young people across countries are delaying entry into the labor market to pursue higher education. In fact, OECD data show that the education enrollment rate for young people across the countries increased an average 6.3 percent from 1995 to 2012. In the United States, the bulk of the drop in labor force participation of the young is motivated by education; however, there has also been a mild increase in the number of young people not in the labor force and not pursuing an education or training. For the latter group, the most likely reason is decreasing demand for unskilled labor.

The trends prime-working-age populationthose 25 to 54 years of age differ for women and men. With the exception of Sweden, the rates for women have rapidly increased and the dispersion of rates across countries has decreased. One plausible explanation for this finding is that the labor force participation of woman started increasing at different times across countries and countries with initially low participation rates have since caught up. More recently, though, in the United States and Sweden, the rates have remained fairly constant or even decreased somewhat. Until the mid-1990s, the United States had one of the highest labor force participation rates for woman in this age group; it now has one of the lowest.

In contrast, the labor force participation rates for prime-working-age men have been falling in all of the countries. For the United States, the rate fell particularly rapidlyalmost 6 percentage points from 1975 to 2013and has been among the lowest over that time. The rate is now 2.25 percentage points below that for Canada, the next-lowest rate. Given that prime-working-age men are the largest group in the labor force, this decline contributes substantially to the drop in the overall rate. The literature has signaled the process of job polarization as likely responsible for the declining labor force participation rates in many countries around the world. In addition, increased participation in social programs (e.g., disability insurance and food stamps), to which this group is particularly sensitive, may have contributed to the larger decline observed in the United States

Labor force participation rate trends for the population close to retirement age those 55 to 64 years of age vary over time and are common across most of the countries. In almost all of the countries, the rates for men display a U-shaped pattern, decreasing until the mid-1990s but then trending upward. The rates for women, on the other hand, have been increasing throughout. Much of the increase is explained by labor force participation at earlier ages and that once in the labor force, workers tend to remain in it.

Despite the similar long-run trends across countries in the labor force participation rates for the young, prime-working-age, and pre-retirement-age populations, the United States is the only country in the sample experiencing a decline in the aggregate rate in recent years. This finding is explained mostly by a larger-than-average drop in the labor force participation rate for prime-working-age men, a decrease in the rate for prime-working-age women, and a lower-than-average increase in the rate for those near retirement age. In addition, we also find that the share of people in the U.S. prime-working-age population has fallen somewhat, which also contributes to the drop in the overall labor force participation rate

Less Educated Men out of the US work force

Derek Thompson is a senior editor at The Atlantic, where he writes about economics, labor markets, and the media. He is the author of the book Hit Makers. He has written and analysis of the why about ten million prime age american men are not working.

The U.S.s labor participation rate for this group of men is lower than every country in the OECD except for Israel (an outlier, because of the high number of non-working Orthodox Jewish men) and Italy (an economic omnishambles). Today, one in six prime-age men in America are either unemployed or out of the workforce altogetherabout 10 million men.

So, this is the 10-million-man question: Where did all these guys go?

According to a report from White House economists released last week, non-working prime-age men skew young, are less likely to be parents, are disproportionately black and less educated, and are concentrated in the South.

A 2010 analysis by Pew Charitable Trusts found that incarceration reduced the average work time of a typical 45-year-old man by 19 percent. Another study estimated that people who go to prison are 30 percent less likely to subsequently find a job than a non-incarcerated person of their age.

Even if one makes the most aggressive assumptions about the cost of incarceration to unemployment, Americas prison and ex-prison population only explains a fraction of the disappearing male workforce.

Several variables are eating away at prime-age male participation rates. Men who leave prison during a time of historic incarceration have had a hard time finding steady work; some men have turned to disability payments to disengage from a workforce that offered poor pay; some adults have returned to school; and a few (perhaps very few) fathers are staying home while their spouses work.

But behind all of these trends, there is a larger story: the decline of sectors dominated by male workers. In 1954, the highwater mark for male participation, the manufacturing and construction sectors accounted for nearly 40 percent of all jobs. Now, after the long decline of manufacturing and the end of the housing bubble, they account for just 13 percent. These are jobs that men without a college degree can count on, and theyre much rarer than they used to be.

Millions of able-bodied men have dropped out of the labor force, mostly because they have stopped looking for work. Many of them badly need to leave their neighborhoods in Appalachia, the Rust Belt, and the Deep South, where the rate of non-working men often hovers around 40 percent. Meanwhile, the U.S. needs more affordable housing construction, particularly in its richest and most populous metro areas.

Here is Derek Thomsons bolder plan: A state-and-federally funded voucher program that moves men from economically stricken areas toward metros in need of construction workers.

This would need all levels of government. Metropolitan areas might have to rezone neighborhoods to provide for more low-income housing, and the GOP Congress would have to agree to what is essentially a multi-billion dollar stimulus package, which it has repeatedly said it will never do.

Trump team has talked about labor participation and big construction boosting policies

Beneath the sunny 4.6 percent jobless rate is the troubling shadow cast by the millions of men ages 25 to 54 who have dropped out of the workforce. For this group, labor force participation has sunk to 88.5 percent from a 1954 peak of 97.9 percent.

Among the root causes:

 Automation. Factory robots and computer software have eliminated the need for many workers, wiping out an array of jobs that once provided a middle class lifestyle.

 Global competition. U.S. workers have been competing for jobs with cheaper foreign workers, a trend thats led to some offshoring of jobs and curbed pay in some industries.

 Criminal records. Stricter criminal laws have left over 20 million Americans with felony convictions and prison records  a fourfold increase from 30 years earlier. That background has made it hard for them to get hired.

 Prescription drug use. Nearly half of jobless men who are no longer looking for work are on pain medication, research has found.

Trump appears to endorse a straightforward fix: Bump up economic growth, and workers will land good jobs at decent wages.

Trump in his address to congress did talk about fixing the drug problem. He talked about expanding treatment for those who are addicted. Trump is talking about getting a trillion spent on construction and infrastructure with private-public partnerships.

SOURCES- St Louis Fed Reserve, The Atlantic, AP
A team of engineers led by 94-year-old John Goodenough, professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin and co-inventor of the lithium-ion battery, has developed the first all-solid-state battery cells that could lead to safer, faster-charging, longer-lasting rechargeable batteries for handheld mobile devices, electric cars and stationary energy storage.

Goodenoughs latest breakthrough, completed with Cockrell School senior research fellow Maria Helena Braga, is a low-cost all-solid-state battery that is noncombustible and has a long cycle life (battery life) with a high volumetric energy density and fast rates of charge and discharge. The engineers describe their new technology in a recent paper published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science.

Cost, safety, energy density, rates of charge and discharge and cycle life are critical for battery-driven cars to be more widely adopted. We believe our discovery solves many of the problems that are inherent in todays batteries, Goodenough said.

Energy and Environmental Science  Alternative strategy for a safe rechargeable battery

The researchers demonstrated that their new battery cells have at least three times as much energy density as todays lithium-ion batteries. A battery cells energy density gives an electric vehicle its driving range, so a higher energy density means that a car can drive more miles between charges. The UT Austin battery formulation also allows for a greater number of charging and discharging cycles, which equates to longer-lasting batteries, as well as a faster rate of recharge (minutes rather than hours).

Todays lithium-ion batteries use liquid electrolytes to transport the lithium ions between the anode (the negative side of the battery) and the cathode (the positive side of the battery). If a battery cell is charged too quickly, it can cause dendrites or metal whiskers to form and cross through the liquid electrolytes, causing a short circuit that can lead to explosions and fires. Instead of liquid electrolytes, the researchers rely on glass electrolytes that enable the use of an alkali-metal anode without the formation of dendrites.

The use of an alkali-metal anode (lithium, sodium or potassium)  which isnt possible with conventional batteries  increases the energy density of a cathode and delivers a long cycle life. In experiments, the researchers cells have demonstrated more than 1,200 cycles with low cell resistance.

Additionally, because the solid-glass electrolytes can operate, or have high conductivity, at -20 degrees Celsius, this type of battery in a car could perform well in subzero degree weather. This is the first all-solid-state battery cell that can operate under 60 degree Celsius.

Braga began developing solid-glass electrolytes with colleagues while she was at the University of Porto in Portugal. About two years ago, she began collaborating with Goodenough and researcher Andrew J. Murchison at UT Austin. Braga said that Goodenough brought an understanding of the composition and properties of the solid-glass electrolytes that resulted in a new version of the electrolytes that is now patented through the UT Austin Office of Technology Commercialization.

The engineers glass electrolytes allow them to plate and strip alkali metals on both the cathode and the anode side without dendrites, which simplifies battery cell fabrication.

Another advantage is that the battery cells can be made from earth-friendly materials.

The glass electrolytes allow for the substitution of low-cost sodium for lithium. Sodium is extracted from seawater that is widely available, Braga said.

Goodenough and Braga are continuing to advance their battery-related research and are working on several patents. In the short term, they hope to work with battery makers to develop and test their new materials in electric vehicles and energy storage devices.

Abstract

The advent of a Li+ or Na+ glass electrolyte with a cation conductivity i over 102 S cm1 at 25 C and a motional enthalpy Hm = 0.06 eV that is wet by a metallic lithium or sodium anode is used to develop a new strategy for an all-solid-state, rechargeable, metal-plating battery. During discharge, a cell plates the metal of an anode of high-energy Fermi level such as lithium or sodium onto a cathode current collector with a low-energy Fermi level; the voltage of the cell may be determined by a cathode redox center having an energy between the Fermi levels of the anode and that of the cathode current collector. This strategy is demonstrated with a solid electrolyte that not only is wet by the metallic anode, but also has a dielectric constant capable of creating a large electric-double-layer capacitance at the two electrode/electrolyte interfaces. The result is a safe, low-cost, lithium or sodium rechargeable battery of high energy density and long cycle life.

SOURCES- Energy and Environmental Science, University of Texas
Russia has announced the start of commercial operation of its first VVER-1200 reactor, unit 1 of the Novovoronezh II nuclear power plant.

Also known as Novovoronezh 6, the unit was connected to the network in early August last year, but Rosatom said this week that it had officially started commercial operation on 27 February. This followed approval to include power generated by the unit in the countrys wholesale electricity market, the state nuclear corporation said.

Novovoronezh 6 is a VVER 1200/392M pressurised water reactor unit with a design net capacity of 1114 MWe. It is the first of two such units at Novovoronezh II  the lead project for the deployment of the AES-2006 design incorporating a Gidropress-designed PWR, an evolutionary development from the VVER-1000. Construction of Novovoronezh II units 1 and 2  or Novovoronezh units 6 and 7  began in June 2008 and July 2009, respectively. The original Novovoronezh site nearby already hosts three operating reactors and two that are being decommissioned.

By the time of entering commercial operation, the unit had produced 1.691 TWh of power.

Compared to conventional VVER-1000 AES-2006 units, the first Novovoronezh II reactor has a number of advantages, which significantly increases its economic performance and safety, Rosatom said. In this way, the reactor features a 20% increase in electrical capacity of 1200 MWe. In addition, the life of the main equipment  the reactor pressure vessel and the steam generators  has doubled, from 30 to 60 years. The high-level of automation and the introduction of new technological solutions, means the number of personnel involved in the reactors operation has decreased, compared with a VVER-1000 unit, by 25-30%.

The unit fully complies with the International Atomic Energy Agencys post-Fukushima requirements, Rosatom said. The main feature of the technology is the use of additional passive safety systems that do not require the intervention of nuclear power plant personnel. The design includes passive heat removal from the reactor, hydrogen recombiners and a core melt trap, or core catcher.

The Russian abbreviation VVER stands for water-water energy reactor (i.e. water-cooled water-moderated energy reactor). The design is a type of pressurised water reactor (PWR). The main distinguishing features of the VVE compared to other PWRs are:

Horizontal steam generators

Hexagonal fuel assemblies

No bottom penetrations in the pressure vessel

High-capacity pressurisers providing a large reactor coolant inventory

Future versions

A number of designs for future versions of the VVER have been made:

MIR-1200 (Modernised International Reactor)  designed in conjunction with Czech company SKODA JS to satisfy European requirements

VVER-1500  VVER-1000 with dimensions increased to produce 1500 MWe gross power output, but design shelved in favor of the evolutionary VVER-1200

VVER-TOI is aimed at development of typical optimized informative-advanced project of a new generation III+ Power Unit based on VVER technology, which meets a number of target-oriented parameters using modern information and management technologies.

VVER-1700 Supercritical water reactor version.

VVER-600 two cooling circuit version of the VVER-1200 designed for smaller markets, authorised to be built by 2030 at the Kola Nuclear Power Plant.

In 2014, Russian researchers looked at refining the previously developed concept of the 1700 MW(e) VVER-SKD reactor. They recommended a plan for top-priority supercritical reactor research, formulation of a technical mission and proceeding to the design of an experimental 30 MW reactor.
Young Nigerian Beauty Queen and Miss Nigeria International, Miss Mercy Atang made Africa proud when she emerged Ms International World Classic first runner among over 40 in a keenly contested pageant show. The Tansian University Umunya Anambra Undergraduate who reigned as Face Of Democracy Southern Nigeria in 2014 dazzled on the world stage as she was flying the Nigerian Flag with a head held high.The very colourful and well attended glamorous fashion celebrated beauty pageant which attracted the high and mighty in the region was held at Maimi Florida, United States of America. The soft spoken hardworking young lady will reign with pride as the crowned Ms International World Classic 2017/2018
"Students are not animals, even animals should not feed like this,I will not tolerate such inhumane treatment to students especially"he said

Niger state governor, Abu Sani Bello, has ordered the immediate sack of all food masters in all government owned boarding schools in the state. Bello reportedly gave the order when he paid an unscheduled visit to Government Girls Secondary School Tungan Magajiya yesterday.
Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has said even though the Muhammadu Buhari administration met a bad e...

Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has said even though the Muhammadu Buhari administration met a bad economy,he has made matters worse.Soludo noted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government promised to restructure the country but has regretfully jettisoned the idea.Politicians are always full of propaganda and falsehood but Nigeria will not be rescued by looking at government alone, only citizens united will come to the rescue, he said.The ex-CBN governor said only Nigerians can save the country from the massive compression that the economy is in.Until citizens hold them to jugular and ask them to deliver on their promise, Nigeria will continue to drift without united citizens action, he said.Soludo said everybody blames the leadership for every wrong while the citizens overlook their obligation to remedy bad situations.He added that citizens can save the country through a new Nigeria.The ex-CBN governor spoke in Enugu yesterday at the African Heritage Institution Policy debate, the Big Ideas podium.Other speakers include former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, member, Presidential Economic Advisory Board, Prof. Akpan Ekpo and former presidential Chief Economic Adviser and Director of Institute for Development Studies in the University of Nigeria, Prof. Osita Ogbu.Soludo said: Nigeria is a fragile state with failing economy and everybody wants leaders to do this or that but what do we do ourselves?By 2005, indices indicated Nigeria was in 54th position and we said we should do better but today we are 13th alongside countries like Afghanistan.This is serious and it wont be a tea party to get out of it. Nigeria is in recession in Naira terms but in massive compression in terms of US dollar.Recession is a small thing and it would be a miracle if in the next eight years, this government can return dollar to the rate it met it.The economist stated that it was a big luxury for people to just mind their own businesses in a falling economy.We will get the leadership that we work for, that we demand for.If only the politicians can implement 20 per cent of their manifesto, what they promised in their campaigns, the country will change.We must all resolve to get our voices heard. Peaceful agitation must be tolerated because they call for our attention for perfection upon which we move Nigeria forward.
National chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Oyegun, has called on Governors under the partys umbrella to rescue i...

National chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Oyegun, has called on Governors under the partys umbrella to rescue it from bankruptcy as its on the verge of been handicap financially.Oyegun lamented the poor financial status of the party.In a statement released after the partys NWC closed-door meeting with its serving Governors yesterday in Abuja, National Chairman reviewed the state of the party, x-raying the challenges facing APC in relations to funding and financing.He said, It was agreed that the party is not effectively funded as it should be. A new funding mechanism was, therefore, devised based on a planned continuous membership registration exercise across the country. The meeting agreed that this is the only sustainable way to fund the party.The meeting also discussed the situations in some of the state chapters of the Party, and it was agreed that an effective conflict resolution mechanism will be put in place to stem the tide of internal dissension and resolve existing issues.As we near the midterm, the meeting also resolved to launch a project to showcase the accomplishments of APC governors in all the 24 states controlled by the Party.The upcoming non-elective convention was also discussed and it was agreed that the convention will take place on April 29th.The meeting acknowledged that the President, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari had been away longer than was originally envisaged. The meeting, however, commended the President for following the rule of law by allowing the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to assume proper leadership and by so doing saved the country the kind of trauma that was experienced in the past.The meeting commended the Acting President, the leadership of the National Assembly, and all the APC governors for standing strong and ensuring that government continues to run smoothly, while praying to the Almighty God to bring the President back safe and sound.
Real Madrid forward, Gareth Bale, has been handed a two-match ban by La Ligas Competition Committee after he was red carded for pushing Las Palmas playmaker, Jon Viera in Wednesdays 3-3 draw.Referee David Fernandez Borbalan handed him a second yellow card early in the second half, with the score at 1-1, after he kicked Viera before pushing him to the ground.After his dismissal, Las Palmas then went 3-1 ahead, only for Madrids 10 men to draw level, thanks to Cristiano Ronaldos penalty and header.The Wales international later apologised for the incident .However, Real Madrid have announced that they will appeal the sanction. Bale is set to miss La Liga matches against Eibar and Real Betis.The Wednesdays draw saw Real Madrid lose their spot at the top of the league log with fierce rivals Barcelona taking a one-point lead.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered 50 Certificates of Occupancy bearing the name of a former National Security Adv...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered 50 Certificates of Occupancy bearing the name of a former National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Abdullahi Mukhtar (retd.), and his wife, Binta.It was learnt that the documents were recovered from one Akka Danagundi, a brother-in-law to the ex-NSA.According to the EFCC, the jewellery were found in a fireproof safe hidden in a house belonging to Danagundi at 375 Gwangwazo Quarters in Kano, Kano State.The commission stated that the discovery was sequel to an intelligence report alleging that huge sums of money, including foreign currencies, were hidden on the premises.The EFCC said, During the operation, Aiko Fireproof safe and seven suspects, including the house owner, Danagundi, were arrested and brought to the EFCCs Kano Zonal Office, where their statements were taken.On arriving at the commissions Kano Zonal Office, the safe was opened and jewellery, such as necklaces and wristwatches, including 50 Certificates of Occupancy for properties located in Kano, Kaduna and Abuja were found.The jewellery found include 55 wristwatches, including three gold watches. Also, 37 gold jewellery, weighing 1,907.9g and another 15 pieces of fashion jewellery were found.It was learnt that all the suspects arrested during the operation were released on administrative bail with the exception of Danagundi, who is still in custody, assisting the investigation.
A former Senior Special Executive Assistant to ex-Governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State, Mr. Adewale Atanda, narrated on Thursday how the...

A former Senior Special Executive Assistant to ex-Governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State, Mr. Adewale Atanda, narrated on Thursday how the ex-governor purchased 22 cars for lawmakers in the state to avoid being impeached in 2005.Atanda said out of the 22 cars that the governor purchased it was only 14 that he, however, gave out because that was the number of lawmakers whose loyalty he was eventually able to secure out of the 22 he required to stop his impeachment.Atanda explained that the Oyo State House of Assembly had 32 lawmakers and for Ladoja to have stopped his impeachment he needed the votes of 22 lawmakers, which was why he bought 22 cars.The rest of the cars, he said, were shared among Ladojas family members.Atanda appeared on Thursday as a prosecution witness before Justice Mohamed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos, where his former principal, Ladoja, is answering charges of an alleged N4.7bn fraud.Ladoja is standing trial alongside, Waheed Akanbi, who served Oyo State under his administration as the Commissioner for Finance.The ex-governor and the ex-commissioner were last December arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on eight counts before Justice Idris.They had pleaded not guilty to the charges pressed against them and in a bid to prove its case, the EFCC on Thursday brought Atanda in as its second witness.Led in evidence by the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Oluwafemi Olabisi, Atanda, who claimed to have met Ladoja back in 2000 when he (Atanda) was vying for a senatorial seat on the platform of the same political party that Ladoja was then running for Oyo State governor, gave a detailed narration of how the administration of Ladoja ran into trouble after he had become a governor.Well, I dont know exactly how it started but it appeared as if there was a rift between members of the Oyo State House of Assembly on one hand, some political actors in the state, like Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu (late) and Senator Ladoja, and some other external influences from Abuja at the material time. Very many attempts were made to remove Senator Ladoja from office; various petitions were written and at the end of the day, an impeachment process was set in motion.Oyo State has about 32 members of the House of Assembly and to successfully impeach the governor, it would require two-thirds majority support of the members of the House of Assembly. That will be about 22 members.In order to secure the loyalty of these 22 members of the House certain promises were made by different political actors. One of such was that loyal members would be given vehicles.In the course of all these, I had discussion with Senator Ladoja and explained to him that it was important that these promises be kept. At the material time, it was rather impossible to buy these vehicles because they were not included in the budget for the year, so, we started looking for alternative ways to accommodate the request, Atanda said.Atanda said he eventually obtained a loan of N80m from Wema Bank with his personal assets to assist Ladoja, who was his political associate.The vehicles were bought and collected from the various dealers by the drivers of the Oyo State Government and delivered to the Government House in Ibadan. In spite of this, I think, by December 2005, the governor was impeached from office.He said after he was impeached, Ladoja and his allies, including the 14 lawmakers loyal to him fled and regrouped in Lagos, where Ladoja continued to take responsibility for the welfare of the lawmakers, who demanded to be paid a monthly income of N1m each after their salaries and allowances had been stopped.He added that Ladoja also assembled a team of lawyers, who demanded a fee of N370m to challenge the impeachment up to the Supreme Court.Justice Idris has adjourned till March 27, 2017 for Atanda to continue his testimony.
A former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh has given clarifications as to why he wants ex-Nat...

A former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh has given clarifications as to why he wants ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki(rtd) to appear as a witness in his ongoing trial.Metuh is currently facing trial before the Justice Abang Okon-led Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for fraud related charges.The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Metuh, alongside his firm, Destra Investment Limited on a seven count charge for allegedly receiving the sum of N400 million in the build up to the 2015 general election from the office of the NSA without executing any contract.Following his dissatisfaction with his trial, the ex-PDP spokesperson recently asked the court to allow Dasuki testify in his trial.However, Justice Abang dismissed Metuhs prayer .Addressing reporters, a member of Metuhs legal team, Barrister Ben-Chuks Nwosu explained that the call for Dasuki as witness was for clarifications on certain public misconception to be made regarding Metuhs involvement in the arms deal.According to Nwosu, By the tenor of the charge, our client has not been charged with stealing or corrupt enrichment knowingly but for receiving payment, which came from an alleged unlawful activity of Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).It is the case of the defence from the onset that they need the evidence of Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) to establish their innocence.
The Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha called for adoption of traditional method of oath taking in governance to curb corruption ...

The Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha called for adoption of traditional method of oath taking in governance to curb corruption in the country.Delivering his lecture titled: Promoting Culture, Developing the Economy: A Nigerian Perspective, Governor Rochas Okorocha explained that it would be difficult for public office holders to syphon public money or abuse their office if they were swore in with their deity, like Ofo in Igbo or Ogun in Yoruba.He said people no longer fear Bible and Quran that are currently being used, because they knew that God is merciful, and did not kill instantly.Our government must begin to adopt our culture in government, if we must succeed. Even in the fight against corruption our (traditional) practices of oath taking should be applied, he called.Okorocha also called for the countrys education system to be structured inline with our culture. The Governor maintained that instead of celebrating other peoples language and culture, Nigeria should celebrate her major languages to promote its cultural values.He said conditions given by regulators in the education system with particular reference to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, were major factors for staying at home by some intelligent students. JAMB condition that you must have credit in Mathematics and English Language before getting admission to Nigerian Universities.Who told them? Why are they suffering our children? Why not credit in Igbo or Yoruba or Hausa Language or any Nigerian languages? Most of our intelligent children cannot go to school because of the JAMB condition and some of them end up doing nothing. We must change our orientation and it must start from that. Our education system should be inline with our culture. I believe there is still hope, but we must go back to our culture.God has endowed us with brain but the problem is that we left our culture, which is who we are and we are chasing shadow, he said.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo is currently in Kaduna state.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo is currently in Kaduna state.Reports have it that Osinbajo, in company of the ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, as well as Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, landed at the Kaduna International Airport 12:21pm.After being received by Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Osinbajo proceeded to inspect Kaduna Airport. He will also be inspecting the Abuja -Rigasa Railway terminal link road to the airport constructed by the state government within one months.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday urged Nigerians to stop celebrating treasury looters.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday urged Nigerians to stop celebrating treasury looters.To him, it is unfortunate that someone accused of corruption is celebrated in his hometown because people believe he has taken his share of the national cake.Today someone who is corrupt is celebrated. There is a problem that we must resolve, and if we dont resolve it, it will hurt us very, very badly, just as it is hurting us already, he said.Osinbajo said the best way to win the war against corruption is to study the models used elsewhere and adopt them.We can only resist corruption when we ensure that systems put in place are working, he said.The Acting President spoke while opening a two-day National Dialogue on Corruption, organised by the Office of the Vice President in collaboration with the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC).Osinbajo said corruption fighting back was not peculiar to Nigeria, adding that the country cannot survive with the type of corruption we have.According to him, corruption thrives where it is allowed to thrive.When the very best people say that there is no consequence of bad actions, they suddenly turn bad, he said.The Acting President recalled that when he initiated reforms in the Lagos judiciary as Attorney-General in 1999 aimed at curbing corruption, he was accused of ethnicity and witchhunt, but was not deterred.Among the problems he addressed, he said, was the mode of appointment of judges that was based on man-know-man, as well as welfare, as judges were then paid N67,000, which could not meet their basic needs.Osinbajo said the Bola Tinubu administration gave every judge a house for life, and increased their remuneration considerably, which became a reference point for other states and the appellate courts.He said where there were issues of corruption against judges, petitions were sent directly to the National Judicial Council (NJC) and followed up.The reforms, he said, led to the sack of 22 corrupt magistrates and three judges within one year. A 2006 survey showed zero percent corruption in the judiciary, as against 89 per cent in 2006.It was because a system was in place and impunity was not allowed. It is important that we put in place models that will work.We must work together  the legislature, the judiciary and the executive  to put a model that must work. We must ensure that systems that are put in place are fair and comply with the rule of law, he said.Osinbajo added that the campaign against corruption must connect it to the problems of their times ground so that people will realise the debilitating consequences of graft.He called for international cooperation in the fight against corruption, such as making it easier to recover stolen assets, the process of which he said had been so difficult.Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen, making his first public appearance a day after his confirmation by the Senate, said the judiciary gets a lot of stick for corruption, sometimes unfairly.The judiciary finds itself being battered left, right and centre. So, what should the CJN say on an occasion like this, which will not appear as a defence of his institution? he said.The CJN admitted that a few bad eggs exist within the judiciary, but restated his commitment to collaborate with other arms of government to fight the scourge.Justice Onnoghen said corruption thrived only in a culture of impunity where people believe in themselves alone.He said the only way there can be justice is when everyone respects the constitution and the rule of law.Justice Onnoghen appeared to be criticize the sting operation by the Department of State Services (DSS) in which the homes of judges were raided and some arrested.He warned that such acts were capable of destroying the judiciary, adding that sanctioning judicial officers should be done through the right channels.His words: The judiciary holds these principles dear, because that is the only way we can ensure an orderly society, and ensure the maintenance of democracy and justice for all.So, if you are to fight corruption, then you should fight the culture of impunity which is attitudinal, by adhering strictly to the constitutional provisions and the rule of law.If we allow the rule of law to reign, then there will be a dramatic reduction in corruption and injustice. That is how I see it.The judiciary is painted with a brush like an institution that epitomises corruption; that is not fair; that is not correct. We have gentlemen on the bench, and by its nature, judicial officers can only be seen and not be heard.So, when youre dealing with judicial corruption, you ought to do it in accordance with the rule of law and channel whatever you have through the appropriate channel so that you dont destroy that institution, because destroying it will not do us any good. Yes, we can do more.On delays of cases, Justice Onnoghen said the judiciary alone was not to blame.He said when prosecutors do not do their jobs well, a judge will not be expected to convict a suspect willy-nilly.
Nigeria's Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has directed international oil firms operating in the Niger-Delta region to relocate t...

Nigeria's Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has directed international oil firms operating in the Niger-Delta region to relocate their headquarters to the states where they operate in order to reduce tension in the host communities.I think it is the right thing to do," he said at a town hall meeting in Uyo where he gave the directive.He also urged Minister of State, Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to begin the process of engaging the International Oil Companies on the way forward to actualize the directive.He also revealed that the Ministry of Petroleum is also working with major oil companies on several initiatives including; working on illegal refineries to establish modular refineries to achieve the desired result.
Parents are bitter about how their children are being treated at Queens College, Yaba, Lagos Mainland, where two pupils have died from ...

Parents are bitter about how their children are being treated at Queens College, Yaba, Lagos Mainland, where two pupils have died from drinking unclean water.Vivian Osuinyi died of diarrhea on February 14; Itula Bithna died of typhoid on February 22.The girls, who were junior secondary pupils, died at home after falling ill in schoolThe Parents Teachers Association (PTA) Chairman, Mr John Ofordike, said he was called to the school three months ago to attend to a medical issue.As far as I am concerned I cannot tell you the cause of their death, but, was told that it is typhoid fever and it was caused by bad water. Three months ago, there was an incident in the college. Students were vomiting and purging and I was called upon. When I got there I saw children at the sick bay receiving treatments and while some were still waiting to be treated. We tried to examine the issue but didnt know where the fault was. So in the end, I donated 3,000 bags of pure water which lasted for five days and during that period the number of children vomiting and purging reducedBefore they vacated, I advised parents to take their children for medical check-up. So many did and I got so many complaints  of fever, high level of typhoid in their system. It is disheartening that four months into my election as the chairman, there have been medical issues and even deaths, he said.Ofordike noted that the pupils were not benefiting from the Queens Delight table water which is produced in the school by a private firm.The firm started operation about two years ago, with an agreement to provide potable water for domestic use in the school. However, Ofordike said the water was being sold to outsiders without consideration for the pupils.Henceforth, he said, the firm would provide the water for use in the dormitories, kitchen, clinic and dining areas.A parent, who simply called himself Mr Zubby, blamed the pupils death on negligence.He said: It is a result of negligence. That is why we are here. Nobody is happy. I have two children here and I would not want anything to go wrong with them. After their inter-house sports, I took my daughters home. That night one of them fell really sick. When we conducted tests on them, they were both positive with high level of typhoid. So we started advising parents to do same, so many results from the parents were positive too. In fact one of us said her daughters was critical.I think there should be transparency; you do not expect any parent to start raising issue where there is none. Most times these children come back home and complain of one thing or the other and where the management is not able to say let us sit down and proffer solution it becomes a big issue.Another parent, Mr Timothy Babafemi, said: We are not happy at all with the issue. There were rusted pipes that resulted in the contamination of the water. Though my daughter suffered from malaria as a result of bad windows, mosquitoes, but with the help of the PTA and other agencies, the deteriorated facilities in the school are being repaired.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Alhaji All Modu Sheriff has ruled out stepping down as an option in the search for a po...

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Alhaji All Modu Sheriff has ruled out stepping down as an option in the search for a political solution to the partys leadership crisis.Key stakeholders in the party have been seeking political solution without being explicit on details.Sheriff was reacting to a media report indicating that former President Goodluck Jonathan had asked him and Caretaker Committee Chairman Senator Ahmed Makarfi to step down and allow the partys governors to nominate a chairman.In a statement yesterday signed on his behalf by his appointed party spokesman, Mr. Bernard Mikko, Sheriff said the issue of resignation did not come up during his meeting with the former President last week.The statement said: The general public, PDP members and the media are hereby informed that the issue of the National Chairmans resignation as the political solution has never been discussed nor was it put up for discussion with the former President and other stakeholders.The general public, PDP members nationwide and the media are hereby informed that shortly before the Court of Appeal judgement of February 17, 2017; all parties and stakeholders agreed that on the receipt of the Court of Appeal judgement, whichever way it goes, members will be prevailed upon and urged to support the judgement and orders of the Court of Appeal and rally round the successful party to conduct; as soon as possible a national unity convention for the election of officers; the modalities of which shall be worked out by stakeholders of the party.As a law-abiding citizen and advocate of the rule of law, the National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff hereby calls on all stakeholders, including but not limited to PDP governors, national and state assembly members, Board of Trustee members, to make themselves available and give their input on how we can, as quickly as possible, conduct a national unity convention where our national officers will be elected. The National Chairman has promised and undertaken not to contest.Efforts by our correspondent to get the reaction of the Makarfi camp did not yield results. Repeated telephone calls and SMS messages to the spokesman of the Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, were left unanswered.Also yesterday, another reconciliation committee of the party, headed by Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, met with some party leaders and some PDP National Assembly members in Abuja.A statement signed by Dickson after the meeting also harped on the need to find a political solution to the crisis, describing it as the best option.The Dickson committee endorsed the resolution reached by Jonathan and the governors, without prejudice to the ongoing judicial processes.The statement said: As part of this process, it is imperative that an early convention within the second quarter of 2017 should be held in Abuja, which, therefore, should be all-inclusive and where new national officials of the party will be freely, fairly and transparently elected.In furtherance of this, the reconciliation committee shall embark on extensive consultations with all stakeholders with a view to building confidence and necessary consensus toward the unity convention.The committee, however, appeals to all party leaders and members of PDP to exercise restraint and focus on the loyalty to and the overall interest of the party.Meanwhile, Sheriff yesterday announced Dr. Ahmed Gulak, a former Political Adviser to former President Jonathan as his Chief of Staff, with the appointment taking immediate effect.
The Presidency has hit back at former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Charles Soludo after he accused President Muhammadu Buhari ...

The Presidency has hit back at former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Charles Soludo after he accused President Muhammadu Buhari of worsening the countrys economy.Acting President Yemi Osinbajos spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement, insisted that Buhari had ended the bleeding of the nation and was implementing reforms.Nigerians have demonstrated that they know the Buhari administration inherited a sorry state of the economy but is working diligently to fix it with positive results now emerging.What even Former CBN Governor Soludo cannot deny is the fact that the Buhari administration has ended the bleeding of the nation and is implementing reforms.The Buhari administration is spending more on infrastructure at a time when resources are lean. When we had abundant revenues what happened was profligacy and plunder.
Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the party acknowledges that President Muhammadu Buhari has been a...

Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the party acknowledges that President Muhammadu Buhari has been away from the country longer than envisaged.Abdullahi said this on Thursday at the end of a meeting of the partys national working committee (NWC) with some governors in Abuja.He commended the president for transferring power to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo before his departure.Buhari has been on medical vacation in the UK since January 19.The APC spokesman further said the party agreed to schedule its non-elective national convention for April 29.The national working committee (NWC) of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun on Thursday met with governors elected on the platform of the APC, he said.The national chairman reviewed the state of the party, x-raying the challenges facing the APC in relations to funding and financing.It was agreed that the party is not effectively funded as it should be. A new funding mechanism was therefore devised based on a planned continuous membership registration exercise across the country. The meeting agreed that this is the only sustainable way to fund the party.The meeting also discussed the situations in some of the state chapters of the party, and it was agreed that an effective conflict resolution mechanism will be put in place to stem the tide of internal dissension and resolve existing issues.As we near the midterm, the meeting also resolved to launch a project to showcase the accomplishments of APC governors in all the 24 states controlled by the party.The upcoming non-elective convention was also discussed and it was agreed that the convention will take place on April 29.The meeting acknowledged that the president, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari has been away longer than was originally envisaged. The meeting however, commended the president for following the rule of law by allowing the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo to assume proper leadership and by so doing saved the country the kind of trauma that was experienced in the past.
The House of Representatives, on Thursday expressed worry over the high cost of fees being collected from students by the Nigerian Law S...

The House of Representatives, on Thursday expressed worry over the high cost of fees being collected from students by the Nigerian Law School.It, therefore, mandated its Committees on Justice; Tertiary Education and Services, and Finance to interface with the Director-General of Nigerian Law School and other stakeholders on the issue.The move stemmed from the adoption of a motion by Rep. Mark Gbillah (Benue-APC), who told the chamber that the increase in fees of the school over the last couple of years was alarming.The prevailing economic circumstances in the country and the insistence by some legal luminaries that the profession is elitist and the training capital intensive, calls for quick intervention by the Federal Government.It is important the Federal Government and all stockholders stop paying lip service to the problem and initiate an emergency national discourse to safeguard the future of this Nobel profession, he said.Contributing to the motion, Rep. Abubakar Adamu (Niger-APC) said that the issue had prevented the poor from going to theLaw School, adding that an average civil servant could not afford the fee.From the look of things, we are making education for the rich alone. How can a child of a poor person afford N400, 000 to attend law school, he asked?Also Rep. Nnamdi Agbo (Enugu-PDP) said that if appropriate action was not taken, the fee would keep increasing and many law graduates would not be able to attend the compulsory programme in the law school.He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to address the issue on time to enable law students staying at home go to law school.After the debate and adoption of the motion, the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, said that the situation was worrisome and supported the call for governments intervention.
Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) will soon announce his first set of appointments.

Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) will soon announce his first set of appointments.Akeredolu, who was sworn in on Friday, February 24, 2017, is expected to do so after his current trip to Abuja.On Thursday, Akeredolu attended a meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which had in attendance members of the National Working Commitee (NWC) and Governors on the platform of the party.At the meeting presided over by APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, Akeredolu was formally introduced to other governors.On Friday, it was learnt that the Ondo helmsman was almost done with consultations on top appointees and may make the names public next week.A source told our correspondent that the governor was taking his time to ensure round pegs in round holes for smooth running of his administration.Appointments is not a task that should be rushed. But I can say that the first set of appointments will be any moment from now; so let's wait.Many had expected that Akeredolu would have, in less than a week, announced occupants of at least three positions  Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff and Chief Press Secretary.While the names are being expected, some individuals have emerged as top contenders.Prior to Akeredolus inauguration, speculations suggested he had settled for a former member of the House of Representatives from Akure, Hon Ifedayo Abegunde (Abena) for the position of SSG.Abenas name emerged after choice of the current deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi as running mate to Akeredolu.Also on the cards are Barrister Ade Oluwajana, Engr. Tunji Light Ariyomo and Niyi Adegbomire, SAN.Many among the public however expect the position of SSG to naturally go to Akure-born Ariyomo because of his acumen, leadership experience and organizational skills.For the position of Chief of Staff, there are two people from within the camp of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).They are Hon Solagbade Amodeni, former Chairman of Akoko South East Local Government and ex-Commissioner under ex-governor, Olusegun Mimiko.Also in contention is the APC Deputy State Chairman, Hon. Ade Adetimehin.Adetimehin, it was learnt, stood behind Akeredolu during the governorship primary and may be rewarded with the position.Others on the list are former banker, Timehin Adelegbe, and a retired permanent secretary, Gbenga Ale.Our correspondent gathered that if these persons do not clinch the job, they may get commissioners slots.But in the case of Adetimehin, he may be elevated to the positiom of Ondo State APC Chairman if the incumbent Isaac Kekemeke steps down.The position of the main information manager to the Governor, the Chief Press Secretary, may go to Yemi Olowolabi.He has been the head of Akeredolus media team for a long time and many expect him to assume the position.However, he may be appointed Commisoner for Information if someone else is appointed the CPS.
Officials are investigating the cause of a fire that started at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York.

Officials are investigating the cause of a fire that started at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York.The blaze started on the 47th floor of the building, which overlooks Central Park, in the early hours of Friday morning.The fire brigade was called at around 4.30am local time (9.30am GMT) and the fire was extinguished at around 5.20am (10.20am GMT), local television reported.The Fire Department of New York is investigating the cause of the blaze but have not found any indication it was "suspicious".A protester attempted to set himself on fire outside one of Mr Trump's hotels in Washington in January.I was trying to light myself on fire as an act of protest, the man said, before being taken for medical treatment.  Protesting the fact that we've elected someone who is completely incapable of respecting the Constitution of the United States.The President is distancing himself from his hotel and real estate empire to avoid potential conflicts of interest that raised have raised concern among opponents.He and his daughter Ivanka have resigned all roles with the Trump Organisation, which is being run by the President's two eldest sons.But his continued refusal to disclose his tax returns, defying decades of precedent, has fuelled calls for the Senate Finance Committee to launch a formal review.(Independent)
Former Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, has listed a few of the achievements of ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Former Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, has listed a few of the achievements of ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan.Abati said there was danger in peddling a single side of the story of how Nigerias recession started as championed by President Muhammadu Buharis cabinet.Abati said, There is something about the danger of a single story. If you look at the Jonathan government, at the risk of defending that administration, under that administration the GDP was the rebased and Nigeria became the largest economy in Africa.As at 2014, Nigeria had become the number one Foreign Direct Investment destination in Africa. Within the first half of 2014, this economy has gained from FDI alone about N1.15 trillion. In fact, that same year, for the first time in Africa, the World Economic Forum held in Nigeria; which was a kind of endorsement of what was been done by that administration at that time.It was also under that administration that the auto motive industry was revived. It was under that administration that the national railway was revived. It was under that administration that the agricultural sector became very robust.I am not here to come and offer a defense but the danger of the single story is that it ends up repeating a lie until you assume that people will believe it. I think that people should double check some of these things.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said yesterday that the currencys appreciation against others was the result of its market monitorin...

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said yesterday that the currencys appreciation against others was the result of its market monitoring and intervention.Its spokesman Isaac Okorafor refuted the claim that illegal sale of foreign currencies at ridiculous rates was responsible for the change in Forex policy.Okorafor, who spoke in Sokoto, also explained that the appreciation of the Naira was in no way connected to the allegations of illegal sale of foreign currencies.I want to state categorically that there is no relationship whatsoever between the allegations that dollar was being sold at 61 kobo and the current appreciation of the Naira.What led to the appreciation of the Naira was that the CBN did an intelligence on the market and realised that what was driving the demand on the Bureau De Change (BDCs) and parallel market was speculation.We reasoned that since there is a lot of pressure on the two segments from people seeking to buy foreign currencies for BTA, tuition and medicals, that if we successfully addressed that, the pressure will come down.Also, before now, the level of our reserves was not enough to make us comfortable enough to really do the kind of intervention that is required.We decided to do so now because we are a bit more comfortable with our level of reserve, he said.Okorafor said since the new Forex policy, the CBN had intervened with about 591 million dollars in the market, which had led to Naira gaining strength.Let me also state as proof that when we placed 500 million dollars in the market, only 370 million dollars was taken.That tells you that the real demand is 370 million dollars. When we placed 230 million dollars in the market, only 221 million dollars was taken.Anybody who has gone foul of the law and the security agencies have caught up with him, should go and face his or her case and stop causing confusion among participants in the market, he said.
South African companies in Nigeria may have stepped up its security apparatus over possible attack due to the ongoing unrest in the countr...





South African companies in Nigeria may have stepped up its security apparatus over possible attack due to the ongoing unrest in the country over Xenophobia attacks.A visit by our correspondent on Friday to The Palms Mall, Lekki, which houses Shoprite, and one of MTN branches, security presence at the main gate were noticed at the main entrance for walk-in customers. This may be unconnected to the recent threat by militants to send the South African companies packing from Nigeria.Recall that a week ago, MTN office was attacked by Nigerian Protesters in Abuja, the nation' capital.
I dont often click on a Google Doodle.

But after I got on my computer last Saturday, I was intrigued by the little pictures on the search engines home page.

So I clicked on it and learned about Ida Lewis, a lighthouse keeper, once called The Bravest Woman in America.

Born on Feb. 25, 1842, Ida was the oldest of four children and daughter of Capt. Hosea Lewis, the appointed keeper of the Lime Rock Light in Newport, Rhode Island.

Idas family was there only four months when her dad had a stroke and was disabled. She and her mother tended the lighthouse for years and since the only way to reach the mainland was by boat, Ida rowed her siblings to school and got supplies from town.

Various published reports credit Ida with saving as many as 25 lives, but nobody knows for sure because she kept no records.

Ida was just 12 years old when she made her first rescue in 1854, rowing out to help four men whose boat had capsized.

Her most famous rescue took place in 1869 during a snowstorm that overturned a boat with two soldiers and a 14-year-old boy. The boy was lost in the icy waters, but Ida, who had a cold, raced to the boat without a coat or shoes. Idas younger brother helped her get the two soldiers into the boat and bring them to the lighthouse.

She would become the first woman to earn a gold Congressional Medal of Honor. As her fame spread, shed earn many honors and even meet President Ulysses S. Grant.

Ida was 63 when she made her last known rescue, saving a friend who lost her balance in a boat and fell overboard.

As for her personal life, Ida married, but separated from her husband after a couple of months.

In 1911, Ida died from a stroke.

She was 69 years old.

As I read about Ida, my thoughts float to several Bible stories  like the one where Jesus catches Peter, who starts to sink while walking on the water.

That was a great rescue.

But the first story that came to my mind is one in the book of Luke.

This account, found in the eighth chapter, begins after Jesus and his disciples have gotten into a boat.

They are heading across a lake when Jesus falls asleep.

The fourth chapter of the book of Mark offers even more detail.

It says Jesus has fallen asleep on a cushion in the back of the boat.

Then a great windstorm comes down on the lake. Waves are breaking into the boat, which is filling with water.

Facing danger, the disciples wake Jesus with a question.

Teacher, dont you care that we are perishing?

Jesus awakens and rebukes the wind. To waves he says: Be still!

The wind ceases and there is a great calm.

Jesus then seems to use the situation as a watery teaching moment and presents a couple of questions.

Why are you so afraid? he asks. Do you still have no faith?

The disciples are terrified.

Who is this? they ask each other. Even the wind and the waves obey him.

Jesus didnt get a gold medal  that we know of  for making such dramatic water rescues.

And while Idas story appeared in magazine articles and a parade was held in her honor, no such tributes were made for Jesus.

Granted, we might compare whats called Palm Sunday to a parade in Christs honor, but a week later a brutally beaten Jesus was mocked as he carried a heavy Roman cross to the place of his death.

Jesus sacrificed so much for people like you and me and rescuers like Ida.

When I think about Jesus, I also think about the lighthouse where Ida worked.

Christ is our lighthouse.

I am the light of the world, Jesus said. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)

In Psalm 27:1, we also learn The Lord is my light and my salvation  whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life  of whom shall I be afraid?

Jesus has a way of shining his light on situations and helping us get on the right path in life.

He did that for a man named Saul of Tarsus, whod become an expert at persecuting Christians.

Saul was on a road headed to Damascus to do some evil deeds, when a bright light from heaven shown around him.

It would be a light that would help deliver Saul  not from a stormy sea  but from a type of spiritual darkness.

Saul would have a life-changing encounter with Jesus.

And Saul  who became known as the Apostle Paul  would spend the rest of his life working to share that light with others.

The Lord can help us in similar ways.

Christ can rescue us from real storms and icy oceans, but he can also pull us out of the deep waters of despair, fear and heartache. He can provide that light in the dark, discouraging times of life and bring us to places of hope.

I know, because hes helped me through what Id call some rough waters and Im learning to trust him more all the time.

Now, if Ida Lewis were still alive today, shed be 175 years old  the same age Jesus ancestor Abraham was when he died.

Can you imagine what Ida might say if she saw modern-day water rescues that can include huge ships, helicopters and divers decked out in scuba gear?

I have to think she would be a little frightened of such things.

And we might be, too, if we were in her boat.

But I dont think we ever have to fear the storms of life, not when we have the best lifesaver around  our Lord Jesus.

A postscript: While re-reading my column, I was struck by this thought: Ida and others like her may rescue people from stormy waters, but Christ has the power to stop the wind and waves and to bring us uncommon hope.
Perched more than 20 feet in the air atop the border fence between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, a Mexican lawmaker delivers a message to President Donald Trump.

"It's completely unnecessary -- and it's absurd -- to build a wall that costs $15 billion," Braulio Guerra says in Spanish as a camera rolls. "Look, in these 8 meters, more or less 8, 10 meters, how simple it is to climb."

The 2-minute video is the latest creative volley in the international drama unfolding over Trump's signature campaign pledge: to build a wall at the border and make Mexico pay for it. The Mexican government repeatedly has refused. Trump also has issued executive orders that pave the way for a dramatic increase in deportations.

Guerra, a member of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's ruling political party, says in the video that he visited the border not just to slam Trump's wall plan but also to talk with people being sent back to Mexico by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service.

The Mexican government, he says, must provide incentives to companies to hire people who are forced to return, as well as work with US officials "for the protection of our migrants in the United States."

"It was easy to get up the wall, but there are many dangers for our people," Guerra wrote in his tweet. "Human rights, principles and dignity are not negotiable."

The lawmaker's video, posted Thursday to Twitter, does not show Guerra climbing the barrier. Other photos show him atop the fence, which is closely flanked by a chain link fence, presumably making it easier to climb.

JFK-era politics

As he peers down at Pacific beaches on either side of the fence, Guerra harks back to what he views as a friendlier period of diplomacy.

"John F. Kennedy in his time spoke of an Alliance for Progress, in which the United States turned around to see Mexico and Latin America and cooperate with its development, with its economy, with its employment, to level the standards of quality of life, to be good neighbors and help each other," he says.

"This is to be able to improve the relationship and stop the migrant flow, and return to friendly relations that produce jobs, that translate into good economic terms and development for both countries."

US Customs and Border Protection last week gave notice that it will soon start collecting proposals from companies that want to design and build "prototype wall structures." A winning bidder is due to be announced in mid-April.

The US-Mexico border is approximately 2,000 miles long, running from San Diego to Brownsville, Texas.

Cost estimates for a wall range from $12 billion to $15 billion -- a best guess by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell -- to a $21.6 billion option now under consideration by the Department of Homeland Security.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has said under questioning from lawmakers who oppose walling off the entire border that the department might start by expanding fencing in certain areas, bolstered by technology and personnel.

Trump initially said he wanted to wall off the entire border, but has since said that 1,000 miles may do.

Social media sideshow

Guerra's video caught the attention of social media users, though perhaps more for his stunt than his message.

"Ridiculous," a few called him in Spanish.

"What a shame that a 'representative' of the Mexican people does these antics," @josuemb tweeted.

CNN's Catherine Shoichet and Ray Sanchez contributed to this report.
Bring your food waste to the library for composting: Yes, really
Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana House Republicans are going to have to work on their budget and tax proposals. (Brianna Paciorka, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
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.
Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh said the Council Bluffs-Omaha metro area has received pretty amazing praise nationwide for its economic development.

He was referring to Thursdays announcement that Site Selection magazine, for the third time in four years, has ranked the Council Bluffs-Omaha metro area No. 1 for new and expanded corporate projects among metro areas nationwide with populations between 200,000 and 1 million.

Walsh cited the success of a regional partnership involving communities on both sides of the river as being a key for this national acclaim.

This is the third time in four years the metro area of Omaha and Council Bluffs has been recognized as No. 1 in this population group for economic development and the fourth year of a joint effort to market the entire region instead of each individual city, Walsh said. To win nationally three times out of four years speaks volumes on how well this joint effort has been.

During ceremonies in Omaha marking the announcement, David G. Brown, president and CEO of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, has similar thoughts, saying that the key to award-winning economic development is regional collaboration.

We celebrate this latest top ranking with all of our partner counties, city leaders and the Nebraska and Iowa Departments of Economic Development, Brown said. Were all driven by the same goal  the higher quality of life that comes from a steady rush of new jobs and investment.

The chamber helms the Greater Omaha Chamber Economic Development Partnership, an eight-county economic development program dedicated to creating jobs and encouraging capital investment throughout southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa.

Among those underneath this partnership umbrella is Advance Southwest Iowa, headed by Paula Hazlewood.

Winning it again is a true testament of the partnership and our community leadership, our elected officials and how successful it has become, Hazlewood said at Thursdays Noon Rotary meeting.

Prominent economic development projects announced in Council Bluffs-Omaha in 2016 contributed to more than $612 million in new capital investment, with the $27 million expansion of the Tyson plant in Council Bluffs among the highlighted projects.

Site Selection is a national magazine that has reported on corporate real estate strategy and area economic development the last 60-plus years.

Thats pretty amazing, Walsh said of this honor at the Rotary meeting.
Many area teachers are wondering what changes will come about in their next negotiated contract with their employers.

Gov. Terry Branstad signed a bill into law Feb. 17 that stripped collective bargaining topics other than base wages from most public employees, including teachers.

Under the new law, public employers with less than 30 percent of public safety employees are now no longer obligated to negotiate topics such as hours, vacations, insurance, holidays, leaves of absence, shift differentials, overtime compensation, supplemental pay, seniority, transfer procedures, job classifications, health and safety matters and evaluation procedures.

For more than 40 years, teacher unions in Iowa were able to negotiate with their respective school districts on each topic listed above, but under the new law, a district is now only required to bargain base wages, which might leave area teachers wondering, whats next?

The Nonpareil asked eight area school districts  including Council Bluffs and Lewis Central  on where their negotiations currently stand with their local respective teachers associations.

Among those eight districts, four already have settlements: Council Bluffs, Underwood, Tri-Center and AHSTW. The other four  Lewis Central, Treynor, Glenwood and Riverside  are preparing to negotiate under the new rules passed by the Iowa Legislature.

Mark Schweer, superintendent of the Lewis Central Community School District, said his district did not settle on a new contract prior to the governor signing off on the new legislation, meaning they have to start over  as do all school districts if they didnt settle prior to Feb. 17.

Schweer said the district hasnt set a date to exchange initial proposals with the schools teacher association yet, stating they were waiting for clarification from the Iowa Public Employment Relations Board, or PERB.

Were really embarking in uncharted territory, and we havent been down this path before, so Im sure some theres some uncertainty and anxiety and angst, Schweer said. Theres a lot of unknowns on both the sides of teachers and management.

Kindergarten and first-grade teacher LoriAnn Brougham, president of the Lewis Central Education Association, said the union is waiting to see how the new legislation shakes out around the state.

It is safe to say that teachers are feeling anxious about this legislation as it stands, Brougham said in an e-mail to The Nonpareil. We are anxious about the future of the profession, and the students of Iowa that we care so deeply for.

Brougham said the unions next formal meeting wont be until mid-March.

As an association, we understand that we are in budget shortfall due to a decline in enrollment, and therefore do not expect a huge rate increase, but we would hope for a fair settlement that shows our members that the board is as committed to us as we are to our students, Brougham said. We hope to continue the very positive working relationship that we have enjoyed for many years between the LCEA and the district.

When The Nonpareil contacted Jan Berry, an administrative law judge for the Iowa Public Employment Relations Board, he said he wasnt sure what information school districts were waiting to receive from the board in order for them to move forward on negotiations.

Berry suggested districts or unions that are looking for additional guidance to read the documents found on the PERB website, iowaperb.iowa.gov.

If they still need help on what to do, then call us, Berry said. Really, for school districts that are involved here, the process doesnt really change, but what they can bargain and what an arbitrator can give has gone through massive changes  its a completely different world here.

Not every district, however, is having to immediately engage with that new world.

The Council Bluffs Community School District settled negotiations just hours before the new bill was signed into law on Feb. 17 approving a one-year extension to the existing two-year contract.

The Underwood Community School District Board of Education and the Underwood Education Association settled on a two-year agreement for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years ahead of the legislation being proposed and adopted.

The Tri-Center Community School District settled on a one-year contract prior to the new legislations passage, district Superintendent Angie Huseman said.

I think this new collective bargaining bill has a lot of intended consequences and some unintended consequences that we dont know how will play out, Huseman said. It was important just for morale and stability to try and settle before the bill became a law, so we can have a year to figure it out and how to proceed going forward.

Tri-Center Education Association President Paul Hart, who teaches instrumental music, said negotiations had gone really well.

We felt that we were able to come to a contract that benefited both the teachers and the school system, Hart said. We wanted to come to an agreement before it passed because we were on known footing. Once that passed, it opened a new world that would take some adjustment.

Hart said the negotiation process started in late January this year with a contract settled by early February  avoiding the last-minute push seen in other districts.

As teachers, we have a fear of what is to come but weve been reassured, as have most schools, that theyre going to take care of their teachers and be fair of them, Hart said. Am I happy with the new legislation? No. I think its something we didnt need, but at Tri-Center were going to do the best we can with the situation.

Jesse Ulrich, superintendent of the AHSTW Community School District, said the district is in the middle of a multiyear contract this year for teachers serving Avoca, Hancock, Shelby, Tennant and Walnut.

Last year, as fate would have it, it was the first year they ever did a two-year contract  and were fortunate from that standpoint because it allowed the district and our teachers association to be able to work together to find out what the implications really are, Ulrich said.

Ulrich said the district will start the negotiation process for the next contract during the 2018-19 school year.

Last thing our district would want to do is put teachers in a position where teachers dont feel appreciated or valued, Ulrich said. We want to do quite the opposite and take the positives of the law and make sure AHSTW is the place to be in southwest Iowa.

AHSTW Teachers Association member Rachel Merkel, a high school counselor, said she feels confident the administration will work together to do whats best for AHSTW employees.

I dont think I could say that for every administration that Ive worked under, Merkel said. Theyre going to work with us to do whats best for the employees at this district.

Several area districts, however, are finding themselves joining Lewis Central in waiting for more guidance before moving forward.

Kevin Elwood, superintendent of the Treynor Community School District, said his district was in a holding pattern on contract negotiations pending emergency rules anticipated from the state.

I dont see it changing our relationship, Elwood said. We highly value our staff. Theyre a top priority for our district.

During a time of high anxiety from teachers and staff, Elwood said the district will start the negotiation process as they normally have in years past, once the dust of the new legislation finally settles.

Its a different list we can talk about, but well continue to work with our staff on competitive wages and benefits within the resources we have, Elwood said. We have a positive working relationship with our local association, and I dont see that changing from school board perspective.

Treynor Education Association President Marilyn Abbott, a high school English teacher, said negotiations have been put on hold as the district and union both take time to understand the new legislation.

I think the teachers have been devastated by the new legislation thats been passed, Abbott said. A lot of people think there was no reason for the change because it was a system that was working well. We really feel blindsided, confused and extremely disappointed in the legislation and legislators that did this.

Despite the new legislation, Abbot said the Treynor association is feeling good about negotiating with the administration and school board.

Everybody wants to make the best of a difficult situation, and everybodys priority is still the students and doing the best job we can for them, Abbott said. What happens in this way behind the scenes wont hopefully affect them at all.

The Glenwood Community School District is in the process of starting over since a contract was not done by the time Branstad signed the new bill into law.

Its our understanding that the process has to start over, Superintendent Devin Embray said. Were also waiting for the proposal from our teacher union to move forward.

Embray said both the union and district were also waiting for further guidance from PERB.

As a superintendent, its my hope we can move forward and function as we have in the past, Embray said. Im in between the board and the employees; I wear both hats and I tend to try to work both sides to help them come together for the betterment of the district.

Glenwood Education Association President Maria Jacobus said the association had not re-initiated negotiations yet.

We have associations meeting next week, so the earliest we could begin again would be the week of March 13, Jacobus said in an e-mail.

Tim Mitchell, superintendent of the Riverside Community School District, said the board had received the Riverside Education Associations initial offer and the board had responded, but a settlement hadnt yet been reached.

Mitchell comes from South Dakota where he was a superintendent for 22 years. He took over the Riverside district as the new superintendent July 1 last year.

In South Dakota, if we werent competitive wed lose teachers to Wyoming, Mitchell said. I can lose teachers to Council Bluffs and Omaha very quickly if we dont have some sort of package that allows us to recruit and train our staff.

Since Mitchell is new to the district, he said a collaborative agreement was made, between the district and union association, to wait to settle on a contract until the new legislation was passed.

We didnt want to rush into anything that neither party wouldnt like in the long term, Mitchell said. We knew wed have to start the process over.

He said the district hopes to complete negotiations and get an agreement in place by the end of April. Casey Conover, the Riverside Education Association president as well as a science and social studies teacher, said the union has a good working relationship with the school district.

I think our negotiations will be OK, Conover said. Our union and school are phenomenal. We both trust each other.
On Wednesday, the University of Iowa  having endured the threat of lawsuits and days of criticism from students and their parents  backed off a plan to eliminate scholarships promised to thousands of current and incoming students.

It was a wise decision.

Students had filed two proposed class-action lawsuits claiming that the universitys cuts violated their constitutional rights and amounted to a breach of contract.

UI President Bruce Harreld announced that he had reinstated the Iowa Heritage Award and four other smaller scholarship programs previously promised to current students and those who start next fall.

Last week Harreld informed 3,071 students that he was eliminating their awards, citing devastating funding cuts approved by lawmakers and Gov. Terry Branstad to help balance the state budget. It was a decision met with criticism from lawmakers, who accused the university of playing politics, and from parents, alumni and students.

While the criticism from parents, alumni and students was to be expected, the accusations from lawmakers that the university was playing politics was, in our view, hypocritical.

The Heritage scholarships, created in 2014 to recruit more students to Iowa, promised an automatic $1,500 annual tuition discount to the children and grandchildren of alumni for four years of undergraduate studies. Many students said they came to Iowa instead of other schools due to the awards, which only required they keep a 2.0 grade point average.

Harreld said he heard concerns from many students and parents who feared financial hardships if the scholarships were eliminated, even though they were not need-based. He said continuing them wont be easy while absorbing a $9.2 million funding cut. He added that he would work with state leaders to establish predictable tuition revenue increases and state support moving forward.

Harreld said the programs would be eliminated for new students beginning in 2018, and the university would prioritize other need-based and merit-based awards.

The university will now look for other ways to find $4.4 million in savings that the scholarship cuts would have generated, school spokeswoman Jeneane Beck said.

Outgoing Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter said reinstating the scholarships places the University of Iowa in a very difficult financial situation. He warned that the board would bring the universitys below-average tuition rates in line with its national peer group if lawmakers do not adequately invest in the university, which is starting a five-year strategic plan. That could mean major hikes in coming years.

Iowas tuition and mandatory fees for in-state students currently rank at the bottom of an 11-member group of universities that it considers peers: $8,575 this academic year compared to an average of $11,581.

The creation of the now-troublesome four-year Heritage scholarships to recruit the children and grandchildren of alumni regardless of need was ill-conceived from the outset, but promises made are promises that should be kept.
Businesses look to shift cost of workplace injuries to you

Business and insurance interests are trying to wipe out insurance benefits that cover every working Iowan.

Workers compensation is a required employee benefit. It covers medical treatment, lost wages and compensation to workers injured on the job. At least thats what its supposed to do.

In reality, insurance companies often abuse the system to delay and deny benefits to injured workers whose bills pile up. The lucky ones find a lawyer who can help them get medical care, pay bills and feed their kids.

The unlucky ones are left to borrow money from family, or go on public assistance.

Leandra Haughey just started a new job in 2014, cleaning a Marshalltown meatpacking plant at night after meat-processors left for the day. This was not her dream job, but she was happy to have it. One night a coworker noticed she was lost, led her to the basement of the large empty plant, beat her and raped her.

(Leandras rapist is now in prison, where he belongs.)

Iowas workers compensation laws required Leandras employer to provide prompt treatment for her physical and psychological injuries. Instead, they promptly denied her claim and fired her, but not the rapist. They continued to deny her treatment for 19 months until she hired me.

This is an extreme example, but employers and insurance companies routinely delay and deny these guaranteed benefits. House Study Bill 169 in the Iowa Legislature makes it easier for employers and insurance companies to dispose of you rather than pay your benefits.

Business and insurance interests are trying to sell this as a reform package to roll back court cases that helped workers. Thats false.

In 2015, national news publication ProPublica wrote about the demolition of workers compensation: Over the past decade, states have slashed workers compensation benefits, denying injured workers help when they need it most and shifting the costs of workplace accidents to taxpayers.

This bill arbitrarily cuts off benefits for the most severely disabled workers at age 67. It slashes benefits for common workplace injuries, like shoulder injuries. It gives employers and insurance companies broad new authority to deny claims and delay benefits. And it virtually eliminates coverage for orthopedic injuries to workers who are overweight or over 40.

Iowa is joining the race to the bottom in workers compensation.

Will businesses save money? Of course. Workers and taxpayers will be picking up the tab from now on.

Saffin Parrish-Sams, Cumming

Vice President, Iowa Association for Justice

Taxpayers shouldnt fund non-public education

Why do state lawmakers think they need to introduce a bill that would expand school choice options to families in Iowa? The state already gives families several options.

Families can choose to send their child to a private or parochial school, be home-schooled, attend public school and even open-enroll to another district other than the one in which they live. Lawmakers claim there is not enough money in the budget to help with public school costs, and, because of that claim, they only gave public schools a 1.1 percent increase for the coming school year.

So how are they considering giving parents $6,500 in taxpayer money to send children to a private or parochial school or choose to home-school? Things to think about:

 Private schools can turn away a student (example: child with special needs).

 Private schools have scholarships for those who cannot afford to pay.

 Private schools can reduce tuition costs if there are several students from the same family.

 Private schools do not have to abide by all of the state and federal regulations that public schools are required to do.

 Parents who home-school their children do not need to present a curriculum, have no oversight and are not required to follow the same guidelines as public schools. Currently, there is no accountability or transparency for home-school students. How would the money be accounted for? What happens to the money that is not spent? Is it sent back to the state? Is it pocketed?

I have an issue with using tax-payer money to fund private, parochial and home-schooled children. It is the parents choice not to enroll their child in public school. I do not believe taxpayers should foot the bill.

Diana Powell, Neola
KEARNEY  University of Nebraska at Kearney graduate Dayna Larreaus research was recently published in an academic journal known for highlighting work of young researchers and its emphasis on current economic issues.

Her paper, Hedonic Price Analysis of Non-Barren Broodmares, was published in the Review of Economic and Business Studies.

Larreau is a 2015 UNK graduate from Arnold and currently works as an outreach support associate in the College of Business Administration at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Larreaus research evolved from her personal interest in horses and came about during economics research methods and senior seminar courses at UNK.

The current real average selling price of a thoroughbred broodmare is nearly half its peak value in 2000. While annual price changes are influenced by economic performance, different prices at an auction are influenced by physical and genetic characteristics of broodmares, Larreau said in her research abstract.

A broodmare is a mare used for breeding.

Hedonic pricing identifies factors according to the premise that price is determined by internal characteristics of the horse being sold and external factors affecting it.

Prices are positively influenced by earnings of the covering sire, earnings of the broodmare, pedigree and the racing performance of broodmare progeny, Larreau said. Conversely, the age of a broodmare and the day on which the horse sold have dampening effects on broodmare prices.

She concluded that pedigree and success of a broodmares progeny  a descendant or offspring  are more important for determining its price than racing performance. Specifically, genetics had the greatest impact on price.

Larreau worked with UNKs Bree Dority and Frank Tenkorang on the paper. Dority is associate dean in the College of Business and Technology, and Tenkorang is chair of the Economics Department.
Sandhill crane migration begins a bit early this year

The sandhill crane migration seems to have begun a bit earlier than usual.

On Thursday, thousands of cranes were feeding and roosting in a field near Bailey Yard.

The Nebraska Game and Parks said in a press release that the numbers of sandhill cranes on the central Platte River during the spring migration typically peak in the third week of March.

Close to 195,000 cranes are on the central Platte as of Feb. 27, according to an aerial survey by the Crane Trust. That figure was around 66,000 just a week ago. Numbers should continue to build with continuing mild weather and viewing should be favorable going forward.

This year remains just behind the pace of last year, which was the earliest migration in our database in terms of large numbers of roosting sandhill cranes along the Platte River in February, said Andrew Caven, lead biologist at the Crane Trust. The early warm weather has continued to coincide with the early arrival of large numbers of sandhill cranes.

The aerial survey detected 213,000 sandhill cranes on the Central Platte during the same time a year ago, but in previous years, the number of cranes ranged from about 5,000 to 60,000 in late February. Last year, according to Crane Trust counts, the crane migration peaked at 413,000 birds on March 14, a week to two weeks ahead of historically recorded peak migration numbers.

Viewing opportunities in and near North Platte are many, as outlined by Julie Geiser, public information officer for Nebraska Game and Parks, in a recent column published in the Telegraph:

Buffalo Bill State Recreation Area has several locations to see cranes that are easily accessible from a vehicle by pulling over to the side of the road. There is also a designated pull-off area near the west end of the SRA, where there are signs about the cranes and the birds can be seen from a vehicle.

A horse trailer blind placed along the fence south of the pull-off area in the SRA overlooks a meadow frequently used by cranes. Cranes use this area several times throughout the day. Blind users will need to park near the signs in the parking area and walk a short distance to the blind.

A river blind is open to the public to see cranes flying the North Platte River at the SRA. This blind requires a short hike on a path starting at the camping area running adjacent to the river. Late evening is the best time to use this blind. A 2017 park permit is required to enter the SRA.

Another public crane viewing blind is located at the North River Wildlife Management Area. From Hershey, drive north three miles on North Hershey Road to Wildlife Road, turn right and go almost two miles east on the gravel. The parking lot will be on the south side of the road.

The Crane Trust provides weekly updates regarding the sandhill crane migration at cranetrust.org.
AG maintains his intent was not to mislead

WASHINGTON (AP)  Under intensifying pressure, Attorney General Jeff Sessions abruptly agreed Thursday to recuse himself from any investigation into Russian meddling in Americas 2016 presidential election. He acted after revelations he twice spoke with the Russian ambassador during the campaign and failed to say so when pressed by Congress.

Sessions rejected any suggestion that he had tried to mislead anyone about his contacts with the Russian, saying, That is not my intent. That is not correct.

But he did allow that he should have been more careful in his testimony during his confirmation hearing, saying, I should have slowed down and said, But I did meet one Russian official a couple of times.

The White House has stood by Sessions in the latest controversy to dog President Donald Trumps young administration, though officials say they first learned about his contacts with the ambassador from a reporter Wednesday night. Trump himself said Thursday he had total confidence in Sessions and didnt think he needed to recuse himself  not long before he did.

One of Sessions conversations with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak occurred at a July event on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. At that same event, the ambassador also spoke with Carter Page, who briefly advised Trumps campaign on foreign policy, according to a person with knowledge of the discussion.

Separately, a White House official said Thursday that Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn met with Kislyak at Trump Tower in New York in December. The official described that sit-down as a brief courtesy meeting.

Flynn was fired last month for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with Kislyak.

The Trump teams account of Flynns contacts with the ambassador has changed several times. The White House did not disclose the in-person meeting, or Kushners involvement, until Thursday.

Both the White House official and the person with knowledge of Pages discussion insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly disclose the meetings.

Trump has been trailed for months by questions about potential ties to Russia, and allegations of Russian efforts to interfere in the U.S. election to help him defeat Hillary Clinton. The new president and his campaign officials have blamed such contentions on Democratic sore losers and have heatedly denied any contact with Russians concerning the election.

While there is nothing necessarily nefarious or even unusual about a member of Congress meeting with a foreign ambassador, typically members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee meet with foreign ambassadors, not Armed Services Committee lawmakers, such as Sessions, whose responsibility is oversight of the military and the Pentagon.

The latest development comes on the heels of what had been the high point of Trumps young presidency: a well-received address to Congress Tuesday night that energized Republicans and appeared to wipe away some lawmakers concerns about the administrations tumultuous start.

But Sessions faced a rising chorus of demands that he resolve the seeming contradiction between his two conversations in the summer and fall with Kislyak and his sworn statements to Congress in January, when he said he had not had communications with Russians during the campaign.
TECUMSEH  Two inmates were confirmed dead after a disturbance at the Tecumseh State Prison on Thursday, prison officials said.

Numerous other inmates suffered non-life threatening injuries, but no staff were injured, corrections director Scott Frakes said at a press conference later in the evening.

It was the second deadly disturbance at the Tecumseh prison in less than two years.

Frakes said prison staff did not use force in response to Thursdays disturbance. All the fatalities and injuries to inmates were inflicted by inmates, he said.

Prison officials declined to identify the inmates who died or say how they were killed. They also did not disclose the criminal histories of the two victims.

Frakes said the disturbance was contained to one half of housing unit two. Inmates set several fires inside the unit, in addition to outside in a mini-yard.

Frakes said the damage to the prison was not extensive.

Gov. Pete Ricketts appeared at Thursday evenings press conference, which was held inside the prison.

He defended the work of his corrections director and praised the work of prison staff and law enforcement officers in their response to the incident.

The Department of Corrections is doing heroic work to keep this facility safe for both the inmates and the staff, he said.

Still, he acknowledged serious challenges remain.

We know we have work to do with this system, a somber-faced Ricketts said.

It took until into the evening Thursday for the distirbance to be brought into control.

As darkness fell, corrections officers and state troopers in riot gear moved into the mini yard where 20 to 30 inmate were still gathered and fires had been burning.

Shortly before 6:30 p.m., about 30 armed troopers and prison officers, clad in black, began moving in on the mini yard.

State prison officials reported at 5:30 p.m. Thursday that fires were out and all inmates had been secured. The Corrections Department said that emergency response teams had entered the unit and that the unit was habitable. But, about that time, smoke still could be seen rising from the mini yard.

About 4:30 p.m., five State Patrol pickups and a cruiser entered the prison grounds. An unmarked pickup carrying three armed men wearing military gear turned in to the entrance road to the prison shortly afterward. Two ambulances entered the grounds, as well as three other vehicles.

Spokeswoman Dawn-Renee Smith said about 40 of the 128 inmates in a housing unit were involved in the disturbance. At mid-afternoon, prison officials released a statement saying no injuries had been reported.

Scotty Gottula, chairman of the Johnson County Board, said that when he arrived at the scene north of the prison about 2 p.m., he could see people throwing what appeared to be mattresses on a fire.

The inmates could be seen with their faces covered as they added items to the bonfire.

The fire was visible in the afternoon outside the north side of the prison, and gray smoke continued to blow in a strong breeze.

A statement from the Corrections Department was careful to say that the disturbance was not a riot, though others termed it differently.

Mike Marvin, who heads the union that represents corrections officers, said hed been told that rioting is taking place in the same housing units that were ransacked and burned during the 2015 Mothers Day riot at Tecumseh.

Marvin, executive director of the Nebraska Association of Public Employees, said that some of the same conditions that spawned the 2015 riot  overcrowding and lack of rehabilitation programs  still exist in the state prison system.

Johnson County Sheriff Scott Walton said his office got a call about 1:30 p.m. to provide surveillance and security outside the prison fences. He and five deputies  his entire department  went to the scene.

Walton said he was told that there was a fire or fires inside the facility.

Deputies were guarding the perimeter of the facility and moving onlookers away.

Tecumseh native Logan Dorsey said incidents like the one Thursday are concerning for those who live near the prison, which currently houses more than 1,000 inmates.

How are we to feel safe if they cant keep things under control? he asked.

Our guards are doing their best, Dorsey said, but the overpopulation in the prison system is a serious problem that needs to be fixed immediately before someone gets hurt or killed.

The state prison system is holding about 1,900 more inmates than the systems design capacity, according to the departments September 2016 data report, the latest posted on the agencys website.

Housing Unit 2, the site of Thursdays disturbance, also was affected by the 2015 riot.

That riot caused more than $2 million in damage, and two inmates were killed at the hands of other inmates.

On May 10, 2015, inmates were milling about when one inmate slugged a corrections officer in the face, starting a chain of assaults and vandalism. As inmates took control, a guard in the watch tower fired a warning shot, then fired a shot that hit an inmate in the leg.

Inmates Shon Collins and Donald Peacock died from blunt force trauma, according to their death certificates. No arrests have been made. Both men were serving long sentences for having sexually assaulted minors.

Between 100 and 200 inmates set fires and vandalized housing units in the 2015 riot. Inmates gained control of two of the three housing units, which included staff offices but not control centers.
LINCOLN  State prison officials Friday morning identified the two inmates who were killed in a prison disturbance the day before.

Damon Fitzgerald and Michael Galindo were killed, presumably by other inmates, after a group of 40 inmates seized control of a portion of a housing unit at the Tecumseh State Prison on Thursday afternoon.

Fitzgerald, 39, was serving 310 to 470 years for first-degree sexual assault, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, burglary and third-degree assault on a peace officer.

Galindo, 31, was serving 12 to 21 years in prison for a variety of offenses in Buffalo and Scotts Bluff Counties, including robbery, forgery and possession of a controlled substance.

Any loss of life is tragic. The TSCI staff handled the situation extremely well, which limited the incident to a small number of participants and minimal damage, said Corrections Director Scott Frakes. The publics safety was never compromised.

A relative of Galindos said Friday her family is devastated, adding that she was in frequent contact with him and had a visit scheduled with him for this Sunday. In previous conversations, he never indicated that there was bad blood between him and other inmates.

A Nebraska State Patrol official called Galindos mother about 4 a.m. Friday to inform the family. The official did not reveal how he was killed or provide any information about the investigation, said the relative, who asked that her name not be published.

Her family will explore a lawsuit, she said. But for now, they want answers and accountability.

I want to know who the hell did this, she said through tears.

Fitzgerald was sentenced in 2007 for 12 charges stemming from the rapes of two women and two attacks on corrections officers in Douglas County. At his sentencing, a prosecutor called Fitzgerald a predator, chronic menace and sociopath.

But his attorney defended him as a victim of childhood sexual abuse who bounced from foster homes to Boys Town to several clinics.

At 17, Fitzgerald, formerly known as Damon Bullion, was involved in a police chase in which he drove 100 mph and crashed a stolen vehicle, killing his 15-year-old stepbrother.

In 2005, Fitzgerald sprang from the shadows to rape two women.

In one attack, he pulled a woman to a secluded spot in an alley near 73rd and Blondo Streets and raped her.

In another, he broke into a house where an 18-year-old girl was babysitting her 2 1/2-month-old niece. Authorities said Fitzgerald asked the girl: Whos it going to be  you or the baby?

Friday morning, state lawmakers debated the staff response to Thursdays melee, the second deadly disturbance at the prison.

On the floor of the State Legislature, State Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse, whose district includes the prison, praised staff members for their quick reaction in isolating the uprising and from keeping it from threatening public safety.

Watermeier said staff has improved its response to prison disturbances since a Mothers Day 2015 riot at Tecumseh left two inmates dead and some staffers injured, and did more than $2 million in damages to the maximum-security prison.

These things can happen and they probably will happen in the future ... but its something we need to work on, the senator said.

But Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers challenged that assessment prior to the completion of an investigation into Thursdays melee. He said things have gone steadily gone downhill since Scott Frakes was hired as state corrections director 25 months ago by Gov. Pete Ricketts, whose family owns the online stock trading company, TD Ameritrade.

Ameritrade would be out of business right now if there was this much incompetency on behalf of employees, Chambers said.

Ricketts and Corrections Department officials denied that Thursdays melee was a riot.

Prison riot, as defined by the American Correctional Association, is when a significant number of inmates control a significant portion of the facility for a significant period of time.

State Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln questioned that description by Corrections officials. How can what happened yesterday be described as anything but a riot? he said.

Anytime that two individuals who are in the care of the state of Nebraska are murdered, the public safety is at risk, Morfeld said. All too often our concerns with the Department of Corrections are minimized and decisive action is not taken. ... The time for department to take action is now. ... How many more people are going to have to die before we get that message?

Thursday, about 40 inmates took over half of a housing unit for about 3  hours. The affected area can hold up to 128 inmates. After staff members abandoned their posts Thursday afternoon, several fires were set, several fights between inmates broke out and the two inmates were found dead.

Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln said the events were hideous and disturbing but not surprising, especially for lawmakers who have been involved with the committees investigating corrections over the years.

Lawmakers launched the first investigation after the World-Herald uncovered widespread mistakes in sentence calculations and Nikko Jenkins went on a killing spree following his release from prison. Pansing Brooks chaired last years oversight committee.

While some progress has been made over the last few years, she said the agency remains in crisis.

Lincoln Sen. Matt Hansen said it was unacceptable that two inmates were killed and the prison was damaged by fire.

He noted that there have been two prison disturbances, four inmates killed and an escape involving two inmates since the current prison administration took over.

This is not a trend that seems to be working, Hansen said.

But Hastings Sen. Steve Halloran said it was wrong to prejudge what happened at Tecumseh prior to an investigation.

Theres a lot of posturing going on here, he said, adding that other states have seen prison riots, too. So far all Ive heard is a lot of posturing from a lot of people who seem to think that prisons are a preschool.

The ACLU of Nebraska has threatened a lawsuit if the state doesnt take steps to relieve overcrowding.

Its become very clear in this most recent tragedy that litigation is no longer a question of if, but simply now a question of when, said Danielle Conrad, the groups executive director. We are working very hard to finalize those litigation strategies.

Conrad said the melee was yet another painful reminder that Nebraskas prison system is failing our state.

We renew our call to the Nebraska Legislature to pass meaningful reforms that are pending this session to slowly remedy the longstanding crisis in Nebraskas prison system, she said. We call on Gov. Pete Ricketts to declare an emergency and bring smart reform now.
The NRL said today that Alex Glenn's Head Injury Assessment (HIA) had been handled appropriately by the Brisbane Broncos during their Round 1 Telstra Premiership match against Cronulla Sharks.

A review of the incident found that Glenn was removed from the field about 35 seconds after his original assessment by the club trainer.

In that time he did not make any hit ups or tackles. In fact he did not come into contact with any opponent.

Glenn was involved in a head clash with a Cronulla Sharks opponent in the 36th minute.

A trainer ran on to the field to attend to him while the Broncos doctor reviewed vision of the incident at the NRL's Sideline Injury Surveillance unit.

Following the on-field assessment, the on-field trainer immediately reported to the Broncos doctor his assessment of Glenn's condition. The Broncos doctor ordered his immediate removal from play for further assessment. He was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the match.

Glenn must now undergo a review by the Broncos doctor over the next week before he can be cleared to play again.
Families can celebrate St. Patricks Day and Easter with these all-ages events, plus family-friendly arts and outdoor educational events.

A Year with the Frog and Toad

MARCH 3-17, Chicago Street Theatre, 154 W. Chicago St., Valparaiso. 219.464.1636. chicagostreet.org. Based on the storybook favorite, this family musical follows the woodland adventures of two friends  a worry-wart toad and his perky frog friend. Children of all ages will be delighted with the play's whimsical score and colorful cast of characters.

LaPorte County High School Art Competition

MARCH 3-26, Southern Shore Art Association Gallery, 724 Franklin St., Michigan City. 219.879.4980. southernshoreartassociation.com. Underwritten by the Unity Foundation, this exhibit will showcase the finest examples of LaPorte County's High School artists in a variety of media.

Maple Sugar Time

MARCH 4-5, 11-12, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Chellburg Farm, U.S. 20 and North Mineral Springs Road, Porter. 219.395.1882. nps.gov/indu. Attendees can get a sweet taste and experience the making of maple syrup at various times in history.

Runnin' with the Irish 5K

MARCH 11, 8:30 a.m. kids fun run, 9 a.m. 5K run/walk, Indiana Dunes State Park, 1600 N. CR-25 E., Chesterton. runsignup.com. With a course that travels along the roads of the state park, this annual race offers a half-mile fun run for kids and a 5K run and noncompetitive walk to benefit St. Patrick School in Chesterton.

Leprechaun Fun Run 5K Run/Walk

MARCH 11, 9 a.m., Crown Brewing, 211 S. East St., Crown Point. 219.663.4545. crownbrewing.com. This family/pet-friendly 5K fun run benefits St. Baldricks Foundation. Free beer or pop and breakfast buffet will be available to run participants.

Maple Syrup Time on the Weekends

MARCH 11-12, 18-19, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Deep River County Park, 9410 Old Lincoln Highway, Hobart. 219.769.1215. lakecountyparks.com. Attendees can experience the sticky business of making syrup from tree sap firsthand, plus see how corn is ground into cornmeal and more.

St. Baldricks Merrillville

MARCH 12, noon-4 p.m., LUOE Local 150, 2193 W. 84th Place, Merrillville. 219.440.2281. stbaldricks.org/events/nick6thannualevent. Each year the people are invited to shave their head to raise funds and give hope to infants, children, teens and young adults fighting childhood cancers. Participants who do not want to shave their heads can still raise funds, volunteer or enjoy fun activities for the whole family  including a fun fair, a DJ, auctions and more.

Sesame Street LiveMake a New Friend!

MARCH 16-19, Star Plaza Theatre, 8001 Delaware Place, Merrillville. 800.745.3000. starplazatheatre.com. Elmo, Grover, Abby Cadabby, and their Sesame Street friends welcome Chamki, Grovers friend from India. Together, they explore the universal fun of friendship and celebrate cultural similarities, from singing and dancing, to sharing cookies.

St. Patricks Day Celebration Crown Point

MARCH 17, 3-6 p.m. dinner, Crown Point City Fire Department, 126 N. East St., Crown Point. dusk parade, along Main St., downtown Crown Point. 219.662.3290. crownpoint.in.gov. The city's St. Patricks Day festivities begin with the annual corned beef and cabbage dinner, followed by the Glow Irish Run/Walk and the illuminated parade with entries that will light up the night.

Photos with the Easter Bunny

MARCH 19, 12:30-2 p.m., Northgate Park, Calumet Avenue and Harrison Place, Dyer. 219.865.1045. dyerchamberofcommerce.com. Children will have a chance to meet the Easter Bunny and have a photo taken.

Flashlight Egg Hunt

MARCH 30, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Schererville Community Center, 500 E. Joliet St., Schererville. schererville.org. Kids can use their flashlights to find prize-filled eggs that are scattered throughout the lawn of the community center. A pizza party and BINGO will follow the hunt. MARCH 21: Registration deadline.

Odd Squad Live!

MARCH 21, 6 p.m., Star Plaza Theatre, 8001 Delaware Place, Merrillville. 800.745.3000. starplazatheatre.com. Odd Squad Live! Springs into action on stage in this action-packed, laugh-out-loud adventure where kids get to participate in solving a seriously strange case.
When Mary Nielsen became the president of the Crown Point Community Foundation, she brought an enormous amount of experience with her.

It was almost enough experience to match the passion she brought to the Foundation.

During the 25 years Nielsen worked for Burrell Colour Labs, the family business started by her father, she found time to volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Bethel Church, the Chamber of Commerce, St. Jude House and Catholic Charities.

I always had a tremendous drive to volunteer. Its a great way to help others and make a difference where you live, work and play, Nielsen says. Im from Crown Point, and helping out in our community with the Foundation seemed a natural progression for me.

This years 8th Annual Volunteer Fair and Blood Drive will be the first one under Nielsens tenure. She spent a couple of months working with former president Pat Huber before she retired.

Im very excited to bring together so many nonprofit organizations to meet with our community-minded residents, she says. Its an honor to be able to see how volunteers find a perfect match with these wonderful organizations.

Nielsens business background includes marketing and sales, and she plans on using those skills to help the Community Foundation in their mission to enrich the quality of life in south Lake County and Northwest Indiana.

The Foundation originally focused on the immediate Crown Point area, she says. As the community grew, and the number of nonprofits expanded, we began to broaden our boundaries and now service all of south Lake County.

As far as the Volunteer Fair, Nielsen is very singular-minded.

Its all about how we can help these nonprofits that do so much for our communities each and every day, she says. We help many of them with grants, and we also try to bring them as much exposure as possible. The Volunteer Fair is a great way to get them out in front of the public.

To those looking to make a difference, Nielsen invites you to come out to Crown Point High School on March 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

If you want to find a place to volunteer, this is where you can learn about 90 different organizations that need you, she says. Come out and join us. Youll learn a whole new way of making your community a better place to live.
VALPARAISO  The City Council has outlined the process for the appointment of a Valparaiso Community Schools board member.

The position currently held by Jim Jorgensen expires on June 30.

Applicants must be 21 years of age and residents of Valparaiso. State statute requires the board must have at least one member from each political party. This year, party affiliation does not matter.

Application forms will be available on the citys website and at the City Hall clerk-treasurers office. Applications are due by 4 p.m. May 17 at the clerk/treasurer's office in City Hall. No online applications will be accepted.

At the April 10 City Council meeting, VCS Superintendent E. Ric Frataccia will deliver the 2017 State of the Schools Report. Members of the community are invited to share their questions, comments or concerns about the short term, long term, and/or immediate goals as set forth in the report.

In an executive session on May 17, the city council will select five applicants to be interviewed. Finalists will be notified on May 18 or 19.

Two interviews will be held prior to regularly scheduled city council meetings. In the first interview on May 22, city council members will ask questions. The public may attend, but may not participate. The second interview will be on June 26. At this meeting, applicants will be asked questions from the public following which the city council will make its selection of the new VCS board member.
MERRILLVILLE  Pat Tuttle, with the Porter County Right to Life organization, said she was ecstatic that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was the keynote speaker Thursday night for an organization she holds close to her heart: The Womens Center of Northwest Indiana.

Hes amazing. I would have voted for him as president if he had made it that far, said Tuttle, one of 855 people in attendance Thursday night at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville.

The two-time GOP primary presidential candidates speaking invitation in Northwest Indiana comes amid shifting abortion policy under President Donald Trump's new administration.

Prior to his speech, Huckabee said he supports the mission of The Womens Center  which offers adoption information, pregnancy support, and ultrasounds, among other things, to women  because the nonprofit provides not only for the child, but the mother, too.

Theyre not just saying lets save the babies. Theyre saying lets save those mothers. Ive always believed that in any abortion, there are two victims, Huckabee said.

The Womens Center, which assists women with crisis pregnancies and offers professional and medical support, first opened in 1989. Since that time, the anti-abortion organization has expanded to include locations in Crown Point, Gary, Highland, DeMotte and Valparaiso.

Though abortion numbers nationally are at historic lows, attempts to defund Planned Parenthood and reverse the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade are back in the spotlight with the Trump administration. One of Trumps first acts as president was signing an executive order that bans federal funding to foreign organizations that provide abortions.

Noting the contrast in abortion policy between Trump and former President Barack Obamas administration, Huckabee  who ran against Trump in the 2016 primaries but was later offered, then declined, a cabinet position  said hes pleased to see a government that actually believes that every life has value.

Our goal should be to elevate life, to elevate people in every spectrum of life, whether its an elderly person in a nursing home or an unborn child, Huckabee said.

Jackie Moffitt, executive director and founder for The Womens Center, said its an honor to have Huckabee signal his support for nonprofits like hers.

She said Huckabee, a long supporter of ending taxpayer-funded abortion, has been on the front lines of the anti-abortion movement for decades.

Politicians like Huckabee and Trump make her hopeful that the changing viewpoints under the new administration will give agencies like The Womens Center a safer platform to speak out.

I think before, in the last administration, we were not seen as politically correct. There were certainly opposing views, Moffitt said. The nonprofits goal is to help women make informed decisions, not to judge, she said.

Were not about judging people about what they decide to do. We just want to be there to help them to make a decision, an informed decision, Moffitt said, noting the group offers post-abortion counseling, as well, and STD testing.

With this being The Women's Center biggest fundraiser of the year, Huckabee urged donors to support the mission by donating to the cause.

If you were driving down the highway and there was an accident and you knew you could stop and save a life, would you do it? Of course we would. If someone was drowning in a pool and you could help save a life. Of course, Huckabee said. Its a greatest feeling in the world to save a life. What these folks are being asked tonight is to ask save lives.
LAPORTE  A convicted child killer and molester was granted his request Thursday to be tried outside LaPorte County on a separate charge because of extensive news coverage.

Richard Dobeski is charged with not registering his address as a sex offender.

Dobeski, 69, appeared with his attorney, James Macalka, for a hearing in LaPorte Circuit Court on his motion for a change of venue.

Judge Tom Alevizos agreed to have the case tried in another county.

Alevizos gave the defense and prosecution seven days to agree where they want to have the trial or the decision will be made by LaPorte County Clerk Kathy Chroback.

Dobeski has been living at a downtown Indianapolis homeless shelter for men since his Jan. 30 release from the LaPorte County Jail.

His residence, according to the Marion County sex offender registry, is the Wheeler Mission Shelter for Men.

In 2015, he was released from New Castle Correctional Facility after completing his sentence for the 2007 molestation of a Westville boy and later a parole violation.

On his release papers, the LaPorte County Jail was listed as his address, but he never showed up. That's why charges of failing to register were filed against him in LaPorte County.

A week later, he was homeless when arrested at a library in Indianapolis on a charge of failing to register in Marion County within the required seven days.

Dobeski's conviction in Marion County, though, was later overturned by the Indiana Court of Appeals, which ruled his arrest happened 10 hours prior to the deadline to register.

Dobeski has already served enough time that he would remain free even if convicted of the level 6 felony offense he's facing in LaPorte County according to court documents.

But LaPorte County Prosecutor John Espar said the trial is still relevant because a conviction would mean Dobeski, if ever arrested again for the same violation, would face a level 5 felony offense, carrying a maximum sentence of six years.

"Subsequent crimes of the same kind are elevated in seriousness if there's a previous conviction," Espar said.
GARY  A 33-year-old Gary man who pleaded guilty three months ago for firing a handgun at officers in 2014 during a drug raid is back in police custody on drug dealing charges, according to a Lake County court probable cause affidavit.

Two fully loaded weapons  an AR-15 rifle with an attached laser and a Glock 23 handgun with two magazines  were among the items recovered during a search warrant in the 5200 block of Broadway Street in Gary Tuesday.

Dwayne Allen Gunn, of Gary, faces charges of dealing in cocaine, a level 2 felony, cocaine possession, a level 3 felony, and marijuana possession, a class B misdemeanor after coming in contact Tuesday with police at an apartment building, court records show.

Court records show Gunn was on electronic home monitoring at the time of the alleged offense.

At about 11:30 a.m., a Lake County sheriff's deputy trying to locate another person of interest in a civil matter walked past several apartment doors on the first floor when he noticed a "strong odor of unburnt marijuana."The smell was "so strong" that the officer believed the unit may contain a marijuana grow operation, court records stated.

The apartment windows were covered "and the cracks within the windows were filled with newspaper," the officer said in the affidavit. When the officer knocked, a man, later identified as Gunn, opened the door halfway, limiting the officer's view of the inside, court records show.

When the officer asked Gunn to step out of the apartment to speak with him, Gunn said he would "get the other guy," and slammed the door. The officer could then hear rummaging through the apartment, the opening and closing what I believed to be drawers and cabinets, records show.

"Nobody's here, nobody's here!" Gunn told police after being ordered to open the door, according to court records.

Fearing Gunn was destroying evidence, the officer forced his way into the apartment. Once inside, Gunn was taken into custody. The officer said he then "conducted a protective sweep" for any additional people but found no one.

During the sweep, the officer saw a plastic bag containing a off-white powdery substance believed to be suspected cocaine, and several plastic bags, a digital scale and two spoons burnt on each end. Suspected marijuana was also found in the apartment, records show.

The officer then contacted the Lake County Drug Task Force to request a search warrant. Seized in the search were the two weapons, along with about 170 grams of cocaine, 112 grams of marijuana, $22,445 in cash, 2 digital scales with white powder residue that tested positive for cocaine, two cellphones and "numerous items" related to the distribution packing material.

Gunn pleaded guilty in December to two counts of attempted battery, a class C felony. He was alleged to have fired a gun Feb. 4, at members of the Gary Police Department SWAT team when officers served a search warrant on the 5000 block of Virginia Street.
GARY  Police secured charges Thursday against an 18-year-old in connection with a Dec. 14 attempted armed robbery in the 3600 block of Van Buren Street.

Jaron Johnson, of Gary, is accused of shooting all three men in a robbery attempt inside the residence before fleeing the area, according to Gary police Lt. Dawn Westerfield.

Johnson, who is in police custody in Cook County, Illinois, on unrelated charges, faces three counts each of attempted murder, battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of attempted armed robbery resulting in serious bodily injury.

Anyone with information about this incident or other activity by Johnson is urged to contact Detective Sgt. Gregory Wolf at 219-881-1210 or the Crime Tip Line. To remain anonymous, call the 866-CRIME-GP.
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MERRILLVILLE  Two proposed restaurants have support from town officials.

The Town Council and Board of Zoning Appeals have approved special exceptions sought for the Breakfast Society and Smoothie King establishments.

Representatives for the Breakfast Society said they want to open as soon as possible at 7600 Broadway. The Smoothie King will occupy one unit in a building at 8180 Mississippi St.

Merrillville Building Director Sheila Shine said the space the Breakfast Society will occupy was previously used for a family restaurant.

Shine said it will have 94 seats for customers. Representatives for the project said the restaurant will have a typical breakfast and lunch menu.

The business is expected to employ seven to eight people.

Councilman Shawn Pettit said addressing vacant buildings on Broadway is a top priority, and he's glad to see a new restaurant open there.

You moving in is extremely exciting, Pettit said.

The Smoothie King franchise will occupy a center unit in a three-tenant facility on Mississippi Street.

That building currently has a Jimmy John's location in one of the units. It isn't yet certain what will occupy the third space available there, said Parth Patel, the owner of the building.

Shine said Smoothie King will offer a variety of fruit-based smoothies, protein bars, granola and other items.

She said the establishment will primarily be a carry-out business, and there will be a couple of seats there for customers. The Smoothie King location won't have a drive-through.

Shine said the business will employ two to three people.
VALPARAISO  A 58-year-old man with dementia, who had been missing overnight, was found alive Friday morning lying in a field near Silhavy Road and Chicago Street, according to police.

James Schneider was treated at the scene and taken to Porter Regional Hospital, police said.

The man was spotted at 7:20 a.m. by a person walking her dog.

Schneider, of the 2300 block of Chicago Street, was last seen about 7:30 p.m. Thursday, police said. Police and family had been searching throughout the night for him.

A K-9 tracked Schneider to the Valparaiso University campus area, but was unable to locate him, police said.
Focus, civility and a message of unity characterized President Donald Trump's Tuesday address to Congress and the American people.

It was a refreshing tone emerging from an often toxic national political stage, and we all should be able to take a measure of comfort from Trump's words and delivery.

His message of unity should resonate, not just in national politics but also here in Northwest Indiana.

In particular, our Region could benefit from Trumps challenge to vehemently ask for things that improve our economic and social structure  to dream big rather than treating ambitious goals like impossibilities.

Trump opened his speech by commemorating Black History Month as a time to "condemn hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms."

He implored our divided nation to continue finding ways of unifying under common purpose, and he stayed on point while doing so.

There were no tones of sarcasm, incivility or division.

"True love for our people requires us to find common ground," Trump said.

We couldn't agree more. Trump's address, and the calm and focused way he delivered it, contained the types of words our nation has thirsted for since the end of the most divisive presidential race in recent memory.

To be sure, there are many things upon which opponents of Trump will continue to disagree.

While many people aren't happy with the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, championed by the previous president, many other folks have found real benefit in its first attempt at universal health coverage for Americans.

But Trump wasn't talking Tuesday night about putting Obamacare to the torch.

Americans on both sides should find some comfort in his desire to improve the nation's health-care plan, for instance, by continuing to require coverage of pre-existing conditions and providing a "stable transition" of health insurance coverage from the existing plan to any new plans proposed.

The list of other ideas and policies upon which reasonable Americans can differ may be a long one. We haven't always agreed with the president's stances or rhetoric.

But civility and respect must rule the day, and Trump demonstrated both Tuesday.

He also noted that a strong economy, clean environment, quality education and other building blocks of a successful nation aren't mutually exclusive.

Improving our society in these and other arenas are "not too much to ask," he said.

Our Region, which in the past has struggled with political turf wars and resistance to economic and social evolution, would do well to take those words to heart.
Northwest Indiana first responders are invited to a training for a program that aims to prevent infant sleep deaths.

The Direct On-Scene Education, or DOSE, program trains police officers, firefighters and emergency medical specialists to be on the lookout for unsafe infant sleep conditions when responding to calls. Babies who don't sleep alone, on their backs and in a crib (the "ABCs" of safe sleep) are at a higher risk of suffocation or strangulation, public health experts say.

On Monday, DOSE representatives will be in St. John and Crown Point for the "train-the-trainers" event. Agency officials can then take the information back to their own departments to train their staffs.

Participating agencies are eligible to receive portable cribs and infant safe sleep books to distribute to parents while on calls.

DOSE was developed by Capt. James Carroll, of Fort Lauderdale (Florida) Fire Rescue. His area has reportedly seen a reduction in infant sleep deaths since the program was implemented in 2012.

Indiana has the eighth-highest infant mortality rate in the nation. Accidental suffocation or strangulation during sleep is the third-leading cause of infant death in the state.

The trainings will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Monday at the St. John Fire Department, 11033 W. 93rd Ave., and from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Crown Point Fire Department, 126 N. East St.
VALPARAISO  Janice Phillips was working at a community health center on the West Side of Chicago in the 1980s when she faced a conundrum.

The clinic offered free mammograms, yet many women in the neighborhood weren't getting them. Instead, they were dying from breast cancer at alarming rates.

"Here we have a clinic in the center of the community. We're saying to women, 'If you can't afford to come, we'll still take care of things. We will link you to treatment services. We will even go with you to make sure you receive your care,'" she said. "I became very curious as to why people weren't banging down the doors to be screened for cancer."

She entered a doctoral program in public health nursing, researching why middle- to low-income black women weren't getting tested. Some of the reasons: past negative medical experiences, knowing people who died from cancer, a general fear of the disease.

She later entered academia, which brought her back to Chicago in 2005. "The breast cancer outcomes of black women in the city of Chicago had not changed in all those years I was gone," she said.

She decided to gather stakeholders, including breast cancer survivors, and lobbied for legislation in Illinois' state capital. The result was the 2008 Reducing Breast Cancer Disparities Act, which improved access, navigation, cost and quality standards for breast cancer screening.

Phillips told this story last week at Valparaiso University, as part of the school's Pathways to Purpose speaker series, to illustrate the importance of policy in shaping the nation's health.

"I'd like to advocate that all of us who are in health care particularly should be (studying) health policy," said Phillips, who is now the director of government and regulatory affairs at the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, a licensing agency in Philadelphia. "We need to stick our necks out a little bit, get out of our comfort zones."

Her talk came at a time when federal lawmakers are discussing plans to reshape the nation's health care system, just seven years after the Affordable Care Act did the same thing. Republicans in the White House, Senate and House have vowed to repeal and replace the law, also known as Obamacare.

Phillips recalled an early job, working in the emergency room at the University of Chicago hospital. Every day, she would pass a sign indicating the center was funded by the Hill-Burton Act.

At the time, she had no idea what that meant. She later learned the 1946 law gave hospitals funds for construction in exchange for caring for the poor.

"I didn't have an appreciation that someone had to lobby and advocate for the resources I had to provide to my patients," she said.

Several years ago, she decided to take a more direct role in shaping health policy. She applied for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's health policy fellowship, and was accepted, serving in the office of then-U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.V. She worked on such topics as the Affordable Care Act and prescription drug abuse.

Phillips said everyday people can get involved by talking to their representatives, publishing articles and joining community organizations that affect health policy.

"Some of the major advancements that we see in the advocacy arena start with people just like us in this room, grassroots individuals," she said. "If you trace the history of the breast cancer movement, it started with a group of women, some of them survivors, who became very passionate about the whole issue of breast cancer screening and unequal breast cancer treatment."

"Seize the opportunity to advance the future of health care through advocacy and political activism," she said.
Standing up for kids on Childrens Day

NZEI Te Rui Roa members will be out in force around the country to celebrate Childrens Day on Sunday, while also sending a message to government that treasuring children has to be more than empty platitudes.NZEI will have a presence at many local events , promoting our Every Child is Worth It campaign to restore funding for quality ECE.NZEI President Lynda Stuart said the governments own figures showed that annual per-child funding in ECE has dropped by more than $500 since 2009/10.Our members are calling on the Government to show that they truly value children by ending the ECE funding freeze so every child has access to a quality early education and 100% qualified teachers. And were asking parents and the wider community to join us in making quality education an election issue, she said.NZEI stands at Childrens Day events will have art activities for children and information about the Every Child is Worth It campaign and simple ways to get involved.Our children are our national taonga. We cant celebrate children without also standing up for them and ensuring they get the best possible start in life, said Ms Stuart.
The state wants to fix a crumbling road that leads into San Onofre State Park, but the Surfrider Foundation opposes the plan because surfers fear the upgrade could change the areas famed waves and lead to long-term erosion.

Last month, as erosion damaged parts of San Onofre, the state filed an emergency permit with the California Coastal Commission that outlined a plan to use rocks and boulders to reinforce roughly 900 feet of dirt road near the beach entrance. The road that lets beach lovers get to the highly-desirable stretch of sand between San Clemente and San Diego has been shut down more days than its been open this winter because of instability, especially after big storms.

Officials described the rock part of their plan as an emergency, temporary solution to creating a more stable road. The renovation would include two layers of foundation, with as much as 10 tons of rocks and boulders according to a Coastal Commission report.

But Surfrider scientists say that plan could fundamentally alter the size of the beach and, over time, change the areas smooth, ridable waves.

Its not a good change, said Rick Wilson, senior staff scientist for the San Clemente-based organization.

Look at all the alternatives, he added. Dont jump into something that is going to change the beach forever.

The commission approved the plan, with a condition that the rocks be removed by Nov. 1, according to the report.

The project is set to start in 2-to 3 weeks, with completion expected in June, according to Todd Lewis, superintendent for Orange Coast District with State Parks.

Surfrider Foundation this week published an article questioning the wisdom of that short-term solution.

Were just a little concerned the State Parks is going to come in and drop a bunch of rocks there to keep the entrance open, which is a noble goal, Wilson said.

The problem is, once you start dropping rocks, it leads to more rocks and more rocks. Whether its sooner or later, its liable to affect the width of the beach and amount of sand there.

Adding the rocks will cause passive erosion, meaning the shore will erode toward any hard structure, according to the Surfrider article. That, in turn, could shrink the beach profile and wipe out the shallow water that create that areas breaking waves.

Further, theres a loss of beach because bluffs no longer contribute sand to the area.

Wilson said the rocks could also cause a high-tide backwash. That, too, could affect some of the left-breaking waves at a popular break known as the Point near the beach entrance.

What weve found, nationwide, you armor the coast, you stop the natural movement of the beach and you end up with less beach, and at high tide, a backwash affects the surf, Wilson said.

The Surfrider Foundation article calls for long-term solutions, including altering the bluff in order to shift the road further inland, relocating the parking lot to the top of the bluff, or using sand and cobblestones for soft armoring alternatives.

We need to start looking 5, 10, 20 years down the road, Wilson said.

While there are plans to remove the rocks in November, the possibility remains that at that point (it) may be deemed too expensive, which means the public will be stuck with a temporary solution made permanent problem, the report reads.

Surfrider plans to formulate an alternative plan.

Its a difficult problem, and unfortunately its a problem that I think is going to be turning up more and more with climate change and sea-level rise, Wilson said. Ive surfed San Onofre more than 40 years, I want to keep that open as much as anybody.

San Onofre surf beachs storied history dates to the early 1900s. In 1925, anglers drawn to a fish camp popularized the area already known as San Onofre to as a camping destination.

In the 30s, early surfers were stoked to find San Onofres long, gentle waves that rivaled Waikiki, Hawaiis popular surf spot in Honolulu. Boards were big and heavy and clunky in those days, and the gentle, sloping breaks at San Onofre were perfect for the surfers of the era.

The area became so popular among surfers that the fish camp changed its name, becoming the mainlands first surfing camp.

After World War II, and a sale of the land to the Marine Corps, people returned to surf, fish and camp. Though that violated the law, Camp Pendleton leaders did not aggressively enforce it.

Soon, however, San Onofre became too popular as a party destination, prompting leadership at Camp Pendleton to consider shutting the beach.

The San Onofre Surf Club started in 1952, becoming the unofficial caretaker and allowing only club members access to the beach. In exchange, the club maintained the property.

San Onofre Surfing Club member Don Craig, whose father was a founding member, said the current erosion problem is the worst hes ever seen.

Last year, an area at the south end known as Dog Patch crumbled from erosion, taking with it about 100 parking spots. A 30-foot wind indicator made by surfers that had survived for several decades toppled over after it was battered by high tides and strong surf.

This year, the entry road is so unstable that recreational vehicles are temporarily prohibited from entering. Rains caused a small landslide from the cliff near the south end of the beach, and the sand is nearly gone from the base of a man-made, iconic wooden fort.

But theres hope. The rains also push sand from creeks back to the beach, and Craig noticed recently that the beach is starting to come back.

Craig said hes less worried about what the rocks will do to the small stretch of beach than he is about the bigger picture of using San Onofre.

If we dont do something about it, he said, we wont have access.

Contact the writer: lconnelly@scng.com
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals dilemma can be resolved. DACA postpones deportation for two years to children of undocumented immigrants who entered our country as minors. To be eligible for DACA, individuals are required to be enrolled in, or have completed higher education or college. They are then granted permission to work and stay in our country.

Without a requirement for DACA enrollees to either become permanent residents or U.S. citizens, a huge backlog of DACA applicants were created. Today, there are approximately 750,000 DACA individuals in the U.S., 500,000 of which are in California  38 percent of the students at Santa Ana College are DACA students.

Many of our DACA students at Santa Ana College have expressed their concern about what they have heard from, and what they have heard about, Donald Trump. Now that he is our president, much of the concern of our DACA students has turned into anxiety and trepidation because the issue of their fate has been sensationalized by the media and immigration groups on both sides of the issue.

I was recently in Washington, D.C., and I spoke to Orange County House of Representatives members Lou Correa, Ed Royce and Mimi Walters, as well as speaking to Sen. Dianne Feinstein and the office of Sen. Kamala Harris. They all expressed an eagerness and determination to develop a policy on what to do about DACA students. They all wanted to gain a greater understanding of the problem and how to practically resolve it. I believe the Trump administration seeks the same. After studying this issue, the problem was apparent, and so was an equitable solution.

The dilemma that we face is one of fear and perception. Under DACA, individuals divulge their place of residence, and thereby, the residency of their parents that are here illegally. The fear of deportation of family members by those in DACA is heightened by the misguided perception that the Trump administration will take action against those family members. President Trump has said that he has no intention of breaking up families and that he supports DACA. Any changes to DACA must allay the fear and perception that it will be used by the current administration to break up families while establishing a provision to deal with the 11 million undocumented immigrants in our nation.

Americans are a generous people, but we also demand justice. We cant deport 11 million people from our country, its impractical and would be seen as cruel. It also makes little sense to allow criminal alien felons to remain here. We can use DACA to help us identify the type of immigrant that we desire and screen for those that we dont. Those that apply for DACA are by definition either college students, working or both. They likely come from families that espouse these same values. Values of work and education is what we would expect of immigrants to our country.

I propose two new policies or changes be made to current DACA provisions. First, to support President Trumps desire to keep families united, the parents of DACA individuals should be granted the same deferred action from deportation while, secondly, also requiring all protected under DACA to apply for permanent residency.

Green card holders are granted permission to live and work in our country, but they are not U.S. citizens. Green card holders are not entitled to many of the social support programs available to U.S. citizens and they are not allowed to vote because they remain citizens of other countries. They may still choose to apply to become U.S. citizens by using the processes that we use today, so there is no preferential treatment.

This would then allow us to properly screen these individuals, and their parents, through the same immigration standards that we use today. This will reduce the number of those in our country that lack proper documentation while screening for undesirable felons. Families would be held intact, the fear of deportation would be removed, the immigration process would be upheld and an orderly process to begin to reduce the 11 million here without documentation would begin.

Additional support should be given to the Immigration and Naturalization Service to help manage the existing backlog of applications and the additional applications that would be created. Greater border security would also be needed to avoid the problems that we experienced in the Immigration Reform Act of 1986.

Americans are a generous people. We granted U.S. citizenship to 730,000 in 2015 and over 6.6 million in the past 10 years. We need to start a fair process to deal with the 11 million in our country now without documentation. DACA can be used as a vehicle to protect students, identify those that espouse values that we all uphold while properly screening for those felons that should not be allowed to stay in our country. Granting DACA protections to parents while requiring that all under DACA apply for permanent U.S. residency can help those that want to achieve the American dream, as well as those that want to preserve it.

Phillip Yarbrough is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Rancho Santiago Community College District.
The Fullerton School District has agreed to pay $4.5 million to settle lawsuits filed by the families of five boys concerning allegations of sexual molestation by an eighth-grade teacher, officials said Thursday.

The largest settlement, $3.25 million, was reached with the families of three boys, and a second settlement of $1.25 million went to the families of two other boys, said Susan Hume, the districts assistant superintendent for business. Both settlements were made in January.

Melissa Nicole Lindgren, a former math teacher at Nicolas Junior High School, pleaded guilty in October 2015 to three felony counts of lewd acts on a child age 14 or 15 and was sentenced to more than four years in state prison.

Lindgren, 29 at the time, originally faced 10 felony counts, including distributing pornography to a minor after texting, among other things, graphic photos of her vagina and breasts.

The settlements close out a case that at one point brought out a standing-room-only crowd of 500-plus parents demanding answers at a school-organized forum.

In this case, everything that happened with her, we responded very quickly, appropriately and with the allowable transparency we could, Hume said.

John Manly, an attorney who represented the families of three of the students, disagreed, saying the Fullerton School District has been about as transparent as the Catholic Church has been about priest abuse.

 They had all kinds of warning signs, red lights, said Manly, whose clients include two of the children involved in the criminal case.

Bob Pletka, the districts superintendent, said the case has spurred increased awareness, training on risky behaviors and a new assessment during hiring that looks at and measures good judgment.

The case also highlighted that theres no certain profile for child molesters, Pletka said. Melissa was a popular young lady  not what one would think fits a stereotype of a child molester.

The school district will end up paying $50,000 of the settlement money, Hume said. The remainder was covered by the districts insurance company.

Staff writer Kelly Puente contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7829 or rkopetman@scng.com
TUSTIN  A male driver was killed Tuesday when his car struck a light pole and a tree, police said.

Around 10:30 p.m., a black Honda Accord was involved in a minor traffic collision with another vehicle at El Camino Real and Newport Avenue, said Tustin police Lt. Robert Wright. The Accord then went eastbound on El Camino Real at a high rate of speed, he said.

As the Accord reached El Camino Real and Red Hill Avenue, the driver hit a curb and traveled eastbound. The car drove over a curb in front of a Mobil gas station, struck the base of a light pole, careened into the parking lot and hit a tree, said Wright.

Witnesses ran to the vehicle and gave medical aid to the injured driver. Police and firefighters who arrived continued lifesaving measures, but the driver, who has not been identified, died at Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana.

The crash remains under investigation.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7767 sschwebke@scng.com Twitter: @thechalkoutline
Americans are deeply divided on many issues, but one issue that continues to unite us is a deep concern about economic security in retirement. A research report just released by the National Institute on Retirement Security found that 88 percent of Americans believe our nation faces a retirement crisis and 77 percent of Americans agree that the disappearance of pensions is killing the American dream. And these findings reflect levels of concern that remain high regardless of gender, income, age or party affiliation.

My lifes work is standing with social workers, public health nurses, clerical, custodial and other public workers whose pensions will average less than $3,000 a month, so these findings make it even more puzzling why a group of ultra-conservative, mostly multi-millionaires have made it their mission to destroy retirement security for workers.

These self-branded reformers have claimed in the pages of this paper they want simple pension reform, but they dont offer any options that would improve the system. Instead, the proposals they make would all have one common outcome  the destruction of the pension system and the elimination of secure retirements for public workers. They have even promoted initiatives that would take away death and disability benefits from the families of deceased police officers and firefighters.

Their strategy is to pit public workers against private workers and drive people into 401(k)-style plans that have proven to be a failure as the basis of a secure retirement.

Unlike these reformers whose goal is to destroy pension systems, public workers recognize the need for solvent and secure retirement funds. We support responsible approaches to reducing unfunded liabilities over time and hundreds of labor organizations statewide have bargained contracts that increase employee contributions and reduce pension benefits and costs. The vast majority of public workers dont receive Social Security  so a healthy, fair and sustainable pension system is critical.

The pension changes signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown were projected to save $85 billion over 30 years, and according to CalPERS these savings are being achieved at an even faster rate than projected. California public workers are now required to pay 50 percent of the normal cost of pensions, and are paying sometimes more than 20 percent of their salaries directly into their pension programs in Orange County. The law also capped pension benefits and eliminated pension spiking.

Every Californian deserves a solid and secure retirement, from peace officers to tech workers, bus drivers to nurses, public workers to private sector employees. Workers in the private sector should be especially alert and wary. They were sold a bill of goods when their pensions were eliminated in favor of 401(k) plans, a move the originators of 401(k) plans now say they regret.

Wall Street, where extraordinary recklessness seriously undermined pension solvency, would be happy to continue down a path toward decreasing retirement security and increasing fees for brokers and bankers. The question is, who will foot the bill for the millions of workers who will be unable to retire with dignity or security? Every worker deserves a livable pension and health benefit. Legitimate, well-intentioned pension reform advocates should be committed to avoiding the mistakes and pay more attention to the overwhelming majority of Americans who view pensions as a necessary component in the effort to preserve the American dream.

Jennifer Muir Beuthin is general manager of the Orange County Employees Association.
LOS ANGELES  Aiming to quell a rash of violence plaguing a South Los Angeles community, police officers raided more than a dozen homes Thursday and seized an array of high-powered rifles, ballistic armor, handguns and more than $50,000 worth of drugs.

Fifteen members of the Los Angeles-based Black P. Stone street gang were arrested during the early morning raids, police said. Officers found nearly a dozen long guns, including assault rifles, along with ballistic vests with heavy trauma plates and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. They also seized more than two kilograms of cocaine, as well as PCP and marijuana they believe was being sold in a 30-block area in the southwestern portion of Los Angeles.

This is going to be a very significant hit to the gang, Los Angeles police captain Darnell Davenport said. These are not every day weapons. These people are heavily armed.

A two-month investigation, spurred by an uptick in crime in the area, began when undercover officers started buying marijuana, cocaine, PCP and methamphetamine, said Officer James Moon, the cases lead investigator. Police later developed information that led them to the 12 single-family homes that were raided.

You have great individuals who live in this area and work in this neighborhood and they live in fear every day because of this gang, Moon said. There is no doubt in my mind these guns were being sold and being used in robberies, shootings and burglaries.

The highest-ranking gang member arrested in Thursdays raids was Michael Bodie, 30, who went by the street name Tank, and is in charge of the gangs operations in the area, Moon said. It was unclear if Bodie had an attorney who could comment on the allegations.

The gang, which originated in Chicago in the 1960s, is believed to have about 250 active members in Los Angeles, Davenport said. Police suspect the gang is responsible for five homicides, nearly two dozen sexual assaults and 167 robberies that were committed in Los Angeles last year. It was unclear how many of those cases were solved and police said none of the 15 people arrested Thursday had been charged in connection with those crimes.
Young Kims announcement last month that shed run for county supervisor in 2018 was a surprise because observers on both sides of the aisle expected her to mount a strong challenge Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silvas 2018 reelection bid.

Kims decision makes her the frontrunner for the supervisors seat being vacated by termed-out Shawn Nelson, and could make Quirk-Silvas reelection bid easier.

Quirk-Silva, a Fullerton Democrat, was first elected to the seat in 2012 when she upset Republican incumbent Chris Norby. Kim, a Republican, then beat Quirk-Silva in 2014  and Quirk-Silva returned the favor last year, winning the seat back and helping Democrats gain a two-third supermajority in the lower chamber.

Kim has been seen as a strong 2018 contender in the ping-pong lineage of the seat, particularly given that Republicans have won it the last two non-presidential elections  elections during which Democratic voter turnout typically lags.

Assemblywoman Young Kim would have been a great candidate to challenge Sharon Quirk-Silva, said Fred Whitaker, chairman of the county GOP. She had beaten Quirk-Silva once before and left nothing on the table in this last race.

But the Assembly district is rapidly changing. Once a Republican stronghold, Democrats pulled even in 2012 and now hold the edge in voter registration, 40-percent to 32-percent.

And while Kim raised an impressive $2.9 million for last years race, the Democrats huge numerical advantage statewide translates into cash. Quirk-Silva raised $4.1 million.

Whitaker declined to speculate on possible Republican candidates for 2018. I asked Jodi Balma, a political scientist at Fullerton College who follows the areas politics, if she thought the county GOP was waving the white flag for that district.

Whether the party is giving up the seat remains to be seen, she said. We need to see the caliber of candidate they field and how much money they spend.

Supervisor candidates

Democrats also have a 40-percent to 32-percent voter registration advantage in the Board of Supervisors Fourth District, where Kim is running.

But Kim could have an easier time there than the Assembly district for several reasons: There is no incumbent and the Democrats mentioned so far as possible candidates lack Kims name recognition. Also, Republicans tend to do better in non-partisan races in Democratic districts than they do in partisan races in those districts.

The supervisors race is officially non-partisan, but the parties are active in getting their candidates elected.

Republican voters are more likely to pick up on the subtle queues that there is a Republican running, like endorsements from the the Chamber of Commerce, Balma said.

Beside Kim, those to open campaign accounts so far are Tim Shaw, a GOP councilman from La Habra, and Cynthia Aguirre, a Democratic La Habra school board member.

Other Republicans mentioned as possible candidates include Fullerton Councilwoman Jennifer Fitzgerald, Fullerton Mayor Bruce Whitaker and Anaheim Councilwoman Lucille Kring. Other Democrats are La Habra Mayor Rose Espinoza, former Brea City Councilman Brett Murdock and Joe Kerr, former president of the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association.

If she makes it to the Board of Supervisors, Kim would likely find herself alongside four other Republicans. That means fellow elected officials more receptive to GOP ideas than in Sacramento, where Democrats control the agenda.

Kim said that calculus is not her motivation.

The partisan makeup has nothing to do with my decision, she said. With all the challenges in Sacramento, more and more of the issues that affect Orange County require local solutions.

Rohrabacher and Abramoff

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher continues to attract the attention of the national press for his unlikely meetings (including French ultra-conservative Marine Le Pen) and defenses of controversial figures (Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump).

This past week, Politico detailed Rohrabachers foreign affairs efforts on behalf of disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who spent 3  years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials before being released in 2010.

After the November election, Abramoff reached out to longtime friend Rohrabacher to help win U.S. support for an African alliance to defeat the Boko Haram terrorist group, according to Politico.

On behalf of unidentified European friends, Abramoff also asked the Costa Mesa Republican if he could get a meeting for Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso with then President-elect Donald Trump.

Sassou Nguesso had expressed a willingness to participate in an alliance, according to Politico. Additionally, Abramoffs friends were believed to have financial investments in Congo, the report said.

Jack comes to me and says, We have a chance at putting togeher something to get rid of this group thats murdering all these Christians in Africa, Rohrabacher told Politico. Would you be interested in following through on this? I said, of course I was.

Rohrabacher traveled to Congo in February and met with Sassou Nguesso. The congressman said he would pass along his request for a meeting with Trump. He also defended Abramoff, whom Politico described as politically toxic in Washington for more than a decade.

I have a very open relationship with Jack Abramoff, Rohrabacher told the news site. This is not Al Capone. He got, how do you say, overwhelmed in the political system. And he had some bad judgments. But as the same time, Jack is a very idealistic person and I will say hes a patriot.

Politico also reported that Abramoffs brother, Robert Abramoff, once paid Rohrabacher $10,000 to option a screenplay called Baja that the congressman wrote in 1989. A film has not been produced.
Over the last half of 2016, Madeleine Spencer started noticing the signs as she went about her work at the Santa Ana Business Council.

The founder of the Los Angeles Lit Crawl, which brings together writers and readers in a cluster of venues in North Hollywood, called her up to see if there might be interest in doing the same in downtown Santa Ana. Then a writer on the citys arts commission excitedly endorsed that idea.

The the school district put money into a plan to cultivate the literary arts around that time, Spencer said, and when a group of paralegals held a big meeting in the downtown Santa Ana arts district she met one of its members, a writer who also hosts a podcast on women writers, and they started kicking around the idea, too.

By the time a journalist working on a piece on the state of the literary arts in Orange County contacted Spencer in the fall all of these disparate threads of plot and character were poised to come together. An ad hoc committee met. A plan was hatched.

And on Saturday, the first-hopefully-annual Boca de Oro  Mouth of Gold  Arts and Literary Fringe Festival will take place with more than 100 novelists, poets, short-story writers, and advocates of literature on panels held in 15 or more locations clustered in downtown Santa Ana.

Were always looking for things that have buzz, Spencer said of the business council, though the statement could stand for lovers of art and literature, too. Those were the shaping figures, or voices, that made me go, OK, I think theres some buzz here. Theres enough here.

On Saturday, she and the other organizers hope youll come downtown between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. and check events that include an open mic poetry reading at the Gypsy Den restaurant, panels on incarceration and the arts at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, readings by the authors of the brand-new anthology Orange County: A Literary Field Guide and many more.

Its all free except for a concert by Perla Batalla, who for years sang backing vocals with the late Leonard Cohen, and who on Saturday will perform his songs in English and Spanish and share stories about this most literary songwriter. The monthly downtown Santa Ana Artwalk will be happening at the same time. Some of the venues will have food and drink for sale.

And perhaps best of all, you can celebrate what organizers hope will signal a new chapter in the emergence of Orange County as a center of literature, writing, reading and community.

Ive always had the belief that Orange County produces more artists, more writers, more performers than anyplace else in the country, says Kevin Staniec, an arts advocate, author and publisher whose soon-to-open 1888 Center in Orange will be the countys first literary arts center. I believe that theres so much happening in Orange County, and sometimes all we need is a thread to pull us all together.

Boca de Oro is one of those things, says Staniec, who will take part in a panel called Cultural Revolution: Supporting Community With Creativity, alongside Logan Crow, director of the Frida Cinema, and Ryan Gattis, a novelist who teaches at Chapman University and is on the 1888 Center board.

Conrad Romo is the Los Angeles Lit Crawl founder who contacted Spencer, and in addition to that annual event and his own poetry and short stories, hes run Tongue and Groove, a monthly celebration of writing and music, for 13 years, mostly in L.A. but in recent years occasionally in Orange County, too.

I think there are a number of people who are interested in the literary arts, Romo says. My feeling is that they would be kind of hungry for something like this.

Hes excited that Boca de Oro has a little bit from practically every genre on offer, from literary novelists to science fiction writers, poets to programs for youth.

Theres different factions, Romo says of the way literature and literary events often divide along sharp lines. Some people like poetry and others like storytelling and sometimes those crowds dont mix. So were hoping there might be some cross-pollination.

I like kind of taking the chance of just popping into a few different readings and the fact that everythings going to be in close proximity, he says. That kind of opens it up. One could kind of go 15 minutes at one and 20 minutes at another. Thats perfectly fine.
Most fans have heard that Logan, Foxs third spinoff movie featuring Wolverine, is supposedly Hugh Jackmans final appearance as the most popular X-Man of all. But what about Professor X, the wheelchair-bound leader of the mutant hero group who has long been a father figure to the semi-immortal, rage-fueled slasher? That other series stalwart, Patrick Stewart, whos played the older version of the powerful telepath in six previous movies, is the only major franchise mainstay to share the screen with Jackman in Logan.

And much as this second R-rated, ultrabrutal X movie (Deadpool, though kind of its own thing, counts as the first R of Foxs Marvel mutant properties) feels like a Wolverine send-off, Professor Xaviers fate seems decided in it as well.

But dont be so sure about that, Stewart cautions.

I cannot say, the 76-year-old English Shakespearean says of whether well see him as Charles again. Its entirely out of my control. It lies in the hands of Marvel and Fox. And you will understand, I have already been vaporized three movies ago! I mean, Jean Grey, she just fragmented me. Ive got to tell you, that was an uncomfortable experience. But here I am, still upright, speaking full sentences and apparently not vaporized at all.

Well, not entirely the case, at least at the start of Logan, which takes its name from Wolverines alter ego. The film is set in 2029, after most mutants have apparently died and new ones havent emerged for a decade. Logan long ago chucked the costume and is working on the down-low as a limousine driver in El Paso, Texas. Its taking a lot longer for his body to heal from wounds these days, and those adamantium claws arent popping out with the alacrity that they used to.

Thats nothing, though, compared to whats happened to the aged Xavier. Suffering from brain seizures and intermittent dementia, hes losing control of his formidable psychic powers and has become a threat to mere Homo sapiens. Logan keeps the professor at a remote, abandoned smelter in the Mexican desert and tries to bring his mentor enough medicine to keep him harmless and lucid.

I realized that there was something quite unexpected going on in this movie, Stewart says, about his first reading of the Logan script. It was so bizarre and unexpected and inexplicable that I was immediately grabbed. For me, over the years, diversity and contrast has always been high on my list of why I would want to do a piece of work as opposed to anything else. And I very quickly realized that this Charles Xavier was not completely the Charles Xavier of the other movies.

And I liked what I was reading very much, adds Stewart, who started in repertory theater and still hits the stage regularly (often, lately, opposite X movies co-star Ian McKellan), and whose television work ranges from the recent comedy Blunt Talk to Enterprise Capt. Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation to a galaxy of cartoon voices and The Lion in Winters King Henry II.

Especially the wacky nature of Charles language, one could say the obscenity of his language, which was not something you would expect to have heard from that smooth, cool intellectual wed seen sitting in his wheelchair over the years.

Soon, Logan finds himself also in charge of a little Mexican girl, Laura (movie newcomer Dafne Keen). She doesnt talk and has a ferocity reminiscent of his own, not to mention her own adamantium extensions. Shes being chased by some really bad paramilitary types and wants to go to North Dakota. Xavier intuits that if this powerful creature isnt exactly a mutant, shes something he and the reluctant Logan must protect as they would any other X-child.

So the three of them hit the road.

I was happy to spend so much time with Hugh, who over the years has become a good friend and a much-admired colleague, Stewart says. And it was intriguing to share this very grown-up relationship with a child. Perhaps the biggest challenge was understanding and embracing the fact that the familial aspect of all this had been turned right around. From the very beginning, Xavier had a protective feeling about Logan. He brought him into the X-Men and tried in every way to settle him down, take care of him and advise him, not always successfully.

But now, we see that the parent is Logan. Charles would not survive if it were not for Logan. So the roles are reversed  for a while. As the movie progresses and Charles gets a little more control over his behavior, we see that the essential father figure that Charles had been is still there. He is still trying to help Logan find the least self-destructive way through his life. And when Laura appears on the scene, Charles now has another individual to care for.

Despite the little girls feral nature and the movies spasms of bloody violence, the trio had a pretty good time filming last June along the roads of Louisiana. Uncomfortable, but good.

Dafne was a committed, brave child who was willing to just let everything go in creating the life of this creature, Stewart says. Then I discovered she was also adorable and funny and smart and fabulously bilingual. [Keen is the daughter of English and Spanish actors.] Hugh and she and I became a little compact unit in the movie, particularly in the last two or three weeks that I was working. We spent those weeks in a car that had minimum air conditioning during a hot summer  and Ive got to tell you that air conditioning didnt reach the back seat! I looked like I was in pain? There was no acting involved there.

That diversity thing Stewart loves so much will be evident in his upcoming features: Wilde Wedding, a rare romantic comedy for the actor; and the animated Emoji Movie, in which the distinguished thespian lends his stentorian voice to the online icon for Poop  much, he reports, to his grandchildrens delight.

But another X movie? Well, even Jackman has recently hinted that, if the mutants ever leave Fox for Disneys Marvel Cinematic Universe, hed consider Wolverining again.

So who can tell? Stewart says. In a world of superheroes and studio franchises, nothing can be said to be forever.
Two years of morning protests and bullhorns. Welcome to Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach, where labor organizers from UNITE HERE Local 11  Los Angeles most aggressive union  have set up shop in hope of unionizing two local hotels.

On many mornings, local residents are woken at 7 a.m. by protesters shouting into bullhorns, the loud noises echoing between hotels and high-rises. The police department receives regular complaints, but union activists continue to ring in the beautiful California sunrise with screams and street theater.

Its a harsh illustration of the growing disconnect between Local 11  a union supposedly fighting for improved living standards  and those living in the Los Angeles metro area, who are frustrated by the unions aggressive tactics.

[I]ts really loud and annoying, claims one Long Beach resident in an interview with the Long Beach Business Journal. The [person] I was most concerned about is my neighbor, who is a surgical nurse working graveyard, says another resident. Shes trying to rest, and she cant sleep while this is going on. And shes got to get up, work the graveyard shift, and take care of patients.

But Local 11 marches on, chasing union dues  the lifeblood of any union  at the expense of the public interest. In nearby Santa Monica, known for its picturesque ocean views, Local 11 regularly picketed the Shore Hotel last year, holding daily protests with its trademark bullhorns in hand. Intent on unionizing the hotels employees, the union allegedly planted four organizers among the hotel staff who spent their time trying to heighten tensions and recruit workers, an oft-used union tactic called salting.

According to Charlie Virzi, a concierge at the hotel, union tactics were not only hurting our business, but  the tourism in Santa Monica. We receive[d] countless reviews from guests saying they will not return to Santa Monica.

Its a nuisance for a warm-weather economy reliant on tourism. Santa Monica receives more than 8 million visitors annually, roughly half of them from outside of the U.S. These tourists generate about $1.8 billion in annual revenue for the local economy, supporting 13,500 jobs  including hotel jobs.

But if theyre not union hotel jobs, Local 11 doesnt seem to care. When Santa Monicas City Council was examining the citys noise ordinance last year, the union sent a letter to then-Mayor Tony Vasquez defending its bad behavior at non-union competitors. The union claimed that prohibiting bullhorns and early-morning rallies inhibits the rights of Santa Monicans to hear diverse points of view.

Thats right: Peace and quiet inhibit the rights of Californians.

More recently, a Local 11 official argued that Santa Monica developments should be allowed to exceed the citys 84-foot height limit. The Santa Monica Lookout reported on outreach from city officials, which found that a majority of Santa Monica residents do not want projects to exceed the 84-foot height limit. Local 11 dismissed the voice of the people, and assured the council that their own members felt differently.

But a recent minimum wage debacle raises questions on whether Local 11 really understands its members. When the Los Angeles City Council voted to implement a hotel-specific minimum wage, Local 11 won an exemption for unionized hotels. This prevents dues-paying UNITE HERE workers from earning the same hourly wage as nonunion hotel employees doing the same work. Union members pay hundreds of dollars in dues per year, only to make less than nonunion employees.

In the words of Alicia Yale, a hotel waitress: Its completely upside-down. They want to pay us less than the minimum wage.

Local 11 justified the exemption as a long-term ploy to increase unionization, claiming it might help hotels be less resistant to unionization. In other words, the union was sacrificing worker pay to increase revenue, despite its commitment to improved living standards and the communitys wishes.

How ironic that a union called UNITE HERE would become Californias most divisive union.

Michael Saltsman is research director at the Employment Policies Institute, which receives support from businesses, foundations and individuals.
Organizers of the Make America Great Again march and rally are moving the March 25 event in support of President Donald Trump to Huntington Beach from their original location in Costa Mesa.

The march  in support of the president, military, first responders and other causes  coincides with similar events planned nationally on the same day, organizers said in a press release on the groups Facebook page.

It will be held at the same time, noon to 3 p.m., but at Bolsa Chica State Beach, they said.

Organizer Jennifer Sterling, of Laguna Beach, said the event was about unity and coming together.

We need healing and we need building, she said. We want to have a dialogue.

State Parks Capt. Kevin Pearsall said the group has a permit to do the walk.

Pearsall said beyond adding extra staffing and coordinating with Huntington Beach police, the park is hoping for a peaceful event.

Organizers plan to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, sing the National Anthem and collect donations for veterans, Sterling said.

Its being unbelievably well-received, Sterling said. Well be walking along the bike path waving American flags. It will be a beautiful sight to see.

State officials and event organizers said they are aware of past conflicts between pro-Trump march participants and protesters.

The initial plan to hold the event in Costa Mesa prompted the OC Fair & Event Center to cancel several planned events and shut down its operations on the weekend of March 25-26. Officials said they had safety concerns after a pro-Trump campaign rally in April at the Pacific Amphitheatre turned violent when Trump supporters and anti-Trump protesters clashed.

Fairgrounds officials still plan to keep the property closed during the weekend of the march, regardless of the new location, Terry Moore, communications director for the Fair & Event Center, said Thursday.

As of Thursday, 1,700 people had expressed interest in attending the march and 991 said they were going, according to the Southern California MAGA March Facebook page. However, Sterling said she was expecting 3,000 or more participants.

Organizers plan to start the march at the beach area near Warner Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway and walk along a three-mile stretch in a well-contained area, Pearsall said.

We dont see any issues, he said.

Contact the writer: CONTACT THE WRITER714-796-7964gmellen@ocregister.com
SANTA ANA  A 32-year-old Santa Maria man was convicted of first-degree murder on Friday for killing his mother and dumping her body in La Habra.

An Orange County Superior Court jury deliberated for about two days before finding Gabriel Antonio Espinoza guilty in the death of his mother, 58-year-old Emma Posadas-Espinoza. Her body had been found covered in leaves behind a carport in La Habra on July 21, 2014.

He faces 25 years to life in prison when he returns to court for sentencing on June 2.

The jury did not find true the allegation that Espinoza killed his mother for financial gain, which had been added to his initial charge of murder.

In the trial, Senior Deputy District Attorney Troy Pino argued Espinoza killed his estranged mother so he could collect more than $429,000 from her savings and life insurance policy.

Pino said Espinoza crept into his mothers bedroom in Lompoc while she was sleeping and squeezed the life out of her. Her caused of death was asphyxiation by chest compression.

Pino said Espinoza loaded his mothers body into the trunk of her new Acura and then dumped the body near an apartment complex in La Habra where he used to live.

Espinozas defense attorney, Frederick Fascenelli, had argued there was no evidence that Espinoza wanted to kill is mother for money.

Contact the writer: kpuente@ocregister.com
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia  A North Korean diplomat suggested on Thursday that Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half brother of the countrys leader, died of heart failure despite Malaysias finding that he was killed by a banned nerve agent.

The diplomat, Ri Tong Il, who is leading a delegation to Malaysia, made the surprising assertion in Kuala Lumpur, the capital, during a visit aimed at repairing a diplomatic breach over the death. He said Kim had a history of heart disease and high blood pressure for which he needed medication.

But while asserting the cause of Kims death, without providing any evidence, he stood by his countrys refusal to acknowledge that the victim was the half brother of Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, instead calling him by the name Kim Chol, which South Korean officials have said is an alias.

He also called on Malaysia to provide samples of the VX nerve agent that the police say they found on the body to the international organization charged with carrying out the global treaty that bans the use of chemical weapons.

If it is true that it was used, he told reporters, then the samples should be sent to the office of the group, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, for examination.

South Korea has accused the North of organizing the killing, and the Malaysian police have identified seven North Korean men they would like to question. North Korea has refused to allow the police to interview two of the suspects, who are said to have taken refuge at the embassy where Ri addressed reporters.

Four others are believed to have returned to North Korea, and the location of the last one is unknown. An eighth, the only North Korean citizen in Malaysian custody, is expected to be released for lack of evidence and deported, according to news reports.

But the group declined to say whether Malaysia had provided it with samples for independent testing. Malaysian officials have also declined to comment.
Its been a busy month for Carlos Garcia de Albaperhaps the busiest in his 30-year career in the Mexican diplomatic corps.

As the Mexican consul general in Los Angeles, Garcia de Alba is at the front lines of his countrys response to President Donald Trumps new immigration policies, overseeing the largest Mexican consulate in the United States, as well as a regional consular network responsible for an estimated 2.3 million Mexican citizens living in Southern California.

Like other Mexican consulates across the country--including in Santa Ana and San Bernardinothe L.A. outpost has been flooded with calls and visits since Trumps inauguration. Mexican citizens are scrambling to renew passports, register their children for citizenship, and get legal advice in preparation for what their government has called the new reality of living as a foreigner in the United States.

Now, with new executive orders that vastly expand who is considered a priority for deportation and reports of widespread immigration raids, Mexicans across Southern Californiaparticularly those living here illegallyare increasingly on edge.

The Southern California News Group spoke with Garcia de Alba this week to find out more about what the consulate is doing to quell the panic, and cope with the dramatic policy changes that have left U.S-Mexico relations at their lowest point in years.

What has the atmosphere at the consulate been like these past few weeks?

Everyday is very busy, complicated. Theres a lot of uncertainty. Lots of doubts, lots of work, lots of pressure. In the case of the undocumented peopleand actually even among those who are documented there is a lot of fear. I dont remember, in my many years in diplomacy, there being something like this. There is a lot of uncertaintyits challenging.

But we just need to keep working, as always, to protect the rights of our nationals living here. Because, frankly, we feel like there is a sentiment against Mexico and Mexicans. So for the consul of Mexico, its not easy times. We respect that we dont have a right to interfere with sovereign decisions that the American government makes. But it doesnt mean that we are happy.

Did you expect the new administration to implement its policy changes so quickly?

Not this fast. Of course, it was quite obvious that there would be a big change in American policy, and in the bilateral relationship with Mexico. It was a big part of the debate during the whole presidential campaign.

So yes, I was expecting there would be big change in many senses, but not that fast.

As the consul general in Los Angeles, whats your role in dealing with these changes?

To be close to the community, and to defend the rights of Mexicans. Thats my main concern. To make sure that their human rights are respected: that if they are arrested, they get fair, due process, and that if they are deported, they are deported in a civil way.

I want to be close to my people, to be a reliable source of information for my people. And my job now is to do my best to convince them to be cautious, but also not to panic. Its a very, very tiny line.

Are you concerned that the recent immigration enforcement actions are part of a new trend under this administration?

In the case of L.A., we have had roughly 150 or 160 arrested nationals since the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Thats actually even lower than President Obamas standards.

But the way these raids have been done is different. From the fact that the president tweets about it, to all of the publicity that the raids have been getting in the mediain the past, it hasnt been like that. So it is a change in the way of doing things, not in the numbers.

Do you think the attention that the raids have gotten, both from politicians and in the press, is helpful? Or is it unproductive?

Both. Its productive because people are aware. It gives them time to understand their rights.

But it is not helpful because there is fear, and there is clearly an exaggeration of the facts. Some media talk about massive raids, everywhere, 24 hours a day, and thats not the case. That creates panic and psychosis.

When people are under pressure like that, they start making bad decisions. They stop sending their children to school. They stop going to the park on the weekends. In some cases, they decide that they wont go to work. And thats not good.

Are you angry about whats been said about immigrants, and specifically Mexicans, over the last year?

No. Im not angry. Im frustrated because this is not fair. What is happening to the Mexicans in this time is not fair. They came here to help, to do their best, and they are contributing a lot to this country on a daily basis.

Mexicans are hard workers, they are honest peopleI dont accept the stereotypes that say that Mexicans are bad peoples, rapists. Those things are not true. So I feel very frustrated because what is being said about Mexicans is very unfair.

But I have also met a lot of Americans in these days who have been very kind to the Mexican people, to the consulate, to myself. People who say, I am so sorry about this situation. How can I can I help? What can I do? So I have felt the warmth of the American people in these weeks.

Whats the message that you want to send to Mexican citizens here who are concerned about deportations?

They need to be very well-informed, they need to protect themselves, know their rights. And the best ally they have is the Mexican consulate.

Already, we have seen more contact. Since Trumps inauguration, there has been a 30 percent increase in daily calls to the consulate, and a 30 percent increase in requests for birth certificates.

Immigration is only one part of the U.S.-Mexico relationship. Are you concerned about other potential changes, say, on trade or economic policy?

Were also concerned about the future of NAFTA, but that will be a second step. In the case of immigration and the wall, there are already executive orders. In the case of NAFTA, there is not a clear position yet on the administrations agenda. And there are three countries involved, so it will be a different story.

In the end, the main concern is the human beings. Trade is important, but the most important and sensitive thing is the people.

But at the same time, the relationship between Mexico and Los Angeles is so complex. So even in these difficult times, we have to keep working on the agenda we have with the city of Los Angeles. The Mayor [Eric Garcetti] has declared 2017 the Year of Mexico in L.A. and we have a whole calendar of events planned on cultural promotion, business promotion. Its a special year.
From the iconic blimp hangars in Tustin to the India Mart in Orange, very familiar locations will be apparent to many theatergoers who see South Coast Repertorys West Coast premiere of the play Orange.

Written by Aditi Brennan Kapil, the coming-of-age play will be presented on the Julianne Argyros Stage with previews starting Sunday and regular performances running March 11-26. Kapil wrote the play on commission through SCRs CrossRoads program, in which the Time Warner Foundation commissions playwrights to stay in Orange County and experience its cultural diversity.

During her five-day residency in 2013, Kapil took a short road trip through the local cities  Huntington Beach, Orange, Tustin and San Juan Capistrano, to name a few  that inspired her to base the plays settings on the places she saw.

I had the most fun and random time exploring the areas and meeting with local people and organizations, Kapil said. I had a blank slate and ended up writing something incredibly personal that I did not intend to write  and for really specific metaphorical reasons, I knew it had to take place in Orange County.

The story follows Leela (played by Pia Shah), a teenager from India who is on the autism spectrum. When she and her mother fly from India to attend a family wedding in Orange County, Leelas rebel cousin and boyfriend decide to ditch the wedding for a nightlong road trip to search of the perfect orange  and take Leela with them.

Director Jessica Kubzansky, who also directed SCRs Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and The Stinky Cheese Man, said she has always been a fan of Kapils writing and was thrilled to work with her.

Aditi has a rich, unique grasp of character; she captures a complex story in an action-adventure thrill ride which, for me, was an exciting thing to tackle, said Kubzansky.

Leelas autism is presented through her interactions with her cousins and people she meets on her road trip  all of the male characters are played by Karthik Srinivasan and female characters are played by Anjali Bhimani. The play is seen through Leelas eyes by drawings in her journal, which are projected on a large screen for the audience to see.

Her drawings start out very simple, but as we get more inside of her head and her experience, they become more elaborate, Kubzansky said. One of my favorite parts about the play is its not about autism, but who this woman is, learning to stand on her own two feet, familial relations, and all these other things that are important.

Kapil, who is of Bulgarian and Indian descent, said there is a strong cultural aspect of the play as well. During her exploration, she discovered there was an abundance of wedding photographers in Orange County, so she felt it would be appropriate for the story to initially take place at an Indian wedding.

During her residency, Kapil said, she also explored the scene at a Flaming Lips concert at the OC Fair, to connect with the music culture and frame her teenage characters. She also visited beaches, including attending the U.S. Open of Surfing competition in Huntington Beach, to intertwine the beach culture into the story line.

The one-act, 90-minute play is described as lighthearted, with a mix of comedy and emotional drama. Since there are only three actors, two of whom play numerous characters with costume changes, Kubzansky said she feels very blessed to have found Shah, Srinivasan and Bhimani to take on the challenging roles.

This is one of the greatest combinations of actors Ive ever worked with. They play everyone, from the parents to the teenagers to the people in the grocery store; and since it has a lot of comedy, they have to have great timing and be able to age up and age down, Kubzansky said.

The play had its world premiere at the Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis in November. Kapil said she received great feedback from theatergoers.

Audience members who have someone who has autism in their lives have come to me and said the play has altered the way they engage with and understand them, so thats really cool, said Kapil.

But its also about that gulf between childhood and adulthood. Its a very universal story by way of an alternative mind that allows you to see and experience something weve all been through, but see it cracked open differently.

Contact the writer: jmoe@ocregister.com
WASHINGTON  The United States conducted airstrikes overnight on Thursday against several targets suspected of belonging to al-Qaida across south-central Yemen, according to U.S. and Yemeni military officials, the first U.S. attacks in the country since an ill-fated Special Operations raid in January.

The coordinated series of attacks against al-Qaida militants occurred in three Yemeni provinces that have been suspected of being the site of terrorist activity  Abyan, Shabwa and Baydha  according to the Pentagon.

It was not immediately clear if the strikes were conducted against targets that were identified using information collected from the January raid that left one member of the Navys SEAL Team 6 dead and three others wounded, and that killed about two dozen civilians.

Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said on Thursday that more than 20 strikes were conducted in partnership with the government of Yemen and were coordinated with President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. He said the attacks targeted al-Qaida militants, equipment and infrastructure.

The mention that the strikes were done in partnership with Hadis government is notable because he had withdrawn permission for the United States to conduct Special Operations ground missions, a decision prompted by anger at the civilian casualties incurred in the January raid.

Computers and cellphones seized during that raid offered clues about attacks al-Qaida could carry out in the future, including insights into new types of hidden explosives the group is making and new training tactics for militants, U.S. officials said.

But it is still unclear how much the information advances the militarys knowledge of the plans and future operations of al-Qaidas branch in Yemen, and some intelligence and congressional officials have questioned how significant the information analyzed so far really is.

There are obvious contradictions about the relative value of intelligence, said Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., of the Intelligence Committee, who added in an interview this week that she would be seeking more explanations from intelligence officials.

Local news media in Yemen reported that at least three people suspected of being al-Qaida members were killed in the countrys southeastern province of Shabwa. Residents near the scene in the Saeid region in Shabwa said the airstrike destroyed a house used by al-Qaida operatives.
The fight against President Donald Trumps executive orders to turn away refugees, deport unauthorized immigrants and build a wall along the Mexican border is about to escalate in many U.S. churches.

A broad network of 37 Protestant and Orthodox Christian denominations will announce on Friday a campaign to mobilize its congregants  some 30 million Americans in all  to lobby the president and members of Congress to rescind the executive orders.

In a declaration hammered out over the last month, church leaders call the orders unjust and immoral and say they run counter to the values we as people of faith hold dear: to welcome the stranger and assist those most in need.

It is imperative that we speak out against the notion that refugees are a threat to our safety, the declaration adds. They are not.

The presidents Jan. 27 executive order, which he called necessary for national security, barred people from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the country for 90 days, stopped refugee admissions for 120 days and banned refugees from Syria indefinitely. The White House is expected to issue a revised order very soon.

American Christians have been divided over Trumps order, according to a poll released last month by the Pew Research Center. White evangelical Protestants supported the order by more than 3-to-1, the poll showed, while white mainline Protestants supported it by a slim margin (50-47 percent), and 3 in 5 Catholics opposed it.

The new campaign is being organized by the Orthodox and mainline Protestant churches affiliated with the National Council of Churches and Church World Service, a charity that resettles refugees.

It calls on congregants and pastors to appeal to their elected officials, sign poster-size copies of the declaration displayed in their houses of worship, dedicate one Sunday in the next three months to honor refugees and immigrants, and raise $1 million to support them.

Hundreds of churches and synagogues across the country have already offered to provide sanctuary or other support to undocumented immigrants in fear of deportation.

And other faith-based resettlement agencies have spoken out against the refugee and travel ban, including World Relief, an evangelical agency; HIAS, a Jewish group; and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The presidents executive order gave preference to refugees who are Christians and other religious minorities, but the declaration opposes that move, saying it actually places them at greater risk in some countries.

This is so counterproductive, said Erol Kekic, executive director of the immigration and refugee program at Church World Service. It makes Christians and minorities in those countries an even bigger target, because the perception is already that they receive preferential treatment. And singling them out even more would probably not help.
UNITED NATIONS  Some of Europes most successful far-right politicians are women. There is Marine Le Pen of France, of course. But also Frauke Petry of Germany, Siv Jensen of Norway and Pia Kjaersgaard of Denmark, who is something of a pioneer in the new wave of anti-immigrant populism sweeping through Europe.

They are leading, or have recently led, what were once fringe parties  pushing their extremist views to the political mainstream and seeking to appeal to those who once eschewed their parties: female voters.

Some of them are also eyeing their countrys highest office. Le Pen is vying to be president of France in elections scheduled to start in April, and if she wins an expected runoff in May (a long shot, admittedly) she could be the first far-right leader to be directly elected as a European head of state.

Gender issues dont much get the attention of far-right parties, whether led by men or women. The parties dont support gender quotas in politics, as many centrist and left parties do, nor do they campaign on issues like equal pay. Abortion and gay rights are not lightning rod political issues for conservatives as they are in the United States, so they tend not to be ideological tinder in Europe.

Gender is a useful wedge, though, when it comes to highlighting what has become one of their main planks: a critique of immigration, particularly from the Muslim world. The European far right has long seized on the hijab as a symbol of patriarchy; more recently it has said that attacks on gays and women in Muslim enclaves are evidence of the Islamic threat to European values.

Le Pen, in an opinion essay published in a French daily, LOpinion, used the mass sexual attacks in Cologne, Germany, on New Years Eve in 2015 to call for a referendum on immigration to France. I am scared that the migrant crisis signals the beginning of the end of womens rights, she wrote. Le Pen is also making a bid to woo gay voters, whom her father, the partys founder, once openly berated.

Ruth Wodak, a professor at Lancaster University in Britain, called Le Pens appeals on gender issues opportunistic.

They defend our women against harassment by foreigners  strangers, migrants, Muslim men, said Wodak, an editor of The Politics of Fear: What Right-Wing Populist Discourses Mean, a collection of essays. However, they never spoke out against sexual harassment before.

How unusual is it for a woman to lead a nativist party? About as unusual as it is for a woman to head any political party. While some are part of political dynasties, as in the case of Le Pen, others are self-made.

Petry, a former chemist and businesswoman, ousted a former Europe-focused leader of the Alternative for Germany and turned it into a squarely nationalist party. Her platform for the national elections scheduled for this fall takes aim at foreigners  and at the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, for embracing them.

Kjaersgaard, one of the earliest forerunners of the European far right, established the Danish Peoples Party in 1995 and turned what were once considered fringe, racist ideas about restricting immigration into a potent political force.

Her party has been crucial in supporting a minority government and has shaped policy as a result. Kjaersgaard is now the speaker of the Danish parliament, though no longer the party leader.

Jensen pushed her anti-immigrant Progress Party into a coalition government in Norway for the first time  and snagged for herself an influential cabinet post as finance minister. She describes herself as a free-market conservative in the Thatcherite tradition. But she too has seized on fears of Islam, warning in a widely criticized 2009 speech about the sneaking Islamization of European society.

Female leaders in Europe span the ideological spectrum. Two of the Continents most powerful leaders, Merkel of Germany and Theresa May of Britain, are on opposite sides of Britains plan to leave the European Union.

Does the far right draw female voters? Not so much, but they are beginning to.

One study, carried out across 17 countries by Swedish and Dutch scholars and published in late 2015 in an academic journal called Patterns of Prejudice, found women less likely than men to vote for what the study called the populist radical right  but not because women were against the ideology.

Men are neither more nativist nor authoritarian, compared to women, the study found, nor do women evince less discontent with their governments. Women by and large were deterred from voting for the radical right by other things, including the populist rights political style, occasional association with historic violence, stigmatization by parts of the elite and the general public  in other words, their outlier-ness.

Thats where the gender of the leader can make a positive difference for the far right, said Cas Mudde, a Dutch scholar of the European far right.

In the media, he argued, male leaders are often cast as power-hungry zealots. Female politicians are represented as softer, said Mudde, who teaches at the University of Georgia. For a radical right politician it can be actually very good.

Sometimes, gender can make a difference in who wins. In Austria late last year, a larger share of women  and a significantly larger share of young, educated women  voted for the leftist party, helping to defeat the incumbent nativist leader. Both parties candidates were men.

Le Pens prospects in the French polls this spring will depend significantly on her ability to woo women, just as the success of far-right parties on the Continent more broadly will rest on their ability to bridge the gender gap.

Consider Nonna Mayers research on the National Fronts record.

In 2002, when it was headed by Le Pens firebrand, Holocaust-denying father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, the party won a far larger share of mens votes than womens. In 2012, by the time Marine Le Pen took over the party, the gender gap had virtually vanished, only to return again in midterm polls since then.

Mayer, a political scientist, said the gender gap for populist right wing parties could vary from one country to another and from one election to the next. For Le Pen, she said, the test will be the coming presidential election.
MANILA Philippines  Human Rights Watch said on Thursday that President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines may have committed crimes against humanity by inciting killings during his bloody anti-drug campaign.

Thousands of people have been killed by the police or by vigilantes since Duterte became president in June, and rights groups say the police may have ordered the extrajudicial killings of drug dealers and users, a charge that officials have denied.

In a report released on Thursday, Human Rights Watch examined 32 deaths from October to January, all involving the Philippine National Police. Police reports asserted that officers had committed the killings in self-defense, but witnesses characterized them as coldblooded murders of unarmed drug suspects in custody, the rights groups study said.

We think theres a very strong case to be made in front of the ICC that crimes against humanity have been committed, Elaine Pearson, the Australia director at Human Rights Watch, said by telephone, referring to the International Criminal Court. She said the first step should be parallel investigations into Dutertes anti-drug campaign by the United Nations and by the Philippine Justice Department.

In a statement on Thursday, Ernesto Abella, a spokesman for Duterte, said the reports allegations were baseless.

A war on criminality is not a war on humanity, he said. On the contrary, it is a war precisely to protect humanity from a modern-day evil. To say otherwise is to undermine societys legitimate desire to be free from fear and to pander to the interests of the criminals.

The Philippines is a member of the International Criminal Court. In October, the courts chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said in a statement that she was deeply concerned about reports of extrajudicial killings in the country.

But Romel Bagares, a rights lawyer at the Center for International Law in Manila, said in an interview on Thursday that Philippine law appears to grant the president immunity from prosecution while in office.

It is unlikely that Duterte would face domestic prosecution while president. His allies control both houses of Congress, and his justice secretary, Vitaliano Aguirre II, is one of his old fraternity brothers.
Nearly 21 months before the 2018 mid-term election, a second Democrat has jumped in the race to challenge Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher.

Harley Rouda, a Laguna Beach businessman, announced Thursday hed be making his first bid for elected office. The 55-year old comes out of the gates with a strong complement of campaign veterans working on his behalf, including consultants Dave Jacobson, Maclen Zilber and Sue Burnside and fundraiser Stephanie Daily Smith, a helped raise money for Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign.

We need new leadership that is willing to put country over party, and put service above self, Rouda said in a statement. We need new leadership that believes in science, climate change, and supports STEM and clean energy. We need new leadership that believes in womens rights, human rights and liberties for all, and for all a better life.

Rouda joins fellow Laguna Beach Democrat Boyd Roberts in the race.

Roberts, a real estate broker, is making impeachment of President Donald Trump the centerpiece of his campaign. Roberts finished last in a field of five in a 2012 school board race and took out papers for a 2014 challenge of Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, but abandoned his campaign before qualifying for the ballot.

Rohrabacher, 69, is serving his 15th term in Congress. Hes recently attracted attention for agreeing with Trump on pursuing friendlier relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, for meeting with French ultra-conservative Marine LePen and for working with disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff in trying to get U.S. cooperation in building an African alliance against the Boko Haram terrorist group.

Rohrabacher won reelection last year by 16-percentage points, but some Democrats believe he is vulnerable because in the district Clinton beat Trump by 1.7 percentage points.

Rouda founded the Real Living real estate brokerage firm. He has an MBA from Ohio State University and a law degree from Capital University Law School.

Rohrabacher said in December that hed probably run for reelection in 2018. Other Republicans interested in the seat are county Supervisor Michelle Steel and former Assemblyman and county GOP chairman Scott Baugh.
Bankrupt Irvine-based retailer Wet Seals intellectual property has been bought for $3 million by Boston-based investment firm Gordon Brothers Brands, according to bankruptcy court documents.

The deal is pending court approval.

Gordon Brothers bought Wet Seals social media profiles, brands, trademarks, domain names, an e-commerce platform and data on 5 million customers.

Gordon Brothers, a liquidation firm, also revives dormant brands it acquires out of bankruptcy, according to Reuters.

Earlier this week Wet Seal received a $1.5 million stalking horse bid from Toronto-based YM Inc. The Gordon Brothers Brands outbid the group.

Wet Seals bankruptcy filing was its second in as many years.

In early February the chain started going out of business sales at its 137 locations.The retailer has stores in Brea, Irvine, Orange and Santa Ana.

Wet Seal was founded 1962 as Lornes and was incorporated as Wet Seal in 1990.

During the heyday of surf-inspired teen fashion, Wet Seal expanded, acquiring roughly 200 Contempo Casuals stores in 1995 from the Neiman Marcus Group. It also developed Arden B, a fashion brand aimed at women in their 20s and 30s. All 54 Arden B stores closed in mid-2014. The stores were then converted to Wet Seal Plus or Wet Seal stores.

The brand has been on an extended decline. In 2013, then based in Foothill Ranch, the company lost $113 million. In the 18 months before its first bankruptcy in 2015, Wet Seal lost 99 percent of its value.

Shortly before filing for Chapter 11 in 2015, the company closed 338 stores, or two-thirds of its U.S. locations and laid off 3,700 employees after a default notice was filed by creditor Hudson Bay Master Fund for around $29 million.

Versa Capital Management bought the retailer that April for $7.5 million in cash and $20 million debtor-in-possession financing.

The company shifted to Irvine in 2016.

Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans
WASHINGTON  Attorney General Jeff Sessions agreed Thursday to recuse himself from any investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The move came after revelations that Sessions twice spoke with the Russian ambassador during the campaign, a fact that seemingly contradicts sworn statements he made to Congress during his confirmation hearings.

Sessions rejected any suggestion that he tried to mislead anyone about his contacts with the Russian, but added that he should have slowed down and said but I did meet with one Russian official a couple of times.

Some Democrats demanded an investigation into whether Sessions committed perjury.

But perjury is difficult to prove, and experts say Sessions would have a good defense if he needed one.

Some questions and answers about the allegations:

Q. Is this a case of perjury?

A. Thats tough to say. Such a case would likely come down to splitting hairs over what Sessions said under oath, what he believed he was saying, and what he believed he was being asked.

During Sessions confirmation hearing in January, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., asked the then-Alabama senator what he would do if evidence emerged that anyone from the Trump campaign had been in touch with the Russian government during the 2016 race.

Sessions replied he was not aware of any of those activities and that he himself, sometimes called a campaign surrogate, did not have communications with the Russians.

Franken on Thursday said Sessions response to his query was at best, misleading. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California accused him of lying under oath. House Judiciary Committee Democrats sent a letter to FBI Director James Comey calling for a criminal investigation.

Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said Sessions answer was not misleading because he believed he was being asked about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign, not about those he had as a senator.

The disagreement underscores the difficulty in proving someone has committed perjury. Prosecutors must show not only that a person spoke falsely but that he intended to be misleading about an indisputable fact.

Sessions said Thursday said he didnt mean to mislead lawmakers. That is not my intent, he said. That is not correct.

Sessions could reasonably argue he thought he was being asked about his campaign-related contacts as opposed to congressional or diplomatic contacts, said Benjamin Wittes, a senior Brookings Institution fellow.

He may have just screwed up, said Wittes. Its not a crime to be wrong under oath.

An ambiguous question can kill a perjury case, which is why so few materialize from testimony given before Congress.

Lawmakers are not the most precise questioners. Its not like a deposition or grand jury, where a professional prosecutor is asking the questions, said Stanley Brand, a Washington attorney and former House general counsel. Inartful questions and elusive answers. You have to pursue those.

But, as Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer pointed out, Sessions could have corrected the record in the weeks after his confirmation hearing. Sessions said Thursday he would be sending the Senate Judiciary Committee a letter doing that.

Q. Could he be charged with making false statements?

A. Sen. Patrick Leahy, the senior Judiciary Committee Democrat, asked Sessions in a written questionnaire whether he had been in contact with anyone connected to any part of the Russian government about the 2016 election, either before or after Election Day.

Sessions replied with one word: No.

That statement could be examined under a separate false statements statute, which differs from perjury in that it applies to statements that are not made under oath. But prosecutors would still have to prove Sessions knowingly and willfully gave a misleading answer.

Q. What has Sessions himself said about perjury?

A. The House impeached Bill Clinton after he had been accused of lying to a grand jury about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. As a senator Sessions voted for conviction on a count of perjury and a count of obstruction. Clinton was acquitted.

It is crucial to our system of justice that we demand the truth, Sessions said after Clintons acquittal in 1998. I fear that an acquittal of this president will weaken the legal system by providing an option for those who consider being less than truthful in court. Whereas the handling of the case against President Nixon clearly strengthened the nations respect for law, justice and truth, the Clinton impeachment may unfortunately have the opposite result.

Associated Press researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed to this report from New York.
Wise up

Re: Does America have a free-speech problem? [Opinion, Feb. 28]: The founders of our nation thought freedom of speech so vital that it was the first item on the Bill of Rights. As an arbitrator, I am willing, out of respect, to listen to all sides. Hearing those opinions, I can make up my own mind.

For those who choose not to let anyone speak because of a differing ideology or frame of reference, shame on them. For those who choose to disrupt anyones right to speak, through yelling, violence, looting and the like, shame on them. For those who smear others without being factual or use a bias to promote their own agendas, shame on them.

In my world, I will respect anyones freedom to express themselves. I expect the same consideration. I also intend to stay within myself, not have a knee-jerk reaction to what I see and hear, and to have tolerance.

 Ed Munson, Brea

Affordable housing

Re: California has to address its housing crisis [Opinion, March 1]: Local elected leaders are acutely aware of the severity of Californias housing affordability crisis and our role in fashioning solutions.

While local governments do not build homes, cities are responsible for planning and land use decisions that allow housing to be built. The League of California Cities is promoting Senate Bill 540, which would streamline the housing development process. Local governments would develop workforce housing zones, identifying and planning where housing will be built in that community. Local governments would conduct enhanced planning, environmental reviews and public engagement at the front end.

Conducting extensive planning, environmental mitigation and public reviews early in the process would streamline the approval process and facilitate more housing construction sooner. The League believes we can promote housing construction without undercutting local control or eliminating local citizen input into local land-use decisions that impact their community.

 Carolyn Coleman, executive director, League of California Cities, Sacramento

No rest

Could someone explain why the rest areas between Los Angeles and the Arizona border, both eastbound and westbound, have been closed for the past two months. No work being done, just orange cones guarding the entrance.

 Jim Wessling, Lake Forest
WASHINGTON  Michael Flynn, then Donald Trumps incoming national security adviser, had a previously undisclosed meeting with the Russian ambassador in December to establish a line of communication between the new administration and the Russian government, the White House said Thursday.

Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and now a senior adviser, also participated in the meeting at Trump Tower with Flynn and Sergey I. Kislyak, the Russian ambassador. But among Trumps inner circle, it is Flynn who appears to have been the main interlocutor with the Russian envoy  the two were in contact during the campaign and the transition, Kislyak and current and former U.S. officials have said.

But the extent and frequency of their contacts remains unclear, and the disclosure of the meeting at Trump Tower adds to the emerging picture of how the relationship between Trumps incoming team and Moscow was evolving to include some of the president-elects most trusted advisers.

The White House has repeatedly sought to play down any connections with Kislyak. Attorney General Jeff Sessions acknowledged this week that he had met twice with him during the campaign, despite previous denials.

The New Yorker reported this week that Kushner had met with Kislyak at Trump Tower in December. Hope Hicks, a White House spokeswoman, confirmed Thursday that Flynn was also at the meeting in response to questions from a New York Times reporter.

It is common and not improper for transition officials to meet with foreign officials. But all meetings between Trump associates and Russians are now significant as the FBI investigates Russian interference in the U.S. election and whether anyone close to Trumps campaign was involved.

The meeting in December came at a crucial time, just as the Obama White House was preparing to sanction Russia and publicly make its case that Moscow had interfered with the 2016 election.

What is becoming clear is that the incoming Trump administration was simultaneously striking a conciliatory pose toward Moscow in a series of meetings and phone calls involving Kislyak.

They generally discussed the relationship and it made sense to establish a line of communication, she said. Jared has had meetings with many other foreign countries and representatives  as many as two dozen other foreign countries leaders and representatives.

The Trump Tower meeting lasted 20 minutes, and Kushner has not met since with Kislyak, Hicks said.

When first asked in January about Flynns contacts with Kislyak, the White House said that there had been only a text message and phone call between the men at the end of December, and that both came before the United States imposed sanctions. That was quickly contradicted by news reports.

Flynns story then began changing, and the White House eventually acknowledged the two men had discussed the sanctions and how the two countries could move past the acrimony once Trump was in office.

U.S. officials have also said that there were multiple telephone calls between Flynn and Kislyak on Dec. 29, beginning shortly after Kislyak was summoned to the State Department and informed that, in retaliation for Russian election meddling, the United States was expelling 35 people suspected of being Russian intelligence operatives and imposing other sanctions.

Kislyak was irate and threatened a forceful Russian response, according to people familiar with the exchange. He then left the State Department and called Flynn, the first in a series of calls between the two in the 36 hours that followed.

U.S. intelligence agencies routinely wiretap the phones of Russian diplomats, and transcripts of the calls showed that Flynn urged the Russians not to respond, saying relations would improve once Trump was in office, according to the current and former officials.

Flynns failure to fully disclose the nature of the calls with Kislyak ultimately cost him his job last month after a tumultuous 25 days as national security adviser.

The U.S. government has concluded that Russia intended, at least in part, to help elect Trump through a campaign of cyberattacks, propaganda and misinformation. The government has concluded that Russian operatives were behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta, chairman of Hillary Clintons presidential campaign.

Current and former U.S. officials have said that Flynn had contacts with Kislyak during the campaign. But few of the specifics of those contacts were known. The Russian ambassador has acknowledged that the two men had known each other since 2013 and were in contact during the campaign.

Its something all diplomats do, Kislyak was quoted as saying by The Washington Post, though he refused to say what subjects he discussed with Flynn.
DOWNEY  A sea of hundreds of law enforcement uniforms flanked the family of Keith Wayne Boyer Friday, as colleagues and loved ones shared memories of slain Whittier Police officer.

The ceremony at Calvary Chapel Downey honoring the life of Boyer, Whittiers first officer to die in the line of duty in nearly four decades, was attended by representatives of police departments from around the nation.

Bagpipes played as an honor guard marched inside the chapel carrying Boyers flag-draped casket. Hundreds more crowded outside in the main hallway of the church, watching live footage of the ceremony inside.

Boyer, 53, spent all 27 of his years as a police officer in his hometown of Whittier.

On Feb. 20, after responding to a traffic collision in the Friendly Hills neighborhood of Whittier, Boyer was gunned down by the gang member who had crashed his vehicle.

The alleged killer has been charged with two counts of murder  one for Boyer, and another for his cousin, who was shot earlier the same day. Police believe the man also wounded another Whittier police officer who was there with Boyer during the brief gunfight.

On Friday, some speakers eulogized Boyers character, dedication and righteousness. Others shared stories about his playfulness, his love of magic tricks and his skill as a rock n roll drummer.

My dad was goofy. I mean the definition of dad jokes, said Boyers son, Joseph Boyer, who serves in the U.S. Navy. That was him. He was always trying to bring a smile to everyone. And he did. Joseph Boyer thanked the Whittier Police Department and the community for their unwavering support.

Seeing this community, the state of California, and everyone across the nation showing their support has been overwhelming, he said. At the time I should be hurting the most, God has given me peace, knowing my father Keith Wayne Boyer is up there in heaven right now.

Son Joshua Boyer told of his fathers honesty, relaying a story of how he once drove the children back to a grocery store to return a candy bar after discovering one of them had placed it in a grocery bag without paying.

My dad had integrity, he said. What you see is what you get.

Daughter Ashley Sheleretis described her father as the picture of humility.

Both as a cop and as a family man, he had the heart of a servant. He lived to serve others, she said. He always put our needs above his own. He was always there for us.

As the man accused of killing their father awaits the criminal justice process, Boyers children spoke not of anger, but forgiveness.

God has given me the strength to forgive the man who did this, Joshua Boyer said. To me, it is not a man who did this but the evil of this world. This man was just a face. Hes lost. And I pray that one day, he finds himself changed for the better.

Joshua Boyer said it was tempting to give in to anger and judgment, but my father taught me to choose the right thing.

I know it may seem impossible to forgive the man who did this, Joshua Boyer said, but that is why I rely on the strength of God.

Boyer is survived by his parents, Nancy and Don, four children and three grandchildren. Three of his children, Joseph Boyer, Joshua Boyer and Ashley Sheleretis sang Amazing Grace in tribute to their father before their eulogies.

After the honor guard escorted Boyers casket from the church following the ceremony, the procession then travelled to Rose Hill Memorial Park & Mortuary in Whittier for a graveside service.

Boyers funeral followed a public viewing Thursday night at the Whittier Area Community Church that was also attended by thousands. Police from departments around the country  among them law enforcement from Chicago, New York, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Utah  flew in for both ceremonies.

Retired Whittier police officer Mike Karson, who also spoke at the ceremony Friday, was friends with Keith Boyer for more than 30 years.

They served on the police force together, played in bands together, and even went on a blind date together, he said.

Keith was the kindest, sweetest, gentlest man youll ever meet. He didnt have a mean bone in his body, Karson said. He was the ultimate team player, always helping where he could.

You know, if you work this job long  it can change you, Karson said. It can make you callous. It can make you bitter, it can make you numb. Not Keith, he loved his job. The opportunity to help people in his community excited him.

Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper played in bands with Boyer, too. As he memorialized his friend, he pointed to Boyers expert policing.

In his nearly 27 years as a police officer, Keith remained dedicated to his profession, the chief said. His knowledge was vast and his opinion was sought after.

Hes playing drums with the greatest band imaginable, Piper said as his voice broke with emotion. Godspeed Keith, my brother in law enforcement and my friend.
A week after an off-duty cop manhandled a 13-year-old boy for trespassing and fired his handgun, a man with gray hair cuts across the officers property in Anaheim.

While delving into the deeper issues that affect neighborhoods across 21st century America, I stare wide-eyed in disbelief at the strangers actions and what may come next.

Los Angeles police Officer Kevin Ferguson shocked and scared kids while they were walking home from school on Feb. 22. After the boy apparently stepped on his grass, the four-year patrol officer went after him, grabbed the child by the collar and dragged him across several properties before being pushed down by another kid, tumbling into a hedge and firing his weapon.

The next night, a phalanx of police in riot gear had to be called in to guard the neighborhood from scores of protesters shouting, breaking windows and carrying signs stating, Arrest violent cops.

Vehicles were vandalized and Kill The Cops was reportedly spray-painted on a nearby fence in bold black letters.

Yet neighbors tell me graffiti is nothing new in this seemingly bucolic neighborhood where manicured green lawns spread below shade trees and tidy homes fly the Stars and Stripes.

I cant paint all the kids with the same paintbrush, says an 86-year-old retired educator, who fears his house will be tagged with graffiti if he reveals his name, but some are just problems.

The man allows hes lived in his home for a half-century and has seen enormous change, including apartments going up nearby. But the tipping point, he says, was reached last year when an outdoor skatepark opened just a block away.

I peer past the stranger as he nonchalantly treads on Fergusons lawn, unaware of the history of a man who neighbors say reached his point of zero tolerance only after months of telling kids to stay off his land.

But as an elementary, junior high and high school disgorge hundreds of students, no one moves behind Fergusons windows  and no one rushes from the front door to confront the trespasser.

Perhaps Ferguson is at his desk in the Hollywood division after being pulled from the street while the incident is under investigation. Perhaps the strangers gray hair gives him a pass.

Or perhaps the stranger is just plain lucky.

Yes, tensions are tightening in our fast-changing nation.

CHANGING TIMES

Today, Southern California is home to a rich diversity of languages with English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Farsi, Mandarin, Arabic, Tagalog, Korean, Hindi, Chinese transforming communities into global villages.

A few blocks from Fergusons home, Brito Taqueria Restaurant is just down the street from Cali Style Barbershop, which is just down the street from Anaheim Korean Presbyterian Church.

In a nation where family once typically meant an at-home mom and a working dad, single-parent families or parents who both work is the norm.

But cultural and generational changes also create seismic shakes.

As the schools let out, three boys disappear between two homes on Fergusons street and a visitor wonders what they are up to.

One of the teens lives in one of the homes and is what the 20th century called a latch-key kid, someone we now simply call a kid.

Residents along Fergusons street believe the best, easiest and quickest solution for keeping peace is for people  adults, students, strangers  to treat one another with respect.

Respect, they say, isnt dead. But it sure is in danger.

When people are older, says Mike Martin, a retired carpenter, you respect them.

Martin maintains that while some students are respectful, too many kids feel they are entitled to behave however they choose.

Even at age 61, Martin addresses people he doesnt know as mr., mrs., sir or maam.

KEEPING THE PEACE

Like others in the neighborhood, Richard Bjorklund, a 25-year-resident, says the street changed last year when the skatepark was completed.

He says he and his neighbors have put up with kids straying from the sidewalk for years  especially when students walk side-by-side.

When theres three of them, they walk on the grass, says Bjorklund, adding he has 13 grandkids and two great-grandkids. I dont care.

But what happens at the skatepark is a different matter.

When Bjorklund and his wife go on their morning walks, they usually see kids at the park, even during school hours. On one recent morning, some teenagers smoked marijuana.

Nestled between Loara High School, Palm Lane Elementary School and Ball Junior High School, the 5,000-square-foot Palm Lane Skatepark was built with a donation from Disneyland Resort.

Even before it was finished, some in the neighborhood said, not in my backyard. But at least on this day, the park is more like a playground with a trio of 11-year-old boys zooming around on scooters.

Chris Lopez, a 32-year-old audio-visual technician, smiles at the scene and picks up his skateboard. Careful to avoid the boys, he flies across twin embankments shaped like orange slices, grinds a steel rail and flips his board, landing on its wheels.

In many ways, Lopez may seem a world apart from Bjorklund and Martin. But in important ways, hes the same.

Its not the skateparks fault, says Lopez. Its about respect.

Lopez says he has a 13-year-old child and points out hes a generation older than most kids at the park. He says the younger generation doesnt treat people with respect.

After spotting some younger adults drinking beer, Lopez leaves the skatepark in disgust. Im uncomfortable with that stuff. I cant get in the zone.

As the number of students walking home  or to the skatepark  dwindles to a trickle, a family meets up on Fergusons street and greets a high school senior with so many Mylar balloons they cant fit in a vehicle.

Its Bryanna Alemans 18th birthday and she says she and her friends have moved on from the gunshot incident. But other kids remain wary.

Perhaps the peace officer should consider erecting a fence around his property, say something six inches high, just enough to keep people from wandering on his lawn.

Just dont build a wall, sir.
We all loved eating raw cookie dough when we were children, but apparently a lot of adults like it too. DO Cookie Dough Confections, a small shop in Greenwich Village, New York, sells roughly 1,500 pounds of safe-to-eat raw cookie dough every day to people willing to spend over an hour in line for a chance to relive their childhood fantasies.

28-year-old Kristen Tomlan, the founder and CEO of DO Cookie Dough Confections never outgrew her craving for raw cookie dough. She always wondered why there wasnt a place where people could enjoy their favorite treat, and started contemplating the idea of opening up her own business on a vacation, when she and a few friends stopped at a cookie shop, but instead of buying baked treats, they opted for a tub of raw cookie dough, which they ate in the car.

In 2014, Tomlan almost died after an allergic reaction to an antibiotic left her in a medically induced coma for three weeks, just a couple of months before her wedding. This near-death experience made her realize that life is short and she should follow her dreams. She first started her raw-cookie dough business online, and after getting coverage on a couple of popular websites, she and her husband had to rearrange the furniture in their apartment to accommodate commercial freezers. She soon quit her job in branding to focus solely on her business.

This January, DO Cookie Dough Confections opened as a brick-and-mortar shop in Greenwich Village, and dozens of people have been lining up outside to sample the wide variety of cookie doughs ever since. The shop opens at 10:00 am, but customers start lining up outside as early as 8:30, and Tomlan says she had to to staff up to keep up with demand. I knew I loved cookie dough, and I knew other people loved cookie dough, but I did not expect this, the young entrepreneur told TIME Magazine.

DO Cookie Dough Confections sells raw cookie dough in 13 delicious flavors, including chocolate chip, red velvet, fluffernutter and peanut butter snickerdoodle. The shop offers a variety of gluten-free and vegan options as well, and is constantly working on new recipes.

A scoop of raw cookie dough costs $4 and can be served in either an ice-cream cone or a paper cup. Tomlan says that her dough can be used to bake cookies, but the shop is set up more like an ice-cream parlor, catering to people who prefer to enjoy it raw.

But didnt mommy used to say that eating too much of it can make you sick to your stomach? The FDA confirms that, but only when it comes to home-made dough and batter, due to the possible contamination of ingredients with bacteria that can cause severe gastro-intestinal problems. Commercially available dough, like those sold at DO Cookie Dough Confections and in popular ice-creams is perfectly safe to eat.

To ensure that clients dont have to deal with a tummy ache, Tomlan and her staff only use heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs, so the dough is perfectly safe to eat raw.

Following the early success of her first brick-and-mortar shop, Kristen Tomlan estimates that DO will sell ten times more cookie dough this year than it did in 2016. Although many investors have expressed interest in her business, she claims to remain self-funded for now.

Photos: DO Cookie Dough Confections/Facebook
If youve ever been to Switzerland you already know that pretty much everything is expensive there, and the fresh mountain air is apparently no exception. Well, most of it is actually free, but if you want to order a liter of Swiss mountain air collected from a secret location in the Alps, youll have to cough up a whopping $167. This is not a joke!

John Green, a British expat living in Basel, Switzerland, is the brains behind Genuine Mountain Air from Switzerland, a fledgling online business that promises to ship fresh, high-quality Swiss air anywhere around the world, if you can afford it. Green claims to collect the air from a secret location near the town of Zermatt, then bottles it up in glass containers, labels it and ships it to buyers.

Described as the ultimate present for the man or woman that has everything, the bottled mountain air also comes with a certificate of authenticity and the exact GPS collection of the place it was collected from.

Photo: Mountain Air from Switzerland

A liter of authentic Swiss mountain air costs $167, but Green realizes that not everyone can afford to pay that much, even though were talking about the best air in the world, so he also has a budget offer on his website, $97 for a 500 ml jar of air. If moneys no object when it comes to fresh air, you can buy a 3-liter container for $247. While the claim that this is the best air in the world is debatable, theres no question that this is the worlds most expensive air.

Green, who hails from Kent, England, is perfectly aware that his offer sounds somewhat crazy, but claims that steep prices are necessary for a sustainable business. There are expenses, weve got to send the stuff out worldwide. I want to try and make it sustainable, I dont want it to be a five minute wonder and make a huge loss. If you try and charge the minimum price you wont be sustainable and youll go out of business, he told The Local. And also dont forget, its Swiss air! Everything in Switzerland is expensive.

Photo: Mountain Air from Switzerland

Apart from making a small profit off the bottled Swiss mountain air, Green also donates 25% of his proceeds to a charity called World Vision, which supports a clean water program in Africa. But even if you deduct this donation from the price, his air is still outrageously expensive.

Green doesnt want to comment too much on the success of his business so far. Its starting slowly, lets put it like that, he said.

Photo: Steinemann/Wikipedia

If youre wondering what opening an expensive jar of Swiss mountain air feels like, but youre too poor to spend $100 or more on one, Green was kind enough to describe the experience on his website, mountainairfromswitzerland.com: As you open your ice cold jar of air (its recommended to chill in the freezer for full effect) you flick the latch open and theres a quick pfsst as the mountain pressure equalizes and you can take a breath of genuine mountain air from Switzerland.

Selling bottled fresh air is definitely not a novel business idea. People in France, Canada, Russia and China have been doing it for years, but their prices are nowhere near as high as this. I guess Switzerland is just special that way.
BizCom Associates is spreading the word on Pinots Palette, which offers art instruction in a relaxing atmosphere and an opportunity to trade in your cell phone for a paintbrush.
Jordan Peele Has A Whole Series Of Horror Films Planned After Get Out Elijah C. Watson Elijah Watson serves as Okayplayer's News & Culture Editor. When

Jordan Peele has four more social thriller films in the making.

In an interview with Business Insider the Get Out director said that his recently-released directorial debut is the first of five social thrillers he plans on creating.

I have four other social thrillers that I want to unveil in the next decadeThe best and scariest monsters in the world are human beings and what we are capable of especially when we get together, Peele said. Ive been working on these premises about these different social demons, these innately human monsters that are woven into the fabric of how we think and how we interact, and each one of my movies is going to be about a different one of these social demons.

Get Out has been both a commercial and critical success, with the film having an impressive $30.5 million debut.

The film offers a commentary on race and racism in America through the lens of horror, something that we found particularly enjoyable about Get Out.

The psychology of blackness is important in Get Out, our very own Elijah Watson writes. We see protagonist Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) have to address a trauma experienced as a child that he has yet to come to terms with, as well as his ongoing paranoia as he begins to realize that the affluent and white neighborhood his girlfriend Rose Armitages (Allison Williams) family resides in, isnt what it seems to be. He laughs off his worries until he no longer can, the real motives of this secluded community unraveled until the movies end.

This is what makes Get Out fascinating and why it can only work as what it is. Horror often speaks to its audience psychologically and is an extreme (of sorts) in what we often associate with the genre (gore, violence). Here, we see that extreme used to comment on something very real and extreme in its own right  the black experience in America.

If you still have not seen Get Out you should definitely do so.
Agricultural News

Soil Health Concept Proposed for Conservation Title of 2018 Farm Bill

South Dakota Senator John Thune has unveiled what he is calling the Soil Health and Income Protection Program (SHIPP), the first of many individual farm bill proposals he will introduce over the next few weeks and months. SHIPP is a new voluntary income protection program for farmers that is designed for today's production agriculture and soil health needs. It would provide participating farmers with a short-term acreage conserving use program, which unlike the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), would require a commitment of only three to five years.





"I've written three farm bills during my time in Congress, having served on both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees," said Thune. "The 2018 farm bill will be my fourth. I know what it takes to get these farm bills across the finish line, and I know the hard-working farmers and ranchers who will be affected once we do. That's why over the next several weeks, I'll be rolling out incremental farm bill proposals that will cover most titles of the farm bill.





"The first proposal I'm unveiling would create a new voluntary farm bill program that would provide a short-term option to conserve acreage while protecting farm income. Unlike CRP, which requires a long-term commitment of 10 to 15 years, SHIPP would require only a three-to-five-year commitment. SHIPP would give farmers the flexibility they need to enroll their least productive acreage in this new program in return for a rental payment and additional crop insurance assistance."





"Sen. Thune's new farm bill program has the potential to be a helpful tool for farmers in today's agriculture economy that has been bogged down by low commodity prices and numerous challenges in meeting the cost of production for most crops," said Scott VanderWal, president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau. "SHIPP provides a common-sense, voluntary alternative to spending money on expensive seed, fertilizer, and chemicals on our least productive land."





SHIPP Highlights:



* Participation is voluntary.



* Operator chooses the land to be enrolled in SHIPP on each Farm Service Agency (FSA) Farm Serial Number (FSN).



* Both the landowner and the operator must sign the SHIPP contract.



* A one-time sign-up will be held, beginning with the first crop year after the next farm bill has been enacted.



* Land is enrolled in SHIPP for three, four, or five years.



* A maximum of 15 percent of the cropland on a FSN may be enrolled in SHIPP, and to be eligible for SHIPP, land must have been planted or considered planted to a commodity crop for three consecutive years prior to enrollment.



* One base acre for each acre enrolled in SHIPP will be suspended and returned to the SHIPP-enrolled farm after a SHIPP contract expires or is terminated.



* Acres must be planted to a low-cost perennial conserving use cover at enrollee's expense.



* Acres may be harvested for seed after nesting and brood rearing period, but cannot be insured (25 percent reduction in rental payment if harvested for seed).



* Annual SHIPP payment rate shall be one-half of the CRP general sign-up rental per acre rate for the county.



* Premium discount for insured crops planted in a crop insurance unit each year shall be increased by 2 percent if the unit contains acres enrolled in SHIPP.



* SHIPP acres may be hayed or grazed outside the nesting and brood-rearing period established for the county, with adequate stubble height left standing to protect the soil, as determined by the State Technical Committee.





At the outset, socially disadvantaged and military veteran SHIPP enrollees would receive 75 percent of the CRP general sign-up rental rate, a three percent increase in crop insurance premium discounts, and no deduction in payment for harvesting grass seed on acres enrolled in SHIPP.









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Friends will celebrate Bert Crums 70th birthday Saturday, a half-century after his life nearly ended in Vietnam.

That he made it this far is remarkable. He is 100 percent disabled.

Doctors didnt think he would survive his injuries all these years, said brother Fred Crum of Omaha. They didnt expect him to walk or talk ever again.

Bert, honorably discharged as a lance corporal, has made the best of the bad hand he was dealt. He is a popular figure at the veterans home in Norfolk, Nebraska, where he moves around in his wheelchair.

Part of his daily ritual, said social worker RoseAnn Ross, is to go around and tell everybody good morning. He is very well-liked, and we are privileged to have him.

After he graduated from the old Omaha Tech High in 1966, the handsome Bert enlisted in the Marines. His reason for doing so was simple.

Because of my dad, he said this week. He was a Marine during the Second World War over in the Pacific.

His father, after a divorce, had raised Bert and Fred, who also lived for a time at the Omaha Home for Boys.

After boot camp, Bert married in Omaha before shipping out to Vietnam. Fred recalls his big brother saying it was always hot and rainy, but he has no memory of what happened Sept. 25, 1967.

He was 19, crouched in a foxhole, when a mortar made a direct hit. Two Marines next to him were killed, and Bert suffered a severe brain injury.

He was evacuated and returned to the United States, where a metal plate was inserted in his skull. He eventually spent seven years in a Topeka, Kansas, hospital.

It was hard to see him that way, said Fred, now retired as a Union Pacific electrician. He couldnt talk, couldnt walk and was paralyzed on the left side.

In a 1975 World-Herald interview, as the U.S. departed Vietnam, Bert said from his Kansas hospital bed that he didnt regret volunteering for the Marines and would do it again if he could.

It was worth it, he said. It was better than having them (the Communists) come over here.

Fred admires his brother for his military service, his hard work at rehabilitation and his persistence through the years.

Seeing young photos of Bert, Fred said, reminds me of the good times we always had  and the times he could have had.

Berts marriage had quickly ended, and he didnt get a chance to raise a family or enjoy a career  he had worked at an auto-body repair shop, and his brother says he might have become a mechanic.

About 58,000 Americans died in the war, their names inscribed on the Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C.

But of the 2.59 million who served, another 303,000 were wounded  and half of those required hospitalization.

Some fully recovered. Others have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Still others, like Bert C. Crum, have endured lifelong physical disabilities.

Omaha attorney David Koukol, Berts guardian-conservator, has requested information from the Marine Corps, as well as any medals or decorations he deserves.

Bert doesnt have a Purple Heart. Its unclear exactly where in Vietnam he was injured.

His 70th birthday is Tuesday, but people will honor him at the veterans home Saturday. In a talk prepared for delivery then, Koukol notes that Bert still carries the scars of his service, but retains a ready smile and a quick wit.

Regardless of ones political position on the Vietnam War, Koukol says, warriors like Bert deserve our utmost respect.
The Omaha Public Schools board has indicated it will likely need to hire an interim superintendent after the three finalists to be the district's next leader dropped out. The board is looking for someone to replace Superintendent Mark Evans, who plans to retire in June.
A program for job seekers meant to show potential employers that applicants have the skills to do the job got the thumbs-up Thursday from local employers and officials.

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert; Douglas County Board member Chris Rodgers; Erin Porterfield, executive director of Heartland Workforce Solutions; and Randy Thelen with the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce joined with executives from First Data and Airlite Plastics on Thursday afternoon to kick off the Heartland Work Ready initiative.

The initiative is a program intended to help job seekers earn the nationally recognized ACT National Career Readiness Certificate. More than 100 civic and business leaders attended the launch event at First Datas Aksarben location.

Daryl Teitler, vice president for human resources at First Data, told attendees that the company has already hired more than 25 certificate-holders.

Jesse DePriest, an Airlite executive, said, We need employers to sign up.

Taking the test speaks volumes about a job seeker, said Thelen, the chambers senior vice president for economic development.

It is not a simple endeavor; it is not a simple test, Thelen said. It shows an employer youve really put yourself out there, youve really taken a risk in your search for a job.

The certificate is earned after satisfactory completion of a three-hour test that measures reading comprehension, applied math and other skills.

In particular, it could help job seekers who havent attended college show a potential employer that they possess work-ready skills. The certificate is intended to complement traditional credentials such as high school diplomas, community college degrees and certificates of technical proficiency, ACT spokesman Ed Colby has said.

More than 10,000 employers nationwide recognize the certificate, ACT has said. The organization also produces the ACT test, which measures college readiness.

The Work Ready program is funded in part through Career Readiness to Eliminate Disparities, a City of Omaha initiative, and Metropolitan Community College. The city has approved a $400,000 grant this year for Heartland; part of that money is earmarked for the work readiness certificate program.

Over the next two years the goal is to get about 1,900 people to successfully complete the test, and persuade at least 228 area employers to commit to accepting the certificate as part of their hiring and job description process.

So far, more than 1,300 have received the certificate in Douglas County. The program is expanding to Sarpy and Washington Counties, said Krystal Frost, business service coordinator at Heartland, a nonprofit that serves job seekers.

There is no charge to test takers in the program. Heartland prepares job seekers to take the test and helps potential employers understand the scores, said Porterfield, Heartlands executive director.

First Data is one of more than 25 companies in the state that support the initiative. Others include Airlite Plastics, AIT Worldwide Logistics, Cargo Zone LLC and HVAC Pros.

Anyone can take the test, including high school students, college graduates, young adults, displaced workers, ex-offenders and veterans, at any of the Douglas County testing sites.

Douglas County test sites include Heartland Workforce Solutions, Metropolitan Community College campuses and the Latino Center of the Midlands.

The test also is offered in Braille and Spanish.

Test takers receive a pass or no pass on each of the tests three sections. The level of proficiency for each section is ranked bronze, silver, gold or platinum, the highest level.

Employers and job seekers can visit workreadycommunities.org or contact Heartland Workforce Solutions at hws-ne.org for more information.
An 18-year-old man was shot Thursday as he left a friends northeast Omaha house, police said.

Avari Mahadeo told police that he was leaving the house near 27th Avenue and Fort Street when he was shot by a person he does not know, a police spokesman said. The assailant fired from a black sport utility vehicle.

Mahadeo walked into Creighton University Medical Center about 7:15 p.m. Police did not release his condition.

In May 2014, Mahadeo suffered a minor wound when he was shot outside a house near 19th and Spencer Streets, police said then.

Police had not announced an arrest late Thursday.
A 29-year-old Norfolk, Nebraska, man was arrested Thursday night in connection with an alleged sexual assault in west Omaha.

Authorities say they have linked the man, Zachary Lee Person, to several other assaults of women in Nebraska and Iowa.

Person was arrested about 9 p.m. at his mothers home in Norfolk, the Douglas County Sheriffs Office said.

He was booked into the Douglas County Jail on suspicion of false imprisonment and second-degree sexual assault, Chief Deputy Tom Wheeler said Friday.

Person was arrested in connection with the assault of a female clerk working at Home2 Suites Omaha West hotel near 179th and Chicago Streets about 3 a.m. Wednesday, the Sheriffs Office said.

A man dressed in black and wearing a black ski mask can be seen on surveillance video stalking the front-desk employee at the hotel before attacking her and dragging her into a hallway, the Sheriffs Office said.

The man groped the woman while in the hallway, the Sheriffs Office said. The woman fought back, Wheeler said, and pulled off his ski mask.

Nebraska authorities received a tip from police in Sioux City, Iowa, that a similar case had occurred there about 8 a.m. Wednesday at Morningside College. The Sheriffs Office said a man there exposed himself in a womens shower room.

The mans appearance, the description of the vehicle he was driving and a partial license plate number in Sioux City matched the Omaha case, Wheeler said.

The Sheriffs Office said those details led them to Person. They said they then found his name on the states sex offender list and other databases.

Officials worked with authorities in Sioux City, Vermillion, South Dakota, and Fremont in learning that the man was a repeat offender in multiple jurisdictions.

Authorities also were able to use cellular tower information to link information from Persons cellphone to specific locations in Douglas County and at Morningside College, the Sheriffs Office said.

Wheeler said Person is awaiting sentencing in similar attacks on female joggers, students and gas station employees in South Dakota and Nebraska between 2007 and this year.

In several of those cases, a man attacked or knocked down female victims and molested them, Wheeler said. In other cases, officials said, the man exposed himself.
In 1969, local organist Jolene Rogge performed at three morning church services before getting married at 2 p.m.

I said, Im just going to take everything, Rogge said. My dad thought I was nuts.

Shes played at more than 15 Nebraska churches throughout her career. Shes currently works at Church of the Holy Spirit in Bellevue and volunteers at Church of the Holy Spirit in Plattsmouth.

Today marks Rogges 60th anniversary of being a church organist. After all these years, Rogges retiring on June 4. Church of the Holy Spirit will host a cake reception for Rogge after 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services on Sunday.

Dont you think its time? Rogge asked. Thats going to be sad. Thats a lot of years.

The Rev. Tom Jones, rector at Bellevue Church of the Holy Spirit, said Rogge is very committed to music.

Jolene brought new life to the music of our parish, Jones said. She has a vibrant personality and plays with vigor.

Since she started in 1957, Rogge said she can count the number of times shes missed services on her hand.

The first time was the day after her son Scott was born, June 28, 1970, because her doctor wouldnt let her leave the hospital.

Man, I cried after I had Scott and I couldnt go to church, Rogge said.

Before Rogge stepped a day into a kindergarten class, shed already started piano lessons at 5 years old.

Rogge said her mother, who played at churches from college until Rogge was born, inspired her to achieve what she has today.

Her mother died the year she started playing at Christ Lutheran Church in Norfolk, when Rogge was just 10 years old.

Rogge spends her Saturday nights and Sunday mornings performing during services, plus sets aside time for practices.

If the weathers bad, I just spend the night, Rogge said. I dont sleep; I just practice the whole time.

Her dedication will be missed, Jones said.

Ive known her now for 8.5 years, and it has been a blessing, Jones said. I will be sorry to see her leave.
With his mysterious accent, black scarf and bald head, Ryan Pivonka, assistant principal at Ralston High School, was received with laughs and enthusiasm when he walked into the second-grade classroom at Mockingbird Elementary School.

The children had been told there would be a surprise on Feb. 21, and they should wear their Minion shirts, made famous by the Despicable Me films. Little did they know that they would be greeted by Gru, the films infamous supervillain.

Although Pivonka dressed and sounded just like the character, perhaps even more exciting than his appearance was the fact that he brought with him new books for every student in the classroom.

Events like this have become common at Mockingbird Elementary School.

Since September, each student from kindergarten to third grade receives $7 worth of new books every month as part of the Book Trust Initiative, a program funded by United Way of the Midlands to bring books to students in 10 schools in the metro area at a total cost of $250,000 per year.

This year, 2,500 books have been delivered to students at Mockingbird, and Melissa Mayo, director of Classroom Ready Initiatives at United Way of the Midlands, estimates by the end of the school year that number could reach 5,000.

What this really confirms is that kids are still excited about reading, Mayo said. To see this excitement, youd think it was Christmas every month with all these celebrations.

The books are often held in the school for weeks while the students excitement builds for the book giveaway. Each giveaway is an event in its own right, and usually includes a special guest, ranging from Miss Nebraska to a teachers family members.

I think the creativity of this opportunity really lies in the hands of schools, Mayo said. The point of it is to make these days really special and show why reading is important.

Mockingbird, where 78 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, was the only school in RPS chosen for this program. Some of the students here didnt have books at home, but by the end of the year theyll have a library of at least 30 books.

Its leveling the playing field so that every kind of student from kindergarten to third grade is ordering books every month, Mayo said.

The goal of the program is to encourage literacy and make sure students are reading at grade level. Students are able to pick out their own books from a Scholastic catalog with the help of teachers, who help identify the genres their students might like and make sure students are on the right reading level. Teachers are then reimbursed by United Way of the Midlands.

When kids have that ability to choose what they read, theyre more excited about reading, Mayo said.

Stacey Stoffel, a fifth-grade teacher and Mockingbird Book Trust manager, sees each month just how eager students are to have new books to call their own. Many of those who struggled with reading before this school year now cant wait to get their hands on another book, writing their name inside the book as soon as they can.

Its so wonderful to see them so excited about reading, Stoffel said. We want to get that anticipation up.

One of the goals of the program is that students will take the books home with them to read with their parents and family members. For those students whose families dont speak English, books in Spanish are also available.

One kid says thank you for getting me new books in Spanish so I can read with my parents at night, Stoffel said.

The Book Trust Initiative is a three-year pilot program beginning with kindergarteners. After three years, students could have more than 90 books of their own.

Weve been so fortunate to have this program, Stoffel said.
In 2011, Jason Strong walked into an Air Force recruiters office and fell in love.

I joined the Air Force at a very chaotic time in my life, said Strong, now a staff sergeant and a data operator on the E-4B at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. I had been in foster care for my senior year of high school, which was the only year I went to public school. Prior to that I had gone to a school run by this private community. It wasnt state accredited, it had its own curriculum. For biology, half the pages on human anatomy were ripped out. I was playing a ton of catch up, and I realized that really quickly.

The private community was the Society of St. Pius the Tenth, an offshoot of Catholicism that split from the mainstream Catholic church in the late 1980s over the changes made to the church during Vatican II.

Then I enrolled in Kansas State University, and as time progressed, things were even crazier back at home, he said.

Strong is one of 12 children, and he felt pulled in multiple directions as his younger siblings cycled into foster care.

I realized that I had spent the first 17 years of my life fighting not to be something, and that left me with a vacancy of, What am I? Who am I? he said. I only knew myself in comparison to what I was not, and that left me with nothing. I convinced myself I needed a structured environment, to expose myself to as many things as possible, and to get as much information as I could in a way that would allow me to be financially stable.

This led Strong to the military. As he entered the recruiters office that day, he saw a sign hanging on the wall with the Air Force core values printed on it.

This is so corny, but I fell in love with what it said and I thought, I want to be around people like that, Strong said. That was why I chose the Air Force. Its given me a structured environment, and I just got my bachelors degree. I now have an inside perspective on the military, Ive deployed three times. I understand so much more about the world and society than I did five years ago when I was this floundering child.

On his most recent deployment to Afghanistan in 2015, Strong managed to make a lasting mark on the country in a way few in the military manage to do.

I was online one day after a flight and I think it was on CNNs front page  talking about a womans efforts in Kabul to start the first girls school, he said. I clicked on the link and read her story, and I saw the link to her fundraising campaign.

That woman was Razia Jan, and her school was the Zabuli Education Center in Kabul, Afghanistan. Originally a K-12 school, it has since expanded into a college. Strong donated, and was excited to see the campaign surpass their original fundraising goal before the deadline.

Strong felt his childhood shared a lot of the experiences that kids in Afghanistan had in regards to fundamentalist religions.

That kind of environment can impact future achievement and future self-worth, he said. Im a huge proponent of gender equality, because I had sisters that are dramatically impacted by fundamentalist Christian religion, which restricts them and has stopped them from reaching their goals or setting their goals. So to see someone as brave as Razia Jan over there, winning over an entire village of men to get them to support their daughters going to high school and now college, is everything I want to be able to do in my life.

Strong recognized that he had duties to fulfill in the Air Force that took precedence over helping organizations like Jans achieve success, but he still wanted to help. He contributed enough to the fund raiser to receive a private viewing of the documentary filmmaker Beth Murphy was making on the school.

In late July 2016, Murphy reached out to Strong, asking if he had any contacts in the Army Post Office or with an APO address.

An individual in the United States had donated a years worth of school supplies for 500 girls to the Zabuli Education Center, but the school was unable to afford transport of the donation to Kabul.

She wanted to know if I had any contacts who could help facilitate the transport of a years worth of school supplies for 500 girls, he said. I randomly did, in Kabul  his name is John Phommavongsa. I met him on my first deployment to Kandahar. He worked for a commander who was super on board with this. The commander was able to make everything happen. It was so much easier to coordinate than I had initially expected, and everything went through perfectly.

Strong worked with Phommavongsa and U.S. Air Force Col. William Maxwell, deputy commander of the multinational force at Hamid Karzai International Airport through August 2016, and by September the supplies had been delivered to the school.

Staff Sgt. Strongs coordination with the force protection team ensured a safe and efficient transfer of the donation to the school leadership from the HKIA, Maxwell said. I believe that all people should find ways to become involved in projects like this one. The military especially has an opportunity to be a part of it here  and it is also a benefit for the people of Afghanistan to see our military personnel as people too, and to understand that our coalition personnel are working toward the benefit and the success of the people of Afghanistan.

The success of Afghanistan could likely depend on the future of schools like Zabuli, Maxwell said.

This is one of the simplest things we can do and it can have a lifelong impression on the children that benefit from it, Maxwell said. The impressions of the children of Afghanistan will have a lasting impact on their continued thoughts about the coalition of nations here providing for the future of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Strong feels supporting girls schools in areas like Afghanistan is important because those schools often face difficulty by virtue of simply existing. Unlike the United States, most girls in Afghanistan dont make it all the way through school, or their families are unable to afford the tuition.

This school is different, because a few girls have even been able to stay past getting married, Strong said. They usually get married very, very young, too. They were able to teach not only girls the value and potential of pursuing education, but also potential suitors and their families the value of allowing their wives to be in school. Its sad that it has to be allowed, and it isnt a fundamental right.

Girls schools in Afghanistan face centuries of resistance to the education of women.

It is heartbreaking to see the way these terrorists treat...women, said Jan in a 2012 interview with CNN. In their eyes, a women is an object that they can control. They are scared that when these girls get an education, they will become aware of their rights as women and as a human being. The day we opened the school, (on) the other side of town, they threw hand grenades in a girls school, and 100 girls were killed.

Strong said a motivator for the help he provided was also an attempt to show the bravery and competence of women like Jan, and combat the sexism he sees in western culture.

I used to think one person could change the world, but I dont anymore, he said. I think that we all, collectively, help make the world a better place. Being a man doesnt mean you have to degrade women. If Razia Jan can build a school for girls in Afghanistan, maybe we can talk about women in a better way. Maybe we can treat our female co-workers with the same amount of respect we treat our male co-workers.

As a result of Strongs contribution to the fundraiser for Zabuli, he gets a private viewing of the documentary, What Tomorrow Brings. He has opted to locate the viewing at the 557th Weather Wing auditorium on March 2 at 6 p.m. Any individual with base access is encouraged to attend. Strong and Beth Murphy, the director, will be in attendance. For more information, please call 294-3663.
LINCOLN (AP)  A bill that would require drug screenings for Nebraska welfare recipients raised objections Thursday from civil liberties groups and advocates for low-income residents.

The measure would require applicants to complete substance abuse and job skills programs if they test positive for illegal drugs.

The bill is intended not to punish individuals but to provide treatment for people with a substance abuse problem, said Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango, the bills sponsor.

Hughes said he introduced the bill at the urging of constituents in his southwest Nebraska district, who voiced concerns that welfare recipients might be abusing the benefit.

Under the bill, applicants who test positive would have to complete substance abuse and job skills training programs. Those who fail or refuse to complete either program would become ineligible for cash assistance for a year, or until both programs are completed.

The Department of Health and Human Services could assign a protective payee to handle finances for a parent or guardian who gets disqualified. Nebraska has an average of 5,710 recipients per month, according to the department. The drug tests could cost an estimated $50,200 a year in state and federal money, based on the assumption that 11 percent of current adult recipients are suspected of drug abuse. If 4 percent of those tested are declared ineligible, the state and federal government would see a combined savings of $21,300.

Additionally, state officials say theyd have to hire a new program specialist at a cost of more than $73,000 in state and federal money.

Applicants would have to take a test if caseworkers suspect theyre abusing drugs, which Hughes acknowledged is subjective. Hughes said the measure has problems that need to be fixed but argued the state should do more to help people who are abusing illegal drugs.

We want people to live meaningful lives, and I feel dependency on drugs is a barrier, he said.

Critics said the bill violates recipients constitutional rights by subjecting them to invasive tests. Unlike drug screenings required by employers, state tests for parolees usually require a test-taker to urinate in front of another person, said Amy Miller, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska.

There is nothing more invasive or more concerning ... than literally making poor people expose themselves, she said.

Additionally, Miller said a false positive could force recipients to take a second test at their own expense just to clear their name. We have no examples, no studies, no proof that this is even happening in Nebraska, she said. Its also not clear whether the state has enough resources to test every suspected drug user, said Becky Gould, executive director of the group Nebraska Appleseed.

At least 15 states have passed laws that relate to drug testing or screening to qualify for public assistance, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Some apply to all applicants, while others target people with a history of drug abuse or those who are believed to be using.

Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
LINCOLN (AP)  Nebraska lawmakers are considering asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment requiring people to show photo identification to vote.

The move comes after lawmakers in recent years have failed to approve a voter ID law. Sen. John Murante of Gretna, who sponsored the measure, told a legislative committee on Thursday that voters arent confident in the integrity of the electoral process and should be able to decide whether to require voters to show ID to prevent fraud.

Every single vote illegally cast cancels out the vote of an American citizen, and even one illegal vote is too many, Murante said.

The Nebraska Secretary of States office does not track voter fraud, but reports are rare. Two of the more than 860,000 Nebraska residents who voted in the 2016 general election are facing charges of voter fraud: A pair of men in Dawson County have April court dates for allegedly voting twice. One man was convicted for voting in both Kansas and Nebraska during the 2012 election, when more than 800,000 voted in Nebraska.

Supporters of Murantes measure, including Omaha resident Larry Storer, said the lack of widespread voter fraud doesnt mean anything.

We the citizens dont need evidence of fraud in Nebraska, he said.

A constitutional amendment is an underhanded way to force a voter ID bill upon the citizens of this state, said Dewayne Mays of the Lincoln branch of the NAACP. Voter ID requirements place undue hardships on young mobile people, elderly people with health issues who dont drive, people with physical or mental limitations and the poor, he said.

Omaha teacher Cheryl Goodwillie said her 86-year-old mother, a lifelong Republican, is among the people who could be disenfranchised by a voter ID law. Goodwillies mother moved to a smaller apartment in her Omaha assisted living facility after her husband died this summer and, after a three-hour ordeal the last time she was at the Department of Motor Vehicles, didnt want to go back to update her address on her non-operator ID. For the first time, Goodwillies mother didnt vote in the 2016 election.

If this bill were to become law, my mothers experience and my own mistake would become part of the states constitution, Goodwillie said. Please dont make it impossible for the elderly and disabled to vote.

Nebraska has tried several times in the past few years to introduce voter ID laws, but these measures have always died in committee or been filibustered on the floor. Murantes approach would require more support from the Legislature  30 of 49 votes  and a statewide vote. It also would authorize the Legislature to specify which forms of ID are acceptable.

Copyright 2017 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
LINCOLN  The deaths of two inmates this week at the prison near Tecumseh thrust Nebraskas beleaguered corrections system back under a harsh spotlight Friday, renewing some lawmakers calls for immediate action, while the states top prison official said the incident demonstrated improvements have been made.

Corrections Director Scott Frakes told reporters during a briefing Friday hes confident that those responsible for the deaths at the Tecumseh State Prison will be brought to justice.

Nebraska State Patrol investigators gained quicker access to the crime scene this week than they did two years ago, when a riot at the same prison also left two inmates dead. Those homicides remain unsolved.

In Thursdays melee, Damon Fitzgerald of Omaha and Michael Galindo of Scottsbluff were killed after a group of 40 inmates seized control of a portion of a maximum-security housing unit. Ninety-five corrections officers and state troopers regained control of the unit within 3 hours, a process that took closer to 10 hours in the 2015 riot.

Fitzgerald, 39, was serving 310 to 470 years for first-degree sexual assault, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, burglary and third-degree assault on a peace officer.

Galindo, 31, was serving 12 to 21 years in prison for a variety of offenses in Buffalo and Scotts Bluff Counties, including robbery, forgery and possession of a controlled substance.

Frakes, saying he did not want to comment on an ongoing investigation, declined to state flatly that his employees were not responsible for the deaths. But he read a statement from Attorney General Doug Peterson that said no evidence exists to implicate corrections staff.

That was apparently in response to comments earlier in the day by State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha, who said Frakes, Gov. Pete Ricketts and other state officials were too quick to discount the possibility that inmates died at the hands of corrections staff or law enforcement officers during the incident response. Officials need to wait for completion of the investigation, he added.

On the floor of the State Legislature, Chambers said things have gone steadily downhill since Frakes was hired as state corrections director two years ago by Ricketts, whose family owns the online stock trading company TD Ameritrade.

Ameritrade would be out of business right now if there was this much incompetency on behalf of employees, Chambers said.

Hastings Sen. Steve Halloran also said it was wrong to prejudge what happened at Tecumseh before an investigation, but his perspective was different from Chambers.

Theres a lot of posturing going on here, he said, adding that other states also have seen prison disturbances. So far all Ive heard is a lot of posturing from a lot of people who seem to think these institutions are a preschool. Its a dangerous job.

Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse, whose district includes the Tecumseh prison, praised staff members for their quick reaction in isolating the uprising and keeping it from threatening public safety. Watermeier was on the prison grounds Thursday as the response unfolded.

Watermeier said the staff has improved its response to prison disturbances since a Mothers Day 2015 riot at Tecumseh that involved as many as 400 inmates, leaving two staffers injured, two inmates dead and more than $2 million in damage. He urged his colleagues not to meddle when the department appears to have some positive momentum.

These things can happen and they probably will happen in the future ... but its something we need to work on, the senator said.

After the inmates set a fire about 1 p.m. Thursday in the yard outside housing unit 2, prison staff pulled out of the units day room and locked it down, isolating noncompliant inmates from the rest of the prison. Fights broke out among the isolated inmates, who damaged toilets and other fixtures and equipment in the unit. They also fueled the outside bonfire, probably with books, papers and bedding materials from their cells.

A damage estimate had not yet been compiled.

The facility was fully staffed at the time the disturbance began, Frakes said. He declined, for security reasons, to reveal how many employees were on duty.

Officials spent about 30 minutes assessing the situation before making a call for emergency response personnel, many of whom had to travel about 50 miles to Tecumseh from other state prisons, in Lincoln and Omaha. The travel time largely explains why it took 3 hours for the response team to regain control of the unit, Frakes said.

Officers wearing helmets and other riot gear and carrying shields fired nonlethal pepper balls and rubber projectiles during the operation. No firearms were discharged, Frakes added.

In addition to the two inmates who were killed, several inmates suffered minor injuries and smoke exposure that required on-site medical treatment, Frakes said. Three prison staff members sought outside medical care for smoke exposure.

Corrections officials continued to insist it was improper to call Thursdays events a riot. Frakes said the incident was serious and horrific but that the term riot conjures images of a facility in chaos.

The word riot also conveys to the public a risk to their safety, he said. No inmates were even close to breaching the secure perimeter of the facility.

Prison riot, as defined by the American Correctional Association, is when a significant number of inmates control a significant portion of the facility for a significant period of time. Thursdays melee involved half of a housing unit on the prison grounds  the prison has a total of three housing units  and 40 of about 1,000 total inmates.

Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln was among several lawmakers who questioned whether officials were trying to downplay what happened for the sake of image.

Anytime that two individuals who are in the care of the state of Nebraska are murdered, the public safety is at risk, Morfeld said. All too often our concerns with the Department of Corrections are minimized and decisive action is not taken. ... The time for the department to take action is now. ... How many more people are going to have to die before we get that message?

Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, who has held a key role in legislative investigations of corrections over the years, said she was not surprised by Thursdays events. The Tecumseh prison and other correctional facilities continue to struggle with high use of mandatory overtime, high job vacancy rates and high turnover among staff, along with overcrowding and a lack of programming aimed at rehabilitating the 96 percent of the inmates who will return to society.

Yesterday is not surprising, she said. Its disturbing, its dismaying and its hideous, but its not surprising.

Lawmakers launched the first investigation after The World-Herald uncovered widespread mistakes in sentence calculations, and Nikko Jenkins went on a killing spree that left four dead in Omaha following his release from prison.

At Fridays briefing Frakes said prison officials continue to make progress in efforts to hire and better retain staff at Tecumseh. But he challenged those who would aim all of their scrutiny at his department every time a high-profile incident occurs at a state prison.

In his estimation, prisoners seem more apt now to resort to violent disobedience than they once did.

When violent crimes occur in the community, we blame the person responsible, he said, but when these same individuals act out violently in prison, theres a rush to judge the corrections system.

Danielle Conrad, executive director of the ACLU of Nebraska, on Friday said Nebraska can no longer afford to wait on efforts to reform the troubled prison system.

In many ways theyre Band-Aids when a tourniquet is needed, she said.

State law mandates that the prison population fall below 140 percent of capacity by 2020. That would require a reduction of 1,021 inmates from the current population of 5,236. If the benchmark is missed, the governor must declare an emergency and start releasing inmates.

Its become very clear in this most recent tragedy that litigation is no longer a question of if but simply now a question of when,  Conrad said. We are working very hard to finalize those litigation strategies.

She called on the governor and lawmakers not to wait until 2020 but to take immediate action to address an overcrowding situation that she called inhumane.

World-Herald staff writer Emily Nohr contributed to this report.
LINCOLN  A measure that would require that the state post more information online about refugees coming to Nebraska drew the opposition of the states largest refugee resettlement agency Thursday.

Todd Reckling, vice president of program for Lutheran Family Services, told a panel of lawmakers the proposal would create problems by requiring the release of confidential information protected under federal law.

It also would be redundant to require the release of details about refugees already collected and reported to the state, he said.

State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, the bills sponsor, said his goal is for the state to better collect information about refugees so that it can anticipate costs and ensure resources are in place to take care of them.

If we were to have a central clearinghouse where we knew how many (refugees) were coming and what services they would need, we could assure our budgets allow for enough funding so we could support them, he said.

Under Legislative Bill 505, a resettlement agency would be required to report how many refugees the agency had received for resettlement during the reporting period, plus their nation of origin, age, sex and family status.

Agencies also would be required to submit a refugees nation of entry into United States, reason for the refugee or asylum status and any state benefits the refugee received.

The reason for a persons refugee or asylum status is confidential under federal law, Reckling said, so that part of the bill would put state law in conflict with federal law.

The information would be posted on the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services website and submitted to the Nebraska Legislature and the states congressional delegation. A fiscal note attached to the bill predicted no cost to HHS if the legislation would pass.

Refugee resettlement has become a hot topic nationally.

Through an executive order, President Donald Trump suspended refugee resettlement in the United States for 120 days, indefinitely suspended any Syrian refugees and banned travel to the United States from seven Muslim-majority, terrorism-associated countries for 90 days.

But a federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement of the ban, allowing refugees and people from the Muslim-majority countries to continue entering the United States.

Nebraska has a long history of refugee resettlement. Between October 2015 and September 2016, Nebraska welcomed 1,441 refugees  leading the nation in resettling the most refugees per capita.

The legislation drew a number of supporters who raised concerns about refugees from Muslim-majority countries and the potential security, health and financial risks refugees could pose.

Reckling argued that reporting information about a refugees access to public benefits in no way correlates to safety or reducing risk to the general public any more than it would for reporting on nonrefugees who access the same benefits.

Plus, he said, the Governors Office already receives a monthly report about the number of refugee arrivals, along with their age categories, gender and nationality.

The Refugee Empowerment Center opposed the bill, while the Nebraska Catholic Conference, on behalf of Catholic Social Services of Southeast Nebraska, testified in a neutral capacity.

Seth Mock, a native of South Sudan who lived in a refugee camp for six years, said the bill could lead to discrimination against specific groups of people who already may be fearful and vulnerable.

Brewer said he was at a loss for words at the suggestion by some who testified that the legislation is racist or discriminatory.

He said the legislation is not about whether Nebraska should resettle refugees, and that he has no problem with them coming to Nebraska.

A retired Army colonel, Brewer said he deployed to Afghanistan following Sept. 11 to help build the Afghan national army. After he was shot six times in an October 2003 ambush, he had the option to leave. But he stayed because he believed in the country and the mission, he said.

I was closer to those Afghans than I was to members of my family, Brewer said.

The committee took no action on the bill.
LINCOLN  As unrest turned violent at a Nebraska prison some 50 miles away, top state officials on Thursday were updated on changes intended to reduce overcrowding in the states prisons.

First, the good news: Steps undertaken two years ago in Nebraska have ended the growth of the states prison population and are starting to bring the numbers down.

The not-so-good news: The decline is much less than had been projected when top state officials embarked on the reforms.

Still, a national consultant said Thursday that Nebraska can meet the projections by 2020 if the current trends continue.

Sara Friedman, a policy analyst for the Council of State Governments Justice Center, said delays in implementing some policy changes have meant that the state was slower in seeing results.

Nebraska has seen some really positive results, but some of these policies are lagging in their expected impacts, she told a blue-ribbon committee of state officials, noting that implementation is messy.

The report focused only on efforts to reduce prison populations and increase public safety once inmates are released. It is one of several efforts at the state level focused on correcting the troubled correctional system.

Gov. Pete Ricketts, Speaker of the Legislature Sen. Jim Scheer and Chief Justice Mike Heavican of the Nebraska Supreme Court lead the 23-member Justice Reinvestment Implementation Coordinating Committee.

When the committee met in October, the prison population stood at 5,292 inmates  a drop of 100 since the reforms were enacted in 2015. On Thursday, Friedman reported the population was down to 5,236 inmates.

In addition, she said, Nebraska has seen a fantastic reduction in the number of prisoners who jam out, meaning they finish their sentences behind bars.

The number of people on parole and post-release supervision jumped 41 percent in 2016, while the number released from prison without supervision dropped 22 percent.

Such supervision improves public safety by helping inmates transition from regimented prison life and establish a more productive, law-abiding life in the community.

Friedman said Nebraskas achievements have come despite delays in implementing four key reforms.

Those include sentencing changes aimed at keeping nonviolent offenders out of prison; parole guidelines to ensure serious felons get at least nine months of post-release supervision; and graduated sanctions that can be used for probation violations instead of sending people to prison.

Those reforms were expected to make the biggest difference in inmate numbers, she said. They are slated to be fully implemented by April.

But working against those changes is an unexpected increase in serious felony cases in 2016, Friedman said.

She pointed to drug offenses as the biggest factor in the increase. Officials from Omaha and Lincoln confirmed that observation.

Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister said felony drug arrests in the capital city increased 50 percent from 2013 to 2016. He attributed the increase to more intensive enforcement.

Likewise, Omaha Police Capt. Rich Gonzalez said the departments increased efforts in fighting gangs have resulted in more drug arrests.

Nebraska pursued the justice reinvestment approach to reform in 2013 as the states prisons neared 160 percent of capacity. The changes were billed as lower-cost alternatives to incarceration and a way to avoid building a new prison, pegged at $262 million.

The goal is to cut the prison population by 1,021 inmates in 2020  about the size of the states largest prison.

That would put the state prison system below 140 percent of capacity, a benchmark used by federal courts to intervene.

The reforms include sentencing changes, along with greater use of probation, parole and special courts, such as drug courts, to reduce the number of offenders sent to prison for nonviolent crimes.

In an open letter to the committee, State Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha called for the three branches of government to continue their commitment to the effort, especially after assistance from the national council ends in August.

Krist also urged the state to properly fund the reforms. Concerns have been raised about the proposed funding levels for probation and parole as the state tries to close a budget shortfall.

In addition to the justice reinvestment steps, Nebraska has put $26 million toward a 160-bed expansion of a state prison in Lincoln and authorized the construction of a 100-bed dormitory at a community corrections facility in the capital.

In his budget proposal this year, Ricketts recommended spending an additional $75 million for a prison addition to house elderly and mentally ill inmates in Lincoln.
The chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee and the committees top Democratic member traveled to the Kansas State University campus last week and kicked off the hearing process to craft the next farm bill. The Midlands and the rest of the nations farm country should hope the legislative process goes far more productively than last time.

Development of the current farm bill, which runs through September 2018, was supposed to be a two-year process. Instead it wound up being a four-year endurance test in which tensions ran high and setbacks were frequent.

Among the chaotic episodes was a 2013 vote by the Senate Ag Committee. The committee majority approved a version of the farm bill that tilted so heavily toward Southern row-crop interests that it actually received no votes from three Great Plains lawmakers, including then-Sen. Mike Johanns of Nebraska, a former U.S. secretary of agriculture.

A more balanced approach was adopted in the bills final form the next year.

At the Kansas State campus last week, the leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee heard testimony from 21 citizens  farmers, ranchers, bankers, co-op officials. The hearing was chaired by Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., the committee chairman, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., the ranking Democrat.

Net farm income this year is projected to be $62.3 billion, falling to the lowest level since 2002, the federal Economic Research Service reports.

The pattern is evident in Nebraska. Profits for the states ag producers last year totaled about $4 billion, down from $7.5 billion in 2013.

Crop insurance received much attention from testifiers at the Kansas hearing. Such support has proven vital at a time when farm income has dropped at so many operations, producers said.

Some testifiers voiced frustration with the complexity of applying for the farm bills safety-net provisions. Additional criticism was aimed at burdens from federal regulations.

Several producers praised the farm bills support for conservation efforts.

Although trade issues arent a part of the farm bill, many testifiers pointed to the importance of opening up new markets overseas and maintaining existing ones.

We can produce bumper crops, one Kansas corn producer said. We need the ability to access trade.

Roberts and his counterparts in the U.S. House are aiming to get the next farm bill ready for approval by 2018.

The last time around, the obstacles were considerable, and many of them appear likely for the upcoming round of debate:

 Urban-dominated Congress. Of the Houses 435 congressional districts, only 34 have an economy thats predominantly agricultural. That makes it tough to win over enough urban votes for ag- related legislation.

 Food stamp funding. To win farm bill support from urban lawmakers, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is included in the legislation. This food stamp component actually makes up the majority of the farm bill funding.

Cutting back SNAP funding was a major priority for conservative advocacy groups and Republican budget hawks during the previous farm bill debate. The issue was the main reason the farm bill at one point failed to pass the House.

 Regional farm differences. Jostling between Southern and Midwestern farm interests routinely complicates efforts to craft the farm bill, as Johanns no vote in 2013 illustrated.

 Income caps. Efforts were made to limit crop insurance to producers with incomes below a certain threshold. Its a hotly contested matter, and the income caps ultimately were rejected. The issue is quite likely to come up next time.

Midlands lawmakers have made clear they understand the difficulty in passing a farm bill. They have a vital obligation to stand up for our regions agricultural interests as Congress wrestles once again with this issue.
The State of Nebraska put Damon Fitzgerald, Michael Galindo and others in prison for committing serious, often horrific crimes. But its the states job to keep inmates alive.

Twice in two years, Nebraska has failed at this fundamental task. Both involved riots at the maximum security Tecumseh State Prison, a facility in southeast Nebraska long strained by practical difficulties in hiring and retaining staff.

Four inmates are dead  Fitzgerald and Galindo from Thursdays fire-fed disturbance outside a housing unit that caused prison staff to step back, and Donald Peacock and Shon Collins from May 2015, when inmates took over a housing unit and caused more than $2 million in damage.

Gov. Pete Ricketts and state prisons director Scott Frakes continue to note that the general problem is one they inherited, but the fact remains that Nebraska has seen two major, fatal upheavals at this facility under their watch.

Any loss of life is tragic, Frakes said.

Yes, it is  which is why focused action by the state is needed to tackle this issue.

On Friday, the same state lawmakers who will decide the fate of a prison funding package vented frustration about continued problems. They pointed to the need for a full investigation to get all the facts, and highlighted key prison issues a legislative task force identified for action.

Lincoln Sen. Matt Hansen noted that there have been two prison disturbances, four inmates killed and an escape involving two inmates since the new prison administration took over.

We know weve got more work to do, Ricketts said at a news conference. The Department of Corrections is doing heroic work to keep this facility safe for both the inmates and the staff.

Ricketts and Frakes should start by addressing administrative shortcomings the riot exposed, above all the nearly three-and-a-half-hour wait for an effective state response to end the tumult.

Theres a design flaw to fix when it took the Nebraska State Patrol hours to get its prison SWAT team to the rural community where Nebraska houses some of its most violent offenders. The Tecumseh prison is about an hours drive from both Omaha and Lincoln, where many of the tactical teams troopers are based. Frakes and State Patrol Col. Bradley Rice should explore options to fix this problem. Heres why timing matters:

Prison staff appear to have done what theyve been trained to do  pull back from the housing unit and contain the inmate uprising to that area, state officials say. Still, corrections officers know those inmates left behind lost protection from one another. Every minute that a tactical team doesnt re-establish order risks lives.

Lawmakers are weighing a $20.1 million increase in prison spending to boost staffing and programming at Tecumseh and the states other prisons. The department asked for another $75.2 million from the cash reserve over the next four years to build new prison space for elderly inmates and those with serious mental illness.

Thursday highlighted staffing needs.

Time will tell whether Ricketts and Frakes were correct  that Thursdays situation was unavoidable because of inmates choices. Staff actions will be evaluated. All will learn what went wrong.

In the meantime, the Corrections Department, the governor and the Legislature should get to work. Thousands of lives, and the safety of prison staff and the public, are at stake.
Attended by bigwigs

Political bigwigs across parties in Maharashtra on Thursday gathered at the wedding of BJP MLA Santosh Danve, son of state BJP chief Raosaheb Danve at at lavish ceremony on the outskirts of Aurangabad city at Jabinda Estate lawn grounds on Thursday.

The lavish wedding had who's who in state politics in attendance, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, former chief minister Narayan Rane, leader of opposition in legislative council Dhananjay Munde, and several Union and Maharashtra ministers.

Reminiscent of November's 500 crore wedding

The wedding is reminiscent of the wedding celebration of mining baron Gali Janardan Reddy's daughter Brahmini's Rs 500 crore wedding that came under scanner for its opulence. At time, it not only got the nation's attention since it was post demonetisation, it also brought the income tax officials to their doors.

The 4-day affair saw politicians, businessmen and celebrities alike. Taking lavish to a different level, Reddy's team of designers turned the Bengaluru Palace and its surrounding into the ancient kingdom of Vijayanagar with a temple, market, an entire village set and two make-shift houses for the families of the bride and the groom.

The slick pre-wedding video

The gala wedding evoked flak from social activist Anjali Damania, who questioned the source of funds for the event. "I am wondering from where does the money for such a lavish wedding come from," Damania said.

Before the wedding, a slick pre-video shot by Dream Diaries, the video had garnered 33,000 views on Facebook and was doing the rounds on Whatsapp as well.

'Love me again'

The video shows the BJP chief's son and his (now wife) Renu dancing and romancing to the to the John Newman number Love Me Again. Santosh and Renu had got engaged last month.

Santosh Danve is the youngest member of the Maharashtra legislative assembly from Bhokardan constituency. Renu is the daughter of well-known musician-composer Rajesh Sarkate.

All images: Twitter/Screengrab
CUET impact? Only 1 from Kerala board in Hindu College's popular course so far

After tension, gift a rose campaign brings peace in DU

India

oi-Maitreyee

New Delhi, March 3: In the last few days, we have witnessed protest marches and rallies hosted by students belonging to both the left-affiliated organisations and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in Delhi University. However, on Friday, the picture turned little 'rosier' as the students belonging to the National Students' Union of India decided to gift roses to students in the campus of Ramjas College.

The idea behind distribution of roses in the campus has nothing to do with Valentine's Day which was marked on February 14, but to restore peace in the college campus where the entire clash between the students of the left groups and the ABVP initially started a few days ago.

"Delhi: NSUI students start 'Gift a rose' campaign outside #Ramjas college to restore peace in the campus," tweeted ANI.

Delhi: NSUI students start 'Gift a rose' campaign outside #Ramjas college to restore peace in the campus pic.twitter.com/m33ygboAwB  ANI (@ANI_news) March 3, 2017

The clash between the students of left groups and the ABVP started after the latter protested the participation of Umar Khalid, a student of Jawaharlal Nehru University, in a seminar hosted in Ramjas Colleges a few days ago. During the protests, several students, teachers and journalists were allegedly attacked by students belonging to the ABVP.

The entire matter became a national issue after Gurmehar Kaur--a student of the DU-- posted a message on the Facebook criticising the violence perpetrated against the students by the ABVP members. Kaur received rape threats by members of the ABVP. Since then the entire DU is on a boil. We hope the 'gift a rose' campaign brings some semblance in the top most university of the country.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Friday, March 3, 2017, 12:54 [IST]
People shiver even at the thought of naming their kids 'Gayatri': Yogi's dig at ex-SP minister

Akhilesh promises cooperation on Gayatri Prajapati issue

India

pti-PTI

Lucknow, Mar 3: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday promised full cooperation with regard to the case of rape-accused elusive minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati as per the directions of the Supreme Court.

"The matter is in the Supreme Court...The government will fully cooperate and go by its order," Yadav said in response to a question at a hurriedly-convened press conference in Lucknow.

When his attention was drawn to the tweet by state BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya that Prajapati has been hiding in the Chief Minister's house, Akhilesh asked the mediapersons to follow him with their cameras to check for themselves.

Prajapati and some of his aides have been accused of gang-raping a woman and molesting his daughter. The victims had knocked at the doors of the Supreme Court, on whose directive an FIR has been registered by the UP Police against the ruling Samajwadi Party politician.

However, Prajapati continues to be elusive. Akhilesh has been facing severe attack from the BJP over the Prajapati episode, especially since he is contesting as a Samajwadi Party candidate from Amethi and the Chief Minister had campaigned in that constituency.

PTI
UP election: Akhilesh refutes Modi's claim of ISI role in Kanpur train mishap

India

pti-PTI

Ghazipur (UP), Mar 3: Refuting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim of ISI hand in the Kanpur train accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday alleged that BJP leaders were used to seeking votes by "misguiding" the people.

"Our railway minister could not take care of the tracks in Kanpur and gave a false report to the prime minister that the ISI had damaged the tracks. I want to say that since the incident occurred in Uttar Pradesh, at least I should have been informed about it...But, no information...no truth in it," he told an election rally here. Akhilesh also alleged that the leaders of the saffron party were "used to seeking votes by misleading the people".

Ghazipur is the Lok Sabha constituency of Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha. As many as 150 people were killed in a train mishap in Kanpur on November 20, 2016, and on December 28, another train got derailed there. It was said that Pakistan's ISI was responsible for the incidents. Regarding Union ministers and senior BJP leaders campaigning for the ongoing Assembly election in the state, the chief minister said, "Had the prime minister brought his work here (in Uttar Pradesh), his ministers would not have been required to campaign for his party."

In a veiled reference to the ongoing campus row in Delhi University involving the BJP's students wing ABVP, Akhilesh said, "I want to ask those patriotic people of the BJP, who are displaying their nationalism in Delhi, what have they done for the soldiers who laid down their lives for the country. What help was extended to their families."

"Only the SP government helps the families of soldiers who laid down their lives," he added. The Samajwadi Party chief claimed that his party has already secured a lead in the first five phases of the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh Assembly election due to the works of its government and added that the "demoralised faces of the BJP and BSP leaders" said it all. The sixth phase of the polls will be held tomorrow and the seventh and final phase on March 8. Results will be declared on March 11.

PTI
Amid controversy, JNU receives award for 'best varsity'

India

oi-Maitreyee

New Delhi, March 3: It has been a busy day for Jawaharlal Nehru University on Friday. According to media reports, the university -- at the centre of controversy for more than a year now -- has been honoured with the annual 'Visitor's Award' for the best varsity in the country on Friday.

A day earlier on Thursday, a controversial poster demanding 'Azaadi (freedom) for Kashmir' was seen in the varsity campus. The poster reads, "Freedom for Kashmir, free Palestine! Right to self-determination, long live!" It was signed by the ultra-Left student political wing Democratic Students Union. The poster was later removed by the JNU administration..

According to PTI, the poster was seen by the students at the new block of School of Social Sciences, who then chose to involve the administration regarding its presence. JNU authorities ordered the university security to remove the poster in the evening. "We don't know who put up the poster as this has been the pattern in JNU. However, the administration has asked the staff to bring it down," a senior university official told PTI.

In the last few days, we have seen the issues of nationalism and freedom of speech taking the centre stage, after a clash was reported between the students belonging to left-affiliated organisations and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in the Ramjas College in Delhi University. A sharp polarisation of views have been witnessed in both the JNU and the DU as both the right and left groups are trying to take control over these premier educational institutions.

"The winners of Visitor's Award for 'Innovation' and 'Research' will receive a citation and cash award of Rs one lakh. The awards will be presented during a function as part of the 'Festival of Innovations'," said a statement by the Visitor.

JNU vice chancellor Jagadesh Kumar will receive the award including a citation and a trophy from President Pranab Mukherjee at an event at the Rasthrapati Bhavan on March 6, reported PTI.

"Deepak Pant from the Central University of Himachal Pradesh has won the Visitor's Award for 'Innovation' while the Visitor's Award for 'Research' has been jointly won by Shyam Sunder from Banaras Hindu University and Niranjan Karak from Tezpur University," a Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said.

OneIndia News
Blood will flood the Chinese rivers, IS warns

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Just a day after Islamic State boss, Abu Bakr al-Bhagdadi posted a farewell to Iraq video, a strong message vowing to fill the rivers of China with blood has emerged. The message from the Uighur Islamic State fighters promised that they will fight the Chinese.

China has raised concerns about the Uighurs (mostly Chinese from China's Xinjiang region) and said that many of them had left for Iraq to train with the IS. The Uighurs have been in a battle with the establishment for long.

A 30-minute video, shows Uighurs training in Iraq. They seek out revenge for the killing of their men who have been in an ethnic battle with the Han Chinese. They claim that several hundred of their men have been killed. The video also shows a Chinese flag go up in flames.

"We are fighting with the infidels across the world. Stay strong. We will plant our flag over China, America, Russia and all other infidels," says a man in the video according according to a Reuters report. The man also referts to Communists as infidel lackeys.

OneIndia News
BMC elections 2017: Who will be Mumbai's mayor?

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A week after the elections, there is still no clarity on who would rule the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporationin Mumbai. The fractured mandate which saw the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena bag 82 and 84 seats each in the recently concluded BMC elections 2017. The last date to file the nominations for the post of mayor is March 8, and there is still no breakthrough in the talks between any of the parties.

Meanwhile, the Congress decided to field a mayoral candidate and said that it would seek the support of the Nationalist Congress Party and the Samajwadi Party. Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam however denied that his party would be indirectly supporting the Shiv Sena. "Both the BJP and the SS do not subscribe to our ideology," he said, but added that the Congress with 31 seats would not abstain from voting.

Parties BMC election result 2017 2012 Shiv Sena 84 75 Bharatiya Janata Party 82 31 Congress 31 52 NCP 09 13 MNS 07 28 Others 14 28 Total won 227/227 227/227

The various scenarios:

The BJP and the Shiv Sena could form an alliance. If the parties come together then both will rule the BMC with a strength of 166. The Congress and the NCP could support the Shiv Sena. If this takes place then the Sena will rule the BMC with 128 corporators. The Congress however has a pre-condition and that the Sena must pull out of the state government led by the BJP. If Congress and NCP stay neutral and abstain from voting it would bring down the house strength to 182. The Sena would then need 91 votes. The SS Sena 84 seats and has the support of 4 independents. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena with 7 corporators will hold the key. The BJP could support the Sena from outside on the assurance that it would continue supporting the state government. There could be a three-cornered fight with the Congress also fielding its own candidate.

OneIndia News
12-year-old boy dies of Nipah virus infection in Kozhikode, Central team rushed to Kerala

Forest department called after snake in train causes panic

Accident victim dies in ambulance as vehicle's door fails to open

Kerala: Bomb hurled at RSS office, 3 injured

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Three Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers were injured after a bomb was hurled at the saffron outfit's office in Kerala's Kozhikode district on Thursday, said reports.

#Visuals Bomb hurled at RSS office in Kallachy near Nadapuram, Kerala. 3RSS workers injured, shifted to Government Medical College,Kozhikode pic.twitter.com/l1uNGLsW0F  ANI (@ANI_news) March 2, 2017

The incident took place at Kallachi at around 9 pm on Thursday. The injured have been taken to the Kozhikode Medical College.

Reports say that police have reached the spot and investigating the matter. The police have tightened security in the area to prevent the situation from deteriorating.

The attackers have not been identified yet.

There have been several violent incidents involving the RSS and the CPI workers in Kerala in the recent past.

The incident assumes significance in the wake of comments made by RSS leader from Madhya Pradesh, Kundan Chandrawat.

Chandrawat had announced a Rs 1-crore reward for anyone who brings the head of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Chandrawat held the ruling government in Kerala responsible for the recent killing of members of right-wing organisations in the state.

OneIndia News
Budding jihadi in Pak: I want to be Dawood when I grow up

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Budding jihadis in Pakistan want to either be gangster Dawood Ibrahim or Burhan Wani when they grow up. This was the indication that was given to Talha, the son of Hafiz Saeed, chief of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

In an event conducted on February 5, Talha is seen urging the crowd to wage a war against India. He keeps asking the crowd what they want to become. "Do you want to become a doctor, engineer, judge or a policeman?" he asks.

To this the crowd responds in the negative. He then asks if they want to become Dawood Ibrahim? The crowds screams out, 'Yes.' He then goes on to ask them if they want to become Burhan Wani. The crowd once again says, 'Yes."

He then says that they should fight the war against India in the name of Dawood or Wani. The notorious don, who is an accused in the Mumbai serial blasts has taken refuge in Karachi. He has been accused of funding the LeT and other terror groups in exchange for protection.

Wani, the commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen had become a poster boy for jihadis. It was in his name that the Kashmir unrest was planned.

OneIndia News
Congress accuses Modi of using jawans for political gains

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Mar 3: The Congress on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using army jawans for political gains but turning a blind eye to their needs and demanded a probe into the mysterious death of jawan Roy Mathew.

Pointing to the fresh video of BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav questioning the Prime Minister on removing corruption from the system, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said it shows the failure of the government in ordering a probe into substandard food served to jawans.

Army jawan Mathew was found dead after he featured in a video on the abuse of the 'Sahayak' system in the military.

"We demand the government should order a fair probe that why Tej Bahadur and Roy Mathew were harassed and intimidated after they raised their concerns. We ask the government to order a fair probe into the death of Roy Mathew," he said.

"Indian National Congress strongly objects to any kind of politicisation of the Army and defence forces - but sadly the government of the day uses the Army only for its political gains and does not want to address their pain," he said.

Referring to the video, he said it reflects the 'failure' of the government to address the concerns of the army jawans. He alleged that for past two-and-a-half years, a trend has been seen that 'this government is only addicted to praise and does not want to take any kind of criticism or questions'.

Shergill said the video makes it amply clear that any person questioning the government and asking questions, criticises or asks about corruption in the system, "will be threatened, intimidated and humiliated or will go missing".

He said the Congress party asks the government and the Prime Minister specifically as to what is the fault of Tej Bahadur that he is being harassed on daily basis for simply asking the Prime Minister to remove corruption in the system.

"We demand from Rajnath Singh to come out with the probe which he promised after Tej Bahadur video surfaced. We demand to know from the Home Minister what he has done on complaints regarding food served to army jawans," he said.

"Today, it is a worrying trend when a wife of army jawan has to approach the Hon'ble High Court to find about the whereabouts of her husband. Is anybody safe in this country is the moot question we are asking," he said.

Shergill said the Prime Minister is busy campaigning in UP elections and he should "wake up" and hear concerns of army jawans. "Because when it comes to words, he fully uses the army jawans, when it comes to their concerns, he turns a blind eye," he said.

PTI
CUET impact? Only 1 from Kerala board in Hindu College's popular course so far

Delhi University: ABVP to meet Delhi Lieutenant governor

India

oi-Anusha

Protests in the Delhi University seems to be taking different forms with student unions like the ABVP and NSUI opting to address the issue differently than extending protests. An ABVP delegation of 5 members is all set to meet Delhi's Lieutenant governor to demand action. Accusing the Delhi police of inaction, ABVP will meet the governor and put forth three demands.

Action against those who indulged in anti-national sloganeering, charge sheet against the accused in Jawaharlal Nehru University sedition case as well as the arrest of those who threatened Gurmehar Kaur features in the ABVP's demand to the lieutenant governor.

Meanwhile, NSUI students distributed chocolates and roses to those in Delhi university in an attempt to draw the curtains of unrest and violence in the campus.

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Story first published: Friday, March 3, 2017, 13:04 [IST]
Diary expose: Congress MLC accuses IT dept of fraud, files complaint

India

oi-Anusha

Almost a year after raids were conducted at his residence in Bengaluru, Congress MLC Govindaraj has filed a complaint against the officials of Income Tax Department. In his complaint dated February 28, the MLC has alleged that officials from the Income Tax department planted documents that did not belong to him. He further alleges that the documents thus planted and seized were leaked in a fraudulent and treacherous manner instead of maintaining secrecy.

It may be noted that the complaint has been filed only after a diary, said to belong to the Congress MLC was made public and details of alleged bribes were noted in the same. Govindaraj had claimed that neither the diary nor the handwriting in it belonged to him as soon as the details of the diary were made public. In his complaint, that has been filed almost a yer after raids at his residence, Govindaraj has accused the I-T Department of not only wrongfully detaining him in Goa but planting evidence during raids and wrongfully leaking information to his rivals. The complaint coming only after allegations of bribery details noted in the diary surfaced have raised many eyebrows. Questions are being raised on why the MLC chose to not act for the last one year and filed a complaint only now when raids were in fact carried out in March 2016.

The Indiranagar police have already filed a FIR in this regard under sections 166(a), 193, 182, 341, 109, 466, 199, 406, 218, 409, 457, 120B, 34, 380, 472 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code. Some of the sections involve punishment for wrongful restraint, production of false information, punishment for false evidence, forgery of record of Court, punishment for criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy.

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Story first published: Friday, March 3, 2017, 13:55 [IST]
Why is the DMK continuing to oppose the imposition of Hindi? - 50 years of struggle and the truth!

EC rejects TTV Dinakaran's response on Sasikala's appointment

India

oi-Anusha

By Anusha Ravi

The Election Commission on Friday refused to accept TTV Dinakaran's response on Sasikala Natarajan's appointment as AIADMK's interim general secretary. The EC held that TTV Dinakaran is not an office bearer and thus his response on behalf of Sasikala Natarajan cannot be accepted.

TTV Dinakaran along with AIADMK MLAs had on February 28 filed a response to the Election Commission's notice to Sasikala on her appointment as the party's general secretary. The notice was addressed to Sasikala lodged in a Bengaluru central jail but AIADMK advocates led by TTV Dinakaran had filed a response.

The Election Commission has rejected the response since TTV Dinakaran submitted it as an office bearer of the party, a post that is not valid according to the records with the election commission.

TTV Dinakaran was appointed as the party's deputy general Secretary, a post that was specially created for him on February 14 when Sasikala Natarajan was convicted by the Supreme Court in the disproportionate assets case. The post was non-existent till then.

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Story first published: Friday, March 3, 2017, 21:25 [IST]
Filmy SP rallies: 1 candidate cries, another beats himself up with shoe

India

oi-Maitreyee

Lucknow, March 3: In the last legs of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, candidates of the ruling Samajwadi Party are entertaining the crowd with some jaw-dropping histrionics. Yes, we really mean it. According to a report by NDTV, at a recent election rally in the state, SP candidate PD Tiwari, who is contesting election from the Barhaj constituency in Deoria in eastern Uttar Pradesh, was seen shedding tears in front of a huge crowd.

On top of that the entire 'drama' was witnessed by incumbent Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav who attended the rally to ask votes for Tiwari. The incident happened just after Akhilesh's speech. As soon as the CM finished his address, it was the turn of Tiwari to talk. Instead of speaking a single word, Tiwari started crying like a 'baby'.

Later on, he left the stage as his party colleagues tried to console Tiwari. However, nobody knew why he cried. While a few think he was overwhelmed by Akhilesh's presence, others believe he was upset as Tiwari has been facing backlash from a section of his own party.

Similarly, one more SP candidate did something really unbelievable. He beat himself up with his own shoe in front of voters at an election rally. According to NDTV, Shujat Alam--the SP candidate from Bulandshahr--repeatedly hit himself on his head with his own shoe and begged voters to 'forgive' him for 'mistakes he made unknowingly'. Alam had previously lost two elections from the same constituency.

Probably to avoid a hat-trick, the leader decided to inflict 'self-violence'. We don't know if crying and beating up oneself ensure votes. However, such acts by politicians add masala to the whole election process.

OneIndia News
People shiver even at the thought of naming their kids 'Gayatri': Yogi's dig at ex-SP minister

Former district judge Rajendra Singh had no role to play in Gayatri Prajapati bail

Gayatri may flee country, airports on high alert

India

oi-Vicky

Airports have been placed under high alert as intelligence agencies have warned that Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prajapati may flee the country.

An alert has been issued by the Intelligence Bureau that Prajapati, accused of rape, may flee the country.

All security agencies have been directed to stay on high alert. Agencies have also been told to be on the look out for the leader accused of rape.

The Immigration Department has been told not to cooperate with him and immediately inform about his whereabouts.

Prajapati is accused in cases of gang rape and an attempt to rape woman and her minor daughter.

The minister enjoyed Y category security and steps were taken to withdraw the same. The police have beeb on the lookout for him ever since the court refused to quash the FIR against him.

Earlier in the day, UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav criticised those accusing him of shielding Prajapati. Come to my home with cameras and check, he said.

OneIndia News
Goa: Velingkar ready to work as swayamsewak, dissolves rebel faction

India

pti-PTI

Panaji, Mar 3: Former Goa RSS chief-turned-rebel Subhash Velingkar, whose outfit had contested assembly polls against the ruling BJP last month, is set to 'dissolve' his rebel unit, apparently to enable his supporters to rejoin parent RSS.

He has also expressed his desire to work as an ordinary 'swayamsewak' without any post in RSS.

"We are moving towards dissolution of our 'Goa prant'. This is not a merger with RSS but dissolution. Once that is done, we are free to go to shakhas," said Velingkar who had spearheaded a political movement against BJP by floating Goa Suraksha Manch.

Velingkar, whose GSM was part of the alliance that contested the February 4 assembly polls against the ruling party, had last month hinted at either merging his breakaway 'Goa prant' with RSS or dissolving it.

Incumbent Goa RSS chief Laxman Behre had then said the Sangh would welcome anybody to its fold. Velingkar on Friday clarified that none of the Goa Prant members, including those who had held official positions in RSS before walking out with him, wants to be reinstated post 'dissolution'.

"Everyone, including me, is ready to work as a swayamsevak. We have already been identified as Sangh cadres and we don't require any post to get recognition in society," said Velingkar whose association with RSS is over five-decade-old.

He was relieved as Goa RSS chief last September following his decision to float GSM to counter the BJP during polls. The Velingkar faction had serious differences with BJP over the issue of Medium of Instruction for elementary education in the coastal state.

"The decision of dissolution was arrived at following series of meetings with 'Goa Prant' members who are around 4,000. When we formed 'Goa Prant' before elections, it had been decided that we will go back to parent Sangh after polls. We had separated from RSS Konkan Prant only to avoid unnecessary political pressure," he told PTI.

Velingkar said a formal announcement in this regard might be made on March 6, possibly in a press conference. Interestingly, the Sangh veteran had earlier blamed Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for his ouster.

In September, a large number of RSS workers disassociated themselves with 'Konkan Prant' and joined Velingkar's 'Goa Prant'.

Meanwhile, he said the Goa Prant members would continue their fight for MOI in elementary education in their individual capacity.

"There will be no compromise on our principles. The fight to stop grants to English medium schools and recognise mother tongue as the medium of instruction would continue, but in a personal capacity," Velingkar added.

PTI
Gujarat assembly panel raps two PSUs for financial indiscipline

India

oi-PTI

Gandhinagar, Mar 2: A Gujarat Assembly committee, which monitors state's Public Sector Undertakings, has criticised two PSUs for financial indiscipline and not taking action against employees for lackadaisical approach.

In a report tabled in the Assembly today, the Public Enterprise Committee pointed out several flaws in the functioning of Gujarat State Financial Services Ltd and Gujarat State Financial Corporation. In its scrutiny report on GSFS, which was based on the CAG findings for 2008-2009 and subsequent explanations given by the PSU, the committee raised objection over "diversion of funds" for renovating the company's office in Gandhinagar.

The House panel noted such financial indiscipline should not be tolerated. "Such extra-budgetary expenditure does not seem legitimate by any means. If at all the PSU wants to do renovation, then it has to make a provision in the state Budget as a new item. Violation of budgetary discipline is not appropriate for a PSU which itself prepares the state Budget."

"If government starts approving such expenditure, other PSUs will follow suit. In such a scenario, you will be left with no funds. We feel such diversion of funds must be stopped. We advise the government to strictly inform all PSUs to refrain from this activity of fund diversion in future," said the committee report.

The panel slammed GSFC for not taking timely action against employees showing lackadaisical approach as well as those found to be involved in financial irregularities and embezzlement. The committee asked the PSU to take disciplinary action against employees who have not done enough to find out files missing for almost five years. It its reply, the PSU said action was not possible in the matter now as most of these employees and officials have already retired.

"Showing lack of interest in taking action is like disrespecting the recommendations of this committee. We recommend this PSU to do the needful to fix responsibilities." It urged the government to issue a common guideline for all PSUs so that they take punitive action against employees found to be involved in financial irregularities or embezzlement.

"Ideally, PSUs should take action against employees as soon as the audit report finds them guilty. The Government should make it clear in its guideline that retired officials will also face action if found guilty," said the report. The 14-member committee, having members from both ruling BJP and Opposition Congress, is headed by former Cabinet Minister and senior BJP MLA Narottam Patel.

The panel scrutinises the observations made by the Comptroller and Auditor General on PSUs and submits recommendations to the Government.

PTI

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Story first published: Friday, March 3, 2017, 11:52 [IST]
Hum Badlenge Apna Bharat : A campaign to clean politics by youngsters

India

oi-Maitreyee

New Delhi, March 3: In this election season, the Association for Democratic Reforms--a non-political group aiming at governmental and electoral reforms--has started a new campaign-- Hum Badlenge Apna Bharat (We will change our Bharat)--by asking the youths of India to participate in the democratic process and clean the filth from politics.

"To mobilise the masses to get involved in pressurising politicians to deliver good governance, the ADR has planned to take its advocacy to another level with its--Hum Badlenge Apna Bharat Campaign--an initiative to engage youths in strengthening our democracy," stated a press release issued by the ADR.

The ADR has planned several workshops and seminars across the country--targetting the youngsters studying in schools and colleges. "As a part of this programme, we want to hold workshops across the country to educate school and college students about the critical connection between informed voting and good governance. Students are the future voters, thus it is necessary to make them understand, why they should take their 'Right to Vote' seriously. They need to realise that how the kind of representatives they will chose, would decide what kind of future they have--Progressive or Regressive," added the ADR's press release.

In order to make its latest project successful, the ADR has asked people's participation in the campaign. "The ADR won't have been able to launch this ambitious programme without your (people's) support. We wish to start the programme by holding workshops in 50 schools, with a minimum budget of at least Rs 25,000 per school. This takes us to the total budget of Rs 10,00,000 to Rs 15,00,000. Kindly come forward to make our children's future bright and donate to us generously by clicking here."

For the last several years, the ADR has been examining data of political parties and politicians to increase transparency and accountability in the country's political and electoral system.

OneIndia News
Explained: Why are the Cheetahs travelling to India from Namibia on an empty stomach

The chosen one: Why Kuno was picked as cheetahs' home in India

How to spot the difference between a Cheetah, Leopard and Jaguar?

In Pics: World Wildlife Day celebrated across the world

India

oi-Sandra Marina Fernandes

World Wildlife Day is celebrated every year on March 3 and this year the theme is 'Listen to the Young Voices.' It is celebrated to mark the signing of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The day aims to create awareness and encourages people across the globe to protect endangered species. On Twitter, people began posting imagges using the hasgtag #DoOneThingToday to create awareness about the day on Friday.

Indian sand artist creates sand art on World Wildlife Day Indian sand artist Sudarsan Patnaik creates sand art in Puri, Odisha on World Wildlife Day. Photo courtesy: @sudarsansand World Wildlife Day theme for this year is 'Listen to the Young Voices' Australian nature expert Steve Irwin's daughter Bindi Irwin too took to Twitter to create awareness about World Wildlife Day. Photo courtesy: @BindiIrwin Wildlife population has declined in past 40 years According to World Wildlife Fund report last year, global wildlife populations have declined by 58 per cent in the last 40 years. Photo courtesy- PTI UN urges youth to engage in wildlife conservation According to UN, the engagement and empowerment of youth plays an important role in conservation of endangered species and wildlife. Photo courtesy: PTI

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Story first published: Friday, March 3, 2017, 10:00 [IST]
J&K: Anti-India slogans raised, stones hurled

India

oi-Madhuri

Srinagar: Protests and clashes erupted in Nowhatta area of downtown Srinagar shortly after the Friday prayers. According to reports, a groups of youth tried to take a march from Jamia Masjid area and started chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, but were stopped by the government forces which were deployed in that area.

As the forces barred the youth, stone hurling clashes ensued in the area. However, forces resorted by firing teargas shells to disperse the protesters. There were no reports of anyone getting injured during the clashes.

On February 15, General Bipin Rawat gave out a strong message to those obstructing army operations. "Those who obstruct our ops during encounters and are not supportive will be treated as over ground workers of terrorists," he said.

General Rawat added that the army will treat locals displaying Islamic State and Pakistan flags as anti-nationals and take action against them. "If locals who want to continue with terror by displaying flags of IS and Pak then we'll treat them as anti-nationals and will not spare them," he said.

OneIndia News (with IANS inputs)
Jawan who exposed rot in 'sahayak system' found dead

India

oi-Anusha

An army Jawan from Kerala who had criticised the army orderly system better known as 'sahayak system' was found dead under mysterious circumstances on Thursday. Roy Mathew's body was found in an abandoned barrack in Deolali Cantonment in Maharashtra in a decomposed state. In his last conversation with his wife, Mathew,33, is said to have told that he had inadvertently spoken ill of the orderly system in the army to an online journalist who had secretly recorded the conversation. The family now suspects foul play.

Mathew's statements were secretly recorded by a news website criticising the orderly system in February and the video had gone viral. Even as the website took precautions to blur his face and conceal the identity, Mathew had told his wife that he was in trouble for his statements. Mathew had served in the army for almost 13 years and was among many other jawans who were seen in the video. The sting operation focused on highlighting the plight of trained soldiers forced to indulge in menial household work at officers' homes because of the 'sahayak' system.

Mathew was facing an inquiry after the sting operation went viral and had been missing from his unit since February 25 after allegedly coming under pressure by batchmates and seniors.

OneIndia News
Jayalalithaa DA case: Should Jaya's portraits be removed from govt buildings?

India

oi-Anusha

The Supreme Court's judgement abating the verdict against J Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case has thrown up new confusions. Even as Karnataka government is contemplating seeking a clarification from the Supreme court on whether the Rs 100 crore can be recovered, it gives space for debate on whether Jayalalithaa's portraits should be removed from government buildings.

[DA case special court officer explains how Jayalalithaa's properties can be seized]

The verdict being abated effectively throws up questions on whether the former Chief Minister was convicted by the Supreme court or if the High Court's order of acquitting her stands valid. If the High Court's verdict to acquit her remains valid, her portraits can continue to adorn the walls of government buildings. It would also mean that no questions can be raised on a state-sponsored memorial for Jayalalithaa who died when she still held the office of Chief Minister. Post her death, the AIADMK had demanded that Jayalalithaa be conferred with a Bharat Ratna for her work in public life. The demand was shelved after the Supreme Court upheld trial court's verdict convicting all accused in the case. The lack of clarity now makes way for the revival of this demand.

[Can Rs 100 crore be recovered from Jayalalithaa? Karnataka to see clarification in SC]

If the Supreme Court's decision to keep verdict against Jayalalithaa in abeyance translates to her being convicted would the same apply to the Rs 100 crore fine imposed on her? However, irrespective of what the Supreme Court's stand pertaining to Jayalalithaa is, Sasikala, Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi will continue to serve jail term since the order clearly mentions that the verdict of the trial court with regard to accused number 2 to 4, is confirmed but in case of Jayalalithaa, it is abated since she is deceased.

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Story first published: Friday, March 3, 2017, 17:09 [IST]
Kolkata: McDonalds serves dead lizard with French fries to a pregnant woman

India

oi-Lisa

Kolkata, March 3: Priyanka Moitra who had gone to celebrate her four-year-old daughter's birthday at McDonald's outlet in EM

Bypass area of Kolkata, noticed a dead lizard in the French fries.

She added that when she reported the matter to the manager of the outlet, he offered to take away the order and replace the same with fresh food. Priyanka said she started feeling dizzy and ill after consuming the French fries and got worried about the health of her

daughter and unborn child.

She then clicked the photo of the dead lizard along with the French fries. After which she lodged a complaint against the McDonald outlet with the Phulbagan police station.

Priyanka said that she felt that filing a police complaint was important as people should know about this incident as consuming such

poisonous food can be fatal. Priyanka and her family have decided to take up the issue legally against McDonald.

Sanjay Mitra, Priyanka's husband, who was in Lucknow when the incident happened said that he is worried about the health of his

family and he questioned McDonald's carelessness. He said that when he tried to contact McDonald's Delhi and Kolkata offices, they

tendered no apology and asked them to send the proof for analysis.

McDonald's North and East divisions spokespersonmeanwhile has said that they are in contact with the customer and were taking the situation seriously. He added that once they came to know about the incident they have launched a thorough investigation to gather the facts. He added that McDonalds is fully cooperating with authorities who are probing the matter.

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Story first published: Friday, March 3, 2017, 11:45 [IST]
Registrations for CEED, UCEED 2023 to commence in October: All the details here

Maharashtra government reconstitutes committee for mangroves

India

oi-PTI

Mumbai, March 3: Acting on the Bombay high court directives, the Maharashtra Government has reconstituted a committee formed for the protection of mangroves in Navi Mumbai.

Chief Conservator of Forest, Mangrove Cell, will be the Member-Secretary of the committee. Divisional Commissioner of Konkan region will be the Chairman of the panel, an official release said here today.

Environment activists or organisations recommended by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Branch, Navi Mumbai, Additional Commissioner of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Divisional Commissioner can be part of the panel, it stated.

PTI

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Story first published: Friday, March 3, 2017, 12:57 [IST]
Manipur candidates face attacks ahead of elections

India

oi-Gulam Rabbani

Imphal, March 3: With just a day before the Manipur elections, candidates had been facing attacks irrespective of their parties. The Imphal police on Thursday said that some unidentified people were targetting these candidates, and suspect that the political party rivals are behind the attacks.

A powerful bomb was detonated at tribal politician K Leisho's house at Langol near Imphal at 5:10 pm on Thursday, police said. Though his family members and supporters had a narrow escape, eight persons including a woman were injured by shrapnel.

In another incident, some unidentified persons opened fire at the house of Yumkham Erabot, a Congress leader and now a BJP candidate at 3:20 am on the same day. However, there were no casualties.

A China-made hand-grenade was also lobbed at Congress candidate RK Imo's house in the Sagolband constituency. There were no casualties.

There were reports of attacks on the houses of some other candidates too. Cars and other property was damaged in stone pelting.

In view of the violent atmosphere, the Election Commission is using 280 personnel of the central paramilitary forces on election duty.

To check possible influx of foreigners from Myanmar, the district magistrate of border district Chandel has imposed night curfew along the international border. The police said that the night curfew shall remain in force till March 11, the day of counting of votes. Manipur votes in two phases, on March 4 and 8.

Oneindia.news
Political violence continues in Kerala: DYFI activists hacked

India

oi-Anusha

Hours, after a crude bomb was hurled at an RSS office in Kozhikode, two activists of democratic youth federation of India, were hacked by miscreants. The duo was hacked in Palakkad district, Kerala on Thursday night even as a CPI(M) office in Kozhikode was set ablaze in what was understood as retaliation to the attack on RSS office. A complaint filed with the police named three BJP workers for the attack on the two men.

The attack on the RSS office came after an RSS leader announced a bounty of Rs 1 crore on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's head. Three RSS workers were injured in the attack and were shifted to Kozhikode's Government Medical College. Hours after a crude bomb was hurled at the RSS office, miscreants set CPI(M) office in Kozhikode ablaze. The hacking of the two DYFI members came hours after the attack on the RSS office.

Meanwhile, RSS activists across the country decided to protest against the violence perpetrated against their members and offices. Dozens of RSS members gathered in protest in Hyderabad on Friday morning to condemn the killings in Kerala. Protesters accused the CPI(M) led Kerala government of deliberate silence on the political murders.

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Story first published: Friday, March 3, 2017, 11:40 [IST]
Steel flyover scrapped- people's victory or political gameplan?

India

oi-Anusha

The Karnataka government decided to scrap its ambitious yet contentious steel flyover project in Hebbal. While citizens claimed it

a victory for people's movement, there is more to it than what meets the eye. The BJP was quick to announce that the Rs 1800 crore

project was scrapped after a diary containing details of kick back semerged. The Congress, however, claimed that the project was scrappeddue to public opposition but made it very clear that BJP was stalling development projects in Bengaluru.

The decision to scrap the steel bridge project was taken during an MLAs meet in Bengaluru. Congress working President Dinesh Gundu Rao suggested that the project be dropped instead of allowing it to be a momunent of Congress' corruption. He accused the BJP of not taking a clear stand on the project but using it to level corruption charges against them. The Congress hopes to make the steel flyover a poll agenda in North Bengaluru constituencies. The government was adamant on going ahead with the project due to bottlenecks and heavy traffic snarls enroute the Airport. The six-lane bridge was aimed at bringing relief to residents who had time and again requested for de-congestion. So much so that while one group of citizens rallied against the flyover, another rallied for it in what came to be known as the 'Beku v/s beda' fight. The Congress hopes to bank on the 'Bedu brigade' to dent the BJP's performance in

constituencies of North Bengaluru in the upcoming assembly polls.

The BJP on the otherhand demanded that a CBI query be ordered into the diary expose that 'ultimately forced Congress to drop the

project'. "Citizens have been protesting from months together but congress decided to drop the project only after a diary alleging

kickbacks came to light. They are withdrawing the project since they fear that they will be exposed further. The chief minister is directly

involved and hence a CBI investigation is needed," B S Yeddyurappa said addressing the media soon after the project was scrapped.

"I will hold BJP and Rajeev Chandrashekhar responsible for not allowing developmental activities in Bengaluru," K J George had

said while announcing the 'painful' decision to scrap the steel bridge project. He cited 'People's opposition and baseless allegations' as reasons for cancelling the project. Till last month, the Congress had defended the project even willing to fight a legal battle for it. They had even stated that the project was approved during the previous BJP government and that the Congress was merely implementing it. Things took a turn after a diary allegedly belonging to a Congress MLA and containing details of kickbacks received surfaced, says the BJP.

By scrapping the steel bridge project the Congress has taken away a key agenda of the BJP to show Congress in a bad light. This, however, will not change the fact that the diary is going to feature prominently in all rallies of the BJP. The BJP, just like now, hopes

to portray the cancellation of the project as a defense mechanisms of a 'shaken Congress' while the Congress hopes to turn it

against the BJP, accusing it of hindering development of Bengaluru.

OneIndia News
Will BJP be able to recreate 'Assam magic' in Manipur elections?

India

oi-Maitreyee

Imphal, March 3: Till recently, the Bharatiya Janata Party hardly had any hold over the entire northeast region. However, things are fast changing. After sweeping the Assam Assembly elections 2016, the saffron party is eyeing to come to power in Manipur. The assembly elections in the sensitive state are scheduled on March 4 and 8.

The BJP is leaving no stone unturned as its top leadership--Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, to name a few--have campaigned in the state. Moreover, national general secretary of the BJP, Ram Madhav, has been personally monitoring all the campaigning activities in Manipur. In fact, it was Madhav only who was credited of helping the BJP win the assembly polls in Assam for the first time. The Assam assembly election win was the first time that the BJP won a legislative poll in the entire northeast region.

The former member of the national executive of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Madhav is said to be the brain behind selecting candidates to contest polls to the nature of campaign issues to be addressed by BJP leaders. This time, the BJP has been vociferously targeting the incumbent Congress government in Manipur for massive corruption and lack of development in the state.

Main election issues

Recently, when the Prime Minister addressed a poll rally in the capital city Imphal he mostly targeted Chief Minister Ibobi Singh for his alleged role in misappropriation of state funds and minimal development in the state. However, poll pundits say this time the main election issue is the ongoing economic blockade in the state that has brought life to a standstill in Manipur.

"Manipur elections are a complex business. The state has several issues---militancy, corruption, lack of development, Armed Forces Special Powers Act and economic blockade, to name a few. This time, the main election issue is the ongoing blockade that both the state government and the Centre have failed to address," said an Imphal-based editor.

He added that situation in Assam and Manipur are different. "Voters in Assam were massively tired of CM Tarun Gogoi's government. Gogoi continuously ruled the state for 15 years. However, the state saw any noticeable development. Moreover, the Hindu voters cast their votes for the BJP and PM Modi during Assam polls. The same can't be said about the nature of complex politics in Manipur. We have to wait and watch till results are declared on March 11."

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After Kansas shooting, 25 senators urge Trump administration to stop hate crime in US

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Washington, March 3: Following the killing of an Indian in Kansas, 25 senators have urged the Donald Trump administration to respond to the rise in hate violence across the country.

In a letter to the Attorney General Jeff Sessions, 25 senators said that there has been an alarming rise in bias motivated violence. BuzzFeed, news while quoting the letter said, "Many members of racial, ethnic and religious minority communities, as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, live in very real fear for their safety."

Further urging the Trump administration to address concerns of fear, the letter said that it is incumbent upon you as our nation's chief law enforcement officer to demonstrate to them and all Americans that discrimination and violence against any individual because of who they are, how they worship, or who they love will not be tolerated in our country."

The letter comes in the backdrop of various incidents of hate crime being reported in the US. Many Jewish community centres have received bomb threats.

The Kansas incident in which an Indian engineer was killed is also being investigated as a hate crime by the FBI. Trump in his first address to the Congress had condemned both the attack at Kansas and on Jewish centres.

OneIndia News
Bill introduced in US Congress to curb outsourcing of jobs

International

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

After a bill to raise minimum wages of H1B visa holders was introduced in the US Congress, a bipartisan bill to deter American companies from shipping call centre and service jobs to foreign countries has now been reintroduced.

Democrat Gene Green and Republican David McKinley reintroduced 'The U.S. Call Center and Consumer Protection Act' in the U.S. Congress. The bill proposes to incentivize American companies to retain such jobs in the US.

Green reportedly stressed on the importance of American workers having access to good service sector jobs and receive a liveable wages.

He added that the bipartisan legislation would protect call centre workers in Texas and throughout the US.

McKinley said that their priority was to protect and create American jobs, said reports.

He said the bill does not mandate that companies keep call centres in America, but would such companies will not receive funding from the government.

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Story first published: Friday, March 3, 2017, 19:00 [IST]
Canada witnesses a jump in asylum seekers from US

International

pti-PTI

Ottawa, Mar 3: The number of migrants applying for refugee status in Canada after crossing the border from the United States has been rising since the beginning of the year, officials said on Thursday.

"Canada has seen an increase in the number of asylum claims in January of this year, compared to the same time last year," the Canada Border Services Agency told a briefing. From January 1 to February 21, a total of about 4,000 people filed refugee claims, up from 2,500 during the same period last year.

The figure includes border jumpers and those arriving from the United States at border checkpoints. Canadian officials were hesitant to point to a trend based on the preliminary data. "Some claimants have spent relatively little time in the US" before coming to Canada, an official said.

The recent wave of migrants originated mostly from East Africa and war-torn nations such as Syria. Federal police and immigration officials said some appeared to have intended from the start to come to Canada after flying to the United States on a visitor visa. Others decided to come here only after they were denied asylum south of the border, or because they feared deportation amid the current US crackdown.

"People are afraid of finding themselves in a situation where they might not have access to an equitable system," said Jean-Nicolas Beuze, Canadian representative of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Total refugee claims in Canada have fallen from 44,000 in 2001 to 24,000 last year. An estimated 40-60 percent were successful, according to officials.

PTI
Ian Grillot released from hospital, recalls Kansas shooting incident

International

pti-PTI

Houston, Mar 3: Ian Grillot, who was injured while trying to intervene during a racially-motivated shooting in Kansas in which an Indian techie was killed, has been released from hospital and invited to India to be recognised for his heroics.

The University of Kansas Health System confirmed that the 24-year-old has gone home, but there's still a long road to recovery after he took two bullets, in the hand and the chest.

"He has been through many hurdles since the shooting and still faces physician appointments and other critical meetings in the days ahead," the hospital said in a statement.

Ian was injured when he tried to stop the February 22 shooting of the two Indian techies in Olathe area. Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed in the attack, while Alok Madasani was injured. Ian was released late on Tuesday after spending nearly a week in medical care.

He went back to the hospital on Thursday to meet with Anupam Ray, consul-general of the Indian consulate in Houston. Ray told Ian and his family that people in India were grateful for his heroics during the deadly melee, according to the hospital.

An invitation was extended to Ian and his family to travel to India once he got the medical green light to travel. Following his release earlier this week, Ian attended church on Wednesday and then returned to the crime scene for 'closure', according to the hospital statement.

Adam Purington, 51, is accused of the shooting and faces both murder and attempted murder charges. The navy veteran is reported to have attacked Kuchibhotla and Madasani, who both worked at GPS-maker Garmin, because he thought they were Iranian.

Purington allegedly yelled 'get out of my country' before opening gunfire on the pair, striking both along with Ian. As he spoke to reporters on Tuesday, Ian recalled how he escorted Purington out of the bar where the shooting happened after he was seen harassing the engineers.

About half an hour later, Ian recalled, the shooter was back and firing.

"By the time he was done shooting, that's when I got up and tried to chase the...guy down," he said.

"When I was chasing him down, trying to subdue him so that way he could be held responsible for his terrible actions, that's when he turned around and shot," he added.

Purington escaped, however, and was arrested hours later at an Applebees about 70 miles away from the crime scene. Grillot said on Tuesday that he didn't want to weigh in on what type of punishment Purington should get if he's found guilty, nor if he thought it was a hate crime. But that doesn't mean he's ready to forgive the suspected gunman anytime soon.

"I do feel sympathy for him, but his actions were unjustified and uncalled for," he said.

Many have considered it a racially motivated attack, calling on the White House to take action. President Trump, in his first address to a joint session of Congress, also condemned the attack.

PTI
Fact Check: Old images of Imran Khan shared as ones from recent shooting incident

Imran Khan discharged from hospital, to resume long march from same point where he was shot

Pak Army chief Gen Bajwa says will bring back normalcy in the country

International

pti-PTI

Lahore, Mar 3: Pakistan's army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday reiterated that security agencies will crackdown on "all troublemakers" under the recently-launched military campaign Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad across the country.

"Through Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad we will take on all fasaadis (troublemakers) and play our part in bringing back normalcy in our country," army chief said in his address to soldiers at Multan garrison.

Operation Radd-ul-Fassad, meaning elimination of discord, was launched last month after a series of militant attacks in the country killed more than 125 people. Most deadly of them was a suicide bombing at a famed Sufi shrine in the southern Sindh province in which 88 people died.

According to a statement by the army's media wing, ISPR, Gen Bajwa received a detailed briefing on the troops' operational preparedness during the visit to Multan. Later, he witnessed a combat training exercise at the Muzaffargarh field firing ranges.

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Take a road trip to West Union for the annual Iowa Artists regional show on Saturday, March 4.

The show will be in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center of North Fayette Valley High School, and will be open to the public from noon through mid-afternoon.

It will showcase the work of visual artists from Northeast Iowa, including Fayette, Winneshiek, Chickasaw, Howard, Mitchell, Allamakee and Clayton counties. About 60 pieces of artwork are expected to be on display.

The West Union show serves as a selection stage for the Iowa Artists State Show, which will be May 13 in Ames. Laura Colby, Upper Iowa University Assistant Professor, will be the show judge. Iowa Artists is a statewide organization of painters, print makers, potters and sculptors.
DES MOINES  A bill that would bar a woman from receiving an abortion after 20 weeks made it through an Iowa Senate committee on Thursday evening. But two other pieces of legislation seeking to limit Iowa womens access to abortion did not survive the sessions first funnel deadline.

Senate File 53 passed on a 9-to-3 vote in the Human Resources Committee, securing two Democrats after the legislation was amended to include exceptions in cases where the mothers life is in danger or fetal anomalies in which the fetus is diagnosed with a medical condition that is incompatible with life.

The amendment was added after Sen. Mark Chelgren, R-Ottumwa, said he heard compelling testimony during the Tuesday subcommittee meeting. During the meeting, Amanda Acton of Waukee testified about her own experiences with abortion, when she was told by her doctor in her 21st week that her daughter had a rare genetic condition and did not have lungs.

She said the decision to have an abortion was difficult, but the humane thing to do.

We did listen, Chelgren said.

But that was not enough for all the Democrats on the Senate committee.

Not every pregnancy ends the way a family hopes it will, said Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City. Sometimes it ends in miscarriage, sometimes the mother finds out there is something seriously wrong with her baby. Abortions later in pregnancy may make us uncomfortable. But one thing we can all agree on is that a womans health and safety is crucial.

If the Legislature wants to continue to decrease the number of unwanted pregnancies and therefore abortions, Bolkcom said it should be committed to funding family-planning services and support the use of contraception.

Extreme bans do nothing to reduce abortions and hinder medical care, he said.

The bill next will go before the full Senate for a vote.

A similar piece of legislation, House File 293, which passed through a House subcommittee on Wednesday, however, did not make it out of committee. That legislation, along with SF 253, the so-called personhood bill  which could have effectively banned abortions  died Thursday afternoon, after they were both taken off committee agendas.

The legislation  which womens health organizations called extreme and reckless  would have made it so that life is protected from the moment of conception  and accorded the same rights and protections guaranteed to all persons.

Opponents, including Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, said the bill severely would have limited womens access to the most effective forms of birth control as well negatively impacted families seeking to use in vitro fertilization services. Similar Personhood movements have failed in recent years in Colorado, North Dakota and Mississippi.

SF 253 was a thinly veiled, unconstitutional attempt to ban abortion in the state of Iowa, said Planned Parenthood of the Heartland in a statement. Even fellow Senate Republicans recognized it would have far-reaching unintended consequences, and refused to vote in its favor.

Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, who chaired the committee and was a co-sponsor of Senate File 253, expressed disappointment that the bill did not survive. But he added, This is how the process works.

Zaun was hesitant to comment on why the bill was unable to attain enough support to make it out of committee, but did say he received thousands of emails from Iowans both in support of and opposition to the bill.

Obviously I believe in it, he said. Im interested in saving one unborn child at a time.
WATERLOO  Tears gripped Maria Lee Motto on Thursday as soon as she entered the courtroom and glanced at the man she injured in a 2016 car crash in La Porte City.

Motto, 49, quickly snatched two tissues from a box offered by a courtroom deputy and put them to use as she waited for her sentencing hearing to begin.

Across the room, Dean Allen Demoss, 42, of Hiawatha, sat unable to recognize Motto, his memory of the collision still cloudy.

Last month, Motto pleaded guilty to serious injury by vehicle and possession of methamphetamine in the crash, and on Thursday she was sentenced to up to five years in prison as part of a plea deal with the state.

Motto, of Vinton, wept as she called her actions reckless, careless and stupid and apologized to Demoss and his family.

I still owe you my deepest heartfelt apologies, she said. She said she will never again be so simple minded as to think that her addiction was only hurting her.

Authorities said Motto, a friend of a friend of Demosss, was driving Demosss 2002 Nissan Pathfinder while coming down from a meth high and dozed off, slamming into a tree in the 600 block of Commercial Street on at about 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 28.

Witnesses said Motto appeared incoherent at the scene and was unable to tell authorities her name. Sheriffs deputies found syringes with meth inside her purse when they looked for her ID.

Dean Demoss, a backseat passenger, suffered serious head injuries. He was taken to Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo and then flown to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Iowa City.

He was in a coma for 10 days, remained in Iowa City until Nov. 14 and then went to Covenant rehab center until Christmas, said Assistant County Attorney Jeremy Westendorf. He said Dean Demoss is functioning at the level of a 12-year-old.

Hes doing very well physically. He can do anything he wants. Its just his decision making isnt there, said his father, Roger Demoss, who has been caring for him since the crash.

Dean Demoss still has bruises on his brain and wont be able to return to work for awhile. He had been a roofer.

He said the family has grown closer with the crash.

He always loved his kids, but he also liked doing things he shouldnt be doing. And what has happened has brought them closer together because of the incident, and hes realizing the second chance hes got, and hes going to be a better person, Roger Demoss said.

Jeff Reinitz writes for the Waterloo Courier, another Lee Enterprises newspaper. Reach him at jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com.
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SIOUX CITY | A Sioux City man sustained a serious stab wound in the groin area after his girlfriend attack him with a knife Thursday morning.

According to the Sioux City Police Department, 39-year-old Natasha Drappeaux and her boyfriend, Salahadin Adem, were intoxicated and arguing over money around 9 a.m. at the Ida apartment building, 1901 Pierce St.

During the quarrel, Drappeaux grabbed a knife and stabbed Adem in the groin area, left forearm and left upper arm, according to court documents.

The serious wound in the groin caused Adem to lose a large amount of blood, and had to undergo surgery at Mercy Medical Center-- Sioux City. Police expect the injuries to be non-life-threatening.

Drappeaux was arrested on scene and charged with felony willful injury.

Ida building resident Almaz Yohannes said Adem had knocked on her door after the stabbing occurred and asked her to phone 911. Yohannes said she lives below Adem, but that the apartment is usually a quiet place.

"Oh, yes, it's definitely (usually quiet)," she said.

The incident is under investigation.
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As of Q4 2016, Yggdrasil is Clearly Moving into the Top Tier

Published March 3, 2017 by Lee R

A well-balanced strategy leads to substantial annual and quarterly growth at Yggdrasil.

Yggdrasil is growing by leaps and bounds, at a pace which appears on its way to becoming the norm among iGamings strongest performers.

Moving Up

Yggdrasil called its Q4 2016 revenue growth of more than 200% a transition from strength to strength.

Q4 Figures

The Cherry AB-owned games developer said revenues were up 207% year-on-year to SEK 31.8 million (3.4 million / $3.5 million) with an EBITDA margin of 42%.

The number of player transactions went up proportionally as well, showing a 210% year-on-year hike to 633 million, with mobile gaming now reaching 51% of total gross game win.

2016 Figures

For the full year of 2016, Yggdrasil reported year-ending revenue increases of 332% to SEK 86.9 million along with an eye-popping EBITDA catapult of 670% to SEK 40.1 million.

CEO Speaks

CEO Fredrik Elmqvist defined his companys strength-to-strength movement in Q4 through excellent growth, new operator signings, new games and new industry firsts.

Elmqvist couldnt help lauding the Q4 figures as well calling the revenue jump particularly pleasing as EBIT hit a new quarterly high of SEK 9.3 million.

Secrets to Success

Distinguishing the innovation of the Yggdrasil brand is an essential part of organisational success. Citing the steady progress of collaborative partnership programme Yggdrasil White Label Studios, which now has two customers on board since being launched in Q3 2016. Elmqvist asserted his organisations intention to transform the way slots are developed.

Looking Ahead

Elmqvist said the company is looking to make an immediate impact in Italy, where Yggdrasil is set to launch by the end of Q2 2017. Yggdrasil currently holds licenses in the UK, Gibraltar, Malta and Romania.

Yggdrasil Q4 Highlights

Other key Q4 highlights for Yggdrasil include signing 10 new licence agreements, with new partners including Tain, Gaming Innovation Group, SuprNation and Lottoland; along with expansion into Sweden by announcing the establishment of a new Stockholm office.

2016 Highlights

Full year highlights for 2016 included the release of 13 new games, the acquisition of the Gibraltar and Romania licences; going live in the UK, and 20 new operator user agreements, including with Bet 365, Casumo and Bwin.

Outlook

At this rate, Yggdrasils self-proclaimed underdog status will not last much longer as company growth performs at iGaming heavyweight proportions.
Opalesque Industry Update - Despite continued underperformance for investors in the hedge fund industry, the 2017 Hedge Fund Compensation Report shows that a majority of hedge fund professionals expected higher pay in the form of base compensation and bonuses. Only one in five expected to make less than the previous year. This year, earnings at the top of the pay range remained strong. Those in the mid-tier range increased by 6 percentage points over last year, which nearly matched the percentage of professionals expecting to make lower pay. The tenth annual Hedge Fund Compensation Report analyzes data collected directly from hedge fund professionals representing hundreds of global investment firms. "Our report polls a cross-section of industry insiders on many different factors related to hedge fund compensation," says David Kochanek, publisher of the report. "That makes it possible for us to compare complex variables and dig into a decade's worth of information to identify trends and see changes in the industry in both bull and bear markets." For most in the industry, bonuses are an integral part of overall compensation. In fact, bonus pay represents 80 percent of total compensation for hedge fund professionals in the uppermost pay bands. Although some hedge fund professionals report they are guaranteed lump sum bonuses, eight out of 10 receive bonuses tied to performance metrics or other discretionary factors. "We are beginning to see an increased correlation between fund performance and bonus pay after some years of disconnect," says Kochanek. "Unlike last year, funds that are up the most are now reporting the highest bonuses. We no longer see funds that are down or breaking even reporting higher bonuses than those operating in the black. It seems rational compensation numbers are returning to the industry." Those in the industry remain largely dissatisfied with their compensation. Across a wide range of titles, roles and experience levels, 61 percent are unsatisfied with their total pay. As in previous years, those that earn the most are most satisfied, implying that those in decision-making roles feel adequately rewarded for their additional responsibility.
Opalesque Industry Update - The first investment fund specialising in UK-based robotics start-ups focuses on delivering returns to Investors by making targeted investments in promising UK-based seed-stage robotics companies wrapped within a fund format that is highly tax efficient (under the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme, "SEIS"). Automation and robotisation are beginning to drive significant productivity improvements across the global economy, making it one of today's most exciting investment themes. According to market intelligence firm Tractica, robotics is set to grow at rates in excess of 45% with the global market to approach a quarter of trillion dollars by 2021. There are currently no specialist UK investment vehicles to provide financial backing and strategic support for early stage robotics companies with compelling business in concepts. Therefore, the Fund offers investors a unique opportunity to participate in a selection of the most innovative and disruptive businesses that are exploiting the new generation of robotic technologies. The fund will invest in up to 12 robotics start-ups each year across a broad range of sectors including, construction, logistics, agriculture and domestic robots. World-class robotics laboratories in the United Kingdom are home to some of the finest robot-engineering talent and the Fund looks, via partnerships with theses labs and incubators, to help convert this inherent potential into successful world-class companies. The British Robotics Seed Fund is being managed by Sapphire Capital Partners LLP in partnership with High Growth Robotics Limited (www.britbots.com) which will help identify the investments and provide mentoring services to the robotics entrepreneurs and start-ups with which the fund works. The fund is open to professional or sophisticated investors with a minimum of 10,000 to invest and who are looking to enhance their investment portfolio with high growth robotics businesses. SEIS-qualifying robotics companies are being encouraged to apply. High Growth Robotics Ltd is led by Dominic Keen, a successful British entrepreneur. Having previously floated the software business that he founded on the London Stock Exchange, he now helps exciting ventures to maximise their growth potential. An engineer by background, he is fascinated by robotics and acts as an evangelist in the field. Boyd Carson, CEO of Sapphire Capital Partners LLP commented on the launch: "Robotics represents one of today's most exciting investment themes and investors now have the opportunity to enhance their portfolio with a mixed basket of exciting early-stage robotics businesses whilst also befitting from the significant tax advantages of SEIS". Dominic Keen, CEO of High Growth Robotics Limited, concluded: "I genuinely believe that some of the world's finest robotics businesses are currently being established in the UK and the British Robotics Seed Fund is ideally positioned to ensure that these companies are able to maximise their future success". The Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) was designed to boost economic growth in the UK by promoting new enterprise and entrepreneurship, and offers tax efficient investing in return for investment in small and early stage start-up businesses in the UK. Sapphire Capital Partners LLP (Sapphire) is a specialist investment management firm authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. Sapphire have verified and approved the contents of this announcement for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Act). Sapphire Capital Partners LLP is a specialist investment management firm established to provide, among other services, investment management services and bespoke SEIS and EIS solutions. High Growth Robotics Limited is a business mentoring company that seeks to champion the achievements of robotics start-up across the UK. Its services include: consulting on growth strategies; publicity via presentations and articles; and a think-tank on the use of robotics in public policy.
Stability or cultural vitality: many nations seem as if they can only have one or the other. The Republic of Guinea, for instance, has endured quite a turbulent history, yet its musicians have also enjoyed roles as pioneers in the creation of African popular music styles and as the voice of a new Africa. Thats the view of the University of Melbournes Graeme Counsel, who over the past decade has made a series of trips to the Guinean capital of Conakry on a mission to preserve the great variety of music, part of the tradition now broadly labeled Afropop, recorded during the decades of state-sponsored cultural abundance after the country gained independence from France in 1958.

Under the leadership of music lover President Ahmed Sekou Toure, writes Hyperallergics Allison Meier, the government was soon sending out guitars, saxophones, and brass instruments to 35 state-funded prefecture orchestras as part of a new authenticite policy.









This directive encouraged a cultural revival that mixed traditional sounds with contemporary music, particularly Cuban and Latin rhythms. The effort had its own record label called Syliphone, which recorded and distributed this new Guinean music until the mid-1980s, and the powerful radio signal of Radiodiffusion Television Guinee (RTG) turned listeners on to it well beyond the new countrys borders.

Counsel, already a collector of Syliphone records, discovered during his PhD research in 2001 that the Guinean government still held a collection of that eras music (though a large part of the archive had been destroyed in 1985 when the RTG was bombed by Guinean artillery during an unsuccessful coup). Applying for and receiving, ultimately, three rounds of funding from the British Librarys Endangered Archives Programme, he set about digitizing and cataloging the unexpectedly numerous and perhaps expectedly disorganized and poorly maintained reels of magnetic tape he found, working through bureaucratic hassles, coups detat, and even a massacre.

Nothing would deter me, writes Counsel in a series of essays (part one, part two, part three) on the project, not the authorities indifference towards the sound archive, not the recalcitrance of their attitudes, nor the tragedies of everyday life in Guinea. Nothing. The fruits of his labors have now become available at the British Librarys online Syliphone archive, which boasts over 8,000 Guinean Afropop tracks recorded over 26 years. Meier names among the legendary music it makes available the loose rhythms of the Bembeya Jazz National, the horn-heavy melodies of the Super Boiro Band, the Latin-influenced beats of Orchestre de la Paillote, and the all-women Cuban-infused les Amazones de Guinee. Those musicians names may not ring a bell for you now, but a little time with the archive will guarantee a long-term inability to get their songs out of your head.

Find the 8,000 recordings here.

via Hyperallergic/Electronic Beats

Related Content:

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Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities and culture. Hes at work on a book about Los Angeles, A Los Angeles Primer, the video series The City in Cinema, the crowdfunded journalism project Where Is the City of the Future?, and the Los Angeles Review of Books Korea Blog. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall or on Facebook.
Cancer Therapeutics Market is expected to reach USD 170.63 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 9.2% from 2016 to 2022

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According to the report, Cancer Therapeutics Market, by Therapeutics (Chemotherapy, Hormonal, and Immunotherapy), Types (Prostate Cancer, Blood Cancer, Lung Cancer, Skin Cancer, Gastrointestinal Cancer, and Breast Cancer), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World) - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2014 - 2022, the market for cancer therapeutics is set to witness significant growth during the forecast period.Request a Sample:The cancer therapeutics market report forecasts the growth and revenue trends for the global market. It also offers in-depth analysis of the market drivers, restraints, market share, segmentation, and the key market players.Leaf through our data-driven infographic report on Global Cancer Therapeutics Market:Early Buyers can avail 10% customization on this report.According to the cardiovascular therapeutics market report, the global market is expected to grow at a healthy rate during the forecast period. The increasing prevalence of different types of cancer, the increasing research activities from the multinational companies, the growth in medical tourism, advancing techniques, quick approvals from the drug administration authorities from around the world, and such others are the major driving factors for this market. According to the report, the market segments, such as immunotherapy is expected to witness an impressive rise in demand from different geographic regions. The increased focus on the targeted cancer therapies is also expected to play a significant role in the overall development of the global market.Immunotherapy to become the largest therapeutic segmentThe report segments the cancer therapeutics market by therapeutics, types of cancer, and the major geographic regions. The types of cancer include blood cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, and skin cancer. The therapeutics segments include hormonal, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. The major geographic regions of the market include Europe, North America, Asia, Pacific, North America, and the Rest of the World. According to the report, the developing regions of the world are expected to provide potential growth opportunities for the global market. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period.The key players included in the cancer therapeutics market report include Amgen, Inc., Celgene Corporation, Eli Lilly and Company, F.Hoffmann la Roche, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Johnson and Johnson, Merck & Co., Inc., Novartis AG, Pfizer, Inc., Sanofi SA, and such others. The report anticipates impressive growth for the key market players during the forecast period. This growth is concentrated in the emerging markets. The regions like Asia-Pacific and North America are expected to create strong growth opportunities for the key players in this market.Browse Related Reports:Prescription Pharmaceuticals Market - Therapeutic Segments, Formulations, Geography (2013 - 2020)Orphan Drugs Market - Indication Types and Geography (2014 - 2022)ABOUT US:Scalar Market Research Inc. aspires to assist organizations from around the world to achieve their business goal with premium market research reports and consulting services. Our real-time industry tracking with the help of advanced analytics offers a crystal clear view of all the activities in niche markets. Our team, with thorough global understanding, works relentlessly to gather the necessary market insights, including customer analysis, competitions and global forecast.CONTACT:Moses Nakka8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave.,Suite 1300Chicago, IL 60631Tel.: +1-800-213-5170 (U.S./Canada Toll-free)Email: sales@scalarmarketresearch.com
High or Sudden Rise in the Number of Surgeries Related to Elderly Population Drives the Smoke Evacuation System Market

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Since the past decade, a large number of surgical procedures are moving out of the traditional ways, and they are replaced by minimally invasive techniques which is driving the market of smoke evacuation system globally. Use of electrocautery and electrosurgery devices is unavoidable in minimally invasive surgery which produces surgical smoke. Researchers have found more than 80 organic compounds in surgical smoke such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide that can cause upper respiratory infection, nausea, and other short-term symptoms.Request a PDF Brochure with Report Analysis:Smoke evacuation system has been developed to overcome this problem. The system is intended to remove smoke, aerosol, and noxious odors produced during electrosurgical procedure. Smoke evacuation systems are high-flow vacuum sources used to capture, at the surgical site, the smoke aerosols and gases generated during the use of lasers and electrosurgical units.There are a number of factors that affect the growth of the smoke evacuation system market. Some of the key factors include growth in demand for minimally invasive surgical procedures; development and advancement of energy based electrocautery and ultrasonic devices; and rise in global geriatric population. Other key growth drivers include technological advancements in smoke evacuation system, increase in the number of cosmetic procedures, and high or sudden rise in the number of surgeries related to elderly population.The market is further witnessing restraints, or challenges in its path such as development of other non-invasive surgery technologies, alongside stiff competition among existing smoke evacuation system manufacturers. Moreover, product recalls and government regulations for reduction of overall health care cost are restraining the growth of this market.The global smoke evacuation system market is segmented on the basis of product, application, modality, end-user, and region. Based on product, the smoke evacuation system market is categorized into smoke evacuation filters, pencils & wands, smoke evacuation fusion products, and accessories. The smoke evacuation filters segment is further divided into ULPA filters, HEPA filters, charcoal filters, in-line filters, and pre-filters. The ULPA filters sub-segment is expected to hold a significantly large share of the smoke evacuation filters segment.A significant share of this segment is attributed to technological advancement and extraordinary evacuation capacity as compared to other filters. The smoke evacuation accessories segment comprises adapters, reducers, sensors, and smoke evacuation tubing. Among the accessories, the smoke evacuation tubing sub-segment is expected to account for a significant share in the near future. Rise in number of surgeries performed and recent product launches in this sub-segment is contributing to the large share in this market.On the basis of application, the smoke evacuation system market is divided into electrosurgical devices, electrocautery units, radiofrequency units, ultrasonic devices, laser units, and others. The electrocautery devices segment is anticipated to hold a significant share of the market during the forecast period. Increase in demand for minimally invasive surgeries and rise in geriatric population are expected to fuel the demand for the electrocautery devices segment during the forecast period.Based on modality, smoke evacuation systems are available in portable evacuation systems and centralized evacuation systems. High cost associated with maintenance of centralized evacuation systems and less efficiency as compared to portable evacuation systems are estimated to hamper the growth of the centralized evacuation systems segment. New launches and product innovation in portable evacuation systems are further expected to drive the growth of the market of this segment.On the basis of end-user, the smoke evacuation system market is segmented into hospitals, specialized clinics, and ambulatory surgery centers. The hospitals segment accounted for a major share of the market in 2015 due to increasing demand for electrosurgical devices from corporate hospitals. Globalization of health care and pharmaceutical standards is likely to support the growth of better hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers in developing regions such as Asia Pacific and Latin America. This in turn is expected to propel the growth of the smoke evacuation system market in these regions.Geographically, the global smoke evacuation system market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to dominate the global smoke evacuation system market during the forecast period. Large geriatric and obese population facing cardiac and orthopedic problems and rise in incidences of cancer are anticipated to drive the market in this region.Asia Pacific has a high growth rate and is expected to offer growth opportunities in this market. Improved health care infrastructure and rise in health care spending by government are estimated to increase adoption of smoke evacuation system in this region.Browse Full Research Report:Key players operating in this market include Bovie Medical Corporation, Medtronic, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH, Boston Scientific Corporation, Olympus, Johnson & Johnson, Symmetry Surgical Inc., ConMed Corporation, KLS Martin, and Bowa-electronic GmbH & Co. KG.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. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Increasing Number of Infections Leading to Various Health Hazards Drives the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Analyzers Market

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Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) can be defined as the rate at which red blood cells or erythrocytes sediment in a period of one hour. ESR is usually measured in millimeter per hour (mm/hr) and a value above 100 mm/hr indicates a disease condition, such as a disease that causes inflammation, active infection, cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, blood disease, diabetes, and collagen vascular disease. However, ESR is a non-specific test for inflammation and is used in conjunction with other tests such as C-reactive protein.Request a PDF Brochure with Report Analysis:Normal ESR result does not rule out the possibility of inflammation. Similarly, an elevated ESR without any symptoms of the disease does not aid in making any medical decision. ESR analyzers are devices employed to measure the sedimentation rate of erythrocytes for an accurate reading. Automated ESR analyzers need to comply with the 2011-published Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines for measuring ESR. The analyzer works on the basic principle of Westergrens method followed to determine ESR.The ESR analyzers market can be segmented based on modality, end-user, and region. In terms of modality, the market can be segmented into automatic analyzers, semi-automatic analyzers, and manual analyzers. Based on end-user, the ESR analyzers market can be segmented into hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, and academic institutions. In terms of region, the ESR analyzers market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.ESR is one of the basic hematology tests performed to identify various disease conditions, which would contribute to the growth of the ESR analyzers market. Technological upgrades leading to the development of automated ESR analyzers from manual ESR analyzers would also contribute to the growth of the market. In addition, the increasing number of infections leading to various health hazards would contribute to the rising number of ESR tests, which in turn would drive the ESR analyzers market in the near future.However, the non-specificity of the tests and the necessity for other tests to be performed to confirm the diseased condition could have a negative impact on the ESR analyzers market, as demand for specific tests increases. Furthermore, false negative results of ESR due to the effect of drugs such as oral contraceptives, dextran, methyldopa, penicillamine procainamide, theophylline, vitamin A, aspirin, cortisone, and quinine also make ESR less desirable, thereby impacting the growth of the ESR analyzers market.Automatic analyzers are expected to dominate the ESR analyzers market during the forecast period, owing to their abilities to enhance the workflow and turnaround time. Diagnostic laboratories and hospitals are expected to be the leading segments of the ESR analyzers market. Geographically, North America is expected to be the major market for ESR analyzers. Growth of the market in the region can be attributed to the well-developed health care infrastructure in the region.Asia Pacific is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period, owing to increasing infections, evolution of new diseases, and poor sanitation conditions which lead to increased infections among the population. In addition, government focus on enhancing the health care infrastructure and providing better health care facilities to the population contribute to the growth of the ESR analyzers market in Asia Pacific.Browse Full Research Report:Leading players in the ESR analyzers market include Sysmex, R&R Mechatronics International B.V., TRANSASIA Bio Medicals Ltd., Diesse Diagnostica Senese Spa, Vital Diagnostics, Caretium Medical Instruments Co, Limited, Grifols, S.A., Beckman Coulter, Inc., ALCOR Scientific, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Perlong Medical, BPC Biosed Srl, and SFRI.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. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Telemetry Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021

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This report studies the global Telemetry market, analyzes and researches the Telemetry development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeSiemens AGGE HealthcareAstro-Med, Inc.Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW)Lindsay CorporationPhilips HealthcareRogers Communications, Inc.Schlumberger Ltd.Schneider ElectricSierra Wireless, Inc.Verizon Communications, IncIBM CorpCobham PlcKongsberg GruppenHoneywell International Inc.L-3 Communications Holdings IncFinmeccanica SPATo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Telemetry can be split intoWire-Link or Wired TelemetryWireless Telemetry SystemsData LoggersAcoustic TelemetryDigital TelemetryMarket segment by Application, Telemetry can be split intoHealthcare/ MedicineEnergy and Power UtilitiesVehicle Telemetry (Telematics)Retail TelemetryAerospace and DefenseAutomation Telemetry (Manufacturing and Process Control)Agriculture Telemetry (Agriculture & Water Management)WildlifeLogistics and TransportationTesting & SecurityBrowse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Telemetry1.1 Telemetry Market Overview1.1.1 Telemetry Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Telemetry Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Telemetry Market by Type1.3.1 Wire-Link or Wired Telemetry1.3.2 Wireless Telemetry Systems1.3.3 Data Loggers1.3.4 Acoustic Telemetry1.3.5 Digital Telemetry1.4 Telemetry Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Healthcare/ Medicine1.4.2 Energy and Power Utilities1.4.3 Vehicle Telemetry (Telematics)1.4.4 Retail Telemetry1.4.5 Aerospace and Defense1.4.6 Automation Telemetry (Manufacturing and Process Control)1.4.7 Agriculture Telemetry (Agriculture & Water Management)1.4.8 Wildlife1.4.9 Logistics and Transportation1.4.10 Testing & Security2 Global Telemetry Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Telemetry Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future4 Global Telemetry Market Size by Type and Application (2011-2016)4.1 Global Telemetry Market Size by Type (2011-2016)4.2 Global Telemetry Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.3 Potential Application of Telemetry in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Telemetry5 United States Telemetry Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Telemetry Market Size (2011-2016)5.2 United States Telemetry Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)6 EU Telemetry Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Telemetry Market Size (2011-2016)6.2 EU Telemetry Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)7 Japan Telemetry Development Status and Outlook7.1 Japan Telemetry Market Size (2011-2016)7.2 Japan Telemetry Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.QYResearchreportsContact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States+1-518-621-2074866-997-4948USA-Canada Toll freesales@qyresearchreports.com
WAVERLY  A trio arrested last month in a credit card scheme at the Waverly Walmart is suspected in similar scams in other parts of Iowa, including Mason City, according to authorities.

Waverly police arrested Liliany Meana DeArmas, 20; Pedro Alvarez Rodriguez, 35 and Dunieski Santana Moreno, 26, on Feb. 1 for six counts of forgery after they were allegedly found using other peoples credit card information to load funds onto gift cards, said Capt. Jason Leonard.

DeArmas was also arrested for fifth-degree theft.

Before they were arrested in Waverly, the three had been at Walmart stores from Sioux City to Mount Pleasant to Cedar Falls to Mason City, Leonard said.

From Jan. 29 to Feb. 1, they literally blanketed the state, Leonard said.

The scheme involved using cloned credit cards that are created by imprinting compromised card information onto the magnetic strip of a blank card.

Those cards were then used at self-checkout stations to load money onto gift cards or prepaid credit cards.

Court records allege the three came to the Waverly store Jan. 31 and returned Feb. 1. Store workers became suspicious when they saw them using multiple cards at the checkout, Leonard said.

Police tracked the three to the Red Fox Inn and searched their room.

All three have Miami, Fla., addresses, and DeArmas and Moreno also have Louisville, Ky. addresses. Leonard said all three are originally from Cuba, DeArmas is a permanent resident and the other two are in country on expired work visas and are being detained.

While the three were caught because clerks noticed suspicious behavior, Leonard said people should watch their credit card billing statements for unfamiliar charges.

Jeff Reinitz writes for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, another Lee Enterprises newspaper. Reach him at jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com.
A Spotlight on Industry Incentives for New Superdrugs

Superbugs & Superdrugs 2017

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Following on from the growing pressure to develop new antibiotics, SMis 19th annual Superbugs & Superdrugs conference will return to Central London in just under three weeks time with a dedicated spotlight on industry incentives.Using a criteria which examines how deadly the bacteria is and whether new antibiotics to treat them are already in the pipeline, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently released a list of drug resistant "priority pathogens" - 12 families of bacteria that pose the greatest threat to human health. The WHO said that it hoped the list would spur governments to put in place policies to incentivise the development of new drugs.* Source:The established industry summit on antimicrobial resistance will gather an audience of scientific pioneers and health experts at a significant time for leaders to collaborate and stem the surge of resistant infections.The spotlight on industry incentives will feature a selection of keynote addresses on national research strategy, activities to facilitate drug development, funding opportunities and portfolio partnerships presented by government bodies including the FDA and BARDA.Sumanthi Nambiar, Director of the Division of Anti-Infective Products at the FDA said,"I bring a regulatory perspective to the meeting...we have published guidance, engaged in discussions with key stakeholders and engaged in public private partnerships."Some of those who have confirmed to attend include:Abbott Medical Optics | Aberdeen University | Achaogen | Actelion | AiCuris Anti-infective Cures | Alacrita | Allecra Therapeutics | Antabio | Arsanis Biosciences | Auspherix | BARDA | BioPharm Insight | Chemical Biology Ventures | Colzyx | Da Volterra | Danestat consulting | DeNovaMed | Discuva | Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) | DSTL Porton Down | Eligo Bioscience | Evotec | FDA | GSK | John Innes Centre | JSC R-PHARM | King khaled eye specialist hospital | King's College London | KWS BioTest | Merck | MHRA | Micromyx | Motif Bio | Mrc Technology | Neem Biotech | Novabiotics | Novo AS | PHARMA OMNIUM | Phico Therapeutics | Prince Sultan Medical Military City | Procarta Biosystems | SA Pathology | Seventure Partners | Spero Therapeutics | St George's, University of London | Synthetic Biologics, Inc. | Tiber Creek Partners | TranScrip Partners | University College Cork | University of Cambridge | University of North Texas Health Science Center | X-Biotix Therapeutics | X-Chem | Zambon SpaFurther information is available at:Superbugs & Superdrugs20th & 21st March 2017Copthorne Tara Hotel, London, UKSponsored by MSD and Synthetic Biologics, Inc--- end ---Contact Information:For all media inquiries contact Teri Arri on Tel: +44 (0)20 7827 6162 / Email: tarri@smi-online.co.ukFor delegate inquiries contact Fateja Begum on Tel: +44 (0)20 7827 6184 / Email: fbegum@smi-online.co.ukFor exhibition and sponsorship inquiries contact Alia Malick on Tel: +44 (0)20 7827 6168 / Email: amalick@smi-online.co.ukAbout SMi Group:Established since 1993, the SMi Group is a global event-production company that specializes in Business-to-Business Conferences, Workshops, Masterclasses and online Communities. We create and deliver events in the Defence, Security, Energy, Utilities, Finance and Pharmaceutical industries. We pride ourselves on having access to the worlds most forward thinking opinion leaders and visionaries, allowing us to bring our communities together to Learn, Engage, Share and Network. More information can be found at2 Floor Harling House47-51 Great Suffolk Street
Electronic Toll Collection Market Analysis and Discussion of Important Industry Trends, Market Size, Market Share Estimates and Profiles of the Leading Industry Players

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Research Beam added a report Electronic Toll Collection Global Market Outlook - Trends, Forecast, and Opportunity Assessment (2014-2022)The Global Electronic Toll Collection Market is valued at $5.42 billion in 2014 and is expected to reach $15.62 billion by 2022 growing at a CAGR of 12.71%. The increasing demand for safe and secure infrastructure is boosting the market growth. The factors such as reduction in traffic congestion, low travel time, cashless travel facility and free flow of traffic are driving the Electronic Toll Collection market growth. Whereas, high installation cost, tag maintenance and high dependence on government are some of the factors limiting the market growth. The ETC market is expected to continue its quick expansion to meet the surging demand for an improved, safe and secure infrastructure providing a fast, efficient and cost-effective services.Request for Sample Report @Radio frequency identification (RFID) and dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) are the leading technologies in ETC market and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and GPS are expected to witness high growth rate during the forecast period. ETC systems have been installed majorly on highways, installation in urban areas and on bridges represents a future opportunity. North America has the largest share in Electronic Toll Collection market followed by Europe. Asia Pacific is expected to have steady growth, whereas RoW represents a high CAGR due to increasing adoption rate of electronic toll collection in regions such as Africa, Middle East and Latin America.Global Electronic Toll Collection market is segmented by technology, by type, by product, by application and by geography. Based on technology, market is segmented into Radio frequency identification (RFID), global navigation satellite system (GNSS)/GPS, dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) and video analytics. Based on type, market is classified into Electronic toll collection (ETC) and All-Electronic Tolling (AET). Based on product, market is segregated into automated vehicle identification (AVI) and automatic vehicle classifier (AVC). Based on application, market is categorized into highway and urban. Market by geography is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World.The Key players in the market include, Q-Free, Xerox Corporation, TransCore LP, Thales Group, 3M, Kapsch TrafficCom AG, Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc., Schneider Electric SE and EFKON AG.Request for Discount @What our report offers:- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments Market share analysis of the top industry players Strategic recommendations for the new entrants Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations) Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsEnquire about Report @Table of Content1 Executive Summary2 Preface3 Market Trend Analysis4 Porters Five Force Analysis5 Global Electronic Toll Collection Market, By Technology5.1 Introduction5.2 Radio frequency identification (RFID)5.3 Global navigation satellite system (GNSS)/GPS5.4 Dedicated short-range communications (DSRC)5.5 Video Analytics6 Global Electronic Toll Collection Market, By Type6.1 Introduction6.2 Electronic toll collection (ETC)6.3 All-Electronic Tolling (AET)6.3.1 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR)6.3.2 Transponders7 Global Electronic Toll Collection Market, By Product7.1 Introduction7.2 Automated vehicle identification (AVI)7.3 Automatic Vehicle Classifier (AVC)7.4 Others8 Global Electronic Toll Collection Market, By Application8.1 Introduction8.2 Highway8.3 Urban9 Global Electronic Toll Collection Market, By GeographyAbout Us:With the arsenal of different search reports, Research Beam helps you here to look and buy research reports that will be helpful to you and your organization. Our research reports have the capability and authenticity to support your organization for growth and consistency. With the window of opportunity getting open and shut at a speed of light, it has become very important to survive in the market and only the fittest and competent enough can do so. So, we try and provide with latest changes in the market that can suit your needs and help you take decision accordingly.Contact Us:5933 NE Win Severs Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesU.S. & Canada Toll Free: + 1-800-910-6452International: + 1-503-894-6022UK: + 44-845-528-1300India: +91 20 66346070Fax: +1 (855) 550-5975Email: help@researchbeam.comWeb:
Home Health Care Market 2016 - 2024; Key Trends and Opportunities

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Global Home Health Care Market: OverviewThe global home health care market is likely to exhibit impressive growth in the next few years. Home health care offers various services to patients in the comfort of their home. Home health care has been growing in popularity for the treatment of minor injuries and illnesses among patients, as it is less expensive and as effective as hospital-based medical care.In an increasingly mobile and independent world, health care services alone remain rooted in a professionally controlled and centralized setting. However, the paradigm change in consumer preference to avail quality services from the comforts of their home is necessitating decentralization of health care services to ensure convenience and care to patients. The market study presents insights into the emerging trends in the home health care market and discusses the factors fueling demand in the key market segments.Read Full Report:The research report provides a comprehensive overview of the global home health care market and analyzes the challenges and opportunities that this market may witness during the forecast period. The report identifies the services and software segments exhibiting high CAGRs, besides exploring the opportunities demonstrated by the most lucrative regional markets. Innovations in telehealth technology and its influence on the overall market dynamics is also evaluated in the report.Global Home Health Care Market: Key Trends and OpportunitiesRising global geriatric population, increasing incidence of chronic ailments, favorable government initiatives, and growing demand for affordable health care delivery systems are the key factors fueling demand in the global home health care market. On the other hand, inadequate insurance coverage, changing reimbursement policies, and rising patient safety concerns are the major restraints of the market.The global home health care market is primarily driven by significant demand for testing, monitoring, and screening products; mobility care products, and other therapeutic products. Of these, demand for products used in the testing or diagnosis of diseases is rising. For instance, having portable devices such as blood pressure monitors, heart monitoring systems, HIV test kits, pulse oximeters, peak flow meters, and ovulation and pregnancy kits at the disposal of a patient is essential to ensure that patient care is provided at their homes efficiently. However, the products needed may vary from one patient to another depending upon their ailment and present condition. Similarly, demand for mobility care products such as crutches, mobility scooters, cranes, and walkers is rising due to market expansion of home health care.Download exclusive Sample of this report:The home health care market comprises services such as rehabilitation services, unskilled care services, infusion therapy services, respiratory therapy services, skilled care services, pregnancy care services, and palliative care and hospice. Demand for infusion services is increasing rapidly across the world.The most common delivery modes adopted in home health care are on-premise, web-based, and cloud-based. Rise in demand for improved security and accessibility drives the cloud-based delivery segment. Furthermore, the rapid proliferation of cloud computing in the health care industry is aimed at reducing the burden on the health care system. This fuels demand for cloud-based delivery.Global Home Health Care Market: Regional OutlookNorth America is the most lucrative market for home health care. Implementation of favorable government policies and reimbursements for devices and services are likely to boost the growth of the home health care market in North America.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Corneal Neovascularization Market 2016 - 2024; Regional markets, technology, types, and applications

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Global Corneal Neovascularization Market: OutlookCorneal neovascularization is a disorder of the eyes, which is mainly characterized by the incursion of novel blood vessels into the cornea of the individuals suffering from the disease. This disorder is majorly caused due to disruption of the balance between the factors that protects and maintain the corneal transparency. The two factors that need to be balanced include angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors. The incursion of new blood vessels, which are relatively immature, hence can cause lipid exudation as well. Other major symptoms include scarring in eyes, persistent inflammation, which leads to diminishing corneal transparency and visual perception. The corneal neovascularization disorders if left untreated it may lead to high growth of new blood vessels that may reach visual axis to permanently threat the vision of the affected individual. Presently, several patients suffering from various eye problems, many a times undergo corneal grafts; corneal neovascularization may lead to rejection of such grafts as well. Thus, timely and proper treatment (may include surgical intervention and therapeutic drugs) of corneal neovascularization is necessary for effective management of the disease to ensure proper eye vision.Read Full Report:Global Corneal Neovascularization Market: Drivers and RestraintsMajor driving factors for the growth of corneal neovascularization market include increasing incidences of ophthalmic disorders, rising number of corneal grafts, aging population, increasing obesity rate, increasing number of diseases such as diabetes and hypertension and increasing demand for advanced treatment options. Ophthalmic disorders are one of the leading disorders that affect very large population globally; several eye related disorders require ophthalmic interventions that may increase the risk of developing corneal neovascularization, hence accompanied by graft rejections. Increasing geriatric population will also contribute towards the growth of this market as aged individuals are more prone to several disorders and hence, tend to suffer from ophthalmic disorders. Increasing obesity rates are also adding to various eye related disorders mainly the lipid deposition increase the chances of developing corneal neovascularization, hence will contribute towards the growth of this market. Several diseases like diabetes, hypertension and others also lead to ophthalmic diseases, in turn require diagnostics and therapeutics from this market, thus will contribute towards the growth of corneal neovascularization market. Several pharmaceutical companies are having many therapeutic drugs for the effective treatment of this disorder in different phases of clinical trials, which will soon hit the market.Global Corneal Neovascularization Market: Regional AnalysisGeographically, North America and Europe are expected to dominate the corneal neovascularization market. Major factors responsible for their expected dominance in the corneal neovascularization market are high prevalence of ophthalmic disorders in the region, aging population, rising overweight as well obese population, and high awareness levels of the population. However, emerging economies like China, India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, and Malaysia among others from Asia-Pacific, LATAM, Middle East and other regions will present tremendous opportunities towards the growth of this market. Major factors responsible for the growth of the corneal neovascularization market in these regions are availability of high patient population, high prevalence of diseases like diabetes and hypertension, increasing healthcare awareness in these regions and increasing purchasing power of the people in APAC and RoW.Download exclusive Sample of this report:Global Corneal Neovascularization Market: Companies Mentioned in the ReportSome of the major players operating in this market include, Amakem NV, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., GTx, Inc., and Sirnaomics, Inc. that have their drugs in different phases of clinical trials, which will soon be commercialized in the global corneal neovascularization market.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.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Ice Cream Makers 2017 Global Key Players -TAYLOR, Carpigiani, Electro Freeze, Gram Equipment, Stoelting, Nissei Market Analysis and Forecast to 2022

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Ice Cream MakersReport DetailsGlobal Ice Cream Makers market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, and revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingTAYLORCarpigianiElectro FreezeGram EquipmentStoeltingNisseiBravoFrigomatCAPLEUnoldCuisinartDONPERSpacemanDeLonghiGuangshenShanghai LisongShanghai LisongMKKJiangmen JinglingHommy EnterpriseJiangsu XuemeiClick here for sample report @Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Ice Cream Makers in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndia On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoSoft Ice Cream MakersHard Ice Cream MakersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Ice Cream Makers for each application, includingCommercial UseHouseholdOther.......Some Major Points from Table of content:Global Ice Cream Makers Market Research Report 20171 Ice Cream Makers Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Ice Cream Makers1.2 Ice Cream Makers Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Ice Cream Makers Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Ice Cream Makers Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Soft Ice Cream Makers1.2.4 Hard Ice Cream Makers1.3 Global Ice Cream Makers Segment by Application1.3.1 Ice Cream Makers Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Commercial Use1.3.3 Household1.3.4 Other1.4 Global Ice Cream Makers Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Ice Cream Makers Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Ice Cream Makers (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Ice Cream Makers Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Ice Cream Makers Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)For Detailed Reading Please visit @7 Global Ice Cream Makers Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 TAYLOR7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Ice Cream Makers Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 TAYLOR Ice Cream Makers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Carpigiani7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Ice Cream Makers Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Carpigiani Ice Cream Makers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Electro Freeze7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Ice Cream Makers Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Electro Freeze Ice Cream Makers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Gram Equipment7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Ice Cream Makers Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Gram Equipment Ice Cream Makers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Stoelting7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Ice Cream Makers Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Stoelting Ice Cream Makers Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 Nissei7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Ice Cream Makers Product Category, Application and Specification..ContinuedBuy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPh: +91 841 198 5042info@wiseguyreports.com
COMPRION eUICC Profile Manager Supporting Phase Two of GSMA Specifications for Consumer Devices

COMPRIONs modular tool for efficient eUICC life-cycle management now supports phase 2 of the GSMA specifications for consumer devices. Phase 2 of SGP.21 and SGP.22 will be the new basis for worldwide interoperability of Remote SIM Provisioning for consumer devices. The eUICC Profile Manager for phase 2 will be introduced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.The eUICC Profile Manager is a tool designed for mobile network operators, card manufacturers, system integrators, or service providers. Jens Christoph, Director for eUICC Test Solutions at COMPRION explains: It helps engineers coding eUICC profiles to easily load the defined profile onto the card. As the tool is very convenient to use, it prepares the eUICC for further usage or testing.The software consists of two components. The Profile Loader can be used to load, enable, disable, or delete profiles of M2M or consumer device eUICCs. With the Profile Explorer option, users can scan and update already provisioned profiles using remote file and application management (RFM and RAM) procedures.The eUICC Profile Manager is compliant to both  the latest version of the GSMA M2M specification SGP.02 V3.1 and the Consumer Device specification SGP.22 V2.0.All relevant transport channels, secure channel protocols, and all subscription management servers of both GSMA eUICC realms are covered, which makes eUICC Profile Manager an essential all-round tool for anyone working with eUICCs.COMPRION is the worldwide leading manufacturer of test solutions for smart card interfaces, terminals, and smart cards. Covering contact-based and contactless technologies COMPRION provides their expertise to multiple industries, especially telecommunications, payments, and M2M. Our involvement in a number of standardization and certification bodies enables us to integrate the latest standards and requirements into our high quality products. As COMPRION test systems are renowned for the most accurate measurement capabilities, the company serves all top mobile phone, terminal, card and chipset manufacturers as well as mobile network operators and test houses. COMPRION also acts as technological consultant supporting many key players in the market.Kathleen KnievelCorporate Marketing ManagerTel: +49 5251 6859 0E-Mail: press@comprion.comCOMPRION GmbHTechnologiepark 2533100 PaderbornGermany
HVAC Equipment Market to Reach US$ 155.0 Billion by 2022

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Florida, March 02: Market Research Engine adds a new research study on the report, titled HVAC Equipment Market (Equipment Type: Heating (Heat Pumps, Furnaces, Unitary Heaters, Boilers), Air Conditioning (Room Air Conditioners, Unitary Air Conditioners, Coolers and Others), Ventilation (Ventilation Fans/Air Pumps, Humidifier/Dehumidifiers); End-use Application: Residential, Commercial, Industrial) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2022, it states that the HVAC market will register a healthy growth rate of 6.20% CAGR between 2014 and 2022, the HVAC equipment market is likely to rise from a value of US$91.3 billion in 2013 to US$155.1 billion by 2022.You can view the full report here:Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment is an indoor and vehicular technology for environmental comfort. It is a sub-division of mechanical engineering involving thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer. Nowadays, HVAC equipment is essentially installed at large industrial and commercial infrastructures to regulate temperature and humidity. It then provides fresh outdoor air and eliminates contamination.The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment market has further been segmented based on type such as heating (heat pumps, furnaces, unitary heaters and boilers), air conditioning (room air conditioners, unitary air conditioners and coolers and others) and ventilation (ventilation fans/air pumps and humidifiers/dehumidifiers. The study provides forecast and estimates market for each type in terms of revenue and volume during the forecast period from 2015 to 2021. Each type has been further analyzed based on regional and country levels from 2014 to 2021 in terms of volume and revenue.The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment market has been segmented based on applications such as residential, commercial and industrial. The study provides forecast and estimates market for each application in terms of revenue and volume during the forecast period from 2015 to 2021. Each application has been further analyzed based on regional and country levels from 2014 to 2021 in terms of volume and revenue.In terms of geography, the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning HVAC equipment market has been segmented into regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The study provides a detailed view of country-level aspects of the market on the basis of application segments and estimates the market in terms of revenue and volume during the forecast period.The report also offers a competitive landscape of the overall market with company profiles of players such as AB Electrolux, Daikin Industries. Ltd., Haier Inc., Lennox International Inc., LG Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Samsung Electronics and United Technologies Corporation (Carrier).Download Free Sample Report:SEGMENTATIONS IN REPORT:Heating, Ventilation, And Air Conditioning (HVAC) Equipment By Types: Heating Heat Pumps Furnaces Unitary Heaters Boilers Air Conditioning Room Air Conditioners Unitary Air Conditioners Coolers and Others Ventilation Ventilation Fans/Air Pumps Humidifiers/DehumidifiersHeating, Ventilation, And Air Conditioning (HVAC) Equipment By Applications: Residential CommercialIndustrial Heating, Ventilation, And Air Conditioning (HVAC) Equipment By Geography: Asia Pacific North America Europe Latin America Middle East And AfricaAbout Market Research EngineMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Contact:Company Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comToll Free No.: +1 855 984 1862Phone: +91 860 565 7204Website:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Internet of Things: Artista-IoT makes displays smart

Artista-IoT Starterkit with Tianma 10,1 inch Super Fine TFT display and PCAP Multi Touchscreen

www.datadisplay-group.com

http://www.distec.de

www.distec.de

www.datadisplay-group.com

Distec presents Raspberry PI-based TFT controller for cost-efficient industry 4.0 applicationsDistec - leading German specialist for TFT flat screens and system solutions for industrial and multimedia applications, adds a new member to the proven Artista TFT controller family: the Artista-IoT for Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT). This new TFT controller is a BaseBoard with a socket for the latest generation of the Raspberry PI Compute Module (CM3). "The Artista-IoT is only a simple TFT controller, but the perfect basis for cost-efficient IoT and Industry 4.0 applications," explained Matthias Keller, Head of Sales and Marketing at Distec GmbH. "Internet of Things is the keyword and a costly PC with a lot of peripherals is now superfluous: our solution enables us to network almost every device intelligently, without any license costs." The Artista-IoT allows the direct connection of almost all common TFT types without additional hardware. The powerful processor (BCM2837, QuadCore, 1.2 GHz) opens up many new applications at a very attractive price. Distec can provide individual solutions for: Industrial HMI, medical, aviation, digital signage, and digital whiteboard.Projects made easyThe new controller can be easily integrated into existing Windows and Linux environments and can be adapted to suit individual needs. Distec offers a starter set consisting of BaseBoard, CM3, 10.1-inch Super Fine TFT display with PCAP Multi-Touch and all necessary cables. This kit supports developers to start their own projects in a fast and uncomplicated way. The pre-installed Raspbian ensures a quick setup and also gives access to a large community support network.Comprehensive functionalityThe Artista-IoT is based on a full-fledged scaler chip and controls almost every TFT display and modern PCAP multi-touch screens directly. The controller board allows special functions such as DICOM pre-set, gamma correction and color calibration. It supports Gigabit Ethernet and provides a real-time clock. Available interfaces include USB, GPIOs, IC and UART. Long-term availability is at least six years. On the basis of the Artista-IoT, Distec already offers standard solutions for a wide range of applications. From the second quarter of 2017, Distec will provide the following solutions: the Artista-IoT series, starter kits, VideoPoster-IV and Raspbian as a basis for customer-specific software developments such as mediaplayers. From the third quarter of 2017, the WebPoster and integration into the POS-Line series will be added.About DistecDistec is a company of the Data Display Group (), the worldwide operating specialist for TFT flat screen and system solutions for industrial, multimedia and digital signage applications. Located in Germering near Munich in Germany, the company designs, produces and sells innovative solutions and a full range components, displays and services. Data Display Group supplies innovative Green IT solutions based on their hardware platforms and their own software to control the TFTs of partners Samsung, Innolux, Kyocera, and Mitsubishi as well as selected panels from other manufacturers. These system solutions - from assemblies and kits up to finished OEM products - are developed in their own R&D centers in Germering (Germany) and Ronkonkoma (NY/USA). The range of services includes customized developments and adaptations, product finishing and assembly of monitoring systems as well as the production of finished products and a complete after-sales service with RMA, repair and technical support. Since 01/01/2016, Distec is a member of the Fortec Group with access to products, services, and expertise of a large high-tech company network, which makes a perfect complement to the product portfolio. More information can be found on the homepage:Products from Data Display Group are available at:Europe: Distec GmbH, Germering,UK and Benelux: Display Technology, Rochester,Turkey and Middle East: DATA DISPLAY BILISIM TEKNOLOJILERI LTD STi., IstanbulMedia Contact:Mandy AhlendorfT +49 8151 9739098E ma@ahlendorf-communication.comDistec GmbHAugsburger Strae 2b82110 GermeringGermanyT +49 89 89 43 63 0F +49 89 89 43 63 131E distribution|at|distec.deA company of the Data Display Group:
Antidepressant digital therapy (deprexis) effective in the US

Deprexis effective in the U.S.

http://gaia-group.com/en

New trial confirms effectiveness of Gaia AGs computer-based therapy deprexis with impressive effect size.Hamburg, Germany: GAIA AG, a global pioneer in digital therapy, announced today that deprexis, a software developed by Gaia, has been demonstrated to be effective in a scientific study in the US.A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with N = 376 depressed adults, published in the latest issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, has confirmed that deprexis is effective in the United States. The trial was led by Professor Christopher Beevers, Director of the Institute of Mental Health Research at the University of Texas, Austin. With an impressive effect size of d=0.80 (large effect), the study provides evidence that deprexis is at least as effective in the United States as in seven previous Europe-based trials.The researchers concluded that participants who received deprexis had a 12 times greater likelihood of experiencing at least 50% symptom improvement compared with waitlist control. The deprexis effect was also replicated in the control group: After they received access to deprexis, similar depression reductions as those in the immediate treatment group were observed, confirming the robustness of the deprexis effect.The results of this trial provide even more scientific evidence for the effectiveness of our digital therapeutics, now specifically in the US, said Mario Weiss, CEO and founder of GAIA. Several thousand patients have now taken part in deprexis studies around the world. We believe it is necessary to go to such lengths so that physicians, psychotherapists and patients can be confident they are using an effective tool. Deprexis is globally licensed to Servier, except in the USA and Japan.GAIA is a global leader in digital therapeutics with a broad pipeline of products at different development stages. With its declared focus on research and development of evidence-based online interventions, the company continuously shifts benchmarks when it comes to efficacy and safety profiles for digital therapeutics in neuroscience. With more than 100 experts in the fields of medicine, psychology, behavioral medicine, software engineering, as well as regulatory and market access, GAIA is a key partner in the development of next-generation digital solutions to support and treat patients with a broad variety of medical conditions.More information:###GAIA AGGertigstrasse 12-1422303 HamburgGermany+49 40 3510520info@gaia-group.com
Global Electron Microscopy Market Research Report 2017 Analysis and Forecast 2022

Electron Microscopy

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Electron MicroscopyCovered in this Report:Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Electron Microscopy in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesEUChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanGlobal Electron Microscopy market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingBio-Rad LaboratoriesBruker CorporationCarl Zeiss AGDanaher CorporationDanish Micro EngineeringFEI Co.Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationJeol LtdNikon CorporationOlympus CorporationLeica Microsystems GmbHTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoTransmission Electron MicroscopeScanning Electron MicroscopeOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Electron Microscopy for each application, includingHospitalsUniversitiesAcademic InstitutionsOthersTo get complete copy of report visit @Key Points in Table Of ContentGlobal Electron Microscopy Market Research Report 20171 Electron Microscopy Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Electron Microscopy1.2 Electron Microscopy Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Electron Microscopy Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Electron Microscopy Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Transmission Electron Microscope1.2.4 Scanning Electron Microscope1.2.5 Others1.3 Global Electron Microscopy Segment by Application1.3.1 Electron Microscopy Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Hospitals1.3.3 Universities1.3.4 Academic Institutions1.3.5 Others1.4 Global Electron Microscopy Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Electron Microscopy Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 EU Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 South Korea Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 Taiwan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Electron Microscopy (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Electron Microscopy Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Electron Microscopy Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Electron Microscopy Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Electron Microscopy Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Electron Microscopy Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Electron Microscopy Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Electron Microscopy Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Electron Microscopy Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Electron Microscopy Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Electron Microscopy Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Electron Microscopy Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Electron Microscopy Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Electron Microscopy Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Electron Microscopy Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Electron Microscopy Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Electron Microscopy Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Electron Microscopy Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 United States Electron Microscopy Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 EU Electron Microscopy Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Electron Microscopy Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Electron Microscopy Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 South Korea Electron Microscopy Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 Taiwan Electron Microscopy Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)...... Continued...To Purchase Report visit @Contact Us:Norah TrentPartner Relations & Marketing ManagerSales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Follow on LinkedIn:Subscribe Our YouTube Channel @Click Here For More DetailsABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
NORA SPRINGS | A Nora Springs man has been ordered to spend up to five years in prison for possession of a firearm as a domestic violence offender.

Aron Bierl, 30, pleaded guilty to that felony charge in November. He was sentenced this week in Floyd County District Court.

Bierl's attorney, Nellie O'Mara, has filed a notice of appeal. She did not return a call Thursday or reply to an email Friday from the Globe Gazette requesting comment on the grounds for the appeal.

Bierl had two separate protective orders filed against him at the time a gun was found in his home on March 13, 2016, according to court documents.

Under Iowa law those who have a protective order filed against them or have been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence are not allowed to have firearms.

Bierl worked as a correctional officer for the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office from July 2012 until his resignation in July 2015, according to Sheriff Kevin Pals.

In an interview with the Globe Gazette during a protest outside the Pole Barn exotic dance club in Nora Springs nine days before the gun was found in his home, Bierl identified himself as a part-time bouncer at the business.

Before pleading guilty to the firearms charge, Bierl's attorney filed a motion to suppress evidence, claiming an officer located the gun during an illegal search.

Two Nora Springs police officers went to Bierl's home after an anonymous caller reported two children were there alone, according to court documents. One of the children let them in.

One of the officers went to the Pole Barn to get the children's mother, who was reportedly working there.

The other officer, Chuck Bengtson, who said he had heard other individuals had been seen coming in and out of the house, did a sweep of the residence for safety reasons to see if anyone else was present, court documents state.

Bengtson found a gun in a closet that he said had a partially-opened door.

The motion to suppress stated Bengtson did not have the right to search the home because he didn't have a warrant and the door to the closet was completely closed and had to be opened, which meant the gun was not in plain view.

The defense claimed safety concerns were used as an excuse to search the house, noting officers were at the home for a considerable amount of time before the sweep was conducted.

In his motion denying the motion to suppress, District Associate Judge Peter Newell stated Bengtson's search of the home was limited in scope.

He also stated the need to ensure officer safety and determine if the children were in fact home alone "greatly outweighed" the minimal intrusion on Bierl's privacy.
Systech Illinois display their OTR and WVTR Permeation Range at Interpack 2017.

www.systechillinois.com

Rapid Bottle Oxygen Permeation Analyser will be on display at Interpack 2017.We are looking forward to participating at Interpack 2017, the leading trade fair for the packaging industry. Interpack is the essential event for the food, bakery, pharmaceutical, cosmetics non-foods and industrial goods sectors. No other trade fair in the world presents the entire supply chain. At no other trade fair does the packaging industry provide all sectors with tailored solutions and innovative designs based on such a variety of materials, and it is, of course, THE event for the packaging industry.Processing and packaging. Distribution, consumer protection and protection against product piracy. Protection against contamination, deterioration or damage and for proper handling  the challenges are huge and only an overall approach can meet the demands set by old and new markets, social change, evolving consumer habits and rapidly developing trends and ensure success across the board.Amongst Systech Illinois display of packaging gas analysers will be the new DualPerm, combination OTR and WVTR permeation station and the 8700, multiple bottle oxygen permeation analyser.The 8700 oxygen permeation analyser offers an exceptionally fast Turbopurge feature which allows up to 11 bottles to be tested in 3 to 12 hours providing much greater production throughput. It has the ability, to test a variety of samples; bottles, packages and films and the software capability to allow individual packages to be started, stopped or delayed during testing. Custom made adaptors are available for a wide range of applications such as complete package testing, including bottles with closures. The 8700 is ideal for use in beer bottle manufacturing where oxygen permeability testing is essential, as permeation of oxygen barriers has a significant influence on shelf life integrity.Systech have been designing and manufacturing oxygen permeation and water vapour permeation analysers for many years offering reliable and versatile testing of all films, packages and bottles. Our leading permeation instruments deliver: the fastest permeation results; extremely fast purge down time; accurate readings at the lowest levels and the highest quality sensor on the market.Please come and visit us at Interpack, Dusseldorf, Hall 5 Stand A29Systech 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
Telecom API Market to Reach US$ 325 Billion by 2022

https://www.marketresearchengine.com/reportdetails/global-telecom-api-market-analysis

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New York, March 02: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Global Telecom API Market Analysis by Service, End User, Size, Share, Geography, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2022.The global telecom API market will grow at CAGR of 24% from 2015 to 2022 and it is expected to reach US$325 Billion by 2022.Browse the full report here:The global mobile application development community is becoming more aware of Telecom Application Programming Interface (API) as a means of accessing data for a variety of services.Telecom API market speaks to a general Application Programming Interface (API) services provided by telecom carriers, service providers and aggregators to application designers keeping in mind the end goal to make user friendly mobile applications. Telecom API offers application designers to coordinate different administrations, for example, payment integration, some assistance with voicing, SMS and WebRTC into their mobile application. This helps application engineers to upgrade their client experience and advertise their mobile applications among their end-clients. Telecom API gives numerous advantages to telecom bearers as income era and upgrading end-client experience. Telecom API confronts rivalry from Over-The-Top (OTT) administration suppliers and because of developing selection of open API stage. Notwithstanding, the expanding appropriation of M2M gadgets among end-clients is foreseen to help the business sector for telecom API in coming years.The telecom API market is categorized based on service types into payment, SMS, MMS and RCS, maps and location, voice/speech, identity management, WebRTC and others. Further, the research report provides complete insights into different users of telecom API such as enterprise developers, internal telecom developers, partner developer and long tail developers. The report analyzes each of these segments for various geographies considered under the scope of the study.Download Free Sample Report:Scope of the Report:The report includes detail company profiles of the major companies which are providing telecom API services.Key business strategies adopted by these companies, their market positioning, and various recent developments have also been identified in this research report.The global telecom API market is segmented as below:By Service Type Payment SMS, MMS and RCS Maps and Location Voice/Speech Identity Management WebRTC Others (Device Information and Do Not Disturb)By User Type Enterprise Developer Internal Telecom Developer Partner Developer Long Tail DeveloperBy Geography North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East and AfricaFurthermore, the report analyzes factors that drive and restrain the growth of telecom API market. The report also discusses the prevailing market trends, prospective growth opportunities, and major strategies resulting in the popularity of telecom API services. It also provides the market estimates and forecasts for all the segments in terms of revenue. Also provided in the report is the market positioning of key players in the global telecom API market.The key market players profiled in this study include telecom carriers, aggregators and service providers. The major telecom carriers providing telecom APIs profiled in the report include AT&T, Inc. and Orange. The major service providers and aggregators of telecom API profiled in the study are Apigee Corp., LocationSmart, Alcatel-Lucent, Twilio, Inc., Tropo, Inc. (Cisco, Inc.), Aepona Ltd. (An Intel Company), Fortumo OU, Nexmo, Inc. and Comverse, Inc.About MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Website:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Global Portable Toilets Market Research Report and Forecast 2017 to 2022

Portable Toilets Market

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Portable Toilets MarketSummaryWiseguyreports.Com Adds Portable Toilets -Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities and analysis of Top Regions Forecast to 2021 To Its Research DatabaseGeographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Portable Toilets in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Portable Toilets market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingSatelliteShorelinkArmalSanitechADCO International...For Sample report @On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoLifting or Handling Moving ToiletsPower or Trailer Mobile ToiletsOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Portable Toilets for each application, includingConstruction SitesFactoriesTourist AttractionsStreetsSquaresStationsDocksOthersEnquiry before buying @Table of ContentsGlobal Portable Toilets Market Research Report 20171 Portable Toilets Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Portable Toilets1.2 Portable Toilets Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Portable Toilets Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Portable Toilets Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Lifting or Handling Moving Toilets1.2.4 Power or Trailer Mobile Toilets1.3 Global Portable Toilets Segment by Application1.3.1 Portable Toilets Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Construction Sites1.3.3 Factories1.3.4 Tourist Attractions1.3.5 Streets1.3.6 Squares1.3.7 Stations1.3.8 Docks1.3.9 Others1.4 Global Portable Toilets Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Portable Toilets Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Portable Toilets (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Portable Toilets Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Portable Toilets Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)..7 Global Portable Toilets Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Satellite7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Portable Toilets Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Satellite Portable Toilets Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Shorelink7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Portable Toilets Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Shorelink Portable Toilets Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Armal7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Portable Toilets Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Armal Portable Toilets Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Sanitech7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Portable Toilets Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Sanitech Portable Toilets Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 ADCO International7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Portable Toilets Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 ADCO International Portable Toilets Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview.....Buy This Report @Continued...Contact Us:NORAH TRENTSales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Tasting Journey of Ireland: Beyond Corned Beef & Guinness

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Join Boston Center for Adult Education for an Authentic Tasting ClassWHAT: Celebrate St. Patricks Day with the Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE) and immerse yourself in the rich food, culture and history of Ireland during the BCAEs new class, Tasting Journey of Ireland: Beyond Corned Beef & Guinness led by BCAEs Genevieve Forde.On Thursday, March 16th, 2017 from 7:00PM  9:00PM, students will taste and experience authentic Irish products and dishes, including mussels in Irish Cider, Irish roasted salmon, chocolate stout cupcakes and more. Dont miss this opportunity to learn about the Emerald Isle from a food lovers perspective without having to purchase a plane ticket! For more information or to secure a spot in the class, please visitor call the BCAE at 617-267-4430.WHERE: Boston Center for Adult Education, 122 Arlington Street, Boston, MA 02116 | 617-267-4430WHEN: Thursday, March 16th, 2017, from 7:00PM  9:00PMCOST: Tuition: $55 | Member Cost: $47.00 | Material Cost $25.00RSVP: Secure your spot online ator call the BCAE at 617.267.4430.About the Boston Center for Adult Education:Founded in 1933, the Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE) is the first, nonprofit adult education center in New England. The Boston Center for Adult Education serves as a meeting place for the Boston community to gather, learn, discuss and create. The BCAE offers educational classes taught by well-qualified leaders, staff, and volunteers who share the mission of enhancing our community. Today the BCAE offers classes for almost every interest. Students can experience everything from yoga, photography, belly dancing, and stand-up comedy, to scotch tasting, cooking, achieving financial freedom, and much more. At their recently renovated headquarters on Arlington Street (Boston, MA) you'll find professional grade kitchens, top-notch technology, versatile classroom space and free Wi-fi. The BCAE offers a variety of personal and corporate membership levels with benefits including discounted tuition costs and discounts on local retailers. Browse classes, become a member, or support the BCAE online at bcae.org. The BCAE is located at 122 Arlington Street, Boston MA 02116. The BCAE administrative offices are open Monday- Friday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. The Student Services office is open Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM-7:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. The BCAE is open on weekends during class times only.###Boston Center for Adult Education, 122 Arlington Street, Boston, MA 02116 | 617-267-4430
North Florida Land Trust welcomes new Development Director to their team

www.northfloridalandtrust.org

Jacksonville, Fla., March 2, 2017  North Florida Land Trust is pleased to announce Dana Doody has joined their team as a development director. Doody will lead the fundraising arm of the nonprofit organization. She will be working closely with NFLT President Jim McCarthy to expand the donor base and will be responsible for promoting NFLTs programs throughout Northeast Florida.Doody has a strong background in business development and is a graduate of the Sandler Sales President Program. She established strong community relationships while working with the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, where she started a Health Council. Doody has served on the board of directors of many local organizations, including the Urban Land Institute.Doody lives in Ponte Vedra Beach with her husband and three of their five kids. She enjoys the beach and has a deep love and passion for the natural habitats found in the North Florida region.About North Florida Land TrustNorth Florida Land Trust is a non-profit organization who serves as a champion of environmental protection in Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns counties. NFLT was founded in 1999 and has protected thousands of acres of environmentally significant land including land at Big Talbot Island, the River Branch Preserve, Pumpkin Hill State Park, Moccasin Slough, along the St. Marys River and other valued natural areas in Northeast Florida. NFLT is funded largely by private and corporate contributions and works closely with private landowners and other public agencies at all levels of government, not-for-profit partners, and foundations. For more information, visitClient Focused Media1611 San Marco Blvd.Jacksonville, FL 32207Media Contact: Kelly WhiteKelly.white@cfmedia.net904-232-3001
New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Taxi Market in China Will Grow at a CAGR of 36% by 2021

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New York, March 02: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Taxi Market by Ownership (Company Owned and Individually Owned) and by Taxi Range (Short and Long Range NEV Taxis) - China Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2021China NEV taxi market is expected to cross to US$ 560.0 Million by 2020 growing at a CAGR of more than 36% in the given forecast period.Browse Full Report:The New Energy Vehicle (NEV) taxis are the vehicles that run on the unconventional sources of energy with advanced techniques. As these systems cause less pollution and serve as an alternative to the traditional sources of fuels. The Chinese government is taking major steps to increase the use of unconventional sources of fuel for transportation and mobility of the people.The major driving factors of NEV Taxi Market are as follows: Taxies in China travel around 450 km daily. Due to the new energy taxis there is an opportunity to restrict the usage of fuel and also reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Hence this is become important for the Chinese government to introduce NEV. The support of the government. The advancement in the battery technologies. Tax initiatives.The restraining factors of NEV Taxi Market are as follows: Safety and reliability. The absence of comprehensive charging infrastructure. High cost of vehicles and batteries.Download Free Sample Report:The NEV Taxi Market is segmented on the basis of Ownership as Company owned, Individually Owned. The NEV Taxi Market is segmented on the basis of Taxi Range as Short Range NEV Taxis and Long Range NEV Taxis.This report provides:1) An overview of the NEV Taxi Market and related technologies.2) Analysis of global market trends and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2021.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for NEV Taxi Market4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of NEV Taxi Market with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include BYD Auto Co. Ltd., Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co Ltd (JAC), Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. Ltd. (BAIC), Beiqi Foton Motor Co. Ltd., Changan Automobile Co. Ltd, and Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company... are provided in the report. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Market Segmentation of NEV Taxi Market is as follows:Market Segmentation on the basis of Ownership: Company Owned Individually OwnedMarket Segmentation on the basis of Taxi Range: Short Range NEV Taxis Long Range NEV TaxisAbout MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Smart Healthcare Products Market Will Grow at a CAGR of 8% by 2023

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New York, March 02: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Smart Healthcare Products Market By Product Type (Electronic health record, Smart RFID cabinets, Smart pills, Smart Syringes) and By Industry Verticals (Inventory management, Monitoring management, Health data storage and exchange)  Global Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2022The smart healthcare products market is expected to exceed more than US$ 57 billion by 2023 growing at a CAGR of more than 8% in the given forecast period.Browse Full Report:Smart system includes various functions such as controlling, actuation and sensing. These are used to analyze and describe a situation and take any decision based on the present data in adaptive manner or predictive manner so that it performs smart action. Smart system also depends upon network capabilities, energy efficiency and closed loop control. In the healthcare division smart healthcare system tools guide to enhance treatment, diagnostic tools and quality of life for patients. At the same time it is also reducing the costs of community healthcare organization. Cochlear implants, artificial pancreas and artificial organs are smart miniaturized devices which having key development in the smart health care system. There are various smart healthcare products available in the market such as Withings aura, AMI bolt, Wello iPhone case, HAPIfork, wireless smart gluco monitoring system, sound hawk, iBGStar blood glucose meter and more.The smart healthcare products market is segmented on the lines of its product segment, industry vertical and regional. Based on product segmentation the smart healthcare product covers electronic health record, smart RFID cabinets, smart pills and smart syringes. The smart healthcare products market is segmented on the lines of its industry vertical like inventory management, monitoring management and health data storage and exchange. The smart healthcare products market is geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geography market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.Download Free Sample Report:This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for smart healthcare products and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2022.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for smart healthcare products.4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of coatings with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Epic Systems Corporation, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc., eClinicalWorks, CapsoVision, Inc. Medtronic, Olympus Corporation, Becton Dickinson and Company, Terumo Corporation, Stanley Healthcare, and TAGSYS. Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Smart Healthcare Products Market has been segmented as below:By Product TypeElectronic health recordSmart RFID cabinetsSmart pillsSmart SyringesBy Industry VerticalInventory managementMonitoring managementHealth data storage and exchangeBy Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the WorldAbout MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Healthcare BI Platform Market Worth USD$ 3.9 Billion Globally By 2023

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New York, March 02: Market Research Engine has published a new report titled as Healthcare BI Platform Market (By Function - Clinical Analytics, Financial Analytics, Operational Analytics, and Others; By Deployment Type - On-premise and Cloud; By Model Type -Self-service BI and Corporate BI) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends, and Forecast 2015 - 2023The healthcare BI platform market is expected to exceed more than USD$3.9 Billion by 2023 growing at a CAGR of more than 11% in the given forecast period 2015 to 2023.You Can Browse Full Report Here:Business intelligence consists of different tools and techniques which gain and transform the row information into useful and valuable data for business purpose. It provides present, past and future view of business processes. In health care the meaning of executive performance is varying as rapidly as the requirement for it is increasing. Healthcare BI contains business oriented actions includes decision support and reporting all technical data warehouse content. Healthcare associations such as HMOs, clinics and hospital gather and study patients sensitive data and patients financial data. Healthcare BI industry provide security model so that only authorized peoples are see the patients private data and no lack of clinical, financial and operational data in healthcare. These organizations contains digitizing medical data for over many years and can search, access and use all type of public and government sector data.The major driving factors of healthcare BI platform market are as follows: Increasing requirement for reduction in healthcare costs Centralized healthcare permission increase the Uptake of BI Solutions increasing in data availability Requirement to develop healthcare result and improve patient fulfillmentThe restraints factors of healthcare BI platform market are as follows: Need of resources with cross functional ability Healthcare BI platform system complexityDownload Free Sample Report:The healthcare BI platform market is segmented on the lines of its product, deployment and model. The healthcare BI platform market is segmented on the lines of its product like clinical analytics, financial analytics and operational analytics. Under deployment segmentation it covers on-premise and cloud deployment. The healthcare BI platform market is segmented on the lines of its model like self-service and corporate model. The healthcare BI platform market is geographic segmentation covers various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. Each geography market is further segmented to provide market revenue for select countries such as the U.S., Canada, U.K. Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil, and GCC countries.This report provides:1) An overview of the global market for healthcare BI platform and related technologies.2) Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014 and 2015, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2020.3) Identifications of new market opportunities and targeted promotional plans for healthcare BI platform4) Discussion of research and development, and the demand for new products and new applications.5) Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.REPORT SCOPE:The scope of the report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various types of coatings with the reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions.The report covers detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include SAP SE, Oracle Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, SAS Institute, Inc., IBM Corporation, OpenText Corporation, and Information Builders .Company profile includes assign such as company summary, financial summary, business strategy and planning, SWOT analysis and current developments.The Top Companies Report is intended to provide our buyers with a snapshot of the industrys most influential players.The Healthcare BI platform Market has been segmented as below:by Product Segment AnalysisGlobal Healthcare BI Platform Market, by Function Clinical Analytics Financial Analytics Operational Analytics Others (Regulatory Reporting, etc.)by Deployment Analysis On-premise Cloudby Model Analysis Self-service Corporateby Regional Analysis North America Europe Asia-Pacific Rest of the WorldAbout MarketResearchEngine.comMarket Research Engine is a global market research and consulting organization. We provide market intelligence in emerging, niche technologies and markets. Our market analysis powered by rigorous methodology and quality metrics provide information and forecasts across emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models. Our deep focus on industry verticals and country reports help our clients to identify opportunities and develop business strategies.Media ContactCompany Name: Market Research EngineContact Person: John BayEmail: john@marketresearchengine.comPhone: +1-855-984-1862, +91-860-565-7204Country: United StatesWebsite:Address: 3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8942, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442, United States
Crude Sulfate Turpentine Market Volume Analysis, size, share and Key Trends 2017-2027

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Crude sulfate turpentine is a chemical product which is burned for energy recovery. Crude sulfate turpentine is extracted during kraft wood pulping process which is further sold as a commodity. The procedure separates cellulose fibers which are used to manufacture paper. Crude sulfate turpentine is itself a fuel that contains organic compounds mainly alpha-pinene and beta-pinene and other terpenes. The technology for crude sulfate turpentine includes extraction of terpen hydrocarbons vapors from evaporators and digester and separate it from turpentine water. Crude sulfate turpentine act as a feedstock for the manufacturer who produces pinenes, flavorings, polymer additives, pine oil, fragrances and turpentine oil. Turpentine oil is extracted from oleoresin which is collected from a tree. Turpentine is used as a commercial fuel source an alternative to fossil fuels in applications such as lamps, furnaces, industrial boilers and rocket fuels. Crude sulfate turpentine has a low healing value of around 17,000 to 19,000 Btu/lb compared to other fuels such as diesel, gasoline, and propane.Crude Sulfate Turpentine Market:Drivers and RestraintsCrude sulfate turpentine market is witnessing maximum growth owing to increase in demand for bio-friendly products and high consumption of personal care and household products. Moreover, increase in the production of chemical products from turpentine which is used as a solvent, fragrance agent and flavor are some other factors expected to fuel the growth of global Crude Sulfate Turpentine market. However, decreasing consumption of the products produce from crude sulfate turpentine along with decreasing paper mill production, availability of less expensive petroleum based products and less recovery of black liquor from Kraft wood pulping process are some of the factors that hamper the growth of crude sulfate turpentine market.Request Report Sample@Crude Sulfate Turpentine Market:SegmentationThe Crude Sulfate Turpentine market has been classified on the basis of product type, and application.Based on product type, the crude sulfate turpentine market is segmented into the following:CampheneLimoneneAlpha-pineneBeta-pineneDelta 3 CareneOthersBased on application, the crude sulfate turpentine market is segmented into the following:Paints & Printing InksAromatic ChemicalsCamphorAdhesivesOthersRequest For TOC@Crude Sulfate Turpentine Market:OverviewCrude sulfate turpentine accounts for 96% to the overall turpentine production in the US. Turpentine produced in the US is mainly of alpha-pinene accounted for 85% followed by camphene and limonene. It is the commonly used paint and varnish thinner. Based on product type, Delta 3 Carene is expected to be the fastest growing segment in near future owing to increase in the use of turpentine as a solvent for resins. Based on applications, aromatic chemicals accounted for largest market share owing to the high use of crude sulfate turpentine in FMCG products such as air fresheners, soaps, and deodorants.Crude Sulfate Turpentine Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on the geographic region, Crude Sulfate Turpentine market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the crude sulfate turpentine market followed by Europe, Japan owing to the largest source of terpenes, low cost of crude sulfate turpentine, presence of large manufacturers of aromatic chemicals and paints that consume crude sulfate turpentine material, and high export of Crude Sulfate Turpentine to other countries worldwide. Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa hold huge potential and shows substantial growth owing to increase in the consumption of personal care products among the population to maintain hygiene.Crude Sulfate Turpentine Market:Key PlayersKey players of Crude Sulfate Turpentine market are Dujodwala Paper Chemicals Ltd., Arizona Chemical Company LLC, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., Pine Chemical Group, Lawter Inc., Privi Organics Limited, HARTING Technology Group, Derives Resiniques et Terpeniqes, Privi Organics Limited, and Renessenz LLC.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.compress@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Wine Bags Market Volume Analysis, size, share and Key Trends 2017-2027

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Wine bags are packaging items solely utilized for safe covering and carrying of expensive wines and relevant liquors. Glass is the most widely used material as the most sought-after container for wines, therefore, necessitating the usage of light and sturdy wine bags so as to facilitate the customers to carry high-priced bottles from the wine shops in a safe manner. In the present scenario, wine bags have become more of a luxury item than a protection casing for carrying wines. Wine bottles have been traditionally presented as a gift item within the middle and upper class factions, presenting a bottle of wine with a packing of a wine bag adds a touch of luxury as well as improving its aesthetic value. Wine bags are no different from other general commodity carrying packages, however, wine bags are especially designed keeping in mind the size and shape of the bottle. Wine bags are usually sold in the market along with the wine bottle or can be bought as a stand-alone product for a more personalized usage by the customers. Customization of wine bags is also gaining traction in the market leading the vendors to offer custom made wine bags to the customers.Wine Bags Market DynamicsThe global market for the demand of wine bags can be directly attributed to the sale of wines. The improvement in wine consumption has witnessed a healthy growth within the middle to upper class people owing to high disposable income and luxurious lifestyle prompting an increase in sales of wine bags, thereby improving its market on a global scale.Government and environmental policies on minimizing wastage and reduction in the consumption of non-biodegradable raw materials has led to an increased production of eco-friendly reusable bags in the manufacturing unit driving the growth of wine bags in the competitive market.Request Report Sample@Increased consumption of wine beverages among the growing youth population has contributed to the growth of wine bags market on a global level.Alternative packaging systems available for the containment of wine such as bag-in-box, plastic pouches and cardboard based bladder packs has greatly influenced a decrease in production of traditional glass based wine containers. Reduced availability of glass based wine bottles can directly affect the growth of wine bags market as the sales of these bags solely rely on wine bottles. Propagation of negative health benefits of alcohol based beverages can also hamper the growth of wine bags market.Wine Bags Market: SegmentationOn the basis of types of materials used,Wine Bags Market can be segmented as:PaperTextileLeatherPlasticOthers (Neoprene etc.)On the basis of renewability, Wine Bags Market can be segmented as:Reusable Wine BagsDisposable Wine BagsOn the basis of fastening system, Wine Bags Market can be segmented as:Open BagZipper systemRope based system (Knot)VelcroClasp systemOn the basis of number of containments, Wine Bags Market can be segmented as:Single bottle Wine BagsMulti bottle Wine BagsRequest For TOC@Wine Bags Market: Regional OutlookThe Global Wine Bags market can be segmented into seven geographical locations such as North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, APEJ, Japan and MEA. The North American and the European region is anticipated to grow strongly in the wine bags market due to increase in disposable income, higher standard of living and luxurious lifestyle. In MEA region, the sale of alcohol is prohibited owing to religious factors which can affect the sale of wine bags.Wine Bags Market: Key PlayersSome of the major players identified in the global wine bags market are:Yiwu Youbai Packing Co., LtdWine Box Company LimitedFactory Direct PromosBuilt NYAmpac Holdings, LLCAcorn Paper Products CompanyRichie BagsIniti Bag Manufacturer Co.,LtdDM Packaging CompanyNANGFA Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.compress@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
MASON CITY | A judge ruled Friday that a Lake Mills man accused of murdering two people in Mason City in November is not mentally competent at this time to stand trial.

Peter Veal, 30, is being sent to the Iowa prison system's licensed Forensic Psychiatric Hospital to be treated until he is able to participate in court proceedings.

Veal was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the Nov. 17 deaths of Mason City residents Mindy Kavars and Caleb Christensen at a residence in the 1600 block of North Hampshire Avenue.

He also is facing one count of the attempted murder of a witness at the scene.

District Court Judge Rustin Davenport based his ruling on a report from a doctor. The doctor determined Veal is suffering from a mental disorder that prevents him from understanding court proceedings and participating in his own defense.

Cerro County Attorney Carlyle Dalen said the state has 18 months to allow Veal to get to the point where he can stand trial.

We are optimistic that will take place, he said.

Dalen said the state reserves its right to ask for another medical opinion at a later date.

Veal pleaded not guilty in December and was scheduled to go to trial Jan. 24.

However, court proceedings were postponed in early January after Davenport ruled probable cause existed for a psychiatric evaluation of Veal to determine if he was competent to stand trial.

During the probable cause hearing, Veals mother, Leann Veal, testified her son showed many signs of paranoia and had hallucinations.

Andrew Steenblock, Cerro Gordo County Jail administrator, testified no one on staff reported any unusual behavior from Veal.

Veal was taken from the county jail to the Oakdale Medical and Classification Center in late February for his mental health evaluation.
Zika Virus Testing Market Growth, Forecast and Value Chain 2017-2027

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One of the biggest public growing threat is the rapid emergence of mosquito borne virus called as Zika virus. Zika virus was first identified in rhesus monkey in the year 1947 in Uganda. Later in 1952 the virus was identified in humans. The virus is a single-stranded RNA virus of the Flaviviridae family, and is transmitted by two species of Aedes genus, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These are the same mosquito species that also spread dengue and chikungunya virus. The virus can also be vertically transmitted during fetal/perinatal period or by unprotected sexual contact. In case of perinatal transmission the virus can pass from mother to fetus through trans-placental transmission which can lead to the most common birth defect of brain called as microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects. Eye defect, hearing problems and impaired growth are some of the issues commonly associated with the infection of Zika virus in fetus. Apart from this several evidences of Guillain-Barre syndrome, have also been reported in patients carrying the virus. Guillain-Barre syndrome is an uncommon sickness of the nervous system which leads to ascending paralysis. However, the risk is found to be higher in pregnant womens during their first trimester of pregnancy period. Symptoms associated with the infection of Zika virus includes, fever, rashes, joint pain, conjunctivitis, muscle pain and headache. These symptoms last for several days to weeks. Africa, America, Asia and Pacific regions are likely to be dominated regions witnessing outbreaks of Zika virus.The first largest outbreak of Zika virus was reported in the year 2007 across the Pacific island of Yap, in the Federated States of Micronesia. In 2016, World Health Organization (WHO) estimated the local transmission of Zika infection in more than 20 countries and territories across the Americas. Currently a number of Zika virus testing assays are available in the market some of which have received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) while some of them are used for Research Use Only (RUO) and are used as Laboratory Developed Test (LDT). Currently, a number of diagnostic tests are available in the market for the diagnosis of Zika virus in humans. This includes, Zika ELITe MGB detection test, Sentosa SA ZIKV RT-PCR, LightMix Zika rRT-PCR test and many more. All these tests allow qualitative detection of RNA from Zika virus from body samples such as urine, human serum and plasma. The market for zika virus testing is expected to rise over the forecast period owing to continuous increase in population exhibiting symptoms of Zika virus over the forecast period.Request Report Sample@Zika Virus Testing Market: Drivers & RestraintsExpanded disease surveillance efforts undertaken by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is expected to spur the market for Zika virus testing in the U.S. In august 2016, FDA announced screening of all donated blood and blood products for Zika virus across the world. This would help prevent increased chances of getting infected through transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). Substantial spending by U.S. government and FDA to add Zika screening program across all the hospitals and blood banks in U.S. is expected to spur the market for Zika virus testing over the forecast period. Furthermore, increasing efforts by various manufacturers to develop Zika virus screening tests is expected to accelerate the market growth in the coming years. Major demand for Zika virus testing is expected to come from Florida attributed to increasing number of patients exhibiting symptoms of Zika virus. Lack of awareness in the developing countries and inaccurate results from available diagnostic tests may affect the revenues for Zika virus testing market globally over the forecast period.Zika Virus Testing Market: SegmentationZika virus testing market is segmented by test type, route of administration, end user and geography:By Test TypeNucleic Acid Amplification Test/ Molecular TestsZika Virus Antibody Test/ Serological TestBy End UserHospitalsDiagnostic CentersPathology ClinicsZika Virus Testing Market: OverviewAccording to WHO, since 2007, 67 countries and territories reported the evidence of Zika virus transmission. At present, the diagnosis of Zika virus in humans is dependent upon the molecular detection of viral RNA. However, presence of RNA only during the viraemia i.e. presence the virus in blood, and close clinical association of Zika symptoms with dengue and other infections, has resulted in lare number of undiagnosed cases.Request For TOC@Accessibility of better diagnostic testing services (i.e. rapid near-patient tests) across several haeltcare facilities is expected to fuel the market for Zika virus testing over the forecast period.Zika Virus Testing Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of region presence, Zika virus testing market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia pacific excluding japan, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Continuous spread of Zika virus across several countries in North America is expected to increase the demand for Zika virus testing services over the forecast period. WHO estimated that as of July 2016, in the U.S. CDC reported 12 birth defects related cases and six pregnancy losses. Furthermore, increasing efforts by HHS, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to raise the fund for development of diagnostic assays for Zika virus detection is expected to drive the market growth of Zika virus testing over the forecast period. Also the Zika virus outbreak in several Latin American countries is rapidly growing. For example in Brazil alone the virus is known to affect 21 states out of 26 states. Rapid local transmission of Zika virus across the globe is expected to result in more number of diagnostic assays performed thus driving the revenues.Zika Virus Testing Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in the Zika virus testing market are, ELITechGroup Inc. Molecular Diagnostics, Abbott Molecular Inc., ARUP Laboratories, Vela Diagnostics USA Inc., Roche Molecular Systems Inc., InBios International, Inc., Luminex Corporation, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc., Hologic, Inc. and Focus Diagnostics, Inc.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.compress@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Sodium Ethasulfate Market - Global Industry Analysis By 2024

Sodium Ethasulfate Market

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Sodium ethasulfate, known as sodium 2-ethylhexyl sulfate, is a clear, colorless, viscous, and nonflammable liquid that belongs to the sodium sulfate chemical group. On heating, sodium ethasulfate decomposes to release toxic fumes of sodium dioxide and sulfur dioxide. The product is manufactured through the aldol condensation of butyraldehyde to alcohol and then converted into sodium salt of sulfate. The salt is then fumed with sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid to form sodium ethasulfate.Sodium ethasulfate is usually stable; however, it is incompatible with strong oxidizing agents. Due to its unique solubility and penetrating action, it is widely used in various end-user industries such as textile, chemical production, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, metal working, and food processing. The product is safe to handle; however, it can de-fat the skin and cause irritation to the eyes. Commercially, it is sold as aqueous solution with concentration range of 40% to 50%.Browse Market Research Report @Textile and chemical have been the major industries driving the demand for sodium ethasulfate since the last few years. Sodium ethasulfate is used as wetting agent in the textile industry. The product is used along with calcium hypochlorite as a bleaching agent. The product is used as mercerizing agent for cotton processing in the chemical industry. Furthermore, it is employed as intermediate in anoinic surfactants that are used for dishwashing detergents. It is also used as surfactant in lye washing and peeling process. Sodium ethasulfate is also employed as surfactant in metal working applications. It is used in acid pickling bath, wherein it helps in reducing the pickling time and amount of acid required for this process.Sodium ethasulfate is also employed in the formulation of offset printing fountain solutions. It is also employed as an intermediate in agrochemicals as well as pharmaceuticals. In the pharmaceutical industry, it is used to enhance the bactericidal properties of generic antiseptics that are more acidic. It is also employed as surfactant in penicillin production for breaking undesired reaction conditions. Sodium ethasulfate is also used as a wetting agent in the electroplating industry due to its stability in higher pH solutions. It also aids in eliminating the pitting caused by impurities on the metal surfaces.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Industries such as pharmaceutical and agrochemicals are likely to offer market opportunities for sodium ethasulfate in the next few years. Despite the high number of applications, the sodium ethasulfate market is expected to exhibit stagnant growth in the next few years. Stringent environmental and health regulations are likely to hamper the market growth. Due to its direct contact with food and skin, the product is governed by the U.S. FDA and U.S EPA.Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe have been the major consumers of sodium ethasulfate in the recent past. With high demand from chemicals and textile industries, Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the market for sodium ethasulfate during the forecast period. China, India, and ASEAN are likely to boost the demand for sodium ethasulfate in the near future due to the exponential growth in agrochemicals, chemicals, and textile industries. The U.S. and Western Europe are projected to exhibit stable growth with environmental regulations playing a key role in market growth. Latin America is likely to provide growth opportunities due to the high demand from agrochemicals and food lye processing industries.Manufacturers of sodium ethasulfate include Alpha Chemicals Pvt. Ltd, Stephan Company, Niacet Corporation, and Solvay. These companies offer sodium ethasulfate with 40% to 50% concentrations.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 insights for 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, TMR employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact Us:-Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog:
Concrete Fiber Market estimated high sales by 2016-2024

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Zion Market Research, the market research group announced the analysis report titled 'Concrete Fiber Market: Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2015  2021'Global Concrete Fiber Market: OverviewConcrete fibers, also known as fiber-reinforced concrete, has fibers integrated into the concrete for increasing its structural integrity, reducing its permeability, and water leakage reduction. The fibers may be natural, glass, synthetic, and steel fibers. These fibers are uniformly distributed in the concrete. The fibers reduce shrinkage due to the plasticity reduction or dryness. The concrete fibers are used for construction, industrial, and mining purposes due to its chemical, mechanical, and thermal resistance properties, stability, strength, and durability. Concrete fibers are used to develop conventional concrete barrier rails, roads, sound attenuation barriers, and paving.Request Free Sample Report @Global Concrete Fiber Market: Growth FactorsThe increasing demand for the concrete fiber products due its properties such as durability, resistance, and stability boosts the growth of the global concrete fiber market. The increasing urbanization and demand for non-corrosive materials are driving the global market growth. These fibers have a broad range of application in the industrial, road and building construction, mining application, and others. The high cost of production of concrete fibers restrains the global market growth.Global Concrete Fiber Market: SegmentationThe global concrete fiber market is bifurcated based on the type, end use industry, and region. The type segment is further divided into natural fiber, steel concrete fiber, synthetic concrete fiber, glass concrete fiber, and basalt fiber. The end use industry segment is categorized into mining and tunnel, transport infrastructure, building and construction, industrial flooring, agriculture, and waterways. The mining and tunnel subsegment is bifurcated into slope stabilization, shafts and tunnel lining, and underground mining. The transport infrastructure subsegment is divided into railways, bridges, roadways, highways, and ports and airports. The building and construction subsegment is further categorized into residential and non-residential building and construction. The regional segmentation includes Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, South America, and North America. The transport infrastructure segment dominates the global concrete fiber market. The rising demand for basalt fiber due to its high melting point at 1400C is expected to boost the concrete fiber market.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @Global Concrete Fiber Market: Regional AnalysisNorth America has the largest share in the global concrete fiber market. The increasing demand for steel fiber and synthetic fiber concretes boosts the US concrete fiber market. The developing countries such as Brazil, India, China, Japan, and Nigeria are witnessing growth in the global concrete fiber market due to the investments by the major players in these regions. The global market in Asia Pacific region is expected to grow rapidly due to the demand in the industrial, mining, and constructional fields. Europe due to the advanced technology will occupy major shares in the global market.Global Concrete Fiber Market: Competitive PlayersThe major players in the global concrete fiber market include Propex Operating Company LLC, Nycon Corporation, Owens Corning, Cemex, ABC Polymer Industries, Bekaert SA, and Sika AG. The other players in the global market include BASF SE, Propex Global, Fibercon International Inc., The Euclid Chemical Company, Nycon Corporation, and W. R. Grace & Co.Browse detail report @Global Concrete Fiber Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East and AfricaWhat Report ProvidesFull in-depth analysis of the parent marketImportant changes in market dynamicsSegmentation details of the marketFormer, on-going, and projected market analysis in terms of volume and valueAssessment of niche industry developmentsMarket share analysisKey strategies of major playersEmerging segments and regional marketsTestimonials to companies in order to fortify their foothold in the market.Ask for a customized report @About Us:Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:
Travel Pouches Market Dynamics, Forecast, Analysis and Supply Demand 2017-2027

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Pouches are one of the most widely traded commodities in the world. Carrying camera, mobile and many other daily activities we cant think without having a travel pouch. These pouches have become a new trend to carry material easily and with an organized manner. The trend of carrying mobile or cameras for vacations or to carry medical accessories, daily using products are propelling the market of travel pouch. Changing consumer lifestyle has improved the requirement on processed, pre-cooked and packed foods, which also organized the entire flexible packaging supply chain to sync product offering as per end customer requirement. Customization of travel pouches in terms of space, capacity, and design can boost the market globally in the forecast period.Travel Pouches Market- Market Segmentation:Travel pouches market are segmented into by material type, product type, by end use and by region. On the basis of material type the travel pouches market is segmented into plastic, leather, paper and others. Others includes jute, rubber, fiber travel pouches. On the basis of product type the travel pouches market can be segmented into travel hand pouches, organizer pouches, and others. Based on the end use type the global travel pouches market can be segmented into commercial use and non-commercial, where in commercial use we can further segment into electronic gadgets, food, clothing products, pharmaceuticals products, cosmetics and personal care, and industrial goods. On the basis of region, travel pouches market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East & Africa.Request Report Sample@Travel Pouches Market- Market Dynamics:Growth in demand for travel pouches market is expected to grow significantly for many reasons. Due to the increase of trade activities and material transportation travel pouches market is growing significantly. The increasing demand of daily carry out activities are boosting the market of travel pouches. Attributable to the boom in online commerce, travel pouches sales through the internet have been growing at a significant pace. Technological improvements, such as the facility of coolant or heater in the bag as per the material requirements is also anticipated to boost market growth over the forecast period. Moreover, light weighted travel pouches are strengthening the market rapidly. Durability of these pouches compare to metal containers are less, which can be a restraint for the travel pouches. The increasing demand for customized bags from different industries like food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, chemical can also be a good opportunity for the travel pouches market.Travel Pouches Market- Regional Outlook:Travel pouches market is expected to register a high CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, travel pouches market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to witness the maximum growth in the travel pouches market primarily driven by the developing countries like India and China. The rising disposable income, growth in the retail industry, urbanization are some of the factors that contribute to the growth in the developing countries of Asia Pacific. Europe is also expected to experience the healthy growth in the travel pouches market as it accounts for over 55% of market share in the overall pouch market. North America is expected to achieve an above average growth in the travel pouches market over the forecast period.Visit For TOC@Travel Pouches Market- Major Players:Some of the key players of the global travel pouches market are PETZL SECURITE, UTILITY DIADORA, Beal Pro, IRUDEK 2000, ROX, BLAKLADER WORKWEAR, NEOFEU, Cangnan Environment Bag Co., Ltd., Cangnan Great Shopping Bags Co., Ltd., GeoMax, Precintia International, Ansell Protective Solutions, HELLY HANSEN Work Wear, Shenzhen Weiyi Fashion Gift Co., Ltd., Swiss Rescue, DMM Professional, Grundens of Sueden, Versar PPS, MALETAS TECNICAS BOXFORT, LAFONT, SOMAIN SECURITE, Louis Blockx and NNZ.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Utility Pouches Market Size and Key Trends in Terms of Volume and Value 2017-2027

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Packaging has become a dynamic constituent of modern life due to the ease of transportation, storage and inclination of the consumer towards a wide usage of bags. Moreover, food products, health supplements and electronic components are some of the things that have observed improvements regarding demand over the last few years and are more easily available due to an effective packaging solution. Utility pouches are one of the effective packaging solutions that provides all the features related to high performance during travelling & storage of small accessories and tools with protection for sensitive products and components. Most of the utility pouches are available in different sizes and can be individually custom-made to the size and transportation to meet the product or customer precise needs. Customization of utility pouches in terms of space, capacity, and design can boost the market globally in the forecast period.Utility Pouches Market- Market Segmentation:Utility pouches market are segmented into by material type, holding type, by end use and by region. On the basis of material type the utility pouches market is segmented into plastic, cotton, leather, and others. On the basis of holding type the utility pouches market can be segmented into utility hand pouches, shoulder bags or pouches, clutch, and others. Based on the end use type the global utility pouches market can be segmented into commercial use and non-commercial, where in commercial use we can further segment into electronic gadgets, food, clothing products, pharmaceuticals products, cosmetics and personal care, and industrial goods. On the basis of region, utility pouches market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East & Africa.Request Report Sample@Utility Pouches Market- Market Dynamics:Due to the increase of trade activities and material transportation utility pouches market is growing significantly. The increasing demand of daily carry out activities are bolstering the market of utility pouches. Due to the boom in online commerce, utility pouches sales through the internet have been growing at a significant pace. Technological improvements, such as the facility of coolant or heater in the bag as per the material requirements is also anticipated to boost market growth over the forecast period. Moreover, light weighted utility pouches are strengthening the market rapidly. Durability of thee bags compare to metal containers are less, which can be a restraint for the utility pouches. The increasing demand for customized bags from different industries like food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, chemical can also be a good opportunity for the utility pouches market.Utility Pouches Market- Regional Outlook:Geographically, the utility pouches market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Middle East & Africa (MEA). The growth of global utility pouches market is expected to witness a healthy CAGR over the forecast period of 2016-2024. Moreover, Asia-Pacific is expected to witness a high growth of utility pouches market due to the rising consumption of food products. The demand of the utility pouches market is expected to witness an above average growth in North America due to the higher adoption of utility pouches for commercial and industrial use.Visit For TOC@Utility Pouches Market- Major Players:Some of the key players of the global utility pouches market are PETZL SECURITE, UTILITY DIADORA, Beal Pro, IRUDEK 2000, ROX, BLAKLADER WORKWEAR, NEOFEU, GeoMax, Precintia International, Ansell Protective Solutions, HELLY HANSEN Work Wear, Swiss Rescue, DMM Professional, Grundens of Sueden, Versar PPS, MALETAS TECNICAS BOXFORT, LAFONT, SOMAIN SECURITE, Louis Blockx and NNZ.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Dihydromyrcenol Market - Global Industry Analysis 2024

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Dihydromyrcenol is a colorless or pale-yellow colored liquid with strong smell resembling to fresh lime and sweet odor. It is insoluble in water and soluble in paraffin oil and alcohol. It belongs to the family of acyclic terpenic alcohols. Dihydromyrcenol is manufactured from dihydromyrcenyl chloride by hydrolysis of dihydromyrcenyl chloride in an aqueous medium containing a base and a phase transfer catalyst in an amount of 0.001-10 mole %, based on the amount of dihydromyrcenyl chloride.Dihydromyrcenol Market: Drivers and RestraintsDihydromyrcenol is a major constituent of fragrance chemicals used in personal care products and cosmetics industries. The global fragrance chemicals industry is anticipated to expand at an annual growth rate of 7% to 8% by 2024. The two leading factors that contribute to this growth are increasing consumer expenditure on personal care products worldwide and new product launches by leading manufacturers of fragrance chemicals. On the other hand, one of the key restraints for the fragrance chemicals industry is the continuous need to advance, and update the existing fragrances and produce new fragrances that appeal to consumers worldwide.Browse Market Research Report @Development of organic and natural fragrance products is projected to create lucrative opportunities for the dihydromyrcenol market in the near future. Moreover, online shops have considerably fueled the fragrance chemicals industry. This, in turn, is anticipated to drive the dihydromyrcenol market in the next few years. Companies are adopting various marketing techniques to regulate the increasing prices of dihydromyrcenol. The rising demand for fragrances and thereby, the increasing demand for dihydromyrcenol along with the mounting popularity of tailored perfumes are factors expected to fuel the dihydromyrcenol market in the near future.Dihydromyrcenol Market: SegmentationBased on application, the dihydromyrcenol market can be segmented into: Soaps & detergents Shampoos & body washes Deodorants & perfumes Air fresheners Fabric softeners Air care products Cosmetics & Toiletries FragrancesThe soaps & detergents segment is projected to account for a major share of the global dihydromyrcenol market by the end of the forecast period, followed by the cosmetics & toiletries segment. The market for dihydromyrcenol is primarily driven by innovative consumer products, especially in personal care applications such as hair and skin care products. Dihydromyrcenol is employed as an intermediate in the production of derivatives such as myrcetol and tetrahydromyrcenol, or in compounding fragrances. It is considered as one of the key constituents of perfumery products.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Fragrances have transitioned as a mainstream element of the cosmetics industry. From a non-essential commodity, they have evolved as obligatory, day-to-day, personal grooming products. The dihydromyrcenol market flourishes in a consumer-driven industry, dictated by beauty and fashion trends. The global fragrance chemicals industry plays a significant role in the luxury personal products.Dihydromyrcenol Market: Region-wise OutlookBased on geography, the global dihydromyrcenol market can be segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. The dihydromyrcenol market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to register the maximum growth rate during the forecast period. Asia Pacific accounted for approximately 25% share of the global fragrances market in 2015 and is expected to provide lucrative growth opportunities in the near future. However, North America and Europe are estimated to experience decline in demand for synthetic perfumes in the next few years, due to the rising demand for organic fragrances.Dihydromyrcenol Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players operating in the global dihydromyrcenol market are: Manish Minerals & Chemicals Phoenix Aromas & Essential Oils, LLC Privi Organics Ltd. Anthea AromaticsAbout 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 insights for 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, TMR employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact Us:-Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog:
Synchronous Motor Market 10-Year Market Forecast and Trends Analysis Research Report

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The growing demand for electricity, coupled with an exponential surge in the price of electricity collectively drive the synchronous motor market. Synchronous motors offer a multitude of advantages, such as power factor correction to reduce energy consumption and high efficiency, which facilitates its adoption in the manufacturing sector. Synchronous motors are widely used in industries and they can be used as motors or generators, depending on industry preference. Synchronous motors are feasible with speeds ranging from 150 rpm to 1800 rpm and power ratings between 150 KW to 15 MW. A synchronous motor runs at a synchronous speed, i.e. at a constant speed with a given frequency, while offering greater stability. Due to low power loss, high performance, minimal maintenance requirement and flexibility in adapting to diverse machinery layouts, synchronous motors are steadily gaining popularity among customers.Synchronous motors are not self-starting motors. External DC supply is required to excite the motor close to the synchronous speed. Although synchronous motors are more complex, large synchronous motors are more efficient than induction motors and are capable of maintaining a constant operation speed even in overload conditions as well as voltage variations. A synchronous motor can operate under leading or lagging power factors. They are capable of power factor correction and work at high efficiencies  thus reducing the cost of energy consumption by supplying reactive power to the grid. These key advantages are forecasted to drive the synchronous motor market in the near future. The key feature in synchronous motors is that they can be used at high power with low speed; which makes them attractive for applications in the functioning of rolling mills, pumps and compressors in a multitude of industries such as manufacturing and oil and gas. Asia Pacific is forecasted to dominate the global synchronous motor market due to factors such as growth in manufacturing industries and increasing awareness about energy efficiency.Request Report Sample@Global Synchronous Motor Market: SegmentationThe synchronous motor market is segmented as follows:By mount type:HorizontalVerticalBy voltage typeLow Voltage (LV)Medium Voltage (MV)By end users:Oil & GasChemicals & PetrochemicalMetalsMiningPulp & PaperGlobal Synchronous Motor Market: Key Trends and DriversThe demand for low energy consumption motors is the primary factor that drives the demand for synchronous motor market. High efficiency, reliability and power factor correction - synchronous motors provide a good medley of solutions applicable across an array of industries. Two growing markets for synchronous motors are the oil & gas and chemical industries; this is vastly owed to the efficiency these motors offer. In the commercial sector, steep pricing for electricity has led to an urgent demand for energy saving options; which consequently creates a growth opportunity for the synchronous motor market. With recovery in oil prices, growth demand is projected to increase for oil and gas, this is forecasted to indirectly boost the synchronous motor market.Visit For TOC@Global Synchronous Motor Market: Key PlayersExamples of some of the market participants in the synchronous motor market are:Siemens AG, General Electric, ABB Limited, WEG S.A., Toshiba Corporation, Nidec Corporation, Rockwell Corporation, Johnson Electric Holding Ltd., Emerson Electric, among others. Leading players are trying to penetrate developing economies and adopting various methods to increase their market share.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Annual 6.4% Growth expected for Global Personal Protective Equipment Market by 2022

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Zion Market Research, the market research group announced the analysis report titled 'Personal Protective Equipment Market (Hand Protection, Fall Protection, Protective Clothing, Professional Footwear, Head Protection, Respiratory Protection, and Others) for Construction & Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, Health Care, Petrochemicals, Food Industry, and Other Applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Segment, Trends and Forecast, 2016  2022'The study concludes that the global Personal Protective Equipment market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% between 2016 and 2021. The market revenue of $39.37 billion in 2015, is expected to reach $57.12 billion by 2021. The main drivers for the growth of the market increase in numbers of women working outside the home.Request Free Sample Report @Personal protective equipment or PPE is a type of equipment which can be used to minimize the risk that causes serious workplace injuries and illnesses. These injuries and illnesses may result from contact with radiological, chemical, mechanical, physical, electrical, or other place hazards. Personal protective equipment includes goggles, hard hats, helmets, gloves protective clothing, face masks, ear plugs, respirators, safety harnesses, high visibility clothing etc.An increasing number of organizations worldwide are now becoming proactive regarding employee health & safety. Technological innovation and shifting consumer preference towards protective equipment is driving market of personal protective equipment. Increasing foreign investments, high industry growth, and stringent safety regulations can augment the demand for personal protective equipment worldwide. However, pricing pressures and increasing commoditization of products can impact the growth of the market.The personal protective equipment market is segmented on the basis of product, application, and region. Product segment includes head protection, eye and face protection, hearing protection, protective clothing, respiratory protection, protective footwear, fall protection, hand protection and others. Hand gloves are currently dominating the global market and are acquired share of around 22% of total revenue in 2016. According to the survey, globally 41.5% industrial fatalities and accidents are related to hand injuries. Thus, rising number of arm injuries, hand cuts, and abrasions in the workplace attributed to the high growth of hand protection equipment market.Inquire more about this report @Application segments of personal protective equipment market include construction, manufacturing, oil & gas, chemicals, food, pharmaceuticals, transportation and others. Construction & manufacturing industry dominated the PPE market in 2016. Surging demand to work in a risky environment such as demolition, repair, structural or routine maintenance, land clearing, painting, trenching, digging, boring, drilling, blasting, and concreting create demand for personal protective equipment. This segment is also anticipated witness significant growth on account of growing manufacturing and construction industry.Construction & manufacturing followed by petrochemical and healthcare segment. Oil & gas industry consists of serious life-threatening hazards. In the pharmaceutical industry, PPE is the vital line of defense when it comes to protecting personnel from toxic substances. Recent stringent government regulations towards the safety of employees are forcing enterprises to comply with the industry standards, thereby increasing protective equipment demand.Companies having a notable stake in the global PPE industry include Alpha Pro Tech Ltd., Du Pont, 3M Company, Ansell, Adians, Delta Plus, Rock Fall Limited, and Uvex Safety Group.Browse detail report with in-depth TOC @This report segments global personal protective equipment market as follows:Global Personal Protective Equipment Market: Product Segment AnalysisHead Protection, Eye and Face ProtectionHead Protection,Eye and Face ProtectionHearing ProtectionProtective ClothingRespiratory ProtectionProtective FootwearFall ProtectionHand ProtectionOthersGlobal Personal Protective Equipment Market: Application Segment AnalysisConstructionManufacturingOil & GasChemicalsFoodPharmaceuticalsTransportationOthersGlobal Personal Protective Equipment Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East and AfricaRequest a customized copy of report @About Us:Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:
Endoscopy Devices Market to witness Impressive Growth by 2016  2024

Endoscopy Devices Market

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Endoscopy Devices Market: OverviewEndoscopy is an invasive medical procedure for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of complications in the internal organs. The endoscopy is performed using a device called endoscope. This device is placed into the patient body either through the natural cavities or through incisions. Endoscopy device consist of camera or the light source at the tip that helps the physicians or medical professionals to analysis the internal organs of interest. Most of the endoscopic procedures make patient discomfort but it takes less recovery time.Endoscopy Devices Market: Growth FactorsThe endoscopy devices market has the several driving factors but one of the most important factors that is expected to propel the growth of the market is recovery time is shorter and fastest recovery. Another important factor is U.S. FDA policies support easier approval process for endoscopy devices. However, high costs of endoscopy devices is expected to be one the major constraint in growth of this industry, especially in emerging markets. Additionally, increasing disease prevalence is also expected to trigger the demand for endoscopy devices market.Get Sample Research Report at :In order to give the users of this report a comprehensive view on the endoscopy devices market, we have included a detailed value chain analysis. To understand the competitive landscape in the market, an analysis of Porters Five Forces model for the endoscopy devices market has also been included. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein product segments and application segments are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate and general attractiveness.The study provides a decisive view on the endoscopy devices market by segmenting the market based on products and applications. All the application segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2014 to 2020. Key product segmented market covered under this study includes endoscopes, operative devices and visualization systems. Key application market covered under this study includes gastrointestinal surgeries, urology/gynecology surgeries, ENT surgeries, cardiovascular surgeries, neuro/spinal surgeries, laparoscopy surgeries and arthroscopy surgeries.Endoscopy Devices Market: Regional AnalysisThe regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Rest of the World with its further bifurcation into major countries including U.S. Germany, France, UK, China, Japan, India and Brazil. This segmentation includes demand for endoscopy based on individual applications in all the regions and countries.Browse the full report at:Endoscopy Devices Market: Competitive PlayersKey industry participants analyzed and profiled in this study includes CONMED Corporation, Olympus Corporation, Fujifilm Holding Corporation , Karl Storz Endoscopy, Boston Scientific Corporation, Pentax Medical Corporation , Cook Medical, Inc., Stryker Corporation, Covidien PLC, Smith & Nephew plc, Hoya Corporation, Medtronic plc, Richard Wolf GmbH, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation and Ethicon, Inc.Global Endoscopy Devices Market: Device Segment AnalysisEndoscopeOperative DevicesVisualization SystemsGlobal Endoscopy Devices Market: Application Segment AnalysisGastrointestinal SurgeriesUrology/Gynecology SurgeriesENT SurgeriesCardiovascular SurgeriesNeuro/Spinal SurgeriesLaparoscopy SurgeriesArthroscopy SurgeriesGlobal Endoscopy Devices Market: Region Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeGermanyUKFranceAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East and AfricaAbout UsSyndicate Market Research provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Syndicate Market Research cover more than 30 industries includsing energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@syndicatemarketresearch.comWebsite:
Microscopy Devices Market will Grow Exponentially during 2016  2024

Microscopy Devices Market

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Microscopy Devices Market: OverviewMicroscopy devices are designed to produce magnified visual or photographic images of small objects. This microscopy device includes different lens designs with objectives and condensers as well as very simple single lens that are often magnifying glass. These devices are of different kinds like optical, electron and scanning probes microscopes. Electron microscopes form images from beams of electrons. Acoustic microscopes form images from high-frequency sound waves. The basic parts of a microscope are the objective, which holds the lens near the specimen, and the eyepiece, which holds the lens near the observer. Microscopy devices find in wide range of applications includes research department, medical sector, sciences, nanotechnology, etc.Get Sample Research Report at :Microscopy Devices Market: Growth FactorsRising global focus on nanotechnology research is a key driving factor of the microscopy devices market. The growth of the electronic and renewable energy industries is also expected to boost the demand of microscopy devices in semiconductor application sector. High resolution capacity of microscopy devices have opened up new opportunities in research & development in the fields of cell biology and neurology and this is expected to be moderate growth in the years to come. Furthermore, increasing use of electron and scanning probe microscopes with the advancement in the research objectives expected to propel the microscopy devices market over the forecast period.The microscopy devices market classification based on product, application and regional segment. On the basis of product, microscopy market has been segmented into optical microscopes, electron microscopes, scanning probe microscopes and others. An optical microscope was leading product segments of the market. Key applications include in microscopy market such as semiconductors, life sciences, nanotechnology, material sciences. Among the all application segment life science dominated the microscopy market closely followed by material sciences segment and semiconductors. All the market distribution on products and application has been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2014 to 2020.Browse the full report atMicroscopy Devices Market: Regional AnalysisMajor regional segments analyzed in this study include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa, further bifurcation of region on the country level, which include U.S., Germany, UK, France, China, Japan and India. Asia Pacific has witnessed strong growth of microscopy devices market in recent past years on account of the rising industrialization and advancement in nanotechnology associated R&D investments is driving the demand in this region. North America is expected to exhibit significant growth over the forecast period.Microscopy Devices Market: Competitive PlayersThe report covers detailed competitive scenario including the company overviews, financial revenues of the key participants to develop their positions in the global market. There is some major manufacture in the microscopy devices market such as FEI Company, Danish Micro Engineering A/S, Hitachi High, Leica Microsystems, Olympus, JEOL Company, Cameca SAS, Bruker Corporation, Carl Zeiss, Nikon and NT-MDT.Microscopy Devices Market: Product Segment AnalysisOptical microscopesInverted microscopesStereomicroscopePhase contrast microscopeFluorescence microscopeConfocal scanning microscopeNear field scanning microscopeOther optical microscopesElectron microscopesTransmission microscopesScanning electron microscopesScanning probes microscopesScanning tunneling microscopesAtomic force microscopesOtherMicroscopy Devices Market: Application Segment AnalysisSemiconductorsLife sciencesNanotechnologyMaterial sciencesOthersMicroscopy Devices Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeGermanyUKFranceAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East & AfricaAbout UsSyndicate Market Research provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Syndicate Market Research cover more than 30 industries includsing energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@syndicatemarketresearch.comWebsite:
MASON CITY  Marilyn Kay Halloran, 76, of Mason City, died Feb. 27, 2017, at Good Shepherd Health Care Center, Mason City.

A Memorial Mass will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 6, at Epiphany Parish St. Joseph Catholic Church, with Father Andrew A-Mensah.

Inurnment will be held at a later date in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Rockwell.

A visitation will be held 2-4 p.m. Sunday, March 5, at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, Mason City. A rosary will be lead by the Catholic Daughters at 3:30 p.m., followed by a scriptural wake.

Memorial contributions will be directed to the family to be distributed to various charities.

Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapels, Mason City.
Saudi Arabia Pharmaceutical Market to Account for US$ 5.2 Bn in 2016

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The significant rise in lifestyle-related diseases and the developments in healthcare infrastructure are expected to influence the demand for pharmaceuticals in Saudi Arabia. In 2016, the Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market is anticipated to procure value worth US$ 5,209.5 Mn at a y-o-y growth of 6.0 % over 2015. The mounting demand for branded drug products will continue to incite the growth of the Saudi Arabian pharmaceutical market in 2016.The demand for pharmaceuticals in Saudi Arabia is expected to register substantial growth owing to the increasing penetration of health insurance companies and the rising incidence rate of non-communicable diseases. Furthermore, the exceptional rise in the per capita income of Saudi Arabia is also expected to foster the demand for branded pharmaceutical drugs. Another key factor driving the growth of the pharmaceutical market in Saudi Arabia is the countrys strategic move to allow 100% FDI in the pharmaceuticals sector. Although, the shortage of profound indigenous research capacity in the pharmaceutical industry and the delayed registration of drug and medicine patents is expected to limit the expansion of the market in 2016 and beyond.Request For Report Sample:Based on the product type, the pharmaceutical market in Saudi Arabia is expected to witness an upsurge in the prescription-type branded drug products. In terms of market value, the branded drugs are estimated to reach US$ 2,760.8 Mn by 2016-end. The demand for generic drugs is projected to secure steady growth, attributing to the insisting promotion of generic drug adoption by healthcare insurance providers.On the basis of the diseases, the pharmaceutical drugs used for treatment of cardiovascular diseases will continue exhibiting robust growth in 2016. The demand for cardiovascular medications will continue to surge due to the prominence of circulatory disorders in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the rising prevalence of disorders related to body sugar levels is expected to make diabetes a rapidly growing disease-based sub-segment in the Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market.The pharmaceutical market in Saudi Arabia is also segmented on the basis of distribution channel, where retail pharmacies will continue to account for 80% market share compared to hospital pharmacies. The westernised modernisation of retail pharmacies in Saudi Arabia has led to the availability of a wide range drugs and medicinal products, thereby attaining a considerable growth in the retail pharmacy sub-segment in 2016 and further.Send An Enquiry:The rising resource potential in Saudi Arabia is projected to positively reform the production environment for pharmaceutical manufacturers. In order to expand the markets size, structuring alliances with well-established native companies is predicted to be a key strategy for global pharmaceutical leaders. The key players in the Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market include Novartis AG, SPIMACO, Pfizer Inc., and Glaxosmithkline plc., Jamjoom Pharma, and Tabuk Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Co. among others.Long-term Outlook: The Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.0% over the forecast period 2016-2026. In terms of market value, the pharmaceutical market in Saudi Arabia is estimated to be worth US$ 12,281.4 Mn by the end of forecast period.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Market Forecast Report on Disposable Cups 2017-2027

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Introduction:The term disposable cups came into limelight in early 1900s when health hazards related to usage of common cups became evident. This developed the need for developing disposable cups and in the process, a new market was created. The growing demand for snacks and related products in place of traditional meals has led to an increase in demand for disposable cups. The disposable paper cups are lined with plastic or wax to prevent them from becoming soggy and also to prevent leakage. Paper cups are segmented into hot and cold cups. Cold cups have a coating of wax on both sides so that it doesnt get wet due to absorption of liquid. The hot cups, on the other hand, are specifically made to withstand heat and therefore, are only coated on one side.There are several consumer trends which have accelerated the growth of the disposable cups market -- a rise in the number of non-traditional families that prefer having their meals outside home, urbanization, the growing middle-class, and the coffee-on-the-go trend are some such factors. Moreover, there are several technology and product-based trends -- less plastic and more paper-based packaging, sustainability and convenience -- which are shaping the disposable cups market. However, the paper cups industry will benefit most from the restrictions imposed on polystyrene foam disposables, environmental concerns about foam cups, and also from the switch made by big food chains from foam to paper cups.Request For Report Sample@Disposable Cups Market - Market Dynamics:The growth in the disposable cups market is expected to be driven by the growth in the quick service restaurants industry, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6% for the period between 2016 and 2024. Moreover, modernization as well as the fast-moving lifestyle of today have been pivotal factors driving growth in the disposable cups market. The adoption of on-the-go eating culture along with an increase in health consciousness and sanitization led restaurants, cafes and other food outlets to serve their drinks in disposable cups and hence, drove the demand for disposable cups. However, few restaurant chains and outlets have started deploying some strategies to reduce the usage of disposable cups due to its negative impact on the environment. These outlets promote the usage of reusable cups and also offer discounts to customers who use reusable mugs for to-go orders. In addition, recent government regulations like ban on disposable cups, regulations against the usage of plastic, etc. are expected to hinder the growth of disposable cups market.Disposable Cups Market- Market Segmentation:Based on product type, the global disposable cups market is segmented into following:Hot Paper cupsCold Paper cupsPlastic cupsPolystyrene foam cupsBased on end users, the global disposable cups market is segmented into following:Quick service restaurantsCoffee and Snack ShopsFast Casual RestaurantsHotelsBarsOfficesOrganizations like Railways, Airlines etc.Public & Private functionsBased on Application, the global disposable cups market is segmented into following:Hot BeveragesSoft DrinksIce creamsOthersDisposable Cups Market - Regional Outlook:Geographically, the global disposable cups market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). The global disposable cups market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 5% for the forecast period of 2016 to 2024. While North America is expected to witness an above global average growth in disposable cups market due to its growing foodservice industry as well as an increase in consumer spending, it is the Asia Pacific region which will most likely witness the fastest rates of growth in disposable cups market due to the general improvements registered in developing economies like India & China.Request For TOC@Disposable Cups Market - Key Players:Some of the major players identified across the globe in the disposable cups market are International Paper Company, Dart Container Corporation, Konie Cups International Inc, Huhtamaki N.A., Solo Cup Company, Lollicup USA, Inc, Letica Corporation, Manohar International Pvt. Ltd (MIPL), Georgia-Pacific LLC, and Guangzhou Kangbao Paper Cup.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
New Research Report on Enterprise File Sync And Share Platform Market, 2017-2027

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Enterprise file synchronization and sharing (EFSS) are software services that aids enterprises to securely synchronize and share files including documents, media and others, from multiple devices and across multiple users. The synchronization capability entitles files to be stored in approved data warehouse and then accessed by users from PCs, tablets or smartphones that supports enterprise file sync and share products.The enterprise file sync and share platform providers are continuously enhancing the security capabilities including authentication, containerization, tracking features, data encryption in order to protect the enterprise data. The platform vendors that offer enterprise file sync and share service have multiple options for the enterprises such as hybrid or private cloud, or on-premises service. Mostly in hybrid or on-premise deployments, the files remain in the companys own data warehouse.Enterprise file sync and share platform adoption is driven by security, productivity and accessibility. Few emerging trends in the industry include integration with data loss prevention, enterprise content aggregation, and built-in editing apps. With the advancement in consumer technology, the collaboration and connection of people with their business environment and its enterprise file sync and share solution is becoming easier.Request For Report Sample@Enterprise File Sync and Share Platform Market: Drivers and ChallengesAs cloud storage has become more prominent, the prime factor driving the enterprise file sync and sharing platform market is proliferation of consumer mobility, bring your own device program and media tablets being utilized within the enterprises. Few other drivers to the market that encourage adoption of enterprise file sync and share platform include, growing adoption of virtualization, the ease of accessing the data from mobile devices anywhere and anytime.Data security is among the prime concerns with the usage of enterprise file sync and share platform that slows the adoption of EPSS impacting the market negatively. The lock in period and other regulations that the vendor provide while they offer enterprise file sync and share platform is hindering the rise in adoption of EFSS platform among the small, medium and large enterprises.Enterprise File Sync and Share Platform Market: SegmentationEnterprise file sync and share platform market can be segmented on the basis of solution, service, deployment type, end-user, and industryOn the basis of solution, enterprise file sync and share platform market can be segmented into enterprise storage and backup, enterprise content management system, cloud virtualization, enterprise mobility, enterprise document collaboration and othersOn the basis of service, enterprise file sync and share platform market can be segmented into managed service and professional serviceOn the basis of deployment type, enterprise file sync and share platform market can be segmented into on-premise and cloud basedOn the basis of end-user, enterprise file sync and share platform marketcan be segmented into small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and large enterprisesOn the basis of industry, enterprise file sync and share platform market can be segmented into banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), retail and e-Commerce, IT and telecommunication, energy and utility, government offices and education, aerospace and defence, healthcare, transportation and logistics, and othersEnterprise File Sync and Share Platform Market: Regional OverviewRegionally, Enterprise File Sync and Share Platform Market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East and AfricaNorth America and Western Europe are among the prominent regions in adoption of enterprise file sync and share platform as the number of small, medium and large enterprises in the two regions are very high. Asia Pacific and Japan market are expected to have the highest growth rate in the coming few year as due to the increasing technological trends and industrial development. Latin America and Eastern Europe would witness positive growth in the coming years owing to the adoption of advanced technology in both the regionsEnterprise File Sync and Share Platform Market: Competition LandscapeFew prominent players in the enterprise file sync and share platform market include:Accellion Inc, Acronis International GmbH, Google Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Dropbox Inc., Citrix Systems Inc., Syncplicity Inc., IBM Corporation, Egnyte Inc., VMWare Inc., Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd.Request For TOC@Recent contracts/deals in Enterprise File Sync and Share Platform Market:In October 2016, Egnyte Inc., signed a strategic alliance with Microsoft Corporation, to use Microsofts Azure cloud computing platform for its business customer. This alliance would aid the company to offer end-to-end integration services to the customers.In November 2015, Egnyte Inc., partnered with Jive Software in order to connect their respective cloud-based services. This collaboration would enable the customers to utilize Jives business collaboration platform and Egnytes enterprise file sharing repository from any device or location that supports the software installation.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Microfluidics Market Poised for Robust CAGR of over 14% through 2026

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Applications of microfluidics in drug delivery and diagnostics will continue to fuel the market for microfluidics over the next few years. The US$ 2.9 Bn microfluidics market will possibly cross US$ 11 Bn by the end of 2026. North America is expected to contribute over US$ 3 Bn to the total revenues in 2026. The collective share of North America and Asia Pacific will be over 40%, states Future Market Insights in a recently published market report outlook, titled Microfluidics Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026.The report by Future Market Insights analyses the global market for microfluidics over a 10-year forecast period, 2016-2026. The market is likely to witness a robust CAGR of 14.4% over the assessed period.Request Report Sample@Key Insights: Market DynamicsIncreasing discretionary funding from national labs for R&D in the developed regions will remain a primary factor driving the growth of market through 2026.Improving healthcare infrastructure and wide availability of affordable microfluidic devices or kits are also foreseen to boost the market growth in near future, especially in developing countries.Expansion of drug delivery sector will favour the market growth in near future.Consistent advancements in the fields of genomics and proteomics are also expected to benefit the sales of microfluidics-based devices and kits.Dynamic collaborations between key market players and active involvement of government entities will collectively foster the market through 2026.Key Insights: SegmentsCeramics will remain dominant material typeBased on material, ceramics will continue to be the most sought after material for microfluidic device or kit manufacturing. Ceramics segment is expected to remain dominance, accounting for over 42% market value share in 2026, followed by glass, polymer, and silicon. While ceramics is likely to witness the fastest growth, polymer segment is anticipated to exhibit a significant CAGR of over 15% over 2016-2026, driven by PVC.POCT will be dominant application segmentBy application, POCT (point of care testing) segment is projected to retain dominance through 2026, accounting for over 33% share in terms of revenues. Clinical diagnostics and analytical testing will remain the next major segments in the global microfluidics market.In-vitro diagnostics industry will hold maximum revenue shareOn the basis of industry, in-vitro diagnostics, life science research, and pharmaceuticals are likely to be the key segments. In-vitro diagnostics segment is estimated to hold a share of over 35% in the total market revenues. The fastest growing segment will be in-vitro diagnosis.APEJ will be the most lucrative regional marketGeographically, North America, followed by Western Europe are expected to remain the dominant regions for microfluidics, capturing respective market value share of over 26% and over 21% share by 2026 end. Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) will possibly represent the most lucrative market, expanding at a significant CAGR of over 14% throughout the forecast period. This growth is attributed to growing use of microfluidics devices and kits for in-vitro diagnostics. North America and Western Europe will also exhibit significant growth rates over 2016-2026.Send An Enquiry@Key Insights: Leading Market PlayersSome of the most prominent players in the global microfluidics market, include Agilent Technologies, PerkinElmer Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Qiagen NV, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Fluidigm Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, and F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.Almost all the leading companies serve point of care testing application and survive the competition with an individual differentiating strategy. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. and Abbott Laboratories, through active engagement in agreements and collaborations with leading regional companies, highlight a growing trend of strategic mergers and acquisitions among the top companies.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Aircraft Washing Systems Market to register a healthy CAGR for the forecast period, 2017-2027

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Over the years, more than dozens of people would be involved in washing an aircraft, which was not only immensely time consuming, but the eminence of work was also not up to international standards. On an average, a team of 17 to 20 people would take about 9 to 10 hours to clean one Jumbo (707) aircraft. Also, there are other issues to be considered, such as injuries caused by even a minor carelessness. Presently, in many countries aircraft washing and cleaning is assigned to manual labor. In India, Indira Gandhi International Airport (New Delhi) will soon get washing robots to clean jumbo jets. According to DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited), the technology will be imported from Sweden. Currently, apart from British airports, this technique is used by Qatar and Thai airways. The new aircraft washing systems will be entirely computerized and will comprise spray nozzles, cleaning brushes and mobile power units.In the Middle East region, the aviation industry is very keen on green practices. Airlines cannot afford spending extensive periods of time on cleaning activities. Therefore, a company named Clean Middle East developed a new aircraft washing technology known as dry wash. Dry wash is developed and produced by Rhoba-Chemie GmbH, (Germany) to clean aircrafts without water. This concept has a big edge over its counterpart since it inhibits corrosion, improves physical appearance, reduces chemically contaminated waste water and minimizes water consumption.As the use of airplanes has increased exponentially, commercial and private aircraft agencies spend billions of dollars every year in aircraft maintenance. Now, international standards of aviation safety and rules also mandate aircraft cleaning. Cleaning is done by both, private and in-house agencies. However, cleaning is not a secondary job and must be carried out with possible aircraft washing systems (equipment).Request For Report Sample@The commonly used aircraft washing equipment are:Carts used to clean the floor of an airplane are included in aircraft washing systemsCoatings used to add extra shine are included in aircraft washing systemsAero brushes used to remove dust from surface are included in aircraft washing systemsWax and buff balls used in the belly area are also included in aircraft washing systemsAircraft squeegee used to remove water and liquid from different areas are included in aircraft washing systemsWashing mops used to clean the surface are included in aircraft washing systemsAircraft washing systems companies such as Riveer (U.S.) have launched automated aircraft washing systems. Such aircraft washing systems take two minutes to clean the aircraft and the wash water is reclaimed and reused again.Aircraft Washing Systems: DynamicsThere is a never ending battle against corrosion in aircraft maintenance, particularly in rotary aircrafts operating over saltwater. Therefore, the U.S. Department of Defense has concluded on rinsing the aircrafts on a weekly or daily basis to combat this problem. Increase in these aircrafts and their running is forecasted to directly create demand and a large growth opportunity for the aircraft washing systems market.Aircraft Washing Systems: Segmentation by MethodWhen it comes to washing the exterior of an aircraft, there are two types of methods: dry and wet. The wet wash requires water and cleaning agent (soap) in three steps, i.e. scrub, rinse and dry. The major problem with this method is that the water needs to be clean and mineral-free. However, most water has some mineral content, which actually captures dirt and leaves deposits on the surface.On the other hand, the dry wash method cleans and shines the surface in a single step and hence, is becoming a more popular choice. As compared to a wet wash, the cost of dry wash chemicals are expensive and much like waxing your car. This process involves a lot of elbow grease but end results are often less intrusive. With a dry wash interior cleaning and maintenance can be performed simultaneously.Request For TOC@Aircraft washing systems: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants in the global aircraft washing systems market identified across the value chain include:RiveerNordic Aerowash EquipmentHydro Engineered Inc.Cleaning Debrring Finishing Inc.JRI IndstriesStoelting Cleaning EqipmentUtrasonic Power CorporationJensen Fabricating Engineers Inc.Wanner Engineering Inc.Ransohoff CincinnatiEncon EvaporatorsDaimler Industries Inc.KMT Aqua Dyne Inc.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Water and Wastewater Management Market in Mining Sector 2017-2021 - Analyzing Key vendors (The Dow Chemical Company, GE Water & Process Technologies, Lenntech, Pall & Veolia)

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Albany, NY, March 03, 2017: Water and soil pollution are critical concerns in the mining industry and can be caused by toxic heavy metals, surfactants, fine particles of minerals, oil and grease, soaps and detergents, rubber, poisonous chemicals, high acidic or alkaline chemicals, and coal particles. The industry is looking for a sustainable practice to reduce its environmental impact. Mining chemicals along with water and wastewater treatment equipment play an important role in this by treating water to remove impurities and waste.The global water and waste water management market for the mining sector to grow at a CAGR of 4.83% during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global water and waste water management market for the mining sector for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Americas- APAC- EMEAGet a Sample Research PDF with TOC:Technavio's report, Global Water And Waste Water Management Market For The Mining Sector 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- The Dow Chemical Company- GE Water & Process Technologies- Lenntech- Pall- VeoliaOther prominent vendors- Amec Foster Wheeler- AQUARION- Aquatech International- BioteQ Environmental Technologies- Carmeuse- Golder Associates- IDE Technologies- Miwatek- MWH Global- newterra- Saltworks Technologies- SUEZ Water & Treatment SolutionsMarket driver- Introduction of ever-more stringent environmental law.- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Complexities of managing wastewater resources.- For a full, detailed list, view our reportEnquiry at:Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Disposable Hygiene Adhesives Market Trends and Segments 2017-2027

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Today, disposable hygiene adhesives plays a very important role in the manufacture of user-friendly and environment-friendly hygiene products. The disposable hygiene adhesives are mainly used for the production of disposable hygienic products such as baby diapers (nappies), feminine care products, and adult care products. Also these adhesives are used in other hygienic applications including medical dressings, hospital bed pads, and surgical drapes. Basic usage of disposable hygiene products is for the absorption of liquids or solids with no leakage and enough comfort. Depending on their end-use, different kinds of disposable hygiene adhesives are employed for different applications. For example, spiral spray adhesive and elastic waistband attachment adhesives are the common adhesives used for diaper manufacture.Global Disposable Hygiene Adhesives Market: DynamicsDisposable hygiene adhesives are used across various end-use industries such as packaging, healthcare, personal care, and pharmaceutical. Upsurge in demand for different end-use products is the crucial factor boosting the demand for disposable hygiene adhesives, in turn, propelling the overall growth of global disposable hygiene adhesives market. Also, increasing use of disposable hygienic products due to better education, awareness through media, affordability & availability of disposable hygiene products, etc. are promoting the growth of global disposable adhesives market. Also awareness and increasing adoption of female hygienic products in Asian countries such as India and China is an important driver for disposable hygiene adhesives market in the APAC region.Request For Report Sample@Currently, media makes people more aware about importance of disposable hygienic products and its environment-friendly nature. The government organizations also try to promote the use of these hygienic products to improve the health of infants, kids, and women. Consumers are looking for improved features of the products such as thinner cores, better absorption, improved softness, and changing substrates.Global Disposable Hygiene Adhesives Market: SegmentationThe global disposable hygiene adhesives market can be segmented on the basis of origin, type, application, end-user, and end-use industry. On the basis of origin, global disposable hygiene adhesives market can be segmented into synthetic adhesives and natural adhesives. On the basis of type, global disposable hygiene adhesives market can be segmented into hot melt adhesives, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), amorphous poly-alpha-olefin (APAO) and polyurethane, and adhesives based on styrene block copolymers (styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene (SEBS), and others. On the basis of application, global disposable hygiene adhesives market can be segmented into construction adhesive (or bonding adhesive), core adhesive (or fluff pad adhesive), positioning adhesive, elastic adhesive, frontal tape adhesive, side tape adhesive, and others. On the basis of end-user, global disposable hygiene adhesives market can be segmented into baby & infant care, feminine care, adult care, specific or specialty care, and others. On the basis of end-use industries, global disposable hygiene adhesives market can be segmented into medical and healthcare, personal care, pharmaceutical, and other packaging applications.Global Disposable Hygiene Adhesives Market: Region-wise OutlookNorth America and Asia Pacific are expected to be the key regions for disposable hygiene adhesives market in the upcoming years. China, Japan, and India are expected to remain key countries in the Asia Pacific disposable hygiene adhesives market throughout the forecast period. The betterment in education sector and increasing awareness about the necessity of hygiene products in Asia Pacific propel the disposable hygiene adhesives market in the region.Also, the disposable hygiene products demand in Europe is expected to increase in future with moderate growth rate followed by Middle East & Africa and Latin America.Request For TOC@Global Disposable Hygiene Adhesives Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants involved in the manufacture of disposable hygiene adhesives include Bostik SA, H.B. Fuller, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Nordson Corporation, The Dow Chemical Company, Foreverest Resources Ltd., GitAce, Guangdong Rurga New Material Technology Co., Ltd., TSRC Corporation, and Exxon Mobil Corporation among others.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
The US Laser Cutting Machine Market 2017-2021 featuring Key Vendors Bystronic, Coherent, IPG Photonics, Mazak Optonics & TRUMPF

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Albany, NY, March 03, 2017: Laser cutting machines have high-power lasers that can vaporize a range of materials from steel to plastics with high levels of precision. The versatility of these machines enables manufacturers to cut various types of materials to develop products and components that have complex geometry. Therefore, laser cutting machines provide an efficient and effective process in the industrial manufacturing sectorThe laser cutting machine market in the US to grow at a CAGR of 5.50% during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the laser cutting machine market in the US for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the low-power lasers and the market estimations are based upon end-use applications and not based on material thickness. The end-user applications included are considered under the micro-material processing only.Get a Sample Research PDF with TOC:Technavio's report, Laser Cutting Machine Market in The US 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- Bystronic- Coherent- IPG Photonics- Mazak Optonics- TRUMPFOther prominent vendors- Vytek Laser Systems- Amada America- Jenoptik- Hypertherm- Cutlite Penta- DANOBATGROUP- CYLASER- Laser Photonics- BLM- Sahajanand Laser Technology- CincinnatiMarket driver- Increasing need to develop superior-quality products- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Uncertainties in business policies due to recent US presidential elections- For a full, detailed list, view our reportEnquiry at:Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Carrageenan Gum Market to Soar at Moderate CAGR of 4.3% during 2016-2024

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In spite of recording global sales of over 60,000 metric tonnes in 2016, Future Market Insights predicts that the global demand for carrageenan gum will witness a considerable decline. A latest research report published by Future Market Insights projects that by the end of 2024, the global consumption of carrageenan gum would have soared moderately at 4.3% CAGR and surpassed 88,000 metric tonnes. The report further reveals the real reason behind sluggish sales of carrageenan gum in the world.According to the report, titled Carrageenan Gum Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2024, the common fallacy that renders carrageenan gum as harmful ingredient has been instrumenting the decelerated growth in its global sales. Misconceptions arising from ambiguous status of carrageenan gum as a viable food ingredient has restrained the market from attaining a steady growth. The global carrageenan gum market, which is presently valued over US$ 700 million, is hence anticipated to register a 4% CAGR and bring in close to US$ 1 billion by the end of 2024.Request Report Sample@Limited availability of raw carrageenan is also expected to keep curbing the production of carrageenan gum in the world. A majority of carrageenan gum produced across the globe gets consumed by food and beverage manufacturers. The report reveals how more than half of global carrageenan gum revenues are accounted by food & beverage industries. Presence of carrageenan gum is also gaining traction in production of personal care products & toiletries. In 2016, nearly ten thousand metric tonnes of carrageenan gum were consumed by this segment. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical manufacturers are expected to lower their participation in the global consumption of carrageenan gum, owing to the ingredients speculative status and prolonging FDA approvals. Carrageenan gum will also be used in production of animal feed and pet food products, revenues from which are projected to surpass US$ 200 million by the end of 2024.A regional analysis of global carrageenan gum market projected higher demand for carrageenan gum in Europe. Apropos the report, Europe will contribute to more than 35% of global carrageenan gum revenues throughout the forecast period. Revenues emanating from Europe are also expected to rise at 4.4% CAGR, while the regions carrageenan gum consumption will register growth at 4.8% CAGR. Meanwhile, North America and Asia-Pacific will collectively account for almost 50% of global carrageenan gum revenues through 2024. Latin Americas carrageenan gum market, on the other hand, will bring in nearly US$ 120 million in revenues. Middle East & Africas carrageenan gum revenues, however, will be registering the slowest CAGR over the forecast period.Send An Enquiry@A majority of carrageenan gum manufacturers in the world are based in the US. Companies such as CP Kelco ApS, FMC Corporation, E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Co., Ingredient Solution Inc., and Cargill, Incorporated are prominent players in the global carrageenan gum market. The market is also witnessing higher participation from companies namely, Compania Espanola de Algas Marinas S.A. (CEAMSA), W. Hydrocolloids Inc., Altrafine Gum, Kerry Group, Extractos Naturales Gelymar S. A., and Marcel Trading Corporation.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
global revenues emanating from sales of hybrid vehicles will be soaring at an exponential CAGR of 20.4% between 2016 and 2026

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A gradual decline reported in oil & gasoline prices across the globe wont suffice to drag down the global sales of electric and hybrid vehicles.A recent research report published by Future Market Insights projects that the global revenues emanating from sales of hybrid vehicles will be soaring at an exponential CAGR of 20.4% between 2016 and 2026. The global hybrid vehicles market, which is presently valued at almost US$ 60 billion, will bring in over US$ 430 billion in revenues by the end of 2026. Future Market Insights also anticipates that worlds leading hybrid vehicle manufacturers will keep focusing towards development of passenger cars and increasing their production capacity to meet the surging demand for compact hybrid SUVs.Passenger cars are expected to be the top-selling vehicle segment in the global hybrid vehicle market. By the end of 2026, more than US$ 350 billion revenues are likely to be amassed by global sales of hybrid passenger cars. The report also reveals the impact of electric propulsion motors alignment to internal combustion engine in driving the sales of hybrid vehicles in the world. According to the report, power train configurations of hybrid vehicles will remain to be a crucial deciding factor for customers. During the forecast period, at least six out of every ten hybrid vehicles being sold in the world will be equipped with a power-split hybrid configuration. Contrarily, the demand for parallel hybrid and series hybrid configurations will drop, and will collectively be worth just over 20% of global revenues by the end of 2026.Request Report Sample@Gasoline Hybrid vs. Diesel HybridApropos the type of engines installed in these hybrid vehicles, people are undoubtedly inclined towards buying a gasoline-hybrid vehicle. Performance and fuel efficiency of gasoline hybrid engines has been evaluated to be higher compared to diesel hybrid engines. Moreover, diesel engines tend to be heavier than gasoline engines, thereby lowering the fuel efficiency and adding the unwanted torque to hybrid vehicles. In 2016, approximately 318,000 units of diesel hybrid engines were sold in the world. But, the consumption of gasoline-hybrid will keep imposing an unmatched imprint on global sales of diesel hybrid vehicles. Through 2026, close to US$ 400 billion worth of gasoline-hybrid engines have been anticipated to be sold in the global hybrid vehicle market.Key research findings in the report, titled Hybrid Vehicles Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026, include:Lack of charging stations is observed to be the greatest challenge for adoption of hybrid vehiclesAround 20% of global hybrid vehicle revenues throughout the projected period will be accounted by global sales plug-in hybrid vehicles.Japan will register the highest revenue growth for hybrid vehicles, procuring more than US$ 270 billion by 2026-endAfter Japan, North America and Western Europe will collectively account for more than 30% value share in the global hybrid vehicle marketSilent operability of hybrid vehicles also promotes its consumption among regions riddled with rising noise pollution levelsSend An Enquiry@Toyotas Prius  Best-Selling Hybrid Car of All TimeLeading automaker, Toyota Motor Corporation, continues to be one of the largest players in the global hybrid vehicle market. Its flagship hybrid model  Prius  has recorded sales of more than 200,000 units in 2015. Giving it a run for its money is Nissans Leaf, and Clarity and Fit EV by Honda. While Nissan Motor Corporation continues to consolidate its position in North America, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. is proliferating across the Japanese hybrid vehicle market. Other companies partaking in the growth of global hybrid vehicle market include, Bayerische Motoren Werke, AG, Daimler AG, Groupe Renault, General Motors Company and Ford Motor Company.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
MASON CITY  Merlyn Ulrich, 90, of Mason City, died March 2, 2017, at Hospice of North Iowa, Mason City.

A funeral service will be held Tuesday, March 7, at 10:30 a.m. at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, Mason City, with the Rev. Ed Bard officiating.

Burial will be at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City, with military honors conducted by the Mason City Veterans.

Visitation will be held from 4-6 p.m. Monday, March 6, at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel.

Family suggests memorial contributions to Hospice of North Iowa.

Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapels, Mason City.
Rear Axle Market To Experience Growth Due To Increasing Concern Over Safety And Security Till 2024: Grand View Research, Inc.

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The global rear axle market is expected to reach USD 57.77 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The increasing concern over safety and security is anticipated to drive demand over the forecast period.The increasing urbanization in the developed countries has led the consumers to seek alternatives to car ownership. Integrated mobility business and car-sharing has become the ongoing trend in the developed nations. The original equipment manufacturers are expected to diversify the product portfolio for offering services which include car-sharing to have a wider presence in all the diversified segments.The increasing demand for value for money (VFM), which includes high mileage and fuel efficient products, is anticipated to catapult the vehicle industry. Developed markets, such as Europe and the U.S., represent the dominant share in the industry. Intense competition in the developed markets has led to a shift in the focus toward the emerging markets. Furthermore, the changing lifestyle, rise in disposable income, and stabilizing economic conditions have also led the emerging countries, such as India and China, to exhibit market growth.The development of new technology, which includes connected cars, is a fully-digitized vehicle with advanced infotainment systems. Moreover, apps, Wi-Fi, and vehicle-to-vehicle communications have enhanced the basic safety such as position and speed, real-time location, and routing based on traffic conditions. Also, the development of smart cars, which provide a relinquishing control of vehicles with functions such as self-parking, self-braking, automatic accident avoidance features, automatic cruise control based on road conditions. The economic slowdown and falling stock prices have affected the sales of the automotive industry. China Association of Automobile Manufacturing (CAAM) confirmed a weaker growth of the sector as compared to that in 2014.Browse full research report on Global Rear Axle Market: (Further key findings from the study suggest: In 2015, the drive axles segment accounted for over 40% of the overall revenue. Numerous interconnecting systems have been incorporated with the drive shaft to increase efficiency, control the movement, and power. With the engine power turning the axle to create movement, drive shafts are used in a broad spectrum of vehicles. The economy vehicles segment is estimated to witness an enormous growth and is anticipated to reach over USD 22.0 billion by 2024. The demand is reflected in the shorter lead times in development, higher fuel economy, lower vehicle noise, and higher engine power. Rear axles used in these vehicles which offer better fuel consumption and lower noise levels. The Asia Pacific rear axle market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2016 to 2024. Emerging countries, such as South Africa, India, and Malaysia, are expected to boost the overall industry demand. SA exhibited a significant growth under the motor industry development program. Economy vehicles are expected to dominate the overall market in context with the rear axle application. Notable companies operating in the rear axle market include American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Dana Holding Corporation, Meritor, Inc., Daimler Trucks North America LLC, and ROC Spicer Ltd.Grand View Research has segmented the global rear axle market on the basis of type, application, and region:Rear Axle Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2015 - 2024) Drive Dead LiftRear Axle Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2015 - 2024) Heavy vehicles Luxury vehicles Executive vehicles Economy vehicle SUV MUV RailwaysRear Axle Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2015 - 2024) North America Europe Asia Pacific RoWFor more information:About Grand View ResearchGrand 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.Press ContactSherry James - Corporate Relations Specialist28 2nd Street, Suite 3036San Francisco, CA 94105United StatesPhone: 1-415-349-0058Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com
Global Peroxyacetic Acid Market is Expected to Touch USD1, 092.5 Million by 2027

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Global Peroxyacetic Acid Market is Expected to Touch $1,092.5 Million by The End of Forecasted Year With a CAGR of 7.11%.Peroxyacetic Acid is used in the major applications such as food industry, healthcare industry, water treatment industry, pulp & paper industries and others such as agriculture and laundry. Peroxyacetic acid is utilized as an antimicrobial for indoor hard surfaces, for example, bathrooms, washrooms, medicinal offices, sustenance foundations and rural premises. It can furthermore be utilized as a part of wineries, beverage plants, and bottling works as pasteurizers, on nourishment preparing equipment, in dairy/cheddar handling plants, as disinfectant in therapeutic supplies, in pulp industry for anticipation of bio film development.Request a Sample Report @Key Findings: The global peroxyacetic acid market and is expected to reach $1,092.5 million by 2027 Disinfectant accounted for the largest market share registering CAGR of 8.37% during the forecast period Regionally, Europe holds the largest market share 29%% of global peroxyacetic acid market and is expected to reach $325.1 million by 2027 from $135.5 million in 2015 Asia Pacific market is expected to be the fastest growing market, and expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.02% from 2016 to 2027 On the basis of applications, food segment holds 27% market shareKey Players Solvay Chemicals Evonik Industries Ecolab Aditya Birla Chemicals Promox S.P.A Christeyns Enviro Tech Chemical Services Peroxychem Seitz GmbhMarket DynamicsThe global peroxyacetic acid market is a very dynamic market and is expected to witness a high growth in coming five years. The demand of peroxyacetic acid is poised to be driven by growing food demand, rising population and rising preference for clean water. Furthermore, increasing demand for packaged food has also propelled the demand of peroxyacetic acid.SegmentationBy Types: Disinfectant, Sanitizer and SterilantBy Application: Food, Healthcare, Water Treatment, Pulp & Paper and OthersBy Region: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and RowMarket Analysis of Peroxyacetic Acid MarketThis chemical is commercially sold in its refined structure, distilled or as a 1-50% solution containing hydrogen peroxide acidic acid and water. Peroxyacetic acid is considered ad the most grounded oxidizing agent with a scope of applications including sanitization, disinfection, bleaching and sterilization. These applications mostly decompose in to the environment and do not leave any unsafe build-up. These flexible properties of the chemical settle on it the favoured choice of different family, households and end usersBrowse full Peroxyacetic Acid Market @Table of Content1 Report Prologue2 Introductions3 Research Methodologies4 Market Dynamics5 Market Factor Analysis5.1 Porter's 5 Forces Analysis5.2 Value Chain Analysis6 Global Peroxyacetic Acid Market: Trade Data6.1 Imports by Region6.2 Exports by Region7 Global Peroxyacetic Acid Market, By Type7.1 Introduction7.2 Market Size (Sub Segments)7.2.1 Disinfectant7.2.2 Sanitizer7.2.3 Sterilant8 Global Peroxyacetic Acid Market, By Application8.1 Introduction8.2 Market Size (Sub Segments)8.2.1 Food8.2.2 Healthcare8.2.3 Water Treatment8.2.4 Pulp & Paper8.2.5 Others (Agriculture & Laundry)9 Global Peroxyacetic Acid Market, By Region9.1 Market Size by Region9.1.1 North America9.1.2 Europe9.1.3 Asia-Pacific9.1.4 Middle East9.1.5 Africa9.1.6 South America10 Buyers and Suppliers Profile11 Company Profile11.1 Solvay Chemicals11.2 Evonik Industries11.3 Ecolab11.4 Aditya Birla Chemicals11.5 Promox S.P.A11.6 Christeyns11.7 Enviro Tech Chemical Services11.8 Peroxychem11.9 Seitz Gmbh12 ConclusionAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Akash AnandMarket Research FutureMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Flow Meters Market Estimated to Expand at a Robust CAGR over 2024

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Subtitle: The Flow Meters Market report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.The global flow meter market can be segmented by application, by product and by geography. The product type is further segmented into Magnetic, Coriolis, positive displacement, turbine, vortex and others. Magnetic flow meter lead the global market in terms of value in 2012. Magnetic flow meters are majorly used in wastewater and water industry. Main applications of Coriolis flow meter include petrochemical and refining, chemicals, oil and gas and other industries. Geography segment covers North America, Europe, Asia pacific and RoW.This market is expected to show the single digit growth in CARG by 2019. Rapid industrialization and growing population in Asia Pacific act as drivers for this market. Growing population requires wastewater and water infrastructure in that region. Africa and Middle East also have huge potential for flow meters market.Asia pacific continues to remain the largest market for flow meters, followed by North America and Europe. Asia Pacific market is expected to grow owing to huge investment by increasing demand for flow meters from different types of industries.The main key players for this industry include ABB Ltd., Yokogawa Electric Co., Hitachi ltd., Honeywell International ltd., Emerson Electric Co., Endress+Hauser AG and Siemens AG among others.Browse Full Report summary and to request sample report and table of content @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Global Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size, Status, Industry Analysis And Forecast 2022: Software Management, Services Management

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This report studies the global Agile Application Life-Cycle Management market, analyzes and researches the Agile Application Life-Cycle Management development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeHewlett-Packard Development CompanyElectric CloudIBM CorporationChangepoint CorporationAtlassian CorporationCA TechnologiesMicrosoft CorporationVersionOneMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Agile Application Life-Cycle Management can be split intoSoftware ManagementServices ManagementMarket segment by Application, Agile Application Life-Cycle Management can be split intoBFSI IndustryIT & Telecommunications IndustryHealthcareRetail IndustryGovernmentManufacturing IndustryOthersGet Sample Copy Of This Report:Table of ContentsGlobal Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Agile Application Life-Cycle Management1.1 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Overview1.1.1 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market by Type1.3.1 Software Management1.3.2 Services Management1.4 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 BFSI Industry1.4.2 IT & Telecommunications Industry1.4.3 Healthcare1.4.4 Retail Industry1.4.5 Government1.4.6 Manufacturing Industry1.4.7 Others2 Global Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in FutureBrowse More ICT Market research Reports:3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Hewlett-Packard Development Company3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Electric Cloud3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 IBM Corporation3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Changepoint Corporation3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Atlassian Corporation3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 CA Technologies3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Microsoft Corporation3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 VersionOne3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments4 Global Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size by Type (2012-2017)4.2 Global Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.3 Potential Application of Agile Application Life-Cycle Management in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Agile Application Life-Cycle Management5 United States Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size (2012-2017)5.2 United States Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)6 EU Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size (2012-2017)6.2 EU Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)7 Japan Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Development Status and Outlook7.1 Japan Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size (2012-2017)7.2 Japan Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)8 China Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Development Status and Outlook8.1 China Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size (2012-2017)8.2 China Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)9 India Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Development Status and Outlook9.1 India Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size (2012-2017)9.2 India Agile Application Life-Cycle Management Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)MarketResearchReports.biz supports your business intelligence needs with over 100,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market data sheets in its repository. Our document database is updated by the hour, which means that you always have access to fresh data spanning over 300 industries and their sub-segments.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Salsas, Dips and Spreads Market is Expected to Grow at a CAGR of 5% by 2022

Salsas, Dips and Spreads Market

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Market Research Future published a half cooked research report on the global salsas, dips & spreads market has been estimated to grow over 5% post 2022.Market Overview:Salsa is generally a tomato-based sauce or dip which includes various ingredients such as onions, chilies, beans, corn, and various spices. It is the Italian and Spanish term for sauce, and also referred to the sauces typical of Mexican cuisine known as salsa picante, particularly those used as dips in English speaking countries. Introduction of new flavors, packaging material will boost the market growth during the forecast period. Globally the market for salsas, dips and spreads is expected to grow at the rate of about 5% from 2016 to 2022.Market Forecast:Global Salsas, Dips and Spreads Market is mainly driven by increase in demand for savory snacks. Improved traction towards new flavors and snack products mainly in the younger consumer groups is driving higher sales of salsas, dips and spreads. Introduction of new ingredients and innovative packaging is also supporting market growth and expanding retail formats are also supporting the market growth.These factors will play a key role to grow salsas, dips and spreads market at CAGR of 5% during forecast period.Request a Sample Copy @Key Players of Salsas, Dips and Spreads Market: Frontera Foods Inc. (U.S.) Hot Sauce Harry's (U.S.) Tostitos (U.S.) Sabra (U.S.) Ricos (U.S.) Arizona Spice Company (U.S.) Desert Pepper Trading Company (U.S.) Cornitos (India) Salsalito (India) Britannia Foods (India)The demand for salsas, dips and spreads has pushed manufacturers to include new flavors and develop new salsa sips and spread products which are developed as per consumer preferences.Downstream Market Analysis:Consumer preferences are tending more towards healthy aspects like low fat, salt and calorie products is supporting the salsas, dips and spreads market. Increase in production of savory snacks is also encouraging higher production of salsas, dips and spreads which serve as accompaniments. Increase in consumer awareness about various products through various social media platforms will further boost sale of salsas, dips and spreads.Market Segmentation:Global salsas, dips and spreads market is segmented by product type, cuisine, specialty type, food preference, flavor type, and region.Brief TOC for Salsas, Dips and Spreads Market:1 Executive Summary2 Market Introduction2.1 Definition2.2 Scope of the study2.2.1 Research Objectives2.2.2 Assumptions2.2.3 Limitations2.3 Markets Structure2.4 Stakeholders3 Research Methodology3.1 Research process3.2 Secondary research3.3 Primary research3.4 Forecast model3.5 Market Size estimation4 Market Dynamics4.1 Drivers4.2 Restraints4.3 Opportunities4.4 ChallengesContinueAccess Report Details @Regional Analysis:The global salsas, dips and spreads market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). Among this North America region has major market share followed by Asia Pacific and Europe. Changing consumption patterns, growing tendency towards western snack foods has resulted in higher demand for salsas, dips and spreads globally.Strengthening retail network and distribution through e-commerce will further support the growth of salsas, dips and spreads market.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Molded Plastics Market: Emerging Economies Hive of Opportunities for Market Players By 2024

Molded Plastics Market

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In a highly fragmented global molded plastics market, in 2015, the top 10 companies held only 40% of the overall market. Some of these are companies are Chevron Philips Chemical Company LLC, Eastman Chemical Company, SABIC, BASF SE, and LyondellBasell Industries N.V. Top companies in this market have established high brand equity due to a long presence in this market, notes a study by Transparency Market Research. This factor, along with the technical expertise of key companies makes it difficult for new and small companies to compete with them.Focus on renewable raw materials to manufacture plastics for packaging industries is one of the key strategies that key players in this market have adopted, says the author of this study. Strengthening global presence by targeting emerging markets with high growth potential has also been adopted to accelerate growth. A case in point is BASF SE. In October 2015, the company established an engineered plastics compounding unit in South Korea and have plans to expand its existing engineered plastics compound capacities in Germany by the end of 2017. The global molded plastics marketwas pegged at US$124.8 bn in 2015 and is expected to be worth US$202.2 bn by 2024 at a CAGR of 5.6% therein. The market is expected to display a CAGR of 4.3% between 2016 and 2024 in terms of volume.Obtain Report Details @:Declining Crude Oil Prices Positively Influencing Molded Plastics MarketIn the present scenario, declining crude oil prices have positively impacted the petrochemical industry. The drop in oil prices has improved the profit margins of several petrochemical companies considerably, says analyst at TMR. Hence, the growth of the petrochemical industry is expected to positively impact the molded plastics market.The flourishing building and construction sector is also fuelling the growth of the molded plastics market, says TMR. With continued investments from government and private developers for infrastructural development and real estate projects, the construction industry has reached new heights.On the flip side, environmental hazards associated with the use of molded plastics, economic instability and political unrest in several countries predominantly in the Middle East, and unpredictable demand in the Middle East and Europe are expected to challenge the growth of the molded plastics market during the forecast period.Make an Enquiry @The Middle East and Africa to Display Fast Growth in FutureIn terms of material type, polypropylene displays the highest demand accounting for its dominance in the molded plastics market. In 2016, the segment held 41% share in the global market. However, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is expected to display the highest CAGR of 8.6% between 2016 and 2024. On the basis of technology, in 2015, injection molding led the molded plastics market and the technology segment is expected to increase two times by 2024. Blow molding, on the other hand, is evolving rapidly with an impressive growth rate.In terms of application, packaging is expected to be leading consumer of molded plastics until the end of the forecast period in 2024. Packaging is expected to generate the highest revenue until 2024. The construction sector contributes a significant revenue to the overall molded plastics market. Geography-wise, while currently, Asia Pacific contributes the highest revenue to the global market, the Middle East and Africa is expected to display growth at a fast pace.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 insights for 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, TMR employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact Us:-Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog:
Global Industrial Ethernet Market 2017 - Belden, Siemens, Moxa, Phoenix Contact , Red Lion Controls, Cisco

Industrial Ethernet

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http://www.bigmarketresearch.com/global-industrial-ethernet-by-manufacturers-regions-type-and-application-forecast-to-2021-market

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Industrial Ethernet is Industrial Ethernet is the use of Ethernet in an industrial environment with protocols that provide determinism and real-time control. Protocols for Industrial Ethernet include Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, EtherCAT, Modbus TCP/IP, POWERLINK, Other. Industrial Ethernet are composed of Transmission media converter module, Hubs, Switches and Routers, etc.Do Enquiry About Sample Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Industrial Ethernet in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers Belden Siemens Moxa Phoenix Contact Red Lion Controls Cisco Schneider Electric Rockwell Automation Beckhoff automation Westermo Kyland WAGO Corporation Advantech TranscendBrowse complete report @Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) South America, Middle East and AfricaMarket Segment by Type, covers Ethernet/IP PROFINET EtherCAT Modbus TCP/IP POWERLINK OtherMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into Electric power Transportation Oil & Gas OthersRequest For Discount @There are 13 Chapters to deeply display the global Industrial Ethernet market.Chapter 1, to describe Industrial Ethernet Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Industrial Ethernet, with sales, revenue, and price of Industrial Ethernet, in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Industrial Ethernet, for each region, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 5, 6, 7 and 8, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 9 and 10, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 11, Industrial Ethernet market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2016 to 2021;Chapter 12 and 13, to describe Industrial Ethernet sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data source.About US:With the arsenal of different search reports, we help you here to look and buy research reports that will be helpful to you and your organization. Our research reports have the capability and authenticity to support your organization for growth and consistency.Contact US:Dhananjay Potle5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesDirect :+ 1-503-894-6022Toll Free : + 1-800-910-6452Email: help@bigmarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Collaborative Robot Market Is Expected To Be Worth US$95.0 Bn By The End Of 2024 At A CAGR Of 30.0%

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Collaborative Robot Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024" to its huge collection of research reports.This report offers strategic analysis of the global collaborative robot market, and the market growth forecast for the period 2016 to 2024. The scope of the report contains competitive analysis of various market segments based on the payloads, application and industries of the collaborative robot market across different geographic segments.Collaborative robots are designed to help human beings as a guide in specific tasks. In general robots are designed and programmed to operate autonomously wherein collaborative robots operate simultaneously with humans. Lightweight of the collaborative robots is one of the important factor due to which growth of collaborative robotic market is likely to increase. Collaborative robots are the type of industrial robots that are grabbing more demand due to their collaborative nature with human and allows human to work side by side with these robots safely. Collaborative robots are light in weight, easy to assemble and can work side by side with human without hampering the safety of the human. These robots are flexible in nature that allows to handle repetitive and short run tasks along with ergonomically difficult tasks. Due to the nature of these robots, they are used in home labs, offices, farms, hospitals, warehouses, thereby allowing the robots to help in carrying out the job in a better way.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Global Collaborative Robot Market: Drivers and TrendsWith the increasing numbers of manufacturing sectors the demand of robotics is escalating. Since collaborative robots are the lightweight and flexible robots that work side by side with human safely, increases the demand of collaborative robots in manufacturing industries especially SME (Small Manufacturing Enterprise). This robotic technology is likely to optimize to support responsive production methodologies. Operators can swiftly program robotic movements based on logical process steps and using intuitive tools, with no programming experience.Global Collaborative Robot Market: SegmentationThe collaborative robot market is bifurcated based on payload into up to 5 Kg, 6  10 Kg and above 10 Kg. Among these segments 6  10 Kg accounted for the highest revenue share during the forecast period. They are used in operating heavier tasks that weigh up 10 Kg like palletizing, packaging, pick and place and assembling. This type of robots helps in saving time on production lines where distance is a factor. Moreover, on the basis of application, the collaborative robot market is segmented into packaging, material handling, quality testing, assembling, machine tending, welding and others. Material handling segment accounted for the highest market share in the global collaborative robot market. These robots helps in controlling and storing of materials in distribution centers, warehouses and also used for disposal. On the basis of industries the market is bifurcated into automotive, food and beverage, aerospace, plastic and polymers, metals and machining and others.Global Collaborative Robot Market: Regional OutlookTo support in strategic decision making, the report also embraces competitive profiling of leading players in the industry, their market share in different regions of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America. Asia Pacific held the highest market of collaborative robot globally. Presence of numerous number of industries and need for automation is driving the demand of Collaborative Robot market in Asia Pacific region. Additionally, several business strategies adopted by key players has also been deliberated in the report. The market attractiveness analysis is included in the report provide understanding into industry competition and market dynamics.The report also provides breakdown and review of several factors affecting the market growth, which are appropriately defined as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. These causes regulate innumerable existing trends and their effect on market growth. In all, the report includes a complete analysis of the global collaborative robot market, and provides an estimation of progress for the period 2015 to 2024, considering the various factors affecting the market.The market has been segmented as follows:Collaborative Robot Market, by Payloads:- Up to 5 Kg- 6 -10 Kg- Above 10 KgCollaborative Robot Market, by Application:- Packaging- Material Handling- Quality testing- Assembly- Machine Tending- Welding- OthersCollaborative Robot Market, by Industry:- Automotive- Food and beverage- Aerospace- Plastic and Polymers- Metals and Machining- OthersCollaborative Robot Market, by Geography- North America- U.S.- Canada- Rest of North America- Europe- U.K.- Germany- France- Italy- Rest of Europe- Asia Pacific- India- China- Japan- Rest of Asia Pacific- Middle East & Africa- Saudi Arabia- Rest of Middle East and Africa- Latin America- Brazil- Rest of Latin AmericaMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Medical Tourism Market Scenario, Leading Players, Segments Analysis and Growth Drivers to 2022

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https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/cancer-diagnostics-market

Market OverviewMedical Tourist Industry is dynamic and volatile in nature. The range of factors including the political instability, travel restrictions, advertising practices, economic climate, domestic policy changes, geo-political shifts, innovative and pioneering forms of treatment has contributed towards the shift in patterns of consumption and production of domestic and overseas health services. The reason for the shift is are the relatively low-cost of treatments in less developed nations, the availability of inexpensive flights and increased marketing and online consumer information about the availability of medical services.Request a Sample Copy of Report @Major Key Players: Bangkok Hospital (Bangkok), Schoen-Kliniken (Germany), Bumrungrad International Hospital (Bangkok), Clemenceau, Christus Muguerza, Fortis Healthcare (India) Parkway Pantai Limited (Singapore), Prince Court Medical Centre (Malaysia), Shouldice Hospital (Canada)Browse Report Details @Segmentation:Global Medical Tourism Market has been segmented on the basis of treatment which consists of cosmetic surgery, dentistry, cardiology/cardiac surgery, orthopedic surgery, bariatric surgery, fertility/reproductive system, organ and tissue transplantation, eye surgery and others. On the basis of region; market is segmented into Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa.Access the market data and market information presented through more than 60 market data tables and 25 figures spread over 80 numbers of pages of the project report Global Medical Tourism Market Research Report - Forecast to 2022Intended Audience Research and Development (R&D) Companies Market Research and Consulting Service Providers Medical device manufacturers Medical device suppliers Private Research LaboratoriesBrowse Related Report:Global Cancer Diagnostics Market Information- by Type (Biopsy Based, Endoscopy Based, Imaging Procedure, Tumor Biomarkers), Application (Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Leukemia, Melanoma), End User (Diagnostic Center, Clinic, Hospital, Research Institutes) - Forecast to 2022About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.ContactAkash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Surgical Clips Market Research Report 2017

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This report studies Surgical Clips in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringMedtronicB.BraunLeMaitre VascularMaxer EndoscopyKLS MartinLawton GmbH & Co.KGBoston ScientificScanlan InternationalEdwards LifesciencesBMC-PRIMATeleflex MedicalRoboz Surgical InstrumentLandangerHu-friedyMedisporexTowne BrothersYDMShanghai Medical InstrumentsTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Surgical Clips in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaSplit by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoTantalumStainless SteelTitaniumOtherSplit by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Surgical Clips in each application, can be divided intoClinicsHospitalsOthersBrowse Complete Report with TOC @Table of ContentsGlobal Surgical Clips Market Research Report 20171 Surgical Clips Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Surgical Clips1.2 Surgical Clips Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Surgical Clips by Type in 20151.2.2 Tantalum1.2.3 Stainless Steel1.2.4 Titanium1.2.5 Other1.3 Surgical Clips Segment by Application1.3.1 Surgical Clips Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Clinics1.3.3 Hospitals1.3.4 Others1.4 Surgical Clips Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Surgical Clips (2011-2021)2 Global Surgical Clips Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Surgical Clips Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Surgical Clips Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global Surgical Clips Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Surgical Clips Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Surgical Clips Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Surgical Clips Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Surgical Clips Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Surgical Clips Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2011-2016)3.1 Global Surgical Clips Production by Region (2011-2016)3.2 Global Surgical Clips Production Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.3 Global Surgical Clips Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.4 Global Surgical Clips Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.5 North America Surgical Clips Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.6 Europe Surgical Clips Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.7 China Surgical Clips Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.8 Japan Surgical Clips Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.9 Southeast Asia Surgical Clips Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.10 India Surgical Clips Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)4 Global Surgical Clips Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)4.1 Global Surgical Clips Consumption by Regions (2011-2016)4.2 North America Surgical Clips Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2011-2016)4.3 Europe Surgical Clips Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2011-2016)4.4 China Surgical Clips Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2011-2016)4.5 Japan Surgical Clips Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2011-2016)4.6 Southeast Asia Surgical Clips Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2011-2016)4.7 India Surgical Clips Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2011-2016)5 Global Surgical Clips Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Surgical Clips Production and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)5.2 Global Surgical Clips Revenue and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)5.3 Global Surgical Clips Price by Type (2011-2016)5.4 Global Surgical Clips Production Growth by Type (2011-2016)6 Global Surgical Clips Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Surgical Clips Consumption and Market Share by Application (2011-2016)6.2 Global Surgical Clips Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2011-2016)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/CountriesQYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.QYResearchreportsContact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States+1-518-621-2074866-997-4948USA-Canada Toll freesales@qyresearchreports.com
MASON CITY | A "Day Without a Woman" rally is 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, in Central Park.

Two community activists, Tahmyrah Lytle, head of "Where Do We Go From Here" in Mason City and Edith Haenel, head of Worth County Progressives, are putting on the rally.

They have taken part in other recent demonstrations in Mason City and North Iowa. Lytle leads weekly discussion groups on Thursday nights at First Congregational United Church of Christ.

They are asking women to rally against bigotry and sexism in government, asserting that women's rights are human rights.
Global Chemotherapy Devices Market Research Report 2017

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Chemotherapy Devices" to its huge collection of research reports.This research report accounts for all the most recent and relevant dynamics of the Chemotherapy Devices to create an all-encompassing database for users of all types. An important part within the given dynamics of the market is the information surrounding the profiles of all leading players and the relative competitive landscape of the market, as it is very likely for these key players to have their fair share of influence over it. Additional dynamics of the Chemotherapy Devices as mentioned in the report include its key drivers, restraints, and opportunities that have already affected a majority of the players in it, along with the ones that are likely to continue impacting the market over the given forecast period.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @To fully elaborate the competitive landscape of the market, a SWOT analysis is penned out in a manner fit for players of all caliber. This allows for a clearer projection for the market for the foreseeable years. Other aspects analyzed in the report, in terms of the individual player profiles, are their financial profiles and their current planning and market strategies that have so far been visible.The Chemotherapy Devices is further analyzed on the basis of its supply and demand chains, which is a part of the passage that employs past analytics and current information pertaining to usage and production capacities. This section of the report additionally includes product descriptions and cost structures of the market. The report also presents a descriptive analysis of the market in order to calculate its characteristic traits in upstream and downstream demand cycles for raw materials, imports, and exports.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Chemotherapy Devices Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Chemotherapy Devices1.2 Chemotherapy Devices Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Chemotherapy Devices by Type in 20151.2.2 Verticle type1.2.3 Horizontal type1.3 Chemotherapy Devices Segment by Application1.3.1 Chemotherapy Devices Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Hospital1.3.3 Chemotherapy center1.3.4 Application 31.4 Chemotherapy Devices Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Chemotherapy Devices (2011-2021)2 Global Chemotherapy Devices Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Chemotherapy Devices Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Chemotherapy Devices Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global Chemotherapy Devices Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Chemotherapy Devices Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Chemotherapy Devices Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Chemotherapy Devices Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Chemotherapy Devices Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2011-2016)3.1 Global Chemotherapy Devices Production by Region (2011-2016)3.2 Global Chemotherapy Devices Production Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.3 Global Chemotherapy Devices Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.4 Global Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.5 North America Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.6 Europe Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.7 China Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.8 Japan Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.9 Southeast Asia Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.10 India Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)4 Global Chemotherapy Devices Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)4.1 Global Chemotherapy Devices Consumption by Regions (2011-2016)4.2 North America Chemotherapy Devices Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2011-2016)4.3 Europe Chemotherapy Devices Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2011-2016)4.4 China Chemotherapy Devices Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2011-2016)4.5 Japan Chemotherapy Devices Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2011-2016)4.6 Southeast Asia Chemotherapy Devices Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2011-2016)4.7 India Chemotherapy Devices Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2011-2016)5 Global Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Chemotherapy Devices Production and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)5.2 Global Chemotherapy Devices Revenue and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)5.3 Global Chemotherapy Devices Price by Type (2011-2016)5.4 Global Chemotherapy Devices Production Growth by Type (2011-2016)6 Global Chemotherapy Devices Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Chemotherapy Devices Consumption and Market Share by Application (2011-2016)6.2 Global Chemotherapy Devices Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2011-2016)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/Countries7 Global Chemotherapy Devices Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 PYREXAR7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.1.2 Chemotherapy Devices Product Type, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Verticle type7.1.2.2 Horizontal type7.1.3 PYREXAR Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Gamidatech7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.2.2 Chemotherapy Devices Product Type, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Verticle type7.2.2.2 Horizontal type7.2.3 Gamidatech Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 MEDICA7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.3.2 Chemotherapy Devices Product Type, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Verticle type7.3.2.2 Horizontal type7.3.3 MEDICA Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Sante Actions7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.4.2 Chemotherapy Devices Product Type, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Verticle type7.4.2.2 Horizontal type7.4.3 Sante Actions Chemotherapy Devices Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.4.4 Main Business/Business OverviewFor Market Research Latest Reports Visit @About UsQYReseachReports.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.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Aircraft Tire Market is Expected to Grow at a CAGR of 4.5% by 2022

Aircraft Tire Market

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https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/aircraft-tire-market

Market research future published a half cooked research report on global aircraft tire market. The aircraft tire market is expected to grow over the CAGR of around 4.5% during the period 2016 to 2022.Market Highlights:Aircraft tires are generally used in the performance of the aircraft. They are produced with different kind of materials such as steel, nylon cord, artificial and natural rubber and others. The strength of the tire is provided by casing plies. These are layer of fabric cord which are coated with hi-modulus rubber on both the side. There are different aircraft tire manufacturers who provides tire to civil and military segments so as to serve air force and naval force. The major factors which are responsible for the growth of aircraft tires market are increasing demand of aircraft, increase safety, frequent replacement of tires, demand for advance and new airlines and rise in traffic due to increasing passenger. Due to network expansion and fuel efficient aircraft, there is an increasing demand for aircraft.Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth during the forecasted period due to increasing demand of commercial airlines in these region and increasing government spending for infrastructure development, liberalization and GDP growth. The rising air traffic in Asia-Pacific results in the growth of these region. Various critical factors which has resulted in the growth of these region are adopting wide-bodied aircrafts, rising passenger traffic, growing demand for aircraft that are fuel efficient.Request a Sample Copy @Key Players of Aircraft Tire Market: Aviation Tires & Treads LLC Bridgestone Corporation Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin Sca Desser Tire & Rubber Co. LLC Dunlop Aircraft Tyres Ltd. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Petlas Tire Corporation Qingdao Sentury Tire Co., Ltd. Specialty Tires of America Wilkerson Company, Inc. (Wco)Market Research Analysis:The market is highly based on application. Commercial segment based on application has dominated the aircraft tires market because of the requirement from the commercial aircraft manufacturer to improve the operation of the aircraft efficiency. This can be done by overall reducing the weight of the tires. There is the need for more aircraft in the commercial sector due to rise in air traffic and increasing need for connectivity among destination.The factors that are contributing towards the growth of aircraft tires market are increasing demand of aircraft, increase safety, frequent replacement of tires, demand for advance and new airlines and rise in traffic due to increasing passenger.Scope of the Report:This study provides an overview of the global aircraft tires market, tracking three market segments across four geographic regions. The report studies key players, providing a five-year annual trend analysis that highlights market size, volume and share for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (ROW). The report also provides a forecast, focusing on the market opportunities for the next five years for each region. The scope of the study segments the global aircraft tires market by its product type, application and region.By Product Type Radial BiasBy Application Commercial DefenseBy Region North America Europe Asia-Pacific ROWBrief TOC for Aircraft Tire Market:1 Executive Summary2 Research Methodology2.1 Scope of the Study2.1.1 Definition2.1.2 Research Objective2.1.3 Assumptions2.1.4 Limitations2.2 Research Process2.2.1 Primary Research2.2.2 Secondary Research2.3 Market size Estimation2.4 Forecast Model3 Market Dynamics3.1 Market Drivers3.2 Market Inhibitors3.3 Supply/Value Chain Analysis3.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis4 Global Aircraft Tire Market, By Product Type4.1 Radial4.2 Bias5 Global Aircraft Tire Market, By Application5.1 Introduction5.2 Commercial5.3 DefenseContinueBrowse Full Report @Intended Audience: Aircraft tire manufacturers Distributer & Supplier companies End Users Consultants and Investment bankers Government as well as Independent Regulatory AuthoritiesAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash AnandMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Slip Ring Market- LTN, Pandect Precision, Mercotac, DSTI, BGB and Molex

Slip Ring

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This report studies sales (consumption) of Slip Ring in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top players in these regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these regions, coveringLTNPandect PrecisionMercotacDSTIBGBMolexUEAThe market research report by QY Research provides detailed study on the overall Slip Ring market size, its financial positions, its unique selling points, key products, and key developments. This research report has segmented the Slip Ring market based on the segments covering all the domains in terms of type, country, region, forecasting revenues, and market share, along with analysis of latest trends in every sub-segment.Click Here to Request Sample Report @The qualitative segmentation of Slip Ring market covered in the report gives in-depth information of the overall market. Furthermore, the market size, share, forecast trends, analysis, sales, supply, production, demand, major manufacturers, end-users, and many other vital factors are comprised in the Market Research Slip Ring report by QY Research. By these comprehensive data, it is simple to take and make precise and accurate decisions taking into consideration the present market situation and the forecasts of the global market, which in turn may result into profitable step for our clients.A competitive landscape that identifies the major competitors of the global market and their market share are further highlighted in the research report. A deliberate profiling of major competitors of the Slip Ring market as well as a inclusive analysis of their current developments, core competencies, and investments in each segment are also elaborated in the research report.Browse Complete Report with TOC @The overall information of the Slip Ring market provided in the report helps our client to make precise and accurate decisions in order to gain maximum profit in this cutthroat competition in the global market. The report comprises various elements such as table, figure, charts, TOCs, chapters, and so on so as to provide a crystal clear data to the client giving a brief of the market and its trends. Thus, the report provides in-depth information of the Slip Ring market in terms of revenue, value, volume, region, and many more.About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651
Global 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size, Status, Technology Advancement, Industry Analysis And Forecast 2022: Direct Data Transmission, Indirect Data Transmission, Guaranteed Time Slot (GTS) Data Transmission

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This report studies the global 802.15.4/ZigBee market, analyzes and researches the 802.15.4/ZigBee development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeDigi InternationalTexas Instruments IncorporatedAnarenAtmelCalifornia Eastern LaboratoriesDresden ElektronikNivisRadiosTelegesisMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, 802.15.4/ZigBee can be split intoDirect Data TransmissionIndirect Data TransmissionGuaranteed Time Slot (GTS) Data TransmissionMarket segment by Application, 802.15.4/ZigBee can be split intoIndustryAgricultureCars and CarsResidentialHealth CareOtherGet Sample Copy Of this Report:Table of ContentsGlobal 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of 802.15.4/ZigBee1.1 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Overview1.1.1 802.15.4/ZigBee Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 802.15.4/ZigBee Market by Type1.3.1 Direct Data Transmission1.3.2 Indirect Data Transmission1.3.3 Guaranteed Time Slot (GTS) Data Transmission1.4 802.15.4/ZigBee Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Industry1.4.2 Agriculture1.4.3 Cars and Cars1.4.4 Residential1.4.5 Health Care1.4.6 Other2 Global 802.15.4/ZigBee Competition Analysis by Players2.1 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in FutureBrowse More ICT Market research Reports:3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Digi International3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 802.15.4/ZigBee Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Texas Instruments Incorporated3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 802.15.4/ZigBee Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Anaren3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 802.15.4/ZigBee Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Atmel3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 802.15.4/ZigBee Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 California Eastern Laboratories3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 802.15.4/ZigBee Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Dresden Elektronik3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 802.15.4/ZigBee Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Nivis3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 802.15.4/ZigBee Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Radios3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 802.15.4/ZigBee Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Telegesis3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 802.15.4/ZigBee Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments4 Global 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size by Type (2012-2017)4.2 Global 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.3 Potential Application of 802.15.4/ZigBee in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of 802.15.4/ZigBee5 United States 802.15.4/ZigBee Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size (2012-2017)5.2 United States 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)6 EU 802.15.4/ZigBee Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size (2012-2017)6.2 EU 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)7 Japan 802.15.4/ZigBee Development Status and Outlook7.1 Japan 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size (2012-2017)7.2 Japan 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)8 China 802.15.4/ZigBee Development Status and Outlook8.1 China 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size (2012-2017)8.2 China 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)9 India 802.15.4/ZigBee Development Status and Outlook9.1 India 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size (2012-2017)9.2 India 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)10 Southeast Asia 802.15.4/ZigBee Development Status and Outlook10.1 Southeast Asia 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size (2012-2017)10.2 Southeast Asia 802.15.4/ZigBee Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)MarketResearchReports.biz supports your business intelligence needs with over 100,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market data sheets in its repository. Our document database is updated by the hour, which means that you always have access to fresh data spanning over 300 industries and their sub-segments.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
New Car Canada Offers Fast and Guaranteed Auto Loans to Anyone Looking to Buy a New Vehicle in Brampton

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Those looking to buy a new vehicle in Brampton can now get approved instantly for an auto loan option of up to $40,000, without making any down payment. New Car Canada - Brampton accommodates all applicants even those with a few red flags on their credit. They are willing to finance any type of vehicle you are looking for, be it is an SUV, Minivan, Pickup Truck, etc. Their rates are very affordable even to to applicants who can only qualify for a sub prime loan. New Car Canada specializes in bad credit car financing to help everyone acquire the car that they need, regardless of their credit situation.Guaranteed 24-hour ApprovalNew Car Canada prides itself in providing the fasted auto loan approval process in Brampton. Any person can get approved just 24 hours after application. Simply fill out their 1-minute online application form and comply with their very simple requirements. Their application process is totally free of charge; you are ensured that there are no hidden fees or any added requirements involved.What You Need to ApplyAvail yourself of New Car Canadas auto finance services by meeting the following requirements - a valid drivers license, a regular job with a salary of at least $1,800 per month, and an ability to acquire a vehicular insurance coverage.New Car Canada - Brampton offers a no down payment option on all of their vehicles even to applicants with poor credit. With that, anyone can easily get the car that theyve always wanted without paying any money down. Click here to learn more about their financing services.New Car Canada - BramptonBrampton is one of the suburban cities that make up the Greater Toronto Area, ranking 9th in Canadas most populous municipality. The city is also referred to as Flower City due to its notable greenhouse industry. Its economy is mainly anchored in manufacturing, business, retail and communication technology. One of Chryslers Assembly Plant happens to be one of the major employers here. The city of Brampton also boasts of various art galleries, museums, theatres and recreational parks which is an embodiment of its progressive economy and rich culture.Bramptons transportation is serviced mainly by Brampton Transit and GO Transit which connects to other cities and communities inside the GTA. Even with a dependable public transportation service, going in and out of Brampton is more convenient and much faster if you have your own ride. Buying your own vehicle need not be a struggle especially if you are working with a reliable dealer such as New Car Canada - Brampton. Their rates are reasonable and any applicant is guaranteed an instant approval. Dont let terrible credit stop you from becoming a car owner, spare a few minutes to check out their financing offers today -Brampton is one of the suburban cities that make up the Greater Toronto Area, ranking 9th in Canadas most populous municipality. The city is also referred to as Flower City due to its notable greenhouse industry. Its economy is mainly anchored in manufacturing, business, retail and communication technology. One of Chryslers Assembly Plant happens to be one of the major employers here. The city of Brampton also boasts of various art galleries, museums, theatres and recreational parks which is an embodiment of its progressive economy and rich culture.Bad Credit Car Loans Brampton31 Neville Crescent,Brampton, OntarioL6S 5L5(855) 686-7494
Monterey Peninsula Surgery Centers Launches Minimus Institute

http://minimusinstitute.com/procedures/

http://minimusinstitute.com/

http://minimusinstitute.com/

MPSC extends its quality outpatient care nationally with Minimus Institute, a national referral center offering patient-focused surgical care in a concierge settingMonterey, CA, March 03, 2017  Monterey Peninsula Surgery Centers (MPSC), a highly respected surgical care provider and the largest locally-owned outpatient surgery organization in California, performs nearly 17,000 surgical procedures in 13 specialties annually. Every day more than 70 individuals and their families trust MPSC for their surgical care. MPSC's esteemed team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and patient service providers have been delivering extraordinary care to the communities of Monterey, Salinas and Santa Cruz for over 35 years.MPSC and its surgeons are recognized leaders in outpatient surgical care as measured by the high demand for its services, extremely low infection rates, 99% patient-satisfaction scores and affordable, transparent pricing. If MPSC was a hospital, it would rank No. 4 in the state in the number of outpatient surgeries performed annually.Although the majority of MPSCs patients reside in Northern and Central California, in the last five years, MPSC has attracted patients from 47 states and 10 countries seeking the most advanced surgical care.Now, through Minimus Institute, which launched November 2016, MPSC is extending its services to patients living outside the Monterey, Santa Cruz and Salinas areas. Through Minimus Institute, MPSC will meet the unique pre and post-operative needs of patients traveling for surgery, including facilitating the surgeon-patient relationship, arranging physician consultations and booking travel accommodations, to ensure patients receive a stress-free experience. Since its launch last year, Minimus Institute has served patients from Oregon, Alaska and throughout California.Minimus is a national surgery referral center that offers access to world-class surgeons and arms patients with real-time data on outcomes, infection rates, patient satisfaction scores and transparent pricing, all in a concierge setting. Minimus Institute strives to empower patients to make the most informed decisions about their care and guide them through their surgical experience.Minimus Institute will begin with spinal surgery, but will expand to include orthopedic surgery, general surgery, gynecologic surgery and many other specialties.Patients can visit our website at MinimusInstitute.com to view up-front, all-inclusive pricing, patient satisfaction scores and infection rates to help them make an informed decision regarding their surgery options," said Thomas D. Wilson, Managing Partner and CEO of MPSC and Minimus Institute. Minimus provides patients an outstanding surgical experience with great value as measured by an optimum combination of quality, service and price. Because surgery is all we do, our hallmarks are efficiency, clarity and excellence. Our goal is to deliver surgery a better way. We strive to be pioneers in arming our patients with knowledge and we want to enable patients to make well-informed decisions.By leveraging the organizations high-quality care and excellent patient experience with transparent pricing and outcomes, Minimus seeks to demystify the patient/surgery/doctor interaction.Minimus' prime objective is to become recognized as a national destination surgery center or beacon for patients, insurance companies and self-insured groups seeking the most advanced and least invasive outpatient surgery in a setting featuring transparency, value and great outcomes. Patients can also access up-front, all-inclusive surgical pricing atAbout Minimus Institute:Minimus Institute is a national state-of-the-art surgical institute located in a beautiful setting on California's Central Coast, providing patients access to world-class surgeons and exceptional value. Offering transparent pricing and clear, comprehensive outcome information and patient-satisfaction scores, Minimus demystifies the surgical-care experience allowing patients to make the most informed decisions about their care. To learn more go toAbout Monterey Peninsula Surgery Centers (MPSC):MPSC and its surgeons are recognized leaders in outpatient surgical care as measured by the high demand for its services, extremely low infection rates, 99% patient satisfaction scores and affordable, transparent pricing. It is known for performing complex surgery, including total joint replacements, major spine surgeries, hysterectomies, breast reconstruction and thyroidectomies in the outpatient setting. In excess of 31,500 surgical procedures across 13 specialties are performed annually at MPSC by its 190 physicians on staff.Contact:Marci Bracco CainChatterbox PRSalinas, CA 93901(831) 747-7455
Fish Processing Market 2017 - Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL, Marine Harvest ASA, Pescanova S.A., Royal Greenland A/S, Leroy Seafood Group ASA, Norway Pelagic ASA

Fish Processing Market

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A market study based on the "Fish Processing Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Fish Processing Market 2017. The research report analyses the historical as well as present performance of the worldwide Fish Processing industry, and makes predictions on the future status of Fish Processing market on the basis of this analysis.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :Top Manufacturers Analysis Of This ReportCharoen Pokphand Foods PCLMaruha Nichiro Corporation (Japan)Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. (Japan)Marine Harvest ASAThai Union Frozen Products PLCPescanova S.A.High Liner Foods IncorporatedRoyal Greenland A/SLeroy Seafood Group ASANorway Pelagic ASAThe report studies the industry for Fish Processing across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Fish Processing market & dynamics of demand and supply of Fish Processing into consideration. The 'Fish Processing' research study covers each and every aspect of the Fish Processing market globally, which starts from the definition of the Fish Processing industry and develops towards Fish Processing market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Fish Processing market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Fish Processing market. The geographical segmentation of the Fish Processing industry has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the worldwide market for Fish Processing is determined by evaluating the various industry participants, production capacity, Fish Processing market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Fish Processing market worldwide.Enquire Here :The global Fish Processing market 2017 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Fish Processing production volume, data regarding demand and Fish Processing supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the industry for Fish Processing across the globe.About UsApexResearch offer reports from top publishers and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.biz
Global Security Information And Event Management Market to grow at a CAGR of 12.03% during 2017-2021

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About Security Information And Event ManagementSIEM includes solutions and services that help enterprises to analyze log (large volumes of computer generated data also known as audit records and audit trials) and event data in real time to identity potential threats and provide event correlation and incident response. The data is collected from security and network devices, systems, and applications. The data is collected in a central repository for interpretation of logs and trend analysis and provides automated reporting for compliance and centralized reporting. SIEM solutions provide quicker identification, analysis, and recovery of security events. The events are alerts generated by a network security device such as a firewall or intrusion detection system (IDS).Technavios analysts forecast the global security information and event management to grow at a CAGR of 12.03% during the period 2017-2021.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global security information and event management for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of SIEM solutions and services.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:APACEuropeNorth AmericaMEATechnavio's report, Global Security Information And Event Management 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Download Sample Copy of Report atKey vendorsIBMHewlett PackardMcAfeeLogRhythmSplunkOther prominent vendorsAlienVaultBlackStratusEventTrackerDell TechnologiesFortinetMicro FocusSolarWindsSymantecTenable Network SecurityTIBCO SoftwareTrustwaveZOHO CorpMarket driverNeed to comply with regulatory requirements.For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeSecurity risks associated with SaaS offerings.For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendGrowing popularity of managed security service providers.For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Flame Retardant ABS Resin Market 2017 - INEOS, Sinopec, CHIMEI, LG Chem, SABIC, Formosa Chemicals & Fibre, LOTTE ADVANCED MATERIALS

Flame Retardant ABS Resin Market

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A market study based on the "Flame Retardant ABS Resin Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Flame Retardant ABS Resin Market 2017. The research report analyses the historical as well as present performance of the worldwide Flame Retardant ABS Resin industry, and makes predictions on the future status of Flame Retardant ABS Resin market on the basis of this analysis.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :Top Manufacturers Analysis Of This ReportCHIMEIFormosa Chemicals & FibreLG ChemSABICLOTTE ADVANCED MATERIALSINEOSSinopecThe report studies the industry for Flame Retardant ABS Resin across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Flame Retardant ABS Resin market & dynamics of demand and supply of Flame Retardant ABS Resin into consideration. The 'Flame Retardant ABS Resin' research study covers each and every aspect of the Flame Retardant ABS Resin market globally, which starts from the definition of the Flame Retardant ABS Resin industry and develops towards Flame Retardant ABS Resin market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Flame Retardant ABS Resin market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Flame Retardant ABS Resin market. The geographical segmentation of the Flame Retardant ABS Resin industry has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the worldwide market for Flame Retardant ABS Resin is determined by evaluating the various industry participants, production capacity, Flame Retardant ABS Resin market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Flame Retardant ABS Resin market worldwide.Enquire Here :The global Flame Retardant ABS Resin market 2017 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Flame Retardant ABS Resin production volume, data regarding demand and Flame Retardant ABS Resin supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the industry for Flame Retardant ABS Resin across the globe.About UsApexResearch offer reports from top publishers and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.biz
Fluorescein Market 2017 - Thermo fisher, SIGMA-ALDRICH, CHEMOS, Hangzhou DayangChem, Siddhichem, Akorn

Fluorescein Market

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A market study based on the "Fluorescein Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Fluorescein Market 2017. The research report analyses the historical as well as present performance of the worldwide Fluorescein industry, and makes predictions on the future status of Fluorescein market on the basis of this analysis.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :Top Manufacturers Analysis Of This ReportThermo fisherSIGMA-ALDRICHCHEMOSHangzhou DayangChemSiddhichemAkornThe report studies the industry for Fluorescein across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Fluorescein market & dynamics of demand and supply of Fluorescein into consideration. The 'Fluorescein' research study covers each and every aspect of the Fluorescein market globally, which starts from the definition of the Fluorescein industry and develops towards Fluorescein market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Fluorescein market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Fluorescein market. The geographical segmentation of the Fluorescein industry has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the worldwide market for Fluorescein is determined by evaluating the various industry participants, production capacity, Fluorescein market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Fluorescein market worldwide.Enquire Here :The global Fluorescein market 2017 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Fluorescein production volume, data regarding demand and Fluorescein supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the industry for Fluorescein across the globe.About UsApexResearch offer reports from top publishers and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.biz
Baby Product Market To Witness Growth Based On Rising Demand For Safety And Convenience Products Till 2025: Grand View Research, Inc.

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The global baby product market is expected to reach USD 121.0 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising spending capability in matured economies of North America and Europe will augment industry growth over the next nine years.Increasing birthrate in emerging economies of Asia Pacific including India and China is anticipated to drive the demand for infant items over the forecast period. Rising awareness among the customers about infant nutrition, hygiene, and safety in the region will fuel demand over the forecast period. Continuous innovation among manufactures is expected to propel industry growth over the forecast period.Cosmetics & toiletries held the largest share in the market. Cosmetics help to enhance infant skin, provide nourishment, resist swelling, itching, rashes and inflammations. Apart from that it tends to posses antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, which soothe and provide luster to the skin. These beneficial properties are expected to drive the demand over the forecast period.Infant food provides essential ingredients which include vitaminB12, protein, carbohydrate, and iron which are required in different growth phases of babies, so as to develop a good immune system. Rising number of food varieties coupled with its ease of use when travelling is expected to have a positive impact on the market over the forecast period.Browse full research report on Global Baby Product Market:(Further key findings from the report suggest: Baby product market is expected to witness growth at a CAGR of 6.9% from 2016 to 2025 owing to increased female working population resulting in higher demand for ready-to-use items Cosmetics & toiletries will witness the fastest growth at a CAGR of 7.3% from 2016 to 2024 owing to rising awareness regarding infant hygiene Asia Pacific market was estimated at over USD 17 billion in 2015 on account of growing awareness about baby nutrition, hygiene and safety coupled with increased disposable income Key participants include Procter & Gamble Company, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Plc, Unilever Plc, Nestle S. A, and Abbott Nutrition Key companies in the market are focused on increasing their global presence through mergers & acquisitions and brand awareness. In November 2016, Dabur South Africa (Pty) Ltd acquired South Africas CTL Group of Companies personal care, hair care & creams businesses for USD 1.3 million In July 2016, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. completed the acquisition of Vogue International LLC, which is engaged in the manufacturing and distribution of hair care and other personal care products for $3.3 billionGrand View Research has segmented the global baby product market on the basis of product and region:Baby Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) Cosmetic & Toiletrieso Baby Skin Care Productso Bath Productso Baby Hair Care Productso Other Cosmetics & Toiletries Baby Foodo Milk Productso Frozen Baby Foodo Baby Juiceo Baby Food Snackso Baby Food Cereals Baby Safety & Convenienceo Baby Strollerso Baby Car SeatsBaby Product Market Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) North Americao U.S. Europeo UKo Germany Asia Pacifico Chinao Indiao Japan South & Central Americao Brazil Middle East & Africa (MEA)For more information:About Grand View ResearchGrand 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.Press ContactSherry James - Corporate Relations Specialist28 2nd Street, Suite 3036San Francisco, CA 94105United StatesPhone: 1-415-349-0058Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com
Fluorescence Microscopes Market 2017 - Bruker, Olympus, Leica, Zeiss, PicoQuant, Meiji Techno., Euromex, Keyence, Hysitron, Beijing Cewei

Fluorescence Microscopes Market

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A market study based on the "Fluorescence Microscopes Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Fluorescence Microscopes Market 2017. The research report analyses the historical as well as present performance of the worldwide Fluorescence Microscopes industry, and makes predictions on the future status of Fluorescence Microscopes market on the basis of this analysis.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :Top Manufacturers Analysis Of This ReportBrukerOlympusLeicaZeissThermo Fisher Scientific Inc.PicoQuantMeiji Techno.Guangzhou Micro-shot Technology Co., Ltd.EuromexKeyenceHysitronBeijing CeweiThe report studies the industry for Fluorescence Microscopes across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Fluorescence Microscopes market & dynamics of demand and supply of Fluorescence Microscopes into consideration. The 'Fluorescence Microscopes' research study covers each and every aspect of the Fluorescence Microscopes market globally, which starts from the definition of the Fluorescence Microscopes industry and develops towards Fluorescence Microscopes market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Fluorescence Microscopes market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Fluorescence Microscopes market. The geographical segmentation of the Fluorescence Microscopes industry has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the worldwide market for Fluorescence Microscopes is determined by evaluating the various industry participants, production capacity, Fluorescence Microscopes market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Fluorescence Microscopes market worldwide.Enquire Here :The global Fluorescence Microscopes market 2017 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Fluorescence Microscopes production volume, data regarding demand and Fluorescence Microscopes supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the industry for Fluorescence Microscopes across the globe.About UsApexResearch offer reports from top publishers and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.biz
Global Wearable Medical Technology Market Outlook with Company Analysis and Forecast 2021

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The Global Wearable Medical Technology Market research 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. 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.Global Wearable Medical Technology Market key players are: Company A Company B Company C Company DBrowse the full Global Wearable Medical Technology Market Research Report @This market analysis includes a detailed segmentation of the Global Wearable Medical Technology Market by development trend and by application.The report covers the present year 2017 scenario and the growth prospects of the Global Wearable Medical Technology Market for 2017-2021.The report Global Wearable Medical Technology Market 2017-2021 has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. The report also covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years.The Wearable Medical Technology Market By Geography North America Asia-Pacific EuropeRequest a sample of Global Wearable Medical Technology Market Research Report @Some of the points from table of content:Industry Overview Definition Classification Share Analysis Application AnalysisMarket Analysis Product Development History Process Development History Competitive Landscape AnalysisIndustry Development Trend Capacity Production Overview Production Market Share Analysis Demand OverviewMarket Status and Forecast Supply Demand and Shortage Import Export Consumption Cost Price Production Value Gross MarginReasons for Buying this Global Wearable Medical Technology Market Research Report This report helps to analyzed the world's main region market conditions It provides product manufacturing processes It provides industry policies and plans It provides overview of product specification It provides cost structures & so on.The Report Contains: 165 Pages.Price of the report: 2850$ (single user license)Check discount @About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Follow Us on LinkedIn:
Communications Test and Measurement Market Set to Witness an Uptick during, 2016 - 2024

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Subtitle: The Communications Test and Measurement Market report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.Communication test and measurement equipment is integrated test equipment comprising of software and hardware that is used by original manufacturers and network operators in order to deliver superior experience in data, video and voice communication. The communication test and measurement market provides efficient management of internet protocol TV by providing management, repair and deployment of services and networks. As digital communication network is increasing, the need for reliable and accurate test and measurement has increased.Growth in telecommunication industry is expected to grow the communication test and measurement market. Additionally, introduction of next generation cellular and wireless technology, growing demand of mobile phone and increasing bandwidth demand is expected to propel the communication test and measurement market. However, the major restrain of communication test and measurement equipment is, keeping pace with technological advances. The paradigm shift in cloud computing and evolving artificial intelligence technologies is expected to provide major opportunity for communication test and measurement market.Wireless communication test equipment market is expected to grow at fast rate compared to lab analytical instrumentation market and general purpose test equipment market. Increased adoption of 3G and 4G network is expected to drive the wireless communication test equipment market. By end user, the communication test and measurement market is segmented as network equipment manufacturers, mobile device manufacturers, telecommunication service providers, and enterprise. Globally, North America leads the communication, test and measurement equipment market followed by Europe. However Asia Pacific shows bright growth prospects due to increasing R&D investment.The key players of communication test and measurement market include Spirent communications, Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co KG, Octoscope, Agilent Technologies, Danaher Corporation, Exfo Inc., JDS Uniphase Corporation, Anritsu Corporation, Calnex Solutions and Yokogawa Electric among others.Browse Full Report summary and to request sample report and table of content @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
High Performance Epoxy Market is Expected to Reach USD 14.9 Billion by 2022

High Performance Epoxy Market

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Market Research Future has a half-cooked research report on global high performance epoxy market which is growing rapidly and expected to continue its growth till 2022.Taste the market data and market information presented in more than 50 market data tables and figures spread over 85 pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content (TOC) & market synopsis on Global High Performance Epoxy Market Research Report Forecast to 2022.Market Highlights:High performance epoxy is utilized to protect metal and concrete structure which includes, tanks and pipes which are affected resulting in corrosion of material as a result of exposure to acid rain and environment. High performance epoxy are utilized mainly in chemical plants, oil refinery, aerospace and marine industries.High performance epoxy markets drivers are end-use industries which are growing rapidly moreover epoxy has environmental friendly features which makes it suitable to be used in various industries. The market growth might be hindered as high performance epoxy raw material and product is quiet expensive.The high performance epoxy market is segmented on the basis of type namely resins, adhesives, pigments, solvents and others. The demand of resins is increasing consistently over the forecasted period. Further-more adhesives and pigments segment is anticipated to grow over the forecasted period.Request a Sample Copy @The high performance epoxy market is segmented on end-user namely aerospace & marine, automotive, consumer goods and others. The aerospace & marine as well as Consumer goods segment on the other hand is anticipated to grow over the forecasted period.Companies such as are Euclid Chemical Company, Sherwin-Williams Company, Rust-Oleum, V8 Floor Systems, Huntsman International LLC have implemented acquisition and expansion of business strategies to increase their acrylic markets presence geographically. Few global players have invested in R&D amenities to discover advanced and innovative products which has higher efficacy rate and convenience of being used.Key Players of High Performance Epoxy Market: Aksa Akrilik Kimya Sanayii A.S. (Aksa) Dralon Aditya Birla Group Jilin Chemical Fiber Group Company Taekwang Industrial Co. Ltd. Exlan Japan Co. Ltd. Kaneka Corporation Indian Acrylics Limited Pasupati Acrylon Ltd. Vardhman Acrylics Ltd.Segmentation:The global high performance epoxy market is majorly segmented on the basis of by type and by end-use. Based on type the market is segmented into resins, adhesives, pigments, solvents and others. On the basis of end-use the market is classified aerospace & marine, automotive, consumer goods and othersBrief TOC for High Performance Epoxy Market:1 Executive Summary2 Scope of The Report2.1 Market Definition2.2 Scope of The Study2.2.1 Research Objectives2.2.2 Assumptions & Limitations2.3 Markets Structure3 Market Research Methodology3.1 Research Process3.2 Secondary Research3.3 Primary Research3.4 Forecast Model4 Market Landscape4.1 Five Forces Analysis4.1.1 Threat of New Entrants4.1.2 Bargaining power of buyers4.1.3 Threat of substitutes4.1.4 Segment rivalry4.2 Value Chain/Supply Chain of Global High PerTypeance Epoxy Market5 Industry Overview of Global High PerTypeance Epoxy Market5.1 Introduction5.2 Growth Drivers5.3 Impact analysis5.4 Market Challenges5.5 Impact analysisContinueRegional Analysis:Asia-Pacific region is expected to maintain its dominance in the global high performance epoxy market. Emerging markets of China, South Korea, Taiwan and India are expected to boost the Asia Pacific high performance epoxy market. Other emerging markets are North-America and Europe countries.The largest market of high performance epoxy is in Asia-Pacific as it has highest consumer of high performance epoxy. China is the leading producer of high performance epoxy followed by South Korea. North-America are second largest market of high performance epoxy.Access Report Details @Intended Audience: High performance epoxy manufacturers Traders and distributors of high performance epoxy Application industries Potential investors Raw material suppliers Nationalized laboratoryAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research which includes by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional and country level market segments, enables our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash AnandMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Floor Socket Market 2017 - Mita, Vynco, Tlc, British General, Toolstation, MK Electric, City Electrical Factors, Legrand, Ningbo Jiangdong Join Industry Co., Ltd

Floor Socket Market

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A market study based on the "Floor Socket Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Floor Socket Market 2017. The research report analyses the historical as well as present performance of the worldwide Floor Socket industry, and makes predictions on the future status of Floor Socket market on the basis of this analysis.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :Top Manufacturers Analysis Of This ReportMitaBritish GeneralToolstationMK ElectricVyncoTlcCity Electrical FactorsLegrandZhejiang Jinhao Electrical Co., Ltd.Shenzhen Keding Hardware Co., Ltd.Ningbo Jiangdong Join Industry Co., Ltd.The report studies the industry for Floor Socket across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Floor Socket market & dynamics of demand and supply of Floor Socket into consideration. The 'Floor Socket' research study covers each and every aspect of the Floor Socket market globally, which starts from the definition of the Floor Socket industry and develops towards Floor Socket market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Floor Socket market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Floor Socket market. The geographical segmentation of the Floor Socket industry has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the worldwide market for Floor Socket is determined by evaluating the various industry participants, production capacity, Floor Socket market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Floor Socket market worldwide.Enquire Here :The global Floor Socket market 2017 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Floor Socket production volume, data regarding demand and Floor Socket supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the industry for Floor Socket across the globe.About UsApexResearch offer reports from top publishers and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.biz
Thermoform Packaging Market - Trends, Growth Propellers, Segmentation And Top Players

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This report provides forecast and analysis of the thermoform packaging market on the global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2015 along with forecast from 2016 to 2024 based on volume (000 KT) and revenue (US$ Mn). It includes drivers, restraints and the ongoing trend of the retort packaging market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The report also comprises the study of opportunities available in the market for thermoform packaging on the global and regional level. It includes value chain analysis with list of raw material & technology suppliers, thermoform packaging manufacturers, distributor & suppliers and end users in the value chain.Obtain Report Details @In order to provide the users of this report with comprehensive view of market, we have included detailed competitiveness analysis and company players. The competitive dashboard provides detailed comparison of thermoform packaging manufacturers on parameters such as companys revenue, unique selling propositions and key strategic developments. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, by packaging type, material type, application type, and by geographic region.Global Thermoform Packaging Market: ScopeMarket statistics have been estimated based on average consumption and weighted average pricing of thermoform packaging by packaging type and the revenue is derived through regional pricing trends. Market size and forecast for each segment have been provided in the context of global and regional markets. The thermoform packaging market has been analyzed based on expected demand. Prices considered for the calculation of revenue are average regional prices obtained through primary quotes from numerous thermoform packaging manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors. All key end users have been considered and potential applications have been estimated on the basis of secondary sources and feedback from primary respondents.Global Thermoform Packaging Market: Regional OutlookRegional demand patterns have been considered while estimating the market for various end users of thermoform packaging in different regions. Top-down approach has been used to estimate the thermoform packaging market by regions. Market numbers for global packaging type, material type and application segments have been derived using the bottom-up approach, which is cumulative of each regions demand. The market has been forecast based on constant currency rates.Make an Enquiry @Global Thermoform Packaging Market: Research MethodologyA number of primary and secondary sources were consulted during the course of the study. Secondary sources include Factiva, World Bank, Packaging Digest, Plastic Manufacturers Association, Society of the Plastics Industry, Plastics Europe, and Hoovers, and company annual reports and publications.Key Players Mentioned in this Report are:The report provides detailed competitive outlook including company profiles of key participants operating in the global market. Key players in the global thermoform packaging market include, Amcor limited, Bemis Company, Inc., Placon Corporation, Sonoco Products Company, HUHTAMAKI GROUP, Tray-Pak Corporation, Display Pack Inc., Anchor Packaging, Inc., PACTIV LLC and D&W FINE PACK.About TMRTMR 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 TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Antimicrobial Packaging Market - Global Industry Analysis, Growth, Trends and Forecast For 2016 - 2024

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This report covers the analysis and forecast of the antimicrobial packaging market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2015 along with forecast for the period between 2016 and 2024 based on volume (kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Mn).Browse Market Research Report @The study provides a decisive view of the antimicrobial packaging market by segmenting it based on material, technology, antimicrobial agents, package type, application, and regional demand. Material segmentation includes analysis on types of materials used in antimicrobial packaging and their future projections. Technology segment includes analysis on controlled released packaging and active packaging and their current and future trends. Antimicrobial agents segments have been analyzed based on current trends and future potential. The market has been estimated from 2016 to 2024 in terms of revenue (US$ Mn) and volume (kilo tons). Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. These have been further sub-segmented into countries and regions with relevance to the market. The segmentation also includes demand for material, technology, antimicrobial agents, package type and applications in all regions.Global Antimicrobial Packaging Market: Scope of the StudyThe report provides the size of the antimicrobial packaging market in 2015 and the forecast for the next nine years up to 2024. The size of the global antimicrobial packaging market is provided in terms of revenue and volume. Market revenue for regions is defined in US$ Mn and volume in kilo tons. The market size and forecast for each package type segment is provided in the context of global and regional markets. Numbers provided in this report are derived based on demand generated from different material, technology, antimicrobial agents, package type and application. Market dynamics prevalent in North America and Asia Pacific have been taken into account for estimating the growth of the global market.The study covers the drivers and restraints governing the dynamics of the market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. Additionally, the report includes potential opportunities in the antimicrobial packaging market on the global and regional level.The market has been forecast based on the amount of different types of packaging in demand. Demand for antimicrobial packaging vary in each region as a result of the food habits of consumers & healthcare industry trends of each region and climatic conditions that prevails in each region. Individual material, technology, antimicrobial agents, package type and application have been taken into account while estimating and forecasting overall revenue and volume.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Global Antimicrobial Packaging Market: Research MethodologiesMarket estimates for this study have been based on revenue and volume. The factors for use of antimicrobial packaging in each application have been considered in calculating the revenue of the market. Demand for antimicrobial packaging has been derived by analyzing the global and regional demand for antimicrobial packaging in each application. The antimicrobial packaging market has been analyzed based on expected demand. Market data for each segment is based on corresponding revenues and volume. Factors considered for calculation of revenue and volume is drivers, restraints, and opportunities. Forecasts have been based on the expected demand from antimicrobial packaging applications. We have used the top  down and bottom - up approach to estimate the market, split into regions. The application split of the market has been derived using a top-down approach for each regional market separately, with the global application segment split being an integration of regional estimates. Companies were considered for their product portfolio, revenue, and manufacturing capacity. In the absence of specific data related to the sales of antimicrobial packaging of several privately held companies, calculated assumptions have been made in view of the companys product portfolio and regional presence along with the demand for products in its portfolio.Global Antimicrobial Packaging Market: Competitive LandscapeWe have included competitive landscape of the market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein all the segments have been benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness for future growth.The report covers a detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and company profiles of key players operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Takex Labo Co.Ltd, Sciessent LLC, BASF SE, The Dow Chemical Company, Barr Brands International, Mondi PLC, LINPAC Senior Holdings Limited, PolyOne Corporation, BioCote Limited and Dunmore Corporation among others.About TMRTMR 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 TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Throat Cancer Market to Provide Over USD 7 Billion Revenue by 2022

Throat Cancer Market

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https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/throat-cancer-market

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Synopsis of Throat Cancer MarketMarket Forecast:Market Research Future has a Half Cooked Research Report on Global Throat Cancer Market. The Global Throat Cancer Market is expected to reach around USD 7 Billion during the forecasted period.Market Highlights and Drivers:The Global Throat Cancer Market has been examined as a swiftly growing market and expected to grow at a tremendous rate. Globally there is huge demand for throat cancer treatment in various regions. The factors that drive the throat cancer market are the rising aging population, growing demand for advanced cancer therapies, increasing government funding in the healthcare sector, and growth of cancer care facilities in emerging countries.Request a Sample Copy of Report @The market is classified and analyzed on the basis of various segments including geographies, which consist of; Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Out of all, North America accounts for the largest share in the market. In addition, Europe and Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing segment in the throat cancer market.Global Throat Cancer Market Key Players:The major players of this market are Amgen Inc. Bristol-Myers Squibb Celgene Corporation Eli Lilly And Company Engeneic Ltd F. Hoffmann-la Roche AG Merck & Co., Inc. Novartis Pfizer Inc. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.Access the market data and market information presented through more than 50 market data tables and figures spread over 80 numbers of pages of the project report Global Throat Cancer MarketBrowse Report Details @Market Research Analysis:It has been found that throat cancer is caused due to various problems one of which is smoking and drinking. These factors are growing the throat cancer market rapidly. Developing healthcare industry plays a major role in the growth of this market as new drugs, therapies and treatments have been evolved since the occurrence of throat cancer, which makes these treatments popular and the demand for these treatments will grow eventually.The Early Diners are Offered Free Customization - Up to 20% on this Report.Make an Enquiry for this Report @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Vaccine Adjuvants Market Components, Share, Size, Proportion, Applications Forecasted to 2027

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Market Highlights:Globally the market for Vaccine Adjuvants is increasing rapidly. The factors that influence the growth of Vaccine Adjuvants Extending government proposals for vaccinations, mechanical advancements, Unmet Vaccine advertise requirements for specific diseases, expanding utilization of recombinant subunit and manufactured immunizations are the driving components for this business sector.Major Key Players Adjuvatis (France) Sergeant Adjuvants (U.S) SEPPIC (France) Agenus, Inc. (U.s) Novavax, Inc.(U.s) SPI Pharma, Inc.(U.s) Invivogen (U.s) Avanti Polar Lipids, Inc. (U.S) MPV Technologies (U.s) OZ Biosciences (France) Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC.(India) CureVac AG (Germany) Brenntag Biosector (Denmark) CSL Limited (Australia)Request a Sample Report @Hottest trend in the marketAnticholinergic medications follow up on efferent nerves to neutralize overactive bladder (OAB) after it happens. To keep the event of OAB, treatments ought to be coordinated at hindering the afferent nerves that control the bladder.The new devices accessible today to treat urinary incontinence are far more superior to those in the course of recent years. Notwithstanding unique accentuation on afferent neuron action, consideration should be coordinated toward quality treatment and conveyance of medicine specifically into the bladder with advanced devicesThe report for Vaccine Adjuvants of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 50 market data tables and figures spread in 115 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Global Vaccine Adjuvants Market Research Report - Forecast to 2027Study Objectives of Vaccine Adjuvants To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the global Vaccine Adjuvants market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To Analyze the Vaccine Adjuvants market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- Americas, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW) To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by Type, by End-users, Administration and its sub-segments. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global Vaccine Adjuvants marketAccess Report Details @Among the Urinary incontinence market Device segment is compositing the growth of the marketMarket SegmentsThe market for Vaccine Adjuvants is segmented in mainly three parts i.e. by type, by devices and its various sub-segments; by type include pathogen components, particulate adjuvants, combination adjuvants and others. Whereas by end users include hospitals, clinics, research laboratories and others. Furthermore by administration includes oral, intradermal and intranasalAmericas North America US Canada Latin AmericaEurope Western Europe Germany France Italy Spain UK Rest of Western Europe Eastern EuropeAsia PacificAsia China India Japan South Korea Rest of AsiaPacificThe Middle East& AfricaThe report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Related Reports:-Platelet Agitator Market Information, by type (Flatbed, Circular and Combination devices), by capacity (small, medium and large) by end user (autonomous blood banks, hospital based blood banks and others) - Forecast to 2027About Market Research FutureAt Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Despite all of his baggage, I voted for Donald Trump in November of 2016 largely because of the promise he made to the workforce. Part of "Make America Great Again" was seeing "Made in the USA" again. Workers would prosper and be "put first."

President Trump carried Iowa by 10 percent. Workers abandoned their traditional party and voted for Trump and Republicans down the ticket.

On Monday, I received an email about a new workers compensation bill. What I read shocked me. It is why I write this article. People need to be informed about this legislation.

This new work comp legislation puts Iowans last. In work comp circles, the work comp bills (HSB 169 in the House and SSB 1170 in the Senate) are being discussed as legislation that will "gut" or "wipe out" worker's comp in Iowa.

I practice workers' compensation law and have been for quite some time. I consider Iowa's work comp to be a good system that gets it right most of the time and makes injured workers whole. It does not need an overhaul.

After getting Monday's email, I made some calls to see what was going on and to see if this would pass into law. I became even more surprised. I was told it would likely soon be enacted.

I felt like I had been hit by a ton of bricks. My fellow Iowans were going to be hurt really bad and would not even know it was coming.

In my career, I have worked on cases for the injured worker and on cases for the employer/insurance carrier. If advising either side on this legislation, I would give the same advice. In my legal opinion, the new work comp legislation will have the effect of treating most injured workers like property or equipment. Use and throw away. Let someone else worry about what happens next.

I say this because the proposed work comp legislation does more than fix minor problems or injustices in the system. It makes the entire system unjust and unfair for the injured worker. There have always been what amount to caps on money benefits in work comp. The new law reduces the caps by about 90 percent in many cases involving the most serious injuries.

It would allow denial of medical care and money benefits in many cases when a person suffers a serious spinal injury, shoulder injury, or other injury at work and has degeneration or wear and tear on their body because of age. Worker's right to a second medical opinion would be restricted; employees were given this right 100 years ago because employers were given the right to choose the doctors.

Older people are singled out and get less benefits because of their age even if they intended to keep working before suffering the injury.

In short, when people are seriously injured at work, they will not be made whole. Many people will be unable to meet their bills and there will consequences on families.

People I spoke with about this legislation, including lawyers and others in the know about the legislation, told me that the arguments about injustice to Iowa workers would fall on silent ears. The powers that be do not care.

However, people need to consider other consequences of this law. The burdens of workers' compensation will be shifted off workers' compensation and onto society in general. Taxpayers will end up paying more. Health insurance will end up paying more.

There are lots of misconceptions about work comp that may be driving support for this new legislation. The new law will not cut wasteful government spending. Work comp is not a government benefit. Work comp is insurance paid by the employer.

There is a fallacy in the argument that premiums will go down. If premiums are reduced, the reduction will not be enough to make any real difference on how businesses operate. People always complain about work comp insurance; it is a cost of doing business. Plus, work comp insurance rates are already regulated by the state.

In regards to employees who are faking a work injury, Iowa work comp allows for broad discovery under the rules of civil procedure. If someone is faking an injury, it will be discovered under the current system. We do not need new legislation to stop fake work injuries.

Do all employers really support this? Our firm has seven employees. I want to make sure that our employees are adequately compensated if they are injured while working for our firm. I want their families to remain comfortable and I do not want people to be unable to pay bills or pay for housing. The current work comp system allows this; the new one will not.

And what happened to Iowa values? I came to Iowa from the Chicago suburbs to attend the University of Iowa about 17 years ago. I stayed in Iowa because I saw society at its best in Iowa. This proposed legislation offers everything that Iowa is not. It targets people who are most vulnerable. It specifically targets older Iowans. The new law will bring out the worst in Iowa.

I hope people believe me and contact their local lawmakers to oppose this law. I hope lawmakers reading this article oppose this law. I write this article impartially and without an agenda or special interest in mind. It is the injured Iowans and their families that will be devastated by the proposed law. People really need to know that before they vote for it. They also need to know about the costs that will be shifted to taxpayers, health care, and others.

Where is Donald Trump for the Iowa worker now?
Diamond Tools Market 2017: Global Industry Outlook | DecisionDatabases.com

Diamond Tool Market

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The report on Diamond Tools market is the latest addition to the huge database of DecisionDatabases.com. This research study is segmented on the basis of applications, technology, geography, and types. The Report provides a detailed Diamond Tools Industry overview along with the analysis of industrys gross margin, cost structure, consumption value, and sale price. The leading companies of the Diamond Tools Market, manufacturers, and distributors are profiled in the report along with the latest Industry development current and future trends.Access the Report and full TOC @Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Diamond Tools market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states importexport, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions and other regions can be added.Download Free sample Report @Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Diamond Tools industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered. In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Purchase a copy of Report @Table of Contents - Snapshot1 Industry Overview2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis4 Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis by Regions, Types and Manufacturers5 Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis by Regions, Types and Manufacturers6 Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis by Regions, Types and Applications7 Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis8 Major Manufacturers Analysis9 Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis10 Industry Chain Analysis11 Development Trend of Analysis12 New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis13 ConclusionView Related Reports @Global Diamond and Gemstone Market Research Report 2017Global Diamond Coating Market Research Report 2016Global Diamond Core Drilling Sales Market Report 2017About Us:DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research reports provider, enriching decision makers and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research Report, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains.Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed.3rd Floor, Fountain chambers,Nanabhai Lane, Fort, Mumbai - 1E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.comPhone: +91 99 28 237112Web:
Current As Well As Future prospects of Microfluidics Market Globally For The Forecast Period 2017 - 2025

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ResearchMoz presents this most up-to-date research on "Current As Well As Future prospects of Microfluidics Market Globally For The Forecast Period 2017 - 2025".This report on microfluidic market studies the current as well as future prospects of the market globally. The stakeholders of this report include companies and intermediaries engaged in the manufacture and commercialization of various microfluidics instrument and products as well as new entrants planning to enter this market. This report comprises an elaborate executive summary along with a market snapshot providing overall information of various segments and sub-segments considered within the scope of the study. This section also provides the overall information and data analysis of the global microfluidics market with respect to the leading market segments based on major products, applications, key materials utilized, end-users, and geographies.Global Microfluidics Market: Segmentation AnalysisThe global microfluidics market has been studied based on major product segments, application segments, material segments, their end-users, and regional as well as national markets. Based on product type, the global market has been categorized into three major 4 segments: instruments, microfluidic chip, cartridges & reagents and others. On the basis of applications the microfluidics market is classified as peripheral vascular diseases, Wound care management, pharmaceutical & biotech Research, Invitro Diagnostics (IVD), Drug Delivery and Others. On the basis of material the segment has been classified in to Polymer based, Glass based and others. On the basis of end users the market has been classified as hospitals, diagnostic Lab, academics & research institutes, homecare settings and others.Global Microfluidics Market: Scope of the ReportThe market overview section of the report explores the market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities that currently have a strong impact on the global microfluidics market and could influence the market in the near future. Market attractiveness analysis has been provided in all the sections of the report in order to explain the intensity of competition in the market across different products/materials/applications/end-users/geographies. The competitive scenario among different market players is evaluated through market share analysis in the competition landscape section of the report. The section also includes completion matrix that analyzes the competition among some of the top global players operating in the market. All these factors would help market players to take strategic decisions in order to strengthen their positions and expand their shares in the global market.Make an Enquiry of this report @Global Microfluidics Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the microfluidics market has been segmented into five regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Latin America. Each regional market for microfluidics has been further categorized into major product, applications, material, and end-user segments considered within the scope of the study. Key country (U.S., Canada, Japan, Germany, France, U.K., Australia, Canada, China, Brazil, Mexico, India, etc.) market revenues have also been provided in different regional sections within the report. Market revenue in terms of US$ Mn and volume in terms of units for the period from 2015 to 2025 along with CAGR % from 2016 to 2025 are provided for all the regions and nations considering 2016 as the base year.Key Players Mentioned in this Report are:The report also profiles key players operating in the microfluidics market based on various attributes such as company details, SWOT analysis, strategic overview, financials, and business overview. Major players profiled in this report include Danaher Corporation, PerkinElmer, Inc., Agilent Technologies, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc, RainDance Technologies, Inc., and F. Hoffmann La-Roche Ltd.The global microfluidics market has been segmented as follows:Microfluidic Market, by Product TypeMicrofluidic ChipInstrumentsCartridges & ReagentsOthersMicrofluidic Market, by ApplicationPeripheral Vascular DiseasesWound Care ManagementPharmaceutical & Biotech ResearchIn vitro DiagnosticsDrug DeliveryOthersMicrofluidic Market, by MaterialPolymer basedGlass basedOthersMicrofluidic Market, by End-userHospitalsAcademic & Research InstituteDiagnostic LabHomecare settingsOthersMicrofluidics Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyFranceU.K.ItalySpainTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Drug Rescue Market: Asia Pacific is the most progressive region for the drug rescue market due to increasing over-the-counter rescue medicines in the region

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Drug rescue is also termed as rescue medicines. These are given only when needed or in emergency cases. Drug which is given to counter or block the effect of other medicines are called as rescue medicines. Rescue medications are often used for asthma, in chemotherapy, in severe allergies, in epilepsy, etc. These are fast acting or quick acting medications. Rescue medicines are used in severe asthma attack, migraine attack, or in severe allergy reaction and help to save lives. In clinical trials, rescue medicines are given with a drug to control the alleviated symptoms of the study treatment or lack of disease efficiency. The effect of rescue drugs are not long lasting, but these quickly stop the symptoms of study drug.The drug rescue market has been segmented based on drug class, indication, route of administration, and distribution channel. In terms of drug class, the market has been segmented into antiepileptics, analgesics, antinauseants, muscle relaxants, and bronchodilators.Obtain Report Details:Based on indication, the drug rescue market has been categorized into asthma, migraine, epilepsy, cancer, hypertension, cardiac attack, and others. Rescue medicines prevent asthma attack quickly. Bronchodilators are the generally used medication in asthma. Bronchodilators help open the airways by dilating the bronchi and enable a patient to breathe more easily. Migraine is another medical condition where rescue medications are widely used. Migraine attacks are disabling and severe. Several over-the-counter or prescription medicines are available to stop a migraine attack. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen or drugs containing caffeine are the most common rescue medicines for migraine.Benzodiazepines are the most common rescue medicines for seizures or epilepsy attack. Benzodiazepine is a fast acting drug and starts work quickly once it gets into the bloodstream to prevent seizures. Benzodiazepines are available in different forms such chewing pills, oral tablet, or nasal sprays. The most common benzodiazepines used as rescue medications are diazepam, lorazepam, and midazolam. Intravenous treatment is given in hypertension and cardiac emergencies. These directly go into the bloodstream and 100% bioavailability can be achieved by intravenous route. Sodium nitroprusside, nitroglycerin, labetalol, and nicardipine are the commonly used drugs for hypertension.In terms of route of administration, the drug rescue market has been segmented into oral, parenteral, sublingual, nasal, and rectal. Nasal route is the widely used route of administration for asthma and epilepsy attacks. Drugs given through nasal route have fast effect. The smaller mist particles directly go in systemic circulation and act quickly. Intravenous route is given in severe conditions when other route of administration do not work.Based on distribution channel, the drug rescue market has been segmented into hospital pharmacies, retail pharmacies, and online pharmacies. Retail pharmacies is widely used distribution channel as many over-the-counter rescue drugs are also available. Growth of the online pharmacies segment is likely to boost the market during the forecast period.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report:In terms of region, the drug rescue market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is projected to account for the major share of the drug rescue market owing to increasing incidence of severe and chronic medical conditions. The rising geriatric population is also anticipated to boost the growth of the market during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is the most progressive region for the drug rescue market due to increasing over-the-counter rescue medicines in the region.Major factor boosting the growth of this market include rising demand for quick treatment for severe medical conditions. However, the increasing side effects of rescue medicines is likely to restrain the drug rescue market.Major players in the drug rescue market are Bioneer Corporation, VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Teva Pharmaceutical Industry Ltd., Merck & Co., Inc., and UCB Group of Companies.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.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Automotive LiDAR Market is Anticipated to Reach USD 223.2 Million by 2024

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The global automotive LiDAR market is expected to reach USD 223.2 million by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The surging acceptance of automobile safety application arenas and sophisticated technology incorporations in automobile driving automation are expected to boost the market growth. The increasing acceptance for semi-autonomous and autonomous cars in the years to come is further anticipated to bolster the market growth.Browse the report:The market can be categorized, based on application types, into Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) & autonomous cars.The ADAS application segment is further segregated into Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). The ADAS application segment is expected witness a significant growth, owing to the surging incorporation of forward-collision avoidance systems.Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is adiscretionary cruising choice for automobiles that robotically modifies the vehicle speed to retain a safe distance from vehicles ahead.The rising adoption of these systems in autonomous and semi-autonomous cars at various levels of automation is expected to draw huge ventures from the key participants, thus driving the regional market demand in the years to come.Request a sample of the report:In October 2016, Infineon Technologies AG (Germany) acquired Innoluce BV (The Netherlands), a fabless semiconductor company headquartered in Nijmegen. Infineon says it would develop chip components for high-performance LiDAR systems by utilizing Innoluce's patented technology. This acquisition is expected to establish Infineon's strong foothold as one of the automotive safety technologies vendors.Further key findings from the report suggest:The global automotive LiDAR market is estimated to grow significantly over the forecast period due to the automation in the car safety technology, leading to reduced human efforts and increased efficiency.Extensive R&D by market players,updated ratings of safety agencies and the increasing awareness, among consumers, have fueled the market growth assome major automakers have already started to integrate basic AEB systems as optional and standard options into their mass-market models.Buy the report@The markets in the North American region including the U.S. & Canada and the European regions occupied a marginal proportion of the market share in 2015 on account of the administrative regulations mandating the installation of certain automotive safety technologies in both light weight and heavy weight vehicles in the region.The key industry participants include Robert Bosch GmbH, Denso Corporation, Velodyne LiDAR, Inc., Novariant, Inc., LeddarTech, Continental AG, and Quanergy Systems, Inc.Major Points From Table Of Contents:Chapter One: Methodology and ScopeChapter Two: Executive SummaryChapter Three: Automotive LiDAR Industry OutlookChapter Four: Automotive LiDAR Application Type OutlookChapter Five: Automotive LiDAR Regional OutlookChapter Six: Competitive LandscapeAbout Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Information:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas  75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +9164101019Email: sales@orbisresearch.com
Europe Emergency Department Information System Market Analysis 2017 Latest Development Trends

Emergency Department Information System Market

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The report on Emergency Department Information System market is the latest addition to the huge database of DecisionDatabases.com. This research study is segmented on the basis of applications, technology, geography, and types. The Report provides a detailed Emergency Department Information System Industry overview along with the analysis of industrys gross margin, cost structure, consumption value, and sale price. The leading companies of the Emergency Department Information System Market, manufacturers, and distributors are profiled in the report along with the latest Industry development current and future trends.Access the Report and full TOC @This report studies sales (consumption) of Emergency Department Information System in Europe market, especially in Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy, Spain, and Benelux, focuses on top players in these countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these Countries, covering* Allscripts Healthcare Solutions* Cerner Corporation* Computer Sciences Corporation* EPOWERdoc* McKesson Corporation* MEDHOST* MEDITECH* Siemens AG* T-Systems* Wellsoft CorporationMarket Segment by Countries, this report splits Europe into several key Countries, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Emergency Department Information System in these countries, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), like* Germany* France* UK* Russia* Italy* Spain* BeneluxDownload Free sample Report @Split by product type, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided into* On-Premise* Software as a ServiceSplit by application, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Emergency Department Information System in each application can be divided into* CPOE* Patient Tracking & Triage* OtherPurchase a copy of Report @Table of Contents - Snapshot1 Overview2 Europe by Manufacturers, Type and Application3 Germany (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4 France (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5 UK (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6 Russia (Volume, Value and Sales Price)7 Italy (Volume, Value and Sales Price)8 Spain (Volume, Value and Sales Price)9 Benelux (Volume, Value and Sales Price)10 Europe Manufacturers Analysis11 Manufacturing Cost Analysis12 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers13 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders14 Europe Market Forecast (2016-2021)15 Research Findings and Conclusion16 AppendixView Related Reports @Global ERP Software Market Research Report 2017About Us:DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research reports provider, enriching decision makers and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research Report, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains.Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed.3rd Floor, Fountain chambers,Nanabhai Lane, Fort, Mumbai - 1E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.comPhone: +91 99 28 237112Web:
Petrochemicals Capacity and Capital Expenditure: Global Outlook Of Ethylene And Methanol Petrochemicals Industry

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ResearchMoz presents this most up-to-date research on "Petrochemicals Capacity and Capital Expenditure: Global Outlook Of Ethylene And Methanol Petrochemicals Industry".Global petrochemicals capacity will experience considerable growth in the next nine years with increase from 1,447.9 mmtpa in 2016 to 1,619.3 mmtpa by 2025. Large capacity additions with more than 700 planned projects are expected to come online primarily in the China, US and Iran in the next nine years. NW Innovation Works Inc, Janus Methanol AG and Petroliam Nasional Berhad are the top three companies by capacity additions expected to come on-stream over the next nine years.Global petrochemical industry is expected to spend around US$243.1 billion by 2025 for the upcoming projects. The US, Russia and China are the top three countries by capital expenditure for projects by 2025.ScopeReport provides information and insight on -- Historic and forecast global petrochemical capacity by region- Global petrochemical planned plants details- Capacity share of the major petrochemical producers in the world- Global petrochemical capital expenditure forecast by regionReasons to buyThe report will clarify -- Understand the key trends in the global petrochemical industry- Understand the regional petrochemical supply scenario- Identify opportunities in the global petrochemical industry with the help of upcoming projects and capital expenditure forecast- Understand the current and likely future competitive scenario1 Table of Contents1 Table of Contents 21.1 List of Tables 31.2 List of Figures 7Make an Enquiry of this report @2 Global Petrochemicals Industry 82.1 Key Highlights 82.2 New Project Announcements 92.3 New Project Cancellations 102.4 Planned Petrochemicals Projects in the World 203 Appendix 1063.1 Definitions 1063.1.1 Installed Capacity 1063.2 Abbreviations 1063.3 GlobalDatas Research Methodology 1063.3.1 Coverage 1063.3.2 Secondary Research 1073.3.3 Primary Research 1073.3.4 Expert Panel Validation 1083.4 Disclaimer 1081.1 List of TablesTable 1: Total Petrochemicals Capacity by Region (mtpa) 10Table 2: Active, Planned, and Announced Petrochemicals Capacity by Region (mtpa), 2017 11Table 3: Petrochemicals Capacity Share of Top 10 Companies (%) 12Table 4: Petrochemicals Capacity of Top 10 Countries (mtpa) 13Table 5: Petrochemicals Capacity of Top 10 Commodities (mtpa) 14Table 6: Planned Capacity Additions by Region (mtpa) 15Table 7: Planned Capacity Additions by Top 10 Countries (mtpa) 16Table 8: Planned Capacity Additions by Top 10 Companies (mtpa) 17Table 9: Total Capex Spending On Planned Projects by Region (US$ bil) 18Table 10: Total Capex Spending On Planned Projects by Top 10 Countries (US$ bil) 19Table 11: Global Petrochemicals Major Planned Plant Details - Development Stage (Feasibility) 20Table 12: Global Petrochemicals Major Planned Plant Details (Contd) - Development Stage (Feasibility) 21To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Coal Mine Gate Cost Curve: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast

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ResearchMoz presents this most up-to-date research on "Coal Mine Gate Cost Curve: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast".This report provides a breakdown of mining cash costs per tonne for individual coal operations, company production and country production. Timetrics analysis covers 270 coal operations accounting for over 1,000Mt of coal production globally. Overall 30 companies have been included, ranging from the large producers, such Peabody Energy, Shenhua Energy, and Glencore, to smaller players, such as Whitehaven.SummaryThis presentation and accompanying Excel data, provides an coal cost curve for 270 mines, with breakdown of costs into mining, processing, admin, royalties.Specific datasets include:Global Mine Level Cost CostsGlobal Company Equity Production CostsCountry level Production CostsPeabody Cost CurveScopeThe report is based Timetric's proprietary cost estimation model and data from Timetric's Mining Intelligence Center.Reasons To BuyUnderstand the global industry structure of coal minesAnalyze mines you may be working with, including how they compare against their peersAssess the performance of coal companiesMake an Enquiry of this report @Key HighlightsGlobal coal mine gate costs vary considerably. Large opencast operations in the US Powder River Basin, can have costs below US$10/t, while deeper pits in Australia can have costs closer to US$50/t.Processing costs make a difference in mine gate cost. Indonesian thermal coal, with its low ash content (below 5%) does not need to be washed, reducing costs by up US$10/t in comparison to Australian and US operations.Low strip ratios will ensure most operations have low mining costs per tonne. Indeed strip ratios are often the determinant for whether a coal deposit is economically feasible. Many of the higher strip operations produce high quality metallurgical coal, which generate higher revenues to cover their operating costs.Large US producers in the powder river basin, like Arch Coal and Peabody Energy dominate the first quartile of the cost curve. Major exporting companies such as Glencore, BHP Billiton and Anglo American are in the second and third quartiles: they produce higher quality coal, which is becoming rarer.Country level average mine gate cash costs reflect the nature of their respective coal industries. For instance the US has high cost operations in the Appalachian basin, however these are offset by their large opencast operation in the powder river basins. Australia is firmly in the second half of the curve, due to its higher strip ratios, and processing costs.Table of ContentsIntroductionMethodologyCost ComponentsKey HighlightsGlobal Coal Cost Curve, 2015Company Cost Curve, 2015Country Cost Curve 2015Peabody Energy Cost Curve, 2015Further InformationTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Membrane Switch Market 2017 Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecasts to 2022 Examined in new Market Research Report

Global Membrane Switch Market 2016-2022

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The MRS Research Group Global Membrane Switch Market 2017-2022 report by QY Research offers a comprehensive assessment of the Membrane Switch market and consists of historical data, scope, significant approaches, and statistical data of the global market. Besides these, it also includes anticipated facts that are assessed with the aid of an appropriate set of postulations and techniques. The MRS Research Group report by QY Research brings to light the comprehensive study and factual information of Membrane Switch market. The report also provides the global market segmentation based on applications, end-users, technology, and geography.Read Complete Report @The report includes rigorous data, in-depth analysis in two ways, namely, quantitative and qualitative, industry professionals inputs and data given by the industry members and industry analysts involved in the complete value cycle. The report features thorough study of important market and their current trends, coupled with respective market segments. Information about the numerous factors and their influence on the global market and its segments is also mentioned in the reportGlobal Market 2016 Split by Manufactures, this report focuses on sales, consumption, market share and growth rate of Global Membrane Switch Market in each manufacture, can be divided intoMolexHuman E&CXYMOXDouglas CorporationFujikuraDanielsonDyna-Graphics CorporationSytekYou-Eal CorporationSensigraphicsBUTLER , etc.Get Free Sample Report : @The report emphasizes on the regional market, the keyplayers in the market, and the various market segments with an in-depth analysis on different divisions and their applications. The report offers inclusive data on the respective segments of the Global Membrane Switch Market 2016-2022 market.The research report provides an in-depth systematic study of the Membrane Switch market, covering key areas such as future prospects of the market, growth drivers, market restraints,Size, Share, Trends, Demand, Supply, Application, Segmentation, Opportunity, Market Development, production, capacity utilization, supply, Analysis and Forecast by 2022.Split by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoPVC Membrane SwitchPC Membrane SwitchPET Membrane Switch, etc.Send us Enquiry Before Purchasing Research Report @Split by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Membrane Switch in each application, can be divided intoMedical EquipmentIndustrial Control Equipment EquipmentRetail EquipmentHousehold AppliancesConsumer Products, etc,MRS Research Group provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Prof Research cover more than 30 industries including energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free : +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@mrsresearchgroup.com
Underfill Material Market - Industry Shares, Market Strategies And Key Players

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Global Underfill Material Market: SnapshotThe Underfill Material Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20162024, report provides forecast and analysis of the underfill material market on the global and regional level. The primary objective of the report is to identify opportunities in the market and present updates as well as insights pertaining to various segments of the global underfill material market. The study provides historic data of 2015 along with forecast from 2016 to 2024 based on volume (kg) and revenue (US$ Mn). It includes drivers, restraints and the ongoing trend of the underfill material market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The underfill material report also comprises the study of opportunities available in the market for underfill material on the global and regional level. It includes value chain analysis with list of underfill material suppliers and end users.Browse Market Research Report @In order to provide the users of this report with comprehensive view of underfill materail market, we have included detailed competitiveness analysis and company players of the industry. The competitive dashboard provides detailed comparison of underfill material producer on parameters such as companys revenue, employee strength, unique selling propositions and key strategic developments. The study of underfill material market encompasses market attractiveness analysis, by product type, application type and by geographic region.Global Underfill Material Market: ScopeMarket statistics have been estimated based on average consumption and weighted average pricing of product type in underfill material market and the revenue is derived through regional pricing trends. Market size and forecast for each segment have been provided in the context of global and regional markets. The underfill material market has been analyzed based on expected demand. Prices considered for the calculation of revenue are average regional prices obtained through primary quotes from numerous underfill material producers, suppliers, and distributors.Global Underfill Material Market: SegmentationAll key end users have been considered and potential applications have been estimated on the basis of secondary sources and feedback from primary respondents. Regional demand patterns have been considered while estimating the market for various end users of underfill material in different regions. Top-down approach has been used to estimate the underfill material market by regions. Market numbers for global product type and application segments have been derived using the bottom-up approach, which is cumulative of each regions demand. The market of underfill material has been forecast based on constant currency rates.A number of primary and secondary sources were consulted during the course of the study of underfill material market. Secondary sources include Factiva, World Bank, SEMI, The Semiconductor Industry Association, World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, Hoovers, and companys annual report and publications.For more information on this report, fill the form @The report begins with an overview of the global underfill material market, evaluating market performance in terms of revenue, key trends, drivers, and restraints witnessed in the global market. Impact analysis of the key growth drivers and restraints based on the weighted average model is also included in the report.Key Players Mentioned in this Report are:The report provides detailed competitive outlook including company profiles of key participants operating in the global market. Some of the key players in the global underfill material market are Henkel AG & Co. KgaA, H.B. Fuller, NAMICS Corporation, Epoxy Technology Inc, Yincae Advanced Material, LLC, Master Bond Inc, Zymet Inc, AIM Metals & Alloys LP, Won Chemicals Co. Ltd.About TMRTMR 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 TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Pyridine Market to Register US$ 1,741.4 Million by 2025

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According to a new market report published by Persistence Market Research, titled Global Market Study on Pyridine: Increasing Demand for Synthetic Pyridine to Drive Growth During Forecast Period 2015 -2025 , the global pyridine market is estimated to reach US$ 1,741.4 Mn by 2025 from US$ 786.4 Mn in 2015.A sample of this report is available upon request:Pyridine is a toxic and soluble flammable liquid base with a distinct, strong odor. It is often considered the parent compound of several naturally occurring organic compounds. It is the preferred choice as a precursor to agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. Initially, pyridine was extracted from coal tar or obtained as a by-product of coal gasification. The process was very expensive and inefficient as coal tar constituted only 0.10.2% of pyridine after extraction. Currently, pyridine and its derivatives are produced synthetically. The most commonly used reactions for pyridine synthesis are Chichibabin synthesis, Bonnemann cyclization, and Cobalt-catalyzed alkyne-nitrile cyclotrimerization, etc.By region, the market in Asia Pacific has been estimated to account for 51.6% volume share of the overall pyridine market by 2015 end, followed by Europe and North America. Due to increase in usage of pyridine and its derivatives in agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals segments in Asia Pacific, the pyridine market in the region is projected to expand at a higher than average CAGR of 9.9% over 20152025 in terms of revenue. The U.S. pyridine market, which has been estimated to account for 89.5% revenue share of the overall market in North America by 2015 end, is expected to be driven by increasing adoption of pyridine and its derivatives in chemicals and pharmaceuticals segments. The pyridine market in the Middle East & Africa is estimated to register increased revenue due to a growth of pharmaceuticals and chemicals segments in the region. Europe market is anticipated to witness lower revenue growth in the coming years as compared to other regions due to the economic downturn in the region.Globally, pyridine N-oxide segment volume is estimated to expand at a lower than average CAGR of 7.4% over 20152025. Demand for 2-Methyl-5-Ethylpyridine (MEP) and gamma-picoline is expected grow significantly due to increasing application of these product types in chemicals segment. Alpha picoline finds wide application as a solvent in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and food industries. The segment is projected to exhibit moderate growth over the forecast period. Key growth contributor for alpha picoline segment is 2-vinylpyridine, which is used as a raw material for styrene-butadiene-2-vinylpyridine terpolymer latexes (SBV latexes). Beta picoline is used to produce Vitamin B3. In terms of value, beta picoline segment is projected to experience significant growth rate over the forecast period. This is mainly attributed to rising demand for niacin in developing regions such as APAC and Middle East & Africa.Browse Full Report summary and to request sample report and table of content @Asia Pacific is the most attractive region in terms of CAGR and market share in the global pyridine market. India has been estimated to account for 24.4 % of the total APAC pyridine market by 2015 end due to expected increase in domestic pyridine production by 40%. In terms of value, gamma-picoline segment is expected to experience the highest growth rate during the forecast period in the Asia Pacific market. The Middle East & Africa accounts for the smallest market share. However, it is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.9% in terms of value over the forecast period. Food segment is expected to expand at the highest CAGR in terms of volume during the forecast period in the Middle East & Africa market. Pyridine manufacturers are strengthening their presence in the regulated markets of Japan, North America and Europe as well as in key emerging markets. They are also focusing on local tie-ups and out-licensing of local companies in order to strengthen their regional presence.To Buy Full Report for a Single User:About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Industrial IoT Platform Market is Expected to Grow at a CAGR of 23% by 2022

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Market Research Future announced the publication of half cooked research report on Industrial IoT Platform Market. The global market for Industrial IoT Platform is majorly driven by factors such increasing need of efficient manufacturing process and high adoption of automation.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 25 market data tables and 25 figures spread over 110 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Industrial IoT Platform Market Research Report - Forecast 2022.Market Highlights:Today, Companies are transformation themselves and their business process to extract value from their traditional industrial process by taking the advantage from rapid explosion of ultra-low cost connectivity, and rapid explosion of sensors. These value can produce business outcome the customers and can be very helpful to produce incremental revenue for the company. Today, customers are not only expecting best in class physical products from manufacturers but also looking for the ways by which they can drive increased level of productivity.The market of IoT platform is expected to reach market size of one billion by the end of year 2020 and industrial IoT platform is one of the major market share holder. Factor such as high efficiency, real time monitoring of machineries, increased revenue and high output is driving the market of industrial IoT whereas there are various factors including price and technical knowledge which is likely to hamper the market growth.Request a Sample Copy @The industrial IoT platforms are useful in various industries but the market is dominated by manufacturing industry. By connecting the localized systems with network and sensors, the monitoring of process becomes very easy. Connected sensors also generates lots of data which can be analyzed to find of the probability of breakdown and efficiency of machineries.For the purpose of this study, the market of Industrial IoT Platform has been segmented on the basis of components, application, verticals and region. The component includes-hardware which further has been segmented into sensors, cameras, processing units among others and software. By Application the market has been segmented as asset management, remote monitoring, and network system management among others. Further the market has been segmented into verticals which includes- manufacturing, power and utilities, aviation, oil and gas among others.Key Players of Industrial IoT Platform Market: Microsoft Inc. (U.S.) NEC Corporation (Japan) PTC (U.S.) International Business Machines Corporation (U.S.) General Electric Corporation (U.S.) Fujitsu (Japan) Siemens AG (Germany) SAP SE (Germany) Hitachi Insight Group (U.S.) Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. (China)Market Research Future Analysis:The Global Industrial IoT Platform Market will grow exponentially during the forecast period. High efficiency and managed business process are some of the factors which is forcing the manufacturers to opt for IoT platform. Sensors such as temperature gives the exact information about the machineries, smart cameras are capable of finding any errors in the process and smart technology can rectify the errors without human interference. IoT also helps in making the industrial process more intelligent which leads to very low wastage of raw material. This is also one of the major market growth because low wastage of any manufacturing unit is directly associated with high efficiency. By region, Asia-Pacific is dominating the market of industrial IoT due to the rich presence of manufacturing industries in China, Japan and South Korea whereas North America stands as second biggest market followed by Europe.Brief TOC for Industrial IoT Platform Market:1. Executive Summary2. Research Methodology2.1 Scope of the study2.1.1 Definition2.1.2 Research Objective2.1.3 Assumptions2.1.4 Limitations2.2 Research Process2.2.1 Primary Research2.2.2 Secondary Research2.3 Market size Estimation2.4 Forecast Model3. Market Dynamics3.1 Market Drivers3.2 Market Inhibitors3.3 Value Chain Analysis3.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis4. Global Industrial IoT Platform Market, by Component4.1 Introduction4.2 Hardware4.2.1 Sensors4.2.2 Cameras4.2.3 Processing Units4.2.4 Others4.3 Software5. Global Industrial IoT Platform Market, By Application5.1 Introduction5.2 Asset Management5.3 Remote Monitoring5.4 Network System Management5.5 OthersContinueAccess Report Details @Intended Audience: Software Development companies Application development companies Companies dealing with IOT Sensor Manufacturers Electronic Manufacturing Companies and Suppliers Research Institutions GovernmentAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Technologies and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash AnandMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Electric Guitars Market - Gibson Les Paul And The Fender Stratocaster Design Providing An Immense Boost

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Global Electric Guitars Market: OverviewElectric guitars are a type of guitars in which strumming the strings themselves is not the primary source of the sound. Rather, the vibrations caused by the movement of the strings are captured and magnified electronically in order to produce a louder output. The sound of an electric guitar can also be electrically modified, since an electrical representation of the vibration of the string is produced in electric guitars. This can then be modulated with the help of dials and other controls on the electric guitar as well as pedals. This is the primary factor distinguishing electric guitars from acoustic guitars; the sound produced by the latter comes directly from the vibration of the strings and thus cant be modulated electronically.The increasing interest held by the global population in music is a major driver for the global electric guitars market. Electric guitars are essential in popular genres of music such as rock and metal. Due to the popularity of these genres, the number of individuals attempting to learn to play the guitar is increasing. This is the prime driver for the global electric guitars market.Browse Market Research Report @The report examines the historical trajectory of the global electric guitars market and presents information detailing its development up to the base year. Further, detailed analysis of the current market figures is presented along with forecasts for the markets growth in the coming years. The report uses industry-standard analytical tools and databases to gain accurate information and precise analytical insights. The major segments of the global electric guitars market and the key players operating in it are also profiled in the report to provide a comprehensive coverage of the market.Global Electric Guitars Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe increasing disposable income of individuals in developing economies is allowing them to indulge in hobbies such as music. This is a major driver for the global electric guitars market. The continued popularity of rock music is another influential factor driving the global electric guitars market, as the two are intricately connected in the eyes of the masses. The increasing number of rock bands also bodes well for the global electric guitars market.On the other hand, electrical guitars can be too expensive for most amateurs. An important reason for this is that, unlike acoustic guitars, electric guitars need an amplifier. This is a major restraint on the global electric guitars market, particularly in developing countries. The increasing popularity of acoustic guitars has also checked the electric guitars market, as acoustic guitars are much cheaper than electric guitars and require less maintenance. However, advanced guitar playing techniques are easier to perform on electric guitars, since they have softer strings than acoustic guitars and no frets.Global Electric Guitars Market: Geographical OverviewThe global electric guitars market is dominated by North America due to the high interest in rock music, the high disposable income of the population, and the high number of rock bands in the region. The U.S. has a close relationship with the development of the global electric guitars market, with two of the most popular electric guitar designs  the Gibson Les Paul and the Fender Stratocaster  being designed in the U.S. The U.S. was also where rock and roll music began, providing an immense boost to the global electric guitars market.Global Electric Guitars Market: Vendor LandscapeMajor companies in the global electric guitars market include Gibson Guitar Corporation, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, and Paul Reed Smith Guitars Ltd. The global electric guitars market is highly competitive, with frequent technological advancements and changes in consumer preference making it hard for companies to maintain a competitive edge.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @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.Transparency 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.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Smart Battery Market - Industry Giants Have Been Increasingly Focused On The Manufacturing Of Lithium Ion Batteries

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Global Market: OverviewThe smart battery market is poised for considerable growth in the coming years, riding on the rising demand and usage of smart electronics such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and cameras. Technological advancements aimed at improving the efficiency of batteries used in various end uses have played a significant role in the development of this market.The global market for smart batteries has been studied based on type of battery, application, and geography. By battery type, the market includes nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), lead acid, nickel cadmium (NiCd), lithium ion, alkaline, zinc carbon, and lithium ion polymer. The key applications of smart batteries are biomedical devices, industrial, consumer electronics, automobiles, and military and defense.Obtain Report Details @The report on the worldwide market for smart batteries offers a detailed assessment of the global scenario, also shedding light on the key regional segments. The prominent factors influencing its growth have been identified and analyzed and sharp inputs on how to overcome the major challenges have also been highlighted. The various regulatory factors at play have been taken into consideration, offering recommendations on how to capitalize on them.Global Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe power generation sector contributes significantly to the global carbon emission and as a result, there is a growing need to develop energy-efficient products that will help minimize the carbon footprint. Growing consumer awareness regarding this need has boosted the uptake of smart batteries, supported by favorable government regulations. The smart battery market is also fueled by the soaring popularity of the internet of things (IoT) and the rising consumption of battery-enabled consumer electronic devices.In contrast, certain compatibility hurdles and the need for frequent calibrations pose a challenge to the smart battery market. Moreover, the high cost of smart batteries in comparison to conventional ones acts as a major restraint on the market, resulting in poor demand especially in low-income countries. The high cost of smart batteries is owing to the fact that they require a special charger.However, persistent research and development efforts are being made in order to maintain the cost of production and help steady the demand.Global Market: Regional OutlookFrom a geographical point of view, the global market for smart batteries comprises North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World. Asia Pacific is one of the most prominent markets for smart batteries and the rapid growth of this market can be attributed to a booming consumer electronics industry and the soaring presence of small and large manufacturers, especially in South Korea and Japan. The demand for lithium ion batteries comes on the heels of the growing need to curb automotive emissions by gradually replacing lead acid batteries.The Latin America smart battery market is also poised for significant expansion thanks to rapid industrialization in various economies of the region and the increasing usage of these batteries in power tools, material handling systems, and UPS devices.Companies Mentioned in the ReportSealed Energy Systems, Accutronics Ltd., Rose Electronics Distributing Company, Inc., ICCNexergy, Trojan Battery Company, Epec, LLC, Cell-Con, Inc., Cadex Electronics, Inc., and Inspired Energy, Inc. are some of the leading players competing in the global smart battery market.For more information on this report, fill the form @It has been observed that industry giants have been increasingly focused on the manufacturing of lithium ion batteries owing to the immense potential they present in the electric vehicle as well as consumer electronics markets. Companies have also been investing heavily in improving and expanding their production capacities so as to sustain themselves in the growing market.Transparency 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.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Blue-veined Cheese Market - The Biggest Trends to Watch out for 2017-2027

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Blue-Veined Cheese: OverviewCheese, originated in southern Italy, a soft dairy product formed by coagulations of the milk protein is a source of Vitamins, Proteins, and Minerals. Blue-veined Cheese has a range of textures, colors, types, flavors and is widely used all over the world. Milk from the sources such as cow, goat, sheep, reindeer, and yak which are ripened with penicillium mold forms Blue-veined cheese. It has characterized features like off white color cheese with green, gray, blue or black spots or veins all over it. The Blue-veined cheese has a tangy flavor with a smooth, soft and creamy texture. Thus Blue-veined cheese does not belong to the vegetarian group.Obtain Report Details:Blue-Veined Cheese: Drivers and RestraintsBlue veined cheese has a tangy flavor and has various health benefits. This is the main driving force in the Cheese Market. Increasing modernization of food habits, triggered demand for fast food, health awareness of dairy products, technological advancement in milk products are some of the factors which are promoting the growth of Blue-veined cheese market. Blue-veined cheese is an excellent source of desired nutrients and lowers health risk. It contains vitamins, nutrients, Proteins and many such factors which boost memory and immunity system, thereby driving the growth of the market. Moreover, it has other health benefits in weight Loss, Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Dental Health, Anti-Cellulite, and Anti-Inflammatory.Moreover, the factors such as increasing cost of milk and dairy products and high fat content in this cheese, are hampering the growth of the market.Blue-veined cheese: Market SegmentationBased on product types, blue-veined cheese market is segmented into:Gorgonzola CheeseRoquefort CheeseStilton CheeseCashel BlueDanabluDanish Blue cheeseOtherMake an Enquiry@Based on production types, blue veined cheese segmented into:Processed CheeseNatural CheeseBased on sources, Blue-veined cheese is segmented into:CowGoatSheepReindeerYakBased on textures, blue veined cheese is segmented into:Hard CheeseSemi Hard CheeseSemi-Soft CheeseSoft CheeseBased on Distribution Channels, blue-veined cheese is segmented into:ManufacturerRetail ShopsSpecialty ShopsWholesalersOnline shopsPortalsBlue-veined cheese: Segment OverviewBlue-veined cheese has the accountable share in the cheese market and is segmented in various above categories. The Majority of the Blue-veined cheese is produced by the cow milk. Other sources like sheep, goat, reindeer, yak has the comparatively little share in the production. Depending upon various categories like, production process where blue-veined cheese is produced by enzymes, additives, fresh milk or by bacterial growth. It is available in various shapes and sizes such as pouch, packets, cans, sticks, slices. Various categories in which blue-veined cheese can be used are bakeries, food processing, pizzas, burgers, fast food outlets etc. Considering geographical region, Western Europe- Germany, France, and Italy etc. has a greater share in production and consumption of this cheese.Blue-veined cheese: Regional OverviewThe global Blue-veined cheese market consists of into seven regions, namely Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa. Western Europe, in terms of revenue generation for this dairy product, is the market leader with Germany having significantly growing share in the production of blue-veined cheese. Other share for the production of Blue-veined cheese in the world are from North America and Eastern Europe. Major importers include Japan, North America, Eastern America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific[6][7][8].Asia-Pacific is emerging as a huge market for the cheese market in the forecasting period focusing majorly on India and China. It has attributed the significant demand for the blue-veined cheese due to changing food habits.Blue-Veined Cheese: Market PlayersFew Market players of the Blue-veined cheese market are ARLA Foods, Fonterra Co-operative Group, Shafts Cheese Company, LLC, WAIMATA CHEESE COMPANY, The Isle of Wight Cheese Company Ltd, Saputo Cheese USA Inc., Grafton Village Cheese, Cowgirl Creamery, Vermont Shepherd LLC, and Willow Hill Farm.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Medical Manifolds Market to Register Substantial Expansion by 2016 - 2024

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Manifolds are pipeline systems with several openings. Manifolds are specially fabricated structures wherein two or more cylinders are connected to a single pipeline to increase the availability of gas at the source. Medical manifolds offer the function of reducing the pressure from cylinders with high pressure to the required pressure, which is feasible to use in the hospital pipeline. In hospitals, medical gases are largely used to provide long-term support to patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Medical air is used in hospitals in large quantities and hence, it is feasible to produce it on site, rather than storing it in gas cylinders. Medical gas supply in a hospital needs to fulfill the stringent requirements of the installation standards and safety of all patients in the hospital. The need for medical manifolds primarily arises from strict rules and requirements for the medical gas supply systems. For instance, in July 2012, the U.S. Congress passed a bill putting into effect the Food & Drug Safety & Innovation Act. This act provides selected gases as approved medications for common medical gas mixtures; provides manufacturers with the protection of their intellectual property rights for new products; and establishes a certification process for medical gas production. These factors serve as a driver for the market.Browse Market Research Report @Increasing awareness regarding the medical gas safety amongst manufacturers and consumers is a major factor that drives the global medical manifolds market. Growth of the health care infrastructure has led to rise in the number of hospitals, which acts as a driver for the global medical manifolds market. In addition, the establishment of industry-friendly associations such as Medical Gas Association (MGA), Compressed Gas Association (CGA), and Gases & Welding Distributors Association (GAWDA) is fueling the market. Constant efforts made by the members of CGA and GAWDA have rendered the actualization of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act. These associations help in chalking out strategies that would ultimately help the market thrive and flourish. Therefore, establishment of such associations acts as a driver for the market.The global medical manifolds market has been segmented by product type and geography. In terms of product, the medical manifolds market has been categorized into simplex manifold systems, cradle pack manifolds, dual manifold systems, semi-automatic manifold systems, automatic manifold systems, digital automatic manifold systems, and others.Based on the region, the global fermented ingredients market has been segmented into: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounts for a significant share of the global market for medical manifolds, owing to presence of industry-friendly organizations such as CGA and GAWDA. These associations consist of industry experts working in reputed organizations. The members of these associations work continuously to make value additions to the market by understanding the market trends and implementing the policies that eventually work out in favour of the market. Europe is considered to be the second largest market for medical manifolds, due to enhanced health care processes and growing health concerns in the region. Moreover, rising geriatric population with the need for hospitalization augments the market in the region. Major factors that would drive the market in Asia Pacific include rapid development of health care infrastructure and presence of large population in the region. High prevalence of pulmonary diseases and emergency medical conditions provides countries such as India and China with multiple untapped opportunities. Latin American countries such as Mexico and Brazil are expected to have considerable growth potential for the medical manifolds market due to evolving health care infrastructure, and increasing medical expenditure.For more information on this report, fill the form @Major players operating in the global market for medical manifolds include Praxair, Inc., BeaconMedaes LLC, Merit Medical Systems, Inc., Smiths Group plc, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Pattons Medical, Genstar Technologies, and Gascon Systems Pty Ltd.Transparency 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.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Spine Implant Industry Bolstering the Growth of Market through 2021

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Global Spine Implant Market: OverviewThe current development of bio-resorbable implants that automatically leave the body as the patient recovers is projected to speed up the expansion of the spine implant market. Spinal implants are used to correct deformities, strengthen the spine, and facilitate fusion. Some of the major conditions that require spine implants are chronic degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, traumatic fracture, and other forms of spinal instabilities.Browse Market Research Report @The report carries out an in-depth analysis of the major drivers, restraints, trends, opportunities, and segments of the global spine implant market. The key factors of the global spine implant market such as value chain analysis, competitive landscape, Porters five force analysis, market attractiveness, market forecast, and supply and demand ratio have been thoroughly dealt with in the report. The report also sheds light on the market shares held by the leading firms, in addition to a description of their product portfolios and major business strategies.Global Spine Implant Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe key factors aiding the growth of the global market for spine implants are the rise in the number of spinal injuries and disorders and technological advancements in the field of spine implants. Minimally invasive surgeries have been witnessing high demand due to quicker recovery and lesser discomfort. This will prove to be another key growth driver of the market.The number of geriatric and obese population has been escalating, providing significant growth opportunities to the market. The increasing prevalence of postural defects, lack of physical exercise, and high incidence of obesity are increasingly affecting the spinal cord, leading to numerous spinal problems. Therefore, the global market for spine implants will witness an upsurge, growing with a steady CAGR during the forecast period.On the contrary, factors such as tedious approval procedures, high costs of treatments, absence of awareness about these procedures among patients and physicians, and uncertain reimbursements are some of the chief challenges faced by the global spine implant market. However, the introduction of image-based spinal navigation technology, along with the advancements in the field of titanium biologics will present considerable opportunities.The market can be segmented on the basis of product, type, technology and region.Global Spine Implant Market: Regional OutlookThe global market for spine implants can be segmented to include North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Latin America, and Europe. North America is likely to be the leading regional segment, accounting for the largest share in the overall market. The prominence of this region can be attributed to technological developments, government funds, extensive R&D activities, and the rise of innovative treatment procedures. The U.S. will be at the headmost position in this region.Asia Pacific is a budding market with great potential owing to the presence of a large patient population, widespread adoption of sedentary lifestyles, increased healthcare expenditure, rising awareness about the availability of spine implants, beneficial government policies, and rising per capita incomes of people. Although the spine implant markets in India and China are growing at a rapid rate, Japan is expected to emerge with lucrative opportunities on account of its highly skilled surgeons, attractive market economics, and established regulatory systems.For more information on this report, fill the form @Companies Mentioned in the ReportSome of the major companies operating in the global market for spine implants are Aesculap Implant Systems, Ulrich Medicals, Titan Spine, Stryker, Medtronic, Zimmer Biomet Corporation, and DePuy Synthes.Transparency 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.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Latest Report on Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Market Size, Segmentation, Regulations and Key Country Analysis to 2025

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Market -Market Size, Segmentation, Regulations and Key Country Analysis to 2025" to its huge collection of research reports."Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Market -Market Size, Segmentation, Regulations and Key Country Analysis to 2025", the latest report from industry analysis specialist GlobalData, offers comprehensive information and analysis of the global combined heat and power market.The report provides a clear overview of and detailed insight into the global CHP market. It provides data covering historic and forecast market size, market segmentation and installed capacity globally, and in eleven key CHP markets - US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, the UK, China, India, and Japan. The report analyzes key market aspects which determine CHP sector and provides information on installed capacity share by fuel, end-user, capacity range & prime mover and key regulations.The report uses data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, and in-house analysis by GlobalDatas team of industry experts.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Scope- CHP market study at global level and at key country level, covering countries such as US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, the UK, China, India, and Japan- Historic and forecast data for cumulative and annual installed power capacity for CHP- Information on installed capacity share by fuel, prime mover, end-user and capacity range- Analysis on major market forces driving or restraining the growth of CHP market at global and regional level- Market size data at country and global level- Key policies and regulations supporting the development of CHP market at country levelReasons to buyThe report will allow you to -- Facilitate decision-making by providing historical and forecast data in CHP sector- Develop strategies based on developments in the CHP market- Maximize potential in the growth of the CHP market- Identify key partners and business-development avenues- Respond to your competitors business structure, strategies and prospectsTable Of Content1 Table of Contents1 Table of Contents 51.1 List of Tables 121.2 List of Figures 152 Introduction 192.1 Combined Heat and Power Technology 192.2 Technology Trends of Combined Heat and Power Technology 202.2.1 Trigeneration 202.2.2 Shift from Conventional Generation to Powerformers 202.2.3 New Combustion Technology 202.2.4 Heat Recovery Technologies 212.2.5 Waste Heat to Power Systems 212.3 Combined Heat and Power Prime Movers, Types, Pros/Cons 232.4 End-User Type 242.4.1 Institutional Users 242.4.2 Commercial Users 242.4.3 Industrial Users 242.4.4 Residential Users 242.5 Combined Heat and Power Supply Chain 242.6 GlobalData Report Guidance 253 Combined Heat and Power Market, Global 263.1 Combined Heat and Power Market, Global, Installed Capacity, 2006-2025 263.2 Combined Heat and Power Market, Global, Installed Capacity Share by Region, 2015 and 2025 293.3 Combined Heat and Power Market, Global, Market Size, 2006-2025 304 Combined Heat and Power Market, Americas 324.1 Combined Heat and Power Market, Americas, Installed Capacity 334.1.1 Combined Heat and Power Market, Americas, Installed Capacity, 2006-2025 334.1.2 Combined Heat and Power Market, Americas, Cumulative Installed Capacity by Country, 2006-2025 354.1.3 Combined Heat and Power Market, Americas, Cumulative Installed Capacity Share by Country, 2015 and 2025 364.2 Combined Heat and Power Market, Americas, Market Size, 2006-2025 384.3 Combined Heat and Power Market, Americas, Market Forces Analysis 394.3.1 Combined Heat and Power Market, Americas, Key Drivers 394.3.2 Combined Heat and Power Market, Americas, Key Restraints 415 Combined Heat and Power Market, US 425.1 Combined Heat and Power Market, US, Installed Capacity, 2006-2025 425.2 Combined Heat and Power Market, US, Market Segmentation 455.2.1 Combined Heat and Power Market, US, Share by End-User Segment, 2015 455.2.2 Combined Heat and Power Market, US, Share by Prime Mover, 2015 475.2.3 Combined Heat and Power Market, US, Share by Fuel Type, 2015 485.2.4 Combined Heat and Power Market, US, Share by Capacity Range, 2015 495.3 Combined Heat and Power Market, US, Market Size, 2006-2025 505.4 Combined Heat and Power Market, US, Regulations, 2015 515.4.1 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) or Recovery Act 515.4.2 Power Plant Improvement Initiative 525.4.3 Clean Energy Standard Act 525.4.4 Energy Policy Act 525.4.5 Clean Coal Power Initiative 546 Combined Heat and Power Market, Canada 556.1 Combined Heat and Power Market, Canada, Installed Capacity, 2006-2025 556.2 Combined Heat and Power Market, Canada, Market Segmentation 586.2.1 Combined Heat and Power Market, Canada, Share by End-User Segment, 2015 586.2.2 Combined Heat and Power Market, Canada, Share by Prime Mover, 2015 596.2.3 Combined Heat and Power Market, Canada, Regional Share, 2015 596.3 Combined Heat and Power Market, Canada, Market Size, 2006-2025 616.4 Combined Heat and Power Market, Canada, Regulations 636.4.1 ecoEnergy Technology Initiative 636.4.2 Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance 636.4.3 Clean Energy Fund: Renewable Energy and Clean Energy Systems Demonstration Projects 636.4.4 ecoEnergy for Biofuels 636.4.5 Renewable Energy Policy Framework, Nova Scotia 646.4.6 Renewable Energy Policy Framework, Ontario 64Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry Key Trends, Size, Growth, Shares And Forecast Research Report Outlook 2020

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry Outlook to 2020 - Capacity and Capital Expenditure Forecasts with Details of All Planned Pipelines" to its huge collection of research reports."Global Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry Outlook to 2020 - Capacity and Capital Expenditure Forecasts with Details of All Planned Pipelines" is a comprehensive report on major, trunk oil and gas planned pipelines industry in the world. The report provides planned pipeline details such as pipeline/pipeline system name, operator name, start year, start point, end point, length, capacity and diameter for all major, trunk crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas pipelines across the world by country and by region. The report also provides capital expenditure outlook at global as well as regional level by year and by key countries for planned oil and gas pipelines till 2020. The report also provides key country comparisons within a region and regional comparisons, based on contribution to total pipeline length (regional/global). Planned or proposed (new build) pipeline projects, as announced by various companies, have also been included in this report. Further the report also offers recent developments as well as latest tenders and contracts at regional level.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Scope- Updated information on all planned crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas pipelines in the world- Provides key details such as operator name, start year, start point, end point, location, length, diameter and capacity for all planned crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas pipelines to 2020- Provides capital expenditure outlook at global as well as regional level by year and by key countries for planned oil and gas pipelines till 2020- Latest developments and contracts related to oil and gas pipeline industry at the regional levelReasons to buy- Obtain the most up to date information available on all key planned transmission pipelines across the world- Identify growth segments and opportunities in the industry- Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong pipeline data- Assess your competitors pipeline network and its capacity- Develop strategies based on the latest developments in the industry- Information on latest tenders and contracts in the industry1 Table of Contents1 Table of Contents 21.1 List of Tables 81.2 List of Figures 212 Introduction 232.1 What Is This Report About? 232.2 Market Definition 233 Global Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry 253.1 Global Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Snapshot 253.2 Global Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Oil and Gas Pipelines 314 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry 364.1 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Snapshot 364.2 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Pipeline Lengths 414.3 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Cross Country Pipelines 494.4 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Nigeria 514.5 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Mozambique 524.6 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Algeria 534.7 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, South Sudan 564.8 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Uganda 574.9 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, South Africa 584.10 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Egypt 594.11 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Ethiopia 604.12 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Kenya 604.13 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Cameroon 614.14 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Niger 624.15 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Djibouti 624.16 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Namibia 634.17 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Ghana 644.18 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Tunisia 644.19 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Angola 654.20 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Madagascar 654.21 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Congo Republic 664.22 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Morocco 664.23 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Gabon 674.24 Africa Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Recent Developments, Tenders and Contracts 675 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry 815.1 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Snapshot 815.2 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Pipeline Lengths 865.3 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Cross Country Pipelines 1035.4 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, India 1055.5 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, China 1125.6 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Indonesia 1155.7 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Turkmenistan 1165.8 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Myanmar 1175.9 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Pakistan 1175.10 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Philippines 1195.11 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Bangladesh 1205.12 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Thailand 1225.13 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Kazakhstan 1235.14 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Malaysia 1255.15 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Vietnam 1265.16 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Japan 1275.17 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Sri Lanka 1285.18 Asia Planned Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Recent Developments, Tenders and Contracts 129Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Current and Projected Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market size in terms of volume and value 2016-2026

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Infectious disease diagnostics is process of identifying the presence of foreign antigen/organism with the help of various diagnostic tools. Infectious disease conditions are highly prevalent in under developed regions due to lack of awareness for personal hygiene, minimal healthcare expenditures and absence of efficient physician services. The high incidence of infectious diseases across emerging economies formulate a major share in overall market. This has grab the attention of in vitro diagnostic device manufactures to invest into emerging economies. These companies are taking efforts to develop and commercialize cost effective tools for the infectious disease diagnosis. Presently, the gold standard tests available for bacterial infections and sexually transmitted disease diagnosis have major market share. However, these test are expected to replace by molecular techniques in future.Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market: Drivers and RestraintsIncreasing incidence of infectious disease, growing adoption of advanced molecular techniques, and increasing interventions from government and non-profile organization to reduce infectious disease in underdeveloped regions are endorsing the growth of infectious disease diagnosis market. In addition, the companies operating in the disease diagnostic technologies are focusing on the development of novel diagnostics, which eventually provides pace to the market growth. However, lack of awareness for novel diagnostic solution, absence of compiled regulatory guidelines and lower positivity rates due to inferior laboratory conditions would hinder the growth of infectious disease diagnostics market.Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market: SegmentationThe global infectious disease diagnostics market is segmented based on, test type, techniques, application, and end users.Based on test type, the global infectious disease diagnostics market is segmented into the following:Laboratory testsBlood testUrine testSpinal tapThroat swabsStool testImaging testRequest Free Report Sample@X-rayComputed tomography (CT)Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)BiopsiesBased on techniques, the global infectious disease diagnostics market is segmented into the following:Conventional techniquesGram-stainPathogen culturingBiochemical techniquesELISAEnzyme immunoassayAgglutinationMolecular techniquesPCRNucleic acid sequence based amplificationBased on condition, the global infectious disease diagnostics market is segmented into the following:Bacterial InfectionViral InfectionCNS infectionsCardiovascular infectionFungal infectionGI infectionsSexually transmitted diseaseOtherBased on end use, the global infectious disease diagnostics market is segmented into the following:Diagnostic laboratoriesAcademic and medical institutesContract Research OrganizationHospitals and Surgical centersAmbulatory clinicsHome healthcareRequest For TOC@Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market: OverviewBy test type, the laboratory tests hold prominent share owing to its lower cost and easy availability. The emerging economies are the prime contributors of laboratory test segment especially in Asia-Pacific region, owing to high positivity rates. Laboratory test are first line of diagnostics referred by physicians which includes, blood test, urine test, spinal tap, throat swabs, and stool test. By techniques, the molecular diagnostic techniques such as PCR, and other nucleic acid amplification test would gain prominence in developed region. Based on condition, the bacterial infections, GI infections and Sexually transmitted disease have the largest share in infectious disease testing market, owing to high prevalence especially in emerging economies.Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market: Region-wise OutlookEmerging economies such as India and China are the primary consumer for infection disease testing market, owing to growing urbanization which leads to unhygienic environment in the cities. Countries belongs to Asia-Pacific and Africa regions have largest share in infectious disease diagnosis market due to high prevalence and incidence of infectious diseases especially sexually transmitted disease and bacterial infections. North America and European countries will ahead towards the adoption on high end infectious disease diagnostic with the help of molecular technologies. This increasing adoption of premium diagnostic techniques would sustain the market share of infectious disease diagnostics in developed region.Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market: Key PlayersKey companies operational in infectious diseases testing market are Becton Dickinson & Company, Cepheid Inc., Abbott Laboratories, BioMerieux, Hologic Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., Danaher Corporation, Affymetrix, Alere Inc., and DiaSorin. These companies are majorly focusing on getting approval for the commercialiation of their novel product launch. Recently, in 2015, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. has got approval from US FDA for its BioPlex 2200 HIV Ag-Ab assay, which is used for HIV antigens and HIV antibodies.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global PCB Design Software Industry Key Trends, Size, Growth, Shares And Forecast Research Report (2016-2020)

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global PCB Design Software Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020)" to its huge collection of research reports.The report titled Global PCB Design Software Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020) provides an in-depth analysis of the global PCB design software market by value and by segment. It provides an overview of the market and its segment with detailed analysis of market size and growth in terms of value and market share by region, segment and end-user.The report provides brief regional analysis of North America, Asia Pacific and Europe. Regional analysis includes market sizing and growth by value of each region. Share contribution of North America is highest in the global PCB design software market. Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at a high CAGR over the forecasted period.The report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall global PCB design software market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The competition in the global PCB design software market is dominated by the four big players, Mentor Graphics, Cadence Design Systems, Zuken and Altium. These key players are profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.Company CoverageMentor GraphicsCadence Design SystemsZukenAltiumRegion CoverageNorth AmericaAsia PacificEuropeExecutive SummarySoftware which is used by electrical engineers for designing of printed circuit board on a device, using various features is PCB design software. The main function of PCB software is to construct, inspect and test a designed circuit board before it can be printed physically on a polymer circuit board for use in the electronics sector. PCB design software is a kind of electronic design automation (EDA) tool. It is used to design layout of circuit. This software not only provides designing of the circuit but also validates the working of circuit.The global PCB design software market has increased with healthy growth rates during the years 2010-2015 and projections are made that the market would rise in the next four years i.e. 2016 to 2020 tremendously. The global PCB design software market is supported by various growth drivers such as increasing use in semiconductor industry, ease in designing of circuit which saves cost and time, rising use in electronic automotive devices and technological advancements etc. Yet the market faces some challenges such as use of pirated software, lack of skilled personnel and easy availability of open source PCB design software which are hampering the growth of the market.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Greek Yogurt Market size and Key Trends in terms of volume and value 2016-2026

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Currently, greek yogurt is one of the most popular dairy products across the globe. Since greek yogurt is prepared through the straining process in order to separate the yogurt from the excess watery whey, it is also known as strained yogurt. The straining process makes the yogurt much thicker and creamier as compared to the regular or traditional yogurt. Greek yogurt contributes significantly to the growth of the global yogurt market. This is mainly attributed to its benefits such as higher protein and lower carbohydrates value as compare to traditional yogurt. Presently, greek yogurt is the highest growing product category among others including regular yogurt and yogurt drinks and second holds largest market share in terms of revenue, after traditional yogurt in the overall yogurt market. Demand for greek yogurt market is expected to increase in the next five to six forecast years owing to increasing lunch of new product with variety of flavours such as blueberry, vanilla, honey, chocolate and others.Global Greek Yogurt Market Segmentation:On the basis of product type, the global greek yogurt market is segmented into regular greek yogurt and non-fat greek yogurt, which is made from skim milk. Owing to increase the consumption of fat free and healthy products, non-fat greek yogurt products are gaining increasing popularity among the consumers.On the basis of distribution channel, the global greek yogurt market is segmented into supermarket/ hypermarket, grocery stores, convenience stores, and online retailing. In terms of revenue contribution, supermarket / hypermarket is expected to hold the highest share among all the other segments. However, online retail for global greek yogurt market witnesses steady growth in the forecasted years. This is attributed to increasing visibility of greek yogurt especially through online retailing.Request Free Report Sample@Geographically, global greek yogurt market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, and Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America and Western Europe are the two most lucrative market for greek yogurt in the world. In North America around half of the yogurt sold is greek yogurt.Global Greek Yogurt Market Dynamics:Increase in health consciousness among consumer has led to shift in eating preference towards healthy and nutrition food products. Availability of high nutritional value, which includes high protein, probiotics, vitamin such as vitamin D, B12, minerals such as potassium, iodine and calcium in greek yogurt is key factor that has led to increased adoption of greek yogurt among consumers and thus, fuelling the global greek yogurt market growth.Increasing application of greek yogurt is another growth driver for greek yogurt market since it is used for various medium in different countries. For instance, in Mediterranean region greek yogurt is mainly used as savoury but in the US, Mexico and Canada it is used as sweet snack with added fruits and flavours. Greek yogurt is also used in making many sauces for instance beef and lamb sauces. Greek yogurt is also used as a substitute products, for instance it is used as a substitute product for sour cream, cream cheese and butter. Thus, increasing its application among food products.Request For TOC@Among dairy products, greek yogurt is a good option for the consumers who have slight lactose intolerance, since in the production process much of the lactose is removed from the greek yogurt. This leads to drive the scope of greek yogurt among such consumers globally. However, high lactose intolerance is restrain for adoption of greek yogurt, thus restricting the market growth. There is a high opportunity to expand and increase the revenue for greek yogurt in the Asia Pacific excluding japan and Middle East countries.Global Greek Yogurt Market Key Players:Some of the key players operating in the global greek yogurt market are Chobani LLC, Stonyfield Farm, Inc, FAGE International S.A., GROUPE DANONE, and General Mills, Inc. Owing to have strong distribution and marketing strategies companies are able to meet the increasing demand for global greek yogurt.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Gamma Knife Market Share and Cost Analysis with Key Companys Profiles-Forecast to 2024

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Gamma knife is an advanced radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer in adults and children. Gamma knife is not really a knife; it is a beam of highly focused gamma rays, to precisely cut or destroy the tumor or damaged cells, generally in the brain, causing little or no damage to the surrounding normal cells. Gamma knife technology is used to treat medium brain tumors, trigeminal neuralgia, epilepsy, nerve disorders that causes chronic pain, abnormal blood vessel formations called arteriovenous malformations, and other neurological conditions. Patients with serious diseases can be treated with the help of this technology which is a noninvasive procedure and get cured in a few days with no long hospital stay, returning to normal life and activity promptly. Typically, gamma knife treatment is completed in a few hours with little or no side effects. According to Leksell Gamma Knife Society, gamma knife technology is universally preferred and no other radiosurgery system has greater clinical acceptance as gamma knife. Gamma knife radiosurgery is performed in leading hospitals around the world, with more than 70,000 patients treated every year. To treat with gamma knife technology the surgeon neither requires to make an incision in the scalp, nor an opening in the skull.Browse Market Research Report @The gamma knife market can be segmented by disease indication and geography. Based on disease indication, the market is classified into cancer, arteriovenous malformation (AVM), trigeminal neuralgia, essential tremor and others (epilepsy, Parkinsons disease etc.). Cancer holds the dominant share of the gamma knife market by disease indication, and its increasing prevalence is expected to boost the overall market. There are over 100 types of cancer. According to WHO, about 16% of the world population die because of cancer. In 2015, 8.8 million people died of cancer. This is expected to be the prominent driver for the gamma knife market.Geographically, the gamma knife market is classified into five regions, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America has the leading market share followed by the other developed region, Europe. The U.S. accounts for a major share of the global market. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2016, about 1,685,210 new cancer cases were diagnosed. Advanced technologies, high awareness levels, and high purchasing power in North America influenced the gamma knife technology market expansion significantly. However, the same factor of affordability has restrained the markets in developing regions. Despite this, the gamma knife market in Asia Pacific has shown significant increase in growth rate. Rising population, increase in disposable income, increase in the geriatric population, and increase in awareness levels are some key factors driving the Asia Pacific market. Due to these factors, the Asian market is observing a large number of new entrants compared to developed regions.Other factors that drive the gamma knife market are increasing prevalence of various types of cancer, increasing preference toward non- and minimally-invasive procedures, high adoption and acceptance in developed markets, high success rate of gamma knife procedure, innovations and developments in technology, and comprehensive health insurance cover for radio surgery procedures. The market is also experiencing certain restraints such as stiff competition among existing players, high cost of the procedure, low equipment availability, and lack of awareness about gamma knife therapy among the rural population in developing and underdeveloped economies.For more information on this report, fill the form @The major players in the gamma knife market include Elekta, Varian Medical Systems, Huiheng Medical, Inc., Nordion Inc., ET Medical Group, and American Shared Hospital Services.Transparency 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.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Price Comparison Websites (PCW) Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020) | Now Available at Researchmoz.us

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Price Comparison Websites (PCW) Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020)" to its huge collection of research reports.The report entitled Global Price Comparison Websites (PCW) Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020), provides analysis of the global price comparison website market, with detailed analysis of market size and growth, penetration, market share and economic impact of the industry. The report also provides the regional analysis of the price comparison website market of the UK, with analysis by value, segments, penetration, etc.Furthermore, the report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall global price comparison website market has been forecasted for the years 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth pattern, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.Majority of the market is concentrated in the UK and major companies in the market are also UK based. Gocompare, Moneysupermarket, uSwitch and Confused.com are key companies in the UK price comparison website market. The company profiling of these companies has been done in the report, which includes business overview, financial overview and respective business strategies of the companies.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Country CoverageUKCompany CoverageEsure Group Plc (Gocompare.com)MoneySuperMarket.com Group PlcZoopla Property Group (uSwitch)Admiral Group PLC (Confused.com)Executive SummaryA price comparison website is a search engine, which people use to compare the prices of different products. These websites are also called comparison shopping website, price analysis tool, comparison shopping agent, shopbot, etc. Along with prices, many other categories for comparing the products, such as features, quality, etc. are being added on these websites.Price comparison websites provide many benefits to both consumers and the suppliers. Consumers get convenience, increased choices, saving of time, etc., while suppliers are benefitted by increased visibility, new customers, etc.The price comparison websites can be segmented into Insurance, Energy and Others. Insurance segment includes motor insurance, home insurance, travel insurance, etc. Energy segment comprises of gas, electricity and others. Other products included in the market are broadband, mobiles, digital TV, etc.The price comparison website market is expected to increase at a significant growth rate during the forecasted period (2016-2020). The global price comparison website market is supported by various growth drivers, such as increase in smartphone users, increased internet penetration, increasing switching market, etc. Yet, the market faces certain challenges, such as issues related to reliability and trust, lack of knowledge, etc.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Oncology Information System Market 2024; Important changes in market dynamics

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Oncology information system is an image and information management system that allows to check all parts of oncology care for patients. Oncology information system combines medical, surgical, and radiation oncology information into a comprehensive, oncology electronic medical record that allows to manage patient's details from start of the patients admission through diagnosis and follow-up details.The factors driving the growth of the oncology information system market are increase in technological adaption and technological advancement. Increase in health care infrastructure in developing nations, growth in prevalence of secondary tumor, and rise in incidence of cancer are the other factors anticipated to propel the growth of the oncology information system market during the forecast period. According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide; in 2012, there were 14 million new cases and 8.2 million cancer-related deaths worldwide. However, lack of health care IT professionals and strict regulation are likely to restrict the growth of the oncology information system market.Obtain Report Details:According to a report by the American Cancer Society, 50% of men and 30% of women are estimated to develop cancer in some form or the other in their lifetime. Increase in amount of cancer patients is a major driver of the sales of the oncology information system market. Additionally, rise in amount of tobacco consumption and increase in amount of carcinogens present in the polluted air or in any other form are projected to drive the oncology information system market in the near future. Some of the factors driving the growth of the market are rising disposable income, which enables patients to avail expensive treatments, easily available medical insurance policies, and growing medical tourism activities. Heavy investments in R&D further act as an opportunity for the growth of the market since innovative and technologically advanced products always have the capability of substituting its predecessors.The oncology information system market has been segmented by product, application, end-user, and geography. Based on product, the oncology information system market is classified into patient information system, treatment planning system, consulting/optimization, implementation, maintenance, services, and others. Based on application, the market is segmented into care management, treatment management, and knowledge management. Based on end-user, the oncology information system market is segmented into hospital, government institution, research center, and others.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report:Geographically, the oncology information system market in segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to account for a large market share in terms of revenue, followed by Europe. The oncology information system market in North America is expected to grow due to technological advancement and increase in demand for advanced product. The growing need to implement advanced systems in the health care sector in the region and, at the same time, deliver quality care to patients are the factors likely to drive the market in the near future. Asia Pacific is expected to rise at a high CAGR owing to increase in adoption of technological advanced products, growth in disposable income, and rise in health care infrastructure in countries such as India, China, Australia, and other countries in the region. The Latin America oncology information system market is mainly driven by the increasing adoption of technological products in countries such as Brazil and Mexico. The Middle East & Africa oncology information system market is estimated to grow in the near future due to rise in incidence of cancer. According to World Health Organization, women in the African region had the highest incidence of cancer of the cervix uteri.Major players operating in this market include CureMD Healthcare, Varian Medical Systems, Inc., Flatiron Health, Inc., Epic Systems Corporation, Bogardus Medical Systems, Inc., Cerner Corporation, McKesson Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Elekta AB, and Accuray Inc.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.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Remote Cardiac Monitoring Industry Key Trends, Size, Growth, Shares And Forecast Research Report (2016-2020)

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Remote Cardiac Monitoring Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020)" to its huge collection of research reports.The report entitled Global Remote Cardiac Monitoring Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020) provides a detailed analysis of the global remote cardiac monitoring market with analysis of market size by value, volume, segments, etc.The report also includes a detailed regional analysis of the remote cardiac monitoring market of regions such as, US, Europe and Asia Pacific comprising of its market by value. Under competitive landscape, different players in the global remote cardiac monitoring market have been compared on the basis of their revenue and market capitalization.The report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the global remote cardiac monitoring market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The competition in the global remote cardiac monitoring market is stiff and dominated by the big players. Medtronic Plc, Boston Scientific Corporation and Life Watch AG are some of the key players operating in the global remote cardiac monitoring market, whose company profiling is done in the report. In this segment of the report, business overview, financial overview and the business strategies of the companies are provided.Regional CoverageUSAEuropeAsia PacificCompany CoverageMedtronic PlcBoston Scientific CorporationLifeWatch AGExecutive SummaryRemote cardiac monitoring is the continuous monitoring of electrical activities of the heart, which takes place outside hospitals. The monitoring can also be done while the patient is doing the day to day activities. Devices like pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillator is placed with the patient through minimally invasive procedures and the transmission of data takes place via a transmitter which works in sync with the device.The global remote cardiac monitoring market is expected to grow at a healthy rate during the forecast period (2016-2020). The growth is expected on account of many factors, such as an increase in cardiovascular diseases, increasing incidence of obesity, less cost of remote monitoring and rising ageing population.However, the market also faces some challenges, which includes reimbursement issues and the risk of over treatment. Increasing health care expenditure, cardiomems heart failure monitoring system and telesense remote cardiac monitoring device are some of the latest trends in the remote cardiac monitoring market.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Force Sensors Market Volume Analysis, Segments, Value Share and Key Trends 2016-2026

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Force sensors are also known as force transducers that converts an input mechanical force into an electrical output signal. It act as a force sensing resistor in an electric circuit. It has various benefits such as flexibility and ultra-thin sensor construction which leads to minimal interference in normal action of device and precise response. Depending upon the working and sensing method, variety of force sensors are available in the market.Force Sensor Market: Drivers and RestraintThe global force sensor market is expected to witness substantial growth over the period of forecast. Technological advancement, low manufacturing cost, increasing product demand, rise in the demand of industrial robots, advancement of medical devices with force sensing technology, innovations and development in the manufacturing are the few factors encouraging the growth of global force sensor market.On the other hand, factors which are restraining the global force sensor market are instability in the demand across various end-user industry and underdeveloped aftermarket sales channels.Force Sensor Market: SegmentationThe global force sensor market can be segmented into type, application and region. On the basis of type, the global force sensor market can be segmented into, optical force sensor, piezoresistive force sensor, capacitive force sensor, magnetic force sensor, ultrasonic force sensor, strain gauges, and electrochemical force sensorsRequest Free Report Sample@Sensors has become an essential part of any measurement and automation applications. Overall global sensor market is witnessing a trend of increasing sensor accuracy, reliability, response time, efficiency, communication capability and robustness encourages the demand for sensors across various applications. On the basis of application, the global force sensor market can be segmented into, medical & pharmaceutical sector, automotive, printing & packaging, consumer electronics, industrial (robotic & manufacturing), and aerospace & defence. Key developments in the prominent industries such as medical & pharmaceuticals, robotics, aerospace & defence, manufacturing and others is expected to encourage the growth of global force sensor market by 2025. Force sensors are used in manufacturing tools, transportation equipment, microelectronic packaging, transportation equipment etc. Force sensors can also be used in wireless inventory management system to improve order scheduling which helps in avoiding inventory stock-out issue.Force Sensor Market: Region wise outlookOn the basis of region, the global force sensor market can be seven regions which include  North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan and Middle East & Africa. North America is dominating the global force sensor market due to high technological advancement and increasing adoption among various end-user applications. However, revenue contribution from Asia Pacific excluding Japan is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period.Request For TOC@Force Sensor Market: Key PlayersKey players in the global force sensor market are FUTEK Advanced Sensor Technology, Inc., OMRON Corporation, Texas Instruments Incorporated are the top players are global force sensor market. Apart from them, various other players are existing in market such as TE Connectivity Ltd., Tekscan, Inc., ATI Industrial Automation, and Sensata Technologies, Inc. Key players are focusing on development of new technologies and new product launch. Merger and acquisition is another activity observed in the market by the market participants to increase their product portfolio and to grow the business. The growth in global force sensor market is also due to growing awareness about the potential use of force sensors in different electronic devices by the original equipment manufacturers. For example, in August 2015, Apple, Inc. posted a patent report, An Advanced Force Touch Patent for the iPad Surfaces in Europe to develop techniques to integrate the force sensors into the iPhone and iPad.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Virtual 3D Nanorobots Market 2025; Reporting and evaluation of recent industry developments

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Nanorobots are emerging technology in the field of medical science. Nanorobots involve the administration of tiny devices to the arteries used for diagnostic and treatment purpose. Nanorobots are mostly used for the neurology and oncology treatment. Currently, the application of nanorobot for medical science is limited; however, it is expected to make a great impact in the near future. Researchers demonstrated that nanorobots prevent side effects for cancer treatment caused due to chemotherapy and other biological therapies. Hence, virtual 3D nanorobots are projected to be a viable alternative for cancer treatment in the future. Although substantial breakthroughs have been made, there is still much work to be implemented before the concept becomes a reality. The medical applications of 3D nanorobot include dentistry, brain aneurysm, cancer detection and treatment, and gene therapy.Obtain Report Details:The global market for virtual 3D nanorobots has a substantial growth worldwide due to technological innovations, introduction of advanced medical equipment, and advancement of health care infrastructure in developed nations. Moreover, advances in mobile penetration, connectivity, and ICT services are estimated to further accentuate the market growth. Mobile access is becoming ubiquitous worldwide. Developed markets such as Australia, Korea, the U.S., the U.K., Sweden, and Germany already have mobile penetration greater than 100%. This offers significant growth opportunities in the market. Additionally, favorable government support, rise in health care infrastructure, and rapid technological innovations toward health care services accentuate growth of the market.The virtual 3D nanorobots market, with advancement in technology, in developing countries is anticipated to expand at a promising rate during the forecast period. According to the UN Telecommunication Unions (ITU) annual ICT report Measuring the Information Society 2011, the Republic of Korea is one of the worlds most technologically advanced economy for health care. Moreover, the mobile devices, if effectively leveraged, can help drive health care accessibility and affordability across the world. Therefore, rise in technological advancement and increase in efforts toward the development of innovative medical (mobile) technologies are expected to fuel demand for virtual 3D nanorobots for health care across the world.Geographically, the global virtual 3D nanorobots market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America (LATAM), and Middle East & Africa (MEA). North America accounted for a significantly large share of the global virtual 3D nanorobots market in 2014. The U.S. accounted for majority of the market share in the region. The virtual 3D nanorobots market offers immense growth potential in this region owing to timely technological upgrade, increase in awareness among patients, and continuous evolution of information technology. Countries in Western Europe (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) offer lucrative opportunities in the field of 3D nanorobot, majorly due to increase in implementation of technologically advanced devices and rise in government initiatives toward development of well-equipped health care centers. Moreover, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa are expected to expand at a fast growth rate during the forecast period. Untapped opportunities, improvement in health care infrastructure, increase in awareness about available and innovative nanorobotics services, and favorable government initiatives are the major factors fueling the growth of the virtual 3D nanorobots market in these regions. Latin America majorly includes countries in Central and South America such as Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. Latin America is one of the lucrative markets for virtual 3D nanorobots. Brazil and Mexico are significantly large markets in the region.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report:Key players operating in the global virtual 3D nanorobots market include Zymergen, Gingko Bioworks, and Synthace.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.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Hire packers and movers based on rates at thepackersmovers.com

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New Delhi, India - Thepackersmovers is an online directory for moving agencies that lets you hire reliable packers and movers in and around India. Recently it has come up with movers and packers in Mumbai rates. It provides the choicest of moving companies for customers to choose from. Shifting a new location is really a hard task. When it comes to move belongings it becomes truly stressful. This is why thepackersmovers.com brings professional packers and movers all over India.Equally stressful task is to find the reliable packers and movers in Pune (), Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and other parts where one wants to move out. Even the ones known for their services have poor reviews and feedbacks. They also perform poorly on quality standards. Their price range also crosses the customers budget when they hire them and get charged more and more. Even there are fraudulent packers and movers who do take advantage of customers. This is where thepackersmovers comes as the reliable directory having innumerable packers and movers handpicked and screened. Before listing on its website,makes sure every shifting company is checked and screened. They verify using a very strict procedure. They also provide unbiased reviews and feedbacks to help you find reliable ones. With easy search features and dedicated team, thepackersmovers.com brings in a change for people to hire packers and movers all over India.Services offered by thepackersmovers.com packers and movers in Mumbai () include home relocation, good shifting, car carriers, commercial moving and so on.With thepackersmovers booking a moving shifting company is just easier. You only need to search, compare and book as these processes just takes a few minutes to complete. Under one location you can find every information you need about the packer and mover you want to hire. Even you can compare and then come to the conclusion based on that.For all those who want to hire a trusted packing and moving service provider in India thepackersmovers is the best place to look at. It gives you myriad of choices and helps you find only the best one suiting your needs.Thepackersmovers.com is one of the best online directories to look for packing and moving service providers. The site has created a reputable status for itself in the industry. Since beginning it has been giving the best services around at most affordable prices. One can find each and every information needed for the packers and movers across all cities.Media Contact :-The Packers MoversMayur Vihar Phase 1, Pandav NagarPostal Code :- 110091City - DelhiCountry - IndiaEmail - info@thepackersmovers.com
Emerging Trends And Dynamics In The Transfusion Diagnostics Market Through 2016 - 2024

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Blood transfusion is a process of receiving blood products or blood into the circulatory system intravenously. Blood transfusion is used in different medical conditions for replacement of lost component in the blood. Earlier blood transfusion included whole blood; however, modern medical methods can use only a component of blood for transfusion. Blood transfusion is among the most common procedures used for patients in hospitals. Hence, it becomes imperative that clinicians have knowledge about the appropriate administration of blood products, along with the symptoms, signs, and transfusion reaction management. Different blood products that can be transfused in the human body are red blood cells, platelets, plasma, albumin, and immunoglobulin preparations.Browse Market Research Report @The blood transfusion process is as follows: blood sample is taken and sent to hospital laboratory where tests are performed to ensure that the donor blood is compatible with patient's blood. This process is called cross-matching. Risks associated with blood transfusion are viral infections, allergic reactions, fever, hemolytic reactions, and iron overload. Everything possible should be done to reduce these risks during blood transfusion. Hence, before blood transfusion, several steps are taken to ensure the quality of blood products, compatibility, and safety to the recipient. A definite diagnosis is required for both the donor and recipient blood. Red blood cells are the most common blood products to be transfused. One of the transfusion diagnostics incudes molecular blood group diagnostics. Molecular blood group diagnostic enables safer blood preservation and on-demand supply for patients who have antibodies against clinically relevant, rare or weak antigens. Blood group serology is another blood transfusion diagnostic used to avoid side effects caused due to administration of incorrect blood preservatives or immunizations.Based on type, the transfusion diagnostics market can be segmented into instruments, reagents and others. In terms of application, the market can be segmented into blood grouping, disease screening, and others. Based on distribution channel, the market can be segmented into hospitals, laboratories, blood banks, plasma fractionation facilities, military blood banks, and others. Blood banks and hospitals are the major segments of the transfusion diagnostics market.Increasing prevalence of diseases which require complete blood transfusion is one of the major drivers of the transfusion diagnostics market. Rising number of accidents due to road rash or other reasons which lead to blood loss is also likely to propel the market. Another factor driving the transfusion diagnostics market is the rising emergency situations for blood transfusions during surgical blood loss. Rising number of diseases due to improper blood transfusion without diagnosis of blood also fuels the growth of the transfusion diagnostics market. Alternative treatments and better techniques for blood transfusion are the major restraints of the transfusion diagnostics market. More advanced, efficient, and reliable transfusion diagnostic techniques are expected to create significant opportunities in the market.Geographically, the transfusion diagnostics market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounted for the largest share of the blood transfusion diagnostics market owing to increasing health care awareness and technological advancement in the region. Europe is the second largest market for blood transfusion diagnostics due to large geriatric population in the region. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market for blood transfusion diagnostics due to increasing adoption of improved health care technologies, emerging health care infrastructure, and rising accidents, diseases, and other emergency situations which require blood transfusion.For more information on this report, fill the form @Major players in the blood transfusion diagnostics market include Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter, Quotient Limited, Novartis AG, Abbott Diagnostics, Diagast, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Immucor, Inc., BAG Health Care, DiaSorin, Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc., Grifols, S.A., Hologic/Gen-Probe, Biokit, Bio-Rad Laboratories, and Quidel Corporation.Transparency 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.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Womensdaycelebration.com: An absolute Space to Get Informed on International Womens Day

Womens Day

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Womensdaycelebration.com is an online informative website which has a plethora of information on International womens Day celebration and its significance. Womens Day is celebrated every year throughout the world to honour the velour of women.New Delhi, Delhi, India:International womens day came into being to encourage women in every field to come forward and help the humanity to make a wonderful society wherein every one can live with peace and serenity. Womens day is celebrated every year on 8th of March. We are here in the month of February and the womens day 2017 is about to enter the door.Womensdaycelebration.com is an extremely useful platform where one can find all the relevant information related to womens day celebration. With the approaching International Womens day the curiosity among the folks to explore more and more about the International womens day and the women around the world who, with their courage have set an example for the many coming generations.In an exclusive discussion, the spokesperson of the website proclaimed that, Womens day celebration that takes place around the world, is symptomatic of the awareness that the world has witnessed over few years. This day is the emblem of all the revolutions that led to realize what a woman is capable of. In order to expand the list of those who want to make a difference to the society by helping women to come forward and fight for their rights, we have added to the website all the relevant information on this day. Those who want to be informed on the same in the best possible way can visit the website.There is a wide range of pages on the website talking about the various facets of womens day celebration. Some of those pages on the website include Women's Day Messages, Womens Day Essay, UN Day for Women's Rights, Women's Day History, First Women's Day, Womens Day Speech and many more.Discussing further on the International womens day and various aspects of celebrating the day, the official representative said that, On the website, Womendaycelebration.com, we strive to provide all the related information to our readers in the best possible way. Not only one can learn about the History and significance of womens day celebration, but one can also find the zest of celebration of this day in various parts of the country. Besides, it contains womens day wishes and messages which people can send to the ladies in their life.In addition to the above mentioned pages on the website it also include several other which are Significance of Women's Day, Women's Day Story, UN Themes for Women's Day, International Women's Day, Rio Olympic 2016, Womens Day Wishes, Women's Day Quotes, Popular Sayings for Womens Day, Womens Day Greetings, Women's Day Poems, Women's Day Gifts, 50 Most Inspirational Women Worldwide and many more.Contact:About Us:Womensdaycelebaration.com is one of the most helpful informative websites which contains every bit of information on womens day. Any of the lifes big events or the celebrations is not complete until one knows enough about it. And, so to quench the thrust of those who have curiously working to acquire all the knowledge on women and the International womens day celebration, our diligent team has come up with the platform showcasing all the inimitable information on this day. Those who want to know more about the website can visit the website.New Delhi, India
Authorized Generics Market Segmentation and Analysis Research Report to 2024

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A generic drug is a duplicate copy of original branded drug, which has same dosage form, active pharma ingredients (API), strength, route of administration, and also same intended use as the branded one. Regulatory authorities and governments have mandated that an authorized generic drug has to medicinally correspond to the branded drug and sanctioned as an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). An authorized generic is the branded companys individual product, but repackaged and marketed as generic drug either via subsidiary or third party. These are already approved as a New Drug Application by the FDA, only they are promoted via private label. The authorized generics market grew rapidly in the past few years as these provide consumers with branded quality drugs at generic prices. Presently, there is a growing trend of original maker giving approvals to a subsidiary or a private label distribution company to sell its brand name drug as a generic drug at a subsequently low price.Browse Market Research Report @An example of authorized generic drug is Azithromycin Pak which is sold under by the company name Greenstone. Pfizers original branded drug Z-pak was approved by the FDA. Before patent expiry of Z-pak, Pfizer allowed Greenstone to sell Z-pak using authorized generic name Azithromycin Pak. Greenstone is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer.The global authorized generics market is expected to witness strong growth. Authorized generic drugs are priced at significantly discounted rate i.e. 50% to 70% as compared to branded counterparts. Additionally, many of the popular branded drugs of pharma companies are losing patent protection rights, which is also termed as patent cliffs. This would pave the way for entry of new complex generics in the market. These factors are likely to drive the authorized generics market in the near future. Other factors driving the market are health care plans by governments across the world, rapidly increasing cost of branded drugs, and aging populations. On the other hand, possibility of side effects, and lack of regulatory awareness about products and quality management are factors likely to restrain the global authorized generics market.The global authorized generics market can be classified based on product type, application, end-user, and region.In terms of product type, the global authorized generics market can be segmented into biosimilars, simple generic, super generic, and others. Based on applications the market can be classified into cardiovascular, anti-infective, anti-arthritis, central nervous system, anti-cancer, respiratory, and others.Geographically, the global authorized generics market can be divided into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounted for the largest share of the market, primarily due to technological advancements, rise in demand for generic drugs, increase in overall cost of branded drugs, and presence of key players. Europe held a significant share of the market attributed to advancements in generic drugs, rise in various types of cancer, and blood related disorders. Asia Pacific, however, has been exhibiting high growth rate on account of growing demand for generic drugs, rise in geriatric population, increase in disposable income, and government initiatives to support generic drugs. Rapidly rising population in the region has increased demand for better health care and induced both private and government players to meet the demand. Developing economies such as India and China have also made a significant contribution to the rise of the global authorized generics market by focusing on establishing a better health care infrastructure.For more information on this report, fill the form @Key players in the market are Teva Pharmaceuticals, Sandoz, Allergan, Mylan, Sun Pharmaceuticals, and STADA Arzneimittel. Other prominent vendors in the market are Abbott, Amgen, Apotex, Aspen, AstraZeneca, Aurobindo Pharma, Baxter, Berlin-Chemie, Biocon, Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celltrion, Cipla, Coherus Biosciences, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly and Company, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Eurofarma Laboratories, Gedeon Richter, Gilead Sciences, and GlaxoSmithKline.Transparency 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.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting System Market Global Industry Analysis, size, share and Forecast 2016-2026

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With the increasing rate of cardiovascular disease constant innovation and advancement in technology has become paramount. In the field of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) introduction of endoscopic vessel harvesting system market has open up newer opportunities for companies. Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is a procedure for restoring the blood supply to the heart muscle due to blockage or narrowing of one or more coronary arteries. Traditionally, the technique involved in harvesting procedure was open vein harvesting (OVH) which involved a single continuous skin incision. With the recent advancement in technology, the process is less invasive by endoscopic vessel harvesting (EVH) this technique reduces leg wound morbidity because of small incisions compared to open vein harvesting. Endoscope is a medical instrument used for capturing a picture inside a hollow area, which is connected to a video camera and inserted through a small incision that is made in the leg. The saphenous vein inside the leg is viewed by the endoscope and helps the surgeon in identifying and to remove the vein with minimal pain to the leg.According to Center of Disease Control and Prevention, around 3,95,000 CABG surgeries were performed in the United States in 2013. The endoscopic vessel harvesting system market is mainly driven by the incidence and prevalence rate of coronary diseases. Moreover due to benefits such as less invasive modality, including a lower infection rate, fewer wound complications, improved cosmesis, and greater patient satisfaction physicians and patients are opting for this treatment. High pool of geriatric population and awareness programs among surgeons will drive the endoscopic vessel harvesting system market. However, endoscopic vessel harvesting system market has some restraints, lack of skilled professionals in the developing countries and unstable reimbursement regulations are hampering the growth of endoscopic vessel harvesting system in developing countries. Apart from this the presence of alternative therapies may hinder the growth of the endoscopic vessel harvesting systems market.Request Free Report Sample@The Global endoscopic vessel harvesting system market is segmented on the basis of product type and regional presence:Segmentation based on product typeDisposableReusableGeographically the endoscopic vessel harvesting system market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and MEA region.CABG is most common type of heart surgery performed in North America region as per University of Michigan. North America followed by Europe are currently leading in the endoscopic vessel harvesting system market as high incidence of coronary disease due to sedentary lifestyle pattern adopted in these region and availability of all the types of minimally invasive CABG surgeries. The endoscopic vessel harvesting system market in Asia Pacific is expected to deliver tremendous growth due to the growth in per capita income in Asian countries and increase in medical tourism industry. With the growing access of public with healthcare professional and expanding economy china is expected to be the fastest growing market for endoscopic vessel harvesting system.Request For TOC@Some major companies in the endoscopic vessel harvesting system market are Maquet Holding B.V. & Co. KG., OLYMPUS CORPORATION, Terumo Cardiovascular Systems Corporation., Med Europe S.r.l. (Elite Life Care), Sorin Group Inc., Saphena Medical, Inc and Terumo Cardiovascular Systems Corporation.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
LIMS Market Global Industry Analysis and Forecast Till 2026

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Rise in the advanced technologies and rapid innovations healthcare information technology (IT) enables unlock potential for the companies which are striving in healthcare information technology. Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) have become important tool for moving the information, gathering, decision making, calculation, review, and release the process away from the office and into work place. LIMS is a software based laboratory and information management system which enables support modern laboratory operations. LIMS has its broad range of applications in various fields such as Environmental science, Pharmaceuticals, Petrochemicals. LIMS has provides its applications in sample management, data mining, data analysis, and electronic laboratory network. In pharmaceutical industry LIMS provides enormous applications such as test library included as standard functionality, dissolution, disintegration, dosage uniformity, drug release, product assays and stability module that simplifies stability studies. Biotechnological applications, LIMS assists Research and Development labs by integrating with instrumentation to provide automation to microarrays, gel electrophoresis, gene expression profiling etc. There is a significant difference between LIMS and LIS. LIMS is aimed to process and report data related to batches of samples from biology labs, drug trails, water treatment facilities. LIS designed for process and report the data related to individual patients. Global LIMS market is expected to exhibit a significant CAGR as well as annual growth over the forecast period.LIMS Market: Drivers and restraintsGlobal Laboratory Information Management System market can be influenced by following factors, LIMS provides wide range of applications to biopharmaceutical companies to address the key challenges in drug development process. Due to applications pharmaceutical companies inclined towards LIMS. Laboratories adopted advanced technologies in order to maintain precision and robust functionality specific for bio analysis, in vitro ADME experiments, and discovery R&D and QA/QC R&D. Key restraints include lack skilled professionals to manage advanced technology is major bottleneck for global LIMS market.LIMS Market: SegmentationGlobal Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) Market can be segmented as following typesBy ProductSoftwareHardwareServicesBy Delivery ModeOn premiseCloud BasedRequest Free Report Sample@By End UserPharmaceutical IndustryBiotechnology IndustryHospitalsResearch centersLIMS Market: OverviewGlobal LIMS market is gaining huge traction due to increasing the demand of LIMS in biopharmaceutical companies and laboratories due to its efficiency and effectiveness. Technological advancements in the laboratory system enables to make significant changes in the market. The LIMS market expected to account a lucrative market as well as robust growth rates over the forecasted period.LIMS Market: Region-Wise OutlookLaboratory Information Management System (LIMS) market is segmented into seven key regions: Those are North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia pacific excluding japan, Japan, Middle East and Africa.North America dominating the LIMS market due to increased awareness among the people towards the innovative technologies to maintain laboratory information. Asian Pacific region market is considered to rapidly evolving healthcare infrastructure, the region is anticipated to unlock the potential of LIMS market over the forecast period.Request For TOC@LIMS Market: Key playersSome of the key players in LIMS Market are Thermo fisher Scientific, Inc., Siemens SA, Perkin Elmer Inc., Labware, Star LIMS (Abbott Laboratories. Abbott Park, U.S.A), Genologics (Illumina, Inc.), Promium LLc. LabLynx Inc., Autoscribe Informatics, Novatek International, Core Informatics etc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Research report explores the Smart Pulse Oximeters Market for the forecast period, 2016-2026

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Smart pulse oximeter is one of the fastest growing product type in the vital sign monitoring devices segment. Smart pulse oximeter is a non-invasive medical device used to measure the oxygen saturation level and heart rate in human. Smart pulse oximeter is a clip like device also known as a probe and is placed on body parts such as fingertip or ear lobe to measure the heart rate and oxygen level. It uses infrared light to measure the oxygen level and heart rate. The measurement of oxygen level and heart rate are very important while performing surgeries and injecting the anaesthesia, because the changes in the oxygen level in such a conditions may cause life threatening effects. Smart pulse oximeter also used to check the human health with a conditions such as heart attack, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), anaemia, lung cancer and asthma. However, the readings of smart pulse oximeter may not accurate in peripheral vascular diseases. Smart pulse oximeters products market is segmented into handheld pulse oximeters, finger pulse oximeters, paediatric pulse oximeters and wrist pulse oximeters.. Hand held smart pulse oximeters are useful for pilots to check the oxygen level when they are operating at above 10,000 feet. These devices are also useful to the mountaineers and athletes to check the oxygen level. Paediatric pulse oximeters mainly used in the hospitals and these devices are separately designed to measure the oxygen saturation level and heart rate in the infants.Smart pulse oximeter market has been segmented on the basis of product type, and end userSmart Pulse Oximeter Market, by Product TypeFinger Pulse OximeterHandheld Pulse OximeterPaediatric Pulse OximeterWrist Pulse OximeterSmart Pulse Oximeter Market, by End UserHospitalAmbulatory surgical centresHome Care SettingRequest Free Report Sample@The use of pulse oximeter in the home care settings has expanded over the last few years and is expected to register a healthy growth rate during the forecast periodOver the past few years, leading players in the vital sign monitoring devices segment are manufacturing devices with new technology such as Bluetooth which displays the readings in the smartphone. Moreover, the availability of cost effective smart pulse oximeters are the factors driving growth of overall smart pulse oximeter market., World Health Organization (WHO) started safety pulse oximetry project to improve the health in middle-income countries also expected to boost the smart pulse oximeter market. Increasing incidence rates of trauma conditions and increasing prevalence of heart related diseases are also expected to drive the smart pulse oximeter market. However, availability of high end devices to measure the heart rate is expected to hamper the overall market.Depending on geographic region, Smart Pulse Oximeter Market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America is estimated to contribute maximum revenue share in the global market of smart pulse oximeter followed by Europe. Asia Pacific regions are expected to grow at a higher growth rate owing to high occurrence of chronic disease. Middle East & Africa is expected to show a healthy growth rate during forecast period.Smart Pulse Oximeters Market: Key PlayersKey players of smart pulse oximeter market are Nonin Medical Inc, Shenzhen Creative Industry Co.,Ltd, iHealth Labs Inc. Indiegogo, Inc., Technocare Medisystems, Contec Medical Systems Co.,Ltd., and MasimoRequest For TOC@ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Anesthesia Endotracheal Tubes Market: A complete backdrop analysis up to 2024

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Anesthesia endotracheal tube is a tube implanted in trachea to administer anesthesia, maintain the airway passage of lungs, prevent aspiration into the lungs, and allow mechanical ventilation. It also establishes the aspiration of secretions and anticipation of the pathway of extraneous material into the tracheobronchial tree. The endotracheal tube is of two types: orotracheal tube and nasotracheal tube. The orotracheal tube is rooted through the mouth, while the nasotracheal tube is rooted through the nose into the trachea. Both are used for anesthesia management.With the advancement of health care facilities and modern technologies, surgery of vital organs such as lungs has become easy. Anesthesia endotracheal tubes make it easy for the surgeons to sedate the patient and perform the surgical procedure. Also, these tubes are accepted and used by the patients of all age groups with breathing or lung problems. This is a major factor driving the market for anesthesia endotracheal tubes. Growing industrialization leading to rise in air pollution and habits such as smoking are responsible for increasing incidence of respiratory diseases. This can be considered as a factor propelling the anesthesia endotracheal tubes market. Rising incidence of other respiratory diseases, lung diseases, and breathing disorders also drives the market.Obtain Report Details:Introduction of advanced technology in the medical field, which enables easy performing of critical surgeries and usage of high-quality consumables in the field are the recent trends in the global anesthesia endotracheal tubes market. However, availability of an increased number of alternative disposable devices and upcoming better options may act as a barrier for the anesthesia endotracheal tubes market. The anesthesia endotracheal tubes market has been segregated into organized and unorganized as well as global and regional players. The unorganized local market in developing countries may give a tough competition to the global players by maintaining high quality standards at reasonable pricing. The dealers in the developed market are targeting back with product innovations.Based on the product type, the global anesthesia endotracheal tubes market can be segmented into: orotracheal tubes and nasotracheal tubes. Orotracheal tubes are implanted in the patients trachea through the mouth. Nasotracheal tubes are implanted in the trachea through the nose. These tubes are employed in the cases wherein the patients mouth needs to be operated.Based on the end-user, the anesthesia endotracheal tubes market can be segmented into: hospitals & clinics and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs).High demand for home-based therapy and modernization in video laryngoscopes also drive the global anesthesia endotracheal tubes market. However, complications in the anesthesia delivery system, availability of a small number of skilled medical practitioners to perform critical surgeries with perfection, and growing preference to laryngeal masks over anesthesia endotracheal tubes are likely be major factors restraining the growth of the market during the forecast period.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report:Based on the geographical region, the anesthesia endotracheal tubes market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is a major market for anesthesia endotracheal tubes, due to respiratory disorder-prone lifestyle of people in the region and a large number of elderly population. Asia Pacific is an expanding market due to increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases in the region.Some players operating in the global anesthesia endotracheal tubes market are Medline Industries, Medtronic, C. R. Bard, ConvaTec, GE Healthcare, Smiths Medical, KindWell Medical, ROYAX, Fuji Systems, Teleflex, Neurovision Medical, and Intersurgical.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.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Club Store Packaging Market: - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share 2017 - 2017

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Club store packaging plays an important role in consumer shopping experience in a warehouse club store, which is a type of retail store dealing with variety of merchandise brought in large or wholesale quantities. Club store packaging involves merchandise in a warehouse club store being stacked on pallets to attract the attention of the consumers. Club store packaging is different than packaging for other retail formats like grocery stores or super markets. This is because warehouse club stores have evolved in the use of 80/20 rule. While 20 % of products in retail stores account for 80 % of its revenue, warehouse club stores stock only 20 % of these products. In traditional retail formats where packaging plays a role in highlighting and differentiating a particular brand from another, club store packaging attempts to differentiate a specific product from another.In a traditional retail format like supermarkets where customers have option to select from wider range of brands, warehouse club stores on the other hand offer limited number of brands. Hence, a warehouse club store will focus on highlighting the functional aspects of a product like a cup of Horlicks rather than focusing on the Horlicks brand name or logo.Make an Enquiry @Customers at a warehouse club store generally pay membership fees in order to shop at the store. As warehouse club stores are exclusive to its members, offering an enticing shopping experience differentiates warehouse clubs from other retail formats.Club Store Packaging - Market Dynamics:Club store packaging market is driven by strategies adopted by warehouse club store operators, primarily by three players Costco, Sams Club operated by Walmart and BJs Wholesale. Warehouse club store market in the U.S. generates revenue in excess of US$ 400 billion wherein Costco and Sams Club together generate sales of about US$ 140 billion. Costco is the largest player in terms of sales whereas Sams club has most number of locations.For more information on this report, fill the form @One important challenge faced by club store packaging market is the prevalent use of corrugated paper material which offer strength and resistance but discourages the creation of attractive and appealing graphics that help in grabbing customer attention in the club store.However, club store packaging can exploit this opportunity of creating innovative and attractive packaging products. Display ready packaging (DRP) and retail ready packaging (RRP) are such concepts that make club store packaging products more appealing. Retail ready packaging allows direct-to-shelf movement of merchandise with minimum requirement of handling while display ready packaging involves use of appealing and multi-color display graphics.Recent trends in club store packaging have seen the use of recycled material to target environmental conscious consumers and the use of non-fluted paper to improve the printing capabilities. Few other trends observed in club store packaging are color blocking wherein individual packages are palletized to create a solid block of single color to be seen from distance, billboarding which involves creation of large continuous design by stacking pallets side by side and last is arrangement of pallets so that shopping is allowed from all three sides.Club Store Packaging  Market Segmentation:Club store packaging market is segmented into market segments and end use industry. On the basis of market segments, club store packaging serves business segment such as beverage, food, home care, health care, and personal care.Market for club store packaging can be segmented according to the packaging type such as blister packaging, packaged to display quality box (PDQ) trays, cartons (bag-in-box), multi-packs, shrink wrapping, standup pouches, cans, trays, oversized club store packaging, bulk content packaging, custom fitted compartment and fully sealed packaging.Club Store Packaging Market  Regional Outlook:Geographically, the global club store packaging market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East and Africa.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Dichlorvos (DDVP): Global Product Intelligence (2015-2020)

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ReportsWorldwide has announced the addition of a new report title Dichlorvos (DDVP): Global Product Intelligence (2015-2020) to its growing collection of premium market research reports.The report Dichlorvos (DDVP): Global Product Intelligence provides market intelligence on the different market segments, based on type, application, and geography. Market size and forecast (2011-2020) has been provided in the report.The report Dichlorvos (DDVP): Global Product Intelligence (2015-2020) provides market intelligence on the different segments of the agrochemical, based on type of formulation, crop type, pest, and geography. Market size and forecast (2015-2020) has been provided in terms of both, Value (000 USD) and Volume (000 KG) in the report. A detailed qualitative analysis of the factors responsible for driving and restraining growth of the agrochemical and future market opportunities have also been discussed.To view a detailed description and Table of Contents please visit:KEY FINDINGS FROM THE REPORT- Dichlorvos (DDVP), an insecticide belonging to group Organophosphate, is used for controlling various pests such as Aphids, Lipaphis, Chilo, Sesamia, Tryporyza, Aphids, Bemisia, Myzus, Nilaparvata & Sogatella among others.- China, Mexico, South- Africa, India, Turkey are the leading country markets among others.- Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC) is the leading formulations in 2015. - Sprout Intelligence agrochemicals expert team estimated global Dichlorvos (DDVP) market to be more than USD 190 Million.To Get Sample Copy of Report please visit @ReportsWorldwide.com is a leading provider of global market intelligence reports and services. With research reports from top publishers, consulting and advisory firms, ReportsWorldwide.com offers instant online access to a growing database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, geographies and trends.Press Contact:Abigail CrastoSenior Vice President101, Arch Street Boston, MA 02110US Phone +1 (617) 398-4994Fax +1 (617) 398-4995abigail@reportsworldwide.com
Difenoconazole: Global Product Intelligence (2015-2020)

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ReportsWorldwide has announced the addition of a new report title Difenoconazole: Global Product Intelligence (2015-2020) to its growing collection of premium market research reports.The report Difenoconazole: Global Product Intelligence provides market intelligence on the different market segments, based on type, application, and geography. Market size and forecast (2011-2020) has been provided in the report.The report Difenoconazole: Global Product Intelligence (2015-2020) provides market intelligence on the different segments of the agrochemical, based on type of formulation, crop type, pest, and geography. Market size and forecast (2015-2020) has been provided in terms of both, Value (000 USD) and Volume (000 KG) in the report. A detailed qualitative analysis of the factors responsible for driving and restraining growth of the agrochemical and future market opportunities have also been discussed.To view a detailed description and Table of Contents please visit:KEY FINDINGS FROM THE REPORT- Difenoconazole, a fungicide belonging to group Triazole, is used for controlling various pests such as Phakopsora, Phytophthora, Plasmopara, Aphids among others.- China, Brazil, USA, Russia, France, and Argentina are the leading country markets among others.- Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC) & Suspension Concentrate (SC) were the leading formulations in 2015.- Sprout Intelligence agrochemicals expert team estimated global Difenoconazole market to be more than USD 580 Million.To Get Sample Copy of Report please visit @ReportsWorldwide.com is a leading provider of global market intelligence reports and services. With research reports from top publishers, consulting and advisory firms, ReportsWorldwide.com offers instant online access to a growing database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, geographies and trends.Press Contact:Abigail CrastoSenior Vice President101, Arch Street Boston, MA 02110US Phone +1 (617) 398-4994Fax +1 (617) 398-4995abigail@reportsworldwide.com
ALCORs Unique Value Proposition Gives Firm Momentum to Attract Top Business Opportunity

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Chicago, ILMarch 3, 2017 -ALCOR Mergers and Acquisitions,a global authority in matters of private equity consulting over the last few years. ALCOR approach is unique and self-disciplinary to ensure the client is successful. ALCOR global offices study prospects and contact them with thepresentation of possible M&A transaction and its impact. On mutual agreement, ALCOR proceeds to setup and structure the M&A transaction with performance clauses to ensure long-term success. ALCOR works on Retainer Fees and Progressive Milestone Fees with Success Fees, hence mitigating a deal failure risks for clients. We offer optimal solutions to the clients through our macroeconomic forecasting, synergy analysis, 14 block micro-mapping, global customer mapping, Strategy 360, LCA and LCJ models, RFG models, and such other innovative and ALCOR developed IP services.ALCORs core value proposition includes: Harvard Business School educated team with in-depth knowledge about multiple structure options, creating outstanding value, with global and Indian experience. Deep industry and CEO level contacts with funds, Digital Learning Media companies, and potential foreign market entrants. Exposure to billion and $100 million plus transactions. Market -leader in cross-border M&A. Global offices with an office in Chicago as well as India to support the venture for EB Inc. India office has a staff strength of 70 plus analysts. A full-service Investment Bank, with total solutions driven approach, including identification, negotiations, structuring (high value-driven models), funding (both equity &debt), post-merger integration of HR, operations and client retention. Right, pitch, high delivery (valuation) and within the time frame.Request Call -/enquire-now.phpALCORs Strategy 360 drives growth and profits of the company. A company learns to use global low-cost resources to increase its profitability and enter high growth markets to increase top line growth. ALCORs low-cost JV Model helps companies in growing into global locations to service its global customers anytime. Through ALCORs low cost acquisition model, a company can acquire another mapped company with just about 10% of its value, by structuring the rest of the investments through debt on the targets assets, structured payments from profits, vendor credit, customer credit, customer funded working capital, JV partnership driven capital and the like. ALCORs Geographical M&A Scope helps companies in following its global customer map with ageographical footprint to support the customers. As this is a critical step to mitigate business risks for the company and can be achieved in a low-cost way through ALCORs innovative RGF models using ALCORs resources and portfolios globally.About ALCOR Mergers and AcquisitionsALCOR offers its fund management services with an investment range of US$10mn to US$500mn along with an array of investment banking services. ALCOR, augmented with an elite Board of Harvard and Oxford alumni; extends its dynamic leadership for M&A advisory, buy-side & sell-side advisory, JV advisory & execution, strategic alliance, management buyouts & leveraged buyouts, Corporate Finance & Restructuring and Business Growth Consultancy. ALCOR Fund has several portfolio companies in emerging markets.ALCOR has become one of the leading players in PE consulting, M&A, International Business Development and consulting services over last five years. Alcor has assisted numerous clients in North America, Europe, and Asia to grow their business in organic as well as through inorganic way. At ALCOR, we advise clients across industries during different stages of capital requirements with the primary goal of offering long term appreciation of the capital.Our team of experts in different industry verticals assists clients in identification, execution, procedure and exit from the transactions. Our functional expertise, in-depth industry knowledge, global reach, and dedicated team of experts assist us to offer best growth strategies according to their exact requirements. Alcor holds exclusive expertise in private equity syndication and venture capital, which ensures a successful deal closure, every time.Contact:ALCOR Fund,8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave,Suite 1300Chicago, IL 60631USA Tel: +1 773 896 1534, 800 507 4489Fax No.: +1 877 284 0818Website:Email: lgodage@alcorfund.com
Recent Research Report on Global Industrial Gases Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020)

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Industrial Gases Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020)" to its huge collection of research reports.The report entitled Global Industrial Gases Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020), provides a detailed analysis of the industrial gases market with analysis of market size and growth and market segmentation on the basis of product and market share by region.Asia Pacific is the largest market for industrial gases with the highest share followed by EMEA and Americas. Rising application of industrial gases in booming fields of healthcare, manufacturing and electronic segments in the Asia Pacific region is expected to drive the demand of industrial gases in the region.The report assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall global industrial gases market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @A brief company profiling of major market players namely Air Liquide, Linde, Air Products and Praxair has provided in the report on the basis of aspects like business overview, financial overview and business strategies adopted by respective companies.Company CoverageAir LiquideLinde GroupPraxairAir ProductsExecutive SummaryIndustrial gases are comprised of elements, molecular compounds or mixtures. The most common industrial gases are oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and noble gases such as argon, neon, xenon and krypton. Some industrial gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, argon, LNG and liquefied petroleum gas are liquefied at high pressure for ease of storage and transport. Industrial gases are used in a wide number of industries such as oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, steelmaking, and food & beverages etc.The global industrial gases market has increased during the year 2014-15, and projections are made that the market would rise in the next five years i.e. 2016-2020 at a rapid pace. Major factors contributing in the growth of the market are rising demand from major industries such as oil and gas, increasing application of industrial gases, growing demand of liquefied gas, and growing urbanization etc.Rapid industrialization in emerging economies such as India and China, rising use of industrial gases in solar PV industry, and emerging innovative technologies are expected to fuel the market demand in the forecasted period. In spite of high growth, market is still facing certain challenges that are hampering the growth of the market. Challenges encountered by the market are lack of quality and cost of power, high distribution cost, and stringent government and environmental regulations etc.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
LOS ANGELES, March 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Azteca America, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mexican broadcaster TV Azteca, S.A.B de C.V., one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language content in the world, today announced that the network was honored by Cynopsis Media as the 2016 Social Good Award Winner for Awareness Campaign/Initiative in the Civic Empowerment category at the 3rd Annual Cynopsis Social Good Awards. The network was recognized for its recent achievements in civic engagement, which focused on the 2016 presidential election.



It is truly an honor to be recognized for the networks tireless efforts to engage U.S. Hispanics in the 2016 election, said Manuel Abud, President and CEO, Azteca America. No other television network or station in the country, regardless of language, made a similar effort. We pride ourselves on our ability to build bridges and establish alliances across the industry, and we are driven by our commitment to serve the U.S. Hispanic community.

Starting in 2015, Azteca began building a network of alliances with social organizations such as the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI), the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Council of Mexican Federations in North America (COFEM), Voto Latino, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ), the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, Univision, Telemundo, Estrella TV, Entravision, and La Opinion. Azteca took the lead to bring these organizations together to work with Azteca and its Spanish-language media competitors to implement the !Protegete, Ciudadania Ya!" (Protect yourself, citizenship now!) campaign, which launched a call to action aimed at legal residents to become U.S. citizens and then encouraged those same people to register to vote and participate in the 2016 election. After the deadline to apply for citizenship passed, the campaign shifted focus to embolden U.S. Hispanic citizens to register to vote and get to the polls on Election Day. The campaign was designed to be rolled out in Los Angeles first and then replicated nationally.

Voting is one of our most important responsibilities. There is no election too big or too small, from City Council to the President of the United States, we need to participate in every election. Government affects our lives at every level, and its critical that we have the right people making decisions for us, said Luis J. Echarte, Chairman, Azteca America.

Azteca America devoted four of its monthly "Solucion Azteca," community support events to civic participation. These are on-air events over the course of a single day during planned commercial breaks. The network was also instrumental in the execution of a citizenship event held in Los Angeles in April 2016 that generated 3,500 appointments for residents engaged in the process of becoming U.S. citizens and was attended by more than 10,000 people. In addition, 100% of the content of the 6:30 pm national newscast was dedicated to the topic in the five months leading up to the election. Azteca produced many PSAs and promotional products and messages to air in prime time and across other key dayparts.

The annual Cynopsis Social Good Awards honor media companies for their efforts to give back to the community through their professional platform. The awards highlight notable achievements across categories such as sustainability partnerships and PSAs, diversity campaigns, environmental initiatives, and more.

About Azteca Americas Network

Azteca America engages Spanish-language viewers by creating unique, passionate and enlightening content that is relevant to the daily lives of our audience. Wholly owned by Mexican broadcaster TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. one of the two largest producers of Spanish language content in the world, Azteca America complements its Mexican programs with an innovative lineup of shows from third-party producers and distributors to ensure the finest programming for its audience. The company provides tailored, multi-platform advertising solutions for clients seeking to reach the most dynamic consumer group in the country.
Global Alpha 1-Antitrypsin (AAT) Replacement Therapy Industry Analysis (2016-2020) | Recent Survey

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Alpha 1-Antitrypsin (AAT) Replacement Therapy Market: Size, Trends and Forecast (2016-2020)" to its huge collection of research reports.The report titled Global Alpha 1-Antitrypsin (AAT) Replacement Therapy Market: Size, Trends and Forecast (2016-2020) provides an in-depth analysis of the global AAT Replacement Therapy market with detailed analysis of market sizing, growth and market share. The report provides market size by value and volume along with the supply trend prevailing in the market.The report provides detail market analysis of the major products available in the market for treating AAT deficiency. The four major products included are, Prolastin, Glassia, Zemaira, and Aralast. Among which, Prolastin had the monopoly in the market for over 25 years, Asit was the first AAT Replacement Therapy available in the market for the treatement.The report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall global AAT Replacement Therapy market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends. The competition in the global AAT Replacement Therapy market is stiff and dominated by the big players like Grifols. Further, key players of the AAT Replacement Therapy market, Kamada, Shire and CSL Behring are also profiled withtheir financial information and respective business strategies.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Regional CoverageGlobalCompany CoverageGrifols SAKamada Ltd.CSL Behring LLCShire PLCExecutive SummaryAlpha 1 antitrypsin is a type of plasma protein inside our body, it is called protease inhibitor. AAT is made in the liver and its function is to protect lungs and liver. Deficiency of AAT protein is caused by genetic defect. Adults with severe AAT deficiency develop emphysema. Smoking can increase the risk of emphysema. The market to replace AAT deficiency by replacement therapy has grown with in past 5-10 years.The global AAT Replacement therapy market has increased at a significant CAGR during the span of 4 years i.e. 2012-2015 and projections are made that the market would rise in the next five years i.e. 2016-2020 tremendously. The market for AAT replacement therapy has increased significantly in these years because the people as well as doctors have become more aware of the disease. Earlier, patients suffering from AAT deficiency were treated like asthma patients or other COPD patients. But, now, doctors have access to better diagnostics tests that can detect disease at the early stage.Improvement in the method of treatment is the major driver for the growth of the market, a number of technologies and diagnostics have been innovated to treat and diagnose the same. Thus, the increased awareness along with improved treatment signifies the upsurge in the AAT Replacement Therapy market. Also, the number the of prescriptions for AAT Replacement therapy have been reported to increase at an increasing rate, driving the market in the positive direction. Despite the market is governed by various growth drivers, there are certain challenges faced by the market such as: the cost of the treatment is high for people, limited plasma fraction capacity and side-effects of alpha1 proteinase inhibitor.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Meat and Poultry Processing Equipment Market 2017

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Market Research analysts forecast the global meat and poultry processing equipment market to grow at a CAGR of 6.24% during the period 2017-2021.The following companies as the key players in the Global Meat and Poultry Processing Equipment Market: JBT, Marel, Tetra Laval International, and Key Technology.Other Prominent Vendors in the market are: Bettcher Industries, GEA Group, TOMRA, Weber, BAADER Food Processing Machinery, Bayle, Prime Equipment Group, CG Manufacturing and Distribution, and Brower Equipment.Download Sample Report @Commenting on the report, an analyst team said: One trend in market is rise in private-label processed meat products. Private-label processed meat and poultry products are gaining popularity among consumers as they are affordable and ready-to-cook, which also resemble entree. Private-label products are available at premium claims with unique flavoring. Private-label meat products are being stocked in retail stores and are available at lower prices compared with branded products, which are also appealing to consumers. Over the years, there has been a constant increase in the demand for private-labeled meat products, especially in developed economies such as the US and Europe.According to the report, one driver in market is rise in demand for pork in China. The worlds largest consumer and producer of pork is China. The country has become the leading importer of pork and is expected to account for more than a quarter of the global pork trade market in 2017. Europe is the largest exporter of pork to China and accounts for more than 72% of the Chinese pork import market. Low prices, abundant exportable supplies, and favorable exchange rate have led European countries to expand their shipment of pork to China. Even though the US accounts for only 18% of the China's pork import market, it is expected to remain as an important market for US shipment due to growing demand for pork. The shipment of pork from the US accounted for only 5.9% in January 2015, which increased to 13.2% in August 2015 due to a rapid decline in the production of domestic pork.Further, the report states that one challenge in market is health risks associated with consumption of processed meat. Due to health risks associated with processed meat, consumers in the US are reducing the consumption of such food products. Excessive consumption of processed meat may lead to increased risk of premature deaths. It was observed that individuals consuming processed meat were at a 72% increased risk of acquiring a heart disease than consumers of non-processed meat. Also, the risk of dying from cancer was 11% higher. A study conducted by the American Institute of Cancer in 2007 stated that 50 g of processed meat consumed daily increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 21%. A study published in the Journal of Diabetology highlighted the increased risk of the intake of processed meat leading to type 2 diabetes at 41%.The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of the key vendors.About Meat and Poultry Processing EquipmentMeat and poultry processing equipment is used by manufacturers of meat and poultry products for processing meat using techniques such as blending, homogenization, pasteurization, and filling. Processing of food helps in removal of toxins and preservation. Processed food offers advantages such as enhanced taste, low risk of contamination, enhanced shelf life, and a high degree of portability.Complete Report Details @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global meat and poultry processing equipment market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report discusses the market drivers, trends, and challenges faced by the market and their impact on the future market scenarios.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:APACEuropeNorth AmericaROWGlobal Meat And Poultry Processing Equipment Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsJBTMarelTetra Laval InternationalKey TechnologyOther prominent vendorsBettcher IndustriesGEA GroupTOMRAWeberBAADER Food Processing MachineryBaylePrime Equipment GroupCG Manufacturing and DistributionBrower EquipmentMarket driverGreater emphasis on processed meat and poultry products.For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeHealth risks associated with consumption of processed meat.For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendRise of private-label processed meat products.For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?You can request one free hour of our analysts time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report.....ContinuedDiscount On This Report @For more information, please visitMarket Reports Center is an e-commerce platform obliging the needs of knowledge workers, experts, professionals who are subject to market research information for their work, or to make strategic business decisions. Market Reports Centers team consistently works to update and extend our existing repository of market research reports by partnering with new publishers and adding their studies to our websiteSam Collins303, Astral Court,Aundh, Pune,MH - 411045, Indiainfo@marketreportscenter.com
Medical Vehicles Market 2017

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Global Medical Vehicles Industry 2021 Market Research Report analyzed the current state in the definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The report also focuses on the development trends as well as history, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions etc in the international markets.Global Medical Vehicles Industry 2021 Market Research Report is a professionally prepared report comprising of in-depth information as well as knowledge which is helpful to the new entrants and the established players. Key statistics on the state of the industry and the complete demand analysis of the industry is showcased in the report.Download Sample Report @The development policies, plans as well as the bill of materials, cost structures are well studied and explained within the report for a better understanding. It also includes the study of the sales, import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins. Also, the complete analysis of the prices, revenue share, growth rate etc.Through combining the well-integrated data with the deep analytical skills valid findings are detected. It gives out a strong prediction about the growth of the Medical Vehicles industry in the future years to come. Furthermore, each and every important variable which is responsible for shaping the Global Medical Vehicles Industry in the incorporated during the preparation process of the report.The report begins with the industry overview furnishing the details about the specifications, classification, applications, industry chain structure as well as gives out the policy analysis of the industry. It moves further on towards determining the manufacturing cost structure analysis, technical data as well as the manufacturing plant analysis. A lot of insightful predictions about the production, export/import, and consumption is provided in the report.Complete Report Details @Future Development Trends in the Global Medical Vehicles Company through the market share, SWOT analysis, revenue, gross margin is indicated through the report. Apart from it the report also provides great prospects of the new projects investments, SWOT analysis of the new projects, details about the key consumers with the complete contact details for the new entrants to engage in better opportunities.The competitive landscape of the market state showcases the study of the most renowned players in the China markets in the field of Global Medical Vehicles industry. A detailed and thorough analysis of the company profiles, production as well as consumption, traders, marketing distributors along with the impact is covered throughout the report. The overall research conclusions with the investment avenues are prevalent in the report. Through the report, the new entrants are able to get the complete overview of the current state of the Global Medical Vehicles which will be beneficial for them.....ContinuedDiscount On This Report @For more information, please visitMarket Reports Center is an e-commerce platform obliging the needs of knowledge workers, experts, professionals who are subject to market research information for their work, or to make strategic business decisions. Market Reports Centers team consistently works to update and extend our existing repository of market research reports by partnering with new publishers and adding their studies to our websiteSam Collins303, Astral Court,Aundh, Pune,MH - 411045, Indiainfo@marketreportscenter.com
INDIAS FIRST CONFERENCE ON CONTAINER TECHNOLOGIES ORGANIZED IN BANGALORE Announcing keynotes by Ian Lewis (Google) and Evan Powell (OpenEBS)

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Bangalore, Karnataka: The Bangalore Container Conference 2017 (BCC 17) isIndias first conference on container technologies organized in Park Plaza, Bangaloreon 07/April/2017. Numerous organizations are in the process of adopting containertechnologies to get early-mover advantage, reduce time-to-market and gain marketshare.Hence the focus of this conference is on Containers in Production.Hundreds of thousands of developers are eager to learn about the latest happeningsin the rapidly evolving world of container technologies. A few hundred delegates(experts, architects, developers, DevOps engineers, practitioners, CXOs andenthusiasts) are expected to participate in this multi-track conference. Key details ofthe conference: Keynotes from gurus in container technologieso Ian Lewis (from Googles Kubernetes team)o Evan Powell (Chairman OpenEBS & founding CEO StackStorm) Hands-on workshops on Rancher and Kubernetes Expert panel discussion on containers in production Experience sharing from practitioners including war stories and solutionscondensed as best practicesPlease go to the website () to purchase tickets, as well as for the updated schedule.About CodeOps Technologies LLP: CodeOps Technologies is a software technologycompany focusing on products, consulting and training. CodeOps has trainedhundreds of professionals (from mostly Fortune 100 companies), providesconsultancy services to large organisations, and contributes extensively tocommunity activities by organising meet-ups. For more details on CodeOps, pleasevisit the websiteContact:Ganesh SamarthyamFounder, CodeOps Technologies LLPganesh@codeops.tech(+91) 98801 64463Address:Snehanjali Residency,3rd Main, S.G.Palaya,C.V.Raman Nagar,3rd Main Rd, Byrasandra Extension,Bayarappa Layout, Suddaguntapalya,C V Raman Nagar, Bengaluru,Karnataka 560093,India
AasaanJobs Announces Expansion Plans Over Key Tier-2 cities

Operations will be set up in the North, West, and South zones  Gurgaon, Nasik, Bangalore; part of its strategic move is to acquire more corporate clients in various industries.AasaanJobs Announces Expansion Plans Over Key Tier-2 citiesAasaanJobs, one of Indias leading online recruitment marketplace that connects entry-level job seekers with employers, announces its plans to further expand its reach across major Tier-2 cities in India. The company will set up its operations in three major zones, Gurgaon, Mumbai, and Bangalore, apart from other cities in the North, East, South, and West regions. The main three cities will also serve as AasaanJobs headquarters in their respective areas.A large section of the Tier-2 market has been untapped by organized players as the growth prospect in these areas is relatively slower than in metropolises. According to the India Skills Report 2016, more than 50% of the working age population in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are employable. However, the demand concentration and slow growth discourages many players to fully exploit the market potential in these regions.Keeping such factors in mind, AasaanJobs plans to set up operations across 20 different cities under the specified zones. Its decision to expand its services towards Tier-2 cities is part of its business expansion strategy to acquire more corporate clients in various industries in the next couple of years.Commenting on the announcement, Siddharth Gupta, VP of marketing for AasaanJobs.com said, The rise in demand for better job search & recruitment platforms has proven to be a boon for the employment industry in India.However, there appears to be a huge market gap between the availability of such services in Tier-2 cities, which holds lots of potential, yet, no takers. Thus, identifying the huge demand for Tier-2 recruitments from our existing and prospective clients, along with low competition, we wanted to leverage our partner network and activate our presence in Tier-2 markets. We are confident that our recruitment platform will work well in Tier-2 cities as we will be able to facilitate lots of new demand for our recruitment partners in these areas.Ever since its launch, AasaanJobs has acquired several clients across multiple sectors, especially in BFSI and logistics. With its latest expansion plan, the dynamic venture hopes to enter the Tier-2 market as the bar is relatively set low as compared to other Indian metropolises, and barriers in language or sales requirements will have no major effect on the business.Based on the varied talent pool available, AasaanJobs plans to set up operations in: Delhi, Chandigarh, Gurgaon (HQ), Lucknow, Jaipur (North); Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat, Baroda, Nagpur, Rajkot, Mumbai(HQ-West zone), Nasik and Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore(HQ), Secunderabad, Cochin, Vizag (South). It also has plans to expand its services in Kolkata soon.Aasaanjobs is a leading end-to-end recruitment marketplace connecting employers, consultants and job seekers. Our goal is to make hiring quick, easy and convenient for everyone involved.Aasaanjobs Office: 022-44446666 ,Unit No:4, B Wing, Krislon House, Opposite Marwah Center, Military Road, Off Saki Vihar Road, Mumbai - 400072
Global Maize Market  Share, Size, Growth, Trends & Forecast 2017-2025

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IndexBox has just published a new report "World: Maize - Market Report. Analysis And Forecast To 2025". (This report provides an in-depth analysis of the global maize market. Within it, you will find the latest data on market trends and opportunities by country, consumption and production, food balance and price developments, as well as global trade (imports and exports). The forecast reveals market prospects to 2025.Countries coverage: WorldwideProduct coverage:MaizeData coverage: Maize market size and value; Per Capita consumption; Forecast of the market dynamics in the medium term; Global maize production, split by region and country; Global maize trade (exports and imports); Producer, export and import prices for maize; Maize market trends, drivers and restraints; Key market players and their profiles.Reasons to buy this report: Take advantage of the latest data; Find deeper insights into current market developments; Discover vital success factors affecting the market.TABLE OF CONTENTS1. INTRODUCTION1.1 REPORT DESCRIPTION1.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2.1 KEY FINDINGS2.2 MARKET TRENDS3. MARKET OVERVIEW3.1 MARKET VOLUME AND VALUE3.2 CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY3.3 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES BY COUNTRY3.4 MARKET FORECAST TO 20254. PRODUCTION4.1 PRODUCTION, HARVESTED AREA AND YIELD IN 2007-20154.2 PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY4.3 HARVESTED AREA AND YIELD BY COUNTRY5. IMPORTS5.1 IMPORTS IN 2007-20155.2 IMPORTS BY COUNTRY5.3 IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY6. EXPORTS6.1 EXPORTS IN 2007-20156.2 EXPORTS BY COUNTRY6.3 EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY7. PRICES AND PRICE DEVELOPMENT7.1 PRODUCER PRICES7.2 PRODUCER PRICES INDEX8. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERSDownload a free sample of the report now!You can also find a template on SlideShareIndexBox is a leading market research publisher in the world. We conduct market research and publish reports.You can find more than 25,000 research reports in our web store, which cover global industries and regional markets. All the worldwide marketing data you need is at your fingertips.We collect this data from hundreds of highly reliable sources, verify it and carry out market analysis, uncovering new business opportunities and empowering you with actionable insights.The structure of our reports is intuitive and clear. We do our best to allow you to make strategic decisions and take immediate action. If you want to go further and be a step ahead of the market, just tell us your goals and we will tailor a report to your needs.Company Name: IndexBoxContact Person: Kirill BezverhiEmail: kirill.bezverhi@indexbox.co.ukPhone: +44 20 3239 3063Adress: United Kingdom, 44 Main Street, Douglas, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, ML11 0QWWebsite:
Crate Handling Machines Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2026

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Crate handling machines are used as a system to drop and pick up boxes and trays across several industry verticals including food and beverages, textile, agri-processing as well as logistics and supply chain. Crate handling machines is automatic controlled machine which need minimal manual intervention for moving crates.Plant operators across the globe realized the benefits of using crate handling machines, as these are suitable for large and heavy product movement, increase in productivity, and reduction in manual work and facilitates easy handling of crates. Industry stakeholders urge to leverage the expanding opportunity propelled them to move to automated machines, along with F&B sectors growth catalyzed the global crate handling machines market. Depending on the speed requirement, crate handling machines either comes as a pneumatic or servo driven mechanisms. Though, in markets which are largely characterized by high degree of automation, the servo driven model is largely preferred over the previous.Browse Market Research Report @Crate Handling Machines Market : Market DynamicsCrate handling machines market growth is largely attributed by growth in F&B, which is poised to grow at a CAGR of over 5% over next three years. The industry is likely to create an estimated 1.2X more opportunity than all other end use industries. Apart from food and beverages, crate handling machines are also preferred in fast moving consumer good manufacturing plants, where unit products within the plant are transported using crates. Pharmaceutical is one of such end use industry where the usage of crate handling machines has increase reasonably over the past few years. Furthermore, the need of pharmaceutical companies to operate on maximum efficiency pushed them to integrate crate handling machines with regular operations, thus creating for crate handling machine manufacturers to design products dedicated to pharmaceutical companies or redesign products strategy to meet pharma producers demand.Make an Enquiry @A dynamic boost experience in global crate handling machines market is due to the stringent labor laws, that indirectly created demand from brownfield projects. Crate handling machines minimizes the role of labor in product management, which is a profitable investment for end use industries. Despite all the favorable market dynamics, the product still faced substantial challenge in penetrating the high potential market. The global crate handling machine market is characterized by fragmented competition, where rarely any multinational company have been able to mark significant market presence, which prevents large scale technology up gradation in the products.Crate Handling machines: Market SegmentationCrate handling machines market is segmented based on product type, technology as well as end use/application, along with regional focus for each of these segments. In terms of product type, crate handling machines market is segmented into crate stacking system, crate de-stacking systems and crate managing systems. All three equipment form an automated crate handling machines, that are predominantly used in end use industries such as food and beverage, FMCG, textile and pharmaceuticals and several others. Transportation and Logistics, auto-ancillary, fisheries, horticulture, produce processing are other end use industries which have generated significant interest in crate handling machines market over the past few years and positive growth sentiments in these industries, the growth in global crate handling machine market is evident.Crate handling Machines: Key StakeholdersFew of the key players operating in this space include NDA Group, Glenside Engineering Limited, Dyno NZ, Fibre King Pty Ltd, intralox, Crating Technologies, Packing Service, Inc. (PSI), REB Storage Systems International, R+L Carriers and Timber Creek Resource, Rentacrate, PHS Teacrate and Crate Hire UK.Crate handling Machines: Regional OutlookIn terms of geography, global crate handling machines market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. Since, the growth of crate handling machines market is largely dependent on food and beverage industry, it is more likely that the product will witness meteoric growth in the Asia Pacific market. High potential markets such as India and China continue to lead the growth momentum over 8% over the forecast period, and will also attract multinational players, which so far have been pretty dormant in these regional markets. In developed markets, the global crate handling machine market is slightly matured than Asian market. In these markets close to 30% share is accounted by established players, which in recent times witnessed competition from crate handling machine suppliers from India as well China. The market growth in these markets is anticipated to remain slightly sluggish.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Laparoscopy Devices Market to experience increase in growth by 2016-2024

Laparoscopy Devices Market

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Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure used as a diagnostic tool and surgical procedure that is performed to recognize the abdominal and pelvic organs, head, etc. Laparoscopic device is consisting tube that is inserted through the abdominal wall and illuminated to enable a surgeon to view the internal organs. A laparoscopy device basically comprises reusable, reposable & single instruments, advanced RF energy and reusable trocar solutions. Laparoscopy uses images to recognize and diagnose the disease.The laparoscopy devices market mainly is driven by growing aged population and health awareness regarding obesity. Additionally, rising cholecystectomy surgeries and other surgeries are expected to boost the market growth over forecast period. Asia Pacific and Latin America will also have potential to open new opportunities to this market in the years to come. However, scarcity of expertise in research and development and high cost surgery is expected to hamper growth of laparoscopy devices industry.Get Sample Research Report at:The global laparoscopy devices market is segmented based on equipment, application and regional. Based on equipment, laparoscopy market is classified into laparoscopes, trocars, sample retrieval bags, wound protectors, insufflation devices, internal closure devices, gastric bands, energy systems and hand-assist devices. Laparoscopic energy device was the largest segment of this market owing to their advanced technology. Laparoscopy devices used in various applications including general surgery, urological surgery, bariatric surgery, gynecological surgery and colorectal surgery. General surgery dominated segment of laparoscopy market and expected to exhibit moderate growth over the forecast period. Bariatric surgery is another key application and is expected to be fastest growing segment in the years to come.Report covers Porters Five Forces model, which offers an insight into the intensity of competition in the market. The study also comprises market attractiveness analysis, wherein various applications are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness. Geographically, the market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa, further bifurcation of region on the country level, which include U.S., Germany, UK, France, China, Japan and India. Demand has been analyzed and forecast based on the current trends for the period of six years. North America was leading segment of laparoscopy devices market followed by Europe.Browse the full report at:The report covers detailed competitive scenario including the company overviews, financial revenues of the key participants to develop their positions in the global market. Some of the major players in laparoscopy market such as Smith & Nephew, Karl Storz, Boston Scientific Corporation, Stryker, Intuitive Surgical, Olympus, Covidien, Aesculap, ConMed and Karl Storz.Laparoscopy Devices Market: Equipment Segment AnalysisLaparoscopesTrocarsSample Retrieval BagsWound ProtectorsInsufflation DevicesInternal Closure DevicesGastric BandsEnergy SystemsHand-Assist DevicesLaparoscopy Devices Market: Application Segment AnalysisGeneral SurgeryUrological SurgeryBariatric SurgeryGynecological SurgeryColorectal SurgeryLaparoscopy Devices Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East & AfricaAbout UsSyndicate Market Research provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Syndicate Market Research cover more than 30 industries includsing energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@syndicatemarketresearch.comWebsite:
SureCash Disburses Education Stipend to 10 Million Families in Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launching the project

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Dhaka, Bangladesh  SureCash launched a service to disburse government stipend to 10 million mothers in Bangladesh. The program was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina using video conferencing with beneficiaries in 3 districts.The Prime Minister said, Government is disbursing primary education stipend directly to mobile banking accounts of 10 million mothers. Now mothers will get stipend money sitting at home. They do not have to take long walks or spend a few hours to get this education incentive. Now people in rural areas are also getting the benefits of advanced digital services.Advocate Mustafizur Rahman, minister for Primary and Mass Education, said, We have opened mobile banking accounts for 10 million mothers in a very short time in collaboration with 60,000 schools. SureCash, Rupali Bank and our ministry worked closely to implement this large project.SureCash CEO Dr. Shahadat Khan said, SureCash offers a complete mobile payment service for its customers and payment partners including people, businesses and government. We are glad to be part of the largest payment digitization project in the country reaching 10 million families in 80,000 villages.SureCash is the fastest growing fintech company in Bangladesh. Since launching its services in 2014, SureCash has created an open payment network in partnership with 5 banks, 650 payment partners and more than 100,000 retailers around the country. Customers can make and receive payments from government or businesses, pay school and college fees, pay utility bills, make ecommerce transactions, and make person-to-person (P2P) transfers.In recent years, mobile financial services have made phenomenal progress in Bangladesh, a country of 160 million people. Early providers focused on P2P transfers and mobile phone recharges using exclusive bank relationships. Today, SureCash is the leading provider working with multiple banks that focuses on the vast and largely untapped mobile payments space, where transaction volume is expected to reach 150 billion USD by 2021.About SureCash Pte LtdSureCash is the fastest growing fintech company in Bangladesh. Since launching its services in 2014, SureCash has created an open payment network in partnership with 5 banks, 650 payment partners and more than 100,000 retailers in Bangladesh. Customers can make and receive payments from government or businesses, pay school and college fees, pay utility bills, make ecommerce transactions, and make person-to-person (P2P) transfers.Web:Facebook:Email: pr@surecash.net- Progoti Systems Limited- 76/B, Road:11, Banani 11, Dhaka, Bangladesh - 1213
Matrix to Showcase its Enterprise-grade Telecom and Security Solutions at DEFCOM India, 2017

Matrix, a well-known manufacturer of Telecom and Security solutions is participating in DEFCOM India17 organized on 23rd and 24th March17 in New Delhi. DEFCOM is an ICT event, where defense personnel get a glimpse of the modern communication technologies.Matrix, with a strong history of offering robust hardware to armed forces, will showcase its diversified range of IP-PBX, User Terminals, Media Gateways, Voice and Data Convergence and Unified Communication solution at the event.The major highlight of the event will be the all new Unified Communication solution - SARVAM. With an objective of providing mobility in extreme circumstances and resilient connectivity between headquarters and field area deployments, SARVAM UCS caters the exact needs of the Defense industry. The perfect combination of Unified Networks, Rugged Architecture and Radio connectivity (UHF/VHF/HF) makes it an ideal solution for the Defense Industry. With IP at its core, SARVAM UCS offers connectivity up to 1000 IP users, 128 IP channels VOIP trunking and VARTA for Mobile and PC client as office extensions for smooth communication, regardless of the military personnels location.Moreover, Matrix will also showcase  the UC Client for Seamless Collaboration. VARTA empowers the on-field defense personnel to use their extension from the Desktop or Android/iOS devices. Matrix VARTA WIN200 Outlook integration allows the military men to attend/place calls from their Outlook screen. Click to Dial, Hot Keys, Calendar Integration, Presence Sharing, Video Calling, Conference and Contact Grouping makes communication easy.Matrix, under the Security domain, will demonstrate its dedicated range of Biometric Access Control and Visitor Management solutions and its advanced applications for the Defense industry. Matrix will demonstrate COSEC DOOR FMX as a high-performance door controller with multispectral sensor. The device is powerful enough to read fingerprints of dry, wet, elderly or oily hands. In addition, Matrix will present its Access Control solution where one can connect up to 6,50,000 devices and one million users with a web based centralized application. The solution offers biometric authentication restricting access to authorized persons as well as visitors. Hardware with multiple credentials such as Palm Vein, Fingerprint and RFID Card would be displayed. User identification through biometric credential would be demonstrated.DEFCOM India 2017 is a great platform for meeting Defense personnel, understand their requirements and let them know how Matrix Telecom and Security solutions can cater to their needs. We look forward to meet some key decision makers from the Defense forces and improve their experience on Telecom and Security products, said Sagar Gosalia, Senior VP Sales and Marketing.Matrix cordially invites you to visit us at Stand Number: 16, Hall: Silver Oak, DEFCOM India 2017 to be held on 23rd and 24th March17 at India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi and have a hands-on experience of our technologically advanced Telecom and Security solutions.________________________________________________________________________________ABOUT MATRIXEstablished in 1991, Matrix is a leader in Telecom and Security solutions for modern businesses and enterprises. An innovative, technology driven and customer focused organization, Matrix is committed to keep pace with the revolutions in the telecom and security industries. With more than 40% of its human resources dedicated to the development of new products, Matrix has launched cutting-edge products like IP-PBX, Universal Gateways, VoIP Gateways and Terminals, GSM Gateways, Access Control, Time-Attendance and Video Surveillance solutions. These solutions are feature-rich, reliable and conform to the international standards. Having global footprints in Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa through an extensive network of more than 500 channel partners, Matrix ensures that the products serve the needs of its customers faster and longer. Matrix has gained trust and admiration of customers representing the entire spectrum of industries. Matrix has won many international awards for its innovative products.Matrix Comsec394 GIDC, Makarpura, Vadodara-390010
Amsterdam, 3 March 2017 (Regulated Information) --- AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. ("AMG", EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: "AMG") is pleased to announce that its subsidiary AMG Mineracao, Brazil ("the Company"), has signed a multi-year contract to supply 90,000 tons per year of lithium concentrate, for conversion into lithium chemicals, with deliveries commencing in the second half of 2018.

Sales prices under the agreement are partially indexed to the published market price of lithium carbonate, subject to a contractual minimum threshold. The sales price (CIF China), determined with reference to the current published lithium carbonate market price, would exceed $800 per ton lithium concentrate.

In October 2016, the Company awarded an EPC contract to Outotec Oyj, Finland, for the turnkey delivery of a lithium concentrate (spodumene) beneficiation plant at its Mibra mine in Brazil, with an annual production capacity of 90,000 tons. The spodumene plant is expected to be operational mid-2018.

AMG Mineracao is currently undertaking a drilling program at its Mibra mine in Brazil and expects to publish an updated mineral resource statement in the second quarter of 2017. The Company targets to double its annual lithium concentrate production capacity to 180,000 tons by end of 2019.

The recovery of lithium-bearing minerals from existing tailings, a by-product of AMG's tantalum operations in Brazil, is expected to result in a cost-leading production process.

This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

This press release contains regulated information as defined in the Dutch Financial Markets Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht).

About AMG

AMG is a global critical materials company at the forefront of CO 2 reduction trends. AMG produces highly engineered specialty metals and mineral products and provides related vacuum furnace systems and services to the transportation, infrastructure, energy, and specialty metals & chemicals end markets.

AMG produces aluminum master alloys and powders, titanium alloys and coatings, ferrovanadium, natural graphite, chromium metal, antimony, tantalum, niobium and silicon metal. AMG Engineering designs and produces vacuum furnace equipment and systems used to produce and upgrade specialty metals and alloys for the transportation, automotive, infrastructure, and energy markets.

With approximately 3,000 employees, AMG operates globally with production facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Czech Republic, United States, China, Mexico, Brazil and Sri Lanka, and has sales and customer service offices in Russia and Japan (www.amg-nv.com).

For further information, please contact:

AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. +1 610 293 5804

Steve Daniels

Senior Vice President

sdaniels@amg-nv.com
Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Report 2017 - Industry Share, Size, Trends & Forecast to 2022

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Research Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.The High-Performance Electric Motorcycle, is being discussed in this report, from the point of view of all its current trends and factors of influence. It is necessary to comprehend this data to generate a highly sound solution for your business strategies. These trends are based on the movements within the markets socioeconomic, geographical, economic, political, consumer, and cultural aspects. The report gauges their overall effect for a client or consumer and enlists the various preferences that will have a major say in what the shape of this market is likely to be in the years to come.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report  similar to all reports that are added to this repository  is a holistic snapshot of the High-Performance Electric Motorcycle and descriptive view market. It elaborates on the dynamics of the market, and extrapolates the statistics relevant to the scope of growth in its key segments and regions, as well as other parameters that have been so far effective during its expansion in terms of value addition and calculation of size. This study is therefore a quantitative and qualitative one, focused on providing a clear vision of all conceivable situations in the High-Performance Electric Motorcycle for the given forecast period.The High-Performance Electric Motorcycle is also presented in such a way as to create a 360 degree perspective of the competitive landscape that currently exists, and is likely to exist within the given forecast period. It presents a comparative analysis of the leaders as well as the regions they operate in, thereby giving readers a better awareness of the segments where they can appoint their existing resources and judge the priority of a particular region or segment to shuttle their standing upwards in the overall market.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of High-Performance Electric Motorcycle1.2 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of High-Performance Electric Motorcycle by Type in 20151.2.2 Type I1.2.3 Type II1.3 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Segment by Application1.3.1 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Application 11.3.3 Application 21.3.4 Application 31.4 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)2 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion7 Global High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Energica7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.1.2 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Product Type, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Energica High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Lightning Motorcycles7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.2.2 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Product Type, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Lightning Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Victory Motorcycles7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.3.2 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Product Type, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Victory Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Zero Motorcycles7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.4.2 High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Product Type, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Zero Motorcycles High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.4.4 Main Business/Business OverviewList of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of High-Performance Electric MotorcycleFigure Global Production Market Share of High-Performance Electric Motorcycle by Type in 2015Figure Product Picture of Type ITable Major Manufacturers of Type IFigure Product Picture of Type IITable Major Manufacturers of Type IITable High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Consumption Market Share by Application in 2015Figure Application 1 ExamplesFigure Application 2 ExamplesFigure North America High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Europe High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure China High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Japan High-Performance Electric Motorcycle Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)For Latest Market Research Reports Visit @QYReseachReports.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.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Global Nail Polish Industry Report 2017 - Market Outlook, Trends, Key Opportunities and Forecast to 2022

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Nail Polish Industry Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.The research report on the Nail Polish market includes an evaluation of all critical aspects underlying it. The report is intended to be a guidance document for readers, so they may learn of the markets key trends and dynamics, current as well as future ones. This report was compiled with the intention of aiding the readers to make well-informed business and strategic decisions for their benefit, while moving towards a prosperous tomorrow. The reports overview of the Nail Polish market includes brief descriptions, definitions, classifications, and terms that are used in the report henceforth. This lets the users gain a better understanding of the data provided in the report.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The research report classifies the Nail Polish market on the basis of multiple relevant categories, including a complete regional assessment. The segmentations let users completely acknowledge and understand the magnitude of each of the markets drivers, restraints, threats, and opportunities. It also analyzes the Nail Polish market on a macroscopic level to help analyze the various sources influences in each region, thereby revealing the diverse nature of the market.The research report also incorporates a chapter-wise study specifically dissects the competitive landscape of the Nail Polish market. This chapter examines the scenario of the Nail Polish market in terms of political influence and thus assesses the various effects of the regulatory pressure exerted by the government. It also profiles some of the key companies in the Nail Polish market and also shares details of their financial statuses, progress in research and development efforts, mergers and acquisitions and their strategic importance, and outlook of the Nail Polish market in terms of investments for the coming years.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Nail Polish11.1 Definition and Specifications of Nail Polish11.1.1 Definition of Nail Polish11.1.2 Specifications of Nail Polish11.2 Classification of Nail Polish21.2.1 Organic solvent based nail polish41.2.2 Water based nail polish51.3 Applications of Nail Polish61.3.1 Nail art institutions61.3.2 Individuals71.4 Industry Chain Structure of Nail Polish91.5 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of Nail Polish91.5.1 Industry Overview of Nail Polish91.5.2 Global Major Regions Status of Nail Polish101.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Nail Polish101.7 Industry News Analysis of Nail Polish132 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Nail Polish152.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Nail Polish152.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of Nail Polish152.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Nail Polish162.4 Other Costs Analysis of Nail Polish172.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Nail Polish182.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Nail Polish188 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Nail Polish928.1 OPI928.1.1 Company Profile928.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications948.1.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue948.1.4 Contact Information968.2 ZOTOS ACCENT968.2.1 Company Profile968.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications978.2.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue978.2.4 Contact Information998.3 Maybelline998.3.1 Company Profile998.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications1018.3.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue1018.3.4 Contact Information1038.4 Dior1038.4.1 Company Profile1038.4.2 Product Picture and Specifications1048.4.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue1058.4.4 Contact Information106List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Nail Polish1Table Product Specifications of Nail Polish1Table Classification of Nail Polish2Figure Global Production Market Share of Nail Polish by Types in 20153Figure Organic solvent based nail polish Picture4Table Major Manufacturers of Organic solvent based nail polish4Figure Water based nail polish Picture5Table Major Manufacturers of Water based nail polish5Table Applications of Nail Polish6Figure Global Consumption Volume Market Share of Nail Polish by Applications in 20156Figure Nail art institutions Examples7Figure Individuals Examples8Figure Industry Chain Structure of Nail Polish9Table Global Nail Polish Major Manufacturers9For Latest Market Research Reports Visit @QYReseachReports.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.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Biopower Market - Global Market Size, Average Price, Major Feedstock, Regulations, and Key Country Analysis to 2025

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ALBANY, NY, March 3, 2017 : ResearchMoz presents professional and in-depth study of "Biopower Market - Global Market Size, Average Price, Major Feedstock, Regulations, and Key Country Analysis to 2025"."Biopower Market - Global Market Size, Average Price, Major Feedstock, Regulations, and Key Country Analysis to 2025", the latest report from industry analysis specialist GlobalData, offers comprehensive information and analysis of the global biopower market.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @The report provides a clear overview of and detailed insight into the global biopower market. It provides data covering historic and forecast market size, average capital cost, installed capacity and generation for biomass and biogas power globally, and in ten key biopower markets - US, Brazil, China, India, Thailand, Japan, Germany, UK, France and Italy. The report analyzes key market aspects which determine biopower sector and provides information on feedstock potential, installed capacity share by feedstock type and key regulations.The report uses data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, and in-house analysis by GlobalDatas team of industry experts.ScopeThe report includes -- Biopower market study at global level and at key country level, covering countries such as US, Brazil, China, India, Thailand, Japan, Germany, UK, France and Italy- Historic and forecast data for cumulative and annual installed power capacity and power generation for biopower- Historic data installed capacity is segmented based on biogas and biomass technologies- Information on feedstock potential and installed capacity share by feedstock type- Analysis on major market forces driving or restraining the growth of biopower market at global level- Market size and average capital cost data at country and global level- Statistics related to average turbine size, GHG emission reductions, employment opportunities, homes powered, turbine import export- Key policies supporting the development of biopower market1 Table of Contents 41.1 List of Tables 121.2 List of Figures 182 Introduction 232.1 Biopower Market, Major Feedstocks 232.1.1 Bioenergy Crops 232.1.2 Agricultural Residues 242.1.3 Forest Products 242.1.4 Animal Manure 252.2 Biopower Market, Feedstock Conversion Processes 252.2.1 Direct Combustion 252.2.2 Thermochemical processes 262.2.3 Biochemical Processes 272.3 Biopower Market, Primary Energy Conversion and Recovery Technology 282.3.1 Biopower Market, Primary Energy Conversion and Recovery Technology, Comparison 282.3.2 Biopower Market, Primary Energy Conversion and Recovery Technology, Major Vendors 292.3.3 Biopower Market, Primary Energy Conversion and Recovery Technology, Major Challenges 302.3.4 Biopower Market, Primary Energy Conversion and Recovery Technology, Future Developments 312.4 GlobalData Report Guidance 31Make an Enquiry of this report @3 Biopower Market, Global 323.1 Biopower Market, Global, Overview 323.2 Biopower Market, Global, Installed Capacity, 2006-2025 333.2.1 Biopower Market, Global, Cumulative Installed Capacity by Type, 2006-2015 343.2.2 Biopower Market, Global, Net Annual Additions by Type, 2006-2015 363.3 Biopower Market, Global, Generation, 2006-2025 373.4 Biopower Market, Global, Average Capital Cost, 2006-2025 403.4.1 Biopower Market, Global, Average Capital Cost by Region, 2015 41ResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMoz90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States
Hospital Beds Market is Driven by Increasing Number of Hospitalization Cases and Technological Advancements in the Field

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Beds are among the most essential equipment required in a hospital, as patients are generally not in mobile condition to receive the treatment, and rest is often necessary for them. For the critical conditions that patients are admitted into the hospital, beds are required to be designed in such a manner that provides ideal support and comfort. With growing prevalence of several diseases, the healthcare industry is at an all-time peak and consequently, the global hospital beds market is projected for a healthy growth rate during the forecast period of 2016 to 2024.Obtain Report Details @This report on global market for hospital beds is an in-depth examination of all the factors that are expected to impact the growth rate in the near future, and presents estimations on the future state of the market until 2024. The report is a summation of interviews and discussions with a wide range of key industry participants and opinion leaders. Some of the key players have also been profiled in the report, exploring their market share, product range, regional presence, and recent strategic developments such as mergers, collaborations, acquisitions, and other announcements.The global hospital beds can be segmented on the basis of type, treatment, power, and geography. By type, the market can be divided into general beds, pediatric beds, pressure relief beds, bariatric beds, and birthing beds. By treatment, the market can be categorized into acute care beds, long term care beds, and critical care beds. By power, the market can be segmented into electric beds, manual beds, and semi-electric beds. Geographically, the report studies the opportunities available in the regions of North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World.Rising geriatric population is one of the prominent factors of this market, as the people aged over 65 generally suffer from several diseases such as arthritis, heart disease, respiratory diseases, Alzheimers diseases, osteoporosis, and diabetes. According to the National Institute on Aging, global geriatric population will rise to 1.5 billion, which makes for a strong demand for hospital beds. Increasing number of hospitalization cases and technological advancements in the field, and improving healthcare infrastructure in emerging economies are other important factors positively influencing the market.Fill the Form for an Exclusive Sample of this Report @According to the report, rising demand for advanced and selective features of hospital beds is a trend that urges investment in research and development of advanced beds. Conversely, high cost of these beds is seen as the primary restraint over the growth rate of the global hospitals beds market.Europe is expected to remain most lucrative regional market during the forecast period, which is a reflection of increasing expenditure in Europes medical industry and healthcare organizations. North America forms the second most profitable region due to robust healthcare infrastructure, whereas Asia Pacific is projected for most robust growth rate, which is a result of vast population base and improving healthcare infrastructure in the emerging economies such as India, China, Japan, Australia, and South Korea.Paramount Bed Co. Ltd., Getinge Group, LINET spol. s r.o., ArjoHuntleigh, Stryker, Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Invacare Corporation, and Medline Industries, Inc. are some of the key players currently operational in the global hospital beds market. Most of these companies have sub-divisional production units in order to meet the demand coming from medical establishments that are replacing their outdated hospital beds with the advanced ones.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. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
North America Facial Injectables Market is Expected to Reach US$5.8 bn by 2024

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The North America facial injectables market is quite monopolistic in nature with one player dominating the overall market dynamics. As of 2016, Allergan Plc., held a share 62.0% in the regional market. The company dominance is a result of the strong brand value of its drugs like Botox & Juvederm. Presently, Botox is leading the market and is expected to retain its stance all throughout 2024.According to the research report, the North America facial injectables market is expected to reach a valuation of US$5.8 bn by the end of 2024 as compared to US$2.1 bn by the end of 2015. Between the forecast years of 2016 and 2024, the global market is expected to rise at a CAGR of 12.0%.Browse Market Research Report @The overall market has been segmented into the U.S. and Canada on the basis of geography. Out of the two countries, the U.S. is expected to assume the lead in the overall market due to a high demand for botulinum toxins and dermal fillers. Improving lifestyles and growing preference for minimally invasive surgeries are expected to drive the demand for facial injectables across the U.S.In terms of products, the market is segmented into botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid, collagen, and particle and polymer fillers. Of these, the botulinum toxin segment held a leading share in the global market in 2015 as it is predominantly being used for correcting lines, creases, and wrinkles. Thus, between 2016 and 2024, the botulinum toxin segment is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 12.7%.Development of synthetic products with polymers and particles has upped the demand for facial injectables across North America. The new products have a longer shelf-life, which prolongs the need to re-treatment. Thus, the widening availability of facial injectables that tend to have permanent effects is driving the demand for products in the overall market. Furthermore, as the frequency of treatment is reduced it has also brought down the cost of facial injectables treatment, thus making it affordable.Fill the Form for an Exclusive Sample of this Report @The market for facial injectables across North America has also been flourishing against the backdrop of growing preference for minimally invasive surgeries. Thus, the growing inclination toward minimally invasive procedures in dermatological applications is expected to drive the overall market. The growing focus on aesthetics and physical attractiveness are proving to be the persuasive factors in the propelling demand for facial injectables in North America. Changing lifestyles, rising disposable incomes, and altering understanding of beauty and attractiveness is encouraging several users to opt for facial injectables that can reverse the signs of aging to restore the youthful glow.The strength of aforementioned market drivers is likely to be challenged by a few restraints in the North America facial injectables market. The possibility of allergic reactions due to the involvement of living organisms and related chemicals and enzymes is anticipated to hamper the growth of the overall market. Furthermore, side-effects such as edema, bleeding, and bruising are also expected to restrain the growth of the regional market. The poor reimbursement policies associated with facial injectables are expected to curb the spending on these expenditures in the near future.This review is based on Transparency Market Researchs report, titled Facial Injectables Market - North America Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024.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.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Gems and Jewelry Industry 2016 Market Research Report

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Gems and Jewelry MarketSummaryWiseguyreports.Com Adds Gems and Jewelry -Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Analysis and Forecast to 2021 To Its Research DatabaseThe Global Gems and Jewelry Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Gems and Jewelry industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Gems and Jewelry market analysis is provided for the international markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.For Sample report @Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.The report focuses on global major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Gems and Jewelry industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.With 344 tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Enquiry before buying @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Gems and Jewelry1.1 Definition and Specifications of Gems and Jewelry1.1.1 Definition of Gems and Jewelry1.1.2 Specifications of Gems and Jewelry1.2 Classification of Gems and Jewelry1.3 Applications of Gems and Jewelry1.4 Industry Chain Structure of Gems and Jewelry1.5 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of Gems and Jewelry1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Gems and Jewelry1.7 Industry News Analysis of Gems and Jewelry2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Gems and Jewelry2.1 Raw Material Analysis2.2 Equipment Suppliers Analysis2.3 Labor Cost Analysis2.4 Other Cost Analysis2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.6 Gems?and?Jewelry Manufacturing Process Analysis in 2015..8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Gems and Jewelry8.1 Chow Tai Fook8.1.1 Company Profile8.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.1.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.1.4 Contact Information8.2 Richemont8.2.1 Company Profile8.2.2 Richemont Product8.2.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.2.4 Contact Information8.3 Signet Jewellers8.3.1 Company Profile8.3.2 Signet Jewellers Product8.3.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.3.4 Contact Information8.4 Swatch Group8.4.1 Company Profile8.4.2 Swatch Group Product8.4.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.4.4 Contact Information8.5 Rajesh Exports8.5.1 Company Profile8.5.2 Rajesh Exports Product8.5.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.5.4 Contact Information8.6 Lao Feng Xiang8.6.1 Company Profile8.6.2 Lao Feng Xiang Product8.6.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.6.4 Contact Information8.7 Tiffany8.7.1 Company Profile8.7.2 Tiffany Product8.7.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.8.4 Contact Information8.8 Malabar Gold and Diamonds8.8.1 Company Profile8.8.2 Malabar Gold and Diamonds Product8.8.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.8.4 Contact Information8.9 LVMH Moet Hennessy8.9.1 Company Profile8.9.2 LVMH Moet Hennessy Product8.9.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.9.4 Contact Information8.10 Shanghai Yuyuan8.10.1 Company Profile8.10.2 Shanghai Yuyuan Product8.10.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.10.4 Contact Information8.11 Daniel Swarovski8.11.1 Company Profile8.11.2 Daniel Swarovski Product8.11.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.11.4 Contact Information8.12 Chow Sang Sang8.12.1 Company Profile8.12.2 Chow Sang Sang Product8.12.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.12.4 Contact Information8.13 Luk Fook8.13.1 Company Profile8.13.2 Luk Fook Product8.13.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.13.4 Contact Information8.14 Pandora8.14.1 Company Profile8.14.2 Pandora Product8.14.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.14.4 Contact Information8.15 Titan8.15.1 Company Profile8.15.2 Titan Product8.15.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue8.15.4 Contact Information.Buy This Report @Continued...Contact Us:NORAH TRENTSales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Specialty Zeolites Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Forecast and Opportunities 2016 - 2024

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ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Specialty Zeolites Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024 " to it's Large Report database.Global Specialty Zeolites Market: OverviewSpecialty zeolites are types of zeolites that require specialty synthesis, primarily high-pressure synthesis. Some specialty organic additives are also added during crystallization/synthesis. Small quantity of specialty zeolites are used for adsorption purposes in paints & coatings, plastics, personal care, and construction materials.The report estimates and forecasts the specialty zeolites market on the global, regional, and country levels. The study provides forecast between 2016 and 2024 based on volume (tons) and revenue (US$ Mn) with 2015 as the base year. The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis for each of the end-use segments. It provides a comprehensive view of the market. The study includes drivers and restraints for the specialty zeolites market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The study also provides key market indicators affecting the growth of the market. The report analyzes opportunities in the specialty zeolites market on the global and regional level. Furthermore, the report analyzes substitutes of specialty zeolites. It also provides the global average price trend analysis.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:Global Specialty Zeolites Market: Research MethodologiesThe report includes Porters Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the specialty zeolites market. The report comprises a qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-use and countries have been analyzed based on attractiveness for each region. Growth rate, market size, raw material availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated in order to derive the general attractiveness of the market.The study provides a comprehensive view of the specialty zeolites market by dividing it into end-use and geography. In terms of end-use, the specialty zeolites market has been segmented into plastics, paints & coatings, construction materials and personal care. End-use segments have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends, and the market has been estimated in terms of volume (tons) and revenue (US$ Mn) between 2016 and 2024.Read All Chemicals Market Research Reports @Table of ContentChapter 01 Preface1.1 Report Scope and Market Segmentation1.2 Research HighlightsChapter 02 Assumptions and Research Methodology2.1 Assumptions and Acronyms Used2.2 Research MethodologyChapter 03 Executive Summary3.1 Global Specialty Zeolites Market: Market Size, by Value (US$ Mn), by RegionChapter 04 Market Overview4.1 Product Overview4.2 Key Industry Developments4.3 Market IndicatorsChapter 05 Market Dynamics5.1 Drivers and Restraints Snapshot Analysis5.2 Drivers5.3 Restraints5.4 Opportunity Analysis5.5 Specialty Zeolites Market: Global Demand Supply Scenario5.6 Global Specialty Zeolites Market Analysis and Forecast5.7 Porters Analysis5.8 Value Chain AnalysisAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at:
IQ4I Research & Consultancy published a new report on Interventional Cardiology Global Market  Forecast To 2023

Interventional cardiology deals with the catheter based techniques for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary and peripheral artery diseases, valvular and congenital heart diseases and structural heart diseases. Interventional cardiology market is growing at a steady rate, as estimated by IQ4I Research the interventional cardiology global is expected to grow at high single digit CAGR to reach $46,124.1 million by 2023. Increase in prevalence of cardiovascular disorders due to rise in aging population, increasing number of interventional procedures, rise in the number of clinical studies performed, increasing prevalence of lifestyle diseases are some of the drivers of the market. Technology advancements and growing healthcare budgetary allocation, growth in emerging countries, and increase in patient awareness for minimal invasive surgeries are some of the opportunities that are propelling the growth of the market. However, lack of skilled and trained professionals and reimbursement issues in emerging countries are some of the restraints of the market. Stringent regulatory requirements with high cost of development and availability of alternate products are some of the threats of the market.The Interventional cardiology global market by products is segmented into catheters, stents, valves, interventional diagnostic devices, transcatheter heart pump and others. Interventional cardiology market by applications includes diagnostic catheterization, coronary interventions, peripheral interventions and structural heart.Among the products stents held the highest share due to wide acceptance of stent procedures, a minimal invasive surgery with less risk of complications than open surgery. Transcatheter heart pump segment is project to grow at a very high double digit CAGR. Abiomed, U.S. based medical device company has developed worlds smallest catheter based heart pump that provides hemodynamic support to the heart. The Impella heart pump (Impella series - Impella 2.5, Impella 5.0, Impella CP, and Impella RP) is FDA approved and presently is one of the factors for driving Interventional cardiology market.Among various Interventional cardiology applications, coronary interventions held the highest share and is expected to grow at a high single digit CAGR due to large acceptance of non surgical treatments such as PTCA, cardiac ablation, coronary thrombectomy and aortic aneurysm (EVAR and TEVAR). Structural heart segment is the fastest growing market with a double digit CAGR. Major companies are adopting acquisition strategy in the expansion of cardiovascular and structural heart devices product portfolio, for instance, in January 2017, Abbott Laboratories acquired St. Jude medical. This acquisition has enhanced Abbotts product offering in emerging high growth areas of cardiovascular device market such as atrial fibrillation, heart failure and structural heart that elevates the company to the top position in cardiovascular market. Similarly, Medtronic, PLC in October 2015 acquired Twelve, Inc, a privately-held medical device company focused on the development of a transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) device. This acquisition supported Medtronic to develop a differentiated TMVR product that had significant growth opportunities.Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR), cardiac remodelling, catheter based heart pump are some of the technological advancements that are going to drive the interventional cardiology market in coming years. TMVR is still in its clinical trial stage and major companies are involved in the design and development of TMVR, for instance Edward Lifesciences is conducting phase-1 clinical trial in evaluating the safety and function of CardiAQ TMVR device. Similarly, cardiac remodelling devices (remodelling of heart caused due to heart failure) such as Parachute implant by Cardiokinetix, Inc. and Revivent TC TransCatheter Ventricular Enhancement System by BioVentrix, Inc. are in the process of getting regulatory approval. Procyrions aortix is a catheter based small and continuous heart pump for heart failure patients, designed to help assist the heart muscle and boost localized blood flow, instead of operating in heart, it is perched in the aorta. Procyrions aortix device is not yet commercially available and requires regulatory approval from FDA. The launch of these technologies will boost the interventional cardiology market in coming years.The Interventional cardiology global market based on geography is divided into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the world. North American region commanded the largest revenue and to grow at high single digit CAGR. Increasing peripheral interventional procedures, growth in aging population and significant increase in PCI centers in U.S. has led the market growth in this region. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at highest CAGR owing to the rapidly increasing aging population, patient and raise in healthcare awareness in the emerging countries, such as India and China.Companies such as Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Abbott and Terumo are ahead of other companies are considered to be leaders in this space with their marketed products and strong pipelines. Abbott is a leader in coronary and endovascular devices and the first company to obtain FDA approved bioresorbable stent. Recently company has obtained U.S. FDA approval for Micra Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS), a smallest cardiac pacemaker and the most advanced technological device for the treatment of bradycardia (slow or irregular heart rhythms). In January 2017, W.L.Gore & Associates, Inc. received FDA approval for Viabahn VBX balloon expandable endoprosthesis for treatment of de novo or restenotic lesions found in iliac arteries, including lesions at the aortic bifurcation. It is the first and only balloon expandable stent graft to be approved.Pediatric interventional cardiology market is advancing at a steady rate, as estimated by IQ4I Research, the market is expected to grow owing to increasing occurrence of congenital heart conditions among pediatric patients and other key factors contributing to the growth of the pediatric interventional cardiology market include advancements in minimally invasive technologies, increasing awareness of technological advancements, preference for minimally invasive surgeries and growing R&D investments for novel pediatric interventional cardiology products. However, stringent and complex regulatory procedures and high cost of pediatric interventional cardiology procedures are restraining the market.Major players in the interventional cardiology global market are Abiomed (U.S.), Abbott Laboratories (U.S.), Boston Scientific (U.S.), B. Braun (Germany), C.R. Bard (U.S.), Cook Medical (U.S), Edwards Lifesciences (U.S.), Johnson &Johnson (U.S.), Medtronic PLC. (Ireland), Terumo Corporation (Japan) and W.L.Gore & Associates, Inc. (U.S.).BioVentrix, (U.S.), Biotronik GMBH & Co. (Germany), Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. (U.S.), Cardiva Medical, Inc.(U.S.), Cardiokinetix (U.S.), Procyrion (U.S.), Cardinal Health (U.S.), Getinge Group (Sweden), Goodman Co., Ltd. (Japan), InspireMed Ltd.(Israel), Lepu Medical (China), Lombard Medical Technologies (U.K.), Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd.(India) and MicroPort Scientific Corporation (China) are some of the emerging players in the interventional cardiology market.IQ4I (Intelligence Quotient for Innovation) Research and Consultancy Pvt. Ltd. is a global strategy, consulting and a leading market research company. Our clients include leading businesses, investment banks, researchers and government agencies.We are a team of highly qualified consultants and market researchers, committed to help clients make strategic decisions by providing relevant and firmly reliable market intelligence support. We enable our clients to identify the market opportunities with best-in-class market intelligence reports.Mr. Sattish BirrudukotaIQ4I Research & Consultancy Pvt LtdNo.11, Industrial Suburb,West of Chord Road,Rajajinagar, Bangalore-560010
Worldwide Bio MEMS Market is Estimated to Surge at a CAGR of 20.9% by 2024; High Prevalence of Heart Diseases Gives Impetus to Cardio-MEMS

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ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Bio-MEMS Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024 " to it's Large Report database.Global Bio MEMS Market: OverviewThis report provides both strategic as well as in-depth analysis of the global bio-MEMS market, during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024. The scope of this report comprises analysis of different segments within this market being differentiated on the basis of type, application and geography. Growing applications of life saving utilities associated with the implementation of bio-MEMS is expected to fuel the growth of this market in both developed as well as developing economies from 2016-2024.Global Bio MEMS Market: Drivers and RestraintsApplication as well as demand for bio-MEMS is increasing because of its high utility that allows patients to survive in critically ill conditions acting as the most important driver for the growth of global bio-MEMS market. With advancement in research facilities being made to improve micro total analysis systems as well as lab-on-chip systems, the demand for bio-MEMS is expected to increase during the forecast period from 2016-2024. The rise in government grants to grow research and development facilities for biomedical applications has further led to bio-MEMS being used as life saving devices. Moreover, application of microfluidic chips in bio-MEMS applications has been another crucial driver to positively impact the demand for bio-MEMS in clinical diagnostics.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:Furthermore, bio-MEMS also assists in the rapid detection of viruses that has been another important reason for the rise in demand of bio-MEMS devices. There are certain restraints such as complexity associated with fabrication process as well as the high costs associated with the implementation of this technology that restricts the demand for bio-MEMS devices. Growing application of bio-MEMS for monitoring of life threatening diseases that is going to provide huge growth opportunities for bio-MEMS market in coming years.Global Bio MEMS Market: Segmentation AnalysisThe global Bio-MEMS market based on different types has been segmented into gyroscopes, accelerometers and others. The bio-MEMS market globally has also been further segmented into includes neural implants, bionics, ENT implants, cardioMEMS and others. Different regions included in this report includes North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World that further has been segmented into Middle East, Africa and South America. The market for bio-MEMS has been provided in (USD million) in terms of revenue as well as the CAGR for the forecast period of 2016 to 2024.Read All Biotechnology Market Research Reports @Table of ContentSection 1 PrefaceSection 2 Assumptions and Research Methodology2.1 Assumptions and Acronyms used2.2 Research MethodologySection 3 Executive Summary : Global Bio-MEMS Market3.1 Executive Summary3.2 Market Opportunity MapSection 4 Global Bio-MEMS Market Overview4.1 Definition4.2 Industry Evolution4.3 Drivers & Restraints: Snapshot Analysis4.3.1 Drivers4.3.2 Restraints4.3.3 Opportunities4.4 Global Market Attractiveness Analysis4.5 Global Market Share Analysis By Company (2015)4.6 Competitive Strategies Adopted By Leading PlayersSection 5 Global Bio-MEMS Market Analysis, By Type5.1 Market Trends5.2 Introduction5.3 Global Bio-MEMS Market, By TypeSection 6 Global Bio-MEMS Market Analysis, By Application6.1 Market Trends6.2 Global Bio-MEMS Market, By ApplicationAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at:
Global Diamond Mining to 2020: Largest Mining Companies such as Alrosa, De Beers SA, Rio Tinto Plc, Dominion Diamond etc.

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ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Global Diamond Mining to 2020 " to it's Large Report database.SynopsisTimetric's 'Global Diamond Mining to 2020' report comprehensively covers global reserves of diamonds and reserves by country, historical and forecast data on global rough diamond production, and production by country and trade. The report also includes demand drivers affecting the global diamond mining industry, profiles of major diamond mining companies, and information on the major active, exploration and development projects by region.Executive summaryTimetric estimates global rough diamond production at 131.5 million carats (Mct) in 2014, marginally up from 130.5Mct in 2013. The market for rough diamond production centers around the top eight producing countries - Russia, Botswana, the DRC, Australia, Canada, Zimbabwe, Angola and South Africa which collectively account for 97% of global production. The Argyle, Orapa, Jwaneng, Diavik, Catoca and Nyurbinskaya are some of the major diamond producing mines while Alrosa, De Beers SA, Rio Tinto Plc, Dominion Diamond Corporation and Petra Diamonds are the worlds largest diamond mining companies, collectively accounting for 70% of global production.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:ScopeThe report contains an overview of the global diamond mining industry together with the key demand drivers affecting the industry. It also provides information about reserves, historic and forecast production, reserves and production by country, major exporting and importing countries, competitive landscape and major active, exploration and development projects.Reasons to buyGain an understanding of the global diamond mining industry, the relevant demand drivers , reserves, historic and forecast production, major exporting and importing countries, active, exploration and development projects and the competitive landscape.Key highlightsDiamond mainly occurs in kimberlite, lamproite and alluvial deposits. The worlds largest kimberlite reserves are found in Botswanas Orapa region and in South Africa, while alluvial deposits are found mainly on the Atlantic coasts of South Africa and Namibia.The Australian Argyle mine in Kimberley region hosts lamproite deposits. Global diamond reserves were 730 million carats (Mct) as of January 2015, with Australia, Botswana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) collectively accounting for 72% of the total.Globally, the accessibility of diamond deposits and the depth of occurrence are increasing challenges to the expansion of global diamond mining operations, with projects becoming more capital intensive, necessitating substantial investments, especially in technology.Read All Mining Market Research Reports @Table of Contents1 Executive Summary2 Global Diamond Mining  Reserves, Production, Demand Driver and Trade2.1 Reserves by Geographical Region and Major Mines with Grade2.2 Historic and Forecast Production2.2.1 Historic and forecast production by major mines2.2.2 Rough diamond production by country2.3 Location of Major Diamond Producing Mines2.4 Major Active Mines2.5 Major Exploration and Development Projects2.6 Demand Drivers2.7 Diamond Trade2.7.1 Exporting countries2.7.2 Rough Diamond importing countries3 Major Global Diamond Producing Companies3.1 Alrosa3.2 De Beers SA3.3 Rio Tinto Plc3.4 Dominion Diamond Corporation (DDC)3.5 Petra Diamonds LtdAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at:
3 March 2017

Following the fraudulent sale of 31 Solar PV power plants to EAM Solar ASA in July 2014 by Enovos Luxembourg SA and Avelar Energy Ltd through their jointly owned special purpose vehicle Aveleos SA of Luxembourg, the so-called "P31 Acquisition", EAM group has been forced to pursue EAM's legal and economic rights in several legal venues due to the unwillingness of the sellers to respect their contractual obligations in accordance with the Share Purchase Agreement entered into the 31st of December 2013.

The financial reporting through annual and quarterly reports issued since July 2014 contains further details relevant for the interpretation of this stock exchange notice and can be found on the company web site (www.eamsolar.no).

1) Breach of standstill agreement proceedings against Aveleos SA in the Court of Luxembourg

In October 2014, EAM entered into a so-called standstill agreement with Aveleos SA that also encompassed Enovos, Avelar and its employees. The purpose of the standstill agreement was to give the sellers time to resolve the payment suspension measures of GSE and to document the necessary facts confirming the validity of the FIT contracts and the technical feasibility of the power plants within a limited time frame of 6 months. In exchange for this the sellers pledged to finance the running costs of the criminally affected power plants with a minimum of EUR 5 million in liquidity until the above matters was resolved.

In exchange for this pledge and the promises given by the sellers, EAM lifted the injunction achieved on the bank accounts of Aveleos SA in Luxembourg in September 2014 in order to avoid the immediate bankruptcy of Aveleos SA in October 2014 as threatened by the Enovos and Avelar directors.

Aveleos and its Directors breached the standstill agreement already in November 2014, as confirmed in the ruling by the Civil Court of Milan (Enterprise Matters Specialized Section) in September 2015 and by the Criminal Court of Milan in the ruling the 13th of September 2016.

In the Autumn 2015 Aveleos summoned EAM again in Luxembourg court in order to misuse the standstill agreement to achieve exclusion from the criminal proceedings in Milan in order for Enovos and Avelar to escape legal proceedings. On the 20th of September 2016 Aveleos asked the court of Luxembourg for a postponement of these proceeding, which was granted until January 2017.

The first hearing in the Standstill Agreement procedures in Luxembourg took place on 17 January 2017. Both parties filed their note of pleadings and presented to the judge. In the proceedings Aveleos SA has delivered a claim and EAM Solar ASA a counter-claim.

In a ruling communicated yesterday the court decided that the Luxembourg civil proceedings regarding the Standstill Agreement shall be put to a halt until the arbitration award before the Court of Milan is rendered i.e. all claims of Aveleos have been suspended until further.

2) Defamation case - allegations of false complaint to be tried in the Luxembourg District Court

The companies EAM Solar ASA and EAM Solar Italy Holding srl, as well as their CEO and Managing Director, Mr Viktor E. Jakobsen, received in January 2017 a subpoena to meet in court in Luxembourg on 13 March 2017. The plaintiffs are Enovos Luxembourg SA, Enovos International SA and their directors. The plaintiffs claim that the criminal complaint filed by EAM Solar ASA in February 2016 is false and not merited. This is an attempt by the directors to evade the ongoing investigation by the criminal court of Luxembourg that followed after the criminal complaint was filed.

In a communication received yesterday we have been informed that the case will not be heard until the Prosecutor's Office have decided on the criminal complaint filed in February 2016 that is still in their hands.

Therefore, the case will not be pleaded on March 13, 2017 and will be rescheduled.

For information, please contact:

Viktor E Jakobsen, CEO, phone +47 9161 1009, viktor@eam.no

About EAM Solar: EAM Solar is a utility company that acquires and operates solar power plants. The Company currently owns solar PV power plants in Italy. The plants are operating under long-term sales contracts.
LiTaO3 Crystal Consumption Market 2016 valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global LiTaO3 Crystal Consumption Market 2016 Industry, Analysis, Research, Share, Growth, Sales, Trends, Supply, Forecast to 2021 to its huge collection of research reports.The LiTaO3 Crystal is the target of analysis presented in this research report which is a highly descriptive and insightful publication. It chalks out a detailed, all-inclusive, and logical perspective of the market, casing all crucial categories and their pieces, along with the aspects that have so far shown the potential of having a deep influence on the market over the coming years. The report is therefore a 360-degree representation of the analysis of the current state of market.The market has been quarried to its microscopic nuances, where rudimentary data and key, industry-specific classifications of the market and its elements that are being defined in the overview. The report then moves ahead into a 360 degree analysis of the LiTaO3 Crystal, while sticking to phrases of the market, such as specific definitions, applications, industry chain structures, government policies, and recent developments.Download The exclusive Sample of this report:The large volumes of data presented in this report, on the LiTaO3 Crystal, have been garnered with the aid of different research methodologies, both primary and secondary. This data is further concentrated by means of standard analytical processes based on industry practices, and therefore only the significant sections of information are provided to the readers of this report.The governing and competitive landscape of the LiTaO3 Crystal are studied in this research report. The different stages and their details, such as rules, protocols, procedures, and strategies are also included in addition to an analysis of their effect on the overall growth rate of the market. The report also contains a comprehensive analysis of the business profiles of the most influential vendors in the LiTaO3 Crystal.Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of LiTaO3 Crystal1.1 Definition and Specifications of LiTaO3 Crystal1.1.1 Definition of LiTaO3 Crystal1.1.2 Specifications of LiTaO3 Crystal1.2 Classification of LiTaO3 Crystal1.3 Applications of LiTaO3 Crystal1.4 Industry Chain Structure of LiTaO3 Crystal1.5 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of LiTaO3 Crystal1.5.1 Industry Overview of LiTaO3 Crystal1.5.2 Global Major Regions Status of LiTaO3 Crystal1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of LiTaO3 Crystal1.7 Industry News Analysis of LiTaO3 CrystalBrowse Complete Report with TOC @2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of LiTaO3 Crystal2.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of LiTaO3 Crystal2.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of LiTaO3 Crystal2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of LiTaO3 Crystal2.4 Other Costs Analysis of LiTaO3 Crystal2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of LiTaO3 Crystal2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of LiTaO3 Crystal3 Global Market Size (Volume and Value), Sales and Sale Price Analysis of LiTaO3 Crystal3.1 Global Market Size (Volume and Value) and Growth Rate of LiTaO3 Crystal 2011-20163.2 Global Market Size (Volume and Value) of LiTaO3 Crystal by Regions 2011-20163.3 Global Market Size (Volume and Value) of LiTaO3 Crystal by Types 2011-20163.4 Global Market Size (Volume and Value) of LiTaO3 Crystal by Applications 2011-20163.5 Global Sales Volume and Sales Revenue of LiTaO3 Crystal by Companies 2011-20163.6 Global Sale Price of LiTaO3 Crystal by Regions 2011-20163.7 Global Sale Price of LiTaO3 Crystal by Types 2011-20163.8 Global Sale Price of LiTaO3 Crystal by Applications 2011-20163.9 Global Sale Price of LiTaO3 Crystal by Companies 2011-20164 USA Market Size (Volume and Value), Sales, Sale Price and End Users Analysis of LiTaO3 Crystal4.1 USA Market Size (Volume and Value) and Growth Rate of LiTaO3 Crystal 2011-20164.2 USA Market Size (Volume and Value) of LiTaO3 Crystal by Types 2011-20164.3 USA Market Size (Volume and Value) of LiTaO3 Crystal by Applications 2011-20164.4 USA Sales Volume and Sales Revenue of LiTaO3 Crystal by Companies 2011-20164.5 USA Sale Price of LiTaO3 Crystal by Types 2011-20164.6 USA Sale Price of LiTaO3 Crystal by Applications 2011-20164.7 USA Sale Price of LiTaO3 Crystal by Companies 2011-20164.8 USA Regional Supply, Import, Export and Consumption of LiTaO3 Crystal 2011-20164.9 USA End Users with Contact Information and Consumption Volume of LiTaO3 Crystal by Applications5 Europe Market Size (Volume and Value), Sales, Sale Price and End Users Analysis of LiTaO3 Crystal5.1 Europe Market Size (Volume and Value) and Growth Rate of LiTaO3 Crystal 2011-20165.2 Europe Market Size (Volume and Value) of LiTaO3 Crystal by Types 2011-20165.3 Europe Market Size (Volume and Value) of LiTaO3 Crystal by Applications 2011-20165.4 Europe Sales Volume and Sales Revenue of LiTaO3 Crystal by Companies 2011-20165.5 Europe Sale Price of LiTaO3 Crystal by Types 2011-20165.6 Europe Sale Price of LiTaO3 Crystal by Applications 2011-20165.7 Europe Sale Price of LiTaO3 Crystal by Companies 2011-20165.8 Europe Regional Supply, Import, Export and Consumption of LiTaO3 Crystal 2011-20165.9 Europe End Users with Contact Information and Consumption Volume of LiTaO3 Crystal by ApplicationsRead More @About UsQYReseachReports.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.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.comQYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Triethyl Phosphate Industry 2016 Development, Trends, Share, Growth, Research and Market Analysis

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Triethyl Phosphate Market 2016 Industry Trend and Forecast 2022 to its huge collection of research reports.This report is a descriptive and analytical dissemination of information in the Triethyl Phosphate, for those associated with it or those who wish to enter the market in the immediate future. The report provides  within its predetermined forecast period  the latest installment of this stream of research reports. The report offers accurate and actionable perceptions on the market that will allow its readers to generate new perspectives on the key segments of the market. These include the leading features that are currently augmenting its growth rate. The report also elaborates on the constraints that are currently hampering its growth rate. It also provides emphasis on the leading trends that are affecting the Triethyl Phosphate at the moment, as well as the ones that are likely to be carried forward in the future.Download The exclusive Sample of this report:The report includes an analysis overview of the industry as a whole based on its key segments analysis compiled using opinions and insights from experts in the industry. This creates the differentiator that asserts for a superior quality of research and analysis within this report. The clients can use these insights to act upon their business strategies and gauge their regional and/or globally relevant segments that are likely to be beneficial the foreseeable future.There are a few drivers that stand out, and this report discloses their importance through a profound scrutiny of the various openings that players may improve their goals upon. The report also creates a timeline of all developments in the market that have recently occurred and those that have directly or indirectly impacted it, thus offering readers with an improved knowledge set in the Triethyl Phosphate for the given forecast period.Table of Contents1 Triethyl Phosphate Market Overview11.1 Product Overview and Scope of Triethyl Phosphate11.2 Triethyl Phosphate Segment by Types11.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Triethyl Phosphate by Types in 201611.3 Triethyl Phosphate Segment by Applications31.3.1 Triethyl Phosphate Consumption Market Share by Applications in 201631.3.2 Chemical Catalyst41.3.3 Flame Retardants41.3.4 Organic Solvent41.3.5 Pesticide Intermediates41.4 Triethyl Phosphate Market by Regions51.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2011-2022)51.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2022)61.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2011-2022)71.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2011-2022)81.4.5 India Status and Prospect (2011-2022)91.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Triethyl Phosphate (2011-2022)10Browse Complete Report with TOC @2 Global Triethyl Phosphate Market Competition by Manufacturers112.1 Global Triethyl Phosphate Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)112.2 Global Triethyl Phosphate Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)132.3 Global Triethyl Phosphate Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)152.4 Manufacturers Triethyl Phosphate Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types162.5 Triethyl Phosphate Market Competitive Situation and Trends182.5.1 Triethyl Phosphate Market Concentration Rate182.5.2 Triethyl Phosphate Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers192.5.3 Industry Dynamics203 Global Triethyl Phosphate Production, Revenue (Value) by Regions (2011-2016)213.1 Global Triethyl Phosphate Production and Market Share by Regions (2011-2016)213.2 Global Triethyl Phosphate Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Regions (2011-2016)233.3 Global Triethyl Phosphate Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)263.4 North America Triethyl Phosphate Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)263.5 Europe Triethyl Phosphate Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)273.6 China Triethyl Phosphate Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)273.7 Japan Triethyl Phosphate Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)283.8 India Triethyl Phosphate Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)284 Global Triethyl Phosphate Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)294.1 Global Triethyl Phosphate Consumption by Regions (2011-2016)294.2 North America Triethyl Phosphate Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)314.3 Europe Triethyl Phosphate Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)324.4 China Triethyl Phosphate Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)324.5 Japan Triethyl Phosphate Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)334.6 India Triethyl Phosphate Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)335 Global Triethyl Phosphate Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Types34Read More @About UsQYReseachReports.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.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.comQYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Urethra Cystoscopes Market: Emerging Market Trends, Size, Share and Growth Analysis

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Cystoscopy is an invaluable tool for identifying lower urinary tract complications or disorders and is the most common procedure performed in urology. Cystoscopes are commonly used to investigate the inside of the urinary tract. Cystoscopes are classified as semi-critical devices, according to the Spaulding classification system, for medical devices and disinfection, proposed by Dr. E H Spaulding. Cystoscopy is generally used for diagnosis and monitoring progress of conditions or diseases. It also helps in ruling out certain symptoms, thereby enabling further medical interventions. For example, routine cystoscopy is carried out before and after the treatment of bladder cancer to check for reoccurrence of tumor to prevent its further spread.Urethra cystoscope is used to look inside of urethra, which is a part of urinary tract. It is a long and thin optical instrument. At one end, it has an eyepiece, a flexible or rigid tube at the center, and the other end of the tube has tiny lens and light.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :Cystoscopy is carried out by urologists in order to relate the cause of symptoms for urinary tract problems such as frequent episodes of urine or urinary tract infections, hematuria, urinary incontinence, pain, burning or any kind of discomfort at urinary site, abnormal cells in urine, etc. Cystoscopy is also carried out to detect and remove renal or urinary stones, abnormal tissues, polyps or tumors in urethra. These can assist in other purposes such as removal of stent and performing retrograde pyelography.The most important task in use of urethra cystoscopes is sterilizing or reprocessing in between patients, and very few are found to address the reprocessing as per the requirement. Hence, proper training is required for urologist to carry out urethra cystoscopy. Major risk associated with the use of urethra cystoscopes is acquisition of urinary tract infection as a urethra cystoscope is reused many times. Other risks include urethral bleeding or pain, as well as fever in some cases.Major drivers of the urethra cystoscopes market are rise in urethra related disorders or diseases such as bladder cancer and renal stones and applications in several medical procedures such as stent insertion and dye insertion. Other factors such as urethral cytoscope flexibility, minimal invasive technique, and increase in health awareness and improvement in health care facilities propel the urethra cystoscopies market. Major restraint of the urethra cystoscopes market is risk of transmission of infection, especially urinary tract infection. High maintenance and sterility required for use of urethra cytoscopes and emergence of new endoscopic techniques such as endoscopic capsules are likely to hamper the market. Manufacturers are developing advanced urethra cytoscopes to increase flexibility and enhance visibility during cystoscopy. This is likely to provide significant opportunity in the near future.The urethra cystoscopes market has been segmented based on product type, application, disinfection type, end-user, and region. In terms of product type, the market has been segmented into flexible urethra cytoscopes, rigid urethra cytoscopes, and consumables. Based on application, the urethra cystoscopes market has been categorized into urinary tract infection (UTI) diagnosis, biopsy, and others. Other applications include removal of renal stones, lumps, or tumors. In terms of disinfection type, the urethra cystoscopes market has been classified into manual and automated. Based on end-user, the market has been segmented into hospitals, specialized clinical laboratories, and research institutions. In terms of region, the urethra cystoscopes market has been classified into Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, North America, and Latin America.Major players in the urethra cystoscopes market are Olympus Medical Systems Corporation, Medtronic plc, Boston Scientific, Stryker Corporation, Richard Wolf GmbH, Shenda Endoscope, Zhejiang Tiansong Medical Instrument Co., Ltd., Henke-Sass, Wolf GmbH, and Pentax Medical System, among others.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Microbiology Testing Technologies Market - 2016 to 2024 Review: A Look at What's New & Improved

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About Microbiology testing market:This is very essential to ensure the safety of products people eat and drink or use in their daily routine. The FDA sets scientific standards for testing foods for various contaminants. Laboratories and food companies worldwide use these standards to make sure that food products are safe to eat and drink. The Microbial testing is one of these methods used for the purpose of testing.The microbiology testing is done to check the contamination or microorganism present in the sample provided to the laboratory. The major purpose of the testing is to test the product provided to the public. It is also used to check the products and equipment being used by laboratory. The major sources of samples come from food products, pharmaceuticals, water and cosmetics area. Such testing is also used to verify that growth mediums are clean and can be used to culture the desired microorganisms. This testing is performed routinely to ensure that a lab is meeting its own standards and documentation of such testing is usually included in scientific research to show that the research was performed in a controlled environment.Microbiology testing market segmentation:The pharmaceuticals market has showing highest share in microbiology test market in 2014 and food application is showing good opportunities in microbiological test market in upcoming years. Microbiology test market segmentation can be done by Instrument; consumables, and applications. Microbiology test market by Instrument; automated microbiology, dilution machines, dispensers and labelers. Microbiology test market by Consumables; kits and reagents Microbiology test market by Applications; pharmaceuticals, clinics, food, and energy.Technological advances, like automated instruments for identification of pathogens in laboratories have been of immense help to microbiologists. Automation has helped to enhance key laboratory performance attributes like consistency, quality, and a slower total turnaround time. Thus, automation is the new trend in the microbiology field.Request a Sample Report @Microbiology testing Application:Microbiology testing is majorly used in pharmaceuticals/medical, food and beverages market, energy and in cosmetics market. The products such as Aqua Plate, Real-time PCR, food pathogen system, etc. are being used by laboratories to test water contamination, pharmaceuticals and food samples. Various methods such as culture testing method or food pathogen test are used to perform microbial testing on the microbial samples.Microbiology testing market growth influencer:The major growth drivers of microbial market is the large disease burden of infectious diseases, the growing trend of laboratory automation, the increase in access to medical insurance and increased healthcare expenditure.However, strict regulatory policies for medical devices, advancements in molecular diagnostic technologies, reimbursement issues are the major restraints of microbiology market.Browse Report Details @Microbiology testing market major players: Abbott Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.) Alere, Inc. (U.S.) bioMerieux SA (France) Becton, Dickinson and Company (U.S.) Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.) Bruker Corporation (U.S.) Cepheid (U.S.) Danaher Corporation (U.S.) Hologic, Inc. (U.S.) F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland) Siemens AG (Germany)Microbiology testing market regional analysis:The regional analysis comprises of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and rest of the world.North America:North America dominates the microbiology tests market due to large number of market-focused players providing wider range of product portfolio and is followed by Europe. The North American microbiology market is growing due to the increase in the prevalence of pathogenic diseases, growth in discovery of mutating and adapting bacterium, and the growing need for speedy microbiological testing methods.Asia:Emerging economies of Asia Pacific and Latin America are expected to show significant growth in the microbiology tests market due to an increase in the number of laboratories in these regions and development of existing ones for automation of various instrumentation systems. Also the increase in major hospital chains opening new centers in major cities in these regions and an increase in government expenditure is driving growth for microbiological market.Request Table of Contents for this Report @The reports also covers brief analysis of Geographical Region includes:Americas North Americao USo CanadaEurope Western Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo Spaino U.Ko Rest of Western Europe Eastern Europeo Polando RussiaAsia Pacific Asiao Chinao Indiao Japano Rest of Asia Pacific Countrieso Australiao New Zealand The Middle East& AfricaAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Plant Asset Management Market Development, Trend, Segmentation, Competitive landscape, Market overview and Forecast to 2022

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Market ScenarioPlant asset management is the process of optimizing field devices and monitoring information used to integrate with business operations and IT infrastructure. This improves the business operating performance and also reduces maintenance cost and paper work. Major companies such as IBM, Rockwell Automation, and Siemens among others are providing asset management solutions to improve the overall performance of the enterprises.The major factor that drives the growth of plant asset management market is growing awareness about low cost manufacturing plants, changing consumer needs, rising new business models for enterprise asset management and increasing trends of merging IT and operational technology among others.Globally the market for plant asset management market is expected to grow at the rate of more than ~10% from 2016 to 2022.Request a Sample Report @Key PlayersSome of the major players in Global Plant asset management Market include ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), Emerson electric company (U.S.), Rockwell automation, Inc. (U.S.), Siemens AG (Germany), IBM Corporation (U.S.), Hitachi Ltd. (Japan), Endress +Hauser (Switzerland), Dassault Systemes (France), Honeywell International, Inc. (U.S.), and Plant Asset Management (Petrofac) (UK) among others.SegmentsGlobal Plant asset management Market can be segmented as follows:Segmentation by Type: Hardware, and software.Segmentation by Services: Performance management, Monitoring & controlling, information management, device configuration, content management among others.Segmentation by Application: Energy & power, petrochemical, Chemical, mining, food & beverage, and pharmaceutical among others.[Note: Only Qualitative information will be provides for by Services segment]Regional AnalysisNorth-America is dominating the Plant asset management market with the largest market share due to growing consumer concern to enhance aging plant assets performance and therefore is expected to grow with highest revenue by 2022. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the second largest market for plant asset management followed by Europe region during forecast period.Access Report Details @Target Audience Design engineering information management Supply chain vendors Research & consultants PAM software solution providers Retailer and distributor GovernmentThe report for Global Plant Asset Management Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.comOffice No. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Collagen Market Research Report by Regional Analysis : forecast 2023

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Transparency Market Research points that the global collagen market will expand at a 9.4% CAGR over the period between 2015 and 2023. The market, which had a valuation of US$4.13 bn in 2014, is projected to rise to US$9.37 bn by 2023.The rising use of collagen in medical devices and drug delivery systems, increased preference for minimally invasive technologies, and the effectiveness in wound healing are expected to be some of the key factors driving the global demand for collagen in the coming years. Easy availability of a number of collagen sources and the low antigenicity of the material grant collagen an important position in a number of industries such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, and cosmeceuticals.The high and rising demand for a variety of collagen products in the field of wound healing will play a major role in the overall development of the collagen market in the next few years, states TMR in its report. The high demand for a biodegradable material in the wound healing sector will be due to the rising prevalence of a number of chronic diseases such as numerous cancers and diabetes. The rising population of obese and geriatric people across the globe will also be a major end-use demographic for the collagen market. Collagen supplements for obese and elderly, whose bodies have a tendency of producing decreased levels of collagen, will be the primary driver of collagen market in the near future.Browse full report on Collagen Market -Marine Collagen to Gain Maximum ProminencePresently, bovine and porcine sources are amongst the leading sources of collagen used across a number of application areas. Bovine collagen, one of the largest industrial sources of collagen, accounted for a 30 kilo tons of collagen in the global market in 2014. Porcine collagen, on the other hand, accounted for a 27.4 kilo tons of the globes overall collagen market in the same year.However, the global usage of collagen from both these sources is expected to witness slight decline over the period between 2015 and 2023. Factors affecting the overall consumption of collagen produced from these sources will be the concerns regarding disease transmission, in the case of bovine collagen, and cultural impact and allergic reactions, in the case of porcine collagen.As a result, marine collagen, the collagen source considered to be the safest among all possible collagen sources, is expected to witness the highest rise in consumption on a global front. The market for marine collagen is expected to rise at the highest CAGR of 11.6% from 2015 to 2023 in terms of volume.Asia Pacific Market to Facilitate Encouraging Demand for CollagenNorth America and Europe are presently the leading regional markets for collagen and collagen products owing to the high level of awareness about the several benefits of these products among the population. The presence of high-end manufacturing capabilities and a constant rise in application areas have also majorly contributed to the flourishing market for collagen in these regions in the past. North America and Europe held a combined share of over 60% in the global collagen market in 2014.However, Asia Pacific will emerge as the most promising region for the global collagen market over the period between 2015 and 2023. The region is home to the largest number of people aged more than 60 years, numbers which are expected to rise at a rapid pace in the next few years. In addition to this, the region has witnessed an increased level of involvement of government bodies towards raising the awareness regarding the health benefits of collagen in the past few years. Technological advancements in the Asia Pacific collagen market, leading to an increased manufacturing capacity, has also made Asia Pacific a lucrative regional market for collagen. Over 2015 to 2023, the collagen market in Asia Pacific will rise at the highest CAGR of 10.7%.Request for sample of this report -US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.
Nanotechnology Drug Delivery Market Research Report by Regional Analysis : forecast 2023

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Key players having presence in the global nanotechnology drug delivery market are AbbVie, Inc., Amgen, Inc., Celgene Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Inc., and Novartis International AG, among others.Nanotechnology drug delivery is a growing field and is witnessing increasing acceptance in health care applications. Nanotechnology drug delivery is widely used in the health care industry in applications such as neurology, anti-infective, cardiovascular disorders, and others. One important and active application area of nanotechnology drug delivery systems is to transport drugs to the final location of therapeutic intervention within the body. The nanotechnology drug delivery market is witnessing rapid growth due to increase in research and development activities in nanotechnology to develop novel nano-medicine. According to Eurostat comprehensive data, the nano-medicine industry in the EU includes 97 startups, 64 SMEs, and 38 large pharmaceutical or medical device companies. Furthermore, technological advancements and rising interest of key companies to invest in nanotechnology boost market growth. For instance, in 20112012, Pfizer, Inc., Amgen, Inc., and AstraZeneca signed agreements to collaborate with BIND Therapeutics to develop nano-medicines. These initiatives are expected to fuel the growth of the nanotechnology drug delivery market in the near future. However, stringent regulatory scenario and high development cost of medicines through nanotechnology are likely to hamper market growth during the forecast period. The global nanotechnology drug delivery market was valued at US$ 41,062.5 Mn in 2014 and is projected to reach US$ 118,527.2 Mn by 2023, expanding at a CAGR of 12.5% from 2015 to 2023.Browse full report on Nanotechnology Drug Delivery Market -Based on technology, the global nanotechnology drug delivery market has been segmented into nanocrystals, nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, nanotubes, and others. The nanoparticles segment dominated the global nanotechnology drug delivery market in 2014. The segment dominated the market as key nanoparticles such as dendrimers, gold nanoparticles, and fullerenes are used in pharmaceutical drug delivery. The nanotubes segment is expected to expand at the highest CAGR during the forecast period from 2015 to 2023.Based on application, the market has been segmented into neurology, oncology, cardiovascular/physiology, anti-inflammatory/immunology, anti-infective, and others. Anti-infective was the largest application segment of the nanotechnology drug delivery market due to rising prevalence of community-based and hospital-based infections.Geographically, North America dominated the global nanotechnology drug delivery market in 2014. Rising incidence of chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes in the region fueled the growth of the nanotechnology drug delivery market in North America. Europe accounted for the second largest share of the market in 2014 owing to the favorable growth conditions for pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturers due to affordability for branded nanotechnology products by consumers. However, the market in Latin America is estimated to expand at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. High market growth in this region is due to increasing interest of leading companies such as Novartis and Johnson & Johnson to establish their presence in countries in Latin America such as Brazil and Mexico.Request for sample of this report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Hospital Acquired Disease Testing Market Research Report by Product, End User and Forecast 2023

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Global Hospital Acquired Disease Testing Market InsightsThe rising incidence of hospital acquired infections (HAIs) has emerged as a major concern for governments, particularly across developing and underdeveloped countries. In first world countries such as the U.S., various regulations are in place for penalizing hospitals exhibiting a high incidence of HAIs. Such regulations augur well for the hospital acquired disease testing market in developed countries. In contrast, the absence of proper regulations and stringent policies limiting the adoption of molecular-biology-based diagnostics are restricting the expansion of the market across emerging nations.Nevertheless, Transparency Market Research (TMR) forecasts the market to gain considerable momentum in the forthcoming years with the advent of the latest technologies. As per TMR, the global hospital acquired disease testing market stood at US$416.7 mn in 2014. Exhibiting a CAGR of 19.9% CAGR between 2015 and 2023, the market is expected to reach US$2.07 bn by the end of 2023.Browse full report on Hospital Acquired Disease Testing Market -Demand from Asia Pacific to Surge as the Region Witness High Incidence of HAIsRegionally, Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Rest of the World constitute the key markets for hospital acquired disease testing. Among these regions, North America held a dominant share of 38.5% in the market in 2014. Europe, in the same year, emerged as the second-largest market with a share of 21.6%. With over a million people suffering from hospital acquired infection, leading to several deaths every year, the U.S. emerged as the largest market for hospital acquired disease testing in North America.Other than the rising demand from the diagnostic market, the latest advancements in molecular diagnostics have been propelling the market in the region. Favorable regulations implemented to prevent the prevalence of HAIs also support the markets growth in North America.TMR forecasts Asia Pacific to exhibit the fastest growth for hospital acquired disease testing. The incidence of nosocomial infections is considerably high in the region. Moreover, Asia Pacific also has stringent regulations in place aimed at curbing HAIs. This, combined with the rising investment in the healthcare infrastructure, is a primary contributor to the hospital acquired disease testing market in the region. The Asia Pacific market is expected to surge at the highest CAGR of 21.2% between 2015 and 2023.Increasing Incidence of Urinary Tract Infections Fuels Demand for Hospital Acquired Disease TestingUrinary tract infection is one of the most common hospital acquired infections affecting millions around the world. It has therefore emerged as the largest segment in the global hospital acquired disease testing market, based on test type. As per TMR, the segment was valued at US$155.3 mn in 2014. Rising at a CAGR of 19.8%, the urinary tract infection testing segment is forecast to reach 768.8 mn in 2023.Apart from this, the demand for hospital acquired disease testing will also rise in response to the increasing incidence of surgical site infection, pneumonia, and MRSA, which is considered the fastest growing HAI in the world. Hospital acquired disease testing is also used for the bloodstream test.Some of the leading players operating in the global hospital acquired disease testing market are L Hoffman La Roche, Gen-Probe Inc., Diatherix Laboratories Inc., Life Technologies Corporation, Qiagen GmbH, Cantel Medical Corporation, Nordion, Inc., Cepheid, Inc., Meridian Biosciences, and others.Request for sample of this report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases Market Research Report by Regional Analysis : forecast 2023

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Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases Market: Key InsightsTMR expects the global PIDD market to reach US$7.5 bn by the end of 2023, from a valuation of US$4.3 bn in 2014.In response to the rising incidence of antibody diseases, Transparency Market Research (TMR) forecasts the global primary immunodeficiency market to surge at 6.1% CAGR between 2015 and 2023. Developed regions such as Europe and North America are predominantly contributing to the growth witnessed by this market. The consistent approval of novel therapeutic options for primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDD) and extensive research and development investments by key players are likely to bolster opportunities for the market in the forthcoming years.On the flip side, the absence of proper reimbursement and high cost of therapies will inhibit the markets growth trajectory to an extent. Nevertheless, with favorable government policies and funding for research and development in biopharma and pharmaceuticals, growth prospects for the market seem quite promising.Browse full report on Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases Market -Demand for PIDD Treatment Highest in North America and EuropeCollectively accounting for a share of 79.4% in the global PIDD market, North America and Europe emerged as the dominant regional segments in 2014. Among these regions, North America boasted the largest share of 56.2% in 2014, with the U.S. at the fore. As per TMR, the U.S. held over 80.2% of the PIDD market in North America in the same year. The nation is expected to continue demonstrating lucrative opportunities for the PIDD market through the forecast period.Over the last couple of years, a persistently increasing prevalence of diseases such as selective IgA deficiency, IgG subclass deficiency, and common variable immune deficiency has been witnessed in North America. This has fuelled the uptake of PIDD therapeutics. However, the growing awareness pertaining to side-effects such as renal failure and allergic reactions frequently associated with the treatment could hamper the markets growth to an extent.The primary immunodeficiency diseases market in North America, which stood at US$2.4 bn in 2014, is expected to reach US$4.3 bn by the end of 2023. The market is therefore expected to rise at a CAGR of 6.4% during the period.In Europe, the market is expected to gain from the increasing awareness regarding PIDD and favorable government support. The presence of companies such as Baxter International Inc., CSL Behring LLC, and Blotest Pharmaceuticals Corporation also supports the markets expansion in the region. Apart from this, emerging nations in Asia Pacific also exhibit lucrative scope for the expansion of the PIDD market. The increasing willingness among people to spend on novel therapeutics augurs well for sales prospects of the market in Asia Pacific. The region currently holds only a moderate share in the market. However, in the near future the opportunities for sale of PIDD therapeutics in the region will increase considerably.Rising Uptake of Immunoglobulin (Ig) Replacement Therapy Expected in Near FutureBy treatment, stem cell and gene therapy, antibiotic therapy, immunoglobulin (Ig) replacement therapy, and others make the key segments in the global PIDD market. Of these, immunoglobulin replacement has been in use for the treatment of chronic ailments for the past two decades. Due to the recent developments, it is also used for the treatment of partial antibody deficiency and combined immunodeficiencies. The segment therefore emerged dominant in the market in 2014. As per TMR, immunoglobulin replacement therapy will hold on to its position as the market leader through the forecast period.Despite, Ig replacement therapy being the most widely accepted treatment among PIDD patients, the use of antibiotics as an adjunct therapy is poised to surge in the near future. Some of the most commonly used antibiotics include penicillin, macrolides, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and tetracyclines.The demand for stem cell and gene therapy is also expected to increase during the forecast period, which in turn will augment the demand for effective PIDD treatment.Some of the most prominent companies in the global primary immunodeficiency diseases market are CSL Behring LLC, Baxter International, Inc., Grifols S.A., Octapharma AG, and others.Request for sample of this report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
FORM 8.3

PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY

A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE

Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code")

1. KEY INFORMATION

(a) Full name of discloser: Rathbone Brothers PLC (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):

The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named. (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:

Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree Booker Group PLC (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken:

For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure 02/03/2017 (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?

If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state "N/A" No





2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

(a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

Class of relevant security:







Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 19,965,739 1.12 (2) Cash-settled derivatives:



(3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:



TOTAL: 19,965,739 1.12

All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

(b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other employee options)

Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists: Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:

3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

(a) Purchases and sales

Class of relevant security Purchase/sale



Number of securities Price per unit (p) 1p Ord Sale 87,000 199.25883 1p Ord Sale 145,600 199.25883 1p Ord Sale 37,100 200

(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. CFD Nature of dealing

e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit





(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type

e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit

(ii) Exercise

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit





(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant security Nature of dealing

e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable)





4. OTHER INFORMATION

(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:

Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none"









(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:

(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or

(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:

If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none"









(c) Attachments

Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO

Date of disclosure: 03/03/2017 Contact name: Simon Walker - Compliance Department Telephone number: 0151 243 7364

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.
Hofseth BioCare ASA ("HBC" or the "Company") has entered into an agreement for sale and lease of the Company's property at Midsund where the Company's production facilities are located. In addition, wholly owned subsidiary HBC Berkak AS has also entered into an agreement for sale and lease of the property at Berkak where the HBC group's spray drying facility is located.

Both agreements are entered into with Syvde Eiendom AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of major shareholder Alliance Seafoods Inc. The sale of the properties will provide the Company with additional working capital to be used in the ongoing commercialization of the Company's products, while the lease agreements secures the Company long-term access to well-suited factory premises.

The plants are sold for a joint consideration of NOK 80 million, of which NOK 51.5 million is payable for the Midsund plant and NOK 28.5 million is payable for the Berkak plant. The sales are made as direct sales of the properties. The transactions are expected to be consummated on or about 25 March 2017, subject to approval of the Company's general meeting.

In connection with the consummation of the transactions, the Company shall enter into a 15-year lease agreement regarding the Midsund property with an annual lease sum of NOK 4,635,000 and HBC Berkak shall enter into a lease agreement for the Berkak property with the same term and with an annual lease sum of NOK 2,565,000.

- We are very pleased to have completed these two transactions with Syvde Eiendom AS. We see Alliance Seafoods as a strategically important partner, and through the agreements now in place with their fully owned subsidiary, our relationship will strengthen further, says CEO Tor Erik Andersen of Hofseth BioCare ASA.

As the agreement regarding sale and lease of the Midsund plant is entered into with a company controlled by shareholder Alliance Seafoods Inc., the agreement must be approved by the Company's general meeting. The Company therefore calls for a general meeting to be held on 24 March 2017 at 13.00 hours CET at the Company's premises at Molovegen 6, 6004 Alesund. Please see the attached notice, which will also be sent to the shareholders per ordinary mail and be available at the Company's website www.hofsethbiocare.no.

Certain major shareholders, including Roger Hofseth and associated companies, Hofseth International AS and Hofseth International AS group of companies, Bonafide Global Fish Fund, and Deep Blue Ventures Fund, holding a total of 56.77% of the total outstanding shares and votes have made irrevocable commitments to vote in favour of the approval of these agreements. Including Alliance Seafoods Inc., who is a part of this transaction, the votes in favour of the transaction represent a total of 71.05% of the outstanding shares in Hofseth BioCare ASA.

The properties have not been subject to separate financial reporting. No agreements have been entered into that are for the benefit of members of the management or board of directors of the Company in connection with the abovementioned transactions.

This stock exchange notice is published in accordance with the requirements for detailed stock exchange announcements pursuant to section 3.4 of the Continuing Obligations for companies listed on Oslo Axess.

For further information, please contact:

Tor Erik Andersen, CEO of Hofseth BioCare ASA

Mob: +47 911 79 854

E-mail: tea@hofsethbiocare.no

Jon Olav degard, CFO of Hofseth BioCare ASA

Phone: +47 936 32 966

E-mail: joo@hofsethbiocare.no

About Hofseth BioCare ASA:

HBC is a Norwegian biotech company that offers high-value ingredients and finished products for humans and pets. The company is founded on the core values of sustainability, traceability and optimal utilization of natural resources. Through an innovative hydrolysis technology, HBC is able to preserve the quality of salmon oil, proteins and calcium, prepared of fresh salmon off-cuts. HBC's objective is to contribute to the efficient use of marine resources and deliver quality products for ingredients and finished consumer products in the nutrition market.

Hofseth BioCare's headquarters are located in Alesund, Norway with branches in Oslo, Chicago, Mumbai and Tokyo. HBC is listed on Oslo Stock Exchange Axess list with ticker "HBC". More information about Hofseth BioCare at www.hofsethbiocare.com and www.facebook.com/hofsethbiocare

About Alliance Seafoods Inc. and Syvde Eiendom AS:

Alliance Seafoods is a fully owned subsidiary of Yokohama Reito Co., Ltd ("Yokorei"), a Japanese conglomerate listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Yokorei is a leading player in the frozen storage market in Japan. In addition, through Alliance Seafoods and other subsidiaries, Yokorei is involved in sales and distribution of fish and meat with a particular focus on the Asian market. Yokorei's consolidated turnover for 2015 was approximately USD 1.5 billion.

HBC and Alliance Seafoods have already had a business relationship for almost two years, and Alliance Seafoods is a key partner for HBC in the Asian market. In 2016, Yokorei also announced the acquisition of Fjordlaks Aqua, a leading trout farming company in Norway through a joint venture owned together with Hofseth International, which is a major shareholder of HBC.

Syvde Eiendom AS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Alliance Seafood Inc. with it's main business in ownership of processing and production facilities within the Hofseth International Group. Syvde Eiendom AS owns today three processing buildings in the Hofseth International Group.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PENTAX Medical, an industry leader in endoscopy imaging devices, has introduced SCOPEPILOT to the Canadian market and is showcasing this new technology at the Canadian Digestive Disease Week (CDDW) annual meeting. The SCOPEPILOT Navigation Control Unit provides true, real-time 3D representation of an endoscopes position when inside a patients bowel tract.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/576331bc-5e8f-4b5a-b072-227b70f19539

Located at Booth #1009 during CDDW, in Banff, AB, March 3-5th, visitors can experience how SCOPEPILOT provides clinicians with a highly responsive 3D positional image that delivers a real-time representation of a colonoscopes orientation for highly accurate insertion tracking and effective colonic loop management. This new technology helps support quality standards in colonoscopy and training, to facilitate smooth and efficient colonoscope navigation for increased patient comfort.

The SCOPEPILOT system provides advanced orientation features to ensure the highest quality standards in colonoscopy and training. These include image rotation on both horizontal and vertical axis to improve differentiation of the insertion tube, as well as zoom functionality for improved evaluation and detection of looping.



A true 3D image is generated by the endoscopes integrated multi-dimensional sensors which are induced by a magnetic field generated outside of the patient. These sensors transmit to a control unit where data is processed and displayed in real-time during a procedure, enabling dynamic tracking and handling control of the endoscope. The SCOPEPILOT image responds coherently with the movement of the scope providing smooth and stable image quality.

The colour and contrast of the image provides a high depth of view to assist the physician visualize colonic loop configuration. The SCOPEPILOT sensors are integrated into the colonoscope, thus keeping the scopes working channel free for advanced therapeutic procedures. The system can be activated via the operation panel or remote control when needed at any time during a procedure. Pictures can be taken at the touch of a button and downloaded to a storage device via the USB port in the front panel.

Dr. Lawrence Hookey, Associate Professor, Queen's University Division of Gastroenterology, Kingston, ON, observed, Endoscopists at all levels of practice will appreciate the way the 3D navigation provided by SCOPEPILOT helps improve their navigation of the colon. The daily use of this device will enhance ones ability to recognize issues in challenging cases and become a pro-active rather than reactive endoscopist. This is a great example of how technological innovation serves clinical practice in a way that maximizes value for clinicians and patients.

David Harrison, General Manager of PENTAX Canada Inc, commented, We are thrilled to introduce SCOPEPILOT, a technology that is designed to assist endoscopists with colon navigation while also integrating seamlessly with our latest HD colonoscope and video processor platform. PENTAX Medical is again demonstrating its continuous commitment to providing solutions that support Quality in Endoscopy.

About PENTAX Medical

PENTAX Medical is a division of HOYA Group. Its mission is to improve the standard of patient care and quality of healthcare delivery by providing the best endoscopic products and services with a focus on QUALITY, CLINICALLY RELEVANT INNOVATION, and SIMPLICITY. Through leading edge R&D and manufacturing, PENTAX Medical provides endoscopic imaging devices and solutions to the global medical community. Headquartered in Japan, PENTAX Medical has a worldwide focus and presence with R&D, regional sales, service, and in-country facilities around the globe. PENTAX Medical employees represent the diverse countries where we do business, allowing us to provide innovative solutions tailored to meet local needs. For more information, please visit: www.pentaxmedical.com.
Finnish English

Municipality Finance Plc

Stock exchange release

3 March 2017 at 2:30 PM (EET)

The government proposal for the Health, social services and regional government reform published



The preparation of the Health, social services and regional government reform proceeds in Finland. The reform includes, among other things, plans to transfer tasks related to social and healthcare services from municipalities to new autonomous regions.

After a wide consultation process the Finnish government has published its proposal to the Parliament on 2 March 2017. The act proposal is now put to Parliament and its contents may change during the parliamentary process. Therefore Municipality Finance is not in a position to evaluate the reform's impact on its operation before the final legislative acts are passed in the Parliament.

Potentially the reform might have an effect on MuniFin's volumes, but not in 2017. MuniFin is actively following the development of the reform.

The government proposal is available in English at www.alueuudistus.fi/frontpage.

MUNICIPALITY FINANCE PLC



Pekka Averio

President and CEO

tel. +358 500 406 856

Measured by the group's balance sheet, Municipality Finance Plc (MuniFin) is Finland's second largest credit institution. The company is owned by Finnish municipalities, the public sector pension fund Keva and the Republic of Finland. MuniFin is an integral part of the Finnish public economy.

MuniFin's balance sheet totals approximately EUR 34 billion. Funding for the company is primarily obtained through the international capital markets. MuniFin's funding is guaranteed by the Municipal Guarantee Board.

MuniFin's mission is to ensure competitive funding for local government investments and state-subsidised social housing production in all market conditions. The company's customers are Finnish municipalities, municipal federations, municipally controlled companies and non-profit housing corporations. The customers use financing solutions provided by MuniFin to finance social and non-profit targets such as day care centres, schools, housing, hospitals and other municipal investments.

The Municipality Finance Group also includes the subsidiary company, Financial Advisory Services Inspira Ltd.
Regulated Information - Inside Information

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

3 March 2017 at 14.30 CET

Nyrstar Netherlands (Holdings) B.V. (the "Issuer"), a subsidiary of Nyrstar NV (the "Company" or "Nyrstar"), announced today that it has priced its offering (the "Notes Offer") of 400 million senior unsecured notes due 2024 (the "Notes"). The Notes were priced at 100% with a coupon of 6.875% per annum. The principal amount of the Notes offered was increased from 350 million to 400 million. The Notes will be guaranteed by Nyrstar, as parent guarantor, and certain subsidiaries of the Company. The issuance of the Notes, which is subject to conditions, is expected to occur on 10 March 2017.

The Issuer intends to use the net proceeds from the Notes Offer to refinance amounts outstanding under the convertible bonds due 2018 issued by Nyrstar in an original aggregate principal amount of 120 million, and to pay down indebtedness under, but not cancel, existing revolving facility agreements.

About Nyrstar

Nyrstar is a global multi-metals business, with a market leading position in zinc and lead, and growing positions in other base and precious metals, which are essential resources that are fuelling the rapid urbanisation and industrialisation of our changing world. Nyrstar has mining, smelting, and other operations located in Europe, the Americas and Australia and employs approximately 4,300 people. Nyrstar is incorporated in Belgium and has its corporate office in Switzerland. Nyrstar is listed on Euronext Brussels under the symbol NYR. For further information please visit the Nyrstar website: www.nyrstar.com

For further information

Anthony Simms - Group Manager Investor Relations T: +41 44 745 8157 M: +41 79 722 2152 anthony.simms@nyrstar.com

Franziska Morroni - Group Manager Corporate Communications T: +41 44 745 8295 M: +41 79 719 2342 franziska.morroni@nyrstar.com

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The information contained in this announcement is for general information only and does not purport to be full or complete. 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, nor shall there be any sale or purchase of, the securities referred to herein, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, invitation, solicitation, sale, issue, purchase or subscription would be unlawful under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Africa or any other jurisdiction where to do so would be prohibited by applicable law. Any persons reading this announcement should inform themselves of and observe any such restrictions.

No communication and no information in respect of the Notes Offer may be distributed to the public in any jurisdiction where a registration or approval is required. No steps have been or will be taken in any jurisdiction where such steps would be required. The offering or subscription of the Notes may be subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. The Issuer takes no responsibility for any violation of any such restrictions by any person.

These materials are not an offer for sale of securities in the United States. The securities referred to herein may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Issuer has not registered, and does not intend to register, any part of the Notes Offer in the United States, and has not conducted, and does not intend to conduct, a public offering of the Notes in the United States.

This announcement is not a prospectus within the meaning of Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 4 November 2003, as amended, notably by Directive 2010/73/EU, and as implemented respectively in each member State of the European Economic Area (the "Prospectus Directive"). This announcement does not, and shall not, in any circumstances constitute a public offering nor an invitation to the public in connection with any offer to buy or subscribe for securities in any jurisdiction. No action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of the Notes requiring a publication of a prospectus in any member State of the European Economic Area. As a result, the Notes may only be offered in member States of the European Economic Area:

(a) to qualified investors (as defined in Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive); or

(b) in any other circumstances, not requiring the Issuer to publish a prospectus as provided under Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive.

The distribution of this announcement is not made, and has not been approved, by an "authorised person" within the meaning of Section 21(1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. As a consequence, this announcement is directed only at persons who (i) are located outside the United Kingdom, (ii) are investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order"), (iii) are persons to whom it may be lawfully communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.) of the Order or (iv) are persons to whom this announcement may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "Relevant Persons"). The Notes are directed only at Relevant Persons and no invitation, offer or agreements to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire or sell Notes may be proposed or made other than with Relevant Persons. Any person other than a Relevant Person may not act or rely on this document or any provision thereof. This announcement is not a prospectus which has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority or any other United Kingdom regulatory authority for the purposes of Section 85 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

In connection with the issue of the Notes, Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch acting as stabilising manager or any person acting on behalf of Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch may over-allot Notes or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the Notes at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, there is no assurance that Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch or any person acting on behalf of Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch will undertake stabilisation action. Any stabilisation measure may begin on or after the date on which adequate public disclosure of the final terms of the Notes Offer is made and, if begun, may be ended at any time, but it must end no later than 30 calendar days after the date on which the Issuer received the proceeds of the issue or no later than 60 calendar days after the date of allotment of the Notes, whichever is earlier. The stabilisation measures can take place over the counter (OTC) or on the Euro MTF Market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Any stabilisation measure or over-allotment must be conducted by Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch or any person acting on behalf of Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch in accordance with all applicable laws and rules.
OAKVILLE, Ontario, March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saint Jean Carbon Inc. (Saint Jean or the Company) (TSX-V:SJL) (OTCQB:TORVF), a carbon science company engaged in the design and build of green energy storage, green energy creation and green re-creation through the use of carbon materials. The Company is pleased to clarify certain information in the press release dated February 28th, 2017 at the request, and pursuant to the guidance, of the TSX Venture Exchange.



The Company has received a purchase order from Panasonic Corporation to supply graphite anode material to their manufacturing facility. While the size and value of the order is nominal, both on its own and in comparison to the anticipated monthly orders under the provisions of the proposed formal offtake agreement, the order is significant as it marks the first order for material that has been re-engineered by the Company . Although the offtake agreement has not been signed at this time, the supply of the re-engineered material pursuant to the order is based upon the procedures and timelines contained in the proposed offtake agreement. The first order is anticipated to be delivered within 90 days from February 24th the date of the purchase order. The raw material is being re-engineered by the Company prior to its delivery; however, the supply is being out sourced as the Companys properties are not currently in production.The Company confirms that it has both the financial resources and access to the raw materials necessary to complete the first order. Both companies are working to finalize the proposed offtake agreement as soon as possible.

The Company has received numerous requests for information related to amount of material per month, per year, how many years, how much the material is going to sell for, etc. At this time, that information is confidential. If at some point the Company receives authorization to release the information from the customer, the company will share the details.

About Saint Jean Carbon

Saint Jean is a publicly traded carbon science company, with specific interests in energy storage and green energy creation and green re-creation, with holdings in graphite mining and lithium claims in the province of Quebec in Canada. For the latest information on Saint Jeans properties and news please refer to the website: http://www.saintjeancarbon.com/

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Saint Jean Carbon Inc.

Paul Ogilvie, CEO and Director

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:This news release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, concerning Saint Jeans business and affairs. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, intends budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates 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.

These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially. Such forward-looking statements include those with respect to the Companys intention to enter into the proposed offtake agreement (the Proposed Agreement), the Companys ability to fund the purchases of the raw materials required under the terms of theProposed Agreement and the Companys ability to source the volume of raw materials required to satisfy the requirements under the terms of the Proposed Agreement.

These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially. There are risks which could affect Saint Jeans ability to satisfy the requirements under the Proposed Agreement, and the future results of the Company which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements including negotiation failure or delay, the impact of general global economic conditions and the risk that they will deteriorate, industry conditions, including fluctuations in the price of raw materials and the risk that they will increase, that required consents and approvals from regulatory authorities will not be obtained, liabilities and risks inherent in Saint Jeans operations, technical problems and equipment failure.

Statements of past performance should not be construed as an indication of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors, including those discussed above, could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and Saint Jean assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
The Saginaw Valley State University Board of Control has approved a new master of social work degree program and expenditures up to $1.325 million for campus improvement projects.

This is a huge move for us, said Deb Huntley, provost and vice president for academic affairs, of adding the degree to the universitys array of curriculums. We have well over 400 undergraduate social work students. Many go on to receive masters degrees elsewhere, including Michigan State University. We think this will prompt many of these students to stay at SVSU to continue their studies.

At 440 students, SVSU has one of the largest undergraduate social work programs in Michigan. Officials said in recent years roughly 60 percent of these students who graduated with a bachelors degree transferred to other institutions to pursue a masters degree in social work.

Huntley told the board she expects 20 students to enroll in the new graduate program when it begins in the 2017 fall semester, a number SVSU ultimately expects to grow to 80 new students each year.

The Great Lakes Bay Region and state anticipate a shortage of social workers to meet a projected 12 percent growth in this job market. Board Chair Jenee Velasquez said faculty in the Crystal M. Lange College of Health and Human Services is to be commended for their swift response to the acute need for an advanced degree in social work in the region  and throughout the state.

This is a somewhat unique program to this region, Huntley said. Its good to grow and expand in certain areas.

SVSU, said spokesman J.J. Boehm, plans to market the new program to its social work graduates, as well as those graduating in programs such as sociology, psychology, criminal justice and health sciences.

The two capital projects approved by the board center on spending up to $800,000 for maintenance and various improvements to the newly renamed M.J. Brandimore House and up to $525,000 for repair and resurfacing of several campus roadways and parking lots. The campus residence hall, formerly Living Center North, was renamed in honor of Merry Jo Brandimore, who retired last June after a 33-year career in student affairs at SVSU.

In other action, the board:

 Appointed a nominating committee for May board elections.

 Approved granting emeritus status to Ron Trepkowski, who retired in 2016 after serving on University Police for 36 years, including more than a decade as police chief.

James Muladore, executive vice president for administration and business affairs, offered high praise for Trepkowski.

The resolution speaks to what he accomplished during his career, he said. What it doesnt speak to is the type of person Ron is. Hes one of the most outstanding employees weve had.

 Approved granting tenure to 18 faculty: Arundhati Bagchi Misra, mathematics; Jennifer Chaytor, chemistry; Kyle Cissell, chemistry; Adam Coughlin, kinesiology; Denise Dedman, social work; Warren Fincher, sociology; Stacie Krupp, accounting; John Lowry, kinesiology; James McEvoy, biology; Rhett Mohler, geography; Rajani Muraleedharan, electrical and computer engineering; Shiva Nadavulakere, management and marketing; Christopher Nakamura, physics; Annamalai Pandian, mechanical engineering; Timothy Rowlands, criminal justice; Rebecca Schlaff, kinesiology; Jason Scott, biology; Yu Zou, electrical and computer engineering.

There are some rock stars in this group, Huntley said. Im quite pleased to recommend these 18 individuals for tenure.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department.

Thursday, March 2

3:06 a.m.  A motorist was arrested at North Saginaw Road and Hidden Pines Court for drunken driving.

Wednesday, March 1

11:44 a.m.  Officers investigated a sexual assault at an Aster Court address.

12:02 p.m.  A package was stolen from a vehicle while it was parked at a Jerome Township home. The package was found in the neighbors trash can at the end of the driveway.

1:08 p.m.  A motorist was ticketed at Isabella Street and Currie Parkway for speeding and driving an unregistered vehicle.

1:29 p.m.  Property was stolen from the 200 block of Harper Lane.

4:19 p.m.  Police were called to a Dublin Avenue address for a report of stalking.

5:18 p.m.  Property was stolen from the 5000 block of Eastman Avenue.
Midland Police are seeking information about a man wanted on a warrant for robbery.

The suspect has been identified as Nathan James Wonsey. Wonsey is about 6 feet tall and weighs about 230 pounds. The warrant lists three counts of felony robbery.
To the editor:

I am sick to death of hearing America First from President Trump and his crowd. To be sure, America must secure its own defense, its technology and its food and water supply. But if Mr. Trump loves evangelicals so much, he needs to learn a lesson or two about being a light to the nations.

It started with Israel, which was given this task in Genesis 12:3: and by you, all the families of the earth shall bless themselves. In numerous Biblical passages, it was prophesied that Israel would have a fountain of flowing water that would heal the nations.

Of course, we are not Israel. But we are a nation of immigrants and we have a long history of caring for humankind. Americans have gone out from their homeland to build hospitals and provide safe drinking water. I have invested in small-cap international businesses because I want to share something with people in other countries.

Why must we now grasp the good things we have received and hoard them in the name of some sort of populist, isolationist doctrine? Why should we not welcome immigrants simply because they need our help? If we are evangelicals, can we not trust God to care for us as we take the risk to share our bounty, our industrial know-how, our faith with others?

CHERYL WADE

Bay City
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The California estate once known as Neverland Ranch had its price slashed by a third, to $67 million, and its brokers are downplaying the property's ties to its former owner, the late pop star Michael Jackson.

The ranch, acquired by Thomas Barrack Jr.'s Colony Capital Inc. as Jackson faced financial troubles in 2008, was put up for sale for $100 million almost two years ago. Real estate broker Joyce Rey, of Coldwell Banker Previews International, on Wednesday said the property is being "re-introduced to the market" at the lower price. It's now named Sycamore Valley Ranch.
B-1B Lancer deployed to Guam arrives to support AVALON 2017

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bomber aircraft lands at Avalon Airport, Geelong, Australia, March 1, 2017. The B-1B is participating in the Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition (AVALON), the largest, most comprehensive aerial event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. While at AVALON, the B-1B will be on static display for airshow participants. This is the first time B-1s have landed in Australia while deployed in support of U.S. Pacific Commands Continuous Bomber Presence mission. The U.S. conducts CBP operations routinely by forward deploying bombers into the region as a deterrence capability supporting security and allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. Bombers and aircrew commonly participate in combined exercises and operations during CBP deployments. AVALON 2017 provided an ideal forum for the U.S. to showcase the B-1Bs capabilities to our allies, partners and citizens of the Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. John Gordinier)
Medics assigned to the U.S. Air Force 90th Fighter Squadron participated in helicopter rescue training with members of the Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal helicopter unit Feb. 27, allowing participants the opportunity to strengthen necessary skills to rescue downed pilots in the event of an emergency.



Capt. Paul Ward, the 90th FS flight doctor, and Tech. Sgt. Layla Dispense, the 90th FS Independent Duty Medical Technician, underwent helicopter familiarization and safety training, and practiced winching techniques with a civil contractor helicopter unit assigned to RAAF Base Tindal. The training enhanced the medics knowledge and effectiveness should they have to recover a 90th FS F-22 Raptor pilot in need.



I think todays training was awesome, Dispense said. Im very grateful to be able to have this training. Ive gained a lot of knowledge and understanding of [the helicopter units] techniques in rescuing a downed pilot.



Ward explained the rescue process.



In the event that there was a pilot ejection, we would take a chopper to their location with our medical gear, lower the gear and ourselves to the patient, tend to the patient and get them prepped for evacuation, and winch them up on a stretcher, Ward said. In rapid fashion, we would be able to load a patient in need of medical care and transport them to the nearest hospital.



In a real-world rescue, the most desirable capability for a rescue team would be to land the helicopter near the patient, secure them on a stretcher and load them on to the aircraft, however depending on the terrain, that option isnt always possible or the safest, which is why the medics train on winching techniques, requiring a patient to be secured on a stretcher and hoisted up to a hovering helicopter.



If an F-22 pilot ejects, the U.S. medical personnel would be the ones responding so its definitely good for them to be comfortable if they need to board our helicopter and respond to a recovery situation, said Air Crewman Mick Gablonski, the helicopter unit base manager here at RAAF Base Tindal.



The 90th FS F-22s are at RAAF Base Tindal training with RAAF 75 Squadron F/A-18A/B Hornets for Enhanced Air Cooperation exercise activities. EAC is a joint training and exercise initiative under the Force Posture Agreement between the U.S. and Australian governments.



During the exercise activity, Ward and Dispense support the more than 200 U.S. Airmen at RAAF Base Tindal, providing daily medical care and emergency response.



Ward said RAAF Base Tindal members have been very welcoming hosts.



They have embraced us and, right away, were eager to show us around and show us their techniques and skills, Ward said. Ive been to four or five locations now with the 90th [FS] and the helicopter unit and the RAAF medical personnel have been the most hospitable people Ive worked with.



Gablonski highlighted the importance of maintaining interoperability regarding medical evacuation procedures.



We do training with different medical teams from many different countries and military branches, Gablonski said. I think its imperative to have those relationships when we conduct bilateral training so that in the event that we need to respond to a rescue, regardless of what service or what country you come from, the training is consistent.
RALEIGH, N.C., March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Triangle Capital Corporation (NYSE:TCAP) (Triangle or the "Company") today announced that it closed an underwritten public offering of 7,000,000 shares of common stock. Net proceeds from the offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company, were approximately $132 million. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of this public offering to make additional investments in lower middle market companies in accordance with its investment objective and strategies, and for working capital and general corporate purposes. The underwriters have been granted an option, exercisable for 30 days, to purchase up to 1,050,000 additional shares of common stock to cover overallotments, if any.



Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, BofA Merrill Lynch, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated acted as joint bookrunning managers of this offering. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, BB&T Capital Markets, a division of BB&T Securities, LLC and JMP Securities LLC acted as lead managers, and J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, LLC, Wunderlich Securities, Inc. and Fifth Third Securities, Inc. acted as co-managers for this offering.

The shares of common stock were sold pursuant to a registration statement that has been filed with and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the shares referred to in this press release.

About Triangle Capital Corporation

Triangle Capital Corporation (www.TCAP.com) invests capital in established companies in the lower middle market to fund growth, changes of control and other corporate events. Triangle offers a wide variety of investment structures with a primary focus on mezzanine financing with equity components. Triangles investment objective is to seek attractive returns by generating current income from debt investments and capital appreciation from equity related investments. Triangles investment philosophy is to partner with business owners, management teams and financial sponsors to provide flexible financing solutions. Triangle typically invests $5.0 million - $50.0 million per transaction in companies with annual revenues between $20.0 million and $300.0 million and EBITDA between $5.0 million and $75.0 million.

Triangle has elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (1940 Act). Triangle is required to comply with a series of regulatory requirements under the 1940 Act as well as applicable NYSE, federal and state laws and regulations. Triangle has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Failure to comply with any of the laws and regulations that apply to Triangle could have a material adverse effect on Triangle and its stockholders.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding the plans and objectives of management for future operations. Any such forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, which involve assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, are generally identifiable by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," "target," "goals," "plan," "forecast," "project," other variations on these words or comparable terminology, or the negative of these words. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that may be incorrect, and we cannot assure you that the projections included in these forward-looking statements will come to pass. Our actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including the factors discussed in our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and other documents or reports that we in the future may file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Copies of any reports or documents we file with the SEC are publicly available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, and stockholders may receive a hard copy of our completed audited financial statements free of charge upon request to the Company at 3700 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 530, Raleigh, NC 27612.

We have based any forward-looking statements included in this press release on information available to us on the date of this press release, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements, unless we are required to do so by applicable law. However, you are advised to consult any additional disclosures that we may make directly to you or through reports that we in the future may file with the SEC, including subsequent annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K.
We all do it. Some of us do it quite loudly. Others do it not once, but several times in a row.

Sneezes are everywhere these days, during this, the height of cold and flu season. The chorus of achoos in offices, on buses and in homes often sends bystanders scrambling to get out of the line of germ-spreading fire.

But how far is far enough away to avoid getting hit by a snot-and-fluid projectile? A lot farther than you might  or would like to  think. We're talking 20 feet or more.

The question of what constitutes an achoo-safe zone has long intrigued sneeze-ologists, better known as doctors, nurses and medical researchers working to prevent the spread of contagious diseases.

Recent research, however, offers new insights on the science of sneezing  revealing what happens when we sneeze and how far the spray of saliva and mucus can travel.

A sneeze is a reflex reaction, explained Dr. Scott Davies, a physician at Hennepin County Medical Center in downtown Minneapolis who specializes in treating respiratory diseases. It happens when receptors in the nose detect irritants. It can be an odor, such as perfume or smoke. It can be pollen in the air or pet dander  any type of allergen, really. For some people, cold air or sunlight can trigger the sneeze reflex. Once the nose receptors sense the irritant, the brain receives a signal and the body responds involuntarily.

"That reflex triggers a violent reaction that involves your neck, the chest, the abdomen, the diaphragm," Davies said. "You create this forceful blast of air through your nose."

The air comes from your lungs, and there's a deep inhale just before the sneeze to produce a large gust of air.

"Kind of like when you're blowing out a candle," Davies said.

So what purpose does sneezing serve?

Cleansing, said Jeanne Pfeiffer, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and longtime expert in infection prevention and control. Think of it as your body spotting a squatter in the nose that needs to be evicted. The more someone sneezes, the more likely that pesky freeloader is still there. Hold the pepper.

Sneezing helps reset the environment inside the nose, allowing troublesome particles inhaled through the nose to become trapped in the mucus lining, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

For a long time, people on the front lines of sneeze science thought that the droplets scattered from a sneeze traveled only a short distance  a couple of feet, perhaps. But a slow-motion video of a sneeze captured recently by Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers uncovered a far more troubling truth: Those sneeze particles can go mighty far.

The video shows in gross detail what happens to the liquid mixture spewed from a person's mouth and nose during a sneeze.

The findings, as described by MIT researchers in the New England Journal of Medicine, show that the droplets spread farther than previously thought  aided by a swirling puff cloud.

"The largest droplets rapidly settle within (about 3 to 6 feet) away from the person," wrote lead researcher Lydia Bourouiba, of MIT's Fluid Dynamics and Disease Transmission Laboratory. "The smaller and evaporating droplets are trapped in the turbulent puff cloud, remain suspended, and, over the course of seconds to a few minutes, can travel the dimensions of a room and land up to (19 to 26 feet) away."

So what, then, is your best defense against contamination from a nearby sneeze cloud?

"You can't scamper. It's over before you can move," Davies said. "It's up to the person who's sneezing to prevent this."

Pfeiffer recommends giving some space ahead of time to avoid getting sick.

"We say distance is a barrier," she said. "When someone isn't feeling well but they're not staying home, we like to keep 3 feet of distance."

Back in the day, disease prevention gurus taught us to cover our mouths with our hands when we felt a sneeze coming on. That method, while better than an open-mouthed sneeze, is no longer the preferred method. That's because once your hand is wet and germy, it is easy to transfer those germs to surfaces such as keyboards, pens and doorknobs  spreading sickness from person to person.

Pfeiffer and other health professionals now recommend sneezing into a tissue or into our elbow.

Sneezes can travel as fast as 100 mph, by some estimates. And the force of a sneeze? Well, that's nothing to sneeze at, either. Davies said while it's extremely rare, some people have even been injured from sneezing hard.
Jeers

... to members of AFSCME Council 31, the union which represents thousands of Illinois government employees, for voting in favor of authorizing a strike if contract talks don't advance.

A number of other unions already have reached contract agreements with the state, but AFSCME is holding out for its 37 1/2-hour work week and platinum-level insurance.

Illinois is in terrible financial trouble. It would be nice if ASFCME members would acknowledge that fact.

Cheers

... to organizers in Lincoln who are raising money to restore and relocate the iconic Tropics road sign close to its original location along Route 66.

The Tropics restaurant  a coffee shop, lounge and restaurant  offered Midwest food amid Polynesian decor and a bright neon sign that beckoned to travelers. The restaurant sat near the intersection of Route 66 and Woodlawn Road, near the fairgrounds. The location now will be the new site of the nearby McDonald's restaurant, which is getting a new building.

Such mid-century memories  much like the former Pig Hip restaurant in Broadwell and the old Streid's Motel and Restaurant in Bloomington  recall the heydays of the Mother Road.

Cheers

... to the idea of naming a stretch of Interstate 55 for former President Barack Obama, the Chicago lawmaker who traveled I-55 frequently when he was working at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield.

Part of I-55 already is named for former Gov. Adlai Stevenson, who hailed from Bloomington. The Eisenhower Expressway in Chicago honors former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who instituted the nation's interstate highway system. Other parts of Illinois interstate highways are named for Ronald Reagan, Dan Ryan and Will Rogers and the Lincoln Highway cuts through Illinois between its New York-to-California route.

Brrr-rave fund-raisers

... took the plunge last Saturday for the Illinois Law Enforcement Polar Plunge at Miller Park lake, a way to raise money for Illinois Special Olympics. After a week of balmy weather, plungers were covered with snowflakes as they waited their turn to jump into frigid water while wearing swimsuits or costumes.

About $140,000 was raised at the plunge, one of dozens throughout Illinois that raises money for the Normal-based organization.

Hats off

... to our own Bridget Sibthorp-Moecker, regional digital services director for The Pantagraph, who was named one of the Top 25 Under 35 by Editor & Publisher magazine, a trade publication.

Sibthorp-Moecker oversees digital products for news and advertising departments of the Bloomington paper, Decatur Herald & Review and Mattoon-Charleston Journal-Gazette Times-Courier, and also is assigned to a Lee Enterprises corporate team to oversee classified initiatives

The Warrensburg native is a graduate of Illinois State University.
I am a former U.S. Army enlisted soldier and captain. While I rarely ever mention it, I have proudly served my country in peacetime and in the combat zone, defending the values of democracy, tolerance and freedom of expression.

Today I feel compelled to speak up because I believe that democracy is worth fighting for. American democracy is about the free exchange of ideas, and while I may disagree with the views of my fellow citizens, I swore an oath to defend their freedom to express their views. U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis solemnly swore to this oath as well. And the part of the oath that strikes me most today is this, that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion."

U.S. Rep. Davis refused to meet in person with his constituents while Congress was in recess. He recently expressed concern for his safety should he hold a town hall event. As a veteran, I find this suggestion offensive. I find the absence of candor and moral courage an embarrassment and disturbingly laughable. American servicemen and women around the world find themselves in harms way on a daily basis. I doubt the voters of the 13th congressional district of Illinois pose any threat to U.S. Rep. Daviss safety.

Just as military service is non-partisan, constituent service is non-partisan. Just as I fought on behalf of those with whom I disagree, U.S. Rep. Davis should meet with constituents with whom he disagrees  and do his job.

William D. Stroud-Boutte, Bloomington

.
A Senegalese designer as accused YSL of replicating her bag for their Fall/Winter 17 collection, which showed in Paris on Tuesday.



YSL produced an extra-long clutch bag for next season, which looks remarkably similar to the Mburu bag designed by Sarah Diouf for her label Tongoro. Diouf, who makes all her products locally in Senegal, told Jezebel she recognized the bag immediately when her assistant sent her a photo of it.

"When I launched the bag, I had a lot of great response because it was something totally unique and original," Diouf said. "I've never seen a 65cm long bag before. The first thing that came to my mind was, Oh wow, this is not happening."

"I've been working in fashion the past eight years and I've never seen that bag design before," she continued. "They [YSL] don't have as many colors as I have, but the design is very, very similar. The way the bag closes is the same system. The overall external design is the same."

Diouf went on to explain the concept behind the bag, which is shaped like a baguette because it is based on "bread" as a reference to the unemployment crisis in Senegal.

"When you wake up in the morning, your bag is where you keep your money, but the bread refers to what keeps you alive," she explained. "It's your living. It's what you eat on a daily basis...I'm African and I'm really trying to portray Africa the way nobody has seen before. I'm doing everything by myself and it's just frustrating for something like that to happen because you feel like you've been robbed. It's culture, not something you can buy."

YSL is yet to respond to Diouf's allegations.



[h/t Jezebel]

Images via tongoro.com and YouTube
Betsy DeVos recently sat as the Secretary of the Department of Education, she and the administration are hoping to let more students be part of charter schools but not a lot of people understand the process. Amid the new plans of the Department of Education, the government just ordered the closure of four low-performing charter schools.

There is a total of 6,900 charter schools and basically, these are publicly-funded and privately-run schools. Today, there is around 3.1 million students are enrolled in different schools located in 43 states in the country, where the first charter school was opened in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1992.

A poll was made in 2014 regarding the people's attitude towards education and it was found out most Americans do not understand charter schools, NPR reported. Fifty-seven percent believed charter schools charged tuition and nearly 50 percent thought charter schools were allowed to teach religion.

The real meaning of charter schools, however, is that these are schools that have a two-sector system. One part is the traditional school district, which is centrally managed, while the other part is independent and is not owned by a central school board.

Both types of charter schools are public but they have the freedom to hire teachers without a union contract. Some charter schools are also for-profit as the school can hire a company to manage its school. According to experts, charter schools are funded by the state but some receive money from private donors. However, this type of educational institution gets less money per pupil compared to traditional public schools.

Meanwhile, four low-performing charter schools in Newark and Camden were recently closed. These schools brought the number of failed charter schools to 20. The schools were identified as Newark Prep Charter School, Paulo Freire Charter School, Merit Prep Charter School and Camden Community Charter School, NJ.com reported.

DeVos and the Trump administration expressed they are strong advocates for charter schools. She was opposed by many regarding the appointment of being the secretary of education as it was feared she will dismantle the public school system. DeVos has not issued any statement yet regarding the closure of the aforementioned four charter schools.
A toddler from Texas died from a dental procedure. Her parents claimed the dental procedure was unneeded and the process was just a money-making scheme.

The toddler, identified as 14-month-old Daisy Lynne Torres, died on March 29, 2016. Anesthesia administered for the treatment of tooth decay was found out to be the cause of the death. The parents of the girl just filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

The dentist, Dr. Michael Melanson, told the mother, Betty Squier, that Torres had six cavities. Melanson also initially told Squier there were only two cavities and that it needed filling to prevent infection. He also said the face of the child was at risk of sinking if the cavities were left unfilled, Courthouse News Service reported. He then told Squier they should set up another appointment but did not say anything about what procedures will be done on the toddler.

Another dentist, Dr. David Williams, a mobile anesthesiologist with Texan Anesthesiology, was said to be in the area for the procedure and Squier said he did not talk about what will be done to her daughter or cautioned her about the additional risks of performing the filling. They also refused to let Squier stay inside the room where her daughter was.

Later, the dentist came out and told the mother they did six cavity fillings, four root canals, and placed crowns on the upper baby teeth of the toddler. The dentist went back to the room but re-appeared later and told Squier there were complications and CPR was administered on the toddler. The Emergency Medical Service team came and tried to revive the girl but was taken to a hospital, where she later died.

The two dentists were named in the lawsuit. The Austin Children's Dentistry and Texas Anesthesiology Association were also named in the lawsuit.

A dental examiner's report after the toddler's death questioned why the girl had to undergo such process when there was no indication of any dental disease. The $1 million lawsuit claimed the procedure was just an attempt to bill Medicaid for the unnecessary dental work, Fox News reported. Squier accused the dentist of doing unnecessary work and that he took advantage of the girl as well as the parents who did not know any better.

Dental centers market the process to low-income parents whose children qualify for Medicaid-funded dental exams, added the complaint. The parents seek actual and exemplary damages.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP reminds investors in Banc of California (NYSE:BANC) of the March 24, 2017 Lead Plaintiff deadline in the pending securities class action.



If you purchased or otherwise acquired securities of BANC between August 7, 2015 and January 20, 2017 and suffered over $50,000 in losses contact Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP. For more information visit:

https://www.hbsslaw.com/cases/BANC

or contact Reed Kathrein, who is leading the firms investigation, by calling 510-725-3000 or emailing BANC@hbsslaw.com.

On October 18, 2016, the price of BANC shares fell nearly 29% after SeekingAlpha published a report stating that BANCs Chief Executive Officer (Steven Sugarman) had undisclosed ties to a criminal convicted of manipulating Gerova Financial Ltd. stock. The Company issued a press release that day stating that BANCs disinterested directors investigated the matter.

However, the SEC issued a formal order of investigation and a subpoena of the Company on January 12, 2017, after which the Company issued a January 23, 2017 statement admitting it made false statements in its October 18, 2016 release. Hagens Berman is currently investigating the extent of these false statements.

The relationship between BANCs senior executives and an admitted financial criminal is obviously information any reasonable shareholder would want to know before investing in a companys stock, said Hagens Berman partner Reed Kathrein.

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Banc of California should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new SEC whistleblower program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 510-725-3000 or email BANC@hbsslaw.com.

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman is a national investor-rights law firm headquartered in Seattle, Washington with offices in 10 cities. The Firm represents investors, whistleblowers, workers and consumers in complex litigation. More about the Firm and its successes can be found at www.hbsslaw.com. For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter at @classactionlaw.
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Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

Thats the story we learn in school, isnt it?

Immigrants were destitute and persecuted, and would have starved had they stayed in their home countries, but the United States offered them refuge.

Whats more, were told, whenever one expresses concerns about assimilation of our current cohort of immigrants, that the native born have always feared lack of assimilation, but each successive cohort of immigrants landed at the bottom, and worked their way up, to be replaced by a new cohort of immigrants at the bottom, a new wave from a new country, now feared and disdained by the very sons-of-immigrants who had forgotten about their roots.

Which is all a very moving story, and suggests that the morally right thing for we Americans who are descendants of immigrants to do, is to continue to allow new waves of immigrants in, with as much generosity as in the past, knowing that history proves that our fears are misguided. We should also think back in our family history and know that its hypocritical to object to the entry of largely poor and uneducated workers, because our ancestors came under similar circumstances.

First Principle: People have the right to migrate to sustain their lives and the lives of their families. . . . When a person cannot achieve a meaningful life in his or her own land, that person has the right to move. . . . While individuals have the right to move in search of a safe and humane life, no country is bound to accept all those who wish to resettle there. By this principle the Church recognizes that most immigration is ultimately not something to celebrate. Ordinarily, people do not leave the security of their own land and culture just to seek adventure in a new place or merely to enhance their standard of living. Instead, they migrate because they are desperate and the opportunity for a safe and secure life does not exist in their own land. Immigrants and refugees endure many hardships and often long for the homes they left behind. As Americans we should cherish and celebrate the contributions of immigrants and their cultures; however, we should work to make it unnecessary for people to leave their own land.

Now, theres a sleight of hand in the move from right to migrate to sustain life to a right to a meaningful life, and from the right to migrate as a right to leave ones home country, into a right to move to the particular country of ones choice, but, apart from that, the clear expectation is that, by the very fact that they are migrants, all migrants are compelled to leave their home countries because of the utter misery there, so that its not even open to discussion whether they needed to migrate or not.

But what if thats not true?

Ive been reading a book that I dug out of my basement, The Transplanted, A History of Immigrants in Urban America, by John Bodnar. Like most such books in my basement, it dates to my college/grad school days, and, in particular, was published in 1985, so I cant attest to the degree to which his ideas have held up or been supplanted by new scholarship (and whether that new scholarship is credible or just new). Fun fact: the image above, from the Wikipedia entry on Italians in the United States , is also the cover photo; I find it interesting that this photograph, at least to me, produces a sense that these people are destitute and downcast but the caption says theyve got more luggage than the few items in the photo, lost in the Ellis Island version of baggage-claim.

Anyway: the first chapters of the book talk about the circumstances in which immigrants came to the United States. There were a number of factors, among them the population growth in any given country, and the inheritance patterns  whether the farm is divided among all children/sons, or passed on to the firstborn  but also the impact of the industrial revolution and capitalism (in the sense that historians use the term, to talk about the advent of factories owned by capitalists  men with capital  replacing small family workshops) and large-scale capitalist agriculture; all of these, as well as specific political events (e.g., the impact of the unification of Italy) impacted different parts of Europe at different times. In addition, the simple factor of transportation  the ease with which some regions could access ports  played a role, and there was a common pattern of migration from one region of the country to another preceding emigration elsewhere.

But heres the key pattern Bodnar observes: it was not the wealthy who immigrated  they were doing just fine where they were. It was not the poor, either  they couldnt afford to travel, and were more likely to end up in the industrializing cities (or, for the Irish, to cross the Irish Sea to England); it was the middle- and lower-middle class.

Abundant evidence exists . . . to suggest that those departing were not coming from the depths of their respective society but occupied positions somewhere in the middle and lower-middle levels of their social structures. Those too poor could seldom afford to go, and the wealthiest usually had too much of a stake in the homelands to depart. (p. 13)

(Commenter SKJAM! mentioned this just yesterday, coincidentally, in a comment on my Fact-checking the fact-checkers post, which spurred me to take this post out of its half-written draft form.)

To be sure, that wasnt universally true, and certain groups had more push than pull factors (yes, I know about the Irish during the potato famine!) but Bodnar supports this conclusion with details from a number of immigrant groups. Heres a bit about the Italians:

The image of poor peasants fleeing to America has also dominated much of the scholarship on Italian emigrants but closer analysis reveals that the very poor seldom left. For instance, the average yearly wages in Abruzzi e Molise and Calabria were well above those in Tuscany and Lombardy, and yet emigration was heavier from the former provinces than the latter. Usually those who left were in the middle and lower-middle levels of the peasantry. Supplementing this stream was a characteristic segment of artisans, craftsmen, and others with skills which were increasingly difficult to implement in societies undergoing either a commercialization in agriculture or growing competition with manufactured goods. (p. 20)

It is also a key part of the immigrant experience that a fair number of these arrivals were not immigrants at all, but simply migrants. Heres Bodnar again:

No phenomenon is more central to understanding the motives of those moving from agricultural to industrial regions nor more revealing about the predisposition to use industrial wages to improve or maintain status in the rural world than the process of return migration. Because everyone did not or was unable to return should not obscure the fact that a return was usually every emigrants goal. The only major exceptions seem to have been those who had worked as craftsmen or those who ventured to America before 1860 with sufficient capital to initiate farming or commercial enterprises in the new world and groups such as East European Jews who faced severe political restrictions in the homeland. While estimates vary, return rates usually ranged from 25 to 60 percent, although most records on immigration are somewhat imprecise. Hvidt found about 30 percent of the Danes returning, and the German figure was between 35 and 40 percent. About four of every ten Greeks returned, and the Polish figure was only slightly below that. The most likely of all to return were those from central and southern Italy (56 percent) and northeast Hungary. Magyar rates have been estimated at 64 percent and those of Slovaks at 59 percent. (p. 53)

And, indeed, Lazarus wrote her poem with an eye to the plight specifically of Jews escaping persecution in Russia, not with respect to immigrants in general.

Its my understanding that, in many cases, the same is true today. The Syrians and other migrants who flooded into Europe via Turkey over the past several years paid a substantial amount of money for the trip  as much as $10,000. There are reports of Africans making there way across the Atlantic into Central America, and then upwards to Mexico and then crossing illegally into the U.S.  again, not a cheap voyage.

Now, Ill admit that Im not far enough along in my reading of this book or others to assess the second half of the immigration myth, that each successive cohort of immigrants worked their way up, only to wrongly disdain the new arrivals. I had hoped to do some reading and come to a firmer conclusion on that point before writing this up, but Im running out of steam. But it doesnt seem to fit with with what I know about American economic mobility, at least in its most simplified form. If you think about the urban poor in the 19th century, was it really the case that the children of immigrant factory workers went to school, learned their lessons, and got good office jobs when they graduated? Wasnt it, by and large, the case that those children left school in their early teens (or even earlier) and went to work in those same factories, and only with the advent of the modernization of the economy in the 20th century, that the lot of the urban poor improved, for everyone regardless of how many generations ago their ancestors immigrated? To be sure, there was a certain social and political mobility, as Irish-ancestry politicians came to dominate machine politics, for example, but thats not the same thing as this simplified view of income stratification by time-since-arrival.

What does this mean? Largely, its a matter of what this doesnt mean. The narrative of we have an obligation to welcome destitute immigrants because our ancestors were also once destitute doesnt work, nor does all migrants are always, by definition, only ever coming because they are in dire need. I am not, in this post, expounding on the right decisions about immigration to the United States in the year 2017. Im just saying that we cant make them by telling ourselves incorrect stories about the past.

UPDATE: yes, there are issues with line spacing. Bear with me.

And heres a related article,  Syrian Refugees Resettled in the U.S.: Why Them and Not Others?  which says that the UNHCR seems to be picking refugees for resettlement to the US seemingly at random, even among people who had a fairly stable living situation, despite the claim that they were sending the most vulnerable, the most needy. Not sure what to make of this but it seemed worth sharing.

Image: By Lewis W. Hine(Life time: 1874-1940)  Original publication: Photo-studyImmediate source: Brooklyn Museum, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51292180
This article is as pertinent today as it was when I wrote it over three years ago. At the heart of the immigration debate needs to be the recognition of our system does not meet the present needs of our country. The immigration system today is not the same system as years before, and until substantial reform is attained, we will continue to struggle.

Some time ago I heard a news story on the radio reporting that currently two thirds of cow milkers in the United States are undocumented immigrants. Coming from a four generation dairy family and having spent many hours in a milking parlor, I immediately took interest in the story. Dairy farmers are very attentive to the immigration reform debate since the most basic and most necessary step of their industry is in jeopardy, the milking of the cows. Cows must be milked, and be milked twice a day (and sometimes three times), every single day of the year. Without a labor force, who will milk the cows?

This dilemma points to the heart of the current immigration situation in our country. There is a high demand for low paying, low skilled workers but these workers do not come into the United States through authorized channels. Why dont they come in legally? Many naively state today, my ancestors came here legally, these people must go back, get in line and come in legally. This is a naive statement because those who say it are unaware of the current immigration system. Asking an immigrant today to get in line like an immigrant one hundred years ago can be compared to asking Saint Peter to show you his iphone. It is impossible. There is no line.

The United States Conference of Bishops issued a statement answering the question Why Dont Unauthorized Migrants Come Here Legally? The answer provided is simple: there are no legal paths for most migrants to enter the United States. Currently one can enter the United States legally under one of three conditions: 1) An immediate family member who is a US citizen or resident petitions you, 2) You are fleeing political persecution in your home country and there is fear you may be killed, 3) You are a high-skilled worker and a US company sponsors you.

Most unauthorized immigrants in the United States are low-skilled workers. They work in agriculture, meatpacking, landscaping and construction industries which do not qualify as high-skilled work. An estimated 300,000 undocumented low-skilled workers enter the United States yearly and the US government officially makes available only 5,000 greencards for low-skilled workers. Temporary work visas exist (66,000 per year), but US companies shy away from these because the red tape is tremendous and the expenses are high.

The United States Bishops firmly believe that immigrants should come into the United States lawfully, but they point out that the current immigration system does not recognize the countrys need for low-skilled labor. The demand far exceeds the supply. The Church calls for a reform that increases the number of visas available for low-skilled workers which will decrease the number of unauthorized entries into the country. The Church does not call for open borders since a country without borders is not a country at all.

I encourage you to read this document found under the immigration section of the website of the United States Conference of Bishops. This article titled Why Dont Unauthorized Migrants Come Here Legally? will be a small concrete step to have accurate information regarding the current immigration system and to know exactly what our bishops are calling for in the midst of the immigration debate in our country.

Picture is in the public domain
Patna: For the second day in a row, NDA leaders in Bihar disrupted the state Assembly to build pressure on the Nitish administration to sack Prohibition and Excise Minister Abdul Jalil Mastan for making disparaging remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Disrupting the session a number of times while ignoring the plea of the ruling parties to allow Mastan to present his side of the story, NDA leaders led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said there was no defense to what the minister had said and his apology to Modi was far from satisfactory as it lacked sincerity and a sense of remorse.

As reported, Mastan, whose citizenship is also now being questioned after rumors of him having allegedly migrated from Bangladesh without proper credentials surfaced a few days ago, was seen in a video gone viral inciting a crowd by urging them to beat a picture of Modi with shoes and sandals while also calling him a dacoit, Naxalite, and an extremist.

With no sign of let up from either side, the house was adjourned till 2:00 pm.

"We are not going to work with this administration until Mastan has been fired from his position," said Prem Kumar, the leader of the opposition in Bihar Assembly.

The Grand Alliance leaders, meanwhile, accused the BJP of politicizing the issue despite an apology by the Excise and Prohibition Minister.

"The matter is closed after the minister said sorry in the case," Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said.

Other Grand Alliance leaders, including Congress leader and Education Minister Ashok Kumar Chowdhary tried to change the subject from Mastan to Narendra Modi saying the latter never apologized to the people of Bihar for making his 'DNA' remarks during the campaign phase of the last Lok Sabha elections. He further said that the BJP failed to apologize to both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for making many 'uncharitable' remarks against them.
HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air Industries Group (NYSE MKT:AIRI), an integrated manufacturer of precision equipment assemblies and components for leading aerospace and defense prime contractors, announced today that Daniel R. Godin has resigned as Chief Executive Officer.



Mr. Godin will remain with the Company until March 24th to assist in the transition. Effective immediately, Peter Rettaliata will assume responsibility as Acting CEO and Michael Brand will assume responsibility as Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Rettaliata and Mr. Brand currently serve as Directors of the Company, and Mr. Rettaliata previously served as CEO until December 2014.

Peter D. Rettaliata served as Air Industries President and Chief Executive Officer for nearly 20 years. Prior to Air Industries, Mr. Rettaliata was with Grumman Aerospace Corporation for twenty-two years and was the Senior Procurement Officer. Professionally, Mr. Rettaliata has served as the Chairman of "ADDAPT", an organization of regional aerospace companies, as a member of the Board of Governors of the Aerospace Industries Association, and as a member of the Executive Committee of the AIA Supplier Council.

Michael Brand was the President of Goodrich Landing Gear, a unit of Goodrich Corporation, from July 2005 to June 2010, and then Goodrich Corporate VP of 787 Entry into Service. Prior to joining Goodrich for over 25 years, he held senior management positions in the Aerospace industry. He began his career at General Electric Corporation and rose to senior management in its jet engine manufacturing operations.

Mr. Michael Taglich, Chairman of the Board of Air Industries commented: The Board of Directors and all of Air Industries thanks Dan Godin for his efforts and wishes him success in his future endeavors. I am very confident that Peter Rettaliata and Michael Brand, who each have deep understanding of Air Industries and extensive Aerospace industry experience, will successfully lead the Company during this period. We are also encouraged by our revenue results for the first two months of this year.

ABOUT AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP

Air Industries Group (AIRI) is an integrated manufacturer of precision equipment assemblies and components for leading aerospace and defense prime contractors. Air Industries operates in three segments: Complex Machining of aircraft landing gear and flight controls, Aerostructures & Electronics, and Turbine & Engine products.

Certain matters discussed in this press release are 'forward-looking statements' intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, the Company's statements regarding trends in the marketplace, the ability to realize firm backlog and projected backlog, cost cutting measures, potential future results and acquisitions, are examples of such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the timing of projects due to variability in size, scope and duration, the inherent discrepancy in actual results from estimates, projections and forecasts made by management, regulatory delays, changes in government funding and budgets, and other factors, including general economic conditions, not within the Company's control. The factors discussed herein and expressed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed in or implied by such statements. The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Iranian-Kurdish Activist Lured to Government Office and Arrested by Intelligence Ministry

03/02/17

Source International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran

Farzaneh Jalali, an Iranian-Kurdish civil rights activist, has been held at an Intelligence Ministry detention center in the city of Kermanshah in northwestern Iran since being arrested on February 23, 2017, she told her family in a phone call.





Farzaneh Jalali



The ministry's agents arrested Jalali without a warrant while she was on her way to the Property Registration Office in Kermanshah, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network reported on February 26.

"In a coordinated operation on Thursday, February 23, security agents, with the help of the Kermanshah Property Registration Office, contacted this Kurdish activist on the phone and asked her to come to the office to answer questions about an incomplete file," said the report.

"Several agents tried to take Farzaneh Jalali into custody without a warrant outside the post office as she was heading to the Property Registration Office," it added. "The human rights activist resisted and was eventually forced into an unmarked car and taken away."

"Jalali was transferred to the Intelligence Ministry's detention center at Meydan Naft Square and then agents carried out a search of her mother's house and took away her personal belongings including a laptop, books and handwritten material," continued the report.

"Yesterday (February 25), she briefly contacted her family over the phone and said she was being held in the Intelligence Ministry's detention center in Kermanshah," it added.

Due to her peaceful activism as a member of the Tehran University Islamic Students Association, Jalali was banned from continuing her studies at the graduate level in 2010. She had been admitted to the university holding one of the highest entrance examination grades of her class.

Jalali was also the editor-in-chief of the Tehran University's student newspaper, Sobh (Morning), in the late 2000s.

More recently she was helping elementary students who had suffered severe burns in a fire that destroyed their school in the village of Shinabad, in West Azerbaijan Province, in December 2012.

The accident, caused by a faulty heater, became national news and generated public outcry for increased government spending on school facilities.
Ten Nations Pledge To Fight Terrorism, Nurture Prosperity At Pakistan Summit

03/02/17

Source: RFE/RL

A regional economic summit in Pakistan has concluded with 10 nations pledging to collectively fight the "challenge of terrorism" and push for greater collaboration on trade, energy, and infrastructure. Islamabad hosted the daylong Economic Cooperation Organization summit on March 1.



Leaders of the ECO countries post for a group photo at the summit

"There has never been a more opportune time to realize our dreams of connectivity for regional prosperity," said Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.



"We are determined to collectively face challenges such as extremism, terrorism, and drug trafficking in order to realize our vision of making the region a zone of peace and prosperity," he said. "We have committed ourselves to working together for bringing progressive change to the lives of the people in our region, transforming it into a bastion of peace, progress, and prosperity."



Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)'s countries



Iranian President Hassan Rohani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were among the heads of states who attended.



Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan founded the organization in 1985, which now includes most central Asian states.



Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan, Omar Zakhilwal, said peace and stability in the region will enable nations to achieve economic goals.



The conference took place under tight security after a wave of recent suicide bombings by various militant groups killed more than 125 people across Pakistan.



Based on reporting by AP and dpa


Iran Devotes Complex To Housing Families Of Fallen Afghan Troops

03/03/17

By Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE/RL



Iranian media regularly report on the funerals of Afghans killed in Syria



Iran has opened a new complex to house the families of Afghan fighters killed in the ongoing Syrian war, where Tehran has teamed up with Moscow to help regional ally President Bashar al-Assad counter an armed rebellion.

The rent-free residences on the outskirts of the capital are funded by one of Iran's wealthiest charities, Astan Quds Razavi, which also oversees a major holy shrine in the eastern city of Mashhad, about 200 kilometers from the border with Afghanistan.

Iranian authorities quietly began deploying armed volunteers, including many Afghans, to complement other Iranian forces advising and fighting alongside Assad's troops after civil war broke out in Syria in 2011.

The February 27 opening ceremony of the apartment complex in the town of Bagher Shahr, outside Tehran, was attended by the custodian of Astan Qods Razavi, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi. Raisi has been tipped by some as a possible future supreme leader, a post that holds ultimate political and religious power in Iran.

"The families of the martyrs who have sacrificed their loved one to defend Islam and the shrines of holy figures should be given priority," Raisi was quoted as saying by Iranian media at the ceremony.

The move is among the latest acts of support for the families of "martyred shrine defenders" -- Iranians, Afghans, and Pakistanis -- who have died in the conflict in Syria and neighboring Iraq. It echoes the type of state assistance provided to families of Iranians killed in the 1980-88 war with Iraq.





Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi



Iran also uses state media to publicly glorify fallen fighters and highlight their sacrifices while likening them to past "martyrs."

Iranian authorities say the fighters travel to Syria and Iraq voluntarily to defend holy Shi'ite sites. Some reports suggest Afghans are offered financial rewards and residency permits to join the fight in Syria.

The United Nations estimates the number of Afghan citizens in Iran at just under 1 million, but Tehran puts the figure closer to 3 million. Tehran has expelled many Afghans and periodically threatens Kabul with mass expulsions.

Raisi personally handed keys to some of the complex's 36 units to the families of 10 Afghan fighters killed or missing in fighting in Syria. Each key, in a small box, was marked with the name of the family member lost to fighting and the number of the unit where his family would live.

Raisi said the complex had been available and authorities identified families in need to assign them a unit.

Photographs of the event showed the empty apartments decorated with the yellow flag of the Fatemiyoun brigade -- the unit of Afghan militia members said to have been recruited by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

Raisi said offering support to the "families of martyrs" would boost the morale of the "shrine defenders."

"The fact that some leave their country to defend Islam stems from their strong faith and beliefs," he added.

The remainder of the units were distributed among the families of the dead fighters by the leader of Friday Prayers in Bagher Shahr, media reported.

There are no precise figures on the number of Afghans killed in Syria.

Iranian media regularly report on their funerals while offering few details about the circumstances of their deaths.

The head of Iran's Foundation of Martyrs said in November that more than 1,000 fighters deployed by Iran to Syria had been killed.

Ali Alfoneh, a Copenhagen-based independent IRGC specialist, told RFE/RL that at least 580 Afghans had been killed in combat in Syria since January 2012. He recorded 17 Afghan deaths in Syria in February alone.

Alfoneh said that by mobilizing Afghans, Pakistanis, and other Shi'ite fighters, Tehran had managed to not only significantly reduce Iranian losses in Syria but also train "a multinational Shi'ite fighting force capable of fighting future wars by proxy."

Iran and Russia, which has conducted an intense bombardment campaign and has a widening military footprint in Syria, have been major backers of Assad. In addition to troops, Tehran has helped keep Assad in power through financial assistance.




Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant Generates 6.2b KWh Energy

03/03/17

Source: Mehr News Agency

Around 6.2 billion kWh of energy has been delivered to the country's power grid, executive office of Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant Operation Co. reported to Iran's nuclear chief on Sunday.





Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant



Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi paid a visit to Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on Sunday where he monitored various stages of fuel change, semi-major overhauls, as well as activities related to objectives of the plant's units 2 and 3.



Continuous and uninterrupted production, and the delivery of about 6.2 billion kilowatt-hours of energy to the National Power Grid, as well as the reduction of the number of Russian experts at the site from around 300 in the last three years to about 25 in the current year were some of the notable factors on the report.



Bushehr nuclear power plant (source: Google Earth)

(view on google map)

In another part of the tour, Nuclear Power Plants Maintenance and Support Co. (TAPNA) presented Salehi with a report on the maintenance currently underway at the plant and discussed the role of Iranian experts and companies and the drop in the shares of Russian contractors. The report further outlined the company's future plans for replacing about 200 Russian technicians and experts with Iranian experts.



Salehi then visited the reactor building where he closely monitored the maintenance of one of the main pumps in the first circuit and the fuel handling in the core of the reactor, and held talks with the experts in charge.



The nuclear chief also visited the site where new units were scheduled to be constructed and it was decided that the site would be assigned to Russian contractors for excavation.
NEW YORK, March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Attorney Advertising -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Grana y Montero S.A.A. (Grana or the Company) (NYSE:GRAM) and certain of its officers, and is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons or entities who purchased Grana securities between April 30, 2014 through February 24, 2017, both dates inclusive (the Class Period). Such investors are advised to join this case by visiting the firms site: http://www.bgandg.com/gram.



This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act).

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, and that: (1) Grana was aware that its Brazilian partner Odebrecht S.A. paid bribes to former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo to win construction work on a road traveling from Peru to Brazil; and (2) consequently, defendants statements about Granas business, operations and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

On February 24, 2017, local news magazine Hildebrandt en sus trece revealed that Grana y Montero was aware of $20 million in bribes conferred to former President Alejandro Toledo by Brazilian firm Odebrecht SA. Grana was one of Odebrechts local partners on two sections of a project to pave a road from the Peruvian Amazon to Brazil. Following this news, Grana shares dropped $1.77 per share or over 34% to close $3.32 on February 24, 2017.

A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint you can visit the firms site: http://www.bgandg.com/gram or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Investor Relations Analyst, Yael Hurwitz of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 212-697-6484. If you suffered a loss in Grana y Montero S.A.A. you have until April 28, 2017 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a corporate litigation boutique. Our primary expertise is the aggressive pursuit of litigation claims on behalf of our clients. In addition to representing institutions and other investor plaintiffs in class action security litigation, the firms expertise includes general corporate and commercial litigation, as well as securities arbitration. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.




UC Riverside police are investigating two sexual assaults that took place the last week of February. No one has been arrested, UCR spokesman John Warren said.

In both cases the suspect is an acquaintance of the victim, police said. The cases do not appear to be related otherwise, Warren said.

On Feb. 23, a woman reported to UCR police that about 9 a.m. the previous day, she was walking on campus near Olmsted Hall with an acquaintance when the acquaintance sexually assaulted her, according to an alert on the police website.

Then at 9:52 a.m. on Feb. 27, a woman went to the UCR police station to report that she had been sexually assaulted by a recent acquaintance inside an apartment at the university-owned Bannockburn Apartments the night before. The woman met the suspect using a social networking cell phone application, according to an alert.

The university will update the community on the cases, Warren said, but For privacy reasons and in the interests of the integrity of the investigations, we cannot offer additional information publicly at this time.

UCR police suggested that anyone using a social media app to meet people should meet them in a public place, meet in a group setting if possible, let a friend know where you are going and when you will return and do not provide personal details to people unknown to you.

Counseling and psychological services can be reached at 951-827-5531 24 hours a day, police said. Go to counseling.ucr.edu for details.

To file an on-campus report of harassment or sexual violence, go to: Title IX Office, 349 Surge Building, titleix.ucr.edu or call 951-827-7070.

To file a police report, go to the police station at 3500 Canyon Crest Drive or police.ucr.edu or call 951-827-5222.
Community leaders turned up the heat on embattled Alvord Unified trustee Joseph Barragan Thursday, March 2, threatening to start a recall campaign against him.

Barragan came under fire last month when a large group urged him to resign, saying that he posted racist Facebook messages that insult undocumented immigrants, blacks and Muslims. The posts were later deleted.

Your days on the board are limited, said Desiree Rivera, 23, one of the recall organizers who works at Norco College helping Alvord students pursue higher education.

Barragan has refused to resign, denies writing the Facebook posts and said his account was hacked.

Riverside police are investigating the alleged hacking and death threats Barragan said he received.

RELATED: Alvord school trustee asked to resign over alleged racist Facebook posts

Barragan, 21, was the only candidate to file last year for a Trustee Area 2 seat on the Alvord Unified School District board. The seat wasnt on the November ballot and he took office Dec. 8 to help set policy in the district that serves the western Riverside area and part of Corona.

Thursdays board meeting was less contentious than the one Feb. 9 that attracted a standing-room only crowd. Fewer people spoke Thursday and some supported Barragan.

He came to help our students have a better education, said Doris Gale, a former president of the Alvord chapter of the California School Employees Association. We need him here.

In addition to the social media firestorm, Barragan has clashed with school district and union leaders. He said Superintendent Sid Salazar wasted money on a 65,000-square-foot district headquarters in Corona that it pays about $135,000 a month to lease.

Salazar said that the district needed to move out of the previous location in Riverside because it was a health and safety hazard.

Barragan also alleges the district is running up budget deficits that could lead to bankruptcy. Salazar said taxpayer funds are being spent wisely.

Barragan also battled Alvord Educators Association President Leigh Hawkinson after he made unannounced visits to several classrooms. Hawkinson told her members that such visits by trustees could disrupt learning and teachers didnt have to tolerate them.

Thursdays meeting had its share of fireworks.

Teachers union Vice President Mike Kolonics blasted Barragan, saying the trustee had absolutely no evidence to back up his false and malicious accusations.

He condemned Barragans anti-union slurs and criticized him for putting up walls instead of building bridges.

Barragan again took aim at Salazar and Hawkinson during lengthy remarks at the meetings end. He said the district misspent bond money, leaving low-income schools with portable classrooms and in bad condition.

Barragan said he has consulted with an attorney and that his classroom visits will continue.

We know what our rights are, he said.

He said Salazar allowed Alvord teachers to receive raises that make them among the most overpaid.

That prompted Board President Art Kaspereen to tell Barragan to end his remarks. A moment later, Kaspereen said he might ask the board to consider limiting how long trustees can speak.

Barragan didnt address the recall during his comments Thursday.

By law, the process cant begin until Barragan has been in office 90 days.

To qualify a recall for the ballot, proponents must meet several requirements, including collecting valid signatures of 1,713 registered voters in Trustee Area 2  25 percent of the total number, said Riverside County Registrar of Voters Rebecca Spencer.

If enough signatures are collected, the school board must set an election, to be held no less than 88 days and no more than 125 days later.

The cost would depend on whether the proposal is on a general or special election ballot. A special election, the more expensive option, would be $28,000, Spencer said.

Eva Amezola, another recall organizer, said shes confident the effort will succeed. Organizers are figuring out their next steps, she said.

Were not going to waste any time, Amezola said outside the board room.

Told of Barragans earlier remarks that he wouldnt back down, Amezola said his critics arent going anywhere.

Were equally as defiant, she said.
Represent us

Rep. Ken Calvert released a statement on Trumps joint address. Calvert said that we have a deteriorating military, which is untrue and offensive to those who serve. We give approximately $600 billion annually to our military, more than the next seven highest-spending countries combined.

He pledged to fix our broken health care system. What is broken? The ACA expanded coverage to 20 million Americans, kept premiums down more than what would have been so without the legislation, and covered pre-existing conditions. Calverts statement offered no new health plan, and when I tried asking his staff, I was continually directed to Paul Ryans A Better Way, which lacks details and relies upon health savings accounts, dooming poor and middle-class people.

He asserted that regulations and high corporate tax rates hinder job creation. There is no economic evidence that that is the case. Calvert has no expertise to shape economic policy. Instead, he is misinformed and biased toward enriching corporations and multi-millionaire businessmen.

Finally, Calvert alleged that he met with constituents last week. Along with many others, I was literally outside of his private meetings, which his staff repeatedly refused to disclose, and he fled.

 Donatella Galella, Corona

The self-serving party

From political correctness, that blocks discussion and speech, to open defiance of immigration law, the Democratic Party at every turn seems to defy logic and promote hate. The California wing is downright embarrassing. OK, I get that they cannot stand our President Trump, but passing Senate Bill 54, mainly to defy him, endangers us all. This bill formally entrenches California as a sanctuary state. This wayward action guarantees that more criminals will roam our streets. Democrats have become so senseless that I am glad I left them and became an Independent. Even Gov. Choo-Choo Brown cannot restrain the nonsense. I have lost all taste for this self-serving party that would endanger us all to try and score political points.

 John Cramer, Murrieta

Legacies

Republicans gave us Watergate. Republicans gave us Iran-Contra. Republicans brought us the Iraq War. Obama gave us the Affordable Care Act. What is your problem Republicans?

 Elaine Guy, Sun City
Dressed in a white tutu and black leggings, 3-year-old Finley Smallwood practiced ballet moves at her weekly dance class at a Norco studio.

As her mother, Christina Smallwood, and instructor Cristina OConnell encouraged her, Finley lifted each foot while holding onto a walker. As she held up her arms and waved them, Finley commented on the moves she saw in the mirror before her.

I can see it, Finley said.

Only a year ago, such dance moves would have been difficult for the Eastvale girl.

But last October, Finley  who was born with cerebral palsy  underwent spinal surgery to remove damaged nerves that had affected her ability to balance herself and build muscle mass. This week, the family will fly back to St. Louis for a check-up with doctors that did the surgery.

Josh and Christina Smallwoods efforts to pay for their daughters surgery  which wasnt covered by their insurance  attracted attention because of a viral crowdfunding campaign in summer that encouraged supporters to post videos of themselves dancing and contribute to her medical fund.

The family ended up hitting its goal of $60,000 within two months thanks to videos posted by supporters from veterans to police officers. Celebrities such as Perez Hilton, contestants from The Bachelor TV show and news anchors at Los Angeles-area TV stations also joined the cause.

Christina Smallwood said she couldnt believe the response. Many who donated continue to follow Finleys progress through Instagram and Facebook postings on the Dare to Dance accounts she created.

Its like people are cheering her on, she said.

Christina, 32, a hair stylist, and Josh, 32, a project manager for a window company, both took time off from their jobs to travel to St. Louis Childrens Hospital in Missouri, which has a Center for Cerebral Palsy Spasticity.

Christina Smallwood recalled donning surgical scrubs and holding Finleys hand as they led her into surgery, which took five-and-a-half hours.

It was a nerve-wracking day she never wants to relive, but at the end, the surgeon said everything went as ideal as possible.

Because Finley had to lay on her back after surgery, the family drove back to California in an RV instead of flying.

Since their return, Finley, who wears braces on her feet, has been going to physical therapy five days a week.

Lauren Zielinski, a physical therapist who has worked with Finley since she was 18 months old, said shes seen improved fluidity in the girls movements since the surgery.

Her balance has made great gains, Zielinski said. Shes started to stand independently for a few seconds. She stands straighter.

As part of her therapy work, Finley rides horseback with a therapist and horse handler walking beside her.

Shes a hard little worker, Zielinski said.

Christina Smallwood calls the dance class at On Pointe Dance Studio their fun day and a break from their routine. Finleys wish to dance is what inspired the campaign in the first place.

O Connell, who owns the studio, offers a one-on-one class with Finley. She said shes passionate about encouraging children of all abilities to dance.

I think dance has just helped speed up her ability to be more mobile on her own, OConnell said.

Finley also is preparing for a dance recital in June at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium, where shell perform to the Disney song, When You Wish Upon a Star.

Gina Pastore, Christina Smallwoods mother and Finleys grandmother, said watching Finleys progress has been a joy.

Its just been a blessing  what a strong spirit she has, what a fighting spirit she has, just her sweet ambition for life, said Pastore, who joined them for the ballet class.

Still, Finley has a lot of work to do, Christina Smallwood said.

Doctors told her it could be about two years before her daughter can walk on her own, but she and her husband are more optimistic now.

Hope has been restored in our house, she said. Its crazy. Its like a huge weight has been lifted.

Reach the reporter:

951-368-9558, ighori@scng.com or @ImranGhori1 on Twitter
Two people accused of using mail stolen from residents in Corona, Eastvale, Moreno Valley and other cities to write bad checks and open fraudulent credit card accounts were charged Thursday, March 2, with identity theft.

Joshua Thomas Adame, 33, of Riverside, and Yvonne Gallego Marquez, 38, of Norco, were arrested Tuesday.

Adame is charged with three felony counts of ID theft and one misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substances, court records show.

He pleaded not guilty Thursday, court records show. Hes being held at the Southwest Detention Center in French Valley, with bail set at $90,000.

Marquez posted a $50,000 bond and was released from jail Wednesday. She was charged Thursday with two felony counts of identity theft and one misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substances, and a warrant was issued for her re-arrest, court records show.

According to a sheriffs news release, deputies searched Adame and Marquez while conducting a probation compliance check on them in the 1600 block of Hamner Avenue in Norco on Tuesday afternoon.

Deputies located hundreds of pieces of mail stolen from numerous cities, including Norco, Eastvale, Corona, Riverside, Moreno Valley and Irvine, Sgt. Justin Rowan wrote in the release. In addition to the stolen mail, deputies located dozens of stolen credit cards, identification cards, altered checks, counterfeit U.S. currency, numerous laptop computers and a small amount of methamphetamine.

The pair were arrested. Sheriffs investigators are attempting to locate the stolen items rightful owners.

Sheriffs officials asked anyone with information about the investigation to contact the Norco sheriffs station at 951-270-5673.

According to court records, Adame has prior convictions for receiving stolen property, impersonation of a public official and being in possession of illegal drugs. Marquez has priors for identity theft, receiving stolen property and shoplifting.

Staff writer Nikie Johnson contributed to this report.
Hangar 385 has been standing at the end of the row at March Air Reserve base since 1929. But its long run as a functioning part of March Air Reserve Base seems about to come to an end.

Local preservationists have been working to save the historic structure. Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside, and former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., sent a joint letter to the Department of Defense requesting that it not take down the hangar. Even base commander Brig. Gen. Russell Muncy asked the commander of the Air Force Reserve to let him keep the building.

So far, the answer has been no.

But Norco City Councilman Kevin Bash hasnt given up. Bash, who believes proper procedures havent been followed in procuring permission to remove the hangar, is still fighting to save Hangar 385, which was on the national historic register.

It should be treated with more respect, Bash said.

Bash is particularly alarmed at the prospect of losing the old hangar  one of eight identical hangars built during then-March Air Fields first major upgrade  because he watched a similar loss of history take place in Norco a decade and a half ago. In that instance, several buildings on the Navys Surface Warfare Center were removed.

They tore down the model simulation lab, he said. They tore down the old Norconian laundry, which was still in use. They tore down the old WAVES building, he added, referring to the womens Navy Reserve.

The Norconian laundry was being placed on the national registry while they were taking it down, he said. Its on the historic register but its just a slab of concrete.

Bash has questioned whether regulations regarding historic buildings have been followed in the case of the March hangar. A second structure, Building 441, is also set for demolition. It, too, is on the historic registry. Built in 1931, it initially served as the quartermasters garage. Later, it became a training facility. Building 441 doesnt meet earthquake standards and Bash and others seem less concerned about its loss.

Hangar 385 has remained in regular use throughout its history. Currently, it is a staging area for troops who are deploying from Southern California bases. The main floor of the hanger is filled with rows of chairs where military personnel prepare to ship out.

That function will soon be filled by the bases nearly completed passenger terminal, being built next to Hangar 385. Its the addition of that structure that is responsible for the scheduled demolition of the other two buildings. A current Department of Defense policy freezes the total square footage of buildings on military bases. For each square foot of new construction, and equal amount of old square footage has to be torn down.

In a letter written on behalf of the George A. Ingalls Veterans Memorial Plaza Committee, Norco Mayor Pro-tem Ted Hoffman questioned that policy as simply wrong and disrespectful.

Bash said he agrees with his colleague. Walking through the hangar on Thursday morning, he threaded his way through hundreds of Marines waiting to fly out of March on deployment. He mentioned that his uncle was once stationed at the base.

This is sad, he said, to tear down this building for no other reason than square footage.

Bash is questioning whether the law regarding historic buildings was appropriately followed. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, provides specific guidelines for that must be followed before a historic structure can be taken down. Bash said he doesnt think adequate consultation and documentation were carried out. He thinks the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation should have been consulted and finds the required historical reports on the two buildings to be inadequate.

Julianne Polanco is Californias State Historic Preservation Officer. She said despite that lack of response and Bashs concerns, the law has been followed. A memorandum of agreement was established between the state office and March officials in 2012. It required the Air Force to meet certain requirements before Hangar 385 and Building 441 could be torn down. The agreement predated Polancos arrival at the state agency.

For those two buildings, as far as Im aware, theyve met their obligations, Polanco said of March officials. They consulted (and) reached an agreement. The mitigation required has been completed. The only action left for them is to remove those buildings.

Bash said the Advisory Council, the national regulatory body, should have been part of the consultation process. The council had requested information from March officials in February 2016, but never received a response. Only recently, on Feb. 3, did the agency once again request information on the planned demolition as well as the documents required under Section 106.

Base commander Muncy said he will carry out the agencys request to provide an administrative record and a list of the actions taken to meet Section 106 requirements. The letter asks for a response within 60 days.

Muncy said demolition was expected before that, but he doesnt plan to release the wrecking ball until hes sure he has clearance.

Im reaching out to my leadership to make sure were not doing anything thats undoable, he said.

March has a unique history. It is one of the militarys oldest airfields. Next year it will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Muncy has shown an appreciation for that history. He reacquired the desk of Gen. Hap Arnold  one of the bases colorful early commanders  from the March Field Air Museum and has a number of historical items on display in the headquarters office.

He said his hands are tied when it comes to Hangar 385.

The demo of the buildings is tied to the funding that we received for this construction, Muncy said, referring to the new transportation center.

The center, he added, will enhance our ability to be a regional asset, allowing the base to better serve other military bases in the region with their air transportation needs.

Muncy said there was a suggestion at one point to move the hanger to the March Field Air Museum, which sits on the bases western border. But federal money could not be used for the move and the museum did not have the funds to pay for it.

Bash said hes seen little evidence that governmental agencies are told they cant tear down historic buildings when they make a request. The regulations outlined in Section 106, he said, dont seem to have a lot of teeth.

Is the government accountable for things put on the national register? he said. We either have to decide these things are valuable and the National Register means something or it doesnt.

He said hes not hopeful about saving the March hangar.

Preservation is a messy business, he said. Youre always behind the eight ball on things like this, he said. Part of our problem is this is the 11th hour.

It seems likely at this point that without some kind of intervention, a piece of local history will soon disappear.
MURRIETA  A U.S. Border Patrol agent who fatally shot a man during an off-duty noise-related confrontation near his Hemet home was sentenced today to 40 years to life in state prison.

John Richard Demery, 42, was convicted in January of second-degree murder for gunning down 27-year-old Adam Thomas of Moreno Valley in the predawn hours of Nov. 8, 2014.

Along with the murder count, the Murrieta jury also convicted Demery of sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge John Monterosso imposed the sentence required by law.

According to the District Attorneys Office, the defendant had been disturbed on several occasions by a vehicle peeling out and racing through his neighborhood in the area of Cornell Street and Toledo Drive.

The patrolman was first bothered by the noise on the evening of Nov. 7, 2014, and called Hemet police, who told him they would handle it, prosecutors said.

About 12:45 a.m. on Nov. 8, the defendant heard the sounds again and decided to investigate, taking his flashlight, camera phone and personal handgun, later telling investigators that he anticipated trouble.

Demery wanted to take a picture of the license plate of the car causing the disturbance, prosecutors said. Instead, he ended up in a heated verbal altercation with Thomas, who had parked his car on Cornell. During the argument, Demery pulled his pistol and shot Thomas five times, investigators said.

According to prosecutors, Thomas was unarmed but had taken a fighting stance  though he never swung or tried to get physical with the defendant.

The victim died at a hospital a short time later, and Demery was taken into custody without incident.

He was placed on unpaid indefinite suspension following the shooting. According to the Department of Homeland Security, termination proceedings are underway.

DHS officials said that Demery was an agent for six years, working much of that time at the Border Patrols Murrieta station.

RELATED

Border Patrol agent charged with murder in off-duty shooting

Off-duty Border Patrol agent arrested in homicide
Two Inland institutions of higher learning factor into a story about a lawmaker who wants to limit the number of Democrats who can work as professors at Iowa state universities.

According to published reports, Iowa state Sen. Mark Chelgren, a Republican, submitted a bill that would impose a hiring freeze until the number of registered Republicans and Democrats on faculty at state universities is within 10 percentage points of each other.

Chelgren cited his own experience with liberal professors as justification for the bill, NBC News reported. Critics say the legislation unfairly punishes academics for their political beliefs.

That called into question Chelgrens educational background. According to NBC News, Chelgrens online bio on a state government website listed a business degree from Forbco Management school.

An Iowa GOP official quoted by NBC said the school is actually a company that runs a Sizzler steakhouse and that Chelgren didnt earn a degree, but something akin to a certificate from McDonalds Hamburger University.

From NBC:

Shortly after speaking with a reporter, the reference to Forbco Management business degree was removed from Chelgrens biography on the Iowa State Republicans web site.

Chelgren told NBC News on Wednesday he was not trying to inflate his education credentials.

This was not an attempt to inflate anything, he said, adding he was not aware of the error on the web site until a reporter asked about it. I didnt concern myself about this, honestly.

In a telephone interview last week, Chelgren was vague about Forbco. He said it was located outside of Los Angeles and that he got his business degree around 88 or 89. Its going back a ways so I dont remember.

The school is not listed on the federal National Center for Education Statistics list of accredited colleges or universities. And the only Forbco Management in California, records show, is a company that used to operate a Sizzler steakhouse in Torrance, California.

Where does the IE enter into this? Chelgrens online bio stated he attended UC Riverside majoring in astro-physics, geo-physics and mathematics.

He told NBC he took classes for three years but did not graduate, the network reported. University spokesman John Warren confirmed that Chelgren attended the school in 1992 and 1993 with a major in physics.

A UCR spokeswoman confirmed Warrens statement to NBC.
Atlanta, March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The following is an article written by Will Gensburg of UPS.

With a population of roughly 1.3 billion people, China offers unprecedented growth opportunities for retailers looking to conduct business internationally.

Chinas National Bureau of Statistics reported last month that online retail sales in China grew 26 percent in 2016 to $752 billion. Thats more than 40 percent of all online sales around the world.

The e-commerce experience in China is on a scale like no other. From shopping on Alibabas Tmall.com storefronts to the immense participation in mobile commerce, consumers in China have high expectations from retailers when it comes to the online shopping experience.

For retailers looking to break into this competitive international market, here are some tips to win with online shoppers in China and succeed in the worlds largest e-commerce market.

Invest in the mobile shopping experience

According to research firm TNS Global, Chinese mobile users spends roughly 30 minutes a day shopping on their phone. China is also the worlds largest smartphone market, accounting for 30 percent of the global market. Retailers should make sure their mobile experience is top-notch and localized for shoppers in China.

The mobile checkout experience, in particular, is important. How important is mobile? According to eMarketer, mobile sales are projected to reach nearly $1.5 trillion globally by the end of 2019. China is driving a huge part of that growth, with mobile sales accounting for nearly half of all of Chinas e-commerce sales.

Mobile payment apps, such as WeChat Pay and Alibabas Alipay, are examples of the types of payment options consumers want. These two payment options use data and analytics to personalize the mobile shopping experience and are now the two biggest players in the Chinese marketplace.

According to the UPS Global Pulse of the Online Shopper study, 73 percent of online shoppers in China say the most important option when checking out online is having a variety of payment options in addition to a credit card.

Understand duties, local taxes and the implications for consumers and your business

According to the UPS study, consumers in China rank duties and taxes as their second most important international shopping issue. Miscalculating duties and taxes or simply not making them available early enough in the checkout process can be detrimental to a retailers success.

For online shoppers, not having a clear understanding of the duties and taxes they are responsible for can be a reason for picking one retailer over another.

In April 2016, as part of an effort to encourage Chinese citizens to purchase goods domestically rather than internationally, the Chinese government changed the tax rules, making purchasing luxury goods overseas more expensive for import.

For retailers, changes to tax rules can cause major roadblocks in their e-commerce strategies. This makes is absolutely critical to show currency conversions and total shipping costs, including duties and taxes during checkout to reduce cart abandonment.

There are solutions available, like UPS i-parcel, which take the complexity out of cross-border e-commerce, making it easier and more flexible for retailers to localize the shopping experience.

This technology provides all the information that consumers need to make purchasing decisions up front  including localized duties and taxes, shipping options, delivery times, and local currency and payment options.

Win over loyalists by focusing on quality

Online shoppers in China rank product safety and quality as the top reasons for buying goods from overseas sellers. In fact, 40 percent of Chinese luxury goods purchased in the first half of 2016 were made across borders, according to a report by ContactLab and Exane BNP Paribas Research.

Retailers looking to win over shoppers in China should make product quality a top priority, especially with the rise of Chinas more mature or rational shopper as dubbed by research firm Nielsen.

These consumers, which make up 40 percent of urban online shoppers in China, keep quality top of mind and will search high and low while paying a premium for highly sought-after items.

Quality in the online shopping experience extends beyond the products themselves. Chinese consumers expect retailers packaging, delivery and shipping options to reflect the quality of the item they are purchasing.

For retailers looking to do business in China, its important to partner with a logistics provider that has the global shipping and logistics expertise to deliver on heightened consumer expectations.

Dont be left behind

The biggest risk for retailers looking to grow through international e-commerce is not targeting shoppers in China.

Success begins by partnering with an experienced logistics provider that understands the expectations and behaviors of Chinese consumers and can help deliver a shopping experience that converts these consumers to your customers.

Will Gensburg is the Vice President and Managing Director of UPS i-parcel.

Reprinted with permission of Longitudes, the UPS blog devoted to the trends shaping the global economy.

We welcome the re-use, republication, and distribution of this commentary - as long as you credit us. If you publish, please insert the tagline above, with embedded hyperlink to our site.
A new study by the education trust places UC Riverside ninth in the nation for closing the graduation gap between black and white students.

Historically, black students have graduated at lower rates than their white peers. For decades, colleges have been working to close that performance gap. And while it has narrowed, it persists.

Nationally, the study identified a difference of 22 percentage points (41 percent vs. 63 percent) in the six-year graduation rates of black and white students who entered college as freshmen in 2008.

At UCR, 69.5 percent of black students graduated in that period, actually outperforming white students by 1.7 percentage points. UCR was the only California university in the studys top 10. And while black students had greater graduation differentials at eight other schools, only one among the top 10, Florida State University, had a higher black graduation rate (74.5 percent).

The study also highlighted UCR in its comparison section, where the performance of schools of similar size and similar demographics were evaluated. UCR was compared with University of Illinois, Chicago. Just 43.4 percent of black students at the Chicago campus graduated in six years.

The studys authors attributed part of the observed performance differences to how inclusive the campus atmosphere was, whether black students felt they belonged.

Ken Simons, director of African student programs at UCR, said the university has a long history of promoting its diversity and trying to make sure under-represented students feel at home there. Simons has worked on campus since 1986 and said he was not surprised that UCR was the only California school in the top 10.

Im not trying to pop my collar, Simons said, but we are celebrating our 46th anniversary as a department. Some universities dont have a resource center, so theyre not even in the running. For 45 years weve worked with the entire campus to embrace our students and for faculty and staff to believe in our students and their dreams.

Administrators have been on board too, he said.

One thing that has held steady is a commitment from key campus administrators to ensure to our students that they all matter, he said.

Just belonging is not enough, however.

Michael McKibben is dean of student academic affairs. He said programs that have been put in place to boost graduation rates in general, have been especially beneficial to students of color.

A lot of the federal grants in recent years have allowed us to create learning communities and early research engagement, McKibben said. I think those are really starting to make a difference.

Learning communities are groups of students on the same study path who take all of their courses together for their first year. That system is becoming a permanent part of the universitys program. Early research engagement exposes freshmen to hands-on laboratory work that is tied to studies being done at the school. The idea is to allow science students to become ready to assist in actual research much earlier in their careers.

McKibben, who works in the sciences, said there remains a graduation gap for black students in science, technology, engineering and math.

In my school theres a 2 percent gap, he said, with white students at 50 percent and black students at 48 percent. It was 17 percent five years ago.

And while the black/white gap has considerably narrowed, McKibben noted that Latino students are lagging behind, graduating at only a 37 percent rate in the universitys STEM fields.

There is clearly more work to do, he said, but the trends are in the right direction.

Im proud of the amount of effort weve put into our diverse students, McKibben said. Were reaping the rewards of that.
Thanks to a fantastic description provided by a watchful neighborhood resident, a fugitive from Nevada was in jail Thursday afternoon, March 2, after allegedly burglarizing a Rancho Cucamonga home, an official said.

Lamar Griffin, 19, was arrested 1:30 p.m. on suspicion of burglary, receiving stolen property, possessing burglary tools and providing false identification, booking records show. He was being held at West Valley Detention Center, where his bail was set at $10,000.

Griffin was found to be a fugitive out of Las Vegas with more than $400,000 in outstanding burglary and theft warrants, San Bernardino County sheriffs Deputy Jacob Bailey said.

A possible home burglary in progress was reported 12:40 p.m. in the 8000 block of Monte Vista Street, Bailey said. A person called in to report seeing a person hop over a wall and into a backyard, he said.

Numerous deputies responded to the area and set up a perimeter. Bailey said they found a discarded backpack, which the reporting party said the person had been wearing, and soon found a man, later identified as Griffin, matching the description the reporting party provided.

Deputies confirmed the home had a broken sliding back door and had been ransacked, Bailey said.

Bailey praised the person who reported the incident, saying it was a great example of someone heeding If you see something, say something.
More than 200 law enforcement officers took to Inland Empire streets recently as part of an operation targeting a violent Riverside street gang and resulted in the arrests of eight people, officials said.

Starting at 7 a.m. Wednesday, officials led by the Riverside County Sheriffs Department served multiple search warrants at several locations in Riverside County and one in Ontario in connection to recent gang-related crimes connected to the Westside Riva gang, according to a sheriffs press release.

Along with the arrests, authorities also seized several weapons during the operation including two AR 15 rifles, a modified 12-gauge shotgun, a .22 caliber semiautomatic rifle and multiple rounds of live ammunition, according to authorities.

Officials also discovered a clandestine honey oil lab discovered at one of the search warrant locations in the 15700 block of Jalanie Lane in Moreno Valley.

The Riverside Police Department, Riverside District Attorneys Bureau of Investigations, Central PACT Task Force, Gang Task Force, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Riverside County Probation, Moreno Valley Police, Perris Police and prosecutors assigned to the gang and homicide units from the Riverside County District Attorneys Office assisted in the operation.
Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has presented the 2017 Budget and Government Economic Policy dubbed the 'Asempa Budget' before Parliament on Thursday, March 2.



Delivering the budget statement on the floor of the House, Hon. Ofori-Atta reiterated the commitment of government to combat corruption in the country.



According to him, as part of the government's objective, it will amend the criminal code to "make corruption a felony instead of a misdemeanor" to serve as a deterrent.



He further stated that the government will further pass the Right to Information Bill to also check the influx of corruption.



Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta assured Ghanaians that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his team of government officials will not disappoint, hence naming this year's budget statement 'Asempa Budget'; to wit the budget with good news.



Bellow are pictorial highlights of the 2017 "Asempa" Budget



2017 Budget Highlights





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Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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.

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The Vatican has commended Ghana for her continued efforts to bring peace across the world in various ways including diplomacy and contributing troops to UN Peacekeeping missions.



His Eminence Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State with the rank of Vice President of the State of Vatican, conveyed Pope Franciss appreciation of Ghanas watchdog role when he paid a courtesy call on me at the Presidency on Friday March 3, 2017.



Cardinal Bertello is the Popes Special Envoy to the celebration of the 40 years of Diplomatic Relations between the Holy See and the Republic of Ghana. He is also the Popes representative to the celebration of Ghanas 60th Independence celebrations. He was accompanied by Archbishop Jean Marie Speich, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana and Sir Benedict Batabe Assorow, Managing Editor of The Catholic Standard.



Citing in particular Ghanas contribution to the United Nations Peacekeeping troops in various trouble spots, Cardinal Bertello said Ghanas continued support for peace and stability had been noted with appreciation by the international community and the Holy Father.



Ghanas stable democracy is also good for Africa. It is an example for all His Eminence Cardinal Guiseppe Bertello added.



Vice President Bawumia commended the Roman Catholic Church for the enormous role it has played in the development of Ghana over the decades, through the provision of schools, hospitals and other infrastructure as well as human resources.



We value and cherish the relationship between Ghana and the Holy See and we look forward to more years of the special, mutually beneficial relationship, Dr Bawumia said.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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.

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Some women living in Assin Fosu in the Central region are pleading for clemency for male prison inmates in the region. The motive for the appeal, the woman revealed is to solve the woman to man ratio in the region.



Some of the women in an interview on Adom News revealed that majority of them are single and are being pressured by their families to marry before the end of the year. The situation, some of the women said has become dire causing them to sleep with married men.



Those who are single mothers also disclosed that the few men in the area have shirked their responsibilities due to the keen competition among the women in the area.



The only option left, the women stressed is for President Akufo-Addo to release the male prisoners for them to marry.



The men in the prison are more than the men in our town so please release them for us. we will enjoy with them and have a nice family together and so we beg Nana Addo to pardon the prisoners in our region because our town is dying they bemoaned.

But men in the town are rather blaming the women for not being reasonable with their demands.



The women in our town are not reasonable in their demand, they are not serious, all they know is to spend our monies and walk away that is why they need prisoners to marry, one angry man said.



They however dismissed claims by the women that they are not responsible adding that releasing the prisoners will increase crime rate in the region.

Source: adomonline.com









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.

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English Finnish

VVO GROUP PLC

STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE

3.3.2017 AT 19.10

VVO Group plc has published Board of Directors' Report and Financial Statements for 2016 and Corporate Governance Statement for 2016

VVO Group plc has today published Board of Directors' Report and Financial Statements for 2016 as well as the Corporate Governance Statement for 2016.

The publications are attached to this release and are found at the company website www.vvokonserni.fi

Further information:

VVO Group plc

Jani Nieminen, CEO, tel. +358 20 508 3201

Erik Hjelt, CFO, tel. +358 20 508 3225

VVO Group plc offers rental apartments and housing services in Finnish growth centres. The vision of the housing investment company is to be a pioneer in housing and the customer's number-one choice.
Former Deputy Finance Minister Ato Forson has condemned the abolishment of import duties on spare parts, claiming the move will soon make the country a dumping ground for over-aged vehicles and parts.

According to him, the National Democratic Congress government did not introduce such taxes to only generate revenue but also check the importation of over-aged vehicles into the country. He claimed that about 70 to 80 per cent of the spare parts sold at the major hub of used spare parts in the country, Abbosey Okai in Accra, are over-aged vehicle parts. This initiative by the government therefore would rather exacerbate its importation, he said on Onua FM while commenting on the 2017 budget presented to parliament by the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Attah on Thursday. He described the entire budge as 419 with the sole purpose of deceiving the Ghanaian people.

Source: 3news.com









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.

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The Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu has expressed the difficulty of Parliament, a house of record and law makers, in debating and approving the presidents budget for 2017 without knowing his cabinet ministers.



Referring to the budget and economic policy presented to Parliament yesterday by the finance minister, he said it is part of governments policies so we cannot debate it when we dont know the cabinet of the president.



He quoted Article 76 of the constitution which states, There shall be a Cabinet, consisting of the President, the Vice President and not less than ten and not more than 19 members, and also made reference to Article 72, Cabinet shall assist the President in the determination of general policy of government.



The MP for Tamale South therefore argued that the law says shall and wondered why the president has not brought to the august house his cabinet ministers. He strongly argued on this position when the Speaker of Parliament Aaron Mike Oquaye read a letter sent to him by President Nana Akufo-Addo about names of 10 nominated Regional Deputy Ministers.



The Minority Leader also observed that ordinarily, list of sector deputy ministers should have been presented to the house first before the regional one, nonetheless, if the president chose to present nominees for regional ministerial appointment, so be it, but we demand to know the Cabinet of the President.



But the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu punched holes in his opponents observation. He said there is nowhere in the constitution where a provision compels the president to present his cabinet to Parliament. He conceded that there is a provision that allows the president to choose cabinet ministers, but it is not mandatory or binding on the president to bring them to Parliament.



Though Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu revealed that the names of Nana Akufo-Addos cabinet are public, he could not point to where they were published. However, the Speaker Mike Oquaye intervened by directing the Majority Leader to provide that publication to the Minority Leader and the Minority side for their perusal.

Source: 3news.com









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.

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Everyone knows that plastic bags are Bad, but if youre a human being on Earth, even one with the purest intentions, you will know the unutterable disappointment in yourself that comes with arriving at the self-serve checkout and realising you havent brought your hessian grocery totes with you. Each rustle of the supermarkets grey, disposable sacks is an accusatory hiss; you have betrayed the environment, your principles, and every sad-eyed sea turtle currently choking to death on a plastic scrap.

You monster.

But do you know what would prevent that crushing swoop in self-esteem from ever happening again? Banning plastic bags. Its already happened in Italy, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and many other African nations, China, Bangladesh, a bunch of states in North America, as well as South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Now, Queensland is shaping up to be next to ban the bad bags, with 95% of Queenslanders polled saying that theyd support a total lightweight plastic bag ban.

(By lightweight plastic bags, the government means the disposable supermarket bags that you shove under the sink or in a dusty bag-holder and never use again, not the sturdier retail bags that Aldi make you pay 10c for.)

After posting a discussion paper online, the Queensland government received more than 26,000 submissions in response, with many residents expressing concerns about plastic bags impact on wildlife and the environment.

The government has indicated that it will introduce a bag-banning bill (sorry, Im having fun here) in mid-2017, with the ban rolling out mid-2018. Wildlife Queensland campaigner Toby Hutcheon told the Brisbane Times that the response to the discussion paper was astonishing.

And [it] really reinforces the fact that the state government has got it right in its decision to ban lightweight plastic bags. We have both of the major political parties in the Queensland Parliament supporting this ban. So its very encouraging.

Queenslanders currently use more than 900 million lightweight plastic bags every year, and the bags themselves take more than 1000 years to break down. If we ban em, thats 900 million whispering voices of condemnation silenced, and you can go back to imagining every sea turtle with a mouthful of jellyfish, not garbage. Worth lugging those itchy hessian sacks to Coles every week? You betcha.

Source: Brisbane Times.

Image: American Beauty.
Because Sydney has such a unquenchable bloodlust for venues that actually cultivate and nurture culture and DIY ethics, another small venue has announced that it will be closing up shop in the first half of this year.

Black Wire Records exists in that blurred line between Annandale, Petersham, Stanmore and Leichhardt, and is the latest space to fall under the sprawling gentrification of the Inner West.

Through the poster for an upcoming show, the venue has announced that it will be marking the death of Black Wire.

Its true ???? poster by @lizzienagydraws ?? A post shared by Black Wire Records (@blackwirerecords) on Mar 2, 2017 at 2:29am PST

What does this mean for the live scene in what can be considered the prime hub for alternative music in Sydney? Well its a fucking kick in the teeth, to be perfectly honest. Its ripping away a space that is not only an institution in the underground DIY community, but a welcoming and safe space for folks who want to explore their creative expressions in a venue that is free from prejudice and judgement.

Its a space where one can sit in the back courtyard with a beer and watch folk music and heartfelt poetry, and then come back the next night to an absolute sweatbox of a room filled with writhing humans as a band thrashes about between the iconic bear claws in the corner of the room.

A post shared by James Spence (@jamestomassi) on Sep 20, 2016 at 6:15am PDT

Bands and artists have found their feet and been laid to rest in Black Wire Records, and to have to say goodbye for now is something that Im sure a whole lot of us are not ready to do.

This announcement from the artist/volunteer-run, not-for-profit record store and venue comes as Newtown Social Club prepares to also run its last few shows in the coming months before also shutting its doors.

We will update this story as more information about the future of Black Wire comes to hand because tbh I dont want it to end ever.

Photo: Instagram / @ellottski_r.
Doanld Trumps top law official  Attorney General Jeff Sessions  has had a pretty shithouse 24 hours.

It was revealed yesterday that during Trumps presidential campaign, Sessions spoke twice with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak. Thats one thing, and obviously fires people up at a time when questions fly about the connections between Trumps administration and the Russian government.

But the big issue is that he said otherwise in his testimony to Congress while being confirmed as attorney general. There are a lot of slippery words and interpretations and semantics being thrown around but the fact is simple  if he lied, that means he lied under oath, and thats the sort of thing that ends your political career pretty fuckin quickly.

Sessions held a press conference today in the midst of a storm of demands from both Democrats and some Republicans that he resign from his role.

I have recused myself in the matters that deal with the @POTUS campaign. Watch AG Jeff Sessions news conference. https://t.co/8G6SFWASRG pic.twitter.com/BEnYQ2WD7m  Fox News (@FoxNews) March 2, 2017

Long and short of his conference? Nope, hes not resigning. He denies lying to Congress, and in a somewhat rambling defence assured the assembled press that the conversations with the Russian ambassador were rote and innocuous, and that he did not lie to Congress about their nature. They occurred in the context of many conversations with many different international representatives.

However, he did announce he will recuse himself from investigations of the connection between the Trump campaign and Russia  something he probably should have stepped away from before, given that he was a pretty large part of the campaign, especially at the beginning.

I have recused myself in the matters that deal with the @POTUS campaign. Watch AG Jeff Sessions news conference. https://t.co/8G6SFWASRG pic.twitter.com/BEnYQ2WD7m  Fox News (@FoxNews) March 2, 2017

Democrats are still demanding he resign. Well keep you posted.

Source: The Guardian.

Photo: Getty Images.
Hey, you know that genuinely gross leak of a Centrelink claimants private information to a journalist? The leak that was okayed by the office of Human Services Minister Alan Tudge, in order to correct the record / win a PR battle with the blogger Andie Fox?

Welp, in an unguarded moment on The Project, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce just flat-out admitted that certain welfare recipients shouldnt rely on Centrelink to keep their sensitive details under wraps.

After discussing a new push for laws which would grant the Federal Government the ability to publicly share veterans information to counter their negative claims, The Projects hosts pushed Joyce on the Centrelink issue.

Joyce, obviously unprepared for that line of inquiry, fumbled out an assertion that legal frameworks would prevent personal information from being illegally shared. (FWIW, Tudges office has indicated itll use a previously untested legal justification for its actions, should that issue make it to court.)

Then, to the obvious surprise of host Waleed Aly, Joyce said if you want to keep your information absolutely private, dont go and get the dole whilst youve also got a job.



Read: Joyce just admitted that welfare recipients shouldnt take the privacy of their information for granted, especially if they make public assertions about their circumstances which the Department of Human Services disagrees with.

A tense exchange followed as Joyce insisted he wasnt briefed on the contents of tonights chat. The hosts maintained it was, and even name-dropped his media contact, only for a visibly agitated Joyce to turn away from the camera.

Catch the entire exchange below:

Source and photo: The Project / Twitter.
Is there anything as alluring as the promise of a free meal? Its what motivates us to help our acquaintances move house, fill out boring consumer information surveys that will probably sell our details on the Russian black market, line up for hours at burrito shops and consume literal gallons of pho.

But at what point does the prospect a free meal become so enticing that it compels you to pluck a hair from your very own head, place it in the food, and then cry health and safety?

Apparently at the point where you also think youre dining with the Duchess of Netherlands, which is what this particular guest told Brisbanes Casa Nostro Ristorante when she made her booking.

When the two women arrived at the Fortitude Valley establishment, they immediately made things difficult for staff, attempting the kind of intricate (and price-dodging) menu reshuffle that tends to tip a chefs standard simmering fury over into full-blown, cleaver-throwing rage. Or, as Sarah Biuso, one of the co-owners of the venue, put it to the Courier Mail:

They seemed a little pushy.

(Gentle Mrs Biuso).

Apparently unsatisfied when the restaurant wouldnt combine an entree and a main for the price of one meal, the patron in question ate three-quarters of her meal, pulled a strand of hair from her own head, put it on the plate, added salt and oil, and then complained about it.

How do we know all of this?

Because Casa Nostro has CCTV and Instagram and the presence of mind to gift us with this, the most perfectly narrated Busted video in the history of the world:

The lesson? If you want a free meal, just offer to wash some dishes, or call in a favour from that mate you lent $20 to, or invite your mum out (you know shell pay even if you pretend-protest). Dont just pull a strand out of your scrunchie and drop it on your penne, you animal.

Source: Courier Mail.

Image: Instagram / @casanostroristorante.
Truly, this is wonderful.

You know how the Bag Raiders iconic 2009 banger Shooting Stars somehow ended up being 2016s surprising meme? Its just hit the US Billboard charts. This is a thing thats really happening.

The little plucky choon that could is right this very second sitting at #11 on Billboards Hot Dance / Electronic Songs, squished between Scared To Be Lonely by Martin Garrix & Dua Lipa (#10) and Just Hold On by Steve Aoki & Louis Tomlinson (#12).

Just look at these numbers. Last week? Nada. This week? NUMBER ELEVEN, BABY.

Its also appearing on the Digital Song Sales (#7) and Streaming Songs (#13), so its nice to know a little bit of that meme action is turning into $$$ for the Sydney duo.

One half of Bag Raiders, Chris Stacey, spoke to PEDESTRIAN.TV when the memes first started going bonza a couple weeks ago (which they are as lovingly befuddled about as you are).

We had seen a couple of videos I guess, but not a lot at first, he said. There were a couple of times people had made videos that we saw but its only really lately people started tagging us in things and we discovered it all. Past two weeks is when its been really massive. At first we were like, ok this is funny I guess, but I didnt really get it so I thought alright whatever. Once I started seeing a common theme though, such as the big guy jumping off the bridge into the river, that was the first one of the more recent stuff that really got me. So good! That and the Lady Gaga one is so funny.

Happy Friday, yall.

Photo: Facebook / Bag Raiders.
NEW YORK, March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Caterpillar, Inc. (Caterpillar or the Company) (NYSE:CAT) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, and docketed under 17-cv-01713, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Caterpillar securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.



If you are a shareholder who purchased Caterpillar securities between February 19, 2013 and March 1, 2017, both dates inclusive, you have until May 2, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Caterpillar designs, manufactures, and markets construction, mining, and forestry machinery. The Company also manufactures engines and other related parts for its equipment, and offers financing and insurance. Caterpillar distributes its products through a worldwide organization of dealers.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Companys business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Caterpillar unlawfully used foreign subsidiaries to avoid paying billions of dollars in U.S. taxes; (ii) discovery of the foregoing conduct would subject the Company to heightened regulatory scrutiny and potential criminal sanctions; and (iii) as a result of the foregoing, Caterpillars public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On March 2, 2017, law enforcement officials executing search warrants raided the Companys facilities in Peoria, Illinois. Later that day, the Company issued a statement discussing the federal law enforcement raids to its facilities, stating: We believe the execution of this search warrant is regarding, among other things, export filings that relate to the CSARL matter, referring to its Swiss subsidiary Caterpillar SARL. Bloomberg News subsequently reported that the warrants sought evidence related to potential crimes, including failure to file or submitting false electronic export information and false and misleading financial reports and statements.

On this news, Caterpillars share price fell $4.22, or 4.28%, to close at $94.36 per share on March 2, 2017.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com
Update: The merger was finalized on July 1, 2017.

A proposed merger between Cornerstone Federal Credit Union and Belco Community Credit Union is one step further to becoming finalized.

The merger received initial approval in October from the board of directors of both credit unions. Regulatory approvals for the merger were received in February from the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and the National Credit Union Administration. On Friday, Belco announced in a statement that the members of Cornerstone voted in favor of the merger.

Amey Sgrignoli, president and CEO of Belco, told PennLive in November that members of both credit unions won't really notice any changes, just improvements, and that no branch locations will close as a result of the merger. The approximately 200 employees of both credit unions will be retained.

Belco currently has 11 branches. The merger would expand Belco's reach further into Cumberland County. While Belco has two branches in Cumberland County, both of which are located in Hampden Township, the merger with Cornerstone will add branches in Carlisle, South Middleton Township and Newville. In addition, Cornerstone maintains a student-run branch at Big Spring High School in Newville.

The Belco Community Credit Union name will remain the same. Leaders from both credit unions are working on the details of how to preserve the Cornerstone brand and its long-standing legacy, the statement said.

Belco Community Credit Union was founded in 1939 and is based in Swatara Township, when 25 employees of Bell Telephone Company each contributed $5 to start the Belco Federal Credit Union. Belco currently serves around 54,000 members and has branch offices in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties.

Cornerstone Federal Credit Union is based in South Middleton Township and was founded in 1974 by the employees of the United Telephone Company-Eastern Group. The credit union currently has 36 employees and serves nearly 11,000 members.

The proposed merger is not without opposition.

Dave Keffer, who was the CEO of Cornerstone for 33 years until his retirement two years ago, opposes the merger. Keffer recently told the Central Penn Business Journal that among other concerns he believed that Belco would have higher branch costs, would not offer better credit card rates and would take away local control.

Belco expects the merger to be finalized in September, the credit union said in the statement.

PENNLIVE BUSINESS IN 2017
Scenes from Lancaster on St. Patrick's Day on March 17, 2015.

File photo. Mark Palczewski, Special to PennLive.

(Mark Palczewski)

All aboard the Erin Express!

The Philadelphia bar crawl is back this year with two days of drinking: March 4 and March 11.

The Erin Express is a 30-year-strong St. Patrick's Day tradition in Philly. Essentially a fleet of buses drive people around the city to 15 different bars for free. Buses start at 11 a.m. and stop at 6 p.m. -- so this is a strictly day drinking affair.

You join the express simply by hopping on one of the buses -- which will be stopping at each of the bars every 15 minutes or so. Literally, that's all you have to do. Go to a bar, have a drink, hop on a bus, get off at a different bar, have a drink and repeat the process.

The bars get in on the fun too, with many having outdoor festival party spaces and offering special deals.

This year the bars with stops are in South Philadelphia, Center City, Fairmount and University City. Here's a full list:

Blarney Stone (3929 Sansom St.)

Bonner's Irish Pub and "The Warehouse" at the 23rd St. Armory (120 S. 23rd St.)

Cavanaugh's Headhouse Square (421 South 2nd St.)

Cavanaugh's Restaurant and Sports Bar (119 S. 39th St.0

Copabanana (4000 Spruce St.)

Green Room (1940 Green St.)

Liberty Bar (2204 Market St.)

Mace's Crossing (1714 Cherry St.)

New Deck Tavern (3408 Sansom St.)

Paddy Whacks South St. (150 South St.)

Slainte Pub & Grill (3000 Market St.)

Smokey Joe's (210 S. 40th St.)

Wahoos Tacos and More (32nd and Chestnut streets)

Westy's Tavern & Restaurant (1440 Callowhill St.)

Cavanaugh's Rittenhouse is also participating, but it isn't a bus stop.

For more information on the Erin Express, check out erinexpress-philly.com.

DETAILS: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. March 4 and March 11 at various locations in Philadelphia. Cost: Free. erinexpress-philly.com

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An edgier, not-your-grandmother's Weis Markets will soon enter the competitive West Shore market.

Starting 8 a.m. March 9, Weis shoppers will find a totally new shopping experience from the Sunbury based-chain when it opens a prototype store at 4525 Valley Road in Hampden Township.

The 65,000 square-foot store sits near a Giant Food Store off exit 61 of Interstate 81.

Inside the store, shoppers will huddle around a pub for a draft of Sly Fox Brewing Company, Troegs Independent Brewery or St. Boniface Craft Brewing Co. beer from the tap or sit in an ice cream parlor for a chocolate milkshake or a hot fudge sundae.

The store will have an expanded takeout food section with cheesesteaks, panini sandwiches, Asian wok section, pizza and hand-rolled sushi. There will be a Choboni Yogurt Bar, mix-and-match pick K-cup 12-packs, Pennsylvania foods section and more than 1,900 organic and gluten-free products.

In addition, the store will carry 900 types of beer with the popular mix-a-six program priced at $11.99 as well as 500 varieties of wine. It will have a drive-thru pharmacy and gas pumps.

By no means, is this your average Weis store.

"We are sort of a middle-of-the-road supermarket," said Jonathan Weis, the chain's chief executive officer. "We always have one eye on pricing and we compete with massive, massive competitors such as Royal Ahold, Wal-Mart and Wegmans and others who do a tremendous volume. So that tempers our thinking. But, on the other hand, we have to be on trend. We want to be interesting, not boring or dull. We just have a philosophy that we're not going to be afraid to fail."

The store has been a long time in the making for Weis which proposed the location more than six years ago. More than 200 full- and part-time employees have been hired.

The site was chosen for its proximity to a solid, more affluent population base with a lot of discerning customers, Weis said. While it's location is close to competitors, Giant and Wegmans, he said, there is "enough left in the pie we can do a fine business and frankly co-exist."

It is Weis' hope to perhaps incorporate some of the successful elements from the prototype store into the chain's other locations.

"We want this to be our latest and greatest and we have some new ideas here," said Kurt Schertle, the chain's chief operating officer. "What works we will move to the other stores. What doesn't have applications, we won't."

The store will have one of the largest gluten-free and organic sections in the company. It also will offer the largest selection of hummus and probiotics in the company as well as an expanded Asian and hot foods selections.

The ice cream parlor grew out of Weis Market's own line of ice cream produced at a plant in Sunbury. It sells more than 60 flavors of the ice cream in its stores.

"Do we think we know what is going to work? Yes. Is it all going to work? We know it won't and we'll pivot from there," Schertle added.

He emphasized Weis continues its focus on the region with remodeling projects recently completed in Hummelstown and Mechanicsburg as well as the new footprint with the Hampden Township store.

"I think this solidifies our presence in Harrisburg as we continue to grow," he added.

Here are some of the new store's features:
Steelton, A Novel

(Nancy Eshelman | Special to Pennlive)

Keith Hall hasn't lived in Steelton since 1960, but the town has never left him.

From his home in North Carolina, he has written a book, appropriately named "Steelton A Novel," that brings his West Side heritage alive on its pages.

Nancy Eshelman

Although the book is fiction, the setting is familiar to anyone with even a passing knowledge of the steel town. The bars, the clubs, the funeral home, the mill of the 1950s, all come alive as the backdrop for Hall's story.

Its main character is Harry Burger, a steelworker returned from military service who decides he wants to be more than his father and grandfather. We follow the characters as they celebrate Harry's return at the Alva restaurant near the Harrisburg train station, bury the dead at the Baldwin or William Howard Day cemeteries and visit the Bethlehem Steel Management Club.

What stands between Harry and his dreams is just how ordinary his life is.

"But nothing about Harry stood out," Hall writes. "Everything about him was mediocre. Average student in school. An average worker who punched a clock for almost two years in the bar mill, a nameless shift worker like a hundred other guys. Then his undistinguished time in the service ... three years in the Army with no recognition of any kind. Everything about him was average."

Hall's book isn't. It tells a good story, well written, with a cast of characters that includes a not-quite-honest police chief, a funeral director with a powerful reach and Scrappy Stone, a West Sider with a bright future due to his understanding of data processing, a new system being introduced in the mill.

Hall began writing in June 2016, with the intention of producing a short story. But the saga of Harry and the others grew into a book.

"The story at its core is about the place, the characters and their decisions," Hall said in an interview. "In life, if we do all of the right things, will we be rewarded? Will bad decisions be punished? Or are there other forces at work? To what extent can we control or influence our own lives?"

Hall's life took him from Steelton at 12, to Rutherford, where he spent his teen years. But he spent much of that teen time with friends and family in Steelton, and he worked in the mill during his summer breaks from college.

Hall's professional background is in human resources, and he now runs a consulting business in Research Park, N.C. Still, he speaks proudly of his West Side roots.

"Most of the men in my family were steelworkers, but the women were the true centers of strength," he said.

His grandmother Mary Yovanovich Maljevac, was the oldest living West Sider when she died in 2005 at 95, he said. His mother, Dr. Lorraine Yovanovich Basonic, worked as a cashier at Dundoff's grocery in the 1950s and '60s. Later she attended college, earned a doctorate and eventually retired as an associate dean from Harrisburg Area Community College.

Given his family background, perhaps it's not surprising that Hall is working on a sequel to "Steelton." His only hint: "Look out for the women."

Hall has set several book-signing events in North Carolina and hopes to arrange one locally. HIs book has a website, www.steeltonnovel.com and can be purchased on Amazon.

NANCY ESHELMAN: columnist1@verizon.net
FOXCONN

Old cars are parked across the street from the Foxconn office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on February 3, 2017. Foxconn said it would build a $30 million factory here in 2013, but t never happened.

(Mark Makela for The Washington Post)

HARRISBURG, Pa. - For some residents of this small city, there was something familiar about Foxconn's recently announced plan to hire up to 50,000 U.S. workers, one of the many hiring pledges from companies rounded up by President Donald Trump in the first weeks of his administration.

The only difference was the scale.

In 2013, Foxconn's chairman sent a jolt through this state capital when he said his company - best known for making Apple iPhones in China - would invest $30 million and hire 500 workers for a new high-tech factory in central Pennsylvania.

Locals were giddy. Foxconn had a small office here, but this seemed like the start of an entire new industry. Pennsylvania's governor boasted about the deal. The Brookings Institution think tank hailed Foxconn's decision as a sign of U.S. manufacturing's strength.

But the factory was never built. The jobs never came. "It just seemed to fade to black" after the announcement, recalled a local official. It was the start of a mystery, created by a chief executive known to promise projects all over the world that never quite pan out. Yet few people seem to notice. Foxconn and others continue to get credit for deals that never take place. In December, Pennsylvania's economic development staff was still touting the $30 million factory that never was.

What happened in Harrisburg provides a skeptical lens for viewing the waves of corporate investment promises being used by Trump as evidence that he is following through on his campaign pledge to reinvigorate U.S. manufacturing. "I'm delivering on everything we promised," Trump said Thursday during a meeting with manufacturing executives at the White House, noting how firms have announced new hiring and factories. "People are saying they've never seen so much happen in 30 days of a presidency."

Foxconn, for example, announced shortly after Trump's election that it plans to invest $7 billion and hire up to 50,000 workers in the United States. Such a hiring spree would catapult Foxconn from a couple thousand U.S. workers to a major employer on par with Chrysler.

Other companies, too, including SoftBank, Alibaba, Intel and IBM, have made an unusual display of loudly announcing their intentions to invest in the United States - all with price tags in the billions of dollars and the promise of tens of thousands of jobs - much to Trump's delight.

"Foxconn is going to spend a tremendous amount of money on building a massive plant," Trump said the day after the investment was revealed, "and probably more than one."

But, as Harrisburg learned, the gulf between these eye-popping announcements and what takes place on the ground can be huge - and frequently overlooked.

"They are scrambling to look good," Mark Selden, senior research associate at Cornell University's East Asian program, said. "It's a sign of the pressure that Trump is placing on everyone in the world to deliver on his agenda."

Companies tend to view these announcements as an opening bid in a negotiation, said Alberto Moel, a senior analyst with Bernstein Research in Hong Kong. Firms know politicians like the splashy headlines. And if everything falls into place - the business climate improves, they extract enough concessions such as tax breaks and free land - they might be able to make it happen.

"It actually puts the onus on the U.S. in a way," Moel said. "They are saying: 'I'm along for the ride. Here's my proposal.' "

If the deal falls apart, as it often does, no one is going to talk about it.

"The government themselves aren't going to remind you of that, Trump has no intention of helping you remember that," Moel said. "What's the downside?"

Trump is far from alone in using corporate announcements as political backdrops. It's why ribbon-cuttings and ceremonial shovels exist.

In 2012, former President Barack Obama visited a new $5 billion Intel computer chip plant in Chandler, Arizona, citing it as "an example of an America that is within our reach." But the facility, known as Fab 42, was never completed. Last week, Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich stood in the Oval Office with Trump to announce a $7 billion investment - essentially, Fab 42 was back on track, with a new price tag and a new president. Trump tweeted his praise.

Even before he was sworn in, it was clear Trump placed greater importance on these job announcements than past administrations.

Among the first signs came in December when Tokyo-based SoftBank's chief executive, Masayoshi Son, stood with the president-elect to announce a plan to invest $50 billion and create 50,000 new U.S. jobs.

Two days after Trump's inauguration, Foxconn chief executive Terry Gou told reporters in Taiwan that his company planned to spend $7 billion on a U.S. factory to make computer displays. It wasn't iPhones - which Trump has said he wants to be "Made in the USA" - but Gou said the factory could create 30,000 to 50,000 U.S. jobs. Details were few, but one clue seized on was the presence of a Pennsylvania state trade representative at Gou's talk.

Foxconn said in a statement that it is "exploring a potential investment that would represent an expansion of our current U.S. operations." But the company could not confirm "the number of jobs that might be created."

Foxconn is a coveted hardware manufacturer because of its size. Last year, it reported $136 billion in revenue. It has more than 1 million employees, mostly in China. A single factory making iPhones or LCD screens can employ tens of thousands of workers. When Foxconn says it will invest in a new plant, the decision can transform a region. That's why countries all over the world are eager to lure Foxconn to their shores.

Gou, Foxconn's founder, for years has described the United States as a "must-go market."

In 2014, as the Pennsylvania deal was quietly dying, Gou teased the opening of a LCD display factory in the states. His company talked with officials in Colorado and Arizona. Nothing happened.

That same year, the company signed a letter of intent to invest up to $1 billion in Indonesia. That investment still has not occurred.

Foxconn said it would invest $5 billion over five years in India as part of an ambitious expansion in 2014. The deal would create up to 50,000 jobs, Gou said. But Foxconn's investment in India has amounted to only a small fraction of what it originally promised.

Similar results were seen in Vietnam, where Foxconn committed to a $5 billion investment in 2007, and in Brazil, where Foxconn spoke of a $10 billion plan in 2011. The company made its first major foray in Vietnam only last year. In Brazil, Foxconn has an iPhone factory, but its investment has fallen far short of expectations.

"There's a pattern here," said Moel, the analyst.

Gou's plans for Harrisburg were revealed in 2013 while he was in the United States on a tour with other Taiwanese business officials to, in part, drum up support for Taiwan's bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, known as TPP. (Coincidentally, Trump pulled the United States out of the trade treaty in his first days in office.)

It was a surprise when Gou said Foxconn planned to invest $30 million over two years in a factory to make technology equipment and servers. Gou noted his company's history in Harrisburg. He said the goal was to create "high-precision, high-tech, high value-added manufacturing in the U.S."

Gou also said Foxconn would donate $10 million to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for robotics research.

"IPhone maker Foxconn to invest $40 million in the US," wrote the China Post. "Foxconn to build plant in Pennsylvania," CNN said. Local media quoted state officials as saying Gou would sign a memorandum of understanding and the company was busy scouting sites.

David Black, the President & CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber is shown in his office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on February 3, 2017.

"There was this intense buzz," recalled David Black, president of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber.

"Lots of us were excited by the opportunity," said Bub Manning, who at the time co-owned a local construction firm. "Anytime something of that size comes along in central Pennsylvania, that's a big deal."

For years, Foxconn has maintained an office with about 50 workers in Harrisburg, a hub of the computer connector industry. The office is in an old brick warehouse. On a recent visit, the building was filled by a half-empty warren of cubicles. A worker declined to comment to a reporter with The Washington Post. According to local government officials, Foxconn has not done any permitted alterations to the building in 15 years.

Manning recalled how his firm tried to chase down information about the planned $30 million factory.

"It felt like I was grabbing Jell-O. It never got any traction," Manning said.

The $30 million factory faded from view.

Foxconn said its $10 million donation to Carnegie Mellon was "moving forward very successfully," with half of the funds having been spent four years later. The school declined to comment.

None of this has stopped the praise for Foxconn's investment in Pennsylvania. Recent stories have referred to the phantom factory as a sign of Foxconn's U.S. beachhead. A state economic development official wrote about Foxconn's $30 million factory as evidence of foreign companies that operate in the Keystone State. (The piece was fixed after The Washington Post inquired about it.)

State officials toured potential sites with Foxconn representatives, the state Department of Community and Economic Development said in a statement. "Unfortunately, a project did not come to fruition." Foxconn attributed the failure to "material changes to the business and operating climate at that time."

"The proof is always in the pudding," said Scott Andes, a senior policy analyst at Brookings.

The assumption is that companies follow through on major announcements. "But it is important to be skeptical," Andes said. "I would hope it's not just smoke and mirrors with Foxconn or any other of these companies."

Feeling burned by the fate of the $30 million factory, some in Harrisburg are cautious about getting their hopes up again.

"We learned something from that," said Black of the Harrisburg chamber.

But, Manning said, it would be hard to not be seduced by the size of Foxconn's ambition, real or not.

"If you smelled a project like that," he said, "you'd get excited even though you know better."

Todd C. Frankel is a reporter covering people and policy.
Two Lebanon County men have been charged with the sexual assault of the same girl throughout roughly eight years beginning when she was the age of 6.

Joseph Leroy Wenzler, 52, of Lebanon, sexually assaulted the girl several times when she was between the ages of 6-12, state police said Thursday.

Eric Todd Snyder, 53, of Myerstown, sexually assaulted the girl several times when she was between the ages of 9-14, according to police.

The sexual assaults occurred in Lebanon and Myerstorwn, police said.

Henzler was arrested and charged with several counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of minors, indecent assault and intimidation, retaliation or obstruction in child abuse cases.

Snyder was arrested and charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of minors, indecent assault and selling or furnishing liquor or malt or brewed beverage to minors.

Snyder was taken to Lebanon County central booking for arraignment.

Wenzler was arraigned and sent to Lebanon County Correctional Facility on $50,000 bail.
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The ArcelorMittal steel plant in Steelton plans to lay off about 85 employees in addition to more than two dozen that have already been on extended layoff.

(File)

The ArcelorMittal steel plant in Steelton plans to lay off about 85 employees in addition to more than two dozen that have already been on extended layoff.

An ArcelorMittal spokeswoman told ABC27 that about 85 employees will be laid off for an indefinite period of time when the steel plant reduces its melt shop's crews from two shifts a day to a single shift. Those layoffs come after 27 employees with less than two years of service have been on extended layoff since September.

Ray Napoli, president of United Steelworkers Local 1688, told ABC27 that the layoffs could begin as early as next week.

Calls to ArcelorMittal and Napoli were not returned by the time of publication.

Steelton Mayor Thomas Acri said he was saddened to hear about the layoffs. ArcelorMittal has been an important part of the community, not only for providing employment for those in the area but also for providing tax money for the borough.

The ArcelorMittal steel plant is the largest consumer of borough water and sewer utilities, the largest contributor to the borough's tax base and has employs hundreds of residents.

"Wow," Acri said when he learned about the layoffs. "It's sad. Will it affect the area? Sure it will. It'll affect the borough for taxes. It will affect the economy in the borough."

Acri said the only thing he could hope for was that the layoffs would be temporary. Maybe the company will rehire them when business picks up, he said.

"I hope to hell it's not a long layoff," he said.

ArcelorMittal has been trying to sell the Steelton plant for more than a year.

In December, ArcelorMittal Americas announced a organizational shakeup.

It was announced that ArcelorMittal Americas CEO Lou Schorsch would retire in February and ArcelorMittal USA CEO Andy Harshaw would retire in March. The company's organizational chart has changed with people being moved around to different areas in the company.

The new executives have been tasked with improving the company's earnings by $1 billion in 2016. ArcelorMittal had revenue of $79.3 billion in 2014.

The Steelton plant has gotten several new owners over the years.

The International Steel Group purchased the plant in 2003 from Bethlehem Steel. In 2005, Mittal Steel purchased ISG and took over control of the plant. The company became ArcelorMittal in 2007.
Richard Moyer.png

Richard E. Moyer Jr.

A midstate sex offender who didn't believe it was illegal to watch child pornography if he didn't download it has received a legally-mandated break from a state appeals court panel.

It wasn't that the Superior Court judges sympathized with Richard E. Moyer Jr.

But they had to concede that a Lancaster County judge exceeded the law a bit when the 56-year-old East Cocalico Township man was sentenced.

Moyer's arrest occurred in 2014 after the state Attorney General's Office detected he was accessing child porn on his computer, Judge Anne E. Lazarus wrote in the state court opinion. Agents then raided Moyer's room in the basement of his parents' home.

At first, Moyer denied there was child porn on his computer, investigators said. Then, they said, he claimed he occasionally came across it while downloading files, but always deleted it immediately.

On the drive to the police station, Moyer told an agent that "he was targeting the 13-, 14-, 15-year-old age group and that it was not illegal to download child pornography as long as he deleted it," Lazarus wrote.

Investigators claimed they found 17 child porn images and three videos on Moyer's computer. At trial, Moyer said the porn was already on a used hard drive he bought for his computer, which he purchased at a yard sale.

A county jury convicted him of multiple counts of possessing child porn, along with charges of distribution of child porn and criminal use of a communication facility in 2015. County Judge Dennis E. Reinaker sentenced Moyer to a total of 5 to 15 years in state prison and ordered him to register with state police for life as a sex offender.

Lazarus' court upheld Moyer's convictions, but concluded it had to modify his sentence and the registration requirement. She noted that Reinaker over-sentenced Moyer on seven child porn counts, giving him 2 1/2- to 8-year prison terms on charges where the maximum jail time is capped at 7 years. The paring her court had to do to those sentences doesn't alter Moyer's overall sentence, however.

Lazarus also found that Reinaker couldn't legally impose the lifetime registration requirement. The state court changed that to 25 years.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ceylon Graphite Corp. (Ceylon) (TSX-V:CYL) (OTC:NWNYF) (Frankfurt:CCY) announces that Ceylon Graphite Corp will be attending PDAC Convention 2017 and will be in the Investors Exchange, Booth # 3348, being held from March 5 to March 8, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario.

About PDAC

The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) is the leading voice of the mineral exploration and development community. With over 8,000 members around the world, the PDACs mission is to promote a globally responsible, vibrant and sustainable minerals industry. As the trusted representative of the sector, PDAC encourages best practices in technical, operational, environmental, safety and social performance.

The annual PDAC Convention is regarded as the premier international event for the mineral industry. It has attracted more than 25,000 people from 125 countries in recent years and will next be held March 5-8, 2017 in Toronto.

About Ceylon Graphite Corp.

Ceylon Graphite Corp. is a public company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V:CYL). It is in the business of exploring for and developing graphite mines in Sri Lanka. The Government of Sri Lanka has allocated the company exploration rights in a land package constituting over 100km of exploration grids covering all relevant areas that had historical graphite production dating back from the 1900s to 1930s representing a majority of the known vein graphite occurrences in Sri Lanka. Vein graphite is unique in nature and has a comparatively higher margin due to its purity.

"Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking information as such term is defined in applicable securities laws, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. The forward-looking information includes statements about the Companys expected attendance at PDAC 2017 Convention. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com).
airport-security---ohare-c26c076d94b3b54b.jpg

Pennsylvanians who fly once a year could spend a combined $1 billion to acquire passports by the end of 2018 as the state-issued ID will no longer be accepted for domestic air travel.

(File )

Pennsylvanians who fly once a year could spend a combined $1 billion to acquire passports by the end of 2018 as the state-issued ID will no longer be accepted for domestic air travel.

Keeping Identities Safe, a not-for-profit prevention group, performed an analysis that found Pennsylvanians' pocketbooks will be hit if the state doesn't come into compliance with a federal law. Travelers from a handful of states -- including Pennsylvania -- will no longer be able to fly domestically with just their driver's license beginning in 2018.

The reason is because these states have decided not to adopt the federal government's minimum identification card security standards -- known as the Real ID Act.

Pennsylvanians will have to use alternate ID forms to pass TSA security checkpoints. The acceptable forms of ID include a passport, military ID or permanent resident card.

"These are very concerning numbers," said Debra Bowman, executive director at the Aviation Council of Pennsylvania. "If Pennsylvania does not act quickly, businesses, families and residents in every corner of the state are going to be severely impacted."

U.S. passports costs $110 for the books and $30 for the passport cards for first-time recipients.

Keeping IDentities Safe estimates that 5.8 million unique Pennsylvania residents will use air travel once during 2018. Since the TSA will no longer accept Pennsylvania driver's licenses, those once per year travelers to spend between $406 and $966 million to acquire passports by the end of 2018.

Rhett Workman, with American Airlines, said forcing people to acquire another form of identification prior to traveling adds unnecessary and avoidable burden to their experience.

"The result will mean either missing important and often personal life events, or seeking alternative, less efficient forms of transportation," Workman said. "In either scenario, Pennsylvanians of all types are being harmed."

Aside from air travel, it may be more difficult for residents to get into military bases, nuclear power plants and federal buildings using just their driver's licenses.

But there is hope on the horizon. Gov. Tom Wolf announced in January that Pennsylvania was granted an extension until June 5, 2017 to fix state law to allow for federal REAL ID compliance.

The extension will allow the Wolf administration to work with the Pa. General Assembly to resolve Pennsylvania's non-compliance during the current legislative session.

Pennsylvania is prohibited from developing new identification by the state's 2012 Act 38, which restricts the commonwealth from participation in the Real ID Act. The Pennsylvania General Assembly's issues with the Real ID included concerns about security and costs of implementing new processes.

The Real ID Act, passed in 2012, is intended to improve accuracy of state-issued identification documents to help inhibit terrorists' ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification.

Read the full report by Keeping Identities Safe here.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AMMO, Inc. (OTC:RTROD) (OTC:POWW), a premier American ammunitions designer and manufacturer, announced that, effective today, its stock ticker symbol has changed from RTROD to POWW.



The new ticker symbol reflects the change in the Companys business plan, which now focuses on the ammunition industry, following its successful merger with its predecessor Retrospettiva. No action is required by shareholders as shares held in street name with broker dealers will be automatically adjusted, and stock certificate holders will have their shares automatically adjusted at the transfer agent or broker dealer when such certificates are deposited for sale or safekeeping.

AMMO is led by its Chief Executive Officer Fred Wagenhals, who first founded Action Performance Companies Inc. in 1992 and built it into a NYSE-listed one-stop source for motorsports-related consumer merchandise with over $400 million dollars in annual sales. In 2005, Mr. Wagenhals led the sale of the company for $245 million dollars.

Later this month, the Company will provide the investment community with additional details regarding its new corporate strategy as well as important milestones for 2017 and beyond.

About AMMO, Inc.

AMMO, Inc. (OTC:POWW), headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, designs and manufactures products for law enforcement, military, hunting, sport shooting and self-defense (www.ammo-inc.com). AMMO, Inc. was founded in 2016 with a vision to change, innovate and invigorate the complacent munitions industry. AMMO promotes branded munitions, including the Jesse James line of munitions and accessories, and the OPS (One Perfect Shot) line of munitions.

Forward Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ from those projected due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the possibility that some or all of the matters and transactions considered by the Company may not proceed as contemplated, and by all other matters specified in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are made based upon current expectations that are subject to risk and uncertainty. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements in this news release to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such forward-looking information. Assumptions and other information that could cause results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking information can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov), including its recent periodic reports.
The Trump administration has been looking north lately for some guidance on policy-making. The latest example appears to be Canada's reform a generation ago of its air-traffic control system, which is now catching attention in Washington. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump take part in a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., in a February 13, 2017, file photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
The White House has delivered welcome news to proponents of the long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline project, suggesting it's likely to be exempted from a requirement involving the use of American steel that might have complicated its approval. President Donald Trump shows his signature on an executive order on the Keystone XL pipeline, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Evan Vucci
This Wednesday, March 1, 2017 photo shows a rare clouded leopard cub at the Nashville Zoo in Nashville, Tenn. Zoo officials say the cub was the first clouded leopard to be conceived through artificial insemination with cryopreserved sperm. (AP Photo/Sheila Burke)
SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rocket engines made by Aerojet Rocketdyne, Inc., a subsidiary of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AJRD), are now providing in-flight maneuvers for the Intelsat 33e communications satellite, which launched aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana on Aug. 24. Boeing Satellite Systems International, which built the satellite, has announced that the spacecraft is now operational. Intelsat 33e represents the inaugural mission of Aerojet Rocketdynes 100-volt fuel-efficient electric propulsion subsystem. This improved fuel efficiency reduces propellant mass by several hundred pounds, helping to enable the high throughput capability of this new Intelsat Epic Next Generation (EpicNG) satellite.



Congratulations to all on another successful Intelsat mission, and the first mission for the 100-volt electric propulsion thrusters, said Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake. We are honored to continue our valued relationship with Boeing and to help enable the high throughput capability of the new Intelsat EpicNG satellites.



In addition to the electric propulsion subsystem, Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion on the Intelsat 33e mission includes 16 monopropellant rocket engines: 12 four-Newton MR-111C hydrazine and four 22-Newton MR-106L hydrazine engines, all of which provide attitude control and adjustment, east-west stationkeeping, spin control, decommissioning and settling burns. The MR-111 and MR-106 engines have extensive flight history, each with more than 2,000 flight thrusters delivered with 100 percent mission success.



The electric propulsion subsystem provided by Aerojet Rocketdyne includes a 4.4kW power processing unit, relay box, electrical harnessing and six 2.2kW MR-510 electric arcjet thrusters. Aerojet Rocketdyne has flown more than 170 MR-510 arcjet thrusters with 100 percent mission success. Intelsat 33e is the second of six Intelsat EpicNG satellites being built by Boeing. Intelsat EpicNG is a high performance, next generation satellite platform that delivers global high-throughput capability. Intelsat 33e offers coverage in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.



The remaining three Intelsat EpicNG satellites, also being built by Boeing, will all include the same complement of six Aerojet Rocketdyne electric propulsion thrusters for north-south stationkeeping, and 16 hydrazine rocket engines.



Aerojet Rocketdyne is an innovative company delivering solutions that create value for its customers in the aerospace and defense markets. The company is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader that provides propulsion and energetics to the space, missile defense and strategic systems, tactical systems and armaments areas, in support of domestic and international markets. Additional information about Aerojet Rocketdyne can be obtained by visiting our websites at www.Rocket.com and www.AerojetRocketdyne.com.
Puppy Love will soon be putting more people to work in Seldovia, a town of less than 300 people at the tip of the Kenai Peninsula.

The love comes in the form of salmon pet treats, formerly made in Anchorage and now ready to come home, thanks to funding from the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development.

The goal was always to come back to Seldovia, said Brendan Bieri, Chief Operating Officer ofSeldovia Wild Seafoods. Its a value-added product, so its not like were processing and putting it on ice and shipping it across the bay. Were making and pa...
Here, there, everywhere  why car washes seem to be on every corner

business
Nigeria files new corrupcion charges against Shell, others over dispute oilfield purchase

ABUJA

Petroleumworld.com 03 03 2017

Nigeria's financial crime watchdog has filed new corruption charges against Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Eni SpA and others regarding the $1.3 billion purchase of a long-disputed oilfield in 2011, according to court documents released on Thursday.

The charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and official corruption were made after an investigation by Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) found new evidence, Jonson Ojogbane, an EFCC senior prosecutor named in the documents, told Reuters by telephone.

Shell and Eni did not immediately respond to requests for comment.








Guyana oil output could be refined in Trinidad, Suriname

GEORGETOWN

Petroleumworld.com 03 03 2017

The South American nation of Guyana could send future oil production to Trinidad and Tobago or Suriname for refining, a government official said on Thursday.

Exxon Mobil Corp and partner companies say they have found between 800 million and 1.4 billion barrels of oil off the coast of Guyana, with production expected for 2020.

"We recently had some overtures made by the government of Trinidad and Tobago ... they are operating right now below optimum and they are importing oil from Nigeria," Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman told reporters.

"Suriname has also indicated a willingness to do refining for Guyana. Why? Because they too have a refinery which is performing under par."

Guyana, which currently does not produce oil, is considering whether it would make economic sense to build its own refinery, Trotman said.

The crude discovery triggered a diplomatic dispute with neighboring Venezuela, which lays claim to a portion of Guyana as part of a long-standing border dispute. Guyana says the countries' border was settled over a century ago.

Venezuela has in the past supplied crude to Petrotrin's 168,000-barrel-per-day Pointe-a-Pierre refinery in Trinidad, but is no longer doing so amid ongoing oilfield production problems.






Denver, Colorado, March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medicine Man Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: MDCL), one of the countrys leading cannabis branding and consulting companies, announced today that it has entered into agreements to acquire both Pono Publications Ltd. and Success Nutrients, Inc., each a privately held Colorado corporation. Medicine Man has agreed to issue 7 million shares of its common stock as consideration for the acquisition, which represents approximately 40% interest in the Company.

As a part of this new acquisition, the Company has retained of Mr. Josh Haupt as its Chief Cultivation Officer, noting Mr. Haupt will serve as a key member of management, reporting to the Board of Directors which will now include Mr. Charley Haupt, Joshs father a well-respected professional in the national energy management sector.

The Pono Publications Ltd brand includes the Three A Light cultivation book, along with the recently released professional-grade version developed in collaboration with MMT exclusively for both Three A Light and Medicine Man Technologies clients. This exceptional cultivation methodology is achieving significant results delivering annualized yields of cured cannabis of approximately 700-grams per square foot of flower canopy and is deployable in both greenhouse and indoor based cultivation facilities.

The Success Nutrients and Pono brands provide the key underpinnings of an enhanced cultivation methodology and is essential to the overall Three A Light performance metric. With an investment of two years of research, development and intense testing, this product line was specifically formulated for the cannabis industry and is producing significant results for its users throughout North America.

The synergy of these companies is expected to accelerate growth of all of the Companys product and service lines, including the potential for increased revenues. As an example, the Company anticipates generating additional revenues from its recently announced new product line, Cultivation MAX. At the signing of a clients new Cultivation MAX facility in Clark County Nevada this week, Mr. Josh Haupt stated, This clients five hundred plus light facility and planned expansions should enable us to generate a high six figure annual income starting later this summer, as we complete the integration of the Three A Light Professional Grade and Success Nutrient regimens. However, there can be no assurances that these additional revenues will be generated.

Regarding the acquisition, Andy Williams, MMTs CEO and co-founder noted, We could not be more excited to welcome Pono Publications and Success Nutrients to the Medicine Man Technologies family. I believe Josh Haupt and Three A Light are the best industrial cultivators of cannabis in the world and are unmatched in their ability to produce quality, high-yielding crops. The complimentary nature of Pono and Success Nutrients to our existing practice has already created a new line of business and we believe will allow exponential growth on all fronts, establishing Medicine Man Technologies as the gold standard of cannabis cultivation.

Josh Haupt, principal and founder of Pono Publications and Success Nutrients stated, After spending many years in development of both my proprietary nutrient line and cultivation methodologies, I am pleased to have found a new partnership opportunity that we believe will be mutually beneficial. The fact that Medicine Man Technologies is also a well-known presence in the cannabis industry should allow us to add substantial value back to the business as a whole while making more efficient use of our mutual resources.

While no guarantees can be offered, the Company expects significant revenue growth with the addition with these two innovative business noting that during the first two months of operations in FY 2017, Pono Publications (Three A Light) and Success Nutrients generated strong profitability on revenues in excess of $270,000, a trend the Company expects to continue under Mr. Haupts continued oversight.

About Medicine Man Technologies, Inc.

Established in March 2014, the Company secured its first client/licensee in April 2014. To date, they have provided guidance for several clients that have successfully secured licenses to operate cannabis businesses within their state. It currently has twenty eight active clients in 12 states and Puerto Rico, focusing on working with clients to 1) utilize its experience, technology, and training to help secure a license in states with newly emerging regulations, 2) deploy the Company's highly effective variable capacity constant harvest cultivation practices through its deployment of Cultivation MAX, and eliminate the liability of single grower dependence, 3) avoid the costly mistakes generally made in start-up, 4) stay engaged with an ever expanding team of licensees and partners, all focused on quality and safety that will 'share' the ever-improving experience and knowledge of the network, and 5) continuing the expansion of its Brands Warehouse concept.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release may contain forward looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those anticipated or expected, including statements related to the amount and timing of expected revenues and any payment of dividends on our common and preferred stock, statements related to our financial performance, expected income, distributions, and future growth for upcoming quarterly and annual periods. These risks and uncertainties are further defined in filings and reports by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Actual results and the timing of certain events could differ materially from those projected in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors detailed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among other matters, the Medicine Man Technologies may not be able to sustain growth or achieve profitability based upon many factors including, but not limited to, general stock market conditions. Reference is hereby made to cautionary statements set forth in the companys most recent SEC filings. We have incurred and will continue to incur significant expenses in our expansion of our existing and new service lines, noting there is no assurance that we will generate enough revenues to offset those costs in both the near and long term. Additional service offerings may expose us to additional legal and regulatory costs and unknown exposure(s) based upon the various geopolitical locations where we will be providing services, the impact of which cannot be predicted at this time.
Brazil Oil exports rose to 45.7 million barrels new record in February

RIO DE JANEIRO

Petroleumworld.com 03 03 2017

Brazilian oil exports hit their second consecutive record in February, with shipments almost double the level of the same period in 2016, as new offshore production continues to come on stream, government data showed on Thursday.

Oil exports rose to 6.23 million tonnes (roughly 45.7 million barrels), 94 percent higher than in February of last year and 12 percent higher than in January, according to data from Brazil's trade ministry.

The sharp increase is the result of rising production from Brazil's offshore area known as the subsalt, where massive discoveries have been made since the end of the last decade.

The Paris-based International Energy Agency expects Brazil's 2017 output to rise 230,000 bpd on the year to 2.84 million bpd.

New lighter crude from the subsalt area is increasing output and also changing Brazil's production mix, reducing the need to import light crude for its refineries.

The Reuters Trade Flows data has showed that state-run Petroleo Brasileiro SA and other Brazil producers -- including Royal Dutch Shell, Repsol, Petrogal and PetroChina -- are competing more aggressively to gain export market share in the U.S. East Coast, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Spain.








NEW YORK, March 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased Grana y Montero S.A.A. ("Grana" or the "Company") (NYSE:GRAM) securities between April 30, 2014 and February 24, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period").



Investors who have incurred losses in shares of Grana y Montero S.A.A. are urged to contact the firm immediately at classmember@whafh.com or (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774. You may obtain additional information concerning the action on our website, www.whafh.com.

If you have purchased shares of Grana y Montero S.A.A. within the class period and would like to assist with the litigation process, you may, no later than April 28, 2017, request that the Court appoint you lead plaintiff of the proposed class.

The filed action charges Grana and certain of its officers and directors with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Grana, together with its subsidiaries, provides engineering and construction, infrastructure, real estate, and technical services in Latin America. The company engages in the civil construction, management, and implementation of housing development projects; mining contracting activities, such as mining, drilling, demolition, and other activity related to construction and electro mechanics; and architectural design and installation activities.

The Complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, and failed to disclose that: (1) Grana was aware that its Brazilian partner Odebrecht S.A. paid bribes to former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo to win construction work on a road traveling from Peru to Brazil; and (2) consequently, defendants' statements about Grana's business, operations and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

On February 24, 2017, a report disclosed that the Company knew of bribes paid by a partner infrastructure developer Odebrecht in Peru, citing testimony of former Odebrecht executive Jorge Barata. Notably, in January 2017, Peru rescinded a contract to build and operate a pipeline to a consortium formed by Odebrecht and Grana in part because of the alleged bribery scandal. On this news shares of the Company closed at $3.32 per share on February 24, 2017, down $1.77 per share, a decline of 35%. The stock declined an additional 27% on February 27, 2017, to close at $2.44 per share.

Wolf Haldenstein has extensive experience in the prosecution of securities class actions and derivative litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country. The firm has attorneys in various practice areas; and offices in New York, Chicago and San Diego. The reputation and expertise of this firm in shareholder and other class litigation has been repeatedly recognized by the courts, which have appointed it to major positions in complex securities multi-district and consolidated litigation.

If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions regarding your rights and interests in this case, please immediately contact Wolf Haldenstein by telephone at (800) 575-0735, via e-mail at classmember@whafh.com, or visit our website at www.whafh.com.

## Follow the firm and learn about newly filed cases on Twitter and Facebook. ##

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome.
The family of a Bridgeton man fatally shot by police in April is suing the the City of Vineland, Police Chief Rudy Beu and 10 unnamed officers.

The suit, filed in federal court, alleges police actions violated the rights of Richard Bard Jr., 31, and resulted in his death. The family is asking for more than $1 million.

"Due to pending litigation, we can't comment at this time," said Lt. Alan Pagnini, Vineland police.

According to court documents, Bard was seriously injured in a car accident in 2013 and had trouble walking after that.

On April 16, 2016, Bard attended a party in an apartment complex in Vineland. About 11:30 p.m., he left the party with another man, Jonathan Bain, to get cigarettes from another resident.

Police allege the two men were involved in a nearby robbery about 1 a.m. and fled the scene on foot when chased by police. One responding officer shot Bard four times, according to court documents, and he was later pronounced dead at Inspira Hospital.

Bard's family questions the police account of that night.

"He could not have been doing what the police said he did because of the problems he was having since his car accident," Dana German-Bunton, Bard's mother, said in a statement.

Family members say they were not given an explanation why both of Bard's wrists were broken during the incident. The officer who fired the shots was never identified, according to the lawsuit.

"We believe the litigation is necessary to get to the truth of what happened to Mr. Bard during his encounter with the police on April 17, 2016," Conrad J. Benedetto, attorney for the family, said in a statement.
On a cool, bright May day in 1989, New Jersey's Gov. Thomas Kean, accompanied by a jazz band and applause, made a prediction in the newly opened Camden Transportation Center's atrium.

"Good times are coming to Camden," he said. "The good times can now get here by bus and they can get here by train."

Twenty-eight years later, Debbie Murphy, 55, reclined on a bench in that same atrium and snored. Times aren't so good for her.

"There's shelters but they're so far away you have to walk, and it's cold out there," Murphy said. "I just say, sit here."

She's one of more than a dozen slumped on slatted wooden benches in what is now called the Walter Rand Transportation Center at the junction of Broadway and Martin Luther King Boulevard. They are surrounded by sacks and bags, like weary holiday travelers stranded by bad weather far from home. But no homes awaited them, and although some had bus tickets, they weren't going anywhere. Police let the homeless chill in the terminal, Murphy said, if they can plausibly pass as someone waiting for a bus.

Outside, where buses idle and a light rail train clatters past, young, wiry men cough softly, "loosie, loosie," hawking smokes at 50 cents a cig. Less than a block behind them a portent of change rises. Rutgers-Camden's new nursing school is nearly finished, the latest in a torrent of demolition and development remaking the area into an education and medical mecca and sparking major redevelopment dreams for the transportation center itself.

Rand, named after a late state senator with a passion for transportation, is the nexus of South Jersey's public transit, reaching Philadelphia and Camden County by PATCO, Burlington County and Trenton via the River Line light rail, and throughout the rest of the region on 23 NJ Transit bus routes. It's a transit confluence that developers and planners dream about. They foresee a modern, multistory transit hub with stores, offices, and apartments. The first step, a market feasibility study, is underway. Redevelopment of Rand could begin as soon as 2021.

"Urban centers would kill to have the kind of transportation that we have," said Kris Kolluri, CEO of the joint Rowan University/Rutgers-Camden board of governors, which has driven development in Camden's downtown.

Change, though, will require more than shiny new buildings. The drug trade throbs around the transit center, and there are concerns about the homeless who rely on Rand. Along with shelter from the elements, Rand is a magnet for the destitute because of its proximity to social services, said Christina Lemma, program director for Camden County Volunteers of America's homeless outreach team. Plans to move those services elsewhere could be a positive, but Camden -- while good at providing services -- is less adept at offering beds, she said.

On the blocks around Rand, as storefronts and restaurants make way for academia, Camden's people worry they will be made unwelcome in their own city.

"Everything is going to change," said Lamar Adams, 27, as he waited at one of Rand's outdoor bus shelters for a ride to a rehab program in Turnersville. "Camden's going to be a whole different environment."

About 9,000 people a day use the Rand's three modes of travel. Lawyers share space with ex-cons. Parents with children wait with addicts craving a fix. Students, workers, pushers, and crooks all pass through.

In the bus terminal's atrium, Erika Eckler sat, ear buds inserted, among the homeless in a red Rutgers sweater and backpack. She got to Rand by bus from her Cinnaminson home, and was waiting for another to take her to class at Camden County College in Gloucester Township.

"You see a lot of characters down here," the 29-year-old said.

She has never felt unsafe, she said, but "every time I'm down here you get asked for a cigarette, you get asked to use your phone, you get asked for a dollar."

Across Broadway, on the platform beneath the pyramid-roofed PATCO Broadway station, Patricia Clarke, 62, awaited the train to Philadelphia. The Center City properties manager from Pemberton got to Camden after boarding the River Line at the Burlington South Station. Her commute takes an hour and 20 minutes.

"I love it," she said. "It's my peace before I do my job."

In Camden, 35 percent of households have no car, compared with 14 percent in the region, according to the U.S. Census. Getting around often means a stop at Rand. Lena Adams, 26, a Fairview woman shuttling her children between home and school, has been using the transportation hub since she was a student at Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy. She takes the bus now to drop her son off at Camden County Charter School. She waited in the PATCO station with her 2-year-old daughter for her next bus, and said she is accustomed to the begging and drug use.

"Some people just aren't fortunate to make it and some people choose to be this way," she said.

For some, Rand is the last stop. Missing people's families regularly search Camden with one ominous clue: last seen at the transit center. Like Jenna Lord in 2010 or Gerald O'Bryant in 2013, the missing sometimes turn up dead in a forlorn corner of the city after overdosing.

Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson notes that the city's infamous drug trade thrives on suburban customers. For many, Rand is their entry point.

One suburbanite with a heroin habit used to call Gloucester Township and Somerdale home, and spent his winter nights under a railroad bridge. P.J., who didn't want to give his full name, said that by 1 p.m. his first bag of heroin that day had worn off and he was 70 cents short of the cost of another. He carried a jokey sign  "Bet you can't hit me with a quarter"  and begged for change to "get what I need."

Tackling the drug trade has been a priority of Camden's police, and it's a must for the area around Rand to be welcoming for students and educators. The department has eliminated half the city's drug-selling locations in two years, said Louis Cappelli, Camden County's freeholder director. The trade has adapted by moving indoors, but is far less visible.

Redevelopment surrounds Rand like a halo. This spring, construction should begin on a Broadway block catty-corner to Rand to raise a $70 million, 65,000-square-foot Joint Health Sciences Center for Rutgers and Rowan. In two months, stores on the other side of Broadway should also be acquired by the Rowan/Rutgers Joint Board. The center will expand there.

The corner of Broadway and Federal Street opposite Rand is also vacant, cleared of the Commerce Building in 2015. By late 2018, the county's Aletha R. Wright Administration Building should also be gone to make way for green space.

The redevelopment frenzy is one reason politicians say a revitalized Camden is more likely today than when Kean made the same promise nearly 30 years ago.

"The momentum is too strong to stop," said Kolluri.

A new transportation center is central to the development plan for Camden's downtown, but what that will look like is uncertain. The $125,000 market feasibility study by the engineering and design firm AECOM should be done in September, but planners already know they want certain elements.

Indoor bus boarding, for one. Rand has a large bus bay, but buses also pick up directly on Broadway in front of the terminal and across the street. A long-promised light rail from Gloucester County to the Rand is a possibility. The new structure could also be multi-story, Cappelli said.

"If you go above it, there's opportunity for economic development."

A 2013 report on downtown Camden estimated that new development could attract up to 5,000 students and almost 600 workers as residents. Apartments above a transit hub, within walking distance of schools and government buildings, could be prized.

The 2013 report from the Cooper's Ferry Partnership proposed $18.5 million for a redesigned transportation center, but that number may not match the final cost. Money, of course, is an issue.

"NJ Transit is out of money, is the number-one obstacle," Cappelli said. The agency, which owns the Rand, said it was working with Camden County on the center's development.

Some funding will likely come from a public-private partnership, Cappelli said. New Jersey's transportation trust fund could also be a source, and officials are hopeful about White House promises for major infrastructure investment.

The redevelopment plans are sure to change downtown Camden, which worries some. Miaton Fitzpatrick waited for a bus to visit his daughter in the Centerville neighborhood, and said any homes in a new transit hub likely wouldn't be occupied by Camden residents because nearly 40 percent of them live below the poverty line.

"That would bring more money to the community but I also think that's going to shut out the minorities that are here that can't afford to get these houses," he said.

The services most needed by the region's poor and homeless - food stamps, Medicaid, child support, and other public assistance - are housed in the Aletha Wright building, and they will be moved to Mount Ephraim Avenue when that is demolished. A methadone clinic nearby on Fifth Street is also moving.

Lemma has mixed feelings about the homeless at Rand. It's indoors and it's a place where providers like herself know they can reach people, she said. But the homeless there need help with mental-health problems and addiction. Shifting services away from downtown Camden to Mount Ephraim Avenue, where there is also job-training assistance, could be a positive, she said. "It would also be nice to have everything in close proximity."

Shelter is needed most, she said. There are 350 beds for the homeless in Camden, county officials said, and without more, the region's homeless will still need a place to stay.

Camden County is considering a 24-hour day intake center for the homeless, county spokesman Dan Keashen said. There are also plans to invest in homeless housing and an office of mental health and addiction.

Those involved with development, such as Kolluri, said a new transit center would not displace people.

"Everybody that uses the station for transportation services should still be able to use it," he said. "This isn't a mechanism through which we intend to gentrify the neighborhood."

Back outside the Rand, people are running hustles a world apart from the eds and meds corridor to come.

In winter, a Senegalese man sold clothes and watches from a sidewalk stand. Near the RiverLine platform, hack cab drivers awaited fares. Near the bus shelters, men hawked white T-shirts and portable phone chargers.

In the PATCO station, Steven Steed, 46 and without a home, spotted a travel mug left atop a ticketing machine.

"You know the law of the land," he said, claiming it. "Finders keepers."
Thousands of people of many faiths and backgrounds filled Independence Mall on Thursday in a "Stand Against Hate," to protest the recent desecration of Jewish cemeteries in Philadelphia and St. Louis, and a spate of bomb threats to Jewish community centers and day schools.

About 100 headstones were discovered toppled at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Wissinoming on Sunday. It was the second reported act of vandalism at a Jewish cemetery in weeks. Headstones at a Jewish cemetery near St. Louis were discovered damaged on Feb. 20.

As the demonstration began at noon in front of Independence Hall, there were reports of vandalism at a Jewish cemetery in Rochester, N.Y.

The rally was sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, which estimated that as many as 5,000 people filled the expanse on Independence Mall.

In the crowd was the Rev. Donna Maree, an Episcopal priest who is rector of Trinity Memorial Church in Center City.

Maree said she had just come back from a visit to Israel with a group of Christians and Jews on Feb. 23, just days before the news of the toppled headstones at Mount Carmel in Northeast Philadelphia made headlines and news coverage worldwide.

"We talked to Palestinians, Jewish Israelis, Ethiopian Jews," said Maree, who made the trip with the Jewish Community Relations Council, which is part of the Jewish Federation.

"People want peace," Maree said. She said she has had contact with Jewish people in Israel about the spate of hate incidents targeting cemeteries, schools and community centers.

"It's disappointing to Jews in Israel that people here have turned to hate."

The Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, pastor of Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, was also at the rally. He said he was saddened by the recent incidents and that it was important to speak out.

"I am reminded of the quote by Martin Niemoller," Tyler said, a reference to the Protestant pastor who spoke out against Adolf Hitler by noting persecution of one group after another, when nothing was said. It ends: "Then they came for me -- and there was no one left to speak for me."

"I am incredibly heartened by the outpouring of so many generations of people who are taking their time to come out in the cold to stand against hate," said Naomi Adler, CEO of the Jewish Federation.

She urged those in the crowd -- blacks, whites, Asians and Hispanics; Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists  to take the spirit of the rally back to their homes and communities. "Share your stories of what justice, love, and mercy are," Adler said.

Among the speakers was Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who got loud applause when he said he had just spent time in Washington telling President Trump that vandalism and bomb threats were hate crimes and needed to be treated as such.

"To my fellow Jews," Shapiro said, "today it is us, tomorrow it will be LGBTQ people, and another day it will be our African American brothers and sisters or our Latino brothers and sisters.

"But no matter who is being targeted, we are all less safe."

Max Buchdahl, 21, a junior at Temple University and president of Hillel at Temple, said he was encouraged by the gathering of so many people at the place where American democracy was born.

"It's great to see this many people here, and it's incredible that it's across faiths and across racial groups," Buchdahl said. He added that he and other Temple students, Jewish and non-Jewish, went to Mount Carmel, at Frankford and Cheltenham Avenues, to help with restoration efforts.

Also in the crowd was Amnah Ahmad, 29, associate director of the Arab American Development Corp. at Al-Aqsa Mosque in North Philadelphia. She carried a sign that read, "Islam = Peace."

"We came to show love and peace to the Jewish community," Ahmad said.

As she talked to reporters, Barry Ungar, 73, of Haverford, who is Jewish, walked up to her and said, "Any attacks against you are attacks against us."

He continued: "I never thought I would see in my lifetime this kind of danger and fear."

Also at the rally were two other Jewish groups, If Not Now and Jewish Voice for Peace.

Spokespersons for both said that while they condemned the vandalism against Jewish cemeteries, they also condemned hate crimes against Muslims, African Americans and others.

"We stand here as Jews with our fellow Jews," said Ezra Nepon, a spokesman for Jewish Voice for Peace. "We're so glad that they have condemned all kinds of oppression."
The teen accused of breaking into a 72-year-old woman's Chester County house and then leaving her bound and locked in a closet for four days had two prior burglary charges and had previously escaped from a GPS tracking program, officials said Friday.

As family members of the victim watched, the 17-year-old boy, wearing a blue plaid shirt, appeared in Juvenile Court in West Chester, where a court master ordered a psychiatric evaluation and set the next hearing for Friday. The boy did not speak during the proceeding.

His name has not been released because he is a juvenile, but prosecutors said they planned to file a motion to try him as an adult by Monday.

He "poses a danger to the community and is a flight risk," Assistant District Attorney Christine Abatemarco told the court.

The youth's lawyer, Michael Raffaele, who said he had previously represented the boy, did not say after the hearing whether he planned to fight that motion, saying he needed to speak to his client.

The victim's family members declined comment as they left the courthouse.

The boy -- who had escaped from a residential treatment facility in Glenmoore -- allegedly broke into the woman's home in a wooded area of East Brandywine Township; bound and locked her in a lightless closet at the base of a staircase, and began choking her, saying, "You'll be with Jesus soon."

Investigators said he covered her head with a cloth shopping bag, wrapped duct tape around her neck, and tied her arms, knees, and ankles. He left her without food or water in a storage closet, where she was found Sunday -- four days later --- by her daughter-in-law. She was in stable condition after being taken to a hospital.

The woman had never met the teen, said authorities. They believe he walked from the treatment facility, Devereux Brandywine, until he came upon the house.

The teen allegedly stole her credit cards, cellphone and laptop, and made his getaway in her 2013 Fiat 500. He returned to Devereux two days later but was transferred to another facility, according to the district attorney. He was arrested Wednesday.

Neither Abatemarco nor Raffaele would say what the immigration status was of the boy, who is from Thailand.

He had been placed in the GPS program after being arrested for the two burglaries in October in Delaware County. Shortly thereafter, he fled and was found by police walking on a highway near the Delaware-Maryland border with drug paraphernalia, authorities said.

The youth, who had been living in Media, was then placed into the treatment facility, where he stayed until the day of the assault.

Raffaele requested that the teen be evaluated by a doctor familiar with "reactive attachment disorder," a condition in which a child does not establish relationships with parents or caregivers.

The teen is being held at Chester County's youth-detention center.
Former Philadelphia mob boss Ralph Natale  believed to be the first sitting La Cosa Nostra boss to testify against his own crime family  is finally releasing his tell-all memoir this month.

Last Don Standing: The Secret Life of Mob Boss Ralph Natale is full of anecdotes about Natale's violent tendencies "sprinkled throughout the book like locatelli cheese atop a plate of spaghetti," according to a Philly Mag review by our colleague David Gambacorta.

While that sounds delicious to Clout, Natale's ex-mistress Ruthann Seccio is none too happy that the married mobster, whom newspapers once dubbed "King Rat," has kissed off their entire affair in a couple of sentences.

As in, we're concerned that Seccio, 48, might actually be plotting to kill Natale, 81. He described her in the book as "the only regret I have." Not so smart, Ralph!

Seccio, who still lives in South Philly, says she has been looking over her shoulder for hit men since 1999, when Natale flipped and "left me holding the bag."

"For 17 years, I've been staying in my lane. If they would have done the book correctly, I would have stayed in my lane," Seccio warned. "Now that you don't think my life is worth it, I have to come back out. I'm coming at you, Ralph, with an 8-pack of TNT. If I got to, I will flip a car on I-95 just to be heard. My [expletive] life matters."

Anyone get the sense that this might end badly?

Seccio said she carries a gun legally for her own protection and practices shooting at the range.

"I'm a great shot, believe me," she said. "I just got another [gun]. I put a laser on it."

Natale met Seccio  his "future goomah," as he describes her in the book  in 1994, when she was sunbathing by the pool with his youngest daughter.

"I didn't go looking for a bald man, my friend's father, 34 years older than me," Seccio said. "He came for me."

Now, she said, she's looking to "take down his book."

Clout has a good idea where Natale is living these days  it's within driving distance, we're told  but our policy since Natale's release from prison in 2011 has been not to disclose his whereabouts, for obvious reasons.

Last Don Standing is due out March 21. Seccio says, don't bother buying it. "Why spend your money on bull-?" she asked.

But, coincidentally, Seccio says she has a helluva life story of her own if any writers are interested in collaborating.

Highlights include: getting "blown up by a stove when I was in kindergarten," sitting in on "made" mob meetings, and hiding under her mattress with guns until being rescued by the Junior Black Mafia.

What else do you need?

Yo, thats not John Lewis

It happened again.

During President Trump's speech to Congress Tuesday night, Rich Negrin, the former city manager running for district attorney, tweeted a photo of U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans standing beside "one of my heroes," U.S. Rep. John Lewis, the civil rights leader.

Except that wasn't Lewis. It was U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings. Negrin promptly deleted the tweet.

But we can't bust Negrin's cojones on this one. Everybody makes this mistake  including Nelson Diaz's campaign during the 2015 mayoral race.

Lewis and Cummings are practically twins. Even the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Lewis' hometown paper, wrote a quick blog post Wednesday with the headline, "That Wasn't John Lewis  He Skipped Donald Trump's Speech."

"For what it's worth, Rich also thought that Joe Biden looked different sitting behind the president during the speech. We're thinking we need to get him some glasses. Or a better TV," said Negrin flack Mark Nevins.

He's kidding, people.

"Seriously though," Nevins added, "that's not the first time someone has made that mistake, and when Rich looked more closely, he fixed it right away."

Seth booted from Union League?

The story had the feel of what late-night comedian Stephen Colbert would call "truthiness."

Ralph Cipriano, an ex-Inky reporter who now blogs at BigTrial.net, reported Wednesday that District Attorney Seth Williams had been barred from his favorite haunt, the prestigious Union League on South Broad Street, where he has long been known to hold court with a cocktail in one hand and a cigar in the other.

Cipriano wrote that Williams was turned away at the door for not paying his club dues and later in the evening was still not admitted when he returned with a check from his political action committee.

Williams, in City Hall on Thursday morning for Mayor Kenney's annual budget address, denied the report.

"Not at all," Williams said with a shrug when asked if the BigTrial story was accurate. "It is what it is."

We hear Williams resigned from the Union League last year but could rejoin at any time if he starts paying dues again. And it is difficult to believe the august institution would turn away a former member, check in hand, at the door.

Nonetheless, Cipriano stood by his reporting Thursday, saying, "To quote the DA, 'It is what it is.' An accurate story."

It has been public since August 2015 that Williams, who recently dropped his bid for a second term, was the subject of a FBI-IRS-federal grand jury investigation into his political and personal finances. He also took serious heat for the late reporting of more than $175,000 in gifts from 2010 to 2015.

Williams spent more than $28,000 in 2014 and nearly $19,000 in 2015 from his PAC funds at the Union League on dues, meals, and other expenses, according to campaign finance reports.

He apparently quit that practice last year, spending almost nothing from his PAC at the club, according to a 2016 campaign finance report filed Jan. 31. That report listed a $47.50 refund the PAC paid Williams for a "Union League expense."

Staff writers William Bender, Jeremy Roebuck, Chris Brennan, and David Gambacorta contributed to this article.
A quick analysis of past announcements shows SpaceX misses major milestones by about 2 years.

SpaceX is well-known for its ambitious timelines. To be fair, they're in good company on this front: many spaceflight firms, and also NASA, are similarly guilty of underestimating how long major projects will take. That's why NASA's science programsand more recently, its human spaceflight programsuse a metric called the Joint Confidence Level, or JCL, to calculate the odds something will be delivered on time based on available funding levels. In short, NASA doesn't commit to a launch date until a JCL analysis says there's a 70 percent chance it will hold.

I went through SpaceX's past press releases and official statements to see if I could quantify the average delay time for major milestones. I found that on average, SpaceX misses publicly stated deadlines by an average of 2.1 years.

Here's the dataset. Some well-known examples of these delays include the first crewed Dragon flight (originally promised in 2014, but yet to occur) and the Falcon Heavy (originally promised for 2013 or 2014, but yet to launch). Again, to be fair, an analysis of other NewSpace companies or NASA would likely turn up similar results. But that doesn't make it any less true.

The GAO thinks SpaceX may not be certified for ISS crew rotation flights until 2019.

On February 16, the Government Accountability Office released a report saying SpaceX and Boeing might not be certified to fly ISS crews until 2019.

Before NASA signs off on SpaceX for astronaut transportation, the company must conduct two demo flights of its new Crew Dragon spacecraft. The first will be an uncrewed test flight, which SpaceX expects to occur in November. The second will take place with two astronauts, and SpaceX says the mission will be ready to fly in May 2018.

The GAO is skeptical of those dates. Among the reasons: SpaceX plans to make two more upgrades to the Falcon 9 this year, before showing NASA the rocket's design is finalized and stableprior to the November uncrewed test flight. There's also an ongoing debate about the company's plan to fuel the rocket with astronauts aboard, and questions about the significance and mitigation of cracks found in Falcon 9 engine turbines.

SpaceX Preisdent Gwynne Shotwell recently told reporters at Kennedy Space Center she was confident the first crew flight would occur in 2018. If that happens in May as scheduled, NASA certification could come between July and September, followed by the first official ISS crew rotation flight.

Where, exactly, the Moon tourist mission would fit in to that schedule is unclear, considering the company has a backlog of other missions to fly after last year's launch pad explosion. In theory, SpaceX could proceed with the flight anytimeit's just a question of whether they are potentially willing to risk looking bad in the context of their NASA partnership.

Flying tourists after the first paid ISS crew rotation flight would seem to be the most prudent; NASA has been without the capability to launch its own astronauts since the space shuttle retired in 2011. The agency made a big bet on commercial crew providers after canceling the Constellation program in 2010. As of last year, NASA still provides the bulk of SpaceX's revenue, and in Monday's announcement, SpaceX went out of its way to thank the agency for shouldering most of the development cost of Crew Dragon.

NASA, meanwhile, has been forced to lay the groundwork for using Russian rockets to reach the ISS in 2019 (ironically, the seats are being purchased through Boeing) in the event SpaceX and Boeing crew flights are delayed further.
American Military University (AMU) is hosting a free webinar on the possible threats presented by drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles.

AMU says drones have become a significant threat to secure facilities, including prisons, government buildings, power plants, and even public safety officials. The webinar will examine the overall threat of UAVs and discuss recent cases where drones have threatened secure locations and public safety officials .

The hour-long webinar is scheduled for Tuesday March 14 at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Register here.
Photo: NYPD Facebook

Someone fired a bullet through a window at a Bronx police stationhouse, New York Police Department sources told the New York Daily News.

Investigators are fairly certain the shot that hit the 52nd Precinct stationhouse came from outside the building, based on the location of the shattered glass, sources said.

It is still not clear, however, if the shot was intentionally fired at the stationhouse or if the shooter was aiming elsewhere. The mysterious bullet hole was discovered on Feb. 23.

There had not been any recent threats against officers at the precinct prior to the incident, sources said.
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Mike Pences private email account, which he regularly used in his work as governor of Indiana, was hacked last year, according to a new report published by The Indianapolis Star.

The account that was breached was frequently used by then-Gov. Pence to conduct public business which included discussing sensitive matters and homeland security issues.

More from the report:

Emails released to The Indianapolis Star in response to a public records request show Pence communicated via his personal AOL account with top advisers on topics ranging from security gates at the governors residence to the states response to terror attacks across the globe. In one email, Pences top state homeland security adviser relayed an update from the FBI regarding the arrests of several men on federal terror-related charges.

Cybersecurity experts say the emails raise concerns about whether such sensitive information was adequately protected from hackers, given that personal accounts like Pences are typically less secure than government email accounts. In fact, Pences personal account was hacked last summer.

Donald Trump and Pence spent the entirety of last years campaign cycle waging an all-out assault on Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email during her time as the Secretary of State. Lock her up was essentially the unofficial campaign slogan of the Trump campaign.

But in this scenario, one of these two personal accounts was actually hacked, and it wasnt Clintons.

As IndyStar reported, While there has been speculation about whether Clintons emails were hacked, Pences account was actually compromised last summer by a scammer who sent an email to his contacts claiming Pence and his wife were stranded in the Philippines and in urgent need of money.

In other words, all of the sensitive information reportedly transmitted via Pences private email account was put at risk. There was no evidence, on the other hand, that Clintons was breached.

The report continues:

Indiana law requires all records dealing with state business to be retained and available for public information requests. Emails exchanged on state accounts are captured on state servers, which can be searched in response to such requests. But any emails Pence sent from his AOL account to another private account likely would have been hidden from public record searches unless he took steps to make them available.

So, did Pence follow the law in his state and take steps to make all of his emails available to the public? It appears he didnt.

According to the IndyStar, There is no indication that Pence took any such steps to preserve his AOL emails up until the time he left office.

After Trump and Pence  and the media  spent an entire campaign complaining about the non-scandal of Hillary Clintons email use, Pence had his own email problems all along.
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In a move that will only add fuel to the Russia scandal fire, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from all investigations related to the Trump campaign.

Sessions said during a press conference that he never had meetings with Russian operatives about the Trump campaign. Sessions also denied that he was part of any exchange of information with Russian intermediaries was false. Sessions defended leaving out his meetings with the Russians during his confirmation hearing.

Attorney General Sessions denied that he answered the question dishonestly.

Sessions announced that he had recused himself from matters under investigation relating in any way to the Trump campaign.

This was a clear effort on the part of the Attorney General to bury the scandal, and as far as the American people are concerned, it should not be good enough. Sessions claimed that he doesnt recall having any political discussions with the Russians.

Recusal is not a viable option. The only way for the American people to get the full truth is if Sessions resigns as Attorney General.

As long as Sessions stays, the scandal is only going to grow and rage on.
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It appears there are at least two requirements to serve in Donald Trumps administration, and either one would result in immediate termination if there was anything normal about Americas new and great government. Obviously one of the primary requirements is lying, often times just for the sake of lying or to make up facts to either support some kind of untoward action like taking something away from Americans or to justify imposing a religious edict. The other requirement is having a connection, likely a financial connection, to Russia; more on that in another column particularly after revelations that Sessions fulfilled the Russian connection requirement.

What makes lying to impose a religious-based edict particularly egregious in this particular instance is that the specific lie is meant to sate Republicans other need; making Americans suffer. It is true Republicans seemingly revel in making people suffer, but especially Americans who are already suffering ill-health whether it is an infirmity or debilitating injury. On Tuesday when Trumps religious attorney general and head of the Department of Justice, Sermon Sessions, stood in front of several state attorneys general to fear monger about the non-existent dangers of legal marijuana, he told so many easily disproved lies that even a Trump-era journalist was taken aback.

Sessions told the assembled states top law enforcement officers that in states where voters approved legalizing the use of recreational marijuana that voters were responsible for a horrendous spike in violence, more young people were smoking bud, and that he was sick and tired of reading and hearing about cannabis being an effective means of reducing opioid use, addiction, and deaths. Sessions even had the temerity to tell the governors that he knew all those facts were like utterances from his god because some experts told him they were true.

Being a dandy Trump-inspired liar, it was not shocking that Sermon didnt say whom all those experts were because they dont exist. However, no-one in their right mind should be surprised that Sessions pulled expert testimony out of his bag of lies and ignorance because barely a month ago he pulled another factoid out of his ass and proclaimed that the religious clauses in the 1st Amendment were not only unhistorical, he stated matter-of-factly and with great conviction that those religious clauses created by the Constitutions framers and Founding Fathers were patently unconstitutional.

What is patently false is everything Sessions said about voters legalizing marijuana for recreational use. As an aside, to go along with the pack of lies, Sessions had the temerity to tell the assembled attorneys general that if voters really wanted to change state laws decriminalizing marijuana use for recreation, then they should go the polls and vote to change the laws. Yes, he really said that as if the laws just fabricated themselves like Sessions fabricated expert testimony about the non-existent increased violence because weed is legal.

First, there has not been a spike in violence associated with legalized weed because being strictly regulated, and legally available, there is no further use for the criminal element to distribute the reefer. It was the same circumstances as after prohibition was repealed; the mafia lost their market and shifted their focus to seriously devastating hard narcotics like cocaine and heroin. Plus, the few states that have legalized marijuana have had a significant impact on drug cartels business of bringing the weed across the border to sell on the streets because there were no other distributors available. Look, even an idiot comprehends that if a user can go to the dispensary and legally buy bud; why would they even consider going to criminals who have no reason, and no more market to sell their product? One of the selling points and benefits of legalizing the weed for recreational use was specifically to eliminate the criminal element from the equation and eliminate the need for marijuana dealers.

Sessions also lied and said that since decriminalizing the weed, the states that did so have seen an alarming spike in teens using marijuana; as if 12-year olds kids are waltzing into dispensaries and buying bud. Every state that decriminalized reefer has very strict rules on who can purchase the weed including being over the age of 21 years, and then only with currently valid identification like a drivers license. As far as the experts Sessions failed to cite on this lie, since he specifically cited the state of Colorado, two years worth of statistics show that marijuana use among teens and young adults has declined by a whopping 21 percent. That is a damn sight contrary to an alarming spike in weed use by teens and young adults and easily verifiable if Sermon Sessions wasnt so busy preaching Hellfire and brimstone about the dangers of recreational, and legal, marijuana use.

As if those easily debunked lies werent bad enough, Sessions made a specific point of lying about marijuana being valuable to combat the deadly opioid scourge plaguing the nation. He said that he read about it in the 1980s and read it again just recently in the Washington Post; he said it was just not true.

There are studies after reports after statistics and even more reports proving that yes indeed, marijuana is extremely valuable and effective in fighting the opioid epidemic including addiction, traffic fatalities, and deadly overdoses just to name a few. What would have been responsible was for Sessions to cite his expert witness testimony that marijuana is not, and cannot, have an impact on reducing the myriad problems associated with a legal narcotic ten thousand times more dangerous than weed will ever be.

It is apparent that Sessions sermon about the non-existent dangers of voters decriminalizing recreational marijuana is most certainly driven by his evangelicalism, and his need to pander to the pharmaceutical industry that cannot stand the idea that a common weed is combatting their highly-profitable opioid business. His veiled threat to use the DOJ to pursue and punish states that decriminalized the weed is contrary to his and Republicans claim that states have the right to make their own laws, especially if they suppress minority votes and impose religion. What is also apparent is that there is a reason he supported Trump from the beginning; they are both liars and both fake Christians according to the Pope. Because no real Christian would fearmonger and lie to take something from Americans that is proven to relieve their suffering.
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After a particularly harsh day of constant Russia Trump bombs being dropped on Thursday, President Trump decided that we should investigate Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer, even though the Russians didnt help Democrats win/steal the 2016 election.

The Russians did in fact help Republican Donald Trump win/steal the 2016 election.

We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! Trump whined on Twitter, whilst sharing a picture of Schumer and Putin each eating a doughnut, which is almost like stealing an election but not.

We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! pic.twitter.com/Ik3yqjHzsA  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

Thursday the Trump AG Jeff Sessions lying to the Senate about his contacts with Russia scandal hit the fan, which followed the Flynn fired for lying about contacts with Russia scandal. The Russia scandal drops were topped off with the news that Trumps son-in-law had actually met with the Russian Ambassador during the campaign at Trump Tower, during a Flynn meeting. The White House lied about that until they couldnt anymore.

So thats a lot of Trump insiders who have ties to Russia: Flynn, Sessions, Donald Trump Jr., Stone, Kushner, Ross, Tillerson, Page, and Manafort.

See, the problem here is its not one rogue adviser. Its all of the close advisers. And all along, Trump has first lied about the meetings and then claimed he had no knowledge even when its documented that his White House was told about the Flynn meetings. And then while lying about those meetings, they somehow neglected to mention that OH, BY THE WAY, that Russian Ambassador came to our house too and my son-in-law met with him.

The drip drip of admissions come only after the carefully planned drip drip of intelligence community drops.

Republicans, including Trump, are incorrectly blaming Democrats and Obama for pushing the Russia information, which suggests that Republicans think only Democrats care about this countrys sovereignty and national security. This is patently untrue, as many in the intelligence community and military community are not Democrats and yet are exceptionally concerned, one might say panicked at times, over the Trump Russia connections.

So to counter that, Republicans are desperately hawking the narrative that Democrats have a Russia problem. They tried to get Democrat Party Ties to Russia trending on Twitter Friday (complete with the grammar error tell, so crafty).

This narrative is of course irrelevant, because the issue isnt having contact with Russians, the issue is having contact with Russians that was and is being lied about and covered up, that took place during an election in which the Russians were known to be helping the Trump campaign win.

Clearly the Russians did not help Chuck Schumer win, they did not help Hillary Clinton, in fact they hacked the Democrats after they couldnt get into Hillary Clintons emails. (This little fact is sort of the bitter cherry on top of the Republican email hysteria, given that Governor Pence used a private email server and was hacked.)

See, its not the contact. Its the quid pro quo, its the deception, its the working with a hostile foreign aggressor to advance your own power, its the turning over all of our intel to the Russians, its the President being compromised  these are the issues.

Or, as President Trump would say, Neener neener! Wah!

Update: Senator Chuck Schumers response:

Happily talk re: my contact w Mr. Putin & his associates, took place in '03 in full view of press & public under oath. Would you &your team? https://t.co/yXgw3U8tmQ  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 3, 2017
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As the White House finds itself embroiled in endless scandal, the news for the Republican Party keeps getting worse as a majority of voters in key 2018 states are concerned about Donald Trumps choices as president.

According to a Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey obtained by The Hill, nearly 60 percent of voters in seven 2018 battleground states said they believe the presidents Cabinet picks will hurt middle-class Americans and only help rich billionaires like Trump.

More reporting from The Hill:

Overall, 59 percent of voters in the seven states said they were somewhat or very concerned that Trumps picks would result in conflicts of interest that benefit big business at the expense of regular people, according to a poll by the left-leaning Public Policy Polling (PPP) obtained exclusively by The Hill. Thirty-eight percent said they werent concerned.

PPP polled voters in Delaware, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Wisconsin and West Virginia for a survey commissioned by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), a liberal outside group.

The poll question noted that Trump has named numerous bankers and Wall Street billionaires that could result in conflicts of interest, and then questioned if participants were very concerned, somewhat concerned or not at all concerned.

This poll isnt just an early red flag for Republicans trying to gauge just how much damage Trump has done during his first month in office, but its a sign that the American people  many of whom supported Trump last fall  are finally seeing that his campaign was a massive con job.

Trump spent over a year trying  and, in many cases, successfully  convincing a large chunk of lower- and middle-class white voters that he would bring back jobs and look out for the forgotten men and women of the country, but it quickly became apparent that this was nothing but bluster.

In the first few weeks, he has appointed billionaires to key administration positions, rolled back regulations on Wall Street, and made it harder for people to purchase homes, among other things. All of these moves fly in the face of everything he said throughout the campaign.

In record time, most voters are seeing that Trump is just a con artist who cares nothing about making life better for average Americans.
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Appearing on CNNs New Day this morning, Sen. Dick Blumenthal (D-CT) repeated his demand of yesterday that Jeff Sessions must provide a credible explanation or resign. Blumenthal told Alisyn Camerota that,

He knew as a prosecutor that words matter when you testify under oath and I want to know from him why he falsely denied that he had that meeting.

Watch courtesy of CNN:

Dem @SenBlumenthal: Sessions has to resign if he can't credibly explain why he denied contact with Russian official https://t.co/0vE28XwfuF  New Day (@NewDay) March 3, 2017

Alisyn Camerota: He has recused himself from any of the investigations into any Russian ties with the Trump campaign. Do you want him to resign?



Dick Blumenthal: If he fails to provide us a credible explanation? I think he has to resign. Because he had to have known when he testified before our committee that this question would arise, had to be prepared for it, and his false denial, I think, requires him to resign unless he has a credible explanation. I dont know what that explanation could possibly be.

Blumenthal wants a special prosecutor and he hopes that Republicans, who eventually supported recusal, can be brought around to demanding Sessions resignation.

Beyond what else might still lie hidden, there is more than just Sessions trustworthiness to consider here too. Blumenthal told Camerota that, Recusal means he takes himself out of the investigation but that is not entirely accurate.

Without Sessions resignation, as explained in a memo sent to PoliticusUSA by Adam Jentleson, Senior Strategic Advisor, Center for American Progress Action Fund,

No matter how you cut it, a political appointee would be in charge. Sessions recusal alone just leaves Acting Deputy Attorney General Boente supervising the investigation for now. As Acting Attorney General, he is still taking orders from the Trump White House and free under the law to direct or suppress certain activities, such as the issuing of subpoenas, by DOJ lawyers. Should Boente also have to recuse himself for any reason, the same would be the case for any political appointee who might fill in due to the recusals. Thus, only a truly independent special counsel could ensure the Trump administration cant bury or obstruct the investigation.

This is serious, because as Jentleson also points out, even recused, Sessions has the sole discretion to select and appoint a special counsel. Far from taking himself out of the equation, Sessions is still very much able to protect both himself and Donald Trump from any investigation he undertakes.

Blumenthal is right. Sessions must provide a credible explanation for his lie  and the suggestion that he misunderstood the question or instead relying on Trumps claim that he could have been more accurate isnt sufficient  or he must resign.
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In 2015, Floridas Supreme Court ruled that defendants in invoking the stand your ground law must prove they were, in fact, acting in self-defense. This is the standard in all stand your ground states.

In practical terms, stand your ground laws already stretch the meaning of self-defense. There doesnt need to be an actual threat  just a reasonable belief that a threat could be imminent.

Take the case of Curtis Reeves. Reeves is a retired police officer currently on trial in Florida for shooting and killing 43-year-old Chad Oulson at a Florida movie theater. Oulsons wife was also injured. All this over Oulson using a cell phone during the previews and later, throwing popcorn at Reeves. Reeves is claiming self-defense under Floridas stand your ground law.

In testimony, Reeves said,

I realized I was in a life-or-death struggle. He was no longer a loudmouth. He was now a very definite threat. I would have to take decisive action if I wanted to survive this thing.

As the Miami Heralds Fred Grimm notes, Reeves burden is low.

Under the statute, it doesnt matter if Oulson had been an actual, real-life threat. Reeves only needs to convince Barthle that in his mind, Oulson was about to do him grievous bodily harm.

Yet, Republican state Senator Rob Bradley believes the law has it wrong. Under Bradleys idea of justice, Reeves shouldnt have the burden of proving he acted in self-defense. Rather, the prosecutor should have to prove why Oulson and his wife, who was also injured, didnt deserve to be shot.

Thats what a law that Bradley proposed amounts to.

He offered the convenient rational that this is about preserving the principle that that state has the burden of proof in criminal law from the beginning of the case to the end.

Critics argue this law would require the state to convict the defendant twice  and in reality, the burden is shifted to the victims family  not the state.

Jordan Davis mother, Lucy McBath, made this very point.

Having lived through this grueling experience first-hand with two trials for my sons murder, I can attest to the anguish and the pain that this process elicits. We should not make it harder for family members to achieve the justice that they deserve.

Under the current law, Floridians are encouraged to shoot first, ask questions later. Thats likely to increase if Bradleys law is passed.

As it stands, the existing law is applied inconsistently when you consider that a white man making a popcorn defense can result in acquittal but a black woman firing a warning shot can result in jail time. Take the case of Marissa Alexander, who was sentenced to 20 years in jail for firing a warning shot at her husband, Rico Gray.

Alexander and Gray were arguing over some text messages. After Alexander locked herself in a bathroom, Gray broke through the door and grabbed her next. Alexander ran to the garage, but couldnt open the door and returned with a gun she grabbed from a car. Per MSNBC, Gray threatened B**ch, Ill kill you. While no one was injured or killed, it took a Florida jury just 12 minutes to convict Alexander. After six years of legal wrangling, she was released as a result of a plea agreement.

Alexander supports the law saying: I feel like you go into that kind of situation until proven innocent.

One can sympathize with Alexander considering she actually was assaulted and threatened before she fired a warning shot.

But there is something desperately wrong when throwing popcorn is seen as a reasonable threat to a persons life, but an uttered death threat is not.

That wont be fixed with a law that shifts the burden from proving one acting in self-defense to proving one didnt deserve to be shot.
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Trump visited a private school in Orlando, FL on Friday where his message to students was that they should make lots of money and not sacrifice anything to help other people by going into politics. This is why Trump is not a role model for children.

Video:

According to the White House pool report provided to PoliticusUSA:

Two of the students, Janayah Chatelier and Landon Fritz, both 10 years old, welcomed him to the class. When POTUS asked what they were studying, Landon said: Today we are learning about Florida. Each told Mr. POTUS where they wanted to go to college: for Landon, Boston University; for Janayah, Johns Hopkins University.

Want to be a doctor, is that why Johns Hopkins? POTUS asked. He spoke briefly to another student who said she hoped to open her own business. Thats a good idea. Make a lot of money right? But dont run for politics after, POTUS said.

Even if Trump was joking, the President Of The United States should not be sending a message to children that they should aspire to selfishness and never do anything that might require them to sacrifice.

There are scores of reasons why Donald Trump should never be considered a role model for kids, but his me first view of the world something that can be damaging to future generations. It would be fine for Trump to joke about what a burden politics is, running for office was something that Trump chose to do, around adults, but that kind of humor sends the wrong message to kids.

As president, Trump is sending the wrong message to children and is not behaving like a leader to be proud of.
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During a gaggle aboard Air Force One with White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, en route to Orlando, Sanders was asked why the Trump administration is just now revealing the meeting with Russian Ambassador Kislyak that took place at Trump Tower.

Why is the administration just now telling about the meeting with Kislyak at Trump Towerseems a little late given all this stuff about whether Flynn had conversations with him, Sanders was asked according to a White House pool report sent to PoliticusUSA.

Look I think this again was a courtesy meeting, they were part of over a hundred different meetings during the transition. This wasnt a secret it was just, Sanders tried to explain.

Frankly I didnt know about it and so I dont think anybody saw it as a big deal, there was no policy discussion. It was an introductory courtesy meeting which we did literally hundreds over the course of the transition, Sanders said, as if the Russians had not been busted for helping President Trump win the election.

How many other ambassadors? the press tried to clarify.

I would have to get a specific number, but there were dozens of other ambassadors, Sanders replied. Were those ambassadors also smuggled in a back door? Well have to wait for the intelligence community to drop more details on Kislyaks visit to Trump Tower, as they did on AG Jeff Sessions private meeting in his Senate office with Kislyak, because we will not be getting accurate information from the Trump White House unless its forced.

Asked if the Russian ambassador used a different entrance to get into Trump tower, given that the pool staked out at Trump Tower didnt see him, Sanders told the pool she was not sure and would check.

Not sure?

The Trump White House kept the December meeting at Trump Tower a secret. At the time, the press was staked out in the lobby covering what was functioning as one of two transition headquarters, and so every visit was public.

Yet the Russian Ambassadors visit, a man known by U.S. intelligence officers as one of Russias top spies and recruiter of spies, was somehow kept hidden. Thus the press concluded yesterday that team Trump must have sneaked him in via a hidden entrance (insert inevitable sneaked versus snuck debate here).

Kislyak wasn't caught on CSPAN camera for Trump Tower meeting w/Kushner and Flynn in December, so was deliberately brought in the back way  Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) March 2, 2017

The Trump White House expects the press to buy the notion that all of these close advisers contacts and ties to Russia are simply a coincidence, even though Russia interfered in the U.S. election to help Trump win and the contacts took place around the time Trump won the Republican primary and continued on, taking a heated tone the day President Obama announced his sanctions on Russia as punishment for their interference with our elections.

They also want the public to buy that they lied about all of these meetings and denied them and covered them up simply because they forgot.

On the one hand, they complain about the investigations into their ties to Russia and on the other hand, they ask the public to believe that even with all of these investigations, they just forgot about that time the Russian spy came to Trump Tower through the back entrance.

For a group who convicted Hillary Clinton sans evidence, the Trump White House are awfully skilled at pretending actual evidence doesnt exist.

Not sure. The Trump White House is just not sure why cameras didnt capture the top Russian spy going into the previously undisclosed secret meeting at Trump Tower with Michael Flynn, who resigned due to his secret contacts with Russia (it didnt occur to the White House to mention this meeting then?), and Trumps son-in-law and close personal adviser Jared Kushner.

Meanwhile, Vice President Pence ignored shouted questions from poolers Friday, including, according to the report sent to PoliticusUSA, When did you find out Mr. Sessions talked to the Russians?

Donald Trumps secrets are being slowly and ever so painfully leaked to the media. So the conflict between what they deny and then what comes out is becoming a regular pattern. Trump White House denies something; intel is dropped proving its a lie. Trump White House moves the goal posts, Trump throws public fit on Twitter; intel is dropped again.

This is how things work when one of the two major political parties spits in patriotisms face to cover for its president. And who knows who else.
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If you put lipstick on a pig, it remains a pig. Similarly, hate speech remains hate speech even when read from a teleprompter and spewed with a smile. Surrounding hate speech with images of patriotism and lip service to acceptance of people who look and pray differently than the majority doesnt change the fact that it is hate speech. We saw that first-hand the other night, as Donald Trump delivered his Joint Session of Congress speech.

During the period since Trump took the oath of office, he has made it abundantly clear that he is not Americas president and he doesnt want to be. Trump is and will continue to be his bases president and only his bases president. Consider just a few of the events since Trump took the oath on January 20th.

He indulged in Holocaust denial on Holocaust Memorial Day. Not only did he omit any mention of Jews in his own statement, Trump nixed the State Departments statement that reportedly did mention Jews in favor of one that did not.

He never did condemn a Trump fans hate crime against Muslims in Canada. Trump remains silent about the dramatic surge of hate crimes since he took the oath of office.

As noted by Teen Vogue

The rise in hate crimes in New York City correlates with a national increase since the election. And in addition to the uptick in crimes against Jews, there has also been a significant rising in crimes against Muslims. Researchers at The Southern Poverty Law Center attributed this rise to the rhetoric that has emerged from Trumps campaign, as well as his presidency.

Until the other night, he was silent after a white man in Kansas shouted get out of my country before gunning down 3 people.

He gives VOICE to one set of victims of horrific crimes while condoning with his silence and inaction, horrific crimes against other victims.

Conversely, after Trump decided to pay some lip service to the condemnation of hatred during his performance; he introduced Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement or VOICE.

I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve American Victims. The office is called VOICE - Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement. We are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media and silenced by special interests.

The real purpose of VOICE is to distort the facts by taking isolated incidents and raising them to levels to suggest that criminal behavior is a general trend among immigrants.

Its also straight out of the Nazi handbook as explained by Andrea Pitzer

.

And we see back in Nazi Germany there was a paper calleda Nazi paper called Der Sturmer, and they had a department called Letter Box, and readers were invited to send in stories of supposed Jewish crimes. And Der Sturmer would publish them, and they would include some pretty horrific graphic illustrations of these crimes, as well. And there was even a sort of a lite version of it, if you will, racism lite, in which the Neues Volk, which was more like a Look or a Life magazine, which normally highlighted beautiful Aryan families and their beautiful homes, would run a feature like The Criminal Jew, and they would show photos of Jewish-looking, as they called it, people who represented different kinds of crimes that one ought to watch out for from Jews.

VOICE is nothing more than a contemporary version of Der Sturmers Letter Box with the intended target group being anyone who wasnt born in America. Trump hopes or anticipates that VOICE will suffice as an alternative to studies conducted by his own DHS and the CATO institute which contradict the general premise that immigrants are bad people and bad for America.

DHS Intelligence destroyed Trumps justification to ban people from seven predominantly Muslim countries by concluding that nationality is not an indicator of criminality.

The right wing CATO Institute points to two types of studies on immigration and crime. The first type analyzes survey data collected by the Census and American Community Survey, which concludes that immigrants are less crime prone than the native-born population.

The second type is a macro level analysis which examines the impact of immigration on the crime rate. Under this method, analysts concluded that immigration does not increase crime. It might even result in a decline in crime rates.

With VOICE, Trump can take isolated incidents and make it appear like they illustrate a trend. He can cite VOICE as data to justify his Muslim ban. He can go on with the con that ICE is only rounding up the violent criminals when the fact is ICE is also deporting victims of domestic abuse, and restaurant owners.

Donald Trumps performance was a repeat performance of Trump spewing hate. The only difference is this time he did it with a teleprompter and a smile.
The Nexx Level Sports Center, planned to be built in Irmo, would host major sports tournaments weekly, and is projected to bring $51 million in spending to the area in the first five years, if developers can line up the financial support needed to build it. Read moreProposed Columbia area sports complex seeking financial commitments from county, state
The oft-told story of a frog perishing in a pot as the water slowly warms and then cooks him is not actually based in fact; the metaphor persists because it describes something that is true: We are less aware of change that occurs gradually than when it happens all at once. Read moreEditorial: Referendums based on slow evolution: Berkeley, Dorchester aren't so rural anymore
President Donald Trump walks across the tarmac at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Va., Thursday, March 2, 2017 after arriving on Air Force One for his first visit to the Hampton Roads area since taking office in January. The purpose of his visit was to deliver a speech in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier Ford at Newport News Shipbuilding. (Bill Tiernan/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)
South Carolina voters head to the polls Nov. 8, casting ballots in midterm elections that will not only determine the state's next governor but will also act as the first major referendum on the Biden era. Read moreYour voter guide to top races, key issues in South Carolina's 2022 midterm elections
CHICAGO  Federal law enforcement officials raided three central Illinois facilities of manufacturer Caterpillar on Thursday as part of an investigation the company said may be related to business with its Swiss subsidiary CSARL.

Officials from three federal agencies, some wearing jackets that said "police, federal agent", searched the Peoria, Illinois, headquarters of Caterpillar, one of the world's largest makers of construction and other heavy equipment. Facilities in East Peoria and Morton, Illinois, also were raided under a federal warrant, U.S. Attorney's office spokeswoman Sharon Paul said.

"We believe the execution of this search warrant is regarding, among other things, export filings that relate to the CSARL matter," Caterpillar said in a statement later on Thursday, referring to its Swiss subsidiary.

Caterpillar spokeswoman Corrie Heck Scott said in an email that the company was cooperating with law enforcement.

Paul said the agencies involved included the Internal Revenue Service's criminal investigation unit, the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s office of inspector general. She declined to comment further on the details of the investigation.

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The exact reason for the raid was unclear, but Caterpillar told the Securities and Exchange Commission in a filing last month that the IRS had notified the company it owed $2 billion more in taxes for the years 2010 to 2012 because of profits from its Swiss unit. Caterpillar said it would "vigorously contest" the tax bill.

"We believe that the relevant transactions complied with applicable tax laws and did not violate judicial doctrines," Caterpillar said.

Two years ago the SEC notified Caterpillar that it was conducting an "informal investigation" relating to CSARL and asked the company to preserve relevant documents.

SEC spokesmen in Washington declined to comment Thursday.

A 2014 report by U.S. Senate Democratic staff said that Caterpillar had avoided paying $2.4 billion in U.S. taxes since 2000 by shifting profits to the affiliate in Switzerland.

The report said Caterpillar paid PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP $55 million to develop the tax strategy. Under the strategy, Caterpillar transferred the rights to profits from its parts business to a wholly controlled Swiss affiliate called CSARL, even though no employees or business activities were moved to Switzerland, the report said.

In exchange, CSARL paid a small royalty, and the income was taxed at a special rate of 4 percent to 6 percent that Caterpillar negotiated with the Swiss government, the report said.
PUNTA GORDA, Fla.  The Florida police officer who shot and killed an Austin native has been charged with manslaughter with a firearm, court documents show.

Lee Michael Coel, 28, was arrested Feb. 22 by a member of the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office and charged with the felony in the 20th Judicial Circuit. He was released from custody in lieu of $5,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned April 10.

His boss, Punta Gorda Police Chief Thomas Lewis, was charged with a misdemeanor count of second-degree culpable negligence. His attorney has already entered a plea of not guilty and a request for a jury trial; Lewis's arraignment is set for April 5.

The charges come on the heels of an investigation into the death of Mary Knowlton, 73, who was participating in a "shoot-don't-shoot" scenario Aug. 9 in the southwest Florida city.

During such an exercise, the citizen assumes the role of the officer and is confronted with situations in which they must make a decision about whether to use force on the role player, a Punta Gorda Police Department spokeswoman said.

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The situations escalate quickly, forcing fast decisions. It's designed to foster a better understanding for what officers face during an intense situation and leads to informative dialogue between the community and officers who act as role players, she said.

Both the citizen and the officer have a firearm during these scenarios.

But the guns either are supposed to be loaded with blanks or are "simunition guns," which are real-looking weapons that fire a nonlethal projectile with reduced force.

Knowlton was mistakenly struck with a live round allegedly fired by Coel, officials said, and died at a nearby hospital.

She'd attended the class with her husband of 55 years, Gary Knowlton, in what was planned as a fun night out to show their support for law enforcement, family members said in the days following the shooting.

Lewis, 43, was at the class that night; the charging document accuses him of "unlawfully exposing Knowlton to personal injury, by failing to implement and utilize sufficient safety protocols."

Coel has been on administrative leave since the incident, which was investigated by the Florida state attorney's office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

"This has been a very labor intensive process and has involved a lot of investigative work," said Stephen Russell, state attorney for the 20th Judicial Circuit.

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Coel could face up to 30 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, Russell said. The chief could receive up to 60 days in jail.

Howard Kunik, Punta Gorda's city manager, said Lewis has been placed on paid administrative leave pending further review. He said once he had all the information, the city would do its own internal investigation to determine whether the chief will remain employed.

In October, the city reached a settlement with Gary Knowlton in the amount of $2.06 million. In the settlement, the city admits no liability for Knowlton's death and it is exempted from further action by her family.

Knowlton graduated from Austin High School, then attended St. Olaf College, the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State University, Mankato. She and her husband lived in Prior Lake from 1973 until retiring to the Florida gulf coast town.

Knowlton worked for the Scott County Library System until 1988 at the Prior Lake Library. She served on the library board from 1993 to 2001, said current Library Director Jake Grussing.

She also was the librarian at Parkview Elementary School in Rosemount from 1988 to 2004 and was a substitute librarian at other schools in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan district through 2013.
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ST. PAUL  A Lewiston dentist traveled to the Capitol on Thursday with a grim message  unless lawmakers take action to boost the state's Medicaid reimbursement rates, more and more Minnesotans will go without care.

Dr. Michael Flynn worries that when he retires there will be no one to care for the region's low-income patients.

"I'm going to be 64 in two weeks. Unless there is a change, there will not be a replacement for Dr. Flynn in Lewiston. Under the current system, it is unsustainable," he said.

Flynn joined several other dentists at a Capitol press conference to speak in support of a bill sponsored by Rep. Nels Pierson, R-Rochester, that would increase the state's Medicaid reimbursement rates. Minnesota has the lowest reimbursement rates for pediatric dental services in the nation.

Pierson's proposal would invest up to an additional $120 million into Medicaid reimbursement rates for dental care in the next two-year budget. The Rochester lawmaker told reporters the state's low rates are a "stain on Minnesota's great history" and it is time to fix it.

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"These low payment rates have a real impact on the ability of dentists to provide care for low-income Minnesotans, and this issue is particularly acute in greater Minnesota. We can do better, and I am hopeful this year we will make significant progress on the issue," Pierson said.

A similar bill is being sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Vernon Center.

In Minnesota, the reimbursement rate for Medicaid patients is 27 percent of what patients who aren't on public assistance pay. That compares to reimbursement rates of 32 percent in Wisconsin, 42 percent in Iowa and 63 percent in North Dakota.

Gov. Mark Dayton's budget proposal would increase reimbursement rates by 54 percent. By comparison, Pierson's bill would boost the rates by 100 percent. Flynn said he appreciates the governor's proposal but it doesn't go far enough. He said he is having trouble finding dental assistants to work in his office. Many of them are going to nearby La Crosse, Wis. instead.

"My business as a dentist in Lewiston is at a crisis point, and it's time for Minnesota to assist rural practices," Flynn said.

When patients don't have access to a dentist, they often end up in the emergency room for care. That is a costly alternative that often fails to get to the root of the problem, according to Dr. Michael Helgeson, CEO of Apple Tree Dental . The clinic has six offices in the state, including Rochester. He shared the story of a 90-plus-year-old woman with dementia who had been unable to see a dentist. She showed up several times at Mayo Clinic for an untreated infection that doctors had trouble diagnosing. Once the woman got her teeth checked, it was discovered she had 11 abscess root tips in her mouth.

"Can you imagine? You can't communicate. You've got these infections. You are in and out of the hospital. That's just not right in Minnesota. Vulnerable children, vulnerable adults  people should not have festering infections in their mouths," Helgeson said.

Neither Pierson's nor Rosen's bills have received a committee hearing yet. The state is projected to have a $1.65 billion budget surplus. But there is expected to be plenty of competition for those dollars as lawmakers consider a long list of tax cuts and spending request.

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To help the proposal's chances, the Minnesota Dental Association is preparing to launch an ad campaign soon called "Help Minnesota Smile." The slogan? "It's hard to smile when you're in last place."

The association's president, Dr. Kevin Dens, said it is has taken 30 years for Minnesota to drop to the bottom of states when it comes to reimbursement rates. The proposed $120 million investment would at least move Minnesota to the middle of the pack.

He added, "Right now, Minnesota should be too embarrassed to smile. Ranking last in the nation is not the way we do things in Minnesota."
ST. PAUL  The Republican-controlled Minnesota House has passed a proposal that would block local minimum wage measures and the paid sick leave ordinances set to go into effect this summer in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The vote followed a demonstration and sharp words between lawmakers over local control, and workers' rights versus business needs.

The so-called pre-emption measure would bar cities from setting their own labor regulations. That's been a hot-button issue, particularly in Minneapolis, where advocates have been pushing the city to set a new $15-an-hour minimum wage, higher than the state's standard.

After hours of debate, the measure passed 76-53 on a mostly party-line vote. DFL Reps. Gene Pelowski, of Winona, and Jeanne Poppe, of Austin, joined Republicans in voting for the bill.

Next, a similar measure is set to be considered in the state Senate.

Rep. Nels Pierson, R-Rochester, said the bill would help ensure Minnesota remains a competitive place for business.

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"The negative impacts of what it does for commerce in the state of Minnesota to have the inconsistencies going from city to city is really something that would make it an obstacle to do business in the state of Minnesota," Pierson said.

But Rep. Duane Sauke, DFL-Rochester, argues that these issues should be left up to local governments and it is not the state's place to interfere.

"For me, the core is that this (bill) steps in front of a basic concept of local decision making," Sauke said.

Bill author Rep. Pat Garofalo, a Republican from Farmington, said he expected a veto by Gov. Mark Dayton of the bill as is, but that he hoped a compromise with the Senate could add better wage enforcement or other measures that would make statewide labor standards palatable for both Democratic legislators and Dayton.

"We want to catch those bad guys, and make sure that the businesses playing by the rules don't get punished," Garofalo said. "We also want to have a thoughtful conversation about what it is people are trying to accomplish here with these ordinances."

Republican Rep. Jim Nash of Waconia said city-by-city variation in labor law threatened the very jobs that worker advocates were trying to improve.

"I have a friend that owns restaurants in multiple places and they have employees that go back and forth. The back office paperwork is a nightmare," Nash said.

Opponents of the bill said efforts to improve working conditions, like requiring paid sick leave, improves the lives of working people, even if it's done in a piecemeal, city-by-city way.

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"Advocates for this bill keep saying that it'll create a patchwork quilt of different regulations all over the state," said Rod Adams of Neighborhoods Organizing for Change. "But as we know, the lives of workers of color are just a patchwork quilt, working two to three jobs to just patch together income, to just make ends meet."

Democrats on the House floor were particularly critical of the part of the bill that makes it retroactive to January 2016, before Minneapolis and St. Paul approved the sick time ordinances for all employees in the two cities. The mandates are due to go into effect in July.

Rep. Erin Maye Quade said pre-emption would affect thousands of Minnesotans, most of whom are people of color.

"We can't keep talking about racial disparities, act like we're confused about why it happens, do this, and then come back later, and say we should really do something," the Apple Valley Democrat said.

But Republicans insisted it wasn't fair for the two cities to set the standard for every other community. Rep. Dave Baker owns a hotel and restaurant in Willmar.

"We can't just allow certain cities, our two largest cities in the state, to do what they think is right for their communities, because it so much affects our communities as well," Baker said.

DFLers also offered a range of amendments to the bill, such as requiring statewide sick leave, a 21-day notice for hourly work schedules, and better protection for worker's pay. They even offered a tongue-in-cheek idea to abolish city governments and turn all authority over to the state. But no action was taken on the amendments.
ST. PAUL  Minnesota lawmakers are considering legislation that could spell the end for snow days.

In an attempt to curb the amount of days tacked onto the end of the school year, a House committee heard legislation that would let schools substitute snow days for home learning, or e-learning, days. Families would be notified at least two hours before school starts and students would begin their online coursework at the beginning of the school day.

In southeastern Minnesota, the Zumbrota-Mazeppa school district has what they call WILD, or Weather Induced Learning Days. Republican Rep. Steve Drazkowski, the author of the bill, lives in Mazeppa and brought in the area's high school principal, David Anderson, to talk about the program.

Started in late 2015, Anderson said WILD helps kids keep up with their school work in the face of unexpected cancellations.

"The ability for kids to continue to do coursework provided by their teachers was very well received, not only by our teachers but by our parents as well," he said.

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The program works in the rural district because all students have access to laptops they can bring home. Students who don't have internet access at home can submit their assignments on paper or online after returning to school.

Democratic Rep. Mary Kunesh-Podein, an educator herself, praised the program and said it is a great way to keep students on track. The New Brighton lawmaker raised the idea of providing internet "hot spots" for students who don't have web access at home.

Kids aren't the only ones losing out on a day off though, as teachers have to stay near their computers and monitor their students' participation in the day's activities and answer questions.

Angela Heitmann, a Zumbrota-Mazeppa teacher, said the online assignments are often supplementary to class work, because something like a biology lab can't be brought home. The types of assignments vary, she said, depending on the students' age and subject level.

Snow days are safe for now, as the committee didn't vote on the bill, but laid it aside for possible inclusion in a larger education bill.
TRUMAN, Minn.  Kirsten and Ron Bressler decided they'd be the ones to tell their 8-year-old son he would never walk again.

They recalled how overwhelmed they were by the stream of doctors who filed into a waiting room. The stray arrow that struck their youngest child in the chest had shattered part of his spine and he would be paralyzed from the chest down, the doctors told them.

It would have been easier on Kirsten and Ron to let the doctors also break the news to Curtis, but they didn't want him to feel as overwhelmed as they did.

So when the moment felt right late one November night, Kirsten told Curtis.

"I told him he'll still be able to do everything he did before. He'll just do it in a different way in a wheelchair," Kirsten recalled.

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Three months later that wheelchair is folded up in a corner of their house in Truman.

Somehow, despite a diagnosis of a severed spinal cord, Curtis is well on his way to a full recovery after being accidentally shot by an archery arrow. The second-grader is not only walking again, he's jumping and climbing stairs.

"Sometimes we don't have explanations from a medical standpoint," said Mayo Clinic pediatric surgeon Denise Klinkner in a video about Curtis. "But with this kind of outcome, I'm OK not having an explanation."

The arrow that lodged into Curtis' spine was shot accidentally by one of his older siblings Nov. 3.

Kirsten was at work not far away when she got the call that there had been an accident. She rushed home and found Curtis unable to move but conscious.

As first responders provided first aid, she remembers Curtis was surprisingly calm as she repeatedly told him he was "in good hands."

Curtis was flown by helicopter to Mayo Clinic in Rochester. His family had to drive to the hospital while not knowing whether their son and brother was still alive.

Relief he had survived dimmed the grief over the paralysis prognosis.

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"I thought 'It's fine. It will be OK. At least he's still alive,'" Kirsten said.

As Curtis began to regain feeling and then movement, his parents started to cautiously hope for a miracle. Too young to understand what a severed spinal cord meant, Curtis meanwhile was confident he'd prove the doctors wrong.

In late November he shocked his parents and medical professionals by taking several steps as he returned from physical therapy.

"I heard him giggling (in the hallway) and then he walked in. I couldn't believe it," his mother said.

Just a few weeks later he was back home and in his second-grade classroom at Truman Public School.

Curtis uses a walker sometimes, but increasingly less and less. At physical therapy sessions in Mankato three times a week, he's meeting challenges including jumping and walking on a balance beam.

It's still unknown if Curtis will have any permanent mobility limitations, his mother said.

Mayo Clinic produced a video about Curtis' accident and his unexplainable recovery. It's been viewed over 14,000 times on YouTube since it was posted last month.

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People Magazine got wind of the story and a reporter interviewed Kirsten for a not yet published article.

It was also seen by someone from "The Doctors," a CBS daytime health talk show. Producers invited Curtis and Kirsten to Hollywood, all expenses paid, to appear on the show.

"Looking at that picture and the trajectory of that arrow, I see that and I think, 'There's no way he survived that,'" said Dr. Travis Stork, the show's star, in the episode that aired Feb. 3.

Despite getting a standing ovation as he walked out onto the stage, Curtis said he didn't enjoy being in the limelight. He rather would've spent the entire getaway swimming in the hotel pool, he said.

Curtis and his family have another getaway to look forward to this summer. The show gifted them with a trip to the Legoland Florida Resort.

While his ordeal has piqued an interest in biology and medicine, Curtis said he still wants to be a farmer when he grows up. He wants to raise animals and crops, just like his parents.

The family is grateful for the support they've received from the Truman community, Kirsten said.

There were many gestures that made a big impact, she said, such as when Curtis' teacher came to Rochester to deliver assignments and do their planned parent-teacher conference.

Multiple community fundraisers helped the family purchase a new bed and a wheelchair and will help pay the medical bills once they start to arrive.

Kirsten said she and her husband are choosing to focus on their son's recovery and not worry about the still unknown cost of Curtis' accident.

The unneeded rental wheelchair will soon be returned. It was too late to cancel their order for a customized wheelchair that hasn't yet arrived. Kirsten said they plan to donate it to the pediatric rehabilitation unit at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisianas Second District is no Cedric the Entertainer, but hes trying. He was trying to be funny when he disparaged Kellyanne Conway with a vile sexual innuendo at the Washington Press Club Foundation Wednesday night (video below).

Looking around online for a video to verify the quote, I found New Orleans Times-Picayune columnist Jarvis DeBerrys decent assessment of Richmonds remark in Cedric Richmond owes Kellyanne Conway a real apology. DeBerrys call for a real apology is to be distinguished from the fake apology served up by Rep. Richmond. Rep. Richmond owes Ms. Conway a genuine apology.

Has CNN gotten around to covering this interesting sign of the times? Have CNN anchors come to Kellyannes defense or called out Rep. Richmond? Check here.

UPDATE: Kellyanne comments here.
The Democrats allegations against Jeff Sessions, one of the most upright men in Washington, are ludicrous. I dont understand how anyone can think they amount to anything. But if the Democrats want to talk about collusion with the Russians, by all means lets have that conversation.

Chris Adams takes us on a walk down memory lane. In 1983, Ted Kennedythe liberal lion of the Senatetried to enlist the Soviet Union, our most bitter enemy, in the Democrats effort to defeat President Ronald Reagans re-election.

Yes, a United States senator really did collude with the Russians to influence the outcome of a presidential election. His name was Ted Kennedy. While Sen. Al Franken (D-Ringling Bros.) and other Democrats have the vapors over a truthful, complete, and correct answer Attorney General Jeff Sessions gave in his confirmation hearing, its worth remembering the reprehensible behavior of Senator Ted Kennedy in 198[3].

***

To recap, from Forbes: Picking his way through the Soviet archives that Boris Yeltsin had just thrown open, in 1991 Tim Sebastian, a reporter for the London Times, came across an arresting memorandum. Composed in 1983 by Victor Chebrikov, the top man at the KGB, the memorandum was addressed to Yuri Andropov, the top man in the entire USSR. The subject: Sen. Edward Kennedy. Kennedys message was simple. He proposed an unabashed quid pro quo. Kennedy would lend Andropov a hand in dealing with President Reagan. In return, the Soviet leader would lend the Democratic Party a hand in challenging Reagan in the 1984 presidential election. The only real potential threats to Reagan are problems of war and peace and Soviet-American relations, the memorandum stated. These issues, according to the senator, will without a doubt become the most important of the election campaign. Kennedy made Andropov a couple of specific offers. Among the promises Kennedy made the Soviets was he that would ensure that the television networks gave the Soviet leader primetime slots to speak directly to the American people, thus undermining Reagans framing of the sinister nature of the USSR. Even then, the Democrats had the power to collude with the legacy media. Kennedy also promised to help Andropov penetrate the American message with his Soviet agitprop. Thats right, folks. Even 30 years ago, Democrat senators were colluding with Americas enemies to bring down Republicans.

Selling out America to benefit the Democratic Party? It happens. Sometimes, Democrats sell out America just because they think it is the right thing to do. If someone is going to investigate the executive branchs relationship with Russia, he should start with Barack Obamas pledge to Russian President Dmitri Medvedev that he would sell out the United States in his second term.

You think that is too strong? What do you think Obama meant when he said he would have more flexibility after the election? That he would have more latitude to advance American interests by opposing Russian actions in, say, Crimea and Ukraine? No, I dont think that is what he meant, either.

I have thought for quite a while that the Democratic Party is shameless, but the Democrats have taken shamelessness to a whole new level.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announced that eight young men were indicted for mail theft and bank fraud conspiracies in the Bronx. In a nutshell, the group is accused of removing mail from corner mailboxes in order to find checks and mail orders. Bharara said they "allegedly hatched a scheme to steal mail from Bronx residents, specifically targeting mail they thought would contain checks or money orders, then depositing stolen funds into their own and others accounts. Now, thanks to the work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service [USPIS], these alleged mail fraudsters have been delivered to the criminal justice system." Very clever, Preet.

Because of a series of mail theft incidents, the U.S. Postal Service has been installing "retrofitted" mailboxes to prevent mail "fishing" in the Bronx and upper Manhattan.

The U.S. Attorney's office explained the enterprise, which took place between March 2015 and January 2017:

Since 2015, USPIS and other local and federal agencies, including the New York City Police Department (NYPD), Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, have been investigating mail theft from mailboxes in the Bronx, New York. The investigation has revealed that individuals steal mail by either illicitly obtaining mail box keys or by fishing. Fishing involves inserting homemade mail theft devices into mailboxes located on street corners or other publicly accessible places. After gaining access to the mail in the mailbox, a thief typically will remove any mail that appears to contain checks or money orders. During the beginning and end of the month when many people mail checks for rent and bills, a thief can steal checks worth tens of thousands of dollars in a single night.



After perpetrators fish checks and money orders out of mailboxes, they sell the checks and money orders to others, remove the payees names by washing the checks and money orders, or simply deposit the checks and money orders into a bank account. In various iterations of the scheme, those bank accounts have belonged to the mail thieves, to complicit accountholders, or to unsuspecting third parties whose debits cards or personal identifying information has been stolen.

U.S.P.I.S. Inspector-in-Charge Philip Bartlett added, "When I think of the brazenness of these individuals to allegedly steal U.S. Mail coupled with their total disregard for the financial well-being of the communities impacted by their crimes, it takes the word insolent to new heights."

Brian Marte, a/k/a Trini Rabiia, 20; Erickson Batista, a/k/a Niike Batista, 24; Junior Taveras, a/k/a Tuh Relambio, 19; Angel Aristy, a/k/a Frekiitho Lindo Colon, 18; Luis Rosado, a/k/a El Menolsito Tejada, 19; Eoscaterys Polnaco, 23; Brayan Rodriguez, a/k/a New Black El Paisano, 23; and Ronardo Baez, a/k/a Tuchokoo Baez, 19, were named in the indictment. Five have been arrested, two are at large and one will turn himself in at the end of the week.

The feds say, "Each of the defendants is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit mail theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison. Marte is also charged with one count of mail theft, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison."

As for the new mailboxes to prevent fraud, a U.S.P.I.S. spokeswoman told DNAinfo they are similar to the old ones but "the retrofitted postal boxes 'don't have a snorkel to pull down."
There has been a spate of bomb threats against Jewish institutions lately, some of them coordinated. Naturally, the Democrats are peddling the claim that the perpetrators are Trump supporters. I dont believe the authorities have yet gotten to the bottom of the coordinated ones, but the first person to be arrested for a series of anti-Semitic bomb threats is a left-wing African-American journalist apparently motivated by spite against a former girlfriend.

For the eight years of the Obama administration, George W. Bush commendably kept quiet. Now that we have a Republican president, however, he cant seem to shut up. He is finding new favor with the left, mostly because he cant give an interview without being drawn into explicit or implicit criticism of President Trump. This is my advice to you, W: You had it right the first time. You think you owed Barack Obama your silence? If you dont have anything positive to say, you owe it to Donald Trump, too. You let the press destroy you without ever fighting back. Now that we have a fighter in the White House, get off the bad guys team.

I dont ever watch television news, but I would have assumed it is as biased against our president as the print and internet media. Confirmation comes from Rich Noyes and Mike Ciandella at Newsbusters.

In the first 30 days (January 20 to February 18), our analysts determined that the President and his team were the subject of 16 hours of coverage on just the Big Three evening newscasts. This equates to more than half (54%) of all of the news coverage during this period. While most new presidents enjoy a media honeymoon, the tone of Trumps coverage was nearly as hostile (88% negative) as we found during last years presidential campaign (91% negative).

This chart shows the proportion of negative to positive stories on ABC, CBS and NBC:

It is remarkable that President Trumps approval ratings are as high as they are, given the incessant campaign of vilification by the Democratic Party press.

Finally, I care little about Joe Biden and nothing at all about his son Hunter. However, Hunter has long been a public figure. He served in Bill Clintons Department of Commerce, was on Amtraks board of directors, and was a co-chairman of the 2008 Obama-Biden Inaugural Committee. He became the subject of controversy as a member of the board of directors of Burisma Holdings, the largest non-governmental gas producer in Ukraine, a post for which he had no apparent qualifications other than being the vice-presidents son.

So it is not unfair to note that Hunter Biden is embroiled in one of the years juiciest scandals. He dumped his wife for the widow of his older brother, Beau. His wife now says, in their divorce proceeding:

His spending rarely relates to legitimate family expenses, but focuses on his own travel (at times multiple hotel rooms on the same night), gifts for other women, alcohol, strip clubs, or other personal indulgences.

***

Throughout the parties separation Mr. Biden has created financial concerns for the family by spending extravagantly on his own interests (including drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, strip clubs, and gifts for women with whom he has sexual relations), while leaving the family with no funds to pay legitimate bills.

Joe Biden takes a benign view of his sons wife-switch:

He told us in an exclusive statement, We are all lucky that Hunter and Hallie found each other as they were putting their lives together again after such sadness. They have mine and Jills full and complete support and we are happy for them.

My only observation is that if Joe Biden had been a Republican vice presidentDick Cheney, saythis would be a scandal for the ages.
Taking the view from Sunset Boulevard, Ammo Grrrll has visions of CRAZY CHRISTIANS. She writes:

Turn on a television crime drama. Here is a scenario that occurs with nauseating regularity: The investigators go to the house of a person of interest in the murder of a young girl. The timid woman who answers the door is wearing a cross. Uh-oh. Thats called a clue. I always turn to Mr. AG and say, Crazy Christian Alert! Her husband did it. The girl was a foster child, molested by the Christian man and then killed to cover up the crime. The wife is cowed because she is also a battered wife. I always hope I am wrong; but I never am. In Hollywood, nobody good wears a cross. Out of ideas for decades, Hollywood needs villains and really has only three permitted categories.

You cant suggest that black gangstas commit horrific, pointless, drug-related crime every day that ends in y. Racist! You cant suggest that Muslims kill their daughters in honor killings. Islamophobic! And, you cant sell a script in which an illegal immigrant from El Savador is just a vicious, drug-dealing gang member with three teardrop murder tattoos whose Dreamer status comes from sniffing glue. Those are No-Go Zones in Hollywood.

The Open Season categories that can be vilified in the most stereotypical way for movies or television are  Big something (Oil, Pharma, Bidness, Crooked Cops); rich, psycho serial killers; and Christians. Though black people are overwhelmingly Christian, be assured that virtually all of these Crazy Christian bad guys will be white. A Martian watching a few evenings of television programs and ads would conclude that while its remotely possible that all white men are not criminals, all criminals are definitely white men.

This column has been germinating for some time. Last summer I watched the DVD of Season 1 of True Detective, a beautifully-acted, mesmerizing series several years old. But the minute I saw the rich, white Southern preacher with a chain of private Christian schools, I knew he would turn out to be a pedophile monster. I watched it again with Mr. AG and he said the exact same thing without hints from me. Twofer: Christians AND Bad Cops!

Then Mr. AG ordered the great old action movie The Dirty Dozen from Netflix. The Lee Marvin character (the actor himself a World War II-era Marine) is tasked with recruiting for a near-suicide mission behind German lines twelve soldiers whose crimes have resulted in either death sentences or long prison terms at hard labor. He must turn them into a team.

Though very serious crimes have been committed, we get a sympathetic back story for eleven of the twelve convicts. Only one  Telly Savalas  has no redeeming features whatsoever. He is a Bible-quoting, lunatic rapist and murderer of women. His Christianity compels him to kill women he sees as sluts. Yawn. How many times have we seen this plot? He is, in short, barking mad and would no way have been chosen for the mission, which his insanity endangers at first contact with the enemy with disastrous results.

Leaping ahead half a century to Criminal Minds, Season 2. In one episode, the young agent, Spencer, is kidnapped, tortured and almost killed by a wait for it yes, a Crazy Christian! There is no attempt to humanize the young wacko except insofar as his evil stems from his Christian beliefs, passed on by HIS crazy, brutal Christian father, end of story.

However, in an earlier episode, we find a jihadi in a Guantanamo setting believed to have information about a pending terrorist attack. HIS actions, naturally, have nothing to do with Islam. You see, his young son has been killed by the deliberate bombing of civilians by the evil Americans. The writers carefully portray him bruised from unseen beatings by his interrogators. He lies repeatedly to his gentle interrogator, the Mandy Patinkin character, and is, in fact, guilty as sin of plotting a massive attack, barely foiled.

More than an entire season of Homeland revolved around a similar plot. The most adorable little child actor on the planet is killed by American drones targeting his madrassa. It made me cry even knowing I was being manipulated. No mention at all of the standard practice of embedding arms and terrorists in civilian areas, schools and mosques.

This is the propaganda we are spoon fed daily. It cannot help but have an effect. The deliberate attack on Christianity is relentless. Since Christianity is also a more important part of the culture in the South and Red states, it is also a not-very-subtle political attack.

The bias is so ham-handed it makes you wonder: have these writers never met even one devout Christian? Most (not all) of my friends who arent observant Jews are religious Christians. Would the writers be even a little embarrassed to write such bigotry if they knew my friend Barb  smart as a whip with genius sons and grandkids  hospice volunteer, pro-life activist? Whenever she hears the siren of an ambulance, she bows her head and prays for the strangers in that ambulance. She is the fiercest Prayer Warrior I know, but youll NEED prayer to play Scrabble with her: Dear Lord, please giveth me the J, the X and the Z so I mighteth smite Barb just this once. Oh, and some good vowels couldnt hurt. What am I supposed to do with this fourth U, Lord? She wont accept Uhuru from Star Trek. Amen.

I want to end with a few snippets culled from Brad Paisleys song Those Crazy Christians (written by Kelley Lovelace and Brad Paisley). Go to YouTube and listen to the whole thing. Its a tiny drop of balance in an ocean of overt, despicable, anti-Christian bigotry.

Every untimely passing, every dear departed soul

Is just another good excuse to bake a casserole

Instead of being outside on this sunny afternoon

Theyre by the bedside of a stranger in a cold hospital room

They look to heaven their whole life

And I think what if theyre wrong but what if theyre right

You know its funny, much as Im baffled by it all

If I ever really needed help, well you know who Id call

Is those crazy Christians.
Eliana Johnson reports that some White House officials are opposing the selection by James Mattis of Anne Patterson for the position of undersecretary of defense for policy. The opposition reportedly stems mainly from Pattersons actions as U.S. ambassador to Egypt in the Obama administration.

Eliana explains:

Patterson worked closely with former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and his Islamist government. She came under fire for cultivating too close a relationship with the regime and for discouraging protests against itand White House officials are voicing concerns about those decisions now.

I discussed Pattersons support of Morsi here, stating:

Patterson stood firmly behind the Brotherhood as it persecuted opponents and attempted to consolidate its rule. Consequently, she was reviled by the Brotherhoods opponents to the point that, according to Johnson, when she left her post Egyptians partied outside the U.S. Embassy in a good riddance celebration.

I also criticized Pattersons subsequent performance assistant secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. Citing Bridget Johnsons reporting, I wrote:

[M]embers of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee concluded, based on briefings from [Patterson], that she and the administration she represents had no handle on the emerging threat posed by ISIS. While she spoke in platitudes about countering ISIS using diplomacy and development and by strengthening our business and people-to-people ties, the terrorists were rampaging through Iraq and establishing their caliphate. Patterson has been equally clueless on the subject of Libya. . .Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen recalled in a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing that in June Patterson told lawmakers she was optimistic that the elections in Libya, which were the third in less than two years, would be an important step forward toward Libyas stability.

To say that Patterson is clueless about Israel and the Palestinians would probably be charitable. Biased against Israel may be a better description

Palestinian Media Watch tells us: In testimony to Congress, Patterson defended the Palestinian Authority practice of paying salaries to terrorists in prison saying they have to provide for the families.'

In addition, Patterson reportedly supported, and may have been a driver behind, the Obama administrations one-sided approach to the killing of a PLO terrorist who happened to hold American citizenship:

The U.S. Embassy in Israel demanded that the Israeli government launch a full-scale investigation of the [Mahmoud] Shalan incident. For some reason, the embassy did not demand that the Palestinian Authority (PA) investigate why Shalan, who was a resident of PA territory, was trying to murder Israelis. Nor do I recall the U.S. embassy ever urging the PA to investigate when its own policemen have murdered American citizens in Israel. The embassys concerns seem to be quite selective. Well, the Israeli government did conduct an investigation. The conclusions were straightforward. The Israeli Military Advocate General reported to the Obama administration that Shalan tried to commit murder and the soldiers were justified to shoot back. Therefore, the soldiers were not prosecuted. Nevertheless, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs Anne Patterson asserted this week that the Obama administration continues to have concerns about the death of this American citizen. She vowed that the administration will remain engaged with the government of Israel on this issue.

(Emphasis added)

Secretary of Mattis is vastly respected and deserves plenty of deference when it comes to picking his top staff. However, if any of the reporting cited above is correct, and surely some of it is, the White House is wise to question giving a top policy position at the Pentagon to Anne Patterson.

And, absent a good explanation by Mattis of his support for Patterson, the White House would be wise to wonder what that backing says about how he views the Middle East.
Malaysian Police on Friday issued a warrant of arrest for a North Korean airline employee, Kim Uk Il, 37, in connection to the killing of Kim Jong Nam, the report said.

It said that the accused, who reportedly works for Air Koryo, was named in the arrest warrant.

The Malaysias Immigration Department also said that another North Korean man, who was detained over the Feb. 13 killing, was released and would be deported to Pyongyang later in the day.

Police did not say why Ri Jong Chol, who was apprehended on Feb. 17, was being held.

The 47-year-old worked in an IT department in Kuala Lumpur wa seen on Friday wearing a bulletproof vest outside the Sepang police station while being escorted by police.

Attorney General Mohamed Apandi Ali had said on Thursday that Ri would be released due to insufficient evidence.

However, Ris family has gone into hiding.

I dont know where they [Ris family] went.

His wife and children left in a hurry.

We are still in shock over what happened, a neighbour in Ris condominium said.

Ri graduated in 2011 from a North Korean university and previously worked for a research centre in India, The Star Online reported.

Malaysian officials condemned the alleged use of VX nerve agent in the killing, saying its use at a public place could have endangered the general public.

Malaysia does not produce, stockpile, import, export or use any  toxic chemicals including VX.

Malaysia has fully cooperated with the organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and has complied entirely with all its obligations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

On Wednesday, two women, one from Indonesia and one from Vietnam were charged with murder for allegedly poisoning Kim by rubbing VX nerve agent on his face at Kuala Lumpurs international airport.

North Korean diplomat Ri Tong Il has insisted that Kim Jong Nam was not poisoned, noting that Kim had a history of high blood pressure and could have died of a heart attack.

Ri, Pyongyangs former deputy ambassador to the UN had said on Thursday that samples of the toxic substance used in the attack should be sent to the OPCW for further evaluation.

The aftermath of the high-profile killing has strained diplomatic relations between Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur.

Police are searching for a total of seven North Koreans believed to be linked to the killing, including a diplomat at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Police asked Interpol to issue an alert for four who fled Malaysia to Pyongyang on the day of Kims murder. The remaining three are thought to be in Malaysia.

(dpa/NAN)

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Some hundreds of Islamists on Friday marched in Dhaka to demand the government remove a statue of Lady Justice installed in 2016 on the Supreme Court premises.

We will be forced to go for tougher agitation unless the statue is removed immediately, Mosaddeque Billah, one of the leaders of the group Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, told a rally after Friday prayers.

The radical group, which campaigns for a blasphemy law, also announced a nationwide demonstration for March 10.

It said that would be followed by yet another on March 18 to press their demand for the removal of the statue of a blindfolded woman in a sari holding scales and a sword in her hands.

The statue that represents the Roman goddess Iustitia, or the Greek goddess Themis, was set up on the Bangladesh Supreme Court premises in December.

The Islamic group says the setting up of idols is prohibited in Islam.

We cant allow any idol in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, Billah said.

Over 90 per cent of Bangladeshs 160 million inhabitants identify as Muslim.

The country is governed by a secular constitution based on British common law, but radical Islamic groups have long been campaigning for the introduction of strict Islamic law, or sharia. (dpa/NAN)

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday filed a three-count charge against two multinational oil firms, Shell and ENI, for their roles in the $1.1 billion Malabu oil scam.

The EFCC had in December filed related charges against two former Nigerian ministers, Mohammed Adoke and Dan Etete, and others after concluding investigations on the 2011 controversial sale of OPL 245.

The alleged fraud committed by the ex-Nigerian officials and officials of the oil firms, has also led to investigations and charges in Italy.

The EFCC had also secured a court order ensuring the return of the OPL 245 to the Nigerian government, pending the determination of the court case against the defendants.

Although Shell and ENI have appealed that court order obtained on January 26, both companies were not charged for their roles by the Nigerian government until Thursday.

The defendants according to the fresh charge include the Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited; Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited; ENI SPA: the then directors of the oil firms, Ralph Wetzels, Casula Roberto, Pujati Stefeno, and Burrafato Sebastiano; Dauzia Lauya also known as Dan Etete;Mohammed Adoke; Aliyu Abubakar, and Malabu Oil and Gas Limited.

Messrs Casula and Etete were also among those indicted by Italian prosecutors who have indicated their intentions to file charges against them.

According to the charges filed on Thursday, the defendants were accused of committing the crime of conspiracy to commit felony against the provisions of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences, ICPC, Act.

The oil firms and their then directors were also alleged to have fraudulently paid $801 million to Messrs. Adoke, Etete, Aliyu, and Malabu for the oil block.

OPL 245 is considered one of Nigerias richest oil blocks and estimated to contain over nine billion barrels of crude.

Investigations had revealed that former President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the handing over of OPL 245 to Malabu, shortly after assuming office in 2010.

According to investigations, Mr. Jonathan asked the then Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, to solidify the transfer of OPL 245 to Malabu, a company then controlled by a fellow Nigerian from the Niger-Delta region, Dan Etete.

Despite Mr. Jonathans directive that Malabu be given OPL 245, the company really did not exist and had no staff or technical competence to manage the block. Based on advice from desperate businessmen, including an Israeli, Ednan Agaev, Mr. Etete decided to cash in on the block.

Through various middlemen, the former minister approached oil giants, Shell and ENI, to buy the block. Knowing Mr. Etetes history, including the fact that he had been convicted in France for money laundering, the oil firms would not do a direct deal.

For the transaction to continue, a legally recognised mediator would have to be found.

That mediator turned out to be the Nigerian government, represented by Mr. Adoke.

The agreements that were sealed led to Shell and ENI paying the $1.1 billion into a Nigerian government account in JP Morgan Chase in London. The money was to then be transferred to Malabu accounts controlled by Mr. Etete.

Although Shell and ENI have repeatedly claimed they did not know the money was going to end up with Malabu, investigations in Nigeria and Italy as well as leaked documents revealed that claim to be false. Mr. Adoke himself would later admit that he, on behalf of the federal government, only acted as a mediator for two willing parties  Malabu and the oil majors. Mr. Adoke was, however, aware of the various fraudulent manipulations of Malabu by Mr. Etete when he authorised the transaction, multiple sources have told PREMIUM TIMES.

TRANSFERS TO FRAUDULENT FIRMS

To ensure no one stopped the shady transfer of the $1.1 billion to Mr. Etete, the money had to be quickly transferred. More so, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was set to assume office as Nigerias Finance Minister and the officials involved were not sure she would play ball.

On August 16, 2011, a day before Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala was to assume office, Mr. Adoke and the then Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama, authorised the transfer of the money to Malabu accounts in Nigeria controlled by Mr. Adoke. However, all the $1.1 billion could not be transferred. Emeka Obi, a man who claimed he helped broker the deal between Malabu and the oil majors filed a suit in the UK, that ensured $215 million was frozen of the money. The remaining $801 million was subsequently transferred to Mr. Etete: $400 million was transferred to a Bank PHB account while $401 million was transferred to a First Bank account.

Immediately Mr. Etete received the money, curious transfers began. PREMIUM TIMES investigations, now confirmed by the EFCC, reveal that shady companies linked to Abubakar Aliyu received about $479 million dollars from Mr. Etete. Our investigations later showed that most of the companies were non-existent and used fake addresses in their registration documents.

The companies  Rocky Top Resource Ltd, Imperial Union Ltd, Novel Properties & Dev. Co. Ltd, A-Group Construction Ltd, and Megatech Engineering Ltd  were all charged in the suit filed by the EFCC last December.

While Mr. Etete later admitted that only $250 million of the money paid into his account was his, Mr. Aliyu is believed to have acted as a front for officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, including Mr. Adoke.

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Multiple bomb blasts hit Maiduguri early Friday with many feared dead.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, said the attacks were carried out by suspected suicide bombers around the NNPC depot on Damboa Road, Maiduguri.

The police commands spokesman, Victor Isuku, confirmed the blasts on Friday.

Our men are still working at the scene, NAN quoted Mr. Isuku as saying.

He promised to supply details later.

A witness, Abubakar Kaumi, told journalists at the scene that the blast occurred around 3 a.m.

A woman suspected to be a suicide bomber walking alongside two girls came round the depot.

They detonated their explosives near some petrol tankers parked there, and destroyed the three vehicles.

Gladly, nobody was closed by, so, only the three bombers died, Mr. Kaumi said.

An official of the National Emergency Management Agency( NEMA), Abdul Ibrahim, also confirmed the report.

Three suspected suicide bombers detonated their explosives along Damboa road, Maiduguri, in the early hours of Friday, destroying three petrol tankers parked near the NNPC depot, Mr. Ibrahim said.

He said that the fire caused by the explosion had been brought under control while rescue efforts were ongoing.

(NAN)

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Nigerias acting president, Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday directed the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, to engage with International Oil Companies on the way forward over repeated calls for the relocation of their head offices to the states where they produce oil from.

Most of the IOCs in Nigeria have their headquarters in Lagos, south west of the country, hundreds of kilometers away from the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

The Niger Delta people have long complained that while oil exploration activities have polluted their environment, the IOCs were paying taxes and other benefits to another state.

Mr. Osibanjo, who was responding to the requests made by various interest groups in Akwa Ibom State during the town hall meeting he had with the people of the state, said the federal government was proposing a new vision for the people of oil producing communities.

The American oil giant, ExxonMobil, is one of the IOCs operating in Akwa Ibom, but with its head offices in Lagos.

The majority of the people of these communities, including the oil producing communities here in this state, have heard of the wealth that oil has brought, but have hardly benefited from it, Mr. Osinbajo said at the Government House banquet hall to an excited crowd of indigenes which included the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, and the Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, OGFZA, Umana Umana.

Mr. Osinbajo admitted that the blessings of oil have sadly become a curse for the people.

He said that he and his entourage were visiting the state on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr. Buhari has been on leave for more than 40 days now, in London.

During the town hall meeting, the people told Mr. Osinbajo that the long years of oil exploration did not bring along the expected development and happiness to the state.

Nduese Essien, a former minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, for instance, told the acting president that the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, which is a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has no befitting office in the state.

Mr. Essien, who is also a former member of the House of Representatives, said the DPR was operating from a rented two-bedroom apartment in Eket, adding that NNPC itself has no single office in Akwa Ibom, despite the fact that the state was the largest oil producing state in the country.

When they (NNPC workers) come to Akwa Ibom to supervise oil production, where they are joint venture partners with oil companies, they stay in the tents provided by the oil companies, Mr. Essien said. And you know what that means.

None of the NNPC subsidiaries is located in Akwa Ibom State. Theres no oil depot in the state for refined petroleum products. The communities are neither stakeholders nor shareholders in the oil business.

Apart from the 13 per cent oil derivation money paid to the state government, the oil producing communities in Akwa Ibom have nothing to show for several years of oil exploration in the state.

The federal government has shown no interest in meaningful development and presence in the areas, other than providing policemen and other security personnel in the area.

They only provide policemen and other security to ensure that oil flows uninterrupted in the area.

The oil services companies come from outside Akwa Ibom with their workers whose taxis are paid to their places of residence. The auxiliary benefits and the multiplier effects of operating in the oil producing area are therefore lost.

Mr. Essien said the story of oil exploration in the state was the story of woes, and added that the state was exceptionally peaceful in the Niger Delta region because the elders prevailed upon the youth not to bomb oil pipelines.

We can no longer guarantee that the youth will continue to listen to us if the federal government continues to ignore us, Mr. Essien said, pleading with the federal government to reward the state with needed projects and human development.

He reiterated the demand of the people that oil companies operating in the state should move their headquarters to the state.

Today, all those impediments ranging from lack of airport, road network, housing, and accommodation have been conquered. They dont have any excuse not to move their headquarters to Akwa Ibom.

Both the acting president and the minister of state for Petroleum praised the Akwa people for not resorting to the bombing of oil pipelines.

Mr. Kachikwu promised that he would ensure that NNPC establishes its presence in the state.

This state is not just known as the highest producer of oil in Nigeria, it is also the most peaceful state, Mr. Kachikwu said. I would not have been able to deliver some of the results we are seeing today without the support of the people of this state.

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The police in Abuja released the commandant of the Nigerian Peace Corps, Dickson Akoh, on Thursday night, two days after he was arrested on allegations of running an outlawed organisation.

Mr. Akoh was arrested on Tuesday night after police officers, in a joint operation with the Nigerian Army and State Security Service, stormed the head office of the Peace Corps in Abuja, whisking him and 49 other members of the group away.

The police paraded Mr. Akoh and his men on Wednesday afternoon, saying the Peace Corps has unlawfully turned itself into a security outfit without the authorisation and establishment by the Federal government.

The police said a gazette promulgated by the Nigerian government in 2013 had outlawed the Peace Corps and other similar groups operating private paramilitary agencies across the country.

But Mr. Akoh denied the allegation, saying he established the group to instil discipline in Nigeria and create employment opportunities for the countrys teeming youth.

The police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, confirmed the release of Mr. Akoh and the other 49 arrested members.

Mr. Akoh was released on bail with a condition that he must report at the Federal Capital Territory Command of the force every day.

He was released on Thursday night after providing a surety and there are conditions attached to that, Mr. Moshood told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone Friday night. He will be reporting at the FCT Command where the case is being handled.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the Peace Corps head office remained locked by the police, and it might not be opened until the tension died down.

The arrests came weeks after the Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives harmonised the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill to give the group, which had operated as a volunteer organisation for 18 years, government backing.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt the SSS and police submitted memoranda to the National Assembly against the establishment of the Peace Corps, but the lawmakers went ahead with the passage of the bill, anyway.

The bill is expected to be forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent, although it is not clear if the president will support the creation of another paramilitary agency.

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Police say a man was punched in the face on a train in Brooklyn by an assailant who told him to go back to Mexico.

The incident happened around 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday. The 27-year-old victim was aboard a southbound J train pulling into the Crescent Street subway station in East New York when he was attacked. The assailant, who police say was wearing a grey sweatsuit and had braids, allegedly yelled at the victim, "Fucking Mexican, go back to your country."

The suspect then punched the man in the face twice, breaking his nose, and fled the scene. The victim was taken to Interfaith Hospital in stable condition. An NYPD spokesperson confirmed that the NYPDs Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident.
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has condemned the recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

A statement signed by Ayuba Wabba, the NLC President, said the February attacks, like the attacks of 2008 and 2015, were unacceptable and avoidable.

The Nigerian Community in South Africa had in recent weeks suffered renewed xenophobic attacks by South Africans. While speaking on behalf of other Nigerians in South Africa in February, Ikechukwu Anyene, a leader of the community, confirmed the attacks and looting of Nigerian-owned businesses in Pretoria West.

The development prompted the Nigerian government to call on the African Union and the South African government to take decisive measures to protect Nigerian citizens and other Africans within South African borders.

Similarly, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the attacks as an unnecessary setback.

In its statement on Thursday, Mr. Wabba urged the South African Government to move without further delay and take actions to prevent another occurrence.

For Africa and South Africa, the pursuit of togetherness, care, warm reception towards

and hospitality to others are some of the enduring attributes and essence of the Ubuntu spirit, he said.

It is unacceptable that foreigners, migrants, refugees and Asylum Seekers are labeled criminals as a justification to subject them to extra-judicial actions.

The NLC leader said it considers the South Africa Governments condemnation of this recent xenophobic attack as a positive action, stressing that the government should go beyond condemnation to investigate, prosecute and sanction persons, groups or individuals that might have played any role in this mindless attack on foreigners.

While condemning the comments of Herman Mashaba, the Mayor of Johannesburg, who was widely quoted as allegedly blaming foreigners for crimes and asking them to leave the city, the NLC said the Mayors comment was careless,

uncharitable and combustive.

Xenophobes find comment such as this as inspiration, especially as it is coming from high and official quarters, Mr. Wabba said.

Commenting further, the union leader noted that African workers and their trade unions will continue to stand for and defend civil liberties of all people, creed and race. He said the contribution of workers to humanity and the quest to attain social justice led to the defeat of apartheid.

In essence, the vestiges and hang-over of Apartheid must be consciously, systematically, steadfastly dealt with, he added.

Mr. Wabba also argued that democracy and governance are not delivering the anticipated, needed and urgent gains to people, stressing that endemic poverty and unemployment remain high amongst the majority of the people.

This is against the background where global wealth (including in Africa) continues to grow, but the gains are crassly appropriated by the 1%, the statement said.

Worst still, the class of the 1% has successfully captured power and government and so they continue to attract and enjoy obscene concessions and patronages from politicians and governments to the detriment of the constituents and constituencies that elected them.

Xenophobia thus becomes one of the ways that

accumulated and growing frustrations find expression.

The NLC, therefore, called on the South African government to do a thorough interrogation of xenophobia within her borders and to take progressive measures to rein it in.

Meanwhile, the South African government had earlier condemned the attacks, saying it will introduce teaching of history in schools to help South Africans understand the roles Nigeria and other African countries played during the apartheid struggle.

At least 20 Nigerians were reportedly killed in attacks in South Africa in 2016.

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The National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, has warned against the danger that stigmatisation and discrimination against people living with HIV pose to Nigeria meeting the global goal of ending the HIV scourge by 2030.

The Director General of the Agency, Sani Aliyu, gave the warning in a statement on Wednesday to mark the Zero Discrimination Day being celebrated across the globe.

Mr. Aliyu said stigmatisation and discrimination would discourage people from going for HIV test and result in more people acquiring the virus.

Widespread stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV adversely affect peoples willingness to take an HIV test. If people do not know their HIV status, the chances of those who are HIV positive transmitting the infection to their partners increases, Mr. Aliyu stated.

People living with HIV continue to face various forms of stigmatisation, discrimination and violations of their rights and dignity, which are barriers to the efforts to scale up access to comprehensive care, treatment, and support.

These have been described as major stumbling blocks to HIV and AIDS mitigation programmes as they discourage people from using HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) services and pose a barrier to accessing treatment.

Mr. Aliyu praised the Nigerian authorities for enacting the HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Act 2014, which aims to eliminate discrimination towards people living with HIV, as a step in the right direction.

The landmark legislation makes provisions for the prevention of HIV-related discrimination and provides for access to healthcare and other services. It also provides for protection of human rights and dignity of people living with HIV and those affected by AIDS in Nigeria.

The NACA boss said the Act is a reflection of Nigerias commitment to stopping all forms of stigmatisation and discrimination targeted at people living with HIV. He urged that the law be implemented effectively throughout the country.

As we look forward to the end of the AIDS epidemic by 2030, the Government of Nigeria remains fully committed to improving the health of Nigerians and getting to zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS related deaths and zero discrimination, Mr. Aliyu said.

The Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibe, in his remarks on the significance of the Day said Everyone has the right to be treated with respect, to live free from discrimination, coercion and abuse.

Discrimination doesnt just hurt individuals, it hurts everyone, whereas welcoming and embracing diversity in all its forms brings benefits for all, he said.

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A suspected drug trafficker, Emeka Okafor, has said he went into narcotics trade to get enough money to rent a shop and invest in his business.

Mr. Okafor, 28, was among three suspects arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The NDLEA said, in a statement on Friday, that it also arrested a suspect smuggling ephedrine inside female footwears to Tanzania.

The names of the suspected drug traffickers are Ogujiuba Zacchaeus, 48 years old electrician caught exporting 26.6kg of ephedrine to Tanzania; Uchegbu Emeka, 33 years old textile merchant smuggling 305 grammes of cocaine to Cambodia and Okafor Emeka, 28 years old automobile parts dealer caught importing 1.370kg of cocaine from Sierra Leone, the agency said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mitchel Ofoyeju.

The agency said all the cases were being investigated and the suspects would appear in court soon.

My love for money made me to ingest 69 wraps of cocaine 1.370kgs in Sierra Leone, the agency quoted Mr. Okafor, an automobile parts dealer in Lagos, as saying.

Another suspect, Mr. Ogujiuba, said he was introduced into the illicit trade by an old friend.

I am married with six children and I reside in Abia where I work as an electrician, the suspect was quoted as saying.

The ephedrine was carefully hidden inside female shoes and given to me by an old time friend. He told me to take the drug to Lagos and handle the shipping arrangements to Tanzania. Unfortunately, I was arrested during examination of the consignment after the drug was discovered. I regret ever getting involved in drug trafficking.

Mr. Uchegbu, who allegedly inserted seven wraps of cocaine into his anus in a bid to evade arrest blamed his involvement on joblessness.

I am a textile merchant but today I am jobless. I lost everything due to economic recession and family problems, he said.

That was why I agreed to collect the sum of eight hundred thousand naira to smuggle cocaine to Cambodia. My intention was to invest the money in legitimate business.

The Chairman of the NDLEA, Muhammad Abdallah, assured members of the public that the agency would always ensure that offenders are severely sanctioned to deter others from engaging in drug trafficking.

The agency will continue to work very hard in ensuring the certainty of commensurate punishment for all drug culprits in line with the NDLEA Act, Mr. Abdallah stated.

The NDLEA boss added that investing proceeds of drug trafficking in legitimate businesses is money laundering and that the agency would invoke relevant sections of the law against offenders.

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Speaker Yakubu Dogara on Friday said he was hurt very deeply by the death of Benjamin Idoko, a police sergeant who was his convoys outrider until his death.

Mr. Idoko was leading the way for Mr. Dogaras convoy on Wednesday when his motorcycle crashed into a vehicle, killing him instantly.

It is not immediately clear if there were other casualties in the accident.

Mr. Dogara on Friday night condoled with the family of the deceased and the Speakers wife led a delegation of lawmakers wives to see the bereaved.

A burial committee was also constituted by the Speaker to complete burial arrangements. The committee will meet on Saturday to review its task, Mr. Dogaras spokesperson, Turaki Hassan, said in a statement.

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited, NPDC, Yusufu Matashi, on Thursday told Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja that his company allocated 7,553,733 barrels of crude oil to Atlantic Energy under a Strategic Alliance Agreement.

He gave this revelation under cross-examination by Lawal Rabana, representing Jide Omokore who is facing trial alongside Victor Briggs, Abiye Membere, David Mbanefo, Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited on a nine-count amended charge of criminal diversion of about $1.6 billion alleged to be proceeds of sale of petroleum products belonging to the federal government.

Mr. Matashi, whose evidence started on Wednesday as second prosecution witness, stated that while the total value of the transaction as at 2014 was $823,750,159, Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited could not meet up with its cash call for operations and training which made NPDC, a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to use funds in its account to clear outstanding payments.

Responding to further questions from A. Adegbamere and Tayo Oyetibo, representing 3rd and 4th defendants respectively, Mr. Matashi maintained that, Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited breached the contractual agreement made with NPDC.

The two firms are linked to Mr. Omokore.

All I have said were based on records which I believe in its truthfulness and accuracy. The SAA under review was carried out because of the success of the previous SAA and there was need to consolidate on the gains achieved earlier, said the NPDC MD.

Justice Dimgba, thereafter, adjourned to March 21, 2016 for further trial.

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Multiple bomb blasts hit Maiduguri early Friday with many feared dead.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, said the attacks were carried out by suspected suicide bombers around the NNPC depot on Damboa Road, Maiduguri.

The police commands spokesman, Victor Isuku, confirmed the blasts on Friday.

Our men are still working at the scene, NAN quoted Mr. Isuku as saying.

He promised to supply details later.

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The police have confirmed that one person was injured during an armed robbery attack on Thursday night in a community in Apo district of Abuja.

The Abuja police spokesperson, Anjuguri Mamza, who confirmed the incident on Friday, told PREMIUM TIMES that the police swung into action immediately they received a distress call.

Yes it was a robbery attack. Some armed robbers came into the community. Immediately we received a distress call, our men mobilised and stormed the area.

The robbers were repelled and forced to abandon their operations, Mr. Mamza said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the story of the attack late Thursday night when a resident, Ebere Emeka, raised an alarm druing the attack at Pigba Sama area of Apo.

Another resident, who gave his name as Chimezie, also confirmed several gun shots within the area.

The police spokesperson said the robbers made away with some property and injured one resident.

Some properties were stolen and one person was injured. The injured person was taken to the hospital by the police and he is responding to treatment.

Mr. Mamza, however, said no arrest has been made.

Nobody was arrested. Our men have been on the trail of the robbers throughout the night and we are actually closing in on them, he added.

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has clarified media reports that he is pushing for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2019.

In a recent interview with journalists, Mr. Obasanjo said he only made a passing analogy between the marginalisation of the people of Southeast and indigenes of Ogun West Senatorial District in Ogun State.

The former leader said he told a group of visiting Christian leaders some weeks ago that he would like to see an end to apparent marginalisation of people he mentioned, but did not say it must happen in 2019 or 2023.

Again, I did not say that. You people say whatever you want to say, Mr. Obasanjo told journalists who met him in Abeokuta as part of the activities marking his 80th birthday.

Some media outlets had reported Mr. Obasanjos comment as a call for an Igbo presidency in 2019.

Some critics accused the former president of sectionalism.

A former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Victor Attah, described Mr. Obasanjos comments as divisive.

But Mr. Obasanjo said he never actually made such call.

Look, Christian Association of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, came to see me here. They asked me to brief them on the situation in Southern Kaduna.

I have been briefed by Bishop Matthew Kukah who comes from that area. I have been briefed by General Martin-Luther Agwai who comes from that area. I gave them my own understanding of that issue.

I told them the Southern Kaduna issue is both historical, cultural, religious and political. So if you now want to resolve the issue, you have to take all these issues together.

And I said the problem is when we fail to attend to something the time were supposed to attend to it and then it boomerangs on our face, then we dont have anybody to blame.

I said, here in Ogun State, we have a bit of Southern Kaduna problem. I said since Ogun State was created, we have had four elected governors.

We have three senatorial districts east, central and west. It has rotated between east and central. And I said west has not had a governor.

So I said I dont know when you will get there, but if you dont get there when you should get there and the west decides to go into agitation then you have yourself to blame.

I said the same with Nigeria, at independence we had a country of tripod. The north, the east and the west. The north, majority tribe is Hausa-Fulani. The east, majority tribe is Igbo. The west, majority tribe is Yoruba.

Hausa-Fulani in the north cannot complain. Yoruba, they cannot complain. Even those who didnt vote for Obasanjo the first time, they had to accept later.

I said the Igbo havent had that chance. Now, we must be mindful, that we do not ignore that. That must be taken care of.

Thats all, the former president added.

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The Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, PACAC, said on Friday allegations of corruption it levelled against the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, were not directed at the current board and management.

The Chairman of the Committee, Itse Sagay, had on Thursday accused the governing board and management of the commission of being reckless with funds meant for the development of the oil-rich region.

The law professor, who spoke at the opening of a two-day national dialogue on corruption in Abuja organised by PACAC in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President, said the commission had bought 70 exotic cars, including eight super Lexus SUVs at N78 million each, and 10 Landcruiser SUVs each costing N63 million.

He did not clarify the period the vehicles were bought, and did not disclose the management that ordered the purchase.

Following the report, the Commissions spokesperson, Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, debunked the allegations, saying no such purchases were made since the current board assumed office on November 4, 2016.

Indeed, it is a known fact that the Chairman, the distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), the Managing Director/CEO, Nsima Ekere, and the two Executive Directors are still using their private vehicles three months after assumption of duties, Mr. Amu-Nnadi said in a statement.

Mr. Amu-Nnadi said the Commission was only now in the process of acquiring operational vehicles.

He listed the vehicles to include five Toyota Prado SUVs, 10 Toyota Hilux trucks, four Toyota Landcruiser SUVs, one Toyota Coaster bus and two Toyota Hiace buses.

He said the procurement procedures were being followed in making the purchases.

In its reaction to the NDDC rebuttal, PACAC insisted its chairman, Mr. Sagay, was right with the allegations, but blamed the commission for not seeking for clarifications.

The NDDC ought to confirm the claim by the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay by seeking clarification on the administration under which the said vehicles were purchased, Okon Eminue, a representative of the presidential committee said in a statement.

Prof Sagay is quite right. The vehicles were bought by one of the past administrations of the NNDC.

The committee said when the details of the purchase were first published, the immediate past Managing Director of NDDC, Dan Abia, was still in office.

Mr. Abia was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan, and left office in 2015.

To be sure, President Muhammadu Buhari had assumed office when the scam came to light. One would have thought that the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies would wade into the allegations at that time. Consequently, Professor Sagays accusation or allegation does not say that the scam is perpetrated by the current leadership of the NDDC, Mr. Eminue said.

For emphasis, Prof Sagays allegation does not, in any way, pertain to the present Board and Management of NDDC under the leadership of Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN (Board Chairman, NDDC) and His Excellency Obong Nsima Ekere (Managing Director, NDDC). The scam even came to limelight before Mrs Seminitari was appointed Acting MD, NDDC, he added.

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Almost 100 Aero Contractors passengers booked to travel from Sokoto to Lagos and Abuja on Friday were left stranded at the airport after their flights were cancelled at the last minute.

No reason was given for the cancellation of the flight, which was scheduled to depart Saad Abubakar 111 International Airport at 1.30 p.m.

Majority of the stranded passengers were journalists and Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, management staff who were returning to their stations after attending a workshop for Business Editors and Finance Correspondents.

Some foreigners, who were also affected, were mostly United Nations officials as well as others Nigerians travelling to Abuja to board their flights outside the country.

Few minutes before the schedule time for boarding, the announcement came that the flight would be delayed for about two hours.

More than one hour after later, at about 2.30 p.m., the announcement came from the public address system at the departure hall confirming the eventual cancellation of the flight.

Aero Contractors staff at the airport could not offer any explanation why the flight was put off.

The only other airline operating at the airport, Air Peace, had taken off earlier in the day on its morning flight at 10.30 a.m.

Arik Airline, which was earlier scheduled to operate one flight out of the airport on Friday, announced cancellation on Thursday.

Majority of its passengers who were disappointed with Arik airlines cancellation expected to travel with Aero.

But, the cancellation by Aero meant those passengers, who did not opt for the journey by road, would be stranded for two days.

Following their protest to the airlines office at the airport, the stranded passengers were asked to either return to the locations they did their bookings for the refund, or wait till Sunday when the airlines next flight to Sokoto is scheduled.

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The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, says that Federal Government has made provision of N1 billion in the 2017 budget for the development of Ibaka deep seaport in Akwa Ibom.

Mr. Osinbajo said this in Uyo on Thursday while addressing a Townhall meeting of the government and people of the state.

The acting presidents visit was part of his consultation with people in the Niger Delta on how to maximise the gains of oil resources in the region.

The acting president, who was responding to myriads of complaints and requests by the people, said that budgetary provisions had also been made for the Itu  Calabar federal highway in 2016.

Mr. Osinbajo said the Ministry of Petroleum Resources was working with Amnesty Office to accommodate more youth from Akwa Ibom into the Amnesty Programme.

I have heard all the requests. We must trust and give this government the patience that is required to put things right.

We are working on modular refineries. Power stations must be established here. We must make our oil producing communities hub of petrochemical and gas industries.

We must attract private investments. The biggest benefit is to attract more private investments to the state, Mr. Osinbajo advised.

The acting president regretted that the blessings of oil wealth had not touched the majority of the people in the oil bearing communities.

He said the Ministry of Petroleum Resources was working on several incentives for the oil producing communities.

Mr. Osinbajo also directed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to liaise with the oil multinationals operating in the state on the modalities to relocate their headquarters following repeated requests.

The acting president promised to partner with the state government to establish technology hub in the state while advising the people to be resourceful and innovative.

He noted that the future depended on innovation and the ability to harness what we have for development.

In his presentation earlier, the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, appealed to the Federal Government to support the Ibaka deep seaport.

The governor also requested the Federal Government to partner with the state to establish a logistics centre for oil and gas operations.

Mr. Emmanuel appealed to the Federal Government to resolve the ownership problem in the Aluminum Smelting Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) to enable the state benefit from it.

The governor, who described the acting president as a development partner and leader, appealed to the Federal Government to allocate oil and gas block to indigenes of the state.

Speaking on behalf of oil producing communities, a former Minister of Lands and Housing, Nduese Essien, lamented that the state had nothing to show for being the highest oil producer.

Mr. Essien suggested that the coastal railway project of the Federal Government should pass through Oron- Eket- Ikot Abasi routes.

He called on the Federal Government to correct the anomaly in the section four of the East-West spanning Onna and Eket in Akwa Ibom.

In his presentation, the state leader, Pan Niger Delta Forum, Idongesit Nkanga, urged the federal government to partner with the state government to complete the hangar at the Akwa Ibom Airport.

Mr. Nkanga called for the speedy completion of the East-West road cutting across the state and also expedite the transformation of Maritime Academy into a university.

In his speech, the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, commended the federal government for appointing indigenes of the state into key government positions.

Mr. Akpabio, who spoke on behalf of the states elders council, asked for fairness and equity considering the allocation of projects in the Niger Delta region.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that representatives of youth, women and special interest groups spoke at the town hall meeting.

(NAN)

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The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine will pay a visit to Poland in July. "The Polish presidential couple with be happy to welcome them in our country in July of this year", presidential Minister Krzysztof Szczerski told PAP on Friday.

"The presidential couple received with joy news on the will to pay a visit to Poland by the Prince and Duchess of Cambridge. The Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine and Prince William will be welcomed guests in Poland. The Polish presidential couple will be happy to welcome them in our country in July this year", Minister Szczerski said.

"We see in this visit a confirmation of cordial ties between our countries and peoples. It is our intention for visit of the princely couple to include elements of an official visit and private time of both pairs", the presidential minister added.

Kensington Palace announced the official visit on Twitter on Friday. Prince William is the second in line to the British throne. (PAP)
Two Ypsilanti residents are behind bars in connection with the Sept. 17 shooting outside the now-closed Nar Bar on Michigan Avenue.

Allante Percy, 24, and Mario Amison, 29, were sentenced Feb.22 for the shooting, which sent three people to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Percy accepted a plea agreement and was sentenced to a mandatory 2 years in prison on a felony firearm charge to run consecutively with 10 to 30 years for two counts of assault with intent to murder.

Amison was found guilty and sentenced to a mandatory 5 years in prison for felony firearm second offense to run consecutively with 5 years for carrying a concealed weapon and felon in possession of a firearm. He will also have to answer to his parole violation in addition to the other charges.

Crimes of this nature destroy peoples sense of safety and security and will not be tolerated in Dearborn, Police Chief Ronald Haddad said. I am grateful that the victims have recovered from their injuries, as the outcome of this incident could have been much worse. I commend the responding officers and the investigators for a job well done.

The night of the shooting, Dearborn police officers responded to the bar at 21918 Michigan Ave. after receiving reports of gunshots in the area. Upon arrival, they witnessed a subject shooting into a crowd of people. Two suspects fled in a vehicle and officers followed, later arresting them after a brief foot chase in the area of Michigan and Gulley. They were identified as Percy and Amison.

Three shooting victims were transported to a hospital for treatment of non-life threatening wounds.

On Feb. 1, Percy accepted a plea deal prior to a jury trial in front of Judge Catherine Heise in Third Circuit Court. He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with intent to murder and felony firearm. Ten other charges were dismissed.

Also on Feb. 1, Amison was found guilty of carrying a concealed weapon, felony firearm and felon in possession of firearm after a bench trial in front of Heise.

The west Dearborn bar closed its doors in October 2016 after several shootings and numerous complaints about unruly patrons.

Since the incidents, the city has adopted a nuisance ordinance, which allows it to fine any Dearborn business declared to be a nuisance based on complaints about violence, drugs or other criminal behavior. If the business is found to be a nuisance, additional measures requiring increased security or addition of cameras would be required. The board also could review the business certificate of occupancy.

The action came on the heels of shootings at the former Liv Lounge, the Post Bar and Nar Bar.

A shooting took place in February 2016 on the dance floor at Liv Lounge, which prompted the city council to hold hearings regarding the business liquor license before it abruptly closed.

Another shooting took place April of last year outside The Post Bar on Michigan Avenue, and in July a transgender woman was attacked outside the establishment after an argument occurred when another bar patron made derogatory remarks about her.
A push to resurrect manufacturing jobs in South Jersey will likely involve an already notable industry in the region: food processing.

While the plan is in its formative stage, developers said it will include the Bridgeton-based Rutgers Food Innovation Center, a sort of incubator for new food-related businesses.

The plan may also involve what officials in Cumberland County are calling the next step in helping businesses that make it through the Food Innovation Center program. That involves construction of a 30,000-square-foot Food Specialization Center next to the Food Innovation Center.

The Food Specialization Center would provide a place for those entrepreneurs to further develop their products, said Gerard Velazquez, executive director of the Cumberland County Improvement Authority. The hope is that those entrepreneurs would remain in the region, and especially Cumberland County, after spending three to five years at the Food Specialization Center, formerly called the Food Commercialization Center.

The plan was discussed Wednesday during a meeting at Cumberland County College by a consortium that includes the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the New Jersey Institute of Technology and the New Jersey Advance Manufacturing Network. The food-processing plan would be part of whats called a targeted industry partnership, or TIP.

As with other TIPs, its hoped that manufacturers take the lead in developing the program, outlining their needs for advanced manufacturing jobs, said Raymond Vaccari, the networks executive director. The plan would cover Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.

Officials in South Jersey have long bemoaned the loss of manufacturing jobs over the past three decades.

The consortium estimates the state still has about 11,000 manufacturing firms, with about 90 percent of those firms having no more than 50 employees. Those firms provided an estimated $13.5 billion in total wages in 2015, they said.

But, Vaccari said, there are indications that the 30-year-old trend may be in reverse, creating a situation in which manufacturing companies need more highly skilled laborers. The consortium believes food processing can be a significant draw for those kinds of workers.

Agriculture remains a significant part of South Jerseys economy, Velazquez said. Further developing that economy will not only create new jobs, it will have a spillover effect for businesses, such as farms, that would support it, he said.

Food processing in South Jersey generally remains strong.

In June 2015, Bridor USA opened what it called the largest in-line pastry production center in the United States. The line is housed in a $32 million, 42,000-square-foot addition to the companys plant on Industrial Way in Vineland.

In October, AdvancePierre Foods of Cincinnati bought Allied Specialty Foods Inc., which produces raw and cooked beef and chicken Philly steak products.

The $60 million cash purchase came at a time when Allied was expanding its operations in Vineland. The company planned to move from its 20,000-square-foot facility in the 300 block of Hickory Place to a 70,000-square-foot facility at Forest Grove Road and Freddy Lane. Work on the new facility was estimated at $13.4 million.

And Omni Baking has a 171,000-square-foot facility in Vineland that produces fresh, frozen, baked and par-baked items that include artisan, Kaiser, Italian and ciabatta rolls. Omni also produces all the hoagie rolls for Wawa.

But not the all the food-processing related news is good.

General Mills is closing its Progresso soup plant in Vineland this year. The closing will result in 338 layoffs, with the first 65 employees scheduled to lose their jobs March 24.
TRENTON  Senate President Stephen Sweeney is scheduled to meet with Hammonton school officials to talk about his funding plan 3:30 p.m. Friday at Hammonton High School. The meeting is open to the public.

Total state aid information, including district breakdowns, is online at www.state.nj.us/education/stateaid/1718/.

The state Department of Education released school state aid allocations to districts Thursday, and as expected, funding is essentially flat once again.

Gov. Chris Christies proposed budget would allocate $13.8 billion toward public education. That amount is an increase of $523.2 million from fiscal year 2017, but almost all of that will go to underfunded pensions and post-retirement medical benefits for teachers.

Of the total funding, $9.2 billion is direct aid to be distributed to the districts, an increase of $16.1 million from fiscal year 2017 levels.

Atlantic City is again budgeted to get an additional $32 million in special aid as a result of the massive drop in property valuation in the city. The district is the only one in the state eligible for the additional allocation, which was approved by the state Legislature last year as part of the Atlantic City package of bills. The district is receiving $32 million this year.

School funding likely flat next year, but could change in 100 days Despite meetings, hearings and legislative angst, it appears New Jerseys school districts w

Legislators have been holding hearings throughout the state on school funding, and Christie in his budget message Tuesday said he would work with them to develop an improved funding plan, but it had to be done in 100 days.

However, it is unknown if any new plan would have an impact on the 2017-18 aid numbers.

Lawrence S. Feinsod, executive director of the New Jersey School Boards Association, issued a statement Tuesday saying another year of flat funding warrants a hard look at the states school finance system.

Operating costs dont remain flat, he said. It is difficult to sustain programs with flat funding year in and year out.

However, he said, any change to school funding must be implemented in a rational and fair manner that recognizes the educational needs of all students and a communitys ability to pay for its schools.

There should never be winners and losers when it comes to the lives of children, he said.

Egg Harbor Township won't have full-day kindergarten next year EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  The local school district will not offer full-day kindergarten in September.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney is scheduled to meet with Hammonton school officials to talk about his funding plan 3:30 p.m. Friday at Hammonton High School. The meeting is open to the public.

Total state aid information, including district breakdowns, is online at www.state.nj.us/education/stateaid/1718/.
Increased access to naloxone, the lifesaving opioid-overdose reversal drug, may come to a pharmacy or ambulance company serving your area soon, if state lawmakers continue to push forward legislation.

Assembly members last week approved bills to streamline the process for pharmacists to dispense naloxone to clients without a prescription and do away with regulations that limit the amount of naloxone first responders, such as EMTs and firefighters, may give someone who has overdosed.

The more accessible (naloxone) is, the more chances we have to save lives, Assemblyman and bill sponsor Vincent Mazzeo, D-Atlantic, wrote in a statement.

Nationally, overdose deaths eclipse both deaths by firearm and motor vehicle, becoming the leading cause of injury here and afar.

New Jersey had 1,587 drug-related deaths in 2015, according to the state Medical Examiners Office, and 900 of them included heroin.

One bill sponsored by Assembly Democrats would enable EMTs and firefighters to give multiple doses of naloxone to an overdosing person, if needed  just as police officers, paramedics and civilians are able to do.

EHT pharmacy plays role in improving access to opioid-reversal drugs EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  Local pharmacists have designed a program to get more naloxone, the li

Current protocols under the state Office of Emergency Medical Services require EMTs and firefighters to get approval from an EMS director to dispense any additional doses of naloxone after the first dose of 2 milligrams.

Ive been on the front lines of the opioid and heroin epidemic, and Ive personally sat for minutes that felt like lifetimes awaiting instructions from an EMS director instead of doing what my training tells me to do: save lives, said John Armato, of Buena Vista Township, a volunteer firefighter and former EMT.

First responders are also limited in the type of naloxone brand they can carry and give, as some brands, such as the Narcan nasal spray, come in a single dose of 4 milligrams.

The proposed law would allow all first responders to use any Federal Drug Administration-approved naloxone product, regardless of dosage.

John Wolfram, general manager of the Exceptional Medical Transport company in Atlantic City, and his EMTs routinely respond to overdose calls in the city. They each carry 2 milligram doses of syringe nasal spray naloxone.

Wolfram said as more people use mixed substances and fentanyl, which is 50 times more potent than heroin, a single dose may not be enough to revive someone with a reversal drug alone. Fewer restrictions would help his team in that regard, but first responders should be cautious with naloxone use, he said.

If you give someone too much Narcan and they dont need it, you could send them into immediate withdrawal and cause them to become violently ill, he said. Reversing overdose is important, but keeping the brain and body alive with oxygenation is important, too.

The bill now awaits final consideration in the Assembly.

A second Mazzeo-sponsored bill would help pharmacies more easily dispense naloxone and allow pharmacists to give opioid antidotes to patients who do not have prescriptions.

Current law, under the Overdose Prevention Act, states pharmacies that wish to give people naloxone without prescriptions must form a partnership, or have a standing order, with a licensed physician.

Mazzeo calling on all local police officers to carry anti-overdose drug In the face of a deadly heroin epidemic, a state lawmaker is calling on all law-enforcement 

Pharmacies can then dispense the reversal medications under that physicians name without him or her being present.

Chain retail stories, including CVS and Walgreens, have been giving over-the-counter naloxone doses at its New Jersey locations to people with and without prescriptions using the physician standing-order method.

But that can be a lengthy process.

Despite the current requirements, Mark Taylor, owner of Curexa Pharmacy in Egg Harbor Township, was determined to increase access to naloxone.

The pharmacy is in the final stages of completing a standing-order agreement with a physician to start dispensing the medication without prescriptions, but Taylor said the new law may make the process easier in the future.

As more people overdose and die from heroin, fentanyl and other drug use, Taylor said, naloxone needs to get into as many homes as possible.

The physician component of a standing order would be replaced with the state Department of Health, legislators said. The process would be similar to how pharmacies can administer flu immunizations on a wide scale with approval from the Heath Department.

The Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee approved the bill Monday. The state Senate passed the legislation in May.
A bill in the Legislature would name a section of road for Frankie Williams, the 31-year-old State Police trooper killed in December in a head-on crash on Route 55 in Cumberland County.

The road in question isnt Route 55 but a stretch of Route 322 in Williams hometown of Egg Harbor Township in Atlantic County.

Meanwhile, remnants of a homemade memorial remain at milepost 22.2 on Route 55 where Williams was killed. There are a few empty flower holders and what has come to be known as the thin blue line flag, a banner flown in support of law-enforcement officers.

But that memorial and others produced by grieving family members and friends of people who died in accidents on roads throughout the state may one day disappear.

Despite fatal crashes, Route 55 safe, data show A former Miss New Jersey was killed in a crash on Route 55 this year. So was a prison inmate

Another bill in the Legislature would require the state Department of Transportation to create a roadside accident memorial program. The proposal would allow the next-of-kin of a person who died in an accident to sponsor a roadside sign memorializing the deceased family member.

For the bills sponsors, Assemblymen Bruce Land and Bob Andrzejczak, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, the measure is needed in part for public safety.

Family and friends will independently put together roadside memorials in honor of loved ones who died in an accident, but they sometimes can present a distraction that endangers drivers, especially if theyre very close to the road, Land said.

An official state program would allow people to express their grief and commemorate a loved one without compromising public safety, he said.

Most of the memorials are found along public rights-of-way. But the memorials can take over public property for personal use without approval, Andrzejczak said.

With a formal program, New Jersey can eliminate any discrepancies about who owns the sign and whos responsible for maintaining the area, he said.

The bill, recently released from the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee, requires next of kin seeking a memorial sign to provide DOT with the following information:

 The name of the deceased

 The date and location of the accident

 An affidavit that the deceased was fatally injured in a traffic accident

 All available police reports and other documentation related to the traffic accident

 Any other information needed by DOT

The bill gives DOT 60 days after the filing of an application for a memorial to inspect the site and determine whether a sign can be installed. The department has an additional 60 days in which to install the memorial.

Williams was heading north on Route 55 on Dec. 5 to investigate reports of a vehicle being driven erratically. A vehicle driven south by 61-year-old Lloyd Rudley, of Philadelphia, crossed the median and collided head-on with Williams State Police cruiser at milepost 22.2.

Both Williams and Rudley were killed in the crash.

The other bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo, D-Atlantic, would name a portion of Route 322 in Egg Harbor Township, aka the Black Horse Pike, State Trooper Frankie Williams Memorial Highway.

Trooper Frankie Williams was a dedicated Atlantic County public servant who pursued a career in law enforcement and made the ultimate sacrifice while working to protect the people of New Jersey, Mazzeo said. Every time anyone drives down Route 322 near his home, they should think of Trooper Williams and how many lives he touched.

The bill doesnt specify the exact section of the pike to be named for Williams.

That bill also was recently released by the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee.
If there was a fire or a car accident in Atlantic County, Swartz was likely there with his camera. Right behind him was Joy with their three sons. He built a darkroom in the basement of his home and police departments throughout the county called him to photograph their crime scenes.

"He was red all the way through," said Vince Jones, director of Atlantic County Emergency Management. "We're never ever going to have someone again who did what he did."

And when he wasnt working or at a scene Swartz was shooting weddings, eighth-grade graduations and more.

Swartzs dedication to public service didnt end there. He visited schools to explain fire safety and became well known for a model train set he built in his basement. Swartzs son Harold Jr. recalled coming home and seeing a line of people on his basement steps, waiting to see his fathers train show.

He felt that it was important to keep this type of history alive, he said.
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Scallops caught by boats based in southern Cape May County may end up on your plate at a local restaurant, or in the frozen-foods section of a Wal-Mart or Costco, or even in foreign countries such as France.

But before the delicious white mollusks end up frozen in a chain store or fresh at a restaurant, commercial fishermen have to scrape them from the bottom of the ocean floor.

Its a fairly lucrative business that fuels a commercial fishing industry worth tens of millions of dollars each year. But the job takes an emotional toll on the fishermen who must leave their families for up to two weeks at a time to go to sea.

Tom McNulty Jr.s wife, Mandy, gave birth Feb. 16 to a daughter. Zoe McNulty was born at 7 pounds, 12 ounces, the proud father announced recently. But with scallop season quickly approaching, hes going to have to leave them to go make a living.

Im not looking forward to that day when I have to leave, said McNulty, 35, of Middle Township, who captains two scallop boats and also has a 6-year-old son. You cant wait to come back and see your family.

Its hard on your family, he added. You miss birthdays. You miss graduations.

Mandy McNulty, 32, says this year it will be harder for her husband to leave because of the new baby. She said the family sometimes keeps count on a chalkboard of the days until her husband rolls back into the docks.

Being married to a commercial fisherman isnt the easiest job. In addition to taking care of the family, you have to try not to worry about whats going on at sea, she said.

You definitely have to be very independent and strong, Mandy McNulty said. I would drive myself literally insane if I constantly worried about him.

David Wiscott, captain of the Susan L fishing boat, said his wife compares it to being married to a member of the military.

It takes a very special woman to be married to a fisherman, said the 59-year-old from Lower Township.

Wiscott, who remembers making his first commercial trip the same year Elvis Presley died, in 1977, didnt get to see his youngest son until 10 days after his wife gave birth.

Now, Wiscotts four adult sons, including the youngest, are involved in the commercial fishing industry. And, with statistics from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showing scallop prices up 87 percent from 2009 to 2015, the future is looking bright.

In 2015, the combined port of Cape May and Wildwood brought in $71.6 million, making it the ninth biggest port in the nation and second on the East Coast in terms of dollars, according to the most recent NOAA data.

It wasnt always so profitable.

Erling Berg, 78, of Cape May, remembers selling scallops for 28 cents a pound when he entered the business in the 1950s.

There was a time when you could barely give them away, said Berg, who took his last commercial fishing trip about 25 years ago. I never thought Id see a day when it would evolve to where it is now.

In fact, the market was so poor that Berg said he and other fishermen used part of their proceeds from fishing to buy advertisements in a popular magazine promoting scallops as a food source.

Perhaps the awareness campaign paid off. Today, scallops are sought after by seafood-lovers and prices range from $10 to $17 a pound, according to the most recent NOAA trends.

Being mainly in the scallop business, we had a good season, said Keith Laudeman, president of Cold Spring Fish and Supply Co., a major seafood supply company that includes the adjoining Lobster House restaurant.

Laudeman is the second link in the chain, after Wiscott, McNulty and other fishermen.

Hes a wholesaler who buys scallops, flounder, squid, sea bass and other species, and sells to buyers in New York and Philadelphia who either sell it whole or process it. A lot of the scallops also go to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where processors size and freeze them, Laudeman added.

However, before the scallops are shipped off, commercial fishermen have to retrieve them, which is neither an easy nor cheap endeavor.

Preparing for a trip includes fixing the gear from the previous trip, changing the boats oil and stocking up on 25 to 30 tons of ice, 16,000 gallons of fuel and $3,500 in groceries, McNulty said.

These are our moneymakers, so we have to take care of them, he said, referring to his two scallop boats.

McNulty estimates he puts in $30,000 a trip before the boat leaves the dock. Hes responsible for covering that amount and making a profit for the six other members of his crew.

Thats where the stress comes for me up here, said McNulty, speaking from the bridge of one of his boats.

During a scallop trip, Wiscott said the Susan L will stay 30 to 60 miles offshore and travel up and down the coast between Virginia and the Canada-U.S. border.

McNulty said he works 16 hours a day on the boat, while his crew members usually work 12. He said it takes a lot of mental toughness to stand for that long shucking scallops.

If you get five hours of sleep, youre doing pretty good, he added. Were not here to hang out. Were out here to work and make money.

Wiscott said, for a captain, its really a 24-hour job. If someone gets hurt or the equipment gets messed up, crew members come knocking at his door.

Its the hardest job youve ever done in your life, he said. Its very physically demanding.

It can be dangerous, too, especially during storms. Though he didnt want to elaborate, McNulty said hes been on two boats that sunk, and Wiscott said hes been out in storms when other fishing vessels sank or disappeared.

Ive been in a few storms I wish I was never in, Wiscott said. Today, we dont work that kind of weather because of the regulations on how many days a year you can fish for scallops (about 60 days based on time and poundage regulations, according to Wiscott).

In 2015, 23 people died in fishing and fishing-related industries, corresponding to a fatality rate of 54.8 per 100,000 full-time workers  second only to logging  according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The fatality rate across all industries was 3.4.

I cant be naive and say that statistic is bullcrap, McNulty said, acknowledging the danger. We do everything in our power to make it as safe as we can.

And, if it all goes right, a scallop trip can pay off.

A good 10-day trip in the summer, Wiscott said, will net him and his crew 30,000 pounds of scallops, which he can sell to Laudeman for the going rate.

Right now, its on the positive side, Wiscott added. There were some years we didnt make very much money.

The money might be good, but commercial fishermen still need to have a passion for what theyre doing, according to Wiscott and McNulty.

Wiscott started in the scallop industry as a mate on Bergs boat in the 1970s. Even now, with a bad back from decades on the water, Wiscott said he still looks forward to embarking on another trip.

You got to love your job, he said. I got 40 years, and I still love doing it.

McNulty knew he wanted to be a fisherman from a young age, after spending his childhood on his familys clam boats.

When I finished high school, I started going out on boats more seriously, he said And I knew thats what I wanted to do.

If I didnt have this and I had to bang nails or something, Id be lost, McNulty added.
ATLANTIC CITY  Hard Rock Internationals purchase of Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort could give the company a foot in the door for a North Jersey casino.

Hard Rock still wants to build a $1 billion casino just outside New York City, the companys CEO told The Associated Press on Thursday.

And political analysts noted an Atlantic City casino could give Hard Rock favorable consideration for a gaming license in North Jersey  if casinos outside Atlantic City are allowed.

Hard Rock International CEO Jim Allen said his company remains committed to its plan to build a casino at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, if voters change the law to allow it.

We own 25 percent of the Meadowlands (track), and we are 100 percent still on board to do that project at the Meadowlands, Allen said.

A group of investors led by Hard Rock bought the Taj from billionaire Carl Icahn on Wednesday. The group plans to spend $300 million on a purchase and renovation project to the reopen the casino, which closed Oct. 10.

Brigid Harrison, political science professor at Montclair State University, said the inclusion of Hard Rock in the deal creates six degrees of separation for Jeff Gural, the Meadowlands Racetrack owner who wanted a Hard Rock casino in North Jersey.

Harrison noted the bill creating the ballot question for North Jersey casinos  overwhelmingly rejected by voters in November  included language that gave favorable gaming license consideration to entities that already operated casinos in Atlantic City.

It would seem to me that this deal benefits not only Atlantic City in terms of the development of the Hard Rock but also has the eventual potential to help Gural in his pursuit of an additional casino in the Meadowlands, she said. Its a foot in the door for Hard Rock.

Hard Rock had partnered with Gural to propose a casino resort just outside New York City that analysts predict could become one of the most successful casinos in the nation  at least until New York City allows one or more casinos to open nearby.

But before that happens, New Jersey would have to change a law that restricts casinos to Atlantic City. A statewide referendum on it last November was rejected by more than 80 percent of voters, and it cannot be reconsidered for at least two years.

Given the way the vote transpired, Harrison said the Legislature could attempt to expand gaming on its own, and perhaps not even subject it to a public vote.

Gural said Hard Rocks purchase of the Taj Mahal could boost the duos chances for a Meadowlands casino.

I think it can only help us down the road at the Meadowlands because I am sure the politicians and local leaders are appreciative that Hard Rock stepped up to buy (the Taj Mahal) and reopen it as opposed to leaving it closed or tearing it down, Gural told the AP on Thursday.

But while a North Jersey casino for Hard Rock could still be in the cards, Assemblyman Chris Brown said the November ballot questions defeat played a key role in Hard Rock coming to Atlantic City. If opponents of North Jersey casinos didnt succeed, Hard Rock wouldnt have bought the Taj, Brown said.

By standing up for working families and winning the fight to stop North Jersey casinos, we paved the way for Hard Rock to cancel its plans to build a casino in the Meadowlands and buy the Taj Mahal, providing 3,000 jobs for local families and breathe new life into Atlantic City, said Brown, R-Atlantic.

The Associated Press and Staff Writer Christian Hetrick contributed to this report.
Stop wasteful politicians

Whats wrong with America can be summed up in one word: politicians. Local, state, federal, Democratic and Republican politicians have one thing in common  they are not looking out for the taxpayers who trusted them to do the right thing.

New Jersey is a perfect example of how politicians have wasted billions of dollars on things that dont work. Where are all the billions of tax dollars that Atlantic City has generated over the years? It certainly has not been reinvested back into the city in the right way.

Most of the money has been wasted on some politicians pet project that either has failed or has no benefit to the taxpayer who paid for it.

Payers of property taxes or gasoline taxes should ask themselves a question: Where is all that tax money going and what is it being spent on? I bet they wont like the answer.

The problem can be fixed very easily. First write letters and tell them to straighten out and stop wasting everyones hard-eared money. If that does not work, vote them out regardless of who they are or how long they have been in office. And if their replacement does not listen, vote them out too.

People should have a say on how their money is spent.

Wayne Williams

Seaville

Campus riots misdirected

There were some incidents recently to be less than proud of on the nations university campuses.

At Berkeley, that bastion of free speech and personal freedom, students rioted, shutting down the campus in order to silence a speaker with whom they disagreed. At New York University, students stormed the administration building, rioting at the prospect of a libertarian speaker being heard on campus. Seems to me, students would be better served storming the bursars office in protest of the $60,000-plus it costs annually to attend these universities.

And NYU has one of the worst ratios of starting salaries for graduates to tuition paid. Reducing a potential lifetime of student debt seems like the larger issue.

Jeffrey Glenn Sr.

Seaville

Flynn as reality show

Is this a new reality show? Youre resigned.

Starring Michael Flynn, directed by Vice President Mike Pence, executive producer President Donald Trump, sponsored by taxpayers of the United States. In this episode, it has been reported that the general may have broken a law by speaking to the Russian ambassador before taking office as national security adviser.

I hope this resignation wasnt a kind of cop-a-plea agreement. Although I dont wish for Flynn to suffer any punishment, I believe the sponsors of his episode deserve the full story.

Allen Feld

Ventnor

Silent majority for Trump

Regarding the Feb. 20 commentary by Jeff Bust, A deplorable is happier by the day that he voted for Trump:

Well said! The silent majority has spoken and that is why Donald Trump is the president. How about everyone gives him respect and lets him do his job?

Kara Sprigg

Egg Harbor Township

Opioid awareness needed

Heroin overdose is a serious growing problem among young adults nationwide. According to a 2016 New York Times analysis of death certificates, drug overdoses are driving up the death rate of young white adults in the United States to levels not seen since during the AIDS epidemic more than two decades ago.

Experts believe that the increase in heroin use among teens and young adults coincides with an extreme rise in the use of prescription painkiller medications. Research shows that these pills are the leading cause of the growing problem and they are readily available on the streets.

More must be done to make communities aware of the types and brands of drugs that are opioids. There should be programs to educate families on the signs and symptoms of opioid use and potential overdose.

Recently, Gov. Chris Christie created an addiction task force website, www.reachnj.gov. This website offers a help line and facilities where an addict can go to receive treatment. This is a positive step in increasing awareness of the problem.

Arthur Statmore

Barnegat

Environment attacked

While we are bombarded daily with fake news and President Trump tweets, the Republican Congress is quietly in the process of destroying the environment through the passage of the regulatory accountability act. Maybe this innocuously titled bill would have the potential to eliminate laws such as the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act and the recently passed Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act.

The environment, which is vital to both the economy and recreation, is currently under attack without any public discourse.

Charles Levine

Linwood
WARETOWN  U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur will meet with constituents in a town-hall session Monday as Republican lawmakers across the country face angry crowds at similar events.

MacArthur, a Republican whose 3rd Congressional District represents most of Burlington and part of Ocean counties, will hold the event at 6:30 p.m. at Waretown Volunteer Fire Company Station 36, 117 Wells Mills Road in Ocean Township.

The meeting comes as Republican lawmakers face backlash from constituents over proposals from President Donald Trump and efforts by Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Last month, MacArthur chose to hold a telephone town hall instead of an in-person event, saying he didnt want to be baited into having an event that some outside group can just make a spectacle out of, according to the Asbury Park Press.

Republican Rep. Leonard Lance, who represents northern-central New Jerseys 7th District, recently held a packed and rowdy town hall at which the constituents loudest message was to push back against Trump.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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.




St. Patrick's Day is in two weeks, but the celebration really kicks off this weekend with a parade on Staten Island, and two in Queens!

The first parade is the annual Queens County St. Patrick's Day Parade in the Rockaways on Saturday, March 3rd. The parade starts at 1 p.m. and ends at 5 p.m., and even though a lot of major public officials attend (last year, Mayor de Blasio and Public Advocate James were there), it still has a small town feel, thanks to the many lawn parties along the way. Here are the street closures:

Formation:

- Newport Avenue between Beach 130th Street and Beach 129th Street

- Beach 129th Street between Newport Avenue and Rockaway Beach Boulevard

-Rockaway Beach Boulevard between Beach 130th Street and Beach 129th Street

Route:

- Newport Avenue between Beach 129th Street and Beach 116th Street

- Beach 116th Street between Newport Avenue and Rockaway Beach Boulevard Rockaway

- Beach Boulevard between Beach 116th Street and Beach 102nd Street

Dispersal:

- Beach 102nd Street between Rockaway Freeway and Rockaway Beach Boulevard

- Rockaway Beach Boulevard between Beach 102nd Street and Beach 99th Street

Closure:

-Same as location



Mayor de Blasio at last year's Rockaway parade. (Scott Lynch/Gothamist)

On Sunday, there are two parades: First it's the Richmond County St. Patrick's Day Parade on Staten Island at noon. Mayor de Blasio won't be attending, but that's nothing newthe Staten Island Advance reports, "This will be the fourth year in a row de Blasio hasn't attended the Staten Island St. Patrick's Parade. The last three times, the mayor boycotted the parade for not being inclusive. The mayor's office wouldn't say if de Blasio would have chosen to boycott the event again if he didn't have 'scheduling conflicts.'" Here are details on where the Richmond County parade will be:

Formation:

- Hart Boulevard between Forest Avenue and Revere Street

Route:

- Forest Avenue between Hart Boulevard and Jewett Avenue

Dispersal:

- Forest Avenue between Jewett Avenue and Ordell Avenue

Closure:

- Same as location



(Scott Lynch/Gothamist)

Speaking of inclusiveness, the St. Patrick's Day for All parade in Queens, which prides itself for being welcome to all to "celebrate Irish heritage and culture regardless of race, gender, creed or sexual orientation," is at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Formation:

- 43rd Street between Skillman Avenue and Barnett Avenue

Route/Dispersal:

- Skillman Avenue between 43rd Street and 56th Street

- 56th Street between Skillman Avenue and Woodside Avenue

- Woodside Avenue between 56th Street and 61st Street

Closure:

Same as location
A 37-year-old man from New Paltz, New York was arrested during a biannual Immigration and Customs Enforcement check in Manhattan on Tuesday, according to his family. Joel Guerrero, who immigrated to the country legally, was reportedly arrested on the grounds that he had missed a January 2011 court date, following a prior misdemeanor marijuana possession conviction. He now faces the possibility of deportation. [See below for update: According to ICE, the conviction was a felony for intent to sell or distribute.]

Guerrero, who works in construction, attended the check-in with his new wife, Jessica Guerrero, who is six months pregnant. His family says that he was detained on the spot, after multiple years of check-ins without incident.



Guerrero with Jessica (courtesy family).

"He was going in for a routine check-in," Guerrero's brother, Edward, told Gothamist on Friday. Edward lives in the Bronx, and rushed to the ICE offices in Federal Plaza on Tuesday. "They asked [Jessica] to take his wedding ring, and they allowed him to say 'bye,' and then they took him," he recalled.

"He works five days a week, sometimes seven days a week, in preparation for his newborn baby," Edward added. "So the guy is really making strides, doing the right moves, working hard."

Guerrero has a lawyer, according to his family, who has filed for an emergency deportation stay.

He is currently being held without bail at the Hudson County Correctional Facility in Kearny, New Jersey, according to the facility's automated records service.

A single marijuana conviction qualifies a legal permanent resident for deportation. According to a recent Human Rights Watch report, 34,337 people whose top conviction was marijuana possession were deported between fiscal years 2007 and 2012. Low-level convictions were classified as low priority, though, under Department of Homeland Security guidelines released during Obama's second term.

According to Edward, Guerrero received the marijuana conviction nearly a decade ago, and was later detained returning from a vacation in the Dominican Republic.

"Long story short, he got an immigration lawyer, and it's been going on for years," Edward said. "The judge... allowed him to report every six months to the ICE office. He was doing that faithfully, and the last time he was just taken."

According to ICE (see update below), Guerrero was issued a final order of removal on January 6, 2011 (apparently the missed court date). While his family describes him as green card holder, that status is revoked when a final order of removal is issued.

Regardless of Guerrero's current status, this week's meeting marked a stark shift in enforcement. "Up until recently ICE has been allowing some individuals who have prior orders of removal to remain in the country because of some sympathetic fact or factor in their cases," said Ward Oliver, supervising attorney for the Immigration Law Unit at the Legal Aid Society. "Given Trump's executives orders, it is hard to say what, if any, discretion ICE will be exercising in the future."

"I said to the [ICE] officer, 'why is this happening' and he said to me, 'the Trump administration is telling us to enforce everything,'" Jessica told ThinkProgress this week. "He said to me, 'this is because we're told now that we can enforce these orders.'"

The New Paltz Town Council sent a letter to the Department of Justice on Thursday, on Guerrero's behalf. "We believe that punishments should fit the crime and we respectfully ask that you do not allow this incident to tear apart a family," it states.

Jessica told the outlet Mid-Hudson News that if Guerrero is deported, she will "absolutely" go with him.

"He is my husband," she said. "We are having a child together. This is my life. It's not what I want but I couldn't be apart from him."

Originally from the Dominican Republic, Guerrero immigrated to the United States legally in 1997, when he was 17 years old.

"My brother doesn't know anyone in the DR. He was a kid when he came here," Edward, a green card holder, said. "I also made mistakes when I was younger. Everyone does. I just didn't get caught."

"I do understand there are people out there who deserve to be removed from the country," Edward added. "But if you start building a life and you have a family that loves youunder this new administration, it doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter if you stole a piece of candy in the store, you get deported."

[Update 3/4]: ICE spokeswoman Rachael Long Yow said in a statement that Guerrero has a felony conviction for possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a schedule VI controlled substance (marijuana or a synthetic equivalent). Also, that he is subject to a final order of removal issued on January 6, 2011. Guerrero's family counters that Guerrero was awarded clemency, his charge downgraded to a misdemeanor. We will update with any additional information.
DUBLIN, Mar 03, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Africa Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2012-2022" report to their offering.

The tire market in Africa is projected to surpass $8 billion by 2022. Replacement tires accounted for the majority share in Africa tire market over the past few years, and the same trend is anticipated to continue in the coming years as well. During 2012- 2016, Africa tire market was dominated by passenger car tire segment, which accounted for a market share of over 50% in 2016.

Tire market in Africa grew at a moderate pace over the past few years, owing to rising passenger car and commercial vehicles sales, coupled with expanding replacement tire market. Moreover, increasing purchasing power and GDP per capita across the major African economies were identified to be the other predominant factors boosting tire sales in the region during 2012-2016.



Africa tire market is majorly import driven, and consequently, expanding distributor and dealer network is emerging as a critical factor for boosting tire sales in a specific country. Furthermore, increasing tire radialization, growing demand for Chinese tires and proliferation of used car market are anticipated to drive demand for tires in Africa during 2012-2022.



LCV segment has emerged as the second largest tire segment over the last five years, followed by M&HCV, two wheelers and OTR tire segments. and the segment is projected to continue dominating the market through 2022. South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria and Libya are the top 5 tire markets in Africa, and these 5 countries grabbed a cumulative market share of over 70% in Africa tire market in 2016.



Why You Should Buy This Report?



To gain an in-depth understanding of tire market in Africa .

. To identify the on-going trends and segment wise anticipated growth in the coming years.

To help industry consultants, tire companies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies.

To obtain research based business decision and add weight to presentations and marketing material.

To gain competitive knowledge of leading players.

To avail of 10% customization in the report without any extra charges and get research data or trends added in the report as per the buyer's specific needs.

Companies Mentioned



Alliance Tire Company Ltd.

Apollo Tyres Ltd.

Balkrishna Industries Ltd.

Bridgestone Middle East & Africa FZE

CEAT Limited

Goodyear Middle East FZE

Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co., Ltd.

Hankook Tire Co. Ltd.

Horizon Addis Tyre S.C .

. MRF Limited

Michelin AIM FZE

Pirelli Tyre(Suisse) SA Middle East Branch

Sameer Africa Ltd.

Sumitomo Rubber Middle East FZE

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.

Triangle Tyre Co. Ltd.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Product Overview



2. Research Methodology



3. Analyst View



4. Africa Tire Market Outlook



5. South Africa Tire Market Outlook



6. Algeria Tire Market Outlook



7. Egypt Tire Market Outlook



8. Nigeria Tire Market Outlook



9. Libya Tire Market Outlook



10. Kenya Tire Market Outlook



11. Ethiopia Tire Market Outlook



12. Angola Tire Market Outlook



13. Zimbabwe Tire Market Outlook



14. Tanzania Tire Market Outlook



15. Sudan Tire Market Outlook



16. Eritrea Tire Market Outlook



17. Market Dynamics



18. Market Trends & Developments



19. Competitive Landscape



20. Strategic Recommendations



For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/fxpjk6/africa_tire

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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SOURCE Research and Markets
It often seems like every week of the Trump administration is the craziest one, but this time we might actually have it. Jeff Sessions has recused himself from any investigations into his contact with the Russian ambassador to the United States, people are calling on Sessions to resign and even Chuck Schumer is owning him on Twitter. So, it's as good a time as ever to jump into some kind of activism against him.

People's March for Education Justice - NYC

Hoo boy, Saturday is going to be a busy day around Trump properties. In addition to the march against the Dakota Pipeline ending at Trump Tower, and the dueling pro-Trump and anti-Trump rallies going on, here's a march demanding that Andrew Cuomo give the state and city billions in promised education funding, end the state's reliance on testing and invest more in social workers and other support staff for schools statewide that will start at the Trump International Hotel. Keeping up pressure on Andrew Cuomo is a backdoor way of increasing pressure on Donald Trump, by reminding him to keep acting like a liberal in the run up to his probable run for presidency.

FREE, Saturday, March 4th, 9:30 a.m., Trump International Hotel and Tower, 1 Central Park West

NY Doesn't Welcome You

There's going to be a pro-Trump rally in front of Trump Tower this weekend. So, you can see where this is going, right? Yes, exactly, there's going to be a counter-demonstration against Trump supporters and against the president himself, reminding him that New York thinks he's the worst. Bring some signs telling him that his hometown doesn't want him around, and maybe if enough people show up he'll just decide to go anywhere else in the future.

FREE, Saturday, March 4th, 11:30 a.m., Corner of East 53rd Street and 5th Avenue

Education! Outreach! Action! Trainings hosted by #TimetoResist

Oh hey, it's a good old fashioned teach-in! Whether you want to learn what your rights are with regards to protests, how to creatively get your message across, how to communicate with people you're trying to persuade, how to get cyber secured or just how to defend yourself, you'll have plenty of opportunities to learn from smart accomplished people.

FREE, Saturday, March 4th, noon, Progress High School For Professional Careers, 850 Grand Street

March 4th for Standing Rock

The Water Protecters' camp at Standing Rock may be gone, but since the Dakota Access Pipeline project was revived by the Trump administration, the fight against it will continue. A week before a mass nationwide action against the pipeline, the city will host a rally and march from the New York Public Library to Trump Tower in support of the Standing Rock Sioux and their right to clean water.

FREE, Saturday, March 4th, 1 p.m., New York Public Library

Fundraiser for Planned Parenthood of Indiana & Kentucky

Here in New York, we're at least doing kind of alright as far as women's health and a woman's right to choose are concerned (we could be doing much better!). So, here's a chance to help out Planned Parenthood in states whose leadership is interested in controlling women's lives through the restriction of what they can do with their bodies. A $20 donation will get you a custom sketch from fashion illustrator Jennifer Lilya, but that's not all! There'll also be a raffle with prizes like tickets to Avenue Q, a private yoga session, a variety pack of vegan jerky and much more. Plus, importantly, there will be alcohol.

$20, Saturday, March 4th, 2 p.m., Precious Metal, 143 Troutman Street

Rapid Response Network: Open House for Crown Heights/ Bed Stuy

If you find yourself trusting the state less and less, here's a chance to help build a support network for vulnerable people that doesn't rely on its institutions. Today's meeting will focus on how to build a Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy network of "rapid responders," people who are building a network of support personnel to help people with mental health crises, basic first aid, defense against Immigration ICE raids, hate attacks, and participate in copwatching.

FREE, Saturday, March 4th, 2 p.m., HappyLucky no.1, 734 Nostrand Avenue

Building Resistance Propaganda Party

Ain't no party like a propaganda party cause a propaganda party lives forever through its messaging. Sorry, sorry. Anyway, drop by the Interference Archive on Sunday for a chance to learn all about a bunch of groups who are fighting the Tump administration, and pick up their various propaganda in the form of stickers, flyers, buttons and other message-spreading goods. Maybe zines? Probably at least one organization will have a zine.

FREE, Sunday, March 5th, noon, Interference Archive, 131 8th Street, Brooklyn



Sign Making 101: For Women's Strike

If you want to make your own propaganda instead of picking up stuff other people made, here's the place for you. Not only is this an opportunity to hang with people while you make signs for the Women's Strike, but an artist and designer will be on hand to show you how to make "inexpensive, durable, NYPD-compliant protest signs that get your message across." As someone whose terrible handwriting has made his protest signs look more comical than effective propaganda, this seems like a great service.

FREE, Sunday, March 5th, 1 p.m., 205 Hudson Street, 2nd Floor

#NotInOurCity peaceful vigil against attacks on JCCs

An arrest was made for a handful of the bomb threats called in to JCCs across the country, but keep in mind this instance was seen as a copycat crime, there are still almost 100 unsolved cases and there are also the instances of Jewish cemetery desecration. So, come out and stand with the nation's Jewish community in a one hour silent vigil against hate.

FREE, Sunday, March 5th, 3 p.m., Grand Central Terminal

Unity In Diversity Rally

Things are heating up a bit in Queens, although it's not like that's unique to the borough. Still, it's as good a time as ever to stand with your fellow Queens residents in a show of unity and a defense of the borough's diversity. Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and a number of other elected officials, community and religious leaders and residents will gather together for a reminder that the diverse mix of traditions in the borough help make it a stronger place.

FREE, Sunday, March 5th, 4 p.m., Queens Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Boulevard

How The Left Can Win Elections

Protests are fun and you can meet some cool people and also get some exercise if it's part of a long march. But! Don't forget that the ultimate goal is to actually win some elections and exercise political power. How do you do that though? Well, maybe Zak Wear of the Richmond Progressive Alliance can tell you a thing or two about that, since this event is literally called "How The Left Can Win Elections."

FREE. Sunday, March 5th, 5 p.m., Starr Bar, 214 Starr Street, Brooklyn

Womens Strikes: Past, Present, and Future

If you can't make the other Women's Strike planning and information day, or you just want to stay involved, here's another chance for you. This evening's meeting will focus on the history of women's strikes worldwide in order to learn from them, a group chat about the best ways to accomplish the goals of the upcoming strike, and some time to make signs for next Wednesday's strike.

FREE, Sunday, March 5th, 6 p.m., Mayday Space, 176 St. Nicholas Avenue
LONDON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management UK & Europe is pleased to announce the acquisition of client portfolios currently managed by Duncan Lawrie Private Banking in the Isle of Man.

This transaction serves to bolster Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management's presence in the Isle of Man, and supports the firm's strategy of growing assets under management. At the end of its most recent fiscal quarter, Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management in the UK & Europe reported total assets under management of over 14 billion. The acquisition is expected to include more than 100 client portfolios, including those using discretionary investment management and execution-only stock broking services. No Duncan Lawrie staff will be moving to Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management as part of the deal.

The acquisition has been welcomed by Duncan Lawrie Private Banking, given the similarities in investment process and the dedication to client service shared by the two businesses.

Dermot Hamill, Head of Wealth Management for Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management, Isle of Man commented: "We are delighted to be announcing our acquisition of Duncan Lawrie's Isle of Man client portfolios. We look forward to welcoming our new clients on board and providing them with the exceptional quality of service and investment offerings that we are known for."

David Esfandi, Chief Executive of Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management in the UK & Europe concurred: "The acquisition of the Duncan Lawrie client portfolios on the Isle of Man is a great fit for our business, given our similar investment ethos and our synergies in client service. It is further proof of our wholehearted commitment to all the jurisdictions in which we operate. We have ambitious plans to grow our business and with a strong track record of meeting client needs and with our recent investment in technology and systems, we are well-placed to grow our client base and achieve our business objectives."

Deal Summary:

Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management is expected to acquire more than 100 client portfolios in its Isle of Man business, of which 62% will be discretionary and 38% execution only.

business, of which 62% will be discretionary and 38% execution only. This supports the firm's strategy to grow assets under management, which currently stand at over 14 billion in its UK & Europe wealth management operations.

wealth management operations. No Duncan Lawrie staff will transfer to Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management as part of the deal.

The acquisition is subject to approval from the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority.

About Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management:

Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management provides comprehensive wealth management solutions and brokerage services to individual investors, private clients, charities and intermediaries through a full suite of services tailored to the needs of clients in each of its markets. Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management has Investment Advisors (IAs) and professionals in Canada, the UK, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man and Australia. Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management is a division of Canaccord Genuity Group and operates in the UK & Europe as Canaccord Genuity Wealth Limited and Canaccord Genuity Wealth International Limited.

About Canaccord Genuity Group Inc.:

Through its principal subsidiaries, Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. (the 'Company') is a leading independent, full-service financial services firm, with operations in two principal segments of the securities industry: wealth management and capital markets. Since its establishment in 1950, the Company has been driven by an unwavering commitment to building lasting client relationships. We achieve this by generating value for our individual, institutional and corporate clients through comprehensive investment solutions, brokerage services and investment banking services. The Company has offices in 10 countries worldwide, including Wealth Management offices located in Canada, the UK, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man and Australia. Canaccord Genuity, the international capital markets division, operates in Canada, the US, the UK, France, Ireland, Hong Kong, China, Australia and Dubai. To us there are no foreign markets.[TM]

Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. is publicly traded under the symbol CF on the TSX.

For investor and media relations inquiries:

Christina Marinoff

Vice President, Investor Relations & Communications

Phone: +1-416-687-5507

Email: christina.marinoff@canaccord.com



http://www.canaccordgenuitygroup.com





SOURCE Canaccord Genuity Group Inc.
DUBLIN, Mar 03, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Colombia Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2022" report to their offering.

The tire market in Colombia is anticipated to cross $1.5 billion by 2022. In terms of vehicle type, the tire market in Colombia has been segmented into Passenger Car (PC), Two-Wheeler (2W), Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV), Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle (M&HCV), and Off-The-Road (OTR).

Expanding production of passenger cars and continuously expanding automobile fleet are some of the major factors aiding Colombia tire market. Moreover, increasing population, which stood at 48.22 million in 2015, coupled with growing urbanization, which was 76.4% of total population in 2015, is boosting the demand for automobiles in the country, consequently positively influencing the country's tire market.

Furthermore, rapidly expanding middle class population in Colombia is pushing the demand for automobiles, which, in turn, is generating huge demand for tires. Moreover, expanding fleet coupled with increasing investments in agriculture sector by public as well as private entities are also boosting the demand for tires in the country. Growing per capita income, expanding automotive fleet and launch of new vehicle models are some of the other major factors driving Colombia automotive industry, consequently propelling the demand for tire in the country.



Why You Should Buy This Report?



To gain an in-depth understanding of Colombia tire market.

tire market. To identify the on-going trends and anticipated growth in the next five years.

To help industry consultants, tire companies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies.

To obtain research based business decisions and add weight to presentations and marketing material.

To gain competitive knowledge of leading market players.

To avail of 10% customization in the report without any extra charges and get research data or trends added in the report as per the buyer's specific needs.



Companies Mentioned



Bridgestone De Colombia, S.A.S (Bsco)

Continental Tire Colombia S.A.S

Giti Tire Pte. Ltd.

Goodyear de Colombia SA

Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber CO.,LTD.

Hankook Tire Colombia Ltda.

Industria Colombiana de Llantas S.A.

Pirelli de Colombia SAS

Toyo Tire & Rubber Company

Triangle Tyre Co. Ltd.



Key Topics Covered:

1. Product Overview



2. Research Methodology



3. Analyst View



4. Colombia Tire Market Outlook



5. Colombia Passenger Car (PC) Tire Market Outlook



6. Colombia Two-Wheeler (2W) Tire Market Outlook



7. Colombia Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Tire Market Outlook



8. Colombia Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle (M&HCV) Tire Market Outlook



9. Colombia Off-the-Road (OTR) Tire Market Outlook



10. Market Dynamics



11. Market Trends & Developments



12. Import-Export Analysis



13. Policy & Regulatory Landscape



14. Colombia Economic Profile



15. Competitive Landscape



16. Strategic Recommendations



For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2qhpmv/colombia_tire

Media Contact:

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
LINKOPING, Sweden, Mar 03, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

International medical imaging IT and cybersecurity company Sectra (STO: SECT B) has signed a ten-year contract with Isala Hospital, in the Netherlands. The contract comprises Sectra's IT solution for reviewing diagnostic images. The solution enables physicians at Isala Hospital to access and review medical images from any of its two hospitals, regardless of where current and prior images were taken. The joint solution also enables the two sites to efficiently share resources.

Isala Hospital's two facilities are located in the Dutch cities Zwolle and Meppel, and Sectra's solution will replace the two imaging solutions that are currently used at the two sites. It will handle approximately 400,000 examinations each year.

"With this joint solution from Sectra, information will follow the patient instead of the other way around. Sectra's proven track record of extremely high system availability was another important aspect for us in the choice of vendor and is also key in delivering efficient healthcare," says Roel Venema, member of the board of directors at Isala Hospital.

Sectra Enterprise Image Management

The solution ordered by Isala Hospital is part of Sectra's complete enterprise imaging offering which is modular and supports the most image-intense departmentsradiology, pathology, cardiology and orthopaedics. Being built on the same technical platform, customers can easily extend a departmental solution to create a comprehensive VNA and enterprise image management solution without major investments or the replacement of existing components.

Meet Sectra at ECR 2017

Sectra's Enterprise Image Management solution will be showcased at booth #411 at ECR in Vienna, 2-5 March. Read more about Sectra at ECR and book a meeting at www.sectra.com/ecr.

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Torbjorn Kronander,

CEO and President Sectra AB,

Phone: 46 (0) 705-23-52-27

Marie Ekstrom Tragardh,

Executive Vice President Sectra AB and President Sectra Imaging IT Solutions,

Phone: 46 (0)708-23-56-10

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/sectra/r/dutch-multi-site-hospital-invests-in-imaging-it-solution-from-sectra,c2203785

The following files are available for download:

http://news.cision.com/sectra/i/sectra-s-enterprise-image-management-solution-for-radiology,c2090112 Sectra's enterprise image management solution for radiology

SOURCE Sectra
Huaxi University Town will have a total area of 683 square feet. Nine universities have already settled in the town, which plans to house a total of twelve. The number of teachers and students in the town has already reached 150,000. In addition, backbone transportation networks currently cover an area of 9.65 square miles, and the town has witnessed US$4.65 billion worth of investment already made.

As part of a five-year blueprint, Huaxi University Town will explore a growth model that is based on the synergies between infrastructure, talent pools, big data and big ideas. Driven by innovation, Huaxi University Town will focus on setting up R&D centers, labs, and scientific institutes, as well as businesses in big data and healthcare.

Huaxi University Town was launched by Guian New Area to help fresh talents pave their career path and speed up the promoting of local small enterprises and innovative start-ups with full support. Huaxi University Town aims to form a vibrant ecosystem around universities, companies and the government to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

Guian New Area won government approval to set up an innovation and entrepreneurship park in May, 2016, one of the first zones in the country to be authorized. The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Park is composed of two buildings with total construction area of about 430,556 square feet.

Nine intermediary service firms and six big data companies have settled in Building A, which has adopted a business pattern of integrating big data with services, cultural and creative industries, education, management and analysis. In Building B, the second and third floor is home to the university town's incubator base, which has attracted over 60 startups, while the fourth and fifth floors have lured five companies that integrate big data with healthcare.

Under the Huaxi project, promising startups have established partnerships and cooperation agreements with the local government and institutions of higher education.

ChinaDataPay.com

The company has already set up close partnership with agencies including Jiaotong University, Peking University and the China Smart Healthcare Industry Federation, and has built a team of 300+ to provide data pricing, asset management, security and other customized services.

Guian Big Data Service Co.

The company's business includes data collection, analysis, mining, and the development of data products. The company is currently developing a big data project with the Guizhou Supreme People's Court. The company's main products include financial big data platforms, investment research platforms and the CBN financial data terminal.

About Guian New Area

Guian New Area, the eighth national-level new area in China, shoulders three major responsibilities - be a key driver of economic growth in western China, break new ground in the opening of new markets, and set the standard for sound and vibrant eco-system zones.

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/474352/GUIAN_NEW_AREA_Huaxi_Project.jpg

SOURCE Guian New Area
Hisense, the multinational consumer technology manufacturer and one of the largest television brands in the world, was phenomenal, ranking third in global shipments of LCD TVs and No.1 in the Chinese market, where Hisense has held that spot for 13 consecutive years. Hisense had 23.43 million Internet-TV users, and the number of daily active users only in China has reached 11 million in February. Hisense has already truly become the biggest Internet-TV platform in China.

Netflix is the content partner with Hisense TV in the US and its user activity ranks the top compared with other partners. The primary aim of Hisense was to enrich and differentiate the content and thereby increase the sales competitive power of Hisense TV.

Netflix, one of the American biggest streaming media operators, has a strict requirement for its certification on audiovisual effects, display technology and image data processing technology. Hisense is the only company that has received NRTV certification in China, winning the content partner Netflix.

Based on huge shipments of Hisense TV, Hisense has put the television content operation into its business. The company Juhaokan, which is an individual corporation owned by Hisense Group, took on the business section. Hisense will close the company's series A financing in 2017 by the shareholding structural reform. Setting up the American internet-TV operation center relates to its capital investment.

The complete set of law institutions of consumer protection and copyright protection of the United States will bring a huge challenge for Hisense.

Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/474388/Hisense.jpg

SOURCE Hisense
LONDON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The Global Brands Magazine awards, among the world's most recognized branding awards, announced Institut Jantung Negara as the winner of 'Most Advanced Healthcare Brand in Malaysia for the year 2016'. The awards recognize the institute's excellence in setting a benchmark in offering medical expertise in cardiovascular and thoracic care.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160518/369255LOGO )



Global Brands Awards' honours hospitals that have set a benchmark for excellence and responded to changes quickly. The hospital was recognized as part of a study and was awarded for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance for cardiovascular and thoracic care. The data was collected and reviewed by an independent external agency to provide complete robustness to the study conducted.

Since its inception in 1992, IJN has been leading the way for cardiovascular healthcare in Malaysia. The institution has grown leaps and bounds over the last 25 years, with many accolades and awards under its belt. It also boasts of many firsts for the industry, be it locally or regionally, as it strives to be the best-of-the-best within the sector.

"We have made great stride as a relatively young organization along with our contributions to the healthcare sector, especially heart care in Malaysia. We are playing a role as a regional player in the field as well," says Dr. Mohd Azhari.

Jay Reddy, Head of Branding at Global Brands Magazine added, "While the award is designed to inspire better performance, we would like to congratulate Institut Jantung Negara for being pro-active in adapting new technology to deliver better care for patients and at the same time being consistent in delivering the best health care available to its clients. We wish the hospital all the best and more success in the near future."

About Global Brand Awards

Global Brands Awards was established with the aim of honouring excellence in performance and rewarding companies across different sectors. The award honors companies who have performed extraordinarily well in the field of finance, education, hospitality, automobiles, lifestyle, education, real estate and technology. The awards are given to acknowledge key players who strive for fineness & provide a platform for recognition. The award also aims to identify, create awareness about the significance of exceptional service delivery and reward their performance with the ultimate global recognition. More than 4000 Companies were evaluated as a part of the recent study conducted.

About Global Brands Magazine

Global Brands Magazine is the one of the world's best loved branding publication. A fully autonomous branding magazine, Global Brands Magazine represents an astute source of information from across the industry. The magazine provides the reader with up- to date news, reviews, opinions, polls on leading brands across the globe. The Magazine is head-quartered in United Kingdom. For More information please visit http://www.globalbrandsmagazine.com

About IJN

Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) was set up in 1992 and is dedicated to the management and treatment of heart diseases by providing cardiology, paediatric cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery services for adults and children.

Today, IJN is reckoned to be among the best medical centres for cardiovascular and thoracic care in Malaysia and the region. IJN has kept abreast with the latest medical advances, from handling a simple hole in the heart surgery to heart and lungs transplantations.

Media Contact:

Edwin Martin

Phone: +44-208-133-3927



SOURCE Global Brands Publications Limited
SINGAPORE, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Following the success of their Global Deep Learning Series, REWORK is pleased to announce its 11th Global Deep Learning Summit in Singapore. Taking place on 27-28 April 2017, it will be the second edition held in Asia. The event will host 30 extraordinary speakers, amongst whom are representatives from Google, P&G, DeepMind and Facebook. REWORK will bring together more than 200 AI pioneers, leading technologists and innovators to explore the latest advancements in the deep learning.

Topics covered include:

Computer Vision

Deep Learning Algorithms

Predictive Intelligence

Autonomous Vehicles

Natural Language Understanding

AI for Business Efficiency

Deep Learning for Enterprise

Why You Should Attend

The two-day summit presents a unique networking opportunity with business leaders, influential academics and revolutionary startups. Ian Goodfellow, Research Scientist from OpenAI, spoke on his previous experience from the Deep Learning Summit San Francisco 2017, "I had the opportunity to meet with the head of a prominent venture capital firm and found startups that would like me as their technical advisor. As a speaker, I brought my research to a wider audience. It was a great event!". Each participant - speaker, attendee or panellist, brings invaluable insight to the summit and takes away much more.

Held concurrently will be the Deep Learning in Finance Summit. Notable speakers in attendance are representatives from HSBC, BNP Paribas, AXA, NTUC Income and Societe Generale. Topics on the agenda will include financial forecasting, algorithmic trading, and robo-advisors.

Tickets and Registration

Early Bird passes for both events are on sale and available until Friday, 10th March. Attendees also gain access to post-event content: presentation slides, video recordings and exclusive interviews on REWORK's dedicated video hub. Can't attend? On-demand content is also available.

Register or find out more here for the Deep Learning Summit, Singapore or here for the Deep Learning in Finance Summit, Singapore. For further enquiries, please email hello@re-work.co .

REWORK is an event organising company that brings together breakthrough technology, cutting-edge science and innovative entrepreneurship which shape the future of business and society. REWORK events showcase opportunities of exponentially accelerating technologies to positively disrupt the world. Regular attendees at REWORK summits include: Apple, Microsoft, Google, Samsung, Amazon, and Baidu. Find out more about their events here or follow them on Twitter at @teamrework and @reworkdl.

Contact

Chloe Pang

Business Development

+44-203-289-1104

cpang@re-work.co

SOURCE REWORK
DUBLIN, Mar 03, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Saudi Arabia Women Cosmetics Market 2012-2022" report to their offering.

The women cosmetics market in Saudi Arabia is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 11% during 2017-2022, on account of growing trend of halal cosmetics, booming retail industry and easy availability of cosmetics on online channels.

Cosmetic products are no more restricted to being used on special occasions, but are gaining prominence as part of women's daily regimen. In Saudi Arabia, women's cosmetic products are being widely adopted, and have emerged as high utility products, especially over the last few years. Increasing desire among Saudi Arabian women to look alluring is expected to aid the country's women cosmetics market over the next five years.

Women in the country are becoming more open to trying new products, which help them in maintaining a youthful and elegant look. In addition to conventional cosmetics, several new products are being introduced in the Saudi Arabian market to help women in protecting their skin from pollution and sun damage. Moreover, backed by growing trend of workplace gender equality in the country, the women workforce is continuously expanding, which in turn, is aiding Saudi Arabia women cosmetics market. Furthermore, factors such as increasing urbanization, growing per capita spending on cosmetics, continuous product innovations and aggressive marketing by companies as well as online retailers are expected to positively influence Saudi Arabia women cosmetics market during forecast period.



Companies Mentioned



Avon Saudi Arabia

Beiersdorf AG

Clara International Beauty Group

Inika

L'Oreal Saudi Arabia

Louis Vuitton Saudi Arabia

OnePure, LLC

Procter & Gamble

Saaf Skincare

Unilever Saudi Arabia



Key Topics Covered:

1. Product Overview



2. Research Methodology



3. Analyst View



4. Global Women Cosmetics Market Overview



5. Saudi Arabia Women Cosmetics Market Outlook



6. Saudi Arabia Women Fragrances Market Outlook



7. Saudi Arabia Women Skin Care Cosmetics Market Outlook



8. Saudi Arabia Women Color Cosmetics Market Outlook



9. Saudi Arabia Other Women Cosmetics Market Outlook



10. Supply Chain Analysis



11. Porter's Five Forces Analysis



12. Import & Export Analysis



13. Market Dynamics



14. Market Trends & Developments



15. Policy & Regulatory Landscape



16. Saudi Arabia Economic Profile



17. Competitive Landscape



18. Strategic Recommendations



For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cdq6gf/saudi_arabia

Media Contact:

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
DUBLIN, Mar 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Tomato Processing Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2017 - 2022" report to their offering.

Tomato Processing Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2017-2022, has segmented the market on the basis of product type. Currently, sauces account for nearly a third of the total processed tomato consumption.

The global tomato processing market reached a volume of around 34 Million Tons in 2016. A number of factors are currently driving the growth of this market. These include changing food habits, rising incomes, urbanisation, emerging markets, growing consumption of fast foods especially by youngsters, etc.

Sauces are followed by pastes, canned tomatoes, ketchups and juices. The report has also analysed the market on the basis of key regions.

The United States currently represents the world's biggest tomato processor accounting for more than one third of the total global tomatoes processed.

Other major countries include - Italy, China, Turkey, Iran, Spain and Brazil. The report has also analysed the competitive landscape of the market.

Some of the key players currently operating in this market include - Morning Star, Tunhe, Chalkis, Ingomar Packing and JG Boswell.

The report provides a techno-commercial roadmap for setting up a tomato processing plant.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Preface

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Introduction

5 Global Tomato Industry

6 Global Tomato Processing Industry

7 Performance of Key Regions

8 Market by End-Use

9 Competitive Landscape

10 Tomato Paste and Tomato Sauce Manufacturing Process

11 Project Details, Requirements and Costs Involved

12 Loans and Financial Assistance

13 Project Economics

14 Key Player Profiles

Tunhe

Chalkis

Ingomar

JG Boswell

Conagra

Olam

Los Gatos

Haohan Gr

Campbell

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/426h2b/tomato_processing

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
DUBLIN, Mar 03, 3017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Trump's Impact on Future Business in the United States" report to their offering.

Donald Trump's ascendancy to President of the United States promises to bring big change for business. Controversial campaign rhetoric targeting topics as diverse as trade, deregulation, the environment, and healthcare coupled with Trump's long list of unconventional government appointees has created an environment of uncertainty. Citizens, businesses, and governments around the world are trying to separate the hyperbolic from the probable by asking what policies Trump will actually pursue and what preparations can be made.

Trump's Impact on Future Business in the United States helps provide clarity. This study examines how President Trump's top 10 policy areas will affect business and industries in the next 4 years. Policy areas include trade, immigration, tax reform, foreign policy and defense, deregulation, budget cuts, budget increases, healthcare, the Supreme Court, and wages and education. For each area, the study outlines Trump's campaign and current position, and provides a scenario of policy implementation. Discussions for each area highlight implications for business, as well as those industries (and in some cases, countries and citizen groups) most likely to win and lose.

Key questions addressed include:

- What are the economic, political, and social issues that will animate Trump's administration and what is the probability of Trump's administration being able to enact policy changes?

- How should business prepare for Trump's policy positions?

- Who stands to gain and lose the most from implementation of likely scenarios?

- What are the risks and opportunities that will arise as Trump's policies converge?

Key features include:

- Extensive research covering 10 policy areas central to the Trump campaign and administration

- Synthesis of research areas into the top 5 impacts for each area that business should be aware of

- Summary of 5 Mega Scenarios showcasing how the convergence of policies will define the United States in the near term-each scenario has a central motif, key characteristics, and strategic perspectives

Key topics include:

- Trade: the North American Free Trade Agreement, trade with China, the US-Korean trade agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

- Immigration: Unauthorized immigration from Mexico, immigration from terror-prone nations, H-1B Visas

- Tax reform: Individual tax restructuring, corporate tax restructuring

- Foreign policy and defense: Russia reset, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, cyber terrorism

- Deregulation: Environmental deregulation, financial deregulation

- Budget cuts: The Penny Plan, environmental budget cuts

- Budget increases: Infrastructure spending, defense spending

- Healthcare: The Affordable Care Act, Medicare

- The Supreme Court: A conservative tilt

- Wages and education: Minimum wage, school choice, and Common Core

The study time frame is from 2017 to 2020

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary-Mega Scenarios and Top Impacts



2. Research Methodology, Objectives, and Definitions



3. Trump on Trade



4. Trump on Immigration



5. Trump on Tax Reform



6. Trump on Foreign Policy and Defense



7. Trump on Deregulation



8. Trump on Federal Budget Cuts



9. Trump on Federal Budget Increases



10. Trump on Healthcare



11. Trump on the Supreme Court



12. Trump on Wages and Education



13. The Last Word

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8r4ljx/trumps_impact_on

Media Contact:

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
Aqua Dragons in Space, Newest Kickstarter Campaign, Will Raise Funds To Launch 13.8M Eggs Into Near Space & Package As Live Astro Pets For Kids

BARCELONA, Spain, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- World Alive's Aqua Dragons is an educational science kit that contains live aquatic pets that kids can bring to life and watch grow. Following great early success, the creators are excited to embark on an out-of-this-world experience and fly 13.8 million Aqua Dragons eggs on an unmanned flight into the outermost stratospheres of the planet. World Alive is looking to raise $50,000 to support its space mission and have already reached 50% of their goal on Kickstarter (http://kck.st/2lavHad).

Aqua Dragons in Space Live Astro Pets (PRNewsFoto/World Alive) Aqua Dragons in Space Live Astro Pets Collection (PRNewsFoto/World Alive)

Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/474346/World_Alive.jpg

Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/474347/World_Alive.jpg

"I have been in love with these crustaceous aquatic pets since I first received one 14 years ago, and I know that sending the Aqua Dragons into Space will make these little critters all the more interesting," says Amy Holden, founder, product innovator and developer of Aqua Dragons. "My hope is that children and their parents will be as fascinated with the Aqua Dragons in Space and as excited as I am about collaborating in creating the world's first out-of-this-world pets."

Aqua Dragons are a unique kind of crustacean called Artemia, that have a biological process called Diapause that allows them to hibernate, hatching once in contact with water. Hatching and growing Aqua Dragons helps children learn about caring for a living creature and being responsible as it pertains to feeding and how to treat live animals with respect instead of as a science experiment. Kids will also learn about science, anatomy, biology, marine biology and even history and geography through playtime with their Aqua Dragons.

The goal of the Kickstarter campaign is to raise $50,000 to launch a payload full of 13.8 million Aqua Dragons into Space, record video footage of the flight, and then package these Space eggs into a new range of Aqua Dragons kits known as Aqua Dragons Live Astro Pets. There are also higher-priced packages available that will allow you to send a personal belonging into Space with the eggs or even meet an astronaut!

For more information about World Alive's Aqua Dragons, visit www.aquadragons.net or connect with them on social media; Facebook @AquaDragonsWA, Twitter @AquaDragons and Instagram @AquaDragons.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Chelsea Kapotes

Southard Freeman Communications

ckapotes@southardfreeman.com

973-470-0400

SOURCE World Alive
NEW YORK, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- 1stdibs, the leading global marketplace for collectors and dealers of beautiful things, in partnership with Edward Tyler Nahem Fine Art is pleased to announce a curated exhibition of paintings by Erik Benson will be hosted exclusively at Todd Snyder Madison Park for Armory Week. The art will be exhibited from March 3 through March 17.

An urban boutique meets gentleman's general store, the location offers Todd Snyder apparel alongside curated selections from partners including 1stdibs, a perfect location to exhibit paintings such as Playground (Ailanthus Altissima), Terminal, Stacks (Golden Tower) and Untitled (Study for Asian Beetle). The store also features a curated assortment of standout gifts, art and furniture on a rotating basis, available for a limited time for purchase.

"Standouts among the curated selection of art you'll find on 1stdibs are the multi-layered paintings of Erik Benson, who explores the ways in which nature and the urban landscape interact and expresses this dynamic in his own distinctive style," said Anthony Barzilay Freund, Director of Fine Art at 1stdibs. "Todd Snyder's elegant flagship store  filled with vintage furniture and, of course, his collection of modern-but-classic clothes and accessories  is the perfect location to showcase Benson's paintings."

"There are some similarities between Erik's story and mine and so I feel an affinity towards him. We're both midwestern boys interested in architecture and design who came east to develop our artistic sensibilities," said Snyder. "In Erik's case, that meant earning his MFA in painting at RISD in Providence, and then settling in Brooklyn. His art feels very New York to me: that tension between the built-up and natural environment. His is a name to watch and I'm proud to champion it by hosting his work in our flagship store."

The artist's unusual process helps his ideas and imagery find synchronicity. Benson explains that he "builds paintings" by pouring acrylic paint onto sheets of glass. Once the paint has solidified and has gained its desired elasticity, Benson cuts various shapes using an X-Acto knife. He then peels the cut shapes from the sheet of glass and, using a method of collage-as-painting, arranges them onto the painted canvas to create a larger composition. Collaged constructions create a relationship between the visual information and the processes -- constructed images of an imagined environment reflect the process of construction and building that mimic the subject matter.

To view the new collection visit Todd Snyder Madison Park at 25 Madison Square North, on 26th Street in Manhattan or browse Edward Tyler Nahem's digital gallery at 1stdibs.com. For more information on 1stdibs' partnership with Todd Snyder, visit https://www.1stdibs.com/collections/todd-snyder/.

About 1stdibs

1stdibs is the world's leading online marketplace for rare and desirable objects. Founded in 2001 to bring the Paris flea markets online, today the website is the go-to source for those who share a passion for the most beautiful things on earth. By bringing together the best furniture, fine art, jewelry, and watch dealers from more than 600 cities around the world, 1stdibs offers an exclusive inventory not available anywhere else online.

About Todd Snyder

Iowa native Todd Snyder launched his eponymous menswear collection for Fall 2011. Inspired by Savile Row craftsmanship, military tailoring, and a distinct New York sensibility, the line has garnered wide critical and commercial praise in the US. Since his launch, Todd Snyder has been selected as one of GQ Magazine's Best New Designers in America (2012) and has been nominated three times for the CFDA Swarovski Menswear Award (2012, 2013, 2014). Snyder was selected as one of the 2013 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists and most recently nominated as a CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year, fashion's top honor. In 2015, American Eagle Outfitters, Inc acquired Todd Snyder and his premium collegiate apparel line, Tailgate. With four Tailgate stores opened across the country in 2016, Snyder now turns his attention to his New York based Todd Snyder store on Madison Square Park North.

About Erik Benson

Erik Benson received a BFA from Minneapolis College of Art and Design and an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. His first exhibition with the gallery in 2010, Detouring, opened to critical acclaim after popular showings at The Armory Show and Art Basel Miami Beach. Edward Tyler Nahem Fine Art organized Erik Benson: All City in Madrid, in 2012, as well as Sleep Walking in 2013 and the most recent exhibition held in Autumn 2016, Stacks. Benson's work has been featured in many group exhibitions, including at Salon 94 and The Flag Art Foundation in New York City, the Neuberger Museum in Purchase, and the Mason Gallery at Rutgers University, among others. He participated in the Bronx Museum of Arts' Artist in the Marketplace program, and was awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts Painting Fellowship. Most recently, he was awarded the 2016 McKnight Foundation fellowship in painting, administered by the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, designed to identify and support outstanding mid-career Minnesota artists. Benson lives and works in Minnesota.

Media Contact

Tricia Nugent

[email protected]

SOURCE 1stdibs
WASHINGTON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On March 2, 2017, an administrative law judge with the National Labor Relations Board ordered Sysco to begin bargaining with Teamsters Local 406 in Grand Rapids, Mich. after he found that the company threatened, intimidated and unlawfully punished workers during an organizing campaign in 2015.

The workers lost an election held May 7, 2015 by 11 votes. The administrative law judge found the evidence established that a majority of Sysco's Grand Rapids employees supported Local 406 prior to the election but Sysco's extensive unfair labor practices "were sufficiently severe so as to erode the majority support that the union had acquired." As a result, the judge issued an order directing Sysco to begin negotiating a contract with Local 406.

"This is great news for the Sysco workers who had to endure an unbelievable onslaught of threats and intimidation for exercising their federally protected right to organize," said Ellis Wood, Secretary-Treasurer and Principal Officer of Local 406. "I look forward to finally being able to negotiate a contract for the Sysco workers so that they can address the issues that are important to them."

The administrative law judge upheld the 79 unfair labor practice charges filed by Local 406, which included the company's threats to close the plant down if they organized, threats to impose more stringent work rules, threats of loss of seniority and the company reducing the hours of those who supported the union drive.

"The judge also ruled that it must reinstate a worker who was fired two years ago with full back pay and benefits, which will be in excess of $200,000," said Terry Hoogerhyde, Local 406 Recording Secretary and Business Agent.

"We are pleased that the administrative law judge recognized that Sysco went to great lengths to bully its workers in Grand Rapids," said Steve Vairma, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. "It's time for Sysco to now bargain fairly and treat its workers with respect and dignity."

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters was founded in 1903 and represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, including more than 12,000 Sysco and US Foods workers. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:

Galen Munroe, (202) 624-6904

[email protected]

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Related Links

http://www.teamster.org


CHICAGO, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Advantage Futures hosts its annual Tax Strategies and Legal Structures Seminar on Monday, March 6, at their Chicago Loop office. The seminar, in its ninth consecutive year, is the most attended and requested edition of the Advantage Seminar Series.

This year's featured speakers are Phil Ryan, Certified Public Accountant and Partner at Ryan & Juraska, and Lance Zinman, Partner and Global Co-Chair of Financial Services at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP. Ryan and Zinman address accounting, legal structures and tax issues facing financial service trading professionals.

Topics Include:

Tax Structure

LLC, Corporation, Partnership, Individual Account Structure Tax Treatment for U.S. vs. Non-U.S. Exchanges

Employee Compensation

Other Topics

"These professionals have decades of direct experience servicing futures traders. It is our honor to host experts who share valuable insights with our clients," said Advantage Futures CEO Joe Guinan.

Attendees have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session with Ryan and Zinman after the presentation. A networking reception will follow.

If interested in attending the Tax Strategies and Legal Structures Seminar, contact a client representative at 312.800.7000 or [email protected] for more information.

Advantage Futures offers educational seminars focused on educating futures traders in topics ranging from macroeconomics to detailed technical analysis. Visit Advantage's Seminar Center (http://www.advantagefutures.com/education/seminars-webinars/) to view past seminars. Subscribe at [email protected] to receive email notification of upcoming seminars.

Highlights from the Seminar Series, industry news and market updates are regularly posted on Advantage's Facebook page, LinkedIn and Twitter (@FuturesNews). Follow us.

About Advantage Futures:

Advantage Futures ranks among the highest volume clearing firms in the industryprocessing 252+ million contracts in 2016 and surpassing 3.7 billion contracts processed since inception in 2003. Advantage continues to expand its diverse client base by striving to deliver the highest level of client service. Our exceptional technology support, experienced risk management and responsive back office operations combine to provide comprehensive, technology-driven clearing and execution services over robust and redundant network infrastructure.

SOURCE Advantage Futures

Related Links

http://www.advantagefutures.com


"Suicide prevention is not the responsibility of one person, one organization or one industry. We can all help prevent suicide," said Roland Behm, Chair of the Board of Directors for the AFSP Georgia Chapter . "The state needs to make this a priority for the people of Georgia before we lose any more lives to suicide."

"In the past nine years, there have been great strides in what we know about how to prevent suicide. There have been new education programs developed based on the research we've learned. In 2008, the internet was just in its infancy, a tool and platform that has presented great challenges and opportunities in the area of preventing suicide. A plan from 2008 is not acceptable or adequate for helping us to save lives," said Chris Owens, Georgia Area Director at AFSP.

This is the second time AFSP is hosting a State Capitol Day in Georgia. The advocates are part of a larger national movement of AFSP volunteer advocates who will be visiting 35 state capitols across the United States in spring 2017 to bring best practices in suicide prevention to state legislators.

Suicide in Georgia

On average one person dies by suicide every seven hours in the state. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death overall in Georgia. For people aged 25-34 in Georgia, it is the second leading cause of death. For those aged 10-24, it is the third leading cause of death.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. AFSP celebrates 30 years of service to the suicide prevention movement. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Related Links

http://www.afsp.org


WASHINGTON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Jeff Sessions did nothing wrong. Jeff Sessions said nothing wrong. And, his partisan enemies know it," declares Washington D.C. law professor and attorney Victor Williams.

Prof. Williams charges Beltway elites with intentionally vilifying Sessions:

"The same extreme partisans and greedy globalists who relentlessly attacked Jeff Sessions during his Senate confirmation ordeal are again abusing him. The American people can see through these unfair and untrue smears."

Prof. Victor Williams, who chairs the new "America First Lawyers Association," says that Sessions is to be lauded for his immediate and unequivocal denial of the ugly accusations as being "totally false."

"Jeff Sessions should also be commended for going the extra-mile in taking the 'right and just' action to recuse himself from possible DOJ investigations involving the 2016 election."

Williams stated that the Attorney General's ethical vigilance will not surprise anyone who knows the real Jeff Sessions. Prof. Williams explains:

"For decades, I have known Jeff Sessions to be an incredibly honorable and ethical public servant. Immediately after graduating from law school in California, I relocated to Mobile Alabama to clerk for Judge Brevard Hand in the same federal courthouse where Sessions was head prosecutor. I have since witnessed Sessions dedicated service as U.S. Attorney, as Alabama Attorney General, and then as United States Senator."

The law professor credits Sessions with educating him, in 2014, about the worsening issues of immigration, crime, and the struggling American worker. Learning Sessions' hard lessons prepared Williams to become an early Donald Trump supporter.

Williams states: "That is why I was so honored to support Jeff Sessions' Senate confirmation  especially as 1400 of my elitist law professor colleagues opposed him in mindless lock-step."

Williams predicts that the Beltway elites' smears against Sessions and the Democrats' strange Russian obsession will ultimately backfire.

"The 2018 mid-term elections are already in sight. For the next 20 months, the Trump/Pence administration will be laser focused on tax cuts, job growth, health reforms, and restoring law and order. Meanwhile, let Democrats, the Beltway elites, and the corrupt media keep titling at Moscow windmills and doubling-down on Russian witch-hunts. Then, let the American people decide.

Professor Williams emphasized that a 2019 filibuster-proof GOP Senate will prove invaluable in the continued movement to "put America first."

In the 2016 campaign, Victor Williams founded "Lawyers and Law Professors for Trump," now rebranded as "America First Lawyers Association" to advance the Trump/Pence "America first" movement.

Media contact:

Prof. Victor Williams

[email protected]

301-951-9045

SOURCE Prof. Victor Williams, Chair of America First Lawyers Association
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Indira Lakshmanan, a Washington columnist for The Boston Globe and longtime national and foreign correspondent, will join the faculty of The Poynter Institute as the Craig Newmark Chair in Journalism Ethics. She will write on media ethics, and will lead teaching and organize conferences on a range of ethics issues, including fake news, trust in journalism and media literacy.

Lakshmanan has worked for newspapers, a wire service, digital and print magazines, TV and radio, reporting from the U.S. and more than 80 countries, and traveling with U.S. presidents, secretaries of State, and presidential candidates. In her new role at Poynter, Lakshmanan will be a prominent voice in the national conversation about the role of journalism in our democracy.

"I couldn't be more thrilled about this incredible opportunity to work on challenging ethical questions at a signal moment for our industry. I'm looking forward to collaborating with journalists, newsroom leaders, tech companies and other stakeholders on questions of access, objectivity, and fake news at a time when our profession is under pressure from multiple directions," Lakshmanan said. "Poynter's national and international reach educating and advocating for press freedom makes it an ideal place to collect and share ideas widely and seek partners in addressing the ethical foundations of our profession, including audience trust and media literacy."

The Newmark Chair is supported by a $1 million gift from the Craig Newmark Foundation to fund a major, multi-year initiative in journalism ethics. In conjunction with the creation of the Newmark Chair, Poynter will host annual conferences on ethics issues over the next five years. Lakshmanan will write regularly on Poynter.org, the leading news and information site for the media industry, and provide ethics training across Poynter's in-person and online curriculum.

"The Poynter Institute helps American news media live up to the ideal of being 'the immune system of democracy' and Indira will be a big part of that," said Craig Newmark of the appointment.

Ethics has always been part of the foundational skills that Poynter considers critical to the journalism practice.

"The profession of journalism cannot serve democracy unless our ethics keep pace with the needs of our audience," said Poynter Vice President Kelly McBride. "Lately, we've been moving at warp speed, which is why I'm thrilled to have Indira joining our faculty. She has the intellect, the experience, and the energy to help journalism fulfill its promise."

Before beginning her column for the Globe, Lakshmanan was a senior correspondent for Bloomberg News in Washington for eight years, covering politics and foreign policy. For two years, she wrote a "Letter from Washington" column for the International Herald Tribune, then the overseas edition of the New York Times, and Bloomberg. Previously, she was a foreign correspondent on three continents for 12 years, covering the end of the Bosnia War, the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the drug war in Colombia. She started at the Boston Globe as a police reporter, and spent 10 years as the Globe's bureau chief in Asia and in Latin America. She began her career on NPR's foreign desk and as NPR's reporter-stringer in Chile.

Since 2015, Lakshmanan has contributed to Politico Magazine and guest-hosted NPR programs including "Here & Now," "1A," "The Diane Rehm Show," and "Weekend Edition." She appears as an analyst on MSNBC and has contributed to PBS. She graduated from Harvard University, and did graduate studies at Oxford University as a Rotary Scholar. She was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard in 2003-2004.

Tim Franklin, president of Poynter, said Lakshmanan's journalistic experience across multiple platforms and her reporting work in the U.S. and abroad make her uniquely qualified for this position at the Institute.

"Indira has worked inside print, digital and broadcast newsrooms at a high level, and she's done it all over the world," Franklin said. "That gives her the credibility and the gravitas to tackle the very big ethical issues facing American news organizations today. Trust in media is a huge issue right now, and Indira will be on the frontlines writing about timely ethical issues and helping lead an important national conversation."

Lakshmanan begins in her new role as the Craig Newmark Chair in Journalism Ethics at Poynter in mid-March.

About The Poynter Institute

The Poynter Institute for Media Studies is a global leader in journalism education and a strategy center that stands for uncompromising excellence in journalism, media and 21st century public discourse. Poynter faculty teach seminars and workshops at the Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla., and at conferences and organizational sites around the world. Its e-learning division, News University, www.newsu.org, offers the world's largest online journalism curriculum in 7 languages, with more than 400 interactive courses and 330,000 registered users in more than 200 countries. The Institute's website, www.poynter.org, produces 24-hour coverage of news about media, ethics, technology, the business of news and the trends that currently define and redefine journalism news reporting. The world's top journalists and media innovators come to Poynter to learn and teach new generations of reporters, storytellers, media inventors, designers, visual journalists, documentarians and broadcast producers, and to build public awareness about journalism, media, the First Amendment and protected discourse that serves democracy and the public good.

Contact: Tina Dyakon

Director of Advertising and Marketing

The Poynter Institute

[email protected]

727-553-4343

SOURCE Poynter
LUXEMBOURG, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Humaniq, a blockchain based banking application with a mission to aid 2 billion currently unbanked people from emerging economies reschedules its ICO from February 28 to April 6, 2017. Humaniq hopes that the postponed ICO will ensure unhindered participation of investors from countries like China that is currently facing certain restrictions.

Humaniq's primary goal is to create an Ethereum blockchain based mobile banking app that can be offered to the over two billion people with no current access to banking services. In addition to the banking service, the app will also provide the necessary infrastructure to allow third party insurance providers, p2p lenders, and data security services to use it. The blockchain banking platform is designed by accounting for different perspectives presented by people from various countries and cultures.

Chinese investors have shown a lot of interest in Humaniq's ICO. In the wake of recent developments where the country's government has restricted the movement of Bitcoin, Humaniq has in good faith moved the ICO dates to prevent any inconvenience in shifting assets within the cryptocurrency investor community.

"I've been in close contact with our Chinese partners, and our internal information shows us that there is strong interest in this ICO among Chinese blockchain community members. Therefore, we're going to show some solidarity and good faith to our friends in China, and push back the ICO so that they don't miss out on early investor rewards," says Alex Fork.

Fork clarified that the change in ICO dates has nothing to do with any organizational challenges. The team behind Humaniq stands ready and continues to make progress with the app. The only reason for changing the dates is to see if the Chinese government will change its stance so that investors can feel free to participate in the crowd sale unhindered.

About Humaniq

Launched in 2016, the Humaniq platform is a result of Alex Fork's discussions with Vitalik Buterin and the UN representatives on a later date at the ICT Conference in Moldova. Fork has also interacted with over 500 representatives from the Russian finance industry.

Humaniq will be working closely with the head of Satoshi Centre in Botswana, Alakanani Itireleng and other partners from developing nations. They will function as regional and local leaders responsible for making the community understand the platform's importance. Itireleng is also one of the principal authors of "The African Blockchain Opportunity" and has been a tireless advocate for Blockchain in developing nations.

With the goal of including over 2 billion unbanked people into the global economy, Humaniq is already off to a great start. The platform has been successful in its initial crowdfunding campaign in December 2016. The startup also has an ambitious agenda for 2017.

Humaniq is sponsoring a startup competition at the BlockShow Europe 2017 in Munich, Germany. The contest schedule coincides with the ICO launch on April 6, 2017. The event will see six finalists competing for a 10000 prize which will be offered half in Bitcoin and rest in Humaniq tokens.

Learn more about Humaniq at  https://humaniq.co

Learn more about BlockShow Europe 2017  http://events.cointelegraph.com/buy-ticket/

Humaniq on Twitter  https://twitter.com/Humaniq_co

Follow Humaniq's blog at  https://blog.humaniq.co/

Humaniq on GitHub  https://github.com/humaniq

Humaniq on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXatRidLHbngYUtF8JXICPA

Media Contact

Contact Name: Peter Bel

Contact Email: [email protected]

Contact Phone: +7 950 228 45 68

Location: Luxembourg

Humaniq is the source of this content. Virtual currency is not legal tender, is not backed by the government, and accounts and value balances are not subject to consumer protections. This press release is for informational purposes only. The information does not constitute investment advice or an offer to invest.

Related Links

Bitcoin PR Buzz

Humaniq

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prEPErb82Mg

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Humaniq

Related Links

https://humaniq.co


West Edmonton Mall is the largest shopping mall in North America. It receives about 32 million visitors per year and attracts between 90,000 and 200,000 shoppers daily, depending on the day and season. The great demand for shopping in West Edmonton requires many trendy and attractive brands in the market.

MUJOSH has brought the 2017 latest collections of sunglasses and the most popular series of frames to meet the needs of stylish pioneers in Canada. This debut received a great deal of attention in the mall and the shop filled with customers in the past few days. Ms. Kim was the very first customer of this MUJOSH store. She said that she had seen this brand in Shanghai and Singapore during her last trip, and it was great to witness the opening in Edmonton. This successful debut in Canada marks a milestone for MUJOSH on its way to expand globally.

About MUJOSH

Established in 2010, MUJOSH is a cutting-edge fashion eyewear brand headquartered in Hong Kong. Boldly combining unique elements and styles into design, this dedicated brand has an attitude of its own to encourage the young group to think out of the box and to be innovative. MUJOSH is loved by fashion icons and wearers.

Over 700 MUJOSH specialty stores located in high-end shopping malls and department stores covering Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and Canada.

SOURCE MUJOSH
HOUSTON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cheniere Energy, Inc. ("Cheniere") (NYSE MKT: LNG) announced today that it has closed on a new four-year $750 million Revolving Credit Facility (the "Revolving Credit Facility") with nine financial institutions. Borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility will bear interest at a rate of London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus 325 basis points per annum. Undrawn commitment fees are 75 basis points per annum.

Borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility may be used by Cheniere to fund equity capital contributions to Cheniere CCH HoldCo II, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cheniere, and for general corporate purposes, subject to certain restrictions.

Societe Generale is Administrative Agent, and Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. and SG Americas Securities, LLC are Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners. The participating banks are Bank of America, N.A., Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch, Goldman Sachs Bank USA, HSBC Bank USA, National Association, Mizuho Bank, Ltd., Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., Royal Bank of Canada, Societe Generale and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements that may include "forward-looking statements" within the meanings of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included herein are "forward-looking statements." Included among "forward-looking statements" are, among other things, statements regarding Cheniere's business strategy, plans and objectives. Although Cheniere believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Cheniere's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in Cheniere's periodic reports that are filed with and available from the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Other than as required under the securities laws, Cheniere does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Cheniere Energy, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cheniere.com


Did you know that an elephant seal can hold its breath for two hours, the longest of any animal? Also, here are this weekend's subway changes.

1 trains will not run in either direction between 14 St and South Ferry from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. On the Van Cortlandt Park-242 St track, trains run express from Times Sq-42 St to 72 St; that change is in effect from 11:45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.

Wakefield-241 St bound 2 trains run express from Chambers St to 14 St and express from Times Sq-42 St to 72 St from 11:45 p.m. Friday to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, and again from 11:45 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday. Trains on that track will also run express from Franklin Av to Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr, with that change in effect from 11:45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, and trains on that track will run loal from 14 St to Penn Station from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. During that period, Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College bound 2 trains will run local from Penn Station to Chambers St.

Harlem-148 St bound 3 trains will run express from Franklin Av to Atlantic-Av Barclays Ctr and local from 14 St to Penn Station, with that change in effect from 6:30 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and Sunday. During that period, New Lots Av-bound trains will run local from Penn Station to Chambers St.

4 trains will not run at all between 149 St-Grand Concourse and Woodlawn from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Monday. Trains will operate between New Lots Av/Crown Hts-Utica Av and 149 St-Grand Concourse, and then reroute along the 2 to and from E 180 St during that period. Manhattan-bound trains will run express from Franklin Av to Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr from 11:45 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Friday to Sunday, and then again from 11:45 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday. Also on that track, trains run local between 42 St and 125 St from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday.

5 trains will not run in either direction between Eastchester-Dyre Av and Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College, with that change in effect from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.

All 7 trains are suspended between 34 St-Hudson Yards and Queensboro Plaza from 12:15 a.m. Saturday to 4:30 a.m. Monday. Main St-bound trains will run express from Queensboro Plaza to 74 St-Broadway during that period.

All A trains will reroute along the F line between W 4 St-Wash Sq and Jay St-MetroTech from 11:45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Trains will stop at 155 St and 163 St from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 4:30 a.m. Monday.

All C trains will reroute along the F line between W 4 St-Wash Sq and Jay St-MetroTech from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Also during that period, trains will not run at all between 145 St and 168 St.

Coney Island-Stillwell Av bound D trains will make local stops from DeKalb Av to 36 St from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday.

F trains will not run in either direction between Coney Island-Stillwell Av and Church Av from 11;45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Also during that period, Jamaica-179 St bound trains will skip 75 Av, Briarwood, and Sutphin Blvd.

M trains will not run in either direction between Metropolitan Av and Myrtle Av, with that change in effect from 11:45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Trains will operated between Essex St and Myrtle Av, and reroute along the J line from Broadway Junction except for late nights.

Coney Island-Stillwell Av bound N trains will make express stops from Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr to 59 St from 11:45 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Friday to Sunday, and again from 11:45 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday.

Bay Ridge-bound R trains will will make express stops from Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr to 59 St from 11:45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.

The 42 St S shuttle will operate overnight all weekend.

W service will operate between Whitehall St and Ditmars Blvd, with that change in effect from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
"Hula Hoop" was born from Yankee's #1 hit song "Shaky Shaky Remix," where the addicting Hula Hoop Hook was first featured--fans and Zumba instructors from around the world begged Daddy Yankee to build upon the hook and the new song and choreography was born.

Zumba made a name for itself as a music platform for both emerging and well-known artists and labels by launching music through its instructor networkwhich spans across 186 countries with classes in 200,000+ locationsas well as producing over 600 original songs in its music library.

"Dancing is a universal language and 15 million people will soon be following along to the official choreography of 'Hula Hoop'", says Zumba VP of Marketing, Carolina Morales. "When you're in a Zumba class, it's like you're turning on the radio, and discovering new songs and rhythms'Shaky Shaky' was such a hit in class are thrilled to bring our fans and instructors this new track and choreography to create a global 'hula hoop' movement."

"This is a track I made by popular request. The fans asked me on my social media platforms to create a track off the Hula Hoop hook on Shaky Shaky. They asked for it, and I gave it to them. It's incredible how easily I can listen to my fans ideas, and respond! It (social media) really helps artists have a clear idea of what they (the fans) want and expect from us" said Daddy Yankee.

Daddy Yankee who has over 7.5 million subscribers on his YouTube and VEVO channels is also the Most Played Latin Male Artist Globally on Spotify and the Top 31 played worldwide with over 20 million listeners a month. This partnership with Zumba begins with 'Hula Hoop' and the future holds exciting launches for the dance-fitness brand and Reggaeton super star--stay tuned!

About Zumba Fitness, LLC

Founded in 2001, Zumba is the largest branded fitness company in the world -- reporting more than 15 million weekly participants, in 200,000 locations, across 186 countries. Known as "exercise in disguise", Zumba blends contagious world rhythms with easy-to-follow choreography, for an effective, total-body workout that feels more like a party than exercise. In addition to its original Zumba program, the company offers 10 Zumba specialty classes -- from aquatic-based to those specifically designed for active older adults and children. In 2016, Zumba launched its first non-dance, HIIT-based workout called STRONG by Zumba, based on Synced Music Motivation. The Zumba lifestyle is rounded out by the company's many consumer product offerings, including DVDs, video games and original music, activewear and footwear, nutrition drink line "Zumba Shake Shake Shake" and interactive Fitness-Concert events. For more information about Zumba's programs and products, or to find a live class, visit zumba.com. Visit the ZLife blog and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Contact

48 Communications

Jackie Kundla, 646-893-4561

[email protected]

SOURCE Zumba Fitness

Related Links

http://www.zumba.com


DUESSELDORF, Germany, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Dr. Christian Fischer (53) will join the Management Board of Gerresheimer AG as an ordinary member on August 1, 2017 before taking over as Chief Executive Officer on September 1, 2017. Dr. Christian Fischer is currently President, Performance Chemicals, at BASF SE in Ludwigshafen, Germany. Uwe Rohrhoff (54), CEO of Gerresheimer AG, previously announced in November 2015 that he would not be available to serve on the Management Board beyond his current appointment.

"In Dr. Christian Fischer, we have gained an outstanding leader as CEO. He brings with him 24 years of industry experience and has demonstrated his entrepreneurial drive in various roles at BASF, both in Germany and abroad. Over the past few years, Gerresheimer has refined its strategic focus, made successful acquisitions and divestments, and established numerous operational initiatives - these will ensure a smooth and seamless transition," explained Dr. Axel Herberg, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Gerresheimer AG.

"Gerresheimer AG is a highly successful, international company and a trusted partner to the pharma and healthcare industry. I am looking forward to my new role in this exciting company and market," added Dr. Christian Fischer.

Uwe Rohrhoff will leave the Company on August 31, 2017. Following Dr. Christian Fischer's induction in August 2017, Uwe Rohrhoff will continue to support his successor in an advisory capacity for a further three months.

Dr. Christian Fischer

Dr. Christian Fischer was born in Furth im Wald, Germany, in 1964. From 1984 to 1988 he studied chemistry at the University of Regensburg, where he gained his doctorate in 1991. He then studied business administration in Mannheim from 1993 to 1996. In 2014, he was appointed an honorary professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

Dr. Fischer has worked at BASF since 1993. Having started his career as a laboratory team leader, he has held various positions at the company, including Deputy Division Manager, Global Marketing Director, Sales Director and Group Vice President in different divisions in Ludwigshafen and Hong Kong. He was President, Advanced Materials & Systems Research and currently serves as President, Performance Chemicals, at BASF SE in Ludwigshafen. Dr. Christian Fischer is married and has one daughter.

Jens Kurten

Group Senior Director Communication & Marketing

Phone +49-211-6181-250

Fax +49-211-6181-241

E-mail [email protected]

Website www.gerresheimer.com



SOURCE Gerresheimer AG
JACKSON, Miss., March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EastGroup Properties (NYSE: EGP) announced that N. Keith McKey, its Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will retire on July 31, 2017. Mr. McKey has been an officer of the Company since 1983, and has been Chief Financial Officer since 1993.

The Board of Directors has appointed Brent W. Wood, presently the Senior Vice President and head of the Company's regional office in Houston, Texas, to become Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer effective on Mr. McKey's retirement. Mr. Wood, age 47, has been with the Company since 1996 and his first position with the Company was Assistant Controller, before he moved into operational roles. Mr. Wood earned Bachelor and Master of Accountancy degrees from The University of Mississippi, and prior to joining the Company was a CPA and senior audit consultant with a regional accounting firm.

Marshall Loeb, President and Chief Executive Officer of EastGroup, said, "Keith has been an invaluable asset to EastGroup and to me. He has been a key member of the team that created significant value for EastGroup's shareholders by leading our finance team for 25 years through a period of consistent and significant growth. We will miss his steady hand, good counsel and leadership. We wish him a happy, healthy and long retirement."

Commenting on Mr. Wood's appointment, Mr. Loeb said, "I am thrilled to welcome Brent as our new CFO. I have known Brent for over 20 years, and he has been the leader of our Texas regional office for 14 years. The combination of his strong financial skills, first-hand knowledge of EastGroup's operations and strategy and the strength of our accounting team will allow a smooth transition."

Mr. McKey commented, "I have been discussing my retirement with the Board as part of our management succession plan that began a few years ago. Now that we're through the CEO transition, I've decided that it is an appropriate time for me to transition to retirement. The past 37 years have been a great experience. I intend to work with the executive management team to ensure an orderly transition, and I know I'm leaving EastGroup in competent hands with our strong accounting and finance team, which will now include Brent, whose first position with EastGroup was on my staff."

EastGroup Properties, Inc. is a self-administered equity real estate investment trust focused on the development, acquisition and operation of industrial properties in major Sunbelt markets throughout the United States with an emphasis in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina. The Company's strategy for growth is based on ownership of premier distribution facilities generally clustered near major transportation features in supply-constrained submarkets. EastGroup's portfolio, including development projects in lease-up and under construction, currently includes 38.3 million square feet.

EastGroup Properties, Inc. press releases are available at www.eastgroup.net .

P.O. BOX 22728 JACKSON, MS 39225-2728

TEL: 601-354-3555 FAX: 601-352-1441

SOURCE EastGroup Properties, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.eastgroup.net


DALLAS, March 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Eclipse Aesthetics, LLC, a leading aesthetic and medical supply company, is proud to launch its partnership with Theradome, a medical therapy company, by offering the Theradome LH80 PRO. The innovative hair restoration device is ground-breaking, affordable, effective and U.S. FDA cleared (510(k) K122950) for home use.

"This is game-changing technology for hair restoration practices and their patients," said Tom O'Brien, CEO of Eclipse. "We're excited to be providing this leading-edge technology that's clinically proven to eclipse other home-use devices. It allows consumers to treat or to enhance the results of in-office procedures."

Theradome is a full coverage helmet that utilizes 80 proprietary lasers optimized for the purpose of reaching all problem areas to aid in hair growth for people with androgenic alopecia. Unlike devices manufactured with LEDs, the device has 678-nm laser light that concentrates on the scalp and can effectively reach the base of hair follicles during a 20-minute treatment session. The stimulation ensures adequate energy can be absorbed to aid in thickening and restoring hair.

"We're pleased to be partnering with Eclipse to offer Theradome's laser hair restoration helmet," said Tamim Hamid, CEO of Theradome. "We're revolutionizing the hair restoration market by raising its standards of performance and innovation while partnering with top leaders, such as Eclipse. We rely on the scientific laws that govern Laser Phototherapy and optimum scalp health restoration to offer our customers superior products that are clinically proven to be safe, effective and for a fraction of the cost."

"Most of our patients that adhere to our recommended hair loss treatment regimen and instructions experience a decrease of hair shedding, an increase of hair growth, and a doubling of hair diameter, overall giving them thicker hair," Mr. Hamid added. Theradome results can often be seen in as little as four weeks (results may vary).

To learn more, visit booth #2875 at the 2017 AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) Meeting in Orlando, Florida March 3-7, or log onto www.EclipseAesthetics.com.

Eclipse Aesthetics, LLC provides superior solutions to the U.S. and International aesthetic and medical communities. The company offers a portfolio of products, from Eclipse PRP, platelet-rich plasma kits to Eclipse MicroPen, micro-needling devices. www.EclipseMed.com or www.EclipseIntl.com.

Contact

Kimyla Guice

Director of Marketing

800-759-6876

[email protected]

SOURCE Eclipse Aesthetics, LLC

Related Links

http://eclipseaesthetics.com


PITTSBURGH, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Education Management Corporation (EDMC) today announced the execution of a definitive agreement for the sale of substantially all the assets of EDMC and its schools to Dream Center Foundation (DCF), a not-for-profit foundation. The sale is expected to be completed in summer of 2017.

The transaction includes all the faculty and staff of South University, Argosy University and The Art Institutes locations currently enrolling new students. It also includes a majority of the employees from EDMC's corporate offices. Students currently enrolled at the education systems will continue in their studies.

The Dream Center Foundation is an endowment fund that provides opportunity and resources to many people in the United States through its 110 locations across the country. The transaction provides the various schools the opportunity to educate students as part of a not-for-profit organization.

"The post-secondary institutions owned by EDMC have been serving the educational needs of students for more than 100 years, and as our almost a half million alumni will attest, we provide opportunities to help people improve their lives. I am so pleased to announce this transaction as the next step in continuing our educational commitment to students for years to come. The dedication of our faculty and staff together with the vision of the DCF Board will only serve to improve educational opportunities for all students," said Mark McEachen, president and chief executive officer of EDMC.

"For three years, the Dream Center Foundation has actively explored educational partnerships or acquisitions that might enhance our ability to provide quality education to scores of Americans through our Dream Center in Los Angeles and via our partners, nationwide," added Dream Center Foundation managing director Randall Barton. "We believe this is the opportunity we have been looking for, and it aligns perfectly with our mission which views education as a primary means of life transformation."

The transaction is subject to a number of operational and other closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals from the U.S. Department of Education, institutional accrediting agencies, state licensing boards and programmatic accreditation bodies.

About Education Management Corporation

Education Management Corporation is one of the largest providers of post-secondary education in the United States, based on student enrollment and revenue, with a total of 102 locations in 31 U.S. states. The company offers academic programs to students through campus-based and online instruction, or through a combination of both. The company is committed to offering quality academic programs and strives to improve the learning experience for its students. Its educational institutions offer students the opportunity to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees and certain specialized non-degree diplomas in a broad range of disciplines, including business, culinary, design, education, fashion, health sciences, information technology, legal, media arts, and psychology and behavioral sciences. Education Management Corporation, 210 Sixth Avenue 33rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222  2017 Education Management Corporation. Our email address is [email protected].

About the Dream Center Foundation

The Dream Center Foundation funds programs providing educational opportunity, emergency food and medical services, transitional housing for homeless families, youth and veterans as well as support for victims of human trafficking through its principal partner, the Dream Center Los Angeles. Each month more than 50,000 people are assisted in Los Angeles alone, and countless others through its network in 41 states and 21 countries.

SOURCE Education Management Corporation
CLEARWATER, Fla., March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Enigma Software Group USA, LLC ("ESG") announced that it reached a settlement in the lawsuit it filed last year against Bleeping Computer LLC. The case will now be dismissed. ESG filed suit against Bleeping Computer in federal court in New York on January 5, 2016. The complaint alleged false advertising, defamation, and related claims.

The terms of the settlement are confidential, but Bleeping Computer explained in its press release on the settlement that it has now removed the posts written by its staff member that gave rise to ESG's lawsuit. All of Bleeping Computer's counterclaims in the lawsuit will be dismissed by the court with prejudice, along with ESG's dismissal of the case.

Bleeping Computer had moved to dismiss ESG's lawsuit, alleging that its statements were protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The court rejected that motion in a decision handed down last summer.

Ryan Gerding, a spokesman for ESG, said of the development, "ESG is pleased to put this matter behind us and to get back to making the best anti-malware products on the market. It is unfortunate when litigation becomes necessary, but ESG is grateful to the court for its assistance."

About Enigma Software Group USA, LLC

Enigma Software Group USA, LLC is a privately held international systems integrator and developer of PC security software, with offices in the United States and the European Union. The company's specialties are the development of PC security software, online security analysis, adaptive threat assessment, and detection of PC security threats, as well as malware custom fixes for its millions of subscribers worldwide. ESG is best known for SpyHunter, its anti-malware software product and service. To learn more about ESG, visit www.enigmasoftware.com.

Connect with ESG on Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | YouTube

SOURCE Enigma Software Group USA, LLC
BEDFORD, Mass., March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EnterpriseDB (EDB), the database platform company for digital business, today announced that Keith Alsheimer, Chief Marketing Officer, will present at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit to be held March 6-9 in Grapevine, Texas.

Alsheimer will deliver his presentation, titled Will Digital Transformation Change You  or Break You? on Monday, March 6, at 11:45 am CT. He will examine the enterprise imperative to synthesize vast volumes of data from existing and new applications in order to better serve customer needs. He will also address the challenge of optimizing new technologies that transform the data infrastructure and support new digital operational models, while illustrating how an open source-based architecture can spur digital transformation success.

Alsheimer oversees sales development, corporate communication, product marketing, and brand management at EnterpriseDB. He has more than 25 years of leadership experience in the enterprise and government technology sectors.

EnterpriseDB will exhibit at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit at Booth No. 629 in the Exhibit Hall. To schedule a meeting with EnterpriseDB executives, email [email protected].

To learn more about Postgres, attend Postgres Vision, June 26-28, 2017 at the Royal Sonesta Boston. Find registration details at www.PostgresVision.com.

About EnterpriseDB (EDB) Corporation

EnterpriseDB (EDB), the database platform company for digital business, delivers the premier open source-based data platform for new applications, cloud re-platforming, application modernization, and legacy migration. EnterpriseDB integrates with enterprise technologies and infrastructures for hybrid cloud management, data integration, and data warehousing. Our customers benefit from the most reliable, high-performing, flexible, open, and cost-effective data management platform available. EnterpriseDB is based in Bedford, Massachusetts with 16 offices around the globe. For more information, visit www.EDBPostgres.com.

EnterpriseDB is a registered trademark of EnterpriseDB Corporation. EDB and EDB Postgres are trademarks of EnterpriseDB Corporation. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Nancy Scott

EnterpriseDB

+1 781.357.3090

[email protected]

Cairbre Sugrue

Sugrue Communications

+44 (0)1932 429 779

[email protected]

SOURCE EnterpriseDB

Related Links

http://www.enterprisedb.com


During his three-decade legal career, Sheridan has advised numerous public and private companies in sophisticated corporate transactions including public offerings, venture financings and M&A transactions. He has represented companies and underwriters in more than 100 public offerings, which have raised billions of dollars of capital, and has advised more than 150 companies in successfully raising venture capital financing. He also regularly counsels clients on corporate governance and other day-to-day matters.

"Jack is a well-known and highly respected player in the northern California business community, and we're thrilled to have him join our dynamic Emerging Companies practice," said Tad Freese, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in Silicon Valley. "Jack's unique combination of market experience, legal skills and engaging personality will have a strong, positive impact on our technology practice in the Bay Area and nationally, to the benefit of our clients."

Patrick Pohlen, global Co-chair of the firm's Emerging Companies Practice, added: "Jack is the kind of lawyer that emerging companies and investors seek out because he's handled every possible situation that can arise as a young company matures. His experience in the technology space fits in perfectly with our practice, and adding him to our team makes us an even stronger force in the market."

Sheridan said: "I've been impressed by Latham's dedication to working with entrepreneurs and venture-backed companies, and the firm's ability to provide the highest levels of counsel to clients throughout the life cycle of an emerging company. I also was attracted to Latham's formidable global platform and see great opportunities ahead for my practice and the clients I advise."

Sheridan received his law degree in 1986 from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. In addition to his role as an attorney, Sheridan is a certified public accountant in the state of California.

Sheridan joins from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto, where he practiced corporate and securities law for more than 30 years.

About Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins is a global law firm with approximately 2,200 lawyers in its offices located in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States, including: Barcelona, Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Century City, Chicago, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Munich, New York, Orange County, Paris, Riyadh, Rome, San Diego, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. For more information on Latham & Watkins, please visit the website at www.lw.com.

Notes to Editors

1 Latham & Watkins operates as a limited liability partnership worldwide with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in the United Kingdom, France and Italy and affiliated partnerships conducting the practice in Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore. Latham & Watkins operates in Seoul as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins practices in Saudi Arabia in association with the Law Office of Salman M. Al-Sudairi.

Contacts



Tad Freese, Silicon Valley Office Managing Partner, +1.650.463.3060



Patrick Pohlen, Global Co-chair, Emerging Companies Practice, +1.650.463.3067

SOURCE Latham & Watkins LLP

Related Links

https://www.lw.com


"I wanted to support Wounded Warrior Project because they do good things for our nation's soldiers," he explained. "Those soldiers risked their lives for our country, and they need help when they're hurt. Wounded Warrior Project is caring for them, and I wanted to give what I could to help them."

Nicholas raised the money to support WWP entirely on his own. At a recent family birthday party, Nicholas crafted some bracelets that he then sold to relatives and friends. He mailed the money to WWP along with a handwritten letter.



"Some of the people who lost limbs to protect America are just trying to live normal lives again," Nicholas said. "I saw on TV commercials and heard on the radio that they needed help, so I wanted to do something for them. I would tell them 'thank you for your service and for risking your lives to help us.'"

WWP programs and services assist injured veterans with physical health and wellness, career and benefits counseling, connecting with other warriors and their communities, and mental health. To address the growing needs of warriors who are returning from war with invisible wounds, WWP offers veterans a range of specialized mental health programs and services  all tailored to each veteran's specific needs and free of charge. WWP and its supporters believe warriors already paid their dues on the battlefield, so warriors don't pay for any service they receive.

To learn more about how WWP's programs and services are making an impact on the lives of wounded warriors, visit http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/. To find photos showing Nicholas' efforts, click on multimedia, then images.

About Wounded Warrior Project

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) connects, serves, and empowers wounded warriors. Read more at http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project

Related Links

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org


KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Fleurette Group ("Fleurette") notes the statement made by Global Witness, its third such statement in the pst few weeks regarding the sale of royalties from Katanga's KCC project by Gecamines to a Fleurette-owned entity, which again either misunderstands or ignores the basis economics of this deal which produced significant value for Gecamines and a loss to Fleurette. Once again, Fleurette is compelled to set the record straight and protect its reputation from Global Witness' false allegations.

Global Witness continues to seek to criticize Fleurette over the matter of disclosure. Fleurette always discloses anything that is obligated to disclose.

$3billion in tax revenues for the DRC

Fleurette finds it both regrettable that Global Witness did not see fit to offer any endorsement of the $3 billion in tax revenue paid by the Mutanda and KCC assets since Fleurette's initial involvement - both assets in which Fleurette was heavily invested but has now exited. Global Witness' claim that its interests are in "the importance of DRC's mining assets to its economy and the potential benefits from a well-run mining sector to the country's development" clearly don't extend to welcoming precisely that.

Questionable calculations by Global Witness

Fleurette has already identified a series of misleading errors, from the vindictive to the ignorant in Global Witness' coverage of the KCC royalties issue. These errors include:

Amateur, immature financial calculations that do not follow even the basic valuation techniques used by all professionals in this field, and the use of numbers that mislead their readers; The failure to include further discounts (such as withholding tax payments) that are both obvious and important to value a royalty stream; and Failing to note AHIL's royalty right will cease on 1 March 2019 , as the under the terms of the original KCC JV Agreement between Katanga, Gecamines and KCC, Gecamines has to use the royalty to cover off a pre-existing Gecamines debt resulting in a loss to Fleurette. Contrary to what Global Witness is seeking to imply, the DRC Government continues to be entitled to receive royalty payments for KCC and Mutanda irrespective of Fleurette.

Fleurette EITI Reporting

Fleurette confirms that all of its reporting to EITI is accurate and that GW is, once again, attempting to mislead and confuse and is misunderstanding the information at its disposal.

Fleurette's considerable loss

As Fleurette has already made clear publicly, the DRC made a net profit from the deal, Fleurette a net loss. The transaction ultimately resulted in Gecamines safeguarding value for the DRC economy and Fleurette making a considerable loss due to the subsequent collapse in commodity prices and suspension of KCC's operations. This is because Gecamines sold the royalty right before operations at KCC were suspended, meaning Fleurette had paid in full for a royalty stream that that ceased soon afterwards. While Fleurette was left unable to recoup its investment, Gecamines received full value for it.

Katanga has been a poor investment for Fleurette. As disclosed on 13th February 2017, with the sale of its equity stake in Katanga, Fleurette has realised a loss of $190 million, in addition to the loss of the royalty deal. Yet these losses are never referred to by Global Witness, who seem determined to perpetuate the myth that Fleurette is able to generate positive returns on all its investments. This is evidently not the case.

Gecamines' Historic Loan

As has already been disclosed by Fleurette, Gecamines was provided with a $196million loan from Fleurette, which has been paid back in full. Global Witness have once again misunderstood and misinterpreted information in front of them. Gecamines gave payment directions to KCC to make the payments due to it direct to AHIL in partial-satisfaction of the historic loan. There is no question of anything "misleading". It is disappointing that Global Witness consistently choose to jump to conclusions and guess historic narratives rather than accept the veracity of previous transactions involving Fleurette, Gecamines and Glencore.

Global Witness continues to ignore these facts. Instead, it attempts to crititicize a deal which demonstrably and unequivocally benefited both Gecamines and the DRC. Despite these continued unjustified attacks, Fleurette remains committed to investing in the DRC.

About Fleurette - www.fleurettegroup.com / LinkedIn / Twitter

The Fleurette Group of Companies ("Fleurette") is an entrepreneurial business with significant investment in diverse sectors, including natural resources, infrastructure, agriculture and technology. Fleurette has substantial investments and operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The parent company of the group, Fleurette Properties Limited, is owned by Line Trust Corporation Limited strictly and solely as trustees of the Ashdale Settlement, a trust established in 2006 for the benefit of the family of Dan Gertler. Mr Gertler is a citizen and resident of Israel and the DRC (and honorary counsel to the DRC) and is committed to developing the country's natural resources and infrastructure, while investing in the Congolese people and their communities.

Fleurette has a proven track record of successful co-operation with diverse parties, including the DRC State-owned mining company Gecamines, and to date has brought more than USD $7 billion of investment into the DRC, on top of its USD $2 billion in private investment. As a result, Fleurette's subsidiaries and partnerships support around 30,000 jobs in the DRC and are amongst the DRC's leading taxpayers, contributing significant revenues to the State.

Fleurette is also a major contributor to social development in the DRC through the Gertler Family Foundation (GFF) and through direct investment in social infrastructure. The GFF is the largest charitable organization in the DRC, funding more than 50 programs and projects across the DRC, which help tens of thousands of Congolese every year. These include rebuilding key hospitals, notably the Kisangini "Hospital du Cinquantenaire"; supporting the Operation Smile campaign in Lubumbashi and Kinshasa; rebuilding Blaise Pascal School in Lubumbashi; and supporting the Lubumbashi Zoo.



Media enquiries

Powerscourt

+44(0)20-7250-1446



SOURCE Fleurette Group
NEW YORK, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The ineffectiveness of traditional storage solutions has paved way for adoption of advanced storage options, particularly to record crucial consumer-centric data. Handling greater volumes of data transference has also necessitated the need for enclosing such data storage systems within a network. As opposed to single computer storage, individuals, as well as entrepreneurs, are growing more inclined towards setting network attached storage (NAS) servers. Remote access to such servers becomes more convenient for consumers, especially when improving operational efficiency and minimizing storage costs is a must. Persistence Market Research's recent study explores the opportunities for adoption of such consumer-based NAS systems, predicting that by the end of 2024, the global market for consumer network attached storage will be valued at US$ 4,088.7 Mn.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161114/438683LOGO )



Apropos the report, titled "Global Market Study on Consumer Network Attached Storage (NAS): Residential End User Segment Anticipated to Register a High CAGR During 2016 - 2024," the global consumer NAS market is presently valued a little over US$ 1,545 Mn, and will exhibit a healthy 11.6% CAGR during the forecast period. Factors such as rising demand for speedy transference of bulk data, growing need for efficient data backup plans, and increasing implementation of cost-effective storage options have been identified as the key drivers for the global consumer network attached storage market. Nevertheless, a steadfast adoption of consumer NAS systems across the globe is facing challenges such as competitive advantage of cloud-based storage services, and complex nature of expensive consumer network attached storage systems.

View Market Overview and Research Report Methodology: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/consumer-network-attached-storage-nas-market.asp

Higher Demand for Consumer NAS in Middle East & Africa

Even though a majority of global consumer NAS revenues emanate from North America, the Middle East & Africa region is being perceived as highly lucrative. Adoption of consumer network attached storage systems is expected to be rapid in this region. The MEA consumer NAS market is also being projected to exhibit the highest value CAGR - 14.2%. With North America at the forefront, the global consumer network attached storage market will also witness substantial growth across Europe and Latin America. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific consumer network attached storage market will expand at 10.6% CAGR through 2024.

View Report Table of Contents, Figures, and [email protected] http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/consumer-network-attached-storage-nas-market/toc

Rising Adoption of Standalone Consumer NAS Solutions among SMEs

Based on the report findings, the global market for consumer network attached storage will be showcasing a greater contribution from small & medium enterprises (SMEs). In 2017 and beyond, SMEs will remain as the largest end-users of consumer network attached storage systems in the world. The demand for consumer NAS is also expected to remain substantial among residential end-uses, revenues from which are likely to reach US$ 1,315.2 Mn by 2024-end. Likewise, these end-users are actively adopting standalone consumer network attached storage system, as opposed to rackmount. The design of consumer NAS will continue to play a pivotal role in growth of the global market. By the end of 2024, more than US$ 2,700 Mn worth of standalone consumer NAS systems will be sold in the world.

Leading tech companies that will be catering to such surging global demands include, D-Link Corporation, NEC Corporation, Seagate Technology PLC, Netgear Inc., Western Digital Corporation, Synology Inc., EMC Corporation, ASUSTOR Inc., QNAP Systems, Inc., and Drobo Inc.

A sample of this report is available upon [email protected] http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6460

Persistence Market Research Overview

Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.

To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.



Contact

Persistence Market Research

U.S. Sales Office:

305 Broadway, 7th Floor

New York City, NY 10007

United States

USA - Canada Toll-Free: 800-961-0353

[email protected]



Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

SOURCE Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.
DUBLIN, Mar 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Markets for Protein Labeling" report to their offering.

The Global Protein-Labeling Market Should Reach $4.2 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 14.1%

This research report presents an in-depth analysis of the global protein-modeling market by application, product categories, labeling methods and regional markets.

It includes key labeling methods involved in vitro and in vivo labeling methods. It discusses the role of supply chain members from manufacturers to researchers. The report has an in-depth analysis of key companies operating in the global protein-labeling market. In-depth patent analysis will focus on providing extensive technological trends across years and regions, including the U.S., Europe and Japan.

The protein-labeling market is segmented into three labeling methods: in vitro labeling, in vivo labeling and biorthogonal labeling methods. In vitro labeling methods are further segmented into nanoparticle, site-specific, dye-based, cotranslational and enzymatic labeling.

The in vivo labeling method market is segmented into radioactive and photoreactive labeling. The protein-labeling market is further segmented on the basis of products offered for in-depth analysis of technology markets during the analysis period.

The market study is detailed for technology based on procedures, as well as its further implication on the research and development area.

Key Topics Covered:

1: Introduction

2: Executive Summary

3: Market Overview

- Market Definition

- Market Evolution And Innovation

- Quality Assurance And Control

- Good Laboratory Practices

- Technology Trends

- Development Of Labeling Tools

- Market Dynamics

4: Protein-Labeling Market By Application

- Cell-Based Assays

- Fluorescence Microscopy

- Mass Spectrometry

- Immunological Techniques

- Protein Microarray

5: Market Analysis By Product

- Kits

- Reagents

- Services

6: Protein Labeling Market Analysis By Labeling Method

- Labeling Method Types

7: Competitive Landscape

- Mergers And Acquisitions

- Product Launches

- Partnerships And Collaborations

- Other Strategies

8: Protein-Labeling Market Analysis By Region

9: Patent Analysis

Patent Analysis By Market Participants

Patent Analysis By Year

10: Company Profiles

- Active Motif Inc.

- Agilent Technologies Inc.

- Bio-Rad Laboratories

- Biotium Inc.

- Candor Bioscience Gmbh

- Caprion Biosciences

- F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG

- General Electric Company

- Innova Biosciences Ltd.

- Kaneka Corp.

- Li-Cor Biosciences

- Luminex Corp.

- Merck & Company Inc.

- Nanotemper Technologies Gmbh

- New England Biolabs Inc.

- Perkinelmer Inc.

- Promega Coprporation

- Seracare Life Sciences

- Takara Bio Usa Inc.

- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

- Qiagen N.V.

11: Patents By Region

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/szscj4/global_markets

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

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

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


NEW YORK, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Global X Funds, the New York-based provider of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), today announced that its Board of Trustees has approved a reverse share split for the Global X MSCI Nigeria ETF (NYSE: NGE). NGE is the only ETF focused exclusively on the Nigerian market. The total market value of the shares outstanding will not be affected as a result of this split, except with respect to the redemption of fractional shares, as outlined below.

The firm will execute a 1-for-4 reverse split of the shares effective at the open of the market on March 16, 2017. A summary of the ETF undergoing a reverse share split is as follows.

Fund Name CUSIP Ratio Global X MSCI Nigeria ETF 37950E424 1:4

The reverse split will raise the price of the shares for the fund and decrease the number of shares outstanding, without affecting the total value of the shares outstanding.

Hypothetical example of a 1-for-4 reverse split:

Period Number of Shares

Owned Hypothetical Market

Price/Share ($U.S.) Total Value ($U.S.) Pre- split 400 $100 $4,000 Post- split 100 $400 $4,000

Redemption of Fractional Shares and Tax Consequences for Each Reverse Split

As a result of the reverse splits, a shareholder of the ETF could potentially hold a fractional share. However, fractional shares cannot trade on NYSE Arca. Thus, each ETF will redeem for cash a shareholders' fractional shares at the Fund's split-adjusted NAV. Such redemptions could cause a shareholder to realize a gain or loss. Otherwise, the reverse splits will not result in a taxable transaction for holders of ETF shares. Global X Management Company LLC does not impose a transaction fee on shareholders for such redemptions.

Brokerage Charges

Some brokerage charges may apply as a result of the reverse split. These charges are made directly by the broker and are not charges from Global X Management Company LLC.

ABOUT GLOBAL X

Seeking to provide access to high-quality and cost-efficient investment solutions, Global X is a New York-based sponsor of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Founded in 2008, we are distinguished by our smart core, income, alpha, risk management and access suites of ETFs and have more than 50 funds available across U.S. and foreign exchanges. Global X is recognized as a leader in developing intelligent investment solutions for our clients.

DISCLOSURE

Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. The investable universe of companies in which the Fund may invest may be limited. The Fund is non-diversified.

Shares are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Market price returns are based upon the midpoint of the bid/ask spread at the close of the exchange and does not represent the returns an investor would receive if shares were trade at other times. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. NAVs are calculated using prices as of 4:00 PM Eastern Time.

Carefully consider the Fund's investment objectives, risk factors, charges, and expenses before investing. This and additional information can be found in the Fund's summary or full prospectus, which may be obtained by calling 1-888-GX-FUND-1 (1.888.493.8631), or by visiting www.globalxfunds.com.

Global X Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, issued, sold or promoted by MSCI nor does MSCI make any representations regarding the advisability of investing in the Global X Funds. Neither SIDCO nor Global X is affiliated with MSCI.

Global X Management Company, LLC serves as an advisor to the Global X Funds. The Funds are distributed by SEI Investments Distribution Co. (SIDCO, 1 Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA, 19456), which is not affiliated with Global X Management Company, LLC.

SOURCE Global X Funds

Related Links

http://www.globalxfunds.com


BOSTON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Gordon Brothers, the 114-year-old global advisory, restructuring, and investment firm, announced today that it is acquiring the Wet Seal brand, pending final court approval. Launched in 1990, Wet Seal is an iconic consumer brand known for its surf-and-sun aesthetic targeted at fashion focused teens. The acquisition also includes other brands within the Wet Seal portfolio such as Arden B, Blink, Chic Boutique and several others. The transaction is pending final court approval.

Wet Seal was a pioneer in fast fashion, offering on-trend apparel to teen girls and young women. As recently as 2014, the business was doing well with over $500 million in revenue and 478 retail locations.

"Despite the increasing challenges facing teen retailers, we at Gordon Brothers strongly believe in the long-term viability of the category," said Ramez Toubassy, President, Brands. "Our plan for Wet Seal is to rebuild and reposition the brand and develop a unique new business model to best position it for future success."

Gordon Brothers' brands business acquires, restructures and revives some of the world's most recognizable brands. Past investments include Polaroid, Bombay & Co. and Sharper Image. The team is known throughout the industry for its expertise in buying, selling, managing and transforming underperforming consumer brands into healthy, thriving businesses.

About Gordon Brothers

Since 1903, Gordon Brothers (www.gordonbrothers.com) has helped lenders, operating executives, advisors, and investors move forward through change. The firm brings a powerful combination of expertise and capital to clients, developing customized solutions on an integrated or standalone basis across four service areas: valuations, dispositions, operations, and investments. Whether to fuel growth or facilitate strategic consolidation, Gordon Brothers partners with companies in the retail, commercial, and industrial sectors to put assets to their highest and best use. Gordon Brothers conducts more than $70 billion worth of dispositions and appraisals annually. Gordon Brothers is headquartered in Boston, with 25 offices across four continents.

Contact:

Colleen Arons

Gordon Brothers

[email protected]

617.422.7855

SOURCE Gordon Brothers

Related Links

http://www.gordonbrothers.com


LONDON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- H2B2 Electrolysis Technologies will present at CleanEquity Monaco 2017 on March 9th & 10th at the Fairmont Monte Carlo.

CleanEquity is an annual invitation-only event hosted by Innovator Capital, the London based specialist investment bank. The conference provides an intimate and collegiate setting for inventors and entrepreneurs to share their stories with delegates - key decision makers looking to assist them with reaching their commercial and strategic goals.

Other partners and sponsors include Prince Albert II of Monaco's Foundation, Covington & Burling, Cisco EIR, Cision, Cranfield University, Hobbs & Towne, the Monaco Economic Board, Parkview and the Social Stock Exchange.

H2B2 has been identified by an expert panel as one of the world's most innovative sustainable technology companies and has been selected to present to senior financial and strategic cleantech investors, policy makers, legislators, end users and media.

H2B2 was established in 2016 by professionals from the hydrogen and fuel cell sector who had been working for decades on the production and use of sustainable hydrogen.

The company currently possesses in-house technology for the design, development and manufacture of electrolyzers to produce hydrogen from water, in a clean, efficient and sustainable manner. In addition, the company staff has experience and know-how in the promotion, development, engineering, construction and O&M of large plants based on said electrolyzers, as well as the integration of the same with renewable energy sources. All the aforementioned facilitates large-scale production of clean hydrogen, locally and sustainably, and at a competitive price.

To this end, H2B2 has patents, its own as well as others under agreements, extensive knowledge of the sector along with strategic partnerships, which place it at a key point of the so-called "Hydrogen Economy".

Hydrogen is now considered to be not merely just another chemical but is also envisaged as an energy carrier, i.e. a method for storing and transporting energy, an alternative to current transport fuels, and a means for managing the supply of renewable energy.

Different countries around the globe are already contemplating hydrogen as a reality within their future energy strategy, the cases of the USA, Germany, UK, Korea, Japan, Denmark and Scandinavia being of note.

H2B2 has branch offices in Europe and the USA, from where it efficiently covers the three hydrogen markets: the industrial market, that of mobility (its use as fuel for land transport) and energy storage.

About Innovator Capital

Innovator Capital, established in 2003, is a specialist investment bank advising emerging technology companies on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions. Its expertise includes intellectual property and multi national strategic partnering.

SOURCE Innovator Capital

Related Links

http://www.innovator-capital.com


CHICAGO, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sparkling water just got a lot more exciting with the launch of Henry's Hard Sparkling, a new line of light and refreshing spiked sparkling waters. Created for those who are looking to make a lighter choice, these low-carb, under 95-calorie beverages are available nationwide.

At 4.2 percent alcohol by volume, Henry's Hard Sparkling has a crystal-clear appearance, a sparkling effervescence and is available in two lightly fruit-flavored options:

Hard Sparkling Lemon Lime: At 93 calories and 2.9 grams of carbohydrates, a pleasant citrus aroma is highlighted by notes of lime and lemon zest, resulting in a tart and slightly sweet flavor.

At 93 calories and 2.9 grams of carbohydrates, a pleasant citrus aroma is highlighted by notes of lime and lemon zest, resulting in a tart and slightly sweet flavor. Hard Sparkling Passion Fruit: At 92 calories and 2.6 grams of carbohydrates, hints of passion fruit and an aroma highlighted by berry notes result in a pleasing touch of tartness.

As the popularity of sparkling water has grown, Henry's Hard Sparkling joins together this beloved drink style with a kick of alcohol, giving people the best of both worlds as they maintain a balanced lifestyle.

"Henry's Hard Sparkling is perfect for those looking to treat themselves, lightly," said Josh Wexelbaum, MillerCoors marketing director for Henry's Hard Sparkling. "Whether it's following a group spin-class or during a post-softball game toast with friends, Henry's Hard Sparkling offers everyone the option for a lighter celebration."

Henry's Hard Sparkling is the most recent offering from the Henry's family, which launched Henry's Hard Soda, the No. 1 hard soda brand, in 2016.

"We're excited for Henry's Hard Sparkling to join the Henry's family so fans can have even more options to 'Live Hard-ish'," said Wexelbaum.

MillerCoors will support Henry's Hard Sparkling with a robust national marketing campaign, including advertising on high-profile partners such as TBS, Food Network, Bravo, USA, EPSN and Comedy Central, a digital presence on Men's Health and Women's Health, traditional print media support and public relations.

Fans can share how they enjoy a balanced life with Henry's Hard Sparkling by following @HenrysHardSparkling on Facebook and Instagram and using the hashtag #LiveHardish.

Henry's Hard Sparkling is available at most grocery and liquor stores in 6-pack 12-ounce bottles. For specific retail locations, visit the product locator at HenrysHardSparkling.com/locator.

About MillerCoors

Through its diverse collection of storied breweries, MillerCoors brings American beer drinkers an unmatched selection of the highest quality beers, flavored malt beverages and ciders, steeped in centuries of brewing heritage. Miller Brewing Company and Coors Brewing Company brew national favorites such as Miller Lite, Miller High Life, Coors Light and Coors Banquet. MillerCoors also proudly offers beers such as Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy from sixth-generation Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, and Blue Moon Belgian White from modern craft pioneer Blue Moon Brewing Company, founded in 1995. Beyond beer, MillerCoors operates Crispin Cider Company, an artisanal maker of pear and apple ciders using fresh-pressed American juice, and offers pioneering brands such as the Redd's franchise, Smith & Forge Hard Cider and Henry's Hard Sodas. Tenth and Blake Beer Company, our craft and import division, is the home to craft brewers Hop Valley Brewing, Revolver Brewing, Saint Archer Brewing Company and the Terrapin Beer Company. Tenth and Blake also imports world-renowned beers such as Italy's Peroni Nastro Azzurro, the Czech Republic's Pilsner Urquell and the Netherlands' Grolsch. MillerCoors, the U.S. business unit of the Molson Coors Brewing Company, has an uncompromising dedication to quality, a keen focus on innovation and a deep commitment to sustainability. Learn more at MillerCoors.com, at facebook.com/MillerCoors or on Twitter at @MillerCoors.

SOURCE MillerCoors

Related Links

https://www.millercoors.com/


BEIJING, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Beijing Hosen Investment Management, LLP ("Hosen Capital"), a leading private equity firm focused on consumption driven opportunities in food and agribusiness, announced today that it has completed a final closing for Hosen Fund III, ("Fund III"), with total investor commitments of $440 million.

The oversubscribed fund experienced significant demand and closed after eight months in the market with support from a diverse range of institutional investors from the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Eaton Partners, a Stifel Company, served as advisor and exclusive fund placement agent, and Clifford Chance acted as legal counsel to Hosen in the offering of Fund III.

"We are humbled to have received tremendous support from such a quality group of investors," said Alex Zhang, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Hosen Capital. "With the closing of Fund III, we are very well positioned and appropriately resourced to continue to capitalize on fundamental mid-market opportunities in the global food and agribusiness value chain that are helping to drive consumption and growth in China, where today food represents almost a quarter of household expenditures."

"I have witnessed the meticulous focus, hard work and development of the Hosen team over the last five years," said Chris Lerner, Partner and Head of Asia at Eaton Partners. "The successful closing of Fund III is a testament to Hosen's reputation and track record as a leading investor and value add partner in the food space. We're excited to see Hosen execute on this burgeoning market opportunity as strong fiduciaries for investors in the coming years."

About Hosen Capital

Hosen Capital is headquartered in Beijing and has additional offices in Chengdu, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The firm has $2.31 billion in assets under management and focuses on investments in companies in the food and agribusiness-related companies that are either directly located in China or are directly involved in meeting demand on the Chinese market. Hosen Capital was founded by Chris Wang and Alex Zhang and sponsored by New Hope Group, a leading agribusiness conglomerate in China. For more information, please visit www.hosencapital.com.

About Eaton Partners, LLC

With over 60 professionals across offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, the firm raises institutional capital for investment managers across a full range of alternative strategies: private equity, private credit, real assets, real estate, and hedge funds/public market strategies. Partnering with a select number of the highest-quality fund managers, Eaton Partners has represented some of the most innovative funds of the last three decades. With extensive institutional relationships, deep sector knowledge, and fresh insights, Eaton Partners is dedicated to every client's success and we have proudly won Private Equity International's "Placement Agent of the Year in Asia" for the past two years. In January 2016, Eaton Partners became a wholly owned subsidiary and affiliate of Stifel Financial Corp., a leading middle-market investment bank, to further ensure Eaton's success at the highest level of the global placement business.

Eaton Partners, LLC, is a registered broker-dealer and a member of FINRA. It is registered as an Introducing Broker with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and is a member of the National Futures Association (NFA). Eaton Partners (UK) LLP is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Eaton Partners Advisors (HK) Limited is approved as a Type 1 License company under the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in Hong Kong. Eaton Partners and the Eaton partners logo are trademarks of Eaton Partners, LLC, a limited liability company  Eaton Partners, LLC, 2017. Eaton Partners, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary and affiliate of Stifel Financial Corp.

Media Contact for Eaton Partners:

Dukas Linden Public Relations

212-704-7385

[email protected]

SOURCE Eaton Partners, LLC; Hosen Capital

Related Links

http://www.eatonpartnersllc.com


NEW YORK, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky announces it has commenced an investigation of Omega Protein Corporation (NYSE: OME) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws. On March 1, 2017, post-market, Omega disclosed that the Company had received a subpoena from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission seeking information in connection with an investigation of an Omega subsidiary's compliance with its probation terms and the Company's protection of whistleblower employees. Following this news, shares of Omega were down more than 23% on intraday trading on March 2, 2017. To obtain additional information, go to:

http://zlk.9nl.com/omega-protein-ome

or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972.

Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Washington D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities and shareholder lawsuits. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Levi & Korsinsky, LLP

Eduard Korsinsky, Esq.

30 Broad Street - 24th Floor

New York, NY 10004

Tel: (212) 363-7500

Toll Free: (877) 363-5972

Fax: (212) 363-7171

www.zlk.com

SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP

Related Links

http://www.zlk.com


RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To support local communities and invest in the future of agriculture, Bayer and the LibertyLink system are donating $50,000 to select state FFA organizations for their participation in the Real Yield Sweepstakes. The Iowa FFA Foundation finished the competition in first place, earning a $14,515 donation.

2016 is the second running of the Real Yield Sweepstakes. To enter, soybean and cotton growers signed up online and at industry trade shows. State FFA chapters helped recruit registrants, earning a donation for each entry from their respective state.

The Iowa FFA Foundation registered 724 grower entries, more than double the runner-up chapter, and made up 29 percent of the overall entries. This is the second consecutive year Iowa FFA has won the Real Yield Sweepstakes. Bayer will present the group with a check during the 2017 Commodity Classic show in San Antonio.

"We are proud and excited to once again partner with Bayer in the Real Yield Sweepstakes," said Joshua Remington, executive director of the Iowa FFA Foundation. "We experienced a significant amount of budget cuts over the last nine months. Bayer heard us, wanted to help and took meaningful action. This donation is a tremendous gift to our organization."

The Iowa FFA Foundation used a multi-faceted campaign to encourage grower participation. Members passed out promotional materials during Farm Progress Show, developed email newsletters, aired radio spots and posted on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

"Congratulations to the Iowa FFA Foundation for winning the Real Yield Sweepstakes for the second consecutive year. Their hard work reflects in this $14,515 donation," said Joe Vaillancourt, Bayer soybean campaign manager. "I have no doubt it will lead to many excellent opportunities for their members now and in the future."

Nine other state FFA organizations will share in the $50,000 contribution:

Illinois: $6,856

North Dakota: $5,654

Minnesota: $4,651

Ohio : $4,571

: $4,571 Texas: $3,889

Indiana: $2,706

Nebraska: $2,466

Missouri: $2,346

North Carolina: $2,346

For more information about the LibertyLink system, please visit https://www.bayercropscience.us/products/traits/libertylink.

Bayer is committed to bringing new technology and solutions for agriculture and non-agricultural uses. For questions concerning the availability and use of products, contact a local Bayer representative, or visit Crop Science, a division of Bayer, online at www.cropscience.bayer.us.

Visit the Bayer Connect - Social Hub for social media, recent news, blog posts, videos and more from Crop Science, a division of Bayer.

Bayer: Science For A Better Life

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2016, the Group employed around 115,200 people and had sales of EUR 46.8 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.7 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.cropscience.bayer.us. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

 2017 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer, the Bayer Cross, and LibertyLink are registered trademarks of Bayer. For additional product information, call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.cropscience.bayer.us.

SOURCE Bayer

Related Links

http://www.bayer.com


TROY, Mich., March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- KIRCO & KIRCO MANIX recently broke ground on a new state-of-the-art manufacturing and R&D facility for Oerlikon at 41144 Concept Drive in Plymouth Township, Mich. The 80,000 square foot building will house approximately 70 employees and represents over $50 million of new investment into the community. Oerlikon has signed a long-term lease with KIRCO & KIRCO MANIX, the development and construction partner on the project.

"We're excited to team up with Oerlikon on this marque project, it's been a true partnership from the beginning," said Adam D. Manix, director - Business Development for KIRCO MANIX. "We take pride in our ability to handle highly complex corporate build-to-suit projects. Our continued success is a testament to our great people and the suite of vertically-integrated services we provide."

"Part of the reason we selected KIRCO MANIX for this project was due to the fact each member of the management team is well qualified to cover their area of responsibility and each exhibited a high-level of confidence for managing cost, schedule, quality and safety on large, technically complicated projects," said Richard Plautz, senior project manager, Oerlikon. "In addition, the team consisted of members who have been with the company for a long time, who not only care about each other, but also their customers."

The new facility will strengthen Oerlikon's position in the additive manufacturing, 3-D printing, and high-end surface coating markets. They will be producing advanced titanium alloys and high-end thermal spray powders which will then be packaged and shipped to automotive, aerospace, agricultural, and medical customers around the world. The high-tech lab area will allow for the research and development of titanium and other alloys such as nickel, copper, iron and cobalt. The facility is expected to be ready for occupancy by Spring of 2018.

About Oerlikon

Oerlikon (SIX: OERL) is a leading global technology Group, with a clear strategy of becoming a global powerhouse in surface solutions, advanced materials and materials processing. The Group is committed to investing in value-bringing technologies that provide customers with lighter, more durable materials that are able to increase performance, improve efficiency and reduce the use of scarce resources. A Swiss company with over 100 years of tradition, Oerlikon has a global footprint of over 13 500 employees at more than 170 locations in 37 countries and sales of CHF 2.7 billion in 2015. The company invested CHF 103 million in R&D in 2015 and has over 1 350 specialists developing innovative and customer-oriented products and services.

About KIRCO

KIRCO is an award winning, full service, vertically-integrated commercial real estate organization. Having planned and developed over 30 million square feet, KIRCO is a major developer of build-to-suit own or lease properties coast to coast. The company's vertically-integrated structure, including development, construction and property management, works together as one extraordinary unit to bring out the best in every project in which it plays a role. KIRCO is third-generation family owned and operated, and has expertise in the office, industrial, retail, senior living and healthcare sectors. Founded in 1974, KIRCO is headquartered in Troy, Michigan with presence in Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama.

About KIRCO MANIX

KIRCO MANIX provides construction management services in office, light and heavy manufacturing, distribution, retail, healthcare and community market sectors. The company has operated throughout the region since 1929 and combines the experience of two well-established construction firms, Campbell / Manix and KIRCO Construction. With total construction volume exceeding $3 billion, KIRCO MANIX offers customers a unique, full-service approach by managing the design, engineering and construction phase through the eyes of an owner.

For more information, please visit www.kircomanix.com or call 248.354.5100.

SOURCE KIRCO
"We are delighted to have attracted such an exceptional executive to lead The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts," said Burns Hargis, president of OSU. "We are pleased Mark is onboard. He has a deep appreciation for the arts and shares our vision to create a premier center of excellence for the benefit of students, faculty and the broader community."

Prior to his three-year tenure leading the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Blakeman was the chief operating officer of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, where he worked for 15 years. He brings vast knowledge and direct experience overseeing large-scale construction projects, building programs and raising philanthropic support.

"Serving as the Marilynn and Carl Thoma Executive Director for The McKnight Center is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create programs, productions and experiences for a spectacular new first-class center at a university with a heart for the arts," said Blakeman. "The support for the center is incredible as underscored by the remarkable gifts from several individuals, including Billie and Ross McKnight and the Thomas. They have given a wonderful gift, and I am eager to do my part to ensure The McKnight Center becomes a vital part of OSU, Stillwater and beyond."

Blakeman also noted one added benefit  his new position provides a way for him and his family to return home to Oklahoma. "My love for the performing arts was born in Oklahoma through its rich musical heritage. I am honored that this new position will allow me to help celebrate and elevate that tradition," said Blakeman, a native of Moore, Oklahoma.

Hargis praised the Thomas for their gift, which made possible the hiring of an executive director of Blakeman's caliber. "We are deeply grateful to the Thomas for their generous and visionary gift. Marilynn and Carl are distinguished art patrons who know from their own experiences how the arts truly enrich lives."

The Thomas are noted philanthropists and art collectors. After successful careers in brand management and private equity, they established the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation in 1986 to fulfill their passion for philanthropy.

"Marilynn and I believe in the power of the arts to connect people and enrich learning," commented Carl Thoma. "When we heard about The McKnight Center and the innovative vision driving its programming, we wanted to get involved. Supporting this position and bringing in a prestigious leader like Mark was critical to us. We are confident Mark will bring the inspirational leadership necessary to create a robust, invigorating center. We are excited about the future of The McKnight Center, which will enrich the university and community, and will have far-reaching impact on a national level."

The Thomas added that the McKnights' $25 million gift to create the programming endowment will ensure world-class programming, musicians and artists come to Stillwater. "Both Oklahoma State University and Oklahoma are so fortunate for Billie and Ross' leadership in making the center possible."

As the Marilynn and Carl Thoma Executive Director, Blakeman will work with the McKnight Foundation Board of Trustees and provide strategic direction and oversight to The McKnight Center. His scope of responsibility will include branding and institutional visibility, revenue enhancement, strategic planning, outreach, governance and financial management. One of his first tasks is to schedule the inaugural season and grand opening of The McKnight Center, which includes interfacing with the New York Philharmonic to develop and implement its residency partnership that was announced last September. It will be the first time in more than 30 years that the internationally celebrated organization will perform in Oklahoma.

In addition to multiple New York Philharmonic performances at The McKnight Center, the residency partnership will include educational opportunities for OSU students with Philharmonic musicians and management such as masterclasses, audition workshops and lectures.

The 93,000-square-foot McKnight Center is expected to open in October 2019. It will stand prominently along the southwest corner of University Avenue and Hester Street within walking distance of the Student Union, the Atherton Hotel and the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center. For more information, visit: McKnightCenter.okstate.edu

CONTACTS:

Jennifer Kinnard | OSU Foundation | 405-385-5185 | [email protected]

Gary Shutt | OSU Communications | 405-612-5757 | [email protected]

The McKnight Foundation exists to manage and operate The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Construction of The McKnight Center has begun and is scheduled for completion in 2019. The McKnight Foundation is governed by a seven-member board of trustees and an executive director. The foundation will be engaged for the operation and programming of The McKnight Center. An aggressive fundraising campaign is underway to supplement construction costs and complete the innovative programming endowment.

The Oklahoma State University Foundation, the private fundraising organization for OSU, exists to unite donor and university passions and priorities to achieve excellence. The Foundation manages donor contributions so the university can provide the most advanced educational opportunities for students. From scholarships to community programs to important research, OSU donors generously support the spirit and legacy of the university's land-grant mission. OSU is experiencing an ongoing transformation, and all gifts ensure this tradition of excellence continues.

Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant university that prepares students for success. OSU has more than 36,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 25,000 on its combined Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, with students from all 50 states and around 120 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated more than 260,000 students who have been serving Oklahoma and the world for 125 years.

SOURCE McKnight Center for the Performing Arts at Oklahoma State University
LONDON, March 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Summary

This report provides all the information you require to better understand Merck KGaA and its partnering interests and activities since 2010.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3605601/



Description

The Partnering Deals and Alliance since 2010 report provides an in-depth insight into the partnering activity of one of the world's leading life sciences companies.



On demand company reports are prepared upon purchase to ensure inclusion of the most up to date deal and company data.



The report will be delivered in PDF format within 1 working day of receipt of order. If the CD-Rom version purchased, the report will be sent by courier using express service.



One of the key aspects of partnering is finding those companies that are potential candidates for the development and commercialization of the next generation of therapies. A lot of resources are spent on finding partners, identifying their interests and making contact to initiate discussions.



Using this report, dealmakers will effectively and efficiently target their partnering activities to deliver the company's business development objectives.



The initial chapters of this report provide an orientation of deal making and business activities. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the report, whilst chapter 2 lists the top companies partnering with the company since 2010. Chapter 3 provides an overview of the leading partnering and M&A deals since 2010 to present date based on headline value.



Chapter 4 provides details on how to approach biopharma companies with partnering opportunities whilst chapter 5 lists forthcoming partnering events and conferences where biopharma companies will be present to discuss opportunities face to face.



The main body of the report is provided in chapter 6 providing a infographic visual summary of the company's partnering activity since 2010 according to deal type, industry sector, phase of development, and therapy area.



The deals are listed by deal type, stage of development and therapy focus, allowing easy access to deals and alliances of interest. Every deal record links to an online, live version of the deal record at the Current Agreements deals and alliances database. Where available, deal records also include the contract document as disclosed at the SEC.



One of the key aspects of partnering is conducting due diligence on a partner to determine under what terms a prospective partner agrees to a partnering relationship.



Understanding the flexibility of prospective partners' negotiated deals terms provides critical insight into the negotiation process in terms of what you can expect to achieve during the negotiation of terms. Whilst many smaller companies will be seeking details of the payments clauses, the devil is in the detail in terms of how payments are triggered  contract documents provide this insight where press releases and databases do not.



In addition, contract documents provide the answers to numerous questions about a prospective partner's flexibility on a wide range of important issues, many of which will have a significant impact on each party's ability to derive value from the deal.



Each contract document is accessible through a link to an online version of the actual contract document as filed with the Securities Exchange Commission.



Analyzing actual company agreements allows assessment of the following:

- What is actually granted by the agreement to the partner company?

- What exclusivity is granted?

- What is the payment structure for the deal?

- How are sales and payments audited?

- What is the deal term?

- How are the key terms of the agreement defined?

- How are IPRs handled and owned?

- Who is responsible for commercialization?

- Who is responsible for development, supply, and manufacture?

- How is confidentiality and publication managed?

- How are disputes to be resolved?

- Under what conditions can the deal be terminated?

- What happens when there is a change of ownership?

- What sublicensing and sub-contracting provisions have been agreed?

- Which boilerplate clauses does the company insist upon?

- Which boilerplate clauses appear to differ from partner to partner or deal type to deal type?

- Which jurisdiction does the company insist upon for agreement law?



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3605601/



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


DUBLIN, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Milestone Aviation Group Limited ("Milestone"), the global leader in helicopter leasing, announced today that it will provide two AW139 helicopters from its order book with Leonardo Helicopters to Norsk Luftambulanse AS ("NLA") to support emergency medical services (HEMS) in Norway. In July, Norway's National Air Ambulance Service awarded NLA with a six-year contract (with a further 2x two-year extension options) to operate all twelve HEMS bases in Norway.

"We are very proud to have supported NLA in its successful bid to provide air ambulance services to the people of Norway," said Milestone Executive Vice President Robert Dranitzke. "The Norwegian government conducted a very comprehensive process to ensure that Norway would be served with a robust and modern HEMS, and its choice is a testament to NLA's reputation as a trusted and skilled operator. We look forward to continuing to work with NLA as they serve this essential function for the Norwegian people in the years to come."

"Milestone is a strong and creative partner, and their flexibility was greatly valued in helping us win this important contract to provide high-quality and reliable helicopter ambulance service to patients across Norway," said Rune Midtgaard, CEO. "Throughout a competitive bidding process, Milestone worked collaboratively to develop the optimal lease structure that matched the requirements of our end-user, the Norwegian government. As we look forward to the critical tasks ahead, we know our partnership with Milestone will continue to benefit the people of Norway, as we bring improved technology and additional capacity to Norway's HEMS."

About Milestone Aviation Group

Milestone Aviation Group, a GE Capital Aviation Services company, is the world's leading helicopter leasing and financing company. Milestone has a fleet of helicopters worth over US $4.0 billion plus debt commitments of approximately $400 million. The company has a forward order book of firm and option aircraft with an estimated aggregate purchase price in excess of US $3 billion. Milestone partners with helicopter operators worldwide, providing a wide array of financial and productivity solutions, including operating leases, purchase/leasebacks, secured debt financing, engine leasing and fleet advisory. The company supports over 35 customers in more than 30 countries serving a variety of industries, including offshore oil and gas, search and rescue, emergency medical services, police surveillance, mining and other utility missions. www.milestoneaviation.com

About GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS)

GECAS is a world leader in aviation leasing and financing with 50 years of experience. The GECAS portfolio comprises a wide range of aircraft types including narrowbodies, widebodies, regional jets, turboprops, freighters and helicopters. GECAS offers multiple financing products and services including operating leases, purchase/leasebacks, secured debt financing, capital markets, engine leasing, airframe parts management and airport/airline consulting. GECAS owns or services a fleet of over 1,950 aircraft (~1,700 fixed wing/ ~250 rotary wing) in operation or on order, plus provides loans collateralized on an additional ~400 aircraft. GECAS serves ~ 270 customers in over 75 countries from a network of 25 offices. www.gecas.com

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

About Norsk Luftambulanse AS

Norsk Luftambulanse AS ("NLA") is a Norwegian HEMS operator currently serving nine of Norway's twelve HEMS bases. In addition NLA operates all three HEMS bases in Denmark. The company is owned by Norway's largest non-profit membership organization with over 700,000 members, the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation that is committed to saving lives by strengthening the air ambulance service through research, education and development.

Media Contact for Milestone:

Nathan Riggs

of Kekst and Company

+1-212-521-4804

[email protected]

SOURCE Milestone Aviation Group

Related Links

http://www.milestoneaviation.com


LONDON, March 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Summary

This report provides all the information you require to better understand Mitsubishi Tanabe and its partnering interests and activities since 2010.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3605602/



Description

The Partnering Deals and Alliance since 2010 report provides an in-depth insight into the partnering activity of one of the world's leading life sciences companies.



On demand company reports are prepared upon purchase to ensure inclusion of the most up to date deal and company data.



The report will be delivered in PDF format within 1 working day of receipt of order. If the CD-Rom version purchased, the report will be sent by courier using express service.



One of the key aspects of partnering is finding those companies that are potential candidates for the development and commercialization of the next generation of therapies. A lot of resources are spent on finding partners, identifying their interests and making contact to initiate discussions.



Using this report, dealmakers will effectively and efficiently target their partnering activities to deliver the company's business development objectives.



The initial chapters of this report provide an orientation of deal making and business activities. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the report, whilst chapter 2 lists the top companies partnering with the company since 2010. Chapter 3 provides an overview of the leading partnering and M&A deals since 2010 to present date based on headline value.



Chapter 4 provides details on how to approach biopharma companies with partnering opportunities whilst chapter 5 lists forthcoming partnering events and conferences where biopharma companies will be present to discuss opportunities face to face.



The main body of the report is provided in chapter 6 providing a infographic visual summary of the company's partnering activity since 2010 according to deal type, industry sector, phase of development, and therapy area.



The deals are listed by deal type, stage of development and therapy focus, allowing easy access to deals and alliances of interest. Every deal record links to an online, live version of the deal record at the Current Agreements deals and alliances database. Where available, deal records also include the contract document as disclosed at the SEC.



One of the key aspects of partnering is conducting due diligence on a partner to determine under what terms a prospective partner agrees to a partnering relationship.



Understanding the flexibility of prospective partners' negotiated deals terms provides critical insight into the negotiation process in terms of what you can expect to achieve during the negotiation of terms. Whilst many smaller companies will be seeking details of the payments clauses, the devil is in the detail in terms of how payments are triggered  contract documents provide this insight where press releases and databases do not.



In addition, contract documents provide the answers to numerous questions about a prospective partner's flexibility on a wide range of important issues, many of which will have a significant impact on each party's ability to derive value from the deal.



Each contract document is accessible through a link to an online version of the actual contract document as filed with the Securities Exchange Commission.



Analyzing actual company agreements allows assessment of the following:

- What is actually granted by the agreement to the partner company?

- What exclusivity is granted?

- What is the payment structure for the deal?

- How are sales and payments audited?

- What is the deal term?

- How are the key terms of the agreement defined?

- How are IPRs handled and owned?

- Who is responsible for commercialization?

- Who is responsible for development, supply, and manufacture?

- How is confidentiality and publication managed?

- How are disputes to be resolved?

- Under what conditions can the deal be terminated?

- What happens when there is a change of ownership?

- What sublicensing and sub-contracting provisions have been agreed?

- Which boilerplate clauses does the company insist upon?

- Which boilerplate clauses appear to differ from partner to partner or deal type to deal type?

- Which jurisdiction does the company insist upon for agreement law?



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3605602/



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, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

2016 saw a near-threefold rise in mobile malware detections compared to 2015 - with a total of 8.5 million malicious installations identified. This means that, in the space of just one year, a volume equivalent to 50 per cent of all the malware detected in the previous 11 years (15.77 million in 2004 - 2015) was released. Leading the way were mobile advertising Trojans which now make up 16 of the top 20 malicious programs, up from 12 in 2015. These are the findings of Kaspersky Lab's annual Mobile Virusology report, which also highlights the evolution of mobile banking Trojans. Specialist officers from INTERPOL's Global Complex for Innovation have contributed an analysis of mobile malware on the Dark Web to the report.

In 2016, Kaspersky Lab mobile security products reported:

Nearly 40 million attack attempts by mobile malware, with over 4 million users of Android-based devices protected (vs 2.6 million in 2015)

Over 260,000 detections of installation packages for mobile ransomware Trojans (an increase of almost 8.5 times, year-on-year)

More than 153,000 unique users targeted by mobile ransomware (an increase of 1.6 times compared with 2015)

Over 128,000 mobile banking Trojans detected (nearly 1.6 times more than in 2015)

Advertising Trojan: is your device already rooted?

The most widespread type of Trojan in 2016 was the advertising variety, accounting for 16 of the top 20 malware programs

These Trojans are capable of seizing rooting rights, allowing the malware to not only aggressively display ads on the infected device, often making it impossible to use, but also to secretly install other applications. These Trojans can also buy apps on Google Play.

In many cases, the Trojans were able to exploit previously patched vulnerabilities because the user had not installed the latest update.

Further, this malware simultaneously installs its modules in the system directory, which makes the treatment of the infected device very difficult. Some advertising Trojans are even able to infect the recovery image, making it impossible to solve the problem by restoring the device to factory settings.

Representatives of this class of malicious software have been repeatedly found in the official Google Play app store, for example, masquerading as a guide for Pokemon GO. In this case, the app was downloaded over 500,000 times, and is detected as a Trojan.AndroidOS.Ztorg.ad.

Mobile ransomware: further development

In 2016, 153,258 unique users from 167 countries were attacked by Trojan-Ransom programs; this is 1.6 times more than in 2015.

Modern ransomware overlays windows with demand messages, thus making it impossible to use the device. This principle was used by the most popular mobile ransomware program in 2016 - Trojan-Ransom.AndroidOS.Fusob.

This Trojan mostly attacks users in Germany, the US and the UK, but avoids users from the CIS and some neighboring countries. Once launched, it runs a check of the device language and, after achieving some results, it may stop execution. The cybercriminals behind the Trojan usually demand between $100 and $200 to unblock a device. The ransom has to be paid using codes from pre-paid iTunes cards.

Mobile banking Trojan: a skyrocketing threat

In 2016, over 305,000 users in 164 countries were attacked by mobile banking Trojans, compared with over 56,000 users in 137 countries the previous year.

Russia , Australia and Ukraine are the top 3 countries affected in terms of the percentage of users attacked by mobile banking Trojans relative to all users hit by mobile malware.

Mobile banking Trojans continued to evolve through the year. Many of them gained tools to bypass the new Android security mechanisms and were able to continue stealing user information from the most recent versions of the OS. At the same time, the developers of mobile banking Trojans repeatedly enhanced their creations with new capabilities. For instance, the Marcher family, in addition to implementing the usual banking applications' overlay, redirected users from financial institutions' websites to phishing pages.

The Dark Web delusion

According to specialist officers from INTERPOL's Global Complex for Innovation, who have also contributed to the report, the Dark Web remains an attractive medium for conducting illicit businesses and activities. Given its robust anonymity, low prices and client-oriented strategy, the Dark Web provides a means for criminal actors to communicate and engage in commercial transactions, buying and selling various products and services, including mobile malware kits. Mobile malware is offered for sale as software packages (e.g. remote access Trojans - RATs), individual solutions and sophisticated tools, like those developed by professional firms or, on a smaller scale, as part of a 'Bot as a Service' model. Mobile malware is also a 'subject of interest' on vendor shops, forums and social media.

"In 2016, the growth in the number of advertising Trojans capable of exploiting super-user rights continued. Throughout the year, it was the top threat and we see no sign of this trend changing. Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the fact that most devices do not receive OS updates (or receive them late), and are thus vulnerable to old, well-known and readily available exploits. Moreover, we see that the mobile landscape is getting a little crowded for cybercriminals, and they are beginning to interact more with the world beyond smartphones. Perhaps in 2017 we will see major attacks on IoT components launched from mobile devices," concludes Roman Unuchek, Senior Malware Analyst at Kaspersky Lab USA.

To learn more about the mobile malware evolution in 2016, read the blog post available at Securelist.com.

About Kaspersky Lab

Kaspersky Lab is a global cybersecurity company founded in 1997. Kaspersky Lab's deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company's comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialised security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky Lab technologies and we help 270,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them.

Learn more at www.kaspersky.co.uk

Editorial contact:

Berkeley Global

Lauren White

[email protected]

Telephone: +44-(0)-118-909-0909

1650 Arlington Business Park

RG7 4SA, Reading



Kaspersky Lab UK

Stephanie Fergusson

[email protected]

Telephone: +44-(0)-771-410-7292

2 Kingdom Street

W2 6BD, London



SOURCE Kaspersky Lab
DALLAS, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NexPoint Capital, Inc. (the "Company"), a non-traded publicly registered business development company and affiliate of Highland Capital Management, L.P., today announced that it will commence a voluntary tender offer on or about March 3, 2017 (the "Tender Offer") for up to 2.5% of its outstanding common stock ("Shares") at a price equal to 90% of the offering price per Share in effect on the Expiration Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) (the date of repurchase) and any unpaid dividends accrued through the expiration date of the Tender Offer.

This announcement is not a recommendation, an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell Shares of the Company. The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a tender offer statement on Schedule TO and related exhibits, including an offer to purchase, a related letter of transmittal and other related documents (the "Tender Offer Documents"). The Tender Offer Documents will be sent by mail to holders of the Shares. Shareholders of the Company may obtain additional copies of the Tender Offer Documents for the Company, without charge, by contacting the Tender Agent for the Tender Offer, DST Systems, Inc., at 1-844-485-9167. Shareholders can also obtain the Tender Offer Documents free of charge on the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov. Shareholders should read these documents and related exhibits, as the documents contain important information about the Company's Tender Offer.

Any questions regarding the Tender Offer can be directed to the Company's Tender Agent, DST Systems, Inc., at 1-844-485-9167. The Company's current offering price for its Shares, $10.66 per share as of March 1, 2017, as well as other information, including information about management and the healthcare-focused investment strategy, are available at http://nexpointcapital.com. The information on or accessible through http://nexpointcapital.com is not incorporated by reference herein.

About NexPoint Advisors and NexPoint Capital, Inc.

NexPoint Capital, Inc. is a healthcare-focused business development company sponsored and managed by NexPoint Advisors, L.P., an affiliate of Highland Capital Management, L.P. NexPoint Advisors, L.P., is an SEC-registered investment advisor to the closed end fund, NexPoint Credit Strategies Fund.

About Highland Capital Management, L.P.

Highland Capital Management, L.P. is an SEC-registered investment adviser which, together with our affiliates, has approximately $14.85 billion of assets under management. Founded in 1993 by Jim Dondero and Mark Okada, Highland is one of the largest and most experienced global alternative credit managers. Highland specializes in credit strategies, such as credit hedge funds, long only funds and separate accounts, distressed and special situation private equity, and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs). Highland also offers alternative investments, including emerging markets, long/short equities, and natural resources. Highland's diversified client base includes public pension plans, foundations, endowments, corporations, financial institutions, fund of funds, governments, and high net-worth individuals. Highland is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and maintains offices in New York, Sao Paolo, Singapore, and Seoul.

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements. These statements may involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including the performance of financial markets, the investment performance of NexPoint Advisors, L.P.'s or Highland Capital Management L.P.'s sponsored investment products, general economic conditions, future acquisitions, competitive conditions and government regulations, including changes in tax laws. Readers should carefully consider such factors. Further, such forward-looking statements speak only on the date at which such statements are made. NexPoint Advisors, L.P. and Highland Capital Management L.P. undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statement.

This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Neither the Company, nor the Company's Board of Directors, nor NexPoint Advisors, L.P., makes any recommendation as to whether to tender or not to tender any Shares in the Tender Offer. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission.

For information on the Tender Offer:

Financial Advisors: 855-498-1580

Shareholders: 844-485-9167

Highland Media Relations: 972-419-6272

SOURCE NexPoint Capital, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nexpointcapital.com


HONG KONG, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nord Anglia Education, Inc. (NYSE: NORD), the world's leading premium schools organization, announced today that it has entered into two separate agreements to acquire two international schools in Europe and the Middle East.

In aggregate the two schools currently educate more than 4,400 full time equivalent students from age three to 18, with capacity of over 4,800 seats. The combined consideration for the two schools is expected to be approximately $147 million and is within Nord Anglia Education's targeted range of 7-10x EBITDA for each school.

Nord Anglia Education expects both transactions to complete over the next two months and will update its fiscal 2017 guidance and provide further details on each of the schools when they close. The acquisitions are subject to customary closing conditions and Nord Anglia Education notes that there is no assurance that the closing conditions will be satisfied.

Andrew Fitzmaurice, CEO of Nord Anglia Education, commented, "We are pleased to announce the anticipated expansion of our network with the addition of these two leading international schools. Both schools are recognised for their high quality educational offer and track records of academic excellence. As part of our family, they will be able to enhance the learning opportunities available to their students and teachers through our innovative programmes, including collaborations with The Juilliard School and MIT. Nord Anglia Education continues to have an active pipeline of excellent acquisition opportunities to further expand our global network."

Upon completion, the addition of these two schools will expand Nord Anglia Education's global network to a total of 45 international schools, providing an outstanding education to more than 41,300 students in 16 countries.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes statements that express our current opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results and therefore are, or may be deemed to be, "forward looking statements". These forward looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "seek," "project," "approximately," "intend," "plan," "estimate" or "anticipate," or, in each case, their negatives or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts.

By their nature, forward-looking statements relate to events that involve risks and uncertainties or that depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. We believe that these risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those under "Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC.

Although we base these forward-looking statements on assumptions that we believe are reasonable when made, we caution you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, growth prospects, strategies and the development of the industry in which we operate may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. In addition, even if our results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, growth prospects, strategies and the development of the industry in which we operate, are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in subsequent periods. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement that we make in this press release speaks only as of the date of such statement, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any of those statements to reflect future events or developments.

About Nord Anglia Education, Inc.

Nord Anglia Education (NYSE: NORD) is the world's leading premium schools organization. Our 43 international schools are located in China, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and North America. Together, they educate more than 37,000 students from kindergarten through to the end of secondary education. We are driven by one unifying philosophy  we are ambitious of our students, our people and our family of schools. Our schools deliver a high quality education through a personalized approach enhanced with unique global opportunities to enable every student to succeed. We primarily operate in geographic markets with high foreign direct investment, large expatriate populations and rising disposable income. We believe that these factors contribute to high demand for premium schools and strong growth in our business. Nord Anglia Education is headquartered in Hong Kong SAR, China. Our website is www.nordangliaeducation.com.

For further information, please contact:

Investors:

Vanessa Cardonnel

Corporate Finance and Investor Relations Director  Nord Anglia Education

Tel: +852 3951 1130

Email: [email protected]

John Rouleau

Managing Director, Investor Relations  ICR

Tel: +1 203 682 8342

Email: [email protected]

Media:

Sarah Doyle

Head of Brand  Nord Anglia Education

Tel: +852 3951 1144

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Nord Anglia Education, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nordangliaeducation.com


Led by Stuart Rich, MD , a pioneer in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension, the Pulmonary Vascular Disease Program is part of Northwestern Medicine's Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute .

"There is an urgent need for medical institutions to accurately diagnose, treat and provide support for pulmonary hypertension patients," said Dr. Rich, who is also a professor of medicine-cardiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "Our hope is that this accreditation helps us connect with healthcare professionals throughout the United States to ensure that more people living with pulmonary hypertension receive the correct diagnosis early and that they will get the very best care available."

With symptoms that include breathlessness, fatigue, dizziness, swollen ankles, fluid in the abdomen and chest pain, pulmonary hypertension patients may see several physicians before they receive an accurate diagnosis. The survival rate for patients who go untreated is less than three years. In addition, many patients are hospitalized due to complications and some require transplantation if therapies do not work. Pulmonary hypertension is a distinct condition from hypertension, or high blood pressure.

Carol Mazur, 61, of suburban Chicago, has pulmonary hypertension from a congenital heart defect that went undetected until she was 23 years old. When she was 38 years old, and the mother of two young children, she was told she had no more than five years to live because of the disease.

Looking for a second opinion, she met with Dr. Rich. He has now treated her for more than two decades.

Mazur described Dr. Rich as "really just open and honest."

"I have such great faith in the way he treats me," she said. "He looks at me as a whole person, not just as some little case. He's very calm and patient and smart in a practical way about what you should or should not do, or worry about or not worry about."



In its nearly 25 years, PHA's work has led to significant advances in pulmonary hypertension care. However, the association continues to fight for earlier and more accurate diagnosis. There are several causes of pulmonary hypertension, but because this is an uncommon disease, patients are often misdiagnosed or mistreated.

The PHA established this high-level recognition so that patients might know which centers have extraordinary expertise in this uncommon and fatal condition to improve overall quality of care and ultimately improve outcomes of patients with pulmonary hypertension, a rare and life-threatening group of diseases. Patients entering these centers can feel confident that they have been vetted by a rigorous process that includes a detailed application and a comprehensive site visit with ultimate adjudication by a committee of more than 20 health professionals with vast experience in caring for PH patients.

Northwestern's program was specifically acknowledged for its director's dedication to pulmonary hypertension as evidenced by his record of teaching and research efforts, excellent multidisciplinary team cohesion and communication providing comprehensive services and high quality care, and a support staff that is fully engaged in the care of their patients.

"At the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, we are always looking for the most advanced and most effective treatments for cardiovascular disease in its many forms," said Patrick McCarthy, MD, executive director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. "Our cardiovascular care, from treatment of myocardial infarction to bypass surgery to pulmonary hypertension, is distinguished by a variety of different measures, including this recognition."

The Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute is part of the Northwestern Medicine health system, with multiple sites of care in Chicago and the region. Northwestern Memorial Hospital currently is ranked first in the United States for heart failure survival and second for survival of heart attack and stroke, the three most dire cardiovascular health threats. Northwestern Memorial Hospital's heart and heart surgery is ranked sixth nationally and first in Chicago, Illinois and the surrounding states by U.S. News & World Report.

For more information or to make an appointment with a cardiovascular specialist, visit heart.nm.org.



For more information about Northwestern Medicine, visit news.nm.org/about-northwestern-medicine.html.

SOURCE Northwestern Medicine
NEW YORK, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The New York Republican Party today announced the appointment of esteemed business leader, political strategist, and philanthropist Yuri Vanetik as national finance co-chair who will help lead the Committee's national fundraising efforts in advance of the important 2017 New York City mayoral and 2018 gubernatorial elections.

In addition to his impressive business, public service and philanthropic accomplishments, Mr. Vanetik has deep ties as a national political activist and fundraiser, having held key finance leadership positions with the Republican National Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Republican Governors Association and the California GOP. He also served as the California co-chair and All American Vice Chair for Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign, as kitchen cabinet advisor and part of the finance leadership of Senator John McCain's presidential campaign, as well as numerous senior finance and leadership roles for gubernatorial, senatorial, and congressional campaigns, including that of Mitt Romney, Meg Whitman and Dana Rohrabacher.

"We are excited to welcome Yuri Vanetik to the NYGOP team as our national finance co-chair," said State Chairman Ed Cox. "One look at Yuri's impressive background and it's easy to see what a tremendous asset he will be to helping us grow the Republican Party here in New York. With fellow New Yorker President Trump in the White House and two top national races ahead of us, we have an incredible opportunity to build on our successes. New Yorkers have seen the failed leadership of Bill de Blasio and Andrew Cuomo, and Yuri's efforts will help ensure we have the resources we need to win."

"Whether in business, in politics or in charity, I've spent my life building coalitions and I'm honored to take on this important role for the New York Republican Party," said Yuri Vanetik. "Chairman Cox and the leaders across the state have built a strong bench of extraordinary Republican elected officials and played a critical role in securing President Trump's victory. Those successes have put us in a unique position to cultivate a national network and show how we are winning in traditionally Democratic areas, here in the state of New York. I'm looking forward to the work ahead," Vanetik pointed out.

Yuri Vanetik is the managing partner of Vanetik International, LLC, a private investment and business management firm based in Newport Beach, CA. Mr. Vanetik is also a principal at Dominion Partners LLP and Dominion Asset Management, LLC, a real estate investment fund based in Newport Beach and Beverly Hills, CA. He has held numerous public service positions, including as the current Commissioner of the Orange County Sheriff's Council, a deputy of the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department Special Services Bureau, a member of the Board of Governors of the Homeland Security Council for Region 1, and the former California Lottery Commissioner and Criminal Justice Commissioner, among others.

CONTACT: Jessica Proud, (914) 438-5325

SOURCE NYGOP
ATLANTA, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Even a nationwide Internet outage during the maiden voyage of a new simulcast bidding system couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of online bidders Tuesday as John Dixon & Associates sold scores of properties around the Southeast for more than $5 million.

"We had just upgraded to a new system for broadcasting our auctions and taking bids, and after a lot of test runs, we took it live for the first time -- just as nationwide outage of Amazon Web Services hit. Even so, about half our bidders were watching and bidding online, and about a third of the properties sold to those bidders," said John Dixon, president of the auction company.

"The outage affected the chat functions and video quality, but we worked around those issues, and the online bidders were a major part of a very successful auction that went well over $5 million, even with some sellers still deciding whether to accept bids on reserve properties. When you do live auctions for years, you learn to improvise," said Dixon. "It helped that we had a number of very nice properties to sell, including quality commercial buildings, and commercial and residential land. Our staff put a lot of work into offering a quality lineup, and we saw a renewed enthusiasm among bidders," he said.

Dixon noted that the company also has implemented new methods of tracking its marketing efforts. "The auction business slows down in December and January, and we spent that time putting new marketing techniques into place that will help us allocate marketing budgets to media that produce the most bidders. That will be very important to our sellers, who depend on us to use their marketing dollars wisely," said Dixon.

The company is currently evaluating properties for upcoming multi-seller auctions. Individuals, investors and companies seeking to sell real estate may visit www.johndixon.com or call 770-425-1141 for more information.

John Dixon & Associates, based in Marietta, Georgia, also has offices in Tallahassee, Clayton, North Carolina, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

John Dixon & Associates

For more information:

Carl Carter, 205-823-3273

SOURCE John Dixon & Associates

Related Links

http://www.johndixon.com


BRUSSELS, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

A conference titled 'Opposition against CPEC in Pakistan' was held at the European Parliament in Brussels on March 1, 2017. Hosted by Members of the European Parliament and the Baluchistan House, the conference was aimed at highlighting the deep-seated antipathy to the project among the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan, Sindh and Baluchistan, three Pakistani provinces through which the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes.

Among the speakers representing the various regions in Pakistan were Mehran Baluch (Baluch Representative to the EU), Rubina Greenwood (Chairperson, World Sindhi Congress) and Wajahat Hassan (G-B leader-in-exile and Head of the Gilgit-Baltistan Thinkers Forum). The MEPs who spoke on this occasion were Fulvio Martusciello and Alberto Cirio, and Paulo Casaca, Executive Director of the South Asia Development Forum, moderated the event.

The conference commenced with a documentary film that showed how the CPEC was negatively impacting the lives of locals all along its route due to the loss of jobs, environmental degradation, forced displacement and increase in Army deployment and control.

In his opening remarks, Paulo Casaca said that though the CPEC was touted as a game-changer by both Pakistan and China, the reality was far removed from that. He also highlighted the fact that the projects under the CPEC were being built largely against the will of the locals of Baluchistan, Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Baluch representative Mehran Baloch opined that the construction of the CPEC in Baluchistan and Gilgit-Baltistan was illegal, as Baluchistan was territory occupied by Pakistan and Gilgit-Baltistan was disputed territory, even as per Pakistan's Constitution. He further stated that the CPEC was being used to suppress the Baloch identity and culture, and the Pakistani government was subtly pursuing a policy of changing the demography of the province. He added that on the pretext of the CPEC, there was a deliberate move by the government to bring in and re-settle Punjabis and Chinese nationals in the region, thereby attempting to dilute and eventually wipe-out the Baloch identity. Similar concerns were expressed by Rubina Greenwood, who feared that the CPEC would merely result in the transfer of Sindh's natural resources to China, without any corresponding benefit to the province. Wajahat Hassan, while highlighting cases of human rights violations in Gilgit Baltistan, accused Islamabad of allowing foreign countries, particularly China, to exploit the resources of the region. He also stated that the Pakistani government had initiated a process of altering the demography of Gilgit Baltistan, with the objective to increase its influence there.

In his address, Fulvio Martusciello MEP highlighted the human rights violations being carried out by Pakistan's security forces, in a bid to suppress protests against the CPEC. He referred to incidents of enforced disappearances, land-grabbing and forced eviction of locals from their homes, all in the name of the CPEC. He cautioned European Union member-states not to respond to Pakistan's overtures to invest in the CPEC, as the project was being built by trampling upon the rights of the locals and major portions of the corridor traversed through disputed territory.

Alberto Cirio, MEP, described the CPEC as a project in which, under the pretext of 'development', the State was indulging in corrupt practices for short-term gains, even at the cost of human rights violations against the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and Baluchistan. He also expressed concern about the charter of the Special Security Division (SSD), apparently set up to protect Chinese workers in Pakistan. He stated that the number of personnel in the SSD was higher than the number of Chinese workers in Pakistan, indicating that it would probably be used for other purposes, including suppressing of the locals.

All the panellists agreed that the Pakistan government was violating human rights of the locals by imposing a foreign-led project on the various regions, without consultation. There was also agreement that the project would only lead to the enrichment of China and the Pakistani province of Punjab, at the cost of the other regions in Pakistan.

SOURCE Baluchistan House
NEW YORK, March 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Summary

This report provides all the information you require to better understand Purdue and its partnering interests and activities since 2010.





Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p03605617-summary/view-report.html





Description

The Partnering Deals and Alliance since 2010 report provides an in-depth insight into the partnering activity of one of the world's leading life sciences companies.



On demand company reports are prepared upon purchase to ensure inclusion of the most up to date deal and company data.



The report will be delivered in PDF format within 1 working day of receipt of order. If the CD-Rom version purchased, the report will be sent by courier using express service.



One of the key aspects of partnering is finding those companies that are potential candidates for the development and commercialization of the next generation of therapies. A lot of resources are spent on finding partners, identifying their interests and making contact to initiate discussions.



Using this report, dealmakers will effectively and efficiently target their partnering activities to deliver the company's business development objectives.



The initial chapters of this report provide an orientation of deal making and business activities. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the report, whilst chapter 2 lists the top companies partnering with the company since 2010. Chapter 3 provides an overview of the leading partnering and M&A deals since 2010 to present date based on headline value.



Chapter 4 provides details on how to approach biopharma companies with partnering opportunities whilst chapter 5 lists forthcoming partnering events and conferences where biopharma companies will be present to discuss opportunities face to face.



The main body of the report is provided in chapter 6 providing a infographic visual summary of the company's partnering activity since 2010 according to deal type, industry sector, phase of development, and therapy area.



The deals are listed by deal type, stage of development and therapy focus, allowing easy access to deals and alliances of interest. Every deal record links to an online, live version of the deal record at the Current Agreements deals and alliances database. Where available, deal records also include the contract document as disclosed at the SEC.



One of the key aspects of partnering is conducting due diligence on a partner to determine under what terms a prospective partner agrees to a partnering relationship.



Understanding the flexibility of prospective partners' negotiated deals terms provides critical insight into the negotiation process in terms of what you can expect to achieve during the negotiation of terms. Whilst many smaller companies will be seeking details of the payments clauses, the devil is in the detail in terms of how payments are triggered  contract documents provide this insight where press releases and databases do not.



In addition, contract documents provide the answers to numerous questions about a prospective partner's flexibility on a wide range of important issues, many of which will have a significant impact on each party's ability to derive value from the deal.



Each contract document is accessible through a link to an online version of the actual contract document as filed with the Securities Exchange Commission.



Analyzing actual company agreements allows assessment of the following:

- What is actually granted by the agreement to the partner company?

- What exclusivity is granted?

- What is the payment structure for the deal?

- How are sales and payments audited?

- What is the deal term?

- How are the key terms of the agreement defined?

- How are IPRs handled and owned?

- Who is responsible for commercialization?

- Who is responsible for development, supply, and manufacture?

- How is confidentiality and publication managed?

- How are disputes to be resolved?

- Under what conditions can the deal be terminated?

- What happens when there is a change of ownership?

- What sublicensing and sub-contracting provisions have been agreed?

- Which boilerplate clauses does the company insist upon?

- Which boilerplate clauses appear to differ from partner to partner or deal type to deal type?

- Which jurisdiction does the company insist upon for agreement law?



Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p03605617-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


SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cloud Foundry Foundation, home of the industry-standard platform for cloud applications, today announced SAP (NYSE: SAP) will host a polyglot track at the Cloud Foundry Summit Silicon Valley. SAP is also a Cloud Foundry Summit Silicon Valley Platinum sponsor.

Cloud Foundry Summit Silicon Valley will take place June 13-15 in Santa Clara, California and is the premier event for enterprise application developers. The event will focus on microservices and continuous delivery in all languages and frameworks. As such, organizers are seeking speaking proposals on best practices and tips implementing microservices in cloud environments using various languages including Java, Javascript, Node.js and Golang as well as Cloud Foundry user stories from the developer perspective. The community is encouraged to submit a proposal by the deadline of March 3 at 11:59pm PST.

Attendees will join other developers and CIOs to gain first-hand access to Cloud Foundry roadmaps, training and tutorials, and to see how others are using Cloud Foundry to support continuous innovation and application portability. Keynote speakers and full conference schedules will be announced this Spring.

This year, more than 3,000 attendees are expected to attend. Last year's event showcased information from innovators and technical leaders at companies including Allstate, Comcast, Volkswagen and others. The Summit will host several breakout sessions including those that focus on Cloud Foundry core updates from project leads, Cloud Foundry experiments, and developer community tracks which will be named in the coming weeks.

"With a strong emphasis on languages and agile development best practices for the cloud, Summit Silicon Valley is the premier event for developers," said Abby Kearns, Executive Director, Cloud Foundry Foundation. "Business innovation with in-memory technology is a track that should not be missed."

Cloud Foundry is an open source technology backed by the largest technology companies in the world, including Cisco, Dell EMC, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Google, IBM, Pivotal, SAP and SUSE, and is being used by leaders in manufacturing, telecommunications and financial services. Only Cloud Foundry delivers the velocity needed to continuously deliver apps at the speed of business. Cloud Foundry's container-based architecture runs apps in any language on your choice of cloud  Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, OpenStack, VMware vSphere, SoftLayer and more. With a robust services ecosystem and simple integration with existing technologies, Cloud Foundry is the modern standard for mission critical apps for global organizations.

About Cloud Foundry Foundation

The Cloud Foundry Foundation is an independent non-profit organization formed to sustain the development, promotion and adoption of Cloud Foundry as the industry standard platform for cloud applications. Cloud Foundry makes it faster and easier to build, test, deploy and scale applications. Cloud Foundry is an Apache 2.0 licensed project available on Github: https://github.com/cloudfoundry. To learn more, visit: http://www.cloudfoundry.org.

Contact:

Jessica Rampen

Cloud Foundry Foundation

[email protected]

650-787-3548

SOURCE Cloud Foundry

Related Links

http://www.cloudfoundry.org


NEW ORLEANS, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of Silver Bay Realty Trust Corp. ("Silver Bay" or the "Company") (NYSE: SBY) to Tricon Capital Group Inc. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Silver Bay will receive only $21.50 in cash for each share of Silver Bay that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company.

If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regarding the proposed sale, you may, without obligation or cost to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn ([email protected]) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857.

To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

206 Covington St.

Madisonville, LA 70447

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Related Links

http://www.ksfcounsel.com


COSTA MESA, Calif., March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Simple Recovery, www.simple-recovery.com, a leading Chemical Dependency Treatment Center in Orange County, California, announced today their ability to provide in-network addiction treatment services through 14 major insurance carriers, including Anthem Blue Cross. The announcement is a significant indication that Simple Recovery is committed to providing the highest quality care to as many individuals as possible.

Simple Recovery underwent a demanding clinical evaluation with several managed care organizations to obtain in-network contracts, most recently with Anthem Blue Cross.

"As a Joint Commission accredited behavioral healthcare organization, the high standards required by in-network payers aligned well with our organizational culture and practices," noted Dr. Stephen Odom, CEO of New Vista Behavioral Health, the parent company of Simple Recovery.

Serving over 8.3 million members in California alone, Anthem Blue Cross covers more Californians than any other PPO insurance provider in the state. Data from the California Department of Insurance asserts that 35 percent of Californians have Anthem Blue Cross as their insurance carrier.

"Our partnership with managed care companies is a crucial element of the high-quality and high-value services we provide at Simple Recovery, and we are honored to become an in-network provider," said Dr. Odom, "When Simple Recovery became an in-network provider with most major carriers, not only could we continue to provide the high-quality treatment services that we are known for, but we can now also provide help to more people within their preferred provider networks."

Since opening its doors in 2012, Simple Recovery has helped hundreds of individuals and their families recover from drug and alcohol addiction. Their in-network provider list now includes Aetna Behavioral Health, American Mental Health Network, Anthem Blue Cross, Beacon Health Strategies, LLC (formerly Valueoptions), ComPsych, HMC Healthworks, Integration Behavioral Health (IBH), Magellan Health which manages many California Blue Shield plans), Managed Health Network (MHN), Multiplan, Network by Design, and Western Growers.

About Simple Recovery:

Founded in 2012, Simple Recovery is a Joint Commission Accredited, California licensed and certified, 18-bed residential and extended care program for men and women. Their addiction treatment program seeks to meet each client where they are at in their addiction and help them incorporate their newfound sobriety into their existing world. The achievement and maintenance of sobriety, success and self-respect occurs through both the drug and alcohol treatment process and behavioral change. Simple's successful model bridges the gap between the confines of treatment and real life.

About New Vista Behavioral Health:

New Vista Behavioral Health's mission is to provide innovative, client-centered, evidence-based, treatment solutions to create a healthy and productive new vista for recovery and success. Their centers offer sub-acute detox, residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient services for clients facing Substance Use and Co-Occurring Disorders.

For more information about Simple Recovery and the services they provide, please visit http://www.simple-recovery.com/ or call 888-207-0965.

Media Contact:

Chelsea Brigham, Clinical Outreach Manager

425-890-5162

[email protected]

This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com

SOURCE Simple Recovery

Related Links

http://www.simple-recovery.com


TOKYO, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Smartmedical Corp. and INDEX Trading & Investment (ITI), a member of INDEX Holding, signed an agreement detailing their partnership. Both sides share the objective of cooperating on medical tourism, treating patients from the UAE in Japan, and licensing Smartmedical's Emotion AI "Empath" in GCC countries.

Alliance on medical tourism business

Smartmedical Corp. and INDEX Holding agreed to create a new business model to expand medical tourists from UAE to Japan. "Japan is now rapidly gaining popularity as a medical tourism destination," said Nozumu Shibasaki, CEO of Smartmedical Corp. "Because of our longest life expectancy, Japan attracts medical tourists in tandem with the overall increase in international visitors. By collaborating with INDEX Holding, a leading authority in medical tourism business, we believe we can establish new medical tourism model for visitors from UAE."

Anas Al Madani, Vice Chairman & Group CEO of INDEX Holding, said "We have developed medical tourism business sending patients from UAE to GCC countries, Germany, USA, Korea, and others. Our experiences and knowledge in medical tourism business enable INDEX Holding and Smartmedical, as an innovative medical hub developer, to create a medical tourism platform for UAE patients."

Smartmedical Corp. has developed PCC (Portal Care Clinics) as a new community medical hub for both community residents and commuters, around railway and metro stations mainly in metropolitan Tokyo area. "In order to achieve active and healthy aging, prevention and early detection of disease is essential. This is also true for medical tourists. Our PCC functions as preventive and primary care hub, as a branch of local-core hospitals in cooperation with university hospitals, so that we can provide multiple healthcare services including advanced preventive care and top hospital quality care for medical tourists from UAE," added Mr. Shibasaki. "By connecting our medical networks in Japan with INDEX Holding's medical tourism experiences, we can provide excellent quality medical services."

Alliance on licensing Emotion AI "Empath"

This MoU defines the licensing alliance of Emotion AI technology "Empath", named and developed by ICT division of Smartmedical Corp. Empath can identify emotions in real-time regardless of language by analyzing multiple physical properties of voice. This technology has been already utilized in various fields such as mental health, call centers, and robotics.

Empath has been already adopted by UAE's government sectors. In October 2016, Empath was officially licensed to the United Arab Emirates' national campaign, "Express Your Love for UAE" hosted by Aqdar (the Khalifa Empowerment Programme for Students) and sponsored by Sheikh Saif. After the campaign, Smartmedical launched Android app "I love UAE" on December 2nd 2016 to celebrate UAE's 45th anniversary of its founding. "This is the best time for us to have a partnership with INDEX Holdings," said Mr. Shibasaki. "After the signing of an agreement with the Ministry of Interior, Empath is highly raising its profile in UAE. INDEX holding is a leading authority in marketing, so this collaboration will boost the presence of Empath immediately in UAE and expands our market into other GCC countries."

Mr. Al Madani said "In fact, attention to this technology is increasing in UAE. In March 2016, UAE government has established world's first Ministry of Happiness to enhance happiness status among employees and customers. Emotion AI "Empath" will be welcomed at such situation because UAE government is now searching for technologies which can evaluate and improve happiness. Our strong connection with UAE's government sectors and our marketing strategy and experiences in UAE will lead this alliance with Smartmedical on licensing Empath to success."

"INDEX holding penetrates into the ICT market of UAE, so that this alliance makes Empath"

About Smartmedical (http://eng.smartmedical.jp/)

Smartmedical Corp., comprised of PCC and ICT self-care divisions, is the leading authority in developing PCC (Primary Care Clinics), new medical service platforms at and near railway stations in Tokyo and major cities in Japan providing preventive medicine. The ICT self-care division supports PCC projects with advanced ICT technology. It develops and licenses Empath vocal emotion recognition technology for mental health care. In addition to mental health care services, the Web Empath API is also employed in multiple service sectors such as robotics, call centers, and VR.

By analyzing multiple physical properties of the voice such as intonation, pitch, speed, and volume, Empath can identify emotions in real-time regardless of language. It has been developed and refined through collaborative research with prestigious universities such as the University of Tokyo and Nara Institute of Science and Technology. Empath won the first prize of the Japan Resilience Award 2015 and an excellence award at the MCPC Awards in 2015.

For more information on Empath, please visit https://webempath.net/lp-eng/.

SOURCE Smartmedical Corp.
The Student Farm is a working farm on the Purdue University campus that is led by students who have an academic interest in agriculture. Students gain real-world farming experience by growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers using the principles that naturally govern balanced eco systems, including emphasis on diversity, healthy soil, healthy plants, and healthy people. Its educational work covers:

How to grow food on a small, ecological scale;

The art of marketing produce for profit;

How to eat vegetables in delicious, nourishing ways, and;

Understanding how food intersects with environment, economy and the community.

"The hoop house greatly expands the Student Farm's ability to provide students with experiential learning opportunities," said Student Farm faculty advisor, Steve Hallett, PhD. He added, "This will also enable the farm to provide healthy, locally sourced food to the university and the community year-round. This would not otherwise be possible due to the area's winter climate conditions."

Sodexo spends $36 million annually on produce that is locally sourced across the United States from over 1,400 state and regional farms. Sourcing local foods allows Sodexo to create economic opportunities for small businesses and rural communities, while offering more flavorful and healthful food options for its customers.

"Supporting the Student Farm at Purdue University is part of Sodexo's commitment to source locally grown produce and make a positive impact in the local communities where we operate," said Greg Lepore, Director of Business Development at Sodexo. "The long-term plan is to source produce from the Student Farm for Sodexo's accounts in the Lafayette community."

Sodexo delivers more than 100 services across North America that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life. The Fortune Global 500 company is a leader in delivering sustainable, integrated facilities management and foodservice operations.

Learn more about Sodexo at its corporate blog, Sodexo Insights.

SOURCE Sodexo

Related Links

http://www.sodexoUSA.com


"I am very pleased that we were able to reach an Agreement in Principle for our Material Specialists," said Landon Nitschke, Vice President Maintenance Operations. "This agreement acknowledges their contributions, even as it supports our aim of being the number one low-fare carrier in the country."

Details of the agreement were not released. Southwest said its Negotiating Team will be meeting with IBT representatives in the coming days to finalize the contractual language.

IBT currently represents approximately 290 Material Specialists.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 46th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 53,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually. Southwest proudly operates a network of 101 destinations in the United States and eight additional countries with more than 3,900 departures a day during peak travel season. Subject to requisite governmental approvals, service to Grand Cayman begins June 4, 2017, the same date service is scheduled to begin from Cincinnati.

Based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent data, Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded. The Company operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world, the majority of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi providing gate-to-gate connectivity. That connectivity enables Customers to use their personal devices to view video on-demand movies and television shows, as well as nearly 20 channels of free, live TV compliments of our valued Partners. Southwest created Transfarency, a philosophy which treats Customers honestly and fairly, and in which low fares actually stay low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some airlines may allow free checked bags on select routes or for qualified circumstances), and there are no change fees, though fare differences might apply. The airline proudly unveiled a bold new look: Heart. A new logo, aircraft livery, interior design featuring a new seat and Flight Attendant galley, Employee-designed uniforms, and an updated airport experience all showcase the dedication of Southwest Employees who connect Customers with what's important in their lives.

From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic whenever the carrier enters new markets. With 44 consecutive years of profitability, Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. The 2015 Southwest Airlines One Report can be found at SouthwestOneReport.com.

Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.

Related Links

http://www.southwest.com


Every Friday for the duration of the year, one teacher in Washington will get their project request fully-funded by Inspirus Credit Union. The announcement will be made on the credit unions Facebook page and can also be found by searching #FundFriday.

This generous giveback goes to the heart of Inspirus. "It's our mission to give back to education, and this is one way we give back," said Vice President of Marketing Sherry Lotze. "We want to support those who teach the leaders of tomorrow, and we hope they will benefit greatly from this."

The first project Inspirus is funding will provide Madrona Elementary School Teacher Katie Paul and her students with phonemic awareness tools and games to support her kindergarteners' knowledge of number sets and sounds to help with their math and reading skills.

"This will have a huge impact on my kiddos," said Mrs. Paul.

Most projects on DonorsChoose.org range from $300 to over $2,000, with the average cost per project at $700. If you are interested in starting a project or making a donation, visit inspirusCU.org/Fund-Friday for more information.

About Inspirus Credit Union

Founded in 1936 by a Seattle math and journalism teacher, Inspirus serves 80,000 members across Washington who share a passion for education. With $1.1 billion in assets, Inspirus operates branches in Seattle, Spokane, and Lynnwood. Its philanthropy model includes education-giveback programs that allow members to direct charitable contributions to schools in their communities. Inspirus employees donate upwards of 1,000 volunteer hours each year in support of education. For more information, visit inspirusCU.org.

SOURCE Inspirus Credit Union

Related Links

https://www.inspiruscu.org


PHILADELPHIA, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Graham Company, one of the Mid-Atlantic region's largest insurance and employee benefits brokers, today presented its 15th annual Excellence in Service & Partnership Award to Crum & Forster. The prestigious award was bestowed to Crum & Forster in recognition of its superior overall claims performance in 2016.

The Graham Company logo

Effective claims management is central to The Graham Company's risk management approach, so it demands its insurance carriers not only provide best-in-class claims service to clients, but to also establish a collaborative partnership with The Graham Company. To assess the overall efficacy of its partner carriers, The Graham Company conducts a comprehensive performance evaluation of the carriers' claims departments, rating each in the following categories:

Claims Team Technology Customized Claims Servicing Standards Client Meetings Reserving Philosophy Physician Panel Capabilities

The carriers are then given a numerical grade for their overall performance, which is based on a 100 percent score. Crum & Forster received the highest score among all of the insurance carriers with whom The Graham Company works.

"At The Graham Company, we have built our reputation by providing clients with 24/7 strategic counsel for their most complex risks. When it comes to claims management, the Crum & Forster team is an integral partner, sharing our commitment to working around the clock as true advocates for clients," said Ken Ewell, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Graham Company. "Working in collaboration with the exceptional professionals at Crum & Forster, Graham is able to offer the highest level of service and  just as importantly  peace of mind to our valued clients."

The Excellence in Service & Partnership Award was presented on February 27 at The Graham Company's corporate headquarters in Philadelphia, where executives from the Crum & Forster claims team were in attendance.

"Our integrated approach to service allows our team to tightly manage claims quickly and with ease," said Marc Adee, Chief Executive Officer of Crum & Forster. "Because of our shared emphasis on the client, we've developed an extremely strong relationship with The Graham Company over the 40 years that we have worked together. The Excellence in Service & Partnership Award is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of Crum & Forster employees. We won this award in 2013, and couldn't be prouder to again accept this special honor."

About The Graham Company

The Graham Company is an insurance brokerage and consulting firm committed to enhancing employee safety and business viability through an action-oriented approach to risk management. In business for over 50 years, The Graham Company focuses on customizing property and casualty, surety and employee benefits programs for its clients. With its uniquely proactive approach to managing risk, The Graham Company is redefining what it means to be a broker because it believes Actions Matter. To learn more about The Graham Company, visit www.grahamco.com.

About Crum & Forster

With a proud history going back to 1822, Crum & Forster provides specialty and standard commercial lines insurance products through our admitted and surplus lines insurance companies. We provide a diversified portfolio of products including multiline solutions for select industry groups and a broad breath of specialty products. Our agile structure enables us to respond quickly to the changing needs of our clients while reinforcing our commitment to service excellence. Crum & Forster is a registered trademark of United States Fire Insurance Company. To learn more about Crum & Forster, visit www.cfins.com.

Media Contacts:

Chelsey Gross

The Graham Company

215.701.5295

[email protected]

Jorge Echemendia

Crum & Forster

973.490.6519

[email protected]

SOURCE Crum & Forster

Related Links

http://www.cfins.com


DALLAS, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Poo~Pourri announces that 100 percent of website sales from March 3-5 will be donated to Lotus Outreach International on March 4 and 5, the weekend before International Women's Day. Lotus Outreach International will use the funds to empower girls from rural communities in Cambodia and India through education.

When girls in poor, rural, Cambodian villages reach 11 or 12 years old, they have few paths to choose from. Their primary choices are to become a child bride, or cross into Thailand where they're promised jobs as nannies or servers, only to be sold into brothels. Education provides a crossroad for these girls, but school tuition and boarding costs are too expensive for most rural families.

That is why the non-profit Lotus Outreach International provides resources for girls in these situations through programs such as Girls Access to Education (GATE). Through GATE, girls in Cambodia receive scholarships to attend school. The cost is a simple $1,200 a year for classes, room and board, supplies, and all other expenses.

"Sometimes we feel our paths are limited by our circumstances, and it just takes one person to empower us by telling us we can be more. Lotus Outreach International does that for these girls in Cambodia and India," said Suzy Batiz, CEO of Poo~Pourri. "I am so excited to be bold for change on International Women's Day by supporting some of the most vulnerable women in our global community through Lotus Outreach International."

Sales from all products on Poo~Pourri's website, from the original Before-You-Go toilet spray to t-shirts and tote bags, will be donated to Lotus Outreach International this weekend.

"We are so grateful to Poo~Pourri for partnering with us for International Women's Day," said Patty Waltcher, President of Lotus Outreach International. "The support from Poo~Pourri will be invaluable in helping us provide educational resources to even more girls. When you empower a girl, you empower a society. These girls come back to their villages and bring the gift of knowledge to their families and communities."

Poo~Pourri is a small, woman-owned business that recognizes the incredible contributions women make to our local and global communities. Poo~Pourri believes all women should have a voice, a safe environment, and the opportunity to pursue their dreams and bare their genius. That is why Poo~Pourri supports programs around the world that protect women from violence and help them secure an education, like Lotus Outreach International. Poo~Pourri will also be donating an additional $30,000 to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence to celebrate International Women's Day, March 8.

ABOUT POO~POURRI

Since 2007, Poo~Pourri Before-You-Go Toilet Spray has been stopping bathroom odor before it begins so you can leave the bathroom smelling better than you found it. With over 200 million combined YouTube views and over 20 million bottles sold, Poo~Pourri has become a pop culture sensation and start-up success. Poo~Pourri is sold in over 9,000 independent retailers and nationwide retailers including CVS, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ulta, QVC and Amazon.com. Poo~Pourri earned the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval in 2013 and an Edison award in 2014. The company was also ranked on Inc.'s 5000 Fastest Growing Companies. To learn more, visit www.poopourri.com.

ABOUT LOTUS OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL

Lotus Outreach is a California-based 501 (c)(3) dedicated to ensuring the education, health and safety of vulnerable women and children in the developing world. The GATE Women and Youth Scholarship program is one of several successful projects it operates in Asia today. For more information visit http://www.lotusoutreach.org

Contact:

Will Clarke | 972.818.8200

Rebekah Riley | 972.818.8200

SOURCE Poo~Pourri

Related Links

http://www.poopourri.com


VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The old form of content marketing is dying. It's become nothing more than 'white noise.' So marketers are relying on influencer marketing as a way to break through the clutter and be heard.

This move often overlaps and complements transmedia marketing and should be used that way. Simply, transmedia means to transport a story or message into a customer's everyday life, through the use of multiple media platforms.

Storymaking vs Storytelling... Storymaking invites fan participation, decentralizes structure, and creates unpredictability. Leveraging the power of social triggers

Placing this together with influencer marketing has become a dynamic way to get your message in front of the right audience.

The Viral Gold Formula

Writer and analyst Kevin Allocca works with YouTube trends. He tracks viral content and connects that content within the so-called 'viral planets' of YouTube's universe. In doing so, he discovered a pretty simple formula for viral marketing.

Tastemakers [influencers] + Community Remixing + the Unexpected = Viral Gold

To break down this formula, let's examine each part:

Tastemakers (or recognized influencers) are mostly celebrities, talk show hosts, news anchors, thought-leaders and politicians.

Community remixing refers to fans on various media outlets that remix influencer content. They might do this by tweaking, adding music, altering images, shortening content, or splicing together separate content that is related. This remixing breathes new life into the content and causes it to be shared again and again.

The Unexpected means the content has some level of irony or some twist; like a Dorky Rapper. Those two terms 'dorky' and 'rapper' seem to be at odds with each other: enter Drake and Hotline Bling. If we were to unpack how this meme-able influencer embraced community remixing, it would look a lot like the inevitable shift from storytelling to storymaking.

Transmedia Storymaking

The gold comes in when storymaking happens. Storymaking invites fan participation, decentralizes structure, and creates unpredictability. It goes further - and thus is of even more benefit to the marketer by also incentivizing the customer as both a consumer and producer  a prosumer.

This style of marketing encourages fan pages and real-time hashtag conversations with influencers. And within the post-broadcast era, we have a new platform: an audience that itself has influence because even the audience has an audience.

What does transmedia marketing and storymaking look like?

Data also shows that 91 percent of viewers and customers feel compelled to participate when campaigns happen in real time. Jay Z and the 4-week, crowd-sourced, Decoded treasure hunt illustrates this and it also illustrates a form of 'east coast' transmedia marketing. His project put Decoded on the NYT bestsellers list for more than 19 weeks.

Furthermore, search engine Bing partnered with them, causing an increase in their traffic by the millions, landing them as one of the top-10 most visited sites during the campaign.

Why does transmedia marketing and storymaking work so well?

Social Triggers

Another element of the Decoded campaign was the use of social triggers.

Social triggering, in a transmedia context, relates to the immersive marketing (see chart). An effective social trigger makes a message part of the fabric of our everyday lives. Organic social triggering dials up influencer engagement and drives search visibility. This influences rich media content like owned media and paid media, and ultimately becomes extremely relevant content.

Inbound Loop

When influencers promote your product, it kickstarts an inbound cycle. An inbound loop is what you want, as it naturally brings customers to you, rather than you trying to find them. Consumers will naturally gravitate towards products and services that are promoted by influencers they already listen to. This form of marketing avoids the traditional outbound billboard-type ads that aren't very effective, and frankly, most people find annoying. It also continues to promote your brand through more trustworthy channels like friends and organic search queries.

This is the Future of Marketing!

Marketing is all about conversion through conversation. But the focus is no longer on brands talking at the world; rather, it's about listening to what the world is already talking about - and becoming part of that conversation as well as facilitating further conversation. Transmedia and Influencer marketing engages with this conversation at every consumer and prosumer touch point.

Dr. Chester Branch

Transmedia Marketing expert and best-selling author

@storynotes

757-753-5664

Dr. Chester Branch is a best-selling author and Transmedia Architect, teaching transmedia courses internationally. He studied digital and social media marketing at Inbound2014. He also received his Doctorate from the school of Business with a focus in digital and social media strategy. His dissertation, Transmedia Education, was presented during the 2014 TranXmedia conference at the Hong Kong Design Institute. He was recently featured twice as an expert in media marketing by Inc.com and was listed as one of the top content marketing experts of 2016 by Hubspot and Venngage.

SOURCE Dr. Chester Branch
ANN ARBOR, Mich. and WASHINGTON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A majority of Americans (57 percent) say they have been prescribed narcotic painkillers, according to the Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health Poll. Despite this widespread use, respondents have concerns over addiction risk, effectiveness, side effects and long-term impact, particularly among those who have not previously been prescribed the drugs.

Truven Health Analytics, part of the IBM Watson Health business, and NPR conduct a nationwide bimonthly poll to gauge attitudes and opinions on a wide range of health issues. The recent survey sought insights into respondents' use of and concerns about prescription narcotic painkillers. Repeating selected questions from surveys conducted in 2011 and 2014, it also measured changes in consumer attitude over the past five years.

When asked about concerns regarding narcotic painkillers, respondents who had been prescribed these drugs showed a slight decline between 2011 and 2016: just over a third of respondents (35.3 percent) said they had concerns, nearly identical to 2014 (36.3 percent) and 2011 (36.1 percent).

However, respondents who were not prescribed these drugs grew more concerned about them over the past five years. Forty-six percent of respondents who had not previously been prescribed narcotic painkillers said they had concerns, up from 29.6 percent in 2014 and 29.8 percent in 2011.

Among all respondents, fear of addiction (32.7 percent) and side effects (30.2 percent) were the most cited reasons for any hesitancy. For patients prescribed the painkillers, fear of side effects was higher (37.5 percent), but fear of addiction was lower (26.7 percent). For respondents who had not been prescribed these narcotics, fear of addiction was higher (39.3 percent) and side effects lower (22.1 percent).

"This data shows that people are becoming more aware of risks associated with narcotic painkillers," said Ronald J. Ozminkowski, vice president of cognitive analytics for the value-based care business at IBM Watson Health. "What's most fascinating, however, is that consumer concerns about side effects, addiction and long-term impact associated with the drugs are most pronounced among those who have never been prescribed narcotic painkillers. That exposes an educational challenge caregivers will need to address when prescribing these drugs."

To date, the Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health Poll has explored numerous health topics, including generic drugs, vaccines, data privacy, narcotic painkillers and sports-related concussions. NPR archives reports on the surveys online at the Shots health blog here. Truven Health maintains a library of poll results here.

The Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health Poll is powered by the Truven Health PULSE survey, the nation's largest and longest-running independently funded, nationally representative, multimodal poll that collects information about health-related behaviors and attitudes and healthcare use from 80,000 U.S. households annually.

The results depicted from the 2016 survey represent responses from 3,000 survey participants interviewed from Nov. 1  15, 2016. Results from the 2014 survey represent responses from 3,007 survey participants interviewed from May 1  15, 2014. Results from the 2011 survey represent responses from 3,009 survey participants interviewed from Oct. 1  13, 2011. The margin of error for 2016, 2014 and 2011 is +/- 1.8 percentage points.

About Truven Health Analytics, Part of the IBM Watson Health Business

Truven Health Analytics, part of the IBM Watson Health business, provides market-leading performance improvement solutions built on data integrity, advanced analytics and domain expertise. For more than 40 years, our insights and solutions have been providing hospitals and clinicians, employers and health plans, state and federal government agencies, life sciences companies and policymakers, the facts they need to make confident decisions that directly affect the health and well-being of people and organizations in the US and around the world. The company was acquired by IBM in 2016 to help form a new business, Watson Health. Watson Health aspires to improve lives and give hope by delivering innovation to address the world's most pressing health challenges through data and cognitive insights.

Truven Health Analytics owns some of the most trusted brands in healthcare, such as MarketScan, 100 Top Hospitals, Advantage Suite, Micromedex, Simpler  and ActionOI . Truven Health has its principal offices in Ann Arbor, MI, Chicago, IL and Denver, CO.

For more information, visit www.truvenhealth.com

About NPR

NPR is an award-winning, multimedia news organization and an influential force in American life. In collaboration with more than 900 independent public radio stations nationwide, NPR strives to create a more informed publicone challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas and cultures.

CONTACTS

Ariana Nikitas

[email protected]

312.533.3437

Brian Erni

For Truven Health Analytics

J. Roderick, Inc. Public Relations

[email protected]

631.584.2200

SOURCE Truven Health Analytics

Related Links

http://www.truvenhealth.com


SAN DIEGO, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of San Diego School of Business-Procopio International Business Summit (USD-PIBS) will be held on Friday, May 12, 2017 at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice in San Diego, California.

Presented by the University of San Diego School of Business in partnership with Procopio, USD-PIBS is the premier educational and networking event for Latin American executives, investors and advisors interested in learning how to do business in the United States. The summit is designed to help attendees identify the advantages and risks of doing business in the U.S. business market and understanding the unique business, legal and cultural nuances. This summit will be offered simultaneously in Spanish and English.

"Based on the success of our first summit, we will again bring together seasoned Latin American business professionals who will share their successes and pitfalls running operations in the United States," said Enrique Hernandez, Procopio Partner and Latin America Practice Group Leader. "It is important, now more than ever, to connect with each other and share how to creatively and successfully master the art of cross-border business. Procopio is proud to continue our long-time partnership with USD as we grow into our 2nd year of offering this unique international business-focused summit."

This year's topics include:

Investment Climate in the US: How to Stand Out Amongst Worldwide Competition

Opportunities in the Food, Beverage and Hospitality Industry: Where to Focus and What to Avoid

Risk vs. Opportunity: Investing in Real Estate

Digital Marketing: Attracting the Hispanic Market

Startup Fundamentals for Global Entrepreneurs

Cross-border M&A: When Expansion Knows No Borders

Navigating U.S. Immigration through Entrepreneurship



Additional information is available at Procopio.com/PIBS.

About Procopio

Procopio is a full-service business and litigation law firm committed to thoughtful problem solving and improving your bottom line. With more than 150 attorneys based in San Diego, Silicon Valley, Phoenix, Austin and Los Angeleswe're passionate about knowing your business and helping you grow and protect it for the long term. Procopio has the flexible infrastructure to support both small to mid-sized companies and large multinationals at every stage of the business life cycle. Our global reach across Asia and Latin America further expands our international partnerships and cross border capabilities. At Procopio, we are focused on what is important to youproviding smart, innovative and practical solutions in a cost-effective manner to help your business thrive. Learn more at Procopio.com.



Media Contact: Kim Jewell

Director of Marketing and Marketing Technology

Phone: 619.906.5784

Email: [email protected]

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP

Related Links

http://www.procopio.com/events/view/pibs


WASHINGTON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC) calls for urgent action on resolution 30/1 commitments and concurs with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, that action on Sri Lanka's implementation is "worryingly slow." Resolution 30/1, co-sponsored by the government of Sri Lanka in September 2015, is a reform and transitional justice blueprint. Progress on this blueprint is immediately required.

Commenting on the report, Dr. Karunyan Arulanantham, USTPAC's President said, "USTPAC urges the UN Human Rights Council to adopt a new resolution reflecting High Commissioner Zeid's recommendations, including for the government of Sri Lanka to publicize a comprehensive plan with a timetable for reform and transitional justice and for OHCHR to establish offices in Sri Lanka."

High Commissioner Zeid's report demonstrates the government's disappointing progress and lack of transparency on implementation of resolution 30/1. The report details how tasks that could be carried out quickly, such as repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act, stopping security force surveillance and harassment, releasing all land from the military to civilians, and operationalizing the Office of Missing Persons have still not happened.

The High Commissioner pointed out that the government has failed to generate trust among the Tamil community. In a press release put out by the OHCHR today, High Commissioner Zeid said, "This critical opportunity in Sri Lankan history cannot be missed. I urge the Government and people of Sri Lanka to prioritize justice alongside reconciliation to ensure that the horrors of the past are firmly dealt with, never to recur."

High Commissioner Zeid also concluded that the consultations conducted by the government-appointed Consultations Task Force were inclusive, participatory and deserving of praise. Victims reported that for the first time they felt respected while in formal dialogue with the government.

"After the Human Rights Council concludes, international engagement must continue. We need the active participation of the UN and all UN member states to drive reforms and to hold the government to account," concluded Dr. Arulanantham.

About USTPAC: USTPAC is a US-based Tamil advocacy group advocating for a cessation of ongoing human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, accountability for crimes committed during and after the civil war, and a political settlement to address the root causes of the conflict. Since 2009, it has worked for these goals with the US Government and UN Human Rights Council.

Website: www.ustpac.org Twitter: @UstpacAdvocacy

Contact: Dr. Arulanantham, USTPAC President

T: 1-571-317-0998 Email: [email protected]

SOURCE United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC)

Related Links

http://www.ustpac.org


(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 131 market data Tables and 48 Figures spread through 160 Pages and in-depth TOC on "UV Stabilizers Market"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/uv-stabilizer-market-122183376.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

UV stabilizers find application in packaging and automotive industries, and are used with HALS and UV absorbers. The increasing demand for UV stabilizers from these industries has promoted the usage of UV stabilizers. The rise in demand for greenhouse films is expected to drive the UV stabilizers market during the forecast period.

Ask for PDF of the Report at http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=122183376

Based on type, the HALS segment is expected to lead the UV stabilizers market during the forecast period

Based on type, the HALS (Hindered Amine Light Stabilizers) segment is expected to lead the UV stabilizers market during the forecast period, owing to their ability to protect polymers from degradation from UV light exposure while providing durability and long shelf life. HALS are used in thin and thick cross-section applications such as extrusion, blow molding, fibers, films, tapes, and injection molding, among others. The increasing demand for non-degradable, durable, and high-performance products in automotive, packaging, and furniture & construction industries has fueled the growth of the global UV stabilizers market for HALS.

The packaging application segment is expected to lead the UV stabilizers market during the forecast period

The packaging is the largest application segment of the UV stabilizers market, owing to the increasing demand for packaging from food and non-food industries in Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe regions. The ability to maintain the properties and quality of packaging materials even when exposed to UV radiations, weathering resistivity, and long-term durability is the major factor driving the UV stabilizers market in packaging.

Asia-Pacific is expected to lead the UV stabilizers market during the forecast period

The Asia-Pacific region is estimated to lead the UV stabilizers market. This dominance of the region can be attributed to the presence of a large number of UV stabilizers manufacturers, rising foreign investments, and growing demand for HALS and UV absorbers from plastics, polymers, and automotive industries in the region. China is leading the Asia-Pacific UV stabilizers market due to the growth in the use of UV stabilizers in packaging and automotive industries, among others, and numerous developmental strategies adopted by the manufacturers.

Make an Inquiry @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=122183376

The UV Stabilizers Market has several global players. These companies are actively investing in various strategies such as new product development, expansions, acquisitions, and joint ventures to increase their market shares. Major manufacturers such as Songwon Industrial Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Solvay SA (Belgium), ALTANA AG (Germany), BASF SE (Germany), Clariant AG (Switzerland), and Addivant (U.S.) have adopted various organic and inorganic strategies to expand their businesses.

Browse Related Reports:

Packaging Additives (Functional Additives and Barrier Coatings) Market by Type (Antioxidants, UV Stabilizers, Antimicrobials, Metalized Coatings, and Organic Liquid Coatings), by Application (Food, Beverage, Cosmetic & Personal Care), and by Region - Global Trends & Forecast

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/functional-additives-and-barrier-coatings-market-86258744.html

Plastic Additives Market by Type (Plasticizers, Stabilizers, Flame Retardants, Impact Modifiers), Plastic (Commodity, Engineering, and High Performance Plastic), and by Application (Packaging, Construction, Consumer Goods, Automotive) - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/plastic-additives-market-722.html

Subscribe Reports from Chemicals & Materials Domain http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Knowledgestore.asp

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LAVAL, Quebec, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (NYSE: VRX and TSX: VRX) ("Valeant") today announced that it has completed the previously announced sale of its CeraVe, AcneFree and AMBI skincare brands to L'Oreal for $1.3 billion in cash. Valeant will use net proceeds from the sale to permanently repay term loan debt under its Senior Credit Facility.

"We are pleased to close this transaction with L'Oreal, and further our progress to pay down debt," said Valeant CEO Joseph C. Papa. "Today's announcement is the first of significant steps within our divestiture program which will help us focus our business, meet our financial goals and create value for our shareholders."

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.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements which may generally be identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "will," "believes," "estimates," "potential," "target," or "continue" and variations or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties discussed in the Company's most recent annual or quarterly report and detailed from time to time in Valeant's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators, which factors are incorporated herein by reference. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Valeant undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect actual outcomes, unless required by law.

Contact Information:



Elif McDonald

[email protected]

514-856-3855

877-281-6642 (toll free)

Media:

Renee Soto

or

Chris Kittredge/Jared Levy

Sard Verbinnen & Co.

212-687-8080

SOURCE Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.valeant.com


WASHINGTON, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On March 9, The Latino Coalition (TLC), the leading national non-partisan advocacy organization representing Hispanic businesses and consumers, will host the Make Small Business Great Again Policy Summit at the J.W. Marriott in Washington, D.C.

"The election of a successful businessman to the highest position in the land has once again injected optimism into our nation's economy and the small business sector," said Hector Barreto, TLC's Chairman and former U.S. Small Business Administrator. "As evidenced by a 'stunning climb in optimism' with January boasting its highest levels since December 2004, the business sector began hiring and spending again. This is a direct result of having a President that understands the language of business and promotes a policy direction that will spur economic growth. On March 9, an impressive line-up of high-level speakers will deliver this message of enthusiasm to America's small business owners, and spark the entrepreneurial spirit of this great nation."

Taking a page from President Trump, the Make Small Business Great Again Policy Summit will bring together hundreds of small business owners, executives, and elected officials to discuss the myriad of ways to unleash the stifled and untapped potential of our country's neglected entrepreneurial class.

Vice President Mike Pence will deliver the headlining remarks about the strength of America's small business sector, and how they will lead this nation's economic comeback. Pence will echo President Trump's vision for a stronger and more prosperous nation, and the success stories that make America great.

The event will also boast an extraordinary lineup of notables such as: U.S. Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon, Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes, U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (FL-26), U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02), U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-08), U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (TX-23) and U.S. Rep. Peter J. Roskam (IL-06) to name a few.

This exciting summit will cover the top themes entrepreneurs face daily with high-impact panels, relevant presentations and effective discussions regarding regulations, healthcare and education. Panel titles include: It's Not What You Make; It's What You Get to Keep: Strategies for Navigating the Current Regulatory Environment; Repealing and Replacing The Affordable Care Act: Implications for Small Business and the Latino Community; The Future of American Education: Solutions for the Latino Community; and Will Washington Help America Be Great Again?: What the Changes in the Washington Mean for Your Business.

"As a non-partisan advocacy organization and a key center of influence, The Latino Coalition looks forward to presenting this premiere summit and helping small business owners expand their platforms, build their professional network, and learn, strategize and improve practices to advance their business. In short, we anticipate working with the Administration to spark the entrepreneurial spirit and truly Make Small Business Great Again," said Allen Gutierrez, TLC National Executive Director.

For more information or to register for the TLC Make Small Business Great Again Policy Summit, visit: www.thelatinocoalition.com/policy/.

The Latino Coalition would like to thank the following Premiere Partner: Walmart; Gold Partner: Google; Silver Partners: ACT Wireless, Comcast/Universal, Direct Selling Association, Herbalife, Intuit, The Latino Coalition Foundation, PhRMA, MasterCard, Edison Electric Institute, PG&E, California Resource Corporation, 1800 Contacts, American Express, US Chamber Institute for Legal Reform; Bronze Partners: National Association of Broadcasters, NCTA - The Internet & Television Association, T-Mobile, The Libre Institute, La Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, Hispanic Business Roundtable Institute; Small Business Partners: AlvaradoSmith, 305 Communications, Conexion; Media Partners: CapitalWirePR and Impacto Latin News.

ABOUT THE LATINO COALITION- The Latino Coalition (TLC) was founded in 1995 by a group of Hispanic business owners from across the country to research and develop policies solutions relevant to Latinos. TLC is a non-profit nationwide organization with offices in California, Washington, DC and Guadalajara, Mexico. Established to address and engage on key issues that that directly affect the well-being of Hispanics in the United States, TLC's agenda is to create and promote initiatives and partnerships that will foster economic equivalency and enhance and empower overall business, economic and social development for Latinos. Visit www.thelatinocoalition.com or follow us at #TLCsummit.

SOURCE The Latino Coalition

Related Links

http://www.thelatinocoalition.com


TOLEDO, Ohio, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Welltower Inc. (NYSE: HCN) will participate in the Citi 2017 Global Property CEO Conference to be held at The Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Florida. Tom DeRosa, Chief Executive Officer of Welltower, will present during a session scheduled for Monday, March 6, 2017 at 8:10 a.m. Eastern Time. The presentation can be accessed through the following link:

http://www.veracast.com/webcasts/citigroup/globalproperty2017/18102396025.cfm

A replay of the presentation will be available via the above link one hour after the conclusion of the event. The webcast link will expire June 4, 2017.

About Welltower

Welltower Inc. (NYSE:HCN), an S&P 500 company headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, is driving the transformation of health care infrastructure. The company invests with leading seniors housing operators, post-acute providers and health systems to fund the real estate infrastructure needed to scale innovative care delivery models and improve people's wellness and overall health care experience. Welltower, a real estate investment trust (REIT), owns interests in approximately 1,400 properties concentrated in major, high-growth markets in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, consisting of seniors housing and post-acute communities and outpatient medical properties. More information is available at www.welltower.com.

SOURCE Welltower Inc.

Related Links

http://www.welltower.com


MADRID, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Winetourismspain.com, a travel portal that specializes in wine and food travel in Spain has launched a short story contest in which participants are requested to write about how they imagine extraterrestrial life would react to their discovery of wine on Earth.

Short story writing contest winetourismspain.com 2017, aliens and wine.

Earlier this year, NASA announced that it is only a matter of time until life will be found on other planets in our universe. This news opens up many questions and, for wine lovers, the possible existence of wine elsewhere is an interesting one. This new short story contest from Winetourismspain.com sets the stage in Spain. Aliens arrive somewhere in Spain and wine plays an important role.

"With our contest, we wanted to put wine in the center of an encounter with extraterrestrial life. Wine has a lot to say about human nature and we thought it a good idea to encourage writers to think about the possible relationship between wine and aliens. We are sure that there will be many surprises in the way people imagine this encounter and also that our visitors will enjoy the readingmost likely with a glass of wine in their hand," says Luis Lechuga, director at Winetourismspain.com.

The travel portal believes that wine could play an important role in a possible future encounter with different worlds. "We tend to have a very limited image of what to expect from extraterrestrial life. Most images limit themselves to guns and threats, while the real interesting part is thinking about their possible routines and the small things that shape their daily lives"

This is the first short story contest launched by Winetourismspain.com in the English language, following a very successful short story contest Spanish.

About winetourismspain.com

Winetourismspain is Spains leading provider of wine and food travel. An ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) member, winetourismspain.com processes thousands of reservations per month from people eager to discover Spain in a different manner.

More information on www.winetourismspain.com can be found here.

Media contact: Luis Lechuga

Tel. (+34) 910145375

SOURCE Winetourismspain

Related Links

http://www.winetourismspain.com


NEW YORK, March 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Women Presidents' Educational Organization (WPEO) looked to the future and the potential impact that disruptive business technologies will have on women's business enterprises (WBEs) at its Annual Awards breakfast today. Several honors recognizing outstanding achievements were announced on behalf of WBEs, corporations and women's business advocates. These accolades reflect singular achievement and accomplishment by a dynamic community of certified women-owned businesses and companies that support them, located in the Northeast region -- including New York, Northern New Jersey, Southern Connecticut and the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia areas.

An increasing number of Fortune 1000 companies require that vendors be officially certified as women-owned entrepreneurs, in order to participate in their supplier diversity programs. WPEO confers the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) third-party certification, the nation's premier accreditation for companies that are at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by women. WPEO helps its Corporate Members tap into a pool of high caliber vendors and connects WBEs in a variety of industries with each other.

Winners of the Outstanding Corporation Awards meet stringent criteria. This includes significant accomplishments in support of WPEO women business enterprises and the women's business community, as well as innovation, participation in the proprietary Done Deals challenge and overall commitment to the WPEO mission. Advocate awardees are selected based on significant involvement with WPEO and support of women-owned businesses. The President's Award winners, selected by Marsha Firestone, Ph.D., WPEO President and Founder, and Sandra Eberhard, Executive Director, WPEO-DC, have gone above and beyond in their service to the WPEO.

The 2017 award winners include:

New York Region  Outstanding Corporation  New York Life

Insurance Company  Outstanding Women's Business

Advocate  Jay Sheldon Wesley, Head of Global Supplier & Diversity, Pitney

Bowes  President's Award  Kate Kleyman,

Supplier Diversity Manager,

Guggenheim Partners DC Region  Outstanding Corporation  Capital One  Outstanding Business Advocate  Ann Ramakumaran, Ampcus  President's Award  Darlene Fuller, Senior Director Supplier Diversity,

Sodexo

"The theme of the awards program this year is looking to the future," said Eliseo Rojas, Chief Procurement Officer, Interpublic Group and Chair, WPEO Board. "Every industry will be affected by disruptive business practices, such as artificial intelligence. Automation and robotics are having a significant impact to help reduce expenses, work smarter and drive efficiency. These disruptive business practices are revolutionizing the speed with which women business enterprises drive innovation and interact with their customers," he said.

"Staying competitive in a rapidly changing business ecosystem requires state-of-the-art technologies, sophisticated data and analytics" said WPEO President & Founder Dr. Marsha Firestone. "Women business enterprises in every vertical industry are addressing the impact of the new normal in competing for contracts," she said.

Sponsors for the 2017 WPEO Annual Awards Breakfast include:

Platinum Level: Dominion

Diamond Level : Ampcus; AARP; Avis Budget Group; Capital One; Interpublic Group; Microsoft Corporation; Wells Fargo

: Ampcus; AARP; Avis Budget Group; Capital One; Interpublic Group; Microsoft Corporation; Wells Fargo Corporate Lead: AIG; Bank of America; Consolidated Edison Company of New York ; Microsoft Corporation

; Microsoft Corporation WBE Lead: Adco Electrical Corporation; Atrium Staffing; Highroad Press; Progressive Promotions; The Studio

About The WPEO

The Women Presidents' Educational Organization (WPEO) is a regional affiliate of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation's premier third-party certification organization for Women's Business Enterprises (WBEs). The mission of the WPEO is to create increased access to business opportunities for WBEs. Its programs develop skills and knowledge for WBEs, advocate in the public and private sectors, foster relationships between WBEs, corporations and the government, and provide full service, third-party certification to women entrepreneurs in areas that include New York, Northern New Jersey, Southern Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. WPEO is incorporated in the state of New York and is recognized as a 501(c) (3) organization. For more information please visit www.wpeo.us or call (212) 688-4114. Follow us on Twitter @WPEONYDC. Like us on Facebook @TheWpeo.

Contact: Susan Johnson

[email protected]

212-688-4114 Office

917-601-5778 Mobile



SOURCE Women Presidents' Educational Organization

Related Links

http://www.wpeo.us


The first bell rings and students flood into Rossiter Elementary School. Before getting to their classroom, they have a choice to make: cinnamon roll, bagel or breakfast cookie. Now, it's time to learn.

In the past, students came to school with a stomachache but no fever, and I would ask them, Are you hungry? They almost all said, Yes, says Candyce Kepler, school nurse at Rossiter.

That was until Jan. 11, when the school implemented the Breakfast After the Bell initiative, in which students can start the day with a shared breakfast in the classroom.

Nearly two months into the program, the school has given food to more than 100 students who qualified for free breakfast but never claimed it. Though not all students at the school receive free or reduced breakfast, some still pay the regular cost for food. First Lady Lisa Bullock visited the school Friday to see the success of the initiative firsthand.

A recent study by The Food Research & Action Center, an organization that works to eradicate domestic hunger and under-nutrition, found that Montana ranks among the top 10 states for percentage growth in free and reduced-price breakfast participation from school year 2014-2015 to school year 2015-2016.

Schools in Montana are committed to their students success and recognize that serving breakfast gives kids the energy they need to focus in the classroom, said First Lady Bullock. We are taking steps in the right direction to increase breakfast participation, and ultimately, put an end to childhood hunger in Montana.

Rossiter fourth grade teacher Patrick Rieley says he has seen a marked increase in not only the attentiveness of his students, but also the efficiency with which the students calm down and become engaged in the academic process.

One concern for school officials upon implementation was how to keep the classroom clean with the introduction of food.

Its gone flawlessly, Rieley said regarding the students keeping the classroom mess-free. He says because the students do not like to work in a dirty environment, they do a great job keeping the breakfast from causing a mess in the classroom.

I think it's great, because if you are late you still get to eat it, one of Rieley's students chimed as the first lady chatted with students.

In some classrooms, students can add their unwanted food items -- raisins, fruit, etc. -- to a share table that other students can eat from later in the day or during a snack time.

The initiative is not new to the state. In fall 2014, the governor and first lady launched the initiative to encourage schools to implement new breakfast programs or convert existing programs to alternative breakfast models that are proven to increase student participation.

Through the Breakfast after the Bell initiative:

The governor and first lady, in partnership with Montana No Kid Hungry, have awarded $235,000 to Montana schools through private partnerships.

There are now 139 schools across Montana that have made breakfast part of the school day.

There are now more than 1,014,133 more breakfast meals served to Montana students each year.

The number of breakfast meals served increased by 7 percent in the 2014-2015 school year and by 11.4 percent in the 2015-2016 school year.

We know that when kids have a healthy meal to start their day, they perform better in school, said Gov. Steve Bullock. More students in Montana now have access to the meals they need to grow and learn -- and as a result, weve seen improved student behavior, fewer disciplinary referrals, and better test scores.

Next week is National School Breakfast week, and all students in the district get free breakfast through the week.

Clarification: The story has been updated to clarify that not all Rossiter students get free breakfast.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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Kolkata, Feb 27 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged private hospitals across the state to draw a line between business and service while ordering a stop to child smuggling and kidney rackets in both private and state-run establishments.

"Who gave permission to set up hospitals in the suburbs in name of Kolkata's PG hospital? No kidney racket will be allowed to run in the name of any hospital or nursing home. There will be no child smuggling in name of nursing homes, whether in private or government set ups," Banerjee said.

She was speaking at the inauguration of Kamalnayan Bajaj Sankara Nethralaya, the second centre of Sankara Nethralaya in Bengal.

Promising support to private entities in the healthcare sector in the state, the Trinamool Congress supremo, however, warned them against fleecing patients.

"I have no complaints against you (Sankara Nethralaya). You have just started. You are a new-born baby. Let us watch, let us see. It is not our duty to interfere in internal matters. Our state government is ready to provide full cooperation to you (to private sector) but not for fleecing the poor and appeasing some," she said.

Banerjee cautioned against the unbridled money-making attitude of the private sector.

"If this is allowed to go unbridled, this will not be a business, it will be a butcher shop. Please take care of the commoner and draw a line between business and service. Hospital is not a business. It's a sacrifice, it's a self-less service," she said.

She said the state government's complaints are not against each and every private hospital rather a section of them.

"This issue (unethical money making) has become important. I readied a bill (for the proposed West Bengal Regulatory Health Commission) before coming to the inauguration. Negligence is a crime. Let us start afresh," she urged the private sector.

However, Banerjee didn't spare the government hospitals in her speech for unethical practices.

"There must be some kind of mistake (by both private and government sector) that is why this situation has come. District private hospitals too I appeal to think about drawing a line," she said.

But she also conceded that government hospital expenses are exceeding the budget and a balance needs to be brought about.

"We are incurring a lot of expense in our own hospitals. I can't say no to patients from neighbouring states and to treat patients free we are exceeding our budget. We will think about it later, how to bring about a balance," she said.

In apparent reference to the Apollo Gleneagles patient death where the city based private hospital allegedly refused to release a patient over money and even taking possession of his fixed deposit certificates, Banerjee dubbed it "excess".

"One girl had come crying to us yesterday (Sunday) saying all savings in the form of fixed deposit certificate was taken up by the hospital. Isn't this excess? Please do not ask those who can't afford, to submit fixed deposit certificates or anything like that," she said.

"Even if somebody tells me that you get admitted to my hospital and I will bill you Rs 5 lakh I will not be able to pay. Should I resort to thievery or dacoity then," she wondered.
Washington, Feb 28 : George W. Bush broke his silence on President Donald Trump's leadership, after refusing to criticise publicly those who succeeded him since he left the Oval Office eight years ago, a media report said on Monday.

"I don't like the racism and I don't like the name-calling and I don't like the people feeling alienated," Bush, 70, told People magazine in an interview.

"Nobody likes that".

The former President, joined by his wife Laura, spoke to the magazine in the painting studio of their Dallas home to launch his first art book, "Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors".

The collection of portraits of the injured warriors of America's war on terror aims to raise awareness and funds for the post-9/11 veterans' health care and employment programmes of the George W. Bush Presidential Centre.

Talking about the Trump's January 20 inauguration, which was attended by both the former President and his wife, Bush said: "First of all, we were thrilled to be there. It's a beautiful ceremony, it really is. It's a peaceful transfer of power, which is very reassuring."

However, Bush called the political climate in Trump's Washington "pretty ugly", but said he was not feeling anxious about the direction of the country.

"Not really. I'm optimistic about where we'll end up. A We've been through these periods before and we've always had a way to come out of it. I'm more optimistic than some."

Asked if he felt compelled to play a leadership role in these divisive times, Bush said: "No. When President (Brack) Obama got elected, friends would call and say 'You must speak out! You must do this, you must do that'. Turns out, other people are doing the same thing this time. I didn't feel like speaking out before because I didn't want to complicate the job and I'm not going to this time. However, at the Bush Centre we are speaking up."

A spokesman for the former President previously told People magazine that neither he nor the former first lady voted for Trump or for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the November 8 election.

The couple cast write-in votes for a candidate they did not reveal.
New Delhi, Feb 28 : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has hailed the heroism of American Ian Grillot who was injured while trying to stop a gunman who killed an Indian in a hate crime.

Grillot suffered bullet wounds and is in hospital during the shooting in a Kansas bar last week.

"India salutes the heroism of Ian Grillot! Best wishes for a speedy recovery," Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Monday night.

Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed and his colleague Alok Madasani was injured when Adam W. Purinton, formerly of the US Navy, shot them at the Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas state, on February 22.

Purinton reportedly got into an argument with the two and hurled racial slurs. He yelled "get out of my country" before shooting them.

Grillot, 24, who tried to save the Indians, was hit by a bullet that pierced his hand and then lodged in his chest.
Brussels, March 2 : The European Commission on Thursday presented a new plan of action that would accelerate the process of returning to their home countries those migrants who were not granted asylum.

The plan includes recommendations to member states on how best to achieve this goal, such as detaining people who do not show signs of obeying expulsion orders or accelerating the analysis of asylum requests to avoid system abuse, Efe news reported.

"We need to give protection to those in need, but we must also return those who have no right to stay in the European Union (EU), in full compliance with the fundamental rights and the principle of non-refoulement," said Commissioner for Migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos, at a press conference.

It also suggests establishing programmes by June to assist voluntary returns and improve the coordination between authorities and services involved in the return of immigrants.

According to Avramopoulos, the plan was established in order to reduce the pressure on the asylum request system, assure there are enough resources to protect those who most need it and send a strong signal against the idea of making dangerous journeys to the EU.

He insisted that all points on the plan were fully within EU legislation and respected fundamental rights.

"We need to equip our migration policy to better deal with those who don't come for humanitarian reasons, so they too can come in a legal and regular way, whether it's for work, family or study," he added.

In order to help countries with returns, the Commission is considering, among other things, increasing financial support to member states with 200 million euros ($210 million) in 2017 for national efforts as well as for joint return or reintegration activities at a European level.

The EC also seeks to overcome the challenges of returned migrants in their countries by working to conclude negotiations on re-admission agreements with Nigeria, Tunisia and Jordan soon, and to create similar deals with Morocco and Algeria in this regard.
New York, March 3 : The Senate on Thursday confirmed former Texas Governor Rick Perry as President Donald Trump's energy secretary.

With a 62-37 vote, Perry comes to the Department of Energy after serving for 15 years as the governor of the US state with the greatest production of hydrocarbons, Efe news agency reported.

The 66-year-old Perry, who governed from 2000-2015, was one of Trump's rivals in the Republican presidential primaries, but he withdrew from the race early after he was unable to garner sufficient support in the voter surveys.

Trump has expressed skepticism on numerous occasions about the effects of climate change and is dismantling many of the environmental protection measures implemented by his predecessor, Barack Obama.

Along those lines, one of his first moves upon arriving in the White House was to unblock the construction of two large oil pipelines - the Dakota Access and the Keystone XL -- that the Obama administration had frozen.

During his confirmation hearings, Perry had said that he is committed to modernizing the US nuclear arsenal, promoting and developing US energy in all areas, moving forward on basic science and technology in the energy field and carefully disposing of nuclear waste.

In an embarrassing incident during the 2012 Republican presidential primary debates, in which he participated, Perry attempted to list three federal agencies he said he considered unnecessary, but he forgot the third one: the Department of Energy.

During his time as governor, Perry -- benefitting from generally high oil prices -- presided over a surge in the state economy, job growth and business creation based on tax incentives.

Married and the father of two, Perry left the governor's mansion with a popularity rating of 60 percent, albeit amid uncertainty over the plunge in the price of crude.
New York, March 3 : US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he will recuse himself from any investigations into Russia's possible link with Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

The statement comes a day after media reports revealed he spoke with Russian Ambassador twice last year but didn't reveal it at the Senate hearings for his confirmation.

"I did meet with one Russian official a couple of times", Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying at a press conference on Thursday, while dismissing any accusation that he tried to mislead the Senate about his contacts with Russia.

"That is not my intent. That is not correct", he said.

His agreement to step aside from such probes "should not be interpreted as confirmation of the existence of any investigation," Sessions added.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump told reporters that he has "total" confidence in Sessions over the controversy though he "wasn't aware" that Sessions, the then Republican senator, had contact with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the US at the time.

But bipartisan pressure for Sessions to resign or step aside from such investigations is mounting as top Democrats at the Capitol, Nancy Pelosi in the House and Chuck Schumer in the Senate, urged him to depart.

Sessions lied under oath at the Senate hearings, Pelosi accused earlier Thursday.

Schumer said the Justice Department should appoint a special prosecutor to examine whether the ongoing probe has been compromised by Sessions.

Sessions spoke on the phone privately with Russian Ambassador to Washington from his office in September, said media reports on Wednesday night.

Two months before the phone talk, Sessions also met with Kislayk and talked to him informally when attending an event held at conservative think tank Heritage Foundation along with 50 other ambassadors, Session's spokeswoman Sara Isgur Flores has confirmed.

"It was short and informal," the spokeswoman said Wednesday night, adding that as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee at the time, Sessions regularly met foreign ambassadors.

"I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign. I have no idea what this allegation is about. It's false", Sessions released a statement around midnight in a failed attempt to count down the new wave of political storm.

During the Senate hearings earlier this year, when asked what he would do if he learned a member of Trump's campaign had communicated with the Russian government over the course of the 2016 campaign, Sessions responded: "I'm not aware of any of those activities ... I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians."

Officials at the Justice Department said Sessions did not consider his talks with Kislyak relevant to the lawmakers' questions and did not remember their discussion in detail.

Sessions was an early Trump supporter and one of his top advisers during the New York billionaire's campaign last year.

Trump's first National Security Adviser Michael Flynn stepped down last month after it was reported that he had discussed U.S. sanctions with Kislyak in December, and misled Vice President Mike Pence about the details.
Washington, March 3 : US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, facing widespread criticism over newly disclosed contacts with the Russian ambassador to Washington, recused himself from any probe into charges that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election, the media reported.

He made the remarks at a media conference on Thursday following Justice Department officials claiming on Wednesday that Sessions spoke to Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice last year, the encounters which he did not disclose during his Congressional confirmation hearing to become the Attorney General in January.

"They (Justice Department) said that since I had involvement with the campaign, I should not be involved in any campaign investigation," Sessions said, adding that he concurred with their assessment and would thus recuse himself from any existing or future investigation involving President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, The Washington Post reported.

However, Trump stood by Jeff Sessions on Thursday, saying the Attorney General did not make any misleading statements under oath during his confirmation hearings, but that he could have been more accurate in his responses to lawmakers.

"Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional," CNN reported citing the President as saying.

"This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win. The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election and now, they have lost their grip on reality.

"The real story is all of the illegal leaks of classified and other information. It is a total witch hunt," the President added.

Later Thursday night, Sessions told Fox News that he plans to submit a "supplement" to the record of his congressional testimony, detailing the meetings he did not mention at the time.

"My response went to the question indicated about the continuing surrogate relationship that I firmly denied and correctly denied, and I did not mention in that time that I had met with the ambassador," Sessions said.

"So I will definitely make that a part of the record as I think is appropriate."

Sessions said the decision to recuse himself followed his promise to the Senate Judiciary Committee to avoid any semblance of a conflict of interest between his new role and previous position as a strong supporter of the Trump campaign.

It was also the result of consultations with career Justice Department officials, he said.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer meanwhile billed the controversy arising from this news as a "partisan thing that we've seen over and over again".

"This continues to be a question of: there's no there there," Spicer said.

Several Democratic members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday night called on Sessions to resign from his post.

The Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation -- both under Sessions' supervision -- are in charge of investigating alleged Russian interference in the presidential election, besides alleged links between Trump's campaign and the Kremlin.
Chennai, March 3 : Actor Dhanush on Friday expressed immense excitement over the audio of his upcoming Tamil directorial debut "Power Paandia.

"'Power Paandi' audio. Six more days to go. So excited about this audio. A Sean Roldan musical. I can't wait for you guys to listen to it," Dhanush tweeted.

The film, which stars veteran actor Raj Kiran, also features Dhanush in a cameo as the younger version of the former.

It's tipped to be based on the lives of a few stuntmen.

Also starring Prasanna and Chaya Singh, the film is slated for release on April 14, to coincide with Dhanush's mother's birthday.

The film has been bankrolled by Dhanush.
Taipei, March 3 : Taiwan is seeking a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)-like bilateral agreement with India to boost trade and investments even as its companies are looking to relocate some of their manufacturing facilities from mainland China to India and Southeast Asia.

"What we are looking for with India is an FTA-like agreement," Chern-Chyi Chen, Deputy Director General of the Bureau of Foreign Trade in the Taiwanese Ministry of Economic Affairs, said in an interaction here with a group of visiting journalists.

"The work for such an agreement started in 2012," he stated.

India and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations but both have representative offices in either country.

However, under a new foreign policy, dubbed the New Southbound Policy, adopted by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's government, the self-ruled east Asian island nation is striving to broaden exchanges and cooperation with India and five South Asian nations, the 10 member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), and Australia and New Zealand in areas such as commerce, culture and technology.

This will mean lesser dependence on mainland China for Taiwan's economic development. Taiwan is the world's 22nd-largest economy and was dubbed one of the four Asian tigers in the late 20th century, the others being Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea.

With the new foreign policy in place, Chen said that his "government is active and we want to move fast".

Asked if the New Southbound Policy would come in conflict with China's One Belt One Road (OBOR) policy, he stated: "I see this (OBOR) as very fundamentally different from our New Southbound Policy. We are not competing with China but what we are doing is integrating with the Asean countries and India more."

Stating that Taiwan was among the top four investors in China, he said that "we need to diversify our investments" but added that "we are not going to give up our market in mainland China".

Chen said that trade and investment cooperation, resources sharing, regional linkages and people-to-people exchanges were four important pillars of the New Southbound Policy.

"Ties between most of these countries and Taiwan are complementary," he said.

There are over 90 Taiwanese companies in India and over 50 per cent of them are in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, he said.

"In terms of industrial development cooperation with India, we are in the stage of stock-taking maybe in sectors like food processing and chemicals," Chen said.

Kristy Hsu, Director of the Taiwan Asean Studies Centre in the Chung Hua Institution for Economic Research, said that Taiwanese companies were already responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to Make in India.

"Companies like Foxconn and Wistron will make iPhones in India in the not too distant future," she stated.

Hsu cited figures of the World Investment Report according to which FDI outflows from Taiwan rose significantly by 16 per cent to $15 billion in 2015.

"Companies are gradually relocating manufacturing facilities from China to Southeast Asia and India to respond to the establishment of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) and Asean+6 (RCEP)," she said.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a mega-regional economic agreement being negotiated by the 10 members-states of the Asean and and their six FTA partners -- Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.

According to Kevin Lin, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Information Services in Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan wants to be a part of RCEP.

"We have many challenges. We will have to talk with individual countries and want win-win deals," he said.

Lin also said that Taiwan would like to join the China-initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) too, "but it depends on what conditions we are allowed to join".

(Aroonim Bhuyan visited Taiwan at the invitation of the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He can be contacted at aroonim.b@ians.in)
Islamabad, March 3 : The Pakistan government is not considering to extradite Indian "spy" Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was arrested for allegedly being involved in "subversive activities" in Pkaistan, Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz told the Senate on Friday.

Jadhav was reportedly arrested in Balochistan after entering the country from Iran.

According to Aziz, an FIR has been registered against the alleged Indian agent, Dawn online reported.

When asked if the government was planning to give the same 'red carpet' treatment to Jadhav, which they gave to CIA contractor Raymond Davis, Aziz explained: "It has never been said that there was any lack of evidence against him."

"We have prepared an FIR and a case to prosecute the Indian state actor for (his) involvement in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," Aziz told the House during Question Hour.

The Pakistan Army had earlier released a "confessional video" of Jadhav, in which he said he was a serving Indian Navy officer.

India has acknowledged Jadhav as a retired Indian Navy officer, but denied that he was in any way connected to the government.

Aziz said Islamabad has shared a dossier with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on New Delhi's involvement in internal affairs of Pakistan and in subversive and terrorist activities in the country.

"This dossier includes details about Kulbashan Jadhav and his activities."

The Advisor also informed the dossier was prepared on the basis of thorough ground work and inputs from various departments.

According to Geo Tv, the dossier was a way forward to work on the prosecution of Jadhav.

"This is very delicate and sensitive issue and requires detailed preparations and home work as it relates to direct or indirect involvement of Indian state actor in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan."

He said Pakistan's view point on this issue is being accepted internationally and the government has also sent a list of questions to the Indian government on this matter.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Aitzaz Ahsan said: "I had announced that if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif mentions Jadhav's name in his speech, I will donate Rs 50,000 to Pakistan Association of the Blind."

When asked if Sharif had spoken about Jadhav, Aziz said: "When the time is appropriate, the Prime Minister will speak about him."
New Delhi, March 3 : After arriving in India in January last year, Chinese internet and technology conglomerate LeEco fast became the "true disrupter" in the evolving Indian smartphone market with its huge marketing spend -- and the announcement of a state-of-the-art assembling/manufacturing unit.

News that the company has fired 85 per cent of its India staff across the sales, marketing and distribution departments -- and confirmed by a company source to IANS on Friday -- has effectively punctured a mammoth dream just within a year.

The source also confirmed to IANS that both Atul Jain, Chief Operating Officer, Smart Electronics Business, and Debashish Ghosh, Chief Operating Officer for Internet Applications, Services and Content, were "asked to leave" and had not quit as reported.

Speculation is also rife that LeEco may finally exit the country after spending millions on promoting its ecosystem of "superphones" and "super TVs".

"LeEco is in serious financial trouble and has, as a consequence, practically ceased India operations. The staff layoffs are a direct consequence of this. Even in the previous quarter, their shipments were close to zero," Jaideep Mehta, Managing Director, IDC South Asia, told IANS.

After its entry into India, the company launched five superphones, a LeEco membership of content and internet services, its e-commerce platform LeMall and, most recently, "SuperTVs".

"LeEco, as the name suggests, was built on the premise of an ecosystem. The device would open a user to an ecosystem and it was not just a smartphone. However, for a country like India, and even for many countries globally, this ecosystem isn't ready yet. Paid content consumption hasn't become big enough for a company to survive while earning nothing on the device itself," Faisal Kawoosa, Principal Analyst, Telecoms, CyberMedia Research (CMR), told IANS.

On the contrary, if you see other handset brands, to an extent they too make money from content, but as value-added earnings -- which is just a fraction of the actual earnings out of the device. For them, it is akin to average revenue per user (ARPU) of a telecom operator where the operator wants to earn more per user by offering additional services.

"LeEco came in to disrupt this business model and make the secondary streams of earnings as their primary. For that to happen, the ecosystem hasn't arrived yet. So their positioning as well as proposition went wrong. It dismayed a user to see nothing extraordinary in terms of Device+ strategy," Kawoosa added.

In August, LeEco announced a $7 million manufacturing unit in Greater Noida in the presence of IT and Electronics Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

"As the market size for electronics is expected to grow to $400 billion by 2020, it is imperative to promote indigenous manufacturing. LeEco is a name of global reputation and it is heartening to see it align with 'Make in India' after entering India just eight months earlier," Prasad had told the gathering.

LeEco planned to ramp up the production to approximately 200,000 "superphones" per month by the end of 2016, before a severe financial crunch caught up with the company.

"I think there was a disconnect with their go-to-market strategy. Being an online player they spending was almost like a player with an offline distribution strategy. Although their products were good, it was the overall marketing strategy that led to quick cash-burn," Tarun Pathak, Senior Analyst, Mobile Devices and Ecosystems at New Delhi-based Counterpoint Research, told IANS.

According to Kawoosa, for few years, LeEco should have positioned itself as a brand offering better specs of hardware at affordable prices.

"Eventually, as the ecosystem would have matured, they could have played the LeEco card," Kawoosa told IANS.

For assembling/manufacturing in India, LeEco had partnered with the US-based company M2i which will continue to manufacture for others if, by any chance, LeEco doesn't continue to manufacture in India.

"I would say, these experiments will go on and we may see brands coming in and out for manufacturing in India. For 'Make in India', I wouldn't consider this as a blow yet," Pathak noted.

Given the LeEco experience, other smartphone players need to look at their scale of operations and play to their strengths.

"Since India is a such a diverse market, one strategy doesn't lead to guaranteed success throughout the country. With the smartphone segment being so competitive, and amidst razor-thin margins, brands need to watch their campaigns and invest wisely," added Kawoosa.

"It is simply a case of an over-ambitious company going under," Mehta noted.

(Nishant Arora can be contacted at nishant.a@ians.in)
Seoul, March 3 : North Korean leaflets were found in the South Korean city of Incheon on Friday, police said.

Police retrieved some 810 leaflets that carried messages that criticised the South Korean government, with images of missiles and the national map, near an apartment complex, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The leaflets were all handed over to the military for a more detailed examination.

South Korea's civic group Fighters for a Free North Korea (FFNK) is also planning to launch leaflets criticising Pyongyang next week, according to Park Sang-hak, a North Korean defector who leads the group.
Tel Aviv/New Delhi, March 3 : Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, who is visiting Israel, has met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit this year, most likely in June.

Netanyahu's office tweeted a photo of his meeting Doval in Tel Aviv.

"PM Netanyahu met with Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval as part of the preparations for Indian PM @NarendraModi's visit to Israel," the tweet said.

Israeli envoy to India Daniel Carmon also tweeted about Doval's visit, terming it a "short but very important visit".

The upcoming visit of Modi, the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel, comes as both countries celebrate 25 years of diplomatic ties.

Modi's visit comes after Israeli President Reuven Rivlin's trip to India last November, which marked growing closeness between the two nations.

Rivlin was the first Israeli head of state to visit India in nearly 20 years. The last Israeli president to visit India was Ezer Weizman, in January 1997.

The Israeli President's visit followed that by President Pranab Mukherjee's Israel trip in 2015 -- which marked the highest level visit from India since 1992, since establishment of diplomatic ties by the P.V. Narasimha Rao government.

Signalling its warming relations with Israel, India had in July 2015 abstained from a vote against Tel Aviv in the United Nations Human Rights Council that blamed Israel for "war crimes" during Operation Protective Edge.

Since the upgradation of relations in 1992, defence and agriculture have been the main pillars of bilateral engagement, with other areas such as science and technology, education and homeland security also important areas of cooperation.

Some major defence deals are expected to be inked between the two sides during Modi's visit.
Agra, March 3 : Calling the violence that happened on the sets of his upcoming film "Bhoomi" a "shame" and apologising for it, actor Sanjay Dutt says he would have tackled it with love and his 'jaadu ki jhappi'.

"I was not there on the sets when the incident took place. My pack-up was done long time back. Had I been there, the incident wouldn't have taken place...through our films, a city also gets promoted and if such a mishap happens, then it's a shame for everybody," Sanjay, who said he is also a Uttar Pradesh and Bihar person, told reporters here on Friday.

"Had I been there, I would have sorted the issue with love and my 'jaadu ki jhappi' (magical hug). I also apologised in front of media yesterday (Thursday)," said the "Munna Bhai M.B.B.S." star.

On Thursday evening, the shooting near the Kalakriti Cultural & Convention Centre on Shilpgram Road, some 500 metres away from Taj Mahal, was called off after the incident.

A TV journalist told IANS that the bouncers not only physically targeted some of them, but even snatched away his expensive camera.

Police officials at the Taj Ganj police station told IANS that a written complaint from the victim -- the TV journalist -- has been received and the matter was being investigated.

The TV journalist on Friday said the police showed no interest and no effort was being made to get back his equipment. Local journalists have demanded action against the unit of the film, helmed by the "Mary Kom" fame director Omung Kumar.

Though the bouncers have apologised and called for truce, tempers continue to run high.

Shooting for the film has been going on for the past 10 days in different parts of the city.

A wedding scene was also shot on Thursday and a big crowd collected for the marriage in a haveli in Bamrauli Katara.

As of now, Sanjay, who was released from the Yerwada Central Jail in Pune last year, is pumped up about returning to films.

"When I reached the 'Bhoomi' sets, I was back with a bang," he said.
It's not often anyone is presented with a right-place, right-time, right-person scenario  especially in politics.

However unexpected, I believe the confirmation Ryan Zinke as Secretary of the Interior has presented this exact situation for Montanans.

That's why I'm supporting Dan West for the Democratic nominee for Zinke's replacement in Montana's upcoming special election for the U.S. House of Representatives.

It was only at the urging of mutual friends that Dan decided to run. This set off a ground swell of grassroots support. The campaign now has a manager, field director and major momentum.

This momentum is a testament to Dan, who grew up in Montana and spent time working in the Senate and as a congressional liaison for NASA.

He's the right person at the right time to hit reset on our Congressional representation because of this balance of practical experience and homegrown values that will encourage equality, stewardship, and inclusion. You can learn more at www.DanWestforMontana.com.

I hope you'll use this moment to reflect on Montana's future  what you really want for Montana and her future generations. Dan is someone we can rely on to protect our place and ALL of its people.

Jenna Cederberg

Helena
Washington, March 3 : An Indian-American man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for a multi-million dollar fraud scheme.

Amit Chaudhry, 44, from Ashburn, Virginia, pleaded guilty on September 21 last year to identity theft, money laundering and visa fraud.

"I never really dreamt of being a felon. This is going to haunt me for the rest of my life," Chaudhry said in Alexandria federal court on Thursday before being sentenced, the Washington Post reported.

According to the report, Chaudhry, who emigrated from India in 1992, helped his relatives overseas to operate a multimillion-dollar scam that involved money laundering from stolen credit cards and identities through shell bank accounts.

He was also part of a related scheme, advertising cheap travel packages. Clients' money would be stolen and their hotel and airfare would be paid for with stolen credit cards.

They also made more than $25 million off fake credit cards with the help of a co-conspirator working at American Express in India, the Washington Post report said.

The group also used images of fake passports.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) uncovered the scheme in part when an agent recognised a photo in one passport as actress Laura Vandervoot. The photo was taken from a scene of her television show "V" involving visas.

"What we're dealing with here is not a casual wrong turn," said Jeffrey Abish, the chief information officer for the defrauded company ActioNet.

Chaudhry sent inflated and imagined IT invoices to the company, netting $4.1 million that he has now pledged to repay, according to the report.

Defence attorney Danny Onorato told The Post that "this was all done out of family loyalty".

Onorato added that Chaudhry has been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, which might help explain his behaviour.

However, Assistant US Attorney Katherine Wong protested Onorato's argument, saying: "Asperger's doesn't cause anyone to steal or open credit card accounts in someone else's name."

Chaudhry is cooperating with authorities, who are still finding more victims and tracking down co-conspirators in the US and abroad.
Shillong, March 3 : Meghalaya's taxation department is fully geared up for the smooth implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Governor Banwarilal Purohit said on Friday.

"This new indirect tax regime in India will be the most significant tax reform which will merge the two spheres of indirect taxation currently collected under the Central Sales Tax Act," he said while addressing the assembly at the beginning of its budget session.

However, Purohit said that Meghalaya will retain the taxation on sale of high speed diesel, motor spirit and alcohol for human consumption.

The Governor also informed that the tax collection under Meghalaya Value Added Tax Act is expected to increase by 15 per cent annually.

"E-services have been successfully implemented which are in line with the ease of doing business initiative of the central government," Purohit told the legislators.

He also informed that tax payment under the Meghalaya Passenger & Goods Taxation Act of any taxable vehicle crossing the check point gates in the state can now be viewed online, adding that this system is expected to augment revenue collection.

Purohit said the excise department has taken steps towards generating more revenue even while complying with the restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court on opening of wine shops along the National and State Highways.

He said the rate of tax as the rate of transport pass fee and import pass fee for Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), beer and wine has been increased.
Lucknow, March 3 : The situation in Uttar Pradesh's violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri, where an objectionable video on Hindu deities on social media led to communal clashes, leaving two injured, is getting back to normal, officials said on Friday.

Four persons have been arrested - one for organising the protests and three in connection with the video, police said.

Inspector General of Police, Lucknow zone, Satish Ganesh told IANS that movement of essential commodities has been restored and that Vinod Gupta, one of those accused of inciting violence, has been arrested.

He said that he, Divisional Commissioner Bhuvnesh Kumar and Deputy Inspector General, Lucknow range, Pravir Kumar had been camping in the area since Thursday night.

Injured Sachin Gupta, who was rushed to the trauma centre in Lucknow after he sustained gunshot wounds on Thursday night, has been operated upon and he is now out of danger. "No major organ was involved, a surgical procedure was done on him and the blood loss replenished," a doctor told IANS.

Members of one community became angered on Thursday after the video surfaced and they downed shutters in major markets and took out protest marches. At some places they scuffled with police.

Late Thursday night, the two communities came face to face and there was some vandalism of shops in Kharwaranganj and Kucchehri areas. Shots were fired thereafter, which left two injured. Police said two persons -- Gupta and Ravi Vishwakarma -- sustained bullet injuries and are being treated. Gupta was sent to Lucknow for treatment while Ravi is being treated at the district hospital.

Police say they have arrested a Muslim youth along with two other accomplices in connection with the video.

Cases have been registered against Ahmad, Faizal and Aarif under sections 66 a (2), 295 a, 153 a (b) and section 4 of the IT Act. The accused were taken to jail late on Thursday night. The chief judicial magistrate was called there and he sent them to judicial custody after a brief hearing.

Police is since trying to pacify the angry mobs and have assured that the accused will be charged under the stringent National Security Act.
Hyderabad, March 3 : A police sub-inspector shot dead his wife and tried to commit suicide by the same service revolver in Siddipet district of Telangana on Friday, police said.

The incident occurred in police quarters in Dubbak town.

Chitti Babu, who is serving as SI in Dubbak police station, opened fire on his wife Rekha. She died instantaneously.

The policeman shot himself with the same weapon. He was rushed to a hospital, where his condition is stated to be critical.

The SI was suspended on charges of corruption. He allegedly resorted to the action due to severe depression.

Police said they were investigating the reasons for the SI's action.

The family members alleged that he was being harassed by some senior officials. Some Dalit groups staged a protest, demanding action against those who harassed Chitti Babu.
Islamabad, March 3 : Pakistan's top foreign policy advisor Sartaj Aziz on Friday ruled out extradition of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, saying categorically - "There is no such possibility."

Briefing lawmakers in the Senate, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Aziz rejected reports that Jadhav will be released at some stage. Aziz said a case was being prepared to prosecute Jadhav, who was arrested from Balochistan in March last year.

Aziz said "It has never been said that there was any lack of evidence against Jadhav".

Jadhav in a video had "confessed" that he was working for India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) to create instability in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan and Karachi, which India has denied.

"We have prepared an FIR and a case is in the process of registration to prosecute the Indian state actor for involvement in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," Aziz told the Senate in response to a query during question hour, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan.

The Foreign Affairs Adviser also said that a dossier has been shared with United Nations Secretary General on "Indian involvement" in the internal affairs of Pakistan. "This dossier includes details about Kulbhushan Jadhav and his activities," he said.

"The government is also examining the possibility of sharing the dossier with other countries and international organisations," he added.

Explaining the details of the dossier presented to the UN, Aziz said it was based on thorough ground work and inputs from various departments. "This is a very delicate and sensitive issue and requires detailed preparations and home work as it relates to direct or indirect involvement of Indian state actor in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," he added.

Claiming that Pakistan's viewpoint on the issue of Indian involvement was being accepted internationally, he said the government also sent a list of questions to New Delhi on the matter.

"Dossier is not the only route to deal with this issue as actual route to settle this issue is prosecution for which the case is being prepared," the adviser explained.
New Delhi, March 3 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday accused the central government of manipulating the GDP figures, saying those are "based on lies".

"The whole nation knows that the figures are manipulated. They are based on lies," Kejriwal told reporters here.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader's statement comes a day after the Congress also slammed the central government, saying it "fudged figures" on India's GDP growth.

The official data released on Tuesday showed that India's GDP for the third quarter ending December 31 stood at Rs 30.28 lakh crore, recording a growth of seven per cent.

Kejriwal said the people of India had stopped trusting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government.

"When demonetisation was going on, every week they (central government) used to announce how many old notes had come back to the RBI (Reserve Bank of India).

"Now three months have passed and the Centre is still not making it public how many notes finally returned. They say the notes are still being counted," Kejriwal said.
Moscow, March 3 : Russia's Foreign Minister pushed back on Friday at assertions that his country's US Ambassador is a spy, and echoed US President Donald Trump's contention that the controversy over contacts between Kremlin officials and Trump's campaign is "a witch hunt".

Sergey Lavrov was speaking at a press conference alongside Salvadoran Foreign Minister Hugo Martinez, who was on a visit to Moscow.

"I cannot refer to a quote spread in the media today. All this looks very much like a witch-hunt. Or the days of McCarthyism, which we thought had long passed in the US," said Lavrov.

Lavrov was referring to the recent accusations that US Attorney General Jeff Sessions had lied under oath when he said he "did not have communications with the Russians" during the Trump election campaign, Efe news reported.

US Justice Department has since confirmed that Sessions had, indeed, held a meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak two months before the US presidential election.

Democrats have called for the Republican official to stand down, but President Trump defended him and also accused the Democrats of a witch-hunt.

"Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional," said Trump on Twitter.

Lavrov said ambassadors were appointed to maintain bilateral relations and they did this by holding meetings and conversations with members of the executive.

The accusations lodged against Sessions came a month on from similar claims against the former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who later stepped down.

Kislyak is considered by US intelligence to be one of Russia's top spies and spy recruiters in Washington, said a CNN report, citing current and former senior US government officials.

But Russia's Foreign Ministry angrily rejected spy allegations amid controversy over meetings Kislyak held with US Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday insisted Kislyak was "a well-known, world-class diplomat".
Rabat, March 3 : Morocco participated in the 23rd edition of Equip Auto exhibition, which was held from February 27 to March 2 in Algiers.

The show, which gathered more than 300 exhibitors and over 10,000 professional visitors has become the main exchanging point for the professionals of after-sales and service for all vehicles.

The event highlighted the Moroccan automotive offer on the Maghreb market, notably in Algeria, and was an opportunity for exporters to establish contacts in order to gain better access to this market.

The participation of Morocco in last year's Equip Auto was a huge success after racking up firm orders worth 300,000 euros.
New Delhi, March 3 : Some semblance of normalcy crept back to Delhi University on Friday, with more students attending classes even as the Congress-affiliated NSUI gifted roses to students outside Ramjas College - a week after violent clashes outside the college snowballed into a major political row and reignited the intolerance debate.

Ramjas College, which has been the focal point of sustained protests following the February 22 clashes, on Friday saw activists of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) launching 'Gift a Rose' campaign, and handing out roses to students, in their bid to restore peace in the campus.

While the continued deployment of nearly 100 policemen at the campus has ensured peace, the presence of the security personnel is a grim reminder of the violence that left over a dozen people injured.

The clashes between the RSS-affiliated ABVP and the Left-wing AISA erupted following the forceful suspension of an event to be addressed by JNU student Umar Khalid accused of sedition.

Wary of the incident, Shri Venkateshwara College under Delhi University has notified postponing of all its events scheduled in March.

Students and professors said the sustained protests has robbed the campus of its spirit and adversely affected academics.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Vinit Kumar told IANS that nearly 100 police personnel were deployed in the campus post the clashes and that police was in constant touch with university authorities to ensure peace.

Meanwhile, the political brick bats continued both outside and inside the campus.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) met Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal seeking police action against "anti-national" posters in the JNU campus.

After a meeting with Baijal, ABVP national media convener Saket Bahuguna said the Lieutenant Governor has assured them of taking up the matter of "anti-national" posters at the JNU, with the police.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who has been up in arms against the Centre's ruling BJP and the ABVP over the Ramjas violence, fired fresh salvos.

He dubbed the Bharatiya Janata Party and the ABVP as "party of goons and rowdies" and said prevailing situation in the campus has got parents worried about their wards.

He also expressed his unhappiness at the death and rape threats against Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur, who had launched a social media campaign against the ABVP.

Probing the threats case, Delhi police is communicating on phone and email with Kaur who is now out of Delhi.

Special Commissioner of Police Dependra Pathak told IANS that the efforts are on to nab the culprits and they have sought the help of Google search engine and Twitter's headquarters to track the IP addresses from which the threats were issued to Kaur.

Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi said the government will soon be launching an app for women internet users threatened with physical violence or trolled on social media websites.

She said the 'Women's panic button' with additional feature of 'Shouting App' will become operational by end of March

"As soon as distressed women will press the panic button the mobile phone will activate the 'shouting app' which will alert the nearest 10 mobile phones, where fellow citizens can come for her help before the police arrives," said Gandhi.
Dubai, March 3 : UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, on Friday received Philippines Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay, who arrived here with his delegation.

Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, also attended the reception.

The ruler of Dubai and Yasay reviewed bilateral relations during the meeting and ways to enhance them.

The vice president of United Arab Emirates (UAE) praised the contribution of the Filipino community in the development of the country, while the Philippines' Foreign Minister hailed the UAE's cultural boom at all avenues.
BOZEMAN  Gov. Steve Bullock says the state Board of Regents may have to consider closing a college campus to absorb a $23.3 million university system budget cut the Legislature is proposing.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports that Bullock made the comment while meeting with the newspaper's editorial board on Wednesday. He did not identify a specific campus for closure.

Bullock says he expects the universities and colleges to have to raise tuition.

Deputy Commissioner of Higher Education Kevin McRae says Commissioner Clay Christian has told lawmakers and regents that if the budget cut remains at $23.3 million it would probably require significant tuition increases, significant cuts in educational programs or both.

___

Information from: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com
New Delhi, March 3 : An office-bearer of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) on Friday disowned posters and hoardings which cropped up in the campus a day before showing instances of "communist violence".

"... We totally disown them. I have complained to the administration and the Delhi Police for misusing the name of DUSU. Why does ABVP have to put such horrifying images everywhere in the Delhi University to justify the violence it did on common students and professors the other day (February 22)," DUSU Joint Secretary, Mohit Garid, said in a statement.

Garid belongs to Congress-affiliated National Students Union of India (NSUI), which holds but one seat out of four in the student body.

On the other hand, the President of the student body, which is dominated by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) holding three of the four posts, stood by the posters and justified the content they disseminated.

"NSUI holds just one seat in the DUSU, the rest three are with ABVP. We stand by the posters and still believe that there was nothing wrong with them," DUSU President Amit Tanwar told IANS.

"Although the posters have now been removed, the students have got our message," he said.

Many posters and hoardings were seen occupying the university space on Thursday with denunciatory messages against the communist parties and the left-wing All India Students Association (AISA), the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist).

"Rapist AISA, go back!", "Desh 1947 se azaad hai, par vaampanthiyon ki soch wahi" (the country has been independent since 1947, but the leftists have not let go their old thinking), could be read in the messages slapped across walls of the campus.

Garid condemned the tactic as "extremely instigatory" and as "spewing venom" in a letter sent to the Vice-Chancellor of the varsity.

He requested that the posters be removed and a ban slapped on the ABVP in the campus.

"I request you to direct the removal of these posters immediately. I also demand a ban on the ABVP for all the chaos created by them. We have never seen the discourse fall to such a low in the past... It is all with an intention to incite violence which is not acceptable to us," Garid in the letter to the VC.

The ABVP had carried out a march on Thursday to protect the campus from "anti-national" activities.
Imphal, March 3 : The Manipur High Court on Friday sent two leaders of United Naga Council (UNC) in judicial custody and gave last opportunity to six other UNC office-bearers for personal appearance on March 23.

Hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by R.K. Joysana, the court directed state authorities to check stocks of life-saving drugs, fuel and other consumer items in the state.

Those sent in judicial custody are UNC President Gaidon Kamei and Publicity Secretary Stephen Lamkang. Despite court directives, the six UNC leaders have allegedly failed to appear in court.

Besides, the High Court bench of Chief Justice Rakesh Ranjan Prasad, Justice K. Nobin and Justice N. Koteshwor directed the government to make comparison of prices of commodities before and after the imposition of the indefinite economic blockade in Manipur by Naga activists.

The UNC had calledf for Manipur blockade to protest the creation of new districts from November 1 last year.

During the course of the hearing, the court directed state authorities to ensure that at least 100 tankers transport fuel to Manipur from other states four times a week to tide over acute shortage.

It also directed for adequate central paramilitary forces to escort trucks and tankers along the two national highways which are considered the lifeline of the north-eastern state.
New Delhi, March 3 : The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Friday wrote to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh urging the release of seven rights activists and intellectuals jailed in the state for being 'Naxalites.

CPI General Secretary S. Sudhakar Reddy said the seven -- members of the civil society from Telangana -- were on a fact finding mission to Chhattisgarh when they were arrested in Andhra Pradesh in December and subsequently handed over to Chhattisgarh police.

"If they are Naxalites why should they openly announce and go to Chhattisgarh. The allegation is that they met Haribhushan, a Naxalite leader twice in December and were going to meet him again. Why will a Naxalite leader take the risk of meeting some people, who are openly coming to Chhattisgarh," argued Reddy.

"Chhattisgarh police are branding everybody as Naxalites. Journalists, Adivasi leaders, university teachers are being harassed, arrested and concocted cases are filed against them," he said in the letter.

Reddy accused Bastar Inspector General of Police S.R. Kalluri of "branding" everybody as Naxals and "terrorising people". "The seven from Telangana are also victims to such conspiracies."

"Naxalism cannot be treated as a law and order problem. It is a socio-economic problem and needs a political solution. Chhattisgarh is being ruled by the police. Let democratic civil rights be extended to Chhattisgarh also," he added.

The seven arrested are Bala Ravindranath, an advocate and general secretary of Committee for Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP); Chikkudu Prabhaker, also an advocate convener of Telangana Democratic Forum; Durga Prasad, a journalist from Hyderabad; Duddu Prabhakar, President of Andhra Pradesh Caste Annihilation Committee; Rajendra Prasad and Nazeer from Telangana Students Forum and Ramanala Laxmaiyya, Secretary of Adivasi Tudem Dubba.
New Delhi, March 3 : Perhaps signalling a thaw in frosty ties, India has accepted Pakistan's offer of participation in the Indus Commission meeting, with talks scheduled for later this month in Lahore.

Six months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared in Punjab that "blood and water can't flow together" and said that India was to toughen its stand on sharing of the Indus waters, the Indus Commissioners of both sides are poised to sit across the table for the meeting.

The Indian Commissioner of the Permanent Indus Commission has accepted his Pakistani counterpart's invitation for talks on the Indus Waters Treaty scheduled to be held in Pakistan in the second half of March.

The Indus Commission meeting is set to discuss technical issues and should not be construed as part of official talks between the two governments, it was pointed out.

Prime Minister Modi had held a meeting in September to review the treaty in the backdrop of the Pathankot and Uri terror strikes, which India has blamed on the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohamed terror group.

India has said that it plans to increase the utilisation of rivers flowing through Jammu and Kashmir to fully exercise India's rights under the pact.

The Permanent Indus Commission is a bipartisan body entrusted with everyday implementation of the World Bank-brokered Indus Waters Treaty that was signed in 1960.

The Commission, which is mandated to meet at least once every year, alternately in India and Pakistan, comprises Indus Commissioners from both sides and discusses technical matters related to implementation of the Treaty. It has met 112 times since 1960.

It is learnt that mutually convenient dates and mutually agreeable agenda are being worked out directly by the Commissioners themselves and the Indian government has played no role in this regard.

New Delhi sees this as just another regular meeting of the Commission to deal with technical matters concerned with implementation of the Treaty and which does not amount to talks between India and Pakistan.

The Treaty had come close to being jeopardised following the cross-border terror attack on September 18 last year on an army base at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 19 Indian soldiers.

Blaming the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed for the attack, New Delhi said it would consider revisiting the Indus Waters Treaty, which has withstood three wars and is seen as one of the most successful international agreements.

According to the agreement, India has control over three eastern rivers -- Beas, Ravi and Sutlej -- all flowing from Punjab.

Pakistan, as per the treaty, controls the western rivers of the Indus -- Chenab and Jhelum that flow from Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu and Kashmir has been demanding a review of the treaty as it robs the state of its rights to use the water of the rivers.

The current processes under the treaty concern the Kishenganga (330 MW) and Ratle (850 MW) hydroelectric power plants being built by India on the Kishenganga and Chenab rivers, respectively, to which Pakistan has raised objections.

In November last year, India had pointed out the legal untenability of the World Bank launching two simultaneous processes for appointment of a neutral expert -- requested by India -- and establishment of a court of arbitration -- requested by Pakistan -- to adjudicate technical differences.

In December, the World Bank announced a pause in the separate processes initiated by India and Pakistan to allow the two countries to consider alternative ways to resolve their disagreements.

"We are announcing this pause to protect the Indus Waters Treaty and to help India and Pakistan consider alternative approaches to resolving conflicting interests under the Treaty and its application to two hydroelectric power plants," World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim had said in a statement.

"This is an opportunity for the two countries to begin to resolve the issue in an amicable manner and in line with the spirit of the Treaty rather than pursuing concurrent processes that could make the treaty unworkable over time."

This year, weeks after discussing the Indus Waters Treaty issue with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad, World Bank Chief Executive Officer Kristalina Georgieva met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley here.
New Delhi, March 3 : The family of a minor allegedly raped by Samajwadi Party leader Gayatri Prajapati, has lodged a complaint alleging threats from the Uttar Pradesh police, Delhi Police said on Friday.

The complaint was filed at the Hauz Khas Police Station on Thursday against senior officers of UP police.

"The victim's family has complained that UP police personnel have been threatening and intimidating them to withdraw the case," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinmoy Biswal told IANS.

A team of UP police on Thursday visited AIIMS, where the victim is currently undergoing treatment, to record her statement.

"We have not registered a case as of now. We are examining the allegations made by the victim's family members," Biswal added.

Following the Supreme Court's order, UP police has registered a case of gang rape against Prajapati and seven others. He is currently at large.
New Delhi, March 3 : Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya has blamed Pratt & Whitney (PW) faulty engines as the reason behind the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines.

Mallya's assertion comes days after India's civil aviation regulator said that it is investigating IndiGo and GoAir's Airbus A320 new engine option (neo) aircraft which are powered by PW engines.

"Not surprised at DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) enquiry into Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines. Kingfisher Airlines sadly collapsed also due to faulty engines," Mallya tweeted.

"We have sued IAE a Pratt & Whitney Group Company for compensation towards defective aircraft engines supplied to Kingfisher Airlines."

On Tuesday, DGCA said that it is investigating IndiGo and GoAir's Airbus A320neo aircraft which are powered by PW engines.

Recently, both the airlines have faced engine problems with their A320neo aircraft which are powered by PW PurePower Geared Turbofan.

That time DGCA said that it has asked the two airlines to carry out one time boroscopic inspection of all the engines which have completed 1,000 hours instead of 1,500 hours and repeat inspection at every 500 hours.

DGCA has further ordered that if boroscopic inspection is unsatisfactory, engine operations should be as per the manufacturer's recommendation.

The boroscopic inspections are used for visual inspection work where the area to be inspected is inaccessible by other means.

PW is a United Technologies Corp. company which designs and manufactures aircraft engines and auxiliary power units.

Both the airlines have 21 A320neo aircraft which are powered by the PW engines, out of which 16 belong to IndiGo, while the rest are with GoAir.

On its part, PW has said that it is supporting GoAir and IndiGo to assess the situation and minimise any disruption.
New Delhi, March 3 : With Pakistan's top Foreign Policy Advisor Sartaj Aziz on Friday ruling out extradition of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian establishment, it is learnt, expected its South Asian neighbour "to follow well-established international practice" in this regard.

"Government has on several occasions completely rejected the baseless allegations against Kulbhushan Jadhav," a source here said.

"Circumstances of his presence in Pakistan remain unclear, particularly because we have not been provided consular access despite our repeated requests," the source said.

"We expect the Government of Pakistan to follow well-established international practice in this regard and ensure his well-being while he is in its custody."

Briefing lawmakers in the Senate, Aziz, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs, rejected reports that Jadhav will be released at some stage, saying a case was being prepared to prosecute Jadhav, who was arrested from Balochistan in March last year.

"It has never been said that there was any lack of evidence against Jadhav," Aziz said.

In March last year, Pakistan arrested Jadhav who had inadvertently crossed over from Iran and charged him with spying. India said that Jadhav is a former Indian Navy officer and has denied consular access to Jadhav despite repeated requests.

Jadhav in a video had "confessed" that he was working for India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) to create instability in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan and Karachi, which India has denied.

"We have prepared an FIR and a case is in the process of registration to prosecute the Indian state actor for involvement in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," Aziz told the Senate in response to a query during question hour, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan.

He also said that a dossier has been shared with United Nations Secretary General on "Indian involvement" in the internal affairs of Pakistan.

Claiming that Pakistan's viewpoint on the issue of Indian involvement was being accepted internationally, he said the government also sent a list of questions to New Delhi on the matter.
Berlin, March 4 : German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet US President Donald Trump on March 14, the German government confirmed on Friday.

When asked about media reports of the Merkel-Trump meeting, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said "we do not deny it", adding more details will be given at "appropriate time".

The White House on Friday also confirmed the visit. It will be Merkel's first trip to the US after Trump took office, Xinhua news agency reported.

Trump, during his election campaign, had publicly criticised Merkel and Germany's refugee policy as a "catastrophic failure" and "chaos".

The critics indicated a bumpy start for the ties between Berlin and Washington.

Last month, Merkel hosted the visit of US Vice President Mike Pence at Munich Security Conference, in the southeast German city.

Merkel then said world conflicts require "joint efforts", which was seen as a gentle reminder to Trump's unilateralism and anti-globalisation policies.

Trump is expected to visit Germany on July 7 and 8, attending the two-day the Group Twenty (G20) summit in Hamburg.
You never know who you'll come face to face with on a Galapagos tour. ...the Legend is small enough to offer an unspoiled, personalised cruise, yet large enough to keep costs down for travellers who might otherwise dismiss a Galapagos tour as too expensive.

Charles Darwin famously said It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change. The Galapagos Islands may feel like a permanent fixture on the travel bucket list, but the way travellers visit them is constantly changing.

The team behind the M/V Galapagos Legend is well aware of this, completely refurbishing their vessel for new departures in 2017. With cabins reconfigured for optimal comfort and space, plus social areas that make the most of the beautiful surroundings of the Galapagos, the vessel has reached a new point in its evolution. With a capacity of 90 passengers, the Legend is small enough to offer an unspoiled, personalised cruise, yet large enough to keep costs down for travellers who might otherwise dismiss a Galapagos tour as too expensive.

Until April 30, Goway is offering budget-conscious globetrotters a saving of up to $1289 on selected Galapagos cruise departures in 2017 and 2018. Specifically, passengers booking a cruise aboard the Legend for 2017 will save 10% on a Junior or Balcony Suite, while passengers aboard the Coral I or Coral II will save 5% on any cabin class. Those booking travel in 2018 will pay 2017 prices, and receive a further 5% discount on Junior and Balcony Suites aboard the Legend, or any cabin aboard the Coral I or Coral II.

Alternatively, Globetrotters booking selected 2017 Galapagos cruises by March 15 can enjoy complimentary return airfare from Quito or Guayaquil to the Galapagos Islands, saving up to $500 US or $675 CA per person. This offer cannot be combined with discounted cruise bookings aboard the Legend, Coral I, or Coral II.

Since 1970, Goway has been providing unforgettable travel experiences to Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Central & South America, Idyllic Island destinations and Europe. Today Goway is recognized as one of North America's leading travel companies for individuals, families and groups to select exotic destinations around the globe. Goway has offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Sydney Australia.

For reservations and information, visit http://www.goway.com, or call 1-800-387-8850.
We can never thank you enough for dreams coming true for our kids!

Members from the HomeFirst team and their partners came together to help raise funds for Make-A-Wish Michigan, a statewide nonprofit that grants the wishes of Michigan children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

HomeFirst thanks all of our team members and partners for making dreams come true with your generous donations!

In 2016, our donations helped two children with life-threatening medical conditions fight against their illnesses and empowered them to feel stronger emotionally and physically. We are happy to introduce you to Wyatt and Daniel.

Wyatt, 4 from Wyoming, had his wish to go to Disney World come true in December. Wyatt, along with his two little sisters and parents, enjoyed the sights and sounds of Disney World. Wyatts mom, Ashlea Russ, sent the following message to Wyatts wish coordinator, Erica. We can never thank you enough for our experience! We can never thank you enough for dreams coming true for our kids! I know you guys like to get pictures and we would love to get them to you or meet with you and show you our album when it comes in, but until then here is a little blip of our amazing trip!

Daniel Danny, 3 from Madison Heights, wished to go to Disney with his parents and two brothers last month. Danny's mother, Rachel Goodman, had nothing but wonderful things to say about their trip. She shared that they had never seen anything so pure and good, and the staff and volunteers at Give Kids the World were absolutely wonderful, as well as everyone at Disney. Danny enjoyed every moment, especially Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party, and cried when they had to leave. Rachel shared that she wishes they lived closer so she could volunteer at Give Kids the World every day.

HomeFirst teamed up with Make-A-Wish Michigan in January of 2014. Our hope is, by continuously raising funds, to grant at least one wish each year! Visit your community office to find out how you can get involved.

HomeFirst Communities are a collection of manufactured home communities in Michigan, providing a pleasurable and affordable lifestyle for individuals, families, and retirees alike. HomeFirst sets the bar for affordable luxury living in Michigan. To learn more about the benefits of living in a HomeFirst manufactured home and community, visit http://homefirstcertified.com/.

Since 1984, Make-A-Wish Michigan has granted more than 8,500 wishes to Michigan kids. This year, the organization hopes to grant 440 wishes. Wish experiences can be pivotal points in the course of a childs treatment, helping them feel better and providing an emotional boost.
OverSite Construction Consulting Group announced today that they are open for business, now assisting clients who are renovating their homes in Philadelphia, Delaware and Montgomery counties, the Main Line and the New Jersey beach community. The firm is offering a different type of construction services than the industry is used to  construction project managers who can assist homeowners with the stressful and frustrating task of remodeling their homes. Typically, home construction contractors offer clients an in-house project manager within the scope of their engagement, but these project managers are incented to make money for their firm and subcontractors. When a homeowner hires an OverSite project manager, they get the benefit of a third party construction specialist who is incentivized to save money and time for the homeowner, as well as choose the best quality renovation materials at the best price.

The OverSite consulting team is led by Joseph P. McPoyle, a construction and real estate serial entrepreneur who has been working in the building industry for the past 20 years. In the 1990s, Joe was a Quality Control Engineer at Williams Power Corporation in North Carolina and Tennessee. He then headed to New England, where he was a Chief Estimator at ML McDonald Companies. Joe launched his first construction venture in 2001, when he started The Perfect Painters, a high-end commercial and residential housepainting firm. The Perfect Painters led him to expand with Perfect Places Construction, a full-service residential building & contracting company in 2005. A few years after that, Joe started Perfect Places PA, a student housing rental real estate holding company near Widener University. In 2013, Joe launched Rolling Road Realty, a professional full service real estate renovation firm, and his team "flipped" multiple properties in Delaware County and at the New Jersey beach in the past 4 years.

Joe and his OverSite consulting team have over 2 decades of commercial and residential construction experience and they know how to keep projects on timeline and on budget. Our goal with this new OverSite venture is to save our clients time & money and avoid the frustration that often comes along with renovation and construction projects. We are dedicated to the highest level of renovation craftsmanship and our network of partners share our same values. McPoyle said. OverSite consultants can work with the construction vendors that their clients select, and they can also recommend partners from their network, who have been through a robust selection process and have past positive experience working with OverSite consultants.

In addition to assisting clients in their own home renovation projects, OverSite also offers project management services to those who are looking to buy or sell real estate properties or rental properties.

Everyone thinks they can flip a property. Shows that are on HGTV make flipping a property seem glamorous, but our consultants know that this is never the case. McPoyle comments. There are literally thousands of decisions that need to be made from financing to permits to vendor selection to marketing the property to the right audience once the renovations are complete. OverSite consultants help their clients get the most money out of their investment properties, whether they want to acquire, renovate and re-sell or rent.

OverSite consultants work on a flat fee system and guarantee that their projects will come in on time and on or under budget.

For more information, visit the website at http://www.OverSiteGroup.com or call 610.721.9998.

Contact:

Joseph McPoyle, President

OverSite Construction Consulting Group LLC

Phone: 610.721.9998

Email: Joe(at)OverSiteGroup(dot)com

Website: http://www.OverSiteGroup.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oversitegroup

About OverSite Construction Consulting Group LLC

OverSite offers commercial and residential construction consulting and project management services, as well as architectural design and engineering services. Consultants are available to advise on many aspects of the construction projects including project planning, permit processes, vendor selection, budgeting and estimating. Once the project is underway, consultants will manage the budget and timeline for clients, solving problems and managing schedules. Consultants are also up to date on employing green building techniques, systems and materials.

OverSites interior designers utilize the latest technology, which enables clients to view a digital rendering of the home's new interior design before projects get underway. These high-tech service offerings enable clients to not only perfect their design, but ensure that the job will be completed properly the first time around, avoiding costly mistakes during the renovation project.

In addition to OverSite consultants, the firm has access to a network of construction experts who are qualified and experienced in commercial interior and exterior remodeling projects and custom residential renovation work.
TitleSmart is celebrating 10 years of providing exceptional closing experiences "The relocation of our corporate headquarters allows us to accelerate our growth and continue our relentless pursuit to add value for our customers.

TitleSmart, Inc., a leading Twin Cities title insurance company, has today relocated its corporate headquarters from Maplewood, MN, to a new, larger, and newly renovated office space in White Bear Lake, MN. The move allows TitleSmart to continue its growth while adding features for an enhanced staff and customer experience. The companys new address is 4810 White Bear Parkway, #100, White Bear Lake, Minnesota, 55110.

Since its launch in 2007, TitleSmart has expanded its staff from three to more than 62 staff members in six locations across the Metro. TitleSmart was named one of the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America in 2014, 2015, and 2016 and achieved the highest volume of closings in its history in 2016.

For the past 10 years, we have worked to elevate the level of customer service in the title industry, said Cindy Koebele, President of TitleSmart. We are extremely grateful for our staff, customers, and creative vendor partners who have embraced and supported us in our mission to transform real estate transactions into outstanding customer experiences. The relocation of our corporate headquarters allows us to accelerate our growth and continue our relentless pursuit to add value for our customers.

TitleSmarts new, 9,076 square foot space features a larger lobby and redesigned conference rooms, as well as more workspace, a new break room, and a wellness center for employees. The company is celebrating its 10th anniversary and new location with an open house on Thursday, May 4th; from 4:00 p.m.  7:00 p.m., with a ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m. Visit http://title-smart.com/events for more information.

About TitleSmart, Inc.

TitleSmart, Inc. is a full-service title insurance company dedicated to providing clients with exceptional title, escrow, and real estate closing solutions. For the past 10 years, TitleSmart has led the way in transforming Twin Cities real estate closings into outstanding customer experiences. A certified Womens Business Enterprise, TitleSmart was named one of the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America in 2014, 2015, and 2016. For more information visit http://title-smart.com.
Walton has always been a strong supporter of Jackson County organizations, especially those relating to community and children, leading by example and giving back.

Eric Ric B. Walton with The Walton Insurance Group in Jackson, MI has been named the 2017 Forsetlund Agent of the Year by the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents. The Award recognizes a member who has contributed the most to his or her agency and community. Ric Walton entered the agency business when he was introduced to his fathers agency at a young age and the value of protecting and serving the people was instilled in him. He has earned the CIC designation and served as President of the Association in 1991-1992.

Walton has always been a strong supporter of Jackson County organizations, especially those relating to community and children, leading by example and giving back.

Walton received the award at the Associations recent state convention in Grand Rapids. The Michigan Association of Insurance Agents is a statewide trade group that represents approximately 7,000 independent agents and industry employees.
The Chicago Healthcare Executives Forum (CHEF) honored New Roseland Community Hospital (RCH) President & CEO Tim Egan with the 2016 American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Regents Healthcare Leadership Award on Tuesday, February 28, 2017. The award was presented during the ACHE/CHEF Annual Meeting at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago.

ACHE provides two Regents Awards each Convocation year for senior-level executives who are members of ACHE; demonstrate innovative and creative management; participate in civic/community activities and projects; have the executive capability to develop his or her organization and promote its growth and stature in the community; and participate in local, state, or provincial hospital and health association activities.

All of these require leadership ability which Egan has proven through his track record during his tenure at the New RCH. Since Egan joined the South Side Safety Net Hospital he has implemented a complete Electronic Health Records conversion, brought in new medical equipment, stabilized finances, increased employment and instilled a new pride in its stakeholders.

Tim Egan has been instrumental in the turnaround of Roseland Community Hospital, which has been vital to meeting the healthcare needs of Chicagos far South Side neighborhoods, says A.J. Wilhelmi, President and CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association. Tims leadership, dedication and work ethic, along with the many initiatives he has implemented at Roseland, have earned him the respect not only of his community, but also of his peers across the city and the state.

Egans work ethic is highly praised and he is known in the Greater Roseland community for leading the hospitals Annual Back to School Health Fair, Annual Operation Warm: Kids Coat Giveaway, giving out turkeys to hundreds of families for Thanksgiving, and the Holiday Toy Giveaway. Through his dedication and hard work Egan has earned the respect of his peers, patients and providers.

In addition to Egans leadership role at the New RCH he also serves as a Commissioner on the Roseland Medical District appointed by Governor Bruce Rauner, has been appointed to the State of Illinois Mobile Health Integration Task Force by Illinois State Representative Jim Durkin, and just completed a three year term as the Chairman of the State of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Advisory Council appointed by former Governor Pat Quinn.

Egan is a lifelong Chicagoan and the single father of four sons who attend Chicago Public Schools; Wedge (13), Tadgh (12), Chance (6), and Cormac (6).
GetResponse at Internet World E-Commerce Fair in Munich, March 7-8. The company invites attendees and customers to visit booth G371 (Hall 5)

GetResponse, the provider of the popular online marketing platform, will be exhibiting at the Internet World E-Commerce Fair in Munich. The event will take place March 7-8 at the Messe Munchen.

The company invites attendees and customers to visit booth G371 (Hall 5) to meet key members of the GetResponse team and learn more about the company. Its a unique opportunity to talk to experts and get tips on how to improve online marketing efforts.

Weve devoted great resources to enhance our e-commerce capabilities over the last year, said GetResponse founder and CEO Simon Grabowski. Now online merchants can instantly integrate their online marketing and sales to drive leads and engagement, and retain customers.

ABOUT INTERNET WORLD

The e-commerce trade show is geared towards online professionals and decision-makers, both providers and users. Last years event attracted more than 14,000 attendees from all over the world. The two-day event offers a wide variety of speakers, programs, and presentations on subjects critical to the growing e-commerce industry. For more information and tickets, visit the Internet World website.

ABOUT THE GETRESPONSE PLATFORM

The GetResponse online marketing platform includes a suite of online tools designed to fulfill the needs of todays innovative marketers:



Built-in tools for creating designer-quality email campaigns, landing pages, and subscription forms that look great on any device, including mobile.

State-of-the-art webinar platform integrated with subscriber data to add the power of face-to-face communication to marketing campaigns.

Marketing automation engine for creating workflows to track and address cart abandonment, website visitors, purchases, and more.

Customized technologies, sub-level multi-user access, and priority support for enterprise organizations and high-volume marketing operations.

Our platform helps e-commerce companies get started with online marketing, enables to scale the business, and helps to integrate marketing processes, said Simon Grabowski. Drop by to meet us in Munich and find out how GetResponse can streamline your marketing.

Today, 350,000 customers in 182 countries trust GetResponse. With nearly 20 years of experience, we continue to deliver excellent online marketing solutions, available in 22 different languages. Our company operates globally with offices in Poland, Canada, Malaysia, India, and Russia, and over 300 passionate professionals on board. Together we create inspiring technologies that empower entrepreneurs and help their businesses grow.
Ashish Raivadera

Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), the worlds leading legal search firm, today announced that Ashish (Ash) Raivadera has joined the firms Partner Practice Group as Head of Private Practice for South Asia, and will lead operations at the newly opened Major, Lindsey & Africa (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Ash possesses a strong knowledge of the Singapore legal market after recruiting there for 18 years and having witnessed dynamic changes over that time, said Brent Harris, Executive Director, International Operations at Major, Lindsey & Africa. He has developed an excellent reputation amongst clients and candidates from international law firms, banks, and corporations in various industry sectors in Southeast Asia, and we are delighted that he now brings that enhanced level of experience and insight to MLAs legal recruiting efforts in the region.

In recent years, while working at ATR Associates Pte. Ltd., Ash has focused on partner and counsel placements with international law firms in Singapore and Southeast Asia, providing strategic advice and detailed market analysis to global, regional and local law firm heads. As the region has grown, Ash has also become involved in helping firms to find solutions for their Singapore or Indonesian offices. Most recently, he has assisted a number of major US and UK firms open their offices in Singapore.

Ash joins Major, Lindsey & Africas existing APAC Partner Practice team of Carl Hopkins (Hong Kong), Tom Stretton and Michael Robertson (Sydney), Laurie Lebrun (Tokyo), and Andrew Ng (Beijing) who also act for law firm partners.

Major, Lindsey & Africa (Singapore) Pte. Ltd (Company No. 200619024N, License No. 16S8347) is located at One Finlayson Green, #06-02, Singapore 049246. Ashish Raivadera can be contacted by email: araivadera@mlaglobal.com or tel: +65.9029.5141.

About Major, Lindsey & Africa

Founded in 1982, Major, Lindsey & Africa is largest and most experienced legal search firm in the world. With more than 25 offices worldwide, Major, Lindsey & Africa has earned recognition for its track record of successful general counsel, corporate counsel, partner, associate and law firm management placements. The firm also provides law firms and companies with highly specialized legal professionals on project, interim and temporary-to-permanent hire basis. Combining local market knowledge and a global recruiting network, Major, Lindsey & Africa recruiters are dedicated to understanding and meeting client and candidate needs while maintaining the highest degree of professionalism and confidentiality. The firm considers every search a diversity search and has been committed to diversity in the law since its inception. Major, Lindsey & Africa is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in talent solutions. http://www.mlaglobal.com.
Featured Seminar Speakers Audits are becoming more common in addiction treatment and professionals need to be prepared when a Special Investigations Unit (SIU) walks in the door. Past News Releases RSS American Addiction Treatment...

The American Addiction Treatment Association (AATA) is hosting a lunch and learn for professionals in the addiction treatment industry entitled: Special Investigations Unit (SIU)  What to Know in a Commercial Payer Audit.

The word audit can raise an alarm in any business, but in addiction treatment, insurance companies and state and federal governments are increasingly scrutinizing the industry for fraudulent and abusive practices.

Audits are becoming more common in addiction treatment and professionals need to be prepared when a Special Investigations Unit (SIU) walks in the door. The consequences of noncompliance are significant, from insurance companies refusing to reimburse for services to civil litigation leading to money damages and penalties, to criminal investigations and potential jail time. Even if you have done nothing wrong, an audit or investigation can be costly and time consuming, said Zachary Rothenberg, Partner at Nelson Hardiman and featured seminar speaker. Many of these investigations fall under the terms of state and federal false claims statutes, which generally prohibit the preparation and/or submission of false claims for payment to private insurers or to state and federal programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. These statutes impose serious penalties, including triple damages, on violators, and give whistleblowers a financial incentive to report fraud because they are entitled to a portion of any recovery.

Addiction treatment facilities need to be extremely careful about their billing practices.

The most important thing for anyone in a role like this is to always ensure that everything about the services you are billing is a 100% accurate representation of the services that are being provided, and that you stay up-to-date with all payer changes and requirements, said Frank Brady, Director of West Coast Operations for Infinity Behavioral Health Services and featured seminar speaker. It should be assumed that every single patient's chart will be reviewed at some point. It is important that each patient's chart tells the story of their treatment without any questions left unanswered. This means more than matching CPT codes with a treatment plan. This means that providers understand what procedure codes represent and that they understand what payers expect at different levels of care. Unfortunately, behavioral healthcare is a very young industry and simply asking colleagues for advice is not sufficient. I would encourage anyone in such a role to educate themselves, or involve a knowledgeable industry professional who can do so. If you are billing appropriately for the services you are providing, you are more likely to endure long-term success than a provider looking for the right combination of procedure codes to get paid as much as possible.

Compliance with current regulations is critical. There are different layers of compliance that providers should be concerned with when it comes to financial arrangements. To ensure compliance with the law and also to meet the expectations of commercial health insurers, it is important to implement sound policies and procedures which govern the financial arrangements made between providers and patients, Brady added. Failure to formalize these processes with diligence may result in conflict with payers if patients are not required to pay their portion; or even worse, conflict with the law if a provider is engaged in illegal forms of patient inducement.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU)  What to Know in a Commercial Payer Audit Seminar, which features speakers Zachary Rothenberg, Frank Brady, and Max Sirianni, will be held in Los Angeles at the Nelson Hardiman Conference Facilities on April 13th, 2017 from 11:00 AM  1:30 PM. Lunch is included as well as time for Q&A with the presenters. Seats are limited.

This seminar is part of an ongoing educational series offered by AATA, which offers regulatory compliance resources for eight states: California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Tennessee, and Georgia. AATA plans to make content available to its addiction treatment industry membership for all 50 states over the next 12  18 months.

AATA Membership provides a variety of benefits and is available to recovery industry professionals, owners, and operators to navigate the evolving clinical and regulatory landscapes. For more information, visit http://www.addiction-tx.com, email, or call (888) 958-2282.
In the course of my lifetime, there has been various crazes that have come and gone. Disco, being one. You know, the disco craze was very big for maybe five years or so, and then it died off just as fast as it came. I think it died off in Decatur about two years after it disappeared elsewhere on the planet. But it probably arrived here two years late, so its a break-even.

I have reached back even before disco to seize upon the Tiki craze. I love everything that is Tiki. This is a piece of Americana. Back in the Sixties, it was a place for the busy American businessman (or woman) to relax before heading back to the trailer.

Many of you will recall Trader Vics. That was a Polynesian themed restaurant known for its fancy Polynesian drinks. The Mai Tai may have even been invented there. A couple of years ago, I was in Atlanta staying at a large downtown hotel. I discovered there was a Trader Vics in the hotel. You bet I was there. Only three of them left in the USA now. And it was great.

There is nothing quite like coming upon a place that gives you the feeling of stumbling upon a little cafe on the edge of the jungle. Sorry, the Rainforest Cafe doesnt cut it. Youre not going to run into Humphrey Bogart there (or anywhere other than his cemetery at this point).

I like a place that has soft lighting, soft Polynesian music, fancy drinks, South Pacific food, and the grass hut theme. Its not the place to discuss a merger of pharmaceutical companies. But you can feel quite comfortable wearing your Tommy Bahama flowered shirt and your well worn jeans. Wear your shades if you must, but dont expect to read the menu.

Be careful though. Danger lurks. The people in the next booth might be head hunters. And I dont mean the kind who are looking to fill jobs. I mean the kind that look to fill their boiling cauldron. Scary! And they are talking about getting here in their island canoe, no less.

I guess that Tiki appeals to me in part because of Dad and Moms love for Hawaii. They were in heaven when they traveled there. Dad would get tanned in a day or two and then with his sizable belly and his short stature, he was a walking Buddah. I wonder if he got the locals discount. Should have.

So, Im starting a Tiki collection. Not your ordinary tribal art that you find at flea markets. Im thinking the stuff that you have to really dig hard to find. You know, Im talking about eBay stuff. Rare items. Not as rare as grass clippings from the moon, but rare.

I wonder if the American Indians copied the Polynesians on the totem pole thing, or if it was the other way around. Somebody came up with the brilliant idea of carving out a telephone pole, even before telephones. Talk about the cart before the horse! This would be a fine lawn ornament. Neighbors and evil spirits beware!

I have already found some interesting Tiki pieces to hang on the wall. Wooden masks. Faces are either smiling or angry, there is no middle ground. Kind of like my math teacher at Woodrow Wilson Junior High.

Be on the lookout for me please. Theres got to be some museum quality Tiki pieces floating around Decatur. Dont call the Smithsonian. Call me. In fact, my son has already agreed to serve as the curator over my collection. For a raise in his allowance, of course.
Scott K. Brown

Attorney Scott K. Brown of Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP is a featured speaker at the 2017 AgFirst Farm Credit Banks 2017 Compliance Conference being held in Nashville on March 13-15.

A partner in the firms transactional and litigation practice groups, Brown is presenting Year In Review and Lessons Learned: Bankruptcy and Litigation Updates. As an attorney representing agricultural lenders in business transactions and solvency matters, Browns expertise includes loan origination and documentation, regulatory compliance, litigation in state and federal court, receiverships and bankruptcies.

We will discuss recent cases and trends in bankruptcy and work-outs, said Brown. We will also discuss new and important litigation across the country affecting agricultural lending.

With experience as in-house and outside counsel and a contributor to many legal publications, Brown also shares insights on working with commercial, agricultural and private lenders and other businesses in a broad array of transactions and litigation.

The 2017 AgFirst Farm Credit Banks Compliance Conference is at the Nashville Loews Vanderbilt Hotel.

About Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP

Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP is an Am Law 200 commercial law firm for handling complex matters in litigation, intellectual property, business transactions, gaming, government relations and other practice areas. Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie offices are located in Albuquerque, Colorado Springs, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Irvine, Phoenix, Reno, Silicon Valley and Tucson. For more information, visit lrrc.com.
All New Aluminum Service Body Bed by CM Truck Beds CM Truck Beds has thrived over the last 20 years by offering unparalleled capacity, versatility and durability at a great value.

CM Truck Beds built a national reputation of excellence serving a broad array of demanding industries with our Flat Bed products,  said Joe Lewis, Vice President of CM Truck Beds. The introduction of the Service Body product will help extend our relationship with existing customers whove been asking for the additional capabilities offered by these designs while also opening up new markets where we can introduce the features, durability, service, and value that have made CM Truck Beds a recognized leader in truck body solutions.

The Service Bodies, available in steel or aluminum, will further CMs reputation for integrating top quality components and clever accommodations for the working men and women who will rely on them. Key features include an immersive powder-coated finish on every component for long-lasting wear and an enduring finish, premium gas shocks supporting reinforced cabinet doors for maximum strength, stainless steel hardware for security, and bolted, modular construction for configurability and serviceability in the years ahead. Not only is CM offering modular fast moving service bodies, but their customization is on par with the standards in the industry.

Aluminum and steel models each are covered by a four year/48,000 warranty, among the most generous in the industry. The bodies are also each covered by a pro-rated rust guarantee (10 years for aluminum bodies, 6 years for steel bodies). CM Truck Beds exceptional building practices, like integrated conduit for all wiring to maintain integrity in harsh environments, enables the company to exceptional warranties at highly competitive pricing.

CM Truck Beds commitment to low lead times with heavy inventory will certainly make for a great choice for fleet and commercial customers when looking to service body solutions. With the best lead times in the industry, CM can certainly meet the demands of the market without lengthy lead times.

CM Truck Beds has thrived over the last 20 years by offering unparalleled capacity, versatility and durability at a great value. These same attributes are what makes our Service Body lineup so promising, said Lewis. Were really excited not only about this new product, but by what the Service Body lineup will enable our customers to accomplish.

CM Truck Beds will debut the new Service Body lineup at the NTEA Truck Show, March 15-18, 2017, in Indianapolis, IN.

CM Truck Beds has been a North American leader in truck bed manufacturing for over 20 years. CM Truck Beds are built in the heart of the USA in a 150,000 square foot facility located in Kingston, Oklahoma. CM Truck Beds produce over 25,000 truck beds annually and have distributors located from coast to coast. The product line-up by CM Truck Beds is a versatile blend of both steel and aluminum beds designed for multiple hauling and service work applications. CM Truck Beds rugged truck bed configurations are engineered and available for use in just about every working industry. For more information, and to see full line-up of CM Truck Beds visit http://cmtruckbeds.com
The addition of OPSWAT to Cybereasons intelligence base and platform gives security teams the best possible chance to detect and understand the context of attacks, so they can respond quickly and effectively.

OPSWAT, Inc., provider of solutions to secure and manage IT infrastructure, today announced that it has signed an OEM agreement with Cybereason, developers of the most effective Total Endpoint Protection Platform, including EDR & Next-Gen AV. Cybereason will add OPSWATs Metadefender Cloud (Commercial Edition) to the Cybereasons intelligence base, which analyzes submitted files for threats, increasing the malware detection rate.

Metadefender Cloud leverages signature and heuristic scanning from multiple anti-malware engines. Integrating Metadefender Cloud's industry-leading threat intelligence with the easy-to-use Cybereason Platform results in highly accurate malware detection, enhancing endpoint prevention.

Additionally, Metadefender Cloud provides detailed reports to users about which engines detected which threats. Anti-malware engines that participate in the commercial version of Metadefender Cloud receive royalties based on customer usage, as part of the OEM agreements between OPSWAT and the commercial engine partners. OPSWAT also offers a free demo version of Metadefender Cloud for limited, non-commercial usage.

Metadefender Cloud, an application and threat intelligence platform, uses next-generation Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR) engines, OPSWAT's Vulnerability Engine (patent pending), and multi-scanning technologies to analyze all submitted files for threats and potential risks. In addition to analyzing files, Metadefender Cloud can perform analysis on a hash, checking for threats, known vulnerabilities, and application reputation information.

Cybereason believes the key to stopping adversaries is behavioral analysis that enables early detection and response. Detection is the driving force enabling all other security activities to take place, including execution prevention, blocking, investigation, forensics and response.

Cybereason excels at detection because the solution is focused on collecting and analyzing behavioral data. Its the best source of primary data for understanding what is really happening within the enterprise. Cybereason also has a core competence in effective, centralized analysis at scale. Instead of individual machines defending themselves with a fraction of their capacity, Cybereason enables enterprises to use the entire endpoint ecosystem as a defense mechanism with all endpoints working together to protect the organization.

Benny Czarny, CEO and Founder of OPSWAT, said, "We are very excited to partner with Cybereason, a leader in the EDR space. We've invested a lot into building our Metadefender Cloud threat intelligence platform. We released the commercial version of Metadefender Cloud in fall 2016, and the fact that we're already able to partner with companies like Cybereason is very gratifying because it means that the market leaders are already recognizing our product's quality."

Sam Curry, Cybereasons Chief Product Officer, said Security teams need to be able to maximize their ability to detect threats and to understand the potential impact to their organizations. The addition of OPSWAT to Cybereasons intelligence base and platform gives security teams the best possible chance to detect and understand the context of attacks, so they can respond quickly and effectively.

About Cybereason

Cybereason is the leader in endpoint protection, offering endpoint detection and response, next-generation antivirus, and managed monitoring services. Founded by elite intelligence professionals born and bred in offense-first hunting, Cybereason gives enterprises the upper hand over cyber adversaries. The Cybereason platform is powered by a custom-built in-memory graph, the only truly automated hunting engine anywhere. It detects behavioral patterns across every endpoint and surfaces malicious operations in an exceptionally user-friendly interface. Cybereason is privately held and headquartered in Boston with offices in London, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo.

About OPSWAT

OPSWAT is a San Francisco-based cybersecurity software company that provides solutions to secure and manage IT infrastructure. Founded in 2002, OPSWAT has delivered solutions and technologies that protect organizations from threats and secure digital data for over a decade. OPSWAT's Metadefender platform is used by thousands of customers in defense, government, finance, critical infrastructure, and other industries, and its OESIS Framework endpoint security SDK has helped secure over 200 million endpoints. To learn more about OPSWAT, visit OPSWAT.com.
The Brookings Report rankings prove Tampa continues to rise as a major economic driver within the state of Florida.

The Tampa Bay area was recently ranked in the top 20 U.S. metros by the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. The program tracked the economic performance of the nations 100 largest metropolitan areas along the three dimensions of growth, prosperity, and inclusion, and published their findings in their 2017 Metro Monitor.

Tampa ranks 18th in the nation for growth from 2010-2015 based on gross metropolitan product, number of jobs, and number of jobs at young firms, and 17th for inclusion, which measures changes in employment and how income is distributed among individuals.

The Brookings Report rankings prove Tampa continues to rise as a major economic driver within the state of Florida, said Craig J. Richard, CEcD, President and CEO of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation. Weve worked hard to secure major company investments and create high-wage, high-skilled jobs for the area, and were thrilled that Tampa continues to be recognized for these efforts.

In December, Milken Institutes annual Best-Performing Cities analysis of the largest 200 U.S. metro areas reported that the Greater Tampa Bay area rose from No. 86 in 2014 to No. 33 in 2016. In addition, KPMG has ranked Tampa in the top five among U.S. cities for a favorable tax structure that offers the lowest cost of doing business.

Tampas economy includes a thriving financial and professional services sector that has seen investments from Bristol-Myers Squibb, USAA, the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, and Citi, adding thousands of new jobs in the last three years. The city also has the highest job demand for STEM-related occupations in the state of Florida, and a healthy startup community that is drawing more entrepreneurs, investors, and young talent than ever before.

Attracting a talented young workforce and fostering entrepreneurship have been top priorities for Tampa with the THEDC conducting research, called the Millennial Matter Project, to delve into the mindset of millennial corporate decision makers across numerous markets. Tampas research indicated that Millennial decision makers are looking for a vibrant urban environment with easy commutes, strong quality of life, and low income taxes: all key attributes of the Tampa Bay area.

Companies continue to invest and grow in Tampa due to the exceptional talent found in the area, whether within STEM-related fields, financial services or the growing startup community, said Richard. That, combined with the stellar quality of life in the area, is making Tampa the top place do business in the U.S.

Link to Metro Monitor 2017 here.

###

About Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation

The Tampa Hillsborough EDC works to develop and sustain a thriving local economy through the attraction, retention, and expansion of high-wage jobs and capital investment in Hillsborough County and the cities of Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace. We focus on growing locally established companies as well as recruiting corporate operations in targeted industry sectors including Information Technology, Financial and Professional Services, Life Sciences, Defense and Security, Manufacturing, and Distribution and Logistics. The Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation exists because of the generous support of over 120 investors from the local community. For more information, visit tampaedc.com.
Every order Signifyd approves for its merchants is protected by a 100% financial guarantee against fraud and chargebacks.

Signifyd is honored to be selected as the Fraud Innovation Firm of the Year 2017 by Finance Monthly. Signifyd joins numerous reputed companies in this years Fintech Awards list including Barclays Africa, Finova and Manulife. Winners were selected from around the world with Signifyd winning in the USA for the Fraud Innovation category.

The Fintech Awards acknowledge and reward the individuals, firms, start-ups and banks who are recognized as leaders and thought leaders in their area of expertise. Award nominations are open to those that devise and design new financial technology, those that implement systems, and those who adopt new systems and technology  which in turn enhances customer experience. The Finance Monthly Fintech Awards recognizes the true innovators who help drive the Fintech sector forward and help make the sector what it is today.

Signifyd is the largest provider of Guaranteed Fraud Protection with over 5,000 merchants across the world. Every order Signifyd approves for its merchants is protected by a 100% financial guarantee against fraud and chargebacks. Leveraging real-time machine learning Signifyd eliminates manual order review for ecommerce merchants, allowing them to ship orders faster and without delays.

Read the full article here.

View the Finance Monthly 2017 Fintech Awards announcement here.
Dr. Brad Bengtson has been voted Best Plastic Surgeon eight years in a row by Grand Rapids Magazine readers. This is an honor that only grows with each year my patients and their friends and family nominate me. I am humbled and grateful for the recognition and can show my thanks by continuing to innovate and improve.

At the start of each year, Grand Rapids Magazine publishes an issue featuring reader favorites in a variety of categories, from bakeries to TV personalities, yoga studios to tourist attractions. Also at the start of each year, the leader of the Bengtson Center sees his name on that list of winners in Grand Rapids: Plastic Surgeon; The Best: Bradley P. Bengtson, M.D.

Thats happened for the last eight years, anyway, as locals have repeatedly voted to give Dr. Bengtson the honor. Grand Rapids Magazine invites its readers to cast their ballots annually, asking them to provide names of local people, businesses, and organizations worthy of being recognized as the best. The winners, including Best Plastic Surgeon, are revealed in one of the years earliest issues. The most recent edition was published in January 2017.

This is an honor that only grows with each year my patients and their friends and family nominate me, plastic surgeon Dr. Brad Bengtson said. I am humbled and grateful for the recognition, and I can show my thanks by continuing to innovate and improve.

Dr. Bengtson is frequently recognized by his peers and his patients as a top plastic surgeon in the Grand Rapids area, the state of Michigan, and the country. He received several awards in 2016, and gained the distinction as the first surgeon in the Midwest to use the Natrelle INSPIRA Cohesive breast implants for a patient. He also has spent more than a decade on the Best Doctors in America list.

Dr. Bengtson offers a range of cosmetic surgical options at the Bengtson Center, as well as nonsurgical treatments intended to give patients a choice for when it comes to getting the look they want. An internationally recognized breast expert, the plastic surgeon performs breast augmentation with his 24-hour Fast Trak recovery, as well as lifts, reductions, revisions, and reconstruction. He also handles liposuction, tummy tucks, and other body contouring surgeries; facelifts, rhinoplasties, and more procedures for the face; and a variety of womens health services. Members of the Bengtson Center team provide nonsurgical fat-reduction, skin smoothing and tightening, and more.

As a plastic surgeon, Dr. Bengtson believes in providing patients with a comfortable environment for their consultation and treatment or procedure. His concierge office is in the Womens Health Center at Grand Rapids MidTowne Center.

To find out more about Grand Rapids plastic surgeon Dr. Bradley Bengtson, contact the Bengtson Center for Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery in Michigan. Call (616) 588-8880 or 1-877-822-8880 to schedule a consultation. You may also reach out online.
Jeff Doctor, Executive Director of National Indian Cannabis Coalition Tribal entities must be careful in choosing partners in the emerging legal cannabis industry

The National Indian Cannabis Coalition (NICC), the only tribal advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring tribal entities have the opportunity to participate in the regulated cannabis and hemp markets, expressed concern with the circumstances surrounding the High Times Cannabis Cup. The event, scheduled to happen this weekend on Moapa Paiute tribal lands located outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, was the subject of a February 16 letter from U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden.

In his letter, Bogden stated that he was informed that the tribal council is moving forward with the planned marijuana event because it is under the impression that the so-called Cole Memorandum and subsequent memoranda from the Department of Justice permit marijuana use, possession and distribution on tribal lands when the state law also permits it. Unfortunately, this is an incorrect interpretation of the Departments position on this issue.

Jeff Doctor, Executive Director of the NICC, said, We believe the memos from the Department of Justice clearly allow tribes the right to leverage their tribal sovereignty to pursue economic development with legal cannabis. But those memos are not carte blanche for anyone to just dive into this industry without the proper steps. And while we salute the efforts of the Moapa Paiute Tribal Citizens, Im not certain I can say the same for Cannabis Cup event partner Ultra Health and their leader Duke Rodriguez. There are those in the industry who will attempt to hide behind tribal sovereignty for financial gainat the expense of the tribal partner.

Its all about economic development, job creation, and tribal sovereignty, said Doctor. Look at Washington State. After the state legalized recreational marijuana, the tribes worked collaboratively with the Washington state legislature and Governor to create a legal and regulatory scheme that allows both tribal and state participants to move in and out of the states regulated system.

Both industry operators and tribes must show diligence in evaluating potential endeavors, said Doctor. Indian Country can be setting a great standard for the cannabis industry as it moves toward legalization, he said, just as it has done in gaming.

The National Indian Cannabis Coalition believes that increased economic opportunity can only be achieved when all parties are working together.

A partnership with a tribal entity can be a real benefit for industry, said Doctor, but it has never been more important to enter these agreements with extreme care.

The ultimate outcome of this weekends Cannabis Cup remains unclear.

Event promoters are saying the event will continue just as planned. We are hopeful that this means the tribe, the United States and the tribes partner have reached an agreement that continues to open doors for Indian Country," said Doctor.

For more information, please contact:

Jeff Doctor (jdoctor(at)niccunited(dot)org)

Executive Director

National Indian Cannabis Coalition

819 7th Street, 4th Floor

Washington, DC 20001
With the activities located right in our backyard in Southern California, we have the tremendous opportunity to engage with the local off-road community while donating to many of the worthy off-roading causes that benefit us all.

Transamerican Manufacturing Group (TMG) Brands, including Poison Spyder, are sponsoring and participating in the Tierra Del Sol Desert Safari (TDS) when it returns to Ocotillo Wells SVRA, California March 3-5. The 55th annual event will feature trucks and Jeeps with 4x4 enthusiasts running trails, camping, entering for a chance to win over $150,000 in prizes and raising funds for off-roading causes. Poison Spyder, Smittybilt, Pro Comp, G2 Axle & Gear and Rubicon Express are among vendors donating a number of desirable aftermarket products to be raffled off as prizes during the weekend.

After environmental issues prompted a move last year to a new venue, Tierra Del Sol is excited to return to Ocotillo Wells State Vehicle Recreation Area. Presented by the Tierra Del Sol 4 Wheel Drive Club of San Diego, event organizers welcome the move back to the over 85,000 acres that balance natural resources with recreation.

Participating TMG brands are donating $500 gift certificates for the raffle and Poison Spyder is contributing a TJ Lazer-Fit Full Cage Kit. The raffle gets underway on Saturday night March 4, with entrants hoping for a chance to win aftermarket products for trucks, Jeep 4x4s, pre-runners, quads and ATVs. Family-friendly activities will be going on all weekend including post-raffle fireworks and trail runs ranging in degree of difficulty.

Tierra Del Sol is a staple of key events on the years off-road calendar, said Brad Senesac, TMG Brands Marketing Director. With the activities located right in our backyard in Southern California, we have the tremendous opportunity to engage with the local off-road community while donating to many of the worthy off-roading causes that benefit us all.

About the Tierra Del Sol Four Wheel Drive Club of San Diego

The three-day Tierra Del Sol Desert Safari is the not-for-profit Four Wheel Drive Club of San Diegos premier annual event. The club has its roots in desert Search and Rescue teams located approximately 100 miles east of San Diego and it was formally formed in the 1940s and dedicated to exploration and adventure. Four Wheel Drive Club of San Diego works to raise donations for its events, to protect off-roading areas and maintain local trails.

About Transamerican Manufacturing Group

Transamerican Manufacturing Group (TMG) brands include Smittybilt, Pro Comp, Rubicon Express, Poison Spyder, G2 Axle & Gear, Trail Master Suspension and LRG Rims. As manufacturers of innovative aftermarket truck parts and Jeep accessories for four-wheel drive vehicles, TMG brand products are popular with off-road enthusiasts. To learn more about TMG brands, please visit transamericanautoparts.com.
As the company has matured and thrived, we needed to build a new home that will support our employees and growth goals.

OP (Office Practicum), the leading innovator in pediatric-specific practice solutions, has moved its corporate headquarters from Horsham to Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. The move will allow the company to unify operations and provides room for future expansion.

On February 27, OP began moving PA employees to its new headquarters in APEX Fort Washington. Situated on 40 acres, just 16 miles northwest of Philadelphias central business district, APEX Fort Washington is a modern office campus with desirable amenities, such as a recently redesigned cafe, fully-equipped fitness center and a modern conference and training facility.

The expansive offices at APEX Fort Washington give OP the ability to consolidate all of its operations on one floor and promote collaboration between departments. The floor plan offers OP plenty of additional space for future anticipated growth.

OP grew at an annualized rate of almost 30% over the seven years we spent in Horsham, and we have every reason to believe that success will continue during our seven year commitment to APEX, said Gregory H. Anderson, CEO of Office Practicum. As the company has matured and thrived, we needed to build a new home that will support our employees and growth goals.

OP recently announced record bookings growth in 2016, making it one of the fastest growing electronic health record (EHR) companies in the nation and the market leader among pediatric-specific EHR vendors.

For more information on how OP connects physicians and patients to an engaged community of the best pediatric resources, people and technology, schedule a demo today and follow us on Twitter @OfficePracticum.

About OP

OP (Office Practicum) is a top ranked provider of electronic health record and practice management software for use in clinical settings. Since 1992, the innovative OP solution has been delivered to over four thousand pediatricians across 48 states and the Caribbean, ranging from solo providers to enterprise groups. The privately held company maintains primary offices in suburban Philadelphia, Cleveland and central California. For more information visit http://www.officepracticum.com.

About the Fort Washington Office Park

The Fort Washington Office Park is the primary center of business and industry in Upper Dublin Township. This 536 acre, mixed-use modern business park is strategically located at the crossroads of the PA Turnpike and PA Route 309, in the heart of suburban eastern Montgomery County and fourteen miles from Center City Philadelphia. This regional commerce center consists of 66 buildings, containing roughly 6 million square feet of commercial space, including Class A office facilities, back-office operations, distribution and manufacturing, hotel, restaurant and recreation uses. Upper Dublin Township has embarked on a major reinvestment program to improve public infrastructure, enhance Turnpike access and add new amenities to benefit local businesses and their employees. More information is available at http://www.upperdublin.net/business-development/fort-washington-office-park-fwop/
Remote Medical Technologies (RMT) will be returning to the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) 2017 Annual Meeting from March 6th through March 8th. This year, USCAP will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. RMT will be demonstrating their latest iMedHD2 Telepathology Solutions. RMT will be uncovering the most versatile portable aspects of their proven Mobile Cart-Based Telecytology offering for rapid on-site evaluations, their Remote Robotic Control Microscope and Live Grossing Systems.

iMedHD2 Telepathology Solutions provide doctors and assistants with the ability to instantly share highly secure, high definition images for immediate collaboration and decision making. There is absolutely no pre-processing or scanning of slides before transmitting the image. All RMT products are designed to expand and protect the past and current investments made by the medical facility because iMedHD2 Telepathology Solutions easily integrates with present equipment. This solution also provides digital accessibility to those distant pathologists or practitioners who want to use their own mobile devices, smartphones, and tablets (i.e. iPhone, iPad, and Android devices) to participate.

This 106th Annual Event is known to be one of the largest meetings of pathologists worldwide. The Academy consistently improves content, diversity, and delivery of educational research studies. RMT Founder and CEO, Don Marchon, explains, RMT technology enhances clinician real-time workflow productivity unlike any other telepathology product on the market. The RMT iMedHD2 Mobile Cart-Based Telepathology Solution instantly shares secure, high definition images from one remote location to another. This highly secure and compact mobile workstation contains all components of RMTs technology mounted directly onto a customizable easy-to-roll cart. Live, dynamic HD video streams to remote pathologists from any room into which the cart has been re-located. Now, RMT has taken this a step further by providing their Remote Robotic Control Microscope with the cart, therefore enhancing the remote aspects of their mobility. Technicians and assistants need not manipulate the image for the remote pathologist with the Remote Control functionality. Pathologists can quickly change objectives and scan the live slide truly in real-time.

If you plan on being in San Antonio, be sure to visit RMT at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center booth #120 and receive a hands-on demonstration of the iMedHD2 systems.

Questions? Want to learn more? Call toll-free at 855-867-3040, email RMT at info(at)rmtcentral(dot)com or contact Remote Medical Technologies online at http://www.rmtcentral.com.

About Remote Medical Technologies, LLC.

Remote Medical Technologies is the creator of an innovative patented technology for delivery of Internet-based premium telemedicine services. The company is a Limited Liability Corporation headquartered in New York. RMT provides a best-in-class web-based video, voice, collaboration and administration platform. With simply the use of a browser the solution is easy to deploy, operate and manage. This customizable and extendable multimedia services platform is a modular, non-fragmented approach to extending a healthcare organizations communications infrastructure. Be it across the street or around the globe, RMT drives telemedicine concepts and provides solutions that save lives.
BLOOMNGTON  A Clinton woman accused of stealing more than $400,000 from the medical practice that employed her is in negotiations with federal prosecutors to resolve charges that carry a possible 20-year prison term.

In a court filing delaying her March 7 jury trial in U.S. District Court in Springfield, attorneys for the government and Veronica Luster disclosed that the two sides "have met on several occasions in an effort to resolve the factual disputes regarding the amounts in issue" and recently obtained information.

The lawyers "have discussed a resolution of this matter, but have not finalized a critical term of any agreement," according to filings by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan David Freres and defense lawyer L. Lee Smith.

A March 17 hearing is set to discuss a change in Luster's not guilty plea she entered shortly after her arrest on mail and wire fraud charges in 2015 related to the alleged embezzlement of more than $400,000 from Clinton Internal Medicine and Dr. Farrukh Kureishy.

Kureishy, who is now employed at the Family Medicine Clinic at Warner Hospital and Health Services in Clinton, filed a lawsuit in 2014 against his former office manager. The doctor accuses Luster of taking more than $600,000 from the medical practice for personal items, including books, clothing, home improvement items and electronics.

The pending lawsuit seeks repayment of the office funds and Luster's salary.

Luster was employed at the medical practice from 2005 until her termination in 2014 after the alleged embezzlement was discovered.
Miramar Home Design and Model Center I love my home! The rooms are so big that sometimes I get really excited... I could take the apartment I lived in and put it into my master bedroom and still have room to move about! -Mary,

Nature Reserve is located close to everything, within minutes to Disney, Orlando International Airport and downtown Orlando. The location is also close to I-4, Route 27 and Route 19. The Heart of Florida Medical Center is less than five miles away with a strong reputation of excellence. There are also great dining, shopping and Parks, all at a walking distance.

Maronda Homes has been family owned for over four decades and it has been dedicated to building quality new homes at an affordable price, all while maintaining superb customer service a priority. With the popularity of Maronda Homes rapidly increasing all over the state of Florida, Natures Reserves will help meet the high demand.

Natures Reserves will offer ten floor plans to choose from. Starting in the $189s, and ranging from 1523 - 3186 sq ft. Maronda Homes believes that buyers should dream of endless possibilities. Ensuring them that they will be along your side from the pre-planning stage of a project all the way until completion. With a highly trained staff, that will guide you and help you get the results you have dreamed of.

Do not miss the opportunity to join Natures Reserves "PICK YOUR LOT EVENT" in the month of March.

Event: Pick Your Lot

Location: 2811 Minute Maid Ramp Rd 1, Davenport, FL 33837

Date: March 1st-March 31st

Hours: Mon 1-6pm Tue-Wed 10-6pm Sat 10-6pm Sun 11-5pm
Dr. E. Michael Harrington, Music Business Chair at SAE Institute Nashville The only similarity is insignificant: both are rock songs with loud guitars and rock bands in the most common time signature.

British guitarist and songwriter Paul Rose filed a lawsuit on Monday, February 27, 2017 accusing the superstar band U2 of borrowing elements from his demo tape for the bands song, The Fly. 26 years after the songs debut, Mr. Rose is seeking a $5 million judgment for copyright infringement as well as a songwriting credit from U2.

There is no copyrighted expression that was copied, says Dr. Harrington, Music Business Program Chair at SAE Institute Nashville. The discernible melodies between both have nothing in common. Like the Blurred Lines decision, no melody, harmony, rhythm or lyrics were copied, and there was no sampling.

Dr. Harringtons reference to the infamous Blurred Lines case involving Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams, and Marvin Gaye is no coincidence; he has been an active participant in the case, sharing his perspective with major media outlets. His writings and interviews are cited as authority in The Amicus Brief supporting the bid for Thicke and Williams to appeal the judgment against them. The Blurred Lines case remains in the 9th Circuit of Appeals.

The timing of Mr. Roses lawsuit 26 years later is peculiar, but as Dr. Harrington explains, there is no limit to when action can be filed. Its unfortunate, but since the Raging Bull decision in the Supreme Court, there is no longer an actual time frame that is too long to wait before filing an infringement.

Regardless, Dr. Harrington believes the claims of Mr. Rose against U2 are bogus. The only similarity is insignificant: both are rock songs with loud guitars and rock bands in the most common time signature.

About SAE

SAE Institute provides aspiring creative media professionals with a foundation of practical theory and valuable hands-on training in their chosen areas of concentration. Under the guidance of industry-experienced faculty, students gain the essential experience they need for entry-level jobs in the creative media industry. Students are supported in their job searches by SAE Institutes international network of alumni, many of who are leaders in the music, film, game arts, and live performance arenas. SAE Institute offers accredited programs in Audio, Animation, Film, Games, and Music Business focused on preparing students for employment in the creative media industry upon graduation. SAE Institute Group, Inc. is a part of Navitas LTD. Learn more at usa.sae.edu.

About Navitas

Navitas is an Australian global education leader, providing pre-university and university programs, English language courses, migrant education and settlement services, creative media education, student recruitment, professional development, and corporate training services to more than 80,000 students across a network of over 120 colleges and campuses in 31 countries. Learn more at Navitas.com.
Dean Kamen

Dean Kamen, president of DEKA Research & Development and head of the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI), will present a keynote address at Worcester Polytechnic Institutes (WPI) second annual Advanced Biomanufacturing Symposium.

Organized by WPI life sciences and bioengineering faculty members and the universitys Biomanufacturing Education and Training Center (BETC), the symposium is set for March 27-28 and focuses on emerging biomanufacturing technologies and the challenges of making novel cell and regenerative tissue therapies for patients.

To develop the processes and technologies for manufacturing tissue therapies at scale will require significant innovations and partnerships across academia and industry, said Kristen Billiar, PhD, professor and head of WPIs Biomedical Engineering Department and a member of the symposium organizing committee. So it is timely for Dean Kamen to address these matters and lay out the vision for the new ARMI consortium at this years symposium.

In December 2016 the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced an $80 million award to ARMI to lead the DoDs Advanced Tissue Biofabrication Manufacturing USA initiative. Organized by Kamen, ARMI includes 47 industrial partners and 26 academic and academically affiliated partners, including WPI.

ARMI will integrate the diverse and fragmented collection of industry practices and institutional knowledge across many disciplines to realize the potential of a robust biofabrication manufacturing ecosystem, the DoD wrote in the statement announcing the award.

In addition to Kamen, a member of WPIs Class of 1973 and a 1992 recipient of an honorary doctorate in engineering from the university, keynote presenters for this years symposium are Manon Cox, PhD, president and Chief Executive Officer of Protein Sciences Corp.; Jerome Ritz, MD, professor at Harvard Medical School and executive director of the Connell and O'Reilly Cell Manipulation and Gene Transfer Laboratory at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; and Gail Naughton, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Histogen Inc.

Also of note, Travis McCready, JD, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and Kelvin Lee, PhD, Gore Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Delaware, who led the team that organized the recently funded National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), will speak at the symposium. (WPI is also an academic member of NIIMBL.) The full symposium agenda and registration information is available here.

About the Biomanufacturing Education and Training Center at WPI

Funded in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, the BETC is a multi-faceted resource for the biologics industry, providing a range of hands-on customized programs. The BETC works with biomanufacturers to help them train, and retrain, their employees at a state-of-the-art center removed from their own production facilities. The center also provides research collaboration opportunities and consulting services to help companies manage challenges, explore new technologies, or scale up new processes. Learn more at http://www.wpi.edu/+betc

About Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Mass., WPI is one of the nations first engineering and technology universities. Its 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. WPIs talented faculty work with students on interdisciplinary research that seeks solutions to important and socially relevant problems in fields as diverse as the life sciences and bioengineering, energy, information security, materials processing, and robotics. Students also have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the universitys innovative Global Projects Program. There are more than 40 WPI project centers throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.

Contact:

Michael Cohen

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, Massachusetts

508-868-4778, mcohen(at)wpi(dot)edu
Civicom continues to make an impact in the UK as it further shares its range of solutions for market researchers as an exhibitor at Insight Show 2017.

Dubbed the UKs largest dedicated event, the Insight Show is a widely attended gathering of market research experts and exhibitors. In nurturing the market research ecosystem, the Insight Show showcases networking opportunities for insight analysts and solution providers, as well as an agenda that boasts of sessions covering the latest developments in global market research as well as expectations in industry innovation, including tapping into todays technologies such as the utilization of social media behavior and even virtual reality content.

As a global leader in marketing research facilitation, Civicom continues to develop a competitive suite of solutions by taking part in insight-filled sessions with knowledge experts. Civicom also aims to strengthen its industry presence in the UK and Europe in meeting with prospects and clients at the event. Maria Huab, Civicoms Regional Account Manager for the UK, along with Rebecca West, Civicoms Global Vice President for Marketing Research Services, will be attending the conference. Everyone is encouraged to know more about Civicoms services by visiting their booth located at Stand No. IB106.

About Civicom Marketing Research Services

Civicom Marketing Research Services offers many options to enhance the research process for marketing research professionals. Civicom is the global leader in facilitating telephone and web-enabled IDIs and Focus Groups using Civicom CyberFacility. Civicom also offers Civicom Chatterbox, an asynchronous research platform for online communities and bulletin boards, plus the Civicom ThoughtLight Mobile Insights App, a qualitative mobile tool for collecting richer in-the-moment insights, and offering geolocation plus off line accessibility for places where there is no data connection. Civicom ThoughtLight works with both iOS and Android and is a useful tool for shopper insights, audio diaries and patient journeys.

Civicom operates in over 96 countries and offers extensive translation services for marketing researchers, as well as transcription services through TranscriptionWing, and respondent recruiting through CiviSelect. All of these services are available in Spanish, as well as English, and multiple other languages.

Civicom Marketing Research Services continues to be at the forefront of innovation and new strategies in marketing research, actively participating in various conferences and networks that engage in developing new techniques with the latest technologies globally. Civicom Marketing Research chooses to be as dynamic as it is innovative; always listening to and acting on clients ideas and requests as they see fit. This kind of relationship has paved the way for the development and roll-out of new services.

Civicom is known among its clients for dedication to service quality and for the companys motto Your Project Success Is Our Number One Priority.

Civicom Marketing Research Services chooses to be as dynamic as it is innovative; always listening to and acting on clients ideas and requests as they see fit. This kind of relationship has paved the way for the development and roll-out of new services.

To learn more, email Civicom at inquire(at)civi.com or call +1-203-413-2423.
California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson with California Casualty AVP Lisa Almeida, Field Marketing Manager Amanda Keidel and CEO Beau Brown at the Teachers of the Year Gala The event is about passion, creativity and excellence. It honors the winners, and it honors so many who dont get recognized for their commitment and dedication.

California Casualty had the distinct honor to participate in the gala recognizing Californias Teachers of the Year in February. The five finalists were described as guideposts in charting a new course of excellence.

Megan Gross, special education instructor at Del Norte High School in San Diego, was named Californias 2017 National Teacher of the Year candidate, and is one of four finalists for 2017 National Teacher of the Year designation.

California Casualty CEO Beau Brown remarked that, The event is about passion, creativity and excellence. It honors the winners, and it honors so many who dont get recognized for their commitment and dedication.

AVP Lisa Almeida, who introduced California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, was humbled by the sheer strength and tremendous dedication the award winning teachers showed. What an amazing evening of celebrating America and American Education, she said.

As the Presenting Sponsor for the third year, California Casualty is helping to make possible these other California School Recognition Programs:



California Gold Ribbon Schools  honoring exemplary public schools which demonstrate significant gains in narrowing the achievement gap

Classified School Employee of the Year  highlighting those who symbolize the professions commitment to education

California Green Ribbon School Awards  recognizing schools that accomplish great things in the areas of sustainability and health

California Blue Ribbon Schools  acknowledging schools that promote and support the improvement of education

California Casualty is proud to celebrate teachers and education support professionals who make a difference for their students and communities. California Casualty Field representatives will present awards and attend other special recognition ceremonies, enhancing the companys 65 year commitment to educators.

Headquartered in San Mateo, CA, California Casualty provides auto and home insurance to educators, firefighters, law enforcement and nurses across the country. Founded in 1914, California Casualty has been led by four generations of the Brown family. To learn more about California Casualty, or to request an auto insurance quote, please visit http://www.calcas.com or call 1.800.800.9410.
America is home to a melting pot of culinary delights. From quick meals at fast food restaurants to five-star dining, you can find a fusion of flavors in practically every city. This is a country that truly loves food. There are entire television channels devoted to food, festivals celebrating favorite foods, and holiday traditions that revolve around foods. One of the newest food crazes to hit the United States is Burgerim. This Israeli-based franchise got its start in 2011, but quickly drew attention from curious foodies around the world as word spread about the gourmet mini-burgers and unique customized menu concept. Within just two years, Burgerim branched out with more than 80 franchises.

Burgerim is opening up it's newest burger restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday, March 4th with a huge grand opening celebration of complimentary burgers to the local memphis community. According to Burgerim Memphis Facebook page and eventbrite, all tickets have been 'sold out' (given away) for a complimentary Burgerim duo pack of burgers, fries, and a drink of your choice. The celebration starts at 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM.

The Secret to Burgerims Explosive Franchise Growth:

Thousands of restaurants attempt to franchise, but only a handful succeed on a global scale. For Burgerim, the explosive growth is largely due to the completely unique concept. Burgerim is the first restaurant built around customized mini-burgers where customers can play around with patty flavors, unusual toppings, and a vast array of sauces. Every burger is unique and theres always more than one. Combos feature a duo, trio, or party box where hungry burger fans can feast on 2.8 oz. patties made from dry aged beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, and many more options. Toppings range from traditional to completely unconventional. At Burgerim, the bite sized burgers are topped with pineapple, avocado, mushrooms, or sunny side eggs. You can mix and match flavors on every burger to create a new experience at each visit.

Another major contributor to Burgerims fast paced growth is the consistently better fast food experience. Forget long lines, rude servers, or boring decor. Burgerim provides food that is fast and affordable in a modern, upscale setting. Its a casual dining opportunity where service is consistently good and the staff is always warm and welcoming. Franchise opportunities are available in over 33 states including California, Arizona, and Colorado. Franchisees undergo rigorous training to make sure staff upholds the Burgerim reputation by offering delicious food in a fun and friendly way.

The Best New Burger Franchise Opportunity:

With global recognition for the food, atmosphere, and service, Burgerim is one of the hottest new burger franchise opportunities in the United States. The companys rapid growth is fully organic as hopeful restaurant owners compete for a chance to buy into the business model that has been an overwhelming success in every single location. Burgerim goes the extra mile for franchisees, providing ongoing support that extends long after the grand opening is complete.

Burgerim franchisees enjoy a long list of benefits. The company provides a complete roadmap to launching a successful restaurant starting with comprehensive business training. No restaurant experience is required to open a Burgerim franchise. The company is eager to train passionate aspiring entrepreneurs to be successful in the food industry. When you invest in a Burgerim franchise, youll also gain full access to advertising and marketing plans that have been put to the test worldwide. Youll receive customer service training and learn how to recruit the right type of employees. Youll even get access to pre-screened suppliers and assistance with real estate and interior design!

With so many perks riding on this popular burger franchise, you might be surprised to learn that the upfront investment is actually very low. Burgerim even offers financing to all franchisees to make it easier to get started. Franchise representatives work with each potential franchisee candidate to determine if Burgerim will be the right fit for their city. If its a match, the potential for long-term profitability is unlimited. For more information about franchising a Burgerim burger restaurant in your city, visit Burgerims franchising page at https://www.burgerim.com/burger-franchise/business/ and complete the contact form.

Burgerim has left an undeniable mark on the American franchise scene. With constant growth across multiple states, the Israeli-burger phenomenon is here to stay.
Dr. Todd Britten Performs Bone Grafting Procedures To Make Dental Implants Possible For Patients With Missing Teeth. After the loss of a tooth, the jawbone recedes, or becomes indented. Bone grafting allows us to fill in this space to have enough bone to place a dental implant.

Dr. Todd Britten recommends modern bone grafting procedures, or periodontal regeneration procedures, for patients with missing teeth who need additional jaw bone support for the placement of dental implants. Dr. Britten, an implant specialist and periodontist in Clearwater, Florida, also provides the latest technology and techniques in ridge augmentation, ridge preservation, sinus lift or sinus augmentation procedures for patients missing teeth to be able to have dental implants.

Dental bone grafts can come from multiple sources. Autogenous grafts come from the patient, allografts are taken from a bone bank where human bone from cadavers has been donated, and xenografts are taken from animal bone. Local anesthesia is all that is needed in most cases. The new bone is surgically placed in the jaw area where it is deficient in bone and transplanted where the dental implants will be located.

Sometimes Leukocyte Rich Platelet Rich Fibrin is used in addition to bone grafting. (L- PRF) is a by-product of a patient's own blood that can help healing after dental procedures such as a tooth extraction, as well as promote healing around bone or tissue grafts and dental implants. L-PRF treatments are often used for greater success for necessary procedures for dental implant placement, including socket bone grafts, sinus lifts, ridge augmentation, correcting peri-implantitis, block bone grafts and extraction sites prior to implant placement. Dr. Britten provides both of these technologies in his Clearwater, Florida periodontal practice.

The dental bone graft, or periodontal regeneration procedure, must be allowed to heal completely prior to other procedures, such as the placement of dental implants. This will generally take about four to six months. Once the area has completely healed, the patient can be reevaluated for the placement of dental implants.

Britten Periodontics & Implant Dentistry is a periodontal practice offering patients personalized dental care in implant dentistry in Clearwater, Florida. Dr. Todd Britten received his Bachelor of Science & Doctorate of Dental Surgery from University of Florida, a Masters Degree and Certificate in Periodontology and Implant Dentistry; and completed extensive training at the Institute of Advanced Laser Dentistry. He is one of the only board-certified periodontists in Pinellas County. He is a member of the American Academy of Periodontology, American Dental Association, Florida Association of Periodontists, Upper Pinellas County Dental Association, Hillsborough County Dental Association, Hillsborough County Dental Research Association and Florida West Coast Dental Association.

Patients interested in these procedures can get additional information at http://www.brittenperio.com or call (727) 586-2681.
A three-year research collaboration effort between the United Sorghum Checkoff Program and DuPont Pioneer has yielded a major new tool for sorghum improvement.

DuPont Pioneer research scientists, led by Cleve Franks and Tanveer Hussain, discovered two sorghum haploid inducer lines. The first of its kind, these patent-pending inducer lines enable the creation of doubled haploid sorghum, which is the first step to significantly accelerating the sorghum breeding process.

The development of doubled haploid sorghum capabilities represents a major leap forward in sorghum breeding technology, United Sorghum Checkoff Program CEO Tim Lust said. This technology provides sorghum breeders with a powerful means of developing higher-yielding sorghum hybrids with the technology our growers need, both in the United States and abroad.

The United Sorghum Checkoff Program funded the Pioneer research as part of a three-year, $800,220 investment. The research, conducted in Texas, Kansas, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Iowa, leveraged the world-class, global breeding programs of Pioneer.

The inducer lines discovered by Pioneer will give sorghum breeders the opportunity to create finished inbred parents in a single step, said Franks, sorghum research scientist, DuPont Pioneer. This could accelerate the breeding process by potentially cutting the time required to create new hybrids in half.

The results and developments from the collaboration will be available for out licensing. As one of the top five cereal crops in the world, sorghum can be grown as a grain, forage or sweet crop. The United States is the world's largest producer of grain sorghum, having produced 597 million bushels in 2015. The United Sorghum Checkoff Program partners with both public and private sorghum breeding entities.

The United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) is a producer-funded organization that is dedicated to improving the sorghum industry through research, promotion and education. For more information about the USCP and other research projects, please visit http://www.sorghumcheckoff.com.

DuPont Pioneer is the worlds leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries. Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere. Science with Service Delivering Success.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders, we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit http://www.dupont.com.

# # #

3/2/17

, , SM Trademarks and service marks of DuPont, Pioneer or their respective owners.  2017 PHII.
Dr. Dennis Yun, MD, QME, has joined the leading network of doctors working on a lien basis to provide comprehensive pain management care for personal injury and workers compensation victims throughou Personal injury clients now have a trusted pain management doctor in the Bay Area.

Doctors on Liens continues its rapid expansion of medical specialties throughout Northern California with the recent addition of renowned pain management and anesthesia specialist, Dr. Dennis Yun, MD, QME, who practices at California Pain Center in San Francisco and the Richmond / San Pablo area. Personal injury and workers compensation victims are often fearful of pain management procedures. However, the wide array of procedures utilized by Dr. Yun can have dramatic results including substantial pain relief, increased range of motion, and improved quality of life.

Dr. Yun and his team of medical professionals bring a compassionate and multidisciplinary philosophy to patient care that is unique to personal injury treatment. Finding a doctor with the combination of medical experience and patient empathy is rare among doctors working on a lien basis in Northern California. Doctors on Liens is making that challenge much easier with the addition of Dr. Yun to its statewide network.

Dr. Yun completed earned his medical degree at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Not only did he complete his residency in Anesthesiology at the highly-regarded University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, but he completed his Pain Medicine fellowship at the renowned Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle.

And now, as part of Doctors on Liens, Dr. Yuns prestigious background and wealth of experience will be available to injured patients throughout the Bay Area. Dr. Yun and his team can treat a vast array of injuries with treatments including:



Medication management

Minimally invasive injection (spine and joints)

Epidural steroid injection

Facet joint injection/medial branch block

Large and small joint injections

Sacroiliac joint injection

Radiofrequency ablation

Diagnostic discography

Peripheral nerve injection

Trigger point injection

Spinal cord stimulation

Botox injection for chronic migraine headache

IOVERA cold therapy

Remarks Doctors on Liens President, Samantha Parker, Doctors on Liens is so thrilled to be working with such a renowned, double board certified physician. It is so hard to find doctors with Dr. Yuns unique combination of education and experience working on a lien basis. The law firms we have cultivated relationships with for over twenty years are going to be ecstatic their clients now have a trusted pain management doctor in the Bay Area.

Doctors on Liens is an innovator in the medical lien specialty referral industry and has forged close relationships with both legal firms and medical practices over the past 20 years.

Doctors on Liens features medical specialties including board certified orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, general practitioners, psychologists, and chiropractors. Each medical office is independently owned and operated and all appointments can be conveniently scheduled directly with the facility.

Doctors on Liens lists medical professionals who offer medical services on a lien basis in Southern California, Central California, and Nevada.
The Michael F. Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma today announced the introduction of the Online Master of Accountancy program, a globally accessible online degree.

The Online Master of Accountancy degree offers a digitally-delivered graduate curriculum that provides students the additional credit hours required to qualify for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination in Oklahoma, Texas and many other states. In 2016, students within the Price College Steed School of Accounting had the best average CPA first time passage rate among Big XII public universities at 75 percent, which exceeds the already impressive 74 percent average pass rate of Price College students over the past 10 years. The Online Master of Accountancy degree at Price College allows even more students access to such a high level of preparation and success. (Note: the national CPA average pass rate is 55 percent.) Program overview: http://www.ou.edu/content/price/accounting/online-macc.html

For those in the accounting field, obtaining a Master of Accountancy and passing the CPA exam dramatically increases opportunities for their entire career, said Price College Dean Daniel W. Pullin. Yet, todays demanding business climate requires that these professionals balance existing work and life priorities if they are to successfully pursue graduate education. OUs launch of the Online Master of Accountancy gives these aspirational students the flexibility to achieve this degree while working full time, and allows them to put this knowledge to work immediately, which benefits employer and employee alike.

The Online Master of Accountancy program is designed entirely by the faculty at Price Colleges Steed School of Accounting. Recognized as one of the select accounting schools in the nation to be separately accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the online option builds on OUs success with its longstanding residentially delivered Master of Accounting degree by making it accessible to future Sooners anywhere in the world. Classes begin in August, with degree completion expected within two years.

Students also have the option to add a global experience to their studies, which will broaden their view of international accounting and accelerate the time to degree completion. This unique two-week, three-credit-hour International Financial Statement Analysis module exposes students to international business and accounting professionals in London, Paris and Brussels. In addition to course credit, the student will earn an International Financial Reporting Certificate through the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, which confirms student learning of international financial reporting standards.

In addition to the strength of its accounting programs, Price College has deep experience in delivering fully-accredited graduate programs through digital delivery. Launched in 2014, Price Colleges Executive MBA in Energy has become one of the world's most successful digital graduate offerings, having been recognized as a Tier I program by CEO Magazine and ranked among the top three in the world by Find-MBA.com the past two years. With the launch of the Online Master of Accountancy program, Price Colleges accounting expertise and digital track record combine to provide new educational and career opportunities for more students than ever before.

For more information about the Master of Accountancy, please visit: http://www.ou.edu/content/price/accounting/online-macc.html

About The Price College of Business:

Established in 1928, the Michael F. Price College of Business ensures the enduring global competitiveness of Oklahoma and the nation. As OUs second-largest college, the Price College of Business educates over 4,000 students through undergraduate, masters, executive and doctoral programs across six academic divisions in Accounting, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, Finance, Management and International Business, Management Information Systems, and Marketing and Supply Chain Management.

The college boasts 25 nationally ranked programs. U.S. News & World Report currently ranks the colleges undergraduate program in the top 50 (#48) on its list of "Best Undergraduate Business Programs." The Steed School of Accounting is consistently ranked in the top 10 at both the undergraduate and graduate level among other business schools of its size by Public Accounting Report. The Center for Entrepreneurship is consistently ranked second in the nation among public universities at the undergraduate level and among the top 10 by Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine. The International Business program ranks in the top 30 by U.S. News & World Report for the 11th consecutive year. The Price College Full-Time and Professional MBA Programs are among Bloomberg Businessweeks Best B-Schools of 2016, and ranked as a top 10 (# 7) program by CollegeAtlas.org for its affordability, academic quality, accessibility, GMAT average and job placement results. The Executive MBA in Energy, launched in 2014, has been named a Tier I program by CEO Magazine and among the top three in the world by Find-MBA.com the past two years.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Partly cloudy with late night showers or thunderstorms. Low 71F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy with late night showers or thunderstorms. Low 71F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Sisu, a new album by Jennifer DeFrayne "Each song on this album embraces the spirit of sisu in one way or another, and each song is meant to reflect the many characteristics of sisu." Past News Releases RSS Lawrence Blatt, the Bay Area...

Music for Relaxation: Tron Syversen...

The melting pot known as America includes many cultural ingredients, and Finnish-American pianist Jennifer DeFrayne is playing her part to contribute the special spice known as sisu. Her sophomore album (titled Sisu) is co-produced with Corin Nelsen, and releases globally today via her independent record label, Palo Isle Music; it is available in physical CD or digital form, on Amazon, iTunes, CDBaby, most music websites and http://www.jenniferdefrayne.com.

Sisu was a familiar word for DeFrayne, growing up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, one of the cradles of Finnish culture in the U.S. It is loosely defined as a unique quality characterizing the Finnish spirita mindset that enables an individual to reach beyond their present limitations, act against all odds and transform struggles into success. It is believed to be a universal capacity which we all share: Perseverance, Courage, Endurance, Determination, Grit, Fortitude, Bravery, Spirit, Resilience and Inner Strength.

DeFraynes life is a demonstration of sisu, as told more deeply in her biography. At the age of 5, she embarked on her journey as a self-taught pianist inspired by the wild beauty of the land around her, which is featured in her new Sisu music video. Despite many family heartbreaks and health challenges, she continued turning to the piano for solace, and in 2014, was named Best New Artist by Zone Music Reporter, when her debut album By A Wire (Little Hartley Music) was also nominated for Best Piano Album with Instrumentation.

Many artists release a critically-acclaimed debut album only to stumble a bit on the sophomore effort. Such is not the case for DeFrayne, according to earlier reviewers. While Sisu shows growth and change for DeFrayne, it also underscores the fact that the praise heaped on her first recording was a mere precursor to the artistry yet to come. Regarding the evolution of the 12 songs on the new album, Sisu, she says, "Each song on this album embraces the spirit of sisu in one way or another, and each song is meant to reflect the many characteristics of sisu."

To highlight a few tracks on the album, one begins with Fire Island a contemplative piece titled with an English translation of her strong Finnish maiden name Palosaari. The raw pouring out of emotion that DeFrayne invites the listener to witness is instantly engaging. The mood lightens on Be Who You Are, indicating the acceptance of the trials and tribulations that have riddled her life. By far, the most haunting and moving song on the album is its namesake Sisu. The artful layering of tones, moods, and instrumentation (piano, violin, bass guitar and Electronic Wind Instrument aka EWI) certainly earn this track the title of a masterpiece.

Her years of coping with personal grief, illness and recovery from a stroke at an early age, led Jennifer to want to heal others, too; this healing spirit is apparent in the peaceful song Palo Santo. The airiness of an EWI with gentle piano and vocalizations conveys a sense of calm and space. Equanimity feels like a deep breath in a trying time; conveying multiple emotions at once, DeFrayne engages soft vocals and English horn to portray strength and composure in the midst of a storm. Perseverance is Jennifers closing message to her listeners; it is melancholy wrapped in joy, with a touch of percussion added to an encouraging and hopeful soundscape.

An impressive roster of guest artists contributed to the album, including Jeff Haynes (percussion), Premik Russell Tubbs (EWI and sax), Michael Manring (bass guitar and EBow), Jill Haley (English horn and oboe), Sara Milonovich (violin and vocals), Jeff Pearce ("ambient" guitar), and Jeff Oster (flugelhorn). Sisu was produced by DeFrayne and Grammy-award winner Corin Nelsen (SynchroSonic Productions), who also mixed & mastered the album. All music was composed, and piano performed, by DeFrayne.

In an early review, noted music writer Bill Binkelman stated "Jennifer DeFrayne's Sisu is not just better than her debut, which is already high praise, but it is a work of such emotional depth, technical artistry, and self-assuredness, that I am left wondering 'Where has this remarkable woman been all this time?' "

In 2017, Finland celebrates 100 Years of Independence with its Centennial, and the world will learn much about Finnish life, culture and traditions. Thanks to DeFraynes new album, many Americans will be ahead of the curve, having already learned the essence of sisu from her life and music.

Broadcast promotion for the album is handled by LAZZ Promotions, Ed & Stacey Bonk; contact via (905) 470-1230 or e-mail: lazzpromotions(at)rogers.com.

For review copies and interviews, please contact Beth Ann Hilton at The B Company / PR & Marketing, via (310) 560-8390 or e-mail: bethhilton(at)theBcompany.com.

Follow Jennifer on Social Media at:



facebook.com/jenniferdefraynemusic/

instagram.com/jenniferdefrayne/

twitter.com/JDeFrayne

youtube.com/channel/UCIwjWHztUJ8JAQtIyEBM6WA

Track List:

Fire Island (5:49)

Be Who You Are (4:19)

Sisu (7:17)

Beyond (5:19)

Gathering (3:55)

Palo Santo (6:21)

Roots (3:38)

Stepping Stones (5:02)

Equanimity (4:41)

Internal Light (3:23)

Renew (3:41)

Perseverance (5:25)
Nerijus Beiga Is The Newest Franchisee In The STOP Franchise System It was interesting to me to learn how many similarities the restoration industry had with my prior career in hotel management.

Nerijus Beiga had been searching for a business where he could deploy the customer service skills that he had sharpened during his successful career in Hotel Management. It was interesting to me to learn how many similarities the restoration industry had with my prior career in hotel management, said Beiga. I managed an in-house repair and maintenance department which repaired things regularly and, unfortunately, had to deal with water damage and other forms of restoration from time to time. I am so excited about joining the Service Team of Professionals Franchise System.

We are really excited about having Nerijus join the STOP Family, Said Brian Clark, VP of franchise development. It is not often that you get a guy with this type of management experience from an industry that has its fair share of facility restoration needs and who has this level of customer service background. STOP promotes a high touch relationship with local customers and the insurance industry. A Franchisee must understand the importance of both customer service and quality, timely workmanship. We are confident that Nerijus has both skills, added Clark.

Beiga will be helping families and business owners in the Naperville, Wheaton, Downers Grove and Oak Brook communities with plans to grow his operations to market-leading size in the next few years. "At the moment, I am going to focus on developing relationships in the reach of greater Naperville but I have plans to expand my operations in the future to serve other communities around Chicago. I am confident that the STOP name and commitment to quality work will help me penetrate the industry," said Beiga.

About STOP Service Team of Professionals Franchise

Headquarted in Temecula, CaliforniaSTOP has been a leader in the restoration franchise space for nearly 20 years and has operations in 21 states throughout North America. Franchisees are specially trained to handle the complexities of disaster situations. STOP has helped an estimated 167,000 homes and business owners recover from a range of water, fire, indoor environmental issues and disasters since their founding. For additional information on franchising, contact John Armatas at 855.844.8377 or visit our franchise website at http://www.stoprestorationfranchising.com
Example of spatial extent differences between flood recurrence intervals in Broomes Island, MD VPCs policy expertise allows Calvert County Government to better serve residents who own flood-prone properties located inside and outside of FEMAs 100-year floodplain.

The Flood Mitigation Plan Update was funded by a Coast Smart Initiatives Grant from NOAA and administered through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Chesapeake and Coastal Service Program. The VPC Team, led by VPCs President, Deepa Srinivasan and Dr. Michael Scott of Salisbury University, utilized FEMAs HAZUS-MH software to estimate the financial loss associated with specific levels of floodwater in the southern Maryland County of Calvert. The analysis takes into consideration how far inland the water will go, as well as its height, to determine how much damage it could potentially cause.

The estimated depth of the potential floodwater was developed from LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) elevation measurements taken in 2011, that show not only which areas will be inundated, but also by how much. The HAZUS software then crosses these elevation measurements with the flood polygons of the Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs), which are used by the National Flood Insurance Program to determine floodplains and insurance rates. These two inputs generate flood depth grids for areas based on the 10%, 4%, 2%, 1%, and .02% chance of flood occurrences in 2016, 2050, and 2100.

Various flood depth grids are overlaid with the building polygons, to determine which buildings fell in the flood zones. The building layer was then laid over the various flood occurrence grids to determine which buildings were at risk for each recurrence interval. These buildings were then matched to the Countys 2013 Tax Assessments to show the assessed value of the property.

Finally, to determine the total financial loss, the function of the building is used to estimate the value of its contents. The industry standard estimates for the contents are; one-half of the value of a residence and 100% of the value of a commercial building. Thus, a total dollar amount can be given for each building, whether commercial or residential, for each potential flood occurrence.

The success of this project is attributed to our Client who dug into the data, Dr. Scott shared. Its very heartening to know that someone cares enough to make sure were doing it right.

The analysis conducted by Dr. Scott shows Calvert Countys flood-vulnerability beyond that of FEMAs DFIRMs, it also identifies flood-prone properties outside of the 100-year floodplain, said Calvert County Department of Community Planning and Building Environmental and Long Range Planner, Tay Harris.

Combining Dr. Scotts analysis with VPCs policy expertise allows Calvert County Government to better serve residents who own flood-prone properties located inside and outside of FEMAs 100-year floodplain. In recent years, nuisance flooding has become a more frequent problem in Calvert Countys low lying communities. It is important to work with these communities to plan for the future and mitigate the impacts of flooding and sea level rise, added Dr. David Brownlee, AICP, Principal Environmental Planner.

Vision Planning and Consulting (http://www.planVPC.com), is a small, minority and woman-owned 8(a) certified firm based in Fulton, Maryland, specializing in emergency management, community planning, public outreach and education, and grants management, with a focus on technology. VPC prides itself in assisting communities to plan and prepare for disasters, and building consensus across all levels of government, private sector, and academia.
HAK (Armenian National Congress) MP Aram Manukyan was not boasting when he told reporters today that there is no parliament in the world like the one in Armenia.

Rather, Manukyan described the latest four-day sitting of Armenias parliament as the saddest in its history.

Its a record. Sixty votes in just three days, Manukyan exclaimed.

Noting that the parliament passed 46 bills in the span of 72 hours, Manukyan joked that the countrys legislators must be so intelligent, literate and clever in order to serve-up so many laws to the public.

Its as if we were voting on a bill every few minutes or so, Manukyan said, adding that the quality of the current parliament is something to be ashamed of.

They press buttons, hand out money to people at the polling stations, collect passports, and scare people, the HAK MP said referring to the current April 2 parliamentary election campaign.

Noting that sixty current MPS will be running for reelection, Manukyan warned that the level of mediocrity has a good chance of remaining in the parliament.

He concluded by saying that 90% of MPs voting in favor of this or that bill, couldnt even tell you what the legislation was about.
The military arm of Armenias Investigative Committee is looking into how three conscript soldiers were injured when an explosive device was detonated while they were carrying out construction work at a defensive military post on February 28.

The three injured soldiers  Narek Grigoryan, Berj Gabrielyan and Erik Sahakyan - were immediately taken to a military hospital.

A criminal case of negligence has been launched.
In last weeks blog Land rich but feeling dirt poor? You have more than you think, I gave an overview of the unfortunate outcomes that can happen when farmers do not have their estate planning ducks in a row. Richard Bollenbeck, a Wisconsin attorney, told multiple horror stories at a monthly agri-business meeting.

He is a lawyer who does not recommend wills as a means to divide family assets. He talked about the differences between wills, revocable trusts, and irrevocable trusts. There have been changes in the law that affect transfers of assets and he reviewed them as well. Bollenbeck suggested that most people are best served with a revocable trust.

About 35 to 40 percent of the farms in Wisconsin are in revocable trusts. Its more common now since changes to the trusts were made in 1995. Items (land, equipment, and so forth) can now be added or removed from the revocable trust at any time. And the trustee no longer has to be an attorney (who you pay a healthy fee); it can be a family member or nonrelative. The disbursement process is much swifter and less cumbersome with a trust instead of a will. There is also the possibility to minimize/avoid state death taxes related to probate with a trust.

He also reminded attendees that having a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) is not the same protection as a will or trust. Having an LLC is a good thing to protect assets, but it has nothing to do with transferring them. You need a will or a trust to do that.

Bollenbeck described five criteria for a will to be binding:

Be in writing (oral agreements are not valid) Must be signed (having it in a drawer and not signed as leverage over others makes it invalid). People must be 18 years of age or older at the time of signing Two disinterested parties need to witness and sign it (those that do not benefit). Signees must be of sound mind. As people age, this could come into question. Write the will while all faculties are secure. A will can be changed, so it can be altered or a new one written as long as there is no sign of mental illness.

More to think about

In addition to the basic trust and will, there are also health care and power of attorney documents that should be drafted so everyone is aware of who is to make what decisions. As farmers age, they need to think about their long-term health care. If not properly planned, the cost of off-farm senior living can drain the farm of its assets  leaving nothing for the next generation they hoped to help.

Elder care now averages about $8,000 a month, so it doesnt take long to spend a substantial amount of savings. And any transfer of assets (typically to family) must be completed five years prior to elder care or else those assets are still fair game to pay care costs.

Bollenbeck detailed Medicare, Medigap, and Medicaid. With extended health care needs, a person can easily spend their assets down to nothing. Medicaid only kicks in when there is nothing left (assets or cash).

There is a lot to think about, but Bollenbeck advised the group to find an attorney you trust and to ask questions. He works in Wisconsin and other areas may vary. If your attorney does not have the answers, consider a new one. Work with someone who understands farming because it is a totally different beast than other business models.

The author is the online media manager and is responsible for the website, webinars, and social media. A graduate of Modesto Junior College and Fresno State, she was raised on a California dairy and frequently blogs on youth programs and consumer issues.
Odafe Atogun. Pantheon, $24.95 (240p) ISBN 978-1-101-87145-4

Uniting a retelling of the Orpheus myth, an indictment of totalitarian inhumanity, and a Kafkaesque meditation on identity within the spare language of fable, Atoguns memorable debut novel testifies to the power of both oppression and art. Its protagonist, a musician known only as Taduno, runs afoul of the ruthless Nigerian government for stirring up the populace with his protest songs. Losing his famous voice as a result of their brutality, he goes into exile. Three months later, he receives a letter from his girlfriend, Lela, warning him that their homeland is changing dangerously. Deciding to reunite with her, Taduno returns to Lagos only to discover that no one recognizes him, all of the documents that prove his identity have mysteriously disappeared, and Lela has been abducted by the government in its attempt to gain leverage over him. Taduno realizes that the only way to regain his identity is to regain his voice. But his musical rebirth has an impossible cost: will he save Lela by singing for the government, or remain true to his people and his soul? Readers familiar with Nigerian political history or the countrys late musician-activist Fela Kuti will find echoes of both in the novel. But Atogans allegory, at once bleak and hopeful, needs no external glosses to speak clearly and powerfully.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  New research findings show that as the world warmed millions of years ago, conditions in the tropics may have made it so hot some organisms couldnt survive.

Longstanding theories dating to the 1980s suggest that as the rest of the earth warms, the tropical temperatures would be strictly limited, or regulated by an internal thermostat. These theories are controversial, but the debate is of great importance because the tropics and subtropics comprise half of the earths surface area, greater than half of the earths biodiversity, as well as over half the earths human population. But new geological and climate-based research indicates the tropics may have reached a temperature 56 million years ago that was, indeed, too hot for living organisms to survive in parts of the tropics.

That conclusion is detailed in the article Extreme Warmth and Heat-Stressed Plankton in the Tropics during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, published by the online journal Science Advances and co-authored by Matthew Huber, professor in the Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Department at Purdue University and member of the Purdue Climate Change Research Center. Hubers contribution focused on climate modeling and interpreting paleoclimate data within the context of modern theoretical understanding. Part of this work was performed while Huber was also at the University of New Hampshire.

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) period occurred 56 million years ago and is considered the warmest period during the past 100 million years. Global temperatures rapidly warmed by about 5 degrees Celsius (9 F), from an already steamy baseline temperature, and this study provides the first convincing evidence that the tropics also warmed by about 3 degrees Celsius (5 F) during that time.

The records produced in this study indicate that when the tropics warmed that last little bit, a threshold was passed and parts of the tropical biosphere seems to have died, Huber said. This is the first time that weve found really good information, in a very detailed way, where we saw major changes in the tropics directly associated with warming past a key threshold in the past 60 million years.

The study is unique because of the quality of the geological records utilized. Geological records from the PETM are difficult to find, especially from an area of the tropics, Huber said. The research was based on a shallow marine sedimentary section deposited in Nigeria.

We dont find 50-million-year-old thermometers at the bottom of the ocean, Huber said. What we do find are shells, and we use the isotopes of carbon and oxygen within the shells, complemented by temperature proxies from organic material, to say something about the carbon cycle and about the temperature in the past.

Two research methods were used to judge the temperature during the PETM, one utilizing isotopes in shells, while the other examined organic residues in deep-sea sentiments. The biotic records left behind from living organisms indicate they were dying at the same time the conditions were warming.

If the tropics are not able to control its temperature and do not possess an internal thermostat, that should reshape future thinking about climate change, Huber said.

If you say theres no tropical thermostat, then half of the worlds biodiversity  over half of the worlds population, the tropical rainforests, the reefs, India, Brazil  these populous and very important countries have nothing to prevent them from warming up substantially above conditions that humans have been used to, he said.

The trends in temperature increases in the tropics are similar to those found in other parts of the world, but other records have been very sparse and limited until now.

Hubers work has been funded by the National Science Foundation through grants EPS 1101245 and OCE 0902882. The model used in the study is developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, which is also supported by the NSF. Computing was provided by ITaPs Research Computing.

Media contact: Brian Peloza, 765-496-9711, bpeloza@purdue.edu

Source: Matthew Huber, huberm@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: A copy of the research paper is available from Brian Peloza, Purdue News Service, at 765-496-9711, bpeloza@purdue.edu

ABSTRACT

Extreme warmth and heat-stressed plankton in the tropics during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

Joost Frieling1, Holger Gebhardt2, Matthew Huber3, Olabisi Adekeye4, Samuel

Akande4, Gert-Jan Reichart5,6, J.J. Middelburg5, Stefan Schouten5,6, and Appy Sluijs1

1 Marine Palynology and leoceanography, Laboratory of Palaeobotany and Palynology, Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. 2 Geologische Bundesanstalt, Austria.

3 Department of Earth Sciences, University of New Hampshire. 4 Department of Geology and Mineral Sciences, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. 5 Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.6 NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, and Utrecht University, The Netherlands.

Global ocean temperatures rapidly warmed by ~5C during the Paleocene - Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; ~56 million years ago; Ma). Extra-tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs) met or exceeded modern subtropical values. With such warm extra-tropical temperatures, climate models predict tropical SSTs >35Cnear upper physiological temperature limits for many organisms. However, few data are available to test these projected extreme tropical temperatures or their potential lethality. We identify the PETM in a shallow marine sedimentary section deposited in Nigeria. Based on planktonic foraminiferal Mg/Ca and oxygen isotope ratios and the molecular proxy TEX_86^H, late Paleocene equatorial SSTs were ~33 C, and TEX_86^H indicates that SSTs rose to >36 C during the PETM. This confirms model predictions on the magnitude of polar amplification and refutes the tropical thermostat theory. We attribute a massive drop in dinoflagellate abundance and diversity at peak warmth to thermal stress, showing that the base of tropical foodwebs is vulnerable to rapid warming.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Kayapo leaders and artists from the Central Brazilian Amazon are visiting Purdue University in early March.

There will be a public film screening and discussion of Kayapo documentaries and shorts at 6-7:30 p.m. Monday (March 6) in the Krannert Auditorium. An opening reception also will precede the event from 4-5:30 p.m. These events are sponsored by Purdues Native American Educational and Cultural Center.

An Evening with Kayapo and Mebengokre Leaders and Artists is 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday (March 7) in Mann Hall Atrium at Discovery Park. The event, which is open to the public, is sponsored by the Center for the Environment, Department of Anthropology and College of Liberal Arts. The event also will feature a photo exhibit highlighting Kayapo community life.

The Kayapo people live in a federally demarcated homeland the central Brazilian Amazon  a territory which has remained a stronghold of preserving biocultural diversity and rights in a period of rapid deforestation, says Laura Zanotti, an associate professor of anthropology, who has worked with the Kayapo peoples for more than 10 years.

We are thrilled to host them at Purdue this March, says Zanotti. We are honored that they are visiting on their trip to the United States and eager to have students, faculty, staff, and the public dialogue with them about art, media, and conservation.

Kayapo tribal leaders, artists, and filmmakers are visiting Purdue to discuss the conservation-development challenges their communities face, feature new artistic and documentary productions from tribal members, and highlight their role in addressing some of the worlds grand challenges.

Zanotti also co-advises the EPICS GAPS team, whose members have been developing alternative power solutions and sustainable infrastructure solutions to a media center in one Kayapo village.

The Kayapo visitors include:

* Kaket Bepuneiti Kayapo is a tribal leader of the village of Aukre. Kaket has long supported media making initiatives in his community and other partnerships with universities and local and international nongovernmental organizations.

* Pat-i Kayapo is a filmmaker in the community of A'ukre, serving as a leader and organizer of a group of men and women filmmakers. He enjoys making films, participating in community life, and documenting Kayapo culture.

* Bepto Kayapo is a filmmaker in the community of A'ukre. For the past several years, he has served as the main filmmaker who works with the A'ukre school system  documenting anything from class activities and elder visits to the school.

* Pykatire Kayapo is a songwriter and musician from the Kayapo village of Kabau. He recently has received much acclaim for the production of Kayapo Pop music, which is a mixture of Kayapo lyrics with regional non-indigenous Brazilian forro, brega and sertaneja dance and musical styles.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Source: Laura Zanotti, lzanotti@purdue.edu
These are Richard Roeper's mini-reviews (unless otherwise noted) of some of the movies currently playing in the Quad-Cities area.

"Get Out" (R, 105 min.). When a young black man (Daniel Kaluuya) meets the parents of his white girlfriend (Allison Williams), it's the start of a cutting-edge, fresh and sometimes bat-bleep-crazy mash-up of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Stepford Wives." Writer-director Jordan Peele pays homage to some great horror films while carving out his own fantastically creative path. Rating: Three and a half stars.



"The Great Wall" (PG-13, 104 min.). Cast as the Great White Hope alongside several popular Chinese actors, Matt Damon plays a mercenary enlisted to help fight an invasion of paranormal monsters. A fantasy with some pretty cool visual effects but scads of unintentionally hilarious dialogue, "The Great Wall" is so wonderfully bad, I could see some coming for the action and staying for the camp laughs. It's a beautiful bomb. Rating: One and a half stars.

Currently on video



"Jackie" (R, 99 min.). "Jackie" is a morbid, uneven, sometimes elegant, sometimes insightful examination of the immediate aftermath of the assassination of JFK, as told through the lens of the first lady. Natalie Portman is sure to be nominated for an Oscar for her performance in the title role, and deservedly so -- even though there are some moments when the dialogue and the overt symbolism come dangerously close to camp. Rating: Three stars.



"Moana" (PG, 113 min.). With help from a demigod (voice of Dwayne Johnson), an adventurous island princess sets out on the sea to save her homeland in an animated musical bursting with gorgeous visuals, filled with inspirational messages and chock full of gentle and quite clever humor. Rating: Three and a half stars.

"Allied" (R, 124 min.). A taut, tense thriller for its first half, this World War II film starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard later becomes a weird hybrid of domestic drama and wartime intrigue that sometimes stretches credulity and veers close to unintentional humor. The highs are so impressive and the lows are so ... weird. Rating: Three stars.



"Moonlight" (R, 110 min.). Gorgeous and yet bleak, uplifting and yet sobering, writer-director Barry Jenkins' modern masterpiece chronicles pivotal periods in boyhood, adolescence and adulthood in the life and times of one person played by three skilled actors. This is a film brimming with memorable work. Rating: Four stars.

"Bad Santa 2" (R, 89 min.). Some 13 years after the fantastic, brutally offensive "Bad Santa" became something of a cult classic, this lazy, crummy-looking, poorly paced, why-bother follow-up lacks the Christmas bells to go full-out politically incorrect. Billy Bob Thornton half-heartedly reprises the title role, with Kathy Bates cracking unfunny jokes as his mother. Rating: One and a half stars.

"Hacksaw Ridge" (R, 130 min.). Director Mel Gibson dishes out the symbolism and the sermonizing in blunt and unrelenting fashion in a gruesomely effective and ultraviolent World War II movie about a man (Andrew Garfield, rising to the occasion) who was so nonviolent he refused to pick up a gun, even during combat in Okinawa. Rating: Three stars.



"Nocturnal Animals" (R, 117 min.). Director Tom Ford tells parallel stories of a gallery owner (Amy Adams) reading a novel by her ex as the ex (Jake Gyllenhaal) lives the story. For all of the exquisitely framed and expertly lit sequences, for all the valiant efforts by some of the finest actors around, it left me as cold and unaffected as just about any prestige, A-list project I've seen all year. Rating: Two stars.



"Manchester by the Sea" (R, 137 min.). With this story of a bitter Boston custodian (Casey Affleck) returning to his hometown after his brother's death, writer-director Kenneth Lonergan has delivered a modern masterpiece reminiscent of the classic, gritty dramas of the 1970s. It's no easy journey, but my goodness is it brilliant. Rating: Four stars.
WHEATON, Ill. (AP)  A man convicted of killing his roommate during an argument hours after moving into the man's Naperville townhome in 2014 has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Twenty-four-year-old Grant Muren learned his punishment on Thursday. He was found guilty last year of second-degree murder, aggravated arson and residential arson following a bench trial in DuPage County.

Muren's lawyer had argued at trial that the killing was self-defense.

Prosecutors say Muren beat and strangled 55-year-old Charles Clark after they had a sexual encounter and Clark told Muren to leave the home.

Authorities say the Clark met Muren after the younger man answered Clark's Craigslist posting for a new roommate. Investigators said that Muren tried to burn a lease agreement and cause an explosion at the home with natural gas.
SPRINGFIELD  Local state senators still see hope for a state budget agreement.

The Illinois Senate returned to work Thursday, a day after the long-anticipated "grand bargain" fizzled, the Associated Press reported. The wide-ranging deal had been negotiated by Democratic Senate President John Cullerton and Republican Leader Christine Radogno, of Lemont.

Sen. Cullerton had intended to call critical parts of the deal for a vote Wednesday, seeking up or down ballots on an income tax increase, a temporary property tax freeze and other parts of the bill. Sen. Cullerton said he killed that effort because Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, talked senators from his party out of supporting it.

Gov. Rauner and Republican senators say there was no pressure brought to bear, but they did not dispute lackluster support for it.

Local state Sens. Neil Anderson, R-Rock Island, and Chuck Weaver, R-Peoria, dispute the deal is a goner. Although both remain wary of parts of it, they cited progress this week toward a compromise.

I believe this deal is still alive," Sen. Anderson said Thursday. "Further negotiations are needed to reach a consensus on the framework, and were going to continue to negotiate.

"At the end of the day, what we all want is a deal that balances the budget, funds education, grows jobs and protects the taxpayers," he said. "That is what we will keep working toward."

He said that, while he was uncomfortable with some aspects of the budget framework, he was happy to vote for things such as funding for college student grants and higher education.

"Going forward, there is still some work to be done to reach a consensus on the remaining pieces of legislation in the framework," he said. "I think we took a positive step forward this week by advancing several pieces of legislation that get us closer to a bipartisan budget compromise."

Sen. Weaver expressed doubt about passage of the remaining bills needed for the grand bargain.

"On Tuesday the senate passed five of the 12 grand bargain bills," he said. "There are still seven bills to be voted on. Those bills include tax increases without sufficient cuts to balance the budget. They do not have the reform we need to fix our state.

"We cannot support a package that only slows the decline of our state," Sen. Weaver said. "We must fix it."
BETTENDORF  United Way of the Quad Cities Area raised $8.3 million in its 2016, a bit short of its $8.5 million goal, according to a Thursday announcement

"Due to several challenges in the community, we unfortunately weren't able to meet our goal," said campaign co-chairman Bryan Dixon, chief executive officer of RK Dixon.

"We knew this would be a stretch goal, but we wanted to step up to the challenge," he said. "The need is great in the Quad-Cities."

Still, the result amazed campaign co-chairman Jim Nelson, president and chief operating officer at Parr Instrument Company.

"Thank you to every single person who pledged their support to United Way to make our community stronger," he said. "I am continually amazed at the generosity of the Quad-Cities community."

Contributions included donations made by individuals and corporations as well as grant money.

Among major successes cited in United Way's media release was $473,000 raised by United Way's Women's Leadership Council for a "Born Learning" initiative. The women's council also added 49 new charter members.

It has raised $1.6 million toward a $2.2 million Born Learning goal that focuses on how parents are a child's first and best teacher. The initiative will include Born Learning Academies, a calendar and a text campaign with tips to turn everyday activities into teaching moments.

United Way board members now will decide which funding applications are accepted. Earlier this year, United Way announced a comprehensive change in how it will decide to invest its money, focusing on the areas of education, income and health.

"We received 80 applications for funding, 40 from former partner agencies and 40 from new organizations," United Way president Scott Crane said.

Funding decisions will be announced in May, Mr. Crane said.'

"United Way is changing in order to meet the needs of the Quad-Cities community," said Mr. Dixon, who will serve as this year's campaign co-chairman. "We've spent several years listening to our donors, and look forward to offering them the measurable results they seek while moving the needle in the areas where our community needs it most."
SANAA, Yemen (AP)  U.S. jets carried out dozens of airstrikes on al-Qaida targets in Yemen overnight and in the past 48 hours in one of the lengthiest, sustained operations inside this conflict-torn Arab country, Yemeni officials and residents said Friday.

According to the officials, the strikes focused on a triangle-shaped mountainous region where three Yemeni provinces meet: Bayda, Shabwa, and Abyan. Casualty figures have been slow to emerge but officials said seven alleged al-Qaida militants were killed in the strikes on Thursday.

A senior Yemeni official described the strikes as "open-ended" and said they raised questions about the objectives of such an operation.

Residents in Shabwa said the strikes hit the town of Wadi Yabsham, where Saad Atef, the No. 2 figure in Yemen's al-Qaida branch, is living.

The residents and officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to talk to journalists.

Sadek al-Jaouf, a Bayada tribal leader, told The Associated Press that houses were bombed in Yakla district  the site of a U.S. special operations' raid two months ago in which a Navy SEAL was killed, six American soldiers were wounded and a U.S. military aircraft suffered a hard landing and had to be destroyed.

In the ground operation, a total of 25 Yemenis were killed, including 10 children, drawing criticism by international rights groups and calls for an inquiry.

Al-Jaouf added that the top tribal figure, Abdel-Elah al-Dhahab, whose brothers were accused of links to al-Qaida and were killed in the January raid, survived the latest strikes.

On Thursday, Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said the latest strikes were aimed at degrading the group's ability to "coordinate external terror attacks" and to limit its use of Yemen as a "safe space for terror plotting."

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, as the Yemen affiliate is known, has long been seen as the global network's most dangerous branch, and has been implicated in a number of attempted attacks on the U.S. homeland.

The group has recently exploited the chaos of Yemen's civil war, which pits Shiite Houthi rebels and allied army units against a Saudi-led coalition battling to restore the internationally recognized government.

___
When Jacinda Ardern was rattling off the things that matter most to all of us incredible Kiwis - it rang a little hollow when held up against Labours record.

2 hours ago
The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. on March 2 completed its agreement to increase ownership in Amsted-Maxion Equipamentos E Servicos Ferroviarios S.A. (Greenbrier-Maxion) from 19.5% to 60%.

Located near Sao Paolo, Brazil, Greenbrier-Maxion is South Americas largest railcar manufacturer, accounting for more than 60% share of new railcar production in Brazil. The company also offers a range of aftermarket services including railcar overhaul and refurbishment to address an aging railcar fleet, as more than 60% of the Brazilian fleet is at 30 years of age or older.

Greenbriers $20 million investment will be used to retire debt at Greenbrier-Maxion, thereby reducing interest payments by $4 million annually, the company said. The purchase option dates to May 2015, when Greenbrier obtained its initial 19.5% ownership of Greenbrier-Maxion. With the option exercise, the equity interest of Amsted-Maxion Fundicao E Equipamentos Ferroviarios S.A. (Amsted-Maxion Cruzeiro) will be reduced from 80.5% to 40%. Simultaneously with the closing of its investment into Greenbrier-Maxion, Greenbrier will increase its ownership stake in Amsted-Maxion Cruzeiro from 19.5% to 24.5% for $3.25 million.

Based in Cruzeiro, Brazil, Amsted-Maxion Cruzeiro is a manufacturer of castings and components for railcars and other heavy industrial equipment. Cruzeiro is well-integrated with the operations of Greenbrier-Maxion and draws on the experience of Amsted Rail, with whom Greenbrier currently partners in a U.S.-based castings facility, Greenbrier said. Amsted Rail is the global leader in railcar truck and component systems, which include truck castings, tapered roller bearings, railway wheels, axles and braking products. Additionally, Amsted Rail has introduced its Motion Control truck technology in South America to combine with new railcar technology from Greenbrier-Maxion. Amsted-Maxion Cruzeiro also benefits from its affiliation with Iochpe-Maxion, S.A., a prominent, publicly-held, Brazilian-based global auto parts supplier, which provides access to customer and supplier relationships.

Greenbrier indicated that proceeds from its increased ownership in Cruzeiro, along with loans from the partners, will reduce interest costs by approximately $3 million per year. Greenbrier will retain an option to increase its ownership in Amsted-Maxion Cruzeiro to 29.5% subject to certain conditions. With an enhanced ownership position in both companies, Greenbrier expects to enjoy greater benefits from the expected economic growth and infrastructure development in Brazil.

When completed, Greenbriers investments in Greenbrier-Maxion and Amsted-Maxion Cruziero will improve the capital structure of both companies, positioning each business for growth, said Chairman and CEO William A. Furman. Brazils economic, business and political conditions are recovering and forecasts indicate positive GDP growth in 2017. Greenbriers operations in Brazil, and our relationship with our partners Amsted and Iochpe, continue to yield positive results. Our facilities, which include the largest railcar assembly plant in South America, continue to gain momentum. In two short years we have already brought innovation to the South American railcar market. We introduced two new products to Brazil, a new triple-hopper grain car and a modern double-stack railcar design, drawing on our North American heritage as the leader in intermodal railcars.

We are expanding our investments in Brazil to reach customers who need high quality transportation equipment and in pursuit of continued growth and further diversification of Greenbriers global business into new markets. Our strong balance sheet enabled us to move quickly and decisively in seizing this opportunity. Our increased ownership allows us to use our core competency in manufacturing to drive operational efficiencies in these businesses. As Greenbrier becomes more active in the operations of both companies, we will evaluate opportunities to evolve our business model in South America to emulate our operations in North America, where we provide a suite of diversified aftermarket offerings for railcars such as maintenance, parts, refurbishment, leasing and management services.

Following the closing of this transaction and the previously announced Astra Rail transaction in Europe, Greenbrier will be the leading railcar builder in South America and Europe, and the second-largest railcar builder in North America, with the ability to tap markets in all three continents, as well as reach customers in the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Africa, and Eurasia, the company declared. This global reach extends Greenbriers leadership in railcar engineering, design and manufacturing and enables partnerships with established transportation equipment providers whose local presence and experience assists Greenbriers growth in new regions.

Closing of the investments is contingent on meeting certain conditions, including the completion of antitrust approval in Brazil.
China's expanding military presence in the South China Sea has prompted Vietnam to enhance its ability to protect its own holdings in the region. In late November, for example, commercially available imagery revealed that Vietnam was dredging a new channel at Ladd Reef on the southwestern edge of the Spratly Islands, perhaps as a precursor to land reclamation or to improve access to other features (ChinaTimes, December 9, 2016). In the same month, Hanoi extended its sole runway and added new hangars on Spratly Island. Vietnam also reportedly fortified several of its holdings with what appear to be Israeli-built Extended Range Artillery (EXTRA) precision-guided rocket artillery launchers over the summer (Global Times, August 11, 2016).

Curiously, Chinese leaders have not punished Vietnam for any of these activities or even so much as complained about them. Instead, Beijing continues to maintain cordial and cooperative bilateral ties, with Chinese President Xi Jinping on January 12 hosting Vietnamese Secretary-General Nguyen Phu Trong in Beijing for bilateral talks. China has probably tolerated Vietnam's South China Sea activities because it feels increasingly confident in its improving military position throughout the region.

Indirect Condemnations

Chinese leaders have issued only indirect condemnations of recent Vietnamese activities in the South China Sea. For example, Beijing's foreign ministry officially responded to the reported deployment of EXTRA by stating that China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands [the Chinese name for the Spratly Islands] and their surrounding waters. The ministry further noted that China has always firmly opposed the illegal occupation of parts of China's Nansha Islands and reefs by certain countries and their illegal construction and military deployments on these islands and reefs (China Daily, August 11, 2016). It is noteworthy that Beijing issued such measured and generic statements given the provocative nature of the PRC media report. Indeed, even the often-strident state-run media outlet Global Times gave Vietnam the benefit of the doubt, stating that it hoped the report was only speculation from Western media and the two sides should practice restraint to avoid a crisis (Global Times, August 11, 2016).

China's reaction to other Vietnamese actions has been similarly circumspect. The foreign ministry, for instance, responded to reports that Vietnam had expanded its runway by urging the relevant countryVietnam was not specifically namedto truly respect China's sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests and to immediately stop its illegal occupation and construction and withdraw their personnel and facilities (FMPRC, November 18, 2016). Beijing's defense ministry also declined to identify Vietnam regarding the runway issue (China Military Online, November 30th, 2016). Both ministries instead left it up to Xinhua to later identify Vietnam as the country in question (Xinhua, November 18th, 2016). Separately, Hanoi's dredging activities at Ladd Reef prompted the foreign ministry to make similarly indirect statements (FMPRC, December 15, 2016; FMPRC, December 9, 2016).

Bilateral Relations Remain Positive

Despite their mutual suspicion, Chinese and Vietnamese leaders have remained remarkably cordial and cooperative in multiple dimensions of the bilateral relationship. In late December, for example, Vietnam hosted a two-day conference on enhancing economic cooperation with China (Xinhua, December 28, 2016). On defense, both sides routinely hail their cooperation. In February 2009, Vietnam and China finalized the demarcation of their border. Since then, Hanoi and Beijing have engaged in a series of confidence-building measures that have included defense minister discussions and joint exercises along the border, the most recent of which was a joint anti-terror border exercise in July 2016 (VietnamNet Bridge, November 2, 2016; The Diplomat, July 30, 2016; Xinhua, August 30, 2016).

Even in the maritime domain, China and Vietnam tend to look past their differences.

Even in the most contentious of domains, the maritime domain, China and Vietnam tend to look past their differences. In mid-January, after meeting with counterparts in Beijing, Vietnamese Secretary-General Nguyen issued a joint communique stating that the two sides planned to manage well their maritime difference, avoid actions that complicate the situation and escalate tensions, and safeguard the peace and stability of the South China Sea. To be sure, maritime differences are assiduously avoided in favor of cooperation. In November, for instance, the Chinese and Vietnamese coast guards took part in a joint patrol to monitor fishing areas of the Gulf of Tonkin (People's Army Newspaper [Vietnam], November 9, 2016). Moreover, in a symbolic step, the Chinese navy in October made a first-ever port call to the international port within Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay (The Diplomat, October 23, 2016). Indeed, Xi Jinping in November called for China and Vietnam to work together to maintain stability in the South China Seawell after reports that Hanoi had deployed EXTRA on disputed features (Xinhua, November 20, 2016).

Confidence Born of Military Superiority

Beijing probably keeps bilateral relations cordial and productive in spite of Vietnamese actions because it maintains overwhelming military superiority in the region. China's Southern Theater Command fields diverse capabilities at multiple locations to keep the balance of power well in Beijing's favor. These include guided missile destroyers, nuclear-missile equipped submarine forces, long-range supply vessels, coast guard and other maritime enforcement ships, marine forces with dedicated amphibious capabilities, multiple launch brigades for land-based missiles, and air assets ranging from bombers to multi-role fighter aircraft (China Brief, July 22, 2016).

Beijing's considerable arsenal has enhanced its confidence to the point that China has decided only to quietly bolster its military defenses on disputed features. In November, for example, the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative assessed that China over the summer had deployed close-in weapon systems (CIWS) and anti-aircraft artillery on all of its holdings in the Spratly Islands. According to expert analysis, CIWS could be effective against sea-skimming cruise missiles, while anti-aircraft artillery could provide point defense for airfields and radar installations (AMTI, December 14, 2016). Vietnam has been actively acquiring cruise missiles that can be launched from a range of surface ships, such as Gepard-class frigates or Molniya-class corvettes, and from one of its six acquired Kilo-class submarines. In addition, Vietnam's air force continues to modernize its fixed-wing aircraft, which now features 36 Sukhoi Su-30s, in the hopes of providing Hanoi with maritime strike capabilities throughout the region.

China has deployed more high-profile defenses on Woody Island, the main island in the disputed Paracel Island chain within closer proximity to Vietnam. Beijing in mid-February 2016 deployed two batteries of eight Hongqi-9 (HQ-9) surface-to-air missile (SAM) launchers to Woody Island that enabled highly capable targeting of aircraft and missiles out to 120 nautical miles (Guancha, February 17, 2016). The deployment of this systemderived from the Russian-built S-300is a permanent fixture and not tied to exercises like the previous two deployments (China Brief, March 28, 2016). Beijing may also seek to use recently constructed facilities throughout the Spratlys to house additional SAMs, though this remains unclear for the moment.

Separately, in October, Beijing opened its first desalination plant in the South China Sea on Woody Island, providing an important source of fresh water to grow and sustain the present population there of approximately 1,500 residentsmost of whom are Chinese military personnel. In late December, Beijing initiated regular charter flights between Woody Island and Hainan to improve the work and living conditions of the city's public servants and stationed soldiers (Xinhua, December 22, 2016). With the desalination plant in place, Beijing will also have more fresh water available to help reduce the negative effects of operating weaponry in a high salt environment (The Diplomat, October 4, 2016). China might eventually decide to permanently station its fighter aircraft like the J-11Bwhich rotated through the island in 2015on Woody Island, though sufficient fuel storage and hangar space would still be required (Defense News, November 8, 2015).

Limits to Chinese Tolerance?

Judging from China's response thus far, it is fair to say that Beijing has chosen to tolerate recent Vietnamese construction activities in the South China Sea. However, China has a range of options to express its displeasure with Hanoi, such as emplacing a new structure in disputed waters, conducting military exercises, or stepping up sovereignty patrols in the region.

Any of these responses is possible, especially as tensions predictably rise in the South China Sea during the spring. In May 2014, for example, Beijing decided to emplace the Haiyang Shiyou oil rig in disputed waters, resulting in a months-long standoff between Chinese and Vietnamese coast guards until Beijing finally decided to remove the rig. It is unclear what motivated China to move the rig into the area in the first place, but the tactic was clearly designed to put pressure on Vietnam's sovereignty claims.

Chinese leaders might change their calculus if they believe Vietnam is trying to enlist the support of the U.S. or other partners to settle bilateral disputes. Hanoi's burgeoning security relationships with Japan, India, and the U.S. will be particularly sensitive to China. Beijing might also decide to more assertively and overtly challenge Vietnam if it assesses that Hanoi has acquired capabilities that can more effectively challenge China's military assets in the region. For example, for years Vietnam has been trying to procure from India the Brahmos sea-skimming supersonic anti-ship cruise missile, which could significantly endanger Chinese surface combatants. Recent reports also indicate that New Delhi might sell Hanoi the medium-range Akash SAM that might threaten China's fighter aircraft operations if acquired (Asia Times, January 11).

Finally, seasonal frictions over access to fishing and natural resources in the South China Sea could prompt increasingly aggressive Chinese tactics against Vietnamese vessels that might trigger an overtly military response. This week Vietnam slammed the imposition of a Chinese fishing ban from May to August in waters near the Paracel Islandsa tactic Beijing has employed annually since 1999. In this regard, the next few months should be instructive as to the future trajectory of the relationship.

Derek Grossman is a senior defense analyst at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. He formerly served at the Defense Intelligence Agency as the daily intelligence briefer to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs at the Pentagon. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

This commentary originally appeared on Jamestown Foundation's China Brief on March 2, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
U.S.-Iran tensions are likely to rise in the coming months. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 (United States, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) has been roundly criticized by President Donald Trump and others, including some lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The U.S. has declared Iran's recent ballistic missile tests to be in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, and top American officials have indicated a strong desire to contain and roll back Iranian influence in the Middle East.

The JCPOA is widely regarded to be a success story, especially by the EU, China, and Russia.

The U.S. has many options at its disposal, including the use of military force. However, the current balance of power in the Middle East and Iran's position in relation to major regional and international powers is likely to limit U.S. options toward Iran. The JCPOA is widely regarded to be a success story, especially by the European Union, China, and Russia. But perhaps more importantly, the Islamic Republic is relatively stable at home and a power to be reckoned with in the Middle East. To be sure, the U.S. can apply much more diplomatic and economic pressure against Iran and even resort to military force, but Washington will face real limits in its ability to change Iran's behavior in the region or stop its growing missile program.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, seeking re-election in May, was able to achieve his major promise to Iranian voters; he delivered the JCPOA and released Iran from crippling international sanctions put in place during the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (20052013). Many Iranians may rightly argue that Rouhani has not delivered much else; repression in Iran appears to have increased, and the economic benefits of JCPOA have not trickled down to the average person.

Yet Rouhani has achieved three important objectives: restoring regime stability, helping increase Iranian influence in the Middle East, and improving relations with major powers such as Russia, China, and much of the European Union. American critics of JCPOA often blame the agreement for emboldening Iran, but it should not be blamed as the chief cause of Iran's growing power. Domestic conditions in Iran and regional developments are the biggest factors.

Before Rouhani, Iran faced a major popular uprising over Ahmadinejad's contested 2009 election. Tehran and other major Iranian cities witnessed the largest protests since the Iranian revolution of 1979. Rouhani may not be immensely popular in Iran, but he is not as divisive as Ahmadinejad. He not only has the trust of the regime but also much of the public. Rouhani presents himself as a can-do official rather than an ideologue or inspirational leader. He has also bridged the gap between reformist groups and the conservative establishment, although the former is totally shut out from power and appears rather moribund. There are few indications of future unrest, although public dissatisfaction remains high. Iranian society is still divided, the regime is ever repressive, and the economy plagued by corruption and incompetence. But the Iranian regime is firmly in power, commands a vast security force, and has managed to heal divisions within itself for now. The death of Iran's Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, may create scenarios for instability, but the regime also appears to be preparing itself for a successful succession process. If there is instability, the Revolutionary Guards will surely consider the use of force to crush any insurrections, as they did in 2009.

U.S. measures that hurt and humiliate the average Iranian will certainly decrease U.S. soft power regarding Iran.

If the U.S. attempts to foment strife in Iran by pursuing a policy of regime change, it is likely to face steep challenges that it may not be able to overcome. This will be especially so if the executive order banning Iranians from traveling to the United States is re-implemented. America has a relatively positive reputation among the Iranian public, but U.S. measures that hurt and humiliate the average Iranian will certainly decrease U.S. soft power regarding Iran.

Additional sanctions against Iran will hurt, but Washington should not jeopardize the JCPOA, even if it is by a thousand cuts (e.g. another temporary travel ban on refugees and citizens from Iran and six other Muslim-majority countries). Iran is unlikely to walk away from JCPOA, knowing that it would rather have the world blame the U.S. for the agreement's possible failure. A confrontational U.S. approach toward China, Russia, and the EU may even make those parties side with Iran in any future conflicts over the JCPOA.

In addition to finding more stability at home, the Iranian regime has achieved greater power in the Middle East. The so-called Islamic State should be given much credit for Iran's rise in the region. An avowedly anti-Shi'a group, the Islamic State has inadvertently allowed Iran to accumulate more power in Iraq and Syria and gain closer ties to major international powers such as Russia. Iranian allies such as Iraqi Shi'a militias, the Syrian regime, and Lebanese Hezbollah have been key in fighting the Islamic State and other Sunni Jihadi groups. Of course, the Syrian regime and Hezbollah have spent much of their energies fighting the Syrian opposition and not the Islamic State, but Iran has been able to paint itself as a force against violent Sunni jihadism.

Both the U.S. and Iran seek to defeat the Islamic State, even if their larger goals in the region may be opposed. This gives Iran extra leverage in the Middle East and with the United States. Iran commands a regional expeditionary force of thousands of Shi'a foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria. Hezbollah has also developed a larger and more experienced military wielding heavy artillery and tanks. They have gained greater battle experience in Syria and look likely to have achieved Iran's key goal of assuring the survival of the Assad regime. More importantly, Iran and Russia are now closely aligned in Syria and beyond. Iran, a junior partner susceptible to Russian manipulation, is nevertheless critical to the future of the Middle East. Its influence cannot be easily rolled back.

The U.S. and Iran differ on many issues, and tensions between the two once-allies may increase dangerously in the near future. But the U.S. would likely have more to gain by sticking with the complicated relationship that has defined ties between Washington and Tehran since 1979. Always foes, but not always fighting, the U.S. and Iran have begrudgingly tolerated each other. They even signed a major, and so far successful, non-proliferation agreement because it benefited both. America cannot change Iran, and Iran cannot defeat America in the Middle East. The U.S. and the Islamic Republic don't have to maintain formal diplomatic relations or be partners, but there are issues that affect both, including the Islamic State. America has many ways to pressure Iran, and sometimes it should use them. But killing the JCPOA by a thousand cuts or any other way will hurt American interests. Sometimes the U.S. has to make and stick with a deal. Even if it is with the bitterest of enemies.

Alireza Nader is a senior international policy analyst at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation.

This commentary originally appeared on The Cipher Brief on March 2, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Four members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir receive suspended sentences in Russia

MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI)  A court in Russias Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug has found four local residents who joined the ranks of the terrorist organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, banned in Russia, guilty of extremism crimes and subjected them to suspended prison terms, RIA Novosti reported on Friday.

According to investigators, four residents of Nizhnevartovsk city joined the international terrorist organization Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami. They were active members of the group, campaigning and advocating in favor of organization, trying to create a positive opinion of its activities.

The court found that defendants propagated nationalistic, political and religious extremist ideas using literature related to activities of Hizb-ut-Tahrir. Such literature and other extremist publications were seized during searches conducted by authorities.

In addition, defendants published propaganda videos in social networks, trying to create a negative and hostile attitude to the law enforcement services and Christianity.

Hizb ut-Tahrir (the Party of Islamic Liberation), founded in Jerusalem in 1953, is banned in several Arab and Central Asian countries. Russia's Supreme Court banned the group from operating on the territory of the country in 2003, describing it as a terrorist organization.

Hizb ut-Tahrir members are regularly arrested by the police across Russia, mainly in big cities in central Russia, the Volga region and Siberia.
Supreme Court upholds sentence for detention center ex-officer in state disclosure case

MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI, Yevgeniya Sokolova)  The Supreme Court of Russia has upheld the sentence for ex-employee of the notorious Matrosskaya Tishina pretrial detention center, Pavel Petran, who was found guilty of disclosure of state secrets, RAPSI learnt from the courts press-service on Friday.

On Monday, Petran was sentenced to 1.5 years in prison by the Moscow City Court.

A criminal case against Petran was marked as containing classified information. The court found out that Petran was an operative of the detention center at the moment of committing a crime.

Petran was originally a defendant in an extortion case, along with the ex-head of the detention centers operative department, Mikhail Zakharov, and acting officer of the insulator Valentin Bazayev, ex-employee of the insulator Anatoly Osmachko, a doctor at a Moscow clinic Fatima Nayfonova as well as two other ex-employees Anton Devyatayev and Yeldar Vekua.

According to investigators, Zakharov, along with other members of the detention center, conspired with a criminal mastermind in custody planning to extort money from detainees suspected of economic crimes. Defendants threatened to create unbearable living conditions and to use force against detainees if those were to refuse transfer of funds, amounting to 10 million rubles ($175,400).
Russian court stops proceedings in Rosnefts lawsuit against Transneft

MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI)  The Moscow Commercial Court has stopped proceedings in a lawsuit filed by Russias largest oil producer Rosneft against Transneft oil company over allegedly unlawful cancellation of oil transfer services, RAPSI learnt in the court on Friday.

On February 17, the oil corporations settled their dispute with two companies reaching an agreement over lowering of acceptable losses rates.

On January 11, Rosneft lodged a lawsuit with the court over protection of its property interests.

On December 27, Rosneft filed a lawsuit against Transneft, asking the court to impose preliminary interim measures on protection of its property interests. TASS news agencys source in the Energy Ministry said that the dispute may be caused by Rosneft discontent with methods of calculating residue oil and petroleum products in Transnefts system.

On December 28, the court granted the plaintiffs request and ruled to impose preliminary interim measures which came into force on January 1 and prohibited Transneft from stopping transfer of oil belonging to Rosneft. The latter company claimed that Transnefts pipelines transport up to 1.3 million of tons of oil daily.

The plaintiff stated that cancellation of oil transfer services by Transneft would halt development of oil deposits used by Rosneft and its subsidiaries and which rely on contract signed by the two oil companies. According to Rosneft, such halt will cause significant irreparable damage to the oil company and its employees as well as government and other parties as it will provoke oil shortage.

Transneft disagreed with the courts measures. The company noted that Rosneft had not provided sufficient evidence to justify emergent preliminary interim measures before review of the lawsuit by the court. Transneft believes that there was no evidence of significant damage to the plaintiff and that balance of sides in court was disrupted by such measures.
Kalashnikov Concern files trademark infringement suit against French firm

MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI)  The firearms maker Kalashnikov Concern has filed with the Commercial Court of the Udmurt Republic a lawsuit against French company Cybergun over alleged trademark infringement, according to court records.

The plaintiff demands to recognize its right to use the labels "" and "Kalashnikov" as part of trademarks and brand names and right to use the name of M. T. Kalashnikov in economic activity. Kalashnikov Concern also asked court to declare the defendants actions illegal.

The court will consider the case on March 13.

French company Cybergun was founded in early 1980s for production of radio controlled models of airplanes, cars and ships. Currently, the firm is engaged in production of pneumatics replicating different models of renowned companies and brands.

Kalashnikov Concern is an association of the largest companies in the Russian small arms industry. It was established in 2013 and includes Izhmash, the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, the Vyatskie Polyany Machine Building Plant Molot, the Koshkin Automatic Lines Design Bureau (Klimovsk) and NITI Progress.

The group exports its products to 27 countries including the United States, the UK, Germany, Norway, Italy, Canada, Kazakhstan and Thailand.
What happened

According to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, shares of Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) gained 7.7% in February. The move has added more than $11 billion to the pharma giant's market capitalization.

So what

Pfizer showered investors with a number of positive announcements during the month that helped to nudge its stock higher. Here's a review of the most important announcements from the period:

Top-line results from a study comparing its rheumatoid arthritis drug Xeljanz to AbbVie 's Humira showed that Xeljanz in combination with methotrexate met its primary endpoint in demonstrating non-inferiority versus Humira in combination with methotrexate.

's Humira showed that Xeljanz in combination with methotrexate met its primary endpoint in demonstrating non-inferiority versus Humira in combination with methotrexate. Pfizer and partner Celltrion Healthcare presented data at the annual Congress of the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation. The data showed that Inflectra -- Pfizer's biosimilar version of Johnson & Johnson 's megablockbuster drug Remicade -- showed similar efficacy and safety in treating Crohn's disease when compared to Remicade.

's megablockbuster drug Remicade -- showed similar efficacy and safety in treating Crohn's disease when compared to Remicade. Its FDA Biologics License Application, or BLA, for inotuzumab ozogamicin has been accepted for review. This drug has been granted Priority Review by the agency as a treatment for relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A decision date is expected by August 2017.

According to Pfizer and partner Merck, a second BLA has been accepted by the FDA for Priority Review of avelumab as a hopeful treatment for urothelial carcinoma. A decision is also expected in August of this year.

When you add this string of positive developments to the general rise in the healthcare sector -- as measured by the Vanguard Health Care ETF -- it is easy to understand why shares rallied in February.

Now what

Pfizer's management team is projecting that 2017 will be another year of growth. Revenue is expected to land between $52 billion and $54 billion while adjusted earnings per share is forecasted to fall in the range of $2.50 to $2.60. While the midpoint of this range represents a small bump from the $52.8 billion in revenue and $2.40 in adjusted profits recorded in 2016, it's growth nonetheless. It's also worth pointing out that this forecast reflects the upcoming disposition of its Hospira Infusion Systems business and a negative hit from currencies. Absent these charges, the growth rates would be quite a bit higher.

All in all, Pfizer continues to look well positioned to post modest EPS growth in the years ahead. With shares trading for less than 14 times full-year earnings estimates and offering up a dividend yield of 3.7%, Pfizer remains a solid choice for healthcare investors who eschew risk.

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Who could be against a rule that requires investment advisers to act in the best interests of their retiree-clients? Donald Trump, the Washington branch of the Goldman Sachs alumni association, the Wall Street Journal, and well-intentioned policy wonks who have never met a regulation they like, that's who.President Trump has set in motion a process that will allow the so-called fiduciary rule to die a quiet death, rather than become effective in April. He has postponed the application of the rule, which would require brokers to act in the best interests of clients, with the expectation that postponement will become permanent. That's what Gary Cohn, a Goldman alumnus who heads the National Economic Council, says he wants to happen. The intention of the rule was to protect investors, especially retirees, from advisers who would assign their clients' interests a lower priority than earning fees from sales of financial instruments. Some who are advising investors are already subject to such a rule but othersinsurance and annuity salesmen, for exampleare held to a lower suitability standard. Opponents of the rule argue that it will unleash a wave of meritless lawsuits by unhappy investors when the prices of shares and other assets decline, and will deprive small investors of the advice of professionals unwilling to expose themselves to that risk.
Russian and Japanese officials are preparing for March 14 talks in Tokyo to discuss the economic development of the Kuril Islands. Territorial claims over the archipelago have been a subject of dispute between Russia and Japan since the 19th century. The islands have remained under Russia's control since 1945, 
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What happened?

This past month was a tough one for offshore rig companies. While drilling activity is starting to pick back up on land in North America, work offshore has yet to pick up. In the face of the backdrop, it's a little surprising to see that Seadrill Partners (NYSE: SDLP) saw gains of 17% in February while other rig comanies such as Ensco (NYSE: ESV) and Seadrill Partners' parent company Seadrill Limited (NYSE: SDRL) posted double digit losses.

How on earth can a subsidiary see its stock soar when its parent company looks to be in death throes?

So what?

The market moves in mysterious ways sometimes, and this is one of those times that is hard to crack in terms of why these stocks are moving the way that they are. Probably the best place to start is on Jan. 31st, when Seadrill announced that it was in the middle of major restructuring negotiations with its creditors and other stakeholders. Seadrill has a lot of debt due this year -- a little more than $3 billion -- and creditors are getting rather apprehensive on refinancing that debt since there isn't a whole lot of long term work out there for rigs. The company's goal with these negotiations are to extend the maturities of its current debt to beyond 2021, and to raise about $1 billion in new capital. Management even acknowledged that these deals would likely lead to significant shareholder dilution.

At the time of the announcement, shares of Seadrill hit the skids, but Seadrill Partners did surprisingly well. Why that happened is anyone's guess. Perhaps it's because Seadrill Partners' assets have decent contract coverage and the company has a better balance sheet, but the two companies are inextricably tied to one another based on the corporate structure, so one has to wonder what happens to Seadrill Partners if Seadrill were to get into real financial trouble.

It's also worth mentioning that both Seadrill and Ensco reported earnings at the end of the month. In both cases, it's hard to argue that either company was doing great. Sure, both are reporting positive net income and generating free cash flow from its existing contracts, but both companies are set to see some of its assets to roll off contract in the coming months that will put a further dent in their ability to generate cash to pay off debts. Ensco was quick to point out, though, that it had made two moves lately to shore up its balance sheet, almost as a way to say that it isn't in the same position as Seadrill today.

Now what?

Both Seadrill and Seadrill Partners admitted in their earnings releases and conference calls that the two are making contingency plans in the event that Seadrill can't come to favorable terms with its creditors. One of the contingencies mentioned was Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which scared the bejesus out of investors. Seadrill Partners came out and said that it is trying to detach itself financially from its parent as much as possible by not having the parent as a guarantor on some of its debts.

Whether any of these things happen remains to be seen, but we do know we are going to get a resolution relatively soon. Seadrill announced that it has until the end of April to complete its negotiations as that is when some of its major debts will come due. Anyone looking at Seadrill or Seadrill Partners because both stocks are so cheap should stay away until we get a resolution of these financial issues. Otherwise it would be taking a very risky bet.

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Tyler Crowe owns shares of Seadrill. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/06/2017



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star Nick Viall has started his overnight fantasy suite dates, but there is still more to come on the 21st season.Nick, a 36-year-old former software salesman from Wisconsin, sent Corinne Olympios packing during a Rose Ceremony in Brooklyn, NY, after visiting her family in Miami, FL.Although Nick loved Corinne's aggressive, confident and fun nature, his relationships with the other women were simply stronger.With Corinne gone, three bachelorettes remain in the running for Nick's heart: Rachel Lindsay Vanessa Grimaldi and Raven Gates In the latest episode, Nick enjoyed his first fantasy suite date with Raven. The couple soaked in the beautiful snowy landscape via helicopter ride, drank and played darts with locals in a pub, and then watched the Northern Lights from inside a cozy little log cabin.During their fantasy suite date, Raven confessed to Nick she was in love with him, and her declaration of such love was one of the sweetest Nick has ever heard in his life.Nick's eyes welled up with tears when Raven was expressing her deepest feelings, so she thought he reciprocated them. Raven revealed to Nick she only had sex with one person in her life -- seemingly her ex-boyfriend of two years -- and never said, "I love you," to a man before, not to mention she's also never had an orgasm.Nick's bond with Raven appears strong, but he also has a connection with Rachel, who captured Nick's attention on Day 1 and won the First Impression Rose, and Vanessa, who was the first girl Nick really opened up to this season.Nick therefore has some very tough decisions to make when it comes to which woman could be his future wife and partner in life. Nick has said countless times he is taking this process very seriously and truly hopes it works out for him in the end. After all, Nick was rejected on two different seasons of ette and failed to fall in love with the girl he dated on Bachelor in Paradise, Jennifer Saviano Bachelor Nation is unsure whether Nick will fall deeply in love and/or proposes at the end of his journey on the show, but it's clear he's considering an engagement since he asked each woman's father for permission during the hometown dates.It's clear, however, Nick and Rachel do not end up together since ABC recently announced her as ette's Season 13 star . She confirmed that Nick "let her go" and she did not quit but it was "his loss."So when does Nick decide to eliminate Rachel, and who will be his Final 2 bachelorettes? And will Vanessa or Rachel be the last woman standing at the end of it all?Nick revealed in his People blog that he sends Rachel home after their overnight fantasy suite date in Finland. He called it his "hardest goodbye yet."And, according to Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone, Nick rejects Raven in favor of Vanessa at the final Rose Ceremony. Vanessa therefore receives his final rose -- and a Neil Lane engagement ring!As for the current status of Nick and Vanessa's romance, Reality Steve claims they are still happily engaged. I guess Nick's fourth attempt at finding love on a reality dating series truly was the charm.Below is the list of bachelorettes who are still in the running for Nick's heart: Vanessa Grimaldi , a 29-year-old special education teacher from Montreal, Quebec, Canada Rachel Lindsay , a 31-year-old attorney from Dallas, TX Raven Gates , a 25-year-old fashion boutique owner from Hoxie, AR
Dividends and buybacks are both presented as ways that companies can reward their long-term shareholders for the risks they take in investing. Many times, companies will point to the combination of the two in terms like "total value delivered to shareholders." Often, to the extent a company's management will tout one over the other, it'll celebrate buybacks as being more tax efficient for shareholders, as those buybacks don't get taxed until the investor sells.

It's true that both dividends and buybacks can play a role in generating value for investors. Still, for investors who want to be long-term business owners, dividends are a much better idea. Even beyond the direct cash reward in your pocket, dividends drive management behaviors that are vastly more shareholder friendly than buybacks do, and that's why they're a better fit for long-term investors.

Dividends drive discipline

First and foremost, dividends drive discipline within a company. When a company declares a dividend, it has to come up with the cash to pay it. Shareholders can directly see whether their accounts receive the cash they're expecting. In addition, since most debt holders don't like the idea of financing a payment to somebody else, that cash typically has to come from the company's operations.

Contrast that with a buyback, where a company usually announces it in terms of an authorization to buy back up to however many shares or to spend up to however many millions on repurchases. As it's more of an optional behavior than a dividend, companies don't need nearly as much operational discipline to run a buyback program than they do to run a dividend.

Buybacks often cover up executive compensation

The theory behind a buyback is that it decreases the number of shares a company has outstanding, increasing the value of the remaining shares. In today's era of stock-option-based compensation, however, many buybacks do little more than "mop up" the extra shares created by that payment scheme. In essence, they can hide the true cost of paying for the company's management, rather than truly reward the company's outside shareholders.

Contrast that with a dividend, which must be paid on all outstanding shares of a company's stock. The more shares a company has outstanding, the bigger a check it has to write to cover a dividend. As a result, dividends can play a role in tamping down on that sort of options-based compensation.

Dividends remind management who's in charge

Shareholders are the owners of a company. Management -- including the CEO -- works for those owners. By paying a dividend, a company acknowledges that relationship and gives a choice to the owners on what to do with their money. Those owners can choose to reinvest the dividend in the same company, invest it elsewhere, or spend it.

On the flip side, a buyback takes that very key decision away from a company's owners and puts it in the hands of its management. With a buyback, the owner gets forced to choose between reinvesting the money in the same company or selling a portion of his or her ownership stake to raise cash.

Dividends signal what management is really thinking

Companies frequently not only pay dividends but also seek to increase them over time as their businesses grow. That helps turn them beyond mere cash payments and into strong signaling devices. For instance, if a company claims it will grow at a 10% clip but only raises its dividend by 2%, chances are there's substantial risk embedded in that 10% growth projection.

Similarly, if a company with a long track record of dividend increases suddenly holds its dividend static, that's a sign things may not be as rosy as its management may want you to believe. Conversely, if a company increases its dividend faster than its earnings can support, that's a signal, too -- and one that becomes visible by looking at its payout ratio as a sign of how well that dividend is covered.

Because companies want to prevent front-running with their buybacks, those buybacks don't provide nearly as much visibility as dividends do, making them that much less valuable as signaling devices.

Buybacks only make sense when a company's stock is undervalued

From an investment perspective, a buyback represents an investment by a company in its own shares, rather than an investment in growing its underlying business. That investment only makes sense if those shares are substantially undervalued. Unfortunately, when a company's shares are undervalued, it often means there has been a misstep or crisis that knocked those shares down. And that frequently causes a company to cut back its buyback efforts to focus on recovering from the stumble.

If a company's shares are overvalued rather than undervalued, a buyback actually destroys shareholder value. After all, that cash could have been put to use on a more productive project, and those overpriced shares could have been used as an acquisition currency for another business.

Dividends, on the other hand can make sense whenever a company is making money. After all, once it's paid, a dividend provides the shareholder with option whether to buy more, buy something else, or spend the cash.

Think like an owner -- and look for dividends

On the surface, buybacks and dividends can both look like rewards to shareholders for the financial risks they're taking for owning stock in a company. Once you dig beneath the surface, however, it quickly becomes clear that dividends represent the more owner-friendly choice for how to reward shareholders. And that's something all investors should consider when looking for companies that are worth owning for the long haul.

The $16,122 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook

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Chuck Saletta has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Porterville, CA (93257)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Dissing rivals is not going to cut much ice with today's millennials who don't think what is "free" is any worse than what is paid for, says Ambi Parameswaran.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

A friend pointed out a series of ads rolled out by Idea Cellular for their premium 4G service.

In one of the ads a young man parks his car in a "Free Parking" area only to see his car being towed away.

In another two girls are chatting and surfing, as young consumers are wont to these days. While the girl on Idea 4G has uninterrupted network, the girl on the "Free G" has a poor connection and gets ribbed by her "Premium 4G" friend.

Both ads end with the message "No Free G. Only Idea 4G".

The message was very clear. The brand was trying to sell its superior features by attacking a competitor who was giving "Free Network". But there was a question that lingered: Just because something is "free" is it always inferior to something that I paid for?

Let us turn to the book Free by Chris Anderson, who also wrote the eminently readable Long Tail.

Anderson explains that in the 21st century "free" is more than a promotional gimmick; it is essential to a company's future. The term "freemium" was coined to explain the process by which a brand offers a free version of a product only to get the consumer to upgrade to a premium variant later.

Coming to today's consumers, do they really think something "free" is really that inferior?

Maybe not, because most of the stuff they do on the net is free. Consumers also know that when something is "free" it may not really be "free".

So, they tolerate the Google Ad Word-sponsored ads. Not only do they tolerate sponsored ads on their Facebook page, they often share it with their friends (there are special tools that help a brand increase this "organic" sharing of ad messages).

They also know that if they made a trip to Vijayawada by SpiceJet, they are bound to get reminded by SpiceJet on their Facebook page to fly SpiceJet again. They at times wonder how it happened, but they tolerate it, without a murmur.

So on many levels attacking a competitor just because they are "free" may not cut ice with consumers. Consumers know what is "free" today may not be "free" tomorrow (sampling is an age-old marketing device).

They also know that something "free" today remains "free" tomorrow, they will have to give something in return, just as they've done with Google and Facebook.

I was also a little surprised that the brand, which has done some stellar ads through their long-serving agency partner, didn't pick something from what the agency had done for another upstart brand two decades ago.

I am referring to the Captain Cook Salt ad. Captain Cook Salt featured a satisfied consumer of their competitor (who was unnamed as in this case), and she was taken through a demo of Captain Cook Salt's free-flow benefits, and was made to eat humble pie, with a touch of excess salt.

That ad too didn't name the rival, but it dissed the competitor so elegantly that it will go down as one of the best "competitive" ads made in India.

The Captain Cook commercial used a tried and tested method of advertising, a product demo but dialled it up by using an interesting disbelieving character to tell the story.

This brings me back to the Idea 4G commercials.

They did not have to look far for inspiration. And they could have made the story a lot more charming and much less ham-handed. Instead of dissing all that is "free" they could have delved deeper to build an interesting story around their better service, if it is really that better.

Instead they seem to have taken a short-cut to say all that is "free" is inferior. That is not going to cut much ice with today's millennials who don't think what is "free" is any worse than what is paid for.
Malcolm Frank, executive vice-president, strategy and marketing, Cognizant, in conversation with Shivani Shinde Nadhe & Ayan Pramanik.

IMAGE: According to Malcolm Frank, if the immigration system needs to be cleaned up it should be, "b ut to say that the fundamental structure of this (IT) industry is under question will not be correct." Photograph: Vivek Prakash/Reuters .

Malcolm Frank (pictured below), executive vice-president, strategy and marketing, Cognizant, believes shareholder activism that the industry has seen in recent times is a result of the drastic changes in the sector and its impact on business.

In this interview he speaks about the reasons for this, and also acquisitions, automation and US regulatory changes.

Edited excerpts:

At a time when the sector is seeing tech disruptions, we also see instances of shareholder activism. Cognizant, too, had a similar experience last year. Why do you think shareholders are getting into the activist avatar?

Our industry has enjoyed a 15-year window, where the business model was clear, the human angle was clear and value proposition was understood. We were just competing around the edges.

For Cognizant, 10 years back, we had a two-in-a-box strategy: We built industry expertise and we focused more on the US. And, there were just 5 per cent changes to the basic model. It was successful for us and for the industry.

But now, we are in another world, which is both interesting and challenging. There are opportunities up for grabs.

So, if you are in the services sector, you have to balance your investors, employees and customers. I think these three were relatively stable till now.

There are now new questions.

How do we build the pyramid?

What is the culture we want to build within the company?

How quickly and hard should I push the culture?

When the investors see these changes, they ask questions on governance, on margins, and growth. There is an attempt to balance these things.

I think the transition will increase.

Will the noise increase? That will depend on the management teams, and how well they figure this out.

At Cognizant, managing the shareholders was peaceful. The board and the management have incorporated almost everything they suggested.

Any situation with a shade of activism or what some of our competitors are going through occurs because of the paucity of time. There is a six- to 12-month window to resolve an issue. I wouldn't give up on the future of a company five or 10 years down the line to make the problems of 2017 go away.

What happened with Elliott [Management Corp] was this: We had a strategy process called Cognizant 2020 for some time now. We rolled out some of that in summer last year; we are rolling out some now. Elliott wanted to know what was going to be implemented.

Cognizant has spoken about striking a balance between investments on acquisitions and capital return from its $5-billion cash pile as part of the Cognizant 2020 strategy. Tell us more about it.

This is part of the strategy process.

We are sitting on a large cash pile. Our M&A (mergers and acquisitions) philosophy has not changed. We acquire for capability, not capacity. We have a String of Pearls strategy.

We have set our eyes on a couple of scale acquisitions over the next five years, such as TriZetto. We would also look at small, digitally focused firms we can afford to acquire.

If you do go for scale acquisition what gaps are you trying to fill?

We are thrilled with TriZetto. We would like to find such platforms to get a flavour of other sectors. But these are far and few.

Do you expect dilution of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or strict H-1B visa norms in the US to impact your overall performance?

I do not know.

The visa issue has been there for 15 years. We have contingency plans.

If you read [US President Donald Trump's proposed] executive order, the situation might seem worse than it actually is. If it comes out, the situation might change.

We are focusing on things we can control such as hiring in the US, delivery centres etc.

Is it time for the industry to relook at its delivery system, especially with the regulatory changes in sight?

I do not think so.

What India has delivered to the world is nothing short of extraordinary. I equate this phenomenon to the high fashion, which has its base in northern Italy.

That said, does the immigration system need to be cleaned up? If yes, it should be.

But to say that the fundamental structure of this industry is under question will not be correct.
Chinese government was expected to start sales from its cotton reserves on March 6

Indias cotton exports are likely to decline by 20 per cent this year, following the Chinese governments decision to auction its own fibre stock.

Indian exporters will thus not be able to reap the benefit of high international prices. Exports estimated to be 5.5 million bales against last years 6.9 million, according to industry estimates.

The Washington-based International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) said the Chinese government was expected to start sales from its cotton reserves on March 6 and would continue offering 30,000 tonnes a day until August.

Last year, around 2.6 million tonnes were sold through the end of September. Assuming a similar volume is sold this year, the total volume held by the Chinese government will reach six million tonnes by the end of 2016-17.

Chinas total stocks, including those in the private sector, are forecast to reach nine million tonnes at the end of 2016-17, accounting for 53 per cent of world stocks, it added.

This will definitely hit cotton demand from India as Chinese buyers have been active over the last few years. Indian exporters are cancelling orders due to higher realisation in domestic sales, said Darshini Kansara, research analyst, Care Ratings.

Trade sources estimate Indian exporters have so far registered for 4.2 million bales (0.71 million tonnes, of which 3.7 million bales have already been shipped.

The Cotton Advisory Board under the textiles ministry estimated in October Indias total cotton exports would be 5 million bales (0.85 million tonnes) this year as against 6.9 million bales (1.17 million tonnes) last year.

Exports will not surpass 5.5 million bales (0.94 million tonnes) this year, said Arun Dalal, an Ahmedabad-based cotton exporter.

Despite a cotton acreage 9.6 per cent less than the previous year, better yields in major cotton growing states have resulted in higher output estimates. Indias cotton production in 2016-17 is estimated to reach 32.51 million bales (5.53 million tonnes), up from 30.01 million bales (5.10 million tonnes) a year ago.

The global market balance is going to remain tight which could keep prices elevated. If cotton prices decline, imports will go up. But, Chinas auction may cause prices in the global market to decline, said Arun Sakseria, a trader.

Photograph: Reuters
Investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and his familys net worth in listed companies surges in the recent bull run.

Ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and his familys net worth in listed companies crossed Rs 10,000-crore, thanks to a sharp rally in some stocks in their portfolio such as Titan Company, Aptech, Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL), Edelweiss Financial Services, Federal Bank and Escorts.

The combined net worth of Jhunjhunwala and his family came in at Rs 10,550 crore, based on market prices on the BSE as of Thursday. The figures are based on the familys holdings in companies in which its stake is more than one per cent for the quarter ended December 31, 2016.

As of December 31, 2016, Jhunjhunwala and his family's net worth stood at Rs 9,156 crore. On March 4, 2015, the day the BSE Sensex hit an all-time high in intra-day trade, it was Rs 8,620 crore (based on the March 31, 2015, shareholding pattern), the Capitaline Plus data show.

Since March 2015, Jhunjhunwala and his family added Tata Motors DVRs (3.43 per cent), Federal Bank (2.3 per cent) and Mandhana Retail (12.74 per cent) in their portfolio, while increasing their holdings in Aptech and Escorts.

The recent bull run in the broader market has boosted Jhunjhunwala and familys net worth more than the market capitalisation of DHFL, Century Textiles, Thermax, Strides Shasun, Dish TV and Union Bank of India.

Thus far, in calendar year 2017, the market value of listed companies in Jhunjhunwala and his familys portfolio appreciated by an average 15 per cent, as compared to an eight per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex.

"The secret of success for investors like Jhunjhunwala and Radhakishan Damani of D-Mart is that they could spot potential multi-baggers early and held on to the stocks for a longer duration than most investors would. This strategy does create a lot of wealth over time, unlike trying to make a quick buck by doing intra-day trading," explains G Chokkalingam, founder and managing director, Equinomics Research & Advisory.

Some stocks in Jhunjhunwalas portfolio, such as DHFL, Escorts, Federal Bank and Titan Company, are quoting at their respective record highs or close to lifetime highs. All these stocks have rallied in the range of 30-60 per cent since January.

The family holds equity shares of more than Rs 200 crore in each of these companies, according to the latest shareholding data.

In calendar year 2016 (CY16), Jhunjhunwala purchased 2.81 million equity shares of The Mandhana Retail Ventures via an off-market transaction. The shares amounted to 12.74 per cent of the total issued and paid-up capital of the company.

For a noble cause

Given that most analysts expect the markets to reach new highs, the ace investors wealth is likely to grow.

Even then, Jhunjhunwala remains benevolent and pledged last year to donate Rs 5,000 crore or 25 per cent, whichever was lower, of his portfolio on July 5, 2020, the day he turns 60.

According to reports, he supports a number of organisations such as Olympic Gold Quest, Arpan, Agastya and Friends of Tribal Societies, an organisation of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The outfit goes to tribal villages and imparts education and health care.

Photograph: Vivek Prakash/Reuters.
From the perspective of an American worker who is being displaced it does not make a difference whether he is displaced by a visa-dependent company or a non-visa-dependent company or a 50-50 company or whatever: Nasscom president.

The debate in the US over H-1B visas has become a political and emotive issue as there is a "yawning gap" between the facts and perception, IT industry body Nasscom has said, contending that Indian IT firms contribute immensely to the US economy and jobs creation.

"This narrative has been going on for a while now that Indian IT workers come to the US and that they take away jobs, that in general they simply displace American workers and that these are low-paid, not even necessarily high-skilled people who are actually taking away jobs from better paid and skilled American workers," Nasscom president R Chandrashekhar told PTI.

Chandrashekhar was in Washington this week leading a delegation of IT industry body to engage with members of the new US administration on issues like clampdown on work visas and flow of skilled manpower between the two nations.

"That's really the kind of narrative which has got built up, sort of anecdotal examples are being cited, which also are not necessarily accurate. Because it has been presented with a mix of emotive anecdotal stories, I think a counter narrative and facts have really not been recognised. If you look at the facts, then the facts actually tell you a very, very different story," he said.

He said, "The data, not just our data, but the US governments own data also tells a very, very different story."

Chandrashekhar met a number of influential American lawmakers, opinion builders, members of think-tank community and the officials from the new Trump Administration and interacted with them on the H-1B visa issues.

The visit of the Nasscom delegation came in the wake of the ongoing debate in the US and reported moves by the Trump Administration to bring out an executive order to curtail the use of H-1B visas, widely used by Indian IT majors.

"The purpose is to put across our point of view so that a more balanced approach is enabled," he noted.

Chandrashekhar said the Indian IT industry actually contributes immensely to the US economy in terms of jobs that are created in America, both directly and indirectly.

"Close to half a million jobs have been supported in the US as of 2015. The number of jobs have also been growing at 10 per cent per year as against a two per cent growth in the rest of the job market," he said.

"The biggest contribution to jobs, of course, is what the industry provides in terms of services to US corporates, 75 per cent of the Fortune 500 companies, which enable them to be more productive, more efficient, and more globally competitive, and thereby helps them to be the job creation engine in the US," the Nasscom president said.

The Nasscom president argued that the services that the IT industry provides in the US actually create a lot of jobs.

"This in fact, aligns extremely well with President Trump's objective of having more jobs in the US. That's why the need to make this counter narrative well understood," he said.

"There is misperception that American workers and qualified American workers are being displaced by the recourse to a couple of anecdotal stories, whereas the reality is that there are 2.4 million jobs, which are unfilled in the US because they require STEM-qualified workers, and they simply arent available," he said.

By 2018, the projection is that the number will touch 3.4 million, and half of them will be computer and IT related areas, he observed, adding that the unemployment rate among STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) workers for computer and IT related skills is around two per cent.

"It is well known and recognised by all experts that anything under four per cent indicates a shortage. If it is around two per cent, then that indicates the extent of shortage. This myth that there are qualified people who are being deprived of a job is far from the truth," he asserted.

"The third aspect is, if you look at even the American universities, which are the source of skilled workers going forward, more than 70 per cent of the students in the STEM programmes are international students. Even if you wanted to hire from American universities, you'll still need a visa to hire those skill sets.

"These are the facts, and those are the perceptions. The gap between the two is wide, it's a yawning gap between the facts and the perceptions," said the top Indian IT leader.

In developed economies especially those experiencing slower growth, a certain level of unemployment among unskilled people, and at the same time, a shortage of skilled workers, he said is a "political dynamite".

"Because you are dealing with a shortage in one part and unemployment in another part of your workforce, and it requires extremely sagacious leadership to actually be able to formulate a more open-minded, balanced, far-sighted and pragmatic approach in dealing with this issue and differentiating between these two," he noted.

"From the perspective of an American worker who is being displaced it does not make a difference whether he is displaced by a visa-dependent company or a non-visa-dependent company or a 50-50 company or whatever.

"Why would such a provision, which is ostensibly to protect American workers be applied based on a definition which ultimately only singles out Indian companies. I think the argument is that this is not correct, and this is not even protecting American workers," Chandrashekhar said.

"I would argue that if the American workers are to be protected, then please protect them fully. Dont protect them by closing a side door and leaving the front door open," he said.
While it was technically not possible to block the deal, the tax department could resort to arm-twisting.

Image: A Vodafone store in central London. Photograph: Alessia Pierdomenico/Reuters.

Vodafone Plcs Rs 14,000-crore tax dispute with the government remains a key risk in the merger of its Indian subsidiary with Idea Cellular.

The British telecom company had sought advice on how to deal with the retrospective tax in case it went ahead with the merger, tax experts said.

Apart from breaching revenue, subscriber and spectrum caps in a few circles, Vodafones unresolved tax issues are a risk in the transaction. Who will control the merged entity could be another deal breaker, said a tax lawyer.

Vodafone Plc has sought clarity on the past tax issues so that these should not cloud the merger process, the lawyer added.

The case pertains to a Rs 7,990 crore demand raised by the government on Vodafone International Holdings for failing to deduct tax on capital gains made during its acquisition of a 67 per cent stake in Hutchison Essar.

Vodafone did not pay the tax because it was an offshore deal. However, the government argues Vodafone is liable because the deal involved transfer of an underlying Indian asset.

The total tax demand stands at Rs 14,300 crore, which includes interest and penalty.

After the Vodafone case, the government made it mandatory for every merger and acquisition transaction to seek approval from the income tax department.

In the Budget for 2016-17, the government had announced a scheme to settle retrospective tax disputes by waiving interest and penalty if companies paid the tax demand.

The scheme opened on June 1 and closed on December 31 last year. Vodafone did not take the option and is pursuing international arbitration against the tax demand.

"The merger is between Vodafone India and Idea Cellular, while the international arbitration case involves Vodafone International. These are different legal entities, so the tax case should not have any bearing on the merger. There is no ground for the tax department to raise an objection to the deal, said an income-tax department official.

The merger will also result in Vodafones stake falling below 51 per cent as both Idea and Vodafone are expected to have equal shareholdings in the merged company. The two companies are also seeking an investment partner.

Another tax expert pointed out that while it was technically not possible to block the deal, the tax department could resort to arm-twisting.

Rahul Garg, leader, direct taxes, PwC, said the arbitration would have no bearing on the merger as it did not pertain to the merging entities.

Merger may wipe off 10-15% jobs in telecom

The spate of consolidation in the telecom sector could lead to job redundancies 10-15 per cent over the next two years, say analysts and HR experts.

The three mergers in the works -- RCom-Aircel, Vodafone-Idea and Airtel-Telenor -- if they go through regulatory and operational hurdles, are likely to create capex synergies across networks, rationalise selling and marketing expenses of the players and reduce overall manpower costs for the industry.

One of seven jobs in the sector is under threat. Most impacted will be jobs connected with sales and distribution and those in the infrastructure services space, said the head of an executive search firm, who is advising one of the large players on the HR front.

According to Randstad India managing director and CEO Moorthy K Uppaluri, the Indian telecom industry employs around two million people directly and indirectly.

While the consolidation initiatives will spur growth in the industry in the long term, there will be optimisation across frontline sales and support functions such as finance, HR and other corporate roles.

Overall, close to 20-40 per cent of support function roles are expected to be at risk as consolidation plays out, which is in the next 12-20 months, he said.

Tanu Sharma, associate director, India Ratings and Research, said hiring sentiment for the sector is likely to take a hit.

However, any cut in jobs is likely to play out only over the next two years.

For most large players, employee salaries are anywhere from four-five per cent of their sales revenue. With consolidation, employee costs are expected to come down.

HR experts said consolidation among telecom players will have a ripple effect on the entire sector and allied system.

This is because the ratio of direct to indirect jobs in the telecom sector is estimated to be around 1:4. That is, every direct job leads to creation of four jobs in the indirect and tertiary sectors, says a management consultant from one of the Big Four advisory firms, which has several telecom clients.

K Sudarshan, managing partner, EMA Partners International, an executive search firm, said when a sector goes through consolidation generally it is those in middle management who face most of the squeeze.

But telecom experts said the current round of consolidation will face several regulatory and operational challenges before going through.

It may be early days yet before realising the full impact of these initiatives, said a management consultant.

-- Sudipto Dey
When it vanishes as a national force (meaning when it can no longer get sufficient votes to hold onto its symbol, the hand), it will not have been the first large Indian party to die, says Aakar Patel.

How do political parties die?

It is interesting to look at this as we observe the long and slow death of the Congress. India's oldest party was formed 132 years ago and has been out of power for only three years.

But it is clear that as a national force it is comatose if not dead. Its brand is severely damaged and carries very little that is positive. And it has no real political message for its small base of voters.

When it vanishes as a national force (meaning when it can no longer get sufficient votes to hold onto its symbol, the hand), it will not have been the first large Indian party to die.

The All India Muslim League died because it ran out a reason to exist. The party was set up in the early 20th century to secure the political rights of Muslims and to engage with the colonial power.

It tried and failed to negotiate an arrangement to share power with the Congress (which was seen by many Muslims as a Hindu party, just as the BJP is seen today).

The partition of India came because of the failure to reach an agreement and in India the Muslim League more or less vanished. It went because the party's brand was associated with Partition.

For many years a single MP represented the party under the Indian Union Muslim League name. Though he was repeatedly elected from Kerala, this man, GM Banatwala, was a Gujarati.

In Pakistan, the Muslim League held power for a decade after Partition under various prime ministers. The party's primary platform, the two-nation theory, did not remain relevant in a mostly Muslim nation.

Its two biggest leaders died soon after the creation of the country. Governor General Jinnah died of tuberculosis on September 11, 1948, and prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan was murdered at a public event on October 16, 1951.

When General Ayub Khan seized power a few years later, the party Jinnah had led split and formed the Convention Muslim League. This was the first of many versions of the party in Pakistan. This tradition of the party breaking and reforming itself in support of a military ruler continued over the decades.

General Zia ul Haq's prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo formed the Muslim League (J) and General Musharraf was supported by the Muslim League (Q). The party in power today, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) was also formed in the period of Zia.

In India, the Congress remained more or less unified at the national level. The one big split in it happened after Lal Bahadur Shastri died and Indira Gandhi took power. The old men who were Nehru's colleagues formed their own Congress but Indira was strong and captured the organisation because of her charisma and popularity.

The Janata Party which defeated Indira Gandhi was a patchwork coalition of regional parties. The Janata Party was socialist and anti-Congress in its ideology.

It was formed during the Emergency and lost relevance soon after. Its constituents tried to keep the anti Congressism alive through the Janata Dal but that was an insufficient glue and it fractured into south and north versions of the party.

Lal Krishna Advani changed Indian politics with the Ram Janambhoomi movement. The anti Congress impulse of the Janata Party's fragments became an anti Hindutva impulse. This was because they feared the BJP and what it stood for and by now, under Rajiv Gandhi, the Congress stopped standing for anything much.

It did not have any real ideology and this continued under P V Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh.

The Congress has lost power in Delhi because it has been squeezed out of states. Its decade in power from 2004-2014 hid some facts.

In large parts of north India it is in permanent opposition. It has not won an election in Gujarat for three decades. In many other large states, where the BJP is either ruling or in opposition, the Congress is fourth or fifth, meaning it is irrelevant.

In the south, it is losing ground to the BJP faster than it thinks and Hindutva continues its patient and relentless march in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Competent Congress leaders in the regions long ago saw the death coming. Some of them successfully captured the party organisation, like Mamata Banerjee in Bengal. Others like Sharad Pawar in Maharashtra were less successful. But even he has no reason to merge his party back into the Congress because the brand is tainted.

As was observed earlier, it does not stand for anything. Reports say the recent hammering the Congress got in Maharashtra's local elections came after candidates got no financial support from the party.

This is a dangerous sign but it is unlikely to be heeded. The party will bumble along because being family-owned, there is no accountability.

It is possible that the Congress may be revived under another leader. But Rahul Gandhi is not an old man. He has a few more decades of activity ahead of him. This will work to the disadvantage of his party as it fades nationally into irrelevance.

Aakar Patel is Executive Director, Amnesty International India. The views expressed here are his own.

You can read Aakar's earlier columns here.

Image: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi at an election rally. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo.
Distressing as the first month of the Donald Trump administration -- with its missteps on matters of governance, ethics and protocol -- has been, it has been a comic opera of buffoons by comparison to the horrors that await us, fears Rahul Jacob.

IMAGE: Albeit trivial in terms of the big picture, photographs of Kellyanne Conway, counselor to US President Donald Trump, perched on an Oval Office sofa, is the latest in the list of White House missteps under the Trump administration. Photograph: Aude Guerrucci-Pool/Getty Images.

With all the incompetence, nepotism and arrogance on display in the tumultuous four weeks that already feel like four years since Donald Trump arrived at the White House, it is hard to pick one instance that is emblematic of how out of his depth the man is.

The resignation of his national security advisor for not disclosing the details of calls to the Russian ambassador ranks right up there, especially since Trump blamed the media for treating Michael Flynn unfairly. Many in Congress are seeking a wider investigation.

There is also the matter of the broadside by Trump against the department store Nordstrom for dropping Ivanka Trump's clothing line because it was selling poorly.

Trump tweeted that Ivanka 'has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is always pushing me to do the right thing!'

Meanwhile, Trump's aides have been instructed to schedule as many televised events as possible from the Oval Office because Trump enjoys being seen there.

His daughter kicked up a storm of criticism after circulating a photograph of herself seated in the president's chair in the Oval Office between her father and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 'A great discussion with two world leaders about the importance of women having a seat at the table,' tweeted Ivanka Trump.

I interviewed Ivanka onstage for an hour at a conference in Hong Kong five years ago and can report that she is not short on self-esteem, starting with the opening line of her book: 'In business, as in life, nothing is ever handed to you.'

Amid all these missteps on matters of governance, ethics and protocol, I cannot help adding the problem of Trump's ties.

The president cannot tie a tie properly. He leaves the broad end of his tie dangling well past his belt and the narrow bit unable to reach the loop on the inside of the tie. To keep things neat, Trump resorts to using cellotape to hold it in place.

This is an utterly trivial detail at one level, but also in a way disproves that Trump is capable of adapting to being in the White House.

Next, we will be discovering someone ties his shoelaces for him.

No matter: As Trump said in his press conference, this administration is running like a 'fine-tuned machine.'

If you can believe that, you can believe anything.

Apparently, his American supporters, who we must remember are a minority, do.

What amazes me, though, is how many fans he has in India.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh told a crowd in Uttar Pradesh that Trump had been elected because he said he would follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi's economic policies.

A Mumbai friend put out a video in support of him with this extraordinary plea: 'Please understand, he is radically different and unlike all the ex MIDDLE (OF THE) ROAD presidents. The country is up shit. He is trying to do something! Please give him a CHANCE.'

As the Americans say when mystified by the incomprehensible, 'Go figure.'

For starters, I would never have described the war-mongering Bush administration as middle of the road. But perhaps this unquestioning Indian support for him is not that puzzling.

Many of us believe the best answer for this unwieldy, 'functioning anarchy' of a country is a strong man -- or woman.

The crowds at Indira Gandhi's memorial far outnumber those at her father's.

The support for Modi's demonetisation was often couched in similar language: at least the prime minister was doing something.

Our middle class and our elites have a tendency to simultaneously look up to the US -- and envy it and put it down at the same time.

Travelling between Mumbai and New York, as the friend who wrote the email does often, it would take a pretty feverish imagination to conclude that it is the US that is in deep trouble.

New York's public spaces such as the High Line and downtown near the Staten Island ferry are being innovatively expanded and made greener every year. The subway system is better than I recall it while traffic-choked Mumbai, for all its laid-back charm, looks like it is coming apart at the seams.

Ultimately, distressing as the first month of the Trump administration has been, it has been a comic opera of buffoons by comparison to the horrors that await us.

It is apparent that the frightening Stephen Bannon, Trump's chief strategist, is actually in charge.

Trump's weak grasp of policy and constitutional proprieties is further weakened by his impatience for memoranda on affairs of state that are longer than a page. Yet, he reportedly thumbed through a book with 17 window-draping options for the Oval Office.

His administration is packed with Goldman Sachs alumni, who are likely to strip the US' financial regulations, reducing rather than increasing capital requirements for large banks -- making another Lehman-styled financial crisis and another taxpayer bailout more likely.

As for the risk of stumbling into a war, as Barack Obama said at his last speech before this fateful election in November, would you entrust the nuclear launch codes to a man whose campaign team felt the need to keep him away from his beloved Twitter account for a few days before the election?
The Congress or Kejriwal may be corrupt but at least you will not be thrashed black and blue. Your children will not be threatened by those regimes.

Journalists jobs are less secure today. So they are more scared about challenging what they are told to do and what not to do.

If the Aurangzeb road memory is valid, then the memory of the 2002 Gujarat riots is also valid.

IMAGE: Journalist-turned-activist Teesta Setalvad. Photograph: PTI Photo.

Journalist-turned-activist Teesta Setalvad, in her new book Foot Soldier of the Constitution: A Memoir, speaks of the rise of communalism and the aftermath of the 2002 Gujarat riots and as is to be expected of her, pulls no punches when it comes to her bete noire, Narendra Modi.

An excerpt: The chain of circumstances and the details of evidence, post Godhra, establish that the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, and his cabinet colleagues had conspired, planned, prepared, organised and perpetrated multifarious crimes against the Muslim minority by causing and contriving to mobilise armed anti-Muslim mobs.



In an interview with Rediff.coms Syed Firdaus Ashraf, Setalvad discusses her book, the various court cases filed against her and the state of secularism in the country.

Why did you think of writing this book? What was the idea behind it?

At many levels, one is seeing a complete submergence of the narrative in terms of communalism, in terms of its impact on State and society. A lot of that has got to do with the regime of today.

Whenever there is a popular regional option the BJP-RSS have been defeated. Maharashtra is a story of the Congress abdicating itself.

Somehow we are not able to rationally link up how damaging this onset of communalism at the state level, society level is and that it has a lineage and history. What we are seeing today has not happened overnight.

For example, what the gau-rakshaks did in Dadri and Una didnt begin just now. It began in Gujarat somewhere in 1997-2002. Even before 2002, you saw the signs of this but we all collectively ignored it.

One of the main reasons (behind my book) was to bring in the written narrative, which is not only linear, of how communalism has deepened and caught a real stranglehold on Indian democracy.

-- 'Gau rakshaks are systematically targeting Dalits, Muslims'

Despite all that is said and written, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ruling at the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party is winning almost every election in the country.

The BJP is not winning every state. Let me correct you. In 2014 they won the Lok Sabha elections; it was a dramatic victory and one cannot run away from it. They got a majority.

Within six months of that Arvind Kejriwal won in Delhi. Within 18 months of the Lok Sabha elections, Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar won the Bihar elections.

We will know what will happen in another five states on March 11.

It is true that in Maharashtra they have swept the local elections, but it is also true that these local elections have never got so much media coverage before. We must cover local elections as much we are doing now but we should not do so only when the BJP is coming to power.

Why am I saying this?

If you look at the same pattern in Rajasthan which is ruled by Vasundhara Raje, the BJP chief minister of Rajasthan, all the local elections are being won by the Congress party, but it is not getting any national media coverage.

Do you the feel the media has become pro-Modi?

I think the media is corporatised. A large section of it is, but I am not saying every bit of it. A handful of corporate entities own the media and journalists jobs are less secure today. So they are more scared about challenging what they are told to do and what not to do.

Earlier it was easier for us to challenge because we were secure in our job. We were not told to get out.

And, I think the media has become very lazy. It is not doing its homework and it is not moving into the field.

IMAGE: Setalvad believes that journalists today are scared to challenge the regime as their jobs are not secure.

You are saying the media has become lazy, but a minister in the Modi government labelled the media as "presstitutes", and his supporters target the media for what they call its secular bias.

They want to make you even more scared, to be unable to challenge them.

See the response to Trump. Let me ask you a question. Criticism against Trump is across the board, sustained opposition on the streets, by the media, but why are we not able to do it here?

The tactic of any proto fascist force is to constantly attack.

If they have Rajdeep Sardesai or Barkha Dutt who among the spectrum are fair with all the limitations that they face, they will badger those people to ensure that they become defensive about it.

The Congress or Kejriwal may be corrupt but at least you will not be thrashed black and blue. Your children will not be threatened by those regimes.

If you remember, (journalist) Rahul Kanwal was doing a story on saffron terror in India Today and the entire office was attacked by the RSS and Bajrang Dal (external link).

They show they are anti-democratic and cannot tolerate dissent. They get away with it because the law and order agencies dont act. Even what the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad did last week in Delhi, the police was just watching it.

Since you speak of the incidents at Delhi's Ramjas college, do you think the police is upholding secular values?

We have to fight to reclaim it, that is what the book tries to appeal. So much space has been eroded, so much space has been lost. The citizens of India have to do it themselves.

We have to reclaim this space or we will become another Pakistan, Turkey or America under Trump.

See the response to Trump. Let me ask you a question. Criticism against Trump is across the board, sustained opposition on the streets, by the media, but why are we not able to do it here?

What is your opinion about it?

That is what this book addresses. Somehow we have to be courageous enough and bring out the collective conscience to do what the people in America are doing.

Maybe the people think what Modi is doing is right, therefore they are not coming out on the streets?

Thirty one per cent certainly do (the percentage of votes Prime Minister Narendra Modi won in the 2014 elections).

We have to fight to reclaim it (secularism). We have to reclaim this space or we will become another Pakistan, Turkey or America under Trump.

During the book release lecture you mentioned that the courts back-pedalled many times on communal issues.

One of my most painful experiences was about the 1992-93 Bombay riots. Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray was openly challenging the rule of law and courts. He gave a statement to Sanjh Jansatta newspaper. I still have a copy of that tabloid. If you or I had said what he has said in it about court judgments, contempt cases would have been slapped on us.

So my wider question was, when there is an open challenge to the judiciary, why have the courts been silent?

-- EXCLUSIVE! The Teesta Setalvad Interview: 'The DNA of this country will re-emerge!'

It is now 15 years since the Godhra train burning and the riots it set off. You also mentioned that there is a complete shutdown of memory.

I am going to write a piece on how much the media will actually remember February 27 and 28 and the riots that followed in 2002.

On the 10th anniversary of the tragedy, I remember, there were several articles and packages on television.

I dont know what is going to happen this time because of the regime in New Delhi today. Many sects of Indians are functioning under a kind of self-censorship.

Do we talk about this or not talk about this? Is this a wise idea to talk about this?

During your lecture, you said memory cannot be allowed to lapse. Why are we thinking of the past all the time? The Godhra incident happened in the past. Why cant we move on?

People are moving on. The point is, if for instance we can have a debate conducted in the political class which the media doesnt question, on why Delhi's Aurangzeb Road needs to go or why Tipu Sultan road needs to go, is that not revisiting a memory of a certain kind?

We have in very powerful positions chhotey dil aur chhotey dimaag ke log who have made a single point agenda, to try and target a few individuals and organisations.

You say you want it to go because you claim that they perpetrated some acts of injustice on a section of Indians.

But this is far more recent, right? If the Aurangzeb road memory is valid, then the memory of the Gujarat 2002 riots is also valid.

This is more valid because it is more recent.

My point is that you may have three-four sets of memories. In a democratic society, you have to allow that to play for some reconciliation and dialogue.

My real question after the 1992-93 Mumbai riots was that we did not allow real catharsis after Partition. In India, our textbooks clamped down on this. In society, nobody discussed it.

So it was not a coincidence for me to see that after the bloodshed of the 1992-93 riots, a spate of books came out to do with Partition. People realised it was wrong.

As a result of this, you had three sets of Indians believing in three sets of reality depending on where they were located geographically after 1947.

The Sikhs in Punjab were most brutally affected by the Muslims of Pakistan. They hate Muslims for that reason.

In Bengal, Hindus who came from East Pakistan suffered at the hands of Muslims but in Bihar, Muslims suffered at the hands of Hindus.

All these three communities have memories of that but there has never been a possibility of all of them coming together and saying that yes, we all three suffered, the suffering and hardship and the violence that came out of communal ideology, that can happen in any section which makes a demon and enemy out of another.

And by not doing this, you have a situation of everybody looking through the prism of their memory and never having a holistic memory of what Partition was.

IMAGE: The cover of Teesta Setalvad's new book.

Retrospectively, do you feel what Mohammed Ali Jinnah said back in 1947 about Hindutva was right?

Jinnah had a very short-sighted view of politics and he was a self-serving politician. He was a politician who was extremely secular in his behaviour and his outlook, but he used very communal language among the maulanas to whip up frenzy, which was extremely unhealthy so I would not say Jinnah was right about anything.

I think the parallel growth of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League resulted in the vivisection of the Indian subcontinent, the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha are equally responsible for Partition, as much as the Muslim League is, but in Indian public memory it is only the Muslims, the Muslim League and Jinnah who are responsible for Partition.

That is where the selective memory comes, and that is dangerous.

On a personal front, given all the court cases against you, do you fear arrest?

If I live in constant fear I will stop doing the work I do. I do believe that we have in very powerful positions today chhotey dil aur chhotey dimaag ke log who have made a single point agenda to simply try and target a few individuals and organisations.

Citizens for Justice and Peace (Setalvad's NGO) has filed 68 cases in regard to the 2002 Gujarat riots and I have nine cases against me.

Now, I have to spend 20 per cent of my time battling those cases against me, my struggle is that. The rest of my time I carry on the work I am doing, and that I am managing.

Do you buy the theory that more the secular forces go against Modi, the stronger he becomes?

I dont buy that argument.

Whenever there is a popular regional option the BJP-RSS have been defeated. Maharashtra is a story of the Congress abdicating itself. Pawar did not go to Pune to campaign for his party, the Nationalist Congress Party.

It (the BJP win) did not happen like that. It happened because there were certain reasons behind it.

However, Mamata Banerjee romped home in Bengal. She is not RSS-BJP. I told you about Kejriwal, Nitish-Lalu. Now let us wait for March 11, 2017, to see what happens.

I am very optimistic.
Archis Mohan decodes Bharatiya Janata Party's pre-presidential poll manoeuvres.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance is currently short of nearly 66,000 votes in the electoral college that elects the President of India.

It hopes to bridge this deficit, partially, by winning a significant number of seats in the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly. And, is banking on support of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to meet the remainder of the shortfall.

As part of this outreach, the Narendra Modi government is set to recommend Anandiben Patels name for the vacant gubernatorial post at the Chennai Raj Bhavan.

Currently, Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao has the additional charge of Tamil Nadu.

Patel is a trusted lieutenant of Prime Minister Modi, which makes her a suitable candidate to be the TN governor, to lead Modi government's outreach to the new CM there, Edappadi K Palaniswami, and his supporters.

Sources said Patel would be evidence of the Modi government's intent to iron out the rough spots that had cropped up between the Centre and the AIADMK after the recent leadership tussle in that party.

Patel had succeeded Modi as CM of Gujarat, when he had moved to Delhi as the country's prime minister after the 2014 Lok Sabha poll.

In August 2016, Patel quit when a month short of turning 75. She has waited in the wings ever since, while others like Najma Heptulla, dropped from the Union Cabinet as she had reached the age of 75 years, were rewarded with gubernatorial posts.

The President of India is elected by members of an electoral college that comprise elected members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and elected members of all legislative assemblies.

Nominated members, whether of Parliament or legislative assemblies, are not included.

The value of an MLA's vote is based on the population census of 1971. Therefore, the value differs from state to state.

The value of the vote of a legislator from UP, with the largest population, is the highest at 208, while Sikkims is the lowest at seven.

The value of the vote of a Member of Parliament is 708. The total value of votes of the electoral college is 1.09 million.

Currently, the BJP has nearly 380,000 votes in the electoral college. To reach the halfway mark of 549,000, the party needs another 170,000.

The 102,000 votes of its NDA partners reduces this gap to around 66,000. This is where the UP assembly poll results, as well as outreach to potential supporters as the AIADMK is crucial.

The UP assembly, with 403 seats, contributes 83,824 votes to the electoral college. In the outgoing assembly, the BJP has 41 MLAs, a meagre 8,528 votes.

Its winning around 150 seats in UP would deliver the BJP 31,200 votes in the presidential electoral college, while 100 seats would get it to 20,800.

Top BJP strategists, including party chief Amit Shah, are confident that a good performance in UP would compensate for the likely losses the party and ally Shiromani Akali Dal could suffer in Punjab.

A victory in UP will also deflate Opposition morale and help Modi government strategists persuade fence sitters among the regional parties to vote for the ruling coalition's candidate.

This is where regional ruling parties as the Trinamool Congress, Biju Janata Dal and AIADMK are important. All three have significant numbers in Parliament and are ruling parties in their respective states.

The TMC has 63,721 electoral college votes; the BJD has 37,257. The AIADMK has 58,160.

A Modi government and Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool rapproachment looks difficult at this juncture.

In Odisha, the BJP displaced the Congress as main challenger to Naveen Patnaik's government after last month's local body elections.
A 33-year-old jawan, who purportedly figured in an expose by a news portal on the orderly system in the army, was found dead in Maharashtra's Deolali and army on Friday appeared to blame the website for driving him to commit "suicide".

Roy Mathew, a resident of Ezhukon in Kollam district of Kerala, was missing since February 25 and his decomposed body was found hanging from the ceiling in an abandoned barrack in Deolali cantonment in Nashik on Thursday.

The army said that it never questioned Mathew after the video, which showed soldiers, working as Sahayaks, walking dogs of senior army officials or taking their children to school, surfaced. Incidentally, the news website has taken down the sting video.

It said that preliminary investigation has revealed that "the suicide may be result of a series of events which were triggered by media personnel managing to video-graph the deceased by asking leading questions on his duties as a buddy without his knowledge.

"It is very likely that the guilt factor of letting down his superiors or conveying false impression to an unknown individual, led to take the extreme step."

Police have registered a case of accidental death under Section 174 of the CrPC.

According to his family in Kerala, Mathew made his last phone call to them on February 25 and from the way he talked it was evident that he was in a frightened state.

Sources said that the last text message of Mathew, who was attached for 'buddy duties' with a Colonel-rank officer, was to the officer in which he said "sorry".

In a release, the army said the identity of the soldier in the video was hidden and thereby not known to it. "Hence there is no question of any enquiry that could have been ordered."

There is a view in the army that it should explore legal options against the news portal.

The army has also ordered a probe into circumstances leading to Mathew's death.

"Complaint has been lodged with the local police and an enquiry has been ordered by the army authorities to investigate the circumstances leading to his death. The army is offering all assistance in this regard to the family of the deceased and the civil administration."

Mathew had gone missing on February 25 and was declared absent without leave, the army said.

The sting operation had led to criticism of the British-era Sahayak (buddy) system. The army has ordered an inquiry into how the sting took place.

Police said Mathew, whose body was decomposed, might have died three days ago.

Mathew's death comes int he wake of a spate of videos released on social media by BSF, CRPF and other armed forces personnel that alleged poor working conditions and harassment.

The first video was released by BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav on 9 January. His social media post on sub-standard food quality had triggered a controversy.

On 15 January, addressing a function organized on the occasion of Army Day, army chief General Bipin Rawat had warned that those using social media to air their grievances could face disciplinary action.
China on Friday warned India against allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh, saying it would cause "serious damage" to the bilateral ties and peace in the disputed border region.

However, the Indian government has said that the visit of Tibetan spiritual leader to the Northeastern state is on.

"China is gravely concerned over information that India has granted permission to the Dalai to visit Arunachal Pradesh," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told the media in Beijing.

Reacting to Geng's remarks, a senior Indian government official in New Delhi said that India's position is well known and has not changed.

The Dalai Lama will be in the north eastern state from April 4 to 13 and Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, among others, will meet him there.

During his visit to Tawang bordering China, the spiritual leader will be hosted by the Buddhist Tawang monastery where he will be meeting his followers.

"The Dalai Lama will be a guest of the Arunachal Pradesh government and as a devotee, I will meet him in Tawang," Rijiju, who represents the Arunachal-West Lok Sabha constituency under which Tawang falls, told PTI in New Delhi.

Rijiju, however, said the Dalai Lama is going to visit the state as a religious leader and there is no reason to stop him as his followers are demanding he should come.

Asked about China's objections, Rijiju said the central government is run by a nationalist party which considers the country's interests first.

"We are neither going to be dominated by anyone nor shall we dominate any of our neighbours. But we give prime importance to India's interests," he said, without making any reference to China.

While China has been claiming Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet and routinely objects to visits by top leaders, officials and diplomats to the area, India has been maintaining that the Tibetan spiritual leader was an honoured guest and was free to travel to any part of the country.

China had aired similar concerns in October last year when India granted permission to the Tibetan leader to visit Arunachal Pradesh at the invitation of the state government.

The visit is expected to take place this year.

"China is strongly opposed to the Dalai visiting disputed areas," Geng said.

"China's position on the eastern section of China-India border dispute is consistent and clear. The Dalai clique has long been engaging in anti-China separatist activities and its record on the border question is not that good," he said.

Geng said that China expressed its concern to India through formal channels.

"India is fully aware of the seriousness of the Dalai issue and the sensitivity of China-India border question," he said.

"Under such a background if India invites the Dalai to visit to the mentioned territory, it will cause serious damage to peace and stability of border region and China-India relations," he said.

"We have expressed concerns to the Indian side, urged India to stick to its political commitments and abide by important consensus the two sides have reached on the boundary question, refrain from actions that might complicate the issue, not provide a platform to the Dalai clique and protect the sound and stable development of the Sino-India relations," he said.

Geng's comments came in the backdrop of an interview to the Chinese media by former Chinese Special Representative on boundary dispute Dai Bingguo in which he said the border dispute between the two nations can be resolved if India gives up claim over Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

Asked about Dai's comments, Geng said he has not seen the interview.

He said that China's principled position on the boundary question with India is to reach an early solution pending China-India border question is in the fundamental interest of the two countries.

Ignoring China's protests, the government had earlier allowed former US ambassador to India Richard Verma and Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje's visit to Arunachal Pradesh last year.
An Indian-origin girl in the United States has been allegedly racially abused by an African-American man who called her inappropriate names and yelled "get out of here" when she was travelling in a busy commuter train.

Ekta Desai, who lives in New York, took a video of the incident that occurred on February 23.

The video was then shared by a website The Voice Raiser and has since then gone viral and viewed by hundreds of thousands of people.

In the video, the African-American man is seen abusing the girl, saying words like "Freedom of speech" and "Black Power." Using expletives, he tells her to "get out of here."

As the girl is recording the video, the man gets visibly angry and is seen shouting at her.

"This man was on the same PATH train as me along with 100 other passengers, I had my headphones on and it was like any other day. Next thing I know he is yelling on my face (Did not bother to listen/react)," Desai wrote on social media.

Desai said she did not react to the man but he continued shouting and questioned as to why she was taking his photo and pictures. Several people have reacted sympathetically towards the girl after the video was posted online.

Desai said she reported the matter to police authorities, who allegedly said the man appears to be "emotionally unstable" and she should be careful.

Desai then contacted Kundan Srivastava, a Human Rights activist and founder of The Voice Raiser, who said the US government should "punish" the man for "harassing and abusing women and also insulting our nation."

"We would also like to say that being a girl does not make anyone less capable or helpless. As you can see in the video, people are just standing as a mere spectator. He yelled disgusting things and used unacceptable words. A person should abide by the civic rules and does not slut shame a woman. Keep Fighting!," Srivastava's organisation said.

The incident comes close on the heels of the shooting in Kansas of a 32-year-old Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla who was killed when 51-year-old US Navy veteran Adam Purinton opened fire at him and his friend Alok Madasani at a bar before yelling "get out of my country."

The shooting sent shock waves across the Indian-American community here with people expressing concerns over their safety in an enviornment of xenophobic and racist rhetoric in the country.

Image: A video grab recorded by Desai showing the African American man yelling at her.
Embattled US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from any investigation into his alleged links with the Russian officials during the 2016 presidential elections.

"I have decided to recuse myself from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for President of the US," Sessions said in a statement.

His remarks came after President Donald Trump said that he had "total" confidence in Sessions and he should not recuse himself from the Russian probe. However, Sessions decided against Trump's wish.

"This announcement should not be interpreted as confirmation of the existence of any investigation or suggestive of the scope of any such investigation," Sessions

said.

"Consistent with the succession order for the Department of Justice, Acting Deputy Attorney General and US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Dane Boente shall act as and perform the functions of the Attorney General with respect to any matters from which I have recused myself to the extent they exist," he said.

Sessions said that during the course of the confirmation proceedings on his nomination to be the US Attorney General, he advised the Senate Judiciary Committee that "if a specific matter arose where I believed my impartiality might reasonably be questioned, I would consult with Department Ethics officials regarding the most appropriate way to proceed."

"During the course of the last several weeks, I have met with the relevant senior Career Department officials to discuss whether I should recuse myself from any matters arising from the campaigns for President of the US," Sessions said.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Thursday tweeted in support of Attorney General Sessions, saying that the latter was an honest man and had not said anything wrong.

Accusing the Democrats of creating the fuss around Jeff Sessions, Trump said the Democrats are overplaying their hand as they lost the elections and now they have lost their grip on reality.

"Jeff Sessions is an honest man. He did not say anything wrong. He could have stated his response more accurately, but it was clearly not intentional. This whole narrative is a way of saving face for Democrats losing an election that everyone thought they were supposed to win," Trump said in a series of tweets.

"The Democrats are overplaying their hand. They lost the election, and now they have lost their grip on reality."

Earlier in the day, CNN quoted Trump as saying that he has "total" confidence in Attorney General Jeff Sessions following accusations that he misled Congress by failing to disclose pre-election meetings with the Russian ambassador to Washington Sergey Kislyak. Following the accusations Democrats had called for Sessions to resign.

It had emerged that Sessions spoke twice with the Russian ambassador to the United States during former's presidential campaign.

Sessions did not mention either meeting during his confirmation hearings when he said he knew of no contacts between Trump surrogates and Russians. A Justice official said Sessions didn't mislead senators during his confirmation.

Sessions met with Kislyak twice in Washington, in July on the sidelines of the Republican convention, and in September in his office when Sessions was a member of the Senate Armed Services committee. Sessions was an early Trump backer and regular surrogate for him as a candidate.

Sessions, a former senator from Alabama, who was among Trump's early and most vocal surrogates on the campaign trail, did not disclose the conversations when asked during his Senate confirmation hearing in early 2017 about possible contacts between Trump's campaign and Moscow.

Several Republicans have called on Sessions to rescue himself from any involvement in an FBI probe into ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow.
The state's new prescription drug monitoring tool strives to better highlight critical information for physicians.
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.
Iraq: Civilian casualty figure for February tops 1,000  UN reports

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 2 March 2017 Related Document(s) UN Casualties Figures for Iraq for the Month of February 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Iraq: Civilian casualty figure for February tops 1,000  UN reports, 2 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b93d0c4.html [accessed 7 November 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.

More than 1,000 civilians were killed or injured last month in Iraq, the United Nations mission in the country has announced.

According to the latest figures from the UN Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMI), at least 392 civilians were killed and another 613 were injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict.

The head of UNAMI, Jan Kubis, condemned the deliberate targeting of civilians by the Islamic State (ISIL), and saluted the Iraqi security forces for professionalism in pursuing the terrorists while seeking to minimize civilian casualties.

"As the Iraqi security forces stepped up the military operations to liberate the remaining parts of Mosul from Daesh control, the terrorists struck again, targeting civilians with cowardly bombings to ease the pressure on the frontlines," Mr. Kubis said referring to ISIL by its Arabic acronym.

"Daesh's sinister attempts have failed to weaken the resolve of the people and Government of Iraq to rid the country once and for all from the scourge of terrorism," added Mr. Kubis, who is also the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq.

The figure of 392 is slightly lower than 403 civilians killed in January, when an additional 924 civilians were injured.
UN Casualties Figures for Iraq for the Month of February 2017

Publisher UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Publication Date 2 March 2017 Cite as UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), UN Casualties Figures for Iraq for the Month of February 2017, 2 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b93d954.html [accessed 7 November 2022]

A total of 392 Iraqi civilians were killed and another 613 were injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq in February 2017*, according to casualty figures recorded by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

Ninewa was the most affected Governorate, with 451 civilian casualties (201 killed, 250 injured). Baghdad Governorate followed with 120 killed and 300 injured, and Salahadin had 09 killed and 13 injured.

According to information obtained by UNAMI from the Health Directorate in Anbar, the Governorate suffered a total of 86 civilian casualties (42 killed and 44 injured). Figures were updated until 28 February, inclusive.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr. Jan Kubis, lamented the continuing loss of life among Iraqi civilians. He condemned Daesh's deliberate targeting of civilians and saluted the Iraqi security forces for professionalism in pursuing the terrorists while seeking to minimize civilian casualties.



"As the Iraqi security forces stepped up the military operations to liberate the remaining parts of Mosul from Daesh control, the terrorists struck again, targeting civilians with cowardly bombings to ease the pressure on the frontlines. But Daesh's sinister attempts have failed to weaken the resolve of the people and Government of Iraq to rid the country once and for all from the scourge of terrorism."

Mr. Kubis added: "The security forces are making steady progress in Mosul and, despite the incessant provocations from the terrorists, are following the pre-planned concept of operations whose priority is securing the lives of Iraqis and minimizing civilian casualties. The Government and security forces of Iraq are commended for these actions, and we continue to urge that everything be done to ensure that civilians are kept out of harm's way."

CAVEATS: In general, UNAMI has been hindered in effectively verifying casualties in conflict areas. Figures for casualties from Anbar Governorate are provided by the Health Directorate and are noted in the February casualty report. Casualty figures obtained from the Anbar Health Directorate might not fully reflect the real number of casualties in those areas due to the volatility of the situation on the ground and the disruption of services. In some cases, UNAMI could only partially verify certain incidents. UNAMI has also received, without being able to verify, reports of large numbers of casualties along with unknown numbers of persons who have died from secondary effects of violence after having fled their homes due to exposure to the elements, lack of water, food, medicines and health care. Since the start of the military operations to retake Mosul and other areas in Ninewa, UNAMI has received several reports of incidents involving civilian casualties, which at times it has been unable to verify. For these reasons, the figures reported have to be considered as the absolute minimum.
UN Casualties Figures for Iraq for the Month of January 2017

Publisher UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Publication Date 1 February 2017 Cite as UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), UN Casualties Figures for Iraq for the Month of January 2017, 1 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b93ec84.html [accessed 7 November 2022]

A total of 403 Iraqi civilians were killed and another 924 were injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq in January 2017*, according to casualty figures recorded by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

The number of civilians killed in January (not including police) was 382, while the number injured (not including police) was 908.



Baghdad was the worst affected Governorate with 572 civilian casualties with 128 killed and 444 injured. Ninewa followed with 187 killed and 285 injured, and Salahadin had 30 killed and 45 injured.



According to information obtained by UNAMI from the Health Directorate in Anbar, the Governorate suffered a total of 143 civilian casualties (22 killed and 121 injured). Figures for Anbar are updated until 30 January, inclusive.



"The Daesh terrorists have focused their bombing attacks on markets and residential neighbourhoods. They have cowardly targeted civilians - women, children and the elderly who were going about their business or shopping", Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG) Jan Kubis said.



"But Daesh's goal of breaking the will of the people has collapsed in the face of the Iraqi people's resilience, despite of the difficulties and hardship, and the steady advances of the Iraqi security forces in the operation to liberate Mosul from the terrorists", the SRSG said.



*CAVEATS: In general, UNAMI has been hindered in effectively verifying casualties in conflict areas. Figures for casualties from Anbar Governorate are provided by the Health Directorate and are noted in the January casualty report. Casualty reports obtained from the Anbar Health Directorate might not fully reflect the real number of casualties in those areas due to the increased volatility of the situation on the ground and the disruption of services. In some cases, UNAMI could only partially verify certain incidents. UNAMI has also received, without being able to verify, reports of large numbers of casualties along with unknown numbers of persons who have died from secondary effects of violence after having fled their homes due to exposure to the elements, lack of water, food, medicines and health care. Since the start of the military operations to retake Mosul and other areas in Ninewa, UNAMI has received several reports of incidents involving civilian casualties, which at times it has been unable to verify. For these reasons, the figures reported have to be considered as the absolute minimum.
Hunger persists in chronic conflict zones despite strong global harvests  UN

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 2 March 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Hunger persists in chronic conflict zones despite strong global harvests  UN, 2 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b93f464.html [accessed 7 November 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.

Despite robust food supply conditions, droughts are worsening food security across swathes of East Africa, and access to food has been dramatically reduced in areas suffering civil conflicts, a new United Nations report has found.

"This is an unprecedented situation. Never before have we been faced with four threats of famine in multiple countries simultaneously," Kostas Stamoulis, the Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said in a news release issued today, noting that famine has been formally declared in South Sudan, and the food security situation is of grave concern in northern Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen.

According to the new edition of FAO's Crop Prospects and Food Situation report, some 37 countries require external assistance for food, 28 of them in Africa as a result of lingering effects of last year's El Nino-triggered droughts on harvests in 2016.

In South Sudan, 100,000 people were facing famine in Leer and Mayendit Counties, part of former Unity state. Overall, about 4.9 million people across the country were classified as facing crisis, emergency or famine.

In Yemen, 17 million people, or two-thirds of the population, are estimated to be food insecure. The report notes that "the risk of famine declaration in the country is very high."

In northern Nigeria, 8.1 million people are facing acute food insecurity conditions, and in Somalia, an estimated 2.9 million people have been severely food insecure from six months ago.

Conflicts and civil unrest in Afghanistan, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Myanmar and Syria are also exacerbating food insecurity conditions for millions of people as well as affecting nearby countries hosting refugees.

Global food supply conditions robust

The report says, however, global food supply conditions are robust.

Cereal production made quite strong gains in the world overall in 2016, with a record recovery in Central America, and larger cereal crops in Asia, Europe and North America.

Prospects are favourable for the 2017 maize crop in Brazil and Argentina and the outlook is generally positive for coarse grains throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Prospects for rice are mixed, but it is still too early to make firm predictions for many of the world's major crops.

Maize harvests in Southern Africa, slashed by El Nino, are forecast to recover this year, with South Africa's output expected to increase by more than 50 per cent from 2016.

Although FAO's first global wheat production forecast for 2017 points to a 1.8 per cent decline from last year's record level, that is due mostly to a projected 20 per cent output drop in the United States.
The Madison School District is examining long-term capital improvement plans to keep up with the growing number of students and its aging facilities.
UN envoy condemns firing of rocket from Gaza towards Israel

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 2 March 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN envoy condemns firing of rocket from Gaza towards Israel, 2 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b93f924.html [accessed 7 November 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.

Condemning a rocket fired from Gaza towards Israel, a senior United Nations envoy has called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid escalation of the situation.

"Such provocations seek only to undermine peace," said Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process in a statement today.

According to the statement, the rocket fired yesterday was third such incident in the past 30 days after a period of almost four months of quiet.

"I call on all responsible parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid escalation and prevent incidents that jeopardize the lives of Palestinians and Israelis," urged Mr. Mladenov.
Jamaica: Prime Minister Holness must take decisive action to tackle human rights violations

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 2 March 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Jamaica: Prime Minister Holness must take decisive action to tackle human rights violations, 2 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b940764.html [accessed 7 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

On the eve of the first anniversary of Jamaican Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, taking office, Amnesty International and Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) published an open letter calling on the government to take concrete steps to advance the protection and promotion of human rights in the country.

"Despite the commitment expressed by the Jamaican government to guarantee that the human rights of all Jamaicans are protected, reality remains that much more work needs to be done," said Erika Guevara Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

"The families of the many people allegedly illegally killed by the police urgently need justice, truth and reparation. Communities need a professional police force, well trained and adequately resourced, which fully respects human rights."

"JFJ and Amnesty International are ready to work with the Jamaican government to find concrete actions to fulfill our common goals of a safe and fair Jamaica for all."

Background information

In November 2016 Amnesty International published the report Waiting in Vain: Unlawful police killings and relatives' long struggle for justice which explores the catalogue of illegal tactics used by police across Jamaica to ensure relatives of victims of alleged unlawful killings by the police do not pursue justice, truth and reparation for their loved ones.

Following the publication of the report, JFJ and Amnesty International launched the campaign 'Time4Justice.' It seeks to advance police and justice reforms for a safer Jamaica and to accompany relatives of those allegedly unlawfully killed by the police in their quest to see those responsible face the courts.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Human Rights Watch Submission on Armenia to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 1 March 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Human Rights Watch Submission on Armenia to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 1 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b941094.html [accessed 7 November 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.

This memorandum, submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ("the Committee"), ahead of its review on Armenia, highlights areas of concern that Human Rights Watch hopes will inform the Committee's consideration of the Armenian government's compliance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ("CRPD"). This submission focuses on violations of the rights of children and young people with disabilities in Armenia, in particular articles 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 19, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28 of the CRPD. This submission proposes issues and questions that Committee members may wish to raise with the Armenian government as the Committee reviews Armenia's compliance with its obligations under the CRPD.

This submission draws primarily on Human Rights Watch's research in 2016 in eight cities in Armenia, including visits to five state-run orphanages and ten state-run schools, including six special schools and four mainstream schools, and interviews with 173 people. We interviewed 47 children and young adults, and 63 families of children living in orphanages, attending special schools or attending mainstream schools. We also interviewed directors of orphanages, special schools, and mainstream schools, as well as social workers, doctors, teachers, psychologists, caregivers, and other staff in institutions. The information in this report is based on material that is published in the report by Human Rights Watch titled When Will I Get to Go Home?: Abuses and Discrimination against Children in Institutions and Lack of Access to Quality Inclusive Education in Armenia.

1. Children and Young People in State Institutions

Background

Many children in Armenia in orphanages and other residential institutions end up there because they have disabilities. There are three types of state residential institutions in Armenia: orphanages, residential special schools, and night boarding institutions. As of April 2016, there were nearly 3,700 children with and without disabilities in residential institutions in Armenia. Ninety percent of these children have at least one living parent.

There are six state-run orphanages in Armenia: three generalized orphanages where primarily children without disabilities live, and three specialized orphanages for children with disabilities. According to UNICEF, of 670 children residing in orphanages in May 2016, 70 percent have disabilities. According to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Territorial Affairs and Administration, as of December 2016, there were 20 residential special schools in Armenia, with most having both children with and without disabilities enrolled.

Discrimination in the deinstitutionalization process

The government of Armenia is currently undertaking some important reforms regarding children in institutions, including reducing the number of children in state-run residential institutions and moving these children back to their families. However, the government appears to prioritize the return of children without disabilities to their families. Thus, although the total number of children in orphanages is decreasing, the concentration of children with disabilities, in particular children with multiple disabilities, mobility disabilities, or high support needs in orphanages is increasing. For example, at the time of Human Rights Watch's visit to the Kharberd specialized orphanage in May 2016, there were 221 residents, including 94 children and 127 young adults. Half of the residents are wheelchair users. Thirty-six children have visual and multiple disabilities, only two of whom have been taught to use a cane as a mobility tool.

Furthermore, the government has stated it plans to transform three generalized orphanages for children without disabilities into community-based support centers, but has made no commitments to transform or close the three orphanages where children with disabilities reside, and continues to invest in these institutions. This approach exacerbates the overrepresentation of children with disabilities in institutional care and is discriminatory.

Moving children between institutions instead of to families; no decrease in numbers of children with disabilities in institutions

Human Rights Watch found substantial evidence of children with disabilities being moved out of one orphanage or institution, only to be placed in another institution. In some cases, when children have returned to their birth families from an orphanage, they are then enrolled in a residential special school.

Directors of orphanages for children with disabilities reported that there is a large demand to place children in the orphanages. The three specialized orphanages, which are not scheduled for transformation, face overcrowding and, in some cases, waiting lists for children to enter. Thus, even when the institution is able to return children to their families or find alternative care solutions, or if the orphanage transfers children to another institution, more children quickly take the vacant places. The total population of children with disabilities in institutions is not decreasing.

Children who grow up in institutions remain in institutions as adults

For example, in response to the presence of many young adults in orphanages for children with disabilities, in 2015, the government converted a night boarding institution for children into the Zorag Psychiatric Care Center in Yerevan. Residents included people with psychosocial, intellectual, sensory, and other disabilities. According to the Zorag director, as of December 2016, the institution had 120 residents. Planned renovations will allow the institution to hold up to 200. In a December 2016 interview, the Zorag director told Human Rights Watch that the center's residents "will never go anywhere else. They will remain in this institution for their whole lives."

Denial of legal capacity

Armenian law guarantees every person who turns 18 the right to full legal capacity.[1] However, upon reaching adulthood, a person with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities can be deprived of legal capacity by a court decision, and the court identifies a guardian for this person to take decisions on his or her behalf.[2] There is no mechanism for partial deprivation of legal capacity for persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities in Armenia.[3] Supported decision making institutions do not exist in Armenia.

Children with disabilities who age out of institutions for children may remain in institutions indefinitely due to the lack of alternatives in the community, as well as officials' failure to ensure that all young people with disabilities have the right to exercise their legal capacity when they turn 18. Human Rights Watch found that authorities may deprive individuals with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities of legal capacity upon reaching adulthood, so that an individual's guardian, which can be an orphanage or an institution, continues to make all legal and other decisions for them even as adults. The forced confinement of adults in institutions without their consent can be a form of arbitrary detention.

In contrast, staff at a generalized orphanage, where only children without disabilities live, stated clearly that upon reaching 18, children have full legal capacity and the orphanage respects the law in this regard.

Problems in institutions

Even in the most well-resourced residential institutions in Armenia, children face isolation, the lack of individual attention and nurture, a lack of privacy, emotional distress due to family separation and a lack of preparation to lead individual lives as adults.

In residential institutions, children are typically divided into groups of between 10-17 children, with two caregivers.

Even the most dedicated and caring staff are challenged to provide individualized care and attention. The organization of children into large groups also leads to a lack of privacy, with older children and young adults sleeping in bedrooms with up to 13 others.

Children placed in institutions and their parents consistently reported that being separated from each other takes an emotional toll on them. Children often show symptoms of emotional and sometimes physical distress due to the separation from their families. Children may cry, refuse to eat, and experience poor moods and anxiety.

Residential institutions do little to prepare children to live on their own once they become adults.

Lack of services in the community drives placement of children with disabilities in institutions

Human Rights Watch research found that trained staff and specialized services for children with disabilities such as rehabilitation are available only to children living in institutions, rather than in the community. Concentrating services for children with disabilities in institutions rather than in the community contributes to many families' decisions to place children in institutions. It also means that many children with disabilities who remain with their families and who may require or benefit from certain services and resources are often unable to access them. The continued concentration of resources within institutions will have a disproportionate effect on children with disabilities, both those who live inside them and those who live in the community.

Lack of foster care and adoption

Alternative child care services in Armenia remain underdeveloped, even as the government is moving to transform residential institutions into centers providing community-based services, in some cases very quickly, and ostensibly prioritize family-based care. There is a risk of harm to children should the government move children out of residential institutions without alternative care solutions sufficient in quantity and quality. There are currently a total of 23 foster care families in all of Armenia. Currently, the national budget provides financial support for only 25 families annually. As this includes families already serving as foster parents, there is not currently budget capacity to support more foster families.

In the absence of sufficient alternative care solutions, referral to residential institutions remains the only resort in the overwhelming majority of cases in which remaining in or returning to the biological family is not possible or not in a child's best interest.

Under Armenian law, for a child to be placed in foster care, the child's parents have to relinquish their parental rights, which impedes the possibilities for many children to be moved out of institutions and into alternative care, or for children to be placed in foster care as a temporary measure, rather than in an institution.[4] Amendments to the family code would eliminate the requirement for parents to have relinquished their parental rights in order for children to be eligible for foster care placement. The amendments have been under review by several government ministries for many months, but at time of writing have not been sent to parliament.

Continued concentration of resources in buildings

UNICEF maintains that the financial support allocated to support children in institutions in Armenia, currently between US$3,000 and 5,000 per year per child, can be reallocated to community-based services and direct support to families and that these types of support in the long term require less budgetary expenditure.[5] A UNICEF study analyzing the costs of institutions in Armenia in contrast to community-based services determined that "services of residential institutions are very expensive." The report also found "the reallocation of children into family care does not necessarily lead to the creation of an additional burden on the state budget" and that, "on the contrary, depending on the policy chosen, the savings can be quite tangible, even if the reform costs include the provision of jobs to excessive staff of the discharged residential institutions and additional social support and care services for children released from residential institutions, and their families."[6]

Questions and recommendations

Human Rights Watch encourages the Committee to ask the government of Armenia:

 What specific steps is the government taking to promote deinstitutionalization of children with disabilities on an equal basis with other children, and to guarantee that policies and practices on deinstitutionalization do not discriminate against children on the basis of disability, on the type of disability or high support needs?

What is the government doing to ensure that people with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities are not denied their legal capacity and placed in institutions in circumstances, which could amount to arbitrary deprivation of liberty?

How many individuals living in institutions for adults with disabilities have their legal capacity?

Will the government commit to replacing legal provisions that permit persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities to be denied full legal capacity and placed under full guardianship, with a system of assisted decision-making?

 What specific steps is the government taking to ensure that financial and other resources allocated to institutions are truly decentralized and redirected to the establishment of community-based services, and do not remain exclusively in transformed institutions?

 What steps is the government taking to introduce in parliament legislative amendments to the Family Code that would facilitate more foster care and adoption?

 What steps is the government taking to ensure that there is sufficient budgetary support to support more than 25 foster families?

Human Rights Watch encourages the Committee to make the following recommendations to the government of Armenia:

Deter any new long-term placements of children in residential institutions;

Establish a time-bound plan to end the institutionalization of children;

End discrimination against children with disabilities in the deinstitutionalization process;

Recognize involuntary hospitalization or institutionalization based on the existence of a disability as a form of discrimination and without consent of the individual as a form of arbitrary detention;

Ensure that financial and other resources allocated to institutions are decentralized and redirected to community-based services, and do not remain exclusively in transformed institutions;

Ensure that foster care and adoption systems are fully functional by the time children are moved out of residential institutions;

Ensure that systems promoting and implementing foster care and adoption take specific measures to ensure children with disabilities are placed in foster and adoptive families on an equal basis with children without disabilities;

Establish and maintain a range of targeted, accessible, diversified community-based services for families in difficult situations, as well as for individuals, including children with disabilities and their families, to prevent institutionalization and to support families to raise their children at home.

2. Lack of Access to Quality Inclusive Education

Background

The Armenian government has committed to making all primary and secondary schools (compulsory education, grades 1 to 12) inclusive of children with disabilities by 2022. According to the Ministry of Education, for the 2016-2017 school year, 6,700 children with "special educational needs" are enrolled in mainstream schools providing inclusive education.

Lack of reasonable accommodations

Human Rights Watch found that children with disabilities, including those in mainstream schools designated as "inclusive", often do not receive a quality education on an equal basis with others. Schools in Armenia rarely provide sufficient reasonable accommodations to facilitate the learning of each child with a disability. The lack of reasonable accommodations, include, but are not limited to, the absence of basic physical accessibility in educational buildings; a lack of accessible sanitary facilities; and a lack of accommodations for children with sensory disabilities. A lack of an individualized approach to education and social development impedes the ability of many children with disabilities to enjoy a quality education.

Human Rights Watch spoke with numerous parents of children with disabilities enrolled in inclusive community schools who remained with their children in the classroom to support him or her because of the absence of reasonable accommodations to support the child's learning needs and full inclusion in the school and classroom. In most cases, this was the child's mother. This can impede children's inclusion and can disrupt family life, including a parent's ability to secure paid employment or care for other children. Parents frequently referred to certain behaviors or features related to the child's disability, such as an inability to speak, write, move independently, sit still for extended periods of time, or sit without support, which many schools would not accommodate, as the main reason for staying with their child at school, or opting for a special school (see below).

Separate and irregular education

Despite attending so-called inclusive schools, many children with disabilities do not attend classes with other children or are present in classrooms but do not participate in the academic curriculum. Their education often consists of primarily or exclusively one hour or shorter sessions once or a few times a week with specialists employed at the school: typically, a speech therapist, psychologist, and social worker.

In addition, children with disabilities enrolled in "inclusive" mainstream schools and in special schools may attend school for only a few hours a day, or not all days of the week, due to the lack of reasonable accommodations or other obstacles, such as lack of accessibility in apartments or in public transportation which makes it difficult for them to regularly attend school.

Lack of sufficient staff, including as a component of reasonable accommodation

Inclusive community schools and special schools often lack sufficient staff, in particular aides who can provide direct support to one or more children. Teachers' assistants are being introduced to every inclusive school, at a ratio of one per 100 children. The teacher's assistant's role is to support teachers in organizing the education of every child with educational support needs, including implementation of the child's individual education plan, facilitating contacts with families, and providing additional courses to children after school. This position is not designed to provide direct academic, self-care, or other support children with disabilities.

Special schools and separation from families and the community

Some parents continue to opt for special schools for their children with disabilities, in search of smaller class sizes and more individualized approaches. Armenian law protects the right of parents to choose to send their children to a special school. However, these schools may be located far from their homes, and often require children to live at the school full-time or during the school week, may not provide a quality education, and inhibit children's full inclusion in the community.

Home education, not a quality education

Human Rights Watch also found that children with disabilities may be relegated to home education, due to problems with accessibility in schools, homes, and in the community as well as schools' failure to provide reasonable accommodation. With home education, teachers from local schools visit children at home and provide a few hours of basic literacy and numeracy instruction per week, in mathematics, Armenian language and Russian language, which does not constitute a quality education. These children typically have little or no interaction with classmates or other peers.

Stigma and discrimination

Numerous children with disabilities and their parents said stigma was an obstacle to receiving a quality inclusive education. Parents of children with disabilities described instances of harassment and bullying of their children who attended mainstream schools. Other parents declined to send their children to mainstream schools, or to school at all, or placed their children in institutions due to fears of stigma.

Questions and recommendations

Human Rights Watch encourages the Committee to ask the government of Armenia:

 What steps is the government taking to minimize the removal of children with disabilities from classrooms for separate coursework?

 What steps is the government taking to consistently ensure the provision of reasonable accommodations for each child with a disability, including low-cost accommodations, classroom-based personnel to support children who require individualized attention to facilitate their learning, time-bound plans to improve physical accessibility in schools, and other relevant measures?

 What steps is the government taking to reduce stigma and discrimination against people with disabilities in schools and communities?

 What steps is the government taking to reduce the number of children receiving home education, including by working with municipal governments to address accessibility obstacles in the community?

Human Rights Watch encourages the Committee to make the following recommendations to the government of Armenia:

Implement inclusive education at all levels in such a way as to achieve maximum inclusion of children with disabilities, including children with high support needs, in mainstream schools;

In schools, minimize the removal of children with disabilities from classrooms for separate coursework. While some children may require certain individual or small group coursework, these classes should maximize children's academic and social development and should not be a replacement for children's full participation in the classroom;

Ensure there are sufficient and trained staff in classrooms, including by ensuring sufficient financial support for assistant teachers and student aides at a ratio that promotes inclusion;

Collect comprehensive data on and take steps to reduce the number of children receiving home education or receiving no education and ensure reasonable accommodations for them to study in community schools.

[1] Civil Code, art, 24(1).

[2] Ibid., art. 31(1).

[3] Ibid., art. 32. Reasons for partial deprivation of legal capacity include only addiction to alcohol, narcotics, or gambling.

[4] Human Rights Watch telephone interview with Arsen Stepanyan, November 2, 2016. The government piloted a 10-year foster care program in Armenia, with 13 foster families, but the project was discontinued due to lack of funding.

[5] Human Rights Watch interview with Tanja Radocaj, Artak Shakaryan, and George Abadjian, UNICEF, April 12, 2016.

[6] UNICEF, "Towards Alternative Child Care Services in Armenia: Costing Residential Care Institutions and Community Based Services."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Azerbaijan: No Progress On Key Reforms

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 2 March 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Azerbaijan: No Progress On Key Reforms, 2 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b9427e4.html [accessed 7 November 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 Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a prominent international coalition, should suspend Azerbaijan's membership for failing to carry out key reforms, a coalition of 21 groups including Human Rights Watch, ARTICLE 19, and International Media Support said today. The EITI, during its board meeting in Bogota, Colombia, on March 8 and 9, 2017, will review Azerbaijan's efforts to ease its repression of civil society groups as the EITI had required.

"The Azerbaijani government is snubbing the EITI by ignoring its requirements for reforms and by systematically dismantling the country's independent civil society," said Giorgi Gogia, South Caucasus director at Human Rights Watch. "Following numerous reviews and warnings, the EITI should suspend Azerbaijan's further participation until the government makes serious, lasting changes to allow nongovernmental groups to operate freely in Azerbaijan."

The EITI brings together governments, companies, and nongovernmental groups to encourage better governance of resource-rich countries by fostering open public debate about the use of oil, gas, and mining revenues. The EITI requires member governments to foster "an enabling environment for civil society" and to "refrain from actions which result in narrowing or restricting public debate in relation to implementation of the EITI."

At its most recent board meeting, in October 2016, the EITI gave Azerbaijan four months to eliminate legal and bureaucratic obstacles inhibiting civil society engagement in the initiative. It required Azerbaijan to simplify procedures for registration of nongovernmental organizations and for the receipt and registration of grants from foreign donors. The reforms would eliminate some mechanisms for the government to interfere with and stop the work of independent groups. The EITI had downgraded Azerbaijan from a full member to a candidate country in April 2015, due to the government's interference with independent civil society.

A joint letter signed by 22 human rights groups worldwide and sent to EITI board members on February 10, 2017 assessed the Azerbaijan government's lack of progress on the reforms identified by the EITI and called on the board to suspend Azerbaijan.

In January, Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers adopted two decisions changing regulations for donor organizations and grant registrations. While the new regulations simplify some procedures for grant registration and reduce the number of required documents, they do not repeal the restrictive laws and fail to meet the EITI's demands, the groups said.

"Superficial regulatory changes don't address the fundamental issues that led to downgrading Azerbaijan's status in the EITI, or the specific corrective actions set by the board," said Katie Morris, head of Europe and Central Asia for ARTICLE 19. "The credibility of the EITI validation process requires the initiative to suspend Azerbaijan for its failure to comply with the initiative's commitment to civil society participation."

The Azerbaijani authorities repeatedly harass activists who advocate good governance and transparency, preventing civil society groups from participating in public debate and advocacy, including on extractive industries, the pillar of Azerbaijan's economy. Two members of the local civil society coalition that participates in the EITI remain jailed on spurious charges, and several other members have been forced to flee the country, fearing politically motivated prosecutions.

"Local groups in Azerbaijan are counting on the EITI to remain principled and stand up for them and their essential contributions to public accountability and transparency," said Gulnara Akhundova, head of global response at International Media Support. "Azerbaijan's embattled civil society deserves nothing less than clear and unbiased support from EITI's international board."

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Bangladesh: Man Released From Long Secret Detention

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 2 March 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Bangladesh: Man Released From Long Secret Detention, 2 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b943504.html [accessed 7 November 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 this week of a man held incommunicado for more than six months after his apparent abduction by security forces is a step forward, but Bangladeshi authorities need to immediately reveal the fate and whereabouts of two other men held in secret detention, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today.

Humam Quader Chowdhury, who was taken away by men in plainclothes on August 4, 2016, was released March 2, 2017, near his family home in Dhaka. Two other men  Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem and Abdullahil Amaan Azmi  were also taken in August 2016 in separate incidents and have not been heard from since. They should either be charged or released without delay.

The three men are all sons of prominent opposition politicians tried and convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal set up to prosecute war crimes committed during Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence. They have been denied access to lawyers and their family members.

"The release of Humam Quader Chowdhury is one positive step, but he should never should have been held in secret detention in the first place," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The Bangladeshi authorities need to now come clean about what has happened to Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem and Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, and provide their families with answers. They were picked up in front of relatives and other eyewitnesses and there is little room for denial that security forces were involved in their enforced disappearances."

International pressure has mounted on the Bangladeshi authorities over these and other cases. Last week, the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances called on the government to reveal the whereabouts of the three men and all other victims of enforced disappearances in the country. The working group's statement, citing concern over a rise in enforced disappearances over the last few years, was endorsed by several other UN experts.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have been raising concerns about these disappearances for many months.

Authorities have denied holding the men in custody, although family members cite multiple credible sources to confirm the men were held by different branches of security forces since their abductions, including the Rapid Action Battalion and the military intelligence Directorate General of Forces Intelligence.

Enforced disappearances, particularly targeting supporters of opposition parties, are routinely conducted by security forces in Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi human rights group Odhikar reported that in 2016, at least 90 people were arrested by security forces and not heard from again. 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.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both highlighted Bangladeshi security forces' extensive and well-documented history of custodial abuse, including torture and other ill-treatment.

"Enforced disappearances have become a scourge in Bangladesh. For far too long, far too many families have lived with the grief of not knowing where their loved ones are," said Biraj Patnaik, South Asia director at Amnesty International. "The Bangladeshi authorities need to put an end to this criminal practice immediately. They should bring those suspected of criminal responsibility to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty."

Humam Quader Chowdhury

Humam Quader Chowdhury, 33, is the son of Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, a prominent leader of the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) who was executed in November 2015 following his conviction for war crimes. Humam Chowdhury is also a senior member of the BNP. On August 4, 2016, he was pulled out of his car while traveling with his mother to a courthouse to attend a hearing. His mother said that several men in civilian clothing forced Chowdhury into another vehicle. They were surrounded by other armed men in uniform.

The family had previously reported that on several occasions security force members had harassed and threatened security staff at the family home. Staff members eventually quit out of fear. Several family members went into hiding as a result of the repeated threats and intimidation. Humam Chowdhury had not been allowed to leave Bangladesh for the last seven years and had been turned back with no explanation at the airport each time he tried to leave.

Until March 2, 2017, the family had no news of Humam Chowdhury's whereabouts.

Immediately after his abduction, his mother tried to file a general diary complaint, the standard first report of transgressions filed with the police, but the police said they would need permission "from above" to accept the report. A well-placed diplomatic source told the family that the government had confirmed it was holding Humam Chowdhury and that he had not been harmed. Another source told them that he was being held by the Detective Branch's counterterrorism unit.

Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem

Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, 32, is the son of Mir Quasem Ali, a prominent leader of the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party. Quasem Ali was convicted of war crimes in November 2014 and was facing execution when Bin Quasem was abducted.

Bin Quasem is a Supreme Court lawyer who had also served as his father's lawyer. He was abducted at his home at around midnight on August 9, 2016, by several men in civilian clothes. The men said they were members of the administration but did not identify themselves as being with any specific branch of the security forces. His wife and cousin were present at the time. Bin Quasem told the security forces that as a lawyer he knew his rights and demanded to see an arrest warrant. The men said they did not need a warrant and dragged Bin Quasem away, refusing even to let him put on his shoes.

Mir Quasem Ali was hanged in September. The government denied the family's entreaties to allow Bin Quasem to see his father before the execution or to attend to his father's funeral.

In the weeks before his abduction, Bin Quasem had told Human Rights Watch that he was worried about his safety. He had ruled out leaving the country because he wanted to support his family in the period before his father's execution. His family was subsequently told, but has not been able to confirm, that he was initially held along with Humam Chowdhury at the headquarters of the Rapid Action Battalion, and was later moved to the headquarters of the Detective Branch. Bin Quasem's wife has filed a general diary complaint. As with Chowdhury's family, a diplomatic source confirmed that the government admitted to holding Bin Quasem but was unable to offer any further information.

Abdullahil Amaan Azmi

Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, 57, a retired brigadier general in the army, is the son of Ghulam Azam, a leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami party who was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to death in 2013. In light of his 90 years of age, the court ruled that Azam would serve a life sentence rather than face execution. He died of a heart attack in prison in October 2014.

Amaan Azmi was abducted on the evening of August 22, 2016. About 30 men in civilian clothes entered the grounds of his apartment building, telling staff they were from the Detective Branch. They assaulted the building caretaker, leaving him unconscious, then went apartment to apartment until they found Azmi. His wife, mother, and several staff who were present confirmed that the men said they were from the Detective Branch and told Azmi he had to come with them.

Azmi asked to see an arrest warrant. They said they didn't have one and grabbed him and blindfolded him. He asked to take some clothes, but they refused. They took him away in an unmarked car, and the family has had no news of him since.

Like Chowdhury and Bin Quasem, Azmi had been concerned about his safety in the months before his abduction. Police, both in uniform and civilian clothes, had regularly parked outside his building and would occasionally go to the apartment to ask about him and his whereabouts. Immediately after he was taken, Azmi's mother went to the nearest police station to file a complaint. The police took it but told her they would not register it officially. The family has heard rumors that Azmi is being held at the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence.

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
RSF decries closure of two radio stations in Libya

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 1 March 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, RSF decries closure of two radio stations in Libya, 1 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b943fd4.html [accessed 7 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the arbitrary closure of two radio stations in the past few days in Libya - Al Wassat in the eastern part of the country and the local radio station in the western city of Gharyan. In a post on social media on 27 February, Al Wassat media group chairman Mahmud Shammam reported that the radio station's transmitter in Tobruk had just been seized by security forces attached to the army that controls eastern Libya.

The same day, Al Wassat's headquarters in Benghazi was suddenly raided and closed and material was confiscated. The only reason given for its closure was the claim that its signal was interfering with the local government's broadcasts. It was the militia in charge of protecting Gharyan's local radio station that demanded its closure on 23 February without giving any plausible reason. It has not broadcast since then. Attempts to resolve tension between the militia and Gharyan's local authorities, so that the station can resume broadcasting, have so far been unsuccessful. "The situation in Libya is extremely worrying and we request the immediate reopening of these radio stations," RSF editor in chief Virginie Dangles said. "Regardless of the criticisms that can be levelled against them, their closure was sudden, disproportionate and arbitrary, and will only help to block the problematic transition that Libya has been experiencing since 2011." Several cases of journalists being the targets of abduction or violence have also been reported to RSF in the western city of Tripoli but the victims are terrified of the many militias operating in the city and have asked not to be identified. The conflict between the rival governments in the east and west of the country since the start of 2016 has resulted in a climate of complete impunity for crimes of violence and abuses against journalists and media outlets, which makes it very dangerous for them to operate. Libya is ranked 164th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
Privately-owned media denied state advertising revenue

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 2 March 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Privately-owned media denied state advertising revenue, 2 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b944864.html [accessed 7 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges Kenya's government to rescind a newly imposed ban on state advertising in the privately-owned media, the latest in a series of restrictive initiatives that could seriously weaken media independence and jeopardise the right to information in the run-up to general elections in August.

It was the privately-owned Daily Nation newspaper that revealed this week that chief of defence forces Samson Mwathethe and cabinet secretary for public service Sicily Kariuki had issued a directive forbidding all governmental entities from placing ads in the privately-owned media.

The directive even applies to positions vacant and invitations to bid, which state agencies will henceforth only be able to publish in the state media. Unions representing the independent media estimate that the ban will result in a loss of 20 million dollars in income for the privately-owned media, or about a third of their revenue.

The grounds given by the government for throttling the independent media financially in the run-up to the elections is the need for savings.

"We call on the government to rescind this directive, which will considerably weaken all the Kenyan media," said Clea Kahn-Sriber, the head of RSF's Africa desk. "With general elections coming in August, this new measure could rightly be seen as a deliberate attempt by the government to restrict independent media voices."

Journalists prevented from working

The directive is all the more disturbing because it follows many other developments that have limited media freedom in Kenya.

In a joint letter a month ago, RSF and other human rights NGOs condemned the expulsion of Jerome Starkey, a British reporter for The Times of London who had been based in Kenya for four years. The authorities ended up claiming that Starkey's deportation in December was the result of his work visa renewal being refused, although he had not been notified of this.

The editor of the Daily Nation's weekend edition was fired after publishing an editorial on 1 January criticizing the results of President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration.

One of the gravest cases is the still unsolved murder in April 2015 of John Kituyi, the editor of the regional Mirror Weekly newspaper, who had been investigating the intimidation of witnesses in the International Criminal Court case against Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto.

There have been several cases in recent months of police harassing reporters. They include K24 television reporter Duncan Wanga, who was arrested for no good reason while covering a demonstration in the western city of Eldoret on 27 September. His camera was also smashed.

Yassin Juma, a journalist and blogger who covers military issues, was arrested on 23 January 2016 for allegedly violating article 29 of Information and Communication Act in a story about Kenya's defence forces. Article 29 was declared unconstitutional the following April on the grounds that it was too vague.

The climate of impunity encourages members of the public to attack journalists. At least five journalists were physically attacked by local elected officials or groups of supporters while out reporting in July and August last year. The media regulatory agency condemned these attacks and urged the police to investigate them.

The Daily Nation - one of Kenya's most popular newspapers and owned by the Aga Khan group - was harassed by the government in February 2016, with the result that its management fired Godfrey "Gado" Mwampembwa, a cartoonist who had worked for the newspaper for more than 20 years, over a cartoon of former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete. Gado had embodied the outspoken style used by Kenya's media.

Meanwhile, Kenya's legislation has been getting more and more restrictive. The public security laws have been amended so as reinforce the prerogatives of the National Intelligence Service.

More recently, a bill on Internet security and protection unveiled in September targeted online freedom of information in the name of combatting hate speech. The bill's loose wording could be used to gag journalists and bloggers regarded as overly critical of the government.

Kenya is ranked 95th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
Concern about M23 threats against Kivu journalist

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 3 March 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Concern about M23 threats against Kivu journalist, 3 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b945334.html [accessed 7 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is concerned about threats by the M23 rebel group against Magloire Paluku Kavunga, the director-general of the Kivu 1 radio and TV broadcaster in the eastern region of Kivu.

Kavunga received calls and texts from a person identifying himself as Maj. Oribi Shamamba, a former M23 officer who fled to neighbouring Uganda. The caller threatened to come and "confiscate" the radio station "when this rebel movement arrives in the region in March."

Since then, Kavunga has been concerned for his and his family's safety. The threats were apparently prompted by a report that Kivu 1 broadcast on 24 February showing the defeat of the M23 rebels in November 2013 in Rutshuru, in Nord-Kivu province.

M23 distinguished itself in the course 2013 by its abusive treatment of the civilian population, including journalists and media, in Nord-Kivu.There have been few M23 attacks since late 2013, when it was partially defeated and dismantled.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is ranked 152nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
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Ukraine Showcases Advanced New Air-to-Ground Rocket Munition

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Sergey Sukhankin Publication Date 2 March 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 28 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Ukraine Showcases Advanced New Air-to-Ground Rocket Munition, 2 March 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 28, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b9606d4.html [accessed 7 November 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.

Link to original story on Jamestown website

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced, on February 11, that Ukroboronprom (a state-owned association of multi-product enterprises in the defense industry) has successfully tested a new type of domestically produced air-to-ground rocket with impressive technical characteristics (Pravda.com.ua, February 11). This 80 millimeter caliber munition can be launched from both attack helicopters and strike fighters. A round of 20 rockets can be fired within half a second. The Ukrainian-built munition and other recent defense-sector developments (see EDM, January 25) suggest that the timetable for modernizing Ukraine's armed forcesas put forth by Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak and President Poroshenkois meeting the target goal of bringing domestic standards up to those of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) by 2020.

As expected, the news produced a wave of harsh criticism from Russian military specialists and commentators. Mihail Hodarenok, a former editor-in-chief of Voenno-Prosmyshelennyj Kurier, blatantly accused Ukraine of "reinventing the wheel" and capitalizing on the legacy of the Soviet military-industrial complex. He also suggested that this 80 mm munition "has nothing to do with NATO standards" (Bfm.ru, February 11). Meanwhile, the editor-in-chief of Arsenal Otechestva magazine, Viktor Murahovsky, expressed doubt that Ukraine will be able to mass produce this type of rocket "any time soon." Murahovsky claimed that the country does not have enough qualified specialists to achieve sufficient production levels in a timely manner (Voenno-Promyshlennyi Kurier, February 13). Such arguments were also echoed by other Russian experts and pundits.

However, some officials in Moscow have been less singularly negative in their assessments. For instance, army general and former commander of the Russian Air Force Petr Deynekyn gave a much more nuanced interpretation. He admitted that given Ukraine's current economic hardships, it will probably take some time for its military-industrial complex to start mass producing this weaponry. Nevertheless, the high-ranking Russian officer did not dismiss the possibility that the country's arms manufacturers have indeed made a technological breakthrough with the announced 80 mm rocket. Namely, Deynekyn noted that during the Soviet period, "Ukraine used to be an aviation power," where "excellent missiles were produced" (Voenno-Promyshlennyi Kurier, February 13).

In the meantime, Ukraine's technological and military modernization pursuits appear to be a matter of growing concern and vexation for Moscow. For instance, Kyiv's decision to conduct shooting exercises with the employment of Buk-M1 (NATO classification SA-17 "Grizzly") complexes in the vicinity of the unlawfully annexed Crimean peninsula stimulated particular ire in the Kremlin. Numerous Russian experts and commentators have expressed their concern over this decision, suggesting that this move will constitute a "peril for Russian national security." The danger, according to these Russian commentators, allegedly stems from the lack of professionalism and outdated military equipment used by the Ukrainian military (Voenno-Promyshlennyi Kurier, February 13).

However, the real reason behind Russia's concerns may be fears of a growing competitor in the international arms trade. Despite chronic corruption scandals, difficult economic conditions and the consequences of external aggression, Ukraine still maintains substantial development and production potential within its domestic arms industry. A sensible use of the country's internal resources and a quicker passage of necessary reforms, coupled with external support, could create fertile ground for new achievements and exponentially increase Ukraine's presence on the global arms market. In fact, Ukrainian progress in this sphere thus far was recently highlighted at this year's International Defence Exhibition (IDEX-2017hosted by Abu Dhabi, between February 19 and 23). During the exhibition, Ukraine presented a number of new samples of weaponry that drew considerable interest from potential international buyers. One such example was the tactical unmanned multifunctional vehicle "Fantom." The Fantom is equipped with the "Barrier" anti-tank missile complex, which is be able to hit targets in the range of 100 to 5,000 meters (Ukroboronprom.com.ua, October 20, 2016). In addition, during the Abu Dhabi arms expo, Ukroboronprom presented a new light fighting helicopter, code-named K112 "Combat." The helicopter could be equipped with the "Barrier-V" anti-tank missile system, designed to destroy practically all types of armored targets. Also, the helicopter can be equipped with "Strela-2" and "Igla" missiles, for destroying flying objects (Ukroboronprom.com.ua, March 1).

According to Ukrainian military experts and veterans of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO), which still continues in Donbas, Ukrainian arms producers have been able to overcome many deficiencies in military equipment that were visible in 2014. The main progress was apparently achieved in armored vehicles, tanks and tank gunsareas that proved to be the weakest link in 2014, at the start of hostilities between the Ukrainian army and Moscow-backed separatists. Additionally, the outbreak of war has enticed Ukrainian producers to resume work on long-range missile systems. Those had been largely halted in 2013 for a whole host of reasons, but primarily owing to the unwillingness of the previous authorities to invest in new military technologies (Ukroboronprom.com.ua, March 1).

During IDEX-2017, the majority of contracts between Ukrainian manufacturers and foreign buyers were signed in the domain of armored vehicles and optical electronics. As noted by an unnamed Ukroboronprom representative, "Ukrainian military products are valued on the international market primarily due to their compliance with requirements presented by contemporary standards." Most important, however, is the fact that Russia's so-called "hybrid war" against Ukraine (even though this term does not reflect the actual current stage of the conflict) has reinvigorated technical research and development pursued by the Ukrainian military-industrial complex (Ukroboronprom.com.ua, March 1).

In the final analysis, in spite of a torrent of criticism emanating from both Russian and even some Ukrainian experts, it is safe to say that Ukraine has achieved visible progress within the arms industry, especially in comparison with the pre-2014 period. Incidentally, this has been corroborated by external sources as well. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Ukraine was the ninth-biggest of the world's major weapons exporters during 20122016 (Sipri.org, February 22). And its arms sales in that period grew by nearly 50 percent over 20072011 (Sipri.org, February 20). Further development of Ukraine's domestic arms industry is certain to continue in the years ahead.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Moscow Preparing for 'Asymmetrical' Arms Race

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Pavel Felgenhauer Publication Date 2 March 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 28 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Moscow Preparing for 'Asymmetrical' Arms Race, 2 March 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 28, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b960e84.html [accessed 7 November 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.

Link to original story on Jamestown website

United States President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress this week (February 28) did not mention the true elephant in the roomhis administration's plans regarding future US relations with Russia. He also said nothing about the possible pre-election and post-election contacts members of the Trump team allegedly may have had with Russian officials. Indeed, that story is currently poised to be the hottest political issue in Washington, DC. In general, Russian officials seem somewhat disappointed with the Trump administration for "not coming through." According to Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, Moscow and Washington "have coinciding interests in some areas and fully disagree in others." President Trump has been making "different statements" about possible deals and rebuilding relations, continued Peskov, "We are full of patience and waiting for actions to follow." The Kremlin, according to Peskov, "is not surprised Trump did not mention Russia [during his speech before Congress]"the US president made no specific overtures to or criticism of Moscow. "Trump is dealing with American issues, while Putin is dealing primarily with Russian issues," Peskov concluded (TASS, March 1).

At a round table conference this week in the State Duma (lower chamber of the Russian parliament), Deputy Foreign Minister Segei Ryabkov, who is in charge of US-Russian relations and arms control, assessed current relations with Washington as "the worst" in 30 years"since the Cold War." In Ryabkov's words, a "zero-sum game" dominates US-Russian relations, and "trust has been completely lost." Ryabkov accused former President Barack Obama and "his team" of destroying "the carefully built foundation of cooperation [with Moscow]." This Obama-organized downward spiral began in 2012, according to Ryabkov, apparently after Putin officially returned to the Kremlin; and it turned into open confrontation as the Ukrainian crisis erupted in 2014 (Interfax, February 28). Ryabkov expressed optimism that an opening in relations could happen at a future Trump-Putin summit. According to the deputy foreign minister, the date and venue have not been agreed, "but practical preparations have begun, and there is an understanding on that with the Americans." The Trump White House later denied that any "practical preparation" for a future Trump-Putin summit was currently ongoing, but this is apparently a difference in linguistic definitions. Feelers have definitely been extended by both sides, and a mutual desire to reach some US-Russian deal seems to exist. As to how far this possible Trump-Putin deal could go, Ryabkov stated practically the same opinion as Peskov: "We will wait to see Washington's practical actions to evaluate the prospects of finding points of agreement" (Militarynews.ru, February 28).

Clearly, the euphoria in Moscow about Trump's victory last November has diminished (see EDM, February 21). Russian officials are not sure what the new administration is ready to deliver in terms of recognizing Moscow's purported special rights and interests in Crimea and Ukraine, in Syria and Libya, regarding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) pulling back its forward-positioned forces from its eastern flank (Poland, the Baltics, Romania and the Black Sea region), or on providing sanction relief. Trump's announcement of a $54 billion increase in defense spending has been met in Moscow with disapproval as posing a possible threat (Militarynews.ru, February 27). Of course, military planners and the Russian military-industrial complex like threatsthe more, the betterto justify their own defense spending. According to a recent survey by pollster Oshestvennoye Mnenye (OM), a vast majority of Russians (71 percent) want any additional federal budget income that may be generated by higher oil pieces to be used on civilian, not military expenditures. Russian citizens support their military and believe it is today in good shape, but only 29 percent agree defense spending should increase, while 48 percent want it to be fixed at the present level (Interfax, March 1). OM is a Kremlin-financed pollster, which seldom publishes data contradicting official policy directives. These poll results indicating the Russian public's exasperation with defense spending increases may, therefore, reflect continuing internal squabbles within the ruling Russian elite about how much money to allocate to the next phase of the rearmament program, from 2018 to 2025.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is in charge of the defense and space industries, the draft of the 20182025 rearmament program must be finalized by July 1, 2017, and signed into law by Putin before the next New Year. Rogozin believes Russia is ready to construct aircraft carriers, but the Kremlin has not yet ordered any. Russia is building and deploying an array of new land- and sea-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM): heavy silo-based Sarmats, land-mobile Yars and Rubez missiles, as well as the sea-based Bulava "to guarantee our security." After prolonged efforts, the Russian arms industry has finally managed to resume assembly of HK-32 jet engines (designed during the Cold War) for the Tu-160 "Blackjack" supersonic heavy strategic bomber. With the HK-32 back in production, Russia can keep its present fleet of Tu-160s operational and begin the production of a modernized Tu-160M2 version. A next-generation stealth strategic bomber is being designed for possible production after 2025. The new S-400 anti-aircraft missile system has been reinforced, according to Rogozin, with a new long-range (up to 400 kilometers) missile. Development is also in progress of the S-500 long-range system, which will form the backbone of Russia's national missile defense shield (Interfax, March 2). The commandant of the Zhukov Air-Space Academy, Lieutenant General Vladimir Lyaporov, noted, "We have begun training specialists to man the S-500," which may start arriving soon (Interfax, February 25).

According to Rogozin, Russia's military capabilities have advanced dramaticallyno more old "rusty missiles." Rogozin insists no one can speak to Moscow from a position of strength: "Russia is today the only nation in the world that can stop any aggressorthe armed-to-the-teeth leader of the Western world [the US] with its alliesanywhere in the world." He further predicted that US Defense Secretary James Mattis would figure that out soon and stop making empty threats (Interfax, March 2). Of course, such posturing surely requires that Russia's rearmament program continue in full swing. Moscow apparently wants the Trump administration to make up its mind: Does it recognize Russia as an equal superpower with a designated sphere of legitimate influence, or will Washington continue to be hostile, posing a threat that may help boost more Russian defense spending and rearmament? A combination of bothrecognition of superpower status and a sphere of interest as well as a continued rivalry like during the Cold Warcould also work fine, boosting Russia's siege mentality and providing stability for the ruling elite at the same time.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Food Security and Chinese "Comprehensive National Security"

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Peter Wood Publication Date 2 March 2017 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Food Security and Chinese "Comprehensive National Security", 2 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b961494.html [accessed 7 November 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.

Link to original story on Jamestown website

On February 6, China published "Central Document No. 1", its annual statement of agricultural policy. Two weeks later, on February 20, Chinas Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) announced that it will begin its annual moratorium on fishing starting on May 1 (MOA, February 20). Though on the surface somewhat innocuous, China's agricultural and fishing policies are increasingly intersecting with its broader national security objectives. Both issues are connected by a view of national security that pulls together traditional security issues with domestic stability, economic issues and food security.

This connection can be seen in Chinese President Xi Jinping's articulated vision of security. On February 22, Xi presided over a "National Security Work Conference" in which he continued his elaboration of his "Overall Security Concept () (81.cn, February 21). Peking University International Relations Professor Ye Zicheng () explains that Xi's concept brings together a full range of issues, both traditional (foreign policy and military security) and economic (such as food security) (PKU, April 19, 2016). Domestic economic realities will increasingly affect Chinese external security decision-making.

Most attention to Chinese security policy is given to its military development and foreign relations, particularly the eastern and southern axis encompassing Taiwan, Japan, and Southeast Asia. However, the most important "direction" for Chinese security thinkers is internal (). Unsurprisingly China spends more on its stability maintenance budget () than it does on national defense (China Brief, March 6, 2014). Internal security brings sources of potential disruption into sharp focus, including social inequality and land distribution. This casts agricultural and fishing policies in a new light and makes understanding these policies more important.

Agricultural policy, for example, intersects with concerns about domestic stability and food security. Despite rapid urbanization, 44 percent of Chinese citizens still live in the countryside (World Bank, 2015 [Accessed February 20]). Improvements in the lives of China's farmers has accounted for a significant proportion of the decrease in those living in the poverty line. However, the growing disparity in wealth is a source of tensions, contributing to issues such as rising crime rates and drug use (See China Brief, February 6 and September 4, 2015, for discussion of these issues). Increased crop production and ensuring market stability are linked with raising farmers incomes. With rural governments already under budget strain and crime in the countryside on the rise, the success or failure of these policies will have a direct impact on Chinese social stability.

Though the focus of Central Document No. 1 is rural development and ways to increase the welfare of China's farmers, one section in particular is noteworthy: continual increases in grain production to ensure food security. China's ability to produce sufficient food for itself is under threat from pollution, urbanization and desertification. Though China has been able to produce most of its own grain, the issue remains a core concern for Chinese leaders, as highlighted by its inclusion in the 2015 National Security Law (). According to Article 22: The State completes a food security safeguard system, protecting and improving the overall food production capacity, improving the system for food reserves, the transport system, and market regulatory mechanisms; completing early warning systems for food security, ensuring security food supplies and quality (ChinaLawTranslate.com, MOD.gov, July 1, 2015).

These concerns have prompted Xi Jinping and others to call for a reorganization of Chinese land, the collection of smaller plots into larger ones, and the reorganization of small towns in favor of larger ones to free up land. Such policies will see greater emphasis ahead of the 19th Party Congress as Xi and other leaders attempt to deliver policy successes before the meeting.

While Document No. 1 has primarily a domestic effect, China's fishing moratorium also affects Chinese external security and diplomacy. The moratorium is meant to protect China's stocks of fish by allowing time for the fish to breed. However, the scope of the regulation directly impacts China's relations with its neighbors. Notably, the moratorium will curb fishing above 12 degrees of latitude, roughly halfway between the northern and southern halves of the South China Sea (see map). Given China's territorial claims as demarcated by the "Nine-Dash Line", the moratorium will cover much of the Philippine and Vietnamese Exclusive Economic Zones in the South China Sea. Chinese territorial claims are frequently backed up by Chinese Coast Guard vessels, meaning that the moratorium would essentially cut-off much of China's neighbors from prime fishing spots. Unsurprisingly then, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Hai Binh responded to the moratorium, stating that "Vietnam resolutely opposes and rejects the regulation issued by China" (VNExpress, February 28). This fishing policy becomes a method for Beijing to protects its food security by ensuring stocks of fish, but also carries over into foreign policy, by acting as a way to enforce its territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Access to fish has even been a bargaining chip in China's dealings with its southern neighbors. The Philippines made guaranteed access to Scarborough Shoal a condition of its broader rapprochement with China over the summer of 2016, and Philippine fishermen were able to access the area shortly after President Duterte's meeting with Xi Jinping (Rappler, [Philippines] October 28, 2016). Chinese and Philippine Coast Guards established a hotline as part of the establishment of a Joint Coast Guard Committee (Philippine Coast Guard, February 22). Chinese fishing vessels are also clashing with other governments further afield as they look for untapped shoals, sometimes without other nations' permission. Indonesia has sunk has sunk hundreds of captured Chinese fishing vessels caught operating illegally in its waters (March 25, 2016). On the other side of the world, an Argentinian Coast Guard Vessel even sank a Chinese fishing ship after repeated warnings about operating in Argentine coastal waters (Global Times, March 17, 2016).

The role of Chinese food security policy in its broader national security concept deserves greater attention. Domestically, Chinese leaders are under pressure to deliver economic benefits to their rural citizens while reforming Chinese agriculture to protect China's ability to feed itself. Similarly, China's demand for fish is quickly exhausting local stocks, but regulationsif enforced without negotiation with China's neighborswill quickly bring tensions to a head over this limited resource.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Ukraine's Legal Cases Against Russia in International Courts

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Gregorio Baggiani Publication Date 1 March 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 27 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Ukraine's Legal Cases Against Russia in International Courts, 1 March 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 27, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b961e74.html [accessed 7 November 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.

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Ukraine has just concluded its month-long role as rotating president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) during February 2017. Kyiv has specifically pledged to use this high-level international forum to confront Moscow for its aggression and to seek reimbursement for the damages Ukraine has incurred following Russia's forced annexation of Crimea and subsequent war in Donbas (Ukraineun.org, accessed March 1). Indeed, the question of how to legally pursue damages using international law and multinational courts has been gaining momentum recently, as Ukraine prepares for its case to be heard before the UN International Court of Justice, in The Hague (see below).

In October 2016, Ukrainian energy giant Naftohaz and six of its oil and natural gas subsidiaries officially filed an arbitration against Russian authorities, who seized the companies' assets after Moscow illegally occupied Crimea in March 2014. The Ukrainian firms heretofore operating on the Crimean peninsula never received any material compensation from Moscow. The damages are estimated at $2.6 billion (Naftogaz.com, October 19, 2016). Naftogaz, in particular, lost 15 oil and gas fieldconnected facilities in Crimea and offshore, 3 potential oil and gas extraction areas, the underground storage facility in Glebovskoe, over 1,200 kilometers of main gas pipelines, 43 gas distribution stations, 29 extraction facilities, and several other assets (Zerkalo Nedeli, October 19, 2016; see EDM, April 24, 2014). According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, six lawsuits have been initiated against the Russian Federation regarding the energy sector (Mfa.gov.ua, accessed February 28). The lawsuits were filed based on a clause in the Ukrainian-Russian intergovernmental agreement on the encouragement and mutual protection of investments, better known as the Russian-Ukrainian Bilateral Investment Treaty (Investmentpolicyhub.unctad.org, November 27, 1998). These lawsuits were initiated by Privatbank, Ukrnafta, Belbek Airport, Stabil, Everest Estate and Oschadbank. Naftogaz and several other companies are also in the process of preparing lawsuits, and they have involved legal advisers from the start so as to avoid early mistakes in forming their legal position (Zerkalo Nedeli, January 27, 2016).

In a January 2016 interview with Zerkalo Nedeli, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Elena Zerkal explained that while her government continues to strive unrelentingly to protect Ukraine's sovereign rights and the rights of its citizens, Kyiv's actions are limited to some degree by various multilateral and bilateral agreementsincluding ones binding for both Ukraine and Russia (Zerkalo Nedeli, January 27, 2016). The problem is that there are not many tribunals whose jurisdiction is recognized by both Kyiv and Moscow.

One such prominent institution, however, is the International Court of Justicethe most authoritative judicial body with regard to handling cases involving the sovereign interests of states in the broadest sense. And indeed, as noted above, Ukraine will be pursuing its case against Russia in this forum. The trial will take place on March 6 to 9 (Zerkalo Nedeli, February 1). But complicating matters for Kyiv in this approach is the fact that both Ukraine and Russia have inherited the old Soviet practice of a highly selective recognition of the ICJ. In other words, the two sides are only able to use the ICJ to enforce their rights when both Ukraine and Russia decide at that instance to recognize the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice. Therefore, when it comes to relying on the authority of this international tribunal, the options Ukraine could take advantage of are actually quite limited.

Earlier this year, Ukraine filed a lawsuit against Russia in the ICJ over the latter's annexation of Crimea and mistreatment of the local Crimean Tatar population (UAWire, January 17). Specifically, Kyiv charged Moscow with contravening several international treaties, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (pertaining, in this case to the harassed Tatar minority in Crimea) (Ukrinform, February 15), the Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (including considering Russia's role in the downing of Malaysian Flight 17 over occupied Donbas in mid-2017), as well as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (concerning Russian exploitation of Ukrainian fishery stocks, prevention of free navigation to Ukrainian vessels in and around Crimean waters, as well as Russia building infrastructure to which Ukraine has not given its consent). But Moscow has simply replied that everything it had done was in full compliance with international law and refused, therefore, to "legitimize" its actions by arguing its case before the ICJ (Mid.ru, January 17).

Notwithstanding its pending cases in the ICJ, the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice has repeatedly stated, in the past, that the economic losses suffered by the state following the occupation of Crimea will be reimbursed as part of the claim presented by Ukraine against Russia at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) (Interfax, February 2). Whether such an approach ultimately proves fruitful remains to be seenespecially considering that in the past two years, Russia has backed away from coming under the jurisdiction of several international tribunals. In December 2015, the State Duma passed a law allowing Russia to overrule decisions made in the ECHR; and last November, Moscow pulled out of the International Criminal Court (ICC) (The Moscow Times, December 15, 2015; Sputnik News, November 16, 2016).

The decision by the Russian authorities to circumvent various international law institutions highlights Moscow's approach to dealing with Ukrainian efforts to defend its sovereign and commercial interests in international tribunals. Indeed, Ukrainian investors who lost valuable assets in Crimea as a consequence of the occupation have a better chance of winning their case in arbitration under the bilateral agreement on the mutual protection of investments. Still, some mechanisms exist that could compel Russia to implement the decisions of the International Court of Justice in the event of a judgement friendly to Ukraine: A failure to comply with ICJ decisions would trigger the involvement of the UNSC. And as laid out in the United Nations Charter, Russia, as a member of the Security Council involved in a judicial litigation, would have to abstain from voting. In its role as a non-permanent UNSC member, Ukraine will almost certainly seek to utilize such legal strategies and institutional mechanisms this year.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
New Outbreak of Violence in Karabakh: Cause and Effect

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Gulshan Pashayeva Publication Date 2 March 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 28 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, New Outbreak of Violence in Karabakh: Cause and Effect, 2 March 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 28, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b9625e4.html [accessed 7 November 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.

Link to original story on Jamestown website

Almost a year has passed since fierce fighting broke out for four days in April 2016, between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops in Karabakh. However, the situation along the Line of Contact (LoC) remains tense and explosive to this day.

According to the February 26 statement released by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairs, a serious breach of the ceasefire occurred along the LoC in the early morning of February 25, resulting in casualties. Both sides accuse each other of an incursion attempt (Osce.org, February 26). At the same time the press service of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense reported the death of five Azerbaijani servicemen. The soldiers were reportedly killed while preventing Armenian forces from infiltrating Azerbaijani-held areas and seizing favorable positions on the Khojavand-Fuzuli part of the frontline (Trend, February 27). The bodies of the Azerbaijani servicemen were evacuated from the battlefield only after the intervention of international mediators on February 27 (Azertag.az, February 27).

Russia has remained diplomatically active on the Karabakh conflict. Moscow's role was instrumental in achieving the ceasefire agreement of April 5, 2016. And Russia played a pivotal role in arranging two consecutive meetings of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Vienna and St. Petersburg, in May and June 2016, respectively (see EDM, July 7, 2016). Nonetheless, popular anti-government rallies following a hostage crisis at the police station in Yerevan halted any further movement forward in the Karabakh peace process. At the same time, the appearance of Russian Iskander short-range ballistic missile systems at a military parade in Yerevan, in September 2016, represented both the hardening of the Armenian position in the negotiation process and the potential for a new arms race in the region (see EDM, September 28, 2016; October 5, 2016).

Various experts have expressed diverse views to explain the recent outbreak of violence in Karabakh. Five points should be taken into consideration in this context:

First, Russian political analyst Sergey Markedonov has argued that the Armenian and Azerbaijani societies became, in a way, hostages of last April's events. He has called the current state of play "stable instability." According to him, the status quo over Karabakh has become dynamic and is periodically tested, including attempts to use the military option. However, despite concerns about the potential outbreak of a new war, there remain many restraining factors, Markedonov asserted (Haqqin.az, February 27).

Second, the latest outbreak of violence occurred while preparations were under way in Azerbaijan for a nationwide commemorative march devoted to the 25th anniversary of the capture of the Karabakh town of Khojaly. On the night of February 2526, 1992, 613 Azerbaijanisincluding 106 women, 63 children and 70 elderly peoplewere killed in Khojaly at the hands of the Armenian Armed Forces, with the assistance of the Russian (formerly Soviet) 366th Motor Rifle Regiment. On February 26, 2017, more than 40,000 people, led by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, took part in this march (APA, February 26). Additionally, leading Russian military expert Colonel (Ret.) Igor Korotchenko noted that, President Aliyev's official visit to Qatar, which was also scheduled on the same day, signifies that Azerbaijan could not have been interested in violent escalation along the LoC at this time (Haqqin.az, February 26).

Third, according to Hikmat Hajiyev, the spokesperson for Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the recent violence on the frontline is a continuation of Armenia's political and military provocations aimed at "undermining the efforts for a solution of the conflict via the substantive talks, diverting the attention of the international community on the eve of the Khojaly genocide [sic] from the responsibilities borne by Armenia for Khojaly, and strengthening [the government's] already-lost social support base and the position of Armenia's ruling regime in the forthcoming Armenian parliamentary elections" (Azertag.az, February 25). Some experts also believe that Armenia is striving to regain positions around the village of Talish and Leletepe Hill, which it lost in April 2016, in order to demonstrate "the efficiency" of the Armenian Army's new leadership. This is particularly significant since Armenia's former defense minister, Seyran Ohanyan, has moved into the opposition against President Serzh Sargsyan (Kavkavzsky Uzel, February 26).

Fourth, the illegal "referendum" in Azerbaijan's separatist Karabakh region, held on February 20, is a vivid violation of Azerbaijan's constitution as well as of the norms and principles of international law. Today, no countries, including Armenia and Azerbaijan, recognize Karabakh as an independent and sovereign state. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, meanwhile, stated that they do not accept the results of this "referendum," adding that the "results also in no way prejudge the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh or the outcome of the ongoing negotiations to bring a lasting and peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict" (Osce.org, February 17).

Fifth, the late-February violence notwithstanding, other recent developments around Karabakh have brought new perspectives for pushing the conflict resolution process forward. On the one hand, the Belarusian authorities' arrest and extradition to Azerbaijan of travel blogger Alexander Lapshin, a citizen of Russia, Israel and Ukraine, may become a precedent to prevent others from visiting the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" (NKR) in the future (see EDM, February 13). On the other hand, some limited recapture of Azerbaijani territories by Azerbaijan's forces last year have created a unique opportunity to restore the village of Jojug Marjanli (Jabrayil region). More than 190 out of the 400 families who once lived in the village have already expressed a desire to return to their homeland. And in a Presidential Order, signed on January 24, 2017, Aliyev allocated four million manats ($2.05 million) from the president's 2017 Contingency Fund for the restoration of this village. Two trips were organized to acquaint nearly 30 representatives of foreign media outlets and almost 60 heads of diplomatic missions of foreign states accredited in Azerbaijan with the ongoing de-mining and construction work in the village so far (Azernews.az, February 7, 15).

Thus, it seems that the potential for peace has not yet been exhausted. But a significant political and diplomatic commitment will be needed from the mediators' end. One possibility might be to convene a Minsk Conference on Karabakh, at the level of the foreign ministers of all members of the OSCE Minsk Group. This ministerial could be tasked with evaluating the work done so far, over the past nearly 25 years, toward a comprehensive peace agreement.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
UN urges Sri Lanka not to miss chance to advance justice, reconciliation

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 3 March 2017 Related Document(s) Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka Cite as UN News Service, UN urges Sri Lanka not to miss chance to advance justice, reconciliation, 3 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b98ea54.html [accessed 7 November 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 slow pace of transitional justice in Sri Lanka and the lack of a comprehensive strategy to address accountability for past crimes risk derailing the momentum towards lasting peace, reconciliation and stability, a United Nations report said today.

"Seventeen months ago, when we published a detailed report on the grave human rights violations committed during the conflict in Sri Lanka, I urged the Government and all the people of Sri Lanka to ensure that this historic opportunity for truly fundamental change should not be squandered," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a news release on the report.

He noted that in many ways, Sri Lanka appears to be turning a corner on the promotion and protection of human rights, but he stressed that hard-won gains could prove illusory if they are not tethered to a comprehensive, robust strategy.

"This critical opportunity in Sri Lankan history cannot be missed," he said, urging the Government and people of Sri Lanka once again to prioritize justice alongside reconciliation to ensure that the horrors of the past are firmly dealt with, never to recur.

The report, issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), assesses progress made in tackling the legacy of grave violations in Sri Lanka between 2002 and 2011 and acknowledges that there have been positive advances on human rights and constitutional reform.

However, the report notes that the structures set up and measures taken until now have been inadequate, lacked coordination and a sense of urgency.

"Party politics, including the balancing of power between the different constituencies of the coalition in the run-up to constitutional reforms, have contributed to a reluctance to address difficult issues regarding accountability or to clearly articulate a unified position by all parts of Government," the report states.

The report makes a number of concrete recommendations, including calling on the Government to embrace the report of the Consultation Task Force, to formulate a communications campaign to inform the public about details of the reconciliation agenda, to invite the UN human rights office to establish a presence in Sri Lanka, to give the highest priority to the restitution of all private land that has been occupied by the military, and to adopt legislation establishing a hybrid court.

The report also highlights a number of serious human rights violations that are reportedly continuing to occur in Sri Lanka, including the harassment or surveillance of human rights defenders and victims of violations, police abuse and excessive use of force, and the use of torture.

The High Commissioner will present the report to the Human Rights Council on 22 March in Geneva.
Berta Caceres and the open wounds of Honduras

Publisher Amnesty International Author Ariadna Tovar Publication Date 3 March 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Berta Caceres and the open wounds of Honduras, 3 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58b98f324.html [accessed 7 November 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 last time I spoke to Berta Caceres, Lenca Indigenous environmental defender in Honduras and founder of the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (Consejo Civico de Organizaciones Populares e Indigenas de Honduras, COPINH), I heard the seriousness of the situation reflected in her voice.

The campaign which COPINH had been carrying out for years against the installation of the Agua Zarca hydroelectric project, on the River Gualcarque, was conflicting with powerful economic and political interests, and threats against her and other members of COPINH were becoming all too common.

Stopping their work was not an option. The progression of the project put the community's access to a sacred river at great risk, and that was non-negotiable.

Our telephone conversation was brief. We spoke about an Amnesty International visit to the Rio Blanco community, one of the many which form part of COPINH.

Berta offered to be our guide, as she had done on many occasions throughout her long-standing collaboration with Amnesty. She told us that she thought it was essential to include the community's situation in our research on the increase in attacks suffered by those who dedicate their lives to the defence of the land, territory and environment in Honduras.

We said our goodbyes, thinking that the next time we spoke it would be in person. I never imagined that it would be the last time we spoke.

One month later, on 2 March 2016, we received the unbearable news: Berta had been cruelly killed, shot dead, at home in her bedroom.

Simple. Brutal.

We landed in Tegucigalpa three days after the killing. The atmosphere in the capital and in the rest of the county was a mixture of pain, chaos and fear.

Despite the many threats which Berta had been subjected to due to her work, some authorities insisted that the killing had taken place during a robbery, and others claimed, more seriously, that it was a crime of passion. The sole witness and survivor of the attack, Mexican human rights defender Gustavo Castro, was forbidden from leaving the country despite the risk he faced and despite having attended the various different judicial proceedings which he had been cited for.

The members of COPINH were terrified. If someone was capable of killing Berta, winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize and internationally recognized, how could anyone else expect to be safe?

Impunity reigns in Honduras, and everyone knows it.

And not only in murder cases. In the majority of cases of threats, attacks, arson, forced entry, illegal evictions, criminalization and other forms of violence against human rights defenders, the perpetrators go unpunished.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, neither the Attorney General, Oscar Chinchilla, nor the President, Juan Orlando Hernandez, agreed to meet with us. We have been requesting meetings with the president for over a year and have been continually rejected. Rather than reply to us, he has now blocked us on Twitter.

It was not until a month after Berta was killed that the Attorney General publicly accepted that her murder could have been in response to her work as a human rights defender. He promised that this would be taken into account as a line of investigation.

However one year on from the tragedy that deeply wounded the human rights movement both in Honduras and around the world, the progress made has been negligible.

In the months following the killing, the authorities arrested six suspects for involvement in the crime. Two of them had connections to the armed forces, either active members or retired, and another two had connections to the company in charge of the Agua Zarca project - a manager and a former head of security. Subsequently, in the first few months of 2017, two additional suspects were captured, one in Mexico.

However, the question remains whether the investigation has been enough to identify the intellectual authors behind this and to stop the wave of attacks which dozens of human rights defenders continue to be victims of.

In February 2017 a media campaign emerged discrediting and delegitimizing several different civil society organizations, and among them was COPINH. They were accused of being liars and promoting a negative image of Honduras. The stigmatization came from individuals associated with business groups, but was also reinforced by the silence of President Hernandez, who, despite repeated calls from the international community, did not condemn these statements nor publicly recognize the legitimate work of those who defend the land, territory and environment.

"We have to protect our image very carefully and if we have a problem, we need to fix it and ensure justice" the president said at the beginning of February of this year.

But what kind of justice is President Hernandez referring to? The kind where all the material and intellectual perpetrators of Berta's killing are identified? Justice whereby the state authorities, including those at the highest level, work emphatically to change language which portrays human rights defenders as enemies of the country, allowing them to be killed as Berta was? Justice which recognizes, publicly and consistently, that human rights defenders are carrying out essential and legitimate work?

As you can see, Mr. President, Honduras does have a problem, and it must be fixed.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International